Week 3 - Wednesday, Morning
Seeley opened his eyes with a start.
He sat up straighter and looked around, taking stock of his surroundings. The office was in full daylight. The agents and admin personnel of the Major Crimes Unit were in their normal positions in the outer office. Although, he noticed, they were more subdued. His gaze moved over to the two people standing in his open doorway. Chaz stood alongside a short, blonde-haired woman. Chaz looked at him questioningly. However, the blonde woman's eyes sparkled with amusement. Her lips parted in an amused smile, "Loafing on the job, Booth?"
Booth smiled at being caught. "Special Agent Payton Perrota," his smile grew wider, he stood, "What brings you down from your lofty perch in Anti-Terrorism," he looked around, holding his hands expansively, "to grace the Major Crimes Unit with your presence? How long has it been?"
Agent Perrota, still smiling, looked to Chaz, who returned her gaze with an eye roll and then moved back towards his cubicle. Perrota turned back to Seeley, "Two years. Nice to see you too, Booth," she smiled.
Seeley offered one of the visitor's chairs, "Please, have a seat and tell me how I can be of assistance."
Perrota moved towards the empty chair, still baiting Seeley, "I didn't mean to interrupt your nap time…"
Seeley nodded, "Yes…I came in early today…" he started. He turned his attention to the blank screen. Reaching down he wiggled the mouse. Almost instantly, the screen displayed his e-mail inbox. He continued, while reading through the list of new messages, "To get some things done before…"
"Before Doctor Evil came back?" Perrota said, sitting down.
Seeley, seeing the message he had been waiting for had not arrived yet, looked at her with feigned shock. "Why Agent Perrota," he began. "Such language concerning your boss…"
"Hey!" she retorted. "He's not my boss." She then added, as Seeley sat back into his chair, "Not my immediate boss, anyway."
Seeley smiled indulgently, "Yeah…by the way, how's Hacker doing over there?"
Perrota looked to the sky in exasperation, "I swear to God, Booth! When he followed me over to Anti-Terrorism," she emphasized, "within a week!" She continued, shaking her head, "I seriously thought about putting in my paperwork." She looked at Seeley. "Seriously…when I went home that night, I actually cried." Seeley looked shocked, for real. Catching it, Perrota said, nodding, "I know!" She continued, "Thank God Jackson put him on another team!"
Seeley added, "Yeah, that worked out for you. But it took my buffer between," his eyes flicked to Kelly's door and then back to Perrota. The two agents looked at each other, commiserating in their work dynamics and deficiencies. After a moment, Seeley said, "Seriously…how do you like it over there?"
Perrota's face lit up, "Great!" she smiled. "I love the work. For the most part, I like the people. And Jackson's a great boss. I've learned a lot." The two nodded in unison. "How about you?"
A slight grimace came to Seeley's face. "Well, I'm sure you heard about my latest run-in with Kelly…" Perrota nodded. Seeley shrugged, "I'm sure it will all work out," he glanced over to his computer screen. He looked back at Perrota, "Eventually."
"If you need any help…" Perrota began, and then stopped. She laughed, "What am I saying? You've got a whole team who can get rid of him without a trace."
Seeley laughed. Nodding slightly he said, "You're probably right. But I think I've got a way of getting him off my back." He added pointedly, "Without the use of extreme sanctions."
After the two agents laughed for a bit, Perrota asked, "How's real life treating you?"
Seeley's smile grew broader. Perrota could actually see him relax as his thoughts turned to his wife. "Great!" he said. "You've heard Temperance is pregnant?"
"No!" Perrota said, happily surprised. "When's the due date?"
Seeley stopped. "You know?" he said. "I hadn't even thought about it," he laughed. Perrota joined in with a laugh as she saw Seeley doing the math in his head. Finally he said, shaking his head, "Sometime in January?"
Perrota smiled, "That's great! Do you know if it's a boy or girl yet?"
Seeley shook his head, "I think we've got another couple of weeks before they'll do the amniocentesis."
"So you want to know the sex?"
Seeley shrugged, "I'm kind of ambivalent about knowing. Just as long as he or she is healthy."
Perrota nodded, "I hope it's a girl." At Seeley's surprised look she continued, "Well, you've already got Parker. And it's a special relationship…fathers and daughters."
Seeley could see her mind traveling back to her own childhood, her own father. He thought of Temperance and Max. He smiled, "I won't be disappointed either way."
After a moment, Seeley asked, "But I'm sure you didn't come down here just to catch up. What can I do for you?"
Perrota nodded, "Eduardo Torres. I heard you may have some information on him."
Seeley sat back. "Why do you ask?"
Perrota smiled ruefully, "You know I can't tell you, Booth." Booth started to object when Perrota added, "It's on a 'need to know' basis."
Seeley ticked his head slightly to the left. "I don't know if I can just give you this kind of information."
"Are you telling me you want me to put in a formal request?" Perrota said. "Do you know how long that will take?"
