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Chapter 2: Chapter 2.
Eleonora sat with Claire in the living room as they watched the news; Claire crying with fear for her son, and Eleonora, in an emotional shock. As Scott gave the press conference that Joey was missing, they were a bit relieved that Joe had been recaptured.
Earlier, the detectives at the house had informed the Matthews that Joe had been captured by Ryan, and that Sarah Fuller, Joe's last victim, had been murdered. Of course, Eleonora knew that her heart had sunk. Sarah was the light of someone's life. She was someone's daughter, friend, sister, and now Eleonora's father had taken that away from them. She was a positive outlook from the entire experience. Sarah had become a doctor and successfully moved on with her life; and now that life was over. Eleonora had been informed that Ryan and the rest of the FBI team were on their way to meet with them, and when she told Claire, she broke down.
"Claire, you know that if anyone can find Joey, its Ryan." Eleonora tried to encourage some positivity in her step mom.
"I know. It's just that he's been kidnapped." Claire stated for the hundredth time in an hour. Eleonora understood the fear that Claire was experiencing, and had to except that no matter how much optimism she tried to push onto her, Claire's mood about the situation was not going to change. She was also processing the fact that Denise must have taken him, therefore, she was more likely to take care of him, not hurt him.
"Have you ever met any of her friends? Family?"
"Elle, I know that you're going to be one of these agents, but I am NOT comfortable with you questioning me like a victim." Claire muttered angrily, facing the young woman next to her. Eleonora saw that she was having a rough night. She hasn't even slept yet, and she was still shaking with shock. Eleonora nodded, squeezing her hand.
"I just thought maybe you'd rather talk to me than a suit." Claire nodded, understanding where she was coming from, and softened her gaze. "If you'd rather talk to Ryan, it's okay."
"I'm sorry." She murmured softly.
Eleonora nodded whispering, "Don't worry about it." With a soft smile. The girls heard the door open, and Claire jumped. Immediately, Claire walked to Ryan and hugged him. Eleonora stood at the couch, awkwardly watching the reunion. She made eye contact with Ryan, then with a younger agent who walked in behind him. He was wearing a leather jacket, jeans, and was carrying a computer bag. The agent nearly stopped in his tracks, taking in his sight quickly, and Eleonora gave a side smile, wondering why he was nearly frozen. A taller gentleman gave the young agent a shoulder push to keep him walking, and they found their way through the house to find a spot to work in. Eleonora stepped up to Ryan and Claire just as they were pulling away.
"Hey, are you okay?" She asked Ryan, knowing that he probably went through hell in the last few hours.
Ryan nodded and Eleonora politely squeezed his arm encouragingly. "Coffee?" She offered, and Ryan nodded, his lips going into a thin, stressed line. Eleonora wandered into the kitchen and found the two other agents swabbing the counter Denise and Joey were eating on before.
"You guys want some coffee?" She offered as she began to make a pot on the opposite counter.
"Please." The taller, dark agent answered smoothly. She made the pot and turned around to see that they were running the test. The tall agent turned to her and approached her.
"Agent Troy Riley." He held his hand out to her. She nodded, placing her hand in his.
"Eleonora Matthews." She said with a smile. Her father taught her from a young age to introduce herself with a warm smile, direct eye contact and a soft voice. However, the volume depended heavily upon the situation. When introducing herself to his coworkers, it was to be soft and delicate. If announcing herself, it was to be filled with power, annunciation, and with a direct purpose. A name was important, but the way a person says their name spokes volumes to the nature of the person.
She saw the younger detective's posture straighten. "Agent Mike Weston." He also shook her hand with a warm smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too." She looked between the detectives. The coffee maker beeped, and she turned to get the mugs from the cupboard and poured a round of coffees. She pulled the milk and sugars out, placing them on the opposite counter. "Please feel free to help yourselves." She politely smiled at the agents before going to find Ryan.
"Pleasure to meet you Ms. Matthews." She heard Agent Riley mock.
"Really?" Agent Weston rolled his eyes.
"You're such a fan boy." Riley joked and immediately Eleonora knew why. He read Ryan's book. Ryan had interviewed her for his book when he was writing it nearly eight years ago. She provided an example of Joe's life before the murdering began, and how it had changed her family's life. Claire didn't want to be a part of the writing process, but Eleonora thought that Ryan deserved a Matthews's perspective. After all, Joe did try to kill him. She was nearly seventeen when she volunteered to be interviewed by Ryan.
