Saving the World One Bra at a Time

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Sophia waited for Gabi to talk, the scrambler had just been turned on, when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She focused her eyes on Gabi, while continuing to watch the figure, watch them.

He didn't stand out as much. He looked pretty average. His clothing was worn and used, his tool belt hung low on his hips. Gabi kept talking. Sophie kept watching. She just sensed something, she shook it off, or tried to.

"We both know about our past," She told Gabi, trying to keep her mouth moving, as if she were involved deeply in conversation with her friend. At the same time Sophia recalled hundreds of photos she had stored in her photographic memory.

His didn't register. Disguise perhaps? Probably. Everyone wore disguises even those not in the business.

She'd wait. He was just a man right now. A simple man, nothing special... yet.

Sophia heard Gabi's voice coming from a distance as she saw the man move closer. He hadn't made eye contact with anyone. That alone bared watching. Everyone made contact with someone, even if it were just a brief glance. But this man, just sneered and walked.

She felt it in her gut. This was wrong. Something was going on. He seemed focused on either their table or the one next to them. The one with the two women who seemed to be more then friends. Sophia had watched them. She had seen their gentle caresses they gave each other, the little winks and sighs. While she had waited for Gabi she had even talked to them.

Now she watched them, him and Gabi. Her body was tense, but alert. There it was. She saw it that time. At first she hadn't been sure. She saw him moving closer, reaching in, grasping something. Sophia had to wait she had to know his target... was it her, Gabi, or one of the lovers that were now lost in each others eyes.

It happened so fast, he pulled the black box from inside his uniform and brought it up into the air. Sophia recognized it now. Quickly she stood up and pushed the table away from Gabi. Her right leg kicked out at the man, catching him in the chest. He stumbled back, but quickly recovered.

Sophia watched Gabi, move from her chair just seconds before the man could touch her neck with the black box. Gabi swung around and with her right fist, landed a hard blow across his jaw. His face was menacing as he stared at her, "Bitch," he yelled at her.

Sophia pulled her butterfly knife and quickly pulled it up to his neck, as Gabi produced a Liberator pistol and pointed it at the man's head... "So Reese, what the fuck are you doing?"

Sophia pulled the black box from his hands, "You know this ass?" She refused to release the knife against his throat.

"Whattcha got there Sophie?" Gabi asked her gun still pointed at Reese's head.

"Looks like a taser.. but if I push this button here... " Sophia did just that and a long knife flipped out, the blade looked to be sharp enough to slice a piece of hair in two. "So... Reese.." Sophia called the man, the name Gami had given him, "What were you going to do with this?"

 

[poohlive]

"I just wanted to look," He said, sad, almost puppy dog eyes met her cool even stare. Oh, she did love to press buttons, didn't she? Yes, she did, slippery when wet. He had heard it all before. Almost regretted knowing her, loving her, sleeping with her in Panama. He almost regretted everything.

Almost.

"They want you, both of you. Lots of people, lots of burea's putting up red flags on this. This morning was a fucking scramble fuck... here..."

He reached into his grey uniform, seamless and unoriginal. It looked like it was made purposely so. He reached into one of the inside pockets, slowly, carefully, knowing her finger was an inch from the trigger, knowing if he made a false move there would be nothing more than gray pudding covering the cutesy artsy farsty walls of the prime and proper little cafe.

A few pictures, snapshots, cold and salivating. They were predators in his hand, and he let them drop to the table, in front of both the girls. Pictures of them in bed, cuddling, near touching, so close. Yes, as soon as those pictures had been discovered, as soon as people knew, they were shit scrambling together, plans were being made, unmarked graves being dug.

"I don't have an official assignment yet... but I thought it'd only be a matter of time. Seconds."

They ticked by, all too fast. People in the cafe already getting nervous, fidgeting in their leisure suits and power ties. Yes, this wasn't part of their double mocha latte world. This was something darker, something deeper. It scratched them the way a mortgage bill could never do so.

"I wanted to see how close I could get. How close before someone saw, someone recognized. I'm so glad it was you. I always thought it would be you."

He smiled, kind and generous. She never ceased to impress him. No matter how hard he tried, she was one step ahead, boiling over with efficiency.

"I did want to know who turned who, though. See, that's what everyone's trying to figure out. That's what got them all running around like chickens with their head's cut off. No one knows if you turned her, of if she did a number on you. Once they do, my assignment will come down the line."

Smiling weakly, as if it were part of a job. And it was, part of a job, wasn't it? Of course, always part of the job. If any of them had ever gotten any assignment to kill a friend or lover, they could cry a few tears, nod meakly, and load the gun. It was no different.

"Personally, I just wanted a closer look."

Sweat beaded down his forehead. He certainly got it.

 

[FurryFury]

Gabi couldn't believe it when she felt him so close. She saw his eyes as she moved her chair back. She had seen them like that so many times just before he made a kill. He was a very good killer.

Reflex was all she acted on, her mind was numb. Standing, knocking her chair back, she drew her gun. It was cocked and ready. Gabrielle had known all along something like this might happen. It was bound to happen but Reese? Well that was fucking heart breaking. She had hoped that he cared for her. They never talked about the attraction, they just silently kind of...sizzled, around each other. She wondered how many other women had seen him almost ready to come from making a hit? How many had seen his face go from it's normal icy glare to lustful fire the lock back again into business mode?

She was too upset and it was getting in her way. Sophia had seen him first, reacted first, that was unacceptable. Gabi should be dead now, Sophie had saved her.

Another gear clicked and the chains of her brain caught on an idea. Reese could have killed her from a distance, easily. He was a marksman that few in the world could match. He was a sniper too. If Reese really wanted her dead, she would be. Her head exploded anew and with greater force.

"Sophie? Search him quickly. We have to get out of here. We're taking him with us."

She glanced around at the dinners briefly.

"Oh! Shit!" She said brightly. "That take was terrible guys! These people don't even believe it! We'll have to find another restaurant, plant the secret cameras and try this again! Sorry folks! We are trying to do a new show? Punked Gone Wild? This scene is a terrible bust! I told the writers it would never work! Leave your names and numbers with the restaurant and we'll let you know if we ever get anything on the air! We could use your support it's so hard to get good ratings these days with the Internet and all!"

