| "Under Watchful Eyes" | ||
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CF: CT-1802A-08 En route to SH2 April 15, 2008 0900 hours They sat quietly as Jordan negotiated the early morning traffic on their way to SH2. Neither of them, Paige nor Jordan, had anything to say to each other. What was there to say? They were having a hard time getting anywhere in the Samboy case and finding it increasingly difficult to justify themselves with the heavy scrutiny and pressure The Powers That Be put on them. The only thing Jordan and Paige were good at was coming home smelling atrociously like dead fish. They knew better than anyone did the importance of closing this first case swiftly and with positive results. Each case, each successful mission would bring the SIA further out from under the flexing muscle of Oversight and the Agents from the watchful eyes of Joshua. Jordan parked her car as they noted Baz was already there, his truck parked haphazardly across two spaces. They made their way upstairs slowly, having no real urgency to get there. Paige opened the door, punching the security code and letting Jordan enter before her. Baz was stretched out on a chair near a long table in the opposite corner of the long room. Jordan and Paige made there way across the space as Gray watched them. "Hey guys," Baz said with a small smile, to which Jordan and Paige just nodded their heads, then tossed another nod in Gray's direction. Paige's eyes almost lit up seeing the satellite photos hanging behind Gray...where had they come from??? Seemed everyone was under watchful eyes of some sort or the other these days. "Any luck with Keller?" he directed the question at Paige though she knew from the sarcastic quality of his voice that the question was merely a formality...or a dig to get her to announce her failure in the open. "Nope, dead issue," she said smiling warmly at him, hoping secretly, that that pissed him off. It was, if anything, a blow to Paige's own ego not being able to get a date with Keller. Maybe she was getting old? He dismissed her, and she was quite happy about it, and started talking with Jordan. Jordan had searched, pretty much by herself, almost every warehouse in the facility with no luck, chamber, or spring of a weapon. Paige listened passively already knowing what was going on. Her mind however, was taking in the wonderful new snapshots that were displayed in front of her. It was refreshing to have pictures to memorize and her mind soaked them all up, the paler grays against darker ones, the whiteness of the surf as it crashed easily into the gray beaches. "Paige?" She looked over to Gray, who apparently was trying to get her attention. "Yes?" "You may want to pay attention," he scolded her and turned his gaze upon Baz. Baz, leaning forward and was quite...excited...about something or another, as he grinned like a little kid. "I went out with the boys last night and we got into some major trouble. One of the guys' older brothers came and bailed us out of jail. I spent the rest of the way home whining how I had to pay him back for bail, plus pay off gambling debts. Well, ended up hanging out a bit more at Tommy's house, drinking and what not, when they asked me what I thought about guns." Paige's attention was clearly caught by Baz at this point. "I told them I was indifferent...and they pulled out 6 uzi's fully loaded!" Baz slapped the table. "I almost shit my pants right there..." he looked apologetically at Gray, "oh, sorry about that." Gray waved his hand motioning for him to continue. "So, I act all cool and throw out how much money they would probably get on the street to some street gang or whatever...well they bought it hook, line, and sinker. They mentioned that wasn't a bad idea and kind of nudged each other." "So, what's your take on it?" Baz shrugged, "it's hard to say for sure. Keller doesn't give anything up, quiet as stone. Sprater on the other hand, Jord's boy," he grinned at Jordan who smirked back at him and made a face, "this guy has problems. He jumps off the tops of the machinery at work for shits and giggles." "The weapons, Sebastian," Gray prompted him. "Oh, right, well, I think something's going down real soon. And I think they might let me in on it if I start whining really loud." "What if we send someone, like a bookie out to see you, do you think that may prompt something?" "Yeah, that's probably a good idea...have him threaten me, maybe even hit me or something to make it real." "I'll put something together," Gray said, tapping some notes at his laptop. Paige's eyes were drawn back to the satellite pics. "Sebastian's infiltration of the group is good, Jordan even you're relationship with Sprater will prove useful, but we've lost the Wells and Keller targets so we'll have to come up with a back up plan or something. We NEED to locate those weapons...Paige?" Paige had tuned him out after the first word as her mind fixated on a small area on the pics. A particular area that had a fence...and a road...where they had spotted that guy smoking a cigarette. What was different...something was different about these pics. She looked to the other pictures