The Agent & the Analyst, Part 12: The Deal
Aug. 4th, 2013 11:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dugindeepTitle: The Agent & the Analyst, Part 12: The Deal
Words: 2400
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Jensen is a surly government analyst and Jared is the bodyguard that always smiles.
Notes: Part 12 of the bodyguard!verse.
Part Eleven
Jared waits about a hundred feet from Eduardo’s Truck. He leans casually against the brick wall of a nearby building, trying to look like any other plain-clothes guy on his lunch break with a baseball cap tucked down low.
When he spots a familiar face, he smiles a bit to himself, appreciating how predictable his long-time friend still is. He and Chad spent a long four years together at Georgetown before being separated by the government agency of their choice. They’ve kept in touch since, helping each other out with gossip from each side of the government, though the last year or so have been pretty quiet as Chad’s position became more and more involved in his own assignments.
It doesn’t matter now; Chad’s one of Jared’s last chances for info.
Jared straightens himself out as he steps away from the building and walks with an easy stride so he can meet up with his friend once the man is back at his sedan.
“Sorry, buddy, no extra cash today,” Chad says before Jared can say anything, as he hurries into the front seat of his car.
Just before the door closes, Jared tucks his hand around the top and pulls it back open. “I need five minutes.”
Chad looks up, squints, and then sighs. He shakes his head and drops his bag full of tacos on the passenger seat. “Jay, man, this is the wrong place and the wrong time.”
“I don’t know where and when the right ones are.” When Chad won’t move out of the car, Jared sighs tiredly. “Just five minutes.”
“You’re too hot. I can’t be seen talking to you. Why would you come here?”
“Where else would I find you?”
“Dude, you know that Eduardo’s is a DEA favorite. Now you’re gonna taint this place. And if people see me talking to you?”
“Okay, then,” Jared sighs, glancing around, “Let’s go around the way and talk.”
Chad laughs tiredly. “You really think the DEA is that stupid?”
Jared gives him a pointed look. “They hired you.”
“Really funny, dick. I beat you in that International Security final.”
“Yeah, like two decades ago.” Jared sighs and motions away from the car. “Can we just go talk like highly-trained agents we both are?”
Chad tsks, but he does grab his bag of tacos and large soda, and gets out of the car. “You’ve got three minutes. And I’m gonna nosh the whole time, because no one eats Eduardo’s cold.”
Jared nods in agreement and leads them down a nearby back alley until they’re out of sight from the lunch crowds filling the courtyard to hit the local food trucks.
“So you wanna know about Ackles,” Chad says around a large bite of al pastor.
Jared briefly thinks about how he hasn’t eaten much in the last few days as he’s been working behind the scenes to find out what is really going on. The corn tortilla glistens in Chad’s hands as he eats and Jared has to shake his head to get back to the point. “I wanna know what you know about him.”
“All I’ve heard is that he was barking up the wrong trees. It got bad enough that the NSA was trying to cover tracks.”
“What kind of tracks?”
Chad shrugs, taking another large bite and chewing for a while. “Just the typical shit that the public would be afraid to know. Who we’re talking to or dealing with, trades that are going on to get to the bigger dealers.” He takes a long sip from his soda and snorts. “You know, the typical shit we gotta do to get the job done.”
Jared nods because he knows how that goes. He’s seen plenty of back-door deals in his career and that’s more about making Washington run than serving justice in the drug wars. “I heard you’ve got a mole,” he says lightly, hoping his friend will consider their history before feeling offended by the suggestion.
With a sigh, Chad crumples up the wrapper from one taco, tosses it towards a nearby garbage can, and opens another one. “Man, you know as well as I do … the other side pays better. But our guys are working on it. Or they were, until they were attacked by Anonland.”
“Yeah, Ackles was tracking them at the Bureau. What about AnonOps?”
Chad shakes his head. “I don’t know anything for sure.” He drops his voice and leans closer to Jared. “But from what I’ve heard, they were working with someone.”
Jared stares at Chad, considers that, and can feel his body going tight with the implication. “That’s how he was getting his info?”
