And All My Dreams, Torn Asunder
by Darkside
2004
16. A Splintering Heart
It was past eleven pm by the time they arrived home, and in spite of herself Friday found that she'd enjoyed the evening a great deal. For just one night she felt normal again and it was welcome relief.
Steve bade her goodnight and she retired to her bedroom and after taking her Stelazine was soon asleep.
She found herself standing on a hill overlooking a middle eastern city, the gold turrets of mosques glittered in bright sunlight, tall buildings reflected back the sun almost dazzling her. On every road traffic was building up, people going to and from work and school. Cutting thru the middle of the city was a large eight line highway, and it was already full of cars. Obviously it was rush hour.
A battered oil tanker caught her eye, it was slowly moving to the outskirts of the city.
"Stop that tanker!" she shouted out. It was happening yet again.
No one was around to hear her. She scrambled down the hill towards the city and spotted a second and a third tanker moving into position.
She sprinted down until she came to a dusty tarmac'd road. It wasn't far to the outskirts of the city, if only she could get there in time, just the once it would be ok. She'd now lost sight of the tankers but knew where they had gone. Breathlessly she ran to the nearest highway and from the other side of the road spotted a phone.
Dodging traffic she sprinted across the road, barging people out of the way on the sidewalk to the phone, picked it up and swore heavily as there was no dial tone. Suddenly from above her head there was a loud explosion, followed by repeated bangs that echoed right across the sky, "NOO!" She shouted as she saw a fine pinkish mist float down from the sky.
A small boy, no more than four years old was the first to scream out in pain. Red lesions formed on his face and arms and started to bleed thick red blood. The boy's mother tried to calm her son down but now her face too was splitting open in deep red gashes. All around her people were screaming and clutching their faces and arms and collapsing to the ground.
The young boy's face was slowly being eaten away by the pink mist now covering the entire city. The flesh on his cheeks had almost gone leaving the whiteish bone of his jaw, his eyes were bulging with pain as they slowly dissolved away. His mother's once delicate skin was hanging off in great rips and folds of flesh as she too succumbed to the effects of the mist.
All she could hear were the screams of the dying, that echoed around from every direction until they swamped her mind. She tried to close her eyes and pressed her hands over her ears, but something stopped her.
She sank to her knees, sobbing and trying desperately to look away from the young boy, but their eyes were locked together, only inches apart. Her screams joined with his as inch by inch his flesh was eaten away. She could see his skull and jawbone start to soften and yet his eyes still stayed riveted to hers. Pleading with her to make it stop, make the pain go away.
She was screaming so loud it hurt her lungs and yet she was still unable to move from her position only a few inches away from the dying child. The boy lifted a small childlike hand towards her, palm outstretched, his eyes still unaffected by the weapon were blurred with tears of pain and terror. The fingers on the boys hand started to melt and within moments the bone was showing thru the rapidly dissolving skin.
She tried to take her eyes away, she would do anything not to look at his stricken and ruined face but her legs were too weak to move, so she did the only thing she could, scream in anguish.
Friday felt herself being shaken awake, "Friday!"
It took her a few moments to recover from being sound asleep.
"Friday, are you ok. You were screaming in your sleep again."
Friday felt tears in her eyes, and she brushed them away "Oh God!
Steve?"
"Was it the Tel Aviv Dream again?" Steve asked, concern showing in his blue eyes.
Friday nodded, "Steve, it was horrible. There was this little boy..."
Steve sat down on the bed next to Friday, "Would it helped if you told me about it?"
Friday shook her head, "Just hold me."
Friday felt Steve's arms draw her closer into his chest, it felt good to be there. She buried her head into his chest and cried her heart out. For his part Steve just gently tousled her copper red hair, "It'll be ok," he whispered.
"Oh Steve, I'm so fucked up!" Friday sniffed thru her tears.
Steve took his arm away from Friday and turned to face her, "Over dinner, you called yourself a wraith, someone with no soul and of simply existing. The state of you proves otherwise. When I first knew who you were, I thought you were a monster, someone on a par with the worst figures in history. But then I got to know you. I don't think I've ever met such a remarkable person. You say that you've lost your humanity and compassion, but I don't believe it. You were prepared to die to save those kids at the airport, in the missions you've been on you've only taken life where yours or that of others was threatened. This job we do can be tough, but no more so than deciding the fate of a patient in your care. When you were a doctor you had to make life and death decisions all the time. This is no different. Whatever you decide in whatever you do I'm here for you."
Buried emotions, hidden away from even her innermost thoughts and feelings suddenly surfaced within her. To Steve's astonishment, she leant forward and kissed him passionately on the lips.
It wasn't anything either of them had planned on, and it began to happen before either of them could decide whether that was what they really wanted. Steve's simple "I'm here for you" and her kiss of gratitude were all that it took. As she pulled back she saw that Steve's eyes were still closed. He never closed his eyes, not altogether, not when anyone else was nearby – he'd learned early in his career undercover and then as a POW to trust no one, keep an eye on everyone, just in case. Yet here he was leaning back against a sofa cushion with his eyes closed. She kissed him again.
His eyes still closed, unmoving, his expression almost blissful, he suddenly said, "Do you know what Talleyrand said when the news of Metternich's death was brought to him? Or vice versa, I forget which one of those two Prime Ministers died first? I once studied the cunning ways they'd tried all their lives to trick and out-fox each other.."
"No, I don't know," Friday answered, wondering where Steve's mind had wandered. Was this what he thought about when a girl kissed him? Political history? Had he been out there under cover on his own for too long? "What did one of those old foxes say when he heard the other one had had died?"
"He said, 'I wonder what he means by that!' " Steve opened his eyes and looked at her. Then he said gently, "You've kissed me twice. I wonder what you mean by that."
"You know!" Friday, said, relief flooding through her. He didn't mind at all! She kissed him a third time, this time tentatively licking his lips with her tongue. He opened his mouth, and she realized that he'd taken her into his arms.
"Yes, I do, " he said. "I think I do, I think I do, I think I do!"
"You're the little engine that could?" she asked him with a smile.
She'd never seen him this playful.
Steve suddenly gathered himself and stood up. Then with one motion he pulled Friday up by taking her hands, and lifted her up in both arms. She felt suddenly helpless. "Wha...?" she started to say.
"I am," Steve replied. "I can, too. Your bedroom or mine?"
A single sob came out of her, and then months of anguished solitude overwhelmed her. She seized him around the neck and kissed his face over and over, sobbing the whole time, as he carried her into her bedroom and laid her down gently on the bedcovers. Then he lay down next to her and began to stroke her tear-streaked cheek.
"Oh, Steve, I ....."
"Shhh," he replied. "I know that too. Tonight's for you. The whole night. You can ask me anything and it's yours, all night long if that's how you want it. As long as I can manage it, that is. " He grinned a little ruefully. "But there are two rules."
"What?" Friday asked him softly.
"The first sounds like an old love song, and maybe that's what it is. Don't ever change. Not tonight, anyhow. I want you as you are, just as you are, no body modifications to meet special needs, not for you and not for me. We're who we are."
"Yes," Friday said, suddenly feeling unspeakably happy. "We are!"
"And you can do anything you want with me. I know you like to take charge of things sometimes. If you want me tied up and helpless while you work your will on my body, that's fine. I'll keep my arms and legs wherever you place them, and I won't move them no matter what, no matter what you want to do to me or how you want me, spread eagled or bent backward. I swear I will, you can trust me on that. But the second rule is, no tying me up. I can't stand being tied up. A prison guard tried it one night, I suppose he intended to beat me for the fun of it, lots of them were like that. But before he got both my hands secured I snapped. And then I had to get rid of his body before they could find it and trace it back to me. I don't want to get rid of your body, not for a long time."
