Mind (the) Game

by Kelly Shade

  The cigarette was over, Jane lit another and took a sip of the coffee she had made right after she woke up. Jane had weird and mixed feelings about the arrest. Somehow she felt it was too late for justice, because Jordan was almost eighty. In Jane’s opinion Lilia had lived her life and the fact she was going in jail for the rest of it wasn’t that big of a punishment. The only thing that made Jane feel better was that she knew Lilia was going to be crushed because her reputation will be ruined after the arrest.

  Blake finished the second cigarette and looked inside. Ryan was sitting in the couch, apparently he just woke up. Jane walked inside and brought the fresh cold air with her.

  “Close it, I’m freezing!” Ryan mumbled.

  Blake closed the terrace door and went to make Ryan a coffee while he dressed up. She handed the mug saying “Good morning!”

  “Good morning!” Ryan answered and took the coffee “Thanks!”

  “Welcome.” Jane sat next to him.

  “Any news from Smith?” Ryan asked eagerly.

  “Not yet.” Jane checked her phone again if she missed Tylor’s call.

  “Big day today, huh?” Ryan wanted to sound casual.

  “Yep. Will you come?” Jane glanced at him.

  “Of course!”

  “I thought after last night you wouldn’t be interested in this.” Jane said.

  “I told you, sometimes I say things I don’t mean. I am sorry. It won’t happen again, I promise.” Apologized Ryan.

  Jane preferred to believe him. She knew it wouldn’t be the last time but it was better for the team if they get along. At least, that was the reason Jane wanted to convince herself in.

  After half an hour, Jane’s ringtone broke the silence. Tylor finally called to inform them about the time they should meet. Blake and Gray finished their coffees and headed to the FBI’s office. They had to take a cab, because their own cars were safely parked in front of each’s home and Blake didn’t want to use the rental car. She had the feeling Strut was watching it.

  Soon enough, they arrived and were welcomed by Tylor Smith.

  “Nice job, both of you!” he said with a wide smile.

  “What do you mean?” Ryan said with surprise, thinking about the con they were in and forgetting the main case.

  “With Macalister and Adams. The evidence about Lilia Jordan!” Answered Tylor puzzled “What else?”

  “Don’t listen to him, he had a tough night!” Jane tried to cover up his mistake.

  “I think you both had a tough night!” Tylor teased.

  Jane laughed and bumped him with her shoulder.

  Tylor told them that since Lilia Jordan was an elderly woman and was not a dangerous suspect, Jane, Ryan and Tylor would go with the FBI’s chopper to get her. There was no point of gathering a team for an old lady. Blake was glad to hear that – she wanted to be able to see Jordan’s face when Blake shows up at her door.

  Smith walked them to the roof of the FBI building and there was a small helicopter waiting for them, already fired up, ready for a lift off.

  Blake and Gray went in, Tylor sat next to the pilot and they departed. On the way to Chicago, Smith and Ryan had a tense conversation about how to arrest Lilia Jordan. Gray didn’t think it was right to put handcuffs on an old lady, Tylor was talking how she deserved more than that. Jane ignored them and enjoyed the incredible views she was able to see from the chopper. For her it didn’t matter if Lilia would be handcuffed or not, it mattered that finally there was justice for her and everyone around Lilia’s residence would know that the FBI is arresting her. Lilia’s reputation would be ruined and that was enough revenge for Jane.

  They landed at a helipad near Jordan’s house. Jane, Ryan and Tylor went out and headed to Lilia’s house. It was a ten-minute walk, Blake refused to use the car which was waiting for them. She was pleased of the opportunity to walk Lilia on the way back holding her as a convict. It was more than perfect, everyone in the neighborhood would know that the famous plastic surgeon was arrested.

  Blake could see the house from the end of the street they were walking on. Childhood memories emerged in front of Jane’s eyes, she remembered how many times she had ran away from that house, then she was forced to go back, she saw herself locked in her room listening to loud music, trying to escape the reality, Jane was reminded by the time when Jordan used to take her keys and lock her inside the house because Jane refused to obey her orders.

