Hi guys! This is my first Sue Thomas fan fiction! This is a short starter chapter, but the next one will be longer! Reviews and constructive criticism are most welcome!
I own nothing other than the OC and as always, any mistakes are my own!
SPOILERS: Secret Agent Man and, Spy Games and Endings and Beginnings.
It was business as usual at the Hoover building. Phones were ringing, doors opening and shutting, people chatting and working cases. There was a quiet buzz to the building as the employees went about their business. With so much going on, many employees wished for the ability to zone out the noise and concentrate at the business at hand. Sue Thomas was the exception. She would love to hear the small noises of the office, hear the ticking of the clock as the day slowly passed, hear her colleagues laugh and tease one another, and hear their voices. On her head she has her own impression of their voices, the twang of Bobby's Australian accent, the drawl of Myles' sarcasm but Jack Hudson was the anomaly. She knew his face by memory; his lips so often smiling, his soft dark hair perfect without the slightest effort, but most of all his brown eyes, deep and expressive enough for any woman to get lost in them. But she was at a loss for what his voice might sound like.
Sue's quiet reverie was interrupted as a soft paw rested on her leg. Petting Levi, she glanced around the room searching for the person who warranted her attention. Her eyes settling on Garrett, he smiled dryly before repeating his earlier statement.
"Thomas, I have a case which has your name written all over it," he said passing her a case file. "A witness has come to us claiming to have witnessed a murder."
Looking up from the case file, Sue gave Garrett a confused yet polite smile.
"Why has this case been passed to me?" She asked. "The file seems to describe a standard case. Surely it should be one for Jack's attention?"
Upon hearing his name Jack, who had already been listening to the conversation from the safety of his desk, moved towards Sue and Garrett.
"This witness is deaf," Garrett said.
"Sounds like déjà vu," Lucy said, perusing the case file over Sue's shoulder, "You sure it's not Amanda again?"
"She's an adventurous little Sheila," Bobby called from his desk, grinning at Sue, "Maybe she's following in our Sue's footsteps and practising to become an agent!"
Jack had a good enough view from his previous position to be able to read the file, but the temptation to be near to Sue overrode any sensible thought. He moved closer, leaning over her shoulder to read, but his focus was no longer on the page. His attention was captured by the delicate scent of the beautiful woman beside him; he wondered whether it was her shampoo, her perfume or Sue herself which created such an alluring aroma. Daring himself to glance at her, he lifted his eyes to her face, only to be met by a pair of hazel eyes staring back at him. He could feel the electricity between them, the blood rushing through his veins as his heart began to beat faster, as it always did in her presence. He could stare into those eyes for eternity.
Noticing a slight blush spread across Sue's cheeks, Jack became aware that the rest of the team had become silent, looking over curiously at the pair. Averting his eyes and coughing slightly he moved back toward his own desk.
"Perhaps we should go and speak to your witness Sue," he suggested, hoping to escape the suggestive smile and glances of his co-workers. Nodding in agreement, Sue stood up from her desk following Jack to the interview room.
Jack and Sue had not taken two steps down the corridor before Lucy leapt up from her desk, rushing to Tara with a grin on her face. Upon entering the room, Myles noticed the giggling women and sighed.
"I didn't realise I had returned to junior high," he said pointedly glancing at Lucy and Tara.
"Myles, you should have seen it, Sue and Jack just got lost in each other's eyes, literally!" Lucy gushed.
"Mid-conversation with Garrett no less!" Tara added, grinning from behind her screen.
"Didn't even notice Garrett returning to his office," Bobby added, joining in on the partner's expense.
"Let them be," Demetrius said, smiling, "Jack's probably just getting used to Sue being around again."
"Thomas didn't even go to New York!" Myles replied, "How he could need to reacquaint himself with one who didn't actually leave is beyond me."
"You'll understand when you're in love," Lucy teased, receiving a raised eyebrow and a snort in response.
Sue and Jack entered the interview room to find a young woman sat at the desk, pale as a ghost. Noticing their entry, she began to sign frantically.
SLOW DOWN, Sue signed, struggling to decipher what the young woman was saying.
The woman huffed and began to sign slowly, as if she was teaching someone to sign. Somehow Sue was still struggling to understand the young woman. Jack glanced at Sue and was confused to see her looking perplexed. Their witness must have also noticed the look of bewilderment on Sue's face as she stopped signing and reached for the pen and paper in front of her. Scribbling on it she passed it to Sue.
I thought they were finding someone who could sign?
"ME SIGN," Sue signed and said simultaneously, passing the note to Jack, "ME NO UNDERSTAND YOU. A-S-L?"
The woman looked perplexed and then her face expressed a dawn of realisation. Her frustrated demeanour vanished and she smiled shaking her head.
"B-S-L ONLY, NO A-S-L", she slowly signed to Sue, clearly attempting to remember what little ASL she had learnt.
Scribbling a note of apology and passing it to the young woman, Sue led Jack out of the room.
