Both Jacob and Rachel expressed surprise when Felix led them to the car rental desks in the Lincoln airport. Felix had made good use of the wi-fi connection on the plane. He had discovered this was the most efficient mode of transportation. There were only two flights a day to North Platte and they had missed both of them. He had gone ahead and reserved a car. Now, they would be on site in three hours.

Felix sighed as Rachel held out her hand for the keys to the SUV he had reserved for them. The only thing he had enjoyed about the last few months was his promotion to driver. Patterson had insisted that he and Doc sit in the back seat. The man had claimed it was a security precaution; he needed to be alert for threats coming from any direction. Felix had quickly figured out the real reason; Patterson enjoyed being chauffeured around.

Being in the back seat didn't hamper his participation in the conversation, especially since the main topic was the logistics of their operation. Felix had arranged to alert the local LEOs to their impending arrival when they were about 50 miles away. He reported the sheriff wanted to meet them at the county hospital. They agreed that while Jacob and Rachel met with him and the medical personnel, Felix would rent a second car. He would scout out the town and make tentative arrangements for Doc and Agent Young to interview some of the people involved. They would meet up at the hotel Felix had found for them in a few hours to compare notes.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Rachel and Hood were met at the entrance to the hospital by Sheriff Dave Flood. As they slowly made their way through the corridors, Flood explained why he had called in the FBI. He and the Lincoln County coroner, Dr. James Pounder, were stumped. The three boys who had died were in excellent physical condition. Flood explained that when the first boy died, during football practice, the doctor had assumed either dehydration or an undetected heart ailment. It quickly became obvious that was not the case; even before the autopsy could be scheduled, the two other boys had died. Autopsies of each showed that while all three had suffered heart attacks, their hearts, along with the rest of their organs, showed no sign of any disease.

The doctor had then assumed that the heart problems were caused by illegal drug use. But the tox screens were clean; none of the boys had been taking as much as an aspirin. Jacob raised his eyebrows at this piece of news.

"What about steroids? I'm assuming Dr. Pounder tested for them. After all, these are football players we're talking about."

Flood scowled at the question. "Of course he checked for steroids. They were clean for them to. But these guys were good players. It wouldn't have made sense for any of them to be doing something like that."

Before Jacob could comment on Flood's assumptions they arrived at the hospital's small lab which was empty. Jacob looked around appraisingly, his lips pursed. To say the lab was not state of the art was an understatement. He couldn't see how Pounder could do his job in such a poorly equipped lab.

"God-damn it." Flood exploded when they saw the lab was empty. "I told that little prick we were on our way not ten minutes ago. He knew he was supposed to meet us here."

Rachel's eyebrow rose at Flood's outburst. "Is there something we need to know here?"

"Pounder's new. The county decided about a year ago to upgrade the coroner's job, get a doctor. It's a joint position, pathologist here and county coroner. He didn't take it good when I told him I was calling in the feds. Told me I was over-stepping my authority." Flood snorted. "Which is a load of shit. He's had two weeks to tell me how those boys died and he still can't rule out foul play. I was well within my rights as county sheriff to call you in."

Jacob shrugged. "You don't have to justify yourself to us. From what I've seen in the files you sent the Bureau, this is precisely the kind of thing I should be called in on."

"Yeah, well, I'd better go find him." Flood stomped out of the lab.

Jacob and Rachel looked at each other in dismay. They didn't need the assistance of the locals, their investigation would run along parallel but independent lines, but it didn't help when the locals resented their presence. Shaking his head in disgust, Jacob roamed around the lab, examining the equipment. He turned to Rachel with a grimace.

"I'm not surprised this Dr. Pounder couldn't come up with any answers. This lab is a disgrace; most of the equipment is outdated."

"I don't know Hood," Rachel teased. "Sounds like your prejudices are kicking in again."

"It's not just that the lab isn't state of the art, but this equipment isn't as sensitive, as accurate as the stuff on the market these days."

"Umm, now you sound like boys and their toys."

Jacob's lips twitched. It felt good to be teased again. "I'm serious Rachel. This lab looks like the hospital set up a pathology department ages ago and then forgot about it. You heard Flood, Dr. Pounder is new here. I'm willing to bet he's the first pathologist they've had on staff for years."

