IV. Seeing Ghosts
Six weeks later… Beckley West Virginia… 6:00AM
Kara sat down in the chair across from Perry as she dropped the progress folder onto the table.
"So how is Carter doing?" Perry asked.
"Well enough," Kara replied.
"What about physically and mentally? Is she ready for field work?"Perry asked.
"Physically she's performing above average, her reflexes are remarkable well developed and her marksmanship is amazing. I looked at her old Army file, she just barely qualified as a Sharpshooter, but now she's in the expert range. But I guess having a robotic eye would give anyone that advantage.
Kara grinned when Perry glared at her," Don't worry Perry I follow orders, she doesn't know about her government financed body modifications…but unfortunately you're going to have a difficult time making her into a mindless superhuman killing machine, she still has a conscious. During her field range tests her first instinct was to wound instead of kill."
"Has any other developments occurred, specifically, anything out of the ordinary?" Perry asked.
"You mean anything inhuman like," Kara responded sarcastically as Perry glared at her.
Kara rolled her eyes and continued, "No nothing yet, she performing within the limitations of a human body….. the mind is a powerful tool Perry, I doubt she will exhibit what you're looking for until she's fully aware of what her new body can do ….since I'm speaking about the mind, I think she might be remembering things."
"What do you mean?"Perry replied warily.
"She stares off into space a lot and mumbles randomly," Kara stated.
"Do you think she remembers who she is? Who you are?" Perry asked.
"I doubt it," Kara replied.
"Why do you say that?" Perry questioned.
"I doubt John ever told her what I looked like and I'm pretty sure she never saw my face that night I killed that FBI agent. I honestly thought she was dead after I ran the FBI vehicle off the road. Between the time it took me to kill the agent and removed John from the wreck, she didn't move an inch," Kara replied nonchalantly as she shrugged her shoulders.
Perry stood up and dropped a black folder on the table in front of Kara "Her name's Elizabeth Harris, it's come to our attention that she might have knowledge of some sensitive information, we want you to retrieve it. Get Carter prepared, you two have a new assignment."
Kara watched as Perry left the room; once he was gone she opened the folder and examined the contents, a sinister smirk spread across her face. They were going to New York, Maybe if they were lucky they'd run into John and his little friends Kara thought as she stood up and walked out of the room to get her new partner.
Old Westbury, New York…8:00PM
"Ms. Harris is in the center of the ballroom and she doesn't appear to be showing signs of distress or have knowledge that her life might be in danger." Harold replied as he watched the live streaming security feeds of the gala.
"Do you know if the threat to Harris has anything to do with the Doctor's death 6 weeks ago?"John asked as he linked arms with Shaw and led her into the ballroom.
"I haven't the faintest idea Mr. Reese, Detective Fusco said the case is still filed under a suspicious death and is virtually a cold case due to the lack of evidence. But if Ms. Harris is involved, perhaps whoever's after her is responsible for Dr. Calvin's death," Harold stated.
"I really don't care who's involved with what, I just want to shoot somebody and go home, these heels are already hurting my feet," Shaw exclaimed as she shifted uncomfortably.
John smirked as he looked at Shaw's miserable face as she stood limply next to him. Before he could open his mouth to commit on Shaw's scowl a familiar voice interrupted.
"What a surprise to see you two here."
John's back stiffened slightly as he let go of Shaw's arm and turned around, "Hello Zoe."
"Hello to you too John, it's been a awhile, so who are you impersonating this evening," Zoe remarked with a knowing smile as she glanced between John and Shaw.
"John Rooney and his wife" John replied as he gestured towards Shaw.
"You're not stepping out on me, are you John?" Zoe asked as she smiled at John.
"Please, you can have him he's a pain in the ass," Shaw replied as she let out an unladylike snort. Sam watched as Zoe and John looked at one another, she rolled her eyes and moved toward the finger foods.
John watched as Shaw made a bee line towards the food leaving him alone with Zoe.
"Zoe you look nice this evening," John replied as he shoved his hands into his pockets.
"John, looking dapper as always," Zoe replied as she smiled and hooked her arm around John's and walked towards the opened glass doors that led out onto the terrace.
Once they were outside Zoe removed her arm from Johns. "It's been a while John."
John let out a sigh and leaned onto the railing and looked out towards the skyline of the city, "Things have been…difficult lately."
Zoe was no fool, she knew exactly why John was avoiding her and although she had never been the type to dwell on anybody, she couldn't stop herself from wondering how John was doing, especially since Detective Carter had been killed.
Zoe let a solemn expression roam across her face, she had known that John held Jocelyn in very high regards, but she never had suspected that his feelings for the Detective ran deeper than friendship. "I know now might not be the most opportune time to bring this up John, but I just wanted to let you know that you don't have to avoid me,"
"Zoe I can't…"
"You don't need to say anything John, I understand where we stand. I just want you to know that I do consider you a friend and I still care about your wellbeing," Zoe stated softly as she placed her hand on Johns shoulder.