They had just finished their interview session, and Ryan hit the stop button on his recorder. Eleonora looked up to him as he continued to write something in his notes. She had known that he and Claire had been having an affair together, and she was actually in favor of the situation. However, regardless of her approval of the relationship, she knew that they had broken it off recently.
"How are you doing, Mr. Hardy?" She asked sipping her water.
"I'm good, thanks for asking." He tried to be polite.
"Really?" She asked in disbelief. He shot her a questioning look, and put the notes into his lap.
"I'm fine, Elle." He said trying to sound stern. His eyes were sad, and his body was wearing down. He wasn't adjusting to the pace maker well, but even from her seat, Eleonora could smell the vodka in his system. She shook her head.
"Mr. Hardy, I've seen you at fine, exuberant, angry and sad. You currently are anything but. I know I'm only a seventeen year old girl, and probably the last person you'd want to talk to, but you can tell me that you're not okay if you'd like to." Her eyes nervous to say this, but she consciously knew that it needed to be in the open. Ryan held her gaze, and sighed sadly. He was after all talking to his ex-lover's step daughter, and his near murder/ suspect's daughter. The mix of titles confused him, but realized that it must be twice as more confusing to her.
"I'm not fine, but I am okay." He resorted for an answer.
"Why haven't you spoken to Claire in a while?"
"Did she have you ask that?"
"I'm asking for myself." She clarified. "She hasn't been as happy as she was while being with you, and I thought that you both deserved to be happy after what you'd gone through."
"I was happy with her,"
"Then why are you not together?"
"Because I'm part of her past."
"Don't you think I am too?"
"You're seventeen years old."
"And you're still in love with her." She pointed out. "I am feeling the same way, Mr. Hardy. I feel like I belong in her past, I shouldn't be still living with her, let alone in contact with her. I was there before Joe started killing in the first place. What I think she deserves, is for me to be gone, and to start a new life with you."
"Elle, you're seventeen years old. You're too young to be on your own."
"Joe did it. You essentially did it."
"We had different circumstances."
"My biological mother died giving birth to me. My father is in prison, due to the fact that he is a self-indulged murderous, sad excuse of an author. Claire is being as polite as she could, volunteering to take care of me, but she doesn't deserve to look at my face for the rest of her life. Be constantly reminded of the worst, most terrifying time in her life. You may think that if she sees your face constantly as a reminder, it will bring back bad memories, but just imagine what she must feel like looking at me EVERY SINGLE DAY until I turn eighteen." Eleonora didn't raise her voice, but Ryan could detect the sadness in her voice. Ryan noted that the girl sitting in front of him, for the first time, he noticed that she had tears in her eyes. "I am his daughter." She hissed in disgust at herself. "I am his blood, if there is anyone who would bring back worse memories, it would be me."
She found Ryan in Claire's room, and Claire was pacing. She handed the coffee to Ryan who smiled lightly his thanks.
"I don't understand how Denise is involved in this. I mean, are they going to hurt Joey?" Claire admitted as she shrugged her shoulders.
"Do you think she's involved with Joe somehow?" Eleonora asked Ryan as they all moved about the room restlessly. He took a deep breath and prepared himself to answer her question.
"I think that she is your nanny because of Joe." Eleonora stopped pacing, and Ryan continued. "I think he put her here-."
"That's impossible." Claire injected. "She's been Joey's nanny for two years. She lives with me, I know her."
"The accomplices," Ryan stepped towards her. "The guys that helped him kill Sarah Fuller, were there for years. Pretended that they were gay to get close. They used false identities."
"I did a background check. I have records." Claire whipped away a stray tear.
"Can I see them?" Ryan asked. Claire nodded and she walked to her linen closet in the hallway, leaving Ryan and Eleonora in the room. There was a knock on the door, and Agent Weston popped in, standing in the door frame as Ryan looked at the picture of Denise and Joey.
"There are heavy doses of Zolpafam on the counters. She must have drugged him."
"And the guards I'm guessing." Eleonora shrugged.
