In the Grey

by Christian, Claudia Hall

  “Not either of you?” Tom asked.

  “Wouldn’t be proper,” Cian said.

  “Plus, what would you do at Sunday brunch?” Eoin asked. “Nice to see ya Jackie. How’s your secret life holding up?”

  “Jack had a secret life?” Tom asked.

  “No,” Cian said. “Eoin’s saying we don’t know anything.”

  “You don’t?” Tom asked.

  Cian shook his head.

  “Neev wasn’t like the rest of us,” Cian said. “She and Da . . . they were close. The rest of us were Mum’s kids, especially us boys. But Neev, she never got over Mum being with . . . well, Johnny’s da even though our da told her to do it.”

  “What do you mean?” Tom asked.

  “Our da was in the Maze,” Cian said. “He told Mum to get cozy with Johnny’s da so he could get better treatment, more status, and privileges, like she was a prostitute. I hated Da for that, but Neev blamed Mum. And Mum . . . well, there was Johnny and . . .”

  Cian shrugged and looked at Eoin.

  “His mum and Johnny’s da really hit it off,” Eoin said. “Love at first sight. He took her everywhere, bought her lovely things, and when Johnny came, well . . .”

  “He wanted to take us,” Cian said. “And we wanted to go. All but Neev. She told our da, and he . . .”

  “Ronan Kelly killed your mother, Brigid,” Tom said.

  “And the babe?” Cian asked.

  “Yes,” Tom said. “I assumed you knew.”

  Cian shook his head. They watched the water for a while.

  “Neev thought she deserved it,” Cian said. “She took her vows when Jackie went into Maze. I thought she knew the pressure Mum had to deal with. But she told me last week that it was Mum’s fault for ‘whoring herself out.’ That’s what she said. Neev felt like she had no choice but to become a nun. All these years later, she’s still bitter about it. Rita says, ‘I was a nun for a while, and that was nice; now I’m not.’ Just something she did, but Neev . . .”

  Cian shrugged.

  “That’s what I know,” Cian said.

  “You think she did this to get back at John?” Tom asked.

  “We think she did this because something’s happened to Jack,” Eoin said. “Neev might be bitter and mean on her own, but when Jackie’s around, everything was good. He mellows her out; gets her laughing.”

  “Any ideas what happened to Jack?” Tom asked.

  “We were going to ask our friend Art, but . . . ,” Eoin shrugged.

  Tom nodded.

  “Do you know what happened to Jack?” Cian asked.

  “I think it’s pretty dumb to take out the one person who could find and rescue him,” Tom said. “That’s what I think. Any ideas who’s behind all of this?”

  Cian and Eoin looked at each other. Eoin shook his head. Cian raised his eyebrows.

  “What’s going on?” Tom asked.

  “Eoin was just going to tell you that he made a call after he helped everyone,” Cian said.

  “To whom?”

  “Paddy Hargreaves,” Eoin said.

  “The four-year-old?” Tom asked.

  “Senior,” Cian said.

  “What did you tell the General?” Tom asked.

  “That each of them passed out after finishing,” Eoin said.

  “Shite,” Tom picked up a flat rock and threw it. The rock skipped across the surface of the river. “That’s bad.”

  “Eoin was able to modify the program Neev set,” Cian said. “If he hadn’t, they would have died.”

  “Tell me,” Tom said.

  “Samantha Hargreaves was supposed to beat Art with a baseball bat,” Eoin said. “I got her to use an aluminum hockey stick. She just hit him the one time.”

  “Less deadly,” Tom said.

  “Yes, sir,” Eoin said. “Samantha, she worked really hard and didn’t want to hurt him, but we couldn’t get to the kernel. I think it was too real, honest. Raz, he loves Alex, makes no excuses for it; that’s hard on Sami sometimes. And Wyatt, he doesn’t like the fact that Max can control him like he did when he locked him up in the bathroom. The kernel of resentment was too true for both of them. I had less time with Wyatt. But he was supposed to hold Max’s head under the toilet water – drown him.”

  “He just threw him in the bathroom instead,” Tom said.

