Chapter 36
The next day across town at the Grandville Medical Center Chase is being released today. He's called Sophie and she has agreed to come and retrieve him. A knock sounds at his hospital room door as a nurse is helping him get dressed, though his ribs are tapped and his right hand is in a cast he wants out of this place of his wife's choosing. The nurse looks to him for visual confirmation to leave his side and unlock the door. He's insisted his door be locked for security purposes. He'd been anxious ever since Sophia's visit.
Minutes later Sophia pushes pass the nurse. Her head held in the air. "Chase what were you two doing that required the door to be barred?" Shock and something else crosses his features it then transforms in to an irritated glare.
"Oh Sophia don't be imprudent this girl is a child? I had them lock my suite for the same reason I do most things, I have always placed a great deal of importance on my security." he says tightlipped.
"You are a paranoid nut with your bullet proof this and your reinforced that. Your need to control how things appear safe is what got you into this mess." Sophia walks closer to the nurse and puts out her hand when the nurse takes her hand Sophia pulls her close. "I'm Mrs. Ivey" The nurse is the shade of the red name tag hanging off of her lapel. "Stay away from my husband if you know what is best for your health. Now nod and leave now." Sophia harshly whispers, in the nurse's ear as she releases the nurse\s hand. The nurse looks chagrined but keeps her silence as she walks slowly out of the room.
Chase sighs "Was the at all necessary? I told you why the door was locked. You never were this insecure what's happened to you Sophia?"
"You sent me away, how am I supposed to be secure in the thought that there isn't something wrong. You were so mad at me. I couldn't go home to Florida without you it would not look right. We always travel together. You may not remember but I was in the helicopter when I had you moved here I stayed busy in Grandville and I truly am sorry it took me so long to come visit you. You were so out of it oh Chase you scared me. I did call and keep close tabs on your progress I just could not bear to see you so not yourself, then when the nurse at the front desk told me the girls had tried to disturb you I came." Sophia says as a tear slips down her cheek unchecked. There was that look again on his face. "Say something please." a knock sounds on the door. Chase visibly relaxes. He business-like detached look is back in place.
Earlier at Ivey mansion Sophie leaves her bedroom after assuring her father that she is on her way. He has called 3 times; she wonders why he seems so jumpy. Angel walks out of her room. "I thought you were out driving king dumbass around to all his shows."
Angel looks confused until Sophie holds up her phone with Angel's hurried text message on the screen. "Oh, the text message, I told ya the worst text messenger stands right before you." Angel says as she smiles and points at herself. "I dropped him off at the airport so he can go to his shows on time."
"What made you want to take his married ass any fucking where?" Sophie says as she grabs her coat and puts it on.
Angel had slept surprisingly well after returning from taking Glenn to the airport yesterday. She woke up last night and took a shower and then acutely wrote a few verses of an original song in her song book. Sophie was her own personal Bullshit - o - meter. "We are giving each other time to get our shit together. His marriage was one of convince she lied to him about a kid that is not his and that is the only reason he married her. Don't tell him I told you, it's really not my place but I just had to tell someone."
Sophie couldn't believe Glenn was now playing even more games. That story was a total lie if she ever heard one. So now it's a secret he's a lying dog? She thinks to herself. "Hey I'm going to get dad want to ride with? Maybe we can get to the bottom of this." Angel agrees and volunteers to drive, Sophie says she hasn't really had a chance to let her silver Lexus F Sport i.e. her baby out of the garage much here lately. Angel agrees and they head out and jump in. As they are pulling into traffic Sophie explains why Glenn's story sounds rehearsed, like he has practiced it answering all the possible questions. Angel gets defensive so Sophie tells her it's just her opinion and to do what she feels best since Angel is the only one that would have to live with her choices.
Angel wants to change the subject and quickly. "So why are we going to get dad? I hope I'm allowed to go up there with you."
Sophie pulls on to the highway "Yeah, you should be fine. Since I spoke to dad I am pretty sure he's had the block removed he was super pissed at mom." Knowing that Angel's change of subject was it for getting any more about Glenn. Sophie turns on the stereo system a click is heard as it and links to her music list on her IPhone. Angel pokes at the screen and instantly System of a Down's Chop Suey starts up and Angel starts mouthing the words and shaking her head like she's on stage, and making goofy faces at Sophie.
This was reminiscent of how they usually traveled from high school when Chase was driving. This was the side of Angel that most didn't see. When she was on stage she was working and people that knew her knew her forced or focused gaze verses this funny face making, lip sinking, bubbly chick sitting next to her. The only people that saw this side of Angel was, Sophie would say family, but mostly her and Chase were the only ones subject to this side of Little Miss Bad Ass.
As the song goes off Angel reaches to hit repeat and Sophie slaps her hand away laughing saying no repeats. Angel goes for an innocent look saying "What?" she quickly cracks up laughing herself. They are soon pulling into the Parking Unit of the Medical center and are led by the red lighted arrows to a parking space that will accommodate the car. They get out and hear the message that auto plays when pressure is placed on the ground near the car about no weapons or smoking.
Angel walks behind Sophie. The desk nurse has a smile plastered on her face, as she stiffly gives them and affirmative and lets them enter the hall of elevators. Angel lets out the breath she was holding. That was easy. She thinks and thanks a higher power for it being easy. They go up to the room Chase is in. Angel tries the door and it is locked she knocks lightly as to not startle Chase.
Sophie voices the unspoken question to a nurse that is walking by. "Why is his door locked?"
"Um Mr. Ivey insisted on his suite being locked at all times, and since the doctors and nurses do have combinations we were able to grant his wish or demand."
The door opens and Angel comes face to face with none other than Sophia. Angel looks pass her mother and locks eyes with Chase. Sophie is at her back her mother blocking the way into the room. Sophia steps back into Angel's line of sight Angel says as dead pan as she can muster "Hello Mother" She knew it drove Sophia up the wall when she addressed her this way.
Sophia looks back at Chase he looks at her and then back at his girls. Her husband was beginning to be more difficult each day. She had to at the very least try his suggestion of getting along with her children. She surprises Angel and steps forward and hugs her. "I'm sorry I've been so hard on you please forgive me." Angela was her most forgiving daughter so when Angel merely stands there with arms to her sides and a focused look on her face. Sophia stands back and the look on Angel's face shocks her. She looks over Angel's shoulder at Sophie their eyes meet. "I am still your mother I will talk to both of you soon." Sophia then excuses herself and power walks away down the hall her heels clicking loudly on the tile.
Not fazed by her mother's presence Sophie walks in the room "Well it looks like we are here to spring you from Medical Prison, are you ready to go dad? Sophie asks as she moves over to the closet to collect any of her father's personal belongings. Seeing that he has nothing stowed in the closet she moves to his hospital bedside cabinet.
