Death Storm
A F/X Fanfic :
Disclaimer: I do not own the F/X nor any of the characters but they are, rather property of Rysher Entertainment and partners. I am in no way making any sort of profit off of this story.
Part 1:
Joe Crictor sat nervously in a dingy one room apartment. He had given his statement to the police, and we was to be a witness in the case against Valesquez. However, because of this, his life was in danger. The police had put him up in this small apartment, and had officers running shifts protecting him. The officer currently watching him was named Connors.
"Could you grab me another beer?" Joe asked the burly young officer.
The man sighed.
"That'll be your fourth one," he said.
"And?" Joe asked, "I can hold my liquor, boy. Don't make me make a fuss."
The man sighed again, and went to the refrigerator while Joe sat back in the dusty easychair, and flipped on the television. It was dusk outside, and the light of the setting sun filtered through the dirty curtains. Joe was actually sort of enjoying this, well, he would be if he was certain there weren't any men out to kill him.
However, the police had assured him no one would be able to find him. They had the strictest security on the whereabouts of witnesses. Connors then returned, and handed him the beer.
Joe popped the seal and took a long, cool swig. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve. A rerun of 'Gilligan's Island' was on. Joe began laughing as he watched.
"Ever seen this one before?" Joe asked Connors, "it's the one where headhunters come to the island and capture everyone but Gilligan. He has to rescue them. It's great!"
Connors shook his head as Joe laughed harder. Then the picture fuzzed. Joe's grumbled.
"Hey," he said, walking up to it, "what's with this thing?"
He raised his fist to bang on it, but before he could strike another banging sound filled the room. Someone was knocking at the door. Connors jumped up, gun out. He motioned for Joe to get in the kitchen, and he raised his gun, standing to the side of the door against the wall.
"Who is it?" he asked.
"It's me, Burt," a voice said, "it's Jimmy. I'm here to relieve you."
Connors slowly opened the door, then smiled, and let the dark haired policeman in.
"Thank goodness," Connors said with a laugh, "it's about time. I've about had my fill."
"This is Mr. Crictor?" Jimmy asked, nodding at Joe who had come out of the kitchen.
"Yup," Connors said, "that's him."
Connors turned toward Joe, and shook his hand. But Joe's eyes opened wide as he did so. He turned around. Jimmy had his gun out, and it was aimed at Connors.
"Jimmy, what are you doing?" he asked.
"My job," Jimmy said, "and it pays a lot better than government salary."
A shot rang out. Connors was hit square in the chest and the force of the shot threw him back against the wall next to Joe. Staring lifelessly, Connors slid down the wall and onto the ground. Joe, open mouthed, stared at Jimmy. Jimmy smiled.
"As for you," he said, "you're coming with me."
* * *
"Got anything yet Ang?" Rollie asked.
"Just came up," Angie replied.
After learning of the Shou Xin, and his possible coming after Rollie, they had decided to run a full Internet search on he and the symbol which he used.
"The only reference to him, though," Angie said, "is under 'conspiracy theories.'"
"What?" Rollie said.
"Makes sense," Tommy Chin, who was still with them, said, "like I said before, we never proved anything. Actually the copy of his 'code of honor' was not marked as being by him in anyway. I couldn't even authenticate that the contents were true."
"What does it say?" Rollie asked.
"Wang Shou Xin," Angie read, "leader of
the Chinese underworld group known as the 'Shou Xin.' Theorists believe Wang
Shou Xin started the organization back in the early seventees. Their goal was to
undermine all capitalistic efforts throughout China and eventually the world.
Theorists have surmised much in this persons case. They believe the Shou Xin
were involved in everything from the most minor of crimes to the Kennedy
assassination. It is believed they are linked with every major criminal
organization in the world, however none of this, including their existence, has
ever been proven. Supposed alliances are many. The mafia in both Italy and
America, secret still functioning Nazi groups, and anti-government militia
groups. Even the organization of child pick-pockets through England. If this
organization does exist, it is the most dangerous and cruel of our century.
Atrocities supposedly committed by this group are too numerous to mention. It is
believed that they have made an art form of torture, and even teach new entries
special techniques to keep victims alive for as long as possible.
The most
well known speculated area of the group is the 3 step method of retribution.
Humiliation, pain, and then death are placed upon the unlucky person or
persons.
Once again, there is no proof of their existence, though some
theorists believe the CIA has a highly guarded top secret file on them. This has
never been confirmed."
"Unbelieveable," Rollie said, "how can an organization so profound, so cruel, stay hidden?"
"Much is speculation," Tommy answered, "we don't know if they really were involved in a lot of things. But we do know that they are dangerous. We just can't prove anything."
Tommy dropped his head.
"I came close once," he said, "I was in China five years ago, working with the FBI tailing a supposed traitor. My partner and I found evidence that he might have been working for the Shou Xin. Not long into our investigation we found him, dead, tortured brutally. We followed a trail of leads, and ended up catching up with the perpetrators. Little did we know the leads were purposeful, and we had been led into a trap. My partner was killed, he dove in front of a bullet aimed at me, I was able to escape. I had to flee China though, I came back to the states, and transferred out of the bureau."
"That's awful," Angie said, looking up at him, "I'm sorry."
Tommy smiled at her.
"Thank you," he said, "When I learned of the Wang's death, I was able to put it behind me. But now-"
"But now he might be alive after all," Rollie said.
"And after you Rollie," Angie said, in a worried tone.
"No," Tommy said, "if he is after Rollie, he's only a small piece of the puzzle. If he's come to New York, there is a much larger plan in action. We just have to figure out what."
"Well, what do we know?" Rollie asked.
"We know Loubar had connections to them," Mira piped up, "that they contracted him out to kill the minister."
"We also know Loubar failed them," Angie said, "because of us."
"We know Valesquez was tied to them, and was getting together a mob of homeless to commit crimes all across the city," Mira said.
"But we stopped him too," Rollie said.
"Then we know someone contracted Loubar out to kill the President," Mira said, "after he pushed the stopping of organized crime."
"These people don't strike me as the kind to take failure lightly," Angie said, "what if after Loubar failed, they were mad at him. But he convinced them to give him another chance."
"And take out the President," Rollie said, nodding, "probably in trade for his own life."
"It's a good theory," Tommy said, nodding, "question is, how do we find out for sure?"
"What about Loubar's computer records," Mira said, "Angie you cracked the code to that."
Angie shook her head.
"Some of it, but other parts," Angie said, "once decoded algorithmically were written in yet another code. One that wasn't computer decipherable. He must have had a hand written method for it."
"What did the code look like?" Tommy asked.
"Strange symbols," Angie said, "all scrambled. I couldn't make heads or tails of it. I think the police are still working on it."
"The Shou Xin supposedly had an incredibly complex code they used," Tommy said, "I never saw how it worked, but it was based on combining Chinese with American symbols. You would take the symbol, and it's American counterpart, whatever word or combinations of words that was, and you would physically combine them into one. The combination was based on placing various sections of each symbol and letter on different points along a curved line."
Tommy picked up a pad and paper.
"The line was wavy," he said, drawing, "like the usual pictures of dragons you see. You would place the portions of each symbol and letter inside each of the arches. There was a technique to it, but I don't know it."
"Does anyone?" Angie said.
"Not that I know of," Tommy said, "but there is one person I could talk to. There's an older man in Chinatown, who came to America about twenty years ago. He works as a grocer now, but I heard rumours on the street he was tied to the Shou Xin at one point. He denies it of course, but if I could stress the importance to him-"
"See what you can do," Mira said, "but for now we've got to concentrate on figuring out what they're up to in New York."
"We know Valesquez and Loubar are tied in," Angie said, "if we could retrace their steps, we might be able to come up with something."
"We could probably retrace Valesquez without too much difficult," Mira said, "but Loubar is another story."
"Yeah," Angie said, "with his ability with disguises, no one knows who he was, or where he went."
"Uh, Ang," a familiar voice said from behind, "that's not quite right."
Everyone turned. Rollie's face brightened and he grinned. Francis Gatti grinned back.
"I do."
* * *
"Francis!" Rollie said, and ran up to him.
They clasped arms, both grinning.
"It's good to see you Rollie," Francis said, "and everyone else too."
"You look great," Rollie said, "and, you seem to know who we are."
Francis nodded smiling.
"The amnesia was only temporary," Francis said, "and, thanks to Sarah, I'm almost fully recovered. God, I don't know what I'd have done without her."
"You really scared us there, Gatti," Mira said, "but it's good to see you."
"So what's this you know?" Tommy said, "By the way, I'm Tommy Chin. I think we've met before."
"Yeah, on a case once, I think," Francis said, "and I know where Loubar went over the course of his stay."
"How is Loubar doing?" Mira asked.
Francis shook his head.
"His brain is still jelly," Francis said, "looks like his amnesia will be permanent. He had skin grafts for the burns, but the right side of his face is mangled pretty badly. He's still institutionalized and recovering."
"If you ask me," Rollie said, "I hope he stays there."
"He's got round the clock security despite his condition," Mira said, "he's not going anywhere. Anyway, he doesn't know who he is or where to go."
"Too bad," Rollie said, "maybe we could have pried some information out of him."
"Well we'll have to do it the hard way, then," Tommy said, "good old fashioned police work. So, Gatti, what have you got for us?"
"I still remember stuff that happened when Loubar made me think I was his brother," Francis said, "he was secretive. However, he wasn't that secretive. His secure connection kept a log of numbers. I checked it one time he was out, and I also tailed him one time. He wouldn't let me go anywhere with him, and I got frustrated."
"Who was on the log?" Rollie asked.
"Just one person," Francis said, "but the number of course it was unlisted. Could you guys find out who it belonged to?"
"Sure," Angie said, spinning in her chair to face the computer, "just give it to me."
Angie traced the number Francis gave her, and the name popped up in a few seconds.
"It's a private line," Angie said, "in the home of Carter Beaumont."
