Within the Limits

Briggs motioned for them to sit on the bed while he gathered his thoughts. He raked a hand through his dark hair and regarded both younger agents intently. "Our Paige is about to tangle with the Telina boys, and Warren, those two have nasty, scary reps. The Bureau has a file on them covering everything from rape to torture and they have been targets of countless previous investigations. Everyone knows they're criminals. Still, they have friends in high places or maybe just enormous luck because for years they have managed to slip out of any charges levied against them. I mean every time it looks like they're going down they manage to slink right back into corrupting society. Paige has a current interest in the Telinas because the DEA thinks it has an angle with a drug dealership by the pier specializing in crack supplied by the Telinas. She managed to befriend the sister and has done a good job there cultivating that source."

He paused and Mike ventured an observation, "I don't see the problem then if Paige has gotten chummy with the sister. Wasn't that the objective?"

"Right," Paul agreed, rubbing his chin. "The negative is Paige tends to develop a tunnel vision with her casework which can open her up to plenty of danger. She regularly ignores warnings and reasoning if they contradict her own personal perspective of how she wants to tackle the assignment and goes ahead full steam."

"Wow," Mike's eyes widened. "Does the DEA let her do that? I mean when she does her own thing like that?"

Johnny laughed wryly, "No, Mike, the DEA does not condone going rogue and Paige can jeopardize her job. Anyway, the deal is that no matter what the agency is, for any agent assigned to Graceland Briggs is in charge and has final say so over all operations. That's standard stuff."

Mike looked embarrassed. "I guess I realized that."

"No, of course you did Mikey. But my point is that part of what we do here is work with each other and connect our talents and skills rather than take off Lone Ranger," Johnny explained. "Agent Arkin has done that before more than once and Paul has to clean up after her."

Briggs crossed his arms across his chest. "Mike, here's the crux of the problem. I do not want Paige meeting up with the Telina brothers without backup," Briggs stated emphatically. "It really makes no difference to me if the sister takes her by the hand and walks her through the Telina front door. Paige is not equipped to handle the Telinas solo. No matter how much Paige denies it, she is not capable of taking on a syndicate family all by herself. So, I want you two to shadow her every move from this point."

"She'll go ballistic," Johnny argued.

"Probably," Briggs agreed.

"If Paige demands I not go with her what do I do?" Mike stammered.

"One way or another she will have backup," Briggs clarified. "What she wants no longer matters, because she has deliberately refused to do what I told her. Agencies call that insubordination. If not you, then Johnny or Jakes or I will be there with her."

Charlie called up the stairs with a warning that supper would be on the table in half an hour.

Paul motioned Mike and Johnny to head downstairs.

Once he had showered and changed Briggs jogged down the stairs to join his roommates. The whole downstairs smelled wonderful from the aromas surrounding Charlie's cooking.

The table overflowed with festive decorations.

Paul regarded the group and clapped his hands. "The slacker has arrived squeaky clean and ravenous to eat. What do you need me to do to earn my supper?"

"I need help," Johnny called from the kitchen. "Get in here and help me skin these salad vegetables." He pointed enthusiastically at tomatoes, onions and bell peppers lined up in front of him.

"Not skin," Charlie corrected from across the room. "I told you to julienne them Johnny."

Briggs washed his hands before grabbing a butcher knife and joining Johnny by the sink. They worked companionably and he analyzed Johnny's theories about a dog fighting ring he wanted to stop in the Valley.

The slamming front door announced Paige's return minutes later, and to provide a more dramatic entrance she slung her purse onto the couch and marched across the living room to confront Briggs.

"What the hell do you think makes you so motivated to destroy what I've been building the past few weeks?" She was so incensed that she spit out the syllables.

Clamping a lid on the wok, Charlie soothed, "Hey, calm down now Paige. Pull yourself together."

Paige had other plans and had obviously spent her drive home looking forward to a scene, however. "I had an invitation to eat with two of the DEA's most wanted and you managed to jeopardize my whole operation, Paul!" The more she spoke the louder and more out of control she got and she finally slammed herself against the refrigerator and glared, out of breath.

Mike's eyes widened and he swiveled to regard Johnny, who nodded knowingly.

Dale crossed the room and tried to put an arm over her shoulders. "Come on in here with Warren and me."

