Rant: Read and Reveiw. For the love of God, do you not know how much it means to crazy little author's....?
Chapter 8
"You sure you can keep an eye on her?" Terry asked Max as he pulled on his jacket. He had persuaded Max to watch Linda with very little effort while while he went to check on Ace. She had actually sounded a bit excited to do something helpful in a small way. 'Then again, this is Max.' He silently reminded himself.
"Terry," Max said in a slow voice as if speaking to a small, slightly thinking impaired child, "I said I could and I will. She not an assassin or anything, nothing to worry about. Besides, you are going to feed a dog. It is not going to take a few days."
Terry smiled sheepishly, knowing he was only getting himself into trouble by doubting his friend. 'Well, you'd be a bit testy if one of your friends thought you couldn't handle a mere babysitting job...' Terry reminded himself as he walked towards the door. He noticed as he was walking that Linda had already taken the liberty of flopping into a chair and catching up with the sleep she had missed the previous night.
"I take it you are the ECO team to be stationed in Gotham." Barbara Gordan didn't need to ask the group of five that stood in her office, and in reality she wasn't. Aside from the fact that they had ECO written on the back of their shirts the way they held themselves suggested diligent training that could very well put the military to shame.
ECO, Emergency Combat Operatives, had been developed by Interpol and the UN to create special agents with access to Interpol's files as well as have the power to make arrests like a regular police officer. Originally the ECO units had been designed to work with cases involving orgainzed groups such as cults, but were now more wide spread in their duties.
One of the men, who one could tell by the way the other four members of the division of reacted to him was the leader, nodded his head solemnly. He was about thirty-eight by the looks of him and had a well muscled frame and dark reddish brown hair. Ethan Daniels, the team captain, had only communicated with Barbara once over the phone but the voice she remembered fit this man. He had the face of of an intelligent, resourceful leader but didn't seem to over the top.
Captain Daniels team seemed just as varied as rumors made all of ECO out to be. A young Chinese woman in her early twenties with a green army beret and vest stood off to the left, her hand absently toying with one of the two black braids that reached to her mid-back. There were two others who each seemed to completly different that it seemed almost natural the two gravitate towards one another. One looked like the typical "old wolf" of the group (something Barbara thought no team ever seemed, or should be, without)with dark brown skin, graying black hair and whiskers, he was heavily muscled and seemed a bit intimidating. His companion was a short hispanic man who looked like he should just be starting college. The young man seemed the most friendly out of the group judging by his smile, and non-threatening demeanor. The last member of the group was in her early thirties and had a red cross sown onto the sleeve of her shirt. While the other members of the group, the young hispanic included, seemed strong and perfectly suited for combat, this woman seemed more suited for a nice, sterile lab. She had pale blond hair which fell just below her ears.
"I don't suppose you'll be interested in any help we can give you." Barbara said, for once not having to make this remark because the team of outsiders was to arrogant to accept assistence, but rather one that just came off as prepared. Ever since the Mazoku syndicate had made it's presence felt in Gotham, Barbara had been pressured by city officials and citizens to seek outside help, especially since most of the officials disapproved of the new Batman.
"Depends if you left anything out of the reports you gave us." The captain said calmly. "We would like to have a look around town, see what we can dig up. I'd like leave two of my people here at the station to go through what information you have, if you don't mind."
"That would be fine." Barbara said, slightly taken aback that they were not only accepting help but they were grateful.
Ethan nodded again. "Tomas, Siobahn, see what you can dig up here."
Barbara couldn't help but notice the look of slight disappointment flicker across the young hispanic's face. His older friend clapped him on the shoulder good naturedly before leaving with the other two members of ECO.
"So what're you thinking, captain?" Conor, the dark-skinned vetran of ECO asked as the trio got into the captains black car.
"Unless there is an information leak, Mr. Slevin is still in Gotham." Ethan said carefully. He knew Conor was a bit of a hot head when it came to Slevin, to many times seeing the little snakes handy work...
Zhiliang glanced over at him. "What about Harin? He's supposed to be back in town according to rumors..."
"If I get my hands on him after what he did to Jolie..." Conor growled angrily.
"Jolie...?" Zheliang asked.
