Title: You Can Never Escape Your Past
Spoiler: This story is a continuation of Viva Las Vegas.
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer I have nothing to do with The Agency and receive no
compensation
Since Stiles and Terri are now secretly married. I've changed some of the scenes to have it play out a little different. This part takes place during Mi Cena Con Andrei
Chapter 14
Terri and Stiles woke up. They followed their basic morning routine. They drove into work together unaware that this next mission would forever change their lives, and their relationship.
As they arrived at Langley, Joshua told them they called an emergency meeting. Terri and Stiles took their seats across from each other. Jackson had just come back from Mexico, someone had released a super virus there. Stiles looked at Terri, he could tell this was upsetting her. They were told about a scientist named Andrei Kachan. When he left Russia he told his neighbors he was moving to Mexico City. That was the last anyone heard of him. He had been working on this super virus before leaving Russia.
Carl wanted to make sure everyone understood the seriousness of the situation. "If they were to drop 1 vial of this in Times Square we would have over one million dead." Every one looked at each other.
Quinn looked around the room "We need to find him. Now."
It didn't take long for Joshua to find Andrei. Stiles and Joshua walked into OTS. He was explaining how he found Andrei. Joshua explained that everybody has something they could not give up. In a science journal Andrei sent in a response to an article he disagreed with.
Stiles looked at Terri in disbelief. "He didn't change his name?" Terri looked at him and nodded no. She couldn't believe this either.
Jackson said. "Maybe he doesn't think he has anything to hide."
Terri looked at Stiles. "I guess we're going to Mexico."
Joshua looked at Terri and Stiles "Adios."
In Mexico City Stiles found Andrei. He parked outside his house and watched him and his family. He looked at his teenage daughter. Stiles had a hard time believing this man could be the evil person they believed. He reported back to Langley that Andrei was now a cab driver.
As Stiles was following him around Mexico City, he kept thinking about Andrei's family. They looked so happy. It made him wonder what kind of father he would be. Stiles planted a beacon on Andrei's cab so that Terri could track him from the hotel.
Stiles got back to the hotel. Terri was working at her computer. "Are you tracking the taxi?" Stiles asked as he walked up and kissed her.
"Mr. Kachan spends a lot of time around the Dorado hotel?"
"Probably looking for tourists or buyers."
Stiles reached into his bag. "I bought you a taco."
"Ah Thanks." she smiled at him. "Did you make contact yet?"
"Nope, I was waiting for you." Terri walked to the bag on the other side of the room. Stiles sat down at the computer Terri came back and handed him two things.
"Here's the audio bug for the interior and a camera so we can look at all his fares." Terri kissed Stiles. "Be careful."
"I'll see you later." he said as he walked out the door.
Stiles stood outside the hotel. He was able to talk to Terri through a transmitter. "Stiles he's about a block away."
"I see him. I'm going to hail him now." Stiles raised his hand and the cab pulled over. As Stiles was about to get in the cab another man jumped in.
"Are you in?"
"No some bastard just stole my cab."
Andrei told the guy. "That man hailed me first." The man wouldn't get out so Andrei put the car in park got out and opened the back door. "Lo siento hombre."
Andrei introduced himself. "Andrei Kachan the friendliest taxi driver in Mexico City."
As Stiles and Andrei drove around. Stiles told him he was a location scout for a movie. Stiles was immediately finding hard to believe what they say about this man. He really liked him. As Stiles was placing the bug and camera he noticed postcards in the cab. Andrei explained that he tells passengers if they like his driving to send him a post card, "I have 5 from Los Angeles you will be the 6th."
Back at Langley Jackson was in a meeting with Gage, Quinn and Carl. He told them that Stiles was in the process of making contact with Andrei Kachan. Gage informed Jackson that he was to analyze the information and keep it to himself. If Andrei was a threat he would have to be eliminated.
Jackson's chin dropped, he looked at Gage confused. "Sir, I thought you said you weren't in the assassination business."
They explained that if Andrei was arrested with his knowledge of the super virus, he could buy his way out. If this man is selling the virus, he needed to be eliminated.
Andrei took Stiles all over the city. Stiles told him about the movie he was supposed to be making. Andrei told him "I could take you to 6 other locations and still have you back at the hotel in time for dinner."
"There's no rush for that, I'm not meeting anyone."
"You're not eating alone. You must come and eat with my family."
"No I couldn't impose."
"My wife is used to me by now."
