Nur der Anfang
Only The Beginning
The music pulsed through the club as the sounds reverberated off the walls. Bodies filled up every inch from wall to wall. La Piqûre De Scorpion was the club to be at in Paris. The brunette let her body sway to the rhythm of the music. She couldn't keep a smile from her face. She danced her way back to the table. Using her pointer fingers, she motioned for one of her friends to come dance with her. A sexy smile slid across her dark red lips. The blonde haired man had been sitting down at the booth, and she was determined to get him to loosen up. He laughed, shook his head and got up. She grinned as he made his way towards her. She grabbed his hand and drug him deep into the packed crowd. She slid her body up against him, and they began to dance. He quickly loosened up and went with the music. His hands slid up and down her, tracing her every curve. She couldn't help but let a sultry smile cover her lips. He just let himself go and let a playful smile come on his face when she started responding to his regression. They were having a blast. After a while, he got tired of dancing, and they went back to the table where their comrades had come back as well. The two were laughing as the approached the booth. Their friends were all talking and taking sips of their drinks. The group turns when the two reach the table. The girl and guy sit down.
"Man, Delta. How did Ice manage to get you out there?" Asks Glitch before taking a long sip of his soda. Delta shook his had and smiled.
"I have no idea." Ice smirked.
"Yeah ya do." She eyes him up and down and licks her lips. "You know EXACTLY what got you out there. You're a guy. You couldn't have resisted even if you wanted to." The rest of the table tried to hide their grins. Fox couldn't take it anymore and burst out laughing. He patted his friend on the back.
"Oh… got ya there man."
"Yeah… yeah… screw you Ice." He grumbles the looks out at the dance floor.
"Name the time and place and I'll be there sweet cheeks." She replied stealing Viper's water. Delta rolls his eyes. Viper glares at her friend. Ice grins and takes a quick sip of the water.
"Hey! Give that back." Ice giggles, takes another drink before giving it back. Viper glares at her friend again then inspects her water thoroughly. Finding it okay and not contaminated, she snatches it back. "Let's see what happens next time you want to borrow something." Ice just shrugs before heading back out. Rogue runs her fingers through her fire red hair. She motions to Dust and slides out.
"Anybody want anything? I'm heading to get me another Sunrise." They all shake their heads. "Your loss." She grins. Fox, Glitch, Viper and Hawk head out to the floor and start dancing near Ice. Dust looks at Delta.
"Why didn't Scorpion wanna come?" Delta shakes his head and grins.
"You know him and his stick in the mud self. He's finalizing everything so we can go home. He should've come, but he wanted to get outta here as soon as possible. Besides, someone had to close the assignment and no one else wanted to do it. We all wanted to party." Dust laughs.
"True. Come on. Let's go get a round at the bar. Besides, a couple of French hotties have been staring at us for the past ten minutes." Delta looks over towards the bar, and sure enough, two blonde headed French girls were staring at them. Delta gives Dust a high five and they head over to the ladies, hoping to buy them a drink.
*****
"Now if you all with please follow me, we'll all sit down and I will get our tickets." Viper gives an overly cheery smile, playing the part of tour group coordinator. Ice could read the expression in her friend's eyes. Viper hated with a passion being ditzy, air headed people, but she did the role well, and Glitch loved annoying Viper by giving them to her. The group was having fun being 'tourists' at the airport. They looked completely different due to their costuming choices, but then again, that was the idea. Most of their excitement was because they were going home. Home. There was never a word that sounded sweeter to Ice then that. Though by anyone else's but them, their home wasn't exactly a home. But to them, it was. It was all the home they'd ever had. Ice sat down in one of the plastic chairs as she waited for Viper to get their plane tickets back home to Virginia. Viper sighs as she comes back with the tickets. She hands them out to the group before sitting down beside Ice.
"Having fun Jessica?" Asks Ice with a twinkle in her eyes. Viper raises her eyebrow and looks at Ice.
"Tons Susan. Tons. I'm about to kill Jordan and Brad." She says motioning to Delta and Glitch, who were laughing over some of the pictures of Viper they had taken with the Polaroid camera. They had been all in her face, flashing the camera and taking pictures.