"You sure of that?" Mira asked, while Tommy and Francis' eyes both got wide and walked up to the screen.
"Yeah," Angie said, curiously, "why?"
"Carter Beaumont," Tommy said, "is only one of the biggest smugglers in the country. He smuggles weapons, drugs, animals, people, you name it."
"Why isn't in jail?" Rollie asked.
"As a result of his business," Mira said, "he's filthy rich. Which means-"
"He can hire only the best of lawyers," Rollie said, knowingly.
"And maybe a few judges," Francis said.
"Internal Affairs thought he had some cops in our department on the take," Mira said, "but we never found any real evidence of that. It turned out to be just a rumour."
"Yeah," Francis said, "I know all the guys. None of them are traitors."
"So Carter Beaumont and Loubar had some discussions," Mira said, "no doubt about assassinating the President."
"That's who he must have gotten the weapons from," Francis said, "when I tailed him I saw him pick up that heavy duty equipment he had. You know, the grenade launcher and stuff. Beaumont must be his supplier."
"Was his supplier," Rollie said, "but that doesn't tell us who contracted Loubar out to kill the President."
"We think it was the Shou Xin," Mira said, "could Beaumont be working with them as well?"
"Possibly," Tommy said, "we've already seen that the Shou Xin have far more ties than we thought."
"What if they had Beaumont contact Loubar," Mira said, "then give him the weapons."
"Sounds possible," Francis said, "but how does that help us?"
"We've got Valesquez," Mira said, "who is in with the Shou Xin. If we could get Beaumont, between the two of them that might give us a lead on what the Shou Xin are really doing here."
Mira's cell phone rang. She walked away, talking.
"We also know the Shou Xin are after you Rollie," Tommy said, "they'll be around. They may even be watching you now."
"And they still have pain to inflict," Angie said, disgusted.
Mira walked back, a shocked look on her face.
"What is it?" Francis asked.
"Joe Crictor just got kidnapped from the apartment we set him up in," Mira said, "and the officer guarding him was killed."
There was a stunned silence.
"How could they have known where he was?" Rollie asked.
"I don't know," Mira said, "but we've got a leak somewhere."
"He won't stay alive for long if they've got him," Rollie said, "we've got to find him."
"How?" Mira asked, "We've got people out now looking for him. They killed a cop, that's big time. Best thing we can do is work more on finding out the origins of the Shou Xin in New York."
"I'm going to do some investigating down on my beat," Tommy said, "I know a bunch of people who might have some information. Though no one, usually, is very forthcoming about the Shou Xin."
"We also know they must have some property on the docks," Rollie said, "that's where Loubar and Valesquez ended up bringing us."
"We can do some sniffing around down there," Mira said, "Francis, are you back on active duty?"
"Not yet," Francis said, then smiled, "not officially. But, if I were to make, say, a citizens ride along?"
Mira smiled.
"We'll split up then," Rollie said, "Mira and Francis on the docks."
"You should go too Rollie," Tommy said, "you know the area, and where both incidents occured exactly. I can take Angie with me, if she'd like to go."
"Sure," Angie said, "that all right Rol?"
Rollie sputtered a bit.
"Sure!" he said, with a smile, "Why not? Whatever."
Mira nodded.
"Then let's go."
* * *
"So I hear Loubar really gave you and Rollie some trouble," Tommy said, as they drove toward Chinatown.
"You might say that," Angie said.
"Well, his capture was big news," Tommy said, "the secret service, FBI, CIA, and everyone else are all over him. The wing he's being held in at the Arksville Trauma Center looks like a scene out of James Bond. Guys in dark sunglasses and trench coats everywhere."
"Arksville?" Angie asked, "Is that where he's being held."
"Yeah," Tommy said, "it's just outside of New York. It's a center for those with severe mental and physical injuries, usually one caused by the other. Why?"
"No reason," Angie said, crossing her arms and staring out of the window, "and he really doesn't remember anything?"
"That's what I hear," Tommy said.
"He could be faking it," Angie said.
"I don't think so," Tommy said, "the doctors checked him over pretty seriously. They're convinced. They've tried every way of jogging his memory, to no avail."
"Not every way," Angie mumbled, but Tommy didn't hear her, and kept on driving.
* * *
Mira, Francis, and Rollie walked into the small bar situated on the wharf. It was the local place for fishermen the people who had come in on the cargo boats, and other assorted sailors. Someone whistled at Mira.
"Want to keep your lips buddy?" Francis asked, as Mira ignored him, "try that again."
They sat down at the counter. A grisly man in a dirty apron came up. He had huge beefy, hairy arms and a wide face. Shards of gray hair stuck out from under his crumpled chef's hat.
"What do you want?" the man asked.
"Some information," Mira asked, pulling out her badge.
"I ain't done nothing," the man grumbled.
"Didn't say you had," Mira said, "we just want the local gossip. There's been a lot of trouble going on down here."
"Yeah, so?" the man asked.
"A lot of police raids," Mira said, "some weird happenings. You notice anything strange?"
"Define strange," the man said, "in this place that's tough."
"Any new faces?" Mira asked, "Or new owners of some of the properties?"
"Well," the man said, "the only big real estate stuff happened about six, seven years ago. Somebody bought up a whole bunch of property., warehouses or something. But those were all sold off to various people, eventually."
"Was one of them the one where Julio Valesquez had his homeless shelter?" Mira asked.
"How should I know?" the man said, "Maybe. Hard to say."
"And you don't know who this 'somebody' was?" Mira asked.
"Guy by the name of Carter, Max Carter," a skinny, dark haired man sitting a few seats down said, "some big wig from the west coast."
"You want to know anything," the greasy chef said, "ask Lonnie, there. He sticks his nose in everbody's business."
"Shut up, Chuck," Lonnie said, "you're just jealous 'cause you don't have any friends to get the rumours from."
"So you know something?" Mira asked, turning to him.
"A little bit," he said shrugging, "all I know is that this Carter guy bought up all the property six years ago, then sold it all off over the past two years. We know, because we had to get new places for storage. They closed off those buildings."
"Do you know who he sold them too?" Mira asked.
"Nope," Lonnie said, "maybe that Valesquez guy you said was one. I don't know. I do know of one building he kept, though. It's the old MacPherson storage warehouse two miles down."
"Thank you," Mira said, "if you happen to see anything else that's odd, give me a call."
Mira handed him a card with the number to her desk at the police station.
"Ok," Lonnie said.
The man who had whistled at Mira laughed.
"Can I have your number too sweetheart?" he called.
"Sure," Mira said, putting her hand on Francis' arm, "that is if you like the muzzle of a gun shoved where the sun don't shine."
They left the building, and a chorus of laughter. In the back corner a dark haired man picked up his cell phone. As he raised it, the sun glinted off of his strange gold ring, engraved with a picture of a dragon, and a silver symbol.....
* * *
Tommy and Angie walked into the small grocers shop situated on a small side street in Chinatown. Walking in Angie could smell a mixture of fruits, vegetables, and a slight sweet odor, like incense. It wasn't very decorated, but all the shelves and cartons made of thin wood, and the walls a dirty brown. Angie followed Tommy to the wooden platform which was used as a counter. Tommy rang the bell, to summon service.
"How may I be of service?" a man asked from somewhere in the back, and then as he came out he stopped.
Tommy smiled.
"Tommy!" the man said, "It is good to see you!"
"As it is you," Tommy replied, "allow me to introduce my lovely associate, Angie Ramirez. Angie, this is An Kou Li."
"A pleasure," An Kou said, bowing slightly.
An Kou was a thin wisp of a man, and very old. It was hard to tell just how old, in face. His face was so wrinkled it was difficult to make out features, save for the bright, black eyes which shown with the vigor of a younger man. His head had tufts of long, scattered gray hair, sticking out of the sides, and on top a few strands. His head, plus his hands and arms, were covered with liver spots. He moved slowly, with a shuffle, and grinned a grin of less teeth than normal. He wore a simple robe, plain blue robe with some sort of white garment underneath. Still, despite his appearance, he seemed to shake Tommy's hand in a firm grip.
"I knew Tommy since he was a little boy," An Kou said, "very little. He used to come in all the time with his mother, and I would give him an apple."
"I remember," Tommy said with a smile.
"Is that what you have come for?" An Kou asked.
"No," Tommy said, "we've come looking for help."
"With your police cases, no doubt," An Kou said, "very well. I hear much. Follow me."
They followed the old man to the back of the store where there were rows of food and a few benches. They sat.
"We are pursuing some very dangerous men," Tommy said, "and we were wondering if you could tell us anything you knew."
"What men are these, that I would know of them?" An Kou said.
"Mr. Li," Tommy said, "we believe they are Shou Xin."
An Kou's bright countenance darkened.
"Shou Xin?" An Kou said, "Are you certain?"
"Quite," Tommy said, "they have already killed many people, and are now after one of our friends."
"The three steps?" An Kou asked.
"One has already been fulfilled," Tommy replied.
"Tell me what this friend of yours has done," An Kou said, "that he should incure the wrath of the Wang."
Tommy turned to Angie, and she briefly related his stopping both assassinations, plus capturing Valesquez. In the end, An Kou was shaking his head.
"This is not good," he said, "not good at all. The Wang Shou Xin has a warped code of honor. This humiliation, was but a taste of their cruelty. You say this, Rollie Tyler, stopped two assassinations?"
"Directly and indirectly, yes," Angie said.
"Then the Shou Xin will seek to create a balancing," An Kou said, "Wang Shou Xin believed that if one man's life was spared, than another must die to take his place. He believed this so severly when his own life was saved once, by one of his men, he killed that man to balance the scales. If you have stopped two assassinations, then they will not try again, but rather take the lives of two other men, most likely men Rollie Tyler is involved with."
"They've already kidnapped a witness," Angie said, "and he knows Rollie. He saved him once."
"Then his life is in the greatest of danger," An Kou said.
