TITLE: Cat's in the Cradle
AUTHOR: Jennifoofighter
RATING: R
KEYWORDS: MS, Martin Angst/Torture
SPOILERS/TIMELINE: Everything up until 'Endgame' & Viv's fine.
ARCHIVE: It can be found here or at DestinedTo.
DISCLAIMER: Hank and Co. own everything Without a Trace. No copyright infringement is intended, ...yada, yada, yada, I get nothing but the satisfaction of having them do what I want if only for a little while.
SPECIAL NOTE: The title and lyrics are from Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle."
SUMMARY: Someone believes the time has come for the son to pay for the sins of the father…
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Chapter 1
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Victor Fitzgerald walked determinedly down the hall of the Hoover Building after what felt like one of the longest days of his life. The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation had announced his retirement and recommended to the president that he take over the position. Since then the last three weeks had been a strenuous vetting process. He had nothing but luncheons, committee reviews and general political schmoozing every day. It didn't bother him though, it was the position he had wanted for years and now it was within his reach.
Life was good.
He walked into the lobby outside his office and found his secretary Margaret standing by her desk waiting for him. She had short brown hair and a motherly smile. "Deputy Director, I hope your review went well."
Victor stopped and replied, "I think it went very well."
"That's wonderful," Margaret replied smiling broadly. She was in her forties and been his secretary for almost ten years. She was the most capable assistant Victor had ever had and he fully intended to promote her with him. "I have your messages if you're ready."
"Great, read them to me," he instructed as he walked into his office and put his briefcase on his desk.
"Mrs. Fitzgerald called to remind you that she will meet you at Senator Campbell's house tonight for dinner. The Director's office called to confirm a meeting tomorrow afternoon and drinks at the club afterwards." Margaret scrolled down her notepad and continued, "Assistant Director Peterson would like some of your time tomorrow morning to review some cases and finally, the President has requested that you join him, the Director and Congressman Whitehurst for lunch Friday."
Victor's lips threatened to twitch into a smile but he stifled it and replied, "Margaret, please call the President's office and let them know that would be great. I'll be there. As for the rest, put them on my calendar, they should be fine."
"Very good." Margaret dismissed herself and walked out of his office closing the door behind him.
Victor sat down in his chair and gave a self-satisfied sigh. Lunch with the president was a very good sign. He stared out his window for a few seconds mentally saying, 'F.B.I. Director Victor Fitzgerald' in his head a couple of times before deciding to stop daydreaming and get back to work. He swung his chair around and clicked on his monitor so he could check his email.
He scrolled down though his emails looking for any that demanded immediate attention when he spotted one from his only son, Martin. The subject line simply read: URGENT
Curious, Victor clicked on the email. It opened up to a blank screen but there was an attachment. He clicked the paperclip icon and waited with bated breath to see why Martin would send him such a cryptic email rather than just pick up the phone and call him like he normally did.
The attachment was a video clip and while the screen was black a tune that Victor sort of recognized began to play.
My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
A baby picture of Martin appeared on the screen, big blue eyes and a gummy smile looked back at him. He knew the picture well; it was framed in sterling silver and sat on the grand piano at home.
He was talking 'fore I knew it
And as he grew he said,
'I'm gonna be like you, Dad,
You know I'm gonna be like you.'
Another picture of Martin with a dimpled grin as he sat behind a birthday cake that had a big candle shaped like a number '5' on it.
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man 'n the moon
'When you coming home dad?'
'I don't know when. We'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then.'
Martin standing on a pier at Quechee Lake in Vermont; his hair is dripping wet and he is wrapped in a big beach towel looking like he is shivering. He has a wide smile and his two front teeth are missing.
Well, my son turned ten just the other day.
He said, 'Thanks for the ball, Dad. Come on, let's play.
Could you teach me to throw?'
I said, 'Not today. I got a lot to do.'
He said, 'That's okay.' And he walked away but his smile never did that said,
'I'm gonna be like him, yeah.
You know I'm gonna be like him.'
An enthusiastic Martin being carried on the shoulders of his little league teammates; the image was a newspaper clipping from a sports section with the caption reading, "Georgetown Pirates Win World Series."
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man 'n the moon
'When you coming home dad?'
'I don't know when but we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then.'
Martin sometime during his college years; he is holding a backpack and Mount Rushmore is in the background. That was the summer he went backpacking across the country with a couple of his frat brothers.
Well, he came from college just the other day,
So much like a man I just had to say,
'Son, I'm proud of you. Can you sit for a while?'
He shook his head and he said with a smile,
'What I'd really like Dad, is to borrow the car keys.
See you later. Can I have them please?'
Next, was a photograph of Martin's graduation from Quantico. He is accepting his badge but his expression is very somber and Victor remembered that they had gotten into an argument just moments before the photo was taken.
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man 'n the moon
'When you comin' home, son?'
'I don't know when but we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then.'
The front page of a newspaper with a headline titled "FBI Agent Witnesses Kidnapping". Alongside the article were grainy black and white pictures of Brian Stone and Mike Gerard. That was Martin's case.
I've long since retired, my son's moved away.
I called him up just the other day.
I said 'I'd like to see you, if you don't mind.'
He said, 'I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time.
You see my new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu,
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad.
It's been sure nice talking to you.'
The song continued playing but the screen went black before showing another more current picture of Martin. He is walking out of the bureau building in New York and by the looks of the photo it was taken without his knowledge using a telephoto lens. The image transitioned to a close up before becoming digitally altered so that it looked like Martin's skin was melting off exposing his skull.
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me,
He'd grown up just like me.
My boy was just like me.
Victor grabbed the phone, dialed his son's cell and it went straight to voicemail. He tried Martin's desk at work and his home number to only get the same thing. He slammed the phone down before quickly picking it up and calling someone he knew could give him an immediate answer.
"Malone."
"Jack, I need to know where Martin is right now." Victor demanded, his voice cracking with fear as the song continued to play in the background...
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man 'n the moon
'When you coming home, son?'
'I don't know when but we'll get together then, dad.
We're gonna have a good time then.'