agent rogers returns • j.thompson

the archer.

who could ever leave me, darling?
but who could stay?

C A L I F O R N I A
—
C H A R L O T T E

Peggy and I hastily marched ahead of Daniel to get into the lab.

"Jack?! What are you doing here?" Peggy asked.

He turned around and looked right at me. I instantly shifted my gaze from his.

"I-I don't know."

"Why are you in the lab?" She asked again.

"Uh... I'm not sure. I was in the bullpen, now I'm here.."

"Oh no —" I sighed, just as Daniel swore and picked up the amnesia device.

"Chief Thompson, someone used this device to give you amnesia. Do you have any memory of who?"

"How would someone even know to use that?" I asked under my breath.

"Excuse me?"

"The uranium's gone!" Daniel proclaimed.

"Jack, this is of utmost importance. What is the last thing you remember?"

"I was on the phone," he said. He walked out the door and the three of us followed.

He pointed to the phone he listened at.

"Who were you talking to?" I asked softly.

"I wasn't talking, I was listening. To Vernon and a woman."

Peggy lifted a slip of paper and asked if it matched his handwriting.

"Yeah."

"Those are coordinates," Daniel said.

"To Whitney Frost," Peggy finished.

Daniel, Peggy, and I walked into the Chief's office while Jack loaded a gun.

"Let's hurry up!" He yelled. "Or do you need me to load your weapons, too?"

"Why don't you stay here in case we're wrong and Vernon returns?" Daniel suggested.

"Don't you trust me, Danny Boy? I'm hurt."

"You don't have the best track record," he shrugged.

"Your backup is a lab tech and a butler. If I were you, I'd take all the help I can get."

"Hey, Edwin Jarvis can kick ass!" I called out defensively.

"Two hours ago, you were using a redacted file to frame me," Peggy pointed out.

"And 20 minutes ago, I was having my brain zapped. If I were helping them, I'd be on my way there. But I'm here, with you."

"I believe him," I shrugged, earning a small smile from him.

"Let's go," Peggy agreed.

I noticed Daniel stop Peggy at the door, but I continued on with Jack.

"I'm proud of you, Jack. I mean, I know I'm not a powerful man in the government, but I hope that may have some value to you."

"It does," he smiled at me as Peggy and Daniel's voices raised. "And I really want to say this, especially incase something happens. I'm really sorry. I've just been a jerk to you, and you don't deserve that."

I smiled up at him, but remained silent because I knew I'd start crying if I talked.

He stopped and continued to smile down at me.