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The Protector: Race Against Time By Julie O Note: This story contains references to Slothrop's series: I Can See For Miles. Chapter 1 Agent Ally Burns sat at her desk lost in thought. She was in the middle of creating a new department for the agency, one whose mission was dedicated to protecting teens from Internet predators. There would be four regional offices; each covering a geographic area of the United States. These locations would then coordinated by the lead office to be located in Washington, DC. It was a very daunting task and Ally took her assignment very seriously. Actually creating the mission statement for the department was pretty easy, since it would just be an expansion of what she'd been doing since she joined the agency. Less than two years earlier she had been brought in to take over a moribund department, and had transformed it into a well-respected and efficient crime fighting operation. Even creating the regional offices wouldn't be that bad, as they had just set up a west coast office a few months earlier, thought Ally. David had done a superb job setting up the Agency's west coast office in Seattle, There was a lot of pressure on him to duplicate the success of DC office. He had been one of Ally's first recruits and now he was heading a regional command. Some in the Agency thought that Ally's department was just a waste of resources. However they couldn't argue with success. She was pleased to see that David's office had just helped the Portland Oregon PD capture a pedophile that had molested dozens of teens. Ally was very proud of him. It was becoming clear that the biggest problem was finding the right people to run and staff the additional offices. Ally had groomed Donna to take over the east coast office, which would also be run out of DC. That was sure to ruffle some feathers of others in the Agency. Donna had been hired initially as a computer technician. She had only become a full agent after working in the department. Ally didn't care what others thought, as Donna had earned the right to lead the department. Ally also knew that the other agents in the department would fully support Donna. That still left two leadership vacancies to fill along with the problem finding suitable personnel to staff each office. She had a couple of agents who were showing promise, but they didn't have the experience to run a department. Writing up a job description was proving to be a challenge .The mix of skills and personality traits was atypical of the agency and senior management struggled with that. Ally had a good idea of what sort of skills were necessary to excel in the job. Computer skills were a given. However, the agents had to be good actors, in addition to having a sixth sense when it came to sniffing out the predators. Ally had found some of her best agents wasting away in administrative positions. They weren't the typical agents, but then again neither was the job. Her agents went into Internet chatrooms, posing as teens, to catch sexual predators. They had to be part psychic, part actor, and part Sherlock Holmes. One thing that Ally insisted upon was that her agents be open-minded. To her, any targeted teen was worth protecting, regardless of the teens' nationality, gender, or sexuality. She had to wash out several promising applicants because they didn't feel "comfortable" dealing with LBGT (Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgendered) youth. Thankfully her present boss was extremely supportive. Robert Ledyard had taken Ally under his wing and treated her as a top agent, not as a token transgendered agent. He promised to provide her with a list of prospective agents for the remaining office heads. Ally would let the office heads select their own personnel, but she would retain the right to disapprove of any agent. Ally opened another can of Diet Coke and stared at the map next to her computer. It was her third of the day. She still had to nail down the locations for the other two offices. Atlanta would be a logical choice for the Southern office. It had the all the requirements she was looking for. Besides the local police had a very good department trained to search for Internet criminals. The Midwest was a problem. Chicago was in the running, as was Denver. St. Louis was also a good choice. She wished she could add another office, as she felt it was too big of an area to be covered by just one group. Robert told her to be patient, that more offices would be added in time. Ally began to rub her right shoulder. It had grown stiff from typing. She found it hard to believe that fifteen months had elapsed since she had been stabbed. Thankfully, it hadn't gotten any worse. Three times a week she worked out to try and recover some of the lost strength. Her doctor, Dr Oliver, was pleased with her progress had told her that it was unlikely that she would need additional surgery. There were other things bothering her. Ally reached into her purse and pulled out the letter from her SRS doctor. She re-read it for what seemed like the one-hundredth time. He was retiring and that he wouldn't be able to perform her surgery. He did at least provide a list of other surgeons and stated that he would heartily recommend Ally to any one she selected. It was so disappointing. Ally had hoped to have her surgery next month, now it was pushed back indefinitely. At best, six months from now! She let out a long, tired sigh. The frustration drove Ally to take a walk around the office. While she had pretty much turned over the day-to-day control to Donna. Ally still liked to see what was going on in the operations center that she had helped create. Ally walked around the center and talked to the each agent. They updated her on their caseloads and ongoing operations. She was pleased to see that Kelly was at her desk. "How're your classes going?" asked Ally. Kelly looked up from the report she was reading. "Oh, just great! They're very difficult, but I love them. It's so interesting." Kelly had been enrolled in the agency's profiling course. Granted, she had a long way to go, but she had already assisted on several cases. Ally had specified that they needed to have a permanent profiler attached to each office and Robert agreed to let her be the initial one. "I just want to thank you again for going to bat for me," stated Kelly. Ally smiled back. "I just gave you the chance." "Still, I know that you fought hard to get me into the course. I won't let you down." Ally nodded. "I know that." Ally excused herself and walked over to Donna's office. Donna was just walking out. "Escaping from the office again?" asked Donna, with a grin. "Just like you," replied Ally. "Guilty as charged," answered Donna. "Question for you. St. Louis, Denver, or Chicago?" "For the Midwest office? I'd go with St. Louis," replied Donna. "Why? Because it's more centrally located?" "No. It's because it has the least worst winters!" Ally laughed and nodded. "I'm so sick of winter." "It's only the end of January, we still have several months left," reminded Donna. "Don't remind me. I'm too much of a So-Cal girl to ever like winter." They walked down to Ally's office and sat down. Ally offered Donna a Diet Coke. "Thanks," replied Donna as she took the soda from Ally. "Any big plans for the weekend?" "I have to go shopping. I want to get something nice for Beth's birthday." "That's right. I can't believe that she's going to eighteen next month! She's so mature for her age." Ally smiled at Donna's comments. Beth still hadn't told Donna of her secret, that she had once been a twenty-six year old male naval officer. "Carol and I are helping Maggie plan the party," added Ally. "How's Maggie doing?" "Everything's going as planned. The baby is due in early March. I