Cross Country

by Montiese McKenzie

She felt like a target but what else was new. On the run for almost a month, she didn't know how much longer she could do this. She wasn't an action hero, she was a diplomatic interpreter. Pacing back and forth across the cheap motel carpet, Katrina Spencer jumped when she heard the light tap on the door. Please God, be who I think you are . She crept over to the peephole, looked out, and breathed a sigh. She quickly opened the door, pulling her father in.

“Were you followed?” she asked breathlessly.

“No, at least I don't think so. I have been in this business a long time, pumpkin. He couldn't put a tail on me I wouldn't recognize. He's small time.”

“Oh dad, I wish that were true.” Kat walked further into the dimly lit room. As she lit a clove, she looked at the sleeping child on the bed. “This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do.”

“He will be safer.”

“How do you know? I'm going to worry about him, every second of every day. You and Natalie are going to be in danger as well. Please do not underestimate his father. He is desperate right now.”

“We're going out of the country,” Terrence replied. “No one will ever miss two retirees. I have secured a passport for Jonah.”

“Where?”

“I would prefer you not know right now. That way that bastard will never find out. Pumpkin, I have to get back on the road.”

Kat nodded, snuffing out the cigarette. She moved over to the bed and picked up the toddler. He grumbled a bit, snuggling close to his mother's breast. She stifled her tears as she kissed his raven curls.

“Mommy loves you, baby. I love you so much; that is why I'm doing this.” She handed him to her father. “Please take care of him.”

“You know that I will. I am taking care of you too. There are two men outside who will level the playing field a bit.”

“What? I told you dad, no police; especially the damn Feds. They do not have my best interest at heart. All I need to do is disappear.”

“You have been on the run for a month. The only way that son of a bitch wants you to disappear is to die. I will be damned if I let that happen. I'm not asking anymore, I am telling you, Kat. You're doing everything you can to protect Jonah, how do you think I feel as a parent?”

“Alright,” she held up her hands. “I don't have time to argue but surely you knew that.” She hugged her father, kissing him and her son. Terrence Spencer slipped her a disposal cell and an envelope.

“It's $5,000; it's a start.”

“But the Feds…”

“These guys are a little off the board.”

“What is going on, daddy?”

“You will live and that's all that matters to me. I love you with my whole heart. Call me when you can.”

She nodded, watching him go to the door. He opened it, walked away, and two men came in. One was black, bald and muscular with a goatee. He was dressed in dark rinse jeans, hiking boots, and a grey long sleeved tee shirt. His partner, white, dressed more like a funeral director…black suit, shiny black shoes, and a maroon tie. They looked at her and she looked back.

“We'll give Ambassador Spencer a thirty minute head start and then get the fuck out of New Jersey .” The black guy said.

“I would at least like to know your names before you start bossing me around. Forgive me but after seven years I am a little tired of being bossed around.”

“I'm Agent Alex Mitchell; my partner is Agent Dan Hobbes.” The white guy spoke up.

“Credentials please.” They showed their IDs and Kat took a good look at them. They were FBI, if the IDs were to be believed, but she didn't see the point of all this. She wasn't testifying; she didn't know anything. This was personal. “Alright. I need to gather…”

“Everything stays behind.” Mitchell said.

“What? No!”

“If we do this…”

“I didn't ask for this. I am not leaving the few treasured possessions I have left in some shitty hotel room in Elizabeth .”

“The baggage is just that lady,” Hobbes replied. “Baggage.”

“Fuck you.” Kat grabbed her backpack, flung open her suitcase, and transferred the essentials. There were things she would never leave, to hell with the FBI. If that's even who they were. She hadn't met a Fed since this thing started that was looking out for anyone but themselves and their careers.

“Whatever fits in the backpack.” Mitchell said, sighing. “No over packing; we need to be as light as possible.”

“We are breaking protocol.” Hobbes whispered. “This will surely come back to bite us in the ass.”

“Probably, but she didn't ask for this. We can't ask her to leave everything behind Dan…she just lost her son.”

Hobbes was not impressed. When she was done, Kat put the backpack on. She slipped the phone in her jeans pocket and grabbed the box of cloves.

“A half hour is surely up,” she said. “Let's go.”

***

She could not believe that she had actually fallen asleep. She had been living off catnaps here and there for about two weeks. Kat dealt with the double-edged sword of needing to stay awake and alert but knowing lack of sleep made her sluggish and slow to react. Even in the safety of the large SUV of the “FBI” agents, she still fought as hard as she could against the pull of bad dreams.

“What time is it?” she mumbled.

“Almost 6am,” Mitchell said. “The sun is nearly up.”

“I'm really hungry, I need to pee, and I want a cigarette.”

“We are not going to stop every couple of hours for your addiction.” Hobbes informed her.

“Please tell me what crawled up your ass and died. Really, I want to know.”

“There is a rest stop about 35 miles away.” Mitchell jumped in. “We'll stop, regroup, and get back on the road. Though I have to agree with my partner…cigarette breaks slow us down.”

“Forgive me if I am a tiny bit stressed.” Kat replied sarcastically. She sat back in the seat, folding her arms. Her blood pressure was surely through the roof. There were enough things to worry about, like getting her brains blown out. If Thunderbolt and Lightfoot were going to be more trouble than they were worth, she was ditching them at the next stop. She could catch a ride with a trucker, take her chances, and maybe get halfway across the country.

If she had to she would rather end up dead in a ditch than sliced up in little pieces and dumped in the Potomac . Kat shivered. Never in her life had she spent this much time thinking about the different means of murder and body disposal. Ivy League girls from good families were not supposed to deal with this.

“Can we make a deal?” Kat asked aloud.

“What did you have in mind?” Mitchell asked.

“That we all get along. I don't know who you are or what the plan is but my father seems to trust you and I trust him. I won't make life hell for you but you will respect me and tell me what's going on. I am not some insipid gangster moll…I am well aware of what's happening. The Feds are not the only ones looking for me. I have done OK on my own so far; I'm a resourceful woman. I think the three of us could work well together. If you try to play two against one, you'll wish you never met me.”

“That doesn't sound like a deal,” Hobbes replied. “It sounds like an ultimatum.”

“Semantics.” Kat replied. “Can we all agree?”

“I think that can be done.” Agent Mitchell said.

“Thank you, Agent Mitchell.”

“Everybody usually calls me Mitch.”

“I'm Kat.”

“I'm still Hobbes. In the interest of full disclosure, you know since we are all getting chummy, why don't you give us your side of this story? Everyone seems to have an opinion about what's happening.”

“It's a long story.”

“We got nothing but time.” Hobbes said.

“Unfortunately I don't know if I can say the same.”

“You're safe with us.” Mitch told her. “That is not a question. I wouldn't expect you to let go and relax but you can be sure no one is going to hurt you.”

“I can't be sure of anything, except that I'm probably going to piss my pants. I should've gone before we left.”

“Yeah,” Hobbes murmured.

Kat made a face at him and Mitch watched her through the rearview. He grinned to himself.

***

Mitch was waiting for her when she came out of the bathroom. They were at a gas station and Circle K near the border of Pennsylvania and Ohio . Kat lit a clove, loved the feeling of the smoke in her bloodstream. She wanted to stretch her legs outside of the SUV so Mitch “stretched” with her.

“I'm not going to make a break for it, Agent Mitchell.”

“Alright.” He crossed his arms, leaning on the SUV.

“I thought about it, believe me. I graduated from Yale you know. I graduated summa cum laude from Yale and have a Masters degree from Columbia University . I married a man my mother actually approved of; I could not even begin to explain to you how difficult that was. I work for the State Department and shop at Whole Foods. Shit like this does not happen to people like me.”

“Excuse my French but shit doesn't know anything about Ivy League universities and Whole Foods. It just has to stick to something.”

“Tell me about it. I may not have signed on for this but I will not let it have me. I've got too much to lose.”

“I'm really sorry you had to leave your son.” Mitch replied.

“Do you have children, Agent Mitchell?” Kat asked, looking at him.

“I have a little boy, not much older than Jonah.”

“You're married?”

“I'm divorced.”

“Lucky you,” she laughed but it was mirthless. “We go in thinking it will be everything we dreamed of and more. I let go of so many dreams so long ago but not that one. It was my downfall.”

“There are loopholes for spouses testifying for the prosecution.”

“I probably know more than you think, including the law. My parents are Ambassadors; I grew up in that world.”

“Then why don't you just do it? They can protect you.”

“Who, Amelia Cross? She doesn't give a damn about anything but winning a case, getting a commendation and likely a promotion. She surely doesn't care that she is destroying people. She is no better than those she claims to fight against. Anyway,” Kat shrugged, plucking her clove. “I don't know anything. Not that Cross cares…she is willing to put my head on the guillotine. I am expendable. All I can figure is she doesn't have enough to make it stick.”

“If you don't know anything then why are you running?” Mitch asked.

“It's complicated.”

“Try me.”

Dan walked back to the SUV. He carried a plastic bag in one hand and a coffee cup holder in the other. “C'mon, let's go.”

“Oh thank God, coffee.” Kat grabbed a cup.

“What took you so long?” Mitch asked.

“I made sure everyone got a good look at me, and I asked for directions. Two different clerks; two different destinations.” He held out a baseball cap. “Put this on, Kat.”

She thought about arguing but decided against it.

“They'll come looking…” Mitch said.

“They'll have pictures; want to know where we're headed.” Dan finished.

“Where are we headed?” Mitch asked.

“ Montreal and Austin . Gimme the keys.”

“I'm driving.”

“Riding shotgun is killing me. I'm driving.”

“I don't want to ride shotgun.” Mitch reasoned.

“Then get in the back,” Dan countered. “I'm driving.”

“Don't be a smartass. I'm driving.”

“Hey, Starsky and Mitch!” Kat snapped her finger. “Let's hope the bad guys don't shoot me between the eyes while you are duking it out for supreme alpha male status. Give him the damn keys, Mitch.”

Rolling his eyes, Mitch handed over the keys. Dan grinned and got into the driver's seat. Kat got in the back; Mitch on the passenger side.

“Where are we going anyway?” Kat asked as they got back on the road. “I now know its not Texas or Canada .”

“A safe house.” Mitch replied.

“Where?”

“Let's just say nowhere.”

“I don't like being in the dark.”

“Let's call it even,” Hobbes said. “We are in the dark too. It's not fun, is it? I'm not particularly happy.”

“I could say so many things to you Agent Hobbes but I won't bother.”

“I appreciate it.”

“You guys are definitely not FBI.”

“Not all agents are like Amelia Cross.” Mitch said.

“Shit, I should have known the Wicked Witch of the West was involved in this.” Hobbes said, rolling his eyes.

“You've had the pleasure?” Kat asked.

“There is more pleasure with a kick in the nuts.” Hobbes replied.

“Wow boys…I think we found the first thing we agree on.”

***

“We have company.” Hobbes said, carefully glancing at his driver's side mirror.

“Grey four door sedan,” Mitch replied. “Two passengers…possibly three.”

“Mmm hmm. It's been with us about twenty minutes.”

“It could be the local pastor and his wife. I do not want to draw attention to ourselves by waving guns in their faces.”

“It's a two-lane road with little traffic,” Dan pulled his Glock from his ankle though his eyes never left the road. “Surely, Reverend Camden and his wife would've gone around us by now.”

“There is that. What's the plan?”

“What's going on?” Kat asked.

“Just be prepared to hit the floor.” Hobbes said. “We may have trouble.”

“Just say when.” She said.

“I'm going to suddenly slam on the brakes. If they go around me and give me the finger, they're locals.”

“If not?” Mitch asked, pulling his gun from his shoulder holster.

“Then it's yippee ky-yay motherfucka.” Hobbes grinned, taking the safety off his gun.

“You seem too excited about this.” Kat said.

“If they want trouble, they just came across the right guys.”

“That's the…shit!”

“What, Mitch?” Hobbes asked.

“I got a blue car coming up on my side, high rate of speed.”

“They're going to cut us off…”

“Box us in,” Mitch turned around. “Get down Kat, flat on your stomach, and don't move.”

She was certainly not going to argue. Her heart was pounding so fast Kat was sure it was about to leap out of her chest.

“Hit the brakes on three. 1, 2…”

Hobbes slammed on the brakes, thrown forward from the force. The blue car was still moving and seemed slightly confused. Mitch watched the grey car roll down its window. Hobbes accelerated for a moment, making a hard U-turn as tires squealed and rubber burned. The gunshots were next.

“Stay down Kat!” Hobbes exclaimed.

He didn't have to tell her twice. They didn't sound like semi-automatic weapons but still rapid fire. She hoped she didn't have to die out here on some non-descript road. Kat didn't even know what state she was in. They had been driving for hours. Mitch threw the front seat down, crawling into the back. He put down the window, once again growling for Kat to stay down. He leaned out the window and started shooting at the grey car. There was a man hanging out of the passenger window.

“I think I took him out.” Mitch shouted.

“Don't think, know.”

The car shook as the blue car slammed into the side of it.

“Shit!” Hobbes exclaimed. He rolled his window down, shooting out while still holding the wheel.

“There is a turn off coming, Hobbes! Turn off!”

“It could be a dead end.”

“I don't care...we'll take all of them if we have to.” Mitch ducked from flying bullets and debris. “Turn off Hobbes!”

The SUV swerved as it turned onto the gravel road. Hobbes pressed on the gas pedal while Mitch reached into a black bag in the trunk. He grabbed handfuls of something and threw them out the window. There was a small bit of guilt for all those locals who would lose tires to the tiny Chinese stars but he could not worry about that right now.

“Are they behind us?” Dan asked.

“No, but that doesn't mean they aren't coming. I'm sure I got the one hanging out of the sedan.”

“I blew at least one tire on the blue car. We have to get to the highway, Mitch. Isolated back roads are not the best idea right now. Doubtful they will start a shootout on I-80…this is not a Schwarzenegger film.”

“That's a good idea. I'm thinking we need to call it a day soon. We can regroup and assess.”

“We'll get on the interstate. The further west we go the more time we'll gain.”

“True,” Mitch put his hand on Kat's shoulder. “Are you alright?”

“I think so.” She mumbled.

“You can get up now; I think we shook them.”

“For the time being.” Hobbes added.

Kat nodded, sitting back on the seat. Mitch studied her closely and she held up to the intense gaze of his hazel eyes.

“You want to tell us now how many people might be after you?” he asked.

