"Hello," answered Mike picking up the reciever.
"Mike, it's Hobbes. The Fatman's agreed to let Darien go to that school but there are a few very big ifs."
"Like what?"
"Did you mean it when you said you wanted to leave the Agency?"
"Yes."
"Would you be willing to take care of Darien for free?"
"Of course. Bobby, what are you suggesting?"
"I am suggesting that one of the ifs involves you." He quickly gave Mike all the details. Mike did not hesitate to say yes and soon Hobbes was asking to speak to Darien.
"Hey," greeted Darien's tired voice.
"Hey, buddy, how are you doing?"
"I'm OK, Hobbes. Why did you want to talk to me?"
"I talked to the Official about what we discussed last night and he's agreed."
"Are you sure? This isn't a joke right?"
"No joke. This is for real just…"
"There's a catch."
"Yeah. You have to come back when they tell you and the Agency has to know where you are at all the time. Mike and I must come with you plus the usual keep the gland a secret bit. Still think it's worth it?"
"To be free? No price is too high." Once Hobbes was assured that Darien knew just what he was agreeing to he said goodbye and informed Eberts of the decision. Bobby was nervous about going down into the Keep. He had only talked to Claire a handful of times in the months since Mike had been assigned to Darien.
"Is the Keeper around?" he asked a technician as he entered the labs. There had been so many changes down here in the past few months that he barely recognized the place.
"Claire? Yeah, follow me." He led him to the lab that had once been the keep. Hobbes froze as he was about to enter caught by the scene before him. Claire stood staring into a microscope with a faint frown rippling across her forehead. Dazed, he wondered how something so ordinary could be so beautiful.
"Hey," he said sounding out of breath.
"Bobby! Hello." She smiled at him and he found himself moving forward.
"You cut your hair." She nodded putting her hand up to finger the short locks.
"What are you doing here?" she asked at the same time he blurted out, "So how have you been?" They laughed and ducked their heads.
"You first," he said meeting her eyes again.
"Things have been real busy. A lot of new developments."
"I'm glad. Really, I am." He shifted nervously and cleared his throat. I came down here because of Fawkes."
"Why? What's wrong? He's due in for a check-up tomorrow." The worry in her voice could not be faked.
"Nothing's wrong. Well, it was but it won't be now. What I'm trying to say is that we need your help. We need you and Eberts to make a fake medical file for Fawkes." Hobbes shook himself mentally. It was not like him to get so flustered and tongue-tied talking to a lady. 'Come on, man, get a hold of yourself,' he thought to himself.
"Bobby, what's going on? Why do you need fake medical files?" Claire could not keep the concern or the suspicion from creeping into her voice.
"No. It's nothing like that. The Fatman said Darien could attend this school for the blind but one of the conditions is that he has new medical files. He wants you to say that the gland was a tumor or something. Here, the papers are right here."
"He's letting him go? But I- that's great!" She turned and began shuffling through a pile of papers on her desk. She found the ones she was looking for and thrust them to him excitedly. "This is perfect! I found a clinic that specializes in rehabilitation for cerebellum damage. I talked to them about Darien's case and they think they can help him. The Official wouldn't let him go but now he can."
"You tried to get him out? But I thought…"
"You thought that I was part of the reason the Official was keeping him here." He heard the slight hint of hurt in her overly calm voice. Suddenly he felt ashamed and he could only nod mutely as he examined his shoes.
"I want what's best for Darien, too. I care for him. He's a friend and a patient. I'll admit that sometimes my concern for the gland interfered with the doctor patient relationship but it was never intentional. I would never keep him here when the help he needed was elsewhere."
"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Keepie. I understand."
"So how did you convince him?"
"Eberts talked him into it. Mike and I have to leave the Agency and do guard duty for free and Darien had to agree to a few things but it'll be worth it."
"You're leaving?"
"Yeah, someone has to protect, Furious D," smirked Bobby.
"Poor Mike. He's going to have to put up with the two of you," smiled Claire.
"You know, until this afternoon I never considered leaving the Agency. I've protected my country all of my life. Now what am I going to do?"
"You'll protect your best friend. Who knows. You might be back."
"Definitely. I'm subject to recall."
"So when are you leaving?"
"Now actually," he said glancing at his watch. "I want to turn in my letter before the Boss heads home."
"Oh, well…"
"I guess this is goodbye," he finished backing reluctantly towards the door. He was almost out the door when he heard her call him.
"Bobby," she said slowly. "Once you resign this will no longer be the Company's pier."
"You're right. I hadn't though of it that way," he replied with a smile of understanding. "How's Friday at eight?"
"That sounds great."
"I'll pick you up then." Whistling, Bobby Hobbes walked upstairs to hand in his resignation.
THE END