I want to send a big thank you out to Maureen for taking the time to read this chapter and offering me her advice. I should also credit her as a co-writer with some dialogue and plot points that I hadn’t thought of. It was, as always, invaluable. She is a true storyteller and very generous with her time and her talents. Thank you, Maureen.
Rollie came down to the sight of Angie having her legs kicked out from under her, and her falling to the mat on the floor onto her behind.
“Careful there, Bo. I’m mighty fond of this woman,” Rollie warned good-naturedly as he helped Angie to her feet. Having been a stuntman himself, Rollie knew that the guys could show Angie some moves that would save her a lot of pain and possible injury. Still, he didn’t much enjoy seeing her fall to the ground.
“Yeah, so I hear. Congratulations Rollie.” Bo shook his hand. “Angie told us the good news.” Skinny Pete offered Rollie his congratulations too.
“So...is everybody set?” Rollie asked as he looked between Angie, Bo, and Skinny Pete. The three of them looked at each other and nodded. “Okay, let’s load up the van and get this show on the road.”
Rollie loaded the net-cannon, as he called it, into the van along with a tazer, which he hoped not to have to use. Then, they all jumped into the van and headed towards the alleyway where Leo had been seen exiting the manhole.
Angie had figured out which camera had filmed Leo and by a process of elimination she narrowed down which alleyway it was. Rollie parked a few blocks away and Bo and Skinny Pete left to take their positions. A short while later Angie left too. All three would have small transmitters on them so Rollie could tell both their locations and what they were saying.
“Be careful Angie. Just remember the moves Bo and Pete showed you,” Rollie reminded her. “And if something goes wrong get the hell out of there.”
“I will,” Angie promised.
Angie left the van carrying a bag with some bogus electronics equipment. She walked the few blocks from where Rollie parked towards the alleyway they had seen Leo in earlier. As she got about halfway down the alleyway Bo rounded a corner and stood in Angie’s way.
“Hey pretty lady, going somewhere?” Bo leered. “Why don’t I help you with your packages?”
Angie stood frozen. She hadn’t anticipated having flashbacks to her own attack several weeks ago. She worked hard to remind herself that it was Bo, but her body stiffened and her pulse quickened.
“Take it,” Angie said finally, her voice shaking. “Take the package. Take...take my wallet too if you want, just leave me alone.”
Rollie could tell by her voice that Angie was upset. “Ange, you okay?”
Angie started to respond, Rollie’s voice bringing her back. “I...I—” Just then Skinny Pete came up behind her and grabbed her. “Not again,” she cried. “Please! Just take my money and leave me alone!”
Rollie wanted to abort the mission. Angie was upset and she was unable to focus. He hadn’t realized what effect this would have on her. For their parts, Bo and Pete thought that Angie was really getting into it. They didn’t know that she wasn’t really acting.
Bo pulled a knife out of his back pocket and came towards Angie. “Now it’s time for a little fun.” he leered.
Pete had Angie’s arms pinned to her sides. Angie lifted both feet off the ground and thrust them back down hard onto Pete’s instep. He yelled in pain. Angie used all the strength of her upper body to lift Pete off the ground and flip him over, onto the ground. She ran to get away but Bo flew at her and they both fell to the ground. Bo lifted her up roughly and pushed her back into the wall. By then Pete had recovered and he joined them as both he and Bo pinned her against the wall. Bo held up the knife under her chin.
“Now little girl, it’s time we teach you some manners.” Bo leered.
Angie swallowed, as her eyes grew big. Rollie listened intently, worried about Angie. He made a decision.
“Guys? Let’s wrap this up, okay? Nothing’s happening and—”
Just then the man both Rollie and Angie recognized as their rescuer pulled Bo away from Angie and had him pinned against the wall. Rollie sprang into action.
“You get your kicks out of threatening young women, punk?” The bum sneered.
Bo pushed at the bum and the two of them fell to the ground, both of them punching at each other.
Just then Rollie aimed the cannon at them and shot. The net flew out, just as he had planned, and covered both Bo and the man he believed and hoped was Leo McCarthy.
The two men struggled briefly until they both realized they were stuck in that thing together. Bo, however, knew what was happening and he soon stopped struggling. The bum looked up to see Rollie Tyler coming over with a big smile on his face as he knelt down.
The bum leaned back and groaned. “ROLLIE!”
“Welcome home Leo.” Rollie smiled as he patted Leo’s arm. He paused as he looked over towards Angie and Pete, a concerned look on his face. “Hold on a sec.”
Rollie walked over to Angie who leaned against the wall, hunched over, breathing heavily. Pete was rubbing her back.
“Angie? Are you okay?” Rollie asked.
Angie looked up at him and then flew into his arms. He held her tight. “You’re okay, sweetie.” He caressed her hair. “You’re safe.”
“I know,” she said quietly. After a few minutes her body stopped shaking. She always felt so safe in Rollie’s arms. “I just had to remind myself. Or maybe I’m just pushing this method acting too far. You never should have insisted on watching Raging Bull the other night. Maybe DeNiro inspired me,” she joked. She pulled away and looked towards Bo and Leo in a heap on the ground, Leo struggling to get out of the sticky net. “Is that Leo? Did we get him?”
