Chapter 7

Oscar was livid. ''So in other words,'' he stormed at Steve, ''you lied to me! Was it to protect Jaime...or to protect Anna? Protecting Anna could constitute treason, you know. I have half a mind to just throw you in The Hole and let you think about that for awhile!''

''If she wasn't cooperating with us now,'' Morrisey added, ''we'd have a serious problem on our hands. Are you aware that any good lawyer could have her confession to you thrown right out of court?''

''Like I'd be the first person who ever lied to a subject he was interrogating,'' Steve shot back.

''But you didn't lie to her; you lied to ME!'' Oscar thundered. ''And what about Jaime? Does she know about this?''

''There's no reason for her to know,'' Steve said quietly (almost pleading). ''She was with Michael at the time.''

''Alright. I'm going to ask you a few things straight out - and see if you can't come up with the truth for a change!'' Oscar told him. Steve nodded humbly. ''About Anna...were you in love with her?''

''Of course not! I still loved Jaime - even when she was with Michael - and you know that! That wasn't even a fair question!''

''Wasn't it?'' Oscar questioned. ''I think it was more than reasonable, given the circumstances! You LIED to me, Steve! You lied to all of us. Should we talk about a perjury charge? Insubordination? That one's a given. And I'm still wondering about treason.''

''I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Oscar,'' Steve offered, ''but as far as I can see, I didn't break any laws. I did my job - the job YOU sent me to do! And I got what you needed! End of story.''

''Seems like you got what YOU needed instead, doesn't it?'' Oscar said in a voice that dripped with anger.

''What the hell difference does it make?''

''If I'd have known, I could've sent a different operative in there to question her!''

''That's just it, Oscar,'' Steve explained. ''You wouldn't have - because you couldn't. It wasn't your fault, but you were still locked up, trying to deal with what this woman has done! And so was Russ; he still is! There was nobody left but me...and I made what I thought was the best decision at the time. Haven't you ever done that? Made a decision and regretted it later? On the other hand, how can I regret it when going in there and questioning her got us what we needed? Kind of like what happened in the Soviet Union.''

''Maybe the charges wouldn't stick,'' Oscar allowed, ''but there are any number of charges I could -''

''Charges?'' Steve spat back. ''The person who tried to kidnap my daughter wants to talk about charges?''

''Steve, I -''

''I'm sorry,'' Steve said softly. ''That was a low blow. You had no control over what happened; I know that. But stop and think about these accusations you're throwing at me. And charges? Really? For doing my job? If that's what happens for a job accomplished, then consider this my resignation!''


Jaime rocked Becca gently in her arms, under Mark's watchful eyes - and was very, very happy and grateful she'd regained the ability to do that. Mark saw the genuine smile on her face; it had been a long time since he'd seen that from her.

''Feels good, doesn't it?'' he asked softly.

''I thought...I'd never get to do this again,'' Jaime answered.

''You've worked hard - and you're still working hard. Any more of 'those' dreams?''

Jaime nodded. ''Every time I go to sleep. She keeps telling me I've done well...and that I need to keep working hard...to get ready. I just...I wish I knew what I was getting ready for...''

''Maybe she just means getting your life back - the way it was,'' Mark suggested.

''Maybe. It just seems almost...'' Jaime struggled for the word she wanted. ''Ominous.''

''Does that frighten you?''

''Not really. It's...um...encouraging. She keeps me motivated to move forward. I just don't understand...''

''Maybe it's not time for you to understand yet,'' Mark told her.

''And that's pretty much what she tells me.''

Michael knocked in the open doorway, arriving with Jaime's nightly sedative. Jaime laid the baby carefully in her crib and as she crossed back over into her own bed, the realization hit her (just as Michael was injecting the medication into her IV port).

''Steve...he isn't back yet. They don't usually hold meetings for this long.'' She thought about it for a moment. ''Yeah; I guess sometimes they do...but it always means something...is wrong...''

Tonight, the meds took effect quickly and she didn't try to fight them. Almost immediately. She began to dream...but the dream was different this time - and now she truly was frightened. Her mother wasn't smiling, the way she usually did...and she stood with her arm around James Sommers, Jaime's father. It was the first time he'd appeared in one of these dreams...and before he (or Ann) even spoke, Jaime's conscious fear invaded her dream.

Something was terribly wrong!


Steve looked around the little space he never thought he'd see - at least not from this perspective. What in the bloody blue blazes had just happened? Rudy had been summoned to give him a shot that weakened him so he would be unable to kick the door down, even if he'd dared to try. All he could do was sit back and think...on the thin metal bench.