Chapter 6

Jep's fingers tapped on the seat beside him. He knew it wouldn't all be this easy, but so far, he'd found a lot of amusement in the two sitting in the front. Like the way Emery tried not to look at him when he got in the car.

"You're awful quiet up there, Emery," he said to see how she'd react.

"I don't speak when I have nothing to say."

"Do you have any suits in your wardrobe anymore?" Pearce said.

"I barely wore a suit when I was there before."

Emery's head turned, but she didn't look at him directly. Judging by her dress code, it must rub her the wrong way that he still wore jeans and a T-shirt with no intention of changing. He wasn't against wearing a suit, but it was easier to get information from people when you didn't look like you were above them.

"I thought I remembered that," Pearce said. "But it's worth having one or two for those occasions when you really need them."

"I remember how to do my job. Don't worry."

"Sorry, I don't mean to sound condescending."

"That's okay. You're nervous about me coming back. Afraid you've made a grave mistake."

"That's not true."

"I remember the day you started with the task force," Jep said.

"Oh, yeah?"

"You came in full of confidence and swagger. But it didn't take you long to settle into your place."

"I can't tell if you're saying that to be rude or if you mean it as a compliment."

"Compliment. I don't like it when guys are full of themselves. We didn't know each other well, but I thought you were a good addition to the team."

"I wanted to be there, so I did what I had to do to get along with everyone. I was proud to be a part of the team. I thought you were too."

"I was. We did a lot of good work."

"But you weren't willing to adjust?"

Jep huffed a laugh and looked out the window. "A word of advice—don't believe everything everyone said about me after I left."

"I came to ask for you back, didn't I?"

"That doesn't mean you haven't already made up your mind about me. I know she has."

Pearce looked at him in the rearview mirror, then looked at Emery. "Give her a good reason to think otherwise, and you'll find her a great asset to the team."

"At least I'll always know where she's at. I can appreciate that already."

He hadn't fully considered the prejudices he'd have to face back at the office. His current behavior wasn't helping opinions inside the car, but it was the protective mechanism he sometimes fell back on. If people were going to have the wrong opinion of him, it was easier to give it to them. He knew God expected better from him, so he decided to keep his mouth shut for the rest of the drive.

They rode in silence for a while until Jep noticed Emery's body go rigid. He leaned sideways so he could see out her window and follow her line of sight through to the park they were passing.

"Stop the car," he said, unbuckling his seatbelt.

"What?" Pearce said.

"Stop the car."

"Why?"

"Just do it." He slid to the passenger side and gripped the door handle.

"Jep, we have an awful lot of work to do."

"I don't care. Stop it or I'll jump." He pulled the lever far enough the door released, but he still held it closed.

Pearce took his foot off the accelerator but only slowed when they approached a red light.

"There's no time," Jep said and opened the door while the car was still moving.

"What are you doing?" Pearce said, slamming on the brake.

Jep jumped to the curb and ran into the park where a fight had already broken out. A kid in his early teens was being thrown to the ground by a couple of guys in their twenties. One of them was about to stomp on the kid, but Jep pounced, knocking him to the ground, then rolled when the second man attacked. He grabbed the guy's foot and twisted, yanking him around so he fell to the ground.

The first guy scramble across the grass and took a loose swing but missed. Jep saw the kid making a run for it, so he struck hard, knocking the first guy out before facing the second, who was on his feet with his arms in a boxing pose until he saw Pearce and Emery running toward them; then he took off at a run.

"Pearce," Jep shouted. "You get him. I'll get the boy."

He sprinted toward the kid, who'd slowed until he turned and saw Jep was after him.

Jep dropped his head and picked up speed, launching to catch the kid's legs, and they both tumbled to the ground.

The boy scratched along the ground to regain his footing, but Jep took hold of his backpack and yanked him backward.

"What'd you run for?" Jep said, out of breath.

The boy shook his head as he pushed up to sitting.

"You okay?" Jep said. "They didn't hurt you too bad?"

The boy touched his mouth where it was bloody and winced. "I'm fine, but I'd be better if you let me go. I didn't do anything."

"You want to tell me what happened back there?"

"Those guys attacked me for no reason at all."

"Then you should press charges."

"I don't want to. Can I go?"

"Maybe. What's in the bag?"

"None of your business."

"Is it drugs?"

"No."

"No meaning yes."

"It's private property. Cops can't search without a warrant."

"They can if they have probable cause."

The boy sneered. "You don't. I was the one being attacked."

"Then it's a good thing I'm not a cop. What's your name?"

"None of your business."

"Then I'll call you squirt."

"It's Bryce."

"Okay, Bryce, let's go."

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

Jep dragged him to his feet.

"Let me go!" Bryce tried to take a swing at him, but Jep caught his arm, yanking it around his back to keep him from causing any more trouble. "You're gonna break my arm," Bryce hollered.