“It is and we did,” Rollie smiled down at her. “I better go let them loose before the cops show up. Why don’t you go to the van and wait?”
Pete walked with Angie to the van and Rollie went to let Bo and Leo loose. Once loose, Bo joined the others at the van. Leo was growling and cursing at Rollie.
“I should have known this was a setup. There’s no way that Angie could be the victim of a similar attack twice. She’s way too smart,” Leo growled.
“She is,” Rollie agreed. “But she’s also had a string of bad luck lately and I knew you were acting as her guardian angel, so what better way to catch you?”
Leo was going to growl another smart response but he caught a look of sadness in Rollie’s eyes when he mentioned Angie’s bad luck and he thought better of it. As he was set free he looked around the alleyway nervously. Suddenly, he bolted.
Rollie caught up to him and grabbed his arm. “Leo! For God’s sake—”
“You don’t know what you’re doing Rollie,” Leo warned him. “I’ve got a lot of dangerous baggage. You don’t need this trouble. Neither does Angie.”
“I know you’re in trouble. Angie and I both do. That’s why we want to help. Trust me, you’re better off with us than without us. Please?” The friends looked at each other for a moment.
Leo’s eyes were wary but he finally relented. “Fine. Have it your way, pal.” He looked around the alleyway again. “I’ll meet you at your place in an hour, back entrance.”
“One hour.” Rollie smiled. “Or I’ll come looking for you,” he warned him. He watched Leo take off again, stumbling as if he were drunk and belching for effect.
After dropping off Bo and Pete, Rollie and Angie returned to the loft. As she exited the van Rollie caught Angie limping. “Angie, you’re hurt?”
“I banged my knee on the pavement when Bo tackled me but it’s fine,” she insisted. “Are you sure Leo is going to show up?” she asked as she sat down on the couch.
Rollie walked into the lounge and returned with the first-aid kit. “I have to trust him. Besides, he knows I will keep looking for him if he doesn’t show up. I don’t think he wants to have us and whoever else is after him on his tail,” he said as he rolled up Angie’s pant leg over her knee.
There was a nasty scrape on her knee. He pulled out the antiseptic to clean it and Angie winced in pain as it hit her wound. He continued to dress it with bandages.
“Shall I kiss it and make it better?” Rollie asked, smiling softly as his hand caressed her leg.
“No, but you can kiss me and I’ll pass the message down,” Angie smiled back.
He did as he was asked. After a few minutes he pulled away and brushed a lock of hair from Angie’s forehead. “Are you sure you’re okay? I mean, with the attack and everything?”
“I’m okay, Rol.” She insisted again. “Hearing your voice brought me back. I didn’t even think I would react like that. I don’t know where it came from.”
“I do. You’ve been through a lot—”
“We both have,” Angie interrupted.
“Yes, we have. But I didn’t receive a skull fracture from brutal thugs. You did okay out there though, you know that?” He leaned his head against hers. “You’re a very strong woman, Angela.”
Angie smiled. “I’m a very lucky woman,” she insisted. She turned her head slightly and kissed him on the corner of his mouth, Suddenly, she reached over and grabbed his wrist. She turned it so the watch faced her. “Leo should be here soon, if he comes.”
“Yep.”
Angie stood up and Rollie stood also. “I’m going to go change my pants. Um...Rol?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m going to go out for awhile and give you and Leo a chance to talk. I think it might be easier if I’m not here, at least initially.”
Rollie appreciated the gesture and knew she was probably right. “Angie...I want to tell Leo about us. Which means....”
Angie looked up at him, her eyes full of understanding. “I know what it means. You want to tell him everything, including—”
“Yes, all of it. How do you feel about that?”
Angie looked away briefly and then her eyes returned to Rollie’s. “I guess I’m okay with it. I mean, at least I won’t have to tell him. I’ve told Mira and Lucinda but I don’t know if I could talk to Leo about it. I don’t think I would feel comfortable.” She grabbed his hand “I’m okay with you telling Leo.”
“I love you, do you know that?”
“I think I’m getting the idea.” She smiled slyly at him.
“Oh, well, finally!” Rollie laughed.
Angie laughed as she looked at her watch this time. “I better go. How long do you think you need?”
“I dunno. Maybe two, three hours?”
“Sounds good. I’ll bring back something to eat. Leo must be dying for a real meal after all that garbage he literally was eating. What do you think he would like?”
They both looked at each other and immediately knew and spoke in unison. “Steak!”
“Maybe you could pick up some beer as well? Might as well make him feel at home,” Rollie suggested.
Angie said she would. She went upstairs to change and when she returned Leo was entering the loft through the telephone booth. Angie went over and hugged Leo before announcing that she was on her way out.
“Oh, Rol? I’m taking the car,” she announced as well.
“What? Why?” Rollie knew Angie was aware of how protective he was of his car.
“Because I want to, that’s why,” she said as she grabbed the keys from his desk.
“Oh, I see. You want to flirt with all the cute guys at the stop lights.”
“Just a little bit,” she teased him. She winked at him and he shook his head.
“Fine. Have fun,” he sighed.
Leo watched and shook his head. He hadn’t seen Angie wink at Rollie. “You two haven’t changed,” he commented as Angie left.
