Two Birds

Hello Again

She couldn't let go. Why else should she keep the picture? She just couldn't let go. It was the moment he nearly dropped her into the pond. Nearly? He did. Her hair was darker in that photo. Well, darker than it was now. It wasn't the same person she saw in the mirror everyday. They hadn't even changed out of their school clothes, it was a spur of the moment decision. They were all they needed.

Katharine Quintrell never thought she'd actually respond to Sam Cooper's offer to be a part of his team. To be fair, she had never really known Sam that well. They had crossed paths a couple of times before because of her work with Interpol and his with the FBI. But something about one of those times had caught his eye. 

She just found it awfully weird that the address she was sent and told to go to was a largely unused gym. She was also told to "bring little tidbits to decorate" and "some clothes". What the actual hell, Samuel Cooper? What was she doing, moving in? I mean she guessed she would spend most of her time there but really?

Besides, it wasn't a lot she could pack. Just books and stationery. Unconsciously, she picked up the picture of the aftermath of the first one. Her, absolutely sopping wet and him, laughing at her. It was a weird angle the picture was taken at. I mean, their photographer was bent over laughing. It was a wonder that she could even snap the photo.

She put on her necklace and grabbed the box, ready to go.

The team was wondering why Coop was even making them meet up. They had no cases and no one was getting fired. The Director himself was here and he had already confirmed all of the above, including some other important points.

"So, Coop, mind telling us what we're doing here? Mick's slightly brash voice cut through the silence.

Coop responded with one of his knowing smiles. Glancing over at the Director, he did a slow nod. Beth was there too but not as an Agent, just a friend. As a teammate. Or just to see what was going on.

"Hopefully she didn't get lost." Director Fickler mused.

"She's too good to get lost." The leader countered.

"Who's she, Coop?" Beth looked around the table.

"An old friend."

They all heard a car outside the gym coming to a slow stop. With the car door shutting, the team hurried to the window to look into the gym. The local gym cat purred as a young woman-about Mick or Gina's age-stroked the cat's back.

"Aren't you a sweet little guy?" She cooed.

Garcia tilted her head. "Isn't she sweet?"

Mick glared at Coop, once he heard the woman's voice. The rest of the team pushed away from the wall, landing onto their separate places at the table. Beth near the big screen, Prophet on the other end of the table and Mick and Gina hovering towards the side.

When they heard "an old friend of Coop's", they expected somebody at least Beth's age but the woman coming through the door was not that. She was bright and smiling, as if being invited to an under-the-radar FBI team was a fun field trip for her. She wasn't American as far as any of them could tell and Mick knew her very well. She had a British feel to her.

But the most interesting thing was the way she froze when she saw Mick. She put the box she was carrying down and Gina nicked her ID card. Scanning through the card, she nodded before putting it back down.

"You." She pointed at Mick.

Mick nodded, biting his lip in an almost angry manner, directed towards Coop.

"You didn't tell me he was still on this team when you invited me."

Beth was reading through the card aloud.

"Interpol operative. 11th of November. Katharine-" Beth paused.

"What's up?" Prophet removed himself from his chair as Garcia typed away at her computer.

Garcia winced at the information her screen had provided her. It almost seemed worse than half the things the FBI made her research.

"Interpol operative, born 11th of November, 7:48pm in 1981. Birth name: Katharine Quintrell," Garcia shakily read out, "Current name: Katharine Rawson."

The entire room except those involved and knowing before this meeting took a sharp inhale of breath. Katharine fiddled with her necklace.

"Coop, where can I put my stuff?" She said through gritted teeth.

"Gina, Prophet, show Kate around then reconvene in 20." Coop ordered.

Once the trio left the room, the entire rest of them turned to look at Mick.