Flashpoint: Reed Series

by M. C. Cerny

  KATIE THANKED MARTA AND WENT to the library. Before entering the masculine domain, she curled her toes on the stone floor, took a deep breath, and opened the door. The others looked up, but with less surprise than before. She noticed one of them staring at her. While her fuzzy head didn’t recall the others, she knew this was Julian, the doctor who had taken care of her after the explosion. She nodded to him and he nodded back, holding up his coffee cup in salute. Katie walked over to Jacob, who grabbed her hand.

  She placed her coffee mug on the table and addressed the group. “Since something is obviously going on, you might as well fill me in. I have a lot of contacts in the city and might be able to help.”

  She looked around the room and expected her request to be rejected by the alpha males, but it was the woman, Lulu, who surprised her. “Why would we need help from a nosy, high-profile news reporter? It’s not like you can shoot anything, or tap into secure computer networks.”

  “No. You’re right, Lulu, but I do know a few people in the state department, and my brother is FBI.”

  “Oh, please. The feds contract with us because we take care of the business they don’t want to, and we have enough dirt on those boys in the state department that we have them practically by the balls. You’re the dead weight in the room.” Lulu stood in front of Katie with her arms folded over her chest. Lulu was a little bit taller, but both women were fairly petite, and the men waited to see what would happen.

  “If you’re expecting me to back down, I won’t. I didn’t ask to be brought into this, but here I am so you can appreciate what I’m willing to do for you, or you can shove it right up your…”

  “Okay, okay, ladies. I think we get the picture. You can retreat back to your respectable corners and put the boxing gloves down.” Nick stood between Lulu and Katie, unsure who he was going to have to protect. Jacob stood behind Katie, but gave her space.

  “Whatever. I have shit to do.” Lulu stalked out of the room, pushing Nick out of her way and bumping her shoulder into Katie, who stood firm and took the blow surprisingly well. Lulu slammed the door on her way out, and a few of the guys let out a pent up breath.

  “Well, I feel like I’m at work, fighting the harpies,” Katie muttered.

  “Just ignore her. Lulu has always been difficult with new people.” Nick sat back down as Julian got up. His fists were clenched and everyone sensed the new tension in the room.

  “Why, Nick? She’s always been disagreeable, jealous, and out to prove something. It’s time she grew the fuck up or got out of the business. She’s going to get someone killed, if not herself,” Julian muttered before going back to his own laptop. “So stop making excuses for my girlfriend.” Katie thought that bit of information was interesting because it seemed like Nick and Lulu were an item, not Julian and Lulu, but whatever. The prickly woman wasn’t her problem.

  “My newsroom is more intimidating than her. My offer stands to help.” The others in the room watched the conversation like uncomfortable voyeurs, pacing and avoiding looking at anyone in particular as they took the details in.

  “How much do you remember from the night of the warehouse explosion?” Eli asked.

  “Nothing that I think would be helpful. As you know, I hit my head pretty hard that night. All the memories I have are what I was told to remember.” Katie glanced at Julian, who didn’t look her in the eye this time.

  “Have you had any nightmares since that night, or even after the break-in at your apartment?” Julian looked up. He had stopped typing on his keyboard and looked curious now.

  Before Katie could answer, Jacob practically jumped up in front of her. “No, Julian. Absolutely not. I won’t allow it.”

  Katie gently pushed him out of her way and went over to Julian. “What? What are you suggesting? I had nightmares for weeks after the explosion and since the mugging, but I don’t know how related the two events are.”

  “No, Katie. I won’t let him do whatever to you that he’s thinking.”

  “Well?” Katie looked between Jacob and Julian. She was frustrated to still be on the outside of all the information.

  “Eli told me that Jacob said you were mumbling in Russian during your nightmare on Thursday night,” Julian admitted.

  “I was?” Katie looked at Jacob, who looked like he wished he never said anything. “What does that mean?” Katie was confused. “I don’t speak Russian and never have.”

  “It’s been suggested that giving patients sodium pentothal can suppress the higher cortex and relax the patient into uncovering some suppressed memories.”

  “Memories that you tried to suppress from the beginning so, basically, you want to re-crack my egg open?”

  “Well, yes. However, the most we can do is suggest a memory and then provide limited factual details or events to make it seem real. At first, I was confident everything was working, until Jacob literally ran into you again. You were meeting with Dr. Lane initially, but seem to be less compliant of late; no thanks to Jacob’s interference, I’m sure.”

  “What? How do you know about my therapist? That’s confidential patient/doctor privilege. Nevermind, that’s a stupid question.” Katie rubbed her forehead. These “getting to know you” sessions were pissing her off.

  “Because I might have arranged for her to be working at the hospital and sent her to you to help you with the effects of the trauma. At the time, it seemed like a good contingency plan, but you’re very strong-willed.” Julian remarked dryly.

  “Um, thanks. I think.”

  “Damn it, Julian!” Jacob was fuming mad now, having been hit with this news shocker.

  “We had to be sure that she wasn’t remembering things but, since her partner’s video camera was partially destroyed, chances are that she remembers exactly what we need, especially if she is reciting things in Russian.”