“Actually, Leo...we have.”
“You could have fooled me, pal.”
Rollie scratched his ear. “A lot has changed Leo. You’d be surprised. Do you want a beer?”
“You know me Rollie, that much hasn’t changed.” Leo answered.
Rollie brought two beers out from the lounge. Leo wandered around the loft, not really seeing that many changes to the place. Rollie handed him a beer.
“So...do you want to tell me what kind of trouble you are in?” Rollie asked, finally.
Leo sat down on the couch. It had been so long since he had felt something this comfortable to sit down on. He almost wanted to lie down and fall asleep. He took a sip of his beer and looked across at Rollie.
“Actually, I think I want to hear what’s happened to everyone since I’ve been...gone.” He looked down at his beer. “Tell me everything Rollie.”
Rollie told Leo what happened when everyone thought that he was dead, about the accusations surrounding him and Francis. He told him how Francis risked his life to bring down Vincent Capriccio and to clear Leo’s name. He told him about Mira and how she came to help prove that Leo and Francis were set up, and by extension Rollie as well. He told him about Mira and how they had started out not trusting each other but now counted on each other as friends, much the way he sees Leo and Francis.
Rollie had so many questions about what happened the day of the explosion but Leo wanted to know about his friends. Rollie couldn’t blame him. He would want the same if he were in his place. Rollie told him about Lucinda moving to Los Angeles but that she was now working here and thinking of moving back.
Leo asked about Colleen and Rollie took his time in answering. He told him that Colleen had taken Leo’s death hard. She stayed on for a while at Midtown South and she and Rollie and Angie had stayed in touch. But their contact grew more and more infrequent. Then they found out that Colleen had asked for a transfer and she had moved to New Jersey. Soon afterwards they lost touch.
Leo was quiet for some time, lost in the thought of what might have been. He sighed finally. “You and Angie haven’t changed. At least some things stayed the same,” Leo commented, grateful for small favors. A part of him had thought that by now, either Rollie or Angie or both, would have fallen in love with someone and maybe split up Tyler FX.
“Well...actually, there have been some big changes there as well,” Rollie smiled but then the smile grew more pensive as he contemplated what he had to tell Leo.
Leo caught the look. “What is it Rollie? Is Angie in trouble? Are you?”
“No, no,” Rollie assured him. “Actually, its pretty good news. It just didn’t start out that way....”
“Come on, Rollie, you’re scaring me here, pal. Out with it. Whatever it is can’t be that bad ‘cause Angie looks great and you look pretty healthy and happy. What is it?”
Rollie stood up and moved towards his desk, where he now kept a picture of Angie. He picked it up briefly and fingered the picture. He had his back to Leo.
“Remember not long before you ‘died’ I told you about crossing paths with an arms dealer by the name of Victor Loubar?” Rollie jaw tightened.
Leo searched his memory. The name rang a bell. “Yeah, he’s the guy who impersonated you, isn’t he? There was some sort of top secret weapon that he wanted to steal.”
Rollie nodded. “A smart grenade. Loubar used me to get hold of the guy who created the thing so that he could masquerade as the man and steal the plans.”
“Yeah, I remember now. He set you up to get killed by that arms dealer, Jacques Devillon.” Leo’s voice deepened in anger.
“Yeah. But the feds and I screwed up his plans.” Rollie turned and faced Leo.
“Wait a minute. Didn’t you tell me that that fed, Serrano, shot Loubar and he fell into the river?” He studied Rollie’s expression. “You mean he didn’t die?”
“No. I wish he had,” Rollie said bitterly. “He survived, and he and I tangled again a few months later.”
Rollie told Leo about his second encounter with Loubar and how Angie was drawn into the danger as well, though neither of them knew how much danger there would be or how much it would ultimately cost them.
“I wish I could say that was the last time I had tangled with him, but he’s been coming after me like a bee in a bonnet ever since. He blames me for his failures.” Rollie thought about it and a chill went down his spine. “Last year...he kidnapped me and kept me drugged up and locked away somewhere in Chinatown for three days while he...he lived my life!” Rollie felt his emotions getting boiled up. He still got angry when he thought of what happened. “He was setting me up again, this time for the assassination of the Chinese trade minister. He had committed other murders using my face as well, to set up a pattern for the police, Rollie Tyler as cold-blooded killer. But the worst thing...the thing I swear I will kill him for is what he did to Angie—”
“What? What did he do to Angie?” Leo asked, dreading the answer. He had never heard Rollie swear to kill anyone.
“He...he seduced her. He pretended to be me and then that bastard raped her.” Rollie was crying now. He rubbed the tears from his eyes and clenched his teeth. “The next morning, he wanted her to know it was him so he revealed his deception. That bastard!”
“Angie,” Leo whispered, his heart aching. He wanted to kill that bastard too now.
Rollie rubbed the tears from his eyes and took a swig of his beer. “We figured out the setup before the minister could be killed. Angie figured out where Loubar was staying. Loubar and I fought in the park near the hotel. He was still wearing my face. Angie couldn’t tell who was who until I said something only she and I knew. She picked up Loubar’s gun and shot at him but he got away again.”
They were silent for some time.
“How is she? How is Angie?” Leo asked finally.