  “Maxie would be all right if he hadn’t had a heart attack,” Eoin said. “He . . .”

  Eoin sniffed.

  “We love Max,” Cian said. “Mind if we walk?”

  “Sure,” Tom said.

  They walked along the river in silence for a while.

  “I really tried,” Eoin said when they reached the top of the ridge. “But, the programming was too strong.”

  “She worked on people who were susceptible,” Tom said. “Colin also took blood from each of them – Samantha Hargreaves, Agent Rasmussen, and Steven Pershing. They were drugged with a combination of roofies and amphetamines.”

  “Deadly cocktail,” Eoin said. “How did Pershing . . . ?”

  “Strength of will and absolute love for Alex,” Tom said. “Programming creates a tremendous, almost desperate pressure to do a specific action. In this case, stab Alex with a specific knife. One of Patrick’s ‘survive programming’ tricks is for the recipient to modify the program – focus on relieving the tension by committing the action somewhere less deadly. In this case, stab her on her right side and not her left side. She wouldn’t have survived the wound if it had been on her left side.”

  Cian and Eoin nodded.

  “Did Neev have any interaction with Pershing?” Tom asked.

  “I don’t know when they would have had time,” Cian said. “Steve arrived on Tuesday night. He was worn out by travel and went straight to bed. He was in meetings and doctor’s appointments all of Wednesday. Eoin spent an hour or so with him at a few different times. Neev wouldn’t have had access.”

  “Yet he was still drugged,” Tom said.

  “Right,” Cian shrugged.

  “And the boy?” Tom asked.

  “Hector James’s mom died last year,” Eoin said. “He was terribly victimized by Hector. His dad wants them to be strong.”

  “We do too,” Cian said.

  “Cian and me, we can’t bear the thought that they won’t recover from it all, ” Eoin said. “We’ve been trying to help them feel safe and like they can protect themselves if we’re not there. Alex bought the tasers for them. A green one for Hermes and a blue one for Hector James. Anyway, they’re little boys.”

  “Meaning?” Tom asked.

  “They would tase each other when no one was around,” Cian said. “They would knock each other out and see how long it took to wake up. You know, ‘Now do me!’”

  “They’re boys,” Tom said.

  “Exactly right,” Eoin said. “Alex took the tasers away and put them in her bottom drawer along with what she called their “ninja supplies” – untraceable phones, coagulant, medical supplies, black clothing, and the protein bars they like. Once a month or so, they’d get them out and practice. They both have access to the office, but only the drawer.”

  “Why?” Tom asked.

  “They were badly hurt,” Cian said.

  “They almost died,” Eoin said. “In the hospital after they were rescued. They wouldn’t have made it if their mum hadn’t been with them.”

  “And then she died,” Cian said. “We want them to grow into strong boys who aren’t afraid or . . .”

  “Mean,” Eoin said. “Like Neev.”

  “We specifically didn’t want them to grow into Neev,” Cian said. “Johnny used those exact words.”

  “So, if no one liked Neev, even Johnny who technically owns the house, why did you let her stay?” Tom asked.

  “Alex wanted the best person in the world to help Wyatt with his deprogramming,” Cian said. “She’s the best according to everyone.”

  “What about Eoin?” Tom asked.

  “Alex didn’t know,”
Cian said.

  ”My skills aren’t exactly public knowledge,” Eoin said. “Didn’t want the Proddies to come for me.”

  “We were going to tell her when she got home from this last trip, but . . .”

  Cian raised a shoulder in a sad shrug.

  “The boys have worked through scenarios with Colin,” Eoin said. “He’s been teaching them martial arts. Hector James knew exactly what to do.”

  Tom nodded.

  “Did they really cheer?” Cian asked Eoin.

  “When they knocked her out,” Eoin said. “They were pretty excited.”

  “Why did Hector James come down?” Tom asked.

  “He’s been having nightmares,” Cian said. “He’s just turning eleven and starting to have some sexual stirring. It’s all very normal, no acting out, nothing disturbed, but at night, he has horrible nightmares. He comes down and sits on Alex’s lap. She shows him that Hector is dead and that his mother loved him.”

