Mitchell Parker woke up feeling heavy. He was lying flat on his stomach and he could feel his head pounding. His tongue felt like sandpaper. He swallowed, opened his eyes and tried to focus. He didn’t feel in any danger, after all, he seemed to have a warm doona over him.
Mitch propped himself up; it was Nick and Amy’s place and he was on a mattress on the floor; he recognized the spare room. Mitch had one almighty hangover. He remembered starting the night at the pub with Samantha, Nick and Ellen, but couldn’t remember finishing it.
He began to turn when he realized someone was lying beside him.
Oh no!
He could see his clothes sprawled over the chair. He was lying naked, under the doona with someone next to him.
Please God, don’t let it be Ellie or Samantha. Christ! Don’t be Ellie or Sam.
The person next to him stirred and turned the opposite way. Mitch took his cue. He raised himself and slowly turned over. Relief coursed through him; it was neither of his team. In fact, he didn’t know who it was.
He moved to the chair, grabbed his shorts and pulled them on. He grabbed his T-shirt, threw it on and made for the door. He listened at the ajar door for any movement, then gauged it safe to go out. He wasn’t keen on being caught by Amy, if he looked as bad as he felt.
Slipping out of the room, he glanced around; the coast was clear. He made his way to the bathroom, conscious of the smell of alcohol coming out of his pores. He stripped and climbed into the shower, gulping mouthfuls of warm water. Sometime after, Mitch heard the bathroom door open and looked over to see Nick entering. He grunted at Mitch, as he used the toilet behind the door.
“Want some breakfast?” Nick asked.
“Let’s go out for something greasy,” Mitch said. “I’ve written off my body for the weekend.”
“Just like old times.” Nick yawned. “Is she still in there?”
Mitch had forgotten. “Shit! Yes. Who is she? What’s her name?” he whispered.
“Jane … no … Julie. No, that’s the one in my room,” Nick suggested.
“Great.”
“I can’t remember,” Nick said. “Don’t worry, they probably can’t remember our names either. Let me know when you’re out of the shower.” Nick walked out, closing the door behind him.
Mitch stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel.
He sighed, drying himself with as much energy as he could muster. He dressed, feeling like he was in slow motion and departed the bathroom. Mitch pushed opened Nick’s bedroom door and indicated the shower was clear. He went back to the bedroom to rouse his bed friend.
“What time did Ellie and Sam leave?” Mitch asked between bites of scrambled eggs and bacon.
Nick shrugged. “Ellie arrived late and went early, Sam kicked on for a while.”
“Do you think Sam’s OK?” Mitch asked.
“I think she’s hot for you,” Nick said.
Mitch scoffed. “Not likely.”
“Trust me, you’re the only one who can’t see it. Since she’s not on your team anymore you could ask her out. Although, I guess you could have gone out with her when she was on your team.”
“Yeah, that’d be awkward, and what if she only agrees to go out with me because she wants to keep her job,” Mitch shook his head. “Nuh, not interested, Sam’s not my speed.”
“Bet she’d be good in bed,” Nick said.
“Yeah, but you’ve got to talk to them in the morning,” Mitch said.
Nick grinned. “You always over-think things.”
“Good thing one of us does.”
They ate in silence for a short while.
“I think she’ll be good in Computer Forensics. She’s good with that techno crap,” Mitch added as an afterthought.
“She’ll be fine, stop worrying about her, you did what you had to do. Want another coffee?” Nick asked.
Mitch nodded and sat back. “Sunday.”
Nick looked around. “Yep, all day.”
“I can’t tell you the last time I had a weekend off. Two days in a row.”
“Good thing too; a day to recover after last night,” Nick rubbed his temples.
Mitch’s phone rang and John Windsor’s name came up. He groaned.
“You jinxed it,” Nick said.
Mitch answered.
“Mitch, got a possible new agent for your team. It would only be for a year though, a contract position. He’s one of our agents located overseas with the Trans-National Crime Unit and wants to come back for a stint.”
“That’d work. How soon can I get him?”
“He’s here now, arrived last week, been catching up with his relatives. He’s been overseas for a long time though, doesn’t sound like a local. Do you want to meet him today?”
“No … why would I?” Mitch frowned at the strange request.
“Just thought it would be good to meet him out of the office before you get caught up in the next job. By the way did I say good job on that last one?”
“Thanks, but it didn’t feel like a good job, it felt out of control, like we were playing catch up the whole time.”
“Who would have seen half of that unfolding as it did?” John said. “And if you hadn’t cottoned on to the fact that the VIP was the VP, imagine the mess the government would be in. It allowed us to shut it down off the radar, and it finished clean at least,” John added.
“I’ve never had so many enemies working together and against each other on one case. I’m still not convinced it’s cleaned up but I’m guessing you know more than me and you’re not sharing.”
“Anyway, good job,” John said.
“Mm,” Mitch said suspiciously, “it won’t feature as one of my favorites in my memoirs.”
John laughed. “Where are you?”
“I’m having breakfast with Nick in 18th Street. Send the new guy down if you like. What’s his name?”
“He said he knows you. See you tomorrow.” John hung up without answering the question.
Mitch began on his second cup of coffee. He looked at Nick.
“Sam’s replacement, the new guy, is meeting us here for coffee, now. He’s home from a posting overseas. Poor Ellie is now outnumbered.”
“Lucky girl,” Nick said.
Mitch began to smile.
“What?” Nick asked.
“I just realized who we might have scored.” He remembered the hot shot agent in the UK who joined them on their Canary Wharf job.
“Do we know him?” Nick asked.
“We know him. I bet it is Adam Forster.”
“The limey?”
“He’s American. He’s just been working in the TCU in the UK for so long he’s become one of them.”
Mitch saw the car pull up before he saw Forster. The Porsche slid into a narrow park with ease and the driver alighted. He looked nearby, up and down the cafe strip, saw Mitch and Nick and grinned. He crossed the road and walked over to them.
“Did you drive it across the water?” Nick asked.
“Just leased it,” he said, and shook both of the men’s hands before taking a seat beside Nick, and motioning for a coffee.
“Welcome home,” Mitch said.
“Thanks. I heard you needed me.” Forster grinned.
“Just don’t bed another one of my team,” Mitch said.
Forster looked at Nick. “Not my type.”
Mitch shook his head. “I was going to take some leave, the timing is looking perfect!”
“I hear there are some good cruise bargains going at the moment,” Nick grinned.
THE END