First Impressions
She was cute, but not his type. That was the first thing Ezra noticed about the five foot
six brunette standing by Chris's car.
Her hair was tied up in a loose bun and pieces hung from it, having slipped the bounds of
the rubber band securing it to her head. She pushed strands back absentmindedly as she talked
animatedly to Chris. She looked a lot like Chris, as a matter of fact. Ezra wondered if they were
related or it was just a coincidence. He surmised correctly that this was the new agent the
building was getting today.
Ezra was glad he was on time today, getting the chance to "check out the newbie" before
the rest of the team had the chance. Ezra always liked to have the advantage, and was glad that
only Chris would know more than he. He took a closer look at the girl as he walked up to the
pair. She wore a green khaki, ankle length skirt and a pale blue tank top that accentuated her
curvy figure. Leather bracelets adorned her right wrist and a cheap Timex hung on the other. She
was dressed like a college student and had an altogether 'mused' quality about her. She gestured
with both hands as she talked, and as Ezra got close he could see the three silver rings on her
right and two on her left were antiques and probably the most expensive thing she had on. He
also noted that there was a decided lack of wedding bands or engagement rings, in fact, very
little to suggest that she was anyone's girlfriend. No heavy chain bracelets or a necklace with a
college ring on it.
"Good morning Mr. Larabee!" Ezra said, coming up to them.
Chris looked over at him. "Hello Ezra, on time I see." the woman turned to look at him.
She wasn't beautiful in any sense of the word, bu there was a . . . vibrancy in her features. Her
sky blue eyes flashed in the early morning suns rays, making them her most stand out feature.
"Julian, this is Agent Ezra Standish, the undercover agent on my team. The two of you
will probably work together occasionally." Julian held out a hand to the man of medium height
and build as Chris introduced them.
"Ezra, this is Agent Julian Larabee, my sister. She's the new agent we're gaining." the
two shook, and after pleasantries, Ezra turned his attention to Chris and spoke to him concerning
some case the two were on that Julian didn't care about. She checked out the man in front of her
as he talked to her brother.
He was definitely not her type. He was too neat and ordered for her. Dressed impeccably
in a dark gray designer suit, he reminded her of a CEO she had once busted in New York. And
with his manicured nails and perfectly combed hair, he fit the description to a tee. Next to the
man Julian felt like Pig Pen from Peanuts. She unconsciously swept a hand through her mused
hair.
It wasn't that he wasn't good looking. A few pieces of his short light brown hair fell
across his brow giving him the appearance of nonchalance. His intense green eyes were the type
that once you gazed in to them, the only thing that could break the gaze was the owner. And
when he smiled a gold tooth flashed.
Julian had also seen the car Agent Standish had gotten out. A '94 black Jaguar XJS with
all-leather interiors and all the bells and whistles that came with a car like that. Julian herself
drove a '91 Subaru Justy. Nope, she thought, the man was definitely not her type.
". . . right Julie?" Chris's voice broke through her reverie.
"I'm sorry, hmm?"
"I asked you if you wanted me to help you with the other box that needs to go down to
your office. It'll save you the trip." he reworded.
"Yeah, that would be good, Chris." she walked over to the back of her car and opened
the trunk as Ezra walked over to the elevator and hit the UP button. Chris followed her, and his
phone rang.
"Larabee . . . yeah . . . be right there." Chris snapped his phone shut. "Sorry Julie, I have
to go to a meeting." Chris turned and shouted for Ezra to hold the elevator. He did and as Chris
got in, Ezra exited, walking over to Julian's car.
"Want me to help?" he asked as he picked up the other box in her trunk.
"It's really not necessary, I can get it myself in a minute." besides, she thought, you
might mess up that suit of your s and we couldn't have that now, could we?
He continued walking with the box, as if he hadn't heard her.
As she followed him to the elevator she said "I really appreciate this Agent Standish."
Ezra hit the button. "I insist that anyone with whom I engage in menial labor with refer to
me as Ezra, Miss Larabee."
"Well, I'll do just that, Ezra, if you call me Julian. I detest being called "Miss Larabee" ."
Julian smiled at him as he began to speak again. She was starting to like him.
"Of course. So what brings you to our little office, aside from the obvious?"
She wasn't sure how much she should tell him, or even if she should tell him the truth.
