The Choices of Staff Members of Hydra

30

CHRISTMAS DAY

Anna found herself enjoying Christmas Day more than she had thought she would, with the house full of people and everyone in a festive mood. Christmas Eve had been spent only with her father, a tradition in their family from when her mother was alive so they could celebrate just with each other. It had been nice, even with what had happened in the back of her mind, since he had seemed to be his old self, joking, warm, friendly, and attentive. She had managed to ignore for a few hours what had happened only two months earlier and could pretend everything was normal. He was still like that for Christmas Day which helped her to loosen up, even as she knew none of it could last. When she and Jack were able to finally talk to him, the peaceful days would be over forever. She would miss them.

Jack and her father were talking near the Christmas tree about something that had to do with work. Anna paused her own conversation with a cousin and listened in, curious. They weren't being quiet but no one else was paying attention to them. "There's nothing I can do, right?" Her father asked.

"No. This is what has to happen. You know that Dan." Jack shook his head slightly. "You didn't need me to confirm it."

"Why haven't you acted yet? As serious as this is, I would have thought you'd take care of it immediately."

"You reported what you suspected early, and you've never compromised any situation. Because of that, there was no hurry."

"That's quite a bit of courtesy when there is a potentially serious issue. I appreciate it."

"You will do what's necessary." There was no question in Jack's voice, and Anna thought her father had flinched but in the next second was sure she'd imagined it. The conversation between the two men was odd, but also somehow normal. She thought back to other times she'd heard conversations between them, where the substance was boring, but they still seemed to be speaking in some form of code. They both worked for a company that had strong ties to the military and even worked on site at a military base, so she assumed that was why they couldn't speak more openly. It was still a strange conversation that remained in the back of her mind, though she couldn't say why. She hoped Jack wouldn't try to confront her father by himself. He had to wait for her to be involved.

Her father sighed, and for a moment he looked old and tired. "I always have."

"I've never doubted that." Jack nodded, a short, almost curt movement and then noticed Anna watching. He smiled at her as he broke off the conversation with her father and walked to get more of the food in the kitchen. He seemed relaxed and she didn't think he'd confronted her father. She relaxed as she watched him fill his plate while chatting with some of her more distant cousins. Everyone brought their favorite dishes, and it was served buffet style, so everyone could mingle and eat as they wished, no formalities needed.

"Hey, how're you doing? We haven't talked in a while," Rick said as he came up beside her, munching on pie.

"I know, sorry, Rick, I've been trying to figure things out." Anna said, smiling at him.

"I'm hoping to get news from New York University sometime in January. The person I talked to about transferring did seem to think I'd be fine, but you never know. I'm really looking forward to going, Anna, it's the best idea you've had in a long time, and I never thought you'd want to do something like that." He paused, looking uncharacteristically awkward. "I'm sorry I made fun of you that one day, when you were so upset. I really was worried about you, until you told me your plans to transfer. That's what was really bothering you wasn't it?"