“It was devastating for her, Leo. It tore her apart and...I didn’t know how to help.” Rollie remembered all the pain and the awkwardness, the guilt and the shame. He was quiet for some time. He looked over at Leo and spoke finally. “But she is an incredibly strong woman.” He smiled and Leo could see admiration and love in his eyes.
“How about you, pal? How were you during all of this?”
Rollie looked over at Leo with a look of sadness, but also hope and determination in his eyes. “We found each other, Leo. Through all of that, she kept pushing me away. She was determined to move on. She thought that she had ruined our friendship and because of that I almost lost her. But we found each other and it’s the most incredible gift. I love Angie and she loves me.” He smiled. “Leo, can you believe it?”
“Pal, my head is spinning.” He shook Rollie’s shoulder. “Is this for real? You and Angie?”
“Yes. Angie’s living here and we’re going to be married. And I want you to be my best man.” He smiled and then looked downcast. “It’s hard to believe we have Loubar to thank for that.”
“No you don’t!” Leo said angrily. “You and Angie would have realized your feelings for each other eventually. Don’t even think of being grateful for what that bastard did because when it comes time to mete out justice Rollie, you need to remember what he did.”
“I know, Leo, I know. Loubar is my sworn enemy. He kidnapped Angie recently. He beat her terribly and strapped a bomb to her and then had me choose between saving her or millions of others because he had another bomb set up with a biological weapon. I won’t let him hurt Angie again.” Rollie looked at Leo. “When I meet him again, I will kill him.” Rollie said with steely determination and Leo knew that he meant it. Rollie told him that Loubar might be considered a liability to his terrorist pals and could possibly be killed because of that but that he always seems to land on his feet. As long as he’s alive they know that he will come after them again.
Leo shook his head, trying to absorb everything that Rollie had just told him. He didn’t really know this Victor Loubar aside from what Rollie had told him but he hated him now for everything he had done to his friends.
“I swear Rollie, if I’m around, and if and when this bastard shows up, I will do everything within my power to take him down. You can count on me, pal.”
Rollie smiled. “I know that, Leo. Just as Angie and I will do everything we can to help you out of your own mess.” And with that they clinked their beers together in a pact both of them knew neither would break willingly. “Now, how about you tell me about the trouble you are in?”
Leo hunched forward in his chair and rubbed his face, his beard shaggy and scraggly, and his hair long. “I don’t know where to begin,” he admitted.
“How about the day you supposedly died?”
“Oh boy,” Leo sighed. “You gotta know that I never would have put you or anyone else I care about through all of that...if I had known...damn it!”
“I do know that, Leo. That’s why I know you’re in trouble.”
Leo looked over at Rollie and realized that he too had changed. There were a few more lines around the eyes and a sadness that marked them, the mark of pain that had touched his very soul. Still, Rollie went to the edge for his friends and he would always be grateful for that. But, could he ask him to go to the edge with him this time? Would he go over?
“This isn’t fair to you Rollie. You’re starting to build a life with Angie. You’re going to get married and before you know it you’ll have a couple of rugrats running around the loft. You don’t need this.” He looked at him.
“Angie and I will decide what we need. And who’s to say we can’t have all of that and help you out too?” Rollie squeezed Leo’s shoulder. “Now that I know you’re alive there is no way that I am going to let you go through this by yourself.”
“All right,” Leo understood finally that he wasn’t getting rid of Rollie. “But maybe you don’t want Angie near any of this. You might want to send her out of town or something until this whole thing is over with. I know how she hates you helping out the police.”
“Okay first of all, it’s Angie’s decision if she wants to be involved in this or not. If she is, I know that you and I will do our best to keep her safe. And as for hating me helping out the police, well, she has good reason. She has been hurt too many times because of my involvement with the police but she helps out anyway because she knows it’s about helping out our friends.” Rollie sighed. “She also sees that we can sometimes make a difference, and believe it or not, she wants to help. I think ever since Loubar it’s become even more important to her.” He slapped Leo’s shoulder. “In other words Leo, if you want Angie out of town during all of this,” Rollie smiled at him, “you tell her, mate.”
“Great,” Leo growled.
Rollie went into the lounge and made some coffee. Once he handed Leo his cup, Leo began to tell Rollie about the events that had transpired on the morning of their police operation and what had happened afterwards.
Leo told Rollie that he was paid a visit by two suits on the morning of the police operation that he, Rollie, and Francis were involved in. Their names were Sapien and Hanson. They told Leo that they knew about his investigation and that it was setting off alarm bells all over the place and one reason was that it was overlapping with their own investigation. Another reason was that the trail of stolen weapons and leaks in police departments went a lot deeper. They wanted Leo to help them with the investigation because of his extensive knowledge of Vincent Capriccio and the Armani families. They also knew that he was hot on the trail of finding the leak in the department.
They had also received a tip that morning that Capriccio had ordered a hit on Leo and that it would take place during the police operation. The suits said that if he agreed to work with them they could fix it so that it would appear as if he died during the hit and he could continue the investigation underground. Not throwing in with them would leave him very vulnerable and would put them at cross-purposes. In fact, they could make things very difficult for him if he didn’t cooperate.
“So, basically what you’re saying is you didn’t have a choice,” Rollie interrupted.
