Edge of Grey

by Phelps, J. C.

  “We still have no idea where Posner is holding Will, but we do know where the Admiral is holding Alan,” Brown said.

  “So why haven't you gone in to get Alan?” I asked.

  “Giving him up is our final option. I believe we still have some time before Mark gives up on us,” Red said.

  “If we can trust Posner is telling the truth, then we know that White had a team on loan from Mesa when he died. According to Posner, none of that team came back. White was the best of us and if he can’t break into the compound where Stanton is holding Alan I doubt we’ll be able to,” Red added.

  “So you're not sure White was trying to retrieve Alan when he died?”

  “No. We aren’t positive. But, it fits. It fits even more now that Mark has told you the same thing he told us. Even if what he says isn’t true, I think he believes it. Plus, it was the Admiral who brought us news of White’s death and also the Admiral who still refuses to tell us where or why White was killed though he professes to know that information,” Green said.

  “We could at least try to make the trade. Then we could do something similar to what we did with the Lion. We could go in and extract Alan. Trade him for Will and as soon as we had Will safe, we could counterattack and retrieve Alan again.” I suggested.

  “If we manage to get our hands on Alan there’s no way we could take the chance of losing him again. He needs to stand trial for murder,” Red said.

  I could tell by the looks on all the men’s faces this was not an easy decision to make, but they agreed with Red’s statement.

  “But, this is Will.”

  “He knew the risks when he joined up and you can be certain he’s accepted his situation,” Black said.

  “That doesn’t mean we aren’t going to do everything we can to get him back,” Green said. “But making the trade is the absolute last option.”

  “Are you all in agreement about this?” I asked. I knew the results of their first vote and it was three to two in favor of the trade. They must have voted again.

  “We’ve talked about it. Currently, we are undecided. That’s part of the reason for this meeting. We want your input, but you need to know all the facts before you can vote.”

  “You tied our hands after you shot Garcia,” Black said.

  “How?”

  “Garcia was our initial lead. He’s the guy who acquired Will from the Cuban fishermen who rescued him. He put in the initial call to Posner’s military consultant about Will. When we went to interview the consultant, he was dead. So we went back to Garcia. After some serious prodding and a promise to keep him safe he gave up a few names of the men who transported Will out of Cuba. He didn't know their destination. After you took out Garcia, I called the rest of the guys and had them run down the names. All of them are either dead or missing,” Green said.

  “That put us back at the beginning with nowhere to go,” Brown said.

  “I didn’t realize.”

  “We know. I don’t think Garcia had any further information to give up anyway. But, that put finding Will even farther out of reach. At that point we made a decision. We might not be able to save Will, but we could save you,” Red said.

  “We went to Mesa to extract you as soon as Red and I got back,” Green added.

  “I want Posner.”

  The anger in Black’s voice was chilling.

  The room was quiet for a few seconds before Blue spoke.

  “He didn’t realize we were there to retrieve you. He thought we were there to kill you. It worked out in everyone’s favor to let him think that,” Blue said. “He warned us away from trying to find Will. He said you were his new weapon and thanked us for training you so well. You’d gone off the grid and if he couldn’t find you, we probably couldn’t either.”

  “Since we couldn’t remove you by force we were able to leave Posner under the impression that all our ties to you have been severed. Then the shooting between you and Eric gave us the opportunity to get you back without anyone knowing. This all leaves you in a great position to help us out,” Brown said.

  “We were hoping you’d keep up the pretense that you are working for Posner and do a little snooping around for us. If you know what you’re looking for you might be able to find out more than we could. You’ve given us another opportunity to find Will. So, I’m inclined to hold my vote to abstain from attempting to retrieve Alan, at this point. I think there is still hope. Will you help us?” Red asked.

  “Of course, but—” I pointed to my sling. “How do I explain this? I mean, Posner gave me his blessing to take Eric out of the picture if he became too zealous, but I’m not convinced he meant it.”

  “He what?” Brown asked and the looks of disbelief on all of their faces would have been comical had this not been a serious situation.

  I shrugged and then winced from the pain it caused.

  Green suggested we take a vote and everyone voted to allow me some time to try and ferret out Will’s location. Nothing like a little pressure to add to the fun of the day.

  “We have another problem,” Blue said.

  Green nodded.

  “Jake,” he said.

  “How is he a problem? He’s in the hospital.”

  “Joe needs to remain at his side in case he wakes up. I know Posner will be questioning him as soon as he opens his eyes. We need his and Joe’s stories to be the same,” Blue said.

  “What’s the story?” I asked.

  “Jake dropped you off and then went up to the cliffs by himself. Eric shot at him from a distance and Jake shot him in self-defense. He called Joe for help and that’s that.”

  “That’s going to put Jake in a bad spot,” I said.

  “Then so be it,” Black said.

  “Jake’s on our side.”

  “No, he’s not. I’m convinced he knows everything Posner knows,” Brown said. “He was here for White, but since White’s been gone, Jake has closed down shop and been loyal to Posner. I think the only request he was honoring was the one to protect you. And we all know that was for his own benefit and not ours. He wanted you and Joe to partner with him when he took control of Mesa.”

