Don't own the characters
A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Again if anyone has a title happy to hear about it.
Ok here is a longer update. May not be able to update tomorrow so enjoy.
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A few Weeks Later
"Carter you can't leave yet." The nurse said trying to stop the man who was currently dressing himself in a pair of scrubs that had been provided to him earlier to help him be more comfortable.
"Yes I can. I signed out AMA, signed the form and everything." He said struggling to pull the shirt on.
The nurse quickly helped him so he would not tear his stitches. "You've barely been here two weeks. You still need rest."
"Which I can do from the comfort of home."
"PT?"
"That's why this city has cabs. I can come in and do it." Carter said out of breath leaning against the bed. He wondered if he was making the right decision, but ultimately he didn't care he had to get out of the hospital now. It felt like the walls were closing in on him, his world was coming to a complete stand still and he wasn't use to that. He was always a man on the move, always working, day and night 24/7 and to be forced to sit back and do nothing was killing him.
"Let me go get a wheel chair. Don't argue about it it's hospital policy wait here and I'll also get your medications for you from the pharmacy to save you a trip." She said rushing off. Should she call one of the two people who left numbers? Maybe the guy who was in charge of Carter at work. Could he talk sense into the injured man who refused to stay in the hospital? Probably not, the look in the crystal blue eyes told her nothing was going to stop him.
When she returned to the room she found him fully dressed, including a pair of shoes. She kept a hold of the wheel chair as he sat. As she walked him out she explained to him what he needed to do. The doctor probably gave him information on how to change his bandages, when to take pills, how much of what he could have, and everything else he needed to know. However, she had been his nurse since he had been moved out of the ICU the first week of his admittance. She couldn't help but care about the man who appeared to have a dark side. Not a dark side as in a bad person who would snap and kill everyone, but a tortured soul. The type of person who had lived a hard life, seen a lot of bad things, and continued on. The type of person that if most people had lived his life they would be curled up in a corner praying for death, or already having killed themselves from the pain. She knew nothing of the man she came to care for as more than a patient, but she knew he was a good guy that needed a lot of help.
"If you have any questions feel free to call." She finished her lecture once she got outside handing him a bag of medication she had gotten for him from the hospital pharmacy.
"Thank you." Carter said slowly standing up. It was difficult to stand with one arm out of commission and his side aching in pain from movement.
A taxi was waiting for him, he climbed into the back seat with his bag of personal belongings and medication.
"Where to?"
Carter gave the driver the address. And closed his eyes in the backseat. It felt nice to be free from the hospital. He knew soon the Captain would be calling, and eventually he would probably sick his wife on Carter in an attempt to get Carter to listen to reason. It would not work, he was not going back. He was healed enough to live on his own.
The car stopped about twenty minutes later. Carter paid the driver and told him to keep the change. His first stop was to grab food from a small grocery store down the street. Taking the bag he walked up to the safe house, or headquarters. Going inside he could tell no one had been inside for awhile. Dust had formed on surfaces, and it was deadly silent. Locking the door he limped over to the couch finding his laptop where he left it. Opening the laptop he turned the video of him and his wife on. He only watched it when he knew he was alone. It reminded him of better times, and why he continued to do the job despite wanting nothing more then to be with her again. Laying on the couch he ate a fruit cup and drank a bottle of water. Finishing the meal with a round of pills he lined up on the table. He relaxed slipping off into sleep, exhausted from the movements of the day. His side ached reminding him he had done too much too soon already.
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Ty was tired of sitting at home. He had gone to lunch with Melissa almost every day, and cooked dinner for the both of them most nights. He had been told not to return to the hospital by Carter on his third visit. It was better if he didn't, Carter reasoned, so that his cover would not be blown. He could not be seen visiting the cop who got shot by anyone. It would only possibly compromise future operations. Ty wondered if it had to do with Carter being pissed off for getting shot, or if it was the truth? He concluded that it was a mixture of both.
He was going to make up for it though. An idea had formed while he was reading the news paper one morning. An operation to redeem the last one he screwed up. All he had to do was go to the safe house and work out the details. If he got a jump start he could have the covers ready by time Carter was able to come back to work. Ty knew it would be long before the doctors gave Carter the all clear to return. Carter would not wait that long, he probably would be back as soon as he got out of the hospital. Pulling the strings from the background again.
