The "Rescue" Mission

They sit there on the sofa together in silence, Tommy's face frightened, pale and nervous, her hands clenched on his as if she can stop him from going anywhere if she just holds on tight enough. "Why did he threaten to hurt the people you knew before?" she asks, quivering.

"Not a threat," Aden says, woodenly. He's already cold, numb. Fighting the monster's hunger, he tries to focus on Tommy, finds he's unable to think about anything but the file arriving. He stands, kisses Tommy's forehead, takes a deep breath. "That was a warning, telling me someone I know is in trouble and he thinks I will want to get involved."

"Who is he?" Tommy asks.

The operational part of him tells him Tommy has no need to know. He tells the operational side to fuck off. "I'm not sure who he really is," he answers, choosing his words carefully. "I've only met him in person twice, once when I started with the Company, and once after the bombing, when he came to the hospital to see how I was." Aden picks up his laptop from the countertop in the kitchen, and brings it back to the sofa. Sitting back down next to Tommy, he enters in his password, then selects the encrypted message service.

"Are you going to go?" Tommy is fighting hard not to cry. She doesn't want to push, but she really didn't realize this could happen. "I thought you were retired."

"We're never really retired," Aden grunts. A stream of text flows across the laptop screen. As he reads, Tommy can see his eyes go back to that cold murderous place she's seen before. Then he stops reading, his face twitching in surprise. "Shit," he sighs, and before he says anything else, she knows he's going to go do whatever it is they want him to do.

He takes her hands, and turns to face her, sad. "This is one I'm going to have to go do." He touches her face, leans his face down to hers and sits with her for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "An old colleague is compromised. She's gone to ground overseas, hiding out."

"Why does it have to be you?" She's trying to understand, to accept and be supportive.

"Because she's convinced someone inside the Company blew her cover, and she won't come out of the cold unless someone she trusts comes to recover her."

Tommy is frowning, and Nick can see she's trying to keep from crying. She's also trying to be "supportive", but he knows that's the last thing she wants to be.

Nick reaches out and takes her hands. "Tommy," he whispers, softly, kind, loving. "I only have one real set of skills. I can't promise I will always be able to come back to you. Of all people, I know I can do everything right and still get hurt, or killed. But I can promise you that you and Pet mean more to me than anything in the world, and I will do everything I can not to ever leave you." He pauses, choosing his next words carefully. "I will only do those things I think I have to; I'm not looking to keep killing people as some sort of hobby. But sometimes, rarely, I hope, there are going to be jobs I will take, either because they need to be done, or because I feel they should be done. And that means I may die. I already considered this; I asked my attorney to set up you as my primary heir. And I trust you to do whatever you need to with my assets in order to take care of yourself and Pet."

"Stop it," Tommy moans, beginning to cry. "Nicki, I don't want your fucking money."

"I know that, love," he says, gently. "But it's a reality we have to face. And I want you to know I will avoid taking risks I shouldn't. I have an old friend, a senior person in an organization that will always know where I am and what I'm doing. His name is Mal Evans. He's probably the best man I've ever known, the most moral and good-hearted patriot I've ever met. Whenever I am gone, he will be available for you if you need anything at all. And, if the worst happens, he will make sure you know what's going on."

"No," Tommy hisses, pushing herself into Nick's arms. "No more. I will support you doing- what you do, because I know you feel you have to. But I won't ever like it."

"I know, darling," Nick whispers in her ear. "I know."