Chapter 14
Clay made his way into Delta's cage room that Monday morning. He had already moved the money out of their accounts and over to the dummy corporation account. He was ready for the blowout that would be coming once they were all in the cage room. Clay had heard some chatter already over the cell phones from the past two days. They guys were all pissed and they were ready to talk about it. This was his chance to slip in that it was a CIA account and that would point them in the direction of Agent Marks. Clay noticed that everyone was already there and he could feel the tension within the room.
"I guess I'm not the only one." Clay said, with an edge to his voice as he made his way over to the cage.
"You got hit too?" Stokes asked, they had been assuming it was Clay that was responsible for their money being transferred.
"Ya, did you all get yours transferred to Intelligence Incorporated?" Clay asked.
"We did. We were trying to figure out who the fuck that is and why we were targeted." Keith said, as he paced around.
"It's not that simple. On an op with Bravo we had to go after a target with connections to government officials. Mandy found money being transferred into the target's account from Intelligence Incorporated. It's an alias account for the CIA, one that only CIA handlers or liaisons use to move funds around to trap someone." Clay supplied smoothly.
"Are you saying it's someone from the CIA that did this?" Sanders asked.
"I'm saying I know that account is connected to the CIA. Which means either the CIA knows we are taking money or someone that works for the CIA on this team stole our money."
"Works, like Agent Marks." Roth said.
"Did he get his money transferred?" Clay asked.
"All nine of us did." Stokes answered.
"It can't be him then." Sanders commented.
"Someone slipped up. Who talked?" Maddoc demanded.
"I don't think anyone did. It makes sense." Clay said, as he made it seem like his mind was working through it.
"How does any of this make sense?" Keith demanded.
"All of our money was transferred out and into a CIA account, but the only one who has access to that account is someone within the CIA. If I was going to steal everyone's money and transfer it to a secure account that only I would have access to, I would make sure my money was among the amount stolen."
"You think Agent Marks stole our money and his to cover it up." Stokes said.
"I think if the CIA knew we were all stealing money, we would be in cuffs right now. So it has to be someone within the CIA that doesn't want us arrested. Who else could it be?" Clay countered.
That was what no one on Delta could figure out. It had to be someone that knew they were stealing the money and that they would have them in an account. Someone went looking for them, were able to hack into it and transfer the money. It had CIA written all over it.
"That son of a bitch." Stokes growled out.
"I'll handle it. No one speaks about this to anyone." Maddoc ordered.
Clay knew he had them. He had them right where he wanted them. Maddoc would wait until work was done before he made the call to Boden, who would make the call to Watson and skip over Agent Marks within the chain of command. All he now had to do was wait until tonight to listen in on the phone calls and see what he can get them to admit and what Watson will order.
XXX
Clay was sitting in his office with a glass of whiskey and his cocaine. He had been listening in on the team's phone calls and so far he hadn't gotten anything usable. Maddoc hadn't made a call yet, instead it was the guys bitching about their money and how they could make it back. He didn't know what Maddoc was waiting for, but he must have known he could only call Boden during certain hours. Clay really wanted this to end. He had already pushed them so he needed them to take action now. Clay gave Raider a pet as he placed his head down on his lap.
"I know, we'll head out soon." Clay knew that Raider wanted to be outside and go for a run. They had been going for a run every night not long after dinner and they were already late. Clay was about to give up when finally a call came in from Boden to Watson.
"Admiral, we have a problem." Boden said.
"The money has been taken. I want to know by who. Why are you calling me and not Agent Marks?"
Clay could hear the edge to Watson's voice. He didn't like the change in plans. Clay also figured Maddoc must have broken the rules as well and spoke to Boden in person instead of over the phone like they normally did.
"The accounts that used to have the money were transferred into one controled by the CIA. Agent Marks stole the money."
"You're sure?"
"We are Sir. How do you want us to handle him?"
"The same way we have handled the others that betrayed us. Take him to Knotts to vacation with the others. You know how to eliminate him."
"I'll bring him out tomorrow night to show him the view."
Clay turned to his computer and typed in Knotts to see if that would pick anything up. He didn't see a building, but he did see Knotts Island. It would make for the perfect burial ground. Clay grabbed his phone and called Brock, after three rings he answered.
"Hey kid."
"Hey man, sorry for calling kinda late, I just had a quick question for you."
"No problem, you can call me whenever. What's your question?"
"Can Raider smell dead bodies?"
"Um, ya all military k9 are trained to find the dead, mass graves, etc. Why?"
"I think I found Delta's mass grave. Watson just told Boden to take Agent Marks to Knotts to join the others. I think they are on Knotts Island, but I don't know exactly where."
"He could smell them. Are you thinking of heading out now?"
"I would have to head out tonight. Boden said he would take Agent Marks there tomorrow night."
"I'll meet you there with Cerb. We'll be able to cover twice the area." Brock easily offered.
"Are you sure?" Clay didn't want to put him out.
"Ya, I'll see you soon."
"Thanks. See ya."
Clay ended the call and looked down at Raider before he spoke. "Sorry boy no run tonight, but you do get to work."
Raider barked and Clay gave him a warm smile as he stood up. The room spun for a moment as he stood and Clay released he might have drank and snorted a bit too much. There was no way he could drive right now. Clay picked up his cell phone and made another call as he headed to his kitchen to get some coffee going.
"Hey Sunshine, everything ok?" Jason asked, as he answered.
"All good. I just heard a call between Watson and Boden about Agent Marks. Watson just ordered Boden to take Agent Marks to Knotts Island to join the others that betrayed them. Boden said he would tomorrow night."
"You're thinking there's a mass grave there." Jason easily stated.
"I do. Brock is going to meet me out there tonight with Cerb to see if we can find it."
"Alright, I'll call the guys and we'll bring shovels and meet you there. Between all of us we should be able to find it and properly document it for Agent Brooks." Jason easily said.
"You sure? I don't want to drag you all out there."
"It's fine we'll meet you there."
"Ok, um… is there a chance you could do me one last favor?" Clay said, slightly awkwardly.
"Always." Jason easily said.
"Could you pick me and Raider up?"
"Is something wrong with your truck?"
"More like the four whiskeys I've had."
"Ah, you can't drive because you are buzzed. Put on some coffee, I'll pick you up in twenty minutes Sunshine." Jason said with complete understanding to his voice.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
Clay ended the call and decided to hop into the shower real quick to help sober himself up before he would get some coffee into him. Twenty minutes later Clay was dressed in some old jeans and old work boots that he didn't care would get covered in mud or dirt and was loading Raider up in Jason's truck. Clay got in as Jason reached over and gave Raider a pet.
"Thanks for picking me up." Clay said, as he got his seatbelt on.
"It's no problem. Besides, your place is on the way to Knotts Island. I brought coffee too."
"I can't believe it's almost over." Clay said as they headed out.
"It is. You've done really good with all of this. Tonight we should be able to get you exactly what you need to shut them down for good."
Jason was very proud of Clay for everything he had done with Delta. He had taken it all in stride and he was getting a dangerous dishonourable team out of DEVGRU. Most wouldn't have done this, but Clay took the challenge on and was excelling at it. He couldn't be prouder. They drove in a comfortable silence for the hour trip and when they pulled up to the start of the island they saw the guys had already arrived. They all got out and Clay got Raider out and put his vest on him so he knew he would be working before they joined the others.
