Watching Xander's reactions and observing the little family, Chance felt for them. This was a warm, happy atmosphere and they didn't deserve to be uprooted. But this was a war that had started long, long ago, and it was the fault of no one here. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, at the tiny commotion in the kitchen as he took a sip of coffee he'd accepted from Abby. As sorry as he felt about all of this, he also knew that Xander was well aware of the dangers when he'd taken on this job in the first place - he'd just been lucky to have gone this long without incident.
"You have my word, I will guard your family with my life." Even now, as casually dressed as he was, he was carrying more weapons than anyone would care to know. "Heaven help the poor sap who tries anything while I'm on duty." His eyes showed how serious he was. He hadn't always been the most faithful agent, nor had he always turned away from trouble when he should have, but the Agency would have to kill him to get to this innocent family.
"I was hoping you'd say yes," he concluded. Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out a printed plane ticket. "Your flight for Texas leaves at six in the morning. I'll be here at five to see you off and then stay here. Someone from the ranch will pick you up and from there the mission is all in their hands."
He paused and listened to some more chatter from the children in the kitchen. "I'm sorry this is such short notice. If it weren't for the situation in Texas, you'd have more time to prepare to move. But I'll do all I can to make the transition easier, whether it's simply standing watch or helping pack boxes. The Elite will pay for all moving expenses, so you won't need to worry about that."
Chance took a glance at his watch before setting down his coffee cup and standing. "I should go before prying eyes start to wonder why I'm here. See you bright and early?"
For several moments, Rosalyn just sat with her mouth still partially open, her mind reeling. She stared at Chad, almost trying to figure out if he was actually serious about this. He'd almost convinced her he really did want a deeper relationship with her, but this? To basically take on responsibility for her well-being until this thing blew over?
"We don't even know how long this will last," was the first thing out of her mouth.
Jim pursed his lips. "No, we don't. If we get Travis out in the next couple days, that could be it."
"But how...how do we know if the Agency will retaliate? How do we know they won't just sit quietly until a month from now? Or six months? How do we live like that, not knowing?"
Jim tried to smile. "Just like we have all our lives." When he saw how much his daughter was struggling, he decided to add more. "The Agency can't dictate where you go or what you do. It's just about how we each deal with the threat the best we see fit. Sometimes that's as a group, and sometimes that's individually."
Rosalyn swallowed hard. "You'd rather I come back to the ranch wouldn't you?"
Jim's emotions started to surface again and his gaze dropped. "I want you to do what's right for you." It was hard to say it, but he managed. "And...if it was me... I'd go with the one I love."
Tears entered Rosalyn's eyes and she looked to Chad again, her grip tightening on his hand. "What...what about what I have here? I help the girls with rent and, and, and... I have jobs and..." She stopped when she saw her dad reach in his back pocket.
He pulled out his checkbook and grabbed a pen off the coffee table. As he started to write though, his world suddenly went black. Gripping the chair's armrest to find his balance, he scrunched his eyes tight.
"Dad? Are you okay?"
He nodded, then blinked several times. "Yeah....yeah, I'm okay." Thankfully, his surroundings came back into focus, but it was no less scary than any other episode. Resuming his task, he finished writing a check before tearing it out and handing it to Rosalyn.
She took it, confused especially when she saw the amount written. "What..."
"That should help with keeping up rent here while you're gone so you have something to come back to and it won't burden your friends."
Rosalyn swallowed hard before showing Chad the check too. "But...this...Dad, it's... This would keep my rent here five months, with enough left to help live on elsewhere."
He nodded. "That's the idea."
"But you and mom can't afford this," she argued.
"How do you know? Besides... If I would have been half the father I should have been, I would have spent that money on you a long time ago to give you a better chance at life outside the ranch."
Rosalyn wiped her eyes and sniffed. "Thank you," she returned softly. "I guess..." A little laugh surfaced. "I guess this means I'm going to the gulf coast."
Jim stood and retrieved his keys. "You might wanna tell your mom yourself. Just saying. But, um... I'll head back now."
"No you don't." Rosalyn got to her feet. "I'm calling the ranch to have someone come get you. I'm not letting you drive back like this."
"But..."
"No buts." She grabbed her cell phone, her tone stern. "It's time they knew about this too anyway. It's either that or Chad takes you back and I have a feeling you don't wanna long ride with him..."
...It was over an hour later and the house was quiet. Mick and Jeff had come and gone with Jim, left to find out just what was going on once they got back to the ranch. In the meantime, Rosalyn had afforded her dad a hug, although it was obvious that mending of hearts would take much longer than just one evening and a couple apologies. But things were at least finally turning around. As for her and Chad...
She paced the living room, her arms folded in worry. "Are you sure about this?" She'd repeated that question twice already, but hadn't given Chad a chance to answer yet. "I mean, really? Not just the whole taking care of me thing, but getting involved with the Agency watching? Taking me with you could put your whole team at risk too. And what if the Agency did come after me? What about the others? Is this fair to them?" She kept pacing. "Besides all that, you say you're dedicated to whatever this is we've got going, but even with all this? It's downright stupid you know. Completely absurd for you to take me with you. And, and, and...well it's just insane is what it is."
Wyatt folded his fingers around Grace's in a reassuring grip. "It's going to be okay."
Static, a muffled partial sentence, then more static from Garret distracted him for a moment. Had that been someone else's voice, or Garret's? What was going on? "Garret?" No response. "Garret, where are you? Talk to us," Wyatt prompted. All he received was more silence. This wasn't good.
He looked back to Grace. "Follow me. We have a car waiting." Hurrying, he got her across the warehouse, then out into the night air and led her at a fast jog across the complex. "Headed your way, Nate." With the vehicle in sight, his eyes ricocheted around their surroundings to make sure the route really was clear. Everything was quiet. Getting Grace to the SUV, he opened the rear door and helped her in. "Just take a seat. You're safe now. This is Nate - he's on our team."
He looked back into the complex, worried. "Garret?" he asked again. "Where are you?"
"All clear," finally came the response. "Target in hand and headed your way."
Wyatt glanced into the vehicle at Nate. Garret had actually pulled it off? Movement pulled his focus back to the complex where Garret appeared to be carrying a figure over his shoulder.
Garret carried the limp body to the SUV where he popped the back hatch and deposited it inside. "Is the girl alright?"
"Yeah, she's okay. What happened?"
"Comm got knocked off my ear when I went head to head with this guy."
Wyatt quirked an eyebrow. "And this guy is...?"
"Dead. Let's get out of here before anyone else decides to show up."
Wyatt blinked. He'd just thrown a dead body in the back of their car? Seriously? "Are you out of your mind?!" he hissed. "You should know better than to move a body! This puts our badges on the line! And why, pray tell, is he dead anyway?! What happened?"
Garret didn't react, but glanced into the SUV. "Don't you think we ought to get this young lady out of here and to safety before flying off the handle?"
Wyatt glared at him before sliding into the backseat so Garret could take shotgun, then shut the door. If this wasn't an Agency case, he'd make more of a fuss, but unfortunately, when it came to the Agency, rules were bent in favor of everyone's safety - not just protocol. And since they had Grace with them, they couldn't very well hang around and risk her safety again. At any given moment, they could be ambushed. He swallowed his emotions and gave her a warm smile. "We're only a few minutes from headquarters, so just hang tight." He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Rick. "Yeah, it's Wyatt... Yes. She's okay but been roughed up a bit. We'll be there shortly. Thanks." After ending the call, he grabbed a bottle of water and offered it to Grace. "Here. Have you had anything to eat?"
Garret slid into the passenger seat and tossed his earset onto the dash before taking off his ballcap to run a hand through his hair. He didn't look at Nate, nor did he try to explain himself or why the Agency operative was now dead. "He threatened a second target again." He kept his voice down to avoid scaring Grace any more. "I suggest we get back before they decide to take us out instead." It was unfortunate, but he doubted Justin would have another chance at saving whoever else the Agency planned to use. He knew how these things worked as he'd tried to explain earlier. He knew there had been two targets from the beginning - the Agency was just banking on them continuing to hope they could actually rescue both, just to make the failure that much harder to accept. Someone was going to die. Now that they had Grace, it was inevitable that the other target would be killed. Maybe the Elite thought they could pull off total success, but Garret knew better. Whether Justin thought all his loved ones were safe or not, Garret had been playing this game too long to think they were free and clear.
8/14/16
Main Concern
Sitting in the living room with Rosalyn and Jim, Chad kept his fingers intertwined with his. He could see how nervous she was and it made his heart hurt. He hated seeing her like this and not being able to help in any way.
Listing to everyone all over again the wheels in Chad's head had already started to turn. He didn't really understand The Agency, and why any of this happening but it wasn't going to cause him to run. He couldn't, he couldn't let Rosalyn face whoever these people were alone. So his brain worked, processed, and figured things out while Jim talked.
Once the talking was done Chad was quiet for a moment still. Looking to Rosalyn, than to Jim, and back to Rosalyn he took in a long sigh.
"That's a lot to take in at once, and I dont quite understand it all, but first and for most, they would have to kill me to keep me from Rosalyn."
Drawing quiet again Chad thinks a moment again. What he would say next had to be said delicately or it could be taken the wrong way. He felt like he was getting somewhere with Jim and the last thing he wanted was to make it all so south.
"I have to leave in a few days to get back to work. I would suggest Rosalyn ether head back to the ranch with you today or come with me so she would be safe. I have an extra room at my place, My twin bother lives there with me, along with another woman who works with us."
Since they all worked together it was just easier to live together as well and in the long run saved money with how much they travailed.
"We still have an extra room and that could be your room. It even has its own bathroom, so you would have your own privacy, with a little patio on the back as well."
Chad looked to Jim and searches his face for a long moment hoping he wouldn't think worse of him now for suggesting this. Than looking back to Rosalyn he smiles.
"As for money its not something you wouldn't have to worry about since I am guessing it wouldn't be permanent, and with how we travel I would assume you would come too and that could be hard with a job. But if you really want one, you can always work with me and do some odd jobs, or there are a lot of part time jobs that are flexible. But that is my suggestion and the best possible way I can keep you safe. Ultamitly it is up to you Rosalyn and how you feel, but do not think it a burden, because it wouldn't be. Having you around more, would definitely be a bright spot."
Xander just listened as Chance started to talk. When it came to a lot of stuff that happened at the Elite he was clueless. Being out in the field would do that, and though he was out of the loop and felt lost he new it was best. But if he was being told all this now, that what would it mean for him, what would it mean for his family.
Smile as Abby came into the room Xander accepted the cup of coffee, and waited while she asked if Chance wanted anything too. Once she had left again he took a sip of his coffee before nodding for Chance to continue. Abby new about the Elite, and she new about The Agency, but still he wanted to avoid talking about it in from of her or the kids. This whole thing was dangerous, and heaven forbid if anything happened He wanted them to be able to deny they new anything with a mostly clear continuous to give them a better chance of survival.
As Chance continues and mention of the ranch was brought up Xander couldn't help but perk up a little. He remember everyone who had been there when he was, he could still see all there faces. Even if they more than likely had aged now, he remembered them. They say home is where your heart is, and while his heart was with his family, the ranch in Texas would always be the second place his heart would rest.
"Of course I remember them...how could I forget. That was a big part of my life for a long time."
Falling silent again he lets Chance continue once more and he took everything in. This was sudden, and this was unexpected, but this was something he did know would come sooner or later. As much as he wished it was later, it was happening now.
Hearing voices from the hall break his consideration for a moment as two boys appear for a moment and than disappear into the kitchen as some laughter follows. Leaning to the right on the arm rest it was just enough room to see into the kitchen. Both boys helped there mother with plates, and little Violet despritly tried to get the older of the two boys attahen. Putting the plate down the boy finally turned to his sister and picked her up swinning her in a circle for a moment as she giggled, before disappearing again to place her in her high chair.
The smile grew on Xnader's face. He'd gotten so lucky with his family, it was everything he ever could of wanted and he felt blessed. Now it was his time to put away his selfish wants and protect his family. Turning back to Chance he nods there was no second option.
"I'll do it, as long as you do stay here still my family leaves for Texas. There safety is all I care about. Promise me that, and I'll help. No matter what happens to me, they are my main concern."
As commotion insured outside the dark cold room Grace wrapped her arms about herself scared. She didn't know what was going on, but she hoped the new where not back to ask her more questions. Everything they asked confused her. Why was Jared's brother so important to these men and why where they asking her?
When the door opened and the light shone in Grace couldn't help but cower a little as her eyes tried to adjust. She didn't know who was standing there or what they wanted but it made her heart race. Hearing a voice she didn't know the tone was much different than her chapters, This one brought comfort, help and trust.
Looking up again and seeing Wyatt'd hand Grace took it her own shaking. She didn't know if she could walk let alone run even if she was standing but she would try, and someone was there to rescue her. Still not saying anything she move forward to be even with Wyatt. Looking up at him, and than looking at the door she was ready.
Listing to everyone all over again the wheels in Chad's head had already started to turn. He didn't really understand The Agency, and why any of this happening but it wasn't going to cause him to run. He couldn't, he couldn't let Rosalyn face whoever these people were alone. So his brain worked, processed, and figured things out while Jim talked.
Once the talking was done Chad was quiet for a moment still. Looking to Rosalyn, than to Jim, and back to Rosalyn he took in a long sigh.
"That's a lot to take in at once, and I dont quite understand it all, but first and for most, they would have to kill me to keep me from Rosalyn."
Drawing quiet again Chad thinks a moment again. What he would say next had to be said delicately or it could be taken the wrong way. He felt like he was getting somewhere with Jim and the last thing he wanted was to make it all so south.
"I have to leave in a few days to get back to work. I would suggest Rosalyn ether head back to the ranch with you today or come with me so she would be safe. I have an extra room at my place, My twin bother lives there with me, along with another woman who works with us."
Since they all worked together it was just easier to live together as well and in the long run saved money with how much they travailed.
"We still have an extra room and that could be your room. It even has its own bathroom, so you would have your own privacy, with a little patio on the back as well."
Chad looked to Jim and searches his face for a long moment hoping he wouldn't think worse of him now for suggesting this. Than looking back to Rosalyn he smiles.
"As for money its not something you wouldn't have to worry about since I am guessing it wouldn't be permanent, and with how we travel I would assume you would come too and that could be hard with a job. But if you really want one, you can always work with me and do some odd jobs, or there are a lot of part time jobs that are flexible. But that is my suggestion and the best possible way I can keep you safe. Ultamitly it is up to you Rosalyn and how you feel, but do not think it a burden, because it wouldn't be. Having you around more, would definitely be a bright spot."
Xander just listened as Chance started to talk. When it came to a lot of stuff that happened at the Elite he was clueless. Being out in the field would do that, and though he was out of the loop and felt lost he new it was best. But if he was being told all this now, that what would it mean for him, what would it mean for his family.
Smile as Abby came into the room Xander accepted the cup of coffee, and waited while she asked if Chance wanted anything too. Once she had left again he took a sip of his coffee before nodding for Chance to continue. Abby new about the Elite, and she new about The Agency, but still he wanted to avoid talking about it in from of her or the kids. This whole thing was dangerous, and heaven forbid if anything happened He wanted them to be able to deny they new anything with a mostly clear continuous to give them a better chance of survival.
As Chance continues and mention of the ranch was brought up Xander couldn't help but perk up a little. He remember everyone who had been there when he was, he could still see all there faces. Even if they more than likely had aged now, he remembered them. They say home is where your heart is, and while his heart was with his family, the ranch in Texas would always be the second place his heart would rest.
"Of course I remember them...how could I forget. That was a big part of my life for a long time."
Falling silent again he lets Chance continue once more and he took everything in. This was sudden, and this was unexpected, but this was something he did know would come sooner or later. As much as he wished it was later, it was happening now.
