Alive

Feeling Adison let his ponytail loose and run her fingers through his hair, Kirk murmured his approval. He loved all the ways she showed her affection, but that was one of his favorites. Her suggestion of playing hooky finally brought a little chuckle to the surface before continuing his kissing.

"Mm-mm," he disagreed to going out. Pulling her to him again, he slid her off the counter and held her, unwilling to break his kiss as he carried her to the living room. Depositing her on the couch, he eased down on her, only to resume his affections. He was so utterly stressed about work, that he just wanted to forget all about it, and putting all his focus on Adison was an easy way to do it. Being with her... nothing else existed.


Hunter returned Ryan's kiss and smiled as she withdrew. "You got good ears," he teased without actually answering her. "Just come out when you're ready." He left so she could wrap things up before leaving, and was waiting by the motorcycle when she came out. "Ryan...meet my new ride." He stood back so she could see it better. 

"I, um... I figured it was time to trade." A new grin creased his lips. "You know... since I've got a passenger more often now." He glanced to the motorcycle's seat, then back to her. "She doesn't have quite the same speed, but... at least now you won't have to sit with your knees clear up to your shoulders." His other bike had handled two riders okay, but it had definitely not been passenger friendly. "Of course..." He moved around to the back, gesturing to point out there was no backrest. "You'll still have to hang on to me... I didn't want to give that up that completely."


Jeff grinned a little and nodded at Rosetta. "Okay. That would be nice... thank you." He tried to eat some more, and did manage to down half the sandwich, and some apple slices before setting the food tray aside. He turned on the television, but didn't find anything too interesting. He finally left it on an old western. As much as he wanted to be up and about, his body had other ideas, and it didn't take long for him to have drifted back to sleep. 


Alec’s eyelids felt as if perhaps they weighed ten pounds each. His ears picked up on strange sounds of gently whirring machines, distant voices, and quiet, steady beeping. He could feel that he was lying on his back…in a soft bed. Confusion returned.

Finally able to pry open his eyes just enough to see, he made out a bright room. Slowly, slowly things came into focus, and he realized he was in a hospital bed. He licked his dry lips and turned his head to see someone standing in the doorway. Friend or foe? It was always the first question.

It was Reese’s back that was seen as he stood talking to JT. He’d been called here two nights before, and had been coming regularly since then to check on Alec’s condition. The story was that a trucker had brought Alec to the hospital, disoriented, in shock, malnourished and dehydrated on top of numerous injuries, though nothing life-threatening. JT hadn’t realized it was him at first, but the trucker had given Alec’s full name and explained they’d been on the road for days, most of which Alec had spent asleep. He’d also explained that Alec had been a prisoner of the Agency all this time, and had been trying to make it home after finally escaping. Once Alec had been taken into the hospital and was safely inside though, the unnamed trucker had gone on his way without leaving any information about himself. Reese had opted not to tell anyone about any of this until they had confirmed it really was Alec - and that there was no foul play.

Reese glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Alec waking up. Leaving his conversation with JT, he was quick to approach the bed. The younger man looked different. He’d lost weight, making his face thin. On top of his healing wounds, his hair had been cut shorter, and his skin lacked color. If Reese had bumped into him on the street, he might very well have missed him. “Alec?”

Alec furrowed his brow, trying to think straight. “Reese? What…” His voice was weak. “Where am I?”

“You’re at the hospital.”

“But…where?”

Reese cocked his head. “You don’t know? You’re home, Alec. You’re in North Springs.”

Home? He’d made it? He was finally safe? Finally away from the Agency? Finally free? Overcome with a wave of emotional relief, tears rose in his eyes. “I…I thought I’d never…never get out. No one came and…”

JT neared to start checking him over and keep his blood pressure down. “Hey, take it easy. It’s okay.”

“I’m…I’m safe? They’re not…not here? Are you sure?”

“Yes, you’re safe.” JT tried to steer him to something calmer “How are you feeling?”

Alec’s mind was slow to respond, but he managed to figure out the question and a proper answer. “Kinda…foggy...” He blinked away a tear as the barrage of emotions eased off a little. “And nauseous.”

“That’s probably the drugs. I can help with that. Are you in any pain?”

“Um…” Alec’s eyes fell shut before he forced them open again. “Yeah.”

“Where?”

“Pretty much…everywhere.”

JT grinned. “Not surprised.”

“My ribs mostly, I think…and my chest, but…that’s nothing new.”

“Mm, yes. I saw those bullet wounds. Someone did a good job patching you up, but you’re probably gonna feel them for a good long while, especially if you plan on roughhousing.”

Pictures of when the injury had occurred flashed through Alec’s mind, and he shook his head to stop them. “Am I really… back in Nevada?”

Reese eased down in a chair. “You don’t remember how you got here?”

“Um…not…not really. I was in Wyoming and…there was a trucker…that’s about all I remember.” Alec sighed and tried to sit up a little, though his muscles protested and he gave up. Reality was gradually coming back, but there were holes. “Did someone finally find me?”

JT’s eyebrows rose, and he exchanged a glance with Reese. “You mean from the Elite?” He moved to assist him in adjusting the bed so he could sit up a little.

