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It was her first day at the FBI and she was already stressed.

Her therapy dog, Pickles, had already  sat through hugs and kisses from trainee agents, his visitor ID badge clipped to his collar complete with his own photo.

She sat with her briefcase on her lap and waited to be called inside the office in nervous silence.

It wouldn't be a lie for her to admit that she had no idea why she was there. She was a sociologist, and not a particularly well known one.

Sociology was not her only talent. Her other one was a closely guarded secret.

A wide shouldered man looked out of his door. His shaved hair was peppered with grey, and the lines around his eyes and mouth spoke of hardship.

"Dr Petrova." Jack Crawford smiled politely, "Please, come in."

Anna gathered herself up and walked into the office, waiting with her hand on the back of the chair until Crawford indicated for her to sit.

"Why am I here, Agent Crawford? I'm a sociologist, I study disabled people in society. Nothing, I would think, that would particularly interest the FBI."

Crawford waited a moment and then spoke,

"What's his name?"

Anna looked down at Pickles. The dog stared into her blue eyes adoringly.

"Pickles." She replied, "You're welcome to pet him. He loves attention."

"We have a few people here like that." Jack joked, offering his hand to Pickles for inspection, "You're here because you're rumoured to have a specific set of skills. Ones I intend to keep from the members of my team."

Of course.

"My set of skills, as you call them. What interest would you have in them?"

Crawford sat up straight and looked her in the eye,

"I want you to accompany members of my team and help them get out of danger, should the need arise."

There was more. Her eyes narrowed.

"And?"

"The murderer we are hunting...You are able to remove them from the situation."

He raised an eyebrow. Anna stared back, her face pale beneath her short dark hair.

At great risk to her own life, Anna could help stop the Chesapeake Ripper.

"Can I trust you, Dr Petrova?"

On the far wall, a clock tickled slowly, the only noise in the room.

"I don't see why not."

"We're telling the others you're taking over a short term position from a colleague who recently became ill. They don't know you're joining them in the field."

He stood and ran a weary hand down his face.

"I'm going to find the team members you'll be working with. If you'll excuse me for a moment."


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