Thursday Morning 10:30
Michael and Pasqual walked together into Raines's office for a morning briefing on the Albright kidnapping investigation. Raines expected only to see Michael and his face showed his annoyance as they entered the room.
"What the hell is he doing here?" Raines barked.
Michael, aware that they had disobeyed a direct order, was undeterred by his superior's reaction. "He's with me."
"I don't give a shit," the senior agent snapped. His fiery glared shifted to the younger man. "Camacho, you were supposed to stay at the safe house."
Michael, well acquainted with Raines's temper, stepped in to intervene. "Pasqual, give us a minute," he requested as he glanced quickly at the door and then returned his determined gaze to Raines.
Pasqual was all too happy to take cover from the impending firefight and slipped outside to the hallway without a word.
"Westen, what kind of game do you think you're playing here?"
"Raines, when you gave me this assignment, you knew that I don't speak Spanish. I need someone to translate during the negotiation."
"Yes, why does that have anything to do with him?"
"Why not let Pasqual work with me? He'll be safer here than out on his own in a remote safe house on the edge of the city."
"Pasqual Camacho should be on a flight to the States to face a review board for the shit he pulled two days ago with Williams. He's a loose cannon. Agent Pearce promised me that you'd rein him in and get him back to Miami before he makes any more trouble."
"You're probably right about him being a wild card, but you won't be able to get him anywhere near a plane without putting a gun to his head."
"Well, that's your problem now, not mine," Raines stated, trying to suppress a slight smirk.
"That's true," Michael agreed. But you haven't accounted for one very important fact."
"What's that?"
"Pasqual's is our best chance to find the source that Elizabeth's was supposed to meet last Friday."
"I don't believe that's true." Raines replied.
"I think you're wrong," Agent Westen countered. "What if the contact was willing to meet again, but this time with Pasqaul? Let him put out some feelers with his contacts and see if we can draw this guy out."
"What if there never was a source and it was a trap all along? The cartels could have used Elizabeth to expose Pasqual's cover and make the CIA reveal their presence at the Embassy."
"Like removing him from his post at the Embassy and shipping him back to the States for debrief while his fiancé is still missing doesn't do a pretty good job of announcing it already?"
"So, what's your point?" the boss asked.
"Pasqual should stay here for a couple more days. He can assist me in working with MI6 and the local police on the links to the hostage takers. I'll keep tabs on his research into the source and let you know if anything comes of it."
"Fine, he's all yours," Raines decided. "But don't let this kid play you. If he goes rogue…"
"He is not going to run."
"How do you know that?"
"Because he is in the exact same position I was last year," Michael reminded the older man. "You remember."
"How could I forget? You were a real pain in the ass," Raines grumbled.
"But I got the job done," the field operative advised. "Pasqual's not going to let up until he gets Elizabeth back, but he needs the resources of the CIA to find her. As long as he knows we're all working to that end; he'll follow orders. It's if you cut him out that you're going to have a problem."
"Alright, Westen, you got yourself a new sidekick. Don't screw this up."
"Thanks." Michael was not sure why he had fought so hard for an assignment he knew would be such a hassle.
He walked out into the hallway and found a nervous Pasqual pacing just outside the office door.
"What did Raines say?"
"We got the green light." He started to walk a back to his desk. "You'll be working with me on negotiations for the next couple days."
"Raines agreed to our plan?" Pasqual could not believe what he was hearing.
"Not yet. We need to give him more details when we've got it mapped out. What he really wants is for you to stay out of the way and not make any more problems."
Pasqual looked as if the other man had just punched him in the stomach. "Do I still have to go to Miami?"
Michael shook his head. "I don't know. But I bought us some time. I told him that your presence was essential to the investigation."
"You did?"
"Yes. Reach out to all of yours sources. Whoever might be a link to Elizabeth's contact, I need to know about. You can't hold anything back. And if you try anything or disappear, you're on your own. Understood?"
They arrived at Michael's desk. "Call Pearce and tell her that you'll be assisting me for the next couple days. I've got to ah… check up on something."
"Anything I can help with?"
Westen smiled. "No thanks. I've got this one."
