It was just after midnight as Kevin Mach and Roy Briscoe deplaned at Raleigh International Airport. Kevin took off his sunglasses and put them in his leather jacket pocket looking very tired with faded jeans, a black t-shirt, and blue jogging shoes. The two weary agents had just completed a two week sting in Miami and were exhausted. Both men were looking forward to a couple of weeks off. Kevin was heading to the coast around Wilmington. His parents had a beach house and he was going to enjoy some peace and quiet alone. Roy and his wife Louise were going to Norfolk to see their son and his family. Kevin wouldn't be surprised if when they came back Roy announced his retirement.

The two men grabbed their luggage in a private area and started to head to the parking lot to pick up their car. Roy put his arm around Kevin and said, "Kid you handled yourself brilliantly, I've seen agents with twice your years wet themselves when they were staring down a 44 like that. You're gonna be a great one. I'm very proud of you."

Kevin nodded and said, [B]"Thanks boss man. I wouldn't made it this far without you. I've learned more from you then I could ever learn in a lifetime at the academy."[/B]

The bond between the two men was strong, and now more than ever Kevin knew he would soon be needing a new partner. Just then a black SUV rolled up to them and stopped. An agent jumped and asked, "Agents Mach & Briscoe?" 

Roy asked, "Who's asking?"

The agent flashed his badge and replied, "Agent Sherman. Would you give your keys to me and both of you get in the vehicle you're needed back at HQ right away." She looked at another agent and gave him the keys to the car. Sherman said, "Get their luggage and the vehicle to HQ." The other agent was gone in a flash and Sherman motioned for the two men to get in. Roy shrugged his shoulders and said, "Since you asked so nicely."

Mach followed his friend into the SUV and they were moving before the door closed. Mach looked at Roy and said,[B] "Maybe they're so happy to see us their taking us to Starbucks."[/B]

Roy shook his head and said, "Yeah keep telling yourself that kid. Things like this rarely are they happy fun time for us. Something big must be on the horizon this ain't no debrief."

The SUV stopped in parking garage at HQ and everyone got out. Sherman looked at Mach said, "Follow me Agent Mach. Agent Briscoe will you follow the other agents please."

Kevin looked at Roy and said, [B]"Nice knowing you."[/B] Roy replied, "If you see a bright peaceful light go to it." The two men smiled at one another as they went their separate ways. Mach was on an elevator with Sherman and asked, [B]"So what's this about?"[/B]

She replied, "Not at liberty to say Agent Mach I was ordered to pick you and Agent Briscoe up and bring you back here." Mach nodded and said, [B]"Oh got it. So you come here often?"[/B]

Sherman looked at him and said, "The legendary Mach charm and wit are lost on me Agent Mach, so please don't try." Mach nodded and said, [B]"Ah so you wanna get a cup of coffee later? I really am not as immature as I come off in my psych eval."[/B] Sherman shook her head and replied, "No you're even more so in person." Mach nodded again and said, [B]"Oh Darlene in IT must've spoken to you. Look I don't care what she says I think she was having a great time. Right until the part where I asked if she could pay for her own extra value meal."[/B] Sherman did everything she could to stifle a laugh and Mach smirked as the elevator stopped. The two got off the elevator and entered a long hallway with a metal door at the end of it. Sherman entered a code on a key pad as the door opened slowly. Mach said, [B]"I promise I'll spring for the milk shakes after the meal."[/B] Sherman rolled her eyes and gave a smile to Mach as she walked away. 

A voice then said, "Agent Kevin Mach get in here right now!" Mach entered a dimly lit conference room. Seated were three gentlemen with I-Pads and very stern expressions. One of them said, "Have a seat Agent Mach." Kevin sat down and one of them said, "This meeting is classified and off the record is that understood Agent Mach." Kevin nodded and replied, [B]"Of course sir."[/B]

The man who spoke first said, "My name is Deputy Director Chavez I work out of DC and I am a liaison officer between branchs. The gentleman to my right you know only on letter head as Director Feldich Director of this branch, and this special OPS coordinator Pierce. Agent Mach what do you know about Lia & Renzo Borriello?"

Mach shrugged his shoulders and said, [B]"They're co-heads of one of the largest corporations in the Midwest based out of Chicago."[/B]

Feldich asked, "And?"

Mach nodded and said, [B]"Rumored to be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, mob families east of the Mississippi." [/B]

Chavez replied, "Those aren't rumors Agent Mach. We're in a delicate phase of our operation to take them down once and for all. We get them a lot of families will go like dominoes"

Pierce touched his I-Pad a few times and surveillance images filled the screen at the end of the table. He said, "We've been hearing whispers from various sources about a lot of things getting ready to happen with the family. What we are looking to do is put someone in the organization to learn and confirm. Take no actions at all. You are to observe and report and you are flying solo."

Mach asked, [B]"Excuse me?" [/B]

Feldich replied, "Roy Briscoe is a fine agent and a good man, but he's starting to show his age. We feel you're ready to go Agent Mach."

Pierce touched his I-Pad again and a file with Mach's backstory filled the screen along with a picture of Mach wearing new glasses that made him wince. Pierce said, "Your name is Rick Cooper. You're from Raleigh coming to Chicago. You're an accountant doing independent auditing for the company getting things ready for the annual company audit."

Mach said under his breath, "Please tell me that there's a red 'S' under that suit to go with my glasses."

Chavez said, "You are strictly on your own Mach. No contact with us, your family, or Roy Briscoe. We will contact you if we have to, and that will only be in extreme cases. Remember gather information, observe, and when the time comes report."

Mach nodded and asked, [B]"When do I leave?"[/B]

Chavez pressed a button on the table and said, "Agent Sherman please report back here at once"

Feldich replied, "In 20 minutes you are on a flight to Chicago. We got you set up in an apartment, you got clothes already there, all the proper ID the works. According to your cover story you arrived late last night. This is a surprise inspection so no one will be expecting you. They'll set you up in an office and show you around typical first day crap. At some point you're gonna meet the family, because one way they've been keeping out of trouble is their bookkeeping. They're gonna wanna make sure that you know what you're doing. Be careful and under no circumstance do you try to bust any of them even if they show you everything in their operation! Observe and report back when we call."

Mach nodded and said, [B]"Fair enough sir." [/B]The door opened and Chavez said, "On your way Agent Mach." Mach stuck his hand out and Feldich replied, "Remember this meeting never happened." All three just looked at Mach and Mach said, "Right."

Mach and Sherman left on got on the elevator. Mach was in complete silence trying to figure out what just happened. As the elevator stopped and the doors opened the two exited the elevator. Mach started to climb back in the SUV and he saw Roy getting in his car. The two men looked at one another for a moment. Roy had a look of concern across his face that Kevin had never seen before. Roy nodded and Kevin gave a two finger salute as he entered the SUV. They quickly sped away and when they arrived at an airport hanger Agent Sherman made sure there was no id on Kevin identifying him as Kevin Mach. Mach was given a new hair cut, a new pair of glasses, a suit, his id, a suitcase with some clothes in it, and an airline ticket with the name Rick Cooper on it. 

Sherman looked on her smart phone and then opened a door leading out and said, "Okay the systems are down time to go." She approached Mach and said, "You got five minutes to get from here into the airport terminal, and to your flight. Good luck Mr. Cooper."

Mach smiled and said, [B]"Thank you."[/B]

With that Kevin Mach was left behind as Rick Cooper made it into the terminal and boarded his flight to Chicago.