Chapter 11

Waking up to the smell of hospital sterilizers and medicine was not nice, but at least it was a tell-tale sign as to where exactly I’d woken up to find myself in. At least the room was clean, and I wasn’t sharing space with anyone else. Lord, I hated wards with anything more than one bed.

FBI probably would never afford such an expensive ward for a mere agent injured on duty, so I guessed it was Dorian’s work. Thanks to me, I’d helped Dorian amount a significant amount of cash through his fledging cons so that he wouldn’t have to worry further about money as he got more and more used to conning. Taking a little out of that bank account to provide a comfortable ward for his master – I guess I’d chosen the right guy to be my student.

I blinked a few times, listening to the dull, monotonous and continuous rhythmic beeps the machine at my side gave. I looked around, seeing the stand with the IV drip hanging. Otherwise, my ward seemed peaceful and undisturbed. Outside, nurses rushed past  to places, not bothering to take a look through the window inside. For the moment, I was grateful to be on my own to collect my wits.

I rubbed my chest, feeling quite a big sore and tightness there. I had been bandaged up, and boy, were the bandages tight. I felt weak at the moment, but no matter how weak my body was, at least my mind was beginning to pick up pace.

I took awhile to regain my bearings, then pressed the button at my bedside to call a nurse up. She smiled brightly –most probably a junior nurse, or a nurse who had only recently gotten her promotion judging by the oddity in the radiance of her smile –then went off to call a doctor. The doctor who checked me up seemed young but experienced. He did give my breasts slight hesitation, but ignored the shyness of a man and asked if he could check my wound. I gave him the thumbs up since I wasn’t embarrassed with my body, and I was really anxious to get myself to heal up. I didn’t want to be out of commission for long.

He concluded that I was doing well and advised for me to watch myself. He explained that my body could not accept blood transplant, so I was surviving on very low blood count. I told him that I had been suffering from the same thing for years, and he informed me that he had specifically requested for iron-rich diets for my stay in the hospital for me to replenish my blood was much as possible. I reassured him that I wouldn’t be doing any hard exercises anytime soon, and he was soon on his way off.

He seemed nice and friendly, though maybe a little too dirty-minded for a young doctor like him. Of course, being nice and friendly did not keep him off the premise that I had swiped his ID card from his pocket when he’d leaned in to listen to my heartbeat with his stethoscope.

I was left to my rest shortly afterwards, but my silence was not left for long, for my brother walked in without so much a warning. He stopped at the door when he saw that I was sitting up, and when I smiled slightly at him, the tears began filling up. Oh, he was just a baby!

“You’re okay!” He cried then ran over to hug me.

“Of course I am. Who else is going to be around to stop you from making silly mistakes?” I chuckled as I hugged him lightly too, trying my best to hide the pain that he was causing on my wound.

Thankfully, he let go of me quickly, just in case others saw me.

“Are you really sure you’re fine? Maybe you need to rest.”

I shook my head adamantly. “I’ve had enough of rest. Now tell me, have you dealt with Sofia?”

Hayden grinned, the same little boy grin that I had missed so much. It was as if Hayden had never pushed me away at all. It was as if for the past week, Hayden hadn’t been giving me the cold shoulder at all.

“Done with her, like you told us to. Dorian got my evidence out, we destroyed it. We changed surveillance tapes, tweaked a little of Sofia’s statement before we gave the case a wrap up. I just came from case wrap up, and you can count this as your successful eleventh, Miss. Francis.”

I gave a small sigh of relief, holding Hayden’s face close to mine. My twenty four year old brother didn’t complain a single bit, unafraid of being close to me, unafraid of holding my eye contact. He searched for something within me, and he must have found it, for the smile never wavered.

“I’m really glad to have you back by my side, Hayden. I really regret what I did years ago, and I know I can never make it up to you enough. But I’m really happy that you are willing to forget the past. Let’s just be us again. Let’s just be Hayden and Hayley again.”

