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For Memory's Sake

"Hey, Mike, you gonna do paperwork all night?"

Captain Hendricks looked up from the mountain in front of him. "Nah, it'll be here when I get back Sunday. It'll be here when I die. Time to call it a day."

"Then why don't you come with us? It's happy hour at O'Hurley's."

"I'd love to, Steve, but I've got to go to Mass."

The detective snorted. "You? At Friday night Mass? What's the manner, behind on your Hellfire inoculations?"

Hendricks shared his laugh for a minute. "Not my idea. Nancy's been keen on going this year, what with…"

Steve's grin faded. "Yeah, it's been tough on us all. And we didn't know her like you and Nancy did."

"Nine months ago and it still doesn't seem real. I mean, she was just tired after Christmas break and she doesn't live to March." The Captain shook his head sadly.

"How are the kids? The twins are with you guys, right?"

"They're with Hank, he's an adult, you know." Hendricks got up and reached for his jacket. "Well, I better not be late. God would understand, but Nancy wouldn't."

He walked out of the precinct and got into his car. Within minutes he reached St. Andrews, his church. He passed it by, it was not his destination. Traffic snarled on Easton and Hendricks drummed his fingers in frustration. Finally the fender bender was removed and speed resumed. Got to hurry; only three chances left.

The chapel was much older than his church. It was the typical Friday night crowd; mostly older people. Still, it was a full production, as it was supposed to be. The celebrants filed forward to partake of the Host. Hendricks stayed back behind a column. Someone caught his attention. There.

He slipped outside and waited at the corner of the building. Given the small group it did not take long for his person of interest to thank the Priest. She was a small, old woman, her white hair done up carefully and covered with a hat. Her glasses were covered with the temporary wrap-around shades used after cataract removals. He watched her walk down the steps and make for the corner to hail a taxi. Quietly he stepped out and spoke.

"Excuse me, ma'am."

When she failed to turn around he called out louder. After that he played his card.

"Okay, Sasha, stop."

The woman stopped. "It's Shego. Nobody calls me Sasha anymore; not even my brothers."

"Nancy and I have always called you Sasha. You're still the same girl we've known since you were born."

"Not hardly. I'm sure you read the bulletins."

"They don't change nothing. Turn around and let me look at you."

She hesitated, as if deciding whether or not to run. With a sigh she turned. "All right, what did I miss? I dyed my hair, covered up nearly everything. I even added wrinkles to my neck."

"The shades were a nice touch; only a real jerk would pull those off somebody to check their eyes." Hendricks stepped up closer so they could talk quietly. "When you knelt at the altar I could see a bit of your calves. Old ladies don't have gams like that."

The corner of her mouth lifted. "Pervert. What would your wife say?"

"Let's just not let her know." Hendricks smiled back. "I've been watching for you all year."

"How'd you know I'd come?"

The Captain looked over his shoulder. No one was there. "When I read the schedule for St. Ag's I saw four memorial masses for your Mom. I knew it wasn't your brothers; they invited us to the one they paid for. It left just you. There was no way you'd try to come to the funeral. Not after…"

"Yeah. Wouldn't want to turn both parents' funerals into a circus." Shego's mouth tightened. "They had somebody there?"

"Inside? Not sure. Outside, they had a whole squad. You know, the Agency has a memory like the Church, but none of the mercy."

"They're something, all right." Shego's eyes shifted from side to side. "I'd love to stand here and talk, but it's getting cold and I need to get going."

He hated the next part. "What're your plans?"

"I've got a room at the Hafton. Tomorrow I'll go to the florist and…"

"No you won't."

Shego's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, 'no'?"

"They're waiting for you, Sasha. They've been waiting ever since your Dad died. You ain't never been to see your Dad, have you?"

"No." Shego gripped her right arm with her left hand. "It's just...if I visited Daddy…Mom always felt I gave her short shrift. Now I can see them both, be fair, you know?"

"You'd never make it, girl. They've had a squad outside Woodson Lawn from day one. Orders are to kill you."

"So they figure they can study me then?" The girl forgot her disguise and straightened up. "I can be in and out before they know it. Wouldn't be the first time I've done something under their noses."