Gabi grabbed up the pictures and started moving fast. By this time Soph had searched Reese and gotten him up. They were leaving the restaurant all smoothly pretending it was part of some stupid TV show gone bad. In spite of being nearly blind with headache pain, she could sense something more going on here. What the fuck more could there be? Her brain wailed.

Out on the sidewalk she let Sophia take the lead. You are strong. She told herself. This little headache will pass. Just keep moving and all will be well just like it always is. Only this time she had the feeling it wouldn't be okay this time it seemed things were going down the shitter fast.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Sophia glared at him, her knife moving from his neck as Gabi spoke loud and comical, trying to put this all as some kind of movie stunt gone wrong. She hadn't yet seen his face in her memory, but his voice was familiar. She recognized it, now images of two tangled bodies imerged in her mind and she put the knife slowly against his back. His hair color was different know, and three years he had added more muscle and even his eye color was different. But the voice he had was the same, that hypnotic sound, still called to her in her dreams, she thought she had forgotten about him, now... she knew she hadn't.


"Long time since we have crossed paths, isn't it Daniel... or is it Reese now?" Sophie pricked his uniform, making a small tear in it.

She had been on vacation with her parents, visiting relatives and close business associates, when she had met him. They had quickly become lovers. Now that she had been with the agency for only a year, her visits back to that particular place in her life were no longer for fun but for business. Daniel, Reese.. had only known her as Soph, a young woman on vacation. Hearing his voice, she leaned in and whispered again, "I don't trust you, so you better hope Gabi does."

She followed him, to Gabi's car. Reaching into her purse she exchanged her knife for her own gun, released the safety and kept it pressed against him.

Gabi opened the car's back door and watched Reese get in. Her face pale from shock. Sophia was full of questions, but she knew she had to wait and she had her own questions for Daniel... for starters she wanted to know what the fuck his name was.

"Gabi, I have a place... not even this ass knows about. I know it is a drive from here, but we have to get far away for a while and sort this out. Get on the highway and head towards Tennessee."

Gabi looked at Sophia in the mirror. "Don't your parents live there?"

"Yes, we aren't going there though. When you get to the Tennessee state line, I'll tell you wish way to go then ok." Looking over at the new enemy or perhaps an old one, but also an old lover, Sophia stared and with her voice full of venom, "So Daniel.. Reese... ass... what is your name going to be this time, because I know it won't be the truth, but since you have a new life to explain, you may as well give us a new name to to with it." Sophia leaned her back against the door. Her leg on the seat, her skirt riding high, as she kept the gun level with his heart, almost wishing he'd let her shoot him.

 

[poohlive]

How touching. They were going to run. He hadn't anticipated that, but on some level perhaps, he wished it would happen. Some small dangerous part of him that thrilled in the hunt did want them to run, run their little hearts out. Thelma and Louise all the way across the state line.

At least a few questions were answered already. Lovers? No. If they were truly lovers now there would be no hesitation in Gabi's eyes, or her shot. He would have been dead long before he came close enough to touch her lover. But that still didn't answer who turned who, who was in charge here, who was the big pappa and who was just following orders?

In the end it didn't matter, but still... half the reason he got into this game was because of curiousity. Curiousity killed the cat, strangled him in the dead of night and buried the body behind the garage. He knew, he had helped.

"Call me what you will," He looked down at his uniform. Colorless grey that had the look and feel of a janitor's uniform. Squeaky clean, so as not to ruin the good clothes inside. There was a nametag on the front, plastic and deadly. It said Joe.

"There you go," He smiled at it, "Call me Joe. Hello Joe, what do you know? Sophie, I missed you. I'm sorry we didn't keep in touch after our little assignment together. I always thought you were... very professional."

His eyes darted down to the pictures of them in the front seat, cuddling the night away. Yes, very professional. But, who was playing whom? What sort of cat and mouse game was going on here? He didn't know, but it was amusing to watch.

Watch and wait for his time to strike. Death, a knife's edge away.

 

[FurryFury]

Gabi put the gun into the holster she kept under her dash near the steering wheel. It was placed, hanging just out of eye sight, quite usefully located and so quick to grab.

Roaring off in her little car, Reese cramped in the back, with Sophia apparently ready to shoot him at any minute, Gabrielle wondered what to do. As soon as she didn't need to have a hand on the gear shaft she fished into a pocket, grabbing several aspirin, and chewing them up so they would hit her bloodstream that much faster. The headache seemed to be taking over her vision she could barely see but she managed. The powder tasted acrid and nasty but it should help quickly, something had to.

Clang, the chains of her brain dragged and caught again. So slow, why is my damn brain so fucking slow, she wondered. Her normal logic wouldn't work. Instead little explosive connections were being made and held before they too, were lost in the ether that choked her mind. What is wrong with me? Why is this happening now?

They had bumped uglies! She knew it suddenly. Sophia, the woman she loved, had done the dance of sweat and fluid with Reese, the man she wanted for herself. Holy Mary Mother of God! They had set her up! She was nothing to them.

"End piece of the cake!" She heard herself say.

Sophia looked over at her strangely. Reese stopped looking for just one second, like a instrument of death or sex, and gaped at her.

"I said!" She yelled. "Which interstate? I can't remember!" Gabi heard her own voice sounding just a little panicked. She never sounded panicked that was not happening. She was always cool and collected under pressure. A bomb is about to explode? Big deal, cut the, what was it, the little stringy things. She couldn't remember the word. They came in all different colors on TV in real life the bastards were trickier than that and rarely conveniently color coded. Still if one knew what they were doing they could disable the device and find time for some cake.

"Pink cake!" She said. She shifted up and smoothly went up the on ramp. Where they being followed? Why didn't Reese or Sophie say anything?

"You fucking greedy..." She gasped hearing the strange words come of her mouth. Gabrielle shook her head and tried again.

"Are we being followed? Did you find any tracking devices on him?" She said.

"Reese you shit! You were going to kill me? So you could fuck her again? It's MY birthday! I want cake!"

She started laughing quietly. The skies darkened and a storm was brewing. Yeah fucking storms are my life, she thought, and this here is what's known as a shit storm! Whoo Hoo! Ride this out Mother Fucker!

"Cake or a bullet! I swear to you! I either get cake or someone takes a bullet." She chuckled, smiling at them then waved at a patrol car as she breezed by.

What had she just said? This was madness. She was losing control of her mind what next?

