What do I do to ignore
what's behind me?
Do I follow my fate and escape blindly?
Do I hide my pride away from these bad dreams
And give into sad thoughts that are maddening?
Do I let it go and try to stand it?
Or do I try to catch them red handed?
Do I trust some and get fooled by phoniness?
Or do I trust none and live life in loneliness?
The sunlight burns the skin of sleeping men
I make the right turns but I'm lost within
I put on my daily façade but then
I just end up gettin' hurt again
By myself (Myself)
I ask why (but in my mind I find)
I can't rely on myself (Myself)
I ask why (but in my mind I find)
I can't rely on myself
I can't hold on
To what I want when I'm stretched so thin
It's all too much to take in
I can't hold on
To anything watchin' everything spin
With thoughts of failure sinking in
If I turn my back I'm defenseless
And to give in to fate seems senseless
If I hide my pride and let it all go on
Then they'll take from me 'til everything is gone
If I let them go I'll be outdone
But if I try to catch them I'll be outrun
If I'm killed by the questions like a cancer
Then I'll be buried in the silence of the answer...
Linkin Park –"Super Xero"
Cammy sped towards the Interstate as she dialed the number to reach Wagner on his cell phone. She had to put the number in three times before she had it done correctly and heard the phone ringing. Wagner picked up after only one and a half rings.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's me."
"So, was Julian able to help?"
"Yeah, I got everything we need."
"Good, good. Real good. Uh…Ken's here so as soon as you get home we'll get started on an itinerary."
"Sounds great. We can't wait much longer."
"I know. We're going to get her away from them."
Cammy smiled from Wagner's reassurances, though he couldn't see her. A rumbling noise came from Cammy's stomach. Wagner spoke.
"What was that?"
"My stomach, I haven't had anything to eat today."
"Well, have something when you get home."
"Home! Oh crap, Wagner I haven't fed Nikita in the longest time. I haven't even been home. I have to stop by to feed her."
"I understand. We won't be able to leave until morning at the earliest. Just bring her over here so you don't have to make anymore unnecessary trips."
"I will."
--
Each step was a struggle as Guile shuffled from his bed to a chair by the window. He was moving great, which was good. He knew he needed to heal fast to help Melissa. As he looked out the window he said a soft prayer. Now he knew the fear Charlie must have felt when he died. His little girl was in danger. Charlie had to have known that Vega would take Cammy. How things had changed since then. Come to think of it, he hadn't thought about Charlie at length for years now; Cammy had become his daughter. Guile put his hand to his abdomen remembering that it was the same spot Charlie had been shot in when he confessed to Guile that he had a daughter. If not for that maybe this all wouldn't have began. Maybe, just maybe it could have been avoided. But then Cammy would have never known her father. Cammy was Charlie's world while she was in it. Guile could never have known her. He could hardly imagine Wagner's fate otherwise.
Sighing, Guile put his head in his hands. He felt old; especially stuffed in this hospital room. The phone rang, snapping him out of his deep thoughts. He made his way to the phone as fast as he could.
"Don't hang up…don't hang up."
Guile got to the phone on the fourth ring, speaking frantically.
"Hello? Hello?"
A woman's voice answered him.
"Colonel Guile?"
"Yes, it's me."
"It's Chun-Li."
"Thanks for calling back."
"Well I understand this is tough for you."
"I want my little girl back."
"Well keep on healing and then we can make a plan."
"Li, you gotta start without me. There isn't time."
"You couldn't get the General to back off Shadowlaw even for a little while?"
"Hell no, he's probably increased activity now. He is expecting some big strike."
"Damn. Makes sense but…"
Chun-Li let her words trail, Guile knew it was for his comfort. But he filled in the blanks.
"I know Li. You haven't steered me wrong yet; get Interpol on this."
"I'm working on it."
--
Wagner let the phone click back on the hook as he turned around and spoke.
"Cammy did it. She found a way into the base."
Ken stood from his seat on the couch, excited by the progress and spoke.
"Which base is it?"
"It's one on an island. At least that's the most likely place for them to have gone. It wouldn't make sense otherwise."
