NRPG: I think events take place in the order below. I'm a little tired this morning, so I may not be right. Doesn't matter that much, though.
> "He was in shock after witnessing the events. I sponsored him for one of > the best psychology-cum-counselling sessions one could get in Beverly Hills. > After that, I moved to Washington."
"And you haven't had any news about your sister since?" Jordan asked.
"No, and I decided it was safer not to look. Now that I know she's alive and working for the government, I'm tempted to look for her again," Sissy replied.
"It's probably better that you don't. Yuor life could be in danger if you do."
"Is that a threat Agent Stern?"
"No, it's a statement of fact. Someone went to a lot of trouble to erase Carol's past. People like that don't like loose ends, and you're a loose end."
"They already tried to kill me once."
"And they would do it again if they needed to. You're alive because you're not a threat to what they consider security. Try to stay that way."
***
> [Hello and thank you for calling Crosstech. To speak to the research and > development department, please press one now. To speak to�] Zenya tuned > most of it out. Eventually, the overly pleasant voice got to an option she > was interested in. [If you do not know the extension you wish to contact, > please press six now.] Zenya pressed six and waited through a couple dozen > names, departments and extension numbers until she got to the one she was > looking for. [The extension for Amanda Ericsson is 2947. You may dial > your desired extension at any time. For more options, please press nine > now.]
Zenya hung up the phone quickly, and sat at her desk looking down at it. She was unsure what to do. Calling Amanda Ericsson could cause the woman to dissapear which would deprive them of the thing they wanted most, answers.
She picked the phone up again and dialed Jordan's cell phone.
[Stern.]
"It's Agent Gorky. I think I've found something important."
[Oh, tell me about it.]
***
> Jordan soon rejoined the group and told them that he had to go check up on his > sister.
> "Does Rebecca have her also?" Martin asked.
> "No, but she's pregnant." Jordan said, as he headed out of the door, leaving > the other three agents looking after him with confusion. As soon as he left, > Martin decided to go back to make sure that Emily was okay, while Jim said he > was going to spend some time with Barney. With nothing to do but wait, Leo > decided that he would do it at home.
Jordan walked out of his office leaving the team behind. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed his sister's number. While he waited for her to answer he tried to collect his thoughts. What could Rebecca Cross have done? How could he find out? What could he say to his sister to get the information he needed without alarming her?
[Hello.]
"It's me again. I need to ask you a couple of questions."
[Just as long as you don't ask me where babies come from,] she laughed, [You're the big brother and I expect you know that already.]
Jordan smiled in spite of the cloud he felt hanging over him. "When did you find out you were pregnant?"
[I did one of those home tests last week. I saw the doctor today and he confirmed it. I'm about 6 weeks along. Why?]
"Just curious. Any complications?"
[A little morning sickness. The doctor said that it's normal.]
"Has anything unusual happened to you in the last 2 months? Have you been approached by any strangers?"
[No Jordan,] he could hear the edge in her voice, [What's going on?]
"Oh, nothing," he said a little too quickly. Rebecca said that she had already done something to his sister, but what, and how?
"You just take good care of yourself and see your doctor regularly. I'll come out and see you as soon as I can."
[Ok. Love you big brother.]
"Love you sis. Bye."
Jordan hung up the cell phone and leaned against the wall in the hallway. Rebecca Cross had made them vulernable. She had attacked them each seperately and the initiative was clearly in her hands. They had to attack her as they had in Santa Fe, as a team. It was their only hope of winning.
Jordan walked back into his office and sat back down.
"Everything ok, Chief?" Leo asked.
"I think so. There isn't anything I can do now anyway, except get Rebecca. Zenya and I are going to Crosstech to see if we can find Amanda Ericsson. Vanessa, I'd like you and Jim to look into Crosstech and the other Cross family holdings. What's their business? I'd like Martin and Leo to get out in the city and see if you can track Rebecca down. Where would she be staying? Has anyone seen her? I really want her to start feeling like a hunted animal."
***
[Later in the morning - Crosstech]
Jordan pulled the black Tarus into a visitor parking space in front of the mirrored glass and steel building. Crosstech's Washington headquarters was in a modern office park on the outskirts of Alexandria Virginia. Jordan guessed the company was doing well by the high proportion of Saab, BMW, and Lexus automobiles in the parking lot.
Jordan, Zenya and Leo got out of the car and walked over to the entrance. The walked through the outer set of doors but discovered the inner set were locked. There was a card reader to one side, and they couldn't see in through the mirrored inner doors.
After a moment they heard a loud click and a disembodied voice said, "Please step through the inner doors."
They did and were in a reasonably sized entry way furnished with a couple of plush sofas what a coffee table between them that had several magazines piles neatly on top of it. A door was set in the far wall with a receptionist seated behind a window next to it.
Jordan and Zenya walked around the sofas and over to the window.
"Can I help you?" the receptionist asked.
"We're here to see Ms. Amanda Ericsson," Jordan said pulling out his ID, "Agents Stern and Gorky."
The receptionist looked at their ID's and then back at them, "Please sign the visitor register, and I'll get someone to escort you."
Jordan signed and then passed the pen over to Zenya.
A minute later the inner door opened and a young woman appeared, "If you'll come with me, I'll take you to Amanda's office."
They followed her down a corridor and up a flight of stairs. Amanda's office was set at the back of the building over looking a small pond. The sign by her door said "Amanda Ericsson - Director of R&D." It was also unoccupied.
"Any idea where Ms. Ericsson is?" Jordan asked.
"She's in a meeting at the moment," the young woman consulted her watch, "She should be out in a few minutes."
NRPG:
Sydnie: So, do they wait like good little agents?