Heroes Appear (Under Construction please read author note)

Chapter 9: Amy Rider

Uptop: Donny (Chief Petty Officer CPO)

Charles dark brown eyes felt hardened as he stared at Amy his eyebrows furrowed in distraught. "I-Im sorry, I don't mean to stare... you just.." he turned his gaze holding his face for a moment. "You look so much like my late daughter" his voice straining. Amy eyes shook her hands shaking, feeling physically nauseous. "U-um... uh.." she attempted to speak but feeling as if her throat was closing in "Dad" she gasped out tears spilling down her cheeks. Charles hand slowly lifted off his face and he looked back at her his eyes shaking "A-Amy, Amy?.... Oh my god, Amy!" he rushed forward taking her into his arms his fingers digging into her back and hair. She at first stood limp in his arms but soon engulfed him in a tight hug, gripping his suit as tightly as her hands allowed "I-Im so sorry, Im so sorry... Im sorry" she sobbed her mind fogged over in despair, while also relief feeling the hug of a parent that she has not felt in three years. 

"I don't understand... I thought you were dead" Charles voice croaked as he held her his own mind racing with shock, a part of him still feeling this not being real. 

"I will explain everything I promise... I promise, Im so sorry, Im so sorry" Amy cried in his neck echoing apologies, her sobs encasing the walls of the oval office. The room deafening in silence, her sobs being the only sound noticeable. 

Charles grip tightened on her as he held her allowing her to cry as he cried quietly himself his head spinning with fighting between reality and fiction. Soon gently peeling her away from his body and lifting her chin. Their eyes connecting. His eyes searching hers "Amy.. I can't believe you're alive... I can't believe you're here" Amy felt her nose sting with heat from crying, sniffling and coughing gently "Im so sorry... I-if I hadn't done what I've done... everyone may still be safe.. Mom a-and Caroline". Charles rested his forehead against hers "We will speak more on this later... okay? You will tell me everything.." Amy closed her eyes and nodded as she started calming herself trying to get a hold of her own senses. 

Michael sighed deeply "Look it will probably take a day to gain information on the results found in the apartment, if any. The mansion butlers will take you all to your respected rooms. Take the remainder of the day to get some rest, all of you. Dinner will be held in the dining room at 7:00PM. You are all dismissed" Roger looked at Michael "Sir, we still need..." Michael raising his hand, quieting him. "I have other things I need to handle as President, You all have been working non-stop. Just take this offer while it stands, you will be busy again soon enough". George nodded and looked at their comrades then at his crew "You heard Michael, take the time to relax. Sleep/Eat, do what you need to do. You all deserve it. Casey (Private First Class, E-3) visibly relaxed with her peers Alex (Specialist, E-4) and Cody (Specialist, E-4), "Yes sir". She started filing out with her comrades, giving the navy operational team the room. George following suit heading to his personal quarters. 

Roger sighed and looked over to his team. Seeing his SCPO standing in silence with her father their foreheads relaxing together as they worked on emotional regulation. He looked to the rest of his team "We will meet tonight after dinner to discuss further details of the Rescue Operation that will be taking place in the next few days". They all nodded filing out, Donny and Nathan (Petty Officer First Class, PO1) staying behind looking after their SCPO. 

Amy soon stepped away from her father, rubbing her forehead having started to experience a headache from the emotional stress. Roger cleared his throat "I think it is time we explained the situation to you Mr. Rider, take a seat". Charles nodded taking a seat with Michael, Nathan, Donny, Roger, and Amy. He looked up his eyes connecting with his daughters deep blue Sapphire eyes. Amy looked down fiddling with her hands and sighed "You're right... to the world I am dead. I have been asked to join the Navy Covert Operatioanal Team due to my personal military skill set and strengths. In fact, everyone in this room are presumed dead aside from Chief Roger and Staff Sergeant George." She lifted her chin feeling her mind shifting gears from the vulnerable emotional dysregulation to work. "Due to this I had to go MIA, which had been perfect timing with me being over-seas. I can not discuss the details that lead me into this field, however I saw the importance of the operation I was being requested to complete. Originally I signed up for a year, but..." she felt herself  scratching at her nailbeds due to her nerves. "But.. when I found out about Mom... I couldn't face you or Caroline..." her eyes dropped to the table, feeling her chest tighten. "I felt I had killed mom... a-and showing my face would have been adding fire to the pain you and Caroline were already experiencing. So I stayed dead...and had no plans to ever show my face to you or Caroline again". 

Charles frowned deeply as he listened. He sighed and reached for Amys hand, gripping her right hand deeply. "Amy... your mothers death is not your fault.. even though the loss of you harmed all of us... all that matters now is knowing you are alive." He smiled weakly "Trust me, I was no saint in all of this, I abandoned your sister when I lost you and your mother.. lost myself and had to refind who I was... I just started working towards rebuilding a life with Caroline when this has all happened". Amy eyes shook as she looked to him "You abandoned her? but.. why?" Charles looked at their hands and he closed his eyes "I couldn't look at her, she is the replica of your mother. Beautiful Forest Green eyes, pale skin, and beautiful thick brown hair. The spitting image of your mother. Every time I looked at her I was reminded of how much had been taken away from me, so instead of waiting for her to disappear as well... I self-sabotoged and made her disappear" he gritted his teeth as pain encased his chest "and now she really did disappear and I could have prevented this if I had never abandoned her in the first place". 

Michael listened intently to the conversation, his heart hurting for the family in front of him. Wondering whose other family on the Covert teams have suffered similar fates. Taking into consideration of retiring them at the end of this mission with full VA benefits for their service. He rubbed his face wearily. "Look, both of you did what you had to do to move forward. Was it the perfect solution? No, however we can't change that now." He now addressed the surrounding table "We have a girl missing, most likely having been kidnapped for ransom whether money or for Charles life. I know that everything is happening fast and there is no breathing room to adjust, but as President I do ask that neither of you allow this to affect the mission at hand". Amy nodded "Of course not Mr. President, sister or not during a mission all personal affiliation are put to the side. I only serve my team, you, and the civilians of this country". He nodded pleased to hear her professionality returning "Very well. Now let us all recovene at 7:00PM for dinner, tomorrow we will hopefully have more information in regards how to move forward in finding, Caroline Rider".