The Chief came down off his perch and entered the ring. Dylan was
distracted by Mitchum's voice in her ear, "Find out what the job is then
get back to base. Understand?"
Dylan didn't answer there wasn't time as she was surrounded by a crowd of
the Chief's associates congratulating her. Suddenly a slender arm snaked
around her waist, it was the Chief. He had one arm around her and the other
around Anthony. "You two are fabulous, absolutely fabulous! Come, come I'll
take you to the safe house."
The Thin Man arched and eye brow but Dylan vocalized the question, "What? I thought I could sleep in my own bed after this."
"I am not endangering my two best assets. You two made a lot of people very angry tonight. If you thought my men last night were tough..well let's just say you don't want to wake up with 'The Bear' hugging you. Come."
They exited the building and got into the back a black stretch limousine that awaited them outside. In the van Mitchum jumped to life, "There they are follow the limo." Daniels rubbed his eyes, turned on the ignition and traveled a safe distance from the luxury car. "I didn't think this would get so complicated," sighed Mitchum. "Our guy didn't win. The angel is in there and I have a bad feeling about this."
Daniels flicked on the windshield wipers, as it started raining. "She seems to be good at what she does. I think she'll be okay."
"If she isn't you won't have to have to deal with Charles Townsend. He considers the girls he calls Angels his daughters. Would you like it if I convinced you to send your daughter into that.that snake pit?"
"No, I guess not but I still think she will make it and get what we want."
"You like her."
"I do not"
*-*-*-*-*
In the limo the Chief offered his winners champagne. Both Anthony and Dylan declined. "Ah you fighters, always thinking about your bodies, and what nice ones they are," he said eyeing Anthony. Anthony glared at the small man seated across from him and pulled out a cigarette. "Ick! I have to ask you to refrain from that nasty habit while you are in the car." The Thin Man placed the cigarette back in the silver case. "It looks like Lucrezia is tired."
Anthony glanced at the young woman next to him. Her head was thrown back and a snore escaped from her throat. "Can you please shift her so she isn't making that disturbing noise? We have quite a way to go to get to my home." Anthony tried leaning her against the door but it didn't work and soon she had snuggled herself up against his chest with his arm around her. He felt the black wig against the underside of his chin, it was obviously expensive made from real hair, but it was nothing like her own; the texture was coarser and it didn't have that smell that was uniquely Dylan. He reached into his pocket and pulled out some golden red strands, the same ones he had taken on the rooftop and ran it under his nose and down the side of his neck. Even though the strands were taken a year ago they were more the young woman next to him than the black wig she wore.
"I heard about your fetish but to see it in reality, it's kind of creepy. Do you really rip it from the heads of your victims?"
Anthony looked at the woman in his arms and nodded. "Why don't you take hers then?" He shook his head 'no'. "Isn't that sweet you don't want to wake her. Could it be that you LIKE her?" He would have gladly taken some but to do so would remove her wig and while he didn't need her ruining the job for him he was curious as to what she knew. He couldn't find that out if he blew her cover so he glared at the Chief with his icy eyes. "Okay Okay," said the Chief, "Put that look away, you could hurt someone with it."
They drove until sunrise then the car pulled into a long drive way of a large white house with columns supporting the front porch. As the car came to a stop Dylan awoke. She couldn't remember where she was or who she was with, and found herself feeling worse than she had in ages. She ached allover from the fights the night before. She imagined she looked frightening too. She sat up and looked and saw she had been sleeping curled up her head resting in Anthony's lap. A warm blush crossed her cheeks. Anthony stirred and sat up straight. He looked at the angel looking at him and felt uncomfortable. He awkwardly reached over towards her. She flinched thinking he was going to pull her hair but instead he straightened the wig she forgot she was wearing. "Thanks," she mouthed to him silently.
The driver exited the vehicle and opened the back door, the bright morning sun streaming in caused Dylan and Anthony to shield their eyes. "Chief, Sir," the driver said leaning into the car gently rousing his boss. The Chief then woke, "Oh we are here? Very well, bedtime. Jorge," he said addressing the driver, "take the lady and gentleman up to the rooms." Then he turned to his guests, "Give your clothes to the maid. She will see that they get cleaned up. Until then there are robes in the bathrooms. I won't be with you again until later this evening. Meanwhile make yourselves at home." With that he walked off to his own room and left them with the driver in a house which was every bit as flamboyant as its owner.
