The Protector: Assorted Sweets free porn video

The Protector: Assorted Sweets By Julie O Edited by Amelia_R The continuing adventures of Ally Burns, Federal Agent. Features characters from Change of Course and Turbulence. Angel courtesy of Tyrone Slothrop Chapter 1 Special Agent Ally Burns sat nervously in the Director's office. She wondered why she was here, as none of her section's present cases were controversial. She knew whatever the reason, it was important, as he only brought agents into his office for serious matters. The Director was reading a report and, other than a brief nod, he had barely acknowledged Ally's presence. She knew better than to initiate the conversation with him; it just wasn't done. She fought the urge to rub her right shoulder. It had become a nervous habit, and she sometimes found herself rubbing it even when it didn't ache. He closed the file and took off his reading glasses. Without looking, he reached over and picked up his coffee mug. It was a simple sturdy white ceramic mug with the yellow shield of the 7th Cavalry emblazoned on it. He took a sip of his coffee and set the mug down. "I have a special assignment that I would appreciate your assistance on," he stated. Ally was shocked and tried not to show it. He wasn't ordering her on an assignment, rather he was act She just nodded and waited for him to continue. "As you know, I've treated you as I would any other agent. I am well aware that you are dealing with some medical issues, including some surgery this fall, but that is your concern. It has given you a special insight that has helped us on several cases." Ally nodded again. She owed much to the Director for giving her a chance as an agent. When she'd told the Agency she was transgendered, there were those who weren't pleased. However, the Director had given her the chance to prove herself. Presently she was the head of four regional offices that fought Internet sex crimes, and one of the youngest department heads in Agency history. She knew that there was some flak over her assignment to the position, some based on her age and experience, and some based on the fact that she was a pre-op male-to- female transsexual. She also knew that the Director had a personal interest in her career. "We need you to help an agent go into a deep undercover operation. It will require you to teach him how to dress and act as a woman," continued the Director. "The undercover agent will be portraying a transsexual." Ally sat up and started to open her mouth. "Before you say a word, Agent Burns, the answer is no. The agent for the assignment has already been selected. Besides, I can't afford to have one of my better department heads out of the office for several months, if not longer." Ally smiled slightly and nodded again. "What do you want me to do?" "You have a two o'clock meeting with Robert Ledyard in Briefing Room X- ray. He'll give you the details." This was another surprise, as Briefing Room X-ray was the most secure room at the Agency. "I understand that this is the highest security, sir," stated Ally. He just nodded as he sipped his coffee. "Thank you, Agent Burns." Ally knew this was the signal for her to leave. As she walked back to her office, she realized that he had called her one of his better department heads. Chapter 2 She arrived outside of the briefing room. The agent at the desk asked for her identification and directed her to the retinal eye scan machine. In spite of the perceived overkill, Ally was enjoying the process. She still enjoyed the more James Bondish aspects of her job. "Thank you, Agent Burns, you may proceed in now," stated the desk agent. Ally nodded. The man looked familiar; she then remembered him. He had been on Steve's Spec-Ops team until he was injured. "Thank you, Agent Peterson." He smiled slightly at the fact that Allie remembered his name. Ally walked inside and was greeted by Robert Ledyard, her direct supervisor. "Welcome to X-ray, Ally," he greeted. The room didn't look special. Yes, it had video monitors and computer consoles, but didn't look any different than any of the other Agency briefing rooms. Allie knew that it was the room's construction that made it so special. It was as secure as possible and was constantly being upgraded. Rumor was that the latest security chief got his job by finding a breach in the room's security. "Thanks, Robert. Just one question; why X-Ray?" "Rumor has it the Director personally named it after a landing zone he fought in during Viet Nam." "Oh. So, when does the brief start?" "Have a seat, you're going to be here for a while," offered Robert. Ally sat down. Robert walked over to a small fridge and pulled out a Diet Coke. He then handed Allie the soda. "Thank you," replied Ally. Her addiction to Diet Coke was well known among her peers. Robert poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down across from her. He then handed her a file. "Read this, and then I'll answer any questions you might have," stated Robert. Allie opened the file and began to read. The mission was to infiltrate the office of a man suspected of running an international sex slavery ring. Outwardly, Loren Gabriel was a well- respected and squeaky-clean importer of electronics. However, the agency had been given information that connected him to people known to be involved in the white-slave trade, both here and abroad. Ally knew all too well that slavery was far from being extinct. One of the most lucrative segments involved the importation of young women to work in the sex trade. Some were sold to rich clients for their personal use, but most ended up as bargirls and prostitutes. Loren was suspected of providing the transportation side of the organization. He was also suspected of bringing in girls and boys as young as eight. So far, there was no hard evidence to link him to the trade, but apparently the Agency had received some documents that tied Loren to several international criminals. Ally read the biography of Loren. He was born in Simi Valley in a middle class family. He went to college and studied computer science and business. By the age of twenty-five, he was a millionaire. Sensing the changing winds of business, he'd pulled out of the dotcom industry and escaped with his money. He'd opened an import-export business out of LA. He was the only child of Max and Anita Gabriel of Los Angeles. A twin had died two days after birth. Ally noticed that the mother suffered from depression following the death of the twin, and was institutionalized several times. Both his parents were now deceased. Ally studied the photos of Loren. He just oozed arrogance, she thought. He was handsome, clean-shaven, and had short black hair and a well- groomed goatee and mustache. There was one surveillance photo taken at a party in Hollywood. He was wearing an expensive Italian suit and a Rolex. Ally figured the watch cost more than her new car. "Those photos are a few weeks old. Here's the latest, he's recently shaved off the goatee and mustache," stated Robert. Ally stared at the new photo, he still looks arrogant she thought. The report stated that he was five-eight and weighed one-hundred and fifty pounds. His hobbies included martial-arts and surfing. He was also an avid theatergoer and was fond of gourmet dinners and fine wine. He was a regular in the top restaurants of Southern California. Then Ally saw why she was involved; Loren appeared to have a preference of pre-op transsexuals and crossdressers. According to surveillance, he often disguised himself and picked up dates at the Queen Mary, a famous transgendered nightclub in Studio City. He was also known to frequent transgendered chatrooms. "How do we know about the chatrooms?" asked Ally. Robert's left eyebrow raised. "Oh. Let me guess, we either had someone in Loren's inner circle or we got information about him by some means," replied