AN: As always, some of these events are happening concurrently.
Race was not having a good day. It started too early and was now ending too late. The Compound was dead silent when he closed the front door behind him, after relieving the five agents that covered for him while he reported back in to I-One. He had insisted on at least five being on the grounds in his absence.
Reported back in put it kindly. He had actually spent the last twelve plus hours being chewed out unfairly, but when Dr. Quest was unhappy the higher ups at I-One were too. So Race was shit out of luck.
"Fucking politics," Race had grumbled a few times in anger. However, he mostly just took it on the chin. Snapping back would not help this situation and he did not want to risk being reassigned because emotions were high.
The day had started off as expected. He got Jonny up and ready. They all had breakfast together and then Benton headed off to work, while Race took Jonny to school. It was only a half-day kindergarten. Race usually picked him up at lunch, but this day he ended up back there much sooner. Race had barely gotten through the front door before the phone started ringing. The caller on the other end did not get to finish his message. It was one of his contacts at the agency. Informing him that there was some unconfirmed chatter about a kidnap for ransom. Race did not care about the particulars. As soon as he heard that, he was out the door and racing through the streets of Rockport. He did not even stop to call Benton.
When he arrived at Jonny's school, he spotted the unmarked van immediately. He assessed even faster that the men who had come were professionals. Even the driver. Race managed to get the jump on him, but only barely and he could not get the guy to talk quickly. Instead, Race knocked him out and tied him up with his own rope in the back of the van. Looking around the van for clues, Race had to make several decisions fast. Decisions that could impact many lives. He hated the burden of that responsibility, but also would not trust it to anyone else.
He saw three coffee cups and three duffel bags. It was enough to go on. This felt like a three man job to him and one was already down. Race thought about waiting it out in the van. Having them come to him. Forcing the confrontation away from the other children. But then Race looked down at his captive and turned the gun he had confiscated over in his hand. Silencer and all. It was military-grade. As was the guy's outfit. Head to toe. He knew in his gut that they would not hesitate to kill if it meant getting paid and Race trusted his instincts. He could not justify waiting and chancing that a child got hurt or worse.
With that in mind, he scrambled onto the sidewalk with their duffel bags and the keys to the van in hand. Then he sprinted to the back of the building and abandoned the bags. He knew the floor plans of Jonny's school well. The door he was entering was the nurse's office and the farthest room from Jonny's classroom, making it unlikely that the two men would have wasted time securing it. They would want to keep their circle tight. To the classroom and just beyond. But Race thought it highly likely that this would be their choice of exit and he planned to head them off.
Race entered and scanned the room. Empty. Then he stood in the quiet of the nurse's office for a moment and listened. He was close enough to make out the sounds of children crying and muffled yelling. He was surprised at that. If they had a good picture of the kid, than it should have been an effortless snatch and grab. They should already be making their way towards hm. Something had not gone to plan and the raised voices were not a good sign. He knew what he had to do and that he had to do it fast.
Gun drawn, he stepped out of the nurse's office and slid down the hallway toward the classroom and the front door of the school. It was padlocked from the inside. The door to the classroom was wide open. He kept his gun trained on it. Waiting for them to run through it in a rush. A flash of panic hit him at the thought. A foreign feeling that he had to actively push down. If they had Jonny, it would be harder to take them out.
When he got to the classroom window, he peaked in and avoided looking for Jonny. He only had eyes for the two men with guns. One was standing in the middle of the play area. Presiding over the children. His back to Race. The other was in the corner by the teacher's desk, pointing a gun at her head as she shook with fear and seemed to be explaining something. Race could not hear what she was saying.
Knowing the type of men he was dealing with, Race decided to act first and ask for forgiveness later. He crawled below the window and then popped up on one knee in the open doorway. He took the man with the gun to Jonny's teacher down first and the second man before he could turn around. He remained where he was until he was sure they were down for good. Then he jumped up and went for both guns before doing anything else, tucking them safely away.
"Jonny?" he spun around, expecting the kid to push through the others. "Jonny?" he called out again, scanning the crying children. Thinking he may just be scared or hiding. Race had told him to hide if he saw bad guys.
'Where the hell is he?' Race's heart sank and his vision tunneled for just a moment. He was afraid. He ran over to Jonny's teacher and grabbed her shoulders. "Where the hell is he?"
"I…I don't…know," she stuttered. "It happened so…"
Race was running again. Toward the van. He missed one. He ran back the way he came. Recklessly pushing through the door and shielding his eyes against the sun for a moment. A perfect way to get ambushed, but he got lucky and decided to scold himself for the misstep later. The bags he had dropped were still where he left them.
"Fuck," he growled, making a break for the van. But he pulled up short when he reached the front of the building. The van was still there and his heart sank further with dread. "What am I missing?" he said to himself, looking around wildly. "What am I missing?" The sweat was pouring off him now.
"JONNY…KID?" he screamed.
"Race?"
Race heard his voice first and then a moment later Jonny appeared from the other side of the building barreling towards him. Race put his gun away and then heaved a sigh of relief, dropping to his knee and opening his arms. Jonny jumped in them, wrapping his little arms around Race's neck as tight as he could. Race stood, rubbing and patting his back in turns.
"You're alright," Race soothed, walking towards the side of the building. He leaned against the wall to catch his breath and then he pulled Jonny away from his neck to inspect him. He looked fine and he was not crying. Race furrowed his brow in confusion. "Are you okay, kid? Are you hurt?"
Jonny held up his hand. "I scrapped my hand."
"You sure did," Race noted. "That's a big one."
"I didn't cry though," Jonny stated. "I'm not a baby."
Race laughed. "Where did you come from? Where were you hiding?" Jonny pointed to the bushes. "How did you get there?"
Jonny pointed to a window. Race looked from Jonny to the window and back again. Jonny had managed to crawl out the bathroom window. A small bathroom in the corner of the classroom. Behind the wall of cubbies. You would not know it was there unless you walked back there. Race forgot about it in his rush to find the kid. Another misstep on his part. A small one, but still unlike him. He was sure that those men found and cleared that room though. They probably looked out the open window too, but did not see him. Jonny must have moved quickly in the commotion. "What happened?" Race asked.
"I was playing cars with Tommy and I saw the bad guys in the window."
"How did you know they were bad?"
"They looked mean," Jonny explained, looking at Race with big eyes. "And I saw a big gun. Way bigger than yours. You told me to always run and hide from the bad guys. Don't let them get you. Hide until I see you."
"I did," Race smiled. He remembered telling Jonny that, but did not think he would actually remember to do it in a real crisis. "And you did really good, kiddo. Really good."
"I tried to get Tommy to come with me, but he wouldn't come…"
"All your friends are fine," Race promised. "Your teacher too. You did the right thing by running. I'm so proud of you."
Jonny was beaming at that. "Can I stay up late tonight?"
Race laughed again. Leave it to this kid to turn it around on him and ask for something he was not allowed to do. "You remind me of my daughter," Race sighed.
"You say that a lot," Jonny told him. "But I'm not a girl. Girls are gross."
"I think you'll like my Jessie," Race told him. "I want you to meet her."
Jonny shook his head dramatically. "No I won't."
"Okay," Race smiled and then finally started to relax. He could feel the adrenaline wearing off.
"Can I stay up late?" Jonny asked again.
"Maybe," Race hedged.
"You're all wet," Jonny then commented.
"You throw me off my game," Race sighed.
"I don't know what that means," Jonny giggled.
"Good," Race rustled his hair and pushed off the wall. "Let's get that scratch fixed up and get you home."
