Chapter Text
Chapter One
It was a hot day, the sky clear, ocean flat and blue and the smell of summer in the air. The wind was light and the water glistened like jewels against the sunlight. Raelle Collar straddled her surfboard, letting her hands hover in the water as she looked out at the white cliffs in the distance. This was her home, the cession, a small island on the outskirts of Fort Salem that was full of life and bustling with locals. The town was full of surf shops, thrift stores and beer bars and it was where she grew up, living out of an old bungalow across from the beach.
Raelle’s relationship with the ocean began when she was eight years and her father, Edwin, took her out on his paddle board. They floated their way around the cove, keeping an eye out for a bale of turtles and shallow-water coral, their prolific colors, yellow, red, orange and purple, shimmering silently in the water. Raelle watched in slow motion as a wave peeled along the reef, followed by another wave that crashed harshly against the rocks. It was then that Raelle realized that in order to have a healthy relationship with the ocean, it had to be give and take. Respect it and it will respect you.
When Raelle was ten, she would stand in her pale blue swim shorts at the back-screen door of her parent’s bungalow staring out at the ocean, busting to get out there. She sucked a bit of toothpaste onto her tongue so her mother thought she had brushed her teeth and washed her cornflakes bowl in the sink. Raelle would wait till her mum gave her a kiss on the forehead and as soon as the back door opened, she ran to the sand as fast as her little legs would take her
Raelle was twelve the first time she took her board out and it was one of the happiest days of her life. The indescribable feeling of gliding across the water was unforgettable. Now at 25, Raelle couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
The beach was crowded, the sun hot but the breeze coming off the water was cool. Raelle walked out of the ocean, her board clung to her side before kicking at the sand with her foot and stabbing the nose of her board into it. She unzipped her wetsuit and peeled it down, letting it sit comfortably on her hips. She grabbed her towel, dabbing at her face as the droplets of water rolled down her tanned body. Raelle looked like a typical surfer, the sunlight dancing off her banana blonde hair, a series of tight braids that ran down the side of her head and an incredibly toned body. She stood there in a bright yellow bikini top, smirking at a group of girls that were walking past, ogling her like she was a piece of meat.
Raelle was known in the surfing world as a honey girl, a hot girl surfer and the only female to ride the big swells at Waimea Bay, Hawaii and live to talk about it. Raelle was reckless and wild and could easily lure satiable women into her bed without even trying. She didn’t do relationships and it wasn’t from a lack of trying, but more because she had convinced herself that she only needed one relationship in her life and that was with the ocean.
Raelle dumped her surfboard into the back of her jeep before peeling down the rest of her wet suit and throwing on a pair of surf shorts. She made the short trip down the single lane road, letting herself smile as the wind whipped at her hair, palm trees, coffee shops and surf bars zoomed past her before she pulled into the car park and walked into Beltane’s to clock on for her shift.
Beltane’s was a local seafood shack that offered coastal dining and remarkable views of the water. The popular hot spot had been around for as long as Raelle was knee high to a grasshopper and after her mother died in a car accident, her father, Edwin, used the inheritance money to buy Beltane’s off an old couple who decided to sell up and retire up the coast. Ever since Raelle was 14, she had been working there in one way or another, earning her keep till one day she could save enough money to fly to Australia and surf at Bells beach, one of the best surf peaks in the world.
“You’re late again Raelle”, the boss and owner griped, shaking his head at the blonde for her tardiness
Raelle glimpsed at the photo above the bar of her mother Willa, a tiny ritual she did before every shift “Sorry pops but you should have seen it this morning. The water was like glass and there wasn’t an ounce of wind”
Edwin rolled his eyes softly “I bet it was amazing Raelle but you have to get to work on time. The others are starting to notice and complain that you’re getting preferential treatment because you’re my daughter”
Raelle let out a disgruntled sigh as she started making the drinks “People need to mind their damn business”, she shot back
Edwin gave his daughter a pointed look before disappearing into kitchen
~
Special Agent Scylla Ramshorn flashed her badge to the lady on the front desk and made her way to the elevator for the first day at her new office. After taking down a substantial drug syndicate back in London, she was transferred to the Fort Salem office to assist with the Ex-Presidents case that had recently gone cold.
Scylla walked across the lobby, not letting any of the curious glares or whispers knock her confidence and just before she was about to push the button for the lift, she sensed someone approach her
"You must be Agent Ramshorn", a dark-skinned tall woman stated, before formally reaching out her hand.
