Mind (the) Game

by Kelly Shade

  “You have to be an ignorant, sick bastard if you think Jordan is any good.” Blake got irritated.

  “Jane, Jane, you think I’m the bad guy but you are sadly mistaken, my dear!” Morse smiled and it looked like he forgot about Tylor’s and Ryan’s presence again. He continued “You did me a favor, you know! In jail I’ll be welcomed by my people, I’ll be the king there!”

  “If you wanted to go to in jail why tried to kill us all?” Blake laughed.

  “Tried? Six federal agents are dead because of you! Three are in critical condition and one is in coma!” Smith shouted.

  “Well, it would be better for me if I succeeded but…” Morse sighted, he regretted that he couldn’t kill all of them.

  “Oh, now I get it!” Jane said with a high pitched voice. Everyone looked at her with a surprise. Blake continued with satisfaction written on her face “Someone ordered you to do it and now that you failed, someone will be very disappointed.”

  “Now you started to think, Jane,” sighted Morse.

  “Who? We need a name!” demanded Ryan.

  “Oh, I believe this isn’t possible.” Morse said. “You will meet him soon enough. He won’t let you get out of it unpunished. Your people messed with the wrong guy!”

  “Did Jim messed with him too?” Jane wanted to get as much information as she could.

  “Carter did a lot more than that.” Morse said and suddenly he realized he just mentioned Jim’s family name.

  “Elizabeth Cole knew him. How is that possible? Was he Melissa’s boyfriend?” Jane continued.

  “My daughter’s life is not your business!” Morse yelled.

  “It is! Your daughter is my mother and as far as I can tell Jim Carter is my father.” Blake was extremely happy with the turn of events.

  “And what if he is?” Morse asked angrily “You will never find him.”

  “Last time we spoke about him, you told me you killed him. Remember?” Jane’s mouth curved into an arrogant smile.

  “I thought I did!” Morse calmed a little “But soon I got news he is alive.”

  “Honesty? That’s untypical.” Blake commented quietly.

  “Honesty, huh? You think I’m a monster but the real monster is your daddy. He is the reason Melissa didn’t want you, he is the one that got me into all of this shit!” Morse said irritably.

  Ryan and Tylor looked at each other puzzled. Blake didn’t show any sign of emotion, she leaned back in her chair looking straight at Morse’s eyes.

  “Poor you!” Jane said with a smile “Did Jim made you that way? I don’t think so!”

  “Because of Carter, my boss held me responsible! Because of Carter, I had to do all of his whims!” Morse spoke loudly but at the end he calmed “But not anymore!”

  “If, let’s say, you are not lying,” started Tylor, looked at Jane apologetically and continued “we can make a deal. Tell us everything and we might be able to think of something!”

  Jane glanced at Tylor, still with her poker face on, but she didn’t speak. Ryan looked worried when he heard that suggestion.

  “You can never touch him!” Morse leaned back, smiled and spoke again “It is time for my lawyer!”

  Smith hit the table with fist and stood up angrily, but Ryan wouldn’t give up.

  “You thought we can’t touch you too.” Gray said “Give us the name!”

  “L-a-w-y-e-r!” Morse spelled it with an ugly smile, then yelled “Lawyer!”

  Jane stood up and gestured Ryan to do the same. There was no point in staying there any more, Morse wasn’t speaking and Jane was sure he won’t share anything else.

  ◆◆◆

  Ryan and Jane got back to the homicide office. It was so quiet and empty without Connor, Nick and Ian. All of them were in the hospital, Valdez was fighting for his life and Gray and Blake were afraid to call for news. They both couldn’t imagine losing him.

  “Why don’t you go to Barlow? She must be awake by now.” Jane suggested.

  “Yeah, I will.” Murmured Ryan who was hiding behind his laptop in search for something.

  “What are you doing?” Blake asked.

  “I’m trying to find who Jim Carter is.” Gray answered.

  After all, that was all of the information they got from Morse. The name Jim Carter and the possibility that this man was Jane’s father.

  Somehow, Blake didn’t feel excited about finding him. She was happy that Morse was captured and this time he won’t escape, this time he will not want to escape.

