Targeted

[Ashi]

When Clark stopped and sat down, Claire leaned back against the trunk of a tree. She didn't sit, thinking she probably wouldn't be able to get back up if she did. Her entire body ached with fatigue, feeling like she'd expended the last bit of strength she had when she strangled the man in the woods. Her energy was steadily dwindling away; she was practically running on fumes. Digging through the many pockets on the remaining gear she wore, Claire tossed various items onto the ground. If they looked like they could have a tracking device or if they had no use, the items were discarded.

"Clark.." Claire heaved a heavy sigh, eyes downcast. "You can't live without hurting others or getting hurt. That's how relationships - of all kinds - work. Give and take. It's just the way of things. So don't let what Greg said define you." She said, all the while keeping her gaze fixed on the ground in front of her. There was something coming and she could feel it like breath down the back of her neck. "I won't say that the fate Greg spoke of was a favorable one. I can't say that it didn't scare me even a little or even that I'm used to receiving threats like that, but that's all it was: a threat. If it was going to come true, it wouldn't be because of you. It would happen because of a bunch of crazy shitheads. And I'd get myself out one way or another." Claire tried her best to be reassuring; although, her tone probably didn't sound as well as her words were meant.

"I'd be better off without a lot of things; that doesn't mean you're one of them." She wanted to say, but the words left her before she could muster the bravado. The impending something that she knew was coming came from Clark's mouth, those five words that portrayed his feelings towards her. "In love... with me?" Claire's mind reeled, their time together replaying over and over. Then, memories spilled forward and overwhelmed her. "That's really very, um, sweet? But.. I don't think... I don't think I'm ready.. yet." Claire's voice was soft and trailed into a thin treble barely louder than a whisper. She turned away and took a couple of steps.

"I don't really care what that bitch thinks. I never liked or voted for her, anyway." Claire glanced back over her shoulder. "Well, we better get going. Maybe we can pay someone for a ride if and when we find a road." At that she began walking. There wasn't any telling how long they walked. With no moon and scarcely any stars, it was difficult to determine the exact time of night or direction in which they were traveling. The stars did at least provide enough light that the two could pick their way through the shadows of the trees. At one point, Claire paused in mid-step, holding her arm out to stop Clark and listening intently. Over the sound of the trees, crickets, and the wind in the leaves was the sound of a car fading into the distance. Claire jogged, and after a matter of minutes, the trees thinned out and the black ribbon that was the road became visible.

"Yes! Now we can get a ride." Claire visibly perked up. She stepped nearly out into the road, peering around the curve of the two lane in attempt to see any on-coming vehicles. "Quick, we don't want to be wearing this stuff if someone drives by." She took off the gear and the black clothes and tossed them into the bushes, hiding the guns and spare ammo in her pockets. The familiar yellow glow of headlights shone through the trees and on the road, then a big rig came into view. It was pulling a large flat bed with half of a house on it, covered with plastic sheeting, the corner of which was flapping in the wind. "Come on, that's our ride!" Claire ran alongside the truck, which was easy enough to do considering it wasn't moving very fast around the bend. She grabbed the strap hooked onto the bed of the truck and jumped, pulling herself up into the house through the open plastic sheet and reaching out to pull Clark up.

The half of the house contained the kitchen, part of a living room and hallway, and a bedroom. Claire stepped well away from the edge and sank against the wall. "Well, we're south-bound, so we're halfway there already." She said with a wry smile, closing her eyes. "We can sneak out when the truck stops and get something to eat, maybe find another ride."

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Clark wasn't surprised that Claire didn't say she loved him too, and there was that voice in his head that told that this wasn't the time or the place to start a long term relationship with anyone. However, he did note that Claire did add the word "yet" at the end of her statement so that gave Clark a glimmer of hope. So Clark decided to let things stay the way that they were for the time being. Realizing that there was a chance but above all he needed to keep it cool for now. Claire knew how he felt so the next move was hers in that area.

Once they got inside their new "house" Clark sat down next to Claire as she closed her eyes. He said, "If we're still on the run in another couple of weeks I say we start making our way down to the Bahamas or someplace like that. If we're gonna be on the run we might as well enjoy it this roughing it and sneaking around crap has got to go." Clark chuckled a bit at that and his mind began to drift a bit. There were so many other things Clark wanted to say to get Claire to talk to him. The main reason was so that it would assure him that she really was there, and that they had escaped and that this wasn't some kind of Trust manipulation of his mind to get him to talk before killing him. He looked over and saw that Claire's eyes were shut and Clark felt it best to just leave things along for a while. Clark had a feeling if he sat there long enough he too would be falling asleep in a few moments.

As Clark slowly began to drift off to sleep his mind began to wander about the future. For all they knew they would be on the run for the foreseeable future, and with whom they were dealing with that was a distinct possibility. While Claire was still planning on getting Clark to Atlanta to testify he knew, especially after he saw The Trust's operation, there was no way that they were gonna get there. They would stop at nothing to make sure he didn't see the inside of a courtroom, and even if he did this whole situation was starting to make him question just exactly who could he trust. There was Claire and then…that was pretty much the list as far as he was concerned there was no one else. Not to mention there was no doubt in his mind that The Trust could make Greg's threat a reality with the greatest of ease, or worse she would be a pawn for emotional manipulation. Claire was strong though and she had proven that she could handle herself. She just broke into a Government Stronghold and got Clark out. Well technically he got them out, but the point was Clark saw in Claire a strong, smart, and beautiful young woman who was anything but the damsel in distress. In some ways Clark was now starting to know how Steve Trevor felt being with Wonder Woman all those years. Clark's eyes closed for a time hearing Claire breathing next to him was a very comforting sound. It made him realize that he wasn't alone in all of this. The last time Clark closed his eyes he thought for sure that he wasn't going to be opening them again, but knowing that Claire was nearby helped that situation out.

It was a sudden stop that made Clark open his eyes. It felt like he had been asleep for hours, but according to his watch it had only been about three hours. However, it was what he saw against the plastic that gave him cause to be concerned. Clark saw blue and white lights flashing on the outside. Could it be a random DUI check point? An accident? Or were they going to have to rely on just dumb luck yet again? Clark gently nudged Claire and once he was fairly certain she was awake. He merely pointed to the flashing lights on the plastic. Clark said in a whisper, "I would love to tell you that we have nothing to worry about at this point, but knowing the way things have been going for us I'm not that stupid." He saw a flashlight being shined into the front part of the house in a sweeping motion and he could hear others outside. Clark whispered, "We're dead right here, and if we run it's better than average they catch us. Not to mention if they walk in here it's all over." Clark's eyes darted all over the place and then they finally locked in on something. He said, "It's all we've got. Earlier tonight we went underground now we're going up." Clark quickly and quietly walked over to the middle of the hallway and pulled on a cord. It revealed a ceiling access to the attic and Clark climbed up and looked around. He came back to Claire and said, "It's gonna be closed quarters but we can hide behind the heating system up there, because we both know there's no way they're not gonna check up there at the least poke their heads up there if they come in. Let's go quietly."

Clark waited for Claire to come up the ladder and once she was up there he closed the access. There was enough moonlight shining through the vents that he could make out where Claire was behind the heating system. He laid next to her and Clark was right it was closed quarters. Clark said, "Once we get moving again we're getting out of the attic." Just then he could hear the plastic ruffling and footsteps below them. For the first time since this started Clark started to believe that their luck was about to run out.

