So this chapter is split into two smaller ones. I do expect to update the second half of this in two or three days. There just seemed to be a natural break point.
"Rise and shine; it's field trip time." Rich called out to Jane in a sing song voice.
"What do you mean?" Jane replied with gruff sleep in her throat.
"Get ready, we leave in an hour and I think you may have a very enjoyable afternoon. I've got to set up a secret rendezvous with our favorite cousin. Meet me by the pool when you are ready. We've got a plane to catch if we are going to be on time." He closed the door behind him so he didn't see Jane jump out of bed with the excitement of schoolgirl.
Patterson's lab was buzzing with activity by the time Kurt got to the NYO. He had spent the early part of the morning negotiating a temporary hold on Jane's prosecution by convincing Pellington that Jane's organization had been responsible for the ambush on her prison transfer and then wiped her memory and sent her back to the FBI. After an hour of back and forth and input from the assistant attorney general, it was concluded that a successful prosecution was not likely and they agreed to keep the "new Jane" as an FBI asset for the time being.
With the threat of immediate prosecution gone, Kurt had directed the team to work on proving the facts in Jane's confession. The crime scene unit had already visited both the basement warehouse where Mayfair was killed, the apartment that Oscar used as his home base, burned out barn and the trailer in parking lot the organization used as a communication hub. Although DNA and fingerprint results would still take time to be identified, the physical evidence seemed to match the version of events Jane had told them. Reade, Zapata, Patterson and Jill were all working diligently when Kurt entered the lab.
"What have we got?" Weller barked in what was quickly becoming his go to greeting.
Zapata replied, "So far, Jane's version of events seem to match the evidence. The preliminary autopsies are in on the bodies from the barn and even though we can't positively i.d. the bodies yet, they were both killed prior to the fire. The one surrounded be the remnants of a body bag had a bullet wound consistent with the casing Reade and I found at the basement warehouse. The other body had damage to the sternum consistent with the pick axe weapon Jane mentioned using."
"I did that?" asked a very shaky Jill.
Zapata and Patterson shared a quick look. Patterson quickly went over to the chair where Jill was sitting and wrapped her arms around Jill's shoulders. "Don't worry, Jill. It's all going to be okay. This is just a theory; we are still trying to work out the details of what happened."
Both Reade and Weller stood silently and waited for Jill to stop sobbing. After a few minutes, Weller redirected the team. "Keep me posted on what CSU finds out. In the meantime, I think we need to focus on what we can find out about the organization that sent Jill back to us. Have you had any luck decoding the files from Mayfair?"
Patterson spoke up, "There are lots of documents but some are heavily redacted and will need a special decoding program created to decipher the information. On top of that, we can't use any of our existing hardware or software if we are going to try to keep this under the radar."
Jill wiped her face with the back of her hand, a trait that Jane also had. "Please, let me help. If you show me what you're looking for, I can write the program."
Just like with Jane, Reade was quick to point out, "This information is highly classified, and, no disrespect, Jill, but you've already betrayed us once. Are you sure she's the best person to handle this?" he asked to no one in particular.
Weller was the one to respond. "Patterson, what do you think?" Knowing that Jill hadn't actually been the one to betray the team, Patterson disagreed with Reade. "I think I could use all the help I can get. We are under a time crunch and she does seem to have a knack for writing code."
"Fine. It's done. Reade, Zapata get down to CSU and nail down what other possibilities they have. Patterson, you and Jill get working on that…" Kurt was cut off by a notification on Patterson's phone, the same one they set for the next incoming message from Rich.
"Patterson before you start, I need you in my office." They moved across the floor in record time and pulled up the site on Weller's laptop. Sure enough, there was one message flashing in the inbox.
Precious Patty,
Not only am I a collector of fine art, I have recently discovered that I enjoy creating it as well. My latest creation is titled "Death of the Sheppard" but I need to acquire the Ultimate Surrealism Book in order to complete it. I would like to borrow this from you. I will only need it for a few hours this afternoon and I would prefer it to be hand delivered. If you have the ability to lend it to me, your deliveryman will need to be at the Staten Island heliport at 1pm. Please let your deliveryman know that he may enjoy spending the afternoon handling my latest art acquisition….as long as he is wearing a glove. ;-)
Once again, Kurt blushed at the overt double entendre of Rich's message.
