Epilogue

Unfinished Matters

Automatic gunfire tore into their unsuspecting bodies, jerking the six men behind Vincent as they died. Bourne's arm snapped behind him and reached for the man's gun. He jerked it up into the man's face and kicked his knee. Wrenching the rifle away Bourne finished him by slamming the butt of the gun into his face. Paz's approach was different. He caught the rifle behind him and shoved it back into the man's shoulder. He followed through with an elbow to the face punch to the stomach and a strike to the temple. Both of the gunmen were down and unconscious as Bourne and Paz backed up to take cover.

Gunfire continued to spray throughout the room. With the six soldiers behind Vincent dead, the gunfire turned slowly towards Vincent. It struck the desk and sprayed wood everywhere, making it impossible for Bourne to see. Then the firing stopped and Jason Bourne's persona began to think. He glanced at the window where the gunfire had suddenly burst from, surprising all of them and stopping Vincent from killing him. That part he was grateful for, but it didn't make any sense as to where the lone gunner had suddenly come from. He put the facts he knew to the back of his mind for the moment as he surveyed any immediate danger in front of him.

Vincent didn't groan but let the lancing pain in his body run its course. It was pure luck that he hadn't killed; his right hand man and the desk had taken most of the bullets for him. Still, bullets had entered his lower leg and shoulder. He didn't make a noise because he knew he would end up shouting in pain. Still, as he locked eyes with Bourne, he realized he was probably dead any way. Bourne kicked the revolver away unnecessarily; Vincent didn't have the strength to kill him right now. Then Bourne grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him on top of what remained on the desk, while Paz looked for any sign of their rescuer.

He coughed painfully. "You never gave up your advantage, did you Bourne?" he asked. He had to know who had thwarted him. "You had a third man outside the window at all time. You really can't be beaten." Bourne didn't say anything, didn't give anything away in his face, but held the assault rifle to him.

"Where is she?" Bourne pressed, loading the gun for effect. Vincent was unaffected. He knew when he was beaten, and this was one of those times. Taking steady breaths to assure he could speak, Vincent tried to shift his weight to a more comfortable position. It was difficult underneath the barrel pointed at him by the world's deadliest person.

"She's locked in a room off the main hall," Vincent muttered back. He found himself glad his former right hand had never done anything to Nicky; it would've greatly decreased his chances of living. Not that they were high right now. To his surprise, Bourne pulled the gun away slowly.

"She doesn't want me to kill," Bourne muttered, and Vincent wondered why Nicky would deny Bourne a part of him that was integrated the way other people eat? He didn't think much more when Bourne slammed the gun into him and knocked him out.

Vincent taken care of, Bourne turned to Paz, who was dialing somebody on his Bluetooth. That also made Bourne thinks about his previous questions. Who had been their rescuer? While Paz was dialing, their eyes met. Body position changed. Both had recognized the sound of the gun: it was a CIA issued rifle, similar to Paz's. But it hadn't been Paz's rifle. That specific rifle was still sitting on a rooftop on the other side of the mansion. For somebody to take Paz's rifle, sprint around the mansion, climb a building and take aim before they had gotten to where they were would have taken superhuman effort. Bourne wasn't certain he could've done a stunt like that. It left one solution: the CIA had sent somebody to help him after all.

"Wait here," Bourne ordered. He left the room and broke into a run, searching for a locked door. He caught one halfway back to the entrance. Blood starting to race again, he slammed the butt of the gun into the lock and broke it. He dropped the assault rifle and threw open the door in one motion. Nicky was sitting tied to a chair with a cloth gag over her mouth. Her dark, panicked, frightened eyes met his lighter, anxious, worried ones. At the sight of each other, both caught their breath. Nicky's eyes began to shine with welled tears, feeling a gush of relief and joy at the sight of the man she loved.

Soundlessly he began to untie her. As soon as Bourne undid the gag she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around him to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Bourne was surprised a second and then embraced him back just as securely, both personas finally winding down. Nicky was safe again; he had taken her back from her personal nightmare. Time passed as they continued the embrace, content with holding each other against the physical and mental trauma they had suffered starting in Paris. It was healing and closure, the best they could get.

Bourne gently released her and looked her over for anything marks or bruises. "I'm fine," Nicky replied quietly, her gaze piercing him. There was a tremble in her voice and in how she stood; she wasn't mentally fine. Fright still had her. David Webb began to worry for shock. Jason Bourne rapidly assured that she was tougher than she looked. He also reminded them that there wasn't much time to stand around here; likely police would be responding to the explosion and gunfire soon. Taking her by the arm, but softer than normally, he led her out of the room and back towards where Paz was waiting.

Paz was in the process of muttering to himself and stomping on his Bluetooth; the device had broken and he was using his cell phone. It finished dialing as Landy picked up. "Paz reporting," he stated as Bourne and Nicky entered the room. She temporarily jumped when she saw him, but a silent conversation between Bourne and her calmed her still frightened nerves. He had been right; they did mirror each other.