Jorge took the two guests upstairs and gave them adjoining rooms. Dylan's was done in shades of red and gold, "Looks like a whorehouse," she said plopping down on the bed. With her tongue she tried to activate the microphone. "Mitchum? Daniels," she asked but there was no answer. Dylan only hoped that they knew where she was. She got undressed, removed her wig and turned on the shower. She sighed as the hot water pummeled her body easing her aching muscles. She noticed rainbow colored bruises forming on her abdomen where 'the bear' had squeezed her and a large purple botch where Anthony's cane had smacked across her thigh. "All in a days work," she thought as she shut the water off and carefully dried herself not to cause more pain then she had to. There was a knock at the door. Thinking it was the maid she wrapped her red hair up in a fluffy white towel, gathered her clothes in her arms and answered it.
*-*-*-*-*-*
Mitchum smacked his hand against the dashboard. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it," he yelled in frustration. "I can't believe we lost them. How the hell did that happen? Can you tell me Daniels? Can you because I'm going to have to tell Charlie that his Angel is missing."
Daniels cringed at every "Damn it" that Mitchum yelled. He had followed the limo cautiously but some how it had vanished from their sight seventy five miles north of the Los Angeles City limits.
"Do we still have radio contact with her," asked Mitchum.
Daniels climbed into the back of the van and played with the equipment, "Nope nothing. Even the tracking device we planted on her is dead."
"Can we tell where it cut out?"
"Looks like the exact same place we lost sight of them. Sorry."
Mitchum smacked the dash again, "Damn it! Okay turn around lets head back to LA and break the news to Charlie and Matthews. She is going to be even less happy about this than Townsend is."
Daniels got back into the drivers seat and made a three point turn to head back to LA. He too was concerned about the Angel but not as concerned as he was about making Matthews happy. He smirked inwardly knowing how happy she would be now that Dylan Sanders was gone.
*-*-*-*-*
The angels arrived at the agency on time with Bosley in tow. They urgently wanted to speak with Charlie. The idea that they had sent Dylan on a separate mission and didn't tell them about it bothered them. It wasn't like Charlie. Alex and Natalie sat down on the couch and Bosley answered the ringing phone.
"Good Morning, Angels," said Charlie's cheerful voice.
The two young women looked at each other and said "Good Morning Charlie," but it wasn't their usual perky in synch reply.
"Is something wrong," their boss asked.
"Why didn't you tell us Charlie," said Natalie.
"She is our best friend we had the right to know," said Alex angrily. "Bosley," said Charlie, "I am assuming that they know?"
"Yeah thanks to my big mouth, I'm really sorry Charlie," said Bosley looking at his feet.
"Before you get mad at Bosley it wasn't his fault. Max told us and we were investigating her disappearance anyway," said Natalie coming to their friend's defense.
"I'm not mad at Bosley just disappointed, not only in Bosley but you two as well," lectured their boss as there was a knock at the door. "Bosley can you get that," asked Charlie.
Bosley went and opened the door. Standing there were two men and a woman wearing suits; Mitchum, Daniels and Matthews. "Can we come in," asked Mitchum showing his badge with a flick of his wrist. Bosley stepped aside and let the three visitors in. Mitchum led the way into the main office.
"Who is it Bos," asked Alex turning to see the three agent standing there.
"Charlie, its Mitchum," said the lead agent.
"Agent Mitchum, what are you doing here," asked Charlie confusion present in his voice.
"We are here because we need more help. We lost the Chief and we lost Dylan," he said without hesitation.
"How did that happen," snapped Alex.
"Miss Munday," said Agent Matthews, "Please calm down." Alex shot the woman a burning look with her eyes.
"Explain what happened," said Charlie.
Mitchum rubbed his weary, stubbled face. "Everything was fine. She was doing great, she managed to win and get into the Chief's gang. Last thing we heard was the Chief congratulating her and the other winner. They got into the Chief's limo and we followed them. Somehow despite the empty roads and the tracking device on Dylan we lost them."
"Who was the other winner," inquired Natalie.
