Pittsburgh, Henry, 2014
Jessica is waiting for me when I get to the baggage claim. When she sees me, a big smile breaks out on her face. She walks up to me quickly and throws her arms around me. I'm caught off guard, not that I should be. Three days is about the longest we've ever been apart.
"I missed you." There are tears in her voice, but I can't place them.
"I missed you, too." It's a lie. I didn't miss her. I know that if I didn't run into Elizabeth, I would've. But I had a crazy last few days. Guilt rises inside, so I pull her tighter. She lets out a small sob.
"Jess, what's wrong? Did something happen?"
Pittsburgh, Jessica, 2014
I can't tell him. I can't say, I know you were with her. I know you love her. I can't say that I was in the CIA and ran black ops for Dalton. I can't say that marrying him was a black op. And I definitely can't say that we are going to kill her. That Juliet will meet her in Baltimore, and Isabel and Bess will never walk out of that bar.
"No, I just love you, and I missed you." I stay in his arms willing him to say it back.
"I love you too." He doesn't say it with his whole heart, it just sounds like words.
Baltimore, Elizabeth, 2014
I circle the bar one more time. I want to make sure I'm not being followed. The drive here from DC was uneventful, other than my own paranoia. I took all backroads. And there were several times I took four right turns, just in case.
On my way into the building I check my coat pockets, a copy of my flash drive in one and a .22 in the other, just in case. I take a deep breath and walk into the bar.
I stop by the bar and order a coke, receiving a funny look from the bartender. And I'm suddenly jonesing for a vodka soda. I take my seat in the corner booth, no one can walk up behind me, and I can see the door. Who's in and who's out. And I wait. Sipping on my coke.
Five minutes later, Isabel walks in. She's alone. She hides her surprise when she sees me. Stopping by the bar and ordering a drink.
"I actually cried at your funeral, you bitch." She says pulling me up from the booth and wrapping me in a hug.
"I'm sorry." I truly am. I know that my disappearance hurt a lot of people. On the plane to Dulles, I was thinking of Will specifically. Trying to imagine how I would feel, if it were him who was dead. What it would be like to truly be the last one standing.
"Where have you been?" she pulls me out of my thoughts.
"It's quite the story." I retake my seat in the booth and she takes one across from me.
"I'm all ears."
"Is Juliet coming?" I ask.
Baltimore, Juliet, 2014
"I'm outside." I tell Munsey through the phone.
"Good, get it done quickly and cleanly Agent Humphrey."
"Yes, sir." I step outside of my car and verify that I still have the small baggie. Elizabeth will be simple. Addicts overdose upon relapse all of the time. Isabel will be significantly harder, but at least she's a federal agent. The local police will hand over the investigation to the FBI and POTUS will end it there. I take out my phone once more and shoot off a text.
Pittsburgh, Jessica, 2014
We are playing Monopoly with the kids, when my phone dings.
Juliet Humphrey: I'm going in.
I look up at Henry. He's laughing at Andrew's excitement as he hands him his passing go money. He's beautiful. It was so easy to fall in love with him. He's kind and smart and insightful and funny. He's a great father. He's also very good in bed. He's everything I've ever looked for.
When she doesn't call him, he will be disappointed. Maybe he'll mope around for a couple of weeks. But then everything will go back to normal. He and I will go back to our lives. We will raise our kids. We will grow old together. Our lives will continue on the same path we were on four days ago.
"Your turn, mama." Jason says pulling my face away from Henry, who now looks at me with concern, or maybe suspicion.
Baltimore, Elizabeth, 2014
She walks in right on cue. She doesn't look at me. She makes a beeline for the bar and orders. The bartender puts three vodka sodas in front of her. She grabs them up and walks over to the table. Isabel slides farther into her side of the booth and Juliet sits next to her. She hands the drinks out, sliding one over to me. I place my hands in my lap to keep from the temptation to drink it. While she takes a long sip from hers.
"Hey Bess, it's been awhile." She smiles a little smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.
"Yeah." There's a twisting in my gut. I'm not sure where it's coming from, but something is off.
"Bess, was just getting ready to tell us what's she's been up to." Isabel doesn't sound nervous. Maybe I am just paranoid. As my therapist would say, paranoia exists after trauma.
"It's a long story." I repeat my earlier sentiment as my eyes fall to the vodka soda once more. My mind drifts to my kids and I successfully fight the urge to take a sip once again.
"Start at the beginning sunshine." I shake my head at the common nickname, an honest mistake.
"Please don't call me that." I look up at Juliet and swear there's a little smirk on her face. My blood runs cold. My hand goes into my pocket and clutches the grip of the little revolver. I take a steadying breath, trying to keep my mind in the present. But images of Samuel run through my head, my palms go sweaty and there's a burning on my neck.
"Bess?" my eyes meet Isabel's. My face must convey my hesitance. Her brain works as fast as mine as she realizes she's trapped between the wall and Juliet. What do I do now? I don't have time to think about it when Juliet leans forward.
"Take a drink, and relax. Both of you. Do not make a scene. We will drink and then we will leave. Both of you will come with me." My heart pounds. I nod and pick up my coke keeping one hand in my pocket holding my gun.
"No, no, Bess. Both hands where I can see them." I pull my hand out of my pocket and place it on the table.
"Drink." She pushes the vodka soda closer to me. I swallow and look at Isabel, she's as pale as I am.
"I'm sorry I got you into this, Izzy."
"It's alright." She nods at me. Her shaky hand reaching down for her whiskey and finishing it in one gulp.