Return

Garret returned Maggie's hug, giving her a tight squeeze. "G'night, Mags. Ill see you tomorrow." When she'd gone, he looked down at the page she'd been coloring and smiled little. He wouldn't admit out loud that he was going to miss her. She was... sunshine itself and had taught him more than anyone else had. But he knew it was time. It was time to be on his own for the first time in his life. After saying goodnight to Laura and Nate, he went to bed himself and mentally prepared for the next day at the Elite.


Eli gave Ryan a gentle smile and slid his hand across the table to take hers and give it a squeeze. "You're not gonna lost me," he promised. "At least not this way. I really am sorry I couldn't tell you sooner. It's been killing me not being able to say anything. If it had gone on much longer, I probably would have quit if they wouldn't have given me this freedom." 

Drawing back again, he searched her face. "It's a little dangerous," he admitted. "But nothing like what the agents go through, and nothing like what Alec got himself into. I'm more... an observer. As long as my cover isn't blown, I'm safe. They're even given me some formal hand-to-hand training." He grinned. "I, um... actually met Dylan earlier that day before the race. We're both being trained together, but we couldn't say we knew each other in front of everyone. I was actually pretty impressed at how he played the role." He shook his head. "Anyway... I know you know a little bit about the Elite through Alec." He remembered when she'd told him about visiting Alec when he'd been held there, and of course she would have learned a lot while dating him. "Things are changing quite a bit - there's some overlap with the FBI at the moment. To be honest, they could pull me out at any given moment, but that's part of the deal." 

He shrugged and returned to his sub so he could at least finish eating before he had to take her back to work. "I kinda feel like I've got a purpose with them, ya know? And it's something I can do on the side while I get my own business up and running. They pay me just to be on call, so it's kinda nice as far as that goes." He grinned. "So now, if I gotta go running off without explanation, you'll know why."


"Hold it right there." Con's order was stern.

Aaron stopped in his tracks, hearing the handgun cock behind his back. He'd just entered the Elite building that morning, and had made it about five steps. He didn't even have time to say anything, when Wyatt was right there, shoving him to his knees. He cried out in pain as he hit the floor and his hands were torqued behind his back.

"What are you doing here?" Wyatt demanded. "Talk and talk fast."

Aaron winced as his knee protested against the rough handling. "I want to see Kirk."

"Kirk? What for?"

"I'll tell him himself," Aaron growled.

"Nate! Garret!" Wyatt called them over. "Get outside and sweep the perimeter. I wanna make sure this guy's alone." He couldn't help but notice Aaron's disheveled appearance - he certainly didn't look like he'd cleaned up at the Agency before coming back. But he didn't trust him for anything. He yanked Aaron to his feet. "Interrogation room. Now."

Aaron tried to take a step but his knee buckled, sending him back to the floor. He was manhandled back up again and Wyatt shoved his crutch at him. "Move!"

Angry but remaining silent, Aaron limped forward, leaning heavily on his crutch. Passing by Kirk's cubicle, he locked eyes with him for a moment, but said nothing, nor paused with Wyatt's pushing.

Kirk watched them pass, one eyebrow quirked in confusion. He glanced down at Adison. What was going on? Why on earth had Aaron just walked back in here of his own free will? "I guess... I better go see what's going on. How about you come with?" He followed the three men down to the interrogation room where Aaron was forced to sit, then cuffed to the table. Reese was right on their heels, having witnessed the commotion. After dismissing Con and Wyatt, it was just the four of them left.

"So..." Reese stood on the other side of the table and folded his arms. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"

Aaron's eyes narrowed. He turned to Kirk instead though. "You suspended Sam?"

Kirk raised his eyebrows and eased down in a chair next to Adison. "I did. Why?"

"Get her back."

"You... want to talk to her now?"

"No." Aaron rolled his eyes. "She didn't deserve to be suspended. That was my fault. She was just trying to help."

"Look, I'm sorry but...who are you to tell us how to run our operations around here?"

Aaron sighed, trying to control his temper. He had to this time. He couldn't blow it. "I'm not trying to tell you what to do. But you need to get Sam back. And Pete, for that matter. They were just... they were letting me go because keeping me here wasn't doing any good."

Reese cocked his head. "So now that you came back here, you think they deserve their jobs back or what? The damage has been done, Aaron, and you being here doesn't change the fact that both Sam and Pete made a severe mistake."

"I'll talk." Aaron swallowed hard. "I'll give you all the intel you want. Just... just give them their jobs back." He looked between Reese and Kirk. "Please."

Kirk scoffed. "And you really think we'd believe you?"

"I came back, didn't I? Unarmed and alone. What else do you want?"

"You've never been that stupid before," Reese pointed out. "You planned all along to try and escape. You have some ulterior motive and we want to know what it is."

Aaron growled, still trying to maintain control. "I didn't... I didn't plan that. Not... I mean, not until the day before. I took advantage of Sam's kindness... and Pete's too. I didn't want either of them in this much trouble. I just wanted out. That's all, but... but it's not worth it if they both lose out. This job here means too much to them."

Kirk blinked. "You believe in the cause here now?"

"I didn't say that. I don't have to believe in it or agree with it to respect how important it is to Sam and Pete."

Kirk grew silent and exchanged a look with Reese, then Adison. He wanted to talk to them in private. Motioning to the door, he led the way into the next room over where they could still observe Aaron. "I am... dumbfounded." 

Reese stood back with folded arms, a grin toying at the corner of his mouth. But he didn't say anything.

Kirk looked to Adison. "You think he's on the level?"


Outside, Garret scanned the surroundings with Nate, squinting in the sunlight. "There's no point in being out here," he commented dryly. "Aaron's alone." He stated it with such confidence, that anyone would have to conclude he knew more than he'd let on.