Ally. "Sorry, Ally, I can't even deny your accusations," replied Robert. Ally laughed. "I really love this spy stuff!" Robert shrugged his shoulders. "That may be, but it's still beyond your need to know." She closed the file and turned to Robert. "Okay, what do you need?" "We're going to try to get an undercover agent into his office. We know that his company does an extensive background check on new employees. Their head of security used to work for the Defense Investigative Service, and he did checks for military security clearances. We also know that the background checks go beyond simple police records -- way beyond their job description. Apparently, Loren likes to know everything about his workers. Rumor has it he uses their secrets to blackmail them. It creates a very special form of company loyalty." "In what way?" "There have been several criminal investigations of Loren's companies. Whenever they get close to making some headway, some minor employee will come forward and take the blame. The worker usually brings more than enough evidence to incriminate him or her. Even when they are offered a deal to provide testimony, they refuse and admit that they're the guilty one." Ally nodded. "It's pretty obvious that they're more afraid of something else besides imprisonment. In two cases, the accused committed suicide." "So, you're hoping that they'll find out that our agent is transgendered?" Robert nodded. "And that Loren will be romantically interested?" Robert nodded again. "Rumor has it that he once had a secretary who was transgendered." "Do we know what his sexual preferences are?" "What do you mean?" asked Robert. "According to the file, he's dated both transsexuals and crossdressers. Does he have a preference?" Robert hesitated with his answer. "Robert, you're not going to embarrass me," interjected Ally as she sipped her soda. Robert smiled back. "Okay, he likes them functional." "Okay, then we should make our plant a crossdresser, or a very closeted transsexual. He probably wouldn't be too interested in a person like me," explained Ally. "That way, the agent doesn't have to be on hormones either." Robert took out a pad and began to write. "How does the agent feel about the idea of becoming... close to Loren?" asked Ally. "He's willing to do what it takes to get him," replied Robert. "What are you hoping for?" asked Ally. "Infiltration into Loren's office, access to records and computers, and maybe more," replied Robert. "Sounds like a long-term mission." Robert nodded. "He's just coming off a break. His last mission lasted three years." "Three years undercover?" asked a shocked Ally. "Yes." "I can't wait to meet him," replied Ally. "Now, part of what you'll be training him on is how to dress, do makeup, things like that. But more importantly, you can give him insight." "Of course," replied Ally. "I suggest that we have 'her' start to appear in the same chat rooms that Loren frequents. I can train her on the terminology and coach her as she establishes herself. Also, we should have her start making purchases from online companies for her clothing. How soon does 'she' need to go in?" "As soon as possible, is a month too soon?" "No, but we'll make do. I'd like more time to establish her identity, but beggars can't be choosy. How fast of a learner is this person?" "Extremely fast. He became fluent in Italian in less than three months." Ally let out a low whistle. "When do I meet my student?" Robert looked at his watch. "Five minutes." Chapter 3 Just on time the door to the briefing room opened and a young man walked in. What struck Ally was how ordinary he looked. While he was pleasant looking, he was without any really distinguishing features. He had the type of look that would allow him to escape most people's notice, a wonderful trait for an undercover agent. She estimated that he was five- nine and thin in an athletic sort of way. He had light brown hair and hazel eyes. She also noticed that he had very little facial hair; this would be helpful in his transformation. "Ally, this is Tyler Brown," stated Robert as he introduced the young man to her. "Pleased to meet you," she stated with a smile. "The honor is all mine. I've heard so much about you, Ally," replied Tyler. They sat down at the table. Tyler handed Ally a folder. "This is my biography for my undercover role," explained Tyler. Ally nodded as she opened the folder. The Agency maintained an inventory of undercover roles that could be activated and used at a moment's notice. This gave the undercover agent an immediate history that could be verified. Everything from tax records to credit card records actually existed; all that was needed was an actual person to fill the role. Ally found it amusing to know that there were hundreds of these ghosts all over America. Once the agent assumed the character, a whole supporting cast was also activated. If someone decided to check on the agent's history, they would end up talking to real people. These were mostly retired agents or associates who ran legitimate businesses. Some owned apartment complexes and this allowed for establishing a residency history. Ally knew that the process they used to create backgrounds was extremely detailed. She had talked to them in helping her department create realistic bait teens they used to hunt sexual predators. In fact, they had helped her department create dozens of teen histories. They were much more detailed than anything that Ally had previously created. She read the file. Tyler would become Sean Thomas Martin, aged twenty- five, of Philadelphia, and a recent graduate from Penn State University. Ally knew that they picked common names, big cities, and large universities to make checking on the background more difficult. In fact, the file noted that there were presently six Sean Martins in the Penn State database. "Do you think this will work?" Ally nodded. "I like the fact that you're from the east coast. It'll fit in well with your growing exploration of being transgendered. You won't have to worry about running into friends and family out in LA." Tyler nodded. "I've been doing some research on that sort of ... stuff." Ally smiled at his choice of words. "I think it would be best if you assumed the role of either a crossdresser with bisexual feelings, or a transsexual who is partly in denial about their feelings. From what I've read about Loren, he seems to like those sorts best. It'll also be easier to cover up any mistakes you might make as being new and inexperienced." Tyler nodded as he listened intently. "I've been told that I have a month to get you trained. Now, according to your folder, Sean is living in Philadelphia. We'll need to set up a computer for your use that can be traced back to Philly. This won't be hard, as we do it all the time in my department." "Computer? For what?" asked Tyler. "My dear Sean, you need to establish your feminine side to the world. This will involve shopping, chat rooms, and other things," replied Ally. "Also, you need to be up on everything in Philly." "I'm already onto that, I get the Inquirer and Daily News every day," replied Tyler. "I've also driven up for a Phillies game to learn how to boo." Ally snickered. "I know that you'll have that covered, and I'm not worried about that. However, you need to know about the TG community in Philly. Even if your character isn't out, he would know the groups." Tyler nodded. "We'll set up the computer in one of the secure rooms; the less people who come in contact with Tyler the better," interjected Robert. "We'll also have to define your TG interests to attract Loren's interest," continued Ally. Tyler cocked his head and stared at Ally. "Like what?" "We want to create a look that will attract Loren. Just the fact that you're TG may not be enough to gain his interest." Tyler nodded. "I think I know what you're driving at. I've had access to