The Awakening

Chapter 7

A pair of agents from the DEA were waiting in a small conference room next to their cubicle. Before they could greet their guests, Pettigrew waved them into his office. A thrill of fear passed through Katarina at being called into the boss's office, but she did her best to hide it.

"What's up, sir?" Brody asked after the door was closed.

Pettigrew didn't invite them to sit and remained standing in front of his desk.

"Tell me what we know," he said, getting straight to business.

"Got DNA back from Eloise about half an hour ago. Blood in the cockpit is a match for our unidentified Reaper victim. She's still working a cell phone that was at the scene and the cash is being scanned over to Treasury for serial number checks. That's it so far."

Pettigrew nodded in thought as he absorbed the information.

"What about an ID?"

"No closer than we were," Brody said, shaking his head. "Maybe our friends from the DEA can shed some light. Betting they've got a good idea who all the smugglers are."

"Information exchange, only," Pettigrew warned sternly. "Case file stays in house. I don't need any joint-interagency cooperation bullshit. This is an FBI investigation. Got me?"

"Loud and clear, sir."

"Good," he said, moving behind his desk and sitting down. His attention was already on his computer screen. "Keep me updated."

Brody and Katarina got out of there and headed to the conference room. Two men wearing jeans and T-shirts were seated at the table, holstered pistols very visible on their belts. One was Brody's age and looked as hard as nails. His hair was in a brush cut and his exposed arms rippled with muscle.

The younger man was taller and leaner, but obviously spent a lot of time in the gym. With a beard and hair to his shoulders, he looked every inch the perfect image of Hollywood's idea of a DEA agent. Gold badges were suspended from chains around their necks.

As they entered the room, Brody stepped forward with an extended hand to greet the older man. When the younger looked at her and smiled, Katarina involuntarily faltered. He was gorgeous with eyes that made her weak in the knees. Recovering quickly, she returned his smile.

"... and this is Kat Daniels," she heard Brody say when she became aware of anything other than the man standing in front of her.

"Jim Phillips and that's Liam Macleod," the older agent said.

Everyone got settled and Katarina had to make a concerted effort to not steal a glance at Liam.

"So, our boss says you came across something," Phillips prompted.

Brody spent a few minutes filling them in during which they paid rapt attention. Katarina's self-control slipped at one point and she took a quick peek at Liam. He was focused on Brody but met her eyes and smiled when he saw her looking. She quickly turned away.

"What's the FBI's interest in this?" Phillips asked when Brody was done.

"Intersects with a case we've been working," Brody said vaguely. "Turns out the missing pilot's a DNA match for an unidentified homicide victim."

"The Bureau works homicides, now?" Liam asked.

Brody hesitated before responding.

"When they're the victim of a serial killer," he said.

It went completely silent in the room for a few moments as the two men absorbed what had just been shared with them.

"The Reaper?" Phillips asked quietly.