Chapter 144 - The Offer

Cate paused just outside Floyd’s office door to take a deep breath. Jesus, what’s going on? It seemed like everybody in this damned place was conspiring to add to her heartache, to put her through the emotional wringer. As if this day wasn’t hard enough for her already. Closing her eyes for a minute to try to focus her attention on her work rather than her emotions, Cate reached for the knob.

Jon stood silent in the shadows of George’s office, watching Cate. She was just a few steps away, out in the hall. He wanted so badly to step out from his hiding place, to pull her into his arms and hold her. It was all he could do to restrain himself.

Cate pushed open Floyd’s office door with a light knock. “Hey Boss,” she said tiredly as she stepped inside, her eyes turning toward Floyd’s desk at the far end of the big room. She was surprised to see not only her boss, but her boss’ boss there.

“Oh!” she exclaimed as she recognized the Director. “Sir! I’m sorry… should I come back later?” She didn’t know what she was interrupting, but it wasn’t exactly an everyday occurrence for the Center Director to make an unannounced visit to the Branch.

“Naw, Catie. Come on in,” Floyd drawled, motioning to her with his big hand.

“Hello, Agent Sullivan,” the Director smiled, rising from his seat in front of Floyd’s desk and extending his hand. “How are you?”

“Very well, Sir,” Cate answered respectfully, feeling a little twinge in her heart at the lie. “And you?”

“I’m wonderful.” The Director motioned to the empty chair beside his, in front of Floyd’s desk. “Please, have a seat.”

“Ummm... thank you.” Cate tried to keep the confusion from her voice. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out why the Director was here, inviting her to talk with him and Floyd. She felt a nervous flutter in the pit of her stomach. Oh Shit… what if he knows about me and Jon?

Cate glanced at the Director as he took his seat beside her, and her mind flashed back to last week. Twelve days ago she had walked into this office and found Jon sitting in that very chair. A stab of pain knifed through her heart at the recollection. Soon that memory would be filed away in her mind, with all the other memories of her time with Jon. It would be one of the only things she would have left of him.

Cate settled nervously into her chair, sitting rigidly as if she was ready to spring from her seat and flee. She shot a glance at Floyd and saw he was smiling. The sight relaxed her a little. If Floyd was smiling, this must not be too bad a thing.

“Agent Sullivan, I have some news,” the Director announced. “I am very proud to inform you that you have been selected for promotion.” He broke into a beaming grin as Cate’s jaw dropped in shock. “Congratulations, Agent Sullivan.” Again he extended his hand to Cate.

“I…” Cate was dumbfounded. “I… thank you…” she stammered, accepting the Director’s handshake. “I…. I’m sorry, I’m just… I wasn’t expecting…”

Floyd’s gentle drawl interrupted her floundering. “Cate, you knew there was a promotion in your future. I’ve been telling you that for awhile now. Today’s the day.” He smiled kindly. “Congrats, Catie. I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you, Floyd,” Cate breathed, her mind still racing. She paused for a minute to process this turn of events, then realized what this news meant. “But Boss… that means…”

“Yeah. You’re gonna have a new position here on the Center. You won’t be a line instructor anymore.” Floyd grinned proudly. “You’re gonna be a Branch Chief, Catie.”

Cate stared at Floyd, her eyes wide. “A… a Branch Chief?” she stammered again. Even in her shock, her heart sank. She loved teaching. If she became a Branch Chief she wouldn’t get to spend nearly as much time in the classroom. She would have to do things like budgets and staff meetings and personnel actions and curriculum reviews. She would also have to travel more, to Washington DC and to the field offices, to determine the needs of the field for incorporation into her Branch’s training plans.

“Yes, Cate, I’m very happy to tell you that we have the perfect Branch Chief position lined up for you,” the Director continued, his enthusiasm obvious in his tone. “With your background and experience you are the ideal candidate – and my one and only choice – to be Chief of our new Counterterrorism Training Branch.”

Cate couldn’t hold in her little gasp of surprise. The CTB was the Center’s newest, highest-profile project and was scheduled to begin operation at the beginning of the new year. And she was going to be the first Chief. Oh My God…

Floyd chuckled at Cate’s overwhelmed reaction. She really hadn’t seen this coming. He knew why; because her thoughts had been otherwise occupied these past couple weeks. With something much more important, in his estimation. “But Catie, the CTB won’t be up and running for another good six months,” Floyd stated calmly.

Cate nodded. “Oh…. So then I’ll just keep teaching here?” She couldn’t keep the hopeful note from her voice. As wonderful a professional opportunity as becoming the first CTB Chief was, her heart was here in the Firearms Branch.

