Brotherly love

Jason looks Nate in the eye for a moment, finally taking the paperwork. "We have to," he states flatly.

Turning around, he heads back to his office to continue the search for clues. As he flops down in his chair though, he has a hard time concentrating. It felt so strange... he was normal again... it didn't hurt as bad right now... it just felt... empty.

Then a thought hits him. If Katie had been cut off from him, but they were keeping her alive... would she assume now that Jason was dying or dead? She didn't know Rick had been working on the EA. Would she now think she was alone?

Gritting his teeth, Jason starts sifting through the paperwork. There had to be something here. They couldn't just come out of the blue and take Katie... there had to be some sort of trail somewhere.


A small smile surfaces on Con's face and he gives Jamie a little nod. "I figured that's what you'd say." He takes her hand in his, giving it a little squeeze. "I'll make up my mind when this thing is over."

"Con?"

It's not Laura's voice, but her waving arm that catches his attention, and he stands up, giving Jamie a loving glance. "I'll be back." Heading across the floor, he leaves Jamie's cubicle.


Carson grins slyly and puts an arm around Misty's waist to pull her against him. "I think I can handle the consequences." Leaning in closer, he teases her by not giving her the kiss that was thought to come. "Mm... I think it's better than old times," he whispers.

Still grinning, he pulls back and lets the door handle click open on the holding cell. "Get back upstairs so they don't miss you," he directs. "And see if Hal is back at his post. When I went by he wasn't... the longer they don't know I'm here, the better."

Without waiting for a response, he slips into the holding cell, shutting the door behind him. He'd call for someone when he needed out again.


Alec is stretched out on his cot with his hands behind his head, and he gives a start at the sudden intrusion. Sitting up, he stares at the newcomer.

Carson stares back at him in the eye, taking him in... sizing him up. "Well, well, well... so you're Alec."

Alec's eyes narrow. There was something strangely familiar about this man. A sinking feeling told him who he is. "Wait, don't tell me... you're the infamous Carson I've heard so much about."

Carson quirks an eyebrow. "Infamous I may be. I doubt you've heard the half of it though." He pulls the chair from the table, turning it around so he can straddle it and look straight at Alec.

Alec visibly retreats, unsure of what this visit was about. "You here to harp on me like your sister?"

"My sister?"

Alec catches the fact that Carson is surprised, and uses it. "Oh..." A grin forms. "You didn't know about that, huh? Little sister comes to meet half-brother and doesn't tell you about it. Let me guess - she knew you wouldn't take too kindly to it. Her hanging out with the likes of me."

Carson narrows one eye. "When was she here?"

"You'll have to ask her that."

Enough was enough. Carson would put an end to the small talk before it even started. He didn't know that Dani had been here, and it didn't make him happy. But he would talk to her later about it. For now, he had to set it aside. "Enough about Dani. Let's talk about you."

"Aw, but I was having fun!" Alec leans back against the wall. "Not every day you get a family reunion like this. Always wondered what it would be like. Expected more of a party atmosphere. Though I guess a prison like this will do."

"I didn't come here to meet you," Carson states coolly. "I couldn't care less that you're my brother."

Alec grits his teeth. For some very strange reason, Carson's words stung. That in itself was a surprise, and one that Alec didn't like. He glares at Carson. "So why did you come? Torture?"

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that. I came for answers."

"They've already wrung me dry - squeezed everything out of me they could. I have nothing more to say."

"There's always more to say." Carson reaches in his pocket and pulls out a knife, flipping it open and testing the blade with his thumb. "What do you know about the abduction of Katie Pent?"

Alec scoffs. "Don't look at me. I don't know anything."

The next few seconds are total chaos. The chair goes flying, Alec is yanked up from the cot and slammed up against he wall, hard enough to give him a split lip. One arm is twisted violently behind his back, and a knife blade is put to his cheek.

"I want answers," Carson hisses.

"I told you I don't know anything!" Alec complains loudly. "What is this? You'll get in trouble for treating me like this!"

"They don't know I'm here," Carson informs, twisting Alec's arm more. "Now, unless you want a broken arm, you better talk."

"I don't know anything!"

"Yes you do!"

Alec winces and cries out in pain as his arm is twisted to its limit. "You're gonna break my arm!"

"Good. At least you can't fight after that."

"Are you crazy?!"

"Some might call me that." Carson puts more pressure on the knife blade. "You know my reputation with the Agency, Alec... I can be your worst nightmare if you don't give me what I want."

Alec squirms, but all it does is press his face harder against the cinderblock wall. "You'd hurt your own brother?"

Carson's heart had been hit the minute he'd laid eyes on Alec. There was a connection - he could feel it. It was undeniable that this was his brother, and even though they shared different mothers, they did share their father's blood. Carson couldn't deny that this kind of visit did evoke a strange kind of pain that he disliked. But he couldn't let Alec know it.

"I haven't got a brother," he hisses.

"Boy you're a contrast to our sister," Alec scoffs. "One warm, one cold. On second thought, I think I'll pass on the family reunion - I can't tell if I'm wanted or not."

"You're not wanted - only your information is." Carson presses the knife blade into Alec's cheek as far as he dared without drawing blood. "Katie Pent is more than an Elite agent. She's a friend. She's a friend to many people here who would be willing to die for her. The Agency tangled with the wrong crowd when they chose to pick on her." He pauses, giving Alec's arm an extra twist. "I respect her more than almost any other young woman I've known and I will kill for her if I have to. So you better talk. Now. What do you know about her abduction?"

Alec swallows hard, wincing at Carson's pressure. "Alright... look... all I know is that they were planning to take her."

"Where?"

"I don't know."

"Who?"

"I don't know who was assigned to it."

"Why?"

"I don't know!"

Carson spins Alec around and puts his knife to his brother's throat, staring him in the eye again. "Where did they take her?!" he raises his voice.

"I don't know!" Alec shouts back at him. "I'm telling the truth! I'm not high ranking in the Agency. I only know details about my own jobs! You know how it works!"

Carson did know, and that much was true. If you worked for the Agency, you only ever knew about the assignments you were involved in. Otherwise you were left in the dark. "But you did know she was going to be taken."

"I heard a few guys talking, and that's all. It was a future plan that I had nothing to do with and I didn't ask any questions."

"Yet you failed to even inform us about it!"

"I didn't remember! I forgot about it, alright?!"

Carson's eyes pierce Alec's, searching for the truth. Unfortunately, Alec really was telling the truth. He didn't know any more than that. This had been a dead end. But at least now they knew for sure that it was the Agency and that this had been a plan.

Hal sinks down in his chair in the control room and sips a cup of coffee. He'd been here most of the night, now all day, and the work wasn't going to let up yet.

Movement on one of the monitors catches his eye and he realizes that someone was in the holding cell with Alec, and by the looks of it, was ready to kill him.

Standing back up too quickly, coffee goes everywhere. "Reese!"


Ryder glances out the window as he hears a car engine. But again, it was just someone going down the street. He sighs and lets the blinds fall shut again. Strange.

Walking back to the kitchen, he finds a couple containers to hold the lasagna he'd made, and puts everything away in the refrigerator. It was cold now anyway... maybe Katie and Laura had both had plans tonight... though he thought he remembered at least Laura saying she'd be back. Oh well.

Ambling back to the living room, he flops down on the couch, joined by Henry not two seconds later to watch an animal channel with him.