Blue lights strobed behind her. Oooh fun! She flipped a bird to, well everyone ,and took evasive action. She could shoot well, but almost no one would drive as well as Gabrielle! She was a speed demon with lightning reflexes. Only, holy fuck, her right hand was feeling weak and slow. What the hell? The rain started adding to the complexity of her task, great timing, what else come on this can get worse right? She thought.

She reached across her own body with her left hand to shift. Good old lefty was still being nice! It still did what her brain told it too. Lightning flashed brightly and close. Ooh! Fireworks now that's a celebration! She thought.

She couldn't see the blue lights anymore. That was a damn shame they had been almost.. festive. Not that they were like cake but, what was? It was easy to outdistance a car on the interstate at this time of day. Well, if you had the skill and the horsepower. Still the interstate had too many birthday bunnies, they had to get on a secondary road carrot quick! BOOM! Ah the thunder, of course, she had forgotten about the thunder. How could that happen?

Damn birthday bunnies always looking to give you spankings but never cake. Then they burn your apartment down and laugh watching you scramble like a roach out of the heat. Crispy critters yum!

"You are a Bad Bunny!" Gabi spat at Reese.

She smiled at Sophie who was giving her directions. What a good bunny, still the selfish bitch had hoarded all the damn cake though, she thought.

On this street was a bad place to find cake. How many dumpsters had cake in it? Why was cake in the dumpsters? She smelled it strongly and grinned. She could never remember the way Mama looked but suddenly there she was in front of her, in that cute little apron, a bit of flour smeared on her cheek, and holding out a pink cake!

"Consider this bringing Sophia in, Dickwad. It's in the twelve hour window too! Am I a good girl or what? Huh? Remember it's not my fault you didn't bring the cake!" She spat at Reese. Fucker broke her heart. Kinda funny she thought. She knew he'd rather get off on tearing it from her chest. He he, well we can't always get what we want. In fact, in her experience you practically never do.

Parking she looked at Mama again. God she was beautiful! She smelled like vanilla! Blow out your candles sweetie, she said. Gabi smiled.

Gabrielle breathed deep, made a wish, closed her eyes and blew out the candles. That was the last she knew for a while. Her nose was bleeding and so was her right ear but she didn't know about that or anything.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Sophia and Reese were thrown to the front of the car. They both hit the back of the front seat and then quickly slammed back down. Sophia's head hit the passenger door window. Her mind told her to pick up the gun that lay on the floor between them. She tried, she tried to reach out and grab it. Something held her back, an enveloping blackness.

She heard Gabi, railing about cake and her mother. Gabi's mother was dead, just like Sophia's. Sophia closed her eyes, no, her mother wasn't dead. She was at home with her dad. No, her dad was dead. Sophia's head hurt. No, that wasn't right either, her dad was alive, she knew it. Those others were dead. All of them.

Sophia reached up, her arm heavy. She touched the back of her head. Pulling it back, blood was pooled in her palm, thick matter and glass collected on her finger tips. She saw Reese move slowly, his arm, so long and so big, reached down. “No...” she murmured. She tried again to move, but her body hurt so badly. She saw him, pick up her gun.

He had it now, she knew. His face grinned wickedly. This is what he wanted. Now he would take out Gabi and her. Gabi, she hadn't gotten to tell her, she loved her. She hadn't gotten to help her learn more about each other. She should have, she should have just not wasted time. What now... nothing... “Gabi,” she whispered. Her eyes locked on the back of her fraternal twin's head, “Gabi....”

There it was, what she had been looking for, the little black hole facing her eyes. He would kill her now. She knew it, it was only a matter of seconds. She took a deep breath, heard Gabi crying, then she smelled it, the gasoline. Sophia couldn't help, but realize the irony of the situation. He could kill them both and have the bodies burned beyond recognition. She opened her eyes, “Looks like you get to hurt me again, love.” Her eyes closed on the memory of the night she had given him her body, the gift that no man had ever possessed.

 

[poohlive]

"Shut the fuck up and save your strength," The banded together words had seemed so harsh a few moment ago, so relished in their hatred towards her, like an ancient married couple who knew how to push all the right buttons on each other. They were old wires living deep underground, but if you dug one up, if your shovel hit one of them, showers of sparks and electricity would fill the air. The acrid scents of rubber and copper in your mouth, on your tongue. It was beautiful, wasn't it?

Sophia seemed all right, for the moment. Her brain had not lapsed, taking a dive off the deep end, plunging into a darkened wilderness that knew only of ancient sea monsters. She was targeting physical wounds. A gash on the side of her head, her arm weak and limp at her side. Yes, normal wounds, fixable wounds. Something that could be done.

Reese, a name for himself, perhaps Reese, perhaps Joe, it didn't matter much did it. A name defined the character behind the steel grey eyes, but most women he knew didn't have those perameters. They simply gave him the name of Steel Grey Eyes, as if he were a native american, his name defined by his peronsality. He who hid behind eyes of Steel. Yes, perhaps that, perhaps not. He wondered if Sophia really believed he hid behind those steel eyes, or if that steel characterized him in a way no other word could. Maybe that was the cause of her fear, what made her so in love and fearful of him. That his eyes either hid who he was, or defined him. Either answer left a cold hollow place in his heart that could never be filled.

Reese pulled himself to the front seat, picking up Gabrielle in his arms. He cuddled her, like some baby lamb that he'd just scooped up on some farm. A little trusting lamb that went so faithfully to anyone who allowed it. He looked at her eyes, thick, pupilled, trying to take in so much of the world all at once it was scary. Yes, he could see it now. He opened her mouth, leaned down, a single kiss.

It wasn't a kiss though, at least not totally. In fact, it was the opposite of a kiss. A kiss was emotional and flooding, desirable, sending thoughts and logic away into some weird shed that the recesses of your mind saved for special occasions like these. This was no kiss, but cold and exploring. His tongue reached out for hers, felt how thick it was, how bloated, like some beached whale in her mouth. No saliva either, she was dehydrating.

"Drugged," He said, breaking the kiss. From her smooth pale lips. Wonderful lips, tasty lips. He did have the faint hint of rocky road on those lips. Such a delicate taste for her. Enjoying himself was part of the job, and he had enjoyed it. Yet, that was not the problem at the moment.

"Something fun too. It works a bit like acid, sending in flashbacks. Oh yes, this had been given to her a while ago. This morning, maybe even last night. Someone had wanted to see her crack."