Ty had heard throughout the years about a lawyer that helped clients in an unusual way. The lawyer would aid clients in finding potential buyers for good, or goods for potential buyers. He acted like a middle man gaining a profit from both sides for the connection. Ty wanted to take the lawyer down. It would be a good bust, especially if they could get the guys files and some of his clients. It would be the bust of the century. A big fish to take down a lot of little fishes.
Walking into the safe house he stopped at the door, there was a bag sitting right inside the door. He continued his way into the safe house looking around for signs of life. When he reached where they usually worked he heard a soft snoring coming from the couch. Quickly covering the distance between where he was and the couch he was surprised to find Carter sound asleep on the couch. The coffee table was littered with a laptop, a few bottles of pills, and an empty fruit cup and spork. Ty debated on whether or not he should wake Carter up. There was no way the hospital had released him this early. Which mean Carter had checked out against medical advice.
Ty looked at the laptop again he saw a younger happier version of Carter with a woman he had never seen before. She looked happy. The two people in the frozen picture on the screen where sitting together smiling. Carter had his arm around her, holding her close, looking at her. She was sitting next to him on a blanket smiling looking at whoever was holding the camera. Not aware of, what Ty assumed, was her lover looking at her in awe. It was the happiest he had ever seen Carter.
Turning away Ty mulled over the information. He knew better then to grab Carters laptop and looking for more information on the mysterious woman. Ty grabbed the bag from the entry way and walked it into the kitchen putting up the groceries, water, fruit cups, and easy mac. Just what Carter needed to get better, Ty sarcastically thought to himself .
Grabbing another laptop he walked back into the kitchen. Sitting on the counter he began to conduct research using the LAPD database and google to aid him in tracking down possible sources and gain ideas for different identities that could be assumed to help bring down the lawyer. Hours passed by before Ty heard anything other than Carters soft snores from the other room.
Carter not realizing that someone else was in the safe house groaned as he sat up. Grabbing his side with his good arm he closed his eyes. Sleeping on the couch was not helping with the pain. Typically it worked fine for him, a few hours of sleep on the couch, a quick shower in the bathroom, a quick trim of his stubble, fresh clothes and he was ready to go.
Ty knew it was time to let Carter now of his presence. Moving into the area in which Carter had been sleeping Ty said, "hey Carter."
"Jesus Ty." Carter said nearly jumping out of his skin. What was Ty doing here? It hurt when he flinched from being startled.
Ty walked over setting a bottle of water on the table for Carter and walking back over to a chair. "What are you doing here shouldn't you be in the hospital still?"
"They let me out early on good behavior."
Ty smiled almost laughed, "You now Maynard is going to ream you when he finds out you left the hospital."
"Only if he can find me."
"Yeah hiding at work, doubt he'll find you." Ty wanted to ask about the woman but said nothing. Taking notice of how Carter seemed to realize he had left the video on the laptop. He closed the lid when he leaned forward to grab the bottle of water.
"Shouldn't you be at home with Melissa?"
"She's still at work." Ty said, "And I had an idea of an operation. Wanted to get to work on it while everyone else was away."
Carter raised his eyebrows in interest.
"It's nothing right now." Ty said watching as Carter took a pill from each bottle dumping them into his hand and then swallowing them, chasing them with a gulp of water. "Why don't you go home and rest?" Ty asked, wondering where Carter called home. No one actually knew where Carter lived. Probably because they never needed to know, but he always wondered where Carter laid his head when he finally decided to rest.
"Maynard would find me there." Carter deflected.
"If you want, I was getting ready to leave I could give you a ride home?"
"No. It's fine." Carter said.
"Carter go home. Sleeping on the couch cannot be helping you in any way. You barely fit on it."
"Just leave it alone Ty." Carter snapped.
"How about you come home with me and have a nice home cooked meal then?" Ty continued, "I'll bring you right back after you finish eating. Melissa has been asking about you."
"I highly doubt she's been inquiring about the prince of darkness."
"You know she calls you that?" Ty laughed.
"Yeah. " Carter said.
"Come on Carter. Let me do this for you. Melissa would be pissed if she knew I left you here to eat fruit cups and easy mac. I feel guilty because I was the cause of why you go injured. Melissa feels guilty too because if she had…"
"It wasn't your fault Ty. Things go bad sometimes." They both knew it was a lie. The operation would have went smoothly if Ty had not went to lunch with Melissa.
"Please." Ty said.
Finally giving in, mostly because he was hungry and had not had real food in a long time, Carter conceded with a shake of the head.
