Chapter 19

Jeff stared at her blankly, the only registration of emotion on his face being one of disbelief. Tyana gazed back with a nervous anticipation, her story still echoing through his ears. Was what she had told him even possible…another dimension? Another reality? The same…only completely different. And as she watched him something in her eyes told him exactly how truthful she was being.

Completely.

Jeff gulped down his incredulousness and opened his mouth, "So all your injuries…?"

She nodded, "not as stair inflicted as you thought"

He cracked a weak smile but reached up to her nearly healed lip, "Ty why are you putting your body through this?"

Before his index finger grazed her bottom lip she clasped it in her hand gently and pulled it away, "Someone's gotta make things right"

A flash of fear swept through him visibly, "Why not someone else? Why you?"

She chuckled softly, "Because there's only a few of us that think it's wrong…even fewer that are prepared to fight it"

Jeff nodded, the acceptance of her conviction showing, "Ok…I just don't want you to get hurt anymore"

Tyana leaned into him, "I won't," she lied. She hadn't told him tonight was her final night on this plane for fear of upsetting him and partially because it upset her to think of it. She knew she should be grateful that the suffering would soon be over and hopefully the case won but all she could see was the vision of her final moment with him, saying goodbye forever. And as she prepared to finally press her lips to his she knew deep down it was the best for them both not to tell him that it would all be over in 24 hours and they'd be separated for an eternity.

"Jeff, dude…oh, dang, sorry man, didn't know you had company" a tall blonde burst into this hotel room and instantly regretted it when he found his friend settled on his bed, a woman crawling onto his lap with a truly satisfied expression that faded when he interrupted. "Opps" he continued lamely. Adam tried his hardest to stifle his chuckle at Jeff's angered expression.

"Adam what do you want man? Now's not a good time!" Jeff questioned, making no attempts to conceal his annoyance. And while Adam answered his eyes were drawn to the gorgeous woman in Jeff's lap.

"Well we were all gonna go out and get some ice cream or summit but it looks like you're just about ready to tuck into your dessert already"

Tyana couldn't help but smile at the blonde's obvious amusement and she buried her head against Jeff's chest with a laugh. Jeff shook his head at the tall companion and sighed, trying not to laugh.

"Dude just get out of here before I kick your ass will ya?"

Before Adam answered Tyana pulled her head from its comfortable position and shook it, "No, it's ok, I best be going, I've gotta rest up for tomorrow evening"

Jeff's head bopped up and down in an agreeable understanding, aware that Tyana's mission came to a head the next evening although unaware of the details for she had refused to tell of them. She thought it best to leave them out, for his safety if not hers.

"Ok, if you must" he grinned at her, unaware that Adam was still in the doorway watching on.

"And I really must" she replied with a reluctance while she crawled away from him and jumped off the bed. Jeff followed her to the door where they noticed Adam who looked to have no intention of leaving until he saw something worth gossiping about. And Tyana sighed with a laugh, wanting to kiss him goodnight but not in front of the blonde stranger. Her head buried into his chest again with embarrassment and Jeff shook his head with a laugh,

"You're so gonna die once she's gone man" he told the blonde who laughed.

Tyana chuckled into his chest but eventually reached up, kissed his cheek sweetly then waved to him.

"Night, see you in the morning" he called after her. Once the doors to the elevator closed behind her Jeff turned to Adam with gritted teeth,

"You're going down man!" and then he jumped at him.

Meanwhile Tyana stepped onto her floor with a smile and found her hotel room. She wandered in to find Bret staring back at her inside the communicator that she had accidentally left on before heading to the gym. But her smile dissolved quickly and was replaced by a serious expression that mimicked that of the man with pale green hair's.

"I hope you said your goodbyes…"

***

Tyana slipped the small silver dagger carefully inside her boot and checked that it was tied so that it wouldn't stab her. Satisfied, she stood up and collected the 15 tiny cards into one hand, tapped them together and rolled up her top. She used the duct tap she had to secure them to her perfectly toned abdomen and then pulled her shirt back down over it.

"Tyana this is it…you ready for this?" Bret quizzed concernedly, knowing she'd say she was.

And the turquoise beauty grinned over at him, loaded her gun and nodded; "As I'll ever be" She packed the revolver into her belt and pulled a large jumper on over it to conceal it. "I just hope to god I won't need all this". She wanted so desperately to finally end her mission but not at the expense of a life or two…but she knew it might be the only way.

"Ty, I'm afraid you will. Right, let's check you over. Knife?"

"Check"

"Chips…all 15?"

"Check"

"Revolver?"

"Check"

"Map of the compound"

She patted her bra, "Check. Bret I'm all ready, watch too," she flashed the black digital watch on her wrist and sighed impatiently, "I just gotta get there."

"Ok, well, grab the communicators and let's do this"

Tyana obeyed and it was exactly two minutes later when she was heading out of the lobby onto the street.

"Tyana wait up" she turned, recognising the voice instantly and the most she could manage was a sad smile as Jeff ran towards her for the last time. She was going to miss him…

"Hey, how you this afternoon?"

She finally summoned forth a smile for the man she'd spent the evening before with and nodded, "Good, I didn't know you were here today"

"Yeah well I didn't think we'd actually end up in the same part of town." she nodded along, her smile already faded, "actually we've done the promotional television tapings we were sent here for and now we're free to go home for a couple days off, finally!"

"Cool, well it's been nice getting to know you, bye" she rushed quickly to leave but, confused, Jeff caught up with her and walked quickly alongside her onto the street.

"Whoa, what's with the rush? Did I say something wrong?" he placed a hand on her arm and pulled it gently, asking her to slow down.

Tyana did so with a sigh and stared up into his eyes for what she believed to be the final time. And the affection she saw there made her give in,

"Jeff you know I've got that thing I need to do?" he nodded, "I'm headed there now so I really don't have time, I've got to get a ride and everything so I don't have time"

"Hey, I can give you the ride if ya want?" he suggested, shrugging as if it were really that simple. To him it was.

Tyana bit her lip thoughtfully, "I don't know Jeff, if I let you do that you could get caught up in this and that's the last thing that I can allow to happen"

"Come on Ty, you wouldn't tell me what it is, just let me help by getting you there"

She caved with a sigh. "Ok, where's your rental at?"