“Or maybe that’s where he came from? Who knows these days?” Chad balls up the rest of his wrappers with his paper bag, crumbling them together in his hands. “Our guys, the good ones, they just didn’t want the public to hear it before we found him. That’s where the first threats came from. They were just trying to brush him off.”
“On Ackles?” Chad slowly nods and Jared blows out a long breath, turning in place and wishing he had that kind of information months ago. “What about Cohen?”
Chad shrugs, drinking and drawing out the silence. “I didn’t think so. He was a good guy, hard worker. But it’s not looking that way now, is it?”
“Maybe he was working with someone?” Jared suggests, feeling somewhat sorry for his friend working amongst this kind of betrayal. Chad makes a face, as if he’s not surprised or denying it, and Jared nods. “Any leads on who he was working with?”
Chad stares at Jared then slowly lifts an eyebrow. “Are you shitting me right now? You’re seriously asking me this?”
He knows he’d hate someone from another agency coming up to him, questioning his coworkers, and trying to get names. But he has to ask, has no other choice right now. Jared wants to end this whole matter and make sure Jensen’s safe for a long future. “I’m on my own here. No one’s sent me to ask.”
“And you’re not gonna go back to your Director to tell him, right?” Chad angrily laughs and shakes his head. “You’re asking a lot here.”
Jared spreads his hands out, apologetic yet pleading. “I’m not trying to start shit between groups. I just want to stop it and keep a guy safe.”
“I thought Ackles is underground now? The Feds took him.”
Jared considers the fact that Jensen already was in hiding, to some extent, but couldn’t be protected. “Yeah, but for how long? AnonOps could just keep coming at him.”
Chad smirks and shrugs nonchalantly. “I guess that’s the danger of hacking the American Government.”
Suddenly, Jared switches tactics, thinking far back to what’s he learned about the anon groups since he was assigned to Jensen. “We’ve got the AnonOps member files.”
“What’re you saying?” Chad asks, eyeing Jared closely.
“I bet your guys would rather find their mole before another agency does … or even the media.”
Immediately, Chad turns on Jared, getting in his face all red-faced and shaking. “Are you fucking kidding me? I’m trying to help you as far as I can and you’re gonna threaten that?”
Jared steps back and lifts his hands up. “Alright, I’m sorry, you’re right. Just, what if …” Drifting off in thought, Jared takes another few steps away and runs a hand through his hair. Then it hits him, brilliance like a bright light. “What if you guys come in and look it over? We’ll share the files, you get your guy, and we’re there to back up if need be.”
Chad eyes him, face still tight and pissed. “Yeah, like your guys are really gonna go with that.”
And just like everything else Jared’s been chasing down in the last few weeks, his efforts for tracking down the real threat and keep Jensen safe, Jared replies, “It’s worth a shot.”
*
“You wanna what?” Williams asks with a hearty laugh.
“If you just think about it—”
“Nevermind my wanting to nail your ass to a desk, or even just kick you out of the building for not serving out your sanction … now you want me to think about letting the DEA walk in here and look through our files?”
“Just the member lists,” Jared offers lightly. “It’s not like they’re proud that they’ve got traitors in their organization. They’ll take whatever we’ve got to offer to fix it themselves.”
“And why would we want to let them do that?”
Jared shakes his head and shrugs, looking around his director’s office and hoping he can swing this the right way. “Call it … interagency collaboration.”
Williams glares at Jared then leans back in his chair with a harsh sigh. “I should fire you just for being so foolish.”
“More like … being hopeful,” Jared suggests. “It’s a compromise here. It’s not like the Service wants to let something like this die in our files.”
“We’ve got people looking at it. Nothing’s dying in this building.”
“It’s been months … months since we obtained the lists, and no one’s come up with anything yet.” Jared wants to ring his hands through his hair with the frustration of getting Chad to convince his own bosses to work on this yet face Williams like this, where he wants to keep this all within their walls. Though he also realizes he shouldn’t be too surprised by the natural instinct to maintain power within one’s agency, against the others.
“Well,” Williams finally says with a sigh. “It’s not the stupidest thing you’ve done since this whole mess started.”
Jared begins to smile. “So you’ll do it?”
