Chapter Four

Steve typed in a few more words and tried another code, but no more information surfaced. "That's it," he said softly. "I tried recovering the file, but...it's gone."

"Subject of the investigation – what the hell does that mean?" Jaime wondered aloud.

Steve began shutting down the computer. "I'm not sure, but how about if we discuss it on our own turf? Maybe Oscar can help."

Jaime nodded, and the two headed back out of the window, the way they'd come in, with Jaime pausing to carefully bend the bars back into place and close the glass frame. "Do you think he knew we were coming?" she mused, once they were safely on the ground.

"I doubt it," Steve answered. "I know Oscar wouldn't tell him."

"Oscar doesn't know – remember?"

"Yeah, right." Steve snaked a gentle arm around Jaime's waist, and they headed around to the front of OSI Headquarters. He noticed that she didn't even glance at the fountain, and guessed (correctly, of course) that she just wasn't feeling very tranquil.

"Is Oscar up there?" Jaime asked the receptionist, heading toward the elevators before the girl could finish answering.

"He is, but -" the receptionist shook her head and fell silent, realizing the elevator had already swallowed up the couple.

Inside the express elevator, Jaime fell into Steve's arms, physically and emotionally spent. Steve held her tenderly, even as they stepped off into Oscar's outer office. Callahan wouldn't be arriving for another hour or so, and Oscar's inner door was closed, so they stood alone together while Jaime dissolved into quiet sobs and Steve searched in vain for the right words to comfort her. Gradually, the tears subsided and they embraced tightly and made their way – without knocking – into Oscar's office.

"I've been waiting for you," he told them from his desk. A cup of coffee sat in front of him, with two more waiting on the other side of the desk, in front of two chairs. "Please, sit down." He waited until they'd gotten comfortable and had coffee in hand and then, noting Jaime's tear-stained face, he went on. "I'm guessing you found something?"

"Yeah," Steve confirmed, "we -"

"Wait. First, I have to ask that you not tell me where or how you obtained your information."

Steve nodded. "We know."

"The NSB was investigating my father!" Jaime blurted out in a shaky voice. "Their comp – I mean, the information we found said 'subject of investigation terminated'. Oscar, I think they had him killed!"

"We know that's a serious accusation," Steve interjected, "even against a creep like Hansen, but what other conclusion is there? Especially since everything else they knew has been...removed."

Oscar frowned. "Removed?"

"Deleted. Gone. Unrecoverable – Hansen saw to that, I'm sure," Steve growled.

"They may have been investigating him, for whatever reason, without being the ones who had him – or Ann – killed," Oscar pointed out, very quietly.

"Oscar, we can theorize until our faces turn blue, and still have no concrete answer for Jaime, to tell her why she had to lose both of her parents at way too young an age! The NSB is hiding something, which makes me ask – are they hiding the most important piece of the puzzle? I have no reason to think any other way. Hansen needs a firm meeting with the business end of my fist."

"Steve..." Jaime began, softly.

"I'll get him to talk about this, one way or another!"

"Steve -"

"You can't be reasonable with someone who has no reason -"

"Steve!" Jaime sighed, and lowered her voice back to normal volume. "I have an idea. Oscar, where is Chris Stuart, right now?"

"She has 43 more days to serve in Federal. She's in Isolation, for her own safety."

"I need to see her."

Oscar smiled, just slightly. "I had a feeling you'd say that. There's a car waiting for you, right now."

- - - - - -

Jaime insisted – to Steve's dismay – on meeting with her mother's double alone, sending Steve back to Oscar's office with the driver. Since the Federal lock-up was less than a half hour from DC, she saw no reason for anyone to sit idle outside while she tried to find the answers she needed.

Now, as she was led through a series of concrete barriers, iron-barred doors and dark, creepy hallways, she found herself longing for Steve's supportive presence. Knock it off, she chided herself. You can do this! Soon, she was seated in a very small, confining room at an even smaller table, and a very pale-looking Chris was sent in to join her. Both women cringed slightly at the metallic clanging of the door that was locked behind her.

"Hi," Chris said in a voice that was both curious and kind. "You're the first visitor I've been allowed to see."

"Oscar has a long reach."

"I guess he does. What can I do for you, Jaime?"

Jaime dove right in. "Tell me about my father."

"What is it you'd like to know?"

"He was supposed to pick you up at that conference, the day my parents died. How did he know where that was?" Jaime watched closely for Chris's reaction, but the woman's face remained neutrally pleasant.

"I gave him the directions, on the phone, the night before."

"You did?" Jaime thought for a moment. "You were OSI then, right?"

"Yes; of course."

"But my father...who did he work for?"

"Excuse me?"

"He wasn't OSI or FBI," Jaime said. "I already know that."

"Ok."

"Chris, you told me once that you were a double agent." Jaime took a deep, steadying breath; she didn't want to know, but she needed to know. "When did you turn? When did you start working both sides? Was it before or after my parents were killed?" Chris stared down at the table, obviously not wanting to answer. "Please, Chris?"

"Before...Darling, I'm sorry, but it was your father who turned me."

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