Dale's Defense
Federal Customs Agent Dale Jakes tiptoed up the stairs and down the hall, then carefully turned the knob to his bedroom door, wincing when he heard the tiny squeak of the hinges.
His goal did not include rousing his housemates from slumber.
As the door opened a blast of cool air greeted him and he smiled appreciatively. All he wanted at the moment was to collapse onto his bed and enjoy the clean sheets and cool air as he drifted into a long overdue sleep.
He had just closed his latest assignment and Dale had submitted his concluding report an hour earlier. This particular assignment had demanded he tap resources, conduct interrogations, and utilize a plethora of skills upon his investigation of a newly popular plant smuggled into the United States from South America. Though at first blush it appeared attractive and desirable, this particular species proved parasitic and invasive, and it had demanded nearly five weeks of Dale's work to investigate, build an incriminating case, and arrest the smuggler responsible.
So intensely had he immersed himself in the work that in those thirty five days, he had made it home in time for dinner only twelve, and before midnight, just four times.
Too tired to shower first, Jakes stripped off his shirt, kicked off his shoes and stepped out of his pants. Glancing around his darkened room he threw the clothing in the general vicinity of his armchair, not willing to exert even an ounce of unnecessary energy to simply cross to the furniture and place them there.
His bones ached.
Throwing back the comforter he fell face first into the soft pillow and onto the crisp sheets, not bothering to scoot underneath the soft cotton.
His body screamed for as many hours of sleep as he would grant it.
Dale shifted onto his side, bunching the pillow at the contour of his face but suddenly eased up to release his dreadlocks from being yanked. Though at times he felt the extensions caused more trouble than they were worth, he he felt the style enhanced his appearance. They provided a twisted sense of security.
Though a handsome man, he failed to see the features which others told him made him attractive.
Sighing, Jakes shifted again. The silence, though welcome, made him a little lonely. As one of six agents who lived together in a home nicknamed Graceland, the calm of bedtime followed the frenetic activities of roommates living their lives during the daytime. He was the sole agent representing customs, but representatives of the DEA and FBI shared the house with him.
Quite an eclectic mix, by the end of the day they bonded in their fight for the good guys.
Personally he had no qualms with any of them, and as a general rule they all lived well together. It took some doing to accomplish.
At Graceland's creation the house leader, Paul Briggs, instituted a chore wheel to ensure everyone participated towards the general maintenance of the house.
Jakes appreciated it.
Though he did not consider himself an astrology buff, he knew enough about his own sign, Cancer, to recognize his desire for a home and security were characteristic traits of a Cancer male.
His insecurity probably also came from the zodiac, he thought. Shifting again he gave the idea more consideration. No, that feeling of lacking worth came straight from his childhood in Texas. Size wise he had trailed behind the males in his family and even with his friends, which kept him scrambling to prove his strength and caused him to nurse a fierce competitiveness.
Still, they outran and outplayed him until tenth grade, when he finally secured a position on the football team.
Dale could not resist a triumphant grin. That football placement catapulted him into superstardom. Friday night football in Texas was the be-all and end-all of the entire community's activities.
And yes indeed, Dale Jakes reveled in the attention!
Here in California he missed the grit and power of a physically demanding game of football.
The height issue bothered him still, despite the fact that many years had passed since his school days. Still, he had finally accepted the fact that he would never exceed five feet eight inches.
Now he worked out regularly.
A buff physique could compensate for his small stature.
Jakes raised his body enough to grab hold of the edge of the sheet. He snapped it loose and then used it to cover himself.
He groaned.
His body begged for sleep and he just could not reach that plane of relaxation that acted as a precursor to slumber.
His roommate Johnny would attribute his hyper mental state to a guilty conscience, no doubt, guilt over what Johnny repeatedly defined as Dale's antisocial behavior.
Dale habitually refused and rebuffed any invitations from his Graceland colleagues which did generate a bit of guilt on his part. He genuinely appreciated that the others continued to try to include him in activities, and he admitted to himself that he failed to reciprocate the kindnesses. Johnny's frustration at Dale's behavior often built to an explosive level because Johnny had managed to retain a Peter Pan streak into his own adulthood. It simply bewildered him that Jakes would refuse to play, participate, or join any of them- but especially him- time after time. That would eventually lead to a heated exchange between Johnny and Jakes which Briggs would squelch as quickly as possible, mainly by dragging Johnny away with an arm over his shoulder and a calm voice reassuring him that Dale just needed some alone time right then.
Johnny meant well, and Dale knew he owed him an explanation- more than one, to be truthful. What he knew, though, and what would actually happen were not the same. It still stabbed at him when he thought of Daniel and Cassandra and explaining to Johnny the reasoning and motives behind why he had turned his back on his wife and child just required too much energy. Besides, just admitting that he had an ex wife and child had already sent Johnny into a tizzy of questions he simply did not want to hear or answer.
Jakes reached behind him and repositioned his pillow.
Would sleep ever come?
The rhetorical question ushered in thoughts of Briggs, who could wax poetic upon karma, and zen, and spiritual fulfillment for hours. Jakes grinned. He and Paul Briggs had connected at a paradoxical level. Once in a while they served as each other's confidantes, yet the rest of the time Paul kept his thoughts and plans eerily close to his vest while Jakes routinely practiced self absorption. Still, they had a connection which stayed dormant most of the time, but could activate with just a look between them.
Dale dismissed thoughts of Briggs.
The last male member of the household, Mike Warren, conducted himself as the crown jewel of Graceland, though he did defer to Paul. The attitude signaled Mike's inflated sense of self, but to be honest, his Quantico mentors and outstanding training record had reinforced ninety percent of his self worth.
The other ten? Dale smiled. One of the attributes he found least palatable from Mike was the young man's huge ego. But if he searched his soul he would acknowledge that he envied Mike, he envied that ingrained pride and Mike's strut, and wished he could possess the same certainty and cockiness.
Mike also gave him a ready source of conflict, perfect for those days when he came back to Graceland angry at the world. He would spot Mike in all his smugness and immediately pick a fight. Mike would react just as badly, and they would continue to spar until Paul intervened.
By anyone's theoretical musings, four males in one house should have doomed it within a week, doomed it to testosterone and badass displays of machismo.
Jakes flipped over onto his stomach and buried his head in his crossed arms.
Truth be known, the females in Graceland scared him more than the males did. With Paul, and with Johnny, and even with Mike, he knew exactly where they stood.
The girls though- they were completely unpredictable, and therefore, unreliable. Both excelled as agents, but in the house they would often react emotionally. For example, if he came in the house drunk three nights straight Paige would campaign at once to eradicate him from her presence and from Graceland. Charlie, on the other hand, would sneak around and covertly gather documentation to have him ejected from their home, all the while interacting with him as though they were buddies.
Of course their good qualities existed as well, and he valued their investigative perspectives and input. Paige possessed a sharp analytical aptitude which allowed her to cut right into the heart of anything and hone in on the crux. Charlie focused upon pulling the entire house together so that each individual could take advantage of another's skills and talents, a genuine gift. She was also fearless and refused to run from a challenge.
They terrified him, though.
He had lost Cassandra because he never allowed himself to accept the demands- to actually grasp the meanings of relationship and commitment. Paige and Charlie represented that gender in which Dale Jakes invested his soul at one long ago time and failed, losing himself in the process.
The weary agent turned over again and scooted so that he partially reclined against the headboard.
Sleep would flood him soon, he knew, now that he had defended himself to himself.
Sometimes he had to justify himself to himself just to seize reassurances that he still participated in life.