"Do we know roughly where it could be?" Ray asked, after everyone said hello or gave a nod to each other.
"No idea. Best guess, it won't be along the edge or a road, but it won't be too far from a road so they wouldn't have to drag or carry the body that far." Clay answered.
"The dogs will find it. How are we doing this?" Brock asked.
"Everyone has a radio, two teams. Half with Clay and Raider the other half with Brock and Cerb. If you find it, call it and we'll join you." Jason said, taking charge as usual.
"If you find it, remember we need evidence so photos of the bodies and location of the grave." Clay added.
"Alright let's go then." Sonny said.
Clay told Raider to search and he started to smell the ground. Clay, Jason, Sonny and Full Metal followed Raider as Brock, Ray and Trent followed Cerberus. The island thankfully wasn't that big so they were hoping it wouldn't take them all night to find the grave. They all followed their dog and kept an eye out themselves for anything that could mark the grave. It was a good two hours before Raider started to dig at the ground and then lay down over top of it.
"He's got something." Clay said.
"Hopefully it's the mass grave and not someone else buried there." Sonny commented.
"Ray, we got something over here." Jason said, into his cell phone after he dialed Ray's number.
"Send me your location, we're heading over."
"Ya."
Jason ended the call and texted over their location as Sonny and Full Metal grabbed some shovels. Clay started to take some photos on his cell phone just in case it was the mass grave, he would need proof of the location. Once he had them he grabbed a shovel along with Jason and they began to dig. The rest of the team joined them thirty minutes later and they all took turns digging through the dirt. Finally they reached a burlap cloth. Clay put the shovel down and took some photos before Full Metal bent down and pulled the burlap back and relieved a skull.
Sonny whistled before he spoke. "Looks like you just found your smoking gun."
"Looks like it. Let's keep digging outward, there's probably more." Clay said.
The group of them continued to dig and explore the area. By the end of the night they had found thirty skeletal remains. Clay had called Agent Brooks and he was advised to stay there and wait for the CIA field techs and crime lab techs to come down there to take over the scene. Agent Brooks also advised to have Bravo within their war room that morning.
"What does he want us for?" Full Metal asked.
"I don't know. Maybe he assumed you were here to help, he probably wants to talk about you keeping it quiet."
"Alright, let's get out of here. We all need a shower before getting changed and getting to work." Jason said.
They all gave a nod and Jason turned to Clay as he passed him his keys. "You're gonna need a ride back."
"Thanks. I'll drop it off on base for you." Clay said as he took the offered keys.
Jason gave a nod and headed out with the guys. Clay would have to wait for the crime scene techs to show. They had a meeting with Agent Brooks to get to and they all needed to be ready for whatever came from it.
XXX
It was just after nine that morning when Bravo walked into the war room and saw Blackburn there with another man in a suit. They figured this was Agent Brooks. They all grabbed their seats and everyone, but Vic knew what was going on. Vic looked around the room and saw that no one but him seemed to be confused by the situation.
"Gentlemen, this is Agent Brooks with the CIA. He has requested our assistance with a private matter." Blackburn started.
"And let's not pretend like you all don't already know what I am going to say. You all would have been there when Spenser discovered the bodies." Agent Brooks added.
"What bodies?" Vic asked, confused.
"Some of my guys were there. Clay asked one of my guys a question and we all decided to meet up with him and help with the search." Jason said.
"They briefed me on the way." Blackburn added.
"Why wasn't I called?" Vic asked, annoyed that it seemed like Clay was getting in the way once again.
"It was a personal family matter. It wasn't personal towards you at all. It was something we needed to help Clay with." Ray said; he wanted to make sure that Vic understood it had nothing to do with him, but it was a family matter between them and Clay.
"What do you need our assistance with?" Jason asked.
"Agents are already arresting Admiral Watson and Commander Boden. I could use your assistance with arresting Delta." Agent Brooks answered.
"And their support team?" Full Metal asked.
"Everything that Spenser has discovered supports that the support team are all innocent. None of them are involved and they have no idea what has been going on. The Upper Brass will reassign them to another team should Delta not be replaced. Delta is supposed to be in their cage room, minus Spenser who is still at the mass grave site."
"You seriously want us to arrest Delta? Another DEVGRU team, on what charges?" Vic asked, trying to play catch up.
"Delta has been corrupt. Taking money and drugs from cartels and terrorist organizations. They have also been going on unsanctioned missions that have resulted in innocent lives being killed. They have also killed previous teammates that have not gone along with them. Thanks to the help of Spenser we were able to get the intel we need to make the arrests." Agent Brooks explained.
"And we're really going to arrest a fellow team?" Vic asked, as he looked at the guys.
This screamed a terrible idea to him. He knew you didn't go against the green wall and yet they all seemed more than happy to help Clay take down a fellow team. Corrupt or not, that wasn't their problem and they shouldn't be getting involved.
"We are. Delta is going against everything DEVGRU stands for. They are killing fellow Seals, fellow brothers, that is not something we will tolerate or stand for. They made their choice, the wrong one. It's time they pay for their actions." Jason said.
"You are either in or out rookie." Sonny said.
"If this is what you all think is best, then I'm in." Vic really wasn't sure about this, but he also knew if he didn't go along with them, he would be getting pushed out next. Something Vic couldn't allow to happen.
"I will handle Agent Marks, if you all will go and arrest Delta and bring them into different interrogation rooms that would be appreciated. The interrogations will be conducted by the CIA." Agent Brooks said.
"Alright, let's go and arrest these assholes and get this finished." Jason said, as he stood up.
They all joined him and headed out of their war room and off to Delta's cage room. The guys had all been waiting for this moment since Clay had informed them of what he was doing for the CIA. It was finally going to be over and Clay would have his immunity. He would finally be safe and he wouldn't have to worry about his career any longer. Jason walked in first followed by the guys and they could all tell they were not impressed by the invasion.
"What are you doing in here Hayes?" Maddoc demanded.
"Oh behalf of the CIA, you are all under arrest for acts against your country. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you can not afford one one will be provided to you. You have the right to have a military representative present at time of questioning. Do you understand your rights?" Jason simply said.
"Are you fucking serious?" Stokes snapped as he tossed the bag he had in his hand down.
Jason gave a nod to the guys and they all moved in to arrest them. Full Metal went over to Maddoc, Ray to Sanders, Sonny to Keith, Trent to Roth and Jason went over to Stokes. He would have loved to arrest Maddoc, but he just had a feeling about Stokes. He didn't like him. He didn't like the way he flirted with Clay. He didn't like that he called him Pretty Boy. He didn't like how he looked at Clay. Jason slammed Stokes around into his cage face first as he pulled his arms back and slapped the zip ties on him. Stokes chuckled at him as the guys all dragged the others out of the room.
"What's so funny?" Jason growled, as he turned Stokes around and slammed him into the cage once again.
"Where's your precious son? Is he all tucked safe in bed after he ratted us out?"
"It's none of your business where he is."
"You have no idea who he is. Did your precious son tell you about what he's done? Did he tell you how he paid off his loan?"
"From the winnings he won on the scratch ticket you gave him for his birthday. What does that have to do with anything?"
Stokes laughed at that. "Is that what he told you? He paid it off from the money he's been taking right along with us. As for his birthday, I gave him a bag of sex toys and then we spent all night playing with them, fucking, while he snorted line after line of cocaine. Your little baby boy is a cocaine head, who loves it when I fuck him." Stokes said with a big smile.
