Title: Raising the Stakes
Warnings: past minor character death, vague reference to torture, a bit of violence, and some angst
Disclaimer: I don't own them. I just like to play with them.
Summary: Frank gets an unexpected wake-up call.
Notes: All mistakes are mine. Feel free to let me know if you see any. As always feedback is appreciated.
Frank woke to the sound of a gun cocking against his temple. So after all these years this is how it was going to end. Whoever it was, Frank had to hand it to him; he was good, very good to have made it past his perimeter and not trip anything off, let alone the fact that he had managed to sneak up on a sleeping Frank. Despite the fact that he hadn't moved, had kept his breathing slow and steady, the man know he was awake.
"Open your eyes." The voice was tight and low, giving nothing away.
Frank couldn't say that the owner of the voice surprised him, having been able to think of very few people that could have pulled this off, and this man had been at the top of his list. He didn't so much as flinch as he opened his eyes and met the icy hatred in Cooper's hard, brown eyes. He'd never seen someone without blue eyes pull of such an icy disdain, but Cooper was doing it remarkably well. It was a look that Frank had gotten well acquainted with over the years, and generally he'd deserved it, knew that he deserved it now. But it had never hurt him before. No one else had mattered before. In most cases they were evil and deserved to die. Those that weren't had something he wanted or they wanted something from him but found the situation distasteful.
It was then that he noticed the almost indiscernible tremble to Cooper's hand and realized that there was a raging inferno under the icy cool. Frank could work with that.
"It's all your fault." Copper's voice was tight and controlled, too reserved.
A lot of things were Frank's fault. That didn't help narrow down the reason for this little visit down any.
"She left because of you, what you did." Cooper's voice raised slight at the end.
Who?
"She said it was too dangerous. The she couldn't do this anymore, not after you were in our house. She left, took the kids and left. I signed the divorce papers, gave her everything she wanted because I had no way of fighting it, because she was right." There was a slight hitch in his words then, a sharply drawn breath, and then he glanced away.
That moment was all Frank needed it, and he took the opportunity, grabbing Cooper's wrist, palming the gun, and flipping Cooper so that he was under him. Frank trapped Cooper's arms against his sides with his knees as he straddled the other man's stomach, letting his weight settle so that Cooper couldn't buck him off. It all happened in one fluid movement that was over in a matter of seconds. Frank mirrored Cooper's previous action, holding the gun against his temple, and Cooper just met his eyes squarely, daring him to do it.
With the realization that the CIA agent hadn't fought back, the reason behind this unexpected visit suddenly became clear, and it pissed him off. Releasing the hammer of the gun, he removed and pocketed the bullet cartridge, and then threw it behind him, heedless of the thud and clatter it made when it hit the wall then floor. He growled. "If you want to commit suicide, find someone else to help you do it."
The ice suddenly melted and red hot rage took its place as Cooper began to struggle, but Frank had him well and truly pinned and it didn't take long before he was red faced and panting. "Let me up," Cooper hissed. "It wasn't like that." He amended, "It's not like that."
Frank wasn't impressed. "Not until you explain things. If that's not it, then why are you here? It's clearly not a hit. You obviously could have taken me out if you really wanted. No reason for me to even know you were here. So what's the realreason."
Having seen how well the CIA agent was at controlling his facial features, at wearing masks, Frank was shocked by how easy to read Cooper's face suddenly was. The indecision and internal conflict were plain as day, but the suddenly vulnerability that settled across his face, shocked Frank. It was hard to imagine this man as vulnerable. But then Frank knew he was, had worked those vulnerabilities to his advantage and this was the outcome. He couldn't say he was proud of it.
"Don't you understand? I have nothing. Everythingthat mattered to me is gone. I'll never get it back. She got full custody and is moving across the country. I'll be lucky if I get to see them for Christmas and birthday. They were the reason I do what I do. They were my humanity. Without them I'm just another contract killer with no purpose." His eyes suddenly focused on Frank, and he spoke in a small voice, "I don't know why I'm here." He shrugged. "Maybe I was hoping you'd kill me at some level."
Frank shook his head. "Maybe, but I don't think so anymore." He paused debating what he was about to say, if it was worth sharing, if it would matter, if he could deal with digging up these skeletons. "In your digging into my files, did you ever find out how I got started in all of this?"
Cooper shook his head. "No. Most of your file is blacked out, above even myclearance. I couldn't even hack it." There was a hint of self-distain at the words. "There's very little in it before you began working black ops. I assumed it was like everyone else. You had a valuable skill that the government wanted and they helped you hone it."
It was Frank's turn to shake his head. "I joined the military when I was drafted for Nam. I had a wife, Susan, and a little girl at the time. Anna was her name. She was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, and I loved her. They were so proud of me. We didn't live in the best part of town, but we made due. I wanted her to move back in with her mom while I was gone, but she wouldn't hear a word of it, determined to make due on her own. I should have fought her, shouldn't have let her sway me, but I could never say no to her." He drew in a deep breath and then suddenly needing to move, surged up from his position over Cooper and paced around the bed.
