"They're still investigating and not turning up much about him in recent years. Seems he graduated from MIT with a degree in software engineering about six years ago and has worked privately from home since then."

"And they think he came across something that was suspicious and got him killed?" Bart asked.

Nodding, Jack confirmed, "That's the a.s.sumption they're going on, but they'll cover that more when you meet with Lin." Before the group could jump to volunteer, he added, "Luke, I want Monty with you since he knows the ins and outs of the Bureau. Marc, I've got a few security flight a.s.signments for you to take so I won't send you to D.C. Patrick, I'm sending you with Luke and Monty. This'll get you more experience in the mission planning stage. Once they get back with their information, we'll meet to see what we need to do to unravel the mystery of the whistle-blower Eli Frederick."

The other Saints rose from the table, making their way upstairs as Marc and Jack stayed behind to discuss the a.s.signments coming his way.

Chapter 4.

The waxed, white tile floors gleamed under the bright florescent lights as Luke, Monty, and Patrick followed the security escort to the conference room. Stepping inside, Luke noted the muted, darker colors, mostly from the navy patterned carpet. The heavy wooden table in the center of the room was surrounded by navy upholstered office chairs and the framed black and white pictures of Washington D.C. nightscapes on the wall gave the room a less inst.i.tutional feel.

Monty, having been a former FBI agent, smirked, "Looks like they're giving us a nice room to chat in."

The others grinned as the three Saints sat around the table waiting to meet their new contact. Punctual, Lin w.a.n.g walked into the room, stunning the Saints. A pet.i.te Asian woman, her requisite Bureau-boring navy skirt and blazer paired with a white blouse, did nothing to take away from her beauty. Her silky black hair hung in a sheet to her shoulders. Her dark eyes appeared to be a.s.sessing them from the instant she entered the room.

Walking to the other side of the table, she leaned across, greeting each man as she offered her hand.

"Gentlemen, nice to meet you. I'm Lin w.a.n.g. Thank you for coming in to meet with me today."

Quickly recovering from his surprise, Luke introduced himself, Monty, and Patrick. As they took their seats, Lin opened a file in front of her, immediately getting down to business.

"I understand you have read the preliminary report sent to Jack Bryant, so some of this will be a bit repet.i.tive," her voice clipped sharp and clear. "Approximately six months ago, the FBI was contacted by a man who did not identify himself but said he wanted to talk to someone about a possible crime. This is not unusual...the Bureau receives dozens of calls or emails daily and most turn out to be either something that a local police department would handle or they are from delusional persons with a penchant for conspiracy theories. There was little we could do since he would not give any details. About a month later, he contacted the Bureau again and this time gave a few more details about his concerns and said his name was Eli. No last name, just Eli. And before you ask, he was untraceable from his computer."

Luke's eyebrows lifted in surprise, knowing the Bureau would have the equipment to ascertain where a call or email was coming from unless it had been deeply encrypted. His interest, already piqued, shot up even more.

Lin pushed several papers over to the Saints and gave them a chance to peruse them before she continued. "He gave enough information that time so that his request to speak to an agent was granted. Eli insisted on the location and the time, which was agreed upon. When the agent went to the meeting, he never showed."

Luke's eyes skimmed the report, his mind immediately pulling together the information. Eli. Worked for a private company. Crimes against humans. Has proof. Evidence. Will turn it over for protection. May have others that need protection as well.

"Was any attempt made to find him?" Luke asked, earning a grimace from Lin.

"As I'm sure former Agent Lytton can tell you," she paused, nodding toward Monty, "the Bureau had enough evidence of a crime to open a case. When he was a no-show, we went to his house and discovered he was not there, although there was blood in the kitchen. It was investigated but, without a body, it wasn't considered a murder case...only a possible missing person's case."

"And now?" Monty asked, glancing through the report in front of him.

