Hensley cornered Kaufmann before her next shift. She hadn't been patient enough, didn't have the self-control with the news of them moving, to wait for him and learn about Anderson. It didn't take long for her to determine that Kaufmann would a hard nut to crack though. He played innocent when she asked, swearing that he didn't know anything about why Anderson had gotten into trouble. Any trained person would've thought Kaufmann was serious; eyes straight on her, not fidgeting, neutral expression. But Hensley knew better. Kaufmann's tell was having no tells.
She looked to Red for help.
"Come on, Kaufmann. She knows you're lying to her. Spill it already." Red nodded his head up at the other boy. He had his arms crossed, though not in frustration like his words would suggest. That was often just the stance Red felt most comfortable in. Easier to protect one's chest in that stance. Easier to show that one wouldn't be pushed around.
Kaufmann huffed, blowing some of his bangs up off of his forehead. His dark shaggy/curly hair was quite unusual for the military, especially their branch, but somehow, he got away with it. Hensley figured he swooned the captain's daughter with his Texan accent. It was an easy tactic. Even Red had his fair share of persuasive moments. "Fine. All I heard was that he had a meeting with Davidson, and he was in solitary two hours later."
"What was he meeting Davidson about?" Hensley felt gross. She needed a shower. Or a new job. Davidson was far too interested in their little group.
"No idea. Been waiting for Anderson to get out so I can find out. I know word on the street is that we're movin' again." Hensley wished Kaufmann hadn't said anything so she could forget about it. She wanted to forget that she had to possibly leave Jasper before her time was up. Or how they could force her to without a second thought to how she would feel. She didn't want to leave her family that she'd fallen into. The siblings, the laughs, the freedom…God. For the first time in her life, she'd felt free; Not held down by rules and stiff salutes and secret service. For the first time in her life, she could just be…Lexi.
Kaufmann continued as if the world wasn't imploding around them, causally adding, "Think it'll be someplace warm. Georgia is what I'm hearin'."
Hensley shook her head. Grabbing her keys, she moved to the door to leave. She couldn't do it. She couldn't hear it. She couldn't think about it. They couldn't move someplace warm. They couldn't move to Georgia. Jasper would never be able to follow her because it would be sunny and then not only would she never get to see him because she was moving before her contract was up, but then she wouldn't get to see him because he couldn't go where she was ever and that thought made her stomach all knotty and sick and just thinking about the dinner she had made her want to puke it all back up on the kitchen floor and-
She paused, having yanked open the door to come face to face with Anderson. His eyes were red rimmed, bloodshot, face a light pink, especially his nose and cheeks, which were also…wet?
"What happened?" Her voice but a whisper, afraid she'd break him if she spoke too loud.
Red pulled her back, letting their roommate step into the apartment. Both boys were silent, waiting for the response. Anderson never cried. None of them ever cried. Not in front of each other, not in the solace of their room, not where anyone might know or see. It was an unspoken rule; forbidden in their branch.
Anderson took a breath, closing his eyes briefly, like he couldn't believe he was going to say the words out loud, "I applied for early release."
Hensley's jaw dropped, "You what?"
Red and Kaufmann shared a look, each of them just as confused as Hensley was. Early release…that was rare.
"My last day is June 30." Anderson slowly nodded, pressing his lips together. He stared at the floor, not meeting any eyes.
Hensley could understand why. June 30…it was only two weeks away. Anderson hadn't been up until December. Now he was going to be gone in a matter of weeks. Not months…weeks. And for what? Why did he want to leave so soon? Why did he hate them? Why didn't he want to stay with them and laugh and joke and of course Hensley knew why. She hated the place just as much as he did and she knew it had nothing to do with her. And yet, she couldn't shake the feeling. It felt like she'd spent weeks on a project, pulled two all-nighters studying for the final exam, only to earn a 'C' at the end of it all. She was just disappointed, empty…numb. Her best friend, no, her brother. Gone.
"Why?" She asked. She had to know. What had changed in the last month? Hell, in the last couple days. Solitary was rough but it wasn't that bad. Unless Davidson…. Of course, it was always Davidson. The place was going to hell in a damn handbasket, and no one cared or seemed able to stop it. It was disgraceful. A joke. The people who were supposed to protect and serve, standing idly by as they watched the world burn.
Anderson didn't answer her question. Not really. He pulled his eyes up, slow as though they were hefty sandbags in his head. "You should too, Hensley. Get out now."
Hensley wasn't eligible for early release. Not for another month. One could only apply six months before their contract end date. Of course, there were downsides to doing so. No work, no place to live, couldn't see any friends from Agency again, no contractual bonus payout. Not that most of those applied to Hensley. Sucking the place dry would be satisfying. But was it worth it? Debatable.
"Why?" She asked again, just a breath.
Anderson cupped the side of her face, and she got two responses at once. "Just do it."
He knows.
.—.
Hensley was surprised she didn't see Davidson during her shift. The man was never that great with being subtle, especially not when something really irked him. And Hensley was willing to bet that seeing her father was something that really pissed Davidson off.
