[b][center][h2]Paige Kennedy[/h2][/center][/b] [i]US Marshal Service Annex, City Hall - Morning[/i] “Deputy Marshal Wen, did Deputy Kennedy tell you why she was looking into the Giancanas?” Special Agent Barrett of the FBI looked down his nose, over his heavy-framed glasses at Paige’s partner, Xi. The two of them, along with their direct superior, Chief Deputy, Art Sterling, had been playing host to the veteran FBI agent for about ten minutes after his unannounced arrival at City Hall. “I imagine it’s because she’s working on a case.” Xi said with a slight shrug and a tone of feigned cluelessness. “You ‘[i]imagine[/i]’?” Barrett pushed his glasses back up and reached for a pen inside his crisply-pressed, black suit. He scribbled a few notes down on the small pad in his other hand. Xi rolled his eyes while Paige sighed and looked at her phone. Art looked on expressionless. “Somewhere you need to be Deputy Kennedy?” He said turning his glance over to Paige. “I can assure you, I can keep you all in this room for a [i]very[/i] long time if I feel like it.” Paige crossed her arms indignantly, said nothing and looked away pivoting back and forth in her seat. “You know what?” Barrett said, observing the blonde, ponytailed Marshal’s annoyance. Being from the Bureau for decades, he hated how [i]relaxed[/i] the dress-code was at some of the Marshal’s offices. They seemed to believe anything was acceptable as long that silver star would clip to it. Her jeans and leather jacket were a thumb in the eye of the tight-ship he ran at his home office back in Detroit and the little Converse sneakers she wore were too much for him to bear. “Why don’t you tell me where you’re going after this? Since you seem so interested in what’s going on outside this room.” “Are you kidding me?” Paige snapped with a raised eyebrow. “Do I look like I’m kidding you?” Barrett shot back. Paige recoiled slightly and glanced back at her Chief Deputy, She wasn’t sure whether or not she had to tell the FBI anything. “Paige, just tell him where you’re going.” Art said unfolding his hands after a brief pause. He’d been in the game a long time, longer than Barrett, and he knew when to play chess instead of checkers. He also knew Paige wouldn’t like it, but for the time being, he could sacrifice a little bit of information to keep the Feds out of his office for a while longer. “Agent Barrett here has to get his asshole-fix in for the day and we just wanna make sure he gets his quota.” He thought better of it after the words came out, but sometimes he couldn’t help himself either. “That’s real amusing, Chief Deputy.” Barrett said cutting his glance back at Art who smiled cordially in return. “It says a lot about the office you’re running here.” “Old Sol Museum,” Paige said drawing the FBI’s attention back. She respected her Chief and picked up on the scheme he was playing. She knew Sio’s exhibit was being set up and she could use it as an excuse if she needed. “That’s where I’m going.” She said flatly. “And what are you doing there?” “Hey, I’ve got a question.” Art said, jumping back in. He could feel the turn coming in the conversation. “If your agents are following Sammy and Nikki in their travels here, then you must be building a case against them.” “Or you’re trying to protect them.” Xi said. He knew the game too and as an ex-Marine sniper, subtlety was not his strong point. He loved striking the nail firmly on the head. “If you got a case, Agent, why don’t you let us help you with it?” Art said. He put his hands behind his head and leaned back slightly in his chair. “Might be fun to be on the same side for a change.” “You know, all I need from you, Chief, and your deputies here, is to back off.” Barrett growled. “Understood?” “[i]Why?[/i]” Paige asked. She could smell the blood in the water. “You afraid I’m gonna tip them off?” She cut her eyes darkly at him and her tone was sharp enough to cut a steel plate: “Or is it because you got a [i]leaky ship[/i], Agent Barrett?” “I’ve made myself clear.” Barrett said folding up his briefcase. He found himself unable to look back at Paige’s piercing green eyes. He shut the case firmly and walked out. “Must be some sort of dick test that all the FBI agents have to pass.” Art said watching him walk away through the conference room glass to the elevator. “He’s just gonna try harder now.” Xi grumbled. “Yes, he is.” Art said with some exasperation. He rubbed a hand over his face and looked over at Paige who was still watching the agent walk away. “I didn’t think this was gonna result in a visit from the Feebs, Paige.” “You want me to back off, I’ll back off.” Paige said watching the elevator doors close. Art sighed and shook his head. There was no way he was going to put her off the hunt, but the presence of the FBI in Sol City was going to significantly complicate his life and he was feeling too old for that kind of shit. “Just make sure whatever you’re doing is actually [i]Marsha[/i]l business.” “You were going to see old Mr. Santos, right?” Xi said slyly. The word on the street was that Sol City’s own made-man was scared shitless of a bigmouthed, lady-Marshal. “Yeah,” Paige said. Her mind was churning through the implications of the Special Agent’s visit, not just for her case against the gangsters, but for herself if they started digging against her and Milo. Her heart beat a little harder inside her chest thinking about him and the danger he could be in. She sighed and her bristled aura relaxed slightly. “I had an interesting conversation with someone who works at that club we pulled CT out of while we were snowed in.” She was still looking away even though the object of her ire was long gone. “I happen to know he’s at a private showing at the museum that I’m going to interrupt. Then I’m gonna bring him in and see what he has to say.” ------------ She didn’t tell the Chief or Xi, but as soon as she stepped out from City Hall towards the parking garage, she called Milo. The time she had hoped for during the winter storm hadn’t exactly panned out the way she wanted. Sure, they had fun. Aoki and Dusty were a riot, but it had only further delayed her want for his company. She’d never allowed herself to feel for anyone as she did for him and wondered if he really felt the same way. It felt like it, though in some of her thoughts she was jealous of Ana and how her and Milo so easily came together, like they were made for each other, a sword and its sheath, while she and Milo were more like gunpowder and lead. She waited for him to pick up as she walked, holding her jacket against the cold air and still squinting behind her sunglasses as the sunlight reflected against the mountains of piled snow. “Hey,” She said as he picked up. He already knew the plan. “I’m headed down to the museum to pick up Elvin if you wanna come up now.” Interaction: [@RoccanIronclad] Mentioned: [@Rodiak][@Almalthia][@MissCapnCrunch]