“I don't know. My husband doesn't like to lose, Agent Mitchell.”

“Is he willing to kill you?” Hobbes asked.

“I think that little adventure just answered your question.” Kat replied.

“If you don't know anything then why all of this?” Mitch asked.

“Sport. My husband loves hunting.”

Mitch didn't like that answer. Firstly, it was a disgusting thought. Secondly, it wasn't the whole truth. This mission was obviously dangerous and that didn't bother him so much…lots of missions were. He just didn't have any intent on putting his life, or Hobbes', on the line for someone who was just as corrupt as the people he was protecting her from. He needed to get to the bottom of Katrina Spencer.

***

“Oh captain, my captain, it's been two days and you are not allowed to worry me like that again. Please tell me that you're alright. All I could imagine was your being held hostage and forced to spill government secrets.”

“You have an overactive imagination, Alvarez…and I don't know any secrets.” Mitch said.

“Tell that to someone who doesn't know you. Are you alright; is Hobbes alright?”

“We're fine, just a little covert right now. I need you to do something for me.”

“Anything.”

Mitch could hear the click of her computer keys and knew she was opening the vaults on anything he could ever dream of asking.

“Get me every bit of information you can on Seth Halper and Katrina Spencer. I want every traffic ticket and grocery receipt, Alvarez. Spencer works for the State Department so she has a personnel file, but I need more.”

“You got it. Anything else?”

“This is a little riskier…your hands will get dirty.” Mitch said.

“You know how I love to get dirty, boss.”

Mitch smirked. He studied the couple walking through the small parking lot toward the diner where his partner and the protectee were eating dinner. For right now, almost everyone was the enemy.

“Amelia Cross has a case…”

“The People versus Seth Halper.”

“How did you…?”

“As if Norma Desmond every misses an opportunity for her close-up. She is hoping this case floats her right to the Deputy Director's office.”

“Get me everything on that case; on and off the record. Watch your back.”

“You guys are way off the radar, aren't you?” Alvarez asked.

“Yeah.”

“I hate that,” her tone turned somber. “I don't like it when I don't hear from you.”

“It'll be soon, I promise. Petrucci knows what's happening and he won't let you worry. Send all the information to my PDA.”

“You'll have everything within the hour.”

“I owe you one.” Mitch said.

“The only thanks I need is for you and my prince to get back here safely when this is all over.”

“You got it. Bye.”

Mitch turned off his BlackBerry and walked into the diner. He was immediately assaulted by 80s Rod Stewart, which made him cringe. Sliding into the booth next to Kat, he asked the waitress for a cup of coffee and a slice of pecan pie. Hobbes was finishing a cheeseburger while Kat seemed to just stare at her meatloaf.

“Is Alvarez alright?” Hobbes asked.

“Yeah,” Mitch nodded. “We'll have everything we need in an hour or so.”

“We need to ditch the SUV and get another ride.”

“I know. There is a motel a few miles up the road. We will stay the night; do a rent and dump in the morning. Dan, I've been thinking it might be beneficial to drive to Chicago and get the train.”

“We'll do what we'll have to.” Dan replied. “The faster we get to our destination, the faster we get the upper hand. I don't like being out in the open.”

“I don't like the idea of being confined to a moving locomotive.” Kat said. “Don't I get a say?”

“As a matter of fact, you don't.” Dan told her. “Priority number one is to deliver you safely. The how is not important, only that we do.”

“Deliver me where and to whom? Oh dear God, what have I gotten myself into?” she ran her hands over her face. “Who the hell are you guys? Who do you work for and where are we going? I swear if I don't get some answers I'm out of here. I would do better using my own wits than to put my life in the hands of two guys I don't even know.”

“Do you think you would still be alive if we weren't on the up and up?” Dan asked. “Those guys back there did not want to sip champagne and discuss the state of the economy. They had their orders and Mitch and I have ours. You're as safe as you can be with us.”

“I don't feel safe. In fact, I can't stop shaking.”

“It'll pass. Actually, it's typical that…”

“Look, I've done time in the Middle East ; I've been shot at and worse. I am not a shrinking violet, Agent Mitchell. If you thought so, you were wrong.”

“I don't know anything about you,” Mitch replied. “I don't believe anything.”

“I need to use the ladies room,” Kat stood. “Excuse me please.”

Mitch stood and let her go. Dan looked after her while his partner cut into his pie.

“She could bolt.” He said.

“I'm not chasing her. If we're going to get anywhere then we need to get that chip off her shoulder.”

“Good luck with that.”

“Alvarez is digging up everything on Spencer and Seth Halper. This has got to be about more than testimony.”

“Amelia Cross can be cruel and relentless.” Dan said. “Spencer may think she has no choice but to run.”

“Cross damn sure didn't send the assassins. Anyway, if the marriage was strong Katrina would be standing with her husband on TV wearing that Ivy League smile. I think he scares her much more than Cross ever could.”

“Well he damn sure doesn't scare me.”

“He wants her dead for something.”

Hobbes nodded, flagging the waitress for another glass of iced tea. This was supposed to be a four or five day trip, a couple of back roads, and depositing Katrina Spencer at a safe house. After that he would be back in the real world chasing psychopaths. He didn't like being half-blind as to what they were up against. He didn't like doing favors for Petrucci, who was doing favors for a guy Hobbes didn't even know. The FBI protecting someone from the FBI…yeah, that didn't make much sense.

“You need to get her to open up.” He told Mitch.

“How do you figure I do that?”

“I don't know. You can be good with the Dr. Phil type shit.”

“I think that's an insult.”

“It's not.” Dan tried to contain his grin but he couldn't. “People open up to you.”

“Begrudgingly. Petrucci is the one who makes everyone feel comfortable. I don't think we are going to get anything out of Spencer but a strange combination of cooperation and contempt. She knows she needs us but hates that she does.”

“See, you're better at it than you think.”

“Shut up.”

“She's been gone for a while.” Dan looked back toward the bathroom.

“Give her time. She finally knows its true and its really sinking in.”

“What? That her husband will kill her?”

“Yeah.”

“I don't think so, Mitch. If he takes her out on some desolate gravel road then he will never get his son back. You have a son; put yourself in his place for a moment.”

Mitch was quiet for a while. The pie was delicious but the thoughts running through his mind didn't even allow him time to savor it.

“He kills us, grabs her, takes her back to DC, and finds out where she is hiding Jonah. Then he kills her.”

“He tortures her…then he kills her.”

“Damn. Whatever we do we have to stay one step ahead of this son of a bitch.” Mitch muttered.

Dan nodded. Kat finally made her way back from the bathroom. Mitch stood.

“Can we go outside?” she asked. “I need some air and a cigarette.”

“Sure. Will you take care of the check, Hobbes?”

“Yeah. You want some pie to go?”

Mitch smirked, his dimples coming out of their hiding place as he escorted Kat outside.

***

She stood under the large showerhead with water that was almost too hot to bear, and sobbed. It had been a while since she had a decent shower; Kat didn't want to be in a position where she could not hear what was around her. She also was afraid to take her eyes off her son. He was gone now…they were separated for the first time in his life. Kat tried to calm the fear that she would never see him again, but the more she thought about it, the more she sobbed.

What had she been thinking? A life on the run was impossible. As long as there was breath in his body, Seth would never stop hunting for his son. She would spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder. There would never be peace or security. Kat would be forced to move to some tiny town in a country that wasn't even on the map. Yet there was no guarantee he wouldn't find her. Her family would always be in danger; Seth would only let her mother and father's influence pacify him for so long.

His desperation would be dangerous to everyone in his wake. Jonah would be sheltered, paranoid, and a shell of the boy he could grow into being. She could not call herself a loving mother and resign him to that life. Not that a life under the thumb of his father with his mother dead and gone would be any better. There would be no middle ground with Seth…it was all or nothing. Even if Kat “won” surely she would lose.

Going back was not an option. The wheels were already turning, but she had to regain some control. Jonah was safe; she trusted her father with her little boy's life. Now it was time to see this through. As clichéd as it sounded, the world was not big enough for the both of them to live peaceably in it.

Turning off the water and taking deep breaths, Kat got out of the shower. She dried herself and stood naked in front of the mirror. Wiping the steam off, Kat looked hard at herself. She grabbed the heavy scissors, a piece of her hair, and cut. It didn't matter anymore…she was not that same woman. She didn't stop until her long raven hair was slightly past her chin. She also cut perfectly straight bangs. Katrina Spencer-Halper, no Katrina Spencer . She wasn't that other woman anymore and though she didn't know exactly who this woman was, she would by the end of this journey.

Kat moisturized her skin and then threw on a pair of blue vinyl sweatpants, a tee shirt, and a pair of athletic socks. After dinner, Mitch and Hobbes took her to Wal-Mart. It was not exactly her style but she was not a label whore like some of her friends. They wanted her to get clothes and provisions, nothing more than could fit in a small duffle bag. Two pairs of Wrangler jeans and two pairs of sweats would be good. She grabbed some graphic tees and a hoodie in case the weather got chilly at night.

She needed underwear, socks, and toiletries. When they weren't looking, Kat picked up a hunting knife as well. Hobbes told her she would need hiking boots and a pair of sturdy sneakers with good ankle support. She bought everything they told her without question. She added a bag of Oreos, energy bars, granola bars, and vitamins. She knew it seemed silly being on the run to be thinking of A to zinc, but keeping alert and healthy was important now more than ever. At the register, Mitch tried to pay with a credit card but Kat declined. The government, and their money, was something she did not want to be a part of. Her own cash was good enough for her.

She finally made her way back into the bedroom of the motel room they rented. She was surprised to see Mitch sitting alone. His jacket and tie were off, shirt sleeves rolled up. He still wore his shoulder holster and his spiffy shoes.

“Where is Agent Hobbes?” she asked.

“What happened to your hair?” Mitch asked. He had been concentrating on his PDA but her voice made him look up. She had been in the bathroom for a while. He was about to knock to make sure she was OK.

“I needed a change.” She sat Indian style on the bed, holding out the Oreos towards Mitch.

“No thank you. That's definitely a change.”

“Where is Agent Hobbes?” she repeated.

“He's outside. We both decided it was a good idea if one of us watches the road. He will be back in about four hours and I will relieve him. I don't know how much sleep the two of us will get but rest will be good.”

“Sleep is important.” Kat replied.

“Getting to our destination is as well. Coffee and Red Bull will be our friend.”

“I think you should tell me where we are going.”

Mitch looked at her. Maybe if he gave her a little, she would reciprocate. He could not pretend to know Katrina Spencer and honestly did not have the time to profile her. He would run on instinct; it had been good to him so far.

“ Montana . There is a safe house in the middle of nowhere. That is really all I can tell you. Please don't ask for anything more; not knowing is safer.”

“Are you really in the FBI?” Kat asked.

“Yes,” Mitch nodded. “Not all FBI agents are like Amelia Cross.”

She nodded but didn't say anything else. She just ate her cookies, tried to think of anything other than the fact that she was marooned at some cheap motel outside of Indianapolis .

“Katrina?”

“Hmm?”

“We need to have a conversation…its time.”

“About what?” she asked.

“Everything. I've been thinking about the many ways I could get you to open up to me but deception, in any form, is not my way. I would really like it if you just talked to me.”

Kat sipped her cold Pepsi. It didn't exactly go with the Oreos but it would do. If she closed her eyes, she could almost believe she was back at home. That place didn't exist anymore…perhaps it never really had.

“I met Seth Halper in the summer of 2000. He attended a garden party thrown by some mutual friends of ours. I was intrigued from the very beginning. Seth was everything I wanted. He was smart, attractive, soft-spoken, settled, and wasn't of my world. He could survive in it but I knew we would not have a political relationship. After the way I lived for so many years that was very enticing. He was not over the top, didn't flaunt his money or all the important people that he knew. He was subtle in every detail of his seduction.

“We had been dating for about three months when I got assigned to Eastern Europe to do some work there. I was going to be gone a year and living in four different countries. I told Seth I didn't expect him to wait…I mean we hadn't even slept together yet. He seemed to agree but asked if it was alright if he called to check on me while I was far away. He spent the entire year I was gone wooing me. Do you know what its like to not even be able to touch someone but to experience their passion for you?

“The last couple of months were practically unbearable; I just wanted to get home to him. I returned in the fall of 2001. He proposed, I eagerly accepted, and we were married the following March. It was perfect; Seth made me so happy. We wanted to start a family immediately but it was more difficult than either of us imagined. We had some tough times but Seth was so supportive and wonderful. When I told him I was pregnant with Jonah he was overjoyed. I finally had everything I ever wanted. I had a wonderful husband, a baby on the way, a job I loved, and a white picket fence. I should have known it was an illusion…I shouldn't have let my guard down.

“Everything changed after Jonah was born. It was subtle, everything is with Seth. He was upset that I was returning to work so soon. He didn't like that I worked long hours and could not be by his side for many events because our schedules conflicted. We were bickering more; his temper would sometimes flare. He never lost control and I berated myself for wishing he was more understanding. I don't like compromise, who does, and I was angry at myself for putting work ahead of my family. So I relented on a lot of things.

“I thought maybe I was the one who was changing him, even if that doesn't make sense. For the longest time in my life it felt as if everything I touched turned to garbage. In hindsight all of it was a bad idea. He had control and if there is one thing Seth Halper never gives up its control. He demanded attention, he demanded sex, and that I stay beautiful all the time…I could hardly keep up. Then there were these moments when he was my Seth again. It was almost like a form of Stockholm Syndrome; I was a hostage in my own marriage. I thought of leaving and staying and countless other things I can hardly bear to think about.”

“What happened?” Mitch asked.

“Six months ago I found out I was pregnant. I had been sneaking birth control for over a year; I had no idea how it happened. I decided that I had to terminate the pregnancy. That hurt because being a mother has always been what I wanted. Things were too rocky at home, Seth was very tense and I did not want to bring a baby into that. State offered me a nine month position in Rome at the American Embassy there. I really wanted it and with Seth able to work anywhere I thought maybe we could get away and start over again.

“I was not a quitter. I was not giving up on my marriage. I watched my parents do that and I knew I couldn't put Jonah through that kind of pain and doubt. I still loved Seth; I still loved him so much.”

Kat paused, taking a deep breath. She was not going to cry anymore. She was through with that weakness. Still, she could not look into Mitch's eyes either. She did not know which she would despise more seeing there, contempt or pity.