"You're full of shit. You can't drag him down into the mud with you. I know my son and I know when someone is lying." Jason had no doubt at all that what Stokes was saying was complete bullshit. Clay didn't do drugs, there was no way in hell he was using cocaine. He barely would take pain medication.
"It's all about to come out. He's going to be sitting pretty right next to me in that cell."
This time it was Jason's turn to smirk. "No he won't. He's got full immunity, has had it since he joined Delta. He's been playing all of you this whole time and not one of you was smart enough to see it. He's going to be completely free while you get to waste away in some hole in the ground."
The shock and anger that flooded into Stokes' eyes only pleased Jason even more. He pulled Stokes and forced him to walk. This guy was never getting anywhere near Clay ever again. He was never getting anywhere near his son again.
XXX
Clay made his way over to the house that Ash owned. He was finally going to be able to talk to him about not working for him anymore. Clay was hoping it would go over well, but he suspected Ash wasn't going to go quietly into the night. He was making good money off of the translations and without Clay working for him, there was no one to do the translations. Clay knew that he also couldn't work for Ash and make money doing it. He needed to be able to focus on his own company that he was trying to grow and his work within the teams or the CIA. Clay was still unsure on what option he was going to go with. The point though, he wouldn't be able to do all three so something had to give. Doing translations for Ash was what was going. Ash would be able to find other translators that would be happy for the work, it wasn't like he was doing any languages that weren't common in the translator community. Ash was resilient, he could figure it out.
Clay headed into the house and was not surprised to see that Ash wasn't here yet. He took one last look around the house, his memory easily recalling different things that had happened here. This is where Clay had first truly experienced sex with another man. This is where he lost his male virginity. This is where he had the most amazing sex with Yoder. This is where he could sit out in the hot tub and relax at night. This had been where his life had changed when he walked in to see three CIA agents in his living room. There were memories in each and every single room in this home and in a way Clay felt like he was leaving his childhood home for the first time. It made no sense because he had lived in apartments since being out of the foster system. It wasn't the first time he had moved and yet he felt like part of who he was growing into being started in this home. That this is where a piece of his old self had died. It was bittersweet in a way, because so much had happened with Bravo that led to this point. Clay wasn't really sure who he was right now. He thought he was a team guy, he thought he was a DEVGRU operator and knew who he was at his core. Now though, Clay wasn't so sure. He felt like he was missing pieces of himself, like there was more to him then he thought there was. The result was him being confused and he was really looking forward to talking with Jason tonight at dinner. He was coming over for a barbeque so they could talk about everything that happened with the arrests and his future. Clay was really hoping Jason would be able to help him figure it all out and make sense of his confusion.
The front door opened and Clay turned to see Ash. He seemed annoyed with having to come by, but Clay didn't care. This was the last thing he needed to do before he could truly move forward in his life.
"What do you want?" Ash asked, not looking to make any small talk.
"Im quitting. I also moved out." Clay said, cutting to the chase.
"You're not going anywhere. Unless you seem to have forgotten that I have those photos of the drugs in your possession." Ash said with a confident smirk.
"Oh I haven't forgotten. But they are irrelevant. See, those photos were taken during a time where I was working undercover for the CIA. I have successfully completed the operation, giving me full immunity for anything that has happened within the past six months. So those photos are worthless."
Clay would be lying if he didn't say the surprised look on Ash's face didn't make him all tingly inside. Ash thought he would be trapped under his thumb for the rest of his life. He really should have known better, afterall Clay wasn't a genius by dumb luck.
"Your team." Ash started, but Clay cut him off.
"My team are all in jail and if you are going to argue about what Bravo would think. There isn't anything you could say to them that would make them believe you over me. I can easily tell them they were planted by you or someone from Delta left them there. You have nothing against me. I will say this though, you allowing me to work for you in exchange for a place to live is the most fatherly thing you have ever done for me and for that I thank-you. I appreciate it and am grateful for the help when I needed it the most. But it is time for our professional relationship to come to an end."
Clay was going to hold his ground. This was the end of having Ash in his life. He was toxic and Clay wanted the toxic people in his circle out of his life. Him and Ash had never had a father son relationship. They didn't like each other and Clay knew Ash didn't give a damn about him and Clay honestly couldn't care less about Ash. It was time they went their separate ways for good. It was time they accepted the inevitable and both walked away. Clay could see Ash trying to come up with a way to turn this around for him, but there wasn't anything he could do. Clay could see the acceptance in Ash's eyes and Clay knew he would move onto the next person he could control and manipulate for his own gain. It's what Ash did best.
"I won't offer it twice." Ash said.
"I know. Good luck with the rest of your years Ash."
Ash just gave a slow nod before he spoke. "Get out of my house."
Clay gave a small huff before he moved and headed out. He really didn't know what he was expecting for Ash to say, he was hoping it would be a pleasant goodbye, but apparently Ash had no interest in being polite. That was fine with Clay. He headed out and closed another chapter of his life and this wasn't one he was ever looking to reread.
XXX
It was just after six that night when Jason walked into Clay's house. He immediately headed up to the kitchen area to where Clay was most likely going to be, or he would be out on the deck. Jason's mind was still going over what Stokes had said to him. He was glad the others hadn't overheard him, because he was worried about how they would handle hearing that Clay had sex with Stokes. That didn't bother him, but what Stokes said about the money and the drug use. That is what bothered him the most. He hadn't seen any signs that Clay was using drugs. There were never any drugs in his place. He never had a positive drug test and Jason knew they were tested regularly, especially with being around it on operations. So he had a hard time believing that. Plus, Clay wasn't the drug using type. He didn't even excessively drink, yes he had been drunk plenty of times when something was bothering him, but lots of team guys did. Clay didn't need to drink to handle his emotions or problems, so using drugs seemed very unlikely.
The money on the other hand was a little easier to believe. Clay had paid off his loan, and had managed to afford this place. He knew Clay said he won it, but Clay had never played a scratch ticket before or bought a lottery ticket, that wasn't his style or interest. Jason needed to get the truth and he needed to know if Clay was in trouble in any sense of the word. He knew he had immunity, but he wasn't sure what was covered under that immunity. Just like he knew that a lot of CIA undercovers were allowed to keep the money that they were given. It was within their contract that they could keep the money and the CIA didn't care, because the money would just be burned or tossed into a vault forever. To them it was no big deal if their operators kept the money that they had to take while undercover, especially because they were often going into very dangerous areas all alone without anyone there as backup should shit hit the fan. Some extra cash made it easier to keep the operators and also give them a sort of bonus for getting their guy and not dying in the process.
The issue wasn't if Clay kept the money it was that he lied to him about it. Jason thought they were past this part of their relationship. He knew the broken trust and damage he had done towards Clay over Ash's interview was still lingering, but he had thought they were past the hiding stage. He thought he had repaired their relationship enough that Clay could tell him about these things. Jason hated being lied to, especially by his kids. He never wanted them to lie to him, especially about the big things. He needed to make sure Clay understood that and he needed to make sure they were at least at that level of trust with each other. It was so damn important, especially if Clay was going to be working on another team or running his own team. There couldn't be lies between them. Jason found Clay out on the deck at the outdoor kitchen working the grill. Raider instantly was running over to him and Jason gave him some love as Clay turned around and gave Jason a warm smile.
