| "Being the Game: Player 2" | ||
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Safehouse 1 0920 hours Joshua left Paige's room with an empty feeling inside. It wasn't like he wasn't used to that feeling, hell, that was the norm nowadays. But still, he didn't consider himself an evil person...he simply did what he had to do and to hell with how he felt. He didn't like it, but then again, he didn't like a lot of things. But what he just did? To Paige? That certainly qualified as cruel. He had seen the expression on her face when he had asked her how she felt, what she felt between them. Even behind the drugs or sedatives or whatever the hell they had given her...he had seen it. She wanted to believe that he was something more than what he presented himself as. She had always held on to that notion, always waiting to see if he would let her in, let her see. He wouldn't, of course, that would be a fucking disaster. He could have handled it differently though, could have just let it go, left her alone. But no. He had chosen a different path, the harder one, because that's what he did. It was how he got this far and he wasn't about to change directions...not with so much at stake. So he had walked that barbed wire path and done the cruelest thing imaginable. He gave her hope. Hope that he indeed was more than what he showed. Emotions were a tricky thing to deal with, even he was having trouble with it. But as usual, he would prevail. Because he was Joshua. Because he always got what he wanted. And because he would not let his feelings get in the way. He stalked down the hallway on the tenth floor looking for Jordan. She had something he wanted. And he caught sight of her just as she was leaving the locker rooms. Game on, he thought. He approached her silently from behind as she stood rummaging through her bag. "Hey Jordan," he said softly. She froze upon hearing his voice and the smug grin sprang to his face. There was nothing better than catching people off guard. She turned, lifting a doe eyed stared at him. "Joshua," she said softly. He moved closer to her backing her up against the door to the locker room and leaned both hands on either side of her head. The movement in itself reminded him of the soreness in his chest but he didn't let it bother him. There was too much fun to be had at the moment. He leaned closer to her, using his size to his advantage, and whispered in her ear, "you got something for me, Jordy?" He could hear her breathing picking up speed as she fidgeted. She pulled something out of the leg pocket of her cargoes and pressed herself again against the door. "Here," she pushed the disks at him, "it's all here." He smirked at her again nodding his head. "It better be...for your sake," he whispered at her, "thank you." He straightened and took a step back still studying her. She looked at him for a moment before taking a side step and heading down the hall. "Oh, Jordan?" he called after her freezing her in her tracks. She turned slowly around. He held up the disks, "You did good, I owe you one." He then turned and continued down the hallway in the opposite direction, a small smile on his face. He fingered the disks absently while he made his way to the ninth floor conference room. He booted up the laptop there and secured a line with the Section. He plugged in the headpiece. "Birkoff it's me." "You need Michael?" the young computer wizard answered. "Yeah, but first I'm sending over some data, encrypt it like the other files and send it back to my home computer." "When do you need it?" "As soon as you can get to it." "No problem, here's Michael." Joshua waited listening to the various clicks and began loading up the disk data to Birkoff. "Michael." "Michael, it's me. I'm just sending over all the data from the Warehouse." "Good, we just received the location of the hardware." "Where is it?" There was a pause, "East central Pennsylvania...the National Guard station." Joshua laughed softly, "I hate to say this but...I told you so." "Yes, I know," Michael said with a sigh. "Well, at least I've got the surveillance pics already, one less thing to worry about. But the location..." "Are you going to handle it yourself?" Joshua snorted, "Considering I have no one to cover my ass? No." "Who are you going to send?" Joshua thought about it for a moment as his mind worked out a plan. "I'll take care of it. I'll need the DC information though." "I'll have Birkoff send it to your panel." "Clear out the other PDA I have, send the rest of the information we have on the National Guard station. Make sure all the codes are changed." "Alright." Joshua looked at his watch, time was certainly not in his favor. "I'm not exactly happy about doing this tonight but I didn't think they'd move the hardware that fast." "The guard units will be out on maneuvers." "Good old weekend warriors," Joshua grinned. "And the DC building will be empty." "Yeah," Joshua sighed, "I suppose you're right. I just wanted to get some sleep in." "We can't wait another day. It's too risky." "Yep, totally agree with you on that one as well. Alright, I'll check in when I get to DC. Have Birkoff profile something for me. I just need to make a nuisance of myself." "Yes," Michael said softly. "Oversight was here today." "What?" Joshua said sitting up a little straighter. "What did they want?" "They wanted some computer files. I had to give them full access." Joshua sat back with a sigh of relief. "Then we did the right thing...giving Paige the data." "Yes." It was perhaps nothing, but Joshua needed that reassurance, no matter how small it was. He needed to know they were doing the right thing, for themselves, and for everyone else. He needed to know that all the plans they had set in motion were for the right reasons. Justification, in whatever context, was still justification. "Ok, I'll talk to you later." He unplugged the head piece staring at the computer as it finished sending the data along its secured path. This was it then. This would be the official start of the biggest game he had ever played in his life. The largest gamble he had ever taken. It would be the most difficult path because difficulties made the victories all that much sweeter. And this victory would taste the sweetest. This victory would be the ultimate end game, the greatest of prizes, the end all be all of everything. Absolutely everything. He turned the computer off sitting quietly for a moment. There was still so much to do. His thoughts, his plans, were interrupted by Gray. "Oh, you're here," Gray said stopping short as he entered the conference room. Joshua eyed him but made no effort to answer. "We're going to hold the debriefing in about five minutes as soon as the others get here." "Whatever," Joshua shrugged. Just the right amount of nonchalance could do wonders, Joshua found. Nobody liked being taken lightly. Not to disappoint Gray stiffened. "I should think you would show more interest considering you have to go back to Oversight and explain why the Cardinal was not apprehended." Joshua grinned smugly, that all-too-familiar 'you're the dumbest fuck on the face of the planet' grin. "I wouldn't worry about my interest, Gray. After all," he shrugged, "they're your Agents that didn't get the job done." Gray smirked back, "once again we're back to tactical." Joshua got up quickly, moving fast as to take Gray off guard. He stared down at the older man, he had had enough. "I suggest you think real hard about what you say and how you say it to me. Don't forget who gives the reports and who keeps this place running and signs your fucking paychecks." "How could I?" Gray countered sarcastically. Joshua stepped back with a smile. "Just as long as you don't." They stared at each other until an Agent knocked softly. Gray straightened his tie and nodded to the Agent. "Come in, we'll be starting soon." Joshua glared at Gray once more before returning to his seat at the computer. He had other things to occupy his time and his concentration on the debriefing was unnecessary. Gray could handle it. Directing meetings seemed to be Gray's thing anyway. Screwing up people's lives was his. Return |
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