MASK: Legacy Saga 3: The Fallen

Chapter 2

Author's Notes: Thanks again everyone for staying with us and giving us all the kind and insightful reviews. We love seeing all your guesses and input on what might happen next. All I'll give away is that this story will DEFINITELY be more intense than the others, and so will future stories. So you'll just have to keep reading to find out more than that. …

Character Disclaimer: The character of Inaya Vendun belongs to Phalanx, and Lisa and I use her with implied consent. We are using her in the universe established by Lisa's "Blood and Water" series, so if you've already read Phalanx's "Wait for the Dawn", this is NOT a continuity error. If you haven't read it...go now...or after you've read this chapter. :)

"Annie, the light is turning…"

The rest of Scott's reply was lost on Annie Turner as she carefully slipped under the yellow light, maneuvering his cherry red corvette easily through the flow of traffic on the way back to their shared apartment. She spared him a bland glance before casually changing lanes and replying, "If you're going to be a back seat driver, Scott, the least you can do is get in the back seat."

"I can't help it. I've had this baby since I've been a teenager, and I want to make sure she's taken care of."

"I am perfectly capable of taking care of ALL," she stressed the word 'all' with another withering glance in his direction, "of us, and you damn well know that."

"I know that you drive best on two wheels, and on horses with four legs," Scott snickered back, "but I'm not sure how well you drive the horses under this hood."

"A hell of a lot better than you at the moment," Annie retorted with a mischievous grin as she pulled into the driveway of the apartment complex. "But you don't have to worry anymore, because we're here safe and sound now."

"Amen. I'd kiss the ground if I didn't think I'd pass out from the effort."

"Please don't. I don't think either one of us have enough money to pay the hospital to re-admit you after the stunts you've pulled."

Scott smiled guilelessly and exited the car, holding the outer door of the complex open for Annie as she dug for the keys to their shared apartment. "That would probably not only bankrupt us, but our fathers too." He pulled her close as they walked down the hall. "Don't worry, though, I have NO intention of going back there anytime soon."

"Not on my watch you're not." Annie grinned back up at him and stole a kiss before opening the door to the apartment and tossing her keys on the table. "God, it's good to be back home."

"Amen."

Scott tottered into the kitchen; drawn by the divine smells drifting out from the crock-pot Annie had obviously left on for dinner. He remembered he'd only been living on hospital food for nearly three weeks, and his stomach cramped with hunger as he lifted the lid to find homemade vegetable stew brewing.

"It doesn't need any additional drool flavoring, Scott," Annie teased him as she caught the look of pure ecstasy on his face. "But you could stir it for me…I'll be right back."

Annie walked back toward the bathroom as Scott dutifully stirred her delightful concoction. Satisfied it was well mixed, he turned back toward the counter and caught the red light of the answering machine flashing out of the corner of his eye. Who would have called…everyone knows we've been 'away'. Slightly puzzled, he shrugged and pressed play, only half listening.

"Scott…" His sister's terrified and shaky voice brought him to full attention. "…Scott…it's…it's Roxy…" He could hear sound effects in the background, almost like she was fumbling with the phone, and he thought she dropped it at least once before coming back on the line. "…Scott…I'm really…scared…" She sounded very dazed and confused. "…I can't…can't remember where I've been…blackouts…all the time…" There was a distinct pause before she broke into tears, "…I think I've done something really bad…really terrible…Scott… please…"

"I don't believe this."

Scott ignored Annie's irritated outburst and turned his full attention on replaying Roxanne's message.

"I…do…not…believe…this…" Annie enunciated harshly, her voice seemingly stuck on an automatic repetition of the same phrase. "I can NOT believe this!"

"She sounds terrified," Scott commented softly as he finally looked up to meet Annie's irate glare.

"Terrified!" Annie exclaimed angrily, "Oh please, Scott! She sounds sheepish and petulant! And she should…we haven't even been standing here five minutes and already she's trying to come between us! She does nothing but think of herself!"

"Annie, she doesn't have anyone else to turn to," Scott tried to reason out rationally. "She might seriously need help."

"Oh, she needs help all right…" Annie snarled back.

"Annie, she's my sister. She needs me."

"Your sister, huh?" Annie snorted derisively. "And just exactly where was YOUR SISTER when YOU needed HER? Where the hell has she been the past three weeks, Scott? She certainly wasn't sitting by your side in the hospital like I was!" Annie's voice rose in direct proportion to her anger. "Do you want to know how many times she came to visit you, Scott? One…and all she did was blame me the entire time! And don't give me some bullshit excuse that she didn't want to be there if I was, because your father KNOWS that I would have left if that's what it came to. But it didn't, because you know what…SHE DOESN'T CARE. So I really can't possibly see why YOU should have to care now."