“Basically,” Leo agreed. He said he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t trust the suits, he never had, but if what they said was true and a hit was ordered on him...he was a dead man, unless he could get word to Rollie because he knew he could help him out. But the Feds said they needed an answer right away if they were going to put measures in place to insure that he made it out of that warehouse alive. So, Leo threw in with them and hoped to get word to Rollie or Francis before the deal went down which of course didn’t happen. He tried to get them to work out another way for him to continue his investigation underground without his friends thinking he was dead but they claimed that there was no time to work out another option.
“How did you get out of the building alive?”
“Actually...I never went into the warehouse.” Leo looked Rollie in the eyes.
“What? How? You were wired and I had heat sensors on you the whole time. Unless—”
“Yeah, unless. After you wired me they had someone take my place, same build, same height—”
“And your voice?”
“That morning after I agreed to go along with their plan a guy came to my place and they had me say a few words over and over again. This guy, he was like a parrot. He listened and then after a few tries...he mimicked my voice almost perfectly. It was eerie.”
“And this guy? Who was he, Leo?” Rollie asked as he leaned forward. They both knew what the other was thinking.
“I don’t know who he was. He must have been an agent as well but I swear I did not know that he was going to be killed.” Leo shook his head at the memory. “I thought they had a plan. I thought they were going to rush in and arrest everyone and somehow get him out. Who knows? Maybe that was part of their plan but something went wrong.” Leo looked down at the floor. “Or maybe I saw what I wanted to see.”
“You couldn’t have known.” Rollie looked at Leo, who was still looking down at the floor. “Do you think he knew, Leo?”
Leo was quiet for a few moments, the torment of what he was feeling something Rollie could only guess at. “I don’t know. I can’t think that he did,” he said finally. Leo shook his head, grateful to be alive. “Whatever else has happened since that day, I’m still alive because of those two suits.”
“Yeah, maybe. But I wouldn’t be so grateful, Leo. They had their own agenda. The feds provided a body and I imagine all the corroborating evidence to prove that it was you.” Rollie remembered that day and how he identified what he thought was Leo’s body. “I identified you by your watch, Leo.”
“I know. I had to give them something of mine to help in the process. I’m sorry Rollie.”
Rollie looked at him a moment. “Don’t worry about it. You’re being alive makes up for it.” he smiled.
Leo then went on to tell him how things began to get worse. It turns out that Leo’s investigation was just the tip of the iceberg. It turned out that Capriccio was working for the suits and that they were working together to steal weapons from police precincts all across the eastern seaboard. The suits would find out where the biggest busts were and would pass the information onto a source in the police precincts. The source would then pass it on to Capriccio or one of his operatives. Leo found out about this while underground when he began to notice a pattern.
The suits wanted to see how far he had gone. They also wanted to blacken his name so that any information that he turned up would be suspect. That’s why when he supposedly died, there were the rumors about his being crooked. If Mira, Francis, and Rollie hadn’t continued the investigation to clear him part of their plan might have worked. The other part of their plan was still working however. To everyone, he was still dead. He had no money and no contacts. He could be killed for real and no one would be the wiser.
They lost Capriccio as a partner when Mira and Francis’s investigation implicated him in Leo’s murder. But from what Leo could determine, that development wasn’t totally unexpected. Capriccio was getting greedy and asking for a bigger cut. He also didn’t have the distribution network in place that could ensure the operation’s expansion. So, once Capriccio was arrested and out of the way, the suits brought in another guy, a ruthless mob guy from Italy looking to expand his operations into the United States. But that was all Leo knew. Four months after his presumed death and the suits tried to kill him for real. They didn’t need him anymore. He was a liability. Leo escaped an explosion at the safe house he was being kept in and had been on the run ever since. For a while he spent some time following leads to Washington D.C. and Georgia but worked his way back to New York in the last few months.
Leo found out about this while underground and tried to escape. Leo found out that the weapons were being shipped overseas to spur civil unrest in certain European and Middle Eastern countries. He also found out that they had a contact in Europe who was helping with the distribution over there and thinks that it might be an Interpol agent. There was a brief turf war after Capriccio was arrested for Leo’s death. The new mob boss is another puppet for Sapien and Hanson and the unnamed Interpol agent. He’s taken over Capriccio’s turf with the help of the suits and he has his men out looking for Leo too.
“You have got to understand Rollie. These men mean business. I don’t know who I can trust. How far in the bureau does this go? How far in Interpol? Is there support in the government?” He shook his head. “I came back to New York because it’s the only place I know. I know where to hide and I knew I had friends here but I never meant to get you involved in any danger.”
“Would you stop saying that?” Rollie implored him. “You’re in a mess and it’s not of your making. You’re a good cop, Leo. We’ll figure something out,” Rollie tried to assure him. They were quiet for some time and Rollie noticed Leo rub his eyes and stifle a yawn. “You must be tired,” he said looking at his watch. “Angie should be back soon. Why don’t you go up and take a shower? Then we can eat and we’ll get you settled.”