  “What does he do when Alex isn’t awake?” Tom asked.

  “Hasn’t happened,” Cian said.

  “Is Alex awake every night?” Tom asked.

  “No,” Cian said. “A lot of nights, but not every night.”

  “I wonder if there’s something there,” Tom said.

  “He might hear her go down,” Cian said. “The house is insulated, but it’s old; we mostly know what’s going on all over the house.”

  “Makes sense,” Tom nodded. “How’d you wake them?”

  “Implanted the smell of their favorite thing as a wake up,” Eoin said. “Wyatt, Samantha, Steve; they didn’t want to be controlled or manipulated into hurting anyone. They fought hard. I can tell you that; they fought hard.”

  “But each of them was susceptible to programming due to previous mind control experiences,” Tom said.

  “Yes,” Eoin said. “Samantha was drugged and manipulated by that ex-senator; Wyatt was programmed in the military.”

  “And Steve?” Tom asked.

  “Military,” Eoin said. “That’s what he said.”

  “Huh,” Tom nodded. “When did you plant the wake up in Pershing?”

  “Last night,” Eoin said. “He was really open. Wyatt too.”

  “You’re saying that whoever programmed them is not done with them,” Tom said.

  Eoin nodded.

  “Good to know,” Tom said. “Can you help them?”

  “I washed away Wyatt’s programming,” Eoin said. “I’ll go by the hospital and do it again. He desperately wants this part of his life to be over and done with. We’ll get it all washed away.”

  Tom nodded. They turned around and started back.

  “Is there anything else you can tell me?” Tom asked. “Anything.”

  Cian and Eoin shook their heads.

  “What are you going to do?” Cian asked.

  “I need to visit with Neev,” Tom said. “She’s already tried to suicide. Twice. She’s being held in a federal psychiatric hospital. Rita’s with her now.”

  “Must have been programmed herself,” Eoin nodded.

  “She keeps asking for Jack,” Tom said. “She has no idea where he is. I have to tell you . . .”

  Tom winced, and they walked in silence for a while.

  “You think she’s faking,” Cian said.

  “I think she’s faking,” Tom said. “I can’t shake the feeling that she set all of this up and wants us to believe she was programmed. But I don’t know how to . . .”

  “We do,” Cian said. “Leave it to us. We’ll get it sorted.”

  “How?” Tom asked.

  “We have special skills,” Cian smiled.

  “Not you’d list on a CV, but . . .”

  “Ever notice how few MI-6 infiltrated the Irish Republican Army,” Cian said.

  “A few did,” Tom said.

  “They only thought they did,” Cian said.

  “Well, I could use the help,” Tom said. “You won’t kill her, will you?”

  “No,” Cian said. “We won’t hurt her physically in any way.”

  “But we will get the truth,” Eoin said.

  “Then I’d welcome your help,” Tom said.

  They walked back to FBI headquarters. Tom signed Eoin out from custody. They were in Tom’s car driving into town when Tom turned to Cian.

  “I heard you own a bakery,” Tom said.

  “We own a very successful bakery,” Cian said.

  “We pay our taxes and have employees,” Eoin said. “Colin Hargreaves is our proper and legal partner.”

  “We’ve been in the newspaper four times,” Cian said.

  “And won lots of awards,” Eoin said.

  “I was just wondering if we could get something to eat,” Tom said. “Everything is closed because of Thanksgiving. I’m starving.”

  “Sure,” Cian said. “Turn here.”

  F

  CHAPTER THRITY-THREE

  Thursday night

  November 25 – 11:42 p.m. MST

  Denver Health, Denver, CO

  Alex opened her eyes.

  She knew by the quality of the blue light and the sounds that she was in the hospital. She tried to move her right arm, but it was immobile. She shifted her left hand and she felt fingers holding on.

  Max.

  Her entire body felt like it had been run over by a truck. Her mind went through her body. Besides the pain and immobility in her right side, everything seemed fine. She saw Jesse floating near her bed and smiled. Her head rolled to the right.

  John was sound asleep in a chair by her bed.

