Chapter 6: A New Case

The next morning, Tara found a bowl of popcorn on her desk, with a note in Myles' bold handwriting propped in the middle of it: I'll deny it to my last breath. She looked up to find him watching her, his expression serious but his eyes twinkling.

There was already a file on her desk, so it took a minute before she had a chance to respond. Once the project was in motion, she walked over to his desk and handed him a file, leaning over to whisper with a grin, "Nobody would believe me anyway." He laughed softly and nodded.

Just then Jack walked in with Bobby right on his heels. "All right, people, I hope you all enjoyed your evening off," he began, "Because now we have work to do."

The team gathered around, and Jack had Tara pull something up onto the board. The faces of three different men appeared on the plasma screen; two of them color photographs and the last a profile sketch.

Jack pointed to the screen, and walked towards it as he spoke, making sure Sue could still see his face. "There was an attempted kidnapping yesterday afternoon, at a private school here in D.C. These three are the main suspects; the first two are Tommy Barizino and Don Wekenski. The last guy, we don't have a name for yet..."

Bobby picked up the informative rail. "But Tara's running him against the mug shots in the database as we speak. While Tommy and Donny here tried to grab the kid, Number Three was waiting in the getaway vehicle. The boy they were after is the son of a famous violinist, Tomikata Sesnaiki. The motivation was most likely ransom; something we know Barizino isn't above doing. We've tried to nail him for something like this before, and this might be our chance."

Jack nodded, and flipped open a file, browsing in as he spoke aloud. "All we have at this point are eyewitnesses; but we're hoping to catch Number Three or Donny and crack them."

Sue waved to catch Jack's attention, and asked with a hint of confusion, "Why exactly did they not manage to kidnap the boy?"

"He was...uh, rescued by a teacher. A nun with a black-belt." Jack replied haltingly, continuing to skim the file.

"What's next? Monks with AK-47s saving dolphins?" Myles' baritone rang out, earning scattered laughter from around the room.

"Anyway..." Jack shot him a warning look, though it was easy to tell the shorter agent was fighting a smile. "Bobby, I want you out looking for anyone who might know Donny, his timetable, his habits, where he lives. I'm going to be whacking the weeds for Tommy's contacts—some people who might know where he's hiding out. Sue and D, I need you to go talk to the boy and his father; see if the kid remembers anything more about the driver."

"Am I manning the fort this time, then? No pun intended, Koala Boy." Myles leaned back in his chair with a grin as he asked the question.

"No," was the reply. "I want you to come with me. I have a feeling that Tommy's 'friends' aren't going to be easy to unearth." Jack smiled ruefully; the announcement of Myles' selected station caused the tall Aussie to sigh in relief.

There was a contemplative silence as the entire room paused to stare at the three faces on-screen, each in their own way trying to rationalize what would drive these three humans to try to kidnap a child.

Suddenly, the silence was violently interrupted by Sam striding into the room and announcing loudly, "I've got donuuuuuts! Donuts for sa-" The final sentence was cut short, and the box Sam had been holding fell to the floor with a squishy thud.

Myles turned, as did the others, to look at him. Annoyance was first and foremost while turning, but when he saw Sam's face, all traces of annoyance were replaced with instant concern. "Sam?"

His look-alike said nothing, eyes locked on the plasma screen. He stepped forward slowly, lifting his foot over the abandoned donut box without bothering to look at it.

"And no, it isn't a video game, so don't even ask if you can play it." Bobby growled, a hint of humor in his tone.

"That's him..." Sam whispered, coming to stop only inches beneath the screen, his eyes wide and frightened. "That's him, Myles..."

"You don't mean..." The concern dropped into his gut like a rock, and Myles held his breath.

"He's the guy who took me," Sam replied shakily, pointing at the sketch.

Myles took his brother gently by the arm and pulled him aside, ignoring the looks he was getting from his colleagues. "Sam," he began slowly, his voice quiet, "you were seven, it's been twenty-six years, and that's a sketch." His skepticism wasn't so much true doubt as it was hope that Sam was horribly wrong.

"I spent two years with him, Myles! What do you think? I remember what he looks like!" Sam's voice was rising in pitch, his fists clenched at his sides, and he took a deep breath. "I'd know those eyes anywhere...that's him, Myles."

The thick quiet in the room was suffocating, and Myles wished someone would say something so he wouldn't have to. But the silence continued.

"Sam? Why don't you sit down..."

Sam shook his head, took a deep breath, and his hands relaxed, fingers loosening their death-grip on his palms. "S'ok." He flashed a sudden grin at Myles. "I'm over it, no biggie. Don't even start to raise that eyebrow. I promise, I'm fine."

"Did I miss something?" Sue asked, earning a not-right-now glare from Myles.

I think we all did. Lucy signed to her in reply.

"You still coming over for lunch, Tara?" Sam flew to her desk, bent over with his elbows propped up on the end near her pencil cup.

"Sure!" Tara's reply was enthusiastic, but her eyes were still full of confusion, not sure how to react after what had just happened.

"Great! See you then!" Sam grinned at her, and dashed out of the office with a farewell wave. Myles watched his twin leave, his expression a strange mixture of concern and shock, oblivious to the six sets of eyes staring at him.

Finally, Dimitrius stooped to pick up the box of donuts, and dropped it on the end of the coffee counter. "Something going on that we should know about, Myles?" He inquired softly as he turned back around.

The tall agent blinked, shaking himself out of his thoughts. He looked around at them, then sat down heavily in his chair, leaning his elbows on his knees and staring at the floor. "It happened a long time ago, and it really didn't have any relevance in you all meeting him. Until now."

The team gathered around his desk as he quietly related a horror nearly thirty years old...