The probability of (prior) FBI Operative C.J, dying or heading to her immediate death was undeniably very high.

C.J was sitting in a car with Benjamin Braxton who refused to maintain the speed limits and drove like there was nobody else on the road. According to him, every minute they wasted, the more time Colby Simpson would have to escape.

Her hand was latched to the heater on the car dashboard. Benjamin refused to unlock the handcuffs because he was sure she would take the first opportunity to hit him. At least he wasn't wrong about that.

Benjamin started to slow down soon when they reached a familiar road. They hadn't been in the car for too long but every second with Benjamin felt like time was stretching out and testing C.J's patience. He wouldn't respond to any of her questions and refused to turn on the radio to fill the silence. He insisted that the radio would distract him from thinking about the case. When the vehicle started to come to a stop, he told her that they were here. She shifted in her seat. The handcuffs stopped her hands from moving too far. She jerked the chain in frustration and groaned. "Might I ask, where exactly is here?"

He didn't answer her question, instead pulling the key from the ignition and stepping outside the car. He came to her side of the car and opened the door. He reached for his shoe and pulled the key out. A bitter smile spread on her face. "How chivalrous of you, Benjamin."

He freed the metal link from the ventilator and pulled the chain towards him. He smirked as he grasped her wrist and latched the handcuff to his wrist. They were handcuffed together once again. "Don't be so quick to judge, C.J."

She was pulled out of her seat as he closed the door behind them. She glared at the back of his head. She wanted to hit him. He wasn't facing her and didn't look alert. She could easily kick him in the bend behind his knee and he would collapse to the ground. But that wouldn't be smart. They were handcuffed together and so pushing him down, would mean falling along with him.

And her cover would be blown. She mentally scoffed. The things she had to do for Colby Simpson.

"You know, C.J," Benjamin said, mischievously. He turned to face her, "I can feel when you want to hit me. I know your skills were minimum, but you're losing your touch. I can see why the FBI may not want you anymore."

He was trying to rile her up but she was far from annoyed. She wanted to laugh at his assumption that she was still in the FBI as a field agent. But she turned her head to the neighborhood Benjamin had brought them in. "Where are we?"

C.J knew they weren't far from Virginia, but she didn't recognize the quiet neighborhood they were in. There was a line of houses, with their green lawns freshly cut. Unique shrubs and trees were planted across the lawns. The whole scene looked like where retired couples settled after all their kids had left the house.

Benjamin looked down at her, "you don't know?"

"I wouldn't be asking you if I knew," she deadpanned.

They were climbing the stairs of the house porch when she noticed the wooden plate at the side of the door. Her eyes snapped to him as the corners of his lips twitched. "How do you know where he lives? He made sure to get rid of all records. He didn't even tell me."

Benjamin nodded, his grin widening. "That is just another reason why I, am a better agent than you."

He knocked on the door and waited. Soon a man in his early-sixties opened the door. When he saw who was standing in front of him, he groaned. "I can never get away from you pesky FBI brats, can I?"

Despite his age and recent retirement he still looked ready to face any challenge thrown his way. He wore a navy blue sweater and gray pants. His peppered hair was slowly fading from black to entirely gray. His voice still held the comforting tone he had always spoken with.

In the years, C.J had known him she had grown to admire him. He was smart, brave and fair. All qualities the Director of the FBI should have. Even when he had retired from the FBI at the age of sixty-two, his gaze still made criminals cower. The man standing in front of her was Steve Anderson.

"Sir," They both said at the same time. Steve only chuckled and waved his hand, inviting them in. He guided them to the living room where he told them to wait. He walked out of the room, leaving C.J and Benjamin alone.

"He doesn't look old, does he?" Benjamin mumbled beside her. When she shook her head, he spoke again, "I bet he could still take on both you and me at the same time—"

"I heard that, Braxton!" Steve shouted.

Almost a year ago, Steve Anderson had decided that he wanted to retire from the FBI after thirty-seven years of service. He had stepped down and Richard Meyer had stepped in as the new Director of the FBI.

C.J had met Richard Meyer once when Steve was retiring. Richard Meyer had been selected for the position of Director and Steve had introduced her to him. There wasn't anything particular about him that made C.J dislike him. But when he smiled at her while shaking her hand, she felt like he knew something. Something that was specifically about her.

Steve walked into the room again with two cups and placed them on the table in front of them. Benjamin reached for his cup and surprisingly handed C.J's hers too. Steve raised an eyebrow at him. "You two are here..." He waved his hand at them. "And Benjamin is giving you something, that doesn't land you both in the hospital. Is this real or have I finally died?"

