Turn of events

Austin keeps a close eye on Angel, unable to help a little worry. There was a nasty flu bug going around right now - he hoped she hadn't caught it.

Getting her to her hotel, he walks her inside and to her room, making sure that she was okay before he left. Driving around for a while, he doesn't go home right away. He just thinks... letting his mind drift from the past to present and back again. When had things become so complicated?


Rocky flips his phone shut, a grin still on his face. Parking his car in his driveway, he gets out and ambles inside, greeting his calico cat by picking her up and giving her some loving. The day had been long... and a lot of bad had happened. But good had happened too... and ending on that note, he was at peace.


Late the next morning....

Jason wanders back into TJY. He’d left early that morning after waking up, still in the infirmary. Leaving Katie to sleep a while longer, he’d gone home to shower and change and take care of Trooper, bringing him back with him. Now he was late in getting started on work… an hour late, though he didn’t much care if anyone didn’t like it.

This morning he had a headache. No hot shower or dose of sugar had helped it, and he knew it would probably last all day. He felt drained after the night before, but was beginning to realize the truth of it all. He had so much on his mind that even not twenty-four hours later, he could feel his emotions starting to build back up again. He knew it was because he was harboring them. Most of them related to Austin. Now some related to JetStream and Kyle. They were confusing, and he didn’t know how to deal with them. He needed to let them go. But he just…couldn’t. So instead, he closed the valve just enough that Katie wouldn’t have to feel everything. She had enough to worry about.

Ambling down across the main floor, Jason knows that by now, Katie is up and going as well. He’d only conversed with her briefly a short time later, not having the energy to rehash anything that had happened yet. He knew they would, but for this morning, it felt better to just try and move on.

Slipping up beside her cubicle, he offers a gentle smile, knowing she was probably as tired as he was.

Thanks for sticking by me, Hero. You always manage to save the day.

Reaching down, he sets a red rose on her desk, his eyes meeting hers.

You deserve more, ya know. You’re too good for me.

“Jason!”

Jason turns around to see Austin standing near the offices. “Yeah?”

“In my office. Now.”

Jason gives a nod, though his eyes have turned to an annoyed stare. Sighing, he turns back to Katie. “The tyrant beckons. He’s probably mad that I’m late again.” He shakes his head. “If I’m not out in half an hour, send in the troops. One of us might be dead.”

Though meant as a joke, the humor is lacking. Jason takes a deep breath and heads to Austin’s office, not looking forward to whatever it was.


Austin paces his office, his nerves shot. He’d hardly gotten any sleep at all last night. Too much had been on his mind. Angel, the ranch, Jason, the Elite… nothing felt right anymore. Nothing made sense. But his grandson certainly wasn’t making things any easier.

This morning, Austin was more mad at himself than anything, but it had turned into a bad mood that seemed to affect everything he touched. Would anything go right ever again?

He looks up quickly as Jason enters his office, his hard stare returning. “Jason, you’re late. Again.”

Jason rolls his eyes. “Yeah, so what?”

"I specifically told you to be at that meeting today, and you deliberately disobeyed orders!”

“I don’t care,” Jason shoots back. He folds his arms across his chest, his eyes narrowing at Austin, while his chin was lifted in defiance. His grandfather had no idea what Jason and Katie had been through last night, but he wasn't about to explain - it would only be viewed as an excuse or something to be pitied, and the last thing Jason wanted was pity from Austin.

Austin glares at him. No matter what they talked about anymore, it was always an argument. “You should. You’re pushing it, Jason. One more blatant disobedience, and you’ll be looking for another job.”

“Go for it,” Jason dares him. “Tell me I’m fired.” After a pause, he nods. “That’s what I thought. So if there’s nothing you can do about me, why are you wasting your breath? I don’t respect you anymore, Austin. You lost that respect the day I learned just what kind of person you really are. You’ve got no respect from me, and you’ve got no respect from the others around here either. Oh, we all put up with you, but when it really comes down to it, the only reason we don’t retaliate is out of fear.”

Austin’s hand slams down hard on his desk. “How dare you speak to me like that!”

“How dare you treat the people around you like you do! If you think that I’m going to back down just because you throw a temper-tantrum, you’re sorely mistaken.”

“You don’t know how hard this job is,” Austin hisses. “You don’t know what it’s like to run an organization like this – to be responsible for everyone and the well-being of all these people. You’re too thick-headed and naïve to realize just what kind of person it takes to run the Elite!” His voice raises with every word. “I’ve worked hard to bring myself to this point, and make this place what it’s become. Carter and I have been working for years to streamline this place into the best law-enforcement in existence! And you have the nerve to insult me to my face!”

“If you’d…”

“I’m not finished!” Austin barks. “You think you know so much about the way this place should run? You think you have all the answers?” He reaches onto his belt to pull off his badge, tossing it down in front of Jason on the desk. “Here.”

