Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye Fan Fiction: "Without Words" - Part 2

"Without Words" is published in three parts:
Part 1
Part 2 - You are here.
Part 3 - (Conclusion)

"Without Words," by B.A. Rogers

Continued from Part 1 . . .

SCENE 3 - In a secure conference room with video viewing equipment.

Sue is in a conference room with two Army officers, Colonel Johnson and Captain Miller. Both men are in the Army's Class B uniform (through all scenes, until noted otherwise). They are with the Special Forces. Sue is seated at a table and the men are telling her what they expect her to do while working on their operation.

CPT Miller: (Putting three photos on the table in front of Sue) We think one of these men is in charge of the kidnapping and knows where Staff Sergeant Wallace is. We're in the process of developing as much intelligence as we can. That's on-going, as we speak. Now, your part. (Puts two more photos on the table, separate from the first three photos.) We have some surveillance tapes that we'd like you to analyze. In the tapes, each of these men (indicating the first group of three) has conversations --- some kind of interaction --- with one or both of these men (indicating the second group of two).

COL Johnson: Somewhere in there, we're just hoping that there's something that will tip us off. That will mean something to us.

Sue nods, thinking things through.

CPT Miller: We've enhanced the tapes as much as possible. But, they're not great. And the men are speaking Arabic.

COL Johnson: ---And we know you don't speak Arabic. We're not expecting you to give us a transcript.

CPT Miller: Right. We're just looking for any clue, at all, to help narrow down who is holding Wallace. Once we know "who," we're a lot closer to "where."

COL Johnson: Maybe you can see a pattern, a word or phrase that is used repeatedly. Something that's said in the same situation --- a greeting or a command. Maybe someone's name. Maybe a word or phrase in English. (emphasizing) Whatever you can see, you just tell us. Whatever it is. And we'll work out what your information tells us in the context of what we already know about these men and intelligence we're constantly gathering on the ground.

Sue takes a deep breath.

CPT Miller: I know it seems like a long shot, but---

Sue: Let's get started.

SCENE 4 - In the bullpen.

Bobby, Tara, Myles and Dimitrius are present.

Myles walks to the entrance-way and takes a folder a woman hands off to him.

Myles: (to the woman) Thanks. I appreciate it.

Myles looks over the contents of the file as he walks back to his desk.

Tara: (on the phone at her desk, as Myles is walking by) No, there are two locations. . . . It's the one in Maryland.

Dimitrius: (on the phone at his desk) I need it tomorrow. At the latest. . . . Sooner is better.

Bobby: (on the phone at his desk) The thing is the preliminary ballistics tests were inconclusive. . . . If that happens, then, yeah, we get very lucky.

Myles: (at his desk, reading, looks up at Tara, ready to write something down) Tara, can you give me that address again?

Tara puts a finger up to indicate she is on hold on the phone; then points at her screen, indicating the address is there. Myles gets up, with pen and paper in hand, to go to Tara's desk.

Cut to Myles standing at Tara's desk, looking at her computer screen. Tara is still on the phone.

Tara: (into the phone) Thanks. That's a big help. (hangs up)

Tara: (looking at her screen) Okay . . . 7-6-2-9 . . .

Myles: (writing) 7-6-2-9 . . .

Tara: Willowleaf--- (Tara glances up and notices Jack entering the bullpen)

Myles: (also noticing Jack) Willowleaf . . .

Tara and Myles, a little nervously, look back at their work.

Tara: Uh . . . Willowleaf Road.

Myles writes the address down as Jack walks by.

Jack looks calm. As he's walking to his desk, he notices that Sue is not at her desk. At his desk, he takes off his jacket and hangs it up.

Bobby: (from his desk) You okay?

Jack walks around and sits on the edge of his desk; looks at Bobby.

Jack: Just took a walk. Clear my head.

Bobby considers a moment.

Bobby: Is it clear?

Jack: Yep.