They chuckled at his dramatics. When they had been at the Academy, Steve often had work there. It was unusual for the (then) Deputy Director of the FBI to be seen at the Academy but Steve Anderson had never been known to follow rules. People at the Academy were sure that he was always there because he wanted to recruit Colby Simpson as a ghost agent. Little did they know; that was exactly why he was there.

The other people at the Academy were used to seeing Benjamin and C.J's fights. Some even kept bets on who would beat who next time. So, when Steve Anderson entered the Academy grounds, he was no stranger to their fights either.

"Well, Director—"

"Oh, Benjamin, don't you know? I don't go by 'Director' anymore, I'm retired."

Benjamin laughed as he studied his cup. "Alright, Sir. The mystery of Colby Simpson has finally descended upon me. She's been missing for seven months. I don't think the world can survive without Colby Simpson much longer."

Steve laughed as C.J rolled her eyes. He glanced at Benjamin before his gaze landed on their chained hands. His eyes drifted to C.J. "And why are you here, C.J?"

The amusement in his eyes was gone. Among other things Steve Anderson was also the one of the only person to know C.J's real name. Being the Deputy Director of the FBI when she joined the program, he had access to all the applicant's details. When he raised an expectant eyebrow, she held up their joined hands. "Rumor has it, that I was the last person Colby Simpson was in contact with before her disappearance."

His forehead creased as he turned to Benjamin, expecting a proper explanation.

"I need to locate and retrieve Colby Simpson. That's my case," he said, calmly. Lifting their hands up again, he jabbed his thumb at her. "As part of questioning, I asked her what she knew and she told me that Colby Simpson—or what she assumed was Colby Simpson—told her that the entire FBI was compromised. So, then I thought, who better to know about Colby Simpson and the FBI, then you?"

Steve glanced at me. "I am sorry Agent Braxton, but any information on Colby Simpson is strictly confidential."

Benjamin frowned, "I have a higher clearance level than most expect, Sir. I think it is well within my rights as an Agent to know this information."

"Your rights?" Steve raised an eyebrow at him. "Agent Braxton, you showed up at my door uninvited. I think it's well within my rights, to demand you leave my property."

Benjamin gulped at Steve's tone. Steve Anderson was not known for being temperamental. He was a reasonable, understanding man. So, when his tone sharpens and his eyes narrow at someone, they should know testing Steve Anderson was not a good move.

An unwilling smile spread on C.J's face at the tension.

"I didn't mean to offend you, Sir," Benjamin admitted. "But any details you could provide would help—"

Steve's face eased as his shoulders relaxed. "I have personal ties to Colby Simpson. And I'm afraid I can't disclose anything about her without her prior knowledge." Benjamin visibly deflated when Steve paused. C.J almost felt bad for him, but the she remembered the handcuff on her wrist. She didn't feel bad anymore. "The FBI, however . . ." Steve trailed off and C.J felt like smacking him with something. "The FBI, we could talk about."

Benjamin face cracked in to a smile and C.J had the strange urge to smile with him. She ignored her sudden urge and drank from her cup. Steve nodded his head, silently telling Benjamin to ask what he wanted to ask him. He let out a heavy breath and rubbed his hands on his thighs. When he opened his mouth, C.J knew why he had a record for most cases solved. He either went big or nowhere at all.

"What do you think of the new Director?" she and Steve both knew that by asking this, Benjamin was basically accusing the Director of the FBI of treachery. Her eyes snapped to Steve, waiting for his answer. Ever since she had transferred to the training department of the FBI, C.J didn't know much about the insides of the Agency.

"I don't know much about Richard Meyer," Steve admitted. "But he's ambitious, more than one should be. Richard Meyer has skeletons stuffed in not just his closet, but his whole house." Steve slightly smiled jokingly, "and maybe even his garage. But I haven't talked to him much, seeing as I retired once he actually stepped up. You'll have to ask C.J. I'm sure she can give you some intel on the man,"—he laughed, throwing C.J a wink—"C.J just loves the new Director."

She wanted to hit something—preferably Benjamin—when Steve told him. Now, he was going to have much more a reason to drag her along with him on his goose chase. Steve had safely removed himself from Benjamin's interrogating and placed her as the replacement. Sometimes she really hated that old man.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You didn't tell me that you met and knew, Meyer."

"You never asked."

He raised his handcuffed hand to his hair but then realized that he was dragging her arm along with it. He dropped his hand and tilted his head to the side, "I'm asking now."

