Alex settled behind the wheel of her car as Jake helped Andi in. She was going to stay at Holy Cross with Father Mike until they came up with a plan to protect her. Alex thought back to the flight. It was along four and half hour flight from LA back to Chicago. The whole flight back, Donovan watched Andi with interest. Jake fell asleep with his arms around Andi as if he was still worried something would happen to her.

Alex has known Jake for a long time now and she would bet everything she owns that Jake was still holding something back. She also could tell that Donovan knew Jake was holding out on him too. "So, how did you guys meet again?" Alex asked.

"In the academy," Jake replied, nodding at Andi, "she helped me stay straight and focused."

Alex pulled into the parking lot of Holy Cross. Father Mike was waiting for them. Alex watched as Jake walked over to the priest and shook his hand. Alex helped Andi out of her and walked towards the men.

Alex could see the warm smile on Andi's face as they got closer to the men. "Father Mike, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine, Andi Curran." Jake stressed.

Alex caught the confused look the priest gave Jake before he went along with what Jake was saying. "Nice to meet you, my dear. Come, you look tired." Father Mike said helping her into the building.

"I'm going to help Andi settle in," Jake told Alex, "I'll be back at the office in a little bit."

Alex just nodded her head and watched Jake go into the building. She lit a cigarette as she got back into her car. Thank god it's only a ten-minute drive back to the office, Alex thought to herself

"Father Mike, it's so nice to see you again," Andi said hugging the old priest.

"Why don't we get you settled in and I'll tell Father Mike what's been going on." Jake said taking Andi's hand and leading her to her room.

By the time Alex pulled into the parking lot, she already smoked four cigarettes. She was trying to figure out what Jake was trying to pull. "Where's Donovan?" Alex asked Cody.

"His office talking to Bloom." Cody said, "Some yelling has been coming from his office so stay out of his way."

"Where's Jake?" Donovan barked, storming down the stairs.

"He'll be here in a little bit," Alex replied, "What's wrong?"

"Bloom just transferred Agent Curran to our team." Donovan informed them.

"For how long?" Alex asked.

"As long as it takes to find out who's after her and why." Donovan responded.

"Your not too thrilled about it." Monica stated.

"No," Donovan replied, "Bloom and Jake are hiding something and it has something to do with Agent Curran."

"What are you going to do?" Cody asked.

"Keep Agent Curran close." he replied, "Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer."

"I wonder what category we fit into." Cody mumbled.


Two months later

Andi rolled over and winced as the bright light in her bedroom hit her face. Forcing her eyes open, she looked at the clock. It was flashing twelve o'clock. "Oh shit!" she moaned, "I'm late." Andi threw the covers off and ran into the bathroom. Ten minutes later, she grabbed her keys and ran to her car.

As she was pulling onto the expressway, her cell phone rang. "Please don't be who I think it is." she muttered, "Hello."

"You do know you're late?" the voice laughed into the phone.

"You have no idea how glad I am to hear your voice." Andi said relieved, "I know I'm late."

"Well, thank you." Jake smiled, "and the boss man wants to know when you will grace us with your presence."

"Tell the 'Ghost Man' I'll be in after I pick up the files he requested," she complained. "It's not my fault the power went out in my apartment. I'll be there by noon."

"See ya then." Jake laughed. He always laughed when Andi referred to Donovan as 'Ghost Man'. She'd started to call Donovan that behind his back, after he scared the crap out of her when they were working late one night.

"So, what's the story between you and Andi?" Cody smirked.

"No story. Just friends." Jake replied rolling back to his desk.

Cody grabbed the back of the chair and dragged him over to Alex. "Okay, truth or dare time." Cody said.

"Tell the truth about you and Andi or I'll dare Cody to tell Donovan you started to mess around with his car again." Alex smiled, knowing Donovan's warning to Jake about staying away from his car.

"Go ahead," Jake challenged, "nothing to tell."

"I don't buy that." Cody said, "She's been working here two months. We know you guys have gone out together."

"You guys were following us?" Jake asked in disbelief. "Can't you guys find your own lives? We're just friends."

"If you're finished grilling Jake about his love life, can we get down to business?" Donovan asked, placing files on the table. "Any word from Agent Curran?"

"Just got off the phone with her," Jake commented, going through the file, "said she'll be in around noon after she gets the files you wanted."

"Don't forget, we have to go qualify." Monica added, knowing the reaction she was going to get from Jake.

"Thanks," Jake complained, "I hate watching Donovan get a perfect score."

"Then practice," Donovan replied smiling, "Call Agent Curran and give her directions to the range. She has to qualify also."

"Since when?" Alex asked.

"Since she's still a field agent." Donovan stated.


Great Lake Naval Station Firing Range

"Okay Agent Cross, you're up." the range instructor called.

"I can't understand why we have to qualify every three months." Jake complained, "I can see if we don't fire our weapons, but we do, too often."