for help as she stood up, moving to stand in front of them unaware of the silence in the room or the eyes on her. She traced her fingers along the waterline, along the fence where the guy had stood. "Not a field at all, Baz," she said quietly. "What's not a field," he said getting up himself to stand by her. She looked to him quickly before returning to one of the pics on the wall. "Here, where we saw that guy...we thought it might be a field, it's not..." "Looks like a road," he said studying the pic as well. "Not just that..." she traced a finger along the road to a warehouse about a half a mile away, leaving it on a small light gray blob near it. She pulled the pic down and moved to the table. Jordan and Gray were standing now, questions on their faces. "Alright," Paige said turning around and picking another image off the wall and placing it next to the former one, "what's different?" The three of them looked at her then looked at the pics. They took a few moments until Gray shook his head, "Paige, just tell us." "This," she pointed again to the little blob, "and here...and here." "What?" Gray asked again. "Oh," Jordan exclaimed softly, "they haven't been moved." She smiled looking up at Paige. "Exactly," Paige grinned back at her. "Nothing goes unmoved for more than a weekend...except these three piles." The two men looked over the pics again. Baz finally put it together, "the weapons could be under the sand." "Bring them in by boat, unload them, down the road, under some sand, no one would know," Paige said. Jordan leaned forward, "this pic is dated February...which means they've had them for quite a long time." "They'll be looking to unload them," Paige added. "To the highest bidder," Gray said smiling. Baz and Paige looked at each other, "the smoking guy." "Ok, so tomorrow, Paige, you distract RJ and I'll go check out these sand mounds," Jordan said. "Good idea," Gray said. "If you should find anything...don't touch or disturb them, just get confirmation." Jordan nodded her head. "I'll put together a report for Rebecca, let us know Jordan, how you made out immediately so we can start tactical." "Understood," she said. "Alright, keep the reports coming and be careful," he said dismissing them and typing at the laptop. They got up grinning at each other and very pleased for once that Gray wasn't mad. As they moved out Gray had called Paige back. "Go ahead, this will only take a minute," she giggled to Baz and Jordan. Baz winked at her, "you go and get your bad thank yous girl." Paige cleared her face returning to the table where Gray sat. "The sand mounds were a good catch," he said evenly. Paige shrugged. He looked at her for a moment then nodded and returned to his laptop. Paige walked to the door throwing over her shoulder before stepping out, "it's only a good tool when used properly, Gray." She then let the door close, giggling a little, and a little scared, and skipped down the steps in double time to reach Jordan and Baz in the parking lot. They punched each other's knuckles lightly, just like the baseball players, and it seemed to be the thing to do within Alpha. Paige wasn't sure where it started but she liked it, liked working with a team that was allowed to be a team. Samboy Aggregates April 16, 2008 1230 hours Paige, Jordan, and most of the overnight crew sauntered around the plant entrance talking. The boys were on a break and Jordan and Paige were about to leave. The boys had volunteered to walk them out to their cars, a habit they've been doing for some time...mostly since Jordan and Tommy hit it off. They were saying their good nights when a dark gray pick up pulled up. Paige recognized the truck, as did Jordan, and Baz. She glanced at Jordan briefly who was staring at the truck equally confused, it seemed, as Paige was. Joshua stepped down out of the truck. So he was to be the bookie Gray spoke of. He was wearing jeans and a black leather jacket with his hair hanging about his face. He looked pissed. The boys just stared at him, none of them, coming anywhere near Joshua's weight or size. "You Jeff?" Joshua nodded towards Baz who did a good job of looking fearful. The others watched carefully. "Who wants to know?" he challenged Joshua, puffing his chest out slightly and trying to look like he wasn't intimidated. Joshua laughed and spit the toothpick he was chewing on to the ground. "I got a little message from Mr. Morelli for ya," he said crunching his knuckles. Baz looked at him but said nothing. Joshua stood close to Baz, staring down into his face. It was, had it been a different situation, almost comical, the size difference between the two. The other guys on the night shift had taken a step back but seemed intent on helping if something should go down. "He wants his money," Joshua said. "He'll get it, I promise, I have it..." Baz didn't have a chance to finish pleading his case as Joshua buried a fist deep into his stomach. Paige reacted, "Jeff!" she shouted breaking into a run. Joshua turned and shot her a look stopping her dead in her tracks. They stared at each other for a moment, and though it was only for show, Paige felt a chill run down her spine at