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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: February 6, 2020
Sector 9; Fogle Towers: Cale Penthouse
"Damn, cuz, are you sure you want a federal agent seeing what all you can do?"
Logan was not in his usual spot in front of the computer, but his files and logs were displayed across two separate screens, what bits of evidence and information he was able to pull together organized and cross-referenced across several factors. As Logan crushed herbs into a sauce and salted the water he'd started for the pasta, Bling had taken Tony onto the computer room to show him what Logan had so far. When he returned to the kitchen, Tony came over to bend over Logan's shoulder and stick a finger in the sauce at the stove, raising barely a grunt from the cook. The two faces together, apart only a few inches up and over, and Logan's tolerance of Tony's jabs at the meal, made Bling smile in spite of the serious matters before them.
Bling had hung back, hadn't even gone into the penthouse for the first hour or so of the agent's arrival: following their conversation in the car, Bling took him upstairs, let him in the door, and told DiNozzo that he was heading over to the market and would be back in a while. Upon his return, as he opened the door and entered the penthouse quietly, he was gratified to hear sounds he wasn't sure had ever before filled the place: from the living room he could hear the two men laughing comfortably, talking animatedly, weaving decades-old stories that still lingered in the air.
Bling set the bags on the counter and walked on into the living room, the delight he heard from each cousin raising his own smile, pleased for them both. But even after hearing their pleasure in the reunion, Bling was moved when, upon entering the room, he saw a Logan he may never have seen before: the terrible twin burdens he bore, responsibility and physical inequality, had been lifted for the moment, and Logan's eyes sparkled with the enjoyment of having his cousin close by. He actually looked years younger, some color in his cheeks and his smile lighting the room.
Logan looked up to see Bling enter and at first, smiled for him in welcome. But it took only the moment for him to remember why his cousin was there–and the fact that they had no leads. Bling saw the too-brief joy crumble in the next moment with the guilt Logan felt for celebrating his cousin's visit, for being happy when Bling could be in grave danger. Such terrible burdens, Bling thought, sadly...
Tony had seen Logan's face shift into a welcome as he faced the hall, so glanced up to see the man he'd come to interview, the man who had the kindness and apparent understanding to give them this time, and grinned, too. "Hey, Mr. Ingrum..."
"Bling. Or BL..." Bling had returned the smile but it then faded slightly, a shadow of what had been in the first moment, and Tony glanced over to see why...
Oh, Logan, Tony thought, seeing the change in his cousin immediately. Understanding just as quickly, guessing his thoughts now, Tony knew Logan wouldn't allow himself even a moment while his friend was still at risk. ...and I used to think you took things so hard...
"You two catching up?" Bling spoke to both as he came into the room, but was really addressing Logan... and the agent suspected that this quiet powerhouse had seen his cousin through a lot of bad times...
"Yeah, we...ah...we did, and you two have a lot to discuss, I know, so..." Logan moved to unlock his brakes, planning a retreat.
But Bling held his hand up. "Got it all figured out...if you're game." His wisdom and engaging manner impressed the hell out of Tony, who marveled that a former SEAL was such a soft spoken, gentle man. "I managed a couple chickens at the market, and some vegetables and other things. I'll bet Agent DiNozzo is starving; he started off his day three time zones earlier. Nothing new will happen tonight, but I know you have some things to go over with me..." He looked at Tony with that, then turned his gaze back to Logan. "Logan, you can make your cousin one of your famous dinners, we can come out and watch you while you work, I can tell Agent DiNozzo whatever he needs to know, and you'll be there to listen in."
As Bling looked to the near-clones, Logan was thinking how typically Bling the plan was, setting him up to play to his strengths for his cousin, while getting on with things needing done. His smile to Bling was subdued, but warm and grateful, like the look he then gave DiNozzo. "Well, whaddya say, Tony?" Logan offered up a wry smile to his guest. " I'm told I'm not a bad cook..."
"Famous dinners?" The agent's eyebrows went up in anticipation, and was pleased to see the shrug he got from Logan was not altogether humble. He shifted his attention to Bling, now, along with his ever-present grin. "Sounds great, if I can just get you to call me 'Tony,' too."
"Might be arranged," Bling smiled, centered, as always, and he watched his charge finish unlocking his brakes and head off toward the kitchen.
"Alright, Bling, let's see what you managed to find..."
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: February 6, 2020 6:55 P.M.
Sector 9; Fogle Towers: Cale Penthouse
So as Logan began their dinner, silent, for the most part, Bling told them about events leading up to the mission–nothing too unusual about it, an extraction that had otherwise been successful...the days and weeks leading to Parks' suicide that, in hindsight, had a few clues that Bling still felt responsible for missing... Parks' terrible wound following the gun blast inches from his forehead...
