Vivid dreams

Disappointment flickers in Hunter's eyes as Alice explains she'll be busy. He opens his mouth to suggest another time maybe, but before he can even say more, she's already turned and leaving. he was too much of a gentleman to make her stay.

Sighing, he feels his arm where she'd touched him. Finally he turns around, going back into the room with the others.

"Yo, what's keeping you?" Heath bugs him teasingly. "We were just ready to draw straws to see who gets the beds this time."

Hunter grins and shakes his head. "You guys fight over it. I can stand to sleep on the floor." He glances around the room. "Where's Kyle?"

"Shower," Blake informs. "He had first dibs and we weren't gonna stop him."

Shawn laughs. "He left a trail of sand."

Though joining in the laughter, Hunter grabs his leather jacket. "I think I'm gonna get some fresh air, guys. I need to breathe before I sleep."

The night air is cool, and Hunter makes his way out of the hotel onto the sidewalk. He was unfamiliar with this town, but it seemed quiet enough. He felt safe. It wasn't like he feared not being able to defend himself.

Heading left, he isn't sure where he's going, but he doesn't mind. He tries to shake off the lingering disappointment in the back of his mind, but it was holding on tightly. He felt just a little foolish, and was just as glad that no one else had seen him crash and burn with Alice. He could tell that she'd made up an excuse not to go with him. He knew she was busy with her work, but he also knew that she could take time out if she wanted to. After all, she'd taken off on the spur of the moment with Kyle...

Again, Hunter wondered if there really was more between those two than Kyle would admit. He just didn't know.

Sighing, he heads across a street, down, then makes another turn. He saw a small park ahead and opts to scout it out. It had a few warm lights that glowed, making the atmosphere appealing. He shrugs. Why not?

Hunter meanders into the park, taking his time. It was late, and they had an early start tomorrow, but he didn't mind. Every once in a while, he needed to be alone, even if it meant sacrificing some sleep time.

Wandering around for a few minutes, a figure on one of the benches catches his eye. It looked as though he wasn't the only night owl. He would have ignored it, but something made him go for a closer look. Drawing nearer, he has to squint. The bench was just far enough away from any lights that it made it hard for him to make out any features. But getting just a little closer, he recognizes her.

Stopping, Hunter almost turns around. Though a little confused, he suddenly felt as though he was invading Alice's privacy. And as he studied her still form, it looked as though something was bothering her. Was it him? Had he been more forward than he'd thought? Was it something he'd said to her earlier? It almost seemed to coincidental.

He turns, ready to walk away. But something stops him. He sighs and rolls his eyes. He'd already made an idiot of himself once tonight - what was one more time?

Hunter walks slowly, cautiously, his hands in his pockets. He stops a few feet from Alice, his eyes showing a soft concern. He didn't know what to say. "If you're out here because of me... I'm sorry." His eyes drift to the ground, then back up again. "I didn't follow you," he establishes quickly. "I just... needed some air and... well... I'm sorry if I offended you earlier."


"Great." Carson nods to Nate. "Let me go get him, then come with us. We'll go to the empty interrogation room so we're out of anyone else's way."

Turning, he goes straight to Ty, not allowing the younger man time to get to the lower level where he would have started work for the night. “Hey, Ty… got a minute?”

Ty lifts an eyebrow in question. “Um… yeah. Whatcha need?”

Carson slings an arm around his shoulders, starting to guide him towards the hall, joining up with Nate again. “We just got a couple questions for you is all.”

“Questions?” Ty looks between Carson and Nate, his eyes showing concern. “About what?” He tries to stop, but Carson doesn’t let him.

“You’ll see. Just come with us.”

Turning into the hall, Ty realizes they’re headed for the interrogation room. He balks, but Carson finally wrenches his arm behind his back, forcing him towards the door.

“No!” Ty still struggles, his eyes growing wide with fear. “I didn’t do anything! Nate, tell him!”


Scott feels Hope's hand to his shoulder, but he doesn't move. He was too exhausted. Just knowing that someone he trusted was near was enough to help him relax. Rick wasn't here at the moment, and Misty was in and out. But he had someone here... someone watching over him.

Though slitting one eye open once to catch a glimpse of Hope reading, Scott slips into sleep once more. It isn't long though, before his mind is overtaken by dreams that he wished would stay buried.

The images were dark and frightening. They were full of people from the Agency, but the feeling of death lingered in the halls. Blood was smattered on the walls, and it ran out from under one of the closed doors where screaming could be heard. Scott tried to stop - he wanted to help, but he was pushed forward with merciless jabs and kicks. He was being taken from one room to the next, put through tests and questioning. They gave him the terrible shots that he remembered, sending pain through his whole body.

Scott started to writhe in bed, the pain from his sore ribs just making the nightmare seem all the more real.

Half the people were living, but half seemed like zombies - robots caught up in the world of the Agency. They shouted questions at him, and tears ran down his face as he begged for mercy. The only escape was the cold, dark cell. No... they were taking him there again to that horrid dungeon. No, he didn't want to go!

Scott groaned and his fingers tightened around his pillow, twisting the bedsheets as sweat started to pour down his face.

Down the stairs and through the dingy corridor. The fingers that were wrapped around his arm tightened to the point of bruising. They were like cold bones with no warmth or feeling. The smell of rotting flesh hit Scott's nose, making his stomach churn. Falling, his hands and knees hit the cold, damp stone floor. He was kicked in the gut until he rolled into the next open cell. The door was slammed shut, sealing his fate for the night. His body unable to stand the horrors, he pulled himself to the corner where he threw up. A rat crawled across his hand, looking for a meal.