"Good. Do you have anything else other then the scrubs? Don't get me wrong I think the blue is very nice, but you kind of smell too."
Carter laughed, "Yeah."
"Ok how about you shower and I'll help you with the bandages if you need it. And then I'll finish up what I need to here and we can go to my house. You can rest on the couch or in the guest room while I cook."
"Ok." Carter said standing up and walking to where he kept some of his clothes.
Ty returned to work waiting for Carter to call for him. It was a few minutes later when his boss called out his name. Rushing over to the bathroom Ty knocked before opening the door. He found Carter sitting on the closed toilet seat. His shirt off revealing his damaged body.
Ty tried not to stare too much as he used the medical scissors to cut away the bandages around Carters abdomen and the one on his shoulder. When he was done with that, he helped unwrap the ace bandage around carters chest. "How did you break your ribs?"
"The kidnapping mission. The guy in charge kicked me after I told Jamie not to pay a dime until I gave the go ahead."
Ty was in awe of Carter. He remembered the mission Carter acted like he was fine. No injuries at all. To find that he had broken ribs and was able to do what he had done was humbling. "So you've been work the past month with broken ribs?"
"They were almost healed." Carter said, both of them ignoring the fact that Carter took pain killers on a regular basis that was probably why he was able to function day to day. It dulled whatever physical and emotional pain he might have been in.
"Ok. Well call if you need any help. I'll be close by so I can hear you."
"Thanks Ty." Carter said waiting for Ty to leave before he finished undressing.
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When they arrived at Ty's house, Ty could see that Carter was fighting to stay awake, and was ashen from the pain of the long drive. Ty led Carter into the house taking him straight to the guest bedroom, which thankfully Melissa had put together. "If you want to rest the bed is actually comfortable."
"Slept on it a few times?"
"What can I say, she's not always happy when I come home from work." Ty said.
"Thanks Ty."
"I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything. And the bathroom is right down the hallway." Ty pointed to where the bathroom was.
Carter did not bother to pull the blankets back on the bed. He gingerly sat down on the bed kicking his shoes off, using his toes to toe each one off. Then he lay back gently on the bed trying not to jar his ribs or any of his injures. The fresh gauze wrapped around his shoulder and abdomen itched. Ty did a good job with the dressings and the wrapping around his broken ribs. Carter felt foolish needing help, but he knew he could not have done it alone.
Laying back he took note of how soft the bed was. It felt nice under his body, more forgiving then the couch. The pillow smelt of laundry detergent something he had not smelt in a long time. Closing his eyes he drifted off to sleep once more dreaming about better days.
Ty was busy in the kitchen when he heard the front door open. He was not sure how he was going to explain Carters presences. Melissa was not a fan of Carter, it wasn't Carter himself so much as the fact that she blamed Carter for Ty's absence and what Ty came back to her as.
"Hey babe." Ty said softly.
"Why are you talking so softly?" Melissa asked pulling Ty into a hug.
"Carter is in the guest bedroom resting."
"What?" She asked lowering her own voice.
"he was sleeping on the couch in the office babe. I couldn't leave him there. He's still recovering."
"Why didn't he go home?"
"I don't know." Ty said, he had wondered himself.
Before Melissa could tell Ty she did not want Carter staying in her house they heard something from down the hallway. It sounded like a muffled cry.
"I'll go." Ty said walking down the hallway ready for anything.
Walking into the guest room he found his boss asleep in the bed. His face between a mixture of pain and sadness, even in his sleep. "Carter." Ty said walking up to the side of the bed.
"no." Carter said almost in a whimper, "don't."
"Carter man wake up." Ty said louder. He was afraid of touching his boss and hurting him.
Carter eyes shot open, luckily he did not jump up in the bed. Gasping for breath, he grabbed his side, he must have taken too deep of a breath. "Ty?" Carter asked confused seeing his employee stand above him.
"Dinner is almost ready."
"oh." Carter remembered that Ty convinced him to come for a home cooked meal. "Thanks."
"No problem. " T y said leaving the room to allow his boss time to gather himself again.
When Ty returned to the kitchen he found Melissa opening a bottle of wine. "What was that about?"
"He was asleep." Ty said returning to the stove to stir the vegetable he had prepared to go with the steaks he cooked. "Did you have a good day at work?" Ty asked changing the subject hoping Melissa would not peruse the topic anymore or discuss Carter anymore.
