Now you...

As Scott comes up to Phinox he gives him a once over fast. The young man was beaten, brused, and thin but from his reports at the Agency he new this man was brilliant smart and a danger to them and there plane. Yes, this was the best person for the job that layed a head.

"As long as your think your up to it. Once I get inside with Derek and Jay and things are sacure, we will need to to disarm the bomb."

Giving a small nod Phinox goes to tell Scott more when his phone rings. Looking down and seeing the number it was the phone call they had been waiting for.

"We will talk more on the way I have to take this its the Agency."

Making his way through the halls quickly Phinox looks into each room trying to find Reese till finally he find him in the break room.

Pointing to his phone he finally answerd it and puts it on the speaker phone.

"Phinox."

"Well well well you did answer your phone. Your eather very brave or your just stupid Phinox."

Looking to Reese Phinox continues the call.

"It took you longer than I thought to call seeing as we took Gage."

"That was a brave move you did I could kill Katie right now if I wanted to. Just ask your friend watching the camra how close I am to her."

Looking at Reese again Phinox's eyes open wider as he leaves the brakeroom and makes his way across the floor to the moniter to see Phinox and another standing next to Katie's almost lifeless body her head tilted in the air as a knife pressed so hard to her skin some blood could be seen trickling down.

Keeping his cool Phinox new not to anger them anymore than they had already.

"You do that and you know you will never get the two your after."

"Our demands have changed, we want Derek and Jay along with you. Your presus to us as well dear Phinox. We cant have Agency information running around."

Before Phinox could answer Rod continued.

"You know where to meet us, and you know who to bring. No cops, and dont do anything stupid or we will blow everyone sky high. Be here in two hours."

The line goes dead and Phinox looks to Reese and than looks back to the screen as the two guys were still are Katie.

"We have to work fast, and I new they would want me. No one gets away from the Agency that easy."

A look passed through Phinox's eyes as he turned away. A feeling loomed over him that her very well might not come out of this alive.

Letting out a small sigh Alice couldnt help but hear the tone in Kyle's voice and cringe just a little. She new this might change things but she wanted to tell him anyways and she hated this tention between them. Some how she had to fix it.

Jumping up from the bed Alice lets her energy through her Alice wants the energy back, the happyness...or at least let it be semi normal.

"Yeah, maybe I will see if Hunter will drive with me. Than again some quiet time will be nice too."

Standing at the stove Alice makes some tea for Kyle and brings it over to him at the bed. Sitting down again She looks at Kyle maybe he did want to be alone now.

"Would you like me to sit with you a little longer or should I go?"

Relentless

Hope's words linger with Scott, long after she's disappeared from the doorway. He stands alone, his mind brimming with a mess of thoughts and emotions. He was confused about what had just happened... because something certainly had happened. And yet... he didn't feel a strong need to try and figure it out. He wasn't sure what kind of feelings were stirred when he thought about Hope, and the turn their relationship had just taken... but for some reason, it just didn't seem to matter. It was simply... simple.

Taking a deep breath, Scott heads for the door. Terror still swam in his veins. But he knew this was something he had to do. He had to do it for Katie... and he had to do it for himself too. He had come a long ways since coming back from the Agency... it was time he took another step.

The basement was quiet. Scott keeps on arm wrapped around his ribs, the pain still enough to make him cringe. He licks his lower lip, feeling that it had stopped bleeding again.

Flipping on the light, he looks at the cases, trunks and row of lockers. He runs his hand along the locker doors until he comes to one with his name on it. A lump rises in his throat. He hadn't used this since the day...

He shakes his head and unlocks it. Inside were a couple sets of clothes. It was interesting... apparently no one had ever had the heart to clean this stuff out, even when they'd thought he was dead.

Rummaging a little bit, he finds the book he wants and tosses it on a bench. Reaching back farther, he pulls out a kit that resembled a toolbox. He'd never used this outside of training scenarios. It hadn't been long after he'd come to TJY that one of their own had come to train him. The man was on the bomb squad, but secretly involved with TJY as well, a prime asset to the team. And now... it was in Scott's hands.

He eases down on the bench and starts looking through the tools he had, familiarizing himself with them all over again. Taking the book, he thumbs through the pages, finding paragraphs he had highlighted and notes he had written. Some of it seemed foreign, which was a scary thought. While other parts he remembered quite clearly. If he was going to be able to do any good, he needed to remember the general theories at least.

A few new images flash in his mind. It was very strange... Thinking for a moment, he closes his eyes to concentrate. Why had this subject matter triggered anything that he'd learned at the Agency?

Suddenly a diagram enters his mind and his eyes fly open. What... He looks down at his book. He knew. He wouldn't find Katie's bomb in this book. It was a special type created by the Agency... and he had the blueprints.

