P. Stormcrow

Finn swore to herself as she jumped at another sound again, this time a kind of whoosh that she guessed may have been a large bird flying overhead. A hoot close by confirmed her suspicion. When she got out of this, the first thing she was going to do was sign up for lessons in wilderness training. The number of times her cases had led her to the forest has been more than she cares to count.6“Do you even know where we are heading?” Eric grumped. 

She glared over her shoulder, aware that as they put more distance behind them and with no signs of being followed, Eric had gotten more bold with his complaining growing louder.

Still, it was no time to be complacent. The three mercenaries may have some sort of magic cloaking their approach.

“Just—” Finn took air deep in her lungs and expelled it back out to find the calm she needed for patience. Nope. It didn’t work. “Just shut the fuck up.”

Another crunch to their right. 

Finn signaled an immediate stop and silence. At least Eric didn’t ask why again. But something was different. Her gut screamed at her, insisting that this time, their company was not simply some forest critter. Friend or foe, she wasn’t staying put to find out.

She grabbed Eric by the wrist and shook her head before she pulled him with her, diving into the mess of growth of an ancient tree. She shut off the light and wedged them between its branches, hoping its dense foliage would hide them from sight. If only I had one of those nothing-to-see-here spells. Perhaps she could find someone to teach her. Or ask Olivia to rig something up. Was that a possibility?

First, she had to get them out alive.

A snap of a twig.

Finn held her breath. Even their labored breathing from the hard pace she had set was too loud. She readied for a shot. 

Close. So close.

Would she win in a shootout? Or was there a chance she could pick them off one by one?

No, she wasn’t that stealthy. She knew her own limitations. Fuck. 

The footsteps grew near, then stopped. 

No one’s here. No one’s here. No one’s here. Part of magic was intent. Maybe if she thought hard enough.

“Finn?”

It was the stupidest thing to do, but the single word in the most familiar voice short-circuited all sense and logic. “Damien!” She breathed out his name as a sigh of relief even as she holstered her gun and barreled out of the hiding place. Her foot caught on a root and she tumbled straight into her partner’s arms.

Still, he held on to her and buried his face in her hair. “Oh, thank God.”

Later, she would wonder if this was normal behavior for two partners at work but right now, all she could think of was that it was over at last. His embrace warmed her in more ways than one. She clung to him as her body shook.

“So I’m guessing it’s safe.” Eric stepped out from behind, his tone making it plenty clear that he did not feel the same gratitude she did.

Finn did, however, extract herself, thankful that no one could see her hot and probably red face in the dark. Or at least, she hoped. She cleared her throat as she looked at the rest of the team with Damien. “Eric Byler. And his research.”

Agent Allen and Agent Koo both shifted their positions to flank him. “All right, Mr. Byler. Let’s get you to safety.” They moved on ahead, escorting the vic out of the damn forest.

Damien shrugged off his jacket to drape it on her and spun her back around to face him. “Are you okay?” He caught her gaze and cupped the side of her head, feeling the still damp hair.

The lump in her throat was going to ruin any tough girl cred she had earned. Finn swallowed hard. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.”

He eyed her and even in the darkness, she could see the skepticism on his face. But he didn’t push and for that, gratitude welled up within her.

“The rest of the teams are combing the forest for the perps.”

“Can you communicate with them?” 

When he nodded and handed her his walkie talkie, she pressed on the talk button to send a brief message describing the cabin and what they may find in there. Once done, she returned it to Damien and shivered, pulling his jacket tighter around herself. “I hate the forest.”

Damien chuckled. “It’s not all bad. One day I’ll take you camping for fun, then you’ll have some pleasant memories of it, not just the crappy ones.”

She made a face, but said nothing as he guided her out and back to civilization.

***

Finn flinched as the doctor shone a light into her eye and blinked as he stepped away. “Are you experiencing pain anywhere else other than your wrists?”

“No, I’m fine,” Finn repeated as she shifted from where she sat on the gurney, watching as he busied about, wondering just when she could the med bay, as some of the other agents jokingly called it. She still had reports to write and things to follow up on…

“Agent Reed—” Dr. Laurence pulled his stool up and eased onto it so that he was looking up at her—“this’ll go a lot faster if you tell me what happened. I understand it is a traumatic experience, but no matter what happens, I won’t judge you and anything you choose to disclose to me remains one hundred percent confidential. All Ms. Callaghan and Dr. Laurent will read in my report is whether a medical leave is required.”

She had some smart comeback prepared, or thought she did, but when she started, she found no noise came out. Her shoulders dropped, and she rubbed her face with one hand. The imagined chill of the forest sank deep into her and she took a shuddering breath. 

