Monday Morning Miami
The early morning sun streamed through the windows and bathed the master bedroom with a warm light. Fiona stirred in her slumber as she rolled onto her stomach and reached instinctively across the bed. She had grown used to the pleasant sensation of waking up next to Michael in the last several months of his leave of absence from the CIA. It was a delight that she knew not to take for granted; as it had never been something she could expect to have every day. They had lived for many years with varied degrees of separation and this morning was no exception. She opened her eyes slowly to see the indent left on the pillows on his side of the bed. A wave of sadness washed over her as she let out a soft sigh. She lightly grazed her fingers across the soft white sheets. It had only been a few hours since her lover rested there.
He woke her gently with a kiss to say goodbye. She reached out for an embrace and he held her close softly stroking her hair.
"Michael," she said softly.
"I know," he whispered with a kiss on the top of her head, "me too."
She soaked in the warm contentment of resting in his arms for a few minutes.
"I'll let you know when I land," he whispered softly and kissed her once more before slipping out the door.
A moment later, a car door slammed and the taxi driver pulled away, whisking him off to the airport for his 5:45 AM flight. Fiona, still relaxed from the comfort of Michael's warm embrace, granted herself the luxury of falling back into a contented sleep for a few more hours. The loneliness that accompanied his absence would be there when she awoke.
Fiona lay still, quietly contemplating the empty side of their bed. She recalled times in her life when it would not have bothered her to wake up alone. As a younger woman, she took pride in the fact that she never really needed a man. She dated them for the variety and excitement they brought to her life. While she relished the physical intimacy that relationships provided, she took care to keep her emotional distance for fear of losing her hard fought equilibrium. Raised by authoritarian parents and under the watch of five hawkeyed brothers, she swore to never give up her independence or her heart easily. Michael McBride had changed that.
Fiona reached across the bed for a small picture frame set on Michael's side table. It was his favorite photo of the two them together. A few days ago, she put it into a beautiful new frame and placed it on the mantle in the living room. He had surprised her by asking that she move it into their bedroom. Happy to oblige his request, she was reminded that underneath his stoic exterior he had a sentimental side that he revealed only to her. Michael was a deeply private person who was protective of that which he most valued. Memories of their shared past were one of those things.
She held the frame as she recalled when her sister-in-law took the photo on a chilly morning just as the two young couples were about to leave for a weekend away in the mountains of county Clare. Katie had been the first person Fiona confided in about her feelings for Michael.
"You're in love with this one. Aren't ya?" Katie teased. They stood on the steps of Fi's flat as they watched their men load numerous suitcases into a small rental car parked across the street.
"Don't be daft. I barely know him." Fiona attempted to dismiss her sister-in-law's comment.
"Well, he's practically liv'n with ya in yer flat. Ya talk about him all the time. He's an absolutely gorgeous creature. I don't understand wha seems to be the problem."
"Nuthin. That's wha's so crazy. It's all been so fast and so easy."
"So why are you expecting it all to go wrong?"
"I know Katie, that's just it. Now that I've met Michael McBride, I can't imagine my life without him."
"You Glenanne's are all alike. Always looking out far the sky to fall."
Fi shot her sister-in-law a pained look.
"There's a lot more joy to find in life if you just look out for it. It's not all sorrow." Kate gave the younger woman a gentle nudge in the arm.
Fi conceded to her sister-in-law a faint smile but remained silent.
Katie continued "Jus let yer self be happy FiFi."
Michael and Colin returned from the car to grab the last case from the base of the steps.
"Is that everything ladies? If it's not, we might need to hire another car for the weekend," Fi's oldest brother Colin teased the women.
"Ready ta go Fi?" Michael asked as he joined her on the staircase.
"Ya. I am." Fiona leaned into Michael who surprised her with a kiss. In a moment, Katie snapped a keepsake photo without the happy couple even noticing.
She gazed at the photo of herself with the first man she ever fell in love with so many years ago. Fiona was grateful for the waters that passed under that bridge since those days. From the distance of time, she could now savor the delicious sense of nostalgia for their early days when their tumultuous relationship was somewhat less complicated. Fiona was pulled back to the present by a quiet buzzing sound from her purse on the dresser. She rose quickly and dug to the bottom of the bag to retrieve her cell phone.
On the display screen read a simple text message:
Landed Safely
Fi brushed a tear away from her cheek as she chastised herself for being so sentimental. The text message was simply to let her know that Michael's flight to DC had gone smoothly. She knew she would not hear from him again, except for an occasional phone call, until after his mission was finished which might not be for several weeks. She pushed away the thought as she strolled into the enormous walk-in closet and scanned the abundant racks of clothes before her. She pulled off a lightweight ivory suit and lifted a delicately woven scarf from a hook in the wall. She ran her finger over the strains of yarn made of various colors and textures woven together to create a unique fabric. It reminded her of the years she spent with Michael; some of them were filled with rough coarseness, while others were a fiery glitter. When knit together to made the tapestry that was their life.
She returned to the master and dropped her clothes on the bed. Turning to gaze out the window, she admired their backyard filled with colorful plants and surrounded by the tall wooden fence that Michael had built by hand. Her melancholy receded as she recalled the sweetness of their parting that morning. She felt deeply grateful for everything they had in their current life. It was so very different now, grounded in a solid foundation built over the years they spent together in Miami.
