Tempers

Though startled, Ryder doesn't hesitate to wrap his arms around Thirteen's shaking frame. He starts to rock her gently, running a hand through her tangled hair. "Shh, shh... it's okay. Calm down... you're safe, you're safe." His tone is soft and comforting.

Trooper gave another little whine and sat down to watch the both of them, seeming to be satisfied that someone had finally come to rescue the girl from her sleep.

Ryder holds Thirteen for a few more minutes, doing his best to calm her down. Holding her, he realizes just how malnourished she is. He wonders when her last good meal was, if ever. Feeling her course hair, he wonders when the last time was that she'd been pampered, if ever. Seeing her clothes, he wonders when the last time was that she'd been shopping, if ever. She was a number... that's all she'd ever been. Ryder didn't know her story... he didn't know if she'd been with the Agency since birth, or just the last month. But he didn't have to. It was instincts that told him this girl had been with the Agency for most of her life, and he knew good and well that if they were willing to trade her off, that she had not been an agent of status. And if you didn't have status with the Agency, you were just a tool to be used and abused.

"Shh..." Ryder finds Thirteen's face to wipe her eyes. "It's okay."

He takes a swipe at his own lip, wiping away the slowly-flowing blood. That was all he needed to add to his day. He didn't want to scare the girl.

"You're alright... do you want to tell me about it?"


Laura blinks, stunned by the words that were flung in her direction. They come fast and strong, almost biting. She takes a step back, not used to Nate talking to her this way.

"I... But... it..." She tries to get a word in, but it doesn't work. Nate was too fired up to pause long enough for her to say anything.

Laura tries to make sense of everything Nate was saying, though her own temper started to flare. Her fists ball up at her sides and she grits her teeth, wanting to shout at him for taking out his frustrations on her and Ryder. But even so, she held her tongue as he continued.

She saw conflict in his eyes. She saw his anger, his hurt, and his disappointment. She saw that he didn't want to be saying these things, but felt the need. She saw tears backed up behind his eyes and she knew that once again, she had hurt him.

As Nate's hand touches her face, she doesn't move. She only stares him in the eye, not pulling away, but not leaning into his hand either. And watching him walk away makes her want to scream.

Spinning around, Laura takes several deep breaths, wincing and putting a hand back to her side. This was all wrong. This was just all wrong. It was stupid. She had no idea where Nate was getting this. She and Ryder were just friends! What was Nate's problem? If he'd had a problem in the first place, he should have said he didn't want Ryder living at the house in the beginning! But he hadn't! So now he decides to lambast her when he was stressed out over who knows how many things?

Growling under her breath, Laura stalks back to her cubicle. Windows or not, she was taking Henry and going home. She was supposed to have several days off to recover anyway. She'd wanted to be here so she wouldn't be alone, but apparently she wasn't wanted.

Within minutes, she's aimed for the door, not even stopping to tell anyone she was leaving.


Reese lifts his eyebrows at Nate's request. It wasn't strange that anybody wanted time off. Everyone had been so stressed out over finding Katie, that several others were taking a couple days as well.

"Um, no, that's okay. We got a lot of things backed up after putting all our resources to finding Katie, but... we can manage."

He cocks his head, studying Nate's face. He didn't need to know Nate's personal reasons... it might not be any of his business. But they were more than an office around here, and he felt compelled to ask. "Is... there something wrong?"


The court session seemed to drag on forever. Carson's headache grew worse, and halfway through, his hair was wet with sweat. Though he knew the room was air-conditioned, he felt hot and just wanted out.

Through further questioning, he did his best, sticking to his and Angelica's plan. Surely the judge would see the truth... wouldn't he?

Carson doesn't have time to meet Misty's eyes again, and it was just as well. Not only was she his girlfriend, but she was a doctor and had probably already picked up on his symptoms and figured out what they were from. For that reason alone, he avoided her gaze.

The only strange feelings he got were from a man that sat back in the corner of the room. He never moved, and was never a part of the proceedings. But he was watching and listening intently, studying what went on.

Carson's attention is whipped back to the case as the judge has his words. Now they would find out.

The judge sighs deeply, looking at both the prosecution and defendant. "This case has many more sides to it than it appeared on the surface. I feel a lot of underlying motives that can never be proved or disproved."

He pauses in thought, checking his notes. "Mr. Banks, I find that you could very well have benefited by kidnapping Mackenzie. There are many ways you could have taken advantage of that situation and received personal gains."

Carson's heart sinks as he slides a little lower in his seat.

The judge continues. "However, I see no proof of this. While a case has been built against you, there is no proof that you intended to kidnap your daughter, or even gain from her being with you. Nor have you even shown signs of ever wanting custody of her. What I do have proof of, is Miss Jones' strong feelings against single fathers and their fights for custody. Because of this, I'm inclined to believe that while she may or may not have been involved in any plots, she indeed took advantage and may have blown this case out of proportion."

Heather's eyes flicker with anger and she shoots Carson an icy stare. He ignores her.

The judge pauses again, folding his hands. "All evidence presented in this case has been circumstantial. Whether I believe Mr. Banks to be innocent or not, I cannot rule that he be found guilty, simply because it is not beyond a reasonable doubt. If he wishes to fight for custody of his daughter, that is to be taken up in another court. As for this case, I am hearby releasing Mr. Banks and closing this case." He taps his gavel. "Case dismissed."

Murmurs spread through the room as the prosecution bench argues within itself about whose fault the loss was.

Carson closes his eyes for a moment, breathing a sigh of relief, and thanking God. It was over. Looking to Angelica, his gaze shows he's sorry for being such a mess, but he's thankful for her work. "Thank you." Standing up, he offers her his hand. "I had a feeling that with you around, it would be hard to lose."

Making his way out into the large hall, the moving air felt good. But his knees were wobbly and he just wanted to sit a moment before trying to walk home.

Finding a bench, Carson eases down and rests his elbows on his knees, putting his face in his hands. He didn't think about the fact that Misty would have to walk by on her way out. It was over. It was all over. And yet... he tries to push aside the little nagging in his heart. No... no, no. It was over.... over, over, over.

He sighs. His head hurt. His tailbone hurt. How ironic that he could feel so badly after winning their case.