Chapter 4: An agent to trust or not to trust
All notes and warnings see previous chapters.
Other than that hang on its gonna be a bumpy ride.
Chaz Borden walked into the agency. His first stop was Grandpa Borden's office. He didn't think he would be there, after all, Chaz knew exactly where the official was. Instead of the official, he found Alex Monroe looking a little too good at his grandfather's desk.
"Hi I'm...."
"Chaz Borden, I know. Your grandfather is on a case. He told me to expect you this morning. By the way, …you're late! I wouldn't make that a habit if I were you. Pruet will show you the ropes, other than that here are the files. I suggest that you read them thoroughly and memorize them if you can. Oh, and Borden, absolutely none of this or anything else you see or hear during your stay is to leave this agency. I don't care who you are...or who your grandfather is for that matter. It does not leave these walls GOT IT!"
"Agent Monroe, you do know where my grandfather is don't you?" He had been about to leave but he just loved getting to those agents that thought they knew everything. And, she definitely thought she knew everything.
"Of course I do...well...I … I would if the official had told me ANYTHING AT ALL before he left that is."
"I know where he is, I shouldn't but I do." Chaz was really getting to her she knew he was trying to, but she couldn't stand that the official hadn't told her. Alex placed a hand on her head. She couldn't go against the official, but then...
"Okay kid, you think you're so smart where is he?"
"That's easy! He's at codename: Operation Train of life." When she looked at him with a confused look he continued. "It's a sort of mystery train and awards ceremony. He's been going every year for the past ten years."
"What are you talking about? What award ceremony?"
"You mean you've never heard of them?"
"No Borden I haven't, should I have?"
"Well, they're only the most top secret awards in the agency world. They're only for the most top agents in the world. Even 007 was there one year, then he lost out and he wouldn't come again after that. I was invited last year. Well, agent Lezley and I that is. They compete in a LIVE mystery game for the title and enough money to keep this joint running for a very, VERY long time."
Alex looked at him a bit perplexed, and then excused him. She knew that the official would send her packing if he knew what she just found out. She made some calls and found out 'why' Fawkes and Hobbes were there. Then she decided to call in some extra back up. For one thing, Fawkes was in no shape to fight against these guys if he had to.
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Walking into the dining car Bobby looked around. It was still quite early and the staff seemed to be busy getting ready for breakfast. As Bobby walked across the room, he approached one of the waitresses. She was tall and thin with long flowing blonde hair that was pulled back into a large barrette. She was busy setting out glasses and barking orders of some kind or another. He also thought that she looked amazingly like Claire.
"Hello, ma'am!" Bobby commented with a star struck look in his eyes.
"Yes? May I help you?" The woman sounded a bit startled, but covered it well.
"Uhm...I'm Robert Hutchins and...well...I was wondering if you....well...if you might have seen anyone around here last night besides myself of course...ma'am" Bobby looked at her expectantly.
"First, Robert is it. My name is not 'MA'AM' its Dana Harper and secondly, I wasn't working last night, but I believe Lezley and Ralph were. Lezley has taken a tray to some lady doctor. She'll be back in a bit. In the meantime, you might try Ralph over there at the bar. Go ask him, he knows everything. But, I don't really know for sure if he does or not."
She motioned to a tall, gruff, muscular looking older gentleman wiping down the bar. As Bobby approached him, he shook his head in disgust. "Ralph, I'm Robert Hutchins. Dana over there says you were workin' here last night." Bobby sat down on one of the bar stools with a small amount of difficulty. Propping the crutches Claire had given him against the bar he relaxed a bit.
"Yeah, so what? So were Lezley and Kris." Said Ralph sounding a bit more ticked off than he had intended to.
"Don't get snippy with me Ralph-y. I just came over here because I need to know who might have taken this picture?" Bobby slapped the photo of himself, Claire, Darien and Dan on the counter.
