S5: Chapter 06: The Con Game

Yvette rushed towards the back bedroom as Brett finished up on breakfast. Her morning sickness was gone; or so he thought considering she was well into her third trimester. He’d guess she’d got a little nauseous from the smell of the vinegar and needed to relieve her stomach. Though he was never sure what triggered it. What they were making was already quite an odd combination, strawberry crepes and autumn salad with house vinaigrette. Maybe it was just a bathroom run; she had certainly had an increase in those.

A smile formed on his lips as he thought about her first bout with the cramps and nausea. He’d just finished helping with dinner when her stomach flipped. He knew right then it was a boy because no man child of his would be caught dead enjoying the froufrou foods she was stuffing down her gullet. He wiped his hands and sat the plate to the side as he started down the hall to check on her.

“Yve Honey? Your crepes are ready,” he knocked and waited patiently at the door for her response.

“I’ll be out in a minute,” she sighed and tried her best to disguise the pain in her voice.

“Are you ok? You don’t sound right.”

“I’m fine I just need a minute ok?”

He nodded, as if she could see it, and turned away from the door. Lowering his gaze Brett noticed small, circular drops of what appeared to be blood. Kneeling down for a closer look he dabbed a finger in it and realized it was fresh. Pulling up from the floor he followed the trail with his eyes from the hall towards the bathroom door and gasped.

“Yvette! Are you bleeding?” he pounded on the door and shook the handle at the same time. “Unlock this door Vette! And answer me, are you bleeding?”

“It’s just a little spotting, I’m fine Brett.”

“Spotting? There’s a trail leading out of the hallway! I wouldn’t call this spotting! Open this door Yve!”

“Brett please, I said I was fine just give me a minute!” Not hesitating any longer, Brett threw his weight into the wooden barricade and rammed his shoulder into it until it gave way. Moments later he was kneeling in front of his wife as she perched herself on top of the toilet seat crying her eyes out.

“Yvette what is going on? Why are you bleeding?”

“I don’t know; stress I guess. I’m worried Brett whoever this person is after me is going to do something to hurt our baby and the thought alone is killing me!”

“God Yve why didn’t you say anything? You can’t take on that kind of weight alone! Look at what it’s doing to you!” He paused briefly and placed his hand on her belly. “Come on, I’m taking you to the hospital to get checked.”

“I’m fine!”

“I’m not doing this for you I’m taking you for the sake of our baby Yve now get your ass up!”

“Brett please…”

“YVETTE!” The authoritative tone in his voice pulled her immediately to her feet. She followed him towards the bedroom and changed her clothes before heading off to the hospital with him. 

After a quick examination the doctor reported their baby was still in great health and there was no need to panic. He did advise that she remain in a stress free environment and tried everything he could to convince her short of ordering her to bed rest and strapping her down.

Satisfied, Brett got them back home and settled her into his arms as he massaged her to sleep. “We haven’t even decided on names yet,” he cooed silently as he stared at her face.

“I know. Your Dad keeps asking me if we even know the sex; I think he’s scouting for Mom,” Yvette laughed as she thought about Regina. “I swear if it’s a little boy they’ll hear her scream all the way in China.”

“Yeah. You know she’s already chosen a name for her daughter? When she thought Nate was a girl that is. He was going to be named Autumn; Autumn Marie.”

“Aww that’s actually really pretty. Who knows, maybe we can use it if it comes down to that. Although I’d like to give her my mom’s name too; maybe we can combine the two.”

“That’s great and all but what are we naming our son?”

“What son?”

“The one in your belly, Yvette. You really don’t want to go there again!”

“Whatever Brett! I don’t know why you’re so convinced we’re having a little boy!”

“Because it’s my sperm I get to decide the sex Yve.”

“Yeah but they’re MY eggs! I can reject your twig and berries!”

“You can try but…in the end I’ll win. I always get my way.”

“Is that right?” she asked snuggling deeper into his arms.

“Yep! Just look at us. I think I fell for you the first time you landed a punch on me. I convinced myself that you were my dream girl and after I found you again you didn’t want to start a personal relationship with me regardless of how I tried; how’d that pan out for you?”

