Cold, Professional, Friendly...Chapter 4
The boys sang the National Anthem beautifully and without fault. There was a little tension backstage though when the boys came face to face with the guys of *NSYNC.
“Whoa. Who’s the little honey?” Justin grabbed Sam’s arm as she walked past him in the hallway. Sam turned instantly around to face him. She looked at him like he was crazy.
“I suggest you let go of my arm or I will remove it myself.” Sam warned as the others around turned to witness the scene that was unfolding in front of them.
“Well I am suggesting you wait around till after the show and let me give you a ride.” Justin hinted at his double meaning. “I sure wouldn’t mind giving it to you. I should show you a few sights maybe you’ve seen before and maybe some new ones. Hell you maybe able to show me a few too.”
Sam was about ready to slap this prick. ‘Who the hell was he to touch me, let alone even talk about that he was approaching such subjects with her. Oh HELL no! I’ll just have to handle this so he knows I am not the one to play.’ Sam smiled coyly and said innocently “You know what? I don’t even know you’re name but I can tell you if I have did take you up on that offer,” she grew serious and her face showed signs of disgust, “It would probably would be a very short ride. ” Sam turned to leave but Justin still had a hold on her arm.
“Aw. Feisty. Like ’em like that if you know what I mean.” Justin still tried to lie on the charm even as everyone in the room stood watching the scene in front of them.
Sam got real closer to his ears as she linked her arms around his neck. “I know exactly what you mean. I bet you would like it even more if I allowed you to give me that ride you’re going on about.” She said loudly enough so everyone in the room could here, including the boys and the security team.
“Yeah. I would. Exactly when were you thinking about here? Any times good to me. Just let me know.” Justin moved to rub his hands up and down Sam’s arms, but she stopped him with her own hands.
“Well…”Sam’s hand started to fumbled around his neck. “I was thinking about…um…what let’s say this…well now that I think about…I really didn’t have to think hard…let’s make it NEVER.” Sam found the nerve in his neck and pushed down on it slightly as Justin began to wince in pain. She let up and began to back away. “See ya later loser!!” she turned and walked to the boys.
Everyone in the room either busted out laughing or let out a slight giggle. “Um guys? I think we have I flight to Philly to catch.” Sam reminded them.
“Yeah right. Let’s get going.” Q agreed. “We have a private flight booked to take us to Philly. We should be arriving…”Q trailed off as they made their way down the hall.
“Man your tall, white, skinny ass just got dissed by someone you tried to impress. Like boo-yeah!” Joey laughed as he slapped Justin on the back.
“Shut up! I don’t care what you say, but trust me when I say I will catch up with her.” Justin stared at Sam as she walked down the hallway. There was a woman who held no concern as to who he was. A woman who was totally in charge. A woman who would sure be a challenge. This was one challenge he wanted to come out on top of and he was sure he would. “And when I do she’ll know exactly what hit her. Exactly what hit her.”
Most all of them were asleep when Kevin plopped down next to Sam. “Is this seat taken?” Kevin asked. When she didn’t reply he took that as a no. “I have to say though, that was a pretty impressive show that you and Timberass put on back there. The way you handled yourself way the most impressive part.”
Sam didn’t even brother to look up. She was working on her reassignment form on her laptop. “Yeah well. I handle creeps like him everyday. Only they are usually ten times worse. So it was no biggie.” She shrugged her shoulders as she continued to type.
Kevin seeing that she was more absorbed in her work than in the conversation subject thought that a subject change might get her to look up. “So I guess you are pretty excited about your first day off.”
”Oh yeah.” She shut her computer seeing how she wasn’t going to get much work done while Kevin was trying to have a conversation with her. She looked over at Kevin. “And when might that be?”
“Q didn’t tell you. Well he was probably going to tell you before he left in Philly but I guess me telling you wont hurt anything. I think your first day off is the day before we play the show in DC. Every week or two you get a day off. Q thought it should be that day. He said you might have some things you wanted or needed to do.”
