"How is the lovely Astera Kenmore this morning?" David McNorris asked, opening the door to the building. "I see you haven't choked on your breakfast this morning, Mr. McNorris…" Astera said. David chuckled. "I haven't eaten it yet, and you can call me David…" he said, following her inside. "Oh that's a shame, Mr. McNorris…" Astera replied, walking up the stairs.

"That's a nice suit, Astera…" David said. "Thank You…" Astera trailed. Once they arrived at the top floor, they saw Fearless standing there. "You came back to us I see?" he asked with a smile. Astera returned the smile. "Like I had a choice?" she played. Fearless laughed and opened the door for her. He turned to look at David. "Ladies first…" he said, ushering David inside.

David narrowed his eyes slightly. Fearless shrugged. "Okay…fine…" he said, walking in. David followed shortly after. Andrea sat at the table drinking coffee with a red head that he assumed to be Diana, her new journalist partner. David smiled slightly at the two of them. Diana returned the smile, but Andrea turned away. "So, you're ignoring me now?" David asked. Andrea turned to look at him with a fake smile. "Why hello, David. It's wonderful to see you this morning…" Andrea said, and Diana laughed.

Astera brushed past David and sat at the table with Andrea. "Its Andrea, right?" Astera asked. Andrea smiled over at her. "Yea," she replied. "See, you're so nice to her…" David said. "Happy Hour isn't until six, McNorris. So until then…no whine…" Astera said, her eyes teasing him. Andrea chuckled slightly. The door opened and Joel entered, Ray and Tom behind him.

"Oh…haven't seen these two in a long time…" Andrea said, looking over at them. Ray shrugged. "We aren't going to stay here very long. We are just here to meet the new undercover agent…Astera Kenmore…" Ray said, shaking hands with her. Joel looked over at her. "Astera, I'd like you to meet Ray and Tom. Best cops around…" Joel stated. "No they're not…" called the voice of Fearless, from the other room. Joel could tell by his voice that he was smiling as he said it.

"Is that Fearless?" Ray asked, not waiting for an answer as he walked into the other room; Tom following. Joel turned to look at Astera and Diana. "They'll grow on you one day…" he said. Diana smiled. "That's likely…" she said. Joel showed her a small smile. "So, what are we doing today?" David asked. "McNorris, you are going to go with Fearless to meet the client. Andrea and Diana…you are going to go interview friends, neighbors, whoever. Astera, we are going to stay here and go over the police reports and such. I want us all back here by five…." Joel said.

"Bring back food," Fearless said, coming from the other room. "Yea, do that too…" Joel said, smiling slightly. "Wait, shouldn't Astera come with me? That way I have a detective with me if something goes wrong?" David asked. "What you think Fearless isn't a tough enough detective?" Joel asked, raising an eyebrow. David looked over at Fearless, who folded his arms.

David turned back to Joel. "See you at five," he said, standing up. He looked over at Astera. "I'd be careful around this one, he tends to bite…" David said, with a smirk. Astera shrugged. "Nothing I haven't dealt with before…" she said. David sighed in defeat, and followed Fearless out the door. Andrea and Diana both stood up in sync, causing them to smile at each other.

They left the room, and Joel turned to look at Astera. "Well, where do you want to start?" he asked. "Evidence, you have any of it?" she asked. Joel nodded. "Bagged and Tagged…" he said, ushering her to follow him. "You know…you should be careful around McNorris. He's a real go-getter…" Joel said, pushing open the one door. "I noticed that when I first came here. What's his deal?" Astera asked, looking at him.

"He used to have an affair with Andrea when he was married to Marian. Now that she divorced him, and she's married…he's stuck. Not only that but he's had some issues with his alcohol consumption in the past…not to mention his problems with his father…" Joel said, bending over to open the file drawers. "Oh," was all Astera could say.

"Yea. Just be careful. I think you are his next victim…" Joel said, smiling at her. Astera returned the smile. "So he thinks…" she replied.

David and Fearless

"So, what is this girl's name?" Fearless asked, as they walked up to the house. "Stacy Young…" David replied, sounding bored. Fearless looked over at him. "You know…if you really hate me that much…" he trailed. David shook his head. "I don't hate you," he replied. "Oh. You wanted to come with that new blonde. Astera, huh?" Fearless asked. David couldn't help but smirk.

"You want to hit that, don't you?" Fearless asked, now grinning. "Come on, I have to keep my mind on this case. I don't need to go into those…thoughts…right now," David replied. "I wasn't asking you for thoughts, I was asking you a simple question…" Fearless said. David sighed. "Yes, okay? Yes…." He said, looking away.