"Vol 1548 d' embarquer maintenant directement de Paris, France à Langley, la Virginie. Embarquer maintenant rame soixante et plus haut." (Now boarding flight 1548 direct from Paris, France to Langley, Virginia. Now boarding rows 60 and higher.) Said the flight attendant over the loudspeaker.
"Yea." Cheers Viper only loud enough for Ice to hear her. Ice chuckles. Soon they call for their rows and Viper stands up. "Alright group. France was fun, but now we have to head back home. Everyone have all their things?" She asks with the same overly cheery smile as before. Delta and Glitch snicker. Viper glares at them and then smiles sweetly. "Well then. Let's board the plane shall we?" She motions for them to get in line to have the attendant take their ticket. The line moves fast and soon they are on the plane, heading out to the runway to go home.
*****
Stephanie slowly knocks on the hotel room door, hearing sniffling inside.
"Taryn? Can I come in?" A muffled 'yes' is replied. Taryn was sprawled out on her bed, face in a pillow. "Hey. Are you okay?" Taryn looks up, her eyes red and puffy from crying.
"Been better. Much better. His funeral was yesterday. It's all kind of settling in, you know? He's gone."
"I didn't realize you two were close." Taryn smiles a sad smile, sitting up.
"He was like my brother. We knew everything about each other, but I guess it doesn't matter much now does it?" Taryn sighs. Stephanie makes her way to the bed and sits down beside the distraught woman.
"Yes it does because he meant something to you. If Justin were to ever be killed by one of these radical teenies, I would be broken my self. I couldn't imagine it, not to mention have to go through what you're going through. If that offers any condolences, I can't be empathetic, but I can understand." Taryn softly smiles again.
"Yeah it does. Thanks. It means a lot. Tell the guys I'm shaken, but okay. I'll be okay." She repeats it with stronger conviction. "It'll take me a little bit longer, but I'll be okay. My only real fear is that whoever killed him will kill someone else."
"Me too." Stephanie stands up. "I've gotta get back to the pests. If you ever need to talk…" She lets the sentence hang in the air. Taryn nods and hugs Stephanie.
"I'll know who to call. Get back to them." Taryn says, wisdom and warning from experience in her voice. Stephanie smiles and heads out the door, giving a quick wave to Taryn as she leaves. "You never know when they'll be taken from you." Taryn whispers to herself, regret and sadness in her voice, as she closes the door.
*****
Her fingers ran through her auburn hair as she looked the person across from her with a dead on stare. Raising her eyebrow at him, she slowly licked her lips. Glitch glared back. Her green eyes slid to her left as she bit her bottom lip. Fox narrowed his eyes at her. Her eyes slid to the right, eyeing Viper. A smug grin seeps across her face as she looks back at Glitch. The air was tense as they waited for an answer.
"Go. Fish." They all sigh and groan as they throw down their playing cards.
"ICE!" The three whine. She giggles and shrugs, putting on her most innocent smile.
"What?"
"You're cheating!" Claims Fox. "You have to have one of the cards we ask for eventually."
"I am not cheating. I resent that!" Viper rolls her eyes and leans over to whisper into Glitch's ear.
"Here we go again." Glitch chuckles and nods.
"Why is it someone is always accusing Ice of cheating?" Viper gives him a 'duh' look.
"Cuz she usually IS." Glitch bursts out laughing, interrupting Fox and Ice's fight.
"What's with him?" They chorus. Viper just smiles and shrugs.
"Hey morons! We have a meeting in five! Or did you already forget?" Says Scorpion, smirking and leaning against the doorframe. Ice raises her eyebrow at him and eyes him.
"Morons? Oh it's on now!" Scorpion shakes his head before getting off the doorframe and darting down the hall of the underground compound. Ice jumps out of her seat spilling her cards everywhere, then follows right behind him, dead on his heels. The other three follow where they finally meet the two rolling on the floor, one trying to best the other while four other people watch on. Fox rolls his eyes as Glitch starts giggling, before losing his balance and having to use Viper to hold himself up. She quickly shoves him off, and he takes a seat at the large u-shaped conference table in the room that they had entered. Rogue yawns and stretches her abdominal muscles by leaning backwards, using the table for support. She, Hawk, Dust, and Delta had gotten there earlier. Ice pins Scorpion's hands down with hers and using her legs to trap his. She smiles wickedly at him.
"You were saying something about moron's I do believe?" He opens his eyes wide in fake surprise.