"Yeah." She said leaning into him.
Carter walked into the room his shoes back on. His hair ruffled from having slept. He looked more together.
"Hello Carter." Melissa said. "I'm glad that you are doing better.
"Thanks." Carter answered back looking around. "Maybe I should go." Carter couldn't help but notice Melissa was not pleased. He did not want to cause problems for Ty.
"No man come on. I promised you a home cooked meal. Stay it's fine right?" Ty looked a Melissa.
"Yeah." She answered smiling at Cater. It was a smile that never reached her eyes. "Carter do you want something to drink?" She asked him still smiling.
"Please." He said.
She poured him a glass of wine handing it to him. She watched him take a sip of it.
"Thank you." He said shifting uncomfortably.
"So they let you out of the hospital?" Melissa tried small talk.
"Yeah."
Ty smiled, "He's lying. He checked himself out."
"Why would you do that?" Melissa asked seeing that Carter was shifting uncomfortable.
"I don't like hospitals." Carter said setting the cup down on a counter. "Excuse me I left my stuff." Carter left the room quickly going back to the guest room to find his pills finding them he struggled to open the child proof locks with just one hand.
"Babe did you really have to torment him like that." Ty asked.
"He's a big boy he can handle it."
"The man just got out of the hospital. He was shot twice. He's a little off still."
"Ok I'll be nice." S he said walking down the hallway to go change from her business suit into something slightly more comfortable.
She heard grunts coming from the guest bedroom. S he looked in to see Carter sweating, pale, struggling to get the top of a bottle.
Walking into the room she grabbed the bottle from him. Opening it she handed it back. "Your welcome."
Carter took two pills out and quickly dry swallowed them.
Ty was setting the table when Carter returned to the kitchen area.
"Can I help?" Carter asked.
"No you are a guest. Come take a seat. You feeling ok?"
"Yeah just tired." Carter said sitting down at the table, bringing the glass of wine with him.
"Is that going to mix with the meds?"
"One glass won't kill me." Carter answered.
Melissa rejoined them and took a seat next across from Carter.
She did not know what to talk to Carter about. He was so mysterious and quiet around her usually. Rarely did he talk to her, the first words he remembers saying to her was congratulating her when he showed up at her and Ty's reception for a total of five minutes before he took off again.
"Thank you for having me." Carter said to Melissa trying to break some ground with her.
"It's no problem Carter." She smiled and took a sip of her wine. What could she talk to him about? She was struggling to come up with anything. Finding nothing she decided she just needed to get to know more about him.
"What made you become a cop?" She asked. And continued to explain why she asked such a personal question, "I ask all of Ty's friends that. It's interesting to see why people choose to become cops."
"I was born into it. Third generation, my father and grandfather both were police officers." Carter answered.
Ty came into the room and quickly broke the uncomfortable situation by putting the food down on the table.
Melissa helped Carter by putting stuff on the plate for him. She wondered if Ty thought about how Carter was going to cut the steak, with one arm out of commission in a sling it would be difficult. Smiling because she could see his embarrassment when Carter realized it would be impossible for him to cut the steak.
"Why don't you let me do that for you." She said cutting it up quickly as she could wondering about the man sitting before her. In person, as he is now, he did not live up to the idea she had about him in her mind. The prince of darkness did not get embarrassed, he was not pleasant to be around, he did not say thank you, or really care about others. But the man before her did all of those things.
"I was talking to Dean the other day." Ty started to talk to fill the silence. "He is visiting his parents."
"Really?" Carter asked, knowing that Dean did not get along with his parents.
"Yeah. He said since we have time off he was going to go bite the bullet."
"How is Dean doing?" Melissa asked, "He never did call Maloney. "
"Babe how many times do I have to tell you Dean is not interested in having a girlfriend. He is a one night stand type of guy." Ty said before taking a sip of his own wine.
"Well maybe she could change that for him. A good woman can settle down any man." She smiled at Ty, "It worked for you."
"Yes it did." Ty said smiling at her.
"What about you Carter are you seeing anyone?" Melissa asked.
"No." Carter answered not giving any more detail.
"Well if you ever take a break I have a few friends who might be interested." Melissa said knowing that more then a few of her friends would jump at a chance to date the brooding man before her. It didn't help that he was hot as well as the tortured soul type.