Rollie gave Leo some of his sweats to wear and loaned him his shaving kit. Leo said he wouldn’t need it because he was used to the beard. While Leo was in the shower, Rollie went to the back of the garage and set up a room for Leo. A few months ago, Rollie had started to make a small storage closet in the garage. It was longer than it was wider and he had never gotten around to putting up the shelves. Now, however, it could work as a small room for Leo. He would be close by but still able to be out of sight and it wouldn’t be too conspicuous. Still, it wasn’t a real room but it was the best he could do for now.
Angie was just returning when he got back upstairs and he ran over to help her with the packages. Rollie pointed towards the upstairs when Angie asked where Leo was.
“Did you talk?”
“Yep.”
“And?”
Rollie pulled Angie close. He looked into her eyes as he brushed some hair away from them. “It’s pretty bad, Ange. The investigation Leo was working on before he was supposedly killed is way bigger than anyone thinks. He’s lucky to be alive but it’s...it’s still very dangerous. I’ll tell you everything later, okay?”
“Okay,” Angie agreed quietly as she put her arms around Rollie’s waist and rested her head on his chest. She worried about what was coming but found strength in the knowledge that they could face it together.
Rollie and Angie were in the lounge setting the table when Leo returned from his shower.
“So, I hear congratulations are in order?” He smiled at Angie. “Come here, kid, and let me give you a proper greeting.”
Angie went over to Leo and he pulled her into a long, deep hug and at the end of it he kissed her gently on the cheek. At least, that was his intention.
“Ouch,” Angie complained as she rubbed her cheek, “You’ve got quite the shaggy rug there, Leo.”
“I never heard any complaints before,” Leo laughed.
“Yeah, well, no offense but it’s probably the company you keep.”
“She’s got a point, Leo.” Rollie laughed. “Ready to eat?”
Rollie didn’t have to ask Leo twice. Leo practically salivated when he saw the T-bone steak that Angie had brought from the deli. It was just the way he liked it, medium rare, with a baked potato and sautéed mushrooms and onions on the side. Rollie had steak as well, while Angie had a salmon fillet.
Throughout dinner, Leo teased the couple about their upcoming wedding saying that Rollie would probably make Angie get married while jumping out of an airplane, or by an Elvis impersonator in Las Vegas. Angie good-naturedly glared at Rollie when he actually thought both of those ideas sounded good, and was sorry he hadn’t thought of it himself. He seemed to be actually considering them as possibilities.
“Don’t even think it, Rollie!” Angie warned him.
“But, Ange...Elvis!”
“Rollie!” Angie rolled her eyes.
“It’s starting already, pal. You might as well get used to it. Just say ‘yes, dear’. Trust me on this one,” Leo advised Rollie.
“Yes dear,” Rollie sighed and winked at Angie.
“Now you’re talking,” Angie proclaimed as she turned Rollie’s face to her and took possession of his mouth.
“Yes dear,” Rollie smiled as he pulled Angie closer and whispered in her ear as Elvis. “Uh huh.”
Rollie showed Leo to his bed and apologized for the accommodations but promised that he and Angie would make things more livable soon. Leo told him not to worry, that he would be sleeping like a king because he would actually be off the ground and someplace warm. Leo thanked Rollie and the two men hugged, slapping each other on the back as they said goodnight.
Upstairs in bed with Angie, Rollie told her everything that Leo had told him including his advice that she be sent away.
“I am not going anywhere Rollie,” she shook her head. “Don’t even think it.”
“I told Leo you would feel that way. Angie, we need to be realistic—”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Angie repeated as she rose off Rollie’s chest and sat up. “Why is it more dangerous for me than it is for you or Leo? That is such a chauvinistic attitude!” She was getting more upset by the minute, thinking that Rollie and Leo would gang up on her and send her away, “I can be a big help Rollie, and you know it. I am not going anywhere.”
Rollie sat up against the headboard. “First of all, I’m not going to send you away, angel. I told Leo that it’s your choice but you need to be aware of the risks. Second of all, I am not a chauvinist and you know that.”
“I know,” Angie sighed, “but I was afraid you and Leo would try to gang up on me and do that whole male protective thing.”
“Come here.” He opened his arms to her.
Angie slowly made her way into his arms. “I told you I could get through anything as long as we are together.”
“I know. Me too.” He kissed the top of her head. “I know it’s selfish but I would be more worried about you if you were away from me. Besides, we make a great team.”
“We do,” Angie replied as she clasped his hand and nestled it in her lap. “I love you Rollie,” she whispered.
Rollie maneuvered himself to straddle her. “Thank you.” He did his Elvis sneer. “Thank you very much.”
Angie giggled and pulled him to her. They kissed and caressed each other, their hands exploring familiar places and teasing each other with their touch. Things were getting heated very fast when Angie put the brakes on.
“Uh Rollie?”
“Yeah,” he replied as he nibbled on her neck.
“Did Leo go to bed?”
He gave her a puzzled look. “I dunno. Why?” He went back to nuzzling her neck.
“Because...I was wondering how much someone can see from down there.” Angie looked down to illustrate her point.
He looked at her again with a puzzled look. “What are you talking about?”
“Well, um....” Angie was having difficulty concentrating with Rollie nuzzling her neck and his hands exploring other parts. “It’s just that, remember when you were Elvis? That time you went undercover to get into Craymore’s cryogenics lab?”
“Yes.”