As they entered the elevator she caught his eye and decided that nothing less than the truth
would suffice. "I got myself transferred here after my last assignment was . . . botched."
"May I inquire how it was "botched" ?" Ezra asked, following her in. "Floor?"
"Third. Some rookie jumped the gun and blew my cover. Unfortunately, due to the nature
of the assignment, I was implicated in the . . . downfall of the mission and now no one on the
east coast trusts me, good or bad."
"You work undercover, then?" Ezra asked, carefully avoiding the part of her explanation
that suggested she was framed for something.
"Yeah. I was supposed to be one of the best too. Not good enough though. I ended up
with six holes in me, a broken arm, and some fractured ribs."
"Ouch. I can fully comprehend your pain, having experienced it myself." the two exited
the elevator and made their way down the hall.
"I am well aware of that, Ezra, you reputation proceeds you."
"Don't believe all of the rumors you hear, Miss Larabee." He hoped she hadn't heard the
rumors that he was dirty. He didn't want her impression of him marred by that little piece of
"information". The more he got to talking with her, the more he began to like her.
"I don't. You shouldn't believe everything you hear about me either. And I thought I told
you to call me Julian."
They had arrived at her office, and she shifted the box onto one him, while she fumbled
for her pass key.
"I apologize deeply for my transgression. Here, allow me." Ezra put his box on the
ground, took the pass key, swiped it, and let them into the small, bare office. Furnished with a
metal desk, file cabinet, and a plastic chair, Julian was sure she would spend many a happy hour
in the dump.
She walked over to the desk and plopped the box on top. "Oh, I can see they went all out
putting furnishings in this place." Ezra followed suit, putting his load next to hers.
"Well, don't feel special, they do this much for all of us. Nice, isn't it? I can not imagine
what made me hesitate when I first came here and recieved my own highly decorated office."
Julian laughed. She was really beginning to like this one.
"Are you still going to be doing undercover work here?" Ezra continued after his tirade.
Julian pulled files out of the ancient cabinet and tossed them on her desk. "Yeah. Least I
think so. They'll probably put me out on loan to the local P.D., shove me in a mini and a pair of
stilettos, and have me pick up guys for propositioning."
"Sounds like your dream job. One of the perks however of undercover work, and this is
just my favorite part, is all the paper work they insist to be completed by any agent risking his
life undercover."
Julian laughed again, this time facing Ezra as she did. It transformed her average face.
Her eyes sparkled, even in the lack of light, and Ezra found himself chuckling along with her.
"Miss Larabee?" He was taking no chances and letting Buck get to this one first.
"Yes?"
"I was thinking that it would be beneficial to all parties involved if you agreed to having
dinner with me tonight."
Julian hesitated for a second, not really believing what he'd just asked. No one had asked
her out to dinner in over a year, not since the trial. She didn't answer for another second and
Ezra began to wonder if he had made a grievous mistake in asking her out.
"I will, but on two conditions."
"Ask and you shall receive."
"One, we don't go anywhere I have to break out the pearls and the 'Miss Manners' book
for, and you quit calling me Miss Larabee."
"Done deal. I'll pick you up at eight?"
"Eight it is then. I have to go meet your team now per Chris's request. Would you care to
join me?"
"Of course." They walked together to the elevator and discussed things on the way to the
team seven offices.
***
Chris introduced his sister to each man in his office. From what she could tell, her
brother was in command of a bunch of 'originals' as their mother would say.
Josiah Sanchez, an ex-preacher, was only a few years older than Chris, but didn't seem to
mind being ordered about by a younger man. He was tall, much taller than her, and had a
powerful manner and voice that was belied by the fact that he seemed to be the gentlest of all
seven.
Nathan Jackson, seated on the heater, used to be a paramedic. He was tall, dark, and,
forgive the cliche, handsome. He carried himself well and Julian instantly found herself not
liking the man after he gave some snide remark to Ezra when they walked in. He was nice
enough to her and everything, but what he said to Ezra had been rude enough to make her wince.
JD Dunne was a kid, about ten years younger than herself. He was the only one in the
group that didn't mask his surprise at Julian being introduced as Chris's sister. He obvious
looked up to her brother, because he shook Julian's hand with a little bit of awe, and gave the
same look multiplied towards her brother.
