A/N: Do not adjust your computer monitors--yes, youa re getting a 2nd chapter in less than a week. Aren't you all special? The must has finally broken through the glass ceiling and is working marvously with me once again. Until next time--ya'll are the best--PCGirl.
Natalie was sitting on her bed, her laptop in front of her as she finished up reading some late e-mails. She'd already showered, her hair pulled up and off her neck, and had slipped into a deep blue silk pajama set she'd been given for Christmas. She was just finishing saving all the files she had opened and call it a night when she an instant message window popped open. The message was just a simple 'Hello Natalie' and not recognizing the name she was going to close out of it when the next message popped up,
"You look pretty tonight, the color of those pajamas look good on you."
Natalie glanced down at her clothes--maybe it was a coincidence, there was no way they could see her from the safety of her bedroom she thought. But then she remembered another night when she knew someone could, but those circumstances were different and she didn't have the cold chill of goosebumps that night as she did now.
Keeping her eye on the computer screen she reached back and grabbed her cell phone, sliding it into her lap and engaging the speaker phone before hitting the speed dial for John's phone. Hopefully she could get a hold of him before the sicko she was talking to hung up the phone.
"I mean there really isn't anything here, John--I'm not sure what we can get Ramsey on," spoke Talia as she stood next to him going over part of Ramsey's personal FBI file.
"These are doctored, I know it. The guy is anything but a model agent," said John as he felt his phone buzz and he looked to see who it was. Any other time he'd have ignored it, not that it was Natalie, but that he was in the middle of something he truly didn't want to drag her into, but it was late and he wanted to talk to her. "Hey--what's going on?"
"This is going to sound really silly, but you remember that night you were at that stakeout," she said as another message popped up on her computer screen.
John put his head down to keep Talia and Antonio from seeing him grinning, "Yeah--what's going on?" It took him a second to register the tone of her voice and then the grin was gone and he had turned back towards his coworkers.
"I was closing down my computer and I got a message--I'm sitting on my bed and they can tell what I'm wearing. And unless my room is bugged with a video camera there's only one way I know they can see me," said Natalie as she finally looked towards the window. She heard the ding of another message and the person asked who she was talking to. "They know I'm on the phone now, John."
"Sit tight--Antonio and I are going up to the stakeout location--Talia will meet you at the kitchen door. Do not open it for anyone else, understood?"
"Yeah, I understand," she said as the final message popped up on her screen.
'You can call McBain all you want--he won't catch me."
Reading those words the chill washed over her again, "John, be careful up there."
"I will," he said as he ended the call and the three headed out the door.
"I wonder what's taking them so long?" asked Natalie as she took another sip of the hot liquid that Talia had made up for her in lieu of coffee--she said her sister made it all the time when she was pregnant with her kids, and it was 100 safe for the baby.
"I'm sure they'll be here soon," spoke Talia and almost immediately there was a knock on the kitchen door window. "See," said Talia as she had Natalie step back and opened the door.
"Where's John?" asked Natalie nervously as they both watched just Antonio walk in.
"He left--said he had something he needed to take care of. Do you want us to stay and keep you company?"
"No, I'm going to check the doors again and go to bed--thanks for checking everything out--did you find anything up there?"
"No, but that doesn't mean we won't see something again in the morning when we can do a thorough sweep. You sure you are ok?" asked Antonio at seeing the look on Natalie's face.
"I'm fine--Talia's got my laptop to see if they can trace the IP address."
"I'll get it back to you as soon as possible."
"Thanks, and thanks for the drink recipe again," smiled Natalie as she led the two out the door and locked it behind her. She leaned against the door--both angry and hurt that John had ran off to do something else instead of making sure she was going to be ok tonight. Setting the half empty cup in the sink she turned off the kitchen light and headed upstairs to try and attempt to sleep.
John banged on the door with his fist til he was sure it would start bleeding. He didn't care how late it was or what neighbors he woke up--he was going to set it straight right now with Ramsey if it killed him. "Ramsey--open up now or I'll blow the damn lock off the door," he shouted while continuing to bang on the door.
When Ramsey opened the door John's instincts kicked in and he shoved the man backwards until he hit the wall, John's forearm against the other mains Adam's apple, "I'm going to tell you this just one time--if you or your little brown-noser Eddie go near Natalie again I will kill you so quickly you won't remember how you ended up in hell."
"Lieutenant McBain, I suggest you let go of me now, unless you want IA to be all over you in the morning," choked out Lee Ramsey as he fought to release John's hold on him, but it was John who finally let go and watched as Ramsey leaned over to catch his breath. "Now please explain to me why you are not only assaulting an officer, but your Superior at that."
"Don't play coy with me. You sent Eddie up on that mountainside--I don't know how you knew that location looked into her bedroom window, but you did," said John and then laughed, "I never saw you as a peeping tom, Lee."
"I'm not--and whatever games you and that red head are playing I can ensure you that I have nothing to do with them."
"Like hell you don't--just stay away from her," spoke John as he turned and walked out.
Lee shut the door behind John and saw her standing on the stairway, "Sorry about that--let's go to bed."
"That sounded like John--was it?"
"Yeah, but he's gone now--he won't be back tonight," spoke Ramsey as he walked to the stairway and gave the woman a kiss on the forehead before taking her hand and leading her upstairs to their bedroom.