Seeley shrugged. He smiled, "You show me yours, I'll show you mine."
Perrota looked at Seeley for a moment and then stood and walked to the door. At first, Seeley thought she was angry. Although, they had always performed this kind of flirtatious back and forth, even when they had just met back before Cam had even come on board at the Jeffersonian. When she closed the door and walked back to her seat, Seeley understood the importance of her reluctance.
Just as Perrota was seating herself, Seeley's landline rang. His eyes moved to the display and upon seeing it was from the Justice Department, held his finger up to Perrota. "I need to take this." Perrota nodded as Seeley picked up the handset, "FBI Major Crimes, Special Agent Booth."
As Seeley conducted his business, Perrota glanced around at the office artwork, commendations, and various knick-knacks strewn about the office. She didn't have long to wait, as Seeley intoned, "Uh huh. Yes Caroline. Are you sure? Good news? Sounds good. Thanks, Caroline."
As he hung up the phone Perrota asked, "Case go your way?"
Seeley smiled ruefully, "Yes and no. Still got some issues to work out. Now," Seeley cleared his concentration to focus specifically on Perrota. "What's your interest in Torres?"
"We've got a line on a cell looking to come into the United States under Customs' radar," Perrota explained. "They've made contact with various individuals to get them inside the country with a minimum of problems. It looks like they've settled on Torres, trying to firm up a deal where he'd ferry them into the country."
"How reliable is your information?" Seeley asked. "You got somebody in the cell?"
"That I can't tell you," Perrota was adamant, and Seeley understood not to press on that point. "Our information says they're looking to move pretty soon."
Seeley nodded, "Our latest information is that Torres is on his way down to Florida now. We're guessing he's got a meet set up either on his way down there or on the way back up." Seeley opened a desk drawer and withdrew a blue folder. "We thought it may be a drug buy. But this may actually be more probable the way he was talking." Seeley raised the folder, "This is everything we've got on Torres." He offered the folder to Perrota. "Plus Chaz may have some more information in his notes."
Perrota accepted the folder with some surprise. "I'm surprised at the level of cooperation, Booth."
"Why is that? Have you ever come to me before asking for help and I've refused?" Booth asked.
"Well, no," Perrota said. "It's just that everything around here seems to be set up in silos, so cooperation is kind of hit or miss."
"Hey," Seeley said. "We're talking about terrorism here. Anything I can do to help…"
"Thanks," Perrota said smiling. She stood, "I'll get this back to you soon."
"One other thing," Seeley said, walking her to the door. "NCIS has someone on the inside. A former FBI agent, Tim Sullivan."
"Really? NCIS?"
Seeley nodded towards the file, "Lead Agent's name is Gibbs." Seeley nodded again. "He and his team are good men and women. I'll let them know you may be calling." Seeley held the door open for her. "And check with Chaz to see if he's got anything you can use."
"Thanks, Booth!" Perrota smiled as she tapped the folder to his chest. "I owe you." She turned to move into the main office.
"No problem," Seeley said, propping the door open.
Seeley moved back to his desk and opened the blue FBI folder he had been working in previously. He watched as Perrota stood at Chaz's cubicle and talked with him for a few moments. At one point, Chaz looked through the glass wall at Seeley for confirmation. Seeley nodded, and he began rifling through his desk drawers. At the close of their business, with a nod and a smile she turned and walked towards the corridor leading to the entryway. As she did, Seeley saw Kelly breeze past her. Dour as always. Evidently, she said some type of greeting, but Kelly didn't seem to even acknowledge her presence. Perrota stood and watched, possibly in shock at Kelly's discourtesy, as he turned and entered his office without a word. Perrota shook her head in anger, extended her right hand and raised her middle finger to the closed office door. Realizing she might have been seen, she quickly dropped her hand and looked around at the Major Crimes Unit personnel. Chaz calmly looked at her and silently extended his right hand out, thumb up, in approval. She looked from one agent to another, each silently signaling his or her approval. Perrota's smile vanished as a loud whistle pierced the air. She looked through the glass wall to Booth's office; a thumb's up salute high over his head let her know he too agreed with the sentiment.
The 'Click' of the Deputy Director's door latch drove everyone's hands back to their workspace. Kelly stepped out of the office and stood, glaring around the room. Perrota thought, 'Must be trying to find the culprit who whistled.' She looked over towards Booth and was mildly surprised to see him not feigning working, but watching the scene intently. 'One thing about Booth,' she thought with admiration. 'He usually doesn't back down from anybody.' When Kelly's eyes came to rest upon Perrota he said simply, "Don't you have work to do? Or are you going to stand around here all day?"
"Of course, sir," she said, turning to move down the corridor. She glanced back quickly to see Kelly imperiously scanning the personnel in their cubes once again. She turned back, fixating on the double doors guarding the exit. 'Man!' she thought. 'I don't know how Booth does it…having Kelly right there…all the time.' Her hand hit the door and pushed it open. 'He's got to go…' she thought.
