The Fall

Chapter Twelve

Three knocks on the hotel door jolted Travis from his sleep. He had never been a light sleeper. Yawning, he pulled on his robe and went to investigate. "Who is it?" he called through the door.

"Me," a quiet voice answered.

Travis sighed and opened the door to see the ten-year old girl standing outside in her pijamas, looking pale and frightened. "Janet, it's nearly one in the morning!" Travis scolded lightly, letting her inside. "What's wrong?"

"Nightmare," the small girl answered again, quieter.

"Oh... is James not awake?" 

Janet shook her head. "He sleeps like a rock."

Travis nodded and turned a light on, gesturing to a chair. "Well, stay here as long as you'd like. You can watch TV, but I lost the channel card long ago,"

Janet shrugged and grabbed the remote. "That won't be a problem."

Travis smiled a little. He wasn't the best with kids, but was getting better. Between Janet and James here and Jimmy back home, the three kids were giving him quite an education.

His smile faltered a little. He grabbed his phone and went into the bathroom.

"Who is this?"

"Travis Johan."

"Speak." The mission director was not one to use many words.

"I-I don't think Janet is ready for this. We only just rescued her from the Russians... she needs time to recover and hone her ability."

"You have your orders, Johan."

"But- She- she's just a child! She has nightmares because of this kind of thing! She's scared!"

"Johan-"

"What happens when it becomes too much for her? What then?"

There was silence on the line.

"Complete the mission. Then we will talk."

A click signified the end of the call, leaving Travis alone in the bathroom, staring at his phone.

~

The boat was silent for only about twenty minutes. In that time, Travis went back to those days long ago, looking for the answer... where did he go wrong? What had put Janet on the path from child, to agent, to murderer?

Was it his fault?

He wouldn't look at the body. He wouldn't look at Peter beside it. He couldn't look at Rita.

Was it his fault?

"Travis!" Peter suddenly cried. "She's breathing!"

The world spun. What? How was that possible?

Travis and Rita sprung to their feet and were quickly at Peter's side. 

He wasn't lying. Every few moment, Janet would suddenly jerk around and take in a shuddering gasp, then lay still once again. Peter looked frantic. "Travis, she's breathing!"

"Check her pulse," Rita said suddenly. Peter placed a finger under Janet's jaw, near the vital artery. "There's nothing, her heart still isn't beating."

Rita's shoulders suddenly slumped, defeated. "I'm sorry... she isn't actually breathing."

"What?"

"It's called 'agonal breathing.' It's a post-mortem reflex..." She looked helplessly at Peter. "I'm sorry.."

"But- But maybe it's a sign?" Peter said hopefully. "Maybe, maybe she's fighting!"

"No Peter, she isn't," Travis said blankly, standing up. "She's dead. Just- Just let her go."

Peter glared at him and stood up to face him. "Travis, in all my years of knowing you, you've never given up. Why now! Why her?"

"Peter," Travis answered. "Some people need to be given up on."

"But not her!" Angry tears were starting to appear in Peter's eyes. He was shouting now. "She's fighting, I know it, because she never stops! She fights herself, she fights the world... you are wrong about her, Travis, and you need to fight for her too!"

Travis balled up his fist. "Peter, she deserved this." His voice rose to a yell.

Peter shook his head again and again. "No, she did not. She did not deserve this. Please..." his voice became quiet suddenly. "Just one more time..."

"Travis," Rita whispered.

"Do it for me, Travis."

Travis sighed and gave a quick nod before turning away. Peter and Rita sprang into action once again.

Travis could hear the defibrillator charging up, getting ready to administer one last shock.

"Clear!" Rita yelled. Travis heard them both jump back.

There was a moment of silence.

ZAP

Janet's eyes held an emotion like no other. The emotion was not human. It was that of the dead waking once again.

Peter yelled something, he and Rita ran to Janet's side. Janet coughed up water and rolled onto her side. 

She started to cry.

Peter was crying too, and he held onto her, as if he were about to lose her again.

Travis did not look. He didn't want to. Only one thought went through his mind.

What have we done?

"Lance, continue our course," he said to Lance, who nodded. He looked at Janet and Peter, and smiled.

Travis rolled his eyes and sat down, still refusing to look at Janet.

Peter just couldn't understand.

What was going to happen once this was over, and they had to turn Janet in?

Travis remembered that Peter still was in the dark on the timing of the plan. This would work.

Janet would be brought to justice soon enough.