By meekobb · Hawaii Five-0 & NCIS: New Orleans
Rated M · 21 chapters · 76,827 words · Complete
Myriam Mikaelson has secrets, perhaps even more secrets than is healthy. A favor for a friend brings her back to New Orleans where she learns that parts of her past have been a lie. After her reassignment to a seemingly boring Hawaii she gets into more trouble than she could ever bargain for. Takes place at the ends of last seasons of series, end of Season 4 NOLA and Season 9 H50.
Author Note: I know it's been a long time since I updated or posted a single thing. It's been a long summer as my mother had a severe stroke and I have been struggling with dealing with the fallout from that with problem after problem from the nursing home she is in and her insurance. If anyone cares to help in any small part, I have a GoFundMe up and you can find the link in my blog post on my WordPress site. In between everything for self therapy, I'd been writing this new story, in attempt to do something different. This story is a crossover between NCIS New Orleans and Hawaii Five-0, with a little bit of Originals (all-human, AU) mixed in. Not stepping away completely from my comfort zone, but giving a different twist. This story IS COMPLETE in it's entirety. I will post as I can remember to.
Also, there will be a chapter forthcoming that has some triggery components for some. I will post the heads up at the end of the previous chapter before the triggering chapter goes live.
The story is currently 100% posted on my WordPress, however, password protected. Only those from an online writing community that has the password may access those chapters before they are released. Don't bother to try to PM me for the password. My PMs are turned off because I am tired of receiving messages of requests/demands for updates from rude people. I'm not going to be nice to ANYONE who asks me for updates. I'm tired. I have enough going on in my life that this writing is supposed to be enjoyable and a released. I do not post these stories to service readers, but for my own satisfaction and enjoyment. If you can't like that, then walk away.
If you are still here...Enjoy the story! I do hope you like it as it is on a different scale than what I normally write..
Agents Tammy Gregorio and Chris LaSalle left the hospital after visiting with their fearless leader, confident that he will eventually get better, but resigned that it would be a long and lengthy recovery. Several gunshots to the chest left Dwayne Pride in critical condition, even after emergency personnel and surgery made life-saving efforts.
"It'll be months before he's able to return to work," Gregorio commented as she stared out the window of the SUV. "You know it's a miracle he even survived."
Chris was silent as he drove, not wanting to comment as he hadn't been able to stay long after they had found their friend shot and dying on the floor above them in the bar. "Let's worry about getting our work done. Without Pride or Percy, it's only you, me, and Sebastian. And he's…" he trailed off, trying to find the right words to describe the last agent that was cleared for any fieldwork. "He's better in the lab, and you know how jumpy he gets when he gets shot at."
"So it's just the two of us to cover everything here. Good to know," she replied with a cock of her head.
Chris shrugged. "Maybe Vance will send in reinforcements."
"Right. Who's going to be in charge? You've been away dealing with your family business because of Barlow. That leaves me with Sebastian and Patton in the office. I'm too new to NCIS for them even to consider giving me the keys when it should be you in Pride's absence."
"You're right. I hope they don't send his buddy from Washington. He can be even more nuts than Pride, and I don't think my head can take his visiting. Even if it was only a week," he complained.
"What are you talkin' about?"
Chris grimaced as he ran a hand over the back of his head after he turned a corner. "The guy has a thing for head-slapping his agents when they don't respond fast enough or give him some stupid comment. Pride called it character building."
"Well, I'll have a complaint submitted to HR the second he'd attempt that shit with me," Gregorio commented. "We get beat on enough in the field. I don't have to take it from my boss like that too!"
"Eh, Gibbs is in a class of his own. Let's see what goes down first. Who knows? Maybe they'll send a recently afloat agent to help out."
"I don't see them giving a leadership position to someone who just served a punishment tour, no matter how temporary the assignment. Like that will happen. We are under enough scrutiny as it is! I'm pretty sure that when they do send someone over, it won't be a rookie or someone who doesn't know what they're doing. Maybe they'll even spy on us for Washington. You don't know!"
LaSalle sighed, shaking his head. He had no objection or way to respond to her comment because his situation with the IRS only proved that whoever was out for Pride, also knew ways to go after the rest of the team and went straight for him first. He just wanted to go straight back to the office. "Do you want coffee or something on the way back?"
"I'd rather bury my face into a box of beignets and drown myself in a box of wine," she muttered. "Let's go straight to the office and try to track down the bitch who shot Pride."
"I think we have both at the office," he smirked and continued on the way.
It wasn't long before the two arrived, walking in tiredly before being stopped in the yard by Sebastian. He had a cautious look on him as he stared at his friends, keeping them from going further into the office. "Uh, hey guys. How's Pride?"
"He's holding in there. He'll survive. NOPD has officers on detail in case Parsons shows up again," Chris replied trying to make his way past but was blocked by the scientist.
"Oh, that's great! Great…" he repeated, nodding as Gregorio narrowed her eyes at him and tried to slip past him and he stopped her too.
LaSalle let out an annoyed huff and glared at him. "What's the deal?"
"Uh, um…" Sebastian stammered as he glanced over his shoulder. "Well, there's someone here. Uh, sitting at Pride's desk and reading through his reports… I asked for ID, and she's NCIS…" he said in a rush when the two pushed past him and made their way to the office.
They found a dark-haired woman at Pride's desk like Sebastian said, but she appeared extremely relaxed as she had her legs up on the corner, crossed, as she flipped through a report. There was a stack on the desk, and Pride's usual locked drawer was open.
"Who are you?" LaSalle demanded.
There was no immediate verbal response. Just a flip of a page and she reached out for the mug that was on the desk and took a sip. "So many coffee places in town and I was disappointed that a couple closed up. But I had found this place called Addiction, that has some surprisingly good blends. Still, I think I'll bring my own beans in for when I'm working," she commented, turning the page of the report and studied a picture that was attached. "In answer to your - question. Hm, I guess my name is Pride until yours is discharged from the hospital and authorized for duty," she replied as she kept reading the file.
Chris walked up to the desk and pushed her feet off of the desk. "You're not sitting behind his desk, lady. And you'd better tell me who you are. Sebastian might have seen your ID, but it could be fake. I could arrest you for impersonating a federal agent."
She smiled up at him, shaking her head. "Tsk, tsk, Agent LaSalle. Please. Impersonations are below me. I understand that you're a little - jumpy, after everything you've been through, but I am one of the good guys. Where's Triple P? He does work here, doesn't he?"
Gregorio spoke up then, her hand on her holster as she stared at the woman. "You know Patton?"
The woman rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. "Yes, of course, I do. But if it soothes your tail feathers, you can see my assignment orders yourself," she offered, pulling the file folder out from the desk drawer and holding out to Chris while she glared at Gregorio. "It's signed by Director Vance himself. Would you like me to get him on the line as well, Princess?"
Chris snatched the folder and read through it, lifting his eyes to the woman. "Agent Myriam Mikaelson? Sent from Washington. What do you know…" he murmured as he looked over at his teammate.
Myriam smirked as she sat back and sipped on her coffee. "Conspiracy theorists, are we? Fabulous. So, let me guess. You think I was put her to spy on you because of all the recent events. Well, I'll have you know, I know plenty about that sort of drama. You don't work in D.C. without having to face a few of those."
"Mikaelson is a pretty popular name around these parts," LaSalle noted and watched as her face soured.
"Ugh, don't get me started on those vampire stories! I try to avoid going anywhere near the family crypts because I'm creeped out if it those were ever true!" she shuddered. "Fuck you very much for bringing that up."
Gregorio wasn't sure if she was still a threat or not as Chris again weighed her up. "So you're from New Orleans?"
Myriam nodded. "Born and raised, got the hell out of dodge to make a life of my own. Now I'm back here because Pride decided he wanted to be a colander for Halloween. The asshole will owe me big for this shit."
"How do you know Pride?" Chris asked.
She stared at him and frowned. "That's personal. How did you get into NCIS?" she countered, blinking innocently.
"Pride recruited me," Chris countered. "Same with Gregorio. And Patten."
"One happy little family. Then I supposed I'm the red-headed stepchild?" she said as seriously as she could, inspecting her hair. "I should dye it, right? Mardi Gras is coming up. Fireball Whiskey red, ya think?"
Gregorio blinked as she looked over at LaSalle. "Is she for real? Is she even taking this seriously?"
Chris leaned on the desk, dropping the folder back on top of the stack Myriam had been studying. "Gibbs recruited you when Pride got you out of the city for whatever reason."
She only smiled in response, sliding the folder back into the drawer. "Good work on weeding Barlow out," she acknowledged. "However, from what I understand, Parsons, his blond pit bull is still free. Do we know anything about where she may have gone?"
"Underground, likely trying to leave the city," Gregorio didn't waste a breath informing the new guy in charge. "The last thing we've heard was that Patten was looking all over, hacked in all the satellites and security feeds. NOPD is doing the best that they can but they've lost one of their own, their chief was in on the whole thing. It's safe to say that they're uniquely demoralized at this point."
Myriam shrugged a shoulder casually. "No big loss with Gossett. It was only a matter of time before he was found out," she muttered, scratching her brow as she reopened the file on Parsons. "This woman isn't an idiot and is professional and methodical."
"Are we seriously going to work the case now? Tonight?"
"Oh, you are free to go home, have a nap, shower, have some food," she said dismissively. "But the trail is still somewhat fresh. We need to keep looking. Now, where is P?"
Chris looked at his watch, noting that it was nearing midnight. "Home, in bed. Since he's smarter than the rest of us."
Myriam narrowed her eyes and looked over at the clock. "Oh. Okay. Yeah, we can pick this up at 0630 then," she replied as she picked up her phone to send out a text message. "Is there anything else for now?"
"No," the three agents chorused.
"Good, oh, and I also want the crime scene report of the shooting on my desk tomorrow. You guys did process the scene, didn't you? No, I can't wait, I'll go there myself. Have a good night you three, see you in the morning!" Myriam smiled at them and waved before she grabbed her bag.
Sebastian was silent as he watched her lock the papers up and disappear out the door. "She's one strange lady," he noted. "0630? Really? Was she serious?"
Chris went over to his desk to grab what he needed and shut the drawer a little harder than necessary. "I think so. Vance's paperwork says she's interim leader until further notice. The fact that she knows both Gibbs and Pride is more than a little disturbing."
"Why is that?" Gregorio asked as she headed for the door.
"That usually means that either she's a good agent, an ultimate wildcard, or worse. Someone who's dangerous and not to be reckoned with," Chris sighed as he followed his friends out the door and locked up for the night. "In all instances, likely bad news. Or maybe she is on our side. Who knows? I will call Vance in the morning."
~o.O.o~
When the team made their return to the office by 0630, the lights were on, and the essential monitors were already displaying information and reports with Agent Mikaelson sitting on the corner of Pride's desk, staring at the screen with her coffee in her hand.
"There's breakfast in the kitchen and fresh coffee in the pot," she called out. "Grab yourselves something before we get started. It'll be a long day."
Gregorio looked at Chris. "She's feeding us?"
"I guess so," he murmured as he stared at the agent with suspicion.
Sebastian eyed Myriam warily. "Does she sleep? You know there are rumors that the Mikaelson family were related to some vampire legends in New Orleans."
She shrugged as she went to raid the offered food and caffeine with him, who was moving like the walking dead.
Chris approached the new team 'leader' who had mostly ignored them. "I did some looking into about your family."
Myriam's hand paused as she went to take a sip of her coffee and eyed him. "And what? You think I'm dirty," she knowingly smiled. "NCIS knows all about my family history. I went through the same polygraphs that you took."
"What surprised me that unlike the rest of your family, you don't have a criminal record."
"Maybe I was able to cover it up better," she replied, leaning in to taunt his recently acquired suspicious nature. "Maybe, I was the mastermind of my family's downfall so that I could secretly rule it all."
He glared at her. "You're messing with me now!"
She gave him an impish smile and turned back to the screen. "Go get your coffee and then we'll talk."
When the three returned, she set her coffee down and pointed up at the screen. "So I have been studying the city. The ins and outs. Unless you are a local, you don't know the real shortcuts or how to avoid traffic cams. This lady, we shall use loosely, we can assume is a professional assassin at this conjecture. Ya think we can agree on that?"
"An outsider would need to take time to study and memorize the streets," Gregorio admitted. "It took me weeks before I figured the streets out, and not just the different districts."
"You still get lost," Chris pointed out with a grin.
"Still contributes to my point. Barlow was a local, and before he returned, he had to have had Parsons make sure she was intimately familiar with the city. It's what I would have done," Myriam stated.
"I smell the lovely scent of Boucheron!" a voice called out. "That can only mean Mon LouLou has returned to New Orleans!"
"Loretta!" Myriam exclaimed as she pushed herself off the desk to go and greet her old friend. "Mon Chou!"
The medical examiner hugged her friend and pulled back to get a good look at her. "You are looking good, child. What are you doing in New Orleans? Why didn't you call me when you got to town?"
Myriam passed a sheepish look as she glanced at the pile of reports on Pride's desk. "I was reassigned and felt the need to get reacquainted first. It has been a while and to come back here; I had to make sure that there were no demons I would have to deal with first."
Loretta smiled and nodded with understanding. "We will have to do lunch soon. You are working with the team then?"
"She's replacing Pride," LaSalle grudgingly said. "For now."
Looking back at the girl, she was more concerned. "Will you be okay?"
Myriam raised a brow. "When have you ever known me not to be?"
Chris, Gregorio, and Sebastian looked at one another confused about the interaction between the two. They were growing more annoyed by this agent and her little slips in the short time that they met about her knowledge of their group thus far.
"Alright, alright. You know Patton and Loretta. And seemingly Pride. What's the deal now?" LaSalle questioned.
Loretta's smile faltered as she looked at Myriam to see how she chose to handle the question. "Well, you don't live in New Orleans without being familiar with this young lady's family. Despite the circumstances of our meetings, we developed a good friendship I believe."
Myriam rolled her eyes. "They don't need to know everything," she muttered. "Some things are better to be left buried. Besides, we have an assassin to hunt down."
"Assassin? When did you get another case? I haven't gotten a call for a body," Loretta looked around confused.
"No new case, just an ongoing one," Myriam replied as she went back behind Pride's desk to get her coffee. "An attempted murder on an agent never closes, and until something else comes up, we will continue to work on this."
"There is nothing to say that Parsons is an assassin," Gregorio reminded the new member of the team.
Myriam's slowly rose her gaze as she met the agent's eyes. She could hear Loretta hum in amusement. "By definition, an assassin is someone who murders a political or prominent person for fanatical or monetary reasons. Tell me, Agent Gregorio. Does any of that definition sound like Amelia Parsons or Dwayne Pride? She was able to get in and out undetected. To me, that sounds rather like a professional hit. Only she, like everyone else that goes after Pride, or Gibbs, underestimate their will to fight."
Gregorio's tongue pushed the back of her lips as she stared down the other woman. "And just what do you think happened? Where do you think she went if you are such a great agent that we haven't figured it out?"
"You know, I never considered myself a great agent. Very Special Agent. That has a ring to it. However, yes, I do have a theory as to where Miss Parsons may have gone. It is right up that screen if you know what you are looking for," Myriam responded, managing to keep her temper under control. "And I would suggest that you cool your attitude, fast. I understand there will be tension with the orders of my being here. It'll take some time to get used to one another, and I think we all could get along. Mostly," she added at the end, glancing at Gregorio with the word. "The time doesn't have to be a complete misery for all of us if you constantly try to find reasons to fight me at every turn. You can trust that my being here was not by my choice. New Orleans is never my choice of assignment."
"That would be because of your family, right?" Sebastian asked. "I mean, I know no one has said anything, given that there is next to no one left."
Myriam gave him a small nod of acknowledgment for his recognition, saying nothing else as Loretta moved towards the kitchen, humming her displeasure with the turn of conversation.
"What? What do you mean about her family?" Gregorio questioned.
LaSalle let out a small laugh and waved his finger. "The Mikaelsons were like New Orleans royalty for nearly two centuries of generations, as far history shows. Only at some point, they were leading the crime circuit from very high places."
The agent nodded her approval of the explanation. "And now all you need to know is that I managed to get out and eventually became an agent and now assigned here. So, may we get back to work?"
He looked at her as she turned her attention to Parsons' file, trying to avoid all the focus on her. If she was going to be with them for a while like they believed, he could take the time and get to know her more. Didn't mean he had to trust her. Turning back to the monitor, he scratched at his neck and cleared his throat. "There are plenty of empty warehouses, and even the cemeteries can give a nice hideout if she can get into a crypt in a quiet section."
Myriam looked up and nodded. "Yes, those are possible but not likely. Think further south."
Sebastian was the first to catch it, surprisingly. "What about the ports?"
Myriam smirked at the dumbfounded looks on the three agents as they attempted to make sense of the four-inch gold sticker she dug out of the desk and stuck it on Sebastian's shirt. She waited for someone to say something and the reactions weren't disappointing.
"Did she just give me a sticker like I was in grade school?" Sebastian question.
Gregorio stood and started to approach Myriam angrily. "What gives you the right to treat us like children?"
"Well, when you behave like a child, how else am I to interpret your actions? Besides, he doesn't look like he's upset about it," she replied as she eyed the forensic agent with mild amusement.
Chris wasn't as upset as his teammate as he seemed more lost in his thoughts. "I don't know which is more insulting. Gold sticker stars or headslaps."
Myriam let out a sound that mimicked a wounded howl. "Oh, most definitely a headslap! At least my method is only humiliating for a few minutes. A headslap will stay with you all day. God, the migraines I suffered as a probie! I chewed on ibuprofen like it was candy."
"I like the sticker," Sebastian mused, his hand petting the sticker with fondness. "I'll cherish my first gold star from Agent Mikaelson."
She raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Instead, she turned back to the screen. She clicked to zoom in on the shoreline and ports that had been mentioned. "While I'm game for a good manhunt, Parsons wouldn't stick around in the city while things are as hot as they've been. She'll get out of town fast, and the cleanest way I would take is the port on some cargo ship. The only problem with that is we have no idea where she is now."
"So we just let this go?" Gregorio argued. "This bitch tried to kill Pride, and we just let her disappear?"
"When did I say we let it go? I don't recall ever saying those words," Myriam sighed, rolling her neck. "What I am pointing out is that you all have been stressing yourselves out, to the point of burnout that makes you useless for when another case comes up. I already have a call out to the Coast Guard and all docking ports to run thorough checks on all ships. I also have a contact running her photo running through one of their programs that keeps an eye on all traffic surveillance."
Everyone was quiet as there seemed to be a decision if a line would be drawn in the sand or not.
"This is ridiculous! Finding Parsons should be our main goal!"
"No," Myriam simply said. "And I'm not saying that because I want to be a bitch. The last time your team decided to obsess over a target it eventually developed to this result. You can't just gnaw on that bone. We will get her, but give it time. I'm not an idiot. Pride is my friend too. I want to bring her in and get justice just as much as you all do as well," she calmly explained, struggling to keep her temper under control.
Chris shook his head and went to sit at his desk. "So you're saying you brought us in at stupid o'clock to tell us that we won't be chasing shadows? Thanks a lot."
"Take it as however you want LaSalle," she responded as she moved to head into the kitchen. "I'll admit to being a bitch for that move and having some fun at your expense because yall couldn't stow your attitudes. Now that you know my score, you can get on with your usual business and cut out early if you want unless a case comes up. I, however, have plenty of crap to deal with thanks to Pride."
She disappeared from the room, leaving them to themselves. "So, we didn't have to show up so early?" Sebastian yawned, still working on catching up with everything.
"No. She was flexing her muscles, letting us know that she controls our strings," Gregorio replied.
LaSalle shook his head. "I'm gonna pay Pride a visit and see what he knows about her. I don't know too much about her family name, but I know it wasn't terrific. I remembered seeing it now and then come across the desks at NOPD as persons of interest when I was there."
"That sounds great and all, but what do we tell Agent Mikaelson? She's going to want to know where you are, right?" Sebastian asked, drawing a concerned look from Gregorio considering their experiences from previous agents they've had to work with.
"He's right. Mikaelson pulled our chain just by having come in this early to prove she can."
Chris looked over in the direction of the kitchen with a smirk. "Mikaelson wants us to maintain the status quo since we can't pursue Parsons, so let's do just that. I have some cases I need to follow up on. I should get on that," he winked as he went to his file cabinet to sort through files. Seemingly grabbing one at random, he held it up and saluting his team with the folder. "I'm going to go get to work. I'll catch up with you all later. Let the boss lady know I headed out."
Sitting back in her chair, Gregorio narrowed her eyes on LaSalle as he left. "So he's just going to leave us here like that?"
"Looks like it. Unless you have something that you need to do. I could always head over to the lab and help Wade with some stuff to get away if she becomes too overbearing," Sebastian shrugged.
"Yeah, right. That's if she'd let you. Remember, your job is here now. You need permission to be loaned out there," she pointed out.
The two quietly went to their desks to find something to do, and by the time Myriam returned, it was nearly 0730, and she looked over at LaSalle's desk curiously before turning to raise a questioning eyebrow to the others.
"He said he was going to follow up on an old case since we weren't doing anything else," Sebastian answered for Tammy after exchanging a glance.
Myriam gave an understanding nod and continued to Pride's desk, scowling as the phone rang as she approached. Eying the time, she hesitated before answering. "Mikaelson," she said, closing her eyes after picking up the receiver and sat down, resolute to the conversation to come.
"Agent Mikaelson. Are you settling in well? Pride's team not giving you any problems?"
She rolled her eyes at the question and sat back in her chair. "Deputy Director. Everything is going well. Introductions went as I had expected and I anticipate a smooth transition if that's what you are asking," she answered, pulling out her cellphone and begun to compile a text message. She had a slight smile at the nervous reactions when she had announced aloud who she had on the phone, enjoying Gregorio's discomfort for the moment.
"Well, I know how much you can be like the man you are there to replace for the time being. I wanted to make sure that you remember that you follow the book and that you have that team of his do so as well. We don't need any repeats of the last two years. They've got me under a mountain of paperwork and Vance questioning my ability to keep them in line."
"Is that so? I'll see what I can do. However, I do believe I should keep my opinions to myself about people's abilities to keep their teams in order. DC has their problems that they shouldn't be throwing stones and tossing other teams under the bus to keep themselves out of the press," Myriam replied. "If that is all you called me for, Sir, we do have a lot of work to do, and I have reports to catch up on here to get up to speed if you want me to make sure that we stay inside the lines."
She could almost picture his frog-like face reddening at her bold challenge as he responded. "I suggest you watch yourself Agent Mikaelson. Agent Pride has enough enemies in Washington because he pissed the wrong people off too many times. I hate to see you be included."
Raising an eyebrow at the thinly veiled threat, she replayed the words over as she quietly sat and let it roll over in her head for a moment. "Is that a threat Deputy Director? I hate to think that you have anything to do with all this drama."
"Interpret it however you see fit Agent Mikaelson. You're a smart agent. Good day."
Deputy Director Prince hung up in the interim team leader, leaving her with a confused frown on her face as she stared back at her handset. "Huh. Well, that was certainly interesting," she muttered, glancing around the desk as her mind tried to process the suspicious conversation.
"Problems?" Gregorio asked, this time genuinely concerned because what affected their team leader, usually came down on the rest of the team.
Myriam tapped her fingers on the desk, still considering the conversation herself. "I don't know. I think it's something we may have to tread carefully with anyone that's not family. There are only a handful of agents I fully trust in NCIS and even less in other agencies. This isn't exactly sitting well with me right now. I'll figure something out."
"So, what do you want us to do?"
"Whatever you've been doing? Lay off the other case for now as I asked. I have a BOLO out at all ports for extra inspections on all incoming vessels. Coast Guard will be checking anyone they come across. She'll turn up eventually, especially when she thinks we've given up or are too busy with other things and beaten down with our tails between our legs. Which is exactly what DC wants us to feel like. Let them think it," she winked and sat back in her chair, picking up her report to begin reading. "Just have to let them think we're down under their game, we just have to play it better and honey, I always win."
~o.O.o~
Pride let out a grumble as he fell back into his hospital bed after making an exhausting trip to the bathroom. He looked around and tugged on his hospital gown, disgruntled at having to have still to stay in the hospital as long as he already had, despite being grateful for the readily available pain medication for his injuries.
He was in the middle of contemplating calling for a nurse for more medication, something he didn't want to do when someone knocked on the open door.
"Mornin'," a familiar voice called out.
"Hey!" Dwayne smiled over his shoulder, though it faltered with the rise of discomfort reminding him of his discomfort. "Please tell me you brought me some decent coffee. Or something stronger."
"Coffee, sure," Chris nodded, handing over the extra cup in his hand. "How you doin'?"
"Ugh, can't wait to get outta this place, for one. How're things at the office? Tammy and Sebastian are driving you nuts?" he asked as he took a grateful sip from the coffee and sighed with pleasure.
"Things are fine with them. Just fine," LaSalle replied as he went to lean against the windowsill. "You sure you okay, King?"
Dwayne nodded and pulled himself up into the bed and checked his messages, chuckling as he set his phone back down. "Yeah, I'm fine. It'll just take time before I'll be cleared for work. Though this time, I'm pretty sure the bosses will do whatever they can to avoid clearing me. I know you aren't telling me the truth though. How about you try the truth."
"I don't know what you mean what you're talking about. You are talking crazy King. I think you're getting too much of the good stuff in here maybe," Chris joked.
"If that's so, then Myriam put a request in for when you're on your way back to the office. Does she want something called an addiction? I have no idea what she means," he muttered as he pointed at his phone. "I'm gonna go out on a limb that she played her mind games on the team and you left running. Did HQ send her to fill my shoes? Are they crazy?"
Chris scratched his jaw, annoyed even more, not only at his new teammate but also at his longtime friend. "What do you know about her? I know a little about the Mikaelson name that came across the NOPD desks as persons of interest in some cases, but nothing ever panned out over the years."
"And nothing ever would. Their official positions in the city and way of life are over Chris," Pride said, calming down and growing serious. "Look, I get it. She's an outsider to you. But trust me, she's not any more than when Gregorio joined the team. Myriam's a local with a troubled past and a complicated family. She got out and made something of her life. Don't hold it against her, LaSalle. Yeah, I know she can be a handful. But she's a good agent. She fought hard to get passed everything she learned about her family."
"And just what is that?"
Dwayne hesitated as he stared at his friend. "I can't say. And not because I don't want to. It's because there are more people involved. It doesn't involve you, so leave it. You can trust her. She knows what she's doing and has worked under the DC flag for long enough to know how to avoid their radar."
Chris shook his head. "How did she know I'd come here to text you for coffee?"
Pride smiled and shrugged. "She's good like that. You were upset with her being there, and I had information about her. I think you and her will get along eventually. Just give her a chance. You might surprise yourself at how well you two work together."
"That what you think I should do, King? Just put with this crap that she throws at us? I dunno," he wavered.
Pride smiled and waved a finger at him. "Start with that coffee. She's easy to get along with if you give her time. That's all."
"She's pulled us off hunting Parsons, King."
Dwayne paused at hearing that, his face freezing in place to avoid revealing any emotion. "Did she say why?"
Chris sighed as he moved closer. He thought about the best way to approach the subject, knowing how his friend and boss often tended to be with his enemies. "She doesn't believe her to be in the city any longer. Theorized she managed to slip out through the ports after she shot you. She practically ordered us off the case, saying she has eyes searching for her in practically every port, searching ships coming in. How the hell can she have that kind of pull with as many possibilities there are?"
"Well, I doubt that these aren't exactly kosher contacts she's using," Pride muttered, narrowing his eyes as he picked up his phone. The instinct in him wanted to contact Myriam to find out what she was trying to do, but he knew to let her handle things her way and to stay out of it.
"But didn't you say she wasn't involved in her family's business?"
"That doesn't mean she wasn't able to create her network of loyal followers of her own, despite her age at the time. Myriam Mikaelson isn't stupid. She knows how to work the system having grown up watching her father and grandfather, then her brothers." He pulled his legs up under the covers and sighed. Peering over at Chris, he grinned. "Get her that coffee she asked for and make friends. She might let you in on some of her secrets too."
LaSalle shook his head and shrugged. "Yeah, well, we'll see. But I'll head back and see what I can find out. I still think we should keep on Parsons regardless."
"If you try, she will find out. Despite her not being in town, she still does have eyes and ears in places that even I have no idea exist," Dwayne warned. "Watch your step. She can have you benched if she wanted to."
"I can take care of myself, King. You get yourself back to fightin' form and get back to work," Chris replied as he strolled out the door.
~o.O.o~
It was sometime after lunch that Myriam decided to call it a day, leaving Gregorio and Sebastian in the office. She had told the two that they also could go if they chose, but they decided to stay to catch up on old paperwork.
Pulling her backpack over her shoulder as she made her way down the sidewalk, she glanced around, unable to shake the feeling that she was being watched. It'd been years since she had been in New Orleans and she knew she left the city with the city having a sour taste on her family's name. She had no ill will against them as she shared similar sentiments.
Stopping around the corner from her family home, where she usually snuck in through a hidden entrance so that the public didn't know anyone was using the Mikaelson Abattoir. She still had access to a plantation home as well, but she had loaned the property to the city as a museum until she decided to take it back and as far as she knew, it was doing well.
Pausing at the gate, she looked around at all the neighboring doors and windows within eyesight on the street and people walking by. No one seemed suspicious, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was still being watched. Hesitating, she shrugged off the sick feeling like a healthy dose of paranoia for being back home after so many years.
Walking through the long back hallway into the compound, she looked around at the courtyard, stopping to take in its timeless beauty. She'd always loved the home. Her eyes drank in each detail and how nothing had changed since walked out of there nearly twenty years before. And that was what struck her as odd. It all was clean and dust free. Which made her wonder if she needed to pay her brother a visit to see if somehow he managed to stay in touch with someone. Maybe his lawyer had access to family funds still to pay cleaning staff. Too many questions rattled her mind as she began to search to see if anything in any of the bedrooms appeared out of place.
After a nearly hour-long search, Myriam found nothing out of place, but she still failed to shake the feeling something was off. She couldn't talk to her new team about this. They wouldn't understand. But when she saw Patton, she would have him run some checks on her surviving family so make sure they were doing, were where they were supposed to be.
Shooting a message to Pride to get Patton's number, she needed information for her peace of mind. Otherwise, she wouldn't rest easy for the foreseeable future in New Orleans.
Author Note: I know I updated on Friday this weekend already, but tonight is going to be a long night and an emotional one, and potentially depressing if we can't do what we need to get done with my mother. So sharing another chapter for a pick me up.
For three days straight Myriam was vigilant of her surroundings as she slipped in and out of her home and to work. When she finally had gotten in touch with Patton, it had been an enthusiastic reunion until she pulled him to the back to his office to speak privately.
"What's up, Songbird?" Patton questioned as he wheeled behind his desk.
"Did you find anything around my place over the last week?" she quietly questioned.
He turned to look up at her, drawing a breath. "I looked when you messaged me, girl. I didn't find anything out of the ordinary. I seriously scoured every piece of footage I could find. No faces hit on any databases."
Myriam sighed as she pushed herself away from his desk and rubbed a hand over the back of her neck. "Then who the hell has been in the abattoir to clean? I haven't ordered any services. I hadn't had time to do so when I received the transfer orders."
Patton stared back at her. "Well, I have an idea, but I'm not sure that you'd like it much right now."
She eyed him, glaring suspiciously.
"Hey now. Don't give me that look. You want ideas, answers that I can't give you. This is the best I can do. What I can suggest is to let your team in on your history if you want them to trust you, especially about letting go of Parsons," he replied.
"No. That's a ridiculously bad idea. I still have to go to the jail to see my brother to see if he might have found out I was coming back in town. I wouldn't put it past him to have ears at the federal level," she shrugged.
Patton's eyebrow rose at that. "You think your brother has a spy on you in NCIS? That has to be the silliest thing I ever heard about your family. Seriously. Yeah, it's a good idea to see and ask your brother, but I can tell you that his only visitor has been his lawyer. So add him to your list."
"How long have we been friends P?" Myriam questioned.
He scowled back at her in response. "You don't want to go there. You know I'm Team Myriam, always, but it helps if you have some backup."
"Again, my answer is no. You got that?" she repeated, holding her gaze on him.
Patton pursed his lips, knowing she wouldn't budge as she was just as stubborn as Pride could be. Sometimes he wondered if he might have been her birth father at times, the way they both behaved. "Yeah, I got it."
"Good," Myriam nodded, walking out to the squad room to find the rest of the team had arrived for the day. "Good morning everyone," she greeted on her way to her desk when their phones beeped with an alert for a new case. Reading it, she let out a sigh. "You all can go handle the scene. Let me know what you get. I can start research from here," she replied.
Tammy was the first to question the lack of presence from their new leader on the crime scene. "You sure you don't want to be there?"
Myriam looked up from her paperwork. "Do you know how to do your job, Agent Gregorio? I'm sure you don't need me there to hold your hand. If I am needed, then you can call me, but I'm sure you all can handle it fine without me looking over your shoulders."
The agent stared at the other woman for a moment, taking her in before nodding her consent and waving for the others to join her. "Alright then. It's just us," she agreed, heading out.
Chris looked over his shoulder at Agent Mikaelson as he turned the corner, before looking to Gregorio. "What was all that about? Huh?"
"How did your visit with Pride go?" She asked in turn.
"It went fine," he stiffened, glaring at her.
"I'm sure it did," she said. "Regardless, whatever her reasons for not coming on the job, she doesn't want anyone local to see her. I don't know why, but I think she has something up her sleeve."
He nodded, silently agreeing with her. "I'm sure she does but until she shows her hand, let's play along. He told me she has her reasons for doing what she's doing."
It wasn't long before they arrived at the scene, flashing their badges to pass through the security boundaries set up outside the victim's house on base. Once inside, they found that Loretta was already there. "What do we have?" LaSalle asked.
"A suicide from all indications. I'll know more when I get him on my table," she replied. "Can you get him down for me Sebastian?"
"Yeah, sure," he nodded, quickly moving to the task.
LaSalle and Gregorio started snapping pictures in the meanwhile, taking in the scene and looking at the photos on display in the home. Tammy looked up from one display set and frowned as she exchanged glances between the victim and the man in the pictures. "This isn't his house. Why would he kill himself here?"
Loretta paused as she had been getting the bodybag ready. "That does pose an interesting question. One I am sure you will find the answer for and perhaps it could make this suicide suspicious."
"Right," Chris nodded. "I'm gonna go talk to the lady that found him. Maybe she has something to say about the dead guy in her house."
Loretta watched as he went outside, letting out a concerned sigh. "Now I know that Myriam can be a frustrating individual as much as Dwayne, but I never thought she would get under Christopher's skin this fast."
"Yeah, well, she had zero interest in coming out on this job when this call came," Tammy volunteered, earning a surprised response from the M.E.
"Really? Huh," Wade speculatively offered.
"What?" Sebastian asked, having kept quiet about the agent, for the most part, all day.
"For as long as I've known her, she had to always be in the thick of things. The center of attention. To not be out here, then she probably has something else going that she doesn't want anyone to know she has returned. All I know is that it will be good when the time comes because she can take the award for drama in New Orleans," Loretta smiled.
Tammy thought about how elusive Agent Mikaelson had been and the coyness Loretta teased about the woman, dropping hints like a leaking faucet. "Do you think she's working another case while she's here?"
Sighing as she paused in her work again, Wade looked up at Tammy. "She could be. I wouldn't put it past her. But also, keep in mind, and it has said already. Her family has a long history in this town. If there is any chance of her using it as an advantage, she will hold those aces up her sleeve as long as she can, because it would be the smart thing to do."
"What is it that you know about her past?" she asked, trying to put the older woman under a microscope in a sense.
"Enough to stop this conversation in its tracks. If you don't want to trust her, then don't, but at least give her the benefit of the doubt because I asked you, and Pride trusts her," Loretta hushed Gregorio, dropping her voice when more agents began to come into the house to gather any trace evidence they might find. "She's one of the good guys. Come on, let's get back to work."
~o.O.o~
It took two days to close the case of the petty officer. It turned out that he had been good friends with the woman's husband and had been over to see his friend, who had been out on a shift, so he wasn't available to talk him out of his depression and suicidal state. He inevitably decided to commit the final act at their house, only for the wife to come home to find, leaving no notes or anything but the team did eventually find a digital journal he had kept on his computer and cell phone that cataloged the issues that he held and the Navy did not treat for active service members.
His already troubled state of mind and the discovery of impending orders to be deployed on a nuclear submarine simply was the straw that tipped the scale.
The team closed out their reports in record time and even managed to pull Patton out from his computer, despite his focused concentration on whatever it was he was working on to relax at Pride's bar for the night.
"Maybe we should have invited Myriam to join us?" Sebastian asked. "I mean, she hasn't been that bad. She left us to do our thing, and when we needed something when going by the book, she got it for us."
"I'll message her, but I wouldn't count on it. She's not going to make any public appearances until she's ready. Her coming back to the city wasn't her choice, and she's going through some personal stuff right now," Patton replied, his phone in hand but stopped when he heard a familiar laugh coming from the bar area. Looking up, he raised an eyebrow as he looked over and took in the dark hair and casual lean against the counter. "Well, I'll be…"
"Is that…?" Chris asked.
"Yeah, but don't say anything because that's not exactly someone we'd be talking to that she's with," Patton muttered. "Keep to ourselves and stay silent. We don't know her, got it?"
Tammy lifted her beer to her lips as she watched Myriam laughing about something with the bartender and some guy. "They do seem pretty chummy, don't they."
"How is NCIS tonight? I'm sorry to hear about your petty officer. I wish things could have been better," Mayor Taylor greeted the team as she approached their table with a smile. "How has Dwayne been?"
"Madam Mayor. Pride is Pride. He'll pull through like he always does," LaSalle answered, standing to greet the mayor with a handshake and smile.
She nodded with a smile. "That's good to hear. He's done so much for the city, and for me personally with this whole mess, that it'd be a shame if we were to lose him. Let him know he's in my prayers. Are you all getting a replacement for him?"
Chris and Tammy looked at one another, but Patton beat them to the punch for that answer. "HQ keeps saying they are sending someone, but when and who is still up in the air," he shrugged, leaning in his chair as he stared at her, his beer in his hand. "When we find out, I'm sure you will too."
"I'm sure. I'd like to meet them so that we can set a meeting to discuss an ongoing relationship about the safety of the city. Dwayne and I had an agreement about New Orleans, so anyone coming in, I'd hope would share the same sentiment," Mayor Taylor hesitated, catching a loud laugh coming from the bar area and her words faltering at the sight of a long familiar face. "If you'll excuse me…"
As the mayor walked towards the bar, Tammy leaned towards Patton, questioning his actions just low enough that her voice didn't carry over to nearby patrons. "What the hell are you doing? Why don't we tell her that we have our team leader?"
Patton frowned and nodded towards Myriam. "That's why. We about to get a show."
Myriam began to turn to watch the performance and take a look at the crowd as Zahra Taylor approached her. The smile she had on her face fell to a bemused smirk, settling back on her bar stool. "Look what the rats dragged in," she muttered.
"I never thought I'd see the day a Mikaelson was in New Orleans again. Other than your brother that made the prison his cozy home for the rest of his life," Zahra replied, staring the woman down who appeared completely at ease. "How well do you think he'd handle supermax isolation? Hm? I best not hear of any trouble in your family circles. I won't hesitate to have the police bring you in."
Taking a sip from her cocktail, Myriam smiled as she fought back a chuckle. "Really? My, my, how high the gutter rats have crawled. You know, you wouldn't even have been a blip on anyone's radar if it weren't for Cole," she mused. "And here you are, tossing empty threats at me?"
"Oh, I'm just warning you to keep your nose clean. I know how your family works… Speaking of, NOPD happened to have found one of Marcel Gerard's men dead last week."
"Yes, you would, wouldn't you," Myriam rolled her eyes, bored. "Marcel? Please. I only arrived in town five days ago so go find someone else to be your scapegoat. If you want to verify my travels, be my guest. Flew in from Nashville on Monday."
Zahra's jaw set and locked that her baiting wasn't taken and it seemed to only irritate Myriam more like a mosquito bite. "I assure you I'll have your movements looked into. Watch your step."
"Is that a threat?" Myriam asked, hysterically laughing as she slid down from her seat and stepped around her as she incredulously stared at the mayor. Her overly stated question drew a lot of attention, and their conversation wasn't quiet enough that her NCIS colleagues had heard every word. As Zahra looked around at the attention on her, she remained silent and shifted uncomfortably at the scrutiny now on her. "Wow. You know what? You do that. And how about, the next time you come at me, you bring a lawyer with a subpoena to speak with me for any of your threats because not only are you out of your ever livid mind, but you just threatened me in a bar full of people and a table full of 5-0. I am pretty sure they don't know me from Jack, but they seem pretty surprised by your words. So, Zahra, I'll see you around town. And a warning for you. The next time you threaten my family, you don't do it in front of witnesses. Got it?"
Myriam had finished her speech, beyond pissed off at the mayor by the end. Finishing off her drink, she turned to smile at the crowd. "Why you all staring? It's just another New Orleans girl drama! A round on me!"
Everyone let out a round of cheering as she winked at the pissed off mayor, passing her as she went to the bar to put the order in and set up payment. As she settled and sipped her drink the bartender refilled for her, her friend returned to her side.
"Want me to have her followed?"
