Chapter 24
"Make It Out Alive"
Danny wiped the condensation off the bathroom mirror so he could see the tie dangling around his neck. "Right over left or left over right?" he mumbled. He tried it both ways, neither worked. Danny swore as he yanked on both ends of the tie. He wiped his hand over the mirror again, then attempted to get his unruly tie to do his bidding. He was really going to be late this morning.
Danny was scheduled to pick up Joe White in an hour. Joe had contacted him a few days earlier, explaining he was Steve's friend and wanted to help. Danny's last experience with one of Steve's so called friends ended badly, but he knew his partner needed more help than he could offer. In the end, Danny had decided to remain cautiously optimistic, and accepted Joe White's help.
Focusing on the knotted tie again, Danny sputtered. "What the hell is this?"
He yanked the tie over his head and threw it against the mirror, venting his frustration in one long breath. Everything was going wrong this morning. When he climbed out of bed he stubbed his toe, then slammed his finger in the closet door after discovering he didn't have any clean shirts. He couldn't even remember the last time he had done laundry. Now he was wearing yesterday's clothes wrinkled with yesterday's problems. Maybe no one would notice.
Any other time, Danny might blame Steve for his mishaps, or inconveniences, but today it seemed unfair. No, it was more than unfair, it was wrong. How could Danny blame Steve for his lousy morning when his partner was locked in prison for a murder he didn't commit.
Danny picked up his tie and untangled it as he walked into the other room. Then in a solemn gesture, he smoothed out the wrinkled tie and placed it on his beloved tie rack. Standing back, he folded his arms, realizing he wouldn't be wearing a tie today, or any other day, until Steve was out of prison.
* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *
Danny eased the Camaro into the flow of traffic. He had brought Joe to see Steve at Halawala Correctional Facility and was now on his way to see Alex and Natalie.
"I need to stop by Steve's house before we do anything else," Danny said.
"That's fine," Joe replied.
"I just need to check on a couple of people."
"People?"
"I guess this didn't come up in your conversation with Steve, which doesn't surprise me because I don't think he remembers half the time that he's getting married."
Joe's eyebrows shot up. "Married? Steve?"
Danny looked over. "I can't believe it either, and you've known him longer. I'm sure it'll take you time to adjust, but Alex is pretty nice. Actually, I think she's too good for him."
"You don't mean Alex Reilly do you?"
"Yeah, you know her?"
Joe put his arm on the door ledge. "Her dad's a good man."
Danny wasn't sure what to make of that remark, so he left it alone. "I'll only be a few minutes."
A short time later, Danny pulled into Steve's driveway, parking behind the blue Silverado. He climbed out of the car and was surprised when Joe followed him without an invitation.
Danny rapped on the door, and a few moments later Alex opened it. Her smiled faded when she saw Joe.
"Commander White," Alex said. The coolness in her voice caught Danny off guard.
"Reilly," Joe responded with the same cool tone.
The warmth of the day didn't prevent a chill from creeping over Danny, it reminded him of a New Jersey winter. Discovering the tension that existed between Alex and Joe wasn't on the top of his priority list, so he ignored their frosty glares and walked into the house to find Natalie.
Joe followed him inside, looking around the room. He noticed a picture of Steve, Alex and Natalie. He picked it up. "I see you've made yourself at home here." Putting it down, Joe looked at Alex with what seemed to be a pleasant smile. "Steve's lucky to have you back."
Alex appeared to bite back a reply. At least that's what it looked like to Danny. He could tell whatever history lay between these two could cause a scene, and he didn't want that happening in front of Natalie.
"Alex, can we talk?" His words snapped her back to the moment. "Maybe in the kitchen?"
"Sure," she responded
Danny led the way. Joe watched them leave, then turned to look at Natalie on the couch. He had never been great with kids, but the sight of the little girl caused something to stir inside of him. He sat down on the opposite end of the couch.
A brief smile crossed his face. "Hi."
Natalie looked at him.
"You probably don't remember me," he continued, "we met a long time ago when you were little." Natalie's expression didn't change. "I'm good friends with Steve." Natalie blinked twice. "You know, the guy in the picture there with you." He pointed to the picture he had picked up moments ago.
Natalie slid off the couch and ran up the stairs. Joe thought he had scared her off, but seconds later she reappeared, and sat next to him. He looked at her with confusion until she dropped a book in his lap.