Friday smiled. "That's lovely, Steve. But don't worry. I know that when a man buys a girl Sushi, she's expected to repay him afterward. And that's what I mean to do. Repay you. For more than Sushi. I need you. I've needed this, needed someone to be with me in the dark places I exist in; needed you, now!"
"I know," he said. "Aren't you ever going to take off those clothes of yours?"
"Aren't you?" she asked him. "What's keeping you?" And as she reached for the buttons on his shirt, in her own mind she opened herself to him utterly.
17. Heart on a knife edge
Friday awoke the next day, and stretched an arm out to see if Steve was still there. The other side of the bed was empty, except for a single flower that Steve had placed on his pillow.
She checked the clock on her bedside table, it was nearly 7:20 and time to get up. She swung her legs out of bed and selected her outfit for the day. a neat long brown skirt, with a burnt ochre colored blouse and her black comfortable shoes. She emerged from her room and headed towards the shower.
She almost collided with Steve on the way there, and there was an awkward few seconds as their eyes met, "No regrets?" Steve asked clumsily.
"None," Friday replied and kissed Steve gently on the cheek. It had been a wild night for sure, and yet she felt lighter and happier than she had for the first time in months.
"It's getting late, and you need to.." Steve started to say, with a hint of embarrassment.
"Go? Yes I'd better, I'll see you tonight," Friday replied and walked off towards the shower.
During the journey to school Friday's mind was a conflict of emotions. Logically speaking she felt as though she should stay well away from getting involved with Steve and treat last night as a one night stand. However she then felt guilty over using Steve as a crutch for her own problems. Apart from Matthew, Steve had been the first person she'd given herself to since Cathline. The question of the day was did she love him? Or was he just someone who happened to be there when she was feeling at her most vulnerable?
For sure, the answer wouldn't be straightforward, but her instincts said to slow things down a little and sort her own feelings out first, and yet there was the other part of her that just wanted him for the feelings it had aroused and awakened in her. Could she stand being rejected once more? And would her psychosis return if and when she was. She'd never been one for the 'no strings sex' line, she didn't believe that it was possible, someone always ended up getting hurt. These were all good questions and she hoped that she'd find the answers by the time she saw Steve next.
There was a line of children of all ages holding a banner that read 'Welcome back Mrs. Carrell' waiting for her as she drew into the parking lot. Principal Collier and a few of the other staff were there helping hold the banner up, as was a pretty girl on crutches. After parking the car, much to her embarrassment she was greeted by cheers and much clapping from the waiting students. She put up a hand in greeting to the crowd, smiled and simply said "Thank you," it was all she could manage.
The kids crowded around her as she walked into school, questions and congratulations were being fired at her from all directions and it was all she could do, to wave them away with a "later, just let me get to class."
At last, she opened the door into her classroom, walked in and left the crowd behind. Being the focus of media attention was nothing like being the focus of a hoard of high school kids. She checked her watch, she had twenty minutes before her first class, just enough time to set up.
There was a knock at the door, "Ms Carrell?" It was Principal Collier.
"Come in Principal," Friday called out. Although she wanted to be left alone, she had an obligation to see him.
Principal Collier walked in, closing the door behind him. "Ms Carrell. I'm glad to have you back. I hope your convalescence has left you feeling better?"
Friday nodded, "I'm glad to be back and yes thank you. I'm feeling much better, if a little sore in my shoulder."
"That's good. Your class has asked when you will be coming back every day. You made quite an impact on them."
Friday smiled, it felt good to be appreciated for something more than her ability to kill, "To be honest, I missed them too. Anything I should know before I setup for the lesson?"
"Not much. Things are pretty much as you left them. I just wanted to drop in to see how you were and to thank you once more," Principal Collier fidgeted slightly, giving away his intent that he wanted the conversation to end.
Friday picked up on this, "Look, you'd better get going. I've still got to set up for my first class."
"Thanks," Principal Collier replied and turned to leave.
After he'd closed the door behind him Friday stood up, consulted her lesson plan and started to get things ready. It would almost be like her first day on the job again.
Time rushed by and she'd just managed to finish when the first of her class walked in, still chattering and laughing from their conversations outside.
Friday stood up behind the desk, waiting for them to file in, "Ok class, settle down!" she ordered when they were all in. She suspected not many of them would skip this lesson as it would give them a chance to gossip about her afterwards.
It took less than a minute for them to quiet down. A new record she smiled to herself, "I see from the notes that Mr. Parker left you were doing cell mitosis. Before we carry on where he left off, do you have any questions?"
A boy at the back, Richard Ellis stuck his hand up, "Yes Richard?"
Friday asked.
"What happened to the boys who shot Angela?" He asked.
She thought this might happen, "I don't know. It's all in the hands of the police."
Another hand shot up, a brunette girl with a short bob hairstyle, "Does your arm still hurt Miss?"
"Sometimes Carolyn, but it'll slowly get better."
Ten more hands shot up.
"Of the ten people who's hands are up, how many of those are to do with Cellular Mitosis?" Friday asked.
Ten hands went down again, followed shortly afterwards by ten disappointed faces.
Knowing she'd not get any concentration from the class until she at least answered some of them, Friday decided to compromise, "The first three people to put their hands up will get to ask a question. After that we move on. On my mark. Three, two one, Mark!"
Fifteen hands shot up almost at the same time, but her quick eye picked out the three who went first, "William Jones you were first."
"Angela said that when you were shot, you didn't even flinch but kept on going. Why's that?"
"The body is an amazing system. If your mind is so focused on a task it's possible to ignore the pain signals from other parts of the body. We're doing about nerve impulses in a few weeks time so let's come back to that then. Mark Atkins you were next."
William nodded in satisfaction at the answer.
"The rumor is, is that you moved so fast they could hardly see you. You totally rocked, how can you move that fast? Are you a superhero?"
Friday gave a smile, "Arch villainess more like! Seriously no I'm not a superhero. I've been doing martial arts since about the age of six, and I've studied under some of the best sensei's in the country since then. From what I was told the kids were high on drugs at the time so that combined with my martial arts training is what led them to believe they saw what they saw. One question left, and try and make it one that the police haven't already asked me. Alison you were next!"
"What did it feel like when you broke those boys ankles and ribs. The news said one of them will walk with a limp from now on, the other was terrified of what you said to him. Wasn't there another way of dealing with it, apart from maiming them?"
Various class members shot Alison a pointed disapproving look. For her part the question stung Friday at her heart, she decided to settle the issue once and for all, "How many of you saw that incident in Seattle nearly a week ago? You know the one where the FBI agent got nearly blown to bits saving some kids from a terrorist."
A few heads nodded.
"What would you have done if you were her?" Friday asked. What she was doing was not without risk, but for herself she needed to know what those who hadn't been tainted by death and killing thought. She hoped it would gain her some relief.
"I'd have shot the terrorists," Andrew commented.
"Yes, but if you notice the terrorists were holding lengths of string, one tug say from falling over and all the kids die. Alison what would you have done?"
"I'd have tried to talk them out of it," She said meekly.
"And tell them what?" Friday asked.
"That if they let the kids go, they can go too," Alison replied thoughtfully.
"But how do they know you won't just shoot them as soon as they let go? They don't. They wouldn't go for it."
"I don't know then," Alison replied sullenly.
"You'd have done what that FBI agent did. Her first instinct was to save the kids, no matter the cost to herself. Now let's put this into the context we were talking about. Me. I did what I had to do to save Angela's life and that of many more people in the school. Did I enjoy hurting those kids, no. Did I scare one of them witless? Yes. If you want to know what I said to him I'll tell you," Friday paused for effect. She didn't want her punch line to be diluted.
