Chapter 11

Follow Instructions

"Abby, you need to go back to Harrison," Fitz repeated. The repetition of his instruction was necessary because Abby was not accepting his words.

"I can't go back to him! I've been gone for two days. I took those books and his money…W-W-Why would I go back?" Abby asked loudly from a small room where she was being held. "I'll tell you everything I know…all that is written in those books. Just let me come home."

"When you return to Harrison, give him a good reason why you left. Pretend like everything is fine and just wait to hear from me," Fitz explained calmly.

"Wait to hear from you! Why? Don't you want to know what I found out?" She screamed. "Wait a minute."

Abby looked around for her bag with the money and books. She pulled them out and flipped through the pages. Everything looked like she remembered. All the money was there. Then she remembered that she had not been with the bag the entire time she was in custody.

"You had one of your people look through my things. I should have known. They have probably told you everything I have," Abby said, sounding defeated.

Fitz flipped through the pictures his colleagues had taken of the pages with the writing and the photographs.

"I guess I'm just fucked," she mumbled.

"No, you're not. Don't you know Harrison? Really know him? You can do this. It's your only way out unless you want to go to prison with Harrison."

"Will Olivia be joining us too?" Abby ventured, but she instantly regretted her words. She spoke out of fear and frustration. She no longer felt animus toward Olivia or at least the kind that drove her to turn Harrison against her. Jealous did crop up at times like a person whose accent appeared when they were angry or around family.

"Didn't that feeling get you in this mess to begin with?" Fitz asked.

"What feeling are you talking about?" Abby sneered.

"The feeling that caused you to ask that question when you already know the answer, Abby. I'm not sure if I can trust you. Your disdain for Olivia seems to outweigh your desire for some semblance of a life," Fitz explained.

"I'll do whatever you want me to do. You can trust me. I don't have any disdain for her…anymore. I take responsibility for where I am right now. What's the plan and who is this guy, Nash, Harrison hired to spy on Olivia? Is he selling the art pieces we stole? I'm surprised you didn't move the merchandise, but the more I think about it, where could you put it?" Abby inquired, hoping Fitz believed her.

"I can't discuss anything with you right now. You need to go back to Harrison and find out what he is planning. The agents there will take you back to the apartment. They'll ensure your safety if Harrison gets violent. Go back to your regular routine. I'll be in touch," Fitz said before hanging up.

Abby threw the phone landline phone against the wall and fell back against the small bed. After a couple of minutes, she began thinking of her plan to get Harrison back in her good graces.

"Sounds like that went well," Tim said. He sat across from Fitz in his office at the Bureau.

"She'll do what I tell her even if Olivia isn't her favorite person," Fitz mused.

"Yes, but also because Harrison isn't either. I'm not a psychologist, but I think Abby turned against Olivia because she couldn't deal with OPs breaking up," Tim said.

Fitz didn't respond. He cocked his head as if he was considering Tim's words.

"Do you think we can pull this off? Nash has pictures of all of us," Tim asked.

"Yes we can. We will. Look at the file," Fitz said, placing it before Tim. "Nash is a low level thug. This is probably the biggest job he's ever had. He is spying and selling stolen art. It's only a matter of time before the chatter begins as these pieces get in circulation. Nash will be brought in. He'll implicate Harrison. That could be our way to get Olivia out of this."

"So you think we can let Harrison take the fall for Liv, Huck, and Abby? I don't know, Grant. Harrison is a pain in my ass, but it would be wrong for the black man to be the only one behind bars," Tim contended.

"Not my intention, but he is the only one who presents a threat to, Mellie, notwithstanding," Fitz reasoned. "I don't think he's going to have a change of heart like Abby.

"You're right. I'm sure he'll do something else to make me forget my racial allegiance. But speaking of threat, where is my dear sister?"

Fitz couldn't help the smile that appeared on his lips. "Give Olivia some credit. She took your advice and is now enrolled in a sculpting class. She's seems content. According to Tom and Hal, she's been on her best behavior. It's two classes a week for 6 weeks. 5 weeks to go. She didn't tell you?"

"I haven't really spoken to Liv since my birthday party dinner. Seems like the class is a little long. You don't want her to establish any friendships or ties," Tim explained.

"I thought about that. The class is mostly filled with seniors. Tom and Hal are always close by. Things are good," Fitz said.

Olivia listened intently as the instructor explained the anatomy of the live model's arm. She labeled her quick sketch accordingly. A tap on the back of her shoulder broke her concentration. She turned around in frustration. Her eyes widened at the sight of the man's face.

"Hi. Don't I know you?" the man said.

She turned around quickly. Her heart was beating fast. Oh no! It's that Idris Elba look alike from the hospital, she thought. She tried to ignore him.

"Aren't you Alissa Green?" He said, leaning closer.

Olivia shook her head no, hoping he would leave her alone.

"We've met before," he said.

She took two deep breaths and turned to face him directly. "Please keep your voice down. We've never met you before. That's not my name. Why are you here? I've never seen you in this class before."

"I just joined the class," he answered. Then he looked to the front of the room. "How much do you think that model makes? All he has to do is lie there naked all day while the professor poses him and pokes at this body."