“I brought the offer to him one evening and I saw his face darken. He accused me of ridiculous things, including plotting to destroy our marriage. I was trying to save it; I told him this move would be good for us. We were fighting, yelling, and I called him an ungrateful bastard. He slapped me so hard with the back of his hand. I was stunned…Seth had never put his hands on me before. It took a few minutes for me to snap back. I went after him; he slapped me again and again.

“Finally he just shoved me. I flew backwards and went over a chair. He was coming toward me; I thought he was going to kill me. Seth freaked when he saw the blood coming out of my mouth. I heard him calling my name but I knew I was blacking out. I miscarried and that's when I knew. I knew there was a man who lived beneath the surface of my husband who was quite frightening.

“After the miscarriage Seth was so distraught and apologetic…he was almost his old self again. Meanwhile, I was planning to run. I was switching accounts around and working things out. I knew it would not be easy but I also knew he would never accept a divorce and being a part-time father to Jonah. After that night I knew he was capable of killing me and I was petrified. A week before I was going to leave, Amelia Cross showed up at my office.”

“What did she tell you?” Mitch still found himself reeling from how calm, detached really, Kat was as she described how her husband brutalized her. It was almost as if it had happened to someone else. Unfortunately, he had seen his share of abused women in his time, both mentally and physically. There was no archetype…anyone could fall victim to it.

“She sat down across from my desk, crossed her leg, and told me she was going to take down my husband. She then said that if I didn't want to end up in federal prison beside him then I would cooperate. I had no idea what she was talking about. Seth is in international finance. I am not stupid Agent Mitchell; things that are legal in a country like Switzerland might get you some serious time in the United States . But some of what she told me…I didn't know him at all did I?”

“So you ran?”

“I didn't think I had any other choice. After everything else I had been through, if Seth suspected that I had been approached by the FBI…I was afraid for my life. I had to protect myself and my son.”

“Why didn't you just get on a plane and get out of the country?” Mitch asked.

“I didn't think leaving from Reagan or Dulles was the best idea. It would be too easy to trace. The plan was to drive to Allentown , Pennsylvania and get an international flight out. Within six hours of my disappearance Seth had frozen all of my assets. All I had was what was in my pocket, about $2500.”

“That could have gotten you out of the country.”

“Then what? I would have been on a foreign shore with no money…I didn't even have credit cards. I didn't want to involve my parents or anyone I loved. I knew they were already in enough danger. Now everyone I care for is a target. He will not stop until he has his son back, and Amelia Cross won't stop until she makes her bullshit federal case. She doesn't give a damn who she destroys.”

“What about you, Kat? When will you stop running? How will you be safe?”

“I don't care about myself; I cannot let him have my son.”

Mitch didn't know what else to say. He knew the Ambassador and his wife had taken Jonah overseas. Seth probably didn't figure on that and was only chasing after his wife. She may not have cared about herself but he cared. Katrina Spencer had been through enough and she needed peace. That was why he and Hobbes had been called in. Halper would not stop and Cross surely did not have the juice to bring him down if the files Alvarez sent were any indication.

His high-priced lawyer could probably get the over-hyped charges dismissed without the financier stepping foot in a courtroom. Who authorized this, the Agent did not know but it would surely bring more embarrassment and bad press to the FBI. No one gave a damn what happened to his wife.

“You should probably get some sleep.” Mitch said. He pulled a bottle of eye drops from his pants pocket and hydrated his contact lenses.

“Are you going to sleep?” she asked.

“I will rest, that will get me through. Don't worry, you're safe in here. No one is getting past Hobbes and if they did, which they won't, they would not get past me.”

“You two really are the best, huh?” she got under the quilt. Telling that story left Kat exhausted.

“We are.” Mitch nodded.

“How long have you two been together?”

He smirked; it made them sound like an old married couple. Hell, sometimes they really were.

“Almost a decade. Let's just say we can handle what no one else can or will. Go to sleep Kat…I cannot promise another quiet night.”

Kat nodded, actually allowing herself to drift off. She would be alright if there was never another night like this.

***

“Do you have a plan?” Kat asked, sipping her coffee.

“We never work without one.” Mitch replied.

“Are you going to share it with me?”

“That was not my intent.”

“Mitch, I do not want to be in the dark where my life is concerned. I thought we all agreed to work together…no two against one.”

“Hobbes and I know what we're doing. You have to understand that you cannot be privy to everything. That is not two against one; it's for your safety. Control is not yours Kat, at least not for the time being. We are doing this to save your life.”

She leaned back in the booth, crossed her arms, and cut her eyes at him. Agent Mitchell was unmoved. They were having breakfast in the same diner where they had dinner the night before. It was the first morning in too long to recall that Kat had an appetite. She knew her hearty meal of a cheese omelet, home fries, and sausage links surprised her companion. No, he wasn't that…her captor perhaps? No, not that either. When you were neither friend nor foe, what were you?

“Where is Agent Hobbes?” she asked.

“He went to rent a new car for the ride to Chicago .”

“You said something about a train in Chicago . Where is it taking us?”

“I know this might be difficult but you have got to stop asking so many questions.” Mitch put his elbows on the table and leaned toward her. “You are never going to trust me and I completely understand that Kat. Even still, your life is my number one priority right now. Its Hobbes's as well. Just let us do our job. Your father knows we are the best…trust him.”

Kat didn't like it but she nodded. She excused herself to the ladies room and when she returned, wanted a cigarette. Mitch took the bill up front and paid for the meal. They went outside, taking shelter from the spring rain under the awning. Kat lit a clove, inhaled, and exhaled slowly.

“Agent Mitchell?”

“Hmm?”

He stood against the wall, arms crossed with a brooding countenance. Kat thought if he ever smiled he would be a handsome man. He was still dressed like a movie FBI Agent; black suit, white dress shirt and royal blue tie. His shoes were as shiny as a military officer's. She was usually good at reading people, excellent really, but this man…she had no clue. Something said to keep looking and something else said give it up. Katrina Spencer was no quitter.

“I hope you keep the things I told you last night in confidence.” She said.

“It doesn't work that way. Anything you tell me that is pertinent to the case has to be shared with Agent Hobbes. There is no compromise on that.”

“Apparently there is no compromise on anything.”

“We don't keep secrets from one another.” Mitch replied.

“Why are you treating me like I am a suspect?” Kat asked. “I didn't have to tell you anything but I did.”

“I know, and I appreciate that. The more we know, the better we help you. There are many different means to finding out what we need to know. A group of people are working on it right now in fact. I don't mean to treat you like a suspect though. It is a hazard of the job, I guess. I will try to do better from now on. You just have to understand that Hobbes is my partner and he has been for a long time. When we finish this assignment there will be another and another after that. Without trust our relationship will crumble. I don't intend to ever let that happen. It took us too long to get to this place.”

“I understand that.” Kat said.

Though he wouldn't say, Mitch didn't care if she did or not. Obviously Kat was scared and running for a reason. That didn't mean Mitch believed everything she told him. In this job almost everything was considered a lie until confirmed by Cleo Alvarez or detective work. The computer genius was already combing medical records and running a fine-toothed comb through the marriage of Katrina Spencer and Seth Halper.

Someone once said that there were two sides to every story. FBI Supervisory Special Agent Alex Mitchell knew there were at least ten. And those were the short and simple ones. There was nothing short and simple about this one at all. A Cadillac Catera pulled up in front of them. Mitch's hand moved behind him to his Glock but Dan Hobbes got out of the car and grinned.

“I thought you might like a luxury car.” He said to Kat.

“I could care less as long as we get out of here.”

He wanted to say something smart but decided against it. He was trying to give Kat the benefit of the doubt. Yesterday would have been tough on anyone. To go from a diplomatic interpreter to running for your life was pretty drastic. Dan wouldn't be friendly either if the roles were reversed. He watched Mitch hold the back door for her before he climbed into the passenger side.

“I am not listening to AC/DC the whole way to Chicago .” The senior Agent said, strapping himself in. “Metallica either.”

“OK, Dad, but I'll be damned if I listen to The Carpenters.”

“I do not like The Carpenters.” Mitch said through clenched teeth, cutting his eyes at Hobbes.

“Uh huh. Don't you remember you told me you loved me baby?” he put his hand on Mitch's shoulder. “You said you'd be coming back this way again baby.”

“Shut up.”

Kat burst into laughter and the FBI agents both turned toward the backseat. She just laughed, holding her stomach as tears creased in her eyes. It was a graceless laugh, surely her real one, and there was something very lovely about it. It was always lovely when a woman just let go and laughed.

“Damn, that's it. Let it out, Spencer.” Dan said grinning.

When the giggle fit subsided, she pulled her iPod Nano from her backpack.

“How about a little compromise, guys? It's got something for everyone.”

Mitch took it from her hands and started flipping through the song list. Tom Petty, Anita Baker, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Journey, The Smiths…it would be better than bickering with Hobbes all the way to Chicago .

“It's a deal.”

Hobbes hooked it up before pulling out of the parking lot of Faye's Diner. It would be about a four hour trip; a few smaller roads before hitting I-65. There would hopefully be no OK Corral type activity today. The faster they got her deposited to the safe house and got back to DC, the better. He knew something else was coming though.

Never afraid to put his life on the line for the job or to protect the innocent, Dan still felt a rock in the pit of his stomach. This was not going to end well. He would do everything in his power to keep them all alive but sometimes the best wasn't enough. Brushing away bad thoughts, he let the voice of Patti Scialfa relax him as he focused on the road. There was still a long way to go.

***

Mitch was outside a Dairy Queen in Thorntown , Indiana . The rain had stopped for now but it was a humid day for early May. He leaned on the Cadillac, eyes scanning the townspeople. Some stopped for gas, fast food, fuel, or to use the facilities. There also seemed to be a decent amount that had stopped to chat and gossip. Dairy Queen seemed to be the place to be in this neck of the woods. The BlackBerry on his hip buzzed and he answered without looking at it.

“Mitchell.”

“Hey, it's JJ. Are you guys alright?”

“Yeah. I would tell you where we're going but…”

“I understand. We have a problem.”

“I'm listening.” Mitch squinted behind his shades as he watched Hobbes and Spencer walk back toward the car. They would get back on the road as soon as Kat finished filling her body with that poison. A woman like her, not that Mitch could pretend to know anything about her, didn't need a dirty habit like that.

“The Columbians may be involved.”

“Involved in what?” Mitch took the chocolate shake Hobbes handed him.

“The FBI has a 24 hour tail on Seth Halper. Unfortunately we aren't able to get much beyond visual contact and a tap on his house phone. He certainly doesn't use it very much, and hardly at all for business. Yesterday afternoon he had lunch at DC Coast with Cesar Silvano.”

“What happened?” Mitch walked away from the car. He heard Hobbes tell Kat to get in.

“Well we don't have audio so we don't know what happened. All we can say is the two men are very chummy. We know that Halper handles most of the money for the Silvano Foundation, the so-called legitimate business Cesar runs. We also know that Silvano has many an unscrupulous business partner though the Feds can never get enough on him to make it stick. If Halper asked for a favor surely Silvano would get it done.”

“The Columbians are coming after us?”

“We can only assume. I definitely wasn't going to keep you in the dark about this development.” JJ replied. “The Columbians are not like the Italians, Mitch; they will kill everyone in their wake to get the target.”

“I know.”

“You two have to be careful.”

“We already shook off some guys yesterday.” Mitch said. “You be careful too. Cross is on the warpath and doesn't trust a soul. If she thinks someone is trying to infringe on her case she'll get nasty. If she gets wind we're harboring her “witness”…”

“It's not going to happen. Ambassador Spencer has had Kat and Jonah declared missing at her behest.”

“Why would he…?”

“Ambassador Nancy Spencer.” JJ clarified. “Cross is looking to add a murder indictment to the list of trumped up charges she's already collected. If she can convince a judge that Seth Halper harmed his wife to keep her from testifying, its federal murder. The dragon lady is beside herself with excitement. I've seen her smile at least four times in the past couple of days.”

“No doubt.” Mitch smirked. “Watch your back JJ, and do what you can to keep us informed on this missing person thing. The boy as well?”

“Yeah. Its all over the news here…the daughter of Ambassadors and the wife of one of the top financiers in the world is gone without a trace. It could go international in the next few seconds. Welcome to the internet age.”

“That puts the whole operation in jeopardy.”

“That's why I called. We better clear the line; you never know…”

“Right. Be careful.”

“You too, and Hobbes.”

“Yeah. See you soon.”

Mitch turned his phone off and walked back to the car. A few minutes later they were on US-52 again, heading for Lafayette and the merge onto I-65.

“Your mother has had you and Jonah declared missing at the behest of Special Agent Amelia Cross.” He said looking into the rearview mirror.

“Shit,” Hobbes grumbled. “We're kidnappers now.”

“Why would she do that?” Kat asked. “What is Amelia Cross trying to do to me?”

“I assume that your mother and father don't communicate much.” Mitch said.

“Under duress.” She crossed her arms. “I am so sorry about this. You didn't sign on to be part of this insanity.”

“Actually, that's exactly what we did.” Hobbes replied. “You don't have to apologize. We have to get you to the safe house as fast as possible. There will not be much rest along the way for any of us. With the missing person report already in the press we can't ask your mother to retract it…it would be too suspicious. Cross is probably planning to add conspiracy to commit murder to her indictment.”

“That's what JJ thinks.” Mitch said. “It's the charge most likely to hold water if Halper can talk his way out of the rest. Kat, do you know Cesar Silvano?”

Hobbes glanced at his partner. Some good news would be nice but it would never start with the name Cesar Silvano.

“I've met him a few times but we are not friends. He is one of Seth's clients. We've sipped overpriced wine and discussed politics and Derek Walcott. That's all I know about him. Why?”

“I'm just asking.”

“No, you don't ask without a reason. You promised not to keep me in the dark, Mitch.” Kat said.

“There is a possibility that your husband is enlisting Silvano's help in bringing you and your son home.”

“So there is something to the rumors that he's a dangerous man?” Kat asked. “Seth always said that people played on ethnic fears to say bad things about Cesar. Did you know he has a Masters degree from Princeton ?”

“He is a well-dressed, well-educated monster.” Hobbes said. “You won't be able to wipe up the blood from your slashed throat with his little piece of paper from Princeton .”