"You want me to read this?" he asked.
She blinked twice. Joe looked toward the kitchen hoping Danny and Alex would be coming back soon. He really didn't have much experience with this kind of thing, but figured he could give it a shot, for Steve's sake.
* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *
Danny leaned against the kitchen counter while Alex poured him some iced tea. "Is he going to be a problem for you?" Danny asked, gesturing toward the living room.
"No," Alex sighed. "I just didn't know he was coming."
"He only called me a few days ago and said he wanted to help with Steve's situation. I'm sorry, I should have let you know. I had no idea it would be a problem if I brought him here."
She handed him the glass. "Don't worry about it, Danny. It's fine."
"Ah-huh, so it's fine." Danny nodded as he pulled at the front of his shirt. "The fact that I'm not wearing a tie right now means nothing is fine, including whatever is going on between you and Joe White."
"Okay, you're right. He hates me."
"That I picked up on. Is it because of what happened between you and Steve?"
"It's more than that. Whether Steve realizes it or not, Commander White has always been looking out for him in his professional life as well as his private life. If White didn't like someone, he told them to get lost."
"He told you to get lost?"
"Not in those exact words."
"Did you tell Steve?"
Alex crossed her arms. "No. Steve's known him his whole life. I wasn't going to cause problems between them. I knew Joe wouldn't take it too far because he's friends with my dad. Joe's actually the one who introduced Steve to my dad."
"Well, that kind of backfired on him," Danny said.
"Yeah, but I guess it didn't help that I worked for the CIA either. He has an issue with the agency."
"You work for the CIA, so he hates you. Very logical."
"I don't know what it is. Maybe he didn't think I was right for Steve."
"And that's really his job to decide?"
Alex shrugged. "The guy's been married three times. Maybe he thinks he knows something."
Danny placed his glass on the counter. "Well, I'll keep him busy, so he doesn't have time to think about you. Then we'll let Steve deal with him once he's released. "
Alex smiled. "Sounds good to me."
* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *
Danny backed the Camaro out of the driveway and headed to check out a lead. Joe was quiet and for the most part Danny wouldn't mind if he stayed that way, but he felt he had to say something.
He glanced at Joe. "That was nice of you to read to Natalie. She's been having a hard time with this whole thing."
"These things are always harder on kids," Joe replied.
"Well, it's hard on Alex, too."
Joe laughed. "She'll be fine, that woman's got a heart of stone."
"What?"
"You have no idea what she did to Steve do you?"
Danny gripped the steering wheel with one hand and waved the other. "I know that if in fact she did anything it's between them, and since they're getting married it's probably been worked out."
Joe shook his head. "You can think that, but she screwed him over good. Ask Steve about it sometime. It might do him some good to remember."
"I don't think that man forgets anything," Danny cocked his head, "except maybe his wallet. But right now, he has bigger problems."
"We'll get him out of jail. Don't worry."
"You sound pretty confident about that. Can you fix Steve's problems with his brother, too?"
"Nate? He's here?"
"Yup. And I think that problem is more complicated than getting Steve out of prison."
Joe looked out his window. "You just might be right about that."
* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *
There was nothing Steve hated about prison more than getting visitors. Once again he was being escorted from his cell. He had been informed this time his visitor was a chaplain. He wondered who had contacted him and why. Did Danny really think there was no hope of getting him out of this place? Or perhaps, his partner was concerned he might fall off the edge of sanity.
The guard opened the door to a small room, which was used for private interviews or counseling with inmates. Steve saw the chaplain sitting at a table in the center of the room. The man towered over the back of the chair and his posture possessed a military bearing. As Steve stepped closer, the man turned toward him.
Steve's first impression was whoever this guy claimed to be, he wasn't a chaplain. During his military career, Steve had met many chaplains. They were mostly men of good standing, who clearly wanted to help out anyway they could. Yes, a couple of them wanted to shove religion down the throat of anyone within a foot's distance, but for the most part, they were there to offer counsel and support to anyone who needed it.
Steve walked to the other side of the table and sat, letting his hands rest on his thighs as he studied the man before him. Something about his eyes bothered Steve; they held no warmth or concern. Instead, they sized him up, determining his worth, or something more Steve couldn't decipher.
Steve looked to his left and then back at the man. "So, what do we do here?" He raised his hands palm up. "I repent of something I didn't do and I get to go home?"
The man glanced over his shoulder as the guard exited and closed the door behind him. "Nothing's that easy, Commander."
"Then why are we here? Did Danny send you?"
"It doesn't really matter who sent me. What matters is that I can help you."
Steve was skeptical. "Help me what?"
The self-proclaimed chaplain leaned forward. "I was under the impression you wanted to get out of here. Is that correct?"
"Who wouldn't?"
"I can make the necessary arrangements to get you out, but then after that you're on your own, unless you agree to my terms."
"Your terms?" Steve snorted, his brow etched with lines of distrust. "I don't even know who the hell you are."
"Names aren't important. What I can give you is. You have family waiting for you on the outside, I can clear you of the governor's murder, so you can go home."
"What do you want?"
"Your help with an operation I'm running to take down the one who framed you."
"How do you know who framed me?"
"I have connections." The man paused, giving Steve a moment to think. "Will you do it?"
"Will I do what? I don't know anything about you, your operation, and you expect me to go along with it?"
"The answer's a simple 'yes' or 'no'. This proposition walks away when I do."
Steve worked his jaw as he weighed the offer. Yes, he didn't know who this man was, or why he was offering him a chance for freedom, but could he ignore the opportunity? What were the odds that Danny, or even Joe, could get him released? As these thoughts whirled in his mind, he realized the man was speaking again.
"Maybe you'll be able to prove your innocence, maybe you won't. But if you decline, there's a little girl who's going to bear the brunt of your decision."
The hair on the back of Steve's neck stood up. He didn't like the idea that this guy seemed to know so much about him and Natalie, but no one else was offering him a chance to get out of prison and hunt down Wo Fat.
Steve swallowed, hoping he wouldn't regret this. "I'll do it."
The man reached inside his blazer, pulled out a Bible, and slid it across the table. "I think you'll find the book of Exodus very interesting." Then he stood and held his hand out to Steve. "Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me. John 14:1."
Steve got up and took his hand, but only in the event someone was watching. He had no problem with God, he had a problem with this guy. But if there was something Steve had learned in his life it was you had to take risks, which occasionally meant working with people you didn't trust. It wasn't ideal, but sometimes it was the only way to make it out alive.
* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *
It had been half an hour since Steve had been brought back to his cell, and he still hadn't looked at his instructions. Staring down at the Bible in his hands, he ran his fingers over the leather cover. He wondered if this was really the right thing to do.
Finally, he flipped through the pages until he came to Exodus. His instructions were underlined in the text. He took a deep breath. Then did what it said.
A minute went by.
Then two.
After five minutes, Steve began to sweat, accompanied by waves of nausea that caused his stomach to retch. Seconds later, a vice-like grip constricted his chest. He struggled to pull himself up and make his way to the cell door. He wished the instructions had prepared him for this.
"Hey," he gasped. "I need...help." He tried to hold himself up, but the pain in his chest intensified and he collapsed.
The next thing he knew he was being lifted onto a stretcher and rolled away. One of the attendants grabbed his arm and injected something into it. Steve looked up at him, and for a moment he thought the man looked like Nate. Why would Nate be here? Steve's eyes slipped closed as he felt himself being hoisted off the ground and then set down with a jolt. He heard a voice call out instructions, and then two doors slammed shut.
He forced his eyes open. It appeared he was in an ambulance and there were two men riding with him, but he couldn't see their faces. All he wanted to do was close his eyes again. He finally gave in.
Sometime later, someone forced his left eyelid open and a bright light crossed in front of his eye.
"I guess, he'll live," one of the attendants said, his tone on the edge of disappointment. "What? Don't give me that look."
Steve thought there was something annoyingly familiar about the man's sarcastic tone, but his mind was too muddled to place it. He opened his eyes again and tried to focus on the man.
"Where's that sedative?" the same man asked. "We should give it to him before he recovers."
At that moment, he looked down at Steve. Their eyes met. The voice now had a name. Jason Lynch. Without thinking, Steve grabbed for Lynch's throat, but a sharp prick to his neck caused him to recoil, and seconds later he dropped off into darkness.
A/N: I've been meaning to post this chapter for a few months, but life keeps getting in the way. Thanks to the reviewer today who helped me finally get the job done! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for reading.