Vin Tanner was the quiet one and more her type than the others. He was dressed in torn
jeans and cowboy boots that had seen better days, along with a t-shirt that came directly out of
the Hanes bag. His hair was windblown and he made no move to push it back in place. Tanner
was very good looking, but truth be told, a little to quiet to really be her type.
And then there was Buck Wilmington. The man was arrogant, rude, and to her chagrin,
handsome to a fault. He sported a big ugly mustache, that without, would have probably made
him attractive to Julian. He shook her hand gently with both hands, holding on to it much longer
than she would have liked.
After being introduced, they all filed out of the office. Julian said goodbye to Chris and
went out after them. Buck was on the other side of the door, and struck up a conversation as
soon as she shut the door.
"Well, Miss Larabee," Buck began, "It sure will be a pleasure working with you. I think
that we will find many things in common." He tried to maneuver her into his office, but she
slipped out of his grasp and walked over to where Ezra leaned against the wall. Buck followed
her, not taking the hint.
"How about dinner with me tonight, Julian? It would be a memorable occasion." He
simply oozed charm. Charm that Julian was completely impervious to.
As she stopped in front of a smirking Ezra, she turned to Buck. "I do apologize, but I am
afraid that I already have dinner arrangements for this evening."
"I'm sure Chris won't mind you breaking them for me, Julian." The man just wouldn't
give it up!
"I'm not dining with Chris." She turned to Ezra and smiled. "1389 Glenview Drive,
Apartment A-2. I'll see you at eight, Ezra."
With that she walked out the door, leaving Buck open mouthed. Ezra just smiled as JD
laughed at him.
"Direct hit! Battleship sunk!" JD called out.
Vin joined in, having witnessed the whole exchange. "You been shot down again Buck!"
Chris leaned out the door. He didn't look happy that his sister was going out with Ezra,
but he couldn't resist the gibe at Buck. "Quit while you're ahead Buck. She's not your type." She
wasn't Ezra's either, but no one said that. Chris surveyed the chuckling men.
"Don't you people have reports to finish?" he went back into his office and shut the door.
The rest of the team went to their offices, still laughing as JD walked behind Buck making a
noise sounding like a dropping bomb.
NOT THE END
She was cute, but not his type. That was the first thing Ezra noticed about the five foot
six brunette standing by Chris's car.
Her hair was tied up in a loose bun and pieces hung from it, having slipped the bounds of
the rubber band securing it to her head. She pushed strands back absentmindedly as she talked
animatedly to Chris. She looked a lot like Chris, as a matter of fact. Ezra wondered if they were
related or it was just a coincidence. He surmised correctly that this was the new agent the
building was getting today.
Ezra was glad he was on time today, getting the chance to "check out the newbie" before
the rest of the team had the chance. Ezra always liked to have the advantage, and was glad that
only Chris would know more than he. He took a closer look at the girl as he walked up to the
pair. She wore a green khaki, ankle length skirt and a pale blue tank top that accentuated her
curvy figure. Leather bracelets adorned her right wrist and a cheap Timex hung on the other. She
was dressed like a college student and had an altogether 'mused' quality about her. She gestured
with both hands as she talked, and as Ezra got close he could see the three silver rings on her
right and two on her left were antiques and probably the most expensive thing she had on. He
also noted that there was a decided lack of wedding bands or engagement rings, in fact, very
little to suggest that she was anyone's girlfriend. No heavy chain bracelets or a necklace with a
college ring on it.
"Good morning Mr. Larabee!" Ezra said, coming up to them.
Chris looked over at him. "Hello Ezra, on time I see." the woman turned to look at him.
She wasn't beautiful in any sense of the word, bu there was a . . . vibrancy in her features. Her
sky blue eyes flashed in the early morning suns rays, making them her most stand out feature.
"Julian, this is Agent Ezra Standish, the undercover agent on my team. The two of you
will probably work together occasionally." Julian held out a hand to the man of medium height
and build as Chris introduced them.
"Ezra, this is Agent Julian Larabee, my sister. She's the new agent we're gaining." the
two shook, and after pleasantries, Ezra turned his attention to Chris and spoke to him concerning
some case the two were on that Julian didn't care about. She checked out the man in front of her
as he talked to her brother.