Kat got very quiet, sipping the milkshake Hobbes bought for her. She hated herself for the tears brimming in her eyes that spilled over. There was no point in trying to hide them so she didn't. She was never going to see her baby again…they were going to kill her. Dammit, Kat should have just stayed with Seth. Anything would have been more bearable than this.

Cross couldn't have anything concrete on him or she never would have showed up at her office. Not that that visit alone sent Kat packing. It all felt like a horrible mistake. But the way Seth attacked her was not a mistake. He was coming undone and she did not want to be around when the last bandage of his façade unraveled. Perhaps she wouldn't be. A glimpse of the monster within might be the last thing she saw before death took its everlasting grip on her.

***

“This might not be the best time to mention that this is one of my fears.” Kat said.

“What's that?” Hobbes asked.

“Confinement. Did we have to get a sleeper car? I really hate sleeper cars.”

“Look out the window,” Mitch replied. “It might be helpful.”

“Doubtful.”

“Give it a try. We're going to leave you alone for a little while but will be right outside.”

Kat bit down on a cheeky response and just nodded. She watched as they left the room, knowing Mitch was going to tell Hobbes everything she told him last night. She wished he wouldn't but knew there was nothing she could do about it. Maybe it would help. Kat didn't know how but if they wanted to know so bad surely there had to be a reason. She sat in the almost comfortable seat across from the bunk bed, leaned her head on the window and pulled a picture from her backpack.

It was she and Seth, a year old Jonah in his arms. They were so happy; their frozen smiles mocking her after all she had been through. She did not want to sit on a train for 14 hours, from Chicago to Cheyenne , and think of the many ugly turns her life had taken. While Katrina Spencer was never one to feel sorry for herself longer than a few minutes, she wasn't sure if she would recover from this. The most insane part was that she missed and still loved her husband. It wasn't logical…absolutely none of it made sense. That was probably something she would have to get used to.

“What are we up against?” Hobbes asked.

He and Mitch were leaning against the wall in the narrow walkway. They faced each other but also looked over the other's shoulder. Confinement wasn't their favorite idea but it was easier to jump from a train than a plane if it had to come to that. It was 14 hours from Chicago to Cheyenne , with stops in Peoria , Sioux City , and Lincoln before getting to Wyoming at about 3:30 in the morning. Agent Josh Graywolf, a field Agent out of Denver and old acquaintance of the pair would have a car waiting for them at the station for the ten hour ride to Helena .

“I don't know.” Mitch said.

“I don't like that answer.”

“Me neither but this case is getting stranger by the moment. Not the hour but the moment.”

“I am not sure I trust Spencer at all.” Hobbes said.

“Her running has nothing to do with the case Cross is putting together. That just happened to coincide with her plan to run, which was already in motion.”

“She talked to you?”

“Yeah.” Mitch nodded. “A little.”

Mitch told him the story Kat told him last night. Hobbes listened intently and then sighed.

“This is nothing more than a domestic case?” he asked.

“Well Seth Halper surely knows his wife doesn't know much about his business.”

“She is smart enough to put 2 and 2 together though.”

“I don't know the man,” Mitch said. “But I think Cross' case is full of holes. It's why she had Ambassador Spencer declare Kat and Jonah missing.”

“Two murders, even without bodies, is a strong accusation.” Hobbes replied. “It also lends to her other case because what other reason would he have to “kill” his wife than she knew too much?”

“When really it's as simple as a man who wants control of everything around him. He could have killed her that night. Her miscarriage saved her life.”

“Does she know what she's getting into with life on the run?” Hobbes asked.

“It won't be life, just a little while. Her father is a smart man. He will keep her and the little boy safe.”

“He'll never stop until he has them back.”

“Unless he's rotting in prison for a murder that won't be taking place if we have anything to say about it.” Mitch said.

“Jerk or not, I'm not entirely comfortable with that scenario. I guess we just need to do what we're here to do and stay out of the rest.”

“Yeah.”

“You think someone is on the train?” Hobbes asked.

“I couldn't make a tail but who knows. We'll work as if there is and…” Mitch was interrupted by his BlackBerry and immediately answered it. “Lindsay, is everything alright?”

Hobbes didn't want to stick around for that phone call. He went back into their coach, where Kat quickly stuffed something in her backpack. She came out with an energy bar.

“Where's Mitch?” she asked.

“A phone call came in that he had to take.” Hobbes sat across from her in a smaller seat. He studied her without appearing to do so at all.

“You don't like me, do you Agent Hobbes?”

“I don't know you and no offense but if this all goes according to plan I won't have the time to get to.”

“Yeah.”

They were both quiet for a while; Kat actually closed her eyes.

“Are you married, Hobbes?”

“My mother wishes I was.”

“Oh God, I can understand that.” She smirked.

“The job I do…it wouldn't be easy on a woman. I'm on the road a lot and my life is sometimes in danger. I wouldn't ask someone to take it on. Words could never describe how hard it would be.”

“You and Mitch seem close.” she said.

“He is the longest relationship of my life.” Hobbes said. “We've had our share of ups and downs but it is built on a solid foundation of trust and hard work. Damn, we do sound like a married couple.”

“There is nothing wrong with that. It must be a good feeling to know that someone has your back no matter what. Especially when you have no idea what's lurking around the next corner.”

“We're not going to let anyone hurt you.” Hobbes replied. “It would be silly to tell you not to be afraid but…”

“I am scared, but not of all of this. It's what's going to happen after. I've never run from anything in my life. There was so much that should have broken me but it didn't. Yet here I am running. I've failed myself and I know I've failed my son.”

“So you don't think your husband is trying to kill you?”

“The one thing I know is that I don't know Seth Halper. That doesn't mean I don't wish I could change the way I did things. I let fear rule me instead of logic…that's unlike me.”

“Amelia Cross probably didn't help.” Hobbes said.

“Oh fuck her,” Kat sighed. “I just want to be there when she gets what she deserves for the lives that she has fractured.”

“I'll make sure you are.”

Kat nodded, smiling. Hobbes returned it.

“You promise?” she asked.

“Consider it done.”

Mitch came back into the coach car. He looked tired and frustrated. Hobbes didn't say a word but the look on Mitch's face concerned Kat.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

“Fine.”

“You don't look…”

“I'm fine.” He cut her off. “This is going to be a long train ride without stops for smoke breaks or snacks. We should all buckle down for the evening.”

Kat didn't say anything else to him; curling up in her seat and watching the world go by at breakneck speed. God, if she could turn back the hands of time, where would she be?

***

Kat looked at her watch when she woke from her nap. It was one a.m., another two and a half hours until they got to Wyoming . She turned on the bed, more uncomfortable than the seats in the room, and looked at Mitch and Hobbes. They were both asleep. Hobbes' head was back, arms crossed over his chest. Mitch was the same except his feet were up on the chair across from him. The room was dimly lit; all Kat could hear was the sound of train tracks ahead and behind them.

Her movements were slow as she sat up in the bed; didn't want to wake them. Finally on her feet, Kat grabbed her backpack and slid it through her arms. She walked to the door and turned the knob slowly. A small noise made her jump and turn. Mitch and Hobbes hadn't moved. It probably wasn't the best idea for two FBI agents to sleep as soundly as they were but Kat knew they had to be exhausted. The lock gave, the door opened, and she slipped out without making a sound.

“She's gone.” Mitch muttered.

“She's good,” Hobbes replied, one eye opening. “She must have snuck out a lot as a teenager. I almost want to compliment her cat-like skills.”

“Just go and get her…it's your turn.”

“How? You've never…”

“I made her open up. You go and get her.”

“Fine.”

Hobbes got up and looked out the door. She damn sure wasn't running; she wasn't even halfway down the long hall. When she looked behind her, he slipped back inside.

“She isn't running.” He said. “I have no damn idea what she is doing.”

“Keep an eye on her.” Mitch said.

“Yeah.”

He left the room and watched her walk along. She wasn't in a hurry; maybe she just wanted a smoke. Damn addiction was going to be the death of all three of them. Smoking wasn't allowed on trains anymore but there had to be somewhere for them to go. Hobbes kept his distance as he followed her through two train cars. She turned around a few times and he didn't know how he managed it in such an enclosed space, but he ducked away.

The caboose, did they even still call it that, that would be a good place to get some air. Suddenly someone else was in his field of vision and closing in on Kat. Shit! There was no time to alert Mitch; he was on his own with this one. Hobbes had no idea how many there were. He watched Kat stiffen as the large man took hold of her.

“Scream and you die.” He whispered in her ear, a knife pressed in her side. “Just keep walking.”

“Who are you?”

“Shut up. You don't get to ask questions.”

“Did my husband send you?”

“Shut up.” He poked the knife in her side and Kat whimpered. “We can do this the hard way or the easy way. I'm sure you would prefer the easy way. I don't really give a damn.”

“You would never kill me on a train full of people. It's too risky.”

“Aren't you a smart one?” he pulled her into the darkness between cars and held the knife to her throat. It was long and it was sharp. “Smart asses die first. You want the poor soul who has to identify your body seeing it split from chin to sternum?”

Kat shivered as he and the knife pressed her into the wall. His breath smelled, he was sweaty, and she was trapped.

“If you're nice to me, then I'll be nice to you. If you're not…”

“If you fucking touch me, my husband will give you a new definition for the word pain.” Kat spat.

“Shut up.” He slapped her before grabbing her throat. “Who the hell knows why he would want a back-talking shrew like you back. Maybe I can make it so you never talk lip again.”

Kat fought the hand around her throat. He was strong and she was starting to fade. Hobbes came out of nowhere, tackling the man around the waist as a football player would. He made an ‘oof' sound and they started tussling.

“Run Kat!” he exclaimed.

She tried but couldn't, she was pinned in the tiny space by the two of them. Hobbes was trying to get the knife away from the guy while at the same time not to be stabbed to death. They crashed into Kat and the wall; she felt the searing pain. Her hand automatically went up to her shoulder. It came back with blood.

“Oh God, oh dear God. Hobbes…”

“Run Kat!”

She slithered along the short wall, falling into the open train car. She turned, stumbled, and broke out into a run. Kat had no idea how badly she was bleeding. All she knew was that she had to get back to Mitch. Saying a prayer that Hobbes was not dying a painful, atrocious death, Kat burst back into the sleeper car.

“Mitch!”

“You're bleeding.”

“Help me. They…Hobbes…” Kat started fading.

Mitch grabbed her before she hit the floor, pulling her over to the seat. He took the backpack off, leaning her against the arm and window. Reaching for his own bag, Mitch opened it and pulled out the first aid kit. First he gave her smelling salt, which brought her back.

“Mitch, oh my God,” she grabbed his shirt, getting her blood on it. “They're going to kill Hobbes.”

“Calm down, just calm down. You're bleeding and I need to take a look at it. If you're hysterical then the bleeding won't stop.”

“But Hobbes…”

“I know but you need to calm down. I have to cut you out of this shirt…the wound looks bad. Try to relax.”

She did her best as Mitch cut down the middle of her tee shirt with scissors. He spread it open to reveal a nearly transparent purple bra. She was a beautiful woman but ogling her body was the last thing on his mind. The slash was deep; went right through the bra strap. He checked it with tentative fingers and Kat bit her lip. She never made a sound. As Mitch stopped the bleeding and cleaned the wound with alcohol, Hobbes came back into the sleeper car. That's when Kat came back to life.

“Hobbes, are you alright?” she asked.

“I'm fine.” He turned to Mitch. “Is she going to make it? Will that need stitches?”

“Tough to say.” He finished cleaning it. “It's a nasty gash but if we take care of it, it should heal on its own.”

“Graywolf can do stitches.” Hobbes said. “Better safe than sorry.”

“Are you alright?” he turned away from Kat for a matter of seconds but Hobbes saw the concern in his hazel eyes.

“He's out cold and he is not Columbian. I stashed him in the last car with a blanket over him. We should be on the road before they discover him.”

“I'm sorry I left. I wasn't running I swear; I just needed space to think. I told you confinement freaks me out.” She gritted her teeth as Mitch put the gauze and medical tape over the wound.

“The bleeding should slow or stop altogether.” He said. “You're right Hobbes; we'll get Graywolf to do the stitches.” He looked at Kat. “He's no Noah Wyle; it'll be effective but might hurt like hell.”

“I can handle it.”

Patched up, she now felt naked. There was no use in trying to cover up, they had seen all a man wanted to see. To their credit, neither man seemed overly impressed with her breasts. Kat stood, faltering a bit but holding her own.

“Could I…I'd like to put a shirt on.”

“Hurry,” Hobbes said. “We have to get this blood off of us too.”

She nodded and they left her alone. The hallway was dim, empty. It didn't seem like Hobbes had been in the fight of his life just a few minutes before.

“Are you alright?” Mitch asked, his hand gently falling on Hobbes' shoulder.

“Well I do believe the little woman cares.”

“I don't care,” Mitch smirked, falling right in with the banter of Nick and Nora Charles. “I'm just used to you, that's all.”

Hobbes grinned.

“He got some licks in, nothing I couldn't handle. He wasn't shit without the knife and I had an advantage on him…he wasn't used to confined spaces. I could've snapped his neck but the knockout pinch will keep him down for a couple of hours.”

“Who was he?” Mitch asked.

“Hell if I know; he didn't have any ID on him. All he had was two knives. I know he was sent by Halper but he wasn't supposed to hurt her.”

“How do you know?”

“I heard them talking. He might have raped and killed her anyway. She was talking too much and he clearly did not have a calm temper. Good help is definitely hard to find these days.”

“I'm glad you got him before he could hurt her.”

“Yeah,” Hobbes crossed his arms, grimacing slightly. “If I even sound like I'm going to bitch about a case in the future, remind me of the train to Cheyenne .”

“With pleasure.”

“It better not be too much pleasure.”

Mitch smiled, patting Hobbes's shoulder. He knocked on the door and Kat told them it was fine to come back in. They all wanted to get off this train as soon as possible though who knew what was waiting out there for them.

***

Well she was an American Girl

Raised on promises

She couldn't help thinkin'

That there was a little more life somewhere else

After all it was a great big world

With lots of places to run to

And if she had to die tryin'

She had one little promise she was going to keep

Oh yeah, all right

Take it easy baby, make it last (make it last all night)

She was an American Girl

Kat slowly came out of the haze; they were still moving. She could have sworn they got off the train. She remembered getting off the train, feeling woozy and leaning on Hobbes. It was daylight now so they couldn't be on the train. She sat up, grimacing in pain. Dan looked in the rearview mirror.

