Group X: Sub Rosa
Chapter 3
The Limo
9:05 PM
Yanking the comm from Blinker’s ear, Tex shouted, “Recall, where are you? Dammit, Recall, anybody! What the hell happened? Answer me!” The overlapping comm traffic made any answer sound like gibberish.
“Tex, take it easy!” SweetOne pleaded as Tex pushed her away once again. The red river raced down his blue shirt once again.
Blinker drove eastbound down the street and skidded to a stop in front of the Newton Hotel.
“Tex, I was serious. You’ve got five minutes to ascertain what happ…” Blinker turned around when he heard the door opening. “Dammit, Tex. SweetOne…”
“Later, Blinker,” she called out to him as she ran outside.
“You’re going to be the death of me, Tex,” sighed Blinker as he got out of the limo.
Recall opened the door for Tex. “Tex, you should be at the hospital by now. You’re bleeding all over the place.”
“Gimme me a report! What happened!” demanded Tex as he leaned against the door, blood dripping down the window.
“Tex, sit!” ordered SweetOne who had brought him a chair.
For once he did what he was ordered since he didn’t have the strength left. “Why didn’t you send everyone over to the Ivory Towers?”
“I did everything according to the protocol. According to Section 10, paragraph 13…”
“No need to quote it. I know it in my sleep.”
“Sleep at a hospital is what you need now, Tex,” Blinker offered.
“Well, I don’t know what it means. What is it?” asked SweetOne.
“Basically, think of as many possible scenarios no matter how improbable.” Recall replied.
SweetOne’s eyes lit up at her understanding. “So what scenario did you come up with?”
“The sniper was a distraction. Someone else here in Newton Hotel is the real target so I sent a team to sweep the hotel looking for the second GX team.”
“Did you find anyone?” questioned Tex as more blood drained from his face.
Blinker glanced at Tex. “Boss, I think it’s time to go.”
“No. That’s when I heard that TM and SQ21 had cornered the sniper. When I head that the sniper said he had recent surgery, I wanted a confirmation on that.”
“Why is that important?” asked SweetOne.
“Do tell Recall and make it fast before I pass out.”
“One of the scenarios I had though of was a suicide bomber. GX knew were going to search everyone that was going to the conference and that we were watching everyone. The second I heard surgery, I had a gut feeling that the sniper had an explosive implanted into him and that it was programmed to go off. I wanted them to bring him down to the bomb containment, but… well you see what happened.”
“We got to get you out of here Tex. They might be still around,” Blinker urged.
“They are long gone. Recall, you have the captain’s chair. Don’t pull a Riker on me. Just…” Tex stopped as Recall touched his earpiece, entranced in the message.
“Tex, one of GX’s planes has just taken off. Sir, permission to eliminate target.”
Tex was livid. “DENIED! Indicated flight path?”
Recall smirked. “Just wishful thinking… flight plan indicates Cabo San Lucas as intended destination.”
“Very well. Close surveillance of the plane’s location. Ready a team just in case and place on standby.”
“Yes, sir. Permission to eliminate target or targets if hostilities break out?”
SweetOne checked on Tex’s shoulder, but he pushed her hands away.
“Only as a last resort. We need to take the team for interrogation.”
“Why do I feel that may not be possible?”
“You make it happen. I don’t want more innocents hurt.”
“But sir…”
“Don’t you even say it. Primary mission objective is to bring them in. Only if that is impossible then use all means necessary to neutralize the threat. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir. Thank you sir.” Recall walked a few feet away and relayed their commander’s orders.
“Don’t thank me Recall. The storm has just...” Tex head slumped forward.
SweetOne tried shaking him awake. “TEX! TEX! WE NEED HELP!”
“Get the paramedics in here,” ordered Recall over the comm as Blinker ran inside with paramedics pushing a gurney.
“Tell Alpha Team to take them in now!” barked Recall into his comm.
SweetOne looked up from Tex. “Recall, is that wise now?”
“We don’t have any options left.”
Jessie spoke into Recall’s ear, “Sir, Alpha Team waiting your final orders.”
As Recall watched Tex being placed on the gurney, he ordered, “Take them in for interrogation. If that’s not possible, then eliminate the hostiles by all means necessary with as little collateral damage if possible. Make sure they understand that, Jess.”
“Will do sir. What are your other orders, sir?”
“Pray,” was Recall’s somber answer as Tex was rolled away, with Blinker and SweetOne in tow.
Flashback 5 weeks earlier…
Group X HQ
Mission Communications Room
12:47 AM
Alex was watching the monitors while Jorge was checking the perimeter guards. The group led by Sabre_Edge and Ryan had just infiltrated a lab. For the next five minutes, the team had to go dark and remain incommunicado until the charges were set and everyone was exiting.
“nole, hack into that building. I need to see and hear what’s going on,” ordered Alex as he watched the red dots denoting the enemy’s positions.
“I’ve tried to. I need twenty minutes,” replied nole as he continued typing.
“You’ve got ten minutes.”
“He can’t work miracles all the time Alex,” commented Jorge as he filtered through the communication traffic.
“That’s why I’m called the MiracleMan, Jorge, I’ve got the touch. I’ve almost got through the final level. Come on magic fingers.”
Alex saw the enemies' positions change and began converging on the mainframe station. He put his hand over his mic. “What the hell? I need to tell them to get out of there. Crack it now!” He uncovered the mic and ordered, “All teams abort! Abort!”
“Sir, they can’t hear you.”
Computer Mainframe Station
12:51 AM
“Give me your gun so you can set the charges,” SE suggested as he typed in the stolen computer codes into the computer.
Ryan placed his weapon next to the keyboard SE was typing on then pulled out a charge from his backpack.