In the same menacing tone she'd used on the boy gunman she said, "I asked him if it hurt and queried whether I should have killed him. I then informed him that the rasping sound he was making as he breathed was his lung collapsing against his shattered ribcage. I then told him he was lucky and made sure he'd be ok for when the police turned up," Friday glanced around the room the majority of the class were looking at her in horror.
"The points I'm trying to make is that what I did wasn't glamorous, or cool, nor did I 'Rock' I did what I needed to do to save lives. This wasn't some spy TV show or movie; it was real life, with real people and very real consequences. Sometimes I think we forget that. In any case for what it's worth I would do the same again, for any one of you. Now we really must get on, open your books to page 411 please," inwardly Friday gave a big smile, the looks on the kids faces told her one thing. She had won the battle for their hearts forever. It gave her a unique feeling of satisfaction, like seeing a patient recover from a delicate operation. Today would be a good day.
--- oo ---
Friday arrived home before Steve, feeling more satisfied than she had for ages. She'd held the same kind of Q&A session in each one of her classes that day. She figured it best to get it all over with so she could get on with the real task, that of trying to teach. She'd just got her stuff unpacked when she heard a key being turned in the lock, Steve called out a cheerful "Hi!"
Friday decided to get her thoughts out in the open as soon as possible, so seated herself at the table in the living room.
"Ut oh, this looks formal." Steve commented on seeing Friday sat down.
"We need to talk," Friday said.
"Um ok," Steve said warily and sat down.
"I've been wracking my brains all day as to what to do about last night. I've no regrets at all, it's just I want to know what next?" Friday said softly.
"I've been thinking the same thing all day too. What do you think?" Steve asked sincerely. Friday noticed a degree of confusion in his eyes. How did he want this to go?
"I think I want to take this slower. I've got such a lot of baggage that a full on relationship will just add more, but then I think that maybe it's what I need to help get rid of some of it. I don't want to use you as a crutch for my own issues. Yet part of me wants to go at this full on, be reckless and see where it all leads."
Steve face lit up in smile, "So you have about as much idea about this as I have?"
Friday smiled back, "That's about right."
"Let's see how it goes. If it happens it happens, if it doesn't then maybe it's not meant to be. If this is right, it can wait," Steve replied thoughtfully.
Friday reached over and took hold of Steve's hand, "Thank you," she replied. Maybe this would work out after all.
Steve politely withdrew his hand, "Make sure you finish on time tomorrow, we've got a debrief on the Seattle incident plus some more intel on what Alexi was up to. I'll already be there, so make your way there from school as soon as you can. I also have to go out in an hour or so, I'm not sure what time I'll be back so don't wait up."
Friday sighed inwardly, she'd hoped to have an evening in with Steve to help clarify or even cement what they'd agreed on. "I need to plan tomorrow anyway and an early night would be ideal, especially as I didn't get much last night!" She gave Steve a loving smile
"Me neither and thank you," Steve replied.
"I need to go and shower, you got time to order Pizza?" Friday asked a little awkwardly. She felt as though she ought to say something else on the matter, but at the moment they had said all they needed to,
"Medium sized Farmhouse, thin crust?" Steve queried
Friday nodded, "You know me too well!"
Steve returned the grin ,"That's what I'm here for!"
By the time Friday had emerged from the shower, and had dried and combed her hair the Pizza had arrived and Steve was tucking into his extra large sizzling spicy beef pizza, "It's only just arrived. Your bland cheesy queasy is in the oven."
Friday ignored Steve's comment on her taste in pizzas and headed towards the kitchen. Using a knife she re-cut the slices and piled them onto a clean plate."
"This is better," she commented, walking into the living room Pizza in hand.
Steve put down his third slice of Pizza, "This is one of the things I really missed when I was in captivity. I used to dream about spicy pizza, so excuse me if I indulge myself."
"When I was in exile, I used to dream about any hot food. When all you can eat pretty much day to day is raw fish, you really want anything heated up," Friday said, picking up a slice.
"Exile? I don't remember reading about that?" Steve queried.
"You must have done. I was shot with an experimental version of my drug, one I'd developed as a particularly nasty punishment for whoever my twisted brain targeted. I shot Kat with another version, remember now?"
"That's right!" Steve exclaimed, "Turned you into a mermaid. It wasn't until the Guild captured you that you got the chance to turn yourself back and develop the changeling organ."
Friday nodded, "At first I seethed at what had happened to me, but you know what. Those months and years of solitude helped me regain my sanity and perspective on things. Part of me still misses the sea and being able to dive and forget myself for a while."
"Is that why you sit at the bottom of the swimming pool so much?"
Steve asked.
"Partly yes. Steve, I saw things there that no one has ever seen. I saw where sharks go to die, colors beyond imagining and brutality beyond belief. I saw where man was destroying the planet, a coral reef at a time and vowed to do anything to stop it. I can't put into words what I saw and witnessed during that time, only that it had a profound effect on me."
"You sound as though you'd go back if you could," Steve said taking another bite.
"Sometimes I wish I could, but then what chance would I have to gain peace? I'd still have a broken soul, still be a wraith among the living and while the dead still scream my name in my nightmares how could I ever find that peace. So I do what needs to be done. I serve my time and my penance as best I can."
"For what it's worth I'm here any time you need me," Steve replied compassionately.
"I know, thank you," Friday replied.
"We'll talk more on this later, but Heinlein will have my ass if I'm not there on time. Feel free to finish the rest off," Steve said and placed the remains of his pizza on the table.
"I'm sure I've got some biohazard stickers somewhere..." Friday joked.
Steve stood up to leave, "See you later," he gave Friday a small peck on the cheek. Friday pulled him back and gave him kiss on the lips and whispered, "Thank you!"
"No problem. See you later."
As she watched Steve walk away Friday thought 'so much for taking it slow' part of her wanted to take him, right there on the carpet right now; but in the end her analytical careful self won the argument. What was causing these conflicting feelings?
She finished off her Pizza in silence, inwardly debating her feelings for Steve.
--- oo ---
Steve was back too late to discuss things further and he wasn't up by the time Friday got up and retrieved Steve's copy of the Washington post from the doorstep. Normally she waited until she got to the table to have a glance at the headlines but today the sight of the word 'Guild' grabbed her attention.
"Guild Splinter group confirmed."
Kismet Assad, the new leader of the former terrorist organization known as the Guild confirmed today the existence of a splinter group formed from those loyal to its deposed leader Hassan. The Guild, now under full UN control has promised to do everything in its power to deal with this splinter group before it can gain a foothold in the region.
Under the recently signed peace treaty between the Arab Alliance and Israel it is the Guild's responsibility to act upon threats to it's newly found legitimate status. With the disappearance of Salah, the Guild commander who helped orchestrate the treaty and the suicide of the treaty's architect, Dr Elizabeth Bexley it remains to be seen how Kismet and the rest of the Guild can deal with this new threat to the region."
Friday folded up the newspaper and stormed into the kitchen where Steve was just making coffee.
"Why the fuck wasn't I told about this!" she swore at Steve and threw the newspaper at him.
"What?" Steve remarked and picked the remains of the newspaper from the floor.
Friday stood there arms folded, fuming as Steve read the front page.
"Ah that!" Steve commented.
"Yes that! Don't you think I should have been told that the Guild was back?" Friday snapped.
Steve sighed, "Ok, firstly you're not on the Guild Splinter Group case, if there is one, so why do you need to be told about it? Secondly, we can't go snooping in where we're not invited in. Under the terms of the treaty; which you drafted by the way it's a Guild internal matter UNTIL they ask for our help."
"So you knew about this?" Friday sniped. Steve had a point, but she wasn't going to let go that easily.
"Not really. But gut feel and common sense said that those parts of the Guild loyal to Hassan weren't all going to fall in line and play nice. I'm sure you knew that too!" Steve explained calmly.