Fiona walked slowly in to the bathroom and slipped into the large tiled shower. She turned on the shower spray to full blast and let the hot water caress her body. A few minutes later, stepped out of the shower, the cool air sent a chill down her spine. She had gone without luxuries such as these while she was away. It was still difficult for her to think of her four months of incarceration in a federal prison. Yet it was a sacrifice she made to protect the man she loved, and in the end they had succeeded. Fiona endured the long period of isolation, and the CIA, with Michael's help, captured Anson Fullerton. They had made it across the abyss; both damaged by the experience, but they arrived together.
She wrapped a warm towel around her body and walked back to the bedroom. She reached to the side table beside the bed and picked up a smooth white shell. She had found it while on the beach with Michael during her first few blissful days of freedom. When she was released, Michael took her from the prison gates and spirited her away to a resort on an out-of-the-way island of the Keys. They stayed in a secluded bungalow surrounded by nothing but blue water and sand.
"I hope you don't mind that it's so quiet here Fi. There aren't many people around. I just need to have you all to myself for a while."
"No, Michael. It's perfect."
He led her into the huge master bedroom with the spectacular waterfront view and closed the door behind them. Their reunion was slow, sweet and joyous. They fell under a delightful spell of hands seeking and finding, wet lips pressed to hot flesh, and bodies melding into one. And then they slept. When they awoke to find the same aching void that only the other could fill, they made love again. Fiona recalled that sometime on the first day they stopped to eat some yogurt. She was not sure who decided it would be more fun to eat it off of each other. So they showered together and made love again. Then they slept some more. Fi could not remember if they left the bed for more than a few minutes at a time for almost three days.
On the second night she was reunited with her lover, Fiona laid with her head resting on Michael's chest listening to the soothing sound of his heartbeat. She dosed off briefly and then woke up startled, unaware of her surroundings. She reached for Michael, digging her fingernails into his arm, clinging to him as if she were falling.
"Hey, Hey, you're alright. I'm here Fi," he said shaking her slightly to break the trance that held her captive.
Fiona scanned the room around her as the memory of the previous day returned. She looked at Michael, with terror in her eyes.
"I thought I was…" she whispered.
The weight of the stress and loneliness from the previous four months began to crash downon her like thundering flood waters bursting through a weakened dam. Fiona's chest tightened as a sob caught in her throat. She turned away from Michael as she gasped for a breath. He pulled her close, enveloping her in his strong arms and resting her head on the crook of his shoulder.
"I'm right here," he whispered softly stroking her hair. He did not seem to be suprised by her sudden tears, as if he knew this moment would find them eventually.
"Michael," she said as the hot tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I know." He kissed her on the forehead. "It's OK. You're not alone anymore."
"I missed you so much." The words barely escaped her tightened throat.
"I know," he stroked her back gently as she cried softly in him arms, "me too."
Neither of them spoke for several minutes until the last of the soft sobs faded. Fiona took a long sip of water from a bottle on the side table and then offered it to him.
"Michael, I need to tell you something," she began.
"What is it Fi?" He pulled her back into an embrace.
"I know that I would be fine on my own. But I want to be with you. I need you Michael."
"Fi, I'm not going to anywhere. I won't lose you again."
"No, that's not what I mean. Michael. I need for us to be… us again. You and me. No clients, no CIA. Just us. "
"Fi, I have already..."
"I'm not asking you to resign…"
"They gave me three months, paid, no questions asked. I can extend up to three more after that." He paused to read her expression. "How does that work for you?"
A wide smile spread across her face.
"That's really good." She turned her head and kissed him softly. Michael held her in his arms until she fell into a deep contented sleep.
Fi was pulled out of her daydream by another chiming from her purse. She reached into her bag and grabbed her phone.
The screen read:
Are we still on for breakfast? Carlito's 9:00 am.
She typed a reply:
Yes. Thanks for meeting before your trip. Worried all weekend. She grabbed her car keys and purse from the dresser as she headed out the door.
#####
A soft ocean breeze cooled the humid Miami morning as Fiona sat down at their favorite table on the patio of Carlito's. She smiled when she saw her friend enter through the back door of the restaurant.
"How are you doing Fi?" Jesse kissed her softly on the cheek as he took a seat next to her at the small table.
"I'm fine." She sipped her iced tea. "How are you?"
"Great." He glanced over at the waiter standing nearby and pointed at her glass. "We'll take one more here please."
The waiter set down the breakfast menus and glasses of water for the table.
"Has Michael left for DC yet?"
"Yes, this morning. I got a text from him when he arrived about an hour ago. When do you fly out?"
"Not until this afternoon. I have a client meeting and a business dinner tomorrow in New York City."
"Manhattan is lovely this time of year," Fi said wistfully.
"Fi, I know you're a big girl. But… are you OK with Michael being away? It seems like you guys were just getting settled in with the new house and everything."
"Ah Jesse, you're a love for asking. But really ...don't worry about me. I am used to Michael running off on his trips with the CIA. I've got plenty here to keep me busy."
"Well if you're looking for work there could be an opportunity through Securi Corp. We have an affiliate that has freelance…ah… training positions…. that they need to fill. Someone with your unique skill set has a lot to bring to the table."
"I'm flattered." She smiled and took another sip of iced tea. "But I need to stay close to home Keep off the FBI's radar for a while."
Her faced turned serious. "So what do you have for me? I haven't had any news from Belfast in weeks."