Race had refused to do anything until he was comfortable Jonny had a proper escort home. From there, he had spent hours being questioned and yelled at. From the local police to Benton to his own bosses. He had opened fire in a class of children. He knew there would be a fall out from that as soon as he decided to do it, but he did not apologize for it once. Because he knew it was the right call.
When he finally got home, he welcomed the quiet of the Compound and looked forward to sleep. Despite what the morning would bring. He headed for his quarters with a sigh, but did not make it by the kitchen.
"Race," Benton called out. "Can you come in here?"
Race approached the same way he always had with his commanding officers. Standing tall with his hands crossed behind his back. He was nine months in to his assignment and the Compound felt like home, but he had yet to feel comfortable around the Doctor. "You're up late, sir."
"I was waiting for you," Benton announced.
"Before you ask for me to be reassigned just let me…"
"I'm not planning to do that," Benton interrupted and Race raised an eyebrow. "You're surprised?"
"Yes," Race admitted.
"I should not have yelled at you the way I did," Benton continued. "It was wrong."
"Emotions were high," Race shrugged.
"No need to justify my actions," Benton sighed. "I was wrong. Plain and simple. And if I had not come to that conclusion on my own... my son was sure determined to make sure that I did."
"How so?" Race asked curiously.
"I was fussing over him after you left to speak with your superiors. He kept assuring me that he was fine," Benton ran a hand over his beard. "That he just did what you told him to do and he wasn't upset. But when I told him you may have to leave well…he got very upset. Said you were his best friend and demanded that you come home. So I promised him that you would. He's been through a lot…" Benton trailed off.
"He has," Race agreed. "But he's also very resilient. You have a great kid."
"You care for him?" Benton asked directly.
"Very much, sir." Then Race smirked. "He is my best friend after all and I don't have many friends."
"This isn't a laughing matter," Benton snapped. "He's my son. He's all I have left in the world."
Race took his time before answering. "I was afraid today. Genuinely scared for the first time in I don't know how long, but it's been years. I thought that emotion had been beaten out of me to be honest and then it smacked me in the gut as I walked toward that classroom…and it didn't go away until I saw that he was okay."
"So you do care…about HIM?" Benton pushed.
"Yes. I know my duty, but I don't just consider him an obligation if that's what you're getting at. My superiors don't like that, but they often forget the human factor. Like I said, you have a great kid and I've spent almost every day with him for the last year…I'm not a robot."
Benton smiled and then changed gears. "They're like a sponge at this age. They pick up on everything. More than you'd want them to."
"Yes…I feel the same way about my daughter."
"You haven't taken me up on my offer to have her visit," Benton noted. "Why is that?"
"Didn't want to impose," Race shrugged.
"It's not an imposition…do you consider this your home?" Benton asked.
"It's starting to feel like it…yes."
"I'd like to make that more permanent if you'd like," Benton stated simply.
"Sir?"
"Think about it," Benton ordered. "Rather sleep on it. It's been a long day. We'll talk more tomorrow."
Race nodded. "I'm gonna look in on Jonny first if that's alright?"
"Of course. Have a good night."
"You too."
Race's quarters were on the first floor so he had to climb the stairs to reach Jonny's room. He had just planned to look in quickly, but was surprised to find the light on. He knocked and then immediately opened the door. He heard more than saw Jonny scurry under the covers. Then he approached the little laughing lump with his hands outstretched and starting tickling him without mercy.
"Stop…stop," Jonny squealed.
Race did and let him climb out from under the blankets. "You can't laugh when your fake sleeping, kiddo."
"I tricked you," Jonny laughed.
"You did," Race smiled. "Why are you still awake?"
"Working on my homework," Jonny stated simply.
"There's no school tomorrow," Race told him and patted the bed. "Come on. Time for sleep."
"But I'm almost done," Jonny whined.
"No arguments," Race pointed to the bed. Then Jonny plopped down obediently. Race smiled as he tucked him in. "I'm gonna come back and check on you soon so you better be asleep for real."
"I will," Jonny grumbled.
"Goodnight," Race stood and turned out his light.
"Sorry you got in trouble cuz of me," Jonny said quietly before he could walk away. Race sat back down on the bed and placed his hand on Jonny's chest.
"I didn't get in trouble," Race told him. "Don't you worry about that."
"I heard daddy yelling," Jonny pointed out. "Are you leaving?"
"I'm staying. Promise." Race winked.
"Good," Jonny smiled. "I want to be just like you when I'm big."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah," Jonny yawned.
"Go to sleep, kid."
Jonny looked at Race full of determination.
"Tell me what I need to do," he stated firmly. "What would you do?"
"Don't act guilty," Race started.
Jonny laughed. "Great advice. What else you got?"
"Don't say one word without a lawyer present," he continued more seriously. "Not even small talk. Keep your guard up. Especially with anyone who is nice or sympathetic. It's always possible those emotions are genuine, but their number one priority is the acquisition of information. Never lose sight of that."
"Alright."
"Your father is arranging for a lawyer. I'll do everything I can to make sure you get to speak with him or her first. If that doesn't happen, I'll make sure they know your statement in advance. Either way…"
"Don't say a word unless they're there," Jonny repeated. "I understand. That should be the easy part."
"How did it make you feel?" Race asked.
"What?"
Race shrugged nonchalantly and studied Jonny's reaction. "I read the case file. Know what Clay liked to do to young pretty girls. If he touched MY girl…well no one would be able to hold me back."
"Maybe easy wasn't the right word," Jonny admitted through his teeth and rolled his shoulders.
"Whoever's not talking at you will be watching your body language," Race advised. "When I said that, your breathing picked up noticeably, you swallowed, you looked away and you clenched your jaw and your fists."
"What does all that tell you?" Jonny asked bitterly.
"You already know…the thread to pull on."
Jonny took a deep breath to try and clear his mind. "How do I fix it?"
"Normally I'd say practice," Race smiled. "…but we don't have time for that and you're a quick study anyway. Pick a spot on the wall over their shoulders and focus on it. Hard. Pinch yourself. Hard. Play a song in your head. Loudly. Whatever works best to drown out their words."
"How do I answer their questions if I don't listen?" Jonny asked. "Assuming my lawyer is present."
"You don't need to listen to any of their questions because you're answer will be the same to each one. Either silence or refer to my written statement. Your choice, kid."
"Won't that make me look guilty?" Jonny asked.
"I don't give a fuck what they think," Race said bluntly. "Only what they can prove."
Jonny's heart skipped a beat. "What can they prove?" he swallowed. "I tried to…be careful, but it's all a blur to be honest. I've lost count of what I should be sorry for."
"Let's start at the beginning," Race told him. "It's all fixable."
"It's not your fault if it's not," Jonny told him quietly. "It's mine. I made my choices."
"That may be true," Race nodded. "…but I won't let this impact your future. I won't let anything take you away from my daughter who needs you. That's a promise."
Jonny felt a weight lifted with those words. He knew he still had to do his part, but he also trusted everything that Race told him. "I believe you," Jonny smiled.
"You went after Roth first. What do I need to know?"
Jonny pulled his wallet from his back pocket and handed Race two keycards. "Room six twenty-four at the Hampton Inn on Sadler. The room is right by the stairwell so I mostly used that to get in and out. Roth is in room six twenty-one. I paid in cash and used the name Morgan Brenner. I originally paid for one night only, but I went back there this morning to regroup. After the marina. Extended my stay for a few more days in case I needed it. I had the money from your bags. There are only cameras in the lobby of that place and I wore a hat and sunglasses when I was in the lobby. I left the hat and glasses on the nightstand. That's all I left there. I wasn't wearing gloves when I put the tracker on his car. A silver Camry. I didn't get the full plate, but the first three letters are XPO. I stole the second keycard from a maid. That's how I got in Roth's room. I did have gloves on when I searched his room. Used the pair you had in your bags. The first time anyway," Jonny sighed.
