Those Hollow Lies

Coming Full Circle

08/09/09   - late morning.

This Quarter was considerably smaller than the one I was used to, but the moment Roz pushed open the doors at the end of the sewer lines we were greeted with cheers and applause from those agents who were in the main area. I knew there would be stories to tell and tales of bravery a little later when Roz demanded reports from everyone, but right now she was checking with Connors to make sure that everyone had checked in at the infirmary and sought out the necessary medical treatment.

“Russell, Joe, you both ought to head up there, too.” She instructed, glancing over her shoulder at the both of us.

I was about to argue back that I was fine, but that tension still seemed to be lingering between Roz and William and while I had asked a few questions on the way down, I sensed there was a lot of information neither of them wanted to share with me just yet. Joe tapped my arm and as we moved up the stairs towards the area of the small, very full infirmary, Roz and William made their way to a private room off to the right, neither looking very impressed with the other.

“What do you think is going on with them?” I asked Joe as a doctor instructed me to peel out of my shirt.

He let out a sigh and shook his head softly as he lay down on the bed next to mine. “Beats me. I haven’t seen them looking so mad at each other in years. Granted, it’s been years since I saw William.”

“I just don’t see why they could be angry with each other. It was a successful night, right?”

“It seemed that way to me, but you have to understand Russ that those two have had their clashed ever since Roz hit fifteen. She would answer back, go and do something her own way and William would silently seethe until she returned and then there would be an all-out screaming match between the pair of them.” He explained, wincing as another doctor poked and prodded at his sides.

“I just wish I knew why they were so tense.” I mumbled quietly as my doctor cleaned up my arm with professional skill.

“Hey, I’m sure Roz will tell you in good time. You’re her partner after all…in every sense of the word.” He grinned boyishly and then let out a small yelp as the doctor seemed to find those cracked ribs of his. It was almost as if Roz was in the room to give him a good slap for his comment. Instead she was downstairs arguing about something I knew nothing about when I honestly felt as though we ought to have been celebrating the victory and the freedom. We had Joe back, after all this time!

Once my arm was feeling better and I had changed into a clean shirt, Joe charmed the doctors into letting him spend some time down with the agents he had missed after months of being locked away. He promised to return to the infirmary to get some rest in an hour or so, but there were questions to be asked, stories to be told and I had a feeling he was hoping to corner Roz about letting him see the love of his life again. I could only imagine how impatient he had to be for seeing Rachel, but I knew that Roz probably had loose ends to tie up before she could let him go running off to see her. There were still issues and questions I felt needed to be raised. What if there were more corrupt agents out there? Didn’t someone say something about corrupt politicians, too? I didn’t recall us killing or even glancing at any of them. The more I thought about it the more it felt like we were so far from the end of this.

Roz still hadn’t emerged from the office she had entered with William and I was starting to get a little confused and worried. Just when I was considering approaching and knocking on the door to find out what was happening, the handle turned and Roz came out, running her fingers through her long waves of hair. She looked drained and William, I thought, looked as though he was wiping away a speck of blood from his lip when he emerged. Neither looked completely overjoyed, but then I suppose even if they had resolved whatever the problem was it had still been a long night. I noticed Roz and Joe having one of their trademark conversations with just a series of looks, but before I could even attempt to read anything into it William came over and stole my attention.