"Hello Ms. Chase." The pudgy woman shook my hand violently and walked past me without my offer. The woman had brown hair pulled up into a tight bun situated on the top of her head. She wore an-in my opinion-ugly pink suit, and like I said was quite short and...pudgy.
"Please, come in." I muttered, following her into my living room to find her seated on the love seat. "Can I offer you a drink?" Might as well cover what she hasn't helped herself to yet.
"Oh no, I wouldn't want to intrude!" She waved my offer off. When I didn't move, she gave me an annoyed look and ushered me towards the other couch.
Not wanting to anger her, I complied. Normally I would probably knock some manors into someone who did those things, but this is the woman that decided if I could be a foster parent to Madison, so I most definitely didn't want to anger her. The woman placed her briefcase on the coffee table and pulled several files out of it. "So you want to be a foster parent." She mused. "Why?"
"Wh...why?" Her question took me by surprise. Mrs. Whatever her name was looked up at me over her black trim glasses and nodded sarcastically. I cleared my throat and sat up despite my already perfect posture. "There is a little girl in a hospital right now whose mother is unfit to take her care and her father is in Iraq. I am trying to fulfill the promise I made to take care of her myself."
Stopping what she was doing, madam looked up at me. "That's probably the most...sincere answer I think I've ever had." My lips twitched up in a small smile, amused I could surprise her. "Well, let's take a look at your file and see if we can't make it happen."
"Thank you, Ms..."
"Oh!" She exclaimed, placing the folder in her hand on top of her briefcase and held out her hand. "Mrs. Fallon." I shook her hand. "Now, back to our folders. Lets see...you were born in Israel?" Her eyebrows rose but went back down as she read more. "You moved to California when you were five, then Greece at 10.
"You were a child prodigy graduating high school there at 16, college at 20, and was the head architect on the Parthenon reconstruction program." Mrs. Fallon took off her glasses to clean them, surprise and awe etched in her small features. "You are quite traveled little lass, you know almost every common language, and you work for the government as a crime scene investigator?" Her confusion prominent but a smile hinted she was amused by my choice in carriers.
I smiled at the overall reaction to my alias' life, though, most of it was actually taken from my own. "A friend suggested I needed to settle down, and arranged a long list of job interviews. I found that as the most...exciting." I lied smoothly.
Fallon smiled back at me and packed her things away. "I'll just take a small tour around to check for safety and get going."
I nodded and offered her first to the balcony. The tour took not much more than ten minutes before I was walking her to the door. "It was a pleasure to meet you Ms. Chase."
I nodded. "Feeling is mutual Mrs. Fallon. Do you mind me asking, how long will the...process takes?"
The brown haired woman pushed her glasses up. "It depends on many factors, the more red flags that pop up the longer it takes to process a request. With you, you have no problems I can see with your past so that's a whole 12 hours I can skim off, your place is perfectly safe which together saves almost a days worth time. However your age along with being foreign born will add a few hours-"
"Mrs. Fallon." I interrupted her babbling.
"Um," She looked up at me, a look of sincereness on her face. "I hope, for that little girl's sake, only a few days."
I nodded again. "Thank you."
"Thank you."
I shut the door and walked into the kitchen to start breakfast. "You never told me any of that stuff."
I smiled down at the bacon as I cut it, placing it in the pan to let it sizzle. "You never asked."
"And if I had?"
I hummed in thought; moving to the fridge to take out some eggs. "I probably would not have told you."
He laughed. "That's what I thought. Smells good, wotcha makin'?"
"You know perfectly well." I batted his head off my shoulder but allowed him to keep his arms around my waist.
Percy nodded, rubbing his hands together in front of my stomach. "Bacon, eggs, and french toast. My favorites, how did you know?"
"You forget," I flipped a slice of egg covered bread in the skillet. "I had two brothers."
"Oh, so what, you're a master of the male stomach now?" He laughed.
"Yes. I suppose you could put it that way." I agreed, totally serious.
Percy let go of me and disappeared with two plates, silverware, and came back for the food as I finished it. I almost laughed at his enthusiasm. Men and their food.