"First time?"
"I went into his room a second time. When we got the hit on her earrings. I was on my way there and realized that I didn't have a weapon. Roth had several in his room. It was crazy. Like he was ready for a war. Maybe he wouldn't even notice."
"He knows," Race cut in.
"I was being sarcastic."
"What did you take?"
"Two guns and a knife," Jonny looked down. "I…wasn't wearing gloves when I took them. I was rushing."
"I'm not worried about that," Race assured. "Roth wouldn't go to the police even if his weapons were legal, which they're not. If he does anything, it'll be on his own. I'll keep a closer eye on him now. I have both the guns. Neither is registered. No serial numbers. I'll get rid of them. I'll collect what you left at the hotel too and I'll get the tracker back. Where's the knife?"
"In the car. I parked in the visitor's lot out front. I left the picking tools you gave me in there too."
"Give me the keys," Race ordered. "Give me the burner too while you're at it."
Jonny hesitated at that. "Race…"
"You don't need it. You'll hear it if she calls while we're up here and you can go back when we're done. Give it to me." Jonny handed the items over without another word. "What else do you have on you?"
"Only my wallet now. Where's the gun I used?"
"We'll get to that," Race assured.
"What about the camera?" Jonny asked.
"I left it with Temple to destroy. And we searched the springhouse. There was no other film or video," Race told him.
"Good," Jonny swallowed. "That's a relief. What about the pictures at the dealership?"
"Greg took care of it. Told me he took a page out of your book."
"What does that mean?"
Race made a face. "I didn't ask, but he said he took care of it and he said he would handle the marina too. I'm waiting for him to call me. What else?"
"I…I uh went into Roth's room one more time," Jonny swallowed. "I borrowed his iPad."
Race bit his tongue and Jonny continued. "After the marina, I had limited options. I needed to get online. I reconfigured it so Roth wouldn't be able to ping it or anything. Password on the iPad is 'aces.' I left two browsers open. One is the tracker I put on Roth's rental car. I wanted to know if he ended up heading in my direction. The other is the tracker I have on my computer. That's how I found you and Temple at the second safe house," Jonny admitted. "I hid the iPad in the hallway in case I needed it again. It's behind a fake plant in the corner. "
"That crazy motherfucker must be so paranoid right now," Race commented. "You mentioned earlier that you left something behind on his computer? Can that be removed remotely?" Race questioned.
"Yes. Easily, but I'll need access to a computer."
"I'll get the iPad. Explain to me how to do it."
Jonny opened his mouth and then closed it quickly. Unsure of how to explain it in plain English that would be easily remembered. "Give it to Hadji," Jonny told him.
"I'd rather not involve him," Race stated.
"Same, but I'm being practical here and he would want to help. Tell him what I did and have him wipe it clean once he's done. Toss it."
"You really can't explain it? I'm hardly inept," Race argued.
"Hadji knows how I operate. It's the best option."
"I don't like it."
"Race…"
"What?"
Jonny hesitated.
"What Jonny?"
"Hadj has done things more illegal than this just to see if he could. With only pure intentions of course. To point out weakness so they could be fixed…but he can do it in his sleep."
Race looked at him with wide eyes. "That better be a joke."
"Give him the iPad," Jonny repeated simply.
"The five of us are having a LONG conversation when all of this settles," Race conceded. "There are some things that really need to change. WHAT ELSE?"
Jonny paused.
"Come on" Race insisted. "I need to know everything."
"Jade's contact tried to blackmail me so I…"
"I remember," Race interrupted. "Jade is taking care of Mark. What else?"
"I suppose I technically assaulted Tyler back at the hotel," Jonny shrugged. "If you want the whole list."
"He's a small man. I know how to deal with small men when they become a problem," Race threatened. "What else?"
Jonny closed his eyes. His biggest regret in all of this. "The marina. I actually feel terrible about that. If the fire wasn't bad enough, the call I made about a drug drop can't be good for business. That man and his family didn't deserve that."
"Could he ID you?" Race asked.
"Yes," Jonny nodded. "I think so. You said Temple was handling it. How?"
"He has contacts at the DEA," Race explained. "Once we know what they're saying, we'll handle it. Where did you make the call?"
"From a payphone," Jonny explained. "There were no cameras by it. I passed several to be sure. I called 911, but didn't give a name. Spoke only in Russian and wiped the phone down before leaving."
"Good," Race nodded. "Glad to see those Russian lessons are paying off. And here I thought they would be useless." Jonny's face fell. Race could see how bad he felt about it and decided not to make him feel worse. "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. We'll figure out a way to make them whole."
They were quiet for a minute. Race let Jonny gather his thoughts.
"I think I stole a puppy," Jonny muttered next.
Race laughed out loud at that admission and Jonny joined him. It felt good. "That I wasn't expecting to hear. I can put up some flyers if it'll make you feel better."
"Nah," Jonny smiled. "I think he'll find his way home."
"Why on earth did you steal a puppy?"
"I outsourced some recon to him," Jonny shrugged. "Didn't know what I was walking in to when I got to the house. He helped me sniff out the motion activated lights and cameras."
Race smiled genuinely. "Nice. I don't know if I would've thought of that one."
"Being hyperaware of your surroundings will not only keep you safer, it could provide you the tools or knowledge to move forward if you feel stuck," Jonny parroted. "Something you said to me once. I guess I was listening. I was trying to figure out how to approach the house safely and then I heard your voice saying that. Next thing I know, I see the dog. It's kinda like you were there. Every time I wanted to freak out, I just thought about everything you taught me and what you would do. It kept me calm…relatively anyway. I broke into the house. I already told you that part. I didn't touch much while I was in there because I had the gun out. Then…I did what I did." He closed his eyes again. His mind going back to that room and to Jessie.
"What about all the poking around you did on Bartlett and FBI case files? Do I need to worry about that?" Race interrupted his thoughts.
"No," Jonny said confidently. "I'm not worried about that. They may realize someone was in their system. For the sake of the country, I actually hope they did. They won't be able to trace it back to me though."
"Alright," Race nodded.
"I want to get back to her. What do I need to do, Race?"
"When you get to the station, ask for a pen and paper. Tell them you want to give a written statement. Don't do or say anything else until that is done and signed," Race directed. "Like I said, after that the questions don't matter."
"If they ask me about something besides Clay?"
"You exercise your right to remain silent until we regroup," Race said firmly. "Don't let them get in your head. They will tell you they have all the proof in the world even if they have nothing. We don't show our cards until they show theirs."
"Makes sense," Jonny nodded. "What do you want me to write?"
Race handed him a piece of paper. "Memorize it and then destroy it. No deviations, kid."
Jonny took the paper and read it out loud. "I went to the house looking for Maria Travos. I learned from Race Bannon that the suspect may have stolen a blue sedan," Jonny looked at Race. "Who is Maria Travos?"
"Keep reading. I'll back all this up in my statement."
"I ran a search of public data on social sites. Facebook, Craigslist, Instagram, etcetera. Cross-referring names, addresses and any mention of a blue car," Jonny continued and then got quiet.
Race shrugged. "What? Is there a better way to word it? It's somewhat true. Just revised the search parameters to be completely legal obviously."
Jonny furrowed his brow. "I actually did do this when we were back at the hotel."