"Sorry but I haven't dated anyone since my wife." Carter said letting it slip out he had a wife. Damn it, it was the mixture of the drugs and the wine that made his tongue too loose. It was a stupid mistake he never would make under normal circumstance. He decided it was time to treat this like it was an operation. He was undercover from here on out, no more personal information.
"You were married?" Melissa asked shocked. She automatically assumed that Carters wife probably divorced him when he would not give up the job even for a few hours a day.
"Yeah." Carter said, Ty could see that he was uncomfortable.
She was getting ready to inquire about what happened, when Ty cut her off, "How long do you think the Captain is going to make you stay on sick leave?"
"Hopefully not much longer." Carter answered grateful for the change in subject.
Ty was busy making small talk with both Melissa and Carter, but during the conversations he could not help but think of the woman he had seen on the laptop screen. Was that Carters wife? And if so what had happened to her? Carter was never very forthcoming with details about his life. The man was very much introverted, he carried everything on the inside. Probably why he was one of the best undercover agents ever. Even Ty knew that when he would give Carter trouble for putting his and his teams life on the line. Carter had practically wrote the rules for how to be a successful undercover agent.
When everyone finished eating , Ty and Carter went to patio to relax, while Melissa offered to do the clean up. Ty was filling Carter in on his idea about how to get the lawyer/middleman. Carter liked the idea and offered a few suggestions about how to go about it.
"As soon as the Captain lets me back I'll pitch the idea to him." Carter said surprised that Ty had actually spent some time working despite being on vacation. Carter expected the man who always wanted to rush home to his wife to be busy enjoying his life with his wife while he had the time.
Melissa walked outside on the patio where Carter and Ty were sitting.
"Carter why don't you stay here for a few days?" She asked, deciding that it was time she try to be nice to the man. He looked like shit, and she was not sure if it was a great idea for him to be alone right now. They had a spare bedroom, and isn't that what friends did?
Carter did not know what to say.
"You just got out of the hospital against doctor orders. You really should have someone around to make sure you are ok. And you'll need help changing your bandages." Melissa stated trying to convince the man she disliked to stay, if only to help her husband who felt guilty for putting Carter in the position he was in now. At least that is how she justified her actions.
"I'm not…" Carter went to decline the offer.
She interrupted him, "I insist and I won't take no for an answer."
"Thank you." He said looking down at the ground.
"Good now that is settled. I'm going to go work on some stuff in the den for awhile. You guys don't stay out too long, the bugs are bad right now." She said leaving the two men to their work.
"I'll go by the shop tomorrow and get some of your things. Do you need anything else?" Ty asked.
"My laptop please." Carter said feeling like a child.
"I'm glad you are going to stay with us. Melissa's right you shouldn't be alone right now." Ty got up, "I better run down to the store, we don't have any supplies here to change those bandages."
"Thanks Ty." Carter said looking up at Ty.
"No problem. You should probably get insides. There the TV in the living room if you want to watch something."
"Thanks."
Carter got up and walked back into the guest bedroom. He sat on the bed gingerly removing the sling around his neck to allow his arm to slowly move to rest at his side. Exhaustion overcame him again, he hated feeling weak and tired. Something as simple as eating dinner and talking afterwards was enough to tire him, he hated that. He was used to never sleeping and constantly working. Now his body would not allow it. He barely could think without getting tired. Frustrated he felt like hitting something or screaming, but he did nothing of that nature. He just sat there feeling like a weak man.
Deciding it was best if he showered again before he went to bed, he got up off the bed and propped his arm against his body as he walked down the hallway trying to find the den.
Hearing the Melissa's voice and the sound of typing he followed it to an open door off the living room.
Melissa was dictating something into a voice recorder. When she heard footsteps come up to the door she stopped the recorder and turned around. Shocked to see Carter she asked him, "Do you need something?"
"Sorry to interrupt. Is it alright if I take a shower?" Carter asked.
"Sure. " She said getting up. "Follow me I'll show you where the clean towels are." Melissa led him down the hallway, inside the bathroom there was a cabinet with clean towels.
"Do you need help?" She asked.
"Maybe I should wait until Ty gets back." Carter said not wanting her to have to help him.
"It's no problem Carter I'm a big girl I can handle seeing you without your shirt on." She said.
"ok." Carter said slowly unbuttoning his shirt.