"Sophie, be careful" Chase says as he looks at the drawer as if at any moment something is going to spring from it.
Angel who is now helping him into the wheel chair that is customary for him to ride down to the car in, pauses at his words. Both Sophie and Angel ask Chase what's wrong.
Sophie quickly finds out when she opens the drawer and slowly withdraws a Sig Sauer P229 357 "okay you want to start explaining or should I start asking questions like are you insane?"
Outside Sophia marches across the parking area of the Medical center with purpose. What was going on Angel was not forgiving her or at least that's what it looked like. Sophie had not even spared her a long glance less known spoke to her. Chase was leaving the hospital he had not told her she had to find out from the nosey nurse at the front desk. She gets to her car and gets in. For a brief moment she feels something out of place then shrugs and starts the car.
Braden rises up and waits for Sophia to notice him from the back seat of her car. "So do you have the account information?" Braden says as he places his hand on her shoulder she jumps at his words. He grins at her fear "I keep telling you, I'm not a patient man. I won't be led. You will deliver or I'll make sure you will be the head of the biggest scandal. You will lose everything that your cold black heart desires. I'm going to ask you again. Where is my money bitch?" He grabs her Afro puff and pulls her head back tightly against the seat rest. "You're not speaking?" he half growls half whispers and bits her ear hard enough to draw blood.
Sophia winces at the pain. "Ahhhh!" she screams as he applies more pressure and lets go before tearing her flesh. All of her nerve endings in her ear lobe are numb for mere seconds then comes back to life with a vicious punch of pain. Tears stream down her cheeks. She has her hand on his trying to free her hair from his painful grip. "Braden Please No more I will get your Aaacccck…"she breaths out in a rush that is cut off.
Braden's anger is tangible as he harshly speaks his normal British seeping in to his words "I guess you are like a dog that must be trained." Braden snakes his other hand around her throat and squeezes until she almost passes out he then releases her and massages her throat, until she meets his eyes in the review mirror. "My name is John Sinner-man you will refer to me in public places as John or Mr. Sinner-man. Do I make myself clear Sophia?"
Sophia finally sees the unstable qualities she had read about in Braden's file. For the second time today she wondered if she was doing the right thing. "Yes John, to answer your first question I don't have the account information when I went to speak to my husband his room was locked and I wanted to get to the bottom of why. Then the girls showed up." he lets her hair go. She breathes a sigh of relief. "I'm going to drive now please don't do that again."
Braden sits back in the back seat and puts his hands on his head. "Drive, I value my life more than to hurt you, while you maneuver this 2 tons of fun through town." He meets her eyes in the review mirror. "Go to your hotel room we need a better plan since yours are not working."
Sophia drives out of the parking exit and speeds up. "You could have killed me." she says as she locks eyes with him in the rear view mirror. He leans forward in his seat and demands she slow down, she puts her foot to the floor and they are both thrown back in their seats. Sophia sees a clearing and turns the car on to the dirt road. She had one chance. "Don't ever threaten me again are we clear?" She screams Braden is cursing and pulling her hair. "LET ME GO" she slams on the breaks. Braden is thrown forward he is now half away in the front seat as he tries to push his way off of the dash board, he looks at her when he lifts his hand to hit her, she is ready for him and Stuns in the chest. Sophia was in panic mode, the look on his face before she stunned him was purely lethal. She jumps out of the car and runs for all she is worth.
Braden screams fearing he won't be able to move. After the pain lessens he notes he can move. Breathing heavy his body still tingling from the shock his adrenaline soon over powers the sensation and now he was going to kill the bitch. He slowly and gingerly climbs back into the back seat and then exits the car from the back door.
Sophie and Angel wheel Chase down stairs he'd not said anything to her outburst of why he had or how he got the gun up in his room in the first place. The nurse asks Sophie is the car out in the retrieval deck or did she want to go get her car. Sophie says she will go get her car. Angel volunteers and Sophie gives her the keys.
Angel soon pulls up in front of Sophie and her father. Chase says for her to help him in the car. Once in Angel and Sophie look at Chase he still had not said anything about the gun. He tells Angel to drive him to Ivey Mansion.
"So you going to tell us how you got that in the hospital, "Angel meets Chase's eyes in the mirror the look of fear and something else on his face stops her speech.
It was time to talk to his girls he clears his throat. "I don't want to be videoed or voice recorded any longer, either take me to Ivey mansion and I will explain or just drop me off at the Grandville Hilton please"
Angel looks at Sophie who says "No go home, because I really want to know why you have that?"
Angel drives back to Ivey mansion. They help Chase inside and he now sits on the sofa in the den. Sophie and Angel both sit in front of him in stuffed chairs. Chase looks at his girls. They were beautiful adults now. "Sophie after you visited me I spoke to your mother that day. Something is amiss at first I thought it my usual level of professional paranoia, but I can't place where that scent Sophia wore has come to me before. Of course I can't prove it but something inside me will not let the idea rest that she wishes to do me harm. She has tried to get into my offices; tried to withdraw a large sum of money from my bank account. When she left I was so shaken I had the hospital lock the doors to my suite." I can't place it but there is something that is just beyond my mental reach something associated with the smell of, I can't place it. The gun came from a friend of mine that visited after Sophia left. He's FBI and is the one that informed me that she was trying to hack my fucking account from her damn laptop."
Chase bows his head. He then looks back at his children. "Never have I hurt her, never has money been something we needed to discuss. She has always known she could have merely asked. I have tried to give her all that she never had as a child. I have always tried to keep her happy and safe; just can't get my arms around why she is acting like this. " He sighs and leans his head back on the sofa.
"She's never satisfied there always going to be something that she desires. I know how it sounds but if you are honest with yourself you know I speak the truth." Jonathan says as he walks in the door. He bends down and kisses Angel on the forehead and nods at Sophie. Jonathan puts out his hand "I'd say nice to meet ya but under these circumstances that sounds like a lie. So I'll leave it at hello my name is Jonathon McBride."
Chase raises his head and stares at his wife's ex-husband, he struggles to his feet as he tries to hide a wince not liking been stood over. He shakes hands with Jonathan. "Chase Ivey, I have no desire to make a habit of speaking with or to my wife's past."
Jonathon looks from Chase back to his daughter. "Fair enough, Chase I came to speak to my daughter. Angel when you are done here please meet me on the lanai." Jonathon turns around and leaves the room.
