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Updated 64 and 65

Dubai, UAE

The loud tempo of the sultry music boomed in the background and beautiful ladies of different sizes gyrated their bodies to the beat. Their sequin outfit shone in the red and blue light that made them sparkle even in the dim light. Some had trays laden with drinks in shot glasses. While others worked poles or lingered in tables with men who were rich enough to spend. The stench of sweat, booze, smoke and perfume mixed in the air.

To the far left in the VIP section, sat Jason and Hameed. Hameed had a look of disdain on his face as he kept looking around and avoiding the woman their guest invited. Somehow she insisted on pressing her already spilling out bosom from the low cut bustier top on his arms which irritated him more. The more he kept trying to evade her the more she stuck like a leech.

Jason on the other hand was indulging in a vice that was long forgotten. His expression was so dark and brooding, the ladies that milled around their booth didn't bother soliciting for his attention. He loosened the first three buttons of his shirt suddenly feeling hot and took a large puff of the Cigar he had in his hand. He released the smoke and leaned back in his chair studying the man in front of him who was sandwiched between three women.

Jason rolled the long Cuban Cigar stick in between his fingers as his mismatched eyes took in the immediate environment. As his eyes roved lazily he kept taking notes of exit points and the big burly men who wore suits and were heavily armed for security.

The taste of the Cigar felt foreign. Smoking wasn't something he usually did, but he was getting in character and the rush from the Cigar helped kill the buzz in his head. He could feel the cold steel of the short range Caliber gun tucked between the waist band of his trousers.

He liked the adrenaline that pumped between his veins, it was the only thing keeping him going.

"Where is the flash drive?" Hameed asked, staring straight into the eyes of one of the most notorious men in the whole of the middle east.

Ridge Shaw wasn't your average terrorist. He was adopted at the age of eleven after being displaced from his hometown in Pakistan and renamed Ridge Shaw by his American Parents. He attended MIT, had three degrees and was the main money man between most terror cells in half the east coast.

The DJ changed the music to a more faster tempo and the mood of the Seedy club was a loud rush. The sounds made Jason's head ache even more. But he needed to work, he wasn't bone tired enough and if he wasn't tired, he couldn't sleep.

"How much do you want to pay?" Ridge asked looking straight at Jason.

Jason didn't bother to meet the other man's stare head on. He was seated in front of the legendary Ridge Shaw and he was bored out of his mind. Or rather he just felt numb. Not even the fear that this was one of the most deadliest mission he has ever been on.

"500million." Hameed answered.

"I want the pass code to the firewall of the FBI firewall." Ridge answered with a tiny smirk playing on the side of his lips.

His answer took them by surprise. It means he knew Jason had history with the FBI which gave Jason some kind of exposure. Instead of getting worried Jason took another long drag of the Cigar and watched as wisps of smoke left his mouth and danced in the air shrouding his face.

'I hate people that smoke. It's a disgusting habit.' Liz had said scrunching up her nose in the air.

He shut down the image that flitted into his mind's eye as quickly as it came. He couldn't afford to think of her now.

"The list you have can't get you what you want." Jason responded casually after a while of silence with both other men waiting on him.

"I'll take half the money and the pass code." Ridge returned.

Jason smiled. It was a full toothy grin that made everyone in the booth question his sanity.

"You either take the money or the pass code. We both know you're a tech guru yourself and if you could get through that firewall without instantly deleting all files you would have done that." he finished his statement and shrugged.

He loved the worried glance Hameed shot him. Jason felt super destructive.
His mismatched eyes was so blank and eery it was like looking into the eyes of someone who had nothing else
to loose.

"We could do big things. You and me." Ridge offered with a dark smile.

"You have nothing to offer me." Jason answered.

"Ill take the pass code. But what do you guys want the list for?" He asked again.

"Not your business." Hameed answered.

While Ridge busied himself typing on his computer, Jason just kept rolling the fat stick of cuban cigar between his lips. A dangerous plan began forming in his head. Deep down he knew he couldn't just give the FBI firewall passkey so they had to shoot their way out of this joint.

Ridge passed the laptop to Jason and he copied the list, after which he entered the pass code. They had fifteen minutes to get out alive and they were concluding to leave when Jason saw her.

He whipped his head quickly and leaned forward to the edge of the chair as his line of vision followed the curly mane of jet black hair. The hair was whipped around her face and she had legs that were just like hers, his chest constricted and for a split second, he thought she was here, here in the same room he was till the lady turned. She looked nothing like Liz.

Maybe something was wrong with him. It had to be why he was conjuring her up. One of the bouncers in the club was manhandling the young lady and the next events felt like a dream. First he moved towards the duo, but Hameed kept calling him that it was time to go, their fifteen minutes was running out.

The next he brought out his gun and started shooting. He shot the man dragging the woman first. It was a clean head shot, right between his eyes. The next person he killed was Ridge, sending another bullet through his heart. The uproar and screams tore the air with the music brought to a quick standstill. Jason didn't mind that he was reckless, or that he had just started discharging armed rounds when they could have made it out alive, the sounds of bullet whizzing past his ears didn't faze him. He wanted this, this chaos, it helped to deal with the one raging inside. So he kept charging deeper instead of seeking an escape.

It was when Hameed started dragging him towards the exit door while covering him did it occur to him that he had a bullet wound in his side

He kept shooting like a mad man, till they got out.  Luckily Hameed already radioed for the extraction plan and there was a car waiting.

While they were in the car Jason started to feel dizzy from the gunshot wound and he became unconscious.

The next time he woke up was in an air ambulance to the worried faces of Hameed and one of the inboard doctors. He had slipped back into a deep sleep.

Blood. Blood everywhere, on his hands, on the floor,

He could even taste the metallic tang of blood on his lips.

"You ki..lll..ed me," Liz stuttered out.

As always, his nostrils widened in shock and his eyes coloured with tears.

He placed his hand at the gash on her right hand trying to stem the bleeding, but she was bleeding all over.

"Stay with me Baby, please stay with me," Jason begged, with tears rolling down his face.

"Wake up Jason!" Hameed shouted, shaking him awake.

Jason woke up with a scream and to a face wet with tears. As always the pain that came with the nightmare was tangible, it felt like it was larger than him and his body couldn't control it. It travelled from his head to his eyes that tears streamed from to his chest that felt like a weight sat on permanently. He wiped his eyes quickly ashamed that he woke up screaming.

"You need to talk to someone Jason. That man I saw today wasn't scared to die and I can't trust my life to someone who doesn't value his. I think you should take a break from the unit."

"Lemme the fuck alone," Jason screamed hoarsely, pushing Hameed away and in turn ripping out the IV line he had attached to his vein.

"I need you man. We all need you man. Lily needs you."  Hameed begged and Jason shoulders dropped at the mention of Lily.

He hasn't seen Lily since they left Los Angeles, even though he promised he'll be a better father now that he found her.

"I need that man who shows up for me. Xav needs his best friend, Lily needs her father. We need you to want to live too."

"How do I forgive myself? Every night I wake up to her blood on my hands" as he spoke his breaths came out in harsh pants like saying the words were hard.

"You'll go to therapy. I'll be there for you everyday as long as I can, as much as I can. You'll be okay Jason, it will be hard but you'll be okay."

*****
Writing for me has been hard. Trying to get back into writing zone but im trying.

Ill like to hear back from you, btw I missed this two. I missed their love and I can't wait to get back into their lives.

Whatsup with you guys tell me?
Love,
Orex