| "On The Exchange" | |||
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June 10, 2008 2330 hours Staging Area "I know you can understand what I'm saying to you, so listen carefully." Paige stared at the man sitting in the front of the van and staring straight out of the windshield. "I met with one of your people, your team leader I presume, brown hair, hazel eyes, I don't know his name." The man sat still, his green eyes giving nothing away of whatever emotions laid underneath. He was so damn calm it was almost unnerving. Paige bent and pulled a knife out of her boot flicking it open in one easy motion. The man turned his head and his flicked to meet hers. Finally, a reaction, she thought. She held his gaze easily. "It seems your team captured one of ours as well last night. Your leader and I worked out an even exchange - you...for her." She waited for him to say something but he didn't. Paige sighed glancing towards the back of the van where the others stood watching her intently. "Listen," she said leaning on the open door, "I can always hit you over the head and drag your ass to the meeting place, but it's pretty far and you're a bit bigger than me. So, what say we make this easy and you just follow me there...no funny stuff." His brow furrowed the tiniest bit. Paige redirected her comment, "no tricks? You don't try to run away or anything? On the way to the exchange?" He thought about for a moment as she looked at her watch. "Agreed," he said softly in a heavily accented voice. "Good," Paige said slicing the tie that held his wrists to the van door. There was still another tie around his wrists that would stay on. She couldn't take that many chances. She helped him out of the van and let him stand for a few minutes. "Ready?" she asked and he nodded his head. She took his arm and walked towards the back of the van where the others stood. "I'll be back with her," she said simply nodding towards them, "just stay here. Three you're coming with me." She caught the guarded glances from them but ignored them for the moment as she walked with the prisoner into the woods. It had been agreed to before hand the Jordy would follow behind Paige and the prisoner. Once they got closer to the meet Jordy would hang back just in case anything happened, which Paige doubted, but just in case. She had gotten back with Jaime that morning and immediately contacted Gray and Wellington. They were pleased the negotiations worked not only to secure Petrenko's head on a skewer but that it had cost them nothing by way of money. Oh, and they seemed pleased Bella would be returned safely. Paige snorted in the darkness to herself. Why had that been the last question from them? It should have been the first. The prisoner followed behind her silently, with Jordan following close behind him. A couple hundred feet from the meet Paige finally stopped. "Hang here," she said to Jordy who nodded her acknowledgement. "Let's go," she said taking the prisoner's arm and leading him to the clearing. The Moonlighter was already there with Bella. Paige didn't have to be a medic to know that something was wrong with her. She was pale and the eyes that focused in on Paige were a little glassy. What had they done to her? Paige stopped a few paces from the duo and took her knife out slashing the ties that held the prisoners wrists. He nodded at her and stood near the Moonlighter, who had mimicked her actions and freed Bella. Bella stepped gingerly towards her. "Stay here," she said quietly to Bella then motioned to the Moonlighter. He turned and said something to the former prisoner but it was too soft for her to hear. They walked away from Bella and the other, far enough so they couldn't hear their conversation, but close enough to keep an eye on them both. Paige stopped and faced him. "What did you do to her?" she asked flatly. The guilt flashed across his eyes for just a moment, it was quick, but her keen eyes had caught it. "It was a mild sedative, I didn't hurt her," he said almost defensively. Paige stared at him for a moment before sighing and looking towards the ground as she pulled her lip in to chew on it. Why would they have to sedate Bella? She quickly ran through Bella's medical profile, what she was allowed to see when she had been back at Section. Bella was highly sensitive to drugs, any kind of drugs, especially sedatives. That might explain the glossiness to her eyes. Either way, what was done, was done and she would have to deal with it. The Moonlighter hadn't wanted to do what he did, that much was obvious in that fleeting flash of guilt in his eyes. She wondered again who it was that this man took orders from. She looked back to the Moonlighter, "your guy wouldn't accept any water or food, so..." "We'll take care of him," the Moonlighter said with a nod. "We'll be coming in tomorrow night 0300 hours for Petrenko." "There will be a set of guards but nothing you won't be able to handle." "You won't be there?" Paige asked a little surprised. He shook his head. And why is that? she thought to herself. "We'll try not to kill all of them," she said evenly. He tilted his head slightly at the comment making her wonder if he even cared. Of course, he had to, comrades and all. "Anyway, we did good, both of them are safe...for the most part," she gestured towards the two individuals. Bella had sat down and leaned against a tree with her head back. She just didn't look well. "She's still a little off, but should be fine," the Moonlighter reassured her. Because apparently he would know, Paige arched an eyebrow at him, "lucky for you," she quipped back. "Listen, we took two devices off your guy, these little sequin transmitter type thingies. They're in a plastic bag in his back pocket. He doesn't know it but they are there." The Moonlighter looked surprised and relieved at the same time, "thanks," he said softly. "I just figured you guys wouldn't want us to have them and considering the whole meet thing and not coming alone...you know, act of good faith on my part." "Your part?" the Moonlighter asked amused. "You don't think They know I gave them back do you?" "And a thief as well," he grinned. Paige shrugged, "I've been known to thief things once in awhile." One time, she thought, I theifed a nasty virus and tried to kill hundreds of people, but it was just that one time. "Still," she smiled at him...it's the right thing to do." "I appreciate it," he said quietly. "Alright, well, I guess this is goodbye until the next time," Paige extended her hand. "It's been good working with you," he took her hand and shook it. "I'd still like to have that beer someday, maybe chat a little bit," she said before letting his hand go. The Moonlighter shrugged, "I'd like that, too." "Take care of yourself, Moonlighter." "I will, you do the same, Trouble." They nodded and walked back to the other two. The Moonlighter made off with the former prisoner and Paige kneeled in front of Bella. "You alright?" she asked gently as she rummaged through her small jump kit. "Yeah, basically," Bella managed out. Paige touched her comm clicking the open channel to Jordy, "Alpha three, come up on our position." "Acknowledged, Alpha two," Jordy said immediately. Paige refocused on Bella, "Do you know how long you were out?" Bella shook her head a little then grimaced, "no, couple hours...maybe." "Alright." Paige took out her penlight shining it into Bella's eyes noting the slowness of her pupils. "You're still a little off. Are you nauseous? Vomiting?" "No," Bella said evenly, "a little nauseous." Paige nodded her head, "headache, blurry vision?" "No, just...tired," Bella said with a sigh. "You okay to walk? We got about a 20 minute walk back to staging." "I can make it," Bella said getting up slowly. Jordan appeared out of the darkness watching the duo carefully. "What's up? You alright?" she directed towards Bella. "Yeah, I'm okay," Bella said with a soft smile. Paige nodded to Jordy, "I'll lead, Bella in the middle, let's get back to staging." They both nodded and the three of them made their way back to the staging area. Return |
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