  “And what makes you think that?”

  “Not only did he tell Joe that he intended to never let you come back to us, he’s also the one who delivered the message that you belonged to Mesa now and any contact with you would make you unreliable and worthless.”

  I couldn’t say I was surprised, but this news still hurt to hear.

  “You can probably go without the sling in a day or two. Your wound shouldn’t hinder you for everyday use,” Blue said.

  “We all agree it might be best if you started taking Penumbra jobs again,” Red said. “White didn’t tell us much about the perks of the job, but he did tell us that there were several that were always helpful to the company.”

  “The Admiral won’t reinstate my unlimited database access without a handler. And that’s if he’ll even talk to me,” I said.

  “He’s only been avoiding the known bugged phone. He’s been on us to get you out of Mesa. But, did I hear you right? Unlimited access to the database?”

  Green was almost drooling.

  “Yes. Unlimited.”

  “Offer me up as your handler,” Green said.

  “Then he’ll know that you all know Penumbra’s identity.”

  “No. Tell him you feel confident in bringing me in on your secret if he’s okay with me being your handler. Offer up all of us one at a time if he refuses to accept me.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  BLACK ESCORTED ME BACK TO my apartment after the briefing in C.I.C.

  “I’d make coffee but I don’t I have any,” I said.

  “You do. We stocked up some essentials for you. Can’t be without coffee.”

  He went through my cupboards and pulled out the coffee grounds and started a pot brewing.

  He stood at the machine and watched the hot liquid drain into the carafe and I sat at my bar, not knowing what to s
ay. When it finished brewing, he pulled out a couple of cups straight from the dishwasher and brought them over to the bar after he filled them.

  We sat quietly for about a minute before he spoke.

  “You staying after we find Will?” Black asked.

  “I don’t know. It’s what I’ve wanted from the moment I left. I just don’t know if it’s possible.”

  “It is. I’m sorry for—everything,” he said and took my hand.

  “Me too.”

  He slid his stool closer to mine and enveloped me in his huge arms, being extra gentle near my injury.

  Going into White’s apartment had been hard but nothing compared to this. I sobbed in his arms for a long time. The one man I never wanted to see me falter had brought everything to the surface. It wasn’t as awkward as I’d expected. Instead, it felt necessary.

  When I was able to control my breathing again, he let go and immediately got up and went to the bathroom. He came back with some toilet paper.

  “Blow your nose,” he said.

  I smiled and took the offered tissue.

  “Blue told me to give these to you.”

  He held out two pills.

  “Painkillers,” he explained.

  “Thanks,” I said and took the pills from him.

  My coffee had cooled enough I was able to use it to swallow the medication.

  “I’m glad you’re home,” he said.

  I sniffed and nodded.

  We sat quietly until Black finished his cup of coffee and I was nodding off at the bar.

  “You get some rest. I’ll be back to check on you before dinner,” he said. Then waited until I made it to my bed before he left me alone.

  I laid in bed thinking about where I was and why I was here. We had to find Will. We couldn’t let him be held as a prisoner any longer.

  NOISES OF MEN IN MY kitchen woke me up. I almost went back to sleep until I heard Brown at my bedroom door.

  “You getting up?”

  I sighed. “I guess I better. What time is it?”

  “Seven. Our food’s getting cold and they won’t let me eat until you get up. I guess we all have to eat together and have quality time, or something,” he said.

  His grin was infectious. I missed these men, but it was all a little bittersweet. I knew things would never be the same again, especially without White.

  I felt disconnected and groggy as I stumbled into the kitchen.

  “Finally,” Brown said. “Let’s eat.”

  He went around the bar and started dishing up a plate of Chinese food.

  “How are you feeling?” Blue asked.

  “Really tired.”

  He nodded.

  “We won’t keep you long then. We just want to be sure you’re eating. Take these before you eat,” he held out two more pills. “They’ll help with the pain and help you sleep through the night. I think we’ll try to go without narcotics tomorrow. Sound good?”

  “Yeah,” I said.

  “Good. We’ll take the sling off tomorrow too and see how you do.”

  Brown finished dishing up what I thought was his plate of food then set it down in front of me and went back to dishing up a new plate.

  There were some complaints when he came around the bar and started eating the second plate of food. They thought he was dishing up for everyone so had waited for him to finish. I caught myself with a small smile on my face. I’d never felt so at home and so out of place at the same time.

  THE NEXT MORNING I WENT straight to my bathroom feeling even more disjointed than last night when the men had brought dinner. A dull ache in my arm reminded me of the gunshot, but the sharp shooting pains were gone.

  My bathroom door was closed and locked. Someone cleared his throat behind me at the kitchen bar. I turned around to see Brown eyeballing me with an appreciative smirk.

  “Green’s in there. Nice outfit,” he said.

  I stood there in nothing but a t-shirt, sling, and my underwear. I felt my face get hot but made sure to walk back to my room as if Brown seeing me only half dressed was nothing out of the ordinary.

