WARNING- Just to warn you it's going to get dark in the next three chapters.
Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I was on holiday and didn't have my laptop.
A few months later
After the rest of the ODS was fired they tried to locate Rick with their new limited resources, but to no avail. They knew he was flying under the radar, probably with the help of Higgins. They went so far as Michael seducing Fay. That didn't work either.
xx
Rick woke up sweating and shaking, damn night terrors, he crawled out of his closet he put on a light jacket, sweats, sneakers and went to a bar. He sat down and ordered. Michael saw him for the first time since he attempted to at the hospital, he walked toward him and said
"Hey."
"Don't talk to me." Rick said not looking at him.
"Okay, I get it, Billy and Casey shouldn't have done that and I should've stopped them. We are all sorry. Now will you stop being a drama queen and give us our jobs back."
Rick chuckled, left some money on the bar and left with Michael right behind him. Michael didn't notice that Rick's walking was a little off, and it wasn't because of the booze.
"Come on, Martinez!"
Rick turned around in the middle of the road and said calmly keeping his cool
"There was once a time when I trusted you with my life."
"You know what, shit happens, sometimes bad shit, you just have to grow up and deal with it," Michael said pissed off
Rick chuckled, turned around and as he was leaving he said just loud enough for Michael to hear and with no emphasis "If you only knew."
At first that didn't faze Michael, but within an hour he wondered what happened to Rick.
X
Later Michael was at his place with Casey and Billy when told them about his encounter Michael said
"That's why I think that something very bad happened and that's why he won't talk to us."
"What do you mean by bad? Like torture bad?" Casey asked
"Yah." Michael said
"How would we find out?" asked Casey
"Where do you go when you have issues?" Michael asked knowing the answer "A psychiatrist." he finished
"Cause you know we can totally find out which one he goes to with our unlimited resources." Billy said sarcastically
"Even if we do find it, we won't have access to it. It'll probably be sealed off liked everything else." Casey said
"That's the problem." Michael said trying to think of a plan.
"How about a simple old fashioned following." Casey suggested
"The last few times we tried that he never came home." said Billy
"How about we try again." Michael said and they were on their way
X
The next day, a little before one in the afternoon outside of HQ
"Okay he's leaving." Michael said
Billy turned on the car and discreetly followed him. They followed him to a tall building. Casey found out that it was one of a psychiatrist. He walked out about an hour later.
Casey said "Okay now that we know where he goes I'll break in there tonight, find the psychiatrist, and clone his file."
X
The next morning, Michael's place
"Did you get the file?" Billy asked eagerly
"Even better." Casey said satisfied
"What could be better than that?" asked Michael
"Auto tapes of each session." Casey said and sat the tape recorder on the table
"Wow!" Billy said "Jackpot much?"
They pressed play and the psychiatrist said her name, Dr. Jane Sweets, who was about 30 years old. She also said the patient's name and some other psychiatrist jibber jabber.
Xx
The auto tape
"Hey Rick. How are you doing today?"
"Better than yesterday not as good as tomorrow." Rick responded "You aren't the first one I've been to. You're the first one that doesn't creep me out or make me feel even more paranoid, I feel I can actually talk to you."
"That's good. Why are you rubbing your legs. Do they hurt?"
"They can't hurt if they're not there."
The guys all looked at each other in surprise and with an all fuck look. After the general shock wore off Michael paused it put his head in his hands and said
"O my God. I acted like a total dick last time I saw him."
"What did you say?" asked Casey acting like a concerned parent
"I said that bad shit happens and we have to grow up and deal with it and called him a drama queen."
"You're right." Billy said "You were a total dick."
"How was I supposed to know?" asked Michael.
X
The auto tape
"How did you lose your legs?" she asked
"I know who put me in this whole situation to begin with," Rick said not wanting to remember.
"Who?"
"My former colleagues. Their practical joke went wrong. That sounds so stupid to say."
"I'm sure they didn't try to purposely hurt you. You should reconcile."
"Reconcile!" Rick said with anger "Reconcile! An, I'm sorry, isn't going to fix this one! They ruined my life! I was-" he stopped, he calmed down and said "I don't think I could ever look at them the same way again. I could never trust them with a plant let alone my life."
"You were what, Rick, what happened?"
"I really don't want to talk about it. I'm not ready,"
"Whenever you're ready."