"We lost access to the network last week since your nephew finished up his coursework at the university. We'd been piggybacking off their system to send the encrypted messages. So we had to establish a brand new protocol. Seamus will be able to email you directly in a few weeks. But you'll still need to use the laptop I gave you to check the account. OK?
He handed her a print out. "This is what came from Seamus's old account. You got the voicemail I left when it arrived on Friday night?"
"Yes, I did. Thanks. I was worried all weekend but with Michael about to leave, I didn't think I could take any bad news." She accepted the white sheet of paper from Jesse's hand with a slight hesitation. She read silently as tears began to fall down her cheeks.
Dillon Thomas – eyes clear and breathing strong
Surgery successful – awaiting further treatments
Miami in Winter- Can I see you?
Jesse leaned forward in his seat. "It's all good news isn't it?"
"Yes," she dabbed her teary eyes with a napkin. "Thank God it is." She smiled across the table at her friend and began to explain the meaning of the message. "The first line is about my older brother Sean's son. The baby was born premature at 29 weeks. The doctors told them there was a risk he would be blind but they wouldn't know right away. It seems his vision is fine and he is breathing on his own now."
"And the second line is your sister-in-law."
"Katie, Seamus's mom, has cancer that spread to her lung. The recent surgery was to remove the tumor. They probably want to give her some time to recover before continuing the radiation."
"Your nephew wants to come to Miami. Is that a good idea?" Jesse asked.
"That's what he's asking? I don't know. It might be too risky." Her faced reflected the concern in her voice.
"No, I can coordinate it with him," he said reassuringly.
"Just make sure I get a warning so I have time to tell Michael."
"You mean he still doesn't know that you are in communication with your family." He nearly choked on his sip of iced tea.
"What's there to tell Jesse? It would just drive him mad that there is a problem somewhere that he doesn't have the power to fix."
"If you say so," he nodded as he took another sip of his drink. Jesse was not about insert himself into the center of a conflict between Mike and Fi.
Fiona, eager to change the subject asked, "So what's going on with you? Is there anybody new in your life?"
"Anybody new? Ah… no. Not exactly. Well, there is someone I've known for a while but it's complicated." He squirmed in his seat as if suddenly very uncomfortable. "I probably shouldn't even talk about it. It's not a big deal."
Intrigued, Fiona leaned forward in her chair with a wicked grin on her face. She wagged her finger and said, "Oh no. You couldn't possibly think I'll let you off the hook now."
Jesse laughed as he realized that Fiona had him cornered and would not let him leave the table without giving up more details.
"We've been training together. I wanted to learn Krav Maga. She has been working with me a couple of nights a week for the past few months."
"You and Pearce!" Fi reached across the table and grabbed his hand. "That's fabulous! Well done Jesse!"
"Wait! I didn't say it was Dani." He was surprised that Fi's guess was spot on.
"You didn't have to. She told me that she'd spent a year in Tel Aviv training with Massad. She's an expert as well an instructor for the CIA in hand-to-hand combat." She smiled at him coyly. "But you knew all that didn't you Jesse?"
He was unable to hold back a wide grin. "Yeah, she's an excellent teacher."
"She and Michael may have had their differences but she was good to me during the whole Anson…nightmare. Without her help, who knows if I'd still be locked up?"
Jesse nodded as he held his best poker face. Dani had been one of the few people allowed to visit Fi when she was first held by the FBI. The CIA agent had expressed to him concern for his good friend and the impact that solitary confinement had on Fiona. He knew that the two women had developed a strong bond over the course of several months.
"I consider her to be a good friend."
"I know that she would say the same thing."
"You two deserve each other. I mean that in the best way."
"There is nothing serious happening. We just work out together. We're friends." He poked his straw into the narrow glass of ice tea.
"You're joking right. You're trying to tell me that you wouldn't want anything more?" Fi leaned forward in her chair.
"No, I mean. Yes." Jesse's face grew flush. "I want more…but it's complicated."
Fiona laughed. "Yes, and so were Michael and I. It took us too many years to finally figure out how to be happy."
She reached across the table and rested her thin hand on Jesse's muscular forearm. "I don't want to insert my opinion where it is not welcome. But allow me to say this one time and I'll never bring it up again."
Jesse met Fiona's gaze and nodded.
"Don't wait on this, Jesse. She could be the best thing that's ever happened to you."
He looked down at his tea and stabbed again at the ice floating at the surface. His furrowed brow betrayed the frustration but a tiny smile that slipped out betrayed him. He knew Fiona was absolutely right. But he was uncertain about his next step. He hoped his trip this afternoon might serve to clarify that for him. "Yeah. Fi. I know."
Satisfied with her friends answer, Fiona smiled and passed one of the menus across the table. "Let's order some breakfast, shall we?"
########
Wednesday morning 80 miles outside of Panama City
The two CIA agents sat in the back of the van as it sped down a dirt road en route to the military base just outside Panama City. Neither man had spoken more than a few words to the other since they left the ransacked village. Both were completely at a loss on how to comfort the young child suddenly in their care. The small boy had not stopped screaming for the last thirty minutes. Raines passed a small canteen to Michael who offered the baby a sip of water. The child eagerly gulped down a mouthful and for a moment appeared content. Then he vomited all of it onto Michael's lap and began to cry again.
"Wow! That's not a good sign," Raines said somberly. "He is probably really dehydrated. You've got to calm that kid down."
"Yeah, well how the hell do we do that?" Michael questioned.
