The water flowing from the head of the shower comes to a halt just before I pull my towel to me.
Why's my phone's screen lit up?
Drying myself on the move, I step out of the shower and peek at the screen.
Incoming in 5. Change of plans. - Cayle
Oh no.
My eyes pop to the top of the screen—
7:42 AM
When was that message sent?
With a flick of my ring finger, the screen shifts to reveal that the message came at 7:31.
NO!
As quickly as I can, I scramble out of the bathroom and start towards my bed—
Suitcase, chargers. I never unpacked my lightsaber, Cayle, —
Cayle?!
I freeze, halfway towards my suitcase only for Cayle to be looking like he's trying not to laugh.
…
"Don't—"
Cayle quickly raises his hands to defuse the situation. "We were worried when you didn't respond. But you touched base when you woke up. We knew you were up. A got me in." He waves a card at me. "Already called ahead too. Told the Council."
That I was in the shower.
"Great," I say, then sigh. "Do I at least have time to get dressed?"
"No, we're turning you over to them in your underwear." Cayle monotones, causing me to freeze as I'm reaching for my suitcase.
—
"I'm joking! I'm joking! It's a joke…" Cayle eases my concerns.
Not a funny one.
I allow the joke to go unpunished, however, as I start sifting thru my suitcase. "So, what am I dressing for?"
"A flight. There's a Padawan that is in position and ready to slide into your place."
I'm getting subbed out.
"Where am I going?" I follow up as I set my socks, underwear, and lightsaber on the nightstand beside me.
"Back home. I can explain more when we're in the air." Cayle says while moving off my bed. "You mind if I grab your shampoo and stuff?"
"Are we on the clock?"
"Not officially," Cayle responds as he is in stride to the bathroom. "But everything's in position."
Padawan, a flight, meaning a plane…
"On it." I report to him, then begin quickly getting dressed and ready to leave.
(Less than an Hour Later)
The melodic chime of the fasten seatbelt sign being turned off echoes throughout the cabin before I unbuckle my seat belt and move towards my overhead compartment.
Hopefully Sabine texted me back.
As I open up the compartment, Cayle moves over to where the plane's refrigerator is and opens the door.
No new messages. Damn.
In her defense, it's not even nine her time yet. But she's been up and on a normal schedule, except for her first day back home.
Sabine texted me that she wasn't setting an alarm and wasn't leaving her bed until she wanted to. The next text I got was after all of Organa's speeches that day saying she just woke up.
Cayle's vague shape walks towards me as I slip my phone back into my backpack, then pull it out of the compartment and close it. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Cayle responds as he puts my sports drink in my seat before sitting back in his own seat.
Moving the drink, I drop back into my own seat and put my backpack between my legs and the drink in the drink holder.
It's a really nice plane. Looks like the same one I used coming back from Spain at Christmas.
Doors sliding on wheels pulls my attention and eyes up in time to see the cockpit door open and—
Dooku.
"Mast—AHH!" I say while standing up so fast I stand right into the bin over my head.
OWW!
Cayle audibly laughs, while Master Dooku's is more subdued. "Sorry. I didn't know you were here Master." I apologize to Master Dooku.
I probed the plane as I stepped aboard. Felt the pilot and co-pilot. Felt the security guy in the back.
He must have obscured his signature in the Force. Fooled me.
"The desired outcome. Intrusive eyes and ears are everywhere, as life continues to demonstrate." Master Dooku replies.
I look between the two of them. "Are we getting right into it?"
"Of who leaked your meeting?" Cayle fills in the blanks. "Yeah, no. We're working on it."
"The Council has reason to believe—" Dooku finds the nearest seat and rotates it using the Force before sitting down. "—that whoever leaked it wants access to you. And by leaking this and stirring up a hornet's nest, they're trying to flush you out."
"Make him show his face." Cayle adds on.
That's not happening…is it?
"That's not happening." I state like its fact, then pause.
Right?
"No. No no." Cayle quickly reassures me.
Dooku gives me only a shake of his head. "This plane is going to Los Angeles and a small private airport. You, along with young Cayle here are due at the Syndulla's kitchen table for breakfast as soon as possible."
"Traffic permitting." Smirks Cayle.
"The two of you will watch the children today while their parents serve the Order and the FBI in an attempt to let this all settle down."
Yeah right.
"How likely is that?" I ask.
As I got dressed, Cayle flipped on the TV to see what they were saying.
A reporter was already on location in front of the White House. And in her report, said that she was not the only outlet already there.