“She's awake.” He said.

“What happened to me?” Kat asked.

“You passed out while Josh was stitching you up.” Mitch replied. “Are you in any pain?”

“A little. It's more discomfort than anything. I'm very uncomfortable right now.”

“We can stop for a little while. It might be good for you to stretch your legs, get some food, and have a smoke.” Dan said.

“Are you serious? Am I dying?”

“Don't even joke about something like that.” Mitch replied sternly as Dan smirked.

“I think after your harrowing experience you at least deserve one of those silly cloves.”

“Thanks…Dan.”

“You're welcome.”

Kat went to look at her watch but her wrist was bare. She sighed. Money didn't mean everything but some lucky bastard probably found a $4500 Cartier watch on the train this morning.

“I lost my watch. What time is it?”

“Seven thirty.” Mitch said.

“Oh my God, I've been out of it for four hours!”

“You're exhausted.” Hobbes said in a matter of fact tone.

“I'm hungry.” Kat tried to stretch and yelped in pain. “Fuck!”

“Be gentle with that shoulder.” Mitch said.

“Obviously. For how long?”

“Probably just a few days. You're going to be fine but you need to rest when we get to Montana .”

Kat didn't say anything for a while. She wanted to but wasn't really sure what. It was hard to believe it had only been two days since she met them in a dank New Jersey motel. Practically a lifetime sped by in 48 hours. There were still far more questions than answers and she hated that.

“What happens after that?” she asked. “How long will I have to be in this safe house? I miss my son and want to get on with whatever is left of my life. I want to call my father and make sure they're alright.”

“We'll regroup when we get there.” Dan replied. “With your face on a milk carton now it might be best to lay low for a week or two. We also have to get all the paperwork so you can get out of the country.”

“A week or two! I thought you said you had a plan.”

“We do, so just relax.” Mitch said. “Others have gotten involved and we've had to think on our feet but it's not something we aren't used to. Let's just get something to eat and make it safely to Montana . That's what we need to focus on…there is no need to get ahead of ourselves. We survived the train but that doesn't mean nothing else is coming at us.”

Kat nodded. She leaned back in the seat and tried to relax. Her shoulder was throbbing but she wouldn't take the Motrin in her backpack until there was food in her stomach. She wondered how many hours there were between Cheyenne and Montana . Kat could not let herself believe she was safe yet. Two attempts on her life in two days; it didn't make sense. She kept thinking it was almost time to wake up from the nightmare.

She would wake in her own comfortable bed, in her husband's arms. Her life would be peaceful and unchanged. No, Kat needed to keep her feet on the ground…it would never be that way again. Seth had clearly lost his mind. He sent people to kill her and get their son back. Her life meant nothing to him. At least this safe house would provide Kat with a sliver of security.

There would be warm baths, hot meals, and maybe even a night or two of comfortable sleep. She knew that, as much as she wanted to, she couldn't rush leaving the country. Katrina Spencer was a missing person now and had to be even more under the radar. Still, what she wanted more than anything was her son back in her arms. Then she could be whole again…then she could leave this nightmare behind her.

***

It was almost five when Dan turned onto the mile long dirt path that would take them to where they wanted to go. Kat looked all around her, nothing but rocks and trees. Part of her felt secure but also thought that no one would hear her scream out there. There were no other houses around, no people, no animals…there didn't even seem to be wind. Would they get cell phone service out here? Would they have a chance to call for help if ambushed? Oh my God, since when did she start thinking about things like ambushes? Dan practically pulled up to the front steps, cutting the ignition. He looked up at the place.

“It's nice and cozy.” Hobbes said.

“Three bedrooms; two and a half baths.” Mitch replied. “There's a manmade lake out back and good hunting in these woods.”

“Petrucci keeps guns here?” Hobbes asked.

“He keeps them locked up. I don't have the keys or the combination.”

“Alright. Let's check it out.”

He and Mitch got out of the car. Mitch looked at Kat before closing the door.

“Stay here and stay down.”

“No way,” she got out of the car. “I admit to not being overly fond of the woods. I will not sit in the car like a target.”

“This isn't a horror film.” Hobbes said.

“No, it's a real nightmare.”

“Fine, just stick close to me.” Mitch took his gun off his shoulder as Hobbes took one from his waist.

“I can shoot too.” Kat said. “I spent a lot of time at the range. There are certain regions of the world where you only feel secure knowing you can defend yourself in case all hell breaks loose.”

Hobbes thought for a moment that maybe they wouldn't be in this if she had taken the bullet to her husband. He shook off that thought and started up the steps. Mitch looked back at Kat.

“Just stay close.”

“I will, I promise.” She nodded, following him up the steps.

The two agents, with their protectee in tow, swept the place and found it empty. It looked as if it had been that way for a while, which suited their needs. They went back outside for their bags from the SUV. Dan parked it on the other side of the house where it wouldn't be seen from the road. Then he grabbed the electronic equipment supplied by Josh Graywolf. It would take some time but he and Mitch planned to do a thorough sweep for audio and visual bugs. This was Petrucci's private paradise, not an FBI crash pad. Still, considering the twists and turns they took in just the past few days, no stone would be left unturned.

“Do you think I could take a bath?” Kat asked.

She was sitting on one of the bottom stairs and both agents saw how exhausted she was. Mitch really wished they could have taken her to the hospital for that knife wound but he trusted Graywolf's assessment and ability. With her face, and that of her son, likely plastered all over the television they might have to lie low for a while. While Seth Halper wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted, Amelia Cross wouldn't either.

“That's probably a good idea,” Mitch said. “You're in the middle room, Hobbes and I on either side with doors for access. Petrucci said there's plenty of food so we'll make some dinner.”

Kat raised an eyebrow; she didn't bother to hide her skepticism.

“You're lucky I'm really hungry.” She stood slowly, turned, and went up the stairs.

Hobbes looked at Mitch, who was looking after her with his arms crossed.

“She's not the only one who's hungry.” Hobbes said. “I'll check out the fridge.”

“That's a good plan. We'll have dinner and then sweep this place again. I don't know how long we'll have to be here but I need to know every crevice like the back of my hand.”

Hobbes nodded, feeling the same way.

***

The water was nearly too hot, just the way she wanted it. Kat filled the antique porcelain tub before carefully removing her tee shirt. She walked into the bedroom to finish undressing. It was a beautiful cabin with lovely wood and antique furniture. Still there was no way she would ever be able to see it more than a prison. It was no one's fault but her own that she was there.

Kat couldn't spend the rest of her life feeling like this…something had to give. She grabbed a towel from the closet wrapping it around her naked frame. Back in the bathroom, she dropped it and slipped into the tub. Wincing from the hot water, Kat gritted her teeth and sat down. After 30 seconds she added a bit more cold water until she was almost comfortable.

She folded the smaller hand towel, leaning her head back on the rim. It was almost impossible to relax but knowing Mitch and Hobbes were downstairs allowed her to finally close her eyes. They were in the middle of nowhere; no one had followed them. No bogeyman was going to get her just yet. Maybe it was alright to let her guard down just a little…

“Kat, I thought…”

She screamed when she heard the voice, sending some water splashing over the edge of the tub. Her first instinct, jumping up and running, was quickly dashed by her being completely naked. Instead Kat sunk deeper into the water, up to her chin. It was clear though that he saw everything the Lord gave her and the birthmark from her grandmother.

“I knocked but you didn't answer.” Mitch said. “Were you asleep…you could've drowned.”

“I was resting my eyes. What can I do for you, Agent Mitchell?”

It unnerved her a bit that he never took his eyes off her. He wasn't staring at her body but into her eyes. Kat couldn't read his expression at all. Blank would have been the wrong word. The man looked as if he had so many thoughts and feelings that even he struggled to keep up. Damn if a mere mortal would ever figure him out.

“I cut up some fruit for you.” Mitch came closer and held out the ceramic bowl. “I thought you might like something…real.”

“Thanks,” Kat finally sat up and took it. “That was nice of you.”

“You're welcome. Agent Hobbes is putting chicken and vegetables on the grill so whenever you're ready come on down and have some dinner.”

God that almost sounded normal. Kat nodded and Mitch turned to walk out of the room. The sound of her voice made him turn around.

“I would like to call my father.” She said.

“That can be arranged. Hobbes and I…”

“I have a cell phone.”

“What? You have a cell phone? Do you realize that…?”

“Seth could have been following us around the country using my SIM card against me?” Kat asked. “Of course I do, Mitch. I've been trying to tell you that I know quite a lot. My father gave me a disposable cell phone before we left New Jersey that has been turned off the entire trip. Did you ever stop to think that Big Brother might be following us with those Government Issue phones you guys carry?”

“Our phones aren't disposable but they are off the grid; believe me.” Mitch sighed. “We'll talk about it later.”

“I want to call my father.”

“I know.”

He nodded and walked out of the room. Kat sighed, leaning back in the bathtub. She looked at the bowl of fruit…sliced strawberries, melon, pineapple, and white grapes. Drawing her knees to her chest, Kat tried to get back to that almost relaxed state but knew it was useless.

***

“Baby girl, it is damn good to hear your voice.”

“I can definitely say the same. I think you need to say something sexy for me.”

Hobbes smiled. It was a clear night with a chilly breeze coming off the trees. Every star in the sky was visible…there was a reason they called this Big Sky Country. Dan couldn't remember the last time, if ever, that he had seen that many stars. He was a city boy through and through. The woods gave him the creeps.

“I got a text from Lucas earlier.” He said.

Alvarez made a noise like a game show buzzer.

“There is absolutely nothing sexy about that.”

“He said the package is ready for pickup. I'm coming home.”

“You're getting warmer.” She replied. “Are you where you need to be?”

“We got in a few hours ago. It was a very interesting trip.”

“What happened?”

“I'm not telling you,” Hobbes said. “You worry enough.”

“Oh God.”

“Mitch and I are in one piece and so is Spencer. I finally had a chance to catch up on some reading.”

“Anything good?” Alvarez asked.

“The case of The People vs. Seth Halper. It has more holes than a golf course. Is Amelia Cross so desperate to climb the ladder that she's willing to put her career on rusty rungs?”

“Things are looking up for her. Nancy Spencer did a press conference this morning waving pictures of her daughter and grandson in happier times. NPD asked Seth Halper to come in for questioning.”

“Asking doesn't really matter.” Hobbes replied.

“I think this is the kind where they showed up at his home with handcuffs. Not the fun kind either.”

“This case gets more and more baffling. Are you sure she's not in up to her neck?”

“Everything I could find says no.” Cleo said. “I went down every rabbit hole and around every dark corner. Katrina Spencer is not her husband's willing accomplice, at least not that I could find. Hell, on paper, even Halper is clean as a whistle.”

“I'm sure you found something, mama. I know you like getting dirty.”

“Well I don't like to brag…”

“Yeah you do. Go on, I am dying to hear you talk dirty to me.”

“You are so, so bad.” She laughed. “Your guy is pretty shady if you follow the money. Kyoto , Johannesburg , Switzerland , the Caymans, Thailand , Berlin …everything is clean when he's done with it. That includes the man himself. Evidence against him would be circumstantial at best, and paper thin. Cross' best chance would be a murder charge. Some of the shady cretins Halper knows, a jury could certainly infer that he made his family disappear.”

“He tried to, Alvarez. He would have succeeded…”

“If it wasn't for those pesky kids and their stupid dog?”

“Pretty much.” Hobbes laughed. “I should go; I don't want to tie up the line just in case. I'll be in late tomorrow, but you know my first stop is to see my favorite girl. After JJ, it's straight to your lair.”

“Cute, honey.”

“That's me.”

“Be safe.” Alvarez said.

“You know it. Bye.”

Dan was turning off his phone as Mitch came out on the porch. The senior Agent handed him a beer.

“I don't think one will impair judgment.” He said. “In fact I think we deserve it.”

“You'll get no argument out of me.” Hobbes took a healthy sip. “Where's Spencer?”

“Sound asleep, I just checked on her. She looks peaceful.”

“Thoughts of a new life might have calmed her.”

“She still has a long journey ahead.”

Mitch leaned on the wooden banister and Dan studied him. He had taken off his jacket and tie. Some buttons were undone, shirt sleeves rolled up. The shoulder holster was gone and his Glock rested comfortably on his waist. This was relaxed Mitch, which was a little bit sad.

“I'm on the 6:30 out of Helena tomorrow evening. I'm taking the SUV.”

“Petrucci has a Jeep in the garage and an ATV. Still, I don't think we were followed.”

“I don't either, but since Halper always seems to be right with us or a step ahead, I don't plan on letting my guard down. How the hell did he know we were on that train?”

“What are you asking?” Mitch asked.

“A question.”

“Do you think Kat is somehow communicating with him?” Mitch thought about the smuggled cell phone. He felt guilty for not telling Hobbes but had known him long enough to know he would blow a gasket.

“No. I'm just thinking how convenient it was for her mother to declare her missing.”

“She said her parents only spoke under duress. I also gather that she and her mother are estranged.”

“You have a kid, Mitch. If something ever happened to Jack, hypothetically, who would be your first call?”

“Lindsay.”

“Exactly.”

“Maybe Ambassador Spencer lied to his ex-wife…maybe he told her he didn't know where Kat was.” Mitch said. “Loose lips sink ships. He probably knew how much she loved Seth. He couldn't trust her not to talk to him. She would probably think she was doing it for Kat's own good; certainly for Jonah's.”

“If she loved Seth so much how can she suddenly think him capable of murder?” Hobbes asked. “Not just of Kat but his three year old son as well.”

“I think Nancy is genuinely worried about Kat.” Mitch said. “Amelia Cross smelled blood like the vulture she is so she pounced on a worried mother. She wants her indictment and the Ambassador just wants the bad feelings in her stomach to be wrong.”

Dan nodded, taking in more beer. He wondered how well he would sleep tonight. There wouldn't be safety until Princess Spencer was making a run for the border and they were back to chasing the normal sociopaths. The lengths people went to exercising control over those they loved or claimed to love never cease to amaze him.

“NPD brought Seth Halper down to the station for questioning,” he said.

“The plot thickens,” Mitch replied.

“I just talked to Alvarez. I called her after getting the text from Lucas that the package was ready for pickup.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“I won't even count tomorrow since I'm not getting into Reagan until after midnight. I'll probably crash and hit Quantico on Monday morning. I think the whole thing might take three days. While I'm there, I need to check out Seth Halper with my own eyes.”

