"You must be Vaughn and Bristow."
"Yes, yes we are." Vaughn replied, extending his hand out to the four other agents, standing outside in the balmy Greek air. Sydney and Vaughn had been whisked off the private plane to the undisclosed location where Lauren, Jonathan, and Cole were being held.
The other agent warmed up immediately. "It is nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about both of you." He smiled at Vaughn and then at Sydney. "The blonde one has been screaming about you for a long while now. She's getting on my nerves. I heard the story and I just wanted to say, for the record, I'm sorry, man." He extended his hand to which Vaughn took willingly. The black hair man smiled again and tipped his head back to the large black van. "I'm David Rivers, on assignment from Langley. The three others," he motioned with his hand towards the other agents, "are from Odessa. They flew over with the detainees."
Vaughn looked around at his surroundings. It was a nice enough area. They were hidden by a large building and were set in the shadows. No one would ever realize what was going on. The sweat was starting to drip down his back, soaking his black t-shirt. His green eyes shot over to Sydney. She was standing a few yards away from him, going over specifics with the Ukrainian agents. Every once and a while, he could hear her perfectly accented voice answer, "Da....da...neit..." She crossed her hands over her chest protectively, over her black shirt. Her hair was tucked neatly underneath a baseball cap. Her eyes were no longer puffy from the buckets of tears she had cried. They were clear and piercing, as she stood stark against the bright blue sky. With just a touch of concealer, she looked like she always did. Only he could tell that there was something wrong beneath the tough exterior.
Now, he was in a unique position. Why he ever returned to the CIA was still beyond him. He was never sure why he did but he did. It wasn't until that particular moment in his life that he realized he hated it so much. Sure, there had been those thoughts that she was almost sure that he hated his life but nothing like this. He was sure that this life was the worst possible life to lead. He had met the love of his life and lost her. Then, he met another woman that he thought he loved but it turns out, it was all a ploy. And it was all because of the agency. The agency was going to be the death of him. He had faced death numerous times and it was all because of this agency. He had pledged his allegiances to that blasted place. This place caused her so much pain and put his life on the line. It was the agency-his agency, which caused Sydney so much pain.
He shook his head back and forth to rid himself of these horrible thoughts. This was a job, the job that his father had died for. Everything he did was had a purpose and regardless of the outcome, he worked to make sure that the world was just a little bit safer. Forcing himself to think rationally, he unwittingly took on the superhero complex. No, he wasn't going to don tights and a cape but he was going to work to make sure the job was accomplished at the end of the day. After all, it was all for the agency.
His hands reached forward and gripped the handle. Applying pressure, he heard the click and he brought a quick inhalation into his lungs. Slowly, he opened the back of the van to find the three spies bound. "Hello." He hissed, his icy tone catching Lauren's attention.
Her head whipped towards the door. "Oh thank G-d! Michael." She tried to smile but saw the hate in his face. "Michael, this is all a mistake." Her large eyes pouted towards him, while Jonathan kept a straight face with Cole rolling his eyes every once and a while.
"No, it's not." Vaughn smirked. He removed his sunglasses and starred at her. He looked around the small van and then back at his unfaithful wife. "No, everything's right."
"Michael." She pleaded. She was heavily schooled in the art of seduction. Whatever it took to get the man to fall for her in the end.
"Stop, Lauren. It's not worth it. I hate you just as much now as when I found out you were sleeping with Jonathan." His attention quickly caught to Jonathan, sitting across the way. "Mister Ross. This is rather convenient, isn't it? I mean, the two of you are both NSC moles working for the Covenant and look, now you're even being held together! This is just a regular laugh riot. Oh and when you were ordered to get rid of me and Sydney...I never saw that one coming." He smiled smugly, glancing back and forth between the three agents. The detainees remained in silence as they took this mental beating from him. "This is the way it's going to work. One by one, you are going to be brought into an interrogation room. You will be interrogated and returned here." An entirely out of character Vaughn, turned back to the agents. "I want them inside." He turned towards Lauren once more, "We need to talk, Ms. Reed
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Madison finished her glass of wine and placed it down on the wooden and glass coffee table. The condensation from the glass trickled off the cool crystal class and fell effortlessly onto the table. Her hands were moist from it but she found herself not caring. The deep red swirled around in the glass, reflecting the tiny apartment in its acidic glory. Her dark eyes registered the nearly empty bottle of wine. Not thinking clearly, she grabbed her cell phone and dialed a number she had sworn she was never going to. Licking her lips, she held the phone up to her ear.
