Chapter Text
In, Out. In, Out. In, Out. In, Out. The mantra runs through Katherine’s head continuously as her feet hit the pavement and she attempts to breathe through her nose. Jameet had mentioned earlier in the week that breathing through your nose when running was the most effective method, and Katherine is always looking for ways to improve. She comes around the last corner and is now heading towards the Washington Monument. Wisps of dark hair come loose from her ponytail and brush against the side of her face, sticking to her neck. Wiping some of the sweat away, she keeps her brisk pace. Going past the monument she turns so that she’s running parallel to the reflecting pool.
When she first came to Washington D.C., there were tour groups at the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial at all times throughout the day; but now that the weather has turned cool you hardly see anyone in the mornings, especially this early. Upon taking the final step up to the top of the memorial, Katherine walks over to the statue of President Lincoln. Sliding down so she sit against his chair, she leans forward with her head between her knees; taking in a deep breathe through her mouth, then exhaling it.
Her hands come up and massage her scalp where the elastic band has been holding her hair up all morning. Pulling it out, some of the tension in her scalp bleeds away and she runs her fingers through her sweat-drenched hair in an attempt to make it more presentable. Lifting her head up, she leans back against the statue and looks outward. The sun is slowly starting to rise from behind the monument and it plunges the sky into a light pink-orange color. She sits and watches as the park slowly fills with other civilians making there way to various destinations.
Katherine doesn’t know how much time has passed when she hears him approach. She makes no movement to acknowledgement him; instead keeping her eyes on one of the families that has stopped at the front of the reflection pool. The mother is trying to convince the teenage son and young daughter to come together for a picture while her husband stands off to the side on his phone.
The boy is ruffling the girl’s hair and she moves from under his arm and swipes at him in retaliation. When Jameet realizes Katherine isn’t going to be the one to start the conversation he takes it on himself, “How are you?” “Fine,” she watches as the mother throws her hands up exasperatedly and gestures to her husband for assistance, “I thought you were out of the country still.” “I was, but something came up.” She looks up at him now and takes him in.
Katherine always has to look up to see Jameet with his 6-foot 1 frame looming over her 5 foot one, and now he looks even bigger with his whole body towering over her. She pushes herself up so they are standing side by side. The two of them completely contrast one another with Jameet dressed for work and her in athletic wear.
The navy sweater he’s wearing compliments the beige slacks that have been tailored to fit his athletic build. The trenchcoat he has over the ensemble falls to about his knee in length, his hands tucked into the pockets. If she had to guess he’s playing with the wedding ring on his left hand. He always gets fidgety when he’s nervous and even though no one else would notice, she does. They know each other to well at this point to not notice even the most minuscule of details.
She knows just like she’s reading him, he’s just as easily reading her. As he takes in her haphazardly finger-combed hair, she switches her weight from her right foot to the left and watches as his eyes quickly glance over her black spandex running pants and the gray athletic pullover she dug out from the bottom of her laundry hamper this morning on her way out the door. “Not sleeping again?” “I could ask you the same thing.” “I’m not the one running at five in the morning due to insomnia.” “Who said anything about insomnia? I’m getting ready for a half-marathon.” The look Jameet gives her says he’s not buying her bullshit and the look she sends back tells him she’s not putting up with him today. “Everything okay?”
Jameet looks off to the side and Katherine follows his gaze, the family she was watching earlier has been able to get their photo successfully and the parents are following the children to the monument with the little girl skipping off ahead. He looks back at her and moves to descend down the stairs. Katherine waits a moment before trailing after him; once they both get down they fall into step together and walk towards the monument.
“How familiar are you with an analyst in the CIA named Jack Ryan?” “Served in the Marines until he was forced to leave due to a pretty damning back injury he obtained while in Afghanistan when he came back to civilian life he decided to make a difference by working at the CIA as a financial analyst instead of resuming his career as a stock broker. He’s currently a national icon as a result of stopping Suleiman, saving democracy in Venezuela and exposing a corrupt U.S. Senator. But you already knew all that, so what is this really about?”
They’ve stopping walking and are standing eye-to-eye now, Katherine’s arms crossed over her chest and Jameet holding her gaze. Then he’s looking past her shoulders and glancing over his own before coming back to her. It takes a moment before she realizes he’s doing a parameter sweep, it’s something they all tend to do on instinct, but Jameet’s never done it when he’s just with her. She’s glancing around now, his obvious paranoia beginning to spark her own to life. Seeing only tourists and civilians moving around them, she glances back to him and their eyes meet.
“I was running an op in Berlin with Kelly and Martinez when we got word that Ryan’s recent actions have gotten the attention of some dangerous individuals. Nothing’s been confirmed yet but we believe he’s being targeted by an organization operating throughout Europe.” “Why?”
“Apparently they provided President Reyes with half of the funds to operate the Cinco Palmas shell company in exchange for a share in the tantalum that they were able to dig up. Ryan had the best of intentions when he exposed everything, but now we’re looking at another global crisis situation without anyone being aware we’re in danger.”
“What exactly is it you want me to do here? Go to Langley and ask if he’s seen any new patterns revolving around an extremist group operating out of Europe?” “That’s a good starting point.” “Why me, you could send anyone in for this?” “He’s more likely to let his guard down with you, shared trauma and all that shit.”
Katherine lets out an incredulous chuckle, shaking her head at him. Turning her back to him she runs her hands over her face, attempting to resist the urge to punch him in the face. Jameet may know the details about what happened in Syria but he’s not the one who has to live with the mistakes that were made there. Once she’s pretty sure she can look at him without loosing it she turns back around.
He’s swiping at his cellphone now and Katherine hear’s her own ping with a new message, “That’s his lecture schedule for the remainder of the year and I’ll have one of the guys send you his full dossier tonight.” “I haven’t agreed to anything yet.” “You will.” “This conversation is over.” She’s walking away from him and has already passed the Washington Monument when she hears him, “It was good to see you Kat.” Lifting her right hand up she flips him off without looking back.
Walking home there’s only one thought running through her head, what have I gone and got myself into now.