more detailed files about Loren, and according to them he likes his women to dress sexy even when at work. For instance, he had his last secretary wear tailored suits with short skirts, silk blouses and high heels. From what I read, he was pretty adamant about it." "What else?" asked Ally nodding. "According to one report, he loves to have his dates dress in leather. Apparently, he has outfits created especially for them, nothing off the shelf, but made to fit them like a glove." "That's good to know. We'll have to dress you up in some similar sorts of outfits. We'll take photos that you can post with your profile online," stated Ally. "In addition to the chatrooms, we'll have you post comments at various TG related fiction sites. It'll help to leave an electronic trace for Loren to find." "Why?" asked Tyler. "Think of it as sweetening the pot," replied Ally. A sly smile grew on her face. "We do a similar version of this when we're hunting a specific online predator." "From what I've heard, you're pretty good at it," replied Tyler. "Well, I'll leave you two to work out the details. Just a reminder, be careful discussing this case outside of a secure space," stated Robert as he stood up. For the next hour, Ally and Tyler discussed the person that he was about to become. "Okay, the first thing we need is a female name for your alter ego," stated Ally. "Do you have any preferences?" Tyler shook his head. "Okay, let's do some brainstorming. Many pick a name that is similar to their male name or at least starting with the same letter. I've heard of a few women named Sean, but let's go for something more distinctively feminine," stated Ally. She then began to write some names down on her notepad. Tyler studied the names and added a few of his own to the list. They eventually narrowed it down to three names, Sandra, Sara, and Sherri. "I like Sherri, it has a nice ring to it," stated Tyler. "Okay, Sherri it is!" replied Ally. "Can I ask you something personal?" asked Tyler. Ally smiled back. "Within reason." "Did you always go by Ally?" Ally shook her head. "Then what did you first use?" "Alice. As a kid, I fell in love with the cartoon version of Alice in Wonderland. Actually, it was the dress she was wearing," replied Ally with a grin. Tyler nodded, picturing the character in his mind. "Okay, now back to Sherri. We need to get her online and into the chatrooms as soon as possible," continued Ally. "But shouldn't we have photos first?" Ally shook her head. "If someone asks for a photo, tell them that you haven't any scanned yet. We'll have some photos taken this week. Oh, I'll need your measurements." "Do you want to take them, or can I just give them to you?" "For now, just give them to me. For your early photos, it'll look more realistic if your clothes aren't fitting perfectly." Tyler nodded. "Oh, that makes sense." "Now, I'm going to give you some reading to do before you go online. While Sherri may be new to the scene, we don't want her to act uninformed and ignorant. From what I've read about Loren, I don't think he likes bimbos. He likes them to dress risqu, but to still have a brain." "Okay, that sounds good." Ally wrote out the website addresses for Tyler. "These will give you a good start. Also, does Sean have an e-mail address yet?" Tyler nodded. He smiled at the way Ally referred to Sean and Sherri as separate people. "Okay, then we need to set up one for Sherri too. This will be the one you'll use to order things online and do all your chatting on." "Sean's ISP allows for multiple names, so that won't be a problem." Ally nodded. "Anything else today?" asked Tyler. Ally shook her head. "I'll meet you tomorrow, and we'll get you started online." "I can't wait!" replied Tyler. "Oh, don't worry; I'll do my homework tonight." "Now can I ask you something personal?" she asked. Tyler nodded. "How do you do it? I mean going into undercover for so long at a time?" "I guess I'm a frustrated actor," he replied. "What about your life outside of the Agency?" Tyler shrugged his shoulders. "I really don't have much of one. I don't have a real family; I was mostly raised in foster homes." "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry." "It's okay, Ally. My father was killed when I was seven. He was dealing drugs, among other things, and pissed off the wrong guys. He was found in a junkyard with two bullets in his head. A year later, my mother dropped me off at school one day and never returned. I was eight. I later heard she was arrested and ended up doing six years in a federal lockup for smuggling drugs. None of my loving relatives wanted me, so I became a ward of the state. I bounced around for a while and ended up spending my last few years in the system with an older couple. They were retired from the stage, and they taught me how to act. They were the closest thing I've had to a real family." "Do you keep in touch with them?" Tyler shook his head. "They're both dead. I owe them a lot as they put me through college." Ally nodded. "Anyway, I went into law enforcement after college because I didn't want to be like my real parents. I also found that all the moving around from one home to another as I grew up taught me how to adapt quickly. Combined with my acting skills, undercover work just came naturally." Ally nodded. "While I didn't have your harsh childhood, I also liked undercover work when I was a cop." "It allowed you to cover up the fact that you were different, right?" Ally nodded again. "Me too." Ally found that she was learning to really like Tyler. "Still, it must be difficult not having any roots." "This is my last mission. After this one, I'm going back to college, and after that I want to teach undercover techniques to new agents." "Sounds nice." "But that's a long way off. This mission might last a few years," he stated. "How do you feel about that? I mean this role may call for some rather unusual things for you to do," asked Ally. "It couldn't be worse than doing cocaine," he replied. Ally stared back and tried to decide if he was joking or not. "My last undercover tour was with the mob. If I didn't take the drugs, it would have seemed strange," continued Tyler. "Part of my time off was to go through rehab." "You really throw yourself into your roles." "I do what it takes it to get the bad guys." Ally felt a sudden twinge of pain in her right shoulder, her constant reminder that she also went to extremes to get the bad guys. "I'll see you tomorrow. I should have a couple of outfits for you to try on. Oh, you should start shaving your legs, underarms and the rest of your body hair," stated Ally. "Have you ever done that before?" Tyler shook her head. "Okay, take a long hot bath first. Then do a small section at a time. You can use your regular male razor, but use new blades. Use shaving cream and take your time." "What about using a hair removal product?" "I wouldn't. They sometimes cause a reaction, especially on the chest and underarms. Eventually, you might think about getting your legs waxed." "Ouch!" Ally shook her head and laughed. "It's not that bad. The sound is worse than it feels. After a few times, the hair just about falls out," replied Ally. "Okay, looks like I have a busy evening reading transgendered websites and shaving my body. Oh, what about... well, you know, between the legs?" Ally smiled back. "Trim as you see fit, just be careful." Tyler laughed. "Oh, I'll be careful!" Chapter 4 Ally pulled into the driveway of the townhouse. She had just spent the last two hours shopping for Sherri. Thanks to the many undercover missions that her department did, Ally knew of several shops that were helpful in transforming men into women. Most were regular women's shops that had a sizable TG clientele. There was also a wig shop that Ally's department used regularly. In a few hours, she had acquired a good starting wardrobe for Sherri, including