"A body was found over a month ago by some weekend fishermen on one of the tributaries of the Potomac River. It was greatly decomposed, but it was determined to be the body of a male, in his late twenties, and it appeared death had occurred within the last year. When compared to the missing person's reports meeting those parameters, dental records were examined and a positive identification was made. The body was that of Eli Frederick."

Luke and the other Saints continued to peruse the information in the file concerning Eli Frederick. Software Engineering graduate from MIT. My Alma Mater, graduated three years after I did, Luke noted. Worked independently, taking private contracts. Last known address...Baltimore, Maryland.

"When we went to his home in Baltimore," Lin explained, "it was mostly empty...and wiped clean. It was evident there had been blood on the floor but whoever cleaned the place had used bleach in an attempt to eradicate the crime scene. There were a few personal effects in the bedroom closet and bathroom, but no computers. None."

Luke's gaze traveled from the files in front of him back to Lin's face. Her tight-lipped expression showed she was not happy, but he was not sure of the cause. She's p.i.s.sed to call in a private investigation firm? She's p.i.s.sed because the FBI missed out on a possible case by ignoring it to begin with? Feels guilty because a man, who obviously knew something about something, is now dead? Stifling a sigh, Luke knew he was much more comfortable with the computer aspect of investigating. Reading people was never my strong suit!

Relying on Monty's experience with the Bureau, he watched as Monty peppered the agent with more questions and noticed as Lin's grimace became more p.r.o.nounced.

"Gentlemen," she bit out, "I'll be honest. I had no desire to bring in an outside company to a.s.sist with the investigation, but I was overruled. And, quite frankly, we are taxed to the max right now. My part of this case is to try to solve the murder of Eli Frederick. My time is limited due to also being a.s.signed to certain security details with the Chinese Emba.s.sy." Piercing them with a cold glare, she added, "There are few agents of Asian descent, and fewer who speak Chinese, so I have now been thrust into a role there. So while I'd prefer not to have to deal with an outside investigation business, we need to know what Eli wanted to meet about. That will be your part of the equation."

"You don't think the two are interrelated? His contact with the FBI and his murder?" Luke queried.

"I'm sure they are, but it's my understanding that you have the ability to dig into his situation more than I can right now."

Nodding, Luke agreed. As the meeting came to a close, the partic.i.p.ants stood, shaking hands as they filed out of the room. The Saints did not speak until they were out of the building. Patrick took a nonchalant walk around the car, a small piece of equipment in his hand, before he gave an almost imperceptible nod to the others.

Once inside, he reported, "No bugs."

"Monty," Luke began, "you gotta tell me what you thought, because working with Lin will be nothing like working with Mitch."

"Mitch was special," Monty agreed, thinking back to the efficient, but easy-to-work-with agent. "This lady's got an axe to grind and I don't know what it is yet. But I intend to find out."

"What does your gut tell you?" Patrick asked. "I thought she acted like a lot of women officers in the Army...where they have to be extra tough to make sure they survive."

Nodding, Monty agreed. "It's hard, sometimes, for a woman in a predominately man's field...and the Bureau can be brutal. Still very much an old-boys-network kind of workplace. And she is right, there are precious few Asian agents."

"So she has to present the right att.i.tude?"

"Could be. Could just be that she doesn't like working with an outside group. Could be that she's getting pressure from above to close out the case. Could have been implied that she can't handle it. Who knows?"

An hour and a half later, as they drove back into Charlestown, Luke looked at the clock on the dashboard as he told Monty to drop him off at his house. Turning onto Luke's street, the SUV swerved as Monty cursed, "d.a.m.n Vespa! They shouldn't be out here on the roads!"

"College towns are full of bikes and Vespas," Patrick commented. "It was the same in California."

Luke looked into his side view mirror, seeing a lone figure riding a small Vespa. "Must be the best way to get around for a poor college student," he surmised before his attention re-focused on the case again as Monty pulled into his driveway.