Annie's last comment slapped Scott right in the face, but he desperately tried to reign in his temper and fading patience. Silence fell for a moment before Scott answered in his father's most decisive tone, "It doesn't matter, because I'm still going over to her apartment."

"Like hell you are." Annie's tone dripped absolute venom as she locked steely eyes with him.

"Don't push me, Annie…" Scott's warning contained the barest hint of a growl.

"I wouldn't push me, Scott," Annie retorted, "because you aren't going to get too far without a set of car keys."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

He saw the resolve in her eyes right away, so he stepped back, swallowed his own fear and rising agitation and went for the sensitive approach. "What if I really need to go somewhere, Annie?"

"You aren't supposed to be driving anyway, Scott," She riposted quickly, unwavering in her decision. "End of discussion."

Annie turned back to the simmering crock-pot, trying to calm her fury at least slightly, but the chimes ringing on her watch put a damper on that idea right away.

"DAMNIT!" She screamed angrily, nearly throwing the lid of the pot across the room. She tried to hold back angry tears as she continued to vent her frustration. "Why am I not surprised? The whole damn universe is conspiring to ruin the one night in god knows how long I might be able to enjoy myself!"

Scott caught her arm as she yanked her jacket off the chair and violently scraped her keys off the table. "I promise to be careful," he said quietly.

Two tears of frustration rolled down Annie's cheeks as she spat back, "Just go ahead and do what you want, Scott…you will anyway. Hope you enjoy your supper…"

Scott sighed deeply as she jerked her arm out of his grasp and slammed the door behind her.

The transport was waiting to take off when Annie arrived at the airfield on Phoenix. She stormed up to an already present Matt and Jess, making no attempt to hide her complete frustration and total anger. Her father's voice seemed to roll out of her mouth as she reached the duo.

"This had better be damn good, Trakker."

Matt didn't flinch away from Annie's glare. Rather, he took it and held it with somewhat icy blue eyes as he answered flatly, "Duane Kennedy was murdered last night."

"What!" Annie's voice was a mere whisper as that small statement sunk in.

"In New York," Jess added in the hopes of defusing Annie's anger further. "We hope to turn something up with a thorough forensic investigation."

All of the emotions Annie had been feeling earlier fled as she looked steadily into Matt's face. She saw the haunted eyes and sunken expression and finally realized that she wasn't the only one dealt a few harsh blows lately. Unsure how else to apologize, she settled for a simple, "I'm sorry, Matt…I didn't know."

He nodded slightly in acknowledgement before continuing on, "As current team leader, I thought you should be present for the investigation, and I'm hoping that your trained Ranger's eye may pick up something that may have been overlooked. I'll brief you both in more detail on the way."

Annie and Jess both nodded in reply as they followed him onto the transport.

The transport plane landed at a small airport on long island just outside the Hamptons. The moment the three MASK agents walked off the plane two PNA officials walked towards the agents flashing their badges. There were hardly any words or greeting exchanged just a gesture to get into a nearby Hummer. The drive was just as quite as the plane ride; Annie took noticed as her eyes drifted out the window watching the scenery go by. Very little details were given on the plane surrounding the double murder. The time of death was 10:47pm right after Matt had his last conversation with Duane via satellite, but Matt insisted his conversation had nothing of value concerning the circumstances. The frustration was all over Matt's face, even if he wasn't a man to show his emotions. Neither Jess nor Annie dared to utter a word for a fear that it could be taken the wrong away. For the time being, Annie let the current matter drop and thought about Scott. She hated leaving him on bad terms especially alone with that conniving sister of his. She practically brainwashes him with the damsel in distress act. He's got to start realizing she's a grown woman who enjoys using him to torment me at every chance she gets. It's so sickening. When I get home this is going to end.

"What the heck going on? I thought you said nobody else knew about this but certain PNA officials?" Jess spoke up as she gazed at the massive amount of media surrounding the front gate to the Kennedy Estate.

"That was what I was briefed 4 hours ago," Matt insisted.

The driver of the Hummer spoke up as he attempted to maneuver the Hummer through the massive sea of people, "We don't know who leaked the information, and we haven't been able to confirm anything yet. Everybody just showed up a few hours ago."

"I'd say judging by the amount of media, somebody let the cat out of the bag on purpose," Annie deducted. "Almost like they hope to gain something from this."