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The tiny girl had fallen asleep a while go in his arms but something in him refused to set her down. She had worn him out completely. Never could he have imagined how utterly exhausting a little girl could be. She was up at the crack of dawn, laughing and crying. Her energy never ceased, running everywhere-trying to get into everything. She would yell inarticulate words at the top of her lungs. He had to keep a constant eye on her, keeping his breath tight in his chest as she moved about their confined quarters.
Up and down, he paced exhausted across his hotel room floor, elegantly dressed in white and ivory fabrics. His blue eyes were tired and he didn't realize how tired he was. She was truly exhausting. Getting her dressed was an event. He would stand for nothing less than the finest for either of them. He had sent a couple of agents, certainly not his finest, to go and get new clothes for the princess. His body was no longer confined to a business suit. Instead, he wore a loosely fitting linen outfit. His angel was dressed in a white cotton dress, the humidity filtering off her light haired brown. "Hush little baby...don't say a word...daddy's gonna buy you a mockingbird..." His soft British accent made the stirring baby coo softly. "What a beautiful girl."
A low vibrating noise interrupted his lullaby. Adjusting her weight in his arms, he reached around to his back pocket and answered absently, "Hello?"
"Julian." Madison's shaky voice came slowly.
He almost dropped his precious baby on the floor but he wouldn't let her know how much she shook him. "Madison. What an unexpected surprise." He cleared his throat silently as he moved closer towards the bed. He leaned over and passed the girl from his arms down to the suede blue and gold sheets. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?"
He could hear the emotions shift around in her voice, "I want you to release Agent Kilmer and Layla."
"And why would I do something like that? Maddie, with all due respect, they are my captives. I don't think it's a good idea for you to be making the demands." He eased himself down on the bed, next to his daughter, stroking her hair lovingly.
"I want you to take me instead. Let them go and you'll get me."
Sark had to suppress a low laugh. "I know that you love your daughter and all but I think you need to lay off of the fairy tales. Wake up, Sleeping Beauty. You won't find your happily ever after here."
"It's from Beauty and the Beast." Madison corrected softly, "It's her favorite."
Sark opened his mouth to say something but promptly decided against it, "You love our daughter, don't you? Even after all we've done and all we've gone through, you still love her. You didn't give her up for adoption or anything rash. Why?"
Silence filled both rooms and Madison, in her desolate corner of the world, fought to maintain her sanity. There were so many answers that she wanted to respond with but could think of nothing but the truth. The truth, however, could get her killed. "Why? Because she's my daughter. She is my flesh and blood. I carried her and I fully intend on raising her until the day I die."
"So then why are you willing to relinquish that right and send her to live with a man who is not her father?" Sark questioned.
"For all intents and purposes, Robbie is Layla's father. He has been there every step of the way-"
"Except conception." Sark inserted smugly. "She's from my-"
"I would rather Layla be raised by Kilmer. He's a good man and he knows what's right. He'll keep her safe." She paused as she took in a shaky breath, "Please, take me. Torture me. Do whatever you want to me. Just let my baby go."
Sark looked down at his sleeping daughter and then closed his eyes, covering them with the palm of his hand. He was obviously torn by this situation. There was a part of him that still loved her and would do anything to see her happy. However, there was also another part of him that was an international businessman who made his buck by...well, taking part in activities. He sighed heavily. "Done. I'll send you the intel about where I'll take you." He hung up the phone and slid off the bed, kneeling before his daughter. His hands reached out to either side of her but refused to touch her. New emotions swept through him. "I lost you once, Layla. I won't have it again."
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"I don't think we should make the exchange." Agent Rivers spoke up as he mixed his third cup of coffee. The agents had relocated to the safe house, the detainees being held in a maximum security holding area. It was a damp little place, with two bedrooms, an overly small and dirty bathroom, and a small kitchenette with a living room taking up the remainder of the space. It was only the three agents staying there. The others would take their refuge, keeping an eye on the detainees, as they were now being referred to.
