The Memorial Day Murders

Chapter 41 : Missing out

Bright lights entered my range of vision as I opened my eyes. I did not remember what happened after the shot was fired as my knees finally buckled and I lost consciousness. I also heard vivid shouting before I completely slipped into unconsciousness. Although my eyes are slowly opening I still felt nauseating. But one thing I can now feel is someone holding my hand and it was Bruce. Slowly bringing a hand against my injured shoulder Bruce moved a little, taking the hand in his. "Hey, it's okay." he whispered.

"Bruce." I whispered.

"I'm here Isa, it's all right." he replied, clutching my hands in his. "You're going to be fine."

"Where... where am I?" I asked, still feeling uneasy.

"You're in the hospital." he said. "You were shot in the shoulder, thank God is not any vital arteries."

"I... I didn't expect this to happen Bruce. I'm sorry." I said. 

"Taunting a terrorist like him wasn't really a good gamble Isa." he said. "You could've died."

"Did James told you what happened?" I asked.

"The MI6 agent? He's the one who told me about it, as you predicted."

"And you're not jealous at all? Seemed suspicious to me."

"You have much better friends, I don't think that mine is better than yours."

"Considering that you have fallen for... well... women that has really bad blood."

"We deviated from our childhood. Your mother and you being spies, and me..."

"A hero, not just a vigilante." I said. The room door opened with a soft click and two people walked in. "Mr. President." I said, already feeling guilty.

"You did not just taunt one of the most dangerous man to kill you." the President levelled an angry glare at my direction. "And you're risking the baby in the process, are you out of your mind?"

"It was a gamble that I need to take." I say. "And I know it's my fault if I lose the baby."

"You are very lucky however." Doctor Rhodes said. "Your baby survived, lucky that nothing bad happened or else."

"Excuse me Mr. President." Agent Andrew Barrowman entered the room. "The vice president's family members are here."

"Family members?" he asked.

"Yes, her grandparents, uncle and four of her cousins. Including your nephew Brian."

"They never told me that they're visiting." I said. "Less of all Brian."

"You're in the clear Andrew." said the President.

"Who's Brian?" Bruce asked me.

"I don't think you've met him before. He's Chan's older brother." I replied. Jun-myeon poked his head into the room two minutes later, followed by Baek-hyun, Chan and Brian. "Guys, stop being cheeky." I say. 

"We have good news." Brian chirped. Soon, everybody was in the room and Bruce and I held each others hands tight. 

"Okay, let's hear for it." I said. 

"We're offered a chance to train with the Navy SEALs." Jun-myeon said. "We got the letters."

"Okay, congratulations." I said, calmly. "I think it's my turn."

"You're leaving?"

"No." I replied. "Truth is... I'm pregnant." My grandmother was really shocked, as she stood beside grandfather. "Sorry." I said. 

"What?" Chan was caught off-guard. "You're really pregnant?"

"It's my first child." I explained. "Doctor Rhodes can prove it." the doctor herself nodded and handed over the clipboard to my grandparents.

"It's not a lie Kassandra." my grandfather said as she stared at the results. "We're going to be great-grandparents."

"It's real, I know. I was just thinking about the things I need to carry over to care for the new mother, including her confinement." Still continuing the point she dragged the group out from the room, leaving the four of us.

"What is the confinement?" asked a curious Doctor Rhodes.

"Um... it's more of a form of maternity leave but according to tradition, I can't leave the house between a week and a month. My job during that period is to take care of my baby and let my body heal." I explained. "My mother went through the process after giving birth to me."

"And since you're pregnant you sure you can appear in the public eye without any paparazzi speculation?" the President asked the question that I was pondering about.

"I think, I need to disappear for a while, until the baby is born." I said, dipping my chin.

"Can you make it for the Memorial Day ceremony next week?"

"I think I can, but I need to be careful." I replied. "I still need to figure out what happened before I wake up in a hospital."

"According to Timothy's accounts the JTTF shot Sayyid Bin Masir with a tranquilizer dart." the President replayed what Timothy would've told him. "They arrived in a helicopter when Bin Masir pulled down the hammer of the gun, your former teammates shot some of them as they concentrated fire on the helicopter hovering above."

"They took the fun away." I said with a sigh. 

"You taunted Bin Masir and he shot you."

"He couldn't take it, the truth." I said. "So, is he now in custody?"

"Jack said that the FBI have him in a secure black site. They'll question him sooner or later."