"You're later then I thought you would be." Clay said, as he grabbed Jason a beer from the bar fridge.
"Paperwork. Agent Brooks pulled Bravo in for the arrests of Delta. I got the pleasure of slapping the cuffs on Stokes."
"How did that go?" Clay had no idea Bravo would get to be the ones to make the arrests. He thought it would be handled by the CIA.
"It was intense. We didn't expect it. We came in this morning and Agent Brooks was there in our war room. We were asked if we wanted to help with the arrests. Vic was surprised and I'm not sure he was too happy about it, but he went along with the team. Suffice to say they were all pissed and not looking forward to their new accommodations of a hole in the ground in some third world country."
"I'm sorry, I didn't think you guys would have to do that. I thought it would be the CIA or NCIS maybe. People are going to talk about how Bravo were the ones to help in the arrest."
The last thing Clay wanted was to put a target on any of the guys' back. He was slowly coming around to liking them again, very slowly for a couple of them, but that didn't change that he didn't want the getting bullied or iced out by the other teams for this.
"We made the choice and we will all stand by it. It was the right call to make. Stokes wanted to talk with me, he said some things that we need to talk about."
Jason didn't want to drag this out. He wanted to get this conversation over with so they could focus on other things.
"What things?" Clay asked, doing everything he could to hide the worry in his voice.
That is what Clay was worried about, Stokes running his mouth about some of the things they had done together. He didn't need anyone doubting him or what he had told the others about his life.
"Some of it was bullshit and I know it was bullshit so we don't need to talk about it." Jason didn't need to get into the sex part or the drugs. He knew that wasn't something that needed to be discussed. He knew it was bullshit and he wasn't even going to entertain it. "There is one thing he said that has me wondering if it's true. He said to ask you how you paid off your loan. I told him from the scratch off winnings that you got from the ticket he gave you for your birthday. He laughed and said he gave you something else for your birthday. That you had been taking the money just like them."
Clay went to speak, but Jason cut him off. "I'm not mad, I'm not disappointed, but I do need the truth Sunshine. Did you take the money and pay off your loans and put money on the house?"
Clay knew he could lie right now, but he also knew Jason would know it was a lie and their relationship would change. Only this time he would have forced the change and not Jason by his own actions. Six months ago Clay would have said fuck it and didn't care if Jason got pissy or walked away. He wouldn't have cared what happened to their relationship. However, after everything he had been through since leaving Bravo, it had taught him just how much he relied on Jason and needed him in his life. He needed his dad in his life and he didn't want to ruin that relationship or change it.
"It's true."
Jason let out a soft sigh before he spoke. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't know how you would react and I didn't want it to change things. It's in the immunity report that any money I had to take to play the role I could keep. I wasn't going to use it, I just had it sitting in a drawer in the closet at Ash's house. But then I was struggling to pay the loan payments and it was there. I used it to pay off the loan and I saved the rest. I told myself I wasn't going to use it that once this mess was over I would hand it into the CIA or donate it to a charity if they wouldn't take it."
"I'm not upset with you for using the money. It's common practice with CIA undercovers that they get to keep the money they make from the operation they are on. I'm not happy with you lying to me about it, I thought we were past that." Jason said gently.
"I didn't know how you would react. I didn't want you to be mad and stop talking with me. I screwed up by lying I know and I'm sorry."
"We're going to have bumps in the road between us. Having only a personal relationship is something we've both had to adjust to and navigate. I know you're sorry and I'm sorry for making you feel like you couldn't tell me the truth. No more lies or secrets though ok?"
"I promise."
"What made you decide to use the money for the house?"
"Ash. I was in the shower and when I got out he was in the living room at his house. He had gone through the house and he found the drugs that Stokes had left behind. The guys all got the drugs divided up that they stole and Stokes had left some cocaine bricks behind that I didn't know about. Ash found it and took photos of it. When I came out he was sitting there with it. My immunity didn't start until I got Delta taken out, so when he threatened to go to the Upper Brass with the photos I couldn't let him. We had just gotten back from a cartel op, I would have had trace amounts of drugs in my system from being in the warehouse. Any drug test would have come back positive and with the photos there was no way I would be able to talk myself out of it. He blackmailed me. Told me he wouldn't release the photos if I just slept with a potential client of his."
"What?" Jason asked, with an edge to his voice. He couldn't believe Ash would actually blackmail his own child. To try and force him to sleep with someone.
"This woman who runs a modeling agency and has a security contract for ten million with another company. She was married and there was a non-cheating clause within their prenup. If she got caught cheating her husband would get everything. Ash figured out that she goes to the same bar when she is in town to cheat on her husband and he wanted me to sleep with her and get it on tape so he could blackmail her for the contract."
"Did you?" Jason asked, almost afraid of the answer.
Clay gave a nod and he didn't need to pretend like he was feeling like shit for it. He still felt dirty for what he did.
"I called him afterwards, he told me the cameras in my truck automatically send the feed to his computer. He watched the whole thing and then told me he wasn't giving up the photos. He didn't give up blackmail. I felt like shit afterwards, still do. I don't do these things. I don't stand around and let people steal money. I don't sleep with married women. But it's like one thing happened and then in order to not get kicked out of the Navy I had to do other things and it just snowballed. I don't do these things."
That is what was bothering Clay so much about the whole situation, because he doesn't do these things. He doesn't steal money, he doesn't do drugs and he doesn't help blackmail people. Yet, that seemed to be all that he was doing since being on Delta. He was trying to get back to being himself. He was trying to move forward and put it all behind him. Each day he told himself he wasn't going to do any cocaine and each day he was doing lines of it. He knew he should stop, but he didn't want to. He liked that he could sleep without nightmares. He liked that he could turn off his mind and everything got quiet. He didn't want to give that up and he hadn't found anything that worked the same.
"When you are a child a crucial part of growing up is being able to make mistakes and discovering who you are as a person. Kids lie all the time to try and cover up something they did wrong or they think is bad. Sometimes they have to cover up their cover up and eventually it snowballs until they finally throw their hands up and admit to what they did. It's normally small stuff like sneaking chocolate in the middle of the night or breaking something. I don't know what you went through growing up. I know you were in foster care and I know it left traumatizing scars on you. You never got those formative years that all people get, all children need to have, for them to grow up knowing who they didn't get to do that. You didn't get to make mistakes, you had to be perfect all the time to avoid being hurt. After eighteen you were in the Navy and you didn't have a family to be there for you. You have that now. You can start to figure out who you are and who you want to be. You are going to make mistakes and that's ok. I'm always going to be there for you to help you correct them. You are finally learning all of the pieces of you that makes who you are you. And sometimes learning who you are not is just as important."
"I'm too old to be learning those things."
"No you're not. People never stop learning or growing. I still do. The only difference is you are getting to do it for the first time and with that first time will come little mistakes that most make when they were younger. There's nothing wrong with that, especially because you didn't have the safety of making a mistake. This isn't going to be the last one you make, but I will always be there to help you. And I promise no matter what you do or what you think you did, I will never be mad at you for it. I'm never going to yell and you will never have to worry about me hurting you or a punishment. I just want you to be free to discover all aspects of who you are. But you have to promise me you will talk to me if something happens or if you think you made a mistake. I need you to be honest with me. Deal?"
