“I think it goes beyond that,” Bennett interjects. He turns to Jen and sighs. “I don’t like this any more than the rest, but this is your decision in the end. Just know, if Agent McCray and the FBI can’t uphold their side of the bargain, we definitely can.”
I see tears well up in Jen’s eyes and am impressed at how well she keeps her cool despite it.
“Thank you, guys,” she says. “But the truth is, I can’t just sit back and do nothing. Not with Travis out there, and not when I know I practically brought this whole mess to your doorstep. I need to take care of this the only way I know how.”
“By jumping out of the pan and into the fire?” Ryker asks.
It’s the first time he says anything since we’ve gotten here, and the way he stares at me makes me qualmish.
“You’ve been fine so far,” Ryker continues.
“This is different,” Jen replies. “This involves you, all of you, especially Simone. I can’t leave things to chance when I can take control of the situation.”
“Can you?” Owen asks. “Can he? Come on, Jen. You’re like a sister to us, and you’re asking us to put our trust in an agency that’s already stabbed you in the back before. You said you don’t trust him, but you’re asking us to?”
“I’m asking you to trust me.” Jen returns his gaze for a few seconds before Owen reluctantly turns away, shaking his head.
“I don’t like it,” he mumbles.
I watch him. I watch all of them, the way their bodies are all tensed up, arms folded across their chests, looking very disappointed that they didn’t have more of a say in this. I feel a pang of jealousy, a small churn in my stomach that I quickly try to dismiss. For all my life, the only person I ever had was my mother, and I never needed anyone else. Not really. She was my support system through and through, for as long as I can remember. She busted her ass to give me a good education and a life I can be proud of, and for that I would always be grateful.
But I did miss out on a family. And seeing the Slades together like this just drove that home.
Bennett clears his throat, bringing me back to the present. “How are you going to pull this off?”
Jen looks at me and nods. I brace myself as all eyes turn to me, the air in the room suddenly thickening as if I were surrounded by a pack of hyenas waiting for a chance to snap at my jugular. I sat up straight.
“Jen is going to hold a press conference,” I reveal. “She’s going to tell the press who she really is, and what she’s had to endure. The purpose of the conference is to get the mob’s attention and make them seek her out.”
“You’re shitting me. That sounds like you’re just using her as bait.”
“I am bait,” Jen tells Owen, with a lift of her chin. “That’s the point.”
“When the mob approaches her, she’s going to tell them that she wants to bring the FBI down. She’s going to convince them that because the FBI hung her out to dry after being exposed as an undercover agent, she wants revenge.”
Silence settles across the room.
Simone glances over at her friend and pushes her hair out of her eyes. “What if Travis recognizes you? He’s going to know something is up.”
Jen nods, tightly. “I know. Look, I appreciate how protective you all are, but I can do this. I’ve handled worse than Travis while undercover before. He might be a high-ranking member of the LA crime family, but it doesn’t make him untouchable.”
“Quantico here better know what he’s doing,” Owen grumbles, darkly.
“I’ve got this under control,” I tell him, with a frown. “You don’t need to worry.”
Except I knew why he was.
Jen going back in meant risking her life and the life of everyone she loves. As much as I want to take the mob down once and for all, I also know that Jen needs to play it smart. There was too much at stake, and even though I thought she had nothing to lose, just seeing her with the Slades assured me she does.
This was not a game.
One wrong move would send the entire house of cards toppling down on our heads.
???
“You could have given me a heads up before we went in there.”
We’re sitting in my car outside her apartment building, and I’m exhausted. But even more than that, I’m pissed. Pissed at having been constantly questioned about every detail of the plan, pissed at my expertise being questioned at every turn, and definitely pissed that I am being given the cold shoulder for a reason I am completely oblivious of.