“No, not that easily,” he replies sharply. “I’ve gotta run this up to my own superiors. And even then, if we do get some kind of arrangement done … you’re not here for it.”
“What?!” Jared harps. “After all I’ve done here?”
“Especially after all you’ve done.” His voice lowers into something more regretful as he eyes Jared with concern. “You’ve been one of our best agents, but you’ve gotten yourself into a shitload of mistakes on this assignment. I can’t protect you anymore.”
Jared’s blood runs cold and he feels dizzy. He grips the arms of the chair and pushes into the back of it, hoping like hell he doesn’t pass out. “What’re you saying?”
“Your days are numbered.”
*
Once he lets Director Williams’ comments settle, and he gets over the immense fear of being out of a job he’s spent his adult life building, Jared realizes he has options.
They’re not many, nor are they great, but they’re here nonetheless and he has to use one of them now.
Unfortunately, he doesn’t think the entire process through and winds up scaring the shit out of Danneel at her front step as she’s returning home late from work. He gets an eyeful of mace for his troubles and an elbow to the gut, followed by a mixture of apologies and reprimands.
Once inside her condo with a wet washcloth for his eye and a tall glass of water to rinse out what had gotten into his mouth, Danneel sits across from him at her kitchen table biting her lower lip and twisting her hands together.
“Am I gonna get arrested?” she asks quietly.
“For what?” Jared asks, voice going a little bitter. “Protecting yourself when approached by someone you already know?”
“You are extremely large and hulking in the dark!” she argues. “And it’s not like I don’t have reason to worry! After everything with Jensen and his threats … and then him just disappearing …”
“He didn’t disappear.” Jared dabs his eyes with a fresh area of the washcloth then blinks against the irritation that is starting to subside. A fraction. “He’s in witness protection.”
Danneel gratefully smiles as tears fill her eyes. “That’s good. That’s really good.”
“Not really,” he grumbles. “It’s not like I can protect him from here.”
“But he’s safe and alive, and under full protection. No one will find him now.”
Jared puts the cloth down on the table and looks straight at Danneel. He’s not sure how persuasive his hopeful eyes are when they’re nearly burnt red, but he hopes she gets the point. “That’s why I came to see you. I need you to find him.”
She stutters and sits up straight, hands flitting across the tabletop. “What? I can’t do that. Why would I do that?”
“You can do that. And you will do that because you’re his only friend.”
Danneel rolls her eyes. “Way to guilt a girl.”
“You are. He never talked as … kindly as he did about you.”
“Kindly?” she laughs. “Right, Jensen, kindly, sure.”
“Okay,” he allows with a small chuckle. “Not so much kindly, but he really did care about you as a friend. It seemed like you were the only person he cared to talk to or about.”
“Besides you,” she slips in with a smirk.
Jared slowly nods in admission. “Yeah, I guess we are the only ones then. Which is why I’m here.”
Danneel firmly shakes her head. “No, I can’t. I wouldn’t be able to track him if he were across the street. I’m nowhere near as smart as he is about these kinds of things. He’s likely set up paths across the world so no one tracks him.”
Trying on a kind smile, Jared hopes to win her over with a little dose of flattery. “You’re an Intelligence Analyst with the FBI. You’ve gotta be a whole bucket of smart to do that.”
She watches Jared watch her for quite some time, long enough that Jared wonders if she’s just waiting for him to leave without a real answer. “Why do you want to find him?”
“Because I need to help protect him,” he answers, ignoring the slight tremor in his voice. Somehow, being at the backend of this whole plan—having already convinced Chad to get the DEA on board and then his boss to deal—feels more monumental than anything before it.
“Why?”
Jared opens and closes his mouth, unsure if he wants to admit it. He gets halfway there with a quiet, “Because I care about him.” After a moment, he adds, “A lot.”
She continues to stare at him, assessing his confession, until she closes her eyes and nods. “Okay, I’ll see what I can do.”
“That’s great,” he says with a grateful sigh. “I really appreciate it.”
Danneel still glares at him. “You better.”
Jared smiles, warm and honest. “I do, really.” When she smiles back, he cranks up his grin to blinding and tries to go one step further. “And then you can help me crack into the Secret Service.”