Jason knew Clay had trust issues and with his childhood it made him more secretive because there was that childhood trauma of being abused. It wasn't something he had been made aware of when Clay first joined the team, but now he was aware of it and he was going to act accordingly. He needed to build a deeper level of trust with Clay and the only way to do that was to ensure he didn't get mad at him when he came to him with a problem or with needing help to correct a mistake.
"Deal." Clay easily agreed.
"Alright, what is going on with Ash now? Have you had a chance to speak with him? He doesn't know where you live right, same as Delta?"
Jason needed to know if he needed to have a conversation with Ash or not. He wanted to make sure this whole mess was behind Clay.
"I just spoke with him today. Told him I was done working for him and no longer needed to live there. He wasn't happy that he couldn't keep blackmailing me, but he is also more focused on making money. I think it will be the last I see or hear from him. I made it pretty clear that we should stop trying and just go our own ways. It's never going to be a normal relationship, or one at all. We both don't love the other and there's not much liking each other either. It's better to just accept fate and put a stop to it fully. And he doesn't know where I live, same as everyone else."
"Good, that's good. I know it might suck to not have Ash in your life. I know he's your biological dad and it's natural for you to want a relationship with him. I just don't think he's ever going to be someone that is supportive of you or a positive influence. He's not that type of man unfortunately for you."
"He's not, never has been and he made that very clear a long time ago. I just wasn't ready to let go and admit it. It's time I finally closed that chapter in my life."
"It's the best thing you can do. Now you can focus on the next chapter in your life."
Clay got the burgers off the grill and placed them on a plate as he spoke. "Which is what I would like to talk to you about. Still not sure what path I'm taking."
"We'll talk it out, we'll figure it all out." Jason said easily.
They headed over to the table and sat down. They grabbed their food before Jason spoke.
"What are your options?"
"I can go back to Bravo, go to another team, or run Delta. I know I don't want to run a team right now. It's not a good time with the fallout coming from Delta."
"I agree, I think you need a bit more time before you run a team. You have a lot of potential, you need to grow still. And with the fallout from Delta's arrests it would be better to let that settle first. How do you feel about coming back to Bravo? I know things aren't perfect with you and all of the guys. I know there's a trust issue still, but is that a viable option for you right now?"
"I want to run my own team one day. I'd like for that team to be Bravo, but right now I don't think it's a good idea. There's still some hard feelings on my part about what happened, how things went down. I'm not ready to forgive everyone and just go back to pretending like it never happened. I also don't know if our relationship would be able to handle the switching between personal and professional. At least not yet."
Jason could understand that. He had noticed how much easier it was for them to build a stronger relationship now that they don't have to balance the professional aspect of their relationship. Jason had enjoyed having a more personal relationship with Clay. Being able to get to know him outside of work had strengthened the bond he felt with Clay, it made him feel even more like his own son.
"I have been enjoying not having to balance professional and personal with you. And I know there is still hurt and trust issues with the team. I think it would be better if the relationships between you and the rest of Bravo are repaired before you join us. So that leaves you joining another team. Do you have one in mind?"
"It would be Alpha. Derek still wants me as his 2IC. It makes the most sense to go over there with them."
"I agree, so what is holding you back? Is it what happened between you and Yoder?" Jason wasn't sure what had Clay conflicted. He seemed to know his options and he whittled it down to just one. He wasn't sure what was holding Clay back.
"Naw, me and Yoder have been friends for a long time. It wouldn't be an issue."
"What is it then, because it seems like the perfect option for you."
Clay took a slow breath in, hoping Jason wouldn't freak out about the last option. "Agent Brooks has offered me a one year contract to work as an undercover for the CIA. I've been thinking about it."
Jason let out a long deep breath at that. He wasn't expecting that to come from Clay's mouth. Instantly his heart was in his gut. He knew Clay was talented, it only made sense that Agent Brooks would want Clay working for him. That didn't change the fact that it was incredibly dangerous. Clay wouldn't be going into hostile areas with a team, he would be doing it all alone. It was a lot, especially at only twenty-six.
"That's big." Jason said, as he tried to get his mind to process this.
"It is big. I wasn't sure I would even be allowed to take a year off from DEVGRU, but Agent Brooks said other Seals had done it in the past. They take a gap year in a sense and then go back to a team afterwards."
"Yes, it's happened before, but not in DEVGRU. Most are normal Seals or they come from the Army. It's never happened before in DEVGRU, that doesn't mean you can't. Technically right now you aren't on a team so if this is something you are really interested in doing, now is the perfect time to explore it. Is working undercover something you are interested in doing?"
Jason had no idea how he felt about any of this. He didn't want Clay, his son, out there all on his own in dangerous areas. He didn't like it, not one bit, but as a father he had to be supportive and if this was the path that Clay wanted to take he would have to accept that and be supportive of it. Regardless of how much it terrified him.
"I don't know. I never thought it would be. But in the past six months I've got to do things I never thought I would with my mind. It was a challenge, but a good challenge. There's been times throughout this process that I've hated and wished it would end, but finally getting that missing piece of the puzzle, being able to take them down, it felt amazing. I don't know if I'll be any good at it, or if I'll even like it, but I liked using different aspects of my mind."
"First off, you will be amazing at working undercover. The way your mind works is a huge asset, not to mention your skills. I can't imagine you would fail at anything you put your mind to. Second, I can understand the appeal for you to be able to use different aspects of your mind. You didn't really get to explore everything your mind is capable of before you joined the Navy. There's a lot of things you could have discovered from growing up, but you were never given the chance."
"It's hungry." Clay simply stated.
"It is and for the first time you've been able to feed it. It makes sense that it would want more. This year contract, did Agent Brooks tell you anything about what you would be doing, who you would be going after?"
"I would be gathering intel for various targets that the CIA typically targets. I'll be going all over the place trying to get them the intel they need to shut down different organizations. I have to give him an answer Monday morning when I see him. I just, I don't know what to do."
"Why did you join the navy?" Jason asked, trying to see if he could get Clay to work it out. He had a feeling which option he was going to pick, but Jason wanted Clay to get there on his own.
"I was kicked out of the foster home at seventeen. When I turned eighteen I knew I wanted to be far away from Africa, the only place I had citizenship was back in the states. I hadn't seen Ash since I was a young kid, three, but I had these soft memories of him when he came around before my mom died. I remembered he was in the Navy, a Seal. I thought he was someone that I should make proud so I joined the Navy like him. I had seen so much death and destruction from growing up I wanted to help people. The more I went through boot camp the more I discovered that I enjoyed the work, that I was good at it. All I have ever wanted was to help people, was to use my mind and skills to make this world a better place."
"Only you can make the decision on which option is best for you. When you think about both options, which one makes you feel excited? Which one makes you look forward to going to work? Because that is the option you should pick and if that is working undercover for the year, then do that. It's one year and at the end of it if you discover that is your true passion in life then you'll know. Just like you will also know if you really don't like it, that it's not as much fun as you thought it would be."
"The idea of working for the CIA undercover, it makes me feel a lot of things, but there is that excitement of the unknown, of the challenge. I want to be on a team, I want to be running one I know for a fact, that is my dream. But I don't feel ready for being back on a team just yet. I think I want to work undercover, but how will the other teams react to it?"
The last thing Clay wanted was for the year to be up and have nowhere to go because the other teams were turning their back on him due to him leaving for the year.