"Even better. What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"It wasn't an obvious link, kid. This was the Hail Mary play," Race announced, reading his mind. "It wouldn't have gotten us there sooner."
"The search only spit out two names on the island. Maria Travos and Edward Stevens. Who are they?" Jonny asked.
"Names from the DMV search we did yesterday. I had Jade run all the names through Mark. Linking these two to blue Toyotas through their social media accounts was easy. Stevens' address is listed. Travos was a bit trickier. She only rented that place from Clay. The lease isn't public knowledge, but apparently a google image search on her postings was enough to link back to the original rental ad. All easily recreated if checked."
"If they want proof I did the search? I'm not worried exactly, but I don't like the idea of handing my computer over."
"That won't be possible. Bad news kid…your SUV was stolen."
Jonny laughed. "Along with everything else that needs to disappear?"
"It's all going with Jade," Race told him. "She's the best thief I know."
"Got it…why was his place empty? There was no furniture, but Maria's car was still there?" Jonny asked.
"Doesn't matter," Race shot back. "If they ask you that…"
"I wouldn't answer," Jonny interrupted. "I was curious."
"Don't overcomplicate things. You had a credible reason for being there and you couldn't have known she moved. If I had to guess, she's in the process of moving and left the car behind temporarily, leaving Clay access to it unknowingly."
Jonny processed that and then kept reading the statement. "Race and I split the names. We planned to knock on their doors and see if their cars were stolen, hoping that may generate a lead. When I arrived, there was no answer at the front door. I went around back to knock there too. That's when I heard screaming. My phone had no signal, but the screaming wasn't stopping so I tried the kitchen door. It was unlocked."
"We left it unlocked," Race confirmed. "And we cleaned the house so they can't prove you were anywhere except the kitchen."
"I realized the screaming was coming from the springhouse because there's an old speaking tube in the kitchen. I ran out there, but still had no cell service. I could still hear screaming so I went inside. There was no one inside, but there was a trap door leading underground and a loaded gun on the work bench. Why would he leave a loaded gun out like that?"
"Doesn't matter," Race assured. "Impossible to prove that he didn't."
Jonny nodded and then kept reading, but it was getting harder to read and his voice started to shake as he did. "The screaming…was louder so I took the gun and kept going toward it. I found them down there. Clay was…raping Brenda with…a knife to her throat." Jonny cleared his. Twice before continuing. "I asked him put the knife down several times, but he refused and all of the girls were restrained. He jerked towards me…"
Jonny needed to stop. He felt tears coming again and closed his eyes tight, hoping to ward them off. "Fuck," he growled in anger when he failed. "I'm sick of people asking me how I am and I'm even sicker of crying. I don't see how I have anything left…" he trailed off tiredly.
Race stayed quiet to let him work through it on his own.
"He told me...He was evil. He had no remorse or shame. He told me that he fucked her. That she called out for me…but I wasn't there to stop it. He knew," Jonny opened his eyes and looked at Race. Race tightened his grip around Jonny's shoulder. "I saw it in his eyes. He knew I was gonna kill him and he said that she was worth it anyway. That she was his forever…"
Race harnessed his anger before responding. "He knew you were gonna kill him so he lied."
"Are you sure?" Jonny asked hollowly.
"Yes," Race stated firmly.
"I'm not," Jonny looked away. "I know you want me to push these feelings down. Deal with them later." Then he looked back. Hopeful. "Tell me how? I'm begging you. I can't go five minutes without thinking about it."
Race did not have an answer so he settled for trying to refocus Jonny. "I'm sorry, kid. I don't have a fix for that one. I wish I did. All I can give you are the truths I know. One, you run the risk of being away from her longer if you let your emotions take over. And two, she's alive and she's stronger than the sum of anything bad that has happened to her. It could be SO much worse."
Jonny let that sink in and then he looked back down at the piece of paper. "He jerked towards me and I pulled the trigger once. I checked after he fell back, but he wasn't breathing. I dropped the gun somewhere by him and used the knife to free the girls. I called Race as soon as I had a signal to let him know his daughter was alright. He told me to get them to the hospital and that he would call the police."
"Remember, get them to let you write it down first. That's important," Race reminded
"Got it," Jonny confirmed. "Write it down and sign it first. Then just refer back to it."
"Any question they ask you about Clay is answerable by one of those twenty-some sentences. If they come to the hospital tonight asking for a statement, I'll try to push them off until the morning so you can get some sleep. That would be ideal. I want to go with you, but I need to run some errands first."
Jonny nodded his understanding. "If not, I can handle it on my own. I'll make you proud. Promise."
Race tightened his arm around Jonny. "Jonny…as frustrated as I am with the circumstances, I've never been prouder of you and I know you can do this."
XXX
"What are you doing?" Estella asked yet again. She asked every time the doctor was handed a new instrument or raised a different section of Jessie's blanket. None of the answers she got made her feel any better, but she kept asking anyway.
She was acutely aware that this was the hardest thing she would ever experience as it was happening and fought off the crushing sadness that wanted to overwhelm her at every turn. Because as bad as it was for her she knew it did not compare to what her daughter had endured.
"I'm right here with you, Jess." She had announced that about twenty times.
'Mom,' Jessie thought. 'Why do I feel so weird?'
Jessie woke up slowly. "Why do I feel so weird?" she groaned. She felt the bed dip and a cool hand on her cheek next. "Jonny?"
"Better be me," he teased.
She rolled onto her back, but did not open her eyes. "I feel…" she let her statement hang in the air.
"I think the word you're looking for is hungover, babe."
"Hnn," she whined and started rubbing her stomach to alleviate the nausea. She cracked open an eye when she felt the fabric. "I'm still in my prom dress?"
"Yes. Sadly, I didn't get to take it off last night. I'll get over my disappointment with time and therapy," he joked.
"Oh no," she covered her face. "How bad did I ruin the night?"
"It was hardly ruined," he scoffed. "It was just shorter and a little messier than I expected. I had fun trying to sneak you back in here last night. You kept things interesting as always and made the evening memorable."
"The last thing I remember is getting into the limo at Mary's house. If I don't remember, you better tell me everything."
"I will," he promised. "For now, you should try to get up and drink a lot of water. Before your dad comes looking for you."
"Soon," she shifted to her side and closed her eyes again.
Jonny laid down and spooned her from behind. "You need to rehydrate, Jess."
She laced her fingers through his instead of getting up. "This feels nice," she cooed.
"Seemed to help last night."
"When did we have time for this yesterday?"
"On the bathroom floor of the hotel you reserved," he laughed.
She tried to roll away from him, but he held on tighter. "I'm so embarrassed," she complained. "What else did I do or say?"
"Hmm?" he thought and then kissed her neck down to her shoulder. "Nothing to make me love you less, beautiful." Then he kissed her neck again and his hands started to roam.
"Jonny," she elbowed him, signaling disinterest. "How can you want to right now?"
Jonny resumed his previous position and laughed. "When don't I want you? Be serious."
"Sorry," she apologized. "I can't. My head is pounding."
"I was mostly not serious," Jonny kissed the back of her head.
"Thank you for getting me home safe, baby. I love you," she whispered.
He pulled her closer. "See? You let your man take care of you and the world DOESN'T end," he joked.
"Haha."
"Promise me you won't do this at school?" he then asked seriously. "I'll have a fucking heart attack weekly if this is going on and I'm not there to be sure you're okay."
She smiled at his concern. "I swear. I'm not gonna drink at school. I don't even remember making the decision to do it when we got to Mary's. I did it without thinking."
"That doesn't make me feel better, babe."