As Luke stepped out of the SUV, he turned back and said, "I'll spend this afternoon digging into Eli Frederick. Chances are, I'll get a lot further than the FBI. We can meet tomorrow at Jack's and go over what I find."

With a wave, he watched as the two Saints threw their hands up in salute before turning to head into his house.

Once inside, Luke walked into his kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Cold pizza. Leftover lasagna. And a container of...hmmm, not sure. Closing the door with more force than necessary, he grabbed his keys and headed back out. Within a few minutes, he sat at the counter of a local diner, thankfully almost empty since the lunch crowd had thinned.

He was almost finished gulping his burger and fries as the bell jingled over the door. A woman walked in, a riot of red curls framing her face. As she turned toward him, she smiled as she strolled by. Purple gla.s.ses, along with her curls, partially hid her face making it difficult to get a clear look at her. Wearing fitted jeans that did not appear painted on, and a green short-sleeved sweater, she sat at the counter two seats from him and ordered a cup of coffee. He watched as she slowly turned toward him, smiling once more.

Two different women...two different places...both catching my attention. Luke had no idea what was going on, but after a long time of being with the Saints, when they were single, who gained female attention quicker than he did, he was not about to pa.s.s up a rare opportunity.

"That's all you're having?" he asked, secretly hoping his words did not sound cheesy as he wiped his hands on the wadded up napkin.

A slow smile spread across the woman's face as she offered a little shrug. "Not very hungry today, but thought a little caffeine would perk me up."

He nodded, unsure of what to say next. "The pie here is pretty good, but if you really want a treat sometime with your coffee, you should try Angel's Cupcake Heaven. The owner is the wife of a co-worker and believe me, they're special."

The conversation remained stilted but continued as she drank her coffee. He knew she would soon leave and his thoughts jumped back to the raven-haired woman from Chuck's. I let that woman walk away. Am I going to do the same thing again? Taking an unprecedented chance, he rushed, "My name's Luke. I'd love to take you to Angel's sometime...or meet there."

Her smile appeared genuine before she glanced down at her empty coffee cup, once more the red curls hiding her face. "I...uh...well, I..."

"Here," he continued, taking a napkin and scribbling his cell phone number down onto the thin sc.r.a.p of tissue. As he pushed the paper over to her, he noted her smile was still on her face. Breathing a sigh of relief, he grinned. "I won't even ask for yours...just your name. And if you ever want to try a life-changing cupcake, you can call me first and I'll meet you there."

Tucking the sc.r.a.p into her oversized purse, she slid down from the stool. Glancing up at him from behind the large gla.s.ses, she nodded. "I'm-"

Just then his phone rang and he knew it was Jack. d.a.m.n timing! "I'm sorry, but I've got to take this call. It's my boss."

Before he had a chance to speak again, she smiled as she turned, walking quickly to the door, disappearing into the parking lot to the side of the building.

Grinning ruefully, he thought, Well f.u.c.k. I keep losing them before I get a name. Smiling at the waitress, he tossed down his money and headed out into the sunshine taking his call. Time to get to work and find out who the h.e.l.l Eli Frederick was and what he wanted to tell the FBI so much that it got him killed.

Chapter 5.

Charlie walked around to the side of the diner, making sure she was out of sight. Swinging her leg over the seat of her Vespa, she left through the alley behind the restaurant and then quickly turned in the opposite direction.

Driving toward the campground, she kept a vigilant eye out for anyone who might be following her. The roads became more rural and she felt the pressure of crowded roads lessen...an emotion that made her cautious. Turning into the wooded campground, she drove along the gravel path making her way around the one-way road. Having selected the perfect spot for her camper van, she smiled as it came into view. Tucked into the woods it was near the end of the road, making it easy to pull out and escape if needed.

As she drove into the s.p.a.ce by her camper van, she secured the Vespa on the back as usual. Always be ready for a quick getaway had become her motto.

