To Find A Way

Harris passed a hand of his eyes wearily. His focus was beginning to waver and his gaze had long ago become blurry. Concentration was harder to achieve, due in no little part to his exhaustion. But that came with the territory. Sleepless nights were in his job description.

Thankfully the new case he’d taken on was coming to a close. It had been stressful trying to manage two missions at once, but Amy had done a fine job with Miranda. Very fine, indeed. Now, it was almost time for Harris’ return, which would bring with it a change of scenery. For all of them, Miranda included. In the meant time, Harris felt it was his duty to double check their status. It wouldn’t do to have uninvited guests suddenly showing up at the party.

Plucking the phone from it’s cradle on his desk, Harris’s fingers quickly dialed a familiar number, then an extension. It rang once.....twice......

“Hello?”

“Mark?”

“Yeah.” came the clipped reply.

“You in a bug free zone?”

“It’s secure. What can I do for you?”

“Just a little spot check. Routine stuff, that’s all.”

“Harris, you never call me about just anything. There’s always a motive behind your actions, and I know it.”

“Shut your trap, and run a trace on the Miranda Roberts case.”

“Your department?”

“Amy’s. For now.”

“All right. I’ll give it a go and get back to ya.”

“ASAP, Mark.”

“ASAP.”

*****

I’ll be damned if I let that sleezeball cart my daughter off in holy matrimony. Tony Guerelli thought angrily as he wondered when his man would make the call. Pacing didn’t help at all, and Mr. Guerelli was at the end of his tether. Carl was half an hour late in calling with a status report; nothing could induce such havoc on a Guerelli’s nerves, save tardiness. And tardiness it was. Sneaking another peak at his Rolex, the man picked up his wandering once again, moving around the entire room like a caged animal. Everything was riding on this case, this girl, and most of all, this informant.

The shrill ring of the telephone sitting grandly on his desk interrupted Guerelli’s course, and he fairly dove for the receiver.

“Speak.”

“Mr. G? It’s me....Carl.” came the breathless reply. It was obvious in the tone Carl spoke that he was nervous. And who wouldn’t be? One did not keep Anthony Guerelli waiting.

“This better be good, Carl.”

“It is, Mr. G. It is....”

*****

Kevin strode purposefully down the backstage hallway, intent on reaching his destination - the wardrobe room. If anyone had noticed the increased amount of time he spent in that vicinity, they hadn’t commented. But the fact of the matter was - he spent nearly every waking minute of free time there. For obvious reasons. Her laugh. Her smile. The bright light which shone in her eyes when she caught sight of him.

Kevin rounded the corner slid past the racks of clothing.

“Miranda?” he called.

“She’s not here.”

Kevin turned to find Amy gazing at him intently, though her voice had been casual.

“Oh.....could you tell her I came looking for her? Better yet, could you tell me where she is?”

“She’s lending a hand to Luke and Marlin.” Amy informed him, referring to several of the grips which traveled with the group. Kevin nodded in acceptance and began to pivot toward the exit. “Kevin-” her call stopped him. “-if you don’t mind, I’d like to talk with you.” Hesitantly, Kevin shrugged and stood awkwardly inside the door. “Have a seat?”

“Thanks.”

Amy perched on one of the makeup counters and waited while the man made himself comfortable in a folding chair. “How much have you and Bethany talked?” Her pointed use of Miranda’s cover name was not lost on his ears, though he seemed to start at the remembrance of his lover’s situation.

“A bit.” he replied evasively, unsure whether or not he should tell Amy that he knew everything.

“Then you know. On a scale of one to ten, I’m guessing you’d score about a twelve?”

“Probably. We’ve never kept anything from one another.”

“When things were simple, you never had any secrets. Everything’s changed now.”

“Has it?” he asked, anger seeping into his tone. “I still love her. And she loves me. That’s enough.”

“Is it?” Amy turned the tables neatly, and sat appraising the tall handsome man across from her. Her gaze was cool, and he could read nothing from her features. “Things may seem elementary to you, but they’re far from uncomplicated. There are issues you couldn’t possibly understand.”

“Such as?”

“What’s going to happen when we’re forced to move on? Have you given that any thought?”

