Chapter Seven
Sarah cautiously moved the agents to more comfortable positions. She knew they would wake up with a head ache from hell and she smiled in mischief.
She had time to waste and she looked at the sleeping faces of the agents. They were easy to recognize seeing as Charlie had told her about them. She wondered what they would think when the truth came out but she figured that no matter how many case scenarios she came up with. There was always the possibility that they would react in some way she hadn't thought about.
She sighed and turned to leave. She had to talk to Charlie and see what they were going to do and they only had a couple of hours before they would have to explain themselves and their history to everyone.
$$$$$$$$$IMAGINE THIS IS A LINE$$$$$$$$$$
He heard her footsteps before she even knocked and he smiled realising that he had fallen back into the role of paranoid leader with much trouble.
" come in Sarah. I trust our guests are comfortable" he said. She smiled at him.
" for now they are. I am not sure about later but it's a bridge we will cross when we get there right." She said mischievously
"When did you get so wise" he asked.
"Well, I am twenty six. I had to grow up some day and I did. Not that any one would have known." She said bluntly.
"Cutting all communication amongst us was for the best. I wasn't happy either but it was for your safety and you know that we are a family. I was just trying to keep my family safe." He said. "I know you were at my mothers funeral. I did see you guys and I am sorry I couldn't acknowledge you."
"Off course we were there. Margaret was a mother to us as well. Seeing as she knew al of our secrets. Well those we told her and she took them to the grave. But we aren't here to remember her or to discuss what was best for us based on decisions made five years ago." She told him.
"No of course not. We have a killer on our hands. Someone that has to know us. He is signing as us, which means that he wants to ruin our reputation."
"Charlie, to ruin someone's reputation, they first have to have one and the people who know about us have absolute faith on us and the operation, if not we would have gotten burned or killed. But we were able to go on with our normal life as if we were nothing special."
" I know. You are right. This is personal. We are going to catch the S.O.B. that killed Frank and when we do, I promise you that you guys will do whatever you want with him." He said smiling.
"really?" she said, "without no one saying anything about human rights and all that bullshit?" she asked.
"Yes. I told you this is a personal matter and it will be treated privately." He said.
"I am glad you are back Charlie. I see you learnt the lesson." She said before standing up. "I will go and get the briefing room ready. See you in a few." She said and left.
Her words were exactly what he needed and he remembered quite clearly what she was talking about…
It hadn't been old age that had force them to split. They had been young and they had had individual ambitions they had wanted to pursue and that hadn't bode well with the powers that be. Things had become stressed for weeks before they had blown up five years ago. When Sarah had realized just how deadly Agent Charles Eppes could be.
FLASHBACK
"This is our two weeks notice Ashley." Sarah had announced one night while on a late meeting. The team had tried to be understanding and normal protocol demanded that they took the manner to their head or leader or in this case Charlie. They had tried that but Charlie had sided with their bosses instead of siding with them.
"What?" Charlie's disbelief was palpable and Sarah for once felt scared of Charlie Eppes. He had roughly grabbed her arm and led her out of the room.
"What is the meaning of this?" he had demanded roughly and Sarah had answered him with a slap, the sound reverberating through the place.
"Listen very carefully Agent Eppes. This is our two weeks noticed. You have become an asshole Charlie. You have stopped being our friend and you turned into this… this person no one recognizes. They tell you to jump and you ask how high. You forgot about us Charlie. You even forgot about your family. Have you even called your mother? Or do you neglect her as you neglect us? So don't come here acting as the brave leader because you are nothing more than a puppet in a game we refuse to keep playing. " she had screamed at him and he had been so angry that he had lashed out in the way he had been trained.
He struck her right across her face.
She had been so surprised she couldn't stop herself from falling to the floor. Several gasps filled the room they had been at and Charlie realized that his team had arrived sometime during the argument.
Sarah stood shakily. Tears on her eyes and gazed sadly at him. She shook her head when John moved forward to help her.
"I hope you find yourself before you end up loosing everyone you have." She told him and she turned towards Ashley.
"We will serve the remaining two weeks were you see fit and how you see fit. You are to severe contact with us when that time expires and you are not to contact us unless it becomes an absolutely necessity.
END FLASHBACK
They had walked out of his life that night and it had taken Charlie a lot of time to get their forgiveness but he had managed as long as their discussions did not involve work. If they were to be called back he had promised them to respect them and their wishes instead of falling back on his old habits of pleasing his superiors.
Unfortunately, several threats had come barely a year from their separation and it became clear that unless they became unavailable for the Interpol to find they wouldn't be able to live the peaceful life they dreamt about.
Charlie took the sad decision of ordering a severing of contact between agents. No one had been pleased but it had to be done.