“Fuck you Blondie!”

“Whoa! Don’t use that kind of language around my boy! We prefer our women as ladies!”

“Lick me dry Brett.”

“Now that’s an invitation I won’t pass up!” his lips found hers and he tucked her further into his chest. Still caressing her hair he rocked her until he felt her finally fall to sleep.

A stream of sunlight beamed through the curtains bathing the room in an intense white light. Instantly her hand moved up to shield her eyes from the brightness. Peeking one eye open at a time, Yvette noticed Brett placing a plate of something on the table near the door as he adjusted another blind. Slowly rolling to her side, Yvette felt the pain in her lower back and an involuntary groan escaped her lips. Waking up was always the worst and it seemed no matter how she slept the baby ensured she’d endure at least a small ache in her body announcing his or her presence first thing.

She sniffed the air as she was finally able to roll herself into a seated position and smiled watching Brett bringing the plate closer. Her pelvic bone throbbed and she pulled her legs closer into her body to alleviate the pain slowly invading every muscle of her womb. Less than 12 weeks to go, she thought to herself and released a breath as she finally found a comfortable position.

“Sleep well?” Brett asked and dropped the newspaper beside her.

“If you have to ask then that means you already know I’m incredibly sore right now. I believe you when you say we’re having a boy because no girl of mine would ever want to see her Mommy in this much pain.”

Brett smiled and lowered himself beside her. Taking her leg into his lap he massaged her calf leading up to her thigh and at Yvette’s encouragement continued the action for the other leg. “Sit up,” he instructed and crawled behind her. “Does that feel better?” he asked as he slowly massaged the aching muscles in her back and neck.

“Yeah that’s nice,” she moaned and her eyes began to drift close. “You know I can get this done professionally so you don’t have to do it all the time.”

“What are you talking about Yve? I love doing this for you. I mean it’s one of the only things I can help you with during this pregnancy.”

“Oh you mean laughing as I run for the bathroom wasn’t your only job?”  

“Of course not Baby, don’t be silly,” he smiled and pulled up. “Eat up and I’ll get a bath started for you.”

“Are you leaving?” she asked watching him get dressed for work. She cocked her head to the side and strained to read the calendar on the wall. “I thought you had today off.”

“Yve you know ‘off’ for us doesn’t really mean off. I got a call from Dustin concerning those notes and I think he may have narrowed in on our suspect.”

“WHAT?! When were you going to tell me that?”

“Just now. I didn’t want to get your hopes up though in case he was wrong but he sounds confident we got our guy. The team and I are gonna run a raid and grab him before he jumps.”

“Well that’s great can I…?”

“Stay home and rest? Yeah I’d like that very much. I called Ryan and he said if you wanted Stefanie can come over and keep you company. That is if you get lonely or something here.”

She sighed and looked at the smirk forming on his lips. He knew what she was going to say but like a disobedient child he slapped her hand before she had a chance to steal the cookie from the jar. “No I’ll be alright.”

“Good. I won’t be all day with this hopefully and I’ll call you if anything changes of course.” He disappeared into the bathroom and she listened to him whistle as the tub began filling with water.

Yvette had spent a good part of the day resting in the water. On occasion she would drain the cooled water and run more warm into the bath until she was comfortable. It felt great slipping into the bubbles and for once she didn’t feel the strain of her body as she rested; she wanted to stay in this slice of heaven for a while. Glancing up at the clock she realized it was getting to the dinner hours and Brett hadn’t called yet.

She looked at her cellphone and sighed as she slid lower beneath the water. Unexpectedly the phone rang and she popped up realizing he was calling the house not her cell. “Shit Brett, why?” She quickly pulled herself out of the water, draped a towel around herself and scampered towards the nearest house phone. “Hold on Brett, I’m coming!” she announced making it to the phone just as its last ring sounded. “Oh well,” she shrugged indifferently. “If he wants to talk he’ll call back,” she convinced herself and started back to the bedroom. 