the coldness and anger in Joshua's eyes. Joshua cocked his head for a moment before returning his attention to Baz who lay gasping on the ground. Joshua grabbed Baz, hauling him to his feet, but only long enough to steady him for a right fist across Baz's mouth, sending him crumpling down for a second time. Paige took another step forward earning another hateful glance from Joshua. He turned back to the half circle of young men that stood uneasily shifting on their feet. "You boys want some, too?" he threatened the rest of the crew. None of them said a thing nor made a move. Joshua smiled nodding his head approvingly. "I didn't think so." He planted a booted foot into Baz's ribs, making him groan in agony. Joshua then leaned over him. "You make sure that money is around by the end of the week...because next time...there won't be any talking." Joshua, satisfied, brushed his hands together, got back in his truck with barely a glance at Jordan or Paige and sped off. It took only a moment for everyone left to get over the initial shock of what had just occurred before Paige ran over to Baz. "Jeff, you ok?" she said picking his head up. He groaned and clutched his ribs, "I'm alright...I'm fine." Paige noticed Tommy had gone to Jordan, most likely to make sure she was ok. At least them two seemed to be getting along well. The others gathered around, Keller included. "Help me with him," she glanced up at them. They all helped Baz to his feet. "I'm fine," he said trying to shake their hands off him. "Come back inside, let me take a look at you," Paige insisted. "Melissa," he said still holding his ribs, "I'm fine, it's no big deal." He attempted to take a step then and swayed a little causing the group to reach for him. "Alright," he said quietly, "maybe just a bit of a rest." They managed Baz back to the small infirmary where Paige could get a good look at the damage Joshua had caused. "Jesus christ that guy was a fucking monster," Tommy had said coming into the small room. Paige glanced at Keller who said nothing but watched every move. It was only the four of them now, inside. "Who was that?" Paige asked Baz quietly as she pressed gauze against his bleeding lip. "Nobody," he answered, looking away and clearly showing he didn't wish to talk about it...at least to her anyway. She nodded her head and went about her business as professionally as any medic would. She was quite surprised at how little the damage was. He had sold the fight very well and suffered a split lip, which was good, because they tended to bleed a lot. And he had some redness on his ribs that might bruise but certainly wouldn't be anything more than uncomfortable for a few hours. Paige stepped back when she was done, "not that you would...but your lip could use a few stitches." He waved her off, "I'm fine, thanks Melis." She glanced one last time at Keller and Sprater. Tommy nodded at her, "we'll keep an eye on him, anything weird we'll call 9-1-1." "Ok," she turned to Baz, "you take it easy tonight, I'll tell RJ in the morning..." "NO," Baz raised his voice at her, "you can't tell RJ..." "I have to tell him...look at you..." "No way, I'll get fired, I can't afford to get fired," he said getting up. "Jeff, how are you gonna explain that lip...you know he's gonna ask." "Horsing around," Keller said, a small smile on his face, "...with Tommy here." He slapped Tommy on the back, "always goofing around aren't you?" he asked Tommy who grinned back nodding his head approvingly. "I dunno..." Paige said shaking her head. "Don't be a bitch, Melissa, just let it go," Tommy asked. "Please...I'm in enough trouble," Baz pleaded with her. She sighed, shaking her head. "Alright, but you've got to promise me you're gonna straighten this out...next time muscle head might just kill you." He rolled his eyes, "tell me about it...I know. I promise I'll take care of it." Paige smiled gently, "just be careful," she looked to Keller and Sprater, "all of you." "Thanks Melis, you rock," Tommy said smiling. "No problem," she said tossing her gloves into the trash and leaving. Jordan and the others were waiting outside, "he ok?" Paige nodded, "yeah, he's good, bruised..." "That guy was fucking huge...I'm surprised he didn't kill Jeff," one of the guys said. "Yeah, no shit," Paige said motioning for Jordan. They walked out to the cars alone. "So, how is he really?" Jordan whispered when they were away from the rest of the crew. Paige shook her head, "amazingly enough...he's fine, he sold it big time. Split lip, couple bruises..." "I thought Joshua was gonna kill him," Jordan said whistling, "you see the look on his face?" "Yeah..." Paige echoed her sentiment. "Well," Jordan said, moving apart from Paige to go to her own car, "at least the bookie thing went over. Tommy told me they were gonna help him out...they felt bad they let 'that guy' beat the crap out of him." Paige smiled, "good deal...I guess we'll be moving on to tactical then, soon." Jordan shrugged, "I suppose...at least I won't smell like fish anymore." Paige grinned, "night." Jordan replied the same before getting into her car. Return |
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