Chapter 9: To Save A Life

Jay paced across the floor, his steps pounding with the intensity of a mad bull in the fighting arena.

His face, though, although it was drawn with anxiety, was eager; almost as if he was a nervous young child waiting for a Christmas gift.

In the corner, Will was tossing uneasily in his bed, his fever continued to rise while his strength was fading, just as quickly as his temperature was rising.

David sat down at his brother's side with a cup in his hand.

“Drink this.”

Will raised his head and swallowed some of the cold water.

“Thanks.”

Jay didn't notice the interaction. He paced without losing a beat, clenching and loosening his hands as his brain raced.

David looked up from his brother's bandages and medicines. He knew that Jay wasn't about to stop pacing...he looked like he had a mind to wear holes through the carpet.

“Jay, help me with Will, please.”

Jay quickly focused into the task, like David knew he would. As he replaced the damp cloth on Will's hot forehead, Jay's blue eyes darkened with concern.

“Is he doing any better this morning?”

David pounded his fist in his hand. “This is killing me. My brother is dying, and all I can do is sit here!”

“No, don't think like that. He's not dying. Alice will bring help.”

The sunlight smiled sorrowfully at the pathetic group as it slipped down the wall and tiptoed across the floor. As it reached up to the windowsill to depart for the night, the sunlight glanced back at Jay and David, wishing that it could stay longer and keep them company.

The night came in without paying attention to them.

Jay was finally sick of the silence.

“David, I need you to tell me everything. All about the Drexler, who's behind this...”

“Jay, let me stop you right there. Do you trust me?”

The question confused and startled him.

“Yeah, I trust you.”

“Okay. Listen to me very carefully. I don't know. About any of it. Will wasn't allowed to tell anyone anything on pain of death. He hinted a couple times at his upcoming tasks, but he was never allowed to reveal anything concrete. I was actually led to believe that you were other agents that he was stationed with.”

“So he lied to you, too.”

“He didn't lie. He just implied a lot of things. I didn't know.”

“You're not lying about this?”

“I'm not lying.”

Jay slammed his fist down.

“You don't know; Will won't tell me. Why won't Will tell me?”

David laughed.

“You would not believe the insane, crazy streak of loyalty he has. He was convinced that he was doing the right thing when he started out. I'm sure that if he'd gotten a call to eliminate you, you wouldn't have lived for more than five minutes after that.

“That was at first. One of the things Will hinted at, more than anything else, was how, um, how do I say this...he was losing his trust and assurance in his mission and authorities. You guys definitely grew on him as well, he talked about you all the time.”

Jay ran his fingers over his lips and chin in contemplation.

“I guess when the date of the bombing came around, his loyalty was fiercely fixed in your direction. At the same time, he was still connected to his job. He won't give you the information you need, because you're safe for now. For now, no one knows where you are. He can stay loyal to his mission and keep you safe at the same time. At least, I think that's how he sees it. I guarantee that the second you absolutely need that information, Will Traveler will tell you.”

“One more thing, then.” Jay said, his head reeling a little bit. “His name isn't Will Traveler, is it? And is your name really David Crubell?”

“Actually, I can't confirm or deny that. Sorry.”

Jay smiled a little. “That's okay. I'm just glad that you're telling me the truth.”

“Good.”

They were silent again for a while. Jay fingered wearily through the stacks of paperwork for the millionth time. When he looked up an hour later, David was nodding off.

Burchell rose quietly and shook his new friend's shoulder.

“Hey, David.”

Crubell jumped into wakefulness. “Sorry.”

“Don't apologize. I can watch Will for a while. Go get some sleep, man.”

Agent Marlowe gripped the wheel of her car until her knuckles felt like they were going to pop. The leather was worn and cracked around her fingers from this habit. She squeezed the wheel whenever she was stressed, like right now.

Her best friend was dead. She had never seen it coming. She and Borjes had been partners and best friends for almost nine years, they'd each saved the others' life on several occasions.

Borjes was dead. She had felt so empty that morning when she only brought one cup of coffee to work, passing by his desk without stopping to set down another cup and receive a cheerful “good morning”.

Marlowe fought back tears; she was an FBI agent. She was not going to cry, at least, not now. Not in the middle of this big case.

Chambers had pulled her gently into his office after the coroner's van drove away only the day before.

“What happened?” she had choked.

“Jan, I'm sorry. Please sit down.” he'd said gently.

It was the first time Marlowe could remember him using her first name.

“We found that man; the one that escaped. Borjes and I were chasing him, but you know Borjes is much faster than me. He chased our mystery man into an abandoned apartment building. Not ten seconds later, I heard a shot.”

He had paused.

“Promise me you won't do anything rash, Marlowe.”

“I promise, sir.”

“Tyler Fog was standing there with his gun out.”

“Did you catch him?” she had managed to whisper.

“I'm sorry.” He had placed a gentle, sympathetic hand on her shoulder. “I truly am. Why don't you take 12 hours and go home.”

Now Marlowe was fresh and alert and driving back to headquarters. She was running it all through her head. She was still in disbelief that Fog had been the one to kill Borjes. He didn't seem like a killer to her. Then again, he didn't seem like a bomber.

Yet here he was, one of the top two most wanted men in New York. Wanted for killing at least one man and destroying a historical piece of New York City.

Marlowe slammed on the brakes as the red light she hadn't really noticed was suddenly straight ahead.

“Get a hold of yourself, Jan.” she muttered.