Banks

Ryder studies Nate for a moment, fully aware of the vibe that said "leave me alone." He wasn't surprised. Yet he still stood for several seconds, still watching, still contemplating. "You know," he muses aloud, "it was always the feisty crocs that I liked the most. If I didn't have to fight to stay alive, winning just never seemed quit as fulfilling."

He gives a shrug, leaving it at that before simply walking away. Once in the hall, he wanders for a while, eventually coming on one of the control rooms. Inside was Reese, studying one of the monitors.

"Knock knock."

Reese turns around. "Oh, hey, Ryder, come on in. Settling in?"

"Getting there." Ryder tucks his thumbs in his pockets and looks to the screen. It was showing the security camera's view in the holding cell. "Ah, this is the guy I've heard about, eh?"

"Probably. Can't get anywhere with him. Won't say a word. "

Ryder studies the screen, watching the prisoner's body language. "Nothing huh?"

"Nope." Reese shakes his head. "Last night we got nothing. This morning I brought him up and still got nowhere. He's hardly had anything to eat or drink, and we keep handcuffing him back to that stupid pipe."

Ryder grins a little. "Whose idea was that?"

"Our resident tank. Well... not so resident anymore." Reese sighs. "This guy's just about rubbed his wrist raw though trying to slip out of those things, but it's no use. I don't know if he's stretching his intelligence by staying quiet or if he's just plain stupid. We haven't even got his name."

"So what happens next?"

"More pressure probably. But if we can't get him to talk, he goes down to the station without a chance of making any deals. I thought about getting Carson to come in and see what he could do."

"Yeah, he's good at torture, isn't he?"

Reese quirks an eyebrow at the underlying tone of bitterness. "Yes... I suppose he is."

"Hmm." Ryder squints at the monitor. "I'll avago."

"You?"

"Why not? Don't have anything better to do, and I can't do any harm. Worst that happens is that he doesn't talk to me either."

"True..." Reese shrugs. "Fine. I can come with you so we can take him into the interrogation room."

"Nah, leave him there." Ryder heads for the door. "Where's that maintenance kid?"

"Ty? Don't know." Reese looks at his watch. "Might be gone for the day, why?"

"Just wondering..." Ryder leaves Reese hanging as he wanders down the hall, aiming for downstairs. Once there, he spots Ty. "Hey, kid. How old are you?"

Ty ties up the last of the garbage bags, and looks at Ryder skeptically. "Twenty-one. What's it to you?"

"Good." Ryder digs some cash from his pocket. "I need you to run down to the nearest liquor store."

Ty's eyes widen. "What for?"

"Water." Ryder rolls his eyes. "Get a bottle of whiskey and bring it back here. Sealed, mind you."

Ty smirks and takes the bill. "Don't worry, I won't steal any. Do I dare ask what it's for?"

Ryder grins. "What else but to drink it? Now get going." Once Ty is gone, Ryder paces out in the hall, every once in a while glancing in on the prisoner. It looked like his shoulder was healing up nicely. But from the look on his face, one would have guessed that he was in a deep, dark dungeon somewhere.

It doesn't take too long, and Ty comes back, bearing a brown paper bag. Ryder gives him a nod and takes it. "Thanks."

"Yeah sure... Now what?"

Ryder grins and takes out the bottle, opening it up. He takes a swig, then offers some to Ty. "Join me?"

Ty looks at him skeptically. "I thought you were here to interrogate. No... thanks."

Ryder shrugs and takes another sip, letting it burn down his throat before replying. "Your loss." He ambles to the door and scans the keypad. "Got the code?"

"Sure." Ty reaches around him and punches it in. It beeps and the lock clicks.

"Fantastic." Ryder takes another swig of whiskey and winces a little. "Alright...." He stands up a little straighter, his hand on the door handle. Out of nowhere, he starts to raise his voice with an irritated tone. "Fine! You want me out of the way, great! But don't come crying when you need me back on the job!"

He gives Ty a sidelong glance. "Throw me in."

Clueless, but finding this ridiculous enough to play along, Ty just shakes his head and positions himself at the door. "Oh, shut up," he grumbles. Opening the door, he gives Ryder a quick shove.

Ryder stumbles inside, whirling around to bang his fists on the door that slams in his face. "And tell Reese he can just find someone to replace me!" Growling, he turns around to glare at the stranger. "What are you looking at?"

Alec quirks an eyebrow. "Don't know, but looks to me like an idiot."

"Yeah, well maybe you're right." Ryder takes another gulp of whiskey and wipes his mouth before flopping down on the cot. "'I'm late,' he says. 'Can't do anything right,' he says. 'No drinking on the job,' he says. Yeah... well he can just forget about me showing up for work again."

Alec stares at his new cellmate skeptically. "So why would they throw you in here instead of kicking you out the door?"

