I Used to Be a Spy

We Had a Deal

"Sweet, so we're gonna do the ol' FBI is on to us routine?" Jesse implored.
"Not exactly, but something of a similar nature."
"Alright, alright. I'd like to think that I can be pretty intimidating," Jesse threw back his shoulders and put on a menacing expression.
"Ha! That'll have to do since you're all we've got," Fi chuckled, slapping Jesse's shoulder. "Too bad you'll be missing me from the team. I'd love to spray the place with bullets. Who needs intimidation when lead can do all of the work?" Fi held a firm stance, arms positioned as if she were holding heavy artillery.
Jesse narrowed his eyes and countered, "I think I'll be more terrifying."
Michael groaned and rolled his eyes. "What we need is a demonstration, one that doesn't involve that much firepower."
"How are we handling the guards?" FI inquired, leaning against the counter, her belly pressed against the cabinet.
"My plan is to leave Hughes be." Michael swept a sideways glare toward his fired-up wife and continued, "Apparently we aren't on teammate terms. My guess is he won't interfere."
"You're guess? Guys, I don't like the sound of that," Sam interjected.
"That hasn't stopped us in the past," Michael stated, matter of fact. "Before we jump into this, we need to do surveillance."
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Hughes tapped the tip of his against his bottom lip. He wasn't the type to be nervous nor show it, yet here he was doing so, just as he had with Michael. He wondered if Michael had sensed his angst. There were so many details and abnormalities he held back from delving into with his friend, but he had no choice. He had chosen to protect his friend, no matter if it cost their friendship in the process.
"Hughes, is this your print?" A tall petite blonde stood before him, arm outstretched with a stack of freshly printed sheets.
"Ta, thank you," he replied flatley, quickly seizing the papers from her.
She blushed a little, then turned and hurried to the reception desk.
His eyes traced her outline as she walked around the corner and out of sight, down to the stack of papers in his hand. How he had wanted to ask her out for some time, yet he found himself littered with excuses. The guilt ate at him for his very interest in her.
Focusing on his task at hand, he scanned the page before him. A new wave of guilt barraged him as he turned to read the file of Micheal Donovan, a task he vowed to never do. To honor his horse taming friend, a man he deemed honorable, trustworthy, and simple. After his last previous encounters, though, he found himself doubting the entire foundations his conclusions were based upon.
After twenty minutes, Hughes rubbed his chin, concluding he had no more information than the little Michael had revealed over the years, which lifted a heavy weight off of his chest. Perhaps his simple friend was more noble than he originally assumed and desired to save his friend's kid from a life of wrongdoing after all.
Doubts nagged at the back of Hughes' mind, but he pushed them aside, stuffing the files in his desk drawer. He now needed to ready himself to dance with the devil.
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"Well, well, what do we have here? Did someone call the guards on me?" Kavanaugh smirked, his smile unsettling. Before Hughes could speak, Kavanaugh continued, "I thought we had a deal? I testify and get a full ride?"
Hughes crossed his arms and grumbled, "You can't just do whatever you want. You still need to obey the law, you understand?" Anger flew out on the edge of his words. The thought of working with this low life tested his patience and morals.
Kavanaugh's veneer smile faded and he spat out, "It's not my fault some guard's kid thought he was invincible. He messed up, and I'm not paying the consequences, ya hear me?"
"You need to clear your debt with Keenan and halt all of your illegal activity," Hughes warned. "This is a get out of jail free card, not a pass to make us look the other way. If you keep this up we will arrest you on other charges."
"What you're saying is, don't get caught?" The look on Kavanaugh's face churned his gut, but he needed to firm.
"Was I not clear enough, Kavanaugh?" Hughes tapped his foot impatiently.
Kavanaugh stood and pointed a long lanky finger at him. "No you listen. I have a job to do and I'm not gonna let some low level guard stop me. You hear that? If I testify, I want some perks. Got it?"
Hughes stopped tapping his foot. He would not comply, but he needed to ensure Kavanaugh would testify. His own firmness surprised him as he ordered, "Keep your nose clean," and marched out the door, refusing to meet eyes with the man who already took his life from him.