Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
By the time Becca and Doug reached the hospital, the rest had already arrived. Erin sat quietly in the gurney that the nurses made her wear inside Michael’s room, which was kept from germs and contamination “I know you could hear me Michael.” She began quietly “Don’t worry, who ever did this to you will pay. I’ll find Julie and bring her back in one piece as well as your unborn child. This is not just about the P.R.A. anymore.”
“It never was.” She turned to see a familiar face that she did not want to see.
“What are you doing here?” she asked calmly while returning to Michael’s lifeless body. The only sign of his breathing heart was the rhythmic sound of the heartbeat machine.
Devin smiled “You would like to know wouldn’t you?”
She snickered at the egotistic comment “Don’t get a big head, I really don’t care. But it seems every time something happens with the team, you are there.”
“You’ve learned to accept it haven’t you?” he asked with a crooked smile that she could picture in her head “To be honest, I am very much intrigued with the team as I am with you.”
“I have nothing you want.” She replied coldly “Now get out before I have to make you.”
“I thought we had already determined that I am stronger?” he added, tempting her short fuse.
Erin turned to him as she stood up and stepped closer, he didn’t budge, only smiled at her with the same teasing grin. She looked at the ground and her eyes slowly moved up. Her eyes said it all with anger and fire shooting out at him. Throwing a punch to his left, she surprised him but could have knocked him out if it weren’t for his fast reflexes. He shifted away while she kicked him high above the head. Millimeters from his nose as he whipped his head back to block it. They went at it for minutes and he still refused to fight back with her.
Soon, she grew tired of his blocking game “Stop that!” she said annoyingly.
Devin laughed as he shrugged “I already won, it wouldn’t matter if you win this time.” Slipping her body fluidly to the ground, she spun her leg in a circle while supporting her body with her left hand to the ground. She managed to trip him as he fell back on his butt painfully “Is that any way to treat a life saver?”
Erin looked down at him strangely as she bent over on one knee “What did you say?”
“Nothing.” He shook his head.
“No. You…it was you that helped Jenna. Why did you do it?” Erin demanded, “What do you want from the team?”
“Same answer, nothing.” He concluded while rubbing his butt painfully. Erin stood up as she crossed her arms sternly. Devin smiled as he reached up a hand. She looked at it and hesitantly helped him up “Thank you. I’ll remember to stay on my toes we I see you again.”
“You still didn’t answer my question.” She pressed.
Devin let out a tired sigh “Erin. You of all people should know that being patient is the best virtue an agent could ever learn. Apparently, that was one lesson you never passed.”
She knew he was turning the tables on her. Slowly nodded, she admitted “You’re right.” Returning to her seat next to Michael “Until next time, Devin.”
He smiled and gave her a quick bow of the head before retrieving to the door. He walked out side and slipped by the crowd without anyone noticing him. Jenna gave the figure a double glance, he looked familiar but she couldn’t catch his face “She’s been in there for a while.” Mia declared.
Ted turned to her with a quiet jealous look while Darren jabbed her in the ribs, causing Mia to twitch. She threw him an evil look while he nodded towards Ted. Mia’s face softened as she smiled guiltily “It’s okay Darren.” Ted shook his head lightly.
“Finally!” Becca sighed when Erin emerged from the hallway “What took so long?” she asked, “How is he?”
“Coma. Undetermined. I think it was Chris.” Erin was firm about her notion.
“That’s a given.” Mia nodded “But you think someone else is behind all this?”
Riley added, “No, I don’t think so. He’s the only one with the history of hatred towards the team.”
But it was Ryan that disagreed “I think you’re forgetting about Robert Kwok. He has a history with the team.”
“Do you know what it is?” Riley asked.
“No, but as my brother said, he does not like the team. Whatever happened was probably bad enough for him to not trust us.” Ryan said with good reason.
“That doesn’t explain anything.” Riley snickered.
“Hey guys. It’s bad enough the people related to the team are being attacked one by one. We don’t need to turn against each other.” Mark pointed out.
The two guys with obvious friction turned away “Mark’s right.” Jenna agreed, “Whatever Robert has against us, it’s not important. We have to work at warning the rest of the people on the list and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“Jenna has a good point.” Ted agreed. He turned to Matt who looked extra quiet “Do we have a plan?”
“Let’s wait for Joe.” Was all Matt said as he called for the team to retrieve to their homes “Erin, you and Ted stay back and watch after Michael. We’ll take turns every day, just to make sure that they don’t finish him off.”
“Yes, sir.” The two said simultaneously.
*************
Jenna returned that night to see two black luggages in her shared home with Joe “Are you home, Joe?” she asked loudly. There was no answer. She walked into his room where she heard water running. He was showering “Perfect!” she whispered to herself and rushed into the kitchen to conjure up his favorite Italian dish. Pesto fettucine in white sauce.
Joe walked out with a towel around his neck and he was dressed in pajamas “Jenna? Are you cooking?” it had been ages since he’s tasted her cooking, considering she went to culinary arts school.
“Yeah, it’ll be ready in a minute!” She called. Perfecting her dish, she added the perfectly grown basil leaf at the edge of the dish. She peeked her head into the living room and found him watching television “Hi Joe!” she cooed while giving him a rub on the neck “Wow, you seem tense, was the flight long?” she asked with exaggerated sincerity.
Joe sensed it quick “What is it and why are you acting like a real daughter?”
