Deep trouble

Jason's shoulder drop a little, hearing that Katie still wasn't doing so great. Her statement of doing it for him just made him feel worse. Was he really the cause of a lot of this? In an attempt to fix things, had this just made things worse?

He wasn't going to give her anything negative to think about. He was miserable and work was going horribly. But she needn't worry about him too. Not when she had herself she needed to think about.

"Me? Oh, I'm great." His voice seems to smile. "Been working with Con a lot and keeping up with things around TJY. Concert went well the other night... had a lot of fun with that." He remembers how he felt about Nate being there, but he doesn't mention it. "Trooper and I went for a good long walk so he's getting his quality time in there."

Jason pauses, trying to think of something else to say, but smalltalk was evading him. What else was there to say? There wasn't anything else that had been going on... nothing of interest anyway, unless Katie wanted to know he'd cleaned his gun this morning, and did some paperwork.

The silence on the phone lingers. "So... yeah... things are good on my end." He then remembers something she didn't know, but if he didn't tell her and she found out later, she'd probably be mad at him. He opts for the casual route. "Oh, took a bullet in the leg earlier in the week, but it's no big deal. I'm already off crutches. Other than that, nothing too exciting happening."


Jeff is breathing heavily with all the strain of fighting, trying to sit up. Finally though, he collapses back down again into the pillow already damp with his sweat. He knows they're all just trying to help, but his mind was so foggy right now, he wasn't sure who he was fighting.

Closing his eyes a minute, he waves off Angel. "I'm fine... I'm fine..."

Too tired to struggle anymore though, he lies still as she looks him over. "I was just out with Katie was all. Went for a ride, then came back."

Luke scoffs from the corner. "Tell her what happened on the way back."

"So?"

"Tell her!"

"It's nothing new."

Luke rolls his eyes. "He told me he had to stop three times to throw up, then by the last time he passed out. Thankfully, his horse came back with him."

Jeff just closes his eyes, his pulse racing. He knew he was growing weaker, just like Rick said he would. "I just... just need to remember..."


"Gunner!!!" Reese slams down his phone and stands up from his desk, not caring about the papers that went flying. He stalks out of his office, a firm glare on his face as he heads for Gunner's cubicle. "Gunner! On your feet, this instant!"

Gunner pops up, though his eyes take longer to move from his computer screen to his boss. "Yes?"

"Don't yes me," Reese hisses. "You are hereby placed on suspension for misconduct outside of the Elite orders and brutality towards a civilian."

Gunner's eyes narrow. "Who called you?"

"Brown himself! The station got a call from a Dr. Timble who reported you forcing your way inside his home and holding him at knife-point, forcing him to divulge information protected by privacy laws!" Reese's face had grown red. "Are you out of your mind?!"

Gunner stares at him with little to no emotion, not reacting at all to the harsh tone. He just looks at him lamely. "I needed the information. So I went after it."

"What in blazes do you think you were doing?! What was so urgent that you couldn't even get a decent warrant?!"

"If I'da tried, I woulda been turned down like every other time," Gunner answers calmly. "I needed to find a man who JT treated about six months ago. The man is connected to the name of my parents' murderer."

Now Reese understand, but it does not lessen his anger any. It only seems to increase it. "Murderer?" He throws his arms in the air. "We have been through this time and time again! Your parents were not murdered, Gunner! It was an accident, and the driver was found!"

"It wasn't him, I-"

"You've been obsessing about this for years," Reese states flatly. "It is not an Elite case, the way you've gone about it has gone completely against the rules, you have paid no attention to direct orders, and you insist on living in the past! I've ordered you to stop before and so help me, I'm ordering you again."

"I won't stop until he's found."

"Who, Gunner?! Who?? There is no one! It's in your head! Can't you get that through your thick skull? There is no murder mystery here. It was an open and close case. You have no business digging around outside of your authority and certainly not outside needed warrants while brutally forcing information out of innocent people." Reese's glare is harsh, though his tone lowers some. "I'm sorry, but while you're on suspension, you will undergo mandatory therapy sessions so you can work through whatever it is you need to, to start living in the present. You need help, and that's all there is to it."

Gunner watches as Reese walks away, before plopping down in his chair, and turning back to his computer where he continues to scan information related to that which JT had led him to. He'd heard Reese's spiel before. And he would ignore it, just like he had before. He'd just be more careful. Suspension wasn't so bad.


Reese stomps back to his office, slamming the door shut and going straight for his phone. Picking it up, he finds Hope's number and dials, waiting for her to answer. "Hope... it's Mike Reese. I have your first job for you." He shakes his head. "I have an agent who needs help. You remember Gunner? He's got problems and I can't let them slide by any longer."