think Steve is more nervous that Maggie," reported Ally. Donna laughed. "How's Ed?" asked Ally. Ed was Donna's husband. "Homesick. He'll be deployed for another three weeks." "The joys of being a Navy wife," quipped Ally. Donna laughed. "I'm still not used to that title. I really miss him, but he loves his job. Besides, he puts up with my job." Ally nodded. "Is he still considering joining us?" "I know he's honored that the agency has made him an offer, but he also loves being a naval officer. A lot will depend on his next set of orders," replied Donna. "How will that affect you?" Donna sighed. "We knew going into this marriage that there would be periods of separation. It's far easier discussing it than experiencing it." Ally nodded. "Where might Ed be stationed?" "Right now, it looks like San Diego, Norfolk, or Everett, Washington." "Well, if he gets transferred to Everett, you can temporarily transfer to the Seattle office. I'd hate to lose you here, but you can't put you're job above your own happiness. Besides you can always transfer back here," suggested Ally. "Thank you. I know that's an option. However, I really love my job. I didn't think that I'd like being in charge, but I was wrong. I love it. Not as much as I love Ed of course!" Ally laughed. "If I haven't thanked you lately for giving me this opportunity, I just want to say thanks," commented Donna. "You're welcome. I knew you could do it," replied Ally. "Changing the subject, how're you doing?" "I'm still a little disappointed about the canceling of the surgery," replied Ally. Donna stared back at Ally and tilted her head slightly. "A little disappointed?" Ally laughed. "Okay, I'm really, really disappointed about it. I've sent out applications to two other doctors and am waiting for their response." "Good, I'm glad to see that you're human." Ally smiled. "Oh, I'm human. I have an addiction to Diet Coke, caffeine, and a constantly aching shoulder!" They were interrupted by a young female agent knocking on the door. "Excuse me. Donna you're needed in the Op-Center. We made contact with the guy in Trenton." One of their ongoing investigations involved a suspected pedophile in the Trenton, New Jersey area. The police had been trying to get him or several months. Donna nodded and stood up. "Thank you, Misty. I'll be right there." Misty nodded, turned around and left. She was the newest agent in the office, recruited to fill the vacancies David had made by taking two agents with him to start the Seattle office. She was the first agent that Donna had personally interviewed for the department and this was her first assignment. "Good hunting, Donna." "Thanks. I think we're close to adding his name to the Wall of Shame," answered Donna, referring to a listing of all the predators that they had captured. Those names were prominently painted on the wall of the Op-Center. "I look forward to it." "The rate we're going we may need a bigger wall. Or we might have to paint over the names and start over." "Just as long as Margo Simon's name stays up there," interjected Ally. "Oh, she'll always have top billing!" Chapter 2 A refreshed Ally returned to her task. She looked at the potential St. Louis location and saw that it might be a great choice. The fact that it was centrally located also played into its favor. Her contemplation was interrupted by a phone call from Robert Ledyard. "Ally, I need to see you," stated Robert. There was no need for him to say immediately. Ally knew it must be important and she headed up to his office. Out of respect, she knocked on his door; even though he had told her many times it wasn't necessary. "Ally please come in. We just got a call from Tyrone concerning Margo Simon," stated Robert. Tyrone was the Federal prosecutor in charge of Margo Simon's case. "What does she want NOW?" asked an obviously annoyed Ally. Ally sat down across from Robert. "That's the catch, we don't know. She specifically demanded to talk to you." Ally leaned back and absorbed what Robert was saying. Ally had made her career catching Margo Simon and breaking up her teen-slave ring. She had also been instrumental in the seizure of Margo's vast wealth. Even though Margo had been arrested the previous spring, they were still turning up teens that she had kidnapped and sold into sex slavery. As recently as October they had recovered six more teens, and Ally was absolutely convinced that there were more out there. Margo had hinted at making a deal several times, but always backed out at the last minute. Ally knew she did it just to piss all of them off. "Demanded huh? When?" "Tomorrow morning, nine sharp." Ally nodded. "Please don't tell me that we're considering a deal with that monster?" "There are those out there who would love to have someone of Margo's skills working for them." Ally stared back in disgust and disbelief. "She's an expert in mind control. You know about the problems we've had deprogramming the teens we've rescued. There are those in the government who'd love to know how she did it," continued Robert. "Including us?" Robert shook his head. "I've talked to the Director. He doesn't want anything to do with her. However, he's just one man." "So, you think that she's going to offer a deal?" Robert nodded. "That would be my guess." "Do you think she has something to deal?" Robert nodded. Ally stared back. "So do I. That's what scares me." "After you talk to her, report to me and we'll go see the Director," added Robert. "She's pure evil, Robert. She doesn't care about the teens, or the money, or even her own freedom, she loves power." "I agree. However, I'm asking you to meet with her. We might learn something." Ally sat there thinking about her response. "I don't like it, but I'll do it." Chapter 3 That night over dinner Ally told Carol all about her conversation with Robert. "I'm not surprised that there are those that would like to use Margo's techniques, disgusted, but not surprised," commented Carol. "What do I tell people like Celeste or Beth, if they release that bitch?" "It hasn't happened yet," interrupted Carol. "If it does, I'm thinking of resigning in protest. I've had private offers to work against Internet crime. I love the agency, but if my government wants someone like Margo Simon to work with them, then it might be time to leave," continued Ally. Carol reached over and took Ally's hands. "Don't do anything rash." Ally nodded. "I won't. Sorry, I'm just so angry about this. Margo Simon needs to spend the rest of her unnatural life behind bars!" "Don't apologize, but you need to work out this anger before tomorrow. From what I've read of Margo, she'll use it against you." "You're right. I guess I'm also pissed about my surgery too." "It'll happen eventually. I love you either way.... even when you're cranky." Ally laughed in spite of herself. "Look how far you've progressed. You're about to become one of the youngest department heads in agency history. You're respected and well liked. Think of all the good you'll be able to do once you get those regional offices up and running," soothed Carol. Ally nodded as she listened. "Have some faith in the Agency. Tomorrow when you talk to Margo and IF she makes an offer, get proof of any teens still out there. Once you get that we can start an investigation. Use what you know about Margo against her. She's egotistical and a total control freak. She'll try and dominate the conversation, don't let her do this. And whatever you do, my love, don't loose that temper of yours!" Ally pointed at her chest. "I don't have a temper." Carol shook her head in mock disgust. "Remember who you're talking to." "Okay, okay, I'll watch my emotions." "Now, help me clean up so we can get to bed and make mad passionate love," ordered Carol. Ally giggled. "Yes, Ma'am!" Chapter 4 Ally stood outside of the