General Braddock is constantly mentions in the Flashpoint series since Season 1, but strangely never makes his appearance. I am curious, which actor they would pick to portray his character. Maybe he'll appear in this coming last season. God, I hope so!

So now, here's a fic featuring these two Braddocks. Frankly speaking, I think this one is very challenging to me. I do the best I can in getting the issues and facts straight. If there are mistakes, I apologize beforehand. Any errors are purely unintentional.

SUMMARY: The lie General Braddock tells his son comes with dire consequences.


"Hell, no. No way," Sam muttered in disbelief. His steps faltered as he stared at the large SUV parked by the entrance to the SRU headquarters. The tinted vehicle was completely black, the only color came from the pennant bearing a military emblem flapping on its hood. An outrider each stood sentry at its front and behind.

"What's wrong, Sam?" asked Raf, puzzled to see his teammate's odd reaction at the sight of the military cavalcade. Instead of answering, Sam shook his head and resumed his walk, his steps a lot faster and edgier. He yanked at his gloves with agitated moves and quickly disappeared into the building, leaving his teammates behind.

"What the—?" Dumbfounded, Raf looked at the others. "Was it something I said?"

Chuckling, Parker clapped the young man on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Raf. It wasn't you."

"This could only mean one thing. The General is here," Ed supplied, admiring the high-powered motorbikes escorting the vehicle.

"The General? You mean…"

"Yep. Daddy Braddock is in the house," Spike commented with a grin. "This should be very interesting."

Jules looked concerned. "What do you think he wants with Sam?"

"I think we know why," Ed wryly remarked, arching an eyebrow.

Parker emitted a rueful smile. "The General still insists that Sam leave SRU, huh? We had better go in there and referee. If those two military hardheads start to clash, they might cause some casualties. "

It was a cold October evening. The day had already turned dark when Team One finally managed to resolve a three hours standoff in a legal office downtown. A hostage had gotten badly injured by the time the subject was fully contained.

It was a tough and lengthy takedown, so no wonder that the team's nerves were a little frayed around the edges. Much more so for Sam, who in his sierra position had not been able to get the solution shot he needed. Edgy and panicking, the hostage had taken matters into her own hands by wrestling the gun from the subject. Unluckily, the gun had gone off and hit her in the shoulder. Even though no one died, Sam just couldn't stop beating himself over it.

So, yeah. Sam was pissed. And his mood would not be getting any better with his father suddenly dropping by at the HQ. Braddock senior should prepare himself because his son looked like he was spoiling for a fight.

The moment Winnie saw him came in, she said, "Sam, your father—"

"I know. Where is he?" he curtly asked.

"In the briefing room."

Without breaking strides, Sam briskly headed towards where she had indicated. A tall, distinguished man was standing at the glass window, checking on the view outside. He turned when Sam entered, a small smile blossoming on an otherwise harsh and rough countenance.

"What are you doing here?" asked Sam, a little abrupt.

"Wow. That's a nice way to say hi."

Sam matched his father's direct gaze. "Sorry, sir. But you could've called."

"Why, don't I get to see you in your work place?" General Braddock inclined his head when he said this.

"I mean, you could've told me you were coming."

"Would your reception be any warmer than this if I did?"

"Sir—"

"Look, I'm here because I have something to tell you."

"What, you can't tell me by phone?"

His father shook his head, slightly exasperated. "Sammy, there's certain news that need to be told face to face."

Sam frowned. "What do you mean?"

General Braddock gazed at his son for a long moment, and was about to speak when something behind Sam caught his attention. He broke into smiles. "Ah, Sergeant Parker. Finally I got the honor to meet you."

Also smiling, Greg extended his hand for a shake. "A pleasure meeting you too, sir."

The General then greeted the rest of Team One. "And you must be Ed, the TL. The other bald guy. Sam tells me a lot about you."

Rolling his eyes, Sam muttered, "Great, here we go. Embarrass me, why don't you."

Ed chuckled. "Only the good things, I hope."

"Trust me, Ed. Sam holds you in high regards." The General shook hands with Spike next. "Hey there, Spike. I guess they call you that not because of your hair, but due to the sharpness of your brilliant brain."

This caused the team's computer wizard to grin. "I like you already, sir."

"And Raf, we sure need someone with your tough built in the field. What do you say?"

Laughing, Raf pumped the older man's fist. "Yeah, that could be the day."

Lastly the General turned to Jules, his face softening. "And you are none other than Jules, the sexy sniper chick. I can see why my son falls hard for you. Will you shoot me if I kiss your hand?"

"Oh, my god!" Sam exclaimed, his face reddening. "Dad, you've had enough fun embarrassing me? Come on, let's go talk."