"Took him down the back stair well, they found the car about forty five minutes away from here." Ryan nodded and walked out of the room where Claire walked out of her closet with a file in hand. Eleonora and Weston were left in the room, waiting for Ryan's next move.
"Denise Harris, from Alexandria." She explained handing the file over. "She talked about her mom a lot. I guess they were close. No dad in the picture."
"You ever meet any of her friends? Over hear phone conversations?"
"No. She was shy. Read in her room a lot." Claire pushed her hair back. "I can't be this blind, could I be?"
"You cannot afford to think like that, do you understand?" Ryan stated softly. Claire shook her head unwillingly, but accepted that Ryan was going to do everything in his power to bring back her son.
The day progressed and Eleonora studied the faces of the men that took advantage of Sarah Fuller, and dug through Denise's room. It was only a few hours later that Claire came into the room and pulled her attention away.
"They want us down to the center, see if we could get anything out of Joe."
Eleonora nodded and dressed, preparing to go face to face with her father.
As they entered the facility, the Matthews women were met by Ryan and Agent Parker. Ryan looked even less pleased, but he was present.
"Agent Parker." Eleonora smiled seeing her advisor.
"Eleonora," Debra said a bit surprised. "I didn't realize that you were the Eleonora Matthews." She shook the young girls hand and they walked through the doors.
"Well, up until now, I hid it very well." Eleonora attempted a reasonable smile.
"I would like to speak with Eleonora. Ryan, prep Claire for the interview?" Parker asked before heading down the other hallway.
"How does Parker know Elle?" Ryan asked Claire quietly. Claire shrugged.
"I'm assuming from Quantico."
"Quantico?"
"She's about to become an agent."
"I thought she was going to be a lawyer."
"After the trial, do you really think she wanted to do that?" Claire asked as she wrung her hands together nervously. Ryan nodded understanding that what her father reportedly had done to his lawyer, be it a rumor or fact, was terrifying. He sent someone to cut off her finger, and that was enough to make Eleonora drop the pursuit of practicing law.
"Elle, I didn't know that this was your family, I'm so sorry for everything that's happening." Parker said as they walked down the hallway to her office.
"Thank you, but honestly, I just want to help."
"Would you be okay to go into the field early?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you have the training of an agent, the knowledge of your family and of Joe's personality. I think you could be a real asset to the investigation."
"Would that be okay with the bureau?"
"I'll make it okay with the bureau." Parker said definitively and rounded her office chair, taking a seat. She noticed Eleonora standing patiently, and smiled at her. "This isn't my office in Quantico, have a seat." Eleonora took a seat and waited as Parker filled out a few papers.
"Where did Agent Mason go?" She asked remembering the abrasive agent she met the other day with Ryan.
"She was sent back to Quantico." Parker shook her head as she signed a paper. "She let a former agent, Ryan, into a room with an inmate and broke three of his fingers."
"Three?" Eleonora asked surprised.
"That was Ryan's reaction too." She handed Eleonora a clipboard with paper work on it. "Sign on the lines of the first and last page. It's a temporary deputation. I'll be getting you formally sworn in later, but right now, its just a deputy." She noticed someone walking past the door, "Weston!" He back tracked and walked back into the room.
"Parker?"
"Come in for a second." She and Eleonora stood up and Eleonora smiled politely at the Agent. "Raise your right hand." Eleonora did so, and Parker continued. "DO you swear to up hold the law to the fullest extent, blah blah blah?" Eleonora smiled at Parker's inability to care for formalities.
"I swear."
"Your temporary badge, your gun and holster." She said handing her the equipment. "Thanks Mike, you can go." He nodded and left the room congratulating Eleonora. "Also, as long as you're here Elle, would you help keep an eye on Ryan? Just make sure he's doing okay and is sober?"
"I can try." Eleonora shrugged putting the badge around her neck like the other agents in the area. Parker and Eleonora stepped out of the office and made the way to meet Ryan and Claire.
"Hey, you doing okay?" Eleonora asked Claire as they stood together. She nodded her head and reached for the badge hanging beneath Eleonora's breasts. She picked it up reading it silently. "Congratulations Deputy." She tried to smile.
"Thanks. I just want to help."
"Were you going to tell me that you were going into the bureau?" Ryan asked quietly as they made their way to the interrogation center.