  “And you want to do it to me again?” Katie replied drolly. “This isn’t exactly what I had in mind in terms of helping.”

  “I can call Nancy and have her here in a few hours. We can do the procedure and be done before dinner. You could even go back to the city once we have the information we need.”

  “I don’t want that woman anywhere near me! I knew there was something screwy about her and now it’s confirmed. What was she doing to me during those EMDR sessions to help me sleep?”

  “She really was trying to help you sleep. That part was true,” Julian said.

  “Sweetheart, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. I agree that you’ve been through enough and I haven’t been helping the situation, but I aim to rectify that.” Jacob held Katie in his arms and glared at Julian, daring him to cross the line.

  However, it was Eli who actually spoke. “I think my brother is biased in his assessment here. Just hear us out, Katie.” Eli spoke gently, but the tone seemed to be warning Jacob.

  “What about your friend, Tully?” Julian asked gently.

  Jacob held Katie tighter, whispering in her ear, “No, don’t listen to them. You don’t have to do this. I don’t want you to do this. I just got you back in my life.”

  “Jacob, don’t be selfish here. You’ve only just ‘reconnected’, and I’m sure Katie would want to put this past her,” Julian stated.

  “Don’t be manipulative, Julian,” Jacob growled.

  “Doesn’t he deserve justice for being shot like an animal? What about those women who were in the warehouse, who are now victims of sexual slavery and abuse. Don’t you wonder why you and Tully were there in the first place?” Eli countered.

  “I wasn’t given a choice to know.” Katie said quietly. “I lay awake at night and wonder why I dream incomplete dreams and feel so empty when I wake up, because all I know is that my friend is dead and maybe I had some part in that with my foolishness.” Katie looked up into Jacob’s eyes for a long moment and saw his brimming with anger and fear for her. Katie turned in Jacob’s embrace and cupped his cheek gently, feeling the roughness of his cheek. She looked into his knowing
what her decision needed to be. “Let me do this, Jacob. I need to do this.” Katie decided that if this was the only way to get a grip on those flashes of memories, she’d do it. “Call her. Call Dr. Lane. I’ll do it, but then I never want to see her again.” Jacob held Katie tightly, afraid to let go. Julian placed the call to Dr. Lane. He left the library to set up one of the guest rooms for Katie’s medical “procedure”.

  Jacob moved away from Katie, looking out a window over the perimeter of the property. Anger simmering, he slammed his fist down on the desk and then took the pile of papers and computer parts, flinging them to the floor. It was the first show of any kind of aggression that Katie had seen from him. She winced in reaction, but she wasn’t afraid of him. She knew he would never direct it at her but, all the same, she respected the brimming power behind his controlled force.

  “Hey, easy, man. We get through this and you get your girl back.” Tyler nodded to Jacob, putting his hand on his shoulder reassuringly before moving away. Rush, Mason, Clint, and Tyler left the library to find something else to keep them busy, leaving Katie alone with Jacob, Eli, and Nick.

  She noticed the difference between the brothers, though not much separated them. Eli was physically larger, his facial features a tad more masculine. Striking brows, dark brown eyes, and a similar tattoo wound up his forearm. Although Jacob was big, he was the compact one of the two and prettier…in a masculine way. She could feel the tension between the brothers. Nick, who kept his distance, was quiet, a peacefulness emanated from him. He must have been the priest that Jacob had told her about. His fair hair and good looks made him seem angelic, though he probably had seen and done things that Katie couldn’t imagine. Looks were often very deceiving, as she was now learning first-hand.

  “I should probably formally introduce myself to you. I’m Eli Bennett, Jacob’s brother.” Eli sat across from Katie. “I’m the older one who is in charge of the team missions and security part of the business.”

  “It’s a shame we couldn’t meet under normal circumstances. So tell me why you were all there at the warehouse that night.” Katie sat down on the couch and tucked her feet underneath her. She wasn’t about to back down.

  “We had been contracted through, uh…government sources to break up a white slavery ring of young women who were being shipped into New York City from Eastern Europe.”

  “That doesn’t sound terribly covert for the US government. Since I’m going to let your quack fry my brains, you might as well give me full disclosure.” Katie was angry, but uncertain where her anger was directed at the moment.

  “The men who were running the white slavery ring were also using the women to transport designer club drugs. Since that night, we’ve been looking for leads, but have been turning up empty.”

  “Don’t you need a lab to produce those drugs or something? Are they already finished for street sale? Exactly how were they being transported? Sorry, I can get carried away into reporting mode.” Katie felt their eyes on her and she blushed, remembering that she was not reporting this information anywhere. Jacob nodded and smiled at her reassuringly.

  “Our contact wanted us to raid the warehouse, take suspects into custody, and separate the women from their captors. We don’t know where the drugs are being produced or even exactly how they are being brought in.”

  “And you think I heard or saw something, in Russian, no less, that will help you identify more Intel of who exactly is behind this?”

  “We’re hoping so. Your friend’s video camera was partially destroyed. It must have dropped or something because we only got the end feed,” Eli told her.