“We’re running out of time man. Get that door open.”
“Almost there. Set the charge for two minutes. That’s enough time for us to get out of here.”
“You always like these things close, don’t you Sabre?”
“Only way to do it just in case unexpected guests arrive, if you know what I mean. The window automatically closes in one minute. After that, all command codes are locked out and you’re stuck.”
“Damn, I hate it when we cut it so close. Can’t you hack into the security files?”
“You need MiracleMan for that.”
The glass door slid open.
“Go, go, go. I’ll try to get you a longer window.”
Ryan rushed through the door banging his left arm into the doorframe. He winced as he ran by the control window to the center of the room filled with computer stations.
SE watched as Ryan placed two charges and activated them. Their blinking red lights now green. With a smile, SE pressed a key and shut the door when Ryan was a couple of feet from it.
“Open it, dammit! I’ve got to get out of here! Quit screwing around.”
Ryan pounded on the door several times as he watched SE pocket his gun and opened fire on the control panel.
“You bastard!” Ryan ran to the two charges and deactivated them with about a minute left on each. He stormed back to the control room window.
SE’s smile grew wider and wider by the second and that infuriated Ryan even more. This amused SE causing him to laugh for a few seconds.
“Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, how shall I say this? You don’t get it do you?” SE pulled out a charge from his backpack and placed it on the destroyed control panel.
“I’m going to kill you when I get out of here!”
More pounding. Desperation. Betrayal.
“You never should have left your gun with me in the first place. Tsk tsk. You’re a bad operative for doing that.”
Ryan stopped pounding on the glass, knowing now that he’d never get out. “No, I was a trusting one. I knew it in my gut that you were going to turn on us sooner or later. We trusted you. The others will soon find out.” He leaned his head against the window, defeated.
“And who’s going to tell them? You? Ha ha ha. Not soon enough to rescue you I’m afraid.”
SE set the charge to one minute and flipped the final switch. Within a couple of seconds it turned green.
“Green light, green light! Bwahahaha Gotta hand it to delly with her way to okay an order. Now if you excuse me, I’ve got to tell your wife the bad news. I’ll tell Cassie that you made me promise you to protect her with my life. You know I’ll be enjoying protecting every square inch of her.”
“If you lay a hand on her, I’m going to kill you!” He raised his head, hateful eyes staring straight at SE.
“Why yes, you’ll be Casper the unfriendly ghost haunting me for the rest of my life.”
“Damn straight. Alex already knows that something is wrong.”
“That right?” SE snapped his fingers. “Of course, that twin sense. Too bad he’s not going to be sensing you for too long nor will you be alone for long since he’s going to be with you soon.”
“Just remember that every time she’s with you, she’ll always think of me. Choke on that Sabre.”
“It’s not going to take long for you to be just a faded memory. You choke on that.” He looked at the time - 45 seconds left. “Got to jet. Got your wife to comfort. Knock off your brother. You know what they say. Double the fun. Double the pleasure.”
“Double the wrath when they find out.”
SE spun on his heels and walked out of the room, leaving Ryan to his pounding and pleading.
“You’re a dead man Sabre. A dead man. A dea…”
SE smiled as he locked the door behind him. “Yep, dead man walking out of here.”
Group X HQ
Mission Access Entrance
4:25 AM
An expectant Cassie worried as the time dragged on. She had been so worried that she hadn’t eaten in more than a day.
“Ryan, where are you?” she murmured as she wrung her hands once again.
She had wakened up in the dead of night from a nightmare. In her dream, she saw Ryan across an abyss with a wooden bridge spanning between them. She called out to him to cross and he did, but when he reached the middle, the bridge unraveled plummeting him into the darkness below. She woke up screaming his name. Now her terror rose as the scheduled ETA went past.
Finally, the light above the access tunnel lit up ushering the operatives inside. As soon as she saw them, all of them stared blankly at her before going by. She ignored the blank stares in her direction, focused only on her husband.
Anticipation and Dread. Prayers, hope and despair. In control and in desperation.
“No wounded. That’s a good sign. Dammit, Ryan get your ass out here or I’m going in after you.”
She heard the door slam shut and the light above the door went out just as SE walked through the doorway.
“Ryan?” she asked as she tried pushing her way past him.
SE grabbed her by the shoulders and blocked her way.
“Where’s Ryan? You left him? We got to get him back.” Fear rising in her.
He didn’t let go of her and looked straight into her eyes. “Cassie, I’m sorry. He’s gone.”
“Gone? No, you’re joking. Ryan, honey, you’re scaring me,” she said weakly, looking around SE’s arm and down the empty hallway.
SE shook her firmly. “Cassie, look at me. He’s gone. There was no time and no way to get him out. I tried every trick I could to get him out of the room, but time ran out. I’m so sorry. Cassie, please look at me.”
“Let go of me!” she ordered, breaking from his grasp. She took several steps away from him. Her desperate, unbelieving eyes searched SE’s face for hope. She found none.
He carefully chose his words. “His last thoughts were of you. He said that he would love and cherish the time you had together and that he’ll always watch over you.”
Cassie grew pale when she heard his words. She took a shaky step forward. Shock registering on her face just as SE knew it would be.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. You okay, Cassie?” SE grabbed her left arm before she tumbled to the floor.
She steadied herself against him and closed her eyes to stop the sensation. “All of a sudden the room started spinning.”
“Can you walk?” SE voiced his concern.
Cassie opened her eyes then quickly shut them. “Yeah, I need to sit down.”
“Okay, let’s go across the hallway. Easy. Lean on me. Ready.”