"An Kou," Tommy said, "have you heard of any rumours of the Shou Xin in New York?"
"Yes," An Kou said, "briefly, about six years ago, I heard a rumour that the Wang was still alive and had come to New York. But there was nothing after that, and I thought it was merely fiction."
"Doesn't look that way," Angie said, "do you know about the 2nd and 3rd steps of retribution."
"All too well," An Kou said, "the second step will be difficult. You never know when it will strike. Pain will be inflicted either emotionally, or physically, or both. This could be anything from the death of a friend, or loved one, to torture."
An Kou looked thoughtful.
"Although," he said, "there is one thing that I did hear about not too long ago. I heard that a man here in Chinatown had gotten very rich all of a sudden, and moved out, there were some speculation as to some underworld activity. And also, that he was inquiring about some rather, strange places in New York. Very technological, I am sorry, I do not know what those things were."
"Angie I have an idea," Tommy said, suddenly, "let's go. Mr. Li, thank you so much. It was very good seeing you again."
"And you too, Tommy," An Kou said, eyebrows slightly raised, "do not let too much time pass before we meet again."
"I'll try," Tommy said, and took Angie's arm, "let's go."
Angie thanked An Kou, and followed Tommy out.
"What's going on?" Angie asked.
"Something just struck me," Tommy said, "something we might have overlooked. I'll tell you as we go."
* * *
Rollie, Mira, and Francis pulled up to the MacPherson storage warehouse. It was even more dilapidated than others they had been to. Carefully they walked up to the door, Mira and Francis had their guns out. They carefully opened the door, and Rollie followed them in. Inside it was dusty and full of cobwebs. Rollie pushed aside some fallen timbers to move through the hallway.
"Doesn't look like anyone has been home for a while," Rollie said, "strange."
The three walked down the corridor and into the main floor. It was huge, and empty. A few stray pieces of paper, cardboard, and wood were strewn across the floor. Light flooded in through a large hole in the roof and created an eerie halo across the room. In the edges of the light Rollie could make out the dirt and spider webs which were etched across the entire area.
"Not the homiest of places," Mira joked.
Then a light caught Rollie's eye. It was coming from a door off to the side. They approached it silently, and Mira and Francis took positions on either side of the door. Quickly they burst through. Nothing responded. Rollie came in after them. It was some sort of office, or had used to be. Rollie rounded a corner, looking down and around. As he rounded the corner, he stepped in a dark substance on the ground.
"What the-" was all he could say before his eyes hit the sight in front of him.
He heard Mira and Francis come up behind him, but he was too transfixed to say anything. He heard Francis curse, and turn away.
"Oh God," Mira said.
Rollie stood, frozen. Tied to a rafter in the ceiling was a rope, a noose to be more exact. Hanging from the other end was Joe Crictor, or, rather, what was left of him. Rollie could recognize the face, the curly gray hair, but a man he was no longer.
His bruised face was twisted up in a horrible grimace of sheer agony. He had been tortured, that was for sure, and died being tortured. Besides his neck hanging at an impossible angle, one leg was twisted around in a way it was not meant to be. His pants legs and shirt sleeves had been ripped off. The skin was marked an innumerable number of times with what must have been cigarette burns. One eye had been gouged severely.
His throat had been sliced from ear to ear, along with his wrists, which accounted for the huge puddle of dried blood which had seeped along the floor and which Rollie had stepped in. His shirt had been ripped open at the chest, and there, with a knife, had been carved directly into the skin the symbol of the Shou Xin.
The one eye that was good, was open, bloodshot and a jaundice yellow. It was starring directly at Rollie, accusingly. However there was no life behind that eye. Only death, painful death. The strangest part was that the body was still swaying, slightly, silently as death itself, from side to side. As if they had just missed the actual killing.
Rollie's stomach churned and he choked down the surge of bile that began to climb up his throat. Next to the body, on the wall, there was written in sprawling and streaked handwriting, and, it appeared, in the very blood which flooded the room:
"A balancing."
* * *
Mira and Francis watched as the medics carried the body of Joe Crictor away on a stretcher, covered in a sheet. Several of the officers who had shown up looked pale from seeing the gruesome sight. Mira and Francis were shaken up still themselves, though Mira was determined not to show it.
"So you found him like that?" a voice asked, "I won't even ask why you were down here."
Mira turned to face Tony Rizzo.
"Yeah, Tony, we did," Mira said, "and don't ask. I was just following a lead, and since Francis and Rollie both were involved before, I needed them for information."
"At least that's you story to the Captain," Rizzo said with a smile.
He stopped, and nodded to a lone figure sitting across the way.
"How long has he been like that?" Rizzo asked.
Mira shook her head, staring at Rollie who sat dejectedly, his head partially down, his eyes blank.
"Too long," Mira said, "we've both tried talking to him, but-"
"That's tough to see," Rizzo said, "especially when it's someone you knew."
"It's more than that," Francis said, "Rollie feels responsible."
"Why?" Rizzo asked, "Joe was kidnapped because he was a witness."
"It's a long story," Francis said.
"Well I hope he pulls himself together soon," Rizzo said, "I was hoping to talk to him about something. We intercepted a small part of a strange shipment illegally smuggled onto the docks. We're not sure what it was. Since Rollie and Angie deal so much with gadgets, I thought they might know."
"You'll have to ask him about that later," Francis said.
"Any idea what that writing meant?" Rizzo asked, "'A balancing?'"
"No," Mira said, "but I know someone who might. Where are Tommy and Angie?"
"In Chinatown, I guess," Francis said, "we should probably head back to the loft to wait for them. I'd bet that writing means something important, Tommy might know."
Mira nodded and together they began walked toward Rollie.
Rollie wasn't moving. He couldn't. Not after seeing Joe, not after seeing such horror. He had broken his vow again, another person dead, and he hadn't stopped it. Another person dead because the had come to him for help. Rollie's tightened his grip against the sides of the bench he was sitting on until his knuckles turned white. Things would have to change. These monsters showed no mercy, and he couldn't either. It was time for Rollie Tyler to start playing rough.
"Rollie," Mira said.
Rollie looked up. Mira was tempted to take a step back. The blankness in his eyes had changed to one of something else. Mira wasn't quite sure what, but it was something dangerous.
"Why don't we take you home?" she said, "We can wait for Tommy and Angie, wherever they are."
* * *
Tommy was driving quickly along the busy streets of New York. Angie sat next to him.
"Where are you going?" Angie asked.
"Taking you back to the loft, first," Tommy said.
"What?" Angie said, "No, I want to come with you!"
"I can't," Tommy said, "I'm going to Arksville, you can meet back up with everyone else."
"I want to go with you," Angie said, "I might be able to help."
"How?" Tommy asked.
"You're going to see Loubar, aren't you?" Angie asked.
"No," Tommy said, "I'm going to see another loon. Name of Paul Hiddengs. He used to be a snitch of mine, until he got caught in a big bomb blast a year ago that took both of his legs. He's pretty messed up, but still responds. He knows a lot of stuff that goes on in the underworld, I'm going to talk to him."
"I'm not going back," Angie said crossing her arms, "I'm going with you."
"He'll only talk to me alone," Tommy said.
"I'm not going to talk to him," Angie said, "I'm going to take care of another matter."
Tommy sighed.
"All right," he said.
Not much later, Tommy was checking in at the receptionists desk of Arksville. The place looked like a hospital, all white and stunningly clean. Orderlies, doctors, and nurses quietly moved too and fro caring for those who couldn't care for themselves. Angie always hated places like this. She also noticed a few extra security men.
"I got you in to see Loubar," Tommy said, "are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yes," Angie said in a tone that was much more confident than she felt, "I might be able to jar his memory."
"All right," Tommy said, placing his hand on her shoulder, "but you let me know if there's a problem. His room is 106, down the hall to the left, the guard is expecting you."
Angie walked down the long hallway, her shoes clicking against the cold white tile. She could hear people in various room mumbling incoherently, and a few cried out. Others walking the hallways shuffled and seemed to be lost in a world all their own. Not quite a person any longer, but the sad shadow of someone who once was.
She reached the room and the guard let her in. She stopped inside the door. Loubar lay there in the bed. His body was covered in bedsheets but his face and arms were out. The entire right side of his face and right arm were covered in bandages and it looked as though his head had been shaved on the right side as well. The shades on the window were pulled, letting only a soft hue of light cast across the bed.
Angie stealed herself and walked up to him. She stood over him, starring at the man who had caused her and her best friend so much pain. He was asleep, and Angie wasn't sure if she should wake him. An image crossed her mind, an image of herself grabbing the pillow and placing it over his face, choking and putting an end to the evil which had plagued her.
Then his left eye opened suddenly. Angie gasped. It seemed to roll around at first, then finally focused on her. Loubar's parched lips opened.
"Who are you?" he asked.
His voice was weak, but still recognizable. Angie could not answer, her throat tightening. This man, asking who she was, it was almost unbearable. She took a deep breath.
"My name," she said, her voice wavering, "is Angela Ramirez. Don't you remember me?"
The silent question behind that, in Angie's mind, 'don't you remember what you did to me?' Loubar seemed to be searching his mind, he looked away then came back to her.
"No," he said, "I'm sorry. You know me?"
Angie was visably shaking now, barely keeping control of her emotions.
"Yes," she said through gritted teeth, tears beginning to burn in her eyes, "I know you."
Loubar was silent for a moment.
"Please, then," he said, "tell me. Who am I?"
"What?" Angie asked.
"These men," he said, "they say my name is Victor Loubar. But they tell me nothing about my life. I don't know anything about myself, my family, friends-"
He stopped in mid sentence.
"Are you a friend?" he asked hopefully.
Angie couldn't take it any longer and ran from the room. Tears streamed down her face as she brushed past the slower moving people in the corridor, her heels echoing loudly. She ran headfirst into Tommy Chin.
"Angie!" he said, "Are you all right? I came by because I got worried about you."