Myriam turned to watch Taylor as she spoke with the NCIS team, silent as if she considered it. "No. But do keep an eye on her contacts if they make any moves. I don't trust her. She won't get her own hands dirty."
Grabbing her things, she left barely glancing at the team.
Shaken by her encounter, Mayor Taylor returned to the NCIS team who now held wary looks instead of the warming welcome ones they usually offered. "I apologize for what you witnessed. It seems it is hard to shake long-held history and grudges."
While Patton was careful not to give much attention to Myriam's hasty exit, he kept his eyes on the mayor. The only exception was the encouraging glance to his friends to play along, knowing that they were reluctant as they weren't sure about his old friend. It wasn't until Chris finally spoke that he knew that they'd be on board with whatever she was planning.
"Right," LaSalle slowly responded. His previous easy-going manner with who they'd believed was Pride, and Wade's ally in office might not be so. "I'm not so sure what to believe now after what we just witnessed, so why don't you go and let the dust settle. As the lady said, all she was doing was having a drink and chatting up some friends. That's all we saw while we've been here."
Mayor Taylor took in the confused, yet disturbed expressions on the team's faces. Nodding she knew she wasn't welcome. "If you could look into her movement for me, I'd appreciate it. I don't trust her, and you shouldn't either."
Failing to find anything else to say that might sway the NCIS agents, she left the bar. Tammy let out a breath and turned to eye Patton as he held his fist beneath his chin as he glared over his shoulder as if he anticipated the mayor's return. "What the hell was that?"
Chris sat down and picked up his bottle of beer, hesitating to take a pull. "Now I know that there has always been some shady shit that goes on politically in every town, but what just happened here sounded downright dirty and I thought we just got through a lot of that and found someone clean."
"Ain't nobody in this city that's truly clean," Patton answered, his chin jutting out. "And this ain't a conversation for here. You want to have it. We can take it back to the office. After all, the lady wanted you to track the bird's movements, right?"
By the time the team reluctantly returned to the office, they were surprised to find Agent Mikaelson there, at her desk. She had her legs up, crossed at the ankles, an empty bottle of wine on the desk and a fresh one in her hand as she poured herself a hearty glass. "I was wondering how long it would take for you to get back," she murmured, her dark eyes barely glancing at them. "I take it you have some questions? I'll try to answer them as much I possibly can."
Chris walked right up to her desk, his eyes taking in the empty bottle with suspicion. "Mayor Taylor wants us to look into your recent travel and confirm just when you returned to New Orleans for her."
Myriam's lips pulled back into a small smile and looked up at him as she tipped her glass at him. "You should do that. In fact, it wouldn't hurt if you even brought her some photos of my airport arrival as well. Might piss her off even more."
"What's that supposed to mean? Just what are you doing here really?" he demanded.
She took a sip and let out a hum of pleasure. "Well, I could tell you, but that'd be above your pay grade."
"That's something CIA or FBI would say," Tammy replied with as she glared at the agent, who only smiled and twirled around in her chair.
Myriam paused, setting her hands down and laying her head down on the desk slowly where she stared at the team sideways. It was a strange encounter and behavior for them to experience that they were slightly unnerved by it but tried not to let it show. "Hm, yes it would be and aren't you glad that NCIS managed to snap me up first. What with my history and all? Don't you know how that rolls, Patton?"
"My history doesn't have blood on my hands," he muttered as he appeared uncomfortable for outing her in front of the team.
She lifted her head and stared at him, pure fury blazing in her eyes. "I don't have blood on my hands. You know that. And while Cole may, I doubt Nick did when he died so don't even go there. I'm going to pretend you never said those words," she whispered before standing from her seat to gather her belongings and walking out.
AUTHOR NOTE: THIS CHAPTER MAY CONTAIN TRIGGERY DETAILS FOR A CAGE FIGHT SCENE. THIS IS YOUR WARNING IF YOU CHOOSE TO PROCEED. THE REST OF THE STORY AFTER THIS CHAPTER ISN'T AS DETAILED.
"Okay. What was that about? What about her history are you referring to?" Gregorio questioned as soon as Agent Mikaelson left the office.
Patton had sighed and shaken his head, turning his wheelchair to make his way to his desk. "Nope. I already did enough damage, and I got my work to do. I'm going to go pull up the airport surveillance like she said and is okay with for the mayor. If you want more information on her, then look it up yourselves."
Tammy looked over at Chris who had a scowl on his face. "What do you think?"
He shrugged. "Whatever it is, it was enough for Pride to have gotten involved and Wade knows as well. They do trust her, so we look into it so that we don't get ourselves burned by not knowing. I think they believe they are protecting us by leaving us out of whatever she was involved in."
"That's how it goes, and it tends to blow up in our faces," she pointed out.
"Yep," he agreed, sliding over to his desk to make himself comfortable for another late night research project. This time on their new teammate.
The two each began looking into Myriam Mikaelson and were quickly engrossed in their computers. Before long, Tammy looked up over at LaSalle. "The Mikaelson family was pretty much the closest to royalty or like the mafia in New Orleans? The earliest mention of them is in the 1700s."
"It seems that way," he agreed from what he was finding as well. "Seems Pride had a hand in taking them down too when he was at the Sheriffs. I suppose he helped get her out if that was the case otherwise they wouldn't be as close as they are. From what I have here, her brother is serving a life sentence for killing their other brother. Took a plea deal to avoid the death penalty. She was fifteen at the time and a witness."
"That had to have sucked," Tammy murmured. "No wonder she doesn't like talking about her family. I wouldn't either with that on my shoulders. What happened to her parents?"
"Both parents are dead, but I can't find how. All the official records here are redacted so if anyone knows, it's classified, covered up, or unknown," Chris sighed, frustrated as he hated being in that last category for anything.
Tammy eyed over at the empty desk across from her curiously. "You think she knows?"
He looked over as well. "Maybe. If she does, she doesn't seem to want to know. If she doesn't, she doesn't want to look for the answers. She doesn't like being in the city. She's made that much clear. Look, let's go home and get some sleep and start over with her in the morning. I think after learning all this, we owe her that much."
The following morning when Chris, Tammy, and Sebastian reported back to the office, they were surprised to find that Myriam had not been there. Since her arrival, she'd always been the first one in before anyone. Hearing movement in the kitchen, Chris made his way there, but Dwayne came hobbling out with a coffee in his hand. "Hey! Aren't you supposed to be at the hospital?"
"I was, but I was released last night. They got tired of my bitching, finally. Myriam was supposed to pick me up for breakfast, and she didn't show. I thought maybe you guys got a job and texted Loretta and she dropped me off here. Since you all are here, I guess, no job?" he replied, looking around.
"No. No job that we know of," Chris replied, glancing back at Tammy who was quiet and appearing concerned.
Dwayne looked over at his desk, trying to think about his friend. "Is Patton here? Patton!" he called out, limping his way to the man's office. Finding him at his desk, he stopped to take a breather. "Did Myriam come to you for anything since she started here?"
Patton looked at him for a moment, hesitating as he glanced at the rest of the team. "Uh, yeah. She seemed paranoid the other day. She thought someone was watching her outside her place."
"Myriam doesn't get paranoid. That family didn't survive 300 years in this city without having survival skills beat into each generation. If she felt she was being watched, it was because she was. I want you to go through every camera that even has a glimpse of the abattoir and run facial recognition on every person since the day of her return. It's not a coincidence. I promise you that."
Turning, Pride limped his way back out pushing Chris back around and pointed to Gregorio and Sebastian. "Come on. You guys are going with me to her house and checking out her house. If she's not there, then someone took her."
"Of course," Chris agreed, moving to his desk to get his weapon, badge, and keys that he'd just put away. "I'll get my keys!"
"No need. It's not far. I can make it," Dwayne waved him off as he limped out the door, leaving a confused team behind before they scurried to catch up.
"King! Where are we going?!" LaSalle questioned as their benched leader made his way around the corner with a very determined expression on his face. "I thought we were going to Myriam's place."
Dwayne smirked as he eyed his recruit and pulled his sunglasses up on his head. Stopping at a security gate, he eyed the camera and keypad. "We are, and we're there," he answered, keying in the code the girl had given him for such emergencies. "Come on."
"This is hers?" Sebastian muttered. "I always wondered about it. What it was like inside. I can't believe we're going in."
"Yeah, well, you've worked with her for the last week. You think she likes to advertise herself?" Pride responded as he led them down the servants' entrance. Once through the kitchen and into the grounds, it began to open up. Immediately, the team drew their weapons at the scene before them. Statues knocked over, plants and pottery scattered in clear sign of a struggle and fight.
"Upstairs," Dwayne murmured, hearing movement. "Her room is up there."
Chris nodded as he took point to provide cover for Pride as they made their way up the staircase, following his directions and where the indications of the intruder appeared to be. Seeing the form from behind, LaSalle held up his weapon. "Federal agents. Stay where you are."
The figure paused with a sigh. "If you know what is best for you, you will leave. This is family business," the accented male voice responded.
"If you knew what was best, you would have remained dead," Dwayne answered back, gesturing for the team to stand down. When the man turned around, they each were surprised and confused at the angry face that looked back at them.
"I would have, but you were supposed to make sure that my sister was never to return to this blasted city, to begin with!" Nicholas argued.
"She makes her own decisions, just like you and your brother did when you made this deal. What are you doing in New Orleans?" Dwayne asked.
"I heard of her return, and I had to make sure she'd be fine. I knew something would happen. Mikaelsons would never be in this city after what our father pulled and looked what happened. Where is she?"
"Myriam didn't show up at the office today. That's why we're here," Pride said.
Nick sighed, shaking his head with a smirk. "Okay. Who'd she manage to piss off then?"
Tammy and Sebastian couldn't help but smile as they looked over at LaSalle who blinked.
"Besides yourselves, of course," the Mikaelson elaborated. "I have no doubt she tried her hardest to get under each of your skins. Did she flirt with one of you, give you stickers for being good pets? Hm?"
"Why aren't you dead?" Gregorio questioned instead, earning a smile in response.
"Ask Monsieur Pride," he bowed before scowling at the agent and turning to look back into his sister's room for any answer he might find. "And you haven't answered my question. Who has she pissed off?"
Pride nodded to them, signaling that it was okay to give the man the information that he wanted. Sighing, LaSalle rolled his eyes. "Last night, the team was at the bar, and Myriam was there with a friend or a contact of hers. Not with us, that much was certain. She acted like she didn't know us at all. Just that she knew we were cops. But Mayor Taylor came in, and she freaked out at seeing Myriam in town. They exchanged words, the mayor asked us to confirm her flight information, and that's as far as we got this morning. We found she flew in from Nashville and made a spectacle of herself with TSA at the airport."
Nicholas frowned as he tried to place the woman they were speaking of. "I vaguely recall her. But she ran in Cole's circles. I think she has a thing for him, but he had his plans that didn't quite include her, but you'd have to speak to him."
Dwayne nodded and looked over at Chris. "I'd suggest having Cole brought over to NCIS instead of going there. There could be eyes at the prison that would report back to Mayor Taylor or any of her underground contacts that might have Myriam."
"If word gets out that he's alive, any deal that these two have goes up in flames," Tammy pointed out as she nodded towards Myriam's brother. "What exactly are the terms of it?"
Pride ran a hand over his face, stress dripping from the situation and pain from his still-healing injuries and movement he'd been forcing on himself. "Myriam's complete freedom, even though there was no proof of her involvement in the family business. Cole faked Nicholas's murder to push her leaving the city - that was on them, and their complete testimonies against their father."
"Where is he?"
"Missing, presumed dead."
"He's in the wind. Bastard isn't dead. Probably on the beach in some non-extradition country, sipping on margaritas," Nick spat.
Chris glared over at the 'dead' Mikaelson. "Alright. I'll have him transferred over. It might take a little while, but he needs to be there too because I don't trust him either."
Dwayne nodded. "I agree. He shouldn't be here and has some things to account for. I'll talk to him because I had been the one to set things up. Okay?"
"You're not active right now Pride," Chris reminded him.
"I'll have Tammy sitting in with me. It'll be alright!" he smiled. "Come on. It'll be fun!"
"Famous last words."
~o.O.o~
"You know, last I heard, covering one's head and leading them to places unknown was frowned upon in our society," Cole Mikaelson's muffled voice rambled as he was lead into the garden area of the NCIS offices.
Nicholas was there waiting and watched as the hood was pulled off his brother's head, and as he blinked to get his bearings, his expression shifted as he noticed who was present. "Oh, damn," Cole muttered as he saw his brother. "What did you do?"
"I did nothing," he replied. "Our sister was abducted during the night. What do you remember of Zahra Taylor?"
The NCIS team watched the look of confusion cross Cole's face. "Zahra? She was a low-level nobody. What does this have to do with Myriam?"
"She is Mayor now and was not pleased to see Myriam in town last night," LaSalle responded.
Cole's face twisted in disgust. "Mayor?! Who the bloody hell did she sleep with to get that high on the food chain?"
"She slept with you back in the day," Nick replied.
"Yeah, well," Cole shrugged. "Look where I ended up for you and our sister. Mayor? Really? Um, well, if she's involved, then she had her brother do the dirty work. He has a thing for underground fights. A lucrative business. Myriam would truly make him a lot as a headliner."
Gregorio looked at the Pride as he appeared conflicted with the information and something else. "Wasn't Loretta like good friends with Mayor Taylor? She worked on her campaign and everything."
"Yeah. I don't think she knew about her history though," he admitted.
"But you did," she pointed out. "You were hesitant to put your chips behind her at the time. I remember that."
"I don't like any politician, but yeah, I was familiar with her connection to the family, however small it might have been at the time. We all don't have perfectly white backgrounds in a city like this Gregorio. But you do need certain types of connections, and you keep them as clean as you can because you do need friends to get information," he reminded her. "I have friends in high and low places. They're called informants."
"So how do we find out where Taylor's brother will have his fight and when?" Gregorio questioned.
"We can ask her ourselves," Loretta suggested as she joined the group, her face solemn with the news she was hearing. She held up her hand as she anticipated the apologies to begin coming. "It's not your fault or Myriam's. Let's get our girl home safely," she said before looking over at the two boys. "Hello Nick, Cole. It's been a long time," she nodded to the fair-haired man, hugging him before moving over to hug Cole and lightly giving him a smack on the cheek. "You better still be behaving."
"Yeah, yeah, ma'am," he smiled, blushing as he rubbed his cheek.
She turned to look at the team. "Go on and speak with the Mayor. I'll catch up with the boys here. Don't worry. I'm fine. You find Myriam. You got that?"
The agents didn't need another word as they headed out to city hall. Having been familiar faces around town with the mayor since her election, they were able to get into her office without fuss and were greeted with a friendly smile initially. "NCIS. What can I do for you today?"
"We are wondering if you may know the location of your brother, Tayshon?" LaSalle asked right off, getting to business.
Zahra frowned as she sat back in her chair. "I haven't spoken to my brother in years. Why do you ask?"
"I suggest you consider rethinking your answer before we ask Mayor Taylor again. Because we already dumped your office and personal phone logs. We know you were in contact last night after you left Pride's bar," Gregorio said.
The mayor narrowed her eyes at the agent. "I have nothing to say then."
"I strongly recommend otherwise because then you'll be complicit in the abduction of a federal agent and after recent events with Agent Pride, you know how well that will look for the sitting mayor?" LaSalle replied.
"What federal agent abduction?" Zahra replied, confused.
"Agent Myriam Mikaelson," Gregorio smiled. "She's NCIS."
Zahra let out a breath and paled, sinking into her chair. "No. You're lying…"
Sebastian pulled up their team mate's federal profile on his tablet and showed it to her. "She's a high ranking agent, recruited due to her history in the city, so yeah. You're about as fucked as they come so it's best that you cooperate."
"He uses the abandoned St. Anne's church as a fight club," she replied. "She's probably being held there."
"You best stay in town where we can find you if we don't find her alive," LaSalle replied. "It'll be up to her what we do with you. You hear?"
"I got that," Zahra sighed, knowing she was cornered by NCIS no matter what, and by a Mikaelson.
Sebastian paused as the team was heading by the door as well. "And don't go making any calls to warn anyone. Your phone system went down about five minutes ago. Just thought you should know."
On their way out of city hall, Chris texted Pride to let him know where the mayor suggested that her brother might be with Myriam. As he pocketed his phone, he looked over at Tammy and Sebastian as he climbed into their truck, who both had skeptical looks on their faces. "What?"
"You do know he's going to try going to the scene in his current condition, and he's still on medical leave," she pointed out.
"And by the looks of Myriam's brother, he just might force his coming along," Sebastian added.
Chris sighed as he pulled into traffic and turned his lights on. "Yeah, well, I probably would too."
Thankfully, the two were arriving the same time as the agents, and it had taken Pride a little extra time to move, even with Nicholas Mikaelson's assistance. As they stayed behind the armed agents, the group slipped through the doors of the church, making their way through. What they found, left them speechless.
Myriam was inside a locked cage, with a male that the team didn't recognize, in a fight with some spectators watching and cheering. They saw that she was already well bruised and bloodied, favoring her side as she blocked many punches that her opponent threw at her but it was clear that she was tired.
Before they could stop him, Nick pushed through the group and ran down the stairs to the cage, screaming for her to be released. This forced the team to announce their presence, but it only encouraged the crowd to push the fight to finish. The guy, turned to look at Nick and as their eyes met, there was recognition and fury in them as he pulled a knife out from his pants. He turned, ready to use it on Myriam but she was already on his back, her arms around his neck and hands planted on the side of his head. Using every ounce of strength she had left in her, she snapped twisted his neck until she not only heard but felt that destructive act before she fell with his body.
Unable to get up, she closed her eyes, just waiting for whatever was to come when she heard the chains open and felt herself being pulled into someone's arms and lips pressed to her temple. Blinking, she opened them to find a hazy view of her brother that she was convinced was dead. She'd seen him shot by her other brother so many years ago, before she ran the hell out of town, hoping never to look back.
"Shh, Myriam. Rest now. We've got you," Nick murmured, holding his sister tight as he looked back at her team, who stared at the two. "We have you."
Author Note: I'm at Citi Field with my grandmother and drunk right now. So you're all getting an extra chapter before I update it on my WordPress which I will do tomorrow, when I'm potentially sober.
When Myriam woke up, she hadn't known how long she was unconscious. She was surprised to find herself in her bed back at the abattoir. Attempting to move was painful, but she lifted her head enough to look around to see that the mess that was created when she fought her captors had been picked up.
Laying back down, she tried to remember how she could have possibly gotten back home. The only thing she could think of was that her team had realized something was wrong and had managed to find her in time. But why bring her home and not to the hospital?
And had she indeed hallucinated her brother?
The pain and exhaustion of her experience had her slipping back to sleep rather quickly. So quickly that as she tried to fight her tiredness, she wondered if someone had injected her with something for her pain at some point before she'd woken up. Still, she'd get to interrogating everyone when she had the energy.
Downstairs, everyone had gathered, trying to figure out how to go forward with the situation with the mayor and the paperwork with Agent Mikaelson.
"She refused medical treatment. I don't see what the problem is," Nick replied.
"The problem is that she doesn't exactly have the right to refuse and she wasn't coherent enough to. On top of that, she killed a man during the process," Loretta explained.
"Self defense! They had her locked in a cage in what was clearly a fight to the death!" he argued. "You treated her just fine here! I'm her next of kin. I'll sign whatever documents that your agency needs for her release but the last thing she needs are the severe stress of the hospital."
Loretta flashed Dwayne a frustrated glance. "If it were only that simple. What we need is her to remember that she refused, and she may not. That's first. We have our problems down here with NCIS HQ and DC officials right now that seem to have some blood out for Dwayne. We haven't found out who, and while she's a friendly face for us, we don't know why they sent her over someone else who is willing to play by their rules. It's a lot of things we have to consider."
"So they may fire her because she didn't want to go the hospital? That's ridiculous!" Nick paced the floor with his hands on his hips, glaring up at the landing. "My return will hardly be a secret now so Cole's imprisonment won't be able to be maintained because it's a false confession. We all are going to be affected, and this goes back further for you Pride."
"You won't be the first person to come out of witness protection," Dwayne assured him. "That's not on you or me. I'm not worried about that."
"No, perhaps not, but Cole and I did this to protect Myriam from our father. No official police business involved. We did this. Not you or anyone else."
Dwayne nodded with understanding. "And she's fully capable of protecting herself now. She's always been a fighter, and she will fight him should she come across him one day."
Nick spun around on his heel, and if looks were capable of dropping a man dead, Pride would be six feet deep by the hatred that crossed the man's face at what he just heard. "If that were so true, then my sister would not be upstairs in her present condition! I would not have had that sickening feeling of foreboding when I heard of her return to this city that something bad was going to happen!"
"Easy," Pride said as he threw up his hands in defense. "She could have said 'no.'"
"How? When? She was fifteen when she was thrust into this, and you sent her to your friend and hid her for us. Now, this is on my brother and me, and our family, but even with what family we have out there, they never tried to help get us out. She's all we got and each other. I'll kill anyone that comes after us first."
"You know you can't do that. Give her time to heal up, learn that you are alive first. Let us deal with the paperwork with your brother and what he wants to do now that he's technically incarcerated under pretenses. If you can discuss with Myriam, figure out what you want to do. Because once I'm able to get back to work, they will likely reassign her. She's pretty well liked at the DC office so she may be able to get a station of her choosing this go-round," Pride calmly explained.
"And what of Cole? What about me? We lied, which ended with him going to jail. What will the repercussions be?"
Pride looked over at his people, holding a silent conversation with them. "Let us figure that out. I know it wasn't done without reason and the courts got a lot of information on your father from Cole in exchange for a deal. The feds got more out of that deal than he did."
"Alright," Loretta said as she put an arm around Pride. "Let's get you home, and leave Nick here. No doubt your team won't mind keeping an eye out for safety. You need your rest, Dwayne."
"Cole is still at your offices," Nick murmured, slowly calming down.
Pushing himself up from the wall he'd been leaning against and silently watching on, Chris nodded. "Yep. Sebastian and I will head back. Tammy will stay here and keep an eye on things in case any more of the mayor's friends decide to pay a visit."
Nick eyed the woman for a moment before nodding as he looked at Pride. "Thank you, Pride. Sorry to be once again a pain in the neck."
"You go and take care of your sister, and I'm pretty sure Loretta will be back later."
"Damn straight I will," the woman said as she lead him out of the courtyard. "And you'd better stay in bed and rest, Dwayne, although I suspect you were doing something else entirely. Oh! And Nick, I would anticipate a visit from Patton sometime tomorrow once he hears about what happened. He won't go without wanting to see her."
He wordlessly nodded as he turned to make his way up the stairs. Pausing at the top, he rested a hand on the rail. "I'll bring some bedding down for you Agent - I'm not sure what you prefer to be called. I am familiar enough with police routines that you'll want to remain downstairs. The sofa is comfortable enough," he shrugged.
"Gregorio is fine," she responded.
Nick nodded and disappeared into a room leaving the team to themselves for the moment.
"Pride…" Gregorio sighed as she looked at her retreating boss. "I sure hope you still have some favors in high places."
He glanced up at the landing and shrugged. "I may not, but she got friends in DC. She was working directly under Vance before coming here, so that counts for something. Look, she's been in the DC game more than I have so she can play their game. She toes their lines a lot better than I would ever be able to and she knows how to get under their red tape. But, she knows how the streets are and when it's important to get around it. I think Gibbs can get Vance to pull some strings."
"It's been a rocky year down here. I know she's a friend, but they have a shady history, and it can only blow up further," she shrugged, giving her opinion.
"I know, but we can't do anything. They didn't ask for this. They were only kids that were dragged into their parents business, expected to continue it."
"How do you know they haven't? They act like they know far more about then they let on. Myriam's actions on keeping her life outside the office were suspicious and questionable at the bar," she said as she went into explaining the encounter.
Dwayne sighed, growing more and more tired and feeling much older than his years. "I hear you. Look, for every friend she has in this city, her name has two enemies. But with that name, there are just as many that respect and fear it. Sometimes it's the only weapon you got. I'll check in with you all in the morning if I can get out of bed. Okay?"
"Take it easy. I'll shoot you a message if I find out anything."
"Eh, no. I'll find out later if necessary. Just do the job and let LaSalle know until Myriam is back on or HQ says otherwise. I want to go to bed now," he waved at her before following Loretta out.
By the time Nick dropped the linen off for Gregorio and returned up to his sister's room, he was thoroughly exhausted. He fell into the armchair Myriam kept in her place after dragging it to her bedside and just sat, watching her. Having not been able to be close to her for so long, he did not know how long he'd have these moments until the agents could get him answers. He had depended on the words of others for news of his siblings for years. Perhaps now, they could be a family amongst themselves again.
At some point he had nodded off, only to be awoken by a click of a gun being cocked. His eyes flashed open and shot over at his sister before freezing to find her aiming the weapon on him. "Easy now…"
"I'm either hallucinating, or some motherfucker is trying some stupid prank but either way there is no fucking way you're who I'm sure you're about to claim you are," she said, her voice filled with trepidation and anger. "Don't you fucking move."
Nick swallowed and held his hands up defensively. "Ah, but unfortunate for the situation, I am. Your agent friend is right downstairs and can verify my story if you want-"
"I still call bullshit because I haven't told anyone where I live," she glared, biting back a grimace as she shifted to sit up further in the bed.
"I don't have to move. I can yell for her," Nick calmly offered.
Myriam glanced at the door that had been left open, hesitating. As far as she recalled, there was no reason the team wouldn't know where she lived. Hell, she barely could remember how she got home at all. "Who's here?"
"Small, brunette, reminds me of you. Gregorio?" he answered.
Her arm dropped slightly at the name before she nodded. She couldn't help but wonder as she stared at the man, who he was and where he came from. Why he looked and sounded so much like her brother, just older?
"Agent Gregorio?!" He called out, voice cracking a bit. "Can you please come up here?!"
The sound of footsteps running up the stairs could be heard before Gregorio skidded to a halt in Myriam's bedroom. "Woah, easy, put down the gun, Myriam," she said as she held out her hand. "No one's going to hurt you here. You're home. You're safe."
"Huh, right," Myriam replied, nodding towards Nick. "And I just imagined my dead brother in my room? Got a good explanation for that?"
"Because you're not. Pride already left for the night, and when he comes back after he gets some decent rest, I'm sure he will do a helluva better job helping your brother explain what happened. But for now, just put your weapon down and let him try to explain to you what he can or get some more rest. You should be in the hospital," Tammy lectured. "Are all you Mikaelsons this stubborn?"
"Yes," Nick nodded. "Stubbornness and paranoia are our main traits."
"Speak for yourself," Myriam muttered, still not putting her gun down. "If you're my brother, tell me something that nobody knows about me but you."
"You have some loyal friends in shallow places," Nick replied.
Myriam huffed. "Even Gregorio must know that by now, and she's a freaking profiler."
"That's not to say that you got your hands dirty with them. They were a security blanket against our father, of course. But you enjoyed a tune or two…"
Myriam scrunched up her nose. "That's something Gregorio would have suspected by now. Try again, Nick."
He looked around until he found what he was looking for. "This," he said as he picked up the stuffed animal. "Is your dear old friend Asparagus. Cole got it for you on your 10th birthday and you two were obsessed then with a simple sentence Cole had picked up from his friends; You cuss, I cuss, we all cuss, for asparagus, much to mother and father's dismay. So you named this little one Asparagus. It's a joke between you and Cole. You never leave home without it and still take it with you."
Gregorio let out a small snort, earning a glare from the injured agent. "What? It's funny," she shrugged.
Myriam dropped her arm and stared at him warily. "How are you alive? I saw him shoot you."
"Flesh wound, some special effects from our friend Alaric such as blood pouches and the like," he replied as he sat back down in his chair again, holding Asparagus. "It helps when you have cops on your side."
She shook her head, unable to form words for a minute. Thinking of the years without either of her brothers. "Why?"
"For you."
She stared at him with a blank expression, failing to see the reasoning behind that answer. "Yeah, that doesn't make sense to me now. You waited sixteen years to decide to show and be all Surprise! I'm alive! Cole's been sitting in jail, and I've been unjustifiably mad at him for your death all this time, refusing to see him, and you think it's just okay to show up like this?"
"And if it hadn't been for you getting into trouble in New Orleans, I would have still been dead to you!" Nick countered. "Cole and I wanted to give you a better life, and that was best if we took ourselves out of the equation for you! To keep you safe!"
"Glad to know how much family means to the two of you," she icily replied. "Get out."
"Yeah, don't bother, I'll leave," Nick fumed as he walked out of the bedroom.
Gregorio held her hands up and tried blocking him. "Whoa, hang on here. I think we are all overreacting to this news and need some time to process for a while."
"Nope," Myriam replied, glaring at her brother's back. "He made it clear he'd rather play dead than be here and be with his family. It's much easier that way."
Nick balled his fists by his side as he turned around. "Don't you think we would have if things would have been safer that way?!" He shot at her. "With our enemies and our father still on the loose, you were better off without us painting a target on your back. Cole was safely in prison where our name still carries, I was lost, and you were surrounded by law enforcement the entire time. We wouldn't have stood a chance, the three of us together."
Myriam's brow raised. "Elijah is dead I heard. At least that's what I was told."
"One can only hope. He's better at pretending to die than I am. As long as we haven't seen his body, I'd suggest thinking about the worst-case scenario," Nick replied with a sigh. "Besides, I heard he was spotted in Asia a while back."
She drew in a deep breath and sank into the bed. "If that's the case, then don't run. We're better as a united front, being a new generation of the Mikaelson family and making things right now."
"Perhaps we're better as a united front now, but we weren't when you were still so young, Myriam. I am sorry for what Cole and I have done, but it was to protect us all."
"Just let's sleep on it right now. I can only imagine LaSalle at the office bitching about the paperwork we've given him," Myriam shrugged and scrunched her face as a spasm shot through her back. "Is there any pain medication around?"
"Yeah, Loretta left some ibuprofen," Gregorio piped up. "I'll go and get it."
"Thank you," Myriam murmured and watched as the agent slipped out and turned back to her brother. "So… you're alive. Shall we throw a ball for your back from the dead and Cole's freedom?"
Nick gave her an incredulous look. "I certainly hope that you are joking. Because if you are not, then you must be in a great deal of pain and I will let that slide."
"I think it might be a good idea. It gives us the platform to the public that we are united and puts the word out that we are still here and not going away to Elijah if he tries to come after us."
He shook his head, adamant against it. "I'm sorry, but I disagree. It's best to keep a low profile. No balls, no fancy parties. And not staying in New Orleans if, and when, Cole gets released."
"I don't think they'll let me stay after what happened. I fucked up," she admitted. "I'll be lucky if I keep my badge."
"How did you fuck up? Did you allow yourself to be taken? No. Put them in a cage with a fight to the death and see what they do!"
She sighed and moved to lay back down. "It's government bureaucracy crap. I've been playing this game for awhile now."
"Well, if they'd take your badge then it's a loss for them," he said as he sat down next to her on the bed, carefully. "Whenever you made the news in your rookie days, my heart swelled with so much pride. When you didn't make the news anymore, it took me a while to figure out what happened, but what I heard didn't surprise me. Unlike any of us, you did something good for a change."
"Where have you been?" Myriam found herself asking. "How have you been keeping track?"
"Oh, here and there. I traveled to Europe for a while, then went to some non-extradition countries… visited Hawaii… ran into some trouble there with Wo Fat… went to another non-extradition country…" He summed up his life. "But I kept track through Cole. He still has eyes and ears that can be trusted, and I wrote to him as the lonely Miss Jenkins, who writes to prisoners and lives with her hundred cats."
She rolled her eyes. "Entertaining. You know that guy gave me the creeps. He's not a great ally to keep. He won't hesitate to burn the family, and I wouldn't doubt he helps our father."
Nick smirked then. "I made sure he was six feet under after I left."
"Are you sure? I mean sure?" She asked. "He was more sleazily than Elijah."
Nick nodded. "It's a crazy story, but I believed I even helped the local Law Enforcement with him. This guy got kidnapped and all because Wo Fat believed that this guy knew where his dead father was."
"Do they know you killed him for them?" She smirked.
"The guy was so beaten up that I pumped him full with drugs and planted the idea in his head that he killed him," Nick shrugged. "I had to leave after that, didn't want them to come after me."
"Let's hope that his memory doesn't come back from the event if you ever cross paths. It wouldn't be the first time," she said, concern filling her voice as it dropped in case Tammy was close by with her pain medication. "Because I remember those drugs were yours and Cole's favorite M.O."
He had a coy smile, and a small shrug as Agent Gregorio walked back in with a glass of water and a prescription bottle in hand. "Well, I'll send LaSalle an update that you two haven't torn one another's heads off yet so that he can let your brother's worries ease."
"He's still at your office?" Nick asked. "I would have thought you had him sent back already."
Tammy shrugged, appearing to try to stay out of that pool of trouble. "Not my call."
Myriam smiled as she narrowed her eyes, having swallowed the medication gratefully. "Bet that Pride had that request to keep him around until shit got straightened out. Wouldn't surprise me, but I'd have sent him back, to be honest. It wouldn't hurt him."
"Yeah, but it would be hardly fair, wouldn't it?" Tammy replied with a shrug. "In any case, Sebastian asked what you two want for food so he can bring some over. Loretta wants you to stay in bed, Myriam, at least until she's cleared you."
Pouting, she let out a sigh. "I'll stay until she comes. I don't want to sleep anymore," she said with a shudder. "And I'm not hungry."
"You need to eat something," Nick scolded.
Rolling her eyes, Myriam set her head down as she thought. "I guess a chia pudding and muffin from Pagoda is fine."
"Alright. Settle in. If there are any updates, I'll let you know," Gregorio let them know before leaving the disgruntled siblings on their own.
It took a few days before the team was able to get any progress on the Mikaelson family situation. After LaSalle was forced to return Cole to the prison and word got out that Nick was indeed still alive, it hadn't been as safe as they anticipated for him on the inside.
It took several calls back to D.C. for Pride to finally get Director Vance to put his weight behind things and help a good agent and the siblings who provided an extraordinary amount of information on their own family and those who they had dealings with. Of course, he had to endure his lectures about not working and being on medical himself. The man could not go back to his friend without having an answer.
Dwayne wasn't stupid. Myriam's history and his style would be too much of a high risk to continue working together as a team long term in New Orleans, and there was no way their bosses would allow that. Even if she did follow their rules better than he did.
By the time Vance called LaSalle back personally with the verdict, he was still on the phone when prison security had personally escorted Cole Mikaelson all the way to the NCIS office. The man had been extremely busy in previous days, and as Chris confirmed that he'd pass on the orders, he thanked the director for his assistance as he scrambled to his feet as he got his first look at the agent's brother since he'd met him days earlier.
"You look like shit," he said.
"Thanks. I feel like it, but I'm out apparently. Doubt my sister had a hand in it. She hates my guts," Cole shrugged, pretending to act unfazed. "I'll live. I'm tougher than I look."
Chris nodded, narrowing his gaze. "Actually, it's partly because of her. More because of her return to New Orleans which drew your brother back to town, so it made him not so dead."
Cole smirked. "Figures. So all that for nothing to keep her safe from Daddy Dearest."
"Eh, our bosses still think that it's a good idea for y'all to keep a low profile. Though it might be best if you head out of town," he replied, grabbing the papers that finished printing from the fax and slipped them into a folder. "So whaddya think? Ready to go home? Gotta pitch your sister her new assignment."
The agent's brother looked back at him curious. Despite his bruised and beat up appearance that might compete with his sister at the moment, he wasn't sure if the agent was indeed playing a clean game. "What's the deal?"
LaSalle shrugged. "Your sister is awesome, and all, but her on our team with Pride is not a good thing for… appearances sake. Or from a political point of view. So with Pride on the mend, they're anticipating him returning soon, so she's being reassigned."
"No offense but the guy had been shot up," Cole pointed out. "He didn't look like he should be working any time soon."
"He'll be back before you know it. Pride doesn't tend to be kept down long. It's not the first time he's been shot," Chris assured the man. "In fact, we've tried keeping him down but… the man always finds a way."
Rubbing his wrists, Cole shrugged and chose to keep silent as he followed the agent out. He knew he shouldn't have been surprised as he led him on foot right to his family home just a short distance away. "I would have thought she'd gone somewhere else considering how she felt about the family."
"I'm sure that y'all have some happy memories here in New Orleans as well, maybe that's why she went home?"
"That can be up to debate," Cole muttered as he inputs the security code he last remembered and was surprised that it took. "After you."
The Mikaelson brother could not help but be amused at how the agent seemed to be already familiar with the layout and know his way through to the family area of the abattoir.
"Hey King," Chris greeted as he spotted the man. "I got your girl's new marching orders. I think she might like it."
"Hell, if you think she'll like it, I might take it instead!" Pride smiled widely before acknowledging Cole. "Welcome back to the real world, how does it feel?"
"It's a little strange and surreal," he admitted. "Nice not hearing how much people want to kick my ass every day."
"In my experience, there is always someone that is interested in beating your ass," Nicholas responded as he descended the stairs slowly, his face devoid of emotion as he stared at his brother.
"Nick," Cole greeted him with an even tone in his voice.
He nodded before looking at the agents. "My sister is awake and in one of her charming moods. I left her to attempt to dress, as she has declared she'd had enough of her bedrest."
"I'll go up in ten minutes," LaSalle said after giving it a moment of thought.
"What for?" Nick demanded.
"I have her new orders," he said as he held up a file. "I'm pretty sure she'll love it."
Exasperated, the man shook his head. "Can't your agency give her a chance to breathe? You can give it to her when she comes down. No doubt she will attempt to do so, despite our protests to her unnecessary movements."
"Haven't known her for a long time, but she's a stubborn woman," Chris nodded. "Fine, I'll wait, anything I can get you, boys, while I go out to grab a bite to eat?"
"She's got food here. The kitchen was well stocked, much to my surprise."
"Oh, could you get some beignets?" Cole piped up.
Nick blinked at his brother. "We are speaking of Myriam. It's coffee and beignets in her blood."
"Well, I don't know that. Do I? It's you who's been keeping an eye on her, I've only been the messenger!"
Nick rolled his eyes and started for the kitchen. "She hasn't changed all that much since she was fifteen."
"I'll leave you to it," Chris laughed as he shook his head and headed out of the courtyard.
"The most important thing that she was safe until now, right?"
"Her choice of career was not by my influence," Nick sneered. "If I had my way, she'd be in the middle of nowhere doing something safe. Perhaps a desk job in an office."
"Fat chance," Cole snickered. "She was the wild one. She'd be bored out of her skull if she'd be chained behind a desk or snap customers in half if she'd work in a shop."
Pulling juices and milk out of the fridge, and the pastries from where Myriam tended to store her baked goods, Nick set the food on the counter before starting a pot of coffee. "I think I did okay with my limitations. She would have found something to satisfy herself as well."
Cole grabbed a beignet and bit into it, leaning against the counter as he savored the taste. "So what's next? We can't stay in New Orleans, are we going to follow Myriam to whatever dump they're sending her so we can keep her safe from daddy dearest?"
Nick sighed as he leaned both arms onto the kitchen island. "I see no other reason but to follow her. She's made her stance quite clear that she doesn't want us separated now that she is aware of the truth. Damn near shot me over it. Do not get me wrong, she is pleased with the result, but she is very pissed with our handling of all this back then."
"She was fifteen and our responsibility, we did what we did best," Cole replied as he finished his beignet and grabbed another one. "But it's good to know that she doesn't want us separated. I'm merely afraid what her punishment will be."
"I'll put ground glass in your meals," Myriam replied as she leaned against the door. "I smell coffee, is it done yet?"
Nick looked over at the maker and smirked. "Almost. Perhaps by the time you crawl yourself across the kitchen, it will be. You should have stayed upstairs until someone could help you down."
"Go fuck yourself," she replied as she pushed herself step by step to her liquid gold. She glanced at the plate of sweets that she was certain she had more. "Did you leave any of the good ones for me, asshole?"
"Likely not," he nodded. "Forgive me?"
She rolled her eyes and limped over to the cupboard to get a mug out. "Sure. When you go and get me more, I think I want some cream filled ones this time."
"Well, your friend from the team announced that your new orders already came in. You better enjoy all the beignets you can get because they might not have ones of this quality where they want to send you," Cole remarked as he took a bite of a third.
Myriam turned and gave him a confused glare. "Why the hell would they reassign me already? Pride is still on medical, and it'll only take me a week on Motrin before I can go back in the field. I'll be fine behind the desk in the meanwhile."
"How the hell should I know? That agent seemed more than happy when he received the information and was eager enough to get me here so that he can give it to you," Cole argued.
"LaSalle is always an eager puppy, I wouldn't worry too much about him," Myriam replied. "No, I guess that Pride is already back on his feet when he shouldn't be, and they want me out of the city and off his team despite being a man down."
Nick still failed to see the reason behind her supervisors' way of handling things and shook his head. Shaking his head, he pulled the mug out of his sister's hand and gestured Cole over to help her. "I'll carry your coffee and food into the other room for you. Allow Cole to help you before we have to force you to the emergency room against your will."
"I'm fine!"
"Bullshit," Cole coughed as he made his way over and offered a charming smile. "Come now! You have to introduce me properly to your friends before they run us out of town after all."
Myriam continued to scowl at her brother as he attempted to help her into the sitting area of the courtyard. She found herself surprised at everyone that was present, having expected her brothers and knew about Gregorio. However, to see Pride, Loretta, and Patton was more than she was prepared for. "What are you all doing here?"