Tony asked a number of questions about others in the unit, their relationships and activities and missions ... he accepted his cousin's offer of reviewing what Logan had found so far. And when he saw the raw data on the computer array, both the content and the sources, as well as the ties and connections Logan had managed to draw, he sat back, impressed...and concerned. This wasn't just amateur sleuthing, either in data results or in analysis. Free lance journalism? Far more impressive than anything he'd ever seen outside the agencies...what are you into, little cousin? he wondered to himself...
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: February 6, 2020 7:28 P.M.
Sector 9; Fogle Towers: Cale kitchen
"Damn, cuz, are you sure you want a federal agent seeing what all you can do?" Tony made his voice light as he came to trace his finger through the sauce Logan had simmering before him, but wondered if his cousin had really thought about all he had displayed there before offering to let him see. He suspected Logan didn't care if it meant helping his friend. Tony hoped wildly he'd not see anything that looked the least bit suspicious, but knew it was more than what the usual civilian could do. He glanced at his cousin in admiration...and protective concern...
"Just...trolling through old records..." Logan suddenly busied himself with the dinner, unwilling to meet DiNozzo's eyes, "and throwing odd bits together, to see if I can make anything of them."
"That's what journalists do, huh?"
Logan finally glanced up at Tony to say, "That 's what this one does."
"Hmph." Tony stood in the middle of the kitchen, hands on hips, thinking for a moment, then started moving. "Well, let me get my PDA and you can add what I've got to your notes. Maybe you'll make more of it than I have."
At his words, Logan grunted in some surprise and turned to see Tony's back disappear around the corner toward the living room. Surprise still on his face, he looked over to Bling, who nodded appreciatively. "Cool, for a cop."
It only took a moment, before Logan laughed, "He's a Cale." His grin showed a glow of pride for his cousin.
"...shit..." They heard muttered from the living room, then his steps. "Hey, can I bum your keys a minute?" Tony stuck his head back in the doorway. "I think my PDA fell out in your car...at least I hope that's where I dropped it..."
Bling started moving, easily. "They're on the table, by the door..."
"Got 'em, thanks." He was at the door before Bling could get to the hall. "Be right back."
As the door shut behind him, Bling said quietly, "Logan, he can't know about Eyes Only–family or not, he's a fed–he might have to report it..."
Logan shook his head, leaning to peer in at the vegetables roasting in the oven, now avoiding eye contact with Bling. "Tony has no reason to have even heard of Eyes Only...well, not really" Logan amended at the last minute, not wanting to hear his friend's concern. "He doesn't live around here and the hacks aren't picked up that far..."
"They have been." Bling insisted.
Logan knew Bling was right, and that he had a point–but it wasn't going to get in the way of his offering whatever help he might have to offer. "So, we take things one step at a time," he relented, finally looking up. "Let's let Tony help get this guy, whoever he is...okay?"
Bling shrugged, quiet for a moment, then finally, looking back to Logan, offered a raised eyebrow and asked, amused, "You couldn't warn me that you two were identical? It's pretty disconcerting."
Logan snorted, skeptical. "We're not," he shook his head, taking the sauce from the heat. "We really don't look alike; I never understood what people saw..."
"Sure, Logan" Bling chuckled. "Whatever you want to think..." And he chuckled again at the expected look of consternation Bling saw offered in response to his words...
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: February 6, 2020 7:34 P.M.
Sector 9; Fogle Towers: garage
Max had finished her runs for the day and, itching to get a glimpse of Logan's cousin, rode over to Logan's place for a little reconnaissance of her own. She knew that Logan had misgivings galore and was tying himself in knots over seeing his cousin again, but her curiosity was giving her fits of her own. Besides, his other family dilemmas had worked out alright, no matter how nervous he'd been. He hadn't exactly invited her over–had all but told her to stay away, in fact– but she embraced his failure to tell her in direct terms as a tacit invitation. Landing gracefully beside her bike as she dismounted, she began to walk her Ninja up toward the narrow passage in the garage that Logan had wheedled his super to gate for her, so that she could safely lock her baby away from easy removal by unprincipled types.
But an unfamiliar sound, from a familiar place, caught her attention, and she froze, listening. Silently standing her bike in place, Max circled the corner and post blocking her view, to see Logan's Aztek in its bay, door open, and an unfamiliar male figure leaning into the open passenger side. Waist deep into the footwell, the man clearly was looking for something inside the vehicle, bold as day...she saw him easily, but she suspected he might have thought the dimmer light of evening would protect him despite the well-lighted area. He was making no attempt to be covert...
Intrigued by the guy's audacity, Max sided up to the Aztek, watching the figure carefully, who clearly had no idea she was there and gave no evidence that he'd care even if he knew. As if he owned the place...