"Let me see." Ralph said after calming a bit. Putting down the rag he had been using Ralph picked up the photo in what seemed to everyone around to be one move. Realization stole across his face as he stood there clutching the photo in his hand. He did recognize the event. He had been watching intently after the young man on crutches came into the dining car. He was sure that he'd seen the guy who had taken the picture a few minutes after that, but wasn't sure. As far as he could tell it had to be him, there was no one else it could've been.
"I remember this. That poor guy in the wheel chair had come in on crutches. He looked a mess, if you ask me the guy shouldn't have even been there. Lezley took a tray of food to that doctor lady that was taking care of him not more than ten minutes ago…Anyway," he slapped the photo down onto the counter top. "I think I saw Kenny, Bernie, or whatever name he's going by now…Lezley would know, it looked like he was watchin' you folks last night. Anyhow, I wouldn't put it past the guy. He's been obsessing for years now. If it were me I'd stay as far away from him as I could."
"Why is that?" Bobby leaned forward with interest.
"Well, I'm not supposed to talk about it, but…since you asked." Bobby motioned for him to continue.
"For 12 years something has gone deathly wrong on this train. That Kenny guy or whatever he goes by this time around has been here for every one of them. Besides that, his partner Toni Fisher was the first. They caught the guy that did it, he was some former agent with a grudge or so they say. But then who am I to say I'm just a measly old bartender." Ralph looked up to see Dana coming their way; he stopped abruptly and went back to wiping the counter.
"Hey Mr. Hutchins!" Bobby turned to see Dana standing behind him. She had this look in her eyes like she was going to do something to him… He took a large gulp of the buttermilk he'd been drinking nervously.
"I was wondering if maybe we could go somewhere to talk."
"Uhm …uh…" Dana laughed at his nervousness.
"Mr. Hutchins, you are so funny! I just wanted to talk to you and your friends. Lezley would be coming too but she's busy so she asked if I'd take care of it. Of course, I said yes. "
Bobby was a bit concerned; he knew that if this was a trap he was stepping right into it. She had too conveniently gotten rid of this…Lezley. That is, saying she even wanted to talk to them at all. But, he figured that if it 'was' a trap at least it would put him that much closer to catchin' the killer. So, taking another big gulp of his buttermilk, he decided to go for it. The only thing was he had to convince Fawkes, and the keep to go along.
"I think we could arrange that my friend."
Bobby and Dana walked along the long corridor to his compartment. He watched Dana closely while she carried a tray of drinks as she walked. She looked at him as though she knew exactly who he was and could see right past his rough exterior. He was way suspicious of this dame.
As Bobby slowly walked along the corridor with the aid of those infernal crutches, he watched as Dana waited patiently by his compartment holding a tray of drinks. She looked so much like Claire, or at least he fantasized that she did, in actuality Dana was thinner and was much harder looking than Claire. She lacked the gentleness that seemed so natural with Claire. Yet, there was something about this woman an almost unmistakable beauty not to be overlooked. But, under that there was something about her that made a chill run up Bobby's spine every time he looked at her. That made her even more intriguing to Bobby.
"Any day now." Dana commented more under her breath than anything did. It was just loud enough for only her to hear while tapping her conservative fingernails on her forearm.
Claire, having heard someone outside the door, went to see who it was and was met by Dana with Bobby coming up behind. Dana entered first, followed by Bobby. Bobby introduced Dana to Claire. Then looking over Claire's shoulder and into the compartment he threw down his crutches and ignoring his leg ran over and threw his arms around a very awake Darien.
"Fox! You're awake my friend! He's alright Claire…I mean… you know what I mean keep."
"Yes Robert I do, and yes he's fine he just had a mild concussion. Luckily, he didn't injure himself again. In fact, he will probably be able to get rid of that wheelchair before our next stop in three days."
Bobby smiled wryly at that.
"Yeah 'CAITLIN'S' right, I'm okay. I couldn't sleep and by the time I decided to go to bed this morning I was just too tired to get there. So to make a long story short, I hit my head on my frickin' bunk when I decided to make it there, on those damn crutches over there and halfway there they decided to leave without me."