  With every step Jane took towards Jordan’s house, Blake’s heart was pumping faster and faster. By the time she, Ryan and Tylor arrived at the door, Jane could feel her heartbeat in her throat.

  Smith and Gray looked at Jane worryingly, they waited for her to push the bell. They gave her several moments to prepare to meet Lilia Jordan face to face. Blake took a deep breath and pushed the doorbell. The familiar Mozart’s symphony number forty echoed from inside the house and brought a ton more memories which made Jane feel uneasy.

  Blake shook off the unpleasant feelings when she heard steps coming towards her. Diane opened the door and looked at Jane with a puzzled expression.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Madam, we are here for Lilia Jordan.” Tylor showed his FBI badge.

  “Why do you need my mother for?” asked Diane Thompson with fear.

  “Is she here or not?” Jane said coldly.

  “What are you doing with the FBI? Why are you here? I demand an explanation!” Diane’s eyes started twitching nervously.

  “I work with the LAPD and the FBI. We are here to arrest Lilia Jordan for conspiracy, accomplice to human trafficking, for performing illegal plastic surgeries, illegal adoption.” Jane said like a professional as never before.

  “Caroline, you are talking non sense!” Diane said as if Jane had just said a joke.

  “It is true, Mrs. Thompson!” Smith handed her the arrest warrant “If you cooperate, it will be much easier!”

  Diane glanced at the warrant. She read it and at the end Diane looked like as if she choked, she forgot to breath, she was opening and closing her mouth soundlessly. She stared at Jane, Ryan and Tylor for some time then she turned her back and headed to the living room with fast pace.

  Tylor and Ryan followed Diane, Jane went in but stayed near the staircase. Blake wondered if she should go into her grandfather’s room. She made one step up and hesitated. Blake remembered the last time she was there, she was with Ryan and had a very emotional moment which he witnessed. Jane wondered if now was the time to visit the room, she froze at the first step. She didn’t need to decide because of Theodore’s yelling from the living room. Blake walked in to see how Ryan was restraining her drunk adoptive father. It was a funny picture, Ryan was a head taller and twice thinner than the plump, mustached and red faced Theodore.

  When her adoptive father saw Jane, he stopped fighting and stared at her.

  Blake ignored him and turn to Tylor who was putting handcuffs on Lilia Jordan’s wrists and reading her Miranda rights.

  Diane went to Jane and with shaking hands she seized Jane’s shoulder and cried. “Why are you doing this? We always took care of you!”

  “Mrs. Thompson, please step back.” Smith said to Diane and gently pushed Jordan to walk.

  “You will regret that, Caroline!” Lilia stopped next to Jane and whispered.

  “Mrs. Jordan this is a treat to an officer of the law! I advise you to keep quiet if you don’t want another crime to appear in the already long list.” Ryan said breathlessly because he was still holding Theodore’s hands.

  Apparently, Theodore thought that Diane called the police on him and he was so drunk that he had no idea what was going on.

  “Diane, call Macalister!” Lilia turned back to her daughter.

  “You will see Fred Macalister in FBI. I think he is not in the federal prison yet.” Jane said with satisfaction “You may need to find another lawyer.”

  Lilia froze when she heard that information.

  “I think it is time to go!” Tylo
r grabbed Jordan by the arm and headed towards the exit. Jane looked around for one last time and fallowed them. Ryan left Theodore’s hands but the moment he made a few steps after Jane, Theodore started shouting at his wife.

  “You call the police on me? After all I’ve done for you!” Theodore lifted his hand to hit the sobbing Diane but Ryan quickly grabbed it and put him on the ground.

  “I think we should call the locals!” Ryan said to Jane.

  For Blake this situation was something usual in that home. She wasn’t surprised of Theodore’s behavior, he used to hit her and Diane every time he was drunk.

  Blake moved a little to the side and called the local police. Then she went out to inform Tylor that they had to wait and that Ryan may need help.

  Smith left Jane in charge of Lilia and went back inside.

  “You may think you won but you haven’t!” Lilia said with an ugly smile “Your childish obsession to meet your birth mother will kill you!”

