Roswell Fanatics

Alien_Friend: Thank you, that means the world to me!

It’s taken Liz a long time to get there but she’s at a place where she can not only accept that she’s in love with Max, but she can embrace it. They’re definitely getting the chance to help each other through the craziness.

That move was completely unconscious on her part, but it spoke volumes.

LOL, I could just hear the cheering when Nicholas was dragged off. Max will do everything in his power to protect the people he cares about and especially Liz. It was a good thing for Max that he had the chance to take Nicholas on after what he did to Liz.

There is a deep respect between Max and Shakes. Getting through this situation, taking Knight down, and getting Max out is everything to Shakes. We’re getting closer to learning his history and why this is all so important to him.

Lol, Courtney’s not so sure about him, but DJ’s intrigued by her. Luckily DJ was just in the role of playing the decoy and didn’t have to go up against anyone. He probably hopes he never has to do that again too.

We’ll see a bit more with Michael and Ava soon.

Manny may just figure it out yet. I have a feeling he’s gonna be like a dog with a bone trying to figure out where he’s seen Liz’s attacker before. He’s definitely earned his stripes.

Thanks! Believe me, I’ve noticed! I’m always excited and eager to read that feedback!

begonia9508: Thanks!

Liz really messed with Nicholas’ plan… and then Knight really made sure there would be no further plans, lol.

That had to be terrifying. I hope he got a good beating with that umbrella!

Diablo does provide good security.

roswellian love: Oh, he’s sooo dead!

DJ’s got a cop and an ex-military specialist covering him and I’ve got a feeling that Max has Manny covered.

keepsmiling7: Lol, don’t you just hate it when that happens?

Diablo just adores Max.

She definitely is and she’s finally ready to accept and embrace that.

Natalie36: Glad to hear it!

xilaj: I can only hope it’s as excited as I get when I see your feedback!

It was past time for Nicholas to go and he made a fatal judgment call. Max is certain he would’ve been fine if he’d been the one to take him out, but he’s better off not being that person.

Max may have plans to do that, lol, but I have a feeling Liz won’t see things the same way.

Lol, Diablo has certainly become a very lovable character. And he and Max do have a special relationship.

I’ll just say that Damon does have something up his sleeve.

Shakes will be meeting with the new bodyguard soon. As upset as Max was over what happened to Liz he knows it wasn’t Shakes’ fault. Yeah, he was not going to let that cop’s offensive comment pass by without speaking up. Max isn’t a pushover and he wouldn’t know how to take the easy route if he tried, lol.

Kyle and the girls aren’t able to go home just yet. But hopefully they will be able to soon. For now, they’re just trying to make it to the next stop on their journey.

Eva: Thanks! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it!


Part 50

Ava was shaking and trying to calm Cadence who was frantic from the violent activity going on around them. The gunfire had ceased a while ago and now they were waiting for the all clear to be given before emerging from their hiding place. She had kept her daughter’s ears covered in an effort to muffle the sound because she knew from experience that it wouldn’t shut the noise out completely.

“We’ve got a confirmed count on all four targets,” Courtney said, her voice seeming loud in the aftermath of gunplay.

Michael breathed a little easier when confirmation came over the radio. He holstered the gun he had been given and turned to look at the woman. “We should be on our way soon.” He nodded at the baby. “You want me to take her for a minute?”

“No, I’m okay.”

“She’ll probably calm down sooner if she feels that you’ve calmed down.”

She bit her lip uncertainly. Kyle trusted him and he had told her she could trust him too, but she just couldn’t trust people easily. Couldn’t or wouldn’t, her conscience spoke up. It was so deeply ingrained in her to be suspicious of people and their motives that it was hard to trust anyone. It had taken time but she had come to trust Kyle and she knew if they were going to have a chance she was going to have to learn to be more open to trusting people, especially the people that he trusted.

“Maybe,” she said slowly. “Maybe you could just hold her for a minute or two.”

He nodded and carefully cradled the baby against his chest when she was hesitantly given to him. “Got a good set of lungs on her, doesn’t she?”

“She doesn’t cry much. Hardly ever really, but I read that sometimes there are babies that aren’t very fussy.”

Michael glanced up at her, trying not to wince at the crying that had yet to stop. “My kid didn’t give us that kinda break. He’s not whiney or anything,” he clarified, “but when we first got him he cried a lot.” He shifted Cadence and rubbed her back. “Now he cries because he’s teething and it makes him crankier than he…” He caught himself and shrugged. “Well, you know.”

The radio crackled to life again and Kyle’s voice came through. “I’m coming up.” He pushed past the wall of low hanging branches of several while pine trees, leaving him covered in the lengthy needles the white pine trees were shedding. He shook as many as possible free of his clothes while his gaze moved over Ava and Cadence.

He could see the way Ava was fidgeting, fighting the desire to run to him because she wasn’t completely sure of Michael. He checked to make sure there were no needles anywhere on his chest and shoulder before he moved over to his brother-in-law and held his hands out. Cadence latched onto the soft flannel of the shirt he was wearing and pressed her forehead into his neck and as soon as she began to calm he held his hand out to Ava.

“You’re sure you got all of them?” she asked, her voice quivering.

“We got them but we need to move quickly. We have no way of knowing if there are more out there. DJ’s coming in and soon as he gets to shore we’ll head over to the airport and we’re outta here.”

“Are we going back to the city now?”

“Not yet,” Michael said before Kyle could answer. They hadn’t had much time to go over the plan beyond getting to the plane. “We’ve gotta stay off the radar for a few more days and if everything goes according to plan we should be back in the city Sunday morning.”

“Let’s get moving then. I’d like to get them settled someplace quiet as soon as possible.” He nuzzled his chin against the baby’s head and smiled when she made the strange little sound that was somewhere between a choke and a bark. It was a sound that indicated she was happy and that was good enough for him. “You ready to move, Ava?”

“Just a few more days, right?”

“We’re almost there,” he promised.

“Then let’s go.”

“I’ll go help Courtney with the cleanup,” Michael said with a nod at the other man. He knew they had to move quickly; they had made a lot of noise and eventually someone would come to investigate. Preparations had been made for this eventuality so it was just a matter of cleaning up and putting things in motion.

Kyle rubbed Ava’s shoulder when she tensed. “We’ll be on our way to a safe place in a matter of minutes.”

*****

Shakes scanned through the recording, stopping it every once in a while, his expression one of deep concentration as he listened before making notations in the notepad in front of him. He reached for his phone when it rang, pausing the recording and checking the caller ID before he lifted the handset to his ear.

“Boss, it’s me. I’m comin’ in hot and I’ve got five on the rocks.”

He could hear the pain laced in Liam’s labored breathing and he quickly pressed a button to summon Dimitri. “Can you make it to the location we discussed?”

“I’m about seven miles from the alternate location, boss.” He coughed wetly. “I don’t think I can make it any farther.”

“Liam, help’s on the way. Just hang tight.”

“I’ll be waitin’.”

Shakes stared at the handset for a moment when the line went dead and he pounded his fist on the desk in frustration. “D!” he yelled as he hurried out of the room and down the stairs.

“What?” Dimitri yelled back from outside. He had heard the buzzer but he had been in the pool and he was trying to dry off.

“What the hell are you doing? Didn’t you hear me?”

“Yes, I heard you, and I had no interest in attempting to run across the marble floors and nearly kill myself. Next time you get a place invest in carpet!”

As much as he appreciated the view he forced his mind to stay focused. “I need you to get Lucasi to Liam. Take Sanchez and Jeffries, get to the alternate location. Something’s gone wrong.”

“The witness?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know. He said he has five on ice. If Duncan was with him and conscious Liam wouldn’t have been driving.”

“He’s that bad off?”

“Don’t waste any time, D.”

“I’m on my way.” He grabbed his things and headed into the house, leaving Shakes to stare at the water as it lapped against the sides of the pool. What had gone wrong? They had been prepared for every possible outcome, they had gotten away from the cabin successfully, and now his head of security was wounded and had five dead bodies with him. He didn’t want to speculate about the possibilities but his last contact with Officer Deluca had acknowledged they were free and clear of the threat.

They had been clear of the threat at the cabin, not what must have been waiting for them when they reached the lakeshore, he reminded himself. They had known it was possible and two of his best people had been sent in to make sure they made it safely back to shore and then to the plane. Liam was seriously wounded and he had a bad feeling that Duncan was either dead or not far from it.

“Mr. Shakes?”