"My point is that I overthink everything," she shot back. "The only explanation I can come up with is that I subconsciously knew you were there and you wouldn't let anything bad happen so I felt comfortable getting a little out of control."
"Match point."
She giggled and then grimaced. "Don't make me laugh, love. It hurts."
XXX
Temple walked toward the entrance of the hospital with a purpose. He could have called Race, but he wanted to speak with him in person. Make sure he did not need anything else before he was off.
"Greg Temple."
Temple froze before the automatic doors could open. He looked to his left and offered a grim smile as he approached his old acquaintance.
"Corbin."
"I should've known," Corbin offered a wry smile.
"And yet you didn't," Temple shot back. "Sitting behind a desk too long?"
"You and Bannon need new jokes," Corbin smiled. "It'd be more accurate to describe my role as enthusiastically turning a blind eye."
Temple nodded with gratitude. Glad to know they were mostly on the same side. "What're you doing here?"
"I imagine the same as you," Phil spread his arms. "Looking for our old friend. I need to speak with him."
XXX
"Ready to head back down?" Race asked after a few minutes of silence. "We should find your father…Kid?" Race asked again and craned his neck down a little to look at Jonny, who was leaning against Race's arm with eyes closed. Race leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes for a moment too.
"I'm awake," Jonny mumbled. "Just resting."
"I had a feeling you'd be up here," Corbin announced his presence loudly and then stepped out onto the roof.
Temple followed right behind. Just as loud. "Apparently we've gotten predictable, Racer. Aww…isn't this cute," he then commented.
Jonny shrugged Race's arm away and stood. Turning away from them all, he shoved the statement Race had given him into his front pocket and tried to focus on the city lights. The wind was starting to affect him. He felt the goosebumps rise on his skin and he felt shaky. Maybe that was just the exhaustion's doing.
Race stood too. "You're a fucking asshole," Race commented.
"And?" Temple laughed.
Race and Phil just gave each other a look.
"How is she?" Phil wanted to know first.
"The doctors are with her now," Race offered and nothing more.
"And you Jonny?" Phil asked next.
"He's fine," Race answered.
Phil raised an eyebrow. "He can't speak for himself?"
"I said he's fine," Race repeated and moved to stand between Jonny and the two men. Arms crossed. "What do you need?"
Temple scoffed. "We came to see what you needed…you fucking asshole."
"Right," Race ran a hand over his face and dropped his defensive posture. "Sorry. I'm a little on edge. Do you know where Bartlett's head is at?" he asked Phil.
"He's not in charge any longer," Phil shared. "I am. Benton made sure of."
Race grinned. "He did, huh?"
Phil smirked. "He was insistent. Can't say it will last long-term. The Bureau won't take kindly to being pushed aside. Someone will be named for the interim soon. Then again, they don't have Benton Quest at their back so we may have more time than we think."
"That helps," Race said. "Why aren't you at the scene?"
"Conflict of interest."
"You being in charge is a conflict of interest," Race pointed out.
"True, but no need to celebrate it. I think I'll be able to help more effectively if I can't be accused of tampering with a crime scene."
"There would be no need for that anyway," Race shrugged. "It's open and shut, but given the holiday and how long the last few days have been it would be nice to have a breather first."
"I'll see what I can do," Phil responded. "But I can't make any promises. This is a high-profile case."
"Of course," Race said. "Our statements won't change either way."
"What about all the rest?" Phil asked. "What kind of mess did you leave me to clean up? You don't have a lot of friends left in our community."
"That would be my mess," Jonny spoke up and turned around to face them all. "He tried to rein me in. It's my fault."
Phil pursed his lips and then broke out in a laugh, looking at Race. "Now you know how I feel." He turned back to Jonny. "I've been trying to rein HIM in for twenty years. He never listened either. It's a messy game, Jonny. Impossible not to let your hands get a little dirty."
Jonny took a deep breath and nodded in appreciation. Phil's words made him feel a little better.
"The only thing I'm concerned about is the marina," Race told them. "Temple?"
Temple furrowed his brow and kept his mouth shut.
"You can speak freely," Race assured. "We're all friends here."
Temple scoffed. "In front of the director of I-One? Have you forgotten everything I've taught you?"
"Fuck you," Phil snapped. "She's my goddaughter, Greg."
"I trust him," Race interrupted. "That should be enough."
"Ha," Temple laughed.
"You question my instincts?" Race accused.
"You said it. Not me," Temple pointed to Jonny.
"Who saved her? Not you. Not me," Race shot back. "Look, call me later if you prefer. I think it's better that we're all on the same page though."
"Fine," Temple conceded under protest. "No drugs were found and they got no useful information from the marina owner. My buddies over at the DEA were not happy about that, but they thought the tip was credible enough. They'll sit on the place a few months, but nothing will come of it if nothing illegal is happening over there. I don't think anyone cares about the fire, but I had a stroke of genius on that front in case someone decides to care."
Race crossed his arms again. "I can't wait to hear this. You seem mighty proud of yourself."
"Well…the fire was arson. No way to hide that, but I was able to mask the motivation behind it. I snuck back in and left ten pennies in a circle by the ashes," Temple explained.
"What does that mean?" Jonny asked.
"Nothing," Temple informed. "But they don't know that. Pyros like to leave their mark behind so others can't take credit for their work. Question…have you ever been arrested?"
"No," Jonny told him.
"Huh," Temple huffed. "I'm surprised. Little lunatics like you usually have at least one under their belt or have had something expunged."
"Sorry to disappoint," Jonny offered dryly.
"It's for the best," Temple noted. "The building you torched was ash. It went up quick. I don't think their getting any fingerprints from that, but it's better to be safe. Try not avoid getting in the system if you can. I went back to the dealership and left ten pennies there too. That should send them chasing their tails."
"You burned down the dealership?" Jonny asked.
"Couldn't have anyone seeing those pictures of your pretty little girlfriend," Temple smirked.
Jonny bristled. "Every time I'm close to thank you…you send me right back to fuck you."
"Good," Temple smirked again. "Now we toast," he announced, swinging his knapsack off his shoulder and pulling out a flask along with four shot-sized red solo cups.
"You carry that around with you?" Phil commented.
"It's important to keep traditions alive," Temple stated as he poured and handed one to each man. "Especially the ones involving good whiskey. Race and I would always do this after a well-fought few days. Now raise your cups." They all did. "I'll keep it simple. To a successful mission. No one was hurt and we had a little fun in the process."
Jonny's arm dropped and he placed his cup on the roof's ledge at those words.
Temple shot Jonny a look. "We need you for this part, young gun."
"I'm gonna go check on her," Jonny mumbled and walked away, leaving them on the roof.
"What's his problem now?" Temple grumbled.
"I don't think he agrees that no one was hurt, Greg." Race drank his shot and Jonny's too.
"How're you doing with all of this," Phil asked Race, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm fine," Race brushed off the question. "I have some errands to run," he then told them. "Thank you again for all your help. Phil…we'll talk soon. Greg," he stuck out his hand and Temple grabbed it firmly. "Until next time?"
"Always a pleasure, Racer. By the way, can you pass along Jade's personal number? I'd like to…get reacquainted with her."
"Fuck off," Race smiled.
"So selfish," Temple called after him.
Temple did not speak again until Race was out of sight. "I don't think we know the whole story."
"I think we do," Phil sighed.
XXX
Hadji stood in awe of this father. They were on the top floor of the hospital and slowly heading to the elevator.
"That was incredible," Hadji praised.
"What?"
