Some Enchanted Evening

[Jmiland1]

It's been a rough couple of weeks since she was suspended, but Jessica is doing her best to keep a good face on it. It's hard, though, some nights. Tonight she's been out with her brother--having dinner, catching up, trying to have some fun--but every few minutes there was an awkward pause as the conversation, one way or another, turned towards the topic of their shared work. Work that he still had. Work she might not be able to return to.

The evening had been good, maybe, but not great, and the constant reminders had left Jessica in a bit of a poor mood.

But it's over now; she's home again, climbing the stairs to her apartment, keys in hand, ready to settle in for the evening. Maybe have a glass of wine before bed. Maybe two.

Jessica has already stepped into her apartment's entryway when she realizes that the keys didn't catch the lock when she opened the door. The door had been unlocked. She hadn't left the place that way. Had she?

[Dark Passenger]

Jessica is confused, and her eyes move from the lock to the door leading to the living room of her apartment, and back to the lock. She freezes. Some alchohol in her blood had made her a bit dizzy already, however she tried to recall the moment she had left her apartment...

But damn, she was raised by a police officer, taking care of security was just as normal as breathing. So very slowly her eyes went to the dark apartment in front of her. She realises her hand had already moved to the light button, but hadn't turned the light on yet. She quickly pulls it back.

Was there someone in her room right now? Or had he left already? She moves closer to the door give it a little look, if there were any obvious clues to burglary around the entrance of her apartment.

Did you come through the front door?

2011-03-26 19:34:07
Jessica rolls 6 to wits3+inves3 to check the door (10 Again)
3, 1, 8, 1, 2, 9
2 successes

[Jmiland1]

With the lights off in the foyer, it's too dark to see if anyone had forced their way in; but Jessica doesn't see any scratches around the lockplate, and the wood feels smooth after a quick inspection with her fingers.

The foyer's darkness does help Jessica realize one thing: there's a lamp on in her living room. And she might wonder about the door, but she knows damn well she left that light off.

As if to drive the point home, she hears the phlegmy rumble of an older man clearing his throat coming from her living room.

[Dark Passenger]

Jessica raises her eyebrows. What the hell was going on? The sound didn't really came from someone trying to hide and ambush her, or he was just plain stupid.

So Jessica slowly walks towards the living room. Something inside her wants to run in and shout, but now she actually just tries catch a glimpse of the man inside her appartment. It left the shouting plan still open, and if it was a criminal after all, he wouldn't shoot her right away.

[Jmiland1]

By the soft light of the single lamp, Jessica can easily catch sight of the man in her living room. He's sitting in her chair, a folded newspaper in his hands, bifocals perched on his nose. Catching movement from the corner of his eye, he glances up at the doorway.

"Sorry for the intrusion, Warren," Agent Johnson says. "But I couldn't contact you in the normal ways. I hope you understand."

[Dark Passenger]

'God!! Are you crazy!' Jessica obviously tries to sound angry, but obviously fails at it. 'I actually don't understand, but if you buy me a new house with security, I guess you can make things right.' She smiles shortly.

She shakes her head. The adrenalin needed to sink away, that took a few seconds. She whispers 'You scared the hell out of me...'

Jessica paces up and down through the small apartment. Then she looks to Johnson with a happy smile and asks. 'Coffee? It's always time for coffee.'

[Jmiland1]

Johnson shakes his head as he carefully pulls himself out of the chair. "No, thank you, none for me," he says, setting the newspaper aside. "I came by to give you an update. ICE sent some men to Eagleland, and as we suspected they weren't able to find anything. There were attorneys on hand who blocked our boys wherever they could, and what we did get access to wasn't very illuminating.

"As you might imagine, Jiminez is pissed," he adds lightly. "More so when he found out that you weren't fired, merely suspended." A faint smile crosses Johnson's face but there isn't much humor behind it. "Tell the truth, I took a bit of glee from his reaction when he found that out."

[Dark Passenger]

Jessica holds up a finger, as if she was going to tell Johnson to wait a second so she could get some coffee anyway, but then she changes her mind, and uses the same hand to pull a chair and take a seat in front of Johnson. 'Wow.' Jessica chuckles short, but then only smiles nervously.

'Despite that bit of glee, is there anything I can do to make things better? Except for going back in time or something...' Her voice lingers when she gazes through the rest of the room. Then she returns her attention to Johnson. 'I appreciate your visit, really, but what's the actual reason SAC Jonhson?'

[Jmiland1]

The old man sighs, slumping for a moment with his eyes downcast before returning Jessica's gaze with one of stern resolution. "As a matter of fact, Agent, there is something you can do which may help us. You may be able to uncover evidence that can aid ICE in their investigation, as well as redeem us in the eyes of Homeland Security. More importantly, it may provide us with very important information about threats to American security. But what I am about to ask of you is highly illegal--both in that we do not have legal justification or permission for this, and in that you are currently suspended and, as such, should not partake in this investigation.

"If you do not wish to put yourself at such risk, I will be more than happy to walk away this evening and consider the matter at an end. But if you do accept, Agent Warren, I need to be absolutely sure that I can trust you with this operation." Johnson goes quiet then, waiting for her response.

[Dark Passenger]

'Highly illegal...' Jessica leans back in her seat. She thinks with her arms crossed. It takes a while, her eyes move from nothing to Johnson and back into nothingness.

Then she leans forward with a serious expression, though her eyes seem sad. 'Before I answer, one question SAC Johnson. Do you believe in Heaven?'