Hearing voices from the hall break his consideration for a moment as two boys appear for a moment and than disappear into the kitchen as some laughter follows. Leaning to the right on the arm rest it was just enough room to see into the kitchen. Both boys helped there mother with plates, and little Violet despritly tried to get the older of the two boys attahen. Putting the plate down the boy finally turned to his sister and picked her up swinning her in a circle for a moment as she giggled, before disappearing again to place her in her high chair.
The smile grew on Xnader's face. He'd gotten so lucky with his family, it was everything he ever could of wanted and he felt blessed. Now it was his time to put away his selfish wants and protect his family. Turning back to Chance he nods there was no second option.
"I'll do it, as long as you do stay here still my family leaves for Texas. There safety is all I care about. Promise me that, and I'll help. No matter what happens to me, they are my main concern."
As commotion insured outside the dark cold room Grace wrapped her arms about herself scared. She didn't know what was going on, but she hoped the new where not back to ask her more questions. Everything they asked confused her. Why was Jared's brother so important to these men and why where they asking her?
When the door opened and the light shone in Grace couldn't help but cower a little as her eyes tried to adjust. She didn't know who was standing there or what they wanted but it made her heart race. Hearing a voice she didn't know the tone was much different than her chapters, This one brought comfort, help and trust.
Looking up again and seeing Wyatt'd hand Grace took it her own shaking. She didn't know if she could walk let alone run even if she was standing but she would try, and someone was there to rescue her. Still not saying anything she move forward to be even with Wyatt. Looking up at him, and than looking at the door she was ready.
8/7/16
Body
"I'm sorry." Jim's brow furrowed slightly. "I just assumed Rosalyn would have explained our family history to you." If Chad was really serious about pursuing Rosalyn, he had a lot he needed to know. One thing Jim couldn't deny though - and that was the seriousness with which Chad promised to do his best to take care of Rosalyn. Whether Jim liked it or not, this man seemed genuine.
Coming back around to the other topic, Jim's gaze fell again. He wasn't so sure he believed Rosalyn had missed him. Not after the way he'd treated her. He nodded anyway, though. She needed to know what was going on as much as Chad.
It took a few minutes of silence before he finally got to his feet. "Okay. Let's go inside." He would just as soon have Chad present in case Rosalyn decided she really didn't want to hear this.
Back in the living room, Rosalyn sat up straight and tensed as her father entered with Chad. With...Chad? Together? And nobody had any black eyes? Her gaze bounced back and forth between both of them as she stayed frozen in place. What was going on?
Jim wandered to a chair and motioned to it with question. When Rosalyn nodded, he sat, still fiddling with his hat. "I, um... have a few things we need to talk about."
Rosalyn's hand found Chad's as he joined her on the couch. Her face had gone pale. "Okay..." She wasn't going to give up Chad. She couldn't. She refused.
Seeing the fear on her face made Jim even more sorry. "First, I want to apologize for all the things I did and said to push you away. It wasn't my intent, and I never wanted to hurt you..." He went on to explain the same things he'd told Chad about his eyes and how that's what he'd really been angry and scared about.
By the time he'd finished, Rosalyn's fear had turned more into pity. She swallowed hard. "You...seem to see fine."
Jim nodded. "It comes and goes. Any given moment, everything goes blurry and dark. Sometimes it lasts a second or two, and...sometimes several minutes. But it's getting worse and...one of these times, it will just stay that way. I shouldn't have driven myself into town - I had to pull over twice. But they're locking down the ranch and no one else knows about this so I couldn't very well ask for a ride."
Rosalyn frowned. "What? Why? Is everything okay?"
Jim shook his head. Next came the story of Travis.
"I didn't know Angel had a nephew," Rosalyn commented, confused.
"She didn't either. But at any rate, that's it and, um... I came to... make sure you had someone looking after you."
Her cheeks flushed slightly. "And...you're okay with this?"
He shook his head. "Not really. But I love you. And I trust you. I just want you to be safe and happy."
A tear trickled down Rosalyn's cheek and she quickly swiped it away. She'd thought those words would never come.
Jim cocked his head. "Chad tells me he doesn't know who the Agency is."
She hung her head. She should have told Chad about all this sooner. She'd just hoped she wouldn't need to. That somehow she'd be beyond the Agency's grasp since she was the next generation. And perhaps she feared it would have scared Chad away. Her fingers fiddled with his.
"The Agency is a crime organization that has been subtly destroying lives for a very long time," Jim explained. "The public doesn't really know about them because of how well they infiltrate and fool the system. But basically they like to play games and torture people - psychologically or physically. Their leader is a psychopath that sees humans as lab rats he can experiment on just to see how they react. For reasons we still don't know, our two families - the Hensons and Pents - were targeted when we were children - perhaps even before that. We've been battling them all our lives. They've lured several of us into their fold, they have kidnapped a number of us and our family members, they have wreaked havoc in ways such as destroying property, and they have torn apart marriages, like Mick's fist. Anything they can do just to see how we react, and see how long it takes for us to break."
It all sounded so horrible. Rosalyn's grip on Chad's hand tightened but she didn't dare look at him.
Jim studied Chad's face to see if there was any fear. "When my kids were still small, I left in order to protect them - they'd already been kidnapped once right after they were born. We even gave up our third child just to ensure he wouldn't grow up with the dangers of the Agency. That's how serious it is." He paused and looked again to Rosalyn. "If all goes well and we get Travis out, this whole thing could be over in the next couple days. But there's always risk of retaliation from the Agency. So...I've asked Chad to make sure you're safe. Whether that means he stays here or...you leave with him."
Rosalyn's mouth opened slightly in shock. Not only had her father apologized, but he was now suggesting - asking - that Chad take care of her, even if it meant taking her away? Finally, she dared turn to Chad and searched his eyes. What did he think of all this? Would he even want to stick around now? She knew he couldn't stay because he needed to get back to his home on the coast for work, but...it was asking an awful lot of him to take her with him, not to mention it could be looked upon as inappropriate. Surely he wouldn't want the responsibility anyway - not yet. Not when they were just starting out...would he?
Chance followed Xander to the living room and eased down onto one end of the couch, moving a doll over before he sat on her. It made him grin at the corners of his mouth. "No, no late reports." He leaned forward to prop his elbows on his knees. "Long story short, the FBI is getting involved..." He went on to explain how the FBI wanted to force the Elite to work beside them instead of on their own, and while there was some good in it, that move would form a long string of new restrictions, and it would also open up all the Elite files to the FBI, which, in turn, would expose anyone like Xander who had been working undercover in the Agency. Once the change happened, the Agency would undoubtedly know a lot more than anyone would like to think. "Reese is afraid for your family's safety," he continued. "So that's why I'm here."
He pursed his lips in thought. "And...on top of all that, there's a situation in Texas that needs our attention as well." He might as well just get right into the second reason he was here - time was of the essence. "Consider it your last act undercover. I assume you remember Angel Lachey - now Trahern, and you might remember her brother Lane, who used to go by Mississippi. It's his eighteen-year-old boy. The Agency has him." He explained the situation in detail - all they knew from Lane, along with the intel from Con.
"They need someone who can walk into their camp without being questioned. While we can't intercept their communications, we can throw them off balance for just long enough to get the kid out. You walk in, flash your identity with a phony story about being handed the task to move Travis. That should give you just enough time to get to Travis and be on your way out. By then, they'll probably have contacted their superior and found out you have nothing to do with it. We've got a sharpshooter - Conrad Gibbs - who will be within range - he'll take out anyone in your way, then meet you with a vehicle to get Travis back to the ranch." He grimaced. "It's a risky plan with a lot of holes and a lot of assumptions, but it's all we've got and there's no one else to help."
He glanced around to where he knew Abby was in the kitchen with at least one of the kids. "Your family will need to move as well. I can stay here with them until they're ready to go, and I'll bring them to join you in Texas. From there, we'll need to find a secure location where you can get settled again. The Elite will take care of you until a new plan of action is formed."
Folding his hands, he studied Xander's reactions. "I know this is an awful lot all at once, and I'm sorry. I wish we weren't so pressed for time. It's up to you, though. You have the right to decline this case, or even moving at all. But it's Reese's recommendation for your family's sake."
Garret just nodded and followed Nate to get ready to go. Though confident his judgement call was right, he knew in the pit of his stomach that if anything went wrong, Reese would blame him.
It wasn't hard to lay everything out with Wyatt and set up communications with Dalton in case they needed anything, and doing a quick check on the warehouse complex went without a hitch. It didn't appear there was any kind of setup, and Garret was convinced there would only be one Agency operative inside, just as they had suspected. Now there was only one thing left to do - go in. It was agreed Nate would stay with the vehicle to get them out of there fast when needed. Garret would go in first as a decoy, allowing Wyatt to get to the girl. Anything else in between would have to be played by ear...
"It's going to be okay."
Jared glanced up at his brother from the same spot in the break room where he'd been for hours now. Sitting in his chair all day was causing more pain than he'd like to admit, but he wasn't going to ask to go home. Not when they were so close to getting Grace back...or so he hoped. "You really think so?"
"Of course." Justin was standing near the open doorway, leaned back against the wall with folded arms. Although he remained calm on the outside, his insides were still churning with worry. Something wasn't right. He didn't know what, but even with the plan to rescue Grace, it didn't feel like everything was alright. He again glanced to the table where Jared's cell phone sat. No more calls...and they were considering that a good thing. Despite his uneasiness, he gave his brother a nod. "They're going to find Grace, and she's going to be just fine. You'll see."
"How long have they been gone?"
Justin's lips curled into a small grin. "Not long. Want anything to eat?"
Jared shook his head.
"Okay. Well, I'm going to call Ma and make sure she and Beth are doing alright back at the house." He'd rather be there, but while the Agency was still contacting him through Jared, he needed to stay put so the Elite could act if necessary.
The warehouse complex was dark, except for a couple dim lights near the perimeter. Both dressed in black with black ball caps, it would be hard to spot Garret and Wyatt making their way to the rear row where they suspected Grace was. Garret remained in the lead, moving without hardly a sound. Even Wyatt was impressed - and it reminded him just how experienced this ex-Agency man was. Which was a comfort and unsettling at the same time. Both were armed, and both wore earpieces to keep in contact with each other and with Nate as he waited for them.
"Nothing so far," Wyatt mentioned quietly as they approached their targeted building.
Garret silently motioned to a side door that had been left slightly open. All the other buildings appeared to be locked up tight. This one's padlock was lying broken on the ground. Wyatt hadn't even noticed it, and quirked an eyebrow. Garret nodded to the door and cautiously slipped inside. It was even darker, except for a single light at the far end with a messy desk where someone sat. There was a single, separate room set up, which looked like it probably used to be the office for a foreman or the like, before this place was abandoned. Old crates and empty pallets were haphazardly stacked around the perimeter, and several old vehicles had been left in rusted heaps.
The man at the desk stirred, and Garret pointed, then motioned for Wyatt to stay back. Wyatt understood, and hid in the shadows to wait until the coast was clear. Garret went about half the length of the warehouse before stopping. Glancing around, he tested a stack of boxes, finding most of them were empty. Making sure he still had a clear route back outside, he gave the stack a hefty bump. As they all tumbled onto the floor with a clatter, it was inevitable that the thug would get up, spot Garret and come after him. Garret immediately sprinted for the door, despite yelled warnings. A bullet whizzed past his head, but he kept going, then skidded outside and around the corner. One quick glance over his shoulder warned him to slow down just a little - he needed to stay within sight so the operative would keep following him.
Once both men were outside, Wyatt aimed for the closed room. "The chase is on," he reported to Nate as he ran. "Garret just ran out with the guy hot on his heels - and by hot, I mean shots were fired." Finding the door locked, he didn't hesitate to give it a swift kick, breaking it open before shining his flashlight inside. The beam met the face of a frightened looking young woman. Thankfully she was on her own two feet. It looked like she'd been through the wringer, but not nearly as bad as could have been. "Grace?" He lowered the flashlight. "My name is Wyatt. I'm with the Elite and I'm here to get you out, but we have to hurry." He held out his hand. "Come on."
Outside, Garret dodged another bullet and gritted his teeth. His own gun remained in its holster though, despite his desire to drop, roll and fire to end this now. At least the idiot was still behind him. Best case scenario was to bring the thug in. Worse case scenario was simply avoid getting caught himself, and making it back to the waiting vehicle empty-handed. But Garret was going to try for the best case. Skirting around the corner of a building, he skidded to a halt and waited, his ears calculating when to step out and stop his pursuer. No one else would know for certain exactly what happened after that, but the scuffle lasted only a few moments. It would be up to Garret to explain what he'd just been told, and why now he would be carrying a body to the car instead of leading a prisoner.
Coming back around to the other topic, Jim's gaze fell again. He wasn't so sure he believed Rosalyn had missed him. Not after the way he'd treated her. He nodded anyway, though. She needed to know what was going on as much as Chad.
It took a few minutes of silence before he finally got to his feet. "Okay. Let's go inside." He would just as soon have Chad present in case Rosalyn decided she really didn't want to hear this.
Back in the living room, Rosalyn sat up straight and tensed as her father entered with Chad. With...Chad? Together? And nobody had any black eyes? Her gaze bounced back and forth between both of them as she stayed frozen in place. What was going on?
Jim wandered to a chair and motioned to it with question. When Rosalyn nodded, he sat, still fiddling with his hat. "I, um... have a few things we need to talk about."
Rosalyn's hand found Chad's as he joined her on the couch. Her face had gone pale. "Okay..." She wasn't going to give up Chad. She couldn't. She refused.
Seeing the fear on her face made Jim even more sorry. "First, I want to apologize for all the things I did and said to push you away. It wasn't my intent, and I never wanted to hurt you..." He went on to explain the same things he'd told Chad about his eyes and how that's what he'd really been angry and scared about.
By the time he'd finished, Rosalyn's fear had turned more into pity. She swallowed hard. "You...seem to see fine."
Jim nodded. "It comes and goes. Any given moment, everything goes blurry and dark. Sometimes it lasts a second or two, and...sometimes several minutes. But it's getting worse and...one of these times, it will just stay that way. I shouldn't have driven myself into town - I had to pull over twice. But they're locking down the ranch and no one else knows about this so I couldn't very well ask for a ride."
Rosalyn frowned. "What? Why? Is everything okay?"
Jim shook his head. Next came the story of Travis.
"I didn't know Angel had a nephew," Rosalyn commented, confused.
"She didn't either. But at any rate, that's it and, um... I came to... make sure you had someone looking after you."
Her cheeks flushed slightly. "And...you're okay with this?"
He shook his head. "Not really. But I love you. And I trust you. I just want you to be safe and happy."
A tear trickled down Rosalyn's cheek and she quickly swiped it away. She'd thought those words would never come.
Jim cocked his head. "Chad tells me he doesn't know who the Agency is."
She hung her head. She should have told Chad about all this sooner. She'd just hoped she wouldn't need to. That somehow she'd be beyond the Agency's grasp since she was the next generation. And perhaps she feared it would have scared Chad away. Her fingers fiddled with his.
"The Agency is a crime organization that has been subtly destroying lives for a very long time," Jim explained. "The public doesn't really know about them because of how well they infiltrate and fool the system. But basically they like to play games and torture people - psychologically or physically. Their leader is a psychopath that sees humans as lab rats he can experiment on just to see how they react. For reasons we still don't know, our two families - the Hensons and Pents - were targeted when we were children - perhaps even before that. We've been battling them all our lives. They've lured several of us into their fold, they have kidnapped a number of us and our family members, they have wreaked havoc in ways such as destroying property, and they have torn apart marriages, like Mick's fist. Anything they can do just to see how we react, and see how long it takes for us to break."
It all sounded so horrible. Rosalyn's grip on Chad's hand tightened but she didn't dare look at him.