Ethan glanced to her as he drove the car through town. "Jolie was a member of ECO, I didn't know her personally, but she came to Gotham to work on a case. Keep in mind it was more hush-hush back then since ECO was a very new organization back then and they didn't want any extra pressure on her. Just to keep things less suspicious she brought her young daughter with her. The girl, Linda, was only a toddler at the time and thus had no way of knowing anything about her mothers work with ECO. Well, she began investigating the syndicate, just doing routine scouting, and became involved with Gene Harin. The two got pretty close and Jolie insisted in was just a good cover since he was a key player in the syndicate, but a few doubted this when he moved into her apartment after they were married. Linda and Jolie had their names changed and and everything. However, he apparently caught on to her real line of work because she was found strangled in her apartment and he and Linda disappeared. They never found Linda and most assume her body will be found one of these days in Gotham harbor. At least people who remember what happened. Glad you mentioned him." The captain said evenly. "It would have been a mistake to forget a rival gang."
Zheliang turned towards the window, not wanting to ask another question after their rather sobering conversation.
Terry jumped as his cell phone let out a shrill ring as he poured food into Ace's bowl. He quickly pulled out the phone and answered it, flooded with relief and apprehension all at once.
"What's this I hear about a new employee?"
"Look, the nurse was getting really nosy and was practically on the verge of calling the cops on Linda. I didn't have an incredible excuse or much time to make up a story, I just told her the first thing that popped into my head... Are you okay? I mean, you did..."
"I was up a bit to late last night, later then usual. I hope you didn't give give that nurse Linda's name. They'll think we're kidnappers." Bruce answered sternly.
"Bruce, she thinks we're kidnappers." Terry said in exasperation.
"Thats not the what I mean, Terry. Linda Harin disappeared years ago. She is supposedly dead. Her father, or rather step father, is wanted for the murder of Linda's mother."
"Why didn't you say anything last night?" Terry exclaimed, half hoping Bruce had finally figured out how to play a joke on someone.
"I was looking for parents, I didn't check to see about why there were none to speak of. At least not until I placed just why the name Linda Harin was so familier. I am sure if you step into a post office you'll seeing a picture of her." Bruce replied, his tone of voice extinguishing any thought of humor.
"You think the secret she mentioned to you was what happened to her mother...?"
"Doubt it, most people don't remember memories from when they were two-years-old. You better question her about her father. I have a feeling he's been in contact with her over the years."
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A.N. Reveiw good people.
Chapter 8
"You sure you can keep an eye on her?" Terry asked Max as he pulled on his jacket. He had persuaded Max to watch Linda with very little effort while while he went to check on Ace. She had actually sounded a bit excited to do something helpful in a small way. 'Then again, this is Max.' He silently reminded himself.
"Terry," Max said in a slow voice as if speaking to a small, slightly thinking impaired child, "I said I could and I will. She not an assassin or anything, nothing to worry about. Besides, you are going to feed a dog. It is not going to take a few days."
Terry smiled sheepishly, knowing he was only getting himself into trouble by doubting his friend. 'Well, you'd be a bit testy if one of your friends thought you couldn't handle a mere babysitting job...' Terry reminded himself as he walked towards the door. He noticed as he was walking that Linda had already taken the liberty of flopping into a chair and catching up with the sleep she had missed the previous night.
"I take it you are the ECO team to be stationed in Gotham." Barbara Gordan didn't need to ask the group of five that stood in her office, and in reality she wasn't. Aside from the fact that they had ECO written on the back of their shirts the way they held themselves suggested diligent training that could very well put the military to shame.
ECO, Emergency Combat Operatives, had been developed by Interpol and the UN to create special agents with access to Interpol's files as well as have the power to make arrests like a regular police officer. Originally the ECO units had been designed to work with cases involving orgainzed groups such as cults, but were now more wide spread in their duties.
One of the men, who one could tell by the way the other four members of the division of reacted to him was the leader, nodded his head solemnly. He was about thirty-eight by the looks of him and had a well muscled frame and dark reddish brown hair. Ethan Daniels, the team captain, had only communicated with Barbara once over the phone but the voice she remembered fit this man. He had the face of of an intelligent, resourceful leader but didn't seem to over the top.