"I have no idea. My kids are in college now; I haven't dealt with anything like this in years. Besides, my wife was always better at it." Raines turned to the front of the van and yelled to the driver, "Johnny, pull over, I'm coming up front. I've got to call in to base." He patted his subordinate on the knee and said, "You've got a handle on this, right?"
Michael looked at Raines in shock. "Wait! I don't know what to do with him!" he called to his superior as the little boy continued to wail. None of his years of field experience had prepared him for a rescue mission quite like this.
The older man looked over his shoulder and said sarcastically, "You can call your mother for all I care. Just quiet him down. I have to report in to DC on the nightmare we just witnessed back in his village. Which would you rather deal with Westen? "
"We'll be fine back here sir."
"Good," as Raines jumped out of the back of van and slammed the door closed behind him.
When Michael felt the motion of the van rolling again, he knew he was on his own. He stared down at the tear stained face of the little boy. "I'm sorry buddy," he said softly and lightly brushed his hand over the child's his sweaty forehead. It was obvious to Michael that the little boy was terrified but consoling a crying toddler was beyond the range of his training. The only person he knew well that was knowledgeable about kids was his Mom who was several hundred miles away. "Well, maybe Raines had the right idea," as he pulled out a satellite phone from his pack and began to dial the familiar phone number. It was against protocol to use CIA communication equipment for personal use but under the circumstances his boss would not object.
######
As Madeline sat down to lunch with Fiona, she heard a dull vibrating sound from somewhere in the kitchen. She set the salad plates on the dining room table and stepped quickly to catch her cell phone before it rattled off the edge of the counter. She was surprised to see an unidentified number appear on the display. When she answered, she was absolutely stunned to hear her oldest son's voice.
"Mom."
"Michael, is that you? Are you OK?"
A look of anticipation appeared on Fiona's face. "Is that?"
Maddie nodded and said, "I'm with Fiona dear. Here, I'll let her talk to you." She quickly passed the phone across the table.
"Michael? Where are you? No wait, you can't tell me." She had a hard time containing her nervous excitement. "We weren't expecting to hear from you so soon. Are you coming home?"
"Fi, is my Mom still there? I am in a bind and I need her help," he said brusquely. The sound of the boy's wails echoed in the background as Gabriel thrashed in his arms.
"Michael, what's wrong? Is that a baby crying?"
"Put me on speaker and I'll talk to both of you, just get my Mom."
Fiona looked at Maddie with disappointment and placed the phone on the table.
"Sweetheart, what's going on?" Madeline asked.
"What do you do to get Charlie to stop crying? When you babysit him, how do you calm him down?"
Maddie looked at Fiona in bewilderment. "A baby, Michael?" she questioned as the cries of the young boy could be heard clearly over the phone.
"I'll explain the details later. Just tell me what to do!"
"Well, it depends on what he needs or has upset him. Are you with the child's mother?
"We don't know where she is. She may have been killed."
"Michael, what happened?" Fi interrupted.
"I can't tell you where we are. But there was a meet with an asset in a remote village that went bad. By the time we got there the worst of the attack was over. There were multiple civilians killed." He paused for a moment as the memory of the corpses flashed in his mind. "We took fire. It's still unclear who they were but when we searched the surrounding area we found a child. He was probably hidden during the attack. By the time we got to him, he had been all alone for about a day."
"Oh, that poor thing," Maddie gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.
"I think he's Charlie's age, maybe two or three years old. He's been screaming his head off and I can't get him to stop. He's dehydrated and… I don't know…"
"It's OK Michael. We can talk you through this. Just relax. It will help both of you." Maddie said calmly.
Fi leaned towards the phone. "Michael, are you wearing your helmet or flack jacket?"
"I am. Why?"
"If it's safe for you, take them off. You're probably scaring the hell out of him."
Maddie chimed in, "She's right, do you remember the time Charlie was afraid when you wore your sunglasses."
"Ma, Charlie screams whenever I come within five feet of him," as the child continued to bellow.
"Do you want our help or not Michael?" snapped Madeline.
"Yes."
"Then do what we tell you," she sniped back.
Michael set down the phone and shifted the child in his lap as he took off the protective gear. "Alright, what should I do next?" he asked in a calm voice. The toddler's cries grew softer.
"Hold him so he's facing you. Smile at him."
He turned the boy in his lap so they could look each other in the eye. Gabriel immediately reached up and grabbed the sunglasses from Michael's face.
"OK, the sunglasses are gone," he laughed. To his amazement, the baby stopped crying and turned the glasses over in his chubby little hands. Gabriel opened and closed the frames with curiosity at the strange object.
"There you go, you like those. They're really cool right?" he whispered to the little boy.
The child returned his gaze and smiled up at him. The two of them locked eyes as Michael gently wiped a tiny tear off the boy's soft cheek. He was startled to recognize the exact same color blue that he saw every morning in the mirror. Suddenly, Michael felt something pop in his chest as if he had pulled a muscle. He rubbed hard at his sternum and took several deep breaths until the pain subsided. "That was weird," as returned his attention to the phone still in his hand.
"Ma! Are you still there?"
"Yes, honey, we're still here."
A moment later, the baby let out a mournful cry and buried his face into Michael's shoulder.
"He's crying again. What did I do wrong?"
"Keep talking to him Michael." Maddie said calmly. "Do you have anything to wrap him in?"