prison interrogation room and waited until they brought in Margo. She was wearing a slate gray skirt with a scarlet colored turtleneck sweater. She was also wearing her favorite pair of black leather boots. Ally was careful to dress as she would for a normal day's work. She had arrived early at work that morning specifically to re-read the file on Margo Simon, hoping to gain some insight into her adversary. Margo's academic record was impressive and much to her dismay; Ally discovered some similarities with herself. Margo was a single child. Both her parents were college professors. Margo got her first degree when she was nineteen. Ally wondered if Margo's academic success was a way of overcompensating for her health issue. However, this is where the differences started. Margo's parents were killed in a car crash and she inherited a large sum of money. According to the file, Margo was too "grief-stricken" to attend the funerals. She immediately departed on a three month European vacation. A later investigation turned up the fact that she had purchased the tickets one month prior to the accident. Ally found that fact very interesting and wondered if Margo had anything to do with the "accident." Margo continued to pile up degrees and began to specialize in the study of the mind. By the age of twenty-nine, she was a recognized expert in the processes of human mind control. Margo met Thomas Simon while they were both teaching in New York City. She was filling in for a professor at NYU and he was teaching a course on plastic surgery. They immediately hit it off. They were often seen at S&M clubs and parties together. Ally reviewed the notes of interviews held with Margo's classmates and co-workers. Most described her as cold, aloof, and very domineering. A few described her as scary. The file noted that she had few close friends and Ally wondered if Thomas Simon was the first person Margo actually dated. Margo was also described as an extremely dedicated and conscientious worker, just as long as she was allowed to be in-charge of her particular task. She had been reprimanded and counseled on her inability to work with others. No surprise there, thought Ally. Ally then got to the section where Margo worked for the government. She had been hired to assist in analyzing cults, interviewed several imprisoned cult leaders and then wrote a paper on the various techniques that they used to maintain dominance over their minions. She then defined how these techniques could be easily applied to maintain loyalty in any organization. She secretly tested her theory on a department of government workers. Margo argued that her techniques had improved workplace efficiency. The scary thing was, noted Ally, that Margo was right. The efficiency of the department in question did improve. When her superiors found out what she was doing they were furious and Margo was reprimanded for her actions. She immediately resigned in protest. Ally looked at the date and saw that it coincided with the time that some of the teens recovered in the Maryland raid had been abducted. While the information in the file was interesting, it failed to give Ally the insight she had hoped for. She closed the file and headed over to her appointment with Margo. Thirty minutes later, Ally checked in at the prison housing Margo Simon. It was a new facility especially designed for 'special handling' criminals. Ally found herself greeted by the federal prosecutor who had prosecuted Margo and Thomas Simon's cases. "We'll be right out here watching. Margo insisted that she meet you alone," stated Tyrone. He stood around six foot-two and obviously worked out. There was a touch of gray in his close-cropped brown hair that only added to his dignified manner. He had gained a reputation for being an aggressive prosecutor and had pressed for a maximum sentence for Margo. He clearly wanted her locked up for the rest of her life. "I'm so honored!" quipped Ally with a heavy dose of sarcasm. "Hey, you're lucky. I've had to talk to her numerous times. I still owe Todd for passing me this case," replied Tyrone. "She's such a bitch." Ally laughed. "How's Todd?" asked Ally, referring to the prosecutor initially assigned to Margo's case. He had been recently promoted. "Good. He's adjusting to Seattle," stated Tyrone. "He told me that if David is half as good as you, then they'll start racking up the convictions. Ally smiled. "So, do you have any idea of what's she's up to?" Tyrone shook his head. "Not exactly. She mentioned that it was about some other abducted teens and that she will only deal with you. I just want you to know that my office is totally against releasing her." Ally nodded and smiled. "By the way, I like the moustache." "I had one for years and decided to grow it back," grinned Tyrone, stroking his reborn moustache. "There she is," interrupted Ally, as she looked in through the one-way mirror. Margo Simon, wearing an orange jumpsuit and a black navy watch cap was led in by two guards. She lacked any trace of body hair due a physical condition called Alopecia Universalis. Her ankles were shackled. Her wrists were also shackled to a chain around her waist. Margo sat down and stared at the mirror. She lifted up her right hand and waved by wiggling her fingers. "Well, I guess it's game time," remarked Ally. She let out a long breath. "Good luck," offered Tyrone. Ally walked into the room and sat down across from Margo. She turned to the guards. "Would you step outside please?" The guards obeyed and closed the door behind them. "Nice outfit. I must admit that for a transsexual, you have good fashion sense," noted Margo. "You don't mind me calling you a transsexual do you? Anyway, those are really nice leather boots. They look like they're Italian. I love the way leather feels against the body, don't you?" "I'm not here to trade fashion tips with you." Margo cracked a slight smile and licked her lips. "Of course not. I suppose we should get right to the point. I've enjoyed my vacation, but I think it's time I got back to work." Ally sat there in silence. "I'm willing to tell you the location of the remaining teens I processed - in exchange for my freedom." "That's all?" asked Ally. "No, I want some of my money back. I'm not greedy, just two million a teen. I think that's fair, don't you?" "Sixteen you say? Does that include the six we recovered from the Halloween raid on the sex show in Maryland?" asked Ally. She watched Margo's reaction. Ally noted a momentary look of panic, which quickly disappeared. A sly smile appeared on her face. "So you finally caught those two losers? Can't say that I'm surprised. Personally, I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did." "We also got their guests," added Ally. Margo smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, so I can offer you ten teens. I won't even increase my monetary demand. I can live comfortably on twenty million." "Why should I, or anyone believe you? You've lied to us before about additional abducted teens." "True, but I needed the rest. I must admit that this has been the most relaxing vacation that I've ever been on. But like I said it's time to get back to work. I have a few job offers. I also know that idea that there are still some of my creations out there bothers you. We're not that different, we just operate on opposite sides." Ally just glared back. "You might be safer here." Margo laughed, almost hysterically. "Oh, that's rich! You don't mean to imply that my creations would harm me, do you? My sweet Ally, if any or all of them waltzed in here right now I'd have them under my control like a sheep dog would her flock. They only think they have freedom of will." "Don't be so sure," retorted Ally. She thought about some of the teens she had met and their collective hatred