Smiling weakly and her eyes still closed, she grabbed his arm tightly for support. If she saw the betrayal in his eyes, she would have crumbled completely.
Inside the room, he gently sat her down on a comfortable couch. She blinked her eyes a few times and saw that the room had slowed its rotation enough that she wasn’t dizzy.
“Thank you, Sabre.” She leaned back against the couch.
“I’ll let you rest. Let me get your sister.” He stood up to leave.
“I don’t want you to leave until you tell me exactly what happened to Ryan.”
SE saw the fear in her eyes, but knew that she wanted the truth no matter how bad it was. He sighed, undecided whether or not to tell her what he had rehearsed in his mind.
“We can do it later after debriefing, Cassie.”
“No, I want it now. My sister can wait.” Cassie saw the indecision on SE’s face. “No sugar coating. You know how much I hate that crap, Sabre.”
“Yes, I do. You’ve beat that into my head by now. Are you sure?”
“Yes. Hit me. I’m already sitting down.” She hoped ‘The Smile’ would entice him to tell her. Her smiles have on occasion have gotten her what she wanted.
He squatted down to her eyelevel and she leaned forward.
“Everything was going along with our mission profile. When Ryan and I got to the computer station it took longer than what we wanted. The lockout window was only a minute.”
“And there was no way to communicate with us right?”
“No way since we couldn’t hack through all the interference.”
“Couldn’t you have extended that window?”
“I tried, but I’m no MiracleMan. Ryan already had the charges armed and set to two minutes when the door slid open. Everything was going smoothly when he placed the charges on the computer stations.”
“Dammit, that’s too short. Why in the hell did he do that? He never does that. There was no way he’d be able to get out if something went wrong. Why didn’t you tell him that to change the time? Dammit, Sabre, you knew better and you didn’t do anything.” Angry tears started running down her face. She started rocking back and forth.
“Cassie, he said that he wanted it that way just in case of surprise visitors. I really think you need some time before I tell you the rest. You’re really upset. Do you want to talk to your sister?” He leaned forward to offer his shoulder.
“My sister wasn’t there. You were.” She leaned forward and cried.
“Shhh… everything’s going to be okay.” He gently rocked her back and forth. “I’m here for you. We’re all here for you.”
Several minutes passed by before Cassie was calm enough to hear the rest.
“Sabre… please continue.” She lifted her head off his now wet shoulder. She wiped the tears from her eyes with her hands.
“The message appeared on the screen saying that the doors were going to lock down in one minute. I tried contacting nole, but we were still in the blackout. Ryan got to the door just as it closed. I tried getting it open, but time was running out and the mission had to succeed. Ryan ordered me out, but not before he made me promise to always protect you. His last words were to ‘Tell Cassie that I love her and I always will. I’ll be watching and waiting for her. Promise me, Sabre, that you’ll be there for her now and always. Protect her with your life. On our friendship, promise me that.’ I told him ‘Yes I will. You can count of me. No one’s going to hurt her.’ I’m honored that he asked me, Cassie and I’m not going to break that promise. I’m sorry. It should have been me instead.” He looked downward, averting her gaze.
She took his hands into hers. “No, Sabre, Ryan didn’t know how to hack into the computer like you do. Thank you for doing what you could.”
“I should have done more. nole should have gone instead of me. He could have gotten him out. Why didn’t I tell him to change the time? I don’t know why I didn’t tell him. I thought everything was going to be okay.”
“Sabre, nole needed to be here so that the teams could get into the building. I’m glad that you made it back to tell me.”
“Cassie, I made a promise and I’m going to keep it. I’ll protect you with my life. I’ll always be there when you need me.”
She leaned forward and whispered into his ear. He laughed at the words.
“You think so eh?” SE asked as she hugged him.
“Yes, I do just like always.”
She pulled back and gazed into his truthful blue eyes. He was always a good friend to her and was the one that she trusted the most outside of her family. Often times she had told Ryan, that SE was the one that she wanted to protect her if something were to happen to him. Ryan finally agreed with her on that, but he didn’t much like the idea. Ryan had words with SE about SE’s wandering eyes and attitude toward Cassie, but he couldn’t do anything about it since Cassie would find out and berate him later. Alex too had warned SE, but nothing stopped SE from flirting with neither her nor the other ladies.
Closing her eyes. Decided her path. Acting on faith. Wanting the truth. Kissed him on the lips.
After a moment’s hesitation, SE reciprocated, surprising Cassie. She pulled him in closer, her hand grabbing the front of his sweater. Her other hand wandered across his back then discarded his gun from his holster. Cassie dropped it onto the floor as she leaned backwards pulling an all too willing SE onto the couch.
dellyone's office
4:00 AM
delly heard a knock on her office door. “Come in Eusti.”
Eusti entered her office and saw her standing in front of her hand drawn map.
“You heard about Ryan, right?” She stood with her hands clasped behind her back, staring at the map.
“Yes, I’m sorry. Anything I can do?”
She ignored his question and continued looking at the map. “You see this map. This was done on my fundraising venture last year. I saw this written in a cave at the time. It took a painstaking amount of time to recall all parts of it. It’s a treasure map.”
“Yeah, I remember that. It was a bust.”
“I barely got out of that adventure with my life. Cassie’s been joking about ‘My sister went on a treasure hunt and all I got was this green bullet-riddled windbreaker with my name embroidered on it.’ It’s funny now, but at the time, lying on the ground after getting gunned down like that wasn’t fun. Painful more like it. Glad I was wearing that bulletproof vest at the time.” She waved that memory from her mind and concentrated on the present. “ Eusti, how long have we known each other?”
“Almost four years.”
She turned to him. “You’re a good friend, someone I trust with my life. I want you to do something for me. I want you to protect Cassie.”