Well, he didn't. And she was going to point that out. "Hey, it's not nice to go through other people's cars..." She said, firmly, standing behind him. "And that's not your..."
...at the sound of her voice, the figure started very slightly, and backed up a bit to straighten. Max countered his movement as he did so, watching the figure to be sure there was no threat...and as she assessed, she looked up to the man's face...
And her mouth literally dropped open a bit in surprise...and the man grinned to see it.
"Well, hi." The glittering green, familiar-yet-unfamiliar eyes widened first in surprise, then in appreciation, as they flickered up and down Max's form before him. "I guess you must live around here, cos you're right; this isn't my car..."
The beautiful, brown eyes blinked at him again as Tony straightened. Her initial cockiness had been squelched awfully fast, Tony noted–and she looked as if she'd seen a ghost. He didn't think he'd frightened her, it wasn't that kind of look. She was a strikingly beautiful young woman, he registered again... and he smiled his broad, roguish smile...
"...but I know the owner; he..."
"You know his name, too?"she demanded. Of course he did, Max had managed to start thinking again, no question he did... but she interrupted him anyway, although not sure why. And of course I know who you are...
"Logan Cale" his cousin answered charmingly, cocking his head slightly in what almost seemed to be a parody of Logan–untill Max found herself wondering who had learned from whom... He was explaining, "My PDA was missing," he lifted the discovered organizer, and slipped it into his pocket, "turns out I just dropped it in here when I got in, just a little while ago. Do you ..." He eased around into his twinkling eyes, looking directly into hers, clearly enjoying himself and sounding as if he was about to launch into a tired bar-type pick up line, when he did a quick reverse, "..know the owner?"
Again, Max blinked; not used to being thrown by glib male banter, and not used to seeing someone wearing Logan's face be so...NOT-Logan. But she started to grin, the difference beginning to take root, and conceded, nodding, "Yeah, I do."
Green eyes twinkled. Tony had long before gleaned that he controlled the encounter, given the woman's clear surprise. "Were you here to see Logan?"
Max broke her stare, nodding again abruptly. "Yeah...but no big dealio; I don't want to interrupt anything..." She stated backing away, toward her bike, dipping her face away to hide her smile, but he spoke again.
"You won't." DiNozzo grinned, already conceding that a pretty face should put the 'briefing' on hold. "C'mon up," he tipped his head toward the elevator.
"My bike; I have to..." Max indicated behind her and took a couple steps backward, eyes not yet leaving him, still getting used to this stranger who wasn't a stranger. Realizing it was a silly reaction, she colored slightly and turned to cross to the Ninja, moving it up toward its protected bay.
Tony came around behind her to take one look at the bike and whistle, appreciatively. "Sweet. This is yours?" She looked up to see the genuine admiration for her baby in eyes identical to those that had never shown an interest in horsepower before. Her own grin was completely involuntary as she rolled the bike on into its bay, shut the gate behind it, and put the padlock in place. Knowing she'd follow, DiNozzo turned again toward the elevator and kept talking as he walked. "I'm Tony DiNozzo." he offered. "Logan's cousin."
"Family resemblance is amazing" Max murmured coming along side as he predicted.
His smile drew up a little higher, pleased for Logan with his assumptions taking shape... "Really?" he pursed his lips, then shrugged broadly. "Hmm."
"Oh, come on, it's uncanny," she insisted at his shrug. "You've never been told that before?"
"No," he answered immediately, all wide eyed innocent charm as he looked to her, asking, "Ms...?"
"Max" she finally laughed, won over and completely outgunned, disarmed by the disparate personality hiding behind oh- so- familiar features. "I'm Max."
"Max?" he frowned, seeming to mull it over as he hit the elevator call button. "Not what I'd expect. I would have thought something lyrical...Bella...Melody..." he was flat out enjoying himself now, teasing this woman who he hoped wasn't just coming to do the windows. "Angel..." He decided with a big grin, considering her as they waited. Beautiful, very. But had he seen that face...? The elevator opened fairly readily, having remained at ground level after Tony had ridden it down, and he let Max go in first, to pull the card through for the penthouse and search his memory for why he found her familiar. After riding a moment or two in silence, his eyes narrowed first, as he closed in on his thoughts to recall it, then suddenly opened wide. He snapped his fingers and he grinned, "You were at Bennett's wedding!"
"Were you?" She blinked.
His smile was easy as he shook his head. "No. I saw some photos–he's my cousin, too..." Tony paused only a moment before raising his eyebrows in an amused challenge. "Nice dress."
Max tipped her head to the side, mouth opening as if to speak, but rendered speechless in the presence of the cheeky, adolescent mind shining in Eyes Only's eyes. If she'd thought of a comment, however, the simple distraction of the elevator opening onto Logan's floor erased it completely...
...to be continued...