Jim studied Chad's face to see if there was any fear. "When my kids were still small, I left in order to protect them - they'd already been kidnapped once right after they were born. We even gave up our third child just to ensure he wouldn't grow up with the dangers of the Agency. That's how serious it is." He paused and looked again to Rosalyn. "If all goes well and we get Travis out, this whole thing could be over in the next couple days. But there's always risk of retaliation from the Agency. So...I've asked Chad to make sure you're safe. Whether that means he stays here or...you leave with him."
Rosalyn's mouth opened slightly in shock. Not only had her father apologized, but he was now suggesting - asking - that Chad take care of her, even if it meant taking her away? Finally, she dared turn to Chad and searched his eyes. What did he think of all this? Would he even want to stick around now? She knew he couldn't stay because he needed to get back to his home on the coast for work, but...it was asking an awful lot of him to take her with him, not to mention it could be looked upon as inappropriate. Surely he wouldn't want the responsibility anyway - not yet. Not when they were just starting out...would he?
Chance followed Xander to the living room and eased down onto one end of the couch, moving a doll over before he sat on her. It made him grin at the corners of his mouth. "No, no late reports." He leaned forward to prop his elbows on his knees. "Long story short, the FBI is getting involved..." He went on to explain how the FBI wanted to force the Elite to work beside them instead of on their own, and while there was some good in it, that move would form a long string of new restrictions, and it would also open up all the Elite files to the FBI, which, in turn, would expose anyone like Xander who had been working undercover in the Agency. Once the change happened, the Agency would undoubtedly know a lot more than anyone would like to think. "Reese is afraid for your family's safety," he continued. "So that's why I'm here."
He pursed his lips in thought. "And...on top of all that, there's a situation in Texas that needs our attention as well." He might as well just get right into the second reason he was here - time was of the essence. "Consider it your last act undercover. I assume you remember Angel Lachey - now Trahern, and you might remember her brother Lane, who used to go by Mississippi. It's his eighteen-year-old boy. The Agency has him." He explained the situation in detail - all they knew from Lane, along with the intel from Con.
"They need someone who can walk into their camp without being questioned. While we can't intercept their communications, we can throw them off balance for just long enough to get the kid out. You walk in, flash your identity with a phony story about being handed the task to move Travis. That should give you just enough time to get to Travis and be on your way out. By then, they'll probably have contacted their superior and found out you have nothing to do with it. We've got a sharpshooter - Conrad Gibbs - who will be within range - he'll take out anyone in your way, then meet you with a vehicle to get Travis back to the ranch." He grimaced. "It's a risky plan with a lot of holes and a lot of assumptions, but it's all we've got and there's no one else to help."
He glanced around to where he knew Abby was in the kitchen with at least one of the kids. "Your family will need to move as well. I can stay here with them until they're ready to go, and I'll bring them to join you in Texas. From there, we'll need to find a secure location where you can get settled again. The Elite will take care of you until a new plan of action is formed."
Folding his hands, he studied Xander's reactions. "I know this is an awful lot all at once, and I'm sorry. I wish we weren't so pressed for time. It's up to you, though. You have the right to decline this case, or even moving at all. But it's Reese's recommendation for your family's sake."
Garret just nodded and followed Nate to get ready to go. Though confident his judgement call was right, he knew in the pit of his stomach that if anything went wrong, Reese would blame him.
It wasn't hard to lay everything out with Wyatt and set up communications with Dalton in case they needed anything, and doing a quick check on the warehouse complex went without a hitch. It didn't appear there was any kind of setup, and Garret was convinced there would only be one Agency operative inside, just as they had suspected. Now there was only one thing left to do - go in. It was agreed Nate would stay with the vehicle to get them out of there fast when needed. Garret would go in first as a decoy, allowing Wyatt to get to the girl. Anything else in between would have to be played by ear...
"It's going to be okay."
Jared glanced up at his brother from the same spot in the break room where he'd been for hours now. Sitting in his chair all day was causing more pain than he'd like to admit, but he wasn't going to ask to go home. Not when they were so close to getting Grace back...or so he hoped. "You really think so?"
"Of course." Justin was standing near the open doorway, leaned back against the wall with folded arms. Although he remained calm on the outside, his insides were still churning with worry. Something wasn't right. He didn't know what, but even with the plan to rescue Grace, it didn't feel like everything was alright. He again glanced to the table where Jared's cell phone sat. No more calls...and they were considering that a good thing. Despite his uneasiness, he gave his brother a nod. "They're going to find Grace, and she's going to be just fine. You'll see."
"How long have they been gone?"
Justin's lips curled into a small grin. "Not long. Want anything to eat?"
Jared shook his head.
"Okay. Well, I'm going to call Ma and make sure she and Beth are doing alright back at the house." He'd rather be there, but while the Agency was still contacting him through Jared, he needed to stay put so the Elite could act if necessary.
The warehouse complex was dark, except for a couple dim lights near the perimeter. Both dressed in black with black ball caps, it would be hard to spot Garret and Wyatt making their way to the rear row where they suspected Grace was. Garret remained in the lead, moving without hardly a sound. Even Wyatt was impressed - and it reminded him just how experienced this ex-Agency man was. Which was a comfort and unsettling at the same time. Both were armed, and both wore earpieces to keep in contact with each other and with Nate as he waited for them.
"Nothing so far," Wyatt mentioned quietly as they approached their targeted building.
Garret silently motioned to a side door that had been left slightly open. All the other buildings appeared to be locked up tight. This one's padlock was lying broken on the ground. Wyatt hadn't even noticed it, and quirked an eyebrow. Garret nodded to the door and cautiously slipped inside. It was even darker, except for a single light at the far end with a messy desk where someone sat. There was a single, separate room set up, which looked like it probably used to be the office for a foreman or the like, before this place was abandoned. Old crates and empty pallets were haphazardly stacked around the perimeter, and several old vehicles had been left in rusted heaps.
The man at the desk stirred, and Garret pointed, then motioned for Wyatt to stay back. Wyatt understood, and hid in the shadows to wait until the coast was clear. Garret went about half the length of the warehouse before stopping. Glancing around, he tested a stack of boxes, finding most of them were empty. Making sure he still had a clear route back outside, he gave the stack a hefty bump. As they all tumbled onto the floor with a clatter, it was inevitable that the thug would get up, spot Garret and come after him. Garret immediately sprinted for the door, despite yelled warnings. A bullet whizzed past his head, but he kept going, then skidded outside and around the corner. One quick glance over his shoulder warned him to slow down just a little - he needed to stay within sight so the operative would keep following him.
Once both men were outside, Wyatt aimed for the closed room. "The chase is on," he reported to Nate as he ran. "Garret just ran out with the guy hot on his heels - and by hot, I mean shots were fired." Finding the door locked, he didn't hesitate to give it a swift kick, breaking it open before shining his flashlight inside. The beam met the face of a frightened looking young woman. Thankfully she was on her own two feet. It looked like she'd been through the wringer, but not nearly as bad as could have been. "Grace?" He lowered the flashlight. "My name is Wyatt. I'm with the Elite and I'm here to get you out, but we have to hurry." He held out his hand. "Come on."
Outside, Garret dodged another bullet and gritted his teeth. His own gun remained in its holster though, despite his desire to drop, roll and fire to end this now. At least the idiot was still behind him. Best case scenario was to bring the thug in. Worse case scenario was simply avoid getting caught himself, and making it back to the waiting vehicle empty-handed. But Garret was going to try for the best case. Skirting around the corner of a building, he skidded to a halt and waited, his ears calculating when to step out and stop his pursuer. No one else would know for certain exactly what happened after that, but the scuffle lasted only a few moments. It would be up to Garret to explain what he'd just been told, and why now he would be carrying a body to the car instead of leading a prisoner.
8/6/16
Stickers
"You wont lose him, I promise we will do everything we can so that wont happen. That's why Con needs you to calm down. It's not because he doesn't care, but because if we do anything without thinking first or to quick because than that can put him in danger."
Angel falls silent as Lane's phone goes off. She gives a little cringe seeing it was his ex. What a mess this whole thing was and she felt bad for her brother. He hadn't asked to be part of the middle but he was.
"I think that's the best answer you could give her, without telling her anything, and without lying completely. Sometimes its best."
Angel pats her brothers back before leaning back on the couch. Thinking for a long moment she can't help a small laugh that escapes. She didn't often think about the past, as it held much sadness, but it was a moment like this sitting with her brother she couldn't help it.
"I wonder if you took after mom, or dad more. I bet you took after mom...good heart, kind, loving, talented, and I took after dad, a trouble maker, but amazing drive."
Quiet again for a second Angel lets out a sigh. Even being much older, she still missed having parents. Sometimes she felt like she'd missed out on so much, and Wendy missed out on having grandparents. She was very thankful they had the ranch family though.
"I think Travis is luck to have you. I wish we'd gotten to meet ours. "
Chad couldn't help but be a little surprised that Jim accepted his hand shake. He was thankful though and hopped this meant it was going to be at least a half way decent visit. Not for his own sake but for Rosalyn.
Just listening to Jim Chad nodded slightly. Things were starting to become a little clear on what had been bothering Jim. Though it wasn't an excuse Chad new good and well how sometimes bad news really could effect someone and than have another person thrown into the mix was just hard.
"I'm really sorry about your eyes. I can't imagen what that is like. I forgive you though and no hard feelings at all."
Chad offered a small smile before falling silent again to continue to listen to Jim. He wasn't sure what else Jim needed to say but he listened intently. As he turned to face him Chad searched his face and eyes. He didn't understand what Jim was talking about...people were after them and could hurt Rosalyn. He though he remembered her mentioning something once but had never gone into detail. Is this now what she had meant?
"I...don't know who The Agency is but I'd protect Rosalyn with my life. I'd do my best never to let anything happen to her and that is a promise."
Thinking for a second and looking twords the house Chad new Rosalyn was more than likely inside worried sick, Things had been rough, and he could tell she was worried before he even got out there. Looking back to Jim he noded.
"Now I think its best if you tell Rosalyn what is going on and try to patch things up with her. She loves you very much, and misses you even if she never actually said it."
Picking up a plat Xander shook his head as his daughter waddle by him placing a Finding Nemo sticker to his leg joining the other 3 that were already on his jeans. Just watching as she disappeared around the corner to make another lap he couldn't help the laugh before calling into the kitchen.
"You just had to buy her more stickers today didn't you babe?"
A sweet voice from the kitchen yells back.
"Well yeah, she ran out of the last ones. Better stickers than something else on your pants."
About to say something else Xander stops and give a silent nod walking into the kitchen and placing the plates in the sink. Just looks for a long moment at his wife the smile never left his lips. Abby was right there could be worse thing.
Hearing a knock at the door Xander perks up as the smile faded from his lips slightly. In his line of work you never new who was knock at the door this time of night. Leaning down and placing a kiss on her forehead he smiled at her again.
"I'd better get that."
Leaving the kitchen and making his way to the door Xander takes a moment to look down the hall way to one of the rooms where the light was on. More than likely Colton and James were doing there home work, and Abby would not be making sure Violet would stay in the kitchen with her.
Composing himself and letting his smile fade he opened the door. Giving Chance a once over his eyes landed on the Elite badge but didn't linger before looking back up at Chance. He new better than to give any indication that this was more than a friend coming to visit.
"Come on in, Abby should be getting the desert ready soon and you are just in time."
Having Chance inside and having him follow him into the living room he offers a seat before sitting down himself.
"It's ok Abby we just have a guest if you want to get dessert ready for the kids."
Looking back to Chance question in his eyes. Nothing new here that he new of had developed. Piking the stickers off his pants he places them down on some junk mail before looking up at there guest again.
"I'm surprised Reese would send someone. I dont think I was late on a report to him. So what is this all about?"
Nate gives a nod to Garret before turning and making his way back to the room where the plans were being set. All of this left a feeling in the pit of his stomach, not that this was wrong but just a nervous feeling. He hoped it would all work out like they had planned.
"I am trusting you Garret, if you think we should drive around first than I think we should. We'll go from there afterwards. Now lets just hope this all goes as planned."
Karla couldn't help but laugh a little as she looked at Levi's dad. She liked him already, he seemed really nice even if he was frazzled, but she could tell that he and Levi had a good relationship and that made her smile. Even the gentile teasing was nice to see. Looking back to Levi she smiles.
"The green book, and watching things I think I can handle. At least it will give me a good idea on what to do."
Angel falls silent as Lane's phone goes off. She gives a little cringe seeing it was his ex. What a mess this whole thing was and she felt bad for her brother. He hadn't asked to be part of the middle but he was.
"I think that's the best answer you could give her, without telling her anything, and without lying completely. Sometimes its best."
Angel pats her brothers back before leaning back on the couch. Thinking for a long moment she can't help a small laugh that escapes. She didn't often think about the past, as it held much sadness, but it was a moment like this sitting with her brother she couldn't help it.
"I wonder if you took after mom, or dad more. I bet you took after mom...good heart, kind, loving, talented, and I took after dad, a trouble maker, but amazing drive."
Quiet again for a second Angel lets out a sigh. Even being much older, she still missed having parents. Sometimes she felt like she'd missed out on so much, and Wendy missed out on having grandparents. She was very thankful they had the ranch family though.
"I think Travis is luck to have you. I wish we'd gotten to meet ours. "
Chad couldn't help but be a little surprised that Jim accepted his hand shake. He was thankful though and hopped this meant it was going to be at least a half way decent visit. Not for his own sake but for Rosalyn.
Just listening to Jim Chad nodded slightly. Things were starting to become a little clear on what had been bothering Jim. Though it wasn't an excuse Chad new good and well how sometimes bad news really could effect someone and than have another person thrown into the mix was just hard.
"I'm really sorry about your eyes. I can't imagen what that is like. I forgive you though and no hard feelings at all."
Chad offered a small smile before falling silent again to continue to listen to Jim. He wasn't sure what else Jim needed to say but he listened intently. As he turned to face him Chad searched his face and eyes. He didn't understand what Jim was talking about...people were after them and could hurt Rosalyn. He though he remembered her mentioning something once but had never gone into detail. Is this now what she had meant?
"I...don't know who The Agency is but I'd protect Rosalyn with my life. I'd do my best never to let anything happen to her and that is a promise."
Thinking for a second and looking twords the house Chad new Rosalyn was more than likely inside worried sick, Things had been rough, and he could tell she was worried before he even got out there. Looking back to Jim he noded.
"Now I think its best if you tell Rosalyn what is going on and try to patch things up with her. She loves you very much, and misses you even if she never actually said it."
Picking up a plat Xander shook his head as his daughter waddle by him placing a Finding Nemo sticker to his leg joining the other 3 that were already on his jeans. Just watching as she disappeared around the corner to make another lap he couldn't help the laugh before calling into the kitchen.
"You just had to buy her more stickers today didn't you babe?"
A sweet voice from the kitchen yells back.
"Well yeah, she ran out of the last ones. Better stickers than something else on your pants."
About to say something else Xander stops and give a silent nod walking into the kitchen and placing the plates in the sink. Just looks for a long moment at his wife the smile never left his lips. Abby was right there could be worse thing.
Hearing a knock at the door Xander perks up as the smile faded from his lips slightly. In his line of work you never new who was knock at the door this time of night. Leaning down and placing a kiss on her forehead he smiled at her again.
"I'd better get that."
Leaving the kitchen and making his way to the door Xander takes a moment to look down the hall way to one of the rooms where the light was on. More than likely Colton and James were doing there home work, and Abby would not be making sure Violet would stay in the kitchen with her.
Composing himself and letting his smile fade he opened the door. Giving Chance a once over his eyes landed on the Elite badge but didn't linger before looking back up at Chance. He new better than to give any indication that this was more than a friend coming to visit.
"Come on in, Abby should be getting the desert ready soon and you are just in time."
Having Chance inside and having him follow him into the living room he offers a seat before sitting down himself.
"It's ok Abby we just have a guest if you want to get dessert ready for the kids."
Looking back to Chance question in his eyes. Nothing new here that he new of had developed. Piking the stickers off his pants he places them down on some junk mail before looking up at there guest again.