"Why don't you let me do it for you." S he said noticing it was difficult for him, and he kept wincing in pain. She slowly unbutton his shirt. Thankful that Ty did not walk in at that moment it did not look as innocent as it was. She was close enough to him that she could smell musk and soap smell. Just original no frills soap is what he smelled like. She got to the last button and helped him slide the shirt off his good arm and slowly took it off his bad one.
She instantly noticed blood on both bandages. "is that normal?"
"yeah." Carter said shifting uncomfortable.
"Why don't you sit down on the toilet." She offered moving to the drawer to find a pair of scissors.
Carter sat down and watched her closely as she cut away the bandage on his arm. He noticed a slight look of disgust when she saw his arm with the missing flesh. She turned her eyes away noticing other scars on Carters' body, like two thin long white lines on his back, there was also another wound that looked like a bullet wound scar. "Have you been shot before?"
"Once." Carter said softly.
She went to work on the next bandage around his waist. She got it free and then undid the wrapping around his upper chest area, right under his armpit. Once she freed that she saw other white line scars. She almost touched them to ask where they came from but she stopped herself, "Where are these from?"
"Knife wounds" Carter answered he shivered from the chill of the air conditioned house.
"Sorry I'll let you get to your shower. I'll a pair of Ty's clothes for you to change into. Tank top and shorts ok?"
"Yeah thanks." Carter said slowly standing up using the sink countertop to help him.
Melissa rushed out of the room and returned quickly with the promised clothes. "I'll be down the hallway if you need anything."
Ty returned before Carter was out of the shower. He saw his wife and walked up to her, "I got bad news babe."
"What?" She asked worried. It couldn't be work since his boss was in the shower.
"Captain Maynard called. There is an emergency he needs me to meet him at the office. Carter is going to want to come along too."
"Can't it wait. He's in no shape to be working."
"I know, but it is some emergency Dean and Jamie are already there."
"Ty I took the next couple of weeks off from work so I could be with you."
"I know I'm sorry." Ty said, "I'll make it up to you I promise."
"You always promise to make it up."
"I'm sorry." Ty said pulling her into a hug. He heard the shower turn off.
"Just go. I'll handle Carter."
"Are you sure he'll be pissed if he knows I went in without him."
"We'll he'll just have to deal with it. He's in no shape right now."
"Thanks babe."
"You owe me" She said as they hugged and kissed goodbye again.
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Maynard paced back and forth nervous about what he was getting ready to ask Carters team to do. Carter would get upset when he heard that Maynard had once again contacted his team, and would probably kill him for what he was about to ask them to do.
Dean and Jamie arrived around the same time, within minutes of each other. They both were sitting at a table not talking. Dean was sipping on coffee and Jamie was looking out the window as if she were trying to ignore Deans presence.
"Did you both have a nice break?"
"yeah." The answered in unison.
"Did you do anything special?"
"no." Dean answered with Jamie following.
"What is this about sir?" Jamie asked.
"It'd probably be best if we wait until Ty gets here."
"With all due respect the quicker we get to work the better." Dean said.
"Ok." Maynard said knowing that Carter respected Dean, and Maynard himself knew very little about how they worked or what made them so successful. So he went with Deans word. "Today a federal witnesses family was kidnapped by a group that you previously infiltrated."
"Who?" Dean asked wondering who was going to be going undercover.
"The Patriots of America." Maynard answered.
Jamie looked at Dean confused. Dean filled her in, "It was a group awhile back we used to get to an arms dealer. They are a bunch of ex-armed forces guys turned militia. They believe that the rightwing is too soft, and the left wing are socialist trying to take away their constitutional rights. The only thing we could have got them on was possession of weapons without a permit. But it wasn't enough for the trouble, so we went after the people who were selling them the weapons. Ty, went in as a ex-marine who just wanted to purchase some weapons for his own safety. He got in with the group and was able to get to the arms dealer. We were able to take the arms dealer down and also made it look like Ty was arrested for possession of an illegal firearm. It was one of his first operations so Carter made him stay under all the way through the trial trying to get at where the fire arms dealer was getting his supply from. Ty wasn't able to get it so after he was sentenced Carter made it look as if Ty was sent to another prison for having outstanding warrants in another state. Iowa or something like that."
"So Ty could go undercover again with the same cover?"
"In theory yeah. But we would need to get guys from that prison willing to state that Ty served time with them. Or make it look like he was in administration segregation and therefore would have no contact with other inmates. That way if no one knew he was in there, he could just say he was always in segregation."
Maynard asked Dean, "So you think it is workable?"