for Margo Simon. "You just don't understand do you? They want to be controlled. They need to be controlled. It's in their nature. You should understand that. After all, I can see a strong submissive streak in you." Ally bristled slightly. "Let me guess, you're in a relationship with a dominant person. I imagine it's a woman. Yes, she's also older than you. You pretend that she loves you, but she just keeps you around so she can control you. There's nothing to be ashamed about. You're submissive and you must serve." Ally forced back her anger and smiled back. "You don't know me." "Oh, I think I do. I'd love to have you under my whip. I'm sure you'd submit rather quickly." Ally shook her head. "Now, tell me about the teens." Margo frowned. "Hmm, I thought you were more fun. Still, I haven't given up on you. I'd love to have you as my personal maid....along with that little bitch from the farm. What was her name again? Oh yes, Beth. Now there was a tasty treat. I'm not done with her either." Ally wondered if Margo knew if Beth was the daughter of two agents. Margo seemed to be inspecting Ally. "Of course, I'd have to give you a boob job. I must admit for a T-girl, you have nice breasts from hormones. But for my needs I'd make sure you got implants, at least E- cup." "Who would do the surgery, Thomas?" asked Ally, with a sarcastic tone. "Of course. Did I mention his freedom is also part of the deal?" Ally didn't respond. "I'll let you keep your tiny penis. You haven't had your surgery yet, have you? No, you've been too busy with work to take the time off to have the surgery. Anyway, it will be a daily reminder of what you used to be. Yes, my dear, I'd keep you in between, not a complete woman, and just a shadow of your former male self. I'd use the promise of sexual reassignment surgery as the carrot to keep you obedient." "Enough. I have better things to do that sit here, listening to your fantasies. I thought you were going to give me proof," interrupted Ally calmly. Margo smiled and licked her lips. "Okay, I tell you what. I'll give you the names of the teens that are still out there. You can check them on against the missing persons database." Ally slid a legal pad and a pencil across the table to Margo. "So... you do believe me?" asked Margo, as she took the pad and pencil. "I'm a trained investigator. It would be foolish to overlook any possibility of rescuing some victims of your crimes." Margo laughed as she wrote. "I do love your sense of humor. I think I'll let you keep it when I add you to my stable. You like that idea don't you?" Margo looked straight into Ally's eyes. "The more you think about it the more it appeals to you." Ally just stared back, trying not to show any emotion. It was difficult as Ally could feel her temper rising. "Yes, that's right, act strong now, my pet. But you'll submit readily enough. I've broken stronger people than you." "Just give me the names." "I'll do even better than that. I'll give you the dates that I abducted them too. That way you'll know they were mine. As a bonus, I'll give you the names and dates of abduction of the six you rescued." In a few minutes Margo passed the pad back to Ally, along with the pencil. Ally looked at the names. There were sixteen names and dates neatly written down on the pad. The six rescued in October had asterisks neatly drawn next to their names. Margo had even included the names of the two men she had sold them to. Ally immediately knew that Margo was telling her the truth about the teens; still she would have to verify the names. "There is a time limit on my offer. If you don't accept it I do have other options," explained Margo. "What's the limit?" asked Ally, wondering who else Margo had talked to. "Thirty days. I'm feeling generous, besides I like you." Ally didn't say a word. She signaled to the mirror and stood up. "Thank me for the information," ordered Margo in a soft voice. Ally turned and looked back at Margo. "Thank you." "See, how easy you obeyed me? Oh, you'll make a delicious little morsel." "I was just being polite," replied Ally as she slowly walked out of the room. Once outside of the room she leaned against the wall and let out a long sigh. "You okay?" asked Tyrone. Ally nodded. "She's sick." "Yes, but she might be holding the cards. I'll run these names through our database and get back to you. If they're real then we have thirty days to find them," explained Ally. "You don't mean that you're serious about accepting her offer?" asked an astonished Tyrone. "I'm not, but there are others who will. They make a deal with that bitch and recover the teens and become heroes. Additionally, they'll probably give her a job!" "You don't think that will happen, do you?" asked Tyrone. "What happens if this list gets leaked to the press? My God, Tyrone, we'd be pressured to release her immediately in exchange for the teens!" exclaimed Ally. "Let me know if I can help," offered Tyrone, cringing at the idea that Margo would be released. Ally nodded. "I will." The entire trip back to the Agency, Ally replayed the conversation her conversation with Margo. Ally went right to Robert's office when she arrived at the agency. She immediately briefed him on her meeting with Margo. "I've had to deal with some psychopaths in the past. They really know what buttons to push. I'm pleased you handled it so well," stated Robert as he reached into his desk drawer. "I'm not sure how well I handled it," replied Ally softly. She continued to replay the conversation back in her mind and was very critical of her own performance. Robert pulled out a bottle of twenty-year-old scotch and poured some into her coffee mug. Ally nodded and took a sip. "Thanks." Robert smiled back. "It's only natural to be frazzled slightly by someone like that. Now, what's your plan?" Ally set down her fortified coffee and began to think. "I'll run this list through Missing Persons. If it turns out to be legit, then we start the search. We have all of Margo's belongings. I imagine that there might be clues there. We also have the Primus rep in custody. We can question him some more." "That's a good start. I'll give you as much help as you need with this case. Now, we need to go and brief the Director." Ally nodded and debated taking another sip of the high-octane coffee, but declined. "By the way, this is your primary task right now," stated Robert. "What about the planning report for the new department?" asked Ally. "It will happen. Forward me what you have so far," answered Robert. Twenty minutes later, Ally departed the Director's office with the assurance that he would do everything in his power to help her. Ally understood that it wasn't just the matter of recovering ten abducted teens. It was supremely vital that Margo Simon be kept behind bars. It was obvious that she was making this offer to humiliate both Ally and the Agency and the Director firmly stated that it would not happen on his watch. Chapter 5 Ally found the head of Missing Persons talking to one of his agents. "What brings you into this neck of the words, Kid?" asked Rich, with a smile. Rich was the only one in the agency to call her Kid. "I have something to show you, regarding an old friend of ours," answered Ally. Rich nodded and waved for Ally to follow him. "Come into my office. I have some fresh Kona brewing." Rich could always be counted on to have the best coffee in the agency, and Ally eagerly accepted a mug. She then handed him a copy of the list of names that Margo Simon had handed her. Rich looked over the list. "I'll have my agents check it out," stated Bob, as he read the list. "You think this is real?" Ally nodded. "The names of the six we recovered in October match those she wrote down. She also seemed genuinely surprised that we had recovered six from the list. We had never told