######
Thursday 11:00 Panama City Military Base Hospital
Michael peaked into a medical office outfitted as a playroom. It was painted with soft pastels and jungle animal decals adorned the walls. It was sparsely furnished with a worn out sofa and an ancient looking rocking chair. A tiny bookshelf held a collection of tattered paperbacks and worn out toys. Yet the room was bright with sunlight streaming through the large windows. Michael could not help but think it was the most cheerful space he had stepped into since he arrived in Panama on Monday night.
He stood in the doorway and watched Gabriel from across the room as the little boy sat building with a wooden set of block. He had felt a sense of urgency to visit Gabriel as he rushed away from his busy meeting schedule this morning. Michael wanted to make sure the little boy continued to feel safe after his trying ordeal yesterday. He also remembered his promise to the doctor that he would try to check on him. They were some tests that needed to be run and he wanted to make sure they went well.
He hesitated as he entered the room unsure if the child would still remember him.
The nurse stepped out of a small walk in closet just off the playroom. "We just finished up, so I brought him here for some play time,"
"Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there." He smiled and nodded as he remained at the doorway. "The nurse at the desk said I could come down to see Gabriel."
"Yes, they called to let me know you were on your way." She smiled warmly. "Please come in. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you."
"I brought him something." He showed her a matchbox car of a 1967 Ford Mustang in bright red paint that he had picked up at the PX store on the way over. "Is that alright?"
"I'm sure he'll love it," the young woman smiled.
Michael walked across the room and knelt down to look at the boy eye level, "Hi Gabriel."
The little boy made a squeal that Michael took as a greeting.
"It's good to see you, buddy. Are you feeling better today?"
Gabriel chattered something Michael could not understand and then handed him a wooden block.
"Thank you," he took the block and placed it on a small stack on the floor. Michael stood up and turned back to the nurse. "His color has improved. Has he been eating well?"
"Non-stop," she laughed. "He filled up on rice and chicken last night at dinner and eggs and tortilla for breakfast. He's got a great appetite."
"How were the tests this morning?
"He wasn't too happy being hooked up to the monitors, but I believe they got the readings they needed."
"Is there anything to be concerned about?"
"Doctor Riley will explain everything when he gets here in a few minutes. I need to get back to my station."
Michael nodded. He could tell from the nurse's expression that whatever the doctor had to tell him it was significant. "Is it all right if I stay here with him?"
"Yes, of course. Use that handset on the wall to call me if you need anything." She waved and called out, "Gabriel, Adios"
The boy smiled and waved a tiny hand back to her.
"Oh, we are going to miss that sweet face when he leaves tomorrow."
"What do you mean?" Michael questioned.
"He's scheduled to be released."
"I wasn't aware of that. Who will he be released to?"
"A local family services organization. It's similar to the child welfare system in the States."
The hair on the back of Michael's neck stood up as he recalled Jesse's brief mentions of a childhood spent in foster care. He hoped his face did not give away the sudden anxiety he felt. "I appreciate you mentioning that."
Gabriel pulled on Michael's arm.
He turned to the boy and smiled. "What is it, pal?"
The child grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction of the toys.
"Do you want me to build with you?" Michael knelt down on the carpet next to the little boy and gathered a handful of wooden blocks. He held one of the cubes in his hand and ran his fingers over the smooth wood grain. The echoes of a memory came flooding back, although he could not place a specific time or location.
He thought, "I bet I loved these as a kid," and then turned to the toddler next to him and asked, "Why don't we make a tower?"
Gabriel grabbed the block out of his hand and clapped it with another as he chattered nosily.
"OK, I'll start us off." Michael set a pair of blocks on top of each and then handed another to the boy, "Your turn."
The child carefully placed the cube on top of the small stack and then looked with a beaming smile to the grown man for approval.
"That's good. Now it's my turn." Michael placed another square on the stack.
They continued the game several more iterations and soon the blocks were several tiny wooden towers. Suddenly, the little boy grinned mischievously as he swung his arms in the air, knocking over the entire block construction.
"Hey!" Michael feigned being upset as the toddler giggled at the chaos he created. "That's alright. Why don't we build a roadway for your car?"
Michael showed him the little red car and was rewarded with another squeal of delight from the tiny boy.