 

[Ashi]

Claire didn't mean to doze off; it just sort of happened. For what felt like the first time since the whole ordeal started, she was able to just be with nothing to worry about. That and the relaxing sensation of just going along for the ride quickly eased her into an unintentionally deep sleep. She didn't even stir when she eventually slid down along the wall, flopped over on her side. Her dream took her back home to D.C., though not to her apartment.

Claire stood in the hallway, gaze fixed on a familiar wooden door which hung open. Across the doorway was yellow tape with "Crime Scene" stamped all over it. Every now and again, someone would pass by on the other side of the tape. To one side of the door, a police officer stood on watch, making sure no unauthorized personnel entered. Her eyes were red, face flushed, and arms crossed as a silent warning to all to leave her alone.

"Claire," Randy called to her from farther down the hall. He came to stand beside her; she didn't move to even look at him. "Claire.. What're you still doing here?" He sighed. "I live here." She muttered rather angrily. "I know, but you can't be here during the investigation. What happened to finding a place to stay?" Sympathy crept into Randy's voice and he spoke slowly, like one trying to soothe an upset child. "I know procedure." She snapped back, shrugging away his hand on her shoulder. She didn't answer his question. "You want to ensure that it's all done right, don't you? You need to let the police do their jobs." Randy tried. "'Police?!' Fuck the police! I'm fucking FBI! I should be the one investigating!" Claire yelled, slamming her fist on the wall. Randy pulled her into a hug. "Look, get what you need and you can come stay with me. Okay?"

The sudden stop caused Claire to roll forward, then back against the wall. Her head hit the wall with an audible thump and she stirred unhappily awake. She laid there a moment, trying to make sense of the commotion outside. There were the vague sounds of raised voices and flashing lights shone dimly through the plastic. Only when Clark nudged her did Claire actually sit up and take a look. It appeared to be some sort of traffic stop, as the flashing lights were clearly police. The question was why they were stopped. Was it a checkpoint? A DUI? Neither of those options really seemed plausible, at least not once the flashlights started sweeping across the house. It seemed more like they were looking for something or someone. Panic rose inside her, instantly replacing her tired grogginess with awake alertness.

As Clark pointed out the attic, Claire started to get up, but stopped. There were damp spots and drops of water on the floor from their wet clothes. She frantically felt around herself and the gear she carried for something to wipe the spots with. Her hands landed briefly on her breast in her momentary pat down and she remembered the socks she still had in her bra. She dug them out, damp but dryer than the rest of her clothes, and swiped them over the little droplets of water on the floor. Then she climbed the ladder as quietly and quickly as she could.

"I don't think this is a routine stop. They're looking for something. But as long as we stay quiet up here, we should be okay." Claire whispered as she squeezed into the barely-big-enough crevice behind the furnace. The space was tight, especially with the pack Claire had on. There was just enough moonlight coming through the vents to see by. If there was light coming in, that had to mean that they went directly outside. "What if we get on the roof? Lay flat against it? They won't find us. Climb back down once we're moving again and either come back in through the vent or use a window?" Claire proposed, glancing uncertainly at Clark.

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Clark could see the uncertainty on Claire's face in the moonlight. It wasn't a look he was used to seeing, and with his feeling of their luck running out Clark felt like he wanted to get sick to his stomach. However, projectile vomiting wasn't exactly a good idea at the time. Especially given the confined space and never has there ever been a documented case of someone vomiting quietly.

Clark thought about Claire's idea and he started to say in a whisper, "No, we need to hold on here for as…" it was at that moment he shifted his hand and felt something under him, it wasn't something that he relished feeling. It was a small wet spot and it dawned on Clark as he looked over to Claire and he whispered, "Claire our clothes are still damp enough to make puddles. The carpet absorbed some of it, but up here there's open spaces like the ones near us." Clark closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he continued, "Claire there's nothing up here to absorb the water under us. If one of them looks up and sees wet spots on the ceiling, we are dead. We have no room to maneuver, we sit up we are no longer on the wood but we'll be on the drywall which will crumble under us, and they got us outnumbered and outgunned." Clark opened his eyes and whispered, "Suddenly I'm loving the idea of the roof."

Clark saw a vent and slowly stood up on the wood. He gave a couple of tugs on the vent and laid back next to Claire again whispering, "It's bolted in and if we try to use our boots to knock it out we're screwed." Clark put his hands by his side and then felt something else. He smiled and said, "I think I got a way out." He pulled out a pocket knife and said, "I wish to thank the previous occupant of these clothes for being so nice to leave me a pocket knife." Clark opened up the knife and stood up. Using the screw driver blade Clark quickly and quietly as he could he began to work the screws. Clark's hands were sore and swollen from the work, but he got the screws out and set the vent on the floor. He stuck his head out for a moment and looked back to Claire and whispered, "Okay good news no one on the roof, however Claire…." Clark shook his head and said, "Bad news on two fronts. One, we are surrounded by a SWAT team, and two they are dressed just like us. To the average person, these uniforms in the dark could very easily pass for a SWAT uniform. Claire they found us already in a matter of hours. I set up the files to…." Once again there was another dawning realization for Clark as he said, "The clothes Claire. They must have sensors or tracking devices embedded in them. As long as we have them on we might as well have neon signs around our necks and it won't take 'em long to find our hiding place." Clark opened his back pack and said, "Quick we gotta change back into our previous clothing." Clark started to get undressed and said, "At this moment I don't give a damn about being modest." Clark was back in his jeans, black t-shirt and sneakers in what felt like record time. He didn't even try to get a look at Claire, because it wasn't the time for that and secondly if he had he was pretty sure Claire would punch him out.


Once they were changed Clark said, "We might be able to bluff them. Leave anything having to do with The Trust here and hope they aren't too curious." Clark climbed out to the roof, and once Claire had joined him he moved the vent back into place held it place from the outside. He whispered to Claire, "Hold your breath." As soon as he said that Clark heard the ladder access hatch open up. Clark looked over to Claire as he heard the footsteps in the attic. They heard a voice through the vent, "Base this is Snowbird, they were here but they're gone they left the clothes. They must've figured out how we tracked them." Then the familiar voice of Kilmont said, "They couldn't have gotten too far in only 4 hours as exhausted as they are. Besides in the next 12 hours they're going to be begging us to take 'em in after they're all over the news for the murder of North Carolina AG the most honored Gary Duncan. When I get done with his obituary he's gonna be a Saint, and with a little more creative flair on my part those two little pests will be the most wanted fugitives since Bonnie & Clyde. Bring it in everyone." Within a matter of minutes, the truck rolled out and once it did Clark let the vent go and got back into the attic. When Claire was back in with him he secured to vent and Clark said to Claire, "We got probably a little less than 12 hours to get our hands on whatever we can for survival and go off the grid for a long while Claire. They're about to make our faces and names our worst enemies." He looked at Claire and said, "Any bright ideas are welcomed here, because right now I'm about tapped out."

 

[Ashi]

Even if the roof wasn't the best idea, it was the only option Clark and Claire had left. With wet clothes making puddles on the floor of the attic, it wouldn't be long before the ceiling below would start to show water damage. Then, they'd be exposed. Claire searched her person for something that Clark could use to unfasten the vent cover, finding nothing small enough to fit into the grooves of the screw head. Dumb luck struck once again as he found a pocket knife. Unfortunately, his hands weren't made for things that required such fine motor skills. If he'd taken any longer to get the vent cover off, Claire would have pushed him aside and done so herself. Years of dressing dolls helped with such delicate operations.

