Double-Cross

5

"Colton," he said as he handed me a pair of sunglasses. "Put these on and take me hand, no you don't have a choice."
I followed his instructions and he led me down the pier.
It's a weird feeling to hold the hand of a stranger and walk down the pier in complete darkness.
He pushed me into the backseat of a car and told me not to take off the sunglasses.
I started to question my choice to trust him.
Where is he taking me. Why is this random ass guy driving me to somewhere random in the middle of California. Hell he could be taking me to Mexico, and I'd have no clue. Dear god what did I just get myself into.
I considered fighting him and getting the hell out of there, but then again he could actually be an N.C.I.S. Agent.
The car stopped and I heard the driver's side door open.
"Out," he said and pulled me out of the car.
He led me down the beach. I still had my bags from the mall and he hadn't said anything to me about them.
Agent Kenton opened a door and led me into a room before he took the sunglasses off.
"What the hell, man? I thought you were an N.C.I.S. Agent," I said.
"I am. It's protocol to bring people in the dark if they aren't vetted by my boss, sorry," he said.
He motioned to the chair across from the one he was sitting in and I sat down. He turned to the camera on the wall behind me and nodded.
The door opened and 2 people came in, and Agent Kenton left.
"Colton Beckett right," one said. She was tall with brown hair and brown eyes, but they were two different shades. One was dark chocolate colored and the other was almost hazel. She sat down across from me and her partner pulled up a chair.
"Yes," I said. "I'm Colton. Who are you and what the hell do you want with me?"
"I'm Riker Peterson," the man said. He was tall too, with black hair and stunning blue eyes. "We're N.C.I.S. Agents." He slid his badge across the table for me to look at.
"I'm Isa Kenton. Henry Kenton is my brother," she said like she didn't want me to confuse him for her husband. She also slid her badge across the table.
I held the badges in my hand and looked them over carefully. "Ok let's assume you are who you say you are, what the hell do you want with me?" I asked sliding the badges back across the table.
"Henry has been on assignment in D.C. investigating your parents, and when he learned that you were coming to L.A. he wanted to try and turn you against them," Isa said.
"We didn't think it would work, but Henry wasn't going to give up," Riker said.
"We told Henry that he had to convince you on his own, but after he did we'd help, so here we are," Isa said.
"He told you he convinced me?" I asked.
"Yes," Riker nodded.
"That's not entirely true," I said. "I was on the plane that crashed in Nebraska, actually I was the young man the captain talked about on the news. Captain William Eric Taylor is his name, ask him if you don't believe me. That started to change my views, so I called Henry because he gave me his card in the airport, scheduling today's meet. Then I was at the mall buying a change of clothes, because clearly I needed them when I saw what I thought was a kidnapping attempt. It turns out the boy's father was trying to get away from the alcoholic mother. That is what completely changed my mind. I have always been skeptical of my parents view and all it took was twenty four hours away from them to change my mind." I told them the whole story from when I left D.C. to when I met Henry on the pier.
"You're a brave dude," Riker said.
"Yes you are," Isa agreed.
"Yeah I know, ok so now what," I wanted to move the conversation along.
"Well we're going to give you a choice," Riker said. "You can either go into protective custody and never have connection with any member of your family again, or you can help us bring down your parents."
"So you're saying I can fight or hide?" I asked.
"Yes," he said. "You're a brave guy Colton, and your morals are strong, we're going to give you a few minutes to think it over."
Isa and Riker stood up and left the room.
I stood and started to pace.
Ok Colton, you're either going to disappear from your parents life, and they're not going to know what to do, or your going to continue on with their plan and bring them down. You're going to be out of their lives, and they won't be able to have any affect on your life anymore. Your also going to be a traitor to your parents and they are going to hate you. Or your going to disappear and they're going to think you're dead or missing and are going to search for you since you're the only heir.
It's fight or hide.
Fight or hide.
Hide or fight.
Fight or hide.
Hide or fight.
Fight or heard.
I stopped pacing, looked up at the camera, and nodded.
I made my choice, and I wasn't going to regret it.
The door opened, and Isa and Riker came in.
"So Colton have you made up your mind?" Riker asked as he and Isa sat down again.
I started pacing again.
"Colton, why don't you sit down," Isa said. Her tone made it sound as if she was getting anxious having me pace.
"I'm ok," I said, and kept pacing.
"So Colton," Riker started. "Have you made a decision?"
I stopped pacing, and sat down.
They both looked at me, keen with interest.
"Yes I have," I said.