The truth?

Reese shakes his head. “I don’t know how, Nate. I don’t know how anybody could have survived that explosion, and I don’t know how or why the Agency would have been involved there anyway.”

The office goes quiet for several moments as everyone is lost in their own minds, trying to adjust to the thought that Scott had not died. Mixed in with that inner turmoil though, was the desire not to hope…for even if he had not died in the explosion, there was no guarantee that he was alive now.

“I think it’s best that the family is not aware of this investigation,” Reese emphasizes. “If Scott is indeed alive, that news should be broken gently. And if he is dead, then we will need to deal with that appropriately at that time. But until then, I’d appreciate all of us respecting the sensitivity of this.”

Jason shifts in his chair.
There’s still something I don’t like…something I still don’t understand.
“You said you didn’t want me talking to Austin, or even alerting Carter. Why not?”

Reese looks down for a moment, fidgeting with a pen.

Jason quirks an eyebrow. “Reese…why?”

“It’s better if we don’t let this leak out. Now, about going to Washington, we need…”

“What are you hiding?” Jason interrupts.
I don’t like this…this isn’t like him.

Reese frowns. “Remember your place, Jason.”

“I do. I’m one of the best men you got, and you want me on this,” Jason replies flatly. “So it’s your loss if you kick me off. I want to know why we have to keep this under wraps. The family thing is understandable. But this doesn’t make any sense.”

Reese grits his teeth, glancing to the faces around him. “My own investigation was not approved.”

“So? It’s not like you asked for it. You just slinked away.”

Reese purses his lips, remaining silent again.

Jason looks around at the others to make sure he wasn’t the only one in the dark. “Reese…what is wrong? You didn’t ask permission, did you?”

“Actually, I did.” Reese finally sits straighter with a little more confidence. “And I was told not to proceed.”

“What? Who did you talk to?”

“Well, I called Austin first, just to see what he thought.”

“And you told him you though Scott might be alive?”

“Yes.”

“And what did he say?”

Reese eyes Jason, not sure if he really wants to say. He knew there was tension between grandfather and grandson anyway, and he wasn’t so sure that this was a good idea. But he believed in honesty. “He told me…that it was too risky. That…it wasn’t worth risking more lives over and…that if the Agency had Scott, that by now they would have brainwashed him and he would be on their side now…and that going and getting him would be a breach in security.”

Jason’s eyes fall to the floor as a sudden anger boils within him. It was just like Austin to say that. Cold and heartless. Austin was good…he hated the Agency as much as anyone, and his intentions were honorable… but when it came to personal feelings, or relationships, he would rather stick to protocol. “And Carter?”

Reese gives a sigh. He glances around the room again. Though this was more closely related to Jason because of blood, maybe everyone here needed to be aware of what had gone on. “I met with him after I’d talked to Austin.”

“And?”

“And Austin had already called him. Carter gave me a direct order not to go after Scott. He said it was too risky…that if sacrificing one life would save the Elite from infiltration then so be it.”

Jason can feel his face start to redden as his anger grows. His family ties had never affected his job or status here, and now he was glad of it. For once, he was glad that he’d never been close to his grandfather or great-grandfather. “How could they just throw this chance away… how could they just forget about Scott?” He lifts his face to see Reese again. “How?”

“I don’t know.” Reese is tense and rubs a hand over his face. “But this is where we stand, folks. We may get our wrists slapped for going on this mission, but I’m pretty sure all of you are in anyway. Austin’s opinion has no hold over me, but it does you, and Carter is above all of us. But…it’s a risk I’m willing to take. It was my decisions that got Scott lost to begin with. And I’ll risk my life to get him back.”

Jason swallows hard, trying to put a cap on his emotions so he didn’t bother anything or Katie. “Agreed. I’m in.”

“I figured.” Reese looks around the room. He knew he didn’t have to ask. He knew his staff was behind him. He also knew that this was shocking to all of them, and that despite the urgency, sensitivity was still necessary. “I want to leave by tonight. There is no airport where we need to go, and besides that, I don’t want to use TJY jets in case Carter gets wind too early. We’ll take a van. If we leave tonight, rest briefly along the way, we’ll get there by tomorrow evening.”

He makes eye contact with all the others in the room. “I’ll want Jason, Katie and Nate to be main agents in this once we get there. Wyatt will be backup, Dalton will be our contact middle man, and Misty, I want you there in case we need medical help.”

Rick quirks an eyebrow. “And me?”

“You’ll be our contact back here. I’d normally choose Hal, but…well, I’d just as soon it was you for this, for several reasons. In case we need medical advice you’re there and…I just prefer you for this.”

Rick shrugs. “Alright. No problem. Let me go home, tell Janet that I’ll be here, get a few things, and come back. I’ll be here before you leave.”

“Good.” Reese gives a short nod. “I want everyone to meet back in the garage at…” He looks at his watch. “…six o’clock. You’re all dismissed.”