He turned at the softly-accented voice and he forced a smile for Alejandra. “Yes?” No matter how many times he told her to just call him Shakes she always put the Mister in front of his name when she spoke to him directly.

She held the cordless phone up. “You have a call and a visitor.”

“Ms. Paxton?”

“Yes.”

The new bodyguard, he thought as he nodded. He had slipped up the day before when Nicholas had gotten to Liz and he would make sure no one else ever had that opportunity. “I’ll take the call and then meet her in the library.” He lifted the phone to his ear as soon as she went inside and closed the door behind her. “We have a secure line.”

“It’s Mac. We just heard from our boy.”

“Things went south at the lake.”

“About as far south as they could go.”

He ran his hand over his face as he started to walk back and forth beside the pool. He listened as she rattled off the details of the shootout, relieved to hear that other than a few minor injuries suffered by their intrepid pilot, they had escaped unscathed. They had taken out four of Knight’s people and upon reaching shore had discovered Duncan’s lifeless body and a badly injured Liam.

His head of security had insisted he was capable of getting to the location they had set up in case they had to haul bodies away. After allowing Courtney to patch him up as well as possible, packing the bodies in for the drive, and getting the others as close to the airport as he dared, he had headed for a safe place to call from. The rest of them had safely arrived at their destination so that was one less thing to worry about.

“I’ve dispatched a team to meet them.”

“I’m sorry it went down like it did.”

“It went down the way it had to. We did everything we could to control the situation.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Now all we can do is to contain it. I’ll monitor the target; listen for anything that’ll let me know he’s aware of what’s going on. He’ll know soon enough that things didn’t go as planned at the cabin and it should keep him off balance for a while because he has no way of knowing how anyone knew they were planning the hit.”

“That should keep him busy.”

“Were you able to pin down the information I asked for?”

“It’s been encrypted and sent to you.”

He ended the call and returned to the office. He ran the system through the necessary security checks before opening the email and scanning over the information Mac had sent. He smiled tightly and rearranged several things on his calendar for the next day before shutting everything down and going to meet with his appointment.

*****

DJ sorted through the keys and finally selected one, inserting it into the lock and turning it. He quickly moved to disarm the alarm before it could be triggered and it beeped as it accepted the code. “Okay, we’re all set,” he said as he flipped a switch and flooded the interior with light. They had flown for several hours, basically going in circles, before landing at a small private airstrip and piling into the vehicle he had called ahead to have waiting.

They were worn out and exhausted from the day’s events and they were finally someplace safe. Personally he felt like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. His nerves were jumpy and on edge after what had seemed like hours of dodging bullets. Realistically he knew it had lasted maybe a matter of minutes but it had felt like a lot longer. He pocketed the keys and stood back so everyone could enter and he could close the world out.

“I thought you said we would be staying at your family’s vacation home,” Kyle said as he looked around the foyer.

“Well, it belonged to my godmother, but when she passed she left it to me.” He shrugged. “To maintain privacy it was listed under a pseudonym and I never changed that so we’ll be able to stay under the radar here.”

“Jeez, when my grandma passed away she left me a record collection,” Kyle said as he looked around. “Talk about different worlds.”

Ava was moving around, gently bouncing Cadence and taking in everything she could see. The house was enormous, larger than anything she had ever seen, and expensively furnished. It was easy to see that whoever had furnished and decorated it hadn’t been bound by a budget.

DJ laughed. “C’mon, I’ll show you guys around. The place has enough bedrooms for everyone, kitchen’s fully stocked, and there’s a pool out back.”

“No one’s gonna be going for a swim,” Courtney interrupted as she moved deeper into the house to check out the setup.

He rolled his eyes and set the alarm. He was going for a swim. He had to work off the adrenaline before he exploded. “The place is gated with a state of the art security system.”

“You’re also close to the beach,” she called back. “Second floor’s best from a protection standpoint. How many bedrooms up there?”

“Four upstairs, three downstairs,” he answered.

“Seven bedrooms?” Michael whistled as he shook his head. “How big is your family?”

He shrugged. “It’s a status thing. A lot of families buy or have these big houses built and then rent them out during the year.”

“What’s something like this rent for?”

“About 15 grand a week.”

Kyle nearly swallowed his tongue. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah.” DJ grinned. “Need a summer rental?”

“Are you kidding? That’s like my rent for a year.” He shook his head to clear it. “I’d like to get them settled in and maybe scrounge up a meal. Which room’s yours?”

“El Jefe’s spoken for the rest of you but I’m downstairs, so take your pick.” He could hear her moving around upstairs, probably checking the closets and under the beds. “My godmother never threw anything out if she thought it would be used later on so the crib she kept for me when my family visited is stored in the garage. I figure Michael should know how to assemble the thing so if you want we can bring it in so Little Bit has a place to sleep too.”

Michael glanced over at Kyle and at his nod he slapped DJ on the back. “Let’s go get it while they’re getting a room picked out. How’re you set for satellite TV?”

Kyle snorted and reached for Ava’s hand. “I’m sure Court’s already determined the safest room so there won’t be much to pick out.”

“What does anyone do with a house this big?” she asked as they walked up the stairs.

“I have no clue. My whole family could go in together and still not be able to afford this place for a week. We usually go camping or go out on Dad’s boat. There is talk about Disneyland in a couple of years.” They stepped on the landing and he looked left and right, trying to figure out where to go next. There was another staircase on either side of them and he nodded when he saw Courtney standing at the top on the right side. “Hunter will get a kick out of it,” he said as they joined her.

“You guys have the room on the right. Every room in this place has a view but that one has the fewest windows. I’m gonna do a perimeter check and then see what pretty boy has in the kitchen because I’m starving.”

Kyle nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

“Your whole family would go to Disneyland just for your nephew?” Ava asked when they were left alone again.

“Well, the deal was: if the guys agreed to take our vacation there and do unmanly things like spin around in giant teacups, we’d get to charter a boat and spend three days deep sea fishing off the coast. So obviously it’s gonna take us a couple years to save up for that trip.” He took Cadence and sat on the bed, laying back against the pillows and supporting her head as he sat her on his stomach. “You’ll like Disneyland, won’t you? Yes, you will.” He chuckled when she gave him a big grin and gurgled happily.

Ava leaned in the doorframe and watched him, knowing it was something she would never get tired of doing. He accepted so easily, welcomed with such openness, loved without reservation, and she wondered what that felt like. “Do you think Mr. Callahan would mind if I look for something to eat?”

“I think DJ would be offended if you didn’t. He’s generous to a fault and while he loves his expensive toys, he’s not your typical rich boy.”

“One crib comin’ up,” Michael called as he reached the second landing. He nodded when he saw Ava and he carried the pieces of the frame down the hall, hauling them inside when she moved to give him room. “This’ll be a lot easier to put together than the one we got for Hunter.”

Kyle snickered. “Man, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone curse as much as you did while you were putting that thing together.”

“I’m gonna see about something for dinner,” Ava said as she watched him. “Are you hungry?”

“I could eat a horse.”

She smiled at the honest and uncensored answer. “Well, I’ve been told the kitchen’s fully stocked so I’ll see what I can do about that.”

“Cool.” Michael pulled a handful of tools from his back pocket and dropped them on the floor. “I’m gonna grab the mattress and springs and then we’ll get this thing put together.” When he came back a few minutes later Kyle was sitting on the bed feeding the baby a bottle. He hooked his thumb over his shoulder at the empty doorway. “I like her.”

“Me too.”

“You’re pretty serious about them, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“You think it’s just the situation or…?”

“Being thrown together the way we were I can see how it might look like that. I even wondered about that myself for a while, and I’ll admit, it was pretty intense. It still is, but no matter how it started,” he shrugged, “the feelings are there and they’re real.”

“For both of you?”

Kyle nodded and shifted Cadence. “For both of us.”

“Cool. The family will like her.” He held up one end of the crib. “Hold that still for a second.” He hooked the springs in place and reached for the other end to lock them in and secure the frame. His mind was on Maria and Hunter and he wished it was safe to call them and make sure they were alright. Even if it was just for a few seconds, long enough to hear her voice, it would settle his nerves and allow him to relax.

*****

Pascal stood before Damon’s desk, waiting for the boss to explode. He had arrived at the man’s home to report on the day’s events, knowing before he opened his mouth that the reaction wouldn’t be pleasant. He had sent a small team up to look around, but he had a gut feeling they weren’t going to find anything. Something bigger was in play and they were at a distinct disadvantage because they didn’t know what it was or who was involved.