Friday nodded, "I did, and that's why I put the relevant articles in the treaty. But Kismet worries me, he always seemed to be less capable that both Hassan and Salah. At the time there was no one else we trusted to do the job and the rest of the Guild commanders wouldn't have agreed to the main part of the treaty if we'd have said that the UN would take control of Guild internal affairs. They may have wanted legitimacy, but they do have some pride left. I just hope Kismet is up to the job."
"As I said, it's none of our business. I guess the agency wanted us well away from it in case it ruined our objectivity. If they want us, they'll ask," Steve explained.
"Damn you!" Friday swore.
"Now what have I done?"
"Sometimes you're too damned reasonable," Friday's anger broke with a smile. Steve was right of course, and yet this new information worried her. She'd give Heinlein a provocative prod when they met later on today.
Steve smiled back, "I try to be. You need to get going or else you'll be late. Don't forget the debrief this afternoon."
"As if I could," Friday said innocently. She was looking forward to the encounter already.
18. No Win scenario
All the way thru the day Friday couldn't keep the news about a Guild splinter group from her mind. Steve had been right, anyone who thought that those who had sworn loyalty to Hassan would simply give up was very naïve. Steve, also had made the point that she wasn't involved with any counter terrorist activity and that in reality she didn't need to know. However, she was confident that no one in the CIA knew the way the Guild under Hassan operated as much as she did, after all she had spent nearly a year planning a way of taking them down. In the end her solution, that of dumping the entire Guild database to the internet and that of provoking a revolt had worked better than she could have dreamed. It worked too well, she lamented. The Guild changelings already in place in government had no one to give them instructions to stop the plan to get Israel to attack Egypt, so they had carried on with the resulting nuclear attack on Cairo.
She had killed the Guild too early, a mistake that had cost over thirteen million lives. Her mind almost couldn't comprehend that many dead, and every single one haunted her every hour of every day. Now, the very worst parts of that organization were back in business although what they were planning and what their resources were she couldn't even start to guess. She would, she decided offer her services to Heinlein in their debrief today. Apart from going it alone she had no other option, and even then she had no idea where to start looking.
It was a little past 4pm when she packed up her books ready to go to the debrief, and got into her car and drove to the office building where Heinlein and Steve were waiting for her. She tried park in the underground parking lot, but judging by the presence of several works vans in and around the lot it was closed off for some maintenance. Friday parked her car in the overflow parking lot to the side of the building, flashed her ID to security and took the lift to the third floor.
"Come in," she heard Heinlein call as she knocked on the large wooden double doors leading to the conference room.
Friday opened the doors and saw Heinlein in his usual position at the head of a large mahogany table. Steve was sat down at his left hand side and had taken the trouble to put on his gray suit. "Friday, take a seat," Heinlein said calmly.
Friday walked to end of the table and sat down next to Heinlein, "Thank you," she said politely.
"Before we start. I have a present for you, Steve, if you please, "Heinlein said cordially.
She noticed Steve reach down and pass Heinlein a briefcase, when Heinlein then opened. "Here you are," he said and tossed Friday a video cassette.
"What's on it?" Friday asked innocently.
"Your insurance speech. We found it under the pavement of your parent's house. Quite well hidden, but a bit of an obvious place don't you think?"
"I'm surprised it took you so long to find it. Still, you won't know if it's the only copy or just a decoy I planted. I suspect you think it's just a decoy and was hoping I'd give something away. I've got an IQ of over165 not 16, still it was worth a go." Friday said calmly. She decided to leave it at that.
Friday caught an almost imperceptible smile from Heinlein. She had him by the balls and he knew it, "As you say, it was worth a go. But we won't stop looking, and trust me one day we will find it."
"It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out. By the way I take it Steve's told you about the Washington Post article," Friday decided that it was better not to taunt Heinlein anymore than necessary.
"He did, and what he told you was correct. We've got some people on it already, or that's what I was told. Guild investigations is beyond my clearance levels so I'm afraid I'm just as in the dark as you are. Steve also told me that you'd want to offer you services to help out."
Friday nodded, "That's right sir."
"I'm afraid your request is denied. Your credentials rely on the fact of who you really are. Your identity is worth more than your ability to help root out an isolated splinter group. We couldn't put you into help without revealing who you are. Otherwise people would ask where we found a Guild expert all of a sudden, where previously we had none. So in the short term, it's wait and see," Heinlein explained.
Friday sighed, once again she was being cut out of important information and once again Heinlein had a reasonable explanation for doing so. "I understand sir."
"Good. Glad to hear it. One more thing before we start. Steve, would you mind leaving us for a few moments," Heinlein requested.
Steve glanced across at Friday as if to say 'He's going to ask about us', stood up and left the room.
Once Steve had left the room Heinlein turned to face Friday once more. "Friday, excuse the personal question. But what is the status of your relationship with Agent Grayson?"
Friday wondered what Steve had told him, and decided that being candid was the best course of action, "We're close friends."
"Nothing more?" Heinlein queried. Clearly he didn't believe her answer.
"Why do you ask?"
"Just asking. You spend a lot of time together and I wanted to know if there was anything that could jeopardize either yours or his mission capabilities. For example, if you had the choice between achieving a vital mission or saving his life which would you choose?"
The Bastard! "That's an impossible question."
Heinlein smiled, "Of course it is, but since I'm allowed to ask such questions and demand an answer I'm doing so now."
"If the mission was of such importance that it demanded the sacrifice of Steve or my life I'd do it. I think the Seattle incident proved my motives in that respect," Friday smiled to herself. She'd answered the question without giving Heinlein what he was really looking for in the answer.
Heinlein gave a wry nod of approval, "A clever answer, " he raised his voice again, "Steve you can come back in now."
Steve opened the door and walked back to his seat, he glanced across at Friday as if to say 'Well?"
"Now we've got all the distractions out of the way, onto the real business," Heinlein stated.
'At last!" Friday said under her breath.
If Heinlein heard her, he didn't take any notice. "Firstly well done both of you, on recovering the changeling organ. Friday, that was an exceptional piece of work you did back there. But what you did was foolish and overly dangerous. You have a reputation for cautious action, not harebrained instinctive recklessness. Your action has caused the agency a lot of trouble over the last week and we've had to instigate several clean up actions to ensure that your cover remains intact. So far it's all quiet and is looking good, but in all honesty it's too early to be sure. We could have lost a valuable asset and in future you should consider the long term ramifications of what and how you do things."
Friday simply replied, "I see," she was about to launch into a defense of her actions, but then decided against it. What was the point, Heinlein would simply ignore it.
"Now onto the heart of the matter. We eventually persuaded Daryl to co-operate and he told us that he was tasked with delivering the package to Alexi Ivanov's compound at Serebryany Bor. He didn't know the full details of what he was being asked to smuggle in, only that it was the basis for some biological research Alexi was doing. Naturally, he didn't know that you had already dealt with Alexi only that now the operation was burned."
"Did he expand on why or what Alexi wanted with the changeling organ?" Friday asked.
"Only that he confirmed what Dr Abramovich told us, that it was some kind of gene therapy. We're happy we have the link from Alexi's brand of Russian Mafia to the stolen changeling organ, and that it was indeed from TGen they intended to get it from. That means that we've denied the Russian Mafia from obtaining your particular brand of bio technology," Heinlein expanded.
"So why no champagne?" Friday asked.
"Because we still don't know exactly why Alexi wanted the changeling organ, and that concerns us. It's also this, Steve if you please,"
Steve bent down and retrieved a clear plastic evidence bag and passed it to Friday.
Friday took it and examined its contents, "It looks like a hollow bullet. The tip looks to be some kind of alloy and the clear plastic surround looks as though it should contain some kind of chemical. By the size of it, it looks like it'll fit a heavy caliber NATO rifle."
