His Watchful Eye

Chapter 2- The Interview

     Georgia found herself sitting opposite a very imposing man. Unit Chief David Traeger crossed his arms over his chest; his steel grey eyes seemed to bore a hole into her very soul. Something about the glint in his eyes gave her an unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach, but she forcefully pushed her doubts aside. She needed this opportunity way too much to let this cold stranger throw her off her game. Waiting for him to speak first, she used this opportunity to glance him over and try to determine what type of man he was. His white button up shirt was immaculately pressed, and not one of his dark hairs was out of place. The pale skin on his face was deeply pitted and a jagged scar ran from right under his left eyebrow to his high cheekbone. As he continued to pierce her with his gaze, she could quickly ascertain that he was a hard man, used to having his own way. He obviously had very high standards for himself, and most likely demanded much of his subordinates.

Tempted to look downward and see if there was something out of place with her appearance, Georgia brushed her doubtful thoughts aside. Squaring her shoulders and meeting his steely gaze with a hardening of her pale brown eyes, she refused to be intimidated. She needed this job like she needed oxygen. If she was ever to be in a position to find Henry, and learn what happened to her husband, Alex, she had to make a good impression.

Finally, she decided to speak first, and was surprised to hear the confidence in her voice, though she certainly did not feel it in that moment. "Thank you so much, sir, for agreeing to interview me for this position."

Visibly startled that Georgia had the guts to address him, he replied. "Your track record in the Cyber Crimes division makes you a pretty hot item. I think that most units would be vying for you to join them."

"Thank you. I feel that one thing I bring to the table is my tenacity. I never give up. If you would allow me the opportunity to join this unit, I can guarantee you that I will work my hardest to bring missing children home." She felt her jaw clench as she made this promise; her mind was fixed on the little brown haired, dark eyed boy she now only saw in her dreams.

"That certainly is one of your many admirable qualities. I also hear that you are loyal, and an excellent team player. The one thing I have heard that is less than a glowing testimonial is that you tend to keep people at arm's length. Is this something that you would say is true of yourself?"

"That can be true of me. I have a very difficult time letting people get close to me. I can assure you that it in no way impacts my work performance; it only has bearing in my personal life."

"Our team is a little different than what you are used to in Cyber Crimes. Most of our work is done out in the field; we spend a significant amount of time together in fairly dangerous situations. We need to operate like a family; we have to be close to each other. Any other member of the team needs to be able to understand how you think and anticipate what your next move will be. This may sound strange, but it is a safety precaution. If you have a family mentality, you won't leave a team member behind, and you won't do anything stupid that will put someone else in danger." He raised an eyebrow as his somewhat softened gaze met hers once again. "Do you think that you could work on being a little more open, Hannon?"

"Does that mean I have the job?" Georgia couldn't help but let a hint of excitement change the formerly cold tone of her voice.

"First, answer one question for me." He let both hands rest on the polished desk that separated them. "Why do you want to join this unit in particular? Not many people are willing to give up a job that only keeps them working 9 to 5 for a job like this. The hours are long and unpredictable, and quite honestly what we do can be a little depressing. Oh, sometimes there are happy endings, but often our searches end with with a body; not a living child. Why do you want to make this change?"

Swallowing hard, Georgia decided not to tell him her real reason for needing to be on this team. Not just yet anyway. After all she had been through, trusting people was not something that came easily. She didn't know Traeger from the man in the moon, and she certainly didn't trust him yet. "I just feel that I could make a difference in the Crimes Against Children Unit. I'm done tracking down Nigerian princess scammers and I want to help families who have had their loved ones taken from them. I want to find the innocent children who have been placed in terrible situations that are completely out of their control, and bring them home safely to their families."

Leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers, Traeger gave her a smug look. "I know why you really want to work with us, Hannon." She could tell by the glimmer in his eye that he reveled in the discomfort she was feeling. "I have looked at great length into your file. I know all the details on your son, Henry. The file also included some notes on your husband's suicide."

"Alex did not commit suicide." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"There's no need to get defensive. I just want you to know that almost every member of this team has their own personal reason for doing what they do every day. As much as you want to find Henry, remember, we have a long list of cases we need to get through. I understand that he is special to you, but every missing child is special to someone. That is something we all have to remind ourselves of every day."

"Yes sir. You're right of course." Georgia bit her lower lip. "You won't tell anyone...about Henry? I want to keep the details to myself for the time being."

"It's not my secret to tell, Hannon." His look had softened significantly since she had first entered his office, and he did not seem nearly as imposing as he had when she first met him.

"Welcome aboard, Hannon. You're on the team." Accepting his outstretched hand, she gave him a firm handshake. For the first time in weeks, Georgia had hope that she could find her son. As much as she hated to admit it, she had been starting to feel she might never see Henry again, and that hopeless feeling had sent her to an emotional prison. Things were looking up now, and she longed to begin her search for the only family she had left in the world.