Found You - James B. Barnes

2. The Swimming Pool

The Hotel Roosevelt, Los Angeles - July 1955

Daniel Sousa's crutch lies at my feet.

For a moment the rain's icy droplets seem to freeze me in place. Then I dive into the water.

I had trained to be a nurse before I joined Shield, I know how much blood a person can lose before they go. Daniel is reaching that limit and he is face down in the water.

But I can't just stand here without trying to help him.

I wade over to Daniel and flip him onto his back, pressing my fingers against his neck I beg him to still have a pulse.

He doesn't. His skin is like ice.

The water from the pool and the rain would have cooled him, but there is a certain temperature only corpses reach.

Tears begin to bead in my eyes, but I ignore them as best as I can. I can breakdown later. Right now, I need backup.

Letting go of Daniel, I drag myself out of the pool. I stumble my way back to the lobby, fat drops of water splattering on the ground.

Janice, the receptionist, hears my footsteps and turns. Her eternal smile falters slightly as she takes in my haggard form.

"Are you alright Miss?" She questions worriedly. "You're completely soaked, let me get you a towel." She begins to turn to the cabinets behind her when I stop her.

"No- give- give me-" I stumble over my words. "I need to make a call please." I manage to get out, my teeth begin to chatter.

Janice apologises to the guest she was assisting and offers me the phone. I spin the dial with speed despite the light shaking in my left hand.

Pick up, pick up please.

I check my watch, 6:51 pm. Charlie would probably have left the office now, if not for the mountain of paperwork still on his desk when I left. He might still be there.

Click.

"This is Agent Turner, what can I do for you?" The familiar voice crackles through the phone.

"This is Agent Collins. Chief Sousa is dead."
I try to keep my voice level, catching a few short breaths as I try to settle my racing heart.

Janice's cheery -and slightly worried- smile drops entirely as she takes a short breath to scream.

The line is silent for a moment as Charlie takes the information in. Maybe he thinks I'm joking, but he knows I'm not.

"Where are you?" His tone is soft but I can hear the aggressive rustle of his coat.

"Hotel Roosevelt. He's been murdered." I whisper the last part, my stomach twists as I say it and I don't want Janice to start fainting.

"We'll be there soon." He replies just before the phone clicks.

My left hand continues to shake as I set the telephone down. I rub my hands together and tuck my sopping hair behind my ears.

I turn to Janice once again, "Please make sure no one leaves or enters. My colleagues will be here soon." There is very little chance the killer is still here but I have to do something.

"I need to call the police!" Janice tries to snap back into action, her hands wave around in the air haphazardly.

"There's no need, we will conduct the investigation," I correct her, "I am Agent Collins." I flick my badge at her very briefly. Hopefully she couldn't read the organisation quickly enough, we are still quite secret.

I make my way over to the swimming pool again. Daniel lay unmoving in the water, somewhat peaceful. I grow silent as I sink gently towards the ground. I pat my left thigh, feeling the familiar shape of my gun. It's not enough, I slip my hand into the fake pocket of my skirt and rest my hand on the cold metal, it's freezing against my hand and leg but it's doesn't matter.

I just need to wait for Charlie to get here. He can sort everything out. He's surprisingly good at his job for being quite a jokester.

So I wait, I try not to think of anything. I try not to think of Daniel's dead body 2 metres away. I try not to think about the first time I met him, or the time he brought me flowers at the hospital when I had my appendix out, or the time I tackled a mannequin I thought was an armed assailant pointing a gun at Daniel.

I listen to the rain and the thunder and let myself get soaked to the bone. I might get hypothermia but Daniel is dead. Hypothermia is nothing compared to that.

If I had gotten here earlier he might not be dead now, just a few minutes might have saved him.

I was too busy chatting with Agent Turner, too busy touching up my makeup to ask the taxi driver to speed up, too busy convincing the receptionist Janice I wasn't here for some illicit affair. I should have moved faster. The Chief said it was urgent but I didn't move with urgency. I've failed as an Agent of Shield to follow the most basic command from a superior: 'Come quick!'

I hear footsteps behind me, multiple people. I stand up quickly, my back to the entrance or the courtyard. I wipe the rain and tears from my eyes with my equally wet hands. I tuck my hair behind my ears as I turn to face Charlie.

He's staring at me as he holds an umbrella. I could have gone back for mine but I had forgotten all about it. Charlie walks over to me slowly, his eyes are red, mine probably are too.

I hear Agent Nells with his camera taking pictures of Daniel's cold, cold corpse, despite that, all I can see is Charlie's arm guiding me back under the arches, into the hallway. I have no more tears left right now, but I'd rather not end up in Nells pictures and Charlie always gives good hugs.

He wraps his right arm around my shoulders as I lean my head against him.

"It's alright now, I'm here." He whispered so that only I could hear. He was wrong of course, how could it possibly be alright when my mentor, my friend died barely an hour ago.

I check my watch, 7:18 pm. Yes, barely an hour ago.