Houston – FBI Headquarters
Fred Owens and Eunice headed down the hallway while her heels clicked on the floor tiling and she held the file folders in her hands. Behind them were four agents dressed in black suits, white shirts, black leather belts, black socks and shoes and black sunglasses covered their eyes.
It had been several hours since they raided Sam's compound and they had to wait for the reports before their meeting with Smecker.
"He's not going to be happy," made her look at Fred and she nodded. They stopped at the receptionist desk and Catherine Samuels looked at them.
"He's waiting for you," Catherine said.
Nodding, Eunice and Fred walked to the door when Eunice turned and looked at the agents.
"Stay here," Eunice said and the agents nodded. Eunice opened the door as she and Fred walked in the room and she closed the door.
"Well?!" Paul asked as she headed for the desk and Fred stood at the door with his hands folded in front of him.
Eunice placed the file folders on the desk as she slid the file folders toward Smecker and he opened the top file folder. She watched Smecker read the information as he nodded his head from time-to-time then he closed the file folder.
"This is Warren's autopsy report," she said, sliding the file folder to him.
Smecker opened the file folder as he looked at the information then the photographs and he frowned.
"He was shot in the head?" Paul asked.
"Yes."
"Do they have any idea who shot him?"
"No. They didn't find the bullet casing."
She knew he thought Connor or Murphy had shot Sam, but the photographs of Sam's head s showed he was shot from the front of his head not in the back like when Connor and Murphy shot someone.
"Says his time of death was before the agents entered the room," Paul said.
"Yes," Eunice said with a nod then she slid the last three file folders to him. "These are the autopsy reports for Agent Diego Walker and Connor and Murphy MacManus."
Smecker's eyes widened as he looked at the file folders like they would explode if he touched them and he sat back in the high back chair.
"They're not dead," Paul said.
"You were there. You saw Agent Walker and Connor and Murphy MacManus lying on the floor," she said as she opened the first file folder and Smecker looked at the autopsy photos of Diego.
"These could be faked. Mine were."
Eunice opened the file folder and Smecker looked at the autopsy photos of Connor.
"It has been recorded that Agent Walker was involved with the case, but not the MacManus Brothers. The head office wants to know why they were there," she explained, placing the file folder with the autopsy photos of Murphy in front of him.
"They also wish to speak with you, Sir," Fred said and Smecker looked at him.
"They want to speak with me?" Paul asked.
"You were the agent in charge," Eunice said, closing the file folders then gathering them into a pile.
"I'll just deny any knowledge of them being there."
Eunice watched Smecker stand up as he walked around to the front of the desk when he headed for the door and Fred stood to one side. Smecker opened the door as he looked at the agents facing him and he gave them a blank look.
"Let's get this over with," Paul said, walking by the agents. The agents fell in line behind him and beside him as Smecker walked down the hallway and Eunice and Fred stood in the doorway.
"He's going to get away with it, isn't he?" Fred asked, glancing at Eunice.
She walked away as Eunice headed down the hallway and her heels made soft clicking sounds on the tile flooring. She stopped by the door to her office when she opened the door, walked in the office, closed the door and she sat down hard on the chair. She heard a soft beeping sound as she looked at her cellphone and she picked the cellphone off the desk. She saw the text screen was blinking as she turned the chair so the security camera couldn't see the screen then she noticed the screen name on top of the text.
"What the hell?" she whispered and she opened the text.
Hello.
Who is this?
His fiancé. I'm using his phone.
How did you get hold of it?
He gave it to me before he… Before you sent him on that mission.
How did you get this number?
He has a search function on his phone.
And you searched for my name?
Yeah.
"Great," Eunice whispered with a sigh.
How is he?
He nearly died…again!
"Shit," she whispered.
Is he going to be alright?
Do you really care?
Yes.
His doctor isn't sure. It could go either way.
"Damn," she whispered.
What about your brothers?
I am not talking to you about them.
Please! I am so sorry they got involved in this!
She looked at the screen as she waited and Eunice hoped she hadn't decided to not tell her.
They nearly died.
"Shit," Eunice grumbled.
Are they going to be alright?
As I said, it could go either way.
