Danielle let her gaze wander through the apartment, which was furnished in antique style.
Probably the massive book shelf alone is worth more than half my furniture, she mused.
Glancing over to a titles, which ranged from a variety of works by earlier scholars to current recommendations for the business world, she frowned.
"You'll find everything you need here", Finch let her know. Eventhough his clothing style was different from John's, it somehow suited the environment.
"Is this your apartment?", she asked, not sure if he would be willing to answer any of her questions.
"This is nothing more than a shelter that I took over from a previous tenant. However, you will have this place for yourself."
"And how long do you think that I need to stay?"
"The answer to this depends on how quickly we can convince Mr. Cardiff to cancel his plans according to you."
Convince Mr. Cardiff - a phrase that sounded as casual as trying to persuade him to extract a infected tooth. The thought made her smile. Although Mr. Finch seemed even more withdrawn than John, she couldn't deny the six-foot-tall man a certain style that infact told something about his nature. It was the sound of a key turning in the door lock that snapped her back to reality.
"Good morning, Mr. Reese", Harold greeted his employee without turning to face him.
As John had already guessed, Finch and Danielle had reached the safe apartment ahead of him.
"I'm not sure I would call the morning good."
In his usual routine, he let his gaze wander around the room before he eventually faced Danielle.
"Hello John, how's the wound?", she nodded towards his arm.
"Thanks to the professional care, I even forgot that I had an injury."
For a moment he watched a small smile spread across her face, before her expression gave way to a sudden tension.
"Are you unwell, Ms. Benson?", Finch asked, also seeming to have noticed the change in her mimic.
"I´m okay, it's just..."
Shifting her glance between the two men, she shook her head.
"I just don't like that you put yourself in danger because of me. You have nothing to do with my life and yet you are risking your health for a reason I cannot understand. Since you seem to have checked my background and so my finances, you know that I can't afford private bodyguards", she now addressed Finch directly.
"It's not about money, Ms. Benson. We won't charge you a penny."
Raising an eyebrow, she fixed her counterpart with a sceptic look.
"If it´s one thing I've learned over the past few years, it's that nothing in life comes for free. With all the information you've gathered about me, it would be easy for you to ask for whatever favor in return. Everything I know about you, on the other hand, is based solely on my observations, which would hardly help me to defend myself against any kind of claim.
For a moment a strange silence filled the room as Finch verbalized a question driven by curiosity.
"What would those observations be, Ms. Benson?", he asked in a tone that said nothing about his state of mind.
John watched as Danielle's facial expression changed to an analyzing mode, as she seemed to consider her words carefully.
"First of all, I would say that according to the not completely legal activities you fulfill, you will use your real names as less as I do", she addressed her assumption to both of them before she focused on Harold again.
"You seem to be very well versed in technology, Mr. Finch. In any case, you can hardly have learned the data you have compiled on me from my non-existent social media accounts."
"I've never understood why people reveal their information there voluntarily", John interrupted, frowning.
Watching the woman pause for a moment, her gaze settled on his with an unexpected calmness.
"Actually, it's not as hard to understand as you might think. The fast-moving times in which we live have a lonely effect on many of us. We rush from one appointment to the next without establishing real connections. The world of virtual communication however, in which it is easy to find like-minded people, offers a promising antithesis. Unfortunately a lot of users block out the reversal effect in case of neglecting their real contacts so much that they end up being lonelier than before or, even worse, ignore the risk of their personal data provided."
Softening her expression, she finally shrugged. "Fortunately, it's not a question I'd have to deal with. If we're honest, there wouldn't be much to write on my profile anyway. -Went to the school of life and working to fly under the radar- doesn't necessarily sound like the statements that one wants to build a trusting relationship with."
Suppressing a smirk, another part of John couldn't help but reconsider Danielle's point of view, which he hadn't given a thought to before.
"But back to business", she returned her attention to Finch. "I don't assume that you obtain your knowledge about other people in a legal way. For the bigger picture that I just don´t understand, you're, however, willing to accept that fact."
Pausing for a moment, she pointed to his neck. "In addition to that, your cervical spine was stiffened. It is the reason why you are unable to look over your shoulder. Along with the limping gait I'd guess about a multimodal spinal trauma caused by an accident – and, last but not least, looking around the apartment you have pretty exclusive taste in decor and clothing."
Turning her gaze back to John, she took another moment.
"From you I already know where you learned your martial arts, but not why you are doing what you are doing now. Like your partner, you don't believe in blind faith any more than I do."
Tilting her head slightly to the side, she seemed to channel her thoughts. "You are the type of person that would probably be best described as one of kind. You neither fit into any category, nor are you easy to classify. You stand out from the crowd, but at the same time you are just as unobtrusive. If you aim for it, you will even drown in that same crowd. Summed up, I don't know about the intentions of the both of you, yet you are reminding me of a real life version of Batman and Robin."
