The desk was probably mahogany, Ryan decided, pondering the furnishings of the office as he waited for the man sitting behind the gleaming desk to finish his phone call and continue their meeting. People said it was a sign of your importance, what others did while you were waiting for them. In this case, the Assistant Director of the National Investigative Agency, more commonly known as NIA, seemed to be selecting a fabric for his new drapes; it did not make Ryan feel especially valuable. Not that he could complain about being treated like he was unimportant, not really, because in the grand scheme of things, he was unimportant, just a low man on the totem pole. But he didn’t plan on staying there forever. This assignment could gain him some significant points with the Assistant Director, so he needed to be patient and respectful. Someday, Ryan fantasized, people wouldn’t even take a call from the Prime Minister when he was in their office. Unfortunately, that day was not today, so he had to wait. Fidgeting in his chair, he tried to look like he didn’t mind, like he really needed the extra time to straighten the seams of his jacket and the fold of his cuffs, like he truly enjoyed studying the grain of the desk in front of him. Catching a glimpse of his reflection in the base of the shiny brass lamp, Ryan grimaced. He looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, which, of course, he had. His summons to the hallowed halls of NIA had been urgent; he hadn’t even had time to shave before he had rushed in. If he’d known how long he’d be left sitting in this office, he would have brought a razor, and maybe a comb. He ran a hand ruefully over the sandy stubble that lined his jaw and made a futile attempt to smooth his tousled hair back into place with his fingers. The lamp told him it wasn’t helping much. Suddenly, he heard the click of the phone returning to its cradle and he snapped back to attention. A.D. Collins turned to him, an oily politician’s smile on his face.
“I am terribly sorry, Agent Stone. Some things just can’t wait. You understand, I’m sure,” he purred.
“Of course, Director,” he matched the older man’s mollifying tone.
Collins hated being called ‘Assistant Director’, everyone in the agency knew that if you wanted to stroke his ego, you just ‘forgot’ to add the qualifier. Worked every time.
“Please, call me Adam,” he beamed, obviously pleased. “May I call you Ryan?”
“Of course, Director. Adam.”
“Now, my secretary mentioned why I called you here, didn’t she?”
“Not exactly, sir. She said something about an urgent case,” Ryan paused. “And an opportunity for… advancement.”
Collins chuckled,
“Of course, of course. You’re ambitious, I like that. They also say you’re smart, good with people,” Collins flipped open a file folder lying on his desk. “And it says here that you have a master’s in psychology. Very impressive.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“I hear that you have had some success in the past with handling field agents that were, shall we say, difficult to work with.”
“Well, I am, very thorough in my progress reports,” Ryan chose his words carefully; nobody liked a rat, so it was best not to come right out and say that you had made a career of reporting on your colleagues, even to a superior.
The director smiled again, quick and predatory,
“You catch on quickly. Good. This should be easy for you. I would like you to partner with a certain agent. She has,” Collins searched for the right words, “something of a problem with authority. I just need you to keep me informed of her activities. Really a very simple assignment, nothing you haven’t done before.”
“That is true…” Ryan said slowly, he was beginning to get a bad feeling about this. “I have handled several… uncooperative, agents in the past. But that request has never merited a discussion with the Director of NIA. Nor has anyone ever dangled a promotion in front of me as an incentive. So, forgive me, but I can’t help but wonder what the catch is.”
As if on cue the phone rang again, the director raised a finger, telling him to wait a moment. He picked up the receiver, and Ryan sank down in his chair with a suppressed groan.
“Oh, the lavender is on back order… Well how long…”
The conversation was abruptly interrupted when the door swung open, and a woman burst into the room. Ryan couldn’t help but stare. He wouldn’t call her beautiful, because that descriptor implied a certain delicacy, which was certainly not the case, but she was… striking. She had short, flame coloured hair and the most intense, pale green eyes he had ever seen. As she walked past, he gave her a quick once over out of the corner of his eye. She noticed him ogling her and glanced over at him just long enough to roll her eyes, before dismissing him entirely. He was not who she was here for. She strode straight over to the mahogany desk and calmly placed her finger down on the phone’s hook, terminating Collins’ call. Then, she sat on the edge of his desk and fixed him with a cold stare.