“Well who else would have?”

“Alec…” Reese leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “We thought the Agency killed you.”

Alec’s pulse quickened. “What? You mean…wait…does anyone else know I’m here?”

“Other than us, at the moment…no. As far as everyone else is concerned…you’re dead.”

Alec swallowed hard. “Oh.” He tried to push aside the emotions that had gnawed at him for months. “That’s why…no one ever came?”

“I’m so sorry, Alec.” Reese truly was. “If we would have known…”

Alec waved his fingers. “I understand.” It made sense now - the long wait with no one ever showing up to rescue him. Although he still wasn’t sure anyone would have come anyway, even if they’d known he was alive. “How’s Misty? She’s not still in here is she?”

“She’s…fine.” Reese furrowed in his brow in confusion.

JT looked more closely at Alec. “You do realize it’s been several months, right? Since you left?”

Alec’s mind reeled. “Oh… right. I guess…I didn’t…”

“You didn’t know?”

“I…I must have lost track of time.” All time ran together in Alec’s mind as he tried to sort through his muddled thoughts. Yes…yes, it had been a while. He’d been trying to escape for so long, the days had just all run together. Of course it had been that long. He tried to smile, but there was still a deep fear in his eyes. “Mind’s still kinda hazy, I guess.”

“Mm…” JT checked a few more things and adjusted Alec’s IV before grabbing his clipboard. The confusion could be a sign of something more serious, or it could just be from the exhaustion. “Well, just rest for now. I’ll leave you two to catch up, but I’ll be back in a while to check on you.”

Reese nodded as JT left before he looked back to Alec. “Do you remember anything?"

“Uh…I was…I was in Wyoming. At an Agency base.”

“We thought we saw you die. What really happened?”

“Um…” Alec scrunched his eyes, trying to remember, while not wanting to at the same time. “I was shot. I couldn’t finish what I was doing.”

“We saw it all on camera. That’s why we assumed all this time that you were dead.” Reese cleared his throat. “I have to ask you this… Have you been with the Agency all this time?”

A grin pulled at the corner of Alec’s mouth. “Think I rejoined Agency forces?”

“Actually…no, I don’t think so. But I need an answer for the record.”

“Ah.” The question stung a little, but Alec understood it wasn’t meant to be personal. “Well, I didn’t side with them. I’m pretty sure when I got shot I was supposed to die… and I’m pretty sure I was gone at least once… but they brought me back – and it was only to torture me.” The more he talked, the more clear Alec’s mind became. “As far as what I’ve been doing… Let’s just say I’ve been a lab rat seeking escape.” His fingers fidgeted with the bed sheets. A mirror across the room confirmed the way he felt – he looked as though he’d been in the worst bar brawl ever. Was there even any part of his face that wasn’t black and blue? “They tried to get information out of me about the Elite. When I wouldn’t cooperate, they just kept at me. Guess they figured I’d cave eventually.”

“Did you?”

Alec’s eyes shot over to Reese as he tried not to take offense. “No. At least… not that I can remember. If…if I told them anything, it was due to drugs, not my own will. But I…can’t say for certain what I said, if anything, so I’m…” He looked down. “I’m sorry if I gave them too much. I just don’t know.”

“You obviously don’t remember a whole lot.”

“There are… some blank spots.” For now. Alec hoped maybe he wouldn’t ever remember everything. The things he could recall now made his pulse pound and his stomach churn. “Am I…in trouble?”

“I don’t think so.” Between JT’s medical report and seeing honesty in Alec now, Reese was convinced there was little risk in trusting he was innocent. If the Agency now had any vital information, it wasn’t Alec’s fault. “I believe you, and we’re all grateful for the intel you were able to transfer before getting shot.”

“You mean it worked?”

“Well, I don’t think we got everything you wanted us to, but Scott and Dalton were able to retrieve a lot of useful information and we’ve already beat the Agency to the punch several times because of it.”

Alec let his head rest back in his pillow as exhaustion crept back up on him. “Did you catch the guys who hurt Misty?”

“We did.”

That was all Alec had cared about before leaving. His eyes fell shut. “Good. Is she really okay?”

“As okay as can be expected. She, along with a few others, is going to be pretty happy to find out you’re alive.”

“Eh…” Alec pried open an eye. “I doubt too many people cared I was gone.”

Reese just smiled. “You get some rest. I’m going to go file my report and…you’ll probably have some visitors soon...”


… “Hey, Misty?” It was late afternoon by now, and time for most agents to head home. Wyatt wandered into the infirmary and greeted his cousin with a smile. He was glad she was sitting down. “Listen, um…Dad’s just been filling me in on a few things about… someone he’s been visiting at the hospital. No one else knows this yet though, and it should prolly stay quiet for just a little while yet but...”

He folded his arms and cleared his throat awkwardly. There really was no easy way to say this. “He, um…well, this patient, he was brought in the other night in pretty bad shape. It seems he’s been a captive of the Agency for a little while now… like, say... several months.”

His eyes locked with Misty’s as he let that information sink in. “It’s him. It’s Alec. He’s alive.”