It came as no surprise to Claire to hear there were SWAT operatives surrounding the truck or that the clothes were the method by which they were tracked down. After this, it would be a wonder if anything could surprise Claire anymore. She scrambled out from their hiding place and began stripping off the gear and what remained of the black clothing. It didn't matter if Clark looked or not, as she'd put those on over her clothes, so she was still dressed. Grabbing her guns, Claire climbed out of the vent and onto the roof, keeping as low and flat against it as she could.

"Bastards." Claire clenched her jaw. Every word Kilmont spoke pissed her off more and more; it took serious self control not to climb back down and shoot everyone. "The next time I see that bitch, I'll kill her. No hesitation." She promised to herself. If there was a chance that Claire would see her again, she would definitely take the opportunity to shoot her, even if it meant prison. The footsteps and voices below faded and shortly after the truck rolled away. Claire sat up, watching the flashing lights disappear around the curve of the road, then she climbed back down into the attic. The clothes and gear were gone, not that it mattered much.

"We continue on our current path. We'll sneak off when the truck stops closer to our destination. If we can get to the coast, we can walk. After that, it won't really matter." Claire sighed, clearly fed up with the whole situation. She sat down against the wall where the floor was solid, where she stayed. It just seemed safer up there in the attic, even if there was no one else still in the house. Every now and again, she would get up to look outside and check to see if she could see any signs indicating their location. When the truck finally stopped at a gas station, they had just reached South Carolina.

Rather than slip out through the plastic, Claire opted to open a window and climb out, as that side of the truck wasn't facing the gas pumps where people would be able to see them. She took a few dollars from Clark and went in to get something to eat and to see if she could find another ride that was southbound. There was an older couple headed to the beach, clearly because they were pulling a boat behind their station wagon. Claire's idea was to hide on the boat and get off once they got close to the beach. It would be a couple of days at best, walking along the beach to the place Claire had in mind, but at least they wouldn't have to deal with a great many people. It would be a nice change to walk on sand away from the road, than to walk in woods.

It was pretty easy to sneak off the boat when they stopped again in a resort town. The man only checked the integrity of the trailer's connection to the car before leaving. There were a number of restaurants and gift shops, crowded with people. It wasn't likely anyone would pay them much attention, or at least not enough to remember them later, which made it easy enough to get some dry clothes and food for the walk. It was starting to get dark by the time they made it to the beach.

"Nice isn't it? The open air and the salty breeze?" Claire took a deep breath, watching the stars that began to appear overhead. She stopped to take her shoes off and walked closer to the water. When the waves would come in, the water would just rush over her feet. It made a huge difference in their soreness. "And to think we're going to have this all to ourselves every day when we get there. We can swim and fish and just... just be."

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Just when Clark thought they were royally screwed on every level known to humanity Claire would always come through. The hiding in the boat was as close to a boat ride that Clark had ever known, and he was worried if they had to take a boat would he have his sea-legs or would he spend most of the trip leaning over the side. Given the alternatives of being drugged, forced to work for someone against his will while Claire was being used as a pawn, or sea-sickness. Sea-sickness was starting to look more attractive by the minute.

The dry clothes and food for the walk was a gift that Clark was loving. Periodically though Clark was checking the news channels that were on in some of the shops, and looking at web browsers when he could to make sure that there were no stories on them yet. So far so good, was his main thought and Clark was starting to breathe a little easier if only for the moment. Seeing Claire act as though she didn't have a care in the world as she moved among the people also helped Clark relax a bit more. The old adage of "hiding in plain sight" was proving to be most effective. If it wasn't for the fact that they were wanted by clandestine organization bent on World Wide Domination, they had been on the run since Pennsylvania, stolen several cars, and dozens of other crimes too numerous to mention this would feel like an ideal vacation.

Once they made the beach Clark let out a huge sigh and he followed Claire's lead of kicking off her shoes. Clark kicked off his as well and stood next to Claire. He looked at her in the moonlight as the ocean made its music around them. Clark had never seen anyone more breath taking than Claire at that moment with the moonlight around her, and the sense in her voice of just letting go. Clark wanted to lean over and kiss her, but he knew better than to do something that brazen at the moment. Instead he just looked away at his feet.

The water in the moonlight made him feel like, for just a moment, that the rest of the world didn't exist. He looked back at Claire and said, "At this moment Claire, just being sounds wonderful." Clark let out and exhale and said, "Seeing everything we just saw, The Trust, what they can do, living by the skin of our teeth, relying on luck, and all that crap. I don't give a shit anymore Claire." He shook his head and said, "Kilmont, what she can do to us, who is involved, who isn't, what they wanna do, all that crap. I don't care anymore. I just wanna stay with you and just live. We go public with what we know…" Clark looked at Claire and said, "They file us under the heading of conspiracy nuts and all that. The Trust comes after us and we go back on the run. I don't care anymore Claire. This whole thing was a set-up even if we get to Atlanta by the time we get there it's all under the carpet anyway, and who knows what else will happen to us between here and there."

Clark realized that what he was saying was hard for Claire to hear. That he was just giving up that basically she wasn't going to be able to follow through on her assignment. Then again, Claire was already supposed to be dead. What they really needed now was just to settle down for a bit and regroup. Clark was truly surprised being out in the dark and not seeing any red-dots popping up on them.

Clark then stepped away from Claire and began to remove his clothes right down to his boxer briefs. He said, "I haven't been to the beach since I was 12 years old. It's time to take advantage of the moment while I got it." With that Clark sprinted off and dove into the water. He came back up for air and said, "It's a bit chilly, but at this moment it feels wonderful."

 

[Ashi]

Claire winced seemingly in pain at Clark's declaration. While not physically, it hurt a little that he said he didn't care. After all they had been through, how could he not? It was arguable whether or not it hurt her pride as an agent. This was rapidly becoming more than just an assignment; it was almost as if everything that happened was fated to do so. It was starting to feel more and more like a calling and to have Clark brush away all of their efforts left her stricken. Claire turned so that Clark couldn't see her face, knowing her expression wasn't one she wanted him to see. She didn't turn back until she heard Clark's splashing in the water.

"Clark, what are you doing? I didn't mean swim now." Claire asked incredulously, shaking her head. She struggled to keep the smile from her face, the laugh from her voice. "It's high tide. What if you get swept out to sea?" She called over the waves lapping the shore. Part of her wanted to tell him to get out and get dressed so they could be on their way; the other part of her wanted to live a little even if only for a moment. Against her better judgement, Claire threw her clothes on the sand and dove into the next wave. She surfaced a yard or so away, pushing her hair from her face. "Seriously though, we shouldn't waste too much time." She said and splashed Clark.

Once back on shore, Claire used her shirt to dry off. She didn't bother putting her shoes back on yet, opting to carry them for a while. Frequently she scanned the area beyond the beach, where the tall dry grasses grew and the beach houses beyond that. She was looking for anything they could possibly use to cut the walk short: four wheelers sitting out or row boats or canoes. There wasn't anything like that visible from where they were, though. "Oh well. I don't mind walking." Claire thought with a glance to Clark. Maybe farther along, where the houses were farther apart, they would stand a better chance of snagging something.

