Chapter Three
Day 2
Colby had told Megan of the snake incident. As much as she would have loved to have kept a straight face for him, she failed. The thought that Colby Granger, tough ex-military, Agent Colby Granger, with three years interrogation training, had screamed was definitely a source of much amusement around the office.
"Why snakes?"
"You try being in Afghanistan, in a tent infested by snakes" Colby said defensively.
Megan regarded him with her warmest smile.
"He's trying to find my weakness"
"You don't say, and what am I? An unfortunate casualty?"
"Colby, you have to admit you had it coming. You should have known to not have laughed at him in the Hospital "
"Yeah well, guess he's even with me now. Man it was funny when he took that dive though"
"Careful, he's in a vengeful mood so you don't want him dumping real snakes in your car or anything"
"He wouldn't would he?"
Megan smiled again at Colby.
"I'm going to need your help with something"
That afternoon Megan grabbed her bag and left the office. As they had no major cases pending every agent was taking a breather and leaving the office at a decent time. Even Don had been leaving before six which was unheard of. She walked to her car and began to rummage through her bag for her keys. Her hand brushed something furry. On reaction she dropped her bag and stepped back. Looking around her she saw that no one was watching and so carefully walked to her bag and gave it a testing kick. She stepped back again and watched as the bag moved. She blinked to clear her eyes. Surely she hadn't just seen that. Surely they wouldn't use something living?
She carefully stooped and opened her bag further. Inside was a small, brown mouse. Nibbling on her purse.
"Oh no you don't, that was a present from my mother" Megan carefully placed her hand around the mouse's body and pulled it from its dinner. It looked at her for a few seconds, trying to decide if the thing that held it was going to eat it. It had moved so many times today that the mouse was beginning to feel a little disorientated. All it really wanted was to eat, have a stretch and curl up to sleep. Not much to ask really.
Megan held the mouse up to her face.
"Hello there little fella, guess you're coming home with me. Hope you don't mind a slight detour to pick up a cage and some food. If you're good I'll let you pick the colour of the cage yourself."
Megan made her way to her car, retrieved her keys and threw her bag into the back seat.
"Cages come in a lovely shade of silver, or maybe you're more of a grey mouse."
She held the mouse up above her head, then lowered it and placed a kiss on the tip of its nose. The mouse, for a second concerned it was about to be eaten, sniffed Megan's lipstick, decided she wasn't so bad and placed its front paw on her nose.
Don watched all this from the security room on the first floor. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Surely she was scared of mice. Wasn't every girl? Not ever having a sister or a mouse in the house for his mother to deal with he had no idea.
He looked at the security officer in front of him who was smiling at Don's obvious frustration.
"This means war you know"
"I'll make sure to avoid your office for a while then"