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The Protector-Hunted By Julie O Chapter 1 Special Agent Ally Burns sat nervously in her doctor's examination room. She was wearing a paper-cloth examination gown that barely covered her body. In addition to her annual agency physical, the purpose of the examination was to check on the progress of her shoulder. It had been almost nine months since a crazed serial killer had plunged a large hunting knife into Ally's right shoulder. The recovery was slow and Ally was worried that she might need more surgery. Thanks to physical therapy, she had regained much of her original range of motion, but the shoulder was still weak. More surgery would mean that she would have to delay her return to fieldwork for the immediate future. While Ally was the head of a department, she still liked to get out of the office. The Director of the Agency had turned a blind eye to her participation in the raid on the Simon's farm in Maryland, but he had also told her that was a special case. There were other reasons for Ally's fear of more surgery. One was the impending wedding of Donna and Ed. Donna was her top agent and one of her best friends. Additional surgery would cause even more problems, as Ally was part of the wedding party. Ally still couldn't believe that Donna had selected her to be her maid of honor. The biggest reason for Ally's apprehension was the surgery she was actually looking forward to - getting her sexual reassignment surgery. Ally's SRS date was dependent upon the status of her shoulder. Ally found that she was rubbing her shoulder. She did that whenever she was worried. She silently cursed Brian Wilcox; he was the bastard who had stabbed her. His recent death in prison had done nothing to ease her hatred of him. There was little satisfaction in knowing that he had died due to complications from the wounds she had given him. Ally was snapped out of her daydreaming by the sound of the door opening. Dr. Harry Oliver walked in, reviewing her chart. Harry was in his fifties and had been with the agency for the past twenty years. He was a short, stocky man with a gray beard. His glasses hung on the end of his nose as he reviewed Ally's medical history. "Good afternoon, Agent Burns." he greeted, without lifting up his head. "Hi, Doc." replied Ally. She tried to be cheerful, but there was a tone of apprehension in her voice. He put the chart down and began to rotate her shoulder. He seemed to know just how far he could move it before causing severe pain. He stopped just as Ally began to wince in pain. "Well, I have mixed news for you. First, I don't think that your shoulder will get much better. However, I don't think surgery will help much either. Unfortunately, the knife wound caused more damage that we originally suspected." he explained. Ally waited for him to finish. "Why did it have to be a knife wound?" he grumbled to himself out loud. Ally shrugged her shoulders, feeling a slight twinge of pain in the right shoulder. "Steve said the same thing. He said that a gunshot would have healed faster." Harry looked up with a disgusted look on his face. "Don't get me started with him! Agent Williams should know; he's been wounded both ways!" Ally could tell that Harry's gruff attitude was all a bluff, and that he really cared about the agents. She did her best to hide her smile. "So, what do you suggest?" "Ally, all I can do is recommend that you continue with your therapy." he answered. "What about my official status?" asked Ally in a worried tone. "If you were a fulltime field agent, it would be a problem. However, in your present assignment I don't have any issues. I will tell you that the shoulder most likely will get worse as you age." explained Harry. "I still want to be able to do field work." interrupted Ally. "I wouldn't recommend it. Ally. To be completely honest, you're damn lucky to be alive. You're mobility is limited and it would be a problem in the field. I'll reexamine you in four months, but I don't expect you to improve much." replied Harry bluntly. "I also should tell you that it may get worse over time." "Your bedside manner isn't very good." stated Ally. She had a forced smile on her face. Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I wish I could give you better news, but I can't and I won't lie to you either." Ally nodded and sighed. "So, what can I expect in the future?' Harry thought about how he would phrase his answer. "Doc, you can give it to me straight." stated Ally, with a nervous smile on her face. "Over the long term, your shoulder will become very bothersome. It will ache during cold or damp weather. There is a possibility of developing arthritis as you age. Your mobility will decrease at a much faster rate than normal." replied Harry. Ally sighed. It confirmed what she had researched on the Internet. "What do you recommend?" "Continue with your exercise program. I would recommend that you add swimming to your routine. The main thing is to stay active." he replied. "I can prescribe a pain killer when it gets really bad." Ally nodded. "It's not fair." she mumbled to herself. She began to rub her shoulder. Hearing her comment, Harry reached over and gently pulled her hand down from her shoulder. "No one said life was fair. Overall, you're in excellent health. The shoulder will be something you'll have to deal with, but I doubt it will slow you down. From what I've seen of you, it would take something far more serious!" Ally cracked a larger smile. "Thanks. I needed that. "How's your transition going?" he asked, as he pulled up a chair and sat down next to the examination table. "As you can see, the hormones are doing their job." stated Ally, holding her arms out to show off her figure. Her breasts were B-cup and there was a definite weight shift from her waist to her hips. "Yes, they're amazing. The good news is that I will send a note to your surgeon explaining your current situation. I know he's been waiting for a status report on your shoulder." "Thanks, Doc." "When are you planning on the surgery?" he asked. "Now that the shoulder wouldn't be operated on, I guess I'll ask for a date in January or February. Carol is putting in for a leave of absence for the first few weeks of my recovery." Carol was Ally's lover and partner. It was common knowledge in the department that they were a couple. "I've been researching the procedure, it's really quite amazing what they can do these days." stated Harry. "I'll just be glad when it's over." remarked Ally. Harry nodded and stood up. "Let me finish your exam so you can get back to work." Thirty minutes later he was finished. "Well, other than the shoulder, you're in great shape. See you in a few months, and don't hesitate to come in if you need anything." "Thanks, Doc." replied Ally. Chapter 2 "How did it go?" asked Donna. Ally was sitting at her desk reviewing the weekly reports. Donna was sitting next to her. Ally was training Donna to take over for her while she was recovering from her upcoming SRS. Ally also was planning for the day when she was promoted. Donna would be a great choice to run the department. "No additional surgery for now, but Doc Oliver isn't optimistic about it getting any better." replied Ally. "Will it get worse?" asked Donna in a concerned voice. "Maybe." lied Ally. "Don't worry, it won't interfere with my duties for the big day!" Donna laughed. "Good, for a moment I thought you might stoop to surgery to get out of the wedding!" "I'd never do that. I must admit that I'm still in awe that you picked me for your maid of honor." replied Ally. "That reminds me. My mom wants you to call her, she has some questions about the shower." stated Donna. "I have her number on my speed dial." laughed Ally. "Actually, your mom has been