As Boone was working feverishly on his plan for revenge, Litha and Frank were trying to relax while the plane soared through the sky blue towards Sao Paolo, Brazil. The other FBI Agent in the plane had settled back for a nap. Frank was talking to the pilot briefly, which allowed her to call home.
"Mum? Yes, it's me."
"Where are you? I tried calling the number you were at last time and got a rude man who said it was none of my business about where you were. Then I got a woman who put me through the third degree about who I was and if I really was who I said I was."
"Mum, calm down. They're two Federal Agents like myself. And they did that to protect me. How are things there?"
"We're fine dear." She sounded a bit calmer the longer she talked. Litha knew how close quarters were in the airplane and intentionally kept from mentioning her daughter or her name. "yes... hopefully I'll be back from Brazil in a few days."
"Hell of a time for you to take a vacation Litha dear."
"You know damned well it's not a vacation!" Litha hissed, loud enough for Frank to look back from the cockpit. She mouth the word 'mother' to him and he rolled his eyes. After four and a half years that woman had never endeared herself to him and vice versa. "It's business and if you don't stop being so evil to me I swear I'll never call you again when this is over!"
The silence on the other end of the line told Litha that her mother was in shock. It also told her that her threat was being taken into consideration. "I love you, Lillith. You know that."
"Yes, Mum, I do. But you have a way of being evil to me and everyone else."
"I just worry about you and Lina. You should be home with her instead of out risking your neck."
"Well, for once we agree. But you go to D.C. and convince Boone that I need to be back at the Academy. If you can do that, then I'll kiss you and every saint in Christendome." Frank had come back in time to hear that part and he smiled. For Litha to say that took an act of God, considering she was raised a non-christian.
Litha's line beeped at her. "Mum, I got to go, I'm getting another call. Love you. Take care of everyone, alright?"
"Love you too... and you know I will Litha."
She sighed and switched the line over. "Sinclair."
"Ahhhh, my star pupil. How the hell are you?"
She beamed and elbowed Frank, then flipped a switch and put it on the speaker so he could hear. "Adam! How's things in Chicago?"
"That computer geek runt is driving me insane. I don't know Frank puts up with him."
"I threaten him with bodily harm on a regular basis."
"Well, hello there Donovan!" Adam Wallace laughed and shook his head. He should have known that Litha would put him on speaker, even in flight. "Litha taking decent care of herself?"
"She is. Keeping me at arm's length still, but she's in good health and such. What's up Adam? I'm glad you called to discuss Cody and all, but I have a feeling that's not the only reason."
"And you'd be right. Litha, I need to talk to you in private, take me off this damned speakerphone."
She did immediately and picked up the receiver. "What's up Adam?"
"Two things. Both are IAD. Number One - I got a deal worked out for you. I pulled a few strings, turned over some rocks and got you a shorter sentence. You wrap this up and you're back at the Academy."
"Oh I think I can handle that." She smiled at Frank and turned back to the phone. "And number two?"
"Watch your back. I have it on good information that this is intended to be your last mission."
Litha's skin paled visibly and her eyes widened. Frank was immediately took notice and sat forward. "Litha?"
"Tell him, Litha. Tell him everything as soon as you can. There is no reason to hide things from him anymore. I'm sending four of my best men to your mother's home in case something happens while you're gone. Word has gotten out that the woman who lives there is the mother of Seska Broussard and rumors have come down that if anything happens to Montcalvez while you're in his presence, that your mother is to be taken care of as retribution and payment. Since Seska doesn't have a daughter, Lina is collateral damage to them if that happens. They might even try to use her to get to you. I'll do my best to protect them both, but I can't promise anything."
Litha started shaking and dropped the phone. Frank was incredibly concerned as he pciked up the reciver from the seat. "Wallace?"
"Yeah Frank?"
"What's going on? Litha is shaking like a leaf..."
"I told her the truth, Frank. And I suggested she do the same to you. Good Luck Frank." The line clicked dead.
****
"Mum? Yes, it's me."
"Where are you? I tried calling the number you were at last time and got a rude man who said it was none of my business about where you were. Then I got a woman who put me through the third degree about who I was and if I really was who I said I was."
"Mum, calm down. They're two Federal Agents like myself. And they did that to protect me. How are things there?"
"We're fine dear." She sounded a bit calmer the longer she talked. Litha knew how close quarters were in the airplane and intentionally kept from mentioning her daughter or her name. "yes... hopefully I'll be back from Brazil in a few days."
"Hell of a time for you to take a vacation Litha dear."
"You know damned well it's not a vacation!" Litha hissed, loud enough for Frank to look back from the cockpit. She mouth the word 'mother' to him and he rolled his eyes. After four and a half years that woman had never endeared herself to him and vice versa. "It's business and if you don't stop being so evil to me I swear I'll never call you again when this is over!"
The silence on the other end of the line told Litha that her mother was in shock. It also told her that her threat was being taken into consideration. "I love you, Lillith. You know that."
"Yes, Mum, I do. But you have a way of being evil to me and everyone else."
"I just worry about you and Lina. You should be home with her instead of out risking your neck."
"Well, for once we agree. But you go to D.C. and convince Boone that I need to be back at the Academy. If you can do that, then I'll kiss you and every saint in Christendome." Frank had come back in time to hear that part and he smiled. For Litha to say that took an act of God, considering she was raised a non-christian.
Litha's line beeped at her. "Mum, I got to go, I'm getting another call. Love you. Take care of everyone, alright?"
"Love you too... and you know I will Litha."
She sighed and switched the line over. "Sinclair."
"Ahhhh, my star pupil. How the hell are you?"
She beamed and elbowed Frank, then flipped a switch and put it on the speaker so he could hear. "Adam! How's things in Chicago?"
"That computer geek runt is driving me insane. I don't know Frank puts up with him."
"I threaten him with bodily harm on a regular basis."
"Well, hello there Donovan!" Adam Wallace laughed and shook his head. He should have known that Litha would put him on speaker, even in flight. "Litha taking decent care of herself?"
"She is. Keeping me at arm's length still, but she's in good health and such. What's up Adam? I'm glad you called to discuss Cody and all, but I have a feeling that's not the only reason."
"And you'd be right. Litha, I need to talk to you in private, take me off this damned speakerphone."
She did immediately and picked up the receiver. "What's up Adam?"
"Two things. Both are IAD. Number One - I got a deal worked out for you. I pulled a few strings, turned over some rocks and got you a shorter sentence. You wrap this up and you're back at the Academy."
"Oh I think I can handle that." She smiled at Frank and turned back to the phone. "And number two?"
"Watch your back. I have it on good information that this is intended to be your last mission."
Litha's skin paled visibly and her eyes widened. Frank was immediately took notice and sat forward. "Litha?"
"Tell him, Litha. Tell him everything as soon as you can. There is no reason to hide things from him anymore. I'm sending four of my best men to your mother's home in case something happens while you're gone. Word has gotten out that the woman who lives there is the mother of Seska Broussard and rumors have come down that if anything happens to Montcalvez while you're in his presence, that your mother is to be taken care of as retribution and payment. Since Seska doesn't have a daughter, Lina is collateral damage to them if that happens. They might even try to use her to get to you. I'll do my best to protect them both, but I can't promise anything."
Litha started shaking and dropped the phone. Frank was incredibly concerned as he pciked up the reciver from the seat. "Wallace?"
"Yeah Frank?"
"What's going on? Litha is shaking like a leaf..."
"I told her the truth, Frank. And I suggested she do the same to you. Good Luck Frank." The line clicked dead.
****