Walking to the side, her gaze swept the area and found nothing but woods, squirrels scampering amongst the trees, and the sounds of a few children playing in the distance. Slipping discretely around the camper, she checked her security measures. Another useful skill I've learned. The un.o.btrusive security cameras and trip-wires were all intact. Stepping into her camper, she repeated the same steps as the other evening. Slipping off the red-haired wig and taking off the large purple-framed gla.s.ses, she once again stared into the mirror.

"What are you doing? I'm such a stalker," she stated out loud, dropping her chin to her chest. After a moment of quiet self-reflection, she knew the answer and lifted her head.

I'm sick and tired of being alone. Fighting this alone. Trying to stay alive while figuring out everything by myself. And...I just wanted to see him again. He looks so trustworthy. So capable. Who am I kidding? He's so gorgeous. She thought of how her life had changed in the last five months. The fear. The horror. And then, in the midst of it all, like a flower growing from the asphalt, she stumbled into Luke. Even if it had only been through the cyber-waves, they had formed a friendship of sorts. At least, for her.

Stepping out of the minuscule bathroom, she pulled the Glock G26 from her purse and secured it in the drawer next to the fold-down bed. Sitting down at her computer she quickly worked for a couple of hours, continuing to build a fake ident.i.ty for one of her ongoing clients.

Finally, she was able to ascertain Luke was on as well. If anyone can help me...and find out who killed Eli...it's got to be Luke.

Beginning with the most basic information, Luke delved into Eli Frederick. Not trusting the FBI report, he preferred to begin from square one and peel back the layers of Eli's life, while keeping the Bureau's file next to him when he needed it for the posthumous information. He slowly created the background to the young man whose life had ended so horrifically.

The beginnings were easy to decipher. Eli Frederick was an only child of two academic parents. His school records indicated a brilliant young man but his high school social media indicated a tendency to be bullied. Taking a fortifying breath, Luke recognized much of himself in Eli's upbringing, with the exception of having someone like Chris in his life.

Eli's parents moved several times due to different jobs at various universities and Luke began to see a pattern evolve. With each move, Eli had few new friends on social media and more problems with bullying. He not only had to contend with being the smartest, but was always the new kid on the block as well.

Methodical, thorough...Luke poured over the information he was gleaning. His stomach growled and, glancing at the clock, he realized he had worked straight through supper. Finding a few pieces of bread and a half full jar of peanut b.u.t.ter, he made a sandwich and grabbed a water bottle. Stepping out onto his back patio, he watched the sun slide over the trees. Leaning back at the waist, he cracked his neck a few times before bending over.

Grabbing a cup full of seed, he walked out into his yard and filled the birdfeeders before moving back to the patio. Stretching his stiff muscles, he toyed with the idea of going for a run, but the lure of the investigation called.

Finishing his meager supper, he walked back to his desk and continued for several more hours. Finally the yawns took over and he shut everything down. Securing his home and turning out the lights, he walked by his kitchen, knowing that in the recent past he would have cranked up his coffee maker and worked long into the night. No more, he lamented, acknowledging that his ulcer was so much better without his high-octane caffeine.

Climbing into bed, he checked his phone before placing it on the nightstand by his bed. He wondered if the woman from the diner would actually call or text sometime. Chuckling, he remembered how many times Bart or Cam would wink at a woman at Chucks and go home with them for the night. Well, at least before Faith and Miriam entered their lives.

Rolling over, he punched his pillow. I've never been very interested in getting someone for a night...but finding someone for a relationship was proving to be much harder.

The patient smiled up at the surgeon, Dr. Cheung, whose face was hidden behind the scrub mask. Anesthesia created a blurry, happy world and the patient was more than willing to rest comfortably.

"The pain you've been having will be alleviated," Dr. Cheung promised, nodding to the head surgical nurse. "So close your eyes, count backward from one hundred, and it will all be over soon."