"No. I don't believe so."
"Hmm… So ya wanna play it like that? You know what you said. Take it back." Scorpion just grins. "Take it back!" She laughs. "I'm warning you. Or I'll…" Ice hesitates. He smirks.
"Or you'll what?" An evil smile crosses her face as she leans down and whispers something into his ear. His eyes open wide as his face goes quickly from its usual color to a light pink to a dark pink.
"You wouldn't dare." Scorpion glares at her.
"Try me." She looks at him smugly, with a look daring him to try her in her eyes. As they stare each other down, a man about 45 enters the room. He runs the fingers of one hand through what was left of his falling-out hair. He rolls his eyes, sighing.
"Children. Some order please?" Scorpion and Ice stop their 'fight' and look up. They quickly stand up.
"Sorry Sir." They say simultaneously. They and the rest of the group sit down in their chairs. The man shuts and locks the door behind him before moving to the front of the room. The room was very large. Enough to accommodate all nine of them, plus a few others. The front wall held six screens that were controlled by a system in the middle. They could put anything they needed on the screens. The wall to the left of them was entirely a dry erase board with a bunch dry erase markers magnetized on to the board. The right wall was entirely a cork board. It had an organizational system attached to it that held post its, pins, pens, markers, pencils, and blank sheets of paper. The room was designed just for them to be able to organize all their assignments from it. It was their headquarters. The man held a bunch of manila folders which he placed on the smaller table in the middle of the bigger u-shaped one. "Afternoon team." They chorused it back.
"Yo Jester, this isn't what I think it is, is it? I thought we were going to get a break." Questions Glitch.
"I'm sorry Glitch, but something's come up. Something very serious and we need you all to go back out as soon as possible." The group groans. "Well then, now that I have your approval, let's get started." He chuckles, then gives the stack of folders to Rogue, who takes the one with her name on it and then passes them on to Delta, then, Glitch, then Dust, Fox, Ice, Viper, Scorpion and finally Hawk. "Open you files. You'll find a quick assignment summary, the rest is the usual assignment breakdown, suspect profile and breakdown, files on all people involved, a police report, and those that are going under, your new identities and job descriptions. We have to move fast. I want you out of here in two days." All of their eyes shoot up from flipping through the files.
"Two days!" exclaims Ice. "We've never gone into an assignment that fast."
"We have no choice this time. If you'll look at the summary, this is what's going on… A week ago a man by the man of Michael Samson was killed. He works as the lighting manager on a major pop group's tour. NSYNC I believe. The murder identified himself as the Griffin. His profile is in the file. I need you all to go under and find out who this guy is, and if need be, take him out." Jester says looking at the team dead on.
"Why is this guy so important?" Asks Viper, curious to the severity of the assignment.
"Michael Samson was a sleeper by the name of Ray. He and another sleeper by the name of Aurora were on the verge of something. Something huge and this Griffin managed to take him out before he could report. We still don't know the identity of Aurora, but it is imperative that you find out. She will be of a great help to the assignment. There is also a third sleeper on this tour…"
"Wait… Three sleepers? In one place? Isn't that a bit much?" Interrupts Scorpion. Jester shakes his head.
"Not our doing. You know we don't have much control on those matters, but it is a bit odd that three are on this tour. It has to mean something. Your goals for this assignment are fairly simple. One: you have to find out who this Griffin is, and get him into police custody. And two: Find out the identity of Aurora and what she and Ray had found out. It may also help to find out the identity of the third sleeper as well. I warn you team, this assignment will not be easy. Harder then most of them have been in the past. There will be a few obstacles in the way." He punched a few buttons on the computer consol and a copy of a piece of paper with words written on it appeared on the screen. "This is one of them. The Griffin identified that Ray was a sleeper, and he's also said he's out to kill the other two, so they're going to be cautious and wary. Another obstacle is the fact that this is a highly popular and publicized group, which means public exposure and cameras. The jobs the four going under will have are fairly low key, but there still is the possibility of you being photographed. Be cautious of this team. And since they are a popular group, this means a lot of people to be cautious of. Another thing: there has been Federal Bureau of Investigation detectives assigned to this case." The group groans. Detectives made their jobs harder. "They aren't our people. Don't let them find out who you are. A final obstacle is time. You will filter in over a course of three days. The reason we're going in so fast is mainly because those are our sleepers. They do good work for us, and we owe them at least protection if nothing else. You all only have two days to get prepared this, to perfect this. I know I won't be disappointed. I'm highly confident in all of you, and I know you can do this. So, team, questions?" They look at each other and shake their heads. "Okay then. Let's do this." He looks at each of them individually, smiling. "Oh and by the way, the Diamond of the Night has been safely returned to the Smithsonian. They are very gracious to have it back, and they thank their saviors." Jester chuckles. The Smithsonian would never know how they got their diamond back. Those people knew not to ask questions when it came to that sector and to be glad they got the diamond. Glitch grins as he eyes the rest of the group.