He was definitely not her type. He was too neat and ordered for her. Dressed impeccably
in a dark gray designer suit, he reminded her of a CEO she had once busted in New York. And
with his manicured nails and perfectly combed hair, he fit the description to a tee. Next to the
man Julian felt like Pig Pen from Peanuts. She unconsciously swept a hand through her mused
hair.
It wasn't that he wasn't good looking. A few pieces of his short light brown hair fell
across his brow giving him the appearance of nonchalance. His intense green eyes were the type
that once you gazed in to them, the only thing that could break the gaze was the owner. And
when he smiled a gold tooth flashed.
Julian had also seen the car Agent Standish had gotten out. A '94 black Jaguar XJS with
all-leather interiors and all the bells and whistles that came with a car like that. Julian herself
drove a '91 Subaru Justy. Nope, she thought, the man was definitely not her type.
". . . right Julie?" Chris's voice broke through her reverie.
"I'm sorry, hmm?"
"I asked you if you wanted me to help you with the other box that needs to go down to
your office. It'll save you the trip." he reworded.
"Yeah, that would be good, Chris." she walked over to the back of her car and opened
the trunk as Ezra walked over to the elevator and hit the UP button. Chris followed her, and his
phone rang.
"Larabee . . . yeah . . . be right there." Chris snapped his phone shut. "Sorry Julie, I have
to go to a meeting." Chris turned and shouted for Ezra to hold the elevator. He did and as Chris
got in, Ezra exited, walking over to Julian's car.
"Want me to help?" he asked as he picked up the other box in her trunk.
"It's really not necessary, I can get it myself in a minute." besides, she thought, you
might mess up that suit of your s and we couldn't have that now, could we?
He continued walking with the box, as if he hadn't heard her.
As she followed him to the elevator she said "I really appreciate this Agent Standish."
Ezra hit the button. "I insist that anyone with whom I engage in menial labor with refer to
me as Ezra, Miss Larabee."
"Well, I'll do just that, Ezra, if you call me Julian. I detest being called "Miss Larabee" ."
Julian smiled at him as he began to speak again. She was starting to like him.
"Of course. So what brings you to our little office, aside from the obvious?"
She wasn't sure how much she should tell him, or even if she should tell him the truth.
As they entered the elevator she caught his eye and decided that nothing less than the truth
would suffice. "I got myself transferred here after my last assignment was . . . botched."
"May I inquire how it was "botched" ?" Ezra asked, following her in. "Floor?"
"Third. Some rookie jumped the gun and blew my cover. Unfortunately, due to the nature
of the assignment, I was implicated in the . . . downfall of the mission and now no one on the
east coast trusts me, good or bad."
"You work undercover, then?" Ezra asked, carefully avoiding the part of her explanation
that suggested she was framed for something.
"Yeah. I was supposed to be one of the best too. Not good enough though. I ended up
with six holes in me, a broken arm, and some fractured ribs."
"Ouch. I can fully comprehend your pain, having experienced it myself." the two exited
the elevator and made their way down the hall.
"I am well aware of that, Ezra, you reputation proceeds you."
"Don't believe all of the rumors you hear, Miss Larabee." He hoped she hadn't heard the
rumors that he was dirty. He didn't want her impression of him marred by that little piece of
"information". The more he got to talking with her, the more he began to like her.
"I don't. You shouldn't believe everything you hear about me either. And I thought I told
you to call me Julian."
They had arrived at her office, and she shifted the box onto one him, while she fumbled
for her pass key.
"I apologize deeply for my transgression. Here, allow me." Ezra put his box on the
ground, took the pass key, swiped it, and let them into the small, bare office. Furnished with a
metal desk, file cabinet, and a plastic chair, Julian was sure she would spend many a happy hour
in the dump.
She walked over to the desk and plopped the box on top. "Oh, I can see they went all out
putting furnishings in this place." Ezra followed suit, putting his load next to hers.
"Well, don't feel special, they do this much for all of us. Nice, isn't it? I can not imagine
what made me hesitate when I first came here and recieved my own highly decorated office."
Julian laughed. She was really beginning to like this one.
"Are you still going to be doing undercover work here?" Ezra continued after his tirade.
Julian pulled files out of the ancient cabinet and tossed them on her desk. "Yeah. Least I
think so. They'll probably put me out on loan to the local P.D., shove me in a mini and a pair of
stilettos, and have me pick up guys for propositioning."
