A/N: Gosh, I'm slow at updating, aren't I?
Chapter 8
They had their first somewhat major argument that morning, as Susannah tried to convince Jesse to let her help him.
But of course, he couldn't do that. The Agency might have turned him into an almost completely-unfeeling robot, if you will-the only emotions he had left were pain and anger-and his love for Susannah, and even that seemed unable to sustain him now-but he could not, would not, drag her into this.
With a deep sigh, Jesse materialized on the top floor of the Agency building. He had never been up here, and the man who kept his office there never came downstairs-at least not often.
Jesse entered the office and stared at the man sitting at the large, old oak desk in the center of the room. The desktop was covered in long scratches, reminding him of scars. The man himself seemed as old and dilapidated as his desk. He was a small man with thinning gray hair and a leathery pale face. But his eyes were a clear blue, and he gazed back at Jesse as if he had been expecting him.
"Mr. de Silva," he said quietly. "It's good to have finally met you." Leaning back in his chair, he considered him. "Have you come to ask for my help?"
Jesse shifted, feeling a little uncomfortable under this man's gaze. George Hunter was in a way at the top of the Agency's hierarchy, but he was more of a figurehead, used to capacity and now locked up on the top floor of the Agency's building, waiting, never knowing what for, but still waiting nonetheless.
"I thought that maybe there was some way you could help me." Then, "Us," he corrected, thinking of Susannah, probably still sulking about in her bedroom.
Hunter smiled a little sadly. "I'm afraid I won't be of much help to you, Jesse," he said, sounding almost sad. "I have as much power here as you do." He grabbed the wooden cane that leaned against the desk and stood, looking rather unsteady. He limped to the window-the only one on that floor- and gazed out. "But I will give you some advice." He glanced back at Jesse, measured his reaction, and then continued, "The Agency will get what it wants, one way or another. It's not easily stopped, as you know, and I doubt you could accomplish it alone-even with the help of your wife," he added hastily. He turned stiffly to face him fully. "But remember also, that you and I have one very important thing in common."
Jesse narrowed his eyes, almost afraid to ask. "What is that?"
"We are expendable-the Agency could easily do without us. I have already served their purpose as much I can, and here I am, locked up in this God forsaken office, with no one to keep me company but myself. One day they won't need you any longer, either. What do you think will happen to you and your Susannah then?"
Jesse didn't think he ever wanted to think about it.
***
He had left. That was it. Of course, he'd be back, I knew. And it didn't take a genius to figure out where he'd gone, either. Wherever he was- whatever he was doing-it had something to do with Paul, and he was going to do it without me.
Well, you know what? He could do whatever he wanted. I'd done without him for the past two years, I didn't need him.
At least that's what I kept telling myself. And I continued to tell myself that as I donned my little red bikini and slid into the hot tub that Andy built a couple of years ago.
It just felt so relaxing, lying there, and for a little while at least, I could stop thinking about Jesse and Paul and the Agency.
But then I did start thinking about them. What if Jesse didn't come back? What if he went off and stayed with the Agency forever and I never saw him again? What was he going to do about Paul? Was he really going to do what I thought he would? Could he do it?
Maybe if I hadn't been so caught up in my thoughts I would have heard the person sneaking up behind me. Maybe then I wouldn't have been so taken by surprised when a large hand clamped over my mouth and an all too familiar voice whispered in my ear, "Hello, Suze." And then something hard hit me across the back of my head and everything went black.
***
Where was she?
Jesse searched the house, looking for Susannah. He needed to talk to her, he needed to apologize. But she was nowhere to be found.
Feeling an unreasonable panic begin to well up inside him, Jesse materialized outside, wondering if maybe she had decided to use the hot tub.
But she wasn't there either. Jesse turned away, about to give up when he caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye.
He turned back, and on closer inspection, he saw what the thing had been. A red stain-seeming huge to him, but really it was rather small-laying there on the wood of the deck. A little had even slipped off into the water, discoloring it.
In that moment, Jesse knew real fear, because that red stain was blood. Susannah's blood.