Wondering what her father wants Angel looks torn between staying in the den, but her furtive glances at the door give way to her curiosity. Chase dismisses her saying he's said possibly too much as it is. Angel gets to her feet and hugs Chase a usual gesture for them both, he bends down and with his good arm hugs his oldest to him. As he takes a deep breath he suddenly smells a hint of the awkward scent that Sophia had on. As Angel is about to step away from him which is her usual way, he holds her in place. He feels her tense and releases her. As she is about to turn around he halts her motion by grabbing her. She looks back at him alarm on her face. "What what's wrong? Dad you look pale are you okay?" Angel says as her mind races for a plan of escape he just stood there staring at her and clutching her arm in his fist.
Sophie has risen at the look of shock and fear on her sister's face and her father's eerie stare. "Dad stop it your acting super cringe-worthy right about now. Let her go" Sophie starts to move slowly towards the two.
Chase continues to stare into Angel's frightened gaze as he forcibly with little resistance pulls her sleeve to his nose and inhales. "She said you were involved, I told her you weren't" he growls as he pushes Angel away from him she hits the floor. "Get the FUCK out NOW" he yells at Angel through gritted teeth she first scrambles to her feet with a look of shock and awe on her face as she says she has nowhere to go. He takes a step towards her. "I said get OUT" She turns and runs out of the room apologizing, He'd been so damn stupid that was the scent that he'd smelled right before his world was sent into darkness.
-Flashback-
He wakes up in the back of a car after being struck, his head in immense pain, being strapped to a wall, being hit repeatedly in already injured parts of his body. That scent was on the fucker that kidnapped him. Sophia had been in the medical helicopter, that fucking scent she was involved his wife was part of the kidnapping she is speaking to him but he cannot answer, He wants to ask her why. Total fear takes over him because he cannot move. That scent, on her skin, when she puts her hand over his mouth and nose, closing off his air, he wants to scream for help but he is too weak. She must have thought he was completely under; he hears her voice but cannot make out what she is saying. Chase fights to open his heavy lids, with eyes wide as he can manage he looks into hers as his body involuntarily fights to breath. Panic sets in and triples. He can hear his heart thundering in his ears. She moves her hand and smiles at him brushing his hair out of his face. His last conscious thought before waking in the medical center is the look on Sophia's face as she brushed his hair out of his face. He feels a prick and sees her withdraw a needle and just knows she has killed him he is going to die this night as his world fades to black
-End of Flashback-
When he woke in the Medical center he could not remember but now he did. Sophia wanted him dead but why? Sophie broke his reverie.
"I know I've asked you this before but are you insane?" Sophie screams in his face "What's wrong with you? I'm going to need you to leave Afro man alone!" He looks over her head avoiding her angry glare he was angry as well "Hey Chase where do you get off putting anyone out of my house?" Sophie was furious as she marches towards the door, when he starts speaking she stops hand hovering over the door handle.
Chase looks at his daughter "That girl could have hurt you or worst." He yells at her back as he sits down, and explains what he remembers. "I can't pinpoint where Angel would have been involved but she must have been there. Before you try to defend her you heard her apologize with your own ears."
Still facing the door way Sophie speaks holding in a building anger "Number one, if my sister was going to hurt me she would have tried when I can back here. Dad evidently you don't know Angel you just displayed some very aggressive behavior towards her, that to my knowledge you never have before. Angel was confused at why you were angry. She uses "I'm sorry" as a pacifier in conflict situations you should know this by now it don't take a genius She been doin it ever since I can remember. Number 2, Angel was here in Texas the whole time, the reason you may have smelled anything from mom on her was because if you remember mom hugged her before we left the fucking hospital." at his indrawn breath Sophie continues "Yeah, now if you'll excuse me I have to go find her before she leaves her own fucking home." Sophie says and points her pointer finger in the air and circles it meaning to represent the whole house.
Chase puts his fist to his mouth holding back an expletive then removes his hand, and stands to go apologize to Angel. "I..I should have stuck to my belief that Angel would not betray me. I told Sophia those same exact words that night when she said that Angel was involved. I will make this better Sophie." Chase swallows hard. He'd just single-handily screwed up his relationship with his children. Chase walks towards the door as well he now stands about 3 feet away from Sophie as he waits for her to move aside. "Then I'll leave, I need time to think." He cups his forehead in his good hand and runs his fingers through his hair.
Sophie is livid as she turns on him. "NO. YOU stay away from her; I'VE HAD ENOUGH, I'VE SEEN ENOUGH, I WANT YOU OUT, I WANT IT TO END NOW, I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! I'm tired of every time I look around you or mom or someone are racing to hurt Angel and you and mom are the ones that can do it soo fucking easy and the thing is, you know why because, for some damn reason she has a larger capacity to love and FORGIVE you more than even I do right now." Sophie is shaking as her eyes narrow to thin slits. "Either go to the police and have mom arrested or live with her, you and mom deserve each other. Stick a fork in me I am sooo done." Sophie storms out of the den slamming the door behind her leaving Chase standing and staring open mouthed.
Angel runs towards her truck. Chase had pushed her down and demanded she leave, confusion and fear consumed her when he stepped towards her she'd apologized even though she had no idea what he was talking about and she'd ran. Chase had never grabbed her, he'd never pushed her around before, she didn't want or need him getting worst either. She has no other home she told him this and he didn't care. What was she going to do now? What had she done? Why was he so mad? Then she remembers that Jonathon was on the back lanai waiting on her. Angel runs around to the back lanai and taps on the window to catch her father's attention. He waves at her to come in she shakes her head no and waves him out into the backyard.
The fear on his daughter's face put the hairs at Jonathan's nape up on end. "What's wrong Honeypot"
Her father's endearment was her undoing Angel lunges into his arms and the damn broke, her unshed tears now flow down her cheeks as she tries to compose herself, as fear of the unknown floods her. There was no way if she could not stay, that Chase would allow her father to stay, which probably meant Jonathon would return to Ireland. She pulls back from her father when he tenses she speaks fighting the erg to cry again. "I've been nothing but loyal to him, and all I have to show for it is being thrown out of my own home. I have no idea where the deed is and if he wanted to, he could probably have his lawyers cook up some loophole." Angel explains what happened in the den. She hears a door slam. "I have to go he's super pissed and I don't understand what I did." Jonathan storms toward the house. "Dad please let's just go please, he's not worth it." Angel walks backwards.
"Your right he's not, but you are." Jonathon says through clenched teeth as he heads back into the house. If Ivey didn't want to talk to him about Sophia that was fine, when Chase pushed Angel over and made his girl fucking cry that wasn't fine, and they were gonna have words. Jonathon promised himself he would only talk this time, since the fella just got out of the hospital. If Ivey touched his daughter again all bets were off.
Angel tells herself she is not running, as she gets in her truck and drives away, before she can stop herself and overthinks it she calls Glenn he answers on the first ring. "Talk to me please. Are you busy? I know we are supposed to be giving each other time to get our shit together but I just needed to hear your voice."