“You’re telling me you’ve lost contact with the team you sent in to handle the situation,” Damon said quietly. “Do you understand what’s riding on our ability to remove Ava from this equation?”

Calm was worse than explosive, he thought, grimacing internally. “There have to be more people involved than what we know about,” he insisted.

“And how do you explain them knowing about your plan?”

“There’s only one way to explain it. They have to have eyes and ears inside the operation. And the street rat makes the most sense.”

“Yes, he would make the most sense,” he mused as he stood. “And if he had any idea that Ava was still alive then I might consider him a potential suspect!” His fist slammed against the desk in an effort to punctuate his words and drive his point home. “But he doesn’t know, does he? No!”

“And if he’s playing you for a fool?”

“He’s under constant surveillance, Pascal. I would know if he’d made a move to turn on me.”

“You’re an arrogant bastard if you think his fear will prevent him from turning on you. You saw him come busting in here because Nicholas made a move on his woman. You’ve lost control of him and you know it! He could be making a deal to take you down. He’s surrounded by cops and you don’t own any of them!”

“I’d like to see them try.” Damon rounded the desk and stood toe-to-toe with his right hand man. “What do you think a handful of cops can do? I own the law!”

Pascal ground his back teeth together as he stared back at Damon. He was a fool and eventually it was going to be his downfall. His arrogance was going to send the man to an early grave and when that happened he would take his rightful place as the head of the organization. “You may own the law but you don’t own the street rat and you know it. It’s why you keep him so close.”

Damon’s eyes glittered dangerously. “You still have the investigator?”

“I haven’t disposed of him yet.”

“I want him there tomorrow night.” His mouth curved up in a sinister smile. “Have him there early. Santini will know what to do.” He shook his head at the look of confusion on Pascal’s face. “You think the street rat’s dangerous? I’ll show you just how much he fears me and you’ll see that he knows better than to turn on me.”

*****

It was overcast when Liz woke up the next morning. She rolled over and snuggled into Max, not surprised to find him awake and watching her. His expression was distracted though and she wondered what he was thinking. He was weighing something out, debating his options, but from the look on his face it was obvious he wasn’t happy with them.

“What’s on your mind?”

“You,” he answered honestly. He hadn’t slept much, his thoughts keeping him awake. “You’re gonna be in danger as long as I’m around.”

She wrapped her arm around his waist to hold him in place when he shifted to get up. “Max, until this thing is over that’s probably true.”

“Then you understand why I have to stay as far away from you as possible.”

“No.”

“But you just said – “

She pressed a forefinger to his lips to silence him. “Let me finish. The danger’s gonna be there just the same whether you’re here or not so it makes more sense for you to stay right where you are.”

“I couldn’t protect you yesterday, Liz.”

“No, but I could protect myself. And considering the situation maybe that was the most important thing. I needed to know that, Max, and it’s not like you can be with me 24 hours a day. Shakes can have people watching but even that’s no guarantee that no one will ever try to come after me again.”

“He wants to put someone new on you.”

“His people have kept watch from a safe distance to avoid drawing attention to them or to you. Putting someone new on me would be the same thing. And as much as I appreciate Shakes going to the effort and expense of doing that I think I’d rather not have another shadow.”

“Just until we get past Saturday. He has someone in mind, a woman this time, and it’s just for a few more days.”

Her fingertips brushed over his goatee as she studied his eyes. “Just through Saturday,” she agreed finally. “And only if you forget what you’re thinking about backing off because it won’t make me any safer. That Knight guy could come after me either way and if he does, wouldn’t you rather be with me?”

“I’ve already put so many people in danger, Liz. I don’t know what all your dad knows but he knows about my involvement with Damon. I overheard him talking to my parole officer at the restaurant yesterday.”

She winced. “I told you I went to my dad the other day, told him as much as I could about what’s going on. He probably wanted to talk to James to really understand the situation and how deeply you’re involved.” She applied enough pressure to bring his gaze back to hers when he looked away. “You said you wanted to be with me. Is that still true? And don’t lie to me. Don’t tell me you don’t because you think I’m better off without you.”

“You probably would be.” He ran a hand through his hair and got out of bed. “I’m never gonna be in the same league with you, your family, or your friends.”

She snorted and pushed herself up into a sitting position. “Really? That’s the tactic you’re gonna use? I have money and you don’t? You think you’re gonna piss me off and I’ll just walk away? If I was just looking for someone with money that wouldn’t exactly be a hardship.”

“Know that many rich boys do you?”

“Yeah, and I make no apologies for it either. Do you think I care about what you have in the bank? That’s not why I’m with you.”

“No, you’re with me because you like a good challenge.”

“Well, there is that, but if that’s all it was about we’d have had sex a long time ago.” She watched him pace around the room, loving him even more for trying to push her away. He could push all he wanted but she wasn’t going to let him win, not this time.

“This isn’t a game, Liz,” he bit out.

“No, it’s not. Yeah, when I first started chasing you it was, but things have changed. I’ve changed. Since the beginning the only thing you’ve ever asked of me was to be honest with you, and now I’m asking the same of you. Do you still want to be with me?”

He rested his forehead against the window and looked down at the river. “Yeah, there’s nothing I want more than that.”

“I’m not any safer with distance between us, Max, and you know that. You overheard my dad talking to James about you and I can imagine what he said, and it brought something you’ve had in the back of your mind this whole time rushing back to the surface. You’ve done your best to protect me since the beginning and given your background you must know that no matter how good you are there’s always gonna be someone better out there. You’re too smart not to.”

“No matter how much you like me or how much I care about you, the truth is I’m probably going back to prison over this and I have no idea for how long. I just can’t see any way around it and I can’t see you visiting me in prison, waiting around for years for me to get out, and then having to live with someone who can’t give you the life you deserve.”

“It’s disturbing that you either think that little of me or you’re just that full of yourself. You’re not the only one who gets to decide whether we’re together or not.”

He exhaled loudly and turned to face her. “No on both counts. I just meant that you deserve better than waiting around for me to get out of prison.”

“You know what I deserve?”

He watched her as she got to her feet, transfixed by the sight of her bare legs as she crossed the room to stand in front of him and he shook his head mutely when she repeated the question on a whisper.

“I deserve to make my own decisions. I deserve to be happy. I deserve to be free to choose what I want. And what I want, Max Evans, is to be with the man I love.”

Natalie36: Thanks for reading!

keepsmiling7: Thanks!

Shakes is doing his best to do just that.

For the moment Kyle and Co. are safe.

Max is definitely looking at more prison time at this point.

Alien_Friend: Liz knows it’s time to push back. Even though Max is doing what he thinks is best they’re in it together and she’s gonna keep reminding him of that. Max does have some thoughts of inadequacy rolling around in the back of his mind but she’s gonna keep working on him.

We won’t have long to wait to find out what Damon’s planning – it’ll be in the next update. Max is going to need to stay cool no matter how difficult that is. Unfortunately, Shakes didn’t have ears in on that conversation because Nicholas was the one wearing the piece of jewelry with the listening device inside… and he’s been removed from the equation. Damon is arrogant and he’s made it his goal in life to make Max miserable.

Shakes does feel for everyone involved. He’s worked so hard to pull this together and he’s trying his best to save Max no matter the cost, especially to himself. We are very close to that something big that’s about to go down.

It’s definitely taking some adjustment for Ava but she’s trying. She and Max have grown up in a world where trust is such an issue that they’re very guarded about it. Michael really does understand. He wasn’t on the streets the way they were but he does know the streets and how they work.

DJ is a good man to have on your side and he has all the cool toys.

Courtney really is going on blind faith and she’ll fight for what’s right.

xilaj: The next few days promise to be tense but the guys will do their best to try and lighten that load. Cadence is one lucky little girl and Kyle’s very much in love with her and her mama.

Shakes has some of these things very much on his mind. We’ll catch up with him today and see how he’s doing.

You’re right about Damon and the way he thinks. We’ll find out in the next update why he wanted the investigator brought to the meet. He is arrogant and the only good thing about that is that for now it’s keeping his thoughts otherwise occupied.

There are a lot of things just poised to go wrong but there are people fighting hard to try and tip the scales in their favor. Max did need to hear what Liz had to say and she’s come a long way to reach this point. As much as he wants to be with her there’s also a part of him that’s still holding back.

RL has cooperated this week, so here I am again!

Eva: Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that!


