by L. M. Vila
They sped across the desert, leaving dust behind and bringing new concerns with them. Nicole tried to look the part of the calm commander but she was no actress. Her worries came through even as she breathed. She couldn’t take her eyes off that explosion and the fire that emerged from within. Scenarios started filtering through her thoughts. Unfortunately, everyone thus far ended on a bad note. This wasn’t how the story was supposed to end.
“Look!” Yelled Meryl as she pointed towards the building. She gripped the top handle of the jeep and pulled herself to a standing position. Nicole desperately reached out for the bar’s support so that she could see what Meryl had detected.
Both woman looked out as the sun rose in the mountains and gave new color to the earth. Someone was approaching, slowly but steadily. As the vehicle drew closer, they started to make out the man’s features. His right arm was wrapped in bandages and painted with blood. Black clothing masked the rest of his appearance except his hair, which shined against the brightness of the morning light.
Michael walked across the desert with the armored trench coat slung over his left shoulder. Its weight was hindering, but the fact that he lived to experience this pain was more than enough to keep him pushing through. Cars approached with their sirens at full volume, reminding him of the past. Police vehicles pursued beyond his path, ignoring his existence entirely.
Detonating the block of C4 may seem like overkill to the less informed. Michael had a very specific purpose to destroying the server room on the 30th floor. All of the information he was able to collect from the General’s laptop almost demanded that he do so. He continued to march forward, reminiscing about his decision and the great battle that took place. His body would be lucky enough to forget everything in a couple of days. Memories didn’t share that luxury.
“Stop right here Lieutenant. In front of that man,” Nicole begged. Her instructions came a few seconds too late for a normal stop. The jeep turned, skidding across the desert and stopped about several paces away from Michael.
The sound the vehicle made was more than enough to garner Michael’s attention. He picked up his slumped head and stared and the occupants. Nicole was already halfway out the door; her injuries weren’t great enough for hospital treatment. That or she was too hardheaded to go. Running across the other end of the jeep, Meryl sped to his side. Concerned beckoned she asked the obvious question.
“Jesus Michael! What the hell happened?”
Her distress was thoughtful. Michael didn’t know how to respond at first. His mind was still inside the building. Staring back at her wonderful brown eyes made him reconsider his silent stance. During his endless struggle today, he’d forgotten just how beautiful Meryl looked. It reminded him of a happier, much simpler time.
“Michael,” Nicole cut in, diminishing Meryl’s hopes of finding an answer to her question. “Is everything taken care of?”
He nodded.
“What of General Semyon? Or Roman Grisha?”
“Dead.”
Nicole’s lips formed a tiny grin. “Well, that is a shame now, isn’t it?”
Another helicopter whipped ferociously in the sky above them. It swung around the area, surveying the scene. The annoyance it caused cut Nicole’s questioning short. Landing next to them, about thirty yards away, the black helicopter ceased its functioning. Doors opened and out poured a familiar face and one not so familiar. They weren’t about to forget Mr. Sander’s shiny dome but the other man walking next to him had a much more commanding presence. And he headed straight for Nicole to introduce himself.
“Special Agent in Charge Nicole Wells, pleasure to meet you,” the taller man said while extending his hand.
“A pleasure I’m sure Mr.–”
“Parker. Mr. Sanders along with few others are a part of my division. I understand he was giving you a bit of trouble earlier. Allow me to extend my apologies.”
This was beyond awkward. In all of Nicole’s years of service, she never believed a member of the CIA would ever admit their faults let alone say they were sorry. Nicole was at a loss of words.
“And of course, I have to show gratitude to you Agent Madison.”
If Michael had the muscles trained, his eyebrow would have shot up like a NASA rocket. Parker put his hand out once again which Michael begrudgingly accepted and shook.
“My agent tells me you saved her life. I am in your debt.”
Michael remained silent. It was too painful to talk. At this point, his lungs have the consistency of ground beef.
“I only wish you got here sooner. Losing Mr. Perry is tragic and sadly, part of the job. He will be remembered and missed, I promise you. Don’t let yourself get down about that.”
Michael assured himself he wouldn’t. If there was anyone to blame, it should be their bald-headed friend. Arguing semantics was futile.
Parker peered out to the devastation Michael had created. “Ms. Ross took a peek at the mess you made on the first floor. That's quite impressive. Did you do that yourself?”
A cold, blood caked stare was all he get in response from the wounded FBI agent.
“You are a very humble man. Here,” Parker said passing him a business card. “Mr. Sanders tells me you’re out of a job. If you’re still looking, feel free to give me a call. I’m sure we’ll find a place for your unique talents.”
Michael accepted the card and glanced at it briefly before storing it in his pocket. This man had more brass than his lackey. Something about his mannerisms seemed synthetic. He couldn’t put his finger on it but beyond the job offer, everything else appeared to be an act.
A white car drove up and stopped behind them. The driver, Ms. Ross exited her vehicle and approached her fellow agents.
“Good to see you Ms. Ross, I trust everything went well.”
She gave him a sly look. “Absolutely.”