Stiles couldn't say no. He sat down to dinner with Andrei and his family. Stiles could tell how much Andrei and his wife were in love. He wondered if it would be the same with him and Terri. He watched Andrei with his daughter and saw how proud he was of her. Stiles hoped he could be as good a father to the children he planned to have with Terri. Stiles was getting lost in his thoughts as Andrei told his wife and daughter the story Stiles shared with him about how he got hurt playing college football, quit school and changed his life. Andrei smiled "The moral of the story: Don't let your past slow you down." Stiles nodded, he would always remember that advice.
Stiles returned back to the hotel. Terri was getting ready for bed. "Hey honey."
"Hi Stiles." she walked up and kissed him. "How was your day?"
"I'm sorry, I would rather have been here tonight." he could see that Terri felt the same way. "When he invited me for dinner, I thought that was a great opportunity."
"It was. What did you find out about him?"
"I can't believe he has anything to do with this. He loves what he is doing. He loves his family. He is just a great guy, someone I would pick as a friend."
Terri could see Stiles was getting too involved, this man was suspected of selling a super virus to enemies of the US. Terri walked up and put her arms around him. "Stiles don't forget what we think he might be doing." Stiles looked at her and nodded. "I do hope you're right." Stiles and Terri went to bed.
As they lay in bed Stiles was telling her about Andrei. "You know something Terri, I hope that someday I'm as close to our daughter as he is to his. I hope that I'm as good of a father as him. He is still so in love with his wife, you could just tell. Terri that's how I picture us being." He kissed Terri's head. "Only I would like to maybe have a few kids." Terri smiled at him, but deep down she was worried, she was beginning to get a bad feeling about this mission.
Back at Langley, Jackson was filling Gage in on what he had found out watching tapes Terri sent of Andrei's cab. One was the wife Maria Estone, she is a member of the People's Revolutionary Party. While this could be a coincidence, Kachan picks her up out of 20 million people. He would have had ample time to slip her a vial.
Kachan is 1 of 6 people who know how to make the virus. Gage asked "If under the right circumstances do you think he could be trusted?"
"Under the given circumstances I can't say that the man can be trusted to do anything."
"I think you need to talk to Stiles now. In person." This was a very hard decision for Tom. He was now wishing he had another officer on this assignment. Stiles was his best, but he was going to have his nephew kill this man.
Jackson flew to Mexico City to meet with Stiles, They were parked on the side of the road. Jackson filled him in. Stiles said "What if your wrong. Nothing he does fits the profile."
"I understand."
"But you don't take that into account."
"How can I? Even the Nazi's were nice to their families."
"What if I discover something that clears him?"
"Then I guess you'll be happy, and I'll have mixed feelings."
"Because you don't like to be wrong."
"No because there will still be someone out there that has the ability to kill millions of people."
Neither Stiles nor Jackson said anything else to each other on the way back.
Terri went to the gym where Estone works out. She slipped into her locker and planted a bug. When Estone returned Terri put her wallet in her purse. Terri pretended to be stealing it. She made up a story about her husband losing her job, and begged her not to call the police. She told Terri to get out of there.
When Terri arrived back at the hotel, both Lex and Jackson were working on monitoring the bug Terri just placed. "Is Stiles back yet?
"Nope." Lex told her.
"It's nice to have you guys down here, I don't quite understand it though
"Quinn said you're going after the entire PRP, that's a lot of bugs."
Terri looked at Jackson, she had a feeling what he was doing there, and knew what it was going to do to Stiles. "Are you going to plant bugs too?"
"No I'm just working on my analysis."
They listened to the bug. She was visiting her husband in prison. As they listened they realized they were talking in code. From what she said they could tell they were talking about the virus. They figured out they had a second vial. They immediately assumed she got if from Andrei in the cab.
Stiles was enjoying another afternoon with Andrei. He really liked this guy. Stiles told him that his fiancé was coming in to visit him tomorrow. Andrei insisted that they both have dinner with him and his wife. Stiles refused to believe what Jackson told him about this man. Jackson had to be wrong.
After Andrei dropped Stiles off in front of the hotel Stiles followed him to a warehouse district. Stiles waited until dark outside. Andrei had stayed in there for hours. After Andrei finally left Stiles picked the lock to the gate and went into the warehouse. He walked down the stairs and found a room. When he walked in the room he couldn't believe it. Andrei had a lab.
His cell phone rang. It was Terri she was very worried about him. "Stiles where are you?"
