Chapter 45

He was standing in the middle of the trees for about one minute, until he heard her footsteps. Deliberate footsteps that were meant to be heard. There was no reason to sneak up here, they both knew the other was here.

They stood a few feet away from each other, just watching. Above them, a satellite with infrared locked in their location and away enough to avoid their detection, agents with listening devices that could work with high distances, they could feel eyes on them, but could not tell where it came from.

She was the one to break the silence.

" You know, I was going to send a few more things your way before this meeting. Imagine my face when I could not, for the life of me, find you. "

" Surprised? " He asked. " You shouldn't have been. "

" Well, not surprised. But, it was not in my plans you not showing up at work anymore. " She said, then smirking. " What really surprised me was that you got caught. I have to say, I got a bit disappointed Scot. "

" They got lucky, my performance was impeccable. " He shot back, his voice cold and not showing his offence.

" Really? " She asked, they starting to walk in a circle, not getting closer than they already were. " So how did they found out? Humor me with an explanation. "

" I assume that after I sneak up in the lab to listen to the messages you left me, I must have left something slightly out-of-place. Abby is extremely particular about her lab. "

" Sneak up? " She asked. " Why would you do that? You work with them, you have access. "

" It was the first time I listened to your voice after all this time Arty. Not even I am that good in keeping up an act. And also, they might not be one of us, but they are good. "

" I understand, I too was alone when looking at you for the first time. I know how bittersweet it can be. Of course, I was not the one to abandon you. "

He closed his eyes for a moment.

" I already explained this to you. I left them, you stayed behind because I know that your loyalty was never mine. "

" Not even a note. Though now I admit there were signs. "

" Would you have understood? " He asked, not waiting for her answer he continued. " Don't even try, you know that you wouldn't. You never will. I'm wasting my breath trying to explain. "

" That was not the reason you didn't leave a note. " She said. " You didn't leave a note because you didn't want to face the fact that you were betraying both the Order and me. You still can't admit. "

" Is different to you. " He said. " We ended up together by different circumstances. You were brought in, you feel like you owe them your life. I was born to it. Before I was even a thought, my fate was laid out for me, no escape. But to the rescued ones? Never they are brought in against their wishes. Even being a child, you could have chosen against it. "

" You make it sound like it was a prison. " She said. " Like it was all some great torture. That we are monsters. You forget our mission, our calling. We are the sword that shapes the world! We keep the balance of power where it should be! For as long as humanity exists, there will be Order. "

" I will never forget the mission or the calling. " He spat out. " And I will admit it wasn't all bad. "

" We are your family, you are who you are because of us. Don't try to pretend is not true. And don't pretend that you are some bleeding-heart humanitarian that cares about others people's lives, some pacifist, I was there. And what you did to that pathetic excuse of a sniper I sent to your place, that proves it. "

They stopped circling each other.

" I never denied being a killer, it's what I was raised to be. What I wanted was not to be a mindless instrument of their will. And I never said you were a monster, I will never think that. " His emotionless tone getting a softer edge to it. " I left for myself. I wanted control over my life. "

They looked at each other for a while.

" I assume you considered my offer? " She asked.

" I did. "

" And what is your answer? "

" You say that I will be taken back with open arms. That my betrayal will be forgiven. " He started, observing her and her reactions. " Will the leaders forget? Father and Mother? And the others? Or were you sent here just to kill me and nothing else? Is this a trick? Or just a desperate wish? "

" Would you really think I would use such a trick? " She asked, an almost invisible smirk on her face. " Use your situation as a fugitive to dangle salvation in your face, just to stab you in the back when you started feeling safe? "

" Yes. Especially because you'll have use for every single one of your tricks to be able to take me down. "

She grinned.

" I do have authorization from the new leaders to make you this offer. " She said.

