AN: Is anyone still interested in this? Sorry it has taken me forever to update this. I have no good reason to have done that. Also this chapter is slightly filler. The action will pick up in the next one. But Felix makes an appearance here so that must account for something, right? Enjoy!
"Come on," Kurt said as he paid their bill and got up from his seat, "we have to go."
"Wait," Roman interrupted him, not moving yet, "where are we going to go? What happens now?"
Kurt looked between the two for a moment before he explained. "I have to take this to Mayfair," Kurt told them.
"No," Jane said urgently, "we can't- who's… who's Mayfair?"
"Bethany Mayfair," Kurt said, "she's the head of the New York office of the FBI and my boss."
"No, wait," Jane said, "what if she's involved. You said this goes high up. We can't trust anyone."
"We can trust her," Kurt reassured Jane, "I've known her almost my whole life. Plus, my hands are tied until she brings me back from my suspension."
"You're suspended!" Roman asked furiously, finally getting up and standing toe to toe with Kurt. "Did you know about this?" he turned to Jane.
"Yes, I did," Jane admitted.
"Oh, great," Roman huffed.
"Don't worry," Kurt tried to say confidently "it's all going to be ok."
"Doubtful-"
"Roman!" Jane interrupted him, putting a hand on his shoulder to calm him down, "Ok, Kurt. Let's go see this Mayfair."
"You're going to have to tell her the whole thing again," Kurt said apologetically and Jane just nodded, resigned to the fact that over the next few days she will probably have to relive the story repeatedly.
It was the only choice they had. It was the only way to get from under the shadow that Shepherd had cast over their lives all those years ago.
The drive back to the city was almost done in complete silence. Roman occasionally asked questions – about people from their past and whether they were involved, about anything else she knew that she was keeping from him, about friends he thought they'd just lost touch with but had in fact been lost in battle.
"You guys aren't allergic to dogs, are you?" Kurt asked after he knocked on Mayfair's front door. But neither had time to reply before the front door opened and Mayfair's dog – Felix – came rushing at Kurt.
"Hey there, buddy," Kurt kneeled and greeted the excited pet.
"Weller? What are you doing here?" A voice came sternly from behind Felix and all three stared at the woman behind the voice.
"I'm sorry I didn't call to tell you we're coming," Kurt said as he got up, "but this can't wait."
Mayfair looked between Kurt and the two strangers behind him suspiciously, and after a moment, she made way for them and let them into her home.
Jane sat between Kurt and Roman, telling her story for the third time that day, she was starting to get tired. She felt Roman's hand on her back every once in a while, and she would glance at him appreciatively. She tried not to make eye contact with Mayfair. Even though the woman had welcomed them into their home and was open to listen to Jane's story, she seemed very cold, distant, and her poker face was not giving away anything.
When Jane was finally done telling her story, she let out a deep breath and looked up. Roman's hand was still on her back, and she could feel Kurt's eyes on her. But this time, she kept hers locked on Mayfair's.
And for a long time, Mayfair said absolutely nothing. She finally got up and poured herself another drink.
"There was this idea," Mayfair said as she sat down, "a concept... years ago, I think I was still at the Academy when I first heard of it. The idea of creating an off-books black ops program that would train these super soldiers to serve our country's interests abroad without officially being acknowledged as ours. It was a ridiculous idea. So extremely absurd that no one took it seriously. Or at least not seriously enough to try to move forward with it."
Mayfair studied the three people in front of her before she continued. "One person did try to make something of it, develop it enough to present it officially. But as far as anyone was concerned, it was laughed off. Ignored."
"What do you mean?" Kurt asked, questioning her choice of words.
"For years, there have been rumors that he had moved on with the program. That even though he never got official approval... someone still signed off on it," Mayfair explained.
"Are you saying... are you saying that this thing that Shepherd is running is an official government project?" Jane asked.
"Orion," Mayfair said, "its code name was Orion. But no. It's not official. Or legal in any way. But what you've described is exactly what the project was designed as. And if it did go ahead, then it's... it should be stopped. The people behind it should be stopped."
Roman and Jane shared a quick look, a small smile between them.
"I want to take the lead on this case," Kurt said quickly.
"Kurt, you're still-"
"I know I'm still suspended," he replied, "but you can't make me sit this one out."
"We want him to work on this case," Jane piped in.
Mayfair laughed, "that's not how it works," she told Jane.
"Mayfair, please," Kurt urged her.
"Come with me," Mayfair said and walked out into the hallway.