Gasoline, yes. Cops, yes. Rain, yes. All of it came to him, slowly but surely. The world beyond the crash. After a car crash, it became your world, your only understanding of the past present and future. Your mind replayed it a hundred times, wearing out the rewind button on some cheap VCR for your own grasp of the concept. Soon, however, like all things, the world flooding back. After the kiss, logic and raiontal thought slumped out of the shed, returning to their local processes. After the crash, the world swam back in a fuzzy haze.

"Don't think it'll be too good to see us here. You get up in some jail, and I don't think you'll live to see tomorrow."

With a steady kick, Gabrielle's side door came crashing out into the world below. An upside down world of dried hedges and yellowed grass from a summer of little water and too much sun. Bloated blades of summer grain stood out among them.

He got out, picking up Gabbi's limp body in his arms. He slumped her over his shoulder, Fireman's style. Her lithe limp body clung to him, and made him think of too many possibilities.

"I need to get her some medicine, and quick. She hasn't got much time..." He didn't want to say what was on his mind, that he may already be too late. That she may have already gone into an epileptic shock and was at this moment frying or boiling her brain past the point of mental retardation. Her forhead soo hot on his lower back. God damnit, he hoped it wasn't too late.

"If you'd like to come," he held out a single hand back to her, a beacon out of the world of metal and glass and blood, "Then please join me. I don't have much time though, and right now, she's a lot more important than you."

Perhaps it was Sophie. Perhaps. He always thought her as more level headed, more cool under pressure, more apt to form some sinister plan and sink Gabbi in with it. Again, with more perhaps. It seemed he could not run out of them. They came popping out of his mind like those fattened blades of dead grass in the hedgeway, useless and benign.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Sophia had watched him move into the front and gather Gabi into his arms, he had kept her gun and aimed it at her, then for some reason changed his mind. She lifted her sore body and forced herself to press against the door. It budged slightly then finally gave way.

Stumbling out, Sophia fell onto the ground. She heard the sirens and smelled the gas that was leaking from the car. Looking towards Reese, his arms around Gabi, she slowly made her legs stand and support her. She moved towards the two. Her eyes looking at Gabi, now unconsious in her enemies arm.

Looking around Sophia saw the lights of the police from a distance. Reaching Reese, Daniel.. Joe.. whatever, he was just a man now, someone she had given her heart and body to a long time ago. How he had known what her future would hold for her she hadn't a clue, now though she only wanted to protect the family link that had been severed years ago.

Recognizing the area, she touched his arm, "This way," and don't hurt her. Sophia took the lead and with Gabi cradled in the enemies arms, she led them deep into the woods. They would have to travel far, but the place that Sophia led them to was very secluded and only a select number of people knew about it. She was one of the few.

As the group moved through the woods, the sounds of police cruises and sirens slowly became further away. After what seemed like hours, they came to a stream. Sophia helped ease Gabi down, and pressed water into her mouth. "Did you try and kill her earlier, before you tried to take her out in the cafe?" He just stared down at her, her blue eyes piercing his. "I'll never forgive you if she dies."

Sophia worked at cooling her sisters body. She pressed cold water against her heated skin, murmuring words of encouragement. "Gab, wake up hon, we have so much to talk about. Besides if you die... we can't kill this asshole together."

Sophie choked back the tears as she heard Gabi's whispered, "Together."

 

[FurryFury]

His real name would evoke fear in many. In some it would provoke disgust. He was dead though. So no longer considered a threat. He was a "boogie man" the spy community sometimes spoke of to trainees in hushed tones.

Alexander Danov watched his monitors. The restaurant scene played, out while he observed. This was what he had put in motion. He watched with no small amount of pride and amusement. The drug in the lemon water was merely a device to shove reality into the faces of those three pawns of his. He loved them all in his own way. He had great hopes for them that they would become Knights, Bishops and perhaps Queens one future day.

He had seen the medical reports long ago on Gabrielle. It had taken him a great deal of time to manipulate circumstances the way they had to go to save his girl. His other girl had to become one of them, a spy, the two girls had to meet. The lover in the middle with medical knowledge had to be there thinking about death and sex. It was a beautiful Byzantine puzzle, the pieces of necessity were being forced to fit against any will or knowledge they might have.

Alex allowed a rare ghost of a smile to cross his normally impassive face. He had the sort of face women found enticing. In his youth he had been handsome and smooth faced. Now he had "weathered." His face usually looked hard and ruthless or simply cold and blank.

Somehow this only brought more women his way. His requirements for a woman were very specific. One night was usually enough for him, though they always wanted more. Since he lost his beautiful, brilliant wife, he didn't want to be tied to anyone ever again.

Except his children and they could never know they were his. It wasn't safe for any of them if they found out who he was, that he was alive and cared about them. He had to work carefully, behind the scenes, manipulating agencies and people ruthlessly. He drank from his cup of green tea slowly savoring the warmth.

Ruthless was what one had to be to survive. His little girls would survive. He would make certain they did. Anyone or thing he needed to use, he would, to insure this.

They backed out of the restaurant, he watched them speed away. Now the game was in full motion. He clicked a button to watch another scene he had also set in motion. Dominos falling in a curved line, it was beauty in motion, only these particular dominos were what some thought of as people...

Again he sipped his tea, his eyes coldly watching the next step in another operation, this one in Europe.

-------------

Gabi stayed like a limp doll, broken and bloodied. If she had known, she would have been pissed but she knew nothing. Big fat drops of rain began to fall on her face, the scorched grass and her crashed car. The bottom of the dark cloud dropped on top of them all. On her face, the rain diluted the blood making pink trails down her skin.

 

[poohlive]

Reese broke a rare smile of pure delight as he looked at her. Most of his smiles were thin and broken, with too much teeth. They made him look mad, insane, a feral wolf howling at the moon. They made women cringe and children cry out in the night, those thoughts of bogeymen and monsters in their closet a living reality.

This smile was real, genuine, its purpose nothing more than a smile. Sophia, after all this time, all this training and readyness. She was still nothing more than a wide eyed innocent girl that could easily fall for the wrong guy.

He picked up Gabrielle in his arms again, slumping her over his shoulder.

She already had fell for the wrong guy. He gave a sigh at that, clicking open his cell phone. A single digit pressed, auto dialing a friend whom he knew could help.

"What do you need?"

Reese looked down at her limp body, "Detox. Not quite sure what the drug was, but it was something strong that needs to get out of her now."

