Ben

"I'm not going back into WITSEC."

Instead of giving her a chance to change her mind, the time we left her alone to collect herself has only strengthened Ana's determination.

Before either of the federal interlopers can say something else that will set Ana off, I hurry to express what we're all thinking. "You have the right to refuse protection," I say in a conciliatory tone, "but you must know that you don't stand a chance if you try to go out there alone. They'll find you again and this time they won't let you go so easily."

"I know," she says, looking at me with an expression that mirrors her simple, acknowledging tone. "But I'm tired of being assigned new handlers and moving around all over the place. I want to stay here, in Phoenix, with you and Jones."

"Ana, we're not even going to be working on this case anymore. We have to go back to our regular jobs. We can't spend all day watching after you."

"If this gang is so dangerous and they know you helped me escape, aren't you at risk too? Can you really go back to your normal life either?"

I pause at that. She's making an excellent point. Ken still hasn't told me what he'll have me working on next. I've been getting the sinking feeling that he's not talking because I'm about to be transferred somewhere less dangerous. Somewhere as boring as hell, probably. And I hate the thought that all my time spent on this case - the years of my life I sacrificed to it - was all for nothing.

Ana takes my hesitation as a good sign for her case.

"You can keep working as my handler and we can keep helping out on this case."

"This case is no longer in his jurisdiction, Miss Clarence. You'll be working with us from now on."

Ana turns to the FBI agent and narrows her eyes at him.

"I'm really tired of you telling me what I'm going to do, Mr. Givens. What exactly are you going to do if I won't cooperate?"

"If you refuse to assist, we'll simply pursue other leads. I believe Officer Ramirez already mentioned our pending investigation into your mother's culpability in this case."

Ana is standing now.

"My mom was a victim, not a perpetrator. How dare you-"

"Ana, please stop." This is spiraling into the same train wreck I tried to derail earlier.

She looks at me like I was the one to pull the trigger on her mom.

"I'd like to discuss something with you in the hall, Agent Givens."

I can feel Ana glaring at my back as I leave the room.

Once outside, I call Ken over and begin to discuss my brewing plan.

~~~

When I enter the little room again, Ana regards me cautiously, not quite glaring at me but certainly not looking pleased at my abrupt entrance.

"We've worked something out with the FBI. I know you don't get on very well with Agent Givens, but he truly does want to get to the bottom of this case."

"It sounds to me like he wants to pin the blame on my mother." Her tone is clipped.

"He just wants the truth. This case is very important and bringing down this mob is very high on the FBI's priority list, so we've found a compromise."

This captures her interest, though she tries to hide it.

"You made a good point when you brought up how my previous assignment will interfere with my current job. It sounds like I'm being reassigned no matter what you choose. Probably somewhere safe and boring. Unless you agree to work with the FBI, in which case I will be temporarily transferred to the FBI as a sort of consultant and your handler. My experience inside this gang paired with your testimony could potentially give the FBI what they need to build a case that will stand up in court. The FBI has resources that we at the Phoenix Police Department don't. From where I'm standing, this looks like the best shot we've got to catch the people who did this and make the charges stick."

Ana considers this. I can tell she's not totally buying into the FBI kumbaya crap I'm trying to sell her on, but she's not arguing yet.

"What about Jones?" she asks.

Jones is no longer in the room. She was called out to join our discussion when her role was brought up.

"Jones will continue her job here with the police. She was not involved in this case until I called her out to the hospital the night we got you out. We don't have any reason to believe that she's in any particular danger if she continues to work here."

Ana looks like she wants to argue.

"You should know that Jones intends to keep working with us in her spare time. She actually asked our boss for fewer hours in the next several pay periods. I know it's not exactly what you wanted, but this is the best offer you're going to get."

Ana looks at me for a few seconds, then drops her gaze and sighs. "OK," she says quietly. "I guess that will have to do."

I sit at the opposite side of the table.

"We're going to go back to the safe house tonight. Tomorrow I'll start working for the FBI and you'll be asked to give a statement again. Do you think you'll be up for it?"

Her eyes flick up to mine. For the first time today, I can see the tiredness behind her eyes.

"Did you know that today is my birthday?" she asks.

"What?" My brain freezes for a second, confused by the unexpected question. "It is?"

She nods. "I didn't even remember. I didn't really care much about it this year, not with everything that's going on. It was awful last year too. But do you know who did remember?"

"Who?" Certainly wasn't me.

"Jones. She made the security detail stop at a grocery store on the way here to get me a piece of cake. And she didn't try to make me blow out a candle or make a birthday wish or even get excited about it. She just did something small to make my day suck less."

Ana curls up, drawing her knees into her chest and wrapping her arms about her legs.

"She even got chocolate cake. All that's missing is a handwritten card."

She smiles to herself like that means something, then I see the tears in her eyes.

"My birthday wish is that I could have them all back, just for one day. I wish I could see them again, talk to them, and hold them one last time. Just one more birthday with everyone. I wish I could have that."

I can see how much pain she's in. I know what that pain feels like. It wouldn't be weakness to show her some of mine, to let her see that recovery from grief is possible. If you can call the stacks of files on Isabela's murder in my apartment recovery.

"Did Jones tell you about my sister?" I ask.

She looks up and shakes her head.

"Her name was Isabela. She died when we were sixteen. One night, my uncle came to our house to tell us that they'd found her body - my uncle's a cop - and that she'd been raped and murdered."

"Oh my God," Ana says quietly. "I'm so sorry."

"Sometimes I wish I could have her back for just an hour, or a minute, or even a few seconds. I wish I could see her face and her smile again, instead of the photos from the crime scene. Losing her almost killed my mother. She's never been the same."

"That's why you said this case was close to home," Ana cuts in. "Did these people kill your sister too?"

"I don't know," I say with an exasperated laugh. "They never caught the guys who did it. Wasn't enough evidence, they said. I've been trying to get her case reopened, but it's been cold for a long time."

"That's awful. I'm really sorry, Ben."

I make that same awkward laugh sound. "You don't need to apologize. It's not like you did it."

"No, it's because I know how it feels. And it's the frickin worst. This sucks. I can't imagine how much more upset I'd be if we didn't know who did this to my family. Or if everyone else had given up on the case but me. How long have you been trying to solve her case on your own?"

"Since the night she died."

Ana considers this in silence for a long moment.

"Maybe we'll have some extra time when we're not working on this case. We can try to investigate your sister's case together. I don't think I'll be of much use, but fresh eyes are supposed to be helpful, right?"

"Ana, you don't have to do that."

"But I want to. It's the least I can do, after everything that you've done for me. And thanks, by the way. I think I've been confusing anger with strength for the past few days and I never bothered to say thanks for rescuing me from that torture chamber."

"You're welcome. All part of the job."

"You scared the crap out of me that day. After what you said that morning," she shakes her head. "I thought I was about to face the same fate your sister did."

"I'm sorry about that. I had to play along when there were other people around, you know? When I came back for you later, I was trying my hardest not to be scary."

"Maybe next time you meet a woman and don't want her to fear you, you shouldn't hold her arms behind her back and whisper into her ear in pitch darkness."

"Your wrists were tied and I needed to explain to you what to do after I freed you," I point out.

She offers a weak smile. "It was still creepy as hell."

This might be the first time I've seen her smile. The signs of her abuse at the hands of the Alvarez family are finally starting to fade. She might start looking moderately healthy soon. But the eyes behind her smile still speak of nightmares seen in the daylight.