<Episode 39>

After insisting very strongly Anderson took a tour of the rebels’ hideout. He always knew it was an underground movement, he was just slightly amazed they were actually underground this entire time. Perez, despite his position, still demanded he’d only be in the sections he and his men had actually secured. Not that he had a problem with the request, but the way the human was acting like he was the one in charge annoyed him. Fortunately Taylor was there to keep him in check, so to speak. Perez looked happy there was a buffer but he could care less, he just wanted to see where Christopher, and Melissa apparently, had their people living.

And how they had their followers living. Artificial lights strung all over the place above them. The air seemed stale to him now, he didn’t even want to imagine what it must have been like full of their followers. Taylor walked with him as he wondered about. “It says something about my cousins, does it not Mr. Taylor?”

“What does sir?”

“That they were able to convince so many to live under these condition.”

“Conditions seem to be better than the initial view would indicate,” he said. “Some of the men have seen hallways lined with rooms with beds in them, some look like they would fit a family of four comfortably. One of these corridors leads to a garden of some sort. A room that could be described as a meeting hall or dining area looked like it could fit a hundred with some elbow room. Perez himself spotted a room that looked liked it was where they planned their raids based on the maps left in the room.”

Anderson slowly nodded his head as he listened. The rebels were a resourceful bunch after all. Avoiding being captured for so long he shouldn’t have been that surprised. But one thing still bothered him, “Why is it nobody knew this a place like this existed?”

“I’m not sure,” Taylor admitted. “I had people going over old city plans and blueprints as soon as Trent told us about this place, and they couldn’t find a trace of it. I contacted Rhodes and he seemed to recall some of the older Generals back in the day talk about a bomb shelter for the politicians that fell off the radar. I’m assuming this is that shelter.”

“Have him go over what he can to see if anything else fell off the radar,” Anderson ordered. “There has to be some kind of record of places like this somewhere. I doubt the rebels just stumbled across this location, and they have to be someplace like this now.”

“He is sir, and I’m having our people go over the public records as far back as they can find. If they have another location like this one we’ll find it.”

“I hope so Mr. Taylor. It is a metaphorical black eye on my reputation that the rebels have been able to hide for so long in my city, and I will not tolerate it any longer.” They came to a stop at what Perez called the central hub of the hideout. Anderson could just see the rebels in his mind standing around the space, acting like they were in the right. The he set his gaze on the charred remains of the woman he sent here. Slowly he walked toward the remains as Taylor waved off the people guarding them. Standing over them he said, “A pity.”

“Did you know her personally sir?”

“Well enough Mr. Taylor,” he answered. “I almost made her my personal bodyguard, but her rather unusual quirks made me rethink that position. No, she worked out much better as one of my personal assassins. She never let me down once, and always came back with a smile on her face. She was disappointed I waited so long before sending her after Mr. Davidson actually, one of the few times she ever begged for a particular assignment.” Silent for a couple of moments he spoke again, “I want her remains properly taken care of. I will perform the ceremony as soon as we return.”

“I’ll take care of it sir.”

“Good, good. May I have a moment alone?”

“Of course sir,” Taylor said and left.

Anderson looked at her remains and lowered his head. Despite the small spark of sadness he was feeling a smile escaped his lips, “Welcome back Mr. Davidson.”

***

“Damn it, another dead end,” Jack muttered. Rachel tried to remain patient, they had been here a week and he still had no idea where he was going half the time. Of course he was still a little ticked he had to spend a day in the homemade goop, as he put it, to fix that gash in his armor. So this wasn’t helping his mood any. “This place is a freaking maze. I thought you said it was this way.”

“I told you two lefts and a right,” she said. “You went left, right, left.”

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?”, he demanded.

“You learn better this way,” she shot back. “Come on follow me.”

“I still say they should have handed out maps to this place.”

“That’s a security risk,” Rachel reminded him, “and you know that.”

“And I’m tired of getting lost down here.”

