Even if he had fun in Texas, Sam was very aware that he had to return and face the music. And, strangely enough, he was glad to reach the airport and see Jerry waiting for them, a big smile on his face. It finally made Sam feel at home.
Jimmy and Jessie had a different flight, so it was just him, Kyle and Kay, which was fortunate, since they wouldn't have fit in the car otherwise.
"Great to see you." Jerry clasped his shoulder. "And you look rested."
"I sort of am, I guess," he answered. Because he had been sleeping a lot, but he still felt exhausted. It felt wrong to say that though, because he had no reason to be.
"Ah, crap," Kyle mumbled, checking his phone. "Haven't landed five damn minutes and there's an emergency at work." He lifted his eyes to them. "Sorry, Jerry, great to see you, blah, blah... gotta go."
"Wait, I'm coming with you." Kay gave Jerry a quick hug then hurried off after Kyle, even if he didn't seemed too thrilled to have her coming along.
"Um, bye?" Sam wasn't sure why, but it made perfect sense for them to rush out.
It made perfect sense for emergencies to hit, for people to leave, for life to start rolling at normal speed again. It also made perfect sense for him to suddenly realize that he and Christine were once again in the same city, that he could see her if he wanted. That she was in his house.
"Sam?" Jerry sounded a little worried.
Sam shook his head to snap out of it and focused on the present. He could face this. One tiny insignifiant step at a time. "Yeah. Right here. So... What's new?"
"It was actually very quiet while you were gone," Jerry said, leading him out of the airport and towards the car.
"You're lying. Tell me about this NASA thing." Sam got in and strapped his seat-belt, cursing his traitorous heart and how it had picked up the pace without reason. There was nothing wrong. Quiet was good.
"It's a great opportunity and I'm seriously considering it."
"Wait. You?" Jimmy hadn't said anything about Jerry.
Jerry let out a laugh. "Jimmy didn't mention that I would be coming with him? I've actually had some training if you must know."
"Really?" It was fascinating how far his head was up his own ass if he couldn't figure that out right away.
"Yes. I've been working on a serum that would help with the effect. That's the extreme nausea brought on by lack of gravity, by the way. It's pretty hard to adapt to a change of gravity. Messes with your inner ear and all your senses."
"True. So... You're seriously considering this?"
Jerry nodded, his eyes fixed on the traffic. Sam realized that, unlike Jimmy who had Jessie to think about, there was nothing holding Jerry back. The idea of his brother leaving the planet was terrifying.
"How long would this take?"
"An experimental two weeks. That is if Jimmy will decide to come. We're supposed to be fixing a satellite and testing out my wonder drug."
Two weeks wasn't too bad, and yet, Jerry was hesitating for some reason.
"You haven't made up your mind yet?" Sam asked.
Jerry shook his head. "I thought I did, but..."
He didn't go on and Sam's interest perked up. Ever since he'd broken up with Tina, Jerry had been very career driven, but now, all of a sudden, he was hesitating. And texting people at two in the morning. Did Jerry have a secret girlfriend he'd missed? He opened his mouth to ask, but Jerry interrupted.
"Can we go to Tom's place? He and Angie were supposed to meet me at the airport to greet you, but he's not answering and her phone's switched off."
"Sure," Sam said and instantly regretted it because the chances of that meaning sex were very high. But he shut his mouth because it was also very plausible that they'd be done by the time they got there.
Jerry didn't change direction which had Sam realizing he'd been heading there in the first place.
"I think we should start checking on each other more often," Jerry mumbled, weaving through traffic.
"When's the last time you talked to him?" Sam asked, fighting the tinge of worry inside him.
"Two days ago when we agreed we'd come pick you up together." Jerry made a turn on Tom's street and headed for the underground garage. "Everything was fine then, but I think we've come to depend a little too much on these watches. I'm thinking Angie's isn't working. They could break and we could not realize and then..."
Then they'd be stranded. Jerry was right. They'd come to count too much on something that could break easily. And it made him feel like an idiot for not realizing it sooner. So he focused on Tom, trying to tell if something was up with him. He couldn't feel anything outside his pain, and it was starting to get annoying.
