....

Reese slams his phone down into the cradle and just glares at it for several moments. His worry about his niece was going to be the death of him. She'd come such a long way in her life. What she did now was so much more to be proud of than her earlier years. Reese could still remember her as a toddler sitting on his knee...so peaceful...so innocent.

All he'd wanted for her when she came here was to finish out her interning and pursue her medical career. And she would have. But along came Carson. An Agency scumbag with enough charm to convince any woman to do anything, and enough attitude to make it appealing. It was because of him Misty had gotten into many scrapes, and he always just seemed to make things worse. This time apparently wasn't his fault, but there he was again, right there in the thick of it.

Reese leans his hands down on his desk, taking a deep breath. Carson was no coward, that was for sure. And he was risking his neck for Misty. No matter what a wanderer he was, no matter what the scumbag he'd been...he obviously cared for Misty deeply, and Reese couldn't deny him that.

Thinking for another moment, Reese opens his desk drawer to reveal his own handgun. Nate was right. None of them could help what happened with TJY becoming the Elite...if they hadn't, they would have been disbanded altogether. But now they were walking on eggshells all the time...doing more paperwork than street work, and TJY's original purpose was no longer being met.

Picking up his gun, he checks the ammunition. Trying to get Carson off the case would be like daring to pull a wolverine off its prey - someone would get hurt. And apparently Nate was being just as stubborn.


The bell at Mom and Pop's rings. Wyatt turns from his conversation with Aerith. "Dad?"

Reese approaches and nods his hello to Aerith before speaking to Wyatt. "Well come on."

"Where?"

"Her grandmother's."

"But you.."

"Nevermind." Reese gestures for the door. "Let's go."

Wyatt watches his dad to start walking away, and pauses just a moment. Leaning over the counter, he gives Aerith a kiss. "I'll call you later. Get right on over to Jamie's as soon as you're off work and stay put."


Carson grits his teeth as he hears Nate's end of the phone conversation. He knows how Reese is reacting. It was predictable, and it made his blood boil. But his gratefulness for Nate's loyalty overcame that anger. Nate was risking his job for this - some might call him stupid. Carson would call him a good mate.

There was no time for thanks though, as Aerith's grandmother's house came into view. Parking in the street, alongside the curb, Carson pulls his car to a stop and draws out his gun. "No vehicle, but let's go check it out." The look in his eye conveys his gratefulness for Nate's help, but the knowledge that right now he has to stay focused.


Morgan drops the Advil and water, letting out a cry as his knee is nailed by Misty's hard kick. Brought to the floor, he hurls a curse in Misty's direction, but is quickly back on his feet.

Seeing her go for the door, he growls and sprints, despite his new limp. Getting to her just before the door, he tackles her from behind, bringing her down to the floor again. Rolling her over onto her back, he pins her hands down and glares at her. "You just ruined your chances for pity, girl. How about me getting those ropes tied just a little tighter, eh?"