“Wonderful,” he then turned to the FBI group and smiled. “Well, I’m sure we’d love to stay and have a cup of coffee but I have another pressing matter to attend to. Thanks again for your assistance on this one. We got everything we needed. Until the next party, take it easy S.A.C.”
“You too Mr. Parker.”
They couldn’t leave fast enough. This meeting left an unpleasant taste in Nicole’s mouth. The way Parker phrased everything he said made him seem nice but also a bit sinister. At this point, she’d pay anything to be a fly on the wall inside that helicopter. Worst case scenario, she’d at least hear that jerk Sanders get his ass chewed out. A good show is just what she needed at this point.
Sirens diverted Nicole’s attention. Great sirens. From the looks of Michael’s condition, necessary sirens. The ambulance raced towards their position. Nicole flagged them down. They came to a humble stop right next to them. Technicians jumped out of the car where she instructed their next actions.
“Please look over my agent. I need to make a phone call.”
“You’ve got it,” one of them happily replied.
“Right this way sir,” the other directed.
Nicole walked off as Michael stepped near the back of the ambulance. The doors opened and they motioned for him to sit on the edge. Michael respectfully obliged.
“Alright, let’s get this bandage off you and see what we’re working with here.”
The E.M.T. dove right in, cutting through the initial triage and preparing his rework. Meryl took a seat next to Michael on his left. Light shined down on their exhausted bodies. The sun had smiled on them this morning when no one else would.
“Hell of a day, right?”
Michael couldn’t help but agree. Meryl fought for the right words to say and blamed her exhausted mind if she faltered.
“You know, despite everything that happened, I think I’m going to enjoy working here.”
Again, he felt himself having the same opinion. This time, he’d at least voice it.
“It suits you.”
“You think?” She laughed. That giddy little chuckle she used to do every time sh
e received a compliment. A spark appeared, right under Michael’s heart and slowly started to warm it.
Although he didn’t show it, he really appreciated all of the things Meryl did for him. And even today, after being apart from each other from all these years, Michael didn’t even make her feel welcomed. Not just as a coworker, but as something more. One incident in particular stuck out in his mind. He planned to rectify that immediately.
“Meryl,” Michael spoke softly. Her attention snapped and waited to hear more. “About earlier...” This was more complicated than he imagined. Suddenly dodging a punch from Kurtis seemed easier at this point. Still, he pushed himself through. It had to be said. “I’m sorry. For everything.”
She felt flustered. Vessels would soon burst in her face and make Meryl’s complexion turn a color she did not want him to see. Waving her arms back and forth, she tried to deny his claims.
“What are you talking about? There’s nothing to be sorry for-”
“And...” His words silenced her plea. This was particularly difficult to say. Not because he didn’t believe in it. Quite the contrary. It was on the top of his mind this morning and every day before once he found out she was transferring here. Meryl deserved to hear it. Now more than ever.
“I’ve missed you.”
Past emotions and current feelings sweetened Meryl’s soul. She killed herself all day, trying to figure out exactly what she wanted from Michael. And here he sat, as E.M.T.s wrapped his injured shoulder, and did exactly what she wanted and needed in only three words. Nothing made her happier than living in this moment.
Michael passed his free left hand over to her. “Friends?”
As charming as this gesture was, Meryl wasn’t going to let him get away with a simple handshake. After all they’ve been through together, he should have known better than that. She wrapped her arms around his back and chest and locked them at his waist. His hand landed softly on her back. Finally, they were able to share a hug without being caught in an explosion. And it felt great.
Meryl pulled away and confirmed Michael’s inquiry by replying, “The best.”
His lips wanted to form a smile but Michael couldn’t find it in him to perform the action. There they sat once more, together. Closer than ever it seems. Then Meryl began to remind him of something he had hoped to forget.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Happy Birthday Michael.”
Touching sentiment aside, today actually wasn’t his birthday. Sure it was Michael Madison’s birthday, but not his. He never celebrated that day anymore. Having someone willing to commemorate it at all was truly nice, all things considering. Keeping someone like Meryl in his life reminded him of simpler, better times. That was the greatest present he could ever ask for.
“Thank you.”
He didn’t know what else to say. It was going to take some time to become comfortable with Meryl again. This was a good start.
“Say, we should restart our old tradition.”
That struck him as familiar. This was something they did back at their days in the academy. It was a small gesture but it meant to much to both of them. The traditional birthday lunch was always a welcomed treat. They would take the time to forget their worries and just enjoy each other’s company, at least for two nights every year.
“I know a great pancake house that makes a killer tuna melt and from the looks of it, an amazing B.L.T.”
It looked like Michael scoffed but Meryl knew in her heart that was a laugh in disguise. Trying to play the cool guy, as always.
“Sounds good.”
“Great!”
She looked over at the E.M.T.s and noticed they were wrapping up their work.
“As soon as you get out of the hospital, it’ll be just you and me. Like old times.”
He nodded. Something to look forward to was a rare feeling. All of this catching up numbed the pain of his arm. That or his increased regeneration rate finally kicked in.
“That’ll do it, buddy. I’ve patched it up but you’re definitely going to need to see a doctor. We’ve already called one up. He’s waiting for you.”
