Annie finally met The ICC's Headquarters, she wouldn't admitted but she liked the space. They promoted the spirit of working on team. They had decided Annie, would be sharing a desk with Eva and they were starting to discuss where she was going to sleep, until Major Daniel appeared "You are staying with me and Rebecca."
"Not in this life! I have to tolerate you, but I don't have to speak to you!"
"Yes you have! This was has to end Annie, please."
"Never! I will never forgive you for stopping my revenge."
Louis swallowed the hurt and said "Please, not for me, for Rebecca, she misses you so much!"
Annie looked Louis in the eyes and she knew he wasn't lying or manipulating her, Louis would try to speak with her, but Rebecca could know how to handle it. "Fine! Only one condition, you and I just speak the basic and not a single word more than that."
That was better than nothing, so Louis agreed "I promised." For now, it was enough, but he wanted to set things right, it could take time but he would win her trust again. "Everyone I know it's late, but I could like to review some things from London, if that is ok with everyone."
Everyone agreed, it was for the best, tomorrow they would have a head started and that was helpful.
Annie was making a cup of coffee when someone appeared behind her. "Need help with that mummy's treasure?"
"I doubt I will ever need your help leprechaun!" She answered Tommy with such a cold tone, she didn't understand what had happened in the plane, she couldn't figured out why she felt something. It has been a long time since any man had made her feel something, even a small attraction. She knew if it had taken more time, she could had done something rush. What was annoying her, was she saw something changing in him as well, both felt something without wanted, it was like they were magnets. She wanted to keep her distance from him for all the reasons and now because she felt something and she had closed herself from feeling a very long time ago.
Tommy thought had she just called him leprechaun? Wow, what ever had happened in the plane, what little progress they had made through her cold mask was gone. So returning to the hate mode. He was about to reply when she chose that moment to turn her back on him, leaving thinking that was impossible to fulfill the promise he had made to the Major (to not fight her and to not hate her).
Z-Z-Z
Annie woke up at 6 a.m it was still dark outside. She remembered the day before, the trip with Louis had been made on silence, Rebecca was so happy to have her there, they talked so much, about Etienne, Ben, Annie's cases, but Louis never said a word, just stayed looking at them. He only said good night Annie.
It was wrong, she knew it, but she could had revenged Ben if Louis hadn't stopped her. She never saw him again, so needed time to heal. Right now she needed her ritual, running and training, she remembered Sebastian telling something about a training room, so she eat something, left a note to Rebecca and started to run to the ICC. It took her 30 minutes but she went on a slow step. She said hello to the guards, put her code and went to find the training room.
She was completely lost in herself that was almost 8 a.m when Eva and Tommy arrived, like always they were the first ones.
"Did you hear that?" Eva asked. Again a noise.
"I do, what the hell is that?" Tommy asked.
They took their guns ready to fight and followed the noises, until the training room when they saw Annie punching the boxing bag with some nice moves. Tommy opened the door and shouted "Williams, what the hell are you doing here?"
Annie startled a little, but put her badass face and entered on sarcastic mode " I'm dancing, what look like I am doing Detective?"
Eva laughed "You are so early, you scared us, we heard noises and usually nobody comes first than us."
"Oh really? We start at 7 hours on Met, I'm still with this time in my body, I guess."
"Here things are different!" Tommy shouted.
"What were you doing here alone? Eva asked.
"Oh nothing special, just trying some new moves."Annie hadn't liked to get caught, but she was so focus that she didn't hear a thing.
"Can I join you? It's easy to use them with someone, and I could use a training…" Eva still feel bad about the fiancé subject and she wanted to make her feel welcoming, and also she feel a connection with her without need to try, compared to the rest of the team.
"Ok, sure!" Annie was surprised, but that the same time Eva had something that made her feel comfortable around her without get suspicious.
"Good, let me just change my jeans to something more appropriate." And she left, leaving Tommy and Annie alone. They stare to each other defiantly . "Hurt her and I will hurt you!" Tommy warned her.
Oh the Irish cared about the Italian, how sweet! "What afraid I punch her?" Annie teased with her best arrogant smile.
Tommy took a deep breath. "I am warn you, because you don't have feelings for people, so before you think about kill her, remember my words!" And with that, he left.
Annie could felt the hatred coming from him and it hurt to see people here thought of her like a cold machine, a murderer almost, someone who didn't feel, just do things without a heart. She pushed the hurt to the side and couldn't believe he really thought she could hurt Eva on purpose, they were training not fighting. She woke up from her trance with a sweet accent coming.