"They'll be supportive of you. I can't speak for all of the teams, but I know Bravo and Alpha will always have your back and we will always welcome you home with open arms. If this is something you want to do, then embrace it and do it. Like I said, if you hate it after a year, then you'll know. We don't get to have much time on this earth and there's no guarantee time for us. You have to live your life with the least amount of regrets in it and I think this is a decision you would regret if you let it pass you by. As terrified as I am of you being out there on your own, I think you need this. I think you need the freedom to explore your mind and who you are."
"I think so too. Thanks for helping me figure it out and for always being supportive. I know it's not easy for you with me doing this."
"It's not, but I'll always be in your corner Sunshine." Jason said with a warm smile.
"I'll always be in yours Dad." Clay said with a warm smile in return.
Clay felt better knowing what he wanted to do now. He just needed to tell Agent Brooks and then the team. He owed them that much to let them know his decision and that he wouldn't be back for another year. He was just hoping they would take it as well as Jason had.
XXX
Clay made his way through the hallways of the base. He could tell that word had gotten out about Delta, Boden, Agent Marks and Admiral Watson by the looks and whispers he got as he walked through the hallways. Clay had expected this and he couldn't help but think maybe it was a good thing he would be away from base for a year. It might help to smooth things over. Clay was heading to meet with Agent Brooks before he would be going home and getting ready for his new CIA life. He was also going to be having Bravo over for dinner tonight to give them the news about him leaving for a year. He would be back in Virginia Beach in between his operations, but he had no idea how long his operations would go for. He also had to talk to Agent Brooks about Raider, because he wasn't giving him up. Raider was his dog and he wanted Raider with him. If Raider couldn't go with him then it was a no go and he would be going to Alpha.
Clay headed into a conference room where Agent Brooks was already waiting for him. Clay walked in and Agent Brooks gave him a warm smile.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." Clay said.
"You didn't, I was early. Did you hear how the arrests went?"
"Yes, Master Chief Hayes informed me of it. Are any of them talking?"
"Not yet. We shipped them out to a holding facility in another country overseas. It's safer that way and we find people are more willing to talk after they spend some time in a shithole. Have you thought more about my offer to join the CIA for a year?"
"I have, but I have some questions first."
"Go ahead." Agent Brooks said, all too happy to have the chance to convince Clay of making the switch.
"First, what about Raider?" Clay asked, with a nod down to Raider.
"He can go with you. There's nothing you would be going undercover for that you couldn't have a pet dog, or a guard dog should it work for your cover. We've had plenty of agents go undercover with a pet. That's no problem at all."
"And the contract is only for a year, I'm not obligated to stay past it if I don't wish to?"
"Correct. At the end of the year if you wish to continue working undercover for us then you will sign a new contract. Otherwise you will go right back to DEVGRU. I have a contract with me that you can read over should you wish."
"I would appreciate that."
Clay didn't want to overlook something and be stuck doing something he would hate for the next twelve months. He needed to make sure everything was what Agent Brooks had said it would be. Agent Brooks grabbed the contract and handed it over to Clay. Clay took his time to read it all over to make sure it was all there. His pay would be doubled, something that would be nice as he worked on getting the mortgage paid off. He was also cleared from any drug testing for the next twelve months. He was also given full immunity and was allowed to keep any money that was taken or given to him during his time undercover. It was everything that Agent Brooks had told him it would be and there were no hidden clauses or loopholes. It was all on the up and up and Clay pulled out his pen and signed the contract. Agent Brooks had a huge smile as he watched Clay sign the contract. He was hoping Clay would agree and join, now he was going to get to have Clay working for him.
"I think you are making a great decision here Spenser." Agent Brooks said, as he took the signed contract.
"When do I start?"
"I'll start looking for the right placement for you today. Most likely within a couple of days, a week at most and you will be on the move. When you do get an operation you will have twenty-four hours to get everything in order before you have to leave. Unlike a normal operation for the Navy, there's no telling how long you could be gone for so make sure you have automatic payments for all of your bills. You might want someone you can trust to collect your mail. Your home will also need to have cameras installed around the outside and inside your home, minus your bedroom and bathrooms."
"Why cameras?" Clay wasn't too sure how he felt about being watched.
"It's just a precaution that we take with all of our undercover operators. The feed is stored within a secured laptop of mine. I am the only one with access to it and I only watch it if you are kidnapped. It's just a security precaution in case someone grabs you from your home. And like I said, your bathrooms and your actual bedroom doesn't get cameras so you won't have to worry about your privacy being violated. It just means you can't have a sex on your couch, or you can but if you get kidnapped the next morning I will see it." Agent Brooks said with a friendly smile.
"Alright, makes sense and at least it won't be in the bedroom or bathrooms." Clay said, accepting that he would have to get used to the cameras.
"I'll have them set up tomorrow for you. I would recommend that you only get a few days of groceries at a time and toss out any garbage or food that could go bad while you are away before you leave for an operation. Like I said, you could be gone for months."
"Copy that. You'll call when I get an op?"
"I will and I will drop off the file for you to go through so you will have all of the information that I do. I also go with you as your handler so if something goes wrong I am close by for it. If you get into trouble and need backup a Tier One Team can be assigned to get you out. You will also have a new operator name of your choosing."
"What are some of the ones you have now?"
"Most operators have a single word that we use to keep track of who is where. We don't like using names so we will use the code name. Some of them are Phoenix, Storm, Angel, Dancer, etc. When I am discussing an operation that involves you I will be using your codename and not your actual name."
Clay thought about it for a moment. He needed a name that would be something he could easily remember, but also not something that he would be called outside of the field. He couldn't pick Sunshine because then Jason would never be able to call him that.
"Let's go with Hawk." Clay finally said. It was easy to remember and it reflected him as a snipper.
"Perfect. I'll add it to your file. I'll call you in a few days with an operation for you. And like I said tomorrow I'll get the cameras up at your place."
"I appreciate the opportunity." Clay said, as he held his hand out to Agent Brooks.
"The pleasure is all mine. I'm looking forward to spending more time with you." Agent Brooks said with a flirty smile.
"I have a feeling this is going to be interesting."
"Oh it's going to be very interesting and you are going to fall in love with it and beg me to never let you go."
Clay gave a small chuckle to that. "I guess we will see. Thanks for your time."
"I'll be in touch."
Clay gave a nod and headed out. He had no idea what the future was going to hold, but he did know he was looking forward to it.
XXX
Clay had just finished getting the dishes cleaned up after dinner. The guys were all outside with a beer sitting around the fireplace. Clay hadn't told them about him moving over to the CIA just yet. He knew they all deserved to know, but he just wanted a normal dinner without the risk of pissing anyone off. Jason walked over to Clay from outside and started to dry the dishes as he spoke.
"You haven't told them yet. I thought you would have done it over dinner."
"I wanted one last normal memory before shit hit the fan. There's no telling how they are going to react."
"They'll be shocked, but they will accept it and support you. I appreciate you inviting Vic to this as well. We've been trying really hard to include him in everything."
"He helped to make the arrests, it's the least I can do. Don't get used to it though, I really don't like him."
"Well, that is not something we have to worry about right now. Are you all set for the CIA, is there any paperwork you need to fill out?"
