Pawn

Kirk hadn't spoken to Adison hardly at all the previous day. A couple text messages was it, and his evening had been spent alone, working in his apartment until two in the morning. Now, he was sitting across from Barnes in the FBI building, and it was not going well. Their discussion had become heated enough that in the next room, a handful of agents kept exchanging glances every time the two voices could be heard shouting. Whatever was going on wasn't good.

"...we can not allow a separate entity to exist with their own rules and regulations!"

"What? Like the FBI?" Kirk paced Barnes' office, his temper flaring.

"You know good and well we run under higher authority! How dare you imply that we-"

"All you want to do is control them! If you want another FBI branch, then by all means, get the funding and go for it! But the Elite is not the FBI and you can't expect them to-"

"They must be controlled! They have acted as a vigilante group for far too long and-"

"They have accomplished more than the FBI and police combined in fighting the Agency!" As a pause was finally accomplished, Kirk growled and put his hands on his head. "The police doesn't have the resources to go hunting down the Agency. The FBI doesn't have time. That leaves the Elite, and their staff is already equipped for that task."

"If they-"

"If you shut them down, you'll be shutting down the only branch that is focused on the Agency."

Barnes sighed and shook his head. "The Agency isn't near the threat the Elite claims them to be. They have been using that excuse to stay in business ever since they were exposed."

Kirk's jaw tightened and his face flushed with anger. Walking to the side, he picked up the case he'd brought and pulled out a filing folder with a stack of papers in it before tossing it onto Barnes' desk. "How much more proof does the FBI need that the Agency is a real threat? How many more lives need to be ruined? You read through those files and when you're done, you tell me again that we don't need the Elite."

"The board feels-"

"Hang the board! If every time you wrote a report you were afraid it was the demise of your department, would you still have faith in the system?"

Barnes shook his head. "Kirk, I sent you there so that we could keep an eye on their protocols. All agents were to go through rigorous training, and so far not even half have completed the written tests alone, let alone any other training. Every report shows a lack in judgment. They act out of emotions in the heat of the moment and take the law into their own hands. They have even corrupted our own. Sam just about lost everything by letting murderer loose, and now Adison just resigned so she could gain an Elite badge. And for what?! To serve on a team that is doomed to implode by their own doing?!"

Kirk stopped his pacing to stare back Barnes. "This was your plan all along wasn't it? You never really expected this merge to succeed, did you? You were just getting me out of your hair for a while, knowing good and well I was going to fail because you have made it impossible for the Elite." He shook his head slowly. "You are intentionally snuffing out the only flame that has the power to ignite and thwart the Agency's plans. Why?"

Barnes leaned back in his chair, matching Kirk's scowl. "Because I was told to. That's why." His eyes dropped and he shook his head. "Don't fight this, Kirk. It's a losing battle."

Kirk's expression had changed to one of shock. "Who... is really behind all this? And why?"

"Look... you were sent in to prove the merge wouldn't work. To prove the Elite never would play by the rules like they need to. As hard as you've tried, they have resisted every step of the way, have they not?"

"Well yes, but that's because-"

"Because they cannot ever be allowed the freedom they desire," Barnes stated flatly. "They will never be more than a vigilante group in the eyes of the law."

There was a long moment of silence as Kirk digested what he was hearing. "So... unless they start playing by your rules - which obviously they seem to have a hard time doing... you're gonna shut them down, aren't you?"

"Not me. The board."

Kirk swallowed hard. "How much time do I have to prove you wrong?"

"That's... up in the air. But we have another board meeting in three weeks. If there has been no change in the Elite's actions... which you and I both know will be the case... then I imagine they will want to start closing them down."

"You just approved funding for a new building!"

"Yes... and if it's not occupied by the Elite, then the FBI will have use for it. Any agents who want to continue working on the force may go through the proper training - that they're ignoring now, mind you - and be absorbed into other branches of law enforcement. No one will be left without a job unless they choose to quit."

"You know that no one will want to work anywhere else."

"Then that's their choice. The door will be open though."

