Ripples between the lines
Hidden between lines of dialogue are furtive unspoken words, elusive unspoken thoughts, ambushed unacknowledged feelings. A new experiment, a kind of "augmented reality" on scenes from the show combined with a proposal of lost moments during and between episodes. Situations that do not appear in the show but could have occurred between Jubal and Isobel. Quite simply, how they affect each other with their words and actions. And how their relationship would transform because of it.
Author's note:
This is a translation of my stories "Entre líneas" and "Ondas en el agua". Please, tell me if you find any typos or grammatical errors. To post the translation I decided to integrate all their chapters in chronological order. With the extended scenes, trying to stay as faithful as possible to what was seen on screen, I have added what I imagine the characters thought, reflected or felt during the course of each scene. With the missing scenes, I try to keep them in character and stick to the canon (with tags to the episodes and references in each story to give context) but obviously a lot comes from my own imagination. Disclaimer: "FBI" TV series is not mine and you know it.
Chapter 1. Commitment, Courage and Beauties
Commitment. = Extended scene from FBI S02E05 "Crossroads" =
"It's over?" Isobel asked.
"Yep," Jubal replied. "Maggie and OA are on the way back with Patrice now."
Both of them walked together towards the corridor leading out of the JOC.
"We dodged a bullet. If that shooter had been a First Order member..." Isobel said, more anxiety than relief evident in her tone.
"I know. But he wasn't. He was just" Jubal shook his head once, incredulous and somewhat exasperated, "a jilted boyfriend."
The shooting at the X2 Club had turned out not to be a racist attack, but anyway, for Jubal it was terrible in itself that there were people injured in the hospital and someone had died just because of jealousy.
"Well, I want to find out why Threat Response dismissed the threats at the club," Isobel mused worriedly.
Jubal looked at her. He didn't like where the conversation was heading. Isobel had already expressed that she was not satisfied with how those threats had been handled.
"But... you know why," he stated. "They did a baseline check and, given the intel available, there was nothing left to be done," Jubal explained. He did not believe it was possible, or fair, to purge responsibilities in the Threat Response team. They had just done their job. And in the end they had turned out to be right, because the First Order had not been guilty of the attack.
Isobel stopped slowly. She turned to face him so she could look into his face with her intense black eyes.
"You know that for a fact?" she addressed flatly.
Was Isobel questioning Threat Response or was she questioning him? Jubal didn't know her well enough yet. He searched for some trace of sarcasm in his tone, but couldn't find it. No, it seemed more like Isobel was trying to dig deeper and was interested in Jubal's opinion. He thought about it for a moment, looking for a totally honest answer.
"No," he admitted, leaning against the wall. "But I did my time in that squad, making those calls.
And I know that, when you're triaging threats, you can follow the policy guidelines to the letter and still get it wrong."
"Well, maybe those guidelines need adjusting..."
Was this a sign of arrogance? Did Isobel think things were being done carelessly? That she could just come and correct it? Jubal hoped that wasn't the case, that Isobel was really seriously considering the issue.
"That's possible, but I'm not sure it's something you can fix. I think it's just the nature of threat response. It's an imperfect science. You just," he sighed, "hope that no one dies because of it."
He swallowed hard, thinking of certain times he could have been wrong. He was trying to make Isobel understand how ungrateful this job was: too difficult to do and too easy to judge. She seemed to be taking in what he was saying, but to Jubal's slight frustration, Isobel kept on.
"Maybe perfection is impossible, but I at least want to review what happened." She sounded almost as if he was justifying herself.
"It's not our area," he reminded her, still apprehensive of her motivations. Actually, Threat Response was a totally different department from theirs.
"Maybe we need to make it our area. We have to do something because, next time, we might not be so lucky, " Isobel concluded with a shrug, an air of doom. She left with a soft but worried puff.
Jubal pondered this as he watched her walk down the hall. He had to admit that Isobel was right. The question was too serious not to deserve any effort to improve it.
And that's when he understood. Isobel didn't want to take care of this because of ego or ambition. She did not think she could do better than others, nor was she after more recognition, as Jubal had usually seen others in her position do. She just had a firm commitment to saving more lives. He was caught off guard to find a dazzling spark of admiration rising within him. Jubal let out a sigh of air that he hadn't realized he was holding back.
~.~.~.~
Courage. = Extended scene from FBI S02E05 "Crossroads" =
Isobel held the door for Valentine, followed by Andy and Tom Brennan from the DEA, to enter her office. Valentine caught her gaze as he passed. It was obvious that he was pissed off. She returned the look to him so he knew they were both in agreement; Isobel was as mad as he was.
She closed the door and turned to Brennan. Jubal and Andy staying behind.
"Why the hell didn't you tell us about El Patron?" Isobel snapped without offering more courtesy.