"Unlikely." Dooku concedes. "Whoever is behind the leak could have a long-term plan here. This could be one of many attempts."
Many attempts.
"Can't we just look at the list of people who were allowed to know that information or reverse engineer the leak?" I hypothesize.
That's how I'd do it.
I want to do it now. It's not many people.
Twos can have the list in less than an hour.
The response to my idea is poor, judging by Dooku turning toward the window and Cayle putting his head in his hands. "What?"
"You want another surveillance program?" Cayle tilts his head once he's looked back up. "No."
"I don't want a program. I just want to—"
"—figure out the problem. We know…" Dooku placates me. "However, making a move and acting will make it look like you're guilty. Which as a reminder, you are, young Bridger."
I know. I'm guilty.
I heard all about it in the emergency meeting Tiffany called until 2 AM.
"The facts being as they are…you have to act guilty." Dooku begins once again. "You need to vanish back into your life and routines."
Act guilty.
"I can do that. Normal life, normal routine." I nod once in understanding.
I am taking classes. I can use my apartment, I can go see Matt, He said he'd be around when I came back. And JJ has to stay because of his house.
I can do that.
"Let the wheels of surveillance and investigation move as they move. Go as they go. As long as you stay in the guidelines of what the Council request of you, you should be fine." Dooku flashes a reassuring look.
Should.
Ignoring my stomach as it roils, I ask "Anything else the Council requests?"
"No," He succinctly replies. "And I know you irk at the request—"
I'm fine I—
Dooku raises his hand and silences me. "Listen to me, Ezra. The fact of the matter is you're too valuable to the President. The Council doesn't like it when he interferes in Jedi affairs."
Yeah. I know.
"The budgetary machinations that he orchestrated to meet you at all? And ever since, a persistent request for you to come by again." Dooku reveals. "After years and years of asking, probing, trying to find a way to see you."
I know. I'm Darth Vader. Everybody wants to see me.
And then when they do, they don't handle it well.
Governmental officials, their wives, foreign officials…
Satine's Guard never loosened up around me.
"Ezra, regardless of how it happened, you find yourself in a delicate situation." Cayle pushes off his knees and stands up to look at me.
That sounded rehearsed.
"Oh yeah? I wasn't aware."
Dooku watches me as I unscrew the lid to my drink. "Your attitude will not progress things either. I do, however, have a potential balm for the issue."
"Okay?" I prompt him, then sip my drink.
"Perhaps you should schedule lunch an old acquaintance." Dooku begins as Cayle pointedly fiddling with the items in the seat beside him.
Yeah. They planned this.
I lean back in my seat as Dooku continues. "—continuation of your conversation last month. There seems to be sufficient evidence to warrant further investigation in—" Dooku turns to Cayle.
"Liuzhou." Cayle fills in the blank. "I looked for that Rax guy you both talked about by the way. Nothing, he's a ghost story."
"Funny how that seems to be a theme." I turn from Cayle to Dooku in time to see his eyes twinkle.
I think he liked that.
Before either of them can continue their staged conversation, I jump in. "Uhm I'll be honest. I can tell you guys have talked about this. Probably from the Council. I'll talk to Aubrey, see what—"
Dooku quietly makes a disagreeable, almost grunt before crossing his arms.
Okay, Cayle—
My Probe comes back telling of Cayle's jittery nerves.
Uh oh.
"We're not here right now," Cayle interjects. "The Council doesn't know anything about this conversation.
…
The heat is that hot already.
I'm that toxic.
…
I am. I'm Darth Vader. I have 574 confirmed deaths at my hand. The indirect number is likely over a thousand. And the lives I've affected negatively is well over the tens of thousands.
"Officially, this meeting and assignment is not to be on record." Dooku says, tone quiet yet deliberate. "Search your feelings, use the Force boys, something is out of place. Our allegiance is to the Senate and Congress as a body. And, to the world rather than one individual nation."
I nod silently as Dooku continues.
"The guardrails the world have operated on are being torn out of the ground. It's the Order's job to maintain and preserve the Order. And keep the balance between being peacekeepers and soldiers."
(Hera Syndulla POV)
Twelve Hours Later – 6:11 PM – PST
1032014
The garage door beeps loudly twice, indicating that the alarm is active, and the door is shut before I turn to the door separating the garage from the house.
A high-pitched scream snaps my head to the left.
Oh no. Mira…not today.
Calm Hera…picture of calm.
You got this.
Pushing thru the door, I smile as a chaotic scene unfolds, with Mira racing around with a tennis ball in her hand and Ghost chasing Mira around.