“Why? From whom?”
“From me, Alex, anyone who wants to hurt her. I can’t do it by myself.”
“Why me? I think you need time to think it over before you make any decisions right now.”
“No, it’s past the time for thinking and it’s now the time for doing. She’s been given a second chance. I want your promise that you’ll be watching out for her.”
“What about you and Alex?”
“The three of us decided long ago that you were the one best suited for the job. She doesn’t know about this of course. The number of threats against my life is mounting. Group X is falling apart. The writing’s almost at the bottom of the wall. Soon we’ll all have to make difficult choices. I never thought it would be like this. In the event that I’m not around and there’s a few of us left, I want you to gather everyone together and decide whether or not to stay together to the bitter end or go your separate ways. I know my time’s almost up. I may have survived four attempts on my life in two months, but one day I won’t. I want someone to trust to make sure that my sister gets off this god-forsaken planet. Do what you need to do. Get that sliding tech from TEX and make her leave here. Find a place, fall in love, have a family. Grow old and live your life as best as you can. That’s all that I’ve wanted, but the three of us traded that for Cassie’s second chance. I’d do anything for her and she’d do likewise, but I don’t want her to squander her chance on ill thought out decisions. You know she’s always thought with her heart even with her logical mind, but sometime soon she’ll have to learn that she has to stop that. I want you to teach her that.”
“I think Ryan wouldn’t want her to change. Why are you asking me and not SE? He’s better and…”
“Don’t put yourself down. You’re more than capable. As for SE, I’m beginning to think he’s up to something. Just a feeling and I hate it when I’m right. Keep a close eye on him and report to me anything suspicious. He’s very charming. So charming that he could talk a snake into giving him it’s rattle. I’m afraid he’s going to use his influence on Cassie to make her do his bidding.”
“They’re close friends, delly. Sometimes too close in my opinion. I don’t understand why she can’t see him for what he really is.”
“Because she’s always been able to see the goodness in everyone. It’s as if she has this homing device and she can tell after observing someone for a while.”
“I think she just wants to believe what she wants and has to be proved otherwise.”
“The last person she trusted like this sentenced her to death. That betrayal almost destroyed her and the three of us. I’m not going to let that happen again. That’s why I need your help. I need someone who’s close, but not so close. Will you do it for me?”
“Yes I will do everything in my power to protect your sister. What about you?”
“Doesn’t matter about me. I’ve done things I’ve regretted in hindsight. Some of the things I had to do because that was the only choice. Cassie doesn’t deserve the consequences of my actions. She’s a target because she’s my sister and someone will try to get to me through her. I can’t and won’t let that happen. Whatever happens will happen no matter what you do or plan for. I’ve already made my bed, it’s time for me to lie in it.”
“You’re not giving up, are you?”
“Oh, hell no, but I’m being realistic.”
“You had me worried there for a minute. So what’s next on the agenda?”
“The storm has just begun. Either we weather it or not. It’s all or nothing now. We’re going to continue with my plans against TEX. Soon, they too will have to weather the storm coming on the horizon.”
“You know that these almost continuous missions are going to put a tremendous strain on our manpower.”
“Yes, I do, but this is the only way to get what we want… the total collapse of TEX. They are going to pay for everything that they have done.”
“Yes, they will. So that’s it? Bring in SE when he arrives?”
“No, find him and tell him after he tells Cassie about Ryan.”
“You mean she doesn’t know yet?”
“No, she doesn’t. I felt it was important for SE to tell her not me. I want her to hear his version of events. He was there and she trusts him implicitly.”
“Very well. I’ll get him here when he’s through talking to her. Want me to make sure Alex isn’t around?”
“Afraid that he’ll do something, eh? I’ll take care of him. I know that he’s hurting too. He told me earlier that he knew something had gone wrong before the teams reported in after extraction. I don’t know how I’d react if I lost Cassie. I’d be alone in my thoughts. That’s what frightens me. She completes me and I her. Dismissed. Thank you. I won’t forget this.”
“You’re welcome. SE better have a damn good reason why Ryan died or Cassie’s never going to forgive him.”
“You’d be surprised at what she’s forgiven. She’s always been the better one at that. Good-bye.”
Eusti watched her as she walked to her desk to retrieve some file folders.
“What about you? How are you dealing? Want to talk?”
“Dealing the best I can. Maybe sometime later.”
Eusti took that as his cue to leave.
No one’s going to hurt you Cassie. Not with me around. He closed the door and walked to the mission access entrance.
Mission Access Room
4:45AM
Cassie opened her eyes when she felt SE wretched away from her.
“Sabre, I told you not to touch her!”
“Ryan?” muttered a surprised SE.
“What’s the matter? Guilty conscience?”
Confused, Cassie turned to her right and saw SE on the floor, a gash on his lower lip. She looked in front of her and saw her assailant, gun pointed at SE.
Through her confusion and shock she begged, “Alex, don’t do it. It’s all my fault I kissed him and uh…”
Hateful eyes turned on her. “Do you ever stop make excuses for him? He knew exactly what he was doing.”
“Like she said. She kissed me first.” SE wiped the blood onto his sleeve.
He turned back to his subject. “What do you think you were doing?”
“Alex, let me explain. Before Ryan died, he asked for Sabre to promise him to protect me… to watch over me. This is all a misunderstanding. It’s not what you think it is.”
“So now he’s protecting you from your clothes?” he answered, looking straight at her.
Cassie looked down and saw that the top four buttons of her low cut blouse were missing and a portion of her blouse ripped to shreds. She saw SE open his hand and drop the four buttons onto the floor along with the ripped portion.