They were supposed to be collaborating, but Brennan had been lying to them from the get-go.
"Because it's none of your concern," Brennan replied arrogantly.
"Excuse me?" Isobel could barely control his outrage.
"Come on, Isobel. You know how delicate these operations are," Brennan said condescendingly. "We are one day away from making one of the biggest arrests in history."
"Okay, that's fine, but you're jerking us around," Valentine chimed in uninvitedly and no holding his tongue. "You told us this guy didn't know anything, that he was an errand boy, and now suddenly he can deliver the head of the cartel?" His tone was sharp and sarcastic. "So, what? He's the boss, right? He's in charge of the whole northeast corridor?" he added, keenly perceptive. Brennan looked at the two of them alternately and remained silent, proving him right. "Why would you lied to us?" Jubal asked with a hint of exasperation.
Brennan outranked him but that didn't seem to matter to Jubal at all to be completely straightforward. It was clear that he didn't lack of guts. Isobel's regard for him grew considerably. Meanwhile, Andy was trying to become invisible.
"I was protecting my asset," Brennan replied haughtily.
"At the expense of our case," Isobel protested.
"At the expense of Russo's life," Jubal pressed further, and Isobel silently conceded he had hit the nail on the head.
Russo was a bill-burdened family man who had smuggled in what he thought were fake handbags, and it had turned out to be a $500,000 worth shipment of cocaine. The traffickers hadn't been very happy that he had buried the drugs in the forest to avoid a police check. He had been kidnapped and remained disappeared ever since.
"All right. All right, listen" Brennan replied. "I'm not gonna litigate this. It is what it is." He faced Isobel deliberately ignoring Jubal, as if leaving him out of the conversation.
You need to back off. Leave Boaz and his associates alone until we grab El Patron," he ordered Isobel as if he were her boss.
Jubal wasn't resigned to taking the hint that Brennan didn't want to talk to him.
"Are you forgetting? Russo is still missing," he rebuked him. "I've got his wife and kids down the hall crying their eyes out, so, what? You want us to just look the other way?"
Again, right on the head, Isobel thought, even more satisfied.
"He's dead," Brennan snapped.
"Dead?" Isobel asked incredulously.
It seemed to her that Brennan was improvising, but that managed to silence Jubal, although he did not seem very convinced either.
"About an hour ago on the wire," Brennan added. "I heard him say, 'Don't worry about the truck driver. He's a dead man'. Now, he said it in Spanish, but that's what he said, so hitting that house isn't gonna change a thing. It's not gonna make Russo un-dead," he let out in Jubal's direction, dismissive, and turned back to Isobel. "Once we have El Patron in custody, you can arrest them all. Boaz, Velez, every little punk that's involved in this, but until then, you stand down."
Isobel knew then what Brennan was trying to do. He looked like the kind of old-fashioned guy who thought he couldn't intimidate Jubal, but do could intimidate her.
Oh, yeah? Bring it on.
"No, we are hitting that house today," Isobel said relentlessly, stepping forward, "now. And I'm gonna arrest every son of a bitch inside."
In her peripheral vision, she saw Jubal start slightly. It was probably the first time he had heard her say a bad word.
"I just told you the victim is dead," Brennan replied.
"According to you. But guess what? I don't trust you, not even a little."
"Don't make me go over your head, Isobel," he threatened her.
She did not waver for an instant. She couldn't let herself to hesitate.
"Oh, you gonna call the Deputy AG? Go ahead. Let's do it. I would be happy to tell Nathan that you're shielding a CI who abducted an American citizen and ordered the murder of another."
Brennan's arrogance disappeared, replaced by a tinge of fear.
"You can't prove that." He seemed to be sucking on a lemon. "It's your word against mine," he menaced again and headed for the door. His gesture said "you have asked for it". Isobel had no doubt where he was heading.
"Which is very bad news for you," she added, undeterred. "Nathan and I are good friends. You wanna run it up the ladder, Tom?" She used his first name instead of his last name in the same patronizing tone that he had used hers. "Let's do it," she challenged.
Brennan lowered her head, opened the door, giving way to Andy, and they left, but Isobel knew by the stubborn look on his face that it wasn't going to be the last she would hear from him.
"Give Maggie and OA the green light. We're going in," she told Jubal.
"Yes, ma'am," he replied right away.
He seemed to be holding back a smile. Isobel pretended she hadn't seen him.
·~·~·
= Missing scene from FBI S02E05 "Crossroads" =
Just minutes after hitting Boaz's house, Valentine was re-entering Isobel's office. This time, smiling widely.
"Good news. They have found Russo alive. He has been beaten up and taken away in ambulance, but he is out of danger."
Isobel, sitting behind her desk, let out a long sigh. That man could return to his family now.
"I'm glad," Isobel said.
"Yes me too..." They exchanged a relieved look.