“So are a lot of people. Melissa’s gotten turned around a couple times down here too. We just need to get used to the place.”

“If we get used to it,” Jack said. “A lot of the stuff they brought in is still packed.”

“People are still jumpy from the evacuation. Even I’m looking twice at the nearest entrance or exit every time I hear a strange noise.” They came to an intersection and they paused. She didn’t remember this being here. Rachel could feel Jack staring at her as she looked down each one. “Well come on, don’t just lean against the wall,” she said hoping he didn’t notice.

No such luck, “You had no clue which way we had to go for a second.”

“Shut up,” she told him. After a few minutes they found the others in Melissa’s new war room. It was a small group, just them, Melissa, Lance and a couple of others standing around. “Sorry we’re late.”

“I just got here myself,” Melissa admitted. “I have to start thinking about putting up some street signs around here or something.”

“I second that motion,” Jack said as he hoped on top of a crate.

“I might as well third it,” Rachel said, knowing she was going to regret it the moment she did.

“I knew you got lost,” he grinned.

“Bite me,” Rachel told him. Jack stuck his tongue out at her and she did the same.

“Children,” Melissa said sternly.

“She started it,” Jack said trying to sound innocent.

“Did not,” she played along.

“Don’t make me separate you two,” Melissa looked serious before turning away to hide her smile. Before long she was getting back to business, “I figured I should update you guys on what’s going on. The other cells are slowly learning what happened thanks to Lance.”

“Certain details left out of course,” he added looking at them.

“Of course,” Rachel agreed.

“So far it still looks like Jack is still our dirty little secret,” Melissa took over.

“What do you mean ‘little’?”, Jack cut in. Rachel slapped him on the knee.

Melissa continued like he never spoke up, “The survivors from Trent’s cell implied they had no idea why he set us up. So it looks like he was the only one in his cell that knew he’s with us. Speaking of Trent, they found his body in the wood shortly afterwards. It looks like he was shot several times.”

“Can’t say I’m shedding a tear over it,” Lance commented

“I can,” Jack said. “I wanted a piece of him.”

“You and everybody here,” Melissa told him. “I’m assuming Anderson took the matter out of our hands. One some other news, I’ve been asked to inform everybody not to worry about getting a new garden center going.” She paused and looked like she was steadying herself, “Sparky said he was going to take charge of it.”

The group gave out a collective, “Sparky?”, at the news.

“I know, it took me by surprise too.”

“He’s going a little far to impress Angie, isn’t he?”, Jack commented.

“Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt,” Rachel told him. Then she thought it over, “But you’re probably right.”

“Which brings me to our next order of business, we might have to find a new meat and food stuff supplier.”

Lance and the other looked concerned, “Did Anderson find out about them?”

“No,” she said. “A human is putting the squeeze on us if you can believe it.” Everybody looked at each other. “And he wants to talk to us about ‘protection’. I don’t know who this Harrison guy is but…”

“Wait,” Jack interrupted her, “’Pitbull’ Harrison?”

“You know him,” Melissa asked. Rachel’s interest was piqued too.

“Through my Uncle unfortunately,” he told them. “He was a pretty small time wise guy too. Even before I was caught in that avalanche he was a small fish pretending he wasn’t in a big pond.”

“Well he’s apparently grown some since then according to a couple of the other cell leaders. He took over one of our major suppliers a little over a month ago. I have no idea how he found out about us though, we have a couple dummy fronts in place.”

“You’d be surprised,” Jack said. “I’ll go with you to meet with him.”

“Are you nuts?”, Rachel asked him.

“I had no plans on meeting with him,” Melissa informed him. “Even if I was I wouldn’t risk you getting caught.”

“Do you have another supplier set up?”, Jack asked. To Rachel and the others dismay she wasn’t saying anything right away. “Look, he owes me a couple of favors. I’m pretty sure I can work something out.”

Melissa was actually thinking it over, finally she said, “We’ll give it a try, but I still don’t think this is a good idea.” She broke up the meeting to go get ready. Lance and the other looked at Jack as they exited.