really nice." "I know. She wasn't initially pleased when I told her that I wanted you as my maid of honor. I asked her to withhold her judgment until after she met you." confessed Donna. "I decided to turn on my charm, instead of threatening her with my gun." laughed Ally. Donna joined her in the laughter. "Considering the short time you gave us, I'm amazed we've put everything together so quickly." stated Ally. "I know, but Ed is leaving in October for an overseas deployment, and we wanted to get married before he left." answered Donna. "We also wanted a real wedding and not just a civil service." "I thought he was going to be on shore duty for a while?" asked Ally, as she picked up her can of Diet Coke and took a sip. "He is, but part of the job involves temporary deployments to assist deployed units." replied Donna. "So, you're getting a dose of how to be a Navy wife right off the bat?" "Yep. Ed hasn't decided if he wants to make the Navy a career yet. He does understand that I have a career too. I was hoping he might consider joining the agency." "May I ask you something?" asked Ally "Sure." replied Donna. "I know Ed knows all about me. Does he mind?" asked Ally, sipping her Diet Coke. Donna shook her head no. "He was surprised when I told him, but he has no objections." Ally smiled. "Thanks." Donna nodded, and then sat there in silence for a moment, as if all the changes in her life were suddenly crystal clear. "I can't believe that I'm getting married in less than a month!" "I can't believe that I'm hosting your first bridal shower at my home this Saturday." added Ally, with a laugh. "I tried to keep the list of invitees small." "With all the agency people on your list, we'll be the best armed bridal shower in the area!" quipped Ally. Donna laughed. "The hardest thing about planning the wedding was finding dresses that could conceal guns." "I'm glad I set up a bridal registry for you at the gun store." added Ally. They both started laughing again. "So, what time do you want me to be at your place Saturday?" asked Donna, as she wiped the tears out of eyes. "The invitation was for three." stated Ally. "Of course. I'm becoming so absent minded lately!" "It's understandable. By the way, in accordance with your wishes, the bachelorette party will be next weekend." remarked Ally. "I can't wait!" replied Donna. "I don't want it too close to the wedding, as I want everyone in one piece. I also made Ed promise to have his bachelor party the same weekend. I want everyone out of jail before the wedding." "Don't worry, Steve is helping Ed's friends plan it." added Ally, with a smile. Donna shook her head in mock disgust. "That's supposed to make me feel better?" They both started laughing again. "So, tell me again when will the second shower be?" "Wednesday. The women here want to take you out for a supper after work." answered Ally. Chapter 3 "So where did you get the idea for the theme for the bridal shower?" asked Maggie, as she laid out the silverware. Maggie, Carol, and Beth were helping Ally set up for the party. Thankfully, there was a slight break from the normal humid weather and Ally was able to use the deck, in addition to the living room. "I saw it on a website. Donna told me that neither she nor Ed had much in the way of kitchen items. So, a recipe shower seemed like the perfect match." replied Ally. Guests were asked to bring a favorite dish, with the recipe along with kitchen items. This also turned the shower into a pot-luck as far as food was concerned, and that greatly reduced Ally and Carol's need to prepare refreshments. "I'm amazed that Ally thought of it. After all, her idea of cooking is ordering takeout." quipped Carol. "That's only because I love your cooking!" replied Ally in a sweet tone. She then blew a kiss to her lover. Carol pretended to catch it. "So who else is coming?" asked Beth, ignoring Ally and Carol's actions. "Some are people from work. You know many of them, Jenna, Cathleen, Michelle, and a few other women in our department. Donna also invited a few of her friends from college. Of course, Donna's mom will be here." stated Ally. "Celeste couldn't make it, but she is coming down for the wedding." "That's cool." replied Beth. "You know, the cooking stuff is okay, but when do we give Donna all the fun stuff?" "That'll be at the bachelorette party." replied Ally, as she selected several bottles of wine for the shower. "You're not going to that party." interrupted Maggie. "How come I can be part of the wedding party, but I can't go to the bachelorette party?' asked Beth. "Maybe, it's because you're still legally underage." answered Maggie, with a smile. Beth gave her mother a disgusted look. "Technically, I'm older than Donna." "That may be true, but you're still not going." replied Maggie with a smile. "That is so unfair!" exclaimed Beth, as she stomped her foot. "Did you throw hissy fits when you were in the navy?" kidded Maggie. Beth smiled and stuck her tongue out at Maggie. "I know it's tough, but there isn't a lot we can do about it. On the bright side, you'll be in college next year." stated Maggie, as she hugged Beth. "I understand. I don't like it, but I understand." replied Beth. The doorbell rang and as Carol answered the door, she turned to Maggie, Ally, and Beth. "The guests are arriving, try to act normal!" This was greeted by laughter. Chapter 4 The shower was a real success and Ally was very pleased with how everything went. What struck Ally the most was how well accepted she was by the other women. Granted, many were from work and they knew her status, and they didn't care. Donna's civilian friends were totally cool with Ally, as were two of Donna's cousins. Donna's mom seemed very pleased with the shower. Thanks to Carol, Ally had long adopted an attitude of being open about her gender status. She didn't advertise that she was transgendered, but she didn't lie about it either. Carol told Ally that her true friends would accept her, and that many people wouldn't care one way or the other. As for those who were offended or disgusted by Ally's status, Carol said they could go to hell. It was a bit simplistic, but it felt better than trying to hide the truth. Ally wondered how hard it must be to be Beth. At least people knew about transgenderism, the idea that someone could be physically changed via a genetic process would be terrifying for many. She was impressed at how well Beth handled the stress. Donna was very pleased with the gifts and the recipes. "All this is going to force me to finally learn to cook!" "It's not that hard, all you need is a willingness to try." explained Carol, glancing over at Ally. "Hey, I accept that I'm a disaster in the kitchen. I'm content to be really good at selecting wines." stated Ally in her own defense. "I have to agree that Ally knows her wine." added Michelle. She took a sip and held out her glass. "This one is excellent." "Yes, but how can anyone who likes good wine so much also drink so much Diet Coke?" piped in Donna. Ally interrupted them. "I don't drink that much Diet Coke!" "Come on Ally, soon the soda delivery man will be making a special stop in your office." retorted Donna, with a laugh. "Hmm, I may have to rethink my succession plan. I can't have my second in charge mocking me!" laughed Ally. After the shower, they cleaned up and packed up the mountain of leftovers. "So who is taking all this food with them?" asked Carol. "Ed said that he and his friends will finish it all off." replied Donna. "That way I'll know what recipes he likes." "Don't spoil him too much!" interjected Michelle, with a laugh. "I just want to thank you all for the wonderful shower." stated Donna, as she starting hugging everyone. Ally looked at her watch and turned to Jenna. "You win. I thought she'd