Chapter 14

~*~*~*~

Nathan read the headline with an air of satisfaction. "Very impressive, Gavin. Very impressive."

Gavin smiled, rather pleased with himself.

"Morning, Mr. Spencer," Cassidy greeted on her way by the door.

"Cassidy, come here."

Cassidy halted and walked back to the office.

Gavin closed the door behind her, "Seen anything interesting in the paper?" He muttered.

"I haven't seen a paper this morning... what's the matter with you? Are you feeling well?"

Nathan held out the paper for her to read. His face was expressionless.

Cassidy read the article, dropping the paper in shock which she didn't have to feign.

"My father gave you an order to tell him what you knew, and you lied to him." Gavin said furiously.

"What are you talking about?" Cassidy demanded.

"You knew about your sister and Callahan. And you didn't say anything!" Gavin exclaimed.

"I didn't know anything!"

"You had to." Gavin replied. "You could be killed for lying to us, you know."

"Gavin, that's enough." Nathan said, standing.

"How did I have to know? There are plenty of ways to keep personal things private," she argued.

"Not in your house. The entire place was bugged, remember?" Gavin retorted.

"You really think that's something she's gonna be bragging about aloud?"

"Maybe."

"News flash, my family doesn't trust each other."

"Alright, Cassidy." Nathan said. "Go." He told her.

She nodded and left, glancing at Gavin just once before on her way out.

Gavin glared at her.

"Gavin, find out how important Miss Kincaide is to Callahan,” Nathan said once Cassidy had left the room.

Gavin nodded.

~*~*~

"When do we leave?" Grace asked, as Bryce finished up the briefing for the mission.

"Soon. I'd like you gone by morning."

Grace nodded. "Anything else?"

"I think that's it."

"Alright. I'll see you at home then." Grace turned and left the office.

He simply watched her leave wordlessly.

Nathan looked around the room. "Is everybody clear on the purpose of this mission? Find out what the IMF is looking for, and take it."

"Gavin, stay a minute." Nathan added after dismissing the team.

Gavin halted. "I'm guessing further instruction, right?"

Nathan nodded. "How important is Grace Kincaide to Callahan?"

"I don't know... we have no way to know."

"Well we're going to have to find out. My resources tell me that she'll be on the mission we're going after. I want you to grab her and bring her back. And then we'll see exactly what Callahan is willing to give up to get her back."

Gavin halted a minute, but then nodded. "Good idea."

Nathan nodded. "Go."

Gavin left.

~*~*~*~

Grace looked around the sidewalk. She should be getting the all clear sign to move any second. "What's the hold up?" She muttered into her microphone hidden inside her necklace.

"We think there might be -" the response began, but suddenly there was silence.

"Might be what? What the hell is going on?"

Gunshot suddenly erupted from one side.

Grace drew back for cover to the side of the building. "What is going on?" She yelled into her microphone.

At that moment, something grabbed her from behind. "They won't hear you," said a familiar voice as everything went black.

Grace woke up slowly, knowing she wasn't where she was supposed to be. She reached for her gun, but it wasn't there.

"Good morning."

"What?" She looked around - everything was still a bit blurry - "Gavin?"

"That's me."

"What the hell are you doing here...what the hell am *I* doing here? What is going on?"

"You're going to be here a while. Get cozy with this room, you won't be leaving it."

"Where am I?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Uh… yeah, it kind of does." Grace stared at him.

"No," Gavin said, and there was a slight edge to his tone now. "It doesn't."

Grace looked at him. "Guess I'm on the business end, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are."

"And to think, at one point I thought breaking up was supposed to protect us." She said, sitting up. "What was the point of kidnapping me? Wouldn't it have made more sense to go after the person who actually had the file?"

"We're not trying to sabotage your mission; that was just an added bonus."

"Your mission was to take me? Why?"

"You read a paper lately?"

"No, he saw it and destroyed it because he didn't want his wife or perverted son to see it."

"Let's just say your little secret's out."

"Well I figured it had to happen, Cassidy would have wanted to get back at me after what I told mom..."

"She knew, then?" Gavin smiled triumphantly.

"Why are you smiling?"

"She didn't tell us... but now I know for certain she knew. Perfect."

"Okay...and what does that have to do with you kidnapping me?"

"We need to see some reactions, is all."

"Well do me a favor and don't send me back anytime soon."

"Fine with me."

"I don't think you'll get much of a reaction, though."

"We'll see."

"He's too afraid of his wife to do anything."

"Not if he thinks we're gonna kill you."

"Are you?"

"Probably not."

"Okay."

"Get cozy, I'll be back."

Grace looked around the room. No possible escape from what she could see, but that wasn't really a problem. She didn't mind being away from the IMF...even if it was because she was being held against her will.

After a while, he did return. "Hello."

"You're back. I was starting to wonder."

"Yeah. I had stuff to do. Debriefing, you know."

"Yeah. I know."

"Did you bring me anything?" Grace asked.

"Food." He handed her a tray.

Grace looked at the tray. "You brought me...cereal?"

"Yeah. There'll be better later but it's between meals right now."

"So you brought me cereal...without a bowl."

"Guess so."

"And no milk."

"You know something? Quit bitching."

"I'm not bitching! Why don't you take whatever you've got shoved up your ass out?"

Gavin shot her a look. "I don't like having you here."

"Why not?"

"Because... I don't. Because I remember..." He looked away.

"Remember what?" Grace asked, getting up off the bed. "Why don't you like having me here?"

