San Marcos
He hadn't told anyone else.
I had wrapped up the interview feeling dejected, trying to find a way to get a next lead. Was this my fault in some sense? Detective Smith and Sergeant Friday were veteran officers and I was wondering if I was getting in their way by insisting on working with them on the case team, not to mention the responsibilities I'd neglected. With the work shift over at six, after a lot more list-reviewing and some throwing around of theories, I'd grabbed my jacket and decided I needed to either contribute or get out of the way.
I spotted Detective Smith getting ready to go and he glanced over at me. "You ready?"
"Yeah. Shouldn't you be heading out?"
"We are."
"I thought you were assigning me a protective detail."
"I am your protective detail." At the look on my face, he said, "That probably came about because I suggested it and then the lieutenant pointed out that my social life isn't that eventful to begin with."
"Welcome to my world, Detective." I fished for my car keys. "So I'm guessing you're coming home with me, that is, unless I'm coming home with you."
"You so wouldn't want to see my apartment. I have this thing, I actually have to clean it first." He accepted the car keys I tossed at him. "Besides, I heard it from your partner that CTU set you up with a pretty good place."
"Lex?" I laughed thinking of my loyal friend and comrade. "Yeah, they did, but you may want to note that I have a roommate. Don't worry, Leticia's great. She works for the main Agency as a recon specialist and researcher."
"You meet on the job?"
"No, we met in high school." I met his surprised look with an explanation that wasn't much of one but was something I had posted in my room. "Eastern philosophy says you'd better start early."
Now I shoved my keys into the lock, thanking Leticia silently for being smart enough to lock the door even not given the circumstances of the recent events. The living room was lit but she wasn't in it, probably back in her room studying. I dropped my stuff on the coffee table, hung my jacket over the back, and yelled to tell her that I was home. She said she was studying and I nodded knowingly and said I'd leave her to it. Like I had anything worth disturbing her for.
"I'm starving," I said randomly, "Did you want anything?"
"What have you got?" Detective Smith said, leaning against the back of my couch.
"Just about anything. I'm a food freak myself."
"You wouldn't tell it by looking at you."
"Apparently I'm just doomed to be small." I shrugged, tossing him a soda and looking over to check my messages. If there were any for me, Leticia usually left them on the machine until I could get to them (she knew I never actually had time to check anymore). There were two of them so I hit the play button, folded my arms on the counter and waited.
The first one was from Jack, asking if I was okay and if I needed anything, to give him a call. He said he was worried about me. I half-smirked. Jack was always worried about me.
The second was from Lex and it was slightly more disturbing. He said that there was something he wanted to talk to me about. He didn't like it, whatever it was. My eyes widened slightly and I reached for the handset to call him back. It kind of pissed me off that Michael hadn't called, since I thought he might have heard about the shooting by now. As I dialed I looked over at Detective Smith. "I'm going to figure out what this is."
"That's what I was going to say," he said, noticing the look on my face. "What?"
"I was thinking my boyfriend would have called, but I guess not. Then again we're not exactly speaking that much." I rolled my eyes as if to indicate my unhappiness with the situation, and quoted Sam Waterston. "Relationships happen or don't, and you show up for work."
He laughed at that. Lex picked up at home on the second ring.
"What's going on?" I said, trying not to sound nervous, which I was.
"You ever hear about loyalty tests?" His voice sounded a little hard-edged.
"No." But I didn't like the sound of them.
"They tried one on me at Langley. It's where the Agency sets you up in a lose-lose situation to see if you'll play for the other side. And I think they're pulling one here." He paused. "I don't know for sure but I think they're testing one of us. It could be you, me, Jack, Mason, I'm not sure, but watch your back."
"I will." I exhaled. "Internal testing? What kind of sick son of a…" I noticed the look on Detective Smith's face and stopped short of completing the phrase. "Keep on it and keep me informed. I've got to work on this case but I don't doubt you for a second."
"You never do."
I smiled slightly to myself. "Take care. I'll phone you in the morning," I said, hanging up the phone.
"What was that about?"
"Lex … has the idea that there are loyalty tests being run on people in CTU. That could include me as well. He's checking to see. But if he's right, some of these events could be arranged, or parts of them, I don't know." I sighed. "Damn. Just what I need. Another complication." I was starting to get restless and angry.
"Why don't you get some sleep?" he suggested, and I nodded. "You going to be okay out here?"
"I'll manage."
"If you need anything…" I trailed off, then walked into my room and shut the door. I knew Leticia was studying, but I turned the stereo up loud anyway, needing to get away from here. I pride myself on not running from anything, but things were starting to wear on me. The life of an active agent was so hard, and my life wasn't even mine anymore. I crossed to the bed and stared at the ceiling.
I'm only pretty sure that I can't take anymoreBefore you take a swing I wonder
What are we fighting for?
When I say out loud "I want to get out of this"
I wonder is there anything I'm gonna miss?
The SigArm was in my holster, the Ehrlich was in its lockbox in a drawer and the CIB issue sidearm was under the bed. I owned three guns, for God's sake. I only really needed one. It had been three years since I had joined the Agency, and I had been with CTU all of those three years. I had never actually even taken a gun home with me until about a year ago, never fired one until about four months ago. And I couldn't blame all of that on the world situation…
It had been my choice, following my London assignment, to become an activated field agent. I could have spent my days just working at my computer. But that would have been impossible. I had now seen the horrors first-hand and I understood the risks. Everything else would be colored by that. Maybe everything else still was, damned if I know.
The phone rang so I turned the stereo down, but I left it playing. I needed the meaninglessness of it.
I wonder how's it gonna be
When you don't know me
How's it gonna be
When you know I'm not there
"Hello?"
"Brittany, it's Derek."
"Find anything?"
"Nothing substantial. You?"
"Since I'm not speaking to Michael at the moment, no."
"What happened?"
"We had a falling-out a few days ago."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Personally, I was just waiting for the 'it's over between us' phone call. "Anyway … tell me what you know about psychic phenomena. Legitimate psychic phenomena."
"I'll look it up. What's going on?"
"Circumstances and suspicions."
