The Suspect

Chapter 40

"Is everything in place?" Kiara asks on a foggy, December night.

I'd like to continue to pretend it's just a foggy, December night, but it's not. It's the foggy December night.

"Yes," Woods replies and I nod.

"Okay, let's go over it one final time. Miller told us to be there at 10 pm sharp. Let's expect him to have my mother as a means of bribery, in exchange for the chopper, money and ID."

Kiara continues, "In order to get to the chopper, we take a boat across the lake that separates the forest from the city."

"Won't Miller know something is up?" Watson asks and I agree.

"He will suspect it, yes, but he either listens to us or he doesn't get what he wants. It's a risk we have to take. He may check the boat for the bomb that we planted, but thankfully the boat we're using is one of the office's hidden gems. The bomb was planted within the interior, so really, it's invisible to the eye."

Watson nods in understanding and I gesture towards Kie to continue.

"Agent Hart will get on the boat with Miller, will hopefully save her mother, and return back with a life-raft deployed from the boat itself. Miller needs to believe there's nothing wrong, so he can have the boat all to himself. We have ten minutes from when the detonator is pressed; and after that, the bomb goes off."

I don't miss the coldness in Kiara's voice, but I choose to ignore it.

"I think one of us should be there for backup, in case anything goes wrong," Woods suggests.

I shake my head, "We can't risk it. Miller specifically said it has to be me, alone."

I expect interruption, but the team silently understands. I do feel a little guilty. I left some details out of it, but if everything goes to plan, my plan should work.

I take a deep breath, "I just wanted to thank you. All of you. I know I haven't been the best supervisory agent given the circumstances and constantly put your lives in danger, but what you guys are doing for me....for Brandon, I can't thank you enough."

Kie gives me a side hug, and rests her head on my shoulder.

"We'll always have your back," Watson and Jackson say together, tension lacing their voices in realization.

"Well, you are our favorite agent in the office, so I guess it's fine," Woods adds and I hear a scoff from beside me.

"Anything to add, Agent Anderson?" Woods taunts Kiara.

"Did someone say something?" she turns to me and I just shrug, not wanting to get into the middle of these two, "No? I didn't think so," she taunts and Woods snaps back, but I tune it out.

I watch my friends argue amongst themselves, with a warm smile on my face, hoping this isn't the last few moments I spend with them.

~~

I had Dad moved to an FBI safe house, as soon as I had gotten that call. It took quite a lot of convincing, but he agreed to stay there as long as I would keep myself safe and update him. I haven't told him about Mom yet, because I don't want him to worry any more than he already is. I love him, but love him too much to be the carrier of pain inflicted by my mother, again.

My fingers drum against the steering wheel as I drive to the forest, which is coincidentally the same forest Tatum and I were brought to all that while ago. Remembering him comes with a twinge of pain, but I push him out of my head, because I can't be distracted at all. Not even by him.