"Scott?"

He jumps, the book falling to the floor with a thud. His heart races as he turns around, but there is relief. It was just Rick. "Yeah?"

Rick approaches quietly. "Carson said you had a bit of a rough time. You okay?"

Scott swallows hard, his eyes falling. "Um... I... I think so."

"How are you feeling?" Rick comes closer, to take a better look at Scott's face, then feel his ribs.

Scott winces a little. "I hurt."

Rick looks down to see what Scott had been doing. "Carson told you."

"Yeah."

"And?"

"I... I'm going." Scott leans down to pick up the fallen book. "I don't have much of a choice... as long as someone keeps an eye on me so... so I don't do the wrong thing."

"You won't," Rick assures. "You won't. Where, um... where's Hope?"

"She went home... I think. If... or... whatever happens, would you call her?"

Rick purses his lips, then nods. "I won't leave her in the dark."

"Okay." Scott picks up his kit and shuts his locker before aiming for the door to go back upstairs.

Once in the hallway again, he sees Phinox and approaches, stopping a few feet away. He was thin, bruised and half blind. But it was all he had to offer. "I can disarm the bomb," he informs bravely. "...if you need me to."


Left alone, Gage howls in complaint, but he's only shouting to a closed door. He fights with all his might against the ropes, throwing his weight forward, only to bang into the table.

Crying out again, he pushes with his feet in an attempt to gain more leverage against the restraints. Unfortunately, he tries too hard. Before he knows it, he's toppled over onto the floor with a crash. A sickening snap comes from his wrist and he cries out again, but this time in pain.

Writhing on the floor, he's a mangled mess with the chair, twisting and turning until somehow he winds up behind the chair, his wrists tangled in the ropes.

Once he's sitting up, Gage breathes heavily, trying to catch his breath. His wrist was screaming in pain and he glances down at it, noting that it's already starting to swell. Great. Just great.

Sweat runs down the sides of his face more persistently now. His eyes find the spot across the floor where Nate had crushed the one thing he needed. Wincing, he pulls at the ropes again. With all the twisting and turning, one of the ropes starts to slide. His eyes widen and he keeps working at it, despite the pain.

Within five minutes, Gage's hands are free. Not that it does a lot of good. Scooting back against the wall, a shooting pain courses through his gut. All he wanted was one more fix! That's it! Just one more!

Doubling over, he shakes with a cold chill, trying to cradle his sprained wrist. Rocking a little, he looks up to find the camera in the corner of the room. Never had he been more scared. He'd always been in control... he'd always been protected by the Agency. But now... he was at the mercy of people who hated him.


Kyle tries to force a smile to the surface in an effort to ignore any hurt feelings that were trying to creep up on him. He didn't like feeling that way about Alice... they'd always been best buds... to have any tension felt wrong and awkward. But... it was still there anyway.

He lets a slight laugh surface. "Well as long as it's just dark circles, we're okay. Tea sounds good if I can keep it down. As far as sleep goes, my head hurts too much for that I think."

He tries to sit up a little more, but doesn't put too much effort into it. "We'll be heading out again soon anyway, so I'll have to do without a nurse. Speaking of which, if you're tired of driving, I know Hunter would be glad to drive for you."

Kyle didn't mean to have a dismissing tone in his voice, but after the words came out, he was afraid that there had been just a small tinge of "go away" in there. He really didn't mean to... he was just.... grouchy. He hated being grouchy. When he was on his medicine, he didn't get grouchy like this. He closes his eyes again, fighting once more against the relentless urges.

New Chapter

Giving a smile Hope herself didnt know what to say next, this feeling felt so good and now things seemed so differnt. Not awkward but different than before.

Tilting Scott's head up with her hand gentil she looks into his eyes once more. A small smile spreads across her face. She saw something in Scott maybe other people didnt, and she new what her heart told her.

Though it might be a while, and though Scott was going through alot they would see eachother again after today.

Running her hand along the side of his face gentily Hope gives a small nod.

"Your gonna do just fine, and you will get your friend out. Make sure you let me know when you get back ok?"

Leaning in and giving Scott a hug Hope let it linger for a moment before pulling away and making her way to the door.

Opening it she stops for a moment before exiting and turns to look at Scott leaning her head aganst the door.

"I'll see you soon Scott. You've got a whole new chapter of your life that will be waiting to be written."

Nate cant help the chuckle that exscapes his lips. In a way he kind of felt bad for Gage, and than again seeing what he had done to Katie he didnt.

"You really think we would let you go? Agency skum? Not gonna happen buddy."

Standing Nate pases for a moment before stoping to look Con and than Gage before lookin at Con again and motioning to the door.