"We don't know. We thought we had all the competitors but this guy showed up," said Daniels.
"Can you describe him," asked Alex adjusting her position on the couch so she could have a better view of the FBI agents.
"Tall Man, thin, drove a black BMW z-4. It had plates but when we ran them the plate number wasn't registered. He dressed well and carried a cane." Alex and Natalie exchanged looks. "It can't be. Could it?" said Natalie.
"We saw him fall off the roof. Seamus O'Grady landed on top of him. He couldn't have survived."
"Who are we talking about," asked Matthews jumping into the conversation.
"The Creepy Thin Man," said Alex to the woman as though she had missed the conversation entirely.
"Okay," said Mitchum, "I give who the hell is the 'Creepy Thin Man'."
Between the two of them Natalie and Alex gave the agents a bit of their history with the Creepy Thin Man starting at Corwin's party until the fight on the rooftop where they had assumed that the man had met his demise. "God this is worse than I thought. This guy could blow her cover. She saw him last night before she went into the warehouse and didn't say anything. What the hell was she thinking," exclaimed Mitchum pacing the floor.
Once again Natalie and Alex exchanged looks and this time Matthews caught it. "Okay you two spill it."
"They have sort of a thing," said Natalie not quite sure how to explain Dylan and the Thin Man's relationship, if that is what it could be called to the FBI:
"A thing," asked Matthews contemptuously, "What sort of 'thing'?"
"Creepy Thin Man has a hair fetish. He seems very fond of Dylan's hair in particular," said Alex. "And he did save her from O'Grady."
"And they kissed," added Natalie, "but only once and it was before he fell off the roof and died."
"Presumably died," corrected Alex.
Again Charlie's voice emerged from the speaker. "The question is will he save her again if it comes down to that and will Dylan be able to take care of herself. I think the answer to the second question is a yes but as for the first who knows."
"These men who tried out for the job were professional killers, Mr. Townsend," said Daniels, "He like the other contestants, went to the competition for the money that the job will bring. Even though Dylan is a pretty girl I doubt this guy will trade that amount of cash for her. Seeing that we must have been spotted in order for them to lose us we need to act as though Dylan has been compromised and assume that this Creepy Thin Man was responsible."
"We should be trying to find out where they are and get her back if these people are as dangerous as you say," said Alex.
"First we need to locate them," said Mitchum as they all missed the look that passed between Matthews and Daniels.
The Thin Man arched and eye brow but Dylan vocalized the question, "What? I thought I could sleep in my own bed after this."
"I am not endangering my two best assets. You two made a lot of people very angry tonight. If you thought my men last night were tough..well let's just say you don't want to wake up with 'The Bear' hugging you. Come."
They exited the building and got into the back a black stretch limousine that awaited them outside. In the van Mitchum jumped to life, "There they are follow the limo." Daniels rubbed his eyes, turned on the ignition and traveled a safe distance from the luxury car. "I didn't think this would get so complicated," sighed Mitchum. "Our guy didn't win. The angel is in there and I have a bad feeling about this."
Daniels flicked on the windshield wipers, as it started raining. "She seems to be good at what she does. I think she'll be okay."
"If she isn't you won't have to have to deal with Charles Townsend. He considers the girls he calls Angels his daughters. Would you like it if I convinced you to send your daughter into that.that snake pit?"
"No, I guess not but I still think she will make it and get what we want."
"You like her."
"I do not"
*-*-*-*-*
In the limo the Chief offered his winners champagne. Both Anthony and Dylan declined. "Ah you fighters, always thinking about your bodies, and what nice ones they are," he said eyeing Anthony. Anthony glared at the small man seated across from him and pulled out a cigarette. "Ick! I have to ask you to refrain from that nasty habit while you are in the car." The Thin Man placed the cigarette back in the silver case. "It looks like Lucrezia is tired."
Anthony glanced at the young woman next to him. Her head was thrown back and a snore escaped from her throat. "Can you please shift her so she isn't making that disturbing noise? We have quite a way to go to get to my home." Anthony tried leaning her against the door but it didn't work and soon she had snuggled herself up against his chest with his arm around her. He felt the black wig against the underside of his chin, it was obviously expensive made from real hair, but it was nothing like her own; the texture was coarser and it didn't have that smell that was uniquely Dylan. He reached into his pocket and pulled out some golden red strands, the same ones he had taken on the rooftop and ran it under his nose and down the side of his neck. Even though the strands were taken a year ago they were more the young woman next to him than the black wig she wore.
