Oh, Hi! I'm back and you're in for a real treat!
A few hours later, Nate and Sophie walks into the apartment. What they don't expect is seeing the team with worry lines and solemn faces. Nate looks around and frowns. "Um, did something happen while we were gone?" Hardison steps up and says, "You could say that. We had a little visit from the devil himself." His voice is very gruff, so unlike his usual self. Sophie gasps. "You dont mean James Sterling, do you?" Nate is startled. "Are you telling me that Sterling came to this apartment and had a little chat with you?!" His voice has rose to a shout.
Rosie says quietly, "He came because they were looking for somebody. Eliot's ex-fiance-to-be's child has been missing for quite a while, and now Interpol are lead to believe that she is in the Massechutsetts area. She is aparently dangerous." Nate furrows his brow. "So..." "He thought maybe she was hiding with us somehow." Eliot pipes in. "Sees as how Aimee knows me." Nate can't believe his ears. "So what now? It's not like we can just go out and find...," "Samantha." Hardison helps. "Right, Samantha. I mean, you said that she might be in the Massechutsetts area? Well, even if she was, Massechutsetts is a good sized state. She could literally be anywhere!"
Sophie nods her head. "Nate's rght, let's not worry about it for now. Besides, We might have a new job!" Everyone perks up to that. Rosie calls attention to herself. "Umm, what about me? I mean, I can't go back to the group home! The police will be on me in minutes! I guess now I'm a criminal. Oh, what am I going to do?" Nate thinks for a minute. "You're right, you can't go back, at least, not as Rosie." Now it's Rosie's turn to be confused. "What are you talking about?" Nate grins a little. "I mean, you may not be able to go back as Rosie the runaway, but you could go back as sombody else. Just change your appearance some, and voiala! You good as new!"
Rosie looks depressed. "Soo, the group home I am running from is the one I'm going back to? I don't think so. I have a good reason for leaving, I'm not going back!" Nate raises his hands in surrender. "Alright, you don't have to go back! But I don't know what else to do. We arn't fit to babysit you, you know." Rosie is offended. "I don't need to be babysat! I freaking lived on the streets for 3 freaking days! I can take care of myself!" Her fists were curled tightly. Everyone takes a step back. "OK, OK! Calm down." Nate says.
Rosie takes a deep breath and uncurls her fists. "I'm sorry. It's just that I'm not a little girl anymore. I can fend for myself." Sophie nods her head. "We know that, Rosie. And we think that's really great! But your still a minor. And by law, you need a responsible adult to supervise you. I'm not saying you can't take care of yourself, but technically, you still need an adult."
Rosie sighs and nods her head. "I know, I know. If I knew someone like that, trust me, I would stay with them in a heartbeat. But I have no family, no friends. I have nobody to stay with." She hangs her head. Then she goes over and sits on the couch. Eliot gives a look that says 'We need a team meeting'. Nate nods his head and motions for everyone to go down to the meeting room. Everyone files in and Nate closes the door.
"I don't know what to do. She needs someone to look after her. Does anyone know anybody that would possibly take her in?" Sophie inquires. Everyone thinks really hard, but no one steps up. Suddenly Parker gasps and says, " Hey, I know someone!" Everyone gets really excited. "Well, who is it?" Nate asks. She gets a grin on her face. "Archie!" Everyone frowns.
"Archie?" Eliot is confused. "Why would he take her in?" Parker rolls her eyes. "Well, I was just thinking, He took me in. And I was just like Rosie back then. He took me in and taught me everything I know! I'm sure he'll do it with Rosie as well. I mean, we all know that she is amazing in her skill sets!" Everyone nods their head. Hardison frowns. "But, doesn't Archie have family? He probably has family he needs to take care of. He might not want to take someone else in!" Parker shakes her head. "Archie lives by himself, away from his family. He is a very solitary man, and he enjoys teaching people his skills. Rosie would do well with him. Look how he did with me!" Everyone kind of looks away. Nate coughs awkwardly.
