Chapter eight
She's like the wind

"Honey, I told you." Harold spoke into his cell phone; His voice was charming, "Yes, I'll be home as soon as I'm done…" He hesitated for a few seconds, "I love you Sophie, finish your homework and go to bed." He hung the phone up slowly turning to face the person holding the gun to the back of his head.

"Good," Gretchen kept watching his face, "Now, you need to do that little favour for me." Her eyes kept focused on Harold's.

Harold kept looking down the barrel of the gun; his eyes slowly meeting Gretchen's Ice cold stare. Her face dead focused on his, "Gretchen, what happened… The General…"

"How stupid do you think I am?" Gretchen kept her poise, her voice stone, the fact she was good with a weapon, but she wasn't intending to use it. "I was in Prison, not the middle of no where." Her attention was sharp.

Harold swallowed, "The Company, it's nothing, it's been shut down for six years."

"I know, you stupid half wit," Her hand going to her hip, "I am not interesting with The Company, when the man I thought cared about me, let someone torture me, over something I did know!" She inhaled, "I have unfinished business."

Harold looked confused, "Unfinished…" He kept trying to avoid looking at the gun, his voice kept shaking with the fear, everyone who knew of Gretchen Morgan, knew to fear her temper. "I…"

Gretchen smirked, "look I have no issues with you, but I'm the one with the gun," Her voice business, "So I need you to work your computer skills, and get me the information I need."

"If I get found out doing this, I could lose my Job…" Harold sounded scared, his entire face falling with the terror.

Gretchen simply nodded, "But right now, I am the bitch with the gun, so I'm the one, you should be fearing the most."

Rolling over, Ray exhaled, but it quickly turned into a grunt. The room wasn't dark, but more an off bluish grey. Shifting his weight onto his elbow, he propped himself up. One bed close to the window, Shea still fast asleep, lightly he breathed in and out, with the odd snore.

Then Ray turned his attention to the other bed, it was empty, and he could see that it had been slept in. Quickly getting to his feet, he felt a rush of panic, but relaxed seeing the car keys where he left them. He walked to the window, pulled the curtains aside to see Erica sitting on the hood of the car staring at the sky.

Erica watched the sky, sitting here in the silence. Her hair down, she liked when she could wear her hair down, relaxed and calm. Her eyes focused on the twinkle of fading stars, they weren't disappearing, just the night making way for the day. Her arms pulled the motel blanket around herself sighing.

"You know, for a second." Ray's voice broke Erica out of her trance, "I thought you made a run for it…" He glanced to the bonnet, seeing Erica looking calm. For the first time, she was peaceful.

"You know better," Her words simple, but he knew, that she wanted more than just Freedom, she wanted to be with her daughter.
Ray shifted his weight from one foot to the other, he suddenly aware of the cold air, his hands going to his jean pockets. "So what are you doing out here?" He kept glancing back to the room, knowing full well that Shea wasn't waking up any time soon.

Erica kept watching the sky, even if she was aware of how close Ray was, she didn't need to look at him, to get that feeling she got whenever he was around her. "My cell is in the west," Her voice drifting, like leaf in a light breeze. "When I was little," she carried on, speaking as if to a close friend, not someone who was as close to a boss as she could get. "My Dad, he used to take me fishing," She smiled remembering it, it hurt to think about her father, but it didn't stop her reminiscing the good times. "It was always dark when we'd leave the house, but by the time we was on that lake." Her exhaled was mist, the warmth of her breath hitting the ice-cold morning air. "I used to love watching the sun rise, but since going to Maybelle," Her eyes now looking to Ray's face, for once he was listening. He wasn't pulling a face, wasn't being harsh, just listening. "I love to wake up early, to see a new day."

"I used to be up to see a new day, cos my Job makes it that way." He now brushed a hand across his stubble; the moment was making him feel awkward. "Just," He stopped himself, "I'm gonna get on the phone, see what Jules has got for us…" Quickly he turned leaving Erica on her own.
She brushed her hand into her hair, letting out the breath she'd been holding, her heart felt tense in her chest, but now she relaxed back once more, the horizon slowly turning orange.

Lloyd first felt the stiffness in his neck, his eyes blinking to adjust to the light. Then with a quick jolt, his eyes found Julianne's. "What the?" He brushed his hair down, knowing even if he couldn't see it; it was sticking up in awkward angles. Then his eyes focused on what she was holding. A Cup of coffee, the steam rising, just proving it was just made. "How long have I been sleeping?" He quickly brushed the sleeve of his shirt across the side of his mouth to clear away the dried on drool.

Julianne ignoring this action, placing the coffee cup down, "About four hours, maybe five," Her eyes kept avoiding him.

Lloyd felt odd, for a second, not sure if he'd been talking in his sleep, he didn't know. He never had anyone around to tell him otherwise, but for a second, he remember glimmers of a dream, feeling himself getting hot under the collar just thinking about it. He kept trying to catch Julianne's eyes, "Why didn't you wake me sooner?"

Julianne bit her lip, her eyes going to the door, "You look really tired, I know sleeping on a desk isn't all that comfortable, but…" she gave a small smile, "I thought you needed it." Her eyes went to the door again.

Lloyd inhaled, "Julianne, is there a reason," He stopped for a second catching his reflection on a window, "Why do I have a Hitler tash?" his eyes now snapping to Julianne's, her eyes wide with a small amount of amusement.

"Lizzie," She spoke her sister's nickname slowly, her face trying so hard not to laugh, "She got a little bored, when the trail went cold." Julianne letting little smiles slip, "I told her not to, I honestly did, but…" her voice trailed off. "I'm sorry, I just."

"I'm starting to think, your sister doesn't like me." Lloyd got to his feet, his voice was stern, and in a way that Julianne couldn't ever imagine hearing it this way.