go at least a half-hour before thanking us again!" Donna tossed a towel at Ally, who ducked out of the way. Chapter 5 Later that evening, Carol and Ally were lying together in bed. Ally had her head resting on Carol's shoulder. "I have to agree with Donna, it was a lovely event." stated Carol softly to Ally. "It was nice." answered Ally. There was a sight touch of sadness to her voice. "What's wrong?" asked Carol, as she ran her hand through Ally's hair. "Nothing. Well, that's not true. I guess I'm a little jealous of Donna. I wish we could have a real wedding too." replied Ally. "It's just not fair, we're in love too, why should it matter to anyone else?" "I know what you mean. Technically, you're still male, so we could get married." stated Carol. Ally turned and looked at Carol and shook her head no. "It's not the same. I'm not Al Burns anymore." Ally's frustration was starting to show. Carol nodded. "Well, Honey, until the day the rest of the world changes, we'll have to get by the best we can. I love you, Ally, and no law can stop that." She then leaned over and kissed Ally. Ally felt Carol's lips against her own, and suddenly her problems began to fade away. Chapter 6 Monday morning found Ally and Donna reviewing the cases assigned to their department. They were currently working with six police departments, in addition to their own caseload. "Mom was really impressed with the shower. She's still a bit confused when it comes to your transition, but she does accept you as a woman." remarked Donna. Ally smiled and then pointed to one of the files. "Tell me about this case." Donna picked it up and opened it up. "Arlington, Virginia PD got an anonymous tip about a pedophile cruising for transgendered teens. They requested our assistance. We made contact with the suspect two weeks ago." "A tip? That's odd!" exclaimed Ally. "I know, but it looks good. The police think it's legit and they wanted to take a shot at it. We made contact on the net with a suspect, and he wants to meet our 'girl' soon. The police have an officer picked out to play her and they're ready to take the case over." explained Donna. "Who has been playing the teen online?" asked Ally. "Kelly Jenkins. I've been keeping an eye on her, she's pretty good. She's been working over at their station the past few days, briefing the officer." "Good. She is good, but new." stated Ally. She then let out a big sigh. "I should be out with the team more. I hate the fact that I'm stuck in this office so much!" Kelly was one of the new agents recruited by Ally. She was almost the same size and build as Ally, although her hair was slightly longer and was dyed reddish blond. Donna kidded Ally that they looked like sisters. Kelly had been working cases on her own for a few months, and she had the tendency to act first, before getting permission. Ally was trying to find a balance between making her conform to agency rules, while at the same time not discouraging her excellent investigative skills. "Is there anything I can do to help?" asked Donna. "No, not really. I feel bad enough that you'll have this whole load on your shoulders soon." "I don't mind. I think it's great that you will soon be whole." replied Donna. "Let's see if you feel the same way after a few days behind this desk." quipped Ally. Donna and Ally continued to review the cases. They were presently assisting several police departments across the nation. David, one of their best investigators, was down in Florida. He was holding a seminar on the use of the Internet to trap sexual predators. Following the seminar he would be spending six weeks in Chicago, assisting the police in setting up their own Internet department. Donna was just about to leave, when Ally asked again about the case with the Arlington PD. "Tell me more about this tip we got." asked Ally, leaning back in her chair, sipping a Diet Coke. "It's in this file." stated Donna. She picked up a file and opened it. "Two weeks ago the Arlington PD received a phone call telling them about a man who could be a pedophile. The tip stated that he was cruising the chat rooms looking for a transgendered teen." "I've been doing this for a while and I've never gotten a tip like this. These guys are rather secretive by nature. They're not the type to announce to others their intentions. What did the phone message say exactly?" asked Ally. "Let me see. I don't see a word for word transcript in the file. Maybe Kelly has it." stated Donna. "Call up Kelly and have her report to me. I sense something is wrong about this." ordered Ally. Donna picked up her phone and dialed Kelly's number. "No answer. I'll try the Arlington PD." Ally read through the file as Donna talked to the police. The case itself seemed normal, but the phone tip still seemed out of the ordinary. "They're out on a stakeout. Apparently the suspect wanted to meet with the bait-teen." replayed Donna. "When Kelly gets back in the office have her report to me. She should know that going out on a stakeout requires my permission." replied Ally, a touch of anger in her voice. "I will, but don't be too hard on her." Ally cracked a small smile. "I won't, but she needs to follow department rules. Even I do that...most of the time." Chapter 7 Mid-afternoon Ally was making the rounds of her office when her cell phone went off. Ally answered and heard the voice of her boss, Robert Ledyard. "I was just notified that an undercover officer for the Arlington PD was killed in a stakeout operation. Don't worry, it wasn't your agent." "What happened?" asked Ally. She tried to appear calm, but every worse case scenario began to flood her mind. "Apparently, the police were running a stakeout and the suspect never showed up. As they were leaving, the officer playing the bait was shot. It looks like it was from a high-powered rifle." explained Robert. "I want you to help them find out what went wrong." "I understand." replied Ally. "I'm leaving right now." "Your point of contact with the Arlington PD is Detective Jack Morgan. He'll be expecting you." "I'll be there shortly." stated Ally. She tracked down Donna and explained what had happened. "You're in charge until I get back. Get together everything we have on this case." "I will." replied Donna. Chapter 8 Ally drove over to the Arlington Police Station. The heat and humidity had returned with a vengeance. She had the A/C on high and still felt hot. The idea that an officer had been killed due to one of their operations was upsetting. Ally wondered what had gone wrong. In most of the arrests, the suspect offered little resistance. Oh, there was occasional violence during captures of suspects, but nothing like this. Sometimes the suspect tried to fight off the officers trying to arrest him, and occasionally one pulled a gun or a knife, but this was something new and frightening. It was obvious that this was a deliberate attack on the police department. Jack Morgan was waiting for her arrival. He was a big bear of a man, in his forties, with dark brown short hair. After introductions they moved to his office. "Your agent is over at the hospital, she's being treated for shock. She was standing just a few inches away from officer Casey." stated Jack, as he poured Ally a cup of coffee. Ally nodded. "I'm sorry about your department's loss. Tell me about ..." "Her name was Jamie Casey. She was fresh out of the academy. She volunteered for the bait-teen position. She found the idea of her playing a boy who was playing a girl amusing." interrupted Jack. He handed Ally a photograph of Jamie Casey. "I want this bastard badly." "So do I. Tell me about the investigation." asked Ally. She could sense his anger over the loss of the officer. She looked at the photo of the pleasant looking young officer. Jamie had red hair and a great smile. "As you know, we've been working with your agency for a while in setting up our own Internet surveillance department. When the tip arrived, we ran with it. Your agent was of great assistance. Today, the suspect asked to meet with our bait-teen. We went with it and set up a meeting at a local park. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. When he didn't show up, we figured that he'd got cold feet. As Jamie was getting into the van, she was shot in the back with a single rifle shot. She fell into the arms of Agent Jenkins." explained Jack. "Can I listen to the tape of the tip phone call?" asked Ally. "Sure. I found it a little strange myself, but I didn't think it was a setup." answered Jack. He pulled out a tape recorder and placed a cassette inside. A garbled voice could be heard. "Look, I know this guy who is a real pervert. He's cruising the net looking' for some piece of tranny ass. He wants a kid, the younger the better. Look, I don't like to get involved in things like this, but I don't like to see kids, even fags, get hurt. They should be protected and I was hoping you knew a way to stop him. Kids need a protector from someone like him..." "Stop the tape. Play that section back." interrupted Ally. Jack nodded and replayed the tape. Ally sat there in silence. "What're you thinking about?" asked Jack. "Just a theory. Have you heard of the 'Protector'?" asked Ally. Jack nodded. "Sure. The net boogeyman for sexual predators, why?" "I think that whoever shot Jamie, might have been trying to kill the Protector. There have been rumors of a bounty out there." stated Ally. "But why kill Jamie? She was just a kid." "Killing her may have been a mistake. You said that Jamie was shot just in front of Kelly?" asked Ally. Jack reviewed his notes. "Yes, she was right in front of her. Why is this important?" "It's just a theory. There have been rumors about a bounty on the Protector. We never took them all that seriously. We investigated them and found they were just angry rants from frightened pedophiles." explained Ally. "So, why would someone shoot Jamie?" asked Jack. "I don't think they were aiming for her." replied Ally. "Kelly can't be the Protector, she told me she's only been with the agency a short time. I've been hearing stories of the Protector for a couple of years." continued Jack. "No, but the shooter may have thought Kelly was the Protector and unfortunately Jamie stepped in the way." "Why would the shooter think Kelly was the Protector?" asked Jack. "Because she looks like me. I'm the one that started the Protector myth, or rather the myth was based on my work." explained Ally. She then went on to tell him how the DA back in California had dubbed her the Protector. "So, you think that the whole thing was a set up to get you?" asked Jack. "It's just one possible theory." answered Ally. "It makes more sense than anything else I can think of at the moment. If you're right then we've got a real serious situation out there. We can't allow anyone to start taking out bounties on us. I know this case could be taken over by you guys, but I want to stay a part of it. Jamie was one of mine and I want whoever did this." stated Jack firmly. Ally nodded. "I recommend that you continue with your investigation. We'll hit it at our end and you hit it at yours. I'll do my best to keep you informed. In the meantime, we need to find out how this happened and how whoever did this knew so much about both your organization and mine. Do me a favor and don't mention my theory to anyone else here, okay?" Jack nodded. "I understand your concern. I hate to admit it, but there might be a leak in my department." Ally called up Robert and told him her theory. She was hoping that he would disagree and tell her she was on a wild goose chase. Instead, he totally agreed with her. "I want to see you as soon as you get back her. I'll have Kelly escorted back here, she's in danger, as are you." Robert stated. Ally knew there was no sense in arguing over the phone. "We'll be sending over a team to meet with the Arlington PD. Don't worry, you're going to be a part of this investigation, Ally." "Thanks, I appreciate that." replied Ally. Chapter 9 When Ally arrived back in her office, she found that Donna had compiled all the information regarding the original investigation. The data was spread out across the conference table in their operations center. "So far, nothing stands out as being obviously strange." reported Donna, as she looked up from the files. "Then look for the obviously normal." replied Ally. She grabbed a Diet Coke out of the fridge and sat down next to Donna. "We're going to need some major computer help on this one." "I've already called Cathleen. She said she'd be up here as soon as possible." answered Donna. Ally nodded and cracked a grin, "You're good." Cathleen was the agency's top computer tech. She had helped Ally's department in many cases. "I had good a good teacher." replied Donna. "Enough self-praise. We need to find this bastard. Have we received the recordings of the chat room conversations between the suspect and Kelly?" "Not yet. They promised to get them to us soon." replied Donna. "I have them right here." interrupted Kelly, as she walked in the room. "Give them to Donna. How're you doing?" asked Ally. "Do you feel up to working?" "I'm okay. I want who did this to Jamie." replied Kelly, as she sat down at the table. "We'll get him. I need you to tell me everything that happened, from the time you first began to help them until the shooting." stated Ally. "I want you to do it right now, while it's still fresh in your mind." "I understand. Why would a sex offender shoot an officer?" asked Kelly. "That's what we're going to find out." answered Ally. She then shot Donna a glance. Donna figured that Ally had a good reason not telling Kelly her theory on the shooting and gave Ally a slight nod back. Kelly sat down at a computer and began to type. Ally wanted Kelly busy and figured that the report would take her several hours to finish. "Donna, get that disc to Cathleen and have her run it through our database of previous chat room conversations. There's a possibility that we've talked with him before." stated Ally. "I'm also going to have records get us an update on the location of all the creeps we've caught." Donna let out a low whistle. "That will take a while to do." "True, but I don't see an alternative. I also want you to have to all of our agents review the conversations. They might recognize him." "How late do you want us to work on this?" asked Donna. Ally looked at the clock. It was almost 5 PM. "I want this done right. I doubt if we'll find the answer immediately. We need clear minds for this, so no all- nighters." announced Ally. "Donna, I do want you to do one more thing. Call the entire staff together. I want to talk to them in thirty minutes." A short time later, Ally was looking at the faces of her agents. She knew that they needed support. This was the first time that there had been a fatality in any of their operations. Ally invited Jenna to attend the meeting. She also wanted Jenna to meet with Kelly. "I called you all together to reassure you that we will do our best to capture whoever shot Officer Casey. We're part of the investigation and we will do our part. I also want you to continue your work on your present cases. We cannot, and will not, allow someone to intimidate us." announced Ally. Many of the agents were nodding in agreement. That was good, thought Ally. They're angry and not scared. "Why do you think this happened?" asked Joe Davis. Joe had transferred to the department six months earlier. He was 24, short and thin. Like many of the agents he had graduated early from college. Joe had been recruited to the agency