+18 - eps 28-32 - On the sixth installment of the Blackbird series, Cassidy sends Gillian and her team with Brock and Russel to Tampa, Florida, to look into the death of a girl while winter storm Jonas beats the East Coast. But this seemingly ordina...
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Brock flashed a mild smile at Gillian when she brought three coffees to the table and a tea for him. He sipped it and closed his eyes for an instant, his lips pursing against the cup. It was Earl Grey. Somehow Gillian had found the time to do some shopping and buy his favorite tea. He looked up but she didn't see him. She stood before the board with the phone records and a focused frown.
Actually, it was the only excuse she'd found to keep from waiting for his reaction at tasting the tea. Jeez, could she be any more silly.
"Who's Niki Thompson?" she asked, when her mind finally registered what had been before her eyes for the last couple of minutes.
Aldana shook her head. "I don't know. Irene mentions her a lot, but I couldn't figure what's her part in all this."
"Her?" Gillian repeated.
"Yep. It's a she, and Niki isn't her real name. Irene wrote that this woman was in a car crash when she was young. Her car caught fire and she got severe burns. She made it, but half her face was pretty ruined. A friend said she was like Niki Lauda: burned but still a champion. Looks like from them on everybody started calling her that. And she ended up changing her first name to Niki even before Irene met her."
"That's some story," muttered Tanya.
"Any idea how or where Irene met her? Or any other thing about this Niki?" asked Gillian.
"According to the way Irene writes about her, she's a grown-up. Irene seemed to trust her, but she didn't quite like her. Some things she says about this woman made me think Niki was aware of the situation. I mean the abuse and the shrink and everything."
"Jesus. Another accessory?"
"I have one N. Thompson on the therapist's bank records."
They turned to Brock. He wore his readers and held a printed page in one hand, while he flicked through more papers. Gillian would've rolled her eyes. Tanya knew he worked better with tangible documents than files on a screen. So the girl was willing to slaughter an entire rain forest to give Brock things in paper, the way he liked.
It was a weird bond, the one between Brock and Tanya, and Gillian always thought it funny to observe. They loved working together and she knew she had a lot to do with that. After four years working with Gillian, Tanya had no trouble to understand and even anticipate what Brock might need. And he could bring her some challenges now and then. There was nothing Tanya loved more than putting her skills to the test. So working with Brock was like a promise of fun for her. She knew she'd never get bored. As for Brock, he was convinced there was nothing Tanya couldn't do, and enjoyed how fast and efficient she was. So they were an ideal working match. The uptight fed and the hacker. Go figure.
