‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
66
“Are you ready?”
Zac jumped as Isaac’s hand appeared on his shoulder. He hadn’t expected to be so nervous. He knew that facing the media was something he’d have to do eventually, but now that the moment was here… he just wished it could be over and done with already.
The brothers had finally returned to Tulsa a couple of days prior. Both of them had spent a lot of time with Natalie, barely having time to adjust to being home before the questions had started firing from all angles. While in the past the media coverage had been a welcome help into being able to locate Taylor, they’d all managed to keep this situation hushed until now because of the sensitive nature.
Davison had worked with them tirelessly the night before to differentiate exactly what they could and could not say about what the task force was doing. There had already been media coverage related to the raid on the base where Zac had been found, but they’d managed to keep his name out of it at the time. Since then of course the rumours had been flying, but this 3CG press conference was where it would all be coming out. They hadn’t even fronted the reporters yet and people were already asking them where Taylor was.
“No,” Zac replied honestly.
“Me neither.”
Zac took a deep breath and looked up as Davison made his way over in full uniform.
“We’ll head out in a moment,” he informed them, “just remember… if anything gets too hard or you’re not sure if you can answer, just leave it to me.”
“Thanks,” Isaac nodded, before taking a peek out at the crowd.
“Any problems?” Davison looked between them.
“Just nerves,” Zac replied.
“You don’t have to tell them anything you don’t want to,” Davison reminded him, “it’s no one’s business what you went through but your own.”
“I’ll offer up anything that helps get Tay back,” Zac insisted with a nod.
“And that’ll be what the focus is on today,” Davison reminded them, “seeking the public’s assistance for anyone that may have seen him. If he wasn’t in Fort Worth, he had to have been moved. If he was moved, there’s a chance someone saw something. It has been… how long?”
“A month. Almost to the day,” Isaac said sullenly.
“Right. That’s a long time for no one to see anything,” Davison insisted, “maybe we’ll get lucky and someone in on the operation will form a conscience.”
Zac smirked, knowing there wouldn’t be much luck there. Most of those interrogated after the raids had suddenly not known how to speak English, and those that were obviously American or at the very least English-speaking had said nothing.
“Is Taylor’s wife here?”
“No,” Zac shook his head, “but she’ll be watching from home.”
“We’re almost ready to go live,” a woman with a headset appeared aside the curtain separating them from the crowd.
Davison gave her a nod, then looked to Zac.
“Here we go,” he clapped his hands together.
Isaac offered him a reassuring smile, before holding the curtain aside as they stepped out to be greeted by a hundred camera flashes.
Zac jumped as Isaac’s hand appeared on his shoulder. He hadn’t expected to be so nervous. He knew that facing the media was something he’d have to do eventually, but now that the moment was here… he just wished it could be over and done with already.
The brothers had finally returned to Tulsa a couple of days prior. Both of them had spent a lot of time with Natalie, barely having time to adjust to being home before the questions had started firing from all angles. While in the past the media coverage had been a welcome help into being able to locate Taylor, they’d all managed to keep this situation hushed until now because of the sensitive nature.
Davison had worked with them tirelessly the night before to differentiate exactly what they could and could not say about what the task force was doing. There had already been media coverage related to the raid on the base where Zac had been found, but they’d managed to keep his name out of it at the time. Since then of course the rumours had been flying, but this 3CG press conference was where it would all be coming out. They hadn’t even fronted the reporters yet and people were already asking them where Taylor was.
“No,” Zac replied honestly.
“Me neither.”
Zac took a deep breath and looked up as Davison made his way over in full uniform.
“We’ll head out in a moment,” he informed them, “just remember… if anything gets too hard or you’re not sure if you can answer, just leave it to me.”
“Thanks,” Isaac nodded, before taking a peek out at the crowd.
“Any problems?” Davison looked between them.
“Just nerves,” Zac replied.
“You don’t have to tell them anything you don’t want to,” Davison reminded him, “it’s no one’s business what you went through but your own.”
“I’ll offer up anything that helps get Tay back,” Zac insisted with a nod.
“And that’ll be what the focus is on today,” Davison reminded them, “seeking the public’s assistance for anyone that may have seen him. If he wasn’t in Fort Worth, he had to have been moved. If he was moved, there’s a chance someone saw something. It has been… how long?”
“A month. Almost to the day,” Isaac said sullenly.
“Right. That’s a long time for no one to see anything,” Davison insisted, “maybe we’ll get lucky and someone in on the operation will form a conscience.”
Zac smirked, knowing there wouldn’t be much luck there. Most of those interrogated after the raids had suddenly not known how to speak English, and those that were obviously American or at the very least English-speaking had said nothing.
“Is Taylor’s wife here?”
“No,” Zac shook his head, “but she’ll be watching from home.”
“We’re almost ready to go live,” a woman with a headset appeared aside the curtain separating them from the crowd.
Davison gave her a nod, then looked to Zac.
“Here we go,” he clapped his hands together.
Isaac offered him a reassuring smile, before holding the curtain aside as they stepped out to be greeted by a hundred camera flashes.