by Robin Mahle
“I’ll tell you, all things considered, she did a hell of a job keeping it together. I’m not sure I would’ve asked her to do something like that, Nick.”
“I know. I was hesitant.” He began wringing his hands and looked away from Georgia’s disapproving gaze. Perhaps he had felt guiltier than he was letting on. “But you know, with her background, she’ll be able to move right into the BAU and her help today pretty much guaranteed it. She’s struggling with the ops training and needed something to boost her standings.”
“And so having her recall events that almost took her life was the way to do that?”
The waiter returned with their drinks. “Are you ready to order?”
The two recited their desired entrees and once again were left alone.
“Maybe you’re right,” he continued. “I guess I wanted her to put perspective into it. You know, look at it from a learning standpoint. I thought if I could just get her to detach from it, she’d be better off. Now and in the future.”
“First of all, that’s never going to happen and you know that. No one could possibly separate themselves from something like that. For Christ’s sake, she lost her best friend and she was kidnapped. We can’t all be like you, Nick. We can’t all isolate ourselves from the world the way you can,” Georgia replied.
“Hey, that’s not fair.”
“I’m sorry, no, that wasn’t fair, and I didn’t mean… I know what you went through with the Highway Hunter case. It’s no easier for you than it is for me or anyone else, for that matter. I just don’t want you pushing her, you know? She’s completely alone right now, except for you, and she’d follow you to the ends of the earth, whether it was good for her or not.”
“You think I’m taking advantage of her?” Nick asked in a tone he rarely used with Georgia. A tone that suggested he was looking for a fight.
“No. All I’m saying is be careful. You’re all she’s got right now.”
“Well, you’re friends with her too.”
“Of course I am, but not the way you two are. You got history. You both have been through a lot of stuff together. I can’t compete with that.” Georgia glanced away for a moment.
Nick noted the gesture with caution. He was drifting into unchartered territory. Georgia was a strong woman, not inclined to fits of jealousy. “You don’t need to worry about Kate and me. You know that, right?”
“I know that.”
He wasn’t convinced. “Let’s just start this evening over, all right?” Nick raised his chilled pint glass. “Welcome home.”
» » »
Kate closed the laptop and placed it on the small desk adjacent to her bed. She was back in the dorm room and her roommate was still in their shared bathroom, preparing to turn in for the night. It was getting late and she’d studied enough. The day still weighed heavily on her and she could feel the tension in her neck and tried to rub it away. If only she could rub away the images in her head. Although Nick’s presentation hadn’t included any photos of Sam, it had included a few pictures of Marshall. He was, after all, instrumental in the case too. And maybe that was the real problem. There were pictures all over her house of Marshall, but here, in the dorm, there was only one. But now everyone had seen him exhibited on the projector screen. Nick had shown a picture of him, taken during one of the news conferences after Hendrickson was killed. Marshall looked so strong, so handsome. None of those people knew him and, to them, he was nothing more than another cop who was killed in the line of duty while apprehending the Highway Hunter. Displaying him to the students, though, reopened the wounds that were still raw and only held together by a few thin strands of tissues that had formed simply with time.
She’d been able to move on as best as anyone could, but being reminded of that time, well, it was hard. As much as she wanted to become an agent, there were days during this training that she’d questioned her motives. She’d uprooted her entire life, empty though it had been, to come here and train under the premise that one day, she’d get to work with Nick and hunt down killers and those that brought pain into this world. Kate began to recall a conversation she’d had with Marshall when she questioned her purpose once before.
“What did you say this was? A violet?”
“A Redwood Violet.”
“That’s what you are. You’re able to bloom in the darkness and shadows, just like this flower.”
Somehow, Marshall always knew just what to say and she wished he could be here now to offer up his wisdom. But then, she wouldn’t be here at all if he was.
Her phone jolted to life. Kate retrieved it to see that it had been a text notification.
“I plan on kicking your butt tomorrow on the driving course. LOL”
It was from Will and was a welcomed break from her present state of mind. She appreciated his friendship and stood to learn a lot from him. She still felt so very out of place, doing something that had once seemed out of reach, and his reminder that there was still humor to be found even during the difficult training was embraced.
“Yeah, ok, buddy. We’ll see. Good night,” she replied.
Kate pushed up from the bed and turned to her closet. She needed to secure her weapon before turning in. A small metal case waited inside the closet and she removed the clip and ensured the chamber was clear.
Jocelyn returned from the facilities, wiping her face with a towel. “You heading off to sleep?”
“Yep. I’ll go get washed up. Good night.”
“Good night, Kate.”
» » »
“Are you ready, Reid?” the instructor asked as he latched his passenger seat belt in the older model Chevy Tahoe they used for the safe driver training.
Kate figured this was her opportunity to really unleash and have some much-needed fun. The tires had special bars and wheels attached to prevent rollovers and so it was very safe overall, intending to teach maneuverability. She spotted Will standing outside of the building, near the track, where simulators had been installed to allow them practice before getting into the real thing. He had his arms folded and stood at attention.