  “Morse said something like that. Did you rehearse it together?” Jane couldn’t look in Lilia’s cold dark brown, almost black eyes. Ever since Blake was a kid it was hard for her to do it. When she looked at Lilia’s eyes she always felt cold and hated, she always felt as if Lilia was trying to freeze her soul. Even after so many years, Jane still couldn’t shake off the feeling and she was avoiding to look at Lilia.

  “Morse is the smallest fish in the sea!” Lilia laughed sarcastically “The once above will hunt you down and kill you and everyone you love!”

  “I have luck then, I don’t love anyone!” Jane lied.

  The local police arrived and Tylor and Ryan were free to go. They showed up at the door just in time to hear Jordan saying “Oh, yes? What about that blond boyfriend of yours? Last year you made a good show together, threatening me with a gun and then kissing for five minutes in front of us!”

  “We were gathering intel. It was an act, he is my partner in the LAPD.” Jane answered calmly.

  “Come on, let’s go!” Tylor hurried in front and led the way to the chopper.

  As Jane wished, every neighbor of Lilia was watching her walk in cuffs. Several people went out of their houses to watch the show. Jane could see the embarrassment and anger written on Jordan’s face. Now Blake was satisfied. It wasn’t perfect but she got what she wanted – a revenge for destroying her childhood.

  Lilia Jordan didn’t say a word on the ride to Los Angeles, she didn’t speak when she was led into FBI’s interrogation room, she didn’t look at Jane anymore.

  Barrett welcomed Jane in his office to tell her she was not allowed questioning Lilia. Blake took it well, she didn’t want to deal with her ‘grandmother’ anymore. Besides, she knew Jordan wouldn’t say a word.

  “Hey, I need a favor!” Blake said to Tylor when she came out of Barrett’s office.

  “What’s up?” asked Tylor quietly.

  “I need you to send a team at this address in Louisiana tomorrow at seven pm.” Blake handed a piece of paper.

  “Why?” Tylor was puzzled.

  “It is a long story.” Jane sighted “The main idea is that your people will go to a drug deal transfer but they’ll find empty trucks. A day after that, you will catch a big time drug dealer with all his product and all his people.”

  “In what mess you got yourself in again?” Tylor asked and rubbed his forehead.

  “No questions asked, Tai. It is that kind of a favor.” Jane said.

  “Jane, I’m a federal agent and most of all I’m your friend! You can’t ask me for a favor without explanation like this.” Tylor said irritably.

  “Okay, then. I’ll make an anonymous call to the locals in Louisiana. They will make the big bust.” Jane turned her back and walked away slowly waiting for Tylor to agree on her terms.

  “Okay, I’ll do it!” Smith raised his voice.

  “Thanks!” Jane smiled and walked away.

  Blake and Ryan met at the parking lot. Gray looked worried and Jane wanted to know why.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Strut.” Ryan said “I just realized we have to deal with him tomorrow.”

  “I asked Tai to send his people in Louisiana. Everything is going on plan.” Jane said.

  Gray nodded in agreement and together they drove to the Station.

  When they went in the homicide office at the end of the work day and explained all about Jordan’s arrest, Blake was finally free to sit and relax for a bit. Or she thought she was free. Hunt walked in furiously and shouted “Blake, Gray, in my office now!”

  Ryan and Jane followed him puzzled. They had no idea what did they do this time.

  “Do you want to tell me something?” Hunt asked after slamming the office door.

  “No, but obviously you want us to tell you something.” Said Jane with sarcasm, which made Hunt angrier.

  “Why, in the hell, Barrett is calling for explanations? Apparently, my people have the authority to send FBI teams in Louisiana!” yelled Hunt.

  “Fuck, Tylor!” Jane murmured to herself.

  Ryan explained the situation. Hunt was carefully listening. At the end Connor sat in his chair and spoke with pretend calmness. “I should suspend you both…”

  “But…” Ryan tried to interrupt but Hunt lifted his hand in a sign that Ryan should stay quiet.

  “I should suspend you both, however, if the operation you are involved in finishes with success it will be good for the department.” Hunt said “But also you have to take responsibility for your actions. Suspension for a week…”

  “Come on, Hunt!” Ryan complained.

