The Protector (10 page)

“Better?” I heard Seth ask. “Here’s the oxygen.”

Oxygen, I thought to myself. I was amazed at their resources and the fact they even thought to grab oxygen and I was still swirling over their stupidity in Tel Aviv. I heard the machine start up and felt something over my face. I tried to take a deep breath and let the medicine expand my lungs. The burning sensation stopped and I could feel the relief instantly. 

I opened my eyes to find Jack and Mrs. Walker sitting next to me, Jack holding the mask. Seth and Conway stood behind talking. I tried to focus my eyes to gauge the reaction on Jack’s face. It wasn’t all what I had expected.  I had expected disappointment for my ranting, anger for my blame game, but instead his eyes were filled with nothing but concern and worry. Suddenly a new knot formed in my chest, but it wasn’t another asthma attack, it was guilt.  

I tried to sit up, but Mrs. Walker gently pushed my shoulders down against the pillow of the couch.  When that didn’t work I tried to push the mask away, but Jack obviously was stronger. “Stay put.”   He gave me a look and I knew at once it wouldn’t be smart to argue with him. It would most likely end with me more frustrated and struggling once again for air.

I watched the happenings around me in sort of a haze. Seth and Conway continued to talk and Jack whispered quietly to Mrs. Walker. I replayed the conversation before my fainting spell and my stubbornness took over once again.  I pushed Jack’s hand off of the mask and pushed myself to sit up. Both Jack and Mrs. Walker let me sit up this time.

“I am fine.” I managed to say. Jack’s hand came up and guided the mask back to my mouth.

“Please.” His voice rang in my ears and his face was sincere in its request. There was no demand. I realized then that I was not going home until I answered all their questions. 

“Really I am ok,” I managed to whisper in a hoarse voice.

I knew he didn’t believe me, but I didn’t care. I looked up at Conway and Seth and moved the mask so I could talk.  “What else do you want to know?”

Conway’s head tilted in satisfaction as he could read the resolve in my face, even if it was behind the mask.  Jack shot him a look to back off, but Conway ignored him. “Alison? We need the processor.”

“Fine,” I managed to whisper from behind the mask. “Send me home and you can have the processor. I’ll hand it over as soon as I am back in Albuquerque.” I bit my lip watching the men around me. My words were not a request, but more of a demand.

Jack stifled back a laugh and watched Conway for his reaction.  Suddenly his expression became serious again, “I’m going with her.”  His words surprised me. As much as I had wanted it, I hadn’t truly expected him to say he wanted to take me home.

“No.” Conway said with authority. “Catherine,” this was the first time I had heard anyone use Mrs. Walker’s first name, “stay with Alison.”  Conway pushed Jack toward the kitchen and Seth followed them.

             
Mrs. Walker, or Catherine as I now knew her only smiled
halfheartedly
at me.  “This could get heated,” she stated as a mother observing her sons arguing. “They’ll work it out, we just have to be patient.”  She leaned closer to me and smiled, “Jack will win. He always gets what he wants.” Within seconds the exchange between the three men started.

“No, I will send someone else. I need both you and Seth here.” I heard Conway counter.

“No, she trusts me,” Jack’s voice was calm and insistent.  “I have come this far with her, why change it up?”

After that their voices went quiet and I couldn’t hear much of anything. I sat up in the couch and put my legs on the floor. There was no way I felt that I could get up and walk but I wanted to sit up straight.  Mrs. Walker sat next to me.

“It seems you have created quite a stir my dear.  You doing better?” The older lady asked.

             
I took another deep breath from the mask before I answered her.  I was feeling better, and I smiled to convince her.  I didn’t say much as the minutes passed by but I did watch the lady who sat next to me. Although she had been the sweetest thing I had seen in days, I realized by looking at her she was a force to be reckoned with. Cross her and the consequences would be severe. “I didn’t mean to cause problems. I just want to go home.”

“I know,” she responded.

J

I tried desperately to defend my position. Technically the whole handoff screw up was my fault and I needed to rectify the situation.  I didn’t keep a close enough eye on things or in contact with Tom. I was the first person he should have called to tell me he was sending someone in his place, not Conway.  And I knew if he had, we would have called off the entire exchange. Alison, innocently came into the picture and now I at least had to help her out.   I owed it to her to keep her safe. Although Tom had often times talked of possibly bringing her in to the picture, he never confirmed nor did he go forward with talking to her. The most we knew of her was what we had gathered from her academic, credit and work record; and of course, Tom’s own words.

“Let me get the processor and make sure she is safe. We still don’t know who killed Tom. Alison is technically still in danger.” I could tell Conway was still hesitant but he really couldn’t argue with my point because it was true.  Alison was still in danger and we needed the processor.  And technically we weren’t supposed to be involved. After all it was and academic swap between countries. Or at least it was labeled that.

“I still don’t think it is that great of an idea to send you. I need you here. You had interaction with the Israeli’s and frankly you might be able to calm them down.”

“So did Seth,” I argued. “Look both Seth and I were in Tel Aviv for this thing. He is as much prepared to deal with the Israeli’s as I am.”

I could tell Conway wasn’t completely convinced of this. There was more to it but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

Finally, he relented. “Let me make some phone calls. Then I’ll make my decision.” Conway disappeared in the office behind the kitchen. It was a high tech communication center that enabled us to communicate with anyone around the world.

“He’s not buying it.  And frankly neither am I,” Seth managed to spit out.

I looked at Seth confused. “What’s there to buy Seth? You are more than capable of handling the Israeli’s.  I don’t need to deal with them.  I go back with her, get the processor and some answers. I can also try and get some more information out of Sonny.”  The plan was forming in my head but I watched my friend’s face grow skeptical.