"Were you going to tell me that you've been drinking again?" Ryan pulled on her arm to stop her, and Parker and Claire continued their way forward.
"Listen Elle, this is going to be messy."
"I know, Ryan. I just want to help. I'm useless in the house, and I'm restless. I know what I'm doing, and I know you. I want to help, not only find Joey, but make sure that you are okay. You're important too." Elle squeezed his arm, and they continued down the walk way. Eleonora squeezed Claire's hand before they separated, and she went in to meet with Joe first. She followed Parker to the viewing station where they were met by Scott, Riley and eventually Ryan.
Claire looked nervous as she entered the room behind an officer. Joe was surprised to see her, and his attention was brought back into the room. Claire hid her eyes behind her hair, and took a seat in front of Joe, who was shackled to the table.
"My hands are shaking." Joe commented. "My God, you still have that effect on me." He was breathless as he smiled lovingly at her. "You're so beautiful."
"Where's my son, Joe?" Claire stopped him before he could say anything more.
"Our son, Claire." Joe corrected her with clarity in his voice. His facial expression changed, and he stared Claire down.
"Please Joe." She tried to plead with her ex-husband. His face softened and gave a small chuckle.
"Do you remember when we went to Antigua?" Claire didn't respond, but Joe smiled. "We rented that little cabin for a week, and we wound up spending a month?" He laughed. "I don't think we wore clothes the entire time." Claire racked her brain to bring back what Ryan had told her to do.
"He's growing up so fast, Joe." Joe wouldn't phase. "He's so brilliant. He's reading well beyond his years. Melville and Twain. He finished Robins and Caruso last week, but he didn't like it."
"It must be so hard for you. Must feel so betrayed. Again" Claire took a shaky breath, and Parker her cheered her on from the outside. Eleonora saw Claire's lip shake as Joe hardly blinked. "Tell, me. Did you get my letter?"
"Is he in danger?" Claire found her voice again. "Please, just let him be okay? Please don't let him be hurt."
"I'd like some answers to my questions." Joe reverted back to his own agenda. Claire looked at the camera unsure, and Eleonora would have given anything to say Go for it. Use whatever leverage you have. Use me, use Ryan. But Claire couldn't actually see her.
"Tell me where Joey is first."
"I asked you some very specific questions." He emphasized his every word, wanting them to mean everything to Claire. "I'd like them to answer them."
"Yes." Claire answered before he could finish his breath.
"Yes?" He egged her on to get the full answer. "You what?"
"Ryan and I had an affair for almost two months." Claire admitted reluctantly. Ryan sat there, heat probably filling his cheeks. Eleonora didn't really feel embarrassment for them. Couples go through stuff like this all the time in front of coworkers. Maybe not to this extent, but at least Eleonora could say that she was with one of them. She placed her hand on his shoulder as she stood behind him. He looked at her quickly and she gave him a quick squeeze before retracting her hand.
"After the trial?" Joe assumed.
"And the divorce." Claire affirmed.
"OF course. Noble Claire. Only a little diddle will do." He taunted her. Now, everyone was feeling the heat. Ryan didn't appreciate having his personal decisions under a microscope, Claire and her post marital life, and Eleonora with her family's sex lives being discussed for the world to hear. However, she was more angered in the fact that Joe would assume something so normal would be so wrong. Claire did everything properly, ethically and at her own pace. It wasn't her fault that Joe decided to do something that put him in prison. "Was he good?" He continued. "Did your body quiver to his every touch?" Claire now growing rage instead of fear, refused to blink, and inched forward.
"Yes. It did." She didn't flinch at the answer, but Joe certainly had. He was not pleased with the answer at all.
"We've got to get her out of there." Ryan said frustrated.
"Not yet." Parker said and Riley prevented Ryan from leaving their viewing area.
"And the last question." Joe asked.
"I don't know." Claire rolled her eyes. She wanted answers of her own, and she was tired of Joe prying her life apart for the world to hear.
"Oh, you know the question."
"I don't know." She announced a bit louder, her rage growing more progressed, and tears were flooding her eyes. "I don't know is my answer. How could I love anyone after you? You destroyed me, you SON OF A BITCH, WHERE IS MY SON?!" She shouted slapping him across the face. They began struggling as Claire shouted at him "WHERE IS JOEY, YOU BASTARD?!" Joe reached and grabbed her neck, squeezing tightly. Ryan ran to the door, and Eleonora watched through the screen in horror.