This time, I was to one to initiate the hug –more gently than Hayden had done –and kept Hayden close to me. It felt as if the pieces of my world were finally falling back in piece. I had Dorian, I had Hayden. If I had…

I wasn’t going to begin to entertain thoughts like that again. Neal was gone. I didn’t want to believe that he was dead, but Neal was gone. The men in my life that I needed –Hayden and Dorian. They were here.

The door opened, and I let go of Hayden, pushing him gently to stand upright with a jolt.

“Clarke.” I greeted, trying to tame down the shock on my face while Hayden took my cue, smoothing down imaginary creases in his suit, then turning to greet our boss.

“Francis, it’s nice to see you up and well again.” Agent Clarke walked in the room with suspicion in his eyes, but he still kept a fake friendly front nonetheless.

“It’s nice to be up again.” I kept away the ‘well’ part, since I didn’t feel fit enough to go chasing criminals again. “Thanks for coming down personally to visit me.”

He left the fruit basket at the bedside table, taking the other side of the bed opposite Hayden.

“How are you feeling?” He asked conversationally, but his eyes pinned heavily on Hayden as my brother dragged up a chair over to his side of the bed.

“Weak, but so far so good. Apparently I have some problems with my blood, so I might need more time to rest. The doctor told me strictly to not overexert myself.”

Rainer gave a slight, charming smile that made him look suave. Once outside of his working boundaries, Rainer gave me the same feeling that he was awkward and wasn’t exactly sure what he should be doing.

“Is that subtle hint that you don’t want to be coming back anytime soon, Francis?”

“Please, call me Annabel outside the office. I’m just informing you, in case you get curious as to why I’m sleeping at home while you’re out there solving cases.”

“Call me Rainer, since we’re on first name basis. Well, you do realize I can send Yuri over to your place with files, and you can work that magic mind of yours at home? I don’t want our team to be seen as useless without you, no?”

“I’m sure you were closing cases with Seyfried’s help before I came. Just view me as a catalyst of some sort. I’m a workaholic sometimes.”

“Hey, aren’t we on first name basis? Call me Hayden, Anna. And about the workaholic thing? You can’t be truer on that…” My brother cut in, as if he wasn’t satisfied being the ignored one of the conversation.

“Bite me, then. There’s nothing wrong being a workaholic anyway.” I snapped gently back at him, still maintaining the façade of a friendly conversation between us three. Beneath this masquerade, Hayden and I knew that Rainer was onto something, and we were doing our best to keep him away from his answers. I hadn’t come up with a plan to get Hayden entirely free out of the FBI, but until I formulated a plan, Hayden and I had to tread around carefully.

“Whoa, reign in the Medusa, Lady. I wasn’t implying anything negative.” Hayden raised both hands to show surrender, and we both turned to see Rainer’s amused tilt of brow.

“Well, this is a first. What poison have you on him, Annabel? I have never gotten him to back down so quickly, and one bite from you, and he’s a docile puppy?” Rainer asked, as if genuinely curious.

“If I said I’m hanging the life he owes me because I saved him, is it going to mean anything?” I chanced a guess, trying to hit a scored. Of course, with Rainer, I should have known he wouldn’t back down.

“He owes me more than a few lives, Annabel. Yes, I’ve never gone diving in front of him to save a bullet, but I’ve been sliced and shot by Barrett more than a few times because of him, and look at him now. I’m sorry, but I’m not going to accept that.”

“How about the fact that a woman saved him?” I guessed again. Damned, I needed to think of something right now. Something that could temporarily answer the suspicious questions on his mind, something that could give Hayden and me an excuse of being close without raising questions.

Rainer thought about it for a moment, as if flipping through an internal profile he had on my little brother, then shook his head.

“Nope, not working for me.”

Crap. My last choice it is. I hadn’t wanted to do this, but it was a last resort…

I let my hands slowly creep up and interlocked with the fingers of my brother’s, keeping his hand in mine tight. I blushed slightly, trying to look embarrassed and caught while both Hayden and Rainer looked shocked –Rainer more than Hayden.