"Sure, where are you?"

Reese found himself staring at trees and underbrush as they continued their trek throgh the forest. Mother fucker, not like there was much of an address out here. Send it Forest Way, Care Of Mister and Misses Squirrel next to the stream.

He handed the phone to Sophia, "He needs to know where we'll going. With any luck, he'll be there within half hour. I'm sorry, there's no other way. She needs this shit out of her system now. You told me you'd kill me if she dies. I accept those terms, but you also have to help me keep her alive. Ok?"

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Sophia grabbed the phone, covering the mouth piece she looked at him, "I hate you, you know that." Turning her eyes away she moved her hand and talked into the phone.

Giving the man the longitude and latitude of their location, she ordered a medic vac, to pick them up and to be quick.

Sophia closed the phone and put it in the pocket of her shorts. "Your help will be here soon. We'll wait here. Seems that whatever group you truely work for has called off the police so we sit here and wait."

She pressed her hand on her sister's brow. "Put her down, and leave her alone."

Sophia hurt more then she could admit. She had her sister, she faced the only man she truely loved, and now... since she had run with Gabi, Tom would think she turned on him. Shaking her head, she pushed the thoughts of Tom away. Perhaps one day, she'd find him and explain.

Right now she was glad that Sophia breathed even if it were shallow. Her pain was great, she desperately wanted to go back to the time she was a child, but no... that was gone, she was an adult, and about to lose the one connection she had of her past.

She looked up at Reese, "Put her down, NOW! She'll be more comfortable laying flat instead of tossed over your fuckin' shoulders."

 

[FurryFury]

The rain battered at them without mercy, time seemed to slow down to a miserably surreal pace.

Reese and Sophia alone knew that, for Gabrielle's mind was dark, the lights off, nothing was happening and perhaps, this once, that was a good thing.

Slowly the sound of the evac chopper dopplered into their brains heralding their one hope of saving Gabi and bringing them back to what seemed more like real time and hope.

The wind was already harsh making it difficult for to land the beast of sound and machine. The blades make it worse still it was hard to even stand on the ground now.

Two men jumped out with a stretcher. They made quick work of putting Gabrielle on it. Loading her in the belly of the beast they anchored the liter in, working on her immediately. Tethering themselves so the could work and not be thrown free.

The pilot yelled.


"Ready?"

"Ready!" They replied immediately and almost simultaneously.

"On board! Now!" He yelled at Reese and Sophia.

---------------------------

Alex wondered how his girls were doing with their escort. He had run every possible scenario he could think of. This one came out with the highest chance of survival for them all. 81.67% was good, not as good as he would have preferred but the best he could do for them.

Now he had to have faith in the trio's combined abilities and wait for them to resurface. There was no time for second guessing, he couldn't have stopped this now if he wanted to, the pieces were in motion the outcome unclear, but the equal and opposite reactions would occur, there was no stopping it.

He worked diligently while he waited.

 

[poohlive]

Reese stopped at the vending machine, looking at the assortments. Tiny plastic bags with oodles of candy, sugar and refined chemicals at break neck prices. A hospital, trying to screw you just like any other business. This was, after all, a business. Saving people have become the most prfitable business on the market. Young, old, rich or poor, everyone needed to be healthy.

And they would pay up the ass, pay money they didn't have, sign over promises to do whatever whenever they want, if only they could live for another five, ten years.

It sickedn him sometime. He pressed a button on the candy machine, and then kicked it, just the right time, just the right angle, and a twix came hurling to the plastic recepticle on the bottom.

He went to sit with several other people in the waiting room. Some were sick, most were just relatives that didn't want to leave the hospital, for fear of never seeing their loved ones again. He saw worried mothers, scared lovers, and terrified children. Such horrible visions of humanity here.

He sat with his feet against a chair, leaning up tight around himself, and chewing blandly at a piece of candy.

For no reason at all a cold shiver went down his spine.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Sophia waiting in the waiting room, her eyes watching Reese's every movement. She didn't trust him. She knew Gabi was dieing and it was his fault, something he had done to her. A back-up plan perhaps.

She recalled the only night that she and Gabi got to spend together. Now it very well could be her only memory. Seeing the blue eyes of her sister was all Sophia wanted again, and the man eating his candy was the only reason she wouldn't.

She wanted answers to her questions but she refused to ask them, he wouldn't tell her the truth anyway. She knew this, so she never bothered talking to him.

Her mind aimlessly wondered around the room, finally her waiting got the best of her and she moved past Reese to the nurses station. Standing at the counter she pleaded with the nurse to give her information on her sister. They would tell her nothing, so Sophia knew she had to get out, get some fresh air, she didn't like the smell of hospitals and the death they brought.

Grabbing a soda from the machine, she ignored Reese's, "Where ya goin'?" and walked out of the hospital, found a bench and just sat there numb, waiting for word of her sister to come to her. Waiting for them to tell her she was dead.

 

[FurryFury]

It was a slow torture waiting. The smells of medicine, shit, and other lovely things were pervasive here in the building. Outside were the smells of tarmac, ozone and rain. Tears and fear choked the air also, for most who had loved ones there.

It all came down to this sometimes, the thin knife's edge of mortality kicking in your face not where you were used to it, on TV, or movies, the news, or in your job, if you were as Reese and Sophia, employed to terminate others. The difference was perhaps, this time, they cared, this time it was too close to them. Someone who touched them deeply, for whatever reason, was on the line.

Finally they were simply suspended for seconds, minutes, or hours it was hard to keep track, time seemed lost here. The stormy day continued to be dark and sullen punctuated by brief burst of violent light, sound and vibrations.

Finally a doctor showed up. His hair was salt and pepper, cut military short. His kind brown eyes swept the room for the two who had brought her in. He saw Reese and walked over.

"Where is the woman who was with you?" He asked. "Get her and let's talk."

He led them into an office.

Slapping some cat scanned films on the light box he sat heavily down in his hair. He looked at Sophia.

"Your sister you said?" He began waiting for Sophia to nod. "She was full of a poison that causes hallucinations. This is one of the few places in the world she could be treated quickly enough. Your sister is fine now from that."

He paused and watched their reactions as if curious how much they truly cared or if they might have been involved in the poisoning.

"Unfortunately, this has brought to our attention an even more serious problem. She has a tumor in her brain. We need to operate on her immediately after she stabilizes and we are sure the poison is completely metabolized." He lean up flicked the switch on the left light box and gestured a circle around a mass lodged in the brain.

