Chapter 4 Echoes Of The Past

Time halted.

Clara was standing in the doorway, the gun steady in her hand, her daughter gasping behind her. Elena could hardly catch her breath. The cold gleam of the metal, the girl's panicked stare and Clara's unrestrained fury made it feel like some kind of hellish nightmare that they wouldn't be able to wake from.

"Clara," Paul said slowly, his arms still raised in surrender. "Whatever happened, this isn't the answer."

"You think this is about you?" Clara snarled, her voice sharp with bitterness from years of being mistreated. "No, Paul, this is about her."

She turned the gun to Elena.

Steven whined. Elena pulled him tightly to her, heart racing.

"I don't want to hurt anyone," Clara said, her voice trembling, whether from fear or emotion, Elena couldn't tell. "But I need her to know what it means--to lose everything. Like I did."

"I told you my son was lost, but you've always known that, haven't you?" Elena gestured slowly with her gesture, protecting her son. "You Lost because you walked away. You went and got lost. You lied to him."

Clara's whole body shook. The little girl looked up to her mother, confused. "Mommy. I'm scared." The little voice made Clara felt helpless.

"She's your daughter," said Elena while still speaking slowly, calmly, softly. "She's watching you. Is this how want her to remember. "

Clara blinked quickly. Her fingers twitched. The gun lowered from her body.

But just when Paul began to feel he could trust his own breath, the front porch light flickered and shadow moved outside.

Clara jerked back to attention. "Don't move!"

Paul didn't move. Neither did Elena.

But the shadow was not coming from a person -- it was from a car that had come down the hill silent and fast and was pulling to curb.

Someone stepped out. Dark coat. Confident large step while walking. No police.

Clara muttered a curse under her breath. "No, no, not now... "

The figure made its way quickly to the house.

Clara sat frozen in panic. "Get Back!" she screamed to Paul. "All of you!" Elena glanced at Paul quickly - this was not part of any plan. He looked just as startled.

Then the front door swung open.

The stranger was tall, had sharp eyes and a quiet authority about him. He was paralyzed, even with the gun in his face, presumably out of a combination of pain and mixed emotions.

"Clara," he said. "Put it down. You weren't supposed to act yet."

Paul's eyes widened. "Wait - what?"

Clara turned pale. "I had no choice. They were slipping away - she was slipping away from me again."

"You've only made it worse," the stranger said coolly.

He turned to Paul and Elena.

"She isn't the only one hiding something."

The silence that followed was deafening.

"Who the hell are you?" Paul asked, and his voice cracked.

The stranger pulled a badge out. It said "Federal." But not police. Something more sinister. Something quieter.

"My name is Agent Rivas," he said. "And I'm here, because you not only have a family in danger... you have your family that is a part of a more complicated act, in asking questions, and trying to find the truth behind something."

Elena stepped further away. "What?"

Agent Rivas turned back to Paul.

"You tell her or I will."

Paul's face was ashen.

Clara was still griping the gun but was shaking now. "They were supposed to protect me! You promised!"

Rivas held up a hand. "And you broke code of conduct. Again."

Elena didn't know what to think.

Paul looked at her, guilt written all over his face.

"I wasn't only Clara's husband," he finally said. "I worked undercover for a couple of years.. and Clara-- was not just my wife."

Elena's heart sank.

Rivas continued. "Clara was a part of a moving things illegally from one place to another ring. Paul got involved. The marriage was part of the assignment. But over time, the lines blurred. "

"No!" Clara screamed. "You used me! You ruined me!"

Clara cried.

Elena held her son, tighter.

Paul looked at her, broken. "I left that life behind for you. For this family. But I never imagined it'd come back in this way."

Clara raised the gun again, but this time, not at Elena.

She pointed it at herself.

"No!" Elena yelled, lunging forward.

But this time Clara was tackled from behind -- Rivas was quicker than anybody expected and knocked her to the ground. The gun slid across the hardwood, out of reach.

Clara was screaming and crying, struggling as Rivas cuffed her. The girl was screaming too, pulling away.

Elena seized the child in her arms, maintaining her grip to keep her safe from the cacophony of noise and turmoil.

Rivas was standing, breathing heavily, with excitement in his face. "It's over."

But Paul wasn't looking relieved.

Elena was watching Paul--watching how his eyes were glued to the street.

Because parked across the street now... was a second car.

Unmarked and running.

Someone was inside.

Watching.

Paul whispered, "That's not the feds."

Rivas glanced, growing tense. "No. That's them."

Then, the car door opened.

And a man stepped from the car.

And Elena immediately recognized him.

From everything she had seen in the envelope. From Paul.

But not from Clara.

This wasn't about Clara now.

Paul whispered, "I thought he was dead."

The man smiled.

"Time to finish what you started, Dawson."