“I… um… You should know this, Rainer… since Hayden is your CI… I… um… am kind of… together with Hayden now.”

“What?!” The shocked exclamation came from both of them, but I jerked to Hayden, giving him signals through my eyes I hoped he understood.

“Please, Hayden. There’s no point keeping it away from Rainer. I’m tired of hiding and pretending. I don’t like you purposefully not talking or looking my way in the office. I know we shouldn’t entertain our feelings during work, but you’re making us look unnatural by being so cold! I’m sure Rainer saw that!” I put both hands on his now, as if trying to plead with him. This wasn’t the best of idea to come up with, but it was what I could make up so far. This was almost a flawless story, except for one loose end…

“What about Dorian? Isn’t he your boyfriend?” Rainer asked with a skeptical look.

“Um…”

“She doesn’t actually love Dorian. They’re going through a difficult time right now, and Dorian’s not happy with her. Damned if I’m the third party, Rainer, but I love her. So don’t you dare start lecturing me on what I shouldn’t do while wearing your stupid anklet.” Hayden held on tight to my hand, standing up as if trying to prove that he was serious about me. We were making a good love story now –though it was kind of awkward at act all in love with my brother –and it was an almost perfect cover.

If Dorian could help us with this at the moment…

The door slammed open, causing us all to jump.

“Annabel Francis! I will never forgive this! I turn my back to you for a moment, and you’ve fallen for a criminal? And you call yourself an FBI agent! Have you forgotten how I helped you get what you have so far? You’re going to regret this, Annabel. You’re going to regret you double-crossed me.” Dorian came stomping into the room, yelling at the top of his voice. The anger was written all across his face, and though we knew it was an act, it was almost too convincing.

I made my ‘extremely-caught’ face.

“D-D-Dorian…” My weak voice came out like a squeak.

“Just because we’ve hit a rough patch, you’re changing tunes? But you’re already glassy-eyed by this corrigible conman, aren’t you? You slut! Fine, I’ll grant your wish. Go, go whore with you conman. This must be the largest joke of all time! An FBI agent falling for a conman! Seyfried, no less!” Dorian advanced towards the bed with his explosion, and I shrank even further away. Damned, my student was good at this.

Hayden’s grip on my hand tightened painfully, and my little brother wedged his body between Dorian and mine, as if trying to protect me. With a free hand, Hayden put it on Dorian’s chest and pushed the fuming man stumbling a few steps back.

“It’s not her fault that you’re a lousy lover. Wash your mouth and watch your words, Dorian. Anna doesn’t love you, so just back off and give yourself some face. You’ve had your chance with her, now it’s my turn. So back off, unless you want things to get ugly.” Hayden warned carefully, and Rainer was already up his feet, ready to intercept in case any scuffles began warming up.

Dorian pushed back, until he was standing nose to nose with Hayden.

“Take your whore, then. Take your whore and have fun with her. Just know that where you will be –I have already been there. Just know that this woman that you love so is a whore and a slut, and she will leave you like how she left me. She will make you feel like you’re the happiest man; she will bring you down crashing like a plane without fuel.” Dorian growled, taking things a little overboard with the threats. The ‘crashing down like a plane’ part distantly reminded me painfully of Neal…

“Dorian… I…” I gave him the signal to back off with eye contact, and I hoped he knew that he had done enough.

“Shut up, bitch! You’re going to regret turning your back on me. Just you wait and see!” He snapped, and as if done with his angered speech, he stomped out of the ward, slamming the door behind him, and leaving us all in shocked silence.

We had to get rid of Rainer Clarke’s prying ears. There was nothing that made a man run faster than tears of a woman that did not belong to him. I turned on the perfectly timed tears, sobbing loudly in Hayden’s rushed and ‘loving’ embrace.

“Oh, Hayden…” I blabbered words that neither of us could understand, adding a little choking on my part to seem really convincing. Nothing –save more crying and bawling –made a man retreat better than making him feel useless in the calming down of a crying woman.