"Agent Curran, nice of you to join us." Donovan said, "You're up after Alex."

Andi hung up her purse and coat. She put on the safety goggles and headset.

"Agent Curran, how are you doing?"

"Agent Bloom," she smiled, "Nice to see you."

"Agent Curran, you're up." the instructor called.

Andi walked up the line. She took the clip out of her gun, cleared the round out of the chamber and placed it on the shelf in front of her. The instructor inspected the gun and the clip. Satisfied, he placed them back down. He told her to reload the clip. She hit the clip into place and placed a round in the chamber.

"Think she remembers how to do this?" Alex asked Jake.

"Not sure," he smirked.

Andi smiled at the comment as she placed her weapon back into her side holster waiting for the instructor to tell her to fire. "Go" the instructor yelled. She grabbed her weapon and emptied her clip into the target. She then ejected the clip and inserted a new one, starting to shoot the target again. "Stop." the instructor yelled. Andi ejected the clip and cleared the chamber, then placed the gun back onto the shelf.

"Holy shit," Jake whistled.

"What's her score?" Monica asked.

"How did I do?" Andi asked walking up to them.

"Well, you need to score a three hundred to keep your gun," Cody explained.

"Agent Curran," the instructor said, "you scored a three forty-eight. Good score."

"Close to Donovan." Jake smiled, "He scored a three fifty."

"That's good?" she asked innocently.

"You qualify as an expert." Alex commented, "How long have you been shooting?"

"Well, the instructor said I was a natural in the academy," she said, "but my father taught me to shoot when I was seven and my stepfather continued to teach me.

Donovan walked in and he was impressed with Agent Curran's results. Her score was some comfort to him knowing that she could take care of herself if she was needed to be back out into the field. "Three forty-eight. Good score." Donovan smiled, "I'm surprised your instructor didn't recommend you for SWAT."

"He did. I didn't want it." she responded. "Do I need to stay or can I go bring the files back?"

"No, you only need to qualify with your weapon. Jake and Alex still need to qualify with shotguns." Donovan said.

"Do you need directions back?" Jake asked.

"No, I think I know my way around." she laughed.

"Cody and I are going back to. We can follow you to make sure." Monica added.

"Sure." she replied.

Andi pulled her car onto the Tri-State expressway. Traffic was light since it was in the middle of the day. She was still smiling at her score. Not bad, not bad at all. Her cell phone started to ring. She placed the earpiece into her ear. "Hello?"

"We're a couple cars behind you." Cody said. "Not a bad job shooting."

"Thanks." she laughed, "Think Alex is still giving Jake a hard time about my score?"

"Of course." Monica laughed.

"So, we on for tonight, Cody?" Carolyn asked.

"Ah, okay." Cody answered flustered, not knowing what to say next.

"Okay, see ya back at the nest." Andi laughed, hanging up the phone. She heard Monica asking him about tonight. She didn't mean to embarrass Cody. She enjoyed their nights out when they could take them. He was very persistent in becoming friends with her. Monica was next to come around about her being there. About after a month being there, then Alex came around.

Frank Donovan. After working as their glorified clerk for two months, she didn't think he fully trusted her yet. He wasn't shy about voicing his opinion about her working there. She was slowly earning his respect. She felt some satisfaction in coming close to beating his score.

"Cody, spill," Monica laughed, "What's going on between you two?"

"Nothing." Cody admitted.

"But you want something to happen?" she smiled.

"No, I think of her like a little sister." Cody said, "She's fun to be with. Hey watch out!"

Monica swerved to miss an oncoming car that was weaving in and out of traffic.

"Jerk," Monica yelled, "He's going to cause an accident."




Andi turned her attention back to driving, as she saw traffic starting to back up. Of course traffic is a lot better here than it was in Los Angeles. Things seemed to be looking up in Chicago, she smiled. More cars seem to be slowing down, so Andi started to slow down to. Suddenly a blue Explorer came out of nowhere and cut her off. She slammed her foot on the brake, but it didn't help. She swerved to miss the car in front of her. Running off onto the embankment, Andi tried to apply her brakes again before she hit the guardrail. Nothing. The last thing she heard was her own screams.

"Look at the cars swerving and then stopping." Monica commented, "That jerk must have caused an accident. Let's see if anyone needs help"

Monica pulled the car over and they got out to help. "Federal Officer, please move out of the way," she said, trying to move the people back from the car.

Cody went up to the car to see if anyone needed help. The car's front end was totaled into the guardrail. The car's horn was going off, someone must be hurt. "Everyone okay in there?" Cody asked. The driver's window was shattered. Cody leaned in for a better look. "Monica, call an ambulance." Cody yelled.

"Their on the way." Monica said running up to the car. "Is everyone okay? Oh my God." Cody was trying to get the driver's door open. Inside the car she saw Andi. She was unconscious and from what Monica could see, a head wound.

"Ambulance is on the way Andi," Cody yelled as he finally got the car door open, "Hold on."