"At the scene of the crime. I'm standing in what looks like a homemade lab." Jackson took the phone from Terri, and she began to pace the floor.
"Stiles, we heard Maria report to her husband that they have another vial."
"Well there's lots of vials here."
"Stiles get out of there now. We're going to send a hazmat team in."
"Haisley."
"Get out."
Stiles still couldn't believe what was happening. Terri just wanted to know that Stiles was out of there and safe. Jackson hated what he had to do now.
This mission would change the lives of Terri, Stiles, Jackson and Lex forever, but they were not the only ones affected. Tom Gage would never be the same again. He always said he was not in the assassination business. Yet he was ordering Stiles, his nephew, to kill Andrei Kachan. He hoped and prayed that this was the right decision. Tom was very conflicted about this. He turned to a very unlikely person for support, Robert Quinn.
Tom walked into Quinn's office. Quinn gave him all of the details. Tom would never be the same again. He would become more like Quinn. There would be times in the future where you couldn't tell them apart.
Stiles was very uncomfortable when he got back to the room and saw Jackson and Lex there. Jackson asked Lex to keep monitoring the bug. Jackson told Terri and Stiles the plan. Stiles looked at Terri, he couldn't believe what they had to do. "Jackson, leave Terri out of this."
"Stiles, you already agreed to have him meet your fiance."
"Terri you don't need to go. I could tell him you got tied up in LA."
"Stiles, Terri needs to be there for your back up. Its already set up."
Stiles hated what he had to do, but even more he hated that Terri had to go through this also. All he wanted to do was to hold his wife, he couldn't do that, not with Lex and Jackson there. Jackson knew that they needed to be alone. "I'm going to help Lex." He left them alone.
"Terri, please let me do this alone."
"Stiles I know how hard this is going to be for you. I'm going with you." Stiles knew that he would not win the argument.
"Terri, I'm still not sure he's guilty." Terri wrapped her arms around him. She held him close as they fell asleep.
The next morning came and Stiles met Andrei who was taking him to look at other locations. Terri and Lex got busy placing bugs. In the past two years that she knew Jackson, she never doubted his decisions or analysis, but in the time she has been with Stiles, she never doubted his instincts. This time they were the exact opposite. Terri was torn, but she knew she had to follow orders.
It was getting late in the afternoon. Stiles was very upset over what he had to do. Andrei pulled his cab over "There she is." Terri was nervously waiting for them. She was playing with the ring Stiles couldn't believe how happy he was to see Terri. He jumped out of the cab and walked up and kissed her. Andrei walked over to them. "Andrei, this is my fiance Kay MacEvoy."
"No man has the right to be so lucky." Andrei kissed her hand. Terri could see why Stiles was so conflicted about this.
They pulled into the garage. As they entered the apartment Andrei was surprised that his wife and daughter were not home yet. Stiles told him he left the camera in the cab. Stiles went down to get it. Terri was alone with Andrei he was very charming. Terri would never forget their conversation.
Stiles walked back upstairs just as the phone was ringing. Andrei's wife called the bus broke down he was going to pick them up. Terri and Stiles just looked out in front of them they didn't look at each other.
Andrei got into the garage and the cab was running. He couldn't open the door to shut the ignition and couldn't get out of the garage. He began to bang on the door and called out for Stiles "Peter. Help me." Terri couldn't take it. She put her hand on his. Stiles was trying hard not to cry." Terri walked across the room. Stiles stood up and when he no longer heard Andrei's cries for help he walked back down to the garage. He moved Andrei into the driver's seat so it would look like he committed suicide.
Terri walked out of the house as Stiles was closing the garage door. Stiles was wiping tears from his eyes. He didn't want Terri to see him crying. Terri knew he needed her now more than ever. She walked up to him trying to stay calm.
"Done."
"Everything?"
"I put him in the front seat and made sure everything tracks."
"Let's go." Terri took Stiles by the arm. She could feel him trembling. She wanted to stop and just hold him, but she knew they needed to get out of there.
"Wait wait, do you have everything."
"I have everything." Terri's cell phone rang. "Hello." Stiles was rubbing his head he couldn't believe what he just did. He had killed before as a marine, but he never listened to the person crying for help. It was never someone he knew.
"Terri where are you?" Jackson asked, there was a sense of urgency in his voice.
"We're leaving Kachan's now."
"Did he do it yet."
"Yes, he just finished." Terri didn't really want to talk to Jackson, she wanted to get back to Stiles. Stiles was getting into the car they had waiting for him.
