Chapter 19: Working The System

A/N: Asterisk (*) indicates verbatim quotations from The Golden Hammer episode.

Abbott's Office, Austin

Abbott looked at his watch as Cho and Jane entered for an ad hoc meeting. "Gentlemen, I have a conference call with Director Schultz in half an hour. You have ten minutes. What do you need?"

Jane slid his chair back a little to better observe while Cho spoke. "Davenport escaped and Fischer exposed a mole last week on Blake."

"How is that your concern?"

"Our team uncovered Blake. Want to finish what we started."

Abbott's eyes narrowed. "You're a good agent, Cho. You've begun to make your mark. But after the mess in California, best you all stay far away from Blake."

Jane leaned forward, entering the conversation. "Why?"

Abbott's glanced at Jane, perceptibly colder. "You are here because I don't have a choice. You don't fit in the FBI and I don't trust you. You're the last person I want on Blake." Looking back at Cho, "Request denied."

Jane persisted. "You heard about Davenport from us. Yet – he got away."

Abbott visibly restrained himself at the thinly veiled implication. Tightly, "We're done. Leave." He turned and reached for files needed for his conference call.

They rose and exited.

Cho, Lisbon and Jane, Dinner

Lisbon sipped her water as Cho finished describing the meeting. "So you got nothin' from Abbott."

Jane tilted his head. "Au contraire." Chewing a bite, she raised her eyebrows in lieu of speaking. "Really. Abbott now knows we want in. He can't help but think about our request–"

"–To reject it."

Smoothly, "–until we change his mind. Trust m–" he swallowed the wrong way as Lisbon whapped him none too gently as he trotted out her least favorite phrase. She thumped him on the back.

"Better have more than that, Wonderboy."

Cho wrenched the conversation back to relevance from their bickering. "Conclusions? What next?"

Jane cleared his throat and leaned forward, serious. "I all but accused him of being dirty. Genuine anger. No guilt, no hint he's involved with Blake. That's a big plus."

"Because?" Lisbon asked.

"We need the FBI. Abbott has the case, has credibility, and is high enough to get access to whomever we need when we ID Blake leaders."

Pointedly, "Except for the little matter of Abbott's cooperation."

"Which is our next task. We recruit Wylie to help decrypt names. When he or Grace comes up with the next one, we feed it to Abbott. After a few good leads he'll reconsider."

Pessimistically, "Or think we're withholding evidence – which we are," Lisbon countered.

Jane shook his head. "Abbott's practical. Easier to work with us than go after us. After the detention debacle we can end his career at will."

Looking down, Lisbon muttered, "Yeah, and the FBI charges you with murder."

Cho switched topics. "Wylie won't violate his oath no matter how much he likes us."

"Won't ask him to. Approach him tomorrow over lunch. All of us."

Meanwhile, they had just gotten a case. Charles Whitaker, employee of a company doing sensitive military work, was murdered and they needed to find the murderer stat.

Cho's Team, Dinner

The week unspooled quickly as the team worked through the Whitaker murder. Abbott dealt with them as little as possible, though he had to arrange special security clearance for Jane to work the case. Thanks to doodles on the victim's newspaper, the case finally yielded its secrets. The team devised a trap for the murderer for the morrow. Cho suggested a team lunch during the lull.

Wylie hungrily scanned the menu, surprised at Cho's choice. The quiet, secluded restaurant was a few steps up from the usual burger and pizza joints LE favored. They ordered, then sat companionably sipping their soft drinks waiting for their food. Cho drew breath to speak but leaned back when Jane caught his eye. What was that? The near symbiotic connection between his teammates was disconcerting. How long till I'm that connected with–

"Wylie, you figured out I was in Venezuela, right?" Jane interrupted the young man's reflections.

"From gas card purchases." Punctiliously, "Um, other agents actually intercepted the letters."

"You said that was about a year ago. When exactly?"

Wylie scratched his cheek. After a moment, "Mid-July, around the 10th."

Sharply, "Mid July, not later in the month?"

"Mid. I'm sure 'cause I entered a hacker competition just after." Jane nodded thoughtfully.

Lisbon picked up the conversation, tone easy and friendly. "You've worked a few cases with us, now. Is it what you expected?"

"Oh, yeah! Working cases start to finish is great, plus working with the same people."

Jane again. "You did some work on Blake..."

Wylie shrugged in remembered disappointment, "Was interested, but Abbott chose Hastings as the dedicated analyst."

Cho's gaze swept Jane and Lisbon before focusing on Wylie. "We want to work Blake. Abbott refused."

Puzzled, Wylie looked around, realizing he'd been the focus of conversation so far. "That's too bad?" he said uncertainly.

Cho leaned forward, deliberately softening his interrogation mode. "It is. We want to finish what we start, have insight into California and Blake." Wylie sat quietly, curious but wary.