Kurt followed her quietly. Once out of earshot of the other two, Mayfair spoke. "Kurt, you know I can't just reinstate you," she said, "not after what happened on the last case."
Kurt shook his head. "I've been going to all the sessions with Dr. Sun," Kurt argued, "you can talk to her. I'm ok to be back."
"That's for her to determine. Not you," Mayfair said.
"I'm ready," Kurt said.
"What if the same thing happens-"
"It won't," Kurt insisted.
Mayfair studied him for a minute, mulling over her decision.
"Keep me under probation," Kurt offered, "I'll only work this case. Nothing else. And you can look over my shoulder every step of the way."
"Why?" Mayfair asked.
"Why what?" Kurt replied.
"Why do you want to work this case?" Mayfair asked him.
She'd known him almost his whole life, and she knew when something wasn't right. And she always knew when he was lying to her.
"I don't know," he admitted, "I just feel that I need to help them."
Mayfair finally agreed to let Kurt work the case, under her strict supervision. She also agreed that he pick his own team for the case.
"Why do we have to bring other agents in?" Jane asked as they got into the car.
"Because I cannot work the case alone," Kurt chuckled, "don't worry. I trust this team with my life, and you can, too."
Kurt drove Roman and Jane to their place and immediately noticed the car with the two agents parked outside.
And so did Jane. "Don't worry," Kurt said when he sensed her tense up. "Mayfair sent a detail to keep an eye on you two," he explained, "you're highly valuable witnesses to a big case now, so they will be with you all the time."
"Do they have to-"
"Yes, they do," Kurt insisted, "they'll bring you guys in tomorrow morning."
Kurt was waiting for Jane and Roman in the parking garage when they were driven to the NYO the next morning. Their security detail wasn't something either of them was excited to have and they weren't shy to show it. "Are we under arrest?" Roman's first words were to Weller when they stepped out of the FBI assigned vehicle.
"No," Kurt said, "you're not. They're for your protection."
"Protection from what?" Roman pushed.
"Once we start investigating, Shepherd is going to know someone's sniffing, and she will come after you again," he explained shooting Jane a quick look.
"Again? What do you mean again?" Roman asked.
Kurt turned to Jane, and the look she gave him made it clear her brother did not know about the scars on her back.
"Nothing. I don't mean anything," Kurt said as he led them into the elevator lobby, "it's just for your safety for now."
Roman finally relented his questioning just as the elevator arrived and they walked into it.
"We are going to have a briefing with the team first," Kurt explained as the rode the floors up to SIOC, "it won't be long, but you'll have to wait until we're done. And then you'll meet the team."
Roman and Jane nodded as he explained what the day ahead held for them. "After the debrief, you'll meet the team," Kurt said, "and after that, I'm sorry, Jane, but you'll have to give your statement again, this time officially."
Jane nodded. She knew this was going to have to happen again, and exhausting as it was, it was surprisingly getting easier every time.
"Then we'll have to scan your tattoos," he told her, "and the rest of the day will be spent with more questioning. For both of you."
"But Roman doesn't know anything," Jane argued.
"He may not have known of what was happening, but I'm sure you saw things around, right?" he explained as he turned to the younger man, "even if you didn't know what they were, you were witness to them."
"It's fine," Roman said, "any way that we can help to put an end to this."
The debriefing with the team took longer than they'd expected, and Jane and Roman were growing anxious waiting for them. They'd been set up in a small meeting room that looked over into the meeting room where Kurt, Mayfair and three agents were gathered. Jane studied them carefully, trying to make something, anything, of them. All she could tell was that they looked professional and from their mannerisms and body language, they seemed comfortable around each, like a team that was used to working together.
"What did Weller mean when he said Shepherd will come after us again?" Roman said as he bit into a bagel, a part of the small breakfast they'd provided for them.
"What do you mean?" Jane asked, keeping her eyes on the team in the adjacent room.
"Weller said Shepherd will come after us, again," Roman said, "when has she come after us before?"
Jane finally turned to look at him, a sad smile on her face. "San Diego," she said, her voice cracking.
"San Diego?" Roman asked, "you mean that time you disappeared for a week and told me you'd met a guy?"
Jane nodded. "There was no guy," she said, "Shepherd had me."
Roman's eyes widened, "she had you?" he asked, "what do you mean she had you?"
Jane shook her head, willing the tears away at the memory, "she kidnapped me, tried to bring me back… she wanted to know where you were."
"Did she-"
"It's ok," she said.
"No, it's not," Roman said angrily, "did she hurt you?"
