The next morning, Sera woke up to the sound of light knocking on the door. Her eyes felt heavy from the crying of the previous night. After her talk with Elias, she went into a room and locked the door so no one could get in. She didn't care where or how they would be sleeping, all she knew is that she needed her space and peace.
Sera spent the night praying the most emotionally fueled prayers she ever had. She spoke to Jesus at a detailed length. She felt fed up with how life was going.
Wearing only oversized, men's pajamas, Sera unlocked the door to see Bryan there, with a look of concern across his face. She opened the door wider so he could come in.
He embraced her, "Did you sleep okay? We heard you crying."
She only gave him a slight smile and shrug, Sera felt embarrassed to know that they heard her laments.
"It's been a crazy past few...days? Hours? I don't even know how long it's been since this started. You okay, darling?" Bryan asked.
"I'll be better when we are gone from this cursed country. Hopefully they get the clearance today and we can go."
"So what, he's like a detective or something? How come you never told me?"
Sera did not bother to correct him on what Elias's actual job was. "I didn't see it important to bring up the past."
"Do you think he's going to try and get custody of Emi?"
"He doesn't know, shh." Sera looked down. "I don't want to tell him yet."
"What do you mean yet? If he finds out, I'm gone. I'm either her only dad or a stranger. I'm not playing second banana to that guy."
"Please, it's too early."
"Fine, you're right." Bryan swayed from foot to foot. "Are you hungry?"
She nodded. "Actually I am. Haven't really eaten much since all this started."
"Oh perfect.I'm starving, darling. Let's go to the kitchen then. Breakfast is there." Bryan held Sera's hand and led her out the room. When they got to the kitchen, Sera was expecting to see breakfast already made but to her dismay it was empty.
"I thought you said there was breakfast?"
"Did I? My mistake, darling. I was asking you to cook breakfast."
She let out a breath and mentally decided to not let it get to her, afterall, it was too early. Sera went to the fridge and opened it up to see what she could put together.
To her dismay the fridge was near empty. "Why are men like this?" She thought.
At that time, it was only Sera and Bryan in that room. She listened closely for a moment, to make sure that Elias was not near. She looked over to Bryan and in a hushed tone said, "Let's just go."
"Huh?! What do you-"
"Shhh!" She shushed him and held on to one of his arms, "This whole situation has nothing to do with us. I don't want to stay here and suffer. Let's just go. We can go straight back to the hotel, get our stuff and be on the first flight back home."
Bryan scratched the back of his head as he thought, "I don't know, darling, I don't think it would be safe to go anywhere without–...I don't think we should leave until it's clear."
"I understand that you feel that way, but think about it. We aren't involved in crime, we aren't on any missing persons list, we don't even know details of the case he is on! Realistically, what does this have to do with us? Why would anyone want us? We are non-factors in this entire nightmare."
"Yeah, you're right." He nodded in agreement, "So what? Do we have him walk us out?"
"NO." Sera felt irritated that Bryan even suggested telling Elias. "If we are going to leave, we need to do it now, before he finds out."
"Okay, okay. Let me just get my phone up to like– I don't know, 50%? I can change our plane tickets while we walk."
Meanwhile, down stairs Preston and Elias were in the basement that was sound proof and heavily secured. They spent the morning re-working their strategy, as the extraction had thrown a curve in their plans. The large, rectangular glass screen beeped twice before the video projector turned on. "Oh sh*t." Preston mumbled under his breath.
A hologram of Director Bodia projected onto the glass, he was wearing his military blues with all of the associated medals and pins. Unfortunately he was also wearing a look of utter anger. "35X...6Bravo..."
"Sir." Elias and Preston responded, both feeling the weight of Bodia's harsh stare.
"Would one of you numbskulls like to explain to me what the hell is going on with your case?"
"Sir." Preston cleared his voice and sat up in his seat. His hazel eyes looked around the room nervously as he spoke. "We've, um, we've been looking for an angle into Iceman's inner circle. I've been working quite a bit with Oscar in the surveillance. We have been able to find out the main areas Iceman and his crew meet. 35X was able to go into one of the restaurants undercover two nights ago too."
