Chapter Text
The car was silent for most of the drive Rose who sat in the passenger seat ran her finger up and down the armrest. The agent who occupied the driver's seat was tapping out a song with his thumb against the wheel. Looking over the young girl beside him he bit his bottom lip mulling over how to apologize for earlier. “Hey, sorry about that whole Eveline thing.” Cutting the tension in the car he shifted to his right expecting an insult or cutting remark, but nothing came. Rose had already put it out of her mind, but she wouldn’t tell him that until he squirmed for a bit. Tension rose in the car again as the agent twisted and turned trying to think of the best way to make it up to her.
“Hey, how about I bring you back after your done?” He insisted looking back to Rose his eyes widened as he watched a green dot dance around her head. Turning forward he pressed his foot forward smashing the gas pedal against the floorboard. Grinding the side of the car against the others that lined the outskirt of the city he reached over pushing Rose’s head to the dash. “Keep your head down!” he shouted before the windshield shattered raining glass over them both. Keeping her head down Rose turned around looking up to the agent the shoulder of his suit now a glossy crimson. The bullet that shattered the windshield had blown out the side of his neck now squirting his blood against the passenger side door.
Looking over at the petrified Rose he freed his hand from the wheel latching onto the hood of her jacket he pulled her over the hump and into the backseat. Unable to speak he pulled the radio free from his collar tossing it into the backseat for Rose. “This is Rose!” she shouted into the receiver struggling to fit the earpiece into her ear.
“Rose, I need you to stay calm keep your head down we have a team out for you now.” The woman on the other end was cool with a hint of callous something that gave her a shiver. The car slowing down was running out of space for them to escape. Feeling the last bit of strength leaving his body the agent twisted the wheel flipping the car over onto its side sliding into an intersection. Pulling his gun-free he tossed it into the passenger seat hoping Rose would find it as he drifted away.
A few blocks away a woman laid across a concrete roof looked over the wreckage with a warm grin she pulled the chamber free launching a case into the air. Collecting another bullet from a line of ten she slid it inside shutting the chamber with a flick. Rising to her feet she brought the barrel of the rifle over her arm looking over the crowd of spectators that littered the intersection. Angling the crosshair over the underside of the back of the car a shot that wasn’t hers filled roof. A tall man stood in the doorway a green eye trained on her from behind his scope.
“That was a warning shot.” He called out as the scope on the woman’s rifle fell to the floor.
“Some warning shot.” She cooed lowering the rifle to her hip.
“Drop it.” The man stepped free from the door allowing two others to take his side.
“This conversation or.” The man cut her off quickly shuffling forward.
“The gun, on the ground.” Coming within a few feet of her she gave him a mischievous grin raising the rifle out to her side she had it angled to the street below.
“You’re not someone who enjoys free time. No love for games?” she protested giving him a wink. “Alright, Cowboy unfortunately you have to play my game.” Stepping closer to the edge she nodded to a crowd of people. “You do everything I say and someone in that crowd gets to keep breathing.” Watching him intently she gave a sadistic smile as she watched his finger leave the trigger. Taking a seat on the side of the building she nodded for the soldier in front to sit with her.
“Norman, Art.” She asked trying to pull the man into a conversation her efforts only drew a stern glare. “It’s on your tags.” She tapped her chest in the same spot where his dog tags rattled on their necklace. The silence of the roof began to permeate as the two locked eyes neither one giving an inch in their mental tug of war. Giggling nearly uncontrollable to herself she rattled off her name. “Patricia Rip.” This however accomplished nothing but to strike another harsher glare from Norman. “Stoic and brave in the line of duty?” she probed while her brown eyes studied everything about the soldier sitting in front of her. There was nothing his face was stiff as were his arms and legs however she did take note that while she was examining him from head to toe. His eyes were fixed onto hers neither moving towards the gun she had laid across her lap or her arms that twisted in her lap. “What could be running through that thick jarhead of his?” she began to ponder getting lost in her mind for a minute or two before smacking her cheek to bring her out of it. His glare however played with mind part of her thought about questions to ask him while the other ran loose and mad with thoughts about what he would do to her.
Wincing at the thought of turning herself over the thought of her strapped to an integration table with him looming over was enough to solicit a quick giggle. “I love tough types like you.” She expressed wholeheartedly bringing the end of the rifle to the bottom of his jaw. “All big and tough on the outside with soft delicate core on the inside.” Her tongue ran across her top lip quickly before standing to her feet the door behind them swung open with a uniform cop standing in the doorway his pistol drawn, he waved it between each of the armed soldiers. Norman looked back to his side noticing that the woman was already gone with only a single bullet in the place where she sat.
“Easy where the good guys.” The man to the of the officer spoke up first pulling out a leather fold with an id on the outside.
“We collected Rose during your staring match.” The soldier on right sauntered over returning the rifle that Art had before playing Patricia’s game.
“Get a suit down here to clean up the mess and pass the name Patricia Rip to Hannigan.” Tossing the bullet into the soldier’s hands Art made his way to the rooftop door kicking it open. The two followed closely behind leaving the office behind on the roof.
“Art, you going to tell us what happened up there?” The one right behind him asked tapping him on the shoulder.
“It will be in the debrief Billy.” Art spoke bluntly pushing the door to the street open his eyes settled on the sheet a few inches from the flipped car. Pushing through the crowd he ripped through the yellow cation tape quickly coming to the sheet. Raising the top of the sheet a slight hint of rage boiled in his chest as he closed his eyes tightly dropping the sheet back to the ground. “Raymond.” He mumbled channeling his rage into his fist giving the car a swift punch.
“Alex.” He waved over the soldier on his right. “I’ll call his wife, get him cleaned up and out of here.” Stifling the lump in his throat he turned to the crowd of people that still dotted the intersection. “Billy, Pick up Baker and get to the Winters house.” Nodding in agreement Billy turned from the group opening the back door to a jet-black truck climbing inside with Alex following quickly behind. Art waited for the truck to depart before pulling his phone out flipping it open, he hesitated to give the blue umbrella logo a once over. Shutting it he tucked it into his vest pocket before pulling another from his back pocket. Running through the list of contacts he stopped at a number at the very bottom the number had only a single letter above it the letter Z.