"Hanging around, waiting for you to stop being so damn stubborn," Patton replied with a frown before grinning at the glare he received. "Don't be like that girl! You know we only got love for ya! Be happy they wouldn't let me come up there to kick your ass into gear because I was ready to."
Her eyebrow rose at his threat. "Right. And I'd push your chair right back down the stairs." Turning her attention back to Dwayne, she never lowered her irritation. "What's this I hear about a transfer already? You're in no shape to be going back. I'll be back to duty by the end of the week, guaranteed. You still have a few months, easy," she complained as she glanced over his posture and expressions of discomfort.
"Transfer? But you just got here," Loretta repeated, confused as she was hearing the news for the first time herself.
Dwayne looked at his friend, thinking for a moment as he was confident that she was there when Chris arrived before announcing the news. Perhaps she had stepped out. "Were we that out of it in our talking that I missed you leaving the room?"
"Evidently," she responded, bemused by his lack of attention to his surroundings.
"Don't you all have a job to do?" Myriam asked as her brother helped her to sit down, while she was fully capable of falling into that chair herself, thank you very much.
"Sure, we do. But we can also take some time for a break to be here for you. Now despite HQ's shitty timing, I'm curious as to where they are trying to shove you. I'm sure you couldn't have possibly pissed them off that fast," Patton replied.
"Oh, you know very well what I'm capable of," Myriam chuckled and held out her hand. "Alright, hit me with the bad news."
Pride passed the file over to her brother with a smirk. As Cole handed it to Myriam, he couldn't help but let out a sigh. "You do know that you will always have a home here, no matter where they send you."
"I know," Myriam nodded. "But I wouldn't have come here if you wouldn't have been in trouble, you know that, right? Granted, I never felt more at home than in New Orleans, but it's… I don't know," she shrugged.
"It's the family drama," Cole waved it off. "We just put it past us and move on. You didn't want to be wherever I was with what you thought you knew at the time."
"Sucks to be the baby of the family," she muttered as she opened the file, revealing her new orders. "Aw man," she groaned.
"What? Where are they sending you?" Cole asked.
"The worst place ever," Myriam replied with another groan. "I mean… I'll likely have to refuse. I can do that, right?"
Pride shrugged. "Sure, but you know how that usually ends up. Probably back at DC or afloat."
"Eh," she shrugged. "I guess I'll be hauling my ass and my brothers off to Hawaii."
"What?! Why would you be upset about sunshine and bikinis?!" Cole questioned, flabbergasted.
She saw the look on her brother's face and started to laugh. "Gotcha. But seriously, it's a boring post."
"Perhaps it's boring to reward you," Pride said as he laughed. "Boring is good. Besides, you've worked harder than anyone I know, and you deserve boring. Normal."
"For getting my ass kicked?" she scoffed before remembering what Nick had told her of his travels. Looking the documents over further, she let out a sigh at the intended itinerary dates."I hope we don't have any trouble. There's a lot of work to do for the move, and we have to find somewhere to live."
"Oh, I have a friend on Hawaii who has great condos for rent, beachfront and all," Loretta said after a beat.
Nick immediately dismissed the idea and hoped that the NCIS on Hawaii wasn't anywhere near Honolulu. "Thank you miss Wade, but I think we'll manage."
Myriam turned to eye her brother who joined them. "Let me guess. You already have a place there?"
"We had to put the family money into something," he shrugged. "So we have a few homes around the world."
"Legit ones?"
"Of course! You can look at all the paperwork for it if you wish. I did turn over a new leaf, I am now an artist and paint," Nick replied, slightly offended.
"You always painted," she scowled.
"I use real paint now, not blood of our enemies."
"Nick," Cole rolled his eyes at him.
"What?" Nick replied sheepishly. "It's easy to get the blood of your enemies, just some fisticuffs, and a syringe will do the trick."
Myriam looked off thoughtfully. "I don't know. Blood does have a certain hue to it that you can't mimic in the paint."
"Alright, alright," Loretta laughed, slightly unnerved by the siblings, but also knowing that this simply was how they rolled. "Just let me know if we can do anything to help. When are you expected to show up in Hawaii?"
Myriam immediately frowned again. "End of next week. Not much time so they had to have had this in play and pending for a while," she shrugged, tapping the folder on her armrest. "Makes me suspicious of why they want me in Pearl of all places. I thought they had a good relationship with the state task force."
"Maybe they want you to be the bull who goes up against 5-0?" Gregorio shrugged. "I heard rumors back at the FBI that NCIS on the island are pussies and allow 5-0 to take control."
"That is a horrible, horrible idea," she sighed. "If they want to foster a better relationship with them, you send someone like DiNozzo and McGee. Not me. I live to piss people off."
"Yeah well, DiNozzo is retired, the last thing I heard and McGee is a father of twins, and his wife is in a wheelchair - no offense, Patton, so… sending Kensi and Deeks to do the fostering would be… unwise," Pride laughed. "Those two are always butting heads."
She shook her head. "I'll kill Deeks myself. The guy is more annoying than my brother!"
"Hey!" Cole and Nick replied.
"Regardless, you two have a lot of packing to do for me because I can't move well and be lifting heavy shit - no. Plus we have crap to order because Cole's been in jail, so he needs clothes, and Nick will be my errand bitch," she decided with a sarcastic smile.
"All legally," Pride said as he stared the brothers down from his chair. "No more shenanigans or I will personally put you behind bars."
"But of course Agent Pride," Nick responded as charmingly as possible. "Now that my siblings and I are reunited, everything is intended to be on the up and up!"
"We solemnly swear, Agent Pride, we won't be causing trouble. Unless it happens to find us," Cole nodded.
Dwayne's head leaned back as he glared at the younger man. "Yeah. That's what makes me nervous. Trouble always seems to find your family in one form or another. But if I'm going to try to be in desk duty shape any time soon, I better get home. You all come to see me before you leave. You hear?"
"Yes, of course, we will. You go rest," Myriam smiled at him as he slowly made his way out, patting her on her shoulder as he passed with Loretta. Raising a brow at the remaining team members, she frowned. "I don't suppose there is any way of convincing you that you can go?"
"Well, you were kidnapped and took a beating. We think it'd be safer if we'd stick around," Chris smiled at her.
"We are perfectly capable of defending ourselves, LaSalle. Go home."
"It's not so much you that we are concerned about," he pointed out. "We don't know what your old friend might have planned for you, especially now that she knows you're a federal agent."
Myriam's face began to redden with fury. "Why the hell would you out my position in this city like that?! Do you have any idea the type of cover that my family name would provide NCIS?!"
"Hey, it was the only way to find you, you know! And don't worry, Pride and Loretta will talk her into resigning for this. She knows that if something happens to you now, she'll be the first person we look at."
She still wasn't happy, and she shifted her glare over on her brother. "This bitch was your little pet. I told you back then that she was a climber."
"I'll fix it!" Cole scowled.
"No, you will not," LaSalle said. "Please, leave this to us so she can get what's coming to her. Don't do anything stupid while you're in town, got it?"
Cole's eye twitched, and Myriam's head cocked to the side as she narrowed her eyes at the agent. "Yeah, sure. Not a thing," she replied, flashing a glare at her brother. "No one will do a thing while we're in town."
Chris smiled then and nodded. "Good, now that I've done my duty as an Agent, I'll be heading off, and I'll take Tammy with me. Make sure you rest, Myriam."
"And Patton! My brothers and I have enough to do with my forced move!" she complained.
"Come on, P," the agent said as if he was talking to a dog. "Come on, boy! You're being kicked out! Leave the siblings alone."
Over the following two weeks, time flew as fast as the siblings packed up what they wanted to have sent to the house that Nick assured would be ready for them. Myriam wasn't so confident but gave him the benefit of the doubt.
Before they left, they shared a drink at Pride's bar to say their goodbyes and the dinner had been on her mind as she stood in the living room of the property, staring at the inground pool. It was far more than she expected and while it was beautiful, she narrowed her eyes at Nick whenever he walked passed.
"When do you plan on going to visit your offices?" Nick questioned upon his return from dropping a box off in her room.
"I considered taking a trip out today, or tomorrow. Paperwork wanted me to check in ASAP, but I'll go when I'm good and ready," she answered.
He nodded and handed her a set of keys. "I took the liberty of setting up a vehicle for you once you announced our impending move here. I thought about many of your hobbies and thought you might make some use of the features. Do take care of it."
She looked at the keys with curiosity and headed for the garage to find a brand new black Jeep Renegade sitting there. It was undoubtedly an excellent truck to go off-roading and get into areas many others can't while being small compared to other SUVs. Smiling, she grabbed her equipment and decided it was time to visit the office.
When she arrived at the naval yard, Myriam showed her badge at the gate and made her way over to the Navy side of the base to the offices to check in. She wasn't a fan of military bases at all and all the regulation around it. Which is why she had loved New Orleans, and perhaps Los Angeles, although she'd never want to work with Kensi and Deeks, again.
Perhaps it was hypocritical. Deeks was as far from regulation as you can get. She got along with Hanna. Along with that note, she thought about her brothers and if she would report them if she knew if they stepped out of line. She wasn't sure as she had only just gotten them back and knowing just how much they'd done to protect her. She'd fallen down the grey rabbit hole, and perhaps that was why she'd been sent out to the islands where she'd be bored out of her ever living mind.
Something else to consider; can she trust her brothers not to do anything illegal?
As she walked into what she assumed to be the NCIS field offices, she was taken aback. Immediately, Myriam knew she would be spending as little time as she could there. She never thought she'd miss the disgustingly orange walls and skylights of DC. Even her occasional trips through other offices were pleasant compared to this. Or, perhaps she would be so much in charge she could get the whole place redecorated.
What a dump.
She looked around at the agents who seemed to be sitting around, doing nothing. "Excuse me. Who's in charge?"
"Ah, until our new boss arrives, that has to be me," a guy sloppily raised his hand, not looking up from his computer monitor.
"Hi, I'm special agent Rosalie Hale," a young woman said as she got up from her desk with an outstretched hand. "Don't mind my partner; he's an idiot. What can I do for you miss?"
Myriam frowned, staring at her hand before looking back at her. "Yeah, no. I asked for who's in charge. Because you all are incompetent and Director Vance wouldn't put up with this. I don't know why the hell I'm being punished by being sent here to suffer from lazy, FLETC bottom feeders."
"Are you Myriam Mikaelson?" Hale realized. "You were supposed to arrive last week."
"So what if I am?"
"That makes you our boss, Ma'am."
"Excuse you?" Myriam sputtered. "My orders were for this weekend and said nothing about supervisory roles. I have some assholes to kill in DC…" she said under her breath as she looked around. Her eyes narrowed as her gaze landed on a red-headed male that had his legs up on his desk. "Well, if I'm boss then one person is packing his bags and reporting to Quantico. The three of you have this day to prove that you're good enough to stay. Clean up this pigsty; I'm going to explore this building."
Before she walked out, she took several photos with her cell phone and glared at the staff. Outside the office, she leaned against the wall. "I hate Hawaii," she mumbled to herself before texting her former boss about how much she hated him as well.
Moments later, her phone rang, and it was Vance on the phone. "Sir, with all due and the utmost respect, I hate you."
"Excuse me?" Vance replied, slightly hesitant. "Gibbs told me to call you, what's up, agent Mikaelson?"
"I hate this posting. Why in the world would you all send me to Hawaii? These people here are the laziest slobs. To the point that makes Tony DiNozzo look like Agent of the Year over Gibbs," she hissed. "If you saw this office that I just walked in!"
"Several agents have quit over the last few months or asked to be transferred because of the so-called competition with Hawaii's finest," Vance said, still not understanding what she was talking about. "I thought it'd be a nice gesture to send you to Hawaii for all the work you've done over the last few years, not complaining about anything. Sun, sea, sand and the easy life. With a permanent promotion on top. On top of that, I'm sure you can hold your own when it comes to 5-0 always willing to pick up our cases."
Sighing, Myriam looked around for potential eavesdroppers. "I'm not concerned about the locals. I can deal with them and jurisdiction disputes. What I won't tolerate are lazy agents who are more than happy to hand off cases to spend the day at the beach and a dirty office because of lack of interest in their work. I'm already going to send one moron back to Quantico offices for HR to deal with. He was taking a siesta when I walked in at 10:00 am. That leaves two agents until the end of the day to survive. Can you redline a stack of files for replacements for me?"
"Hawaii is your playground now, Myriam. You can do whatever you want, within reason. And of course, I'll prepare some candidates for you to choose from."
"Oh, I will have very justifiable reasons to ship them out, Director. I've never recommended for something this in the past. Then again, I haven't been this…." she growled out her frustration to avoid releasing any expletives to the man. "I've worked with difficult agents before, but I don't know if I can with these people this time without complaint. I'm sorry."
"That's alright. You build your team around you if you don't like the ones you're working with. And when you have good reasons, I will agree with you and grant you that. Now, if there's anything else you need, let me know."
"Just agent files. And if you can see if Hetty might have anyone she might have her eye on that she's been keeping under wraps. Bring someone from outside."
Vance laughed then. "How about you ask her yourself?"
"Pfft. I've got agents to piss off today and offices to clean up from candy wrappers and loco moco containers. I may need to call a hazmat team in. It's that disgusting. You'd think it's my brother's room from high school. I'll check in with you when something changes Director."
"Send the bill to me. Good luck, Agent Mikaelson, do keep me posted."
Hanging up, Myriam bit her lip as she debated how she was going to go about dealing with the agents in the office. The redhead male was without a doubt going back to the mainland. She was reasonably sure she was going to get rid of the blond female, Hale. She just needed a reason that Vance would buy. The other guy in the office, she didn't know his name, was also in debate.
Making her way back over to the office, she grew more pissed as she found Hale back at her desk playing computer games. "I thought I said to start cleaning this place," she commented, walking in. Going over to the sleeping male, she gave him a head slap. "Go pack your bags. You're going to Quantico. I've already informed Director Vance, so there is no room to argue. I'll have your paperwork signed by the morning."
"But I like it here! I had a late night last night, that's all!"
"You're at work. Not a hotel," Myriam replied. "That's what PTO is for. You should have called out if you weren't up to working if there was a case that came up. Now, you, what's your name?" she asked, turning to the other agent who seemed to be the only one working as they had started to put things in boxes.
"Jon Sheppard, ma'am," the agent replied. "My apologies if I made a bad first impression, I was finishing off paperwork on the sailor I caught with drugs yesterday, I was in my zone."
Myriam blinked as she stared at him, still stuck on his name. "Jon Sheppard?"
"Jon. Not John. And that was a character. I'm real, ma'am," he laughed, shaking his head. "I get that a lot, sadly."
"Huh. Maybe I'll keep you around for the puns," she muttered. "Well, if you were actually doing work, unlike these two, then I won't fault you. What excuse do you have about the state of this place?"
"Oh no, I was finished. And no excuses, ma'am. I have been out of the office a lot, looking for work and usually finding it, while Rose and Cullen remained behind."
"Shut your mouth, Shep," Cullen warned him as he was packing his belongings. "Just because you were our temporary leader, doesn't mean we have to listen to you."
"And that," Sheppard said as he pointed at the fired agent. "Is kinda hard to work with when you have no actual power to do something about it."
Looking over at Rosalie, Myriam found the agent rolling her eyes at them and had continued whatever she was doing on the computer. Going over to take a look, she discovered that the gaming was over and the agent was now online shopping. Annoyed, Myriam rounded the desk and yanked the power cable out from the wall.
"Hey! I have sensitive material on this computer!" Rosalie complained.
"This is federal property. I gave you orders to clean this office and was ignored more than twice," Myriam calmly responded. "Do you want me to give it to you in writing or shall they come to you through Director Vance because guaranteed, if it comes from his desk, it'll be on a pink slip, and you'll be reporting to unemployment. Make me repeat myself one more time, and you'll be going with your friend to the mainland."
"I'll be filing a grievance against you!" Rosalie huffed, grabbing her purse and walking out to an amused laugh from Myriam.
"Well, that was much easier than I expected," she commented. "Two agents I'll have to replace."
"Hey, at least we have a semi-decent forensics tech," Sheppard chuckled, shaking his head. "I think that you are the right person for this post, ma'am."
She glared at him like he'd damn lost his mind. "I fucking hate Hawaii. Vance is insane to put me here. The Governor is gonna beg him to take me off this post by the end of the year."
"Ah, you're gonna love it here. I hated it too when Vance put me here. I asked him why and he said because of all the work I'd done for NCIS didn't allow me to have a life, so he put me here. And I'm telling you, the people are nice. The food is good, and the surf is always great."
"I'm from New Orleans. I don't surf. I like my gumbo and po boys and alcohol and Mardi Gras," Myriam deadpanned. "I don't do sun. I may as well be a vampire. Oh shit. The first year I'll be able to be allowed in New Orleans after all the drama in my family, and now I have to miss Mardi Gras. I hate my job!"
"Who says you have to? They celebrate Mardi Gras over here, too."
She blinked at him and sighed. "You've never been to New Orleans Mardi Gras, have you?"
"I have," Sheppard nodded. "On one of my dad's business trips. Must have been… I don't know… I think I must have been about 17. Worst experience ever. I got lost, then beaten up by a bunch of lowlifes and ended up in the hospital with a knife sticking out of my back."
"Yeah well, there are some shitty areas you want to stay out of, true. However, if you stayed in the French Quarter, that's where it's the best, and the party gets the craziest."
"Hmm," Sheppard seemed to think before a wide smile appeared on his face. "I might put in PTO so I can experience the Mardi Gras in New Orleans then."
"Then go visit my friend's bar. He'll take care of you. When you go, I'll give you the address," Myriam smirked. "Anyway, let's finish getting this place cleaned up so that I can send the boss before and after pictures and I can get started on my reports for Hale and Cullen."
"Okie dokie," Sheppard replied and turned to get back to cleaning, making the agent look back at him with amusement.
~o.O.o~
Myriam had messaged her brothers to meet her for dinner at the Tropics Bar and Grill. After the long day, she was tired and wanted a drink or more. As she sat waiting, she started with ordering herself a bottle of wine. A simple glass was not going to suffice.
Sitting back in her chair, she looked around, taking in the atmosphere. She would be reluctant to admit aloud that it was lovely there but she still much preferred the nightlife in New Orleans. Hawaii to her was the vacation. She did not want to live the vacation.
She noticed a small group of people who didn't look like tourists sitting at a table and they were all carrying. They didn't seem like the type of people her brothers would like to hang out with, and the way that the one with the muscles was carrying himself, she figured they were law enforcement. Five-Oh.
Sighing, she casually returned her attention to her menu. At least now, she had an idea of who she'd be dealing with. Picking up her phone, she texted Agent Sheppard, asking him what he knew about the team and his impressions before following up with demanding where her brothers were.
Slightly baldy, Hawaiian shirt kind of guy is from New Jersey, and his name is Danny Williams. He may look stupid, but he's not. Then there's the boss, usually well dressed in a buttoned shirt and short sleeves. Tattoos on his arms, muscles. He's a former Navy Seal. Steve McGarrett. He loves taking our cases from under our noses. - Shep
Myriam glanced up at the table again after reading the message. Can't wait until we get to meet them in the field formally.
I'm confident your dick is bigger than theirs, boss.
So I've been told. She smirked and set her phone down.
"What are you smirking about?" Cole sat down next to his baby sister. "Don't tell me. You have a lover already?"
"Work-related. Nothing you'd be interested in," she replied.
"Oh, but I'm very interested in your job, darling," Cole purred.
She looked back at him. "You are interested in how my new partner at work and I are looking forward to when we have to tango with sister agencies?"
"Yes," Cole nodded. "Tell me all about your day. I'd love to hear all about it. Did you get to kick some ass?"
"Time to time. Sometimes I even get my ass kicked," she reminded him. "Where's Nick?"
"Parking the car," Cole shrugged. "He bought a beaut of a car for himself. A freaking vintage Ford Mustang."
Myriam rolled her eyes. "Of course he did. He got me a Jeep Renegade Trailhawk. I ought to kick his ass. I'm willing to bet he's going to make you get your own. You two haven't tried killing one another all day while I was at the base, have you?"
"Sweet sister, I've been at the beach all day. Relaxing with a couple of beers. Enjoying my freedom, thank you very much."
She narrowed her eyes at him and sat back, nodding slowly before letting him be. Glancing back at the other table when another person joined them, she studied them a little more in silence as they waited for their brother. "So what else have you found out? Any good take out around the house? I doubt Hawaii has po boys or gumbo."
"Well, Nick went out to hire some staff for our home, including a chef who hails from New Orleans and has extensive knowledge of the French and Cajun cuisine, also some Italian food," Cole said as if it was the most normal thing in the world for them. "Seeing as we have a big home, I doubt we're going to keep it clean by ourselves, so he hired some cleaners, a gardener, a pool cleaner… I managed to stop him from hiring personal drivers and personal shoppers."
"Thank the fucking lord," she muttered. "I don't think I'd be able to deal with fish every damn day. He's overdoing it sometimes. We can do things for ourselves. I think he's too much like our father in some ways. Spoiled."
"Nick feels like he has to make up for a lot of things towards the both of us, though. And he's right. We left you alone to keep you safe, and a little bit of luxury will make him feel a bit more like the older brother. Taking care of us, his younger siblings," Cole shrugged. "We've been granted a new life, dear sister, we want to make sure it's a damn good one."
"I get it. I do," she replied. And she did. "But did we have to do this all in Hawaii? I could deal with San Diego a lot more. Hell, Naples is nice! You'd like Naples!"
"Well, once you get transferred again, let's hope you have a choice and then we can go there," he smiled at her.
"Sorry for being late," Nick said as he rushed in. "I couldn't find a parking spot."
"It's alright. I already ordered a bottle of wine, and I'm sure we'll be getting another before the night is over," she greeted as she stood to hug her brother. "You may select the next one considering the wonderful car you got me. It rides like a dream."
He chuckled as he sat down, lifting the bottle from the bucket to inspect the label. "You always enjoyed the sweet ones," he noted.
"It's hot and humid as hell here. I needed to cool off. Besides, I have my work cut out for me at the office. I'm not looking forward to going in on Monday when the fun begins. As it is, I have to go in to submit orders to have two people back east formally," she sighed as she took a large sip from her glass.
Nick took his seat and immediately took to the menu. "Let me guess. Your colleagues already got under your skin? What have you planned this time to torture them? Shall I arrange a boat? You can dump them in the ocean with the sharks."
"Nah. That might be more your style out here," she smiled. "I'm having two sent back to the east coast. You should have seen the fit!"
"Well that doesn't sound like fun," Nick mumbled as he looked at the menu. "Did Cole tell you? I hired a New Orleans chef for us."
Myriam sighed with pleasure. "Yes, he did. Of all the extravagance you've done, that is one I'm most pleased about. I don't think I could go without some traditional gumbo. Oh, I wonder if how his jambalaya is? When does he begin?"
"He starts on Monday."
"Perfect. I could use something at home when I get back from the office," she replied as she looked over his shoulder briefly before focusing on her menu again. "So, the ribs sound good. As does the ribeye steak."
"Can I have the beer can chicken?" Cole picked up.
Nick smiled and rolled his eyes. "Get whatever you want. I'll have the brisket and order a bottle of cabernet sauvignon, the Vintner's Reserve," he requested as he stood. "I'm going to go to the restroom."
Myriam nodded as she still debated on what she wanted to eat. The other table with the local LEO's had gotten relatively boisterous, drawing her attention once more. Looking up from her menu, she only watched through her lashes as the as three oversized men sat with the two that her agent described, as well as who appeared to be two younger officers. An older man joined them that they seemed to know well and was well received.
"What is it?" Cole quietly asked beside her.
"Dunno. Local LEOs," she murmured. "Just stay out of trouble and watch yourself around them," she warned.
"Hey, didn't Nick have a run in with a local cop when he was here years ago? Saved his life or something?"
She glared back at him in annoyance. "Yeah, but drugged him with his and your favorite cocktail to make him forget the encounter. So it'd be hit or miss if it worked. There's a chance he may remember fragments of him if they ran into one another, so I have no idea who the cop is, and Nick won't tell me who for plausible deniability."
"You think it's why he headed to the john?"
Myriam frowned, looking over at the other table for a moment and turned away to set her head in her hand to face her brother. "Perhaps you're right. And sadly, that's a conversation for home and certainly not here," she whispered. "He was certainly far more nonchalant than I would think he'd be about a brushing encounter. Maybe he had to use the facilities?"
Cole shrugged. "If he's not back in five minutes I'll go after him and pull his head out of the toilet."
"I vote to drown him in it."
"Now that's an idea!"
Luckily, Nick did arrive back within five minutes, and the siblings enjoyed their meal and wine before returning home. Myriam couldn't wait for the weekend to start to get some rest, and she dreaded Monday; no doubt Vance would have sent over the files for the new Agents, and if there was a case, it was going to be just her and Sheppard.
She so hoped they wouldn't have a case on Monday.
Author Note: Bonus chapter this weekend for you because I'm happy my mother is transferred and in a new nursing home with insurances being straightened out. Still lots of things to look into like life insurance but I've got a load off my shoulders.
Sheppard had phoned Myriam early Sunday morning, informing her of a currently unofficial case that he thought she might be interested in. It was something that the other two often ignored or handed off. Despite not starting until the following day, she was eager to get her feet wet after being inactive and doing paperwork since the incident with the mayor of New Orleans.
Arriving at the Kaneohe Bay Marine Base, Myriam stepped out of her truck and pulled her sunglasses on with a wince. Each day she was on the island, she began to wonder if the New Orleans legends of her family being vampires were true. Hawaii was too sunny for her. She hated on Vance.
Her partner quickly made his way over to her and as she stared back at him, sipping her coffee. "Mornin'," he greeted. "So, it seems that a corpsman went missing a couple of days ago and declared UA."
Myriam nodded, taking the paperwork from him to read over the reports. "So he didn't want to do the job anymore? That's not unheard of."
"Family reported it to HPD, his superior, and NCIS. Claims it's not like him, he loves his job. Actions like this are completely uncharacteristic," Shep shrugged.
Drawing in a breath, she nodded again. "Okay, so when was the last time anyone heard from him?"
"48 hours before his shift, unconfirmed," he answered.
Her eyes narrowed, confused about the entire situation. "Why is no one trying to find him? NCIS hasn't officially issued this to anyone?"
"Exactly why I thought we should."
"I generally don't appreciate it when someone's looking for work, but sure. Let's investigate," Myriam shrugged. "But first, coffee."
He smiled as she drank and read over the files some more. "Well, it is our jurisdiction, and I thought it was being overlooked and ignored. Considering the current atmosphere, I thought it would have been looked into more seriously than it had."
Myriam slowly nodded. "How often does it happen here in Hawaii?"
"Not very, which is why I'm leaning more to side with the family on this one. Locals go missing from time to time, and Five-0 does do a good job in finding them, but they also have military contacts," he admitted. "Commander McGarrett has Navy resources he utilizes. No more than we already have."
"Five-O should mind their own business and deal with the locals, Navy and Marines are our thing," Myriam replied sourly. "His unit is on base?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Then let's go and verify our information and search his bunk."
As the two made their way towards the barracks, Sheppard appeared distracted or unsure about something as he kept glancing off towards a set of buildings on the far end of the campus. Letting out an irritated sigh, Myriam made it clear she wasn't impressed by his lack of sharing. "What is it that's bothering you? Just spill it already."
Sheppard flashed his badge as they reached the door so that they could slip in as some was leaving. "I'm not sure how familiar you are with the bases on the island, but this one hosts a JAG office."
"And?"
"And, lawyers make me jumpy."
She stopped and stared at him from behind her sunglasses. "You do know you work in a field that deals with lawyers pretty frequently, right? You're bound to have to work with them now and then."
"Are you kidding me? That's what I have you for, right?" He smiled widely. "You're the boss!"
Myriam gave him a dark chuckle and shook her head, turning to continue inside. "Actually, that would be why I have you and why I am the boss, wouldn't it?"
"Ugh," Shep huffed and shook his head. "Fine. But I won't be nice when I have to deal with them."
"As long as you are right in what you say, then I'll have your back," she shrugged and eyed the names on the doors they passed until they found the one they needed. She turned the knob, finding it unlocked and pushed it open. Her head dipped down as she peered inside.
On a passing glance, it appeared neat and organized, the way an enlisted officer's quarters should be. Myriam toed the door open the rest of the way with her boot and stepped in, staying just inside the doorframe.
"You got gloves?" She asked Jon.
He pulled gloves out of his pocket and handed them to her before grabbing his pair. "Never leave without a backup pair, right?"
"Perhaps, but then again I've had the pleasure of probies to deal with the grunt work while I took on the paperwork and red tape," she shrugged as she pulled the gloves on and began looking around.
"Ah, you can get new probies on Monday. Grunt work is fun," Shep said with a smile on his face and started with the closet left of them.
Myriam lifted the mattress and pulled at the linen before turning to the desk and opening the drawers. "This guy was boring. Not even a box of condoms for liberty," she muttered.
"Found a shoebox," he said as he shook it and brought it over to the desk. "There's stuff in it."
"Naughty girlfriend pics?" she asked, excited. "Honestly, so far I'm just seeing a guy that skipped out on his duties."
He removed the lid and let out a sigh upon seeing a lot of cash in it. "Well, this doesn't look good."
"I'd take that with me if I planned to disappear," Myriam admitted. Keeping in mind the many ports they have on the island, she looked around at the nondescript room. "Swab it to be sure. Just a hunch, then bag it."
"Yes, ma'am," Shep said as he took out his kit and started to collect evidence from the box, took pictures of it and put it all in an evidence bag.
She glanced around again. "Swab for prints. There isn't much else here. We'll go talk to his CO after this and head back to the office and get the evidence in for processing."
Shep pointed at the door. "Someone's coming, wanna bet it's 5-0?" He grinned as he did as he was told.
Myriam smiled as she shut the drawer she'd been looking in and started for the door. Just as she opened it, she found the two from the restaurant reaching the room. Leaning an arm up on the doorframe, she greeted them with a smile as she blocked the entrance. "Hello, gentlemen. Is there something I help you with today?"
"Who are you?" the short one asked.
"Who are you? I was on this scene first, so I think I ask the questions here," she responded as she pulled off her gloves and took out her identification to flash just long enough for them to see the NCIS badge and logo from her ID card.
"Steve McGarrett, 5-0," the other one replied, showing his ID. "I wasn't aware NCIS was called in on this."
She gave him a blank stare for a moment, blinking her eyes as she took in the view. "Why wouldn't we be? Missing Naval officer kinda falls under NCIS last I understood. Unless that changed since I moved around. Sheppard! Has jurisdictions changed any in the last few years that I may have missed?" she called over her shoulder as she kept her eyes on the two men.
Shep had completed dusting the area for fingerprints, everything looked too clean and joined his boss by her side. "Not that I know off, boss," he replied before looking at McGarrett.
"We're here because we found Corpsman Henry Tesla's body, and we're investigating," the other one replied.
Myriam's brows rose as she clapped her hands together. "That's great! I'll expect to see the transfer paperwork on my desk by the end of the day for the body. Thank you so much for your efforts, I promise it won't go unappreciated, but we have a lot of work to do. You know, investigating and all? If there isn't anything else..."
"Hold on a second; this is our case."
McGarrett smiled as he put a hand on his partner's shoulder. "Normally we do indeed take these cases, but I'm fine with giving NCIS whatever we have, including our dead sailor."
"Who's dead sailor?" Myriam corrected him.
"Your dead sailor," McGarrett replied.
"I thought so," she nodded.
"I hope for your sake you won't screw this up."
She narrowed her eyes at him and smiled. "I get you, but you have no idea who you are dealing with now. Here's my card. I'm sure we will run into one another again. Hawaii isn't such a big island as people tend to think," she replied as she handed him her NCIS card and followed Sheppard out. "Laissez les bons temps rouler, Commander!"
"Lasso-what?"
"It's French, Danny," Steve McGarrett replied. "You've seriously never been to New Orleans?"
He glared at his partner and shook his head as he nodded towards the departing NCIS agents. "Alright fine, what does it mean and are we really going to let them take this case from us? Usually, they are eager to give it over."
"This one seemed eager to handle it herself," Steve mused. "We'll keep an eye on them, sure, but maybe NCIS finally sent someone capable."
"We're still working the case, aren't we?"
"We're still working the case, Danny."
Meanwhile, outside, Myriam made her way over to her truck as Sheppard secured the evidence they gathered in his car. "I'm gonna bet that they will be following us around like dogs chasing a bone," she grinned.
"Yep," Shep nodded, popping his p. "I'm surprised by how easy McGarrett let us keep this case."
"I don't think that was easy. I've met plenty like him. He's letting us think we got our way. We're going to let him think that and play along until he gets in our way," she replied as she turned to watch the two leave the barracks. "You go take that to be processed. I'll go talk to the CO."
He looked over where she was watching and agreed before taking off. She lingered a little longer, watching the pair, even waving at them when she knew they were waiting before she finally got into her vehicle to head to see Tesla's commanding officer.
~o.O.o~
Sheppard walked into the NCIS lab on the base and lifted the tote onto the counter. He slapped a rhythm on the countertop and called out. "Yo, Isa! Where you at girl?!"
The lab tech came out, appearing distracted and annoyed as she glared at the Agent. "I'm here. No need to shout. Although given the current working conditions, I may have to look into alternative options," she commented.
He was surprised by the response she gave as it wasn't something she typically said. "Uh, wow. I didn't know you felt that way. Why haven't you said something? You know things are gonna change around here for us, right? DC sent out new leadership for us."
"Nothing's gonna change? She fired Edward," Isabella let out a snort as she signed the chain of command. "But as I said, I may have to look into alternative job opportunities."
Recognition flashed in his eyes as he pulled his box back a little. "I see, well, the thing is, Isa, she was within her right to send him back to the mainland. He hadn't been doing his job and was actually sleeping at his desk when she walked into the office. Case or no case, he's still a federal agent and should behave as such."
"I know, I know," she sighed as she held out her hand for the box. "Don't worry, just because I'm not happy that Edward has been sent back doesn't mean I won't do my job. Give it to me."
Jon tapped his fingers on the sides of the tote as he eyed her, debating his options. He was confident that there was more to this sudden attitude he had never seen from the lab technician. Just something about it didn't sit right with him. "Look, I can hold onto this for the night, and you take the day and cool off. It's really not a rush right now," he smiled, pulling the box away and stepped back. "I'll check in on you in the morning, okay? Want me to bring you something? Any place you want."
Isabella scowled as she handed him the clipboard as well. "You keep me from doing my job now? The fuck man?"
"No, girl. Just maybe you need a day for yourself. I'm just gonna take this over to lock up for the night. Maybe you should go and unwind on the beach or something. Relax. I'll catch you in the morning," Shep replied, pulling out of the lab with seriously bad feelings as he headed to his car with the box again.
Once he locked it in the back seat, he sighed as he pulled his phone out to call his boss, eyeing the building he just exited. "Yeah, hey, Mikaelson? We might have a little bit of a problem here at the lab."
He could hear her let out a sigh and move around, wherever she was. "I didn't want to hear that because the CO wasn't much help here. Tesla was a good kid, blah blah. Joined the family in reporting him missing but also filed the UA docs. Now, what is your problem you got?"
"I don't think you met our lab tech, but usually she's pretty chill. Isabella seemed rather, um, upset that you sent Cullen back to Quantico," he reported. "And I mean, she was ready to bite my head off over it. It was strange enough that I took the evidence back and I have it with me in the back of my car and now, just don't know what you want to do. I could take it to HPD for processing, but then that could put 5-0 on our ass."
"I'm on my way back to base and will meet with this tech. I have a storage locker I opened when my family moved here, mostly in situations like this. Just hadn't anticipated needing it so soon. Think of it as a safe house. I'll text you the information. Memorize it and delete it," Myriam replied, irritated by the situation before hanging up.
Shep let out a breath as he looked at his phone, amused and pocketed it until the text arrived. He had been impressed by the extra security at the unit she secured when he went to drop the evidence off. It was indeed not standard for such facilities so he could not help but wonder a bit about the woman's reach.
By the time he returned to the NCIS office and attempted to search Myriam out after finding her SUV parked outside, it wasn't difficult. All he had to do was follow the screaming and sounds of items crashing down at the lab.
Bracing himself to deal with two hot-headed women, Jon slowly crept through the doorway, running a hand through his hair at the sight. Myriam was merely leaning an elbow on the counter, hands neatly folded together, looking bored as Isabella moved around the room, screaming and throwing things. Now and then, the agent would look down and inspect her fingernails and glance over at the forensic technician.
Practically tiptoeing his way over, he whispered once he was close enough. "What did you say?"
Myriam raised a brow at him. "What makes you think that it was something I said?"
He met her with a skeptical smirk. "You had no issue with sending half your team back to the mainland your first day meeting them and finding out your position here."
She had a sheepish smile and shrugged slightly. "I introduced myself and asked what her problem was. She admitted she didn't appreciate that her boyfriend was sent away and then disagreed with my assessment of his work ethic. I pointed out I didn't appreciate her attitude. And then she started off like this and has been since. I haven't even had the chance to let her know that I decided that she's fired as well." Myriam's face scrunched up as she peered over at the crazy lab tech. "I don't think she'll take that very well. Do you?"
Sheppard's eyes bulged at his boss. "What? What are we going to do without a tech to process our evidence?"
"I'll let Vance know we will need one of those too," she shrugged, watching the girl send a stack of folders across the area. "Thankfully this is all under video surveillance, so I don't have to do much of anything other than pulling the footage and send it to him asking for a replacement."
He looked at her, a dumbfounded look on his face before he collected his thoughts. "You must have some serious pull to be able to do this that easily."
Myriam thought about it and shrugged her shoulder. "I don't think so. When presented with inadequate support, what are you going to do? If they want the job done, and done right, then they need to give me the right tools. I can't see them trying to talk their way through justifying behavior like this, which has been attempted. That's why I'm just standing here and letting her make a fool out of herself because it only digs herself a deeper hole."
"She does look like she needs a nap in her playpen, doesn't she?" Shep sighed. "She's a brilliant forensic analyst, you know. I don't know why she's so upset. I mean, it's good that you're here. You might get us back on track with shit."
"That's the plan. I just didn't think you guys were this bad. It's a shame but it's like starting over but sometimes from scratch is a good thing," she said, hearing movement in the hallway. "That might be the base MPs I had requested to have her escorted off until I have that discussion with Director Vance. If you want to join me, you're welcome to, since you're witness to this tantrum."
The two MP officers appeared just as bewildered by the scene as Agent Sheppard had when he arrived. "Agent Mikaelson?" one spoke.
Myriam lifted a finger, acknowledging his unspoken request. "I need her escorted off the campus and have her access restricted until contact with NCIS Director Vance and HQ is made. If she gets violent with you, then I'm okay with you doing what you have to by your protocols."
Shep tried hard not to laugh when the two MPs escorted Isa out of the building. She was raging and continuing her tantrum, and in a way, it was hilarious. However, her behavior had turned from professional to really unprofessional in a matter of days after her boyfriend got fired. "This is ridiculous," he muttered, shaking his head.
She smiled over at him and nodded. "Yep and now imagine all this that we have to sort through," she replied as she snapped a few photos before sending them off to Vance and requested a secure video conference at his earliest convenience.
"We kinda need two techs to work through all of this to make sure that she didn't tamper with stuff and… fuck," Sheppard swore before looking at his boss with an apologetic look on his face. "Pardon the language, ma'am, but this royally sucks. And I know Vance will be on my ass as well for allowing this to escalate so much."
"I got two brothers. Fuck is the tamest you can come up with?" She laughed and shook her head. "Don't worry about him. He won't be on you. They should have been more professional, and your reports reflected that you made every attempt to do the work. You can't force them to do what they don't want to do if you aren't officially in a position to reprimand. I wouldn't take you seriously either. I mean, look at your hair!"
Author Note: Another chapter for you today! I'm at NYCC and hoping to get into the Twilight panel. Wish me luck!
Myriam was annoyed. Not just annoyed, but pissed off. As she and Sheppard made their way to the storage locker for the evidence, she was not pleased that she would be forced to rely on local resources. That meant potentially more run-ins with 5-0.
"Vance better get everything arranged by the time we get to their lab because the less I have to deal with these people, the better," she muttered as her hands gripped the steering wheel.
"I'd say a day or two," Shep sighed as he ran a hand through his unruly thick brown hair.
She glared over at him. "You think so? I would be lucky if it were only a day or two. First NCIS sends me home to New Orleans to cover for an agent knowing that was the last city I'd ever want to step foot in, then they sent me to this hell of a nightmare, and you see what I've had to deal with since. You think two days is all we will have to deal with them? No. Someone in DC is fucking with me. This is like my nightmares come to life! Next thing I know, my father will show up out of nowhere!"
"I think you're over exaggerating," he carefully replied.
Instead of responding verbally, her foot pressed on the gas pedal, and she followed the GPS directions on the navigation. Finishing what they had to at the storage, they made their way to HPD in silence.
Walking inside, she looked around with a raised brow. Approaching the desk, Myriam pulled out her ID and showed the officer. "My Director was supposed to have called and arranged an agreement for the use of your forensic services."