  After I shut my bedroom door I felt momentary regret for not slamming it. Getting dressed was a daunting task and took me longer than anticipated. I wasn’t looking forward to doing this again after my shower.

  When I stepped out of my room again, both Brown and Green were at the bar, sipping coffee. I went directly to the bathroom without saying good morning and removed my sling and found the shooting pain again. It was still there, just dug in deeper.

  Everything took twice as long with only one good arm. At times I’d felt regret for cutting my hair until I had to shampoo, condition and rinse with just one hand. Short hair was definitely easier.

  “You’re slower than molasses on a winter morning,” Brown said when I finally stepped out of my bathroom.

  He got up and moved to the other side of the bar where he poured me a cup of coffee.

  “I thought you could call the Admiral this morning,” Green said. “He knows about what happened with Eric and Jake. He’d like to hear from you.”

  I sighed. The thought that he could possibly be responsible for White’s death was upfront in my mind. My contract to take him out of the picture was also right there. I still hadn’t told anyone about it and didn’t know if I would. Actually completing the job was still up for debate. It would be something I could never come back from, but it was also comforting to know I could get justice for White’s death. The contract itself felt like a warm blanket on a bitter night. If I did complete the contract no one could ever know it was me. Ever.

  “You should use the land line from the apartment so he knows it’s a secure call,” Green said when I got up to retrieve my phone from my room.

  I changed my stride only slightly to get to the phone near my computer.

  “Alex?” He answered on the first ring.

  “Yes.”

  My tone was sharper than I intended.

  “How are you?”

  “I’ve been better. I do have a reason for calling,” I said.

  “I’m glad to hear your voice,” he interrupted me, concern thick in his voice.

  This only served to make me angry.

  “Anyway, since I’m no longer working with Mesa and you are speaking to me again, I was hoping we could reinstate my previous title.”

  “I’m not sure about this, Alex.”

  “Why not?”

  “I know they had you talk with Red and he gave you the thumbs up, but I’d be more comfortable if you spoke with one of my people.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me. Screw that,” I said.

  “I don’t appreciate that tone, young lady.”

  “Now you’re going to play the dad card? I don’t think so. You know what Admiral Stanton, I’m fine. With or without Red’s approval. I’m so sick and tired of being treated like I’m made of glass when it was all of you who put me in this position in the first place.”

  “This is what I mean, Alex. The anger you have is a bad mixture for the types of jobs you’re asking for.”

  “You’re damn right I’m angry and if I weren’t I’d suspect there was something wrong with me. I was pushed out of White and Associates, lost a dear friend, lost the man I love, had to work with a company that couldn’t care less about its employees, especially me, got shot by one of those men, may lose another dear friend, find out the fact that the other friend I’ve been grieving is actually alive and being held hostage somewhere, and that my father—” I took a breath. I almost told him I suspected him of murdering White.

  “You’re probably right, but you need to get it under control before I’ll even consider putting you back in that role,” he said.

  “I have it under control. But, if I don’t stay busy I’m going to dwell and then I’ll spend my days planning my revenge. You’re the one who trained me. You know what I’m capable of. You should be happy to help me channel it instead of letting me roam the countryside trying to find
something to do that fits my skill set.”

  The line was quiet and I paced near my computer.

  Red, Black, and Blue came into my apartment. I saw Green hold his finger to his lips to signal them to be quiet. They walked to the bar and each had a cup of coffee poured before the Admiral’s voice in my ear drew my attention back to the phone call.

  His voice fueled my anger because all I could think about was how he probably had White killed.

  “Alex. I’m genuinely worried about you. You have to understand why I couldn’t answer your calls after I found out your phone was bugged,” he said.

  “Yeah. I get it. But you and the men here at White and Associates have no real excuse for not tracking me down,” I said, my full attention on his words.

  “What do you mean? We all looked for you.”

  “There’s no way you put too much effort into it,” I said.

  “If you don’t think you’re capable of hiding from us, then why did you even try?” He was getting angry now. The change in his tone of voice knocked me down a few pegs and then the anger built up again.

  “You should have tried harder,” I spat out. “I had no idea Jake was completely aware of what Posner was up to. I had no idea he probably knows where Posner is holding Will. I could have gotten it out of him,” I said.

  “Alex. You’ve proven more skilled than I’d anticipated and not only that, you’re uncontrollable.”

  “Too skilled and, uncontrollable? Really? I think I’ve been controlled long enough. Things have changed, though. You’re right. I’m no longer controllable, but I am willing to cooperate,” I said. “I still have an overwhelming urge to do the right thing. I tried to ignore it and do what would benefit me, but I couldn’t completely distance myself from the facts of a situation. I like caring about right and wrong. I like being on the side of the good guys. But you’ve all made that nearly impossible for almost a year now. Who knows, maybe I’ll get the hang of doing only what benefits me at some point if I get enough practice. Still, I’m stupidly hanging onto the idea that what I do matters. That I’m going to make the world a better place by removing the spoiled flesh. That’s getting farther and farther away. I just want to get back to that. If you aren’t willing to let me try I don’t know where I’m going to end up,” I said. My rage had fizzled during my rant and I felt drained.