OCTOBER 12, 1998 (revised October 31, 2004)
DISCLAIMER: JQ and its characters are not mine. This is making no money. Though I wish it did.
Trust (2/3)
by Ina-chan
"No evidence of forced entry, sir."
Race eyed the young agent reporting to his superior wearily, trying not to get the annoyed with the situatuation on account of the rookie's inexperience. Corven nodded and gave some instructions to the other agents, before walking over to his long time friend.
"You know you won't find any evidence of a break in," Race said a matter-a-factly
"I know," Corven replied
One look in the room, and Race already pieced together the scene inside his head. The utter simplicity of it really pissed him off. He was pissed off at Jonny for acting out impulsively and forgetting everything he's been taught. He was pissed off at Corven for not being able to stop the situation beforehand. And he was pissed off at himself for letting it happen.
Fifteen minutes.
In a span of fifteen minutes, the worst case scenario of his existence in the Quest household was justified... without a struggle, without a single gunfire, without even a single step intrusion within the perimeter...
...all because he turned his back for fifteen damned minutes...
Benton, in no doubt, probably heard the news by now.
I-1 is very efficient in delivering bad news.
A pang of guilt struck through him. When he first accepted... was forced to accept File 037, it was meant to be just another assignment. The last thing he wanted was to baby-sit an eight-year-old 24 hours a day when he can barely even manage to find time to spend with his own nine-year-old.
He never expected that within short six years he'll become more than just the real life GI Joe action figure to a child. He never expected that the six years would turn him into a hero, a protector, a mentor, a confidant... a friend to an over-trusting little boy...
Jesus Christ.
That boy TRUSTED him.
Now it's that same trust that...
"You were supposed to lock him up and throw away the key," Race finally spoke in a cold manner, unable to contain his anger any longer.
Corven simply stood calmly, "I wasn't aware of the deal until this morning."
Race simply glared at him.
"I'm not making excuses for them. But you can't blame them Race," Corven reasoned, "He may be a little unstable. But Zin trained him very well. He's as good as you."
"And now he THINKS he's me," Race snapped , "How long has this been going on?"
"Almost a year."
"A year," Race laughed sardonically, "It took him that long to gain access to File 037. Impressive. Getting a little rusty, SIR?"
Corven ignored his comment, "His last mental review..."
"I already know that he's a nutbar, Phil. With the number of times Zin tried to pull our strings, its a miracle that none of us ended up like him. What I want to know is..." Race narrowed his eyes, "Where he took Jonny."
To be continued?
Comments, criticisms, brick launchers at
Author's Squawk:
We're on a roll! .
Ja!
Ina-chan