Two nights later, Elisa and Matt had been alerted to yet another meeting. This time, only the local people were there, due to the last minute information.
Travis had called everyone available in, so he was heading this one. He stood at the bend of the "L" positioned tables so that everyone could see the wheeled white board that he was currently using.
Elisa watched in something approaching disbelief as the seemingly eternal "rookie" melted away from Travis as he got down to business.
"This is Vincent Lane," He said, indicating the picture of what looked like a mid-50-something man. He was beginning to go grey, but his hair still held more dark than silver, giving him a very distinguished look. If it hadn't been for the absolute lack of emotion in his amber colored eyes, Elisa would have almost called him handsome.
"As far as I can tell," Travis continued, "He is the leader, or at least he is the mouthpiece. He's the one that everyone in the group seems to bow to, even if they're not outright calling him that. He's the one who seems to be working behind the scenes and making arrangements for shipments of equipment."
"Have you been able to get us any information on the supply line?" Eagle asked. "Where it's coming from or where it's going?"
"I happened to hear a name in connection with the shipment," Travis admitted. "Now, I'm not sure where along the line this name comes into play. It could be on the military end or the delivery guy, but I wanted to pass it along ASAP. I've also gathered as many of the current member's names and typed them up for you." He handed out a list to everyone at the tables. "I have also managed to get into some group activities, with a standing invite to join the actual organization. I accepted, and they are having a rally tomorrow night."
"So we take the lists," Matt said, "And we scan them all for any and all priors."
"If they so much as have a ticket for Jaywalking," Elisa said, "We'll take them in. Shake things up a bit."
"That's the idea," Travis said. "If we weaken his power base, his control over the group, I'm hoping he'll let more information slip."
"We'll run things through the military listings, as well," Staff Sergeant Major Taylor said. "See if one of these names gets flagged."
Travis nodded. "Sorry to call you all out for such little information, but I will keep you all apprised as I can. In case something happens that requires immediate action," Travis said, reaching to a box on the floor beside him, he lifted out a small cell phone. "These are burners. They are unregistered and disposable. I have all of the numbers programmed in my phone, so all I need to do is send a message, and it will go to everyone at once."
The meeting broke, and everyone went their separate ways, leaving Matt, Elisa and Travis alone once more alone in the meeting room.
They had been talking about nothing, just trying to ease the tension in a familiar way… by giving each other crap.
Over the last few years, Elisa and Matt had developed this form of stress relief into a fine art. The rounds were only allowed to be thirty minutes max, and it was by mutual agreement that there were two main rules: (1) Nothing is sacred and (2) Neither was allowed to hold a grudge afterwards.
Ok. There were three rules. (3) Should either party be truly angry about anything said, in order to preserve rule number two, it had to be held in reserve for a special session, where the opposite party would have the opportunity to apologize.
So far, no one had invoked rule number three.
They were so good at it, there were officers in the NYPD who would swear under oath...in court…on a stack of bibles...that Elisa and Matt hated each other.
When they had basically adopted Travis, he had seemed uneasy the first time he had witnessed the two of them go at it.
Then he'd gotten in the spirit of things, and it was suddenly a three way free for all.
They'd started the moment the last innocent bystander had left the room and went for a solid twenty minutes.
"You're just mad that we have someone to go home to," Elisa sneered at Travis.
"I have someone," he shot back defensively.
"Yeah, but at least our 'someone' doesn't require a vinyl patch kit," Matt replied.
"Oh, clever," Travis said, sitting back in his seat. "So, you're implying that Elisa's sister is a blow-up–"
"Stop," Elisa demanded with a scowl. "You had better NOT with my sister until you come clean with her."
"Time's up," Matt said, tapping his watch.
"Saved by the bell," Elisa muttered.
"So, what are you guys doing tonight?" Travis asked, smiling the smile of a man who knew that he had just gotten away with the impossible. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair.
Something caught Elisa's eye, and she narrowed her gaze at his shirt pocket. "When did you start smoking?"
He looked confused for a moment, then followed the path of her gaze to his chest pocket. "Oh, these," he said, tossing the pack in her direction.
Elisa glared at him. "Yeah, those," she shot back.
"They are herbal, no tobacco. It's the same ones they use in Hollywood films. They put off smoke, they can even be made so that they have a tobacco smell, but no addictive properties." Travis picked one out and tossed it on the table. "They come in handy when I need an excuse to duck outside to send my messages."
"Nice," Elisa said inspecting the rolled tube. She was going to have to remember these for future undercover jobs, herself.
"They're kind of gross, honestly," Travis said with a grimace.
"I'll bet," Elisa said, rolling the stick across the table back in Travis' direction.
"So, are we going to split the names on the list?" Matt asked.
"You have to ask?" Elisa shot back with a smile. "I'm not going to leave you to do it all alone."
Matt sighed and looked at the list. "Even splitting this, it's going to take all damn night."
"Then let's get this started," Travis said, pushing back from the table.