"I'm going to tell the family right away," Jubal said. "I am going also to offer to get them to the hospital where Russo is. Do you want to come?"
"No, you take care of it, please. I can't leave the office now," Isobel replied apologetic.
"And to give them the good news at least?" he proposed. "They got him back thanks to you. They'd want to thank you."
Isobel winced inside. It was part of her job and she did it if necessary, but she felt uncomfortable dealing with the families of the victims. Especially if they were grateful. Too difficult to distance.
"They've got it back thanks to all the team," she corrected him. "Do you mind ... Do you mind if I delegate to you?". She regretted it as she said it. It was unworthy not to want to take over, and it was to show a weakness. "No. I better go." She got up.
"I don't care at all. I'll take care of it, "Jubal offered immediately, gesturing for her to sit down, and looking at her empathetically, as if he had grasped what her reluctance was. "If you trust me to."
Isobel did not sit down again. She was frustrated. She didn't know if she wanted to risk revealing him this was a weak spot, but she understood that, not accepting, Jubal would take it as a show of mistrust towards him. Isobel hesitated. She was not amused that this weakness became public domain. Yet for once, something unexpected inside her was pushing her to trust. Just minutes ago, in front of Brennan -and in contrast to Andy's silence, who had not supported his boss at any moment- Jubal had bravely back up her. He deserved she dare to show him more trust.
Meanwhile, Jubal awaited his answer with a strangely neutral expression. Isobel nodded.
"Okay, thank you." And she opened that door that used to be closed to almost everyone.
"Anytime," he replied, now openly pleased.
Was it her doing, or had the tone of his voice been particularly warm, especially loaded with meaning? Isobel felt it caused a certain heat in the back of her throat. She cleared it, looking down, somewhat embarrassed. She sat down and put order in the papers on his table.
"Aaam ..." Jubal said as if he was having trouble focusing too. "OK. Do not you worry about anything. I'll take care of it. Bye."
When she was already leaving, Jubal turned back to her.
"Ah ... Isobel. I hope you are keeping in mind that…" he grimaced slightly. "We have made an enemy today."
He was right, and Isobel was grateful for the heads up, but she already knew. Probably the DEA agent would not let things be and would find, sooner or later, a way to hit Isobel back. He seemed the spiteful type. She thought, annoyed, that from now on she would have to be alert to the stab wounds that might come from Brennan's direction. Maybe he would even dare to go after Jubal. She didn't know why but that irritated her even more.
"I hope Brennan leaves you out of this if he knows what's good for him," Isobel replied almost automatically.
Jubal raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise, then looked away and passed his hand over his mouth as if to conceal, perhaps, he was very pleased. This was a bit disturbing. Isobel tried to ignore it.
"I think I've done the right thing," she added dryly. "I thought you agreed."
"Me? Are you kidding?" He said with a cheeky expression. "I almost applauded you earlier."
That made Isobel laugh, flattered. This time, it was impossible to tear her eyes away from Jubal's smiling face.
~.~.~.~
Beauties. = Extended scene from FBI S02E08 "Codename Ferdinand" =
Following the arrest of Ben Blake, and having prevented a serious international incident with Iran, Isobel asked Jubal to bring the entire team together at the JOC. She wanted to congratulate them on the great work and the excellent result they obtained in that case. His respect for her had grown by the day since taking over as Special Agent in Charge, but that initiative took Jubal's appreciation even further.
When each of the team members was present, Isobel addressed all of them.
"I'd like to think that the work we do here ..." she began.
Jubal watched her carefully as she spoke. There was no denying that Isobel was objectively a beautiful woman, with those big dark eyes, the aristocratic cheekbones, that smooth and delicate skin.
"… helps save the world in some modest way," she continued, "but every so often, we get to do much more than that.
Isobel's smile made its way onto her face, radiant, capturing his attention in an irresistible way. When she smiled -and on top in that satisfied and luminous way- Jubal had to admit that he found her dazzling like few others.
"And thanks to each of you," Isobel added, "we have apprehended two foreign agents and helped avert a true catastrophe."
The legitimate pride and warm humanity with which she spoke only brought to light another kind of beauty for Jubal, seemingly intrinsic to herself and even less usual.
"And for that, each one of you owes yourselves a round of applause," Isobel concluded and applauded.
All in the room follow her lead and clapped, celebrating. The situation had allowed him to look at her more freely than usual; realizing that he had unintentionally abused it, and before it became inappropriate, Jubal turned his face away and congratulated them all as well, clapping with the others.
However, when she finished, Isobel passed her by and Jubal's eyes began to tail her again despite his efforts.
Then Collins, the devious guy who had worked with them on that case as an adviser to the CIA, caught his eye. To some of Jubal's amusement, it was thanks to him that he managed to get out of that silly trance.
~.~.~.~