"We can't take it all out. Not where it is or it will cause catastrophic brain damage but we will take as much as we can safely get. We will leave wafers of medicine inside to work on it. This chemotherapy should help shrink the residual tumor. We will monitor but in all likelihood I will want to try some radiation.

Tell me did your sister exhibit any unusual behavior? Did she speak of any smells or sights, memories from early childhood in the last few days? Did she have any headaches, nose or ear bleeding, any weakness on one side or the other? There should have been signs."

He looked at Reese and Sophia listening to their reply. Then nodded thoughtfully.

"The cause of the tumor is a type of cancer that is present throughout her lymphatic system. It's quite advanced stage four in fact. Frankly, she is lucky to be alive. The best hope for treating that is a bone marrow transplant from a compatible donor. I'd like to have you tested when we get to that, if we get to that, and any other relatives that would agree.

"She is in ICU now you can visit for ten minutes every hour one at a time. Do you have any questions?"


---------------------

Alexander looked at the print out. Beautiful he thought. They made it! Now he felt almost assured that they would all survive this.

He punched in his secret code, his notes about the Europe operation, returning to work immediately. When his daughter regained consciousness perhaps he would go see Silvia, let her give him her body, the way he liked it. He would deserve a reward, after all, a man can not live by business alone, now and then, there must be blood too, and flesh.

 

[poohlive]

Reese had no questions. He rarely did, when it came to assignment, instructions, usually what people gave him was more than enough. He could fill in the blanks that he needed later, or he just didn't give a shit. There were some details that disinterested him, and when it came down to it, were more or less insequential.

He came out back into the lobby/waiting room, and saw a familiar face waiting for him. Jonny, a lacky who was working for him, one of many, bounded up to him with more picture.

"There you go. Took shit just to get them. This is big, someone high up did not want to let go of these."

He didn't doubt that, taking the manila envelope from Johnny's hands, he sat down carefully in one of the plastic busline chairs and sifted through the photographs. Only two interested him, interested him as much as seeing Gabbi and Sophie sleeping in each other's arms, holding each other tight from the monsters lurking under their bed.

He waited for Sophia to come out before motioning her over. He imagined he saw hate flash in her face, him ordering her to come like a trained dog, but it couldn't be helped now. He wanted to move as fast as possible, and with her helping, that wouldn't be a problem.

"Here you go," He gave her the two photos, important ones, "From the moment you stepped into Gabbi's house, red bells went up. People started watching, watching close... look."

Photos, tons of them, through windows, infrared from across streets, of her and Gabbi in the apartment last night, painting, having fun, eating pizza, sleeping. He didn't bother to show her those, though, just the one with the pizza boy showing up. Two women making him blush, thinking they were pulling a fast one on him.

"If she was poisoned last night, or this morning, it could only have been two people. Two people who had such close contact with her... her and food."

One, the pizza boy. The tall lean, college kid who was probably making some extra bucks on the side, although looks could be decieving. The bureau got them younger and younger these years, this little nypmh barely a woman herself could account for that.

"The other..." Mike, a picture of them sharing ice cream, talking to each other, standing close, too close for comfort of complete strangers, but just the right distance for awkward lovers. A twinge of strange sypmathy ran red through him, but it passed. Like all other emotions, it passed.

"The other is me. I think, if we want to find some answers, we should look for this pizza boy. Perhaps while you were flirting with him, he was maybe flirting back, unless of course, you really think I did do it, in which case..."

In which case, time for talking would be over, and they would have to draw for weapons like in some crazy western. High noon in the hospital wing. What a place to get shot though, he wouldn't mind taking a bullet in the hospital, so close to all those drugs.

"Come on," He said, getting up, "This is an assignment."

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Sophia sneered at him. Then turned and walked away, she touched the doctor's arm, "I'm her sister, so we'll do the bone marrow thing now. This man," she pointed to Reese, "he isn't a relative, a fiance, a boyfriend, a friend, nor is he an aquaintance, a co-worker, or anything else that may matter to you or my sister. He goes near her, you will answer to me. If he so much as looks at her hospital door, your entire staff will answer to me. Wait here."

She walked back to Reese, nothing but pure hatred in her eyes, "I won't answer to you. I'll help my sister first. This needs taken care of first. She is in this hospital, your people put her here, your helicopter brought her, so she is here because of you. Find your fuckin' pizza boy and screw him for all I care. Your good at that, screwing people. I'm going with the doctor, he's going to take me to the nurses, they are going to see if I'm a match for my sister, when they are done, I'm going to visit her. If your still here, then I'll go with you. If not, fuck you. I'll find him, and you and kill you both, and I don't care what order I do it."

Sophia's heart was heavy, as she turned back and walked away with the doctor. Her body shook with fury, as everything she had said to him, filled her with nothing but satisfaction. Only a cold blooded ass, would expect her to leave her sister, when the doctor just told them she was going to die very soon. Sophia right now, only cared for Gabi and saving her, she'd hunt down the one responsible as soon as Gabi was in the clear, in the meantime, Reese could enjoy the pizza boy as his latest playtoy, Sophia wasn't a spy now, she was a sister.

 

[FurryFury]

"Miss you can be tested but we can't do the transplant yet I thought I made that clear. First the poison, then the tumor and then if all goes well, the transplant." Heavy in the air was the unsaid thing. The elephant in the room that everyone walked around, ignored and refuse to speak of this time was death.

Gently the doctor steered her toward a nurse who could direct Sophia properly while he went back to more important things, saving lives and keeping his handicap low.

----------------------------------

The monitors beeped and whirled in Gabi's cubicle. This room was not the normal hospital room. This was no normal hospital. This was a quasi military unit with the latest medicines, new research and top secret clearances for all that entered. That, perhaps had not yet been noticed by Reese and Sophia.

-----------------------------------------------------

Gabrielle opened her eyes, they felt crusted over with sleep matter. She looked at the too clean, too spare cubical and wondered if she had fallen into a work of fiction like Coma or some other horror tale.

Her Mother leaned over her.

"Baby, it's okay! You are going to get that wish now! Here baby! I saved you the end piece of cake!"