Sydney looked up from her own white mug and starred at him with wide brown eyes, "I'm sorry. What did you just say?" Her lips pressed into a thin line and as she brought the mug down from her hands to the table, her arms flexed in the most intimating fashion. Her whole body was more alert than it had been in a while.
His blue eyes shot her a knowing look. Back at Langley, he wasn't exactly adored. He was known for his detached attitude. He was the poster boy for emotional non-attachment. So, he continued through his career, not giving a damn about another human being. It was this attitude that got him to where he was. He was allowed to go on these special assignments that men twice his age and doubled him in experience often went on. His cold attitude was obviously seeping into this mission, "Agent Bristow, I believe that you heard me. I think it would be a bad idea for both the girl and Agent Kilmer for us to make the exchange. The Covenant is known for going back on their word. Why would now be any different?"
Sydney looked down at her coffee and then at Rivers, sizing him up for good measure. There was nothing stopping her from completely leveling him right now. One blow to the head or neck. That's all it would take to get his gasping for air. She cleared her throat and tried to get a grip on her emotions. "Because now there's the baby involved. It's Sark's daughter that he's holding capture."
River's eyes got intensely wide on the last piece of information, "The girl is Sark's daughter? I thought that the girl was Kilmer and um..." he started to tap his fingertips on the cheap wood table, "Parker's."
"Perkins." Sydney corrected firmly, not liking the vibe she was getting from this agent. Her eyes scanned over him. Now she wanted to level him. Honest to G-d, she wanted to go for his jugular. His build and stature reminded her of Will and for that, she had to repress her emotions and maybe even a smile. She had received a letter from him before she had gone to the hell of a mission. He was doing well or so he claimed.
"Whatever." Rivers shrugged it off as if it was nothing. "I still don't think that going doing the exchange is in the best interest of any of them." He took the coffee mug in his hand and took a slow sip but made a face. "Coffee's cold."
Vaughn finally looked towards the younger agent and sneered, "It's not 'whatever,' Agent Rivers." He leaned forward on the unsteady table with his forearms. "And you better start coming up with a better reason than 'I think.' You have thirty seconds."
Sydney turned towards him and inconspicuously placed her hand on his elbow, "Vaughn." Her voice was low and smooth. She was about to say more but a crisp vibrating on her hip warned her against it. It was her cell phone, clipped cautiously to her belt, "Bristow." She answered as she flipped it open and pressed it against her check, not bothering to remove to her hand from Vaughn's arm.
"I want you to call off the exchange." Madison's voice came in loud and crisp. Her voice was devoid of any emotion with the exception of a business professional tone. "I want you to call it off and call it off now."
Sydney looked at Rivers accusingly, "What? Madison, why?" She forced her jaw to move. Her body was in a state of shock. She had not anticipated this.
"I'm got a hold of Sark and I'm going to exchange myself for Layla and Kilmer." Moreover, before Sydney even had a chance to protest this idea, she heard a distinct click. Her eyes grew wider than they ever had before as she snapped her phone shut. "That was Madison."
"And?" Vaughn asked.
"She's going to exchange herself for Layla and Kilmer."
Vaughn looked at her and back at Rivers, "We have to stop her. If she does the exchange, we may lose both of them-for good."
Rivers got to his feet and started to pace back and forth against the grain of the wood floor. The mug of coffee was still kept in his hand, working as a security blanket. "We need to get a hold of Washington and have them work out a plan."
Sydney shook her head, "I want to get the LA office on a secure line, now. You'll get introduced to my father and Director Dixon. They've been following this case and they have seniority over it. Get them in on it."
Rivers turned towards Sydney, stopping near her feet, "Sydney, you know that Langley's better suited."
"Director Dixon is working this case." She replied, her tone getting firmer. "This isn't an option anymore." She got to her feet and looked Rivers dead in the eye, "I'm sorry, Agent Rivers, but I'm a senior agent. I decide what we do and where we go from here. It is my call or it is Agent Vaughn's call. You will call me 'Agent Bristow' or 'ma'am.' I do not enjoy pulling rank, Agent Rivers, but you're going to have to deal with this. Is that understood?" Rivers refused to look at her, concentrating hard on the floor, "Is that understood?!"
"Yes, Agent Bristow." Rivers replied before moving slowly out of the room, not making eye contact with either agent on his way out.
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Hope you enjoyed and don't worry...there's some fluff up ahead! Thank you, by the way, for the wonderful suggestions!
