Shay Warner ran away from her adopted family as soon as she found out what they truly were: criminals. They lied, they killed, they betrayed her in a way that scarred her forever. It isn't until the police catch up to her that she's forced to go bac...
Alec watched the little red dot on his screen move around New York City. As he sat there at his desk with the speaker silent beside him, he felt relieved. Though Shay did as he asked and sent detailed photos as well as planted a bug, he knew she had chosen Val's side. She was just playing along to buy herself some time and he couldn't blame her. As long as she kept doing as they asked, there was nothing he could do.
"I can't believe we still haven't gotten anything from that bug." Cristina commented as she joined him in the living room. Since Shay had set it up yesterday, only static had come through the speaker.
"I think Valerie has bug-scrambling devices throughout the house." Alec muttered, leaning back in his chair. "Honestly I'm not surprised. She's smart."
Cristina groaned and paced around the living room for a couple minutes. Finally, she stopped and looked at Alec with a look that he was never fond with. "Do you think Shay won't cooperate cause of Noah?"
"Why do you say that?" The possibility of Shay getting with a criminal like Noah made him uneasy.
"Just a gut feeling I guess." Cristina muttered. Then her eyes lit up again with possibility. "We should stake out the house."
He sighed. "We can't let them know we're onto them."
"Do you honestly think Shay hasn't done that already?"
Shrugging, Alec looked at her wearily. "She probably has."
"So there's no harm in looking around, right?"
"I guess not."
Cristina went back to her bedroom to get ready while Alec went to his. Dressing in all black and bringing some equipment with him, he took his time getting ready.
He still couldn't figure out Ramirez. Last night, she was pouring over each case file of the mansion's residents for hours, looking through the database and jotting down details. It was nothing he hadn't done before, so he was confused why she felt the need to do it again. Not to mention her comment about losing friends to Val was still stuck in his mind. Something was not right about her, and he couldn't figure out what it was.
With her recommendation of getting photos of the security system and now going to the house themselves, he couldn't shove away the suspicion that she was planning something that he wasn't a part of.
Regardless, he still drove her to the road that led to Cranberry Lane. Parking on the side of the street, the two agents got out of the SUV with their guns tucked in their waistbands. The blue sign with the street name claimed that this road was private, and after looking at the satellites beforehand, Alec knew it was about a half mile before they would reach the house. No other buildings were within a ten mile radius of the mansion that had a hundred acres all to itself.
Simply put, it was a fucking fortress. Alec was only surprised it didn't have a moat surrounding it.
"There's probably sensors on the driveway." Alec said before Cristina could take another step closer to the paved private road. She stopped, looked at the trees towering over them on both sides, and heaved a sigh.
"There are cameras up there as well." She reported.
"Damn." Alec didn't want to give up though. Just because security was so tight by the driveway didn't mean it was the same all the way around. He stepped into the woods and Cristina followed, each of them treading lightly on the dirt that was blanketed with dead leaves. As they got further from the driveway and deeper into the woods, he kept glancing up to see if there were any more cameras. He didn't see any, but that didn't mean they weren't there. For all he knew, Valerie could have the strealthy kind that were impossible to see with the naked eye unless you knew exactly what to look for. Judging by what he knew about this woman, he'd have to say that was the case.
Still, he would keep looking.
"Have you guys ever come to this place before?" Cristina questioned from behind him.
"One time. The agent made it as far as ten feet down the driveway before a gate stopped him. Valerie met him at the car and asked to see a warrant, which of course he didn't have."
"Ah."
"We didn't see the point in trying again after that." Alec continued. "Not until we have a warrant anyway."
They made it about a quarter of the way around the perimeter when they heard footsteps coming toward them. Both agents drew their weapons and pointed them in the direction of the stranger, ready to pull the trigger if need be. Finally, a man appeared and he had his hands up. He stopped walking once they were about ten feet apart, a hard expression on his face even as he forced a smile.
"Good afternoon, Agent Wilson." The man said while the agents lowered their weapons. His brown eyes narrowed in suspicion when he glanced at Cristina. "I haven't seen you around before, Ms. Ramirez.
Alec glanced at Cristina and saw her flinch.
"I'm new."
"Ah. And what can I do for you two this evening? You know you're on private property, correct?" The man asked. With his thick beard, tall but bulky figure, and graying hair, Alec guessed that this was Eli.
"I apologize, sir. We'll be going on our way." Alec muttered, instantly regretting this foolish idea of staking out the place. At least he made it further than the last man that tried.
"No problem. Have a good day."
Alec turned around first while Cristina stood there for a second longer, as if there something she wanted to say. Thankfully, she kept her mouth shut and followed him instead.
It wasn't until they got back to the car that Alec decided to voice his suspicions. "You're hiding something, aren't you?" He probed as he started the car. Cristina buckled without looking at him.
"No I'm not." She answered easily.
"I think you are. You're on edge, like something's bothering you."
"It's just this case." Cristina explained.
Alec spent most of the drive cursing himself for trusting the newcomer so easily. If he hadn't been so focused on Shay's loyalties, he could have seen earlier on that something was off with Cristina. He stewed in his own self loathing until they got back to the apartment, where he was planning to talk to the general as soon as Cristina went to bed.
He had been just about make the call in the living room when he heard someone approach from behind. Before he could turn and defend himself, he felt something heavy crack against his head.
Then there was nothing.
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