Fan and Protector

by channelD

written for: the NFA If You Prick Us, Do We Not Bleed? Challenge. The aim of the challenge was to take one of the bad guys from an episode and tell the episode from his/her point of view, in first-person.
rating: K plus
based on: the season 4 episode Cover Story
characters: Landon (barista), Tim, Abby, the team

- - - - -

I love to read.

My library card takes me on adventures everywhere. I wish I could afford to buy more books than the one a month I allow myself, but on a barista's salary, I can't. On the first of each month I go to the bookstore and buy something new and hard-covered. Hard-covers last longer than paperbacks, and I think they carry more of the soul of the writer in them.

When I checked out Deep Six from the library and read it, I knew it would be my next bookstore purchase. I just had to have it.

There was so much in it that spoke to me. "Landon," I heard that voice in my mind say, "Remember when we were bullied by those bigger boys in 7th grade? The ones whose daddies brought them to school in those ultra-cool pickup trucks?" Oh, yes; I remember. "Well, this hero—McGregor—he's no more physically powerful than we are, but he puts people in their place!" You're right. We are a lot alike. "It's almost like the book is about us!"

About us, of course! Somehow this writer, this Thom E. Gemcity, had reached inside my head and was following my life's ambitions:

To protect the downtrodden.

To round up the evildoers.

To be someone special.

So I bought my copy of Deep Six, took it home, and read it over and over, until I felt I knew the characters inside out. Some of them were clearly good for me. I mean, McGregor. Right. McGregor. Others…I wasn't so sure about.

- - - - -

He was a fairly regular customer where I worked. Although our shop offered free wifi, he was one who was armed with an old-fashioned paper notebook instead of a laptop. He would drink his coffee and jot things down for awhile, maybe half an hour to an hour, and then leave.

I talked to him one day, because his order was up. I had a feeling he looked familiar, and then it clicked. He was Thom E. Gemcity, the writer of Deep Six! I held down my excitement, as our staff is trained to do, in a place where anyone up to the President of the US might walk in the door at anytime. He was, after all, an ordinary man, who put on his pants one leg at a time, just like the rest of us. Just like me and McGregor. I mean, me.

He didn't appear at the shop the next day, at least not on my shift, and I got a little nervous. What was going on? Was he alright? Then something from our brief conversation came to mind. He was stuck in chapter 7. That meant he was writing a new book! The more I thought about it, the more I had to know what he was writing…and what new dangers McGregor was facing. It could be a year, or more, till the book was published. But I couldn't wait that long!

I stayed late one day and volunteered to count up the receipts. The manager was glad for my help; she'd always said she'd hated doing all that math. Thom E. Gemcity had been by that day, and had (as usual) used his debit card to pay for his Double Americano. I remember having looked at the slip after he'd signed it. Timothy McGee. A little web searching located a Timothy McGee living in Silver Spring. I staked out the place that night and, sure enough, after awhile Mr. Gemcity drove up and went inside the apartment building. Soon afterwards, he came out with a bag of trash, and took it around to the building's dumpster, then went back inside.

I considered ringing his doorbell, and begging him to let me in to read what he'd written. But I was afraid he'd say no. Instead, I grabbed that bag from the dumpster, and drove away with it, chortling.

- - - - -

From the bag, safe inside my own place, I hoped to find pages of manuscripts. No such luck! Instead, however, were old-time typewriter ribbons, like those on granddad's typer. Three of them! If I squinted, I could make out the words. There was no doubt that these pages, titled Rock Hollow, were the start of Mr. Gemcity's new book.

I read and read, my surprise growing. Some of the characters in the book were people I knew! Like the Navy guy who drove the blue pickup truck, always ordering a coffee and a cinnamon roll at the shop's drive-thru window. I felt a chill go over me reading that. If this Cameron Meyer was in the book, and he wasn't on McGregor's team...

…then he must be an enemy. Oh, crap. What could he do to McGregor if he got the chance? McGregor was only human; though a superb agent, he too could be hurt, even killed. If there was anything I could do, I had to stop Meyer. Stop him before it was too late.

"Stop him before he hurts us!" said the voice in my head. Yes. Yes! Meyer was out to hurt us! Hurt McGregor, that is. Hurt Gemcity, too, probably! No doubt he'd be on a rampage! The next day, I managed to work the take-out window and watched for Meyer to come by. I noted his license plate number, and with the help of my brother at the Department of Motor Vehicles, found Meyer's address (the scum was using a fake name, 'Cove'. Obviously someone up to no good.)

And I got rid of him before he could make his move. The world would thank me for that, if only it knew.

- - - - -

I read more. I—McGregor—had more potential enemies than most heads of state, it appeared! Though more books in the city library called out to me, I had work to do first. I had to save McGregor so there would be more books after Rock Hollow. Maybe Mr. Gemcity would listen to some suggestions I had for future titles! He would have to be appreciative of all the help I provided, after all.

I did in another jerk who might have posed harm to McGregor. He never got a chance, thanks to me.

I was feeling proud of my accomplishments, until I read a passage in the middle of chapter 7 that made me cry. It was about Amy Sutton, the beautiful Goth forensic scientist who loved McGregor. She loved him—and I had so loved her in the first book. What a girl! But here, she's telling her deaf mother in sign language that McGregor has to go!

That sweet, sweet Amy…I can't believe it…

Sorry, Amy; but I can't let you do that. You're the one who's got to go.

- - - - -

So there I am, gun out, looking menacing. Killing the two guys wasn't really hard at all, but a beautiful woman? Even one like this, with her hair under a nightcap? Hardly the sexy chick I'd first imagined. Maybe this was why McGregor rejected her. She stammers, and cowers. Soon she'd be pleading for her life. I should get this done with before she started that, for I might weaken.

No! She was intent on killing me, I mean, McGregor! I had to stop her…

"Drop your weapon!" someone shouts, and from his stance, I recognize him. It's Agent Tommy!

I want to exult! They're here, in time! They can protect McGregor. They'll take the traitorous Amy Sutton into custody. I'd rather see her behind bars than as a corpse.

But wait a minute. Suppose, given her wiles, she convinces them to let her go? No, I can't let her get away!

"Landon? Landon, what are you doing?" asks McGregor. Wow, he looks so much like that writer guy, Mr. Gemcity!

We argue for a minute, and then McGregor does something amazing. He tells us that he and Amy are getting married!

Now, that was a plot twist I didn't see coming! But I'm glad for them; more than glad. I've thought all along they were meant for each other. Somehow, I must finagle an invitation to the wedding. Don't they have me to thank for bringing them together??

- - - - -

NCIS has questioned me, and I've retained a lawyer who's taken my case as pro bono work. She's advising me to plead and avoid a trial. I think I'll do that.

I'm sure the prison library will have the Gemcity books!

They better. So far Agent McGregor hasn't answered any of my letters requesting his help. Maybe Agent Tibbs...?

- END -