upon graduation from The University of Connecticut. He had a great personality and fit in immediately. He didn't even mind when Donna kidded him about using him as a girl on a future stakeout. "I have a theory, but I don't want to disclose it at the moment. I'd prefer that we examine the case with open minds. There will be a copy of the chat room conversations with the suspect available for review. All agents will review it. I want you to look for anything familiar. There will be a daily meeting and, as usual, I want you to feel free to contribute." "What about ongoing investigations?" asked Kelly. "We'll continue to operate. There will be added precautions for future stakeouts." answered Ally. "Are there any other questions?" There was silence in the room. "I want to remind everyone that we have rules for a reason. All participation in ANY stakeout requires my permission. Is that clear?" asked Ally. The agents nodded their heads in agreement. "I have the greatest confidence in you. This bastard has no idea of who he is messing with." stated Ally confidently. That caused a few agents to smile and nod. "Kelly, I need to see you in my office. As for the rest of you, get back to work!" ordered Ally. "Yes, Mom!" replied the agents in a chorus. Ally smiled inside to herself. It was the response she was hoping for. Kelly followed Ally and Jenna into Ally's office. Ally closed the door behind them and then sat down. "Please have a seat, Kelly. There's a couple of reasons why I called you in here. We have rules in this department. You violated several today. This will not happen again." stated Ally, firmly but in a calm tone. Kelly nodded. "Second, we believe that you were the actual target. There's a possibility that the shooter thought you were me." continued Ally. "I don't understand." interrupted Kelly. "To be more specific, they might have thought you were the Protector. We're checking the possibility that the shooter was trying to collect a bounty." added Ally. "There was an article about the Protector last year in the Post. They didn't list my name, but they gave a general physical description of me, and said that I assisted police departments. Unfortunately, you also fit that description." Kelly sat there for a moment, lost in thought. "Do you think that I said or did something to cause the shooting?" Ally shrugged her shoulders, ignoring the slight twinge of pain. "To be honest, I don't know. The shooter may have been fishing for one of us, like we fish for them. He may have seen you and figured that he got lucky. When you type out your report, try to recall every detail possible. I'd like to have this be the best, most thorough report you've ever written. Both of our lives may depend on it." "I will." replied a very subdued Kelly. "Also, keep this to yourself for the moment. It's not that I don't trust our department, I just want to make sure that we don't pass up any other possible motives for the shooting." explained Ally. "So you think that there might be another reason for the shooting?" asked Kelly hopefully, as the seriousness of the situation sank in. "No. I have a feeling about this one, and in the past my feelings have been right." answered Ally. Jenna coughed to remind Ally that she was still there. Jenna was one of the Agency's therapists. Ally turned to her and cracked a small grin. She then turned back to Kelly. "The reason Jenna is here is that I want you two to talk. You just went through a very traumatic episode and from personal experience I know that you'll need to talk about it." explained Ally. "I appreciate the offer, but I'd rather get back to work." stated Kelly. "Kelly, this isn't a request." interrupted Ally. "One more thing, you will have an extra shadow for the next few days." "What do you... Oh, I understand." replied Kelly. "If it you makes you feel any better, the agency will have someone watching me too." smiled Ally. "If you need anything, let me know." "Thank you, Ally." "Ally, may we use your office?" asked Jenna. "It would save us a walk across the compound." "Sure, not a problem. I need to talk to Donna and then Robert." stated Ally as she got up. "There's Diet Coke in the fridge." Chapter 10 Ally pulled Donna aside. "Call up David and have him drop down into the sewer." Donna chuckled as Ally used their slang for the chat rooms that attracted pedophiles. David had established several personas that were regulars in the rooms. "I take it you want him to see if there is any buzz out there on the shooting." replied Donna. Ally nodded. "I'm going up to see Robert. I'll see you tomorrow." As she walked up to see her boss, Ally's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. Had she brought this upon herself? The department had had a lot of success and maybe they had become a bit arrogant. Ally wondered if she had gotten slack, with both herself and the rest of the department. In short, Ally began to blame herself for the death of Officer Casey and for putting Kelly's life in danger. She arrived outside Robert's office, took a deep breath and knocked. "Come on in, Ally." announced Robert, without looking up from his computer. "I know your knock." She smiled and sat down. "I have the department working on the case." Ally then briefed Robert on her actions. He nodded in agreement. "There will be a meeting tomorrow afternoon at one." stated Robert. "Good. Are you in charge of the overall investigation?" "Joint operation. For now, the Arlington PD will do the investigation. Our assistance will be low key. I agree with your theory about the shooting. If we jump in with both feet and the shooter has an inside info source, he might think that we're on to something." explained Robert. "How is the press being handled? We don't want a panic on our hands." remarked Ally. "The press will simply be told that it was a stakeout gone bad." replied Robert. Ally nodded. "Well, my plan is to go back to fishing. Once the shooter realizes that he missed, he may want to try again. We may get lucky and catch him. He may not suspect that we're hunting him." "Good. Now, go home." he ordered. There was a grin on his face. "I'll see if I can pick up my tail on the way home." Ally smiled. "It will make the drive go faster." "Not a chance, Steve assigned one of his best agents to watch over you." replied Robert. "I feel a bit silly needing someone to watch over me." "Don't. We don't know what we're dealing with, and I can't afford to lose you." Ally nodded and left. She suddenly felt a little better. Robert's words meant a lot to her. Chapter 11 Over dinner, Carol and Ally talked about the day. "Have you ever lost someone who was working for you?" asked Ally, as she took a sip of wine. "No, but I've had agents injured." replied Carol. "It's never easy to deal with." "I feel guilty over the death of Jamie, and I never even met her." said Ally, as she stared off into space. "I understand. It's always easier to put yourself in harm's way. Ally, you're a supervisor and sending agents out is part of your job. Knowing you as I do, I know that you would not be content to going back to just being a worker bee. However, I don't have any magic words to make you feel better. Not that I really need to remind you, but I will be here for you." Carol stated, as she reached over and took Ally's hand in hers. Ally looked at Carol. "What scares me is that if my theory is right and this is a bounty hunter, then I'm going to have to put someone out there as bait. I know I've done that before, but this is different. This time we're going after a killer. I think about what could go wrong and it makes the decision difficult." "You assign people to cases all the time, that's part of your job. On every stakeout there is the possibility of something going wrong. You know