Parker looks in one face to another. "Wow. You guys are so mean." She sits down and starts pouting. Sophie sighs. "Well, it seems to me that Archie is our best bet here. Maybe you could give him a call, Parker?" Parker's face lights up. "OK!" She whips out her phone and speed dials Archie.
Meanwhile...
Rosie gets up from the couch and walks over to the window. Cars are moving along and peope are enjoying the bright, sunny day. "I wish I was like those people." She thinks. "Always busy, doing something or other, then being able to go to a place they call home. To sit on a chair, watching TV, not a care in the world." Rosie sighs. She'll never be like that for as long as she lives. She will always be in danger.
She continues to look out, when she sees a suspicious black sedan pulled up across the street. There's a man in a business suit, wearing binoculars, looking up at her. He smirks a knowing grin and puts down the binoculars. Then he beckons for her. Rosie's eyes almost pop out of her head. She retreats quickly from the window and tries to calm herself. Her heart is beating a hundred miles a minute, and she's hyperventilating somewhat. She closes her eyes and sits down on a chair.
"F**k! They found me! I don't know how, but they did! What am I going to do?! I can't let the team get involved with this! S**t! I should have never tried to rob these people!" She gets up and goes to her bag, picking up any loose items and putting them in it. Then, when she's sure she has everything she goes over to the door where they are having the meeting. She hears bickering and loud voices. She exhales and goes over to the door. She opens it as quietly as possible. She looks back once. "I am so sorry. Please forgive me! I have to do this." She blinks tears out of her eyes as she quietly closes the door.
"Thank-you so much, Archie! I promise you, you will have a great time teaching her your skills. She's a natural!" She nods her head at what Archie says on the other line and hangs up. She looks up with a big grin. Everyone quiets down. "Archie says he'd be glad to watch over her! He says he'll pick her up in about an hour. He has business to attend to." Hardison smiles and nods. "Great! That solves our problem! Let's go surprise Rosie." They go out to the living room, only to find an empty apartment. Eliot looks around. "Her backpack is gone. She left!" Nate frowns. "Why? She said before she had nowhere to go." "Umm, guys? I think we have a problem." Hardison says as he looks out the window.
Nate goes over to the window and swears. "What?" Eliot growls. "We have ourselves a stalker." he says. "What?" He repeats. He goes over to the window and looks out. There's a black sedan parked out front, and a guy with pair of binoculars in his hands. He is looking at their window, frowning. He puts down his binoculars as he sees Eliot and rolls up his window quickly. Then he starts his car and drives away, tires screeching.
"Well, I think you scared him, Eliot." Nate bemuses. "Yeah, well." "Hey, there's a camera on this side of the street, I'll see if I can get a facial recognition." Hardison inquires. He goes over to his laptop and does his thing. Everyone crowds around him. "Alright, almost done and... There!" Everyone stares at the screen. "Modo Isanuke? Ex-con AND Assasin? Why would an assasin be stalking us?" Eliot shakes his head. "I have no idea, but I know this guy. He is part of the Japanese Yakuza. Very bad and dangerous." "Hey, do you think Rosie might have something to do with this?"
Everyone now stares at Sophie. She just stares back. "Well, think about it. The girl shows up and tries to rob us. Then she stays over night and the next day, the Yakuza shows up. Now she's missing. I really think she has something to do with this." Eliot shakes his head. "What would Rosie be doing with the Yakuza. She's only fif-" He stops and stares. Then he gets out the photo of Aimee and Samantha. He stares at the blonde little girl. "No, She couldn't be..."
FLASHBACK:
"No? I guess that could be possible, since it's an old photograph. The child would now be fifteen."
"She can impersonate anyone!"
He stops for a second and looks a little closer. It almost looks like her roots are blonde.
"Oh My God."
Ha Ha! I bet no one saw that coming! Now you have to wait for my next installment. Until next time...
