Line of Fire (A Stitchers Fan Fiction- Book 1)

Chapter 3: Little White Lies

"Your mother, but why would Dale know your mother?" Cameron questioned quietly.

"How should I know?" Kirsten said, "I hardly even remember my mom, much less know some random park ranger who seemed to be close to her."

Cameron bite his lip, his eyes to the floor. His eyes suddenly turned wide, an idea spreading across his face.

"Griffith Park." he murmured.

"What?" Kirsten asked, trying to catch Cameron's eyes.

"We need to go to Griffith Park. It's the only logical place to go to find answers."

Kirsten raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "Seriously? Nothing about this screams logical, and this is coming from me."

"This is going against every instinct I have but I do know that that park holds answers, and the only way to find them is to go against orders."

Kirsten took a step back away from him with a fearful expression crawling across her face. "Who are you and what have you done with Cameron Goodkin?" Cameron snickered smiling at the ground. His infectious grin soon spreading to Kirsten.

"I know what I'm doing Stretch, trust me." He said extending his hand towards the elevator. Kirsten shook her head at the chivalrous gesture and stepped inside the elevator when Linus and Camille came running up to them. Linus was holding a tablet in his hands while Camille stood with her hands on her hips, her eyes doing a dance between them.

"What are you two exactly doing," Linus asked carefully, but his expression suddenly turned ecstatic, "because I want in on it!" Camille violently slapped him on the arm.

"Ouch! Jeez Camille, lighten up!" Linus protested, but Camille shoved him aside.

"Are you two sneaking off to do field work?" She insisted, but Cameron began to laugh looking at her.

"Maybe, and since when did you care about rules?" He said, trying to contain his laughter, but failing.

Kirsten stepped outside of the elevator and confronted Camille with her arms folded. Her mouth was slightly open when Maggie came up from behind and tapped Camille's shoulder, making her yelp.

"Maggie! Holy crap, never do that again!" She shouted breathing heavily. Linus began to chuckle beside her.

"She's former CIA Camille, what to you expect? She snuck up on people for a living." Linus said between giggles. She grabbed his ear stiffly and began to drag him away from them when Maggie held her hand up stiffly, making Linus and Camille stop dead in their tracks. Maggie ignored Linus outcries of pain while she spoke.

"I saw you four chit-chatting over near the elevator and I knew you were up to something. So, please explain yourselves." Maggie gestured. Cameron opened his mouth to speak but Kirsten interrupted him once again.

"Cameron and I were going to grab drinks FYI. We have to wait out the refractory period anyways, plus he's been badgering me about explaining how the Stitchers Program works to me for months now."

"Yeah, you get a few drinks in this kid over here and that's all he talks about." Linus said humorously eyeing Cameron. He sharply turned his head towards Linus, glaring at him.

Maggie stared at Kirsten, her face taught and teeth clenched. Kirsten's head was cocked and her eyes were narrowed mockingly at Maggie.

"Fine," Maggie said, without her face changing expression, "I will allow it, but once that stitch notification goes off one each of your phones, I want you back here right away, no hesitation."

"Done, let's go Cameron."Kirsten said quickly. Cameron pursed his lips and followed her into the elevator. They saw Camille beaming at them and making a heart with her hands. Linus was rubbing his red ear and waved at them half-heartedly. Cameron motioned to Camille to put her hand down but Kirsten stopped him, making his face flush once again. Maggie began to walk away casually from the elevator when the doors closed completely.

***

Cameron's convertible gradually backed into a parking space just inside Griffith Park. The barren landscape surrounded them as dust kicked up, making both Kirsten and Cameron cough and rub their eyes, straining to see in front of them. Cameron was just about to open his car door when Kirsten faintly called his name.

"Cameron wait." she said. Cameron swiveled his head in her direction almost immediately, like a bird hunting dog on point.

"Yeah Stretch?"

"Thank you for going along with this, I know it must have been difficult for you to lie to Maggie." Cameron cocked his head and looked at Kirsten, smirking.

"Two expressions of gratitude in one day? Who are you and what have you done with Kirsten Clark?" She laughed while looking at the ground, then lifted her head, meeting his eyes. Their gazes were locked for mere seconds before Cameron finally broke the silence.

"Come on, we need to go find Dale's killer right? We didn't lie to Maggie's face and come out here for nothing did we?" he said raising his eyebrows at her. Kirsten rolled her eyes coolly and walked with Cameron beside her into the woods ahead of them.