I Am a Writer
Backstabber, Chapter 24, Scene 6
The last measurable traces of the gas had finally faded. Even so, Dan held his breath as he pushed the door open, looking around the small room and giving a low whistle.
“I was hoping we wouldn’t need this part of the plan,” he said, then shrugged. “But I guess it can’t be helped.”
He glanced at the younger man that walked in after him.
“It’s a good thing Anya isn’t here to see this,” his mouth quirked. “Or should I call her Kelly?”
The boy stiffened at the name, a clear wave of guilt washing over him. The death of the woman he loved was still eating away at him. He shook his head.
“Nothing’s more important than the agency,” he stated, his flat tone tinged with regret. “We did what we had to.”
Dan shrugged again, kneeling to pick up the girl. She’d gone pale, her slim body light as a feather and limp as a rag doll.
“Damn, no wonder he fell for her,” he stood, shifting her until she reclined in his arms. He looked back at his partner. “You know they’ll try to get to her.”
The other man let some sound escape his lips, too soft to be discerned.
“I’ll kill whoever tries to touch her,” he grabbed Jason’s wrist, hauling the teen across his shoulders. He might as well have been carrying an empty sack. “Let’s just finish what we came here for.”
Dan rolled his eyes, heading for the door.
“Whatever you say,” he muttered, then raised his voice slightly. “But how do you think he’ll react when he finds out the truth?”
His partner stiffened again, knuckles white around his burden.
“If things go right, that’ll never happen,” he forced himself to relax, then swallowed. “We’re doing what has to be done.”
Dan sighed, shaking his head.
“Yeah, you just keep on telling yourself that,” he started. “Whatever makes you feel better.”
“It doesn’t,” the words were barely above a whisper, the despair in his voice still clear as day. “But it’s what we have to do.”
He turned, catching sight of himself in a small mirror. Jason was completely still, hanging limp. It was all he could do to keep from breaking down in tears.
[i]I’m sorry, Jason,[/i] he followed Dan, shutting the door softly behind him.[i] You know I only do what’s best for you.[/i]
The last measurable traces of the gas had finally faded. Even so, Dan held his breath as he pushed the door open, looking around the small room and giving a low whistle.
“I was hoping we wouldn’t need this part of the plan,” he said, then shrugged. “But I guess it can’t be helped.”
He glanced at the younger man that walked in after him.
“It’s a good thing Anya isn’t here to see this,” his mouth quirked. “Or should I call her Kelly?”
The boy stiffened at the name, a clear wave of guilt washing over him. The death of the woman he loved was still eating away at him. He shook his head.
“Nothing’s more important than the agency,” he stated, his flat tone tinged with regret. “We did what we had to.”
Dan shrugged again, kneeling to pick up the girl. She’d gone pale, her slim body light as a feather and limp as a rag doll.
“Damn, no wonder he fell for her,” he stood, shifting her until she reclined in his arms. He looked back at his partner. “You know they’ll try to get to her.”
The other man let some sound escape his lips, too soft to be discerned.
“I’ll kill whoever tries to touch her,” he grabbed Jason’s wrist, hauling the teen across his shoulders. He might as well have been carrying an empty sack. “Let’s just finish what we came here for.”
Dan rolled his eyes, heading for the door.
“Whatever you say,” he muttered, then raised his voice slightly. “But how do you think he’ll react when he finds out the truth?”
His partner stiffened again, knuckles white around his burden.
“If things go right, that’ll never happen,” he forced himself to relax, then swallowed. “We’re doing what has to be done.”
Dan sighed, shaking his head.
“Yeah, you just keep on telling yourself that,” he started. “Whatever makes you feel better.”
“It doesn’t,” the words were barely above a whisper, the despair in his voice still clear as day. “But it’s what we have to do.”
He turned, catching sight of himself in a small mirror. Jason was completely still, hanging limp. It was all he could do to keep from breaking down in tears.
[i]I’m sorry, Jason,[/i] he followed Dan, shutting the door softly behind him.[i] You know I only do what’s best for you.[/i]
26-30, F