“Taylor, nice to see you, as always,” the assistant director’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “This couldn’t have waited until I finished?”
“Collins, you have been redecorating your house for a year and a half, nothing can wait that long.”
“What can I do for you, Agent Hawkins?” Adam Collins sighed heavily.
“I hear you are trying to stick me with another partner, Collins,” she said coolly.
“That’s true. You are just in time to meet him, in fact. Agent Ryan Stone, I would like you to meet your new partner, Agent Taylor Hawkins.”
Ryan’s jaw dropped an inch. Taylor Hawkins? She was the agent Collins wanted him to handle? He couldn’t work with Taylor Hawkins. If the rumors were true, she had never had a partner for more than a few weeks, and without exception each one had begged to be reassigned. If he remembered correctly, her personal best was 16 hours. He would have better luck handling a live rattlesnake, because at least the snake wouldn’t be actively plotting against him. Collins must have noticed the look on his face, because the A.D. continued quickly, before Ryan could object.
“Agent Stone is very much looking forward to working with you, so if you could just give the two of us a moment…”
“Agent Stone, looks like he would rather swallow his own tongue,” Hawkins retorted with a crooked smile. She looked down-right pleased with herself.
“Now, now Taylor, be nice. He is going to be working with you, so don’t be stubborn about it. You know the rules.”
“I don’t need a partner, Adam,” she used his name with contempt, not congeniality.
“Field agents have partners, Taylor. Even you. At least, whenever we can find someone willing to work with you. You understood this when you took the job.”
Taylor Hawkins pinned Ryan with a hard look; sweat was beading on his temple, and he desperately tried to avoid eye contact. She raised an eyebrow sceptically,
“You and I clearly have different definitions of the word ‘willing’, Adam.”
“Be that as it may,” the assistant director replied sternly. “The two of you will make this work. I have an assignment for you, and to be frank, it requires more diplomacy than you are capable of, Taylor. So let me be very clear,” his voice suddenly hardened. “You will work with Agent Stone. It is not open for debate.” Collins’ polished demeanour was starting to slip; he obviously didn’t like Agent Hawkins much, which wasn’t terribly surprising. Insubordination was rarely endearing.
“Fine,” Hawkins muttered. “But this is just going to be a huge waste of everyone’s time. This guy,” she jabbed a thumb in Ryan’s direction, “won’t last 2 weeks.”
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“We’ll see.”
She rolled her eyes,
“Are you going to give me my case file?”
Collins removed a large manila envelope from his desk and handed it to her.
“Here is your new assignment, read it over quickly, time is of the essence. When Agent Stone and I finish our meeting here, he will join you and you can get started. Do not leave here without him.”
Ryan saw a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes as she looked at the thick file and a little smile flickered across her face as she took it in her hands. Without another word, she slid off the desk and headed for the door. Pausing at the entrance, she turned to Ryan,
“I’ll be in my office, if you really are ‘willing’. But I’d think about it very carefully if I were you. Whatever he’s offering you, it isn’t worth it.”
With that ominous warning, she left, closing the door silently behind her.
“Sorry for the interruption,” Collins smiled apologetically.
“Are you kidding me?!” after holding his tongue for that entire bizarre display, Ryan could no longer contain himself. “Taylor Hawkins? You want me to work with her!?” he spluttered incredulously.
“You said it yourself, what kind of assignment could earn you the career advancement you are looking for? There is your catch, Ryan.”
“Well, no offense, but this time I think I am going to take the lady’s advice and walk away.”
“Come now, Ryan. You have worked with difficult people before. And frankly, I wouldn’t think that you were the type to give up so easily. What of your ambitions?”