Gabi smiled and reached for it. End pieces were the best. There was so much more icing on the end pieces but her little cousins Jack and Celene always wanted those pieces, it was her birthday that wasn't fair! Her pudgy hands closed over the dessert plate eagerly

Mommy was here! She wasn't dead! All those years alone. No more birthday parties or cake ever again in her life while she grew up. Mom and Dad dead, forever gone from her. The months on the street, eating garbage just trying to survive on the run. Those were the dreams, the nightmares, but it wasn't real. Only Mommy was real. Mommy and cake.

Her hands felt weak. She dropped the plate. Cake went everywhere.

Her vision went black.

------------------------------------------------------------------

The nurse shook her head and fixed the squirting IV needle back into Gabrielle's vein. She tied the asset down to prevent further dislodging of medical attachments.

Somewhere there was a meeting deciding if this one should live or if her brain dysfunction was too great a liability to national security.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alexander looked down at Silvia as she tried to express her devotion to his flesh the only way she knew how.

She could never compare to his wife. No one could. This for him was simply release. She was merely the willing instrument of it.

He reached down, holding her neck close and tight forcing her again harder.

This one knew what she wanted, knew her place, didn't mind the lack of flowers and roses. For this one, he could give more than one outing. She made things uncomplicated.

It was about power with her. It was about letting go. Pain and pleasure twin sides of the coin she needed him to flip for her.

Her teeth scraped at him and he groaned. She too flipped that coin for him. Silvia was better than anyone he had ever known at these things, except his dead wife.

His hips pistoned suddenly and she gagged. A smile twitched his cold harsh lips.

 

[poohlive]

He could deal with her later, or not at all, perhaps. She seemed occupied at the moment, strung along by her own sentimentalities. He wondered if her skills might be put to more use out in the field. She had been trained to do this kind of work, and in her time of need she gave it up to stand alongside a friend.

Courage. Or weakness... No, he couldn't call it that. It wasn't weakness, it was courage, a kind of courage unfamiliar to him, but courage all the same.

He got a new car, one was given to him upon stepping out of the hospital. Nice, clean, and as unidentifiable as they come. One of many new model plastic wrapped pieces of shit that got decent gas mileage and wouldn't cause too many upturned eyebrows.

He wanted to go home first, shower, change, maybe even get some sleep. He had just been in a car crash, after all. That had been lost to him somewhere in the gauntlet of information that had just been passed to him. He would deal with things later, once it was called for, once he was needed.

For now, a shower and shave, and then some dinner. Yes, some dinner.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

BONE MARROW DONATIONS
THE LIVING GIFT OF LIFE ​

Which diseases can be treated with bone marrow transplants? A long list - acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myelogenous leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, lymphoma, aplastic anemia, severe combined immune deficiency syndrome, sickle cell anemia, and radiation poisoning are only a few of these blood diseases killing thousands of children and adults every year.

Who needs marrow transplants? Each year, approximately 16,000 American children and adults are stricken with the diseases discussed above. For many, the only hope of survival is a marrow transplant. Nearly 70 percent cannot find a suitable match within their own families. These patients need to find an unrelated donor.

Who can become a donor? You must be between 18 and 55 years old; have no history of hepatitis, heart disease, cancer, or AIDS; possess a positive attitude and pride in wanting to become a donor; and be in good health. No special diet or physical program is necessary.

How do I become a marrow donor? You first take a simple blood test to determine your Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) tissue type. This information is entered into a national registry for future matching with a patient. If you are found to be a preliminary match, additional blood tests are done to determine if you are a complete match for a patient in need. If you are found to be compatible with a patient and before final plans are instituted, you will be counseled by a transplant team. An explanation of the entire bone marrow harvest procedure, risks and/or complications which could occur are also discussed at that time. Then you are asked to make a firm commitment to donate. (The patient is given massive doses of radiation to totally destroy their diseased marrow, leaving them open to deadly infection. This treatment is usually done about 10 days before the transplant is performed. Thus, the patient will most likely die if you should change your mind at the last minute.)

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

Sophia read the papers on screening for bone marrow donation. She waited patiently while the nurse took her pulse and her temperature. Her thoughts focused on her sister, and what she would say to her.

She signed her name to the proper forms, and extended her arm. The nurse's latex gloves looked all white and powdery. "I'm allergic to latex," Sophia blushed as the nurse sighed, removed her gloves and reached for the other set that sat on the counter.

"Make a fist," the nurse commanded.

Sophia did as was asked and winced slightly as the nurse wrapped a band around her arm, decreasing her blood supply to her arm. "Flex your fingers," the nurse once again demanded.

Her fingers opened and closed and Sophia felt the needle slide into her veins, the nurse reached up and released the band. Looking at the glass cylinder Sophia watched it fill up with her blood. The nurse filled two other tubes with Sophia's blood before pulling the needle from her arm.

"Keep this here," the nurse said as she pressed a cotton ball to the small speck of blood that was oozing from her skin. Sophia put pressure on the hole and watched the nurse write down some information and then label the blood samples.

Turning to the cabinet the nurse looked around and moved things here in there, "Looks like the only band-aids we have are these."

"Whatever," Sophia said as the nurse shrugged her shoulders and placed a Buzz-Lightyear, band-aid on her arm. She rolled her eyes and hopped off the bed, she had been sitting on. "Anything else?"

"No, your free to go."

Sophia nodded her head and headed to the room that had her sister inside. She showed the guards her ID, and walked inside.

Gabi, layed there silent. Her face pale and her hair matted down with sweat. Sophia grabbed a chair and slid up beside her. Taking her hand, careful not to disturb the IV that was running through it, she gently kissed her pale flesh. "Gabi, I'm here. Sophie." Sophia didn't know if Gabi could hear her or not, but she spoke to her anyway.

"Gabi, remember when we were four, we had fallen off the porch." Sophia recalled the only memory she could at the moment, "We had been blowing bubbles, remember?" She smoothed her sister's hair from her brow. "You went after them, and you chased them right off the porch. You cried so loud Gabi. I felt so bad, so I ran after you and I looked on the ground and saw you. Remember, hon?" Sophia wiped a tear from her eye, "I went and ran back to the other side of the porch then ran back and let myself fall off, so we could still be twins."

Sophia placed her head on the bed, as she kept a hold of her sister. Silently she prayed, something she hadn't done in years. After she was finished, she saw the doctor come in and asked her to leave for a while. Sophia agreed to go, pressing a kiss to her sister's head, she left.

