two:

" Son of a bitch! " John Casey growled. He glared at his computer monitor through bloodshot eyes.

Sarah Larkin glanced up from her own lap top screen. " What's wrong? "

" All of this computer shit is giving me a headache. The files are empty like the Intersect was deleted before we got to it. We need a hacker geek to crack this code and stuff... " Casey scrubbed calloused hands across his craggy face with a weary sigh.

" I'm good at breaking things... even better at shooting things or people... "

Sarah smiled sympathetically. " Take a break, Casey. We've been at this for most of the afternoon and getting no where. "

" It's very quiet in here. " He glanced about the hotel suite living room. " Uh... Larkin? Where's Carina? "

" She left a while back. She was whining about getting cabin fever watching us slave away over these computers and since she was in Paris that it would be a crime not to pick up some new French lingerie... "

Casey's nervous gulp was rather audible.

Sarah glanced back at her lap top screen to hide a slight smirk. " Rapp says hi!"

" Tell Ironman I said hi back... Are you on line with him? "

" Yeah! Since he's the new head of the CIA black ops section, I thought I'd pick his brain... Hold it... " She tapped something on the lap top keyboard. " He thinks he may have some intel on Frost so he's going to send it in an email... "

" Who the hell is Frost? " Casey growled.

" You really do need to take a break Casey and enjoy a Parisian evening. Maybe with Carina and her new lingerie? " Sarah arched an eyebrow at him. " We found the code name 'Frost' in the computer history. The same computer that held the Intersect program and files when we raided that Volkoff Industries computer complex. They didn't do a very good job of clearing it out... "

Casey had the good grace to appear sheepish. " That's right... Sorry Larkin. There any fresh coffee? "

" Carina got a fresh pot going before she headed out for her shopping spree. She said it's her favorite french roast... just a warning. "

Casey grunted as he stood up and wandered towards the tiny hotel suite kitchen area. " You wanting a refill? "

Sarah sighed. " Better not... I want one but don't need it. My teeth are chattering from too much caffeine as is and my brain still feels fried. "

He grunted again.

Something on her lap top screen caught her attention. " Well this is interesting... "

" What? "

" The email from Rapp came through and he says he's spoken with Director Kennedy. There have been rumors going around lately that Frost is the code name for a CIA agent who went rogue and off grid ten to fifteen years ago... "

Sarah glared at her monitor. " Son of a bitch... "

" What? " Casey sniffed at the dark aroma of the fresh coffee appreciatively as he wandered back towards the table and his computer.

" They think Frost is or was an agent named Mary Bartowski... "

" Hhhmmm... Bartowski? Why does that name sound familiar? "

Sarah grabbed her wallet and fished a personalized Buy More business card from behind her stack of id and credit cards. She pointed at the name printed on it. " His name's Chuck Bartowski... "

" Huh? "

" The guy who rescued me from Cole Barker last year... "

Pale blue eyes squinted at her as Casey dredged up the necessary memory. " The moron? "

Sarah sighed. " Yes Casey... the moron. "

" Small world? Coincidence? "

She shrugged and shook her head doubtfully. " I don't know... but neither of us is very comfortable with coincidence are we? "

" No we aren't. " Casey gave his CIA a quizzical look. " You kept his business card? "

Sarah focused her attention back on the lap top screen. " I wasn't planning on it. I tossed it into an ashtray on the bar after he left but Carina picked it up and started running her mouth about how cute Chuck was... so I took it from her. "

" Why not let Carina? "

" Have her fun? He's married and he seemed like a nice guy... "

Casey grunted his understanding. Both agents were aware of Carina's utter contempt for marital fidelity especially when it came to fulfilling a mission. " So? "

" We'll need to check Chuck and the intel out... " Sarah sat back and watched her NSA partner as he glared at his computer monitor.

" Why don't you go on ahead... go alone, " Casey mused. " If this Chuck is innocent, he doesn't need a bunch of government agents trampling though his world... especially Carina. If Frost is connected to him then we might get further with your more subtle touch in finding out what that connection is.

" The Intersect is still out there and we need to get it before Fulcrum or the Ring do, and they've been getting way too close lately... "

" Think you can handle Carina's ah... curiosity by yourself? " Sarah asked with not so subtle amusement.

Casey shrugged. " As long as I can keep the handcuffs away from her... Where is this Chuck? "

" The Buy More is in Burbank and I believe he lives in Echo Park... "

Casey raised a questioning eyebrow.

Sarah suddenly felt defensive. " What? I Googled him after the bar rescue... wouldn't you? I found his Facebook and Twitter pages... "

Casey snorted a wordless opinion of civilians and their transparent lives. " You liked him didn't you? "

Sarah brushed long, blond hair from her face and studied her partner through cool, blue eyes. " I don't know him well enough to like him... "

Casey rumbled wordlessly.

" …and that sounds like a question Carina would ask, Casey. "

The rumble turned to a snarl. " Swell! Your lady feelings are starting to rub off on me... "

" I rather doubt that, " Sarah said dryly. She clicked on her internet connection and went looking for seating availability and departure times on some of the CIA approved airlines. Team Intersect was not the type of mission to warrant a private plane... more the pity...

Casey stood up and after grabbing his coffee cup, stalked towards the hotel suite front door.

" Where are you going? "

The Casey snarl turned into words. " I'm suddenly in the mood to shoot something. "

" Well have fun! "

" Always do... have a safe trip... "

tbc