Part 51

Shakes was in the office going over everything they had compiled on Knight’s organization so far when he heard footsteps rushing through the hall. Just as he lifted his head someone started to pound on the door. He turned to tap several keys on the keyboard, bringing up the security cameras and as the images winked to life he heard his name being called.

“Mr. Shakes, come quickly!” Alejandra called. “Mr. Dimitri, he is home.”

He stared at the door for a minute as her voice faded into the background. Home. A simple and oh-so-complex word that people took for granted every day. Even after having a safe place to live for a while now he was still reluctant to call it home. He understood how tenuous ownership of any possession was, how easily it could be taken away, and he accepted that nothing was forever. So he avoided attachments to prevent the pain of loss when they were inevitably taken away.

It wasn’t just things he disconnected himself from. He held Dimitri at arms’ length too. He didn’t need to see a shrink to know that he avoided attachments of all kinds, he was aware of his behaviors and why he did what he did. A new round of knocking, even more insistent this time, brought the moment back into focus.

“Mr. Shakes!”

He shoved himself out of his chair and hurried to pull the door open. “What is it?”

“Mr. Dimitri has come home.”

“I’ll be right there.”

She smiled in relief. “Wonderful. I will prepare a late breakfast.” Her hand settled on his arm for a brief moment. “You’ve barely eaten while he’s been gone.”

“I’ve eaten.”

She made a dismissive sound. “Very little and you already eat too little as it is.” It was unusual for him to leave a crumb on his plate and she knew that was likely due to his past. For too many years he’d had nothing, he’d had to fight and beg for scraps of discarded food, so wasting anything went against his beliefs. The fact that he had picked at his meals since Dimitri had been sent out had escaped his notice, but she was well aware of his eating habits. “Go and see to Mr. Dimitri, and I will have the Huevos Rancheros on the table right away.”

He opened his mouth to protest but she was gone before he could get the first word out. He didn’t bother shutting everything down, just double checked the security protocols and locked the door before hurrying to the wing that housed the bedrooms. Dimitri’s room overlooked the backyard and when he peered around the open doorframe he saw the balcony doors open wide.

“D? You in here?”

“Yeah, just scrubbing the grime off,” he called back from the bathroom.

“You didn’t call.”

“No, I didn’t.” He stepped into the bedroom, running a towel over his hair to dry it off. “I got Liam and Duncan to the medical facility and turned the rest of the bodies over to my contacts as we had arranged. Martinez and Bernard stayed for treatment of a few minor injuries and to keep an eye on the others.”

“Duncan’s alive.” Relief practically rolled off of him at the news. “What’re their conditions?”

“Liam’s critical. He took a bullet to the back that missed all of the vital organs and one grazed the right side of his head. He did more damage when he blacked out and hit a tree. He hit his head pretty good and busted some ribs but their concern is the loss of blood he suffered and whether or not he’ll regain consciousness. Duncan took two rounds to the chest. His injuries are more serious but the doctors are optimistic about his condition.”

“How many bodies did you turn over?”

“Five dead that Liam brought in and then we had three injured but alive that Martinez and Bernard brought down from the mountain. They cleared the cabin and cleaned up the area so if Knight sends more people in they’ll have no idea where they’re going or if they’re in the right place.” He tossed the towel on the bed and grabbed a shirt, pulling it on and then rolling his shoulders as he tugged it into place.

Shakes moved to the balcony doors and walked outside. He braced his hands on the decorative sun-warmed stone that bordered the balcony. His blue eyes moved over the yard, following the dogs as they walked the perimeter before lying in a shady spot.

“We’re in too deep to start having second thoughts now, David.”

“I’m not having second thoughts,” he denied.

“Then you’re second-guessing yourself. Look, we’ve had a run of bad luck the past couple days but it’s bound to happen even in the best operations. You can’t foresee every single thing that can go wrong.” He walked up behind David and rested his hands on his shoulders, waiting to see if his touch would be welcome before he started to massage the tension he could feel knotting the muscles.

“Do you know how easily Nicholas could’ve screwed her up for life?”

Dimitri sighed. “I know he didn’t. I know he’s been taken out of the picture. And I know we’re this close to taking Knight down permanently.”

“Yeah,” Shakes muttered as he shook Dimitri’s hands off and started to pace, “we’re this close and it’s falling apart. Nicholas attacked Liz, Knight not only got people to Ava’s location, he got the drop on Liam and Duncan, and the kid’s got a meet with him tonight and without Nicholas we have no ears inside. He has no reason to hurt the kid tonight but he’s becoming unpredictable and I can’t rely on what he’s done in the past. The only reason he’s even keeping the kid around is because he’s a sadistic bastard who enjoys exerting control over others.”

What was his connection to Max Evans? There had to be some sort of history there for this level of involvement. Considering the distance David kept between him and everyone he had seen him interact with there had to be more to the story. This went beyond the boundaries of friendship, it defied reason, and he wanted to understand what it was that drew him to the other man.

“We have no way of getting eyes and ears inside before tonight. That’s been next to impossible to do when we haven’t been under a time constraint. So we’ll just do it old school. We’ll tail him to the meet and conduct surveillance from a distance.”

“He’ll probably take him to one of his warehouses.”

“Well, that’ll limit our visibility but it won’t keep us from monitoring the situation. If we’re gonna have eyes on what’s going on we’re gonna have to be up high so once we have the location we’ll have to move fast. It’s not impossible, it’s just gonna take a little more work.”

“And if he chooses one of his buildings with no windows?”

“Then I’ll get a chance to show off my toys. Your boy may play it cool but he’s gonna be on edge and that’s gonna raise his body temp. If anything bad goes down I’ll be able to single him out even without actually seeing him.” He hooked his thumbs in his pockets and leaned in the doorframe. “Has your agent had any luck tracking down the information you asked for?”

“Yeah, I have what I need as far as that’s concerned.” He glanced at his watch. “Actually I should get going before I miss my opportunity.” He paused to meet Dimitri’s gaze when he reached the door and the other man straightened away from the frame. “Alejandra’s making a late breakfast.”

“I’ll be sure to clean my plate.” His eyes moved over David slowly. “Something I have a feeling you haven’t been doing.”

He frowned. Why did people keep mentioning that? It wasn’t like he’d dropped any weight in the past 24 hours. “I need to go before I’m late.” He moved out into the hallway but was stopped a moment later by Dimitri’s words.

“At some point you have to stop running. We’ve almost reached the end of this mission and I won’t be disappearing once it’s over.” Dimitri rested his shoulder against the frame once again, wishing his words hadn’t caused David’s spine to stiffen. “That’s not a threat, David. But I do intend to be around in whatever capacity you’ll have me.”

Shakes continued on his way, taking the stairs two at a time in his hurry to get out of the house. He respected Dimitri, cared for him a great deal, but he didn’t believe he could ever give him the kind of relationship he deserved. In spite of his words he wanted more than friendship. He wanted something more permanent and if there was one thing he knew to be true it was that nothing lasted forever and no one ever stayed for long.

Dimitri didn’t know the extent of the damage he had suffered in his life. He didn’t have a nice history filled with happy stories of family holidays and vacations. It was dark and tragic, filled with pain and suffering, and some things were best left locked away. No good could come of bringing it up and unloading on him. The ex-agent knew he had his demons and he tried not to push but he wanted to know the truth. He was also jealous of Max. He was sure there was some kind of history between them beyond what he had revealed. That thought actually brought a small smile to his face.

If he only knew how misguided his jealousy was.

*****

District Attorney Samuel J. McCarthy produced his credentials for the new doorman and entered the private club when the door was held open. He frowned at the man when he called him, waving at another member that was holding the elevator doors open. There was no point making someone else wait for him while he was temporarily detained.

“Yes?”

“Your lunch guest has already arrived.”

“My guest?”

“Yes, sir.” He ran a gloved finger down the guest ledger, tapping the entry when he reached it. “Mr. Atlas. He was escorted to the main dining room per your request.”

“Thank you.” He forced a smile. “I must’ve forgotten we had made plans.” He had no plans to meet anyone for lunch and after his recent brush with death he had become more cautious about his daily routine. He wasn’t the type of man to back down from a fight though so he straightened his spine, inhaled deeply, and crossed to the elevator.

Whoever had come to meet with him had taken a great risk. A single nod of his head to the right person and he would have half a dozen of the club’s security personnel surrounding the table. He entered the dining room and as he made his way to his usual table he studied the man already seated there. At first glance he looked like any other lawyer or businessman stopping in for lunch at the exclusive club; dressed in a sharply cut business suit sans tie, which wasn’t required unless members were having dinner in the evenings. He had apparently done his research, he mused.