“Look,” Ryan said. “I have heard the stories they tell about her; if even half of them are true, I’d be lucky to get out of this in one piece. I want a promotion, not to cash in on my health benefits.”
“We are in a dangerous business. Certain risks are expected. And she exaggerates those stories. She prefers to work alone and tries to scare people off. It’s juvenile, really.”
Ryan scoffed. He wasn’t wrong, NIA investigated high profile crimes for the federal government, and as such, they tracked the worst killers and thieves in the country. It was risky work, but there was no reason to make it twice as dangerous by working with a partner you couldn’t trust.
“I am going to level with you here, Ryan,” the Director poured himself a scotch and offered one to Ryan. It was early, even for him, but since he hadn’t really slept much yet, the case could be made that it was actually very late, so he accepted.
“The assignment involves a very high-profile victim. You’ve heard of Grayson Pauling?”
“The one who owned that chain of retail stores?”
“Exactly. His chain has recently moved into Canada. They will be contributing a great deal of jobs and money to our economy at a very difficult time. Though Pauling no longer owns the company, he sits on the board that determines sites for future expansion. So, you can understand why we would want to ensure that Mr. Pauling has a good first impression of our country.”
“You want him to continue to recommend expansion.”
“See? I knew you were clever. This is why we have to do some serious damage control here.”
“I hadn’t heard that there was a problem.”
“No one has heard yet, it has only just happened. That is why I needed you here so quickly, Ryan. Let me explain. After Pauling sold the controlling share in his company, he purchased a home north of Toronto, planning to spend more time with his 7-year-old son, Alex. At 5 this morning Pauling went into his son’s room and discovered that he was missing. The window was open, the security system was disabled, and this note was on his pillow.”
Collins held out a piece of paper, sealed tightly in a plastic evidence bag:
Your chain of Save-More stores has invaded our neighbourhoods against our will! You drive our local merchants out of business and then offer minimum wage jobs to enslave us in poverty. We refuse to be ground under your heel and to be exploited for your profit! If you want your son back, you will close your Hamilton location and leave Canadian soil, for good. You have 48 hours to respond. If you refuse, your son will die. We will call, wait by the phone.
“They want Save-more to leave Canada?” Ryan asked incredulously. It was the most bizarre ransom request he had ever heard.
“That is the demand. Unfortunately, Pauling no longer even owns the chain, he has an advisory role, nothing more. He doesn’t have the power to make this happen, even if he were to want to give in to their demands. So, I am sure you can see how this is a bad position for us to be in. The federal government has stressed to me that we need to resolve this favourably, for the sake of our national image.”
“And the sake of the boy, of course.”
“Of course. That goes without saying,” Collins amended. “But to do that I need your help.”
“Why me?”
“Here’s the thing,” Collins sighed. “I am sure you have heard all of the stories about Agent Hawkins, but frankly, though she is a bit… brash, she is also one of the sharpest agents we have. This is a tough case with an impossible deadline; there are no obvious leads and there is no margin for error. And let me be clear, we cannot fail, because if that boy dies…” Collins left the thought unfinished. “I am going to be brutally honest with you, Ryan, I would rather put anyone on this case but her, anyone at all, but there are only 3 agents at NIA who could even conceivably handle a situation like this, and 2 are overseas on other, shall we say, delicate cases. By the time they got back, it would be too late. So, I need her to take this case, and I need her to solve it, fast.”
“Ok, I understand all of that, but I am still not seeing where I come in.”
“Well, you just met Agent Hawkins, how would you describe her?”
“First impressions?” Ryan thought for a moment about the most tactful way to put it. “Abrasive, irreverent.”