“Do I want to know why a small time mobster owes you favors?”, Rachel asked once they were alone.

“Nothing major,” Jack answered as he hopped off the crate.

“You’re risking everything on ‘noting major’? You’re crazy.”

“Hey, I know crazy and…,” he trailed off, “and this is pretty much it actually.” That did not fill her with confidence.

***

The meeting place was just outside Harrison’s old neighborhood, the same place he tried to run like a big time operation. Jack thought he was kinda pitiful back then too. With Melissa riding behind him, which was a little weird because he was used to Rachel being back there, he pulled up between a couple of small buildings. Harrison, wearing the same Hawaiian shirt Jack saw him in the last time, sat on the hood of a dark blue Lincoln Continental with a couple of his boys standing on either side. Taking off his helmet Harrison looked surprised, “I don’t believe it, little Jackie Davidson.”

“Hey Mortimer,” Jack shot back using his real name. His guards started snickering until “Pitbull” shot them a look. “Let me handle this,” he told Melissa.

“The way you’re handling it now making me nervous,” she whispered back.

“I got to say Jack,” Harrison said as he got off the hood and they walked toward each other, “I’m a little surprised about you. The little punk I knew as a boy becoming the most wanted man in the country, who would have thought it. What would your Uncle say? What would your mother say?”

“Things happen,” he told him plainly. “You wanted to talk to the woman behind me. She’s letting me speak for her.”

“And why should I let you?” Jack only reply was to look up which caused Harrison to do the same. On the roof to their left Arron was holding the unconscious body of one of Harrisons’ men. On their right Sparky had another one by the neck as he waved at them with his free hand. “Looks like we’re discussing business then.”

“I’m not really here to discuss anything,” Jack informed him. “You owe me two favors. I’m calling one of them in.”

Harrison tugged at his ear, “My memory may be a little hazy at times but I don’t see how I owe you anything.”

Jack was all too ready to explain, “Back when I was eight. You were on the run from the cops and begged my Uncle to let him hide out in out in our basement, even made me promise not to tell anybody you were there. The police tracked you down anyway, I lied to them and said I never saw you.”

Scratching his chin he said, “I can see how that could be seen as me owing you something, but I don’t see two.”

“My mom came home right after you left. She heard the police were there and asked what was going on. I looked her right in the eyes and told her the same exact lie.”

“And that’s definitely two.”

“Boss how is that two?”, one of his guards asked.

“If you ever met his mother you know he took his life in his own hands there,” he started rubbing his chin where Jack vaguely remembered his mom decking him. “So what can I do for you?”

Here’s goes nothing, “From what I hear you’re putting some pressure on these guy’s food source. I want it stopped.”

“Done,” Harrison said without thinking it over.

“Boss!”, his guard cried out.

“A favor is a favor boys, you should always honor them,” Harrison told them. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll even forgot I saw you tonight. That should make us even.”

“Fine,” Jack agreed, “and I sincerely hope I never see you again.” Jack turned around and headed for the bike. He knew it was too easy and knew the other shoe was about to drop any time now.

“You know,” here it comes, “I always thought the infamous Drakan Killer would look a little tougher.”

Jack froze in his tracks totally caught off guard. Looking at Melissa he saw her state of shock too. He mouthed the words “Did he just say?” She nodded slowly. Turning back around Jack saw an evil grin on Harrison’s face.

“One of the benefits of being seen as small time, you can find out things when people don’t notice you. Made it easy to find out about these freaks and you, and with a little digging what they did to you. I’m willing to forget all of it, if you do a little something for me. You see I got this Drakan trying to muscle in on my territory. I want you to get rid of him.”

“No deal,” Melissa told him after she found her voice.

“Gee, it would be a pity if the news about the Drakans got out to the press, with evidence might I add,” he smirked.

