Page 32 of Forever

Morgan hesitated, torn between her curiosity and her desire for answers and the nagging feeling that she couldn't afford to trust anyone — not even her partner.

After all this time--all these mind games--she was done playing around. She didn't even recognize Derik anymore. He was a stranger, and now, he'd gone too far.

Morgan's hand shook as she gripped her gun, pointing it at Derik's chest. His eyes went wide, his hands up. She steadied her voice, trying to maintain an air of authority despite the storm of confusion raging within her. "You have two minutes, Derik. Start talking."

"Alright, alright," he began hurriedly, raising his hands in surrender. "I... I was tasked to lead you into a trap, Morgan. I didn't want to do it, but they had me cornered. They knew things about me, things that would ruin my life if they got out. They said they'd expose everything if I didn't help them take you down."

Morgan's mind reeled as she tried to process his words. Her finger twitched on the trigger, the weight of betrayal heavy in her heart. She focused on the cold metal of the gun, using it as an anchor to keep herself anchored in reality. Of course, she wasn't going to gun down Derik, but if the threat made him finally talk, then so be it.

"Who are 'they,' Derik? Who's been blackmailing you?"

"I don't know," he admitted, his face paling. "I never saw their faces. They contacted me through burner phones, dead drops... always one step ahead of us, always hidden. But they knew about my past mistakes, things I'd done that I thought were buried forever. And they made it clear they'd use those secrets against me if I didn't cooperate."

"Then why change your mind?" Morgan asked, struggling to reconcile this desperate figure with the steadfast partner she'd known for years.

"Because... because I couldn't do it, Morgan. I couldn't betray you like that. Even though I felt trapped, like I had no choice but to obey them, I couldn't bring myself to lead you to them. I don’t know what they were going to do, but—" His voice broke, and for a moment, Morgan saw a glimpse of the man she'd come to trust implicitly. "I would never forgive myself."

Morgan took a deep breath, the air stinging her lungs as she focused on the man she'd once called her partner. "Derik, what are you talking about? What else is there?"

Derik's gaze dropped to the ground, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "When you were in prison, my ex-wife gave birth to a son. I've never been in his life, but these people found out about him. They threatened to kill him if I didn't help them take you down."

The words hit Morgan like a sucker punch to the gut, forcing her to reevaluate everything she thought she knew about Derik. The anguish in his voice was genuine, and she could see that he was caught between wanting to protect his child and his loyalty to her. If Derik really was a father, then she had to understand why he might want to protect his son. But she also knew by now that there were little words Derik could say that would make her trust him.

"You're lying," she said. "You don't have a son."

"I do!" He went to reach into his jacket, and Morgan held her gun firmly on him. "Cross, come on, you know me," he said. "It's my wallet. Can I get it out?"

Reluctantly, Morgan nodded.

Derik took out his wallet and removed a photo, then flashed it to Morgan. It was a picture of an infant, one who had Derik's blue eyes.

"This is him," Derik said. "Cross, I'm telling you the truth."

For once, Morgan believed him. She hated herself for it, but she did.

"Is the photo you sent me real? Was my father really an FBI agent?" Morgan asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Derik hesitated, his eyes searching hers for understanding. "I shouldn't answer that, Morgan. You'll discover your father's secrets in your own time. But I swear to you, I never wanted any of this to happen."

A heavy silence settled between them, filled with the weight of unspoken apologies and years of trust now hanging by a thread. Morgan's thoughts raced as she struggled to process Derik's revelation, the betrayal she felt now tempered by the knowledge that he, too, had been backed into a corner.

Morgan's fingers clenched into fists, her knuckles turning white. The feeling of betrayal still burned like a hot coal in her chest. "Who are these people, Derik? Tell me their names."

Derik shook his head, a mixture of frustration and helplessness etched across his face. "I told you, I don't know all the details, Morgan. They've been very careful to keep their identities hidden."

"Convenient," she snapped, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Look," he said, raising his hands in a placating gesture, "I want to help you, Morgan. I never wanted any of this to happen." He paused for a moment, his jaw clenching as he fought the emotions threatening to spill over. "Let's go somewhere private, and figure out our next move."

Morgan stared at him, struggling to reconcile the man she had trusted for years with the person who now stood before her. As much as she wanted to believe him, as much as she understood his desperation, she couldn't shake the nagging doubt that something else was going on.

"Thanks, but no thanks," she said finally, her voice cold and distant. "I need some time alone right now." She turned away from him, walking back toward her car with determination in every step.

"Please, Morgan," Derik called after her, desperation lacing his voice. "You don't have to do this alone."

"Maybe not," she replied without turning around. "But for now, that's exactly what I'm going to do."

As Morgan slid into the driver's seat, she took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions raging inside her. The truth about her father and the looming threat of those hunting her felt like an unbearable weight on her shoulders. But she would face it head-on, just as she had faced everything else in her life.

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