Not that it mattered, since they reached the door and Jerry rang the doorbell. Nothing happened, so he banged his fist against the door.
"Do you think he's not home?" Sam asked.
"One way to find out." Jerry took his phone out, dialed Tom, and passed it to Sam.
The phone rang from inside the apartment, obviously there.
"Tom?" Jerry banged his fist against the door again, but Sam was beyond that.
He shoved the phone in his pocket and focused on the little box on the left side of the doorframe. He stuck his thumb on the little black button on it, letting it scan his fingerprint.
Jimmy hadn't fooled around when he'd set the security systems for their apartments. They knew it might come to emergencies so they could all open each other's doors.
With a metallic whirl, the box cracked open and Sam lifted the lid to see the keyboard. He punched in the code for Tom's door and it unlocked automatically.
Jerry burst in, calling their brother's name while Sam secured the box and followed him in. The place seemed empty. Jerry wasn't deterred and headed for the bedroom. Sam followed half-heartedly, glancing around for signs of clothing on the floor or anything else that might indicate they shouldn't be going in there.
What greeted them in the bedroom was a lot stranger. Tom was on his knees in front of one of the night desks, his arms folded on top of it, his head tilted and resting on his hands. His sunglasses were on for once, in the house, for no apparent reason. His phone was perched against the night lamp, like he'd been watching the screen.
There was no sign of Angie, but her phone lay next to Tom's, silent and dark.
"Tom?" Jerry said, his voice at normal volume.
He didn't stir, so Jerry nudged his shoulder. Tom just raised his head a little and seemed to be looking at them.
"What are you doing?" Sam asked, unable to help himself. "Why aren't you answering your phone?"
"It's annoying, isn't it?" Tom asked, his voice rough, as if he hadn't used it in a long time. He turned his attention back to the phone. "How such a tiny thing can hold so much power..."
"How long have you been kneeling there?" Jerry asked, his tone reproachful. "And yes, it's annoying and I was worried sick."
"So am I," Tom mumbled, "yet some people don't give a shit."
"Get up!" Jerry ordered.
Tom tilted over and fell on his back, wincing. His legs were still bent, as if stuck in that position. Sam's stomach clenched as he became painfully aware what was going on.
"Where's Angie?" he asked quietly.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Tom answered, his voice strained as he straightened his legs.
"She's gone?" Jerry asked.
"Yes." Tom winced again, but managed to straighten himself out. "Not on a mission, not dead, not kidnapped. Just sailed away to some guy and left my car in Springfield."
Oh, shit. That explained everything. And the discomfort turned into dread as Sam's mind put two and two together.
"Her phone is here," he said as if Tom didn't know that already.
His twin nodded. "And yet, she is not. Because some things are more important than others. Priorities, priorities, priorities."
"Tom, what did you do?" Sam asked, the sadness in his voice scaring even him.
To tilted his head. "What I did? Why am I always the bad guy?"
"Because I know you and you probably think it's a good idea right now to break up with the girl you love over something--"
"Stupid?" Tom got on shaky feet. "It is stupid, isn't it? How she could run away, not give a shit. You know, Angie does this all the time. Instead of facing her problems, she runs away."
"What problems, Tom?" Sam didn't like where this was going, didn't like the stubbornness he detected in his twin. "You're making up the problems yourself."
"Yes, Angie getting called by some guy and running to him without letting me know, leaving from a different city, all this is nothing but me making up problems." The chill bouncing off Tom had both Sam and Jerry stepping back.
"How do you even know that's what happened?" Sam challenged.
"She was with Christine when it happened. She told me how Angie left just like that without a backwards glance or explanation."
"And you're going to believe Christine?" Jerry started.
"It doesn't matter," Tom snapped. "I told her time and again to not do this. She knows I hate it, knows it drives me crazy."
"You're just jealous--"
"No!" Tom's anger seemed to fill the room. "This isn't even about jealousy. Am I? Yes, you can bet your ass I am. But it's not about that. It's about her ignoring me, not taking me seriously."