Kirk couldn't believe this was happening. He had worked so hard.... he had spent countless nights awake and planning... he had put all of his energy and more into making this thing work. He had even jeopardized the futures of those he had taken with him... Adison, Sam... Jamison, Ron... And all along he'd just been a pawn. Just a pawn to prove it could never succeed, which would finally give the board enough evidence to finally shut down the Elite like they'd wanted to in the first place. With proof that such effort had been made without positive results would finally prove their point. The Elite was too much of a vigilante group to be allowed to continue acting on their own.

Slowly, Kirk took his badge from his belt and looked at it for several long moments. The FBI had been his life. He had worked excruciatingly hard to get here. He had come here today to make one last effort at convincing Barnes to continue supporting the Elite in spite of recent events such as the incident with Aaron. To offer him proof of how much good the Elite was doing. To defend the Elite's stance and methods. To work at ensuring the FBI would cease meddling in areas they didn't belong. But now it had turned into something completely different. Something he had not expected.

Approaching the desk, he set down his badge and also his sidearm. "Then I.. regretfully inform you of my resignation from the FBI. You'll receive my official letter tomorrow." He picked up the papers he'd just given Barnes. There was no point in leaving them - the man had made up his mind. With nothing else to discuss, Kirk took his bag and left the office, not breaking stride until he'd made it through the building and out to his car. He had just lost... so much...

...It was afternoon by the time Kirk arrived at the Elite. He'd gone home for a couple hours and hadn't texted or called anyone since leaving the FBI. Not that anybody cared. He was sure his disappearance from the Elite office had been more than appreciated the last couple days.

Finally going inside, his walk was slower than normal. He'd showered and changed before coming, but wasn't dressed as he usually did for work. Instead, he was in his faded jeans, an old t-shirt and his boots. His hair was braided from the nape of his neck down, keeping it out of his way, and he wore no sidearm. All he had was his leather messenger bag hanging over his shoulder. He wouldn't be needing what was inside anymore. The files and reports in there meant nothing.

Coming into the cubicle were Adison was working, he didn't say anything yet, but simply sank down in his chair, setting his case to the side. He hadn't even brought his laptop in. With his eyes down, he swiveled back and forth a few seconds, his slouched shoulders proving he was far from a happy state. Finally though he looked up at Adison and sighed. "Well... for the first time in... a long time... looks like you and me aren't gonna be partners anymore." His gaze fell again and he picked at a rough edge of his fingernail. "I just resigned from the FBI this morning. I'll need to...inform Reese, then..." He shrugged lamely. "Look for some other line of work."


Zan didn't understand what this Agency place was. He'd never pried into that part of Destiny's past - all he knew was it had been hard and she'd hardly had a family life at all because of what her dad had been involved with. He did know just a little about the Elite, but only what he'd heard around town, and he didn't understand why they would have pulled Destiny in on whatever this was. But that would be for another conversation another time.

He nodded at her suggestions, glad for the advice. "Okay... I can do that." He sighed and looked at the clock. "Sorry I woke you, but I don't wanna make you come over here now." He didn't want her to have to sleep on his couch again like she had before. 

"I always want your company," he admitted. "But there's no reason to put you through this. I'll um... I'll take care of him best I can. I just didn't trust his roommate to keep an eye on him so that's why I brought him here."

He stifled a yawn and ran a hand over his face. "Thanks... try to go back to sleep. I'll talk to you tomorrow." 

After finishing up the call, he went to check on Jett, who was far from finished yet. Zan had to wonder just how much his friend had really been drinking to be this bad off. Eventually he was able to help clean Jett up, though he was far from sober, and somehow managed to get him to eat just a little and drink some water. And finally, finally he dozed off, giving Zan a chance to go to bed...

...Running on just a few hours of sleep, Zan worked on a second cup of coffee as he laced his boots and got ready to go to work. Grabbing his phone, he dialed Destiny while glanced in the living room again and hunting for his wallet. 

"Hey... Good morning, Sunshine." He smiled, though hoped he hadn't woken her once again. "Listen, I gotta go to work, but Jett is still asleep on my couch. I just don't feel right leaving him alone. Would you... be able to come check on him? Sometime this morning? I can leave a key under the mat for you."