Eunice felt the tears in her eyes as she sighed and she looked at the screen.
I told my boss they were dead.
Did he believe you?
No.
Which means my brothers are still in danger of being arrested or killed.
I assure you they're safe.
Them being in the ICU says otherwise.
"She has a point," Eunice whispered.
Look. I know you don't believe me, but they are safe. I ordered guards to watch over them. They have strict orders not to let anyone, let alone my boss, anywhere near your brothers or your fiancé. And all medical staff will be monitored to assure they get the best care.
She looked at the screen when the soft beep filled the air and she looked at the screen.
How are we going to pay for this?
Eunice smiled as she shook her head and she typed on the keyboard.
You don't have to worry. I got that covered.
You better. It's your fault they're in the hospital.
I'm not talking to the fiancé, am I?
No.
How do you know about me?
Connor told her about you and she told us.
Then I'll tell you what I told her. All three of them are going to be just fine. I will not allow anyone to harm them.
You better or I'll kick your ass.
Eunice's eyes widened and she softly laughed.
Why do I have a feeling you like Connor?
How do you know I don't like Murphy?
Do you?
No.
"Thought so," she said and the soft beeping sound filled the air.
Are you sure they're safe?
Who am I speaking to now?
The one who likes Murphy.
"Ah," she whispered.
Yes. They're perfectly safe.
Thank you.
Eunice watched the screen grow dark and she knew Annie was deleted their texts. Placing the cellphone face down on the desk, Eunice turned the chair to face the door and she puffed out a breath of air.
"Please, God. Don't make a liar out of me. Please keep all of them safe," she said, picking up the cellphone, placing the cellphone in her purse, getting up, walking around to the front of the desk and she left the room while the door closed behind her.
Ireland
Annabelle nearly fell out of the chair after the telephone rang and she quickly got off the chair. She picked up the receiver off the phone cradle while Sibeal and Doc walked to her and she held the receiver up to her right ear.
"Hullo," Annabelle said, hearing a slight crackling sound in her ear.
"Hey, Ma," Annie's voice said.
"Are they alive?!"
"Aye."
"Thank God. How are they?"
"Both of them are stable. So's Diego."
"He's hurt, too?!"
"Aye."
"How are you doin'?"
"I feel like I'm fallin' apart. Lucky fer me, I have Lisa an' Darcy."
"That's not enough. You… All of you need yer ma."
"You're right, but…"
"No buts! You make up a room an' I'll be there as soon as I can get a flight!"
"Ma…."
"No agruin'!"
"Who's arguin'? I'm jus'…"
"You're jus' bein' stubborn. You get that from me," she said and Annie laughed. "Go get some sleep."
"I'll try."
Annabelle placed the receiver on the phone cradle as she looked at Sibeal and Doc then she headed for her bedroom.
"I'm goin' with you," Sibeal said and she turned to look at him.
"As much as they need yer spiritual help. I think you need t'stay here an' look after him," she said, looking at Doc.
"I can take care of myself, Ann," Doc said with a grin.
"I know that. But I also want you t'take care of him," she said, looking at Sibeal. "There are still people lookin' fer both of you."
"She's right," Sibeal said with a small nod.
He knew the real reason she wanted to go alone was because of her nightmare and he watched her go into the bedroom.
Houston – Saint Luke's Hospital
Two days had passed since Connor, Diego and Murphy arrived at the hospital.
The elevator doors opened as Annie, Lisa and Darcy walked out of the elevator car and they headed down the hallway. They weren't sure if they would be able to go up to see Connor, Murphy or Diego, but the nurse Annie had talked to assured her it was alright. It didn't take long for them to be cleared by the FBI agents posted at the reception desk and the elevator and they stopped near the doorway to Connor, Murphy and Diego's room.
"Hello," made them turn to see a female doctor with auburn hair and green eyes walking toward them.
"Who are you?" Annie asked and the FBI agents standing on either side of the doorway went to block them from going in the room.
"I'm Doctor Moira Kincaid," Moira said and one of the FBI agents checked the list of doctors taking care of Connor, Murphy and Diego.
"She's the head of the medical team," the FBI agent said.