"He wants the USB stick that Mayfair left for us. How can we give him FBI evidence?" Patterson questioned.
"We can't give him FBI evidence, but that USB is not technically FBI evidence. We haven't cataloged it and we are purposely keeping it out of the system. Plus, if I deliver it the chain of custody is intact, although I doubt Sheppard will ever make it to trial."
"So you're going, alone?"
"Yes." He glanced at his watch – it read 11:30am. He knew a helicopter ride would mean that they meeting place would be less than an hour's ride. He would be seeing Jane in about two and a half hours. Weller couldn't help but smile.
An hour later, Weller was speeding towards Staten Island with the USB in his pocket. He pulled into the parking lot and crossed over to where a powered up chopper was waiting. As he approached, he was stopped by three large men dressed all in black. "Agent Weller, we need to search you before we let you board. You will be relieved of all weapons, cell phones and tracking devices. Should any of these items be found on you when we reach our final destination, this rendezvous will be cancelled and all future communications will cease. Do you understand?"
Weller nodded and proceeded to hand over everything in his possession except the USB. Once the men were convinced he had surrendered everything, he was permitted to board the chopper. The windows in the back of the helicopter had been blacked out leaving Weller blind to the route that was taken. The best he could determine was the meeting place was approximately 45 minutes from the heliport.
They touched down in field where the chopper was met with six more men dressed in black. These men were all carrying automatic weapons and led Weller several hundred yards to the back door of a large farmhouse. Two of the men motioned for Weller to follow them inside while the other four stood guard just outside the door. Weller was led down a long hallway to large study just at the base of stairway. One guard knocked on the door and Weller heard Rich's voice say come in.
The lead man opened the door and nodded at Weller for him to enter the study. When Weller stepped over the threshold, he found Rich sitting at desk swirling a glass of amber liquid. "Stubbles! I had a feeling you would be the one delivering the goods to me."
Weller looked around the room, taking note of the two armed men inside but no sign of anyone else. "Where's Jane?"
"What am I chopped liver? I save your girlfriend from being captured and probably tortured, I've offered my services to help terminate her previous employer and I have arranged for, what I am hoping is a little afternoon delight for the two of you, and I can't get a few minutes chit chat with my favorite government employee? No how are things with you and Krab. No office gossip to pass along? I got say Stu, that hurts my feelings."
Weller decided it was best to play along. "You're right, Rich." Weller paused and quickly figured how to play this out. "I assume that you have another glass of cognac for me. Someone once told me it was too good not to share."
"Aw, you remembered! You have no idea what that means to me. Of course, we will share a toast and then I will send you away to spend time upstairs with your beloved." Rich poured a second glass and handed it to Weller.
"What should be toast to?" Weller asked holding up his glass.
"How about unlikely allies," Rich offered.
"Temporary…allies," Weller corrected.
"You know, you really know how to put a buzzkill on a $100,000 pound bottle of cognac." Rich retorted. They clinked glasses and took a large swallow of liquid.
"If you are ready to move on to even more enjoyable activities, why don't you hand over the USB." Weller set his glass on the edge of the desk and handed Rich the USB.
Rich turns the key over in his hands and says, "I think this going to keep me busy for about three hours. No more…no less. I hope you can find a way to entertain yourself. You don't happen to play chess do you Stubbles?"
"Not well, no," Kurt replied.
"Well, then, you may have a VERY enjoyable afternoon. Jane is waiting for you in the suite at top of the stairs to the left. You will have complete privacy but my deadline stands firm. Three hours….go."
Weller didn't need any more encouragement. He opened the study door and headed up the stairs, a bit surprised the armed men outside the study didn't accompany him. He got to the outside of the door and he had to stop and catch his breath. The last time he saw her was through the two way mirror in the interrogation room while she was confessing to Patterson. The last time he had physically touched her, he was dragging her by the arm through the NYO after placing her in handcuffs.
His stomach was in knots as he pushed the door open.
Don't worry...the next chapter is all about their reunion...and it will be Jeller-Tastic! Thanks for all the great encouragement and reviews!