Okay, that last quote from the extra scene "But that's not important is it..." is almost a direct quote from one of the greatest heist/drama/awesome movies ever, Sneakers. It is spoken by James Earl Jones. So maybe that'll add a little extra epicness to your day.

There's also a part in this chapter where I started writing and it turned into the Bourne Identity without me even realizing it. I had to go back and change the dialogue because I was quite unintentionally quoting it. Didn't even fit with the story! Whoops. v . v

Either way. Here's the next chapter for your viewing pleasure. Only an epilogue left after this.

Grizzle's Perspective

The passing time trickled by. I kept an uncomfortably close eye on Cassie throughout the school day. I'm sure an outsider looking in would have thought that I was up to no good of some sort, watching a student like that, but as it is, no one directly confronted me about it. So I kept right on watching.

It seemed, in the past week alone, that Cassie had aged. Okay, maybe not aged. Just become more responsible. Like she knew I was watching. Like she knew there would be consequences if she screwed up.

I could really only assume that the case worker had given up because I had seen nothing come of my accusation.

So, I watched.

Another week had gone by before I accepted the changes Cassie had made in herself.

She had started bringing her own lunch to school instead of purchasing it. She was much more calm and collected in her dealings with friends. It was as if she couldn't afford to get in trouble and she knew people were looking after her - waiting for something to go wrong.

I gathered up my hot lunch and stood to leave lunch. I was in charge of the first half of lunch patrol, so I quickly threw away my trash and hurriedly scurried to my classroom for five minutes of sanity while I prepared for and awaited my next class.

I sat down at my desk to open up the powerpoint I was lecturing from. It was as I was digging through my h-drive that I heard the dreaded vibrating. I looked up, fully expecting to have to take someone's cell phone away, before realizing that I was alone in the room.

I turned to look at the filing cabinet. Who would call me during school hours?

Of course it's a private number. Someone I could call back would be too much to ask.

In the end, the split second choice turned out to be the right one. I clicked the green button, put the phone to my ear and said "David Grizzle."

"You wished to speak to me?"

Alex's Perspective

It wasn't often that I got home from a mission in the exact same condition that I left for the mission. Whenever this did happen, I've got to say, it's the biggest high. You come back feeling completely invincible - like you're on top of the world and nothing can hurt you. However, since I always have to have complete control over my emotions, I didn't let it show. I'm a better spy that that. After all, I'm still alive.

I let myself into Snake's house and finally allowed myself to smile. It was home. Sure, I owned a house - Josh's house was home. Two steps inside the house showed me that Snake still wasn't home from Beacons. I took this in stride and continued into the house knowing that Cassie would be at school and I was the only one there.

I went into the kitchen and opened up the fridge. Finding a beer, I popped the top and allowed myself to celebrate my happy homecomings. As I shut the refrigerator, a small piece of paper fluttered out from underneath its' magnet and floated to the floor. It finally settled beneath the counter, nestled up against the baseboard. Groaning, I bent down to pick it up and spotted my name.

Deciding it was of import to me (after all, why would it be in plain sight if it wasn't for me?) I pulled out a chair and sat down to read what it said.

Tell Cub that Grizzle wants to talk to him ASAP.

"Well that's just dandy," speaking to myself.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, weighing the pros and cons in my head.

Oh, why the hell not.

I took my cellular out of my back pocket and began dialing Grizzle's number. I crumpled up the paper and tossed it in the bin as the phone rang in my ear.

"David Grizzle."

"You wished to speak to me?"

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

"Still trying to find answers to unanswerable questions?"

"I know."

"Excuse me?"

"I know about everything."

This time it was me that kept the silence. I didn't want to feed any fuel to his fire.

"I don't know how you did it - convincing the army to let you join at 14. You must have been the very first kid soldier. All those times you were out, you weren't sick. You were working. I get it now. I figured it all out. It doesn't matter that you didn't move on in school because you were already working a full time job. Clearly, you must still be doing it."

"I really have no idea what you're talking about..."

"Bullshit! It all makes sense. Now I just need to hear it from you. The truth, Rider. Are you or are you not a soldier in the British army?"

Once again, he has leapt to the wrong conclusion. Determined not to throw him a bone, I responded, "I can honestly tell you that the truth will be more than you bargained for."

I stood up and started pacing. "Either way, you will never get it. I can neither confirm, nor deny, the charges you have set in front of me. I may have had "some" job growing up that I am not at liberty to discuss.

I can, however, tell you to back off your childish inquiries into my personal life and the personal lives of the McMan family. They are both insulting and juvenile...not to mention dangerous for all those involved."

"What do you mean, dangerous?"

"I thought you knew who you were dealing with here?"

Silence.

"Precisely. Whichever version of my past is true - be it the drug dealer, the gang member, or the prodigious child soldier - do you really want to get on the wrong side of me?"

"Well, I..."

"Mr. Grizzle, I am offering you an out here. You should take it. Live in your ignorance. Leave me and my acquaintances be. You stay out of my hair and you pray that I don't get in yours. Be happy with that. If you keep digging, you won't like what you find. And if you do end up finding something...you cannot say that I didn't warn you."

With that, I clicked my phone shut, set it on the table, and grabbed my head with my hands.

Ruining a perfectly good day.

I jostled my hair, grabbed my beer, and put the phone call out of my head. Not going to let it bother me. If he's stupid enough to keep digging...

Taking a gulp, I walked into the living room, turned on the telly, plopped on the couch, and waited for my family to get home.

Well chaps. Only the epilogue left to go from here.

You'll see it soon. :)

~Moldy