“Dammit, Sabre, this is my favorite blouse. Alex, you shouldn’t have pulled him off me like that. He was… we were… Oh God, I didn’t mean it like that.” She pulled the remains of her blouse together and held them in place with her hand. This disappointed SE.
“That’s my favorite blouse too,” SE replied, gawking at the sight in front of him.
“Shut your mouth and stop leering at her like that.”
“What’s the matter Alex, jealous that she’s hotter than delly?”
“Stop it both of you! This isn’t the time and place for this.”
“Well, it was a time for something from the looks of it,” Alex shot back.
He cocked back the hammer, spurring Cassie to stand up to act as mediator. Disoriented once again, she fell forward. Alex caught her before her head hit the ground.
“What the hell did you do to her?” He placed his gun on the floor, but within easy distance if he needed it.
“Nothing.” SE got up and walked around them, keeping a safe distance.
“Cassie, what’s wrong? What did he do to you?”
“He didn’t do anything. I got dizzy earlier at Access and he helped me to the couch.”
“Yeah and he was helping himself to you in the meantime.” Alex watched SE carefully for any foolhardy ideas he might have.
“Not to interrupt this heartwarming moment, delly wants to see you now, SE.” Eusti announced from the doorway.
Alex turned around. “Get him out of here before I kill him, Eusti.”
“I was just leaving.” SE picked his gun off the floor, barrel first to show that he wasn’t going to use it. He walked to the door, watching Alex and Cassie, suspiciously.
Alex took off his mic and placed it into Cassie’s right ear. “Your sister wants to talk to you.” He propped her up, leaning her against his chest. She grabbed onto him for dear life as she listened.
“Hey, sis. I’m here. Yeah… what?” her eyes darted to SE.
Eusti and SE watched as Cassie became anguished by the second.
“Has it been confirmed?” she questioned through a stream of tears.
“SE, let’s get out of here. This is their private time. They’re family and we aren’t.”
“I soon will be,” SE murmured, unnerving Eusti.
“Go ahead.” Cassie pulled the mic off her ear and threw it across the room. It skidded to a stop near the corner of the room.
“Ryan!” she cried in agony before burying her head into his chest, sobbing violently and hitting him several times in his arm before he held her arms to her side, hugging her in an attempt to comfort her.
“I’m so sorry, Cassie. I miss him already. I knew something had gone wrong, but we couldn’t contact them. I’m so sorry.” He kissed the top of her head and rocked her back and forth gently. “You’ll get through this. We’ll help you. We’re family.”
Eusti pulled SE out of the doorway and quietly closed the door behind them.
“Eusti, you got to be blind not to see what just what happened.”
Eusti stopped SE from opening the door. “What? I saw Alex pull you off his grieving sister-in-law, whose husband just died hours ago. You deserved more than that bloody lip in my opinion.”
“He punched me in the face then pulled a gun on me! I think he overreacted.”
Eusti walked away. “He was far too generous than I would have been. I would have shot you first instead of punching you.”
SE followed him down the hallway. “She’s now free to date whomever she wants and I’m the first in line, buddy. Don’t get in my way or you’ll regret it.”
Eusti turned around. “A friend would have known to stop her from what she was doing. She doesn’t even know what’s she’s doing. She’s shocked and confused and you’re taking advantage of that. She’s covering for you again. Why? Only she knows that. She needs time to grieve and time away from you.”
“Jealous?”
“For God’s sake, SE, no. I know what you are SE and you better be watching your step.”
“A threat?”
“No, a promise.” Eusti took a right at the intersection, leaving SE in his dust.
“Yeah, whatever man. I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at her and how overprotective you are of her.” SE continued down the hallway to the eastside part of the complex.
dellyone's office
5:20 AM
She heard a knock at her door. “SE, come in. I’ve been expecting you.” She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes with the tissues on her desk.
“SE, I have mission for you if want it. Cassie was prepping for it, but now… “
“Tell me what it is.”
“Undercover as a laboratory assistant in a lab we’ve had under surveillance for a while. I want to know what kind of technology they are developing and see if we can use it.”
“I don’t have the knowledge or the skills to pass off as a lab tech. I think we need to put this off until Cassie is better.”
“It is of utmost urgency that this be done now. According to Intel, the lab is going to be shut down in a few weeks and moved into a more secure facility. We need to move on this now. I need you SE to do this for me. I… don’t think… she needs me… I can’t lose her too.”
“Hey, take care of your sister and yourself first. The mission can wait.”
“I don’t know what I’d do if I were in Cassie’s place. Who the hell am I kidding? I’d go insane without Alex… in the past it was bad… he was there for me. If he wasn’t, I’d never be here today. I don’t know what to do. Everything’s falling apart.”
delly stood up and handed SE a thick manila folder. “Study this. Learn what you can over the next three days from Cassie. You leave in four days. Find out what tech they have and report back to us. Do you have any questions?”
SE flipped through the stack for a few seconds before answering. “Are you sure this can’t wait? I don’t think I can learn everything I need to know in that time period.”
“What you don’t learn, I’m sure your charm will be more than enough to cover that.” delly smirked causing SE to laugh. “Yep, always the charmer. Dismissed and good luck.”
SE nodded as he closed the file.
Little do you know that very soon, I’m going to be the one in charge. SE smiled from ear to ear as he closed delly’s office door.
The next day…GX Labs
2:12 PM
Cassie looked at the clock one more time, muttering, “He’s late.”
Tigs looked up from her paperwork and sighed, “Cassie, are you sure you’re up to this right now? You haven’t slept in the last 14 hours. Let me do this for…”
Cassie stood up and walked to the counter. “No, I’ll still start and if you see me making a mistakes, then you take over. Is that a deal? I can’t let this affect my work.”