her about the Halloween arrests, as there wasn't enough direct evidence to connect her. Of course, she could have found out and is trying to play with our minds." "Well, you can count on our help to keep her locked up." "Good. I know you're busy, but we're on a tight schedule with this one," stated Ally. "We also need to keep this quiet for now." "Of course. I'll get back to you this afternoon. If they're really missing we should have them in our database. Did she give you the dates?" "Yes, she said that was her proof that she was the one who did it. Of course, I did read that Margo had an exceptional memory." "I'll give you a call." Ally stood up. "Thanks for the coffee." "Say hi to Michelle for me," added Rich. "How did you know that's where I was going next?" asked an amused Ally. "Hey, I haven't always ridden a desk!" Ally smiled and made a quick stop at her office to grab her coat. Michelle, the agency's top researcher kept her computer room cold. Michelle said she did it for the computers, but Ally suspected she did it to keep out unwanted visitors. "What do you need?" was Michelle's forceful and immediate response after hearing Ally's explanation of the case. "First, run a check on these names," stated Ally, handing her a copy of the missing teens. "Next, I want an inventory of everything confiscated at the Maryland barn." "I already called up the information on Margo. Robert called me an hour ago. I should have the information on the teens by late this afternoon. The evidence from the Maryland farm will be delivered here tomorrow morning." Ally smiled. "You're good." "The best!" "Also keep this list to yourself for now," added Ally. Ally returned to the warmth of her office. Since she could do nothing now but wait, her mind kept churning over the way Margo had tried to get under her skin. What bothered Ally most was that Margo had started to succeed. Ally accepted that she was sexually submissive, but until now she always thought that no one, other than Carol, could tell. Ally knew what she had to do. She picked up her phone and called Jenna, her therapist. "I was expecting this call," stated Jenna. "Let me guess, Robert called you?" replied Ally. "An hour ago." "So when can you see me?" Twenty minutes later, Ally was sitting across from Jenna telling her all about her meeting with Margo. Chapter 6 Carol and Ally sat on the couch in front of a crackling fire drinking chai tea. Van Morrison was playing on the stereo. "I'm glad you went to see Jenna. Margo knows how to play mind games. I imagine she's been planning what she would say for weeks, if not months," said Carol, as she pulled Ally closer to her. "I was caught a bit off guard by her assessment of my sexual nature," replied Ally. "Remember that Margo isn't your average everyday criminal. She's extremely intelligent with several degrees. And she was also a psychologist once. She's an expert on reading other people" "I'll be better prepared the next time I see her," replied Ally in a very determined manner. "You're fighting the clock now. How much help are you getting?" "As soon as Rich confirmed that all the names and dates are accurate I was given permission to draw as much help as necessary. Rich's department is re-examining the cases. I'm having Cathleen go through Margo's computer files again. Michelle's department is calling up everything we have on the teens. I'm pulling two agents out of my department to assist in searching Margo's belongings. I'm going through the stiff myself this weekend." "You think that's enough?" "For now it is. Margo's very egotistic. She never thought she'd be caught, if she had, she'd hidden her assets better." "What else are you going to do?" "We also need to question the Primus rep, remember him?" "Yes, he's the one who found the teens for the Simons. He worked for a college test prep service, didn't he?" "Yes. He was partially transformed by Thomas Simon into a living Barbie doll. He's presently in a mental institution. I'm not sure how much help he'll be." "Don't forget to check the prison visitation logs for Margo and Thomas." Ally nodded. "I've already requested them. The only visitors that either has had are from their lawyers." "Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help," offered Carol, as she ran stroked the side of Ally's face. "Hmmm, you're doing it right now." Ally purred contently. "Carol, there's no way I could have survived all this without you. I'm so in love with you!" Carol leaned down and kissed Ally. "Margo was dead wrong about me not loving you, my sweet. You're the best thing that has come into my life. I can't image life without you." Ally tried to speak, but was too choked up on emotion. "It's okay, my sweet. I know exactly what you mean." Carol then pulled Ally closer to her own body. Chapter 7 The next morning Ally arrived at her office and was met by Michelle's new assistant. "Agent Burns, I have some files for you," stated the pleasant looking young woman. Ally took the files and searched her memory for the young woman's name. "Thank you, please tell your boss I appreciate this, Jessica." Jessica looked pleasantly surprised that Ally knew her name and smiled. "I will, Agent Burns." Ally sat down at her desk, opened her habitual can of Diet Coke, and began to review the files of the missing teens. Unlike the ones recovered in the Maryland farm raid the previous spring; they weren't from elite private schools. Most were regular students from local high schools. Of the remaining abducted teens, there were eight boys and two girls on the list. All were from the metropolitan Washington, DC area. Several had been listed as runaways. Apparently Margo hadn't been as picky when she was starting, mused Ally. All sixteen had been abducted in a one-year period, the last one taken only a few weeks before the first of the private school students had been snatched. Ally wondered if they had been used to perfect the brainwashing process that Margo used on her victims, like a set of trial runs or product tests. Six had been sold to the two men arrested back in October. So far they were cooperating, but apparently knew little. Their arrests were due to a tip given directly to her from some sort of vigilante named Angel. Ally was a little surprised when she had been told not to investigate the organization that Angel belonged to. She had learned that Angel's organization had recovered a number of abused teens over the years. While she approved of their motives, she didn't exactly approve of their methods. From what Ally had learned, they often acted as judge, jury, and executioner. The case files listed the deaths of the suspects as probable justifiable self- defense, but she had been in law enforcement long enough and could read between the lines. Cops often looked the other way when an obvious bad guy was killed. Ally also noted that the six teens recovered were all in the recovery program started with the funds taken from Margo Simon. They were slowly recovering from their captivity. By mid-morning Ally was on her third Diet Coke and began to review the database of Margo's belongings. She suspected that the key to finding the teens was locked somewhere in Margo's belongings. The question remained, where? She began to page through the inventory, hoping that something would standout. Just then Ally's phone rang. It was Robert Ledyard. "Ally, I hate to do this to you, but I'm going to need you to give a tour to a congressman." "Why me?" asked Ally, as she reached for her Diet Coke. "I thought Margo was my main priority?" "She still is, but he specifically asked to see your department. After all, he does sit on our funding committee." Knowing that it was useless to protest. "So, who do I have to give the dog and pony show to?" "Sterling Leyton. Does the name ring a bell?" "Yes. He's