“They dunk me in water. I can’t remember how many times, but they didn’t let me up until I thought I would pass out. Then they left me in the dark to stew over it.” Finn said at last. She surprised herself with the detached tone, almost as if she was recounting events that happened to someone else. 

“I see.”

No pity. No judgement. Finn only felt a sense of relief as he put the stethoscope on once more. “Let’s have another listen to your chest.”

She followed along, a little like a marionette, letting him examine her without complaint. And when he added sleeping pills on top of the salve he gave her for her wrists, she only nodded.

“Agent Reed.” The doctor pinned her with his most serious stare yet. “Do not. And, I repeat, do not mix these with alcohol. Do you understand?”

She bobbed her head up and down again.

“These are temporary measures. I won’t prescribe more unless Dr. Laurent signs off on it—”

“You said you wouldn’t share what I say—”

Dr. Laurence relinquished the bottles but held up his hand. “No, nothing you’ve mentioned will make their way to my report. However, you will tell him yourself.”

Finn grumbled but didn’t bother refuting his statement. Somehow, the thought irritated her less than it would have even a month ago. The therapist’s warm eyes and gentle ways almost felt as if it would be a comfort. 

“You may get dressed. I believe Ms. Callaghan would like to speak with you before you go.”

“Go?” She blinked at him, trying to make sense of what he meant. Where would she go?

He sighed. “Home, Agent Reed. You have been going from case to case non stop. Go home and rest today.” A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of the older man’s lips. “Doctor’s orders.” Without waiting for her reply, he stood and left.

Finn stared at the white curtain separator. Water roared in her ears and the oxygen in the room grew thin. She shook her head. You’re not there. You’re safe. Forcing air into her lungs, she tightened her grip around the medication. Move it. Yes, if she kept moving, she wouldn’t have time to dwell.

That single idea gave her enough motivation to get dressed and make her way to the director’s office. As soon as she arrived, Ms. Callaghan motioned her in.

“That was stupid,” her boss started right away.

“With all due respect, ma’am, I saw a shot, and I took it,” Finn snapped back. It was the last thing she had expected Ms. Callaghan to start with.

“Yes. I know.” Ms. Callaghan’s voice had risen to almost a yell, but she paused, closed her eyes to compose herself. When she opened them and spoke again, it was with calmer tones. “I am also well aware I told you to not mess up, but you must never compromise your own safety for the sake of the mission.”

“It comes with the job,” Finn pushed back.

“Yes, so let’s not add to it by willingly throwing ourselves into danger, shall we? Am I making myself clear?”

She may be the one sitting and looking up at Finn, but that did not stop her stern presence from dominating the room. Finn cleared her throat. “Crystal, ma’am.”

Ms. Callaghan studied her, then nodded to herself, as if satisfied that she got her message across. “Now go home. Don’t come back until you’ve had at least twelve hours of sleep.”

Finn dipped her head in acknowledgement and turned to leave, her face heating at the dress down. 

“Oh, and Agent Reed?”

She hesitated before pivoting to half-face her.

“Good job.”

The knot in her stomach eased a little. She hadn’t even been aware of until now. “Thank you.”

“Dismiss.”

She left the office with her head held high but didn’t get far, as a polite cough drew her attention. Jackson pushed off from the wall he had braced himself against. 

Just the person she wanted to see. She had no chance to ask her boss with the dress down she had given her, but she had to know. “Did we get them?”

Jackson shook his head. “The cabin was empty by the time we found it.”

The roar in her ears. She panted, but her lungs were still starved for air.

“Finn. Finn, look at me.” 

Jackson’s hands on her shoulders and his baby blues gave her something to focus on, and the sudden panic receded bit by bit.

“Easy there. Breathe.” He made a show of inhaling and exhaling slowly himself, and she followed his lead. “Good.”

Fuck, why was his voice so damn soothing?

“Let me drive you home.”

She shook her head. “My car is here. I can get myself there. I’m fine.” If she said it enough times, it would be true, right? At that moment, her body betrayed her with a yawn.

“I’ll pick you back up when you’re ready to come in. Finn, you’re exhausted,” her partner urged. 

“Aren’t you running on the same amount of sleep as I am?” But the protest was feeble even to her ears. In truth, she was relieved that he used fatigue as an excuse and didn’t point out the panic attack she just had. No, that was simply a bit of residual fear. It’ll fade with time.

“Yeah, but I’ve had a lot more coffee than you.”

She eyed him, but another yawn made up her mind. She was too tired to drive, and Ms. Callaghan’s lecture was too fresh for her pride to stand in the way of common sense. “Fine.”

Jackson grinned. “Let’s get you home and to bed.”

That comment sent her imagination spiraling with inappropriate thoughts. It was better than the memory of water, but still… Yes, it was definitely time to let sleep give her some peace.