The Curse Of Eden
Chapter 20- Green with Jealousy

Collette left Adam's office to go some coffee for the two of them.

She took in a large breath of the busy place and realized just how much she actually missed that buzz.

She missed how the smell of that cheap coffee mixed with the aroma of freshly printed papers.

The sounds of the phones ringing nonstop in a continuous melody with the constant tapping of fingers on the keyboards.

People busied themselves with all sorts of work. And each one of them did the job differently. Some tried to play it cool, eventhough they had inner turmoils gnawing at their minds all day while others showed it on their face. The worried, the lazy, the workaholic. It was a whole universe all together.

And she remembers well the thrill she got with every case.

The adrenaline rush and excitement she experiences everytime and how she does a mini celebration dance with every solved case.

A long sigh left her nose as she started moving her legs towards the mini kitchen.

"Woods!"

She heard a familiar voice call from behind her, making her turn on her heels in an instant.

"Deblois?" She couldn't help the smile on her face as nostalgia hit.

"I didn't belive it when Martin told me about your comeback.

Thought you left the game forever." Her former boss special agent Robert Deblois spoke with a wide smile as he approached her.

"Of course she did." Collette replied under her breath with rolled eyes. "Technically, I'm still out. I'm just here to help Adam with the case. It's a little bit close to home." She let out a brief laugh. "Oh you mean that E case?" Robert asked.

"Yeah." Collette nodded. "It has been the hardest case yet to grace my portfolio."

"Well, if someone's going to crack that case, it's got to be you Woods." Robert winked playfully causing Collette to laugh at his flirting attempts.

"But I don't get it. If you were already in the case, why was doctor Martin assigned here?"

"Beats me. She was sent by the FBI and chief couldn't deny her presence." Collette shrugged her shoulders. "Aren't you her boss? Shouldn't you know that?" She asked in confusion.

"Believe me gorgeous, I didn't even approve of her repositioning. I got word from upstairs and that was it. I tried to ask around but got nowhere."

Collette's confusion grew and her suspicion towards Ruby only intensified.

"Don't worry about that though." He dismissed. "How's my little profiler doing?" He asked as he wrapped an arm around

Collette's neck, pulling her in a gentle choke hold.

Collette laughed at his antics. "Let me go Robert."

She and Robert have had an overly friendly relationship. Something Adam never liked.

Robert was always overly flirtatious with Collette, while she passed it off as failed attempts since she was already married to Adam.

"Collette?" And speaking of the devil himself.

Collette immediately threw Robert's arm off of her and turned to look at her husband.

"Adam! Looks who's here!" She said in enthusiasm.

"What's he doing here?" Adam asked with narrowed eyes as he pulled Collette closer to him.

She patted his chest sofly and pulled away.

"I didn't believe it when they told me that Collette was working a case so I came to see for myself." Robert replied, finishing his sentence with a wink towards Collette.

He loved pushing Adam's buttons and watching him get riled up over his relationship with Collette.

"Yeah well, you got your confirmation. Now go." Adam replied coldly.

"Adam. Be a little nice." Collette nagged her husband but Adam went deaf to her words as he continued glaring at the FBI agent.

"Easy there man." Robert raised his hands in surrender. "I'll be out of your hair in no time."

He turned towards Collette. "It was good seeing you again Collette and since it looks like you'll be giving this one more shot, your place is still reserved with us. We'll love to have you back." He winked for the third time. Adam growled under his breath, pulling Collette to him once again possessively.

"I'll think about it." Collette smiled widely at the offer happy that she still got a place to welcome her when she decides to get back.

"Didn't you already give that position to doctor Martin." Adam retorted sassily.

"Nah. Martin is only working with us for a year before she can get repositioned out of the country. She's training that's all." Robert replied with a wave of his hand.

His words made Collette's heart make a double flip inside her chest. The fact that she wasn't just easily replaced like how Ruby made it look sent her happiness meter to the roof. All her mixed feelings and excitement were enough to remind her of just how much she actually loved what she did.

"I'm sure I'll come to a decision soon and ring you up." She spoke to Robert.

The agent grinned widely at her.

"I'll be waiting to hear your voice again then."

"Yeah yeah. We've got work to do now if you don't mind. Excuse us." Adam interrupted as he walked away towards the kitchen, dragging Collette with him around his arm.

"I told you that I supported any decision that you take right?" Adam asked under her breath.

"Yeah?"

"Well I guess I just changed my mind. That idiot will get nowhere near you!"

Collette chuckled at her husband's childish jealousy.

§ § §

The riots outside the headquarters intensified as more people in aid of E's work joined.

None of them cares for the lawful way of things and wanted nothing than to support the person, they think, is doing a good deed. Protecting all those families and ending domestic abuse.

The internet was not too calm either as it too, got divided into two. Internet users we're going full war mode with their explicit words and shared posts.

It was chaos everywhere.

The team were all hauled up in Elliot and Kristen's technical room as Elliot briefed them on his blood bag research.

Collette had already head home for the night and Adam took advantage that Ruby too was done for the day so they wouldn't give away too much info to the outsider.

"I looked up all the websites that sell empty blood bags, but the results I found aren't very promising." Elliot started.

"All the transactions were made by either big hospitals or pharmaceutical companies. We didn't replace a single solo buyer." Kristen continued.

"You think maybe he works at a hospital?" Ken asked Adam, his arms crossed over his chest.

"It can explain the precision of the cuts and his perfect needle placement." Adam replied, his stance mirroring his friend's.

"Let's focus of replaceing Bill Kingsly for now. Mrs. Jilles might know something about him for sure."

"Even if we replace him, do you think he'll be willing to talk?" Avery suggested.

Ken's phone suddenly started ringing in his pocket, driving his attention away from the conversation at hand.

"What? When did that happen?" He asked through the line making everyone turn to him.

"Okay. Thank you Joe, we'll be right there."

He hung the phone as turned to face his mates, his face drained of color.

He directed his eyes to Adam as he bared on the news, gasps erupting around the room.

"Mrs. Blake Jilles was found dead in her house."