“Quite a bit actually. I want to come with you.”

“That’s implausible.”

“Fine. That was Bethany’s response as well. So we’ll stay in touch. We’ll wait until this whole thing blows over and then she can come back to Orlando. To me.”

“Sounds like you’ve got everything worked out.”

“I do.” he said confidently.

“Then what happens when she comes back to you in a body bag? What then?”

“Excuse me?” his expression was completely nonplused, and he starred at Amy for the space of several moments before she bothered to reply.

“Have you ever wondered why all ties are severed with the former self when one goes on an ‘extended vacation’?” she inquired, her eyes cutting through him sharply. Without waiting for an answer, she pressed on. “Because family members and loved ones are most likely to betray the endangered unwittingly.”

“I would never do that.” Kevin broke in, shaking his head emphatically.

“Oh yes you would - and you will. One day, you’ll take a drive to the post office. You’ll place your letter, carefully addressed and sealed, into the box. Then you’ll leave, not noticing the car that’s been following you since you pulled out of your driveway. The driver will get out of his car, and stride into the building in his regulation uniform. He’ll raid the very box you placed your letter in, and retrieve it. Without a second thought, he’ll take it to his superior, who will pass it on to his superior, who will waste no time getting it into the hands of the big man himself. And suddenly, your girlfriend’s caught. They’ll get rid of me first. Then they question her. When they’ve determined she really doesn’t know anything.....they kill her, coldly and ruthlessly. Then they’ll come after you.”

Kevin stood then, unwilling to take any more. “You don’t know that will-”

“Yes. I do. Why? Because, there’s nothing new under the sun.”

“Would they really.....”

“Put that much time, effort, and planning into it? Of course. Would they kill? You better believe it. They’ll watch you, and when you slip up, they’ll be there to catch it.”

Kevin sank back into his seat, defeat shrouding his heart. “Then I really can’t keep her near. Not even in spirit.”

“No.” Amy agreed, observing his reaction.

“Are they following me already?”

“As near as we can tell, no.”

“When will they start?”

“Maybe never.” she answered honestly. “But it’s my job to be aware of the slightest thing that could go wrong. There’s no such thing as being too safe.”

Silence pervaded the air for a moment.

“She’s lucky to have you.” Kevin said finally, his voice quiet.

“And you. Enjoy the time you have with her, Kevin. But remember our mission.”

“Which is?”

“Staying alive.”

*****

Head atop folded arms, Harris’ upper body lay supported on his desk; sleep had claimed him for the time being. The click and whir of the computer beside him had lulled his conscious into limbo, pressing paperwork momentarily forgotten. The sound of the phone beckoning his attention slowly penetrated through his exhausted haze, and Harris woke with a start.

“ ’Lo?” he answered, voice raspy.

“Harris?”

“Yeah.”

“Good thing you had me check out that case, man.”

Harris’ ears immediately perked up, his attention piqued. “What’s up?”

“Your girls most definitely have a shadow - have had for some time.”

“What?!”

“Yeah....goin’ on a month now. Here’s the catch: it’s not their’s.”

“Speak plainly, or so help me God I’ll-”

“Kevin brought it in on his coat tails. It appears his friend has been following him for some time, maybe even since Orlando two years ago. My guy isn’t sure whether or not this shadow’s caught wind of the girls yet, but he says this tail’s bound to notice. He’s one of the best they’ve got, Harris. That’s a fact.”

“Okay. Anything else?”

“Nada.”

“Call me if any news breaks.”

“Sure. Harris? Don’t let them know the shadow’s there if it’s going to change their behavior. That would tip any tail off a mile away. No foolin’.”

“I know, and thanks again, Mark.”

Harris replaced the receiver in it’s cradle, and starred at the files on his desk without really seeing them. It wouldn’t take long for their location to crash down around their ears. It was only a matter of time until the entire mission was shot to hell.

*****

Carl sat back in his chair, a self satisfied smile on his face. The blessing on the union between himself and Catina Guerelli wouldn’t be long in coming now, he was sure. He had given Mr. G the surprise of a lifetime, and Carl was sure it’s value would be reciprocated tenfold in the form of a lovely raven haired beauty in a pristine white dress. Yes indeed, thank God for his sharp eyes.

