Sorry that the second chapter takes so long, but there was some work to do!
At first thanks to Stephell. She was a great help with her comments and ideas for the chapters.
Also special thanks to Helen who supported me to develop the story.
But now read, review and enjoy!
2. Chapter „Surprising news"
„Hey Jack, I have got a call from the police. In a side street, three blocks away from her apartment, they have found something." Danny runs up to Jack.
"Okay, let's go." he says
When Danny and Jack arrive, they are lead to the side street by a police officer. A black bag lay on the ground. On the front is a picture of a horse and the name "Fiona".
"A homeless had found the bag. I have patrolled with my partner and I saw how he rummaged in the bag. I couldn't believe that it was his bag so I went towards to him. The moment he saw me he run away but my partner caught him. If you want, you can talk with him. By the way, there is an identity card for the bag. It belongs to a woman named Fiona Campbell, are you searching for her?"
"Yes! I will take the evidence." Jack nods his head.
Meanwhile Danny has been looking around the scene. Then he sees something strange, a small black object that looked like a battery.
"Jack, I have found an object it might belong to our mysterious woman." Danny says and holds the spool into the light.
"What's that?" the policeman asks. Neither Jack nor Danny knows the answer, so they decide to take it with them.
"Now we want to speak with the man who found the bag!" Jack demands.
The police officer guides the two agents to the man. He is wrapped in a shabby coat. His hair is matted and his body odour is very acrid.
"Where did you get this bag?" Danny asks.
"It was on the ground. I haven't done anything. There was nobody when I found the bag. I didn't know anything about that woman. You have to believe me!"
„Do you know what this thing could be? " Jack shows the man the black object.
„I don't know, really! " The homeless man answered answers the question.
"Are you sure?" Jack asks him.
"Yeah. I'm homeless, but I'm not stupid!"
"Okay, thanks for your help!"
Jack looks to the corner where Danny found the black object
The young woman is talking to her colleague Aileen McGrew. It's a mild day and she decides to go for a walk.
She laughs about a joke and is searching for a handkerchief in her bag. Then something happens and she gets a shock.
She runs a distance and turns left into the side street. She stumbles, crashes against the wall and the battery and her bag fall down.
She stands up and run away.
The two agents say goodbye and make on their way to the office.
Back at the office Vivian tries to find out for what the battery is used for.
Sam and Danny inspect the contents of the bag. There is her wallet, a packet of handkerchiefs and lip salve. But there is nothing which was useful for the agents.
So Sam continues to read Fiona's diary. She can't stop reading. "This diary is strange." She thinks.
And then Viv strikes gold as to what the small black object is.
"Hey, I believe I know what that thing is!" she tells.
Immediately the team assembles around Vivian's desk.
"This is a transmitter battery."
"What's that?" Samantha asks.
"This transmitter battery is part of a Cochlea Implantation. This is a hearing aid for deaf people and people who are hard of hearing. There is a number on the battery."
Vivian enters the number in the computer.
"A Dr. Balenger inserted the implant here in a surgery, New York. He is a specialist for hearing defects." Viv tells the others.
"It seems Fiona is deaf!" Elena suggests.
"Okay, ask him to come! Vivian, I want a background check." Jack says and Viv nods.
When Dr. Balenger arrives at the bureau, Jack and Danny speak with him.
"Hello, Dr. Balenger I'm agent Jack Malone and this is agent Danny Taylor. We want to talk with you about Fiona Campbell. We believe she was a patient in your surgery!" Jack begins and shows the doctor a photo.
"You are right. This woman, Fiona Campbell, was a patient of mine, but I can't discuss her case because of the medical secrecy." Dr. Balenger nods.
"Dr. Balenger I really need to know her condition and I will use a subpoena to get the information which I need!"
"You know I don't release that kind of information willingly, so please do. That's the only way I can legally give you the information about my patient." Balenger says.
Jack takes the battery out of his jacket and lays it on the table.
"You know what this is or?" he asks Balenger
"This is a part of the Cochlea-Implant. The CI is suitable for patients whose inner ear doesn't work but the auditory nerve does. A bundle of electrodes will insert in the hear snail during an operation.
These give the sound, which is recorded by a microphone as electrical impulses to the auditory nerve. The CI consists of the microphone and a signal processor, a transmitter battery with a magnet and a receiver battery. The receiver battery and the magnet are inserted under the skin behind the ear during an implantation. The transmitter battery clings on the scalp because of the magnet. The battery can be removed and there is silence like before for most people. But I can't say anything about Fiona."
"Okay, thanks!" Jack releases Dr. Balenger and then tries to get the subpoena.
Two hours later
"Jack, a courier just delivered the medical files of Fiona Campbell after the doctor was served the subpoena." Danny says and gives him the files.
"That's not very understandable! We should call Dr. Balenger and let him explain her condition!"
On our later the Balenger is again at the office.
"Now, agent Malone we can discuss Fionas condition."
"So, Fiona is deaf?" Danny interrupts the doctor
"She is not deaf, but hard of hearing!" Balenger corrects him. "Fiona has a rest of hearing sense, but she couldn't use it. She owns on both sides of the ears a CI. Her CI supports this rest of hearing sense. Of course she had to practise and do a therapy: sounds of animals, usual sounds and her voice. The hearing of directions took almost two years."
"That battery we found belongs to her CI. What means that for her CI and hearing sense?" Danny asks him.
"She is habituates to her CI's. Her hearing of direction could be affected. Maybe she misjudges noises of cars and is so endanger. But I don't know what really could happen if she's upset.
Jack nods "Thanks for the help Dr. Balenger."
"No Problem. I hope you can find her!" Balenger says and leaves the office.
After the conversation with the doctor he goes to Viv and she had finished the background check.
"I'm searching for you. I have some surprising news." She says.
After Vivian's explanation Jack is stunned by the news.
"Hey, listen everybody. We have new information." he shouts in the room.
Elena, Sam and Danny sit down waiting for the news.
"Viv had run a background check and she found out that her name had been changed a while back. She looks through the court documents on the name change and come up with a name.
Her real name is Seneana Laoghaire Fiona Fitzgerald, daughter of Victor and Melinda Fitzgerald. She has two sisters, Elaine Conklin and Melissa Rossin, and one brother, Martin Fitzgerald!"
For one moment there is a tense silence.
"Did I hear you right? Martin is Fiona's brother?" Sam asks totally surprised.
"Yeah, but this is not the whole thing. I checked her birth certificate and find out it's sealed for confidentiality. So after getting a subpoena to unseal the document I found out she was adopted at the age of five!" Vivan says.