John closed his eyes momentarily as he turned around and gently grabbed Zoe's hand.
"Zoe…thank you. I really do appreciate all the things you've done me and I'm sor….." John began to say as a rhythmic slow clapped interrupted him.
"Awee…John that's so sweet…I think I need a tissue."
As soon as he heard her voice an ice cold shiver shot down his spin and he turned around and positioned Zoe behind him.
John reached for his gun as she walked out of the shadows.
"How rude of you lover aren't you going to introduce me."
John's jaw line hardened as he clenched his teeth, "Kara."
Kara glanced at Zoe then back at John as she slowly sipped her Champaign.
"Oh don't be so tense John, I'm not here to kill you," Kara stated as she casually leaned against the railing.
"Then what are you here for ," John demanded as he looked around the party trying to spot any CIA agents.
"Oh don't worry John there's no agents' lurking in the shadows," Kara replied.
John narrowed his eyes at Kara not trusting a word out of her mouth,"If you're not here for me, then why you are here?"
"Not everything is about you John." Kara smirked as she looked at Zoe.
"Zoe Morgan..Right?"Kara questioned.
"Leave her out of this, she has nothing to do with you or me" John stated firmly.
"Oh but she does…just being around you is a death sentence….but if you're lucky, you might just get away with a few scars," Kara replied as she push her hair out of her face, revealing the burn scars.
"What do you want Kara?" John asked as he looked at Kara's scared face.
"Not much I just thought I'd give your friend here fair warning before it's too late for her," Kara replied with a chuckle as she watched John try to keep his anger in control.
"Oh come now John, I think she'd rather be a pushed aside lover than end up like Jessica ...or your lady cop friend….what was her name again…oh yes, Jocelyn," Kara remarked.
John's trigger finger twitched as Kara callously mentioned Jessica and Joss to him.
"When I first found out about your Detective friend I was honestly a little shocked, I never pegged you as the interracial type…though you must not of cared to much about her…I mean her body was barely in the ground before you were off gently caressing the face of innocent little flight attendants ... I'm surprised you haven't moved onto your new partner yet, she's a pretty young thing," Kara replied with a smirk as she watched the rage build in John's eyes.
"Reese does have looks, but I personally prefer my men with less emotional baggage," Shaw replied as she walked up out onto the terrace and shoved her gun into Kara's back.
Kara smiled and held her hands up as she watched from the corner of her eyes as Shaw moved around in front of her and walked backwards towards John.
"So you're the old CIA partner, heard you were dead" Shaw replied as she glared at Kara.
Kara smiled "It's funny how that phrase rarely ever applies to people in our line of work."
"If you're not here to off John, then why are you here…and keep in mind that I'm not as patient as John, I'll put a bullet in your head if I don't like your answer." Shaw threatened as she cocked her gun.
Kara chuckled "I have a feeling we're here for the same reason you two are."
"Whose we?" John asked.
Kara turned her eyes back onto John and smiled as she lowered her hands to her side, "You're not the only one with a new job and partner John…but I can see that you haven't changed much Boy Scout, didn't I always tell you to keep your eyes on your target."
John and Shaw looked at one another, and then looked back into the ballroom; as they noted that Harris was no longer in the middle of the room.
They both turned back towards Kara who smirked at them.
"Finch do you see where Harris went?" John asked as he and Shaw backed Zoe back into the ballroom. Once they were back inside, they closed the terrace doors and locked Kara outside.
"She's standing 50 feet to your left in the corner next to the exit, there's a woman wearing a blue dress gripping her forearm, I can't see the other woman's face, but Ms. Harris looks frightened." Harold replied as he watched the security camera.
Kara watched as John and his partner shut and locked the doors, she smirked and tapped her ear, "Grab Harris and meet me at the car out front Carter, if they try to stop you, shoot them."
Kara removed her heels and ripped the hem of her dress. Once she heard Carter confirm her orders, she hauled herself over the edge of the balcony and dropped the ten feet down onto the patio below and made her way back around to the front of the mansion.
John and Shaw moved across the ballroom as they watched the woman in the blue dress lead Harris out of the party. As they rounded the corner they drew their weapons, "Stop right there!"
John watched as the woman in the blue dress stopped moving down the hallway.
"Now let the woman go and maybe, we'll let you keep your knee caps," Shaw remarked as she pointed her gun at the woman.
John felt his heart stop and his blood run cold as he watched the woman in the blue dress turn around. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, it was impossible, she was dead, and he watched her die.
Joss watched as the terrorist named John Reese and Sameen Shaw stood stark still, limply holding their guns as they stared at her.
Joss decided to take advantage of their shock, and let a devilish smirk run across her face, "What's the matter, you both look like you've seen a ghost."