The sky gradually brightened, the ocean turning from black to blue-green. The beach houses had grown few and far between with no sign of the tall buildings that marked resort or vacation spots. Claire had steadily redirected she and Clark closer to the houses, scanning the lots of grass and sand. A few times, she would bid Clark to wait where he was while she moved closer to check something out. Only once did she find something useful. Beneath the elevated deck of a house on stilts were a couple of bicycles. Pedaling over sand could be difficult, but at least it would get them to where they were going that much faster. The only real obstacle was having to walk them over or around rock quarries, aside from the need for sleep and food.

Hellbent on getting to the beach house, Claire said that they could eat and sleep when they got there, since they would have plenty of time. Though she wouldn't admit it, the closer they got, the more uneasy Claire became. It wasn't the same unease she'd been feeling with all of the danger and turmoil; it was an emotional unease. It was that, even after having decided they would seek refuge there, Claire wasn't sure she could even step foot in the door.

 

[MST3K 4ever]

As they got out of the water Clark was smiling like a kid who had just gotten the good girl of the school to cut a class. The feel of the water on his skin and seeing Claire splash around and enjoy herself if only for a moment he felt happy and alive. The walk along the way to the beach house was longer than he thought it would be, and exhaustion was starting to set in. During the time Clark had time to reflect upon what he had said earlier to Claire, and a great deal of guilt had started to set in. She was risking her career and life to try and keep him alive. He was ready to just throw it all away like it was a bad road trip and just move on with his life. When in reality his life was over, and for the most part so was Claire's. There was no coming back from this, and even if they did manage to survive and outwit and beat The Trust; then what?

As they approached a couple of bikes Clark said, "Claire I'm sorry." He looked at her and said, "Just before our impromptu swim session he said somethings that were way out of line. I realize that giving up isn't in your nature, and it usually isn't in mine either, but after seeing what I saw in that compound and what you and I have experienced I just felt so beaten and downhearted." Clark leaned against a stilt and said, "I failed to realize how this was affecting you as well, and I'm sorry for being selfish Claire. Truth is if it wasn't for you I'd be dead already, and I'm willing to go through whatever we need to go through to win." Clark stood up a little straighter and a little taller as he said, "Yeah my life wasn't exactly a thrill a minute and some may even say it was damn boring, but it was mine!" Clark was no longer leaning on the stilt and felt a second burst of energy as he said, "And those monsters are trying to take not only my life and destroy it, but they are determined to hurt someone I care for." Clark shook his head and said, "I'm ready to fight back not just for my life but for yours Claire, and if we fail well then Damnit at least we fail on our terms and not theirs!"

Clark was suddenly recharged and unlike his earlier "Spenser Persona" this felt real. He was determined to win or die trying. Clark wasn't going to accept that this was the way that it was anymore. He walked over and kissed Claire very quickly and said, "Let's get to the beach house, and get some rest. If it has a laptop and Wi-Fi I can do some amazing things that might not only help us out, but get some questions answered. Randy told us to go to Atlanta so there must be a reason other than the Courthouse. Which I will bet is a cover for something else." Clark nodded and said, "Okay let's go get some answers. They're counting on us being afraid and laying low. I can do the lay low part pretty good, but being afraid…" Clark shook his head and said, "No more."

 

[Ashi]

"Look, Clark.." Claire started to speak when Clark apologized. It never failed; whenever someone apologized, there was always a "but." There was always some sort of heavy baggage to come with it that she would have to carry. It was never just an apology. Even so, she couldn't quite bring herself to just cut Clark off. What he said almost made her wish she had, though she didn't quite understand why. Perhaps because it forced her to reflect upon herself in a way she'd been trying to avoid. Quite contrarily she also felt a little uplifted. There was something in Clark's determination that renewed her own, like throwing fuel on a fire. That didn't change her feelings about the beach house though.

"I, um, I don't know - if it has any of that. Um, it's been a while since I've been there." Claire stammered as their lips parted, trying to regain her composure. Her cheeks flushed pink and her heart beat fast. It reminded her of another kiss, one that awarded the other party a firm slap across the face; however, she wasn't going to slap Clark. "If Randy does have a plan, I sure wish the idiot would tell me.. somehow." She said, speaking mostly to herself. She'd tried to stop even thinking about her partner and whether or not he was even alive. For if he was, surely he would have let her know, right? If all else failed, he at least knew he could find her on the beach.

The coast stretched on before them, sight of civilization long gone aside from the occasional house. When the last house they'd crossed paths with was well over a mile behind them, there was visible on the sandy horizon a dark roof. As they got closer, the sand sloped up into a hill with grass nearly waist-high and what remained of a wooden fence. The brown shingled house stood on short white stilts, surrounded by shrubbery, with stairs leading up to the deck. There were solar panels on the roof. Claire hopped off the bike, letting it crash in the bushes by the stairs, and stood staring up at the dark windows. She swallowed hard, trying to calm her jitters, and started up towards the door.

"Before we go in: I know you're going to have questions, but I'm not answering any right now. Let's just.. chill for a while, kay?" Claire said with a precarious gaze into Clark's eyes. She felt the molding around the door and the windows where she found the key. The door opened onto the living room, where Claire went to turn on a lamp since the blinds and curtains prevented any sunlight from entering. "Okay, so the water may need a minute to heat up, but there are two showers. I'd prefer we bathe before we touch any furniture, since you know, swimming in raw sewage and all. There are clothes in the closets and dressers. The room at the end of the hall upstairs is all yours." Claire gestured for Clark to follow her upstairs.

"If you finish before me, if you're hungry, there's plenty of canned stuff in the pantry. Feel free to help yourself."

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Clark was noticing that Claire was understandably nervous. Even more so than when they were running away from someone or their given situation dictated. When she mentioned not asking about the beach house Clark's curiosity was understandably peaked, but he also knew that when Claire said something along the lines of making a request that the best thing to do was to honor it. It was a nice beach house that was out of the way, and if anyone was coming they would be spotted well in advance. This, for the time being seemed like the ideal place to hideout and to catch their breath. It was obvious to see that the beach house was familiar to Claire. Especially since she was able to locate the key so quickly. When Clark got inside he didn't see anything that would tip him off as to the reason for Claire's anxiety. Although, he did have a feeling that at some point he would find out and that would go a long way to unravel the mystery that was Claire Bennett.

Clark got to his room and said, "A shower sounds divine Claire thank you." Clark gave her a smile and closed the door. One could've used a stop watch to see how long it took Clark to get out of his clothes and into the shower. Heeding Claire's advice about the showers Clark cut on the shower to let it warm up. He found some plastic bags underneath the bathroom sink and put his clothes in them. If Clark never saw those clothes again he would be just as happy since they would always serve as a reminder to what was happening to them.

Stepping into the shower Clark just let the water beat all over him, and he stood there just absorbing every single droplet into his skin. Clark closed his eyes and let out a sizable exhale as it just felt like his worries and cares about their situation were dripping away with the water down the drain. Clark knew that there would be times when his courage would ebb and flow in this situation, but there would be two things that would carry him forward. One, he was being used as a pawn to help a group who felt the only way to help humanity was to rule over it. Two, Claire was willing to put herself in the line of fire for a computer programmer from Pittsburgh, and that spoke volumes for her in Clark's eyes. Now though she was someone Clark loved and whether she felt the same or not didn't matter to him. Clark was going to earn her love or die trying and The Trust was prepared to either kill her or use her to control Clark. That thought made Clark's blood boil and gave him a fire in his gut that wasn't going out anytime soon.