Bobby just stood there shaking his head. He'd long forgotten about his injured ankle. "Is that all? I was thinkin'…never mind what I was thinkn' my friend. You just remember not to ever do it again!"
As Bobby finished, Darien motioned to the woman waiting rather impatiently behind Bobby.
"Oh, oh yeah this is Dana Harper my friend." Bobby stated pulling her to the center of the room and seating her in an uncomfortable looking chair next to the window.
"As Mr. Hutchins said I'm Dana Harper."
"Yeah, uhm… Miss Harper here wanted to talk to us about somethin', my friend." Bobby looked at his partner wryly as he got ready to ask a question and stopped him abruptly. "No Fox, she didn't tell me why. How about we just listen to the lady my friend and see what she has to say." With that, Bobby shot him a knowing look. The kind that said I know this lady's no good and this is probably a set up for a trap, but listen to her anyway kinda look.
Darien nodded in recognition. "Whatever man, but what I was about to say was that I was glad to meet Miss Harper over here. Sorry to rain on your parade, but that's all I was gonna say."
Bobby shrugged his shoulders and took up residence against the door. Leaning against the door, he relaxed with his arms folded against his chest and motioned for the lady to begin.
"Thank you Mr. Hutchins, and Mr. Drake I too am glad to meet you." She nodded and sat forward to get at the reason she was there.
"Now for the reason I asked Mr. Hutchins to speak to you. I know that you are from the agency." She put a hand up to stop them from any protests or questions.
My agency, which shall remain unnamed, has been working with the agency on this case for some years now. Your Official was a bit put off about enlisting you this year it seems.
You see my so-called partner and I were supposed to meet up with his agents last year. They were a couple of no-name mooks that shouldn't have even been here anyway. They were supposed to check out a guy that had been sneaking out messages to some unknown source. However, instead, my so-called partner decided to check some things out for himself and was out talking to the wrong guy. Well, they ended up walking in on an ambush. When he found out he tried to get there before things got too hairy. But, he was too late. The two agents, and the guy he thought was the dude were already dead. So anyway, the official said he wanted you to be in control of things. Which by the way I don't like, but my boss says you're in charge. I don't know why, he just says you have some type of secret weapon that could possibly help to break the case. He says its top secret and 'don't ask'.
Me, however I want to know, but I can wait. Oh, and Miss Lezley, my new partner, she's a tough ass, but she's good."
After this long commentary, Bobby was practically asleep against the door. Claire even thought she heard him snoring a few times. Once Dana had finished, Claire pulled Bobby away from the door. He almost lost his balance and was a bit startled, but recovered without much notice that anything had happened at all.
"Actually, Miss Harper your boss Misterrr…?"
Dana shook her head. "Nope, sorry that is totally out of the question lady."
Claire was taken aback a bit by her frankness. Besides, if she wanted them to share why wouldn't she share?
"Well then, I guess if you don't share we don't either. But I will say your boss is precisely right we do have a highly top secret weapon. And yes, it may well help to break the case. However, we may need your help, we need all of the information you can give us on the case."
"Yeah, what keepy here said my friend." Bobby said as he finally tried to get into the conversation.
"Alright, I don't like the idea of not knowing what your so-called weapon is, but like I said I can wait. I have everything I have about this case on disk. I'll have to get it for ya. You stay here, enjoy your drinks and I'll go get it and be back here in say… twenty minutes?"
"Miss Harper!"
She turned just before she opened the door. "Yes?"
"I was just wondering what happened to your partner?"
"He works for the agency now, oh and I married him if you believe that?" She said as she walked out the door.
They all just sat in utter silence for what seemed like hours the lady was up-front at least. After a few minutes, Bobby explained all that Ralph had told him which he figured it was more than little miss congeniality would bring them. He knew that she lead him there, but she was still no good. There was just something…
The three sat waiting and discussing strategies. Darien told them what he found, which was virtually nothing. Bobby and Claire decided that they would tail this Kenny guy. Darien was going to recuperate and do the QS thing in a few days when he was at least up and walking again.
…TBC