"Yeah, I have something here." Michael pulled out the tattered blue blanket and wrapped it around the wriggling little body.
"Now hold him to your chest and rock him a little," Maddie continued.
"He keeps fighting me, he doesn't like it." The little boy cried as he pushed against Michael's chest.
"Just try to stay calm. Talk to him."
"I don't speak Spanish," he shouted in frustration.
"Oh for god's sake, Michael, he doesn't care. It's about the sound of your voice," Maddie blasted back.
"Okay, Okay, What should say?"
Fi jumped in. "Te quiero. Su seguro ahora."
"What does the mean?
"It means that he is loved and he is safe?" Maddie replied.
"But..." he stammered.
"It doesn't matter that it took you twelve years to tell me that Michael. He's a baby. He won't hold it over your head if you change your mind," Fi quipped.
"Fiona!" he shouted as the child screamed louder.
"Just try it honey," Maddie said.
For the next ten minutes, the two women listened in amazement as Michael crooned gently to the child. Fiona could swear she heard him singing in Russian, a song she did not recognize. Gradually, the child's tiny sobs lessened as Michael hummed the soft melody into the phone.
As the last muffled cry fell silent, Michael whispered, "I think he just fell asleep. I'll call you when I get back to base." He paused for a moment, "Thanks for your help," and he hung up before they had time to respond.
Fiona looked at Maddie in disbelief.
The older woman smiled back and said, "That boy of mine… he is full of surprises." She stood up and strolled into the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of scotch from the cabinet. "Why don't I pour us a little drink?"
Fi, still in shock, could only manage to nod her head.
#######
The Panamanian military base was located about ten miles outside of the capital. Within the complex was housed a small contingent of US marines and CIA officers assigned to provide support to the American embassy. In exchange for cooperation and access to the larger facility, a small hospital was managed and staffed by US personnel.
As the van pulled up in front of the hospital wing of the base, Michael was relieved to be back in secure surroundings. He slowly climbed out, careful not to disturb Gabriel who was still asleep in his arms. He found two paramedics standing by with a stretcher ready to attend the tiny new arrival. A young woman in a military uniform took Gabriel and gently placed him on the gurney. The toddler immediate woke up and began to cry. Michael placed his hand lightly on the child's chest to comfort him as he addressed the medical personnel.
"His name is Gabriel. He was left unattended, likely without food or water for the last 24 hours. We found him about two hours ago. Since then he hasn't been able to keep down any fluids."
The medic nodded, "We'll take care of him. Don't worry," as she leaned into the stretcher and pushed it through the entrance doors.
Michael felt strangely anxious as he watched the doors swing closed. His mind swirled with questions. What would happen if his family returned only to find an empty shed? Would they know where to look for him? Where any of them even still alive?
All these thoughts dissipated quickly as Raines shouted from behind him, "Westen, what the hell you are waiting for? We need you in debrief!"
"On my way," Michael shouted over his shoulder and stepped quickly to catch up to the colleagues.
######
Half an hour later, Michael and the other team members were dismissed from the meeting. It had begun calmly with Westen recounting the exchange of fire upon entering the village and the extensive search afterwards. No one at the meeting asked follow up questions about the well being of the child rescued at the site. After he finished his report, Raines, his senior agent, fielded a barrage of questions from his own superiors. The panel's inquiries were peppered with colorful phrases like "amateur night", "cluster f**k" and "a serious miscalculation of risk."
Since Michael had not been part of the planning phase of the ill fated meet, he was not in the line of fire of the supervising agents. Raines and three other intelligence officers who had established and developed the relationship with the contact all took a turn in the hot seat. The massacre in the village would have a serious and negative impact on the CIA's relationship with the Panamanian government. The events of that morning might even jeopardize their alliance with the military base that hosted them. In addition, their best source for information about the Elizabeth Albright kidnapping had vanished. It remained unclear if the raid was in retaliation for Alvarez's collaboration with the Americans or a vendetta related to the gang war with La Vega. Tempers flared until it became clear that Raines was going to take it on the chin for the botched mission.
"Let these guys go and we'll wrap this up in my office. Shall we gentlemen," Raines said confidently as he gathered a collage of papers spread out before him.
He nodded at Michael and the other team members who rose from their seats and silently slipped out the office door. As Westen walked away from the meeting, he wondered how he could have forgotten about one of the most unpleasant aspects of working for the CIA. When a mission went south there always had to be someone to blame. Even if there was enough to go around or circumstances were out of one's direct control, culpability had to fall somewhere.
The leadership attribute that he admired most in William Raines also served to instill a deeply loyalty from those who worked for the veteran agent. Raines never threw a subordinate under the bus. Any reprimand was done privately, by him. When it came down to it, he was in charge; so he alone was responsible for the actions and outcomes of his team. He would shoulder any consequence of failed missions but when successful he shared the accolades. Michael was grateful to be back with the mentor that he trusted. But he also missed the independence and flexibility of his small team at home in Miami.
Westen pushed these thoughts out of his mind as he arrived at the hospital wing of the military base. He flashed his ID to the guard at the entrance of the emergency care unit and pulled a soft blue blanket out of his knapsack as he walked towards the nurse's station. He had a few minutes to visit Gabriel before he needed to head back to write up another debrief report and warn Pearse, who remained in DC, about the firestorm headed in her direction. He would drop off the blanket and peek in on Gabriel to see that he was settled in with the nurses. While the hospital staff, unquestionably, were the best people to care for the little boy Michael felt compelled to make certain that Gabriel was calm after his long ordeal. "Kids get attached to these things. Maybe it will help." as he glanced down at the blanket again.
