The Light in the Darkness
Chapter 5
"How long have you been there?" Garrison asked still looking at Chief who was finally sleeping peacefully.
Actor responded, "Long enough for the tea to cool."
Garrison looked up as Actor walked up to him with a tea tray. "How much did you hear?"
Actor placed the tray on the small table, "Enough to know that this one was bad."
Garrison said in a flat voice, "He asked to go back on the drug." He shook himself and then continued softly, "He knew when you were hurt on the last mission and then this afternoon he knew you were upset about something. He said he knew he needed to find you. He paused and went on, "He called you Brother. He thinks there's some type of connection between the two of you like there is between us."
Actor was stunned by this revelation. He remembered dressing down the Warden a few months back when they began to understand more about Chief's abilities and what he had been through. Actor had been outraged, at the time, at what appeared to him as the Warden's callous disregard for the Guardian's feelings and needs. Personally, I would be honored to be chosen by him, he had said, and surprisingly so, he meant every word but now it seemed he would be granted another honor, he would be Brother to the Guardian. Whatever it involves, I will not fail you, Chief.
Garrison was saying, "He has hope, now. He'd been trapped in G-CAT's hell for so long without hope… I think he's afraid of losing that hope."
Actor nodded, "Yes, we have allowed, even encouraged him to do things that G-CAT would have beaten him for. We have all made promises to him that, war or not, will be difficult to keep."
Garrison looked at him with haunted eyes, "Have we made a mistake, Actor? If we can't keep our promises to him and he's taken back…"
Actor said, "No!" the word came out a little more forcefully and louder than he meant. "A life without hope is death. In prison there are many men that have given up hope. We call them ghosts. They wander around the edges of the prison, never connecting with anyone, nothing more than shadows. Just standing next to them makes you feel cold. Even the worst of the inmates leave them alone. No one wants to touch death." Actor took a deep breath and cleared his mind, "Katherine said she would make time for him. Do you want me to call her now?"
Garrison sighed and shook his head saying, "No, we'll see how he does tonight. If he's alright, you can call her in the morning and ask if she can see him while I'm at the meeting in London. Maybe I can take them both to dinner tomorrow. I think it's time that I got to know the good doctor a little better."
Actor studied the Warden for a moment and smiled brightly, "You know that is not a bad idea. I am just an old family friend, not a great reason for us to be spending a lot of time together but two young Americans …"
Garrison frowned, "Actor…"
Actor kept smiling, "Think about it. A wartime romance is the perfect excuse for Katherine to be a little secretive about what she is doing and where she is going during her off duty time. Seeing her with a dashing American officer will start the right type of gossip with her colleagues. Not even G-CAT could suspect anything, which is what we want. The same applies to you. Spending all your time with three convicts and a Rogue Guardian is simply not healthy. Katherine's Top Secret clearance should keep the Brass happy as well. After all she is keeping their secrets, too."
Garrison nodded, "I must be more tired than I thought because that actually sounds reasonable. Let me think about it and then we can see what Katherine says. She may not like the idea at all."
Actor replied, still smiling, "Of course. You go and get some rest. I will stay with him tonight." Ideas were already forming in is mind about romantic clandestine meetings everybody involved.
"No, I promised I'd be here." Garrison answered quickly.
Actor nodded understanding how the Warden was feeling. It would be very important to him to keep his promises to his Guardian and friend. He reached over to retrieve the tea tray. "Very well, I will reheat the tea and bring back some sandwiches."
"Thanks, Actor." Garrison said.
The Italian, stopped at the stairs and turned back to look at the two men and wondered. How did this happen? An Army officer, a Rogue Guardian along with a cat burglar and a safe cracker are now the most important people in my life. They were men he would willingly risk his life for. What had happened to the con artist that lived for the con and never trusted anyone? What had happened to the adventurer that ran from anything or anyone that might tie him down? He remembered scoffing at his grandfather when the old man had told him that one day he would find something that was truly important, so important that he would gladly risk all that he had. The old man had been right after all. It was not the war, not the con, not his freedom, not the adventure. These men were what were important, but why? What was different in him now? Perhaps I should make an appointment to speak with Katherine, myself. He sighed and smiled and went down the stairs consoling himself with one thought, life as one of Garrison's Gorillas was never going to be dull.