"Yes, yes we are." Vaughn replied, extending his hand out to the four other agents, standing outside in the balmy Greek air. Sydney and Vaughn had been whisked off the private plane to the undisclosed location where Lauren, Jonathan, and Cole were being held.
The other agent warmed up immediately. "It is nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about both of you." He smiled at Vaughn and then at Sydney. "The blonde one has been screaming about you for a long while now. She's getting on my nerves. I heard the story and I just wanted to say, for the record, I'm sorry, man." He extended his hand to which Vaughn took willingly. The black hair man smiled again and tipped his head back to the large black van. "I'm David Rivers, on assignment from Langley. The three others," he motioned with his hand towards the other agents, "are from Odessa. They flew over with the detainees."
Vaughn looked around at his surroundings. It was a nice enough area. They were hidden by a large building and were set in the shadows. No one would ever realize what was going on. The sweat was starting to drip down his back, soaking his black t-shirt. His green eyes shot over to Sydney. She was standing a few yards away from him, going over specifics with the Ukrainian agents. Every once and a while, he could hear her perfectly accented voice answer, "Da....da...neit..." She crossed her hands over her chest protectively, over her black shirt. Her hair was tucked neatly underneath a baseball cap. Her eyes were no longer puffy from the buckets of tears she had cried. They were clear and piercing, as she stood stark against the bright blue sky. With just a touch of concealer, she looked like she always did. Only he could tell that there was something wrong beneath the tough exterior.
Now, he was in a unique position. Why he ever returned to the CIA was still beyond him. He was never sure why he did but he did. It wasn't until that particular moment in his life that he realized he hated it so much. Sure, there had been those thoughts that she was almost sure that he hated his life but nothing like this. He was sure that this life was the worst possible life to lead. He had met the love of his life and lost her. Then, he met another woman that he thought he loved but it turns out, it was all a ploy. And it was all because of the agency. The agency was going to be the death of him. He had faced death numerous times and it was all because of this agency. He had pledged his allegiances to that blasted place. This place caused her so much pain and put his life on the line. It was the agency-his agency, which caused Sydney so much pain.
He shook his head back and forth to rid himself of these horrible thoughts. This was a job, the job that his father had died for. Everything he did was had a purpose and regardless of the outcome, he worked to make sure that the world was just a little bit safer. Forcing himself to think rationally, he unwittingly took on the superhero complex. No, he wasn't going to don tights and a cape but he was going to work to make sure the job was accomplished at the end of the day. After all, it was all for the agency.
His hands reached forward and gripped the handle. Applying pressure, he heard the click and he brought a quick inhalation into his lungs. Slowly, he opened the back of the van to find the three spies bound. "Hello." He hissed, his icy tone catching Lauren's attention.
Her head whipped towards the door. "Oh thank G-d! Michael." She tried to smile but saw the hate in his face. "Michael, this is all a mistake." Her large eyes pouted towards him, while Jonathan kept a straight face with Cole rolling his eyes every once and a while.
"No, it's not." Vaughn smirked. He removed his sunglasses and starred at her. He looked around the small van and then back at his unfaithful wife. "No, everything's right."
"Michael." She pleaded. She was heavily schooled in the art of seduction. Whatever it took to get the man to fall for her in the end.
"Stop, Lauren. It's not worth it. I hate you just as much now as when I found out you were sleeping with Jonathan." His attention quickly caught to Jonathan, sitting across the way. "Mister Ross. This is rather convenient, isn't it? I mean, the two of you are both NSC moles working for the Covenant and look, now you're even being held together! This is just a regular laugh riot. Oh and when you were ordered to get rid of me and Sydney...I never saw that one coming." He smiled smugly, glancing back and forth between the three agents. The detainees remained in silence as they took this mental beating from him. "This is the way it's going to work. One by one, you are going to be brought into an interrogation room. You will be interrogated and returned here." An entirely out of character Vaughn, turned back to the agents. "I want them inside." He turned towards Lauren once more, "We need to talk, Ms. Reed
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Madison finished her glass of wine and placed it down on the wooden and glass coffee table. The condensation from the glass trickled off the cool crystal class and fell effortlessly onto the table. Her hands were moist from it but she found herself not caring. The deep red swirled around in the glass, reflecting the tiny apartment in its acidic glory. Her dark eyes registered the nearly empty bottle of wine. Not thinking clearly, she grabbed her cell phone and dialed a number she had sworn she was never going to. Licking her lips, she held the phone up to her ear.