that." Carol reminded her. Ally nodded and looked down at her shoulder. "I guess that's contributing to my fears." "Honey, you're human just like the rest of us. You have to trust your instinct and the agency. This shooter has shown his hand, we're aware of him now, and we'll get him." reassured Carol. "What scares me about this guy is that he knows that I, or rather, the Protector, cares about transgendered teens. He more or less stated that in his phone call." "That will work in your favor. Use it against him." Ally looked at Carol and broke out in a soft smile. "Thanks for listening to my whining." "You're a lot of maintenance, but I knew that going in." replied Carol with a laugh. "Hmm, you think I'm a lot of trouble now, just wait until I'm recovering from my surgery!" Carol laughed and leaned over and kissed Ally. Chapter 12 Ally arrived early in the office and was pleased to see that most of her agents were already at work. Donna saw her walk in and waved her over. "David called me late last night. Looks like you're right about the motive." "Tell me in my office." replied Ally. They walked into Ally's office and Donna closed the door behind her. "David told me that he learned of the shooting in a private conversation in the chat room. He said that the other man told him that someone had tried to kill the Protector and that he'd almost succeeded." Donna told Ally. "What else did he learn?" asked Ally hopefully. "Not a lot, except that the rumor was that the shooter promised to get the job done the next time." Ally nodded and looked at her watch. "I'll call Robert, he should be here by now." "When do we tell the others?" asked Donna. "After I tell Robert. Does Cathleen have anything?" asked Ally. "She's still checking. I'm having everyone review the transcripts of the chat room conversations with the suspect. Maybe something will stand out with someone." explained Donna. "Is Kelly in?" asked Ally. Donna noticed the tone of concern in Ally's voice and nodded. "She got in right before you. She's over in the operations room printing out her report." "Okay, I'll call Robert and I'll meet you in operations shortly." Donna nodded and left. Ally took a deep breath and called Robert. Ally waited for him to pick up the phone. She cursed herself for being right. Why couldn't it have been just some simple wacko, she thought? Robert answered the phone after the second ring. "I was right, it looks like we've been targeted." greeted Ally. "That's what my sources say too." confirmed Robert. "Your sources?" asked a surprised Ally. "I'll tell you about them later. The meeting has been moved up to noon. Will you be ready?" asked Robert. "I'll do my best." stated Ally, honestly. "I can't ask for more." replied Robert. Ally hung up the phone, took another deep breath, and headed out to talk to her agents. Chapter 13 Ally walked into the operations center and had Donna call everyone together. "It looks like the reason for yesterday's shooting was to target us. The rumors about a bounty appear to be true." stated Ally. She watched her agents for their reactions. She was pleased to see anger and not fear. "Are you or Kelly in immediate danger?" asked Joe. "I doubt it. I think the shooter was looking for a blonde at the stakeout. However, the fact that he took a shot at Kelly means that he has a general description of me." replied Ally. "The agency has assigned surveillance for both of us. Personally, I don't think the shooter will try anything until another stakeout." "Why do you say that?" asked Kelly. "Instinct. This person is trying to collect a bounty and send a message. What better way than to kill the Protector at a stakeout designed to catch a sexual predator?" asked Ally. "So what can we do?" asked Joe angrily. "We do our jobs." interrupted Donna. Ally smiled. "What Donna said. We have a collection of great minds in this room; let's use them to catch this bastard. In the meantime, I want everyone to continue with his or her present caseload. Everyone will also review the transcripts of the chat room conversations between Kelly and the suspect. As you work online, I want you to keep an eye out for the suspect." "I finished the report you asked for." stated Kelly, handing Ally a disc and a printout of her report. "Good. Give Donna a copy too." answered Ally. "Donna, I want you to read it this morning." "Don't worry, Mom! We'll get him." Joe exclaimed. Ally nodded. "I'll let you all get back to work. By the way, the shower is still on for Wednesday after work." Chapter 14 Ally inserted the disc in her computer and called up Kelly's report. For the next two hours she read it, while making notes. What Ally wanted to know was what had tipped off the suspect that he had made contact with the police. Obviously, something had gone wrong. Something that Kelly said online might have given away the sting. Ally also had a copy of the transcripts of the online conversations and reviewed them at the same time. Ally checked the biography of the bait-teen. Kelly had used their formula and everything looked normal. The biography was designed to be detailed enough to look real, but vague enough to avoid problems. Agents were told not to give away full names or addresses or anything that could be readily checked. It was a real balancing act and if done properly there would be few problems. Ally hoped that she wouldn't find any mistakes. She was sure that Kelly was feeling guilty enough as it was. Ally felt better knowing that Donna was doing the exact same task. Between the two of them, any errors in procedure should be detected. After all, they were the two people who had written and re-written the department procedures. Looking up at the clock, Ally saw that she had enough time to grab a quick lunch and then head to the meeting. She debated eating at her desk, but decided against it. She needed to set the example for the department. She wanted her agents to work hard, but not kill themselves, unless it was absolutely necessary. Ally walked over to the lunchroom thinking about the case. The case was becoming clearer to her. The shooter would try again, but he would wait. He would sit back and watch for anything unusual, then he would try again if he thought it was safe. She wasn't sure how she knew this, but it just made sense. She also didn't think that this was the first time that the suspect had tried to run his own sting and wondered when Cathleen would get back to her with the requested information. Ally got a tossed salad, a bowl of tomato soup, and a can of Diet Coke. She sat down alone and thought about the case as she ate. The stalking of the shooter would soon begin again. Every stakeout they did from now on had the potential to lead to another shooting. Ally felt a chill run up her spine; she would have to put other agents at risk soon. But she would also have to do her utmost to minimize the risk she exposed them to. She was so lost in thought that she never saw Beth come up. The sound of Beth setting her tray down on the table snapped her out of her thoughts. "What's up?' asked Beth with a big smile on her face. "What're you doing here? I thought we were done with you!" laughed Ally. Inside she was pleased to see her "little sister." Beth had been working at the agency as part of a summer intern program. "I came in to see Jenna." replied Beth. Ally nodded. Beth had more than her fair share of issues to deal with. "How're you doing?" asked Ally. "Good. I've been a little down lately. I think it's because I can't have any contact with my original family." Ally wished she had something to say. "I'm getting by. Jenna says that it's normal to have ups and downs, especially after everything I've been through." continued Beth. "I read about the shooting. Is there anything I can do to help?" "Not