"I take it your 'sick leave' is finished?" Landy asked. There was a slight tinge of regret. Did she regret letting him kill? He had read her file to know who he would be working with. She was against black ops and killing orders for a lot of reasons. Was she struggling with some inner demon for letting him do this?

"Yes, ma'am," Paz replied. He glanced at Bourne. "We're…thankful for the help you sent."

"…Paz, we didn't send anybody. I kept this out of the CIA, no body count." Paz froze, hand reaching for his gun. Bourne's posture stiffened as the agent recognized what the asset was feeling. Neither he nor Nicky had heard it, but Bourne knew all the same.

Nicky felt her panic level start to rise again. Something was bothering Paz, but she couldn't tell what. She didn't know the asset the way she knew Bourne and his movements were nothing to her. But Bourne was just was shocked and alarmed right now, and that she could read. The exact cause was uncertain, but anything that worried Bourne worried her. Finally she spoke as Paz hung up. "What is it?"

Bourne spoke slowly, his posture reflecting he wasn't trying to scare her. "A gunman helped us, with a CIA issued weapon, and they weren't sent by the CIA."

*****

The mystery was still running through Jason Bourne's mind as he and Nicky approached the train. It was an enigma who knew Bourne enough to help him, yet who had somehow survived him at one point or another without Bourne knowing him. His mind had slowly settled on another former asset of Black Briar. It was the only reasonable explanation. No one else had those types of weaponry. Treadstone was dead, so maybe another former asset had decided to thank Bourne, anonymously. Whoever it was had to be good enough to be hidden from him all this time. Only someone trained to be an assassin could do that.

David Webb was occupied with something he considered far more important. He had stated a specific course of objectives he said he would complete. But at the moment, he found himself afraid, for the first time he could remember, to do what he had planned to. Carefully, almost panicked, Bourne spoke. "Nicky."

She turned towards him, and he regretted his choice. There was such feeling in her face like always that tore his heart in two directions. One was towards her; the other was towards the fear in his choice. She had such trust in him now that he almost considered changing his choice. But he refused to do that to her, and he steeled himself as best as he could against the beauty and features of her face. "I've hurt you…a lot."

Her expression changed to confusion and a slight tinge of fear. Her posture changed almost immediately, moving closer as if to prevent an escape. He continued despite the terrible build in his stomach. "Everything I've done since I lost my memory, even before then, has made you hurt." They exchanged a silent conversation as Nicky realized what he was talking about. She knew that he had finally remembered, and had added up what she had been through inside. But for some reason, instead of hurt, there was compassion in her eyes.

He continued to speak. He always spoke when it was especially important. "I don't want to hurt you anymore. It's you choice if you still want me here." David Webb began begging inside, and Jason Bourne stood still in anguish, waiting for what he thought was the obvious choice.

Nicky's eyes bulged in fear as she realized what he meant and thought. Her posture changed to panic and she embraced him quickly, pulling him closer to prevent an escape. All this time, he had been afraid that being closer would hurt her more? "Don't leave," she whispered into his ear. "I need you. I, I love you."

She had said it. Jason Bourne was frozen with pure bliss, and David Webb began to change the knot in his stomach into pure ecstasy. Bourne thought he might have smiled as he embraced her back, feeling strangely giddy. Nicky, Nicky Parsons, had said she loved him and wanted him to say. None of the dangers he had faced or problems still ahead bothered him. He fought to find the power to say what he felt. "I love you too," he muttered back, with as much feeling as both personas could find.

She smiled again: a genuine happy smile that Bourne could only remember seeing once. They exchanged glances and postures, Bourne taking in her expression of how happy she finally was. And he was surprised to find a calm, finally balanced center. And it revolved around the flood of emotion in her beautiful face.

It was time for their train to depart. Nicky prepared for Bourne's protective, if a little overzealous, hand on her arm, but was surprised when he hesitantly offered his hand instead. She took it with the same continuing smile as they boarded the train, content with the knowledge that she was finally with the person she loved the most, known to the world as Jason Bourne.

*****

"Boss, I really can't be talking too long. This line might be tapped. This is my career field I'm in, after all."

"Good day to you too. Starting finding Bourne again. Pull out all the power you have. You were able to do it twice; you should be able to again with attracting attention. Just call him one of your personal curiosities."

"What boss?"

"I said find him so we can kill him!"

"But, boss, didn't he just spare you?"

"One: don't question me again. I'm put you there, and I'll kill you just as quickly. Two: I still have two dead family members. Three: they're not dead yet."

"What about the lone gunman?"

"Find out about it. I thought you made it clear not to send men."

"We didn't. I don't know how Paz got there."

"Make sure he doesn't again. Bourne didn't know who it was, either. That gives me equal playing field. Now get to your work."

"Yes, boss."