"I'm surprised Reese would send someone. I dont think I was late on a report to him. So what is this all about?"
Nate gives a nod to Garret before turning and making his way back to the room where the plans were being set. All of this left a feeling in the pit of his stomach, not that this was wrong but just a nervous feeling. He hoped it would all work out like they had planned.
"I am trusting you Garret, if you think we should drive around first than I think we should. We'll go from there afterwards. Now lets just hope this all goes as planned."
Karla couldn't help but laugh a little as she looked at Levi's dad. She liked him already, he seemed really nice even if he was frazzled, but she could tell that he and Levi had a good relationship and that made her smile. Even the gentile teasing was nice to see. Looking back to Levi she smiles.
"The green book, and watching things I think I can handle. At least it will give me a good idea on what to do."
7/22/16
Need to know
Jim was just a little surprised that Chad actually came out - he'd half expected a fight just to see him. A quick glance and he concluded the two had been enjoying an evening alone, evident by the slightly wrinkled shirt and bare feet. Now alone with Chad on the porch, he gave the younger man a rather expressionless stare for a moment before he slowly reached out and accepted the handshake. "Hi, Chad. Yeah..." He nodded to a couple chairs at the end of the porch. "Let's sit a minute."
Inside, Rosalyn curled up in the corner of the couch, despite her strong desire to find a place where she could eavesdrop. Tears filled her eyes. This couldn't be anything good. Her dad was going to threaten Chad again. Try to scare him away. Do whatever it took to break them apart. And even though she was just starting to realize how serious Chad was about their relationship, she was still scared her dad would be able to ruin everything.
Back outside, Jim eased down in one of the chairs, and took off his hat to fiddle with the brim. "I, um... I'll just cut to the chase. He'd rather not waste time with pointless small talk. "I... owe you an apology." He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees as his gaze fell. This wasn't easy. But he was going to say what he'd repeated in his mind at least thirty times now. "I may have my reservations but... my behavior against you has been uncalled for and... I'm sorry."
He kept his eyes down. "Nobody else knows this yet, but, um... I'm... losing my eyesight. I was blinded once a long time ago from an explosion and..." His voice trailed off and he glanced over at Chad. "But that's a long story. Anyway... my eyes started failing, went to the doctor, he said there's nothing that can be done besides a risky surgery and... that's the day I blew up." His head was hanging now. "I guess somewhere deep down I was afraid I wasn't going to have enough time with my daughter before I lost sight of her forever, and...you were just a prime target." He shrugged. "I know it sounds like a line of bull, but it's the truth. It's not an excuse, but it's the reason. Once I started down that path, I just...couldn't seem to get myself off, and it just got worse and worse until I'd made such a mess out of everything, I couldn't even see a way out anymore. So... I just let it sit and fester rather than admitting I was wrong."
Sighing deeply, he straightened and leaned back in his chair, still fiddling with his hat. "But that's only the first part of why I came tonight." He didn't yet give Chad a chance to respond, preferring to move on quickly. "There's a new situation. The Agency's got a young man - Angel's nephew - and even though it's an incident away from the ranch, we all need to be on high alert for a while."
He finally turned to face Chad and look him square in the eye. "And I need to know that you're willing to protect my daughter. I'm not going to drag her home, but away from the ranch, she's out in the open and vulnerable, and if I can find her, the Agency can. Whether you stick around or take her with you..." Without warning, his voice cracked, and he looked away. Seeing the situation with Travis had struck one too many chords, providing a very stark reminder of just how important his children were to him. It took him a moment to regain control. "I just need to know she's safe with you," he concluded quietly. "I need to know you're willing to face the danger that comes along with this family without running away and leaving her unprotected."
Lane nodded numbly at Angel, leaning into her a little, just accepting her comfort. "I know," he managed quietly. "I don't doubt you and the others... I just... I can't lose my son." He swallowed hard. "After Amber left, he's...he's all I've got."
His buzzing phone made him jump and he took it out of his pocket quickly. It wasn't the Agency though. He showed the text message to Angel as he sighed.
Where are you guys? I thought Travis would be home tonight but he's not answering my texts.
"Amber." His tone was flat, but he was worried. His thumbs hovered over the screen as he tried to think of a reply. "She can't know... she'll call the police and it'll all be over." He hated to lie. He despised lying.
Sorry. His phone died.
That much was true. The Agency had destroyed it, actually.
Extended the stay a few days. He'll call you soon.
There. That was all he could do. He sighed as he sent the reply. "She's not gonna like that," he mumbled. "Whenever he's with me, she blames me if he fails to communicate or anything. Says I'm a bad influence on him." He shrugged lamely. "Maybe I am."
Laying low in California wasn't all that bad. There was plenty to do while not working at the gas station. And since most expenses were paid, he couldn't beat that. He'd lived a little further north once before, so it wasn't completely unfamiliar, and he did like being so close to the ocean. Just one thing was missing...
Chance sat in his car with the windows down, sitting sideways in the front seat with his feet propped up in the passenger window. To any passerby, he was just a guy chilling in his car enjoying the breeze. In reality, he was keeping an eye on the family who was having a picnic lunch on the nearby beach. He'd been tailing them for weeks now, and knew their routine probably better than they did. He knew when they got up in the morning, what time they ate lunch, and what movies they rented at night. He knew what kind of food the wife cooked at supper, and he knew just how many eyes were on the husband each day. There were few open chances for contact if he didn't want to be watched. But he knew where and when they were, and was just waiting for the word.
Digging into his pocket, he drew out his wallet and pulled out the small, worn picture that he looked at every day. Destiny smiled back at him, and he ran his thumb over the image. He'd probably stay in California if it weren't for that one thing that kept him coming back to Nevada. Reese had assured him she was fine, but he wanted to see for himself. He hated not being able to tell her where he was or what he was doing. He knew she understood he was on a case, but still. For so long he hadn't cared about anyone in his life. It had been the ultimate freedom. And now... His mind wandered back to when he'd been her bodyguard. How he'd fallen for her, he'd never know. But he had, and even through all his mistakes, that feeling in his heart hadn't left.
His vibrating phone jolted him back to the present and he quickly put the picture and wallet away before answering the call. It was Reese. "Yeah?" His eyes wandered back to the family on the beach as he listened intently. It was time. And there were complications.
...Seven o'clock that night. Everything was set. And they were free from Agency eyes for at least a good hour, if not two. It was one of the largest windows they had, and Chance was going to use as much of it as he could.
After parking along the curb in the quiet neighborhood, he walked quickly up to the house porch and rang the doorbell. Dressed casually in jeans and plain t-shirt, no one would suspect he was anyone but a friendly visitor. When the door opened though, he immediately showed his Elite badge. "Xander, my name is Chance O'Mally. I've been sent to extract you and your family. Your cover is unstable and we need your help." He glanced around Xander to see one of the kids, and he forced a gentle smile to keep the situation calm. "How about we talk inside before we raise suspicions with any neighbors?"
Seeing Nate approach, Garret straightened. Though bored, he had expected the meeting with Reese to take longer. Even more surprise came at the news that their plan was a go, and he couldn't help that it showed on his face. Really? Reese was actually going to let him help? He wondered what had changed the hard man's mind.
"Good." He folded his arms and resumed his confidence. "It'll be dark soon. I'd suggest a casual drive-by around the warehouse complex just to make sure there's no real activity, then Wyatt and I can go in." He already knew exactly what he'd do - create a distraction, lure the thug away from the girl, and give Wyatt enough time to get her out. It was a solid plan...so long as the girl really was there. But it was the only lead they had, and worth the risk. And Garret's gut told him that they were right. It made sense that the Agency operative would give them just enough to get them on his trail and toy with them - it was the Elite's timing that would throw a monkey wrench into his plans.
Garret cocked his head at Nate. "But you're the boss. So it's your call when we go in."
Levi nodded as he leaned back in his chair. "Don't worry - we'll give you time to adjust. We're not slave drivers around here." He shot a glance in his dad's direction. "At least I'm not," he teased.
He took a moment and just studied Karla, seeing that though she was still enthusiastic, he'd probably overwhelmed her and needed to slow things down a bit. "Tell you what... let me give you the green book to go through and just browse - it'll give you an idea of our system and answers to questions customers might have about how we handle jobs. I need to finish working on a logo project. Feel free to watch, listen as we take phone calls, and if you want to start giving Nancy a little TLC, you can do that too." He grinned. "And by then, it'll be lunch time so we can all take a break. Sound good?"
Inside, Rosalyn curled up in the corner of the couch, despite her strong desire to find a place where she could eavesdrop. Tears filled her eyes. This couldn't be anything good. Her dad was going to threaten Chad again. Try to scare him away. Do whatever it took to break them apart. And even though she was just starting to realize how serious Chad was about their relationship, she was still scared her dad would be able to ruin everything.
Back outside, Jim eased down in one of the chairs, and took off his hat to fiddle with the brim. "I, um... I'll just cut to the chase. He'd rather not waste time with pointless small talk. "I... owe you an apology." He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees as his gaze fell. This wasn't easy. But he was going to say what he'd repeated in his mind at least thirty times now. "I may have my reservations but... my behavior against you has been uncalled for and... I'm sorry."
He kept his eyes down. "Nobody else knows this yet, but, um... I'm... losing my eyesight. I was blinded once a long time ago from an explosion and..." His voice trailed off and he glanced over at Chad. "But that's a long story. Anyway... my eyes started failing, went to the doctor, he said there's nothing that can be done besides a risky surgery and... that's the day I blew up." His head was hanging now. "I guess somewhere deep down I was afraid I wasn't going to have enough time with my daughter before I lost sight of her forever, and...you were just a prime target." He shrugged. "I know it sounds like a line of bull, but it's the truth. It's not an excuse, but it's the reason. Once I started down that path, I just...couldn't seem to get myself off, and it just got worse and worse until I'd made such a mess out of everything, I couldn't even see a way out anymore. So... I just let it sit and fester rather than admitting I was wrong."
Sighing deeply, he straightened and leaned back in his chair, still fiddling with his hat. "But that's only the first part of why I came tonight." He didn't yet give Chad a chance to respond, preferring to move on quickly. "There's a new situation. The Agency's got a young man - Angel's nephew - and even though it's an incident away from the ranch, we all need to be on high alert for a while."
He finally turned to face Chad and look him square in the eye. "And I need to know that you're willing to protect my daughter. I'm not going to drag her home, but away from the ranch, she's out in the open and vulnerable, and if I can find her, the Agency can. Whether you stick around or take her with you..." Without warning, his voice cracked, and he looked away. Seeing the situation with Travis had struck one too many chords, providing a very stark reminder of just how important his children were to him. It took him a moment to regain control. "I just need to know she's safe with you," he concluded quietly. "I need to know you're willing to face the danger that comes along with this family without running away and leaving her unprotected."
Lane nodded numbly at Angel, leaning into her a little, just accepting her comfort. "I know," he managed quietly. "I don't doubt you and the others... I just... I can't lose my son." He swallowed hard. "After Amber left, he's...he's all I've got."
His buzzing phone made him jump and he took it out of his pocket quickly. It wasn't the Agency though. He showed the text message to Angel as he sighed.
Where are you guys? I thought Travis would be home tonight but he's not answering my texts.
"Amber." His tone was flat, but he was worried. His thumbs hovered over the screen as he tried to think of a reply. "She can't know... she'll call the police and it'll all be over." He hated to lie. He despised lying.
Sorry. His phone died.
That much was true. The Agency had destroyed it, actually.
Extended the stay a few days. He'll call you soon.
There. That was all he could do. He sighed as he sent the reply. "She's not gonna like that," he mumbled. "Whenever he's with me, she blames me if he fails to communicate or anything. Says I'm a bad influence on him." He shrugged lamely. "Maybe I am."
Laying low in California wasn't all that bad. There was plenty to do while not working at the gas station. And since most expenses were paid, he couldn't beat that. He'd lived a little further north once before, so it wasn't completely unfamiliar, and he did like being so close to the ocean. Just one thing was missing...
Chance sat in his car with the windows down, sitting sideways in the front seat with his feet propped up in the passenger window. To any passerby, he was just a guy chilling in his car enjoying the breeze. In reality, he was keeping an eye on the family who was having a picnic lunch on the nearby beach. He'd been tailing them for weeks now, and knew their routine probably better than they did. He knew when they got up in the morning, what time they ate lunch, and what movies they rented at night. He knew what kind of food the wife cooked at supper, and he knew just how many eyes were on the husband each day. There were few open chances for contact if he didn't want to be watched. But he knew where and when they were, and was just waiting for the word.
Digging into his pocket, he drew out his wallet and pulled out the small, worn picture that he looked at every day. Destiny smiled back at him, and he ran his thumb over the image. He'd probably stay in California if it weren't for that one thing that kept him coming back to Nevada. Reese had assured him she was fine, but he wanted to see for himself. He hated not being able to tell her where he was or what he was doing. He knew she understood he was on a case, but still. For so long he hadn't cared about anyone in his life. It had been the ultimate freedom. And now... His mind wandered back to when he'd been her bodyguard. How he'd fallen for her, he'd never know. But he had, and even through all his mistakes, that feeling in his heart hadn't left.
His vibrating phone jolted him back to the present and he quickly put the picture and wallet away before answering the call. It was Reese. "Yeah?" His eyes wandered back to the family on the beach as he listened intently. It was time. And there were complications.
...Seven o'clock that night. Everything was set. And they were free from Agency eyes for at least a good hour, if not two. It was one of the largest windows they had, and Chance was going to use as much of it as he could.
After parking along the curb in the quiet neighborhood, he walked quickly up to the house porch and rang the doorbell. Dressed casually in jeans and plain t-shirt, no one would suspect he was anyone but a friendly visitor. When the door opened though, he immediately showed his Elite badge. "Xander, my name is Chance O'Mally. I've been sent to extract you and your family. Your cover is unstable and we need your help." He glanced around Xander to see one of the kids, and he forced a gentle smile to keep the situation calm. "How about we talk inside before we raise suspicions with any neighbors?"
Seeing Nate approach, Garret straightened. Though bored, he had expected the meeting with Reese to take longer. Even more surprise came at the news that their plan was a go, and he couldn't help that it showed on his face. Really? Reese was actually going to let him help? He wondered what had changed the hard man's mind.
"Good." He folded his arms and resumed his confidence. "It'll be dark soon. I'd suggest a casual drive-by around the warehouse complex just to make sure there's no real activity, then Wyatt and I can go in." He already knew exactly what he'd do - create a distraction, lure the thug away from the girl, and give Wyatt enough time to get her out. It was a solid plan...so long as the girl really was there. But it was the only lead they had, and worth the risk. And Garret's gut told him that they were right. It made sense that the Agency operative would give them just enough to get them on his trail and toy with them - it was the Elite's timing that would throw a monkey wrench into his plans.
Garret cocked his head at Nate. "But you're the boss. So it's your call when we go in."
Levi nodded as he leaned back in his chair. "Don't worry - we'll give you time to adjust. We're not slave drivers around here." He shot a glance in his dad's direction. "At least I'm not," he teased.
He took a moment and just studied Karla, seeing that though she was still enthusiastic, he'd probably overwhelmed her and needed to slow things down a bit. "Tell you what... let me give you the green book to go through and just browse - it'll give you an idea of our system and answers to questions customers might have about how we handle jobs. I need to finish working on a logo project. Feel free to watch, listen as we take phone calls, and if you want to start giving Nancy a little TLC, you can do that too." He grinned. "And by then, it'll be lunch time so we can all take a break. Sound good?"
7/21/16
My Weakness
Finishing his story and just looking at Reese Nate could see the wheels in his head turning. Nate couldn't help but feel Reese's answer was going to be no. It was a risky plan and surly he wouldn't like it. So when Reese agreed Nate couldn't help the look of shock on his face. There was no hesitation, He was just for it.
"You got it boss, thank you."