“Mr. Atlas, I presume,” he said as he took his seat.

Shakes lifted his eyes to look at the D.A. and he nodded in acknowledgment. “D.A. McCarthy. You’re a hard man to pin down.”

“Most people make an appointment through my office.”

“I prefer my anonymity.”

McCarthy waited until they had made their orders before he leaned back and lifted his right eyebrow. “What can I do for you?”

“We have a common interest in seeing Damon Knight and his organization brought to its knees.” He studied the other man’s carefully concealed response. “What we do not have in common is an interest in seeing Max Evans avoid more prison time.”

He nodded and he rested his chin on his steepled fingers. “Ah, you’re the man Captain Stone spoke of. Mr. Atlas, I have an obligation to uphold the law. The young man you’re referring to has become involved in an unfortunate situation but his parole conditions were very clear. He made a choice to immerse himself in that life again and as such will be punished accordingly.”

“The young man I’m referring to has put everything on the line to save a friend.” His eyes narrowed. “A friend that your office with all its considerable resources couldn’t protect. You made a valiant effort, I’ll give you that much, but when you’re dealing with corruption at these levels it’s nearly impossible to win against the odds. His choice has leveled that playing field and given you the opportunity to rid this city of Knight and his organization.”

He sighed in frustration when the District Attorney shook his head. “You have the power to grant him immunity. He’s a low-level, non-violent offender and you’d be a fool to throw this chance away. You grant immunity to various levels of offenders all the time to get what you want. You cut deals left and right so don’t give me a line of bull about upholding the law. You may never again have an opportunity to make a difference like this. Knight is only getting more powerful and untouchable with every passing day.”

“Granting him immunity from prosecution serves no purpose.”

“You’ve spoken to his parole officer; James Valenti is a close friend and one you trust more than most. You value his opinion. Don’t try to make an example of someone who doesn’t deserve it. You want Knight and his organization removed from this city, you want to know who he controls in your beloved justice system, and you can have both. We’ll deliver a fatal blow to his organization and produce that list but I want Max Evans and Ava Johnson granted full immunity from prosecution. You have the authority to make that happen and I want the agreement in my hands before the day is over.”

“You seem to have a special interest in seeing Knight taken down, Mr. Atlas.”

“My interest is my own.” He rubbed his forearm unconsciously. “If I do not have the agreement by end of business today Max Evans and Ava Johnson will disappear. You can look but you won’t find them. If you can’t make the deal then I’ll guarantee their protection myself. Without the deal they’ll never be safe in this city and after everything they’ve been through, everything they’ve done to help destroy Knight’s organization, that’s the least you can do for them.”

“I could simply have him arrested right now.”

“And unless you’re on the take you’d have no reason to make that call. We both know you aren’t.” He fell silent when the waiter returned to place their meals on the table.

“He has to be wired – legally.”

“Not tonight. They’re looking for him to slip up and Knight’s right-hand man will be all over him. Do what you have to do to get the wire legal and let me have the device. I can alter it so that it isn’t detected by their equipment. Tonight’s a test; the real shipment comes in Saturday. Grant them immunity and by the end of the night he’ll no longer be running this city.”

“Knight has been notoriously difficult to prosecute.” McCarthy watched his uninvited guest with interest when he ignored what was quite possibly the best meal in the city. “And given the delicacy of the situation we have very little room to operate.”

“You’re the kind of man that stands up for what’s right. You’re a man of conviction. You may look at Evans and Johnson and see nothing more than repeat offenders but you won’t let that cost you a potentially fatal blow to Knight’s organization even if you’re not certain it’ll work out. You may feel like you’re fighting an uphill battle that will never be won but you’ll never stop fighting. You believe in the system in spite of the corruption you know has infiltrated its ranks. They’re both willing to do what’s necessary to help put an end to Knight’s reign but they’re not putting themselves on the altar of justice for anyone. One way or the other his organization will fall.” He shifted and stared at the other man. “We’re coming up on an election year, District Attorney McCarthy. Bringing down his organization and cleaning up the corruption would generate an extensive amount of publicity and the sky’s the limit for a man with that kind of success on his resume.”

“With the level of concern you’ve expressed for Mr. Evans I would imagine he’s under a lot of scrutiny from the organization.”

“Yes, he is. So you can understand why it would be next to impossible for him to meet with you.”

“You’re asking me to put a lot of faith in a young man with a criminal record that I’ve never spoken to. And a man I know nothing about,” he said with a pointed look.

“I don’t deny that. But you’ve spoken with Captain Stone and Officer Valenti so you know he’s trying very hard to do the right thing. His parole officer believes in him and considering the success rate in his profession I can only imagine that must be a difficult thing.” He tapped his thumb against the side of his plate. “If he’s seen speaking to you, Captain Stone, or any other law enforcement officer, Knight will get rid of him without a second thought. He won’t run the risk this close to a shipment coming in.”

“You’re in contact with Captain Stone?”

“In a manner of speaking.”

McCarthy leaned forward and extended his hand. The man had presented such a convincing case that he didn’t have the heart to tell him he’d already made the decision to take Captain Stone’s advice and approve the deal. “You have your deal, Mr. Atlas. We’ll coordinate through her to avoid any information leaks.”

*****

Maria looked up from the puzzle she was working on when someone knocked on the door and she got up to go and answer it. She tugged the curtain aside to peer out the window, her eyes darting back and forth as she scanned the street for the man Michael had watching them. She wasn’t surprised when she didn’t see him; he blended into the shadows, careful to avoid being seen. She pulled the door open when she saw Liz and she motioned for her to come inside.

“What’re you doing out this late?”

“You know you’re getting old when it’s not even nine o’clock and you consider that late.”

Maria rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

“Max had someplace to be and I just didn’t wanna be alone.” She gnawed on her bottom lip. “I hope this’s okay.”

“Yeah, of course.” She closed and locked the door after giving the street one more visual sweep. “Guess it’s lucky for you we’re staying with my parents while Michael’s out of town. Otherwise the drive would’ve taken a lot longer.”

“I almost called him yesterday,” Liz admitted as she followed Maria into the dining room.

“Who?”

“Michael.”

Maria sat down and looked up at her. “You… almost called Michael,” she said slowly. “Why?”

She took the chair across from her friend and picked up a puzzle piece, studying the shape while she tried to put her thoughts in order. After several minutes of taut silence she finally began to speak, telling Maria what had happened the day before. As the story spilled out she found herself sharing what was going on with Max, expressing her concerns and worries, and freeing her soul from the burden she had been carrying. “He’s taking such a big risk, Maria, and he’s probably gonna go back to prison for it.”

“Are you ready for that?”

“What do you mean?”

“Things are serious between you two. You said you’re in love with him. You’ve run from making a commitment to anyone for a long time now though.”

“Yeah, I have, and I know this’s a serious commitment, but I’m ready for it. It’s what I want and I want it with him.”

Maria smiled. “Have you thought about the things you’re gonna have to deal with?”

“Well, I mean, there’s the prison thing of course. But I’ll be able to visit him and,” she shrugged with a grin, “he’ll be able to have conjugal visits.”

She laughed and shook her head. “Not unless the two of you get married before he goes back to prison.”

“What?”

“Conjugal visits only apply to married couples, Liz. You’ll be able to visit him but that’s about as far as it’s gonna go until he gets out. And you’re talking about drugs so he could also be charged with a federal offense, which would increase his time because, so the chance of parole…” she shook her head. “It’d be unlikely if he’s charged and sentenced to a federal prison. Are you ready if it comes down to that?”

“I’m not walking away from him.”

“Have you thought about other things you’re gonna have to deal with? Your differences financially, the fact that he does and always will have a record, or the way the people in your social circle will react to him?”

“Six months ago I wasn’t ready but now I am. Yeah, we’ll probably argue about money more than once, but the way I see it, he’s driven. He may never be rich, but whatever he decides to do, I believe he’ll be successful and happy, and that’s what matters most. Max isn’t the only one with a past. I’ve got my own issues and we’re dealing with that. And maybe some of the people in my circle won’t understand what I see in him or agree with my decision to be with him but that’s their problem.”

Maria nodded. “Is he gonna try to cut a deal for a lighter sentence?” She wished she knew how all of this tied in with Michael’s involvement.