"Ha! That would be too easy for 'em." Ryder shakes his head. "You know Reese. Always gotta make a point. He thinks he can get me to stay by giving me some form of punishment. Won't work though." He downs another mouthful of alcohol. "Join me?"

Alec licks his dry lips. "Why not. They won't give me anything but crap down here."

"Of course. They just want to get under your skin." Ryder moves to sit on the edge of the cot, reaching out the bottle.

Alec reaches it with his free hand and takes a swig before handing it back.

Ryder helps himself again. "Heard you got caught tryin' to interrogate one of our guys or something."

"Or something." Alec rolls his eyes. "Got took down by a crazy loon. Once I'm out of here, I'll be paying for that mistake."

"Better than here though, ay?"

"Anything is better than this dump."

"What on earth is he doing?" Reese folds his arms and just stares at the monitor. Several others had joined him by now, in the control room, to observe Ryder and their prisoner. They could hear what was being said, and for the last half hour, Ryder had been working on the stranger, but hadn't gotten too far yet.

Jason stares over Reese's shoulder. "Is that a bottle of whiskey he's got?"

"Yep."

"My word, is there anything left in it?"

"Hardly."

Jason's eyes widen. "He shared it?"

"Hardly."

"Well good grief. He's got to be snockered beyond snockered!"
Hey, Katie, you better come in here and see what our new friend is up to. He's crazy.

Ryder laughs at something absurd he'd said, and looks over at Alec. By now he was sitting on the floor next to him, sharing in the absurdity. "What'd they call you anyhow?" he asks, a bit slurred.

Alec rolls his eyes, feeling a bit woozy. "The best," he quips.

"Well, when we get out of here, we gonna march straight up to... to..."

"Reese?"

"Thats right," Ryder nods emphatically. "Reese. And we're gonna say..." He takes yet another swig of whiskey, followed by a hiccup. "We're gonna say.... Reese! Me and... and..." he thumbs to the side. "Er..."

"Alec."

"Yes. Me and Alec. We are out of here!"

Reese's eyes widen. "He got it. He got his name."

"Tis right, mate. Me, Mr. Ryder Billings, and the best of the best here, Alec Hughes."

Alec snorts. "Banks."

Reese's jaw drops. "Banks? You've got to be kidding me..."

"Right. Alec Banks." Ryder toasts the name and drinks some more. "We're off to greater things. I don't got a boss to tell me what to do anymore. Reese no longer exists in my book."

"Amen." Alec nods, falling into his own drunken state. "Erica isn't gonna get away with nothing no more. I'm through with taking orders."

"Right."

Reese just shakes his head, still watching and listening. In the next ten minutes, Ryder had gotten names, locations and a confession out of Alec. "Holy cow."

Jason is standing, just as surprised.
Banks? That guy is a Banks? That can't be a coincidence. That's... I mean... Carson ever say anything to you about a relative in the Agency? And then Ryder... he's.... good grief.

Alec gives another last slurred statement before leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes, drifting into a foggy stupor.

Ryder squints into his bottle, measuring what's left, and takes another swig. Then looking up at the camera as sober as could be, he tosses a wink to those he knew were watching. "Somebody wanna come get me out of here?" he asks clearly.


The infirmary is tense, all just waiting... watching. Dark circles outline Luke's eyes as he watches Misty administer the antidote. Though he didn't move, on the inside, he was alive with hope.

Jeff paces at one end, glancing their way every so often. Luke hadn't been sleeping and hardly eating. Both were sick with worry. They had called home a couple times with general reports. But Luke had still said not to tell Wendy. If the antidote did nothing to help, then they would have Wendy brought in immediately. But until they knew that, Luke didn't want her to worry, risking her or the baby's health.

So now... they just waited... and waited.


"Ohhh." Bret chuckles and swings an arm out to pull Charlotte back in close. "Let's not have a clash of claws, shall we? I want to leave here today without battle scars."

Landon grins, looking at the sass in Charlotte's eyes. "I have a feeling Maria might get a few of her own if she clashed with you."

"Don't encourage her," Bret chides. He gives Charlotte a squeeze, then a light kiss on the lips. "Come on, I've been dying to show you off to the rest of the guys."

Introductions are made, all the guys loving to meet Charlotte, right at home with cracking jokes with her, and no one afraid to mention Maria. It was apparent that everyone knew about her and Bret, and everyone also knew that Bret was now happily married. Since nothing was secret, no one cared about kidding around with it, even though Bret cut them off a couple times.

It isn't long before Bret goes for a run in one of the cars and is on the track, the guys talking to him through headsets as they watch him drive. Landon gives Charlotte a mic too, letting her in on the fun if she wanted it.


Kyle answers the phone and grins when he hears Alice. Moving his mouth from the phone, he shouts to the others. "Hey, anybody seen a crazy guy around here?!"

"Yes, you!!"

Kyle gets back on the phone. "Well thanks for the warning, but no one here has seen him. If I happen across him though, I'll be sure to approach with caution, then lure him away with a french fry I found in the seat."