As Reese leave Nate just stands there for a long moment. He had hoped Reese would say yes, but he didn't think he would, and now that he had....it made Nate's head spin. Regaining his composure though Nate exited the office and headed back to his cubicle where Garret was waiting.
"Garret, its a go. Reese gave his out, without me trying to convince him non the less. Nope lets hope this works like we want it too."
Angle couldn't help but jump at the sudden out burst from Lane and Con. She could see where Lane was coming from this was his son and she was so scared for his life. If it was Wendy, she would be the same way. At the same time though she understood where Con was coming from on how this whole situation was. He new far more about The Agency than any of them even if they had been fighting them longer.
Following after Lane Angel sat down next to him and put an arm over his shoulder. She really did feel bad and could only imagen how helpless he was feeling.
"Lane, Travis is going to be ok. I know that dosn't mean much but...we've been through worse. Con knows what he is doing, and the Elite does too. They wont go down without a fight, and Travis is out safe. Pashents really isnt my strong suit either, but we have to try and be. We all got your back and you are not alone in this...not anymore."
Having wondered into the dining hall that very much looked like a place preparing for battle now Stacy caught the tail end of the conversation and gave a nod to Mick without saying anything. Grabbing an unopened bottle of water that was on the near by table she turned and headed out again.
Making her way to where the cams where set up in what looked like a normal shed she worked quickly to make sure they were all working, and the ones that weren't would be the first that she would check, and get working before starting rounds earlier than normal.
As everyone scattered to do there taskes Rosetta mad her way to her office to grab a few things before getting BJ and coming back to the dinning all. Having him sit at another table beside her she handed him a few coloring items and a coloring book of his own.
Writing everyone name down who was able to be on shift Rosetta started up drawing up shifts and posts of where to keep people. Stacy was good, but she would need help. This was nothing to mess around with and she new it,
Following Levi, and sitting next to him Karla did her best to intake everything he was talking about and saying. She really wanted to do good at this job. Seeing the coffee pot she grins before getting up and grabbing some than sitting down again taking a sip.
"Coffee, my weakness. I think I'll be making a lot of this."
Continuing to take everything in Karla's head started to spin. She was so thankful for everything, and at the same time it was so overwhelming too. Karla's head started to spin as a small smile just spread across her lips. Playing a hand on Levi's arm Karla looked him in the eye.
"Levi....slow down, you are going really fast..."
Karla laughed before shaking her head and taking a sip of her coffee. Watching Levi was ramble was cute, even if it was over whelming.
:...I dont mind to much its just a lot to take in and I am sure I will get the hang of it. As for Nancy, I'll try to work my magic on her."
The knock on the door startled Chad from his hazy half watching the movie, half not sleep. He didn't care how cornie the movie was, he was there with Rosalyn and that was all that mattered to him. The night really couldn't be more perfect. He sure was going to miss this...he was going to miss her when he left. He'd try and be back soon but he was still going to miss her, and it was going to still be hard.
Giving a smile to her as she got up He adjusted and leaned his head back a little just waiting for her to return. He just hoped it would be quickly before he really did fall asleep again.
Sitting up as Rosalyn came back Chad could tell something was wrong and it made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Hearing it was her father he couldn't help his internal sigh. He didn't know what was going on, or why he was here wanting to talk to him. When he'd gone to the ranch he had talked to no one but Clint, and it didnt seem like he would have jumped to tell there father where she was.
"That's odd."
Standing and straightening out his wrinkled shirt Chad was thoughtful for a long moment. He could not see Rosalyn's father and save everyone a lot of trouble, or he could see what he wanted. Worse came to worse, he could always walk away from her dad too if he tried to start anything. It was worth a shot to see though.
"I'll talk to him and see what he wants. Don't stress to much it will be ok."
Straightening out his shirt that had been wrinkled from laying on the couch Chad's bare feet scuff the floor. Getting to the door he takes a deep breath and composes himself for what was to come. Opening the door and stepping outside he closes it behind him before giving a not to Jim, and extending his hand.
"Good Evening Jim, Rosalyn said you wanted to speek with me?!'
"You got it boss, thank you."
As Reese leave Nate just stands there for a long moment. He had hoped Reese would say yes, but he didn't think he would, and now that he had....it made Nate's head spin. Regaining his composure though Nate exited the office and headed back to his cubicle where Garret was waiting.
"Garret, its a go. Reese gave his out, without me trying to convince him non the less. Nope lets hope this works like we want it too."
Angle couldn't help but jump at the sudden out burst from Lane and Con. She could see where Lane was coming from this was his son and she was so scared for his life. If it was Wendy, she would be the same way. At the same time though she understood where Con was coming from on how this whole situation was. He new far more about The Agency than any of them even if they had been fighting them longer.
Following after Lane Angel sat down next to him and put an arm over his shoulder. She really did feel bad and could only imagen how helpless he was feeling.
"Lane, Travis is going to be ok. I know that dosn't mean much but...we've been through worse. Con knows what he is doing, and the Elite does too. They wont go down without a fight, and Travis is out safe. Pashents really isnt my strong suit either, but we have to try and be. We all got your back and you are not alone in this...not anymore."
Having wondered into the dining hall that very much looked like a place preparing for battle now Stacy caught the tail end of the conversation and gave a nod to Mick without saying anything. Grabbing an unopened bottle of water that was on the near by table she turned and headed out again.
Making her way to where the cams where set up in what looked like a normal shed she worked quickly to make sure they were all working, and the ones that weren't would be the first that she would check, and get working before starting rounds earlier than normal.
As everyone scattered to do there taskes Rosetta mad her way to her office to grab a few things before getting BJ and coming back to the dinning all. Having him sit at another table beside her she handed him a few coloring items and a coloring book of his own.
Writing everyone name down who was able to be on shift Rosetta started up drawing up shifts and posts of where to keep people. Stacy was good, but she would need help. This was nothing to mess around with and she new it,
Following Levi, and sitting next to him Karla did her best to intake everything he was talking about and saying. She really wanted to do good at this job. Seeing the coffee pot she grins before getting up and grabbing some than sitting down again taking a sip.
"Coffee, my weakness. I think I'll be making a lot of this."
Continuing to take everything in Karla's head started to spin. She was so thankful for everything, and at the same time it was so overwhelming too. Karla's head started to spin as a small smile just spread across her lips. Playing a hand on Levi's arm Karla looked him in the eye.
"Levi....slow down, you are going really fast..."
Karla laughed before shaking her head and taking a sip of her coffee. Watching Levi was ramble was cute, even if it was over whelming.
:...I dont mind to much its just a lot to take in and I am sure I will get the hang of it. As for Nancy, I'll try to work my magic on her."
The knock on the door startled Chad from his hazy half watching the movie, half not sleep. He didn't care how cornie the movie was, he was there with Rosalyn and that was all that mattered to him. The night really couldn't be more perfect. He sure was going to miss this...he was going to miss her when he left. He'd try and be back soon but he was still going to miss her, and it was going to still be hard.
Giving a smile to her as she got up He adjusted and leaned his head back a little just waiting for her to return. He just hoped it would be quickly before he really did fall asleep again.
Sitting up as Rosalyn came back Chad could tell something was wrong and it made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Hearing it was her father he couldn't help his internal sigh. He didn't know what was going on, or why he was here wanting to talk to him. When he'd gone to the ranch he had talked to no one but Clint, and it didnt seem like he would have jumped to tell there father where she was.
"That's odd."
Standing and straightening out his wrinkled shirt Chad was thoughtful for a long moment. He could not see Rosalyn's father and save everyone a lot of trouble, or he could see what he wanted. Worse came to worse, he could always walk away from her dad too if he tried to start anything. It was worth a shot to see though.
"I'll talk to him and see what he wants. Don't stress to much it will be ok."
Straightening out his shirt that had been wrinkled from laying on the couch Chad's bare feet scuff the floor. Getting to the door he takes a deep breath and composes himself for what was to come. Opening the door and stepping outside he closes it behind him before giving a not to Jim, and extending his hand.
"Good Evening Jim, Rosalyn said you wanted to speek with me?!'
7/11/16
Too much
By now, Reese was leaning back in his chair, feet propped up on his
desk. It was not his usual posture when discussing issues of importance,
but during Nate's whole update, his facial expression hadn't changed
much. It would almost seem as if he was distracted by something else,
and not nearly as interested in the topic at hand as would have been
expected.
He sighed once and tapped his fingers together thoughtfully near his chin, squinting slightly at Nate. The pause that followed was a long one. Garret? Out on the field? On a case where a young woman's life was at stake? On the surface it would seem to be a ridiculous suggestion, not to mention dangerous.
Reese cocked his head, allowing the pause to continue even longer until he finally straightened and dropped his feet back to the floor. "Okay. Do it. Take Wyatt and Garret and get the girl out." He stood and picked up a file. "I'll stay late, so call if you need backup. I expect a full report when you're back." Obviously heading for a different task, he aimed for the door, and gave Nate's shoulder a light tap with his filing folder on his way out. "Be safe."
Back out on the main floor, Garret waited impatiently outside Nate's cubicle. There was no way Reese was gonna agree to this. Jason hadn't fought it. Wyatt was on board and ready to go. But Reese? It would take a miracle.
Luke wrapped his arms around Angel and gave her a long, tight hug. He hated this. He hated all of it. The Agency. The torture. How it affected the people he loved. Would it ever end?
Several hours of tortured silence ensued. By evening, those who were anxious were physically tired just from continuously checking in to see if anything had changed. But nothing had. No phone calls. Nothing to be seen other than Travis working at his ropes. No new threats. And no new intel from the Elite. Con himself was weary, but rarely moved from his seat at he table. Even during and after supper, he didn't leave his post...
Travis' hands had blistered, trying to cut through his ropes with the tiny sliver of wood. He wasn't sure how long he'd been working on them, but it had to have been several hours. He didn't know how close he was to triumph, when the rope suddenly grew slack. His eyes widened. He'd done it.
"Ohhh, he just got himself loose." Con's gaze remained glued to the screen. This was the first change I'm hours.
Lane was quick to come back over and watch, abandoning his partially-esten supper. "Come on, Travis," he whispered.
The ropes slid to the floor and Travis carefully leaned down to untie his ankles from the chair legs as well. His concentration was on the adjoining room though, where the guard was. So far, so good. He glanced at the window. It was his only route without being seen. But he had to be quiet.
He wasn't quiet enough, however. A floorboard squeaked under his weight, giving him away, and the guard wasted no time in sprinting to catch him.
Travis made it to the window, but barely had time to shove aside the curtain before he was grabbed from behind and yanked back into the middle of the room. Tripping over the chair, he tumbled to the floor, caught himself, and shot towards the door. But the other man was just too fast. "Get off of me!" Travis yelled as he was grabbed again. "Let me go!"
"Not on your life!" The guard struggled to keep a hold on him, reverting to giving him several punches to the ribs and gut.
Travis doubled over just to have another fist hit him on the face. Let go for a split second, he turned on his captor.
Lane had drawn closer to the screen, seeing and hearing everything. Never had he felt so utterly helpless. "No!" he yelled. "We have to stop him!"
Con got to his feet. "There's nothing we can do," he replied calmly. "He'll be okay."
"He is not okay!"
Travis fought with all his might, and despite not knowing much defense, he did finally manage to get in a couple of his own blows, but it only served to make the guard even madder. Eventually, he was knocked to the floor and absorbed several harsh kicks, finally forcing him to curl up in a ball and cover his head.
"We have to do something!" Tears filled Lane's eyes and he just about knocked over Con's laptop.
"Just calm down," Con urged. "It's going to be alright."
Once Travis felt a small break in the onslaught, he uncurled to crawl towards the doorway.
The guard laughed. "You really think that's gonna do it?"
By now, Travis' face was a bruised, bloody mess, and he couldn't feel his left arm. Squinting at freedom, he pulled himself along the floor, just to be stopped yet again. This time with a blow to the back of his head. He didn't even have time to think before his world went dark.
Lane watched in horror as his son was rendered unconscious with a swift kick, and carelessly dragged to the far side of the room. Had he just been knocked out? Was he even still alive? "We can't just sit here and watch this!" He went for his phone. "I'm calling them and -"
"No." Con grabbed the phone from him. "We are not going to play into their game."
"Does that look like a game to you?!" Lane's tone had risen to shouting as he ignored everyone else in the room. "They are beating my son to death! Or are you blind?!"
"We can't do anything until we figure out where he is!" Con warned Lane with a pointed finger. "We are going to get Travis out, but you're gonna have to keep your cool."
"Keep my cool? You heartless..."
Con easily sidestepped Lane's fist, and just as smoothly, turned to spin Lane into a headlock while pinning an arm behind his back. Con's size alone made it easy, but he knew exactly how to hold Lane's thrashing form so he couldn't get loose.
"Get off me!" Lane hissed, gasping for breath, and tried to break free. "If this is the kind of help the Elite sends, I'd rather do this on my own!"
Con's expression was grim. "Either I put you to sleep for a few hours, or you calm down. You're going to get your son killed if you keep this up, so pull yourself together and go take a breather." He gave Lane a jolt. "I'm not joking." Slowly releasing him, he took a step back, prepared for more, if need be.
The computer screen went ignored as Travis' ankle was securely shackled to a ten-foot chain that was bolted firmly to the floor. There was no way a splinter of wood could help free him now.
Lane spun around and caught his breath, glaring up at Con, despite being at the disadvantage. Tears of frustration and fear still lingered in his eyes, and he tossed Angel a glance before turning around again. It was nearly impossible, but he walked away and to the adjoining room where he sat down on the couch to put his head in his hands.
Back in the dining room, Con ran a hand over his face and avoided the looks from the others in the room. He'd done what he needed, but he didn't feel good about it. Easing back down in his chair, he stared at the computer screen, and the picture of Travis' motionless form. Though Lane's emotional outburst couldn't be tolerated, he was right about one thing - something had to be done, or the boy wasn't going to survive. As glad as Con was that Travis was a fighter, at this point, if he fought too much, it would mean his death. And already he was very obviously beginning to get worn down. How much more could he take?
A message suddenly popped up on his computer. It was from Scott. They'd located the source of the video feed. Con typed back, you and Dalton deserve a raise. Searching for the location and bringing up an aerial view. It was a farmhouse. Not out in the middle of nowhere, but far enough from other houses that at least they wouldn't have to worry about other casualties. It was about twenty-five miles from the ranch on a dirt road.
Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he jumped, not having realized Mick had just asked him a question. He quickly turned up his hearing aid. "Sorry. What?"
"Whatcha got?"
"This." Con pointed. "We've got our location."
Mick bent down to see for himself. This was huge progress, and he would withhold his opinion of Con's harsh behavior for now. "What kind of plan do we need?"
"First, we..." Con's sentence trailed off as he received another message from Scott: Dalton discovered 2 more feeds. Surveillance cameras around the property. Can't get in to disable them.
Con sighed deeply before he turned and looked at the several faces that were now staring back at him. Mick. Rosetta. Eric. Sparky. Wes. Luke. They all knew the risks. But they'd been far removed from this kind of thing for a very long time. Years ago, they would probably have gone in guns blazing and taken out whoever they needed to along the way. After all, this was war. But now - with a tighter rein on the Elite - they had to be much more careful. Travis' life was at stake, but they couldn't involve the police, and they couldn't cross too many lines lest the Elite be found at fault and dismantled completely.
But the eyes that stared back at him were expecting him to have answers. To be able to solve this. They were depending on him, which was exactly what he hadn't wanted. But they had no one else. For a moment, the room was silent. He could feel a bead of sweat trickle down the back of his neck. A vision of Dalton being shot flashed through his mind. As did a vision of the thug he'd shot in the back after the fact. He'd messed up that assignment, and messed it up big. And now he was in charge?
His eyes flitted across the quiet group before his gaze dropped. If he didn't take charge of this and do it now, he would fail this group. They would take charge themselves and get into a whole heap of trouble. And a young man could die for it. Swallowing the fears that lurked in the shadows of his heart, Con lifted his eyes once again, and stood up. With squared shoulders and stern expression, his mere presence demanded respect.