Glenn was lying on his hotel bed when Angel's ring tone hits his phone he bolts into a sitting position. Tiredness forgotten at the sound of her voice she sounded liked she'd been crying. It brings a lump to his throat. Was she dumping him? Had she thought about their situation and decided he wasn't worth her time? He says over the lump in his throat "Yeah, no I'm not busy. What's wrong you okay?"
"If he was anyone else I wouldn't care so much. I mean he couldn't do this shit when I was living in New York?" Angel is nearly creamed by an ice cream truck she slams on the breaks flips off the driver and continues driving. She parks in the parking lot of a mall in North Grandville. Closing her eyes and breathing deeply, trying to bring her racing heart under control Angel says "Fuck. I'm sorry Glenn"
"What happened? Who wouldn't you care about? What's wrong baby? Talk to me." Glenn had heard screeching tires. His nerves are on end.
Taking a deep breath Angel explains what happened with the ice cream truck and the situation with Chase. "I don't know where I'm going to be if you come back Glenn, but I can't stay here anymore. This is the reason I usually never come home, but there's no way Braden hasn't changed the locks on my home in New York" her voice cracks. She didn't have a home anymore, or wouldn't as soon as Chase called his lawyers.
Glenn heard the "if" she doubted he'd come back, that hurt but he had to make her see she did have a home if she still needed one. "WAIT, what, I thought you girls owned Ivey Mansion. You don't think Sophie would have a problem with Ivey taking the house from you guys, since he'd have to in order for you not to be able to live there?"
"Glenn I'm not trying to have Sophie choose between me and going up against Chase, his lawyers are more seasoned than Sophie why get her in the same boat I'm in?" Angel says she as she looks up in time to see a shirtless man running towards her truck. "Oh no Fuck this" She hits the auto locks, starts the truck and when the man grabs the door handle she pulls forward and drags him until he is forced to let go and falls to the pavement of the parking lot. "Really, in broad daylight asshole, you try to car jack my ass in broad daylight?" her whole body is shaking she had to slow down. as she comes to a stop light she looks in her rearview mirror and sees nothing out of the ordinary.
"Baby, go home I'm calling Mark and at least I'll know you're safe. Chase thinks he's invincible when it comes to lawyers, Mark's lawyers can close down all of Chase's business with a fucking whisper. I've see it done. Go home if Chase says one more fucking word to you he won't have to worry about whatever he's pissed about, because Mark will shut him down in every way he can."
"I think you're right it's getting late and the crazies are already out. I'll call Sophie and she can tell me where Chase is and I can go in the opposite way it's a big house he won't have to see me." Angel has to pull herself together. She drives back into Grandville South.
"I don't care who Chase is, he touch you again and Mark will bury his ass." Glenn wished he were with her and told her so and that he loves her. He is sitting at the desk in his hotel room drawing on the tablet provide to the guest. When he looks down at what he's been drawing he is shocked to see little symbols with Angela's full name and his full name intertwined.
Angel pulls in the backyard and parks the truck in a thicket of brush on one of the trails that lined the property. She cuts the engine and the lights dim then go out. With her key in hand she says "Glenn, I'm here at the house I'll call you later no matter the outcome okay love you too, bye."
Chase had called his FBI "friend" and is going to stay with him until he could put together a plan. Agent Robert Hawk - Ivey or Bobby for short paced his home office. With Bobby's long dark hair, his medium build, his light copper coloring of the full blooded Blackfoot Indian that he is, and his grey eyes no one would ever mistake him for Chase's son but he is. Bobby paces the floor and asks his father once more "Now you're sure this not some medicine induced hallucination, this was the real deal. You felt and saw your wife put her hand over your mouth and nose trying to cut off your air, and then stick you with a hypodermic needle, while you were being transported to the medical center here in town?"
Chase yarns and rolls his eyes he had been over his story Bobby asked the same damn questions 20 times all in different ways. "I'm not obtuse Bobby, I know it sounds farfetched but it happened." Chase says in a level tone.
Bobby puts his hands up in a mock defensive manner. "Look I'm not calling you stupid, it's just that you have already accused one wrong person because of a smell. Face it Chase, unless Sophia admits that she tried to kill you or she tries again. You really have no case or cause to be awarded a restraining order. You were on top shelf painkillers that should have had you out for the entire ride. I'll see if the helicopter had a camera that's all I can do at this moment" Bobby plunges his hands through his hair.
"I wish I could apologize to my step-daughter but her father has made it abundantly clear that I'm not to go near his daughter. I can't even blame the man I think if it were not for the fact that I just got out the hospital he probably would have put me in one. I was a complete asshole to that girl. I'm not perfect far from it in fact. Here, I believe this is yours" Chase hands Hawk the gun back. "I want to thank you for letting me stay here I promise it will be brief just until my lawyers secure a different residence. I am having them purchase it through a third party company therefore when I leave, Sophia will not be able to track my whereabouts. "
Hawk takes his gun back and puts it in his boot holster. "No none of us are perfect, but Chase you saved my life more times than I'd like to admit, ever. If it weren't for you I wouldn't have got into the Texas Rangers or became an Agent I'd probably be a drunk like my old man before he killed my ma. I'm glad you were able to adopt me all those years ago."
"In all my years I have never been aggressive with either of my girls, to see the naked fear in Angel's gaze when I pushed her to the floor. Sophie was right I was worse than Sophia tonight. Angel even says she has nowhere to go but at the time I just wanted her out of the house. When I stepped across that floor Angel ran and I just knew that her apology was her admission of guilt, something in my head should have caught that, for fucks sake Angel has been doing that since she was 5." Chase bites his bottom lip, shudders, sighs, and rubs a hand over his face.
"Hey get some sleep and you guys will talk it through just like you did with me when I tried to paint your car that time. Don't worry about this shit tonight; Sophia isn't crazy enough to come to my doorstep unless she wants a lead sandwich. Through the miracle of growing up with Nana Barnett Ivey as a grandmother and partial guardian, your wife probably still don't even know of my existence which is mighty fine with me." Hawk smiles
Chase rises to his feet thinking about how Nana Barnett Ivey his mother would have disapproved of his rough behavior. "I just hope that Angel goes back to her home. As for how I handled talking to you vs. Angel and myself speaking, you had a different kind of personality. If I had put you out when you what would have done? With Angel I quick sold her the family home in a kind of trade for the home she purchased for my wife and I." thinking about that fact just made Chase realize how much more a fool he'd been. "Where you, would have probably been ready to argue or even fight. I pushed all her triggers for flight. I yelled at her I psychically retrained her, and pushed her down. Jonathon Angel's birth father informed me that Angel thinks I plan on taking the house back through some loophole. In less than ten seconds flat I have forever altered Angel's view of me and royally pissed off my youngest. Sophie usually doesn't do loud and explosive, she is usually refined she will get me told, but in a very distinguished way. Tonight I got eaten and spit out verbally. I mean, I can't even call Sophie right now, because I already know her finger would strike ignore so fast her phone would have to catch up with the action. I need a drink."
