Disclaimer - I do not own Homeland. That pleasure belongs to Showtime. No copyright infringement or money making scheme intended. This is purely for reading enjoyment.
Luckyu - thank you.
Shockey 13 - thank you too. Am trying to sort osme issues with next chapter of TLG. When I do, I will post.
LilMisfit - good to know Stephen is so well received. Thank you.
Indigo - thank you for your many reviews.
Lipamo - agreed. The thought of Brody being tossed aside and forgotten annoys me greatly. Hence why Stephen is so supportive of Carrie.
A/N Well here is the next one. Hope you all enjoy. Thanks to everyone reading/reviewing, faving and/or following.
It had been a long time since Jack had been in Katie's coffee shop, but he needed to get away from everything and everyone. He thought that doing so would help, but the feeling of paranoia had joined him. He's convinced he is being followed and couldn't help nervously glancing round every so often, despite Katie's not being that busy, now that morning rush is over. Perhaps the lack of people is what is bothering him...few witnesses. He usually likes the window seat, but not today. Suddenly he couldn't get the word sniper out of his head.
"Congressman."
It was stupid he knew it, but he couldn't help the horrible scenarios forming in his head.
"Ah, Congressman", Katie tries again, this time lightly tapping him on the arm.
Jack lets out a yelp and could swear he jumps a few feet out of his chair, spilling his coffee all over the place.
"Sorry, sorry! Congressman, I didn't mean to startle you!", Katie speaks in a rush, haphazardly cleaning up the spilage.
"It's fine, Katie", he replies, taking deep breaths and trying to get his heart rate back to normal.
He sees Katie staring at him with a mixture of interest and fear.
"What is it Katie?", he asks, wondering how he must appear for her to look at him like that.
"I just wanted to check you are ok. You seemed to be away in another world and...", Katie stops, not wanting to overstep any more boundaries.
"And what?", he pushes.
Katie fidgets nervously, "well aren't you going to answer your phone? It's been ringing a few times."
Jack is suddenly aware of a ringing noise coming from his bag which is strange because his phone is in his pocket.
"I'll just get you another coffee, Congressman. On the house", Katie says trying to appease him.
"Yes that would be great thanks", Jack answers but not really paying attention to her. He is still staring at his bag.
He knows he can't let it ring much longer, now that Katie has brought it to his attention. He picks the phone out of his bag. It isn't his and he has no idea how he has it. Despite his reservations, he answers the call.
"Hello", he answers tentatively.
"Well at least they haven't killed you then. I was getting worried for a moment...well a few moments actually", the man finishes in annoyance.
Jack recognises the voice of his visitor from last week, the one who said he could help. It takes a minute for what he said to sink in.
"Wait...what do you mean..."
"Ok, here's how it is going to work", the man begins. "I'm going to speak, you are going to listen and speak as little as possible. When you do need to answer, answer yes or no, or vaguely like "that's fine", got it?", he questions.
"Yes", Jack replies nervously.
"Good." To answer your question, I am talking about the two CIA agents you have following you."
"What?", Jack demands, before he can help himself. He looks around nervously at the people in the Coffee shop.
"Jack, stop looking around, you'll only draw attention to yourself. They are outside in a car and will likely follow you home, which by the way is likely bugged from top to bottom. So, for goodness sake get a grip of yourself. If I hadn't arrived before you and know you'd only had one coffee before I left, I would have blamed the caffeine for your jumpiness. "
"What?"
"Stop interrupting with unnecessary questions. Yes, I was there when you arrived. How else do you think you ended up with the phone in your bag? We are supposed to be meeting after all, but I spotted your tail and decided we can meet some other time, elsewhere.
Jack can't help himself, but does lower his voice as much as he can,"you confirm my suspicions about being followed, infer they might kill me...and you tell me to get a grip?", he asks, incredulous and angry.
"Have you seen the news this morning, Congressman?", the man asks, now the angry one.
Jack had seen the news and it upset him, because that is not what he wanted at all.
"I'm waiting, Congressman", the man says impatiently.
"Yes, I saw it", he answers sadly.
"Not what you wanted, Congressman? Here's the problem with whipping up a media storm, the rules go out of the window. Because just like an actual storm, you have no control over where it goes. What's that saying? The sins of the father shall be revisited upon the son. People are stupid and righteous, indignant fools get it into their heads they are allowed to seek revenge, outside of the law.
Jack doesn't say anything. What could he say? That he hadn't thought about the repercussions for anyone outside of the political world. He doubted the man would welcome hearing that, if their previous conversation was anything to go by.