Angie couldn't reply, she merely buried her face in his chest and began sobbing. She shook as a flood of pent up frustration released onto Tommy Chin's suit. He placed his hand on her head.
"Hey," he said, "it'll be all right. It'll be all right. He can't hurt you now, he's here, trapped, trapped in his own mind. He can't hurt you, I'll make sure of it."
Angie looked up at him. Tommy had leaned over closer to her. He placed his hand under his chin and lifted her face to his.
"I promise," he said.
Tommy kissed her. Angie was caught off guard. She did nothing, neither return the kiss nor push away. She merely stood there, her mind whiring. He stood back from her, and placed his arm around her shoulders.
"I think we need to forget about meeting with Rollie and them," he said, "I'll just take you straight home, make sure you're all right, ok?"
Angie was too dazed to think. She merely mumbled a reply, and allowed Tommy to lead her out of the building.
* * *
"Where are they?" Rollie asked, as he paced back and forth across in the loft.
"I don't know," Mira said, "just be patient. I'm sure they're fine, Tommy's a good cop, he'll take care of her."
"I don't know," Rollie said, "I think I'm going over to her apartment, just to see."
"Come on, Rol," Francis said, "they'll be back."
But Rollie was already out the door. He waved with his back turned to them.
"I'll be back if she's not there!" he called, and the door slammed shut.
Francis looked at Mira and shrugged.
"What are you gonna do?" he said.
"Typical big brother syndrome," Mira said, smiling, "some aspects of the male personality are too powerful, and crazy, to stop."
* * *
Tommy followed Angie into her apartment, and they both stood inside the door.
"Thank you," Angie said, finally.
She hadn't spoken the whole way home. Tommy smiled.
"No problem," he said.
"Anyway," Angie said, "did you get any interesting information?"
"A bit," Tommy said, "got a good lead anyway. A place to start. We're going to have to head to the Bronx though."
"The Bronx?" Angie asked, "Why there?"
"Because that's where our lead is," Tommy said, "I have reason to believe the Shou Xin may be based somewhere there."
"That doesn't make any sense," Angie said, "and what about Carter Beaumont?"
"All in good time," Tommy said, "but I don't think Beaumont is the man we'll be chasing. You'll see. Do you need anything?"
Angie rubbed her eyes, still red from crying.
"No," she said, "I'll be all right."
"Good," Tommy said, placing his hand on her shoulder, "that's good."
Angie smiled back, and gave him a quick hug. Just then the door, which had been cracked open, opened wider. Rollie Tyler's head stuck in.
"Angie you all ri-" Rollie started to say, then stopped when he saw them.
"Ang," he said, "I was worried about you."
Rollie stepped fully inside.
"We're fine, Rollie," Tommy said with a smile, "but I thought it best to bring Angie home."
"Why?" Rollie asked, staring at Angie, "Angie what's wrong? What happened? Were you crying?"
"It was nothing Rollie," Angie said.
"What do you mean nothing?" Rollie asked, slightly louder, "What's going on?"
"I saw Loubar," Angie said, after a moments hesistation.
"What!" Rollie said, aghast, then turned to Tommy.
"You took her to see Loubar?" he asked him accusingly.
"Hold on, Tyler," Tommy said holding up his hands, "she asked me to."
"Couldn't you see she shouldn't have done that?" Rollie asked, "You shouldn't have let her."
"Rollie, I did ask him," Angie said, "I'm a big girl, I can make my own decisions."
"Ang," Rollie said quietly, "maybe, but this is serious. There are a lot of emotions involved right now, and who knows what may have happened, Loubar seeing you."
"Hey, don't get on her case, Tyler," Tommy said, walking up to him a bit, "she's right. She can make her own decisions."
"Listen," Rollie said, stepping up himself, "I've known Angie for a long time now, and I think I know what's best for her better than you do. She was in no condition emotionally to see Loubar, if you haven't figured that out by now."
"She told me what he did," Tommy said.
Rollie eyed Angie shocked, and she looked right back at him.
"That was probably good for her," Tommy continued.
"Good for her?" Rollie said, "Good for her or good for you!"
"What do you mean by that?" Tommy said, his face flushing.
Rollie's hands balled into fists.
"I've seen the way you look at her," Rollie said, "thought a little emotional turmoil would make her nice and vulnerable? Like now?"
"Rollie!" Angie started, but Tommy was already in Rollie's face.
"You don't know what you're talking about Tyler," Tommy said, "maybe if you spent more time talking to Angie about her feelings than galavanting off playing MacGyver then you really would know what was best for her."
Angie stepped forward trying to separate them, but Rollie's fist was already in Tommy's face. Tommy was thrown back by the punch, and he spun back around wiping blood from his lip. He rushed Rollie and plowed into him backing him into the door, then landed a hard left to his stomach. The wind rushed out of Rollie.
Angie threw herself in betweent them and began yelling.
"Stop it!" she cried, "Both of you!"
Tommy backed up, and glared at Rollie who layed fuming against the wall.
"Rollie how could you?" Angie asked, furious.
"What!" Rollie yelled, "Angie I was just trying-"
"Get out," Angie said, her eyes cold.
"Ang-" Rollie said softly.
"Out," Angie said, pointing to the door.
Rollie stared at her in disbelief, then his features hardened. With one last glare at Tommy, he stalked out of the apartment.
* * *
When Rollie arrived back at the loft, Mira and Francis were waiting for him.
"What happened to you?" Mira asked, noticing his flushed countenance.
"Nothing," Rollie spat, "Angie and Tommy are fine, but they aren't coming right away."
"We've got news," Francis said, "Loubar's gone."
"What?" Rollie asked, spinning around, "he escaped?"
"Not exactly," Mira said, "he was taken. We don't know by whom, but they shot two guards getting him out."
"We've got one bad leak somewhere," Francis said, "no one was supposed to know where he was."
"The Shou Xin, no doubt," Mira said, "and that's only the first of our worries. Carter Beaumont is leaving town."
"Beamont?" Rollie asked, "Why?"
"Don't know," Mira said, "supposedly he's heading to some island in the Pacific. Wants peace and relaxation. He'll be cleaning out everything soon, selling all his properties, moving all his equipment and furniture."
"We won't have anything to work with pretty soon," Francis said, "if we're going to find out something, it has to be now."
Rollie took a large breath and exhaled slowly. He heart was pounding in his chest. He leaned over a chair to brace himself.
"Rollie?" Mira asked, "Did you hear us?"
"Yeah," Rollie said, "I heard you."
He had heard them, but right now he had too many worries to think about. He had probably alienated Angie, just then. Loubar out, Beaumont leaving, time tables, and people wanting to kill him, slowly. Rollie closed his eyes. It had been that kind of year.
* * *
"I just got a call from Tommy," Mira said, putting down her cell phone, "he wants us to meet him in two hours at an address in the Bronx. He says he's got a lead on Max Carter."
"How'd he know about him?" Francis asked.
"He learned it from a snitch of his," Mira replied, "our finding out about him ourselves just adds validity to his information."
"Well, let's go then," Francis said.
"What about Beaumont?" Rollie asked.
"Tommy says this is the big boy," Mira said, "and that Beaumont can wait. Come on."
"I'm not going," Rollie said quietly.
"Tyler!" Mira started yelling.
"I'm not going Mira!" Rollie yelled back, "They won't want me there anyway. Just go. I'll catch up later, I've got some stuff to take care of."
Mira looked at Francis, who shrugged. Mira sighed.
"All right Tyler," she said, and placed a piece of paper on the table, "here's the address of where we'll be, and you know my cell phone number."
Rollie nodded, and Mira and Francis left. Rollie sat at the computer. Anything Tommy Chin said, Rollie Tyler knew he couldn't do. There was something about him that pushed his buttons. Maybe it was some sort of jealously over Angie, maybe big brother protecting her, in a way, but Rollie had a feeling it was more. He was going to have to stop "investigating" like Tommy, and start taking action. First step, Carter Beaumont.
Rollie pulled up his name on the Internet link. Beaumont lived in the pent house apartment of a high rise complex. Security was high, no doubt. He'd have to find some way in, maybe pose as a cleaning man, or find a ventilation duct. Rollie shook his head. That was the old way of thinking, he had to be more aggressive, more devious. Rollie focused his abnormally clever mind on the task at hand. He'd have to get Beaumont out of the apartment building, the best way to do that, was a fire. Anyone who lived in a high rise apartment would fear fire the most. Then he'd have to get in unnoticed. In a high rise, what was the least secure area? Where would they think no one would reach them?
An idea hit Rollie, and he smiled. Then he picked up the phone. Action time.
* * *
Outside the Criegor High Rise Apartments sat a window washers platform. It was hooked to a large pulley system all the way at the top of the building. On the platform itself were large wires, which carried it up and down, hooked to a lever which operated the motor. Standing on the platform was a man in a white window washer uniform. However, if you looked carefully under the cap, pulled low over his eyes, you would've seen the face of Rollie Tyler. Next to him was a large duffel bag, which, if you looked in side, you'd have seen it was filled with a large assortment of cat burgler tools. Obviously not your ordinary window washer.
Rollie cranked the lever, and the platform began to rise. Beaumont's apartment was at the top, thirty stories up. Rollie wasn't scared of heights by any means, but it was still a bit nerve wracking, even with the safety harness. Slowly the platform ascended, and Rollie looked down as the people and vehicles became smaller and smaller until they were just ants moving about on the ground. As he went up, Rollie placed small circular objects on windows intermittently. Up this high, a stiff wind was blowing and he could see most of the city. The sun was low in the sky, and it looked almost beautiful. If only the people in it were equally so.
Finally, Rollie reached Beaumont's huge main window. It was in his living room and gave him a breathtaking view. Rollie pulled out his PDA which Mira had rescued for him from Valesquez mansion. Rollie hit the button to initiate the preprogrammed sequence. The small circular objects he had placed on the windows exploded, shattering the glass and sending huge mountains of smoke into the apartments. It did no serious damage, but drove everyone into a panic on the streets below.
