Behind Enemy Lines
Chapter Twenty-One
Little Wars
Day: One-Hundred Ninety-Two.
Downtown Atlantic City, Apartment Complex – Katherine's Apartment. 5:32 AM.
Please leave a message after the tone. Beep.
Three times she had attempted to return the call to the number that had left her messages during the night. It was Owen, looking for her help and failing to find it. As result he took the black box into his own hands and slipped information out into the media. Like the vultures they were, they took the scraps Elliot fed them only wanting more. Hunting for fresh meat the news of U.S. Government connection to an assassination in Chile hit the airways. Even more importantly, they were looking for someone to blame. They found it in Ryan Fletcher of the CIA. There was not a doubt in Katherine's mind that Fletcher was innocent, and it was Owen's fault that he was now pulled into the mess that was Division.
"Hey dumbass," Her voice greeted the answering machine, "It's me. I'm sorry I couldn't answer your calls but I was at work. That however does not justify the stupid mistake you made! More innocent people are being hurt Owen, because of you. If you want to end this as bad as I think you do, there is a smart way to do it. My way. Text me your location and I will meet you there. Bring the box."
Hanging up, Katherine set the phone down and fell into the routine she had become accustomed to. She started with breakfast, today a simple egg white omelet with fresh roasted peppers, spinach, mushrooms and toast. It was simple. Normal. Housekeeping followed as she sent garbage down the chute, and gathered laundry that needed cleaning only to find articles belonging to Michael. They would have to be more careful during their private encounters. Anyone from Division or Gogol could drop in at anytime and find the same things she had neglected. The discovery of their relationship would get her killed. The routine finished with a hot shower. The steam surrounded her, relaxing her muscles and freeing them from the tension that work brought. The tension however returned when she found a message on her disposable phone. It was from Owen; Chile.
Letting a frustrated sigh escape her lips she smashed the disposable phone and found the one Division provided her with. Pressing two on her speed dial she brought the cell to her ear and awaited an answer, "Hey Michael. It's Kate; you still need bodies for the Chile Op?"
Forest, Chile. 6:47 PM.
The forest brush gave great cover as the Division moved through the trees towards the small shack in the woods. Reports said Ryan Fletcher was taken to the location by Chilean mercenaries. Division had to get him out and take care of the problem. Katherine hoped that Owen would to be there. If she was careful she could get the black box without having her cover blown. They could figure it out, they were spies after all.
The team reached their vantage point and Katherine got down on her stomach to set up her sniper, perching its stand on a fallen log that provided cover. To give her a greater range of motion Katherine stripped off her leather jacket and tossed it aside. "Is that a smart move Quinn?" Michael low tone sounded as he moved down behind the cover of the fallen tree. With the removal of her jacket came the removal of the Kevlar hidden beneath the fabric, opening her up to greater risk of taking a lethal shot.
"I'll take the risk," Katherine responded as she focused the scope of her sniper. Her blue eyes flicked over to him and she dropped her voice to a whisper, "Choose your next words carefully. Looks like your feelings are showing."
Composing himself, Michael cleared his throat and trained his eyes on the small shack. "Just put your jacket on," He spoke in return and held it out to her, "Please." Katherine nodded as she took the jacket and pulled it back on, but did not zip it up. "Thank you," Michael added under his breath as he pulled up his binoculars to survey the area.
"I've got seven figures inside," One of the other agents spoke up as he scanned the shack with his thermal infrared detector, "Four dead. Three alive and moving for the door."
Katherine peered down the scope as the three figures walked out from the shack, running for cover behind a truck directly in front of it. One blond, two brunettes. Two men, one woman. Owen Elliot, Ryan Fletcher and Nikita Mears. "Are you seeing this?" Kate spoke slowly. If she made any shot, they couldn't be accurate. She was working with two of the three people below, and they were helping the third for good reason. She couldn't kill them.
"Nikita!" Michael barked and the Vietnamese woman froze. "There is nowhere to go," He told her. If she ran there was nothing but forest. They would catch them eventually. Owen moved to run for a second truck only to have it blown up. Katherine took the opportunity to look him over. No black box was visible. Cussing under her breath she pushed herself up and began to run after the trio as they took off into the woods.
Michael took off after Katherine losing sight of her in the trees. He felt his stomach rise in his throat when all he saw where the green of leaves and brown of the rough bark on the trees. He wanted to call out for her, but knew it was not the brightest idea. Any concern he showed would only bring questions. Questions he could not answer truthfully. If he did, they'd both be killed.
Pulling ahead of her team, Katherine found herself running with Nikita rather than running after her. She scent Owen a glance and he shook his head. He didn't have it. Kate was almost angry, but knew that if he was working with Nikita, she would have the black box business under control. Gogol would not get what they wanted but there would be no more leaks. It was the best for everyone.
"Who's this?" The voice of Ryan Fletcher sounded as he looked between the woman who saved him and the blond who had joined them.
"Doesn't matter," Kate cut in, "You have two options Nikita, hand over Fletcher or create a hell of a distraction to get the three of you out of here."
