Agent Benjamin Ripley

Chapter 23

"Erica. We'll get him back." Zoe was rubbing the agent's shoulder, muttering comforts. Mike was pacing back and forth. 

"Mike." Zoe made a disapproving face.

"Yeah?"

"You're gonna wear a hole in the floor."

Erica groaned, her face shoved into a pillow. 

"It's all my fault."

"What?"

"It's all my fault." Erica moaned, lifting her head up from the pillow. "If I had just pulled him up with me. Heck, if I had just kept my feelings in check when we were teenagers."

"You know that wouldn't have been possible. Ben wormed his way into even your frozen heart."

"I know, and that's why I love him so much. But everything bad that happens to him, he's trying to protect me. With Murray, he was the one climbing the fire escape to get the lump so I could talk to the police. He sacrificed himself to Callim to save me! And now it's my fault that he's being tortured. I just..." She groaned. 

Mike and Zoe shared a look. 

"Ben wouldn't want you thinking this way. We're going to find him."

"But what if he's not my Ben anymore. I don't think I can deal with another repeat of the last time he was kiddnapped."

"He'll always be with you."

"Quoting Hallmark cards isn't going to help right now, Zo."

Erica was a mess. Her ice blue eyes were bloodshot from crying and her brown hair was knotted and unkempt. She was hugging her pillow to her chest, sitting criss-crossed. 

"Can you guys just leave me alone for a bit?" Her gaze was pleading, but Zoe looked hesitant.

"Please?"

The couple left. Erica walked up to her desk and sat down, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. She picked up a photo frame. Inside of it was a picture of Ben, Erica, Mike and Zoe laughing on the beach of Sandy Hook, where Ben had found her 3 years prior. She smiled ruefully as a tear rolled down her cheek and onto the glass. She placed her finger of Ben's heart, and then put it on her own. 

"You're always here with me."

There was silence for a moment before her eyes hardened. 

"What am I doing?" She laughed darkly. "Crying isn't going to get you back! You're right, Ben. I need to fight." 

Erica jolted up and grabbed a pair of black leggings, a white T-shirt and leather jacket. She shoved it all on hastily, gathering her hair up into a high ponytail, and wiping the snot off of her face. She grabbed her gun and badge, placing them on her hip, and kissed the photo one last time. 

Opening the door, she stepped out into the sunlight for the first time that day, and her jaw clenched. 

"Time to go kick some ass."