Case Reopened

Making Contact (Part 2)

The plot thickens!!... Okay it mildly progresses. Connected to part 1 if that wasn't obvious.

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"I have to admit it," Mason said. "I didn't actually think this was a look you could pull off."

Carter didn't say anything as she regarded her reflection. She wouldn't have admitted out loud but she also was a bit surprised by her own appearance. Though she still had elements of her style: hair in a ponytail, comfortable sweatshirt, fitted jeans, and tennis shoes, it wasn't her at the same time.

Though in a ponytail, her hair had a slight curl to it that made the ponytail stylish instead of messy. The sweatshirt wasn't three sizes bigger than she wore, but the perfect size, fitted without looking like it was tight. It also came from a ski resort Jackson's family frequented. The jeans were her own. The shoes were tennis shoes but ones that the only word that came to mind when looking at them was cute.

To top off her look, she'd applied the barest hint eyeliner to enhance her eyes but not make her striking. The last piece was a pair of glasses that completed the cute, but little shy persona. The added bonus being there were inlaid with a camera.

When Carter faced the dorm room, that they had transformed into their own headquarters with a long desk filled with computers screens, both Mason and Donovan inspected her closely. Mason with the critical eye of someone still surprised, Donovan with the eye of someone in charge of the project.

"Anything I need to change?" she asked, hands on hips.

"Yeah, don't do that," Mason said, pointing to her posture. "It makes you look intimidating."

Carter dropped her hands and nervously knotted them together while wearing a bashful smile.

Mason jerked back in his chair and Donovan fought a grin.

"That was freaky," Mason said. "You turned into someone... not you."

"It's called acting Mason and a key part to undercover."

It was a key part and one she'd spent hours with Donovan going over the past three nights, nailing down mannerisms, the amount of eye contact, the length of eye contact, the style of laugh, the intonation of speech, calculated motions.

It was one part Carter knew she couldn't do with Mason around, knowing she'd feel self conscious. But Donovan could see all her failures and know how to correct them with a professional and supportive way. The benefit of being married and partners.

"Are you sure your plan is going to work?" Mason said. "It sounds farfetched to me."

Carter thought of a time long ago in high school, a time before everything changed in her life. At the memory, she almost smiled.

"Yes, it will work." She checked the time. "I should get going."

"We'll be watching you," Donovan said.

On the computer screens were dozens of camera feeds all displaying different parts of the college campus. One individual screen showed what Carter saw.

"And we'll be ready to step in if you somehow terrify Jackson instead of winning him over."

"Only you're scared of me, Mason."

"I would call it a sense of self preservation. A natural feeling that we'll hope that outfit distracts Jackson from developing with you."

Shaking her head at him, she gathered up a collection of notebooks, papers, and books. As she opened the door, she glanced back at Donovan and he gave her single nod of encouragement. This was their first serious undercover assignment, it needed to go well.