The officer just gave them a blank stare that only further raised Myriam's irritated more. Thankfully, a lieutenant came scurrying from the back, giving the desk officer an excuse and greeting the pair. "I'm so sorry about that. NCIS right? I spoke with a Director Vance, and he briefed me about your situation. I'm sorry to hear about your tech. I hope things work out for you, but you're welcome to use our services as you need and I can assure you that all your evidence will remain secure and properly handled. I can show you where to go and make you a couple of IDs for use inside the building that lets you go there without having to wait for one of my officers," he trailed off with a disappointed glance towards the desk as he lead the two towards the stairs.
Myriam remained silent as she calmed down, finally getting what she needed. The tour wasn't long, which made her happy, and the lab technician wasn't as annoying as she had feared. The quip about them doing the processing for 5-0 was the norm, so handling security requirements that NCIS was asking wasn't a problem, got under her skin and before she could comment, Sheppard was already thanking and excusing the two.
"What-"
"Shh," Shep said as he lead her out of the building. "Let's try and dig some into our sailor's life and see if our ME has already received his body."
She drew in a breath and nodded. "Yes, yes. Let's go. If those 5-0 imbeciles haven't done like they said they would, I'll go down to their offices and show them exactly who they are messing with."
Luckily when they returned to NCIS and found their ME, he was in possession of the body. The local one hadn't begun her examination yet, but he also vouched for her accuracy and tenacity for details. While he was not objecting to working, if the agents allowed Dr. Cunha to perform, he'd back her results.
After getting the report on the victim, Myriam walked out of the ME's office with a sigh and intense desire for a bottle of wine. "So, tell me. Does anyone on this island other than the locals it seems, ever want to do their jobs?"
Sheppard offered a reassuring smile. "It's Hawaii. It's always surf time, but you might be overthinking things. Considering you're from New Orleans, I would think that you'd understand that some might take a little bit easier way with their jobs if their careers allow it? Isn't the saying for that city is that there is a party going on somewhere? Well, here, there is always a wave to catch."
The darkened glare she gave him, was one that often left her brothers nervous. "I left New Orleans when I was fifteen. Not exactly by choice, but I moved outside of DC and been there pretty much since unless it was for work. So, to answer your questions, while I may be from New Orleans, I don't exactly share the same ethics of the city residents on all accounts."
"Fair enough," he nodded. "Now, we have a nearly empty room with only potentially trace evidence that we have to wait on HPD labs for and the guy is beaten damn near recognition."
"We inform his mother that he's found and we're investigating," she answered as even as possible.
Sheppard eyed her curiously, unsure about the drop of tone in the way she had spoken. Leaving it be, he followed her to her car and gave the directions to Petty Officer Tesla's mother's house where she was renting during the investigations.
Arriving at the house, Myriam was quiet as she got out and stared at the building. Breaking news to the family about their passing was never an easy task and being on the receiving end it was even harder. After having a moment to collect her thoughts, she nodded to her partner and started up the walkway.
Before they even reached the door, it was pushed open, and a concerned woman greeted them. "Are you here about my son?" she asked.
Myriam hesitated for a moment and nodded, unable to give that initial verbal declaration. "May we go inside to talk?"
Mrs. Tesla blinked, raising a hand to her mouth and went back inside, holding the screen open. When Myriam was about to walk in, she took a quick glance at the neighbors' houses and street. Frowning, she eyed a familiar car parked two doors down and shook her head. Lifting her hand to scratch her temple with her middle finger, she stepped inside the house quickly dropping her hands.
Mrs. Tesla had returned to the sitting room with a pitcher of ice water and glasses before taking a seat, apprehensive over what would about to be said. "My son is dead, isn't he?"
Myriam sat across from her, watching intently with a slightly confused expression in her eyes and nodded. "My name is Myriam Mikaelson, and I believe you met my partner, Jon Sheppard already. I've taken over NCIS here in Hawaii and HPD informed us that they believed they found your son. Fingerprints matched and it was confirmed," she quietly introduced and explained.
The older woman leaned forward and put her face in her hands. "Somehow I felt like this news was going to come. I just kept hoping that it wouldn't come true," she whispered. She went silent as she absorbed the information, closing her eyes as tears fell. The agents allowed her all the time she needed, even though Sheppard soon grew anxious and antsy from the quiet. Before long, Mrs. Tesla looked up at Myriam. "Can I see my son?"
The agent blew out a breath of air, anticipating the question and rubbed her hands together. "We could bring you to see him, but right now, I'd recommend against it. Seeing him the way he is, in the way he was found, is not how you should remember him," she answered, drawing back on how she'd recalled believing the scene that her brother had killed her other brother and what it had done to herself. "Let the next time you see him be after he's released and cleaned up. We're investigating this, I assure you of that, but it's going to be difficult because when we searched his barracks, there were minimal personable items around so that we could get to know him better. We are trying to piece together who might have been after him or what he got into that got him into trouble."
"Henry was always so kind, and he had a big heart. He was always willing to help out just about anything," the woman sniffed. "But he was also very impressionable, you know, that's why we wanted him to follow in his father's footsteps and join the Navy."
Myriam nodded as she took out her notepad and put it in her lap, all the while observing the woman. While she expressed the right amount of grief for a mother, it looked as if she was hiding something. "Ma'am, if your son was involved in anything… you can tell us. In fact, it might help us."
Mrs. Tesla sighed as she quickly looked over to some of the pictures she had of her family on the table near the windows. "Henry made some bad decisions in life, and a couple of weeks ago he came home and told me everything was taken care of, like a miracle. Oh, I should have known it wasn't good… who miraculously pays off their debts without winning the lottery?"
"Did he say who helped him out?"
"No, I'm afraid not, perhaps you could ask his girlfriend? Uh… Amelia? They've only started dating."
Myriam's eyes furrowed at the name. "Did he mention the last name? We didn't find any signs of a girlfriend in his room."
"He kept his things here," Mrs. Tesla smiled then and pointed upstairs. "First room on your right. Feel free to look through his things, if you wish." She then remembered something as she pulled out her phone. "Oh, this is a picture Henry sent me a few weeks ago, from New Orleans."
"New Orleans?" Myriam repeated, not liking where this was going. "What was he doing in New Orleans?"
"Well, as far as I know, he was there for work," Mrs. Tesla replied.
Myriam took the phone to look at the photo. She frowned at the image, nodding slightly. "We will have to verify the information about that trip with his CO, of course. But we would certainly like to look in his room."
Shep took the phone and sent it to his phone before handing the phone back to Mrs. Tesla before following Myriam upstairs. "I know that look."
"What look?"
"You think something's up or connected to something."
"Rule 39; There's no such thing as coincidences," Myriam replied with a sigh as she opened the door to Henry's room. "I may have to tell you what I was up to in New Orleans when we get back."
"Sounds mysterious," he replied as he slipped gloves on and lifted the mattress. "Didn't 5-0 or HPD say that she was only renting the place here? They seem pretty well settled in."
Myriam shrugged as she put on her gloves and grabbed the camera. "When you move around a lot, it's easy to make a home your home. Rental or not. It becomes like second nature and who knows? Perhaps Mrs. Tesla would like to retire here, why not make it into her own little home? Or…"
"Or," Sheppard added. "There was more money than we found and he bought her this house with some of it."
"Or the mysterious girlfriend is trying set up a cozy life for herself where she thinks no one will find or recognize her," she replied as she found some pictures. She sat on the bed to take a look at them, having memorized her last target's face well. "Looks like she's dying her hair. Don't she know it's gonna make it look worse eventually?"
Shep looked over his boss' shoulder to see the pictures. "What? You know her?"
"Oh yeah," Myriam let out a breath and nodded. "This is a case of rule 39. Keep looking; I need to make a few phone calls. Outside. By myself."
"And when we get back?"
"I'll clue you in," Myriam promised as she bagged the pictures and took them outside with her before dialing Pride's number. She clocked the 5-0 car again and sighed as she waited for her friend to answer.
"Hello? What?!"
"Oh relax, I'm only five hours ahead of you, Pride," Myriam rolled her eyes. "How are you feeling?"
"Yeah, I know. I'm fine. Bones are getting old. How's the sunshine and sand?"
"I fired most of my team here and had to start over. Still, have to wait for Vance to send over personnel files. Anyway… Can I borrow LaSalle?"
"... why do you want Chris? What are you up to there? Too much sand in your head?"
"Dead sailor involved with Amelia Parsons."
Silence on the phone was all the response she got for two solid minutes. "Oh."
"I'm short on staff. I have one good Agent, fired the rest of them. I could use Chris because he knows about the case. Hell, send Gregorio. I'm sure Nick would like to see her."
"You do know that Parsons got the IRS on his back and he's got to be available to them in Alabama whenever they call. It's not that easy."
"Fine!" Myriam whined. "Send Gregorio or Sebastian. I'm down a tech too."
Pride couldn't help but laugh at that. "Making friends, huh? Sure, I'll send Sebastian over."
"Vance has me using HPD labs in the meanwhile," she muttered as she glared over at the Charger again.
"Sebastian is on the next flight," Pride said as some shuffling could be heard on the background. "Anything else I can do for you? Want me to send you the case files?"
"Yes. And tell him to pack trunks. When he isn't busy here, he can follow my brother."
"Will do. Be careful Myriam, please. Maybe clue in the local Leos if things get too rough."
"Always am. And do I have to?" She whined again, still watching the car.
"Well… you do have very creative brothers."
"Who have talents for breaking the law. I just want to make sure they are keeping their promises."
"As long as they bend and don't break, nothing is wrong, right?" Pride chuckled. "Okay, I'll make sure Sebastian makes it safely to the airport, and I will email you the case files. Call me when you need anything else."
"Your gumbo."
"Anything else but food."
Myriam scowled. "Thanks for sending Sebastian. We'll be eagerly awaiting his arrival. Thanks again, Pride. I owe you one."
Sheppard came outside carrying a box with more evidence bags in them. "So, before we go back, we're going to the 5-0 lab again?"
"No," Myriam said as she kept her eye on the car. "We have someone come in in about 12 hours from New Orleans. He's an agent and a tech. I want to keep this close to the vest now."
"Sure thing, boss," Shep lightly said as he walked over to their car. "You know, looking at them doesn't solve anything."
"No, but at least when I keep my eye on them, they won't move."
"Ah, kinda like the Weeping Angels in Doctor Who."
"What now?"
"Statues? If you look at them, they don't move? But take your eyes off of them, and they transport you to another place in time?" Shep looked at her sheepishly. "I so miss someone to be a geek around with."
"Ah," she nodded as she got into their car. "You're gonna like Sebastian."
~o.O.o~
Myriam threw her keys on the side table after coming home and headed straight for the table that held their alcohol and poured herself a royally filled glass of bourbon before sitting down in a chair with a deep sigh before finally noticing her brothers. "Oh, hi."
"Rough day?"
"Yep."
"Anything we can help you with?"
Myriam looked over to her brothers with a sigh. "You need a hobby to keep yourselves busy."
"No, we're doing just fine, thanks," Cole said as he made his way over to his baby sister and sat down on the coffee table in front of her to pull off her shoes. "But we can't stand by and watch our sister having rough days," he said as he pulled off her socks and started to massage her foot.
She stared at him, stuck between disturbed by her brother's actions and enjoying the treatment to complain. "I'm a federal agent. I can't exactly share everything that goes on at work, and the current situation is a holdover from New Orleans. That's all I can admit."
"Nick was thinking about becoming a cop," Cole snickered as he continued to massage Myriam's foot.
Nick huffed in surprise. "That was a joke!" He retorted. "Besides, I'm far too busy."
Myriam snapped her head towards her brother and narrowed her eyes at him. "Doing what, exactly?"
"Relax, love," he laughed. "While our brother is enjoying his freedom, I'm thinking about finding myself a job. A legal one. One that doesn't invite trouble. Perhaps a car mechanic."
Myriam burst out laughing at his suggestion for a job. "I don't see you getting dirty like that," she admitted. "Perhaps you should start somewhere else. I can try looking when I'm out on the road working this case."
"What exactly are you up to anyway? Since you left to check out the office the other day, we've rarely seen you," Nick pointed out.
Letting out a sigh, she let her head back and rest on the couch. "I'm investigating a dead petty officer who has a connection to an attempted murder the team was working back in New Orleans."
"Wait, wasn't that connected to Zahra?" Cole said immediately. "Somewhat?"
She looked over at him and narrowed her eyes. "Just what did you hear in that jail?"
He impishly grinned as he scratched the back of his head. "When the Mayor is doing something that they shouldn't be doing… People talk. And I eavesdrop."
"So you could have told NCIS about that, and likely would have kept our sister safe!" Nick shot at him.
"I didn't hear anything about that!" Cole retorted. "I was as surprised as you were!"
Myriam nudged Cole with her foot. "Hey, it's okay. Tell me what you heard. I can't use it because it's hearsay and I won't tell Pride because he'll turn that jail upside down and people will find out it was you who talked. But tell me, maybe it can give me some insight," she said kindly.
There was no doubt that Cole knew more things. While he'd been safe for a while in jail because of his name and reputation, he'd likely have kept his head down apart from the occasional fight. Her brothers were smart, calculating and knew exactly what to do to manipulate people. However, she wasn't going to use Cole as a source. Ever. She wasn't going to allow Pride to use Cole as a source either. He deserved a better life, and perhaps that was why Hawaii hadn't been all too bad.
Oh, she still hated the transfer. However, she didn't want to be without her brothers, and they seemingly enjoyed themselves very much here.
Cole volunteered the information about the Mayor himself. Myriam didn't feel too bad about asking him if he knew more.
Cole sighed as he retook hold of Myriam's foot and continued his massage. "It was a couple of months ago. No names were being named, but I managed to piece together that the Mayor wanted to have someone taken out of the picture. Someone important to law enforcement. Seemingly the Mayor's not so legal flunkies met with a few at the prison for information."
"Well, that could easily have been a conversation about the Deputy Chief. Not Pride. Or it could have been the former Mayor, Hamilton," Myriam summed up. "Nothing specific, and nothing that ties to this case, sorry brother, but thanks."
"I could try to get information?"
"No," she smiled at him. "I want you to stay here and to be safe. With Nick and me."
"You just like your foot rubs."
"Oh, maybe," she happily sighed as she took a drink from her glass. "But I mean it, though. No more hinky stuff."
Myriam was in the elevator at 5-0 HQ to pick up evidence and any of their results while Shep went to pick up Sebastian from the airport. Steve happened to enter the elevator at the last minute to her dismay.
"Jeez, you are everywhere, aren't you? Also stalking me like some pervert," Myriam said a bit angry.
"Well - my office is in this building," Steve quietly replied, smiling at her. He took a moment and watched her curiously. "Question. If you knew that a bunch of people from a sister agency wasn't doing a thing, wouldn't you do something?"
"No, I'd call their superior and bring this issue to light. Then I'd take over."
"Lunch?"
"What?"
"Do you want to have lunch with me? I can explain myself better and show you that I'm not the bad guy and merely have Hawaii's best interests at hand."
"No, sorry. I'm busy."
"Busy with what, if I may ask?"
"My case, of course," she replied, rolling her eyes and sighing. "It took a rather unexpected turn. I have an agent from the team I was last working with coming out who is also a skilled lab technician so I may not need the accommodations of your lab much longer if I get my way."
Steve nodded, his eyes narrowing a fraction. "I get it. I do. But just so you know, Agent Mikaelson, that we really don't have to be enemies here. We can work together. I have no issue with you using our resources when you need, but little interagency respect would be appreciated."
Myriam continued to stare at the elevator door. "Attempting to take cases that are clearly not your jurisdiction as they are being worked by their agency is being respectful? Duly noted."
"And that stops now. You're a capable leader; we don't need to help NCIS out now that they've sent someone over who does the damn job."
She let out a breath through her nose that if she'd been a fire-breathing dragon might not fair well for other occupants in the small space as she turned to face him. "There was one agent in that group of morons that was and is competent and did his job. By doing what you did, diminished his abilities and image as well. Perhaps instead of just blindly taking cases from lazy imbeciles, you might have tried looking at them entirely and found that there was one trying to do the work for four until the situation was recognized to be resolved. Which it's being done now. We may be short staffed at the moment, but we will be fine."
"I have no doubt that you will, ma'am," Steve smiled at her. "So, lunch?"
"Is this professional or personal lunch you're asking, because if it's personal, then you'd have to get both of my brothers' approval and - even then, not even in your wildest dreams," she rolled her eyes.
"I'm a catch; I'm sure your brothers will approve." Who even wanted their family's approval for lunch? "It's just lunch."
She could only chuckle in response, glancing him up and down. "Then you know nothing about my family. I thought such a great investigator like yourself would have already looked into my history," she smirked and stepped off the elevator as soon as it opened. "I'm sure I can find 5-0 offices on my own without your help. Have a good day, Commander."
~o.O.o~
Myriam was looking at CCTV footage from around the time the sailor was supposed to have left the barracks while Sebastian was happily playing around in the lab. He had put most of the lab in quarantine but had carved out a little corner for himself where he could work safely without fear of cross-contamination.
The good thing about Sebastian's arrival was that he had brought Pride's Gumbo with him and she was eating that while doing her job. Shep was digging into their dead sailor's life, but all he could find was what his mother had already told them about him. He was a good kid; made some bad mistakes and got into trouble. That's it.
Myriam looked up when the door opened, revealing Steve McGarrett carrying two bags of food. "What the hell?"
"I was hungry, and you're busy, so I figured I'd swing by to have lunch with you while you worked."
She was so dumbfounded by his actions that she had actually had a loss for words. Blinking, she continued to stare at him for a moment before pointing at the food she had on her desk beside her. "I have already, right from New Orleans," she spoke, still confused and glanced over at Sheppard. His expression seemed just to want to piss her off as he turned back to his work and seemingly ignored her and her visitor. "What is this really about?"
Steve sat down in the chair in front of her desk and started to grab food out of the packaging. "Lunch. Hunger. Getting to know one another."
Myriam was about to object when Sheppard stood from his desk. "I'm going to go drop these off by Sebastian and see how he's making out with the lab. Hopefully, he's able to make heads or tails with that mess that Isa left behind," he winked as he saluted the Commander as he walked by. "Good luck," he murmured at the end.
"Asshole," Myriam glared at him as he left the office and focused on the man across from her. Sitting back in her chair, she crossed her arms and sighed. "Seriously. What is it you want? I doubt it's really just to get to know me because my jacket says enough and it's enough to make people run the other way."
Steve nodded. "One brother dead, another in jail… dead mother… father in the wind, possibly dead… Oh, and back in the day, your family ruled New Orleans like some mob," Steve summed up. "Me? Dead father. Spy Mother. My mother seemingly died in a car crash when I was 15; dad sent both my sister and me off to the mainland. She got to live with my aunt; I got to join the navy. But surprise, mother not dead," he said as he looked into the bag and handed her his file. "That's my jacket. Nice and cozy. I shredded yours after reading."
She shook her head, amused. "I guess NCIS or whoever was supposed to, never bothered to update my information because both of my brothers are alive and free. And there is no proof that my mother is dead, so she could be wherever my father fucked off to," she replied. "I don't know where you got access to my information, but they only got it half right and are sorely out of the loop for old and recent gossip. Thank you, Commander, but I don't need your file. I could just call Director Vance if I wanted anything on you. Or Hetty Lange. Now, she's got the good shit on people."
"She has good people," he nodded. "Kensi was here a few years back, and Sam Hanna and I are brothers."
The smile she had on her face fell at the mention of the team as she couldn't stand one of them. "They're alright."
Steve took a bite from his food and motioned around. "Love what you've done with the place. It looks a lot more organized already."
"I'm thinking of having the walls painted orange," she shrugged. "Never know when someone from DC visits."
"Blue, orange is so… sickening. You're in the tropics now, blue! Water!"
"Have you ever been to DC offices of NCIS?" she questioned.
"Ah, no, can't say that I have, but if they have their walls painted orange, I doubt I'll ever set foot in there," he smiled as he put another fork of food in his mouth. "What you having?"
Myriam looked over at her lunch container, hesitating as she glanced back at him. "Gumbo, from New Orleans."
"Like… from New Orleans?"
"Came on the plane with my colleague this morning."
"Nice! New Orleans has all the good food, but the food here on Hawaii is better, trust me. Loads of seafood."
"No gumbo," she replied, deadly serious. "Or jambalaya. And the so-called po-boys you have here suck. It's sushi on bread."
"The spam and shrimp meals are amazing; you just need to find the right place."
"Now you're just making me nauseous," Myriam sighed, pushing her food away from her. "Lunch is over, so that means bonding time is at an end. Is there anything else I can do for you today Commander McGarrett?"
He looked inside his container and shrugged. "I'm not finished yet."
"Do I have to shoot you to get you out of my office?" she questioned as she picked up her cell phone and texted a number HPD given her if she had any questions.
Not five minutes later, Danny Williams walked into the office. "Finally! He took our lunch inside and told me to wait in the car!" He exclaimed as he put a lid on Steve's food. "I'm starving, bro!"
Steve turned and glared at Myriam. "You texted my partner?"
She smiled and shrugged. "Perhaps HPD isn't completely useless. They gave me his number if I needed anything and I needed him to get rid of you," she sassed.
"Oh, this isn't over," Steve laughed as Danny pulled him to his feet. "Have a good day, Agent Mikaelson, enjoy your Gumbo from New Orleans."
Danny scolded him on the way out the door. "Are you fucking nuts? You do know this girl is insane, right? She texted me to come to get you if we didn't want our boss to be laid up with a GSW to his umm. I'll just show you the text," he hissed.
Steve looked at the text and shrugged. "I've had worse."
"I doubt your junk could recover from the bodily injuries she had in mind if you didn't get out of there when you did," he responded. "We don't know shit about her. Everything is classified."
"And why do you think I'm making an effort then, Danny?"
"Oh, I don't know, fresh meat?"
Steve scoffed. "I can't believe you think that low of me."
Danny nodded and texted a bet to the rest of the team and shoved his phone back into his pocket. "If I'm wrong, then you won't do what I just bet the rest of the team. If you're interested in her like I think, then you will. We shall see."
"What did you text them?"
"Now that would be telling. Come on lover boy. Let's get you off this base before she comes after you with a grenade or something because the last thing we need is a female you hooking up with you," Danny sighed, shoving him ahead of him.
~o.O.o~
It was nearly 0400 when Myriam made her way down to the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. Popping in the Keurig pod, she waited at the counter for the machine to finish, she debated on checking to see if her brothers were home or not.
She knew Cole had been spending a lot of his free time exploring the city and the beaches, enjoying the freedom he now had. She wasn't sure about Nick, though, which concerned her. He seemed to be lost with himself, wanting something to do without getting into trouble. However, she wasn't sure if he knew how not to get himself into some sort of illicit activity. She wondered if she could talk him into enrolling in a cooking school as she knew he was enjoying cooking now and then, but he rarely took direction well.
When her coffee was made, she sipped it as she made her way through the house, checking the windows and locks and grab the morning paper before she would head out for her morning run. When she stepped outside, she scowled at what she found waiting for her. "I'm going to have to get my brother to bring the paper in for me in the mornings now, aren't I?"
"What? You don't like to have a coffee before you run, with your paper? What's that in your hand then?"
"Oh, I do, however never once do I recall asking you for coffee, my news, or a run," she replied with a sigh. "However, since you are here and I feel bad to wake up Detective Williams at this hour, you may as well come in until I leave for my run. Otherwise, I might wake the neighbors with my attempt to murder you."
"So what? You can attempt to murder me inside?" Steve laughed. "Sure. Look, I know that I might come across as-"
"A stalker?"
"Well yes. But I'm not."
"Just so you know, once you step inside, your every move will be recorded, so will our conversation," she said as she walked back inside.
He paused at the door and eyed her. "Why the hell are you recording your house?"
She looked up towards the stairs. "I don't trust some people and am having a hard time getting to know others again. Plus, I had an incident recently, so my brother suggested it. Regardless, I don't know if I can trust you, but I thought I'd let you know."
"I am nothing but honorable, I promise. Just curious how you got this house, as far as I know, nobody was murdered in it."
"Do you need to ask?" Myriam shook her head, a playful smile on her lips. "Seems like your information about me was way off base. Perhaps you need to go back to your source and tell them to do a better job. I mean, it's not like it's classified. It's pretty much the worst kept secret where I'm from."
"I already told you yesterday that your family used to be a mob in New Orleans… wait, you still have old money?"
Myriam rolled her eyes at that. "Close enough."
Steve nodded as he watched her move towards the lanai and glanced around. "So I'd guess that before your father took off, your brother managed to move most of the family money before the feds were able to get a hold of it otherwise it would have been seized. It had to have been hard growing up like that."
She took a sip of her coffee as she took a seat on the sofa overlooking the water and motioned for Steve to do the same. "My parents weren't parents of the year. I preferred my brothers anyway. No matter what they did, they always made sure I was safe and acted in my best interest. They never wanted that life for me, so they kept me out of it."
"Is that when your one brother killed the other?"
Myriam smiled at him, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't I already say that you needed to get your information updated. You do that first before you ask me more about my family. Okay?"
"You're going to make me work for it?"
"Totally."
"Challenge accepted."
She shrugged and took a sip of her coffee. "You might regret that decision," she said and turned her head toward the stairs, hearing movement upstairs. "Sounds like you may have the opportunity to meet one of my brothers. Joy."
Cole made his way down the stairs and shuffled his way to the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee as his sister watched his movements. She rolled her eyes as he was in nothing but his underwear and scratched his ass as he took his mug and went out to join them. "Morning, sister!"
"You're disgusting," she complained as she continued to glare at him.
"Hi, Cole Mikaelson," he held out his hand to his sister's friend. "It's funny, sis, I never heard you bring anyone home last night."
She frowned at him, annoyed. "That's because I didn't. He ambushed me when I went to get the paper this morning. You'll be getting that for me from now on, so you better set your alarm clock early."
"Ah, my apologies," Cole said as he sat down. "So is your friend a mute then?"
"He may be now because of you and your current state of undress," she pointed out.
Cole shrugged. "Our house. I can do whatever I want."
"At least put pajama pants on in the common areas."
"Oh come on, Asparagus, I have a fabulous body."
"Cole, all you have to do is bend over, and we can see your junk hanging out. No thank you. Go annoy Nick."
Cole grinned then as he set his mug of coffee on the table and got back to his feet before running back inside. "Nick! Our baby sister has a male friend over, and they're on the veranda drinking coffee! Come look!"
"Maybe he should have stayed in jail," she muttered as she narrowed her eyes on his back as he disappeared into the house. "He'd be a lot safer from me right now."
Steve blinked at her words. "He was the one in jail? How the fuck did he survive? He looks like he's like… twelve."
"Family name goes far in New Orleans. And he's smarter than he looks, unfortunately," she sighed.
A few minutes later Nick came downstairs, fully dressed. "Myriam, what did I tell you about inviting people inside our home?" He then stopped dead in his tracks when he saw that it was Steve McGarrett. Well fuck.
Myriam glanced between her brother and the 5-0 agent and rolled her eyes, quickly putting pieces of the puzzle together. Sighing, she set her coffee down and stood up. "Get over it, Nick. If you have a problem, then I'll find a place of my own. You are the one that insisted on us all living together after everything. But I still have a run I need to do before work and another task added to my to-do list before I get to the office, so what do you want?"
"A head's up next time, that's all. How can I keep you safe when you invite strangers in?"
Myriam barked out a laugh. "Brother, this place is a fortress, and I told McGarrett that if he'd try something he'd be recorded. He doesn't have anything to hide. Do you?"
"Of course not! I've not done anything! Well, not in the last several years that I can recall," he shrugged, blinking as he attempted to think of what he could have done that would piss his sister off. "At least nothing that I hadn't already told you."
"Good, let's keep it that way," Myriam nodded before looking at Steve. "You ready? I'm ready to kick your ass."
By the time that Steve made into the 5-0 office, some time passed because he had to go home to shower and change first. Waiting for him was Danny and an amused HPD lieutenant. Confused, he greeted everyone as he welcomed the visitor into his office. "How's it going? What can we do for you?"
The lieutenant glanced at Danny, who followed them in and settled on to the couch with his hands folded behind his head and a grin on his face. "Actually Commander, I'm here because Agent Mikaelson from NCIS visited HPD this morning to report you for harassment," he informed.
Steve leaned back on his desk and sighed. "Did she now? What exactly did she say?"
"That she stepped out of her house to collect her morning paper to find you on her property. This after you followed her on one of her cases this week and visited her unprovoked at her office yesterday, to the point that she had to request your partner to come and have you removed."
Danny snickered. "I told you she was nuts."
"What were you doing at her house at 4:30 am today?" the lieutenant curiously questioned.
Steve let out a huff and crossed his arms. "I learned she ran and just wanted to go with her before work, get to know her better! Did she tell you that she invited me in to talk and for coffee?!"
The lieutenant held up a disc. "She gave me this. Apparently, it's a recording from what transpired in her home this morning."
"All the defense I need then," Steve smiled.
"Well, it shows one of her siblings run inside yelling that a man was snogging his sister."
"That dirty -" Steve started and shook his head, grinning. "She's setting me up."
"It would appear that way. She did admit that she has no intention of following through on this but wanted to make sure that you knew not to ambush or surprise again as you've been doing and that this is simply a warning," he commented. "Please tread carefully, Commander, she has friends in higher places than you."
Steve frowned and nodded, letting the HPD officer leave him and Danny alone in the office. He looked over at his friend, who was slipping his cellphone back into his pocket. "What the hell Danny?"
"What? I was just letting the others know I won the bet."
"What the hell did you call?"
"You'd try to go for a workout or some shit with the crazy chick," Danny shrugged. "Just didn't think it'd be this soon. I warned you she was a few fries short of a Happy Meal."
Steve huffed and retreated into his office. There was something about Myriam's brother Nick that seemed familiar somehow, and he wanted to know why. Sitting at his desk, he ran his hand over his face as he picked up his phone to dial his old friend that had given him all the information that he thought he knew about the NCIS agent.
"Hey, Steve, what's up?"
"This Mikaelson girl, the information you gave me. When I confronted her about what I confirmed, she damn near laughed me out of her office," he admitted. "Later she said that I should go back and tell my source that you needed to go back and get more updated gossip."
"Ah well, that's what I have for you. They staged one brother's murder, the other one went to jail for it, and your girl was free to live her own life. But the rumor is that they had a secondary motive to go through all that trouble, and I might have made it worse by digging even further."
Steve let his face fall into his hand. "What could you have possibly done? And what motive? She's a federal agent, and her two brothers are living with her here in Hawaii, although the one seemed like he saw a ghost when he came down this morning."
"Turns out that their father was a brute. Still is a brute."
"So they believe he's alive. That's nice."
"You don't understand. While her brothers were doing their thing, their father was the monster, the enforcer, the leader. He was well versed in martial arts and torture techniques and didn't shy away from using them on his sons to toughen them up. Rumor is that they killed him, or that they ran him out of town with some help. Those kids could be scared shitless that their father might pop up again and I may have raised a big white flag saying 'hey, we're here!'"
Steve sat thoughtful of what he just heard, considering the defensive house that the Mikaelson siblings had set up. "The way they live, they could do that entirely on their own. But, they did seem pretty into keeping one another under control. It's the oldest that had me unnerved though. He seemed like he knew me and she couldn't wait to get us out of the house once he came downstairs and saw me there."
"All I can tell you is that he was dead for fifteen years. Lord knows what he's been up to. He could have been to the islands or wherever you may have worked at any given time."
"You told me he might have killed Wo Fat, but I remember that I was there and shot him. I am sure I did," he argued.
"Look, the Mikaelsons reach goes far, and it's not just in politics. It's also on the dirty side of the business. They know far more people that we can even imagine and their black book - well, you can imagine how much the FBI, CIA, Interpol, and any other alphabet soup world agency would be interested in. They can also stay clean. Myriam Mikaelson is a sharp nail, and nothing I can find indicated she's a dirty cop. If anything she despises them more because of her family history, and it's well known in New Orleans. She doesn't hesitate to take down a good name either if it suits her. Just know what you're doing if you're going to be getting into bed with her."
"I am not getting into bed with her! I merely wanted to know more about her seeing as she's the new leader of NCIS here on the Island and her record only shows her achievements, her postings. Nothing about her background and that made me suspicious. Am I right to be suspicious of her?"
Joe let out a laugh at the other end of the phone. "Yeah, you are, but she's not the one to keep an eye on. It's her brother, but I'm sure she's already doing that herself because she hadn't known him for fifteen years. You have never been this curious about a girl before Steve, which is why everyone is giving you a hard time. From what I can tell, she could use someone good, but she won't be easy to get through to earn her trust."
"Alright, Romeo, any tips?"
"Don't stalk the girl. She's a freaking cop like you! She'll play the law into her hand to get under your skin. Best bet, make friends with her brothers. That's all I can think of if she is going to do her best to avoid you. What have you done already?"
Steve let his head sink to his desk and groaned. "What you just told me not to do? She went to HPD this morning to have them come to talk to me about not coming to her unannounced."
"Good job."
"Thanks, Joe. Now, how the hell do I make friends with her brothers if I can't go to her house?"
"I don't know. If the oldest was into the shady side of business like the rest of the family, then your big friend might know where he spends his free time if he's been here before," he suggested. "Sometimes it's hard to shake old habits."
Steve let out a sigh, not liking that suggestion either as it would only seem he was investigating the brothers as a way to get to Agent Mikaelson. "Thanks again. I'll figure something out."
Hanging up the phone, Steve had an empty stare as he looked out into the office, trying to figure out the NCIS Agent. It was like she ran hot and cold, and this last move caught him completely off guard and by surprise.
It was then he noticed Officer Rey standing in the doorway. "The door's closed!"
"Well, was," Tani replied with a shrug. "Kinda figured you were calling your buddha about the new NCIS leader here on the Island and eavesdropped."
"The door was closed," Steve stated again.
"And, with all due respect, Steve, you are a moron when it comes to women like her."
He let out a sigh and sat back to glare at his teammate. "Let me guess. Danny filled you in? What would you suggest?"
She shrugged again as she leaned against the doorpost after swinging it open wider. "My brother is a little shit. Her brothers are probably little shits. I could ask around and maybe see if I can see if they're still on the straight and narrow? Surely Miss Mikaelson won't like it if 5-0 is investigating her brothers; one who was up until recently in jail and the other in the wind for 15 years, all three of them of a known crime family… I only want to keep Hawaii safe," she said as innocently as she could. "And then you can tell her that I did it all on my own and gave me a reprimand and she'll like you a bit more."
"That easy?"
"Well, no, but it's better than what you had in mind. You should stay clear of them, let me act on my instincts without telling you or the captain."
He weighed the risks of her idea and eventually nodded. "Okay, fine. But the moment things get out of hand you back off as well. We don't need her to get SECNAV blocking our access to the bases as well, and I think she can have that done."
"Don't worry; I know what I'm doing!"
"I thought I did too," he rolled his eyes, frustrated by the woman of conversation. "Just be careful."
~o.O.o~
After weeks of investigating and picking up new cases in the time, they still weren't anywhere close to finding Parsons. Not that Myriam was surprised, the bitch knew to hide her tracks.
But, she was happy with the new members of the team; Jasper Swan, a former marine with excellent people skills and then there was Matt Brown, someone Hetty Lange had personally trained and vouched for. Sebastian didn't like leaving when two new techs were brought in, one to organize the mess left by Isabella and the other for a more permanent role. Aracely Morales was a tough cookie but good at what she did. Thorough.
Myriam was slightly disappointed to realize that Commander McGarrett left her alone, had she pushed things too far with him? Likely not. She had told him to back off, and he hadn't, so she had to make it clear to him. On the other hand, it was nice that a guy was pursuing her, one that wasn't a sleazeball. But she was unclear if it was because she was NCIS, herself or because of her brothers.
She occasionally checked in with the security cameras at home when the movement was detected, and it was usually Cole waking up very late and moving around the house. Nick was mostly always gone, and she was wondering where he'd gone to. Knowing a little how their family used to work it was likely that he had his own place somewhere where he could do things that Myriam wouldn't approve of.
Maybe she should slap a GPS tracker on him to see where he went.
But she also wanted to trust him.
But she also knew that she couldn't trust him - not entirely.
She eventually found her way to one of the beaches one relatively slow afternoon and shook her head. Myriam found Cole surrounded by a few surfing instructor ladies and enjoying every moment of attention.
"Oh, look! It's my sister who's decided that all work and no play makes her so incredibly dull!" Cole smiled widely looking at Myriam. "Coming to join us?"
"Nope. Just trying to figure out what the appeal to the beach is. I still prefer home," she smirked at her brother. "Give me a bar and jazz, and I'll be right at home."
He looked at her for a moment and shrugged. "We'll ask Nick to build a bar at the beach where they play jazz," he then let out a sigh. "On second thought… let's not."
Myriam raised a brow at his response. "Why not? It's a good business idea. And it would keep you two out of trouble if you kept the business clean. Unless you didn't intend to?"
"You think it's a great idea?" Cole blinked at her. "Seriously?"
She shrugged then. "Looks like we'll be here for a while, why not? As long as you two keep everything legal, it's fine by me. Bring a bit of home to this dreadful place."
Cole let go of his lady friends and hugged his sister. "Well, you see… I've been thinking about this for a while now. I went to do some research, and I think we can do it. It just needs to be approved by the city council, so we'd have to come up with a very good plan and find a spot where it's not intrusive. Like… not in our backyard, for example."
Myriam liked his enthusiasm. "Go ahead, dig deeper. Ask the locals for help when you get stuck."
"I already did," Cole smiled widely. "And he's offered to be a business partner."
She nodded slowly. "Get me his information, and I'll make sure he's legit as far as that goes so that your investment doesn't go down the drain, okay? I'm just going to look around for now. Just - take it easy on bringing the beach bunnies home. I'm not liking waking up and finding randoms in the house."
"But…"
Myriam stared him down. "I'm not liking tripping over random girls in our house. Not first thing in the morning when I have to go to work, got it?"
"Got it, sister," Cole nodded before turning back to his girls. "Now, where were we?"
Myriam walked away, grinning to herself as she considered heading back towards her car. There was still much of the island to get to know, and she only knew her partner and spent enough time with him on the job. She knew she could have called her old friend to see if he was still on vacation but the idea had a sour tinge to it and didn't want to explore that option. It all brought her back to wondering where the hell her other brother was and what he was doing as she settled down on some benches.
"Oh hey," Danny Williams' voice said as he sat down next to Myriam. "How are you doing?"
"Are you…?"
"Stalking you? Nah. I'm stalking Gracie," he said as he pointed to a young girl at the beach with some boys.
"Ah," she nodded, confused for a moment. "Daughter? Before the rescue at my office, I actually thought…hm, never mind."
"Thought what?"
Myriam smiled and looked away before facing him. "Well, I'm sure I wasn't the first, and I wouldn't be the last to suggest that you and your partner might be um, partners?"
Danny let out a laugh. "Funny. You're very funny," he then sighed. "Sure looks that way sometimes, doesn't it?"
She gave a slow nod. "It is why I avoid getting close to those at work. Well, not more than necessary. It leads to complications."
"Somehow I think you've been like that for a very long time," he replied. "Aren't you lonely?"
"I have my brothers," Myriam pointed out, with a frustrated and concerned glance as she looked towards where Cole still messing with the surf classes. "I don't have time for much, well before I came here. This island is driving me mad. I hate this place."
"Yeah, I thought so too when I first came here," Danny nodded. "Give it time; it'll grow on you. For what it's worth, I never wish to go back to New Jersey. Here you have the sun, sea, good food and friendly people." He then looked over to where she was looking. "That the one who was in jail?"
She couldn't help but snort at his support for the state. "I'm sorry, but I'm from New Orleans. No one can beat the food and the people there. And Cole was locked up," she nodded towards him with a wistful sigh.
"True," he nodded. "I miss good pizza," he lamented. "He'll be fine. He looks like he's fitting in perfectly or at least having a ball and enjoying his freedom."
"It's not him I'm concerned about. He never actually did what he was locked up for. It was all a ruse I recently found out," she murmured. "It's my other brother that I can't seem to figure out that has been out of the picture."
"Criminal mastermind? But reformed?"
"He liked to think himself as one but only to try to keep our father off our backs back then," she shrugged. "He never really wanted to get involved I remember. Just did what they needed to survive our father and uncles."
"Ah… yeah… I made the mistake of believing my younger brother Matt that he was innocent in a large-scale fraud - he was a stockbroker, mind you. But the evidence was overwhelming, and I turned him in, but he escaped. Steve and I later found out he was messing with a Columbian drug cartel, and uh… he died."
She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "I know what I saw then. What's happening now I don't understand…" at the mention of Steve's name she couldn't help but smirk. "How is your partner anyway?"
He laughed then. "You scared him shitless, but that's a good thing. He's eating himself up from the inside for screwing things up, but that's his enthusiasm for ya," he then shrugged. "If you want to, I could look into your brother's movements for a piece of mind? Off the books? I won't tell anyone."
Myriam looked at him and hesitated for a moment before nodding. "You wouldn't mind?"
"I know what it's like not to have peace of mind; I can understand you'd want some. Especially with someone who's been out of the picture for 15 years doing god knows what. You know, Steve thinks he recognizes your other brother from somewhere but waves it away even when his friend confirms it. Something to do with Wo Fat. I don't care who killed the bastard, but I think your brother saved Steve then."
She looked at him again, her eyes wide. "Don't tell your partner but yes. My brother was involved, and I won't say how to protect him. I knew Wo Fat, and the fact he's dead does the world justice."
"As I said, I don't care about what your brother did to save Steve. And yes, you're right," Danny nodded. "So yeah, I'm happy to see if he's toeing the line for you."