"I'm Annie MacManus. Connor and Murphy MacManus are my brothers. Diego Walker is my fiancé. These are my friends, Lisa and Darcy," Annie said and Moira nodded.
"Nice to meet you," Moira said and Annie noticed her Scottish accent. "You're going to have to change clothes if you want to go visit my patients."
"Change clothes?" Lisa asked and Moira pointed into the room. Annie, Lisa and Darcy noticed the surgical clothes, plastic face masks, surgical gloves and plastic shoe coverings the nurses were wearing and the nurses were checking the screens to the heart monitors then writing the information in the charts on the small tables near the beds.
Connor was sleeping in the bed in the middle, Murphy was sleeping in the bed to his right and Diego was sleeping in the bed to his left.
Lisa, Darcy and Annie looked at the bandages covering Connor, Murphy and Diego's bodies and oxygen masks covered their noses and mouths.
An FBI agent followed them as Moira showed them where they can change clothes and they returned to the room a few minutes later.
"Is it alright to come in?" Annie asked and the nurses looked at Moira, who nodded her head.
"Yes," the nurse with short brown hair and brown eyes said.
Annie walked to the bed where Diego was sleeping and the nurse with blonde hair and gray eyes looked at her.
"How's he doing?" Annie asked, sliding his left hand into her right hand.
"He's stable," the nurse said.
Annie saw the dark stubble on his cheeks and neck and under his nose and she admitted she liked how he looked.
"Hey," she whispered into his left ear after leaning over. "Are you gonna wake up now?"
She was surprised when he squeezed her fingers and she moved to look at him.
Diego's eyelids slowly moved as he opened his eyes and his eyes moved to look at her. He blinked his eyes a few times then he smiled under the oxygen mask and she squeezed his hand.
The nurse examined him as she wrote the information in the chart then she looked at Annie.
"Don't upset him," the nurse said and Annie nodded.
Annie softly moved her fingers through his hair as he watched her then Diego let go of her hand.
"What's wrong?" Annie asked and he pointed from her to himself then he frowned. "Am I mad at you?"
He made a small puff of air.
"No. I am not mad at you."
He pointed from her to himself ad he gave her a puzzled look.
"Do I still love you and want to marry you? Yes," she said and he smiled. He then noticed what she was wearing and his eyes widened. "Hey. This wasn't my idea."
He glanced at the nurse as he slightly smiled and he puffed out a breath of air.
"Cute," Diego mouthed.
"You think I look cute?" Annie asked and he nodded. She moved her fingers through his hair he blew out a small breath of air.
Lisa was watching them while she held onto Connor's left hand and she wrapped their fingers together.
"How's he doing?" she asked the nurse with black hair and bright green eyes.
"He's stable. Do you know why his right hand keeps sliding toward the other bed?" the nurse asked, looking over at Murphy's bed.
"I think he's reaching for his brother. They're twins."
"Oh."
Lisa felt Connor's fingers moving when she looked at him and Connor's eyelids slowly opened. She moved closer so he could see her better and Connor's eyes moved to look at her.
"Hey, Cowboy," Lisa said and he smiled under the oxygen mask.
The nurse examined him as she wrote the information in the chart then she looked at Lisa.
"Don't upset him," the nurse said and Lisa nodded.
Connor squeezed her fingers as she looked at him and he gave her a hurt look.
"Knock it off. I'm not mad at you," Lisa said, letting go of his hand to move her fingers through his hair. She looked at the light brown stubble on his cheeks and neck and under his nose and she admitted she liked him like that.
He made a puff of air as she looked at him and he pointed to her then to himself and he stuck out his lower lip.
"Yes. I still love you," she whispered.
He parted his lips to say something, but his voice didn't work and she hushed him.
"Hey? Who said you could talk?" she asked and he smiled, pointing to himself. "Sorry. No talking."
He gave her a hurt look then he wrote a P with his finger.
"Peter's fine. And so is Chandler."
He gave her a pleased look then he noticed what she was wearing.
"I was told I had to wear this," she said and he pressed his lips together. She knew he wanted to laugh as she let go of his left hand to cross her arms under her breasts. "Are you laughing at me?!"
