The world was... It was a little quieter now, on the other side of Ethan Sampson. No, not a little actually. No, that wasn't entirely true. A [i]lot[/i] actually. As if someone had all the speakers in her world amped up to ten, the bass thumping loud enough to make her bones quake, and then suddenly - nothing. Silence, absolute.

It had taken some getting used to, living without the constant, nagging incessant doubt about her professionalism, her sanity - well, her entire [i]world[/i] in truth - but Bree was beginning to realize just how quiet (and good) her life had once been, over a year ago. Before what should have been a simple illegal casino bust and scooping up a wayward informant, turned everything all so damned... [i]Weird.[/i]

Bree could have never imagined, there would come a time when she would be almost nostalgic for weird.

It was a new day. A beautiful and bright day, a magnificent autumn day morning a sky overhead so pristine blue, it made the eyes ache just to look upon its brilliance. Just cool enough to be sweater weather, with a breeze that kissed the cheeks briskly, and did not chill. The scent of autumn leaves mixed headily with last night's rain as Bree jogged on the packed dirt trail, four miles already behind her and the fifth coming up with that welcome sense of unwinding in her stride. And though Freddie Mercury was lilting through her phone and her ear buds, about [i]thunderbolt and lightning, very very frightening [b]me[/b],[/i] she really was not expecting a bolt from the blue.

Bree winced as her phone's 'work ringer' went off, a wailing alarm that sang through her ear buds way too loud as she pulled up short, slapping at the phone screen bound to her arm with sweaty fingers.

"Agent... Agent Walsh... " Bree slowed, catching her breath. This was her day off - she wasn't even on duty - but the long habit of professionalism pulled her up short on her run, no matter who was on the other side of this line.

"Yes sir." Her brow furrowed as the sweat began to form a sheen on her face, walking quickly now, blowing out slowly.

"Yes sir, that's my case - one of my cases... Yes, that's the family... " Even though there was probably not another person around for at least another mile or two, it was the long, careful habit of years that kept her cagey about speaking too much aloud. [i]"The family."[/i] Two otherwise innocuous words that, in this instance carried the weight of damn near a century of corruption, notorious villainy and ruthless, detestable deeds. This was the family that Victor had fled. This was the family that found him and blew his head off for his troubles.

And it seemed this new generation of the family intended to ratchet things up about a thousand notches, biting off a brazen mouthful that, to this moment, no one [i]ever[/i] saw coming.

"Wait... Sir, wait... [i]What!?"[/i] Bree's grey eyes widened as she stopped cold, as she listened several moments longer, shaking her head slowly. "No... No sir I'll... Half an hour. Yes sir, on my way now."