“I was going to say…”

“I know you were. I can read your mind,” Hobbes said.

“You probably can.” Mitch almost grinned.

“No probably about it; I really can. Will you be alright here with Spencer?”

“What do you mean?”

“The question is simple.”

“No.” Mitch shook his head. “It's not.”

“Tell me what you think I'm thinking,” Hobbes said.

“I'm not a mind reader.”

They were both quiet for a while, enjoying the spring night and the beer. Mitch had a feeling about what Hobbes was saying. If he refuted it too loudly it would only confirm it in his partner's mind.

“I can't help wanting it to be different for her.” He conceded.

“It sucks for lots of people…we see it too much in our line of work. There is something else.”

“C'mon Hobbes, spit it out. I'm tired and don't want to play word games.”

“You look at her differently, Mitch. It's almost like you have feelings for her or something.”

“Don't be ridiculous. Its just empathy; surely you feel it too.”

Hobbes made a slight movement with his neck but said nothing. Mitch crossed his arms.

“I do not have feelings for Katrina Spencer, that's ridiculous. OK, I admit to having an overwhelming feeling that I need to fix this. The idea of her running forever with her son doesn't sit well with me. There are so many amazing things she could be doing…the world is better with her in it.”

“You don't even know her,” Hobbes reasoned.

“Don't act as if you don't get a vibe from someone the second you meet them. I got the vibe, alright.”

“Well don't get any vibes when you're here alone with her.”

“If you weren't my best friend I would take a swing at you for that.” Mitch replied through clenched teeth.

“That's right; I am your best friend. I know what this past year and a half has been like for you. Then this beautiful woman comes along and needs a hero. You're a big damn hero, Mitch. I'm not trying to bust your balls; those feelings are normal. Just don't let them get in the way of the goal.”

“There are no feelings. We haven't even known her for three days. I admit to empathy, hell, in another life she might be someone I was friends with. Still, I am completely focused on what needs to be done.”

Hobbes nodded. He didn't quite believe him about Spencer, three days or not. Life had been rough for Mitch this past year with the deterioration and eventual dissolution of his marriage. He became a part-time member of his son's life, throwing himself even more into dangerous work. In another life, Kat would have been more than a friend.

Hobbes was sure of it…she annoyed him in the same ways Mitch had when they first met. He knew his partner was focused on their job, even with the reminder it wasn't that big of a concern. Still, the loss of this woman to a life of uncertainty and instability was the last thing the troubled FBI Agent needed. Mitch never got too close; Hobbes had more than once, but there was a first time for everything. He wished it wasn't a case filled with more twists, turns, and plot strands than a Lifetime miniseries.

“I got your back no matter what. To hell, Poughkeepsie , and back.”

That made Mitch smile. Poughkeepsie had been an awful case—ritualistic, coed murders—but they solved it and got out alive. That was one of the reasons Petrucci put them together…no one did it like Mitch and Hobbes.

“Ditto.” Mitch replied.

“I think I'm going to try and get some sleep.”

Hobbes stood. He stretched and finished his beer. A proper meal and a few hours of relaxation helped exhaustion set in. He was still on guard, though; he would not be sleeping as if he was in his own bed. It beat an SUV, a chair, and a coach car by a country mile. Moving past Mitch, he patted his partner's shoulder.

“Get some rest tonight; you deserve it.”

“Yeah. You're in the front and I'm in the back. There's a bathroom between Kat and me; you only have a door.”

“Right.” Hobbes nodded.

“Oh, and Kat wants to call her father so she can check on Jonah.”

“That's fine with me…I'm sure the separation is hard on her. Goodnight, Mitch.”

“Goodnight.”

Left alone, Mitch stared out into the dark woods. In a few days this would be over. Once Dan got back from DC with everything Kat needed, they would drive her to Calgary and she would be on her way. He still thought it was a good idea to lay low for at least a week. She needed to mend from the knife wound and the heat of the missing persons report needed to cool off.

JJ had sent a recording of Nancy Spencer on CNN this evening flashing photos of her daughter wearing an Ivy League smile and holding her adorable son. Katrina Spencer had become America 's daughter tonight. There probably wasn't a jury in the country that wouldn't fry Seth Halper, bodies and evidence be damned. That didn't sit right with Mitch, personal feelings about the man aside. Surely this would all be over before anyone could probably investigate but very little sat right with Mitch right now. A domestic squabble grew in the middle of a federal investigation; independent of each other but now colliding like two Mack trucks.

Kat was not an abused woman crouching in a corner, but she was abused nonetheless. Everything was running through his mind but two and two always equaled five. What did he need to add or take away to get a clearer picture? Mitch did not like having half the story…there had to be more. He didn't think Kat was involved in anything illegal, but perhaps he shouldn't be giving her the benefit of the doubt. Others he encountered certainly never got it.

While Hobbes was gone Mitch needed to get more out of her. Maybe in the end it just wouldn't make sense; sometimes life didn't. He would prefer the whole story no matter what. Even if the only thing going through his mind right now was one needed to be careful what they wished for.

***

Mitch walked into the den. “How does breakfast for dinner sound?”

“I'm sorry?” Kat pulled the ear buds from her ears.

“You shouldn't wear those. You won't be able to hear me when I call you.”

“Alright,” Kat nodded. “I was just trying…it's a little bit of normalcy.”

“Petrucci has an iHome over there on the shelf, plug it in. I'm going to make some steak and eggs; are you hungry?”

“I've been eating too much lately.” She laughed; it was self-deprecating. “I wouldn't say I'm on a diet but…”

“Fuck it,” Mitch said, a grin flashing across his face.

“Agent Mitchell, such language.”

“There's a variety of food here…I'll make you whatever you'd like.”

“You really don't have to cater to me. I'm not a princess.” She said.

“I'm not the world's best cook.”

“Well,” Kat stood from the couch. She slipped her iPod in her pocket and went to the shelf to get the iHome. “Maybe if we work together, two mediocres might make a perfect.”

“I'm better than mediocre.” Mitch replied.

“We'll see.” She grinned, brushing past him and walking toward the kitchen.

He didn't want to smile but couldn't help himself. There was something about her; he was just drawn to her. Mitch slipped his hands into the pocket of his slacks and followed. Kat plugged in the little stereo, sticking her purple iPod Nano in the right place. She scanned through songs, stopped, and pushed the button. He listened to the music cue up for U2.

“How about omelets instead?” Kat asked.

“I can live with that. Do we still get steak?”

Kat smiled, opening the cabinet beside her and pulling out a can.

“And potatoes,” she said.

“Potatoes in a can? I'm not sure that's right.”

“It will be…leave that part to me.”

***

It was delicious, absolutely delicious. Mitch hardly wanted to say; giving her a compliment seemed too weird. It seemed…he just shouldn't do it. They sat together at the kitchen table, plates heavy with steak and potato omelets. Mitch made homemade iced tea while Carly Simon played on the stereo. Nobody Does It Better indeed.

“So how was it?”

He looked at her. Her face was beautiful, inquisitive; he had to smile.

“It was amazing.” Mitch replied.

“Good.” Kat smiled as well. “This is my first attempt but if you watch enough times you learn something.”

“Are your parents good cooks?” Mitch asked.

“My stepmother is excellent. Actually, cooking together is something she and my father do a lot…its how they bond. Seth is such an amazing cook; it was another thing that attracted me to him.”

Mentioning her husband was a good way to bring Mitch back to reality. This wasn't some romantic getaway with the woman of his dreams. Katrina Spencer was running for what could be her life from a sociopath husband. Mitch didn't know a damn thing about her and the whole situation gave him a bad feeling. Was his life so sorry that he would fall for a femme fatale? He didn't like to think that way about her.

Sometimes shitty things happened to good people. Oh hell, he didn't know what to think. He stood abruptly from the table, taking both plates and putting them in the sink. He watched Kat stretch her arms above her head; she was probably thinking about a clove and a good night's sleep. She gasped when the voice of Van Morrison came through the speakers.

“I love this song.” She said.

Well it's a marvelous night for a moondance

With the stars up above in your eyes

A fantabulous night to make romance

‘Neath the cover of October skies

And all the leaves on the trees are falling

To the sound of the breezes that blow

And I'm trying to please to the calling

Of your heartstrings that play soft and low

“Do you dance, Agent Mitchell?”

“Absolutely not.” Mitch shook his head.

“Oh c'mon.” Kat stood. “This song is amazing.”

“No; I don't dance.”

“Don't or won't?” She reached for his hands. “There is a difference.”

“It's a little bit of both.”

Mitch was upset for letting her drag him to the middle of the floor. Kat put one arm around his neck, slipping her free hand into his. Against his better judgment, his hand found her hip.

“Kat…”

“Count out the steps; 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3.”

“I'm not that bad.” He grinned.

“Are you sure about that?”

“No.” He pulled her closer, his hand moving up her back.

They didn't step, it was better to sway. Mitch wanted to save her feet as much as possible. Actually he didn't want to be dancing at all. He could feel Kat's breath on his neck, her breasts on his chest, and her fingers creeping through his belt loops.

“We need to stop.” Mitch finally put some distance between them. “This behavior is inappropriate.”

“What's inappropriate about dancing?” she asked.

“Everything. This is not…we're not doing this, Kat.”

She nodded, ducking her head solemnly. When she looked at him again the clouds had cleared but Mitch could see the high walls and barbed wire like in the Jersey motel.

“A drink sounds like a good idea,” she said. “Or is that inappropriate as well?”

“Help yourself.” He waved toward the wine rack on the counter. “A drink never hurt anyone.”

Kat grabbed a bottle of Chateau Ste. Michelle and searched the drawers until she found a corkscrew. Then she got a wineglass.

“Let me help.”

“I think I can handle a bottle of wine, Agent Mitchell.”

Mitch held up his hands in surrender and went back to washing the dinner dishes. Kat quickly uncorked the bottle, pouring a healthy glass. Without a word to him, she went outside. He sighed but decided it was better to just let it go. What could he really say? He would probably just make it worse. That didn't mean he didn't want to fix it.

After a little looking around, he found a cap to close up the wine. Mitch took a beer from the refrigerator and walked out on the porch. Kat had pulled a chair close to the banister so she could put her feet up. Two candles were lit on the table, casting a strange glow over Kat's face. She was slowly smoking a clove and didn't look in his direction. He leaned on the banister, the same as he had talking to Hobbes the other night.

“I'm sorry,” Mitch spoke softly.

“For what? You're right.”

“I'm not right.”

“I guess the little joys and frivolities of life, like moondancing, are over. I think…I almost felt normal.”

“There is nothing wrong with moondancing, Kat.”

She didn't respond, just smoked and drank her wine.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked. “You don't have to do this.”

“I don't know what you mean.” She looked at him.

“You have choices. You have money, resources, power, and privilege. Why are you doing this?”

Kat turned away again but Mitch pushed further.

“You can get the best attorneys; orders of protection, hell, probably even Secret Service agents. Why would anyone choose a life on the run when they have so many other options?”

“What are you really asking me, Agent Mitchell?”

“Is there something you're not telling me?” he asked.

“There are probably many things I'm not telling you. My personal life is really none of your business.”

“It is if your chickens coming home to roost is going to get my partner and I killed. There are people out there who really need our help.”

“You go to hell.” Kat got up from the chair. “I didn't ask for your help. Things weren't perfect but I was handling it on my own. I don't need some damn hero…you can't save me.”

“Well I'm here, whether you like it or not. I can help you if you just tell me the truth.”

“Why would I lie to you? What reason do I have?”

“I'm not…”

“That is exactly what you're saying.” Kat cut him off. “Just spit it out…say what you need to.”

“Are you involved in something you haven't told me about? Your husband has proven to be a dangerous man but is there something else.”

“I don't have anything else to say. I refuse to be interrogated like this.”

Kat took her wineglass and started walking to the door.

“I'm only trying to help you, Kat. I can't help you if I don't know the whole truth. What are you so afraid of?” Mitch pleaded with her. He was angry at himself for resorting to that. Why couldn't she just trust him; trust someone for once?

“I've told you everything.” Her tone was exasperated. “Dammit Mitch, what do you want?”

“I want to know how these guys seem to know where we are headed for one thing. Then I find out you've got a throwaway cell phone.”

“I haven't contacted him. He's a resourceful man, as much as you and Agent Hobbes. Shit, for all I know he's implanted a GPS chip under my skin. I didn't ask for this and I didn't ask for you. Just leave me alone.”

“That's not going to happen. I'm not calling you a liar but…there are so many holes in the story. Are you in over your head? Who is trying to hurt you?”

“Seth!”

“Why? He's a control freak but sending assassins seems over the top. We've gone through everything with a fine-toothed comb and can't find any evidence that your marriage was anything other than perfect.”

Kat laughed though it was mirthless.

“I was so stupid; I honestly thought you were different. My life is in danger and you are accusing me of somehow being responsible for it. I bet you're convinced I'm the one who turned Seth into a criminal. I'm really sorry if my life on paper isn't a page turner. Forgive me for tearing you away from all that action and adventure for a silly domestic issue.”

“I didn't say that,” Mitch crossed his arms. “Don't put words in my mouth. I'm sorry I even brought this up.”

“So am I.”

Turning away from him, Kat went into the house and up the stairs. Mitch let out a noise of frustration. When he saw Hobbes again he was definitely going to have a bone to pick with him. That exercise accomplished nothing except now Kat was pissed at him. He still thought she was hiding something but who was he to press her?

Hadn't she been through enough? Mitch wished that nagging voice inside him saying that something else was going on would leave him alone. No matter how he wished things could be different, the best thing he could do was give Katrina Spencer the contents of the package Hobbes would bring back and forget he ever met her.

***

He was a light sleeper and sometimes an insomniac. Only complete darkness could bring about sleep and the slightest noise usually woke him. So the light footsteps made Mitch open his eyes. The room was still dark, but he knew he was no longer alone. He inhaled; the scent of the room had not changed. Lying on his side, Mitch reached under his pillow, gripped his Glock, sat up and cocked it.

“You'd do better not to come any closer.” He said into the darkness.

“Don't shoot me, Mitch.”

“Kat?” He reached for the lamp. “I could've killed you.”

“I didn't think you'd shoot into a dark room, but maybe I was wrong.”

“I don't shoot without provocation.” He put the safety back on, sliding the gun back under the pillow. “I also can't see in the dark. What's wrong?”

“I can't sleep.”