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The tiny girl had fallen asleep a while go in his arms but something in him refused to set her down. She had worn him out completely. Never could he have imagined how utterly exhausting a little girl could be. She was up at the crack of dawn, laughing and crying. Her energy never ceased, running everywhere-trying to get into everything. She would yell inarticulate words at the top of her lungs. He had to keep a constant eye on her, keeping his breath tight in his chest as she moved about their confined quarters.
Up and down, he paced exhausted across his hotel room floor, elegantly dressed in white and ivory fabrics. His blue eyes were tired and he didn't realize how tired he was. She was truly exhausting. Getting her dressed was an event. He would stand for nothing less than the finest for either of them. He had sent a couple of agents, certainly not his finest, to go and get new clothes for the princess. His body was no longer confined to a business suit. Instead, he wore a loosely fitting linen outfit. His angel was dressed in a white cotton dress, the humidity filtering off her light haired brown. "Hush little baby...don't say a word...daddy's gonna buy you a mockingbird..." His soft British accent made the stirring baby coo softly. "What a beautiful girl."
A low vibrating noise interrupted his lullaby. Adjusting her weight in his arms, he reached around to his back pocket and answered absently, "Hello?"
"Julian." Madison's shaky voice came slowly.
He almost dropped his precious baby on the floor but he wouldn't let her know how much she shook him. "Madison. What an unexpected surprise." He cleared his throat silently as he moved closer towards the bed. He leaned over and passed the girl from his arms down to the suede blue and gold sheets. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?"
He could hear the emotions shift around in her voice, "I want you to release Agent Kilmer and Layla."
"And why would I do something like that? Maddie, with all due respect, they are my captives. I don't think it's a good idea for you to be making the demands." He eased himself down on the bed, next to his daughter, stroking her hair lovingly.
"I want you to take me instead. Let them go and you'll get me."
Sark had to suppress a low laugh. "I know that you love your daughter and all but I think you need to lay off of the fairy tales. Wake up, Sleeping Beauty. You won't find your happily ever after here."
"It's from Beauty and the Beast." Madison corrected softly, "It's her favorite."
Sark opened his mouth to say something but promptly decided against it, "You love our daughter, don't you? Even after all we've done and all we've gone through, you still love her. You didn't give her up for adoption or anything rash. Why?"
Silence filled both rooms and Madison, in her desolate corner of the world, fought to maintain her sanity. There were so many answers that she wanted to respond with but could think of nothing but the truth. The truth, however, could get her killed. "Why? Because she's my daughter. She is my flesh and blood. I carried her and I fully intend on raising her until the day I die."
"So then why are you willing to relinquish that right and send her to live with a man who is not her father?" Sark questioned.
"For all intents and purposes, Robbie is Layla's father. He has been there every step of the way-"
"Except conception." Sark inserted smugly. "She's from my-"
"I would rather Layla be raised by Kilmer. He's a good man and he knows what's right. He'll keep her safe." She paused as she took in a shaky breath, "Please, take me. Torture me. Do whatever you want to me. Just let my baby go."
Sark looked down at his sleeping daughter and then closed his eyes, covering them with the palm of his hand. He was obviously torn by this situation. There was a part of him that still loved her and would do anything to see her happy. However, there was also another part of him that was an international businessman who made his buck by...well, taking part in activities. He sighed heavily. "Done. I'll send you the intel about where I'll take you." He hung up the phone and slid off the bed, kneeling before his daughter. His hands reached out to either side of her but refused to touch her. New emotions swept through him. "I lost you once, Layla. I won't have it again."
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"I don't think we should make the exchange." Agent Rivers spoke up as he mixed his third cup of coffee. The agents had relocated to the safe house, the detainees being held in a maximum security holding area. It was a damp little place, with two bedrooms, an overly small and dirty bathroom, and a small kitchenette with a living room taking up the remainder of the space. It was only the three agents staying there. The others would take their refuge, keeping an eye on the detainees, as they were now being referred to.
Sydney looked up from her own white mug and starred at him with wide brown eyes, "I'm sorry. What did you just say?" Her lips pressed into a thin line and as she brought the mug down from her hands to the table, her arms flexed in the most intimating fashion. Her whole body was more alert than it had been in a while.