Heinlein nodded, "That's our guess. The casing is actually designed to split once the round has entered the body, releasing whatever agent is meant to be inside into the bloodstream of the victim. It was found in one of the spare magazines that Daryl was carrying with him."
"What was inside the bullet?" Friday asked.
"Nothing, just air. We think that it was meant to be filled with whatever Alexi was developing. What would be your guess?" Heinlein asked.
Friday thought for a few moments, tapping her fingers against her pursed lips, "As I see it there are three mysteries that combine to make up a larger one. Firstly I know Dr Abramovich he would never agree to develop bio-weapons or poisons, no matter the threats to him or his family. My guess is that Alexi wanted to corner the market in some form of legit gene therapy. Secondly, He couldn't use traditional laboratories because even having a changeling organ would be enough to bring the security services down on him like a ton of bricks, so he'd have to use one in a secure location such as his compound. Thirdly, having access to a changeling organ would allow massive flexibility in his gene therapy products and would probably be worth billions in the pharmaceuticals market. Dr Abramovich would gladly work on something of benefit to mankind, especially if it would vindicate his own disgraced theories."
"So you think that Alexi was using Abramovich to develop cutting edge bio-tech to license to the big drugs companies. That would fit in with what Abramovich told us," Heinlein commented.
Friday shrugged, "As to what could be put inside that fancy bullet? I have no idea, maybe something as simple as cyanide. Maybe Alexi was going to use a by product of Dr Abramovich's gene therapy work as a kind of genetic weapon in a bullet."
"My God, you have it! Heinlein exclaimed. It was the first time Friday had seen him excited.
By now Friday's mind was working at full capacity and power, "It fits! As part of the development of the legitimate drugs, you'd always have a few failures! You'd create some drugs that didn't cure people but had an effect on them similar to that of the bioweapon the Guild used. Instead of replacing a single gene it would scramble the entire DNA strand, it would be a de-sequencer. All Alexi would need to do is find out which one had the desired effect and insert it into these bullets. Fuck! If you were smart enough you could tailor the drug to be specific to a particular gene sequence."
"Meaning what?" Steve asked.
"Meaning you'd have the world's first racist weapon. Every people group on the planet has certain genes which mark them out to be members of that people group. You could shoot... Oh fuck, fuck fuck!" A cold chill ran down Friday's spine..
"What?" Heinlein asked.
"Dr Abramovich's specializes in bacteria, what if you combined the racist genetic de-sequencer with one of his tailored bacteria. You wouldn't tell him that's what it was of course, but the net effect would be that you would have a biological weapon that targeted only a certain people group. If your genetic profile didn't match a certain criteria then you'd die, if it did you'd live."
"The far right and Neo Nazi's would love that!" Steve commented grimly.
"The only comfort we have is that Alexi doesn't have Abramovich or the changeling organ any more. So he can't do any of this," Heinlein commented.
Friday nodded, now she realized the import of the missions she had been on. "Yeah, Mind you I was just speculating in the last bit. More likely Alexi was going to create a new generation of gene therapy and use any 'accidents' in it's development as a poison to fill in those hollow bullets. If the effects were similar to that of the Guild's weapon, the body would dissolve into a protein soup leaving no trace of who it was. It'd be the ideal assassination weapon," Friday placed the bag with bullet in back on the table.
"Good work Friday, we'll pass this..."
Suddenly there was an ear deafening bang, and the ground shook under them. Instinctively Friday launched herself at Steve and Heinlein, covering them as best she could as glass and metal ricocheted around the room. There was a loud crash as part of the ceiling gave way, showering them with debris and pieces of plastic ceiling tile. Seconds later the fire alarm went off, followed by the sprinklers.
The immediate danger over Friday stood up and helped Steve and Heinlein to their feet, "Must have been bomb, a big one," She commented.
"No shit!" Steve remarked, brushing dust and glass from his suit.
Friday surveyed the room. All the windows to her left had been blown out and shattered. Luckily they must have been some way from the blast as there seemed to be no structural damage to the room. Suddenly the floor shook once more, nearly knocking them off their feet. "Must be secondary structural damage."
Heinlein nodded, "Emergency exit's only a couple of doors down."
"You two ok?" Friday breathed.
"I'm fine, we need to evacuate," Heinlein instructed.
Steve tried to open the conference room door, "It's blocked I can't seem to move it."
"Let me try," Friday walked over to the door and tried to shove it open, "No good. What's the door made out of?"
"Just plywood, I think." Steve remarked.
Friday undid her right sleeve and rolled it back, "Heinlein, do I have permission to do what it takes to get us out?"
Heinlein nodded, "So long as you're careful. I'd rather not have the building collapse on me today."
Friday concentrated on her right arm and her fingers merged together to form a sharp, thick cutting blade, similar to that of an axe, "Stand back," She instructed Steve and he then complied.
Her first blow shattered a hole thru the wood of the door and subsequent one's slashed massive rips down it's entire upper half, "Steve, Give me a hand tearing away the wood so we can crawl thru."
Steve nodded and assisted her in creating a hole a couple of feet wide. Changing her arm back to normal she turned and said to Steve, "We'll both give the lower section a kick, after three. One, Two, Three!" Friday launched a flying drop kick at the door and it splintered in all directions leaving a clear gap they could step thru.
"Ladies first," Steve offered.
Friday stepped over of the remains of the door and out into chaos. Like her own office the main structure had remained intact, except for some of the ceiling that had fallen down in front of the door. The door below the emergency exit sign was open and she could hear voices coming from inside the stairs leading down.
Following the evac drill, Friday walked down the stairs and into a queue of people fighting to get down. "Must be blocked further down," Steve commented.
"Either that or they are panicked," Friday observed.
The sound of a gunshot made suddenly rang out, "Federal Agents! Let us Thru," Heinlein had caught them up and had fired his gun up out of the door he'd just walked thru.
Friday hadn't even known he was carrying a firearm, but it figured he would. "Follow me down, we'll get the people out in a proper manner," Heinlein ordered Friday and Steve.
They pushed and barged their way down, with Heinlein flashing his badge at those who protested. The building shook once more, nearly knocking them off their feet and only adding to the sense of panic.
"We need to get these people out of here!" Friday whispered to Steve.
Steve nodded, but kept pushing his way down.
It took five more minutes until they reached the source of the blockage. The stairwell had collapsed, leaving only a small hole in which to crawl thru to reach safety. A few men in suits were trying to open the hole wider but their progress was being hampered by people trying to crawl thru to safety.
"Federal Agents! What's going on" Heinlein demanded.
"We're trying to clear a space, but we're afraid that someone will get crushed if we move any debris when they're trying to get thru."
"Friday, Steve you go on. I'll help out here," Heinlein ordered.
Friday nodded and managed to squeeze thru the hole into bright sunlight.
The whole first and second floors had gone, leaving only the main support pillars intact. The underground parking lot had vanished under tons of rubble, leaving the upper floors only being supported by a few cracked pillars.
The air was thick with dust and smoke, "Holy shit," Steve breathed behind her as he surveyed the carnage.
Friday spotted some overworked paramedics, "Steve, you see if Heinlein needs any help. I'll see if the paramedics need anything," She sprinted over to the paramedics "Need any help?" she asked one of them.
"We've got more teams on the way, but if you know any first aid we could really use you," one replied.
Fuck executive orders, there were people here who would die unless she helped, "I'm a trained surgeon and MD. I've had years working in ER before I came to work here. What can I do?"
The paramedic looked visibly relived, "If you are who you say you are, then you're a miracle. We've been loading who we can into ambulances, but there are a few who will die if they are moved and if they don't get surgery soon. We can spare one guy to help, he's with them offering what help he can, "The paramedic pointed to a row of stretchers about a hundred yards away.
Friday nodded and ran towards the stretchers, A single paramedic was checking the blood pressure and pulse of a young woman in a smart blue business suit, "I'm a doctor, what can I do?" Friday asked.