  “Jane!” Ryan said worryingly.

  “Yeah, what’s up?” Blake went to his desk and looked at the screen.

  Ryan had cracked the CIA database. On the screen there was a photo of a young man with light brown short hair, handsome facial features and light green eyes with the name Jim Carter.

  “This one is far too young to be my father!” Blake concluded and turned to her desk.

  “This photo is almost thirty years old, Jane!” Gray clarified.

  Blake froze. She slowly turned around and went back to him. Ryan took a deep breath and started speaking.

  “Jim Carter is a former CIA,” Ryan clicked on the file and his expression changed “What the…?”

  “What happened? Why is it blank?” Jane asked loudly.

  “I don’t know!” Ryan started typing again but nothing popped up. “Nothing! Completely empty!” Gray sighted.

  “It is possible, that that file is just classified? I mean, what if that’s the reason we can’t see anything?” Blake suggested.

  “Jane, do you think we are permitted to see anything from the CIA files?” Gray looked at her with lifted eyebrows “I hacked into their system, if we can’t see it here that means it was erased!”

  “Oh!” Blake sighted.

  “It means that eighter Jim Carter was a spy and retired or he is a wanted criminal and the CIA has buried all the information.” Gray said.

  “Isn’t there another possibility?” Jane asked with surprise.

  “Blake, we talk about the CIA! There aren’t many possibilities for their agents.” Gray explained.

  Jane sat back in her chair wondering. What did Jim do? And if he really was some kind of a criminal, he must be a very good one. Thirty years and nobody managed to catch him! Impressive and terrifying. And if he used to be a spy, that meant that Jane had no chance of finding him! Blake couldn’t help but wonder what mess Melissa got into and how Morse turned out to be just one of the pawns in that game. Blake thought that Morse was on the top, but now she was with mixed feelings. Apparently, Michael Morse had a boss, a person behind a much bigger organization than Jane or the others expected. Blake was kind of disappointed, she thought she will end the chase with Morse, she thought that catching him will be the finish, she hoped that once he was in custody, she could meet her birth parents undisturbed.

  Blake had to stop thinking about all of this for a while. There were people who got hurt because of Morse, people that Jane cared about. Blake decided it was time to make the call and visit Alice Valdez.

  Blake dialed Nick.

  “How is Valdez?” Jane asked, Ryan stopped staring at his computer and joined her at her desk.

  For several minutes Jane was saying only “Mhm” from time to time and she hung up with the words “Thanks!”

  Ryan looked at her waiting for information on Ian’s condition.

  “He is fine!” Blake said with a smile “The surgery was long and difficult but he is okay now. They are expecting him to wake up soon.”

  Ryan breathed out in a sign of relief.

  “Wanna go to the hospital?” he offered.

  “You go, I’ll meet you there.” Jane said.

  “Where are you gonna go?” asked Gray while putting his jacket on.

  “I have something to do before I go.” Jane said mysteriously.

  “Jane, please! You promised, no more secrets!” Ryan insisted.

  Blake was already at the door, ready to walk out but after his words she stop
ped and decided to share.

  “Okay,” Blake said “Higgins visited me several days ago. The boss of William Spencer, do you remember?”

  Ryan nodded and narrowed his eyes. How can he forget about the case in which Jane was the primary suspect? Ryan knew every detail of that case.

  “Well, he said that the person who helped me find Morse is connected with me on a deeper level.” Blake explained.

  “Jonathan?” Ryan lifted his eyebrows in surprise.

  “I thought of him at first but then I remembered what Silvio Vidal told me.” Blake continued “He said that he was the one who gave the information to J.”

  “So you think…?” Ryan was puzzled.

  “Then Morse said that my brother turned on him and helped me.” Jane said slowly “So I think I need to talk with Vidal. And this is where I am going now!”

  Ryan wanted to join her but Jane said “I need to do this alone!” and stormed out.

  Blake drove to Vidal’s house, preparing a speech in her head. The ride wasn’t long and soon she was there. At the moment she said her name to the guards, Jane was welcomed in like she was a dear friend of Vidal. Blake figured that he had ordered to his staff to be polite with her because she saved him from doing time, maybe even from death.

