Rigged

Garret wasn’t sure how long he’d been sitting there, but when Maggie came in, he hadn’t moved. Feeling the bed move and her shoulder leaning on his, he finally lifted his face. Sighing, he glanced over at her, knowing good and well he’d meet those eyes again…and he did. She was so hopeful. And he was so miserable. But for one of the first times, maybe he’d rather do something other than have more time to think about everything that was making him miserable. 

“Ice cream, huh?” He was still feeling just a little nauseous but…they’d figured out his weakness. “Okay…for a little while.” He stood, and let Maggie walk ahead of him into the hallway. “But only if I get an extra scoop.” 

It was only a few minutes later that Garret found himself sitting on the living room floor at the coffee table, faced with a new game that made very little sense, but he was trying to be a good sport…and at least he had his ice cream…and the extra scoop Laura had given him.

On the couch with Nate, Laura was so glad Garret had decided to join them. His eyes were a bit bloodshot, but she knew it was a good thing he’d shown up. Maybe, just maybe, they were making progress. 

Watching the others take their turns, Garret sucked on a spoonful of ice cream, just enjoying the cold treat. His eyes widened as Maggie took her turn and sent one of his pieces back home. “Seriously!” He squinted at her. “I think you’ve got this thing rigged.” 

Laura laughed and shook her head. “She’s got the best luck in the house, I will say that.” 

“Uh-huh. Sure.” Garret reached over to pop the die, and rolled his eyes as he got a low number. “Rigged, I tell you.” 

Laura’s hand found Nate’s to give it a squeeze. Garret was improving by leaps and bounds. And it made her even sadder to think about his family…those kids who would never know him as the man he was becoming. 


Sam’s little antics didn’t escape Hal, and he grinned, but didn’t say anything. He just kept working on his own computer, until she called his attention to some footage. Glancing over at the monitor, his shoulders dropped a little. “Oh. That’s…Alec Banks. He, um…he died recently.”

He’d just as soon leave it at that, but he knew he owed her a longer explanation. Not all details would have been in the files. “He was Agency. Caught. Locked up just like Aaron is now. Came around and Reese tried to integrate him back into the public. He had his ups and downs and make a lot of mistakes but…in the end…I think he was trying to make the right choices.” He paused, recalling how the office had felt that day they’d witnessed Alec getting shot. “He got involved in a case, trying to figure out who had hurt Misty – she’d been attacked, and as a result lost her baby. Alec was pretty torn up about it and was determined to find the guys who did it. One day he just…went off. Followed a lead somewhere – we don’t know where exactly. And…he got himself killed in the process.”

Hal shook his head and sighed. “He had a lot of life left ahead of him and… well, that’s what the Agency does. Rips livelihoods right out of people’s hands. Takes the good and turns it into misery. And now…Carson Banks – you’ll see him around here – Alec’s brother, Misty’s husband, is…trying hard to get to the bottom of the whole rotten mess, but nobody’s really had much to go on. No surprise, but just as frustrating as any Agency case.”

He studied Sam’s face for a moment. “Do you really know what you signed on for around here?”