“What's wrong?” he repeated.

Kat came to sit on the edge of the bed as Mitch propped up his pillows. He found it hard not to look at her choice of sleep attire…a Peyton Manning jersey and nothing else. Her new short hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she sat on one of her bare feet.

“What if I'm making the biggest mistake of my life?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I haven't been able to stop thinking about what you said. I do have choices, so many more than a lot of women out there. Why would I put this burden on myself, and Jonah, if I don't have to?”

“Because you were afraid,” Mitch replied. “Deep down you were sure that Seth was capable of killing you.”

“I still am. I'm afraid for my life, Mitch, I swear.”

“I believe you.” He put his hands on her shoulders.

“I didn't tell a soul. I thought people would look at me like a victim, or worse, like a fool. I didn't even tell my parents. I only called my father after Seth had my accounts frozen. I really thought I could do it on my own…the less they knew the better.”

“You were wrong. It's not because you're not strong; you're very strong. This just isn't the way.”

“I don't know what else to do. If I go back and Seth pretends to be fair about this, he is going to kidnap Jonah the second I take my eyes off him. No judge will refuse him visitation because of my maternal instinct. He might spare my life but he is never going to give up his son.”

Kat started to cry and Mitch pulled her to him. She fought it for a minute, didn't want to be weak, but he held on. He stroked her back; whispered that it was alright to cry. It was alright to get it out and she didn't have to be alone and afraid anymore. They were going to fix this…they could make it right.

“I just want my son to be alright. I'm scared for me but I'm petrified for Jonah.” She sobbed.

“We're going to take care of him, I promise. Seth will never take him.”

“You don't know that. You've seen what he is capable of.”

“Kat,” he took hold of both sides of her face, making her look at him. “I won't let him. I will not let him hurt you or Jonah. I won't.”

“I can't let you take on that burden.”

“There are worse things to take on.”

“Mitch…”

“Shh,” he gave her gentle Eskimo kisses. “We're going to make this right.”

His lips were warm on hers, tentative at first. Kat moved her arms around his neck. She deepened the kiss, Mitch moaned against her. He pulled the covers back, his arms around Kat's waist, and brought her into bed with him. The clothes came off quickly; there wasn't much to start. Kat's jersey and panties and Mitch's boxers and tee shirt hit the floor.

Naked, skin on skin, Kat couldn't help but moan. Mitch's kisses became more passionate, nearly frantic, as he touched her body. He wanted to feel every inch of her…stroke, caress, nuzzle. She had round, pert breasts, a flat stomach, smooth buttocks, shapely hips and thighs. Her skin was so warm and fragrant; Mitch couldn't help but want to make it his own. The way she whispered his name nearly drove him mad.

Was it possible to ache so much for someone you barely knew? Kat loved the strength of his shoulders. She loved his shoulder blades, his arms, and his back. She loved the way his body felt on top of hers; so strong but gentle and light. When the kissing stopped, Kat opened her eyes. She looked at him, into him, with his slightly opened mouth and pouty bottom lip. She didn't want to stop him or make him stop, which is what his eyes asked her. Instead, she ran her thumb across his bottom lip and moaned when Mitch sucked it into his mouth.

It had been a long time since either one of them had made love. Their bodies were foreign to each other but connected on a level that words could never describe. When she cried out his name, Mitch replied with hers. When she pressed against him, he pressed back. His thrusts were long, strong, and deep but it was clear her satisfaction was central to his.

“Mmm, oh God Mitch.” Kat gripped his hips, her eyes fluttering shut. “Oh God, don't stop.”

His mouth made love to her shoulders, chest, and breasts. He knew he was close…felt as if he was going to detonate. Kat grabbed his face and held it close to hers.

“You are so beautiful.” He whispered. “Ohhh, Kat.”

She was falling, quivering as Mitch stroked her clit. He watched as she closed her eyes and whimpered his name. When their climax finally came, a moment that was so amazing to share, the tears slid out of Kat's eyes. Her lips trembled when he kissed her softly, gently, murmuring words of sweetness.

“Don't,” Kat barely whispered, holding his body on hers when Mitch tried to move. “Stay.”

He didn't say anything, just buried his face in the crook of her neck to inhale the scent of their mingled flesh. Alex Mitchell had done it; he had gone past the point of no return. Damnation was not supposed to feel this blissful. The fall would certainly be more treacherous than the climb.

***

“How's it going?” Hobbes asked.

“I'm more concerned about what's happening there.”

“I got the package. I also paired up with JJ to stake out the man himself.”

“What did you find?”

Mitch was sitting in the kitchen on Tuesday night. Katrina Spencer was asleep in his bed. They had made love again tonight; he knew it wasn't a good situation. What the hell was the matter with him? All his life Mitch had been on the straight and narrow and now he was falling through the blackness. He had no idea where he was going to land.

“He's surely not walking around like a man with multiple indictments hanging over his head. There's work, dinner meetings, cooking, and evenings with friends.”

“Any friends in particular?” Mitch asked.

“Cameron Murphy.”

“The attorney?”

“His attorney.” Dan said. “I don't know about you but I don't make elaborate meals for my lawyer.”

“You don't have a lawyer.”

“You know what I'm saying.”

“So they're more than friends?” Mitch asked.

“She left his place at one o'clock this morning. A Towncar picked her up. Oh, and one good thing about Cross' vendetta…we've gotten better audio surveillance. We couldn't get a bug on his cell phone but the house and office are hot. Halper hardly mentioned Kat, but he has two different PIs hunting for his son. Also, we think that he's convinced his mother-in-law that Kat's run off with his kid.”

“What about the police?”

“They're running a standard investigation. Lots of questions but few answers are coming in. Everyone says their marriage was perfect.”

“Nobody's perfect.” Mitch muttered.

“I am sure Seth will talk about it when he sits down with Diane Sawyer sometime next week. What about Kat, Mitch? Has she said anything else? Have you asked her?”

“Um…she's not sure if she wants to do this anymore.”

“Buyer's remorse?” Dan asked.

“I reminded her of how many choices she had. It doesn't have to be like this.”

“So she's coming back?”

“You need to get back here…we'll make the right decision.”

“Yeah, I'll be back tomorrow. Halper is heading out of town.”

“Where?” Mitch asked.

“From what JJ and I gathered, Germany . He got a hot tip from one of his detectives.”

“That's where Kat's father and stepmother are with Jonah, Hobbes. Where in Germany is he going?”

“ Berlin ; Cameron is going with him. They are chartering a private plane and I have Alvarez looking but this is off the radar. I haven't decided if he is just a guy who wants his missing son back or a criminal mastermind. What does that say?”

“I don't know,” Mitch replied, sighing. “He could be both or neither. This whole damn case…”

“Tell me about it. And you got nothing from Spencer? What's been going on there since Sunday?”

“Nothing. Why are you interrogating me? She says she doesn't know anything about his business beyond the superficial and I believe her. All she wants is to protect her son. If Seth can turn on her in anger then who's to say he won't do the same to Jonah? It looks like he already replaced her with a shinier model.”

“Cameron's been around the block…she damn sure ain't shiny.”

Mitch smirked but a long silence on the line followed.

“I would never interrogate you,” Hobbes said. “We've known each other too long. I trust you implicitly, Mitch, whether or not you trust yourself right now or not.”

“It's almost over.” he seemed to be talking more to himself than Hobbes. “It's almost over and we can move on.”

“That's a good plan. I'll be back tomorrow…Petrucci is getting me a chartered flight back. We are all watching each other, Mitch; it's fuckin intense. Halper is watching us watching him, Cross is definitely watching us and we are really watching her. And Big Brother is watching us all. I think it might be a good idea to send some agents we trust over to Germany to look after Ambassador Spencer and his wife, if Halper is on his way there.”

“How is he even leaving the country with all these indictments over his head?” Mitch asked.

“Very sneakily. You need to contact Petrucci and let him know about Ambassador Spencer's whereabouts.”

“Right. I'll see you tomorrow and we'll get this worked out.”

“Yeah. Hey, keep your chin up, man.”

“I will. Goodnight, Hobbes.”

“Goodnight.”

Mitch switched lines and called Section Chief Jim Petrucci. Their conversation was short and to the point. After that he went upstairs and checked on Kat. She was sound asleep in his bed, curled under the sheets. There was something beautiful and peaceful about her in that state. He was sure that Kat was one of the good guys.

She was just in a bad situation that she wanted to get out of. He knew that his objectivity was tainted at this point but it didn't change his many years as an FBI Agent. Bad guys were not always easy to point out; deception and disguise were getting better and better. Good people Mitch could usually point out a mile away. There were still more questions than answers; he would probably never know the full story. Still, if Kat changed her mind and wanted to return to her life in DC with her son he would do everything in his power to help.

This was their case; it wasn't over until they said it was over. Seth Halper was on the move and so were Agents Mitchell and Hobbes. They wouldn't need lies and deception to come out on top like some of their brethren…the good guys never did. Against his better judgment, but compelled to anyway, Mitch slid between the sheets and held her close. He wouldn't sleep much tonight; his mind was racing, but this would be the last time. He wanted to appreciate the last time.

***

Kat poured herself a cup of coffee as Mitch walked into the kitchen. She had been gone when he woke up that morning; they hadn't said anything to each other since last night. Well, they hadn't talked much then either. When he brushed past her to get his own cup they both felt the electricity course through their bodies. Kat actually shivered.

“I'm sorry,” she said, not looking up from her cup as she added cream and sugar.

“There's no reason to apologize to me, Kat. It takes two…at least it did this time.”

“I'm not the kind of woman who takes this lightly.” She looked up. “Maybe I used to be; I was wild in my youth. I just need you to understand that…”

“I understand,” Mitch replied.

“I'm not sure that you do.”

“I'm trying to.” He put his hand on top of hers resting on the counter.

There were a million words she wanted to say. Even in her mind they seemed to be in a language Kat couldn't translate. That was saying a lot for a woman fluent in five languages and conversational in at least 12.

“One of these days it won't be so damn hard to say everything I need to say,” she said.

Mitch heard a creak on the porch and his guard went up. He moved around her and looked out the window just as the front door came crashing in. Kat screamed as bullets cracked and ricocheted. Mitch threw them both on the ground, pulling his Glock from his back holster. They started crawling toward the den; he needed access to an exit. Thankfully the wall separated the kitchen from the front door so whoever was in there hadn't caught sight of them.

“When I tell you to run, you better run.” He whispered. They'd made it behind the couch, feet from the side door. Listening intently Mitch could hear at least four different sets of steps. Two were rather heavy…most likely the muscle.

“I won't leave you here.”

“You're going to do what I say.” He turned to her, took her face in his hands. “Don't fight me on this, Kat. They're here to kill us and we're outmanned.”

“Give me your backup gun.” Kat said. “And don't give me that funny look; I know you have one.”

Mitch nodded, sighing. He unhooked his piece and watched her hook it to her own ankle with precision. They were still for a moment, could hear the men getting closer. He closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and squeezed her hand.

“Run, Kat. Run!”

She hesitated for the slightest moment before breaking through the screen door. It surprised the shooters; Mitch jumped up and shot one at close range. Kat turned around just in time to see Mitch get shot.

“Mitch!”

“Go!” It was the last thing he said before losing consciousness.

Kat clipped her ankle jumping down the last three steps but she shook it off. She didn't care about anything but running. They were behind her, she knew it, and all that mattered was staying alive. Tears stung her eyes though Kat wasn't sure if it was from seeing Mitch shot or the bushes, brambles, and branches cutting her as she ran. Where the hell she was running, Kat didn't know. She knew she would rather die in those woods than at the hands of her husband.

When she felt the two sharp pains in her back, Kat turned around. She saw an unrecognizable face as darkness started to embrace her. They were coming toward her but she couldn't move. Her whole body was heavy; Kat fell to her knees. The world stopped turning before going black.

***

“Katya, wake up my darling. Wake up.” Kat froze as soon as she heard the voice. Only one person called her that, the Russian version of her middle name, and fear ran through her veins like ice water. She felt his lips on her face and it made her cringe. Maybe if she just pretended she was still unconscious…

“Wake up!” he exclaimed, slapping her hard across the face.

Kat opened her eyes, holding back a yelp of pain. She pulled her bottom lip into her mouth, tasting the iron from the blood.

“There are those pretty brown eyes. Hello there.” Seth smiled at her, wiping the tear sliding down her cheek. “Don't cry, love, I'm here to save you.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Obviously you were kidnapped. It's all over the news that you and Jonah are missing. The police brought me down for all kinds of inappropriate questions, but I didn't know a thing. All I could tell them was that I was desperate to find my wife and son. Now I've found you. Where's Jonah?”

“I don't know.” Kat replied.

“Don't play games with me, Kat. Where is my son?”

“I don't know, Seth!” she shouted.

“Dammit,” he pulled her up from the bed by her hair. Kat screamed, trying to loosen his grip but was unsuccessful. “You will tell me where to find my son!”

“Then what? Then I'm of no use to you anymore.”

“So that's what this is about? You're punishing me for what? I made some mistakes and you take away my son.”

“You turned into a monster!”

“Give me my damn son!”

“I don't know where he is.”

Seth took a deep breath through his nose and out of his mouth before punching her. Kat stumbled but remained on her feet.

“That's it, Seth…beat it out of me. That will make you more of a man.”

“Perhaps I could just ask your lover,” He replied, grabbing her hard by the shoulder. “Unfortunately dead men don't talk. So it might be a problem.” Seth noticed that that got Kat's attention. “You want to take a moment to mourn the loss?”

“You son of bitch.”

“Who is he? I didn't even know you had it in you.”

“Just like I bet you didn't know I knew about Cameron Murphy. How long has that been going on? All I did was love you and you just had to have more. I wasn't good enough…our life wasn't good enough. I tried to make it perfect; it was what I wanted too. That man was not my lover, he was an FBI Agent.”

“I don't give a damn who he was. All I care about is Jonah. You will not separate me from my blood.”

“You won't take him; I'll die first.”

“Be careful what you wish for.”

He went for her again but this time Kat was ready. She punched him hard in the kidneys and ran out of the room. Her legs were so heavy; the weight of them nearly sent her tumbling down the stairs. She was only halfway down when Seth grabbed her and pulled her the rest of the way. It knocked the wind out of her when he threw her into the wall by the front door. His forearm came down on the back of her neck.