"The way that you commanded that room," Hadji continued. In a short period, Benton had gotten the hospital Board to convene for an emergency meeting, despite the holiday, to ensure that the administrators and staff accommodated his family during their visit. They were falling all over themselves to help. "I know what you're capable of, but I've never seen it in action like that."
Benton deflected. "That had much less to do with me than it did my money. You know I don't like playing that card, but on occasion it comes in handy."
"I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit," Hadji smiled. "You had them hanging on your every word and offering more than you wanted."
"I pretended they were the Board of Quest Enterprises," Benton explained. "I often do need to be creative with my words during those meetings."
"Well…it was masterful," Hadji complimented again.
"Consider it your first lesson in case you decide to take over for me some day," Benton patted him on the back, but backtracked when he saw the face Hadji made. "No pressure, son."
"It's not that," Hadji clarified. "I suppose I always assumed you'd groom Jonny for that."
"I'd groom you both if you both wanted it," Benton assured. "Maybe he'll change his mind, but you and I both know Jonny has no interest as of now."
Benton's phone interrupted their conversation. He did not recognize the number. "Race?"
"Benton. Are you at the hospital?"
"Yes. I'm with Hadji."
"We need to talk. Can you meet me in the chapel?"
"I'll see you in a few minutes," Benton hung up. "I need to speak with Race."
"I'll meet you back at Jessie's room."
XXX
Jonny read the statement three more times. Then he tore it up into little pieces and flushed those pieces down the toilet.
'You can do this,' he thought as he watched them disappear.
When he arrived back at her room, the door and the blinds were still shut. He walked straight for the door and leaned his forehead against it, closing his eyes. He was knocking before his heart could convince him to be patient.
Estella opened the door only a crack, surprised to find Jonny leaning against it. "Jonny," she admonished softly. "You can't come in. They're not finished."
"Alright," he pushed back, using the door frame as leverage. "Is she…"
"Jonny."
"Alright," he swallowed, turning around and letting her close it. Then he sat down and leaned back against it. Before long, Hadji quietly sat beside him. Hadji did not say anything. He just sat there and for that Jonny was eternally grateful.
XXX
Race was not a religious man, but sitting in the quiet of the chapel all alone compelled him to pray. He bowed his head, closed his eyes and kept it simple. "I think we could all use your help. Please watch over my family."
Race stood and moved out into the aisle when he heard the door open. He intended to let Benton speak first and rip into him if he wanted. Race felt he deserved it.
Benton approached with hesitation and immediately recognized the tired look on Race's face. "I'm so grateful she's back with us," Benton started. "Have you seen her yet?"
"Only briefly," Race sighed. "The doctor arrived about the same time as me…they're examining her now."
"I saw her earlier," Benton told him. "She'll be okay."
"I know," Race smiled and then changed the subject. He could not afford to focus on Jessie too long. Because when he did that would be all he could focus on. "Jonny will be fine too. I'll make sure of it."
"We all will," Benton agreed. "I have the best criminal lawyer in the state on retainer as of tonight. He'll meet us anytime and anywhere."
"Good. Can you give me his number?"
"Why does he need a lawyer, Race?"
Race ran a hand over his face and double-checked to make sure they were alone. "It was self-defense, Benton. He saved her life, but he killed a man in the process. It's open and shut, but I don't want to take any chances. Jonny and I just went over his statement. I'd like to make the lawyer aware of it too."
"Of course," Benton agreed. "What about everything else?"
"I need to run out for a few hours and wrap up some loose ends," Race offered vaguely. "Then we should be good. This will all be cleared up before the New Year."
"You sound confident," Benton noted.
"I am," Race said firmly.
"What if it's not that simple?" Benton asked with worry. "This is my son's future we're talking about."
"Then I'll start to play dirty, Benton. They won't out maneuver me. You have to trust me."
"I do," Benton sat down heavily in a pew and stared forward at all the lit candles. Race sat in the row behind him and did the same. "I'm afraid," Benton admitted. "He's not a minor. It would follow him forever."
"I'll confess to it all myself before I let it touch him. That's a promise. But it won't come to that. Keep faith."
"I suppose I'm in the right place for that," Benton acknowledged and then felt a second wind hit him. He turned back to face Race. "You're right. Between the two of us…I know you want me to stay out of the details, but this is my kid. If I need to get my hands dirty, I will. You need to be straight with me."
"If it comes to that, I won't hesitate to ask," Race assured. They were quiet for a few minutes before Race spoke again. "I should go. Text me the lawyer's details and let him know I'll be calling?"
"Yes."
"I'm sorry I let it get this far," Race added quietly before standing. "I'm aware there's nothing I can say to make it right. I taught him…and I let him come with me…"
"I wasn't blind to that," Benton offered. "I never tried to stop you from teaching him. He'll be leaving soon for school. I wanted him to know how to protect himself. I hated that it was necessary, but I wanted it. And he would've gone after her whether you allowed it or not. I'm not blind to that either. He has made his feelings for her very clear to me. It's better he was with you."
"I'm still sorry."
"I know," Benton sighed. "But you have to know by now that she's the only one that would've been able to stop him…they grew up too fast on us."
"Yeah. It's a real bitch, isn't it?" Race laughed.
XXX
Jonny wanted a distraction. He needed one to stay awake.
"I could really use a distraction, Hadj."
"What kind of distraction?"
"Something mundane," Jonny chose. "Tell me about school? Anything really."
"There was something I planned to discuss with you over break," Hadji started.
"What?"
"I…I met someone," Hadji said slowly.
Jonny's head snapped in the direction of his brother. "Really!"
"Is it that surprising?" Hadji asked. A little embarrassed.
"No," Jonny backpedaled. "I'm just excited. You've never seemed interested in any of the girls in Rockport. I thought maybe you were waiting until you could spend more time in Bangalore and go the more traditional route."
"My mother will be disappointed to know that's not the reason," Hadji sighed. "I simply did not see the point in spending time with girls I saw no future with."
"Shockingly mature of you," Jonny teased.
"Shut up," Hadji chuckled.
"So you see a future with her?" Jonny pushed.
"I don't know," Hadji admitted. "That's what makes it more confusing. I've only known her for a short period, but..."
"She makes your hands sweat? Brain freeze? Heart race? Stomach hurt? You can't talk right? Can't sleep? Can't think of anything else for more than a few minutes? Spend hours thinking about a thirty second conversation? What?"
"All of the above," Hadji admitted. "It's awful. Does that go away?"
Jonny nodded. "Yeah. Except for the incessant occupying of the brain and the heart racing…if you're lucky."
"How do you know?" Hadji then asked.
"Know what?"
"Know when it's right?" Hadji clarified.
Jonny closed his eyes and smiled. "I don't think I'm the best person to ask. Mine was always right there, man." He laughed a little. "I didn't even have to leave the house."
"That's not quite helpful," Hadji remarked.
"I could tell you the moment I knew for sure that I was in love with her and the moment I knew for sure I didn't ever want to be in love with anyone else," Jonny smirked. "But that's all I know. Unfortunately for you, this type of thing is an art not a science. Don't think it will help you."
"I'd like to hear," Hadji probed. Jonny was quiet for a while. "I understand if you don't want to share."
"It's not that," Jonny explained. "It's just comically unexciting. But I'll never forget. It was a Friday night. She was on the couch taking a nap. Her nose was bright red because she was so sick. Do you remember that? She had the flu, then me, then you?"
Hadji grimaced. "I do. That was not a good month."
"Anyway…on top of being sick, she was also pretty snippy with me that whole week."
"She's never had much patience for being sick," Hadji laughed.
"Or for anything else," Jonny shot back.