“I wanted him to talk to my lawyer but he’s so paranoid about who could be on this guy’s payroll and I’m not so sure he’s wrong. I don’t think my lawyer’s involved in anything like that but I’m scared to talk to him now. If the wrong person were to find out what’s going on it could cost Max his life.” She set the puzzle piece down and picked up another. “He knows where I am, that I’m talking to you.”

“He’s very supportive of you.”

Liz smiled and tapped the corner of the piece against the table. “You have no idea.”

*****

Ava was pacing and watching the clock. It had been dark for the past few hours and she knew that was when Damon’s deals went down. Michael had shared what he knew of the plan and it made her nervous not knowing what was going on. Even though the deal wasn’t technically going down until Saturday there were so many things that could go wrong. Damon loved to toy with people and he had no problem stringing them along until he tired of the game.

“You’re sure they’ll contact you when he’s safe?”

“It won’t be much, just a single word, but it’ll let us know he’s okay,” Michael said as he thumbed through the channels. “He couldn’t have a better group of people watching his back.”

She gnawed on her thumbnail and glanced out into the darkness, moving to the window and watching the pinpoints of light on a yacht as it sailed by. There was no point in questioning him further; he didn’t know more than what he’d already told her.

“I need a cable package like this.”

Kyle snorted as he walked into the room carrying a beer and a plate stacked high with several kinds of sandwiches. “Whatever. Maria would never let you have 500 channels.” He nudged Ava when he passed her. “C’mon, let’s eat.”

“Slave over a hot stove for that, Valenti?”

“Hey, it’s better than what you make.”

“I don’t cook, I grill. Ask Maria.” He shrugged. “And Court said no grilling.”

“Did you look at that kitchen? Built-in indoor grill.”

He scanned through more channels and shrugged. “Not the same thing.”

Kyle rolled his eyes and separated the paper plates stacked beneath the sandwiches, placing them on the coffee table and leaning forward to take Ava’s hand to pull her down beside him. “Grilled cheese with tomato for the lady.” He looked at Michael. “You’ve got the ham an’ Swiss. And don’t you dare even ask if I cut that skin off the edges of the ham.”

Michael scowled at him and grabbed a couple of the sandwiches. “Where’s DJ?”

“Why? Want him to come cut your sandwich for you?”

“Bite me.”

Kyle laughed and leaned back next to Ava. “How’s our girl?”

“Sleeping like a rock. She’s been sleeping so much since yesterday,” she said as she picked at the crust on her sandwich.

“She’s just worn out from all the excitement.” He rested his left arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “You crashed pretty hard last night too, remember?”

She smiled slightly. “I guess I did.” She nudged him with her elbow when he yawned. “Are you gonna get any sleep tonight?”

“He’s off duty tonight,” Courtney said as she joined them.

“Why don’t you both take the night off?” DJ grabbed one of the sandwiches and threw himself down in a chair. “You’re not gonna be any use to anyone if you get so exhausted you start seeing double. This place’s a fortress.”

“Do you remember yesterday?” She shook her head at him and moved to stand next to the window.

“It’d be kinda hard to forget guys trying to take my head off my shoulders. Look, you said yourself they’ll be scrambling to figure out what happened and how Ava got off that mountain. Not to mention, there’s the little mystery of where their people went. They have no reason to suspect my involvement and even if they did they’d never be able to locate this place.”

“And if they did find us here? Are you ready to pick up a gun and shoot someone if they come through these doors?”

The past couple of days had been a learning experience and one he wasn’t likely to forget any time soon. He leaned forward and pointed at Michael. “I might not be a cop, an FBI agent, or any other badge carrying civil servant, but that guy right there wouldn’t have brought me into this if he didn’t think I could hold my own if it came down to that.”

“That’s true,” Michael mumbled around a mouthful of food. “You an’ Kyle get some shuteye tonight. We’ll take a turn at keepin’ watch.”

DJ gave him a thumbs-up and grinned at Courtney. “I can live with that compromise.”

“I think we’ve been outvoted, Court,” Kyle said as he dropped his head back against the couch and closed his eyes.

Silence fell over the room when the nondescript cell phone lying on the coffee table started to vibrate and they all turned to stare at it. Michael reached for it, turning it over and pressing the button to open up the message. They held their breath as they waited to find out if Max had made it through the meeting with Knight in one piece.

*****

Max nodded at the bouncer blocking the door to Falcone’s and after giving him the onceover the giant of a man nodded and shifted to grant him entrance. He had never liked the club. It was a place where people went to unmask their darker sides and often enough it ended badly.

The club was filled to capacity, the music so loud the walls and floor reverberated with the bass, and all around him drug deals were being transacted. Falcone’s was well known for its popularity with the wealthy and between money and Damon’s influence it had remained a hot spot for deals and buys. There were a lot of small-time transactions; college kids scoring a buy, affluent businessmen and women making a quick celebratory stop after making a powerhouse deal for a client, and the occasional bored housewife who wanted to take a walk on the wild side.

Not all of the deals that went down were drug related. He knew there were backroom deals going at that very moment involving money laundering, prostitution, gambling, and guns. Sex or drugs, it was hard to say which one was the most profitable. Both brought in obscene amounts of money and both were destructive. Damon couldn’t have cared less who got hurt as long as he was turning a profit; he had turned numerous lives upside down, destroyed families, made deals that made civilized people behave like animals, and he had left his mark on the city.

He was a destructive force and it was his very ability to pinpoint vulnerabilities and weaknesses and expose them that had made him so rich. He fed on those things, drawing power from them and reigning over the city because those very weaknesses had given him the leverage he needed to make him untouchable. He corrupted everything he touched; he knew how to appeal to a person’s darker side, knew how to twist anything around to his own advantage, and he had no conscience.

At 16 he would’ve done just about anything to get off the streets. Ava had been so sick she might’ve died and he hadn’t been much better at the time. By some miracle they had survived three years on the streets and just as their luck had run out Damon had been there to pull them from the darkness and save them. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, he thought as he weaved his way through the crowd. No, he didn’t regret that. How could he? He and Ava were both alive today because Damon had taken them in.

“Taking a trip down memory lane?”

He turned his head to look at Pascal. “Be hard not to.”

“Let’s go.”

He followed the man to the back and away from the prying eyes of the club’s clientele. He wasn’t surprised when he was grabbed and thrown up against a wall and patted down roughly by one of Pascal’s men. He turned around and straightened his clothes when the man stepped back and informed Pascal that he was clean. “Satisfied?”

“Not yet.” He crossed his arms over his chest and nodded at the office behind them. “Check him for any kind of electronic devices.”

“You really think I’d come wired to a meet with Damon?” He shook his head and leaned back against the wall while he waited. “You must think I’m pretty fuckin’ stupid.”

Pascal stared at him. “I think you want out. I think you’re desperate to get out and desperate people do stupid things.” The right corner of his mouth lifted for a moment. “Ava was desperate and look where it got her.”

Ava was safe. He repeated it over and over in his head. Max had known Damon’s right-hand man for years and he knew better than to let him see a single sign of weakness. All Pascal needed was the slightest sign and he would be on him like a rabid dog. Like Damon he had never exhibited ownership of a conscience but he didn’t mind getting his hands dirty. As he had become more powerful the head of the organization had become more cautious about handling certain things himself, turning most of the dirty work over to his right-hand man.

Pascal had no such reservations. He enjoyed hurting people and he loved toying with them, waiting them out and going for the jugular the moment they revealed their fear. He watched as Max was checked for surveillance equipment and his eyes glittered dangerously in the dimly lit hallway when he was declared to be clean.

He continued to stare at the street rat. He was going to slip up sooner or later, he could feel it. There were more tells than he could count but he could identify them the moment he saw them. Dilated pupils, perspiration, a bobbing Adam’s apple, clenching fists, rapid eye movement, fidgety movements, stuttering, shifting from one foot to the other, he knew them all and he was just waiting. “Let’s go.”

Max followed him and when they reached the back alley he was unceremoniously shoved toward the waiting car. He turned to the man who had frisked him and he slammed his fist into his face. “Keep your fuckin’ hands off of me.” He grabbed his hand and applied pressure as he twisted it and forced the man to face the car. He added more pressure, knowing exactly how much it took to snap a finger bone. He reined himself in and stopped just short of breaking it. “Put ‘em on me again and I’ll break every one of your fuckin’ fingers.”

He didn’t say another word as he got into the car, his eyes ice cold as he stared at the man Pascal ordered into the front seat. He had known he was going to have to allow himself to slip back into the persona he had developed over the years while working for Damon but it made him sick to his stomach. It wasn’t who he was anymore and even though it was necessary and only for a short time he hated it.