Bobby walks over and steers Chase towards the guest room. "No you're still on pain killers, you need sleep, and you have had one hell of a day. When I heard that you were in the hospital, and what for, I refused to believe it I saw you the first night you were here. I don't know what I would've done if Sophia had of blocked me. Don't get me wrong Chase I'm not violent anymore, but those tendencies aren't all dead." Bobby yarns and chuckles, as they reach the bed "Well if we keep talking it's going to be morning before we know It." as Bobby is leaving the room he turns around. "Aw hell" Bobby walks over and hugs Chase "Goodnight father." He then walks into his bedroom and closes the door.
The house's automated system kicks in and states that the front and rear doors are secure. Bobby sits on the side of his bed with his laptop on a laptop stand across his lean legs. He was thinking about how close he came to losing Chase the best and only father figure he ever knew. He'd wait until Chase was sleeping and then he'd do some investigating of his own. He knew what the woman looked like and he'd find out where she was staying.
Chase gets into bed. One the off chance he is wrong he dials Sophie's cell phone and is rewarded with one ring, then a message comes on telling him that his number has been logged and blocked. His family was falling apart his wife wanted him dead and he'd single handedly fucked up his relationship with his daughters. The drugs were taking him under again but he felt safe here in Bobby's secure home. For once since his kidnapping he slept a hard dreamless restorative sleep.
Sophie tries to think of someone else to call as she sat at her desk in her book café, her dark blue Jimmy Choos clicks on the hardwood floor of her office as she rocks back and forth in her chair, her Vera Wang dress that matched her shoes rides just above her knees. She would be out looking for Angel herself, but a new author was having a late night book signing. Sophie had called Jonathan and Mark, they had not seen her but Mark told her that he had heard from Glenn and that Glenn told her to go back to the house after almost getting carjacked. Knowing that Angel would still be hesitant to return to the house she even called that little pest Joshua Davenport, from the club Angel went to the other night. Josh told her he'd not seen her since she left with the Neanderthal that had pounded on him. Sophie teased him saying that he was still bitter. Josh hung up on her. Not fazed by his brooding.
Sophie realized that she really didn't know where or who else to call. The friends that Angel had always spoke highly of were either traitorously dead i.e. Lady Candor, or just plain traitorous i.e. Evie. Angel's band members are out; most of them are insane assed wasted fucks. This thought pattern was giving her a headache. Angel's ring tone hits her phone and Sophie swipes the screen to answer, but her phone has other ideas. The call is instantly disconnected with a click, and an error message appears with a stream of numbers behind it. "Fuck it all to Hell" she growls and quickly scrolls to Angel's image and sends a text.
Sophie: Hey the call function on my phone is being a dick. Where are u?
Angel: Um, at the house, I'm in the backyard on the path. I'm not trying to stir any shit but I just don't have anywhere to go right now. I thought we owned Ivey Mansion but since I don't know where the deed is all he'd need is his team of lawyers and a loophole and I'm out.
Sophie: Sista it's not that simple and there's no way I'd let him do some shit like that. He can't put you out. Angel it's not his home it's ours. That was hot air and a whole lot of bullshit. He should have kept his hands to himself and, fucking mouth closed. I'm not even going to try and text that whole cluster fuck situation I'll talk to u when I get home. I'm at the Book café late night book signing. Grr
Angel: Where is Chase? I don't want another run in with him right now. I've never seen him so pissed.
Sophie: Idk he left after Jonathan spoke to him so go on in. Besides like I said it was a colossal misjudgment on Chase's part and I made sure he knew exactly where I stand on the matter. I heard you almost got carjacked Heifer, are you okay?
Angel: Yeah fine I drug the fucker he grabbed the door handle, and I pulled off just like Chase used to tell us. Glenn has a big mouth. Well I'm going in the house, I've had enough of outside for today. See ya when you get home. Love yas Sista #PodModeINmyRoom
Sophie: Love you too Sista.
Sophie felt her irritation and tension level decreasing thankfully her headache seems to be receding. She gets up and walks out of her office. Dave walks over in his dark stylish business suit, in the midst of a room full of people; the man is sex, in motion, she thinks to herself.
He walks to her and whispers in her ear. "Mark, just texted me Angel is home."
Sophie turns to the side of him snaking her hand under his suit jacket and pats his butt as she looks out into the throng of people lining up to get their books signed. "I know, she tried to call, but my phone went retarded so we just finished texting each other. The entire situation was a cluster-fuck from hell." Sophie explains it to him.
Across town Sophia quickly packs her things in her hotel suite. Suddenly there is a knock at the door; Sophia freezes Braden could not have found her this fast. The knock gets louder she goes to the door tazer in hand. The prongs had bounced off of him in the car since he was so close but he'd still got a jolt and she been able to escape." Who is it? " She croaks out over the lump of hysteria building inside of her.
"I'm a friend of Chase can I come in, or are we to discuss personal business through the door in public." The voice was mellow baritone with a hint of south in it.
Sophia looks through the peephole on the other side of her door stood a tall, long haired, tanned Native American male. He must have been looking at the peephole because for a brief minute she believed he was looking straight at her. "I'm armed" her voice sounds shrill even to her own ears.
So am I damn it, Bobby thinks to himself as he checks his weapon on his belt and feels the Sig in his boot. "Nice to know, may I enter? My name is Agent Robert Hawk" he did not want to flash his badge but he would. He understood it was late at night and she did not know him but he would talk to her. He'd found her when he'd done a search for the last ping of her laptop. He'd then badged his way this far.
Sophia was nervous why Chase would be sending someone for her. He'd acted so strange in the medical center. "I don't think it is wise for me to open this door. Can I see some I.D."
"Ma'am I an FBI Agent" Bobby said keeping his tone bored and calm as he raises his badge to the view finder.
Sophia takes a deep breath why would Chase send a federal agent to her door? She wonders as she opens the door. "Come right in Agent Hawk" Appraising him from head to toe Sophia notes his weaponry at his hip her gaze roams down his lean jean clad thighs, and finally back up to his broad shoulders and stern face.
Bobby was used to the visual caresses from women his own age not ones thirty years his senior. She closes and locks the door. When she turns around again to look at him he notices the bruising on her neck. It stood out like a stop sign against her light Carmel colored skin. Her ear was swollen and she had scratch marks on the side of her face. "Chase, do that to you?" Bobby asks in a gruff voice as he gestures to her throat.