C.J's eye flitted to Steve as he gave her a reassuring nod. Turning to Benjamin, she saw he was already looking at her. When she met his eyes, he realized that she wasn't going to speak until he looked away. Benjamin turned his gaze away and C.J sighed. "I have met him. I shook hands with him the day Steve retired and spoke with him a few times after that about a few high profile cases."

She watched as Benjamin calmly took a sip of his drink and when Steve didn't say anything either, she went on. "Meyer wasn't very open—not that FBI Directors are—but he was more closed off than usual, almost to the point that it seemed suspicious. He was secretive, he didn't trust any of us—his Agents. Executives who didn't agree with him were replaced, agents who defied were demoted and put on desk duty. The good cases were only handed to Agents who kissed the ground he walked on."

"You don't work as an Agent anymore," he stated. "Is that why? You didn't kiss the ground he walked on?"

She nodded, "I transferred to the Academy as an Instructor seven months ago."

He turned to face her, his forehead creased. "Isn't that when—"

"Yes," she replied. He rested his elbows on his knees but sat straight when he saw that he was pulling her along by the handcuffs. Meyer's favorite protégé—Maverick Collins—had been the primary operative in that case. He had sent her undercover in a college building as an office assistant. The crimes of the local gang had spread. One of the office workers was related to the main gang family and she had to get any information she could. Unfortunately someone had told someone in the local gang and they had decided to set the building on fire to kill anyone possible Undercover Agent. "It was after my last case and after that I transferred to the Academy."

She never said it out loud, but she knew that whoever blew her cover was from the FBI. But she was already disliked by the main authorities at the FBI and saying that there was a Double Agent in the Agency would not win her any good points.

Sensing that she was not going to speak anymore, Benjamin turned to Steve. "What about Colby Simpson? She was a legend in the FBI. Meyer had to ask about her—who she was, her profile, personal details."

C.J's lips turned up when Steve smiled secretly, "I'm sorry to tell you Benjamin, but the biggest misconception about Agent Colby Simpson is that she's an FBI Agent." A smile bloomed on her face when shock took over Benjamin's face. He didn't stop himself from hauling C.J up by their handcuffs and walking towards the window. But before he could say anything, Steve spoke again. "The FBI being compromised is a serious thing, Benjamin and I think I can spare a small bit of information for something that serious."

Benjamin whirled around to face him, twisting C.J's arm with him. "What do you mean by she isn't an FBI—"

"Colby Simpson isn't an FBI agent. She worked exclusively for highly classified cases assigned by me. You would be surprised, how easily people believe in rumors—even if they are trained FBI Operatives."

She expected Benjamin to ask more questions and pry more out of their retired mentor. But he didn't. He didn't even spare a glance at the former FBI Director as his hand gripped hers. His eyes glimmered with hope at the chance of another lead. His voice was calm as it usually was when he asked her, "Who was your case's primary?"

"Collins," she told him slowly, her face furrowing at his reaction.

"Rick Collins?" His grin grew wider as he ran a hand through his hair, mindful not to use the hand that was tied to hers. "Are you saying that Maverick Collins was in Meyer's favor? Because that just helps me by a tenfold."

C.J looked at Steve, silently asking what was wrong with him. He only shook his head and then C.J was being pulled towards the front door. She tugged her handcuffed hand, stopping him in his steps. Her eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "What happened? He just told you that Simpson wasn't in the FBI and instead of questioning him, your leaving? I did not come here, handcuffed the whole way for you to rush out without any explanation. And more importantly, how does Collins help you in this case? It isn't like—"

He threw C.J's jacket at her, cutting her off mid-sentence, while grabbing his own jacket. He pulled open the door and turned to her, a wide, accomplished grin on his face. "If Meyer trusts Rick, then I have an inside man. He used to be my partner in the FBI and as of nine months he happens to be my brother-in-law."

C.J and Steve didn't even have time to process his words as Benjamin pulled her out of the foyer. Steve shouted a goodbye as Benjamin dragged her to the car. He threw a goodbye over his shoulder, quickly reaching for the handcuff key and releasing them both from the bind. He opened the car door for her, not waiting for her to sit as he rounded the vehicle to get into the driver's seat.

She turned around to wave goodbye to Steve. He returned her wave and mouthed her real name as he said goodbye. She smiled as she sat in the car, rubbing her wrists which were now red. She glanced at the man beside her, "where are we going now?"

"Maryland. The Collins household."

And then he was speeding through the empty roads once again having C.J worry for her untimely death.