that ultra-conservative law and order guy, who's always on the talk shows," answered Ally. Congressman Sterling Layton was the darling of the TV news talk show circuit. He could always be counted on to launch some sort of diatribe against any group he felt was destroying the morality of the county. His latest crusade was crime and the Internet. "Correct. I didn't know that you watched those shows," chided Robert. "Only for the comic relief. They make it all sound so simple." "True. The good congressman will be here Monday morning." "Okay. But you owe me one," replied Ally with a chuckle. "I know. Have a good weekend," stated Robert as he hung up the phone. Ally noticed that he didn't ask her about Margo. She felt a sense of pride in that Robert trusted her enough not to constantly request updates. He trusted Ally to keep him appraised. Ally called Michelle. "What can you get me on local sex clubs?" "Planning an interesting weekend with Carol?" quipped Michelle. Ally laughed and shook her head. "You know what I'm looking for. I want info on any and all clubs in the area. If there's a rumor of one, I want info on it." "That will take a while. I should have it to you by Monday." Ally smiled to herself. "Thank you, Michelle." "Hey, we're all in this one together. No one wants to see that creature out of her cage." Ally hung up the phone and decided that she needed to go for a walk. She couldn't believe that she had to give a congressman a guided tour, especially with her present workload. She walked over to Spec-Ops and knocked on Maggie Williams' door. A very pregnant Maggie wheeled around in her chair and broke out in a big smile. "Ally, what a pleasant surprise! I wasn't expecting to see you until tomorrow." "I'm looking forward to dinner. I needed to ask a favor of you." Ally then told Maggie about Margo Simon and the missing teens. "What do you need?" asked Maggie. "I was wondering if Beth was available to help me go through Margo's possessions. I have a strong feeling that Margo left something in them that will lead us to the teens and could use Beth's help. It would be strictly going through the items in an evidence room," explained Ally. "Besides, I could use her company." "Beth will be thrilled to help you. She's just counting the days until graduation," replied Maggie. "Cool. I'm planning on starting tomorrow morning. I can pick her up and have her back in plenty of time before dinner." "That would be perfect. Steve and I wanted some time with Carol to discuss Beth's birthday dinner. Why don't you keep her all day and we'll meet up at your place?" suggested Maggie. "Excellent. I was going to go shopping for a gift this weekend." "Working with you is the best gift she could have. You know Ally, I never wanted her to follow me into the agency, but she loves the work. I also have to admit that she's a natural." Ally nodded. "I imagine the added incentive of keeping Margo locked up will make her even more motivated." Maggie's face got very serious. "If Margo ever gets out she'd better stay far away from Beth." Ally nodded. She knew that Maggie wasn't bluffing and so she told Maggie about her conversation with Margo. "I should have shot her right then and there," stated Maggie firmly as she shook her head. "I would have been doing the world a favor. The Agency would have probably given me a citation for doing it!" "I'm not going to disagree with you on that point. I'm going to do my best to keep her in prison," added Ally, thinking about Margo's desires for her. "Do me a favor and don't tell Steve or Beth what Margo said, okay?" Ally nodded. She cringed thinking about what Steve would do if Margo tried to hurt Beth. "I'll call Beth and tell her the good news. What time will you be by tomorrow?" asked Maggie. "Is eight too early?" Maggie shook her head. "Sounds good. By the way, I have the greatest confidence in you." "Thanks." Ally hoped that Maggie's belief wasn't misplaced. Chapter 8 Saturday morning was gray and gloomy. The weatherman stated that there was only a thirty percent chance of snow, but Ally didn't believe him. She felt that it would start snowing the minute she stepped outside, just to spite her. She was wearing jeans, hiking boots and a forest green sweater, under her winter coat. Beth was waiting outside of the Williams' townhouse. "Good morning, Agent Williams, ready to do some work?" asked Ally. "You betcha! I was so excited when Mom told me that you wanted me to help you," replied Beth, who was dressed in jeans and a gray Penn sweatshirt under her coat. "When did you get the sweatshirt?" "Celeste sent it to me. She was just in Philly finalizing her paperwork. I can't wait until the fall! It's going to be so much fun going to college with her." "That's great," replied Ally. "Did Maggie tell you what we're going to be doing?" "Yes. You don't really think that they'll release her?" Ally shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I know that the Director is going to do everything in his power to keep her locked up." "So, this is going to be a slow methodical check of her stuff?" "Yes. Take your time and look for anything that might be related to the abducted teens. If anything looks strange or out of place let me know immediately. My plan is to have several sets of eyes go through this stuff. Donna and Kelly are going to repeat what we're doing as soon as we finish." Beth nodded. "Is Cathleen going through her computers?" "Yes. If there's anything there I know she'll find it. There's a Starbucks on the next block. Might as well get something before we get to the agency." Ally pulled her car into a parking spot a few feet in front of the coffee shop. "Wow! A parking spot right in front, this could be an omen of something good!" quipped Beth. Chapter 9 A short time later Beth and Ally passed through security at the Agency. Beth still got a thrill when the guards examined her Agency ID. The evidence room was in east wing of the building. The room was secure and they had to pass through an additional security check in order to enter. Inside were boxes of Margo and Thomas Simon's possessions. "Okay. Each box has an inventory sheet on the front. The first thing I want you to do is verify the inventory. Notify me immediately if anything is missing. Then make sure everything goes back in the box, before you start on a new box," explained Ally, as she read the master inventory sheet. "Also put on gloves before you start." She pointed to a box of gloves on the table. Beth nodded and set a box on a table, and started to get to work. Ally verified that all twenty boxes listed were there. She then lifted a box of books up on a separate table. Ally opened up a book on the history of torture. Inside the margins of the book were Margo's handwritten notes. If all the books were like this, it would take a long time to go through them all, thought Ally. Beth looked up from the book she was examining. "Mom told me about your surgery being postponed. I'm sorry." "Thanks. I appreciate your concern," answered Ally, as she began to page through a book on the human mind. "It's just a delay." "I'm amazed how well you're handling it. I can't imagine the lifelong conflict you've felt." Ally looked up and smiled. "This is coming from someone who was forcibly changed from male to female." "Not to mention being turned into a teenager!" added Beth with a grin. "Speaking of which, how're you doing?" "If you mean the upcoming anniversary of my transformation, I'm doing okay. I've accepted that I'm now Beth Williams. I love my family, although I'd love to see my old family again. Thankfully, I have Gran." "How's Andrea?" asked Ally. "Great. She's planning a trip to Denmark for early summer." "That's wonderful. I hope I'm half as active as her when I'm her age!" "I know what you mean. She's