Sophia put her hand to her throat and shakes her head no." No I was attacked this afternoon. I thought you were him at the door." She whispers with wide eyes. "Why has Chase sent an FBI agent here? He's been acting so peculiar after his ordeal. I don't blame him for being cautious after his attack, it just rips me to shreds that he thinks he has to hide things from me." Tears welled in her eyes.
She was a damn facet now. Who did she think she was dealing with? Bobby would pay money to see her psychological evaluation results she had trained herself to cry on cue. Harsher then he wished he says "I never said Chase sent me here. I'm here to ask you a few questions. Then I'll leave." She nods her head and motions for him to have a seat. "Where were you when he was abducted?"
Her lips tightened into a thin line. Breathless she ask "What? I was in Florida"
If she was going to lie to him he'd return the favor. "Lady, if you keep lying to me, it's not going to, boded well for you in the end. Chase has accused you of attempted murder. I need to know where you were the day he was abducted and if you say Florida one more time, I'll cuff ya right here, right now. Don't lie to me. You're not smart enough to lie to me, not and get away with it. I'm going to ask you one more time. Oh and don't start the water works nice touch though, but it just rises my suspicious nature, considering there's no real emotion behind it. Where were you?" Evidently his poker face was better than hers. Since her first real emotion crossed her face it was fear.
Sophia bits her lip in worried thought. "You have you have no jurisdiction here, you can't take me anywhere. This discussion is over. I want my lawyer" she whines and pouts at him.
"Woman, what part of federal don't you understand and if you want to end this interview no problem I'll take you in to Federal lock up and pretty little you can share a cell with a serial murder or a rapist. You want your lawyer? Question honey, which one of Chase's lawyers are you gonna call at this early hour, that'll listen to you and put their best foot forward against the man who either gave them a career or has them on retainer? Make a decision I don't have all night."
She had not a playing field. Her pouts were effective with most men and her tears were their kryptonite. Who would she call? This man had her cornered she thinks as she sits down and bows her head "I was in D.C." she says softly
Bobby had to rein in his temper he did not come here for violence. He came for answers. That was the mantra running through his head when he asks the next question. "See that wasn't so hard was it? Did you see Chase William Ivey on the day of his capture?"
"Yes, that night. When he was admitted to the local hospital there I had him transferred here via med-air transit." She answers lifting her eyes to Bobby's face.
Bobby took a deep breath the erg to snap off on her was getting harder to contain with every word she spoke. "Okay so how did you know Chase was in the hospital? You were in the Keys that morning, when did you decide to go to D.C. and why?"
A knock sounds at the door Sophia wasn't pretending to be afraid any longer. She ran in the bedroom Bobby follows her he did not trust her running from the room as far as he was concerned this could be a ruse so she could get to whatever weapon she had, she'd told him she was armed even before he'd entered. He'd be a fool to let her run from the room with him knowing full well she had a weapon in the room.
Braden was a lot of things a fool was not one of them. Sophia had tried to fry him in his own skin, at first he wanted to kill her. He was appreciative she had not hit him in the face. He'd saw the man outside her door and walked on past but he'd listened to the man's half of the conversation a Fed. She couldn't be that stupid if he went down he'd drag her old ass with, in to the depths of prison. Sophia liked to pretend she had emotions well two could play this game. Their arrangement wasn't for her it was larger than them both, the goal to bring his Angel back to him. Braden using a trick he'd played on Angel countless times had written a letter of apology leaving it on her door with a piece of tape Braden walks quietly back to the room two doors down.
Inside Sophia's hotel room she looks at Bobby wondering would he help her. Right now there is a maniac on her trail and she could not pull off her practice emotions on this Agent. The emotion she felt currently is as close to a real one as she could muster. She pleads with her eyes for Agent Hawk's help. Her hands shake and she tries to ball them into fist at her sides. "Please if you can, please don't let him hurt me anymore." Sophia says in a fearful tone.
Bobby saw her fear he did not want to trust her and as bad as he wanted to let her hang or meet her demise from inside her world he was still an Agent and would not let whoever was at the door hurt her. "Go out there and answer the door. I'll cover you from in here he won't be able to see me, but I'll be able to get a bead on him he make a move towards you in violence and I'll neutralize the threat." Bobby says calmly as he draws is weapon and motions her to go answer the door.
The knocking had stopped. She looks out the peephole and sees no one. Feeling braver because of the Agent standing in her bedroom with a gun trained on the door she opens it wide. The disappointment registers on her face when Braden is not there. She sees the letter and gingerly plucks it from the door. Sophia unfolds the small parcel of paper as she closes the door. The first lines confused her. She reads softly to herself a habit she never got over in school. She is temporarily lost in hearing Braden's soft English accented lilt in her head as she reads his words.
Dearest Adored,
My Sophia I am deeply sorrowful for my actions earlier. I will never harm you ever again. I know that you will probably look on me with suspicion for the duration of our relationship. When you pulled that Taser out of your purse I just knew you were going to light me up like Christmas tree, I know you still care because if not you would had no qualms using the other weapon and doing away with all the work I have put in to the new me. For that I'm grateful. I will be contented. In my torment, If only I could kiss your beautiful lips once more.
The business side of our arrangement shall stand. I shall do what you bid of me. Just give me a time and a date and your life will be made easier. As for the account information I have found something that you must see. It may solve your problems. Though my goal is to obtain my Angel the soul of my heart, through your plans please know that this will benefit you as well. Whatever you want from her will be yours, whether it be her loyalty, or her absence.
Please don't turn you back on me. Always constantly will I adore you Even if you don't want me anymore, it was never my intention to fall for you so hard. I pray you are unharmed. I came by your door tonight not to fight but to check on you. I'm so sorry my lover. Remember the weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
Signed and sealed with a kiss
"B." John Sinner-Man
P.S. In private call me what you wish, I love hearing my name on your lips in bed.
Sophia notices that the Agent has moved. She looks up in time to see him snatch the letter and read it. She tries to back away from him. He reaches out without looking up at her and grabs her wrist. She says just over a whisper "I'll scream" She draws in a breath before she lets out the sound he is on her.
Bobby looks at her pulls her to him and covers her mouth with his free hand. Her eyes widen as he closes her nose with his thumb taking her air he kisses her cheek whispers in a growl "This is what Chase felt when you did it to him how does it feel bitch? I should end you right here." he then pushes her way from him. She lands on the sofa and slips off of it crying with hatred in her gaze as she looks up at him. Bobby bends down retrieves the letter and rest his hands on the arm of the sofa "So what is the business part your relationship with Mr. "B." John Sinner-Man" Bobby hisses as Sophia gets to her feet.