"She's alittle out of your league, don't you think? FBI?" Fearless questioned. "I'm David McNorris. Nothing is out of my league. Besides, I can't help but wonder what and FBI agent would do around here. I mean, there are hundreds of more cases, even bigger than just your everyday rapes. Why here and now?" David asked, ringing the doorbell.

"If you want on that, why does it matter? Maybe she's here to evaluate us…you're DUI record is up there…McNorris…" Fearless spoke up. David shrugged. "Maybe…" he said, before the door opened…

Andrea and Diana

"Did Stacy ever talk to you about a relationship that she had?" Andrea asked the bleach blonde girl. She shrugged and began to chew her gum obnoxiously. "No. She would always talk about her ex boyfriends…" she said, flipping her hair. "Uh-huh….So she never mentioned a Steve Yerks?" Andrea questioned. The blonde shook her head, and begun to twirl her hair. "Are we done? I gotta be at the club now…" she said, walking away.

"Yea…." Andrea said, turning away. She looked over to see Diana walking over at the same time. "Anything?" Andrea asked. "Nope. The guy didn't know anything except that Stacy was the cashier at the local diner…" Diana said, with a disappointed sigh. She looked at Andrea. "You?" she asked. Andrea shrugged. "She had an ex and….that's about it…." Andrea said, looking away.

"Maybe we should try the place where she works?" Diana asked. Andrea nodded. "Good idea…" she said.

5:00 PM

David walked back inside with Fearless. He spotted Astera and Joel sitting at the rectangular table, laughing. David raised his eyebrow. "You people seem to be in a great mood…" he said. Astera turned to face him. "Actually we were talking about you…" she said. Her and Joel started laughing again. David looked over at Fearless nervously.

"It was nothing bad, McNorris…okay…maybe it was alittle bit…." Astera said, with a shrug. She crossed her legs. David narrowed his eyes slightly. Next Andrea and Diana walked in. "We've learned…nothing! Well, at least nothing more than we already know…" Andrea said, sitting down. Joel turned to Fearless. "Anything?" he asked. Fearless shrugged.

"I can tell you…that young girl was terrified….there is no way a girl is like that if she is in a relationship with someone. She could barely answer any of David's questions without crying. Her parents did a lot of the talking…" Fearless said, sympathy in his voice. "Maybe it would be best if I did go with David after all…" Astera spoke up.

Everyone turned to look at her. "She may not have been comfortable with two men there. If I'm there…maybe she can open up more….relax…" she said, leaning forward. "What, going to use your FBI magic on her?" David asked. Astera turned to look at him. "FBI magic? Where do you get these things from?" she asked, with a confused expression.

"David always tries to make situations better with catch-phrase metaphors. Even if they are pathetic…" Andrea said, rolling her eyes. David sighed. "If my metaphors were always so pathetic then why did we s-"

"McNorris…" Joel warned, cutting him off. David sighed in defeat. "So, tomorrow we meet again at 9:00 AM sharp…" Joel said, standing up. Astera looked down at her phone, to see she had a missed call. "What did you uncover today, Joel?" Diana asked. "Astera and I just went over the evidence and police reports again. Making sure that it all fits. Its going to be one hell of a case…" Joel spoke up.

Astera sighed, and shut her phone. "The heat in my house is shot. Know of any good hotels?" she asked. "There is the David McNorris Inn. The Inn where you are guaranteed a happy ending…." He said, smirking at her. Astera gave him a look that read 'what's wrong with you?'

"Hey, Ast. You can crash at my place. My husband is on a business trip and the kids are at their grandmothers…" Andrea spoke up. Astera smiled slightly. "Thanks…" she said. She and Astera walked away, Diana as well. Fearless looked over at David. "What's wrong with you, man? You need to learn how to talk to a girl before you get with the girl…" Fearless said. David shrugged. "There is nothing a man wants more than something he can't have. Maybe Astera wants to play a little chase…" he said, walking away.

Fearless exchanged looks with Joel. "He's going to get his ass kicked…" Fearless said. "Yep…" Joel agreed.

The phone rang three times, before he picked it up. He placed his black gloved hand on the phone. "Yes?" he asked. "I've checked the records over and over again. After you last saw her, she just vanished without a trace…" the other man said. He sighed. "I've checked her apartment as well. From the looks of it, she hasn't been here in months…" he said, looking around.

"What should we do?" the other man asked. "I've got business to attend to. You keep looking for her. I can't risk letting her live. She's a leak and she saw what I did. If it gets out…I'm getting put away…for a long time…" he said, before hanging up.

He turned to look at the picture of her on the wall. Her blue eyes stuck out among her tan face and dark brown hair. He swiped the picture off the wall. "No one gets away from me like that, and neither will you. I'll find you…" he said, before throwing the picture against the wall, the glass shattering…