"Then stop squirming and move."

He used the boy's trapped arm to compel him back to Em and Pearce, who were waiting for him. Pearce had caught the other guy, and they were now both sitting on the grass, restrained.

"Have you called the cops?" Jep asked Pearce as he bumped his knee into the back of Bryce's knee so he dropped to the ground.

"Do you have to be so rough?" Em said. "He's just a kid."

"Yeah," Bryce said. "I'm a kid. You should let me go."

"And aren't you two kind of like the cops?" Em asked.

"This is outside our jurisdiction," Jep said, looking inside the boy's backpack and pulling out a bag of pills.

"That's Advil," Bryce said.

"Oh, yeah? You get a lot of headaches?"

"Yeah. I do."

"Uh-huh."

Jep tried to pull the bag off his back, but Bryce crossed his arms, so Jep pulled a knife from his pocket and cut the straps.

"Hey, you can't destroy my property," Bryce said.

"Probably not. You can let the cops know you want to file a complaint when they come pick you up." He handed the bag to Pearce, who was making the call.

He sidled up beside Em, forcing her to take a step to the side. "You really don't like me," he said.

"I barely know you. But while I may not agree with your methods, you did a good job here all in all."

"Thanks."

"The police are on their way," Pearce said.

Jep pulled a card from his wallet and handed it to Bryce. "Once they let you out of Juvie or wherever you end up, call this number if you decide you'd like to a chance at a better life."

"What's this?" Bryce said.

"A once in a lifetime opportunity."

Bryce ripped the card in two and dropped it on the ground. Jep shrugged, hoping when he turned his back the boy would change his mind.

"Suit yourself," he said, then turned away and locked eyes with Emery, who had been watching the exchange. She looked away immediately.

There was more to this woman than what appeared on the surface, but it was hard to say if he'd ever find out more. Or whether the team he was about to meet would give him the benefit of the doubt. But he prepared for an icy welcome.

Once the police arrived, they were back on the road.

"That was a good pick up back there," Pearce said to him.

"It was," Emery said. "I kind of felt bad for that kid. I'm glad we were in the right place at the right time, and you were paying enough attention to do something about it."

Jep was about to tell her it was her that noticed first but decided he'd save that information for another time. Did she really not know?

It wasn't long before they were passing through the gate at headquarters, and Pearce escorted him to get his badge sorted out while Emery excused herself. She said she had to get back to work, but despite her nice comment about his work in the park, she remained prickly around him and disappeared as soon as she could.

"I should have mentioned this earlier."

"Here we go," Jep said.

"You'd already know this job is temporary at this point."

Jep blinked when the camera flashed. "I know how these things work—did that picture take okay? Or do I need to do another one?"

The camera operator showed him the picture. "You happy with that?"

He looked irritated in the photo. "That'll do. Where to next, Pearce?"

"I'll show you to your desk." He led the way to the elevator. "You already know there are some here who aren't fond of your return?"

"Besides Lawson, you mean?"

"Yes."

"I'm aware. Although I wonder how many of those people actually know me. Based on Emery's reaction, I'd say I'm going into enemy territory."

"Truman and Lawson have both approved your return, and we all want the same outcome, so I don't expect any trouble. But if you feel like you're getting ganged up on, you can come to me. I'll do what I can to support you."

"I think I can handle it. As long as you all know I won't compromise myself to make everyone else comfortable. I'll do everything in my power to get these guys, but I won't be stuffed into a box. There's no point in me coming back if everyone expects me to toe the line."

"I'm not sure how to respond to that."

"You know they never fired me, right? I left."

"Because they asked you to."

"It was mutual. I didn't do anything wrong. And I'll continue along those lines because that's what gets the job done."

"I can work with that."

"Then we should get along just fine. If there are any files I can take home with me, I'll study up. Do you have any leads so far?"

"It's been a strange one." He ushered Jep out of the elevator. Most people kept working, but a few stopped and looked. "Normally there's chatter."

"Yeah. Someone's always listening. FBI, CIA, MI6. I know the drill."

"Then you'll understand how odd it is when we have an attack or attempted attack of some kind with no forewarning at all."

"Nothing?"

"No. And this has happened over and over again."

"But you can confirm it's terrorism?"

"There have been small groups from Malaysia, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, you name it, who have taken credit for various attacks."

"It's not unusual for a group that's not responsible to say they did it."

"We haven't been able to confirm or deny anything except that we're confident they're connected."

"What about this latest one?"

"The intel we got was credible, but it was still unusual. Not through the normal channels. One was a letter that was found left at an abandoned site where a suspected terrorist group was meeting. Another was at a successful operation. We didn't lose anyone, but we found more intel. I'll give you the file to read through."

"But your intel was bad."