makeup and several wigs of various styles and lengths. She went less for mainstream styles and more for sexy "big hair" styles, based on the persona that they were creating for Sherri. Although she did buy one wig that had a short professional look, this would be used for the bait photo of Sherri in a business suit. The other wigs would be useful in creating a series of photos that would be posted online. She opened the garage door and pulled into her spot. It was a lovely spring evening and winter was becoming a distant memory. Soon it would be light enough when she got home for her and Carol to go for walks again. As Ally entered the townhouse from the garage, a pair of eyes watched her every move. The assailant was waiting for the right moment to strike, having picked her ambush location the instant she had heard Ally's car arrive. Watching with the patience of a true assassin, she waited until Ally's back was turned. Then, with great stealth, she made her move. In a flash she attacked; Ally never heard her coming until it was too late. "There you are, Bogie!" cooed Ally as she bent down and scooped up the black and white kitten that had playfully attacked her ankles. "How're you this evening?" They had adopted Bogie a few weeks earlier from Michelle. They'd named her after Humphrey Bogart, as Michelle had told them the kitten was male. Carol joked that a gender confused kitten would fit right in with the rest of their little family, so the name stuck. Ally rubbed the kitten's chin and was rewarded with a loud comforting purr. Even though they had had the kitten for a few weeks, it was hard to imagine life without her. Ally held the little ball of fur against her chest and smiled. Carol walked in smiled. "Where did the attack come from today?" "Under the kitchen table," replied Ally. Carol walked over and kissed Ally and then reached down to pet the kitten. "It's too bad that Bogie doesn't get any attention," Carol stated sarcastically. "Yes, I know. Poor ignored kitten!" Ally held Bogie up to her face; she was purring loudly. "With the way she attacks us each evening, we should have named her Cato," replied Carol, referring to Inspector Clouseau's servant. "That's true, but I still like Bogie." "I have some interesting news," stated Carol. "I have to go out of town for a few weeks." "The meth labs investigation?" asked Ally. Carol nodded. "When?" asked Ally as she continued to snuggle Bogie. "Don't have a date yet, but it'll be sometime in the next month or so." "Where will you be going?" "Part of the trip will be in your old stomping grounds, just outside LA. We'll also be going to Texas and Arizona." Ally nodded. "We'll be helping the locals in detecting locations for the labs. Hopefully, we can put a dent into the production of that poison," continued Carol. "At least it's important. I'd hate for us to be separated for something trivial." Carol leaned over and kissed Ally again. "Why don't you put the fuzz ball down and select a wine for dinner?" suggested Carol. "What're we having?" asked Ally as she set Bogie down on the floor. The kitten immediately scampered off on some urgent matter. "Parmesan-Dijon chicken breasts," replied Carol as she began to rummage through the fridge. "Hmmm, I love that. Still, it will cost me an extra few laps at the gym to work it off," replied Ally as she debated the wine selection. "I know, but it's so good," stated Carol as she began to place the ingredients on the counter. She set the Parmesan cheese next to the butter, mustard, breadcrumbs, and chicken breasts. "Ally, could you set the oven to five hundred please? It's that little knob with the numbers on it." "I know that! I may not be a chef, but I know how to turn the oven on. Now which one is the oven again?" asked Ally with a grin. "You're lucky that you're so adorable, or I'd have dumped you a long time ago," replied Carol with a wink, as she pulled a baking pan out. Along with the chicken, Carol prepared some risotto, and a tossed green salad. "How about Pinot Grigio?" asked Ally, as she held out the bottle. "Great choice, as always. Oh, can you put something on the stereo?" Ally nodded and selected a few CDs for the player. Soon Sting's voice was filling the townhouse. "How long until dinner is ready?" asked Ally, as she poured some kitten chow in Bogie's bowl. "It only takes fifteen minutes for the chicken to cook," answered Carol as she poured the ingredients into a bowl. "Oh, check the fridge. Is there any of that white wine left from the other night? I need it for the recipe." Ally checked the fridge and handed Carol the bottle. "Not one of the better wines we've bought." "It's still good for cooking," replied Carol, as she poured three tablespoons into the bowl with the mustard. She then placed the Parmesan cheese with some melted butter into another bowl, along with the breadcrumbs. She then dipped each chicken breast into the mustard-wine bowl before coating them with the cheese and breadcrumbs. Ally went upstairs to change and, by the time she came down to set the table, the chicken was cooking. "Oh, that smells wonderful," Ally commented as she walked back into the kitchen. Carol smiled. "Keep an eye on the risotto and chicken, I'm going up to change." "You sure you trust me?" Carol shook her head. "It was either you or Bogie, and she's too small to get to the controls." Over dinner Ally and Carol discussed their day. Ally didn't tell Carol the specifics of the mission, just that she was training an agent to portray a transgendered person. "How do you feel about that?" asked Carol. "It's in the line of duty. Besides, I do have the necessary experience. I also know Robert wouldn't use me," replied Ally as she sipped her wine. "True. On a related note, have you put in for your leave of absence yet?" Ally nodded. "Robert said that there shouldn't be any problems. Besides, the surgery isn't until September at the earliest." "That's true, but you need to give them time. It isn't just the surgery, it's the recovery period. You won't be able to go back to work for a while." "I know, I feel sort of guilty about that. Am I being selfish? I mean I'm a department head now, and after all this is elective surgery...." Carol cocked her head and stared into Ally's eyes. She reached over and took Ally's hand in hers. "It's not elective surgery. You're not being selfish. You want to be whole, and I want you to be happy. Is that clear?" Ally smiled back. "Crystal." "Good. You have built up a good department, and they'll have to make due without you. Part of being a good supervisor is trusting your people to do their jobs." "That's true. I almost feel that they don't need me." "That's great to hear. That means that you've picked the right people and trained them correctly. I know it's tough being tied to a desk, but you're making a difference." Ally nodded. "Oh, on a lighter note, Beth e-mailed me today." "How's she doing?" "Great. She's going up to Philly next week. She has some meetings to attend at Penn." "Our little Ivy Leaguer!" "Actual make that two, don't forget Celeste." "I'm glad that Beth won't be alone at Penn," replied Carol. "Me too. Oh, Beth also said that Iona says hi. She's still a teenager, but expects to return to adulthood soon." Carol nodded and laughed. "I can't wait to meet the adult version of Iona. The teenager was impressive enough." "I agree. It's also pretty cool knowing someone who has magical powers." "I'm not all that surprised. I've always had my suspicions about some of my co-workers." Ally smiled. "Like who?" Carol refilled her glass. "Cathleen. But then again, most of the computer techs are a mystery to me." Ally nodded in agreement. "Who do you think?" Ally thought about it for a moment. "Michelle." "That's a possibility; she's a real magician when it comes to doing research." "Then again, you're pretty magical when it comes to cooking," replied