31 Loose Ends (1/2)
Rebecca drives off once she gets her confirmation. It takes quite a lot of persuasion on her part to be allowed to report the exclusive news personally.
One the highway, she hits a roadblock – literally.
The roadwork crew tells each car to take a detour to the right.
The detour leads to a long-winded road, adding at least 10 minutes to her travel time. Since she is now boxed in by the car behind her, she has no choice but to follow that road.
When it is finally her turn, the construction workers tell her to wait.
They spend the next 10 minutes or so to chat and laugh amongst themselves. This delay has caused a lot of cursing by the driver in the cars behind her.
Rebecca is also getting very upset. She needs to get to the Television Station as soon as possible. She honks her car once her patience has gotten thin.
One of the workers looks towards her before approaching her car in a rather casual manner. He knocks on the window, requesting to speak to her.
”What is it? Can I go yet?”
Rebecca asks after lowering the window slightly – just enough to speak through it unhindered.
She didn't like the ways the construction worker is looking at her. Despite her attractiveness, it wasn't the look of perversion. It is a look of a predator, staring down at an unescapable prey.
His gaze makes her incredible uncomfortable.
”Alright. Miss Abarbanel. You can go now. Please drive safety. We wouldn't want you have an accident, would we?”
The worker then shouts at his co-workers to allow her to go through.
Once they did, Rebecca speeds off to get away as quickly as possible. She looks back through the rear-view mirror, finding all the construction workers looking towards her direction.
It was then that she realizes the man had just said her name.
Her heart races as checks the nametag pins to her ample chest.
She exhales deeply, believing the man must have gotten her name off the tag. She immediately throws the tag to the backseat before looking ahead at the road.
Rebecca follows the lonely road, taking note that there is no car in front or behind her.
In fact, it is eerily silence – dreadfully silence.
She steps onto the pedal, speeding up in order to get pass this section of the road. As soon as she sees something red and blue blinking ahead, she immediately steps onto the brake.
Her car rapidly drops its speed to under the legal limit, but it was already too late.
”Shit!”
Rebecca curses when the highway patrol cop orders her to park her car along the side the road with a pointed hand gesture.
The cop and his partner then continue talking to another driver, who appears to also be speeding like her. She couldn't see who the man is because one of the cops has obscured the view.
”I didn't expect my kid could hit the ball that far. He got a freaking homerun all by himself. True, it was a really a good game. But since I lost the bet, I had to take him to the circus along with his friends. Lost all my pay that day to a bunch of kids.”
The cop laughs. He is talking about his son and the baseball game last weekend.
His partner also shares something about his family, especially about his estranged wife who has taken his daughter with her. He wants to use Shield Surveillance Network to find his wife and daughter, but it would fall under personal use.
He is asking for my permission, but I suggest he put in an official request with Shield itself. If it doesn't hinder any thing important, it should be fine.
I listen to each of their stories, learning all the people who are working under me have a life of their own outside of work.
Honestly, everyone does, but their life is insignificant in the grand scheme of things – just like a certain girl.
After reading through her history, I know that she is trying very hard to succeed in life – just like most people in America. Sadly, she is unlucky enough to come across something she should not have.
Speaking of which, Rebecca is trying to get one of the cop's attention. She has been waiting in her car for the last 15 minutes.
”Let's get this over with. I have to return home to my daughter, and so do you two.”
I tell the men. They nod in understanding and head towards the woman. They are not impersonating highway patrols. They are highway patrols.
”I'm so sorry, officers, but I am in a hurry, so can you please give me a ticket and let me be on my way?”
Rebecca pleads once the Hydra sleeper agents investigate the car the window. They needed to make sure the evidence is still in her possession, visually.
”Do not worry Miss Abarbanel. You will be on your way soon enough. Can you please step out of the car for a minute please?”
Rebecca blinks. She cocks her head over and see her name tags lying facedown in the backseat. There is no way they could have known her name – unless… they are not who they claim to be.
She immediately steps on the pedal, causing the engine to roar loudly.
However, her car remains in the same spot, unmoving.
”It looks like she is trying to run. I guess I lost the bet. Damn. I am completely broke this week.”
One of the men comments before knocking on the window by the driver's seat.
”Do you not know that is a felony? Can you please step out of the car, Miss Abarbanel? We will not ask you again. Oh. Please bring that folder with you when you do.”
It takes a while for the woman to step out of her car, right after she turn on a handheld voice recorder and hide it on her person.
She did try to call 911 on her phone, but there was no service.
Once Rebecca is standing outside her car, she notices that there is a silver disk locking itself onto each of the wheel of her car.
Not being a scientist or an engineer herself, Rebecca obviously couldn't explain what those metallic disks do exactly. Even so, she understands they prevent her escape with her car.
”You work for Henry Oxford, aren't you? It's a crime to impersonate police officers.”