Adam doesn't know where they are now. They stop at a building of some kind. The building is surprisingly clean and well-organized compared to how it looks from the outside. From the outside, it looks like an old beat-up building with bullet holes littering it. First, he thought it was some kind of CIA headquarters that was deserted after an ambush of some kind. But inside it's clean and has headache-inducing white lights and hallways that seem never-ending with an uncountable number of doors to most likely offices. Everyone Adam's seen is either well-dressed or wearing something kind of military uniform and they completely ignore them as if they're invisible.
They act like they're just regular businessmen working in an office, not some kind of secret black ops unit hiding in the CIA while no one else has any clue that they even exist in the first place. It's strangely eerie. But as they kept walking down the endless hallways, there was one handful of people, agents maybe, lingering. They too ignore them. No one says a word to them either. They get to a normal-looking room that's quite homey. It's just getting more and more strange. Even inside it's kinda like a living room or a bedroom with a couch, a few chairs, and a coffee table. It's not as bright as the hallway.
Now they're left to just sit and wait for Ethan to come. Chloe asks the question they're all thinking. "Is Ethan coming?" Mom looks at Chloe with a certainty that's impossible to challenge. "Of course, he'll come. He'll be here soon. Then we'll figure it all out and everything will be fine." Chloe's still staring, "promise?" Mom nods again. "I promise."
It's not super reassuring, but at least it's still something, that's better than nothing. From what he knows about his Dad's work, from Luther or Benji or Will, he's done all kinds of insane stuff and he's really good at it which he really thought would be more reassuring than it is right now. But he knows there's a lot that he doesn't know about and this Gabriel guy is someone he's heard about but he seems to know Ethan pretty well, obviously, that's not helping anything right now but still, how did Ethan know the guy? Why does Gabriel call him an old friend? Were they friends at some point? It doesn't make sense though. Why would Ethan and Gabriel be friends? But they had to be friends considering how much they seemed to know about each other. It just doesn't make sense, then again none of this makes sense either.
"Mom? Did Dad ever tell you about him?" Julia shakes her head. "No, Ethan never said anything about him." Adam tilts his head, "Why? I mean, why wouldn't he tell you?"
"I think maybe he didn't want to think about it, and it seems like whatever happened is something he hasn't gotten over. It could be that he doesn't know how to talk about it." Adam sighs. "Well, I know Dad doesn't want me or any of us to know about it but it seems like it doesn't really matter anymore, right?" Julia's quiet for a bit. "That's hard to say. Bud, I think that's up to Ethan. He's the one who went through it. It seems fair that he tells you. Besides I'm not even sure if what I know is actually true." No, that's not fair. we're the ones who are currently being held hostage and it's only because some sociopathic killer wants to talk to Ethan, how is that fair?
Adam's attention shifts to the door opening again. Run for it. Run for it! Run-too late. The door's already closed besides, he doubts he'd get very far anyway. "How are you guys doing in here?" What the hell do you think?! Gabriel shrugs but doesn't leave yet. "If it makes you feel any better, Ethan's on his way. Unfortunately, he's got a ways to go and you guys seem bored." Yeah, and pissed off. It's great! "I can get you some food if you want." Adam's not sure why, but Gabriel' demeanor is absolutely infuriating. He wants to break his jaw so he'll stop talking, or tell him to shut up which doesn't seem like the worst idea at the moment, but it won't do anything besides, judging by his calmness, might actually just be amusing to the man. Gabriel waits for an answer but doesn't get one, instead getting stern scowls from the three. "Okay." He's looking at Adam now who glares back. "I can answer your questions by the way, if you want."
Julia's shaking her head at him. Why? It's not going to be a secret for too long so what difference does it make who he hears it from? It doesn't matter. "Why'd you call my Dad an old friend earlier?" His answer is very blunt, not what he was expecting considering how charismatic Gabriel seems at times. "We were good friends a long ago. Military, special forces for the army."
"How are we supposed to know if you're telling the truth?" Gabriel turns and starts to the door. "Hold that thought." And then he leaves. "Adam." Julia's voice is serious. "We need to be careful about what we say to him." Adam's brow furrows. "Why? He said he's not going to hurt us at all-" Julia narrows her eyes and him. "We don't know him, Adam. We don't know exactly what he wants yet, and we can't tell him anything that he might not know because Dad's coming and he has a plan, we don't need to make this more difficult for him, okay?" Adam sighs deeply. She's right. "Yeah, that makes sense….I just-this guy, he thinks he can do this without anyone stopping him and it's annoying because….I don't know if he's right or not…."
