Apple Spies (Ordinary Heroes)

Apple Spies - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Gathering

Vanessa had waited for this day her whole life. She would finally get to meet the legendary Alexander Swift. Even if she'd spent 3 years at NYULawSchool, she never had the opportunity to cross his path. Last June, she graduated with a double Bachelor's degree in Criminal Law and Psychology. Her sense of justice she inherited it from her dad, Judge Lockbridge, also a former student at NYU Law and was indeed very proud of his daughter.

Vanessa was good at reading people, she was a natural. Psychology was an obvious curriculum choice at first but as she intends to join the FBI and work as a profiler, she also needed to take Criminal Law. So, yes, there was no way she would fail this capital interview with Professor Swift today.

The interview was at 11 a.m. She had been changing clothes twice and pacing back and forth in the living room. "I'm ready" , she told herself, trying to stay calm. "Let's do this."

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Professor Swift had just come back from a conference in Toronto. He did not have time to tidy his office before he left, which, by the way, was not really his kind of thing. His office was quite big, with wooden floor, and wooden shelves filled with books, all sorts of books but of course mainly law books, criminal law, profiling methods, ethics, psychology, etc.. He had a huge oak desk, which almost looked like the one in the Oval office, which made him proud. He was nearly hidden by the enormous pile of student papers he did not manage to grade before he went away. Of course, his TA being also on Summer break, nothing had been graded so far. He was actually quite happy to be back for this new academic year and ready to shape new students' minds.

He had four interviews this week, four new graduate students who wanted to attend his Criminal Law seminar. "How were they going to be?" , he thought, sighing. He hoped, like last year, to set up a team who would wish to work alongside and help him in his consulting cases.

He did not have time for a coffee at home so he ran to the cafeteria and bumped into his old friend Michael Thornton, Dean of the Law Faculty.

"Mike! Dear God, you're back from the Bahamas?", he yelled.

"Yep, just two days ago, dude. It was awesome. Trust me I needed that. So how were things for you in Toronto?", Mike replied.

"The conference was great. I actually met a lot of interesting fellows from TorontoUniversity and they were impressed by the part where I explain how many serial murders I helped solve when I was still a Fed." Swift answered, smiling.

"You know you're a legend. That's mainly the reason why I hired you! Haha!"

"Ok, dude, I better run. I've got an interview in 20 minutes!", Swift added.

"Please don't torture any more students ok? Be a good boy, promise me!" , Michael retorted showing his hand ready to slap Swift.

"I promise, boss! Haha.. Later!" Swift disappeared turning right in the hallway.

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Vanessa was on the bus now. She was getting a little nervous but was trying to remember why she wanted it so badly. If she succeeded, she would be in Professor's Swift seminar, the best in the country if your hopes are to join the FBI after you graduate. "I'm not gonna fail this, ok. I'm not gonna fail." , she thought while the bus was pulling over on campus. She jumped out with her little bag around her neck. She wore a nice fluid blue dress, a jeans jacket, sandals and had ponytailed her lovely dark long hair. She had put make-up but not too much, she wanted to be taken seriously and look classy and willing to be hard-working.