Through the window Rollie saw movement in Valesquez apartment as he rushed to the door, then called some of his men as they hurried down the hall. Quickly, Rollie pulled out another utensil, this one looking like a giant compass, only with a glass cutter on the end rather than a pencil. Quickly but smoothly Rollie created a huge circle in the glass, and then smashed it in. The hole was big enough for Rollie to get through, and he undid his safety harness and with a grim smile hopped in. Rollie first ran to the office, where he popped a disk Angie had made to bypass security and passwords and download the contents of the hard drive, the same one she had used on Valesquez's machine.
After that, he ran to the various file cabinets, rummaging through papers. He ran across one file which caught his eye. It was categorized under Project: ThirdStep. Thinking of the obvious connection, he began to peruse through it. Then he heard a noise coming from the front of the apartment. Someone was back, they must have discovered it was a false alarm. Rollie reached in his pocket and pulled out a hand held taser gun. The first guard rounded the corner and Rollie flattened him. The guard grimaced and groaned for a moment then went down. The second guard was not so easy. He grabbed Rollie's arm and knocked the taser out of his hand. Rollie plowed his fist into the man's nose. Spouting blood, the man grabbed Rollie around the waist and bore him into the desk behind him.
Rollie grunted when they landed, then brought the palms of his hands down on the man's temples. Shaken, he backed off, and Rollie kicked him in the stomach, then the head. The man landed on the floor with a thud. Rollie grabbed up the file and stuffed it in his uniform, then grabbed the disk out of the computer. He began running toward the window, the only means of escape. Beaumont was at the front door with a gun and Rollie thought he saw another figure at the back of the apartment. Rollie lept through the window and landed on the platform causing it to sway wildly. Beaumont was yelling for him to stop.
Rollie cranked the lever and the platform began to descend, though not as rapidly as he would have liked. After he had only traveled a few floors Beaumont's face appeared learing out the window, gun in hand. Rollie dodged and a bullet struck the platform inches next to his foot. Another threw sparks from the rails. Rollie was still dropping though, making it harder to hit him. Beaumont got smart and spinning up hit the motor with two shots. The platform came to a stop with a lurch, still swaying back and forth.
Rollie was in trouble now. However, he hoped providing a moving target would help. Then Beaumont got smarter. Taking careful aim, Beaumont shot through one of the ropes holding up the platform. Rollie stumbled as the platform shook and tilted. Beaumont took another shot and Rollie grabbed desperately onto the side rails as the platform went completely verticle. The duffle bag slid and fell past Rollie, and he grabbed it with one arm, clinging desperately with his legs and other arm to the rail. The cleaning supplies he had brought for looks clanged off the side rails and fell the twenty six stories to the ground. Rollie looked up. Beaumont seemed to be having trouble leaning out of the window, in fear of his life, but he managed to hit the third rope.
Rollie swung diagonally and nearly lost his grip. Reaching inside the duffel bag with his arm he pulled out his insurance in case this happened. Acting quickly Rollie took the small disk and pushed it against the wall of the building. Turning it, a suction cup attached itself to the wall with a soft pop. Just as Rollie turned the disk the final shot rang out. The platform fell past Rollie, the broken ropes switching in the air, one brushing past his ear, and then was gone.
Rollie held on with one hand to the disk, supporting his entire body weight. He looked up. Beaumont had seen what had happened and now was mad. He leaned his head and arms out the window and took careful aim at Rollie's now unmoving self. Rollie glanced to his left. The rope which had been used for a safety harness still dangled next to him. Taking a deep breath he swung as best he could and grabbed onto it, just as a shot hit the spot on the wall where his head had been.
The force of his body caused him to swing slightly. Rollie placed his feet against the wall and began to try to walk back and forth, getting as much momentum as possible. He had to keep moving or else Beaumont would get a clean shot at him. Beaumont was obviously changing his clip, but that didn't last long and soon a few shots threw sparks and pieces of the wall off into the thin air. Rollie dared look down. It was a dizzying height, now that he realized it, and with Beaumont up there the only way was down.
One of the windows Rollie blew out was only two stories down. If he could reach it, he would be safe. Rollie hoped the rope was long enough, and allowed his hands to loosen slightly, sliding down it. The tough fibers burned his hands, but he ignored the pain. Rollie tightened his grip though when he reached the end of the rope. With horror he realized it wasn't quite long enough. His legs now dangled in front of the broken window, but not his torso. In this position he could neither get in the window, or propel himself to swing.
Rollie glanced up and saw Beaumont. He began kicking his legs desperately, but he already knew it was too late. Beaumont had a perfect shot now. Rollie stared up at the muzzle of the gun, and could do nothing.
* * *
Rollie closed his eyes and waited for the shot to come. The shot that would kill him. But it didn't. Rollie looked up. Beaumont was still leaning over, but then, strangely, the gun dropped out of his hand. It fell past Rollie, and Beaumont didn't move. Rollie was confused. What had happened? Then Beaumont's body seemed to be drug away from the window. A pair of arms came out and grabbed the rope Rollie was hanging onto and began pulling on it furiously. Rollie slowly began to rise, his arms now burning with pain.
Rollie helped whoever it was out, trying to use his legs as best as possible. After a long process the person, who possesed great strength, hauled him into the window. Rollie collapsed on the floor breathing hard. He looked up.
"Thank-" Rollie started to say, then stopped in mid sentence.
Staring back at him was a face whose right half was horribly disfigured. But Rollie recognized him instantly. It was Victor Loubar.
"Loubar!" Rollie gasped, backing up.
"Are you Rollie Tyler?" Loubar asked.
Rollie eyed him. Loubar was supposed to have amnesia, but Rollie was sure when they learned of his being taken that he had recovered. Apparently he had not.
"Yes," Rollie said softly.
"Then as I understand it," Loubar said, "you don't have much reason to trust me. But I ask you please to believe me now. If we don't act quickly your friends are as good as dead."
* * *
Mira and Francis pulled up to the dilapidated apartment building Tommy had told them to meet at. It was old and so dirty the once red brick was almost black.
"What in the world could be here?" Francis asked.
"Don't know," Mira said, "I guess we'll find out. Come on, we're supposed to meet him in apartment 3B."
They gingerly made their way into the apartment and up the stairs. Mira and Francis had their guns out anyway. They reached the apartment and called for Tommy. There was no answer. Nodding at Francis, as one person they kicked open the door and ran inside. Seeing no one they carefully rounded a corner. Mira stopped and gasped. Wide-eyed, in front of them, Tommy and Angie were tied up back to back. They both had gags in their mouths but were mumbling furiously.
Mira sensed someone behind her but didn't have time to react. Something hit her over the head and as she fell toward the ground, the last thing she saw was Francis falling next to her.
* * *
Rollie couldn't believe this situation. Here he was following Victor Loubar out of the building, no swamped with firemen and police, to go save his friends. Or at least that's what he had thought. They had managed to drag the very large and portly Carter Beaumont to his bedroom where they let him lay. According to Loubar, they had kidnapped him and had him tied up in a back room of the penthouse, awaiting for someone's arrival. When Rollie had attacked, he had managed to work himself free, finally, then knocked out Beaumont as he tried to kill Rollie.
Loubar still seemed to have no idea why he was kidnapped. He explained to Rollie, though, that Beaumont had given him a brief history of his own knowledge about him. Victor learned that Rollie had stopped his crimes, and that he had tried to kill him several times. Beaumont didn't know the details though.
Loubar seemed very uncomfortable as he told Rollie this, almost, if Rollie could believe it, as if he was sorry. As if his conscious, if Loubar had such a thing, was bothering him. Indeed this man didn't seem at all like the Victor Loubar Rollie had come to know and hate.
"Who were you waiting for?" Rollie asked, as they exited the building from a back way.
"Beaumont called him 'the King,'" Loubar said, "I don't know who he was."
"The Wang, no doubt," Rollie whispered to himself.
Loubar had failed the Shou Xin, perhaps Wang Shou Xin was coming to deal with him personally. Loubar and Rollie walked to his van. Rollie would never have been this close to this man for this long without pummeling him. But this case was different. When he looked into Loubar's eyes he didn't see the hatred, the coldness he had once seen. He didn't see Victor Loubar, but a different man. It was just the face that was the same, but, not the man inside.
Rollie climbed inside the van with Loubar next to him. No matter what, though, Rollie still wouldn't trust him. He'd have to watch his back the whole time, question everything.
"So what did Beaumont tell you?" Rollie asked.
"He said they were having a lot of fun with you," Loubar said, "and that they were keeping track. He said that right now some of your friends were heading into a trap, where they would die."
Rollie's hands clenched into fists. He'd been through this before, only it was Loubar who was doing the threatening.
"Mr. Tyler," Loubar said softly, "what did I do to you?"
"What?" Rollie asked.
"What did I do?" Loubar asked, "I can see the hatred in your eyes when you look at me. And there was a young woman who came to see me, named Angela Ramirez, I understand she is your assistant. The look on her face when she left, I could never forget. What did I do?"
Rollie was dumbfounded. His mouth dropped open in shock as he tried to formulate a reply.
"Please," Loubar said, "I need to know."
Rollie didn't want to tell him. Something about the way this man looked at him though, a desperation. So Rollie told him. He told him about the killings, he told him about the weapons, the evil, and even the rape. When he was done, Loubar's face was ashen, and his eyes full of tears.
"I had no idea," he finally managed to croak out, "I-I'm sorry."
Rollie faced forward. He didn't want to look at the man in this condition. It was, unsettling.
"And so this happened," Loubar said, waving at the disfigured portion of his face, "when you were trying to capture me."
"Yes," Rollie said.
Loubar nodded.
"Then it is all right," Loubar said, "it is punishment for my crimes. I will accept it."
Loubar took a deep breath.