Once he was done in the shower Clark found a pair of gray running shorts and a black tank top. He said, "Okay I'm at the beach might as well enjoy it. While I can anyway." Clark made his way down the stairs and didn't see Claire. He realized that he was starving and his blood sugar was getting low, so he decided to take advantage of the pantry that Claire spoke about. He didn't see anything that really appealed to him but checking the fridge Clark saw several types of fruit. Clark said, "Okay now we're talking. There's enough fruit in here for a good fruit salad for two." He got out a cutting board and began cutting up a few of the fruits he found in there, and just for good measure Clark added some ginger crystals. As he began to make the fruit salad Clark cut on the nearby radio. Not really to see if there was anything about them yet, because Clark screwed up The Trust's files enough to give them about 2-3 days' head start before they could effectively track them again. In this case it was more to just feel like he was at home fixing himself something to eat, and music helped that case all the time. Clark found an 80's dance party station and said, "Why not?" as he put the finishing touches on the fruit salad and fixed some lemon water for him and Claire.

 

[Ashi]

"Sure. Enjoy it," Claire offered a wan smile just before Clark closed the door, which faded as she turned towards her own room. It took her several minutes to cover the few yards of the corridor that normally only took seconds, each step more difficult to take than the last. For what felt like forever she merely stood staring at the door knob as if she expected the door to open on its own. Finally Claire reached out and opened the door. It opened with a creak onto the tidy queen-sized bed.

Though the golden light of the sun just before dusk filled the room with warmth, Claire found it cold. She closed the door behind her, the soft click stifled by the loud thudding of her heartbeat in her ears. Claire's eyes fell on the bed-side table, where there sat a lamp and a picture in a simple frame. The faces in the photo were familiar and foreign at the same time. One such face was her own, bearing a smile even Claire hadn't seen on her face since the time it was taken. She was embracing the young man next to her, whose arm was around her shoulders. There were pictures just like this all over the beach house. Claire's lips trembled and she forcefully turned away and entered the attached bathroom.

Claire's shower didn't last very long; she spent a majority of her time upstairs merely staring at herself in the foggy mirror and trying to determine what to put on. In the closet and the dresser were clothes she'd forgotten she ever owned. They were of a softer, more colorful variety than her current dark work wardrobe. Since it was late, she opted for pajamas, not that she would be able to sleep that night. Claire could hear the music before she even opened the bedroom door and she raised a brow as she stepped downstairs.

"Having a party down here?" Claire joked, coming to stand in the doorway of the kitchen. She watched Clark chop the fruit curiously. Not only was it strange that there was fruit, but it was strange that it was fresh. She marched over to the fridge and flung it open, inspecting its contents with an increasing feeling of dread. Letting the fridge close, she went to the living room where she swiped her hand over the top of the coffee table. There was minimal dust; it had been cleaned recently. "Nancy.." She sighed, forking her fingers through her mostly damp hair. It couldn't have been more than a week since the woman had been there. Claire had forgotten that she would stop in and clean the place up. She hoped that Nancy wouldn't drop in on her and Clark during their stay. What concerned Claire the most about it was that she failed to even notice when she walked through the door.

"Need some Eagles or Guns N' Roses." Looking to change the subject before Clark could even start on it, Claire turned up the radio.

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Clark noticed Claire's upbeat mood was mixed with a sense of anxiety. There was something about this place that was throwing her off her game was one of Clark's observations. He figured eventually she would tell him what it was, and for now it was time to just enjoy not being shot at, not being threatened with being drugged, not stealing a car, seeing people die around them or any of that crap. For now, it was a time to just as she said earlier…to just be. The Trust, people chasing them, figuring out their next move were things that could wait for now. Clark smirked and said, "Hey I just settled on the first thing that didn't sound like everything else on the radio now days. Besides since I am the guy doing the meal prep I get to call the shots on the radio." He glanced over at Claire and said, "However, I have always been taught that listening to my…." Clark really didn't know what to call Claire. Their relationship wasn't really protector and witness anymore, Clark wasn't about to call Claire's his partner because he had no right to do that, traveling companion didn't work either, and then he finally settled on "friends is always advisable." Clark turned the dial and finally found a classic rock station. Van Halen was singing about "Dancing in the streets" and Clark nodded with approval.

Clark noticed a loaf of French Bread, cut a some of it into slices, buttered them, and put them in the toaster oven. Clark said, "We need some carbs to go with this too. After eating fast food and stuff like that for so long I think our bodies won't know what to do with this kind of food." Clark opened up a couple of the cabinets and found the plates. He set the table and Clark said, "Please have a seat things are just about done. Might as well sit back and just enjoy being at a good place right now." Clark looked over at Claire and said, "My older brother said that one day I would make someone a great wife with my domestic skills. That used to annoy the Hell out of me. Right now though, I see it was his way of letting me know he appreciated me. He wasn't one who was good at expressing himself unless it was on the Football field, but he always had my back. He wasn't good at telling me that, but he always showed it in other ways."

The toaster oven dinged and Clark brought the bread to the table. He sat down and said, "Okay I think we're ready let's eat." Clark bowed his head said a brief silent prayer and crossed himself when he was done. He said, "Parents always good to keep in touch with God. Figured now was a good time to do that. Anyway hope you like it." Clark poured himself a glass of lemon water and scooped out a couple spoon fulls of the fruit salad. He began to eat and then he stopped himself. Clark said, "Claire I know we said now was a good time to just be my sub-conscious has been working on something it's now coming to the forefront." Clark looked at Claire and said, "Randy at the safe house said we needed to get to the Federal Building in Atlanta to the Court House. Claire if that were the case why wouldn't the Feds in Atlanta be looking for us as well?" Clark took a couple bites of bread and said, "Randy didn't call anyone or give any indication that things had gone South." Clark took a swig of his water and asked "Claire, what if Randy was trying to give us some kind of warning? That what he said was some kind of code we're supposed to crack open. If you notice he was the only agent returning fire. What if Randy was the only legit agent besides you and the rest were connected to The Trust? Face it Claire if Randy was with them he could've killed us both."

Clark took a couple more bites of his fruit and said, "As soon as we finish this and get a little bit of rest in us I say we get me to a computer and we find out what Randy was trying to tell us."

 

[Ashi]

Claire parked herself in one of the four chairs that surrounded the table, propping her legs up on the table with one crossed over the other. Despite the relaxed position, she wasn't the least bit comfortable. There was too much on her mind for her to feel at ease. It had nothing to do with The Trust or all of the hell she and Clark went through just to get to that point; she wasn't even thinking about her partner. She could see her memories of that kitchen as if they were happening right in front of her, the people in them almost substantial to her. Claire barely heard what Clark said about the food, distracted by another conversation.

"Sounds like Colt." Claire said as she returned to the present. "Always looking out for me even when I said I could look out for myself, not to mention scaring away boys. Talk about annoying. He did better with actions than with words when it came to feelings. He was practically made for the Corps." She recalled aloud, smiling a little at the memories of her childhood. It was funny to her how she and her brother never even went to school together, since he was six years her senior, yet he was always there to keep an eye on her. Briefly she wondered how he was doing and if things remained quiet for him after she and Clark had dropped in. It wasn't like he couldn't handle himself when push came to shove, though.