"No," he mouthed then smiled. She softly laughed as she dropped her arms then held onto his left hand. "Cute."
"You think I look cute?" she asked and he nodded. He moved his head to look at Murphy and he sighed.
Darcy was holding his left hand and she noticed the dark stubble on his cheeks and neck and under his nose.
"How is he doing?" Darcy asked the nurse with short brown hair and brown eyes.
"He's stable," the nurse said when Murphy made a little sigh and his eyelids started to open. He moved his eyes as he looked at Darcy and she smiled at him.
The nurse examined him as she wrote the information in the chart then she looked at Darcy.
"Don't upset him," the nurse said and Darcy nodded.
Darcy saw the sad look on Murphy's face as she brushed the hair from his forehead and he stuck out his lower lip.
"Sorry," Murphy mouthed.
"Sorry for scaring us?"
He nodded.
"Just promise me you will never to that again," she teased and he barely nodded his head. Murphy then realized something was next to his left leg and he let go of her hand. He moved his left hand down and he felt something soft next to his left leg.
"Here," Darcy said as she placed Nichole's teddy bear in his hand and he lifted the teddy bear up to look at it. "Nichole wanted you to have him so you wouldn't be scared. One of the nurses sterilized it before we came upstairs."
The nurse noticed the numbers going up slightly on the heart monitor and she examined him again.
"I told you not to upset him," the nurse said.
"What happened?" Annie asked with a worried look on her face.
"I gave Nichole's teddy bear to Murphy," Darcy explained.
Lisa looked down to see Connor smiling and she brushed her fingers through his hair.
"Stop teasing him," Lisa warned and he gave her a shocked look. "Don't look so innocent. I know you're teasing him in that thick head of yours."
Connor looked over at Murphy when Murphy turned his head and stuck his tongue out at his brother.
"Stop," Darcy said and he looked at her. He noticed what she was wearing and his eyebrows arched up. "I have to wear this."
"Cute," Murphy mouthed and she smiled.
Annie saw the smile under Diego's oxygen mask when she remembered something and he noticed the look on her face.
"What?" she asked and he pointed at her and he arched his eyebrows up. "Ok. Yeah. I do have something to tell you, but it'll upset Connor and Murphy."
"Then I suggest you don't tell them," Moira said when Connor snapped his fingers and Annie looked at him. She walked to the bed as Lisa got out of the way and he looked up at his sister. He wiggled his left index finger and she leaned closer.
"Ma?" he mouthed.
"Did I call Ma?" she asked and he nodded. "Yeah. I did."
Murphy snapped his fingers as Annie looked at him and she walked to the bed. She stood next to Darcy as he wiggling his left index finger and Annie leaned closer.
"Thanks, Brat," Murphy mouthed.
"You are so welcome, Eejit," she said as she took hold of his left hand, lightly squeezing his fingers, and Murphy smiled.
"Where is your mother?" Moira asked.
"She arrived yesterday, but we didn't know how many people will be allowed to see them," Annie explained and Murphy wrapped their fingers together.
"We normally allow one person to visit at a time."
"Would it be alright if we bring our kids to see them?" Lisa asked.
"No. Children aren't allowed up here."
Darcy and Lisa saw the hurt looks on Connor and Murphy's faces and Lisa lightly squeezed Connor's fingers.
"We'll bring them to see you after you're moved to another room," Lisa whispered and he nodded. Moira noticed Connor, Murphy and Diego were getting tired as she walked to Annie and Annie looked at them.
"I think it's time for you to leave. They're getting tired," Moira said.
"No," Connor mouthed.
"Yes. You look like you can barely keep your eyes open," Lisa said and he puffed out a breath of air. She moved the plastic face mask up then leaned down to kiss the top of his head. Connor slowly closed his eyes as she placed the plastic face mask down and the nurse checked the screen of the heart monitor.
"He's asleep," the nurse said.
Darcy and Annie watched Diego and Murphy close their eyes and kissed the tops of their heads after moving the plastic face masks up. Moira led the way as they left the room and she waved goodbye after Annie, Lisa and Darcy got in the elevator car.