"I think we might have the wrong man." Terri couldn't believe what she just heard. She made him repeat it.
Stiles was already sitting in the car. "What was that about?"
"Jackson thinks we might have the wrong man."
"What? What?" Stiles couldn't control it anymore he broke down and cried. Terri got behind the wheel and drove to the hotel. The whole time she was rubbing his back.
Stiles somewhat regained control as the anger set in. They found Jackson sitting in the dark. Terri walked up to him. "How could this happen? Two hours ago we were so sure."
"Two hours ago there was a very high probability that he was guilty."
"What changed?"
Jackson explained that they found what looked like a vaccine for the virus. "He was trying to find a cure."
Stiles grabbed Jackson and pinned him to the wall "You son-of-a-bitch. He was trying to find a cure." Terri tried to grab Stiles and she called to him, but he wasn't about to listen.
"Yes." Jackson was feeling very guilty about the whole thing, he couldn't even begin to imagine how Stiles and Terri felt. They killed the man.
"You were wrong, You're not supposed to be wrong." Terri stood there looking at them she had never seen Stiles so upset or mad. Stiles let go of Jackson and walked away. He was trying to calm himself down.
Nobody noticed Lex walk in. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Jackson just stood there against the wall. Terri looked up and saw Lex there. Terri walked over to him. "Go back to your room. We'll call you." Lex left. Terri turned back to face Stiles and Jackson.
Jackson told them. "He must have been trying to make up for what he did."
"Now you figure this out. You have no idea who this man was."
"You know Maria Estone, it couldn't have been a coincidence. He didn't change his name. The PRP could have tracked him down and found the lab, just like you did."
Stiles looked in disbelief. "They stole the vials. There was your famous cab ride. She was keeping him busy while her friends stole it."
Terri asked "Why didn't they take them all?"
"They probably didn't want to tip him off."
Stiles stood up looked at Jackson and Terri. "There's still one vial left and the PRP has it." Stiles walked towards the door.
Jackson asked "Where are you going?"
Stiles turned and looked at them. "To hell." and he continued to walk out the door.
Terri looked at Jackson "I'm going to talk to him."
Before Terri walked out she told Jackson, "I think you should go talk to Lex."
Jackson knocked on Lex's door. Lex opened the door. "What the hell is going on? Why was Stiles so mad?"
"Lex sometimes in the CIA, it is a need to know basis. Until what you saw tonight you didn't need to know the real reasons we were down here."
Lex was nervous, "Did something go wrong with Terri and Stiles dinner with Andrei? Did the PRP attack someplace?" Jackson just looked at him, he really didn't know how to tell Lex what happened.
"Lex, Terri and Stiles killed Andrei tonight." Lex couldn't believe what he heard. "There's more, I was wrong, he wasn't trying to kill anyone, he was trying to save lives, he was trying to create a vaccine for the virus."
"Is that why Stiles was so mad?"
"Yes. Look Lex we could all be in big trouble for telling you this. You weren't supposed to know what happened. You have to just act like we didn't tell you. You may never actually hear about what happened." Lex nodded in understanding. Lex sat down on the bed as Jackson walked into his room. Jackson couldn't figure out how he was wrong. Lex couldn't believe what happened, he was beginning to seriously doubt his decision to come back to the CIA.
Terri walked into the other room and found Stiles sitting on the bed. "Stiles, do you want to talk?" he just nodded no. "I do." Terri said this as she sat on the bed next to him.
"Terri, what can we say. I killed an innocent man tonight."
"Stiles I was there too. We did this together. We need to get past it together."
"I love you. I'm sorry you got dragged into this. They never should have sent you in with me."
"I thought we agreed, where you go, I go." Stiles smiled at her. "I love you, we will get through this, but first we need to stop the PRP."
"I know. Somehow we have to make it right. Terri, he was a good man. He didn't do anything wrong." He put his head down. "I can't believe I had to kill him. I can't imagine what he was thinking, while he was dying."
Terri just wrapped her arms around Stiles, "Look lets not talk anymore." Stiles smiled at her. He kissed her more passionately then ever before, he no longer cared that Lex and Jackson were there, he needed to be close to Terri. He needed that connection with his wife and best friend, they laid down on the bed and made love. Stiles and Terri didn't realize at the time just how different their lives would be after this night.
The next morning the four of them began the search for Maria and her cronies. While listening to the bug Lex heard the word for virus they were getting ready to transport it. Lex was watching the monitors.