"When I first woke up," Loubar said, "the first thing I thought was your name. And a great hatred came over me. I realize now it was that portion of the old me still alive, still active. That is all gone now, surpressed, or maybe dead. But I don't have any hatred any longer. I just want to find a way to make good on my life, make up for my sins."
Rollie looked at him.
"Then you can start by helping me free my friends," Rollie said.
Rollie reached in the glove compartment and pulled out the address Mira had said they would be at. Then his eyes opened wide, and he reached in his uniform and pulled out the file he had taken.
"I almost forgot about this!" he exclaimed, and began leafing through the papers inside.
Rollie shook his head.
"These are all schematics," he said, "but I don't know what for. I can't make heads or tails of these electronics. But I know someone who could."
Rollie stuffed the file back in his uniform. He would show it to Angie, no, he would first beg for forgiveness then show it to Angie. She would know what to do. First, though, he had to save her.
"Shouldn't you call the police?" Loubar asked.
"No," Rollie said, "there's a police leak somewhere. I can't chance it."
Rollie started up the van and they pulled off.
"How are we going to free them?" Loubar asked.
Rollie grimaced, and reached under his seat. The anger he felt over this whole situation seethed through him. Anger toward these Shou Xin and how they played with people's lives like pieces on a chess board. Anger over their mercilessness, and he knew he would have to fight fire with fire.
Rollie's hand was shaking when it came up again. He had always said he would never do this, but times had changed. There was a gun in Rollie's hand. He turned to Loubar.
"We do it the old fashioned way."
* * *
Mira awoke with a groan. Her head was throbbing. As she fluttered her eyes open, she tried to move, but couldn't. A moment of panic, then she realized she was tied up. Then she remembered what had happened, and she woke up fully. She looked around. She was lying on the floor, in a fetal position, her hands and feet bound together. Next to her Francis, Angie, and Tommy lay. A few men in dark coats were staring at them from across the room.
"What the-" Mira started to say, and then she felt a brutal kick to her back.
Someone was behind her that she hadn't noticed.
"Shut up," a rough voice said, "which one?"
"That one," one of the men said, pointing to Tommy, "and bring that girl as well, for insurance."
Two of the other men roughly scooped up Tommy and Angie, who were gagged, and threw them over their shoulders.
"Put a gag on those other two," one of the men said.
"Wait a minute!" Mira yelled, as someone leaned over her with a gag, "What's going on here? Where are you taking them? Who are you?"
"The balancing must be finished," one of the men said, "and enemies done away with."
"That doesn't tell me anything," Mira scoffed, "I asked who you were."
"We follow the great leader," another man said, "the one who holds life and death in his hands."
"Wang Shou Xin?" Mira asked.
The men did not respond.
"Is the detonator set?" one man asked.
"Yes," the one behind Mira replied, "ten minutes until detonation."
"Detonation of what?" Mira asked.
"Gag her," the man across the room, seemingly the leader, said.
The man behind Mira leaned over her. His breath reeked and Mira had to catch her breath, trying to turn away.
"Detonation of this building," he whispered evilly, blowing into her face noxious fumes, "This building is scheduled for demolition, and so are you."
The gag went over Mira's mouth, then the same man put one on Francis, still unconscious.
"Let's get out of here," the leader said.
The men left Mira and Francis laying on the floor, unable to move. Mira tried to roll over but it was futile, they had bound her too well. Francis moaned a bit, but Mira's muffled yells couldn't wake him up. Mira thought furiously. No one knew they were there except Rollie. Her only hope was that he had a sudden change of heart, and that he arrived in the next ten minutes.
* * *
Angie bounced along, her stomach in pain from being thrown over this large man's shoulder. She knew Tommy was being carried next to her, but she couldn't twist and move. The man's arm was around her in a vice grip. She was still bound and gagged, and thinking quickly. Wherever they were taking them, she knew they wouldn't survive long once they got there.
Still, there was nothing she could do. To fight would be useless, tied up the way she was. They exited the building, and she was dumped by herself in the back of a van. The van doors closed and she was in darkness. Fighting down the wave of fear that washed over her, she tried to think rationally on how to escape. She twisted wildly, trying to get a 360 degree view of where she was. There were two men driving the van, but she was concealed by some sort of equipment. Explosives equipment, it looked like. Then something caught her eye. A piece of metal on the inside of the door was cut and sticking out, as if the door had been damaged at some point. If only she could reach it.
That problem was solved for her, for the van started and pealed away suddenly at great speed. Angie slid along the van's floor and hit the door. She grimaced when she hit her head, saw stars, but kept conscious. She righted herself with a twist that wouldn't have been possible had she been less limber and in shape.
She pushed the bonds against the sharp piece of metal and began working. Slowly but surely the bonds began to break. Soon the rough metal began piercing her flesh. Biting her tongue, Angie worked harder. A bit of blood trickled onto her hands from being cut, but finally, mercifully, the bonds broke. Quickly she took off the ropes, and untied her legs. She ripped the gag off. The van was still moving, and the men would see her if she got up.
Then they had to stop for a red light. Angie took a deep breath, then threw open the back door and lept out. The two men yelled for her to stop, but Angie was already gone. Sprinting like a runner she took off threw a few parked cars and down the street. She dared a glance behind her, and saw the two men persuing her, guns out.
She ran, arms pumping, breathing in and out slowly. Zipping between a few surprised walkers she tried to decide what to do. No doubt Mira and Francis were in deep trouble. She had heard the men when they said the place was going to be blown down. Who knew what they had done with Tommy. She wasn't exactly foot loose and fancy free herself, though. Angie glanced around, but people hardly took notice, no one would in New York. With no police in sight, and two murderers after her, Angie could only do what she was doing. Run.
* * *
Rollie and Loubar pulled up to the building. It was a dilapidated old apartment building, caked with dirt.
"Apartment 6B," Rollie muttered, looking at the slip of paper Mira had given him.
Rollie turned to Loubar, his stomach still turning from working with the man, despite his amnesia.
"Let's go," he said.
Rollie had taken off his uniform to reveal his simple black outfit, with his long brown leather jacket overtop. The night air was chilly, and he could feel the cold steel of the gun resting against his body. Reassuring and terrifying at the same time. Loubar had no gun, but he wouldn't stay behind. Rollie didn't mind his coming. He had no idea what he was getting into, as usual.
Rollie entered the building Loubar behind them, and they careful went up a set of steps. They came to the apartment. Rollie listened intently, and heard nothing. He motioned to Loubar to stand clear, and get ready. Rollie pulled out the gun. Rollie mouthed 'on three' to Loubar, and Loubar nodded.
Rollie counted silently, mouthing it to Loubar, and on three Rollie kicked open the door with one of his long legs and rushed in gun out. Loubar was right behind him. There was no one there. Rollie glanced around and saw Francis and Mira tied up and lying on the floor. Mira was wide-eyed and screaming through her gag.
They ran up to them, and Rollie ripped off her gag.
"Rollie we have to get out of here!" Mira yelled, "This place is going to blow in about thirty seconds!"
Rollie didn't need anymore warning. Francis was still unconscious and there was no time to untie them. Rollie threw Mira over his shoulder, and Loubar did the same with Francis, who, too, was awake. They ran out of the room as fast as their burdens would let them.
They ran quickly, but carefully, down the stairs, as Rollie mentally ticked off the seconds. At seventeen seconds, they Rollie's feet hit the bottom of the stairs. At twenty three seconds, Rollie and Loubar were out of the door and heading for cover. At twenty seven seconds they reached the far side of the van, dropped Mira and Francis, and ducked for cover.
At twenty nine seconds the building exploded in a gut wrenching explosion. The deep boom rippled through Rollie, and he covered Mira with his body. Pieces of cement and brick flew everywhere and a huge cloud of dust and debris rolled out and around all of them. Rollie heard objects hit the van, and a few fell near him, but nothing impacted.
Coughing, Rollie began to untie Mira. Loubar was doing the same with Francis.
"What took you so long?" Mira coughed.
"I had to pick up a friend," Rollie said, nodding at Loubar.
Mira eyed him coldly.
"He still has amnesia," Rollie said quietly, "and he saved my life."
The look Francis was giving Loubar was equally chilly.
"Where are Angie and Tommy?" Rollie asked.
"They were taken," Mira said, "by the men who tied us up, I don't know where to."
Rollie rose slowly, the dust cloud still hazing his vision. He groaned.
"Not again."
* * *
Angie was breathing hard, but she was still running at top speed, and still aware the two men were following her. She heard the explosion even this far away, and her eyes began to sting as she thought of Francis and Mira dead. So much had happened, so much they had been through, just to die now.
Angie ducked and weaved through people walking down the sidewalk. She had to lose these men, but they were too close, too good. She considered ducking down an alley, but that would probably be suicide. At the very least she needed to be where other people were. Then a thought hit her. After that explosion the fire department and police would show up no doubt. If she could reach the building, reach them, she would be safe.
The thought allowed another burst of adrenaline to surge through her and her legs picked up speed. The men were having a hard time keeping up now. She only had another block to go before she reached the building. She just hoped they wouldn't shoot her in the back.
* * *
Rollie slammed his fist against the van.
"I can't believe this!" Rollie yelled, "Why did they take them?"
"Something more about 'a balancing,'" Mira said, "whatever that means."
"That's what they said with Joe," Rollie grumbled, "which means they're going to kill them."
"They said they'd take Angie for insurance," Mira said, "probably against us."
The haze was still in the air, but they were all on their feet. Francis and Mira eyed Loubar.
"How'd you find him?" Mira asked.
"Beaumont kidnapped him," Rollie said, "he saved me when Beaumont tried to kill me."
"You went after Beaumont?" Mira said, aghast, "alone? Are you nuts Tyler?"
"I was mad," Rollie said, "and I got some information. I've just got to show it to Angie, she'll be able to figure out what it is."
"We've got to find her first," Mira said.
"We've got to turn him in as well," Mira said, nodding to Loubar.