"Butt off, Sam," Jules said, grinning as the Braddock senior pulled her hand to his lips. "See, we are good acquaintances already."

Sam could only watch in dismay as his teammates continued to converse cheerfully with his father. And when the General started to ruminate about his son's previous girlfriends, Sam decided it was time he threw a wet blanket on the entire happy bunch.

"Enough of that," Sam snapped. "General, come with me."

Giving the team a droll look, Braddock senior followed his son out of the briefing room and into a much smaller interview room down the hallway. Sam shut the door with a loud bang, enough to rattle the windowpanes.

Ed whistled, "Phew. If only I were a fly on the wall in that room right now."

"We have a camera in there," said Spike, innocently. "If you want, I can…"

"It was just a figure of speech, Spike," Parker laughed. "We should let the two Braddocks settle whatever issues they're having right now in privacy. As for us, the job's not over yet. Debrief in ten minutes."

They all groaned at that, and quickly rushed away for a quick change or some refreshments. Parker lingered behind, staring at the door of the interview room.

Ed had also paused. "Boss, what's wrong?"

"The General," Parker commented, frowning. "Something is off."

"What are you saying?"

Shrugging, the Sergeant then shook his head. "Maybe it's nothing. But I thought I saw fear in his eyes when he looked at Sam."

"The General? Fear?" Ed looked doubtful. "This is General Badass we're talking about, Greg."

"Like I said, maybe it's nothing," said Parker, giving the team leader's shoulder a pat. "Okay, let's go. Debrief from hell is about to start. Perhaps Sam can later join us when the furnace is at full blast!"


"Alright. Now start telling me whatever it is that you came here to say," Sam demanded as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.

His father indicated the table and two chairs between them. "I think you should sit down."

"Dad, I don't—"

"Sit down, Sammy," was the General's quiet yet terse order.

Pursing his lips, Sam scowled but did as he was told. "Fine. I'm sitting down. So what is it?"

After a brief hesitation, Braddock senior asked, "Have you talked to your Mom lately?"

Sam frowned, not expecting that. "Well, yeah. She called me just a few nights ago. Why?"

"And, Nat? Did you talk to your sister?"

"No, not since last week, after I sent her to the airport for her ten-day trip to Paris. Why all the questions? Is everything okay?"

When his father just stared at him, indecisively, Sam instantly knew something was wrong. "What is it, Dad? What's going on?"

The General let out a heavy breath, and said, "It's your mother."

"What's wrong with Mom?" Sam was quick to ask, "Is she alright?"

"Your Mom's in the hospital, Sam. She has a stroke."

Sam stared at his father without blinking. "What?"

"She suffers a stroke," Braddock senior repeated, pulling his gaze away from the shocking dread in his son's eyes.

"Wh…when?"

"Yesterday morning."

"Yesterday? How? I mean, she…she was fine when I talked to her that day, and…and…" Sam stammered, shaking his head in disbelief. He gave his father an accusing look. "Why didn't you tell me much sooner? You could have called me!"

"Get ahold of yourself. Shouting at me is not going to make things any better."

Contrite, Sam lowered his gaze. "Sorry, sir. So how is she now?"

"She is stabled, under close observation. But things could have gone a lot worse."

Swallowing hard, Sam nodded. "I want to go and see her."

"Of course. That's why I'm here, to collect you."

Sam looked gratefully at his father through misty eyes. "Thank you for telling me this personally."

"It's the least I could do, son," Braddock senior responded, patting the younger man's shoulder. "I know how it is to receive unfavorable news by phone. I just want to save you from the displeasure."

"Well, thanks again." Rising to his feet, Sam added, "I had better inform my team."

"Yes, you should."

Together they walked out of the room. By then, Team One had already reconvened in the briefing room. Their teammate's subdued expression caused them all to rise in concern.

"What's wrong, Sam?" Jules asked, resisting the urge to reach and give him a consoling hug. She could see that something had upset him greatly.

"It's my Mom," replied Sam, before telling them what had happened to his mother.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," said Parker, squeezing the General's arm. "How's she doing now?"

"She's responsive. The staffs at the National Defense Medical Centre are highly capable. My wife has the best of care." Braddock senior then draped an arm around his son's shoulder, adding, "I'm taking Sam back with me, if that's alright with you."

"Yeah, sure. No problem."

"That's what I'm here to tell you, Sarge," Sam said, "I'm applying for leave. But if you want me to sit for debrief, I can—"

"Sam," Parker interrupted, smiling kindly. "Don't worry about the paperwork. I'll take care of it. You have a family emergency, so…Just go with your Dad."

"Thanks, Boss." Sam nodded gratefully. To his father, he said, "I…uh…I'll go get my things. I won't be long."

"I'll be right here, son."

While waiting for Sam to return from the locker room, the team made easy talks with the General to lighten up the dismal mood.