Hayden pretended to do all he could to calm me down, Rainer just standing by my bedside, doing nothing. Definitely for this socially awkward man, he didn’t know what he should be doing.

“Um… Hayden, I’ll just leave you with her…” Rainer spoke up unsurely, as if he really seemed to be caught between announcing his departure and just slinking away quietly.

Hayden didn’t even bother looking up.

“Go. Just go, and remember nothing of this.” He said fiercely, and Rainer was all too happy to scramble away like a scared bunny.

The explosion by Dorian had been perfect, and I made up my mind to reward him handsomely for his improvised, spur-of-the-moment act. Damned, he had been so convincing that that tears that fell almost felt real as they spilled down my cheeks.

We kept the façade on for a little longer, just in case Rainer decided –by some sick humanity –to check back on us again. When it was clear he wasn’t coming back, I wiped the tears on Hayden’s sleeve, getting an irritated grunt from him as he let me go, walking over to the other side of the bed to check on my gift basket, as if nothing had happened.

“Apple?” He asked in a manner as if there had been no interruption at all.

“No thanks. Pass me the phone. Someone needs a handsome reward today for his perfect performance.” I wiped the remains of the liquid on my face, collecting myself again.

The call took only a short while to pick up.

“Hi, this is Lindsey Polley. Can I get a suite book for tonight? Get me the best service you can offer for a man, lots of champagne. I’ll be sending a man over tonight, and I want him to be really happy tonight. You get what I mean?”

“Of course, ma’am. Might I know the name of your man?”

I looked over to my little brother, skinning the apple intently as if trying to ignore the present I was planning for my student who had fared perfectly well today.

“Actually, make it suites for two. One of them will be Dorian Renay. The other… Hayden Seyfried.”

My little brother turned around with a sparkle in his eyes at his name being spoken into the phone.

“Alright. Might I inquire when will they be coming in?”

“Night. Prepare a dinner for three too.”

“Right. I’ll make it work, Ms. Lindsey.”

“Make sure you do.” I ordered, and then hung up to meet a hug again.

“You got hookers for me? Sweet!” Hayden was like a teenager again, and though I knew I shouldn’t be spoiling him in such a way, what else did I know about Hayden that could cheer him up? Besides, Dorian loved some crazy time with hookers between times too.

“Let go of me, Hayden, and let me call Dorian.”

“Put it on speakers, I wanna hear his reaction.” My brother suggested as he took a bite from his skinned apple. I sighed, but obeyed nonetheless.

The phone picked up after one ring.

“Hey, Slut, how’s your date with Hayden going?” Dorian’s voice had a grin in it, and I sighed internally.

“You were great, Dory. How did you know?”

“Coincidence, actually. I heard Rainer’s voice, put my ear to the door and heard Hayden professing love to you. How do you feel about being incest?”

“Stop fooling around, Dory. Do you want to come in for the good news, or I’ll just tell you it through the phone?”

“I’m actually following after Clarke, just in case he got suspicious. What’s the news about?”

“Its okay, Dorian, you can stay off him for while. Apparently being incest with my brother can explain a few things –like how we’re going to spend way more private time together.”

“Now, I’m going to get jealous if you continue on that anytime soon, Anna.”

“Riiiight. Anyways, how would you like a night out in New York’s finest hooker club?”

“I sure feel like putting my junk into a hot woman now. Why?”

“I’ve booked you and Hayden a night at Lona Hotel. Free; all expenses paid.”

There was silence for a moment, which Hayden took another bite from his apple, raising a brow at the unexpected silence.

“I’m waiting for you to say that this is a joke, Hayley.”

“It’s not a joke, Dorian. You’re getting yourself a good rub-over today.”

Still silence. “Is Hayden listening?”

I looked up to my brother. “Yeah.”

“I knew it. I’m not going to give any reaction for his sake. I’m gonna take this in calmly, then I’m going to scream my happiness when I hang up this call.”