With everyone filing back out of the office, Jason heads to his own, avoiding talking with the others for now. He’d been upset enough the way it was about this whole thing with Scott, but then to find out that his own grandfather didn’t even think it was worth the time to go and search…it made his blood boil.

Getting to his office, Jason flops down in his chair, sighing heavily. He needed to go home… grab another set of clothes… get some gear together… then get back here in time to leave. But at the moment, he was too worked up to do anything.

Trooper gives a little whine, sensing Jason’s tension, and goes to his master, setting his head down on his leg.

Jason absentmindedly scratches the dog behind the ear. “Yeah, I know… who’s going to watch you while we’re gone, hmm? Wyatt’s going with us…”

Sighing, Jason picks up his phone. There was only one other person he trusted to take care of Trooper for him.


Con flips through tv channels, not really finding anything of interest. Deciding to just let sleep take over, he shuts the television off and settles back in the couch, just to have the phone ring. “Yeah, hello?”

“Hey, Con.”

“Jason, what’s up?”

“Got a favor to ask.”

“Anything.”

“Check on Trooper for a couple days?”

Con quirks an eyebrow. “Sure. You leaving town, I’m assuming.”

“Yeah. It’s a case. Don’t let the word spread though, and if Jamie asks, just tell her it’s top secret.”

“Sounds heavy, if there’s secrecy within the department.”

“Yeah, well…yeah.” Jason sighs. “I’m sorry, I can’t talk about it, even if I want to.”

Con senses an odd strain in his friend’s voice, and a little bit of concern surfaces. “You alright?”

“I think so…I will be. I’m just…yeah. Look, I’m going to leave Trooper home, so he just needs to be fed and led out a couple times.”

Con nods, respecting Jason’s change in subject. “Sure. No problem. Do you know when you’ll be back?”

“No. You can hope it’s soon though. I’ll let you know as soon as I can, okay?”

“Fair enough. I’ll check on Trooper first thing in the morning.”

“Thanks, Con.” Jason ends the call and hangs up, leaning forward to give his dog some attention. “Behave for Conrad, eh?”

He tries to shove aside the feelings that had risen about his grandfathers. He didn’t feel right about it, he was angry with them, and there wasn’t anything he could do about it. He couldn’t even talk to Austin about it. They just weren’t that close. Austin had been there for him as a kid, and though he’d been the only male figure in his life, he hadn’t been like a father… there had been very few tender moments if any… most of the time, they were simply agents, working for TJY, and that’s as far as their relationship went. During the last year they’d grown further apart too, and now…now Jason wasn’t sure what to do with that.

What are we doing, Katie? Is this going to work? Can we really do this with just our small group? Why couldn’t everyone be in agreement over this? Isn’t it important enough?


Carson stops what he’s doing, still not looking up to see Herb. He knew he was being cornered, and he didn’t like it. Yet what was he to expect? He’d been skirting around the truth for weeks now… he’d been late to work almost every morning with no explanations, and it would be odd if Herb didn’t finally have enough of that. It was bad enough even Dani had started to question him, let alone Jess.

Carson leans on the counter for a moment before sighing, and turning around to look at his friend and employer. He takes off his hat to reveal the entire black eye. “I’m sorry that I’ve been dishonest, Herb.”

He gives a wry laugh. “Even when I tell the truth though, I get into trouble.” He shakes his head. “This did happen with a door…one that wasn’t on its hinges properly. But it wasn’t here.”

He looks down and swallows hard. “I, um…” He pauses, rolling his eyes at himself. “I’ve been helping a guy out, Herb. I didn’t say anything because…because he didn’t want people to know he needed the help and…I don’t know. I just felt a little strange about it.”

Carson grabs a towel to wipe flour off his hands, leaning back against the counter. “His name is Tim. He lives on Harper street. His house is pretty run-down, and one morning when I was jogging past, I saw him slip and fall. He’s an older guy, and so I stopped to make sure he was okay. I noticed his house could use some work, and so…” He shrugs. “I offered to help.”

Another wry grin surfaces as he rubs his knuckles that had been so badly skinned not all that long ago. “I’m not sure I realized what I was getting into, but…I said I’d help him out. He can’t afford to pay me, but I leave here about four in the morning now so I have enough time to stop at his place.”

Carson shrugs and finally looks at Herb again. “I guess…I kinda fell foolish now for keeping it a secret. I just…I don’t know. I just decided I would. Then there’s…”

His eyes shift slightly as he bites his lip, his face reddening. There was more. But he could get into trouble for that one. It wasn’t helping Tim that had spent his money lately…it was something else… but until he found a permanent solution, he wasn’t so sure he could say anything about it.

“…there’s…well I guess that’s it. So…I’m sorry. Tim’s a talker and sometimes I just can’t get away soon enough to get back here when I’m supposed to. If he knew he was making me late, he’d be mortified, so I usually don’t tell him."

It felt so silly now that Carson admitted all of this, that he'd kept it a secret. He just...he just wasn't used to helping people out like that and for some reason it had felt a little funny to him. He wasn't sure how other people would react to someone like him helping out someone else, and it just...felt...different.