Half cocked

"What? Jamie... what..." Con doesn't even have time to ask Jamie more details before she's already hung up.

Holding the phone lamely, Con leans against the kitchen counter, fighting the sinking feeling in his gut. God... no... take care of Katie...

Finally he hangs up the phone and starts to wander the house. He was restless... worried... He goes to the office desk and pulls open the drawer to look at his old badge. He hadn't told Jamie about Reese's offer. He'd been trying to make the decision himself... make up his mind.

Sighing, Con closes the drawer again.


Carson hears his phone ringing, and pauses his work, drying his hands on a towel. "Aerith, be right back." Out in the hall, he listens to his voicemail. But as he does, his pulse quickens, his blood running cold. Though enjoying Misty's final statement, he didn't have much time to stop and think about it.

His mind raced. He couldn't leave the restaurant yet. It was busy right now and he couldn't leave Aerith alone again. He was the cook... he was responsible. For the second time, he fought the wish that he wasn't tied down. But he was. He'd made that decision.

Dialing Misty back, Carson leaves a message on her phone in the infirmary. "Missy, it's me. I gotta stay here a while... but keep me informed. Tell Jason I can get in after hours tonight. I'll be in. Thanks. And Misty...." He bites his lip as he changes his mind. "Leave a grilled cheese sandwich for me for supper?"

Carson heads back to the kitchen, trying to get back into focus. It was hard though. Katie had been taken? Misty didn't say so, but that had to be it. Even though Carson kept on working, his cooking wasn't quiet up to par. He was worried, he was angry. His gut told him that somehow the Agency was involved in this. And tonight... tonight he'd find out the details... and he would finally meet his brother.


Jason looks up at Jamie quickly. "What? What are you talking about?" Spinning around he yanks open his desk drawer to pull out his cell phone. "I shut it off earlier," he admits. "Didn't need it when I wasn't out."

Flipping it open, he sees that sure enough there was a voice mail. Listening closely, his face pales, the anger returning to his eyes. Shutting it again, he sets it down on his desk, clenching his fists tightly. "They have her," he growls. "They have her and we have no leads."

He stands abruptly. "I'm going back to the park." Shouldering past Jamie, he's back out in the hall. "Nate!" he calls loudly. "You're coming back with me!"

Passing Scott's office, he looks in on him. "Anything yet?"

Scott looks up, his eyes wide. "It's only been a couple minutes, Jase."

"I don't care!" Jason raises his voice. "Katie's been kidnapped and I need those satellite photos now!"

Scott recoils slightly, not used to getting yelled at, let alone by Jason.

"Whoa, whoa, Jase, cool it." Reese comes up behind him. "You're not going to do anyone any good like this."

"Don't tell me to cool it," Jason hisses. "You know dang well this is teh Agency and we need to find Katie now. Or don't you care?"

"Stop it!" Reese orders. "One more insubordinate comment and I'm taking you off this case completely. Do you understand me?"

He doesn't even have time to react as suddenly Jason's fist is flying at his face. A swift punch to the mouth makes him stagger backward into the wall. All he can do is put up his arms in defense as Jason steps toward him once more.

But out of nowhere, someone bigger appears, grabbing Jason from behind. "Hotshot, cut it out," Con growls. "You want to help Kat, you better not get yourself in any more trouble than this."

"Conrad, let me go!" Jason orders. "You're a civilian and I'm ordering you to let me go!"

Con remains calm, twisting both of Jason's arms behind his back. "Don't test me, Jase. I may be out of practice, but I'll still win."

Jason doesn't give in and continues to fight. Putting a foot up on the wall, he springboards backward, slamming Con against the other wall. Gaining enough freedom, he swings around, throwing this punch at his jaw.

Con's head jerks to the side, but he doesn't even stagger. His look turns into a glare and he spies Rick and Misty near the infirmary. "Get something for Hotshot's headache," he directs.

Rick frowns. "What headache?"

"This one." Con's knuckles connect with Jason's jaw squarely enough to whip his neck back. Jason staggers, then slumps to the floor, unconscious.

Con pauses to catch his breath. "Sorry, Jase."

Reese wipes his bloody lip and shakes his head. "Good grief. Thank you, Con. Nate, where are you? I want you to head up this case. Misty? Rick? Get Jason revived and if you need to sedate him, do so. I don't want him going off half-cocked like this again. That's all we need is a rogue agent to screw things up. We don't have room to error in this."