Chapter 8
They had their first somewhat major argument that morning, as Susannah tried to convince Jesse to let her help him.
But of course, he couldn't do that. The Agency might have turned him into an almost completely-unfeeling robot, if you will-the only emotions he had left were pain and anger-and his love for Susannah, and even that seemed unable to sustain him now-but he could not, would not, drag her into this.
With a deep sigh, Jesse materialized on the top floor of the Agency building. He had never been up here, and the man who kept his office there never came downstairs-at least not often.
Jesse entered the office and stared at the man sitting at the large, old oak desk in the center of the room. The desktop was covered in long scratches, reminding him of scars. The man himself seemed as old and dilapidated as his desk. He was a small man with thinning gray hair and a leathery pale face. But his eyes were a clear blue, and he gazed back at Jesse as if he had been expecting him.
"Mr. de Silva," he said quietly. "It's good to have finally met you." Leaning back in his chair, he considered him. "Have you come to ask for my help?"
Jesse shifted, feeling a little uncomfortable under this man's gaze. George Hunter was in a way at the top of the Agency's hierarchy, but he was more of a figurehead, used to capacity and now locked up on the top floor of the Agency's building, waiting, never knowing what for, but still waiting nonetheless.
"I thought that maybe there was some way you could help me." Then, "Us," he corrected, thinking of Susannah, probably still sulking about in her bedroom.
Hunter smiled a little sadly. "I'm afraid I won't be of much help to you, Jesse," he said, sounding almost sad. "I have as much power here as you do." He grabbed the wooden cane that leaned against the desk and stood, looking rather unsteady. He limped to the window-the only one on that floor- and gazed out. "But I will give you some advice." He glanced back at Jesse, measured his reaction, and then continued, "The Agency will get what it wants, one way or another. It's not easily stopped, as you know, and I doubt you could accomplish it alone-even with the help of your wife," he added hastily. He turned stiffly to face him fully. "But remember also, that you and I have one very important thing in common."
Jesse narrowed his eyes, almost afraid to ask. "What is that?"
"We are expendable-the Agency could easily do without us. I have already served their purpose as much I can, and here I am, locked up in this God forsaken office, with no one to keep me company but myself. One day they won't need you any longer, either. What do you think will happen to you and your Susannah then?"
Jesse didn't think he ever wanted to think about it.
***
He had left. That was it. Of course, he'd be back, I knew. And it didn't take a genius to figure out where he'd gone, either. Wherever he was- whatever he was doing-it had something to do with Paul, and he was going to do it without me.
Well, you know what? He could do whatever he wanted. I'd done without him for the past two years, I didn't need him.
At least that's what I kept telling myself. And I continued to tell myself that as I donned my little red bikini and slid into the hot tub that Andy built a couple of years ago.
It just felt so relaxing, lying there, and for a little while at least, I could stop thinking about Jesse and Paul and the Agency.
But then I did start thinking about them. What if Jesse didn't come back? What if he went off and stayed with the Agency forever and I never saw him again? What was he going to do about Paul? Was he really going to do what I thought he would? Could he do it?
Maybe if I hadn't been so caught up in my thoughts I would have heard the person sneaking up behind me. Maybe then I wouldn't have been so taken by surprised when a large hand clamped over my mouth and an all too familiar voice whispered in my ear, "Hello, Suze." And then something hard hit me across the back of my head and everything went black.
***
Where was she?
Jesse searched the house, looking for Susannah. He needed to talk to her, he needed to apologize. But she was nowhere to be found.
Feeling an unreasonable panic begin to well up inside him, Jesse materialized outside, wondering if maybe she had decided to use the hot tub.
But she wasn't there either. Jesse turned away, about to give up when he caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye.
He turned back, and on closer inspection, he saw what the thing had been. A red stain-seeming huge to him, but really it was rather small-laying there on the wood of the deck. A little had even slipped off into the water, discoloring it.
In that moment, Jesse knew real fear, because that red stain was blood. Susannah's blood.