"Sounds like your dream job. One of the perks however of undercover work, and this is
just my favorite part, is all the paper work they insist to be completed by any agent risking his
life undercover."
Julian laughed again, this time facing Ezra as she did. It transformed her average face.
Her eyes sparkled, even in the lack of light, and Ezra found himself chuckling along with her.
"Miss Larabee?" He was taking no chances and letting Buck get to this one first.
"Yes?"
"I was thinking that it would be beneficial to all parties involved if you agreed to having
dinner with me tonight."
Julian hesitated for a second, not really believing what he'd just asked. No one had asked
her out to dinner in over a year, not since the trial. She didn't answer for another second and
Ezra began to wonder if he had made a grievous mistake in asking her out.
"I will, but on two conditions."
"Ask and you shall receive."
"One, we don't go anywhere I have to break out the pearls and the 'Miss Manners' book
for, and you quit calling me Miss Larabee."
"Done deal. I'll pick you up at eight?"
"Eight it is then. I have to go meet your team now per Chris's request. Would you care to
join me?"
"Of course." They walked together to the elevator and discussed things on the way to the
team seven offices.
***
Chris introduced his sister to each man in his office. From what she could tell, her
brother was in command of a bunch of 'originals' as their mother would say.
Josiah Sanchez, an ex-preacher, was only a few years older than Chris, but didn't seem to
mind being ordered about by a younger man. He was tall, much taller than her, and had a
powerful manner and voice that was belied by the fact that he seemed to be the gentlest of all
seven.
Nathan Jackson, seated on the heater, used to be a paramedic. He was tall, dark, and,
forgive the cliche, handsome. He carried himself well and Julian instantly found herself not
liking the man after he gave some snide remark to Ezra when they walked in. He was nice
enough to her and everything, but what he said to Ezra had been rude enough to make her wince.
JD Dunne was a kid, about ten years younger than herself. He was the only one in the
group that didn't mask his surprise at Julian being introduced as Chris's sister. He obvious
looked up to her brother, because he shook Julian's hand with a little bit of awe, and gave the
same look multiplied towards her brother.
Vin Tanner was the quiet one and more her type than the others. He was dressed in torn
jeans and cowboy boots that had seen better days, along with a t-shirt that came directly out of
the Hanes bag. His hair was windblown and he made no move to push it back in place. Tanner
was very good looking, but truth be told, a little to quiet to really be her type.
And then there was Buck Wilmington. The man was arrogant, rude, and to her chagrin,
handsome to a fault. He sported a big ugly mustache, that without, would have probably made
him attractive to Julian. He shook her hand gently with both hands, holding on to it much longer
than she would have liked.
After being introduced, they all filed out of the office. Julian said goodbye to Chris and
went out after them. Buck was on the other side of the door, and struck up a conversation as
soon as she shut the door.
"Well, Miss Larabee," Buck began, "It sure will be a pleasure working with you. I think
that we will find many things in common." He tried to maneuver her into his office, but she
slipped out of his grasp and walked over to where Ezra leaned against the wall. Buck followed
her, not taking the hint.
"How about dinner with me tonight, Julian? It would be a memorable occasion." He
simply oozed charm. Charm that Julian was completely impervious to.
As she stopped in front of a smirking Ezra, she turned to Buck. "I do apologize, but I am
afraid that I already have dinner arrangements for this evening."
"I'm sure Chris won't mind you breaking them for me, Julian." The man just wouldn't
give it up!
"I'm not dining with Chris." She turned to Ezra and smiled. "1389 Glenview Drive,
Apartment A-2. I'll see you at eight, Ezra."
With that she walked out the door, leaving Buck open mouthed. Ezra just smiled as JD
laughed at him.
"Direct hit! Battleship sunk!" JD called out.
Vin joined in, having witnessed the whole exchange. "You been shot down again Buck!"
Chris leaned out the door. He didn't look happy that his sister was going out with Ezra,
but he couldn't resist the gibe at Buck. "Quit while you're ahead Buck. She's not your type." She
wasn't Ezra's either, but no one said that. Chris surveyed the chuckling men.
"Don't you people have reports to finish?" he went back into his office and shut the door.
The rest of the team went to their offices, still laughing as JD walked behind Buck making a
noise sounding like a dropping bomb.
NOT THE END