"I heard about your fetish but to see it in reality, it's kind of creepy. Do you really rip it from the heads of your victims?"
Anthony looked at the woman in his arms and nodded. "Why don't you take hers then?" He shook his head 'no'. "Isn't that sweet you don't want to wake her. Could it be that you LIKE her?" He would have gladly taken some but to do so would remove her wig and while he didn't need her ruining the job for him he was curious as to what she knew. He couldn't find that out if he blew her cover so he glared at the Chief with his icy eyes. "Okay Okay," said the Chief, "Put that look away, you could hurt someone with it."
They drove until sunrise then the car pulled into a long drive way of a large white house with columns supporting the front porch. As the car came to a stop Dylan awoke. She couldn't remember where she was or who she was with, and found herself feeling worse than she had in ages. She ached allover from the fights the night before. She imagined she looked frightening too. She sat up and looked and saw she had been sleeping curled up her head resting in Anthony's lap. A warm blush crossed her cheeks. Anthony stirred and sat up straight. He looked at the angel looking at him and felt uncomfortable. He awkwardly reached over towards her. She flinched thinking he was going to pull her hair but instead he straightened the wig she forgot she was wearing. "Thanks," she mouthed to him silently.
The driver exited the vehicle and opened the back door, the bright morning sun streaming in caused Dylan and Anthony to shield their eyes. "Chief, Sir," the driver said leaning into the car gently rousing his boss. The Chief then woke, "Oh we are here? Very well, bedtime. Jorge," he said addressing the driver, "take the lady and gentleman up to the rooms." Then he turned to his guests, "Give your clothes to the maid. She will see that they get cleaned up. Until then there are robes in the bathrooms. I won't be with you again until later this evening. Meanwhile make yourselves at home." With that he walked off to his own room and left them with the driver in a house which was every bit as flamboyant as its owner.
Jorge took the two guests upstairs and gave them adjoining rooms. Dylan's was done in shades of red and gold, "Looks like a whorehouse," she said plopping down on the bed. With her tongue she tried to activate the microphone. "Mitchum? Daniels," she asked but there was no answer. Dylan only hoped that they knew where she was. She got undressed, removed her wig and turned on the shower. She sighed as the hot water pummeled her body easing her aching muscles. She noticed rainbow colored bruises forming on her abdomen where 'the bear' had squeezed her and a large purple botch where Anthony's cane had smacked across her thigh. "All in a days work," she thought as she shut the water off and carefully dried herself not to cause more pain then she had to. There was a knock at the door. Thinking it was the maid she wrapped her red hair up in a fluffy white towel, gathered her clothes in her arms and answered it.
*-*-*-*-*-*
Mitchum smacked his hand against the dashboard. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it," he yelled in frustration. "I can't believe we lost them. How the hell did that happen? Can you tell me Daniels? Can you because I'm going to have to tell Charlie that his Angel is missing."
Daniels cringed at every "Damn it" that Mitchum yelled. He had followed the limo cautiously but some how it had vanished from their sight seventy five miles north of the Los Angeles City limits.
"Do we still have radio contact with her," asked Mitchum.
Daniels climbed into the back of the van and played with the equipment, "Nope nothing. Even the tracking device we planted on her is dead."
"Can we tell where it cut out?"
"Looks like the exact same place we lost sight of them. Sorry."
Mitchum smacked the dash again, "Damn it! Okay turn around lets head back to LA and break the news to Charlie and Matthews. She is going to be even less happy about this than Townsend is."
Daniels got back into the drivers seat and made a three point turn to head back to LA. He too was concerned about the Angel but not as concerned as he was about making Matthews happy. He smirked inwardly knowing how happy she would be now that Dylan Sanders was gone.
*-*-*-*-*
The angels arrived at the agency on time with Bosley in tow. They urgently wanted to speak with Charlie. The idea that they had sent Dylan on a separate mission and didn't tell them about it bothered them. It wasn't like Charlie. Alex and Natalie sat down on the couch and Bosley answered the ringing phone.
