CHAPTER 1
WRITTEN BY: REBANUT
Sadly, I still don't own any of STFBE! This is all for fun- yours and mine! Please let me know what you think, good or bad, but as always, please be nice! Enjoy!
The buzz inside the bullpen was furious. Rumors had been swirling all day about changes that were being made within the agency. Some had heard that people would be moved into different departments and others would let go. People were nervous. The tension was also high because of the current activity level in some well known terrorist cells.
Agents busied themselves with phone calls and interviews. Jack and Myles had a suspect in interrogation, 'discussing' the finer points of prison life in America, especially for a terrorist.
Sue looked up from her computer to see a 'suit' walk through, and directly into D's office. Tara waved at Sue to get her attention, pointing to her computer. Sue looked down to notice an IM screen open from Tara.
"That can't be good." Tara said.
"Who is that? What's going on?" Sue asked.
"Director." was all Tara got out before the terrorist division director and head honcho walked into the bull pen. The second man through the door walked slowly through the room, looking around, taking it all it. Sue thought to herself, he almost seemed like he was looking for someone. His visual tour of the room stopped when he locked eyes with Sue Thomas. He stared at her for a long minute. Sue seemed almost powerless to look away from him. After what seemed like hours, he broke his contact with her, and continued his walk down the hall.
Lucy walked to the coffee station signaling to both Sue and Tara to meet her there. Both ladies did as asked.
"What was that all about?" Tara asked Sue.
"I don't have a clue." Sue answered.
"Who was that?" Lucy asked.
"I have no idea." Sue admitted.
"Well, he certainly had your number..." Lucy teased Sue.
Sue watched as he walked around the wall toward D's office. Lucy had hinted at something romantic, but considering the rumor mill, Sue was more leery. It made her nervous that the preverbal suits from higher up were wandering around in their office.
Hours had passed when the door to the bull pen opened and a delivery man walked in, asking for Demetrious. He was pushing a food cart, full.
"Wow." Lucy stated. "I wonder what they're doing. They've been in there for hours, and it looks as if they're intending on being in there for a few more with all that food." She said.
"Probably trying to figure out who to let go." Sue said, deflated.
"What?" Jack asked.
"What!?" Myles asked with a jolt.
"What are you talking about?" Bobby asked, suddenly very interested in what was going on down the hall. "Who are they letting go?" He asked.
Sue shrugged her shoulders.
"That's the scuttlebutt." She said. There's been a team of suits in each department this week. The rumors are flying that they're going through cutbacks, and there's a big lay off coming." Sue said, disappointed.
"Where did you hear that?" Myles asked.
"Everywhere." Sue said. "It's all over the place. It really sucks being able to read lips sometimes." Sue explained. There was a chuckle that came from pretty much the whole team.
"Well, might I suggest that we actually look like we're working, doing some important FBI work. At least while they're in our office." Jack said.
The office busied itself by continuing to follow leads. The hum in the office had nearly returned to normal when the team heard the door to the office open, and then saw one of the 'suits' walk to the edge of the hall.
"Can we see Sue Thomas and Tara Williams please?" The man asked.
Tara and Sue both looked nervous as they rose and walked toward D's office.
"Ladies, please have a seat." D said. His face was serious, no emotion to give away his thoughts. Sue desperately looked for some hint of what was going on, but he gave her nothing.
"Sue, Tara, this is Director Jamison, Senior Associate Thompson, Mark Peterson, and Davis Gorin." D introduced. Both ladies sat, quiet as church mice, waiting for the other shoe to fall- right on top of them.
"Uh, D, what's this all about?" Tara asked.
"Well, I'm sure you've heard about the prospective cuts." The director began. Both women looked at each other nervously.
"Yeah." Sue said. "Umm, listen, if that's something you need to talk to us about, could we just get it over with because the not knowing is killing me." Sue boldly said.