"I'm ready Annie! Where is Tommy? He always like to watch trains and help!" Eva asked.
"Don't know, he left, Are you sure you want to train with me? I am very hardworking."
"Oh, ok. Yep, I wasn't expecting nothing less and I don't have fear of a broken tooth. "Eva winked her. So they began!
Z-Z-Z
The rest of the team started to arrive. Sebastian asked Tommy "Where is Eva? She always arrives before me."
Tommy took a deep breath "She is training with your majesty."
"Your majesty?" Arabela joined them.
"Ahah, let me guess, Detective Williams!" Hickman joked.
Tommy only gave him a look.
"I need to see this, c'mon, Major ex-partner and be training by Met, how often can me see someone like her?" Sebastian was exciting and ran at the training room.
Everyone saw him go and thought a bit about his words, yes he was right. Eva was a good fighter so, it could be indeed an entertaining show, all followed him. Tommy coursed loud and followed them.
"Damn, I can't beat your legs!" Eva complained.
"Sorry, I have been fighting a few years."
The team entered in the precise moment, Eva made Annie fell and suddenly, Annie kick her feet and Eva tripped and fell too. They started to laugh. Annie helped Eva stood up and Eva tried again to put her on the floor but failed and end up on the floor.
"Get up Eva." Annie told her.
"Oh you are good, that angel's face is a mask! I give up! Help me stand!" Eva pleaded.
Annie was helping her when Eva attacked her without warning and Annie entered in attack mode again, and made Eva fell again on the mat with Annie on top of her putting a elbow on her throat.
"Damn you! Even trying to trick you I can't win! I give up, you are ridiculous good!" Eva was frustrated.
"Oh c'mon Eva, I saw that coming a mile, your eyes told me that! You need to work on your expression!" Annie told her half-laughing.
" Are you laughing at me, MI6 agent?" Eva said with a serious face.
"No, Madame, I'm a British we don't laugh on people faces!" Annie said with a serious face too.
"Oh go to hell!" And both started to laughed.
"Do I will have the pleasure of your company again or you are just to angry with me?" Eva stopped drinking her water and saw a little faith in her and felt happy to see that, today a small piece of ice had been broken.
"Absolutely, I don't care how many years you have on fighting skills, I will learn and will kick your ass!"
Annie laughed "Happy to hear that, but let me warn you that, you are not the first one trying to!"
"I'm sure I'm not, but I bet I am the first Italian to try, and we are persistent!"
They both smile to each other and suddenly became aware of the rest of the team looking at them. " Oh did you enjoy the show?" Eva asked. "Guess what guys, I have an idea, who would have the courage to fight the fiercest Met's negotiator? "
Everyone looked to each other and stated to laughed. "I only have one hand and for what I have see from you two right now, no one from us, has a change of even fight. Arabela, Sebastian?"
"My best fighting skills is a punch. But I admitted you could teach us a lot." Arabela said.
"Well I agree! My fighting skills are with a laptop." Sebastian shamefacedly said.
"See, great fighters we are!" Hickman said to Annie.
"Everyone has their weak and strong points, I can't do nothing with a computer Sebastian. " Annie said smiling. "Eva, I guess I look that terrible." Everyone laughed!
Eva suddenly saw Tommy on the shadow. "Hey Tommy, you could definitely put some resistance and be a match to Annie!"
Tommy looked at Annie and could see that she wasn't very comfortable with the idea, so why not? I could train a bit and make her pay for her punch! " Fine, let's do it!"
Annie was surprised, she was expecting a big denying and a running away, not a yes please let's do it! Everyone was looking at her, so she made the only possible thing. " Ok, then."
Tommy didn't give her time to prepare, he started to attack. Annie didn't know his fighting style but was expecting something like that.
He attacked, she defended. They kept like this for a while. Tommy knew she was making him get tired and was studying his fighting skills, but he let her, until he made a swing really fast and she end up on the floor with him on top, he made sure to put pressure on her throat and he could see it, the moment she stopped holding back and was going to attack.
Without he understood where did she got so much strength and quickness, she freed herself from him. The fight had really began, both went on the floor, sometimes she was on top, sometimes he was. They kept fighting like almost equals, Tommy was more deceitful, but she was much faster.
The team analyzed the combat, and they concluded both were pretty good. Annie had a better technique and was much faster than Tommy, but he was much better on anticipated her moves.
They were doing a very intensive combat everyone was looking astonished, neither of them looked like was about to lose. It was Louis who had been looking for his team, that end up the combat, with everyone saying it was a match, and quit surprised to see for the first time someone who Tommy hadn't be able to win.
