The man's back was turned but there was no mistaking him. The neatly combed and gelled hair, the rigid posture and pressed suit with polished shoes. Agent Townsend. Or should he say dad. Zach considered turning around. He didn't want to listen to some coldhearted spy make excuses. He had the sudden urge to laugh. Isn't that what he was? Wasn't Zach Goode a coldhearted spy? No assassin. The dark thought was always there humming in the background. But he shook it off. He wasn't. Not any more. He kept walking. For some reason his feet didn't seem to be turning around. It was to late anyways.

"Hey Zach." Townsend sounded different, heavier. "Your eloquence is astounding," he muttered after silence from Zach.

"Yeah?" he somehow found the courage to say, "I don't have to tell you anything."

Townsends head dropped just a little more and the unknown tone in his voice became obvious. Agent Townsend was defeated.

"What was it? You and Abby get in a fight?"

"Wha-" he said sounding half strangled, "No"

Anger started to build in Zach's chest. Who was Townsend to be moody? That was his sons job. And just because he never had to be around to see it doesn't mean he gets to dump all his crap on him, his son. "Well then what is it? Cuz' I'm done Townsend. I'm done with the games and the lies. I'm done being the person that no one wants and no one having the guts to just tell me. I'm done." The words surprised him but not so much as the shakiness in his voice "I'm done dad" he said this time in a softer voice. "And don't tell me that everything I said is a lie, that someone in this damn world cares about me. Don't tell me you do."

"Zach" he started his normally sharp blue eyes watering, "I-" but he didn't seem to be able to go on. As Zach turned away Townsend's eyes just seconds ago weak, hardened with resolution. "I don't know you." He managed. Zach turned to him eyebrows raised critically, go on he seemed to be saying. "I don't know you," Townsend continued "I've tried to apologize. I've racked my brains for a way to make it up to you, but I can't. You had a shit childhood. A shit childhood I could have prevented but I'm glad I didn't."

"Your glad you didn't," Zach said in a dangerously calm tone. And then he burst; his voice had never been this loud. "I made bad decisions, I didn't have any friends I watched people get murdered. And your saying it was a good thing?" He laughed in disbelief, "When I was five Catherine took me to the fair. I was so excited, time with my mom and going to a place that doesn't have guns stacked on the table and heads of dead victims on the wall. Bu
t when we got there she kept telling me to shut up, to pretend to watch the trapeze artists like a good little boy. To eat my corn dog like a normal little boy. But I wasn't normal because ten minutes later my mom is rushing through the crowd and into a hidden corner and she's grabbing this woman and throttling her. The woman had the most beautiful eyes," tears pooled in his eyes and he bit so hard on his lip that it started to bleed. "They were purple," he whispered, voice cracking. " So I don't care what you say Townsend" his voice rose " But you did not do me any favors keeping me there."

He didn't wait for the apology or the rebuttal. What Townsend would have said Zach didn't know. He stormed away. He pretended not to hear Townsend desperate cries to the wind. "You need to know Zach! People love you. Cammie loves you."

It was only hours later, lying awake next to his dirty-blond haired girlfriend that he realized

I know.