Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from MISSING. Nor do I plan to make any money off this story. I am just an avid fan. Don't sue me.
"Keeping the Faith"
CHAPTER ONE
Blood. That is what Special Agent Jess Mastriani of the FBI had to look forward to when she awoke, the coppery taste of blood swirling around her mouth. If only she hadn't been hit so hard, maybe she could have fought back the darkness that threatened her entire being. That wasn't the case however, and now she and her beloved Colin were in a very grim situation.
As Jess left her apartment all she could think about was Colin. They had been dating for almost a year now and she cared for him very much.
'We finally get a night out together.' thought Jess, more than a little aggravated at the fact he worked undercover all the time. Just as she was about to drift further into her own mind, her cell phone rang.
"Mastriani." answered Jess. She had gotten accustomed to answering in such a direct manner.
"Hey Jess, it's Nic." It was Jess' partner and best friend, Nicole Scott. Having been reassigned after her first year of working for the FBI was an uprooting experience for Jess. Fortunately she had been set up with one badass woman who taught her a lot in the way of the Bureau, and in life. "What are you up to tonight? Antonio and I plan to catch a movie. Interested?"
"Sounds like fun but Colin and I are spending the night together. We'll probably grab some dinner and head back to my apartment." responded Jess.
"Well, well. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." laughed Nicole. "Is that boy still working undercover for the Thompson case?"
"Yeah." sighed Jess. "It's a shock that he's even meeting me for dinner. He's just lucky that he's so adorable."
Nicole chuckled at this. "All right then. Have fun, I'll see you at work tomorrow."
"Okey dokey. See you then." Jess hung up the phone and at the same moment realized what time it was. 'Uh oh.' she thought. 'I better get a move on before I'm late.' With that Jess rushed off to her car.
"Dinner was great Colin, thanks." Jess said smiling.
"Anything for my baby girl." Colin replied. His demeanor then turned somber. "Look Jess, I know I work a lot. I'm sorry if I don't get to spend as much time with you as I should. It's just my work is very important to me, as are you."
"I know Colin. I feel the same way about my job. It's just hard when you have to take on different personas all the time. And even though I don't like it, I understand why you do it."
"And that's why I adore you so much. You understand my crazy life." With that Colin grabbed Jess and gave her a big bear hug causing her to giggle.
As the two separated a man unfamiliar to Jess approached them.
"Dillon Sanders, how ya doing buddy?" The man stuck out his hand in greeting, with Colin reaching reluctantly in response. He knew this guy from the case he was presently working on, the right hand man for drug lord Denis Thompson. His name was Jason Ritters, but everyone called him "Junior" due to his initials. "Or should I say…Agent Colin McNeil for the Department of Justice?"
The last thing Jess saw was the worried expression on Colin's face. The last thing she felt was the handle of a gun crack against her skull, her body falling limp to the ground. Little did she know that Colin was to be in the same boat only a few moments later.