Among Men: Genesis, Book 1

Chapter 5

Liam sat down his suitcase beside his chair after finally navigating through John F. Kennedy Airport, hustling through the crowd to find his gate. He was desperate for a cigarette, his hands shook in an ongoing four-hour nicotine withdrawal. He flicked open his lighter after unsteadily removing his pack of camels from his front pants pocket and placing a cigarette in his lips. Lighting the end, he inhaled heavily and the dopamine pulsed through his veins, sinking him further into the chair in the waiting area of his gate. He relaxed, leaning his head back slightly, and sat his ankle across his lap.

He knew he'd have a good chance to rest as long as the flight didn't get delayed. Which if it did, he couldn't have cared that much. It was always long car rides and planes. The bureau moved people where they felt necessary. Liam being a bachelor with no rooted family of his own made him malleable to move to their needs. California one week. Illinois the next week. He didn't mind the constant chase.
It was lulling enough to keep him content and busy. His partner, Tanner Easton was helping in showing him the ropes of scout work. One of the several ranks below becoming a field agent. Scouting being above a desk sergeant.

As Liam sat quietly in his chair and took drags of his cigarette, a stewardess from the airline desk scribbled a message on a yellow notepad before glancing in Liam's direction, the black desk phone brought up to her ear in a call.

"I think I see him." She said into the phone receiver, hanging up after a brief goodbye and she tore away the slip of paper. She sheepishly stepped over, afraid to bother him in such a state of peace and she spoke up softly,
"Excuse me."

Liam was halfway startled and his eyes widened thinking she was going to tell him he was sitting in the non-smoking section.

"Oh." Liam said surprised as he scanned her suddenly with his eyes. She was younger than him, sandy blonde with green eyes. She was very attractive, "I'm sorry. Should I not be smoking?"

She shook her head as she straightened her back from kneeling forward to catch his attention. "Oh no sir, it's not that." She said and twisted the note in her hands as she spoke,
"Are you Agent Amare? Robert Amare?"

Liam smiled and found himself intrigued as to why she was asking. He half thought about a boastful response until he simply nodded,
"Yes…" He stuttered trying not to stare, "Well I'm not an agent. But yes, yes. I go by Liam however."

"Oh, of course." She said and presented the note in her hand, still folded in her fingers, "I was asked by a man on the phone to give this message to you. I believe the name was..Mr. Easton."

He reached and retrieved his note carefully but he intentionally with a straight face brushed his hand against hers in a flirtatious pass. He thanked her softly and he said in a more confident tone, almost testing the waters toward a flirt,
"I don't believe I caught your name, forgive me."

She smiled with her pink-lined lips curving softly upwards and she said to oblige him, "My name is Rachel."

She crossed her hands, folding them in front of her pencil skirt and jacket to reveal the wedding ring on her left hand and Liam cursed inside his mind, "Well, shit."

"Thank you, Rachel." He said with a polite nod and finished the last drag of his cigarette as she retreated back to the airline desk ahead. Liam unfolded the note which was only Tanner asking him for a phone call before he boarded. Liam rolled his eyes hoping Tanner wasn't going to ask him to board a different damn plane when he was already waiting for this one back to Virginia.

He knew the public pay phones were down the hall in the small wooden stalls for privacy and he only had two dollars in small bills in his pocket. He thought of the best way to break a dollar and saw a newsstand on the other side of the gate. He fished the dollars out of his pocket and checked his watch while standing in line, hoping they had The Times. After having to settle for The Enquirer, the only choice since The Times was sold out and the other option was The Wall Street Journal, he made his way towards the hallway. He jingled the fifteen cents he needed for his call in his palm and found a phone empty towards the end. He muttered the number on the paper and waited as Easton's phone rang. He knew it couldn't have been his office line at work but seemed to be a personal landline. Most likely his house in Richmond.