"Everything about it suggested?—"

"Good lord," Lawson said as he approached. "What happened to your face? Was that from your scuffle in the park today?"

"Lawson." Jep held out his hand, and his superior reluctantly shook. "No, this was from a previous altercation."

"You have a lot of those?"

"Not if I can help it."

Lawson sighed and finished giving Jep a once over. "I shouldn't be surprised. You haven't changed much."

"Neither have you." Both men left a lot unsaid. Each of them had nukes they could blast at the other, so there remained an unsteady truce.

Jep had been sure he'd forgiven Lawson, but the clenching anger in his gut made it clear he hadn't.

Is this why you brought me here? he prayed. To prove a point? That meant he'd have to find a way to let it go. Maybe if they could work together peacefully toward the same end, he'd find it easier.

"I take it everything's in order?" Lawson asked Pearce.

"Yes, sir. I've been briefing Jep on events up till now."

"Good. Jep, that desk over there can be yours. Make yourself at home."

Jep looked, his gaze sliding past his own desk to Emery's further along. She was focused on her computer. Maybe a little too focused.

"I'll leave you two to debrief," Lawson said and made his exit.

As they crossed the room, Jep made eye contact with those who looked his way. Some smiled. Some didn't. He nodded toward Emery when she looked at him. She smiled with her lips firmly together.

"Nice," Jep said as he sat, testing out his chair. "These are new. Stiffer than the last ones but in a good way. And less squeaky."

"I don't expect you'll spend much time here."

"Hopefully not." He leaned back. "If I'm trying to look at the bright side, one good thing about being despised by your co-workers?—"

"No one here despises you."

"Can you say that and look me in the eye? All I'm saying is, I have a newfound appreciation for all the trouble the boys back at the workshop gave me. Their antagonism is no match for the hostility in this room right now."

"I doubt anyone in here will give you a black eye."

"This wasn't meant for me."

Pearce smirked. "Whatever you say."

An agent he recognized from his time there before headed toward his desk.

"Agent Bailey," Jep said. "Good to see you."

"I never thought I'd see you back here again." Bailey roosted on the corner of the desk, a posture that made him look both casual and superior. In a moment, he might even crow.

"You and me both," Jep said. "Was there something you needed, or is this a social call?"

"Had to see it with my own eyes. When Lawson agreed to bring you back, I thought I must be dreaming."

"I'm only here to help."

"You sure?"

"There is nothing else on this earth that could have dragged me back here. Trust me."

"I hope that means we can count on you."

"You always could."

"It's too bad your closest allies aren't around to stick up for you anymore. Gill had your back a lot after you left."

"He'll be missed."

"Look, Jep, I don't mean to sound harsh, but we all expect you to carry more than your own weight in this investigation. It's a risk bringing you back, so if you want to change people's minds about you, you're going to have to perform."

"I'm not here to change people's minds. I'm here to get the job done."

"Good." He knocked on the desk to finalize their conversation, then hopped to the floor. Several pairs of eyes returned to their work after he walked away.

"It's hard not to burn bridges when everyone's holding a torch ready to set me on fire." He said it to himself, but Pearce responded.

"They'll cool down once you're settled in.

"We'll see."

"I'll get you those files."

Pearce entered Lawson's office and clasped his hands behind his back until his boss finished the phone call he was on.

"How's he looking?" Lawson said.

"I think it will work."

"It had better. Everything's riding on Jep's involvement. I hope you've been making yourself amenable to him."

"I haven't been starting a fight, if that's what you mean."

"What's the temperature in the room?"

"There aren't a lot who are happy to have him back."

"Good. Maybe it will encourage him to behave."

"I'd say it will have the opposite effect."

"You'd better hope it doesn't. But the dislike could work in our favor. He wants to choose his own partner. I'd like it to be you. Unless you have a problem with that?"

"None at all. We get along better than any of the other agents so far."

"Good. If he believes he has some kind of connection with you, he'll trust you. I want to know what he's thinking. Where he's heading."

"You don't think he'll share that information with you?"

"Jep has always kept his cards close to his chest. I need an extra pair of eyes."

"That won't be a problem."

"Do whatever you need to do to make sure you're his partner of choice."

"I don't know that he has much of a choice, but I'll continue to support him."

"Good."

"Sir, I want you to know I'm on his side until he proves otherwise. I offered him as an option for a reason. And I'll do whatever is in my power to facilitate his success."

"You say that now, but you don't know him like I do."

"I'm willing to overlook some difficulties. Right now, the objective has to outweigh our personal feelings."

"You think it's my feelings that are hurt by his return?"

"All I mean is that making his life hell won't help him to do what needs to be done."

"You don't have to worry about me. I'll give him a wide berth. My guess is, he'll dig his own grave. Then I can be rid of him once and for all."