Bobby: Alright, then. You and I need to go sign some Affidavits in the Bradshaw investigation.

Bobby and Jack start to walk out of the bullpen. As they are leaving, they run into Lucy and Captain Miller, who are on their way into the bullpen.

Lucy: Jack! Oh (remembering introductions). This is Captain Jeff Miller. (to CPT Miller) This is Special Agent Jack Hudson. Special Agent Bobby Manning.

The men introduce themselves and shake hands.

CPT Miller: Jeff.

Jack: Jack.

Bobby: Bobby.

Lucy: Captain Miller's unit is using a conference room suite upstairs for a few days. He is . . . (Lucy doesn't know what words to use) . . . in charge of Sue today . . . In command of Sue . . . (questioning looks at Captain Miller). Wait, that didn't come out right. (laughing) Sue is working for Captain Miller today? (looking at CPT Miller for guidance)

CPT Miller: She's helping us out. . . . Um . . . (to Lucy) What I came down for is, Sue says she has a pair of binos she uses that she keeps in----

Tara: I can help you with that.

Cut to the conference room where Sue is working.

Sue is alone at a table in front of a wall screen. She is using a mouse to control the video. The screen shows a running time (location) stamp. Sue has several pads of papers set out in front of her on the table, where she makes notes. Also a couple of empty coffee cups and a paper plate with a half-eaten bagel on it are on the table.

Sue runs a few seconds of the video over again a few times. Then she puts up a split screen and watches a few seconds of the same man speaking in a second video. She goes back and forth between the two videos. Occasionally she makes a note on a pad.

Sue sits back and thinks for a moment. Then she types some information into a computer.

Cut to the bullpen.

Garrett appears in the entrance-way.

Garrett: Jack, two-minute warning.

Jack looks up from his desk sharply.

Garrett: (calmly) Emergency hearing on the Bradshaw case.

Jack: Whoa. (standing up quickly and gathering some things)

Bobby also stands up quickly and gets ready to leave.

Garrett: Should be routine, but . . .

Garrett taps the wall lightly, then walks away.

Myles: But, you never know.

Dimitrius: A routine emergency.

Bobby: (to Jack) I have to say I love it when things actually do get expedited.

Jack begins to give everyone directions as he and Bobby leave the office.

Jack: Tara, I need another copy of that shipping voucher sent over to the Clerk's office, in case we need to give it to the judge. Myles, keep trying to reach Brady. Tell him to meet me outside Courtroom Two. He's over in Arlington now, but, hopefully he can make it.

Dimitrius: (to Jack) I'll take your interview scheduled for two o'clock. (to Myles) You with me, Myles?

Myles nods "yes."

Tara: (as Jack and Bobby pass her desk) Good luck.

SCENE 5 - In the conference room where Sue is working.

Sue is still working at the table, hours later. She has taken her coat off and put her hair in a ponytail. There are a few more papers on her table, as well as an empty water bottle, a larger coffee cup than previously, and a banana and a granola bar.

Captain Miller opens the door to the room.

CPT Miller: You sure I can't--- (remembering Sue is deaf; he walks into the room and waves a little at Sue to get her attention). Are you sure I can't get you something before I go? I'm going to be heading out in an hour or so.

Sue: I'm sure. Thanks.

CPT Miller: Sure?

Sue: Yes. I'm good.

Cut to the bullpen.

Jack is leaning back in his chair; he throws a pen on the desk. All are getting ready to leave for the day.

Dimitrius: I started the day working on Eric Marshall and I ended the day working on Eric Marshall. (shakes head)

Bobby: Well, he's a piece of work, that's for sure.

Myles: (calling after Tara, who is almost into the hallway) Tara, wait up. Sorry, but one more thing I need to ask you. I'll walk with you.

Bobby checks out Jack.

Bobby: Why don't we go get a burger, mate? I seem to recall we ended up working through lunch after all.

Jack considers.

