Chapter Forty-Three

Leah sat alone in the bedroom, sipping chamomile tea while Albert spoke with Trapper, Ernie and Gonzo, she assumed about the plan to get them back into San Francisco Memorial. At this point, she wasn't prepared to imagine what she would have to give up to resume her life without changing everything, so she contented herself by watching the snow fall on the other side of the glass. Running her hand over her head, she smiled. Maybe she'd keep her hair short. She actually smiled at the thought of not having to worry about it while it was short. Moving her eyes up as far as they would go, she thought, "But this is too short."

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Albert sat at the kitchen table with the three people who had to go back to work…somewhere, and if everything went well, it would be San Francisco Memorial. Ernie and Gonzo would be easy. The hospital always needed doctors and nurses. Trapper's position could have been harder had his replacement not made it clear he didn't want to make a career of Chief of Surgery.

Dr. Celik and Mr. Yamiz would corroborate the story that they were doing charitable work in Turkey at the same time they were teaching the hospital staff new surgical techniques. There was no one who could place Gonzo and Ernie in Libya. Trapper was only seen by one group other than Albert's men and Gaddafi's men. Dr. Reynard would say he had only met a Dr. Robert Boudreau from Quebec. After Trapper was held in Gaddafi's compound, Reynard and his assistants left the country for Canada, so questioning them about anything that transpired would be fruitless. And no one was going to ask Gaddafi.

They would all be questioned more than once. After all, the government frowned on anyone working undercover independently either domestically or outside the country. But all they had to do was stick to their stories. Arnold had already asserted that they were on a charitable trip to Turkey, and other than that, he knew nothing, his argument that when a employee requested a personal leave of absence without pay, he didn't necessarily have to be forthcoming with the reason, especially since that employee's job was not guaranteed to be available when they returned.

Albert had already made telephone calls making sure everything else was in place. Now as he lay his folder on the kitchen table, he looked across at Trapper. "Trapper, you'll be questioned the hardest. You must remain stoic and detached in order to be believed. After all, it was common knowledge you and Leah would have been married had she not been taken. You can even go so far as to say you chose Turkey to be close and asked your friends to go with you, having heard she was taken to an unfriendly country bordering the Mediterranean Sea. If the question where you got your information comes up, you can say you got it from me, and that should end it. You were Leah's sole heir, so having a association with me is perfectly plausible. So, you all need to pack your things. You'll be going home day after tomorrow."

Gonzo and Ernie smiled, but their eyes moved to Trapper who sat quietly considering his hands clasped on his lap. "I thought I'd have more time."

"I can give you a few more days, Trapper," said Albert. "But you have to go back before I can deal with Leah's problem. I don't want you anywhere near her until her deal is made."

"And you're confident a deal will be made?" asked Trapper without looking up.

"A deal will be made. But it could take a while. They're not convinced there was no breach, so they're acting on the probability there was. It seems it took a little time for the news of Leah's faked death and kidnapping to make it up the chain. The FBI knew, but were slow to communicate it. The government wanted her at Xanda and was prepared to make her another…much larger…offer. An offer they were sure she wouldn't refuse, so they had already set her up to take over without delay. It was several weeks after she was taken that they took down her credentials. My question to them will be how she even knew she had credentials since they were never able to make the offer."

"And then?" asked Trapper.

"They'll have to think about it. And then they'll want to speak with Leah. Alone. And Leah can tell them exactly what she did to throw the Libyans off."

Cocking his head, Trapper asked, "And of her escape?"

"I'm still working on that. Gonzo, Ernie, you'll be picked up the minute you get back to your homes. You probably won't even make it in the door. Look surprised. Ask what's going on. Play the part of being shocked that you would be questioned because of a personal humanitarian trip to Turkey."

"Trapper, they won't ask you anything in the beginning. You'll be picked up at your home as well, but they won't immediately question you. They'll leave you alone in a room without food, water or a bathroom for hours. You asked Gonzo and Ernie to go to Turkey with you, that you needed some time away from San Francisco to come to terms with Leah's kidnapping. Gonzo and Ernie, Trapper arranged for your flight back to the States through me. You both left him on the tarmac in Turkey." Pointing to Gonzo and Ernie in turn, he added, "And other than seeing me at the hospital to speak with Trapper regarding Leah's estate, you don't know me."

"What about our flight from Turkey?" asked Gonzo. "They were within seconds of catching us."

"They never saw you, so they don't really know who they were after," answered Albert.

Albert passed a dossier to each one sitting at the table. "Study it tonight. This is everything we've spoken about."

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Trapper quietly opened the door to the bedroom and found Leah still sitting in the chair where he'd left her.

She was staring out the window, so absorbed in her thoughts she didn't hear him come in and close the door behind him. When he squatted next to the chair, she wasn't startled, but rather slowly turned her head toward him. She said nothing.

Taking her hand, he kissed it. "Do you want to hear?"

"No. But I suppose I should," she answered.

"I'll be leaving…going back to San Francisco in a few days. But Leah, if you don't want me to leave you here, I won't. Just tell me to stay."

She flashed a smile. "I can't. You have to go back. They need you there."

Bowing his head, Trapper pinched his lips before he nodded. "I'll start packing. Not that I have that much to pack," he chuckled.

As he stood, she grabbed his hand. "How much time do we have?"