"Already did it. Tomorrow they are going to install security cameras all over the outside and inside of the house, minus bathrooms and my bedroom. It's just a precaution in case I get grabbed in my home. It's a little weird, but it only goes to Agent Brooks' secured laptop and he said he only looks at it if something does happen."
"It'll take a bit to get used to, but at least you will know if the worst should happen you will have it on video. What about Raider?"
"He gets to go with me. Which will be nice for the added protection and company. I wasn't going to be doing it without him."
"Good, that's good. You'll have someone there with you and he can watch your back. Is there anything I can do, or you need me to do?"
"I could be gone for months at a time, so if you wouldn't mind checking in on my place from time to time just to make sure it's still standing, collect my mail. All of my bills already automatically come out of my account so that's no issue."
"I'll keep an eye on the place and if some nights I forget to leave or fall asleep watching hockey on that monster screen downstairs, I'll make sure to lock up in the morning." Jason said with a big smile.
"Well, you have a key so you are welcome to the place. Might want to check expiration dates on the food though before you eat it."
"Good advice." Jason said, as he put the last dish away. "You ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
"It'll be alright Sunshine. Might as well rip the bandaid off now." Jason grabbed them each a beer before they headed out.
They made their way down to the fire pit section. Clay saw Raider and Cerberus playing with each other in the sand, while the guys, Blackburn and Davis were all sitting down in chairs around the fire pit with a large fire going. Clay took a quick look at them and excluding Vic, he knew this was his family, this was his home. He loved them all, despite their ups and downs, he loved them. They were his brothers, his sister, and they always would be.
"I wanted you guys to come by tonight to thank you for your help in shutting down Delta." Clay started.
"You don't have to thank us for that brother." Ray easily said.
"We're family, it's what we do." Davis added with a warm smile.
"Still, you all stuck your neck out for me and I appreciate it. There is another reason why I wanted you all here tonight. With Delta gone I have a choice to make on if I return to Bravo or not. When everything happened after Ash's interview, I was hurt and pissed off, but mostly hurt by the actions of some of you. I thought I lost my family that day, I thought I lost my home. But I do know now that I haven't. Bravo is my family and it is my home. I'm still hurt by your words and actions, that's not something I can easily forget or forgive. It takes time. A trust has been broken and that takes time as well to rebuild. Bravo is my home and it always will be, but I'm not ready to come home yet."
Clay could see the understanding in their eyes. They all knew that he was still hurting by their actions and words, by their decisions. They couldn't hold it against him. They had accepted they had more work to put in to earn that trust back with Clay before he could feel comfortable enough to return to them, to return home.
"Are you going to Alpha then?" Full Metal asked.
"No actually. I've been offered a one year contract with the CIA as an undercover operator and I've agreed to take it."
The shock was clear as day on their faces. None of them were expecting this curveball and Clay hated that there was no other way he could have told them, no other way to soften the blow. This wasn't something that they ever expected for Clay to be doing and he knew they were worried about what this would mean for him. He would be out there all on his own and it went against everything the brotherhood was about.
"Congrats man." Vic said, with a warm smile. He was all too happy to have Clay away from Bravo and working for the CIA. It meant he had a whole other year to cement his position within Bravo and work his way up to that Bravo Six patch that was rightfully his.
"Are you insane? Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?" Sonny said, not happy about this at all and he wasn't going to pretend to.
"Clay man, why? Did you know about this?" Ray asked Jason.
"We talked about it the other night. Clay was unsure of if he wanted to be on Alpha or work undercover for the year. At the end he decided to take the year off and work for the CIA. I fully support his decision."
"You support it? How the hell can you support it? He should be going to Alpha." Sonny said, as he stood up.
"I know this isn't what any of you expected to hear, Son I know. I didn't make this decision lightly. Working undercover for these past six months has been the hardest and most rewarding experience of my life. I don't want to be an undercover operator forever, I want to come home one day to Bravo. I'm just not there yet. It's not just about what happened between all of us. These past six months I've discovered that I don't really know who I am, that there are still pieces of me that I haven't figured out yet. I need to start to figure them out." Clay said, trying to explain his decision.
"We can help you figure that out." Sonny offered.
"We can't." Trent simply said.
"What are you talking about?" Sonny asked.
"It's the same reason why parents kick their kids out to go to college, they have to learn how to fly on their own. We can't help Clay discover who he is, that's something only he can do. We have to let him, we have to let him grow." Trent gently explained.
"It's part of growing up, it's why most Seals are thirty when they join Green Team, not twenty-four. They need time to grow as a person and discover everything about themselves. Kid didn't get to do that growing up, he has to do it now." Full Metal said with complete support in his voice.
"They're right, we have to support him and trust in his skills that he will come back when he is ready, but when he does he will be stronger than ever." Brock said.
"If this is something that you feel like you need to do, that you want to do, then you have my full support." Davis said, warmly.
"Mine as well, but always know that if you ever need something or help, you can always contact me and I'll be there for you." Blackburn said.
"Thanks guys, I appreciate it." Clay said, sincerely.
"I don't like this, but I can understand why you feel like you need to do this. As your brother, I will support your decision." Ray said, giving in as he knew there was nothing else he could say.
"I just don't understand why you can't find yourself in Alpha." Sonny said.
Clay took a moment to try and figure out how to explain this to Sonny so that he would understand. "Growing up all my brain got to eat was rice once a week. It was enough to survive, but it wasn't enough to do anything else. For almost eighteen years it was the same thing and then I was in the Navy and I went from eating once a week to eating once a day. Different things, exciting things and it was good, it was very good. But when I started working undercover."
"It was an all you could eat buffet." Sonny finished, as he started to understand why Clay felt like he needed to do this.
"I've never really been challenged, and I know that sounds arrogant, but it's true. My mind has just been surviving and then it slowly started to wake up. Working undercover challenged me, it made me think differently and strategize twenty steps ahead. It was a puzzle that I had to hunt to find the pieces and then figure out how to make them fit together. I loved that part of it and I'd like to explore that more. Working undercover is just a temporary stop for me, it's a chance that I can explore more with what my mind is capable of. A chance for me to learn more about it, a chance to challenge myself. I need to do this Son."
Sonny let out a sigh. He didn't like this, not one bit, but he knew that Clay needed to do this. This was his chance to feed his brain, to finally give it what it has been denied for the majority of his life. He couldn't hold Clay back, he had to let him go and be there for him in case he needed them.
"Alright, alright, I get it. I don't like it, but I get it. You get in trouble though, you call me." Sonny said, giving in as he could see how important this was to Clay.
"That is something we need to talk about. Each undercover operator has a team assigned to go in should they need help or extraction. Bravo could be that team if you'd like to be."
"Why the hell wouldn't we want to be?" Sonny countered.
"Because there is a difference in me being shot or hurt while on an operation with you and me being over there alone. Chances are if you have to be called in it's because I'm either captured or dead, an eighty percent chance. It's one thing for me to die in the field with you and another for you to be going on an operation knowing it's most likely recovery." Clay calmly explained. He didn't want to cause them that level of pain, regardless of how he felt about some of them right now.
"Bringing you home is all that matters, dead or alive. We're not going to leave it up to some other team to bring you back home to us." Ray argued.
"And an eighty percent chance that you are dead is a twenty percent chance that you are alive. You can guarantee that Bravo is going in to get you and Alpha will be right there with us." Full Metal said. There was no way in hell they were going to let anyone but the best two teams in DEVGRU go after Clay, dead or alive, he deserved the best to bring him home.