Olivia didn't let his comments put her off balance. "I think you are mistaken. I'm not the person you met, okay? Please leave me alone," she demanded through clinched teeth before she turned her back to him. The remainder of the class progressed normally. As soon as class dismissed, Olivia rose immediately to leave.

"I joined the class because I wanted to talk to you again," he said.

Her legs wouldn't let her move forward. She turned around to face him.

"So you've been following me?" she asked incredulously?

"Yes, but just since last week. I could never catch you without your security. Why do you need security?"

Olivia didn't answer him immediately. She was weighing her options. I got into this mess. I can get out of it. That's one less thing for Fitz to deal with.

She took out her cell phone and sent Tom a quick message.

Olivia: I'll be out in about 15 minutes. Finishing up a project.

Tom: OK.

"What's your name?" Olivia asked. She hadn't forgotten but she was buying time.

"Isaac Lee, remember of the FBI?" He smiled lazily. She knew that look.

"What do you want from me?" Olivia asked directly.

"So are you admitting we know each other, that you were the one who ran through my sting operation, that you are Alissa Green?"

"I'm asking the questions here. What do you want?" she repeated.

"You're beautiful. I'm intrigued. I tried to find you in our database, but I can't find you. I want to take you to lunch or dinner," he answered.

"I'm totally and completely unavailable, Mr. Lee. Joining this class was a waste of time. I'm sorry about the sting, but as far as I know you got your suspect. I have to go now," Olivia explained. Without another word, she walked toward the door.

"It's Grant. You're with Grant, aren't you?" Isaac said as if he just had the realization.

Olivia stopped at the door. "I'm unavailable. Please don't show up here again," she said before leaving him standing there.

"Is everything okay, Ms. Pope?" Tom asked. She held a strained expression as she entered the SUV.

"Yes. I hit a wall of sorts in my class, but I stayed late to conquer it. Let's swing by the market. I need to get some items for dinner tonight.

"What's on your mind tonight? You've been so quiet. Dinner was great tonight, by the way," Fitz said before kissing her neck. He squeezed cloth over her shoulder and watched the drops run off in different directions over her chest and disappear into the steamy bath.

She sighed and leaned back against him. "Thanks, honey. I baked the fish and used a timer. I'm pretty good at making a salad and warming up bread. All are pretty burn proof."

He dipped the cloth in the water and squeezed it over her chest. "Livy, what's wrong?"

Olivia continued to ignore his question. She didn't want to entertain it at all because then she would have to lie and deny that anything was wrong. She was glad that she handled the situation with Agent Lee. His presence was just another reminder of how screwed up her life was. It made her weary. All she wanted to do at that moment was to wrap herself around Fitz.

She turned around in the small tub claw footed tub so that she faced him. Water sloshed over the side. "This hot bath feels heavenly. We should take more baths," Olivia whispered against his lips before kissing him. She channeled all her anxiety, passion, love and fear into that kiss. His manhood pushed against her. She broke the kiss and lifted herself onto him. She gasped at the sensation and bit into his shoulder. He flipped her over nimbly but carefully in the slippery tub. She wrapped one leg around his waist and threw the other over the tub's edge.

Olivia laughed at the water sloshing out of the tub from the momentum of his strokes, but he kept going until the water no longer covered them.

"Damn! There's more water outside than inside," Fitz said as he grabbed a towel. He carried Olivia over their soggy clothes and into their bedroom. He placed her on the bed sat down beside her. He began drying her off. "Don't think I've forgotten about my question. I know something was bothering you tonight."

"Fitz, I'm entitled to feel a little blue every now and then. Now I feel better thanks," she said cheerily. She gave him a kiss on the nose and took the towel from him. "Go clean up the big mess you made."

"You can tell me anything. Just remember that," he assured. She watched his bare butt as he sauntered into the bathroom. Wrapping the towel around her body she walked into the kitchen and grabbed the bowl of cherries, two wine glasses, and a bottle of wine.

"So whatever happened with that sting operation I almost sabotaged?" Olivia asked. She stood propped in the bathroom doorway watching him mop up the water.

"We got everyone but the ring leader. He fled the country, but we are close. The good think is that the sex houses are shut down," he explained before letting her place a cherry on his tongue.

"Where do all those girls go?"

He spit out the pit and took another one. "Some go back home here in the states or overseas. There are some organizations that provide services, but the vast majority is vulnerable to more sex trafficking."

"What about that agent who was questioning me? Did he get in trouble?" Olivia asked carefully.

"No. He's a good agent. He didn't know how to interpret my presence. I finally told him and his team that I visited your room to do damage control in the event you wanted to sue. Those cherries are sweet," he said, taking another. "But not a sweet as…"

He opened her towel, but she stopped him.

"You finish in there, and I might let you have more cherries." She left him there and plopped back on the bed. She reached for the box of condoms in the drawer of the side table and placed one on the table.

Olivia mindlessly watched TV. Her thoughts kept returning to her confrontation with Isaac. She was confident he got the message. He had looked scared of Fitz that day in the hospital room so surely he would stay away from her if he thought she and Fitz were involved.

"There's that look again," Fitz said in the doorway.

"I swear I'm not sharing any more cherries with you if you don't stay out of my head, Mr. Grant." She shut off the TV and dangled a cherry towards him.