She pulled a fresh pair of panties from her bureau and slinked back into her most comfortable nightie before resting behind the monitor of her computer.  She found herself baby shopping often. Though they hadn’t the knowledge of their baby’s sex, she couldn’t resist buying “neutral” outfits and toys whenever she could. Brett didn’t seem to mind since it kept her occupied. The baby’s room was filling up with pink and blue items and she smiled thinking about the joy she’d have in watching her child playing with them. 

After buying a life-sized dollhouse castle similar to the one she had as a child, Yvette turned off the computer and started down again towards the living room. She wanted to try and busy herself until Brett called or came home. Flipping on the television she thumbed the remote looking for something interesting. Stopping on Food Network she watched Bobby Flay prepare a batch of Chocolate Raspberry pancakes that made her mouth water.

Just as she was preparing to write down the recipe the electricity cut out putting her completely in the dark. “Shit!” Noticing her neighbors’ lights still on, she drew from the couch and started towards the garage to check on the fuse box. Sudden clatter through the window caught her attention and she stopped in her tracks.

Yvette turned in the direction of the sound and waited. No movement and no other sounds came from the area. Maybe the wind? She sighed noticing the heavy breeze just outside and started towards the stairs again believing it was her imagination. Dustin had done a great job securing the house with all kinds of gadgetry and she felt secure enough knowing the alarms would sound if even a gnat fluttered near the gates.

Another sound jolted her attention from the window but this time she stood erect and ready. It came from inside the garage, she was sure of it. Yvette stared down the stairs leading to the garage and heard the clinking of tools. No way was that my imagination, she thought and hurried towards the stairs. She stepped out into the darkened hallway and poked her head over the railing. A sudden movement in a lighted area near the front door confirmed her fears and she started down towards it. “Don’t be stupid Girl, get a weapon,” she scolded herself. 

A loud bang echoed against the wall and she heard a car moving along the driveway, maybe her neighbors were coming home. Creeping silently towards the kitchen, Yvette waited and heard the sound of a door opening. It would be pointless to grab the gun from the weapons lockbox so instead she thought to call for Brett, her cellphone! But she’d left it in the bathroom. Straining her ears she heard the shuffling of feet against concrete and held her breath trying to determine the sex of the stranger. Heavy footsteps, deep impressions into the ground brought her to the conclusion; male but definitely NOT Brett.

Yvette darted up the stairs again heading towards the bedroom closet, if she could make it in time. She moved around the corner and ducked. Someone was definitely inside the house now and at this point she was too far from the alarm or phone to dial out for help. She felt around in the dark until her fingers caught hold of something hard leaning against the dresser. Brett’s bat! Thank God for his laziness, she thought as she gripped the wooden pole firmly in her hands. She steadied herself against the wall and waited for the door to open. Whoever was in here was in for a rude awakening.

The door inched open slowly, Yvette held her breath. Moonlight peeked in from the hallway and she watched the silhouette of the stranger grow smaller as he neared the corner where she hid. Counting down from three, Yvette readied her aim, pulled the bat back behind her head and swung.

“OW!” a man yelled as she connected with his skull. Without hesitation she raised the weapon once more and came down hard to his midsection. He toppled over but held on to the bat for dear life. Ripping it from her hands as he fell, Yvette quickly scoured the room for some other tool to defend herself with before her assailant got to his feet. Rushing towards the bathroom she was stopped short as hands reached around her arm and yanked her back. 

She stomped on the man’s foot until he released his grip. With the same tenacity she turned around and sent a hard right into his jaw. Hearing it snap she was certain he would be stunned for a moment so she could get away but that proved untrue. The man grabbed her once again as she tried moving towards the bedroom door to get out. “Let me go!” she yelled and wrestled with him with every ounce of strength she had.

“Calm down already! I’m not gonna hurt you!”

That voice, she thought right before sending a knee to his midsection. With the wind knocked out of him, the man fell to the ground once more and Yvette hurried to the door. Turning once to get a look her eyes opened in shock as she took in her assailant’s appearance. “Ethan! What the hell are you doing here?”

“I wanted to talk to you! After what happened I just hoped we could…” before he could finish his sentence Yvette had taken off towards the kitchen with Ethan coming out right behind her. 