Rachel was puzzled. "Wait, that can't be right. I mean, if they haven't had a pathologist, who's been doing their autopsies?"

"You're too used to the criminal side of things. " Jacob shrugged. "These days, unless the family or the doctor insists on an autopsy, one isn't done."

"I thought you had to have an autopsy in cases of unexpected death?" Rachel objected.

"No, you have to have one in cases of unexplained death, not merely unexpected death." At Rachel's look of confusion, Jacob tilted his head, thinking. "It's like this, if you're admitted to the hospital for a tonsillectomy and you die as a result of the operation, your death is unexpected. People don't usually die from simple operations like those, but they do, for a variety of reasons. "

"Yeah," Rachel interrupted. "Like because when he was supposed to take out my tonsils, the doctor cut a vein in my throat. If they don't do an autopsy, they won't find out the doctor screwed up."

"Umhm, which is why the hospital and the doctors won't order one. They don't want to worry about opening themselves up to liability. And since the insurance companies won't pay for them, the patient's survivors generally don't ask for them either."

Rachel looked outraged. "So these doctors and hospitals cover up the fact they're screwing up by claiming the deaths aren't unexpected?"

"It's not quite that bad. In reality what with the advances in medical technology, medical imaging, most doctors feel comfortable enough about their diagnosis without ordering one. Only 5% of the non-criminal deaths in this country rate an autopsy these days and those are mostly done at teaching hospitals. "

Jacob waved a hand around the lab. "For the most part, pathologists in hospitals like this one are confirming diagnosis by running blood or urine tests, examining tissues samples. Now this lab may be more than adequate for work like that, but the more sensitive tests, no way."

Before Rachel could respond, the door opened and a young man in a white coat entered the lab. He looked at them sourly. "You must be the people from the FBI."

Jacob moved forward with his hand extended. "Yes, I'm Jacob Hood; I'm a scientist with the FBI. This is Special Agent Young, we've…." Jacob's eyes opened a bit wide as the young man not only ignored his outstretched hand but folded his arms across his chest.

"Yes, I'm aware of who you are Mr. Hood. I'm Dr. Pounder, the pathologist for this hospital and the coroner for Lincoln County."

"That's Dr. Hood," Rachel growled.

Jacob shot her a look of amusement. He turned to the young man and said mildly. "No, I'm not a medical doctor, but I believe that Sheriff Flood…"

"Flood had no right to go over my head and send for you." Pounder snapped.

Flood entered the room at that moment. "Look, I'm damned sick and tired of you and your attitude. I did not go over your head. I'm in charge of this investigation not you. It's been two weeks and you still can't tell me if a crime has been committed or not. I was perfectly within my rights to call in Dr. Hood here."

"Think of it as having a specialist called in to give a second opinion. It's not that anyone doubts your competence, but, after all, I've had more experience with the unusual than most." Jacob offered.

"Exactly!" Flood exclaimed. "He's my second opinion. So just get him what he needs and be done with it."

"If you could let me have some blood and tissue samples," Jacob said, "I'll send them out for further testing." He looked around the lab. "After all..."

Rachel had already pulled out her cell phone. Knowing Hood's opinion of the lab, she could easily anticipate his next request. Moving away from the men she quietly got in touch with the Omaha field office. Within minutes she was ending the call, a satisfied look on her face. She interrupted Hood.

"The Omaha office is arranging for a courier service to pick up the samples. They'll be here within the hour, have the material to the lab in Omaha in two. I've told the lab boys there to make your stuff their top priority." She turned to Pounder with a smirk on her face. "Now, could you get what Dr. Hood needs together for shipment?"

Pounder looked at them all defiantly. "There's nothing to ship. I used up all the blood and tissue samples in my own tests."

"Well, yes, of course," Jacob said. "We need to go down to the morgue to get new ones."

"The bodies aren't there."

Flood hit the roof. "What the hell do you mean they're not there? God damn it. What did you do?"

Pounder began to look uneasy. "I released the bodies this morning. The families were begging me to let them have their sons. I decided…"

Flood cut him off shortly. "You had no right to do that. You knew damn well that I'd asked the feds for help and that Dr. Hood was expected today. How dare you screw up my investigation this way?"

"That's it." Rachel announced. "I'm declaring this a case of suspected bio-terrorism and placing you under arrest for impeding the investigation." She pulled her cuffs off the back of her belt and advanced on Pounder.