A test tube breaks. Tears fall. Concentration is broken.
“Cassie that’s enough. Get some rest, please.” Tigs pulled Cassie’s hands from the broken glass. “Cassie, stop. You need to rest. Ryan wouldn’t like you like this. Come on.”
Cassie tried controlling her trembling hands to no avail. “I miss him so much. I can’t sleep without hearing his voice or seeing him. Life’s not fair, girl. Life’s not fair. It shouldn’t have been him. It shouldn’t have been him.”
“Sorry, I’m late, but… Cassie, are you okay? Tigs what happened?” SE rushed into the room.
“She’s exhausted SE. Can you help her back to her office so she can rest? I’ll get this glass up.”
Wiping tears away, “I’m fine. I can make it there under my own power. Thanks.” She let go of Tigs’ hands and took a couple of shaky steps forward.
SE grabbed her before she went down. “Hey, I got you. Are you sure you’re okay? I think you need to go to Medical to check things out.”
Cassie closed her eyes to stop the room from spinning. “No thanks Sabre. Just get me to my office. I haven’t slept nor ate in a while. I’ll be fine.” She smiled weakly.
“Fine, my ass. I’ll get your sister down here.” Tigs finished the cleanup and went to the intercom, paging for delly while SE helped Cassie into her office.
“The couch is going to be fine.”
SE glanced around the room before setting her down on the couch. “Do you want me to get anything for you?”
She looked at him through tear-streaked eyes, “I want Ryan home. Can you do that for me?”
“Cassie, I’d do anything to get him back for you. ANYTHING. You know that I would do anything to make you happy. But I can’t bring him back home Cassie. You know that. I promised him on my life that I would protect you. Cassie, you need your rest. Please rest. Tigs can show me what I need to know.”
“I want to be alone now.” Cassie stretched out on the couch. “We were trying to have a baby and now… It’s not fair.”
SE saw the snow-white teddy bear on her desk next to their wedding picture. He picked up the bear and the frame.
“Cassie, you and Ryan would have been great parents.” He replied, choking back tears.
“That’s all I ever wanted. All we wanted was a child.”
SE handed her the bear and wedding picture. You can have that too.
“Sabre, ever think about having children?” Her brown eyes eyeing the bear in her hand. She placed the frame on the end table beside the couch.
“Cassie, you need your rest. We can talk later. Now isn’t the time…”
Her eyes stopped him in his tracks. “Sabre, I’m sorry. Never mind.” She pulled the blanket over her and began to cry hysterically.
“Cassie…” He placed his hand gently on her shoulder. “Yes, I do want a child. Rest well. Pleasant dreams.”
Pulling down the blanket over her face, she murmured, “You’re a good friend. Thank you. I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done. You’d be a great father. I’m going to sleep now. Wake me up if you need help. Tigs knows a lot of this stuff, but not enough to…”
SE saw that she had drifted off midsentence, her talisman under the blanket near her heart. He sat near her and moved the stray hair from her forehead. He couldn’t help feeling sorry for her, but things were out of his control.
One day, you’ll forgive me. Ryan will be a distant memory. He smiled at the picture and imagined himself in Ryan’s place. Buddy, you’ve got one hot wife, well soon to be mine. You always knew that, didn’t you, but not you or the others can stop me now.
“Ahem.”
SE turned toward the door and saw Tigs tapping her foot.
“SE leave her alone and come in here so I can teach you what you need to know to survive.”
“Poor Kitty, did I spill your milk?” he replied with his charming smile as he went to the closet where the labcoats were located. He retrieved the only one that fit and put it on.
Tigs rolled her eyes. “SE save your charm for those who are gullible enough to believe it.”
“What happened to us?” He slid next to Tigs. “I thought we were getting somewhere,” he cooed into her ear.
Tigs wasn’t impressed. “There never was an us.” She pulled him into the lab, closing Cassie’s door.
“What’s the matter? You afraid that Cassie’s going to know about us?”
His sickening sweet smile was grating on Tigs’ nerves. “Just because you take a girl out on a couple of dates for a mission does not equate to us. That was just a front.”
“My lady, you protest too much. As I recall, you were kissing me too.”
“As part of the mission profile,” Tigs spat back. “Now getting back to business. I’ll teach you how to zero out a balance.”
“Balance? I’ll show you balance.” He lightly ran his hand over Tigs’ forearm.
SE found himself on the floor, looking up at her, before he reached her fingertips. “Oops, did I do that?” Tigs sarcastically muttered. “I broke another nail, dammit. Do you know how long it takes to grow?”
SE didn’t give up. “I guess that meant no. By the way, do you have a boyfriend?”
Tigs smirked. “I won’t tell. You’ll know it’s him when he decides to put a bullet in your head.”
“That doesn’t scare me,” SE answered, picking himself off the floor.
“Really? The fact that you can hit the floor at anytime and never get up again doesn’t scare you?”
“Gotta grab what life offers you and enjoy it while you can.”
“Well you better get cracking before delly comes here to check your progress and you haven’t done a thing.”
“If she wants this done right, she should send someone else that’s already trained.”
“How could you be so insensitive? There is no one else.” Tigs pointed to Cassie’s office, raising her voice, “You want her to go? You want her to go like that? Jeez! You might as well say she’s dead then. I can’t believe you! I can’t believe that Ryan even told you to watch over her! You know what? This session is over. I’ll go tell Cassie that she’ll be the one to go instead.” Tigs walked to the Cassie’s office door without waiting for SE’s reply.
“I never said her! Hey, can we make a deal?” he begged knowing delly’s ire.