"Good Morning, Angels," said Charlie's cheerful voice.
The two young women looked at each other and said "Good Morning Charlie," but it wasn't their usual perky in synch reply.
"Is something wrong," their boss asked.
"Why didn't you tell us Charlie," said Natalie.
"She is our best friend we had the right to know," said Alex angrily. "Bosley," said Charlie, "I am assuming that they know?"
"Yeah thanks to my big mouth, I'm really sorry Charlie," said Bosley looking at his feet.
"Before you get mad at Bosley it wasn't his fault. Max told us and we were investigating her disappearance anyway," said Natalie coming to their friend's defense.
"I'm not mad at Bosley just disappointed, not only in Bosley but you two as well," lectured their boss as there was a knock at the door. "Bosley can you get that," asked Charlie.
Bosley went and opened the door. Standing there were two men and a woman wearing suits; Mitchum, Daniels and Matthews. "Can we come in," asked Mitchum showing his badge with a flick of his wrist. Bosley stepped aside and let the three visitors in. Mitchum led the way into the main office.
"Who is it Bos," asked Alex turning to see the three agent standing there.
"Charlie, its Mitchum," said the lead agent.
"Agent Mitchum, what are you doing here," asked Charlie confusion present in his voice.
"We are here because we need more help. We lost the Chief and we lost Dylan," he said without hesitation.
"How did that happen," snapped Alex.
"Miss Munday," said Agent Matthews, "Please calm down." Alex shot the woman a burning look with her eyes.
"Explain what happened," said Charlie.
Mitchum rubbed his weary, stubbled face. "Everything was fine. She was doing great, she managed to win and get into the Chief's gang. Last thing we heard was the Chief congratulating her and the other winner. They got into the Chief's limo and we followed them. Somehow despite the empty roads and the tracking device on Dylan we lost them."
"Who was the other winner," inquired Natalie.
"We don't know. We thought we had all the competitors but this guy showed up," said Daniels.
"Can you describe him," asked Alex adjusting her position on the couch so she could have a better view of the FBI agents.
"Tall Man, thin, drove a black BMW z-4. It had plates but when we ran them the plate number wasn't registered. He dressed well and carried a cane." Alex and Natalie exchanged looks. "It can't be. Could it?" said Natalie.
"We saw him fall off the roof. Seamus O'Grady landed on top of him. He couldn't have survived."
"Who are we talking about," asked Matthews jumping into the conversation.
"The Creepy Thin Man," said Alex to the woman as though she had missed the conversation entirely.
"Okay," said Mitchum, "I give who the hell is the 'Creepy Thin Man'."
Between the two of them Natalie and Alex gave the agents a bit of their history with the Creepy Thin Man starting at Corwin's party until the fight on the rooftop where they had assumed that the man had met his demise. "God this is worse than I thought. This guy could blow her cover. She saw him last night before she went into the warehouse and didn't say anything. What the hell was she thinking," exclaimed Mitchum pacing the floor.
Once again Natalie and Alex exchanged looks and this time Matthews caught it. "Okay you two spill it."
"They have sort of a thing," said Natalie not quite sure how to explain Dylan and the Thin Man's relationship, if that is what it could be called to the FBI:
"A thing," asked Matthews contemptuously, "What sort of 'thing'?"
"Creepy Thin Man has a hair fetish. He seems very fond of Dylan's hair in particular," said Alex. "And he did save her from O'Grady."
"And they kissed," added Natalie, "but only once and it was before he fell off the roof and died."
"Presumably died," corrected Alex.
Again Charlie's voice emerged from the speaker. "The question is will he save her again if it comes down to that and will Dylan be able to take care of herself. I think the answer to the second question is a yes but as for the first who knows."
"These men who tried out for the job were professional killers, Mr. Townsend," said Daniels, "He like the other contestants, went to the competition for the money that the job will bring. Even though Dylan is a pretty girl I doubt this guy will trade that amount of cash for her. Seeing that we must have been spotted in order for them to lose us we need to act as though Dylan has been compromised and assume that this Creepy Thin Man was responsible."
"We should be trying to find out where they are and get her back if these people are as dangerous as you say," said Alex.
"First we need to locate them," said Mitchum as they all missed the look that passed between Matthews and Daniels.