"Good Morning your Honor."

"Morning." She replied stepping into her outer office carrying a coffee and stacks of files that were about to fall all over the place.

"Goodness, let me help you." Marie said walking over to the Judge and taking some of the paperwork out of her hands.

"Thanks Marie." She replied with a warm smile. She set the coffee down on the edge of Marie’s desk and flopped down on a chair next to the desk.

"Rough morning, judge?"

"You could say that. Up all night going over these pre-trial motions for the Ramirez case. Could you pull some case law for me? I wrote down everything that you need to know on each of the files there," she said pointing to the files that sat on Marie’s desk. "Then I had an early morning breakfast meeting with Judge Wainright. Man that guy can talk. I did everything I could to get out of there quickly, but he just kept going on and on." She said laughing.

"Of course, is there anything else you need?"

"No, just hold all my calls for the next hour. How is the calendar looking?"

"Well, like you said you have pre-trials this morning starting around ten, lunch with Judge Pauley, then some evidentiary hearings this afternoon." Marie replied watching her rise from the chair and head into her chambers.

She had her hand on the door and was about to open it when Marie stopped her, "Oh, I almost forgot your Honor, The Department of Justice and an FBI agent are in your office. Sorry I forgot to tell you. They were waiting here for you when I came in this morning."

"Oh great ! What does the DOJ and the FBI want now?" She said closing the door and rolling her eyes back at Marie.

Marie shrugged her shoulders and sat back down at her desk.

"Good morning gentleman." She said as she stepped into her office and walked over to her desk. The two men dressed in dark suits rose as the door opened and they saw the Judge walk into her chambers. "What can I do for the DOJ and the FBI this fine morning?" she asked in a sarcastic tone. She took the seat at her desk and motioned for them to take their seats again. She started going through files on her desk, she turned on her computer and looked at the messages that Marie had sat there last night and this morning.

"Your honor." The FBI agent began, "I know you have a busy morning."

"That would be correct Mister…." She asked looking up at the man speaking.

"Oh forgive me, Special Agent Markson, and this is…" Markson stopped and allowed the other man to introduce himself.

"Jackson Fielding, with the Department of Justice, your honor a pleasure to meet you." He said extending his hand to the judge.

She nodded at the gentleman and shook both of their hands, "Please continue, why are you in my chambers unannounced this morning?" she said with a cold stare directed at both gentleman. Agent Markson was an African-American gentleman about 6’4, he looked to be in his mid to late forties, his head was shaved and he wore a dark suit that hid most of his muscles that he had gained through training with the FBI. Agent Fielding on the other hand was a short man no taller than 5’7 stocky balding man in his late forties, he wore thick dark rimmed glasses and was constantly wiping his brow with the handkerchief he kept in his pocket.

"Well, the reason we are here is because of one of your cases." Fielding replied.

"What does one of my cases in this small town have to do with the FBI and the DOJ?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"The Ramirez case." Markson said waiting for a response from her.

"Yes, I know that case is in my court right now. What exactly about it interests the FBI?" she asked leaning back in her chair staring down the agent and lawyer from the DOJ.

"Well as you know prisoners phone conversations are recorded as well as their conversations when they get visitors." Markson continued.

"Yes, what about it?" she asked as she logged onto her computer, seeming disinterested in what the gentleman had to say.

"Well, your honor one of the phone conversations that Ramirez had with his brother, younger brother Miguel turned up some very interesting information." Fielding said as he rose from his seat and started to walk around the chambers.

"Excuse me, but could you get on with this, I have some pre trial motions to review and I do not have all day to sit and listen to anything the FBI and DOJ think they might have on a defendant that is being tried in my court room." She said standing up from her seat and placing her hands on the desk in a firm matter.

"What they are trying to say is that Mr. Ramirez has placed a hit out on your life." Said a husky voice that seemed to come from out of no where. There in the back of her chambers stood a man with long dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes that captivated the Judge at first look. He had a beard and wore a dark suit with a blue shirt underneath it that made his eyes stand out even more. His voice shot sparks through her body and she gripped the side of the desk as he came into closer view.

"Who the hell are you?" she asked staring at the man that had just made his presence known.

"Forgive me your honor. Judge Evangeline Williamson, Special Agent John McBain." Markson said as he moved aside and allowed John to approach the desk.

