Disclaimer: I do not own the Lone Gunmen, the only thing I own in this story are the characters you don't recognize.
Summary: Set in an AU (Jump the Shark never happened) a yong woman finds herself in the midst of a crisis when her twin brother is killed over a computer program Who is there to help the truth unfold? The Lone Gunmen of course!
Chapter 3. In which the reader finally gets actual information and the plot forms and starts to move!
Approximately three days later, at the unearthly hour of 6:00 in the morning, Yves entered the Lone Gunmen headquarters with Renee Knight. A sleepy Byers groggily walked in wearing his bathrobe. "If Frohike is sleep walking again..." the threat remained unfinished as Byers saw Yves and Renee sitting on the couch. "Oh," he blinked in surprise. "Hello. Erm, I'll go get dressed and put on some coffee." Managing to maintain his always calm exterior, Byers briskly strode back to his room, and re-emerged five minutes later to make some coffee.
"I didn't think that you'd be here so early," he said by way of an apology for not expecting them.
"We had a bit of trouble two days ago..." Yves said, looking to Renee to see if she should go on. Renee sighed, "They blew up my house."
"They? They who?"
"Whoever killed her brother," replied Yves. "Luckily we were both staying a nearby hotel that night."
Byers, for once, had no idea what to say, "I - I'm sorry."
Renee smiled slightly, "No need to be. It wasn't your fault and all material things can be replaced."
Yves looked thoughtful, "A hotel is too conspicuous a place for you to stay, since you aren't ready to go to Ryan's apartment yet, and my place is tiny..."
Sensing what Yves was getting at, Byers jumped right into the conversation, "Feel free to stay here. We have room and I doubt anyone would think to look here for – "
"Byers, what are you doing?" Demanded Richard Langly, trudging in wearing only boxers and a t shirt. "It is the ungodly hour," he checked his watch, "of six a.m. and we have to get the paper ready today."
Byers cleared his throat, "We have guests, Langly."
"Hu? Oh!"
"This is Renee Knight, Langly." Said Yves conversationally. Langly crossed the room to shake Renee's hand, "Ringo Langly."
Renee raised an eyebrow. "So this is the eavesdropper?" Langly actually managed to look embarrassed.
An hour later, the four were sitting in the kitchen waiting for Frohike and Jimmy to get up so that Renee wouldn't have to tell her story more than once. "Oh, Langly, I told Renee that she could stay here. I know the others won't mind, but you don't really like people – "
"I'm fine with that," butted in Langly, hiding his smirk. Renee glanced at Yves who shrugged. Renee sighed and leaned back in her chair with her arms folded, wondering what exactly she was getting into here. Sure, life was hectic before this, but now, without Ryan... it was hell. He was all she had left. Though, granted, Yves did pop back into her life at just the right time and these two guys, John and Ringo, seemed to care about her. 'What kind of a name is Ringo anyway? And why is he looking at me weird?' She thought to herself. When she caught his eye he hurriedly looked away.
"No way!" A voice interrupted her thoughts. "No possibly way! I knew your name sounded familiar, but I didn't know it was actually you!" Jimmy rushed over to Renee and hugged her out of no where. Renee looked stunned and confused while Langly fumed behind them.
"Do I know you?" Renee asked, attempting and failing to wriggle away from Jimmy's hug.
"No, but I know you! I'm a big fan!" exclaimed Jimmy, releasing her. "Ever since I read those books of Frohike's that you wrote."
"What?" asked Langly.
"This is Renee Knight, she writes true crime and suspense novels, all of which are really awesome!" Renee blushed and mumbled a thank you. Yves looked amused.
"I didn't think Frohike read anything that doesn't have to do with government conspiracies," muttered Byers incredulously.
Yves smirked, "A lot of Renee's novels do involve the government. She used to work in the Pentagon." At that moment, Frohike had finally gotten out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen. "Did miss a party or what?" Yves made all the proper introductions, then everyone settled down to business.
Renee looked uncomfortable with all the attention on her, but the told the story anyway. "As Yves said, Ryan was employed by the government to create the computer program. They did want it to spy on other countries and opponents. The men Ringo saw me talking to – "
"Yelling at and threatening, you mean," smirked Langly.
"Shut up. The man is working for the Pentagon, however, he is a spy and a traitor. He set up Ryan for whomever he's working for."
"Are you ... forgive me if this is rude, are you absolutely certain that Ryan is really dead? Could it have been a set up?" Byers asked.
Her eyes clouding over, Renee looked away and shook her head. "Ryan is - was my twin brother. We were very close. I - I felt it the moment he," Her voice breaking, Renee paused and took a breath. "Excuse me," She said quickly and went into the first room down the hall with an open door and nobody in it.
"Oh good job, Byers." said Frohike.
"It was a possibility wasn't it?" The two continued to argue, and Jimmy and Yves attempted to calm them down. Langly slipped away and followed Renee; it was his room she had taken refuge in after all. He knocked, and hearing no answer, entered. He found Renee sitting on his bed, hugging her knees to her chest with her head down. Hesitantly, Langly sat down by her and put his arm around her. Startled, she looked up at him.
Langly sighed, "Look, I'm not going to give you any of the 'it's ok, he's in a better place' crap, because I know that's not what you want, or need, to hear. It's not going to be ok for a while. And I know we just met this morning, but I want to help." Renee closed her eyes, crying quietly and moved in a little closer. Langly was surprised to see how young she was now that he was close up. She couldn't have been more than 24. He hugged her close, wondering why it was that he felt such a strong attraction to her. He thought she was good looking, yes, but he also had a desire to get to know her and protect her in any way that he could.
"Hey, where's Langly?" asked Jimmy a while later.
Frohike shrugged. Yves walked back into the room, having just been looking for Renee. "He and Renee are in his room."
"Doing ... what?" asked Frohike in a suggestive tone.
Yves glared. "Nothing like that. I'm going to pick up lunch." As she started for the door, Jimmy grabbed his jacket. "Wait up and I'll drive you." Yves looked at him for a moment then nodded.
"And then there were two," chuckled Frohike after Jimmy and Yves left. "Let's see... Jimmy and Yves, Langly and Renee, don't give me that look it's going to happen. It looks like we're going to be abandoned, buddy."
Byers smiled as he went over to his computer to prepare his story. "We'll get there eventually." Byers didn't know how soon eventually really was.
Review and let me know if I should continue or not.
And I know that it's a bit slow right now, but it will get better.