Agent Westen inquired with a nearby nurse after the whereabouts of the two-year-old brought in earlier that day. She pointed him towards an examination room down the hall. He bristled when he heard the baby's screams from a distance. His stomach tightening, he steps quickened as he approached the room and slowly pushed open the door. Gabriel thrashed on the exam table. Michael stood frozen unsure what to do next.
"Excuse me, you can't be in here unless your medical personnel," a nurse scolded.
The doctor examining Gabriel looked up at Michael and asked in Spanish, "Are you this boy's father?"
Michael held up his hand. "I'm sorry. I don't ..."
The doctor laughed and switched to English. "Most of the staff here are American military. My Spanish could be a lot better too. I asked if you are his dad."
"No. I was on the team that brought him in this morning. I'm Michael Westen." He crossed the room and offered the doctor a cordial handshake. "I just came by to check in and see how he was doing."
"I'm Jack Riley." The doctor returned a cordial nod. "You were part of the rescue mission?"
"Yes, His name is Gabriel. He was found in a ransacked village about eighty miles outside of Panama City. Did the orderlies pass along the information I gave them?"
"Yes, thank you. It was helpful. We're nearly finished with the preliminary exam. I noticed some irregularity with his heartbeat that I want to examine further but he seems to be experiencing a lot of stress. If you want to stay with him for a few minutes, a familiar face might be of some comfort."
Michael said, "I'm happy to help if I can." He stepped closer to the exam table and peered down at Gabe. "Hey buddy. How are we doing?" he smiled.
The boy looked up at Michael with teary eyes and lifted his arms in a request to be picked up. Instinctively, he lifted Gabriel to his chest and asked the doctor, "I'll see how does if I hold him for a minute?"
While was uncertain of the best way to calm the toddler, Westen figured that if it had worked in the van, maybe it would work again. He whispered quietly into the little boy's ear as they paced back and forth across the examination room. He remembered that his mom would sometimes rub Charlie's back when he was upset and was surprised that it had the desired calming effect. Soon the little boy stopped crying.
The doctor waved Michael to bring the little boy back to the exam table. As soon he was set down, Gabriel began to scream again.
"We need to put in an IV drip of fluids for the dehydration. There is no way to make the procedure pleasant for him. He seems to like you so if want to stick around, it might make things go more smoothly," the doctor suggested.
"Yeah, I can stay for another couple minutes." Westen took a seat in nearby chair with Gabriel in his lap. The doctor gave instruction to the nurse and nodded a quick goodbye to Michael before slipping out the door. The nurse positioned the baby's arm so they could insert the IV needle and tube as Michael held him close to his chest. The little boy squirmed and sobbed in fear while the spy carefully restrained the tiny boy as the nurse finished securing the IV with tape on the delicate hand. Gabe fought and flailed through the whole procedure. They had almost finished when the boy pulled at the IV tubing and nearly removed the apparatus from his hand.
"Wow, this kid has some fight in him," the nurse commented as she wrestled the wriggly arm.
Michael was impressed at the strength and force of that came from the child small form. "Yeah, he's pretty tough isn't he?" he replied.
After several more minutes of screaming, Gabriel finally succumbed to exhaustion and appeasement with a packet of saltines.
Michael, relieved when the nurse finished the procedure asked himself, "Are kids always this much to handle?"
Then he looked down at the toddler sitting quietly on his lap while munching on a cracker. He was struck by a sense of awe in the resilience the tiny child had displayed. He gently brushed aside the strands of dark brown hair that covered the boy's forehead. "You are going to be just fine," he said softly.
When Dr. Riley returned to the exam room he noted that the IV treatment was going smoothly and told the nurse that a room in the pediatric unit would be ready by the time it was finished. He thanked Michael for his assistance with Gabriel. "You know it's not that uncommon for war orphans to create a strong bond with the service member that rescued them."
Michael was startled. "He's not an orphan. We just haven't found his family yet."
"Yes, I guess that's true isn't it? I hope you find them soon. In the mean time, I want to run a few more tests. There are some abnormalities I need to account for but, overall, Gabriel appears to be in good condition. I'll check on him during my evening rounds. Please let me know immediately if there are any developments on his parents."
After they doctor left, the nurse asked if Michael wanted stay with Gabriel for the remainder of his IV treatment. He stayed very calm with you holding him," she coaxed, "it will help to keep it in place while he receives the full bag of saline."
Still a bit stunned by Gabriel's reaction to his presence, the operative replied with a slight hesitation, "Sure. If you think it would help." He had always insisted that he was not good with kids. For the majority of his adult life that was indeed the case. But at the moment this boy seemed to need him. Even though he could not fully understand the connection, Westen yielded to his powerful instinct to protect those who are most vulnerable. He felt Gabriel shift in his arms as he checked his cell phone and saw that he had no missed calls. He knew Raines would be looking for him soon but he would stay until he was summoned back to the CIA offices.
"Why don't you two sit over here?" as the nurse slowly rolled the IV bag towards a comfortable looking chair next to the examination table.
"Thanks." Michael held Gabriel carefully in his arms as he walked across the room. Startled from the sudden movement, the child began to cry again.
