"The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them."- Ralph G. Nichols
XIV. Requiem
11:30AM…Baltimore Maryland…Tuesday
Emerson walked into her house and tossed her stuff on the couch. She was tired and needed a shower and her bed.
The past few days were tiring. Her asset was still in the wind and the agency was under review because of Frost.
DIA Operations Center…Bethesda Maryland…2:00AM…Tuesday
Emerson was going over some of the paper files they had on Ward. She was looking at a surveillance picture of Ward when she was working under the name of Jocelyn Carter. It was a still frame of her in a DOD facility in New York.
She was holding the arm of an older white male as her police partner, Detective Fusco was trying to pull her away. After doing some digging she found out that man in the suit was a rouge of the CIA.
She asked the CIA for their file on the man but they had told her he was confirmed dead and then they told her if she had any more questions she would have to file the proper departmental paperwork and they would get back to her as soon as possible. Which was CIA speak for 'fuck off'.
She rubbed her eyes and looked up in time to see Frost look at his phone and then he excused himself to the bathroom. She rolled her eyes and continued combing through the files.
DIA Operations Center…Bethesda Maryland…3:15 AM…Tuesday
Emerson was brought out of her reading as Clarke rushed into the command room.
"Ma'am the ATM Company sent us the security footage, its ready and loaded on the center consul."
Emerson watched as the video feed played although the video was grainy they were able to clear it up.
They all watched in silence as the feed showed Frost and his men removing evidence form Ward's apartment and bringing in evidence to incriminate Ward.
"Son of a bitch!" Emerson shouted
"Clarke, call security and tell them to lock down the building. No one in or out, also make sure they freeze Frosts access card."
Emerson pulled her gun from her hip and marched down the hall and stormed into the men's bathroom. After combing the entire building, security confirmed that Frost had left an hour earlier.
By now the bastard was in the wind.
Baltimore Maryland…12:00PM…Tuesday
Emerson walked into her bedroom and stopped in her tracks, sitting on her bed was a yellow envelope. She slowly approached the bed and picked it up and emptied the contents. She slowly picked up the flash drive and the single piece of paper.
On the back of the paper were the words 'all you need'. When she turned the piece of paper over she found herself looking at an obituary column in the New York paper that had the death of Jocelyn Carter circled.
A smile spread across her face, she guessed it was time to have her asset officially declared dead.
It was a pity she had a promising future with the agency. Emerson gathered her stuff and went back to the agency to turn in the flash drive.
New York…1:30PM…Tuesday
Ross made her way up the crowded street as she made her way over to two figures and dog sitting outside a tavern. As she approached, they stood up. Ross watched as Shaw scanned the crowd.
"Where's Carter?"
"She had to make a special delivery." Ross replied
"What will you do know Ms. Ross?"Finch questioned
Ross shrugged her shoulders.
"I know you are aware Ms. Ross of the job offer I gave Ms. Carter, It would be rude of me if I didn't offer you the same thing as well."Harold stated
"I'm not one for saving the world Finch." Ross replied
"I had a feeling you would say that Ms. Ross."Harold responded back with a smile and handed her a piece of paper.
Ross grabbed the paper and looked at the phone number written on it.
"Just in case you change your mind, the offer will be long standing." Finch stated
Ross looked back up and noticed Shaw's irritated look and followed her line of sight into the tavern. Ross spotted Reese sitting at the bar drinking.
"I see he's still brooding." Ross stated
Shaw snorted "Yeah, overly emotional is his middle name."
Ross watched as Shaw turned toward Finch
"I'm hungry Harold and you're buying."Shaw demanded
Ross watched as Finch grabbed Bears leash, he bid her goodbye and walked away with Shaw. Ross turned her attention back to Reese and walked into the tavern and sat down at the bar and ordered a BLT to go.
"Are you here to lecture me too?" John asked
"Now why would I do that old man?"Ross questioned
"I take it you turned down Finch's offer?"
"Maybe." Ross replied
After a few minutes John started to speak again.
"They want me to forget and move on. How am I supposed to do that?"John questioned
Ross rolled her eyes."Not forget, forgive, two totally different things."
John shook his head slowly.
"It's not that simple."
Ross laughed "Since when has anything ever been."
John turned toward her.
"What would you do, if you were me?"
Ross narrowed her eyes at him. "That depends"
"On what?" John questioned
"On if in this scenario, I'm still in love with her."
Ross watched in amusement as John's eyes widened then he looked down.
"That easy to read." John asked
"Yeah, you have a terrible poker face"
John laughed "surprisingly you're not the first woman to tell me that."
Ross watched as the waiter brought her a bag with her food in it, she paid him and got up.
She looked back at John and sighed
"Since you're so desperate here's some advice young Skywalker."
Ross watched as he half smiled
"Communicate."
John turned toward her and raised an eyebrow. "Communicate?"
"Communication is the key to understanding. It's made up of equal parts talking and listening."Ross stated
Ross grabbed her food and walked out the tavern and disappeared into the crowded streets of New York.
John turned back toward the bar and sat and thought about Ross's words. When he finally got up it was dark outside, he paid his tab and walked outside. Once he was on the street he pulled out his phone and dialed her new number.
After a few rings he heard her hesitant voice on the other end.
"Joss I think it's time we talked."
AN:Just in case people aren't familer with the reference *young skywalker its form the movie Star Wars.