Jim saw Leo pause and look almost right at him. He was confidant that he would not see him, and so it appeared. He had seen something though. He crossed the street to the building with Vanessa and Jim knew the man had spotted something. He had been looking along the lower half of the building.
'Perhaps I should help out,' he thought. Retreating from the roof edge, he was about to remove his balaclava. He thought better of it though. Instead, he tracked the two across the street. Once they were across, ambling along as if keeping watch from the pavement, he continued to look. Sure enough, after a brief walk up, they had judged themselves out of sight of the watcher. They went quietly into the building.
Sure that they could take care of anything they found, Jim went back the scanning his vista. Jordan was talking with the woman he'd suspected. Zenya and Tom were still in the car. The plate-less car was still in position and the grey Ford had joined the fun. He wondered why they were so late, but for the moment he put that to the back of his mind.
If there was another person down below him, they were surely on a similar project. He believed they would try to take out Tom or Jordan. Suddenly, he heard a scuffle ensuing. It was coming up an old ventilation duct, not detectable from outside the building. It was soon over and he could hear a voice. It was female and though he couldn't make it out, he thought it was probably Vanessa. This was confirmed when a deeper voice answered. Surely the two agents had won.
They left the building and walked over to the Pizzeria. They went to a corner table and sat down, ordering a couple of drinks. Jim would have liked to know what was being said inside, but without laser mikes, he would just have to wonder.
A few minutes later, everyone left. Jordan got into the car with Tom, Zenya and Martin. There was a lot of sitting around. No one was moving and Jim was nervous. It was then that the move was made. They plateless car's wheels began to move slowly towards the Taurus and three men had been left on the ground. From his vantage point, Jim could see that they would not be seen from the car - too much cover. He aimed the weapon at the lead man. The vibration in his pocket was hardly a thought in his head. He knew it was the 'phone. Three shots in quick succession and the men were dead. The silencer on the gun had taken care of the noise, but to shoot he had been forced to raise his head. As he swivelled the gun to take out the tyres of the grey Ford, the Taurus screamed away and the plateless car went in pursuit. Not for long. Jim Reaper took the best shot he had. The gas tank exploded and flipped the car into the air. So much for silence.
The 'phone had stopped vibrating as Jim absailed down the building to the Harley Davidson waiting below. Checking the device was still in his backpack, Reaper screamed out of the alleyway. He would have to find a safe place to hold up. He decided just to go back to the hotel.
When he got there, the two Taurus's were there. As he approached the room, he knew they were inside and he wondered just how much trouble he was in.
Knocking, he said "It's Jim. Open up."
Leo opened the door but it was Jordan who said "Get in here now!!"
From his attire, everyone could confirm for themselves who had been the sniper on the roof.
"I don't know whether to thank you or have your badge!! For God's sake Jim, what the hell were you thinking? Your pal at Boston is *dead* and the device has been captured and YOU! You have killed four men!"
The news that Marty was dead hit him like a hammer. He knew the risks and had led Marty into it. So, he had killed five men that night.
"The device was never in the field office. I have it with me."
Jordan and Tom looked incredulous and Martin seemed excessively relieved.
"As for the shooting. If I hadn't done it someone else would. Beta team would be dead. I didn't want trouble, but I knew it was coming. Damn it, I'm supposed to watch your backs!!"
He was angry now. Angry that the steps he had taken had been so effective and yet so costly in terms of life. He knew he had taken a big risk and raised the stakes. Jordan seemed to calm down, though.
"Well, the main thing is that you have the device. Can anyone trace this back to you?"
"No Chief. Unofficial channels for the equipment - no serial number, no ballistics record. The gun is in the lake. It's history."
Tom asked Jim for the device, which he gladly gave over to him. Jordan filled him in on the situation with Martin's girlfriend and the possibility of a trade.
"She doesn't seem very altruistic to me," Vanessa began, "and she obviously has terrorist connections."
"But she's got Emily!!" Martin stated.
"I know Jim might have seemed excessive to some of you," Leo said, "but we're going to get bloody on this one. We're not the ones in charge here. We're not the law. We're the hunted and we better start acting like it. These people aren't going to hand anyone over just like that and they're not going to leave us around either."
All eyes were on Jordan. The game had gone to a new level. Leo was right - they were used to being the ones with the power, the ability to pressure and command respect. Now, they were nothing. First, they had to find a secure base - not here. But then what?
NRPG:
Well, after a highly bloody session on the roof (it seemed a shame to get all dressed up and not take anyone out!!), Jim is back. I guess not everyone will approve and I would like to be a fly on the wall when the two Taurus's see the goings on and drive to the hotel. Also, how does everyone react in the hotel room? After all, they think Jim has lost the device and went on a killing spree.
I thought you all knew Jim was using Marty as a decoy. I guess I had you all worried!!
Respectfully submitted,
FCO Lt.(jg) Olivier Patru, USS ORION NCC-1997, Starfleet.
Special Agent-2 Jim Reaper, X-Files Division, FBI.
Ar'Aman Bowright and Darar, Daere Warren, DragonLands.
Mc'Key and Vasleth, Geode Warren, DragonLands.
aka Peter Shillan.