"Here," Joe handed Bailey an icepack wrapped in a cloth. "Lucky for you Clay wants you to punch him again, he won't be pressing charges." Joe shook his head. "I trusted you to stay calm." "Then you are a fool," she turned to look at Joe. "I just heard my friend get murdered, but you expect me to act like nothing happened," she slammed her hand against his desk in anger. Pain shot through her hand and she placed the ice-pack on it again. Her knuckles hurt from hitting him repetitively, and his bruises didn't look too great either. "But I won't punch him next time .
Joe shook his head. "I am afraid I only have more bad news. Can you take it?" Bailey nodded and watched as he sat down next to her. "The address he provided was a legitimate human trafficking operation, and we believe that Silva was the man pulling the strings, however-" "You still haven't caught the guy." "Not yet, and it won't be that easy either. No one wants to talk, it's that vexing 'snitches get stitches' mindset'."
"You, okay?" "Not really," Bailey muttered. "Did they find her?" "Yes, and you're not going to like it," Joe said. "She wasn't at the train station. We tracked her he left the location on ... she was halfway across town." "What are you saying?" "We double checked Lutkin Station, and there was absolutely no indication that she was there at the time of the call." Bailey frowned. "It seems that the entire conversation you had with her was scripted..." Bailey stared at him in disbelief. She looked away as she tried to process what he had just said. "You're telling me, that Silva was toying with me all the way?"
Joe nodded. "I want to place you under protective custody." "So that he just takes longer to kill me?" Bailey shook her head. "No thank you." "No?" Joe asked, puzzled by her answer. "One thing we know for certain is that he is coming after me, right? Then set me up to be the bait. Have me followed, but be discreet about it." "You want to give this maniac a chance to kill you?" Joe asked. "No, I trust you to do your job, and keep me safe," Bailey stood up and grabbed her bag. "Where are you going?" "Home. Silva's not killing me today," she said and headed towards the door. "Besides, if I am not home in time, then Naomi is going to go nuts." "I'll have Leonard escort you."
"Whatever," Bailey said as she walked out the door. She completely ignored the agent who followed her out, she was in a foul mood. It was a combination of anger and fear, and she was tired of them both. She thought her life was getting back to normal, but Silva and Clay were right there to kick her back down into the pool of madness. However, she would not give them the satisfaction of seeing her defeated. She wasn't going to give in. Not now, not ever.
She stopped as she thought about the time when Clay was punching one of the men and Timothy, a friend of hers, stormed into the room. He spotted her, then Clay, and without thinking, or heeding her words of warning, tackled him to the ground. Bailey ran towards him as she watched Clay reach for his knife. He swung but she stood in front of Timothy. She froze as the tip stayed suspended in front of her eye. She looked at Clay, with her head held high, refusing to budge this time.
A wicked grin formed on his face, "A friend of yours?"
"He doesn't know what is going on," Bailey said. "I refuse to let you kill him." "Bailey, get away from him," Timothy said, grabbing her shoulder and shoving her to the side. He tried to pounce on Clay, but Clay just sidestepped, and Timothy fell over a table.
He gasped and groaned in pain as he lay sprawled on the floor. Clay only shook his head, as he walked towards Timothy. He bent down and placed the knife against his throat and smiled.
"That's how easy it is to kill you...." He started cutting deeper, but Bailey jumped onto Clay's back trying to throw him off. Clay simply straightened himself, as she clung to his back.
"Wow, we've already reached a milestone in our relationship, piggybacking, how cute. But your plan to attack me really failed... so what are you gonna do now?"
Bailey jumped off him and kicked him in the lower back. He stumbled and fell, rolling to the edge of the classroom. She grabbed Timothy's hand and jerked him up.
"Get out of here!"
"I am not leaving you!"
"This is not time to be a hero!" Bailey shoved him out of the room and closed the door, locking it just as Timothy tried to re-enter. His own stupidity would get him killed. Bailey watched him slam against the door a few times, but eventually, he took the hint and ran away. Bailey turned around to see Clay sitting on the desk, his fingers trailing against the sharp end of the knife.
"If I see him again," he whispered solemnly. "I'm gonna kill him too."