New Voices

Jason keeps his arm around Katie as they walk slowly back to the bike, feeling more peace than he had in a long time. There was still a lot to be gained...a lot to be learned...a lot left until he understood where his life was headed and what the future held...but for now... for now his best friend had become even more, and that was enough. He was happy.

Jason gently picks Katie up again to settle her down on the bike before straddling it in front of her. The engine starts and before they know it, the sandy beach is being left behind to dance with the moon until sunrise.

The night air is clean and crisp, the road almost deserted. Jason skillfully maneuvers the bike to their destination - a small ice cream shop at the edge of town. Several other cars are parked in the gravel lot and some chatter floats in the air. Jason parks near the building, cutting the motor and taking off his helmet. "Well, we can dine on the bike or go inside. Your call."


Con's own heart aches as he hears Jamie talk. He can't imagine what she must have gone through, and a portion of himself still feels the anger...anger towards the enemy, and anger towards himself for not being able to stop what happened.

"It'll be okay," he tries to comfort softly. "You're safe now and no one's going to hurt you." He shakes his head. "Don't be sorry...that's what I'm here for...just let it out."


Carson paces the holding room restlessly. It was going to be a long night and three cigarettes hadn't seemed to help much. He doesn't know why he shared the past with Nate...he never talked to anyone about it. It was just something he lived and put up with as something he couldn't change so he'd never attempted to think twice about it. But now that he had, the memories were back, reminding him of a time before the Agency...before his life had been turned upside down...before he'd become an animal knowing only how to hurt and kill. That's all he was now...he knew nothing else... He'd gotten in so deep that his actions had started to be who he really was...a merciless killer with no remorse.

But something, somehow... had struck a chord in his heart. He knew it had been Jamie's words that had effected him so. Now he was beginning to question himself. Now he was beginning to see again the other side of things. There were still good people out there...there was still a side to the world that wasn't corrupt, even if it was small. Carson couldn't help but long to be a part of that. And yet...how could he? He did deserve to die for all he had done. He deserved to be put in prison for life. Was it even possible for him to gain just a small taste of the world he'd missed out on? He had so much doubt. The people here in this place would surely want to murder him after what he'd helped do to one of their own.

He began to think of his offer that had saved him from being killed or released to die. He'd implied he could go back to the Agency as a double-agent and feed these other people information. But he knew the impossibility of that...the Agency was too smart...they would catch on so quickly that he wouldn't even have time to get anything relayed back here before they would put him away. The only thing he had was the information he'd gained over the years and the things that were kept in his memory. And yet...would the people here trust him? If they did, he would be surprised once again.


"What did you find?" Detective Jackman peers over his partner's shoulder to the dimly lit desk.

Marcus shakes his head. "Not much, but we might have a lead. Finally got a trace on that gun. It wasn't easy, I tell you. Someone did a good job of hiding out. But it traces back to Nevada."

"Hmm." Jackman straightens, thinking. "That's the second time Nevada has come up in that case. What's that list of names you came up with?"

Marcus digs in a pile of papers to find on sheet in particular. "I got about twenty-five here...most are Texans, but one is from Nevada..." He runs his finger down the list, landing on one name. "Yeah, this one. Jason Stevenson. Clean record, unlike the rest of the guys on this list. Works at a factory...nothing special appeared, but we did find records of his dealings with the gun shop where we think the rifle came from."

"It's worth checking out."

"Yeah. I'm gonna make a few calls come morning and narrow this list down even more. I got Garrison and Olson out hunting some of these guys down to find alibis."

"Not easy when it's been so long."

Marcus grimaces. "I know. But the captain wanted the case dug up again so he wouldn't have any loose ends in the department. I'll be surprised if we can actually close this one...I thought it was gonna be put away as an unsolved murder, but..." He sighs. "Guess not."