Pounder looked aghast. "Bio-terrorism?"

Rachel looked at the man coolly. "Not only is this town on I-80, U.S. 83 runs right through it, a direct route from Canada to Mexico. For all we know, terrorists might be using this place as a testing ground for some new kind of biological weapon."

"You gonna have his ass thrown into Gitmo?" Flood asked. He looked pleased at the turn of events.

Jacob rolled his eyes and shook his head. At the same time, he couldn't keep the grin off his face. 'That's my girl, back on the job less than twelve hours and already in pit bull mode.' He loudly cleared his throat. "Now let's not over-react here. The bodies were only released to the families this morning. We can go to the funeral home and at least get tissue samples."

"Are you sure? Will the tissue samples be enough?" Rachel asked.

Jacob made a moue of distaste. "It won't be perfect; the samples will have been contaminated with formaldehyde. But I, or rather the lab techs in Omaha, can make allowances for that." He looked at her bleakly. "It's better than nothing."

Rachel's heart twisted at the look on Hood's face. She kew how much he was dreading having to approache the parents of the dead boys. Of having to intrude on their grief. It would almost be worth it, arresting Pounder for the distress he was causing Hood. She sighed inwardly; she knew she couldn't protect him from situations like this one. His soft heart and empathetic nature pretty much guaranteed that.

Rachel nodded her head in understanding. "Ok, let's go then." She turned to Pounder. "You too."

"Am I under arrest?"

"I wish. No, if we have to ask grieving parents for permission to cut up their children some more, you should be the one to do it."

Pounder thought about protesting but the implacable looks on the faces of both Rachel and Flood quickly changed his mind. He and the sheriff led the way into town and the four pulled up in front to the funeral home. They had barely set foot inside when they were intercepted by the funeral director, Peggy Lamb.

The sheriff made the introductions and quietly explained what they needed. The woman looked over at Pounder, a bland expression on her face. She titled her head, indicating that they should join her in her office. She murmured that she would prefer to speak to them privately, where they couldn't be overheard.

What she had to say gratified Jacob. He had steeled himself for the ordeal of dealing with the grieving parents. Now he wouldn't have to do that, at least not yet. It turned out that Lamb was the former coroner for Lincoln County and had resented it when the county officials had decided they needed a doctor in that position. She had been surprised when the families told her that Pounder had released the bodies; she had heard the gossip that Flood had called in the feds. As a precaution, she had taken blood and tissue samples from all three corpses before embalming them.

Before Rachel could relax, she had a question for Lamb. "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful you had the foresight to get the samples but will any evidence from them be admissible?"

Lamb smiled grimly. "Don't worry about that. I know all about the chain of evidence." She shot Pounder a dirty look. "I may not be a doctor but I know a lot more about the legal requirements for evidence than some people." Pounder had the grace to look abashed.

When Jacob explained that he was having the samples sent by courier to Omaha for testing Lamb looked pleased. It meant Pounder was not going to be part of the continuing investigation. She promised to have the samples packed appropriately for travel and to hand them over to the courier personally. After thanking her profusely they left.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jacob and Rachel decided it was time to rendezvous with Felix at the hotel. The big man was waiting for them in the lobby.

"I got the scoop on the situation with our three vics; I can fill you in as soon as you're ready."

Jacob and Rachel both smiled a bit at this. It never ceased to amaze either of them at how good Felix was at worming information out of people. Rachel requested her and Hood's key folders as they all entered the elevator. To her surprise, Felix only handed her one folder. She and Jacob spoke simultaneously.

"Where's Hood's key?"

"Felix, I thought we were through with this nonsense?"

Rachel looked at Hood, puzzled. "What nonsense? What are you talking about?"

Felix hastily intervened before Doc could answer. "Both of your keys are in the one folder; the hotel didn't have any connecting rooms available, so I got you a two bedroom suite."