Reaching for the box on the top shelf of the cabinet she hastily punched in the numbers on the keypad and retrieved her .357 magnum. And just as Ethan rounded the corner to the kitchen, Yvette had the gun aimed at his head. “NOT ANOTHER STEP!” she warned and inched closer towards the living room. Motioning for him to follow she waited for him to take a seat on the couch before she felt her tense muscles relax slightly. “Now tell me what the fuck you’re doing in my home and why I shouldn’t blow you away right now! Remember what I told you?”

“Yeah Yvie, I remember. But just relax alright? I’m not here to hurt you I just wanted to talk.”

“TALK? Talk about what? I thought I made it perfectly clear to you I have nothing more to say to you. I don’t want to hear from you and I don’t want you in my life! What could you possibly have to tell me?!”

“I wanted to apologize to you about what happened at your wedding. Had I known I wouldn’t have come for you that day. I sent one of my men to see you and he followed you to the Gardens Mall but…we both know how that went. I went to Scott’s place first to see how he was doing but no one was home so I came here.”

“And decided what? That you’d break in rather than knock?”

“The garage door was opened Baby, I just walked in; no breaking required.”

“You’re lying!”

“I’m not. I found it rather unusual but I figured your husband must have been doing something out there. I noticed some fresh oil marks on the floor and a few tools out on the tables before I entered.”

“Brett’s not home and neither he nor I would have left that garage opened.” A sudden surge of fear shot through her body as she contemplated the noises she heard earlier. She knew it wasn’t her imagination but who was it? Could it have been the same man after her? Brett assured her that he and the team had their suspect pinpointed!

“Yeah well I wouldn’t worry about it whoever it was I scared off when I arrived.”

Yvette glanced at the security monitor near the wall behind Ethan’s head. She noted one breach marked in red at the top left corner and realized what Ethan was saying was true. Someone had broken into the garage, but how could she be certain it wasn’t him. “Are you armed?”

“Of course I am Sweetheart. Why?”

“Place your weapon on the table.”

“Yvie…”

“JUST DO IT!” Slowly he reached for his pistol and pulled it from his hip holster. He sat it on the coffee table and slid back against the sofa cushions.

“Is that better?” She nodded and looked at the cameras once more. “What’s going on with your lights?”

“I don’t…I don’t know.”

“Well where’s the fuse box?”

“The garage.”

“If it’s ok with you I’ll go and check it out, get them working again.” Without a word from her he pulled up from the couch and started down the direction he entered. Yvette followed carefully but remained at the top of the stairs until he reappeared and the lights were working once more.

“There, all better,” he smiled and moved back towards the living room. “You know it’s a little hard to focus with that gun pointed at my face.” Yvette didn’t budge. She stood with the same determination and her finger on the trigger. “And if you were gonna shoot me you would have already. Put the gun down Yvie and let’s handle this rationally alright?”

She sighed and lowered the barrel of the weapon aimed at her father’s head. Taking one step forward she dropped it to the table never once taking her eyes off of him. “I’d shoot you if I could. The clip is empty. You can thank my husband for that.” She rubbed a hand over her belly and thought about the padded cell threat. “He didn’t want an accident to happen around his baby.”

“You bluffed me? Nice; well played. Well if it makes you feel better, take mine. It’s loaded.” She looked down at his gun sitting beside hers and sighed. Shaking her head no she started towards the monitors to check the security logs. “You think I can get some ice for my head? You hit me pretty hard earlier.”

“Serves you right. You have no business entering my house uninvited.” After satisfying her curiosity with the logs, she texted the information to Brett as well as the presence of her visitor and waited for him to call her back.

“When would I ever be invited Yvette?”

“My point exactly.” She pointed him towards the kitchen and watched as he retrieved his gun and replaced it inside its holster before raiding the ice bin.

“You know I remember a little girl more into doll houses and playing dress up than guns and baseball bats. She got great satisfaction from braiding her old man’s hair and decorating it with her pink and purple barrettes. I guess that was when I had hair,” he smiled and rubbed the top of his head.