"I figured it was better for you to say it," Hadji teased.
"So," Jonny continued. "My girl was sick, mean and passed out, but I still didn't want to be anywhere else. I was sitting on the couch staring at her when it occurred to me. Probably should NOT have been as much of a shock as it was. Took me like four months to actually say it out loud though. In the middle of an argument," he grinned.
"That's not surprising," Hadji commented.
"Yeah. I guess," Jonny agreed. "I've been thinking about that night a lot last few days."
"That's not surprising either," Hadji sympathized. "When did you know it was permanent?" Hadji then asked, hoping to steer Jonny clear of negative thoughts.
"I won't know it's permanent until I get her to marry me," Jonny said lightly. "…but I knew when I wanted it to be permanent. It was about a year ago. The night of the Lexington Gala where Pop was being honored."
"Ouch…I remember that night. Jessie had words with father."
"You put things too kindly as always," Jonny huffed. "It was my fault, but the way she took up for me anyway…she was like a…"
"Lioness?" Hadji offered.
"At the very least," Jonny smiled and then swallowed. "I…no one will ever know me the way she does. At this point, it's not even conceivable to me. With all the history we share. I honestly can't imagine a life without her. And yes…I'm aware that sounds naïve, but I don't care."
"I think it sounds nice," Hadji told him. "I hope I'm half as lucky."
"Tell me about your girl," Jonny urged next. "I want to know everything."
"She's not mine," Hadji fidgeted.
"Kinda sounds like she is, brother. She just doesn't know it yet."
"I still have much to learn about her."
"Of course you do," Jonny rolled his eyes. "Jess still surprises me. You learn as you go. Have you asked her out?"
"No, but we've spent some time together casually. We enjoy the same music and museums. We always have lunch on Tuesdays and discuss our schoolwork. I like sharing ideas with her. She thinks through things so differently."
"You smile when you talk about her," Jonny noted. "What's her name?"
"Olivia."
"Oliva," Jonny over-pronounced it.
"What'd you say it like that?"
"Wow…you've got it bad. I'm happy for you. Can't wait to meet her."
"Let's…slow down," Hadji said uncomfortably.
"I think you need to speed up," Jonny told him honestly. "Is she pretty?"
"Very," Hadji looked down. "She's beautiful and so sweet."
"You think you're the only one who's noticed that?" Jonny scoffed and Hadji's head snapped up. "It took me six months to ask Jess out, but what finally pushed me over the edge was when I heard the rumor that Tim Duncan was gonna ask her out. The fear of someone else kissing her first trumped the fear of her saying no."
"I'm not in eighth grade," Hadji pointed out.
"The principal is the same," Jonny insisted. "If she's as great as you say…"
"She is," Hadji interrupted.
"Then someone else WILL notice…if they haven't already. I think it's great that you're friends first though. Worked out well for me."
"How do I transition it to more?" Hadji asked.
Jonny considered carefully. It was rare for Hadji to come to him for advice. It was usually the other way around. He wanted to give him something great, but the answer was simple. "Ask her out, Hadj."
"How though?"
Jonny rubbed his chin. "Pretty sure that part has evolved since eighth grade. Although it's possible she could find nervous stuttering cute. Honestly…I'd suggest a straightforward approach. Just say 'Olivia, I think you're great and I'd really like to take you on a date.'''
"This from the king of grand gestures? That seems too easy."
"That should be the easy part," Jonny defended. "Things don't get complicated until you're officially together."
"How do I navigate that part?"
"I have five basic tenants that seem to be working," Jonny shrugged. "Don't cheat. Definitely don't lie. Don't play mind games. Limit dickhead behavior. And treat her like she's your queen, even when you're acting like a dickhead."
Hadji laughed. "I don't think anyone has ever called me a dickhead."
"Trust me. When you fall in love, you're gonna act like a dickhead on occasion. It's unavoidable. That's where a well-placed gesture can save you."
"And when I forget all of this as soon as she smiles at me?" Hadji asked.
Jonny smiled. "You have my number."
The next thing Jonny knew, he was tipping backwards as her door opened. He jumped to his feet and looked at the doctor hopefully. "How is she?" he rushed.
"She'll be fine," the doctor smiled, stepping aside to let the nurse out of the room.
"But how is she? You just spent an hour examining her. How is she?"
"I can't release medical information," the doctor patted his shoulder. "You know this. Just as I know you are not her husband."
Jonny's head dropped and he let the doctor leave. Then he walked into the room and closed the door behind him. He went right to her bed, sitting on the edge and grabbing her free hand. Estella had the other. He let his eyes roam her from head to toe and tried to figure out if she looked different. He could not tell.
"I missed you, beautiful. I'm sorry I was gone so long. I went up to the roof for a while with your dad. He'll be back soon I'm sure. Then I was talking to Hadj for a bit. Guess what? He met someone at school. Her name's Olivia. I haven't met her, but I already like her. You should've heard the way he was talking. I was…Made me think about our first date. Do you remember that? I was such a nervous wreck. I can't believe you agreed to a second one," he laughed. "Took me a few tries to get it right, huh? You stuck with me though. So stubborn. It'll be Christmas in a few hours. Can you guess what I want you to give me? Gah…" he stopped when the door opened again and Race came in.
"Jonny?" Estella asked.
"I'm convinced if I keep talking that she'll wake up just to tell me to shut up," he grinned and then sobered quickly. "What did the doctor say, Estella?"
"They took some blood to confirm what's in her system. The doctor couldn't give specifics on when she'll wake up, but said she'll be fine. Everything will heal…"
"Was she raped?" he interrupted bluntly. "I'm going crazy not knowing." Jonny held his breath waiting for the answer.
"Inconclusive," Estella responded quietly.
"What the hell does that mean?" Jonny asked in frustration.
"It means…" she cut herself off and started to cry.
Jonny wanted to push the topic, but did not want to upset her more. So he focused back on Jessie, while Race pulled Estella into his arms.
Race held her tight and whispered in her ear so Jonny would not hear. "Thank you for staying with her. I don't think I could've handled it."
"Yeah right," Estella scoffed. "You're the strongest person I know."
"I'm serious," he rubbed her back. Race knew what inconclusive meant, but ignored it. He could not afford to focus on anything except facts. He stepped back and wrapped his hands around Estella's face. "I need to run a few errands."
"Alright."
He was grateful she did not question him. "Will you be okay?" he needed to know.
"Of course," she forced a smile.
"She's as stubborn as you, Stel. She'll be up and yelling at us all for hovering before we know it." He let go reluctantly to say goodbye to Jessie. He stared down at his little girl, pushing some hair back from her forehead. "I'll be back soon, sweetheart. I love you." Then he walked away and avoided looking back to make sure he kept going. "Jonny, take care of them for me," he ordered.
Estella wiped at her face. She did not want Race to leave, but knew she had to be strong. She looked between Jonny and Jessie a few times.
"It means all they could confirm conclusively is that she's sexually active," Estella explained. Jonny turned away, clenching his fists and staring hard at the wall. "But there are no obvious indicators of force, so that's a good sign."
"That's," Jonny cleared his throat. "It's something." He got off her bed and went to the bathroom in her room. He splashed cold water on his face three times and then gripped the sides of the sink and watched the water go down the drain. He could hear her voice as clear as if she was standing next to him.
"Will you…always protect me?" she asked in a sing-song voice
'Keep it together. You can do this. For her.'
XXX
It was after midnight by the time Race walked back into the hospital. He spotted the suits immediately at the front desk and hung back to see where they would go. He intercepted when it became apparent they were headed for his daughter's room.