Bobby: Okay. Your steely resistance has worn me down. I'll buy. Large fries, too.

Jack: Tempting.

Bobby: But . . .

Jack: (sighs) I'd like to, but I have some stuff to catch up on around here.

Bobby nods.

Jack: Rain check.

Bobby: Sure, mate. . . . Well, see you bright and early tomorrow morning.

Cut to Captain Miller walking out of the suite where Sue is working, into the hallway. He has a small duffle bag on his shoulder and his hat in hand. He is obviously tired. He rubs his face and his head a little as he heads down the hallway. As he rounds a corner, he almost runs directly into Jack, who is walking in the other direction. Jack has his coat on and is leaving for the day.

CPT Miller: Sorry. Oh, hey. Special Agent Hudson. Jeff Miller. Met you this morning. (They shake hands.) Sorry about that. . . . A little preoccupied. And the jet lag doesn't help.

Jack: Yeah, jetlag can be a bear.

CPT Miller: For me, it's always worse the night of Day Two. Weird, but . . . Anyway, I'm heading back to the hotel to hit the sack. And hard.

Jack: I hear you. . . . Is Sue still working?

CPT Miller: Are you kidding me? (shaking his head) I don't know how she does what she does, but . . .

A look of slight concern passes over Jack's face.

CPT Miller: Don't worry. We got somebody posted at the receptionist desk outside the room in case she needs anything. And they won't leave until she does.

SCENE 6 - In the bullpen.

It's morning, but sometime after the work day has started. Jack, Lucy, Myles and Tara are in the bullpen. Sue is in the hallway. She stops before entering the bullpen. She pulls herself up straight and puts on a "happy face." She walks in, standing tall.

Tara: (looking up) (to Sue) Hey! Look who's back.

Jack: (turning around to look; to Sue) Hey!

Myles: She lives. Okay, I admit it: they missed you.

Lucy: And you didn't come home last night.

Jack looks at Lucy as if to say "What?"

Sue: Yes, I did. I came in, you were sleeping. I left again, you were sleeping. See (lifting her arm just a little bit and indicating her armpit): a shower and clean clothes.

Bobby: (walks in) Look who's back. Ah, together again. Naturally.

Myles: Wowzer. It's a regular class reunion.

Dimitrius: (walks in) Hey, Sue's back. Dance party!

Myles: People, what are we all so giddy about?

Sue: Obviously: the fact that Jack and his "beautiful music" didn't get me fired.

General laughter.

Dimitrius: That was bad enough to get anybody fired.

Bobby: (to Jack) Good job, mate. Keeping your job and hers, too. Well done.

Jack raises his eyebrows, wondering if that will end up to be the case.

Jack: (to Sue, changing the subject) So . . . Tell us about it. Your new project.

Tara: But then she would have to kill us.

Dimitrius: Right.

Jack: Tell us the other parts about your new project. The ones where you don't have to kill us.

Sue: Oh, you know. Same old, same old.

Bobby: Ha! They've got her talking military already.

Sue: Lip-reading, reading lips. More lip-reading. More reading lips. (pretending to be losing it a little) It just goes on and on. (putting her hands around her face and rolling her head around) They keep moving and moving. And moving.

Everyone laughs. Myles makes "sock puppets" with his hands and has them talk to each other.

Sue: And they're not even moving in English.

Dimitrius: What were they thinking?

General guffawing and laughter.

Jack: (to Sue) So, what's next?

Sue: (takes a deep breath, shrugs) I just turned in my first report and briefed them on it. They're in a big meeting about it now. And, when that's over, I guess it's back to the tapes for me.

Jack: Well, how long is this meeting going to last?

Lucy: Yeah, let's bust out of here and have a "staff meeting" of our own at---

Tara: Jammin' Java.

Bobby: Waffle King.

Jack: Aunt Peggy's. Sometimes there's nothing like a fried chicken sandwich in the morning. Especially if you've worked all night.

