The Fog of Dreams

by Justin Bell

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  "Damn it, Sandidge!" Agent Burndock tried to resist the urge to scream, but he couldn't help himself. He knew Ryan Sandidge was a capable soldier, and a valuable part of their operation, but this half-cocked motorcycle pursuit had really screwed the pooch.

  "Yeah, I know, Burndock. I fucking blew it, all right? I lost my head." Behind the two men, they loaded his broken Ducati on a tow truck while other vehicles passed along Main Street, rubber-neckers straining their muscles to see.

  "Did you see where he went?" Burndock asked, holding a hand to his head, trying to suppress the massive migraine brewing.

  "No, I was too busy getting hit by a fucking car."

  Burndock had a hard enough time controlling himself just as a second car pulled up to the side of the road and the door opened. Richard Grace slipped out of the car, his death look completely dwarfing Burndock's own.

  "Grace," Burndock started to say, lifting an arm.

  "You stupid son of a bitch!" Grace pushed past Burndock and swung a swift right fist, pounding it into Sandidge's jaw. The ex-Special Forces soldier stumbled back just a bit, but his head shifted up, his eyes narrowing. Grace didn't take the warning and swung again striking the other man in the bridge of the nose, and knocking him back another step.

  "Not a good idea," Burndock said, reaching out to grasp Grace's shoulder. Agent Grace had a temper, and Burndock had seen that, but Sandidge was his own unique animal. To Sandidge's credit, he was a career soldier, built to follow orders.

  Sure enough, Sandidge looked up at him, muffling a smile. "You get two freebies, Grace. You don't get a third round."

  Already Agent Grace seemed to have settled down, and he dusted his hands off on his jacket, shaking his head slightly. "I understand your motivation, Sandidge. I do. But Strickland is not one to be trifled with. Especially not for some twisted sense of revenge."

  "That much is clear, sir," Sandidge replied, placing fingers on his jaw and working it back into place. "But as I keep telling your boy over there, neither am I." His eyes narrowed as he stared at Grace. "He got this one, but now I've seen him work. The next time he won't be so lucky."