“The world makes us all different people, Ethan. A child grows up pretty quickly when she loses the only people in her life she can depend on. Now if you’re done walking down memory lane would you mind explaining what you wanted to see me about?”

“That’s just it Yvie,” he sighed and directed his gaze to her belly. “When I saw you on your wedding day I would have been fine obeying your commands to leave well enough alone but when you mentioned you were pregnant…something changed in me. I know you don’t want me to have anything to do with your baby and I know you want to see me dead regardless of what I say to you but I was really hoping that you and I could figure things out. I was a fool and I walked out on the most important things in my life Yvette, I know that. I thought that by leaving I was helping you and Katrina but I’ve come to realize just how foolish that was. I want a second chance; I want a chance to get to know my grandbaby and officially meet my daughter’s husband.”

“And I want you…”

“FREEZE!” Brett yelled from the hallway. He had arrived home quickly after receiving Yvette’s text message and readied himself to protect his family. The muzzle of his gun glinted in the lights of the kitchen and Ethan instinctively raised his hands above his head hoping to appease the trigger happy blonde positioned behind him.

“Brett wait!” Yvette moved in front of Ethan blocking Brett’s aim causing a smile to form on Ethan’s lips.

“Get out of the way Yvette.”

“Brett listen to me, he didn’t come here to hurt us alright? He only wanted to talk. I know how badly you want to do this and trust me I wanted it too but…”

“But what Yve? Come on you’re not seriously buying into any of the bullshit this asshole is selling are you? He has tried for years to get you hemmed up for something. Framing you for murder, putting you on the run for over a year and threatening death if you dared showed your face. And now what? Because he thinks he’s had some profound epiphany you’re willing to just forgive and forget? Fuck that! Get out of my line of sight Yve!”

“Brett, I never said I was going to forgive and forget but I need something from him and I can’t very well get that if you put a bullet between his eyes!”

“What do you need Yve? What could you possibly hope to gain from this asshole? How to frame innocent people? Or how to walk out on your wife and kid when they need you most?”

“The identity of the man after me for one! Someone was inside this house again Brett! Someone well trained from my old Black Ops team that knows his way around security devices well enough to bypass them and enter our home! You left me without a weapon to defend myself because you can’t trust that I know how to handle a goddamn gun even though we both know how bullshit that is. I was here defenseless and pregnant as someone was rummaging through our garage! Now I am tired, I’m hungry, I’m pregnant and I’m pissed put the fucking gun down Brett!”

Easing off the hammer Brett dropped the weapon to his side but he didn’t put it away. Realizing how dangerous the situation he’d placed Yve in actually was he started to apologize but she waved him off. “I’m gonna start dinner. You’re more than welcomed to watch Ethan like a hawk but don’t shoot him just yet please?”

“But I can shoot him?”

She looked up at her father and he shrugged at Brett’s question with a quick smile in his direction. “When the time is right,” she answered as he slid onto a bar stool beside her.

“So what’s for dinner?” he asked nonchalantly as she moved towards the pantry. Brett’s fist rammed his jaw with force knocking him from his seat and he stood over him with a satisfied smirk on his face.

“Brett!”

“What? You said I couldn’t shoot him yet you said NOTHING about punching the asshole.”

“That’s alright Darling, I deserved it.”

“No you deserve the loaded round in this chamber. The punch was to make me feel a little better having you in my home.” Brett took a seat on the dinner table behind Ethan watching him closely as Yvette began cooking.

“You have a really nice place here, Princess. I’m glad you’re doing so well for yourself.”

“Yeah my parents taught me how to be independent and I learned a lot from my father.” Ethan grinned and she turned to correct herself shattering the ideal he’d first believed. “Scott, not you.” She pushed the pan into the oven and started towards the nook. “He taught me quite a bit and he was all I had. After Mom died he legally adopted me but he didn’t give me his last name and you know why? He said though he was my father he didn’t want to overstep Katrina’s wishes and take away the last remaining connection I had to you. Mom believed that you were coming back for us. She told me stories about missions you did together for bedtime until one day I just stopped asking. She wanted more than anything for me to know you and understand why you left but deep down I saw, she didn’t know why herself.”