Once Mr. G had finished ranting and raving over Carl’s tardiness, he’d quieted long enough for Carl to get a word in edgewise. What he’d had to say not only made Guerelli’s day, but had prompted him to assist in a way that wouldn’t endanger himself. His solution: sending in the cavalry in the form of three more men to lend a hand to Carl. In no time at all, an ambush of sorts would be set up, and not a moment too soon. This woman had been running long enough, and she was well overdue.

*****

Miranda sat snuggled in Kevin’s arms within the posh suite. Amy had consented to their escape together, making it clear that they were to stay put. She had also stipulated that she would gather Miranda from Kevin’s room at midnight, and not a word of protest was to be uttered. The pair accepted her terms readily, content to have at least some time alone in the other’s presence. Now, Kevin’s embrace was wrapped securely around Miranda’s body, hugging her against himself. They were curled together on the large expanse of his bed, quietly talking.

“I missed your laugh the most. You’ve got a great one, you know.” she informed him. Kevin smiled and shook his head.

“It was always your eyes for me. I love gazing into them.” he replied, demonstrating by bringing his forehead to rest against hers, their focuses locked.

“There was an upside to all this though, you know. You got to eat red meat freely.” her blue gray orbs sparkled as she made this statement, but Kevin shook his head solemnly.

”I barely touched the stuff. You’re not gonna believe what I ate instead....”

“What?” she asked, interest piqued.

“Guacamole.” he told her seriously. Her only response was to draw away and let loose a disbelieving laugh.

“No way.”

“Uh huh.”

“That green stuff?” she teased, recalling how he used to refer to one of her favorite foods.

“The one and the same. I actually like it. At first it was just a way to be close to you, but now....it’s a staple.”

“Then hell must’ve frozen over.” Miranda giggled, and Kevin grinned. “What was it like for you? All these years?”

“Terrible. Agonizing. I could barely sleep, I wouldn’t eat for a long while, and singing lost it’s appeal. Brian and Howie were instrumental in lifting my spirits somewhat, but I made things difficult on all of them. I’m still apologizing.” he admitted.

“You’ve changed a lot.”

“Have I?” he seemed surprised.

“Yes. You smile rarely. You hardly laugh. And your eyes never quite lit up when I first saw you.”

“That all changed when I knew you were here, though.”

“Somewhat. But you’re still a different man, Kevin. More serious.”

“Does that disappoint you?”

“No. No, not at all. But I’ll bet you’ve turned into a list maker.” she added. His eyebrows rose.

“How did you know?” he asked quietly.

“Lucky guess. Moving from place to place and not wanting to leave anything incriminating has cured me of that little practice. But I have taken up making illogical phone calls.”

“What?! Like crank calling the pizza place?” he laughed, not sure what to make of their unusual conversation.

“No....I only ever dialed one number.” she confessed quietly, then pointed a finger in Kevin’s direction “Don’t say I never called.”

“You.....”

“555-6743.” Miranda stated softly.

“You remembered.” he said, surprised. She could only nod and Kevin drew her more tightly in his arms.

“Every day?”

“Every day.”

“I love you.”

*****

Harris halted his pacing and continued to stare at the phone as he had been for the past half hour. Mark’s phone call and his revelation had certainly shaken things up a bit. Time was of the essence; it wouldn’t take long for the other side to plan and execute an ambush. By now, Carl would have undoubtedly found that Bethany was Miranda. More thugs would be sent in, and the big man himself would soon have Miranda’s head on a silver platter with her body in a black bag.

Harris ran his hands through his short cropped hair in exasperation. There was only one thing left to do -run. His gut screamed for him establish another location and set the wheels in motion which would have Amy and Miranda supplanted in a safe place in just 24 hours or less. And yet...something held him back. Maybe that’s what the shadows were expecting. Maybe that wouldn’t be the best game plan. Maybe they’d been running long enough. Eventually, every creature gets tired of hiding scared in the dark. Regardless of human interference, destiny struggles to reassert the pattern that was meant to be. The only answer left was to meet it head on. Total obliteration of the offending force.

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