Bitter Waters

Part Nine

"Kwai Chang Caine? Are you sure?" Kermit asked.

"Yeah," Paul confirmed.

"Turns out Kwai Chang Caine is the name of the man who ran the monastery . . . I think he may have been one of those who was killed in the explosions. And I believe Peter is his son." Kermit watched Paul's eyes fall and his shoulders sag. "Paul, what's the matter?"

"The man saved my life once. I promised to help him whenever we would meet again, but it never happened. Now I can't repay that debt."

"His son vowed revenge on the men that murdered his father," Kermit said, his voice going down to almost a whisper, realizing that he could very well be one of those men if Peter Caine were to know the full truth and be allowed to fulfill that vow of vengeance. He was lucky on one thing Peter Caine never saw his face.

"Kermit, we can't let the son of Kwai Chang Caine commit murder for murder. From what I know of Caine it wouldn't be right. I'll take a look at him. Do you know where he is?"

"Last time I heard, he was being sent to a different orphanage than the one they originally planned. They're sending him out of state. There wasn't any room."

"There's no room in any of the state orphanages in California, that's pretty odd."

"Seems no one wants him because of his background, so they're sending him to a place called Pineridge, somewhere in the Midwest."

"Somewhere in the Midwest huh? I take it it's in the same state that I'm thinking of moving Annie and the girls. Very shrewd, Kermit."

"Hey, I had nothing to do with it," Kermit lied. In truth, he had made a few phone calls before visiting Paul. He wanted to be certain that Paul and Peter got together somehow. So he discretely made a few suggestions to the state welfare and social services office, letting them know that Peter Caine already had a potential home. The place was out of state and in order for that home to come about Peter Caine would have to be sent out of state as well. They were more than willing to co-operate. Now it was up to him to see that home come about. Master Kahn said he could be trusted. And the old priest said he knew he would do the right thing. To put that much faith in him, Kermit would do what he could.

"I can tell when you're up to something, Kermit Griffin."

"Uh I better get back to my office." Kermit moved and started to slip out the door when Blaisdell stated.

"You're not that different than I am," Paul Blaisdell said as he sipped the last of his cooling coffee. "You care more than you let on. Don't worry I won't tell anyone. Just don't lose that. Working as a mercenary, whether freelance or for any government agent can make you bitter after a time. You can also lose touch with what's important. Cultivate the outer shell, but try to keep the inside a little soft. It could save your life in the end."

"I'll remember that, though Styles seems to think you have to be hard boiled to do this kind of job."

"Styles doesn't know everything. He can be a good man sometimes, but don't let on that I said that. If you ever decide you need a place to get away from this business, let me know. I'll put in a good word in with the captain of the 101st."

"You know the captain of that precinct already?" Kermit caught on as Paul Blaisdell gave him a decisive wink and a big grin.

"Oh yeah," Paul replied.

"I'll keep in touch, Paul, the usual way. And let me know how things work out with that kid."

Kermit left feeling a little better than he had in the past few days. Before, the taste of bitter waters was driving him to distraction over that whole debacle, now he felt somewhat at peace. He knew that peace wouldn't last for long. He would be handed another mission where lives would be put at risk. He was learning to deal with it. Perhaps Styles was right, to a point. The necessity of hardening ones heart to do a job may be what was called for, but at the same time, it cost Kermit a little more of his humanity. How much was he willing to lose for the sake of his country? He didn't know for sure. In truth, he didn't want to find out. For now, all he knew was that the moment he would become like Styles, that would be the moment he would lose all sense of himself. Perhaps that was why he decided to help Peter Caine.

As Kermit stepped into the blazing sun, he placed his sunglasses on. Feeling their weight gave him comfort and he was relieved for that moment he didn't have to choose, and being out in the cold, out in the thick of it was where he belonged in order to do the most good. Missions will come and go, and for now, this little extra assignment that even Styles did not know about was set in motion. At the last minute Kermit decided to reveal about saving the kid, since that was part of the "original mission objective". After all, he did do his part, just as Styles requested, and that was setting the explosives, even though they should not have been set in the first place. Anything more after that, Styles wouldn't care.

Kermit was learning to not only be subtle, but careful in what he revealed to certain people. There was something about Styles that rankled him and one day he would figure it out. For the time being, he had other interests, and one of them was a pre-teen by the name of Peter Caine. He would watch and hope that this mission at least was a successful one.

End