"Careful!" I call out, concerned before Ezra, Mira, Jacen, and Ghost's heads all snap to me.
"MOMMY!" Jacen celebrates then takes off at a dead sprint for me. Mira exclaims joyfully as well and continues her running away from Ghost and right to me.
—
—
Ghost colliding with the three of us as I'm half crouched and hugging the kids, wobbling me before somebody stabilizes me with an invisible hand. "I thought I said no running."
I did. Mira was trying to imitate her brother this morning. And I told Ezra and Cayle to put a stop to it.
"We, uhh, tried." Ezra immediately begins, eyes dropping to the floor. "But you know—"
No, pick your eyes up.
"As long as we didn't hurt ourselves." I smile and brush Mira's flyaway hair. "You need a haircut."
"Mamamamamamamaaahhh…" Mira wriggles around before hugging me more.
"I know. I missed you guys too. Long day?" I look up to Cayle and behind him, Zeb.
Oh. He made it after all. Good.
"No, fun day! We rode bikes, went to the splash pad, trained with a lightsaber for a bit, and took a nap." Cayle reports.
Turning to Ezra, I reply. "That is a long day."
Ezra makes eye contact for an instant before his gaze moves. "Fun day. I'm great."
Before anybody else has a word to say, Ghost buts in and just takes the tennis ball, which has fallen forgotten. Mira follows Ghost's movement, then lets out a cry and—
"Mira!" I raise my hand a tiny bit. Instantly, she turns and looks at me. "Don't. Run. Slow down. Walk like a big girl. Okay?"
And don't push off my legs like I'm a starting block.
"Okay, go." I set her down on her feet. Mira takes off at a slower, but still faster than a jogging pace before calling after Ghost.
"Hey." Cayle jumps in. "Let's take this outside. It's cooling down now."
"Yeah!" Jacen exclaims. "Can we turn on the sprinklers again?"
No, everybody got soaked last time. Mira loved the water and Jacen always likes playing in the water.
"I don't know. Mom?" Ezra turns to me.
—
"Yeah, sure." I say, voice sounding foreign to myself.
Jacen lets out a celebratory cheer, causing Mira to yell in response.
Oh no…
"Alright, everybody! Outside!" Cayle proclaims, to cheers from Ezra and Jacen before he grabs the door.
Instantly, Ghost's collar jingles and he's in a dead sprint for the door. Leaving only Mira tagging along behind him, laughing and repeating a consonant over and over again.
It kind of sounds like a 'g' ish sound.
Once Mira makes it thru the door, Cayle welcomes her with a joke I miss half of because it's obscured by the screen door shutting.
…
…
Quiet.
…
…
Zeb chuckles behind me. "Hush you." I can't help but laugh at Zeb.
"Long day?"
"You…" I sigh, then drop my purse onto the island. "—have no clue. How were things here?"
"Great. Loud, but that's good." Zeb smiles.
"They weren't wild all day, were they?"
Ezra's not afraid to let them tear up a room because he'll put it back together. And Cayle likes chaos.
"Not at all. Jacen played water freeze tag at the splash pad. Mira found a fountain she and Ezra hung out at the whole time. Then nap time, and after that, we've been in the backyard most of the time. Coming in for breaks, of course, all that."
I smile, then turn to the fridge.
Sounds like a great day.
…
…
…
"You know, I was half expecting you to hold him." Zeb says ad I open the fridge door and grab the smoothie shaker from this morning.
Half then, half now…
"You've seen him more than I have. And I doubt he's the same as he was this morning."
He clearly had tensed up, just looking at him. His eyes keep popping around, kept his hands busy before I left for work.
"He took the hint by the way. During nap time for the kids, he called the girl. Lunch in a couple of days. Ezra's working on a spot."
He probably should have napped himself. What is this, a full twenty-four-hour day by the end of it for him?
"I was hoping he took a nap. And why a couple of days?"
"Soonest she could get back without it appearing weird. I heard that part of the call." Zeb admits.
"You didn't hear all of it?" I ask, then tip back the blueberry, protein shake mix.
"No, everything happened at once. Mira was ready for her nap and only wanted Ezra. Cayle was quarterbacking, meaning I handled Ghost. But we were coming back from the splash pad and Ghost needed to stay outside."
And use the bathroom. Ahh.
"What'd you think?"
"It distracted him." Zeb's expression falls. "He's tried it all day when Mira's not distracting him. He keeps looking at his phone."
"Distractions aren't all bad." I reason with Zeb.
Zeb nods in agreement. "Especially not today."