Bodia shrugged, "And?"
Preston looked at Elias for help. The only man who could make Elias nervous was Director Bodia, the other Directors didn't have that effect on Elias. "It got complicated, sir."
"Complicated...Tell me more about that, Agent."
"I, um, was not able to get in with the group that night, Sir. Something happened." Elias looked for the words, "There was someone there who seemed to be having some type of medical emergency...So I attended to them."
"A lady?"
Elias rubbed his temple, he knew that the conversation was about to go south. "Yes, sir."
"Gosh D*mmit!" Bodia yelled, clenching his fist. He let out a heavy breath and looked at Preston. "Excuse us, 6Bravo."
Without hesitation. Preston got up and went across the room to punch in his key-code that would slide open to reveal a staircase that led all the way up to a bookcase upstairs.
Soon it was just Bodia and Elias looking at one another. Bodia ran a hand through his graying hair. "What the hell has been going on with you and this case? You are out of it!"
"It was a mishap. Preston and I have been working on a new course correction. I guarantee that things will be back on track after the extraction clearance is issued."
Of all the secrets that Elias held on to while working for the CIA, his dad being the Director was one of the biggest. Not even Preston knew. Elias often felt the weight of the world on him by nature of his line of work, and on top of that having to report to the same person he called 'dad'.
Bodia was quiet for a few moments. He was analyzing Elias's nonverbal communication. Bodia could read him like a book and Elias knew. "Son...Tell me what's really going on here. In the years of leading this team, I've gotten to know how you work quite well. Messing up a mission just is not something that you do. You always have laser focus, you got it from me dammit. I always have your back but you are lying about something, boy. When you got into trouble two years back with that missing money, I defended you with everything in me. Almost cost your career and mine. But I can't defend what I don't know. So spit it out."
Elias grimaced when he thought about when he was in trouble with the board. "Speaking of the missing money..."
"No! Don't tell me! Dammit, don't tell me it's the same girl from before."
"It's her."
"Isn't she the one you were with all that time? After you got shot, right?"
"That's her."
Bodia's face dropped. "Again?!"
"Again." Elias shook his head. "I don't know what it is about her. I can't get her out of my mind. She just keeps happening, I can't explain it."
"Son, I'm not your therapist. If you want her, go get her, it's not that hard. You've never had an issue getting girls." Bodia smirked, feeling proud. "My boy."
Elias grimaced, "That's different. Those are just, you know, girls...Sera is Sera."
"She's got something evil between her legs don't she? Too good to resist? I've been there before too, son."
"Good God, is this really happening right now?" Elias cringed, squeezing his eyes shut. "Dad, she's engage and has a kid now, there's nothing to talk about."
"Your mom was in a relationship when I met her, big deal."
"Yeah, and now you guys are divorced."
"Don't miss the point. I walked right up to her while she was on the dance floor, grabbed her by the waist, took her to the back—"
"That's probably something you don't have to share with me." Elias redirected the conversation, "All that matters is I'll get the case back on its feet. I'll take down Iceman if it's the last thing I do."
Bodia let out a big sigh. "And how much has she seen since she's been there with you?"
"Too much."
"Is she still with you over there?"
"Yes, she's upstairs sleeping." Elias's face then fell, "And her little friend."
"You mean to tell me that you have not one but two people with no security clearance in that government owned, disclosed location? This is your messiest work."
"I know."
"You are very lucky that your past performance testifies for you, you can't goof around like this during contract renewal season." Bodia sighed in disappointment, but still was overwhelmed with the need to protect his son. "We will have a team come by in a few hours to get them moved to the embassy and back home. I worry for the safety of our citizens, and this will be the safest way to get them out."
"I'll make sure they are ready to go by the time the team comes by today. They've seen a bit, but they don't know any details on it."
Suddenly the password protected door slid back open and Preston rushed past it before the door could even open all the way. His face was flustered and red, his breaths were quick and shallow. Preston put a hand against the wall to steady himself, "I checked everywhere! They are gone!"
Elias jumped to his feet, "What do you mean she's gone?!"