Temptation

Ryder can feel a sharpness in Nate's tone. Part of him wanted to retaliate and tell Nate to cool it, and part of him felt badly. Had he done something wrong? He's tempted to ask, but realizes that he's not wanted here any longer - better to just go.

"Yeah, sorry I kept ya. Thanks for the ride." Ryder gets out of the car and shuts the door, watching Nate drive away. It was hard to believe it was already evening, but sure enough, the sun was slowly sinking beneath the horizon.

Sighing, Ryder goes back inside. He needed a shower and sleep too. Everybody did.

He heads across the quiet main floor, nodding to a few people who were still around. Before going to the spare room to check on Thirteen, he heads to the bathroom for a shower. After he made sure everything was still good, he'd take care of Henry, then find somewhere to sack out. Tomorrow he'd go home and fix the windows and change the locks so things could get back to normal.

His mind full of all these things and more, he takes a quick shower and gets into some clean clothes. Still barefoot with his hair still wet, he wanders down the hall to the spare room. Fishing a key out of his pocket, he inserts it in the lock, but finds it turns way too easily. Strange...

Opening the door cautiously, he steps in, noting that the light was still on.

Trooper's head shoots up and he gives a soft woof, but shows no aggression to someone he knows.

Ryder's eyes widen. "Trooper! What..." He stares at Thirteen, first wondering why she was on the floor and not on the bed, and then wondering how on earth the dog had gotten in there. "How did you..." His eyes spot the key ring and he picks it up, quirking an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you..."

Trooper groans and gets to his feet, wandering to Ryder and sniffing the keyring as if he didn't know what it was.

"Yeah sure, ya big dingaling. You get nicked, they're gonna be really cheesed off, and I'll be the one getting the earbashing." He rolls his eyes an clips the keys to his beltloop. Trooper just sits down, waiting for someone to tell him what to do.

Ryder folds his arms and looks down at Thirteen. "Just wanted to see if you were alright." He notices the sandwich has only been partially eaten. And he also finds it interesting that with an unlocked door, she'd chosen to stay. That only proved to him that she was no threat. "I'm gonna be sacking out for a while... do you need anything?"


Carson sits bolt upright, the nightmare having shattered any peaceful sleep. A bead of sweat runs down the side of his face. All those hours watching Katie had been burned into his mind... it was a hard thing to get over. Everyone thought he was so tough... everyone thought he was so cold, able to handle anything. And he could handle it at the time... he was trained to. But it was always after the fact that got to him.

Rolling out of bed, he goes to the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face. The case was over... he needed to move on... set it aside... concentrate on the other part of his life now. But the other part of his life was just as screwed up at the moment.

He needed some good sleep... he needed to mute all the noise in his mind. As he wanders to the kitchen for something to drink, his temptation grows stronger. Just once... for tonight... just to help him sleep...

Weakened too much by the stress, he goes for his car keys.


Dani slips inside TJY and glances around the main floor. It was strangely quiet. She knew the reason though. So many people had been gone to find Katie... and even now when it was over, so much was still yet to be done, and everyone was probably exhausted.

Moving along the cubicles, Dani recalls the short phone call she'd received the previous day. She knew that Misty didn't think it was a good idea for her to come, but deep down, Dani hoped that there was a chance, no matter how small, that Alec was turning around.

Slipping down the hall, her eyes bounce from one thing to the next, trying to remember where everything was. Closer to the end, she discovers the control room, along with Hal. She knocks lightly on the door.

Hal swivels in his chair and lifts his eyebrows. "Can I help you?"

"Um... I hope so. I mean... I wanted to see Alec Banks... he's still in custody, right?"

"Well yeah, he is. But... why do you need to see him? Reese hasn't said anything to me about it."

"I'm Dani... his sister."

"Oh, that's right." Recognition flickers in Hal's eyes. "I guess I have seen you a couple times. You just wanted to talk with him?"

"If I could. I assumed I would need an escort."

Hal glances back to one of he monitors that showed Alec was quite calm, lying on his cot. "Well... I got a few extra minutes. I guess I can take you down there." With the case for Katie closed, it would be nice to get his mind onto something else for a few minutes.

Dani smiles. "Thank you." Once Hal is ready, she follows closely down the hall, then down the stairs. Reaching the door, she realizes that she's just a little nervous.

Hearing the lock open, Alec looks up quickly. When he spots Dani entering, a smile spreads on his face. "Well looky here... looks like the good doctor delivered my message after all. You'll have to thank her for me."

"I can do that." Dani steps closer to the cot as Alec sits up. "What did you want?"

"Can't a fellow just want to see his long lost sister?"

"I wasn't long lost," Dani corrects. "And while you can want to see me, I'm not stupid. What do you really want?"

Alec's eyes narrow slightly. "Can't give a guy a break, can you?"

"Not unless you show me you're worth the effort."

"Ouch." Alec looks towards Hal, whose rifle was poised. "Careful, big guy, that thing could go off."

"It could," Hal states flatly. "If it does, we'll just be rid of one prisoner."

Alec rolls his eyes. "Can't I talk to my sister in private?"

"No."

"Come on. Be a decent fellow."

Hal shakes his head. "You've pulled too many stunts already."

Alec fingers the bandage on his hand, knowing that much was true. He sighs, then pats the cot next to him. "Well, Dani, have a seat then. Guess we'll just have to have an audience."

Instead of accepting the offer, Dani takes a nearby chair instead, and sits to face him. "Talk about what?"

"The future." Alec leans forward, propping his elbows on his knees to be just inches from Dani's face. "See..." He lowers his voice to a whisper. "I'm gonna need your help."

Hal tightens his grip on his rifle, his eyes never leaving Dani or Alec. He grows on edge though, when he can't hear what Alec was saying. He lets it go for a couple minutes, but when he sees Dani straighten, obviously on edge, he intervenes. "Dani, I think we need to go now," he directs. "We've been down here long enough."

Dani locks eyes with Alec, searching for the truth that had been lost in a fog. His blue eyes stared right back at her with a pleading challenge. She swallows hard, then stands up, returning the chair. Walking over to Hal, she nods. "I'm ready."

Alec flops back against the wall. "Don't forget to thank Misty for me."

Dani smirks a little and just shakes her head before following Hal back out of the cell. Back upstairs, she thanks Hal and heads for the exit. As she wanders down the hall though, she pauses at one of the office doors, spotting Dalton. She gives a little wave, not knowing if he'd remember her or not.