"This woman's got an internal injury to her lungs, I think one of her ribs has cut into it and the wound hasn't yet stopped bleeding."
"Is she the most serious?" Friday asked.
"She the most serious that will live, the rest..." The paramedic shook his head.
"Show me!" Friday demanded.
"Ok," The paramedic sighed and walked Friday to a middle aged man who was laying unconscious on a stretcher. A large gash in the side of his head was weeping blood.
"Fractured skull?" Friday asked.
The paramedic nodded, "Yeah He's fitted a few times, I've given him what I can to help him, but he's too badly injured to move."
Friday gently felt around the wound, "Hmm Epidural Hematoma. Feels like he's got a huge amount of swelling. That's what's causing the fits. Do you have any kind of surgical equipment?"
"Some, I'll go get them," The paramedic stood up and sprinted off to a waiting ambulance.
Friday carefully and gently felt the man's head some more, she'd only get a single chance to get this right. Wait a minute! The swelling wasn't greatest near the head wound at all, it was just to the rear. It was being masked by the fracture of the skull. She felt around some more until she had the exact spot pinpointed.
"Here we are Doctor?" The paramedic had raced back with the emergency surgical pack from the ambulance.
It felt good being called Doctor again, "The focus of the swelling isn't around the point of the wound, it's here! See! The skull fracture has masked it!" she explained.
"Fuck me, you're right!" the paramedic exclaimed, any doubts about her credentials now well and truly answered.
Friday took a disposable scalpel blade from the kit and made an incision in the man's head, only a small amount of blood spurted out meaning the pressure was under the skull. "Pass me a small hand drill, and as many swabs as you can. This'll get messy."
The paramedic obeyed and passed Friday a small stainless steel drill, "As carefully as she could Friday turned the drill until a large fountain of blood and fluid spurted from the side of the man's head. As quickly as she could she placed a swab over the wound and repeatedly changed them until the bleeding had died down, "Check the patients vitals!" She ordered.
The paramedic did so and breathed a sigh of relief, "Much better. He should last until we can get him to hospital. Thanks Doctor!"
"Ok, back to the woman you first showed me," Friday ordered. She had gone into automatic pilot, born in the pressure cooker of an ER department and one in which she thought she'd never use again.
"The bleeding seems to have stopped on its own," Friday said after listening to the woman breathe. The woman was now fully awake and rasped, "Am I going to be ok?"
Friday nodded, "You have a broken rib and some internal injuries. But you'll be going to the hospital soon and you're looking better than you were."
The woman closed her eyes and visibly relaxed on the stretcher.
"FRIDAY!" She heard Heinlein's voice shout out at her from across the chaos.
Ignoring Heinlein's shout she turned to the paramedic and asked, "Ok who else?"
The paramedic walked Friday to another unconscious woman, scarcely 20 years old. Her black suit was covered in sticky blood and her deathly pallor didn't bode well. "She's got massive internal injuries, according to her co workers half the ceiling fell on her. I'm not sure what you can do," the paramedic said sadly.
"Get more some painkillers, morphine will you?" Friday asked.
The paramedic nodded and ran off to find some.
There was no time to treat her normally, even if she could be treated at all. Friday glanced around and seeing that the coast was clear grew a small hollow talon from her left hand. Checking no one was looking at her she pushed the talon into the woman's arm and let her blood flow into her. Within moments, she had sampled the woman's DNA and it would be only a minute until her changeling organ could reproduce it.
Her plan was to inject the woman with a drug that would alter her DNA slightly, but enough for her to heal her shattered body. As quickly as it had grown she retracted the talon back into her hand once more, just in time for the paramedic to come running back.
"Got anything stronger than this?" She gestured to the bottle the paramedic had just turned up with.
There was a sigh as the paramedic ran off to find something else and she bent down to examine the woman once more.
"FRIDAY, what the fuck are you doing!" Heinlein's voice shouted at her.
She had been concentrating so much she'd not heard him walk up to her.
"Saving lives, now fuck off and leave me to it!" Friday snapped, standing up to go face to face with Heinlein.
"Stand down! You are in direct breach of a Presidential executive order banning you from practicing medicine of any kind!"
"If he minds so much he can come and stop me himself!" Friday snapped and turned around to treat the unconscious woman.
Friday froze as she heard a click of a gun being cocked, and something solid being pressed against the back of her head, "I said, Stand down!"
Friday wondered if he really would pull the trigger. Could she take the chance?
She glanced down at her patient and saw to her despair that the woman's chest had stopped moving. Her trained eye noticed her take that last breath people made as they died, she'd seen it too many times to be mistaken. Tearfully she tuned around to face Heinlein once more.. "You Bastard! I could have saved her! YOU killed her!"
Heinlein put away his gun, glanced at the dead woman and looked back at Friday, his gray eyes boring into her face, "No, Friday, you did!" he replied and walked away.
Fury welled up inside Friday. "Don't turn your back on me you callous bastard!" She shouted.
It was at this moment the Paramedic turned up with some more medical supplies, "Doctor?" he queried.
"Doesn't matter any more. She didn't make it!" Friday said bitterly and stormed after Heinlein.
She caught him within a matter of seconds and grabbed hold of his shoulder, "I said don't turn your back on me you fucking bastard!" she swore at him.
Heinlein paused for a moment and then whirled around and before Friday could even move smashed his fist into her face.
Friday reeled, it felt like she'd been hit in the face with a brick. Blood spurted from her nose and it felt like her cheek had been broken.
"Don't ever talk to me like that again!" he snarled.
"Up yours" Friday snapped back, preparing herself for another sledgehammer blow.
In spite of her readiness she was still too slow to dodge as Heinlein's fist slammed into her jaw, sending her sprawling backwards.
"If this were another time and place I would gut you from your head to your heel. What I did to Matthew Stephens is nothing compared to how I would treat you! Consider this your final warning!" Friday hissed at Heinlein.
For a moment she saw a flicker of fear across his face, "In the light of your behavior you are suspended, pending review for two months. Hopefully it will give you time to consider your actions and your attitudes," Heinlein stated in his official tone. He then turned and walked away.
"Friday don't even think about it!" She felt Steve's hand on her shoulder.
From the corner of her eye, she saw some firemen put another body into a body bag and carry it away. This was too much.
Friday turned to face Steve and buried her head in his chest. "Steve, he stopped me saving that woman. Why?"
"Later, Come on we need to get you home," Steve said returning the embrace and led her by the hand to a waiting car.
Friday just sat numb and dejected in the car on the way back. It had felt so good, so right to be back healing people, saving lives, making a difference and now the burden of loss fell heavy on her shoulders. Heinlein had tried to blame her for letting that woman die, and yet in a way he was right. It wasn't his fault she was banned from practicing medicine. It was hers. Still he could have let it slide for the sake of an innocent's life.
Friday said nothing all the way back to her house. She'd always suspected Heinlein was a heartless bastard, but not that much! She tried to comfort herself by thinking that at least she'd saved one life, but that seemed to make little difference. She knew what Heinlein's reasoning would be. They'd examine the woman and find traces of an unknown chemical in her bloodstream, and that would be that. Just how many lives was a secret worth!
She took the liberty of healing her cheek and nose as she suspected Heinlein's punch had fractured both her nose and cheek. God, could he throw a punch! No doubt a product of some special forces training, she'd not under estimate him again!
Steve knew her better than to try and say anything and Friday was grateful for his insight into her character. As he parked outside of their house she remained in the car for a few moments, until Steve opened the door for her. "Thanks," she whispered.
The first thing she did was head straight for the shower, she needed to wash all the blood and dust off her, and get changed.