Captain Daniels team seemed just as varied as rumors made all of ECO out to be. A young Chinese woman in her early twenties with a green army beret and vest stood off to the left, her hand absently toying with one of the two black braids that reached to her mid-back. There were two others who each seemed to completly different that it seemed almost natural the two gravitate towards one another. One looked like the typical "old wolf" of the group (something Barbara thought no team ever seemed, or should be, without)with dark brown skin, graying black hair and whiskers, he was heavily muscled and seemed a bit intimidating. His companion was a short hispanic man who looked like he should just be starting college. The young man seemed the most friendly out of the group judging by his smile, and non-threatening demeanor. The last member of the group was in her early thirties and had a red cross sown onto the sleeve of her shirt. While the other members of the group, the young hispanic included, seemed strong and perfectly suited for combat, this woman seemed more suited for a nice, sterile lab. She had pale blond hair which fell just below her ears.
"I don't suppose you'll be interested in any help we can give you." Barbara said, for once not having to make this remark because the team of outsiders was to arrogant to accept assistence, but rather one that just came off as prepared. Ever since the Mazoku syndicate had made it's presence felt in Gotham, Barbara had been pressured by city officials and citizens to seek outside help, especially since most of the officials disapproved of the new Batman.
"Depends if you left anything out of the reports you gave us." The captain said calmly. "We would like to have a look around town, see what we can dig up. I'd like leave two of my people here at the station to go through what information you have, if you don't mind."
"That would be fine." Barbara said, slightly taken aback that they were not only accepting help but they were grateful.
Ethan nodded again. "Tomas, Siobahn, see what you can dig up here."
Barbara couldn't help but notice the look of slight disappointment flicker across the young hispanic's face. His older friend clapped him on the shoulder good naturedly before leaving with the other two members of ECO.
"So what're you thinking, captain?" Conor, the dark-skinned vetran of ECO asked as the trio got into the captains black car.
"Unless there is an information leak, Mr. Slevin is still in Gotham." Ethan said carefully. He knew Conor was a bit of a hot head when it came to Slevin, to many times seeing the little snakes handy work...
Zhiliang glanced over at him. "What about Harin? He's supposed to be back in town according to rumors..."
"If I get my hands on him after what he did to Jolie..." Conor growled angrily.
"Jolie...?" Zheliang asked.
Ethan glanced to her as he drove the car through town. "Jolie was a member of ECO, I didn't know her personally, but she came to Gotham to work on a case. Keep in mind it was more hush-hush back then since ECO was a very new organization back then and they didn't want any extra pressure on her. Just to keep things less suspicious she brought her young daughter with her. The girl, Linda, was only a toddler at the time and thus had no way of knowing anything about her mothers work with ECO. Well, she began investigating the syndicate, just doing routine scouting, and became involved with Gene Harin. The two got pretty close and Jolie insisted in was just a good cover since he was a key player in the syndicate, but a few doubted this when he moved into her apartment after they were married. Linda and Jolie had their names changed and and everything. However, he apparently caught on to her real line of work because she was found strangled in her apartment and he and Linda disappeared. They never found Linda and most assume her body will be found one of these days in Gotham harbor. At least people who remember what happened. Glad you mentioned him." The captain said evenly. "It would have been a mistake to forget a rival gang."
Zheliang turned towards the window, not wanting to ask another question after their rather sobering conversation.
Terry jumped as his cell phone let out a shrill ring as he poured food into Ace's bowl. He quickly pulled out the phone and answered it, flooded with relief and apprehension all at once.
"What's this I hear about a new employee?"
"Look, the nurse was getting really nosy and was practically on the verge of calling the cops on Linda. I didn't have an incredible excuse or much time to make up a story, I just told her the first thing that popped into my head... Are you okay? I mean, you did..."
"I was up a bit to late last night, later then usual. I hope you didn't give give that nurse Linda's name. They'll think we're kidnappers." Bruce answered sternly.
"Bruce, she thinks we're kidnappers." Terry said in exasperation.
"Thats not the what I mean, Terry. Linda Harin disappeared years ago. She is supposedly dead. Her father, or rather step father, is wanted for the murder of Linda's mother."
"Why didn't you say anything last night?" Terry exclaimed, half hoping Bruce had finally figured out how to play a joke on someone.
"I was looking for parents, I didn't check to see about why there were none to speak of. At least not until I placed just why the name Linda Harin was so familier. I am sure if you step into a post office you'll seeing a picture of her." Bruce replied, his tone of voice extinguishing any thought of humor.
"You think the secret she mentioned to you was what happened to her mother...?"
"Doubt it, most people don't remember memories from when they were two-years-old. You better question her about her father. I have a feeling he's been in contact with her over the years."
****************************
A.N. Reveiw good people.