Pulling her gun from her hip Nikita stopped in her tracks and aimed her gun at the Russian double agent. Her next moves she didn't have to think twice about. The bullet tore from the barrel and into the exposed skin of Katherine's shoulder. "Big enough distraction?" Nikita spoke her words bitter and laced with jealousy. Michael would have to fight every fiber of his being not to help Katherine, and fail to. He would stop to help her and they could get away.
Taking in a sharp breath Kate dropped to the ground, laying herself out on her back. With each beat of her heart the crimson heat that was blood oozed out over her shoulder and chest. It soaked into her clothes as it spread. It was a distraction, a painful one at that. "Michael," He voice escaped her lips weakly as she heard footsteps growing near, "Michael!"
Lying in the brush, Michael found Katherine in her weakening state. "Nikita." He growled out in anger. She knew where he stood when it came to the young agent. That his feelings for her were much more than he would admit. Now she was using it against him, it made him sick. Searching his pockets to steam the bleeding he let out a groan. There was nothing.
"In my pocket. There is a tie. It's not much. But it will work." Katherine spoke taking breathes when she needed them. The blood loss was still minimal, but taking a bullet was always painful. Ignoring the pain for a moment, a smile spread over her lips when Michael pulled the tie from the pocket of her cargo pants. "I found it on the floor. Behind the chair. In my bedroom." She explained.
"We're going to have to be more careful aren't we?" Michael questioned and earned a nod from Katherine, "Next time we're going to leave our jacket on." A smile continued to split over Katherine's face and she nodded again. She would leave the jacket on.
Day: One-Hundred Ninety-Three.
Division Headquarters, Medical. 9:12 AM.
No drugs. The idea was almost unbearable. As consequence to her earlier stunt nearly resulting in an early death she would have to face the pain of the bullet wound Nikita have given her. The rogue agent was proven to be a valuable asset, but the more time she spent with the brunette the more she came to develop a negative feeling towards her. Katherine found that she was constantly reminding herself that Nikita shot her to help her, not to kill her. She had also saved Michael. For that, Katherine would forever be grateful. She had no idea how Nikita had done it, but it didn't matter.
Groaning, Katherine pulled on a fresh shirt. The movement of her arms put strain on the bandages that stemmed the bleeding. There were no stitches; they wanted it to heal from the inside out. Blood seeped through the bandages and onto the white t-shirt that clung to her form. She wanted to scream as she struggled to peel the t-shirt off to fix her bandages. Tangled around her arms, the shirt strained the wound further. She was stuck, and it hurt like hell.
Leaning in the doorway of the examination room, Michael watched as Katherine grew fed up with her current situation and sat down on the examination table her hands extended up over her head. He couldn't help but to smile as he entered, closing the door behind him. "It's just me." His words were soft as he noticed her jump from the click of the door closing. "Need a hand?" He continued, stifling a laugh. The shirt shifted as she nodded. Stepping closer his rough hands travelled up her thin torso, tracing her curves. Grinning, he gripped the thin white fabric and pulled it from her arms. Her blond hair fell into her face, red with embarrassment.
"Thank you," Kate muttered as she brushed her hair out of her face. "Can you pass me some more bandages?" Her voice clipped, distant.
This didn't go unnoticed by Michael whose brows knitted in response. He grabbed fresh bandages and helped her wrap the wound. Cupping her face in her hands, Michael directed her bright eyes up to his. "What's wrong?" He questioned, fearing that it was something he had done. Kate turned her head, pulling her gaze from his, "Katherine please, tell me so I can fix it."
Katherine swallowed hard as she brought her eyes back to Michael. It was not time to cower. Fearing what she felt would only cone back to hurt her. She had to face it. "While you were in Yemen you were working with Nikita, Division captured the footage on hotel security feed...You said she handed you over to the authorities...I know you to have a hist-"
"- Katherine, Nikita is just that. History. Nothing happened in Yemen. I would have died there if it wasn't for you." Michael told her weakly as his forehead rested down against hers. "I went there to make things right. I would have done anything - I would have died to. I was at the airport, with Nikita over the comm. She was trying to talk me out of it. Trying to talk me out of killing the man who killed my family. Her words were going in one ear and out the other until…" His words trailed off into an uneven breath. The pain he had felt back in Yemen was returning. The pain in his chest that followed Nikita's words: You have Kate. "…until she pointed out what I had to live for. That I couldn't throw my life away because it wouldn't just hurt me. It would also hurt you."
"Michael-"
"I love you Katherine."
Katherine shut her eyes tight, she was afraid he was going to say that. What scared her more was that she wanted to say it in return.
Michael was kicking himself for letting the three words that defined a stable relationship escape his lips. He meant them, but it brought fear. He lost everyone he loved. If he lost Katherine, he wouldn't be able to take it. It would kill him, just like the silence was. It waited to be filled with a response but was dragged out for too long. Michael began to fear that she may not say it in return. That she did not share his feelings. "Kate I'm sorry I shouldn't ha-"
"I love you too."