“Katrina was the love of my life Yvie. After her I could never be with another and I never truly was. I never remarried, never dated seriously I couldn’t. I wish that I could have been there for the both of you; watch you grow. I’d give anything to go back to that day I left, that argument between your mother and I…it was the first one in ten years of marriage and to this day it still hurts like it was yesterday.” He looked up into her eyes and for a moment she could swear his appearance was sincere but she refused to let herself be sucked into that.

The timer on the oven sounded and she moved towards the stove. “Yeah well buying back a part of your soul is much harder than it seems. You can’t bandage a bullet wound and think it makes things better Ethan trust me I know. I’ve learned that the hard way.”

He glanced back at Brett who was still toying with the hammer on his side arm and sighed. “I shouldn’t have come. I am only making things worse by being here with you. I just wanted you to know that I never for even a second stopped loving you or Katrina.” He pulled up from the barstool and started into the kitchen behind Yve. “The man you’re looking for, his name is Chris Landry and he…”

“Suicide?”

“What?”

“Chris ‘Suicide’ Landry. He was my partner my first two years on the team. He got the nickname because he was always balls to the walls nuts when it came to missions. He rarely listened to Command and loved his work a little too much. Why would he be after me now?”

“Sweetheart, Chris Landry is the reason the entire department wanted your blood. Do you remember the 36^th parliament?”

“The one that caused the dissolution of my team? Yeah I remember.”

“Chris Landry was selling secrets to foreign governments causing a lot of heavy suspicion to fall on the team. He was pitting army against army hoping to get himself into a position of power and by doing so have a nice place to land once the team went up in flames.”

“Oh come on you’re talking about that stupid conspiracy theory? I’ve heard so much crap about it there’s no way any of it is true, can’t be. That would mean that our own government was creating soldiers of war merely for profit regardless of threats and international incidents. That would kind of negate the purpose for creation of the team in the first place!”

“It’s not a theory Yvette, it’s factual. They contracted the Company, my Company for just this purpose.”

Brett entered the kitchen and leaned against the counter as he listened to Ethan ramble on. Taking in the message he realized what he was saying had some truth in it. “Vette, I think he’s telling the truth. The night you were kidnapped my Dad mentioned something about rogue agents being trained for some covert operations I’m talking real deep cover kind of stuff. He also said you ran the program,” Brett frowned staring towards Ethan. 

“It’s true, I do. It hasn’t gotten underway just yet. The teams have been in training ops mostly but that doesn’t mean they aren’t practicing and harnessing skills to start a new world order but we’re getting off track here. Landry is the cause of the primary program’s disbandment. When word got out it was the work of one of the team’s agents, several were shelved, killed or arrested. They needed a fall guy Yvie, you were his scapegoat. He’s responsible for the deaths of over a dozen NSRX agents as well as the CIA’s own strike force.”

“NSRX?” Brett asked raising a brow in Yve’s direction. 

“It was the name of my old team, National Security Recon & Rescue Taskforce. Our purpose was based on the elimination of threats to our country and heading search and recon missions during times of siege. We were trained to prevent the stuff you’re talking about Ethan, not start it. I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“I’m talking about not having control of our own government Yvie. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

“Sidebar,” Brett interrupted again. “I’m still a bit confused as to why this ‘Suicide’ guy is after my wife.”

“That is because of me. In order to save your life Yvette I doctored a few records where Landry was concerned so that he had nothing to fall back on. He was intent on making you out to be the bad guy and I could not sit idly by and watch. I made sure he answered for his crimes and even handed him over to the Kyrgyzstani government for restitution. He was supposed to serve a forty year stretch in prison there but he busted out. Like you mentioned before about my signature being on the Black Veil documents, ‘Evans’ appears on the papers that signed Landry away. My Intel picked up that he was coming for ‘Evans’ but he believes you’re the one responsible, not me. That’s why I took you that day. This was something I had to tell you in person. This is my fault and I want to get to this guy before anything happens to either of you or my grandchild.”

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**Author's note: Website depicted was Babyshop.com.**

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