"Because I remember! Whether you've tried to forget or not."

"I haven't tried to forget. I don't really want to forget."

He was silent.

Grace looked at him. "Gavin?"

"What?"

"Have you been trying to forget?"

"I did. But I can't."

"Why can't you?"

"I don't know!"

"She killed her." Grace said. "That's why I have to live with him. Cassidy killed her."

"She didn't know that."

"Well she didn't really stick around to find out, did she?"

"It was your sister or your mother, at that point."

"So where did that leave me...or Dylan for that matter?"

"You're the one that joined the IMF."

"I'm the one who wanted a father."

"Cassidy's been fairly adopted here. My parents love her, Garrett thinks she's the greatest thing since sliced bread. But that's probably because he's getting laid all the time."

"Probably. Other than my father...Mrs. Callahan treats me like I'm the biggest whore on the planet, and my perverted half-brother keeps trying to sleep with me."

"He doesn't know."

"That doesn't matter. I've done everything except kill him or tape a sign to the door telling him I'm his sister."

"He's dense as all hell, you should know that."

"And my darling father pretends it's all not happening, no matter how many times I tell him." Grace said sarcastically.

"He doesn't care."

"Hence why I want to leave."

"And do what?"

She shrugged. "I don't know."

"Anything that gets me away from them, I suppose."

"Such as?"

"I haven't figured that out yet. Anything."

He snorted a bit. “It’s kind of hard to just take off from secret organizations, trust me.”

"I'm surprised that Cassidy and Garrett even have a chance to get laid, having a kid must take up a lot of time." Grace said, suddenly wanting to get the topic of conversation off of herself.

"They haven't got a kid. Which is a small shock in and of itself."

"What?"

"Cassidy and Garrett haven't got a kid."

"Cassidy told me she was pregnant."

"She did? She's never had an abortion either, it'd be in the records. Plus my mother'd kill her if she murdered a precious baby Garrett."

"She lied?"

"I guess so."

"But why...?" She shook her head. "Doesn't matter."

"To get away safely. But apparently that's why your mother went after her, because she thought she was pregnant."

"Whoops."

"Yeah... whoops. Pity she didn't get shot."

"I mean whoops as in I was the one who told mom."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"I reckon she'll be pregnant soon enough anyway."

Grace shrugged.

"But back to you."

"What about me?"

"What about you indeed."

Grace looked at him. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Well what about me?"

"What do you want to know?"

"What do you want to know about me?" Grace asked. "You acted like you wanted to talk more about me."

"I just... talk. Something about you."

"He said he'd kill Dylan."

"Well he won't."

"If I leave he will."

"You don't have an option."

"I want to leave." Grace said. "But he'll kill my brother."

"You aren't leaving until we find out what he's willing to part with for you."

"I mean I want to leave the IMF." Grace told him.

"I know. But I mean that we could easily fake your death."

"But what about Dylan?"

"If you're dead, Callahan'll leave him alone. He won't kill him just for kicks."

"You obviously don't know the inner workings of his mind."

"I think we know him pretty well."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you lived with him too."

"No, I don't, but we *have* got a couple intel people on the inside over there."

"It doesn't matter. He's not safe where he is."

"We can get him somewhere safe."

"Can you?"

"I'm sure we can."

"Thank you." Grace said.

"But you'll have to talk to my father. I'll send him up, later. Or he might send someone else, I don't know."

"Can't I just talk to you?"

"For now. But I'm not running the place."

"Yeah...but still...I like talking to you better."

"I'll try to come."

"Thank you." Grace paused and then kissed his cheek, not quite sure if she wanted to take down the wall she'd built around herself just yet.

He paused a moment, just watching her, then grabbed her and kissed her firmly.

Grace froze. "You kissed me."

"Why, I didn't notice."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to."

"Why?"

"Because I did. You're not two, stop it."

"I'm not doing anything!"

"'I'm not DOING anything!'" Gavin mocked.

Grace kissed him firmly. "Stop mocking me."

He smiled.

"Now who's acting like they're two?" She teased.

"I can act how I want, this is my house."

"Your house?" Grace raised an eyebrow.

"Well my family's house."

"Which one?"

"My family's. But I live in it, and therefore also mine."

"So...do I get a change of clothes or anything?"

"You haven't looked in your closet, have you?"

Grace blinked. "No..."

"Look."

Grace went over to the closet and opened the door. She fingered through all the clothes. "Did you pick these out?"

"Most of them, yeah."

"You've got good taste."

"Thanks."

Grace gave him a small smile. "Do I really have to stay locked up?"

"Yes, for now. My brother'd kick the shit out of me if he found out I let you out of here. As it is he thinks I’m incompetent."

"Fine."

"But not for long."

"Fine."

"But... it could be a good thing..."

"How?"

"Well... we're all by ourselves."

"That we are." Grace said looking around. "That is of course unless you've got some surveillance camera hidden somewhere."

"Could give 'em something to talk about."

"It could. Could also get you in some trouble."

"Oh well. I feel reckless."

Grace raised an eyebrow. "Do you?"

"I do, actually."

"Really." Grace kissed him.

He pulled her close, still kissing her. "Really."

"How reckless are you feeling exactly?"

"You mean you really haven't figured it out yet?"

"I think I have a pretty good idea."

"Good." He kept kissing.

"Letting your feelings get in the way of your mission, Gavin?" Grace closed her eyes and smiled.

"Yup. Afraid so."

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