Pistons & Passion

Oh Dear Brother.

A smile tugged at the corners. of Cassie's lips at the sound of her brother's voice, though it quickly faded once she saw his face. Thick gaze covered almost everything but his mouth and eyes, his right leg was in a cast and being held in an elevated sling both of his arms were broken, the right one above the elbow and the left one below. 2 IV bags hung beside him a heavy dose of morphine dripping constantly from one well the other supplied him with saline water.

"Oh my god..." Cassie's voice trailed off as she took in the scene infront of her.

"What the hell happened to you." she walked carefully across the room like she thought any shift in the air could cause Ethan more harm. Ethan tracked her every movement as Cassie got closer she could the rage and determination the burned in his eyes even as her tried to force a weak smile on to his cracked lips his gaze never softened.

"what the hell happened to me? what the hell happened to you!?" Ethan chuckled his voice rang out strong and confident, the morphine coursing through his body had severed his ties with the reality of his situation. Cassie just shook her head in response it was true she had changed a lot in the last few years, The heavy combat boots that had once been her everyday foot wear were replaced with simple black running shoes, jeans had been switched for slacks and the flowy dark blue blouse with a plunging neckline was a far cry from the simple tee shirts and leather jackets she wore last time she lived with her brother.

"we're not here to talk about me." she said smiling at her brother as she finally reached his bed resting her hand on his left arm and giving the cast a gentle squeeze.

"so what happened?" Cassie asked gently searching her brother's eyes.

"my bike was sabotaged and I was attacked." Ethan broke their eye contact and turned his head to look out the window before continuing.

"It happened two weeks ago, Sebastian and I went for a ride to town just to pick up a couple backpacks full of groceries. the ride down was no trouble but we'll we were in the store someone cut my fule line." Ethan paused for a moment taking a deep breath.

"I ran out of fule half way up the ridge and when Sebastian and I pulled off to check my bike their was an ambush waiting for us." Ethan tried to swallow the rage building in his throat as he spoke,

"They launched shrapnel and flash bang grandes at us Sebastian was thrown backwards over the side of the road back down the ridge and I was thrown into the bikes." Cassie's mind flashed an image of the intricate web of fine scars she had noticed covering Sebastians skin.

"they didn't go after Sebastian but 4 guys with crowbars and pepper spray rushed me before I could get up they beat me unconscious they probably thought they had killed me." Ethan trailed off and they stayed in silence for a few minutes before he finished speaking.

"next thing I remember is waking up here and calling you." Ethan looked back to meet his sisters gaze again seeing the concern and pity in her eyes only made the anger and embarrassment he felt burn hotter and he looked away again.

"So you want me to figure out who those 4 guys were?" Cassie asked quietly breaking the growing silence.

"first I need you to figure out who I can trust." Ethan looked her in the eyes again this time the determination in his eyes was reflected in hers.

"there was only 4 people other then me who knew where and when me and Sebastian were going. Sebastian, Dominic, Stephanie and Jason. I called them all here for you."

"do you really suspect Sebastian could be involved? After all he was with you when it happened." Cassie asked with an edge of confusion.

"If anything that makes me more suspicious of him not less." Ethan's response was cold and flat, he'd always been a little paranoid and the situation at hand only amplified it.

"What about uncle J he was like a second father to us"

"he's not the same man your remember" Ethan cut Cassie off Ethan's words sent a chill down Cassie's spine, there has been times in her life were Cassie would have said she was closer to Jason then her own father so her brother words unsettled her deeply.

"And one more thing none of them know about your knew job special agent Knight."

Cassie's eyes snapped wide open and her her mouth sat a gape at her brothers words, one of the many things that had changed in Cassies life was her certification and job with homeland security as an undercover intelligence agent.

"How did you..." Cassie searched Ethans eyes for and answer she knew no one in the club knew about her position given it's top secret nature so how did Ethan.

"it's my job as your brother to know." Ethan's voice held a cunning tone and gave nothing away Cassie decided this was a mystery she could wait to solve later.

"is there anything else I should know before I go back out there?"

"no right now the less you know the better I don't want anyone to have any reason to be suspicious of you and knowing more then you should after being away for so long would definitely tip them off." Cassie closed her eyes so Ethan wouldnt see her roll them, there's that paranoia again.

"well then I should head back in there." Cassie gave her Brother's cast one last squeeze as she turned away from the bed and headed back towards the door, casting a glance over her shoulder she received a reassuring look from her brother and stepped out into the hallway.