" Its been over five years since I was assigned to these strange and odd cases with that man. That strange, odd, eccentric, stupidly beautiful man. I write this on the evening after of his disappearance. The disappearance of my partner, of the man I loved. I sit here in his office, writing this out in pure frustration. I couldn't possibly imagine the events that lead to this. I attempt, not so well to hold back my tears from hitting this notepad as I write. But I can't. But sitting here brings it back. The memories of when we were first assigned to work together and all these strange odd adventures we went on. On the Eve of the anniversary of our partnership. My Partner, Nea Campbell, has gone missing. So here I will write, how it all began…."
Chapter one : Pilot
January was always cold in Washington, colder here than it had been at Berkeley. But, then again, after five years in Quantico this cold had become such a normal thing. Cross had once told him that he should pray to god for winter to become much warmer. Bennet walked forward, moving through the crowds of other FBI agents that filled the hallway near the assistant director's office. He hated this, after three years working with criminal and cyber, working mindless hours with video encryption, code encryption and white collar crimes. He didn't understand, why the Bureau had decided to change his position.
He entered the room only to have his nose assaulted by the smell of cheap cigarette smoke. The man quickly put it out when he saw Bennet walk into the room.
"Have a seat," the man said.
"Have I done something wrong?" Bennet asked.
"No nothing at all. Cigarette?"
"No thank you, I don't smoke," Bennet responded politely. "If you don't mind me being so blunt sir, why have you called me here today?"
"I have a job for you. Currently only one person working full time on the unsolved cases division because, well, you can't do much with unsolved cases," the assistant director said.
"And why do they need my assistance?"
"I was thinking that your computer expertise would be useful in dealing with these kinds of cases. The two of you could organize the unsolved files and connect any loose ends. But in truth, it's an attempt to keep that man in line."
"So I'm an over glorified babysitter," he muttered, trying to mask the disappointment dripping in his voice. "To be frank sir, did i do something to offend you, Assistant Director?"
The assistant director almost chuckled. "Nothing. But your expertise would be useful in this situation."
Bennet now found himself trudging down to basement of the FBI building, half his items sticking out of a cardboard box. He muttered half complaints as he made it towards the door of his new office. He knocked on it with the tip of his foot only to find the door was open and he pushed in.
"Hello?" Bennet called out.
"Welcome to hell," a man said, hidden behind stacks and stacks of paper.
"Hell? More like a tree graveyard."Bennet said walking into the room trying not to push over any of the stacks of paper.
The man gave a chuckle. "You're funny, so who did you piss off so much they sent you down to the boiler room?" His head popped out over the stack of papers.
There he was. A familiar shaggy messy, haired man with dark eyes staring at him. The smug look fading as Bennet almost dropped the box he was holding in dismay.
Nea Campbell.
"YOU FUCKER!" Were the only words that could leave Bennet's mouth at that moment.
"I should be saying that to you! Wasn't it bad enough that your were under my shadow all through the academy! Now you've had to get yourself demoted to be under my great shadow once again!" Nea began to spout rather proudly.
"First, hold the phone," Bennet said, "under your shadow? Last I checked your scores were always under mine. Second, i didn't get demoted. The A.D. sent me down here to babysit your ass.'
The smug look fell off Nea's face as he glared with pure spit at Bennet. He walked around the stacks of papers towards Bennet only to attempt to shove him out.
"Leave," was the only thing the purple haired man said as he began to push Bennet with all his force.
"No!" Bennet planted his feet in the doorway, forcing himself toward the room.
"I don't need you, I can get them to give me another partner! Hell! I can do this myself!" Nea said pushing Bennet with most of his strength, yet the man would not move outward into the hallway.
"I can see that, through all these mounds of paper…"
"Shut up, Four Eyes!"
A few minutes of this passed and Nea got a brilliant idea. He moved away from Bennet to let the man fall onto the floor, only to realize a few seconds too late that Bennet would fall on top of him, and both of them clattered to the floor. Bennet was at least thankful that he had land on top of Nea.
He pushed himself up to ask, "Are you Alright, Campbell?" but his motion caused a pile of papers to fall on top of them.
"Ugh…" Nea said, popping out of a pile of papers. "Four eyes, where are you?"
Bennet's head popped up from the papers. Here…"
"How did you get so far down there?"
"You pulled yourself forward, and I got uncomfortable close to your crotch you bastard," Bennet glared.
"Sorry. Man what a mess…" He muttered beginning to gather up all the scattered papers. Bennet sighed, beginning to gather papers as well.
"Why do you have all these anyway? Empty case files of bodies that haven't been found, bodies found with no names. Things that can't be explained, like spontaneous combustion. I bet you wish half of these would spontaneously combust, less work…"
"Haha, no way, Four eyes! These are all importants files. The last vague idea of a person's life, don't be rude," Nea retorted quickly.
A knock suddenly came at the door.
An elder woman stood. She wasn't quiet elderly but she had gotten past middle age. She spoke quickly looking at both of them. In all fairness her reaction was expected. Two young FBI agent, surrounded in mountains and mountains of paper. They looked ridiculous.
"Oh, are you busy? This was the time you said to meet you, wasn't it Mr. Campbell?"
Nea stood up rapidly, and for a second Bennet thought he was flushed. Hurriedly straightening out his shirt, Nea walked over to the woman.
"I'm not; please, have...um a seat…" He quickly cleared out some of the fallen papers and moved some of the stacks from a single chair. "Four eyes, don't look completely useless."
Bennet stood up, holding back any bitchy remarks he could have given Nea at that moment.
"Thank you so much for seeing me," The woman said, "I didn't think anyone would believe what i said."
"We're not private eyes. Your case was sent to us by local law enforcement," Bennet said quickly.
"Please ignore my rookie partner; it's the first day on the job," Nea said in almost a hiss. "Please tell us your account of the story, don't let him discourage you. Please, go on Ms. Miller."
Bennet looked at Nea, a little discontent with him being brushed off so quickly. Miller, that was the woman's surname, he had assumed they had spoken over the phone before. Pretending to amuse himself with a case file, he began to listen into their conversation.
A few moments passed and Bennet couldn't believe what he was hearing. This Miller woman was insane. People going missing, bodies half eaten by animals, sightings of odd humanoid creatures. He wanted to laugh out loud, but the woman was still in the room and he wasn't that big of an asshole. Everything that Ms. Miller said sounded something out of science fiction. Like some cult classic show from the nineteen nineties going straight to her head, and believing it enough to come down with the case of a serial killer. Pleading to Nea Campbell, of all people, to assist a town that, like Bennet himself, didn't believe a word this woman was saying to begin with. He looked at Nea, almost hoping to see the look of disbelief on his face.
"Right, now how tall exactly was the creature you saw, Ms. Miller?" Nea said, there was almost a sparkle in his eye.
Bennet stood there. He wanted to jump out a window, but what good would that do him? he was already in Hell, and this one he still couldn't believe.
After Nea had jotted down a few notes, he and Ms. Miller chatted briefly before she left, Nea closing the door behind her.
"Pack your things, specs, your first case is in Montana," Nea said with a grin.
"You mean you're going to Montana and I have to follow your ass," Bennet retorted.
The cocky smile had returned to Nea's face. "Exactly, so technically I'm babysitting you because you have to follow me."
"You don't really believe her, this Miller woman, do you? A Humanoid creature that steals people and eats them, where the whole town can see in the middle of a full moon? That sounds like a load of bullshit. I mean, come on, it's probably a serial killer, and what does your boiler room consultant agency do? Not fucking this."
"Have you ever heard of the X-files, Glasses?" Nea asked.