Moving Forward-Chapter 74

I know it's been a very long time but here I am trying to get something going. What a beautiful series finale we got. Hope I still have some good writing left in me and you guys enjoy it! Quick little update for you all.

Mandy and Troy were waiting in the lobby of MI6 to talk to someone about Roman. Mandy looked around the area observing the agency and what everyone was doing. People were analyzing things on their computers and in their own world it seemed.

"Ms. Bell, Director Roberts will see you now," the secretary called out.

"Thank you," Mandy replied as she and Troy got up to walk into the office. "Director Roberts, I'm Agent Bell and this is my associate. Thank you for taking the time to meet with us," she said as they all shook hands.

"Nice to meet you, how can MI6 help the CIA today?", the director asked.

"We're looking into a wanted fugitive named Roman Riley. We were told you guys may have some intel on him," Mandy answered.

The director started typing into his computer the name to look up some information, "Ah yes, it seems we came into contact with one of his aliases recently."

"Yes, he recently used Colin Bronson," Troy replied. "We were told he had an apartment here & are requesting access to it."

"Yes, I believe we still have his place closed off but our people went through everything and didn't find anything helpful," the director responded.

"I understand, but we'd like a look as well as access to any bank records," Mandy added.

The director looked at them and then began writing down information, "Here's the address, may I remind you that you're guests in this country."

"Of course," Troy replied as he and Mandy got up to leave.

"Thank you for your cooperation," Mandy added, shaking hands with him.

Once Mandy and Troy were outside and a little bit away from the building they stopped and looked at each other.

"That was way too easy," they both said at the same time.

"Think we're being tailed?" Troy asked, looking around discreetly.

"Probably, but looking at this address, I think it's legit so we might as well run it down," Mandy shrugged.

"They seemed way too laid back about it all. Probably didn't even really look into anything. Think he is on the take?" Troy asked.

"Maybe," Mandy shrugged. "Or there is more to the story about their investigation. We'll have to call back home."

"So, how have you been doing?" Troy asked as they walked along the streets.

"Good," Mandy smiled. "You? Jessica and the baby doing good?"

"Yeah, Haley is excited to become a big sister. Me on the other hand, I'm a nervous wreck," Troy admitted.

"What? Why? You're great with Haley."

"Haley is Haley and I was in and out when she was little still working on ops and barely with Jessica. Plus, I'm worried about how this will affect Haley once the baby is actually here. Haley is my daughter by law but this baby…"

"Take it from someone who is adopted, you're the only one she'll ever see as her Dad and you'll always be her world. The fact you're worried says you're already a great Dad. You'll figure it out as things move along," Mandy replied.

"We all know you're Haley's world," Troy chuckled. "Everything revolves around what Aunt Mandy is doing or saying."

"Can't help it if I'm that awesome," Mandy smiled. "Think this is the place."

"Yep, let's hope we find something and this wasn't a wasted trip."

Jason woke up slowly from a deep sleep reaching his hand out across the bed. He came into contact with fur and woke up to Cerberus.

"Morning Cerby," Jason greeted as he rubbed him and then looked on the bed to see Gunner and Sarge as well.

Jason laid on his back and sighed. He grabbed his phone and saw Mandy had messaged him she would be meeting with people in the morning followed up by her and Troy chasing a lead. He texted back to be careful. After taking a deep breath, he forced himself out of bed.

"Let's go for a swim boys," Jason said to the dogs, as they got up eagerly to follow.

After changing, he and the dogs headed down to the beach and caught some waves. Jason running around with the dogs and throwing a toy around for them to retrieve. After a while, they headed back for the house.

"Susan?" Jason said surprised to see her in the kitchen cooking breakfast. "You didn't have to do all this."

"Jason," Susan replied. "Oh it's no problem. I didn't have anything planned for this morning and decided to stop by."

"You mean come by and baby sit me?" Jason asked as he sat down at the breakfast bar.

"I am not babysitting you," Susan replied. "I don't know about you but the last few times Mandy has gone out, things have gotten…." she trailed off.

"Yeah, things have gotten dicey," Jason finished now, understanding she was in Mom mode. "Thank you for the breakfast. Mandy is very lucky to have you."

"Thank you. How are you doing?" Susan said.

"I'm good. Got the team for a distraction though gets a little quiet and lonely around here without Mandy," Jason shook his head. "Never thought I'd be in this position of missing someone so much. I used to come home to my apartment and just let the microwave noise keep me company."