Still writhing in bed, Scott winces. Somehow, something snaps him back to reality before he has to face the next gruesome scene.

He sits bolt upright in bed, shaking all over, his pulse racing and his breathing rapid and shallow. He blinks in the light and looks around wildly, trying to figure out where he is with limited vision. Still in a fog, the only thing that hits his mind next is the sensation that had carried over from his dream. But this time it was real.

Quickly rolling out of bed, Scott aims for the infirmary bathroom. Still groggy and not focused, his foot catches on the cot, sending him to the floor. He doesn't wait for any help though, and can only crawl the rest of the way, barely making it to the toilet before he throws up.


“You didn’t even track him?!” Jason stared at Reese with disbelief. “I know we didn’t mention it in the meeting, but come on! Even you should know better than that!”

Reese was on his feet in his office, and he looked sternly at Jason. “I made the decision that I thought was best. We couldn’t risk the Agency finding Phinox wired.”

“Oh, but you could risk him walking away and trashing this whole case?”

“He’s not going to walk away.”

“How do you know that?!”

A new figure appeared in the office doorway, and Derek looked back and forth between the two men. Despite Reese’s order for sleep, it looked like only a few people were actually doing it. Not that he could blame any of them. “Sorry for interrupting,” he apologizes. “Jay and I just wondered was the latest was.”

Jason spins around to roll his eyes. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Unless you count Phinox walking out of here with us having no idea where he was going!”

“I told you my reasons,” Reese intervenes. “Now either get on board with this and learn to trust me and Phinox both, or go wait in your office until it’s over.”

“I can’t stay out of it!” Jason raises his voice. All of his pent-up frustrations were starting to boil over. “Katie’s being tortured, we got more than one traitor in our midst, and on top of it, we dragged in two dead weights who could blow the whole thing for us!”

Derek straightens, his eyes narrowing just a bit. “Hey.” He forces Jason to look at him. Both men were the same height, and they stared each other in the eye. “I was in this game long before you. Now I know you don’t like me. You probably downright hate me. But Jay and I came because we care about Katie’s life too. Don’t continue judging us just because you’re an agent here. We’re here to be a team. And Reese is the leader. How about respecting his decisions for once?”

Reese gives a nod. “Thank you.” He looks sternly back to Jason. “I think we’re clear on this.”

Being talked down by his father was not something Jason had planned on, nor was it something he appreciated. Instead of calming him, it only made him feel more frustrated. “No, we’re not clear! Why aren’t we out trying to find Katie’s location?! I don’t understand why we keep doing things Phinox’s way, acting like we’re so afraid of the Agency!”

Reese had had enough. “Stand down, Jason. Or you’re off the case for good.”

“You can’t tell me to stand down when it’s Katie who’s out there!” Jason slams his fist down on the desk. “You’re not being fair!”

“That’s it, Jase!” Reese points to the door. “You’re off the case.”

“You can’t do that!”

“I can and I just did! You have the choice of staying in your office or going home. There are no other options. You have pushed too far.”

“But-”

“No! You are dismissed.”

Jason looks at Derek, then Reese, his eyes blazing. Spinning around, he stalks out of the office.

Reese groans and sinks into his chair, putting his face in his hands. “I wanted him on this case,” he mumbles. “He’s one of the best we got, and if anything went wrong, I wanted him on top of it.”

“Sometimes the best aren’t the best option.” Derek sighs. “He and Katie are close, huh?”

“Extremely. Where there’s one, the other’s not far behind. I’ve never seen a better team, though they have had their rough times too.”

“Romance?”

Reese nods. “Yeah. Quite frankly, I’m surprised they’re not married yet. Though it’s probably just as good they’re not. They’re both young with a lot of growing up to do. Someday though… won’t shock anybody if they do wind up together.”

A pang in Derek’s heart, reminds him of how much of Jason’s life he’s missed. His son… a grown man with a life of his own, maybe starting a family of his own not to long from now. If only Derek had known Austin’s lies. If only he’d found out the truth sooner so he could be a part of Jason’s life. But life wasn’t always the way anybody wanted it. “I can’t blame Jason for being this upset then. Can’t say I’d be any different.”

“No… I just wish… I don’t know what I wish.”

“Reese?”

He looks up quickly at the new voice, lifting his eyebrows at Con. “Yes?”

Con had been resting, then had been with Ryder and Laura for a little while. Now he was trying to stay in the loop. “I just saw Jason take off. Wondered what was happening.”

“He left huh?” Reese shrugs. “Well, it’s probably better than him moping in his office.”

“Couldn’t take it?”

Reese shakes his head. “Not well, anyway. I told him he couldn’t be on this case anymore. He was getting too hot.”

“You think he’ll go home, or try his own way of solving this thing?”

“I hadn’t thought of that… You wanna check and see if he went home?”

Con nods. “I can do that.” He pauses before leaving though, giving Derek a nod. “Stick around for a while when this is over… once tempers cool, I think it might be worth it.”

Derek watches him go, then looks back to Reese. He seen Con from a distance, but didn’t know who he was. “Who was that?”

“Conrad Gibbs. Jason’s best friend, besides Katie. Good man. Trying to get him back as an agent.”