"Tom," Jerry said, his voice low and soothing. "I'm sure she had her reasons--"
"I don't care. I'm supposed to be there for her. Her safety net, her friend, her support. I'm nothing!"
Sam wanted to argue further, explain how sometimes things went wrong, but he couldn't find the strength for it. Tom had a point that Angie could have easily avoided all of this if she'd just let him know she was leaving for whatever reason.
"I'm done with her," Tom spat. "So done."
"No, come on," Sam said. "This will only make both of you miserable."
"Then maybe we deserve it."
"You can't just break up with her when she's not here," Jerry said.
Tom nodded towards Angie's phone. "I sent her a text."
"That's just shitty. You can't break up with her after a three year relationship through text." Sam knew that wasn't really the issue there, but it was all he could focus on. "Especially when you know she didn't get it."
"Not as shitty as her just walking away. I at least gave her a clear message." Tom walked to his closet and pulled out a few clothes. "I'm moving home for a while."
"Don't do this," Sam pleaded. "You can avoid the heartache. Just be patient. Let her explain."
"I have been patient," Tom said, not even gracing Sam with a glance. "This is the fourth time this has happened and it hurts worse every time. I'm done."
And no one could say anything to that.
♠️
Sam wanted to scream. He never thought he'd ever feel worse than the night he'd broken up with Christine, but it was easily possible. It was now that combined with the knowledge that Tom and Angie had broken up over something tiny and poor Angie would have no idea what hit her.
But as she stayed missing for the following two days, Sam started wondering if maybe Tom had a point. How hard was it for her to contact them and let them know where she was and what she was doing? Especially when she knew how crazy it made Tom.
He wanted a distraction so badly, he actually considered stepping out into the world. He still didn't go to college yet, and no one had gone to training anymore. It was like everyone was in some sort of limbo, waiting for something. Except no one was really sure what.
Sam didn't care. He needed to distract himself, but nothing presented itself. And to top off the bucket of shit that had become his life, ever since coming back home, sleep was eluding him again, only taking hold of him for short periods of time and coming with a shitstorm of nonsensical nightmares that left him more tired.
So he did the only thing a sane person could do. Left the house and went to the Agency.
"Sam, are you alright?" Herrison met him just outside his office, his jacket on, briefcase in his hand, obviously ready to go home.
"Yeah. Just haven't been here in a while."
Herrison shifted his weight. "I heard about you and Christine. I'm sorry. Guess you were lucky that things have been quiet. You had the opportunity to rest." The last words came out as if he didn't truly believe in them and Sam supposed he looked as bad as he felt.
"Thanks." There wasn't anything else he could say.
"You're not on duty tonight," Herrison pointed out.
Sam just shrugged. Of course he wasn't. None of them had been on duty inside the Agency in years. They were the big guns. Rookies were lookouts. They were on call. He wasn't right now, but it wasn't like he had anything better to do.
"Just needed to be alone for a while."
Herrison hesitated. Of course he did. Everyone did now when he said anything to them, as if he were a fragile flower unable to hold itself up. And it was really starting to get old.
"I'll be fine," he snapped.
"Sam, it's not that I don't trust you to handle yourself..." Herrison trailed off and finally just sighed. "Just keep your head cool, okay."
Yeah, sure, whatever. But he just nodded and entered his office. After the surveillance program was up and running, Sam turned his attention to the map on his wall. He'd been trying to find a pattern for years, figure out where the next jewel might be. The thing was, he had no idea how many of them were supposed to be.
And it didn't really make sense. Mexico, Wyoming, India and France. They had nothing in common. Not historically or geographically. How did they end up there? And what were they?
Carbon dating. He'd thought about that before, but he had no idea where the Agency was actually keeping the jewels so that he could get his hands on one and examine it properly.
The alarm went off on the surveillance program and he jumped. In a second, he rushed over and muted it before it sent a signal to the person on call. He was there. What was the point in bothering anyone else?
Huh. Apparently Snitch Gravel was going for a hostage situation this time. Not for long. Sam grabbed his jacket and was out the door.
♠️
His plan had not been as brilliant as he'd thought. Break in stealthily, check. Immobilize armed goons so they wouldn't hurt anyone, check. Actually count the goons to make sure he'd gotten them all before stepping out into the open? Not so much.