"Nobody told me she didn't know ASL,"
Jack stared at her for a moment. "Sorry, what?"
"She doesn't know ASL, she uses BSL, British Sign Language," Sue explained. "The languages aren't mutually intelligible so I can't understand her, and she has limited ASL."
"So what do we do now? Do you know anyone who knows BSL?" Jack said furrowing his brow, realising how this inability to communicate would cause issues with an interview.
"We'll have to ask Garrett." Sue said, leading Jack back towards the bullpen.
As Sue explained the issue to the team, Jack looked over at Garrett's stoic demeanour. Both he and Garrett knew that it was unlikely to find a BSL interpreter on such short notice.
"Surely there has to be someone in the entire FBI who knows British Sign Language," Lucy said, "Maybe we can ask around?"
"This is America Lucy," Myles stated, "British Sign Language is hardly on the education curriculum."
"Lucy may have a point," Garrett said, securing the attention of the team. "There are agents from other agencies here on overseas placements, if we're lucky there will be one among them who may be able to lend a hand."
"How quickly can we find out?" Jack asked, looking over at Lucy.
Lucy smiled. "Give me ten minutes. If there's an agent who knows BSL in this building I can serve them up on a silver platter for you quicker than you can ask for dinner."
As promised, within a matter of minutes Lucy rushed into the bullpen, a triumphant smile plastered on her face.
"Gather round ladies and gentlemen, I come bearing the gift of knowledge."
The team's attention, first caught by Lucy was transferred to measuring up the stranger she stood with. The young woman stood looking somewhat embarrassed by the attention her presence was gaining. In an attempt to look nonchalant, she flicked her brown curly hair over her shoulder and glanced around the room, her hazel eyes darting from person to person.
"May I introduce Agent Emilia Peyton of MI6," Lucy announced.
Emilia nodded awkwardly to each member as they were introduced.
"Agent Peyton has the specific skill we are looking for, British Sign Language." Lucy finished.
"Pleasure to have you Agent Peyton, you'll be of great help to our investigation," Garrett said, moving to shake her hand.
"Please, call me Emilia if you choose, Agent Emilia Peyton is somewhat cumbersome." Emilia said with an awkward laugh.
"Emilia… I believe that originates from the Germanic Ama, meaning hard-working," Myles said, obviously pleased with his little fact.
"Erm, yes, I believe so." Emilia said, shaking Myles' outstretched hand. She could hear the team giggling at Myles' attempt to impress her, and a slight blush spread across her cheeks.
"I believe there is a witness I need to speak with?" She said, turning to Lucy for instruction.
"Jack and Sue are the case agents for this investigation, they can fill you in. I'll be at my desk if you need anything." Lucy said leading her toward Jack and Sue.
Sue moved forward to greet Emilia, and her friendly demeanour made Emilia feel less nervous. If she was honest she felt entirely out of her depth. This was her first assignment away from the safety of the headquarters in London, and her predecessor had hardly made the greatest impression at the bureau. Agent Jessica Sanders had visited the FBI the previous year, blaming an American born SAS agent of crimes that she herself had committed. The story had spread around headquarters in a matter of days, and created some strife between the American agents on foreign placements. She felt more embarrassed that she had been personally acquainted with Jessica; Jessica had been her mentor, and the news of her crimes crushed her. After that she was treated differently by her workmates, as if tainted by her mentor's actions. The move to America was a last ditch attempt to find somewhere that she could work without any reproach due to her personal connections. It was just her luck that she was working the very unit that Jessica had manipulated. But that was not something she was intending to fill them in on.
"Agent Peyton, I'm Jack Hudson, this is my partner Sue Thomas." Jack said.
"Pleasure," Emilia replied, smiling at them both, "I understand that you are deaf Agent Thomas?"
"Please, call me Sue," Sue said and signed, "I am deaf, but I can lip-read, and sign."
"I apologise, my ASL skills are somewhat limited, although I am fluent in BSL." Emilia replied.
"Perhaps you can teach me some BSL and I can help with you ASL?" Sue said, smiling kindly at the Emilia.
"I would appreciate that!" Emilia said, grateful for Sue's friendly conversation. "So, what can you tell me about the case?"
"A deaf witness came to the FBI claiming to have witnessed a murder. Assuming that she was using ASL, the case was brought to Sue, but it turns out our witness did not know enough ASL to be able give us any details. That's where you'll come in." Jack explained. "Sue will conduct the interview with you whilst Bobby, Demetrius and I observe from the other room."
"Okay, thank you for filling me in, shall we begin?" Emilia said. Sue led Emilia toward the interview room, leaving Jack behind with Bobby.
"Should we trust her mate?" Bobby asked, noting the critical look etched on Jack's face.
"We have no reason to believe she follows in Agent Sanders footsteps." Jack said, trying to muster more confidence than he felt. He couldn't help the feeling in his stomach telling him to be on his guard, he could sense that the stranger was holding something back. It was just a matter of time until they found out what.