“What?!”
Part Thirteen
Words: 2400
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Jensen is a surly government analyst and Jared is the bodyguard that always smiles.
Notes: Part 12 of the bodyguard!verse.
Part Eleven
Jared waits about a hundred feet from Eduardo’s Truck. He leans casually against the brick wall of a nearby building, trying to look like any other plain-clothes guy on his lunch break with a baseball cap tucked down low.
When he spots a familiar face, he smiles a bit to himself, appreciating how predictable his long-time friend still is. He and Chad spent a long four years together at Georgetown before being separated by the government agency of their choice. They’ve kept in touch since, helping each other out with gossip from each side of the government, though the last year or so have been pretty quiet as Chad’s position became more and more involved in his own assignments.
It doesn’t matter now; Chad’s one of Jared’s last chances for info.
Jared straightens himself out as he steps away from the building and walks with an easy stride so he can meet up with his friend once the man is back at his sedan.
“Sorry, buddy, no extra cash today,” Chad says before Jared can say anything, as he hurries into the front seat of his car.
Just before the door closes, Jared tucks his hand around the top and pulls it back open. “I need five minutes.”
Chad looks up, squints, and then sighs. He shakes his head and drops his bag full of tacos on the passenger seat. “Jay, man, this is the wrong place and the wrong time.”
“I don’t know where and when the right ones are.” When Chad won’t move out of the car, Jared sighs tiredly. “Just five minutes.”
“You’re too hot. I can’t be seen talking to you. Why would you come here?”
“Where else would I find you?”
“Dude, you know that Eduardo’s is a DEA favorite. Now you’re gonna taint this place. And if people see me talking to you?”
“Okay, then,” Jared sighs, glancing around, “Let’s go around the way and talk.”
Chad laughs tiredly. “You really think the DEA is that stupid?”
Jared gives him a pointed look. “They hired you.”
“Really funny, dick. I beat you in that International Security final.”
“Yeah, like two decades ago.” Jared sighs and motions away from the car. “Can we just go talk like highly-trained agents we both are?”
Chad tsks, but he does grab his bag of tacos and large soda, and gets out of the car. “You’ve got three minutes. And I’m gonna nosh the whole time, because no one eats Eduardo’s cold.”
Jared nods in agreement and leads them down a nearby back alley until they’re out of sight from the lunch crowds filling the courtyard to hit the local food trucks.
“So you wanna know about Ackles,” Chad says around a large bite of al pastor.
Jared briefly thinks about how he hasn’t eaten much in the last few days as he’s been working behind the scenes to find out what is really going on. The corn tortilla glistens in Chad’s hands as he eats and Jared has to shake his head to get back to the point. “I wanna know what you know about him.”
“All I’ve heard is that he was barking up the wrong trees. It got bad enough that the NSA was trying to cover tracks.”
“What kind of tracks?”
Chad shrugs, taking another large bite and chewing for a while. “Just the typical shit that the public would be afraid to know. Who we’re talking to or dealing with, trades that are going on to get to the bigger dealers.” He takes a long sip from his soda and snorts. “You know, the typical shit we gotta do to get the job done.”
Jared nods because he knows how that goes. He’s seen plenty of back-door deals in his career and that’s more about making Washington run than serving justice in the drug wars. “I heard you’ve got a mole,” he says lightly, hoping his friend will consider their history before feeling offended by the suggestion.
With a sigh, Chad crumples up the wrapper from one taco, tosses it towards a nearby garbage can, and opens another one. “Man, you know as well as I do … the other side pays better. But our guys are working on it. Or they were, until they were attacked by Anonland.”
“Yeah, Ackles was tracking them at the Bureau. What about AnonOps?”
Chad shakes his head. “I don’t know anything for sure.” He drops his voice and leans closer to Jared. “But from what I’ve heard, they were working with someone.”
Jared stares at Chad, considers that, and can feel his body going tight with the implication. “That’s how he was getting his info?”
“Or maybe that’s where he came from? Who knows these days?” Chad balls up the rest of his wrappers with his paper bag, crumbling them together in his hands. “Our guys, the good ones, they just didn’t want the public to hear it before we found him. That’s where the first threats came from. They were just trying to brush him off.”
