Thursday
Briggs slipped from Charlie's room and into his own. He and she really tried hard to keep their relationship on the down low, but occasionally slipped up. Today, for example, he had to hunt down his wallet before he could leave the house. Luckily, he located it behind a book of devotions on Charlie's nightstand and hurried to retrace his steps to his own room.
"Got it?" demanded Johnny, who framed Paul's doorway. "I told you time is of the essence here."
"Yeah, stay calm John Boy. It slid down between my bed and nightstand but it's in my pocket now." Paul patted the back of his jeans to double check. "I'm good."
Johnny's face lit with excitement.
It had taken all of Johnny's persuasive tactics to convince Briggs to join him in a morning of motorcycle riding in the desert and he had no intention of wasting a minute of time when they could already be participating.
Johnny planned they would join a group of agents from different government agencies who rode regularly together.
Thursdays were simply one of those sacred times for the motorcycle enthusiasts.
Paul and Johnny decided to rent two motorcycles though the group had offered them ones to borrow. The Graceland agents were reluctant to take that responsibility and refused with thanks. It was hard enough adopting the mentality to share their home as one in six, but having to share again during a day of recreation seemed intolerable.
"Let's go then!"
With the glee so typically Johnny, he started running for the stairs.
Anticipating the upcoming stunt, Paul ground out "Don't!" which stopped Johnny before his feet left the landing.
Johnny scowled, "Why do you have to just assume everything?"
Briggs clapped a hand on his shoulder then started down the stairs. "Because I know you John Boy, and I remember last week when you tried that trick and ended up tumbling down several stairs and landing on your butt by the potted ficus."
"You spoil my fun."
"That's my goal," Paul agreed. Spotting Charlie in the kitchen he yanked Johnny to the side. "Now remember that if you want to reach a plane of unbridled freedom and a commune with nature watch what you say with Chuck. If she suspects something you'll blow the plans."
Paul kept to himself his underlying motive, that he and Charlie had discussed motorcycles before, and she considered them suicidal. Should she discover he planned to court danger she would go ballistic.
Johnny turned serious. "Leave it to me to throw everyone off the scent. I'm that sneaky and much more analytical than Charlie."
Paul grinned and reached over to muss Johnny's hair. No one would ever rival the cocky self assurance inherent in Johnny Turturro!
Paige and Mike leaned over a detailed map spread out across the counter, blond heads almost touching. Paul grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and carved a huge bite but Johnny pushed himself bodily between Mike and Paige and demanded, "Yo, what's in the map?"
"Mikey and Paige think they found a short route to the mountains that could turn into a winter day trip." Charlie explained as she rearranged items on one of the refrigerator's door shelves.
"Not winter," Paul observed, blowing her a kiss while the others were occupied and focused on the map.
"They know that," she smiled. "They're just thinking ahead for some future fun. Jakes just left and said to tell you his assignment might finish earlier than he first thought. He could be back as early as tonight or as late as tomorrow."
Paul rubbed his chin. "Ok."
Johnny backed away from the table. "Time to go," he directed.
"Where are you two headed?" Paige inquired, not bothering to hide her curiosity. "You look like the Fonz character from that tv show Happy Days with those jackets."
Mike craned his neck to gain a better look. "Good call, Paige," he assured her.
"Well thank you, Agent Warren," she smiled.
Charlie's gaze narrowed as she focused upon Paul.
As the recipient of that specific look Paul froze. She suspected something, and the repercussions could ruin his plans. He turned his head to avoid her gaze. "Chop chop, Johnny," he called, pointing towards the door. "Time's a ticking."
"Wait just a second," Charlie directed. "Paul, where are you two headed?"
On cue, Johnny stepped up to deflect the questioning. "Our fearless leader agreed to help me worm my way into a biker gang's territory by hanging out at a bar with me. Don't wait lunch or supper on us. We're taking this opportunity as far as we can today."
Paige ventured, "Want some company? Mike and I could help you."
"No," Paul contradicted, realizing too late that he had snapped the reply.
"Why can't Mikey and Paige go too?" Charlie asked suspiciously, studying Paul's face for clues.
"Because," Johnny held out his hands. "Because I don't need a poker group today, just another set of eyes from my boss Briggs. Now, bye bye to all of you and see you later."
Not missing a beat of Johnny's exit, Briggs followed Johnny out the door, impressed with the way the younger man had slipped through the inquisition unscathed. Personally he felt more than a twinge of guilt at lying to Charlie, or rather at omitting the truth to her, but Charlie would go on the warpath if she discovered their real mission.
Briggs shook his head. He couldn't handle a whirling dervish Charlie today. Besides, he had promised her a movie night at home if the rest of the team had evening plans, or at the mall if the team stayed home that evening.
Either way the point was for them to share romantic alone time.
No matter how much fun the day held, he wanted Johnny to get them home in time to clean up and keep his promise to Charlie.
Outside in the sunshine Johnny could not contain his delight. "Wild Hog Heaven, here we come!"
Boys will be boys, and Paul and Johnny took advantage of the sheer fun of their day. The agents raced, practiced stunts, created obstacle courses, and reveled in the camaraderie of fellow agents. Because of the very nature of their intelligence and investigative work agents stayed immersed in the worst elements of society the majority of their work days. Carving out times to relax and momentarily forget the reality of their jobs presented rare opportunities to renew and revive.
As it turned out, Paul and Johnny enjoyed themselves so much that they nixed leaving early and stayed until the rest of the group departed.
Consequently, when they did venture home they arrived tired, dirty, and more than a little bruised and banged up from the physical menu of activities they had savored.
More telling of their time, however, was the fact that Briggs had to support a limping Johnny, who had turned his ankle trying to master the stunt of leaning almost parallel to the ground on the motorcycle. Paul sported an angry burn mark on the calf of his left leg, seared there from not paying attention to the hot motor as he swung his leg over to disembark and return the motorcycle to the rental store.
Paul's promise to spend a romantic movie evening with Charlie dissolved the second the wounded warriors crossed the threshold at Graceland. Mike and Paige had decided to spend the evening at a public park a couple of miles from the house, but Charlie and Dale opted to curl up and read until they laid eyes on Paul and Johnny. They joined forces and examined, iced, and bandaged their roommates before ordering them to rest, nestled with soft blankets on the couch.
Despite the activity and ensuing interrogation, the two bikers managed to keep from divulging the true events of their day.
Charlie located a leftover prescription of painkillers prescribed her months before and emptied the bottle of the remaining three pills. She split them between her patients, handing them glasses of water to wash down the medicine.
Johnny's eyes closed so quickly that she and Dale missed the chance of helping him to his room, but Paul managed to get upstairs and under the covers before the drowsiness overwhelmed him. He kept his eyes open long enough to reassure her that the next day would be their day.
He promised.
Charlie rubbed his hair and kissed him lightly on the lips. "All right, Pauly, I'll hold you to it."