"Come on lets leave him here now to think. Your gonna get pretty lonly pretty quick. We will be back."

Sitting with Kyle still for the first time Alice can feel a strange tention. The look in his eye could not be mistake Alice could tell he was confused and a little hurt.

"I'm...not ok something, but being around my friends, you helps alot it does."

Alice is quiet again for a second before she sit up just a little more on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry I didnt tell you sooner I guess, I dont know what I guess but I kept it from you my best friend thinking it was unimportant and just not something I really tell anyone and for that I am sorry. I should of told you sooner."

Not sure what else she could say on the matter Alice says nothing only hoping Kyle would understand.

Turning back to him she give a quirky smile.

"No railroad tracks I can see by the way. You have a bunch of dark circles under you eyes though. How about some tea and a little more sleep for ya eh?"

So... yeah

Enveloped in the moment, for the first time in oh so long, Scott is able to just let go and fall into the warmth he felt. Hope's embrace made him wish all the more that this was the only thing that existed, and not the nightmare that he'd been living in.

Her words as she withdraws have a much deeper meaning than anyone else would ever know. But Scott knew. And she was right. No one else had been able to find him... except her.

He doesn't mind when she returns to continue the kiss. But after several more moments, even he knows that it can't last forever.

Slowly, gently, he pulls away, his hands running down the sides of her face, then moving to take her own hands. His eyes remain down. He wasn't sure what to do or what to say. This was unexpected... nice, but unexpected, and he didn't know how to move on from here. It wasn't that the moment was so awkward, but leaving the moment felt awkward.

"I guess I have a job to do," he whispers. He swallows hard as his brain begins to work again, already thinking up a million and one scenarios on how to disarm a bomb. Mixed in were new thoughts that he didn't even know existed... they were new additions.... thoughts of places and things and routes to solve scenarios... they were Agency files, but maybe, just maybe, he could use them for TJY instead.

Gradually, Scott stands up, pulling Hope up with him, though he is still just a little scared to look her in the eye. "You should go home... and rest. I... I should be okay now and... and someone will let you know how it turns out."


As Gage's last hope for a fix is crushed on the floor, his eyes burn with a more intense anger. Growling with rage, he tries again to break free, but to no avail.

Con looks at him lazily. "You realize that all you're doing is waisting energy."

Gage breathe heavily, not caring. A drop of sweat makes his eye sting and he scrunches his eye shut tight. But despite his angry exterior, there was raw fear. He had no idea what was going to happen to him. And though he would fight to prove that the Agency would come for him, there was a sickening reality that told him Nate was right.

He had never been in his position before... he had never been caught. He had never been on the other side of the table, on the receiving end. And for the first time, he realizes what a horror it would be to experience what he had helped put other people through.

Still breathing hard, Gage fights against being here, and fights against the urge that was getting stronger and stronger with each passing moment. He'd never been denied a shot before... ever. He'd been taught early on that it made him feel good and helped him stay calm. He wanted it... he needed it.

Shaking just a little, his eyes find Nate again. "You got me.... Phinox saw what was going on... what else do you want? I don't have anything... there's nothing I know that you could want."

Con rolls his eyes. "How about why? What was your involvement? What do they plan to do with Katie now?"

"How should I know?!" Gage raises his voice. "I was just there to assist in making her uncomfortable. The torture was..." Suddenly his words trail off as for some reason, he bites his tongue. A strange element flickers in his eyes... something not easily labeled. "I mean, I helped. But all I do is go and do as I'm told."

"So you're the little man on the job."

"I am not!"

"Then why wouldn't you know what was going on?"

"Because Rod was the one with the orders!"

"Rod, huh? Does Rod have a last name?"

Gage stops again, having realized his mistake. His eyes move from Con to Nate once more. "Look, I don't have what you want. Why can't you just let me go?"


Kyle is quiet throughout all of Alice's explanation. A couple of times, he looks up at her in surprise, his eyes showing a strange mixture of emotions. Anyone would be able to tell that he had not suspected this in the least. He had been totally clueless and never would have guessed that Alice had been married. He had known that an amount of pain revolved around something, but a husband... it was almost hard for him to accept.

As Alice finishes, Kyle is quiet. Still lying propped up in bed, the pounding in his head hadn't stopped, nor had the strange churns in his stomach. But his physical state wasn't what was on his mind now.

Strangely quiet, Kyle shifts his head to finally look at Alice. He wanted to ask her why she hadn't told him sooner. He wanted to ask her why it had taken this long. He wanted to know why she hadn't trusted him before, when he had told her everything about his own life.

A tinge of hurt could be seen passing through his gaze. Alice was his best friend, and he hadn't known such a huge piece of what made her the way she was. Had he been blind, or had she hidden it? Either way, he felt just a little stupid.