"So, you're based in Ottawa now?" asked Ed.

"At the National Defense HQ, yes," confirmed Braddock senior, "Stuck behind the desk, counting days until my retirement."

"Missing the actions much, sir?" Spike teased.

"Tell me about it." He shrugged, "Who knows, instead of Sam rejoining military, I might enlist into SRU!"

"Two Braddocks in one team?" Parker shook his head in mock horror. "Maybe I need to retire."

When Sam returned minutes later, he had gathered his full composure, though he still looked anxious. "Okay, I'm ready."

"Right, let's go." Nodding at the team in farewell, the General headed towards the elevator.

Lingering behind, Sam shrugged sheepishly. "Feels like a four-year-old being picked up by his Dad from daycare center."

Chuckling, Ed patted his back. "Go see your Mom, Samo."

Sharing a last tender gaze with Jules, Sam moved and went after his father.

Even when the rest of Team One had settled back in their seats, Sergeant Parker continued to stare at the empty spots where the Braddocks had been standing.

"Boss?" Jules asked, "Is something the matter?"

"Huh?" He quickly whirled around, startled. "What?"

"Something's bothering you, Greg? Is this still about the General?" This came from Ed.

Frowning a bit, Parker took some moments to answer. "I can't shake the feeling that he is…I don't know, hiding something."

"Why do you say that?" Spike asked, exchanging baffled looks with Raf.

Parker was about to explain more, but then changed his mind. "Ah, forget it. Maybe I'm seeing too much into things."

He clapped his hands once and said out loud, "Okay, let's start post-mortem. Who's gonna go first?"


"You're very quiet."

Sam was pulled out of his reverie by his father's soft remark. Glancing at the older man, he scoffed half-heartedly. "That's understandable, isn't it? I'm very worried about Mom."

"She's gonna be fine."

"I have to see it to believe it," Sam said, turning to look out the window once more.

"We'll get there within four hours."

"Can't you make this fancy cavalcade of yours move any faster?"

"I'm a military General, Sammy, not the Queen of England," his father retorted. "This is faster than is allowed to. A speeding ticket is the last thing I need right now."

Rolling his eyes, Sam resisted from responding in kind. Sometimes his father could be a real pain in the—

His cellphone buzzed suddenly. Thinking the call was from his team, Sam quickly fished it out of his jacket pocket. He was astonished to see the caller ID. "Mom?"

Beside him, his father stirred in surprise. "Your Mom calls?"

"Yeah." Pressing the talk button, Sam spoke in a rush, "Mom, is that really you? How are you doing?"

"Why, sweetheart, I'm doing great."

"You're sure? Aren't you in the hospital?"

Sam could hear his mother's heavy sigh coming through the line. "He told you? I've reminded the General not to say anything to you about this."

At once, all kind of bells rang in Sam's head. "Tell me what, Mom?"

"That I fell down the stairs and broke my leg," she explained in a huff. "If it's up to me, I don't even want to spend my time here in the hospital, but I need to have a cast on. And at my age they are afraid I might have other complications. Go figure."

As his mother rattled on, Sam slowly turned towards the General. His father was staring back at him with a peculiar look on his face.

"So, Mom, you didn't get a stroke."

"Stroke? Whoever gave you that idea?"

His eyes drawing to a slit, Sam glared at his father as he replied through gritted teeth, "Sorry, Mom. My mistake. Anyhow, I'm on my way to visit you. Be there in a few hours."

"You're on your way here? Sammy, you don't have to. This is why I don't want to tell you. I hate to make you worry."

"It's alright, Mom. I'll be there."

"Oh, okay then. Actually I'm calling just to ask how you're doing. But now you're coming, I just can't wait to see you."

"Can't wait to see you too. Love you, Mom."

"I love you more, dear."

Sam rang off and immediately exploded, "Dad, what the f—"

"Careful, Sam."

"Don't use that tone with me," Sam fumed. "You lied, boldly to my face. What the hell?"

"I have reasons for doing this."

"By kidnapping me?"

"You can't call this kidnapping. I'm your father. Besides, you came with me at your own free will!"

"Under false pretenses. You duped me!"

"Would you agree to come if I had told you the truth?"

"You know I can't just drop everything and leave my unit at whim, sir. I'm on the job."

"Right. Your job is more important than your Mom," was the General's snarky remark.

"Don't you dare twist my words and pin this on me!" Sam shouted back, "What you did was wrong and you know it!"

"Yes, I know." His father sighed, looking slightly penitent. "But I like I said, I have my reasons."

"I don't care to know." Leaning forward, Sam told the driver, "Stop the car!"

Braddock senior sent him an exasperated look. "You can't give orders to my staff."

