Fistfight

Looking into Thirteen's eyes, Ryder knew that it was a woman's heart that spoke, not just a little girl's dreams. He didn't know if this would work between them. He didn't know how long it would last, or if they were really meant to be more than friends. But he was lonely... and she was filling a hole in his life, as he was hers.

A light chuckle escapes. "Yes, now you know how to cook something. By the time I'm through with you, you'll know how to cook a lot more, too."

The sound of the front door startles him, and he leaves the kitchen quickly, his guard up.

"Anybody home?" Jason calls.

Ryder breathes a sigh of relief when he sees it's just Jason and Katie. "Ahh, the invalid has returned!" He grins and winks at Katie. "Welcome home."

Jason peers around the corner, seeing a form in the kitchen. "Company?"

"Uh, yeah. Thirteen is gonna be staying here for a little while... you know, get her out and about from TJY." Ryder looks to Katie. "Figured she could have the other room once Laura is all out... if that's okay with you."

"Not ready to be on her own yet, huh?" Jason inquires.

Ryder shakes his head. "Not yet... she will be. But not yet." He turns his attention to the kitchen. "Hey, Thirteen... Katie's here..."


Gage is still very quiet as he's uncuffed, then led away from Sapphire's cubicle. He doesn't say a word as he's allowed to clean up and change clothes. He'd been allowed some of these things before... it wasn't as though he'd been kept in a dungeon the last month - not like at the Agency when they kept prisoners. He'd been allowed to stay clean and change clothes here... but tonight... something was different. He was in a new room... a room with a bed instead of a narrow cot. A room with carpet instead of a hard tiled floor. A room that was warm.

Sitting down on the bed, Gage sinks down in the mattress a little. His jeans were a little baggy, but the t-shirt fit. He had a bit of a headache, but not bad. Looking up at Sapphire, still he had been silent. This place confused him. He had been trained to fight them - to retaliate. He had been trained to hate these people. But those same commanders who had trained him, had ordered Alec's death. Would they do the same with Gage? If so, then which place was really safer? He didn't know.

Searching Sapphire's eyes for a moment, his lips draw into something related to a smile. "Maybe I... should have hit my head sooner." He swallows hard. "What... what are they gonna do to me now?"


Eric watches Rosetta walk away, his eyes dark and pensive. Finally left alone, he's still sitting in the dim dining hall. Eventually, he rises, wincing just a little. Years on the road hadn't done his back any good. He stretches and sighs, ambling out into the evening air. Whenever he was home, he had a place in one of the bunks, but he went a different direction tonight. Tonight, he headed for the bunkhouse that had a light on.

Hearing a knock at the door, Trent pauses, shirts in hand. Setting them inside his bag, he then goes to see who's there. "Eric?"

His brother nods from his place on the small porch. "Got a minute?"

"Um... sure." Trent steps aside to let Eric in.

Eric enters the bunk and looks at the duffel bag suspiciously. "Going somewhere?"

"Nevada."

"Oh, I see." Eric turns around, hands on hips. "Emergency?"

"Kind of." Trent squints one eye. "What do you want?"

"Why the sudden move after hearing about that girl?"

Trent blinks. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't give me that." Eric's eyes have gained an angry glint. "You got secrets, Trent. And I'm tired of it."

"Look, this is none of your business."

"It is when it involves my family. Jeff has disappeared, our niece almost died, now this girl shows up and you're out on the next flight. I want to know what you know that the rest of us don't."

"I don't know what-"

"Bull crap!" Eric's eyes blaze. "I'm tired of all the secrets! This family has been torn apart time and time again by secrets! When is it going to end?" Not receiving a response, he continues. "Where is Jeff"

"How should I know?"

"I think you do."

Trent throws up his arms. "I know as much as everybody else! Last I knew, we asked Reese about a month ago what was happening, and we got no answers and he said not to ask again. Why would I know more than that?"

"Because you've always been the one with hidden motives."

"So you think I'm still with the Agency or what?"

"Maybe."

"Eric!" Trent shakes his head. "If you just came to accuse me, then you can leave now."

"I just want answers!"

"I don't have any!"

"Then why are you leaving?! Where is our brother, and who is the girl?!"

"Get out!" Trent points to the door, his own temper flaring. "Now."

"Not until I have answers."

"Fine then." Trent moves to grab Eric by the shoulder, manhandling him out the door. Eric resists, and once he's out on the porch, he has a firm grip on Trent's arm, bringing him down off the porch with him.

"Cut it out!" Trent barks.

"Not until you tell me the truth!" Eric's jaw is suddenly hit with excruciating pain. Staggering backward, it takes him a moment to realize that he'd just been struck by Trent's fist. Spitting out some blood, he glares at his brother. "So that's the way it is, huh?"

Trent grits his teeth, the churning in his stomach proving how badly he felt. "I... I'm sorry."

"Sorry don't cut it anymore, Trent."


Mick thinks he hears loud voices, and ambles to the window. What he saw made his eyes widen. "Rosetta, we got a fight out here." He makes a beeline for the door, glad that BJ was already asleep in bed. The boy didn't need to see Eric and Trent throwing fists at each other like they were now.