"You are Bravo, you are our family and there isn't anyone else that will be going to get you but this family. If you get any bad feelings, anything doesn't add up and no one is listening to you, you call me. I will look into it. I will get Davis and Mandy to look into it and we will be ready to go in hot if we have to. The CIA only has you for a year, but that doesn't cancel out that you are in the Navy and we can pull rank if we have to." Blackburn said.
"You'll be my first call. I promise."
"What's your code name?" Trent asked.
"Hawk. Agent Brooks is my handler and Jase is still my emergency contact. I also took a drive up to Quantico to visit a friend of mine in army intelligence. Agent Brooks doesn't know about this and it's not something I am looking to share. My buddy implanted a gps microchip within my Bravo tattoo. There's an app you can use to track the microchip."
"So we can track you?" Jason asked, surprised that Clay had done that.
"You can. I'll make sure you have the app set up on your phone so you can always see where I am. It's something I am keeping quiet about. The CIA already had one corrupt agent, I'm not looking to take any chances. I have every intention of coming back home."
"It's smart, we can always find you so if you do go missing, we'll know where you are." Brock said.
"And Raider has one too with being a k9 so we can always find the both of you." Trent added.
"Make sure myself and Jason have the app so we can monitor your movements while you are out there." Blackburn said.
"As long as you don't become obsessive." Clay said, with a pointed look at Jason.
"I can't promise you that." Jason easily said.
He was already worried about Clay being out there on his own. Now that he knew he had a way of monitoring his movements, there was no way in hell he wasn't going to be constantly checking it. Fuck he was trying to figure out how to convience Mickey and Emma to get one.
"All that matters is that you are safe and smart while out there. We have zero interest in burying you." Ray said.
"I will do everything within my power to come back home." Clay promised.
The guys didn't like this, but they also knew it was something that Clay felt like he needed to do. Something that he wanted to do and they had to let him go. As his family, they couldn't hold him back from discovering parts of himself. They had to let him grow and to have the freedom to do so, regardless of how much it terrified them. This was Clay's chance to explore more with his mind and to push himself to new levels. They had to respect it and support his decision, but they would be there should he need them. They were family and that was never going to change.
XXX
Agent Brooks made his way through the tunnels of the underground prison in Kazakhstan. It had been five days since Clay had agreed to work undercover for the CIA and Agent Brooks couldn't have been happier. He was getting ready to give Clay his first operation and he was hoping with each operation that Clay went on he would fall in love with the CIA more and more. He wanted Clay out of the Navy and out of Bravo. Agent Brooks just had one more thing to take care of before he could focus on Clay. He walked into the prison cell, a hole in the earth with a metal door. There were no windows in the cell at all, only dirt walls and one man that sat on the dirt floor with his wrists shackled together connected to a chain in the ground. Agent Marks did not look happy at all to see him, not that he could blame him. Afterall, it was because of him that he was in this place to begin with.
"You son of a bitch." Agent Marks snarled once the door closed.
"Nice to see you too Marks. Are you enjoying your stay?" Agent Brooks said with a smirk.
"You think you've won, but you haven't. You won't get away with this. Clay Spenser will be your downfall." Agent Marks promised.
"My journey with him has just begun. And your journey has come to an end. It's a shame really with how hard you tried to keep him safe. You fought so hard to get back on Delta once he transferred over and Mandy was given Delta. You finally got back over there so you could watch over him and here you are because of him."
"I'm here because of you and the lies you told to protect your own ass. You put that account in my name. You took the money and you worked with Watson to get to those people. They won't talk, but eventually he's going to figure it out. He's going to know that you lied. He's going to remember exactly who you are."
Agent Brooks gave a chuckle to that. "It must be so frustrating for you. You protected your kid sister her whole life from your abusive father. Did everything you could to protect her from her own mind and that eidetic memory of hers. Only for her to get shot up with heroin by a boyfriend and down she went. You had to of been shocked when you discovered she didn't have the abortion like she led you to believe. And then twenty-four years later your nephew joins Green Team, with an eidetic memory no less. You didn't really get the chance to tell him before it was too late. Now he is working undercover for me for the next year, not to mention spends most of his time snorting cocaine. Like mother like son I guess."
"Enjoy it while it lasts Brooks. My nephew will be the end of you. He doesn't remember you from when he was eight, his mind blocked all of those memories away to protect him, but he will remember eventually. You'll say something, you'll do something, or maybe even your scent, it will trigger a memory and they will all come crashing back at him. He will remember what you did to him when he was eight, when you were supposed to be his foster father. He will end you and if Jason Hayes has anything to do with it, you won't be in a cell, you'll be six feet under." Agent Marks threatened.
Agent Brooks chuckled once again. "You know it's a shame you won't be around to enjoy the show. I can't wait to see if he's gotten any better in the sack. He's been screwing guys now, I bet he has had lots of practice since he was a kid. It's too bad you won't be around to see what I turn him into. The others won't talk, but I can't risk you opening that mouth of yours. It's time our friendship has come to an end."
"We've never been friends. I've been trying to get you thrown in a cell for years. I might have failed, but my nephew won't. Enjoy hell Brooks."
Agent Marks knew he was going to die. He knew it before Agent Brooks pulled the gun out. He knew the second he was arrested that Agent Brooks had won this round. He wouldn't be the one to put the cuffs on him, but he knew for a fact that Clay would. Clay would win and he would have some help from not only Bravo, but himself. It was a complicated process, but he had a contingency plan put into place should his death happen. Clay would get all of the information on Agent Brooks, including what he did back in Africa. Agent Marks just hoped it would arrive in time to save Clay. He had failed him as an uncle growing up, he wouldn't fail him again. Agent Brooks pulled his gun with the silencer out from behind his back. He fired and shot Agent Marks right between the eyes, killing him instantly. Agent Brooks smirked as he looked at a now dead Agent Marks. That was the last thing he had to handle and now Clay was going to be all his. He put the gun back into his waistband before he pulled out his cell phone and pulled up the app for the camera feed. He saw Clay in his bedroom and he couldn't help but smile as he watched as Clay was using one of his toys to have sex with.
"You are all mine now and it is only a matter of time before I am the only person in your life. It won't be long now my sweet boy."
Agent Brooks put his phone away and headed out. He had an operation to get to with Clay and it was one he was very much looking forward to. Clay was rightfully his and he was not going to let him be taken away from him ever again. If someone got in his way, he would kill them. Bravo better watch out, because Agent Brooks already had a plan on how to deal with them should they ever try and steal his boy away.
The End
A/N: Oh I love a good cliffhanger! Ok so this is the end of the first book in this series. I think it will be a three story series, but not sure yet. It could go longer depending on if I can come up with another story line. The next book will be called Devastation Leads to Redemption. And it will follow Clay's year long journey through undercover work for the CIA, but also his drug addiction, his sexual exploration and also him repairing the relationships within Bravo. All leading up to one hell of a climax at the end.
I hope you are enjoying my stories and are loving the new ones that I have added. Seal Team is by far my favorite fandom to write in so I hope it shows in the love that I put into each story. I would like to thank all of my followers for sticking with me through all of my stories. A special thanks to every frontline worker out there that has been struggling all year with the pandemic. I hope reading my stories have given you a break from reality that is desperately needed in times like these.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday!