Chapter 26
"Risks"
Steve waited at a table in the back corner of a dimly lit bar. He checked his watch, then glanced at his brother who sat across from him. Nate picked up the salt shaker from the center of the table, twisted it in his hands, then set it down, repeating the action several times over the course of ten minutes. As Nate reached for the salt shaker once more Steve grabbed his wrist.
"Unless you're gonna use that don't touch it again," Steve hissed.
Nate folded his hands on the table. "Sorry."
Steve took a swallow from his glass, not encouraging further conversation. He wasn't here to talk to Nate. He was waiting for Danny and Joe to arrive. The two men, along with Chin, had forced Nate to set up this meeting. Chin had decided it was better if he stayed clear, so he could keep track of HPD's hunt for Steve, and warn them if the authorities caught wind of the meeting. Steve was concerned about his friends taking a risk to meet him, but he needed to talk to the people he could trust.
Steve noticed the front door open, and Joe White entered, followed by Danny. Joe caught sight of the brothers as he surveyed the room.
Steve leaned back in the booth. "Nate, you can wait outside and keep an eye on things."
"What?" Nate straightened. "That's not what we agreed."
"So I lied." Steve looked his brother in the eye. "You got a problem with that?"
Nate's eyes shifted downward.
Steve crossed his arms. "I didn't think so."
Nate stood, brushing passed Danny.
Joe watched Nate disappear out the door before taking the seat across from Steve. "You were a little hard on him."
Steve ignored the remark. "We have a lot to talk about."
* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *
Nate stepped outside the barroom onto the plywood porch. The sun had fallen below the horizon since he and Steve had arrived. In the glow of twilight the building's neglected exterior softened, and even the wilted plants in the plastic pots seemed to take on new life. Nate scanned the area. He noticed a woman sitting at one of the small, black tables, twisting a straw between her fingers. She wore a purple cap under which tufts of blonde hair poked out. As she took a sip of her drink, she glanced up and their eyes met. Nate realized the woman was Kono. She turned away, and smiled at an elderly Hawaiian man sitting on a stool several feet away from her. The man's crooked smile and bobbing head suggested he was drunk. He winked at her as he raised his glass to his lips.
Nate hesitated before wandering over to Kono's table. He wanted to talk to her, but he wasn't quite sure why. "Is it alright if I sit down?"
Kono stabbed at the ice in her glass with the straw. She didn't raise her head, and her reply was indifferent. "If you want."
Nate pulled a chair out and sat down. He looked around again, taking in their surroundings. "So do you come here often?" His slight grin caused his left dimple to peek out.
Kono rolled her eyes. "That's the best you can do?"
"Well, I did notice you changed your hair color."
"Just for the evening."
Nate looked around. "Steve said I should come out here and keep an eye on things. I didn't realize you were here."
Kono bit her upper lip and looked away. "Yeah, I'm here."
She noticed the drunken man had fallen asleep on his table. His mouth hung open, and with every intake of breath, he produced a wet, rattling snore.
"If we're going to sit here together we should probably talk about something," Kono suggested.
"Okay. What should we talk about?"
"I don't know."
"Well..." Nate began. "I heard IA is investigating you. Are you okay?"
Kono pressed her lips together as she ran her hand up and down her left arm. "It's a little crazy right now, but it'll be fine." Kono wasn't sure she could believe her own words.
"I can't imagine you've done anything to deserve IA ripping you to shreds."
Kono rested her elbows on the table. "It's complicated."
They held each others gaze for several moments before Nate's eyes drifted to the right, and then settled back on her. Leaning forward he whispered, "There's a guy across the street watching this place pretty closely. He's a cop."
Her right eyebrow lifted slightly as she snuck a look. "Are you sure? I don't recognize him."
"Trust me, he's a cop."
Kono smiled and touched her right ear. "Danny, we've got a party crasher."
"Right," Danny replied.
"There's another one," Nate said. "He's coming this way."
Kono glanced across the street. "We've got another one. The Boss needs to get out of there."
"Give us some time," Danny answered.
Kono looked at Nate. "They need some time. Got any ideas?"
Nate smiled. "Lean closer."
Kono tilted her head, trying to determine what his next move would be, but she obliged him.
Nate took her hand and whispered in her ear. "Start an argument, and make it believable."
Kono stared at him. "What? I can't-"
"Just do it."
The cops in plain clothes were heading toward them. Kono knew she had to do this. She said nothing for a few seconds then picked up her glass and threw the contents in Nate's face.
"Hey, that's not what I meant!" Nate said.
"Oh really?" Kono huffed, pointing to his collar. "Is that what you said to the woman who got lipstick all over you."
Nate looked down at his shirt. "That's yours."
"That's not my color."
"I must have cut myself shaving then."
"Really? So the blood spot just happens to look like someone's lips?" Kono stood up. "Get away from me you creep."
Nate jumped to his feet. "It's not what you think."
"Like I have a reason to believe you."
"Why would you doubt me?"
The two were making quite a spectacle, which caused the cops to halt their approach, and attempt to blend in with the onlookers.
Kono put her hands on her hips. "Don't think I don't know about her."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Ha!" Kono stepped away. "And you can put those stupid dimples away, I'm not falling for those again."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Tell your old friend from the restaurant the other night to get lost."
Nate hesitated. "What?"
"Yeah, I saw her put that room key in your pocket."
Nate looked stunned. Kono heard Danny gasp in her earpiece, but she pressed on.
"You've got nothin' to say now, do ya?" Kono said.
Nate stiffened. Somehow during the course of their charade things had slipped into reality. "Nothing happened," Nate said slowly. He needed her to understand that.
"You're a liar…Jamie." Her words came out with such force that he took a step back, but not far enough to avoid her hand. His head snapped back from the blow.
Kono stared at the red mark on Nate's cheek. She barely heard Danny's voice in her earpiece giving the all clear. "Nate I..."
"I should go," he said, his words just audible.
Kono didn't want Nate to leave. She wanted to explain that she wasn't really angry with him. But as much as she wanted to, the words wouldn't come, and she watched him walk away, disappearing around the corner of the building.
* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *
Alex's eyes flew open. She strained to hear the soft beeping that had awoken her, but the house lay silent. Not accustomed to the sounds of Steve's house, Alex wondered if she had imagined the noise, but the creaking of the stairs confirmed her suspicion.
She slid out of bed, crept over to the dresser, and quietly pulled open the top drawer. Retrieving her gun, she moved toward the bedroom door. The intruder reached the top of the stairs and advanced down the hall. Alex could barely see the outline of the figure standing on the other side of the door. She stepped back as it slowly opened, and the person moved toward the bed.
Alex stepped out from behind the door, her gun aimed at the intruder. "Hands on your head. Now," she ordered. After a moment, the intruder complied. "Turn around. Slowly."
The intruder turned as Alex edged toward the light switch.
"I wouldn't do that," he said.
"Steve?"
"Were you expecting someone else?" he asked.
Alex let out an irritated breath as she lowered her gun. "What were you thinking, sneaking up on me like that? You shouldn't even be here. They're watching the house."
"I know. Nate's taking care of it."
"You still shouldn't be here, it's too dangerous."
"Alex, I only have a few minutes can we please not argue."
She sank onto the bed. "Sorry."
Steve sat next to her. "Nothing is ever easy for us, is it?"
"You just noticed that?" Alex let her head fall against his shoulder. "What's going on?"
"I made a deal with someone to help track down Wo Fat. In exchange, he'll make sure my name is cleared."
Alex lifted her head. "Someone with that kind of influence sounds dangerous. Are you sure you can trust him?"
"No, but I'm out of options." Steve took her hand, rubbing his thumb over the top it. "Nate works for this guy. He has for a long time."
"Somehow that doesn't surprise me."
Steve turned toward her, brushing a stray hair away from her face. "Alex I-"
Alex grabbed his face between her hands and kissed him. Steve wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. The intensity of her kiss momentarily caused him to forget what he needed to tell her; a rare moment for him, losing his focus. When he finally pulled away, Alex hid her face against his shoulder.
"Don't," she said. "I can think of a thousand things that could keep you from coming home. I just don't want to hear you say it's a possibility."
He kissed the top of her head, then pulled an envelope out of his jacket and placed it in her hand. "Just in case."
Alex brushed a tear away and looked at the slightly crumpled white rectangle in her hand. She imagined it contained his thoughts and desires concerning her and Natalie, along with any final requests he wanted carried out. Alex felt her throat constricting. She didn't remember their good-byes ever being this difficult.
She finally cleared her throat. "You need to go."
Steve pulled her into his arms. "Tell Natty I love her." He felt her nod. "I'm gonna fix this, Alex. And, then, I'm coming home."
* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *
Nate sat alone on the beach behind Mr. Hamilton's house, watching the moonlight reflect off the water. Tomorrow they would be heading out after Wo Fat. He should be trying to sleep, but it eluded him.
Taking a fist full of sand, Nate held it for a moment, then watched it slip through his fingers, much like the people in his life. After this mission, Steve would vanish, and with him, Natalie. A sad smile touched his lips. Nate wasn't sure who he would miss more, his overprotective brother, or the precocious eight year old.
A rustling behind him grabbed his attention. He turned to see Steve walking toward him.
"Hamilton said you'd be out here." Steve watched the waves roll over the sand before he continued. "I assume you've been on missions like this before."
"It comes with the job," Nate replied.
"I'm not really sure what your job is."
"Does it matter?"
Steve shrugged. "I just don't get what all the secrecy is about. You could've said you worked for a shady operative, it might have saved us a lot of grief."
Nate rubbed the back of his neck. "Is there something you wanted, Steve?"
"Yeah, I'm angry as hell with you, but in my experience bringing baggage like that on a mission will get you killed, so I'm suggesting we get through this, and see what happens on the other end."
Nate studied his brother, dwelling on the last words he had spoken. At least Steve hadn't slammed the door on him quite yet. "If that's what you want."
Steve nodded. "And, Nate, one more thing."
"Yeah?"
"You better say goodbye to Natalie."
* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *
Nate glanced at his watch. It was 7:35 am, a little early for a social call, but this went beyond social, this was for Natalie. He raised his hand to knock on the wooden door, but he hesitated. A second later, Nate heard a click as the lock turned, then the door opened, and Alex greeted him with a smile.
"Hi, Nate, I noticed your car," she said. "It's great to see you."
He glanced at his watch again. "I only have a minute. I just wanted to see Natalie...before I go."
Alex nodded, stepping aside to let Nate enter the house. Natalie, wearing her pajamas, sat on the couch holding a book. She looked up.
"I just wanted to say...goodbye," Nate mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets. Natalie's features darkened. She looked at Alex and then back at Nate as he spoke. "I'm really glad I got to meet you. I had fun on our little adventures." Nate swallowed. "Be good, okay."
Alex was concerned. Nate's goodbye seemed so final.
"I need to go." Nate bent over to kiss the top of Natalie's head. He headed for the door. When he was almost to his car the little girl ran up to him.
"Are you coming back, Uncle Nate?"
A look of surprise spread over Alex's face when she heard Natalie speak, these were her first words in days. Nate met Alex's gaze before looking at Natalie. She watched him, waiting for an answer. Nate couldn't speak. He managed a half smile before he climbed into his car and drove away.
A/N: A special thanks to Warrior's Bride for helping me finish the chapter. Thanks for reading.