Mountains of Dawn

Brian Miller returned home around 5:00 pm, after his partner Jack Benweiser had been arrested and charged. His anger still fumed concerning Judith's part in the plans when he turned on the television for the local evening news.

A smiling news anchorman beamed his copy into the world with all the joy of a man who had wondrous things to share. "A complex police operation, carried out in collaboration with the well-known agency Invicta, led to the arrest of Mr. Jack Benweiser, and the deaths of the Shredder, a well-known assassin, and two of his accomplices. In the course of the shootout agent Carl Finney was seriously wounded and agent Jim Cramer killed. Agent Judith Abramson, a member of the Invicta, is particularly credited for the success of the operation."

The camera pulled in for a close shot of a pale, filthy Judith, wrapped in a grey blanket. Malcolm Clark had his arms wrapped around her, holding the press back.

"Agent Judith Abramson has no comments at this moment," Malcolm said. "You may interview her at length tomorrow."

"Brian, she's alive," Mike said. He had been watching behind Brian while he also watched Brian's face. Mike clamped his hand onto Brian's shoulder. "That's what's important, only that."

"She wouldn't have been there if it weren't for me," Brian said, his expression blank. "I caused it, all of it."

"No. No, you did not! She chose to be there. It was her job, Brian, her job. She was doing that kind of thing long before she met you."

Later, the news went into depth on the killings, dwelling like a lover on each item. Brian felt as if he might vomit. "She killed. Because of me, she killed. And she caused a fellow agent to die when she fired her gun under the car. She'll blame herself. Even if she had no choice. I know her. She will bleed for the victims. Forever."