"Maybe we can use these to make a tunnel." He gathered a few of the hard cover children's books. Michael opened the book and rested it on the floor with the cover halfway open. Gabe made an engine noise as he pushed tiny red car through cardboard and paper archway. "Yeah, there you go."
As they played, Michael noticed that the child looked to him to guide the pace of the activity and seemed to understand some of the instructions he spoke to him. "Wonder if someone in his family spoke English?" he mused out loud.
When Gabriel smiled at Michael, he could not help but wonder if he had ever met a child so easy going and sweet. Even more stunning was the ease the spy felt in the toddler's presence. Kids were never his thing. He was uncomfortable with them at best and he certainly had not found any want to be around them before. He wondered what it was different about Gabriel that disarmed his usual reserve with children.
Michael glanced at the clock on the wall and was surprised that more than nearly thirty minutes had past practically unnoticed. Just then, the doctor walked in the room.
"Sorry for the delay, Agent Westen. I was waiting for the last of the test results."
"No problem, we're just doing some construction work," Michael said as he stood up and dusted off his dress pants.
"I just want to confirm that you still have an on-going search for his family members."
"Yes, has someone contacted the hospital?"
"No, but this will be of interest to you." He passed Michael an official looking document. "We obtained a copy of his birth certificate?"
"Where did you find this?"
"It was listed in a national registry. We did a match through his blood type and his footprint."
Michael looked at the form.
Name: Gabriel Alexandro Vargas
Born: February 2, 2009
Mother: Isobel Desoto Vargas
Father: Unknown
"There's no father listed."
"I was surprised to see that as well," the doctor admitted. "But these things still happen occasionally. The mother could have been…"
"It doesn't matter," Michael interrupted. "At least we know who we are looking for now. Do you have any other information?"
He handed the covert operative a hospital registration form. "Gabriel was born in a small hospital in San Miguelito. His mother was 22 years old, unmarried. There was an address from the hospital records. But it is over two years old, so we don't know if it is current."
"Were there any other hospital records?"
"Yes, it was fortunate that we found the medical reports when we did. The treatment history corresponds with the test results we received this morning," Dr. Riley confirmed.
"Is there a problem?"
"There are strong indicators of weakened blood flow in the left ventricle of Gabriel's heart. His records showed that the hospital staff picked up on signs at birth. Sometimes these conditions resolve themselves as a child grows, but not always. We can to follow up with more testing, but he would be better served in a pediatric hospital with more specialized equipment than what we have here."
"How serious is this condition? Is it life threatening?
"If it is not treated right away, it will likely cause problems later in childhood. Significant complications are a risk."
"Does he need surgery?" Michael looked over at Gabe.
"Most likely, but it is not overly complex."
"Is he even old enough? I mean, he's still so little?"
"I would think so," the doctor assured him. "These procedures are performed routinely in many hospitals in the United States."
"You think he should be treated outside of Panama?"
"There is top notch pediatric cardiology program at Miami Children's Hospital. That's probably the closest one in the States."
"I know someone who does a lot of fundraising for them." Michael thought of his friend Sam and his girlfriend Elsa, who was the Chairperson of a development committee for the hospital. The couple had attended a black tie ball a few weeks ago. Michael had declined an invitation, but now was grateful for the connection. He paused to contemplate the possible consequences of the offer he felt compelled to make.
"Dr. Riley, what if I could able get Gabriel some help? Would you be willing to provide the supporting medical documents?"
"Absolutely," the man confirmed.
"I can't make any promises and I'll need time to talk to some people back in Miami. Is there any way you can postpone his release tomorrow?"
"We can keep him for one more day for observation, but not much longer than that," Riley offered.
"Great. I'll see what I can do."
From across the room, Gabriel let out a shout of frustration.
"Hey, buddy." Michael reached down to pick up the little boy, who fussed loudly. The toddler squirmed away as he gestured with his small hands towards the bookshelf.
"What's the matter? Do you want a book?"
"Coche! Coche!" Gabriel flopped down on the floor with tears streaming from his eyes. "Coche…"
Michael glanced up at the doctor in bewilderment.
"Did he have a toy car?" Dr. Riley asked.
"Oh yeah, it must be under there." Michael knelt down and reached under a gap between floor and the shelf. He quickly retrieving the matchbox car and offered it to the weepy child.