  “Eli… enough. I don’t want to put her through this.” Jacob leaned over, feeling sick. He put his face into his hands. He dreaded this moment.

  “Wait, hold on. What do you mean the ‘end feed’?” Katie instinctively clutched her robe closed at the base of her neck. She was afraid to hear the next words that would confirm her worst fears.

  “Sweetheart, it isn’t something meant for you to see. You experienced Michael Tully’s death once and grieved for him already. I think that’s more than you need to go through,” Jacob gently told her.

  “I’m tired of people taking choices away from me. Tully had a wife and son who will never know the truth. God knows what brought us there that evening. I think my friend deserves to be honored with the truth. Someone should bear witness to what really happened to him.”

  “The rest of us have already viewed the tape.”

  “But none of you knew him, you weren’t his friend. You weren’t privy as to how we got there. I want to see that tape. I owe that much to him.”

  “You don’t owe him anything for putting you in danger,” Jacob gritted.

  “You don’t get to tell me what to do here!” Katie yelled back, taking deep breaths.

  “Jacob, ease up. I have to agree with Katie. I’m Nick, by the way.”

  “It’s nice to meet you. You must be the priest.”

  “Yes. Well, I was. We’re asking a lot of you to trust us when we haven’t given you a reason to trust us. If knowing what really happened to your friend will ease your pain and the burdens you carry since his death, then I think you should see it. I think you should be able to make that decision separate from Jacob’s desires. I’m sorry, Jacob.”

  “Thank-you.” Katie was waiting for Jacob to say something. He looked angry and maybe a little defeated, but she was determined to get her way.

  “I can set up the video for you.” Nick came over and clasped Katie’s hand. She appreciated the gesture and nodded to Nick.

  “No, Nick, I’ll do it. If you two don’t mind.” Jacob got up and grabbed a computer tablet from the desk. It was similar to the security panel at his loft, but this one seemed to control the computers here. Nick squeezed her hand gently, and Eli nodded to her before both quietly left the room.

  “You’re angry with me for wanting to see it, aren’t you?” Katie asked, quietly watching Jacob fidget with the controls

  “Of course not.” He was silent as he manipulated the remote.

  “I’m sorry I yelled at you.” Katie looked at Jacob, searching his face for an emotion, but he seemed shutdown.

  “I kind of deserved it.” Jacob chuckled, though he didn’t find the situation funny. This was just a strange conversation to be having all together.

  “Yeah, you did,” Katie goaded him.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth. This whole situation is crazy and I thought I could handle it.”

  “So you don’t think I should watch the video.”

  “No.”

  “Are you going to give me a reason why?”

  “Would it matter?”

  “It might. I feel like we’re having a fight, but I’m not sure what the fight is even about. From day one, it’s been so complicated for us. I feel like you’re still hiding things, and that makes me uneasy. We can’t even have a normal couple argument over laundry on the floor, and I’m finding out you saved me from a warehouse with slave traders and terrorists.” Katie used air quotes to emphasize ‘normal couple argument’ and Jacob shook his head.

  “It’s hard to be so open. I need to protect you and, damn it, you’re not letting me! This kind of information could get you hurt or taken by the wrong people.”

  “Look, I can accept that you weren’t being a total crazy stalker the last year but, beyond that, how much do I really know about you? Is anything between us even real?”

  “Right now is real, and I haven’t lied to you.”

  “Today, maybe.” Katie muttered.

  “Katie, this is real.”

  “You sure as hell omitted quite a lot.”

  “Hmm. Okay, you obviously have me by the balls with that one.” Jacob tapped his leg with the remote. “I’m guilty of omission, but you have to understand that this isn’t really knowledge appropriate for the general public.” Jacob rubbed his hand over his face, wishing he could just start over and begin anew, and that Katie
forgave him.

  “Was last night even real?” she whispered.

  “I’m really taken aback by you questioning last night’s meaning.”

  “Shouldn’t I?” Katie could feel her cheeks flush.

  “For me, everything about our time together has been real. I thought that by not telling you everything, we might have a chance to try and see where this is going. I never thought you’d get mugged, or that photographers would put us on page six, or that your apartment would get broken into.”

  “So what happened to the mugger?” Katie folded her arms across her chest. She wasn’t going to start tapping her foot, but she was so pissed off that the desire was there.

  “Jesus, you’re going to ask me about that now?”

  “He was a teen, a kid. Should I assume you let that go? I don’t know exactly what your ‘protocols’ are for a situation like that. I can tell by the expression on your face that you didn’t let him go. You want me to trust you, Jacob. You better start coming clean with me.” Katie faced him.

  “He was alive the last time I saw him.” Jacob paused, avoiding eye contact, and hesitated to answer her. He didn’t think she needed to know the kid had been found hours later shot and left behind a dumpster, but he had to be honest with her. Fucking karma.

  “‘Alive’ has a bunch of variations. So if you found him, that means what exactly?” Katie gave her best pissed off reporter stance.

  “He got my version of a scared straight program and, hopefully, he’ll never mug another person again.”