General skepticism and groaning.

Cut to all walking on the sidewalk. They have eaten a big meal and all look rather full and sluggish. Sue gets and page and checks her pager.

Sue: Okay, I'm on. I'm going to just . . . walk faster. Bye! (waves a little at them)

Jack catches her eye.

Sue: (to Jack) Oh. Jack, that was a delicious chicken sandwich. Thanks for . . . ordering for me. (Sue suppresses a grin.)

Jack cracks up a little and makes a "what is she talking about" face to everyone else.

Jack: (indignant) I didn't--- Oh, go on. Back to the tapes.

Cut to a coffee kiosk in a lobby inside the FBI building. Jack has just bought coffee. As he turns around, Lucy comes up and joins him as he walks.

Lucy: Jack.

Jack: (slowly) Yes.

Lucy: I'm worried about Sue.

Jack: Uh-huh.

Lucy: Well, not about Sue. About . . . whatever it is that's going on here. Whatever it is, it's very intense.

Jack nods as they continue to walk.

Lucy: I'm not asking for like, you know, a full, classified briefing. But . . . I just want to know. Do you think . . . Is she going to be okay?

Jack nods "yes."

Jack: She'll be okay.

SCENE 7 - In the conference room where Sue is working.

Sue is at the table where she has been watching tapes. There is more stuff on her table than before, indicating more time has passed. Colonel Johnson and Captain Miller are seated at the table with Sue. A still frame is on the wall screen. The photos of the men are spread out on the table.

Sue: (picking up one of the photos) This man, we're calling Mr. Bravo. When he talks to this man (Sue picks up another photo and places it next to the first), Mr. Charlie, he's angry. Shouting. One thing Bravo says to Charlie, in these arguments, are the sounds "cud-zee-oh."

Johnson and Miller exchange glances.

Sue: The beginning sound, it could be a "C," a "K," a "Q" or an "F." (Sue writes the letters down on a pad for the men to look at as she says them.) But the sound pattern is "cud - ZEE - oh."

Johnson and Miller nod.

CPT Miller speaks a word in Arabic.

Sue looks at CPT Miller closely.

Sue: (to CPT Miller) Say it again.

CPT Miller repeats the Arabic word twice.

Sue nods, the implications dawning on her.

Sue: Yes.

COL Johnson: It means "the pig."

Sue is struck a little.

Sue: (continuing) Both times Charlie (pointing to his photo) comes in the room, Bravo (pointing to his photo) seems to ask him questions. Then Bravo starts yelling. That's when I see this pattern, "cud-ZEE-oh." Three times in the first conversation and four times in the second.

Colonel Johnson draws in a deep breath. He taps his fingers together in front of his face.

CPT Miller: (to COL Johnson) Sir, that fits with what we learned this morning.

COL Johnson: Sue . . . Why don't you take a short break.

Cut to Sue walking down the hall with a large cup of coffee in her hand. She is preoccupied and is walking briskly. Jack is standing in an office off the hallway, talking to a woman standing with him. He sees Sue pass by.

Jack: (to the woman) Excuse me.

Jack catches up to Sue.

Jack: (coming up from behind Sue, falling in walking with her; smiling) Hey! How's it going?

Sue: (stopping, turning to Jack and looking at him seriously) What's a TOC (pronounced: "tock")?

Jack: A what?

Sue: (signing the letters as she says them) T-O-C.

Jack thinks for a second.

Jack: That's a Tactical Operations Center.

Sue: (a little surprised) Thanks. (Distracted, she turns and walks off, leaving Jack to stare after her a moment, with concern).

Cut to Jack walking down the hallway from where he just encountered Sue. Garrett comes up behind him suddenly and takes Jack by the elbow.

Garrett: You saved me a trip to the bullpen. Come with me.

Cut to Jack and Garrett in Garrett's office.