Ally. "Well, cooking is like magic; it's just a matter of mixing the right ingredients in the right order and proportion. I've offered to teach you numerous times." Ally nodded. "To me, cooking is something to produce a meal, but for you it's enjoyable. I wouldn't want to steal your joy from you." Carol rolled her eyes in mock disgust. "Oh, please!" Chapter 5 The next morning, Ally was walking to her office when she was intercepted by Robert. "I'm glad I caught you. We need to talk," he stated. Ally knew better than to ask him about what right out in the hallway, and so she followed him into his office. "Could you close the door, please, Ally?" he asked as he sat down and pulled a folder out of his desk. Ally closed the door, sat down across from him, and waited for him to speak. She wondered what was up. "I never know how to do this correctly, so here, read this," he stated as he handed her the folder. She opened it up, and her eyes opened wide in shock. "Are they sure?" "Unfortunately, yes. They want to see him first thing this morning." "Then he doesn't know?" she asked. Robert shook his head. "That's a job for his supervisor." Ally stared back blankly. "What do I do? What do I tell him?" "Let him know that the Agency is behind him and that he'll receive the necessary treatment, while protecting his privacy. Please let him know that this will not cost him his position. The good thing is that we've detected it early. His last blood test was just two years ago." Ally let out a long sigh. "Can I tell Donna?" Robert nodded. "Absolutely, she's his immediate supervisor." Ally nodded. "Rotten way of starting a day." Robert nodded. "Come back when you're finished, and we'll talk about it." Chapter 6 A few minutes later, Donna was sitting in Ally's office, her eyes filled with tears. "This can't be right, it has to be a mistake!" she exclaimed as she blew her nose. "He had his annual physical last week. They just got the results of his tests back. He's to report to Dr. Chamberlain at Bethesda this morning," replied Ally. "Apparently, they have a series of tests they need to run; he'll be with them for several days." Donna nodded. "And how do we explain his absence without raising suspicions of the others?" "We're agents; we do what we do best -- lie." Donna grinned. "Dr. Chamberlain's office is at the Naval Hospital. Apparently, the Navy has a great system in place for dealing with new patients. Just tell the others that he's temporarily assigned. Now, you need to compose yourself; we need to be strong for him." "Well, I'd better wipe these tears away then," replied Donna. "I want to be strong for him." "You feel up to getting him, or do you want me to do it?" Donna stood up. "I'll go get him; after all, he's my agent." "I'll be waiting." Ally re-read the report as she waited for Donna to return. She still couldn't believe it, but she was pleased that the Agency wasn't about to toss him aside either; he was too good of an agent and a person to lose. She began to rub her right shoulder, even though it didn't hurt at the moment. She caught herself at it and smirked; it was becoming a nervous habit. It's a good thing I don't play poker, she thought, it would be a dead giveaway every time. There was a knock at the door, and Donna entered with Joe. Ally motioned for them to sit down. The young man sat down across from her. Donna didn't sit; instead she leaned up against the wall. Joe had been one of the last agents Ally had recruited into the department before turning it over to Donna. He was a very smart and brave agent, and had volunteered for several dangerous missions, including the one that caught the man who was trying to kill Ally. He had been the bait teen for what they knew was a trap, even though he knew that he risked being shot. No, this wasn't the type of agent one just threw away because they were sick, she thought. Ally noticed that he seemed nervous and knew that she couldn't delay the inevitable anymore. "Joe, I don't know any other way to say this. The tests came back from your physical and your HIV test came back positive," stated Ally. "They want to take a second one immediately." Joe's eyes widened, and he began to shake his head. Ally stood up and walked around and sat on the edge of her desk in front of Joe. "First, let me say that we're all on your side and that your privacy and job are not threatened." "No. My god, no," he mumbled. "Joe, we need to get you to the clinic." "I'm dead. I'm fuckin' dead," he bemoaned softly. "I'm dead." "No, Joe, you're not dead. Yes, it's serious, but it's not the end of the world." "There's no cure... what can they do?" His head was down in his hands and, from the sound of his voice, it was obvious that he was crying. Ally nodded. "That's true, there's no cure, but the treatments have improved greatly. You can survive this." Joe looked up at Donna and then Ally. "Please, do something. I don't want to die." Donna moved next to him and took his hands into hers. "Joe, please listen to me; you're going to get the best treatment possible. But that's only part of the battle. You need to focus your mind for the long fight," continued Ally. Tears were rolling down Joe's face. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." "There's nothing to apologize for, Joe," stated Ally. "I fucked up. I screwed up so bad. I'm sorry that I betrayed the trust you had in me," cried Joe. Ally got up, walked over and began to hug him. "You didn't betray us. It's a disease and nothing else. It has no bearing on your ability as an agent. What you do in your private life is your business." Donna joined the hugfest, and for several minutes no one said a word. Eventually Joe began to regain his composure. "So, what happens now?" Donna handed him the box of tissues, and he pulled several out. "You have to go up to Bethesda this morning. They want to see you immediately. The faster they can start treating you the better," replied Ally. "Don't worry about work, everything will be covered." "Right now? I... I can't go right now. Can't I go home first?" begged Joe. "Why?" asked Ally. "You'll only be up there for the day. They're not admitting you into the hospital." Joe stared back; there was a panic in his eyes. "I need to go home first. Please?" "Joe, what's wrong?" asked Donna. "I need... I need to change first," replied Joe softly. "Why, Joe?" asked Ally. She wondered what was bothering him. He hung his head down and let out a sigh. "Joe, the sooner they can see you the better," continued Ally. He reply was barely audible. "I'm wearing panties." Ally looked at Donna and then back at Joe. "Oh. Well, if it makes you feel better, you go change first. However, this doesn't change a thing between us and should you want to talk about it later, my door is always open." Joe nodded. "I thought I could keep it my secret." "It's okay, and I understand. What's important now is that you get checked out." Joe nodded again. "Thanks, and again I'm sorry." "You have nothing to be sorry about, Joe," comforted Ally. "You're still one of my agents." "If you'd like, I can drive you there," volunteered Donna, glancing over at Ally. Ally nodded her approval back. "Thanks. I'd appreciate that," replied Joe softly. "Oh, do you want my gun?" "Why? Is there something wrong with it?" replied Ally with a soft smile. "Keep it, I trust you." Joe nodded and what almost looked like a smile grew on his face. "Thanks." "You're welcome. I'll call Dr. Chamberlain and let him know you're coming," stated Ally. "Joe, I know you're scared, but we're here for you." Donna and Joe stood up and walked out of the office. Ally closed the file and placed it in her secure filing cabinet. It was amazing, she thought; Joe is facing a major health issue and he's more concerned about being outed. She picked up her coffee mug and left her office to go see Robert. Chapter 7 Ally briefed Robert