pretty cool." "Anything else going on in your life?" "I'm still dating Kevin. I like him, he's so much more mature than the other boys his age." "Are you including yourself in that grouping?" asked Ally with a grin. "Absolutely! I was totally immature when I was in school. I don't think I really started to mature until I became an officer," replied Beth. "Seriously, Kevin is really sweet." "Since we're pseudo-sisters, do you might if I ask how far you've gotten?" asked Ally. Beth giggled. "I'm still a virgin, if that's what you mean?" "Hey, I'm just concerned that's all," replied Ally. "I know. We kiss and sometimes play around a little, but we've never had sex." "How do you feel about it?" Beth sighed. "It's confusing at times. Still, I get tingles when he kisses me. I try not to analyze everything and just let nature take its course." Ally nodded. "Where's he going after graduation?" "He's staying around here. He's going to Georgetown." "And when am I going to meet him?" asked Ally. Beth smiled. "I wanted to invite him to the agency dinner next month, but he doesn't know I'm an agent." "Among other secrets." Beth laughed. "So, I'm bringing him to my birthday dinner that you and Carol are planning." "That's supposed to be a secret." Beth rolled her eyes. "Please! I'm an agent." "Try to act surprised." Three hours later Ally and Beth took a break. So far they hadn't detected anything suspicious. As they stepped out of the room the security guard asked Ally if she was done for the day. "No, we'll be here most of the day and also tomorrow," replied Ally. She was about to walk away, but she stopped. "Why do you ask?" "We just got a request to transfer all the evidence this afternoon," replied the guard. "Request? By who?" asked Ally. "Treasury Department. The man who requested it said something about a financial investigation," replied the guard. "That doesn't sound right. What was the agent's name?" The guard looked down and read the name off of the request. "Agent Robert C. Davis." He showed Ally the request. Ally took the request from him and studied it. "Do not release the evidence in that room without my permission. Do you understand?" ordered Ally. She copied down the agent's name and badge number. The guard nodded. "I understand Agent Burns." Ally and Beth walked down the hall to the break room. "What's wrong?" asked Beth. "Why would Treasury want what's in those boxes? I have to make a phone call. I'll meet you back there in a few minutes." Ally walked to her office and called the Treasury Department. She got the duty officer. "This is Special Agent Ally Burns. Please call me back on a secure line," stated Ally. She then gave the number and hung up. A few minutes later the phone rang. Ally asked about Agent Robert Davis. The duty officer checked their records. "You said Robert C. Davis?" There was a confused tone to the agent's voice. "Yes. Why what's wrong?" asked Ally. "The only Robert C. Davis I have listed was placed on medical leave six months ago." "The request was placed with our agency today," stated Ally. "Let me call you back in a few minutes," stated the duty officer. Ally hung up the phone and opened her mini-fridge and pulled out a Diet Coke. Five minutes later her phone rang. "This is Agent Burns." "Something is amiss. I just checked with Robert C. Davis' supervisor. He told me that Agent Davis died from heart failure three weeks ago." Ally sat there in silence. "Hello? Are you still there?" asked the duty officer. "Yes. It looks like someone got his identification and tried to interfere with a case I'm working on. I'm contacting my supervisor and I'm sure that he'll want an investigation started immediately." "Of course. I'll get things started on our end. Thanks for the heads up." Ally called up Robert Ledyard and told him what happened. "Looks like you're on the right trail. I'll have internal security get started on the investigation," stated Robert. "I want an additional security on the evidence," added Ally. "It will be in place within the hour." "Okay. Thank you. I'm going back down there." "Good hunting. By the way, say hi to Beth for me." Ally didn't bother asking how he knew Beth was helping her. She just smiled and said that she would. Ally walked back down to the evidence room. The guard let her in and she found Beth was already back at work. She told her what had happened. "Do you think that they'll try again?" asked Beth. "Maybe. It just confirms that someone is helping Margo," answered Ally. "By the way Robert Ledyard said hi!" At four Ally decided to call it a day. They had only gotten through eight boxes. "You want to come back tomorrow?" asked Ally as they walked out of the room. "You bet!" replied Beth, her enthusiasm undimmed. Ally noted that there were now two guards standing in the hallway to the evidence rooms. They probably didn't appreciate the extra duty, but she didn't care. Somewhere out there, ten teens were in sexual captivity, and it was up to Ally to rescue them. It also meant that Margo Simon would stay behind bars. Chapter 10 Carol had made a beef stew for dinner and it really hit the spot. Additionally, she had baked some fresh biscuits. Steve was very interested in the fact that someone tried to take the evidence. "Whoever did it knew the correct procedures. This tells me were not dealing with an amateur," stated Steve, as he spread some butter on his biscuit. "Do you think it's someone in the agency?" asked Beth. Steve shook his head. "He would have just taken the stuff if he was." "Well, this tells me that we're on the right track," stated Ally. "I can't wait to get started tomorrow." "Whoever the guy is, he's sharp. Somehow he got wind that we were onto him. We tried to catch him by setting up a fake delivery of the evidence." "When did that happen?" asked Ally. "One hour ago," replied Steve with a smile. "Why would Margo give you a chance to find the teens?" asked Beth. "I think she wants to show up the Agency. Additionally, she gets to humiliate the agent who tracked her down," answered Steve looking over at Ally. Ally pointed at her chest. "You mean me? I didn't act alone." "No, but Margo sees you as the person responsible for her present predicament," continued Steve. "That's my Ally, making friends in high places," piped in Carol. "I'm insulted! After all, I was the one who knocked her on her bald head!" interjected Maggie. Ally laughed and took a sip of her wine. "Speaking of friends in high places, Monday I get to show off my department to a congressman." "Which one?" asked Beth. "The great and honorable Sterling Layton," answered Ally sarcastically. "Ah, the darling of the rightwing!" quipped Steve. "Why does he want to see your department?" asked Maggie. Ally shrugged her shoulders. "He's running for re-election and is anti-crime. I think he's also favoring restrictions on the Internet. He can use my department to prove that it's dangerous." "Then why is the agency supporting him?" asked Beth. "They have no choice. He's on our funding committee," added Ally. "I'm sure he'll find your department interesting. You going to have them clean up the Op-Center before he arrives?" asked Carol, knowing the answer. Ally shook her head. "Screw him. The private lives of my agents have nothing to do with their performance." "I was just bringing this up, because he's also anti-gay rights," added Carol. Ally smiled. "If he brings up our relationship, I'll just show him that I'm still physically a male!" That caused everyone to start laughing. "Oh, that will make things much better!" interjected Steve, still laughing. Chapter 11 Ally had additional help the following day. In addition to Beth, Carol, Maggie, and Steve assisted her in the search for clues. She opened up another box and inspected at the inventory list. Most of the books were professional