As the warm soapy water ran over her body, she could hear Steve's voice on the phone. The fact she could hear it from inside the bathroom meant that he must be shouting at whoever. There could only be one person, Heinlein.
She got out of the shower, dried herself off and headed towards her bedroom to change. She could still hear Steve's raised voice thru the bedroom wall, although the words were indistinct. She changed into her silk panties and bra, it always made her feel better and finally put a pair of jeans and a green T-shirt on. "Fuck em!" she said to herself and concentrated on her face.
She felt her features flow and reform into that of her old face, that of Dr Elizabeth Bexley. She brushed her new auburn hair into some kind of shape and her blue/grey eyes looked back at her in the mirror. She finished brushing her hair and went to find Steve.
Steve was in the living room, still on the phone when Friday walked in. She saw his eyes widen as he noticed her face, "Shit! Heinlein I'll call you back!" he exclaimed down the phone.
"Friday, what the hell are you doing with that face?" Steve hissed.
"It's my face. I can do with it what I like. Its ok no one can see me. It's not as though I'm going to go out on the town with it!" Friday snapped. Not Steve too!
"I've just spent the last hour on the phone to Heinlein talking over what you did. I take it you understood that you're suspended for two months. Sometimes I despair at you, sometimes I really do! I know you were acting with compassion and saving lives is what keeps you going."
Friday sat down on the sofa next to Steve, "Steve, I'm tired of being someone else! I want to be me again. I had no choice but to help those people today. Can't you see that?"
Steve put a hand on her leg, "I do. But there are some things none of us can do any more. When they faked your suicide you left your old life in the grave. Dr Elizabeth Bexley doesn't exist anymore, in spite of who you look like right now. You died nearly three months ago. In her place Lt Friday Carrell of the CIA was born."
Friday blinked back tears, "I know. But I'm not really Friday Carrell am I? You know what else bothers me about today?"
"What?"
"I was ready to rip Heinlein in two for what he did. For a moment I didn't care who saw what I did, I was ready to grow blade arms and decapitate him, just like I did those Russians. For a fleeting moment I thought my fury had returned."
Steve, put a second hand on Friday's lap, "Anyone would have been as mad as hell with him for what he did. It was a natural reaction. But I'm sure you know why he did what he did. Don't worry about it, he'll calm down."
"I guess. Do we know anything more about the bomb, how many casualties?" Friday decided to change the subject. Heinlein and his cold hearted but oh so logical rules could wait until she was better positioned to do anything about it.
"It's too early to tell for sure, but we guess that those maintenance trucks in the underground car lot were packed with C4. At least three of them blew up under the main structural supports, or at least what they thought were them. If they'd have got the right ones, the whole building would have gone. Lucky for us they screwed up. Last figures I heard was nine dead and thirty two wounded, twelve critically."
"Why us?" Friday asked sadly. Nine Dead!
"As you know, we rented space in one of our front company's office blocks. The conference room we normally use was double booked so we had to move. It happens every so often as you know."
"So we were the target!"
Steve nodded, "Seems so. Or rather Heinlein was. That was what we were talking about just now. Langley got confirmation that he was the target an hour or so ago."
"Who targeted him? Friday queried. Who in hell would have the audacity to do something like this on American soil?"
"That we don't yet know, but they called in using a coded phrase that left us in no doubt that he was the target. We do however have a plan to find out who did it," Steve remarked.
"If they were after Heinlein it follows we could be targets too," Friday exclaimed.
Steve nodded, "That's the theory. Well me anyway. They just think you're a teacher who drops by to visit her husband after school sometimes. You're not on any CIA payroll or database so they have no way of knowing any different to what they see. So the plan is, stay here, live the same way as we always do and wait for them to make a move on me."
"Who thought up that dumb plan?" Friday commented. It was clear what they hoped would happen. They hoped she would be on hand to take care of any attempt on Steve's life.
"Heinlein did," Steve admitted.
"Figures. He wants us both killed!"
"Friday, look. In all honesty he's really shaken up by this. Normally he'd just tear you off a strip for what you pulled today. He plans to use your suspension as a way to ensure you aren't off on a mission if and when they come after me."
"So what happens when I'm teaching?" Friday asked.
"During normal working hours, I go off to wherever we're going to use as a base of operations, probably Langley itself, at least for a few weeks anyway. If they try anything it'll be here, anywhere else is too well protected."
Friday shook her head in derision, "And Heinlein berated me about foolhardy plans! I don't buy it Steve, what's really going on?"
"That I really don't know. But our orders are to do as I've just said. At least until we find out more. It's only been three hours since the explosions and that's nowhere near enough time to reach any kind of conclusion. My honest guess is that we'll know by the time your suspension is over. I promised I'd phone Heinlein back, so I guess I'd better get it over with."
"I've got a lesson plan to prepare anyway," Friday said softly.
"Oh and one more thing?" Steve asked.
"Sure!" Friday replied
"Please change your face back to that of Friday. With all due respects to your old self, I much prefer Friday to that one," Steve commented.
"Just for you," Friday gave Steve a wink and stood up, she was famished and needed to eat. At least she had two months to concentrate on her teaching and the sense of humanity of being with those kids gave her something to look forward too.
She went to bed, soon after eight pm. The images she had seen that day wouldn't go away. She connected her headphones to her mini Hi-Fi and tried to drive the images away with music. It failed.
"The winter here's cold, and bitter
it's chilled us to the bone
we haven't seen the sun for weeks
to long too far from home
I feel just like I'm sinking
and I claw for solid ground
I'm pulled down by the undertow
I never thought I could feel so low
oh darkness I feel like letting go
If all of the strength and all of the courage
come and lift me from this place
I know I could love you much better than this"
In her minds eye she saw firemen pulling bodies from the shattered building, Paramedics frantically performing CPR on a woman who'd been partly crushed beneath the rubble. The cries of the injured and dying filled the air and the smell of death mixed with that of burning wood and soot.
"full of grace
full of grace
my love"
She remembered watching helplessly as the life seeped away from the woman she'd tried to save. Why had she died? What was the reason for it all? She thought she used to know, but now those Sunday school classes seemed so long ago and so inadequate.
"So it's better this way, I said
having seen this place before
where everything we said and did
hurts us all the more
its just that we stayed, too long
in the same old sickly skin
I'm pulled down by the undertow
I never thought I could feel so low
oh darkness I feel like letting go
If all of the strength
and all of the courage
come and lift me from this place"
She saw one man calling and crying into the rubble for a missing loved one, his hands were cut to shreds from scrabbling at the concrete and steel, hoping for a sign that they were still alive. She didn't know if he found her or not, only that he was helped away by a paramedic to have a large cut on his head looked at.
"I know I could love you much better than this
full of grace
full of grace
my love"
--- oo ---
The first month passed really slowly. Steve would leave at 7:30am for Langley or wherever it was he went, she would then leave a few minutes later for school, then home again at 5pm and wait for Steve to turn up a couple of hours later.
Although Steve had told her that the CIA would only use her when necessary, being suspended meant that Steve no longer talked about what had gone on, or indeed what was being discovered regarding the bombing. Sure, he was nice enough about it but she felt more isolated than she had been since she'd first moved in with him.
It wasn't Steve's fault, neither was it really Heinlein's it was the system that dictated that as soon as you were out of the loop you stayed out. On the upside she was getting closer to Steve almost everyday, although they had yet to sleep together again. Neither of them was ready for that particular complication.
A week into the second month Steve announced that he was being sent on a mission for the next five weeks or so. Its nature he couldn't tell her, only that it was a reconnaissance mission to survey the people they suspected of carrying out the attack on Heinlein. He had assured her that she was quite safe, and that her cover was intact. As he embraced her to say good bye he whispered to her that he loved her, in response Friday's kiss told him that maybe she felt the same.