right now. I may call you in later." replied Ally. "Really?" asked Beth excitedly. Ally nodded as she ate her salad. "I just want to thank you again for allowing me to work for you this past summer." remarked Beth. "Hey, you were a big help. Don't forget about the second shower Wednesday." reminded Ally. "I can't wait!" Ally looked at her watch and then stood up. "I need to go. I'll see you Wednesday, Beth. Take care, little sister!" Beth smiled back. "I will, big sister." Chapter 15 Robert held the meeting in his office. Jack Morgan was already there and he was talking to Robert. "Am I early?" asked Ally. "No, this is it. I want to keep this low key for now." replied Robert. Ally nodded and sat down next to Jack. "Jack was telling me about their investigation. Our assistance will be behind the scenes." stated Robert. Jack turned to Ally. "Maybe we will get lucky and nail this bastard ourselves." "I hope you do." replied Ally. "What have you found, Ally?" asked Robert. "We're running a screen of our databases. We're comparing the conversations between Kelly and the suspect against our previously known sexual predators. We're also reviewing the procedures used in the case. Something tipped him off." replied Ally. "I agree. We're running a check of our procedures. If we find anything, we'll let you know immediately." commented Jack. "I contacted Denise Stevenson in our profiling department. Maybe she can narrow down what sort of person we're looking for." interjected Robert. Jack then briefed them on the shooting. They had discovered the shooting location. It was from the roof of a nearby apartment building. "The shot was difficult, but not too hard. Any deer hunter from back in Scranton would make it. The fact that he missed his target tells me that we aren't dealing with a professional sniper. Here is the ballistic information on the bullet. We also found the shell casing. Another sign that we're not dealing with a pro." explained Jack. "That's good to know, but let's not underestimate him. After all he was good enough to set us up." stated Robert. "I won't underestimate him. I made that mistake with one psychopath." Ally said in a soft voice. Jack turned to her with a confused look on his face. "What do you mean?" "I let my guard down on a stakeout and almost got killed by a serial killer." remarked Ally. "Serial killer? Wait a minute, I thought your name was familiar." exclaimed Jack. He then gave Ally a strange look, as if he was trying to figure something out. "I have to admit that I'm a little surprised as I had heard that you..." "Yes, I'm transgendered." interrupted Ally. "Wow, I'm impressed! Wait, I'm sorry, that didn't come out right." replied the obviously embarrassed detective. "It's okay." stated Ally. Jack sat there for a second. "Wait a minute. This reminds me of something that happened in the station. I didn't think it was important at the time, but now it may be important." "What was that?" asked Ally. "Our public affairs department has a standing request from a freelance reporter requesting any information on any investigation involving transgendered youth. He claimed he was doing a story on abused teens, focusing on the transgendered." "Did anyone contact him?" asked Robert. "I'm not sure, but I will find out. We don't usually allow reporters on stakeouts, unless we know and trust them. We never call them up and tell them about operations. I'll check with my department and find out if someone violated procedures." replied Jack. Robert nodded. "If you find out that the reporter was contacted, let us take over. We'll investigate the reporter and find out how legitimate he is." "I will." replied Jack. "I'll also let you know if we find anything wrong with our procedures." said Ally to Jack. Chapter 16 Ally was pleased that Jack didn't treat her any differently. She wanted to be treated as a woman, but saw no reason to hide the fact that she was transgendered. True, there were agents who were uneasy around her, but since the agency supported her, there was little open harassment. Thankfully, she had a good reputation, and that did much to dispel any problems. Ally found it interesting that she had more problems with female agents and police officers than with male officers. Granted, while men did some of the more stupid acts of harassment, the more mean spirited acts were done by women. Ally wondered how Grace was doing in North Dakota. Grace harassed Ally and was responsible for several cruel acts. Ally was pleased with the way the agency had handled Grace, although Ally still couldn't bring herself to forgive the female agent who had caused her so much grief. One of Ally's little daily pleasures was checking the weather in North Dakota, especially in the winter. Still, North Dakota was no paradise even in summer either. Today the high was to be 94, with afternoon thunderstorms. Ally returned to her office and dove into Kelly's report. There was something wrong, but Ally couldn't quite put her finger on it. Two hours and three Diet Cokes later, Ally found it. She checked the report against the chat room transcripts and confirmed it. She highlighted the mistakes. Ally leaned back in her chair and thought about what she would have to do. She picked up her phone and called Donna. "Would you come to my office please? I have something to show you." "I think I know what it is. I'll be there in a flash." replied Donna. Ally hoped it was the same thing. Donna arrived carrying her copy of the report, entered Ally's office and sat down. "Did you find the high school reference?" asked Ally. Donna nodded. "Also that Kelly gave away the bait-teen's full name." They spread out their reports and found the mistakes. Both agents had highlighted the areas of concern. Kelly hadn't kept track of what she had told the suspect. Early in their conversations, Kelly told him the teen's real first name. A week later she gave away the teen's last name. Then two days later she told him that she would be a junior at a local high school and gave away the actual name of the school. "All the suspect had to do was contact the school and he would have found out that the teen was fictitious." stated Donna. "That's why we have procedures to keep the biography vague so that this won't happen." said Ally, stating the obvious. "She also failed to follow the checklist." For most cases, the agency didn't register the names of their teens. It sounded simple enough; just enter the name in the school's database. However, this often led to a wide variety of problems, so unless it was absolutely necessary, it wasn't done. Agents were trained to keep the personal information vague on purpose. In her enthusiasm, Kelly had forgotten these rules, and it had contributed to the tipping off of the suspect. "What're we going to do?" asked Donna. "Kelly is suspended from any active investigations until she's retrained. I still want her working in the department until then. I want her to learn from her mistakes." stated Ally. "Additionally, she's off any online work until she has completed her retraining." "I agree." concurred Donna. "Do you want me to call her in?" Ally nodded. She hated this part of the job, but it had to be done. She knew that Kelly would feel even guiltier for Jamie's death, but that couldn't be helped. Ally just hoped that Kelly would take her punishment like an adult and learn from it, and then move on. Kelly sat there in silence as Ally explained what she had done wrong. Ally was pleased that Kelly didn't deny what had happened. "So, what will I do until I'm back on full status?" asked Kelly. "We'll keep you busy." replied Donna. "We need to create a new biography for bait." "For the shooter?" asked Kelly. "Exactly. We're also going to make the same sort of mistakes. Hopefully, he'll