Scylla's eyebrow quirked unintentionally "That's me", she answered, her tone slightly drier than it was meant to be but she couldn't help but be reminded of when she was a rookie and met her first partner, Glory Major, who turned out to be a complete asshole. Scylla reached out her hand, extending the older woman the same curtesy “You must be Special Agent Anacostia Quartermaine”
Anacostia stood confidently, her chest open and not a crinkle on her stoic face “That’s me. Let’s walk”
Scylla took off after the other agent, briefly looking back and wondering why they weren’t taking the lift, especially when her instructions were to go to the fifth floor
Agent Quartermaine glanced over her shoulder, making sure the young agent was following her “Your record's impressive”
Scylla’s eyes darted around, taking in the place as she followed the older woman “Thank you. I’ve worked hard to get where I am”
Anacostia huffed at the young agent’s modesty “You may have been in the top 2% of your class at Quantico, but out here you have exactly zero hours of experience in the field”
Even though the other agent couldn't see it, Scylla raised a challenging eyebrow before realising Agent Quartermaine was heading for the stairs “Not here to prove anything, just here to do my job”
Anacostia stopped in her tracks, eyeing the other girl “We will get along fine then”
They walked up five flights of stairs and down a long hallway before Agent Quartermaine knocked on the frosted glass door with 'Director' etched on it and when advised to do so she pushed the door open and Scylla shook the hand of her new boss, Sarah Alder
“Agent Ramshorn! Welcome to the Fort Salem branch of the FBI. You come with glowing reviews”
"Pleasure to be here"
The director walked from behind her desk and stopped in front of Agent Ramshorn "Now, things are run slightly differently here in Fort Salem but I hope you'll settle in quickly. We're partnering you with Agent Quartermaine who is one of our finest agents and has one of the highest case clearance rates in the bureau, you'll do well to learn from her Agent Ramshorn.
Scylla held back the urge to roll her eyes. She was doubtful that Agent Quartermaine could teach her anything that she didn’t already know. Scylla had degrees in behavioural analysis, medicine, and foreign language and also knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was one of the best FBI agent’s in the field.
Director Alder stood ramrod straight, hands tightly woven behind her back "You'll be working on the ex-president’s case who are one of the leading crime gangs in the city. I’m sure you have heard about the series of bank robberies?”
“I read the file on my flight over. I am fully briefed on this case Director Alder”
“Great. I have arranged for all the files we have on them to be delivered to your desk, so if there are no more questions I suggest you get to it", and with that Director Alder gave them an approving nod, dismissing them.
~
The night was balmy and the ocean was calm. Raelle sat on a wooden log, her arm flung over a brunette’s shoulder as she sipped at her beer. The large bonfire was lofty and breathtaking as the red flames glared against the midnight sky. The rest of Raelle’s crew were scattered around, Abigail and Tally sat with their boyfriends, Adil and Gerit by the fire and Byron kicked the footy with Porter. Raelle didn’t trust a lot of people, but she trusted her crew.
Raelle met Tally in high school and they became fast friends when they bonded over their love for surfing. The quirky red head was always excessively sweet and if it wasn’t for her, Raelle’s friendship with Abigail wouldn’t have been possible. To put it lightly. Abigail was a bitch and Raelle and her locked horns the first time they met. It took a while but things eventually simmered down and they became a crew of three. Byron and Porter joined later after Raelle kicked their ass at a local surfing competition.
“You looked like shit out there today Porter. Might have to get you some floaties or something”, Adil stirred, everyone joining in on the joke and laughing at Porter
Porter stopped kicking the footy “Hey, fuck you man. Better than being a big wave riding macho asshole with a death wish, like Collar”
Raelle huffed, smirking “No seriously. It’s like the ultimate rush. There’s nothing that comes close to it”
“Not even sex?”, came a squeaky-clean voice from the girl next to her who was grinning from ear to ear
Raelle stared at Tally, face smug “I’d give up sex to ride Bells Beach, Australia any day”
“Maybe you’re just not doing it right Raelle”, Gerit giggled, laughing at his own joke whilst coping a punch to his arm from his girlfriend
Raelle threw him an unimpressed look “Fuck you. I would like to see you ride Bells Beach”
“There is no way Bells is bigger than Waimea Raelle”
Raelle’s face relaxed into a smile “It will be next year. The year of the storm”
“Isn’t that just a legend?”
Raelle shook her head vehemently “No, it’s real. It’s absolutely real. Everything moves in cycles, so twice a century, the ocean let’s us know how small we are. A storm comes out of Antarctica, tearing up the pacific and it sends huge swells north. When it hits Bells Beach, it turns into the biggest surf this planet has ever seen, and I will be there”
“Cheers to that”, Abigail said, and those that were holding drinks raised them in the air
“We still on track to do that job tomorrow night Raelle?”, Tally asked, a hint of scepticism in her voice
There was an awkward pause as they both stared at each other before Raelle shot Tally a pointed look “Yeah, we are still on track”, she answered firmly, making sure her friend knew to keep her mouth shut. Gerit, Adil and the random brunette weren’t aware of their other activities and Raelle wanted to keep it that way.
A few moments later, the music that was blaring from the portable stereo stopped
"You're in our spot Collar. We both know this part of the beach is reserved for my crew", a dark-haired girl appeared out of the inky blackness, her crew of five standing confidently behind her.
