Checking In

Ninja awoke to the sound of a door opening and slowly extracted herself from Tom's arms, so as not to wake him. "Where are you going?" Ninja whispered, mentally berating herself for sounding like a mother hen. Judy held a finger to her lips and motioned for Ninja to step outside. Glancing back at Tom, Ninja followed without question, shutting the door behind her. "Doug will be out in a minute and we're going to walk to the Chapel." Judy explained as Ninja rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Ok. What time is it?" She yawned as Judy looked at her watch, "5:10."

Ninja ran a hand through her hair, I need a shower. "Man, y'all get up early. Guess if we don't see y'all at the Chapel, we'll see ya at school." She hugged Judy then caught Doug as he came out the door. "You better keep her safe, Penhall. Because if you don't, I might just have to kick your tail." Ninja said, flashing him a winning smile. "I will. After last night, let's just say I don't want to repeat history any more than I have to." Doug replied before he and Judy walked toward the stairs and out of sight.

Slipping back inside, Ninja thought, Time to live up to my name. Moving quietly through the apartment, she quickly found towels and grabbed her bag then went to Tom's bedroom. She flipped on the light and set her bag on the bed to find a shirt, picking a dark green one. Seeing that the clock on the nightstand read 5:25, Ninja hurried to jump in the shower before Tom woke up.

In the living room, Tom awoke to the smell of coffee. He looked around for Ninja, growing worried until he heard the shower running. She's fine. Just getting cleaned up before school. He assumed, walking over to the coffee pot. Spying a note on the counter, Tom turned on the kitchen light and read, Me and Judy are at the Chapel. Remember, Fuller wants to see us before school.- Doug. Tom glanced at the clock, 5:45, we're going to be late! With that, he rushed to the bedroom and threw on a white shirt before starting for the bathroom door.

Ninja had finished drying off and was almost dressed when Tom knocked on the door. "Come on in!" Ninja called as she slipped her shirt on with her back to the door. Hearing a small gasp, she knew he saw at least some of the scars on her back. "What happened Ninja?" Tom asked, moving toward her but gave her space to move around him if she wanted to.

Standing still, Ninja answered, "I was caught on my last mission and was tortured the entire month they had me. You can't tell Doug or Judy, I'll tell them and you the story after this mis...case is over." "Ok. I won't tell them. May I?" Tom wondered, motioning toward her back. Ninja nodded as she turned around, watching him in the mirror as he lifted her shirt up a little. Tom's brows furrowed as he stared at the scars that crisscrossed her bony, muscular back. "I can't wait to hear the story that goes with those, but we better get going or we're going to be late. And I hate being late." He stated, allowing her shirt to cover the scars once more

The Chapel was a little quieter at 6:35 am then 3 pm, just a little. Tom walked straight to his desk and started reading his messages from the day before. Seeing Doug at his desk beside the door, Ninja stopped to say, "Good morning, Penhall. Did you and Judy get here alright?" Doug leaned back in his chair, "Yeah, she went home to get a change of clothes. She should be back soon. Was Hanson ok when he woke up this morning?" Ninja gave him a look of annoyance mixed with worry, "I didn't hurt him, Doug. But that's not the only way you mean that question, is it?" "No. Listen, Tom lost his girlfriend Amy a few months back and has been kicking himself ever since. Hanson is my partner and I don't want to see him hurt any more than he already has been." Doug said before heading to the coffee pot.

"What happened to her?" Ninja pressed as Doug poured two cups, offering one to her while he explained. "She was shot in the robbery of a convenience store that she and Tommy had stopped at. Listen, don't bring Amy up until after the case is over because we need Hanson to focus on the case and not Amy." Ninja nodded her understanding as Fuller walked in hollering, "Hoffs, Hanson, Penhall, Ninja! My office!" As they moved toward Fuller's office, Judy walked in and ran to put her stuff on her desk.