Alien_Friend: Thanks for the compliment!

At some point Shakes will finally explain his relationship with Max. He’s still trapped in his past and he doesn’t really know how to move beyond it. Dimitri’s a man who knows his own mind and like you said, he knows how to determine what he’s willing or not willing to deal with in a partner.

Shakes will do everything in his power to keep Max safe. He has pushed and will continue to push to make sure Max survives and goes on to live a decent life.

The trip with Knight is going to take a toll on Max but he has a strong support system to help him deal with it.

The girls are lucky to have each other. And Max and Liz? They’ve taken great strides in their relationship and they’re both stronger for it. Love is a powerful thing and it’s brought out the best in both of these characters.

DJ’s definitely earned his keep and as a reward he’s met someone who intrigues him. Not sure how thrilled Court is about that though, lol.

xilaj: One of these days RL is gonna cooperate and I’m gonna make it more than two Sundays in a row, lol. Eventually we’ll really get a glimpse inside Shakes’ head because he’s gonna share his story from his own point of view… and it’s getting closer.

Max having had Ava at his side all their years on the streets was an important difference between him and Shakes. We’re getting closer to that revelation, learning why Max means so much to Shakes and what exactly Knight did to him.

Evil grin? Me? Lol, no, but unfortunately Nicholas’ demise did throw a monkey wrench in the plans. True, Max is on his own, even though Shakes is doing his damnedest to be there, he can’t really be there and the cavalry can’t ride in because it would jeopardize everything for Saturday night’s takedown.

Immunity from prosecution is a big step towards their future, but again, hinges on Saturday’s takedown. Lol, Michael would likely not be pleased. Luckily she knew nothing about the plan, where he is, or what’s going on, so that much was safely kept from being shared.

Unfortunately, the meeting isn’t going to be easy and it’s only going to cause more problems to arise. But, Max is a fighter, so keep that in mind.

begonia9508: Lol, I totally understand that!

It’s a sad reality, isn’t it? But Max will continue his fight and in the end will hopefully rise above these difficulties.

keepsmiling7: If it meant bringing down someone as powerful as Knight, it could happen.

Strawbehrry Shortcake: Thanks! I love those scenes.

Lol, well, it’s not the muse that’s causing the time lapse between updates.

Saturday’s getting closer but we’ve still got a little ways to go.

killjoy: Thanks for reading! Lol, happy to hear you’re enjoying Kyle/Ava and all the family scenes.

LuckyMiss: Thank you so much!

1. Dimitri is a good guy, promise. He’s trying, but without really knowing the whole story he can’t quite rein in his jealousy.
2. The girls are lucky to have each other and being able to express some of their worries has to be good for them.
3. Lol, yeah, DJ and Courtney kinda came outta nowhere – I wasn’t expecting them either.
4. There’s always the possibility that something could go wrong so keep your fingers crossed.
5. Max is in a difficult spot and I hate to say it, but it’s about to become even more difficult. But he is brave and he’ll persevere.

roswellian love: Thanks for reading!


Part 52

Max looked around the empty warehouse as he stepped out of the car, careful not to reveal his surprise at the choice of locations. He knew the shipment wasn’t coming in tonight so why bring him to a warehouse near the docks? Damon had to know by now that he wasn’t wired and hadn’t led the cops to the meet so what was the point in keeping up the pretense?

“I thought we had a shipment to move,” he said, careful to keep his tone emotionless.

“We do,” Damon said smoothly as he stepped out of the shadows, “and we will. But first we have some business to tend to.”

He just nodded and wished he had backup.

“Pascal thinks you’ve turned on me.” He turned slowly to look at Max. “Have you?”

His blood ran cold when he glanced at Pascal and saw the predatory gleam in his eyes. “No.”

“And you wouldn’t be foolish enough to set me up, would you?”

“So I could spend the rest of my life waiting for you to have me taken out? Hell no.”

Damon’s right hand shot out and he pressed the barrel of his gun to Max’ chest. “So if I shoot you right now I don’t need to worry about anyone coming through my doors.”

“No, you’d just have a mess to clean up.”

He laughed and lowered the gun. “That’s good because you’re still useful. Mr. McCallum on the other hand… I think he’s outlived his usefulness.”

“Who?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten the man responsible for reuniting you with your long lost sister.” He motioned across the warehouse and someone turned on a row of lights to illuminate the opposite end of the building.

“Damon, what’re you doin’?” Max demanded when he saw the man bound to the chair.

“He’s looking a little beat down, Pascal,” Damon called. “Why don’t you help him straighten up a bit?” He checked the gun he held before taking aim. “I thought we’d stay at this end. No need to get blood on our clothes. The gag should be more than sufficient to keep him quiet.”

“The guy doesn’t have any interest in your organization! All he was doin’ was lookin’ for me.”

“He’s an ex-cop, Max. I let him go and the next thing you know I’ll have trouble on my hands. And you’ll be on your way back to prison.” He studied the younger man. “I can see that you find that option preferable to murder though.” He holstered the gun and paced for a moment, taking his time, drawing out Max’s suffering as he stared at the bound investigator. “Someone is going to die tonight because until Pascal is satisfied that you’re not working for the cops I won’t have a moment of rest. And what better way to prove that than for you to be a willing accomplice to murder? There are other options of course.” He moved to his briefcase, open on a folding card table, and lifted out a manila envelope. He shook its contents out and moved to rest one hip on the front fender of the car that had delivered Max to him.

Max fought to control his response as Damon laid out a series of photos across the hood of the car. He could feel Pascal’s gaze on him just waiting for him to reveal any sign of weakness. He stared at the pictures and immediately recognized his sister and her fiancé. He shook his head when his eyes settled on the little girl in the last picture. He hadn’t been introduced to their daughter but Shakes had told him he had a niece. “She’s just a little kid, Damon.”

“True,” he mused as he gently brushed a fingertip over her image, “no reason to waste her; she’d bring in a good price.”

“No.” He shook his head. “No, you leave them alone.”

“It’s one or the other, Max, your choice.” He braced his weight on his palm, feeling the heat from the engine seep into his skin. “Your sister,” he mused as he tipped his head to one side to study the photograph of the statuesque blonde woman, “there’s a market for her type too.” He shrugged with a dismissive glance at the man in the next shot. “Him, not much use for him in any capacity. Not even worth the price of a bullet.”

“I’m already in so deep I can’t walk away, what more do you want from me?”

“It’s your choice, Max; one dead investigator or one of these fine specimens on my auction block.”

He shook his head. “That’s unconscionable.”

“Pick that up in one of your schoolbooks?”

“Damon, I’m here, okay? I’m ready to make the deliveries on that shipment. You said it was a large shipment and that usually means you’re sending out volume deliveries. I get caught with that kinda weight I’m not gonna see the light of day for a very long time. This,” he motioned to the investigator who was still slumped over, “this isn’t necessary.”

“Six years ago it wouldn’t have been necessary. But back then it was just you and Ava.” He shrugged and made a sound of boredom. “Fear of what I would’ve done to her and you if you’d cut a deal and rolled on me was enough to keep you quiet. Now I’m not so sure that’s enough. You’ve become unpredictable and that’s not good in my business.” He took the gun out of the holster and released the magazine into his palm, checking it and then emptying the chamber. He pulled another magazine from his pocket and placed it on the table next to the one he’d removed from the gun. “One with live ammo and one with blanks… choose my next sale or choose a magazine.”

*****

Shakes rubbed his temples as he listened to Knight playing games with Max. The kid was playing it cool but he could hear the underlying tension in his voice every time he spoke. He wished he’d been able to prepare him for what he was dealing with but unfortunately he’d had no warning of what was coming.

They had been able to climb to the roof of a nearby building with a view of the warehouse but the visibility was limited at best. Dimitri had spent the afternoon working on a listening device and he had been able to adjust it but they hadn’t known until they reached their destination if it would work or not.

“Talk about a mind fuck,” Dimitri muttered. He hadn’t understood why Knight had mentioned the investigator being there until the conversation had taken a twisted turn they hadn’t expected. “At least he’s got a 50/50 chance of choosing the mag with the blanks.”

“The damage is already done, D. Live ammo or blanks, it doesn’t matter which one he chooses. He’s gonna have to choose or he won’t walk outta there alive and that choice will haunt him.”