texts, related to human psychology. There was one surprising item; a book on the Academy Awards. She rummaged through the box and pulled out the book. Somehow Margo didn't seem like a movie buff, thought Ally. Holding back her excitement, she opened up the book and found, instead of notes, highlighted sections. Names and dates were outlined in different colors. She paged through the book and saw that the book was filled with a variety of different markings. Some sentences had words highlighted in as many as six different colors. "I think I found something," she announced, as she showed the book to the others. "It definitely looks like a code of some kind. I don't suppose she left a key in the book," asked Steve. "No such luck," commented Ally. "The highlights are names, places, and individual letters and numbers. There are many different colors." "How much do you want to bet that there are at least sixteen colors," noted Carol. "Well, we have the names of six of the teens and we have the names of the men who had them. We can use that to break the code," added Maggie. Ally nodded. "If it is a code. It might just be that Margo is really crazy." "No, she's not crazy. Sick and perverted, but not crazy," chimed in Steve. "Who should we give this to?" asked Ally. "I know a few of the cryptos who'd love to get their hands on a challenge like this," commented Steve, referring to the Agency's code breaking technicians. Ally nodded. "Steve, you want to take this to them?" "Sure. I'll also need a list of the all the teens. Also the names of the guys we caught back in October." "I can get that for you right now." "Great. But this might just be a red herring. I suggest we all get back to work," stated Steve. "After a short break," added Maggie as she struggled to stand up. "I need to use the facilities." They worked until mid-afternoon before calling it a day. They hadn't found anything else that looked even remotely suspicious. On their way home, Carol and Ally stopped at a mall to look for Beth's birthday gift. "I want to give her something memorable, after all you only turn eighteen once," explained Ally. Carol stared at her with a silly grin on her face. Ally realizing what she'd said, started to laugh. "Okay, MOST people only turn eighteen once!" They looked in a few stores without finding anything. They decided that they wanted to give her jewelry. "You know, I don't think we'll find the gift here. I think we should look in some of the antique shops," said Carol. Ally nodded. "You have any place in mind?" Carol nodded. "They're closed now. We can stop by next Saturday morning." "Cool. You want to stop somewhere for dinner?" "I'm in the mood for Mexican. What about you?" asked Carol. "That sounds great, my treat!" Chapter 12 Monday morning Ally arrived early in her office. She was wearing a wool skirt and jacket, planning to look good for the Rep. Layton. She checked her messages and found one from Steve. "We found a bug in the Treasury Department. The Duty Officer's phone was tapped," stated Steve. "So, our counterfeit agent knew we were onto him as soon as you asked about him." "They bugged the secure line?" "Yes. It was a very sophisticated bug. We're attempting to trace it." "Wow," replied a concerned Ally. "Umm.... have you done a sweep through here yet?" "Last night. Nothing showed up. We also did a sweep of Tyrone's office." "Thanks for the info." "No problem. Let me know what else I can do," replied Steve. "I will." Ally hung up the phone and thought about what Steve told her. Margo was getting help and that meant that their task would be that much harder. She called up Tyrone. "Do you have the list of Margo and Thomas Simon's visitors?" "Sure Ally. I'll e-mail it to you right now. According to the prison, her only guests have been her lawyers." "Okay. Still, I want to look it over," stated Ally. "Incoming," stated Tyrone. Ally looked at her email and opened up Tyrone's message attachment. "Thanks. I'll get back to you." "Okay, keep me informed." Ally looked at the short list of names. There were only three. The first name Ally immediately recognized as Margo's second lawyer. Her first was awaiting trial for trying to help Margo escape. The next two names were listed as defense lawyers. Ally forwarded the mail to Michelle with a note for her to do a background check on the two men. She checked her watch and saw that it was time to go and greet Rep. Layton. Ally passed through the Op-Center and observed everyone was hard at work. She had told them about the visit, but she had also told them not to change their routine. Ally arrived at the front of the Agency and waited. Ten minutes later Rep. Sterling Layton arrived with two aides, one carrying a camera. "Congressman Layton, I'm Special Agent Ally Burns. I'll be your guide this morning." "Pleased to meet you Agent Burns," greeted the congressman. He flashed his well-practiced campaign smile. Ally noted that he looked just like he did when he was on TV. From his biography Ally knew that he was forty-six and a graduate from the Citadel. He got his law degree from Yale and then served as an assistant district attorney for three years. Politics inevitably came next and he rose quickly from city councilman to congress. Now comfortably in his third term, Sterling was five-nine and still thin, his jet-black hair cut short. Ally suspected that he used coloring to keep the gray out. He had perfect teeth and she wondered how much that cost him. "I'm afraid that you'll have to leave the camera here. We don't allow photography inside the Agency," stated Ally to the aide. "Is that really necessary Miss Burns?" asked the man. Ally bristled slightly when he called her Miss. She also didn't like the tone of his voice. "We did state that we wanted to take photographs in our visit request," piped in the second aide. "What's the harm? We do work for a congressman." Ally decided to save time and disliked the two aides immediately. The first one was twentyish and oozed with overconfidence. He was wearing an expensive suit and a Harvard class ring. The second man was a few years older. He was also dressed classy. Ally wondered how much congressional aides made. "We have our photographer standing by," stated Ally. "He'll be able to take some photos for you." He shrugged his shoulders and handed the camera over to the guard. "I also need to see your cell phones," stated Ally. "Don't tell me those are banned too," stated the older aide sarcastically. "What's next, a strip-search?" "No, regular cell phones are authorized," answered Ally politely, ignoring his other comment. "But phones with cameras aren't." "Bradley, don't be an ass. Agent Burns is just doing her job," chided Rep. Layton. "Yes, Sir!" replied Bradley, the older aide and he handed Ally his phone. It was a camera phone and Ally handed to the guard. "You too, Arthur," added Rep. Layton. His phone also had a camera. "You'll get them back when you leave. Thank you for cooperating," explained Ally in an overly polite tone that bordered on sarcastic. Ally led them up to her department. Along the way she told the congressman how her department worked. "So your agents are the hunters?" asked Rep. Layton. "That's one way of looking at it. We do go after specific sexual offenders. However, we also act as the lifeguard. We often cruise the chat rooms without looking for a specific suspect," explained Ally. "We've caught many offenders before they've had a chance to hurt an actual teen." He nodded in approval. "I understand that you're requesting funding to expand your operations." "Yes. While we've assisted police departments all over the country right from our Op-Center, it will be more efficient to have regional offices. That way we can train local departments to run their own operations." "I'm very interested i