Sam smiled. “I really get that day off. That is so awesome. What day is it?” The wheels in her brain where already turning to see if she could surprise Jason. He really didn’t deserve to have a girlfriend who was in and out of his life and always putting work before their relationship. She hoped she could make it up a little with this surprise.
“Um. I think it is the 1st of February. Um…either it’s either a Thursday or Friday.” Kevin answered glad to have finally gotten her attention for a little while. True he was married to Kristen, who was wonderful and he couldn’t love her anymore, but he still wanted to have Sam as a friend. He liked to think of everyone who worked for them, especially security, as friends. Frankly though Sam wasn’t making it easy to be her friend.
“Aw that’s tight! I’m going to stick with around most likely all day,” she started aloud, ‘cause Jason has to work,’ she added in her head. “Because you all might need the extra security. But after the show that night, if there is one that night, I’ am so gone.” Sam smiled. “So what center are you all playing at in DC?”
“The MCI Center, if I remember it correctly. You know you…” Kevin was cut off by Q coming up and asking to speak to Sam privately.
“Um…Kevin, you stay here. I’ll get up. You rest while you can. I am sure you need all the rest you can get because from what I gather, your schedule is about to become very demanding.” Sam climbed over Kevin. “Come on Q.” They walked to the back of the airplane. “I’m gathering this has something to do with the things I found today?”
“Yeah. Those things you found at the stadium, we sent them off to the closest lab ASAP. They got right on it. In fact I even have a few facts about it. It seems the numbers off the grenade turned out to be the same as some stolen from a military base. They are trying to track right now the fingerprints that were found on the explosive.” Q explained.
“That is interesting. Do they know what base the stuff was stolen off of? That right there will be our biggest clue. If we don’t have that, we really have nothing to go on.” Sam told Q.
“The lab is pretty sure that the numbers match those that were stolen from the base up north. They said the base name is Fort Myers. You might have heard of it before.” Q assumed.
“Fort Myers?? That is so close to DC. Raduh doesn’t work that close to the east coast. He has a strict policy about only working off the west coast and in Mexico. He pretty much stays in Cali though. So he has to have someone working for him that is close by. I do have a day off coming up. I will take that day and I will go out to Fort Myers and see what they can tell me. It might now be much, but every little bit helps. If we can nail the one who is threatening and trying to hurt, possibly kill, Brian, then a little less we have to worry about.” Sam said.
“I totally agree with you. If you need more than just that one-day off, take it. We have plenty of back up that can fill in for you. Extra security is no problem so don’t worry about it. Ok?”
“Yea. I understand completely Q. So was there anything else on that tape or was the rest blank? Sometimes they do that. Leave more on the tape though it appears the tape is over. Like a warning or something.” Sam was trying to get all the information she could get. The sooner she figured this case out, the sooner she could get to Raduh and close this case. That meant no more Brian. ‘Hell yeah!’ she thought.
“No. But as you could tell by listening to the tape yourself, the voice belonged to a male. They are trying to use the new technology and put a face to the voice by doing a voice scan.” Q explained.
“Yeah. Trust me when I say they really haven’t perfected them that great. Working in my line of work, I get to see and test some of that stuff. I use that one time, they came back with a Britney Spears-wanna-be for me. No offense when I say I’m really not going to trust the face that I get from that test. Right now our biggest concern is to find out who over here is Raduh’s new hit man. I know them all on the west coast.” Sam shook her head.
“Okay. Well if you need any help whatsoever call. I’m here.” Q clarified.
“I’ll keep that in mind Q.” Sam was about to turn and walk away when an idea suddenly struck her. “Well Q…actually you can help me. I wanna make a list of places I might like to visit to get the information I’ll most likely need throughout this trip. The biggest person I need information on though is Brian. That is a tough one that I really don’t want to go straight to the source to talk about to.”
“Yeah. You can always call to get any information you need. But look at it this way. Maybe you and Brian will start to get along. After all you both will be on a tour bus off and on together for your stay.” Q reminded her.