"Oh no, maybe we should have stayed still," he commented to the nurse who smiled as she adjusted the IV monitor.
"No, you're doing great," she replied.
Michael had a natural aptitude for many things but this did not seem to be one of them. Perhaps, there was an inborn ability that somehow had passed him by. He wondered if it was this hard for other people. Then Gabe pressed his face into Michael's chest and let out mournful whimper. Madeline's words came back to him, "Just talk to him. Let him know he is safe."
Westen rested Gabe's head up on his shoulder and spoke to the boy softly. "I've got you. I'm not going anywhere." As he patted Gabriel's back repeating the phrase over and over until he hear the childs breathing slow. When the toddler dozed off, Michael reached into the knapsack and pulled out the blue blanket and asked the nurse, "Would you have this laundered and brought back? I found it near his home."
The nurse nodded and thanked him. "I'll come back to check on you two in a little while."
After about ten minutes, Gabe woke up and tried several times to scoot down onto the floor. Afraid that the IV would be pulled out again, Michael held on firmly as the child fussed and protested. The IV bag was drained only to about halfway and with the nurse nowhere in sight, he realized they were stuck in the chair for a while. Westen recalled that Nate would sometimes entertain Charlie with videos on his tablet computer.
"That might work," he said to himself as he pulled out his cell phone, slide off the back to remove a tiny memory card and reached into his back pocket to pull out a worn brown leather wallet. He removed an identical memory card, slipped it into the phone, replaced the cover and pulled up the Photo Gallery setting.
He asked the little boy, "Have you ever seen the ocean before?" as he showed him the colorful screen.
Michael was rewarded with a squeal of delight from the toddler. His fingers glided over the tiny screen to launch a display of photos taken during a recent trip to the beach with Fiona. The boy's eyes grew wide at the images as he reached out to grab the phone. Michael guided Gabe's tiny hand across the screen as they flicked through the series of beachscape pictures.
"Look, there a big sailboat. Can you say boat? "
The boy stared at the grown man in silence.
"OK, let's try another one." Michael quickly switched to a gull standing atop a post on a pier.
Gabriel chirped, "Pájaro."
"Oh right. Good boy." He placed his hand on the top of the boy's soft hair. For the first time in his career, he regretted that his language training had not included Spanish.
He flicked the screen again to reveal a profile of Fiona. "There is a really beautiful girl, right? She would love to meet you."
Michael recalled the significance of the moment that he captured in the image. It was taken the night he decided to propose to Fiona.
She stood at the edge of the dock taking in the beauty of the sunset. The light illuminated her profile and her expression was serene. She was unaware of both the camera and his loving gaze upon her.
He walked down the pier to her and took her hand. "How are feeling?"
She smiled contently and said, " I am very happy."
She turned to kiss him and he pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her hair. "I'm glad to hear that."
Michael stood in silence for a moment, the love of his life enfolded in his arms; he made a promise to himself that he would work the rest of his days to keep her just as happy. As they walked slowly down the dock to the restaurant where they had dinner reservations, Michaelpulled out his phone and texted Sam.
CALL ME IN NEED OF A JEWELER ASAP
Michael awoke to the sound of the nurse walking into the room. Gabe was sound asleep in his arms.
"I'm going to disconnect the IV now. We have a room ready for him. You can come back tomorrow if you want to visit him."
Michael, embarrassed to have been caught nodding off while on duty, stammered, "Sure, I'll do my best to come by."
"They are going to run a few tests but everything should finished by the late morning."
Michael looked down at the sleeping child in his lap and felt an unexpected hesitation at the prospect of letting go of him.
He glanced over to the nurse and who smiled and said, "It will be okay, we've got it from here. I'm sure he'll want to see you tomorrow."
"I'll check back with the doctor then," as he stood up slowly and handed the sleeping boy to the nurse before heading out the exam room door. He walked slowly down the hall and through the doors of the hospital wing.
######
Michael had nearly walked past the US military PX store when he decided to stop. He made a quick purchase and headed back to the CIA offices. He stopped at his desk to check his voice mail and saw that he had missed a call from Pearce. He cursed silently that he had let the detail slip. He dialed her number on his desk line and got her voice mail. He pulled out his cell and sent her a text message. She responded quickly that she was in a meeting but would get back to him as soon as she could. The bad news would not change regardless if she heard it from him or Raines.
Michael pulled the small bottle of whiskey from the brown bag and dropped it discreetly into an outer pocket of his knapsack. He walked over to Raines's office and knocked on the door.
"Come in," Raines barked. He was typing furiously at his laptop with a scowl on his face. He looked up at Michael for a moment and then returned his focus to the keyboard. "Westen, unless you've got decent bottle of scotch with you, I really don't have time right now."
"I thought your drink was bourbon …" He pulled out the small bottle of Maker's Mark from his knapsack and handed it to Raines. "I brought you something for your filing cabinet." A grin spread across the man's face as he let out a belly laugh. "I always liked you, kid. Sit down."
Raines reached behind his desk to a credenza and pulled out two chunky glass tumblers. He cracked open the bottle and said, "It's been one hell of a day so far," as he filled several inches of bourbon into each of the glasses and handed one across the desk.
"Yes, it has sir." Michael took a small sip from the glass.
There had been a tradition during Michael's early days at the CIA to toast a successful mission with shot of whiskey. Raines kept a bottle in his file drawer and poured a glass for each of the assembled members of the team. After working with his senior agent for several years, he discovered that Raines had a similar private tradition after an unsuccessful mission. He would close his office door pour himself a double shot. He never invited members of the team to join him.