Jack looked him in the eyes, “Have you ever heard of Matthew Anderson? He’s like the main guy around here and he is very protective about it. If you actually did your research then you’d know he has a small army under him. If word about the Drakans get out don’t be surprised if he gets a package the next day. One containing info about where you live, who you associate with, where you hang out and anything else I can think of.”

“That’s a pretty good threat there Jackie,” Harrison laughed. “But what would your mother say about it?”

“Leave her out of this.”

“I can’t Jackie, you see I know where she is. And you really should have saved that second favor.”

Jack grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him close, “Leave her alone!”

“You think that favor you called in from Nick covered everything when you moved her?”, he taunted. “Relocating people ain’t cheap and the money had to come from somewhere. And I was more than happy to chip in. Before you get any ideas Jackie boy, I figured a day like this would come so I have one of my boys watching her. And if you do anything to me…”

“Don’t listen to him Jack,” Melissa told him, but she sounded nervous to him. He also noticed she wasn’t exactly saying he was lying either.

“Can you take that chance Jackie?”.The only thing he wanted to do was wipe that look off of his face. But he let go and backed away. “Good boy. Now I’m not a total hard case so I’ll give you a day to think it over. And it’s a simple choice Jackie boy, the Drakan or your mother. Meet me back here when you made your choice.” He patted Jack on the cheek before heading back for his car. Arron and Sparky jumped down and asked what he was going to do. He couldn’t answer, he just stood there shaking.

***

Once again Melissa wished she could turn off that window in her head that let her read the emotions of others. The anger radiating off of Jack was splitting her head open. And the commotion that resulted when they returned wasn’t helping it any. She tried to calm things down and get back some order. At least Jack was fuming in the corner and not adding anything to fuel the fire. Still the commotion around her was grating on her last nerve and she snapped at them, “I don’t remember putting this up for discussion.”

“All I’m saying is after all he’s done for us,” Sparky continued his argument, “why can’t we look the other way this one time?”

“And how many more times after that?”, Arron countered. “Do you really think this guy going to stop after this one?”

“You been watching too many movies,” Sparky told them. “Besides what does it matter to us? We don’t even know the guy Harrison wants Jack to whack.”

“And that makes it alright?”, Arron demanded. “As far as we know this guy is outside this stupid war. Would you really be ok with Jack killing somebody who was basically an innocent?”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Jack finally spoke. Everybody looked at him.

“And where did that end up getting you?”, Rachel asked suddenly. He said nothing as he left the room. Then everybody looked at her. “When Jack started talking about what lead to his… episode, he kept going back to a couple of times he was forced to kill a Drakan that he couldn’t say for sure was involved in this. He always talked about the first time he had to, it was a frog who confronted us on the street and challenged him. That was the first time he realized he wasn’t feeling as guilty as he thought he should have been, and was worried about what kind of monster that made him.”

“At least you agree with me,” Arron said. Rachel didn’t reply right away, in fact she looked undecided. “Don’t go flip flopping on me now.”

“I don’t want Jack to do this either,” she said, “but this is his mother we’re talking about.”

“We’ll think of something,” Melissa said. “But we can’t do what Harrison wants.” Sparky started to protest, even Rachel began to join him. “We’ll think of something,” she repeated. “I have a hard enough time sending Jack out on jobs where I know he might be forced to fight a Drakan working for Anderson. I am not going to be ok with anything where an innocent has to die to appease some hood. And I know nobody here wants to send Jack down that road again. We’ll think of something.” She just wished she knew what it could be so it wouldn’t affect Jack’s Mom.”

***

A pitiful night sleep didn’t improve things. The conflicting bits of unwanted advice wasn’t helping anything either. Rachel tried to get his mind off of it but she gave up after a couple of hours. He just wanted to avoid people and think. The only he place he could find was the still under construction gym area. The heavy bag was up so he took off his jacket and started pounding away. His mind kept going back to the “innocents” as Arron called them. The frog who wouldn’t back away from the fight because tradition demanded it. The hippo who just wanted the glory of being the one who took down the Drakan Killer. Max, who he was forced to fight because of that damn dart. Those three always waved heavily on his mind, and two of them were usually some of the first to show up in his nightmare. Could he really add another one to his conscious?