Starting to reach for her fork, Claire paused when Clark took a moment to pray. She hadn't prayed over a meal in a long time but had manners enough to at least wait until he was done before digging in. "You don't have to explain yourself," Claire said softly as she poured a glass of water and scooped some fruit. She got one bite in before very nearly losing her appetite from Clark's words. "What are you talking about? Of course Randy's legit." She snapped, jabbing her fork into a piece of fruit. "He's my partner. We've been together since the beginning.. He wouldn't betray me like that. I have no doubt that he's on our side and that, if he could contact us without putting us in danger, he would." Claire's tone was indication enough that she was done speaking on that subject. It was also indication that she believed Randy to be alive somewhere, waiting for the most opportune moment to leap into action. She refused to believe otherwise.

Claire didn't speak the remainder of her time at the table. Once she finished, she didn't get any more, rather she stood and took her plate to the sink. In the doorway, she paused and turned briefly to Clark. "We'll see." She said and headed upstairs to her room. The only sound she made was the closing of the door. "I'm so tired. I need my fucking Valium." Claire flopped across the width of the bed, face buried in the blanket. Even though she was exhausted in her last extremity, she wouldn't sleep much if she managed to sleep at all. What remained of her pills after drugging Clark's cousin was lost in the fire at the gas station.

 

[MST3K 4ever]

After watching Claire storm off Clark said to himself, "And there's a line that I shouldn't have crossed." He shook his head slowly as he cleaned up the meal. Clark didn't mean to imply that Randy wasn't on their side, and it came out completely wrong. His first instinct was to go apologize to Claire, but the voice in his head told him to stay away. What Claire needed right now was space. Being a human target, realizing that many of the people who over you in command saw you as expendable, wanting to believe that her partner was still alive, having a witness who was head over heels for you, and being in an environment that was obviously making her uncomfortable would be enough to make anyone nuts. Through it all though Claire was handling it better than most people would in Clark's eyes.

The beach itself was less than thirty yards out the back door, and the chill in the house was more than Clark could take at the moment. Sitting on the beach felt divine to Clark, but his instincts were telling him that there was mystery to be solved. Clark got out the phone book and a map of the area. He saw that the library was about ten blocks over from the house. Slipping on a pair of Nikes and a gray ball cap Clark did some light stretching figuring that a light jog to the library was just the thing for him. Clark walked over to Claire's door and said, "Claire, I didn't mean to imply anything against Randy. The words came out wrong. I'm sorry. I'm going out for a jog to the library I want some answers."

Clark left before he could hear Claire's reply. Claire was tired and pissed off and Clark was the source of it all in his eyes. He started to feel just like he did at the gas station, but this time Clark was going off to feel sorry from himself. This time Clark was out to channel those feelings of guilt and frustration into something useful. Clark wasn't worried about The Trust at the moment he figured the earliest they could take any action against them was not for at least another 3 days. The way he played around with their files they weren't going to anything more dangerous than play Solitaire for a while.

The jog was just what the doctor ordered with each step Clark felt more alive than before, and more focused on the task at hand. The library was not exactly the Library of Congress, but it was enough for him to do some research. He asked the young lady named Emily behind the desk for some scrap paper and a pen. She was more than willing to help as she handed Clark about five sheets of paper and a pen. Clark didn't want to do any research online at the library because it could all be traced easily, but if he had a Wi-Fi Router and a Lap-Top he could easily cover their signal. For now, though researching the old fashion way would have to be enough.

Clark walked over to a public computer and used the library catalog. He pulled up several books on the Federal Court System in the Reference Section. Clark walked over and began scouring over them. In a matter of minutes, he had four books opened up and spread out on a table. Clark discovered that the District Court Room Randy told them about didn't exist, and the only Judge Parker in that area retired over six years ago and died two years after his retirement. Clark concluded that the only way to crack that part of the mystery was online, and getting a Lap-Top with a Router was now becoming a priority. Clark spent what felt like hours researching Illuminates, New World Order Societies, how to survive off the grid, and of course Vice President Karen Wilmont. Emily gave Clark sheets and more sheets of paper, and when he was ready to go she gave him a bag to haul all his papers.

When Clark left the library he had about thirty pages of research front and back. Clark was on a role in this respect and he was ready to get online to confirm what his initial research told him. While the research was helpful Clark knew the information was dated, and he needed more than what a small town beach library told him. Clark had spent all day in the library and was hoping that Claire got some peace of mind with the quiet while he was gone.

Clark arrived back at the beach house and poured himself some more lemon water. Clark then began to spread out his research all over the table. He put them in separate stacks according to categories. One was for living off the grid and hiding in plain sight, another about Illuminates/Secret Societies, Haddon Industries, and the last one was Karen Wilmont. Clark then found a full sized desk calendar that was over a year old. He turned it over and got out a black marker which he began diagraming Illuminates/Secret Societies, Haddon Industries, and Karen Wilmont. What did they have in common? What did they differ on? Where did the lines intersect? Clark said, "It's a start. Just need a moment to rest." Clark sat down in an easy chair and then before he knew it he was asleep.

 

[Ashi]

Claire knew Clark was at the door before he spoke. If not for the sound of his footsteps, then she could tell due to the distinct creak of the floorboards in the hallway. By that time, she had turned onto her side, her back to the door. She made no move to approach the door or even turn her head to look at it. She gave no utterance to Clark's apology, not even a sigh. There was a little hesitance to let him go to the library; however, she brushed it aside. Clark had said that they had a few days before The Trust could get back on their trail. So what could a trip to the library hurt, even if it did seem pointless? That library hadn't been updated in forever as far as Claire knew; the most recent records they had were years old. But research was one of Clark's strong points.

There was a quiet stillness on the backwash of the door closing, the sound of the ticking clock and distant waves lapping the shore producing a relaxing effect. Claire managed to doze off, though she didn't remember doing so. She woke with a start at the sound of the door and looked to the clock. It hadn't even been an hour. "Of course, just when I manage to sleep." She thought and sat up. There was a strange lack of noise from downstairs that caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand up. Grabbing her gun, Claire opened the door and looked down over the balustrade to the empty living room. The shade covering the glass door was swaying slowly from side to side. She could hear the fridge open in the kitchen; and she started down the stairs.

"Clark?" Claire called from the bottom step as she tried to peer around the corner to get a visual. When no answer came, she crept as silently and carefully as she could towards the kitchen, gun aimed at the floor and ready to shoot. As she got closer to the doorway, she could see a person, bent over and digging around in the fridge. The person was much too short to be Clark, clearly from the length of leg. She pulled the hammer back on the pistol and raised it. "Freeze! Hands up where I can see 'em!" She commanded. The person shrieked and whirled around, hands up in a gesture of surrender. "Wha-- Nancy?!" Claire dropped her gun by her side. "You scared the shit outta me! I thought you were-- God, I could have shot you!"