At the door, Tigs heard Cassie calling out, “Ryan, why did you leave me?”
Tigs turned to SE who saw the concern on her face. “She’s torn up about this. She’s calling for Ryan.”
“Why don’t you get her sister. I’ll watch over her,” offered SE as he grabbed the doorknob.
“Okay, but I swear if I find you doing something you shouldn’t be doing, I’m going to shoot you.”
“Scout’s honor,” he replied opening the door.
Tigs rolled her eyes as she bit her lower lip before she would give her a piece of her mind. She knew that SE would only get away with so much and that he had used up most of his ‘Get out of dying’ cards.
SE glanced back as Tigs rushed out of the lab and sighed with relief. Turning his full attention to Cassie, he slowly walked toward her.
“RYAN! RYAN! Please talk to me! I miss you!” Cassie begged through closed eyes, their wedding picture on the floor next to her.
SE smiled, picking up the picture. “Cassie honey,” he replied mimicking Ryan, “I’m here.”
“Why did you leave me?” she questioned, breathing raggedly.
“Sweetheart, I’m always watching out for you. I miss you too. That’s why I let Sabre take care of you. He’ll always be there for you.”
“Why him? You always said that you didn’t approve of him.”
SE smirked as he crouched down beside her. “I’ve changed my mind, honey. I was jealous of him and now I know that was over nothing. Sleep now, honey. Pleasant dreams. One day we’ll be together once again. For now, follow what your heart desires. Be happy and I won’t mind you choosing Sabre as your husband or anyone else. I love you Cassie and I always will. I have to go now, but I’ll always watch over you. I think you made a good choice with Sabre. Go on with your life, Cassie. Live and enjoy it.”
SE kissed the top of Cassie’s forehead and smiled thinking, That should seal it. Poor Ryan, just a fading memory.
“Don’t go yet, Ryan. I love you Ryan and I always will. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I wish you’d have been a good father to our child that we lost so long ago.”
“You can try again, Cassie. You can try again. I think Sabre can be a good father. Good-bye my love.”
SE was moved to tears as he remembered Cassie confiding in him about the loss of their child. Ryan had been away on a mission when SE found Cassie sobbing in her office. She was curled up like a ball, holding the teddy bear mumbling, “Happy fourth birthday little one. Mommy and Daddy didn’t forget. You’ll always be in our hearts. Our little girl.” Cassie never told him more than that she had lost the baby because she had been sick, but didn’t explain further nor brought up this conversation since then. He didn’t press her nor the others.
SE sighed. It has to be this way Cassie. I hope you’ll forgive me in the end. Give me a chance to make this up to you.
“Cassie, are you okay?” cried delly as she stood in the doorway. SE turned around and saw the worried face of the one that slept before him.
“I don’t know. She was calling for Ryan earlier.” SE stood up and got out of the way as delly ran to her sister’s side.
“I know. I heard her and felt her pain.” She replied as she stroked her sister’s tear drenched cheek. “Cassie, wake up. Little sis, wake up.”
SE sensed the fear in delly’s voice and tried hard to hide his smile.
Cassie bolted up crying, “RYAN!”
“Shhhh… sis. You were having a dream.” delly grabbed her shoulders gently. “Cassie, it’s okay.”
Cassie looked around the room in disbelief. “I heard him. He was here.” Her glance stopped on SE.
delly turned around to see what she was looking at and then turned back to her sister before Cassie began screaming.
“TAKE THAT LABCOAT OFF! THAT’S RYAN’S! TAKE IT OFF!” She turned to delly and began to sob. “Why’s he wearing his labcoat? Why?”
“SE get out of here now!” delly sat next to her sister and pulled her toward her, trying to comfort her. “GET YOUR ASS OUT OF HERE AND GIVE ME RYAN’S LABCOAT!”
SE hastily began unbuttoning the labcoat when he felt it being yanked off. He cried out, “My should….”
Alex slammed SE’s back against the office door. “What did I tell you?” he snarled as he threw his brother’s labcoat to delly. “This is your last warning.”
SE blinked the stars away. “This isn’t what you think it is,” he answered weakly.
delly covered her sister with the labcoat. “Here, it’s Ryan’s. Shhhh… it’s okay. I got it from him.”
Cassie pulled it close around her, shielding herself in his presence once again. “Ryan…”
“I’m taking out the trash.” Alex dragged SE by the front of his shirt out of the office.
“Alex, don’t hurt him,” delly called out, watching them.
“You heard her,” SE retorted as he tried to break Alex’s hold.
“She never said anything about me,” remarked Tigs as the hypodermic needle sank into SE’s forearm.
The last thing SE saw was the smirk on Alex’s face. Alex let him drop to the floor, unconcerned for his well-being.
“Thank you. I would have killed him.” Alex fought the urge to strangle him by walking away.
“My pleasure,” cooed Tigs as she disposed of the syringe in the sharps container across from the lab door. “He’s going to have a bad headache when he wakes up.”
Cassie wiped her tears on Ryan’s labcoat, trying to compose herself. “Where’s Sabre? I thought he was here. Sis, what’s going on here?” Cassie searched the room, but saw no sign of SE.
delly lied. “He left don’t you remember? He said that he had to study more for this mission so don’t expect him to see him till tomorrow.”
“You’re always looking out for me.” Cassie hugged her sister who returned her a big one of her own.
“That’s what big sisters are for. Do you want to go to sleep in your room?” delly offered as she stood up.
“Sure. Stay with me until I sleep?” Cassie grabbed the teddy bear and took off the labcoat and laid it on the couch reverently.