Houston - FBI Headquarters
Eunice looked at the file folders containing the autopsy reports for Diego, Connor and Murphy. She was surprised with how authentic the images looked and she placed the photo of Diego face down on the desk.
The soft beeping sound made her look at her cellphone as she picked up the cellphone and she saw the text screen was blinking. Turning the chair away from the security camera, she looked at the screen and she tapped the screen.
They're awake.
"Thank God," Eunice whispered.
Are they alright?
They still have a way to go, but their doctors say they're going to be fine.
That's good.
I still feel like they're still in danger.
"Me, too," she whispered as she looked toward the door.
What would you do if they are in danger?
Once their doctors say they are stable enough, I guess we would leave.
Go back into exile.
Yeah.
All of you?
All of us.
"Shit," she whispered.
You think they'd like that?
No. But it's better than the alternative.
What about you? Are you comfortable about going into exile?
As long as I'm with my family, yeah.
"I don't think I would be," she whispered when a knock on the door made her look up and she frowned.
"Come in," she said and the door opened. Fred Owens walked in the room and he stood in front of the desk.
Someone came in. Tell them I'm glad they're going to be alright.
She watched the screen go dark and she knew the texts were being deleted.
"Am I interrupting anything?" Fred asked.
"Just chatting with a friend," she said, placing the cellphone face down on the desk. "What's up?"
"The head office needs to speak with you."
"Oh," she said, placing her cellphone in her purse, got up, walked around to the front of the desk and they headed for the doorway. They headed down the hallway as she looked straight ahead and her heels clicked on the tile flooring.
"Do you know if they're going to talk with Agent Smecker?" she asked.
"Yes. They are. From what I heard? He wants a lawyer present. The lawyer just showed up," Fred said.
"It took him two days to find one?"
"Yep. They already talked with Smecker."
"Have any idea on what was said?"
"Nope."
"Shit," she said and they went around the corner.
After they got out of the elevator and walked down the hallway, Eunice and Fred stood in front of the double doors to the head office and the FBI agents opened the double doors.
"Here goes nothing," Eunice whispered.
They walked in the room as the FBI agents closed the double doors and Eunice looked at the long table with a glass top. The men and women sitting on the black leather, high back chairs and the large windows shows the view of the outside.
Smecker was standing with man in black and Eunice thought the man was Smecker's lawyer.
"Agent Bloom," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said and she walked to the end of the long table.
"Sir," Eunice said with a nod.
"We have heard the statements from Agent Smecker about what had transpired at the Warren's compound. We now wish to hear from you."
"What do you need me to clarify?"
"Why was former Agent Walker there? He is listed as inactive."
"He was recruited by Agent Smecker to help us deal with Warren."
"What we don't understand is why? Why him?"
"Agent Walker has a reputation of being a… A lone wolf. He goes in, gets the job done then leaves."
"I see."
"On this occasion, he has personal reasons for agreeing to aid us in the case. The first reason has to do with the fact the people who were taken by Warren were Agent Walker's employer, her friend and their children."
"Were you able to rescue them?" the man with dark skin, black hair and brown eyes asked.
"No. There was no sign of them."
"Do you know where they are?"
"No, Sir."
"They could be in one of Warren's other compounds," the man with blonde hair and blue eyes said.
"Let us get back to our original conversation," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said as he looked at Eunice. "What was the other reason?"
"The other reason Agent Walker was there was due to a threat to his fiancé," Eunice said, glancing at Smecker.
"Why would Agent Smecker want Agent Walker's fiancé?" the woman with dyed red hair and gray eyes asked as she looked at Smecker.
"She was going to be used to convince Agent Walker to help us."
"Do you have any evidence?" the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes asked.
Eunice placed her purse on the long table when she opened the purse, carefully removed her cellphone, tapped the screen, searched for the application she used to record conversations and she found the conversation she had with Smecker.
"Yes. I do," she said and she placed the cellphone on the table.
"Wait! I was not informed of this evidence!" Edward Burke, Smecker's lawyer, said as he stood.
"Sit down, Mister Burke," the man with white hair peppered with gray and brown hair and hard blue eyes said and Smecker glared at Eunice after Edward sat down.