VCTF Breakroom...same day
After John left the Observation room he went out to the parking deck to get some air. He couldn't believe that Jessie knew about him. That Patrick had told her he had another son. He wondered how he had explained why he wasn't around. Why Patrick didn't see him. He decided he was going to talk to his father again. Taking a deep breath he went back up to the Command Center. No one was around so he went to the breakroom. He stopped in the doorway when he saw Jessie sitting with George, Grace, and Nathan.
Nathan noticed he was standing there and motioned for him to come in. When it looked like he was going to turn around and leave, Nathan called out to him. "John! Hey buddy, c'mon in... have something to eat. Grace made some kick-ass lasagne."
George and Jessie looked up from George's laptop. "Yeah, c'mon we're playing Doom." George pointed to the chair next to Jessie.
John wanted to kill them both, but all he could do was nod because Jessie was watching him. "Sure." He forced a smile and slapped Nathan hard on the back as he walked passed him. "Thanks, buddy."
"No problem." Nathan grinned, he wasn't finished yet. "Jessie this is John Grant. He's an agent here too."
"It's good to finally meet you." Jessie stood up and put her hand out to him.
John shook it, a bit confused. "Finally?"
"You're my...you're Patrick's son. He told me you were here." She stopped herself from calling John her brother because she didn't want to make him uncomfortable.
"How did you know it was me?"
"He told me you changed your name to Grant...your mother's maiden name." She grinned at him. "Besides, I've seen plenty of pictures of Dad when he was younger...you look like him."
John couldn't help but smile back. He walked around George and sat down in the chair next to her. "So...what level are we on?"
Bailey and Sam walked towards the breakroom and stopped just outside the door. Neither of them could believe what they were seeing. Grace, Nathan, John, and Jessie were all sitting around George while he played a game on his laptop. "Check that out," Bailey whispered nodding towards John and Jessie. They sat side by side, John sitting so close that if he leaned over to see the screen any further his head would be on her shoulder. She was talking and pointing at the screen apparently explaining something to him but he wasn't really paying the screen any attention, he was watching her. Studying her. Her face, the way she talked, the way she gestured as she talked. He was taking in everything and smiling. Not the fake smile he had been using the last couple of days to let everyone know he was fine but a real, genuine, smile. Bailey grinned. "Something good may come out of all this after all."
Sam was smiling also. "Maybe." She said as they walked into the room.
Bailey cleared his throat when they didn't acknowledge he and Sam coming in. "Doesn't anyone work around here? Can I assume the case is solved?"
George closed his laptop at the sound of Bailey's voice. "Sorry, Bailey."
Grace looked at him innocently. "We were just entertaining our guest."
Jessie stood up. "They were just-" She started. "I'll go wait outside for Robert."
"Whoa, whoa..." Bailey stopped her from going any further. "I was just busting on these guys. You don't have to go. It's okay." He smiled to reassure her.
"Damn," George said as he opened up his laptop. "I forgot to save the game."
Everyone laughed.
"Um...Jessie, Patrick will be up shortly. There's been some new evidence, so we're releasing him."
"Really? Awesome, Agent Malone, thank you."
"You're welcome." Bailey turned around when he heard voices coming up behind him. "Here he comes now." He moved aside so Patrick and Robert could fully enter the room. "Did everything go okay downstairs?"
"Yes, thank you," Patrick answered quietly. He looked around the room and despite how upset he was about losing Susan, he grinned when his eyes fell on Jessie and John sitting side by side. He wanted to enjoy the moment longer but he needed to leave so he could start grieving for Susan. He was doing everything he could to keep the tears from coming. "Ready to go, Jess?"
"Yes." She turned to John as she stood up. "Maybe we could hang out sometime..."
"I'd like that," John said and before he knew what he was doing, he stood up and hugged her.
Jessie was caught off guard by the hug but it felt right, so she hugged him back. "Whenever you're ready." She told him.
"Thanks." John broke up the hug and smiled at her.
Jessie turned and put her hand on George's shoulder. "We still need to finish that game."
"You bet...anytime. Then we'll work on the next one."
"Okay." Jessie went over to Grace and Nathan. "It was nice meeting you both. Thanks for keeping me busy while I was waiting."
"It was my pleasure, sweetie. It was nice meeting you too." Grace had liked Jessie right from the start, it was almost like when she met John for the first time.
"Don't let that guy be a stranger." Nathan smiled motioning towards John.
"I won't." She told him. "Thanks, Nathan." She walked to Patrick and for the first time noticed the look in his eyes. He looked on the verge of tears and she could tell from their redness and puffiness that he had cried earlier. "What's wrong?" She asked suddenly panic-stricken. "Dad, what happened?"
Patrick half smiled to reassure her but it was unconvincing by the look on her face. "We'll talk at the hotel. Everything's going to be okay."
Not wanting to upset her father any further Jessie nodded and followed Robert out of the room.
"We'll be staying at the Raddison. You have my number in case anything else comes up...please don't hesitate to call. I guess we'll see you in the morning. Thank you, Agent Malone." Patrick glanced at John and then left.
"New evidence?" Grace inquired.
"There's been two more murders. Another of Patrick's marks and his girlfriend of two years." Bailey told them. "We're going to work from Boston starting tomorrow...working with Patrick we're going to catch these guys before they kill again."
"Killing Patrick's girlfriend suggests that things are going to get more personal...we'll have to start keeping an eye on the people close to him," Sam added.
"C'mon lets head to the command center and look at the latest crime scenes...then we'll get what we need from here to get ready for Boston. We leave at 8:00 a.m. sharp tomorrow." Bailey headed towards the command center with his team following behind him.
The Raddison Hotel
The ride to the hotel was quiet and it scared Jessie a little. Her father looked miserable and she wanted to know what was wrong but she didn't want to push him. "Can I get you anything?" She watched him sit down on the couch. He leaned back into it and closed his eyes.
"No, but thank you." He patted the cushion next to him. "Come here and sit...there's something I need to tell you."
Jessie walked slowly to the couch and sat down. When she saw tears well up in her father's eyes she decided she didn't want to know what happened. The pained look on his face was unbearable. "Dad.."
Patrick brushed at the tears running down his face. "Susan...Susan has been...has been murdered." He barely got the words out before the sobs came.
Jessie stared wide-eyed at him, her own tears starting to fall. She knew how much Patrick loved Susan and he was completely heartbroken. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "I loved her too...I'm sorry Dad...I'm so sorry." When he broke down and let himself really cry against her shoulder, Jessie held him even tighter. "I'm so sorry, Dad...I love you."
Twenty minutes later Patrick pulled himself away from her brushing whatever tears were left from his eyes. He looked at Jessie. "I don't know what I would do without you." He pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek. "I love you too. Thank you...for taking such good care of me."
"I'm sorry about Susan."
"I know, honey, thank you." He sighed. "I'm really going to miss her."
"Me too."
Patrick sat back on the couch and pulled Jessie close to him. He put an arm around her and she laid her head on his chest "I don't know about you but I'm exhausted."
Jessie nodded then looked up at him. "Dad, I'm scared...I'm scared that whoever is out there is gonna hurt you."
"Nothing's gonna happen to me...let's get some rest okay?" He ran his fingers through her hair as he leaned back and closed his eyes.
"Okay." She answered tiredly and within minutes they were both sleeping.
Tbc...