Holding onto the bag he closed his eyes and sighed heavily. Why was he acting like he even had a choice? Grabbing his jacket he headed for the garage. On the way there Sparky caught up with him, “Where you going man?”

He knew where Sparky stood but he couldn’t take the chance and only told him, “Out.”

“Want some company?”

“No,” he answered.

“I’ll make sure your bag is packed when you get back,” he said.

“Look,” Jack stopped and snapped at him.

“Don’t go preaching to the choir,” the blue haired Drakan told him. “I know what you gotta do. I understand where Melissa is coming from, but I know deep down she and the others know you don’t have a choice in the matter. Do what you gotta do to protect your mom.”

“Thanks Sparky,” Jack told him gratefully.

“Hey, I’m your boy I got your back,” Sparky grinned. Jack nodded and continued on his way. Hopefully Dusty would put up with him after this was over.

***

She really should have asked Jack where this Nick guy was, buy she didn’t want to risk him trying to talk her out of it in case it backfired and hurt his mom. Not that those thought didn’t already entered her head, but this was the only option she could think of. Amazingly enough Melissa knew who he was and what he did on the side. Apparently in the past they had to get a few Drakans out of the city when things got too hot for them. She should have been worried about getting further involved in the mob thing, but at the moment she was more worried about being recognized out in the streets despite the red hoodie and sunglasses she was wearing. At least Arron was backing her up for this one. Entering the shop once they found it she saw a guy standing behind the counter with the nametag Nick on his shirt. He looked like she thought he would: tall, lanky and wearing glasses. “Can I help you?”, he asked.

“Yes,” she said as she took off the sunglasses.”I hear you have an outside business moving people.”

He recognized her almost instantly, “Sorry but not you, you are way to radioactive to even think about.”

“Actually I’m here about somebody you already relocated,” she explained, “Helen Davidson.”

“Oh no no no no,” he said while backing away from them. “Pitbull warned me that somebody might be coming in asking about her. He said he’d break my legs, wait until they healed and break them again if I ever told anybody where she was.”

Looks like it was time for the back up plan. “You know,” Rachel said calmly, “you could worry about what Pitbull would do to you. But maybe you should be worried about what I’ll have my young friend here do to you a little more. Arron,” she said and stepped aside. He took a step foreword and started at him. His eyes went wolf-like as he gave out a low threatening growl. The wide eyed expression in his face and the growing wet spot on the front of his pants said she got her point across. Rachel leaned on the counter, smiled and pleasantly said, “Now, about Helen Davidson.”

***

“I knew you’d make the right choice Jackie boy,” Harrison said as he pulled up. “Now be a good boy and follow us. I’ll explain when we get there.” He got in his car and drove off and Jack did as he was told. Jack found himself wishing that one of Anderson assault units would show up. It would give him an excuse to ditch these guys. Of course that never happened as the pulled next to a chain link fence of an old junk yard. “Now listen up. Mullen, that’s the freaks name, is using this place as a base to take me down. I was able to bribe his guards that were supposed to be here, so you got an easy in. Here’s how it’s going to go down, my boys will take care of his boys and you take care of him. And if you do a good job maybe I’ll give you mom’s new number so you can talk to her.” If looks could kill Harrison would have been incinerated on the spot by the one Jack was giving him. Harrison backed up a little, “Remember what’ll happen to her if anything happens to me.” Jack said nothing as he got off the bike and climbed the fence.

After he got in it didn’t take long for Harrison to make his move. Gunfire began to fill the air as he made his way toward the center, if this Mullen didn’t already run. If only. Again he didn’t get his wish as he found a guy wearing a white suit looking worried. Jack didn’t get close before he was noticed, “Who the hell are you?”