Truer words were never spoken, as the patient slipped into unconsciousness and Dr. Cheung began the operation of removing the kidneys. Both of them. And then the harvesting of other organs to be delivered across the nation to needy patients with enough money to fetch them. Keeping the patient alive long enough to complete the harvesting, Dr. Cheung worked swiftly before nodding to the a.s.sistant to turn off the machines.

Turning from the b.l.o.o.d.y operating table, he walked through the surgery doors, snapping off his gloves. Standing at the sink, he scrubbed his hands methodically. A shadow approached from his left but he did not startle, confident in his security measures.

The woman's voice bit out, "I told you to take it easy. To slow down. There are those that may start looking a little closer at your business here."

Drying his hands on the towel provided to him, he tossed it into the laundry bin before turning to face the angry woman. His eyes moved over her appreciatively. Sleek black hair bobbed to her shoulders. Her oval eyes expertly made up. Her boring clothes. The same boring, inst.i.tutional clothes.

She caught his eyes roaming down her body before coming back to rest on her eyes. Placing her hands on her hips, she glared. "I'm telling you, once and for all, to chill the f.u.c.k out here. Until we know what your f.u.c.k up with the computer nerd is costing us, you need to keep up with your legitimate medical business!"

"My f.u.c.k up?" he said coldly. "I'm not the one who pulled the trigger. So you'd better keep working your magic to make sure I'm safe. Because, as the American saying goes, 'If I go down, you go down with me'." Leaning back, he smiled, long and slow. "But then, only one of us has diplomatic immunity."

The Saints gathered around the table the next morning, listening and taking notes as Luke, Monty, and Patrick discussed their meeting with their contact. The others listened carefully, especially as Lin w.a.n.g was described.

As shoulders began to slump around the table, Jack said, "Well, as competent as she is, I definitely get the feeling that the special relationship we had with the Bureau is gone now that Mitch is no longer with them."

Luke nodded while Patrick grunted. "Yeah, boss, I'd have to agree. While she seems more than capable, I got the feeling she wasn't too happy to share the investigation with us."

"If she wasn't stretched so thin, she'd have fought her superiors more about bringing us in, I think," Monty concurred.

"Well, we play the cards we're dealt," Jack declared, leaning back in his seat, his eagle eyes on Luke. "So what have you discovered?"

Luke grinned as he sent his preliminary report to their tablets. "This guy is interesting, to say the least. Just when I think I've got him pegged, I find out something more. And I'll warn you, I've got a lot more digging to do on him. I'm only beginning to uncover the real Eli Frederick."

Taking a gulp of his caffeinated energy drink, he continued, "Eli Frederick was the only child of two academics. Now, while at first I thought of the similarities between him and me, I quickly realized that we had fundamental differences."

As he began to talk, weaving a few of his own experiences into the tale of Eli, the other Saints listened intently, realizing Luke was divulging more about himself than he had ever before.

"Eli's parents moved fairly often to different university cities. He was a brilliant student but, looking at notes from schools and social media, he was also bullied, had virtually no friends and I would bet he probably had rudimentary social skills. By the time he hit high school, he was already writing computer codes, in the math club...although not a leader, and, from what I can tell, was a loner with no friends."

With a self-deprecating shrug, he added, "With me, I was fortunate in that my parents didn't move around and we had a cool, kick-a.s.s neighbor who took me under his wing. He taught me martial arts and how to stand up for myself. I used to talk to him and his wife all the time when my parents were buried in their ancient texts, so I learned conversational and social skills."

Luke's excitement was palatable and the other Saints shared smiles as they watched Luke's animation as he reported.

"Now, here's where it gets interesting, and I'm still digging so this is only preliminary. Eli went to MIT and was in their Engineering program. He was two years younger than me, but I started early so he was actually three years behind me in college. I never heard of him but, then, I was a senior by that time, so a freshman wouldn't have been in any of the same cla.s.ses."