She gave him a wink as if to challenge him. A moment later, the tires screeched and Kate spun out onto the track. Her hands gripped the steering wheel firmly as it vibrated under her palms. She let out a sound that resembled a squeal as she sped towards the open lot.
The instructor laughed. “Okay, now, as soon as I tell you, pull hard to the right.” A moment passed. “Now!”
Kate yanked the wheel to the right and the SUV raised slightly, skidding on two wheels, but still balanced on the bars as she spun it into a circle.
“Straighten the wheel! Straighten the wheel!” the instructor yelled.
Smoke billowed from the tires and the stench of burned rubber filled the cabin. Kate did as she was told and pulled out of the spin.
“Apply the brakes!”
She slammed on the brakes and came to a stop, lurching forward in the process. Her breath was heavy and she immediately turned to the instructor. “That was awesome. Can we do that again?”
“Afraid not. We gotta get everyone in here today. Great job, though, Kate. Well done. Now, let’s head back.”
Adrenaline still surged inside her and Kate felt nothing short of euphoric. She was beginning to understand why racecar drivers loved their job. It was exhilarating. She pulled up to the front of the building where her classmates waited for their turns. Kate stepped out. Her legs felt wobbly, but she steadied herself and removed her helmet.
Kate ran her fingers through her brunette hair, which had grown long again because Marshall liked it best that way. “Wow. You guys are in for a treat. That was amazing.”
“Looks like you did all right.” Will winked at her.
“I’ll take that.” The instructor took the helmet from Kate. “Who’s next?”
She stepped inside the building to remove the coverall that had protected her clothing underneath. The door opened soon after, letting in a bright light that made he
r squint, and until her eyes adjusted, Kate hadn’t realized it was Nick who was walking towards her. “Hey. What’re you doing here?”
“Oh, just checking things out. Looks you had fun on the course.”
“You could say that. What’s going on?” She smoothed her hair a final time and straightened her t-shirt, which displayed the big black letters F.B.I.
“I was wondering if you wanted to help me with something.”
She’d seen that look on his face before. “Yeah? What’s that?”
“I got a case that I thought you might want in on.” Nick pulled up a metal folding chair and swiveled it around, sitting down on it backwards.
Kate raised a brow. “A case? Like a real case? But, I don’t even know which field office I’ll be operating out of yet.” She suspected it would be D.C. and, after the presentation, felt more confident of that choice, however, word had not officially been handed down. “How would I be allowed to work on a case while I’m in training?” She pulled up a chair next to him and rested her elbows on her thighs. “Somehow, I think you’re trying to do me a favor here.”
“No, not exactly.” His eyes told a different story than his lips. “It’s just that your help yesterday—it didn’t go unnoticed. And, in fact, some of the higher-ups at the Academy watched the lecture.”
“Okay. I’m still not certain where you’re going with this.”
“Your training is obviously important. And you’ve excelled academically and in all other aspects with the exception of the tactical drills. After some discussions with your trainers, they’ve agreed that it could benefit you to apply your training to a real life investigation.”
Kat sat upright and studied Nick’s face. “Are you trying to get them to circumvent my dismal operational scores by showing them that I can do well in other areas, areas other than tactical field work?”
“No. I don’t know—maybe. I just don’t want them to discount your other skills. Look, not all of us end up in the field, arresting people or resolving hostage situations. Most of us work behind the scenes, analyzing intelligence, data, and things like that.”
“All of those people went through this same training and passed,” she replied.
“You’re right. They did. But not all of them fought off abductors and helped to track down killers before Day One at the Academy.”
She wasn’t so sure about that. Many were in law enforcement already.
Nick leaned over to make his point clear. “They’re willing to overlook this one minuscule detail of your training by allowing me an opportunity to get you involved in real case work, proving that your skills lie elsewhere. Your goal is to work with me, right?”
Kate nodded, although it was difficult for her to swallow the idea that her instructors believed operational training was a minuscule part of her overall preparation. Nick was putting a pretty good spin on the situation.
“You know how many of us actually get out in the field?”
“You mean, besides you?” she quipped.
“We study and research. Kate, that’s your wheelhouse.”
He was right. That was where she felt most comfortable. But the idea of somehow skirting the system when the same opportunity wouldn’t have been offered to any of her cohorts – it just wasn’t sitting right.
“You know I want more than anything to do casework. That’s why I’m here. And so, yeah, I want to work with you, but I don’t want to be given special treatment. You know better than anyone around here what I’ve been through and I don’t need any more eyes shifting in my direction suggesting I have an unfair advantage. Can you help me get past this part? Can you help me overcome my deficiencies in the ops training?”
Nick grunted. “How did I know you wouldn’t want any special treatment? If you want me to help, yeah, I can help you with some drills. I think maybe you could use someone to talk to as well. I don’t mean just me. I mean someone who can help you move on. You’re not an island, Kate, and no one expects you to be.” He slapped his thighs and returned to his feet. “So, you want to know what this case is?”