"Sounds miserable," Susan said, joining Jason to eat. "I remember when Jack used to deploy. Always worrying in the back of my mind. We didn't have kids and then Mandy came into our lives. Mandy experienced his deployments towards the end of his SEAL days. Having her around made the waiting a little easier."

"How'd Mandy handle it?" Jason wondered.

"Well, as you know, it was an adjustment for all involved coming into our lives. Jack had taken some leave to help with all the change. Mandy had been through a lot before coming to us but I remember the first time he got the dreaded buzz. Mandy wasn't having a good day but something changed with Jack abruptly leaving."

"Did she understand what Jack did for a living?" Jason asked.

"We hadn't really told her but we had to then. Jack left and Mandy being the reader she was, researched it all," Susan laughed. "I remember her at dinner beginning a conversation with something she'd read about SEALs and the odds of something or another. I don't know if she was trying to reassure me Jack was coming home or herself. Things were still bumpy until a year later Jack had a close call."

"Close calls can change a lot for people," Jason replied.

"Yeah, think a part of Mandy blamed herself because she thought he would leave to get away from her," Susan added. "Something changed that day and a bond was formed between all of us, especially her and Jack."

"Which lead her to following Jack into joining the war on terror," Jason added.

"Well, 9/11 happened and something pushed her to join," Susan said.

"A lot changed that day for all of us," Jason sighed. "Emma was a baby and I remember trying to get her to crawl. Alana and I talked about what was next like me leaving the Navy. It was all so simple and then it wasn't."

"Yeah, life as we knew it changed," Susan said, grabbing Jason's hand. "Sometimes I think about how I may have been in those buildings had things not wrapped up early and I decided to leave to get back to Mandy. I remember finally getting back home and Mandy, along with me, just falling apart."

"Mandy mentioned you guys knew people," Jason said, squeezing her hand.

"We helped anyone who worked with us as well as the firm pitching in wherever they could with the aftermath," Susan replied. "The ops started changing for Jack. Mandy continued on through college getting her law degree. Thought she was gonna follow in my footsteps of being a lawyer until one day she said she was joining the CIA and gonna fight this war."

"And you weren't fond of Mandy doing it," Jason continued. "After Alana died, Mandy came over. I didn't want to hear any more condolences so we just sat in my garage. We started talking about how long we'd been working together when she told me about her mother being a con-artist. She thought joining the CIA would be the opposite of her mother except she believes she became her mother."

"She isn't anything like her mother," Susan replied strongly.

"We know that, but this job comes with a price. It isn't easy what she does," Jason replied.

"You all pay a price for the job but luckily you have people at home who'll remind you it's worth it and that you are good people," Susan replied as Jason's eyes got glassy with tears.

Mandy and Troy used the key to open up the apartment Roman supposedly used. The building seemed quiet and they hadn't run into anyone.

"Place looks clean. Nothing much personally," Troy observed.

"Easier to keep it all business and not risk leaving something behind," Mandy said as she walked around. "Did they say this was a rental? Fully furnished?"

"Yeah, the owner said he paid all cash and they never met him personally but the money was left for them," Troy answered.

"Well, let's look through it all and hope we find something," Mandy sighed as they dived the place and started searching for clues.

"Find anything?" Troy asked, walking into the office Mandy was going through. They'd been searching for about an hour.

"Bunch of stuff in this shredder but looks next to impossible to put it back together for anything constructive. We can still take it in case though," Mandy replied.

"Interesting set of books," Troy replied, looking at the book shelf.

"Need something to read for the flight back home," Mandy joked as she walked up to his side to look. As she looked at the shelves, something caught her eye. "Wait, what's this?"

"What?" Troy asked.

"There is dust on all the shelves except here it looks like someone touched the book," Mandy replied as she went to grab the book.

The book felt hollow and she shook it hearing something rattle in it. Opening the book, someone had carved out part of the center of the pages to have space for something. Mandy picked up the object inside.

"A key?" Troy asked, confused.

"No idea, but that's all we got. We'll take it with us to find out," Mandy replied as they started to wrap up only to hear the entrance door opening. "What the hell?" Mandy said as she and Troy drew their guns.

Both got into positions to ambush whoever was headed towards them. The door to the office opened as Troy and Mandy both stood in their hidden spots. Someone stepped forward and headed for the book case headed for the same book Mandy and Troy had just looked at.

"Stop right there," Mandy announced. "Slowly turn around and don't make any sudden movements."

The person paused and raised their hands as they turned towards Mandy and Troy, "Don't shoot."

Mandy's mind started racing as she saw who it was, "Mother."

"Mandy, it's been a while."