“You do realize we can hear you from the hospital if you do?” Hayden asked with a bite of apple playing in his mouth.

“Well, at least you won’t hear me going crazy through the phone. I’m going to hang up now; I can’t hold it in anymore.”

“Don’t get a boner.” I reminded gently.

“Don’t worry, I have one already. Thank you, Hayley. I looooooooooove you.” Dorian laughed, and then hung up quickly.

Shortly after, a shout erupted from someone below.

Hayden laughed lightly and shook his head.

“That’s your student, Hays?”

I pretended to cock my head to one side to listen to the shout, pretending to spend some time thinking about the voice.

“I think so. Sounds like Dorian.”

Hayden bit from the apple again.

“Sounds like a retard. How did you even get him?”

“Picked him up off the streets. Baby face, baby fingers.”

“Knew it. He has fingers that only you will fall for. You know –he probably would be a world-class pianist if you let him cultivate that side of him.”

“He already is. His family has deep musical backgrounds. He was working a professional pianist, sit-in violinist, substitute flutist and trumpet player in an orchestra when I found him. He played the saxophone at a jazz club where he tried –not very successfully –to lift wallets.” I replied, still tapping away at my phone. You would think I couldn’t survive without my phone, but…

I pressed the call button again, putting a finger to my lips to motion to my brother, a serious face put on though I couldn’t see my caller.

The phone picked up after a few rings.

“Speak.”

“It’s Hayley Seyfried.”

“You are awake from your little accident?” The voice sounded mildly surprised.

“I just woke up. What is your business sending my girls over here?”

“You need help with Dorian.”

“I have his work dealt perfectly. I have no time to be watching after them.”

“Jerlyn and Mabel can take care of themselves. They are to help you.”

“I don’t need help.”

“With Hayden Seyfried as an FBI Consultant? I know what you’re trying to do, Hayley.”

“You don’t. You don’t know what this is about, Tyler.”

“No, but I do know that a member of The Circle is posing as FBI now, and she has been shot on duty. You’re digging a hole too deep, Hayley. I’m doing this to help you.”

“Take Jerlyn and Mabel home. That’s how you’re going to help me, Tyler. Don’t give more problems than I already have.”

“Why don’t we talk this over a cup of tea? Or I can come visit you in your ward if you want.”

“Don’t interfere with my works, Tyler. I know you care, and I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but stay away for this. Let this be my friendly warning: Stay away from Hayden and Dorian.”

“Fine. But I have taken strange interest in your brother’s handler. Did you know Neal Kris’s father is Ryden Clarke?”

“What?” Neal’s father?

“I bet you didn’t. Could it be that Rainer Clarke is Neal’s half-brother?”

I took in a deep breath. “Stop this, Tyler. I don’t want to be pitting against you either.”

“I don’t want to either. But I don’t like what you’re doing to get Hayden Seyfried back into the con world. When The Circle hears of this, they’re going to be angry.”

“When Hayden comes back, The Circle will thank me for returning him back.”

“I’ll hold you to that, Hayley.” Tyler hung up without another word.

“Is that… Tyler Yule? The Tyler Yule?” Hayden asked immediately when I hung up, feeling my face turn black while I stared at my phone as if it had birthed horns.

“Don’t be so happy, Hayden. Tyler’s holding something above our heads, and I don’t like it. We need to pull you out of the FBI quick before he strikes. He’s got my girls coming to me.”

“Your girls?”

“My fans, my colleagues, my friends. If there’s anyone other than you and Dorian that can change my mind, the girls are the ones.”

“They sound terribly… in power.”

“That’s because I let them. But Tyler’s using them to dissuade me from getting you out of FBI.”

“Why?”

“You’re a threat to him. He doesn’t like Seyfrieds, and if you’re back in the con world, his place on The Circle is threatened.”

“You’re kidding. Tyler Yule is afraid of me?”

I took my brother’s face in both my hands, lowering him down to eye level.

“We’re not seventeen anymore, Hayden. With Tyler, Jerlyn and Mabel in this game, this is war.”