Michael's gift was meant as a sign of respect to his superior and he was grateful that Raines accepted it as such. That fact that his boss chose to share a drink after the mission today demonstrated a renewed level of trust between the two men. The previous year had strained their professional relationship. Raines had been furious when he learned of Michael's actions with the Anson Fullerton blackmail. Pearce had intervened on several occasions when tempers flared as Raines threatened to throw Michael off the investigation and into a CIA holding facility.
Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and the two men were able to devise an elaborate strategy to ensnare Fullerton. They developed a complex scheme to generate fake burned spies and then feed them into Anson's covert network. In the end, their plan was successful when he was captured in a fishing vessel of the coast of Cuba. After four months of incarceration, Fiona was released from prison. Before Michael left to bring her home, Raines told him that he had been given a three month paid leave of absence, effective immediately.
"It can be extended up to six months, if requested," said the senior agent.
"This is not an optional assignment, is it?" Michael asked, unsure if he was actually being sacked.
"No, it's not. But I'd hate to see the crazy shit you'd pull if we tried to fire you for a second time. So we'll be happy to have you back as soon you are ready."
"Thank you."
Michael was deeply grateful to Raines for the time off and the stability it helped to generate in his new life with Fiona. He was also pleased to have been brought back into the fold at the CIA even though, at the moment, conditions were rather tumultuous. He knew well the investigation into the Albright kidnapping was riding on the generation of a new lead after the failed mission today. The responsibility for the disastrous mission and burden to find that new lead would fall squarely on Raines's shoulders. Michael did not envy the man's position for a moment and he wanted to demonstrate his support and loyalty in these efforts.
Raines threw back the drink in one fluid motion as Michael took another sip from his glass.
"Hurry up Michael. You drink like a girl." Michael laughed and swallowed his glass of bourbon. He was glad that Fiona was not there to demonstrate a point that he knew to be true from personal experience; many Irish girls could drink a typical American guy under the table. He kept his thoughts to himself but accepted another shot.
"What shall we drink to, sir?" Michael said in a jovial tone.
"Stop calling me sir, would you?"
"Whatever you say!" Michael downed the shot of amber liquid and the older man followed suit.
"So Westen, I heard you've been busy these last few months." Raines leaned back in his chair.
Michael smiled somewhat bashfully and said, "Yeah, I bought a house. Got engaged. Life is good."
Raines gasped, "Jesus, I heard you got engaged ... you bought a house too. You are going soft on me Westen. What do want for a wedding present…a lawn mower?"
"No, I have a service that comes to your house for that but thanks for the offer." He laughed.
Raines laughed and leaned back in his chair in a rare relaxed moment. "I'm happy for you, kid. So where did you and Fiona end up? Are you still in Miami?"
"Yeah, we bought a house a few miles from where I grew up. My mother is still there and my brother moved back from Vegas. Nate and I did a lot of the renovations together."
"That the side project you were working on while we were tracking down Anson?"
Michael's face grew serious. "Yes, Nate wanted to buy it as an investment. I had looked into the property a few years before when Fiona wanted to rent it. It had been tied up in an estate settlement so it needed some work. That turned out to be a useful distraction while when Fiona was… away."
Raines poured another shot for himself and Michael which they threw back in unison.
"So things worked out OK?" Michael knew his mentors question was regarding Fiona rather than the house.
"Yeah, it took some time but we're really happy." He nodded. "Fi was thrilled with the house and the improvements we made. Nate and I moved some walls around, built a fence and put in new bathroom, things like that."
"Sounds like a lot of work."
"It was, but when finally moved in a few months ago, it was all worth it."
"Well, congratulations." He drained the last of the contents of the bottle into the glasses and raised a toast. "To the future Mrs. Westen."
The pair took the last shot together and then Raines dropped the empty bottle into the waste basket as he asked, "Hey, how is that little kid we found today? What did you call him, Gabriel? Has the hospital received any information on his family?"
"He is doing as well as could be expected." Michael nodded, surprised that his boss thought to ask about the little boy. "He is stable. The doctor will give me update tomorrow around lunch time. I don't know of anyone who has turned up looking for him yet. We should send out a team tomorrow to interview the witnesses. There have got to be people returning to the village after the raid so someone should know who he belongs to."
"Yeah, we had a few locals go back out to the site talk to the villagers and the thing is, no one reported a missing child. We can order DNA testing on the bodies that were recovered from the village so maybe there is some connection there. We should know in a few days. Otherwise the local government will step in."
Michael bristled. "What do you mean?"
"A child welfare agency will take over… just like in the States."
"Oh." Michael said. The thought that there might not be anyone out there looking for Gabriel send a chill down his spine. "Well what's going to happen to him then?"
"I don't know," Raines said dismissively. "We don't have jurisdiction or responsibility on this. The kid is a Panamanian citizen. He's their problem to deal with, not ours."
Michael was not sure if it was his superiors words or the alcohol had caused the wave of nausea to hit his stomach. He stood up slowly, trying not letting on that hesuddenly felt a bit dizzy. "I should let you get back to work. Good night, Raines"
"Thanks for the drink, Westen. See you in the morning." He turned his attention back to the laptop on the surface of the desk.
Michael walked quickly out the door before Raines could see that all color had gone out of his face.