"Alright… beginning of an assignment. You all know what this means…" He looks at them seriously, and sighs. "POST-IT BALL FIGHT!" He yells, laughing and tosses a few balls at his teammates. Jester laughs as he makes his way out of the room, dodging balls of bright, multi-colored post-its as they go whizzing by his head.
*****
"SC, have you heard anything about Taryn?" Asks JC to his friend. She was walking down the isle towards the stage and to them. Stephanie got up to the stage and pulled herself up before answering. The others turn to her, hoping for good news. Taryn Reynolds was crew and therefore important to them.
"Only that she's still very shaken up. I don't blame her though, even if it has been almost a week." She sighs and sits. "But that doesn't mean the show must not go on… because it must… Wade, torture as you will." She says the last sentence using a overly fake British accent. Wade smiles at Stephanie's attempt to lighten things up.
"Yes your highness." He looks back to the group of five sweating guys. "Guys, you heard her majesty… again." They all shoot looks at her, while she sips her water, grinning at the guys.
"You heard the man. Again." She agrees with a fake snobbish accent. She fake cackles and continues drinking the water. The guys look at her and glare before looking at each other. They nod, seeming to read each other's minds and start to run towards her. Seeing her attackers, she runs away, laughing. "Catch me! Catch me! Catch me if you can, you can't catch me… I've got Mike on hand!" They chase her down the isle. At the end of the isle, Mike was post as guard. Stephanie darts behind him. "Help!" She squeaks.
"Nope, Ste. You got yourself into this mess."
"Don't let them torture me… I'm too young to die by the hands of wimpy LeftFeet Boys boy band wannabe's." Mike manages to hold his laughter at her words and the looks on his assignees faces.
"You. Gizmo. Die. Now." Justin says, breathing hard and approaching her. The others approach at different angles. She squats down, covers her head with her hands and transforms herself into a ball. Hearing a voice clear its throat behind them, all seven turn to face it to find two serious looking faces.
"Excuse me. We're looking for Mike Les. My name is Samuel Lawson. This is my partner, Joanne McGrath. We're with the FBI. We're investigating the murder of Michael Samson." Says a man dressed in a dark gray suit holding a brief case. Mike raises his hand.
"That would be me. How can I help you?"
"If you would come with us, we have some questions we'd like to ask you." Says the female speaking up.
"Alright…" He looks at his assignees. "Don't torture Ste while I'm gone okay?" The boys nod, all have their fingers crossed behind their backs. Mike joins the detectives and Stephanie races out the doors and down the hall with the guys closely in pursuit. She runs into the bodyguard lounge, shuts the door and locks it.
"Stephanie Christine Knowles! Come out and take your punishment!" Yells Justin.
"NEVER!"
"Fine. Wait in there. You have to come out sometime." Says Chris.
"With a bodyguard escort." She chirps. The guys growl and walk away.
"We will get you back. Mark out words woman!" Yells Chris behind him.
*****
Ice turns her head sharply as she hears scuffling against the roof tiles. A dark yellow folder is tossed up and lands on the roof. Then she sees a pair of hands grab the edge of the roof, and she stands up. Cautiously she makes her way across the roof and to the hands.
"If I were you, I'd watch yourself. You're in a very perilous position, and if you don't identify yourself and fast, you won't live to see the sunrise." Ice threatens the intruder with a commanding voice.
"That's wonderful Ice, but could I get a little help here." Comes a male voice. She sighs and rolls her eyes.
"If you have trouble getting up here, why do you insist on following me?" Ice grabs the pair of hands and helps the male up. He smiles cheekily.