Kyle eventually leans back again, closing his eyes. His head felt like it would burst any moment. What should he even think now? Alice had been married... she knew what it was like to love... she had experience the partnership and life of being a wife... she had experienced so much that Kyle never had.

Finally he gives a little shrug. "Thank you for telling me," he replies quietly. "Sorry it's been so rough on you. I, um... can't... imagine."

There was an odd feeling that he tried to ignore. He'd been ignoring its source for quite a while now anyway, and this just complicated it enough to make him want to forget it altogether.

"I'm... I'm glad you're okay despite all of it though. I mean... yeah. So.... yeah."

Happyness

As Hope goes to reply to Scott's questions she dosent even have time to reply before Scott's eyes caught her again and her breath was sucked away.

Scott's hand on her skin felt so much differnt this time than it had in the past. It almost felt like there were eletric shocks coming from his touch but it didnt hurt, Hope liked it.

Feeling Scott's lips once again and the sweet tast of his kiss Hope can feel herself being lost in the moment. His hands combing through her hair felt like nothing she had before as it almost felt like everything was spinning and she just might be floating in the air.

The passion Hope felt was so soft, it washed over her like a blanket nothing she ever felt before but she liked it, and she liked how it made her feel.

Letting her hand slip to Scott's back her moves just a little closer as her hand rubed his back softly her passion finally coming through as well thanking Scott for his gift and for the way he made her feel.

Pulling away once again Hope smile lit up her face as she looked back at Scott and saw something differnt about him.

"I new you were in there still."

Returning again to the sweet kiss Hope wasnt ready to let the moment end. Her heart felt alive like no other, and her stomach fluttered. This was a happyness Hope had never felt before, and now she had it she wasnt sure what to do or how to go about things but she new she didnt want to lose it.

Standing still

Scott had a hard time letting Hope's words penetrate this time. It was one thing to be convinced that he didn't have to be scared of his own shadow. It was another to be told he didn't have to be afraid of failing... in a life or death situation.

His body still shook, retaliating against the emotional strain he was under. Things had been going so well... and this past day had been murder.

Hope's hand on his face makes him look up. Though only one eye could see, it didn't matter. He could still stare back into her own eyes, able to see a million miles away. She was the only one with eyes like that. When he allowed it, he could be taken to another time and place, open to the words being spoken, and open to the peace that wanted to come. She knew he could do it. Someone had confidence in him, that he didn't even have in himself. What did that mean?

Her thumb running down his cheek sends an odd tingle through Scott. His heart was already racing, but something sped it up even more. Blinking back a bead of sweat, he feels her even closer to him, but there is no nervousness present. There is no anticipation, no awkwardness, just... quiet.

Scott doesn't move. Hope's lips on his send heat crawling up his face and down his neck. He blinks. What... how...? He didn't have time to question it. Again, her lips are pressed gently against his.

Stunned, her apology is barely even heard. He blinks again, but finds she has lowered her gaze. For a moment that feels like eternity, he just sits. But then he looks down too. He stares at his hands in hers and realizes that his shaking has stopped. Looking back up, it feels as though his breath has been sucked out of his lungs. But it wasn't a feeling that evoked fear. It was more like suddenly seeing things as they truly were, as if he'd been blind all along.

In a single instant, Hope was no longer just Scott's counselor. In a single instant, Hope was no longer just his casual friend. There was something more... and it was incredibly peaceful.

Realizing that they were just sitting in silence, Scott swallows hard. There were so many things on his mind right now, he thought he might go mad. And yet... it didn't seem to matter.

Ever so slowly, Scott slips his hand from Hope's, reaching out just a little to tilt her chin back up again so he could search her eyes. One might have thought she had kissed him just as a tactic to get him to calm down. But he knew better.

Back and forth, he studies one eye and then the other, searching for meaning... searching for true emotions. He was a mess. He was frail and weak and half-mad. But in a single moment, time seemed to have stopped. And the feeling inside of him was one that he had not felt for a very long time.

His voice is whispered. "Sorry for what?"

This time it's his turn to cradle her face. Her skin was so soft against his palm... so warm. Leaning in closer, he rests his forehead against hers, closing his eyes. "How come you believe in me, more than I believe in myself?"

The question just hangs in the air without an answer for now. But even in the silence, hearts move, and tingles like electricity shoot down spines.

His eyes still closed, Scott tilts his head, wanting to feel her lips again. Finding them with his own, his kiss is tender, and grows with passion as his hand slips behind Hope's head, his fingers enveloped by the softness of her hair. His body ached, but his heart felt alive. The taste of the kiss is one not easily forgotten, and once again, time stands still.