The rules were wishy-washy at best. One must not share living quarters, squadrons, or active assignments with immediate or non-immediate family members, unless the individuals meet the criteria noted in Section 8.1.5 of the rules. One must also not spend excessive time with immediate or non-immediate family, unless an exception has been granted by the Lieutenant General or the Board of Governors; or a medical procedure or status grants it.
Technically she wasn't breaking them. She still came to work and completed all tasks required of her. 'Excessive time' wasn't clearly defined, and Hensley would argue that 8-10 hours a day was not excessive.
Davidson was likely to disagree.
She wasn't quite sure what to do. Peter, Charlotte, and her extended family were still in town, and would be for another week or so. At least the Denali coven would be. If Davidson knew and was making her move anyway, then what was the harm in her continuing to do what she was doing? He couldn't make her move sooner. It still had to go through the project committee and then board approval and then it had to be posted for so many days. Only once it was posted was it actually official.
But the Board only met once a month and the project committee only twice a month so getting the timing and the debates and changes and approvals was often hard to line up. Such things usually took a good two to three months before it came to fruition…
…or so she thought.
Three days later the notice was posted. TES-S was moving effective June 23 to Atlanta, Georgia.
The pain in Hensley's chest brought her to her knees. Her phone rang once…twice…three times. The boys knelt beside her, shaking her shoulder, tapping the side of her face. She could feel it all, but it was dulled. Far dulled from the agony.
Her head was spinning. Even closing her eyes did nothing as the darkness behind her eyes found a way to let her know it was moving. Kaufmann's voice was somewhere under the water, or maybe above. Perhaps she was under the water. The pressure she felt would make sense for that. Throat closing in, the ache of her lungs reminding her she needed to breathe, but the surface was too far away, too high up.
Hensley floated in the water, rocked by the gentle waves. The ocean was calm, but her heart was not. Her lungs were on fire. At least this way she could control the pain. It was her pain. Her reminder of the notice.
When she finally gasped, her lungs were inhaling air instead of water. Though she'd broken through, she didn't feel better. No relief, no satisfaction she was alive. Still in the same shitty apartment. Still facing the same shitty notice. Still feeling the same vibrations.
Jasper. The phone would dull her ache, just for a moment.
"We move Friday." The only words she could force out. She could hardly hear her own voice, though she knew Jasper would hear her just fine. For once, vampire hearing would work in her favor.
She had expected Jasper's voice, not Carlisle's. As much as she loved her father, he brought her no comfort. "We'll meet you in Port Angeles."
The boys refused to let her go alone, especially after the display of pain she had given them. They huddled around her while they walked, unsure of where they were going, just knowing that Hensley was leaving, and they were going too.
Colins gave Hensley a funny look as she lumbered past the gates, but Colins could rot in hell for all Hensley cared. Anyone who helped Davidson in this decision could die a fiery, painful death. At least for the day.
Jasper was there with Carlisle in the little path through the woods outside the military complex. Hensley hardly had time to piece together that he was present before she was swept up in his arms.
That was the first time the boys saw Hensley cry.
The last night that Hensley stayed in Forks, she spent with Jasper. Their family went out hunting for the night, giving them privacy in the last few moments together. It was the only time the pain truly went away. Impending doom was forgotten, only the sound of Hensley's heart and breathing to be heard throughout the house.
She had begged Jasper to bite her early in the night, convinced that nothing else would ease the pain she'd feel over the next few weeks until she could apply for early release. Jasper was in agreement on the pain, but not on the biting. He wouldn't risk her safety.
Tracing his scars and the curves of his muscles, Lexi spent the night memorizing every inch of him instead, forcing his scent into her brain so she'd never lose it. For once, Jasper was more passive, content to take in as much of her scent as he could. He'd memorized her long ago.
In the morning, she hugged each member of her family, bidding them all goodbye, with the exception of Edward and Bella, who had gone down to Arizona because Peter and Charlotte were in town. Jasper promised to give them her love too, even though she had sent Bella a text conveying the same sentiments.
Jasper insisted on bringing Hensley back to the Agency. He parked across the street from the gate, staring at the gray-haired man waiting for her. Jasper gave her one final hug, leaning against the truck to watch as Hensley crossed the road.
Davidson was quick to call her out. "Where've you been, Hensley? Though, judging by your company, I think I can guess."
Hensley looked in straight in the eye, not at all afraid of what he could do to her. He'd already ruined her life. He had nothing else over her. "It's none of your God-damn business what I do in my free time."
Davidson's neck turned red; eyes narrowed hard at her. He went to move his hand to grab her arm, but she took a step back. "I'd watch yourself, Davidson." She nodded back towards Jasper, whispering to the older man then, "He bites."
A nasty smile was sent his way while she walked past to her fate and away from the only freedom she'd ever known.
.—.
In a military apartment complex on the outskirts of Atlanta, Hensley was throwing clothes into the two drawers she got to claim of the bedroom dresser. She really wasn't sure why she was unpacking. This was the 4th time she'd been relocated in the last year, and she wasn't at all convinced that they'd last long in Georgia. Nothing ever lasted too long anywhere.
Next to her, her roommate, Kaufmann, was doing something similar with his clothing, though his organization method was still nonexistent. Her other two roommates, who were also crammed into the one-bedroom apartment, had finished hours ago and were tossing the same foam football across the room.
None of them said anything.