Time Sensitive Target

Part 43 - Reunion

"It's always sunny in California-" 

"I thought it was 'It's always sunny in Philadelphia'," Rob looked up from his phone. 

"Philadelphia is wet and cloudy a lot of the time, I'm sure," Ant frowned. "Makes more sense to say California, look at that sunset," Ant gazed at the horizon, a pink and amber sky meeting the flat blue line of ocean. 

"There's probably no parking at this place," Rob mused aloud. 

"Why do you hate cities so much?" Ant drove the car over the rails of a tram crossing and into the gas lamp quarter, immediately on the look out for a parking spot. 

"I don't like city drivers, or lack of parking," Rob groused. 

"Well if you looked out for a-"

"There!" Rob called suddenly, and Ant screeched the car to a halt. They were only a block away from the restaurant they were due to meet Paige and Jase at, and Ant was feeling a strange fluttering of discomfort he wasn't used to. 

"We've got to go to the zoo while we're here," Rob squinted as sun reflected off a glass building into his eyes, drawing his sunglasses down from his head. 

"I'll take you to see the lions, big man. Maybe we'll take Paige," Ant locked the car and glanced around to take in the bustle of the city. 

"You make it sound like she's a niece we're looking after."

"Well I very much doubt Jase has been showing her the local sights, it might be nice for her to get out a bit and have some distance from him," Ant strolled beside his comrade and friend, still adjusting to the 'on leave' mindset. 

"She hasn't tried any more disappearing acts has she?" 

"No, he said she's just regressed to no communication whatsoever. I've got a lot of time for him, you know. I don't know if I'd be able to do what he's done," Ant had been blocked from returning for over a month with paperwork and and assessments, and try as he might he couldn't absolve himself of the nag of responsibility for Paige's wellbeing and recovery. Knowing Jase was struggling to assert his dominance had surprised him, but it was possible that the American had a little more conscience than he did. Still, Ant knew there was no way he would have been able to make the sacrifices Jase had done for the sake of Paige's safety. He privately admitted to himself that if he was in Jase's shoes, he probably would have left her to the CIA in Jordan. 

Rob had known Ant for long enough to understand that the SAS point man had an ego just big enough to block him from being able to make the kinds of tactical sacrifices others could, but his simple black and white view of the world was what made him the ruthless legend he was on their side of the pond. He had been surprised by Ant's continued determination to return to San Diego, but privately thought it had less to do with Paige's welfare and more to do with his own self-pride.

"There it is," Rob looked towards the Water Grill, a large anchor painted on the side of the black building in off white, two flags crossing over it's center with W and G inside them. Ant dismissed the negative thoughts that threatened to intrude. What if Paige still held a grudge against him? Would she be pleased to see them, or upset? Would it trigger more memories for her, or would she be pleased to have someone familiar around? 

                                     *

Paige shifted in the seat of the car in undiagnosed discomfort. The day was blisteringly hot, not that the blast of the AC let it affect her within the cool confines of the car. The wardrobe of black leggings and hoodies she had equipped herself with was not going to cut it in the thick of the city where the sea breeze couldn't reach her. She had bought a dress in airy white linen that flowed halfway down her shins, delicate thin straps accentuating the slight v of the neckline leading to buttons down the length of the fabric. She had put on makeup too, a ritual that felt totally foreign to her fingers as she applied light touches of concealer to disguise the purple tells of sleepless nights. Paige flipped open the sunshade in the car to reveal the small rectangular mirror and assessed her face again. She so rarely looked at herself, the reflection staring back at her today was shocking. She looked... normal. There were no signs of anything she had been through, aside from the little puckered scars across her wrists. This woman looked deceptively attractive, and it was grossly unnerving to Paige. Subtle hints of mascara accentuated her blue eyes, a rosy blush on her cheeks giving a healthy glow. Paige glared back at herself with worry, she could attract attention looking like this.