“Oh shit,” Sam rubbed her faced, “Must you remind me of that little fact. I was hating that fact as it was and now that Brian is such a wonderful person I am really not looking anymore forward to it. I really don’t want to be stuck on a bus for hours upon hours when I am so used to doing field work.”
“Well there is always a first time for something. Huh?” Q shrugged his shoulders.
“Yeah, I guess there is.” Sam said falsely. Like she really wanted to be stuck on a bus with a conceited ass pop-star. Oh that was so going to be the highlight of this little assignment. “Well I better take my seat. Wouldn’t want to be out of my seat when the plane lands. Now would I? Have fun visiting your family. See ya some time.” Sam walked back up front.
Kevin was still sitting where he was when she had left. Kevin. Aw yea. This was her source for any information she might need. He seemed friendly. Not overly friend though. That was a good thing. From what she understood Kevin and Brian were cousins and that was why this would be a great friendship. He would prevent her from ever having to talk to Brian. She smiled to herself. “So Kevin…Do you like my company or are you just to lazy to move?” She joked.
Kevin smiled. “A little of both.” Whoa was he shocked. Here Sam was actually smiling and being friendly. Total 180 from earlier. Totally better than that icy exterior she had going on though.
Sam moved to her seat as Kevin got up to allow her in. “Okay then.” Sam sat down.
Kevin sat down again. “You don’t mind me sitting here. Do you?” Kevin asked.
“Seeing how you are already sitting there I think it would be a little unfair to make you move now. So it is cool if you sit there. I mean what am I going to do to you if you don’t move?” Sam joked.
“Oh yeah…I get to sit here. Now my day is completed.” Kevin laughed.
“Well if this seat makes you happy, I bet there are even more comfortable seats closer to the front of the plane. They would probably make you real happy.”
“Why would I wanna sit up there when this seat is comfortable and I have somewhat good company?”
“Touché!” Sam smiled.
“So…what I really want to know is about you. What is your interest? How did you end up with this job? Things like that.” Kevin implored.
“Well…what do you want me to say? That I am actually a secret agent sent by the government to protect your oh so beloved Brian from one of the U.S.’s biggest drug lords.” Sam said sarcastically.
“Wow. Flare for the drama, huh? Now really…tell me about yourself. Where you from? What’s your life like? Simple stuff. Okay?”
“Okay…so here is the dillio. Me, myself, and I are from Washington. This country’s great and fair, let’s not forget fair, capital. My life is hell on earth but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love it. Keeps me on my toes.” Sam shrugged.
“Board. Another thing you have a flare for.” Kevin stated.
“Hey. Can’t give all my secrets away. A girls gotta have some kinda mystery surrounding me.” Sam eluded.
“You really are a piece of work. Something else that is for sure. I have known you less than a day and only talked to you twice and both times it seems like you have brushed me off in some sort of way. Tell me this much though. Do you even listen to our music?”
“Well I think as far as ‘Backstreet’s Back’, well the whole world knows that now. Huh? I like the song though. It had good rhythm. I listen to all kinds of music though. Anything on the radio at the time is what I listen to. I’m not in a teenybopper state though if that is what you are asking.” Sam replied.
“Okay. I see that you are one to notice little things too. Good rhythm. Thank you for that though. Even though I don’t play in the band I am going to take that as a compliment. But back to the subject at hand, what kind of station do you listen to most while driving in your car?”
”Well, actually I don’t drive that often. You can walk almost anywhere in downtown D.C. in no time flat. Good exercise. I own a car though. My friend drives it all the time to and from her classes at college though. It is easier for her to use it.”
“Good friend? Like best friend?” Kevin pried.
“Yeah.” She shook her head. “Something like that…” Sam trailed off. She didn’t really want to get very far into her personal life on this assignment. Getting to far in was always messy and hurtful to some. Besides that it can always be held against her.
“This is your captain speaking…”
Chapter Page
Chapter Three
Chapter Five
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