  “Suspension for a week was my proposal but we can’t afford you two to be gone for that long. So I want you to rethink what you’ve done. Tomorrow is a day off for you two and I want you out of town. I won’t suspend you officially. I may do it if you fail with your op.” Hunt spoke calmly and with a half-smile. Jane and Ryan looked at each other, somehow relieved but anxious anyway. Hunt saw their expressions and added in a low voice. “You may wanna go to New York.”

  “New York?” Jane couldn’t hide her surprise.

  “Caleb Vang called me earlier today to ask me if I’ll give you two a day off tomorrow so you can go visit him.” Hunt said.

  While Hunt was explaining this, Jane and Ryan received text messages from Caleb with the invitation.

  “Well? You wanna go?” ask Ryan when they went out of Hunt’s office.

  “Don’t know.” Said Jane and headed to the kitchen area.

  “Come on, I’ll be fun! We both need a vacation.” Ryan insisted “I know it is just a day but…”

  “Do you want to spent your day off with a selfish, arrogant, self-concentrated and annoying person like me?” Jane reminded him what he had called her the day before with a high pitched voice.

  “I said I’m sorry!” Ryan said hiding his irritation. “And yes, I would like to spent my day with you!”

  Jane and Ryan argued a little bit more, but at the end Blake agreed to go to NY with him.

  The next morning Jane and Ryan caught the first plane to New York. When they arrived at the airport, a man was waiting for them with a big sign in his hands with their names. He was the driver of the limousine which Caleb had sent for them. Jane and Ryan enjoyed the ride to the upper East side in silence.

  When they arrived in front of a beautiful building, they saw Caleb waiting for them with a woman and a teenage boy. Jane and Ryan hurried to them, eager to understand if that was Vang’s wife and child.

  “I’m so glad you made it!” said Caleb with a smile.

  He looked way better than the first time they saw him in the mental clinic. The long brown hair was replaced by a nice short hairstyle, his beard was missing, his posture was straight, he looked taller, and he was wearing jeans, a black blazer and an expensive looking shoes. The only thing which was the same as before was the warm brown eyes full of gratitude.

  “I’m glad you are doing fine!” Jane hugged him and after Ryan greeted him, they both looked at t
he woman next to Caleb. An elegant lady with a blue dress, shoulder-length dark red hair, light brown eyes and an amazing smile. She shook their hands and spoke with a soft gentle voice.

  “I’m Rachael Vang and this is Anthony!”

  “Hey!” Anthony lifted his hand awkwardly to greet Jane and Ryan. The boy had Caleb’s warm brown eyes and he was as tall as him. Anthony had a dark blond untidy hair, many freckles on his face and his mother’s charming smile.

  Caleb welcomed Blake and Gray in his amazing penthouse. They walked in the modern first floor where the living room, dining room, kitchen and a home recording studio were. From the huge windows they could see a patio where a Jacuzzi and a small swimming pool were surrounded by sunbeds and colorful flowers.

  Jane and Ryan were invited to sit on the enormous beige leather couch and Rachel hurried to bring the lunch they had prepared for the guests.

  “I don’t know how to thank you enough! I didn’t think we will see Caleb again! You brought our family together!” Rachael said with a broad smile when she joined them at the table.

  “We just did our job! Caleb is the one who suffered the consequences after all.” Said Jane and took a sip from the wine.

  “If it wasn’t for you…!” started Rachael sadly but decided to change the subject to one even more uncomfortable “Ryan, I’m so sorry about your mother! I can’t believe you gave Caleb the benefit of the doubt! After all he was accused of her murder.”

  “Well, I had help!” Ryan said and looked meaningfully at Jane.

  “Let’s not reopen old wounds!” Jane smiled and turned to Caleb. “Tell me about you, how is it going?”

  “Business is going well as you can see!” started Caleb with a smile “But most importantly, Rachael and Anthony waited for me! When I got back it was magical! I saw my son after so many years, my wife… It was emotional!”

  “We hoped you would wait for him!” Gray said.