"Fine." Unbuckling his seatbelt, Sam grabbed for the door handle. "I can drop myself out."

"Wait!" His father quickly yanked him back, knowing that Sam seriously meant it, that he would jump off the moving vehicle. He was that stubborn. "Hold on, kid. I can explain."

Sam was about to tell his father to stuff it where the sun won't shine, but then he noticed the look of real fear that he had never seen before in the General's eyes. "Tell me what's going on, Dad. And no lies this time."

Sighing heavily, Braddock senior leaned back against the seat. "Yes, I lied to you. But I did it for your own safety."

"My safety? What the heck you're talking about?"

"You're in danger, Sammy. Your life is under threat."

For a few moments Sam could only stare at his father, before he burst out laughing. "Dad, I'm an SRU officer. I'm no stranger to danger. My job puts my life on the line all the time. You should know that by now."

"I know that!" his father retorted. "But there are some people out there coming after you. Not even your team can protect you now."

"You're being ridiculous," Sam muttered, folding his arms with sullen air.

"And you're being so damned belligerent!"

"I've been lied to. What's your excuse?"

At a loss for better words, the General just gazed at his son.

Seconds past. Finally, swallowing hard, he decided that it was time to speak up. A can of worms that had been kept secret for five years would have to be ripped open. "Listen, what I'm about to tell you will cause you to hate me."

Sam blinked, shaking his head. "I would never hate you, sir."

"You might change your mind after hearing this."

Giving his father his full attention, Sam urged, "Go on. Tell me."

"It's Matt. He's alive."

That threw him off completely. "Who?"

"Matthew Walsh," Braddock senior said. "As in, your best friend Matt."

Silence reigned as Sam sat there like a statue, gaping at his father, his whole world tilting on its axis. "What did you say? Matt…my Matt? He's not dead?"

"Matt lives. He didn't die in Kandahar."

There. It was said. The secret was out. And it was time to face the ugly song.

All kinds of scenario was swirling in Sam's mind that he felt ill. Groaning, he hugged his belly, willing himself not to throw up.

My God. Another lie, he thought in dismay.

"Sam…"

"I killed Matt," Sam muttered. "I shot him from two kilometers away."

"It was not him that you shot."

"I saw his body, what was left of it."

"It was not his body that you saw," said the General. "That body was terribly disfigured by the .50 cal. It served the purpose. "

"Purpose? Pray tell me, what purpose?" Sam asked with a moan, his head in his hands.

"To stage Matt's death," explained the General. "Matt's tags were placed on the dead body, and their DNAs were then switched, so no one the wiser."

"Under whose orders?"

When his father didn't immediately answer, Sam looked up and barked, "I asked, whose orders, goddammit!"

"Mine."

Sam's bloodshot eyes were wide with incredulity. "You deliberately made me believe that I killed my own best friend? Why?"

"Because—"

With no warning, shots rang out and their vehicle was violently rammed from behind. Tires screeched as the SUV swerved out of control. It flew off the road at high speed before crashing nose first into a ditch, killing the driver on impact.

Without the restriction of a seatbelt, Sam was thrown about like a rag doll. After it was over, he found himself lying snug on the floor at the General's feet. His head hurt like a bitch but there wasn't time to complain. He instinctively went to grab for his sidearm, only to remember that he had left all his weapons back at the HQ. He was completely unarmed.

But his father was packing heat. The General pointed his Sig Sauer out the broken window and started to return fire. As he pulled himself upright, Sam demanded, "Give me the gun!"

Braddock senior shoved him back. "Forget it. Get down!"

"Me? You get down!"

"Stop arguing with me!" the General shouted, throwing himself bodily on top of his struggling son before he continued shooting at their adversary. And then he just stopped shooting. In fact, he had entirely ceased moving, lying slumped over Sam.

Pinned underneath, Sam found it hard to breath. Pushing and shoving, he cried out for the General in sudden fear, "Dad? Dad, answer me!"

Finally free, Sam hurriedly inspected his father. To his horror, there was a bleeding wound on the older man's temple. His father had been shot in the head.

"No…no, no, no…You can't be dead," Sam muttered, close to breaking apart. With a huge feat of effort, he pulled himself together and made a grab for the gun in his father's lax grip. But by then their attackers, consisted of four dark-clad men, had surrounded the SUV, pointing their weapons and screaming at him not to move.

Stubborn to the core of his being, Sam raised his father's Sig Sauer at them and fired, hitting one of them in the chest. Before the others could shoot back though, the tallest of the men shouted, "Don't kill him! We need him alive!"

And so Sam pointed at him next, which proved a grave mistake. Another man had sneaked through the other door behind him. Whirling around, Saw was in time to see the butt of a gun slicing the air towards his head.

Then everything just turned painful black.

TBC...