She nodded, drawing in a breath. "Did I freak him out that much? Because he didn't seem like the type to turn down a challenge when presented one."
Danny raised an eyebrow. "The lieutenant was somewhat amused by your visit and understood knew what you were trying to do, telling him you have friends in higher places than him, and he backed off. Not that he's happy about it, but if that's your permission for him to accept the challenge, then I'll tell him that. Should be interesting."
Myriam shrugged. "I didn't think he'd listen. He didn't seem to before so… but your HPD officer isn't wrong. I do know a lot of people, and I only use them when I need to. Like to fire half my team because they are morons."
"Well then. I will give him the news tonight. So, to give me something to start with, what does Nick like?"
"Wine, gambling, I don't know?"
"You never asked him since you were reunited?"
She shrugged then. "Out of the two, he's the least forthcoming, and that frustrates me to no end."
"I'll become his best friend."
Myriam barked out a laugh then. "If that works, I'll buy you a drink!"
Danny grinned, turning his attention back to his daughter as he considered how that might appear in public. "Steve would be pissed if I managed to score that date with you before him."
"You never know who I ran into yesterday," Danny said as he sipped his coffee and looked at his partner.
"Oh, please, you did not go and make things worse, did you?" Steve replied with an eye roll. "Seriously?"
"Me? Making things worse? Buddy, you're lucky that I like you, but I'd never make things worse. In fact, she and I had a good talk."
Steve's good mood seemed almost to disappear immediately. "About?"
"Stuff. And you. She was surprised you'd given up and not accepted the challenge."
He stared back at his partner, unsure of whether he should believe him or not. However far-fetched the thought may seem, so far, Danny had been fairly accurate in calling her responses. "So what are you saying? Because I'm about a hundred levels of confused. I'm told to back off, and I do, and now it sounds like it was wrong to do that? What kind of game is she playing?"
Danny shrugged as he took another sip of his coffee. "She's actually very nice."
"Nice? Yes, I thought so too until she had HPD pay me a visit for harassment," Steve blinked. "She had to have said something to you to get you to change your mind about her. I mean one minute you were on the crazy train, and now you're ready to be best buddies with her. What is it?"
"Nothing," he laughed. "It's just that you two are a lot more alike than I originally thought. But seriously, she was quite disappointed that you hadn't accepted a challenge. Believe me, if she thinks you're harassing her, she will have her ways to dispose of your body, and we'd only learn of your death maybe 50 years from now."
Steve let out a laugh and shook his head. "Somehow I doubt that, but it does make me interested to find out just who she knows. NCIS is strictly a civilian service, but I know it does have its reach," he admitted as he eyed his partner. "I know I haven't seen her around the area in awhile, so she had to have been holed up on the base. You think her case stalled?"
Danny nodded. "She told me that they'd picked up more cases because the bad guys don't quit but yeah, it's not going anywhere, and she doesn't like it much."
"That's strange because that day outside the mother's house, didn't she look spooked herself about something? She came running out of there on that phone like she saw a ghost," he reminded him.
"Well then, why won't you go over there with some coffee and food and ask her how she's doing on the case, seeing as we told her we'd be investigating as well, which we didn't, but you want to help where you can."
Steve stopped and considered the suggestion, debating on the risks of such a move. "You believe she won't actually do anything after last time? That was low of her if it was a prank."
Danny sighed. "I don't know, go over there and wave a big white flag, be there in an official capacity and willing to help her out."
He stood from his desk, putting his things away and tucking tools into his pockets. Flashing an annoyed look over at the man, he pointed at him. "If this goes south, I'm blaming you. I was here ready to let this go because I was under the impression that's what she wanted. You got that?"
"She needs help with her case. Maybe her suspect is in the wind? You're an excellent tracker, and you know the island better than anyone. Offer your services."
"Let's just see how her seeing my face goes first, okay? Not getting kicked off the base would be a good first or second start," Steve snapped as he stormed out of the office, grumbling under his breath about difficult women and partners.
On his way to the naval base, he stopped at the Rainbow Drive-In to get a couple of loco mocos as a peace offering, as Danny suggested. He only hoped that the man was right and she didn't mind his company as he had thought that morning he showed up for that run.
As he drove up to the gate and gave his name and area to visit, it took a little longer than usual for clearance. Even after showing his 5-0 badge. When the guard returned, he directed him over to another area of the yard that was certainly not NCIS.
"What is this about?" He asked the officer, growing more annoyed at the NCIS Agent by the moment.
"My apologies. Agent Mikaelson asked that we arrange for an ID and vehicle pass for you as she anticipated your representation of your agency visitation regularly so that you would not have to go through the visitor checks. Is there a problem sir?"
He blinked in surprise. "No, no, there's no problem," he scratched himself on the head, feeling like an idiot right now.
The process was quick, and before long, he had his badge for the base and on his way into the NCIS office. He was eying it as he made his way to her area, still confused as he looked for the familiar face. "Knock, knock?" He called out. She hadn't been kidding when she had said she was going to redecorate. To be fair, it looked a lot cleaner and welcomed for some reason.
"Can I help you, sir?"
Steve looked at the blonde male and realized that she had gotten a team together as well. Good for her. "Uh yeah, I'm Commander Steve McGarrett, I'm here to see your boss."
Recognition set in, and the guy grinned. "Yeah. She just stepped out to see what's going on down at the lab. Supposedly a new lab tech came in that she hadn't known about and she wasn't too happy to hear about it without knowing one was coming. I mean, another one, we already had two."
He couldn't hold back his light laugh as he knew he wouldn't be happy himself if he found out he had new staff that he hadn't previously approved. Hell, he already had been and done that chapter.
Not long after, Myriam came back into the office, on the phone to someone. "Seriously, we already had two; we didn't need another. Damn straight they're up to the job! I don't know what we're gonna do with the spare one, but we already have two!" She then sighed. "Sir, I know you mean well, but I'm sending him back," she then saw Steve and disconnected the call. "It's about time you showed up."
"I didn't know I was late," he replied, glancing at her team, finding the one familiar one in the back with a smirk as he turned back to his computer. "Do you have a few minutes to talk?"
"Sure," she shrugged as she pointed to an empty chair. "Sit. Talk."
He chuckled and rubbed his jaw as he set the bag he had down, eyeing her in the process. She still largely baffled him, intriguing him so much which bothered him at the same time. "You don't make things like this easy for anyone; you know that, right? You doing okay here?"
Myriam crossed her arms, glaring at him for a moment and nodded. "Sure. Yeah, we're doing fine. I don't know what you mean by that though."
"I asked about you, not your team."
"I'm doing fine, just like my team," she replied. "What can I do for you?"
"Danny paid me a visit this morning, and told me some things…" he started, carefully watching her in case he had been lead on. "I don't know if what he said was true or not. If it was, I brought some lunch from a popular place. If not, then I'm sorry, and I'll leave…"
Myriam blinked at the behavior of the Commander. "Who got your balls all twisted? No, wait, ripped off?"
"You kinda did when you sent HPD to my office for harassment," he pointed out with a raised brow. "While I appreciate making it off the books and unofficial, that shit was a dirty play."
"No means no and what you did was harassment. It's not like I show up at your doorstep to go for a run, do I?"
Steve stared back at her for a moment before nodding, understanding her checkmate. "Okay, I got it. Truce? I brought loco moco."
Myriam nodded. "Thank you. But for some reason I don't think you're here for lunch," she said before looking around and noticed that her team and found someplace else to be. Chickens.
Steve smirked as he took notice of what had her attention. "Subtle group you got yourself. Mine is about the same. Waking a butterfly with a sledgehammer. And I suppose not. I guess I hoped the food might be a decent icebreaker for who seems to be the island's new ice princess."
"Funny," she smiled as she held out her hand to receive the container. "What's loco moco then?"
He passed hers over and watched. "It's a combination of this and that. Eggs, rice, burger. As I said, it's really popular but good."
Myriam opened it and looked at the messy concoction for a second. "What if I told you that I was a vegetarian?"
"I'd probably say you're full of shit because I know you're from New Orleans and that place is full of food that while I'm sure you'd find vegetarian options, the authentic and classic dishes of the city will have some meat or fish in it," he winked. "It's messy but edible, trust me."
She huffed and poked around with it with her fork for a moment and decided to dare to take a bite. It wasn't bad; she had to admit that. Some local cuisines made her stomach churn, but this wasn't one of them.
"So, how are things going for you here? You settling in okay on the island?" He tried for small talk.
Myriam stopped chewing, swallowed as she narrowed her eyes at him. "You're wondering how I'm doing with the first case that fell into my lap after I got here. No, I didn't find the person responsible for Tesla's death. All the other cases are easily solved, this one has a tie to something else."
Steve played with his fork as he stared at her, nodding. "I hear that, but it was a genuine question. Whether you like us at my office or not, you're welcome to call us for help anytime. We don't want to hold grudges or anything. And just because the NCIS on this Island wasn't up to snuff, we don't want to get in your way. I'm happy you're getting the cases done. It's cut out load down from our others, but if you hit a snag, maybe another set of eyes can help. We know the island better than anyone. And it doesn't hurt to ask for help when you need it. I know this because that's been beaten into me by my team. Literally. Danny can tell you stories, and he would gladly spill dirty details if you ask."
She let out a breath as she opened a drawer and retrieved a case file before plopping it on her desk. "Tesla had a girlfriend who got him into trouble. Said, girlfriend, cause a lot of trouble over in New Orleans and I've found no trace of her after his death. Drugs may be involved or bad investments."
Steve set his to-go tray aside and wiped his hands before picking up the file and looking through it. His eyes flashed up at the familiar name he recognized from his background check on the agent in front of him before continuing to read what she had. "I can say she's likely still on the island. Probably trying to find herself some connections with smugglers to get off but there aren't many left as we put away the biggest one years ago."
Myriam nodded. "That's what I thought, so I had Shep interview anyone that's left, or at least that we know of is a smuggler or was one, to see if he could find answers or at least spook them enough not to deal with Parsons. He came up empty."
"Did you try Kamekona?"
"Who?"
He couldn't help but give her a big, warm smile. "You up for a field trip? I just wouldn't eat anymore if that's the case."
She set down her food and opened another drawer to get her gun and badge. If Steve thought this Kamekona could be useful in this case, she was going to grab the idea with both hands. "Sure, take me for a ride."
Steve tried not to choke on his bottle of water but kept his mouth shut as he followed her out. He couldn't help but shake his head as he stared at her, wondering even more about her now and if her choice of words was accidental or intentional.
~o.O.o~
"You took me to a Shrimp Truck?"
"Yes," Steve said as he sat down with her at a table. "Don't worry, just enjoy the view until he's got time for us."
Myriam was still extremely confused as she looked around, but a little familiar with the area as she was there that one morning not long ago. Just further down the beach where she sat with Danny and caught her brother with the surfing instructors. She was still annoyed with Cole and made a mental note to sabotage some of his personal products. "So what do you know about this guy that is supposed to have information that might help?"
"He's been a good friend of mine for many years, and his information is usually reliable. My former colleague roped him in as a CI to help investigate my father's death. Kamekona has eyes and ears everywhere. There's no doubt that he picked something up about Parsons if she's truly one of the worst that's walked the grounds on Hawaii in a while," Steve replied as he nodded to the truck. "Best shrimp truck on the Island. He even serves Jambalaya shrimp and Danny's favorite are the garlic shrimp."
She turned to look at the menu, a little more intrigued but cautious. "I'd be more skeptical about his information if he is so friendly with LEOs out in the open like this if his past was that connected. Surely people know he'd be a snitch by now."
"He's been beaten the crap out of, yes, so he has hired his own security. They're so good; you don't see them," Steve replied. "Trust me; he's still got the information."
"Right," she nodded, still amused and entertained by the story. "Well, if anything, I'll have an interesting day to come back from."
"Steve! My brother!" Kamekona greeted him with a big friendly smile on his face. "And a friend! Welcome to Hawaii! What can I get you, two fine people? A t-shirt? Food? Shave ice?"
"Hey Kamekona," Steve greeted him back with an equally big smile. "We're here for some food, and a bit of information," he said as he nodded towards Myriam. "That's Special Agent Myriam Mikaelson, NCIS."
Kamekona's smile faltered as he looked around and scratched the back of his head. "Shoot, man. I dunno. I know NCIS been sniffing around and asking shit but I dunno if I wanna get involved in that mess, you know?"
"Just tell her what you know or may not know about Tesla and his girlfriend."
"That's just it; I don't know much of anything. Only that the new face you all are looking for is haole and no joke. Lots of peoples are going dark not to have to deal with her," he shrugged. "Two guys that I used to run with were shot by her when they refused to get what she wanted."
Myriam sighed and looked out towards the water. "Sounds about right. You wouldn't have any idea of where she might be hiding? That's all I need."
"If you buy some food, I'll have some time to ask for a direction," Kamekona replied. "I know that Steve likely wants his regular, what would you like?"
She looked back at the menu board on the truck and shrugged. "I guess I'll risk it and try the jambalaya shrimp. God forgive me."
Kamekona smiled widely and nodded. "Good choice, good choice. I'll be back shortly."
Myriam leaned into the table and hissed at Steve. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I? I'm going to hold you personally responsible if I get sick after this trip."
Steve barked out a laugh as he saw his friend walk back into the truck. "Nah, his food is good, I promise," he replied. "You know, you still haven't answered my question. Are you settling in well?"
She gave him a withering glance and shrugged. Not sure about going into as much as she had with Danny. "I suppose as well I could give the circumstances. The local food hasn't been easy to adjust to, clearly," she admitted as she looked back towards the truck. "My brother hired a cook so that we had more meals like at home which has been a godsend otherwise we probably wouldn't eat."
"What? You don't cook?"
"When would I have time to cook? My job keeps me very busy, and we've grown up with cooks so," Myriam shrugged. "I prefer to stay at home anyway."
"Is it that you are just in the habit of not cooking or you really don't know how?"
"I really don't know how. I can burn water," she replied with a shrug. "I don't mind."
He wasn't sure how to respond to that considering he and Danny were planning on opening a restaurant of their own soon. "Huh. Do you want to learn?"
"Maybe, I don't know. My brother has ideas of bringing New Orleans to Hawaii so I don't see why I should."
"Cooking could be therapeutic, fun," Steve suggested. "But you know, you can't always depend on your brothers. What if they find someone and choose to leave?"
"I never depended on them until they got back into my life. And cooking is tedious."
Steve nodded and smirked, sitting back. "Did you have a three-inch binder full of take-out menus?"
Myriam shook her head and smiled. "No. It's called a cellphone with delivery apps at the touch of a finger. Modern technology."
"Ah, of course. But seriously, cooking isn't tedious; it's fun. You should come by one night; we'll do some cooking. Have a beer."
She canted her head and smiled. "See that wouldn't work. I'm a wine drinker so I'd have to pass on the beer."
"Then I'll get you some wine instead, no big deal."
"You are determined, aren't you?" she questioned, both confused and a little unnerved as most of her previous attempts at dating had been her pursuits that ultimately failed.
"It's not a date. It's hanging out. I'll even invite Danny, and you can bring your brothers."
The idea and suggestion of her brothers soured her as she stared back at him, unsure even more. "I don't know. I'll have to think about it," she replied as she still hadn't heard back from his partner if he'd come up with anything on her own brother's activities.
He noticed the slight sour look on her face when he mentioned her brothers. "Everything okay between you and your brothers?" He asked carefully.
"It's fine," she let out a breath and shook her head. "It's me. Not them."
Steve hummed. "You need to find yourself a Danny."
She shook her head and sighed. "I am not a big fan of getting close to coworkers and all. Tends to find trouble in the long run and that was what you sort of walked into today when you arrived at the office."
"The higher-ups sent you someone you didn't request or vet?"
She nodded. "My ex-boyfriend, he's CIA. He offered himself up to help out in our lab after I had to fire the tech weeks ago."
"Ouch."
"So yeah, I have my brothers, an ex, who, while it wasn't ended on bad terms, still makes things awkward, and this bitch I need to find because, yes it's personal," she rambled. "She tried killing the guy that got my brothers and me away from my family. I want her -"
"Then I'm offering my services to help you get what you want," Steve said seriously as he looked at her. "Two agencies know better than one, and we're all a family on this Island, whether you're a haole or not."
"Shrimp!" Kamekona announced as he set down the food in front of McGarrett and Myriam, accompanied with some drinks. "I hope you enjoy. Do read the note on the napkin," he winked at Myriam with a smug look on his face. "But eat, first."
"Thanks," Myriam said as she grabbed her wallet to pay for the food, but Kamekona refused.
"Your first meal with my brotha? It's free," he winked again before tending to his other customers.
She then looked at Steve and nodded. "I'm sorry… I'm just used to do everything by myself; it's difficult to-"
"Trust?"
"Pretty much," she sighed. "Doesn't come easy in my family."
"Want me to call Sam Hanna to vouch for me?" He lightly asked as he tucked into his shrimp.
Myriam let out a chuckle. "He'd tell you that I don't trust him as far as I could throw him."
"He's huge! How can a tiny person like you throw him far?" Steve laughed.
"I don't," she smiled and was about to add something else when the sound of an explosion was heard only miles away, but they could still see the mushroom top of the smoke cloud from where they sat. "That's coming from the base…"
Steve grabbed their things, not forgetting Kamekona's note and tugged on her hand. "Don't think about it. Come on. Let's go to work."
Steve and Myriam pulled up to the base, after confirming enroute on the phone that the explosion they heard was indeed the naval base they had previously left earlier. In fact, the exact building that exploded was the NCIS offices and labs, which set the agent off on a neverending cussing fit.
She was about to run off towards the burning building when the fire department on scene began bringing bodies out. Seeing the faces, she couldn't help but stop in shock and terror. The new agents she just hired and been working with. Burned.
"A little help here!" A gravelly voice called out, one that she instantly recognized and ran towards the sound. "Oh hey!"
"Don't," Myriam told Jon as she helped him to support Auggie, the CIA tech that wanted to help her out and she told him to get off base. "Are you two alright?"
"I'm fine," Jon replied as he coughed. "Auggie not so much."
"I'm fine," the taller man replied as he gratefully put his other arm around Myriam. His face was all bloodied, and debris was clinging to both of them, and Auggie looked bad. How he was still talking was a miracle.
"What the hell happened?" she asked as she pulled them towards the closest ambulance unit.
"Aracely, Jasper, and Matt were in the lab, sorting things out, you know, leftovers from Isabella, and we were at the back talking to Auggie's boss."
"Yeah, no way I'm leaving," he chuckled before letting out a groan. "It's mostly debris that we got on us."
Myriam looked back at him, frowning at the fact he hadn't opened his eyes at all. "Let's just get you guys checked out, okay? We will have someone come in and look at what's left. I'm willing to put money on that bitch having left a surprise behind because I sent her boyfriend packing."
"You got it, boss," Jon said as he helped Auggie to sit down at the ambulance.
"So," Steve said as he had made his way over to Myriam and what remained of her team. "I called Danny, and he's getting everyone in. You're not working this case."
"I know," Myriam felt a mixture of anger and frustration. "Why can't we ever catch a break? What the hell is all of this? Are people just… and look at them!" she pointed at Jon and Auggie. "How is that fair?!"
"Myriam!" Cole called out from the police tape.
Steve looked over at the voice and looked at Myriam. "I assume those two are yours?"
She nodded with a sigh and kicked against the ambulance.
Steve motioned for them to be let through and both brothers were immediately all over her. Nick wrapped both hands around her cheeks to check her over, making sure she truly was alright. "You weren't here, were you?"
"I should have been!" Myriam said angrily. "But we went to chase down a lead and-"
"No, then you would have been injured or worse," he hissed. "We won't lose our baby sister. Not after everything now. Just as long as you are okay…" he sighed, pulling her to him and looking over at what was left of the building. His eyes darted at each area of the biggest damage. "Whoever did this was undoubtedly remarkable. It could have been much worse."
"Don't drool over someone else's craftsmanship," Cole shot at his brother. "Our sister could have been killed!"
"I'm just stating facts," he argued. "You know as well as I, that had whatever device used been placed anywhere else, the structure could have entirely come down. No, they placed it precisely where it would be maintained but target a specific area."
"Yeah well, this is it," he said as he looked at his sister. "You're going to look for a different line of duty."
"Fuck off," Myriam said as she pushed both of her brothers away from her and turned around to see what the EMTs were doing with Auggie and Jon. "How are they?"
"We're taking them both to the hospital, ma'am," the EMT replied.
"Ah hell," Auggie groaned, not a fan of hospitals. "Hey Myr, you're my next of kin, right?"
She snorted. "You never did update your records, did you?"
"Of course not, if I'm dying and a vegetable, you're the one person who can convince everyone to turn off life support. I'm happy to have you as my next of kin."
"Sure thing. I'll just shoot the equipment they bring in. I don't expect you to make me do that though," she smiled. "Ever. I'll still give Joan a call and let her know what you got yourself into, however."
"Great!" He gave her a thumbs up. "Ugh," Auggie groaned as he was helped into the ambulance. "She'll kill me."
"Saves me from turning off your life support but I'll make sure to write you a fantastic eulogy," Myriam quipped. "If you get stuck in the hospital, I'll come by later."
Auggie sighed and waved her off. "Just get to work and get who did this. I'll wait for that beer you owe me when I'm out. Or you could, you know, smuggle it into the hospital to me when you're free."
Steve had to observe Myriam's interaction with Auggie, and it was entirely different from what he had seen from her so far. Sure, some of her personality came out before their second lunch was rudely interrupted by the blast, but he could tell that they loved each other as family and hadn't been compatible as partners. Even to Jon she'd been a bit lighter than she'd been towards him, and that was a good thing, it meant that Steve had a lot of work to do to get to that same point and get her to open up more.
As the ambulance drove off with the two surviving agents, Danny and the rest of their team arrived, and they all had to wait until the fire department would give the all clear. "Well, this is going to be interesting," Danny breathed out quietly as he stood next to Steve and having noticed Myriam's brothers at the scene. "We allow outsiders at the scene now?"
"Give them some slack, Danny, they had to miss her for 15 years," Steve replied kindly. "She told them to fuck off."
"Well, they listen to her instructions well," he observed as she went back over to speak with them again, upset over something as she argued with the older one without trying to raise her voice.
"She's the runt of the family, would you listen to your baby sister?"
"No."
"Well then."
"How was lunch?"
Steve sighed and continued to watch the family interaction. "Fine, I think. Until this happened. She was upset about a few things but unrelated to me, I hope. She did give me a pass to the base, but now that the office here is in, shambles, I think that offer of peace is moot."
"This is not the end of this conversation," she hissed at Nick and Cole. "This is my job. This is what I do and love. You do not tell me in front of other cops that you want me out, got that?"
"No."
"Go home," she told them sternly. "I'm fine, let me deal with this," she said before her phone started to ring, and she picked up. "Director… Casualties? Four dead. Jasper, Matt, Aracely and the other one who I didn't bother to get their name from. Two injured and enroute to the hospital," she said as she pushed both of her brothers back towards the tape. "Two more dead if they don't listen to their sister and leave her to do her job… yes sir, 5-0 already offered to work this… of course sir. I know I have to hand it over like the good little drone that I am and I don't care at this point… I have an emergency laptop at home that syncs with the cloud, so not all is lost but- yes sir. I get it!" she said frustrated. "No sir, no need to- yes sir." She disconnected the call as her brothers passed through the tape again and went back to Steve. "The director wants me to hand this case over to you."
"Well then, good thing we already had that sorted. Are you okay?"
She scowled at him. "Do I look okay? Does anything about this look okay? I just want to go to the closest bar and order the biggest bottle of wine they have right now."
"Want me to take you to the hospital so you can be with Auggie and Jon?"
Myriam considered it but shook her head. "No. I'll just get on their nerves, and the doctors need to be able to do their jobs," she sighed as she frustratingly ran a hand through her hair. "If I go home right now like my brothers want I-"
"You can stay at my place if you want," Danny offered. "We swing by your house to get what you need, including that laptop of yours and I'll take you to my place. With a few bottles of wine. Gracie wouldn't mind."
"And no going out to work the case. You can do what you can from our offices or the house, but stay inside and off the street," Steve compromised.
She blinked at him then. "You think this was directed at me?"
"It's your office that was targeted. Despite your brother being annoying, his theory isn't wrong. The fire investigator already has the same concept as one possibility to narrow down, and we just need to look at everything."
"I've already asked for cops to be sent to the hospital incase they come back and want to finish the job," Danny added. "But until we know more, you're going to do as we tell you to do."
Myriam ran her hand through her hair and glared at him. "You know I don't handle taking orders from others. It usually doesn't end well for them."
"Well, it's not an order. See it as a request. That, in the short time that we've known you, we think you're a decent person and a good cop, and if you die, that would be a waste. So, it's either my place and staying off the streets, or your place with your brothers," Danny smiled at her. "Don't worry, I've got security at my house too, and Gracie will love the company."
"I've got my security too. Their names are Sam and Dean."
"No guns in my house," he said as he held out his hand for her gun.
She raised a brow. "Wow, how do you function in your job? You leave your weapon at work until you get a call? Drive all the way to the office to pick it up at the last minute?"
"Look, I like you, but I'm going to leave you, who's currently very emotional, with my teenage daughter. I don't want you with guns inside my house right now."
"I'll be fine," Myriam tiredly replied. "You got a gun safe I assume? If not -"
"Stop arguing with her, Danno and take her to your home after swinging by hers first," Steve interrupted. "She's gone through enough."
"Fine, fine. But if something happens, it's on you," Danny pointed at him as he started to steer Myriam towards his car, glancing towards his one teammate who appeared to try to remain focused on her work.
"Yep, everything is my fault today," Steve said as he pulled on his gloves and joined the rest of their team to start going through the wrecked building that the Fire Department had already cleared. "So, Tani, why's Danny upset with you?"
"Huh? I don't know," she replied as she toed through some rubble. "Maybe he's just PMSing," she added on, looking around the lot at the people that stuck around before going back to what she was doing feeling just a little more relieved that most bystanders had left.
Steve let out a short as he started to go through the rubble and shook his head. "What a day."
"So you decided to go and try to work things out with this agent after all?" she asked. "Things seemed to be going good, situation aside."
"Apparently it was a challenge that she posed on purpose and was sad that I didn't take that challenge."
Tani paused and looked up at him. "That was kind of messed up. What kind of person does something like that?"
"Someone who's had it tough," he replied. "Anything on your end? Find something out?"
"Plenty," Tani let out a breath. "But now is not the time."
He looked over at her. "You do know that out of us, Danny has gotten the friendliest with her. If he found something out, that might be the reason why he's been weird with you, especially if he agreed to do something along the same line for her that you said you were doing for me."
Tani paled then as she straightened herself up and looked at her boss. "Oh, God."
Steve didn't have to be looking at her to know that what was coming wasn't going to be good. Turning to face her, he shook his head and made sure that everyone else working wasn't exactly within earshot. Dropping his voice as he stepped closer, he pressed his lips together as he considered what he was going to say or react to what he might hear. "What is it?"
"Well, I investigated. And he has a lair. He told me that it was for emergencies only but that he liked to spend his time in there because he didn't want his sister to think he was a loser or incapable of fitting in."
"And?"
"And… if Danny was gone for a few hours this morning, he might have seen Nick and me in a very… compromising position. Or three."
The look of shock on Steve's face was enough to be put into a comic book. His mouth gaped like a fish, and he kept blinking his eyes as he attempted and failed to put words together until he finally mashed something up. "You've been seeing her brother this entire time?" he whispered.
"Actually since before I offered," she whispered. "Met him one time at a bar and we hit it off… I didn't know who he was until… I investigated."
"And now he knows that we're looking at him and his brother for his sister," Steve replied, concerned for Myriam.
"No, he doesn't," Tani replied. "I told him up front I was with 5-0, and he told me that he had a not so clean slate, but never told me his last name or details."
"You realize that he could be playing you to keep an eye on us instead, right?"
Tani sighed and nodded. "Yes, but he did tell me you two had met before and that you'd put it together quickly understanding that we'd be working with her often and someone would eventually check on them. He insists he has nothing to hide and before this, I didn't see anything."
"So he's okay in with us looking into him?"
"Yeah, because he understands that it's a bit strange to have an NCIS agent on the loose from a questionable family with questionable brothers around her."
Steve still wasn't sure how much of it to buy. "Something doesn't seem right about it."
"Steve, if I thought he'd be hiding something, I'd know. He's legit. He genuinely showed me his lair with his emergency kits, and that's it. No drugs. No questionable liquids. Just… a man cave."
He sighed and looked at her for a moment. "Alright, okay. Just be careful. I don't trust the guy, but you just be careful. I don't want you to get hurt in this."
"He admitted that everything he does is for his sister and his younger brother. That he wants to make amends. And to take care of them. I think they're all a little co-dependent."
Nodding, Steve only grew more concerned. "I agree and judging by the look he gave the building when he saw it; he's going to be a problem in the future. Don't you think? With a former employee likely targeting his sister, he's going to be out for blood. We're going to have to find not only her but the target that Myriam was chasing down at the time while keeping tabs on her brothers. I'd normally suggest that she go home and do that herself, but she's got a short fuse and more than likely put a few holes in them herself to keep them grounded."
Tani nodded. "They're still adjusting, and according to Nick, tempers are a family trait."
"So I want you to go to him after we're done here and tell him to let us handle this for his sister and that I won't hesitate to put him behind bars if that means that we can do things by the book."
"Of course," she agreed, though not entirely pleased with the order. Going back to work, she knew it would end up being an extremely long day between dealing with her boss and to all appearances, her boyfriend.
"Found something," Junior piped up. "Looks like a fuse or detonation device."
Steve made his way over to his team mate and nodded. "Bag it," he said as he continued to search through the rubble and he felt uneasy about everything, especially when he found an old cellphone stuck to something. This had been deliberate, timed and perhaps even from close vicinity. "Alright!" He called out to the police officers around the area. "I want you to check the area for any discarded phones or buttons, or whatever looks out of the ordinary! Get some divers in to check the water."
By the time he made it back to the office, he was exhausted and in need of a shower and clean clothes. He managed to find Danny in the office with Jerry as they ran backgrounds on all the current and former employees. The lab tech's photo was up on the screen, and he couldn't help but squint his eyes at it. "Didn't we run into that girl when Eric applied for the forensic tech at HPD?"
Danny looked up and scratched his head. "Well, I'll be damned," he muttered. "Isabella Cullen. Wife of the guy Myriam fired for not doing his job. Later fired her for not doing her job, either."
"Yeah. The redhead that had no issue handing cases over to us all the time," Steve pointed. Before he realized he had taken Kalekoma's note when he and Myriam left for the scene. Taking it out of his pocket, he let out a sigh. "Check to see if there are any connections between her and an Amelia Parsons."
"Who's Amelia Parsons?" Danny asked as he waved for Jerry to do his computer guru magic.
"Someone that Myriam was after since New Orleans," Steve answered as he waved his napkin around. "According to a source, Isabella Cullen, Edward Cullen and Parsons were a happy threesome after Parsons got to the Island."
Jerry looked up from the table at that. "Seriously? Who did Kamekona hear that from?"
"But Parsons had a boyfriend. The dead sailor Henry Tesla," Steve continued.
Danny blew out a whistle. "Wow, no wonder she was pissed that day at the house. Okay, so, what would Parsons want with Tesla? He was what? A medic?"
"A distraction. Or a way to get to Hawaii without raising red flags. But I think he got into trouble because of her," Steve said as he leaned against his desk. "Myriam allowed me to read the case file this morning and it appears that Tesla wasn't like this before. He got into a lot of money quickly and bought his mother the house she lives in now with cash. They found cash in his bunk."
"Okay, question. Was this Parsons involved in the shooting of Myriam's friend?"
"Yes."
Danny shook his head, suspicious of everything going on. "That was in New Orleans. Of all the places to go...what the hell is she doing on the island? Right where she gets assigned? Was the shooting of Myriam's friend another red herring and was she the target all along?"
Steve went along with Danny to his apartment to have a chat with Myriam, to clear things up and hopefully she was up to it. Myriam had had a rough day, and he wanted to know if she was alright, too. However, what they came back to was quite the surprise.
Myriam and Gracie were passed out on the couch with a black and white movie on the television running. The makings for Shirley Temple drinks and empty maraschino cherry bottles all over the counter, but a bottle of wine and empty wine glass positioned securely beside Myriam's side of the sofa. It appeared that the two took a walk down the street for their little spree and went crazy the rest of the night, knowing that any form of responsible adult supervision would not come any time soon.
"Well, at least Gracie didn't drink?" Steve tried not to snicker as Danny's face was set to murder. "Bruh, it's Shirley Temples, come on. Gracie probably was the adult one to keep it more controlled. It's been a long day for everyone."
Danny managed to get Gracie off the couch and brought her to her room to continue to sleep. "I'll make some coffee; you wake up the princess."
Making his way over to the couch, he wasn't sure how waking the woman up would go. Picking the bottle of wine up and inspecting the label for its alcohol content, it wasn't as bad as far as wines could go. He's had far stronger ones himself. He tried shaking her shoulder to start, but she only curled herself up more.
"Go away, Cole. I have a day off for once," she muttered. "Go entertain your floozies yourself."
"I'm sure he'd love that," Steve snickered. "Would you please wake up?"
She buried her face into the cushion and grumbled incoherent words and something slipped about her father before she relaxed again.
"Danny's making coffee."
The scent had started making its way into the living room, as the man arrived at the doorway to watch the scene smiling. "Coffee?" she repeated as she took a sniff, lifting her nose to confirm the delicious odor.
"He actually has decent coffee too; I think it'll be to your liking."
"No one likes New Orleans coffee but New Orleans," she replied as she sat up rubbing her face. "You have to go to New York for the good shit. And I'm not talking the Starbucks crap."
"He has it imported," Steve snickered. "How are you feeling?"
She glared at him. "Tired as fuck. You just woke me up. How the hell do you think I feel?" she shot at him as she stood and looked around with a grimace. "I have to clean this shit up. Your partner is going to kill me."
"Nah, it's fine," Danny said from the door. "And you can sleep later, but we have a few burning questions for you that came up through our research."
Myriam looked over as she picked up some discarded things during her and Gracie's movie binge and was concerned by his tone. "Well, that doesn't sound promising. Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like the sound of this and am I going to have to get a lawyer or something base on the look in your eye? Because I'm pretty certain I haven't done anything illegal. My brothers - I don't know."
"Oh no, if our working theory is correct, you and your brothers need to be in protective custody," Danny quipped as he came in with a garbage bag to help clean up.
"Protective- what? What the hell for?" she snarled as she turned to face him. "What the hell are you talking about? I already figured that Cullen likely planted something because I had her boyfriend sent back east to have our bosses deal with him. I later fired her because of her attitude about it and refused to do her job so what? She plants something?"
Steve then told her about the Cullens and Parsons. And how they believed that Pride's shooting was a red herring to get Myriam back to New Orleans and her brothers back in the picture. Then her post to Hawaii. And how Tesla was another red herring.
Myriam blinked, not quite believing it. "She was working for a politician who hated Pride from the beginning. He was a local boy like Pride. New Orleans, as big and populated it is, locals take a lot of pride in its culture and no matter what, you never really leave there. Pride practically ousted Barlow and ostracized him to the point that he changed his name."
"Is it possible that this Barlow guy knew your parents?" Danny asked carefully after returning with the coffee.
"Everyone knew my family," she replied, a little calmer. "It was kinda why when I was brought in to cover Pride, I didn't go out on what cases came in. I didn't want to hinder them. If we needed something darker done, I could get things moved using my name with other networks for information."
"What if all of that was orchestrated? What if everything that happened with Parsons is all a part of a bigger plan orchestrated by someone who doesn't like you or your brothers very much?" Steve asked.
She rolled her eyes. "So they planned and worked with my brothers to have one fake the other's murder and take the fall for it? Come on now, McGarrett."
"No, your brothers did what they did, but it all started with Barlow and Parsons," Steve replied. "I know it sounds out there, and maybe like a fantasy but what if we're right? What if this is all a ruse to get you and your brothers out in the open so your father can finish what he started?"
Myriam sat and thought about how the NOLA team knew someone in the government had it out for Pride, but they just didn't know who, which set up all their troubles. The IRS on LaSalle that she couldn't even figure out a way to help because his father did screw things up himself. Letting out a sigh, she shrugged. "I don't know, maybe? If it is, I don't know anything about what my father might be up to. My brothers, if they kept in touch with anyone might know, but if they've been truthful with me when they said they haven't, they shouldn't know. However, knowing Nick, he's a paranoid asshole like our father. He always had eyes on his back because he was terrified of him and what he could do. He'd know more about what he's capable of than I would."
"Call them. Tell them to come here."
Sighing, she went over and picked up her cell phone. Dialing Cole first, she let it ring until he picked up. He was annoyed at the interruption until she said it was important and gave him the address to meet her. The next call was more difficult. "Nick, I need you to meet me. Cole is on his way, but 5-0 has a theory, and you're the best to shoot ideas off regarding it."
"Can't it wait?"
"Um, not really if you are to agree with their theory," she murmured, glancing at the two. "They pieced together some of my case from New Orleans, and these here and they believe that um… that our dad may be behind it."
Nick sighed. "Very well. I'll come over, and I'll bring over my own information as well. Where do I go?"
She quickly gave him the address. "Can you bring me more wine from the collection too? I think this is going to be a long night."
"She does not need more wine!" Danny shouted.
"Ignore him," she hissed into the phone before hanging up and glaring at him. "Trade families for a day and you'll be at the bottom of Jim Beam sucking his -"
Steve wrapped his hand around her mouth before she could finish her statement. "Alright now. You two calm down. I know you two are friends. Or at least friendlier than you are with the rest of the team so let's just take a step back and chill out. And not over alcohol. Got it? Let's focus on your case since apparently, now you are it."
As soon as he removed his hand, he remained close to her, eyeing her reaction. "Well, I'm a lot more fun when I'm loaded. Just saying."
"You've had enough for the night," Danny replied and pointed at her coffee. "Drink up."
"Coffee," Myriam slithered over to seat and took a sip. While she didn't prefer her coffee black, she wasn't about to start complaining after all the drama she stirred up for the two.
"Did you and Gracie have fun?" Danny asked as he sipped his coffee. "She usually doesn't take to strangers very well, but when I introduced you, she was quite happy."
Myriam looked around and shrugged. "Things went fine. There wasn't much around here to do so we took a walk down to the store for snacks and found some old movies on TV to watch. She certainly had a lot to share about you and your team, so I suppose it was good."
"You weren't supposed to go out."
"It's not like she was left unsupervised. And this was before either of us knew of what was going on," she pointed out. "We went up the street and came back. Next time I'll order Uber Eats or make arrangements with a liquor store to deliver for me. So, what did you find at the scene?"
"Ha, nice try," Steve took a sip of his coffee.
"It was my office!"
"And it's our case."
"And your partner working your case looks like he's about to shit himself about my office," she replied. Glancing between the two, she narrowed her eyes. "What the hell is up? Or do the two of you not even know what you two are doing?"
It was quiet for a moment before Danny sat down and spoke up. "So uh…I offered you to look into your brother, right?"
"Right?"
"This morning I found him and Tani uh… exploring the outdoors without any clothes on," he replied. "As it turns out, she had no idea who he was in the beginning, and when she offered Steve to look into your brothers herself, she realized what was going on."
Myriam sat back in her chair, her coffee in front of her, staring at the cup as she was instantly sobered. "So you were looking into my brothers while chasing me down McGarrett?"
"No, that decision came after you sent the lieutenant on my ass," he replied. "Besides, with your family history, I wanted to know for myself if they were on the up and up as you said. Why did you have Danny look into your brother?"
She nodded, understanding the reaction. "Same reason. So my brother and your officer are shacking up? That's what he's been hiding?"
"I don't know; I feel that he's not telling her everything. We'd only know for sure if we'd raid his lair where he supposedly keeps go bags for you guys."
She grew quieter as she heard that and her eyes rose to look at them. "If he has to go bags for us, then he believes there is still someone after us."
"Look," Steve said as he gently placed his hand on her knee and squeezed it. "I think your brother knows more than he lets on about things and I sincerely hope that he'll come clean tonight. You're not alone in this. And I truly believe that he's not doing anything illegal, either. He even told Tani that it was expected and alright that we were looking into him and that he didn't have anything to hide. Apart from what he might know. He likely didn't want to endanger you."
"He came out of hiding because the history of our family came knocking," she said as she looked at them without giving the gory details that lead to the reassignment in Hawaii. "If it weren't for him and Cole, I wouldn't be sitting here, breathing. So even if they are treading lines, I still would find the best lawyer I could to protect them now. They are all I have."
"And we know that. Even if we'd come up with something while looking at your brothers that were borderline illegal, we would be alright with it as long as they wouldn't hurt people around them. Your family is important, Myriam. The moment you set foot on the Island and started to work here, you became Ohana. Family. One of us. And that will remain so until you decide to leave or when NCIS reassigns you again," Steve explained kindly. "You three don't have to do things alone anymore."
She tried to smile at him, but she didn't have the energy to put into it. Thankfully for her, the doorbell rang, causing her to look over her shoulder. "Probably one or both of them."
"Stay here," Steve said as he took out his gun and headed for the door. Peering out of the spyhole he saw two unamused men stand in front of the door. He let them in and made sure that they were alone before following them into the living room. Nick was carrying a satchel and Cole looked drunk, so Danny got them some more coffee.