Jacob looked mollified and Rachel nodded approvingly. "Good idea, it'll be nice to have the extra room to set up in." Part of her was relieved to hear they would have a neutral area in which to work. She wasn't sure she was ready for the intimacy she and Hood shared while in the field, working and eating in what was in essentially each other's bedroom. Telling Felix to join them as soon as he dumped his stuff in his room, Rachel and Hood proceeded down the hall to their suite.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Felix smiled smugly to himself as he juggled the three backpacks. The victims had all collapsed during the school day. In the confusion caused by the police and medics, the backpacks had been left behind. The principal had taken custody of them, intending to return them to the boys' parents. Felix hoped that Doc and Agent Young would be impressed that he had managed to talk the principal into giving them to him. Unable to manage the backpacks and the door key, Felix began kicking on the door to the suite. After a few seconds, Agent Young answered the door with a frown on her face.

"Felix, what the hell? Why didn't you our doors keyed the same?" Rachel blinked as she registered Felix's full arms. "What's all this?"

"Backpacks." Felix answered proudly. "They got left behind when our vics got transported to the hospital. I got the principal to turn them over to me. I told him they might be evidence in our case."

"Good call Felix," Jacob said. "If these three were like other students I've had, they carry everything important to them in those backpacks."

He stood thoughtfully for a minute. "What we should do is dump them out and first see what we can discover about our three boys individually. Then, let's group similar objects together; see what they had in common."

Felix and Rachel nodded in agreement. Sitting on the floor they each took a backpack and dumped it in front of themselves. They quickly sorted through the books, papers, and other objects in the packs.

"Bingo!" Rachel sang out as she surveyed the small mountains of stuff. She leaned over and plucked cell phones from the piles in front of Felix and Jacob. "I've got their cell phones. I'll go through their call logs and their texts. See if they have any contacts in common."

While Rachel sat at the desk going over the phones, Jacob and Felix continued to categorize the boys' possessions from their packs. They began to piece together what their days had been like. Two of the boys had been sophomores and had been in three classes together, as evidenced by their textbooks. The other boy had been a senior, there were only two points of contact he had with the others during the school day. In addition to the football team, the three boys had shared a lunch period.

"I dunno Doc, do you think that's important?" Felix asked. "Maybe it was something they ate?"

"I don't think so Felix. If it was in the food more than three students would have been affected."

"Not if it was deliberate," Felix argued. "Maybe someone had it in for those three."

"They would have had to use something pretty untraceable in that case. Don't forget the tox screens were clean."

"Yeah, but didn't you tell me once that the tox screen miss stuff? That you have to know what you're testing for since you can't test for everything?"

Jacob smiled; Rachel had told Felix that many months ago. "I suppose you're right, tomorrow we'll ask the principal if we can check out the school cafeteria."

"No need Doc, I've already talked to him. We're all set to talk to whoever we want. He's even agreed to make an office available to us."

Rachel looked up from the phones. "I'm impressed, that's good work Felix."

"Umm, I guess we'll start with the football coach, after all, that's the biggest commonality we have." Jacob shrugged. "After that, I'm not sure how we should proceed."

Rachel held up the paper she had been scribbling on. "I've got a couple of good leads here, someone they all had in common, a kid named Zach M. Plus we should talk to," she glanced at the paper, "Brittney. She seems to have been Josh's girlfriend."

At Hood and Felix's puzzled looks, she explained, "Josh was the senior. They were texting each other about whether or not Josh was going to do it. Sounds like she knows something."

Over the next few hours the threesome organized what they knew about the case. Besides arranging for a whiteboard and several stacks of Post-it notes to be delivered to the suite, Felix had also provided them with a detailed map of the area. Working from the files and the preliminary information Felix had collected from various individuals they attempted to see what, outside of school, the three boys had in common. The picture they assembled was bleak. Aside from the football team, a lunch hour, and one friend, the boys had nothing in common. Nothing to suggest where or how they had come into contact with whatever had killed them.

Jacob wearily rubbed his hands over his face. "It had to have been something they ate or drank. Nothing else makes any sense."

"What about something in the air?" Felix offered. "Like that pheromones case with the models? Maybe it was something they smelled?"

"No," Jacob shook his head. "Again, like the food in the cafeteria, I would have expected more people to be affected." He cocked his head as Rachel opened her mouth; he guessed what she was going to say. "Same thing with something being absorbed into their skin. We've had three victims and nothing since then. If we were dealing with something in the environment we would have had more victims by now. No," he stood and stretched, "I have a feeling that whatever this is, it wasn't random."

"No, and the best place to start is with Brittney," Rachel said. "From the sound of those texts she definitely knows something."