His blue eyes shot her a knowing look. Back at Langley, he wasn't exactly adored. He was known for his detached attitude. He was the poster boy for emotional non-attachment. So, he continued through his career, not giving a damn about another human being. It was this attitude that got him to where he was. He was allowed to go on these special assignments that men twice his age and doubled him in experience often went on. His cold attitude was obviously seeping into this mission, "Agent Bristow, I believe that you heard me. I think it would be a bad idea for both the girl and Agent Kilmer for us to make the exchange. The Covenant is known for going back on their word. Why would now be any different?"
Sydney looked down at her coffee and then at Rivers, sizing him up for good measure. There was nothing stopping her from completely leveling him right now. One blow to the head or neck. That's all it would take to get his gasping for air. She cleared her throat and tried to get a grip on her emotions. "Because now there's the baby involved. It's Sark's daughter that he's holding capture."
River's eyes got intensely wide on the last piece of information, "The girl is Sark's daughter? I thought that the girl was Kilmer and um..." he started to tap his fingertips on the cheap wood table, "Parker's."
"Perkins." Sydney corrected firmly, not liking the vibe she was getting from this agent. Her eyes scanned over him. Now she wanted to level him. Honest to G-d, she wanted to go for his jugular. His build and stature reminded her of Will and for that, she had to repress her emotions and maybe even a smile. She had received a letter from him before she had gone to the hell of a mission. He was doing well or so he claimed.
"Whatever." Rivers shrugged it off as if it was nothing. "I still don't think that going doing the exchange is in the best interest of any of them." He took the coffee mug in his hand and took a slow sip but made a face. "Coffee's cold."
Vaughn finally looked towards the younger agent and sneered, "It's not 'whatever,' Agent Rivers." He leaned forward on the unsteady table with his forearms. "And you better start coming up with a better reason than 'I think.' You have thirty seconds."
Sydney turned towards him and inconspicuously placed her hand on his elbow, "Vaughn." Her voice was low and smooth. She was about to say more but a crisp vibrating on her hip warned her against it. It was her cell phone, clipped cautiously to her belt, "Bristow." She answered as she flipped it open and pressed it against her check, not bothering to remove to her hand from Vaughn's arm.
"I want you to call off the exchange." Madison's voice came in loud and crisp. Her voice was devoid of any emotion with the exception of a business professional tone. "I want you to call it off and call it off now."
Sydney looked at Rivers accusingly, "What? Madison, why?" She forced her jaw to move. Her body was in a state of shock. She had not anticipated this.
"I'm got a hold of Sark and I'm going to exchange myself for Layla and Kilmer." Moreover, before Sydney even had a chance to protest this idea, she heard a distinct click. Her eyes grew wider than they ever had before as she snapped her phone shut. "That was Madison."
"And?" Vaughn asked.
"She's going to exchange herself for Layla and Kilmer."
Vaughn looked at her and back at Rivers, "We have to stop her. If she does the exchange, we may lose both of them-for good."
Rivers got to his feet and started to pace back and forth against the grain of the wood floor. The mug of coffee was still kept in his hand, working as a security blanket. "We need to get a hold of Washington and have them work out a plan."
Sydney shook her head, "I want to get the LA office on a secure line, now. You'll get introduced to my father and Director Dixon. They've been following this case and they have seniority over it. Get them in on it."
Rivers turned towards Sydney, stopping near her feet, "Sydney, you know that Langley's better suited."
"Director Dixon is working this case." She replied, her tone getting firmer. "This isn't an option anymore." She got to her feet and looked Rivers dead in the eye, "I'm sorry, Agent Rivers, but I'm a senior agent. I decide what we do and where we go from here. It is my call or it is Agent Vaughn's call. You will call me 'Agent Bristow' or 'ma'am.' I do not enjoy pulling rank, Agent Rivers, but you're going to have to deal with this. Is that understood?" Rivers refused to look at her, concentrating hard on the floor, "Is that understood?!"
"Yes, Agent Bristow." Rivers replied before moving slowly out of the room, not making eye contact with either agent on his way out.
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Hope you enjoyed and don't worry...there's some fluff up ahead! Thank you, by the way, for the wonderful suggestions!