Agent McBain extended his hand to Judge Williamson, and she shook it. Their eyes locked at the hand shake and both felt something that caught them completely off guard. "Agent McBain…" she asked unsure of his name.

"Your Honor." He said smiling at her while still holding her hand in his.

She slowly pulled away from John’s grip and sat back down in her chair stunned silent by his good looks. John stepped back and placed his hands in his pocket. He had been watching her since she entered her chambers. The tall African-American woman wore her hair up in a bun that showed her long beautiful neck. Her eyes were a deep dark brown that he could see himself getting lost in. Her voice was melodious and hearing her talk so firmly to his superior rattled him a bit.

"Now what is this about a hit out on me?’ she asked looking directly at John.

"Well your honor. It seems late last week, Ramirez’s brother came to visit him and in a round about way Ramirez suggested that he find a way to get rid of the problems in his life by any means necessary." He replied holding her gaze not once breaking eye contact.

"He did?" she asked and ran her hand over her lips and chin. He took notice of this move and a thought flashed in his mind of what those lips would taste like. He closed his eyes to get the thought out of his mind.

"Yes and this is why we are here." Markson quickly jumped in with. "We would like Agent McBain to keep an eye on you for the duration of the trial. He will go to work with you on a daily bases and basically be where ever you are."

"Is all of this really necessary?" She asked still staring at John even though Agent Markson was the one that was talking.

"Well your honor. The Department of Justice is taking this threat against your life very seriously and from what I have heard about Agent McBain he is the best that Quantico has had in a long while." Fielding replied.

"Well that is good to know. But I honestly do not think that I need an FBI agent with me 24 hours a day 7 days a week until this trial is over. I mean I have several guards in the court room at all times. You have to have a badge to even get anywhere near the judge’s chambers, and I have an alarm system at home." She replied with quiet worry.

"With all due respect your honor. If these guys want to get you they will find a way. Unfortunately I have seen them try to get at Public officials."

She interrupted his statement, "If you have seen people like this get at Public officials what makes you think that you can protect me?"

"Honestly, I have been doing this for a very long time. I know what to expect and how to protect my target. Let me reassure you everyone that I have protected has been safe and sound," he said trying desperately to reassure Evangeline about the events that have started in her life.

"Well with all due respect Agent McBain. I don’t feel the need to have an FBI agent with me at all times of my life for the next who knows how long." She said staring back at him with a strong stoic face.

"I understand your concern your Honor. But Ramirez is after you. How ever you have ruled in his case so far he is taking it personally and feels the need to get rid of you and sooner rather than later. Let me also say that you won’t even know I am there." He said the last part with a smile.

"What do you mean, like earlier." She asked motioning to where he was standing in the corner of her chambers.

"Exactly." He said with a smile. "My job is to protect and serve; I took an oath to do so. You have nothing to worry about as long as you are with me." He said staring deep into her eyes.

"I want the FBI and the DOJ to know of my reservations about this whole situation. But if you believe that this man is some kind of threat to my life then I will go along with it. But if this affects my life in anyway I am out you got it." She said leaning back in her seat turning a pen in her hand.

"You got it." John said extending his hand to her. She rose and shook it. Markson and Fielding took a deep breath at finally convincing Evangeline to let John protect her.

"Now if you all will excuse me, I have some work to get too, before I have to get into court." She said rising from her desk and walking over to the door and holding it open for Markson and Fielding.

"Marie?" she said getting her assistants attention.

"Yes your honor?" she said standing from her desk and turning to face Evangeline.

"Special Agent John McBain, my assistant Marie Evans." She said pointing to John and Marie.

"Pleasure to meet you Marie is it?" he asked extending his hand.

"Agent McBain, the pleasure is mine." She replied staring the man down and taking everything in about him.

Evangeline noticed Marie staring at John and smirked to herself. The FBI agent did have some things going for him. She took notice of how his pants framed his butt nicely and then quickly adverted her eyes when she saw him turning to face her. "Marie, Agent McBain has been assigned to protect me." She said with a smile.

"Oh, okay your honor." She said smiling back at John and Evangeline.

"Listen Marie, get on the phone to security and see what all we have to get Agent McBain so that he can get in the building." She said walking past John and standing in front of Marie.

"Your honor, you don’t have to worry about that the FBI took care of every thing." he said placing a hand on top of hers.

"Okay, well that is good to know. Is there anything you need from me?" she asked moving her hand away from his.