"First, you all need to be prepared. Make sure Stacy is on alert. Pass out guns to those who know how to use them and start making regular rounds. Get your cameras back up and running. Once we have Travis, the Agency may turn on this ranch. No one should be allowed in or out. Shut the gate across the driveway to be sure no innocent stranger wanders in." He looked to Rosetta. "Coordinate shifts so some of you can rest while the others stand guard, then keep tabs on where all the children and babies are so they can be taken to the underground cellar if need be."
These people couldn't risk going out into combat just to be arrested by the police if things went south. But they were very much within their rights to protect their property and families.
"How do we get Travis?" Mick questioned.
Con glanced back at the video that showed Travis still lying unconscious on the floor. "They'll know as soon as someone arrives." His mind worked quickly. He had so few options without other Elite team members. This was far different from leading a team back home. "Let me think - we can't be too hasty."
Sensing the big man needed time to consider the options, Mick gestured to the others. "You heard the man. Let's make sure we're secure around here."
Once alone, Con picked up his phone and dialed. "Yeah, Reese? Con. Yeah. No, I'm gonna need help. This is too much for us to handle..."
Hearing the front door open, Levi whirled around, crumpled up the last piece of paper, and this time he walked to the trash can, also picking up the pieces he'd deposited on the floor earlier. "Hi, Karla!"
Keith also turned for a moment from his work to wave. "Good morning, and welcome." The phone rang, interrupting any further greeting. "I think we shouldn't advertise being open until nine," he mused before turning and answering the call.
Levi grinned at Karla, although her mentioning walking didn't escape his ears. "Well, then you came to the right place." He motioned her over to the little table in the corner. "I wouldn't want you to not be here, so help yourself to some coffee. I hope you like it strong." He offered her a clean mug. "But if not, there's some creamer right there, too." A chuckle escaped. "Depending on the day, we might make a pot in the afternoon, too, so there's always plenty."
Letting her pour herself some coffee, he grabbed a folding chair and brought it over to his desk before sitting in his own chair. Then he jotted himself a new note. Chair. Desk. He thought a moment, chewing on the end of his pen. Most of his pen had teeth marks - all of which were his. It drove his dad bananas. New pens. Chair mat. Desk calendar. "Come right on over," he encouraged. "Have a seat. I'm just starting a list of some things we're gonna need to get you. Oh, and over there's the bathroom." He pointed to the back. "And there's water bottles in the fridge - community property so help yourself any time."
He swiveled around to face Karla once she was seated, and smiled again. "Okay. So. We provide a number of services for individuals or companies who want to advertise their businesses or events. We design everything from logos to business cards to posters or CD cover slips. Anything printed like that, we act as the go-between for the businesses and area printshops. So say, Tilly's Truffles wants us to make a thousand business cards - we do the design work, then send out the job to be printed and delivered to the customer." He paused, closing his eyes in distaste. "And yes, we did deal with a Tilly's Truffles last year. Long, gruesome story. You can read the file sometime, although we were tempted to burn it."
A wry grin emerged as he continued. "So why choose us over some online services? We actually provide some pretty competitive rates, and people like it that we're local. They like it that they can come stop by and talk to us about their projects in person, or call us, rather than doing everything online. Our reputation is super important, since we really are competing with online companies that have basically exploded in the last few years. That means always smiling, always being over-the-top nice to customers on the phone, and never closing a file until they're completely satisfied. To be honest, a good majority of our profit comes from the designing end of things. Anyone can upload a finished design online, but if you really want a poster to get people's attention, somebody who knows what they're doing has gotta design it first. Sometimes we create a logo and the customer takes it somewhere else to create their printed stuff. Their choice, but we do offer some package deals."
He paused and blinked. "And if I talk too fast, say, 'Levi, slow down!' And if that doesn't work, you have permission to whack me. Gently. Upside the head. Goodness knows my mom has to do that all the time." He drew in a breath, knowing full well that he was rattling on a hundred miles an hour - but he wanted to see how well Karla could keep up without whacking him.
"Okay, so that's basically what we do. Here is the precious book of all things good and evil." He grabbed a bright green three-ring binder and flipped it open. "Eventually I'm just gonna give you time to sit and browse through all this. It lists all our pricing breakdowns for all the different types of projects we handle, then in the back, it's got all our contacts for outsourcing companies..."
He went on to explain things in more detail, answered any questions, and familiarized Karla with their filing system - even though it looked haphazard, they did have somewhat of a system in place that just needed to be helped along a bit. He explained how they wanted her to answer phones and handle calls - whether she needed to pass them on or take messages, and what information to get.
"That sad fern over there is Nancy," he added, once he'd finished yet another long spiel. "She gets water about once a week, but if you know anything about plants..." He laughed. "Feel free." Back at the desk, he sighed and yawned before looking into his coffee mug that had gone dry. He didn't remember finishing it. "So I'm thinking today probably I'm just gonna have you get to know the green book, listen to us take a few calls, and rummage through our files so you get to know things. Then tomorrow, we need to go shopping." He showed her his partial list. "We've got enough room for a desk right over there." He pointed to the wall next to the coffee corner. "So you'll have your own space and can spread out a little. We've got an extra computer at home too, that I'll bring and set up so we can all be connected. Then I can show you how to navigate our record keeping."
A half-eaten pizza sat on the kitchen counter. Now-empty ice cream bowls sat in the sink. A romantic comedy played on the television. And all Rosalyn felt was peace. Curled up in front of Chad on the couch with his arm draped around her and her legs somewhere intertwined in his, she had never felt so warm...so sleepy...so happy. The other two girls were gone for the evening, providing the perfect opportunity for a date night in. And knowing he only had a few days left made this time even more treasured.
Just as her eyes were starting to close for the umpteenth time, the doorbell rang. Giving a start, she opened her eyes wide and straightened up before looking at the wall clock. Odd. No one usually came around during the evening like this. She sighed and glanced at Chad. "Keep the couch warm," she mused. "I better go see who's here."
Yawning, she wandered through the kitchen and to the door, pausing only to straighten out her sock that was almost falling off her foot. When she opened up the door though, she stopped dead in her tracks, her whole body tensing.
Jim looked down at his daughter for several silent moments, his face showing little expression - unless one would look closely enough to see pain above all else. "Rosalyn..."
"What are you doing here?" Her words came out ice cold.
Jim almost cringed at her tone, but straightened up and took a deep breath. "I'm here to see Chad."
Rosalyn's grip on the doorknob tightened. "How did you know he was here?"
"That's not important. I'd like to speak to him, though. Please."
Please? That seemed a new word in her dad's vocabulary. Rosalyn shook her head. "I don't know why you'd think I'd agree to that. You should go." She started to close the door, but Jim reached out with his hand to stop it.
"Would you at least ask him?"
Rosalyn studied his face, unable to tell what his intentions were. Finally though, she let go of the door. "Stay here," she stated firmly. Going back to the living room, her arms were folded around herself tightly, her face strained. "Chad?" She came closer, interrupting the end of the movie. "My dad's at the door. Says he wants to talk to you. I didn't even know he knew where I lived, and I have no idea how he found out you were here." She swallowed hard, fear in her eyes. "You don't have to talk to him if you don't want to. I'll tell him to leave. But he wanted it to be up to you, so you do what you want."
Outside in the porch, Jim waited. He'd told no one at the ranch that he was coming into town tonight, but most likely, no one would even notice his absence.
He sighed once and tapped his fingers together thoughtfully near his chin, squinting slightly at Nate. The pause that followed was a long one. Garret? Out on the field? On a case where a young woman's life was at stake? On the surface it would seem to be a ridiculous suggestion, not to mention dangerous.
Reese cocked his head, allowing the pause to continue even longer until he finally straightened and dropped his feet back to the floor. "Okay. Do it. Take Wyatt and Garret and get the girl out." He stood and picked up a file. "I'll stay late, so call if you need backup. I expect a full report when you're back." Obviously heading for a different task, he aimed for the door, and gave Nate's shoulder a light tap with his filing folder on his way out. "Be safe."
Back out on the main floor, Garret waited impatiently outside Nate's cubicle. There was no way Reese was gonna agree to this. Jason hadn't fought it. Wyatt was on board and ready to go. But Reese? It would take a miracle.
Luke wrapped his arms around Angel and gave her a long, tight hug. He hated this. He hated all of it. The Agency. The torture. How it affected the people he loved. Would it ever end?
Several hours of tortured silence ensued. By evening, those who were anxious were physically tired just from continuously checking in to see if anything had changed. But nothing had. No phone calls. Nothing to be seen other than Travis working at his ropes. No new threats. And no new intel from the Elite. Con himself was weary, but rarely moved from his seat at he table. Even during and after supper, he didn't leave his post...
Travis' hands had blistered, trying to cut through his ropes with the tiny sliver of wood. He wasn't sure how long he'd been working on them, but it had to have been several hours. He didn't know how close he was to triumph, when the rope suddenly grew slack. His eyes widened. He'd done it.
"Ohhh, he just got himself loose." Con's gaze remained glued to the screen. This was the first change I'm hours.
Lane was quick to come back over and watch, abandoning his partially-esten supper. "Come on, Travis," he whispered.
The ropes slid to the floor and Travis carefully leaned down to untie his ankles from the chair legs as well. His concentration was on the adjoining room though, where the guard was. So far, so good. He glanced at the window. It was his only route without being seen. But he had to be quiet.
He wasn't quiet enough, however. A floorboard squeaked under his weight, giving him away, and the guard wasted no time in sprinting to catch him.
Travis made it to the window, but barely had time to shove aside the curtain before he was grabbed from behind and yanked back into the middle of the room. Tripping over the chair, he tumbled to the floor, caught himself, and shot towards the door. But the other man was just too fast. "Get off of me!" Travis yelled as he was grabbed again. "Let me go!"
"Not on your life!" The guard struggled to keep a hold on him, reverting to giving him several punches to the ribs and gut.
Travis doubled over just to have another fist hit him on the face. Let go for a split second, he turned on his captor.
Lane had drawn closer to the screen, seeing and hearing everything. Never had he felt so utterly helpless. "No!" he yelled. "We have to stop him!"
Con got to his feet. "There's nothing we can do," he replied calmly. "He'll be okay."
"He is not okay!"
Travis fought with all his might, and despite not knowing much defense, he did finally manage to get in a couple of his own blows, but it only served to make the guard even madder. Eventually, he was knocked to the floor and absorbed several harsh kicks, finally forcing him to curl up in a ball and cover his head.
"We have to do something!" Tears filled Lane's eyes and he just about knocked over Con's laptop.
"Just calm down," Con urged. "It's going to be alright."
Once Travis felt a small break in the onslaught, he uncurled to crawl towards the doorway.
The guard laughed. "You really think that's gonna do it?"
By now, Travis' face was a bruised, bloody mess, and he couldn't feel his left arm. Squinting at freedom, he pulled himself along the floor, just to be stopped yet again. This time with a blow to the back of his head. He didn't even have time to think before his world went dark.
Lane watched in horror as his son was rendered unconscious with a swift kick, and carelessly dragged to the far side of the room. Had he just been knocked out? Was he even still alive? "We can't just sit here and watch this!" He went for his phone. "I'm calling them and -"
"No." Con grabbed the phone from him. "We are not going to play into their game."
"Does that look like a game to you?!" Lane's tone had risen to shouting as he ignored everyone else in the room. "They are beating my son to death! Or are you blind?!"
"We can't do anything until we figure out where he is!" Con warned Lane with a pointed finger. "We are going to get Travis out, but you're gonna have to keep your cool."
"Keep my cool? You heartless..."
Con easily sidestepped Lane's fist, and just as smoothly, turned to spin Lane into a headlock while pinning an arm behind his back. Con's size alone made it easy, but he knew exactly how to hold Lane's thrashing form so he couldn't get loose.
"Get off me!" Lane hissed, gasping for breath, and tried to break free. "If this is the kind of help the Elite sends, I'd rather do this on my own!"
Con's expression was grim. "Either I put you to sleep for a few hours, or you calm down. You're going to get your son killed if you keep this up, so pull yourself together and go take a breather." He gave Lane a jolt. "I'm not joking." Slowly releasing him, he took a step back, prepared for more, if need be.
The computer screen went ignored as Travis' ankle was securely shackled to a ten-foot chain that was bolted firmly to the floor. There was no way a splinter of wood could help free him now.
Lane spun around and caught his breath, glaring up at Con, despite being at the disadvantage. Tears of frustration and fear still lingered in his eyes, and he tossed Angel a glance before turning around again. It was nearly impossible, but he walked away and to the adjoining room where he sat down on the couch to put his head in his hands.
Back in the dining room, Con ran a hand over his face and avoided the looks from the others in the room. He'd done what he needed, but he didn't feel good about it. Easing back down in his chair, he stared at the computer screen, and the picture of Travis' motionless form. Though Lane's emotional outburst couldn't be tolerated, he was right about one thing - something had to be done, or the boy wasn't going to survive. As glad as Con was that Travis was a fighter, at this point, if he fought too much, it would mean his death. And already he was very obviously beginning to get worn down. How much more could he take?
A message suddenly popped up on his computer. It was from Scott. They'd located the source of the video feed. Con typed back, you and Dalton deserve a raise. Searching for the location and bringing up an aerial view. It was a farmhouse. Not out in the middle of nowhere, but far enough from other houses that at least they wouldn't have to worry about other casualties. It was about twenty-five miles from the ranch on a dirt road.
Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he jumped, not having realized Mick had just asked him a question. He quickly turned up his hearing aid. "Sorry. What?"
"Whatcha got?"
"This." Con pointed. "We've got our location."
Mick bent down to see for himself. This was huge progress, and he would withhold his opinion of Con's harsh behavior for now. "What kind of plan do we need?"
"First, we..." Con's sentence trailed off as he received another message from Scott: Dalton discovered 2 more feeds. Surveillance cameras around the property. Can't get in to disable them.
Con sighed deeply before he turned and looked at the several faces that were now staring back at him. Mick. Rosetta. Eric. Sparky. Wes. Luke. They all knew the risks. But they'd been far removed from this kind of thing for a very long time. Years ago, they would probably have gone in guns blazing and taken out whoever they needed to along the way. After all, this was war. But now - with a tighter rein on the Elite - they had to be much more careful. Travis' life was at stake, but they couldn't involve the police, and they couldn't cross too many lines lest the Elite be found at fault and dismantled completely.
But the eyes that stared back at him were expecting him to have answers. To be able to solve this. They were depending on him, which was exactly what he hadn't wanted. But they had no one else. For a moment, the room was silent. He could feel a bead of sweat trickle down the back of his neck. A vision of Dalton being shot flashed through his mind. As did a vision of the thug he'd shot in the back after the fact. He'd messed up that assignment, and messed it up big. And now he was in charge?
His eyes flitted across the quiet group before his gaze dropped. If he didn't take charge of this and do it now, he would fail this group. They would take charge themselves and get into a whole heap of trouble. And a young man could die for it. Swallowing the fears that lurked in the shadows of his heart, Con lifted his eyes once again, and stood up. With squared shoulders and stern expression, his mere presence demanded respect.
"First, you all need to be prepared. Make sure Stacy is on alert. Pass out guns to those who know how to use them and start making regular rounds. Get your cameras back up and running. Once we have Travis, the Agency may turn on this ranch. No one should be allowed in or out. Shut the gate across the driveway to be sure no innocent stranger wanders in." He looked to Rosetta. "Coordinate shifts so some of you can rest while the others stand guard, then keep tabs on where all the children and babies are so they can be taken to the underground cellar if need be."
These people couldn't risk going out into combat just to be arrested by the police if things went south. But they were very much within their rights to protect their property and families.
"How do we get Travis?" Mick questioned.