“Somebody who really doesn’t want to be here but doesn’t have any other choice,” Jack said as he kept walking. He did the movements necessary to activate the system and said, “Henshin.” Mullen started to back away as the armor formed around him.

“The Drakan Killer,” he gulped. “Look whatever he’s paying you I’ll double it, I’ll triple it.”

“Unfortunately you can’t raise what he’s offering,” Jack said sadly. He ran at him but got batted away when he got close. Mullen sprouted antlers as he turned into a blue moose. Looking around he grabbed a pipe out of a pile of junk and came at Jack with it raised over his head. He got a forearm up to stop a blow directed at his head and kicked him away. The moose went back in swinging forcing him to back away. Grabbing the pipe in mid swing he pulled and threw the Drakan to the ground. He looked at the pipe before dropping it. The Drakan took advantage of that moment to quickly get up and clock him with a left cross. Jack ducked another one and countered with a right of his own. He kicked it behind the knee to force it down and punched it in the head again.

The entire fight he wasn’t thinking about what he was doing. He wasn’t thinking about what Rachel and the others would were going to say about his decision. Jack was thinking about his Mother. And not her reaction to his choice. No, every possible thing Harrison could do to her was running wild through his head. As much as those thoughts disgusted him he had to let them fuel his actions. It was the only possible way he could do this. The moose started to fight back and didn’t let up. It jumped up suddenly and kicked him in the chest and forced him against a hood of an old car. The Drakan ran at him, Jack bent down and flipped the moose over his head and sent it flying. Jack climbed on top of the hood and jumped on top of it. He was forced off and kicked in the head hard.

He didn’t have time to lose the stars circling around in his vision as another punch came at him. Acting on instinct he blocked several punches before popping up with an uppercut that knocked the moose back. It tried to punch him again, he ducked and the momentum casing the moose to turn around. Thinking quick he grabbed him around the waist and threw him backwards. The moose stumbled to his feet as the meter started flashing. Jack looked at the moose… Mullen… and whispered, “I’m sorry,” before twisting the pod down. He squatted down slightly, jumped at the Drakan and extended his right foot. Hitting it in the chest the moose flew back and exploded.

“That a boy Jackie,” Harrison said as walked up with his men in tow. “That was pretty impressive. I may use you again if one of these freaks gets a little big for their britches.”

“No,” Jack told him. “That was it, I’m not doing this for you any more.”

“You sure your mom could live with that Jackie boy?”, he taunted.

“You really should have waited for me to deactivate the system before making that threat.” Jack ran at them catching them off guard. He crashed his shoulder into the nearest guard that knocked him down. Another tried to draw his gun. Jack kicked it out of his hands then slammed a forearm into his chest. A third started firing at him. He slowly walked toward him and grabbed the gun. Ripping it out of his hands he grabbed him by the shirt and not holding anything back he threw him. Then he turned toward Harrison.

“Th..think about it Jack,’ he said as he rapidly backed away, “do anything to me…”. He didn’t get a chance to finish as he ran in and grabbed him by the shirt collar. Forcing him against a pile of junk he lifted him off his feet.

“Now you listen to me,” Jack growled. “If I ever find out you, your friend or anybody working for you even looks at my mother I will make you wish you were him,” he gestured with his head toward the still burning remains, “by the time I’m done with you. Do I make myself clear!” Harrison nodded quickly and Jack dropped him. He patted him on the check before turning around and walking away more than ready to leave all of this behind him.

***

Melissa waited outside the garage waiting as it rained heavily. Nobody had seen him for hours and she was afraid she knew where he was. She prayed she was wrong as a lone headlight came toward her. Jack stopped short of her and took off his helmet and they just looked at each other. And she knew, not from any thing she was reading off of him, but from the fresh scent of Drakan blood that was in the air despite the downpour. Melissa seethed as she went up top him and punched him off the bike and to the ground, cursing herself for holding back at the last second. “You son of a bitch!”, she screamed. “If you would have waited we could have stopped this.”

“I couldn’t take that chance,” he said as he got to his feet.