Lisbon said gently, "Jason, we're going to poke around on our own. Want to help?"

Creases suddenly appeared, apprehension fighting desire. "Uh, how's that work ... if Abbott refused?"

Deliberately vague, "We need IT help for something we suspect is connected to Blake."

Wylie straightened and leaned back. "Evidence should be turned over to Abbott," he said resolutely.

Soothingly, Jane replied, "That's just it. We have suspicions, but don't know. We won't know without decrypting a file."

"You want me to decrypt it. What then?"

Cho answered. "We think it's a list of Blake leaders. If we're right, we'll give it to Abbott. Leverage that'll let us work Blake."

Wylie began to shake his head, stricken that this might cost him his position or at least the good graces of his team. "I – I'm sorry, but–"

Jane interrupted. "Jason, if Abbott got the file, what would happen?"

Diverted from his bleak thoughts, "Abbott would have IT decrypt it."

"Anyone in IT better than you?"

He flushed but said defiantly, "No."

"Then how's this different?"

"You're not giving it to Abbott."

"We'll give it to you, you'll control it. All we ask is you give us the names too."

Wylie looked uncertain. Impasse.

Lisbon stepped in. Dryly. "Let me fill you in. We believe Blake leaders are hiding, still networked, still active. My old SCU team have all had break-in's, likely because Blake wants that file. Jane was lured back to the US so Blake could go after him–"

"–But–"

She plowed on over him, "Once he was out of detention, someone almost ran him over. Intentionally. Blake destroyed the CBI, disrupted my team, and smeared everyone in California law enforcement. We're not safe so long as they're out there. Abbott's rounded up the bottom tier, people with the tattoos, but Blake's far from over."

"Why not just give Abbott the file?"

"The FBI is compromised." At Wylie's dawning look of horror she hastily clarified, "Abbott's clean. But someone high up forced him to fetch Jane. We let Abbott overhear our suspicions about Davenport only for him to be tipped off."

"They got Waller–"

Cho, "Who's probably not the only one. –Wylie, do you trust we're not Blake?"

Wylie paled, but took the measure of each. "Yes."

"Then help us. We need Abbott to let us work Blake and accept the FBI's been compromised. They'll scatter if the names in that file get out. We'll never get them if the file disappears."

Wylie looked down then faced Cho. "I need to think about it."

"How long?"

"I'll let you know tomorrow, uh, after the sting."

Gazing levelly at the analyst, Cho added, "Whatever you decide, you're a valued part of this team."

Wylie nodded. Cho's reassurance went a long way toward gaining his cooperation. No matter how they dressed it up, what they asked was extra-legal, a risk to his career. He was relieved when conversation turned to the Whitaker case and ordinary topics for the remainder of lunch.

Lisbon and Jane headed to her car as Cho and Wylie drove off.

"So you're pretty confident your trap will work tomorrow?"

"Positive. That old newspaper was a—"

"Hang on." She held up a hand as her cell rang. Jane took the keys from her hand and they got in her SUV. "Hello? ... Hey, Ardiles. How are you? How's the private practice? ... Uh, it's the same money, more work. Great dental plan, though. ... Dinner? Well, I-I'm in* Austin, Texas." Jane looked at her sharply. She waved dismissively. "... You have a jet that you can use to take me to dinner? What's the deal? ... This is business, right? It's not, you know, personal? ... Okay, then."* At Jane's frown, "Hang on a sec." She pressed 'Mute' and said to Jane, "Ardiles wants to fly me to Chicago for some professional advice. – Eyes on the road," she exclaimed as he stopped short at a light. "What's the harm?"

He drew a deep breath, "We talked about this. It's not safe splitting up, Lisbon."

"What if we both go?" He nodded an uneasy acceptance. She un-muted her phone. "Ardiles? I can come if Jane comes with. ... Doesn't have to be part of our meeting just, y'know, around – same restaurant maybe. ... Sorry, either both of us or I'll have to pass. ... Text me the details. Look forward to it."

"What's that about?"

She shook her head, "Not sure. Sounds worried, though."

"We're going to Chicago?"

Her cell chimed. She read, "Company jet'll be at Bush International at 5:30. Back by midnight." At Jane's glum look she nudged him affectionately, "It's a professional meeting with an old CBI colleague." Encouragingly, "Hey. Great Chicago food on his dime. Can't beat that!" He exhaled and set aside his inchoate misgivings.

Back at the FBI, Lisbon told Cho about the trip. "...We'll be back by midnight, so it won't affect tomorrow's operation. It's okay for Jane to leave Austin, right?"

"Since you cleared it. And that it's for a date with Ardiles."

Jane frowned. "Not a date!"

It was Lisbon's turn to frown. "What, like I couldn't possibly have a date with somebody?"*

Returning from the break room, Wylie asked, "You have a date in Chicago?"