  The guards were replaced by a nice maid who welcomed her in the living room and served coffees for Jane and Vidal. Blake waited a few minutes and Silvio walked in with a wide smile on his face.

  “Congratulations!” Vidal said and sat in the armchair next to Jane.

  “For what?” Blake asked.

  “Come on, Jane! It’s all over the news! You captured Michael Morse!” Silvio said and took a sip of his coffee.

  “Yeah, we did!” said Jane with sadness “And some of my colleagues paid with their lives.” Blake looked down and then lifted her gaze at Vidal “Did you know he would play us like that?”

  “Me? No, Jane!” Vidal said with a tone that showed he was offended.

  “Why are you here, Blake?” Silvio asked.

  “You know why I am here, Silvio!” Blake said softly.

  “You know?” Vidal asked with a high pitched voice.

  “The question is how long have you known?” Jane said calmly.

  “I suspected it when I saw you.” Vidal said, put his head in his hands and continued “You remind me of her so much.” He sighted.

  Blake stood silent, waiting for him to talk again.

  “I dug in and soon I found that you are my half sister.” Vidal looked straight into her eyes.

  “Where is Melissa, Silvio?” Blake asked as if nothing significant had just happened. She was already sure, that Vidal was her sibling, she just wanted to know if he knew.

  “I have no idea.” Silvio said sincerely.

  “What happened between you two?” Jane asked.

  At this point Blake had many questions in her head. What was their mother like? Was she a good mum? Was Morse involved in raising Silvio? Did she ever mentioned, that she had a daughter? But Jane preferred to distant herself from that woman. Yeah, she gave her life but she never searched for her, she hid when she heard Jane was searching for her, she was as bad as Morse.

  “Well, when I was nineteen Morse wanted me to join his business. I refused and, as expected, that turned to a huge fight. My mother was on his side, she wanted me to take over, to follow his steps. I told her I don’t want any of it, I wasn’t interested in the drugs, weapons, prostitution and everything my grandfather did, but she said I won’t be safe if I’m not with him. I got angry and I ran away. I gave her the choice between me and her precious daddy but she preferred Morse.” Silvio spoke with sadness and anger at the same time, he was very disappointed of his mother. He stood silent for a minute and then continued “Years after that fight, Morse found me and told me I have to let him launder his money through my business or he will get me and her killed. I got scared so I let him.” Silvio shook his head regretfully “And when you went after him, I hoped you will get him. I really did! That’s why I told what I knew to that guy who claimed to be your friend, that’s why I kept quiet about our connection. I wanted Morse in jail before I share this with you.”

  “He is now in jail and I believe he will stay there.” Jane said “Do you know if Morse was working for someone?”

  “What do you mean if? Morse was recruited by those people before my mother was born! My grandmother told me she wasn’t going to tell Morse about my mum because of these people.” Vidal said “She said, and I quote ‘They are the worst nightmare you can think of, my boy! Don’t you ever mess with them!’ I have no idea who they are but I never asked, I never searched, I was terrified of them.” Vidal finished.

  Blake stood up, ready to leave but before she walked out she needed to ask one more question “Why Morse didn’t kill me? Why ‘they’ let me live? What are they afraid of?”

  “You really don’t know?” Vidal stood up and made a step closer to Jane. Then he explained quietly “Your father, Jane, that’s who they are afraid of! Jim Carter is the only person Morse and his bosses are horrified from.”

  “Why?” Blake asked puzzled.

  “I’ve heard of him since I was a kid.” Vidal said “I don’t know who he is exactly but they have spoken of him as if he was even worse than their whole organization.”

  “Thank you, Silvio!” Jane said, walked through the door and added “We will speak again! Soon!”

  “I have time now!” Vidal said with hope that she would stay longer.

  Blake looked at him and his expression showed he wanted to bond with her, he wanted to get to know his sister.

  “I have to be somewhere now.” Jane smiled at him and walked away.

  Blake got back in her car and headed to Alice’s house. Jane had to finally talk to Ian’s wife about his condition. She was responsible for everything that happened and she had to be the one to break the news. It was late now and probably Alice already suspected something was wrong.