“Mira and I were downstairs while you were getting ready and um....” Angie moaned as Rollie touched a sensitive place, “we...we could see you, a silhouette of you ah...” she moaned again, “as you were getting ready. And I was wondering if...if ah...what someone would see of us from down there.” She had a horrible picture in her mind of giant, erotic, shadow puppets.
Rollie stopped suddenly, understanding her meaning. His mouth opened in response, but then he shut it again as he realized something. He pushed Angie back down onto the bed as he raised himself up and hovered over her.
“You know? I really don’t know.”
“Great.” Angie shoved him off her. “I don’t know if I feel comfortable doing this then,” she said as her hand went to her forehead, almost as if she had a headache. “I can’t do it Rollie. It’s like having sex with my father in the room. I can’t.”
“Bloody hell,” Rollie complained. He knew those damn translucent walls would get him into trouble one day. Still, they were very artsy and futuristic looking... but bloody hell!
“What if I turn off all the lights in the room?” Rollie asked.
“Go see,” Angie ordered him.
Rollie had to go downstairs and see what he could see of the darkened room and report back to Angie before she would agree to pick up where they left off. He didn’t see Leo sitting in the darkened lounge watching him with his own bemused expression on his face.
Rollie went back upstairs and, after banging his toe on the bedpost, happily reported that with the lights off he could not see anything up there. They resumed where they left off, that is until a few minutes later when Angie wondered what could be heard from downstairs.
“Bloody hell, Angela!”
Angie giggled and pulled him to her satisfied, at least, that they couldn’t be seen, “I guess I can live with it if you can.”
The next morning Angie went out to buy curtains for the room and Rollie went to work installing rods all along the wall. It was weird but what else was he going to do? Rollie met Leo in the lounge when Rollie came down to take a break. Rollie told him where Angie was when he asked about her. He caught the smirk on Leo’s face.
“What’s that look for?”
“Oh, nothing.” Leo smirked again.
“All right, out with it Leo. I know that look.” He shook his finger at him.
“Just noticed you and Angie are doing a bit of redecorating. Is there a reason?”
“It’s...it’s...uh,” Rollie stammered and then he caught the glint in Leo’s eyes. “Bloody hell! You saw us!”
Leo laughed.
“Don’t...do not tell Angie, Leo....” Rollie begged.
“Why’s that, pal?” Leo smirked.
“Christ, Leo...if Angie even suspects you saw us!” Rollie had this horrible vision of never having sex again. “What exactly did you see anyway?”
“Nothing much...shadows really. The show ended when you turned the lights off and I went to bed.”
“Bloody hell,” Rollie groaned. “Leo, if you value your life you will not let on to Angie what you saw.” Rollie glared at Leo.
Leo laughed again. Rollie groaned. “Don’t worry, pal. Your secret’s safe with me.”
Angie had returned just then. “What secret?”
Rollie spun around. “Angie. I uh...uh....”
“You know that’s the thing about secrets,” Leo smiled at the both of them. “You can’t tell them, otherwise, they’re not secrets anymore.”
“But he told you.” Angie’s eyes narrowed at Rollie, wondering what he was up to.
“It’s nothing, sweetie, really,” Rollie insisted. “I...I uh...just thought I would take you out tonight. You know, romance, dancing...but now, my secret’s blown so I guess we order in, eh?” Rollie glared at Leo as he walked past him and went back to work upstairs.
“But...we could still do that.” Angie pouted.
“Not now,” Rollie called down in answer. “My secret’s blown.” Rollie started the drill before Angie could say another word.
“Great. Thanks for blowing Rollie’s secret Leo.” Angie glared at Leo as she stomped upstairs with the new drapes.
Rollie and Angie finished installing the rods and hanging the drapes. Rollie thought it looked funny but was more than willing to live with it if it stopped Leo from seeing into their room.
As they finished, Rollie pulled Angie to him. “Happy now?”
Angie’s hands covered his. “I feel better. I know Leo probably couldn’t see anything, but just thinking it was a possibility was starting to give me a headache. Thank you.”
Rollie kissed Angie’s neck. “Whatever you want is fine.” He turned her around to face him. “And we can still go out tonight if you want.”
“Really?” Angie smiled, “I thought your secret was blown?”
“Blown shmown.” His lips devoured hers. “What do you say, Ange? A little romance tonight?”
“Why don’t we inaugurate our newly decorated room instead? Why waste time on dinner when you and I both know this is where we both would rather be?”
Rollie’s eyebrows rose in excitement. “Oh sweetie, you know me better than I know myself!”
The couple looked forward to their inauguration with excitement but tempered it with knowledge that they still had other, more serious work to do. Rollie went to his workstation and started work on a security project. Angie went to her computer and started on her own task. Leo watched the couple descend the stairs and go off to their separate tasks. In some ways, he thought, it was like before. Often, while they were at work they were like two halves of the same whole. For his part, Leo was at loose ends. He didn’t know what he could do. He would have played chess with Bluey but Angie was busy on the computer. He wandered around the loft, pacing back and forth. Finally, he went to see what Rollie was up to.
“What are you working on, Rollie?” he asked as he peered over his shoulder.