“I do.” Kate rose to meet him and placed her hands on her hips. “What is it?”
THREE
It wasn’t the first time Kate had been inside the FBI D.C. field office, or the WFO, as they called it; she’d visited Scarborough there plenty of times, but it was the first time she had entered under the grounds of assisting on an investigation. They’d reached an understanding that this case would take a back seat to her training and was only intended as supplemental; a testament to her existing skillset. That was fine by Kate, and the idea of working on something real, rather than the mock cases she worked on at the Academy, was invigorating and exactly what she needed to get out of the funk she’d been heading towards. Once again, Nick had come through for her and, once again, she felt that familiar feeling of being “taken care of.” Not to mention the twinge of guilt. If her classmates believed Nick was responsible for getting her into the Academy, how would they feel about this latest development? She’d been so sure of her own confidence, but perhaps she wasn’t as strong as everyone told her.
But for today, she was meeting with Agent Scarborough to discuss a case that had recently been turned over by Metro Police. Nick hadn’t gone into much detail during their conversation, only indicating the need to be present for a nine a.m. briefing. And so here she was, walking into the lobby of the eight-story stone building on the corner of G Street and 4th.
“I have a meeting with Agent Scarborough. I’m Agent-in-training Kate Reid.”
The man behind the security desk motioned for Kate to place her gun and other belongings into the tray and walk through the metal detector. Another guard on the other side of the security station pointed her in the direction of the interior lobby where she could wait.
Kate retrieved her belongings and proceeded to the reception area and again indicated a pending meeting with the agent. This time, the woman pressed a button on the phone system and waited for a moment.
“I have NAT Kate Reid here to see you.” The woman glanced over Kate while she waited for a reply. “Thank you.” Placing the phone back down, she said, “He’ll be down in just a moment. Why don’t you have a seat?” A row of chairs were pressed against a wall a few feet away, and the woman pointed in that general direction.
“Thank you.” She had arrived in her required FBI trainee gear; blue polo shirt with the FBI emblem over the left breast and khakis pants. Carrying a side arm was a requirement when she was on duty, even in training.
The elevator doors opened in the distance and Nick emerged. “Right on time, as usual.” He approached and extended his hand.
Kate smiled and smoothed her shirt. “Thank you.”
“Well, come on. I got some people I want to introduce you to.”
On the fifth floor, Nick led Kate to a large room that housed several desks with computers lined up in rows all facing the front. Large monitors were mounted on the wall. It reminded Kate of a type of communications room, perhaps where task forces would meet and exchange information. It was similar to the classrooms at Quantico.
About ten men and women were stationed in various places around the room. Some were on the computers, others huddled in conversation and, as Nick entered, all seemed to focus on the room’s newest occupants.
“Some of you may already be aware, but we have an FBI recruit in our midst. This is Kate Reid and she’ll be helping out on this investigation as part of her training.”
Kate attempted to make eye contact and convey a brief nod to each one in the room before following Nick to the far end where a seat awaited her.
“Let’s go ahead and get started.” He clicked a remote and the wall monitor came to life. “This is the group we are attempting to track down.” He opened a webpage called “European Beauties.” Women posed on beds, in the bath, or some other such provocative location. Nick turned towards the lead investigator with the local police. “Some of you have already met Detective
Roger Moreno with Metro PD. Detective, why don’t you fill them in?”
He pushed up off the back wall and walked along the far side where Nick was standing. “Thank you, Agent Scarborough.” He began clicking through a series of webpages with images of more women. “The Metro police have been working on an investigation into suspected drop houses. Complaints have come into the department from neighbors who say they’ve seen women coming and going from these homes. The women don’t appear to be coherent, likely drugged, according to the complaints. We’ve found two of them; both had been cleared out by the time we arrived. However, video equipment and a few flash drives were found. On the flash drives, we discovered images of women much like you see on that website, some much more graphic in detail. And what led us to this website was a simple banner that had been created and the file saved to be uploaded to the web page. Given the name of the website, we are inclined to believe these women are mostly of eastern European decent. We believe they are likely victims of sex trafficking.”
Moreno continued, “Late last week, Metro Police issued a search warrant for this man, James Henry Corbett.” An image of the man appeared on the screen. “The forty-five-year-old former high school counselor is believed to be the ringleader or, at the very least, high up on the command chain, for this group and is suspected of kidnapping these young women. An IP address from one of the websites we discovered originated from a home that was listed under Corbett’s name. However, we’ve been unable to locate him. His last known address, according to the school district who had previously employed him, was vacated some time ago. We contacted the FBI on the discovery that this case appears to be a widespread operation covering many different locations both within and possibly outside the United States. I’ve had some communications with our brothers in Richmond regarding the discovery of similar drop houses. However, they have also come up empty-handed. The Metro Police and Richmond PD are now asking for the FBI’s help in finding those involved in this ring as well as ensuring the women, whose numbers we are as of yet unsure, are recovered safely.”