“Well, not exactly.” The Director answered Cate’s question. He gave her a winning smile as she turned to look at him, a mixture of surprise and wariness in her expression. “There’s something else. An opportunity I’d like to extend to you. I’d consider it a personal favor if you’d accept.”

Out in the hallway, Jon stood staring through the window of Floyd’s office door. He had emerged from George’s office as soon as Cate had gone inside, unable to stop himself from being drawn closer to the conversation behind that closed door. Cate’s back was to him as she sat listening to Paul and Floyd, her head turning toward each man as he spoke.

Jon’s heart ached as he watched her, trying to discern from glimpses of her profile and from her body language what she was saying, what she was thinking. It was killing him to not be in there.

Cate stared at the Director, confused. What? A personal favor? What the Hell is he talking about? She couldn’t say a word as she struggled to comprehend what was happening.

“Cate,” the Director continued. “You know I’ve always had great regard for you, and that I appreciate the work you’ve done with the Public Affairs office. You’re an outstanding Ambassador for law enforcement.” He smiled as Cate blushed slightly. “And these past two weeks, you have come through for us again with your exemplary work with Mr. Bon Jovi.”

Cate blushed more deeply at the compliment. “Umm… thank you, Sir,” she said softly, dropping her eyes to her hands in her lap. Her heart clenched again at the mention of Jon’s name.

“Jon has been extremely complimentary of your professionalism and dedication,” the Director continued. “In fact, because of the impression you have made on him he has volunteered to work with the Center on a recruiting campaign, to begin after he finishes filming his movie.”

Cate nodded slightly. “Yes, Sir, he mentioned that. That he was doing the campaign, I mean. Not … not anything about me.” She looked down again, wondering exactly what Jon had told the Director about her.

“Well, Cate, there is another opportunity that has been presented to the Center, thanks to Mr. Bon Jovi,” the Director stated. “He thinks you are the perfect person for the job.” He smiled as Cate’s eyes snapped up to meet his. “And I fully agree.”

Cate’s pulse raced. Another opportunity for what? And what did Jon have to do with it? She watched, speechless, as Floyd handed a dark blue folder across his desk to the Director. The Director accepted it, settling it on his lap before continuing.

“Cate, the movie Jon is starring in is produced by Imagine Entertainment. They have a number of law enforcement-related projects in works, one of which is a television series to air on a cable network. It’s about a pseudo-military unit that recruits agents for deep undercover work. The series is set at the unit’s training facility.”

The Director paused to give Cate another smile. “The series is being produced by a friend of Jon’s, someone who is a personal favorite of yours, I understand.” He chuckled. “Kiefer Sutherland.”

The Director paused as Cate’s mouth again fell open at the revelation. “Anyway, the series needs a technical advisor. At Jon’s suggestion they have requested we allow an agent to work with their production for a few months. In fact, they specifically requested you.”

Cate’s head was spinning. She couldn’t comprehend what was happening. What was the Director saying? That he wanted her to go to Hollywood? That’s where Jon will be…

“But,” the Director continued. “That project won’t start for a few weeks. In the meantime, Imagine would like to bring you on board for Jon’s movie, where you would serve as his personal trainer as well as an associate to the film’s technical advisors. That would give you a chance to learn the ropes of being a techie.” He gave Cate another hopeful smile as he paused to allow her a moment to process the information.

Jon couldn’t stand it anymore. He had to know what was going on. He had seen Floyd hand the blue folder containing Cate’s contract package across the desk to the Director, and he saw Cate’s shocked reaction to whatever the Director had said to her. A knot tightened in Jon’s stomach as he watched her posture stiffen as she listened to Paul. Hardly able to breathe, Jon reached out and put his hand on the doorknob.

“Agent Sullivan,” the Director said gently, redirecting her attention back to him after a moment. “This is where the personal favor part comes in. This is a fantastic opportunity for the Center. It could really raise awareness of what we do; and it could up the ‘cool factor’ of being a federal cop. Kind of like what the CSI shows have done for the forensic science field. Needless to say, that could be a huge boost to our recruiting efforts.”

He paused again before revealing the catch. “But the thing is, this would be a special detail. Since it involves a for-profit project it would be a violation of federal ethics laws for the government to continue to pay your salary while you worked on the movie or the series. Therefore, you’d have to take a leave of absence without pay for the duration of the projects. You would retain your benefits and continue to accrue time toward retirement, but you would have no federal salary.”

Cate sucked in a sharp breath. No salary? She had a healthy amount put away in savings and in retirement accounts, but she needed her income. She felt her stomach twist as she remembered Jon’s words from just a few days ago, when they had gotten into that awful fight in the mat room. He had told her she wouldn’t have to worry about money, that he’d take care of her if she quit her job to follow him. Is that what he was trying to manipulate her into doing now? Cate felt her anger rising again at his arrogance.