bite." replied Ally. Chapter 17 The next day Ally was sitting in Robert's office trying to convince him that she needed to be the bait for the shooter. "Absolutely not!" Robert stated firmly. "It makes sense. The shooter is looking for me and I need to be the bait." pleaded Ally. "No. I'm not using you for that. The shooter saw Kelly at the stakeout, and if he sees someone different he might suspect that we are onto him." explained Robert. "I don't like using my agents as bait." replied Ally. "But you don't mind using yourself?" answered Robert. There was a slight smile on his face. Ally sat there trying to think of something to say to convince him. "Maybe... I just don't like putting someone else at risk." "Neither do I. Remember, Ally, your agents are really my agents." Ally sat there silently seething. After a few moments she spoke. "I'm not going to win this one, am I?" Robert shook his head no. "Do you think that Kelly will mind being the bait?" "No, she's too much like me. Besides, she wants to get this guy as badly as I do." "Sending others out into danger is part of our job." stated Robert. "You want some coffee?" "Yes, please. Carol told me the same thing. I understand, but I don't like it." "No one in their right mind likes it." replied Robert. He handed her a mug of coffee. Ally took a deep breath. "Shifting the subject a bit, tell me about how you confirmed the bounty aspect of this case." Robert motioned for Ally to close the door of his office. "What I'm about to tell you stays in this office. There is an ongoing deep cover operation investigating child and teen pornography. We have an agent working in one of the syndicates and he confirmed that a man contacted them with a proposal to kill the Protector. Our agent says that they didn't initially think he was serious, but they did say that if he pulled it off they'd pay him one hundred thousand dollars." "I'm insulted! I thought I'd be worth at least a million." quipped Ally. She took a sip of her coffee. A slight smile broke out on his face. "To be honest, you're not seen as a big threat to them. You do scare off some clients, so they figured it was worth a shot." "I'm even more insulted now! Seriously, wouldn't putting out a hit on a Fed bring unwanted attention to their operation?" "Exactly. When they found out that he actually attempted it and missed the designated target, they told him he had only one more chance. If he missed again, then they would take him out." replied Robert. "I cannot imagine them letting him live either way." interjected Ally. "I agree." concurred Robert. "Too bad they don't take him out right now. It would save us a lot of time and effort." added Ally with a smile. Robert shook his head in mock disgust. "You've been hanging around Steve too much." "Did our agent get a look at this guy?" asked Ally. "No. We do know that he's local." replied Robert. "Do we have any idea when he'll strike again?" asked Ally. "Our agent said that the shooter told them he would try again next month. The shooter said that he would kill the Protector during another stakeout, so everyone would know it was him who did the job. If our agent learns anything else, he'll let us know." "Well, that helps a lot. We now know generally when and how." remarked Ally. "I appreciate the information." "Don't tell anyone about how you learned this information. You'll have to convince everyone that you figured out the shooter's agenda on your own." ordered Robert. Ally nodded. "How long has this agent been undercover?" "Going on three years." answered Robert. Ally let out a low whistle. "I'd love to meet him someday." "That can be arranged." "One more thing. I recommend that we compile a list of potential stakeout areas and run them by Spec-Ops. They could give us a risk analysis of the locations, so that we don't have a repeat of what happened." suggested Ally. Robert nodded. "Sounds like a good idea. In fact, I know that they've done that for other departments. I'll run it by Steve. Anything else?" Ally shook her head no. Chapter 18 Ally walked back to her office and thought about what it would be like to be undercover for three years. She hadn't even been Ally for that long, she thought with a laugh. So they had a less than a month until the next attempt. Hopefully, he would wait until after Donna's wedding, thought Ally. Ally thought about using Kelly as bait. So two officers would be in jeopardy during this operation, she thought. As she walked, she thought about the risks. She knew that Kelly would readily volunteer to be in this operation. It would be a chance for her to redeem herself, even if it meant the possibility that she could be killed. Ally was positive of this, as Kelly was very much like her. When Ally arrived in her office she found a phone message from Jack. "Ally, We're still running down the name of the reporter. I should have it for you soon." stated Jack. "Thanks, Jack. How's the rest of the investigation going?" "We have a general size and build of the shooter. Our CSI team was able to figure that out by the implant he left in the gravel on the roof. They estimate he's between 5-10 and 6-1 and weighs around 200 pounds. He's white and has brown hair. It's not much, but it's a start." replied Jack. "E-mail me a copy of that, please. I'll pass it around the department. I know Denise will find that information interesting." remarked Ally. "I'd like to get together with you. I have some things that I'd like to discuss with you in private." "Sure. Do you know where O'Hara's is?" asked Jack. "Yes. I've been there a few times." replied Ally. O'Hara's was a local bar frequented by law enforcement. "How about I meet you there in an hour?" asked Jack. Ally checked her watch. "Sure, that sounds good." Chapter 19 It was very humid outside and the sky was dark with clouds. It looked like they were going to get another thunderstorm, thought Ally as she drove towards the bar. The bar was heavily air-conditioned and dimly lit. The cold air felt good, compared to the heat and humidity of outside. Ally looked around and saw that Jack was already there, and had commandeered a booth. Ally sat down across from him in the leather-lined booth. "You want something to drink?" he asked. He was drinking a beer. "A beer would be great." replied Ally. Jack motioned towards the bar. The bartender nodded and immediately sent a mug of draft beer over to their booth. "You come here often?" asked Ally. She then took a long sip of the beer. It really hit the spot. "My uncle owns the place. He's a retired DC street cop. I was practically raised here." replied Jack with a smile. "So, what do you have for me?" "We found some mistakes that were made during the Internet conversations. Apparently the suspect was able to run a check on the bait-teen and able to discover that he was fictitious." stated Ally. Jack took a sip of his beer. "I knew there was something different about you. Most Feds are too arrogant to admit their department made a mistake. I really appreciate your honesty." "It's the least I could do. I also wanted your team to be aware of the mistakes." replied Ally, she picked up her beer and took a long drink. For the next thirty minutes they talked about the case and their teams. Ally really liked Jack. In some ways, he reminded her of her chief back in California. Ally noticed a man approaching their booth. He was a large man in his forties, brown thinning hair that was turning gray, and blue eyes. He was wearing a wrinkled suit, his tie was undone, and it looked like he had been drinking for a while. "Hey, Jack, how're you doing?" asked the man. "And who is this?" "Charles Hill, this is Ally Burns, she's with the agency." introduced Jack. "Charles works in Vice in DC." "Correction, I used to work in vice. I