I pushed the double doors at the back off the kitchen that lead to the dinning room with a pitcher of orange juice and two glasses. Percy pulled out one of the brown wood chairs for me. I smiled lightly and sat down.
I watched in amusement as Percy packed his face full of food, nibbling on my own. Birds looked in hungrily from the all glass windows of the north wall that lead out to the balcony. Suddenly my phone started ringing. I excused myself from the table to answer it. "Malach."
"Annabeth," Chiron's voice filled my ears.
"Yes Chiron?"
"Call Percy, we got a case."
I waited for him to elaborate but he didn't. "What is it?" I finally asked.
His gruff voice was unreadable, "Just hurry." And he hung up.
I sighed at my phone, walking into the dinning area to give my partner the bad news. "Percy, finish fast. Chiron was on the phone, we have a case."
"What is it?" He asked around a mouth full of french toast.
"He would not tell me." I growled in frustration and grabbed my half finished plate and glass. Percy looked down at his food, looking suddenly like he wasn't hungry anymore. "What? Why would he not tell me?"
"Well, normally, if he doesn't," Percy placed his elbows on the table, wringing his hands. "It's cause it has something to do with you."
"How could it involve me?" I walked into my room to change. "I have been here, almost a week. All my enemies are dead, hiding, or in a different country."
"I don't know." Percy shrugged from the doorway. I took off his shirt, leaving me in my bra and sweats, and handed it to him then went to change into my own clothes. As I pulled out a pair of white wash jeans and a red blouse, I couldn't help grumbling. Not knowing things bugged me. When I finished pulling on my clothes, I turned to the doorway.
Percy was perched in the doorway, a smirk splashed on his face, watching me. I smacked him on the chest. "Pig."
Before I could get past him, he wrapped his arms around me-trapping me. "I can't help it," He kissed up my jaw. "You're beautiful."
Feeling trapped, I wiggled out of his grasp and slipped past him into the hallway. Just so he wasn't hurt, I sent him a look over my shoulder. Percy grinned and hurriedly put on his shirt to follow me out of the building.
I unlocked my car and slipped in, Percy right behind me. I handed him my phone. "Chiron texted me the address, tell me where I am going."
"Are you sure you can drive with that thing on your leg?" Percy asked nervously. I didn't answer, my good foot hit the gas as soon as the junk car in front of me advanced.
"It's right there, park here." Percy instructed. I nodded, taking my eyes off the scene in front of me. Police tape and cars, James' medical truck, and Chiron's car. I walked through the growing crowd of on-lookers. They moved out of the way for me, coming back together right after I was through, which left Percy to push through them again. They seemed a lot less willing to move for him.
Weird.
"Chiron what is-" I stopped dead in my tracks once I turned the corner of the ally entrance. My stomach churned and my mind raced. I brought my hand to my mouth, half in surprise half to make sure I didn't vomit.
A young boy with dark brown hair and tan skin, was duck-tapped to the left wall. He had a star of David carved into his chest. Written next in blood, most likely his, was 'Death to Jews' . "Oh boy." Percy said quietly behind me.
I composed myself and walked over, grabbing a pair of plastic gloves as I passed Nico. He sent me a sympathetic look, but I ignored it. I didn't need pity, the child's family did. It was our job to make sure they did, and sending me pity looks won't make that happen.
"What happened?" I demanded.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Chiron sighed. "We just got here. James is the only one that probably has anything. So James..."
"Well," He scratched his chin with one hand and pointed to the duck-tape with the other. "See how the body is falling away from the wall? These binds were done in haste and unprofessionally."
"What about the writing?" Chiron asked.
"Definitely done in the victim's blood," James moved so he was standing in front of it. "Death to Jews, I've seen this type of persecution before with Nazi groups. They take a random individual off the streets and kill them in cold blood, much like their leader once did back in the war."
I took a deep breath so I didn't lash out at either of them. They were talking about it so causally, as if my people hadn't been killed by the thousands for just being themselves. "The star?" I asked, glad my voice was strong and didn't waver.
"Done post mortem," James comforted, as comforting as that can be, but I was glad he didn't suffer from his own faith.