"There was another kidnap case, 3 women in Austria and Germany had been missing. All brunettes, singles, with 26 years old, with wealthy families, without any connection. It is the same M.O., the kidnapers send to the families a video demanding money and art pieces." Louis informed.
"Are you sure is the same group?" Hickman asked.
"Yes."
"There is something else, isn't it Louis?" Hickman analyzed.
"Well, they left a note." Louis stopped talking. "There is something, it was found in London and NY but wasn't told to almost anyone. The kidnapers left every time a note."
"A note? Nobody told us nothing about it!" Arabela said.
"It better if I show you the photos of the victims and the note." With that, Louis switch the image and on the screen appeared 3 women, with dark brown hair and blue eyes, they look similar to someone they knew, but before the answer came out, a message in red writing appearing saying, Game on, come catch me Detective Annie Martin Williams.
There was a silence in the room, everyone was in shock. Annie stood up and ran away from the room, she found an open door, sat on the floor and for the first time in a very long time, she cried, with anger, with sadness of what those women must be suffering and worst for fear because someone was kidnapping women that looked like her and playing with it.
She felt sick, what if she couldn't catch them, what if she wasn't good enough and someone die, why everyone hided the message, why did they look like her?
Z-Z-Z
" Oh my God, they look like Detective Williams." Arabela spoke.
"Someone is a sick bastard to do something like this! Could be someone you arrest in France?" Hickman asked.
"No, no, it had been a long time and I should be the target, I was in charge." Louis answered.
"What about the gap of 2 years in her file?" Sebastian couldn't find a single thing about that time.
"Oh no Sebastian, if it had anything to do with that, she would be death!" Louis said "And with time you all are going to find out about those 2 years, all I will say is it needed to be erased all information about that time, was the safest decision." Damn now they were even more curious about what had she done to be "classified".
"Should someone go talking to her? It's a lot to take." Hickman looked at Louis.
"No, let her stay alone for a while, she needs time."
"What are we going to do?"
"We are going to talk to the families and keep looking at the London and NY cases too, I want these bastards caught! I need two teams, Arabela, Hickman, Sebastian please pack your backs and go to Germany, try to find all the information we need and analyze everything about the request they made to the families. Eva, Tommy you go to Austria and I want the same thing. I will return to England and speak with Miles. Is that ok we everyone?"
Everyone agreed with Louis instructions, then Eva looked at him " Major, what about Annie?"
Louis looked at his worried Sergeant and knew there were only two options, she went with Eva and kill Tommy or she went with him and kill him, neither was a good one. "I was hoping she could go with you and Tommy. Let me talk with her." He already could feel one no coming a mile away.
Z-Z-Z
"Annie may I come in? Louis could listen crying and knew she wouldn't like to be seen like that. After a while, a small yes was heard.
It hurt him to see her, with her small arms hugging her knees and her eyes red…
"I will leave you alone, but I first need to ask you something." He keep walking slowly in her direction. "There are two teams going to investigated these new cases, one goes to Germany, other to Austria, this one is Tommy and Eva. I would like you to go with them, but is your choice."
Annie studied Louis face for a moment, she could see that he really was worried about her, she knew what was the right decision to do, even if she didn't like it, Louis was giving her a choice. " I will go with them to Austria. When do we leave?"
"As soon as possible, it's a long trip."
They looked at each other and he could see the mask coming back to her face. "May I help you with anything?" He asked.
She thought for a second " No, I will go to your house and I will come back fast."
" Ok, then. We should go, Tommy and Eva had already left."
After a while, everyone had their bags, because it would take days to come back, Sebastian was calling his old unit, they were driving, Louis went to the airport and Eva's team went to the helicopter. With minutes they were all on their way.
Z-Z-Z
It wasn't late when the trio arrived to Austria, there were two victims from there. They had already talk to one of the Kommissar and someone was waiting for them. They went to the Police Headquarters and talked to the team that was investigating the case, with some Police officers they went to the families victims house. The talk wasn't easy, some blame this Detective Williams, others believed she was so good that criminals knew that would be a challenge, what nobody knew was the Williams was the same they were talking to. They didn't find much, all the families were rich with enough money to pay the ransom and with several important art pieces, which was the only connection so far.
There was a video with a black screen and a robotic voice demanding money and art pieces (paintings). Suddenly a video with the victim blindfolded and someone saying to check their post box, there was a single envelope with a white paper with black computer letters saying: Game on, come catch me Detective Annie Martin Williams.