The twin’s parents had bought two identical bears and had given them to their daughters when they were born. They were their guardians, confidantes, something to give them security. Wherever the bears were was their home. Cassie had lost hers years ago so Ryan replaced it, but she was always hoping to find it again. It wasn’t unusual to find either of the twins falling asleep with their bears whenever their husbands were away on long missions.
“Of course. Come on I’ll walk you there.”
delly turned off the lights as Cassie exited the room first. Cassie saw Tigs and Alex talking quietly next to the chalkboard. “Hey, what brings you down here Alex?” she said cheerfully.
“I was just checking up on you.” He beamed. “Are you going to sleep now?”
“Yeah, sis is going to keep me company for a while.”
“Okay, I’ll see you later.” Alex gave a knowing look to Tigs.
“Pleasant dreams.” Tigs smiled back to Alex.
delly walked to her sister’s side giving both Alex and Tigs a sidelong glance asking them, “What was SE doing under the table?”
Alex’s expression replied, “He fell and didn’t get up.”
Tigs’ expression was one of innocence. “I finished what he started.”
“Make sure SE learns his lesson well, you two and restrain him from going beyond the mission parameters. He did say that he would check on Cassie tomorrow.”
delly’s expression told them to keep SE from Cassie for at least that long.
“Okay,” the two conspirators replied in unison.
“Let’s go Cassie.” delly took her sister’s arm gently.
Cassie sensed something amiss. “Sis, what’s going on here?”
“Nothing of your concern, little sister. Nothing of your concern.”
When Cassie was out of the lab, Alex and Tigs laughed heartily for a few seconds.
Alex sighed as he pulled a still unconscious SE from under the table. “I want to throw him to the wolves, but we need him.”
“Unfortunately, we do,” Tigs smacked her lips together as she pulled out her favorite emery board. “I hate it when I break a nail.”
Unknown location
Present day
She had given up on protecting herself and had passed out for several minutes.
“GET UP!” SE ordered as his steel toe shoe collided with dellyone’s ribs once again.
“I've got something you need,” SE said as he clutched something in his hand. “What do you want for it?”
She groaned as her vision cleared up, the pain racing through her body with each breath. She gritted her teeth as she looked upward.
“Time to wake up! See this?” SE pulled her to her feet by grabbing the front of her shirt.
She gasped as she grabbed her right shoulder and felt a bandage covering it. “I'll make you any deal. I need that. Please, SE, I really need that,” she begged since her life depended on it. “I'll give you anything! Please...”
SE smiled as he saw a broken down delly. “How the mighty have fallen. So you want to make a deal too, eh? Hmm... give me a minute.” He scratched his chin, thoughtfully.
“You know, Alex, said the same thing right before I dumped him into the river.”
“You did, WHAT? You, you...” She stared in disbelief as she forgot her pain and began to stand.
SE let go of her as he grinned. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, you're beginning to be blubbery like your sister. Anyway, he made me promise him that no harm will come to your sister once he told me where your tracking device was. I lied to him.”
“BASTARD!”
“No deals.” SE threw down the tiny tracker and smashed it with the heel of his shoe. “There, now no one will ever find you.”
A wave of nausea hit her as she faced her mortality once again. She wobbled as her knees gave out, her ashen face in shock.
SE clapped his hands. “Bravo another Oscar-winning performance. You really should have been an actress.”
“You... borrowed time. Nooooooooooooo...” She gasped as she fell on her knees onto the floor eyeing the crushed wafer.
“My dear, that won't work with me. I've seen your performances far too many times. This one's the best. I really can believe it - the agony, the shock, the stammering. All of it. Well, I've got to get back. I got some house cleaning to do. Oh, by the way, you and everyone that knew about your plan to eliminate me are now dead. Eusti saw to it. He's such a good soldier and always follows his orders. Too bad he thought Alex was giving them. Ha ha ha ha. Needs some leadership experience that's all. I'd be a fool to get rid of him.”
“Your power hungry ways are going to be your downfall, Sabre. Mark my words. Someone will always be after the leader no matter who it is,” delly cautioned as she composed herself.
“Donuts. Yes. That's the first order of business. Still trying to find a way out of this, eh? That's the best you can think of? Where's the snide comments? The retorts you've been know for? Nothing better to say. You'd be surprised how many are going to support me when I get back. You signed your death warrant the second you started arbitrary cancellations because of your paranoia.”
“Wasn't arbitrary. Those were your supporters, SE. Surprised?”
“No, because that's what I'll be doing in your steed. Too bad no one's going to be looking for you.”
“They will.”
“And why is that? Only Eusti knows what I told him - that Alex took you to a safehouse. Your Black Knight isn't coming to your rescue. If he did, he'd be riding a ghost horse because I broke his neck before I threw him in.”
“You bastard!”
“Now that's the dellyone I know.”
“In the five years we've know each other, I never knew you'd do this. All the years the five of us put our asses on the line for each other. The people we stepped on to get where we are now and you throw it all away.”
“You are a piece of work, you know that? In five years, I've seen you and Alex get the best part of it while I was relegated to the background. You forgot that I'm the reason you got where you are. Well, not anymore, dear, things change. I'm full of surprises aren't I? You were pretty shocked that I survived that setup, but I always had a knack of doing that.”
“And when I find out who's helping you, both you and him or her are going to...”
“You forget who's in charge here.”
“Who you? I don't think so. You couldn't even command...”
SE grabbed her and threw her against the wall. She felt another round of pain go through her head as it made contact with the wall once again.
“Let's get something straight here. You are nothing. I am everything. You will do what I tell you to do. Are you listening to me?” he said as he saw a glassy stare.
“Bastard,” she muttered as she lost consciousness.
He dropped her to the floor. “You're never going to get out of here.”
He took one more glance around the room and left it once and for all.
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