The man interrupts Jack's thoughts by speaking again, "if I were you, I'd pray that the Brody family pull through."
Jack didn't miss the tone, the suggestion of threat in this sentence.
"So, yes, getting back to your question, I am telling you to get a grip and the sooner, the better. What part of stop asking unnecessary questions was so difficult to process? No fidgeting, no looking around like a kid stealing candy and no ridiculous whispering either. When people hear or see someone whispering they automatically want to know the secret. Do as I say and your chance of making it out of the mess you've made, alive, will be better."
"Ok," he replies, swallowing the bile in his throat. Jack had never taken the expression "shitting your pants", as literally as he is now, because he's pretty sure he just might.
"Good. It seems clear to me that your arrogance led you to believe you have considered everything. Well you haven't. Let me make this real simple for you, you've wandered into the big boys' playground and recess is over. You're like a fish out of water. You should have stuck to being a typical, cliched politician, fiddling your expenses and shagging your secretary."
Fear momentarily deserting him, Jack can't help but reply indignantly, "I haven't done either."
The man laughs, "well, you're still young by a politician's standards, so give yourself time on the expenses. As for your secretary, I would. Now, you having a tail is not entirely unexpected, but a pain in the ass. I'll find somewhere for us to meet and then I will call you and when I do, you will follow my instructions to the letter. I don't want us being overheard or worse. You can call me, but only in an absolute emergency. I don't want a call because your own shadow is scaring you shitless. Speed dial 1. This is a burn phone. Do not let anyone else get a hold of it."
"What do I do in the meantime?"
"You finish your coffee, compose yourself and go about your normal day, in a normal manner. Do not deviate from your normal everyday routine. I'm guessing for them to be watching you so closely, you've already done exactly that. So, I suggest getting back to it now."
"Why would that matter?"
"You are stirring up a shit storm about Nicholas Brody. He is a sore subject for them and one they do not want in the public eye. I doubt it has crossed their minds you are a goody two shoes, naive idiot. As far as they are concerened, you know something and they want to know where you are getting your information from. They want to know if you are meeting people and going places you don't normally. They are now assessing how much of a threat you are. That is a bad place to be, Congressman."
"What do you think?"
"I think you're an arrogant, ignorant asshole, but that's just me."
"But, I don't know anything", he says with desperation.
"Well, Congressman, they think you do. I saw that interview about finding Nicholas Brody. Made me want to vomit, but that's not important. What is important is that they don't want you to find the truth. You won't find Nicholas Brody, because the truth Mr Congressman, is that he is dead and that is the truth they want to stay buried with him. If you're not careful, you'll join him."
Jack processed what had just been said to him and felt the colour drain from his face, "shit!", was all he could manage.
"I'm glad you appreciate the gravity of the situation. I'll be in touch."
The man ended the call.
Katie approaches again, "I have your coffee. I didn't want to interrupt while you were on the phone."
"Thanks", he manages to say.
"Are you ok?", Katie asks with concern shinning in her eyes.
"My stomach is a bit off this morning." Well, it wasn't a complete lie. His stomach was doing somersaults. He has a meeting in an hour. He can't miss it and remembering what the man said about not deviating from normal routine, he really shouldn't miss it. He has no idea how he is supposed to get a grip, but he composes himself as best as he can, says goodbye to Katie and leaves to face his day.
Carrie has always done her best to be useful, resourceful and to make a difference. She hates sitting on the sidelines leaving work to everyone else. Of course right now, she has no idea whose side she is supposed to be on anyway. The pancakes she made for breakfast are untouched. She'd seen the news, her stomach had turned and she was left with a burning desire to do something, but what?
Frank didn't like it. He didn't like it all. He didn't like that the three Brody's are currently in hospital fighting for their lives, after an aarson attack. He didn't like the cold dismissiveness of some of the news readers or people being interviewed, depending on what channel you are watching and he did not like his daughter's reaction.
He could currently see her out in the garden pulling up weeds, using it as a means to calm down. He'd seen the rage in her eyes, but that isn't what bothered him. No. What bothered him was that look, the signs that indicated her brain was operating at a 100 miles an hour, working on something and the body language that said she was thinking about what to do.
"Well, no i suppose it isn't their fault, but after what he did..."
Frank looks up at the tv and reaches for the control. Some people were absolutely uneblievable. He turns the tv off, in disgust.
He looks back out at the garden where Carrie is showing no signs of slowing down. No, he didn't like it at all.