“On Ackles?” Chad slowly nods and Jared blows out a long breath, turning in place and wishing he had that kind of information months ago. “What about Cohen?”
Chad shrugs, drinking and drawing out the silence. “I didn’t think so. He was a good guy, hard worker. But it’s not looking that way now, is it?”
“Maybe he was working with someone?” Jared suggests, feeling somewhat sorry for his friend working amongst this kind of betrayal. Chad makes a face, as if he’s not surprised or denying it, and Jared nods. “Any leads on who he was working with?”
Chad stares at Jared then slowly lifts an eyebrow. “Are you shitting me right now? You’re seriously asking me this?”
He knows he’d hate someone from another agency coming up to him, questioning his coworkers, and trying to get names. But he has to ask, has no other choice right now. Jared wants to end this whole matter and make sure Jensen’s safe for a long future. “I’m on my own here. No one’s sent me to ask.”
“And you’re not gonna go back to your Director to tell him, right?” Chad angrily laughs and shakes his head. “You’re asking a lot here.”
Jared spreads his hands out, apologetic yet pleading. “I’m not trying to start shit between groups. I just want to stop it and keep a guy safe.”
“I thought Ackles is underground now? The Feds took him.”
Jared considers the fact that Jensen already was in hiding, to some extent, but couldn’t be protected. “Yeah, but for how long? AnonOps could just keep coming at him.”
Chad smirks and shrugs nonchalantly. “I guess that’s the danger of hacking the American Government.”
Suddenly, Jared switches tactics, thinking far back to what’s he learned about the anon groups since he was assigned to Jensen. “We’ve got the AnonOps member files.”
“What’re you saying?” Chad asks, eyeing Jared closely.
“I bet your guys would rather find their mole before another agency does … or even the media.”
Immediately, Chad turns on Jared, getting in his face all red-faced and shaking. “Are you fucking kidding me? I’m trying to help you as far as I can and you’re gonna threaten that?”
Jared steps back and lifts his hands up. “Alright, I’m sorry, you’re right. Just, what if …” Drifting off in thought, Jared takes another few steps away and runs a hand through his hair. Then it hits him, brilliance like a bright light. “What if you guys come in and look it over? We’ll share the files, you get your guy, and we’re there to back up if need be.”
Chad eyes him, face still tight and pissed. “Yeah, like your guys are really gonna go with that.”
And just like everything else Jared’s been chasing down in the last few weeks, his efforts for tracking down the real threat and keep Jensen safe, Jared replies, “It’s worth a shot.”
*
“You wanna what?” Williams asks with a hearty laugh.
“If you just think about it—”
“Nevermind my wanting to nail your ass to a desk, or even just kick you out of the building for not serving out your sanction … now you want me to think about letting the DEA walk in here and look through our files?”
“Just the member lists,” Jared offers lightly. “It’s not like they’re proud that they’ve got traitors in their organization. They’ll take whatever we’ve got to offer to fix it themselves.”
“And why would we want to let them do that?”
Jared shakes his head and shrugs, looking around his director’s office and hoping he can swing this the right way. “Call it … interagency collaboration.”
Williams glares at Jared then leans back in his chair with a harsh sigh. “I should fire you just for being so foolish.”
“More like … being hopeful,” Jared suggests. “It’s a compromise here. It’s not like the Service wants to let something like this die in our files.”
“We’ve got people looking at it. Nothing’s dying in this building.”
“It’s been months … months since we obtained the lists, and no one’s come up with anything yet.” Jared wants to ring his hands through his hair with the frustration of getting Chad to convince his own bosses to work on this yet face Williams like this, where he wants to keep this all within their walls. Though he also realizes he shouldn’t be too surprised by the natural instinct to maintain power within one’s agency, against the others.
“Well,” Williams finally says with a sigh. “It’s not the stupidest thing you’ve done since this whole mess started.”
Jared begins to smile. “So you’ll do it?”
“No, not that easily,” he replies sharply. “I’ve gotta run this up to my own superiors. And even then, if we do get some kind of arrangement done … you’re not here for it.”
