Accidentally Wolf (9 page)

Last but not least, Agent Terry Davis, witch.
Twenty-four, f
ive
-
seven, auburn hair, a slim one
-
twenty-five, and bright brown eyes according to her photo. They were really pretty actually, almost doe-eyed they were so big.

When paranormals had been found out
,
her parents had been activists for their equal rights, trying to fight the original system. Granted, most of the crazy laws that the federal government had put in place, restricting paranormals interacting with normal humans had been abolished. But while her parents protested, Davis had gone the other way, joining the FBI after graduating college to try and change the system from within.

Knowing I was also going to lay down a list of rules to actually be followed, I was prepared to not be popular. So
,
early Monday, I went and got a few to
-
go gallons of coffee and bagels for the meeting Chief Monroe and I were holding first thing.

When I walked into the office, I saw the cleaning crew had done their job. It definitely looked better, but still, the computers were older, and the furniture looked as if it was falling apart. One step at a time, I reminded myself.

Once I had put my peace offering down
on the table
in the conference room, I headed to my office. Quickly
,
I unpacked my personal belonging
s.
T
he rest of my effect
s
from my old office should be arriving later
today
. I could deal with that then.

Also over the weekend, I had made copies of the FBI regulations. Which would no
w
be
enforced in this office. Another area I figured wouldn
’
t make me popular. But I wasn
’
t there to be popular
.
I was there to get a job done. Once the manuals were brought in from my car and put into the conference room, I sat back and watched who would be on time and who would be late.

It was after
eight thirty
before everyone was finally there, settled down and ready for the meeting. I sat back and waited for Chief Monroe to address the group.

“
Good morning,
”
Chief Monroe said
loudly
,
standing up so
everyone
could see him.
“
Some of you might have seen the woman to my right
on
Friday. What I
’
m sure you didn
’
t know, is
,
as of this moment, she is in charge of this office and everyone in it. There
’
s going to be a lot of changes in the weeks and months to come, and Division Chief Thomas has my full support on how to handle those changes.

“
This division has been lax, a joke of the Bureau. Granted we started out that way, but in the
four
years since
its
inception, we
’
ve not done a damn thing to
alter
that opinion. That changes now
.
”
H
e paused
,
letting his words sink in.
“
The last case Chief Thomas was part in was the Bernard case. No one on her team knew he was a shifter, but I know of at least ten of you who were privy to that information.

“
Her team, like others, didn
’
t come to us for information. They thought there was no reason to, assumed a
potential member of the
mob was human. We in the preternatural community know better
.
I
t
’
s time we started showing other offices what we know and what kind of
a
gents
we really are. I leave you all in the hands of Chief Thomas,
”
he continued.
“
I will be flying out to D.C. to work on getting us a bigger budget and integrated with other FBI offices. Make no mistake
,
what she says is the same as if it came from my mouth.

“
Chief Thomas,
”
Chief Monroe finished, turning to me,
“
I leave them in your capable hands.
”

All eyes watched him push back his chair,
stand up,
walk to the door
,
and leave the room before snapping back to me.
I met their gazes unflinchingly.

“
I
’
m Division Chief Seraphine Thomas,
”
I started
as I stood
, trying to stop my hands from shaking
by
holding them to my side
.
“
As Chief Monroe stated
,
there will be a lot of changes around here. You are agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
.
I
t
’
s time you started acting like it. First thing, we
’
re going to start taking a proactive role in the Bureau, updating p
aranormal
reports and files of known criminals if they aren
’
t human.

“
Secondly, those of you who are
n
’
t
designated field ready will become field ready. I will be promoting five agents from this office to Special Agents in Charge, each having their own team of two or three to start with. We
’
ve got a lot of work ahead of us, but I
’
m not going to throw you in the deep end of the pool without teaching you to swim first. For right now, I
’
ve left a
n
FBI
R
egulations
M
anual at each of your spots. That
’
s now yours, read it, learn it because
,
after today, it will be enforced.

“
I had the office cleaned this weekend, and Chief Monroe and I will be working on getting new equipment in here. I expect you all to be adults,
to
clean up after yourselves and take care of what you have. That
’
s all I have for you right now,
”
I finished
,
glanc
ing around the room at the shocked and pissed off looking faces.
“
You
’
re all dismissed, except Agent
s
Harris, Remington, Cooper, Jennings, and Davis.
”

It was several heartbeats before anyone actually moved
.
It got
almost to the point
where
I was going to have to say something. But then
,
thankfully, people started to leave, most shooting me scathing glances first.

“
The five of you come highly recommended by Chief Monroe
.
”
I
informed them
as soon as I was alone with the agents I told to stay after.
“
Each of you are promoted as of today to Special Agent in Charge. You will be working closely with me and then
,
in turn
,
training your two or three person team. Are there any questions so far?
”

“
You
’
re serious, right?
”
Harris asked me, but
,
looking at the other four, I could see they felt the same way.

“
As a heart attack,
”
I answered.
“
Look, I don
’
t know how things were before
.
I don
’
t give a shit how
it
ran. This is how it
’
s going to be now, so I suggest you get on the boat with me so you aren
’
t left to drown. Because these changes
will
happen, and this office will become a place that we all can be proud to work, whether I have to fire people or not.
”

“
And Chief Monroe gave you permission to fire people?
”
Agent Cooper
a
lmost sneer
ed
at me.

“
He doesn
’
t have to, as Division Chief, it falls under my job description
.
”
I turned and grabbed the other binders I had made up over the weekend
from their place at the edge of the table
.
“
These binders have all the current reports the FBI uses about preternatural species. I want them read and updated with what you know by the end of the week. You each are a different brand of non-human. We need to start using that and your contacts to our benefit, not have it held against us.
”

“
So, if I understand you correctly,
”
Agent Davis
hedged
, tucking a strand of her curly
auburn
hair behind her ear
.
“
Since I
’
m a witch, I should read the reports on anything to do with witches and make the correct changes?
”

“
Exactly,
”
I
agreed
, feeling better that my words were making sense at least.
“
I
’
ve assigned you two agents who are also witches. Cooper, you have the three vampires, Jennings and Remington, we
’
ll have to talk. You
’
re the only ones here with your gifts, so I
’
m not real sure who to assign you.
”

“
What about me?
”
Harris asked, almost looking like a little boy who was picked last in gym class.

“
You
’
ll be working with me and the shifters of the office
.
”
I
paused, realizing that I was throwing them a lot and not giving them much time to digest it.
“
Look guys, I honestly don
’
t know that much about
paranormals
. Until less than two weeks ago, I
’
m not even sure if I
ever
met any. I need you and your expertise to make this place work like it should. I
’
m a new shifter myself. But I do know how the FBI is run, and it
’
s not like this office. That needs to change.
”

“
I
’
m in,
”
Agent Davis replied,
“
I
’
d like to be taken seriously for once in my career.
”

“
Me too,
”
Cooper and Remington both threw in.

“
Good
.
Davis and Cooper, here are the files on your new team members
.
”
I slid the files over.
“
You
’
re in charge of them now. I don
’
t care how you do it, but they are to read those manuals and start following procedure. P
ool
your resources and get those reports updated.
”

“
Yes, Chief,
”
they both replied standing up, gathering the binders and manuals before the
y
left the room.

“
Okay that takes
care of the easier part.
”
I rubb
ed
the bridge of my nose.
“
Jennings, my understanding is that you
’
re a Voodoo Priest, correct?
”

“
Yes, ma
’
am,
”
he answered, not looking too sure of himself.
“
I
’
m more a computer geek than anything.
”
He adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose and
smoothed his tie nervously.