Con glanced back at the video that showed Travis still lying unconscious on the floor. "They'll know as soon as someone arrives." His mind worked quickly. He had so few options without other Elite team members. This was far different from leading a team back home. "Let me think - we can't be too hasty."
Sensing the big man needed time to consider the options, Mick gestured to the others. "You heard the man. Let's make sure we're secure around here."
Once alone, Con picked up his phone and dialed. "Yeah, Reese? Con. Yeah. No, I'm gonna need help. This is too much for us to handle..."
Hearing the front door open, Levi whirled around, crumpled up the last piece of paper, and this time he walked to the trash can, also picking up the pieces he'd deposited on the floor earlier. "Hi, Karla!"
Keith also turned for a moment from his work to wave. "Good morning, and welcome." The phone rang, interrupting any further greeting. "I think we shouldn't advertise being open until nine," he mused before turning and answering the call.
Levi grinned at Karla, although her mentioning walking didn't escape his ears. "Well, then you came to the right place." He motioned her over to the little table in the corner. "I wouldn't want you to not be here, so help yourself to some coffee. I hope you like it strong." He offered her a clean mug. "But if not, there's some creamer right there, too." A chuckle escaped. "Depending on the day, we might make a pot in the afternoon, too, so there's always plenty."
Letting her pour herself some coffee, he grabbed a folding chair and brought it over to his desk before sitting in his own chair. Then he jotted himself a new note. Chair. Desk. He thought a moment, chewing on the end of his pen. Most of his pen had teeth marks - all of which were his. It drove his dad bananas. New pens. Chair mat. Desk calendar. "Come right on over," he encouraged. "Have a seat. I'm just starting a list of some things we're gonna need to get you. Oh, and over there's the bathroom." He pointed to the back. "And there's water bottles in the fridge - community property so help yourself any time."
He swiveled around to face Karla once she was seated, and smiled again. "Okay. So. We provide a number of services for individuals or companies who want to advertise their businesses or events. We design everything from logos to business cards to posters or CD cover slips. Anything printed like that, we act as the go-between for the businesses and area printshops. So say, Tilly's Truffles wants us to make a thousand business cards - we do the design work, then send out the job to be printed and delivered to the customer." He paused, closing his eyes in distaste. "And yes, we did deal with a Tilly's Truffles last year. Long, gruesome story. You can read the file sometime, although we were tempted to burn it."
A wry grin emerged as he continued. "So why choose us over some online services? We actually provide some pretty competitive rates, and people like it that we're local. They like it that they can come stop by and talk to us about their projects in person, or call us, rather than doing everything online. Our reputation is super important, since we really are competing with online companies that have basically exploded in the last few years. That means always smiling, always being over-the-top nice to customers on the phone, and never closing a file until they're completely satisfied. To be honest, a good majority of our profit comes from the designing end of things. Anyone can upload a finished design online, but if you really want a poster to get people's attention, somebody who knows what they're doing has gotta design it first. Sometimes we create a logo and the customer takes it somewhere else to create their printed stuff. Their choice, but we do offer some package deals."
He paused and blinked. "And if I talk too fast, say, 'Levi, slow down!' And if that doesn't work, you have permission to whack me. Gently. Upside the head. Goodness knows my mom has to do that all the time." He drew in a breath, knowing full well that he was rattling on a hundred miles an hour - but he wanted to see how well Karla could keep up without whacking him.
"Okay, so that's basically what we do. Here is the precious book of all things good and evil." He grabbed a bright green three-ring binder and flipped it open. "Eventually I'm just gonna give you time to sit and browse through all this. It lists all our pricing breakdowns for all the different types of projects we handle, then in the back, it's got all our contacts for outsourcing companies..."
He went on to explain things in more detail, answered any questions, and familiarized Karla with their filing system - even though it looked haphazard, they did have somewhat of a system in place that just needed to be helped along a bit. He explained how they wanted her to answer phones and handle calls - whether she needed to pass them on or take messages, and what information to get.
"That sad fern over there is Nancy," he added, once he'd finished yet another long spiel. "She gets water about once a week, but if you know anything about plants..." He laughed. "Feel free." Back at the desk, he sighed and yawned before looking into his coffee mug that had gone dry. He didn't remember finishing it. "So I'm thinking today probably I'm just gonna have you get to know the green book, listen to us take a few calls, and rummage through our files so you get to know things. Then tomorrow, we need to go shopping." He showed her his partial list. "We've got enough room for a desk right over there." He pointed to the wall next to the coffee corner. "So you'll have your own space and can spread out a little. We've got an extra computer at home too, that I'll bring and set up so we can all be connected. Then I can show you how to navigate our record keeping."
A half-eaten pizza sat on the kitchen counter. Now-empty ice cream bowls sat in the sink. A romantic comedy played on the television. And all Rosalyn felt was peace. Curled up in front of Chad on the couch with his arm draped around her and her legs somewhere intertwined in his, she had never felt so warm...so sleepy...so happy. The other two girls were gone for the evening, providing the perfect opportunity for a date night in. And knowing he only had a few days left made this time even more treasured.
Just as her eyes were starting to close for the umpteenth time, the doorbell rang. Giving a start, she opened her eyes wide and straightened up before looking at the wall clock. Odd. No one usually came around during the evening like this. She sighed and glanced at Chad. "Keep the couch warm," she mused. "I better go see who's here."
Yawning, she wandered through the kitchen and to the door, pausing only to straighten out her sock that was almost falling off her foot. When she opened up the door though, she stopped dead in her tracks, her whole body tensing.
Jim looked down at his daughter for several silent moments, his face showing little expression - unless one would look closely enough to see pain above all else. "Rosalyn..."
"What are you doing here?" Her words came out ice cold.
Jim almost cringed at her tone, but straightened up and took a deep breath. "I'm here to see Chad."
Rosalyn's grip on the doorknob tightened. "How did you know he was here?"
"That's not important. I'd like to speak to him, though. Please."
Please? That seemed a new word in her dad's vocabulary. Rosalyn shook her head. "I don't know why you'd think I'd agree to that. You should go." She started to close the door, but Jim reached out with his hand to stop it.
"Would you at least ask him?"
Rosalyn studied his face, unable to tell what his intentions were. Finally though, she let go of the door. "Stay here," she stated firmly. Going back to the living room, her arms were folded around herself tightly, her face strained. "Chad?" She came closer, interrupting the end of the movie. "My dad's at the door. Says he wants to talk to you. I didn't even know he knew where I lived, and I have no idea how he found out you were here." She swallowed hard, fear in her eyes. "You don't have to talk to him if you don't want to. I'll tell him to leave. But he wanted it to be up to you, so you do what you want."
Outside in the porch, Jim waited. He'd told no one at the ranch that he was coming into town tonight, but most likely, no one would even notice his absence.
Ready, Willing, Able....
Dressed in her best blouse and slacks Karla stood outside the door for a long moment. She was scared for this new adventure. What if she wasn't good? What if she couldn't learn fast enough, What if she ended up not getting along with Levi and his dad and she just failed horribly. The more stood there the more what ifs came to her mind and she new if she didn't go in now she never would.
Pushing the door open and stepping inside Karla gives a shy smile to Levi and a small wave as she walked over to him. Looking around she wasn't sure if the place looked better than the last time, or if it was a rushed attempt to look better. Either or it made her laugh a little on the inside.
"I'm here, ready, willing and able to learn...I'm ready and able anyways, not sure if I am here though. Had a late start this morning and had to give up drinking my coffee or i'd never walk here in time."
Shifting a little Karla felt slightly awkward not really knowing what to do or where they wanted to her to start. Most odd jobs she had were pretty straight forward, this was completely different.
Angel did her best to help where she could though she felt pretty helpless. She hated The Agency, she hated that her nephew was there, but she felt to old for all this. There fight had been going on for so long, she wondered when it would be over. There children were already dragged into this...or would there Childrens children be dragged into this as well.
The day grew long and as Angel was about to go back to her office to work on a few things she needed to Lane's ringing phone made her stop as she drew closer. Looking over everyone shoulder and seeing Travis on the computer screen she brought a hand up to her mouth to muffle she own soft cry.
To watch and not be able to do anything, that was the worst thing of all and Angel didn't know how much she could take. Feeling Luke's hand on her shoulder Angel turned to him with tears in he eyes as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his shoulder. When would this end...
Nate give a nod to Jason in thanks. Even if he didn't trust Garret, he did trust him and that's all Nate could ask for and be thankful.
"Alright than, lets fill the others in, and when I see Reese I'll let him know whats going on. At least if we get everything ready and he says no it will be no big deal, but if he says yes, we dont have to scramble around."
Time seemed to pass rather quickly, as they planned and filled those in who needed to know. Looking up at the sound of footsteps and Reese Nate new he needed to go talk to him now. Letting everyone know he'd be back his path was set for the office.
Giving a tap on the door Nate entered eyeing Reese for a long moment. He was nervous, but at least he was telling him what was going on before hand like he'd wanted.
"Hey I needed to talk to you for a second about getting Grace back."
Going into all the details, and all the options Garrets had given them Nate put everything out on the table for Reese not holding anything back. Looking at him he had no idea how Reese was taking this but he hope it was good.
"So that was our plan. I would of asked you sooner but I couldn't find you. We have everything set up, but now are just waiting for your ok."
Pushing the door open and stepping inside Karla gives a shy smile to Levi and a small wave as she walked over to him. Looking around she wasn't sure if the place looked better than the last time, or if it was a rushed attempt to look better. Either or it made her laugh a little on the inside.
"I'm here, ready, willing and able to learn...I'm ready and able anyways, not sure if I am here though. Had a late start this morning and had to give up drinking my coffee or i'd never walk here in time."
Shifting a little Karla felt slightly awkward not really knowing what to do or where they wanted to her to start. Most odd jobs she had were pretty straight forward, this was completely different.
Angel did her best to help where she could though she felt pretty helpless. She hated The Agency, she hated that her nephew was there, but she felt to old for all this. There fight had been going on for so long, she wondered when it would be over. There children were already dragged into this...or would there Childrens children be dragged into this as well.
The day grew long and as Angel was about to go back to her office to work on a few things she needed to Lane's ringing phone made her stop as she drew closer. Looking over everyone shoulder and seeing Travis on the computer screen she brought a hand up to her mouth to muffle she own soft cry.
To watch and not be able to do anything, that was the worst thing of all and Angel didn't know how much she could take. Feeling Luke's hand on her shoulder Angel turned to him with tears in he eyes as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his shoulder. When would this end...
Nate give a nod to Jason in thanks. Even if he didn't trust Garret, he did trust him and that's all Nate could ask for and be thankful.
"Alright than, lets fill the others in, and when I see Reese I'll let him know whats going on. At least if we get everything ready and he says no it will be no big deal, but if he says yes, we dont have to scramble around."
Time seemed to pass rather quickly, as they planned and filled those in who needed to know. Looking up at the sound of footsteps and Reese Nate new he needed to go talk to him now. Letting everyone know he'd be back his path was set for the office.
Giving a tap on the door Nate entered eyeing Reese for a long moment. He was nervous, but at least he was telling him what was going on before hand like he'd wanted.
"Hey I needed to talk to you for a second about getting Grace back."
Going into all the details, and all the options Garrets had given them Nate put everything out on the table for Reese not holding anything back. Looking at him he had no idea how Reese was taking this but he hope it was good.
"So that was our plan. I would of asked you sooner but I couldn't find you. We have everything set up, but now are just waiting for your ok."
6/30/16
372
Monday morning. Levi crumpled up another paper and tossed it to the waste basket in the corner...and missed...again. Instead of picking it up with the other five that were already on the floor, he refocused on the desk. Grabbing all the pens in sight, he stuffed them into a coffee mug that doubled as a pencil holder. Was that a candy bar wrapper? It became another missed shot to the trash. Sticky notes....random notes. Um... he stuck several to the outer edge of the computer monitor and several on the front of the filing cabinet. Surely they were important even if he didn't know exactly what his own scribbles meant.
"You, uh...cleaning?"
"Huh?" He didn't look up at his dad, but thumbed through a folder that he'd found buried under some papers. "Sorta. Yeah."
Keith grinned. "Sure you wanna cram in Karla's training on top of everything else? I've got time."
"No, no, I'm good." Levi stuffed the folder into a drawer and grabbed a stack of papers to pile them on top of an organizer that...hadn't helped much. "Although if Gina Thompson calls, I'll let you handle that. I can't figure out exactly what she wants."
"Oh thanks," Keith teased. "Just concentrate on whatever you need to today. No stress."
"Right, right." Levi looked up from trying to decipher something he'd written on a napkin. "What?"
Keith chuckled. "Never mind. I'll yell if there's a fire." He wandered back over to his own desk, which was in better shape than Levi's...for the most part. Sort of.
The office really consisted just of the front room with windows that overlooked the street. It housed the two desk areas, several filing cabinets and shelves, a copy machine, and a small table in the corner with a coffee maker and a mini fridge. A small bathroom was off to the side, then in the back was a storage room. A sad looking fern added some greenery but was in dire need of some tender loving care. Their business was off to a great start, but with all the new work, cleaning and organizing came in second.
Levi grabbed a couple sketches of logos he'd been working on and taped them up on the wall behind his computer. He couldn't risk losing those. He glanced at his watch. Five 'til eight o'clock. He wasn't nearly as prepared for Karla's first day as he'd wanted, but it would have to do.
Con nodded thoughtfully as Angel told him about the past. It was sad, really. Families were separated every day, but this place was different. This place was the very definition of family. So to have someone like Lane - family by blood and by honor - leave and not even stay in contact had to hurt. For a moment, his mind wandered to his aunt and uncle. He missed his cousins and their kids - they were growing up so fast. He needed to go back for another visit. Jamie would probably enjoy it, too. He felt bad that she couldn't enjoy kids of her own...although he'd never told her that. He couldn't give her a child, he'd lost his hearing...what good was he, really?
Though it was a brief thought, it was deep enough that he didn't realize when he'd hit his coffee mug on the table before it was too late and he sent his coffee all over the floor. "Oh, shoot," he muttered and grabbed some nearby napkins. "Sorry," he apologized to Angel and finished cleaning it up. "Sounds like you and Lane have a lot of catching up to do," he mused. "I just hope his boy can be a part of that. I wish we had more to go on."
The rest of the day seemed to drag on. Most of the group caught up on some sleep, but there was unrest through the entire ranch. Mick canceled his riding lesson group for the day, and postponed a trip to get more horse feed in town. It was just safer that way until this thing was solved, and he was glad they didn't have any visitors right now - which was more typical than anyone would like to admit. In all honesty, he wondered about the reality of the ranch's future. But that was a thought for another day. Right now they were back to war, with a lot more at stake than twenty-plus years ago.
Lane spent most of the day either alone in the bunkhouse or in the main house with Con, trying to piece together more information. He knew where he and Travis had been abducted, and had a vague idea of how long they'd driven, blindfolded, to their destination. He also had a vague idea of which direction they'd gone, but he wasn't sure. Con was in contact with Scott and Dalton to try and narrow down the possibilities, and they did condense it to a thirty mile radius instead of fifty, but it still wasn't enough. But as long as the Agency still thought Lane was going to give them what they wanted, they would have a hard time being obvious about investigating, which pretty much tied their hands until they heard more.
"Say hello to Daddy." The main guard finished his task and climbed down off the stepladder in the corner of the dimly lit room.
Travis' head shot up. Had he passed out? He wasn't sure. Still tied to the chair, he looked up in the corner where there was now a small camera.
The man twirled his screwdriver before pointing it at Travis. "Don't bother trying to talk to him. He can't hear you. But he'll be glad to see you alive. For now."
Travis swallowed hard and watched the man return to the seat near a window that was covered like all the windows were. His eyes went back up to the camera. Was it true? Could his dad see him? But why? Where was he? What were they doing with him? Was there a ransom? Did they just want him to see his son like this so he'd give them what they wanted? What did they want?