“Catie,” Floyd’s gentle drawl cut into her thoughts. “That’s where Jon helped us out. He got the studio to agree to a short-term contract with you, for your services. You’ll be paid by the studio, not by the government, until you come back to us.”

Cate’s eyes widened as the Director held out the folder to her. With trembling hands she accepted it, staring at its cover.

“This is a copy of the contract. I’ve had my legal and human resources staff review it, and everything is in order.” The Director’s voice was quiet but eager. “I think you’ll find their offer to be very attractive.” He grinned. “Trust me, the money is way better than what Uncle Sam has to offer.”

Cate dropped the folder onto her lap, looking up at the Director. He met her gaze with a hopeful look. “I can’t force you to take this project, Cate,” he said quietly. “But I’m asking you to accept. You would be doing a great service to the Center, and I will personally see to it that this reflects very well on your future career prospects.”

Cate sat speechless, dumbfounded by what she had just heard. Jon had gone to the studio. He had arranged these technical advisor projects. He had requested her services. He had had employment contracts drawn up for her. She sucked in a sharp breath as another thought occurred to her. Did he influence my promotion too?

“Catie,” Floyd said quietly, reading her mind. “This Hollywood thing is just a temporary deal. It would be for a few months, until your new Branch Chief position is funded. You’d go out to California for a little while, have a little fun making movies and hanging out at the beach, then you’d come back here to start your new job.” He smiled. “It would be kinda like a well-paid vacation.”

Floyd gave Cate a little wink as she raised her eyes to his, question and suspicion in her stare. “Catie, your promotion was a done deal a couple months ago. We couldn’t tell you until the Attorney General’s office approved it. We just got that word yesterday.” He gave her another fatherly smile. “Since it will be a little bit until it takes effect, this Hollywood deal would be a perfect fit for you. It’s a good thing, Catie. Professionally and personally.”

Cate found her voice again at Floyd’s words. “But… but Floyd, you don’t have anyone to fill in for me…” she said hoarsely. “The Branch is already understaffed, and my new class…”

Floyd chuckled. “Don’t you worry ‘bout that. That’s easy to fix.” He gave her a direct look, his expression sobering just a bit. “But here's the kicker, Catie. The detail starts next week, when the movie starts shooting. You need to decide right here, right now. If you go, we have to get all this paperwork signed and up to headquarters in DC before close of business today.”

Floyd paused, watching her struggle with the idea. When he continued his voice was gentle. “Catie, will you accept the offer?”

Jon watched Floyd’s lips moving as he spoke to Cate. Suddenly he couldn’t breathe. He had to know. He couldn’t wait any longer.

Of its own accord Jon’s hand turned on the knob. Unable to stop himself, he slipped silently through the door and to the back of the office, behind Cate’s chair. He braced himself against the wall, not trusting his legs to support his weight.

Cate should have noticed Floyd’s gaze shift to the back of the room. She should have heard the quiet click of the door. She should have caught his unmistakable scent, felt his presence in the room. But she didn’t. Her senses and emotions were overloaded as her mind scrambled to make sense of everything she had just heard.

Floyd was telling her to go with Jon. It was okay. Everything had been taken care of – her money, her job, her future promotion… it was all set. All she had to do was say yes.

It was all set because Jon had made it happen. It was his idea; his handiwork that this extraordinary set of circumstances had come into being. Her promotion, her pending new job, his work in California… he had somehow made all of those different factors converge into this neat package. The package that was resting on her lap, wrapped in a dark blue folder.

If she said yes, it would mean months more with Jon. But it would also just delay the inevitable. She would eventually have to leave him and return here, to more work and more responsibility than she had ever had before. Once she took on the duties of a Branch Chief she would have no time for anything else. Not even for love.

She certainly wouldn’t have time to heal a broken heart. And that’s how it would eventually end between them.

Cate lowered her head, her lower lip quivering slightly at the ironic cruelty of this situation. She knew Jon thought he was doing something kind and wonderful for her. She was certain he had no intentions of hurting her. But that was exactly what would happen when she had to leave him. She couldn’t relive this terrible, agonizing day again, months down the road.

She had already said goodbye.

Jon’s heart sank as he watched Cate’s reaction. The slump of her shoulders, the tilt of her head, the slight tremble of her hands on her lap all told him what she was thinking. She was afraid. Jon closed his eyes and prayed. Don’t look back… Let it go…

Cate drew in a deep breath, ready to give her answer. She closed her eyes for a moment, then raised her gaze to Floyd. Her lips parted to speak, but she couldn’t form the words.

“Cate, sometimes you just have to jump off that ledge and trust that Superman’s gonna swoop down and catch you when you fall.”

Fluttering her lids closed to contain the tears that threatened to spill from her swirling sapphire eyes, Cate took a deep breath…