A HUGE thank you to everybody that has read and reviewed so far.
I have a new addiction- Madden 2005. I love that game.
Anyway, here's chapter three. Please, read and review.
Chapter Three
"I'm sorry Agent Baker, but I find this very hard to believe. Where's this threat coming from?"
Baker shifted uncomfortably. "It's from an organisation connected to Rights of the Child." He glanced quickly around the room, at the campaign workers and volunteers, at the organised chaos breaking around them. "I'd prefer not to say any more until we have more specific intel about the nature of the threat against you."
Amy sighed, shaking her head. "I appreciate the warning, but I already have a security detail. I'm sure they can deal with any threat."
"I know that, Ms Gardner. But they don't have our experience in dealing with this type of situation. We can keep you safe."
"My security staff…"
The other agent, Gault, interrupted her. "We will work with your security people. We're not trying to step on anybody's toes here."
"What will the arrangements be?"
"We will organise your security and liaise with your people while you are in LA. We'll take command and the operation will be run through CTU. We're already working through the threat. There's a good chance that this will be eliminated before you leave LA."
"Okay."
"Good." Tom reached into his pocket and took out his data pad. "We need to talk about your schedule. Some of these engagements place you at too much risk. We need to reorganise…"
"I'm not reorganising my schedule." Amy's voice cut across Tom's, ignoring the data pad he was holding. "I've agreed to increase my security, but I will not be intimidated by these people."
"Ms Gardner…"
"No." She shook her head. "I will not bow down to threats and terrorists. I'm not changing my schedule, Agent Baker, not for you and certainly not for them. I'm not frightened of them."
Phones rang noisily around them, their conversation forgotten, ignored in the midst of her campaign.
"Gardner for the Senate, can I help you? One second please." The girl looked up. "Ms Gardner? I have Phil on the phone for you."
"I'll be there in a minute." Amy looked over at her assistant, then back at Tom. "I'm not changing my schedule, Agent Baker. You need to find a way to deal with that."
He could feel his cheeks starting to burn. "Okay."
"Good." Amy glanced at the phone again. "I'll tell my security chief to expect you. I'm sure he'll love talking to you." She walked off to take the phone call.
Nathan grinned, raising his eyebrows. "And I thought Chloe was stubborn." He watched Amy sit on the edge of the desk, talking on the phone. "This isn't going to be easy, Tom."
"I know." Tom didn't take his eyes from Amy Gardner. "We do what we have to do, Nathan, okay."
Nathan nodded. "Okay."
xxxXXXxxx
"CTU, O'Brien."
"Chloe, its Tony. Have you heard anything from Tom or Ashley yet?"
Chloe sighed heavily. "Just a second Tony, I'll just access the file."
He drummed his fingers on the desk, waiting impatiently. He glanced around the bull pen, at the images flicking across the screen as Adam filtered through members of Rights of the Child.
Chloe's voice reappeared suddenly in his ear, making him start. "Tom made contact with Amy Gardner about fifteen minutes ago. Him and Nathan have taken over Amy Gardner's security detail."
"What about Ashley?"
"Nothing since the original message about an hour and a half ago. Can you pass this onto Michelle?"
"Yeah, sure." He hesitated, playing the conversation through in his head. "Wait a minute. What do you mean, tell Michelle?"
"I wasn't able to get hold of her when Tom phoned. And there's been no activity on her system for the past twenty minutes. Do you know where she is Tony?"
"I think she said something about a meeting with Natasha this morning. I'll tell her. Thanks Chloe." Tony hung up and glanced up at her office, dark and silent. Trying to battle through the sudden irrational panic.
Where the hell was she?
xxxXXXxxx
"Have you spoken to him yet?"
Startled, she edged closer, using the crowd to shield her movements. Trying to block out the noise and concentrate on what was being said.
"He's on his way."
"Do you know…"
She sensed his eyes, roaming the crowd and she forced herself to step forward. Automatically she raised her voice, joining in with the chants, hurled at the silent, uncaring walls of the facility.
"…you don't know, my friend. Our shield can only extend so far and it will be easier to protect you if you can honestly say that you did not know what was going to happen today."
"What about you?"