Again it was John who couldn't help but smirk at Danielle's last statement while his partner turned to face him with a frown.
"I think you're understating the harmlessness of your observations", he contrasted. "But like I´ve said yesterday already, we just don't like it when innocent people are exposed to avoidable danger", John reminded her.
"As we speak of avoidable dangers: in the meantime I've been able to figure out who the two no longer so unknown gentlemen are that gave you a visit this morning. According to Detective Carter, the suspects are José Vargas and Antonio Guiterrez, two henchmen of Rodrigo Sanchez, a well-known drug scene figure. As it seems, Cardiff has used his imprisonment to expand his business circle and they are now helping each other out.
The involuntary horror that lay in the expression of his counterpart made him pause.
"Wait a moment. Did you just say detective? You haven't actually spoken to the police about me?," Danielle grounded out in an aghast tone.
"Don´t worry. Detective Carter is trustworthy. If Mr. Reese decides to talk to her, he's sure it won't harm you in any way", Finch spoke up.
John watched as Danielle took a step back, shaking her head in disbelief.
"And you can actually be sure of that?", she asked.
"I trust Carter. It's the reason I work with her", John tried to pick her up on a rational level that she, like himself, seemed to favor in the process of making a decision. For a moment he wasn't sure how to interpret the look in her eyes that gave away nothing of her thoughts when she eventually looked away for a second.
The second of decision, he realized. A decision in which she would either give Finch and him the necessary trust for further joint action, or withdraw completely. It was not only for the sake of facilitating his work that he hoped that her choice would fall on the first option. Although he could understand the roots of her trust issues all too well, he hoped that not all people shared his way of world view. Because of Danielle's history, which, however, forced her to think that way over a long period of time, he knew that he would probably have to work harder than with any of his previous clients to earn her trust.
"Rodrigo Sanchez isn´t any familiar to me and neither have I heard the names of his two elves", she finally stated, looking back at Finch and him alternately.
"That doesn´t surprise me. People oft hat kind usually don't like their names spread in public", John confirmed, suppressing another smirk on the idea of Vargas and Guiterrez as elves.
"Unlike other prisoners, Sanchez doesn't seem to care his fellow inmates' criminal records too much. Although we haven't found out yet where Samuel Cardiff is hiding, we now know who can lead us to him."
"And what shall I do in the meantime?", Danielle asked.
"I would suggest you stay here for now", Finch took the word.
"Well, I would but if I don't want to lose my job, I should place myself behind my desk in 30 minutes at the latest."
"I've already arranged that. You're on sick leave for the next few days. A corresponding certificate will be received by your employer tomorrow."
Another head shake from his counterpart signaled to John that she -ast least fort he moment- would leave it at that.
They had turned to leave when he heard her voice in his back.
"Wait, how can I reach you?", she asked, addressing both of them equally.
"We'll get back to you if there's anything new, Ms. Benson", Harold explained. "Otherwise, if there are any problems, just verbalize them near your mobile phone."
"Are you saying you hacked my phone?"
Reaching into her back pocket, she gave the device a scrutinizing look.
"Hacking is such a harsh word", Harold stated. „I rather prefer the term knowing you safe through a current connection."
"Well, I guess I'm lucky to hardly have any private conversations then", she placed the device with a glance that wasn´t in need of any more words on the mahogany coffee table.
"We'll get in touch with you, Ms. Benson", Finch let her know before he left the apartment, followed by John.
Taking a deep breath of the cold morning air, Harold pulled the stand-up collar of his anthracite-colored jacket higher in his neck. Like almost ever year, this October was no exception to a sudden drop in temperatures. Turning to John, who caught up behind him, he fixated his employee in concern.
"Ms. Benson has an excellent perception of assessing people", he stated
"I already noticed that."
"The question is which kind of danger this gift might hold for us. We should be careful, Mr. Reese."
Reaching for his car keys, he looked back at the secure apartment he traded just a few weeks ago in exchange for a recently used one. "However, for now, Ms. Benson should be safe here", he remarked. "So what is your further plan?"
"I think I know where I can find Sanchez's henchmen, so I'll be going visit them for a friendly chat."
Harold frowned.
"Be careful. We don't know how many members are actually involved. However, this advantage will not be on their side for much longer, thanks to detective Carters help. I will send you the necessary information shortly."
Taking John's nod as agreement, he was about to get into the car when his partner stopped him.
"One more question: since I hadn't hoped for an answer, I never asked her about it, but is Ms. Benson right about the assessment of your spine?"
Harold gave his employee a long look before settling into the driver's seat.
"I'll get back to you with anything I can find out about Sanchez", he let John know before closing the driver's door inside.