FBI Damsel: Foreign Affairs

six: back in Wisconsin

“What else have we found out?” Eddie and Parker sighed and continued their conversation amongst themselves.

“Vaughn was totally right, Stone. What we need is a good way to get rid of these kids,” Eddie said.

“What do you mean? What kids? The kids are in danger! The ones in charge are all adults, none of them are mere boys or girls playing a game!” the little deputy said. He quickened his pace in an effort to keep up with them.

“We need to get inside their heads. See what is going on inside,” Parker agreed.

“How do we do that?” the deputy asked.

“What’s one thing boys like to play with?” Eddie asked.

“I-I don’t know.”

“Walkie-talkies,” Parker answered simply. He held up the device in his hand and pointed to the church. “There was a man in there that is willing to talk to us, but writing notes back and forth isn’t going to work and we don’t have much time. I’m going to slip this inside and we’re going to get all the info we need in a matter of minutes.”

“How do you plan on doing that? I don’t think they’ll fall for another pretend fight.”

“True, too true,” Eddie sighed. “We’ll think of something, kid. Don’t you doubt that.”

“I’ll do it.”

The Agents stared at their deputy. “You’ll do what?”

“I’ll sneak in there. My family’s pretty religious, and one of my cousin’s wives are in there, so it would make sense sorta for me to go in, too. I’m sure I could get away with it,” he said.

“I don’t think-“

“I’ll be fine,” he assured.

Eddie and Parker exchanged looks. Their previously nervous deputy, who didn’t even like carrying a gun, is willing to go inside a church full of crazy cult members? Something wasn’t right, here.

“What do you plan on doing when they search you and find the walkie-talkie?” Eddie asked.

He shook his head. “No, I won’t carry it in, you see? I’ll create some sort of distraction inside, while you guys slip it in to the guy on the inside. And, if I ever get a chance, I’ll sneak back out.”

“Hm. Good idea, kid, I’ll give you that,” Parker said.

“It’s the only one we’ve got.”

“The only one we’ve thought of so far,” Eddie corrected.

“Give us time to think, kid.”

“We don’t have much time before the first bomb goes off!” he said as the agents walked away. They stopped and turned around to face him. “Think about the children.”

Both sighed. “Fine. You can do it.”

“On one condition,” Eddie said.

“What?”

“My codename is beautiful.”

The deputy let out a nervous laugh. “Um, y-yeah. Okay. Sure. Whatever that means.”

Across the city, Valerie and Mitch were busy searching the local grocery store for any signs of a bomb. Or reasons as to why anyone would want to plant a bomb here, out of a town’s worth of locations to choose from. It made sense, though. Blow up the town’s main source for food, and others might die of starvation because of their far location from other towns and no way to get in or out with the bridge gone, too, taking out more people than just those killed by the bombs.