That White Bread Picket Fence Girl | Episode 1 "Greatness from Small Beginnings"

*Note: There wasn't much characters in the game to actually be used as background characters or props, so there might be some crossovers or made-up ones.

**Note: I know originally Nate has the ring. But the fic is really more focused on all characters being awesome and excellent while Elena remains "average" hence the title.

Chapter 1: Greatness from Small Beginnings

A young blonde was eating at her desk, watching the adaptation of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. Iced tea on her left and burger on her right. A shiny ring hanging around her neck. A napkin tucked on the collar of her blouse. She had wireless earbuds on as she watched in 4K on her laptop. Her desk was a pile of research and a disassembled camera gear.

The telephone on her side rang. She missed it as she swallowed a bite, eyes locked on the screen. The second time it rang, she reached for the phone, eyes never breaking contact with the laptop. "Hello, ND News, how may I help you?"

"Ms. Fisher, we have a gentleman calling for you on Line 6. He says he wants to report a follow-up on your article of Sir Francis Drake."

Elena sat straight, hitting the space bar to pause the movie, trying to gather her thoughts so she isn't divided. She's written that article months ago and haven't really found any solid trail to follow. It was a dead end. Hope ignited her interest to continue writing it.

"Sure, thanks."

She pressed a button on the telephone to receive the call. Taking one last sip of her drink, she left the phone between her cheek and shoulder to prepare a pen and a notebook.

"Hi. Is this Elena Fisher? The one who wrote the article on Sir Francis Drake?" the man on the line spoke as soon as their call connects.

"Yes this is she. And this is?"

"Rafe Adler," there was a hint of pride at the mention of his name, "from the-"

Elena didn't let him finish as she started to run her mouth on what she knows about his company. "Adler Enterprises, international corporation, widespread marketing and advertising real estate-" there was a sudden pause on her end. Rafe didn't speak. She seems to have already done her research. "-wait. What does a man like you care about my article?"

"You'd be surprised how invested I am to people who knows their work." Rafe baited. She was confident of her knowledge, he was hoping she'd have an ego as big as his. Then baiting her wouldn't be difficult.

But Rafe was wrong. There was silence. The sound of her breath over the phone as she pondered on his words. Rafe didn't want to sound desperate and allowed her to take the quiet she needed to think.

"What kind of information are you going to supply me on Sir Francis Drake?" she negotiated.

"Help you find the coffin." he said calmly.

The journalist scoffed. "I've heard that before. You need funds for your own expedition and you're gonna use me for it."

"You'd be surprised to know that the coffin is not what it seems to be. What we have there is another clue to where he really is." he spoiled, hoping she'd bite. He heard her drum her fingers on her desk. She was careful. She wasn't the type to jump on opportunity when handed to her.

The silence was too long for him to just let the air hang between them.

"Say, do you believe in greatness coming from small beginnings?"

Elena reaches for the ring around her neck, fiddling with it for a moment. "What about it?"

"Maybe today I'm known for a lot of things my father had achieved. But my fame didn't start big. It started with a small trust fund that I invested in the right things." he pauses to let her ponder on it. "Beginnings is all about who's hand you take, hoping they'd take you to where they are."

Considering his words, she clicks her tongue and spoke. "Assuming I believe you. What's the catch?"

"Meet up with me and let's discuss this face to face. My place. 7 in the evening."

It would have ended smoothly but Elena does not end the call just yet. "I'm not going to a stranger's place at night."

"Fine, The Rooster and the Kitten. 7. I won't be in a suit."

When Rafe heard a satisfied sigh, he ends the call before she decides to change her mind again. He rolled his eyes and slipped the phone back in his pocket. The gang of thieves staring at him the entire time, holding their breaths.

"Did she buy the coffin info?" Nate asked. "You didn't read the script I gave you. There was full notes on Sir Francis' Drake's coffin."

"How aware was she of who you are?" Charlie asked next.

"Did she shiver hearing your name? Or was she thrilled? I doubt the ladies are thrilled to hear you." Samuel teased. "Maybe it should have been me who talked."

"What did she say?" Sully didn't really bother for other details.

"Why did you change location?" Harry sounded irritated at the change of plans. It would be harder to rob her in a public place.

Chloe rolled her eyes. Men and their priorities. "Is she the right woman?"

Even if they put Rafe on the hot seat, he was not affected by their pressuring interrogation. He shrugged nonchalantly. Face bored. Arms resting on opposite ends of the couch. "My contacts confirmed it for me. Elena Fisher, she's works at NDN."

"NDN?" Sully asked.

"National Data Network?" Nate tried to guess.

"Naples Daily News?" Charlie tried as well.

"Naughty Dog Networking?" Chloe also attempted to input.

"Next Door Neighbor?" Samuel opines and everyone stares at him. He chuckles at their reactions. "You guys can't take a joke very well."

"Smokers and their sense of humor." Harry mumbled.

Rafe rolled his eyes again. Sometimes he felt that these people were smarter than him but there are areas where he is above them all. "Nootropic Dove News. She's a journalist. They are known for bringing news that other organizations doesn't dare to delve in." Rafe spills to save them the time. "Now this journalist isn't like the ones we met before. She doesn't just jump the gun."

"Like the Hill girl." Samuel snapped his fingers, trying to remember the name.

"Yes that girl. So I gave her a public location. It's still a messy place. With the right diversion, stealing the necklace won't be very hard." Rafe tells them.

The thieves nodded in acknowledgment of his quick thinking. "Okay, so we need a bar fight. A hot head," he points at Charlie, "a cool guy," he points at himself and everyone eyed Nate. "Hot and cold clashes, bar fight." he explains himself. "Then the bystander who gets dragged into the fight." He pats his brother in the shoulder. "And we have a pervy old man harassing a beautiful woman."

Sully and Chloe laughed, high-fiving each other as if they wouldn't have it any other way. "Make sure to wear something good." Sully tells her.

"Something that's easy to pull the top off." Chloe teased. The rest of the boys stared at them both with a disapproving gaze.

"No, no, Chloe. You're supposed to not let him harass you. Like you know, girls crying for help. Complaining. All that stuff." Nate tries to tell her.

Chloe simply shrugs. "Guess that works too."