Rollie looked up at him. “This is a security feature I plan to install at the front entrance. Angie and I worked on a program and I’m just retrofitting a couple of these cameras.”
“What kind of program?”
“The cameras will be able to give me a 3D rendering of anyone who comes to the front entrance. All I need is between 30 seconds to a minute to get the shot and we should be able to make a 3D model.”
“3D rendering? What do you need that for?”
“Considering all the times in the past when we’ve had unwelcome visitors at the loft, it just might come in handy,” Rollie explained. “I’ve actually been thinking about it for a while especially since our entanglements with Victor Loubar. I was going to install something like this as a security feature at an estate for a friend of Angie’s....” he said quietly as he remembered Paul Richter’s request to update his estate’s security system, “but I never got around to testing it. This will be the test now, I guess.”
“Jeez, you guys have gotten good during my absence,” Leo remarked in awe.
“We try.”
Leo looked over at Angie. “What’s Angie working on?”
“Knowledge is power, Leo. Angie is looking for information on Agents Sapien and Hanson.”
“Rollie, stop her!” Leo ran over towards Angie, followed by Rollie.
“Leo? What?” Rollie called after him.
Leo startled Angie as she was sitting listening to music on the headphones while conducting her search. He was about to mess with her keyboard when she slapped his hand away.
“Leo! What do you think you are doing?” She growled at him. “Nobody touches my computer without my say so.”
“You don’t understand. They will find you. They’ll find out what you are up to and they will find you,” Leo warned, his eyes deadly serious.
“No they won’t,” Angie told him. “I took precautions. They can’t trace me. My IP is bouncing all over the place. If they do find an address they can trace, it will be somewhere in India or Hong Kong. Trust me.”
“Angie knows what she’s doing, Leo.”
Leo looked between Rollie and Angie. “You can never be too sure.”
“Well she is being careful. Besides, what did you expect us to do? We need more information on the two suits.”
“Leo, I know you have concerns. That’s why I set it up so my IP address will bounce all over the place. Everything’s cool,” Angie tried to assure Leo.
“You’re right. I just...I have been watching my back for so long.” Leo shook his head. He suddenly looked very tired and frail. “I know you guys will be careful.”
Rollie stood with his arms folded. He could only imagine what Leo had been through all these months. “Why don’t you lie down, Leo? You look like you need to catch up on your rest. And when you awaken...we can shave that beard off of you and maybe cut your hair.”
“Hey, I’ve grown accustomed to the beard.”
“Sorry, mate. If we need to put a disguise on you all that fur will get in the way.”
Angie smiled crookedly. “Unless he’s disguised as Bigfoot.”
“Ha ha, very funny. Bunch of jokers,” Leo muttered as he made his way to the garage. “I kinda like my new look....”
Angie and Rollie watched Leo leave. “Whew! He’s tense!” Angie remarked.
“Yeah, well, I guess he has reason to be. Did you find out anything?”
“Nothing so far. You know, Rollie,” she looked at him, “maybe we should bring in Mira and Francis on this. I mean, if things really are that dangerous...we aren’t cops.”
Rollie reached over and rubbed her neck. “I know. I’ll talk to Leo about it.”
Rollie and Angie worked on the small room in the garage to make it a little more accommodating. They brought in a rollaway bed. They soundproofed the room both for their privacy and for Leo’s and to avoid the risk of someone hearing Leo. Rollie then installed a small monitor so that Leo could check to see if it was safe to come out. The monitor would be patched into the security cameras and Leo could switch views if he was bored.
“Gee, you guys didn’t have to go to all this trouble,” Leo remarked as he looked at his spruced up accommodations, which had taken place over two days.
“Sure we did, Leo,” Rollie replied. “Besides, with Angie living here now, we probably need to make a few more adjustments,” Rollie said as he scratched his chin while scanning the room. “I mean, we don’t even have a proper sized refrigerator, course then, the whole lounge needs to be redesigned and—”
“Rol? One thing at a time. I think you are getting way ahead of yourself,” Angie warned.
“Well, I guess I am, a bit, but not really.” Rollie laughed. “Well...it’s not home sweet home, but it’s better.” Rollie surveyed the room. “What do you think, Leo?”
“A storage closet sure ain’t the Ritz. Not that I’m ungrateful or anything.”
“Yeah, right! Why I oughta!” Rollie jokingly raised his fist at Leo.
“Rol, I’m going to head out now, okay?” Angie interrupted.
“Sure. I’ll see you later,” he smiled at her as she left. He went back into the lounge.
“Where’s Angie going?” Leo followed.
“She’s going to dinner with a school chum of hers who’s in town for a few days,” he explained as he reached into the small fridge and pulled out two beers. He threw one at Leo. “So, it’s just you and me for dinner, Leo.”
Over dinner Rollie talked to Leo about bringing Mira and Francis in on everything. Leo wasn’t ready to allow them in just yet. He thought it would bring too much attention to the situation when they needed to lay low and find out as much as they could. He had played things so close to the vest ever since his ‘death’ that he found it difficult to trust. He trusted Rollie with his life, and because he trusted Angie he trusted her, as well but that was as far as he could go, for now.
Rollie relented but made known Angie’s concern, concerns which he shared. He got Leo to promise to bring Mira and Francis in before things started to get really dangerous.