It was late afternoon. Chores were done until evening, and the ranch was moving slowly. Until Lane received another phone call.
"Yeah?" Lane answered it in the main house, looking to Con again.
Con, now officially set up at a table off to the side, nodded and motioned for him to keep talking. If they could just trace any of the calls, they'd have something to go on.
"No, they haven't told me yet. I'm having trouble gaining that much trust after all these years." Lane ran a hand over his face. "I can't force it out of them," he stated flatly. "And if I ask too many questions, they're going to get suspicious, and this whole thing is over." He paused as he listened and closed his eyes. "I know you said I needed to tell you today, but I'm doing the best I can."
The call ended abruptly and Lane withheld some inappropriate language by biting his tongue. He knew the call hadn't been long enough to trace. "They said they were going to give me a little incentive." Almost immediately, his phone buzzed again as he received a text message. "It's a link." He showed Con, confused.
Con nodded, and instead of using Lane's phone, he typed the address into his computer. He had a feeling he knew what it was... and he was right.
The screen brought up the scene of a dim room. It was the live feed of a camera. And it was aimed down at Travis. Lane's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the screen. Con turned up the volume...
"Somewhere....over the rainbow...way up high.... And the dreams that you-"
"Hey, knock it off!"
Travis' singing stopped and he lifted his head, revealing his battered face. "Ya know... that use'ta be my fav'rite movie." His words slurred together as he struggled to stay with it. "Flyin' monkeys scared me." He grinned. "But I liked Toto. Dang ugly dog but I liked 'im."
"Just shut up."
Lane's face had turned pale as his eyes remained glued to the screen. The others watching found it hard to believe that they were looking at Lane's son... Mississippi's son. If it weren't so serious, it would almost be amusing - the kid had a good voice. But it was obvious he was weak.
Travis cackled as he continued to tug at his ropes. His wrists were bruised and raw from the hours spent trying to get loose. "Someday I'll wish upon a star, wake up-"
"Seriously!" The agent rose from his own chair by the door and gave Travis a swift kick.
Toppling over sideways, Travis landed hard on the floor without being able to catch himself. Crying out as his shoulder hit, he winced in pain.
"Sing from there," the man taunted, and returned to his post.
"What'd I ever do to you?" Travis grunted. "It's j'st a lil music. Don't got anything else to listen to." He let his head rest on the floor, taking a breather. His hands were still bound, his ankles still tied to the chair legs, and now he couldn't even get himself upright. "You gonna leave me like this?" he mumbled.
The guard sighed. "If I set you back up, you gonna quit singing?"
"Mums the word."
The man came back over and set Travis upright again, not caring about being gentle.
Once settled, Travis bounced his knee to a tune that could only be heard in his head. Behind his back though, he'd managed to pick up a small splinter of wood, which he was now trying to use as a mini saw on his ropes.
Lane put a hand to his mouth as his emotions tried to get the best of him. Travis looked so tired and worn. He had to be exhausted and so scared.
Without knowing he'd been lied to about the sound, Travis' eyes traveled to the camera. Was anyone really watching? Or had it all been a ruse for the benefit of torture?
Lane just continued to look at the screen and swallowed hard. "Don't give up, Travis," he whispered. "We're coming. I promise."
Con focused on his work, sending Scott and Dalton the link to see if they could trace it. He knew it was a long shot - the Agency would have plenty of protection against hacking, but it was all they had.
As work progressed, Mick looked to Rosetta, sorrow in his gaze. That poor boy - he was an innocent victim that didn't deserve this. If it was Dylan, he'd be going mad.
Luke was also nearby and set a hand on Angel's shoulder. It had to be hard, realizing that was her nephew in that video. He felt bad enough the way it was - it had to be even worse for her. All they could do was pray they got to him in time.
Jason smirked at Nate and shook his head. "Don't misunderstand. I don't trust this guy." He nodded towards Garret. "My knee still hurts from that stunt he pulled, and I'm not a hundred percent convinced he's not gonna stab us all in the back when we least expect it."
Garret bristled, but refrained from retaliating. Now was not the time, and his good sense kept his temper in check. If he wanted to be involved, he needed to not make Nate mad. Eventually though, he and Jason were going to butt heads. He could feel it.
Jason continued with Nate. "But I trust you, so if you think this is the right course of action, then I'll support it. As far as Reese is concerned..." He shrugged. "He won't kill you - he doesn't want to go to prison. Not even his wife could get him out of that with this many witnesses around." He grinned. "I expect he'll be back in a while though, if you need to run this past him."
Garret maintained his cool and respectfully questioned Nate. "If you want to do this after dark like I originally suggested, you've got a few hours yet to get everything in place."
He was gone longer than planned, but Reese finally reappeared, going straight back to his office after checking with Susanne if anything important had happened. Notified of no news on their current kidnapping case, he set to work on some files. It did strike him though, that he hadn't seen agent Young in a while. Interesting.
Weeks were passing in a blur. The discreet tally marks that had been scratched into the wall above his bed proved the days that had passed. He was nameless here. Just a number assigned to set him apart from the others. Perhaps it was a cruel form of poetic justice that he now was the one imprisoned, rather than the one performing torture.
No one had come. There had been no signs. Silence was the only thing that came from beyond these walls. But maybe…maybe he deserved this.
Alec’s nights were spent in deafening silence, drugs and locks keeping him sedated, secure and unable to reach the small window near the ceiling to see the stars. At times, he wondered if the lights in the dark sky had abandoned their posts, leaving the night to defend itself.
His days were spent in anguish - strapped to tables or chairs. Beaten but never killed, his body was but a playground for brutality. Injuries were tended only to keep him alive for the next session. Promises were made for relief, but he refused to do their bidding. Instead, he suffered without words - only screams that echoed through the corridors.
He knew now what it meant to be a prisoner here. He knew now what it meant to survive on the verge of insanity.
Number 372. Maybe this truly was his fate. Payment for all his past misdeeds. Maybe the rescue he’d hoped for really wasn’t coming. Maybe his few friends and family had decided it was best to leave him in Agency hands as the justice he deserved.
"You, uh...cleaning?"
"Huh?" He didn't look up at his dad, but thumbed through a folder that he'd found buried under some papers. "Sorta. Yeah."
Keith grinned. "Sure you wanna cram in Karla's training on top of everything else? I've got time."
"No, no, I'm good." Levi stuffed the folder into a drawer and grabbed a stack of papers to pile them on top of an organizer that...hadn't helped much. "Although if Gina Thompson calls, I'll let you handle that. I can't figure out exactly what she wants."
"Oh thanks," Keith teased. "Just concentrate on whatever you need to today. No stress."
"Right, right." Levi looked up from trying to decipher something he'd written on a napkin. "What?"
Keith chuckled. "Never mind. I'll yell if there's a fire." He wandered back over to his own desk, which was in better shape than Levi's...for the most part. Sort of.
The office really consisted just of the front room with windows that overlooked the street. It housed the two desk areas, several filing cabinets and shelves, a copy machine, and a small table in the corner with a coffee maker and a mini fridge. A small bathroom was off to the side, then in the back was a storage room. A sad looking fern added some greenery but was in dire need of some tender loving care. Their business was off to a great start, but with all the new work, cleaning and organizing came in second.
Levi grabbed a couple sketches of logos he'd been working on and taped them up on the wall behind his computer. He couldn't risk losing those. He glanced at his watch. Five 'til eight o'clock. He wasn't nearly as prepared for Karla's first day as he'd wanted, but it would have to do.
Con nodded thoughtfully as Angel told him about the past. It was sad, really. Families were separated every day, but this place was different. This place was the very definition of family. So to have someone like Lane - family by blood and by honor - leave and not even stay in contact had to hurt. For a moment, his mind wandered to his aunt and uncle. He missed his cousins and their kids - they were growing up so fast. He needed to go back for another visit. Jamie would probably enjoy it, too. He felt bad that she couldn't enjoy kids of her own...although he'd never told her that. He couldn't give her a child, he'd lost his hearing...what good was he, really?
Though it was a brief thought, it was deep enough that he didn't realize when he'd hit his coffee mug on the table before it was too late and he sent his coffee all over the floor. "Oh, shoot," he muttered and grabbed some nearby napkins. "Sorry," he apologized to Angel and finished cleaning it up. "Sounds like you and Lane have a lot of catching up to do," he mused. "I just hope his boy can be a part of that. I wish we had more to go on."
The rest of the day seemed to drag on. Most of the group caught up on some sleep, but there was unrest through the entire ranch. Mick canceled his riding lesson group for the day, and postponed a trip to get more horse feed in town. It was just safer that way until this thing was solved, and he was glad they didn't have any visitors right now - which was more typical than anyone would like to admit. In all honesty, he wondered about the reality of the ranch's future. But that was a thought for another day. Right now they were back to war, with a lot more at stake than twenty-plus years ago.
Lane spent most of the day either alone in the bunkhouse or in the main house with Con, trying to piece together more information. He knew where he and Travis had been abducted, and had a vague idea of how long they'd driven, blindfolded, to their destination. He also had a vague idea of which direction they'd gone, but he wasn't sure. Con was in contact with Scott and Dalton to try and narrow down the possibilities, and they did condense it to a thirty mile radius instead of fifty, but it still wasn't enough. But as long as the Agency still thought Lane was going to give them what they wanted, they would have a hard time being obvious about investigating, which pretty much tied their hands until they heard more.
"Say hello to Daddy." The main guard finished his task and climbed down off the stepladder in the corner of the dimly lit room.
Travis' head shot up. Had he passed out? He wasn't sure. Still tied to the chair, he looked up in the corner where there was now a small camera.
The man twirled his screwdriver before pointing it at Travis. "Don't bother trying to talk to him. He can't hear you. But he'll be glad to see you alive. For now."
Travis swallowed hard and watched the man return to the seat near a window that was covered like all the windows were. His eyes went back up to the camera. Was it true? Could his dad see him? But why? Where was he? What were they doing with him? Was there a ransom? Did they just want him to see his son like this so he'd give them what they wanted? What did they want?
It was late afternoon. Chores were done until evening, and the ranch was moving slowly. Until Lane received another phone call.
"Yeah?" Lane answered it in the main house, looking to Con again.
Con, now officially set up at a table off to the side, nodded and motioned for him to keep talking. If they could just trace any of the calls, they'd have something to go on.
"No, they haven't told me yet. I'm having trouble gaining that much trust after all these years." Lane ran a hand over his face. "I can't force it out of them," he stated flatly. "And if I ask too many questions, they're going to get suspicious, and this whole thing is over." He paused as he listened and closed his eyes. "I know you said I needed to tell you today, but I'm doing the best I can."
The call ended abruptly and Lane withheld some inappropriate language by biting his tongue. He knew the call hadn't been long enough to trace. "They said they were going to give me a little incentive." Almost immediately, his phone buzzed again as he received a text message. "It's a link." He showed Con, confused.
Con nodded, and instead of using Lane's phone, he typed the address into his computer. He had a feeling he knew what it was... and he was right.
The screen brought up the scene of a dim room. It was the live feed of a camera. And it was aimed down at Travis. Lane's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the screen. Con turned up the volume...
"Somewhere....over the rainbow...way up high.... And the dreams that you-"
"Hey, knock it off!"
Travis' singing stopped and he lifted his head, revealing his battered face. "Ya know... that use'ta be my fav'rite movie." His words slurred together as he struggled to stay with it. "Flyin' monkeys scared me." He grinned. "But I liked Toto. Dang ugly dog but I liked 'im."
"Just shut up."
Lane's face had turned pale as his eyes remained glued to the screen. The others watching found it hard to believe that they were looking at Lane's son... Mississippi's son. If it weren't so serious, it would almost be amusing - the kid had a good voice. But it was obvious he was weak.
Travis cackled as he continued to tug at his ropes. His wrists were bruised and raw from the hours spent trying to get loose. "Someday I'll wish upon a star, wake up-"
"Seriously!" The agent rose from his own chair by the door and gave Travis a swift kick.
Toppling over sideways, Travis landed hard on the floor without being able to catch himself. Crying out as his shoulder hit, he winced in pain.
"Sing from there," the man taunted, and returned to his post.
"What'd I ever do to you?" Travis grunted. "It's j'st a lil music. Don't got anything else to listen to." He let his head rest on the floor, taking a breather. His hands were still bound, his ankles still tied to the chair legs, and now he couldn't even get himself upright. "You gonna leave me like this?" he mumbled.
The guard sighed. "If I set you back up, you gonna quit singing?"
"Mums the word."
The man came back over and set Travis upright again, not caring about being gentle.
Once settled, Travis bounced his knee to a tune that could only be heard in his head. Behind his back though, he'd managed to pick up a small splinter of wood, which he was now trying to use as a mini saw on his ropes.
Lane put a hand to his mouth as his emotions tried to get the best of him. Travis looked so tired and worn. He had to be exhausted and so scared.
Without knowing he'd been lied to about the sound, Travis' eyes traveled to the camera. Was anyone really watching? Or had it all been a ruse for the benefit of torture?
Lane just continued to look at the screen and swallowed hard. "Don't give up, Travis," he whispered. "We're coming. I promise."
Con focused on his work, sending Scott and Dalton the link to see if they could trace it. He knew it was a long shot - the Agency would have plenty of protection against hacking, but it was all they had.
As work progressed, Mick looked to Rosetta, sorrow in his gaze. That poor boy - he was an innocent victim that didn't deserve this. If it was Dylan, he'd be going mad.
Luke was also nearby and set a hand on Angel's shoulder. It had to be hard, realizing that was her nephew in that video. He felt bad enough the way it was - it had to be even worse for her. All they could do was pray they got to him in time.
Jason smirked at Nate and shook his head. "Don't misunderstand. I don't trust this guy." He nodded towards Garret. "My knee still hurts from that stunt he pulled, and I'm not a hundred percent convinced he's not gonna stab us all in the back when we least expect it."
Garret bristled, but refrained from retaliating. Now was not the time, and his good sense kept his temper in check. If he wanted to be involved, he needed to not make Nate mad. Eventually though, he and Jason were going to butt heads. He could feel it.
Jason continued with Nate. "But I trust you, so if you think this is the right course of action, then I'll support it. As far as Reese is concerned..." He shrugged. "He won't kill you - he doesn't want to go to prison. Not even his wife could get him out of that with this many witnesses around." He grinned. "I expect he'll be back in a while though, if you need to run this past him."
Garret maintained his cool and respectfully questioned Nate. "If you want to do this after dark like I originally suggested, you've got a few hours yet to get everything in place."
He was gone longer than planned, but Reese finally reappeared, going straight back to his office after checking with Susanne if anything important had happened. Notified of no news on their current kidnapping case, he set to work on some files. It did strike him though, that he hadn't seen agent Young in a while. Interesting.
Weeks were passing in a blur. The discreet tally marks that had been scratched into the wall above his bed proved the days that had passed. He was nameless here. Just a number assigned to set him apart from the others. Perhaps it was a cruel form of poetic justice that he now was the one imprisoned, rather than the one performing torture.
No one had come. There had been no signs. Silence was the only thing that came from beyond these walls. But maybe…maybe he deserved this.
Alec’s nights were spent in deafening silence, drugs and locks keeping him sedated, secure and unable to reach the small window near the ceiling to see the stars. At times, he wondered if the lights in the dark sky had abandoned their posts, leaving the night to defend itself.
His days were spent in anguish - strapped to tables or chairs. Beaten but never killed, his body was but a playground for brutality. Injuries were tended only to keep him alive for the next session. Promises were made for relief, but he refused to do their bidding. Instead, he suffered without words - only screams that echoed through the corridors.
He knew now what it meant to be a prisoner here. He knew now what it meant to survive on the verge of insanity.
Number 372. Maybe this truly was his fate. Payment for all his past misdeeds. Maybe the rescue he’d hoped for really wasn’t coming. Maybe his few friends and family had decided it was best to leave him in Agency hands as the justice he deserved.
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