"No, please," Loubar said, "these men, they're trying to kill me and they kidnapped me right under the police's nose. If I go back I'm as good as dead."
"He's right, Mira," Rollie said, "he's been helpful so far anyway."
Mira stared at Rollie in disbelief. Then shook her head.
"I don't know Tyler," Mira said.
"You're Francis Gatti," Loubar was saying to Francis softly.
"Yeah," Francis replied, not quite looking at him.
"Rollie told me about you," Loubar said, "he said I did some pretty bad things to you and your wife."
"That's right," Francis said, looking him in the eye.
"Well, I'm sorry," Loubar said, "I don't remember doing those things, but if that's true I'm still sorry. If I could go back and change things I would."
Francis just stared at Loubar, though his expression softened somewhat.
"Rollie!" a voice screamed.
Rollie spun around and his jaw dropped open, Angie was running up the street toward her. He started to smile then saw the two men persuing her. Rollie wiped out his gun and Mira and Francis did the same.
"Where'd you get a gun?" Mira asked.
"No time," Rollie said, flattening himself against the van.
Angie was weaving to and fro, the men not far behind. As she approached the van, shots finally rang out. The few people who had come out to see what was going on, ran in fright. One of the van's windows shattered. As Angie reached the van, Rollie grabbed her and flung her to the ground. As one Francis, Mira, and Rollie began firing.
Francis and Mira's shots zinged past the men, while Rollie's untrained shots struck a few tree branches three feet above their heads. The men dove to the side, hiding behind an apartments concrete front steps. They returned fire, striking the van with bullets. As Mira and Francis shot back, Rollie fell back and went to the back of the van. There was still a haze near the building, and he used that as cover. Opening the back of the van he reached inside, grabbed an object, then ran out in the open. With one heave he threw the thing toward the men and then covered his eyes.
Mira and Francis, seeing Rollie throw the thing, automatically got down. It was a flash bomb. Using a combination of minature flash bulbs and magnesium strips it struck and erupted in a huge blinding flash of white light. The men screamed, and began rubbing their eyes furiously, slamming into eachother.
Rollie wasted no time, ran up the men, vaulting the steps, and knocked one down with a single punch. The other one let off a wild shot, and it struck one of the buildings. Mira was already there and slammed the man to the ground with a punch of her own. They grabbed their guns and let them lay on the ground.
"Get some rope," Mira said to Francis, for neither one of them had cuffs.
Francis ran back to the van, where Angie and Loubar still were, Loubar talking softly to her.
"Well," Rollie said with a grin, "I guess we found Angie."
Mira nodded, and holstered her gun.
"We've still got Tommy to worry about," Mira said, "but for now let's get these guys taken in."
Angie was walking up some yards behind, Loubar next to her, but not too close.
"This is really weird," Mira muttered.
"Tell me about it," Rollie muttered back.
With the distraction of watching Loubar they didn't notice the man Rollie had punched getting up. Quick as lightening he struck Rollie, punching him and grabbing for his gun. Mira reached for her gun while the two men struggled. Rollie's gun was in the other man's hand, but Rollie had hold of it as well. The man twisted and the gun came up, aiming in Angie and Loubar's direction. They stopped walking suddenly.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Mira was pulling her gun out, and Francis was doing the same, running toward them. Angie and Loubar stood stock still, unsure of what to do. Rollie was battling for the gun with the man, and somehow the trigger was pulled. Rollie looked in the direction of the gun as he saw the man's finger pull trigger and screamed. It was aimed directly at Angie.
The gun went off, smoke and sparks flying up from it's deadly muzzle burning Rollie's hand. Rollie in that split second could almost see the bullet flying toward Angie's heart. Simultaneously another figure, blurred, streaked across. It was Loubar, Rollie knew, and he was screaming as well. He dived out spread eagle in front of Angie as the sparks flew from the gun. The bullet struck him square in the chest and he half spun around, falling slowly to the ground.
Mira had her gun out but Rollie was already backhanding the man. He backed up and Mira struck him over the head with her gun. He fell to the ground again unconscious. Rollie ran to Loubar and Angie. Angie was leaning over the man, blood pouring out of a gaping chest wound. He was already turning pale, his eyes sunken, and breath rattling. The blood on his chest bubbled slightly with every ragged breath, air from his torn lungs seeping out.
"Call an ambulance," Rollie said to Francis.
Rollie leaned over him across from Angie. Loubar's eyes rolled over, looking at Angie, then back to Rollie. His mouth began to move.
"Hang on," Rollie said, "help is coming."
Loubar was trying to form a word. His mouth puckered up and a he began to sputter softly. With one giant effort, he softly said:
"Forgive me."
Then his eyes rolled back in his head and he relaxed completely. Rollie looked up at Angie and their eyes met. The look in both their eyes said more than words could ever. Then a noise came from across the street. The noise from automatic gunfire. Sparks flew from the van, the trees behind them erupted bark flying everywhere, and pieces of asphalt on the street were thrown up. Someone had seen what had happened, someone was watching, someone saw their vulnerability. And someone was taking deadly advantage of that with a hailstorm of bullets.
* * *
Rollie immediately launched himself over Loubar into Angie, knocking the both of them to the ground while Mira and Francis both took cover. The bullets were obviously being aimed at Rollie and Angie, from the pattern, and Rollie only reacted, reacted to protecting Angie. So he grabbed the only cover he could think of, the body lying next to him. Heaving Loubar's body over he and Angie he felt it jerk as several rounds pierced it, richoched around inside, and came out the back on all directions throwing blood on the two of them.
With one heave Rollie moved them closer to the van and they both rolled under it. Mira and Francis, meanwhile, had taken cover behind the van and were frantically trying to see their attacker. Loud pings accompanied by sparks were heard as bullets hit along the side of the van. Glass shattered as a bullet hit one of the windows, then one of the tires exploded, also hit.
"There he is!" Mira yelled.
She had finally spotted the person, across the street on the roof of a building. He was shadowed by trees and they couldn't see who it was. However they could see the muzzle of the gun spitting the deadly fire. Mira and Francis, having reloaded, began shooting intermittently. They only had split second opportunities because of the barrage of fire that was spilling out at them. He was shooting so rapidly and so crazily, it sounded like some sort of Middle Eastern conflict.
Then they heard the welcome sounds of police and fire engines. Someone had called. The man stopped shooting and fled. Tentatively all four came out of hiding. Rollie looked away from Loubar's body, now even more devastated by the wildly aimed shots.
"Should we go?" Rollie asked.
"No," Mira said, "this has gotten far too dangerous. It's time we got my department involved. It's time we got some help."
Rollie couldn't disagree. They had been watched and lead around the whole time, and attempts had been made on their lives more times than he cared to count. Rollie merely nodded, and waited for them to arrive.
* * *
For the first time since Rollie could remember, Captain Vanduran was totally silent. He merely sat at his desk, unmoving, eyes unblinking. They had told him the complete story. Angie had trembled at the news of Joe's gruesome death. She had also immediately begun to worry further about Tommy, for 'a balancing' obviously meant he would die. As An Kou had told them, since Rollie had prevented two assassinations, these two deaths would make up for them.
"Captain?" Mira said, squirming in her chair uncomfortably.
Normally the Captain would scream, threaten, but this time nothing. That, somehow, seemed exceedingly worse, exceedingly dangerous. His voice was low and controlled as he spoke.
"These people are reaking havoc on my city," he said, "I want them stopped. We need every bit of information, every bit of evidence, every bit of help."
He turned slowly to Rollie.
"First," Vanduran said, "let's see those papers you, appropriated, from Beaumont."
Rollie pulled out the file. He opened up the papers.
"A whole lot of schematics," Rollie said, "I can't make heads or tails of them."
He handed them to Angie. She began to peruse through them.
"Captain," a voice said.
Tony Rizzo was at the door, a small metal object in his hand.
"Here's one of the objects we confiscated," Rizzo said, "I had wanted one of them to look at."
Mira recalled that Tony had mentioned an illegal shipment they had grabbed, with some objects they couldn't identify. Rizzo handed it to Angie. She stared at it, rolling it over in her hand, and went back to the schematic.
"What about the disk?" Vanduran asked.
"Haven't had a chance to go through it yet," Rollie said, "I will as soon as possible."
"Loubar?" Vanduran asked, nodding at Rizzo.
"Took him to the morgue," Rizzo said.
"We've got search teams out for Detective Chin," Vanduran said to the rest of them.
Vanduran paused.
"I know a lot has happened in the past day alone," Vanduran said, "but I need all of you to steal yourselves. I'd heard about the Shou Xin, but like everyone else I thought they were just a myth. I'm seeing now that they're not. Tyler, it almost makes sense you'd be tangling with them."
Rollie smiled. This was a different Vanduran from normal, most definitely. The exciting and yet sobering things that had happened recently seemed to be pulling a different side of him out.
"It seems to me that we have a lot of different pieces to the same puzzle," Vanduran said, "all the data from Loubar, Valesquez and Beaumont's computers. However illegally they were gained, in this instance I'm going to overlook that. They all seem to tie back in to the Shou Xin. If we can put all of that information together, I'll bet we'll be able to find out exactly what they're up to."
"Plus a lot of other things," Mira said, "we've got tons of information. We just have to sit down and pull it all together."
"Then let's do that," Vanduran said, then he glanced at Angie.
Angie had been pouring over all the information in the file, and had been repeatedly looking at the object in her hand, back at the file, and back at the object.
"Angie?" Mira asked, seeing her pale complexion, "you figured out something?"
"Where'd you say you found this?" Angie asked.
"It was confiscated along with some other equipment in an illegal shipment," Vanduran said, "actually, that was probably brought in by Beaumont. Why?"
"I'd have to check the computer to be sure," Angie said, "or maybe have an expert look at these."
"What is it Ang?" Rollie said, recognizing her hushed tone to be something very serious.
