No More Monkey Business

A UC: Undercover story By Deana Lisi

Sequel to, 'Through Another's Eyes'.

Thanks to Karri for the plot idea! :)

The team looked up when they heard a door close.

"Hey, Frank! How you feelin'?" said Jake, when their boss walked in.

"Fine," Frank answered, as he made a beeline for the coffee pot.

"I'll get that for you, Frank," said Monica, standing.

"I got it." Frank made his coffee one-handed, his right wrist still in a cast and sling. Taking his coffee, he brought it over to the table and sat down.

The team watched him, silently.

"What are you doing here so soon?" Alex asked him. "You heard what the doctors said—"

"Yes, I heard," said Frank, sipping his coffee. "I simply chose not to obey."

Everyone gave him exasperated looks. The past two weeks had been crazy. Frank had come down with West Nile Virus, and before he'd even begun to recover, did an undercover stint that had gotten his wrist broken.*

"That was only three days ago!" Alex went on. "What's the matter with you, Frank? Why don't you take better care of yourself? You're health is more important then a job!"

Frank said nothing, knowing that she was right. As he gulped down half his coffee, he peered at everyone over the mug, to see them all nodding their agreement to Alex's statement.

"You're right," Frank said, surprising them all.

"She is?" Cody gasped.

Frank nodded, drinking the rest of his coffee. "Yes. I'm not Superman, though I tend to think I am."

"You think you're Superman?" Cody couldn't resist saying.

Monica punched his arm, making Cody yelp.

Jake tried to hold in a laugh. "But?" he asked Frank, wanting him to continue.

"But we have a new case," Frank said, starting to get up.

Alex grabbed his coffee mug and went to refill it, before he had a chance to stand.

"Thanks," he said, when she brought it back.

"How did you know about the new case?" Monica asked, surprised.

"Friends in high places," he answered, with a slight smile.

Cody made a face at that, still bemoaning himself for failing in breaking into Frank's classified file.

"This is a different type of case then we're used to," Jake said.

"I'll say," said Alex. "Smuggling exotic—and dangerous—animals?" she shook her head.

"What I'm concerned about," said Frank. "Is the diseases these animals could bring with them."

Everyone nodded. Ebola, Hanta, Bubonic Plague, parasites…

"The movie, 'Outbreak' in real life," Cody said, nervously.

"Details, Monica?" Frank asked.

Monica shrugged. "There isn't much." She opened the file that was sitting in front of her. "Interpol was watching this guy for suspicion of smuggling, and he last left Africa by boat, with a lot of big crates. Before that he was in Australia." She took a picture out of the folder, and passed it around.

Everyone studied the photo of the man, while Monica continued. "Daniel Martins. He's American, and hasn't been arrested for smuggling in the past." She paused, to read a paper in the file, "He robbed a bank 10 years ago. Unarmed robbery."

Jake snorted. "Looks like a sleazeball."

"Yup," said Alex, taking it from Jake. "I agree with that."

"I think it's unanimous," said Cody, looking at it and handing Frank the picture.

As Frank looked at the pic, they all watched him, waiting for him to speak.

"How do you wanna go about this one?" Alex asked him.

Frank thought for a minute. "Despite knowing his name, he's most likely using an alias." He suddenly frowned. "Monica, does Interpol know for sure that he's coming here?"

Monica nodded. "The boat he took was supposed to come into Lake Michigan port last night."

Jake sighed, shaking his head. "Figures, we get the case after he arrives. We never get an easy job."

"Sounds like this one will be more detective work then UC work," said Alex. "I'm surprised they gave it to us."

Frank shot her an indignant look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Alex smiled at him.

Frank shook his head, with a slight smile at her tease. The team knew that he had been a PD detective before becoming a federal agent. "We might as well start now," he said, standing.

"We?" said Monica. "You're still on medical leave."

Frank sighed. "It's only a broken wrist, Monica. The rest of me can still function."

"Not," said Alex. "What about the strength you still need to get back, from the West Nile Virus that you've only just gotten over?"

Frank said nothing, trying to remember when he'd started letting them get away with questioning him so much. Since the two females started mother-henning me, he thought. "I know you mean well," he said. "But this mother-henning has to stop, it's really getting on my nerves." He tried to look stern, but both Jake and Cody started laughing.

"Give up, Frank, they're women," said Jake.

Alex punched him in the arm hard enough to make him wince.

"Strong women," he gasped.

Cody stopped laughing and jumped out of his seat when Moncia pointed her fist in his direction.

Frank shook his head, trying to hide a smile. "Let's go, people. We have work to do."

*'Through Another's Eyes', a Mummy/UC crossover: ?storyid=860226