"I know where we should start now," Felix announced. He grinned at the looks Doc and Agent Young gave him. "Dinner. I don't know about you two, but I'm starved." He pursed his lips disapprovingly. "That drive-through fast food was a long time ago."

He shook his head as Agent Young began to look around the room. "Nuh-uh. This place doesn't run to room service." He cocked his head. "But there is a diner right down the street, and" he checked his watch, "by this time it will be filled with teen-agers." He smiled at the look of surprise this statement caused. "I talked to the kid at the desk when I checked us in. According to him, this diner is the main hang-out of the high school crowd. I figure we could pick up some info along with our meal."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

As Felix predicted, the diner was filled with teenagers. When the threesome walked in there was a pause in the chatter. After a moment they kids resumed talking, but in lower voices. Felix, Jacob, and Rachel exchanged glances. Shrugging in disappointment, they found an empty booth at the back of the diner. They wondered if the curious glances coming their way would result in anyone being brave enough to approach them.

After a few minutes, the only one to approach them was a young waitress with a nametag identifying her as Trisha. She shyly asked if she could help them.

Felix gave her his best smile. "Well, I sure hope so Trisha. I'm Agent Lee and this is Dr. Hood and Agent Young. We're here to find out what happened to those three football players. Aside from bringing us something to eat, we were hoping you might know something about what happened."

"Help you? I don't know how I could do that."

"Well, first off," Rachel asked, "did you know any of the three boys? Is there anything special we should know about them?" She smiled faintly, remembering her own high school years. "Anything they were trying to keep away from the ears of any of the teachers, other adults?"

"Oh, I knew Josh; we're, like, both seniors. I mean, Josh was a senior, but we, well, we weren't like friends or anything." Trisha blushed. "I mean, he was on the football team and he was dating Brittney, she's, like, a cheerleader."

Jacob shook his head slightly; it seemed that not much had changed in all the years since he'd been in high school. The football players were still at the top of the pecking order and they still dated the cheerleaders. "Did you know the other two boys?"

"Oh yeah, I mean, it's, like, a small school. You kind of know everyone. I didn't know, know them though. But I knew who they were."

"I know all about small schools," Felix put in. "The high school I went to? Maybe three hundred students, tops. You couldn't help but know everybody's business." He smiled at Trisha winningly. "I'll bet you know all the gossip about those three."

Trisha looked uncomfortable. "I don't know anything, really. I mean, know, know, stuff." She looked around, the other teenagers in the diner seemed to be absorbed in their own conversations. "But I do know that Matt and Tim would do anything Josh told them to. They, like, idolized him."

With that Trisha took their orders and thankfully escaped from their table. She left behind a thoughtful silence.

"Idolized him, did they," Jacob said softly. He turned to Rachel who was sitting at his side. "In what order did those boys die?"

Rachel pulled out her cell phone and quickly scrolled through her emails. She found the correct one and opened the attached file. Her eyebrows rose as she silently read it. "Interesting. It seemed that Matt Schuler collapsed at football practice and was pronounced DOA when the paramedics got him to the hospital. The next day, first Tim Collins and then Josh Erickson collapsed and died as well."

Jacob's eyebrows also rose. "So both of the younger boys were affected first, interesting."

"What are you thinking Doc? That this Josh kid gave them something?"

Jacob nodded slowly. "It sounds as if the older boy may have been using the younger ones as guinea pigs, trying out something on them before taking it himself."

"That would make sense," Rachel mused. "It would explain the it Brittney was asking about. Apparently Josh gave it to the others before he tried it out himself." She looked angry. "What a little shit."

Trisha retuned with a full tray. As she passed their plates, Rachel had another question for her.

"Do you know who Zach M is? We think he was a friend of the boys who died."

"Zach? The only Zach M in school is Zach Moore, but he wasn't friends with any of them." She looked around the diner and grimaced. "Look, I really can't talk, answer your questions. I mean, the other kids, they'll, like…" she trailed off uncertainly.

Jacob nodded understandingly. "We understand, but thank you. What you've told us already is a big help."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Walking back to the hotel, they planned out the next day. Rachel and Jacob would head to the school; Jacob thought he and Rachel should talk to the football coach first thing. Rachel disagreed, she thought the girlfriend should be the first one questioned; she was obviously hiding something. She also thought they should talk to the boy Zach. If Tricia was right and he wasn't a friend, Rachel found it strange that all three boys would have his number stored in their contact lists. Felix would pay a visit to the police station and see what he could pick up from the deputies.