"Clarice Bennett! Do you always go swinging that gun around willy-nilly, scaring folks like that?" The older woman asked, placing a hand to her chest with a deep breath. Claire shook her head and tucked her gun away. "What're you doing here? Why didn't you answer when I called out?" She crossed her arms uncomfortably. "Well, I had a feeling you'd stop in here so I came to put groceries in the fridge. More groceries, that is. I was here just a few days ago. Call it the will of God. And I didn't hear you call, honey, my hearing's not what it used to be." Nancy said, finally catching her breath. There was a moment of silence between the two before the blonde woman smiled and motioned for Claire to give her a hug. Claire did albeit she felt a bit awkward.

"So what brings you out this way, dear?" Nancy asked as she continued to put food away. "U-uh, work. I needed a place to crash while I'm in the area and I figured why spend money on a hotel?" Claire was quick to come up with an excuse; although it technically wasn't a lie. She was there for work. "Oh? Is Randel - he's still your partner isn't he - is he here with you? How's work?" This took Claire a moment to think on. "No, Randy is on the same case but he got sent to another branch to investigate a lead. I'm training one of the newbies, Clark. This is our first case together. It's going pretty well so far." Claire answered, feeling pretty proud of herself for thinking of that off the top of her head. She paused a moment then asked, "How're you and Rob?"

"Robert, he's fine. He retires this year and has already bought a boat to bring sailing. I can't really complain." Nancy said with a sigh. She knew that wasn't really what Claire was asking. "It's been a roller coaster ride, but we're getting along as best we can. Rob says the boat will be the beginning of a new life for us. Are you still having sleeping troubles?" Claire could only nod, not trusting herself to speak with the knot forming in her throat. "It got a little better with the Valium, but it's still.. you know." She turned and walked towards the window to look out. "Have you talked to anyone about it?" Nancy asked to which Claire shook her head. "Why don't we go for a walk and we can chat, hm? That always used to help me during difficult times." The two finished putting away the groceries before heading down to the beach for a walk.

By the time Claire returned, Clark was sleeping in the recliner. She entered the kitchen to get a drink and noticed the papers on the table. "Forget the water, I'm going for the booze." She thought, grabbing a bottle from a cabinet and flopping across the couch to drink from it.

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Clark looked over at the clock and realized that he had been asleep for a good three hours. He shook his head and said with a lot of anger in his voice, "I just killed a lot of momentum with that nap! Not good Walton." He slapped himself in the face twice trying to make sure he was fully awake. Just then he looked over and saw Claire sitting on the couch with a bottle. That said a few things to Clark. One, he was a very sound sleeper he didn't even hear Claire come into the house. Two, if she was still pissed off at Clark she could've just gone up to her bedroom. Three, her holding bottle meant that she obviously not in the frame of mind to hear what Clark had to say about his day. Lastly, maybe it was time for Clark to just take it easy for a bit. Claire was taking it easy maybe he had earned the right to do likewise.

Clark let out a bit of an exhale and ran his fingers thru his hair as he said, "I made some potential connections today. As many as I could considering the limited resources that a small beach town library has to offer. We gotta get a laptop and a router so I can do some more digging Claire. I know I keep saying that a lot, and I'm sorry to sound like a kid wanting the latest Christmas toy. However, I'm convinced that there's not only a lot more information online for us to follow, but something Randy said coincides with my research. It's concerning the court house and the judge he told us we had to see." Clark began to pace a bit and said, "Claire, the only Judge Parker in that area has been retired for six years and dead for the last two of them. The courtroom in the courthouse…" Clark shook his head and said, "It doesn't exist. Which all tells me that we need to go online because it won't surprise me if Randy left us a trail of bread crumbs to follow. In terms of getting online that'll be a synch. There are enough routers and Wi-Fi signals I know how to piggy back our signal onto someone else's, and how to bounce it off of the satellite dishes here. If anyone tries to run a trace they'll think we're in Havana or New Orleans or some other place."

Clark stopped pacing and said, "There's a lot more I learned today and I'm sure I haven't even scratched the surface, but you know what…" He looked at Claire and said, "I'm done for the day. I've gotten some research done and busted my ass off trying to put together a picture with what is tantamount to knives and bear-skins. Frankly, I think I've earned my downtime for the rest of the day. I can't think any more about it Claire. I'm done." He started to walk away and then stopped. Clark looked back at Claire and said, "Again, I'm sorry about what I said this morning. I didn't mean to imply that Randy was a dirty agent. It came out wrong. I know you will enough that you wouldn't associate with people of questionable character." Clark shrugged his shoulders and said, "Well with the exception of me, but I like to believe my being a pain in the ass is part of my charm. Then again I like to believe a lot of things, but that doesn't necessarily make them true though."

Clark walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of unopened Jack Daniels. He walked back over to the easy chair and sat down. Clark said, "Just to warn you I get competitive when I drink. Meaning I will keep up with you, so whenever you're ready let's just throw a few back and just enjoy the evening." Clark opened the bottle and took a swig. He coughed a bit and said, "Okay I don't do this too often, but I do it enough that I'm not a lightweight." With that he took another swig and said, "In any case, thank you for your help. A week ago, I couldn't have even dreamed of coming out of my shell the way I have without your help. Thank you Claire." Clark threw back another swig.

 

[Ashi]

Claire and Nancy walked along the beach, side by side, the foaming waves rushing over their bare feet as they hit the shore. There was a silence between them that even the ocean and the seagulls understood for neither the waves nor the birds made a sound. Claire ran her fingers through her hair, the wind tossing it gently on her shoulders. With finality Nancy heaved a sigh. "It's been a while since I've even been up here. After James.. I started to dread it and would only come tend to the house every couple of months. I couldn't quite bring myself to the place he loved so much only because it would make me miss him more." She said without looking up from the sand in front of her feet. "But I do find peace in remembering the times we shared here. I know he would want me to think happily, rather than be sad for him."

"I know; Jamie always looked on the bright side of things. I know he wouldn't want me to dwell on... his loss, but.. I can't help but feel responsible. I never knew - I was never able to find out who it was, or why they did it.. His killer is still out there and I can't just.. I don't feel like I can move on until I solve Jamie's case." Claire said, fighting to keep her voice steady. "And I still don't know what he was trying to tell me when he died. He said to 'stay strong and be-', well, be what?! What am I supposed to be? All I am is.. all I am is lost." She swallowed the knot in her throat.

"There are lots of things Jamie would want you to be. I know he'd want you to be happy. He would want you to move on, find new love and to live your life. There's no need for you living like a nun. And if it's forgiveness you're looking for, well I can't speak for James; but I can tell you that you don't need mine." Nancy said and offered a smile to Claire. Claire smiled though her lips trembled. They hugged for a long moment before turning to head back to the beach house.

Claire laid on the sofa, staring up at the slowly turning ceiling fan. The conversation she and Nancy had replayed in her mind over and over again. "Do you forgive me, Jamie?" She thought, taking a sip from the bottle of wine. Hearing Clark stir, she tilted her head back to look at him over the arm of the sofa. "Three hours? Has it only been that long?" Claire asked with a deadpan tone. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose; a headache pricked behind her eyes. "Look, Clark.." She started but paused, unsure of exactly how to word what she wanted to say.

"You don't need to apologize; I do. I know you weren't trying to make Randy sound like the bad guy. I just.. There's so much distortion that it's hard to tell who's who anymore. Everything is already in shambles yet I'm still trying to keep it all from falling apart. I don't mean to take it out on you and I'm sorry. I'll look into the computer and wifi thing." Claire looked at Clark guiltily, then smiled. "In that case, you're already behind. I'm halfway through the bottle." She held it up so he could see and took another sip. "Hope you can hold it."