"A Fed just tried to kill me. I need a drink she says as she turns to walk in to the kitchenette. "Since you can clearly see me, would you like a drink? Or are you on duty.'
Bobby wanted to be a little closer to her if he accepted anything from her. He calmly walks over and sits on the breakfast bar stool facing her and steeples his long fingers. "Well technically I'm always on duty. I am thirsty though for information. You got a nice cold closed beer in there." She rolls her eyes. He shrugs. She seemed really calm to have just been choked maybe she liked it he thinks then makes a face at the thought of giving her pleasure of any kind.
"The only beer I have is some bottled number John drinks. I think I'll have something a lot stronger." She pours her a dark blue liquid and then pours in Vodka from a tall bottle that is half empty. She places a napkin on the breakfast bar and slides a 40oz. bottle to him. "Do you want a glass you can pour your own." He nods at her saying he was not here to get drunk. As Sophia grabs the other glass that is turned upside down on the sink counter she asks. "So I have a question were you really going to kill me.?"
Bobby takes the glass from her hand slowly wipes the rim off from where the glass sat on the counter, and pours the beer into the glass. "You seem calm about it either way, but since you want to do the small talk thing. I honestly don't think so. You're more valuable alive." She raises her glass "Here's to cheating, stealing, fighting, and drinking. If you cheat, may you cheat death, If you steal, may you steal a woman's heart. If you fight, may you fight for a brother, and if you drink, may you drink with me." She takes a sip of her concoction. "I know it's not original but it's one of my husband's favorite salutes." She smiles at him.
Bobby raises his glass to his lips then pauses. "Yeah Chase is from the old school he don't drink as much as you apparently." Bobby gestures to the now 3/4ths gone bottle of vodka. He sips the beer and then drinks it to about half way. "So you what is your business relationship with the guy?"
Sophia watches him through her lashes "my business agreement is to rid myself of you. Then I will get the account information and take only 4 million dollars, that is gambling money for Chase, but for us the not independently wealthy it will do."
Bobby suddenly felt warm all over; his breaths were coming too quickly. His chest tightens and he fills himself falling off the stool. White hot pain shoots through his abdomen. He is sweating so profusely the floor is wet under his cheek. He reaches for his weapon and discovers he is immobile while lying on the floor unable to move he looks at Sophia as she walks towards him. "Why? How?" he pants through the pain.
"Why? You tried to kill me." Sophia licks her lips and watches the fear take over his features. "As for the how, you were just not the lucky son of bitch you thought you were. I wanted you to watch me. So you would foolishly trust the woman you had tried to kill seconds before. That glass you drank from was for my partner I guess in this instance the criminal was luckier than the cop. Don't worry you won't die from the mixture alone. Chase always says that if I leave him he'd make sure I left penniless." Sophia kicks Bobby in the chest, and watches with a haze of pleasure. She climbs on top of him and bends down and whispers into his ear. "I was there not only when Chase was hospitalized, I was driving, when he was abducted. My partner wants to kill Chase but I had my fun, I made Chase William Ivey fear me. Just like you do right now, don't you?" she whispers in a husky voice. "Let's see what goodies you brought for me to play with." She slowly slips his handcuffs out of his back jeans pocket and cuffs his hands behind his back.
She then struggles to put his limp form in a sitting position against the wall of the breakfast bar. She pulls his drooping head up with one hand by his hair so he is now breathing heavy and staring at her face. "Now you can sleep per chance to dream." She pulls his Sig from his boot. "The poison won't kill you but I can't let you live." She rubs the gun along his jaw line, and puts it between his panting lips.
Bobby's wide eyes follow the gun as she caresses his face and inserts it in his mouth then pulls it out and slides the cold steel down his neck, she lowers it until he can't see it anymore, and he looks back up at her. He concentrates to speak. "You… can't … Do… This… … " Bobby was going to pass out soon he just hoped he didn't pass away this soon.
Sophia sighs "When you're right you're right." Sophia lets his hair go and stands watching his head fall back to his chest. Getting a better idea Sophia walks to the side of him and pushes him over, taking his keys she un-cuffs him. "You didn't finish your drink" She stands and grabs his drink off the counter and splashes it in his face. She speaks in a sing song voice "Oh my word you tried to attack me and I had to defend myself." She laughs hysterically "You came here in a drunken state."
She was beginning to sound far away. The numbness was taking over his face. He was stuck looking at the floor. He couldn't speak but there was nothing he could say that would save his life. No one knew he was here he had on a vest. He'd fucked up and he was paying for it now. As his world fades to black Bobby just prays she doesn't shoot him in the head anything else he might survive.
"Aw my little man tuckered himself out." She stands and walks across the room with his wallet in hand. She opens it and goes still at his last name. "Ivey, so you're related, Agent Ivey I'm sorry I still can't risk you telling on me." Throwing his wallet at him Sophia levels his Sig at his unconscious form lying on the floor, she pulls the trigger, the shot goes wild she wasn't ready for the recoil and almost falls over the sofa. The bullet was now imbedded in the counter 3 feet above his head. She stands farther away from him she'd seen a case turned on a person because the gun was too close to the victim. More hysterical laughter bubbles up from her. "YOU made me do this; you should have kept your hands to yourself." She fires 3 more times and hits him. Bobby's body jerks with the impact, his head smacking with a sickening thud against the counter. She'd just killed someone. She leaves the room and grabs her purse. Standing at the door to the room she looks back at the man. She didn't know what she expected he had not moved she had killed him with his own gun. "No" he'd tried to attack her it was him or her and she loved her more than him. The suite phone rings. Panicking she runs from the room down the hall as she waits for the elevator Braden comes out of his room.
"Oh John, can I come to your room please?" He nods and she rushes towards him. As she enters he takes the gun from her and puts it in the waist of his jeans like on TV he winces since it is still warm. He takes it out of his pants and lays it on the table near the door. She flits around the room pacing. "I felt such control, and then it all went away. I just killed an FBI agent with his own gun. He said he knew Chase but he bares the Ivey name. Oh B.. John what am I going to do?"
"First of all you can call me Braden, we are in private, and it's just you and me." He speaks calmly as he walks towards her. "I'll get you a drink and we'll think of a "good" plan of action." At her nod Braden walks into the kitchen and looks at the ceiling sighing and shaking his head. He drops two crushed sedatives into her Smurf Piss with a twist he smirks at the name he'd give her favorite concoction.
Sophia sits on the sofa and fidgets with her outfit. She takes the offered drink from Braden and pounds it back rubbing a hand across her mouth like a child. Soon the quiet is broken when Sophia bursts into a fit of giggles. "They're gonna catch me Braden, they're going to catch me and kill me. Sometimes life goes on long after the thrill of living is gone. I just ran when the phone rang, and rang, and rang." She passes out and falls over laughing in her sleep tears rolling down her face and taking her heavy make-up with it.