As they reached the door of the suite, Felix yawned and wished Doc and Agent Young a goodnight. Rachel and Jacob entered their suite, Jacob flipping the security bolt and putting up the chain as soon as Rachel announced the suite was clear. An awkward silence fell between them. They had lost the habit of easy intimacy; instead they were both acutely aware of the fact that they would be sharing this suite.

"Uh, I'm not that sleepy," Jacob said. "I think I'll review the files again before I turn in. But you should feel free to, um, go to bed."

Rachel rolled her eyes. Like he hadn't reviewed those files a million times by now. She was willing to bet he had them practically memorized. "No, I'm fine. I think I'll start on the paperwork."

Jacob gave a small huff of irritation. It had been a long day and Rachel must be tired. They were in a suite for Christ's sake, she could easily go to bed, it wasn't as if she had to escort him anywhere. He had thought they were beyond this, beyond Rachel feeling as if she had to keep tabs on him every hour of the day and night when they were in the field.

"Rachel," he said softly. "I'm not going anywhere. There's no one I want to see, there's nothing I need to look at. We're settled in here for the night. You can go to bed." He hesitated, "you must be tired and your leg must be aching after those long plane and car trips."

Rachel stiffened at his words. 'Damn it, he thinks I can't do the job.' "I'm fine, my leg is fine, and I'm not at all tired." She looked at him icily. "And I do not need you to play nurse-maid for me." She turned her attention to her computer, missing the stricken look on his face.

"On second thought, I think I will turn in." Jacob said stiffly.

Rachel looked up in surprise, but before she could say anything, Hood disappeared into his bedroom. Her shoulders slumped. 'Damn it, why did I have to be so touchy? Shit, I want him to be concerned, to care about me. I should have let him.' But part of her whispered that she didn't want him to care for her like that; she didn't want him to see her as weak, as a victim. She wanted him to see her as a woman.

Grimacing at the computer screen she decided she might as well go to bed also. There was nothing she had to do this evening; the reports could wait. Hood was right, she was pretty drained from her first day back in the field. A quick shower and a few hours of sleep were just what she needed. She smiled to herself and amended that thought; 'Actually, it's what the Doctor ordered.'

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Closing his bedroom door Jacob leaned back and berated himself for his thoughtlessness. 'Damn it, I should have known better. I should have known she'd resent my trying to look after her.'

Still leaning against the door, Jacob heard the faint sound of a door closing. He carefully eased his own door open. The common room of the suite was empty, a lamp left burning low gave off a soft glow. Cautiously, he stole across the room to stand outside Rachel's closed bedroom door. He could hear her moving around, preparing for bed. With a small smile he returned to his room. He would have to remember how proud Rachel was; how she hated to reveal any weakness. If he wanted her to do something, he'd have to make it seem as if he was the one asking for a favor.

Stretching out on his bed Jacob began reviewing files, looking to see if there were any connections he had missed. He was startled, when a few minutes later, there was a knock on his door. He wondered what Rachel could want. He opened the door to find her standing there in a long-sleeved t-shirt and flannel sleep pants. Her hair was damp from her shower and her face was scrubbed clean. Jacob felt his stomach clench, he thought she looked beautiful.

"Is something wrong?"

Rachel cleared her throat. "Uh, no. It's just I'm turning in now, and I thought, well." She took a deep breath. "I need you to keep your door ajar. Like we used to. You know I sleep easier when I can keep an ear out for you."

"Of course," Jacob agreed. His lips twitched. "I'm afraid I rather got out of the habit the last few months."

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Patterson didn't mind the possibility of having to kick in your door?"

The amusement fled from Jacob's face. "I think Agent Patterson would have enjoyed kicking in my door." Jacob reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, lightly cupped her cheek. "Goodnight Rachel, sleep well."

Rachel stiffened at the touch of Hood's hand on her face. She involuntarily pulled her head back; it took every ounce of her training not to lean into his touch, to not turn her head to press a kiss onto the palm of his hand. "Ah yeah, goodnight Hood."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It took a while before either of them could fall asleep. Each of them wondering about what had just happened. Each of them wondering what it meant.