The team was exhausted, one of the police officers found them a place to stay, they all had agreed to sleep in the same room, it was easy to work and be all ready at once. There was a single bed and a double bed, Tommy was going to take the single. They all were tired, Eva went to take a shower, Annie was the first to go to bed.
Tommy was looking at her when Eva got out of the bathroom. "She looks so much young when she is sleeping, sometimes I forget she is only 26 years old."
Tommy looked at Eva and then to Annie "Yep, I guess you are right, she doesn't look so tough right now."
"Ah,ah,ah. That is what you think, I bet she is going to kill me when she feels the bed moving."
"No, she won't. She looks death, to even wake up." Tommy smiled to Eva "But if you are afraid of been strangled during the night, you can sleep in my bed and I will take the couch."
"Don't be a child Tommy, I was joking! I will be fine. Don't be like that with her."
"Like what?"
"You know damn well what I am talking about! Give her a break, she lost the love of her life, her team in France, something happened with Major, she left, she is alone here, without know any of us. And don't forget she was shot and almost die! I don't know about you, but I don't know a lot of people who have such a big story like her and we don't know nothing about two years of her life." Eva looked really serious to Tommy. "Why don't you like her?"
Tommy looked at Eva for a moment, he didn't know really well why, but she made him get hungry and her attitude made his blood boiled, he had a feeling she was dangerous but at the same time she was a broken soul, he had seen it, but be near her, made him lost his mind and after the plane he didn't know what to do with what he had felt, so hate her was so easy and was safe, if he started caring about her, he would be lost, she wasn't staying, and Tommy didn't like to get attach to people. "Eva drop it, she doesn't belong here… I think it is better going to sleep."
She took a minute to think about it and arguing with Tommy only could make the things worst. "Fine, changing the subject is always better." With that she put herself under the blankets and turn off the light.
What they didn't know, was there was a very awake Annie Williams listening their conversation and thinking that she and Tommy could cause troubles on the team, she felt it, Eva was about to argue with him because of her, and that was something she wouldn't let happened, she didn't belong to their team, she didn't feel welcoming, Tommy made it right now pretty clear. She needed to finish this case and left soon, all she wanted was disappear and forget about everything.
Z-Z-Z
Annie as usually woke up earlier, Eva and Tommy were still sleeping, the night wasn't enough to recover the strength, Ben and Mike Jones had been in her nightmares, so she needed to do her morning run. She went to do it.
The time flew, she didn't do a big one, just the time to clean her head and left the nightmares and the memories disappeared, after a while she was calm, focus and ready to face the day, after yesterday talk between Eva and Tommy she didn't want to cause troubles, she was just passing by, she feel grateful for Eva trying to make her feel in home, but Tommy made sure she wasn't, his words didn't left her head, "she doesn't belong here" he had said. It was for the best, a few weeks and she could be returning to London, so she decided to try ignoring Tommy when he would say something she didn't like.
She arrived and both still sleeping, Tommy looked like he had felt someone enter the room but his face was to calm, so she grabbed some clothes and went for a shower. She was almost done when she heard voices, so they woke up, she thought. Nobody knocked, so she took her time drying her hair, she missed the short cut she used to had, perhaps someone day she could have do it again. She opened the door and saw Eva looking like crazy for clothes on her bag and Tommy was laying on his bed laughing at her. She looked at both. "Good morning."
Eva smiled at her. "Good morning! You are like a cat, I didn't hear you waking up."
"Oh that was the point, running, take a shower without be caught. You looked so peaceful sleeping that would be a crime to had waking you."
"You made it, I didn't hear a thing, I guess I was more tired than I thought… Hum, I will take a shower if you want to go take your breakfast I see you there."
"I was tired too, ok, I am fine. I wait here. Take your time."
"Ok then, I will be quick."
She laid on the bed and picked her phone to see James's update about the son's Minister kidnap. That was when Tommy spoke.
"So a run and a shower without getting caught, sorry to disappointed you, but at 6 o'clock I heard you close the door." Tommy was just trying to be annoying, he hadn't speak to her, since they left the Hague. So she breathed and remembered about her decision in the morning during the running, without taking her eyes from the phone, she said. "That's ok, I am not disappointed." She used a neutral tone, the one she learnt in the army, no emotions.
Her tone and the answer weren't what Tommy was expecting, he made sure to put sarcasm on it and she replied so emotionless. He looked at her, but saw nothing, except concentration all over her face when she was looking at the smartphone.
"That is all you have to say? No smart answers mummy's treasure?"