on Joe's reaction; however, she left out his crossdressing confession. "I've already let Jenna know to expect him," stated Robert as he sipped his coffee." Ally nodded and set her mug down. "Donna drove up with him. I'm glad that he's not alone, not that I suspect that he'd do anything stupid." "We presently have nine other employees who are HIV positive. Eventually, we'll put him in contact with them, so that he won't be alone," continued Robert. "Jenna has created a support group for them." "I can't believe that there are still those who want to persecute them. It's just an illness," stated Ally. "It was a lot worse in the early days. We used to put them on permanent health related leave. As we found out more about the disease, the policy changed to let them stay on the job, but in a strictly administrative position. Eventually, that policy changed and now they're allowed in all positions. Still, some department heads don't like the idea of an HIV positive agent in their department and do everything legally possible to drive them out. We also had a few agents kill themselves." Ally stared back with a stunned look on her face. "You're kidding?" Robert shook his head. "They weren't suicides in the traditional manner; they died in the line of duty." Ally nodded. "Oh." She had heard of law enforcement agents exposing themselves to deadly situations on purpose. "Well, I don't want to lose an agent like Joe; he's very sharp and had unlimited potential. He's also a really nice person." "I wouldn't expect anything different from you," replied Robert. "Now, how's it going with your special project?" Ally glanced at her watch. "I'm seeing him this afternoon. I made some purchases for him yesterday." "Good, send me the bill with your monthly expenses." "Done. I expect to spend some more before I get him everything he needs. There are some things that I need to order from some online companies." "Like what?" asked Robert as he refilled his coffee mug. He held out the pot to Ally, who nodded and extended her mug. "Breast pads for starters," replied Ally. "I want to start Sherri's paper trail." "I wish we had started earlier," noted Robert. "Me too. I thought of a way to explain it; on her profile, we can mention that she has purged her wardrobe several times." Robert cocked his head. "Okay, explain that one to me." Ally smiled. "A lot of transgendered go through a cycle of acquiring a wardrobe and then in a fit of guilt they throw it all away, thinking that without the clothes the feelings will go away; it doesn't and they soon reacquire a new wardrobe. It's called purging." Robert nodded and sipped his coffee. "And, just so you know, I did it once myself." "I can't imagine you having doubts about yourself," stated Robert. Ally smiled and pointed a finger at her chest. "Me? Doubts? Seriously, it's so confusing; you run the gamut of internal feelings, from pure delight to total guilt. What makes it worse is that you have to be on guard for being detected by your friends and family." "But your family has been very accepting, haven't they?" "Yes, but I didn't know at first how they'd react. It's not something that you can just take back if they react negatively. Hey, it's just a joke! No, really, I don't want to be a girl!" Robert smiled. "For the most part, my family has been very accepting. There are a few cousins and such who don't want me around, also a few old friends that don't understand. Still, the gains have outweighed the losses." "Their loss," replied Robert. Ally blushed. "Thank you." Robert smiled back. No other words were necessary. Chapter 8 Ally met Tyler after lunch. He was sitting in front of a computer monitor looking at a TG education site. "I had no idea there was such a variety to all this," he stated to Ally. "Yes, it can be very varied, from fetish to transsexual." Tyler nodded. "So, where's my wardrobe?" "In my car, I didn't want to lug it all in here. I figured we can take it to your place," replied Ally. She popped open the can of Diet Coke that she brought with her. "My place? Oh, yes, my room at the Residence Inn." Ally stared at him in disbelief. Tyler shrugged his shoulders. "It doesn't make sense for me to have a real place. I'll be moving up to an apartment in Philly in a few weeks as part of my cover, time permitting. Then hopefully, in a few weeks I'll be in LA." "I don't see how you do it." "It's wearing thin, and not just the undercover work," replied Tyler. "Don't get me wrong, I love being in law enforcement, but sometimes I think I could get more job satisfaction from being a California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer writing tickets out on I-5." "Is there something you want to talk about?" asked Ally. Tyler sighed. "I just spent a huge hunk of my life getting the inside info on a bunch of wise guys, and the prosecutor just cut a deal with them. I doubt if any of them will spend more than a few months in jail." Ally nodded. "I know how you feel. Thankfully, the scum we bust are so sick that no one wants to cut a deal with them, especially the big fish." Tyler smiled. "I suppose you'd include Margo Simon as a big fish." Ally smiled back. "A whale... a huge hairless, soulless, depraved, evil, and manipulative whale." Tyler laughed. "By the way, have you been checking up on me?" asked Ally. "Not exactly, well, maybe I have. We have worked together before. We worked that case that involved that psycho cop who tried to kill you." "So, you're Casper?" asked Ally with a grin. Tyler laughed again. "That's me. Robert told me about the nickname." "We really appreciated your assistance," replied Ally. "It was a pleasure, the only thing worse than a criminal is a bad cop. I'm glad to see that he didn't get a light sentence." "He's lucky he had info we wanted, or else he'd be on death row. Charles Hill killed one officer and tried to kill several others." Tyler nodded. "Well, my computer account has been set up. If anyone traces it, they'll think that I really am in Philadelphia. The computer tech also set up e-mail accounts for both Sean and Sherri. She said that she included some special aspects to my accounts." "That's Cathleen, our computer wiz. What she did was set up your account so we'll know the instant that someone tries to hack in. Hopefully, this will give us a heads-up if Loren takes an interest in you." "Cool." "Well, we'd better get to work. Sign in as Sherri," ordered Ally. Tyler nodded. "Okay, what next?" She leaned over and typed in a web address for a transgendered fiction site. "What's this?" asked Tyler. "One of the better sites for fiction written with a transgendered slant; I'll give you the addresses for some other ones. Bookmark them on your favorites for future use. Now, what I'd like you to do is read some of the stories in here and leave reviews. Consider this Sherri's coming out." Tyler nodded. "Relax, there are some pretty good stories in there, along with some real crap too, not unlike a book store," continued Ally. "After a while, we'll have you go into the chatrooms in here. Once you get comfortable, we'll take you into the more sexually explicit rooms." "Okay." "I'm waiting for a status on one of my agents. When I get it, we can take your new wardrobe back to the hotel." Tyler nodded and then started to laugh. "I can't imagine what the maids will think of me; as it is they think I'm a dealer!" Ally laughed. As Tyler scanned the stories, Ally re-read the profiles for both Sean and Sherri. She was pleased to see that the Agency had used her suggestions in their profile biography sheets. They had created a very detailed biography for Sean. There were enough things to make him into a real person, but enough holes that wouldn't allow someone to deduce that he was really an agent. After a while, Tyler stood up. "I need a break, how 'bout you?" Ally looked at her watch, it was nearly five. "Time flies