"Then what was the cause of death?" Percy came up from behind me.
James hummed and examined the body. "I won't be able to tell until I start my autopsy, there are not signs of blunt force trauma anywhere, no strangle marks, he didn't put any kind of struggle-it's impossible to tell right now."
Chiron patted the medical examiner on the shoulder, "Don't worry 'bout it, Jackson and DiAngleo, help him get the poor boy down. Oh, and bag the tape, that's evidence."
Percy put on a pair of gloves and removed the tape on the left hand, Nico did the same with the right while James held the body up. Percy placed them in an evidence bag and handed me the two, I clutched them to my chest. They did the same with the feet.
James placed the body in a bag and zipped it up. Nico hustled over to help him load it onto a gurney, then into the back of his M.E. van. Percy stepped in front of me as I stonily watched the van drive off. My eyes drifted to his. "Are you alright?"
"Fine." I answered, handing over the bags containing the tape.
"Hey guys," Nico called to us. We walked over to him, he was staring intently at the space under the writing. "What do you think this means?"
I squinted at what he was pointing at. In small letters, were the letters NMCM. "NM, CM." Percy voiced them out loud. "Schools?"
"No," I breathed. "NMCM, Navah Minvera Chase Malach."
My male co-workers looked at me in surprise and confusion. "What's that?" Nico asked.
"Not a what," Percy corrected him, not taking his eyes off me. "A who. Those are your initials aren't they Annabeth? NMCM: Navah Minvera Chase Malach. That's your real name."
I nodded numbly. They were quiet for a few minutes, taking it in, when Percy blurted, "I can totally say that!"
Maybe it was the tension of the current situation or I was extremely stressed, because I laughed out loud. It sound was eccentric even to me. Percy grabbed my hand and pulled me over to Chiron, slowly, because of my boot.
"She can't do this case." He told our boss firmly.
Chiron raised his eyebrows and I tried to protest, he hushed me. "Oh, and why is that?"
"Well for starters, her initials were written right under 'death to Jews'." Chiron's face turned to surprise. "And," Percy continued, "This is just to personal, it's stressing her out Chiron. She just laughed like a psycho when I tried to make a joke."
The man in front of me sighed, "For once he's right Annabeth," Percy nodded proudly, then retaliated with a 'hey!' Chiron ignored him. "Go home, Percy you're still on protective detail until we find those last three terrorists. I'll get a few of the newer agents to help, they need experience."
Percy nodded and held his hand out. "If I have to go home, I am driving." He looked at me sceptically, but nodded in defeat, knowing I wouldn't give in.
He learns fast.
The ride to my condo was made in silence. The kind of silence when a couple fights and still have to sit next to each other; awkward. Of course, Percy and I weren't a couple...at least I don't think so.
The second we were in the door, Percy pinned me to the wall. "Are you ok? And don't say you're fine, because I know you're not."
"Why did you ask if you knew the answer?" He stared at me, not saying anything. I sighed. "You Americans have a pride in your country, yes? Israelis are the same. We are proud of our culture, our religion, and when we see events like that reoccurring..." I trailed off and looked down. "It reminds us-me-of what happened to our people. The pain, torture..."
"Hey," Percy put a hand under my chin and pulled it up, his voice much softer than before. "Hey. It's ok." He pulled me into a hug. I flinched at the contact but quickly got over it and returned it. When he pulled back, our faces were extremely close.
I waited, but Percy just stood there-staring at my lips like he really wanted to go farther. I twitched forward on accident, and Percy took it as a signal to go. His lips crashed against mine, and I returned with equal fever.
I had to pull back when air became an issue. Percy pressed his forehead against mine. His minty breath was hot on my face for a moment before he ducked his head to my jaw; kissing a trail down my neck. "Percy." I called out in warning, not entirely sure I meant it.
Percy growled at my phone when it rang. I breathed out the breath I was holding and shifted Percy's right arm from its place on the wall next to my head so I could duck under. I walked over to my jacket hanging on the rack by the door and pulled it out of the pocket.