Collins laughed,
“You are far too kind. She’s an asshole. But that tact of yours is exactly why I need you. I need, someone to run interference for her, handle the more influential individuals, inject some diplomacy into the investigation. And, more importantly I need you to keep me informed of her movements, her progress. She is secretive about her investigations and negligent in reporting to her superiors. If I asked her to keep me in the loop, she would just lose my number. In a situation like this, I need to know exactly where we stand, so that I can manage the fallout. I can’t be in the dark.”
“So, essentially, you’re asking me to spy on a woman, who, by all accounts, is much smarter than me, and you want me to do this while helping her complete a case that is basically doomed from the beginning. That about sum it up?”
Collins cleared his throat uncomfortably.
“Yes,” he admitted. “That covers it nicely.”
“Well, I think I’ll pass on the suicide mission, thanks all the same,” Ryan finished his drink and began to rise from his chair.
“You must know,” the Assistant Director cajoled, “that every decision is a matter of balancing risk versus reward. You haven’t even heard what the reward is yet.”
Ryan stopped and lowered himself back down into the chair,
“Reward?”
“Of course. You didn’t expect that we would ask you to do this for nothing, did you?”
“The thought had crossed my mind.”
“How does Sector Supervisor sound?” the assistant director smiled as he watched the effect of his offer.
Ryan was stunned, what he was offering was astounding; it would take him another 15 years to work up to that level under normal circumstances, and that was only if he was lucky. Hell, the increase in salary alone would change his life. He could live in a manner he could barely even dream of now. But he had to ask:
“How long do you expect me to last as her partner?” Hawkins had given him 2 weeks.
“Not long really, considering what we are offering. We are hoping that you will work with her and keep us in the loop for a while. She is still a relatively young agent, despite her skill. You are more experienced, you know how things work, what we expect. Spend some time and try to bring her in line. If you can’t, you can’t, I understand that. All you have to do is finish this case and then stick it out for, let’s say, 3 months. After that, you’ll never have to go out into the field again. But I need your decision right now, obviously time is an issue.”
Ryan hesitated for a moment. He wasn’t stupid; he couldn’t help but think that the offer was too good to be true. No matter what he had heard about Taylor Hawkins, the incentive seemed over the top. But, he also knew that if he passed up this opportunity, he would never forgive himself. It might be a challenge, but if he succeeded, it would all be worth it. And no more field work. He could have a corner office, a secretary, golf on Friday afternoons. How could he refuse?
“Alright, I’ll do it,” he replied at last.
Greed, it seems, won out over his better judgement. He could have done without learning that about himself.
“Perfect,” the assistant director smiled broadly, he seemed relieved. Reaching into his desk, Collins and retrieved a slim file folder and a cell phone. “The phone has my private number programed in. I expect you to check in regularly and I will text you for updates. Respond promptly.”
“Yes, sir.”
“In the folder is Taylor Hawkins’s file. It contains everything you need to know about her. I suggest you skim it before you meet her again. I also suggest that you don’t tell her that you have it, if you know what’s good for you.”
“I think I can handle that,” he replied.
“I hope so. I am counting on you, Ryan.”
“I won’t disappoint you, Director,” Ryan shook Collins’s hand firmly.
“See that you don’t,” the Director rose, showing him out. “Call me when you have something. And make it soon.”
Ryan stood and walked out of the room.
Collins sat back down at his desk and pressed the call button on his phone. A moment later his secretary entered, her heels clicking sharply on the polished tile floor.
“You certainly promised him a great deal, sir,” she said coolly. “It would cause some dissention in the ranks to promote such a young agent above the men who are currently in line for that position. I doubt he would be able to command the respect of the staff.”
Collins laughed darkly,
“I wouldn’t worry about it, Margaret. Like Agent Hawkins said, he won’t last 2 weeks. All we need him to do is to keep us in the loop on the kidnapping case. Hopefully, he can last for 2 days. After that, he can crash and burn as he pleases.”
The secretary smiled,
“Very good, sir.”
“Yes, I thought so too,” Collins drained his scotch. He always loved it when a plan came together.