She shook him off. "No! I've been ordered to get home and here I am! I want Briggs to apologize to me and admit that he just screwed up my whole operation."

Paul set down the knife and turned to face her, crossing his arms across his chest in an attempt to rein in his own rising anger.

He licked his lips and spoke calmly. "Are you sure you want to have this conversation right now and in public Agent Arkin?"

Paige was in no mood to think rationally or to heed the warning in the words. "You're sensitive about a public arena now? You didn't mind embarrassing me when I had to cancel a dinner invitation I had just accepted! I'd say it's a bit late for that."

Briggs pursed his lips thoughtfully.

"Well?" Paige demanded, and even at her angriest her natural beauty was not diminished. "Well Paul, what's your public response?"

"Hey Paige, come sit down over here with me please," Mike ventured, summoning the courage to intervene in the Paige and Paul showdown. He invitingly patted the sofa cushion beside him. "Please?"

Paige shot an incredulous look his way. "Who asked you to get involved Mike? Do you think taking sides makes you more popular at Graceland?"

"Paige, stop it!" Charlie ordered, her anger beginning to surface towards the agent. "And get over there and sit down right now! You're embarrassing yourself."

For several seconds Paige stood poised to refuse.

Finally choosing her stance she stomped from the kitchen and threw herself into an available armchair, skirting the sofa to refuse the seat Mike had offered.

Paul followed and waited for her to settle before he dragged a chair across from the one she had selected. Leaning towards her he clenched and unclenched his jaw, working to keep his temper in check. It would solve nothing if he responded to her explosive temper in kind. Instead, he propped his forearms on his legs.

Finally Paul exhaled and spoke calmly, "Paige, I warned you, I told you, and I asked you and you still refused to follow my explicit instructions about the Telinas. At no time have I usurped your ownership of this case- not at all. However, where I have drawn the line is with your refusal to follow established protocols for your personal protection. So just today not only have your endangered yourself, but you potentially dragged the rest of us in with you. When other agents have to clean up the mess you make you have put them at risk. And Paige, whether you like it or not your bottom line is that what ops you do or do not run rests with me."

Paige slammed herself back in the seat and glared.

That display finalized Paul's decision and he spoke firmly. "My initial response was to have one of us provide you backup whether you wanted it or not. Then I thought about how unfair it was to ask everyone else to give up their own assignments to cater to you when you could have played this whole Telina operation out with a minimum of risk. You chose to take a different road. So until I feel that I can trust you and your judgment again, consider yourself benched from any ongoing assignments."

A startled gasp escaped Mike and Dale sucked in his breath. This hard core Paul did not often make an appearance.

Paige's eyes widened in shock and for several seconds she sat immobile. His decision left her

stricken, having finally grasped the importance of what Briggs had attempted to communicate to her the past few days.

Paige had to find a way to backtrack. She opened her mouth to respond but Briggs held his palm out towards her.

"No, I really hold zero interest in anything you have to say right now, Paige. Let me stress that your case load is on hold until I tell you differently. Right now this consequence to your working conduct- my decision- just involves you and me. However, if you fail to abide by these instructions it will elevate to a formal reprimand from the DEA. When the day comes that I feel you can resume a place as a contributing agent in Graceland it will be with the caveat that one of your roommates will accompany you until again, you impress me by acting from other perspectives rather than your own."

Paige was realist enough to recognize that she had brought the consequence down on herself, and her conscience and soul told her that the potential for endangering others had existed with her handling of the Telinas.

Briggs was right and she acknowledged her mistake.

She licked her lips. Her pride smarted from the public demotion but in all honesty, she had invited it to play out in front of all of her roommates.

Briggs watched her inner struggle and it encouraged him. He genuinely liked Paige and felt she would turn into a spectacular agent one day. She had the motivation and the know how to excel, if only she could harness her emotional side and learn to think before she acted.

In their business, a little mistake could turn deadly.

Finally Paul gave her a lopsided grin. Rehashing her crime would serve no purpose. She had acted and he had delivered a consequence as her supervisor, no matter how unpalatable. To signal the end of the conversation he stood and stretched, catching Charlie's gaze as he did.

Charlie took the hint. "All right, everybody, get your little agent booties to this table and let's toast our Mikey! Six weeks into his very first position and he is still standing!"

Paul winked at her in gratitude before turning to extend a hand to Paige to help her up from her seat.

Paige accepted it.