Authors Notes:
I hope the last chapter didn't end too abruptly. It was getting long and I had a hard time finding a good place to stop. I really appreciate the reviews. It helps a writer to continue.
Chapter 3
Rossi's House
"Can I get paid now, so I can leave? My cat must be going nuts."
Rossi got up and headed for the door. "I don't know quite yet. Would you mind waiting in the next room for a few minutes while the rest of us have a talk?"
Sarah got up to leave. "I was worried something like this might happen. Am I being kept against my will? Don't I have rights?"
John tried to calm her down. "You are NOT being held against your will. You can leave any time, but I won't be responsible for your safety if you go."
"My safety? What's going on? Who was that guy and why am I suddenly worried-"
She never got to finish her sentence. Alarms were going off all over the house. Everyone jumped up and John pulled out his gun. Rossi went over to a cupboard and opened the doors, Behind it was a bank of monitors. They were showing the grounds outside and one showed a van parked near the fence. Several armed men were trying to breach the fence. He went over to another cupboard and started handing out handguns. "Here, take one. I always thought this would come in handy one day."
"What is it?" Sarah was yelling, trying to be heard over the alarms. "Shouldn't we be calling the police?"
"Hopefully they got the message already. The fence is electrified. The only way to get around that is to -" Suddenly the house went dark. "cut the electricity."
He punched a few buttons. "The doors should keep them out for a few minutes. Come with me."
He grabbed Sarah's arm and pulled hard. Further down the hall, he opened another door and shoved her in. "Stay here, lock the door, and for God's sake be quite. It's the closest thing I have to a panic room. I don't hunt serial killers for nothing."
As he turned to leave she panicked.. "Serial killers? Nobody said anything about serial killers!" He closed the door and she locked it just like he said. She looked around trying to find a place to hide. All she could see was the couch, so she crawled between the couch and the wall and hoped the door stayed closed.
Meanwhile, the others were using their phones as lights and Emily was giving out orders. "Alvez, go cover the back. JJ, take the patio door in the downstairs master. Sir, you and I will cover the front door. Rossi, call and see if you can get us some help." Immediately they all went to cover their posts.
It was extremely quiet, each one trying to look out without giving themselves away. Suddenly shots were heard in a tirade of bullets, with windows spraying their glass inside."
"Next time I opt for the bullet proof glass!" Rossi yelled.
After about what seemed to be forever, and lots of rounds being sprayed, they could hear sirens getting louder and louder. "They better be coming to my place." Then suddenly it all stopped.
"It's about time," Rossi huffed.
Cars could be heard outside the house and then the police were on a megaphone. "Inside the house. This is the police. Open the front door and throw your weapons out. You have one minute to comply."
John went to one of the front windows and shouted back at them. "My name is John Western, and I am the deputy director of the FBI in Quantico. We are throwing out our weapons and coming out."
"Anyone inside get hurt?"
"No we are fine. I am coming to the front door now."
He opened the door and tossed the weapons out first. Then they all walked out with their hands over their heads.
"Sorry about that," the officer in charge apologized. He was taking the handcuffs off Western. "Standard procedure you understand. We can't be too careful about who we confront in a reported shoot out. We verified everyone's ID and you can give your statements in the morning. We didn't see any of them. They were leaving as we got here, my men gave chase, but they got away." He turned and left, giving orders to another deputy.
Everyone from the house was standing in a small circle. Rossi was livid. "Nobody comes and shoots up my house and get's away with it."
Luke spoke quietly so as not to be overheard. "Somebody knew we were meeting here tonight".
"Ya think!?" JJ commented. "I hate to reiterate, but we definitely have a mole."
Rossi had never seen John so mad. As he walked away John added, "A mole that's gonna get his tail cut off." He paused for a moment, and smirked. "Anyone gonna go get Sarah?"
"It's about time, you guys. How long did you think I was gonna stay locked up in here?"
"Until I let you out. We couldn't let anyone know you were here. It's not safe for you to be here anymore. We have to find a better place to put you." Rossi glanced down at his phone. Suddenly he had an idea.
"NOT SAFE? Bullets are coming through your windows and you think it's not safe?! Of course it's not safe." Sarah stopped and took a breath, trying to calm down. "I'm going home. I've had enough fun for one night. All I came here for tonight is my two hundred dollars. You can keep it. You couldn't pay me enough to stay here." And she started walking down the hall towards the front door.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
She turned and looked at him. "And why the hell not?"
"You're the reason they came." He said quietly.
Everyone was in the den and Rossi had made everyone a drink.
Sarah was still mad. "ME? ME? What did I ever do to them? All I did was show up and hand you an envelope. I didn't do anything and I don't know anything."
"But they don't know that. They think you do. They want something they think you have or you know."
Sarah plopped down in a chair after sweeping off the glass. "But I don't have anything and I don't know anything." Suddenly it dawned on her. "He got me into this, didn't he? That guy that gave me the envelope, he got me into this." She jumped up and started pacing and mumbling. "Just wait til I get my hands on him, Everyone knows it's the flunkies that always get killed. Just wait till I get my hands on him. I'll kill him."
"Not if they kill you first."
Emily tried to explain things better. "Look," she said, "there has to be a reason you're the target. Maybe you know something, or saw something, or heard something that you shouldn't." She paused to collect her thoughts. "Maybe they think you'll lead them to Reid."
"Who's Reid?"
FBI Headquarters
JJ stopped by the information desk ."Morning Bob. Beautiful day isn't it?"
"If you like cold, dark and cloudy, I guess."
