X marks the spot

Broken Pieces

Aaron laid in his white cell. Just laid on the bed, legs dangling off the end as he breathed normally. His thoughts calmer than the previous six months. Although, he did give that to the fact that he no longer had to think about the who'd done it with the case. That was over now. He could move on from that. Rebecca had. And he was back.

That was an odd thought for him. To think that we was back with the only people who ever watched out for him or seemed to like him for him. And yet, at the same time, he envied them. The fact that the original three that he had got along almost instantly. How they were able to connect and achieve such a deep friendship with each other. He'd always been the outsider to that. Never really sure of how to make that part work. Don't get him wrong, he had friendships with them. They were just never as deep as the others were. And, now, he'd seemed to of broken them. The trust that they had built was gone in an instant.

The door opening got Aaron's attention. He was almost shocked at who stood there, looking at the boy with a conflicted look.

Agent Mackenzie. Mack.

"Hey." Aaron said, beating the older agent to the punch. Aaron tried to sound casual, but instead sounded suspicious of the man.

Aaron hated to think that his father had impacted him so much to even think that of Mack.

"Hey, kid." Mack managed the casual tone, even if his face remained stoic.

"Gonna guess this isn't a social call between..." Friends would've been the usual answer, but Aaron never even got that far with the man, "...I don't know what the fuck we are, to be honest."

Mack tried to hide the sting, "Director wants to speak with you."

Aaron nodded, "So, how is he?"

Mack's eyebrows furrowed, "How's who?"

Now it was Aaron who looked confused, "My replacement."

Realisation dawned on Mack, "You really think we'd do that?"

Aaron shrugged as if it was no big deal, "Sure. I mean, you did after Trip died. Piper and...fuck's his name, Davis? They seem to be filling the void of Hunter and Bobbi. Just...figured, you know. Besides, I'm just a killer, would've been easy to find another HYDRA fuck up to actually suceed in nurturing." Aaron's words sounded spiteful, but they were spoken in a soft, understanding tone.

Mack remembered the call back to his harsh words to the boy, "I was wrong with them --"

"No. No, you were right...It's what I like about you, you're honest and smart. Honourable too; what the world actually needs. It'll always find killers where it needs them. But...good men like you are hard to come by. Trust me." Aaron gave the man a smile at his confession.

He then remembered why the man had come to get him, "Normal director's office, right?"

Mack seemed to snap back to it as well, clearing his throat, "Yeah, normal place. I'll --"

"No, no, you're good. I'll get myself up there. Thank you though, Mack."

"There you are. Didn't get lost, did you?" The director asked as soon as Aaron had entered the room. The man having short black hair, a suit, and that award-winning PR smile. So, in short, a bullshitter. "I've been here before, sir." Aaron answered, not biting at the man's bait, his smile dropping slightly. "That- That was a joke." He said, smile returning. Aaron only let out a simple "hm" as he looked at the table. A newspaper along with a bottle of brandy was on it. Or, at least, those were the things that captured the boys attention the most. The Director followed his line of vision.