"I-I can't be for sure," Angie said, "but I've seen these in some classes I took at college, and also on the Internet."
"What are they?" Vanduran asked.
"Well," Angie said, "this looks a lot like a piece of the firing chamber, and these electrical diagrams look an awful lot like-"
Angie's voice trailed off.
"What Ang?" Rollie asked, "What do they look like."
Angie stared up at them.
"Like the specs," she said, "for an atomic bomb."
* * *
"What?!" Vanduran exclaimed, getting up out of his chair, "are you sure?"
"Pretty sure," Angie said, "I took a theoretical physics course in college, they showed the diagrams for a simple gun style atomic bomb. Two chunks of radioactive isotope slammed together at bullet speed, reach critical mass, then boom. These look an awful lot like them. More indepth of course, I'd have to cross check them, but-"
"Dear God," Vanduran whispered, sitting down again.
"Why?" Mira asked.
"The Shou Xin," Rollie said, "they're building an atomic bomb. I can only think of one reason."
"Are we sure it's the Shou Xin?" Vanduran asked.
"Yeah," Rollie said, "if Beaumont is their supplier, as we're sure he is, he's been getting them the parts."
"No way," Francis said, "there's no way anyone could smuggle the parts for an A-bomb in right under our noses."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Vanduran said, "Beaumont is the smartest smuggler we've ever run up against. Remember, we still haven't proved anything against him. If anyone could, he could."
"So what are we saying here?" Mira asked, "The Shou Xin are going to blow up the city?"
"Looks that way," Rollie said softly.
"So what do we do?" Angie asked, "Evacuate the city?"
Vanduran snorted.
"Evacuate all of New York?" he said, "Do you have any idea, even if we could, how long that would take? Oh, I can see my conversation with the mayor: 'Mr. Mayor we want you to evacuate the whole city because we think a mythical Chinese terrorist organization is going to nuke all of New York.' Oh, he'd give me a medal for that."
"Well, we've got to do something," Angie said.
Vanduran steepled his fingers, and placed them on his chin.
"I can get the bomb squad, swat teams, feds, just about anybody on this," Vanduran said, "but we don't have anywhere to begin. We can't randomly scower the city."
"We need to figure out where they'd construct it," Rollie said.
"We're back to putting together our info, then," Mira said.
Vanduran nodded.
"I want all your efforts poured into deciphering and combining the data from all three computers," Vanduran, "as well as any personal information you have. I want a complete report on my desk by the end of today. I'll start making a few calls, we're going to have to put together a task force."
Rollie raised his eyebrows.
"You mean you want us working on this, Captain?" Rollie asked.
"You already are," Vanduran said, "and frankly we need you help. Besides, if the Shou Xin really are trying to kill you we need to keep an eye on you. Officially, I'll be putting you under Detective Sanchez's protection, if that's all right."
Mira smiled.
"Just fine," she said.
"Get all the disks for them," Vanduran said to Mira, "then with a few officers head back to Rollie's place, and go over them with a fine tooth comb. You've got the equipment, I want results."
"Yes sir," Mira said.
"Gatti," Vanduran said, "you're back on active duty. I'll take care of things with internal affairs, you just concentrate on finding out what's going on."
"Yes sir," Francis said with a smile, "thank you sir."
"I've got a lot of explaining to do to a lot of people before we can really do anything," Vanduran said, "so work fast people."
"What about Tommy?" Angie asked.
"If we find the bomb, we may find Tommy," Rollie said.
"By then it may be too late," Angie said, giving Rollie a fishy stare.
"We'll take care of Detective Chin," Vanduran said, "we'll do everything we can. Right now though, we need you on this."
"You can count on us, Captain," Rollie said, standing up.
"I sure hope so," Vanduran said, "now get to work."
* * *
Rollie, Mira, and Francis stood behind Angie as she worked on the computer. She had cross checked the schematics against info on the web, and had confirmed their fears. They were indeed blueprints for an atomic bomb. Not all the blueprints, but a portion.
"This is going to take some time," Angie said, "hopefully the Shou Xin had all three use the same encryption sequence. With enough info, I should be able to crack it."
"All right," Mira said, "while you're doing that we should try and figure out how this all ties together."
"We already figured that Loubar was contracted by the Shou Xin for both jobs," Rollie said, Loubar's name sticking a little in his throat.
It was strange, the man had caused them so much pain. But really, the man that had died saving Angie's life wasn't Victor Loubar. The same body yes, but not the same man. The man that had died was one trying to atone for sins he didn't even remember committing. In that, he was pitiable. Rollie was sorry for his death. In his eyes, the Victor Loubar he had come to hate died when he got amnesia.
Rollie shook himself out of his reverie.
"We know Valesquez was contracted by the Shou Xin," Rollie continued, "in some sort of scheme involving the homeless. We know Beaumont has been supplying the Shou Xin with weapons, parts, and information."
"We know the Shou Xin's main real estate seems to be down on the docks," Mira said, "strangely, though, Tommy thought it was in the Bronx."
"He was dupped," Francis said, "that's how we were caught."
"So the docks are the most likely place for their construction," Mira said.
"Could we talk to Valesquez or Beaumont?" Rollie asked.
"They're both being held," Mira said, "but Beaumont won't be held much longer. They're not much for talking though, and after what they did to Joe, I can see why."
"That's another common thread," Rollie said, "revenge, the three steps, a balancing. That's been through all of this."
"Loubar's revenge on you," Mira said, "actually that was rather Shou Xin like. First humiliation, and pain, with all the things he did to you and Angie. Framing you, making you think we were dead, having Francis help him, challenging you to stop him. Fortunately you did."
"You're right," Rollie said, "I hadn't even thought about it. From the party after Red Storm was completed till now, Loubar was following that creed."
"Then we have this thing from the Shou Xin themselves," Mira said, "First with Valesquez, fooling us, humiliating us. Then killing Joe. Probably about to kill Tommy if we don't find him. Humiliation, pain."
"More than humiliating me, Mira," Rollie said, his brow furrowing, "humiliating the whole police force. Valesquez looked like a great guy, and the NYPD like idiots."
Mira looked at Rollie, beginning to see where he was going.
"Wait," she said, "you mean humiliating the whole city in a way. Then pain. Killing all those homeless people, that whole crime spree with Valesquez using the homeless, and they would have killed the President right under our noses."
"It all makes sense," Rollie said, "I'm just a small part of the puzzle, because I've been stopping them at junctions, but this is a much bigger sort of revenge. It's revenge on the whole city."
"First humiliation," Francis said, "then pain, then death."
"Death in the form of an atomic bomb," Mira said, "it all makes a horrible kind of sense."
"We've seen how ruthless the Shou Xin are," Rollie said, "this has just taken on a whole new level of urgency."
Mira's cellular phone rang. She stepped away.
"I don't believe this," Francis said, "I'm going to call Sarah and tell her to get out of the city."
"You can't tell her why," Rollie said, "if word of this gets out-"
"You don't have to tell me," Francis said, "I don't think we need a riot right now."
Mira walked back over to them, but she was staring at Angie who was working on the computer feverishly.
"What's wrong Mira?" Rollie asked, seeing her grim expression.
"They found Tommy," Mira said, hanging her head, "he's dead."
* * *
"What?" Rollie said, "Where'd they find him? How?"
Mira made a disgusted look, and her fist clenched.
"They dumped him on our doorstep," she said through gritted teeth.
"What do you mean?" Francis asked.
"They dumped him at the station," Mira said, "they dumped his body right behind the Midtown South Precinct station!"
"You've got to be kidding me!" Francis said, "No one saw anything?"
"No," Mira said.
"Did they-" Rollie's words cut off, thinking of Joe.
"Don't think they tortured him," Mira said, "but, they didn't exactly leave much to work with."
Mira shook her head.
"They blew his head off," she said, "the coroner figures they stuck a high caliber rifle in his mouth, aiming it up, and blew the top of his head off, literally. They identified him with a finger print, and guess what they found etched with a knife on his palm?"
"The symbol," Rollie said, his voice full of anger.
Mira nodded.
"I think I've got something!" Angie said suddenly from across the room.
Rollie's expression changed from anger to sadness.
"Valesquez wasn't too smart," Angie said, "I found the decryption sequence for this Shou Xin code in his computer!"
Rollie walked slowly over to Angie.
"Ang," he said softly.
"Rollie this is great!" Angie said, "I've got all the files from all three computers now! There's more stuff here than we dreamed!"
"Ang," Rollie said a little louder, "listen to me a sec, love."
"Mira, Francis get over here!" she said.
"Angie," Rollie said louder, "hold on."
His voice dropped again as she stared at him.
"It's Tommy," he said, "I'm sorry Ang. He's dead."
Angie's face fell. Her eyes glazed over and her complexion turned pale. Her lips began to tremble.
"What?" she said in a horse voice, "No. No, Rollie you said we could find him if I could figure this out!"
"No, Ang," Rollie said, "that's not quite what I said. We were too late. They killed him, and dumped him at the station."
"No," Angie said, her voice rising, "I don't believe you."
"He's telling the truth, Angie," Mira said, "I'm sorry too. He didn't deserve that. We'll get them."
Angie closed her eyes tightly, trying to control herself.
"I'm sorry Angie," Rollie said again.
Angie's eyes flipped open, anger in them.
"Are you?" Angie said, "You didn't seem to like him all that much. I don't think friends punch out other friends!"
"Angie," Rollie said, his voice a tone of warning.
"In fact," Angie said, "you're probably glad he's gone! So he can't 'take advantage' of me anymore!"
"Angela-" Rollie began.
"Don't Angela me," Angie said, "I'm not your daughter, or your little sister, or anything else. You don't talk down to me. Maybe if you hadn't been so jealous, Tommy and I wouldn't have had to go off alone and he wouldn't be dead right now!"
"I wasn't jealous," Rollie said, "I just wanted to protect you from-"
"From what?" Angie asked, "What? Finding a nice guy? Being happy? O