Breath Annie, she thought, not worth it, don't snap. "What would you like me to say?"
"First from where I come from, we look in the eyes when we are talking with someone."
It made some effect on her face but her voice remained the same. "What would you like me to say to you?" She said meeting his eyes.
He saw almost nothing, but he would saw she was trying her best hid anything she was thinking. "How about what you find out about our case?"
She looked surprised just a bit. "What make you think I find something?"
"Because no smart or sarcastic answers and you look to quiet." He was looking suspicious.
"Think whatever you want." And she turned her eyes to the smartphone.
Tommy was thinking what the hell was so important in that damn phone that she was ignoring him and couldn't take a moment to look at him. Wait! Why did he care? Doesn't matter he didn't like to be ignored. He stood up in her direction and really quickly he took the phone from her hands.
"What the fuck are you doing?"
Tommy saw a video of a men sitting in a room with two people walking around him, it looked like an interrogatory. " What is this? Is this live?" He asked.
"Not of your business, it is my phone, give it to me now!" She was livid, how dare him to do such a bold move, she had killed for less.
"You didn't answer me! Does it have anything to do with our case?"
"Enough! Give me the phone, now!"
He looked again to the phone, ignoring her, and that was when she lost her patience, she threw herself to him, he was so shocked that didn't react. He ended up on the floor with Annie straddling him and with her phone on her hand.
She got her face close to his "Let me tell something, in case you get deaf again. I warned you twice, I don't give a third one. So to be clear, mess with my things again and I will break your fingers. Did you understand?"
They stared to each other a while until Tommy nodded. She was about to stand up, when he put his hands on her hips and stopped her, she almost feel on his chest, so her hands flew to his chest. She looked at him with a deathly glare."You didn't answer me, what was that video about?"
He had such a nerve. What an intolerable man! "I did. Not of your business! It is a Met's operation."
"Why do you need to know that?"
"Because I am the team leader."
"But you are here working with us…"
"Right I am, but I am not one of you, I am a Met's Detective and I will return do be it, when we finish this case. So I suggest you let me go so we can work faster so I can go away."
"You are in such a rush, so you don't feel nothing about this team?"
"My team is Met."
"Not what I asked."
"I don't care!"
"Why are you such a pain in the ass? It hurt you to show emotions?"
"Go the hell, I don't care what you think of me, your ass!"
"Oh there she is! I was start to feel worried about your calm attitude."
Damn, the son of a bitch, made her lose control, he was provoking her and she let herself fall. She looked at him, he had a smug smile in his face, he was pleased with himself to make her snapped. Bastard. That was when she finally took presence of their positions, he was laying on his back with his hands on her hips and she was straddling him with hands on his chest. A little to much intimate for her taste. Tommy had already taken note of their positions, but was enjoying to much her outburst to say anything, she was feeling uncomfortable, so he put more pressure in his hands. Her body became stiff and she gave him a glare that could make a lot of people back off.
"Are you enjoying yourself? Take your hands off now!" She shouted.
"I am, it was quite funny your reaction, in other circumstances this could be a very pleasant situation." Tommy smiled wicked at her, he had already noticed she didn't feel comfortable about too much contact, so he was trying to make her even more uncomfortable. And he wasn't blind, she was a nice view to have on top.
Annie took the meaning of his words, she was shock did he just implied sex with her… He was really trying to piss her off. Suddenly she got up, taking him by surprise, and kicked him right in his male zone! Tommy screamed in pain and looked at her with angry eyes. " Oh, sorry you didn't find this funny? I am enjoying see you in this pleasant situation." She repeated his words and with a scaring laughed she left the room.
In that precise moment Eva got out of the bathroom. "Oh my God, Tommy what happened?" Then she saw where his hands where, and started to laughed. " Did she just kick you down here?"
"Shut up Eva. I will kill her, I swear to God!" He stood up really slowly.
Eva kept laughing and opened the door. "Yes I am sure you will, but first breakfast and be careful with-"
"Eva, shut up! And keep walking."
Tommy was beyond piss, he would make her pay, it was the second time she had hit him!
Z-Z-Z
- Hi everyone! Have a nice holidays! It took me a lot of time to write and this time I decided to put almost everything in one chapter. I'm surprise with myself so many words. I am having difficulties on development Annie and Tommy story, because I also want to introduce the Jones Family, next chapter we are going to meet two of them! And after that I hope I can do a better job with Tommy and Annie, but she had a story with one of the Jones without know who he really was, and finally the team is going to find out about those two mysterious years! See you all next year 2015 is coming!