"Miss, you should go home and rest. We'll call you if there is any change. The test results from your blood will take a while, we'll call you as soon as we know anything," the Doctor touched her arm as Sophia left.

Walking through the lobby she noticed Reese was gone. She didn't care, she just wanted to shower, and then she'd find him and the pizza boy, but she knew it was niether, something else was going on, she just had to figure out what. First thing first, she was going to Gabi's apartment.

 

[FurryFury]

Sophia was there, her pudgy little hand in Gabrielle's. They matched of course, felt like a matched pair complete against the world. Sophie had grabbed the cake and hidden it so Jack and Celene couldn't have any! She was so smart! The children's party music was fun and festive as she made bubbles with Sophie and the other kids. This was so fun! There were bubbles every where like magical things around them. Had anything ever been so perfect. Only now Gabrielle toppled down on her bottom and sat in it! She sat on the cake which was hidden in her chair! She jumped up her special party dress ruined, ran crying and fell off the porch.

She tried to open her eyes. Tried to speak. She wanted to say something to her sister. She wanted to say, Don't fall, don't be like me! She was crying too hard to speak.

Her fingers twitched. The REM movement behind her lips was clear and rapid.

"Mmm." Was all she could say. She could hear no sound though so perhaps she hadn't be able to warn her twin. Sophie would fall all over again. She tried to scream, No! Nothing came out or did it?

Life wasn't real. It wasn't now. It was all jumbled up but she smelled cake.

Mama smiled and looked at her.

"Rest baby, just rest." She said and patted Gabrielle's back.

----------------------------------------------------

Silvia had long gone. Alex checked the latest reports on all of his projects. He took a long hot shower. Things were going well. For someone dead, he was quite pleased. He would stay dead and buried like every family sin that ever had been should be kept.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

"He's involved."

"That doesn't surprise me."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Nothing, we'll wait. He may think he's God, but he's not. Let's see if Gabriella pulls through. In the meantime, watch Sophia and that the other one."

"And if she doesn't make it?"

"She will."

"Okay."

She hung up the phone and waited.

 

[poohlive]

The funniest moment in Reese's life would have probably been when he got an office. Before that, long distances on the road, living out of suitcases and hotel rooms, climbing from rooftop to rooftop in order to get into a nightclub unnoticed had been his office. Paperwork contained napkins with half scribbled names of victims or witnesses, people who spoke too much, or too little. Secretaries had been in his life, but they were not his, rather other secretaries he used whenever he could. The life of a secretary was for use, and he never disappointed any of them.

and yet, they had given him one, about the time they realized he was too valuable to be out in the thick of things doing shit all by himself. He had too many gifts, too many skills, and too many memories to be wasted on Chinese drug runners, or terrorist dirty bomb planners. No, his job would be different.

So, he got a fancy office, in some high rise building that preteneded to sell soap and paper products, and came into work pretty much every day, looking over fake pieces of paper that held no interest in him, with a cute secretary outside that also pretended to be busy filing and stenographing the very things he had preteneded to go over.

And every once in a while he'd write out a report, putting it in the filing cabinet. A single black double locked, stainless steel filing cabinet that stood empty in the corner of his office. Many secrets in there, all too many secrets. So many lives, so many deaths.

He went into his office, giving a hello to Stacy, his secretary. She winked, and went back to office supply request forms. She was doodling flaming swords all over them.

In his office, he asked for the most popular desk, a mahogany mammoth that simply dominated the room. Men used it for power and class, style beyond all else. He hated that desk, so big, so useless. But, he wanted to keep up appearances that he was a manager, so he got it.

And a nice, relaxing, comfortable, 3000 dollar chair that vibrated when he pressed the right buttons. It didn't impress him though, hell Stacy vibrated too when he pressed the right buttons. It did look stylish, and impressive, and that's the only reason he got it.

So, he sat in his fake desk, with is fake chair, typing on his computer about the few instances that had happened today, when two men came into his office. Big men, one balding, the other overweight, sweat pouring from his body.

"You're late."

Reese looked at them as if he were about to eat their children, and they both shuttered simultaneously. At that he smiled, showing too many teeth, like always.

"We have a situation now."

Reese went back to his report, "We always have a situation."

"Donald thinks we should terminate her. This is getting out of hand already."

Reese said nothing, did not stir from his report. He didn't even flinch at the thought, although inside his stomach did lurch.

"Why does Donald think that?"

"It's too much, alright. She's already found her sister, she is going to spend millions on operations getting that fucking thing out of her head, and that brain is way to valuable to have someone go in there and fuck around. There are reports saying people with those conditions... those..."

Reese gave them a flat look, "It's called a tumor. Please, try and catch up Witherspoon."

"Yes," The balding man said, "Yes, tumor, ok... they are fucked up, say weird things, they recall memories, hell they even give up secrets. If she starts talking... shit, the things she knows."

Reese sighed, "No, she won't."

"How do you know?"

"Cause she's already started talking about lost memories."

Witherspoon and the sweaty man exchanged fearful glances, "I told you. What did she say?"

"She wants cake."

"What?"

"Cake... pink cake, the end piece, if my memory hasn't faltered due to a car crash. And bunnies, dust bunnies. She is recalling childhood memories, none of which interests us or our operations."

"But if she..."

Reese looked at both of them, their noses flaring, fear in their eyes. They reminded him of dust bunnies. Little pieces of fluff under the bed, trying desperately not to call attention to theirselves, only existing in dark corners of safety. Dust bunnies were scary, Gabbi had said so herself. He wondered if this is what she meant. Even insane, she had more wisdom than him sometimes.

"She is a valued member of this team, and more valuable alive then dead. We have people, don't we? People to watch her, keep an eye. There's no reason to suspect anything but a few ordinary operations. Ok? If she does give something up though... I assure you, I will take care of the problem myself."

Neither of them were happy at this answer, and yet, neither of them seemed horribly saddened by it either. The fact that Reese was taking up the case was always a sense of relief in this business. He always succeeded, the one horse you could put all your chips on. If he said he'd kill her, she was as good as dead.

"Put extra security on her, a bug in the room. I want to know the minute she says anything she shouldn't."

Reese gave them the photograph of the pizza boy, "I also want a coupld of people on him, I want him brought in for questioning. She was poisoned, and I think he did it."

The sweaty man, Rogers, took it, gave a curious look, but nodded. They both left in a huff.

Reese turned on his vibrating chair, and tried to forget the morning ever happened.