when you're having fun." "I'm impressed, some of those people can actually write. I left some comments as you suggested. I just reworded the comments of some of the other reviewers," stated Tyler. "Good. Now I want you to spend at least an hour in those sites every day. You don't have to comment on every story, especially the bad ones." "That's good, some really are awful," he replied. "Which Residence Inn are you staying at?" asked Ally. "The one in Falls Church, in room 325," replied Tyler. "Good, I know where that is. I'll meet you there at seven," replied Ally. Tyler nodded. Chapter 9 Around six, Ally got a call from Donna. "We're on the way back. They'd like to have Joe up here for the next two weeks; just like you said, they have tests they want to run. They also have a bunch of classes that they want him to attend. The good news is that he doesn't have to check in as a patient," stated Donna. "How's he doing?" asked Ally. "Here, I'll let him tell you," replied Donna. "Hi, Ally. I guess I'm okay... considering everything that has happened. I don't feel any different, but everything has changed," replied Joe. "I can imagine. Listen, if you need anything at all, call me. Donna will give you my cell phone number." "Thanks. I'm sorry for the way I reacted this morning...." "It's okay, Joe. Like I said earlier, there's no need to apologize," interrupted Ally. "Yes, but considering all that you've been through, I should have trusted you enough to tell you," interjected Joe. "We'll talk about it later. For now, you have your assignment. I don't want to hear from them that you haven't been paying attention," stated Ally. "They do have their act together up here; it's not at all what I thought it would be like," replied Joe. "Okay, see you when you get back." "I will. Oh, Donna wants to say something." "Ally, I'll send up some fake paperwork tomorrow, assigning Joe for two weeks of training," stated Donna. "Sure, good idea," replied Ally, wishing the lying wasn't necessary. She was sure that most of the agents in her department would support Joe, but there was always the chance that there might be problems. What was important right now was for Joe to get treatment. "I'll call you later tonight," stated Donna. "Okay, I won't be home until late," replied Ally. Chapter 10 It took Ally two trips to carry everything from her car to Tyler's room. She unpacked everything, placing the clothing and shoes on the bed, and the wigs, makeup and jewelry on the table. "This is just the start," stated Ally as she sorted through the makeup. "You're kidding, right?" asked Tyler as he hesitantly poked through the makeup cases. Ally shook her head. "No, not at all, you'll be ordering some of the more exotic aspects of your wardrobe from some online sites." Tyler shook his head in disbelief. "Where do we start?" "I suggest that you change into one of your new outfits and then practice doing your makeup." "You're not going to make me up?" Ally shook her head. "Nope. You need to learn on your own, just like the rest of us do." "But girls often get help from their friends," retorted Tyler. "You're not a girl," replied Ally with a smile. He laughed. "Touch." "I will help you pick out a wardrobe," stated Ally as she walked over to the bed. She picked up a few items, including a blue dress and handed them to Tyler. "You made a mistake, Ally. I don't think I need two pairs of panties," stated Tyler as he looked over the clothing. "Besides, I don't think this one will fit, it looks rather small." A sly smile grew on Ally's face. "That's because it's not a pair of panties, it's a gaff. It's for hiding... certain body parts." Tyler looked at the gaff and then back at Ally. "You're kidding, right?" Ally shook her head. "Is it necessary?" Ally smiled and nodded. Tyler shrugged his shoulders and walked to the bathroom. "The price we pay for being in law enforcement." "Be careful to ensure that everything is tucked away, you don't want to pinch something down there." "Ouch!" stated Tyler as he closed the bathroom door. While Tyler changed, Ally looked around the room. Her attention was drawn to a stack of DVDs. She was pleased to see that Tyler shared her love of old detective and Humphrey Bogart movies. "I see you like Film Noir," she called out. "Love it," called out Tyler. "I've always wanted to use the name Richard Blaine during an undercover operation." Ally smiled. Tyler was referring to Humphrey Bogart's character in Casablanca. "Phillip Marlowe would be too obvious," replied Ally. "Or Sam Spade," added Tyler. Ally smiled to herself. She was really becoming fond of Tyler. A few minutes later, Tyler stepped out of the bathroom. From the way he was dressed to the way he walked, he looked just like a guy in a dress. "Well?" he asked, as he posed in front of Ally. "We have a lot of work ahead of us," replied Ally, holding back a laugh. "Okay, let's start with the clothes." At least the dress fit him, she thought. She walked over and adjusted the dress and pulled the wrinkles out of his pantyhose. "The gaff isn't exactly comfortable," he moaned. "It's not for comfort, it's for concealment," replied Ally. "Just be careful how you... stuff your package; if you pinch yourself down there, it can really hurt." "Do you wear one?" Ally shook her head. "Don't need to anymore. Hormones have sort of cleared up that problem." "Oh, yeah, I guess they would." "We'll concentrate on the clothes and makeup for now, but from now on, whenever you're dressed in fem, try to act like you're female, concentrate on your body language, and don't overdo it." Tyler nodded. "Okay, sit down at the table and remember that you're wearing a dress," instructed Ally. Ally noted what a fast learner he was, as he sat down and paid close attention to his hemline. "Pick out some jewelry to go with the dress. I noticed that you have pierced ears, that'll be a big help; clip-on earrings are a bitch," replied Ally. Tyler laughed as he reached up and touched his right earlobe. "Part of the Jersey mob look. Thankfully, I didn't have to get any tattoos." "Have you ever felt like you were slipping too deep into your role?" asked Ally. He nodded. "It's a definite risk, especially when on a real long-term mission. That's another reason I want out." "That's understandable. Okay, we need to get started," stated Ally as she set up a portable makeup mirror in front of him and turned it on. Tyler stared at the bottles and small plastic cases and tubes and then looked over at Ally. There was a look of total mystery on his face. "How 'bout a hint? Where do I start?" Ally smiled and pointed to a bottle. "Use that first. Thankfully, you don't have much of a beard, so you won't need a concealer first. Use the small triangular sponge to apply it." Ally watched as he carefully applied his makeup; it was unevenly applied and very streaky. He also struggled with the eye shadow and almost poked out his eye when he applied mascara. By the time he got to his lips, he looked like a train wreck. "Just remember, I'm laughing with you and not at you," explained Ally, stifling a giggle. "Hey, remember this is my first attempt. It isn't as easy as I thought it would be," stated Tyler. "Nowhere but to go but up!" "That's true, here's some cold cream; why don't you clean up and we'll try again? Just remember this the next time you're waiting for a date to get ready." Tyler laughed as he cleaned his face. "Tell you what, I'll go first. Watch how I do it. Now, I'm going to put on heavier makeup than I usually use," explained Ally. "Okay, that sounds like a great idea." Tyler watched intently as Ally made herself up. He appeared to be taking mental notes. "That makes sense," he stated to himself, as he watched Ally apply her mascara. A short time later, he was finishing up his own makeup. "Very good," replied Ally. "I'm very impressed." "It's a knack I have. I can pick up