"She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, saw something she shouldn't have and forgot to keep her mouth shut." Frank's eyes hardened. "They killed her and Anna for it." He drew a shuddering breath. "The things they did to them—" He broke off unable to continue. "I signed on for another tour as soon as I received the news. It quickly became apparently that I while I was not a psychopath, I had a certain knack for killing and doing it well without complaint or remorse. That's when the black ops began. I killed the men that killed my family and felt nothing, and it didn't make things any better. It still hurt, I still missed them, and I still will never see them again. It changed nothing."
He stopped and turned to find Cooper sitting on the edge of the bed. "Your family's alive. You can call them on the phone and talk. Can hear their voices, can write them letters and see pictures of them as they grow. It doesn't matter if they're not with you anymore. For what it's worth, I would never have hurt them. Your family. I've never hurt a child before, and I wasn't about to start, not for that reason. I called your bluff and weighed the possibilities that you would fold before me, and I was right. I know it doesn't matter now, but I'm sorry to put them through that."
Cooper sighed before nodded slowly. "You're right. I knew. A part of me knew, but I couldn't risk it. However, you just proved to me how dangerous this life really is, how naïve I had been in thinking I could keep work away from them and keep them safe. I should thank you for the lesson. In any other situation they might have ended up dead." Taking a look around the barren room, he asked, "Where's Sarah?"
Frank bit back a dark laugh. "The novelty of the situation wore off pretty quickly. When she really started to think about the situations, she realized things didn't work out like in her romance books. So she's back in Kansas City, living her 'calm, ordinary life'. She's had her fill of 'action and adventure'. Her words not mine."
Cooper's eyes were suddenly filled with an understanding that Frank wasn't willing to face, and that moment of inattention cost him.
Frank hit the floor with a thud and let out an 'oof' as the air was forced from his lungs. Now that was a move Frank hadn'ttaught Kordeski. He had to hand it to the kid; both the distraction and move were good ones.
Cooper was across the room in an instant, gun in hand, though he kept it down at his side.
Frank grinned from his spot on the floor and slowly climbing to his feet. "Good move, kid. Where'd you learned that?"
Cooper's face was again schooled into a blank mask, but Frank could see the amusement dancing behind those eyes, as though he was privy to a joke that Frank knew nothing of. "You'd be surprised what a person can dig up in the old video archives. While the government blacked out the paper and information trails, they didn't think to do the same with the video feeds. Your training and workout session were…" Cooper paused dramatically. "… quite enlightening."
Frank felt a well of pride and couldn't help but be impressed. "And here I bet you took the appropriate actions and made sure that the information disappeared and that the archives were thoroughly cleaned. Bet you got yourself another shiny new remuneration in account for it as well, but not before you went through and gathered all the information for yourself." The grin was still plastered across his face, but it spread wide as he continued. "So glad, I could… enlighten you."
Cooper's raised brow spoke volumes.
Frank wondered if he should keep up this game, weighed the odds, and raised the stakes, hoping he'd guessed correctly. He sauntered forward, shit-eating grin still plastered across his face, taking note as the man tensed and tightened his grip on the gun. Stopping when they were toe to toe, he slowly reached out and grabbed the wrist of the hand that was holding the gun. Cooper tensed even further, but his face remained impassive, and he kept up his steady stare, not breaking eye contact. When Frank trailed his hand down and wrapped it around the muzzle of the gun, he gave it a tug. Cooper held onto it for a moment before releasing it into Franks grasp, who pulled it away and shoved it in the back of his pants.
"Let me teach you."
Cooper scoffed.
"Think about it, what I could teach you, what I know, what I could offer."
Frank saw the hint of intrigue in those hazel eyes, but also the suspicion as Cooper's next words proved. "And what's in it for you?"
Oh yeah. The kid was a keeper. He'd have lots of fun with this one. "You get me in all capacities. I stay officially retired, but I'll go where you need me, do what needs to be done."
The corners of Cooper's eyes crinkled with faint amusement. "All capacities?"
Frank raised a brow, wondering where this was going, feeling as though the stakes had been raised without his knowledge, and replied with more confidence than he felt, "Yes."
As the grin spilt Cooper's face, Frank couldn't help but think he may have bitten off more than he could chew. However, no one had ever said Frank Moses was a man that backed down from a challenge, and he wasn't about to start now.
Cooper took Frank's hand, and replied with a grin. "It's a deal, Grandpa." Tugging on the hand in his hold, they were suddenly chest to chest, and Cooper raised his other arm and cupped the back of Frank's head, pulling his head down for an unexpected kiss.
As Cooper's mouth slanted across his, Frank's eye widened as what the agent meant became obviously clear, but he returned the kiss. Oh yes. Lots of fun indeed.