“Rachel found you mom,” she informed him. She took no satisfaction as he looked away. “I know people down there and they’re getting her out of there now. I told you we would find another way. But you were so desperate to live up to your name you just had…”

“I don’t care if I pissed you off or not,” he snapped back catching her by surprise, “but I didn’t have a choice. When it comes down to my Mom and a Drakan I don’t even know my Mom going to win every damn time.”

“And what if it comes down to a Drakan you do know next time?”

“Do you really want me to answer that?” They were silent for a long time. Then he walked the bike past her, “I’ll go pack.”

“Every bone in my body says I should kick you out but I’m not,” she said not turning around. “Emily says we still need you. That and Sparky was able to convince most of the other to mutiny if I did.” Turning her head slightly she told him, “You are on a very short leash as of right now. Another incident like this and I will throw you out on your ass. Is that clear?”

“Perfectly,” he answered as he continued toward the garage.

“Explain something to me,” she said finally facing him. “When Emily was trying to calm me down after nobody could find you she told me something. She said sometimes a champion is faced with a decision where there is no right path. So he must take the one he feels he can live with the best. Champion, what did she mean by that?”

“Ask her,” was all he said.

“I did, she said to ask you.”

Jack stopped and sighed before facing her, “Honestly, I don’t know what it means either. I not sure I even believe in it yet. But it’s something I’m clinging on to, just for the sake of my own sanity if nothing else.” With nothing else to say he headed back for the garage. Melissa waited a moment before following him in. She was still royally pissed at him for making that choice. But she knew it was the only one he could live with, now if it only didn’t have to cost some “innocent” Drakan his life in the process.

***

Everybody was giving him a mix reaction in the hours after he got back, some agreeing with him and other not. Mostly they just avoided him. Jack didn’t really care either way. His mom was safe that was all that mattered to him. “You going to rip me a new one too?”, he asked Rachel as she walked up.

“I’m sure Melissa hoping I will,” she said. “But I know you thought you only had the one option. Besides as I see it I’m partially to blame for this too. Maybe if I told you what I had planned you would have waited and nobody would be arguing with each other right now, or maybe not. Look, I know how much you mom means to you. Melissa won’t like it but I know in my heart you made the right choice. Which is why I’m hoping this is a good surprise.” She pulled a phone out of her pocket and held it to her ear, “Are you still there? Good,” then she handed it to him.

“Hello?”, he said a bit unsure.

“Jack!”, a very excited and all too familiar voice spoke back.

“Mom!”. Tears started to form in his eyes, “Oh God it is so good to hear your voice again.”

“Same here baby,” she told him. “Now what is going on? Why was I moved again? Rachel explained most of it but I’m still confused.”

“That favor didn’t go as far as I’d hoped it would,” he told her. “But we took care of it so don’t worry.”

“You didn’t do anything stupid did you?”

“Would I do anything stupid? Don’t answer that.”

“I’ll take that as a yes. I do know my boy after all. But are you alright? Rachel kept a little too quiet when I asked about you.”

“I… went through some things, but I got through them. Rachel helped me get through it.”

“Good, usually you’re stubborn enough to try to handle anything major on your own. Unfortunately you take after me there so I can’t blame your Uncle Petey, no matter how much I want to.”

There was a click over the line before he could speak, “What was that?”.

“Rachel warned me about that,” she said sadly. “It means our time is just about up for now. Listen Jack I love you.”

“I love you too Mom,” he was able to get out before the call ended. Those tears started to fall as he handed the phone back.

“I’m going to talk to Dusty about working on that,” Rachel said. “That way you can talk to her as long as you want and as often as you want.”

Jack caught her by surprise by getting up and hugging her, “Thank you.”

“What are friends for?”, she said. She left him alone again with his thoughts. Would he have made that choice again? In a heartbeat, no question about it. Would he be able to live with it? That he didn’t know yet. But hopefully Rachel, the others and his Mom would help him out of it if he couldn’t.