Are we there yet?
Always searching, looking out for a proof of life. They had brought governments tumbling down, fought with small armies twenty times their numbers and yet they couldn't tell if one of them was dead or alive. Not until ten days ago.
A Jane Doe resurfaced, a rumor, in a washed out and barely out of the radar country in Eastern Europe that was trafficking women into the old Soviet Union. Amongst some really bad quality images there was very little space for certainty but enough cracks to revive hope.
He wanted the team to discuss his findings and also he needed an expert's opinion on the contents of the pictures and a course of action. He called the team and they were set to meet at Tool's.
Ross had seen the pictures so much, he could easily spend a lifetime without seeing them again and they'd still be fresh in his memory to recall at any given moment.
A fragile and bony woman figure with long dark hair was seen in the pictures. Her face was never shown but the cigarette burns, the bruises and the swollen ankles were present in all of them. Only one of them provided him enough fuel to revive the search.
The first one to arrive was Christmas, closely followed by Yang, both Caesar and Toll Road seemed to be trailing each other and Gunnar was the last one to arrive with an obvious hangover.
Ross called Yang first into the dark disheveled room he called an office. The rest of the team awaited outside, some catching up to each other, another one practicing his knife throwing and finally another one catching some much needed sleep.
Yang glanced at the screen in front of him. Ross stood up from the chair and let Yang sit in front of the computer.
"I need a date, location and any other relevant information you can get from these pictures."
Yang looked up at Ross with a questioning look that could easily be confused for a smile. Ross had a stern expression on his face; he was fixated on the woman in the photo. The pain she must've gone through, the dried blood on her wrists, the chains tied to her ankles and her long disheveled dark hair.
"Funny."
"It wasn't a joke, Yang."
"You are well aware that an id on this is nearly impossible."
"I know you can manage something."
"It is practically impossible to track down to a secure source and let's not begin with the fact that we're working based on a couple tattoos."
"Not just any old tattoos. These fiery babies were done by yours truly."
Tool casually leaned on the door as both Yang and Ross looked up to him.
"Now, let me get a good hard look." Tool walked in, put his glasses on and slowly began inspecting his presumed artwork.
"Fellas, this is one hell of a shitty picture, but, those birds right there are mine and mine only. No doubt." Tool stood straight and placed his hand on both men shoulders.
"We're going hunting."