"I will always love you." Joe told her before Riley and a detective ran in, ripping them apart. Claire was pulled out of the room by Riley, and Joe was eventually released from the officer's grip and Eleonora and Parker saw him revert to his smug, unaccepting expression. He was not happy with the encounter, and he was only growing angrier by the moment.
"Go to her." Eleonora told Ryan, and he nodded at her as he ran to meet her.
Eleonora was left with Parker and Scott, and she took Ryan's empty seat.
"Well, that was a positive experience." Parker tried to lighten the situation. She looked to Eleonora, and sighed, leaning back in her seat. "You sure you want to go in there?"
"I am his child. I mean, I might be able to appeal to his parental instinct." She shrugged. "That is if he doesn't base this visit on my last one."
"When did you last see him?"
"Six years ago." She admitted. "I went to see him and say good bye. I haven't been in contact with him since."
"Well, it's up to you." Eleonora nodded and took a deep breath, thinking of the possibilities that could happen in the interview.
"I'll do it."
Eleonora took a deep breath as she followed Riley down to the holding cell. She heard the footsteps around them echo and whispers be passed between the sparse guards and she couldn't help but wonder now, what the hell would she say to him? He hasn't seen her in six years. She wondered if he would be surprised to see her.
Unlike Claire, she walked in, her head held high and she saw Joe sit back in shock. She walked with her eyes fixed on his, and sat effortlessly in the chair provided for her. He sat with his hands in his lap, his lips in a thin line, and he was quietly watching her. Eleonora sat and smiled at him thinly.
"Hi Joe."
"Eleonora." He said lightly, forcing a smile onto his lips, and he sat forward to see her more properly. "How are you doing?"
"I'm well." She kept her voice level and casual. "How are you doing? I heard that Mr. Hardy is the reason for your ailment." She gestured to his fingers effortlessly.
"I've been better." He studied her closely, and finally smiled at her. "My, you've grown, my little love." Still unfazed by his tone, she crossed her arms and legs comfortably. "What have you been up to? Tell me you've gone and become a teacher."
"Oh, I know you wish." She tucked her dark hair behind her ear. "Actually," She dug her badge out of her pocket and placed it on the table. "I'm about to become an FBI agent. I graduate from Quantico in a matter of weeks, and they've asked me to work the case here." Joe sat in a bout of silence as he was not happy about the career path his daughter had taken. "If you're going to say that you're disappointed in me, you can save it."
"Did you chose this career path because of me?"
"Minuscule. I chose this to help atone for what you had done, and the other major portion was because I was so sick of the Poe shit you taught me while I grew up." She admitted strongly. "I mean, I know he's your idol and all, but come on. It's gotten old, hasn't it?"
"Eleonora." Joe laughed smugly. "I knew you were always destined for greatness. Regardless of what your profession is, you are capable of great things. You always have been."
"So is Joey."
"Have you been in touch with him?"
"Prior to your player taking him, yes. We've been very close. Even through me going to college, and more." They still had not broken eye contact, and Ryan and Parker were both surprised as they watched, anticipating more action. Both were calm, staring intently, and they could feel the tension growing. "He's my baby brother. How could I not be a part of his life?"
"I thought that you might have been more caught up in your studies."
"I was more concerned with forgetting your face. Although it is difficult as we have similar features."
"Always the quickest with a comeback."
"Where's Joey?"
"Do you remember when you first read Thoreau?" Joe asked hoping to relive his daughters past. "You thought he was too close to Emerson and when I told you that he was his mentor, you said that it wasn't fair. He shouldn't have taken his style."
"But he eventually grew with his writing style. I know. Where is my brother?" She asked still sounding sweet.
"How is Ian?" He asked with just as much sweetness. Eleonora felt her face drop.
"How do you know about Ian?"
"I have to say, he was my least favorite of your boyfriends, even of those I saw personally."
"Where is Joey?"
"How long did you let him go after you?"
"Where did Denise take Joey?"
"Why did you stay with him for so long?"
"Where is Joey?"
"You didn't like the way he smacked you around?"