Before he knew what was going on, he'd ended up on the back of one guy, holding him in a chokehold while another he'd completely missed brandished his gun around the store, threatening to shoot the hostages.
"Stop moving around and fall over," Sam mumbled, tightening his hold around the goon's neck.
"Let go of me, ya brat!"
With a sudden twist, the man threw Sam off. His back slammed into a poll and he could swear he heard something cracking. When his body hit the ground, his head swam and nausea rose up his throat.
"Stay down!" the other man said. "Or we'll shoot someone!"
Yeah, right. Like he hadn't heard that one before. So he stood on shaky feet, a smirk on his lips.
"If you want to shoot anyone, shoot me!"
They did. At least one of them did, sending a bullet into the middle of his chest where it collided with his vest and threw him off his feet again. The other guy shot, too.
A scream filled the tiny store as a red flower blossomed on the shoulder of a teenage girl by the door. Sam's heart seemed to stop as his brain made desperate calculations. The shot didn't seem to be lethal, but who knew? And he could've avoided if he hadn't fucked up the way he had. Everyone was screaming and for food reason.
Both goons headed for him, their guns pointing. "We warned you. Anymore heroics and someone else gets it."
"Stay down, kid," a plethora of voices called immediately, as if they all knew he was an incompetent piece of shit.
But even so, he would find a way to save them. Only he'd be smarter about it. He pushed the detail that he'd gotten someone shot to the back of his mind and sat up.
"Come on, I know you guys won't kill me. You'd ruin your fun. Who's going to come and stop you if I'm gone?"
As he stalled he tried to figure out a way to get rid of both of them at the same time. It was hard when they were alert and he was exhausted.
"Really?" One of the two men laughed. "The boss said you were smart. Didn't you figure out that we're doing this for you? This minor shit we keep pulling is just to keep you on your toes. Once you're gone, we're done."
Bile rose up Sam's throat as his head swam worse than ever. Yes, he'd known, but he'd never expected to be called out on it. They weren't heroes. They were merely trying to prevent the chaos they were indirectly creating themselves. Maybe the best way to protect everyone was to let themselves be killed.
He hugged his knees and rested his forehead against them, for once reducing himself to a normal person, to one of the hopeless hostages in that room. Except he wasn't one of them. He was the cause this was happening, the cause that poor girl was shot, that a lot of people were getting hurt or losing property every other week.
"What the hell's he doing?" one of the goons whispered. "Is he... crying?"
"Damn, kid, we don't have time for your pity party."
Worst place for it too, but Sam let himself drop to his side, hugging his knees tighter, trying to keep himself together. He just wanted to die. Getting shot in the head didn't seem that bad right then. He'd escape the guilt and the embarrassment.
The goons approached him warily, their guns lowered, and despite only wanting to get shot in the head, Sam saw his opening. He twisted on his back, taking his gun out in the process. He kicked the guy in the left in the stomach and sent a rubber bullet into the head of the one on the right.
Both of them fell over and Sam rushed over to unnarm and knock them out. It only lasted 30 seconds. He could've done this instead of showing off and getting someone shot.
The moment the men were down, one of the hostages hurried out the door. Seconds later, paramedics and police rushed in. Sam holstered his gun and limped towards the door. Deathly silence followed him. It was unusual since people always had something to say to him when this things happened.
Not this time. They'd all heard the goons. This was on him. The hurt girl was on him. He stopped next to the medics who were securing her on a stretcher.
"Is she going to be alright?"
One of the medics nodded, taking him in. "You should come in, too."
Sam shook his head. "I'll be fine."
He'd be fine a soon as he pumped enough alcohol into his veins to forget who he was.
♠️♠️♠️
Finally. I'm sorry. I've had this almost finished for a very long time. Anyway, excuse the lack of editing on this one. Just wanted to get it out there.
Things kept getting worse. 😅 wondering how long I can keep this up? You have no idea.
Anyway, all thoughts are appreciated and here's to hoping the next chapter comes out faster.
Vote and comment if you're enjoying the story.