Episode 20: Stranger

Anna used her time sitting at her desk to research Stranger. She'd only known him for two years, but it was long enough for a friendship. They'd never seen exactly eye-to-eye on a few things but that didn't matter. She had a cell phone number listed for him in her phone but the number didn't work.

A long time ago, Anna, Barracuda, Drake, Victor, and Cassie all chose handles as so to not use their real names. Stranger chose, well, Stranger without telling anyone his real name. It made him impossible to search out, as Anna was figuring out now. She sighed frustratedly and leaned back in her chair. Her shoulder twinged slightly and she winced. "What did you do to your shoulder?" Cheryl asked.

"Oh," Anna said, sitting upright. "I just lifted too many boxes moving in yesterday." Complete lie. But she couldn't tell Cheryl that. She couldn't tell Cheryl anything. "Oh, yeah, how did that go?" Cheryl asked, eyes not leaving her computer screen.

"Great" Anna said. She stood and carefully pulled on her jacket. She zipped it up and started for the elevator. She pressed the down button and her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and unlocked the screen. A text message. She sighed and stepped into the now open elevator and pressed Lobby. She opened the message and read it. Unknown Number: We've got V and S-1 The elevator doors shut as Anna mentally gathered the information she'd dug up on Stranger.

Later That Day…

Anna met Helena and Barbara at her old glass house—which hadn't sold yet. All three sat at the kitchen counter on the bar stools with the collective paper and electronic information they'd gathered separately. They started cross referencing, trying to connect dots. "Is there anything that stands out?" Anna asked.

"Well, you worked side-by-side with Stranger," Helena said, leaning back while holding onto the counter. "Shouldn't you know?" just then, Barbara handed Anna a file with the Mandarin word for Foreigner typed across the manila. "I found this in the archives at the BC. Most of it is blacked out, but I think you can get a general description" she said. Anna opened it and splayed it across the counter.

She was right; most of the papers' writing was blacked out. But there was a picture with the file. Anna pulled it closer to her eyes and squinted, trying to recognize any facial features. It was black and white and printed with the paper so it was distorted. She still recognized it, though. It was Stranger. "Who is this? Do you have a name?" Anna asked.

"Slade Wilson" Helena said, peering over Anna's shoulder. Barbara sighed in annoyance. "Yes, as I would have said, if you hadn't interrupted me, Helena" she said.

"Oh, grow up" Helena said.

"Bitch" Barbara mumbled. Helena looked at her and was about to recoil with something overly offensive when Anna silenced them with a wave of the hand. "Stop it" she said, calmly yet firmly. They both reluctantly settled into their seats without looking at one another. Anna rolled her eyes and turned back to the picture on the paper. Slade Wilson? She thought. Anna then had a brilliant thought and slid off the stool. "You guys stay here and keep this up—whatever this is—and I'll be back later" she said, starting for the door. "Okay!" Helena shouted back, as Anna left the house. "Good not talking to you."

Anna shut the door to her car and hurriedly pulled out her cell phone. She dialed number nine on speed dial and waited for the other end to stop ringing. On the third ring, Sarah picked up. "Anna, why are you still using your cell phone? You should have dumped it days ago" she said.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But, Sarah, remember when you told about the island? And the people you were with? Does the name Slade Wilson ring a bell?" Anna asked.

"What does this have to do with Slade?" Sarah asked, suddenly sounding guarded.

"He's Stranger—the other lost team mate we've been looking for. I'm going to talk to him" Anna replied.

"Anna," Sarah warned. "Don't. He's not what he was when you worked with him. He's changed—and not for the better." Drake's words echoed in Anna's mind and she realized Drake already knew. "Sarah, don't you think I know that? I can handle it. Just tell Barracuda for me, okay?" Anna said, hanging up. She put her phone back into her pocket and started the car.

Later That Night…

Anna heeded Sarah's warning—even though secretly she'd wanted to just walk in—dressing in her black suit and mask, her typical straight hair-style, and of course her gun tucked tightly at the small of her back. Security was tight but she made it fine to his office door. She pushed the doors open and stepped inside the large office room, ready to take her gun out if necessary.

Stranger—Slade—sat at a grey desk at the far end of the room, his legs propped up on the edge of the desk and his hands folded in his lap. He looked the same, to her, except for the eye patch. That was new. Anna took cautious yet confident looking steps up to a few feet from the desk. "Anna" He regarded her, his voice a deep rasp.

"Stranger. Or is it Slade now? I wasn't sure which one you preferred…" she nodded, keeping her voice even. He slid his legs off the desk and sat up in his chair, clearing his throat. "What brings you in?" he asked. "Certainly you must not be here for a business matter."

"Definitely not, no. I'm here because of a list of names in my possession. The names represent who will die and when, according to the League of Assassins. Your name was on the list" she said, casually folding her arms at her waist.

"Then you're here to kill me or something?" he asked.

"No," she said, sounding offended. She scoffed. "Shows how much trust is left in our barrel."

"Alright, I'll bite. What do you want?" she straightened with her hands loosely at her sides. She took a deep breath and spoke evenly. "I wanted to warn you. After all once a partner always a partner—or at least that's how it is for me. Not sure how you villains feel any more these days, but I thought I'd keep you in the loop…especially considering what happened w-"

"Thank you, Anna, really," he interrupted, patience growing thin. "But, as you can see I'm fine here. You can see your way to the door."

"Don't say I didn't warn you," she said, turning to the door. She pulled out a door and turned slightly to see him. "See you later, Alligator." She turned and left the room, momentarily glancing down at the unconscious bodies of the guards she'd knocked out.

Slade sighed heavily and squeezed a pen in his fist. "In a while…" he said, quietly. He turned his chair slightly to see a silver picture frame on the desk—hidden from view of guests. The frame held a picture of him only a bit younger and almost clean-shaven and a young girl with jet black hair and piercing green eyes. "Crocodile…."