"What, like Claire just did to you?" When he remained quiet, she took the time to study him. Just the way that she said her name was enough to stop him. "You know that I pushed her to be with Ryan, right?" She stood at the table, leaning in front of Joe. "If you're going to blame anyone for her leaving you," She leaned as close to her as she dared, "at first, it was you. For every fucked up thing you did. Then, it was me. I told her to forget about you. I've forgotten about Ian, and I guarantee you, once we get Joey back, I will never even think of you again."
"I did like the way that Ryan wrote about you." Joe smiled back at her. "Brilliant, determined, remorseful for being my daughter."
"What is your bizar obsession with him?"
"He took away what was mine." Joe growled, and he stood to get level with her as well. Eleonora didn't flinch. "You know, the last visit we had, I remember you came and sat down just like you had just now, but you were nowhere near as strong as you were just now. And I could still smell the sadness in your skin. Why accept the position of working on this case, with Ryan, if you hate me so much?"
"Because Joey is my brother. I love him, and unlike you, I will get to see him grow up and never let him think of you again." Their eye contact did not break, and Eleonora sighed. "If you're not going to tell me where Joey is, you're waisting my time. We'll find him ourselves." She walked out of the cell, and headed back to her group.
"You're so calm." Parker told her as they walked back to the main research room.
"Have to be, otherwise I'd have been killed years ago," She sighed as they found seats in front of the monitors that they had just watched interviews on.
"Elle, why don't you go home with Claire?" Ryan suggested, and she opened her mouth to protest, but Parker agreed. Eleonora looked to her to protest, but Parker shrugged.
"We aren't in the process of getting anything solid. Go home. Get some real sleep. You're going to need it. You'll get moving in the morning." Eleonora nodded and headed out, meeting Claire back at the house.
It was early in the evening when Ryan and his team returned to the house. Claire was in the living room, attempting to stay out of the way, and Eleonora was in the kitchen cooking as an agent looked on, making sure that she wasn't putting anything illicit in. As she turned to dish out some food on the island, she saw Agent Weston walk in.
"Hey." She said politely as he set up on the table.
"Hi." He smiled at her as well. "How are you holding up? I saw the interview." He asked quietly, not wanting to draw attention to the severe subject of the conversation.
"I'm fine." She smiled at him. Mike had to take in the one feature that differentiated Eleonora from Joe. Her eyes were a vibrant green, instead of the deep brown her father held. The brightness was still present, regardless of the events of the day. "How have you guys been doing? Anything new?"
"Denise Harris's real name is Emma Hill." Mike admitted.
"Chicken?" She offered.
"Please." He sighed, starving. "We found her house, and we also found her mother buried in the wall."
"Mask of the Red Death, Cask of Amontillado, classic Poe." She sighed fixing Mike a plate. "Do you have photos of the house?"
"It was covered in nine different hand writings of Poe's poems. It wasn't exactly pretty to look at."
"Well, I'd assume not so." She and Weston sat at the table, going over the scene from the house. Eleonora couldn't help but notice that Weston had a boyish charm to him that was unique for a man of his age. Since Ian, Eleonora hasn't had much of a romantic life, only because she was trying to avoid the same situation over again. She caught him looking at her every now and again, and figured that it was just due to the fact that he was expecting the eighteen year old from the book, not the twenty-five year old infront of him. It had been a few hours, and it had grown late. The agents were preparing to leave the Matthews's to sleep, and Weston said goodnight to her.
Eleonora made her way to her room, and realized that she hadn't seen Cyclops at all that day. She assumed that he had been taken care of by the Marshalls during the day. She opened her bedroom door, and smelt something unnatural. She sniffed around, thinking that maybe Cyclops had had an accident inside her room, and found the source of the smell was coming from the closed closet. She held her ground, and opened the door. She was rushed, and pushed to the ground by a man dressed in an officers uniform. He hit her over the head with a gun, and she had blacked out.
Jordy moved outside of Eleonora's bedroom and made his way to Claire's, where he shut the door behind him, and Claire noticed him in the mirror behind her.