“Got room for one more?” The S.A.C. politely asked. Her tough exterior aside, there was no way this makeshift sling, courtesy of some resourceful employees, was going to repair this damage. Now that their job was completed, they could take a well needed break.
“Sure thing. Hop aboard ma’am.”
The E.M.T. offered his hand and carried Nicole into the vehicle. Michael hopped in as well, taking a seat along the side. She looked at him with a bit of a wicked expression greased on her face. Giving him a gentle teasing was obviously in order.
“As soon as we get back from the hospital, we’re going to have to discuss your insubordination relapse.”
He looked back at her with a questioning stare. “I quit, remember?”
“Did you? It was pretty noisy at that time. My ears were feeling a bit fuzzy. I don’t recall hearing you say that.”
That sarcastically quizzical tone was enough to tell him everything he needed to know. Michael was never going to quit, and Nicole would never let him. That’s just the way their relationship operated. After all, they’ve been together since birth.
Meryl stood by and watched, instantly feeling like a third wheel. Something about the way Nicole and Michael interacted seemed much more organic than professional.
“What are you waiting for Agent Lewis? Hop in,” offered Nicole.
“Thanks,” Meryl replied climbing inside. As the doors shut and the engine rumbled, there was one last thing on her mind. It may not be her place to ask but figured it couldn’t hurt.
“Excuse me, Agent Wells. I was just wondering, who did you talk to just now?”
“Oh that?” She replied almost teasing. “Just some colleagues in New York. I gave them the order to clean up the rest of this mess.”
Knowing that this chaos had finally come to end, Michael did the one thing he didn’t believe he’d be able to do all day. Sit back and relax.
Clouds overshadowed the great star in the sky, misting the city in a sea of grey. Seven guns fired simultaneously. The men carrying them were dressed in formal military attire. An audience of friends, family, and loved ones stood around the grave. They were here today to mourn the loss and celebrate the life of Commander Joshua McCrae.
Sadness draped over the beautiful lawn. As the priest spoke praises of the man being honored today, many that couldn’t accept the loss and continuously wept. The ceremony was lovely. People would be speaking about it for years to come.
Standing in the midst of the crowd, Michael sifted through his thoughts. Of course he, like most of his colleagues standing around him, believed that they could have somehow prevented this from happening. None of them had more prominent feelings than Michael. There were too many reasons to count. Had he detected the mole correctly, this never would have happened. Tracing back to the beginning, this entire event started by that very case being assigned to him.
Five days had passed since the A.N.K.H. Group had gone under. McCrae’s death still lingers heavily in their hearts. The justice brought down upon Isabella didn’t seem like enough. She wasn’t around to see all of these people suffering, bearing their emotions without restriction or wavering. Their misery would live on while she would not. It wasn’t fair in any sense. Even for those who would have wanted to kill her themselves.
The crowd began to disperse. It appears, the ceremony was over. Time to return to real life. Michael stepped away from the mass of gatherers. He wasn’t able to get very far. Someone had gently grabbed him by the arm, halting his progress.
“Excuse me, Agent Madison?”
Michael turned to greet that soft, sorrow filled voice. He was met with a middle-aged, but still young looking, woman with golden blonde hair, complimented by her black outfit. A child, no greater than six years old clung to her hand. Tears flowed from his eyes. Michael knew these two people very well.
“Holly.”
He wan
ted to look away. What had happened was a great embarrassment for Michael. Facing her now seemed like an added punishment.
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
She did a good job keeping her composure. Holly McCrae wasn’t completely devoid of emotion but she remained strong for others as they grieved.
“Thank you Michael. I wanted to speak with you before you left.”
The pleasure of his undivided attention was all hers.
“My husband always spoke highly of you. I’m actually here to thank you, for everything you’ve done. Both for him, and for us.”
That nearly winded Michael. In all of his years of extensive training, he was never prepared to hear this. Especially here. He silently urged her to go on.
“You might not know this but, Joshua was planning on quitting his job a week before you started. He said the pressure was getting to him, and he was losing hope. For some reason, he never felt like he was connecting to his employees. I’m not sure about his specific reasons but his underlying thought was that he just wasn’t good enough to lead.”
Michael almost didn’t believe her. Commander McCrae always had a cool head and reacted to each situation flawlessly. There was no one more fit to lead than he. Holly still had more to say, possibly to clear up his confusion.
“When you showed up, it was like he had a renewed sense of purpose. He started to love work again. Joshua would come home and tell us stories of your accomplishments and how you breathed new life into his department… And soul.”
Her story was truly wonderful. It moved him in ways that he never thought possible. However, there appeared to be one last thing she wanted to say.
“I’ll never forget what he told me one morning before he went to work. He said the reason he was able to get out of bed every morning was because of me and our son. But the reason he was able to walk out that door, was because of you.”
It was the ultimate compliment anyone could receive. Michael felt honored to hear that.
“I appreciate your kindness,” he responded.
This was an odd feeling. Like his body wanted to express joy but his heart and mind stopped it from happening. Michael stared back down at Holly with the same emotionless expression that had been engraved on his face for the past few years. He was still fighting the demons of his past. Currently, a losing battle.