Gabe responded with a smile as he took the car from Michael. Then the child let out a yawn and began to rub his eyes. To the grown man's surprise, the boy leaned his tiny body into him and resting his head on the covert operatives shoulder. Astonished that the child was so affectionate and comfortable with him, Michael asked, "Are you sleepy?"
The toddler let out another yawn and slipped a thumb into his mouth.
"Why don't I have a nurse come take him back to the nursery?" Dr. Riley suggested.
"That's probably a good idea," Michael agreed.
"Let me know where you need me to send those reports," the doctor said before he stepped out the door.
Michael stood up and held the Gabriel in his arms as the toddler drifted off to sleep. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Paz, I need you to meet me at the hospital wing."
"Everything alright, Westen?"
"Yes. I need you to check with your Embassy contacts about an address."
"No problem, I'll be right there."
A few minutes later, Pasqual walked into the small room. "Oh," was the first word that popped out of his mouth. He could not have been more surprised to find his new boss, Michael Westen, holding a tiny sleeping child.
Michael read the confusion on the younger man's face. "This is the boy I told you about, from the mission yesterday. His name is Gabriel."
#####
Two hours later- Panama City Military
Michael stepped into an empty conference room to make a private call to Sam. He did not want anyone from CIA to know yet about his plans to help Gabe. He and Pasqual were both coordinating calls and meetings with MI6 in the effort to track down Elizabeth Albright. But Michael knew there was only a brief window of time that he could help Gabriel before the child was turned over to the local social services. Pasqual had offered to assist in the effort in any way possible. He spoke with his friend in Miami a few hours before to explain the circumstance and ask for assistance from the Children's Hospital.
"Hey Sam, What did Elsa find out from her contact."
"Not to worry Mike, your little friend will be in good hands. There is a program to sponsors overseas kids that will cover most of the expenses for treatment. We went to a dinner party with the Chief of Surgery last week and Elsa's putting on another fancy fundraiser next month. So there shouldn't be any problems on this end."
"Great, send me the names of the doctors from the cardiology group when you hear back from them."
"Will do," Sam paused for a moment. "So by the way, Mikey, how is Fi with you… ah … bringing a kid home?"
"I haven't told her yet," Michael said with a slight hesitation.
His mind returned to the unfinished conversation with Fiona before he left for Panama but quickly pushed it aside. There were too many details to chase down and forms to fill out to dwell on the uncomfortable questions that remained in Miami. At the moment, his concern was gathering all possible resources to assist Gabriel. He would talk to Fi later. "I want to finalize the plan before I say anything."
Sam laughed "Yeah well, don't say I didn't warn you. Woman and babies can be touchy stuff."
"What do you mean?" Michael questioned
"Well when I told Elsa about little Gabriel coming to Miami, she kept saying how wonderful it was that you and Fi were adopting; that you guys would be terrific parents."
"That's not what's happening here, Sam," Michael replied annoyed. "This is a medical evacuation."
He was frustrated by the assumption his friend made but he knew from an outsiders perspective it was perfectly logical. He and Fiona had finally become engaged, bought a house and settled down. Children were the natural next step for most people. But they had never been like most people. Michael had not planned for parenthood as part of his life. "We're still trying to track down him family," he continued.
"Okay then." Sam replied. "Has anybody turned up looking for him yet?"
"No. When we found him it looked like he had been hidden or abandoned. We're not sure where his mother is. There's a lead that we're following but we're still waiting on an update from someone."
"Poor kid," Sam said sympathetically. "It seems like a miracle the way you found him."
"Yeah, it was the craziest thing. I was walking in the middle of the bush and just about to head back to the village when I heard a random noise. I followed it down the trail to a shed and there he was… all alone in the dark."
Michael's felt a surprising surge of emotion. While protective instincts were familiar to him from years of looking out for his fellow soldiers, family, friends and clients, his sudden attachment to Gabriel had been quite unexpected and entirely new. "It seems like Gabe has become my responsibility since that morning. I just want to make sure he's safe and healthy until we can get him back to his family."
"I know you're trying to do right by the little guy. We'll do everything we can. I'll give you a call as soon as we hear back from the doctors."
"Thanks Sam."
"Anytime, Brother."