19. The Wages Of Sin...
Steve had been away for nearly a month and every day Friday wondered how he was doing and indeed if he would be coming back. She'd just got back from school, where her favorite class had finally managed to get to grips with genetic heritance. As she opened the door she almost trod on a white envelope. She casually picked it up and turned it over to see who it was for. On reading the name on the front she dropped her bags in shock.
It was addressed to Dr Elizabeth Bexley...
--- oo ---
As quickly as she could, she kicked her bags inside with her foot and closed the door behind her. She read the front of the envelope again; just to be sure she hadn't misread it.
She went to open it, and then considered if she should. The correct thing to do would be to call Heinlein and see what he said to do, but what if this was nothing to do with him? Besides, she was still pissed at him over his handling of her helping out the casualties of the bombing. If this was a legitimate letter to her then Heinlein or those under him had fucked up big time. To tell him or even Steve would leave her fate in their hands, something she was not prepared to let happen at all! She decided to open the letter first and then act based on what it said.
Carefully she opened the letter at arms length and pulled out a single typed sheet. Bringing it closer to her she read it out loud.
"Dr Bexley.
You should not be surprised that we know your identity or where you live. We have been observing you for some time. Do not notify your superiors of this communication or those close to you will surely die.
I will be in the restaurant, at the Hilton, Embassy row at eight pm tonight. You will recognize me, by the fact I will have a single red rose at your place at the table. Ensure you come alone. Any attempt to deviate from these instructions will result in the deaths of all those you hold dear."
"Oh shit!" She breathed. All she held dear? Just who did that mean Steve, the kids at school or even Matthew, Kat and Cathline? The letter gave no clues as to who they were and that their intentions were. Clearly they wanted something from her.
Again, she was torn between going it alone and telling Heinlein. But the letter was explicit in its instructions and she didn't trust Heinlein not to screw it up as he had obviously done in so many things, including keeping her identity a secret. So she decided she would go in alone and take it from there.
As the hours dragged by, she must have read the letter a hundred times. People had died to protect who she really was and Heinlein was adamant her cover was secure. So, how in hell had those people found her and more to the point what did they want from her?
She decided to put on her little black dress Steve had bought her, just before he'd left. As she put on her black pantyhose she wondered if they had captured Steve and had somehow tortured the information out of him. If that was the case, then she would do whatever she could to save his life and screw the consequences.
The cab arrived at seven twenty and she arrived at the Hilton with five minutes to spare. She couldn't help but glance around at the guests checking in and sitting in the lounge area. None of them looked threatening or were doing anything unusual. She walked into the restaurant and glanced round, out the corner of her eye she spotted a red rose on a table furthest away from door. Immediately her eyes focused on the single occupant of the table. It was a man of Arab origin, his black hair combed back into a western style. His dark, almost black eyes glanced up at her and nearly bored right into her soul. He gave a smile, flashing white teeth and then still smiling gave a single fingered salute.
Friday's blood ran cold. Only one organization used that particular signal, the Guild!
Friday grimly returned the salute, not out of respect but of recognition. What the Fuck were the Guild doing here! Kismet wouldn't need to threaten her to get her to come, that left only one alternative. The Guild Splinter group she'd read about!
As casually as she could she walked over to the table and sat down.
"Welcome Friday Carrell or should that be someone else?" the man's thick Arab accent stated menacingly.
"Tell me what you want!" Friday hissed!
"Business in a while. I took the liberty of ordering you a drink and some food. Dry Martini isn't it? And I think you'll find the Sushi platter here better than that of the place you took your new boyfriend," The man's face was a mask of emotionless fact. He gave nothing away.
"I'm impressed. So what does the splinter group you work for want of me?" Friday demanded.
"Have you noticed the positioning of the table?" The Guild agent asked.
"My back is towards the door, but I have a clear view of the private tables in the corner," What in hell was he driving at?
"As it should be. We'll talk business in a moment. Tell me, how is your boyfriend at the moment?"
Friday's heart sank, so they DID have Steve, "He's fine. I'll give him your regards when I get back."
"That's good to hear. I'm pleased you found love again. It must be hard to lose a loved one," the Guild Agent's voice was silky smooth.
"Stop jerking me around and get to the point!" Friday snapped.
The Guild agent looked over Friday's shoulder towards the door, We'll be able to start in a very few moments, just as soon as our new guests have taken their seats."
Friday twisted round to see who had just arrived and on seeing them she could help but breathe "Oh Fuck!"
Friday eye's followed the pregnant woman with the long black hair, her blonde haired husband and another woman, tall, impossibly beautiful in spite of her single black eye patch.
"It must be nice to see your old friends doing so well. Let me get this right. The pregnant Arabic woman is Jane Stephens, also known at 'Kat'. The man now pulling out a chair for her to sit on is her husband, Matthew Stephens, but then you know all about him don't you! Lastly the tall woman with the eyepatch is Rachel Martin, former ultra model and a former lover of yours I believe."
Friday couldn't speak. She was overcome with fear and emotion. Her being invited her when they were at the same hotel was no accident. She wanted desperately to do something, make a scene to alert them to the danger they were obviously in but nothing she could think of would prevent them from being killed as soon as she made her move. As much as it pained her to do so, her only option was to wait for her opportunity.
A waiter walked past them and offered Kat a glass of water, which she then took and sipped before putting it on the table.
"Now we can do business," the Guild agent said casually.
"You leave them out of it! They've done nothing to you!" Friday snapped.
"Haven't they? The woman over there, Kat she helped you destroy us a few months ago. The man also was involved and as for Rachel Martin, she was given to my Father Osman, as a personal gift. They are all involved."
Friday's mind raced, "You're Osman's son?" Osman had been Hassan's brutal and perverse second in command and had been killed by Kat in a struggle for their freedom. So that was the motive for this meeting, revenge.
"Before we start, let's just ensure that you don't go doing anything stupid or foolhardy. We know that the baby Jane Stephens carries inside her is in reality your daughter, now of course she doesn't know that; but we have our sources which revealed the truth to us."
Friday tried to mask the look of horror and despair she felt creep thru her flesh like ice water.
The Guild agent smiled, "I see our information was correct.
Dissolved in the water she has just drunk was a very special poison. It will lay dormant and quite undetectable in her bloodstream until she feels the pains of childbirth. If an antidote is not administered before then, then the baby, your daughter will die as it emerges from her womb."
"Bastard!" Friday swore. Grief and fury merged into one feeling of utter helplessness. She wished the ground would open up and take her away from this nightmare.
"We are not animals, so if you help us out in a few, shall we say loose ends, then the antidote will be administered to her before the due date and the baby will live a full and happy life. Of course any deviation from the tasks we set you, or any attempt to notify your superiors or indeed your old friends will alas, result in us forgetting to give her the antidote. So what do you say will you work with us, or will you mourn the loss of your daughter in four months time?
Friday looked the Guild agent right in the eyes and summoning all her anger, fury and contempt threatened, "I want to say, that I will enjoy killing you personally and slowly. Imagine the worst pain you can possibly imagine and then multiplying it a thousand fold. I will make you scream in terror every minute of every day I choose to keep you alive. If my daughter dies then hell and perdition will be a welcome relief from the torture I will inflict on you and all those involved in this scheme of yours."
The Guild agent didn't even flinch at her threat; all he wanted was an answer to his question. She thought about Heinlein's actions and attitudes to her and the way he had treated her over the past few months. She didn't owe him anything! The decision was easy to make, not only because of the threat to her daughter, but because it was a way of getting back at Heinlein for all the shit he'd caused her. It was clear now that he couldn't protect her, neither could Steve. That left only one option, once again she would have to rely on her own resources. A smile almost escaped from her mouth. They didn't stand a chance! She paused for a few moments and then added, "In the meantime I have no choice. I'll do what you want."
To Be Continued Week commencing 01/26/04
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