"Malach." I answered, tapping my foot lightly.
"Annabeth?" A small, familiar voice squeaked from the other line. I couldn't keep the smile off my face.
"Shalom Maddi."
"Annabeth!" She exclaimed happily. "When are you coming to visit?"
I mentally cursed myself for forgetting. "When would you want me to?"
The little girl hummed lightly as she considered the possibilities. "How about lunch?"
"It is a date." I smiled. Percy made somewhat frantic waving arm movements to get my attention. I zoned Madison's endless, but still slightly cute, babbling about my visit out and tried to decipher what he was trying to say.
First he pointed to himself, pretty obvious what that meant. Then he placed his hand out like a platform, and using his index and middle fingers, imitated a mini pair of legs. Lastly he pointed at me. I sighed.
"Maddi," I interrupted her speech about the disgusting hospital food. "Would you mind if I brought a friend?"
She giggled. "You mean your boyfriend? Sure, more the merrier!"
I shook my head at her, but didn't say anything. "I will see you in a few hours Madison, Shalom."
"Bye Annie! Oh! I mean shalom!" I shut my phone.
"We are going at noon." I informed him, glancing at the clock in the kitchen; 10:49.
Percy scratched the back of his neck. "We should leave at 11 or earlier then."
I sent him an apprehensive look, frowning my eyebrows. "Why?"
He laughed at me. "You've never been in America, but D.C. traffic is hell." Percy started looking around for something, it was then I noticed he didn't have a shirt on. When did that happen? I wondered. "Only rivaled by L.A., oh man, that's horrible."
I didn't join in on his laughter. "Are all your cities two letters?"
"Well no, L.A. and D.C. are abbreviations in the first place; Los Angles and the District of Columbia."
"Why would they name it-never mind." I waved my hand in a half circle. "Americans are very strange."
"Sometimes that's a good thing." Percy walked towards me.
It is now or never. I told myself. When he got within distance, I put out a hand to stop him. He took it from his chest and kissed from my fingers to the underside of my wrist before I stopped him. "Percy."
He looked up at me with his deep green eyes. I had to blink several times to break out of whatever spell they put me under; scolding myself for letting him effect me so easily.
"What?" He questioned almost sounded like he was...scared. "Did, did I do something wrong?"
I let out a breath though my nose. "No, but I want to know something in case you do."
Percy angled his hand to interlace with mine, letting it fall to the side and taking a few steps so he was right in front of me; our chests brushing up against each other. "Ask away."
"Where are we?"
"Your condo." I glared at him. He stuttered. "Sorry, I know what you mean and-I don't know." Percy pushed his forehead to mine again. "I like you Annabeth, I really do."
We locked eyes and stared at each other, neither of us saying anything. "You know, this is where you say 'I like you too' and everything goes smoothly." Percy chuckled.
"I um..." I gulped and patted his chest. "I enjoy your presence." Ducking under his arm a second time, I walked towards my room to change.
Percy's laughter echoed through the condo. "You enjoy my presence?" His footsteps followed me through the hallway. "Come on, I spilled, now its your turn."
"To dump?" I asked and pulled out a pair of sweat pants to change into.
"Spill," I waved the correction off. "Annabeth, come on!"
"Yes," I agreed. "Come, we must leave to visit Madison."
"Annabeth!"
"Shalom Madison," I smiled. "How have you been?"
"Its a lot more boring without you here." I nodded. "Where's your boyfriend?"
Shaking my head, I changed the subject. "I talked to the foster care." Percy walked in, leaning against the door frame watching with admiration and a spark of something I couldn't quite place.
The little girl's eyes lit up. "Really? What'd they say?"
"They are looking over my application and I should know by the end of the week." Madison smiled and hugged my waist.
I stiffly wrapped an arm around her. "So do I." I whispered in response.
I am sooooo sorry for taking so long! It's just been overwhelming with Softball season kicking into full gear. I have about 6 games a week at least; 7 this week and practice on Sunday.
Crazy right? Then there's homework and a stupid To Kill a Mockingbird essay. BLAH!
So anyway, hope you like it!
Always yours,
~Arty
