by Peter Shillan
NRPG:
Just a small one to get the Crosses out of the picture so we can get on with the real mission.
RPG:
Jordan had instructed Jim and Vanessa to go and see Thaddeus Cross, a daunting prospect to say the least, but the two agents were unfazed. As they climbed into the Suzuki Swift - Jim with more than a little difficulty - they went over strategy. They didn't have one.
"We better just see what he says when we get there," Jim said.
So, after a mundane drive, they arrived at the hotel of Mr. Cross. As the valet parked their car with more than a little distaste, they approached a very plush reception desk.
"We'd like to see Mr. Thaddeus Cross, please," Vanessa announced.
Without even checking the register, the female receptionist replied.
"I'm sorry, we have no one here by that name." She smiled falsely.
"Just tell him that we're here," Jim put in, showing the woman his ID. She looked a little taken aback and quickly dialled a number.
"Two FBI agents are at the front desk looking for a Mr. Thaddeus Cross. I told them there is no one ..."
After a pause she asked Jim,
"What are your names?"
"Agents Reaper and Lee."
After repeating the names of the agents, she looked surprised. She put the 'phone down and said
"Room 114," she said and immediately began doing something else.
"Well," said Vanessa, "let's see what's going on with Mr. Cross."
It did not take long to go up in the elevator listening to the irritating 'muzak' and both agents were a little nervous. They walked along the pot-planted, plush carpeted hallway and arrived at Room 114, seeing a large looking man at the door.
"Leave your guns here," he ordered.
"I don't think so," Jim countered.
"Then you can piss off you *pig*."
"Get out of the way, goon!"
At that, the man swung a vicious punch at him. He was about to remove the man's head from his body when something surprising happened - Vanessa did it for him. She jumped and kicked the man full on the side of the head and as she landed, followed through with a punch that could have felled an elephant. To say that he was shocked was an understatement. Not at her ability, but her ferociousness.
"Why should you get all the fun," she smiled at him, but he could see something deeper; a need to avenge.
"Well, let's go in and have some more," he smiled back.
And so they entered to room. As they walked into the lounge area of what was probably the hotel's best suite, they saw Thaddeus Cross sitting along, watching a small monitor.
"Very impressive, *Ms*. Lee," he smiled. "I should have my guards trained at the FBI perhaps. Now, I'm a busy man and you are busy people. What do you want?"
"We just want to know why you're here."
"I have an interest here," he smiled calmly.
"In whom?" Vanessa asked.
"Oh I see!" he laughed. "Watching your backs are you. You should be too," he added with a glint of malice, "but not this time. I may give you some attention in due course, but I am overseeing another project at the moment."
"How did you manage to bring up such a sick bastard, Teddy?" Jim's shot at the man was purely to assess reaction, but Thaddeus Cross remained as cool as ice.
"So you came here to insult my family? I would have thought you'd done enough of that already."
"Is that what we were doing," Vanessa said. "I thought we were stopping two murderers."
"And not doing a terribly good job, if I may say so."
"We may be watching our backs, Teddy, but don't forget - you should watch yours too," Jim said as he turned to leave.
"Is that a threat Agent Reaper?" he asked, a look of mock terror on his face.
"Let's not go through the old clich�s," Jim said. "Just know that this isn't over yet."
"Oh I never supposed that for a moment, Agent Reaper - not for a moment." The whisper in his voice almost chilled Jim. The man was already plotting the teams end and it was his and Vanilla's job to make sure it could never happen.
They went back to their own, less luxurious, hotel and gave Jordan a report of everything except the 'doorway' incident.
"My evaluation," said Jim, "is that he's telling the truth. He will come for us, but not now. He tried not to show it, but I think he was surprised we knew he was here."
"I agree," Vanessa said. "He's not after us right now. But he will be."
"OK. We can't rule him out, but let's not dwell on him. We'll just watch our backs."