Leaning against the filing cabinet beside the door, Tom asked, "What's up, Coach?" "Where's Hoffs?" Fuller wondered, sitting in his chair as Judy walked in. "I'm here, Captain, got stuck in traffic." Fuller opened the top drawer of his desk and grabbed three keys. "Given the circumstances of the case, I've arranged for a house for you three. I can hang on to your house keys." Motioning to Tom, Doug, and Ninja. "Why?" Tom asked, retrieving his keys from his coat. "Because we don't want these guys making copies of your actual house keys. I take it we aren't going to be checking in every day." Ninja stated, taking her key from the desk.

Fuller gave her a small smile but kept a firm tone, "You'll call me every day, but I don't want to see you three in here any more than two days a week. And not back to back, either. Judy, you're my go-between. You report back here every day by 3:30 unless you call and tell me otherwise. Am I clear?" "Yes, sir!" Doug joked as he saluted him. That really got Fuller bristled, "This is serious, Penhall! I don't like the fact that I'm sending you into something you haven't dealt with before, but I have no choice! So you, Hanson, and Hoffs better listen to Ninja and do exactly what she says." "Relax, Captain Fuller. They're in good hands. I'll protect them as best I can, but they can take care of themselves and each other." Ninja soothed. Sighing as he stood up, Fuller nodded, "I know, Ninja. Now, get to school and stay safe."

Tom stopped Ninja from leaving, saying, "Don't hit me." as he pulled her into a kiss. It wasn't passionate, but it could've been if she wanted it to be. His lips pressed against her's for a brief moment, but those few seconds were enough to send electricity through them both. Pulling back, Tom thought he saw a flash of longing in Ninja's green eyes, I thought they were brown? But it was quickly replaced with irritation as she hit him in the chest, growling, "What was that for?" "Well, you're supposed to be my girlfriend and when people are dating, they kiss. And …"

"Kissing is a great way to hide your face. I know, Tom, I've had to kiss a few teammates to avoid getting made." Ninja interrupted. Chuckling at the shocked, confused, and surprised expressions on their faces, "What? Y'all didn't think that I hadn't ever kissed a guy before, did ya? Oh, and Tom. That gum better stay in your mouth or else you might end up choking on it." Ninja added with a smile as she walked out the door.

Without her near-superhuman reflexes, Ninja would have run smack into Blowfish. "Watch it. You left your medicine by the coffee pot, Penhall." He said holding up a small bottle with ten blue pills inside. Ninja snatched the bottle out of Blowfish's hand, "Those are mine, Sal. I meant to take one but Fuller walked in and I forgot all about 'em. Thanks for finding it." "You're welcome. Looks like you'll be needing a refill soon, my pharmacist is the best." Blowfish suggested as Ninja shook her head, "Thanks Sal, but I doubt he can get ahold of schedule five drugs. I'll make these last the year."

Fuller's gruff voice made her turn around, "Are you allowed to have those?" "I thought drugs only went up to schedule three." Judy chimed. "Yes, Captain, I am supposed to have them. There are five schedules that I know of. Schedule four is military use only while schedule five is experimental, usually the CIA gets five before it gets bumped down to four. These help me acclimate to climates faster than normal so I don't get heat exhaustion or hyperthermia as quickly." Ninja explained as she took a pill. Handing the bottle to Fuller, Ninja asked, "Can you hang on to these for me? One is all I need and I can't have these getting stolen because who knows where I might end up this year." "I'll put it with the house keys. Now get going." Fuller smiled as he disappeared behind his closed door.

Pulling out a white bandana, Tom trapped his coffee brown hair underneath it as he, Doug, Ninja, and Judy head out of the Chapel. "We'll see ya at school, Jude!" Tom hollered as he, Doug, and Ninja piled into his Mustang. As he drove, Tom decided to query his new partner, "Ninja, are your eyes green or brown? I thought they were brown yesterday but saw they were green this morning." Once again looking out the window, Ninja replied, "Both, they go back and forth. Brown when I wear dark colors and green when I wear green or lighter colors. I'm surprised you noticed, most people don't." Reaching from the backseat, Doug placed a hand on her left shoulder, "You ok?" Ninja nodded as she grabbed Doug's hand, "Just nervous. This is my first mission in six months and the last time I was undercover was nearly a year ago." "Don't worry, Ninja. We got your back." Tom promised, putting his hand over hers.