She risked a look across at them, safe inside the crowd, protected from their gaze by half a dozen or so protestors.
She looked away hastily. The empty walls of the facility were easier to stare at than the man's grin. Stretched, angry, drenched in the blood of the non-believer.
"I am the sacrifice. I am prepared to die, so that the sins of this place can be forgiven."
xxxXXXxxx
"This is CSRFM. Caller, you're on the hour."
"Well I think its about time that the Police did something about Lester's Clinic."
"Do something? What do you mean do something?"
"Well if any other murder suspect was holed up in a house the way that Lester is, LAPD would be going in with SWAT teams in an effort to bring the suspect to justice. I want to know what the difference is."
"So you think that LAPD should storm Lester's clinic and arrest everybody inside?"
"Exactly."
"Well that's one opinion. Anybody got a different one? Give me a call. Its 0934am, CSRFM will be back after these messages."
xxxXXXxxx
She stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. Carefully wiping her mouth. She hadn't even felt sick until she had put the phone down. Then it had been all she had been aware off, deep inside her, coiling, curling, twisting, desperate to get out.
She had gone to the toilet, somehow holding her composure until she had passed the bullpen. Then she had vomited until her throat was dry and aching. She could still feel it inside her.
She grimaced and forced the feeling away. Wiped her mouth one last time and left the bathroom, clutching a handkerchief. If she could just make it back to her office, just make it through until…
"Michelle." Tony stopped her in the corridor, just before she could slip past him, back to the safety of her office. "I've been looking for you…" He stopped himself, staring at her pale face, at the dark circles underneath her eyes. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine Tony."
She started to walk around him, and he put his hand on her arm, running his hand swiftly down it to take her hand. "Michelle?"
"I just felt a little queasy." She forced a weak smile. "I shouldn't have had the squid last night. You know what it does to me."
Adam cleared his throat. "Sorry to interrupt. Michelle, Natasha's on the phone for you." He turned and walked quickly away. Giving them another stolen moment to themselves.
"I'd better take this." She stood on her toes and kissed him swiftly, before hurrying back to her office.
Tony walked back to his own desk. He sat down, staring at the computer screen in front of him, at the telephone.
"Michelle didn't have the squid last night."
xxxXXXxxx
Natasha had been dreading this meeting for six months. For six months she'd rearranged meetings, sent subordinates. Anything to avoid him.
"Ms Grey." Brad smiled humourlessly as he saw her enter the office, a folder under her arm. "I was starting to think you had left the organisation."
Her answering smile was equally humourless. "I'm still here Brad."
His smile faltered for a second, then returned full force. Angrily he pulled out a chair and sat down, talking with his assistant. He kept glancing in her direction, even after the meeting had started.
Natasha met his eyes briefly and looked away hastily. Better to appear to be meek and mild, to let Hammond think he had won. She couldn't afford another war with Hammond, not now.
Not until she had had the chance to make some new allies.
She left as soon as the meeting had finished . Hurrying away, before Hammond had a chance to talk to her, before he had a chance to revel any more in his victory.
She arrived back at her office, stopping at her secretary's desk. "Any calls?"
"Just one, Ms Grey." Ellen lifted a note and handed it to her. "Darren Rose. He wants you to call him back as soon as you can."
Darren Rose. Senator Jarodes' personal pit bull.
"Thank you." Clutching the note she walked into her personal office.
xxxXXXxxx
She slipped through the crowd, drifting away. Taking her time. Keeping her movements nice and slow. Nice and slow. Perfectly normal. 'Move along folks, nothing to see.'
She fought down a sudden irrational, insane burst of laughter.
Fought to focus on her objective. A payphone, three blocks away. She wished for the hundredth time, that her cover had allowed her to have a cell phone. But how many runaways had cell phones?
Even if she had, they would have taken it from her when she joined. She had had to give away all ties to her 'old life', her old life as a sinner and a murderer.
But all her sins had been forgiven. The Reverend had said so.
Almost clear of the crowd. Almost there.
"Ashley."
She halted. Caught again in their net. Looking longingly at the payphone. Tantalisingly close, almost within reach.
"The Reverend wants to see you."