Garrett: I still don't have any information on this specific mission. The way it's going, I think we're going to be the last people to know. But, I do know this. One of their guys got nabbed after an IED explosion. He was trying to carry a soldier with no feet back to his vehicle. A Staff Sergeant by the name of . . . (trying to recall) ---

Jack: Wallace? It was in the news.

Garrett: Yes.

Jack: They're going in after him?

Garrett: I don't know. If they can pinpoint where he's being held. They're working everybody hard, including Sue.

Jack: As it should be.

Garrett: Yes. (thinking) Sue's transfer is still on the table, but . . . at this point, as far as I can tell, it looks like they've gotten what they need from her and her part will wrap up today or tomorrow. But, it's a fluid situation.

SCENE 8 - At Sue's apartment.

Sue is sitting on the couch, worn out. Levi is at her feet. She's in "slouch" clothes. She takes a pillow and lays down on the couch. Sue closes her eyes. The front door opens. Levi looks up.

Lucy walks into the living room, sees Sue on the couch. She gets closer to see if Sue is sleeping. As she approaches, Lucy accidentally bumps Sue's foot. Sue opens her eyes.

Lucy: I am so sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up.

Sue: (sitting up) I wasn't sleeping. I was just closing my eyes for a few minutes.

Lucy: Well, you need some sleep.

Sue shrugs.

Sue: Did you know you can get so tired that you can't sleep?

Lucy: Yeah, I know. . . . (brightening) You know what that means? It means you need some relaxation. Then you can sleep.

Sue: Since you came home early, I figured you had a plan.

Lucy: They did tell me they made you leave early this afternoon. . . . Look, it's up to you, but here's what I suggest. Remember the first time we watched TV together?

Sue: With the sound off. Yes.

Lucy: Why don't I go to the store for some happy food and you take a bubble bath. When I get back, we'll watch TV with the sound off and sit on the couch like . . . beached whales. Then --- if you're okay with it --- everybody's going to stop by for a little while after work. And we'll eat sushi and ice cream ---

Sue: Not at the same time.

Lucy: Not at the same time. And we'll just sit around for a while and . . . be our big, ole goofy selves.

Sue nods.

Lucy: And no one will be allowed to say one word about work. Not even to have one thought about work. Okay?

Sue nods "okay."

Cut to Sue's apartment. All are present, but getting ready to leave.

Myles: (to Lucy) Lucy, I have to say, I don't think I would have ever found myself in the mood to try the food at that dive, but . . .

Lucy: (to all; rolling her eyes) And the verdict is ---

Myles: Not bad. No, I take that back. Okay, surprising even myself, it was really good.

Tara: (to all, as an aside) Mark this day on your calendar.

Bobby: (to Jack) I don't agree with you on that on-side kick. (to Sue) Lovely party. Lovely to see you again.

Jack: (to Sue) I especially loved the California rolls and . . . Rocky Road.

Dimitrius: Paired like a fine wine.

As Jack is about to head out the door, Sue calls out to him.

Sue: Jack.

Jack turns around. Sue walks up to him.

Sue: Mind if I go with you for a minute?

Jack: (surprised; puzzled) No. Of course not.

All the others exchange glances.

Cut to the sidewalk. It is night. Jack and Sue and walking side-by-side, slowly.

Sue: (smiling; a little embarrassed) Now, I don't know what I wanted to talk to you about.

Jack smiles.

Jack: We can just walk. The air's fine.

Jack and Sue walk in silence for a few steps. Sue suddenly stops and checks her pager.

Sue: I need to go back to Headquarters.

Jack: Let me give you a ride.

SCENE 9 - At the conference room where Sue has been working.

Sue walks into the reception area of the suite where she has been working. Captain Miller is there talking to another soldier. He turns to Sue when she walks in.

CPT Miller: We got something new we need you to look at. (indicating the conference room) It's already cued up and ready to roll.

Continue reading at Part 3 (Conclusion) . . .