"Agent Sims!" Special Agent in Charge Mike Stefon barked angrily as he stomped up the gravel road towards Amanda, who sat on the side of the warehouse's concrete entrance by the steel steps, smoking a cigarette. She peered her eyes past his oncoming form to the children receiving medical attention, and the relief she felt for them would be a shield against the barrage that was about to hit. Bracing herself, she took another long pull on the butt, the orange tip glowing in the darkness.
"Hello, Stefon."
"Explain yourself! Why did you go in before backup, and how the fuck did you secure eleven suspects by yourself?"
Letting the smoke flutter out of her nose and mouth, Amanda shrugged, "Luck."
"Bullshit. Where is he?"
"Who?" Amanda stared blankly back.
"You know who! Kevin Collins. Where is he?"
"I never saw him, sir. I saw the barge arrive and I couldn't wait on you."
"Is this going to be your official statement?"
"It is."
"Well, fuck." Stefon rubbed his eyes. He watched Amanda shrug, apparently uninterested in providing the answers he demanded. Sighing and giving up on the cat-and-mouse game for the moment, Stefon looked over at the girls and asked, "Did we get them all?"
Amanda took one last drag and crushed the tip onto the concrete by her side, shaking her head sadly, "No. We found one body."
"Shit." Stefon closed his eyes for a moment, then looked squarely at Sims, "As I said before, off the record, I am glad the girls are safe and we have suspects to interrogate. We may get some real insight into Bible because of this bust."
"Glad to be of help," Amanda prepared for the other shoe to drop, "and on the record?"
Stefon held out his hand, "Badge and gun, Sims. You're suspended indefinitely pending review, and I'll be talking to your boss in Washington about your actions."
Knowing this was going to happen, Sims didn't argue and handed both over. "Am I under arrest?"
"No. Just get out of here. Go rest, drink, get laid, whatever. I know you had help, but I have too much paperwork and interrogations to do to drag you back to headquarters to sit in a room all night for you to just keep shrugging." Amanda held in a smirk, while he continued, "But, do not leave town; we still have a particular rogue to discuss."
Stefon turned and walked off towards the ambulances. Amanda sighed. She didn't regret calling Angel in, and she didn't regret the results. What she did regret, however, is that she may no longer be able to cover for him whenever he skirts the lines, and there were far too many innocent lives at stake for Angel to be taken off the board. She did not look forward to what she needed to do next.