  Jane arrived at Valdez’s place and knocked on the door. Alice opened immediately as if she was waiting someone to come. When she saw Jane, Alice’s expression darkened, her eyes filled with tears, as if she was expecting bad news.

  Blake walked in and explained the situation. Alice barely could control her tears but she listened as calmly as she could. Maybe because Jane told her that Ian was alive before anything else, Alice accepted the news relatively well.

  “Alice, he will be okay! I want you to stay calm!” Jane finished worryingly and added “For the baby!”

  “I want to be with my husband. We are going to that hospital!” Alice said anxiously.

  “Honey, you are nine-month pregnant! You have to rest!” Jane didn’t want to take her all the way to San Diego. Blake knew it was risky.

  “No! Either you take me or I’ll go alone!” Alice insisted and before Jane could answer, Alice took her car keys and headed to the door.

  “I’ll drive you!” Blake said and took the keys off of her hand.

  Alice and Jane walked towards Blake’s car. Jane opened the door for Alice and noticed her expression. Alice’s face was pale, her eyes wandering, her lips narrowed.

  “Are you okay?” Jane asked but she didn’t need to hear the answer. Alice was obviously in labor, the baby was coming and Jane was the worst companion for that. Blake panicked, she had no idea what to do, she was way more confident when she was chasing criminals.

  Blake put Alice on the back seat and tried to hide how terrified she was, Jane asked “Where should I drive? In which hospital is your doctor?”

  “I want to go to Ian! Drive me to the hospital he is in.” Alice said firmly and breathed in and out.

  “Alice, that hospital is too far away!” Blake raised her voice.

  “In not going anywhere else!” Alice cut.

  Jane had no choice but to drive to San Diego and hope everything to be okay.

  Blake was driving more cautiously that ever, she was afraid for the well being of Alice and the baby. />
  Jane’s phone rang, she looked at the screen and saw it was Kyle. She had forgotten to call him, in fact she had forgotten about his existence at all.

  “Hey, sorry I didn’t…” started Jane but Collins interrupted her.

  “Thanks God you are okay! I almost had a heart attack when I heard what happened! Smith said several people are dead…” Kyle spoke fast and it sounded he was out of breath. “Where are you?”

  “On the way to San Diego.” Blake answered.

  “Okay, stop somewhere, I’ll come to you and we will go to the hospital together!” Kyle said.

  “I can’t. Alice is having a baby and she wants to be with Ian, so…” Blake explained.

  “Okay, I’ll meet you there!” said Kyle and hung up.

  Blake was glancing at Alice on the rear view mirror every minute, she looked as if she was experiencing a great pain and discomfort. The hospital was twenty minutes away and Jane was afraid to speed up.

  “Stop!” screamed Alice.

  Jane stopped the car on the side of the road without asking why. She knew what the reason was, the baby couldn’t wait anymore. Blake hurried to the back seat, Alice was lying down with her legs spread. Jane looked under Alice’s dress carefully and with horror she realized that the birth was happening now. Jane opened the trunk of the car to see if she had towels or something that would help but unfortunately there was only a rope, water, bottle of whiskey, zip lock and all kinds of gear, guns and an emergency backpack. Blake took off her jacket and spread it on the seat, she took the bottle of water, zip lock and a knife, disinfected them with the whiskey and said as calmly as she could.

  “Now I want you to trust your instincts. You know what you are doing! I’m here to assist you but you are the one with the hard job to deliver a baby.”

  “What should I do? I have no idea….” Alice was also panicking.

  “Calm down! You are about to become a mom, your body knows what it is doing!” Blake said softly “Now breathe and when you feel a contraction, push! I can see the head, you are almost there!”

  Alice did as Jane said. She was breathing deeply and pushing every minute. Soon Blake had the baby in her hands, she was shaking even more than Alice. The tiny girl in Jane’s hands was gaping for a breath and soon she cried. Jane cut the umbilical cord and tighten it with a zip lock, she gently cleaned the baby with water and put the jacket on it. Alice reached for her child with tears in her eyes but Jane didn’t give it to her.