“Jack?”

“Seth, come on. Someone, besides Alison knows who Tom has talked to.”

“Jack, you have lost it.” Seth sat down at the kitchen table and leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head.  “I never thought I would see the day when you lost your mind.”

He was completely right, but I wasn’t going to admit it to him. Normally, it would be easy to hand someone off, but this was different. Seth knew me well, we had been through some pretty hairy situations together and in all those situations he had never told me I had lost my mind and meant it like he did now. I sat down next to him. “I haven’t lost my mind Seth. It makes sense.”

“Sure it makes sense. Your plans always make sense. But Jack, you don’t see it.” He still had a smile on his face but behind the smile, I could see the seriousness of his words.

“See what? That she needs someone she can trust? C’mon Seth.” I wasn’t sure what else to say to him.

“I told you, you are getting too close to this girl - too protective.  We can’t save everyone.”  This time he leaned forward and folded his hands on the kitchen table.

Seth’s words burned right through me. “She deserves better than this Seth.” He was wrong, I wasn’t being protective. Maybe I was just tired of not being able to save everyone. I was trying desperately to justify my reasoning for wanting to stay with her. I saw what Seth was trying to say to me. Years of work in the field had given us an edge with each other. If it was entirely possible we could read each other’s minds.

“You’re getting too close to her Jack.” 

I shook my head, “No, I want to protect her.”

I sat at the table and stared at Seth.  I wanted to protect Alison.  I was sure it was because we had dropped the ball and not properly predicted this outcome. It wasn’t fair to her that all this went haywire. And I would keep telling myself this.  We sat there for a moment not saying anything to each other. I could hear the gentle hum of the nebulizer in the next room. I was happy to hear it was on and she was still using it.  I brought my hands to my face and rubbed. 

I heard footsteps behind me and both Seth and I turned to the sound. It was Mrs. Walker.

“I figured it was safe to walk in.”

“Yeah, it’s safe. No hand to hand combat today,” Seth joked as she walked closer to where we sat.  “You should go check on her Jack.” 

I looked at him puzzled, not quite sure what to make of them, but being the good Marine, I did as I was told and slowly got up from the chair and turned to walk into the living room where Alison sat. 

“Wait,” Mrs. Walker said.  “Here, she needs some water. Try to keep her calm ok. Her breathing is normal now.”

I nodded in acknowledgement and walked out of the room, glass of water in hand. I heard Seth mumble something, but I ignored his comments. 

Sonny sat on the couch and looked at me as I walked up to her. The oxygen was off and the color was returning to her face. I took the seat next to her on the couch and handed her the water.

“Here, drink.”

“Thank you,” she managed to mutter in a hoarse voice as she took the glass and drank most of it down..

“You look better, you aren’t pasty white anymore.”

She smiled
halfheartedly
and looked away from me almost embarrassed. “The oxygen helped,” she whispered.  “Thank you. I guess it was pretty stupid of me to get so worked up.”

“You had every right to get worked up. I just wish it didn’t result in an asthma attack.”  I watched as she reached up and ran her fingers through her hair rearranging the tangled mess it had become.  I knew she wanted to say something to me but only stared straight ahead, in silence. I could feel the warmth of her body as I sat next to her and I wanted to tell her it was going to be ok.  I wanted to let her know she was safe and she could go on with her life.  That is what I know she wanted most in this world. But I didn’t.  Maybe Seth was right and I was becoming too close to her. I had never felt this protective over anyone before or at least in the way I wanted to protect her. 

I had been through many dangerous situations in my life. I protected people, rescued people and encountered people from all walks of life. I had no problem killing someone if it meant keeping one of my charges alive. When it was over and they were safe, I walked out of their lives, never to look back.  This time I wasn’t sure I could walk away from her and not look back.

“Do I get to go home,” she finally asked breaking the silence and the train of thoughts in my head.

“Probably. We need that processor and well we need to make sure that once you are home you are safe.”  She turned to look at me with an empty expression on her face. She nodded her head and was quiet again. I heard talking in the kitchen again and knew Conway had some information and I was hopeful it was information that would allow her to get on a flight to Albuquerque, with me of course.  I wanted desperately to reach over and touch her hand, to see if the electricity from last night returned, but I didn’t want to frighten her with my closeness. 

“Thank you,” she said again and stood up.  Her body swayed and I reached and grabbed her elbow to steady her. The electricity returned and just the touch of her warm skin sent a jolt through me. I couldn’t bring myself to look into her face to see if she had the same reaction. Instead I turned toward the kitchen and the voices. Once she was standing firmly, I let go. I didn’t need to touch her
any more
than was necessary.

She hesitated before she started to walk toward the kitchen, rubbing her elbow.

Conway, Seth and Mrs. Walker stopped talking and turned to look at her as she walked slowly in.  She was hesitant, yet determined.  Conway acknowledged her first, “Better?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Conway nodded and turned to pull out a chair for her.  She nodded her head and instead stood behind the chair gripping it tightly to hold herself up. I noticed her knuckles turn white and although I didn’t think she was in any further danger of fainting, I stayed close to her.

“I have booked you and Jack on a flight out of Reagan National, later this afternoon.”  Alison nodded in acknowledgement as Conway continued.  “Jack is going to remain for a few days to see if we can find a link between Tom and Hassan’s killers. Then I have arranged for FBI protection.”  I didn’t let him see the satisfaction I got from his words. I wasn’t ready to walk out of her life just yet.

“Can I go back to the labs? How is this going to work,” the questions suddenly came out of her mouth as she tried to process Conway’s plans.

“Yes.  He had to have some contact at work. I am working with someone out there now to gain access to his email.”

Alison shook her head puzzled, “I have access ot his inbox.”