things from watching others; the problem is that I don't always know the why behind the how." "I'll get you a few makeup DVDs that'll help you create a more exotic look." "Cool. So what sorts of things do I need to order online?" Ally took him to the site for the breast pads. "Order a pair tonight, we'll order some other things over the next few days. We'll have you make a bunch of purchases all at once; that way, once someone hacks into your credit account they'll notice it." She then explained about purging, and how Sean/Sherri was recreating her wardrobe. "Why don't you show me the sites now, and I'll put them in my favorites? My laptop is hooked up the same way as my one at work." An hour later Ally was driving home. Tyler had made great progress, more than most of her agents the first time they dressed. She thought about Joe and how he'd looked when he dressed for the mission that led to arrest of Charles Hill. She then thought about a similar stakeout mission, back when she was still a detective named Al Burns, and how Carol had helped her come out. Her mind drifted back to Joe and thought of the anguish he must be going through. She held back the tears until she arrived home. Ally wiped the tears back and headed inside. Carol met her at the door and immediately hugged her. "Donna called and told me what happened," whispered Carol, as she hugged Ally. Ally held onto Carol and the tears started again. Over dinner, Carol gave Ally a chance to vent her emotions. "It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do," stated Ally. "I can imagine," replied Carol. "It's never easy being the bearer of bad news." Ally nodded. "Thanks for being here for me." "I had nothing else planned for the evening." Ally laughed. She then saw a black and white blur out of the corner of her eye as Bogie ran through the kitchen chasing a small ball. "It must be nice to be so carefree," mused Ally as she watched Bogie play. "If reincarnation is real, then if you're good in your previous life, you get to come back as a house cat," replied Carol. Ally nodded and then, as her thoughts shifted back to Joe, she sighed. "What made it even worse for Joe was that he had to out himself as transgendered." "Did you have any idea?" asked Carol. Ally shook her head. "I never gave it any thought. He has volunteered a few times to be crossdressed for some missions, but I never made the connection. Then again, I've been kinda clueless when it comes to Gaydar." "I assume that you'll make yourself available to talk to him." "I already have." Carol nodded. "Oh, I have to call Donna before it gets too late," remembered Ally. "No problem, I'll get the dishes." Ally got up and kissed Carol. "Thank you." Ally sat down on the living room couch and called Donna. Ally was pleased to hear that Joe was in better spirits. "I know this may be personal, but is Joe seeing anyone right now? If he is, they need to know," asked Ally. "I know that he's good friends with Kelly." "He talked to me about that on the way home; they're not lovers," replied Donna. "That's good. Wait, that's not what I meant," stated Ally. "I know what you mean." "Does he plan on telling her?" "He's thinking about it," replied Donna. "He also told me that he has to talk to those he's been intimate with in the past two years." Ally signed. "It's bad enough to have a potentially deadly illness, but to then have to expose your personal life too; I can't image how hard that must be. At least I had time to prepare myself when I came out." "I thought about that. His whole life shifted dramatically this morning when we talked to him." "How're you holding up, Donna?" "Okay I guess, considering it was my first real crisis as a supervisor." "You did well." "Thanks. Oh, I did get some good news today, Ed called; he'll be home this weekend," stated Donna, referring to her husband. "That's great news." "I know; his flight will arrive in Norfolk Friday afternoon, and I'm driving down to meet him. We're going to spend the weekend in an inn down on the Outer Banks." "Sounds romantic," replied Ally. "That's the general idea," responded Donna. "We haven't seen each other in six weeks. I really need to be with him." "The joys of being a navy widow." "He hinted that he might not be going to sea for a while." Ally yawned and looked at her watch, it was almost eleven. "We'll talk about it in the morning. I think it's time that we both went to bed, and it was a very long day." "I agree, see you tomorrow." A short time later, Ally was in bed snuggling up against Carol. "Thanks for being here." Carol just nodded and leaned over and kissed Ally. Chapter 11 Ally spent the next morning going over the weekly reports for the regional departments. She had been promised an assistant, but the spot was still vacant due to budget issues. Actually, Ally didn't mind, as her work load wasn't too heavy. The Seattle office was doing great; David was quickly building an office that was rivaling DC. Thankfully, Donna and David got along famously, and used their friendship to build up the friendly competition between the two offices. It didn't hurt that the Seattle bureau was run by Travis Coleman, the man who had initially recruited her to the agency. Travis thrived on results and rewarded agents who got results. He also saw the threat of online crime and had made it a focus of the Seattle office. The St. Louis office was just getting off the ground. Ally still wasn't sure about the agent running it. His name was William Shaw and, while he had been an agent for sixteen years, he didn't have a lot of experience in Internet crime. Until recently he had been assigned to narcotics, he then was injured in a car crash. His injuries prevented him from returning to field work. He was also a bit rigid, in Ally's opinion, but the St. Louis bureau head had fought hard for William's assignment. While William had extensive agency experience, he just didn't feel right to Ally. She suspected that he was just using the position as a stepping stone to another department. Maybe she was being unfair to him, as he wasn't her choice for the position. The St. Louis bureau head had insisted that he have final say on the choice, and he'd insisted on Shaw. So far they had had little success, and Ally was debating making a trip out there to see what was happening. The Atlanta office had just gone operational the previous month. Ally saw great potential in this office. She was very pleased with the office head, whom she had recruited from the Atlanta PD. Her name was Samantha Maxwell, and she had been one of the detectives that Ally had trained there. She quickly rose from the rest and within six months was running the Atlanta department. Ally's friend on that Atlanta PD had even called and suggested that Sam would be a great fit for the position. Ally smiled as she recalled the conversation. "This is a pleasure; how have you been, Gary?" asked Ally, as she talked to the detective who'd helped her during the Monday Night Football Killer case. "I'm doing well. I heard through the grapevine that you've been promoted. I'm stunned that the feds did something right. Congrats!" replied Det. Bowie. Ally laughed. "Sometimes we get lucky." "Luck had nothing to do with it. Ally, I'll deny that this conversation ever took place, and as much as it pains me to send over an excellent detective to the Dark Side, I know someone who'd be a great fit for your regional office." "What regional office?" asked Ally innocently. "Come on, I may be a simple southern detective, but I have my sources too," replied Gary. "I know that you're setting up an office here in Atlanta." He then went on to tell her all about Samantha. She had been an Atlanta PD detective for five years and had spent the last two years working for the Internet crime taskforce. Samantha was a graduate of the University of Georgia and was working on her Masters in C