JJ walked towards the elevators. "Any day you wake up to is a good day." She took the elevator to the fourth floor, got off, got onto another one and went down to the basement. From there, she weaved her way through the building until she came up to the service elevator. She went up one floor and out to the truck dock. She opened the hanger door and a car drove in.
"Morning Rossi, morning Sarah. How did you sleep last night?" She asked Sarah, who was hunkered down in the back seat.
"How do you think I did, knowing I'm a target for some insane assassins?"
"She didn't get much sleep and she's grumpy," Rossi informed her.
"Well we'll get you upstairs and tucked away all safe and sound."
"With a mole just waiting to see me? That's your idea of safe and sound? Like a fish in a fishbowl?"
"He or she won't see you." JJ gestured to a cart with two doors on the side. "Get in."
It took a little time before Sarah was all inside and squished into the cart. Rossi left to park his car in his usual place and JJ wheeled the cart into the elevator and and rode it up. When she exited the elevator, she pushed it directly to Garcia's office.
"Here are those computer parts you requested," JJ said, as Garcia helped her push the cart through the door. "Sorry it took so long. The requisition got bogged up in the works."
"Well it's about time," Garcia said, just a little louder than she needed to. JJ shot her a look and Garcia shrugged her shoulders.
Once the door was closed and locked, JJ opened up the doors to the cart and helped Sarah climb out. "If anyone ever told me that some day I would be hiding out from a bunch of killers, I would have said they were crazy. Now look at me." Sarah was brushing off and straightening out her clothes.
"Garcia, Sarah will be staying here for a while. Exactly how long I don't know. It is now your job to keep her safe. Reid said he didn't want to involve you or me, but it can't be helped. Since you work mostly here by yourself, it seems the perfect spot, perfect being a relative term, to hide her."
"But - - -"
JJ turned to Sarah. "There's a comfy couch over there where you can rest, and we'll make sure you get food, water, and whatever else you may need. Just stay here and you'll be safe."
Garcia tried again. "But - -"
As JJ walked out the door, Sarah asked "Hey, what about using the bathroom-", but JJ was gone. She turned and looked at Garcia. "Looks like we'll be roomies."
Garcia seemed frazzled and overwhelmed. When that happens she talks fast. "OK, there are a few rules you need to know. Rules, yes. First don't touch anything, I mean none of the stuff, the equipment, the computers, you know what I mean. Third, no I mean second, don't leave this room without one of us with you. You're not even supposed to be here anyway, so it would be hard to explain to someone who gets nosy. Don't open that door for anyone. And I mean anyone. If someone knocks, I'll take care of it. I don't carry a gun. Do you carry a gun? Of course you don't, what am I saying." She paused to catch her breath. "The bathroom, oh yea, the bathroom. It's down the hall and I'll have to sneak you in and out. I'll bring you in some snacks and other stuff and the rest we'll just play by ear."
Sarah put her arm around Garcia. "I think we'll get along just fine. Who's Reid?'
Garcia sat on the couch next to Sarah. "Reid? He's just my - oh wait I don't know if I'm supposed to tell you. I'll have to ask Rossi how much info I can share." Just then her phone rang. Sarah could only hear one side of the conversation.
"Yea, she's fine. You are doing fine right?" Sarah nodded yes. (Pause) 'We're doing good. I'm worrying and she's asking about Reid. What can I tell her? (pause) Sounds good. We'll see you in a bit." She hung up and turned to Sarah. 'Rossi's coming down to talk to you. I have a ton of work to do, so just chill and relax and I'll be right over there."
Sarah followed Garcia over to her bank of computers and screens. "So is Garcia your first or last name?"
"My last name. My first name is Penelope. But most people here just call me Garcia."
Sarah watched her get comfortable in her chair. "Can I ask just what you do here?"
"You can ask. . . " Garcia chuckled. "I heard that in a movie. I'm a technical analyst." Sarah didn't look convinced, considering Garcia looked the complete opposite of a computer nerd. Sarah thought she looked like a box of crayons had thrown up all over her clothes. "No really, I look up information for my team, break into computers, do searches, and a bunch of other things. You know, all the fun stuff. And now I'm a babysitter. No offense."
"None taken. Who's Reid?"Garcia laid her earpiece on her desk. "Rossi said I could tell you. Guess it's only fair, seeing how he is the reason for all of this. Reid is my boy genius. Though he's not a boy any more." Sarah looked confused. "No I mean he's a boy, he's just all grown up. He started here at 22 years old. He's really exceptional. He has an IQ of 187 and can read 20,000 words a minute. Oh, and be careful what you say around him."
"Why's that?"
"He has an eidetic memory. He remembers everything he reads or hears. Can repeat it word for word. Can't get anything past that boy."
Sarah propped her chin in her hand. "Sounds like my kind of guy. Tell me more."
By the time Rossi arrived, they had had quite the gossip fest. Sarah learned a lot about Reid.
Rossi talked to Garcia first. " Seems Spencer was on a special assignment. Is there any way you can check it out, find out what it is, without setting off any alarms or alerting anyone? We need to know the assignment and who the rest of his team is or was. But we can't let them know we're snooping."
"I'll do what I can. Do you think he's okay? I can't think about him out there alone. I'll get back to you as soon as I can." And she turned and started clicking away.
Then he talked to Sarah. "I hope you'll be comfortable here. I'm sorry it's not better, but we can't be too careful. This way you're close to us and we can protect you. Give Garcia a list of things you'll need and we'll do our best to get it for you. JJ is going to stay with you in here tonight, and I'll be here tomorrow night. Any books I can get you from my library?"
