Chapter 6

Jones wasn't speaking.

I couldn't tell if the ability of speech had simply deserted him, or if he was thinking of something particularly scathing to say.

Suffice it to say, he didn't take my news well.

"Let me get this straight Agent Creed. Not only did you activate this girl's brain chip ... thingy, but now you tell me that she has refused witness protection and is insisting on living with you?"

I wanted to disappear. "That's about the size of it sir."

Jones exhaled ... slowly.

"Very well, Agent Creed. I am releasing Ms. Gale from custody, she may reside where ever she chooses. You needn't worry about bringing her to court to testify, we have at least ten other girls who want to see UniCORP go down in flames."

"Thank you sir," I said. This meeting had gone better than I expected.

Jones simply smiled.

"Oh don't thank me yet Creed, I'm also putting you on probation. You will answer tip line phone calls in the bullpen for a month for being careless ... as I understand, you came with such high qualifications you missed that little job. I think it only fair I not deny you the experience."

I really hate the bullpen.

"Um, sir, am I being demoted?"

Jones shook his head, still grinning. "No Special Agent Creed, I'm just making you do some grunt work, so you'll maybe use that big brain of yours and think before landing yourself in this kind of trouble again.

Ah. So he's just being a bastard.

"Yes sir, I understand."

Jones nodded. "Good."

Jones looked back down at a new file on his desk. It had just come out of the official packaging from Washington. Two days ago I would have asked to see it. I would have wanted the case. Now I just felt lucky to keep my job.

"Dismissed," Jones said without looking up.

I walked from the room.

I eyed the bullpen and the jingling phones on the way to my office ... it had suddenly taken on a new meaning.

I slipped into my office.

It was still a bit disheveled from my episode so I started to tidy up.

I'm a bit of a neat freak.

When I was content that my office was sufficiently clean I sat down at my desk. I needed to tell Sarah Gale that she was free ... now all I had to do was convince her that living with me was not the solution to our mutual problem.

I reached for the phone sitting on my desk, and rang down to the holding rooms.

Dr. Thompson answered.

"Hello."

I cleared my throat. "Um, hi, Doctor, how is she?"

I heard Thompson give a little chuckle. "She's as antsy as a wild cat. Either that chip thing is stronger than I originally thought or you make quite a first impression."

I groaned internally. This did not bode well for my 'you're free' speech.

"Send her up to my office Doctor, I need to talk with her."

"Alright son, she'll be up in five minutes."

I gingerly replaced the phone on the receiver.

Twelve minutes later I heard a knock on my office door.

"Come in." I called out.

I poured myself some scotch to calm my nerves.

Sarah Gale entered my office.

She was a vision on two legs. Obviously UniCORP picked the best looking girls they could find. At five eight she stood quite tall for a woman. She had long shapely legs that were currently encased in form fitting jeans. She was wearing a pick blouse that accentuated her hourglass figure, and emphasized her C cup breasts. Her long shimmery auburn hair was pulled back in a pony tail. She gave me a half smile.

I tried to swallow the knot that had formed in my throat.

I gestured to a chair, "Please, Ms. Gale sit down."

She gracefully sat down. "Just Sarah, Agent Creed."

"Then I insist you call me Jonathan."

She nodded and said, "You wanted to see me Jonathan?"