“What?!” Jared harps. “After all I’ve done here?”
“Especially after all you’ve done.” His voice lowers into something more regretful as he eyes Jared with concern. “You’ve been one of our best agents, but you’ve gotten yourself into a shitload of mistakes on this assignment. I can’t protect you anymore.”
Jared’s blood runs cold and he feels dizzy. He grips the arms of the chair and pushes into the back of it, hoping like hell he doesn’t pass out. “What’re you saying?”
“Your days are numbered.”
*
Once he lets Director Williams’ comments settle, and he gets over the immense fear of being out of a job he’s spent his adult life building, Jared realizes he has options.
They’re not many, nor are they great, but they’re here nonetheless and he has to use one of them now.
Unfortunately, he doesn’t think the entire process through and winds up scaring the shit out of Danneel at her front step as she’s returning home late from work. He gets an eyeful of mace for his troubles and an elbow to the gut, followed by a mixture of apologies and reprimands.
Once inside her condo with a wet washcloth for his eye and a tall glass of water to rinse out what had gotten into his mouth, Danneel sits across from him at her kitchen table biting her lower lip and twisting her hands together.
“Am I gonna get arrested?” she asks quietly.
“For what?” Jared asks, voice going a little bitter. “Protecting yourself when approached by someone you already know?”
“You are extremely large and hulking in the dark!” she argues. “And it’s not like I don’t have reason to worry! After everything with Jensen and his threats … and then him just disappearing …”
“He didn’t disappear.” Jared dabs his eyes with a fresh area of the washcloth then blinks against the irritation that is starting to subside. A fraction. “He’s in witness protection.”
Danneel gratefully smiles as tears fill her eyes. “That’s good. That’s really good.”
“Not really,” he grumbles. “It’s not like I can protect him from here.”
“But he’s safe and alive, and under full protection. No one will find him now.”
Jared puts the cloth down on the table and looks straight at Danneel. He’s not sure how persuasive his hopeful eyes are when they’re nearly burnt red, but he hopes she gets the point. “That’s why I came to see you. I need you to find him.”
She stutters and sits up straight, hands flitting across the tabletop. “What? I can’t do that. Why would I do that?”
“You can do that. And you will do that because you’re his only friend.”
Danneel rolls her eyes. “Way to guilt a girl.”
“You are. He never talked as … kindly as he did about you.”
“Kindly?” she laughs. “Right, Jensen, kindly, sure.”
“Okay,” he allows with a small chuckle. “Not so much kindly, but he really did care about you as a friend. It seemed like you were the only person he cared to talk to or about.”
“Besides you,” she slips in with a smirk.
Jared slowly nods in admission. “Yeah, I guess we are the only ones then. Which is why I’m here.”
Danneel firmly shakes her head. “No, I can’t. I wouldn’t be able to track him if he were across the street. I’m nowhere near as smart as he is about these kinds of things. He’s likely set up paths across the world so no one tracks him.”
Trying on a kind smile, Jared hopes to win her over with a little dose of flattery. “You’re an Intelligence Analyst with the FBI. You’ve gotta be a whole bucket of smart to do that.”
She watches Jared watch her for quite some time, long enough that Jared wonders if she’s just waiting for him to leave without a real answer. “Why do you want to find him?”
“Because I need to help protect him,” he answers, ignoring the slight tremor in his voice. Somehow, being at the backend of this whole plan—having already convinced Chad to get the DEA on board and then his boss to deal—feels more monumental than anything before it.
“Why?”
Jared opens and closes his mouth, unsure if he wants to admit it. He gets halfway there with a quiet, “Because I care about him.” After a moment, he adds, “A lot.”
She continues to stare at him, assessing his confession, until she closes her eyes and nods. “Okay, I’ll see what I can do.”
“That’s great,” he says with a grateful sigh. “I really appreciate it.”
Danneel still glares at him. “You better.”
Jared smiles, warm and honest. “I do, really.” When she smiles back, he cranks up his grin to blinding and tries to go one step further. “And then you can help me crack into the Secret Service.”
“What?!”
Part Thirteen