Jenna moved her hands away as she touched her neck carefully “Why Joe! I’m stunned. Here I am trying to be a good daughter and you accuse me of wanting something? I’m ashamed…not to mentioned hurt and disappointed and very hurt and—”
“And the list goes on.” Joe waved his hand dramatically with a laugh “What is it? Tell me before I grow goosebumps.” He teased.
She grinned adoringly “After dinner.” She raced into the kitchen and retrieved the plates of ready pasta. Pulling up the coffee table, she pushed the magazines onto the floor and set the plates on the glass top “Dinner is served.” She presented it beautifully.
Joe moved his eyes carefully from the dish to his girl “Hmm…my favorite.” His radar was up since the minute he smelled the alfredo sauce brewing.
“Yes! See what a good daughter I am?” Jenna pointed out.
“Yes and it’s scares me.” He teased but couldn’t help picking up the dish. He took a large bite and groaned with satisfaction.
“It’s good?” Jenna asked with a proud grin.
Joe nodded as he took another bite and suddenly spit it back on his plate while Jenna’s smile faded “Okay, I’ve eaten the forbidden fruit, what curse are you going to bring on me now?”
She dropped her jaw in shock “Why must you use metaphors? You know I don’t like them.”
“What’s your point?” he put down the plate and crossed his arms “Jenna, you know daddy doesn’t like it when you beat around the bush.”
“And Joe, you know I hate it when you use the ‘D’ word.” Jenna mocked.
He tilted his head sternly “Jenna.”
“Fine, fine, stop pressuring me!” She raised her palms in defense “Don’t start using that fatherly tone on me. I’m not use to it.”
His face softened “Jenna, I know I haven’t been a good father. Since you turned 15, you have been pretty much living on your own. Your mother died when you were too young and I didn’t think it was right to remarry...”
She shook her head “No, you’re not a bad father. It’s just sometimes I think I need a little discipline but since my father has important things to do, I just learned it on my own.” He was always proud of his little girl. She was a definite mix of his and his past wife’s personalities. Her curious for the spy work was from him but her quickness and wit were from her mother.
“You remind me so much of her.” He sighed. Even after all the years have gone by, there was still a place in his heart for missing his true love.
Jenna smiled softly “I know. You tell me that a lot.” When she felt the mood was turning mushy, she quickly whipped her head from side to side “Hey, you’re making me lose my path of thought. I was saying…Ryan and I did a little work on our own. We discovered something that we have not told anyone yet. And I want to tell you first.” she smiled proudly.
“What is it?” he put on his serious face for her.
“Riley Kwok. I mean, first he shows up on the street out of nowhere and asks Erin to take him into the team. Then he continues to stand up for Robert Kwok. Something is definitely fishy last night when Ryan and I caught him talking to Robert Kwok at an exclusive bar downtown.”
Joe listened intently until she finished “So?”
Jenna was surprised at his cool reaction “What? That’s all you have to say? I mean, doesn’t the fact that they have the same initials as well as last names ring a bell? He could be one of Robert’s sons! Plus he is snooping around behind the team doing God knows what. Ryan and I think he killed Shelly. The clues are there—”
He quickly cut in “You what?”
She backed up her words “I said…we think he killed Shelly.”
“You are in no position to make that kind of judgement.” Joe replied sternly at his daughter. He was acting like a boss than a father.
“Why not? I am entitled to my own opinion. Don’t you trust me?!” She argued louder.
“Yes, but this kind of opinion can tear the team apart. This is not an issue about trust, it’s about following orders and I do not remember assigning you or Ryan to Shelly’s murder case. This is why we are called the Team. We work together.”
“Blah, blah, blah…save it for someone who cares!” she belted out “I can’t believe you would not believe my words. If this team goes down, it’s because of him. I trust my gut and I trust Ryan’s instincts.”
Joe sighed, “Honey, Ryan is biased towards this case from the start. This is his wife that died, not some ordinary friend he met on the street. His suspicions have already clouded his logic. He cannot be taken seriously.”
“No, I think it’s YOU that have been clouded by the dark and evil forces of clear blindness! You’re never here, how would you even begin to know so much? It’s such a joke that my father would be the head of security for a whole country when he can barely handle one small little agency.” She spat harshly “I hope you like your dinner.” She reached for her jacket and bag while heading towards the door.
“Where are you going?” Joe asked tiredly while he rubbed the bridge between his eyes.
“Anywhere but here.” Jenna replied without turning back. With that, she slammed the door shut and raced towards the elevators before he came after her. She hopped into a cab and turned to the entrance of the home but didn’t find Joe following her. Anger boiled inside as she replayed the fight in her mind.
She paid the driver and stepped onto the curb. Letting out a sigh, she approached the large double doors. Hitting the doorbell, she waited until footsteps got closer. Reina rubbed her eyes tiredly as she wondered who it was. She knew that Erin would be at the hospital all night “Jenna?” she found the distraught girl on the doorstep.
“Can I stay here?” she asked with saddened puppy eyes.
“Come in.” Reina said through a yawn. Taking her to a furnished bedroom, she gestured inside the room “The blankets are in that closet.” She pointed to the left “Good night.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Jenna blurted out.
Reina nodded with raised brows “Okay.” She turned to leave.
“I got in a fight with Joe.” She began babbling about the fight. Reina yawned as she entered the room and sat on the bed next to Jenna while she talked.