"There is something we need to talk about, but to settle nerves, neither of you are being cut." Jamison said. Both Sue and Tara let out a relieved breath.
"So, what's this all about then?" Tara asked.
"We're getting together a unit of different members of the FBI to form a task force on anti-terrorism." Jamison explained.
"Doesn't the FBI already have one of those?" Tara asked.
"Yes." D answered. "They do, but... "He continued.
"But what?" Tara asked.
"We want to set up a unit, here in DC that consists of the best we have. We have Mark and Davis already on board. We are going to add Chris Daniels and Charlie Elwood." Jamison explained.
"What's our part in this?" Sue asked.
"We need you to read lips, and Tara's computer genius." D explained.
"Do we have a choice in the matter?" Tara asked.
"Sure, but we'd really like you to consider coming on board our team. We chose you because we need you." Jamison answered.
"Would we still work in the capacity we do now?" Tara asked.
"Yes. You will still work in our office, at your same desks. You will be officially reassigned to a different unit, but... most of the time you'll be doing the same thing you've been doing." D answered.
"Look, you'll only be needed when something big comes up. We want to be able to rely on the talents we've assembled. If something comes up, you'll drop what you're doing and join us." Jamison said.
"We'll be assigned to a different unit?" Tara asked, clarifying what had been said.
"Yes, officially." D answered looking square at Sue. "You will be on the counter terrorism team, and Jack, Bobby and Myles will still be on the investigative team. You'll be separate units." D said, smiling big. His stare at Sue was intense, impossible to miss the meaning of his under toned remark.
"Can we think about it?" Sue asked.
"Sure?" Jamison said. "Take a couple days. Let me know by Friday." He said as Sue and Tara walked toward the office door.
Sue and Tara walked slowly back to their desks, all eyes were on them. The rest of the team looked back and forth at them; hoping one of them would make a move- do something to indicate what the meeting was all about.
"What happened in there?" Jack whispered to Sue as he leaned over his desk. "Are you ok?" He asked.
"Better than OK." She answered. Jack's shoulders relaxed a bit as a surprised look crossed his face.
"What do you mean?" Jack asked, pausing. "We thought you two were done. I mean, with all the rumors that are floating around and top brass pulling you in the office..." Jack said, again sounding relieved that she was still there.
"So did we." Sue said. "I haven't been that nervous since I first got here." Sue admitted.
"So, what's going on?" Jack asked. Sue looked past Jack to see Jamison and the rest of the crew with D taking up the rear.
"Mr. Jamison?" Sue called out. "Is what was talked about in the meeting privileged?" Sue asked.
"Nope." Jamison said as he and the rest of the team left the bullpen.
"So, what's going on?" Myles demanded.
Sue nodded to Tara who excitedly began to explain.
"Sue and I have been assigned to an anti terrorist task force." Tara explained.
"You're leaving?" Jack asked, obviously disappointed.
"No. That's the best part. We'll be reassigned, officially to the task force, but only when they have something big will we actually work together." Sue explained.
"Are you working here, or somewhere else?" Bobby asked.
"Here" Both ladies answered.
"So... you're officially a part of a different department, but you're staying here?" Lucy stated more than asked.
"Uh huh." Sue answered.
"Hmmm, really..." Lucy said as she turned away and walked to her desk.
"Well, I for one, am glad you're staying here." Jack said. Everyone agreed.
"Well, we do have to go for training." Tara said. "But, we'll be back."
"How long are you going to be gone for?" Lucy asked.
"Eight weeks." Sue answered.
"Eight weeks?" Jack asked. "You're already trained- what do they need to train you on?" He asked.
"I don't know. We were told we'll leave next week at some point." Tara answered.
Jack sat at his desk, staring at his computer. As hard as he tried, he couldn't take his mind off the fact that Sue was being transferred, and would be away from training for the better part of two months. Two months... what was he going to do without her for those two months? He shook himself from his thoughts and tried to continue trudging through his work load.