All usual disclaimers apply. Obviously, I don't own this show (or the network), or it wouldn't have been canceled. All errors are my own.
Follows my story Realizations which follows the finale Transposition. Not absolutely necessary to read first, but it might help.
Neither Hide nor Hair
Jonathan's voice:
"Everyone makes mistakes. Big mistakes. Some admit them, apologize and rectify the situation."
In a large grassland habitat, several black-footed ferrets are playing, sleeping and eating while the shadow of a figure approaches.
"Some embrace their mistakes, and turn to that lifestyle."
The figure reaches into the enclosure and grabs a ferret close to the door, swiftly giving it an injection that puts it to sleep, and places it into a child's pink backpack covered with butterflies.
"Some deny what they've done and keep on living like nothing ever happened."
The rest of the animals in the exhibit remain undisturbed, two young ones chase each other around.
"Others turn and run, leaving everything behind, running, running, finding themselves getting further and further away from everything familiar, hiding in a deep dark hole."
The bag is zipped and picked up and carried out through the hallways and sidewalks between other exhibits.
"And then they realize there's no turning back."
The backpack is placed in the back of an SUV with the zoo entrance visible in the far background.
- o -
A black SUV with federal plates pulled up to the curve outside the Archive. Kay and Mike climbed out, still absorbed in conversation.
Mike was speaking, "I don't trust Jonathan."
Kay didn't bother to respond. She just headed inside. "I mean, are we going to follow the map or not?" Mike continued.
Kay stopped and turned around to hush him. "Not right now, but I'm sure we will soon enough when the time is right." Inside the loft, both federal agents approached the table and began setting up their laptops as the deception team trickled into the room.
"Where's Cameron?" Kay asked Jordan and Gunter when the magician hadn't shown himself.
"Don't know." Jordan responded, though his expression said otherwise.
A minute later, Cameron bounded into the room, followed by Dina. Kay glanced briefly at him before her head snapped back to give him a more thorough look.
"Cameron, do you have make-up on?
His grin faltered for a second and then broadened. "Yeah."
The look on Dina's face said I told you so as she took a seat at the table. His former rather spectacular black eye appeared to have faded drastically overnight. A faint amount of purple was still visible, just enough to show that his face was still bruised.
"Cam…" She started, exasperated.
"Nice to see you too, Kay," he interrupted with his trademark grin, sitting casually on the table. Behind him, the rest of his team gathered. "How about that case you're so anxious to show us?"
Kay looked around the table at the team's expectant faces and gave up with a sigh, "Mike?"
"Right. There have been four individual animals that have disappeared from the New York Zoo over the past two months. The latest one was a black-footed ferret that disappeared two days ago. Each one has been a different species, and each is on the United States endangered list, which is why it's an FBI case."
Kay took it from there. "Nothing has been caught on security cameras. There have been no problems spotted with the video footage, either. Background checks on all employees came back clean. We haven't been to the zoo ourselves yet."
She handed out a list with pictures and descriptions. "These are the animals that have disappeared. The motives are not known. Species appear to have been picked at random. Two mammals, a reptile and a bird. All are native to the United States, but are from different regions of the country."
"Why would someone take endangered species? What would they do with these poor creatures?" Dina asked.
Mike answered her. "Considering that they're all endangered species, it's possible they might be selling them as pets or for taxidermist specimens to a private collector. Someone could even try to illegally breed them. Obviously, some animals are valuable for fur, for venom or other secreted substances, but none of the ones missing meet those qualifications."
Jordan was closely examining his sheet of paper. "The animals are all small, easy to carry, conceal," he observed.
"Right. The perps are also patient, taking their time between the kidnappings." Kay pointed out.
"Have there been any other cases of missing animals, endangered or otherwise from other places or previous time periods?" Cameron interjected.
"Nothing relevant." Kay glanced at her laptop screen.
"What about surveillance videos?" Jordan inquired, switching to a seat closer to Kay's laptop.
"You're welcome to see what we've got." Kay started tapping at the keyboard to bring up the videos. "This is the video from the estimated time frame that the bird," she glanced at her laptop again, "a golden-cheeked warbler, was taken."
"Two weeks ago," Jordan added, reading the time frame as the video began to play. He watched it closely as it continued.
After a few minutes of silence while some of them peered at the small laptop screen, Gunter stepped forward with his arms crossed. "What do you expect us to do?" He asked somewhat crossly.
"Mike and I are heading over there now. I wanted to take Cameron and Jordan with us to look at the surveillance video footage and examine the crime scenes, see if they can come up with anything." Kay said patiently.
Jordan looked up from the laptop. "I need more time with this video. And I'd like to see more footage, anyway. When do we go?"
"We can leave as soon as you two are ready. Okay, Cameron?"
"Yeah, great!" he stood up, clapped his hands together and grabbed his coat. Jordan pulled his on as well.
Kay headed for the door. "Time to pull a rabbit out of your hat," she tossed over her shoulder at Cameron.
Jordan groaned and Mike grinned widely.
"Kay… Kay! How long are you going to keep doing that?" Cam stumbled after her.
She looked back and smiled at him. "As long as it annoys you."
- o -
So… on my last story Realizations, I got some reviews that indicate I'm way off. What I would like to know is, should I continue? I know I am not a writer, but I am trying to get the characters right. However, I do welcome constructive criticism aimed at helping me improve. Certain things will also become more clear as the story progresses, and I promise that Jonathan is not a bad guy at all. He's been in a very difficult position for a long time and reacted accordingly.
Please, please, please let me know if you are interested in my continuing this story. I've noticed that now that the series has ended, there is not as much Deception activity. I would like to help keep interest in the show going so we can keep up the fight up to renew this unique and awesome show!