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Clark replied, "Thanks for looking into the electronics. I know it's not exactly the wisest thing for us to be doing, getting online, since we're trying to lay low and all that." He took another swig and after a bit of a face like he had eaten a sour olive and a lemon at the same time Clark said, "Did I mention I haven't done this too often? Anyway, I've gone about as far as I can in terms of library research. More pieces of the puzzle are still to be found, and I'm convinced that they're online, and those pieces are from Randy." Clark shook his head and said, "I'm convinced beyond a shadow of a reasonable doubt. He was onto something Claire we just need to figure out what that was."

Clark walked over to the table and he said, "Without going into too much detail, because I really am tired of dealing with it right now, all roads lead to Kilmont. There's no doubt in my mind that "Blitz", who I uncovered in those initial files, are her. All that being said there is no way we can attack her directly." Clark walked back over to the easy chair and sat down. He said, "She is way too well insulated. No no, in order to take care of her we need to attack her Networks. Very quietly and very stealth like, as opposed to blogging about it." Clark chuckled at that and shook his head. He continued, "The stuff about living off the grid I figure we should know how to do that, because once we start poking around the Networks that's gonna get us some very unwanted attention."

Clark laid his head back and looked up at the ceiling for a moment. He looked back to Claire and said, "I know that things are crazy for us both right now, but you can know this for a fact Claire. I won't screw you over or sell you out to save my own skin. I didn't have too many friends when this all started, and now I have even less. Not to mention, when everything comes out about Greg I won't have many family members either." He shrugged his shoulders and said, "You're all I got left Claire, and I know I say your name a lot, but it helps remind me I'm not alone in all of this. That there's a piece of solid ground that I still got left in all of this." Clark let out an exhale and said, "I've noticed ever since we got here you're a little off your game Claire. That there's something about this place that is bothering you. Whatever it is, I'm not asking about it, but just know I'm sorry that this place is making you uncomfortable."

Clark took another swig and then compared the volume in his bottle to Claire's. He sighed and said, "Yeah looks like I still got some serious catching up to do." Clark took swigs to the point his throat felt like it was one long trial of acid. Yet there was calming and warm feeling coming over him. He felt his guard slipping, but in the back of his mind Clark reminded himself of two overriding facts. One, Claire was not into him so anything he tried he would probably be reminded he was in the "friend zone." Two, Claire probably knew at least three thousand ways to hurt him and not even break a sweat. Clark then held his bottle back up to Claire's and saw that she now had about one forth more than Clark. Clark said with his speech starting to slur, "No problem. Now I hope you're…able to keep with me…Agent Bennett." Clark took a long drink and said, "I have thrown…the gauntlet down…you of the beautiful brown hair."

 

[Ashi]

"Don't thank me, yet. I can't promise I'll be successful, since there really aren't many places to find that kind of stuff around here." Claire put in sternly. She didn't want Clark to get his hopes up as the chances of finding what he needed appeared slim at best. There was a library and a general store in town, but that was about it aside from the little souvenir shops for tourists and vacationers. The big shopping was back where all the resorts were, the way they had come. It wasn't particularly wise to go back there, much less get online and go snooping after Kilmont. Even if there wasn't much she could do about it at that point, she would do something about it later.

"If the people you call your friends would abandon you after all this, they're not your friends. That goes for family, too. If they aren't there for you, you don't need them." Claire said with an affirmative nod and a sip of wine. It made her think briefly of her own family who she hadn't seen or spoken to in almost a year, aside from Colton. Her parents weren't as understanding of her reasoning as her brother was. Briefly too she wondered if she should contact them if only to get the number of one of her dad's old pals for assistance. Though what they needed wasn't so much just assistance as alliance. Going up against someone like Kilmont would require an army if they truly wished to bring her down.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm never off my game. My game is just fine. I'm fine." Claire lied. Of course, just when she needed her poker face the most, it didn't work well enough. She wasn't one who liked to admit to such things and would certainly deny any allegations. She didn't really like to talk about feelings either, but there was a point at which she could no longer hold them back, something that was becoming increasingly difficult to do. Then she could only lie so much as there was photographic evidence of the truth all around her.

"Too late." Claire glanced back with a teasing smirk. Placing the bottle to her lips she easily finished the remaining wine. While she had a high tolerance for it, she was certainly not immune to the effects of drinking so much no matter how often she drank. "I win. Now you owe me. I don't know what, but I'll think of something." She said jauntily, waving the empty bottle. She stuck her tongue out to catch a drop of wine off the lip of the bottle. Placing one arm behind her head, she sang in a broken rhythm, "Livin' it up at the hotel California~"

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Clark didn't talk about what he did for money in college. He told his parents he had a job on campus working in the Dining Hall bustin' suds in the main cafeteria. Truth was though Clark was card hustler and poker was his game of choice. Clark knew the basics but studying Chuck and his friends Clark was able to pick up on certain "tells". He was able to tell what someone had in their hand by their eye movements, their body language, and how their breathing would change. Once Clark figured out everyone's tells it was like shooting fish in a barrel for Clark. If his parents had found out what he did they would've pulled him out of school in half-a-heartbeat, but they never did and Clark was able to pay for just about anything during his undergrad days. He could tell in no uncertain terms Claire was struggling badly with being there.

Clark looked around and saw a picture of Claire with a guy, and they looked happy holding onto one another. In Claire's case she didn't just look happy. Her expression was that of someone who was in love. This place was special to them obviously, but what happened to them? Bad break-up maybe? Drifted apart? Or…Clark stopped his mind from wandering any further. This was not his sandbox to play in, and Claire was fiercely protective of her privacy. So Clark realized it was best to just leave it alone. He replied shrugging his shoulders and a slur, "Okay you're still on your game….I was…reading things wrong...My mistake." If she wanted to talk about it Claire would have to start the conversation about it all. Clark said it in a way that let Claire know he was onto her about her poker face slipping, but he was letting it go. To him it was a closed subject….for now.

Seeing that Claire had now finished her bottle Clark chuckled and said with a seriously slur in his voice, "Oh I don't do this much, but the male ego will not…allow me to go down without at least tying you…Miss Bennett…I will be finishing off mine or die in the attempt...and as far as I owe you…trust me…you have no idea what I am capable of…because you owe me too." He stood up and held his bottle up. Clark said, "To Claire Ben…Ben…Claire Bennett…a kick-ass agent, super-smart young woman, and of course one of the most beautiful…women I've ever…known." With that Clark began to chug his bottle, and when he finished the bottle Clark coughed a couple of times and said in a raspy voice, "You got anything else for us to…drink…I can do this…all…all…" He looked at his watch and said, "For at least another two hours before I pass out." He put the empty bottle on a nearby coffee table as he smiled at Claire.

Clark laughed a bit as he fell to the floor. He stood back and leaned on the arm of the chair Claire was sitting in and said, "Whatever happens know this...Claire….I will do everything in my power…to make sure you don't…regret not taking Greg's offer to throw me to the wolves…for your career. Because friends don't do that sort of crap…and besides…I…I…well you know…I've already said it." Just then the D-J announced it was a double shot of The Eagles and "Take it to the Limit" filled the air. Clark smiled and said, "My favorite by them." Clark didn't even this twice and began to sing along.