| "Playing With Fire" | ||
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Safehouse 1 Main Conference Room 1230 hours The rest of the Agents and Wellington exited the room and Paige was left alone with Gray. The debriefing had been less than desirable when it came to getting information. They had went over the case file, all the formalities of picking apart the ingress, attack, and egress, and then worked their way back to the initial assault and the eventual meeting with the 'other team'. Wellington pretty much took the floor at that point fluffing up a predetermined response to their yet to be asked questions. A covert Russian agency, he'd said, similar to the SIA, counterparts even, but that was about it. No names. No faces. No hints as to whether they were destined to meet at some point or work together in the future. It was fluff. Pure and simple. It was fluff handed over by Wellington, and in such a manner to discourage further inquiries, to buy him some time to talk things over with whomever it was he went to to talk things over with, and avoid their hungry stares. It was unsettling, having these questions palpably sitting in the air, and no answers to ease it. It sucked. It sucked ass. "So," Gray said, sitting down and folding his hands on the table. "Your first team lead went well, all considering." "All considering," Paige smiled. "After Sebastian's meet tonight I'd like you to meet with Reilly, the ATF contact, tomorrow." "Sure, we worked well together." "Mr. Wellington thinks so," Gray nodded. "And what Mr. Wellington wants...he gets?" "More or less, though helping other agencies leaves the door open for reciprocity." Why would he say that? Did they plan on working with other US agencies, or did that imply further meaning in regards to their Russian friends? "I uh...had a little present waiting for me in my office," he said seriously. "A present?" Paige asked cursing Baz out in her head. "Yes, a sort of...material of some sort, on my chair." "On your chair," Paige echoed quietly. "Yes. It ruined my suit." "That's kind of weird." "Weird, yes. You wouldn't happen to know anything about it would you?" "No," she said evenly. "Or how the same type of substance wound up in the water cooler?" "Huh," Paige said, "creative cleaning crew?" "Yes, that's very amusing." Gray's tone changed immediately. "I don't have to explain how unusual it is that we allow Brian to utilize our facilities. I also don't have to explain that this arrangement with Brian is not only taxing to our resources, but was implemented as an act of good faith on our part." "I understand," Paige said evenly vowing to wring Baz's neck. "I'm sure you do. I suggest, in fact, I highly suggest, you reiterate to Brian the precarious situation he's in." "I will." "I've already reprimanded Sebastian, I'm leaving Brian for you to take care of." "I understand." "I hope you do," Gray said evenly. Paige sighed. "I knew what they did. They told me." "I figured as much," Gray said flatly. "I knew they would get into trouble...I just didn't know how much." "Well, Rebecca was not pleased, but luckily for both of them she left me to handle it." "Thanks," Paige said quietly. Gray looked at her for a moment. "I presume with that little matter of those Section operatives trying to contact yourself and Safara, your cell phone is turned back on?" Paige fought down the twitch. "Yes, of course." "Good," he nodded staring at the table. Dummy it down, she told herself, play it down. Empty. Be empty. You can do this. "I was wondering," Gray returned his focus to her, "if you've heard from Eric, if he's called you?" Paige raised her eyebrows in thought, "I haven't talked with him since right before Capricorn." Gray just nodded his head but she could see the concern etched in his face. She tilted her head. She was curious by nature, it would be normal for her to ask. "Why? Is something wrong?" "No," he paused. "Well, yes, something is wrong." "What?" she asked carefully. "We've attempted to contact him over the past several days and he did not answer his calls, neither his cell or landline, nor has he responded to any emails." "What does that mean?" Paige asked alarmed. Not really alarmed because Eric hadn't answered his calls, but alarmed because Gray had found out so quickly. "We sent Beta to his house..." "And?" Paige cut him off. "And he was not there. Everything was left, weapons, his truck, but no Eric." Paige stared at the table as if she were thinking. "You don't think someone...took him, do you?" Gray shook his head, "it's not outside the realm of possibility, but I don't think that's what happened." Of course that's not what happened, she thought bitterly. She could tell Gray, tell him right now, about the message saved on her phone right there in her jacket pocket. Give him the number that Eric (Kihn) had left for her. Work out a plan to bring him back in before someone else found him. Before Gray found him. Before they... "I think he went rogue," Gray said finally. "Rogue," Paige repeated. "You know him Paige..." She shook her head, "no, that's not fair. I mean, I know him, but I don't, we worked together yes, but know him well enough to judge whether he'd skip town or not?" "Just tell me what you think." Paige stared at Gray before sighing. "I thought he was okay with all of this. With the SIA and all. But..." she bit her lip. God, she should earn an Academy Award for her performance. "But what?" Gray encouraged her. "But...I don't think it's beyond any of us to think about...leaving...to plan it even...in our minds. But to do it? To actually go through with it?" "I don't pretend to understand exactly where it was that you came from, or how you managed to function in Section, but I need to know, would he go rogue?" Paige stared at him thoughtfully for a long moment. "Yes," she said finally. Gray nodded his head, "I appreciate your honesty. This is difficult news to..." "You can't jump to conclusions. Send us out, with Beta even, to investigate, see if we can find anything." "No, I've already sent Beta out and I've got a small team of CIA agents..." "CIA?" "They handle these things all the time." "And what if he did go rogue, and they find him, then what?" "I think you know the answer to that." Paige looked away. "Paige, you know the terms..." "I know, Gray, I'm all too familiar with the terms." "I'll let you know if I find out anything. I'd like the same in return." "Of course," she said. "And for the time being, I'd appreciate you keeping this matter quiet." Paige just nodded her head. "Anything else you plan on springing on me today?" "No," he shook his head solemnly. "Get some rest, we still have Sebastian's meet tonight to get through." "Okay," she said getting up. She left the room with Gray in tow. Return |
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