Outside, Ryan was running inside the home after realizing that maps inside the Hill home described the Matthews's home. Riley and Weston followed him into the house, Marshalls all surrounding the door Claire was behind. Ryan ran in, without thinking, and a gun shot rang out. He talked his way inside, and Riley stuck his gun in his waistband, and Weston noticed that Eleonora was not in the hallway. Keeping himself alert, he found his way to her room, and opened the door. He saw the slim brunette, knocked out, and her hands taped through the base of her bed. Her mouth was covered with duct tape, and her feet bound as well. He saw the body of a gutted dog in her closet, and rushed to her.
"CAN I GET A MEDIC IN HERE?!" He shouted at the Marshalls outside. He heard movement going down the stairs, but then a series of gunshots. He ripped the tape off of Eleonora's mouth and gently shook her before releasing her wrists. "Eleonora. Hey! Wake up!" He shook her again, checking her pulse. It was still strong, and she stirred after a moment.
"Eleonora." He asked again and she jumped, opening her eyes. She nearly screamed before realizing that it was only her fellow agent.
"Mike," She sighed, and he smiled at her relieved. He untapped her ankles and she held her head tightly, hissing in pain. Once Mike removed the tape, she sat up, preparing to stand. "Where's Claire, Jordy is here."
"He's being taken out of the house." He assured her as she sat back down and held her head. He sat next to her, as they waited for the EMT's to arrive, and he remembered that the dog was in the closet. "Come on, Eleonora. I'll take you downstairs."
"You could call me Elle." She joked. "It's shorter, and less Poe related." Mike nodded, and helped her up off the ground. He walked her downstairs, and she sat on the couch next to Claire, as her step mother fussed over her, realizing that she was also attacked. As Eleonora and Claire were checked over, Ryan and the other detectives went back upstairs to were a second team was taking care of Jordy.
"The storm windows were padlocked." The Police Chief explained as Riley, Weston and Parker looked to her with disappointment, and anger.
"The man had a key." Mike told her, with stress in his voice. "The nanny gave it to him."
"He was dressed as a cop." She tried to defend herself. "He hid under one of the A/C units nobody knew about."
"Except the nanny." Riley chimed in, equally angered. "Who gave it to him."
"Come on. How are we supposed to know that?"
"Its YOUR JOB!" Mike said forcefully, and the chief looked as though she'd stand her ground to the death, but Scott Marshall defused the situation.
"Unless you're a federal officer, I want everybody out of this house now, ya understand? Get out now." Parker had found Ryan sitting with Claire in Joey's room, holding her hand. He excused himself from Claire and came to speak to Parker.
"The prison guard is in surgery now. He's going to be fine." Parker informed Ryan.
"I want to see Joe." Ryan requested, wanting this to be over, just to make Claire feel safe.
"So you could break his other hand?" Parker asked, still seething her anger from the situation that evening. Ryan had walked away, and saw Mike sitting with Eleonora at the kitchen table.
"Thanks for finding me." She said quietly as she held an icepack to her swelling head.
"EMT's say you'll live?"
"Perhaps I'll escape the curse of a permanent goose egg." She tried joking, and succeeded. Mike smiled at the joke and Eleonora noticed that he looked just as tired. "Thanks again, Mike, but go get some sleep."
"You think you'll be okay?"
"House full of Marshalls and FBI? I think I'll be fine unless there's another low-level follower hiding in our vents." She joked lightly. Mike nodded softly, and she squeezed his arm in thanks once more before going to talk to Claire who was in Joey's room.
"How are you doing?" Claire asked Eleonora as she sat on Joey's bed with her.
"I'm fine." Eleonora sighed. "How are you?"
"About as good as to be expected."
"Where's Ryan?"
"He went to talk to Joe." Claire cried, her lip quivering. Eleonora hugged Claire, and Claire began to cry again.
"It's going to be okay." Eleonora tried soothing her.
"Elle, I don't want you hurt, I want Joey back, I want our lives to go back to normal."
"It will. I'll make sure of it."
"I love you Elle."
"I love you too, Mom."
Hey all, I know this was a long one, and I hope you enjoy it. I'm trying to follow the order, dialogue and style of the show, so that is where all of my references are coming from. Since this is such a long one, and following the show, let me know if you would prefer them broken up in separate chapters, or if you like the long ones.
I have finals all this week, so if I'm not updating by the end of the week, it will be by next week when chapter 3 will be up.
Please continue reading and reviewing, I love getting your comments and feedback.
Thanks again!