Voyage of Discovery (Sue Thomas FBEye)

Chapter Fifteen

Bullpen, Thursday morning

"Agent Gans, where was everyone yesterday?" questioned harshly the assistant director as he entered the bullpen.

"Day off. We were helping agent Hudson move into his new house. Anything we can help you with?"

He helding a disk up. "I need Thomas to tell me what those two men are saying."

"I'm afraid it won't be possible, sir."

"The rumours only marry them on Saturday, they're not gone for their honeymoon, yet, are they?"

"No, sir, but Thomas quit." D refrained from mentioning he had warned the assistant director that Hudson and Thomas wouldn't take a transfer kindly.

"What do you mean... QUIT?"

"Well, you did tell them that one of them needed to transfer out. Sue did... out of here... sir," Tara answered bluntly before lowering herself behind her computer.

"I meant outside this unit."

"Well, Sue wasn't interested in working with another unit, and neither was Jack. So I guess that is too bad," replied Bobby.

"Watch you tone, agent Manning. And I could simply have transferred Hudson," reminded them the assistant director.

"Yah, well, the results would be the same. Anyway, Sue decided spending time with her little daughter was more important than reading people's lips. Can't say I blame her?"

"Daughter?" repeated the assistant director.

"Not that's anybody's business, but Jack and Sue have a cute little sheila and she needs her mom. Life is tough enough for her," said Bobby.

"Listen all of you. I need Thomas and I need her, now." What was said on tape was important, and the assistant director didn't know anybody who could read as proficiently as Thomas

The agents shrugged, which rubbed the assistant director the wrong way.

"What do you want me to say? I'm sorry? Well, I'm sorry but the rule applies for a reason. If anyone of you has a way of getting Thomas back without breaking those rules, I will approve it."

"Can we have that in writing?" asked Myles, holding the assistant director's glare.

The assistant director stormed out of the bullpen.

"That went well," pointed out Tara.

"Yah, sheila... he actually didn't fire anybody."

***

Sue was surprised when Levi came to tell her someone was at the door.

"D, come in. Jack is in the basement."

"Actually I came to see you, but Jack should probably hear that as well."

Once Jack joined them, D related the conversation with the assistant director. D smiled as Jack and Sue exchanged a look of disbelief.

"D, I am not interested in going back," said Sue.

"Not even as a consultant for our unit?" suggested D.

"You want to elaborate?" asked Jack.

"Well, we could contract your services as needed," he explained, his attention focused on Sue. "Like in this case. We have a disk, you come to the bullpen at your convenience, watch it, go home. If a week you are not available, then you are not available. You have nothing to lose."

The flexibility appealed to her. "Can I think about it, D?"

"Sure."

Though it seemed interesting, Jack still had some reservations. "If Sue decides to accept, we would need that contract signed by the assistant director before she goes in and looks at any disk."