" New? For how long? "

" About three years now. And they still hold to all their credibility, despite your actions. Their word is law, as much as their predecessor's was. If they say you are to be taken back to your previous place, the others will accept. "

" Really? " He asked incredulous. " A traitor in the leaders inner circle and next in line to the leadership? I find that hard to believe. "

" Nothing that some proven loyalty can't solve. " She said. " And, besides, you were born to it, raised from birth. You are your father son. And, me, I'm the perfect replacement for your mother. Everything will be as it was. "

" I see. "

" So, your answer? "

He took a while to answer.

" I accept it. "

She smiled, not a sarcastic smile, an honest smile.

With slow steps they made their way towards each other. When they were in arms reach, they hugged and kissed. A passionate kiss of lovers long-lost.

" I wish I could believe that. " She breathed out, taking a blade from her sleeve.

But he expected that, so he had his own blade and was ready to defend himself.

He cut her side, while with his other hand, he hit her armed hand away from him.

He was not worried about traps, or about other weapons. To meetings like this, no members took more that one weapon. And only lazy cowards took fire arms.

She blocked his blade with hers. An elbow almost hitting her on her face, she ducked used her leg to hit the back side of his knees, making him lose his balance for a second.

Their fight continued, quick movements, kicks, hits, cuts and stabs. For several minutes none getting the upper hand. But her movements were getting slightly slower.

If they were fighting a regular person, or someone who weren't so balanced with their own abilities, they would have been able to pay more attention to their surroundings and the people approaching.

Then she jumped out of his reach, blade raised, starting to pant, which was nowhere near normal for people like them.

" What did you do to me Scot? " She asked, glaring.

" One thing about being born in the Order, about being my father's son. " He answered, a miniscule smile on his face. " Practically from birth I have been given increasingly larger amounts of several poisons and drugs. A carefully calculated mixture that made me, today, immune to pretty much every single poison on this planet. Or, at least, highly resistant. "

She stopped glaring and grinned.

" Very good. " She said. " I never even though to question why you received more pills and injections with our rations and medical check ups. " He gave a laugh. " And during our breakout and rescue training, they just gave you a more concentrated amount, didn't they? "

He smiled, remembering the lessons she mentioned. They would be either the rescuer or the prisoner. They would receive drugs that would disrupt their physical and intellectual performance. They were to leave the local of captivity in an specific amount of time. Depending on the details, they had to escape unnoticed or by neutralizing all in the location.

" Now you know how I always knew the effects of any mixture they gave us. "

Her knees gave in, her hand still gripping to the blade.

" Some mixture you gave me. "

" Is not common, your resistance should be in a low to medium level. Others would have given in already. "

She looked at him and smirked, still panting.

" Poisoned with a kiss. " She stated, figuring out how he must have poisoned her. " Needles would have been faster. And I thought you kissed me because you missed me. " Her characteristic grin never leaving her face.

" No reason we couldn't enjoy the process. " He said, getting closer.

The lack of action allowed them to sense the approaching of the agents.

" They're almost here. " She said. " I'll finally be able to talk face to face with your 'team'. " She said the last word as if it disgusted her.

" They have nothing to do with us. You have no reason to harm them. " He said, kneeling next to her as she fell all the way to the floor. " I will not return and they will have no value in getting my attention. I won't keep tabs on them. "

" Won't you? With their track record I assume they won't stop until they get you. "

" They're good, but not that good. " He said. " They know Jimmy Palmer, but me? They wouldn't even know where to start. "

She looked at him, her beautiful blue eyes already half way shut.

" Alright. I won't harm them. " She said. " You're not going to finish the job, will you? "

" No, I refuse to kill you. " He said. " At least this time, you have your good-bye. I really wished you were coming with me. "

" And I wish you could stay. "

One second later, her eyes lost the drowsiness to them. And with the last of her energy she had before the poison would take full effect, she gripped the knife harder and lunged forward to him, no more playing around, going for the quick kill.

Instead of stopping her, he just turned to have the knife going in his side instead of his heart.

She noticed what he did, and looked at him with a curious expression of what his plan would be, her hand falling to the ground.

" NCIS! Freeze! "