Maria and her friends cars were both moving, Jackson asked Stiles what to do, if they searched her and she didn't have it they would know that they were on to her.
Jackson remembered something from her conversation with her husband, he figured out that Maria was going to sell the vial to Al-Queda and they would carry out the plan on American soil. Stiles needed to make a decision. He walked up to Jackson "Haisley are you sure?" This was the way Stiles let Jackson know that he still trusted him. Stiles would grow to depend on Jackson in the future.
"There is a very high probability." Stiles nodded ok. Jackson told the people on the phone to pick up Maria and everyone she was with.
Now all they could do was wait, each one was very nervous. Jackson sat in the chair looking at the computer screen. Terri sat on the couch by Lex. Stiles was pacing until the phone rang. He hung up the phone. "She had the vial." a sense of relief spread over every one in the room. "We're not finished, we're not finished yet."
Jackson went to Mrs. Kachan and told her that Andrei was trying to find a cure for the virus that was similar to the one he worked on in Russia. He told her that he didn't kill himself, he died a hero.
As he walked out of the house he called Quinn. He told him that they were going to pay Mrs. Kachan from an account that could not be traced back to the CIA. Quinn was mad when Jackson told him that Stiles agreed with him.
Stiles went to Mr. Estone's prison cell, he told him that because of him an innocent man that didn't deserve to die, was killed. "I've never dealt with anyone this way before, but a wise man once told me 'Never let your past slow you down.' and I won't" Stiles took a vial out of his pocket as he turned smoke began to pour out of the top of the vial. Stiles put it on the floor and rolled it towards the cell. As Estone called for help Stiles turned and walked out. Mr. Estone began choking and died from the fumes released from the vial.
Stiles met Terri, Jackson and Lex at the airport. Terri looked at him, she wasn't sure what to say, before she could ask an announcement came over the radio. "PRP leader Estone was found dead in his prison cell today. There has been no cause of death released, they are awaiting an autopsy."
Stiles took Terri's hand in his and they boarded the plane. Neither of the four said much on the plane ride back, but a lot was said as they entered the conference room.
Quinn was mad. "How dare the two of you pay off Mrs. Kachan. Andrei didn't work for us. The two of you had no right to authorize that."
Stiles just looked around the room. Jackson stood up. "This is about a decision Stiles and I made. Leave Terri and Lex out of this."
"Fine. Miss Lowell, Lex get the hell out of here."
Terri spoke up first. "We're not going anywhere the four of us will take the heat together." Carl liked the way these four were standing together.
Tom wasn't sure what he thought. Quinn was right, even though it would be hard to trace the money back to the CIA there was now a trail. If this ever came back it would be his head, he made the decision and it was the wrong one. "Mr. Quinn is right, you didn't have the right to do that, but what's done is done. Lets just move on." He looked at Stiles and Jackson. "Don't ever let it happen again."
The four of them got up and walked out. Carl stood there, he was a little surprised by Tom's actions. There really wasn't much of a chance that it could be traced back and he always liked when the agents worked that well together. In the past he felt that Tom would have been the first one to say they should pay Kachan's widow. Carl was just about to say something when Tom started talking first. "Carl could you give Robert and I a minute."
Carl was even more confused than before. "Yes sir." Carl left. He wondered what they had to talk about. Carl is the Deputy Director, he should not be left out of this, he was beginning to get a bad feeling that he couldn't shake.
After he walked out, Tom looked at Robert. "So how are things going with our mole and the North Koreans?"
Terri and Stiles went home. "Baby are you ok?"
Terri smiled at him. "I'm fine. You?"
"I'll be ok. You know something, I don't think I know who Uncle Tom is anymore. He's not the same man that I grew up loving. There is just something different about him. He always talked about not being in the assassination business, but that is exactly what he did."
"Stiles just chalk it up to a bad decision. He's still your uncle."
"Maybe your right." Stiles cell phone rang and he picked it up. "Hi Uncle Tom."
"Stiles, your Mom and Dave are going to be in town. Why don't you and Terri join us for dinner?"
"Look Uncle Tom, I don't like this assignment that you sent us on. I can't forget what happened, I don't think I want to spend an evening looking at you and knowing the order you gave that Terri and I had to carry out. I'll call my Mom and set up some time with them, but I can't pretend that we are some happy little family. I'm sorry."
Stiles hung up Terri noticed the tears in his eyes. Stiles wiped them away, hoping she didn't notice. "Let's go up to bed." Terri said as she walked up and put her arm around him.