"Yeah. We just need to fabricate some paperwork and maybe get a guy on the inside willing to say he saw Ty. A guard and an inmate or two would work. Then we would probably want Ty to have backup this time around. Just in case, have him go in with a friend looking to join the group permanently."
"I could do it." Jamie said, "You could stay here and act like Carter."
"Sorry honey but they don't allow women into their group."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah." Dean smiled at her.
"Looks like you'll be doing the paper work." Dean smiled.
Ty walked into the room a few minutes later hearing Dean and Jamie arguing about something. "Hey Captain why the meeting?"
Ty was filled in with all the information and he agreed that it would be best for him to go under with Dean to try and see where the group was keeping the witnesses family. "By the way who is the witness testifying against?"
"The leader of the group. They were into some illegal activities, laundering money from drugs. The group recently took up cooking meth as a way to help support their gun supplies. The guy is a banker who was laundering the money for him. His operation was caught by the FBI and he turned states evidence against the Patriots of America to save himself prison time."
"Are we sure it's the Patriots of America who have his family?" Dean asked, "If the guy turned on one client I'm assuming he turned on all of them?"
"Yeah, but they requested that their leader and two of the other high ranking officers be released. They were the only people he could tie to the Meth money and the meth lab."
"What is are timeframe?" Ty asked.
"The FBI thinks they can stall them for a week tops."
"So it's going to be a quick operation." Ty said.
"Hopefully." Maynard answered.
"Let's get to work." Dean said. "By the way anyone know where Carter is?"
Maynard frowned, "In the hospital."
"Not as of about an hour ago. Right after you called me I called the hospital and they told me he checked out AMA."
Maynard looked pissed, "Does anyone know where he is?"
Ty hated to admit it, but he did so that no one would worry, "he's at my house. I found him here earlier today sleeping on the couch. I was able to convince him to come to my place for dinner and Melissa convinced him to stay for awhile."
"Seriously Melissa asked him to stay?" Dean said surprised.
"Yeah I know."
"What?" Jamie asked feeling like she was missing out on the inside joke.
"Melissa isnt' a big fan of Carters." Dean said, "She calls him the prince of darkness."
"it suits him." Jamie said. "Should we call him about this?"
"No I'm sure once Melisa tells him I'm gone he'll be on the phone. Should be any minute now." Ty said looking at his phone.
It was Dean's phone who rang a few minutes later, "Bendis."
"What the hell is the Captain doing? Put him on the phone." Carter said, his voice rough and scratchy.
"It's nice hearing from you too Carter." Dean said pulling the phone away from his ear as Carter began to yell, " Captain he wants to talk to you."
Maynard took the phone from Dean, "Carter calm down."
"Calm down. You call my team that is suppose to be far off the books, far enough that there is no way to trace them back to the police. And then you don't call me. What are you playing at?"
"There was an emergency. The FBI requested our help again. And your team has a history with the suspects in the case."
"Who?"
"Patriots of America." Maynard answered.
"So you want Ty to go under again?"
"Yeah and have Dean go as back up."
"Why?"
"The group kidnapped a government witness family. Carter they have the mans two daughters and his wife. They are innocents." Maynard knew he was playing to Carters weakness, he really did not like kidnappers, especially those who too women and children.
"Fine I want in on this."
"I can't let you Carter. You are still on sick leave. There is no way I can let you back in good conscience."
"If you want my team you have to take me as well."
"How about Jamie keep you updated on what Ty and Dean report back. It shouldn't be more than a week."
Carter argued with the Captain a little longer, and it was finally settled that Dean and Ty would report to Carter however they usually did. If someone had to be physically present Jamie would do it and immediately report to Carter what she had been informed.
"You stay away from this." Carter told Maynard.
"I am. I even called them using a drop phone." A drop phone is a pay as you go phone that is only used a few times before it is tossed. It is virtually untraceable if bought by using cash.
"Good." Carter said feeling a bit more in control. "let me talk to Dean."
Maynard handed Dean back his phone.
"Yeah Carter." Dean said.
"is this doable?"
"Yeah it is."
"Ok I expect you to keep them in line on this one."
"No problem."
Carter could hear Ty in the background telling Dean to let Carter know he'd be by later with his stuff, and to talk to Melissa about leaving. Carter wondered if he would be moving back to the safe house after Melissa found out Ty wasn't going to be there. It probably was a good option since Melissa did not particularly care for him.