Ken nodded. Wagner could tell he was holding back tears, trying to be a strong man. The way Wagner saw it, it didn't matter weather you were a man or a woman, when your spouse and child were in danger; you were allowed to cry. Ken fiddled with his hands before speaking again.
"I'm so scared for her, for them."
Ryu rose now, comforting his friend like Wagner knew he couldn't.
"I have a feeling they are safe for now. We have all we need to make a successful rescue attempt."
Ken replied in agony.
"You know I'm not any good at these. I just cause more trouble."
Wagner was a little confused on this. He didn't know all of Cammy and Ken's history, but he did know that Ken had made an attempt to save her when she was kidnapped shortly after her father's death. It was why he was involved with Shadowlaw now. Morbidly, Wagner rationalized that that must have been around the time his family was killed. He spoke up.
"That's all in the past. We're all older and more determined. Shadowlaw has screwed with us for the last time."
Ryu and Ken nodded in agreement. With that vote of confidence out of the way, he continued.
"I guess I'll order out for some dinner. Ryu you can rest in my old room, Ken, you can rest in Cammy's. She and I will share Guile and Jane's room tonight. Melissa's room is still a crime scene you realize."
Ken questioned Wagner.
"You and Cammy share a bed?"
Wagner darted his eyes back towards Ken. He was astonished at Ken's blunt concern for where Cammy sleeps. He couldn't believe that in the urgency of getting a rescue attempt together he had forgotten what Ken had done to Cammy. Wagner remembered all to well her later confession to him about what had gone on between her and Ken the first night in New Orleans. She was hurt utterly by it, but being the strong person she was, respected the vows Ken had made (Even though he broke them.) and had never told another soul. Heatedly he replied.
"No, she's my sister. What's it matter to you anyway?"
Wagner was not about to forget what Cammy so graciously had. Ken seemed confused at first but soon realized why Wagner seemed upset. He spoke.
"I just didn't know. Don't get pissed."
Wagner stepped closer, speaking in an angry whisper.
"You're married and you caused enough pain last time you forgot that. Cammy's forgiving because she has to be. I'm not. You have no right to be concerned about who she sleeps with."
Ken crumbled under Wagner's hateful words and gaze. Ryu stepped in, once again being the mediator.
"Wagner, you said yourself it's all in the past."
Wagner stepped back from Ken and spoke.
"Yeah I did, didn't I? But you have to learn from the past. And I've learned that I can't trust him."
Ken was speechless, Ryu wasn't.
"If you really believed that, he wouldn't be here right now. It's not the time for petty battles. The people we love are in danger and that should be enough to get you to work together."
Wagner let his anger subside and spoke as he left the room.
"Fine."
Ken was standing, staring wide eyed into nothingness. He sat down when Wagner left the room. He spoke softly more to himself than Ryu.
"I never meant to hurt her. I swear. And I do love Eliza, more than life itself. And my son…"
He put his head in his hands as he continued.
"Ryu man, I could feel him move inside of her. I could feel his little legs kicking."
He let tears fall from his eyes as Ryu patted him on the back, leaving him alone in the room.
--
Cammy was relieved when she arrived at her apartment. She unlocked the door and called out to Nikita.
"Nikita! Here kitty kitty!"
The small grey kitten darted for her legs and Cammy picked her up, rubbing her under the chin.
"Hey little girl, I'm sorry I left you all alone. Let's get your food and we'll leave."
Cammy shut the door behind her and turned on the lights to her home. The darkness was instantly filled with electric light. Cammy nearly dropped Nikita when she saw her apartment. Everything was ripped apart. Stuffing from the couch covered the floor along with so many broken pieces of furniture that she couldn't tell what was what. Looking at the small kitten she knew she could have done this. She called out.
"Hello?"
Setting Nikita down, she slowly walked through the rubble of her possessions. The kitchen was equally wreaked as was the hall leading to her bedroom. She opened the door cautiously, flicking on the light immediately. She screamed loudly when she saw the words scratched into the wall above her bed in huge letters: "Sorry I missed you, lover."