TITLE: The Bet Chapter 3
RATING: T, PG or K9 the rating is longer than the story
BETAed by: Linda, Brynna, Brynnamorgan (dance into the fire)
ARCHIVE: Anyone who would like. Drop me a line so I can visit.
SYNOPSIS: Logan and Barek make a wager.
COMMENTS: Inquiring minds want to know are they or aren't they.
DISCLAIMER: Everything relating to Criminal Intent is owned by Dick Wolf and NBC productions. Yadda, Yadda, Yadda.
Hi Guys!
Your patient nature in waiting for updates and your feedback have been awesome!
Here we go again...
This has got be the longest twenty-five minutes in history. Barek wouldn't look at her watch, but was measuring time by her Boss's progression around the bullpen. Logan left for the Cafeteria about eight minutes ago. There goes Deakins to Bishop's desk. Carolyn rose, pulled a folder off her desk, and headed out. She didn't get very far.
"Hey, Barek," Johnson's friendly voice called out. Minor glitch.
She stopped and turned to face him. "Hey yourself Jack, what's up?"
"If you are headed off to lunch, I'd love to join you." Update major glitch.
"It would be great to share lunch with you, but," lifting the folder up for him to see, "dead zone, I'm off to the M.E.'s" Look at that reaction, Johnson is not good with the morgue. File that info away.
"O, um, rain check on that lunch?"
Aw, cute expression, two brownie points. "You're on." Barek continued out.
Across the room Deakins' radar registered her as no longer being present.
About fifteen to twenty minutes later…
Carolyn Barek slid past the door into the small area that was the observation deck to interrogation room two. Her heart rate was slightly elevated which led to some serious dry mouth. She let out a sigh and twisted the top off her bottled water. She looked through the two way glass. From her view, right to left, she saw Logan had positioned himself at the end of the table, nearest the door to the hall. A grin spread across her lips. Not secure about the reactions you might get? Might have to make a quick retreat there Mike? On the long side of the table facing the mirror also seated were Goren, closest to Logan and the door, with Eames to Bobby's right, near the table's opposite end. Mike, you have them oriented where you want them, She took a much needed sip of water, but they have control of the room. Bobby can block your door retreat and Alex can round that table end in no time. From the arrangement of the food wrappers and eatables, they hadn't been in the room very long. From everyone's body language, the room seemed calm. Maybe Mike decided to go with just lunch after all.
Carolyn took a deep breath and let it out slow, willing herself to relax. Hey, no need to be wound up, I'm out of the loop, no one knows I'm here. Her eyes widened as she heard the unmistakable sound of the door she recently entered opening. The next five seconds made the last twenty-five minutes seem like a lightning flash. Suddenly she was as dry as the desert at high noon.
"Detective." Deakins delivered this one word with no sign of surprise, or any other emotion. It was as monotone as humanly possible.
Barek, trying not to squeak, answered, "Sir." Then smiled; she could pull off casual much better than Logan could ever dream to achieve. And hopefully better than her boss can notice.
"What's going on?" The captain crossed his arms and nodded in the direction of the glass.
"Looks like lunch." Barek took a drink before she choked on her non-existent spit. "The door was ajar and curiosity got the better of me, and well, since it's nothing I was just going to leave."
"Really." Deakins' response just hung there. "Maybe Mike is brainstorming on that hunch that was bugging him."
"Could be, sure." Go with the flow, try not to drown.
"Let's find out." Deakins reached for a switch on the wall. "I don't read lips."
Twice in one day. Note to self, the Captain's radar and personnel file info intact and working at one-hundred percent. Great.
A click and the deck had live audio to go with the view.
"So, how long have you two been partners?" Mike took a drink of his milk.
Bobby took the top off his sandwich, inspecting the inside. "A little over five and half years." Satisfied with his examining, he began reassembling his lunch. "Until this assignment, how long were you solo, Mike?"
"Too long, it's nice to have a partner again. And being part of a bigger crew again, that feels pretty good too." Setting his milk down, he continued. "I'm still trying to get a feel for all the players, just how well each team clicks, and how they do working with the other teams."
Eames stopped mid-chew and shot a quick look at Logan. He didn't notice. But Barek caught the meaning in Alex's eyes.
"Like I thought, Captain," Carolyn was trying to sound very nonchalant, "just some lunch and idle chit-chat." She headed for the door, hoping the captain will agree and follow her out. Animals can sense a disaster long before humans do. I wonder if that holds true for detectives as well.
"Mhh." Deakins shifts his right hand to cup his cheek. "Detectives don't chat; they gather information and interrogate."
Radar and disaster sensors. Crap. Out of all the assignments available in New York and I get the captain with super powers. Barek stopped and turned with defeated head slightly dipping down, and returned to watch.
Goren smiled at Logan. "You want the short report. The condensed information, cliff notes, quick and dirty." He shook his head. "You should know, Mike, if you just sit back and soak it up over time; you will get a very complete and detailed picture of how it all works. Shortcuts are a bad idea in this area."
Barek wished she had a super power of her own right now, called telepathy. Mike, he is giving you a bow out. Please take it!
Mike, not missing a beat or bothering to keep his feet grounded and not in his mouth, said, "So, how long have you two been together?"
Goren knit his brow and turned toward Alex, looked back at Logan, then back to Alex. "Five and a half years." He swung back to face Logan, looking very concerned. "Do you need to be taking notes here, Mike?"
Mike, getting his smug on, crossed his arms. "You know what I mean."
Alex addressed Bobby with, "Beyond impatient he is importunate."
"Barek." Deakins eyes remained focused on the room in front of him.
"Sir?" She took a large drink.
"Which of these Detectives are on the deck right now; Davis, Adams, Mitchell, Johnson?"
"Davis and Adams are out since this morning, Johnson just went to lunch. So just Mitchell. Why?"
Deakins reached into his pocket and popped the top off his aspirin bottle. He turned his head to make eye contact with her. "Because it takes at least three of them…."
She interrupted with, "To stop Goren?"
Deakins shook his head. "To slow Bobby down."
Barek extended her half empty water bottle towards her captain.
Mike, I hardly knew you.