"We're here, now what?" Cole said as he sat down next to his sister where Steve had previously sat. "Couldn't it have waited?"
Nick sat down quietly and didn't say anything. It was almost as if he was trying to find the right words to say but couldn't find them. "We're here because everything that Myriam and her friend Pride has gone through is connected, isn't it? Even that politician and the dead sailor from a couple of weeks back."
"Commander McGarrett and his team suspect that, yes," Myriam replied, feeling a little uncomfortable as she watched her brother after recently learning of his relationship with the man's employee. "Though I wonder if your girlfriend told you any of this?"
Cole's eyes grew as he turned to stare at his brother. "Girlfriend? When was this? Why haven't I heard about it? Who is she? What's she like? Is she hot? I was hoping that we could set up with this set of twins I met this morning down at the beach. Man!"
"Now is not the time, Cole!" Nick shot at him. "And I'm afraid to say that he's right," he said as he nodded towards Steve while getting a stack of papers out of his bag. "I did my own investigation and used some of my sources," he said as he threw them on the coffee table. "Our parents are still alive, and they want us dead."
Myriam was confused and angry. "What for?" she asked as she launched herself for the papers. "I was only fifteen when all of that went down. Hell, I wasn't even there when the police raided the house!"
"It was likely because we three were always together and Cole and I tipped off the police anonymously," Nick replied with a sigh. "I don't know. Father was always a murderous bastard. Perhaps they want us dead because we refused to follow in their footsteps and yet enjoy the fruits of their labor, which is owed to us."
"Yes, pain and suffering," she scoffed. "While Dad was out doing god knows what, Mom was having that affair with - oh, what's his name?"
"Sheppard."
She looked up, and recognition came to her. "Motherfucker. I thought he was familiar, but I just couldn't place him…"
"Your partner?" Steve asked. "He's called Sheppard, right?"
"Yeah. Jon Sheppard. He told me he had a falling out with his parents for not following in his family's law practice and going into law enforcement instead. He left and went as far away as he could get. He even mentioned going to New Orleans a time or two, but I didn't make the connection," she answered. "I mean, the Jon I remembered when I was a kid was a scraggly thing and miserable during the visits, but I never stuck around. I was out of the house and went to the sticks where I hung out with some of the shadier groups I'd become friends with but not for drugs or anything. They used to have some music runs amongst themselves, and it paid to have them as friends to hide when Dad came looking because no one saw nothing when a Mikaelson was looking."
"Yeah I don't remember him either," Cole shook his head.
"I do, but I didn't know that your new partner was him. But I do know that him being here is purely accidental. He's the avoidance kind of person," Nick replied before letting out a sigh. "I do have to admit that I didn't find a connection between the mayor of New Orleans and Parsons."
"If you're talking about Taylor, the bitch that tried to have me killed, then I doubt she would have anything to do with her. My money would have been on Hamilton. He was in office for fucking years and had a judge in his pocket to turn a lot of deals in his favor," Myriam pointed out. "I found out a lot of shit before I went back to that city and while he painted a pretty picture, it was done in blood."
"No, I think her beef with you was personal, that's why she asked her dirty brother to take you and do what he did," Nick shrugged. "I have no idea why maybe Pride can get that out of her. But it's unrelated to all of this. You see, I wanted to help Pride just as much as you did, so I started looking. Digging. And I thought the information I received wasn't solid, such as with your dead body, until we came to Hawaii and that became your first case. Over the years I've amassed quite the network of… acquaintances who keep an eye out for me and one managed to inform me that our parents were spotted in France about a year ago. Parsons was in France about a year ago."
"Okay, fine, but why didn't you tell us, Nick?" Cole asked as he looked at his brother. "We deserved to know what you were up to."
"Because I'm your older brother and it's my duty and responsibility to take care of you, to make amends! We should never have faked my death and put you in jail to keep ourselves safe! We should have stuck together instead!" he shot at his brother before looking at Steve. "You're friends with Joe White, aren't you? Thanks to his digging around our parents know that we're here. Because you couldn't allow yourself to get the information organically, you had him look into our family, and you gave them a roadmap." He then looked at his siblings again. "I don't know about you two, but I think we need to leave Hawaii as soon as we possibly can and disappear."
Myriam listened to her brother's words, and she could understand where he was coming from. But she was tired of running. "I lost four people today. Two of them are still in the hospital. I'm tired of people being collateral damage because of our family. I'm tired of people being manipulated because of our family. This ends. Now. Let them come."
"But we will lose, Myriam!" Nick blurted. "Granted, you're a cop, and we know how to shoot guns, but they will win, it's best to take our chances and leave. You hate it here anyway."
"I can't do that, Nick. I need to see this through for us. For the people, I've lost. I don't care how we're going to win or even if we're going to win, but we need to try at least to stop them. Enough is enough."
"And you're not alone," Steve added.
"You won't allow us to kill them," Nick said. "In jail, where they belong after we three gave our testimonies, they'll have an even bigger reach. They need to be dealt with."
"Off the record, we're no strangers to go off book and to do what it takes. Your parents have proven to want to kill you. You're citizens of Hawaii and thus under our protection. I say that warrants us to do everything in our power to make sure that doesn't happen."
Myriam turned to look at Steve, bewildered at his response, unsure of how to deal with it, so she just internally shut down. "Um...uh…" she blinked as she turned back to her brothers.
"How about you all just relax for tonight? I don't know if your parents are going to try to pull another move so soon, but it seems unlikely if they know that we're onto them. They are going to wait to see what our next move will be, or yours."
"You've got three stressed out Mikaelsons here. There won't be any relaxing done," Nick said as his brother had become unusually quiet, just like his sister. "But I'll take them home."
Steve nodded. "I'll have one of my team come over and have some HPD units patrol your area more frequently. Probably put an unmarked outside as well."
Danny decided to chime in. "Yeah, and it won't be Tani. You'll get to meet Junior."
"I don't want to go home," Myriam muttered as she had squeezed herself in the small area of the couch that she was on, her head now on the headrest and her feet in Cole's lap. She was trying to make sense of what she felt, but all she could identify was numbness. Overloaded.
"Yes, come on," Nick said as he lifted her off the couch. "You'll be safer at home."
"I don't want to be alone," she whispered.
"You're not alone. I'll take care of you. You and Cole. Now, let's go home. Say goodnight and thank you, Myriam."
"Goodnight and thank you, Myriam," she sleepily parroted.
Steve smiled and waved to the three as they left. As he closed the door behind them, he looked at Danny. "So, this whole tough agent act, is just a defense mechanism? Those three are terrified."
Danny nodded. "I saw a glimpse of that when I spoke to Myriam that afternoon on the beach. She grew up not to trust anyone, just like her brothers. They don't have anyone else to look out for them but themselves because while Myriam has made some friends over at NCIS, I don't think they'd like to get their hands dirty on this one."
"Well, then it's a good thing that the three of them have us now," the 5-0 fearless leader smiled and prepared to go home, sleep for a few hours and then to get back to work.
The following morning, Steve showed up to the Mikaelson house expecting a semi-hostile reception from Myriam after the events of the last few weeks. He was hopeful that she would be a little friendlier to this unannounced visit after the previous day. The gate opened without any fuss, allowing him to pull into their driveway, but when he got to the door, he found himself just a bit more hesitant.
Nick stood waiting, watching the man as he kept an eye on the surrounding area. "I do believe my sister had mentioned something about showing up unannounced. You do understand the extent of the reason behind that request after last night, yes?"
Steve sighed and nodded. "I do, and I sincerely apologize but I just wanted to, I don't know. See how she's doing? I was going to the hospital to see how her team was doing and thought maybe she'd like to go for the ride. Maybe it'd do her some good?"
Her brother narrowed his eyes at him, debating on whether to go along with his idea or not. "I don't know what is going on between you and my sister, but I do not want to see her hurt. I know she is difficult and complicated, but I know her well enough to know that she has no idea what the hell she is doing. She's been through enough."
"So has Tani," Steve replied as he looked Nick in the eye.
Nick let out a breath and turned his gaze over to the gated wall around the property. "Fair enough. For what it is worth, I do care for Tani very much," he shared. "Although I would not doubt that you and your partner will continue to have your doubts and suspicions of my intentions. I've come to learn that is a trait amongst those in your field and there had only ever been one person I'd gain the trust of. Comes with the territory of being a Mikaelson."
Steve shoved his hands into his pockets and was quickly growing irritated. "Look, Nick, I don't know what you want me to tell you. I don't know what you want to know. I understand your family has history, and with that comes some issues. It's not my first rodeo when it comes to working with former - ah questionable - people. Just give me the benefit of the doubt. You want that of me, right?"
"I swear if you hurt my little sister…"
"I'm not going to. Don't hurt Tani."
"I have no intention of it," Nick replied as he stepped back and gave Steve access to their home. "She should be back down shortly. I sent her to shower after she came for coffee, though she wasn't particularly happy with being instructed like a child."
Steve shook his head as he glanced towards the staircase. "Why would we expect anything else?"
"After we returned home last night, Myriam was more awake and enraged. She spent much of the night in the gym to work out her issues, but I don't think they will be resolved with physical exertion," Nick subtly warned. "Cole and I can distract her so much, but she's been trained like you. Raised, as far as I am aware by a Marine who is friends with the officer that helped us get away from our father."
Steve nodded. "But sometimes training only gets you so far. Your sister has been through a lot, especially in the last few months, that's what I could figure out as much. No amount of training can fight against that kind of anger and depression. Don't worry; I'll look after her while I'm out with her."
Sighing, Nick moved to the stairs to listen for movement. "You did not hear this from me; you got it? If it comes back I will deny it to the ends of the Earth," he warned. "While in my absence, I still kept track of my sister. So I know much of her habits, before and after. So, I know she has this - thing with you even if she is still in denial. But she likely won't tell you about her abduction in New Orleans during her temporary assignment several months ago."
"What?"
Nick nodded slowly. "The then Mayor, Taylor, used to be very low on the… dodgy totem pole. Slept with Cole a few times to boost her status but she never liked Myriam much. Taylor asked her brother to take her, and that was without knowing she was a federal agent. She killed someone out of self-defense, but she was extremely beaten up, bruised, likely a few broken ribs. Don't think she's dealt with that yet."
Steve was quiet for a moment as he processed the new information and combined it with the information he already had. "How is she still functioning?"
"She's a Mikaelson. We're resilient. But it's unhealthy," Nick ran a hand through his hair. "If anything, I hope you can make a difference in her life, make her slow down, allow her to enjoy life more. And that's why I don't want you to hurt her. I don't want you to screw this up."
The Commander nodded, understanding them more now and the defensiveness that was always present. "I hear you," he murmured. "I'll do what I can to help but my partner, Danny? She's gotten to be friendly with him. They have similar backgrounds with shady family. Only he lost his brother in the process."
Nick shrugged as he lead Steve into the kitchen for a coffee. "I don't see him as potential dating material for her, more like the goofy friend. No doubt he'll be a great friend, but not... her rock."
"Bro, what?"
"Relax," Nick laughed. "Stuff like that takes time, especially with her."
"But not with you and Tani."
"I haven't been distracted by work and other things like my sister, I'm in a better headspace than her," Nick growled. "Between my little brother and my sister, I…" he sighed. "I'm not fully equipped to deal with them both."
"You're supposed to take care of each other, work together."
"And we do, but my family can get to be overwhelming. Especially my sister! You have met her, yes? About 5'2", brunette and an attitude that gives you whiplash? Feelings are not my forte, you know."
Steve barked out a laugh. "And mine is? I've got Danny for that. It took him years to fix me."
Footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. "What are you doing here?" Myriam muttered. She was wearing shorts, and a cropped top and her hair was flowing loosely over her shoulders, quite the change from what Steve had normally seen her in.
"Uhh," he failed at words again as he stared at her, only jerking out of his daze when he heard a low chuckle behind him. "I, uh, came to see if you wanted to head to the hospital with me to see Agent Sheppard and the other tech, your friend? Your brother was just keeping me company while we waited for you to finish."
"Yeah, sure," she nodded. "I'm wondering why they haven't called me yet."
"Maybe there's nothing to say or they don't want you to worry," Steve suggested. "Either way, we can go and find out together. Then perhaps we can grab lunch after if crap doesn't hit the fan again. There is this place in Waikiki that I think you'd like."
"I'm not hungry though," she said as she stuffed her keys and wallet in her pocket. "Nick, are you okay with him taking me out?"
Nick looked up from the paper he'd begun to read and glanced towards the Commander. "Why would I? Although I would not have expected you to leave without your weapon and badge. Isn't that standard?"
"There's no NCIS office anymore. My team is either dead or in the hospital. 5-0 is handling the case. I'm off the fucking clock."
Steve shrugged and tried not to rattle her further. "It's up to you. Technically, you're still a federal agent. I have no issues with you keeping to protocol and tagging on, as I mentioned last night when invited or in a limited capacity. While you can't run the case, you are still incredibly valuable to it and office notwithstanding, NCIS still exists on the island with you. You can work out of 5-0. Trust me when I say, we've lost our office a time or two since Governor Jameson started us up."
She shook her head. "Vance told me to take a few days off because Gibbs asked him to order me."
"Why do I get the feeling that you don't particularly like to listen to them very well," he smiled. "And considering that, I doubt they expect you to follow those orders without them being here to cuff to your brother or one of them. You're with me, and I'm the one working. Remember?"
Myriam was quiet for a moment before pulling everything out of her pockets again. "I'll go change."
"Sure," Steve nodded, a slight frown on his lips. "Of course, you don't have to if you don't want to. At least not on my account."
She pointed at herself. "This does not say Federal Agent. If I'm to wear my badge and gun, I need my clothes."
"And this is Hawaii where my partner wears these ridiculous shirts sometimes. And a lot of female cops have bathing suits under their uniforms. If you have a bathing suit under that top and shorts, you're good to go for Hawaii. I just recommend sneakers."
She looked over to Nick, who merely shrugged with a smile on his face. Huffing, she decided to fuck it all and put her keys and wallet back into her pocket and headed to the safe to get her gun and badge. "Fine. If I end up feeling like a fool, I'm going to kick your ass."
"You have to realize by now that here in Hawaii we do things differently," Steve smiled at her. "As long as you're dressed to the nines when your boss shows up, no one will be none the wiser."
"I should take you to New Orleans and see how long you last," she retorted as she headed for the front door. "And knowing Gibbs, he'd probably be on a plane here now. If not him then maybe Pride…oh shit…" she paused to turn to face Nick. "You don't think he'd actually come out here? Do you think he found out?"
"From what I know, they're both papa bears when it comes to you. My guess is you have about a day before they come knocking at our gate."
"More like with a battering ram," she sighed glumly. "Let's go. This may be my only day of freedom left."
They drove to the hospital to find Jon just being released. He had to stay the night due to smoke inhalation and some cuts and bruises along with a broken shoulder. "Hey! Sorry, I couldn't call you. I uh… didn't memorize your phone number. Our phones are toast. How are you doing?" Shep asked Myriam before realizing her outfit. "Woah, looking good, boss."
Myriam tugged on her shirt, glaring at Steve. "Let's not discuss my wardrobe. How are you doing? Commander McGarrett offered to let us borrow space at their office until we get sorted out again. When you've been cleared for field work again, I'll have to get you a new weapon, but I can see about the phone the next time I talk to the Director."
"Nah, it's fine, it's professional risk, isn't it?" Shep shrugged before wincing. "Yeah, I'm fine. Auggie… well, let's go to him," he said as he motioned for her and Steve to follow him to Auggie's room.
She narrowed her eyes as he didn't elaborate further. "He's alright? He didn't seem to have life-threatening injuries when you two left in the ambulance."
"He's healthy as a horse," Sheppard said as he lead them into a room. "Hey Auggie, look who's stopped by to visit!"
"Funny, very funny," Auggie remarked as he turned his head towards the voice as he'd normally do, his head was wrapped with bandages, and there were bandages over his eyes. "But since Joan would travel a long distance to get to me, I guess that it's our boss. Hi Myr, how are you doing?"
She stopped frozen in the doorway at seeing him with the bandages the way he had. "I'm okay," she offered a little timidly. "You - are you okay? What happened?"
"Oh! Well, I got hit in the head, and some debris came into my eyes."
"Some, he says," Sheppard shook his head.
"Long story short, the doctors don't think I'll ever be able to see your gorgeous face."
Myriam blinked and shook her head, not knowing how to respond. "But, can't they do surgery? You love your work. You won't be able to work in the lab! Joan! She'll kill me for letting you get hurt like this!"
Auggie sighed as he held out his hand for her to take, when she did, he pulled her onto the bed with him and put his arms around her. "I'd need new eyeballs, so that's a bit of a deal breaker," he whispered in her ear. "Joan won't kill you because she knows that our job is dangerous. And thirdly… it's going to take some work, but I can still do tech work when needed. Surveillance. I know my keyboards and programs like the back of my hand. But it's going to take work and patience and… well, that's going to be hard."
"So the next bad guy we kill, I'll rip his eyes out for you," she muttered. "The CIA won't be as friendly with the change."
"Stop that," he tapped her on her head. "This is not your fault."
"Of course it is. If I weren't such a bitch to fire everyone as I had, you wouldn't have insisted on coming out here on loan to help me," she argued, wrapping her arms around his sides as carefully as she could.
"And since when are you responsible for the actions of others?" he tapped her on her head again. "You need to stop that. Someone made the conscious decision to blow us up. I don't care if it's someone you fired, because you're not responsible for their actions."
Myriam sighed at the mention about the bomb. "About that… there is some information you may want to know. Your response might end up changing after you hear what 5-0 thinks is going on."
After Myriam told Auggie and Shep everything they'd uncovered the previous night, both men let out a breath, but Auggie didn't let go of her. "No, I'm sticking to my original assessment. Not your fault. I don't blame you. Some people lose their limbs due to a gunfight. I lose my eyes because I got blown up. That's something to brag about."
"Stop saying that you got blown up," she whined.
"Auggie and I got blown up," Shep shrugged.
"So did Jasper and Aracely. Matt. They aren't here to be able to brag about it," she snapped.
"Hey," Auggie tapped her on her head again. "You didn't lose all of us. We're still here, and we're not going anywhere."
"You'll go back to Virginia."
"Who says that?" Auggie replied with a frown, although you couldn't see him frowning. "No, I'm staying here. They have excellent care here, and I'm sure that in no time I'll be back on my feet and doing things my way. NCIS has lost good people. I know that. It's the job. And it sucks. But we're still here. You're still here. And we can mourn them."
"I should call Gibbs. Asshole wouldn't say a damn word on the phone I bet but sip his bourbon, but somehow I think I need him," she shrugged against him.
"Gibbs scares the hell out of me," Auggie gently ran his fingers through her hair as she finally calmed down some. "Joan is a pussycat compared to him."
She pressed her lips into his chest and smiled. "Gibbs is a teddy bear. All you have to do is not piss him off and come bearing coffee. That was your mistake, taking the last in the pot."
"Rule 23," Auggie sighed.
"Rule 23," Myriam nodded. "Don't mess with a marine's coffee unless you have a death wish."
"Or Myriam's coffee," Shep added. "I'll never make that mistake again."
"Uhh… I drink tea," Steve piped up. "Mess with my coffee all you want."
"Pussy," all three replied together.
Steve let out a snort. It was good to see that Myriam had at least allowed Sheppard in, and her ex-boyfriend, despite his dramatic injuries, was doing all that he could to make her feel at ease, to make her feel better.
"Now, I'm willing to bet that all you have had since the explosion was a good amount of wine," Auggie commented.
"Coffee this morning," Myriam replied quickly. "Nick forced it upon me."
"You need food. Why don't you get something, enjoy the sun and water. Bring me back some poke for dinner. This shit they are trying to give me I wouldn't feed to my dog."
"How can I do that when you're here? When there are so many dead and with a target on my back? No, I want to stay here. Keep you company."
"You want me to starve?" Auggie pouted. "Myriam, come on. Feed me. You always find the best places for food."
"Ah fuck," Steve cried out as he whipped out his phone. "I forgot to feed and walk Eddie!"
Myriam lifted her head to look over at him. "You have a dog you completely forgot about? Over how many days?"
"I've been busy!"
"It's your dog! I'd feel sorry if you had any children."
"I'm asking Gracie to go and get him right now and pamper him," he said as he held up his phone. "I'll pay her for dog walking services later."
She rolled her eyes. "Thank God Danny is her father and not you. At least he has a brain."
Auggie let out a snort. "Hey," he whispered as he gently tugged on her hair to get her attention. "I'll be fine. Go have some relaxation and food with Mr. Muscles."
"Excuse you?" she asked.
"Oh come on, I may be blind now, but I did get to see him before," he smiled at her. "He's a hottie, and Shep told me all the gossip so…"
She rolled her eyes. "There is no gossip to be said," she muttered.
"Go and have some food, come back to me tonight, with some poke. Please, I'm begging you."
"Fine," she grumbled, crawling off the bed, being careful of his IV tubings. "I will make you suffer for this though. Making me have to get you poke? What the fuck is poke? Isn't that some game or cartoon that people play?"
Steve shook his head, amused. "Poke is a raw fish bowl. Sushi essentially."
"So you want a bowlful of salmonella poisoning. Fantastic. I'll bring you back salmonella."
"Yay," Auggie smiled at her. "Have fun, kids!"
"Yeah, I'm uh… going home. I'll swing by later, Auggie, but I need to get a hot shower and burn this stench off of me," Sheppard said as he squeezed his leg. "Get some rest."
"Ain't much else to do but," the man replied. "Just make sure someone comes back with poke. That's all I ask."
"We'll bring you all the poke and a new cell phone," Sheppard nodded. "See ya later," he said as he left the room.
Myriam called out to him to wait as she scrambled to Steve, careful not to miss any vital parts on Auggie's body. "Can one of your team come and drive him? I don't trust my father not to do something to anyone that's close to the family. And if this Tani means anything to Nick, it might be a good idea for her to keep a distance from him until he's dealt with."
Steve nodded as he dialed Danny's number. "You know, we could drive him home ourselves and make sure someone's watching his house. Get someone to watch Auggie, too."
"Very well known officers that you trust. Hell, even outsource to the base for MPs if necessary because my dad did have a history of getting corrupt cops on his payroll in all the cities he'd done business in," she shared.
"I fucking hate your dad," Auggie groaned.
"You're not alone in that club," she smirked. "Nick is the president of it after all."
Once someone Steve knew came over to watch over Auggie, they drove Jon to his home where Tani was waiting for them. "I get it, stay clear from the Mikaelsons for now, but doesn't that include you, boss?"
"I'll be fine," Steve said with a nod. "Thanks for doing this, Tani."
She nodded before helping Jon get inside his house and smiled as she closed the door behind them.
Myriam let out a breath. "What's next?"
"Food," Steve replied.
"Seriously? I thought that was just the excuse to get Auggie to rest."
"Auggie wants his food, and he told you to eat. Are you not listening to your friend who's in the hospital right now?"
She sighed as she pulled her seatbelt on. "I'm not eating raw fish, for the record."
"Nah, I told you, I know this great place in Waikiki which I think you'll love."
"No seafood! Unless it's fried."
"I promise," Steve laughed as he drove off.
She nodded and settled in for the drive. Along the way, she found herself biting on her lower lip as she tried to think of a way of broaching a subject that had been on her mind since they left her house. "Just what did you and my brother discuss before I came downstairs?" Myriam asked, avoiding looking at him as she spoke the words.
"We exerted typical Alpha male behavior towards each other. He told me not to hurt you; I told him not to do the same with Tani," he replied. "And he told me what happened to you in New Orleans, although you didn't hear that from me. He didn't want to tell me, but he figured I should know."
She fidgeted with the fabric of her shirt as she let that absorb. "Maybe he was right to say something to someone. I don't know. I know I probably wouldn't say anything for a while to anyone that wasn't there if I didn't have to," she shrugged.
"I understand," Steve said kindly. "Believe me, I know. I've been in pretty tough situations myself either of my own doing or because I got kidnapped myself. It's difficult to talk about your experiences with someone who doesn't know or can't imagine what you've gone through."
"I replay that night and always wonder how they got in. The abattoir's security is top of the line. Just short of fingerprint or iris scanning for civilian access," she muttered. "And I'd only been in town for a couple of days, using the servants' entrance and I hadn't let anyone know that someone was coming back so there was no one that should have known I was there."
"No security cams?"
She looked over at him and nodded. "Sure we do, but it's all internal unless Nick changed them out during the years I refused to go there if he was able to sneak in without being seen by the locals. Pride would have recognized him without a doubt. I mean, he was the one that helped them set up their deal and got me to DC."
He let out a breath before nodding. "Sometimes it's best not to wonder about things; it'll just drive you crazy. They got in and grabbed you. Don't think about the why. I mean… I think I have an experience like that of my own, thinking about it drove me nuts."
Myriam shook her head. "I can't help but to especially now. I mean, despite knowing that Taylor's brother took me, what if it's still connected? And that attempt only failed? I was put in a deathmatch cage where the other guy pulled a knife at the end, McGarrett. They did not want me to come out alive," she insisted as she shifted her shirt and showed him her scar from that fight. She wasn't ashamed of it, as she had many from her years working and training, but it was the one she questioned its motives.
"Would you like me to request the NCIS case files on that and see what I can find?"
"I can get them to you quicker if you want to see them," she replied.
"I mean, we're already deep in all of this, so maybe we can see a connection that they can't," hell, he wanted to give her a peace of mind and a second opinion. Because what if it was all connected? Everything?
She nodded, not doubting Pride and Chris, but they had their problems during her case. "I have a copy of the entire file at home."
"Oh, right, on your emergency laptop."
"Yep," she nodded. "And the physical file as well. It always bothered me, so I made copies before leaving. In case I lost access to the system, but you didn't hear that."
He briefly looked over at her and blinked. "You're afraid to lose your job? Who would want to get you to quit? Aside from your brothers."
"I am too close to the lead on the team there that I was covering and he has some politician in DC on his ass. No one knows who and they are making their lives hell. I do have connections that can get around some red tape, legally, but there are times where you know you have to walk a fine line. Whoever has it out for Pride, could easily come for me if I showed too much support for his cause. I never intended to go back to New Orleans, but I was there, and I intended to do my job. That was it. He knew that I wouldn't cross that line for him because in my eyes it would make me no better than my father," she explained about the climate of NCIS New Orleans.
"When I take you home later, then you can show me or bring your laptop to the office when you feel up for it. I promise I will look into every angle that you can remember or may connect," Steve assured. "The most difficult place is where you are at now. Trying to move forward is the hardest part. I can help you with some of those first steps with just what we're doing. Go out and get some lunch as your friend suggested."
Myriam let out a frustrated sigh. "I do take it that apart from Parsons, Isabella Cullen is your main suspect?"
"Myriam, let us do our job."
"I am! But you're not doing it. Instead you're taking me out for food!"
He looked over at her. "I do have a very good team. Sometimes you need to remember to take a break to see the details of your case."
She fidgeted with her shirt. "Sorry. It's just…"
"I know," Steve smiled at her. "Don't worry, okay? We're working on it," he said as he parked the car in front of a restaurant. "But first, let's have some food."
Author Note: Posting early for you this week. I'll be spending Thanksgiving at the nursing home with my mother tomorrow and having Boston Market before hand and bringing her some for her meal. Easy day for us. Have a happy and healthy Turkey Day everyone!
Myriam had to admit, her day out with Steve had been something she'd needed. She couldn't help but feel guilty for what happened to Auggie, especially since the bombing was connected to her and her family, but the way he dealt with it - at least in her presence - made her feel a bit better too. He was really happy with the poke that she brought him when Steve and she were on the way back to her house.
Auggie had always been so very strong, taking everything with a joke. Getting hurt on a job? Joke. Getting himself nearly killed during an undercover op? Joke. Losing his eyesight? Joke. She wasn't sure how he did it, but she hoped it would be a family trait and that his sister Joan wouldn't be too pissed off at Myriam for this. Especially since Myriam got him nearly killed during a past undercover op.
After dinner, Myriam went to bed with a bottle of wine and crashed. The next morning, however, she was awoken by a pale looking Cole. "What?"
"You need to get dressed and come downstairs. Like… now. Or they'll come upstairs."
She stared him bleary-eyed and confused. "What the fuck are you going on about?" She asked, pulling herself up. "I had a good fucking dream. Why you have to go and ruin it?"
"Myriam, please. The HPD officer that's watching our house didn't stand a chance, and Nick let them in before they'd kick in the door. It's Pride with whomever the other one is."
She let out a groan and jumped out of bed, stumbling to her closet and pulling on a pair of jeans as she yanked a shirt off a hanger. "Why didn't you just start off with saying that Pride was here you dick!?"
"I thought you would have anticipated this."
"He'd better have brought some gumbo with him," she scowled as she got dressed. "Coffee."
"Nick's already on it."
"No, I want spiked coffee," she sighed.
Cole smirked and shook his head. "I think you might have a drinking problem sister."
"And I think you might have a sex problem, brother," she shot at him before making her way down the stairs.
"You get locked up for fifteen years," he snipped. "Plus there are too many gorgeous women here. I'm going to enjoy myself. Just get your ass downstairs. And don't hide."
"I am not hiding!" She stormed into the kitchen to get her coffee and looked at their two guests who patiently waited until she had some coffee inside of her. "You didn't have to come."
Pride held his arms out and shook his head. "You think we wouldn't show up when we caught wind of what was going on here? When your new station explodes? You got to be a special kind of crazy!"
Nick let out a laugh from the couch. "She is, but I think it pairs well with the local officer she has her eye on."
Myriam glared over at her brother. "I do not," she then looked over to the two men who've been keeping an eye on her for so long. "I wasn't there. Two of my team and two techs died. One has a broken shoulder and the spare tech… Auggie…" she sighed then. "He lost his eyesight."
"Auggie?" Gibbs blinked. "CIA Auggie?"
She nodded as she took another sip of her coffee. "Local LEO's are working the case, and since their working theory is that everything is connected, I gave them all that we had on Parsons and the shit that she's pulled."
"This is an NCIS matter."
"It is," Myriam nodded. "But I'm too close, and the only two who are still alive are injured. I trust 5-0 to be as meticulous as I would be. And it's not because I wanted to hand it over, it's because we don't have an office here anymore."
"Well," Pride smiled at her. "How about we pay them a visit to see what progress they've made so far?"
"And then you can also check out the local officer she likes," Nick grinned. "Must have been a pleasant dream sis, both Cole and I-"
"Nick." Cole kicked him.
"What?!" He complained. "You heard her too! She goes on about Tani and I. Why can't I say something about her and McGarrett?"
"Because you and Tani are actually fucking each other," Cole rolled his eyes at his brother. "The only one of our family who's not getting any is her."
"Hey!" Gibbs barked. "Language!"
"And far too much information," Pride added as he looked at Myriam who looked like she could shoot someone. "Done with that coffee?"
Myriam poured her coffee into her to-go cup and went to the safe to get her badge and gun out. "Yeah, let's go, let these two idiots do whatever," she replied as she headed for the door before realizing what she said and turning back. "No parties at the house!"
"Where are you going, Myriam?!" Nick jumped after her. "You are not leaving us with your fed friends! That is not fair!"
"Tough! You shouldn't have brought up McGarrett, and I've only mentioned Tani to you once, and that was last night with people who are involved with this shit!" She walked out the door and realized her car was still at the base. "Motherfucker!" she walked back inside. "I need to use your car."
"No! You can walk!"
Pride put an arm around Myriam and steered her back towards the door. "Relax, we got a rental."
She let out a whimper, knowing she wasn't going to get out of being stuck with the very men she dreaded seeing that week. "Can we make a stop along the way? I think I'm gonna have to make a peace offering and a bit of sacrifice for what I'm bringing to these people," she muttered as she began her slow walk to their car.
She made them swing by Kamekona's truck for food and coffee, and she also asked him to give Steve a head's up. She really needed to get Steve's number for situations like this. Gibbs and Pride were going to eat him alive or rip the team apart because they weren't working fast enough for Myriam's sake.
Myriam was relieved to find Steve waiting for them outside upon arrival with a big smile on his face. "You brought breakfast!"
"I brought you a headache," she replied, glancing over her shoulder. "The food is the apology for them. We did anticipate this though yesterday."
He nodded as he took the food. "Mahalo, I'm Commander McGarrett," he said as he lead them inside the building. "I take it you'd like an update on the case?"
"Yeah," Gibbs slowly answered as he sized the man up. "That'd be nice."
"Not a problem," he said as he headed to the elevators. "You'd be pleased to know that we have one of the suspects in custody and we'll hand her over to NCIS when we're done so she can get her due process."
Myriam tensed as she looked over at him. "Who?"
Steve grinned at her. "Isabella. Great tech, not good at hiding. Jerry ran into her last night."
"Show me to her. I want five minutes," she replied, turning to look for wherever their holding might be. "I have some things to go over."
"Nope," he said as he nudged her into the elevator to go to the offices. "Our case. Even they don't get to see her, just hear and see what we've collected so far, and of course, hear our theories."
"She killed my team. You think you'd be able to keep yourself back in my position?" Myriam questioned as she pushed ahead of him, angrily pressing the elevator call button. "Somehow I doubt you'd step back from a case if it were personal. Danny told me enough about your past with Wo Fat. So I know you are full of shit up to your eyeballs. In fact, they are floating around in your hair you are so full of it."
He sighed. Oh, she was right. Of course, she was, he'd want the same, and he'd get physical about it. "Fine, five minutes, after we're done telling your two friends everything we know."
Myriam crossed her arms and smiled at him, rebelling in her success at his caving to her request. "Thank you," she replied, much calmer. "Now, McGarrett, this is Gibbs and Pride. The ones I told you about. And I forgot to ask. Did anyone think to bring me gumbo?"
"Your brother already put it in the fridge," Pride nodded. "Of course, I know how much you love your gumbo."
"I would have brought steak, but rules," Gibbs shrugged.
"Cole wants to open a true New Orleans style bar and restaurant here in Hawaii," she told Pride. "All the other places here are fakes."
"What if you get reassigned again?"
Myriam shrugged. "I don't know yet. I hope not. I mean, I had a good team for a few weeks, what's stopping me from building one again? I mean, this place isn't so bad, apart from the food, but Nick got us a New Orleans cook, and it's fine."
Steve nodded, lost in thought for a moment as he lead them to the 5-0 offices. "Here we are. Home away from home. Anything you need, you can use. My office is yours while you are here."
"Don't let them get spoiled. They may not leave," she hissed.
"And this is an investigation that we don't mind working with NCIS for, just not you or Shep because you're too close," he winked at her. "You can work another case if it pops up."
Myriam pouted as she looked around, impressed by the technology. Her eyes narrowed on the female officer she assumed was Tani. "So where is Danny? I'm surprised he's not here to help me annoy you. I'm disappointed now. He let me down."
"His son got into trouble in school, he'll be late," Steve replied, a playful smile on his face as he handed her one of Kamekona's breakfast plates. "But feel free to sit at his desk and eat your breakfast."
She looked back at him confused, holding her container. "He has a son too? I only knew about Grace. When did this happen?"
"A couple of years ago," Steve laughed, shaking his head. "He travels back and forth between here and the mainland to his mother. Grace doesn't want to; she's fine where she is."
She still stared at him. "He wasn't there two nights ago."
"Sleepover."
"Sounds to me he's like your dog. Everyone forgets about him," she said as she sat down in Danny's chair and started to eat. With Pride and Gibbs in the room, she couldn't refuse, or hell would rain down on her. "Tell them what you know so they can learn things," she said as she motioned to her two friends.
Steve grinned as he tapped the table in front of him and things started to show up on the screens around them. "Junior made a timeline with all the evidence we've got, feel free to take your time," he told Gibbs and Pride.
"You know, Patton would get a kick out of this place," Pride looked at Myriam.
"I will have my own hacker whenever he gets out of the hospital, and I can get approval for the proper equipment," she glared. "Of course he will need to learn Braille."
"I thought you wanted to send Auggie back after he appeared into your office like that?" Gibbs blinked in surprise. "At least that's what Leon told me."
"No," she said as she pushed a spoonful of food in her mouth. "I later decided to keep him around. He likes it here. And what better team is there than a team of misfits who are good at their job?"
Gibbs shook his head at her avoidance, knowing that after all that happened, she was merely clinging to something familiar. "So what do you have besides Cullen? If she is as annoying as I understand, I doubt she's very cooperative."
"She is, actually," Junior said. "She knows about our reputation, and she's shivering in her boots, but all she's doing is confirming what we already suspected. She only knows what she was supposed to do, and nothing else."
"She has confirmed that she acted upon her anger, but that was manipulated by Parsons to leave a farewell present," Tani added. "She fully knows that her future is doing time, but she doesn't regret doing it."
"Did you say, Parsons?" Pride said as he finally turned to look at the screens where everything was in chronological order. The trouble in New Orleans, the case of that dead sailor that had stalled, and the bombing. The relationships that were confirmed towards Parsons that she was the dead sailor's 'girlfriend' and in a threesome with the two Cullens. "That Edward, he's back on the mainland, isn't he?"
"As far as we know sir, yes he is," Tani nodded. "He was picked up by the FBI in New York on suspicion of domestic terrorism. Mainly due to his ties to his wife and Parsons."
"Good, we'll get him transferred into NCIS custody," Pride replied as he continued to look at the screens and then turned to Myriam. "They think your parents are involved?!"
Myriam nodded as she continued to eat her food, choosing to remain silent. The idea was so far out there, but it was a solid one.
"The night after the bombing, my partner Detective Williams and I had a sit down with Myriam and her brothers. As it turns out, her brother Nick was doing his investigation into Parsons, and he had come to the same conclusion as us," Steve said reluctantly. "He also said that I might have made it worse."
Gibbs snapped his head towards Steve. "How?"
"Look, she wasn't very forthcoming when she came to the island, and NCIS had a habit of giving us their cases. I wanted to know who I was working with so I had someone with eyes and ears everywhere do some digging," Steve admitted. "He already told me that he likely raised the interest of their parents, but I chose to ignore it."
Myriam could tell that Pride was showing an immense restraint, but Gibbs was closer to Steve and punched him in his face.
"Yeah, I deserved that," he said as he rubbed his jaw. "But even so, without my digging into Myriam and her brothers through my friend, their parents would have found them eventually anyway. Parsons works for them. Our working theory is that everything that has happened, including your partner's firm being investigated by the IRS and your shooting, was all a set up to get Myriam right where they wanted; back in New Orleans, where Myriam was taken, and her brothers came out of the shadows."
"Vance might have suspected something," Pride replied. "Because after that, her reassignment papers came in quite quickly. I wasn't even fully operational yet."
"Or, he didn't want to have them stay in New Orleans for too long. One Mikaelson means trouble; three means hell could break loose," Gibbs pointed out. "But fair point, we'll have to ask him that."
Pride was quiet for a couple of minutes as he absorbed everything. "Your theory holds, I suppose. But why would Elijah and Antoinette go after their children after all this time?"
"Because for fifteen years they believed their son Nick was killed by their son Cole who was safe in prison and they couldn't get to him. And Myriam was on her own, making a career while being looked after by you two," Danny said as he walked in and looked at Myriam who was eating at his desk. "If you spill food on my keyboard, I'll make you clean it with your tongue."
Myriam looked up at him innocently before curling her legs under herself to make herself more comfortable. "You only make me want to take that as a dare. You know that?"
Danny turned to point his finger at her. "Do not, I repeat, do not make me lock you in a room with my son because after the last hour I had; you will be begging to be going back home to spend quality time with your brothers. You hear me? Now, who the hell are these two schmucks? Steve. You bringing in strays again?"
"Actually, these belong to Myriam," he smiled, trying not to laugh as Danny tried not to pop a blood vessel while he looked over his shoulder at her.
"Don't look at me like that. It's not like I invited them," she mumbled and turned back to her food. "I'm supposed to be decoration here, remember?"
He just waved her off, deciding that she wasn't worth the argument. "Grover still on vacation with his kids?" He asked as he took note of who was in the office.
"Yep," Steve confirmed as he picked up a file and flipped through it. "He should be back next week. He will be upset about missing all this fun."
"Nah, babe. He's just gonna be upset at not seeing the mating ritual you and Agent Crazy here have going on," Danny replied. "But don't worry. I'll be sure to update him later."
"So, aside from having the female Cullen in your custody and the other one is with the Feds, how far are you with finding Parsons?" Pride questioned as he kept his eyes fixed on the screen. "We couldn't find her."
"She's on the island, just went underground. However, she isn't making friends for her cause with the locals if what their source says," Myriam replied as she continued eating. "My bet is my parents are here; she's hiding with them."
"But there's no record of your parents entering Hawaii," Junior replied.
Myriam shrugged. "My parents are good at what they do. Of course, there's no record of them entering Hawaii. I mean, this isn't Nick's first visit to Hawaii, but you won't have a record of him entering the first time, either," she set down her now empty carton and got up from Danny's chair to join the rest of them. "They know we don't have a lot to go on; we can't exactly put pressure on them because we don't know where they are. Hawaii is an island, but it's still big, what do you want to do? Knock on every door? Walk every mile in the wilderness to see where they might be?"
Steve pulled up a map of the islands before zooming in on Oahu. "The forests are pretty dense and a great place to hide. But they can be dangerous if you don't know how to navigate them."
"Wait, so, you want to walk every mile?"
"No, but not every area is easy to get to. I doubt they are used to living very low. Take your brother for example. For someone who is supposed to be dead, he certainly has some high-end tastes and lifestyle. Not exactly hiding," he pointed out. "I doubt your parents can shake those old habits either."