"Because I know you, and it's a beautiful view up here." He says looking up, glancing at all the stars that they could see. They were miles away from any city, and the stars were able to shine their brightest. Ice smiles softly.
"You're right, Scorpion. You know me all too well." She sits back down on the flat roof. Scorpion picks up his folder. He follows and sits right next to her, his legs stretched out. He places his folder next to him, and notices that she hadn't opened hers yet either.
"Worried? It's not too bad. We were trained to do this. We can do this. The time won't be a problem I don't think." He says looking at her as she looks up. Ice sighs and looks at him, with a look of confusion on her face.
"It's not that. It's just… a feeling I have… Like this assignment is going to be different. I don't know how or even why, but I can't help it. I know it's going to be different." She giggles. "Sounds weird doesn't it?"
"A little, but I'm sure this assignment will be interesting none the least. Have you read where we're going?" She shakes her head.
"Um… no. Where?"
"Get this. A tour. A boyband tour." He laughs. "This should prove interesting."
"Oh… jeeze… sounds fun." Ice says giggling.
"Have you seen what you're doing yet?" She shakes.
"No. I'm hoping I won't be going under, but knowing everything else I do, I probably will." She groans, running both hands through her hair.
"Well… Want to look together?" Scorpion asks with a overly fake smile, trying to get Ice to smile.
"Lets. Get it over with." She grins at him and then leans over behind her to grab her folder. He grabs his, and they both hold the folders, poised to open them.
"One…"
"Two…"
"Three!" They quickly undo the metal tabs and pull out the papers. Ice groans.
"I knew it! I'm going under."
"Don't fret. Me too." She looks at him, surprised.
"You?" She laughs. "Oh yea. Viper is going my partner, and I'm going under. You're looking at Ms. Wren Esperance Archer." She pronounces it, giving it a strongly French flair. "Assistant Tour Manager?" Ice says looking at her identity sheet. Scorpion laughs.
"Oh boy. Fun times." She hits him in fun on the shoulder.
"Shut it. What about you?" Scorpion rubs his fingers against his shirt in mock arrogance.
"I'm the one, the only, Mr. David Lee Sanders, Lighting Manager extraordinaire." Ice bursts out laughing.
"This should be good. Theatrics was your worst subject in training." He raises an eyebrow at her.
"Then I'll have you to help me out and cover for me now won't I?" She quickly stops laughing.
"Yeah, yeah. Hey, wait. Wasn't that Samson guy the Lighting Manager?" He nods, not quite sure where she was going with that observation. Then it hits him.
"Uh-oh. Not good. I guess we all better help watch my back then." She nods.
"We got your back. We always do." They do a friendly secret handshake that they all knew. "Nothing gets by a Ghost." They start flipping through the files together, and they hit the pictures of the group that they would be touring with. Ice stops at one picture, but Scorpion keeps going on through the files. The photograph had caught her attention; the deep blue eyes of the person freezing her. Scorpion finally notices she had stopped and looks at her.
"You okay?" He asks trying to look at what had frozen his friend. She snaps out of the trance and quickly shuts the file.
"Oh… um… yeah. I'm fine." Ice replies, still a little dazed.
"Ice, you sure?" She smiles softly, and looks at him.
"Yeah… uh… when are you going under?" He looks at her a moment, unsure, then answers.
"I'm going under in three days. I'm first. They need Mr. Samson's replacement. From what I'm reading, they've only had a substitute until his replacement could arrive, which is now me."
"First? That's awful. I'm going in third I think. Yeah, third. Rogue is going in second, and Dust is going under last."
"This should definitely be an interesting assignment."
"Yup." Ice replies, distant, her attention turned back to the night sky above her. Scorpion leans his head on her shoulder. Ice laughs and pushes him off.
"Well, you want to come back down with me? Viper and Glitch got into another argument over only who knows what, and they're having a throw down. Want to come?" Ice laughs.
"Again? Those two. You realize they'll probably end up married once this whole Ghost gig is over."
"Probably, but hopefully that won't be for a while."
"Yeah. Now, lets go check it out, shall we?" She says smiling, offering Scorpion her hand. He takes it, stands up and pulls her along with him.
"We shall."
*****
So... how are you gals/guys liking this so far? If so... show me some love! I never get tired of hearing your comments and I always write back! At least MOST of the time i do... LOL So let me know what you think...
LOL this is only the beginning...