<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Carol Winston - The Investigative Reporter</span></div><br/><br/>Los Angeles, California<br/>Cole’s<br/>6:25 p.m.<br/><br/>Cole's was a good place to eat. It was one of the oldest diners in Los Angeles. It claimed to have invented the French dip sandwich. A claim that Philippe's argued with. Carol Winston didn't know for sure which diner truly invented it but she didn't care. She thought the French dip sandwiches in both places were to die for. Definitely one of her favorite meals. Although she wasn't at Cole's for the good food or a drink. She was here on business, but not Agency business.<br/><br/>Carol looked across at the table at a scared young woman. She had tried to hid the black eye with makeup but Carol knew the look of an abused wife. She had seen it too many times on her own mother's face. Had to hide it before herself, when beating Mom hadn't been enough for Dad. The woman had a baby boy on her lap and her three year old daughter was a coloring on a piece of paper. Not realizing that her mom was changing her world forever. She looked at the paperwork Carol had handed her in a manila envelope. Then she looked up at Carol with equal parts of fear and hope in her hazel eyes.<br/><br/>"You sure this will work?"<br/><br/>Carol nodded her head. Before she could reply, Trax said.<br/><br/>"Yeah, Lil Sis' shit...stuff is good. Real good, cuz."<br/><br/>Trax was a biker, a member of the Oakland Motorcycle Club. Trax had been good friends with her brother, Billy, before Billy had died in a motorcycle accident. The OMC had saved both of Carol and her brother. Although Billy was gone, she was still family to them. They were always willing to help her out and Carol was more then happy to return the favor. Especially in a case like this, it hit a little too close to home for her. The young woman was his cousin and her husband liked to beat her. He wanted to 'take care' of the asshole but she wouldn't let him. It had taken the cute little girl next to her being threaten to make her realize she needed to leave. To start a new life. Far, far away. A place where the asshole would never find her or the kids. Carol had foraged the young woman and her kids a new life. New names, everything they needed for a new start. Sometimes she wished her own mother had done it. Maybe she and Billy would still be with Carol if she had.<br/><br/>Carol reached across the table and gently touched the woman's hand.<br/><br/>"I've never had any complaints or had any cops coming snooping around. Trust me, you can try to protect them but unless you get away, they'll never be safe. You love them, right?"<br/><br/>The woman nodded her head, there was no doubt she loved her kids. Carol smiled at her.<br/><br/>"Then you need to give them their best chance. This will give them their best chance."<br/><br/>The woman looked at her kids a moment and nodded her head. She slid an envelope across the table. Carol's payment for the papers. She hadn't charged the woman and her kids nearly as much as she normally did. Hell, she would have done it for free but Trax and his cousin insisted she charge something from her trouble.<br/><br/>"Thank you."<br/><br/>The woman said and Carol replied she was welcome. She ate with the family, not keeping track of time or realizing that she had a meeting with the Agency to get to at 7:00 p.m. It wasn't until after Trax loaded up his cousin and her kids in her car, that Carol checked her watch.<br/><br/>"Shit."<br/><br/>She said. She'd never make it in time. She had to be there in ten minutes. Trax looked at her confused.<br/><br/>"I gotta a meeting to go to and I'll be late."<br/><br/>"I'll take you."<br/><br/>"What about-"<br/><br/>She didn't want him to leave his cousin and her kids alone. Especially once the husband found out what was going on. Men like that didn't like the idea of their punching bags leaving.<br/><br/>"Asshole works the night shift at the docks. Hop on, I'll get you there and still have plenty of time to help empty out the house before he gets home."<br/><br/>Trax said, pointing to his motorcycle. Carol nodded and told the woman bye. She hoped that she and her kids had good lives. Far away from LA.<br/><br/>---------------------<br/><br/>The Abandoned Warehouse<br/>7:05 p.m.<br/><br/>Trax tried to get Carol to the warehouse on time, but it wasn't possible. Not with traffic and having to obey traffic laws. It was tempting not to but being pulled over by the cops would have made Carol probably even later.<br/><br/>"Thanks for the ride."<br/><br/>Carol said, hopping off the bike.<br/><br/>"Anytime, Lil Sis. You going have a way home?"<br/><br/>He asked and she nodded her head. If worse came to worse, she'd call a taxi. She waved bye to Trax, who thanked her one last time for helping his cousin and her kids. She ran her fingers through her long blond, curly hair to try and make it look a little decent. She was sure it was a mess from the ride. She adjusted her leather jacket, it had been her brother's before his death and she wore it all the time now even if it was too big for her, and headed inside.<br/><br/>"Sorry I'm late. I had some important business I had to take care of."<br/><br/>Carol said when she came in. She normally wasn't late and felt bad to keep people waiting. If Alexandra didn't believe her, she was sure Tommy would. Unlike others, she didn't totally discredit his gifts. While she didn't think he could predict lottery numbers, she did think he was sensitive to some things. She took a seat and was sure the meeting was about Alexandra becoming their new director. It would make sense. After all, her dad had been their director until he had sadly passed away. He had been a good man. He had given her a chance, helped her start a new life here. Carol would miss him.