"So, we keep an eye on large purchases," Jerry said as he walked in. "Hi, I'm Jerry," he continued as he sat down. "We cast a wide net and see what's out of the ordinary. Granted, there are many people in Hawaii with money, but this should give us something to work with."
"Do you remember any of their aliases?" Gibbs asked as he looked at her.
She gave him a wide-eyed shrug. "No. I barely knew shit about that end when I was sent to you. I just knew enough that when certain people showed up, to get the hell out of the house and I went to hide out in the ninth ward with some friends, or across the water in Algiers. Wherever they weren't and the opposite end of town."
"Do you think Nick might know?"
"Depends on how much our dad keyed him in on before he went to Pride," she admitted. "We didn't want anything to do with the business. He said he wanted to get enough information for the police to have a solid conviction and us be free of them."
Pride then looked at Gibbs. "Hey, wasn't there a federal case on them at some point? But they were able to get off because their lawyers were good at what they did and the feds' case wasn't airtight?"
Gibbs sighed and nodded. "I'll make a few calls, that way I can also ask the Feds to release the male Cullen into our custody."
Myriam moved over to study the aerial map, curious. "If it were me, I'd go somewhere high with a view of anyone that is approaching. Along the woods would provide good cover to escape and disappear into, but I remember my dad never wanted to dirty his hands. Always with a hanky in his suit pocket."
"Last night I started to look for abnormalities in transactions," Jerry replied as he kept typing away on his laptop before swiping it up to the big screens. "But, I thought there was another way. How unusual is it for a small group of people to rent out an entire floor of a condo complex unless they're famous rock stars or actors who want their privacy?"
Steve looked at Jerry. "You found them?"
"I might have."
"Why couldn't you say that, to begin with?!" Danny shot at him.
"Because you were all in the middle of talking and giving good ideas and such."
Myriam looked at the address, snorting as she looked at the area when she got the assignment before Nick admitted to having a property already. "The thing is, it would be hard not to be seen. It's highly populated. Granted they will have their entrance, but they still need to go and get food. The doorman and building security would see them."
"Nick got you a cook, and I think you even have someone who cleans up after you, why wouldn't they do the same?" Danny pointed out.
She pouted at him. "I can buy my fruit. You give me a list, and I can do go the stuff on it. But I'm fairly certain Nick hired the cook legitimately. That makes me want to double check when we get home now…"
Danny snorted. "Don't worry; they're both legitimate."
"Yes, but I've never seen the cleaner."
"Because you're usually out."
"But still!"
"Well, then they don't touch my room because my shit is all over my floor still and I can do my laundry like a grown up thanks to this asshole," she nodded to Gibbs.
Danny looked back at her for a moment. "Huh. Is that so? Maybe this isn't such a match made in heaven after all. Considering Steve is such a neat freak."
"Jesus fucking Christ," Myriam cursed, throwing her arms up and rolling her eyes, annoyed by the no longer hidden hints.
Gibbs quietly looked from Myriam to Detective Williams and then Commander McGarrett before taking a few steps towards Danny and slapped him on the head. "Let's go and check out that building," he said as he looked at Steve, ignoring Danny's complaints.
Steve walked outside with Gibbs before pausing in the parking lot. He was pretty sure he knew that the man was looking to have a fatherly discussion with him, which her brother had already gotten to.
"Uh, do you want to take my truck and leave your rental for your partner?" He asked with as disarming a smile as he could muster.
"You know these roads; I don't," Gibbs replied. "You drive, but I we should take Pride and your team with us, Elijah and Antoinette Mikaelson won't be easy to grab if they're in those condos," he added before looking at him. "You a sailor?"
Nodding, Steve glanced up at the building. "Yeah, I agree but let's give them a little time. I'm sure Agent Mikaelson is in the process of ripping my partner a new ass, and I'll let her have that time," he shrugged as he pulled his phone out to text Tani and Junior the plan, knowing they would fill everyone else in. He unlocked the truck and waved Gibbs on. "I was a SEAL and in Naval Intelligence until eight years ago. Still a reservist."
Gibbs nodded as he waited to get into the truck and kept looking at Steve. "Even if we take down our targets, Myriam could still get into trouble with former allies. How far would you go to help her out?"
He glanced over at the older agent before smiling a little. Running his free hand over his jaw before starting the engine, he considered how he would respond. "Has she spoken to you since she came out here? Or since she met or heard about me?"
"Nope," he replied. "The only thing I heard was that the local LEO's were a pain in her ass for trying to take her case and wanted to be transferred elsewhere."
"Figures," Steve muttered and pulled out of the lot. "Well, it turns out I had a run in with her brother in the past, and I don't recall it for whatever reason, according to a friend of mine. That is if the information is to be trusted. But, in knowing that, you'd learn that I had made some enemies of my own over the years and seemingly adopted my father's when I took this job to investigate his murder."
"And you're still here."
"Yep," Steve nodded. "And I had to go quite far to stop a few of them, so to answer your question, should she have adopted her family's enemies and they come after her, I'd do anything to stop them from taking her, and keep Hawaii safe."
"We'd hoped she'd get a somewhat normal life with her transfer here," Gibbs admitted. "She deserves that. Same with Sheppard."
Shrugging, Steve looked out the window. "We get that a lot. There's no guarantee in life, but we try for it every day. Danny has his kids, I got a dog," he replied before catching what was said. "Sheppard's placement here was arranged like hers?"
Gibbs nodded. "As it turned out, his parents had dealings with the Mikaelsons, and like Myriam, he didn't want to have to do anything with his parents' business, so he ran away and joined the Marines under a fake name. Upon getting caught, well. It could have gone wrong, but you know. They educated him and trained him and worked everywhere before it was decided he had sacrificed enough. He's quiet but observant."
"Hawaii is NCIS' dumping ground?"
"Hell no," Gibbs barked out a laugh. "It's a reward for good agents, although I believe that she prefers New Orleans, one Mikaelson in New Orleans means trouble and three Mikaelsons… sends out a signal and could spark wars."
"And that won't happen to Hawaii?"
"It's an island," Gibbs shrugged. "It's easier to control things. However, I'm not going to tell you to stay away from her, because that'd be her own choice. Her own decision. But I am going to tell you that she may act tough, she's fragile. And if you hurt her, there's no place on this Earth you can hide, because I will come for you."
Steve let out a long sigh. "Yeah, I figured as much. Her brother said much of the same thing the other night. I don't know if he was amused by the situation or wanted to murder me. I've noticed that a lot of what she puts out is a front, self-defense of sort to protect herself."
"Also partly my fault. I'm not completely emotionally available to anyone," Gibbs admitted with a sigh. "But she's a great girl once she allows you in fully. Did you see her with Auggie?"
He looked back at him, not wanting to jump on that curiosity train like a cat in heat. "Yeah. I'll admit it had me confused. Yes, I will say I am attracted to her, and then the little games she played, in the beginning, made me back off. Next thing I knew, Danny came back and said she was disappointed I didn't take her bait. She is one confusing woman."
Gibbs nodded. "That she is. She and Auggie used to date. Got romantically involved during an undercover op with the CIA, but once they got back and had to settle back in, they discovered that they were simply good friends. He's a good kid, but Myriam would walk all over him if he let her and she knew that that would be a wrong thing. You have nothing to fear from him. Consider him to be her Danny."
"I noticed that. They acted more sibling-like than anything else when I saw them together at the hospital. She was very - childlike. I was surprised," he commented quietly like it was supposed to be a secret. "Auggie had to convince her to go with me to go get something to eat."
"I'm glad he did because I don't even think her brothers can make her do that at the moment," Gibbs replied with a sigh. "Those boys are idiots, but they mean well."
"That they are," Steve murmured, taking a turn. "We will be there shortly, but we can wait outside until the rest of the guys arrive. Myriam is going to be pissed about having to stay behind. I wonder who's gonna volunteer to babysit her."
"Perhaps no one and they'll put her in the room with Cullen the entire time."
The idea made Steve nervous. "That would be a very bad idea. Because if it were me, I'd beat the crap out of her and more after killing my team," he replied. Glancing at Gibbs' expression, he shrugged. "Just sayin'."
"That was a joke, of course, it's a bad idea to leave her unsupervised with Cullen," Gibbs took a moment as he thought about the team that he observed for a short time. "She tends to be less hostile towards women so having your female teammate stay behind might be best."
"Ah, yeah, that might not be the best idea right now," Steve grimaced, pulling into a parking spot in the apartment complex. "She just found out that Tani has been sleeping with her brother. Hell, we all did when her office exploded so we're still processing how that came about. So she is on her shit list. After she deals with Cullen, I can see Myriam turning on Tani and me kind of like to keep my team off medical."
"Pride will stay back with her," Gibbs replied. "He's as bad as staying behind as Myriam, but he will stay behind because of her. Besides, to him, this case is personal too. Parsons was the one that shot him."
"I hope you're right," Steve replied. "Because I don't need Danny on my ass about two short fuses on the island."
"They'll be fine."
"Are you sure about that?" The 5-0 leader questioned as he took notice of the rest of their group arriving. It was only Tani, Junior, and Agent Pride. "Looks like Danny may have lost the argument about who gets to stay behind to babysit."
As if on cue, his phone pinged with a text asking him to confirm his promise of giving Myriam five minutes with their suspect. "He is not going to have a good day," Steve sighed as he replied. "This never ends well."
"Thanks for waiting for us," Pride said as he approached the waiting truck. "Detective Williams said I could come. I feel for him; he said he would be able to handle her…"
Gibbs shrugged. "Maybe he can," he said before nodding towards the building. "Whenever you're ready, let's bring down our girl's parents."
~o.O.o~
Danny sighed as he stared at the text on his phone. He still could not believe that his partner made such an agreement, but at the same time, it didn't surprise him. Given the opportunity, he probably would have taken five minutes with some suspects over attacks that were personal to him or the team.
Looking up, he found Myriam leaning against their situation table staring at him. "Don't do that. It's creepy," he commented, scowling at her knowing expression. Danny then lets out a breath. "Fine, but you're going in there without sharp objects, without your gun," he added as he pointed at the table for her to put them there. "And keep her in one piece."
"You know I could hurt her just as well without any of that, right?"
"You're not going in there as a cop."
"That's fine," she shrugged, setting her sig and badge on the table. "It's not like I need them to get what I need. Just bring me to her."
Danny shook his head as he brought her downstairs to their holding cell. He could see just how eager she was as they got closer and held a hand up. "Remember, you can't do anything to harm her. As much as you want to. We have to hand her over in one piece."
Myriam glared at him, annoyed by the interruption. "I'm aware. This isn't my first rodeo, cowboy. I know what my limits are and how far I can go with this bitch."
He could see the clear blood in her eyes, but the control in her temper was conflicting. A promise had been made, and he would not budge about being in the room to make sure that she didn't go overboard.
Unlocking the door, he held it open, allowing Myriam to step in before him. "Here she is Agent Mikaelson."
Isabella lifted her head at the name, and her eyes widened to find the woman, her boss of all of two days step in. "What? No. I already cooperated and told them everything. You can't do anything."
Myriam glanced over at Danny, who nodded his permission that she could approach. As she got closer, it was clear that Isabella's nervousness grew but attempted to keep it tempered. She smirked at the girl cuffed to the chair and found herself enjoying the concept of the room. Moving behind Isabella, however remaining just within her peripheral sight, Myriam leaned against the wall and crossed her arms.
Narrowing his eyes, Danny wasn't sure what the NCIS agent was up to, but he certainly hadn't anticipated this. "Well, I have some paperwork to finish. You two have fun," he waved and stepped out, hoping that his lack of presence would help Myriam get what she needed.
"What?! No! You can't do that! You can't leave me with her! Do you have any idea who her family is?!" Isabella shouted, attempting to pull away from her seat but went nowhere. Her face fell when the door closed on her shouting. "Please… you can't do a thing."
"Just tell me what I want to know and I don't hurt you," Myriam calmly replied, coming up behind her and pulled the woman's head back by her hair.
"I already told 5-0 that I have no idea where Parsons is hiding right now. I don't," she whimpered. "I just know that she promised she'd have some lawyer come get me if I got caught."
Myriam glared as she curiously cocked her head to the side. "Is that so? Just how is she supposed to get you a lawyer if she doesn't know if you've been taken into custody?"
Danny was also curious, knowing that while Isabella lawyered up, she hadn't made the call to contact one. She simply said she was waiting for the person to arrive. Watching and listening from the video was far less satisfying than in person.
"Who is this phantom lawyer you keep mentioning? As far as I'm aware, you haven't made any calls or requested to call anyone specific."
Isabella cried out as Myriam pulled her head back further, waiting for an answer. "I don't know! Parsons said she had access to someone named Lance and they would know when to come to get me!"
The name was far too familiar with the NCIS agent, and she let teenage memories run through her mind of a man and his cocky daughters. Letting the disgraced lab tech go, Myriam swiftly made her way to the door and determinedly headed for the exit.
"Hey! Wait up!" Danny called after her, chasing to catch up as she passed by the 5-0 doors. "What the hell was that all about?"
Slowing down, Myriam turned to look at him exasperated. "I don't have time for this Detective Williams. I have someplace to be."
"I see that," he gestured to her hurried pace through the hallway. "Now why don't you explain to me why you are running?"
She went over and set her hands on his shoulders with a smile, brushing imaginary lint off his shirt. "You will understand and figure it out as soon as everyone gets back. I'm sorry for everything, but I have something I need to do. Just let Commander McGarrett know that this isn't to spite him and that I enjoyed our day. Okay?"
Confused, Danny didn't know what to make of what just happened and stood there attempting to process it as she turned to leave. He watched her out the door before turning back to his office only to find her badge and weapon still on the situation table. "Oh, shit…" he muttered, grabbing them and running after her.
He reached the doors to find his car leaving the parking lot. "She picked my pockets! I can't believe she picked my pocket for my keys!" he threw his hands up, more annoyed about his car being hijacked by another psycho friend.
Just as he was going back inside the office, a blond woman walked in with an older man. After securing Myriam's gun and badge in his desk, he went over to greet them. "Uh, can I help you?"
"We are here to take Isabella Cullen," the woman stated.
Danny frowned and eyed the two. "Uh, right, sure. How about telling me who you are first?"
The man sighed as he pulled out a business card from his breast pocket and handed it to him. "We are her lawyers. I'm sure she informed you that we would be coming."
Reading the card, he immediately but the pieces of the puzzle together. Quentin and Laurel Lance. As soon as the name Lance came up, Myriam wanted out of the building fast. "Mrs. Cullen is under arrest. Not detained. I will bring you to her, but I can't let her leave with you."
Quentin smiled. "You have no idea who you are dealing with here, do you?"
"Oh, I do. I do know who you work for. Elijah Mikaelson, right? He was behind Parsons' attack on an NCIS agent in New Orleans too, if I'm not mistaken," Danny replied, watching the smile fall from the lawyers' lips. "You know, there are a lot of people looking for your boss. Setting his own children up to be murdered? Well, that's about as low as one can get."
"Speculation doesn't hold up in court," Laurel replied. "Truth does, and perhaps you think you know what you do, but I would suggest you look into your friends' history a bit deeper. Their hands aren't as clean as they appear."
"Is that what you think? Hm, okay. I'll pitch the suggestion to my boss when he gets back," Danny smiled and slipped his hands into his pockets.
"Where can we find him? We can just go to him since you obviously delaying our access to our client."
"McGarrett? Ohh," he hummed as he turned to look at the clock on the wall. "Probably doing something stupid like rappelling down the side of a building on the raid they are about to do. I wouldn't worry about it. You'll get a call later if it's successful."
"Take us to Mrs. Cullen now."
"Sure, but as I said, she's not going anywhere," Danny shrugged as he sauntered off into the direction of the toilets. "Let me give you a tour of the building first."
Laurel let out an irritated sigh and rolled her eyes at her father. "Is this stalling necessary? Don't you think that this trick as been played out enough? Bring us to your holding cell or bring Mrs. Cullen to us before we file charges against 5-0 for refusing our client to counsel."
His cell phone rang as he stared at the lawyer. "Yeah babe?" he greeted before smiling as he listened. "Sounds great. By the way, I have company waiting at the office of the legal variety. A Quentin and Laurel Lance," he reported, reading the names off the business card and slipped it back into his pocket. "See you when you get back."
"These games aren't amusing, and they take up much of your time and ours. Would you just show-"
"Oh, no. It's no trouble on my part," Danny modestly replied. "In fact, that was Commander McGarrett. He told me to escort you to our conference room, and he will handle everything once he returns."
Laurel and Quentin glanced at one another before shrugging a shoulder. "Fine," she replied. "In the meanwhile, you can bring me a lemon tea while you force us to wait."
"Sure thing Princess. I'll just call for our butler to come to take your order," Danny said, leading them into the conference room and shut the door behind them. "What pompous jerks. No wonder Myriam left running."
Author Note: Posting another chapter this week because its a crappy weekend with another family funeral service.
Myriam sighed with slight relief as she hung up her cell phone and tossed it onto the passenger seat. She felt bad about stealing Detective Williams car, but she knew she couldn't stay at the office knowing that her parents' lawyer was on his way. If he saw her, then it would only mean confirmation of her location.
She'd put the location of a recommended safe place from some of her previous contacts in the GPS and followed the directions. As soon as she was aware of the neighborhood, she was glad she left her badge and gun behind because she needed them to see her as much as one of them as possible.
Stopping outside the auto shop, she did not miss the people watching her and the car since it came within view. Grabbing her phone, Myriam stepped out and headed for the open garage. Immediately she was stopped when she got inside. "I'm not armed or wired, but check all you want," she sighed. "Diggle sent me."
All the men paused at the name, forcing one to come forward. He eyed her for a moment before nodding to one nearby. "You from New Orleans?"
"How the hell do you think I know Diggle?"
He smiled at her and shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe you arrested him at some point."
Myriam smirked and shook her head. "If he was arrested, it wasn't by my people or me unless he fucked with the Navy. Now, he was an Army man so I doubt he'd go messing with anyone or anything involving the military. He's got some morals."
"That he does," the man sighed and waved her in. "He's helped me out a time or two over the years. I won't stand here and lie, I got shit going on, and I just want to make sure that you won't be going and turning on us once you get what you need."
"I'd rather make you an informant and ally as long as you stay clear from my radar," Myriam answered. "I can't make promises for 5-0, but some interference, maybe I can do. Of course, depending on the situation. I have some hard lines when I help those who help me."
He looked back at her and nodded. "I can respect that," he said as he offered his hand. "Oliver."
"Myriam," she smiled. "Now, Diggle didn't exactly tell me how you can help."
"I assume you left your issued weapon behind?" Oliver asked.
She nodded. "I was in a little hurry. A lawyer I wasn't particularly fond of seeing was on the way to the office, and I needed to book it out of there. Called Diggle for some contacts since I've not been here all that long."
"I can get you a clean weapon. I can even house you somewhere off the grid depending on who you are on the run from," he offered.
"My parents. Diggle may have given you some insight, if not, then they are extremely elusive and wanted by some agencies. I personally just want them dead so that my brothers and I can be free," she sighed. "Last suspected location was here on the island, and they are working with someone named Parsons that I'd like to go for right now."
"Parsons?" Oliver blinked at her. "As in Amelia Parsons? Are you out of your mind?"
"I'm not asking for help in taking her down. Just a weapon and if you have a direction to point me in," Myriam firmly stated as she held her ground. "I wouldn't expect you to get involved. When I found out, she was on the island and what she was pulling, I knew she would have a hard time finding allies."
Oliver shrugged then. "It's quite easy. I'll help. There are some sleeper Bratva brothers on the island as well, and the Bratva owes me."
She narrowed her eyes at him as she crossed her arms. "I don't think I want to know how the hell you got involved with them and still alive. I don't even think my father attempted business with them."
"Me neither, until that one time, in Russia? I saved the life of the Bratva leader, was quite cool, but you had to be there to know just how cool," he replied as he walked over to the weapon's locker. "To be fair, Diggle told me about you after he found out where you were going, you guys were pretty tight, huh?"
"He helped me out a time or two some years ago," Myriam vaguely answered with a fond smile of bar-be-ques in the man's yard and music blaring. "He told me that he'd be there what seems to be a lifetime ago. Only it's now catching up."
Oliver nodded as he opened the locker. "As I said, you're crazy for going after Parsons alone; I'll help you if you let me. Now, what did you have in mind for a gun?"
Taking in his inventory, she let out a breath. "It all depends on where she is. I assume she has no issue roughing it since she managed to arrange herself to stowaway on an outgoing port that came here after what she pulled in Louisiana."
Oliver nodded before looking over his shoulder. "Hey, Felicity!"
"Yeah, boss?"
"Use your drones to do some reconnaissance flights over the jungle and forests for me? Find someone who's not supposed to be at that spot and all?"
"You mean fly around the drones, get facial recognition to find the person you're after so you can go after that person?" Felicity countered playfully. "On it boss."
Myriam's eyebrow rose. "You have access to facial recognition software?"
"Sister, I have access to everything your heart desires," the woman replied. "I froze all of Parson's assets and made it look like it was issued from HPD."
"Huh," Myriam grinned as she looked at the woman. "I thought my hacker was good and he's CIA."
"Oh," Felicity cooed as she spun her chair around to face Myriam. "Is his handle Mingus by any chance? He's soooo talented, lazy, but talented. He should put more effort in his hacks, and he'll be as brilliant as me."
The smile that was on her face fell as her eyes grew cold. "It is. I suggest you watch what you say. That man sacrificed a lot for me."
Felicity shrugged as she turned back to her computer. "He's CIA. It sucks when good hackers go bad and work for the government to catch people like me."
Myriam's lip curled as she started towards the blond.
"Easy," Oliver said as he took Myriam by her arm to pull her back. "Felicity takes pride in her job, and her people skills are certainly non-existent. That's what makes her who she is, don't kill her."
"I'm told my people skills are lacking, but at least I don't go tearing down good soldiers. He's in the hospital because he left his job to help me do mine and likely won't be able to work because he's blind from that bomb on the naval base. You did hear about that, right?"
He looked over Myriam's shoulder to see Felicity typing furiously on her keyboard and then looked back at Myriam. "I'm sorry to hear that your friend got hurt in that blast, and of course I heard that, I think the whole of Hawaii felt that blast. Hackers are a special breed of people. Felicity is good at what she does, and she doesn't care. Just ignore her, okay? Let's get you something stiff to drink."
"Yeah, I know. I was involved with one, so I don't think that excuse is going to cut it. I get the whole anti-government shit, but not everyone is in it to be corrupt. There are many trying to fix it but the ones in place higher up are making it damn hard for bottom feeders like my friends and me to do our job and get the right bad guys off the street. She only makes our jobs more difficult," she hissed. "After all, given my history, I could have my reservations about her. Maybe she's one that's been helping my parents stay hidden for so long?"
"Ah, no," Felicity piped up. "That would have been my father. Don't worry, as soon as Diggle called Oliver about you; I made sure my father fell off a building so that your parents had to rely on idiots so you could get them," she said before turning to smile. "See? Not such a bad person after all, amirite?"
"Don't make me punch you in the face," Myriam replied. "I officially do not like you. It's not going to change. Like ever."
Oliver had poured Myriam a glass of vodka and handed it to her. "Drink up. Felicity will have results shortly."
She swallowed the glass in two sips and shook it off. "I'm more of a wine and whiskey person. And you probably should know, that car outside? I stole it from 5-0."
"Great," Oliver sighed as he headed to the door. "Let's disable the GPS."
"I can call my brothers to come to get it and return it. Can't be stolen if it was handed back? Besides, he's sufficiently distracted at the office by now," she carelessly shrugged. "They can deal with it."
"Are you sure?"
"Nick and Cole have enough experience in this area. Trust me. Nick, he will probably be as honest as possible with his whole new leaf act, but he'd be careful about what he gives. He has been watching and trying to track our parents for years. It's in the Mikaelson blood."
"And what if he returns the car and you parents happen to arrive there?" Oliver questioned before shrugging. "Ah, why do I care? Abiding the law and rules and regulations with the said law is no longer my problem."
She sighed, texting her brother and looked around impatient. She hated how she was stuck waiting and not able to act. She didn't know what was going on with Lance or the team at the condo where they suspected her parents of hiding. At this point, she needed to focus on Parsons.
~o.O.o~
Nick walked into the 5-0 office, uncomfortably glancing around. While it wasn't a police station, it was still enough to put him on edge.
"You lost?" Jerry asked as he walked out of McGarrett's office with a beer in hand.
"I'm looking for Detective Williams," he replied. "I was told I could find him here."
"Oh, well, he's down the hall entertaining some lawyers. Feel free to pull up a seat. I'm sure he'll be back soon. High maintenance of those two," he huffed and shook his head.
Nick blinked, unsure of what to respond with. "I'm sorry?"
"Yeah, you should be," Danny said as he walked in, annoyed. "Where the hell did your family dig those two up? I mean I've met many high maintenance women but that lady…"
"Who are you speaking about?" Nick asked, frustrated by not knowing what the hell was going on. Especially since it was apparent that it includes his family in some form.
"Quentin and Laurel Lance? Miss, I'll have a lemon tea while we wait," Danny waved in the general direction of the conference room. "They showed up for Cullen. It seems your sister managed to get their name out of her in time to get the hell out of dodge before they showed up. Supposedly, Parsons arranged for them to come and get her out. That doesn't exactly work when you're up on murder and terroristic charges."
"The Lances are here?" Nick slowly repeated, blinking his eyes through his shock. "If they are here, then it is almost certain that my father is close as well. He has to be on the island."
"We believe that too, but for other reasons," Danny agreed. "Anyway, what are you doing here?"
Nick was confused for a moment before smiling. He pulled a set of keys from his pocket. "From my sister. She sends her regards."
"Where the hell is she?"
Hesitating, Nick shook his head. "Doing what my sister needs to do. Just let her be, and she will be fine," he replied. "I do not doubt that she called some of her friends to see if they have connections locally that may offer a helping hand. Nothing more than you and your team would do, I'm sure."
Danny eyed him. "I have a walking IED for a partner. He'd go to his extremes, and for some reason, I think your sister is just like him."
"I agree, but depending on the situation, she does restrain herself quite well. Knowing what's she's learned, it's hard not to react out of emotion. She hasn't been this impulsive until we moved here. I know because even while I couldn't be there, I still tracked her career through mutual friends. Her attraction to your partner is a part of it because as far as I knew, she hasn't been involved with anyone since that Auggie fellow," he explained. "Her relationships before were much of the same. Your partner manages to make her feel somewhat other than anger and fear, just like Auggie has done in the past."
Danny nodded. "That's all fine and all, and thanks for returning my car, but where is she? My partner and his new NCIS friends will kill me for allowing her to go off on her own."
He waved it off, unconcerned. "I wouldn't worry yourself. They are aware of how my sister is, especially once they learn who showed up here. They would expect her to make herself scarce. Now Commander McGarrett, having only begun to learn of her intricacies? Well," Nick let out an amused chuckle. "I can picture them having some very entertaining arguments."
Danny couldn't help but stare at the man. "You know your family is completely nuts, right?"
"We haven't even begun to surprise you," Nick sighed. "In any case, I think I've stayed in the same building as my parents' lawyers for far too long and I shall be taking my leave," he added.
"And what if I want you to stay?" Danny countered. "To… I don't know, maybe stop you from going off on your own as well?"
Nick barked out a laugh. "For once, I'm not the one you should be worried about."
~o.O.o~
Breaching the apartment had been easier than the team anticipated. To their disappointment, Elijah Mikaelson was not found. Instead, there was an older woman destroying anything she could find between taking large pulls from a bottle of rum.
"Huh," Pride muttered as he stared at the shock. "I would think Myriam would have gotten her wine drinking from her."
Steve kept his gun fixed on the irate woman who was still oblivious to the group watching her. "What are you talking about?" he asked.
Pride nodded toward the woman as she smashed a vase. "Well, for one when Myriam lets herself get drunk, she's very happy and uh, friendly. I'm sure you'll find that out eventually. Her mother is destructive."
Gibbs ducked when the woman threw something hard and solid their way. "Hey!" he called out.
The woman froze and looked at the men standing in her living room. She held up a finger as she downed the entire bottle of rum in one go before throwing the bottle against a very pricey looking painting. "I'll come willingly, and I'll testify against that cochon of a husband of mine. I'll tell you everything that he did, and everything I have done." She then grabbed a briefcase from the couch and handed it to Gibbs. "And a whole shit ton of fucking evidence."
Pride blinked as he looked at Steve and Gibbs, who had the same dumbfounded looks on their faces as he did. They had expected this to be a lot difficult. "Ma'am, where's your husband?"
"Who cares? Probably off fucking that blonde. As long as he stays the fuck away from me, we're good!"
Steve's face morphed to realization. This was Myriam's mother. "Um, this is nice and all, but let's get you back to the office and get this sorted. I'm sure Agent Mikaelson might have some questions herself."
Pride and Gibbs glanced at him with smirks. "You think so?" Pride muttered under his breath.
Toni grabbed another bottle from one of the tables and headed towards the door. "Your car or mine?"
Steve sighed and pulled out a zip tie. "Most definitely ours. Come on, lady."
Toni stopped dead in her tracks, eyeing the zip tie and then looking at Steve. "Darling, I'm coming willingly. I'm drunk off my ass, I highly doubt any of that is necessary, but if you do wish to play…" she jerked her head into the direction of the bedroom. "The bedroom's over there."
Pride took the bottle out of Toni's hands. "I doubt she'll make any sense at all unless she sobers up, best call ahead for them to make a lot of coffee," he said as he set the bottle down. "And Toni, you're going to allow him to put the zip ties around your wrists. His rules."
Toni sighed and nodded. "Ironic, isn't it? You and Gibbs have been better parents to my daughter than Elijah, and I have ever been, and you're here to take me away."
"Oh, it's not ironic," Pride replied. "I call it inevitable. You and your husband have always been a thorn in New Orleans' side, but messing with your children and innocent bystanders like this?"
"I guess Myriam is just like her mother," Gibbs grinned. "How many times has she propositioned you so far?"
Steve glared at him as he placed the zip tie around Toni's wrists while she was giving him stupid smiles and blowing kisses. "No. She never indicated any of the like even once. But she did inform my bosses about my showing up all the time."
"Ah," Gibbs nodded as he took Toni from him and started to walk her outside. "She must like you then. She didn't annoy her hacker like that."
"You know, I'm starting to understand why she was dreading having the two of you show up," Steve replied. "It's one thing not having your father growing up, but having two surrogates can overwhelm a person."
"Are you overwhelmed?" Gibbs quipped as they headed out of the door to leave Steve's team to do the rest. Gibbs was carrying the briefcase Toni had offered, and Pride was rolling his eyes. "What?"
"Stop putting pressure on the kid," Pride told him. "You know you like him."
"You two sound like an old married couple!" Steve said frustratedly. "Look, I understand you want to help your girl, which is fine, but for the love of God, leave hers and my personal life out of this. Now let's get Mrs. Mikaelson back to base while my team checks out the apartments."
Having not found Elijah Mikaelson in any of the apartments, the team returned to the office with his wife. As Steve walked her past the offices, he glanced through the windows to find Danny chatting with Nicholas and Jerry.
Toni also had seen her son and paused as their eyes met. While she was eager and seemingly trying to hide her happiness at seeing him, he was anything but pleased. Nick turned away, focusing his attention on Jerry, drawing concern in Steve. If seeing his mother drew this sort of reaction from Nick, he could only imagine what Myriam might do.
"He is still angry," Toni commented, turning to the 5-0 team. "I do not blame him. I am sure my other children are just as resentful. Is my daughter here as well?"
"I am sure she's around," Steve emotionlessly answered as he eyed her. "If she wishes to see you, she'll come."
Both Agents Gibbs and Pride had stepped aside and let the 5-0 team handle the woman. Pride shook his head, knowing that if Myriam did show up and have anything to say, it wouldn't be anything good. She had grown up without her parents in her life, and she lacked any emotional attachment to them having known the truth about their business once she gained access to the authorities investigation into her father's business.
Danny made his way into the hall and took in how everyone stood. "Uh, everything okay?"
"Everything is fine. How's our friend?" Steve replied.
"Pissed," Danny commented as he mentally observed the visual resemblance of the woman in their NCIS ally. "You should probably know that Cullen's lawyer showed up. According to Cullen, they were sent by her friend on her behalf. Here's their card."
Steve took the card from him and took note of the address before handing it over to Pride. "You know this name at all?"
Pride blinked at the card and looked at Toni. "Why would the Lances be in Hawaii?"
"Quentin is here?" Toni scoffed. "I can assure you that I won't request their services. You can get me a - a - défenseur public."
"Sure thing, ma'am," Steve replied with a nod. "That is all up to you."
He started to escort her to holding, passing the conference room when their lawyer guests took sight of them and came running out. "What is the meaning of this?! I demand to have a sit down with our client right now!" Quentin complained, red in the face.
"Sorry, Mr. Lance, but Mrs. Mikaelson requested a public defender," Steve said calmly.
"What? This is coercion! Antoinette! Tell them you want to speak with us right now," Quentin attempted while gesturing to his daughter to get on her phone.
"Va te faire foutre, Quentin," Toni replied venomously.
His eyes grew large as he frowned, stepping back. "If that is how you wish it to be," he conceded. "No one will be able to protect you."
"As if you protected me from him!" Toni scowled. "No, I'm taking my life in my own hands now. I don't want to have to do anything with you or him!"
Danny's arms were crossed for the show and sighed. "Steve, just take her down before she gets worse. I'm going to go fill Nick in and see if he wants to let his sister know what is going on. Just so you know, she off doing her own thing at the moment so when you're done, come up so that we can tell you what we know," he updated him with what he could given the present company.
"She's what?!"
He shrugged. "He seemed unconcerned and returned my car that she took for me. More than you did. I think I can forgive her this time," he smiled.
"You'll forgive her for taking your car but not me? I see how it is," Steve muttered. "I'm going to hunt her down and chain her to my desk when we get her back."
"You and my daughter must get on well," Toni smiled as he started walking with her again, she'd remarkably sobered up after encountering Quentin Lance. "She'd like you a lot."
"Your daughter gives me a headache," Steve countered as he helped Toni sit down. "I'll see to you getting some coffee. Detective Williams will be with you shortly."
Toni nodded. "If you have tea, I'd prefer that, thank you," she murmured, calming down from her intoxication. She shifted in the seat to get more comfortable, although it was difficult with her arms secured behind her. Letting out a sigh, she settled down and closed her eyes to wait.
Steve walked into the bullpen and looked at Danny. "She took off, and you let her?"
"She picked up from Isabella that the lawyers were on their way and got spooked. She picked my pocket for my keys, and before I knew it, she was out of her like her ass was on fire, Steve. She did not want to be here when they got here, and they were here literally moments after she peeled out of the lot," he shared.
"You brought the car back?" Steve asked Nick. "Where did you pick it up?"
Nick slowly nodded. "I'm not saying because she is planning something. She assured me she needs to do this and I trust my sister," he said. "Arrest me if you wish, but it won't get me to talk. I am sure by now; if she found who her friend sent her to, they can set her course."
"Jerry!"
"Already trying to find her, don't worry," Jerry said as he was sitting behind his computer. "However, I think if she doesn't want to be tracked or found, I'm not going to come up with anything."
"Diggle sent her to a friend?" Pride asked Nick, curious.
Nick shrugged. "I'm not sure who she's spoken to, to be honest. Why do you think it was Dig?"
"Because he knows people all over the damn place that like to stay off the grid and get their fingers into shit they shouldn't," he sighed. "And he has damn good hackers at P's caliber and higher on his network."
He shrugged again. "If you think so, I wouldn't know. I just grabbed the car and did as I was told."
"But you couldn't stay dead."
"Not when my sister was in trouble, no. I don't think she's in trouble now. If you're right and she's asked Diggle, then she must be with people who know what they're doing."
"Excuse me, but who the hell is Diggle?" Danny questioned.
"John Diggle, ex-army, leader of a street gang in New Orleans. Granted, they aren't giving as much trouble as they used to, but he's a force to be reckoned with. A valuable source of information if you're friendly with him," Pride replied. "NCIS and NOLA PD aren't friendlies."
"Unless you're Myriam, of course," Nick interceded. "He was always fond of her and hid her from my father and Lance when they came hunting. If he did help her this time, he would send her to allies that would be on the island, but I have no idea who they would be. I wasn't in that circle of hers back then," he added before shrugging slightly. "Look, I wanted to leave when I learned of the Lances being in this building, but now that my mother is here, I'd like to go back home to my brother."
"Any chance either of you want to talk to her? I'm sure she'd like a few minutes. We have no probl-" Steve offered before being cut off.
"Hell no," Nick growled. "That woman is nothing but poison."
Steve looked over at Pride, who knew the family best, for his response. "I get how you feel. I have some issues with my mother that we can get into another day, but you should know that your mother chose to stay behind like you and your brother did to give her information on your father now and asked about you three."
"She likely wants to save her ass and reduce her time in jail," he muttered. "I'm not going to speak to her."
Pride scratched his neck and wasn't sure. "It's your decision, and I certainly won't force you. She did ask only for a public defender and cussed out Quentin on her way to holding. If Steve is okay with you going, then go. Fill in Cole, and we'll try to find Myriam in the meanwhile. If you get anything on where she is, you call us, okay?"
Nick sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, debating about what was the right thing to do. Of course, it was the thing that he dreaded the most; talking to his mother. Because she'd likely be telling him more than she'd share with the cops and whatnot. But he wasn't supposed to be helpful. Fuck, he kept Myriam's last known location a secret because he didn't want to compromise the fancy base Oliver had set up for himself. "Fine, but I want you to record the conversation." He was the oldest. This is what he had to do, even if he didn't like it.
"Are you sure?" Steve asked. "I don't want you to feel like you're being forced."
He let out a breath. "It's the right thing to do to help you guys build a better case against her and that piece of shit father of ours."
"Technically, it wouldn't count against her. She requested a lawyer and was read her rights," Tani said.
"Okay, fine, I'll be taking my leave then," he said with a shrug. "Whatever."
She rolled her eyes. "At least try with her. You might be able to convince her to take a guilty plea no matter what is offered. From what we saw, it sounds like that is what she intends to do."
"Just because she lawyered up doesn't necessarily have to mean that she won't talk," Pride said. "Go have a chat with her."
"No, you've had your chance," Nick said as he walked out of the pen and headed to the elevators.
"Alright, I've had enough of this. Come with me," Steve said as he took Nick by the elbow. "You're not going in but at least stand outside the window and hear what she says."
"Hell no."
"You know what questions that need to be asked, ones that I might not immediately know of. You can talk me through questioning her," he said. "You don't have to step in the room at all, and she won't see you or know you are there. For all she knows, Myriam or Pride would be around."
Pride didn't like seeing Nick like this. He looked like a beaten kid and didn't want to confront his demons. "It might help you, son," he kindly said as he had joined him and Steve. "You don't have to be afraid. She's in that room, and you will be in the other one looking through a window where she won't be able to see you."
"I know how these things work," he scowled. "Doesn't mean I have to like it. Let's get this over with so that I can get the hell out of here."
Steve let out a sigh and scratched his eyebrow. "Hey, Danny? Can you bring Mrs. Mikaelson a cup of tea while we get started? Hopefully, she'll be willing to talk while Tani calls the courthouse for a lawyer for her. I doubt this is her first rodeo."
"Yeah, sure. Tea. Disgusting," Danny sighed.
"How's the briefcase going, Junior?" Steve asked him as he processed its contents.
"I'll let you know if I find anything, boss, right now it's not making any sense, at all."
Steve let out a breath and nodded before showing Nick to the observation room and handed him a walkie. "That's directly in contact with this," he said as he showed him an earbud and put it in his ear. "Any question you want me to ask her, just tell me."
"Fine," Nick sighed, testing and whistling into the walkie to test it, grinning as Steve winced at the sound.
"Asshole."
Nick shrugged as he turned the chair around so he wouldn't have to see his mother and sat down with his feet up against the wall. "Takes one to know one."
Steve rolled his eyes and went to go into the room. "I have your tea coming. It'll just take a bit. Now, because of the time, it'll take a little while to get you a lawyer from the public defender's office. If you want to talk, it's up to you…"
"I didn't lawyer up," she sighed as she tried to get comfortable again, her hands were still behind her back.
"You did say you wanted a public defender in the hallway."
"Yes, if I had to choose between the Lances and a lawyer, but I don't want one. I'd likely tell them to shut their faces anyway," Toni replied with a sigh. "Could you please remove these restraints? I'm not going anywhere."
Steve turned to look at the window and camera, before deciding to cut the ties. As he sat back down across from her, he silently stared at her for a moment. "Why are you in Hawaii?"
"Because my husband wanted to come here for the conclusion of his elaborate plan - details, of which, I wasn't privy of. The blonde bitch, however, was," Toni sighed as she rubbed her wrists.
"Parsons?" Steve asked for verification.
"Yes. Amelia Parsons."
He nodded and noted the animosity behind her tone. "How long as she been involved with your family?"
Toni scrunched up her face. "You mean involved with my husband?" she countered. "Years."
Steve raised a brow as he remembered reading that Parsons had been involved with Barlow before he committed suicide and down the hall, Cullen claimed that she was in a relationship with the woman. "Is that so? How did she come into the fold? She isn't old enough to have been there before you and your husband disappeared from New Orleans."
