"Look, it goes without saying that the whole alphabet soup will be dumping everything they have on record regarding the al-Bakr from the database, and the one we are looking for. They will send out the hounds and they will find him," Rainy Jay sank into a leather chair at the back of the room.
"And when they find him they're not going to care about whether or not he killed his roommates," Goren added.
"In this situation, no, probably not; they're going to be more concerned with how he breached homeland security to get here in the first place. Unless you find him first, you had better be damn sure about your facts, or the Spooks will have him on a one-way plane to Cuba before you know it. So, where's your murder board, what do you have."
Goren paced in a tight circle, nervously rubbing his neck. He slowly stepped backwards towards the door, eying Eames as he went. "Give us an hour."
Eames pursed her lips, holding back any comment.
"One hour, meet us in the conference room," Goren backed out of the room, Eames close behind.
As Rainy began to rise, Ross ordered, "Stay."
Rainy reluctantly settled back into the chair, adjusting her suit jacket.
"I figured something out, Agent Jansen," Ross began, while Rainy appeared non-pulsed. "You seemed familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Then I remembered." He reclined slightly in his chair. "Several months ago I got a call from someone named Dr. Bruder, trying to locate Detective Goren regarding a mutual friend, he said. He had a thick accent and pronounced your name in traditional German. Against my better judgment, I connected them. And now that you're here, I contacted a friend at the JTT who pulled your file."
"So you remember how to be a detective, Captain, and now you think you know me. What's your point?"
"My point, Agent Jansen, is the safety of my detectives, and part of that is to know who is in my squad room. So imagine my surprise upon learning that you are in fact inactive, not on the radar anywhere, and no one at the JTT or New York Office can tell me why, except to say that you are somehow connected to the deaths of three American men in Iraq late last year and the capture of a top operative. Now is the part where you fill in the blanks."
Rainy looked up at Ross confidently, "I am on a medical leave of absence pending evaluation and hearing. SAA Pace, with whom you spoke yesterday and is deputy to the assistant director over the JTT, arranged an exigent circumstance clearance for me to assist with your investigation. Pending results of said hearing, I have nothing more to say," Rainy stood and straightened her jacket. "I had no interest in this case, Captain Ross, your detectives came to me. But if you are no longer interested in my linguistical support, say the word, and I'll gladly get back to my vacation, turn this in to my supervisors, and you can go fight the other agencies for continued jurisdiction on this case."
"She may be right, Bobby," Eames settled into a chair in the conference room, spreading files out in front of her.
"Right about what?" Goren pulled files away from her as she spread them.
"What do we have on Bakr Okaly that would persuade the Feds, or anyone else, to allow us to talk to him before they take him away?"
Goren settled into a chair across from her, rubbing an eyebrow with his thumb before resting his chin in his palm. "I don't know. I just know we need to talk to him. Whether he did it or not, he knows something. I know he knows something."
Eames eyed him skeptically before returning her gaze to the pages in front of her.
"Goren, line two," a passing detective quipped into the room.
Goren stood and left the room. He returned in a hurry, "I moved the surveillance from the hostel to the Jordanais apartment after we release Sidiq. Now he is on the move, and a man matching Jack Jordanais is following."
Eames also hurried to her feet.
While she headed for her coat, Goren went to Ross's office. He opened the door without knocking. "Sidiq is on the move, we need Rainy."
Ross and Rainy Jay stood simultaneously. "I'm coming also. Agent Jansen rides with me."
Goren masked his confusion, simply nodded, and led the way out of the bullpen.
As Ross and Rainy Jay buckled their seatbelts Rainy called Agent Pace, requesting phone dumps on the Jordanais apartment and all applicable cellular phones, knowing the Bureau could acquire them more quickly than the NYPD. Upon hanging up, she warned Ross that the more she contacted the Bureau the more likely it would become that its interest would take precedence in the case.
They continued the drive in awkward silence, relieved by the ring of Rainy's phone. She answered, listened, and hung up without thanks.
"Last incoming call to the Jordanais apartment was from a payphone at Hudson. It's going to take some time to get anything on the cellular units."
"Returning to the scene of the crime, that isn't very smart."
"And how many smart criminals have you known?" Rainy Jay bit her thumb and gazed out the window. "When I lived here, years ago, there was this greasy joint that served fat falafels and the best humus in North America; Israeli, Middle Eastern food. My parents loved it. It was about a block from Hudson."
Ross nodded expectantly. "It's still there. My boys love it too. Call Goren."
Across the street from Ibrahim's Kebab, Ross shifted into park. Goren and Eames did the same around the corner.
Before Ross could offer instructions, Rainy opened her door, "Let's go buy him a cup of Türk kahvesi." She stepped out and closed it.
Consternated, Ross followed. He ambled off in the opposite direction of Rainy, approaching Goren and Eames' SUV. "Call for a sector car. We'll bring them out. Don't approach unless you see one of us. I don't want him spooked if we can help it."
Eames nodded and rolled up her window as Ross started after Rainy.
Rainy stood in line behind a handful of college-aged patrons. She appeared entranced with the menu, though her eyes barely glanced over it.
"The shawarma is delicious," he mumbled, coming up behind her.
"Mm, but I haven't had a good sufganiot in years," she acknowledged.
"I am a jelly donut," he deadpanned. "Is our boy here?"
"Near the corner booth, has his back to us, but he seems pretty nervous."
Ross nodded and approached the counter and ordered two to-go cups of Turkish coffee.
Rainy grabbed a student newspaper from a nearby rack and led the way to an empty booth. She slid into one side, her back to Bakr.
Ross sat across from her, looking expectant. He flailed his fingers, indicating a need to know what would come next, as she had been calling the shots.
In response, Rainy shrugged and removing a pen from her pocket, began to do the newspaper's crossword puzzle.
"You're serious?" he glared at her with wide eyes.
Rainy shook her head and discretely indicated the doorway as she lifted the paper slightly to shadow her face.
Sidiq entered, pushing hair out of his eyes whilst simultaneously wiping his brow of perspiration. He scanned the bistro quickly, eyes settling on Bakr, and he hurried towards him.
He sat across from Bakr, "ayn knt؟ anhm ybahthwn ank." Where have you been? They are looking for you.
"aarf. lm yfal shyeea ، lknnifihajh ala msaadh. ayn hibaldiwalmjlat؟ ana fihajh eelyha." I know. I did nothing, but I need help. Where are my journals? I need them.
Rainy, listening to the conversation, raised an eyebrow and nodded to Ross.
Ross stood and approached the table. He glared and Sidiq before turning to the other young man, asking, "Bakr Okaly, I presume." He revealed his badge. "You need to come with me." He reached for Bakr's upper arm.
Bakr began to plead, emitting a serious of "no" and "please" in mixed Arabic and English. Ross pulled him from the bench and led him outside the eatery, where Goren, Eames, and a set of sector officers awaited him.
Rainy, meanwhile, stood and slid into the bench Bakr previously occupied. She shook her head, avoiding eye contact with Sidiq.
"He told me not to trust you," Sidiq whispered so low that through his accent he was barely decipherable.
"Who?"
"Jack."