  She heard a familiar noise and knew that Trece had just cleared his throat. She had so much to tell him; and wanted to hear everything he had to say. She was about to get Trece’s attention when John opened his eyes.

  “Hi,” John said.

  She smiled at him.

  “How do you feel?” he asked.

  “I hope I did some damage to the truck that hit me,” Alex said.

  He got up and went to her bedside.

  “Do you remember anything?” John asked.

  “Some,” Alex nodded.

  “Everyone wants to talk to you – MPs, military intelligence, the spies, your parents, your sisters, Colin, the police,” John said. “But I’d rather you sleep.”

  “Max?” Alex asked.

  “He had something like a heart attack,” John said. “They went in and replaced that leaking valve. We won’t know if his heart is damaged until tomorrow. He finally received a pacemaker, as well.”

  Alex nodded.

  “He is healing,” John said. “We were more worried about you.”

  “Why?”

  “Heparin,” John said.

  “On the knife?” Alex asked.

  John nodded.

  “How is Steve?” Alex asked.

  “Let me put it this way,” John said. “He’s better off than you.”

  Alex smiled.

  “The swelling is subsiding in Raz’s brain,” John said. “The vesticulostomy was enough. They didn’t have to do a decompressive cranioectomy.”

  “Sounds awful,” Alex furrowed her brow. Her eyes filled with tears. “Is he going to be all right?”

  “We think so,” John said. “He’s healthy and, as I said, the swelling is already subsiding.”

  “How did that happen?”

  “Sami hit him,” John said.

  “Things were going so well,” Alex said.

  “Troy was drugged,” John said. “Went into anaphylaxis about five minutes after he woke up.”

  “Wow,” Alex said. “Everyone.”

  “Everyone who was home,” John said. “Eoin saved the day.”

  Not sure what he meant, but too tired to ask, Alex smiled. He gave her a tissue to wipe her eyes.

  “Glad you’re here,” Alex smiled. “How are you?”

  “Grateful,” John said.

  “It was close this time,” Alex said.

  John nodded.

  “I . . . ,” she
started. She was too tired to finish.

  “You should rest,” John said. “You’re not out of the woods.”

  “In the meadow . . . ,” Alex drifted off.

  John watched her for a moment before kissing her forehead.

  “You can get some rest,” Trece said. “I’ll watch her.”

  John looked up at him.

  “I’ve spent the last couple of weeks sleeping,” Trece said. “Seriously, I’ll get you the moment something changes.”

  “I’ll be in the doctor’s lounge,” John said.

  Trece nodded. John smiled at him. He leaned over and kissed Alex’s cheek. He looked at Max. He went and kissed Max’s forehead. For good measure, he kissed Raz’s forehead and Troy’s. He stood looking at Steve for a few minutes before kissing his forehead too. He looked up to see White Boy watching him.

  “For luck,” John said.

  “Good thinking,” White Boy said.

  John pulled on his tie and stumbled back to the doctor’s lounge. When he was on call, he hated the lounge. If he wasn’t conducting a surgery or meeting with patients and their families, he wanted to be at home. Tonight, he merely lay down on a cot and fell sound asleep.

  “John?” His surgical nurse Trish shook his shoulder. “Dr. Drayson?”

  “Alex!” John woke with a start.

  “Time for rounds,” Trish said.

  “Alex? Max? Raz? Troy? Steve?” John asked.

  “They’re awake and wondering if you’ll order pizza,” Trish said. “They are arguing with those big guys over what toppings to put on their pizza.”

  John grinned.

  “Their vitals show that they are very weak,” Trish said.

  “They put on a good show,” John said.

  Trish smiled.

  “You have time to shower and shave,” Trish said. “I’ll meet you outside.”

  Groggy from his hard sleep, he stared at the door. She reappeared.

  “If you don’t get going NOW,” Trish said. “You’re going to bitch at me about it all day.”

  John jumped into action.

  FFFFFF

  Friday, afternoon

  November 26 – 1:27 p.m. EST (11:27 a.m. MST)

  Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Arlington, VA

  “Is Cam here?” Patrick asked.

  “He is.” The secretary had looked up when they came in, but now refused to make eye contact.