His brow furrowed at the sadness on her face. Pulling her up out of the chair, he wrapped his arms around her, moving his hand to her hair, and raising his eyes toward the ceiling. "We have forever, my dear. We just have to be patient."

"Who's forever?"

Moving his hands to her arms, he held her in front of him. "We all have to go, Leah. The important thing is that we make the best of what we have."

"And how long do we have before you have to go?" she whispered.

"Only a few days. Albert said he can't start working on your deal until I'm gone. He has to be able to show we weren't together for any part of the last eight months. If I stay, there may not be any chance of a deal." When she closed her eyes, he added, "I thought you didn't want to live in hiding."

"I don't."

"Then we have no choice but to do what Albert says." Trapper lifted her chin with a finger. "I have to get your medications started before I leave, and I've asked to meet your new doctor."

Stepping into him, Leah moved her arms underneath his and around him. "How long?" she asked, laying her head on his chest.

"I've already given Albert the list of medications. I'll be meeting your doctor day after tomorrow, so today, and then four more days."

Squeezing her eyes shut caused a tear to roll down her cheek. "I don't know if I can go through this without you."

"Hm. I remember the Leah Haverty who marched into the hospital ready to take on the Chief of Surgery to get a computer on his desk…the unrelenting, unshakable, unstoppable Leah Haverty."

She chuckled. "I thought you didn't like her."

Relaxing his arms around her, he said, "Look at me, Leah." When she did, he continued, "What I didn't like was that you were so…unapproachable. You were hiding behind the bluster and sharpness. I wanted to see the edges soften, and I did when I watched you with the children at the Children's Hospital. I never thought I'd say this, but you need to find that woman and become her again."

"And what if she stays? What if you can't chip away the armor again?"

His eyebrow raised. "Oh, I'm not going to worry about that for even a minute," he said, lifting her into his arms and carrying her to the bed where he gently laid her down, and then joined her.

"I didn't know my heart was up to such things," she said, smiling.

"You're heart is fine at the moment," he said softly, settling over her and looking into her eyes. "We'll have to watch it much closer than we had been, and there are some things you won't be doing anymore."

"Like what?"

"Swimming by yourself at China Beach."

She shuddered. "I don't think I'll be swimming anywhere in the ocean by myself again."

"Leah, your heart is never going to be as good the original. Eventually, it's health will decline, and your general health will along with it. What makes it harder now to keep it going is the damage to your kidney. A damaged kidney will affect even a healthy heart."

Leah moved her hands around the back of Trapper's neck and pulled him down to her, touching his lips with hers. "Do we have to talk about this right now?" she whispered.

One corner of his mouth turned up. "We don't," he said, returning her kiss with a more lengthy one."

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"Come in," said Ernie, looking up from her packing at the tap on her bedroom door.

"You ready?" asked Gonzo.

"Well, there's not much to pack. How do you prepare for going home, only to be intercepted and kept for God only knows how long in a place that may or may not have facilities to bathe?"

Gonzo chuckled. "I don't think it's going to be that bad, Ernie."

Looking up with her brows deeply furrowed, Ernie barked, "And why don't you? We were part of a military coup in a hostile country. Do you think there's any doubt in their minds?"

"It doesn't matter," said Gonzo calmly as he stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jacket. "Albert said they're only guessing, and if we don't give them anything, they can't do anything. Just remember your story."

"Why so nervous?" asked Trapper who had just appeared at the door. "Gonzo's right. Stick to your story, and you'll be all right," he said as he moved his arms around Ernie and gave her a tight hug. He could feel her body relax.

"You're right, I know," she said. "I supposed I'm just anxious for this to be over. Not that I wouldn't do it for you again, but…" she smiled and backed away from him. "I'm getting too old for this."

"I know how you feel," said Gonzo. "If there's one thing that will age you, it's a war, and this was no less."

Trapper became quiet and serious as he looked on at two of his best friends. "I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you for what you've done for me…us." As he drew Ernie into another hug, he held one hand out toward Gonzo and beckoned him over, hugging them both at the same time.

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At the helicopter, Albert explained, "You'll be flying back to Turkey and boarding a commercial flight back to the States. The Feds won't immediately know, but don't be surprised if they pick you up at the airport. I'm betting though, that the agents watching your house will be the first to know and will pick you up there. Study your dossiers on the flight to Turkey, and leave them on the plane when you arrive. Good luck," he said, extending his hand to Ernie first, and then to Gonzo.

Leah stood with Trapper while Albert went over their instructions, but before Gonzo and Ernie boarded the helicopter, she approached them, taking Ernie's hand in one of hers and Gonzo's in the other. She folded her lips in an attempt not to cry. "I can't thank you both enough for what you've done. If you need anything…anything at all, please let me help."

Ernie stepped into a hug and whispered in Leah's ear. "The best thing you can do for me is make him happy for as long as you can." Turning away, Ernie climbed up into the chopper.

Next, Gonzo hugged her. "You can do that for both of us. Oh, and listen to your doctor," he said as joined Ernie.

She bowed her head, sniffled and chuckled. "God speed," Leah shouted over the slowly accelerating thumping sound of the main rotors and the growing whine of the engine as Trapper stepped to her side and moved his arm around her, both waving as the helicopter lifted off.