"My husband is an acquired taste and loves…" Toni stopped herself before continuing her story. "There have been many women in his life while he was married to me. In the beginning, I thought Amelia was just another fling, one who he wanted to do everything for, shower her with gifts and money, but she's done some jobs for my husband over the years, and together they schemed and thought of an elaborate plan to get rid of us all."
"That includes your children. One was in jail, one presumed dead, another a federal agent."
"Elijah never believed Nick was dead. Cole and Nick were inseparable. Fighting all the time, sure, but they would never do anything to hurt each other. To hear that Cole had shot Nick was as if listening to… what you call it? Fake news? Cole and Nick both know more subtle ways to get what they want and guns are the last thing they'd use. And certainly not that spectacular. Elijah taught them better than that," Toni replied. "And yes, for that plan to work, all our children had been out in the open, and that included Barlow. Pride. And other casualties."
Steve was annoyed that Nick remained silent thus far. "I thought you said you knew nothing about the elaborate plan that they planned together."
"I didn't," she replied angrily. "I only learned of it two days ago, and when he admitted of wanting to hurt our children, I decided that enough is enough. I'm tired of being treated like I'm not his wife but one of his whores he likes to flog, and nobody touches my children."
"Why now?" Nick's voice sounded in Steve's ear, his voice cracking a bit.
"Why now? Why would you step up for your children now instead of years ago when they could have used their mother?" Steve questioned.
Toni rolled up her sleeves, revealing bruises and drug tracks. Some old, some fairly recent.
"I see," Steve murmured. "Did you do that or was it forced on you?"
"I didn't have a choice."
Drawing in a breath, he nodded. "Alright. How recent was the last use?"
Nick scowled as he texted his brother. I'm sitting here hearing our mother talk. Any questions for her?
What?!
What do you want to ask her?
"Two days ago, after I hit him on the head with a vase and threatened to kill him."
"For how many years?"
She thought for a moment as she rubbed her temples. "I don't know… somewhere after Myriam was born, I suppose."
Steve sighed and shifted on his chair as he pulled his phone out to message Danny to set up a medical evaluation. "Alright. We can see what we can do about working a deal with the DA about a prison with a rehab program for you."
"I don't deserve prison, Commander," she said softly as she looked at her hands. "I deserve far worse. What mother abandons her children? Can't protect them? Nurture them?"
Steve's eyes fell to her covered arms. "The way I see it, you were placed in a position that you couldn't do more than you already did. While they had their difficulties, they are strong. Cooperate with the DA, and I'll do what I can to help you as long as you hold your end. I doubt that anyone had any idea that your husband would have done something like this to you. I know I didn't see anything like this in your husband's jacket."
Nick looked at his phone when Cole hadn't answered. Did you know dad drugged mom?
What? Nick, I don't care. That woman can burn in hell for all I care. Leave me alone.
"That's the thing about Elijah Mikaelson, Commander, half of the things he has done; you don't know of. Nobody does. Because there's never anyone left to talk or to trace back to him. And I went along with it all, even before he started to make sure I was his obedient and perfect punching bag. Because Elijah Mikaelson is a charming man, you'd do anything for him, even turning on your best friends or to make sure your own family gets the blame for something they haven't done," Toni replied quietly. "I'm just very grateful that despite everything, to my knowledge, he's never laid a hands on our children. Until recently where he decided to get rid of them, and me."
"She's wrong about that," Nick spoke in Steve's ear. "Father liked to take Cole or me out somewhere and go to town with a belt. Don't tell her that."
Steve ran his hand over his jaw and blinked, unsure of what direction to continue in as the woman was as much victim as she was compliant in her husband's activities.
"Cole doesn't want to ask her anything, for all he cares, she can burn in hell. Ask her if she's proud of what Myriam's become."
"Your daughter became a federal agent to put away men like your husband."
"My boys and Agent Pride made a good decision for her; I was afraid she'd end up living in the bad parts of town with babies with different men," Toni replied. "I have been watching her achievements through the news, and I had hoped that she would be able to save me because I certainly couldn't," she then let out a sigh and smiled. "And my boys are perfect. All they need now is to settle and find peace."
"You're doing a fine job in helping yourself now," Steve pointed out. "And I'm sure they will one day learn what you think of them if they aren't ready to hear it today."
"Is my son still around?"
Steve hesitated. "He was reluctant when I offered to give him a few minutes to talk with you. I'm sorry."
"That's alright, Commander, I understand."
"I'm sure he will come around, give him some time," he smiled, scratching behind his ear.
The door swung open, revealing Danny with a cup of tea for Mrs. Mikaelson. "Sorry it took me so long, I had to borrow a teabag from upstairs," he said as he set it down in front of her with some sugar and a plastic spoon. "Also, boss, we've found her."
Steve's eyes lit up. "Really? Anywhere familiar?"
"Not really. But she turned on her phone, so Jerry could ping her location."
His eyes shifted out of focus as he considered that. "She did that on purpose. She wants us to know where she is now, which means she's got something," he said as he quickly stood up, nearly knocking the chair on the floor. "Uh, perhaps if Jerry isn't doing anything, he can keep Mrs. Mikaelson company? Just to make sure that the lawyers don't go wandering in here."
"Tani called the DA for Cullen; the lawyers will be going shortly. Might take some time for her though," he said as he walked out of the room and thumbed over his shoulder.
"Mrs. Mikaelson's case will end being extradited to Louisiana because they have the case, but let's make her as comfortable as we can while she's with us. And get HPD down here as a personal guard because she's given intel that her husband not only had plans to go after the kids but included her."
Danny hummed as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "You do know that's it's her word against his, right?"
"Evidence so far supports it, and extra security on her wouldn't hurt," he pointed out as he turned to open the observation room door to find the oldest Mikaelson child with his head in his hands. "You okay Nick?"
"No. I hate you lot." He put the walkie down on the table and headed towards the elevators. "Fuck you all," he said as he pushed the button impatiently.
"We found your sister," Steve called after him. "Or rather she let us find her location."
"Yeah, I heard. Bring her home safe, or I'll tear you limb from limb," he growled. "Leave me alone."
Steve sighed and waved him off, letting him go home to cool off. He was sure that he would have it much worse when he filled Myriam in on the most recent events with her mother.
Author note: Only one more chapter left! Hope you enjoyed so far.
Steve followed his team outside and was rather curious when Gibbs and Pride stayed behind. "Where did you find Myriam?"
"Jerry found her signal pinging off a tower over on the other side of the island. Just on the edge of Mokuleia Forest," Tani reported. "He arranged the HPD chopper to take us across because he didn't think that she'd wait if we drove."
"Good, good. She's probably tracked Parsons into the reserve. It's small enough to try to make her way to the water and escape by boat," he noted. "That's how she got out of New Orleans."
"Let's hope she waited for us."
Steve didn't comment as he took the keys from Danny and got into the driver's seat, barely giving him time to get in before taking off for the area helipad that the police helicopter was kept. It didn't take the team as long as it would take to drive to the corner of the island they suspected Myriam to be located. Jerry confirmed once they arrived that she was still in the same location and gave them the GPS coordinates.
Once in the arranged vehicles that were waiting for them, they hightailed it to the reserves.
They found Myriam sitting on top of a bench, slightly bloodied but with a satisfied look on her face. "What took you so long? Elijah and Parsons are inside. Tied up. Kneecaps shot," she said as she shrugged. "All yours."
Steve and Danny blinked at her blase greeting, Danny speaking up first. "What kind of crazy person shoots kneecaps?"
"To keep them from running away. Duh," she replied. "Unless you would like them to be dead, which can be arranged, of course."
"Who's gun did you use?" Steve asked, looking at her.
She shrugged. "I see no gun here. But oh, wait, you want an explanation for the kneecap thing. Right."
"That'd be nice," Danny stammered.
"I had help."
"Obviously."
"And that's all you're going to get. We've got Elijah and Parsons, that's all that matters."
Steve ran a hand over his face and now understood why NCIS stayed behind. The knowing smiles of amusement on their faces spoke volumes. "I need a beer."
"They are in need of some medical attention, should you choose to grant it to them," she shrugged as she wiped a drop of blood out of her eye before realizing she had a small head wound. Ripping off a piece of her shirt, she bandaged her head and got to her feet. "I need something stronger than beer."
Steve waved Tani and Junior ahead to deal with the two inside. Meanwhile, he went over to her to check on her injury and frowned. "You probably earned yourself a concussion. Did they slam your head into the ground?"
"Amongst other things, but I'm fine. I won."
"Of course you did, but you're getting checked out as well," he said with no room for argument. Looking over to Danny, he nodded for him to oversee the others while he dealt with Myriam. "Come on. You've gotten into enough trouble today."
"I'm fine," she sighed as she pointed towards the building. "The bastard sang like a canary," she said as she handed Steve a recording device. "I recorded it all. Asshole drugged my mother for at least twenty years. Beat her up. So I beat the shit out of him."
He looked down at her device before eyeing her. "Yeah. We have her at the office, and she said as much. There isn't much we can do for her in Hawaii since the case is based out of Louisiana, you know."
"Yeah, but that's fine, we have Cullen to prosecute for the kaboom. Not sure if that's gonna be an NCIS thing or civilian thing since I technically fired her."
"It's NCIS since it was an attack on your base," he assured her. "Civilian or not, she's NCIS."
"But it's still your case."
"Well, I could always transfer the case back to you, but you'd need an office," he replied playfully. "Luckily, there's room for an NCIS office in our building; I'm sure the governor wouldn't mind."
She let out a small laugh as she started to walk towards the road. "Rebuilding our office would take quite some time and money. And I do like that table of yours in your office," she pointed out. "I may have to take you up on your offer. Though there would be one downside."
"And what would that be?"
"My brother would want to kill you almost daily," she smiled with a glint in her eye.
"Ah, which one? Because Nick was basically pretty murderous just an hour ago."
"Cole actually likes you, but yes, Nick. And not for the reasons you may be thinking right now," she winked and turned around to keep walking. "And I thought Nick would go away after dropping off Danny's car."
"He wanted to, but Danny convinced him to stay. And then we brought your mother in. I made him listen in from the observation room."
"No wonder he hates you so much more."
"I think he was actually crying or pissed off, too," Steve quipped. "You'd better give him a call that you're alright."
"I can't," she pouted as she turned to look up at him and continued to walk backward to put as much space between herself and the scene with her father and his lover.
"Why not? It'll only make things worse for me!"
"I ran out of battery. Just enough juice to give you my location."
Steve rolled his eyes at her and handed her his phone. "Call your brother."
"I don't know his number," Myriam scoffed. "21st century. Everything is on smartphones. I believe we had this discussion already."
"You are trying to get me killed by him, aren't you?" he questioned.
She smiled demurely and walked away. "You landed at the clearing at the bottom, right? I'll just wait for you all down there, or you can send someone to come for me because I'm not going back with them. I'll probably push them out in the air."
"You missed the cars," Steve replied. "That's alright, with you being concussed and all. We can take the chopper back. It'll take them a few hours to come back by car, so by the time they arrive, you have been checked out in the hospital and won't have to see your father come in."
"I don't need the hospital," Myriam objected as he pulled her over to the car to make the trip to the clearing quicker.
"Yes you do, don't want to give your brother, or Auggie, reasons to kill me. And while we're at the hospital, you can say hi to Auggie and tell him that you got them."
The mention of her friend made her pout. "That was a dirty play, Commander."
"I can play dirty when needed," he smiled as he helped her into the car and got into the car himself before driving back to the chopper. He then dialed his phone to call the governor and requested that NCIS would take up the space above them for offices of their own. When the governor responded he'd get in touch with NCIS with positive reactions, he hung up the phone. "That's one thing sorted."
"Hm," she hummed as she settled in her seat. "So what is next?"
"Hospital, Auggie and then back home for you to rest up. I'm pretty sure Gibbs and Pride are already writing up your statement."
She smiled and looked at him. "That's not exactly what I meant, but thanks for the reassurance."
"What did you have in mind then?" Steve briefly looked over at her before turning back to face the road. "You want me to take you out to a bar or something?"
"Yes. As I said, I want something stronger than a beer. I deserved that."
"You're likely concussed."
"I've had worse, I'm fine, Steve. I'll go with you to the hospital to have them check me over, we'll say 'hi' to Auggie, and then you're going to take me to a bar, and we're going to drink. To celebrate that we got the assholes."
He let out a snort. "Yes, ma'am!"
"Then we can discuss what you and I have obviously been avoiding," she added. "Preferably without an audience present."
Steve thought for a moment. "Instead of going to the bar, we could go to the supermarket to get food and booze and I could take you to my house?"
Myriam's lips twitched.
"Because I only have beer in my house."
"And no chance of being crashed on?"
"Nope."
"Okay," she breathed out her agreement as she looked at him.
He looked over at her to make sure that she was serious and sure about their plans because it was a certain shift from the other day. All he could find was something he didn't recognize in her. A sense of contentment. Presumably because her father and Parsons were finally in custody. "Okay."
~o.O.o~
After landing the chopper and getting into his car, he hooked her phone onto the charging cable he had in his car so she could call her brother on the way to the hospital. "Oh come on!" Myriam whined. "Not fair."
"Call. Or I have the hospital keep you for observation for the night."
"We just set up a dinner date or whatever you want to call it. Seriously?" She argued as she stared at her phone as blinked through the charge.
"I'm more than happy to do that tomorrow," he nodded. No, he wasn't, but he was pretty sure that this was one of the ways he could get her to call her brother even if she didn't want to. He took the phone out of her hand, turned it on as he drove and hooked it up in his carkit as he found Nick's number and dialed it, much to Myriam's dismay and huffing.
"I wasn't worried," Nick greeted her. "Did you get the asshole?"
"This call is being made against my will and yes. Though he may require medical and therapy if he ever walks again. He certainly can never run," she glumly replied. "Him or his girlfriend in more ways than one."
"Kneecaps?" The big wide smile Nick had on his face could be heard over the phone.
"It's the only way to go. But I was told I had to check in and make sure you were aware I'm okay. I'm on my way to the hospital now. Again, against my will."
"Much appreciated, Steve," Nick said as he let out a relieved sigh. "You sound okay, so it's likely minor. Are you coming home after or are you going to get drunk somewhere to celebrate and Cole and I aren't invited?"
Myriam looked over at Steve for that answer. "Good question."
"I thought you didn't want any disruptions?" Steve countered. "I mean… I wouldn't object, but yeah, you wanted no disruptions."
"You also changed the tune a couple of times here."
"Alright. I get it. You're going by the Commander. I don't need to know anything else. I'll let Cole know what is going on," Nick sighed, disgruntled. "Glad you're in one piece. See you tomorrow."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll have someone update you on the hospital visit if need be," she added.
"Very well. And Myr? Thank you."
She let out a breath and nodded. "This is the first step, Nick. Pride will make sure that they'll get what's coming for them. I promise. See you tomorrow," she said as she disconnected the phone and crossed her arms back over her chest and looked out the window. "I still think the hospital is a stupid idea."
"Just humor me Myriam," Steve smiled as he reached over to pat her hand. "I'd rather make sure there is nothing else that might be missed."
She required a few stitches on her head, and aside from the concussion, she was just a bit dented and bruised, nothing major. They then went by Auggie, who was having the time of his life as he was playing with his phone. He was scolding Siri at some point, but it seemed as if he had managed to get his phone working for him with voice commands. She had watched him for a while as she stood in the doorway before knocking on the door. "Look at you, having fun."
"Myriam!" Auggie smiled widely. "Yeah, did you know, this phone is best for people who can't see? The voice over function is great, and I can even send messages through dictation, and it reads things to me, how cool is that?"
"Very," she let out a chuckle as she sat down on the edge of his bed and put her hand on his chest. "I got them. Steve got Isabella and my mother, and I got my dad and Parsons."
"Dead?"
"Kneecaps."
"Good girl," he smiled at her. "And you're okay?"
"Yeah, just a bit dented, but nothing I can't handle."
"Are you going to celebrate?"
Myriam let out a snort. "Yes. Of course."
"Have one on me," he nodded. "They're talking about transferring me to a rehab facility not far from here, so I'll let you know," Auggie replied as he held up his phone. "I need your phone number."
Myriam smiled as she took his phone and put in her contact details for him. "Now, don't send me those awful meme pics, okay?"
"I can send you nudes?" Auggie grinned.
"And I'll forward them to Joan. And everyone you've ever worked with," she playfully retorted as she put his phone back in his hands. "Have fun playing. I need a stiff drink now." She then saw the look on Auggie's face change and quickly put her hand on his mouth. "Don't you even dare say that. We're not alone!" she hissed as she got off the bed.
Auggie started to laugh. "Have fun. Don't be a stranger."
"I won't," she smiled at him. "After all, if you decide to stick with me and NCIS, I'll have to be included in your rehab process and see what you need to be functional at the office!"
"I am sticking around, there's no way you can get rid of me. Director Vance was remarkably alright with me asking for a permanent position and not to be on loan from the CIA."
"Yay," she planted a kiss on his forehead. "See you later."
"See ya, gorgeous."
She then walked out the room and looked at Steve. "Are you happy now?"
"Totally," he laughed. "Let's go and get you whatever bottle you want."
"Bourbon. A good bottle of wine and maybe vodka."
He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Sure."
"Take me to the best winery store. The wines I drink aren't cheap," she remarked. "While I could get a couple of bottles from the house, I don't want to have to face my brothers. If you think my tastes are expensive, you have no idea how deep Nick's are."
"Somehow, I don't doubt that. I think I know a good store to find what would satisfy your palate," he smiled as he escorted her out of the hospital. "Now, I remember you said you don't care a lot for fresh seafood, so what do you think about steak?"
Her lips twitched again as she smiled, avoiding looking up at him. "Sure. I could go for steak," she replied, amusement in her voice.
Not a half hour later Steve parked the car in front of his house. The steak was easy; he had several of them in the fridge anyway. No, it was Myriam's expensive taste in alcohol that she hadn't been lying about where they had to go a special shop for. "Welcome," he said as he pointed at the house after getting out the car.
Myriam stepped out and looked around. While it wasn't as large and grand as the house Nick had arranged for her and her siblings, it was modest and nicely tucked against the water if you had a boat or wanted a swim in the water without the chemicals of a pool like they had.
She smiled at the homeliness of the inside. It was something she hadn't had except when she was by Gibbs or if she would choose to hide wherever Pride was living at the time. It almost disappointed her how much she missed out on because of what her parents had done.
"What's that smile?" Steve laughed as he continued to walk to the kitchen to pour her wine and grab himself a beer while he pulled the steaks out of the fridge to get to room temperature.
"Our home in New Orleans is more like a museum," she started as she glanced around. "The only times I was in a real house that felt like it was a home and lived in was when I was sent to DC and Gibbs took me in or when I was with Pride until then. Even my apartments, wherever I was assigned, remained fairly minimalistic but … tasteful. Still, I lived in a museum-like an environment."
Steve slowly nodded. Even Myriam's current home didn't look like a home to him, just aesthetically pleasing. "I grew up in this house, my dad still lived here when he got killed, I never really bothered to find another place, this place is perfect," he said as he walked back and handed her a glass of wine. "It has its quirks, though. Creaks. Leaks."
"That should be an experience given the way the weather can be here," she grinned as she accepted the glass and sipped, not moving away. "So what is the plan for dinner?"
"Steaks," he said as he pointed behind him. "Currently warming up gently. Could do potatoes or rice, whatever. Mac and Cheese, likely."
"Hm," she hummed as she glanced over her shoulder. "Sounds complicated and probably would take awhile."
"At least 30 minutes for the steaks to be the right temperature to cook," he nodded as he took a sip of his beer, not moving an inch as he looked at her. "If you want mac and cheese with that, should be easy enough."
Myriam let out a breath as she looked up at him. "You're not going to grill me about how I found him and with who I was?"
"Nah, we all have our little secrets. The most important thing is that you kept them alive and that they'll get what's due. And you made it out with only a few bumps and bruises, so that's a good thing. Had it been differently… I might have had to protect you from a set of overbearing NCIS agents."
She snorted, bringing her glass up to her lips as she thought about her stand-in parental figures. "They mean well and I probably would have been taken in by a friend in New Orleans if they hadn't done what they did."
"I could tell that they care for you a lot, but they also respect your ability to handle yourself in the field. I just can't help but wonder how they will be when I go into the office tomorrow if they are still hanging around," Steve admitted.
Myriam swallowed her sip of wine and slowly set her glass down on the nearby table before turning to him. In her action, she placed herself almost right up to him. "Is that because of their whole fatherly behavior and the not so subtle innuendos that our friends have been throwing around that got us here that has you afraid?"
"I can handle them, that's not a problem. Maybe even a couple crazy brothers," Steve grinned as he watched her move even closer. "Then again, the best and most frustrating experience has been the one that's played hard to get since the day I met her."
"I never said I was easy to get along with, or that I handled shit well," she replied, arching her eyebrow. "Although life certainly feels much lighter all of a sudden today, so I needed to - reevaluate my life decisions and how I want to move forward with it."
He slowly nodded, understanding how the weight of her father and her friend's attempted murderer was now off her shoulders. "Does this mean there won't be any more questionable pranks or tests anymore?" he asked, his voice deepening as she turned, turned her face up.
Myriam's eyes met his, and while she could have verbally answered his question first, instead she pushed herself up and pressed her lips to his. It didn't take long at all for the kiss to grow, and her hands found their way up and over his shoulders, around his neck to hold herself to him. No, she thought. No questionable pranks if she could avoid it. At least if he wasn't involved on her end of the game.
Merry Christmas! heres to a splendid finish to the year and a story! I am working on something new and something old for next yea. I don't want to quite reveal what it is until I am ready and have something substantial to share. This year has been a long, stressful road for me personally. my mother suffered a severe stroke in June and I am still managing the care and decisions tjat come after it. It takes a lot out of you. I also had two fsmily members pass away within two weeks of one another. While we were close tk the mother and son in years, we are very much so with the daughter/sister so the paub of the loss is felt no matter. Especially when that uncle who is surviving the loss of a wife and son so soom os one of the last livonng members of that side of my grandmother's family.
That said, while I intend to continue writing, I want to make time for my family more.
A little more than a month passed after Elijah Mikaelson and Amelia Parsons was captured. 5-0 wasted little time in having everyone involved extradited to Louisiana where their investigation and crimes were primarily based.
It was a little more difficult when it was time to send Antoinette Mikaelson as it had been discovered she'd been as much victim but it wasn't the team's call to make in regards to her outcome. Myriam, Cole, and Nick were still on the fence about speaking to her before she left. Cole still refused, although Steve could see the fire fueling his anger had died down. Nick did take a few minutes before the marshalls left. Myriam, as angry as she was for what her father had done, still had a difficult time facing her even knowing the truth. Her emotional attachment didn't exist to be as hurt in the way that Nick and Cole had been, citing that she grew up without a mother, so she wasn't sure how to face the woman now.
Nick assured Steve that she might change her mind in time, as they had shared some discussions about the revelations that had been learned. As much as she was relieved it was over; she now had kept in the worries about what would eventually happen to their mother in Louisiana after the investigation and trials and how her brothers would react. It was more than likely that their mother was going to get a reduced sentence, but then what?
Myriam had kept herself busy with getting everything she needed and wanted for the new NCIS offices in the HPD building, a floor above 5-0. Including that gorgeous table and extra screens. She even made sure it was accessible for Auggie when needed. She worked with the rehab center to make sure Auggie would be fine at work and was very pleased with herself after the offices were done. It would take a couple more months until Auggie would be able to join her and Sheppard, but she was already looking forward in pouring over new candidates for their team.
Privately, Myriam spent a lot of time over at Steve's house when work did not get in the way. While her brothers knew where she was, they had thankfully kept her activities to themselves whenever they were around their colleagues. It wasn't that they were trying to hide, but the relationship was still new for Myriam and still very much adapting to the changes of Hawaiian life and preferred to keep things quiet between themselves for the time.
Hawaii wasn't that bad, at least not as bad as she thought it would be the first few weeks she was on the island. She stayed away from Kamekona's shrimp truck, but other than that, the food that Steve cooked her was great and wholesome. The cook at her and her brother's place was far too fancy, despite him being from New Orleans. So that's what she had told Cole when still had the idea of setting up a restaurant and bar; it's great he wants to bring a bit of home to their new home, but the cook had to be authentic. Not trained, but authentic.
Myriam knew that he was diving into it as not to think about their mother, and even she was on the fence about it. There had been nannies, but not a mother. And they now knew why, so why was dealing with the fact that her mother had been a victim and a criminal at the same time so hard? She needed to pay for what she'd done with their father, as they always did things together. On the other hand, the woman needed a reprieve, and perhaps her children needed to go and talk to her, but Myriam didn't want to.
She'd be more hurt and pissed off if something would have happened to Gibbs, and Pride, than her mother. And that was something that pissed her off, too. No child should hate their parents as much as she and her brothers did. But it was just how things were. A fucked up dysfunctional family.
If there had come anything good out of this, it would have been her brothers deciding to go completely straight after their reunion. They were a proper family now, and even Nick had loosened up after their parents were caught. They were all settling, and even Myriam had found something she hadn't dreamed of finding with Steve.
Steve and her were equals. He managed to have her see things differently and often in a better way. He was exciting and kept Myriam on her toes, and he truly was one of the reasons why she had been able to settle in Hawaii.
She tended to dive into work, getting the new office in order and more recently, been when free, requesting the time of Danny's daughter. Leading them to that day.
Danny walked into Steve's office, appearing confused, and concerned. "I have a question about your girlfriend."
Steve looked up from the report he was working on for the governor, unsure of how to respond. "Um… girlfriend?"
"Yeah. The short brunette upstairs with an attitude?"
Sitting back, Steve let out a sigh. "Since when did she become my girlfriend? Was there some announcement that I missed?"
Danny pursed his lips as he stared back at his friend. "Would you have any idea of what she wants with my daughter?"
Steve was very obviously confused as he shook his head. "Sorry, no. I haven't seen her outside of the office here for almost a week," he then shrugged. "Ask her yourself; you have her number."
"She's your girlfriend!"
"Are you afraid of her, Danno?" Steve barked out a laugh as he shook his head and dialed Myriam's number before putting her on speaker.
"Is the building on fire?"
"No," Steve replied. "Danno was wondering what you need Gracie for."
Myriam was quiet for a moment. "Girl stuff."
"Girl stuff?!" Danny squeaked. "Girl stuff?!"
"Yes. Do you have a problem with her hanging out with me? It's not like we are robbing banks. I could always have her go with my idiot brothers and whatever they are up to at the moment?"
"No! To both! God! Just… don't break her!"
"Relax, Danno," Gracie's voice sounded over the phone. "It's nice to do girl stuff!"
"Gracie, sweetheart," Danny took a deep breath and Steve was just looking at him with an amused look on his face. "Define 'girl stuff.'"
"Oh, well, we want to go shopping and then we're going to sip non-alcoholic drinks on the beach while someone gives us a foot rub," Grace responded as a matter of factly.
"Just don't tell him about the cabana boys," Myriam whispered a little too loudly.
"I won't tell him about the cabana boys. I believe you just did," Gracie giggled.
"What!"
"Bye Danno!" Gracie giggled again as she hung up.
"I'm going to shoot your girlfriend," Danny scowled as his face reddened.
"It's just a girl's day out. And it's with Myriam and not with one of her friends from school. Grace is safe. Now sit down and finish your reports before Grover is going to shoot you."
"This is the same woman that took off, stole my car and then went after her father and his girlfriend. I recall you weren't so happy about that either," he pointed out. "She's as much of a short fuse as you."
"Myriam likes Gracie. She didn't like her father. Relax."
Danny let out a sigh and shook his head. "You aren't concerned about what they are doing?"
"If what Grace said was the truth and they're going shopping and then sitting at the beach drinking non-alcoholic drinks with their feet being rubbed then I'm all for it," Steve said with a nod. "Because that means that Myriam finally gets Hawaii."
"See that confuses me about her. She's from New Orleans. Aren't they supposed to be super laid back? Adapting to Hawaii should have been easier for her than it was for me!"
"Uhuh."
Danny went over and yanked the papers out of Steve's hands and glanced at them. "What the hell is she sending you for NCIS?"
Steve glared back, annoyed, pulling the documents back. "It's just routine collaborative contract that the governor requested since we'd be closer with offices than before. It's more of liaison agreements that clears any red tape that we might cross with cases."
"Okay," Danny relented as he held up his hands. "Fine. But seriously. What is going on with you and Myriam?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Steve answered, bored of his insistence as he tried to get his work done.
"You are going to stick with that story? Just be honest because if her bosses or ours comes and questions things, I'd like to know what to say and not be caught by surprise."
Dropping the pen he held, irritated, Steve looked back up at Danny. "I can't tell you what I don't know. Whatever she and I are, we just are. When she's ready to apply a label, then we'll cross that bridge, but you know as well as I that she's extremely resistant to the idea of attaching herself to anyone or anything until recently because of her family."
Danny let out a breath. "Good friends then."
"You're not going to ask her out if that's what you're thinking. Because I'd have at least some objection there," Steve frowned.
"You two are good friends, and Myriam's not available for courting, gotcha," Danny nodded.
"Why do I have the feeling you're up to something?"
"I'm not up to anything, but I just want to be sure that I know what to say when people start asking!"
Steve merely rolled his eyes and turned back to his desk. "Get back to work Danny before I sic Grover on you. He's still in a bad mood from his trip and everything he missed."
~o.O.o~
Later towards the end of the afternoon, Myriam returned with Gracie to the 5-0 offices with a large number of bags on their arms. Both girls were full of smiles and secret glances between each other.
"Remember, shhh," she whispered in the young teen's ear as she pushed her into the open office.
"Shouldn't you, you know, be working upstairs or something?" Grover questioned as he eyed the NCIS Agent.
"I could, but it's rather dusty with the construction going on. Why not take advantage of the forced time off this time?" She replied with a devious smile.
"Is that so?" He murmured as he stared back at her, still unsure over the last few weeks of what to make of the woman.
Myriam smiled as she turned her attention back on Grace. "Here. Go on and put your bags in your dad's office. I'll go get the rest of them in a minute," she said before heading into Steve's office.
Grover sighed as he watched her walk away. "I still don't know what to make of her," he told Danny, who was busy staring at all the bags that his daughter was fussing with. "What?"
"She's a freaking menace, that's what she is," Danny murmured as he took one of the bags and peeked into it. "You two went nuts huh, Monkey?"
"Relax, Danno, she paid for it."
"I would hope so because you certainly don't have a credit card unless your mother didn't tell me something," he replied. "Why the hell did Agent Myriam buy you so much?"
"She said I needed some things," Grace shrugged. "She got me some clothes, music, and girl things."
Danny scowled as he turned to face his friends where they were talking in the office. "Really? If you needed something, I'd have gotten it for you. As far as I recall, you didn't need anything, and you didn't let me know that you needed anything."
"But you're not a girl, Danno, and Tani doesn't like taking me out shopping or do girly stuff with."
"And Agent Myriam is? Despite what Steve might say, she's on the crazy side," he smiled. "What exactly did you two do? Please tell me she was joking on the phone earlier."
"Foot rubs are great, Danno," Grace smiled, not missing a beat. "And non-alcoholic cocktails are to die for."
Grover leaned on the situation table as he narrowed his eyes. "That sounded a lot like it was rehearsed, young lady."
"It might be, it might not be," Grace smiled widely. "We didn't do anything illegal, that's a promise."
"How do you know whatever you two did wasn't illegal? Hm?" Danny asked as he smiled down at her. "Uncle Steve is just as crazy as her and damn near gets me in trouble since the day I met him."
"Can we go home so I can put all of this away?"
Danny looked over all the bags with a wary eye. "Yeah Monkey. Sure," he sighed. "Come on."
"Let me let Myriam know! She has more stuff in her truck!" Grace said before running over to Steve's office to knock on the door.
"More?" her father damn near whimpered. "I'm going to murder Steve's girlfriend."
Grover looked at him confused. "I thought that they said they weren't dating."
"They are something. They're sleeping together at the least, and he confirmed she's not available to anyone else. What would you take that as?" Danny smirked.
Grover raised an eyebrow as the thought for a moment. "Well, until they define themselves, why not call them friends with benefits?"
Danny shrugged. "They are what they are. Her brothers call them the same, trust me. It will only be a matter of time before they stake their claim publically. You really should have seen their faces that first day at the base."
Grover huffed. "The best things always happen when I'm out."
"It was only a matter of time that they got together, though neither of them made it easy for the other," Danny added and stood straighter when Grace started to come back with Myriam. Glaring at the woman, he shook his head. "I don't think I want to know the amount you spent on my daughter today. Did you have to do that?"
"No, I didn't," Myriam grinned. "I wanted to. We had fun. Anyway, want to just take the rest of her stuff from my car and put it in yours? I was just asking Steve about all of us going to dinner tonight. Auggie would probably join us."
"You think he's ready for that?"
"Steve? Maybe not. Auggie? Yes. He's a fast learner, and he's itching from a night out from rehab. Oh, I should ask Shep too. You know, bonding time with the neighbors. Yep," Myriam nodded as she motioned for Danny to follow her. "Come on, Danny, got your girl's stuff to put in your car."
He followed her and his daughter, feeling confused. "Why would Steve not be ready for a night out? He goes out all the time. I get your friend because rehab sucks, I admit."
"Because my brothers will be there too, I mean, I can't just leave them at home," Myriam shrugged as she shared a look with Grace and grinned. "The evening might get too much for you, too, Danny."
"What!"
"Relax," Grace rolled her eyes at her father. "It's so easy to wind you up; it stops being funny."
~o.O.o~
Nick and Cole were already seated at a large table in the front of the restaurant, right in front of a stage. They were chatting amicably with Myriam's friends, but none of 5-0 spotted her with them.
Confused and perhaps a little disappointed, Steve took a seat with his girlfriend's brothers. "Where's Myriam?"
Nick raised a brow and flashed a smirk. He glanced over his shoulder quickly and shrugged. "I'm sure she's around. She's been in a peculiar mood recently so when she gets like that we tend to keep a distance until the show."
"Why would she be nervous for a show? She'd be watching, right?" Steve shook his head. "I don't understand your sister sometimes."
"She didn't tell you?" Cole put his elbow on the table and rested his head in his hand as he looked at Steve with a big smile on his face. "Typical."
"What are you two going on about?" He questioned.
"Oh no. Now we're not saying a word. But you'll understand how she earned her nickname at least. Or is it codename?" Cole asked, looking to his brother.
Nick shrugged. "Hell if I know. They've called her that for years in New Orleans."
"To be honest, I can't wait," Auggie grinned as he felt around for his glass. Shep had moved it again. Asshole. "And see all of your dumbfounded faces."
"You know what's up too?" Sheppard blinked at him. "Of course you do. On your left."
Auggie shrugged as he carefully felt around for his glass, not wanting to knock it over and when he got a hold of it, he smiled triumphantly. "Shep, move it again, and I'll break your fingers."
"Just having some fun. Don't worry, McGarrett. I'm in the dark just as much as you," Jon replied and grinned as his order of calamari arrived and mixed a few pieces in with Auggie's fries.
"Shep?"
"Yes?"
"I heard that," Auggie warned him before he felt around on his plate and took inventory. His meat was cut, as he had asked - he still needed to get the hang of that, there was a salad, some fries and… frowning he picked up the calamari and put it in his mouth. "Oh, okay, not the worst combination I've ever had. Thanks."
Danny and Grace took their seats with everyone as the rest of the team settled down. "They have a show on tonight? I don't remember them putting anything up," he commented as he eyed the stage.
"Apparently," Steve replied, looking around as he tried to find Myriam.
A friendly waitress arrived to take the newcomers orders, drawing concern from those that had no idea what where or what Myriam was up to. The only ones that weren't, were her brothers, her ex, and seemingly Grace as she shared some not so subtle giggles and secret comments with Cole about her friend's plans.
The lights dimmed, and music began to play from the DJ, drawing the patrons' attention to the stage. Before the teams knew, Myriam was up there performing a popular song by Carrie Underwood. Steve grinned as he watched her, glancing over at her brothers who weren't surprised and watched like it was something they were simply used to seeing.
While she performed the energetic number, she smiled at her friends but never let her attention linger on them for more than a passing glance. There were a few moments she stood in front of their table. However her gaze remained on the crowd behind them.
"Let me guess, she's commanding that stage as if she owns it," Auggie grinned as he pushed a fry into his mouth. "What is she wearing?"
"Uh, I don't know what you call it," Jon replied. "Looks like a one piece, low cut, some sequins… gold… showing off her legs."
Auggie hummed and nodded. "Those legs…"
"Hey," Steve warned Auggie. "Just because you're blind doesn't mean I won't smack you."
Jon shrugged. "She does have great legs… and that low cut-"
"Stop it."
A couple of songs in, she was having a grand time. Her tone shifted slightly as she glanced at the group to find a brunette approaching them and settling herself next to Steve. A look to her brothers found two very irritated expressions as they struggled to keep themselves behaved.
"I'm going to have to say something about this," Cole muttered quietly as he looked at his brother. "Whoever that is, I do not like it."
Nick nodded as he looked at Danny, who looked severely annoyed as well as he eyed his friend and the brunette next to him.
"Hey, Catherine," Danny eventually spoke up. "Steve's moved on, stop trying to get him back."
"I'm not doing anything! I'm friendly, Danny."
"Steve," Nick said as he looked at his sister's boyfriend. "Myriam may not be so fast to put a label on what you two have, but you know as well as I do that it has its reasons. Do know that she's very possessive despite you two not having that label. Get rid of that woman next to you before Myriam does."
"She's a former colleague."
"You wanted to propose to her!" Danny hissed. "And now she's here? No."
"I'm still here," Catherine replied before she let out a scream as something was spilled on her.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Auggie said as he wobbled on his feet, holding on to his glass. "I merely wanted to take my drink and sit closer to my friends, did I spill my drink on you?"
Catherine huffed. "It's fine," she said as she got to her feet and nearly pushed Auggie over before Auggie found the now empty chair and sat down in it with a big smile on his face.
Sheppard laughed. "For some reason, you see more than we think!"
"Perhaps," Auggie shrugged. "Or maybe those years of CIA training are finally paying off. But I do hear quite a bit more."
"And now, for my last song," Myriam spoke with a smile on her face. "I'd like to invite a very special guest here with me," she said as she held out her hand for Gracie to take it. "Grace and I worked on this all day yesterday."
Grace grinned as she took Myriam's hand and got onto the stage with her.
"Are you ready?"
"Uhuh," Grace nodded with a big smile on her face.
"You want to tell them which song we're going to sing for everyone?"
"The Road Less Traveled."
~o.O.o~
After Myriam was done with her set, she had joined them all for a meal of her own while Auggie told everyone about how her singing skills got them through a few difficult situations or her skills were an in with some people. She just happily munched on her fries. After a fun night out, she went home with Steve, and they collapsed onto the couch together with a nice glass of wine and a beer. "That was fun," she smiled.
"You surprised most of us," Steve nodded. "You do have an amazing voice, though."
"Thanks," she took a sip of her wine and looked at him. "Did you have a good time?"
He let out a breath and nodded. "Until Catherine showed up."
She raised a brow and lifted her glass to her lips with as much of an indifferent shrug that she could muster. "Looked a little tense," she murmured.
"She's an ex," he said carefully. "She uh… well, I wanted to propose to her, she thought of it as a joke and left. Then came back, and left again… I just ended it. Nothing left between us as far as I'm concerned but professionalism."
Myriam wasn't sure what to say, pressing her tongue to the back of her teeth as she looked back at him. "Nothing? Because I'd understand if there was. I know with whatever this is, it's not easy with how close Auggie and I remained."
Steve shrugged. "I'm fine with Auggie. He's a fun guy, and I'm glad you two remained good friends," he replied. "And whatever this is, you and I are what's important."
"I didn't like seeing her," she muttered, finishing her glass and refilling it. It took a lot for her to admit that after everything and shook her head.
"You and me both," he replied.
She raised her eyes with a smile. "Just how much did my brothers threaten you or her before she was run off? Out of curiosity."
"Once. And then Auggie made sure she left by spilling his drink all over her under the guise of wanting to sit closer to us," Steve shrugged. "Look, she's still in the same line of work as we are. I often get interrupted with stuff. This time it was her. For nothing work related."
A sense of irritation flowed under her skin as she shifted in her seat and scratched her neck. "So, there is a high possibility of having to run into her again, you're saying? Neither of us can depend on having Auggie around to spill drinks on her every time," Myriam commented rather sourly, her eyes shifted as thoughts ran through her head.
"Well," he smiled at her. "It would be a lot easier if you and I could put a label on ourselves as what we are. Because I already think of you as my girlfriend, I just want you to think of me as your boyfriend."
"Labels," she sighed, looking at him. "I hate that word, you know. But if it's what would keep these bitches away from what's mine, sure."
He let out a chuckle. "I don't like labels either. But, yeah. It gives a certain reassurance, I suppose."
"However, I get to punch your ex in the face if she tries putting her hands on you," Myriam said with a sweet smile.
"Whatever you want," he laughed.
She smirked then as she shifted a little on the couch and looked at him. "Whatever I want?" she asked playfully.
"I'm going to regret saying that, aren't I?"
"You can ask that again when I'm done with you," Myriam sang as she moved to straddle his lap. "The main question for now is... Will you be able to keep up?"
He set his bottle down on the side table and put his hands on her hips, a big smile on his face. "Will you?"