“Last chance,” he whispered in her ear. “I don't want to hurt you but I will. Please don't make me do this. No one will recognize your pretty little face when I am done with it, Kat. Think of your low threshold for pain and tell me where Jonah is.”

“Do what you have to, Seth. You can't hurt me anymore and you will not touch my child.”

“I won't stop until I find him. I've got people all over the world with orders to bring him back to me. Anyone who gets in the way is considered collateral damage. That includes your precious daddy and his beautiful trophy wife. No one will keep me from my son…I will not let that happen. Do you understand me?”

“Just kill me; I'm sick of listening to you rant and rave.” Kat grimaced as his hand came down harder on her neck.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you.” Special Agent Dan Hobbes cocked his gun and focused it on Seth.

“You're planning on shooting an unarmed man in the back, Agent Hobbes?” Seth asked, not even turning around. “Not even a burn the book cowboy like you would do a thing like that.”

“You don't know anything about me.”

Seth grabbed Kat, turning around to face Dan. He used his wife to shield his body.

“You're willing to risk your career for this woman? She pretends to be everything you want and then reveals her true self. She already took your partner down; do you want to be next? She stole my son right from under my nose.”

“He killed Mitch, Hobbes.” Kat told him.

“Do you see what she made me do? I've never hurt a soul, Agent Hobbes; I just want my child back. She has no right to keep Jonah from me. He's my flesh and blood.”

“You have no right to come here and abuse her. You followed her all the way across the country…you had to have a reason.”

“I want my son!” he screamed. “He means everything to me.”

“Let her go and we can talk.” Dan replied. “This can be easy or hard; I'm up for it either way.”

“Your pal Amelia Cross is going to indict me for murder.” Seth squeezed Kat's neck tighter. “My lovely wife's face has been all over TV. She and my son are missing and presumed dead. Killing her right now would probably be in my favor. I'm going to fry for it anyway.”

“She's the only one who can tell you where he is.” Dan said.

“I'll find him. Do you know what I've been through with this woman? I loved her, took care of her, treated her like gold and look what she does to me. She kidnaps our child and fucks the first guy who comes along and pretends to care.”

“I was never unfaithful.”

“You shut the hell up!”

“Let her go, Halper. How long do you think I want to play this game?”

“I don't need her anyway. She's been a drain on me since…”

His spiel was interrupted by Kat's quick elbow to the chin. Seth let go of her, stumbling back and cursing. It was so hard for her to get away; Kat fell when she tried to run. Those drugs really packed a punch.

“You're dead to me, Kat. You are dead!” Seth came at her with a knife and Hobbes shot him in the shoulder. He flew back against the wall, blood gushing from the wound. Hobbes still had his Glock on him but soon Seth stopped moving. He died with his eyes still gazing at his wife.

“He shot Mitch!” Kat struggled to stand. She stumbled, nearly fell again, but remained on her feet. “Mitch made me run. There were four or five of them and some chased me into the woods. I just remember waking up and Seth was there.”

Dan nodded; he was pulling her into the den where Mitch was on the couch. Kat fell down beside him and grabbed hold of his face.

“I thought you were dead.” She started to cry. “What happened?”

“They pumped me full of some kind of tranquilizer, a lot of it. We have to get the hell out of here now…I think they rigged the place to explode. He was going to kill us and blow us to hell.”

Dan helped Mitch up and they started toward the side door. Kat helped as best she could but she was as drugged as he was. They were halfway down the side stairs when she remembered.

“My backpack.”

“To hell with it.” Dan replied.

“I have to get it…it's all I have left.”

“Spencer!” Dan struggled to hold up Mitch.

“Kat!”

“I'll be back.”

“Go after her Dan. Bring her back.”

“I'll get you out of here and then go back.”

Mitch protested but Dan threw him over his shoulder and rushed down the steps. He opened the back door of his rented SUV, sitting him down.

“Don't worry about me Hobbes; I'm fine, get Kat.”

He nodded and ran back around the corner to the side of the house. Kat came bursting through the door just as the Earth seemed to crack open. Blinded by a white light, Hobbes fell back. He grunted when Kat landed practically on top of him.

“Ow.” He moaned.

Hobbes rolled them so that her back was in the dirt. Kat had a pulse and after a few gentle slaps to her already bruised face, she gasped for air.

“I hope whatever is in there was worth it.”

“You should be nicer to me. I was almost blown to bits.” She retorted.

“That was your own fault, Spencer.” He scooped her up into his arms. “I'm taking you both to the hospital.”

He helped her into the SUV beside Mitch and closed the door. Closing Mitch's side, Hobbes hopped into the driver's seat and sped off.

“As if Petrucci needed more reason to hand us our asses,” He grumbled. “We got his vacation home blown up.”

“Not our fault.” Mitch whispered. “Hey, you handled those three guys quite nicely.”

“Would you say it was more MacGyver or Magnum P.I.?” Dan asked.

“It was totally, 100% MacGyver.”

“Yeah, I can live with that. Rest and we'll be at the hospital soon.”

Mitch nodded, knowing it was OK to pass out. He really didn't have much choice anyway. Kat rested her head on his shoulder, passing out as well. His hand slid over hers as it lay on his lap. Hobbes looked at them in the rearview mirror and rolled his eyes. He would get the two of them the medical attention they needed. That was a bit more important than getting to the bottom of the handholding thing. At least it was at the moment.

***

Mitch was coming out of the haze. He could hear rain falling hard outside and see the glare of the artificial lighting. Hobbes sat by his bed eating a bowl of pudding. Mitch grimaced when he tried to sit up, deciding that wasn't the best idea.

“You're eating my pudding.” Mitch whispered. Hobbes looked up, smiling.

“You don't like butterscotch. Waste not, want not.”

“What hit me?” he asked. “I feel like I was trampled by buffalo.”

“Nembutal; it's what they used to euthanize cats.”

“Nice. Is Kat alright, Hobbes? She ran back in the house…oh God.”

“She's fine.” He put his hand on Mitch's chest. “She took a hit from the blast and she had been given the same sedative as you but she's going to be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Mitch asked.

“Yeah. Petrucci is on his way here and he called Ambassador Spencer to let him know Kat was safe. He should be here soon. Everything is alright. Well, we're alive so let's count ourselves lucky.”

“What happened to Halper?”

“He's dead. Kat took a beating and he said some unsavory things but I shot him. It was like that scene out of Star Trek VI when Chang kept quoting Shakespeare and Bones wants him to shut the hell up.”

“Hobbes…” Mitch didn't want to smile but he did.

“He was going to stab her; I did what I had to.”

“Did he hurt her?”

“She's a survivor. She's going to be alright.”

Mitch nodded, trying to relax. He felt dizzy, nauseous, and his body felt weighed down.

“I feel like shit,” He muttered.

“You might for the next few days; it's a powerful sedative. They were concerned about the amount you were given but you'll live. They're going to keep you for a day or so to monitor you.”

“Are you sure Kat's alright, Dan?”

“I'm sure. Relax, you're not going anywhere. I'm not breaking you out of the hospital like I did in Milwaukee .”

They were quiet for a while; Hobbes figured Mitch was dozing off. He would hang around for a while longer and then find someplace to crash for the night. There were some hotels close to the hospital. He also needed to check in with Cleo…this had probably hit the FBI grapevine by now. Cross would have a bird when she discovered that only dental records would be able to identify her “sure bet” to the Deputy Director's office.

“We slept together.” Mitch's voice pierced the silence.

“I'm really proud of you.”

“I'm almost afraid to ask why.”

“I never expected you to tell me. You keep things to yourself; from yourself sometimes.”

“I stepped over the line, Hobbes.” He closed his eyes.

“You're in a hospital bed because you were doing your job. There are always cases where we get too close or in too deep. It reminds us that we're human. Don't beat yourself up about it.”

“It's a violation…”

“Of absolutely nothing,” Hobbes replied. “You know the manual by heart…you know that I'm right.”

“That doesn't mean it should have happened.”

“I won't bother telling you to let it go. She means something to you, that's not a crime.”

“I barely know her,” Mitch reasoned.

“I'm not the relationship police; don't ask me for the right answer. You need to rest anyway and I need some real food. Man cannot live on pudding alone. I mean it when I say I don't want you beating yourself up about it.”

“I won't feel better until I see her and know she's OK.”

“The doctor might let you walk around in the morning if you sleep tonight. Kat is right down the hall…call her. Will you be alright while I get dinner?”

Mitch nodded, holding out his fist. Dan smiled and pressed his fist to his partner's.

“Oh, here's the answer.” He placed a blinking chip in Mitch's hand. The longtime Agent instantly recognized the tracking device.

“Where did you find it?”

“The inside lining of that damn backpack.” Hobbes replied. “I hate to say I told you so…”

“It came back to bite us in the ass.” Mitch mumbled. “Halper must've followed her every move even before the marriage slid downhill.”

“I'm thinking that could be part of the reason it did. Get some rest; I'll be back soon.”

Mitch watched as Dan walked out of the room. Something in him wouldn't allow him to sleep just yet. Soon the pull of unconsciousness would be too strong to fight but for now his mind was on Kat. The last thing she said to him before all hell broke loose was that she wanted to be able to say everything she needed to say.

He did as well. It was over now and soon real life would come calling; someone else would need his help. There was not much time for Mitch to do or say anything. Before he dropped back into the blackness, he felt someone take his hand and kiss it. Mitch fell asleep with a smile on his face. Whether it was real or a dream he knew it wasn't Hobbes.

***

She loved watching him just being a little boy with other little boys. He swung upside down on the monkey bars, thick black curls falling over his face, without a care in the world. She would do the sign of the cross and pray he didn't break every bone in his body. He would swing, jump, slide, laugh…his energy never waned. His mother kept a close eye on him but maintained her distance.

Seeing him run and play filled her with joy. He was a smart, beautiful, and gregarious social butterfly. He had large, inquisitive eyes like his father and the fearlessness she had before life taught her there were plenty of things to be afraid of. On a warm Saturday six weeks after her life was forever changed, Katrina Spencer hoped that was one lesson her son Jonah never had to learn. A man sat down beside her with a large cup of tea. Kat looked over, a smile spreading across her face. He matched it and his dimples came out of their hiding place.

“Hi,” He said.

“Hi.”

Kat quickly glanced over at Jonah, who was entertaining himself with a large green ball, before focusing again on Supervisory Special Agent Alex Mitchell.

“It's been a while,” she said. “I didn't even get to say goodbye.”

“Your father wanted to get you back home. You'd been through enough.”

“How long were you in the hospital?”

“Three days. I was lucky; the barbiturates didn't cause permanent nerve damage.” Mitch replied.

“I'm so sorry. I feel like I'm to blame.”

“I was doing my job, Kat. Petrucci gave me a ten-day vacation before I ended up in Cleveland on serial bank robberies and then Miami on home invasions.”

“You're still with Hobbes?” Kat asked.

“We're going strong. When I came back to DC, I called your father and he told me how to get in touch with you. So many times I picked up the phone but had no idea what to say.”

“Yeah, that sounds familiar.”

“I wanted to give you space,” Mitch said. “I didn't want to remind you of a stressful time in your life.”

“I've been working on mediations between Moscow and Odessa for oil rights…that's stressful, Mitch.”

He grinned, sipping his tea.

“So you're back at work?”

“I love my job; I was happy to come back. There have been some overseas offers, Embassy work, but I'm staying here.”

“You don't want a life of adventure and intrigue?” he asked, hazel eyes sparkling.

“No,” Kat shook her head and laughed. “I want Sunday dinners, trips to the park with Jonah, a good book and a glass of wine, bad movies on Lifetime, peace and solitude. I want…”

“I want to see you again.” He cut her off. “I tried to stop thinking about you Kat, I really did, but it hasn't been working well for me. I don't know what kind of chance we have, but I have to try.”

Kat was speechless. She looked away from him and at Jonah. He seemed to be trying cartwheels, not quite making it, and trying again. Looking at her watch, Kat knew it was almost time to go.

“Do you like duck, Agent Mitchell?”

“I can live with it. I prefer a nice steak.”

“Steak is good. How about a burger and fries?” Kat asked.

“That's even better.” He smiled.

“Both of our jobs is going to make planning this harder than the Malta Conference.”

“I'm in town on Tuesday.”

“How do you know?” Kat asked.

“I can do some planning ahead. Most of the time we pick our cases…its rare that they pick us.”

“A burger and fries on Tuesday sounds nice.”

“We can go to Clyde's in Georgetown .” Mitch said.

“Too many sports on TV.” Kat shook her head. “Do you like the Georgetown Diner?”

“Yes,” he nodded.

“OK.” She tried not to smile from ear to ear but failed. Her eyes were downcast; Mitch put his finger under her chin and tilted them up. Then he kissed her cheek. “I'll probably be overly cautious and on guard.”

“I don't believe that.” Mitch said. “I'll probably forget important things and hold emotions back.”

“I'm a very patient woman.”

“I think I might be a lucky man.” Mitch replied. “I don't want the strange way this relationship began to affect where it could go.”

“Ditto.” Kat stood. “I have to get going. Jonah needs lunch and his nap.”

“I'll call you tomorrow. I'll call you tonight.”

“OK. Jonah! C'mon sweetheart, time to go home for lunch.”

He handed the ball off, waving goodbye to his friends and running into his mother's arms. She smiled as she scooped him up and hugged him.

“How does bologna and cheese sound?” she asked.

“Good.” When he grinned he looked even more like his father. He didn't know that and Kat wasn't sure how she was going to eventually tell him.

“I want to introduce you to my friend, Mitch.”

“Hi, Mitch.” Jonah extended his tiny hand.

Mitch smiled, standing up to shake it. He couldn't help but think that Jonah and Jack might be really good friends.

“It's so nice to meet you Jonah.”

“What do you say?” Kat asked.

“Thank you.” He smiled.

“I'm going to go now. We'll talk later on.”

“How are you getting home?” Mitch asked.

“We like to walk.” She put her son back down on the grass. “Don't we Jonah?”

“Yeah! Bye Mitch.”

“Goodbye.” He waved, watching them walk across the grass and out of the park. After all the times he thought of calling her but didn't; Mitch had believed he was too late. When she looked back and smiled, it was clear that he wasn't. Alex Mitchell wasn't lucky or knowledgeable about that kind of thing. He was a workaholic whose wife walked away because she believed the FBI would always come first. Mitch couldn't tell her that she was wrong about that. While it was too late to prove that to his ex-wife, there was still time to prove it to himself.