Julianne quickly stood to her full high, for a first time, her intake of breath was sharp. "Lloyd, seriously!" Her voice had a tone; she was shocked by it herself. "I have her bitching to me about you, I have you bitching to me about her!" Julianne held her hand up, "To be honest, part of me wants to give you two a pair of boxing gloves, and let you at it, but right now." He voice dropped, her other hand playing with her scarf, her eyes kept focused. "Right now we've got a female convict on the run, who can be doing anything, anywhere." Clearing her throat nervously. "You two are the smartest people I know, so stop acting like adolescents and grow the hell up!" Julianne now handed him a box of wet wipes, "also it's just eyeliner, it'll wash off." Her voice went calm going back to her desk.

Lloyd took a wipe from the box, for a second watching Julianne, "you just had a go at me…" He stated his words carefully, "you stood up to me, you asserted yourself." He clapped, "Julianne," He nodded, "I am really proud of you getting more better every time I see you…"

Julianne shook her head, "I better get on the phone, Ray's going to need something."

Ray walked into the business building; his eyes kept looking to the desk. He could see the man looking nervous. Erica to his left, and Shea to his right, he knew that he was going to have to be the bad guy in questioning.

"Harold Wyatt," He inhaled, "I am with the U.S Marshals," He glanced from his left, to his right, "We understand that you was in contact with Gretchen Morgan?"

Harold glanced up, "Look, I already told the FBI guy…" He side glanced, "I told him everything I know." He now got up rubbing a black eye, "If you don't mind, I have a teenage daughter, home alone possibly worried."

Shea looked confused, "I think he was talking about that dude over there," He point to a man wearing a black suit, he had his back to the team. Talking to what could have been a security guard nursing an icepack to the face.

"I am going to figure this one," He pointed from Shea to Erica, "You two stay here!" he pointed; now walking over the man. "Excuse me, I'm Ray, Ray Zancanelli…" He kept his tone serious.

Alexander Mahone slowly turned around, "I'm Agent Mahone." He kept his tone strict, "I would like to know what you're doing in my crime scene?"

"We're on the hunt for Gretchen Morgan," Ray straighten himself up, "I am with the U.S Marshal, so I don't see why I can't be here." Remaining calm, he could hear Erica and Shea talking behind him.

Alex now shifting his weight, "Well, this isn't no ordinary con, she's…"

"I know, an ex assign kinda lady, but this is still our case," Ray making himself look bigger, the fact he didn't quite like someone walking into his business.

Alex nodded, "Yes, I heard, using Cons to catch them," He tilted his head to one side, "They all you got?"

Ray pulled his attention to where Shea and Erica were standing, "They're my team," He tuned back to Alex, "So you got to know that I've got all this under control, you can go back to your desk job."

"You should know that Gretchen Morgan has been at large for twenty four hours," Alex's voice tight, "I am not only going to find her, but I know how she thinks…"

"And I know how she's going to make her next move," Erica stepped in, "Alexander Mahone," Her eyes focused on his, "Erica Reed," She kept herself standing tall.

"Reed, why does that sound so familiar?"

Erica inhaled, "I am the daughter of Gregory Reed," He broke into a smirk, "Should of known with the look on your face." Alex nodded, "I'm sorry for your lose, but you got to understand, this is personal with me…"

Ray now moving between Alex and Erica, "Yes, and this is personal to them," He kept glancing to Shea who'd slowly joined them.

"I've been in close proximity with Gretchen…" Alex keeping himself composed, it had been so long since he was aloud in the field again.

Shea lifted a hand, "We've got someone, who could work more about Gretchen than you can, and he's never met her…"

Elizabeth sat near the phone, her eyes going to Julianne, "Right Ray, we're all set up," Julianne spoke, slowly turning to look at Lloyd, he inhaled, "Lloyd's right here, you're on loud speaker."

"You know a Skype conversation would be awesome…" Elizabeth glanced to the look on Lloyd's face, "Skype, you've," Her eyes rolled, "I'm going to get something for breakfast, I'm starved."

"Can you get me a bagel?" Julianne smiled.

Ray's cough heard over the phone, "Right now, we need Lloyd to tell us what he's worked out on Morgan?"

Lloyd cleared his throat, "Her personal belongs got here," He exhaled, "Twenty minutes ago," He slowly looked to Julianne, he gave her small smile, turning his attention to the phone. "I've been rummaging through, but right now I am not getting much, aside from a very clear attention to detail, she was private." He stopped, "Never kept a journal, most of the things in her belongings, news paper clippings, magazine articles…" He reached into a box, "I'm working on it…"

"Yes, Lloyd, but have you got anything that can make a lead… Anything to where she'll be heading next?" Ray kept feeling awkward, he bragged about Lloyd, but Lloyd was coming up empty handed.

Julianne bit her lip, "We're working on it," she now looked to see Elizabeth putting her coat on, "Lizzie is going to see if she can find anything on Gretchen, by her way of Haking…" Her words were quick.

"My what!" Elizabeth was frozen to the spot, her eyes going to Julianne, "My, what!"

Julianne kept still, "Right now, we'll have to let you know more later…"

"Okay Jules, keep up the good work," Ray's voice was followed by a dead line, the fact that Elizabeth was like a complete statue.

Julianne still biting her lip, her hand to her scarf, her eyes dead focused on Elizabeth, "I had to say something…" Her voice shook, her body trying to keep standing up.

Elizabeth taking her coat off, "you ow me!" she now moved to her desk, "but now you're going to have to get breakfast," Her voice stern, "And I want an bacon and egg muffin with pancakes."

"I'll get breakfast, you two work," Julianne paused, "Don't kill each other while I'm gone…" picking her coat and purse up, Julianne glanced from Lloyd to Elizabeth before slowly leaving the office.