Matt spoke in a very somber tone, "I hope your not concluding that I'm a suspect, because I now hold Duane position as President of the PNA."

"Uh…of course not Matt. I'm just saying there is some undetermined motive here. You wanted my ranger instincts I'm giving them to you. There's only two ways this information could of gotten out: either somebody on our end or the person who did this."

The Hummer pulled up to the mansion, which had investigative teams from several organizations: FBI, CIA, PNA, UN, and so forth. "With all these people here, I'm starting to wondering why we were called in?" Jess indicated as they exited the vehicle.

"We're calling in all our resources and favors to solve this mystery," An oriental woman with European features wearing a business suit and trench coat spoke up. She reached her hand out to Matt, "Matt Trakker, it's good to see you again even in these circumstances."

He nodded and shook her hand, "That's kind of odd to hear coming from you." Jess and Annie stood behind Matt looking like curious children at this unfamiliar woman. Glancing back at the speechless girls, he realized they never have been formally introduced with the leader of PNA East Coast Counter Terrorist Team. "Excuse me Inaya Vendun…Jessenia Hayes and Annie Turner. Both agents are here to assist in your investigation."

"Please to meet you both," She indicated with a small smile, "I've work with your father Jess, he's quite an interesting character. Very good driver, I bet you probably inherited some of that skill."

"So I hear every day for the rest of my existence from him," She quietly chucked and accepted the compliment.

"And Annie what can I say," A wicked grin appeared on her face, "Had the pleasure of kicking your father's ass the first time I meet him. I trust he doesn't have a bruise or hurt ego from our last encounter."

Annie was totally taken back by that as her eyes narrowed. Who the heck does she think she is?

Matt spoke up before Annie could open her mouth, "Inaya help assist MASK a few years back, while your father was undercover Annie."

Annie shivered inwardly at the reminder of that particular mission and the horrible childhood memories it brought back. "I try not to think about how that particular encounter almost left me orphaned." She quickly shook off the vile memory and flashed Inaya her best and most dangerous smile, "And I doubt Dad has any hard feelings about the situation since you were BOTH following orders at the time."

Matt interjected again before the two agents continued their verbal sparring match. "Inaya currently runs her own team here on the east coast to prevent any terrorist attack."

"Unfortunately," Inaya hinted with regret in her tone of voice as she switched back to the subject at hand, "I feel like the snake just struck the very heart of this organization. Follow me inside I'll show you the crime scene." She led the three MASK agents into the study, "The bodies haven't been disturbed, but the coroner is insisting the bodies be moved as soon as possible."

"What have you found out?" Matt asked.

"So far we only know two murder weapons were used a knife & a gun. We've been searching the grounds, but been unsuccessful in finding the murder weapons. Also something is missing from the safe that I've been told is very classified and has a few people nervous."

Jess didn't waste anytime standing around listening for details. She squatted down next to the bodies of the late Kennedys and put on some rubber glove, "Two different weapons two different people."

"What?" Inaya spoke up as she heard Jess utter under her lip.

"It's very strange that a person would use two different murder weapons. Why not shoot both victims? The knife attack in Duane's gut was a close attack and very sloppy. The angle of the shot that hit the Mrs. was from a distance, also went into the woman heart with such preciseness. Two different people with entirely different levels of skill, but neither were amateurs. And…" She gently pushed Mrs Kennedy's body out of the way and noticed a dark strand of hair. "The person who was in close contact left a strand of hair behind." Jess pulled out some tweezers and placed the dark strand of hair into a small plastic bag.

"What about surveillance of the grounds?" Annie insisted.

"Nothing…would you believe it? The front gate is the only access point to the grounds. There is a guard station there round the clock and security tapes record every movement." Inaya then added as if she was anticipating Annie's question, "And don't even suggest the tape been tampered with, because it hasn't."

"People don't just don't appear out of thin air. Let me review the tapes. I might notice something."

"You're free to go right ahead, but I hope you have a very good eye for detail because you're going to need one."

Annie smirked. "As a matter of fact, I do. Just show me where the tapes are."

Inaya shook her head and motioned for another of her agents to direct Annie toward the evidence vault, "Definitely your father's daughter."

She then turned to Matt who had a difficult time keeping his eyes off his deceased friend. "Maybe we should go out and get some fresh air. I wanted to talk to you regarding your conversation with Duane. You were the last person to speak to him."

Jess looked up at Matt from the floor and added, "I'm not sure I'll find much else, but I'll keep looking."

Matt nodded and followed Inaya outside.