"It was so long ago," Jane said, "it's ok."
Roman shook his head and reached for her suddenly, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "I'm sorry you've had to carry this all alone. I'll make it up for you. You don't have to protect me anymore."
Jane wrapped her arms around her brother and hugged him tightly, allowing herself to cry into his shoulder for a moment.
It was at least thirty minutes before the meeting in the other room ended and they were asked to join them.
"Jane, Roman," Mayfair led the introductions, "meet agents Edgar Reade, Tasha Zapata and Patterson."
"Just Patterson?" Roman said, trying to break the ice in the tense room, "No first name."
"She would tell you," Agent Zapata said, "but then she'd have to kill you."
Roman and Jane turned towards the agent, staring in shock at her words and then she started laughing and that was all it took to make everyone relax.
"So, let's get this started," Mayfair said, "I understand Agent Weller told you what today will entail, but let's go over everything again, make sure that we are all on the same page."
Roman and Jane move towards the table and each grabs a seat. Jane looks to her right when she notices Kurt had changed his seat and moved next to her. She smiled at him as he sat down. "Sorry this took forever," he whispered.
She shook her head. "It's fine," she replied.
"Is everything ok?" he asked and she looked at him questioningly. "Earlier, I… I looked over and it looked like –"
"It's fine… I told Roman about Shepherd finding me that time," she told him.
"Will you be ok doing this all over again today?" he asked her gently and she nodded, thanking him silently.
She shifted in her seat then, turning to face Mayfair and just then, for a brief moment, she felt his hand squeeze her shoulder and somehow, that made everything feel less overwhelming for just a moment.
The day seemed to go on forever. Jane spent at least two hours telling her story all over again, this time to the other agents – without Weller or Mayfair. And then she spent another two hours in the lab having her tattoos scanned. She barely got to see Roman, who had been taken to be questioned as well. They met briefly over a quick lunch break – in which she also got to see Kurt for a few minutes before she was taken again. She went through polygraphs and physical examinations and more interrogations.
By the time they were done, both Roman and Jane were physically and emotionally exhausted. Their security detail had them home just before midnight. Roman was already in bed, and Jane was about to call it a night when a knock on their front door startled them. She knew that their detail won't let anyone approach if they didn't have clearance. Jane looked through the peep hole, and tried to hide her smile when she saw Kurt standing outside.
"Hi," she said as she opened the door.
"Hi," he said, "sorry for – I know it's late – but I… you guys left before I could see you –"
"It's ok," she said with a smile, "do you want to come in?"
Kurt shook his head. "No, I should head home," he said, "I just wanted to check in on you, make sure everything was ok?"
Jane nodded, "exhausting, but we're fine."
"I'm sorry I couldn't be there today," he said, "we had to go through some stuff to reinstate me."
"It's ok," Jane told him softly, "everything work out?"
"Yeah… yes," he said with a smile. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his badge, "got this back, so I'm officially back."
Her smile matched his when she saw how happy he was to be over with his suspension.
"Alright, I should go," Kurt said, breaking the moment, "good night, Jane."
He started to walk away when she reached for him, touching his arm briefly before he turned around. "Wait," she said and he turned to look at her.
"Everything ok?" he asked.
She chuckled and shook her head. "Yeah, yeah… I just," Jane said softly, "I just wanted to thank you, Kurt, for… for everything. For believing me. For trusting me. For doing all… this."
His hand came up to her shoulder, just as it did briefly in the meeting room. "Of course… Jane, you don't need to thank me-"
"It's just that… Roman and I-"
Her voice was cracking, her tears threatening to fall, and Kurt took an unconscious step forward. His hand dropped from her shoulder, down her arm, and founds hers. He squeezed her hand gently, and whispered, "I know. Everything's going to be ok, Jane, I promise."
Jane smiled again, amazed at how he knew just what to say. But before she could reply, a voice from down at the sidewalk, interrupted them.
"Remi?"
The sound of the name she'd long abandoned startled her, sent a shiver down her spine – and she recognized the owner of the voice even though she could not see him in the dark. She felt Kurt's hand hold on to hers tighter, and he looked at her in concern as she paled. He looked over his shoulder as a figure walked closer towards the light and he instinctively moved in front of her, shielding her from whoever it was that was coming closer, who'd made her hands turn cold in his grasp.
And who had called her with her old name.
"Remi," the man said again as he walked into the light, "I knew I would find you."
Before Kurt could ask him who he was, Jane's voice came as a shivering whisper from behind him.
"Oscar?"
to be continued...