Raelle stood up and walked over to the other girl, getting right up in her face while the rest of Raelle's crew braced themselves for a fight "Back off Treefine. We were here well before you and your minions"
Treefine laughed "Is this where you tell me that we shouldn't be surfing your break either because I have seen your crew out there and I wouldn't call that surfing"
Raelle clenched her fists as she felt a coil of anger brew in her stomach "Walk away Treefine. We both know what happened the last time you messed with me and my crew"
Treefine's smug smile dropped as she thought back to the last time she faced Raelle. Her broken nose had just healed and she wasn't looking for another one "Watch your back Collar", she said, slowly backing away before her and her crew disappeared into the darkness
"She is such a bitch", Tally groaned
"You should have just broken her nose again Raelle", Gerit said, jokingly
"Not every situation calls for a fight", Raelle snapped before she grabbed the brunette’s hand and pulled her to her feet “I am out of here. See you tomorrow”
“Enjoy your sex”, Porter shouted and while everybody else laughed, Raelle left them with a single finger salute
~
Night had fallen a couple of hours ago and all the desks in the office were empty, except for Agent Quartermaine’s. Scylla had given up on any chance at a normal life the second she joined the bureau and now that most of the office had cleared out, she sat on the floor, flicking through files, claiming it to be more comfortable than the office chairs. After sorting through over 20 case files, Scylla pulled herself to her feet and walked over to the vending machine. She stood there staring at the array of choices, none of them healthy but she didn’t care. She needed food. She dropped in a few coins and hit the button for the milo bar. She walked into the staff kitchenette and made herself a coffee before settling back down on the floor with her files. She thumbed through page after page, photo after photo before stopping at one of them and studying it.
It was like the coffee had kicked in or something because Scylla sprung to her feet and hurried over to her partner’s desk, tossing a photo in front of her
“The Ex-Presidents are surfers”, Scylla deadpanned, trusting her gut instinct which was a thing that had served her well in her years with the FBI
Agent Quartermaine’s eyebrow ticked up. She picked up the photo and studied it “How do you know?”
Scylla ran her fingers along the photo “Look at the tan line. It also mentioned in one of the files that there were traces of sand and carnuba wax when one of them scuffed the counter during a robbery”
“So, you’re a wax expert now?”, the older woman said, and even though her tone was firm, Scylla could see the smile behind her eyes “Candle wax, car wax, moustache wax, could be anything. Guy waxes his moustache at the beach, gets sand in it, tries to remove it with his shoe”
Scylla shot the other agent a pointed look “A shoe scuffed the counter based on the video footage from the bank’s security system. The lab gave us three possible matches on the wax. Sex wax was one of them. Surfers use it to rub on their boards for traction and look at the dates of these robberies. It’s strictly a summer job for these idiots”
Agent Quartermaine straightened in her chair “Four months. June to October”
“Yes, and it was the same the year before”
“So, we have one more month before these guys become ghosts”, Agent Quartermaine rubbed her temple, suddenly tired “We need a way in. These people usually hang in tribes and you can’t just walk up to these guys and go, oh hey, robbed any banks lately”
Scylla let out a small smile “So, what do you suggest?”
“You need to get close to these guys, learn their language, learn their moves”
Scylla’s eyebrows shot up “Are you telling me the FBI is going to pay me to learn how to surf?”
“It’s either you or me. You’re young and attractive and would blend in more than me”
Scylla huffed out a sigh “Can’t I just walk around with a surfboard under my arm and act stoned, ask a few questions?”
Agent Quartermaine rose from her seat and walked around, plonking herself in front of Scylla “It’s just balance and co-ordination. You will be fine”
Accepting her fate, Scylla nodded “Okay I’ll do it. I mean, how hard can it be”
~
Raelle rolled off the naked brunette, sweaty and sated, her chest heaving from exertion
The brunette rolled into Raelle, flinging her arm over the blonde’s toned stomach
"You need to leave", Raelle said in a breathless sigh, trying to ignore the sick feeling she currently had in her stomach. She pulled the other girl’s arm off her
The brunette sat up, looking at Raelle like she just grew a second head "What? Why?"
"I told you, I don't do cuddles and I don't do sleep overs", Raelle made sure she was firm enough so the other girl got the message
The brunette glared at Raelle. She scoffed and untangled herself from the sheets before standing up and collecting her clothes from the floor
Raelle watched as the other girl dressed herself, a ping of guilt tugging at her for being so cold. Raelle loved sex but she didn't do intimacy. Intimacy often lead to feelings and feelings often led to people getting hurt.
The brunette finished dressing, grabbed her bag and was out the door without so much as a backwards glance
The pads of Raelle’s fingers unconsciously pressed against the bridge of nose, her headache now manifesting. She got out of bed naked and threw on a flannel before walking over to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water. She had a few sips before picking up a copy of the latest newspaper, the headline reading “Ex-Presidents strike again”. Raelle gritted her teeth before throwing the paper down on the table
~~~~~~~~