"Hey, don't say that. Dad's going to figure something out, he always does. He'll do anything, anything to make sure we're okay. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. To either of you. Dad won't either and I know that at least is true. It always has been, and it always will be." It's my job to protect you. No matter how old you are.
Chloe's holding his hand now and he squeezes her hand and she smiles at him. "Don't stupid Adam, Mom's right, we'll be alright…." He nods. "I know. I know we will…."
The door opens again and Gabriel walks in. He's holding something. "You want the truth. The whole truth." He holds the file up. "This is it. It's his dossier from the IMF." He hands it to Adam. Chloe's thinking the exact same thing he is. "How do we know you didn't just make this up?"
"Look at the print. The print's only used on old typewriters." Chloe takes Adam's question. "Well, you'd know how to use a typewriter, wouldn't you? I mean, you're an older guy. So, you must've been around when those things were made. Wasn't it like in the 1970s?" Adam can't stop himself from snickering. Even Julia smiles a little.
Gabriel also is amused as he chuckles, nodding his head. "Can you even count that high? Besides, I'm only three years older than your dad, so how old is he?" Adam retorts, "Not as old as you." Gabriel smiles, "I think I'm starting to see the resemblance here." He looks on for a moment before nodding satisfied and then leaves again.
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Ethan knows he's being stupid but he doesn't care. Gabriel wants him alone, so he's going alone, without his team. There's no turning back now though because he's already at HQ. He's standing outside a ways away from the door and staring at his nightmare all over again. He sees the agents littering the halls again. He feels the dying agent's blood seeping through his fingers as he tries to hold on. He sees Ben standing in the box-like structure waiting to die again. He sees that photo, still stained with blood that's not quite dry yet. He feels the indescribable feeling of despair and dread mounting again as he steps over a child's body, a child just like Adam, just like Chloe. He feels Maverick's snow-white fury in his arms as he whimpers, blue eyes peering back at him as he dies. Marie's face keeps flashing in his eyes like a slideshow of everyone he's failed.
He hears Luther's words again. Just because you're human doesn't mean you're weak. You're not weak. You're not alone. Expect, he is. He's here alone, again. You can't save everyone-they're all here-and you think the same thing's going to happen to Julia-not until you're here to watch-compartmentalize-to empathetic-WEAK-one for the kill, one for confirmation-because of you-I'm scared-you're not alone-we're here-nothing's going to happen to them-we'll figure something out-weak-human-killer-alone-killeraloneweakekilleraloneweakKIERALONEWEAK-!
Ethan breathes slowly as he feels someone watching him. They know he's here. Suddenly he's surrounded by people who look to be military, but they're not. They can't kill you. HE wants you alive. Ethan carefully raises his hands as they swarm. He doesn't resist as they grab him and cuff his hands in front instead of behind him. You kill them right now. Wait for an opening and wrap the cuffs around the nearest one's neck. Get his gun and take out seven of them. Take out the rest while they're still realizing what's happening-He can't right now. This is his only way in, the only way to get to his family.
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"Sir, he's here." Gabriel nods contently. "Bring him in." The door opens and he turns around and there he is. Ethan's standing there, staring him down. This should be fun.
"The cuffs aren't going to be necessary." The soldiers nod and un-cuff his old friend who immediately lunges at him, reaching to grab his throat. Gabriel doesn't move as Ethan is held back until he relents and steps back again. "Thank you, fellas. You can wait outside for now." They oblige as usual and close the door behind them.
"It's a while, Ethan." As he expects, Ethan doesn't respond. He's not even looking at him, he's looking past him. Gabriel steps closer and tilts his head into Ethan's field of vision. "You're thinking about if you can get that pencil on my desk and stab me in the eye, aren't you?" Ethan finally looks at him, his gaze unwavering and full of fury. "Oh, I'm thinking something much worse than that. But I can't do that yet."
Gabriel smiles, pleased at the response. "Yet?" He wants Ethan to say it to him. "Yes, because one way or another, when this is over, I will kill you and I won't be quick about it."
Gabriel's smile grows just slightly. That's more like it. "Of course, you will."