"Gentlemen," he called out. "Can I help you?"
"Who are you?"
"Race Bannon. Are you going to my daughter's room?"
"We are. We were told that's where we can find Jonathan Quest."
"What do you want with Jonny?" Race demanded.
"We have a warrant for his arrest, sir."
"For what?" Race put out his hand. "Let me see it."
"Are you his lawyer?"
Race almost growled. "You know who the fuck I am. If you don't, you and your boss are completely incompetent. Who do you report to?"
"Is that a threat?"
"It's a simple question, special agent. I know Bartlett has temporarily stepped aside. Who's in charge in the interim? Just curious." The agents made a move to side step him and Race put both hands up. "Whoa…if you think you're going in my kid's hospital room you have another thing coming. How about some goddamn professional courtesy or just common decency?"
"Bannon…I'm sorry for your circumstance. I truly am, but we have a valid arrest warrant to serve and there's nothing you can do right now to stop it. Come on, you know this."
Race pursed his lips and then nodded. "I'll bring him out. Give me a few minutes?"
"Fine."
"What's the charge?" Race asked again.
"We'll tell him when you bring him out."
"Damn suits," Race grumbled to himself. He entered her room quietly and immediately locked the door. He spent just a quick moment looking at his family in turn. Estella had texted him to let him know that Jessie had been moved to a nicer room. Benton had made it happen. The room was much larger than Race expected. He assessed it must be a birthing suite to cater to the super rich. It was normally the type of thing Race would find annoying, but he could not summon that emotion when he looked at Jessie. She was still asleep. The bed she was in looked bigger and more comfortable than the last time he saw her. He was grateful for that. In addition to the bed, there were three couches and several chairs in the room. Estella was passed out in a chair beside Jessie. Benton and Hadji were asleep on couches. Jonny was still awake. Resting his head in his hand. He had looked up when Race entered, but then right back to Jessie. Race could tell by the look on his face that Jessie had not woken up yet so he did not bother asking.
"Have you slept at all?" Race asked.
"I tried," Jonny told him quietly. "Can't shut my brain off. What's wrong?"
Race sighed. He did not have much time so he needed to multi-task. He motioned for Jonny to come to him as he pulled out his phone and dialed. Phil answered groggily on the third ring. Race looked at Jonny and placed a hand on his shoulder as he spoke.
"Phil…sorry to wake you. I have two suits outside with an arrest warrant for Jonny. They wouldn't tell me the charges. If it's possible for you to find out in the next few minutes and call me back, that would be great. Okay…yep…thanks."
Race placed his other hand on Jonny's shoulder after hanging up. "You've got this, kid. And I'll be right behind you."
"I'm good," Jonny promised.
"Alright," Race let go and then nodded at Jessie. "Go on. I only bought you a few minutes."
Jonny went for Jessie, while Race woke up Benton and told him to get the lawyer down to the station. All the movement woke Estella and Hadji too.
Jonny sat on the edge of her bed again and stared at her for what felt like the umpteenth time. He placed a hand gently on her bruised right hip and wished for the umpteenth time he could make that go away before she woke up.
"I have to leave for a little while," he started. "I'll be back as soon as I can…try not to get in any trouble while I'm gone?" he teased. "It would really help me out right now to know that you're okay. To know that you know you're safe now. Just open your eyes and tell me, Jess. Please? Then you can go right back to sleep. Do you need more incentive? How about I'll give you a million dollars?" he smiled. "You know I'm good for it…but you don't care about money. Okay…I promise to stop acting like it's the end of the world when you make me dance with you. Because it's not. I actually like it," he paused for a moment. "Right…not an actual sacrifice. So bad incentive. Got it. I won't buy a motorcycle?" he posed. "I know you don't want me to," he paused again. "Not big enough? Alright," he sighed. "You drive a hard bargain. If one day…very very far in the future…we have a kid and you still want to name him after me, I'll let you and I won't even complain about it even though I don't like it. But you have to wake up now. One-time offer."
He started at her for another long moment and then let his head drop in defeat.
"Hnnnn," she groaned softly.
"Jessie!" he scrambled off the bed and moved closer to her head, wrapping both hands around her face. "Can you open your eyes?" he asked excitedly.
Everyone was hovering now, watching as she struggled to wake up. Her eyes would open an inch and then immediately shut again. Her mouth hung open slightly and she kept making soft sounds and scrunching up her face.
"Jess?" he urged.
She opened her eyes halfway. They were glazed and unfocused, but she was looking at him. He gave her a huge smile. Her mouth curved slightly.
"Shut up already, Hotshot." Her voice was scratchy and it did not sound like her, but it did.
Jonny's head dropped at her words and the breath he had be holding left his body.
'She could hear me,' he immediately knew. And that was all he needed to get through whatever came at him next. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I love you too. I love you so much."
Her eyes were closed again when he pulled back, but he ignored the small twinge in his gut. 'She knows,' he thought. He was about to walk away when she made another noise.
"Jess?"
"I…will," she struggled to get more out. "Remember."
Jonny brushed his thumbs across her cheeks and stroked her hair. "Go back to sleep, beautiful. You'll feel better the next time you wake up. Promise."
"Can't…back out," she mumbled.
Jonny chucked. "Are you trying to say that you won't let me back out of everything I just promised?"
"Mmm," she nodded yes.
"I'm counting on it, baby." He kissed her again, but was interrupted by a knock on the door this time. His heart dropped. It was time.
"We have to go," Race told him.
"Jess?" Jonny asked one more time. Nothing. He finally moved away from her bed and went straight for his father. "Pop…please try not to worry too much. I'll be fine. I don't want to be responsible for ALL your gray hairs. I need to give Hadji a chance to contribute," he joked and then got serious. "I'm sorry for everything and I know I owe you a long conversation."
"Let's focus on one thing at a time," Benton responded. "Just know that I'm proud of you. Your lawyer is on the way and we'll be right behind you."
"No," Jonny told him. "Will you please stay here?"
"That's an impossible request, son."
"Race is coming with me," Jonny argued. "He's the one with all the contacts and knows how this works. And he'll call if he needs you to go over someone's head," Jonny smiled. "There's nothing else you can do right now. It would just be a waiting game."
"There's nothing I can do here except wait as well," Benton pointed out.
"That's not true," Jonny shook his head. "You can take care of her for me. Both of you," he looked at Hadji too. "I'll worry less and focus better if I know you two are here. That's a fact. Pop, she's hurt and you're the only doctor in this building I trust. Hadj…if she does wake up before I get back…she'll listen to you."
"No she won't," Hadji shot back.
"There's a sixty percent chance she'll listen to you," Jonny revised. "Which is better odds than most people get."
"I'll stay," Hadji promised.
"Thank you. Pop?" Another knock came and Race wrapped a hand around Jonny's arm to pull him toward the door. "Dad," Jonny begged. "She was obviously in pain just then. Please stay and speak with her doctor."
"I'll stay too," Benton promised.
"One more thing," Jonny stopped letting Race pull him. "Whatever you guys do, DON'T let her leave this hospital. If she's fully alert before I get back, don't take your eyes off her. Make her understand that the only way she can help me is by staying put where I know she's safe. She'll hate it, but don't let her wear you down."
They all nodded.
"You ready?" Race asked. Hand on the door.
AN: I originally intended this chapter to have a more satisfying and conscious reunion between my lovebirds. But all the boys had more to say than I expected so I couldn't get there! That's why you get a mini-reunion and another quick (for me) chapter being released.
One of the moments Jonny mentions above about the gala was in reference to the outtake I posted a while back. Chapter 14 in the outtake version.