Minutes later in Sophia's room Bobby opens his eyes. Sophia had left him for dead she was wrong; he is a lucky son of a bitch. One, she never got close enough to check and see if he was still breathing, the impact from the shots had woke him back up he'd lay there not able to move or speak terrified that she'd walk over and put a bullet in his brain. Two she'd hit his vest, his prayer had been answered. He tests his hands first he moves his hand to where the bullets from his own fucking gun, met with his vest right above his heart. He had to get out of here. He notices that though everything tingles like his been lying wrong, the sensation is not painful any longer and he can move. He climbs to his feet. He hears someone at the door. He quickly hides in the closet so he can see who was coming to finish the job or coming to rescue him. She had taken his cuffs and his Sig but he still had his Beretta on his hip. He has the folding door partly closed so that he can see out but no one can see him.
Braden now wondered which one of them was the more unstable. Sophia was defiantly coming apart at the seams. This shit wasn't funny yeah he'd out smarted a few cops, he'd even killed before but he'd never killed a Fed. Braden was a free man with a new identity and the same goal. This bitch was not going to get him locked up. He packs his belonging this was not in his plan; she was on her fucking own. She starts giggling again in her sleep. He takes her wallet and keys and walks out of the suite.
A man walks in to the room gun held in front of his chest. Bobby has no idea who the man is but Cops traveled in pairs was this Sophia's cleanup crew? The man walked past the closet and slides along the walk. Bobby moves with the stealth born of his training. He softly places the gun at the nap of the intruder's skull. Bobby stands in his gun stance and growls "Hands in the air" the man slowly complies. "If you move a muscle before the authorities come. I'll blow you skull all over this damn room."
"That would be unfortunate, I am the authorities, sir" the man says in a southern drawl "my name is Captain Harold Sean I'm tracking a criminal and his path and gunshots in this room lead me here. Put your down weapon sir and kindly step back, there are approximately 6 snipers ready to put down any threat to myself in the event that this is a set up." Harold spoke in the detached tone he'd mastered long ago.
"I've heard the name before but if you're lying I'm dead either way."
'I'd show my I.D. but if I move you put a bullet in my brain, and then you are taken down. Face it son, you really only have one choice that will leave you alive." Harold is coiled so tightly that when the pressure is removed from his skull he spins on the man and has him face up in a triangle choke on the floor in mere seconds. He speaks into his communicator fastened to his shirt collar "team STOP stand down and wait for my orders. Now You Wanna tell me, who the fuck you are boy?" Harold growls
"My name is Agent Robert Hawk - Ivey" Bobby tries to take a breath and it comes out in a pant "I'm with the FBI, I came to this location to get some answers. I thought you were her hired help." Bobby coughs from being pressed in the floor with the force of pressure Harold is applying.
"Where is your I.D.?" Harold loosens his grip a little when he realizes that the man was losing color.
"The person that this room is under has it, I would assume. My finger prints are on file and the weapon is registered to me. As for … any … other I.D.. I have none on ..meh" Bobby was getting dizzy from being pinned to the floor. The man had him in some kind of hold. He'd let go of the gun when he was taken down. As he feels the man loosen his grip Bobby says. "I'm no threat to you Captain."
Harold looks around the room and spots the blood on the counter where Bobby's head had connected with it when he was shot. Harold breathes out a harsh breath. "I'm going to release you now, we are gonna talk, if you try to flee this room or go towards your weapon before I dismiss you, you will be neutralized." Harold moves away from Bobby he grabs the gun Bobby had threw when he was tackled.
Bobby sat on the floor the amount of adrenaline that was being pushed through his system just now must have weakened the drug even more, when he spoke and he notices his words weren't slurred, his extremities no longer tingled and his dizziness is gone. He puts his hands in his hair at the back of his head his hair was matted with the blood from him hitting the counter. He tells Captain Sean everything that happened in a detached tone he calls Sophia the Black female instead of her name. He left out the part where he tried to scare her liked she'd scared Chase he didn't know how much the STOP team could see and how long they had been watching.
Listening to the story told in a professional tone, Harold notes that this Agent was the one the shots had been fired at. He and his team had arrived but were tracking Braden until he entered the room Braden's room had no visual line windows it set on the corner of the building 10 minutes after the shots were fired Team STOP were able to see in to the room of the Unsub that was seen with Braden in D.C. Harold stops in front of the counter. He looks down and there on the floor between the kitchen and the living room was the Agent's badge. He bends down and picks it up reads it. As he is rising to his feet he stops and stares at the bullet lodged in the Formica counter. "So Agent Ivey we run the ballistics on this here bullet it will be yours?"
"Yes sir" Bobby looks at the floor. He heard the name Special Agent Captain Harold Sean, the guy was the head of a new arm of the FBI that had surfaced since homeland security had come further in to the public eye. Bobby had tried to be as professional as possible when describing the situation in this room.
Harold walks over to where the Agent sat on the floor. "Stand up" Bobby complies Harold holds the younger man's gaze. "Boy I'm going to you give some seasoned advice, and then you're free to go. We'll clean up and log this you go back to where ever it is you are supposed to be. This isn't your case you're too old to be playing hero with no back up, heroes, die young in this business, any vendetta you got cooking up there in your head let it go. You FOOLISHLY came here to confront this woman alone. You're dismissed." Harold says in disgust, he then tells his team to remain visual but take no action at this point.
"Thank you sir" Bobby pats the letter in his front jeans pocket and takes his wallet from Captain Sean as he slowly walks from the room. Once out in the hall he takes a deep breath. Sean was right he'd been a damned fool from the start he'd let emotion guide his actions and it had nearly got him killed twice. He had a feeling that the good Captain had other ideas than reporting him to his superior. Bobby didn't even want to know why a STOP Team was deployed and controlled by a federal Agent. STOP teams were usually apart of the State troopers this man had pulled in some very local favors. He takes one more look at the door to the room that could have very well been his final resting place. Bobby walks to his car and chases the dawn as he drives towards home. It was nearing 4am and he has to tell Chase what he was up against. Bobby soon arrives home takes a shower and falls across his bed asleep within minutes of landing.
A/N: Thank you to all the people that have continued to give me ideas for this story. Also to the likenesses of the people I have used as muses,, To: Salena Thanks for providing such lovely wording. Harold though I don't know you in person you are one hell of a guy, To: Paula my fellow COTN and dear friend for keeping me on my toes, to my brother Cleautha for listening to my ramblings and giving me the some great lineage I needed to get through this chapter. And last but never least to my weapons consultant Troy man you are one Scary dude, glad I'm on your side. Please read and review. End Note