Jason grits his teeth, trying to maintain control of his temper. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Call it chief for a day. Or better yet, for as long as they let you stick around.” Austin turns to grab his jacket and car keys. “All yours, Hotshot. Good luck.”

“Austin what are you…”

Austin whirls around as he reaches the door, staring at Jason with a cold gaze. “Maybe you’ll realize just what kind of position I’m in and learn some respect.”

Jason stares at the doorway, even when it’s empty for several minutes. His shock felt just as great as his anger. What on earth…

Turning back around, he looks down at Austin’s badge. Chief. Slowly, he walks around and sits down in Austin’s chair. He was hurt, he was confused, he was upset.

Katie, what on earth have I gotten myself into?


Austin slumps down in his seat, not wanting to get out of his car and go into his house. He wasn’t even sure there was a word to describe how he was feeling. He'd had intentions of checking on Angel today, but now all motivation was lost. Besides that, he didn't want to tell her what he'd just done.

His ringing phone makes him jump and he rolls his eyes, tempted to not even answer it. Giving in on the fourth ring though, he picks it up. “Yeah, hello?”

“I called the office and you weren’t there.”

“Hi, Jerry. No, I wasn’t there.”

“Did you do it?”

“Yeah. Didn’t think I’d have the opportunity this soon, but he pushed my buttons.”

“Now what?”

“Wait and watch. Jason’s gonna learn the hard way what life is all about. I know him. He’s too cocky not to take the position I just gave him. He likes power. He’ll take it and he’ll get a good taste of what it’s like to be in control, then he won’t want to give it up. He'll like the authority too much. The teams like him well enough that they’ll let him go for a while. They’ll help him along…put up with his novice moves.”

“The Elite is allowed to vote on a leader though. You don’t think they’ll choose someone else?”

“They like Jason too much. He’s popular and respected. Even guys like Rick will let him run, thinking that he’ll probably let them in on some decision-making anyway. And for a while, it will probably look like Jason’s doing a good job anyway."

"You don't think he'll bring back anybody you canned?"

"You mean Reese? Why should he? You think he'd want Reese back to tell him what to do? No, he won't - he's too proud."

“Then what?”

“Then one of these days, he’ll hit a point that makes him realize it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. He’ll realize that he’s not strong enough and not wise enough to be in that position. His pride will get the best of him and get him caught in a jam that he can’t get himself out of.”

“And he’ll come crawling back to you for help.”

“Exactly.”

“And you’ll go back to being chief, without that thorn in your side.”

“Exactly.”


“Want to try some breakfast?” Rick offers.

Scott is back on the infirmary bed and he shakes his head. He was back in the safe confines in this room after Jason and Katie were gone, but it didn’t seem to matter a whole lot. He hadn’t slept well, and he was tired. He didn’t feel much like doing anything, let alone trying to eat.

Rick sighs. “Just a little? A piece of toast shouldn’t bother you too much.”

Scott shakes his head again. “I’m not hungry.”

It was the same line over and over. Rick gives up. He could only push Scott so far. Last night he’d seem to take a step forward. This morning he seemed to have taken two steps back. “Are you going to see Hope today?”

Scott nods lamely. He knew he had an appointment. But he didn’t want to bother Katie. She had enough things to worry about.

Rick reads his silence. “You want me to take you?”

Scott nods again. “But…”

“But what?”

“I need to stop first…” Scott’s eyes roam to his camera. “One-hour developing before…before I go.”

Rick gives a small smile, glad to see at least some motivation still existed. "Sure. No problem."


Axel leans against the wall in the garage, an open book in one hand, an apple in the other. Taking a bite, his eyes roam the pages. A mid-morning break felt good today. The shop was busy.

"Man, you need to get a life."

Axel looks up to quirk an eyebrow at Leo. "Why's that?"

"You have no fun. All I ever see you do is stand around and read books. Don't you have any hobbies?"

Axel gives him a wry grin and holds the book up higher. "You think I read because I hate it?"

Leo smirks and goes back to his car. "At least you got a girlfriend."

"I do not!"

Leo's head snaps up at Axel's defensive tone. He'd never gotten a rise out of him before, and his eyes widen slightly, a small grin forming. "Sure you don't."

Axel relaxes and just shakes his head, going back to his book. "You got oil leaking."

"Wha..." Leo looks down and mutters to himself as he tries to find the leak.

Axel grins and takes another bite of his apple.


Rocky steps down from the blue truck, his eyes shielded by the baseball cap that bore the courier’s logo. Checking the address on the small box to the number on the glass door of the business, he steps forward. Clipboard and package in hand, his dark blue uniform signaled he drove for Shipping Smart.

Stepping inside the office, he looks around, then spots the secretary at her desk. A smiles forms and he ambles towards her, his eyes showing pleasant surprise.

He looks at the package, then back at Jess. “Well you’re certainly not Monica Baddger, unless I was sorely mistaken about your name.” He grins at her. “I’m not usually that bad at names though.”

He sets the package down on the counter. “I’ll wait until you sign for this though so I can make sure I’m right.”