Annoyed, "Professional meeting with a CBI colleague."

"Oh. " Wylie and Cho returned to their work, no longer interested.

Jane muttered, "Two words, Lisbon. - 'Tasseled. Loafers.'"

She pivoted to face him. "What is with you?! He's a decent guy and what's so horrible about tasseled loafers?" Jane grimaced. She asked incredulously, "You're jealous? Of Ardiles?!"

He mumbled, striving to save face, "Just don't fancy the man." She chuckled at his inexplicable angst till he added, "You'd have the same reaction if I had a 'professional' meeting with Sophie."

She shook her head. "Take a nap, Jane. Improve your mood because I don't fancy a two hour flight with you acting so ridiculous." He huffed in mild offense, but took her advice.

Restaurant, Chicago

Lisbon reached to shake his hand but Ardiles unexpectedly drew her into a brief hug. She glanced toward Jane, who was already seated across the restaurant, but couldn't see his face. Ardiles pulled out her chair before seating himself. She was determined to relax and enjoy a restaurant she had only heard about. The preliminaries of ordering were soon over.

"So, how's life in San Francisco?"*

"Oh, it's good. I'm barely there. This case has me traveling half the month."*

"Big case?"*

"Yeah, defending a cell phone company. Competitor says my client stole their phone design, so my client's looking at $100 million in legal bills, give or take."*

"I'd be happy to take some."*

"Listen, the, um - the thing is, several times now, in meetings, uh, my phone gets hot even though I haven't used it, you know, like it's been on the whole time, like - like somebody hacked it and used it to listen in on me,"* he said in a rush.

Disbelieving, "Ardiles, you flew me to Chicago to tell me your phone gets hot?"

"Yeah."*

"What is it you're not telling me?"*

"Nothing."* After a sip of wine, "Nothing verifiable."*

"Go on."*

"Last couple months,"* he sighed, "I just get this bad, bad feeling, you know, like somebody is watching me, somebody malicious, who really doesn't like me. You ever get that feeling?"*

Reasonably, soothingly, "I'm sure your company has good detectives on retainer."*

"Yeah, but I can't go to them 'cause I don't think it has anything to do with my business."*

"Why not? You said it was a big case."*

"It's just not the way the other side plays. This is personal, all right? But I got no - I got no real proof."* He looked down, agitated. "You know, I sound like a crazy person."* Earnestly, "This is not in my head, Teresa. Come on. You know me. There is something going on, I need the advice of a detective that I can trust one-hundred percent."*

Slowly, "As it happens, I know exactly what you should do. When you go back to San Francisco, call Wayne Rigsby and Grace Van Pelt. They're in the bay area, and what you need is what they do now - digital security. They're good. If there's anything going on, they'll find out."*

The dinner ended amicably shortly after. Lisbon and Jane talked on the flight back.

"Was it worth the trip?"

Thoughtfully, "Maybe. Ardiles doesn't scare easy."

Petulantly, "Well I had to buy my own food. So much for dinner on him."

She rolled her eyes. "Really, Jane? That's what you're focusing on?"

Dropping the attitude, "Body language told me he's serious. Worried. Think his phone could be hacked and used as a mic?"

"How – how did you hear what he said?"

"Lip-reading. –But, anything to his concerns?"

She shrugged uneasily. "We should ask Grace – or Wylie. And ... and I'm being paranoid but what if it's connected to us, to Blake or to his disciples?" She shook herself, "I'm sorry, Jane. It's late and I'm just being–"

"Don't."

"What?" she asked, jarred out of her rambling.

"Don't doubt your gut instincts. I'm always suspicious of coincidences."

"We're probably seeing boogeymen around every corner... I think he may be losing it, but you never know. Maybe it really is bugged."*

"Be interested in what Van Pelt and Rigsby find out."

"Client confidentiality could be a problem." She shrugged, "I'll text them and make sure they get an exception if it's related to Blake or him."

A while later, "Maybe he just wanted a date with you. Have you considered that?"*

"Please stop."*

Jane muttered, "Ardiles always did have a crush on you."*

He dozed off before she could scoff.

Jane's Apartment, Austin

Jane sat bolt upright from a sound sleep. Lisbon roused immediately.

"Nightmare?" she asked softly as she rubbed his shoulder. They were much less frequent than they used to be, but it still concerned her. Jane's past held enough horrors for several lifetimes and they continued to exact a physical and emotional toll.

"N-o-o," he replied, slowly shaking his head. "A piece just fell into place."

With determination, "It'll be there tomorrow." She clasped her arms around him and drew him down to the bed. "Right now you need sleep more than conspiracy theories. C'mon, Patrick."

Jane reluctantly nestled into the bedding, hugging her close. Lisbon didn't let herself sleep till she felt his breathing even out and his muscles relax. Whatever troubled him would be there in the morning.

Unfortunately.