A SIMPLE SECRET™

A New Ally

Noah came up the back entrance as directed by his boss. This entrance was used by undercover agents checking in. Using it meant only one thing – shit was serious. He saw no one of course on his way in so thought about calling Cooper to let him know but switched off his phone right after Nolan’s call – also as directed. Besides be had a feeling Cooper was going to kept out the loop on this one.

He knocked softly and Nolan opened the door gesturing with his head for him to go inside. The room was running dark. That meant no devices, no surveillance. The last time he saw such was when an undercover came in. He was greeted with a gun to his head and a graveled voice saying “Phone.” Noah relaxed as he heard it and calmly handed his device over.

“I don’t see you in four years and this is the welcome I get?” Noah told the man.

“Even for you I gotta take precautions Noah. When you’ve been where I’ve been, you learn not to trust your own shadow.”  His fellow agent replied.

After checking his phone the man tossed it to Nolan directing “Secure it,” while he patted down Noah. Seeing his weapons he told him “You can keep those,” then walked backwards towards a spot in the corner of Nolan’s office.

“Jesus man.” Noah said noting his actions “Paranoid much?”

Roland said nothing in return and even in this secure environment, he noted no one had said his name aloud at least they had that much sense, he thought.

“Noah can be trusted” the director said as Noah appraised Roland.

He was decked in almost all black due to his hoodie, jacket and combat boots. He was leaner since he last saw him. The shine in his dark eyes gone replaced by calculating ones that watched everyone and everything.

Noah remembered their time at the academy and if Noah ever had a brother, he would look like this man. They both had the same look with dark hair and build save the eyes, Roland’s were chocolate brown. They were competitive during training and drove each other when they came out of the academy. When time came for a volunteer for the Mancini case they both had jumped at the opportunity and Noah initially got the pick but his mother’s influence, no doubt through his uncle had squashed his plans almost immediately and so Roland was erased. A new life given as a crooked detective in Seattle and Noah lost a good friend. That was as far as Noah knew.

“Looking good Marshall,” Roland commented “heard you got Gambol. That’s one helluva notch.”

“It really wasn’t mine.” Noah spoke honestly, “Miami just directed him to our net that’s all.”

“Still,” Roland agreed “How are you?”

“Good.” Noah responded not wanting to mention Eva to a man who had little hope of a real relationship for the last five years. “And you?”

“I’m alive which is more than I can say for the last two that went in.” 

Roland commented as he began his tale “The Mancini’s only trust blood. No outsiders and even then, they’re still suspicious. Hey,” he told Noah “this will get your dick up. Welker is a prime suspect.”

“How?” the director asked the news apparently new to him.

“Apparently there was some meeting and Antonio had threated Welker.”

“Wait,” Noah asked his pulse racing at the news. “Welker and Mancini had ties?”

“Looks like it” Roland replied “Why else would they be meeting? Word on the ground is that Welker was looking to get in good with the Mancini’s”

“Then why kill the heir?”

“My thoughts exactly but from what I hear,” Roland paused “Antonio didn’t trust Welker.”