Her confidence scared Hendricks. "They'd catch you this time. They have something new, a device. It spots Go Team Glow. It indicates when any of you come within a mile…in any direction."

"Agency's full of bull-headed morons." Shego scoffed. "When did they come up with something like that?"

"They didn't. Said they got it from some kid."

"WHAT!?" Shego's eyes glowed with anger. "That little…when I'm done here I…"

"He didn't give it to them." Hendricks explained. "They got it from a crime scene. One where you and the Possible kid wrecked a lab with one of your tussles two years ago. Agency guy called it a 'five finger discount'. Said they'd make more but if they open it up the kid'll know it's still working.

"There's no way you'll get by them this time, Sasha. I just hoped, no, I actually prayed, that you'd come to Mass first. Had to get to you before you walked into a trap. Your parents would never forgive me if I let them get you. Just go home."

Shego's fists balled up and shook. Her face lowered and her eyes smoldered. Normally at this time guards would rush forward, or a certain red-headed cheerleader would assume a fighting stance. But they did not know her like Hendricks did. He wanted to reach out, hold onto her until she cried away the frustration, the sense of failure. Instead he stood stock still. They could be watching.

She swallowed. "Always wondered how that nerdlinger tracked me. He's got the whole world wired, Kimmie says." Her breathing slowed and she took the purse off her shoulder. She opened it up and stepped up to Hendricks. A wad of bills were pressed into his hand.

"Can you…Mom always liked Star Gazer Lilies."

"Sure." He took the money and stuffed it in his jacket pocket. "Now, this stuff is legit, right?" she could not miss the teasing in his voice.

Shego somehow smiled. "It's some of the old Team Go merchandise profits. I still have a little account somewhere." She turned to wave a taxi down. One started to come up to the curb.

"I wish you could come by." Hendricks sighed. "Nancy would love to see you. Sheri goes to college in the fall, but she still has one of those old posters of you on her wall. You're her hero, you know."

"Hope she has better taste in boys." The cab pulled up. Hendricks opened the door and Shego climbed in. Her hand sliped over his, she gave his a quick squeeze.

The cab pulled away. His vision blurred when he saw her shoulders heaving. Congratulations, you're now a felon. He thought of the Agency bulletin and the woman listed at Number Four on their Ten Most Wanted the one he had just let get away.

Sasha Go, a.k.a. Shego.

Wanted for treason, terroristic threatening, attempted murder, grand larceny, violation of the Security Act, assault, breaking and entering and additional charges.

Considered extremely dangerous, use any and all means to apprehend.

Funny, all I see is the baby girl who just stared at me when the Priest asked me if I were willing to be her godfather. You're not as alone as you think you are, Sasha.

At the main branch of the Post Office for Go City, a worker took one more look at the stack of posters before she incinerated them. Try as she might, she never could see the hardened criminal. All she remembered was the teenaged girl who crawled into the terrifying tight place to hold her hand and tell her everything was going to be all right, that her brother could hold up the walkway until they could get a crane in position.

The Deputy Chief of Police pushed the 'delete' button to erase the newest reward offer for the apprehension of Sasha Go. Some nights he could still feel the gun pressed against his throat, a terrified boy holding onto it. It never ceased to amaze him how the officer who came into the store was able to use nothing but a calm voice to persuade the boy to lay down his gun. He remembered the black haired girl who stood with glowing eyes as they awarded her father his second decoration for valor.

On GoTV the show 'Bring 'em Back Alive' went to break twelve seconds too early. The station manager had again cut out a portion of the show called 'Menace of the Month'. She did not need to see the last name. The woman was obviously related to the teacher who had sat there while she flew off the handle in defense of her daughter. The teacher calmly agreed that yes, her daughter was neither retarded nor stupid, and then offered to help her with a study strategy to bring her reading up to the appropriate grade level. Her little girl was a doctor now.

In other places in town, people just plain lost things, forgot sightings, and otherwise fell far below the Agency's expectations of good citizens. Some had stories, others had simply been asked by someone they trusted. That might not work in some places, but it was good enough for the people of Go City.

A tired police Captain went to his car. It might still be happy hour, but he was going home. He and Nancy would take out the album and rehash some memories.