“David, I know protecting him is important to you, but you can’t be everywhere at once. We could blow the lid off of this right now but we’ll lose the opportunity to bring Knight down and you know that’s the most important thing. He knows it too.”

“Just because you know something doesn’t mean you can live with it.” He pulled his phone out and scanned over a detailed map of the area, memorizing a nearby address and punching in a number.

“Martinez, make the call.” He rattled off the address and nodded at the response from the other end. “Yeah, and get outta there as soon as you’re finished.”

Dimitri shook his head. “This could jeopardize the entire mission.”

“It’s my mission, D.” What Knight was doing was bad enough. The last thing he wanted was for Max to end up with that gun in his hand. Nothing was going to stop that shipment from coming in on Saturday night; too much planning had already gone into it. Worst case scenario, the site for the drop would be changed to the alternate location, and he could work around that. He watched through the high-powered binoculars, gnawing on his bottom lip as Max’s hand hovered uncertainly over the two magazines.

*****

“I say we cut our losses and end the street rat here and now,” Pascal growled. He was quickly tiring of the games the boss enjoyed so much and this was no different.

Damon waved him off. “Just be patient. This’s a big decision for Max.” He pulled another gun out and chambered a round before pressing the barrel to the younger man’s temple. “But at the same time, Pascal’s right. Either you prove yourself or I’ll put you down right here and now.”

Max could feel the sweat rolling down his back, the hammering of his heart, could hear the blood rushing through his ears and drowning out everything else. His gaze bounced between the pictures of his sister and his niece and then back up to lock on the investigator at the end of the building. It was a choice and he would have to live with it. He could refuse but that would just earn him a bullet to the back of the head and then Damon would kill the investigator and go after his family anyway.

Damon looked up when sirens could be heard in the distance and his men scattered to check the streets. He nudged Max with the gun. “Time’s running out.”

“Must be a fire in the area,” one of the men called.

“That’s right,” he murmured when Max’s hand lowered just a fraction of an inch. He could feel the tension causing fine tremors to race through his body as they were transmitted through the gun he held to his head. He had never been able to turn Max into a killer. Oh, he’d managed to turn him into an enforcer but even though he’d been good at it he’d never enjoyed it. He had watched the changes as he began to use more in an effort to bury the guilt he felt for hurting people.

“Damon, we need to get outta here,” Pascal urged. Firefighters weren’t the only ones who responded to the scene of a fire.

“Choose now, Max.” With his free hand he reached out and pressed his fingertips to the edges of the photos. “You make the call or by morning I’ll be taking bids on one of them.”

Max swallowed hard as he slapped his hand over the magazine on the left. He snatched the pictures up and slid them back into the envelope, closing it and shoving it in his back pocket. “You’ve got what you wanted, Damon. Leave my family alone.”

Damon laughed as he screwed a silencer into place on the gun in his hand and aimed it at the man across the room.

“No!” His eyes widened when he saw what Damon was doing. “What’re you doing? I said this one!” He didn’t know if the magazine he’d chosen was loaded with live ammo or not but he knew without a doubt the one in Damon’s hand was live.

He felt his stomach roll nauseatingly when Damon squeezed the trigger and less than a heartbeat later the investigator’s body jerked convulsively. “What’re you tryin’ to prove?!” He looked away when the man fired off another shot.

“You never did have the stomach for this.”

“Because it’s unnecessary!”

“Maybe.” Damon holstered the weapon. “Pascal, have this mess cleaned up. We’ll conduct our business at a later date.” He looked at Max. “Let’s go, I’ll have you dropped off.”

“The shipment,” he mumbled as he stared at the investigator. Damon’s men were already hurrying to unbind him so they could remove the body and clean the warehouse of any evidence. “We were supposed to be meeting an incoming shipment tonight.”

“Did I say that was tonight?” He smiled to himself as Santini opened the door and he slid into the backseat of the waiting car. “There was a slight change in plans. We’ll be conducting that business on Saturday night.”

He just nodded and settled into the seat closest to the door, wanting to escape as quickly as possible when they reached their destination.

*****

Liz stepped into the elevator and punched the button for her floor. She moved to lean back against the far wall and her eyes lifted to the digital pad on the opposite wall just as someone reached in to stop the doors from sliding shut. She tensed but immediately relaxed when she recognized the man who moved to rest against the wall facing her.

“Shakes, what’re you doing here?” Her eyes widened fearfully when she saw the expression on his face. “It’s Max, isn’t it? Something’s happened.”

“He wasn’t hurt.”

“But something went wrong.”

He glanced around the interior of the elevator. “I’d feel better if we could have this conversation someplace private.”

They were alone but Liz nodded, not questioning his request. As soon as they were behind the closed door of her apartment she turned to look at him. She called Diablo over to her when the dog came into the room to investigate. “What happened?”

“Knight’s twisted, Liz. He’ll do anything he can to screw with people and right now he wants to make sure the kid knows he holds all the cards.”

She swallowed hard. “What’d he do?”

Anger rose up inside of her as she listened to him explain what had happened and when he was finished speaking she reached out to touch his arm.

Shakes moved just enough to avoid the contact and he forced a smile when she nodded. “If there had been any way for me to tell him what was going on, any way to stop it, I would’ve.”

“He knows that and he won’t blame you. He’d never blame you. Do you have any idea what you’ve done for him? For us? You’ve done so much for so many people, a lot of them people you’ve never even met.”

“I know he’s tried to protect you from this, but you’re the only one who might be able to get through to him right now. It’s too risky for me to be seen with him in public and we’d end up in a fight anyway.” He shook his head when she opened her mouth to protest. “Girls talk things out, they cry, they throw things. Guys, and especially guys like me and Max, you put us together in a situation like this one and punches are gonna be thrown. It has nothing to do with him being mad at me or blaming me; it’s about needing to hit something and knowing the other guy understands that without having to talk it out.”

Liz nodded even though she’d never understood that method of dealing with things. But it wasn’t imperative that she understand it. Max needed her and that was the only thing that mattered at the moment.

“I can tell you where he is.”

She smiled and shook her head as she gathered her things. “I know where he is, Shakes. I’ll take care of him.”

“Liz, you may have to let him go. He may need to find his own answers before he can be around you.” He knew she didn’t understand but he hoped that if Max pulled away she would be strong enough to let him go. “Just let him know I’ve increased security on his family. My people will do everything necessary to ensure their safety.” He stepped out into the corridor when she opened the door. “And I haven’t had the opportunity to apologize for Nicholas getting to you the other day – “

“You don’t owe me an apology for that or anything else.” She pressed the button to call the elevator. “Just keep him alive, Shakes.”

He nodded. “When you see him… don’t pry and don’t push him.” He held a hand up before she could deny it. “He’s gotta make sense of this before he can talk about it. If he can talk about it. He just needs to know he’s not gonna lose you over what happened. He has enough to deal with right now.”

She braced her hand against the wall next to the elevator. “Did Max save your life or something in the past?”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s just, you’ve gone to so much effort and expense to help him and you haven’t once asked for anything in return.”

He smiled enigmatically. “You should go now, he’s waiting. I’ll wait and go down in a few minutes.”

“You think someone’s watching my building?”

“Your guard hasn’t seen anything that would indicate you’re being watched but after what went down at that warehouse I don’t want to take the risk.”

“There’s a back entrance that lets out into a courtyard.” She looked up when the elevator opened and when she saw that the car was empty she leaned back against the door to hold it open while she dug around in her bag. After a few moments she pulled out a key card and handed it to him. “It’ll get you out through the courtyard gates.”

He nodded and held it up. “I’ll make sure it gets back to you.”

*****

Diablo walked beside Liz, alert and watchful as they moved through Central Park. Even though they normally came to the park during the day he was familiar with the path, the scents, and the sounds. There were fewer people and there were new scents that came with the dark of night. The path was well lit and the metallic sound of his tags clinking together as he moved was the one sound that remained constant.

Traffic noise wasn’t silenced but walking along the path, surrounded by the trees and the quiet of the park, it was subdued. He could feel the unease in his mistress and that only increased his awareness of their surroundings. He froze when she called him, her quiet voice commanding his attention. He looked up at her, a nearly inaudible whine escaping as he sought the reason for their abrupt stop.

He paused and turned his head, his ears snapping forward and his nose twitching as he sniffed, drawing in a familiar and beloved scent. His head lifted as his gaze settled on Max and he whined sharply at the distress he could sense coming from the man. He felt the hand on his back and his gaze moved to his mistress when he felt the leash being released from his collar.

“Go to Max, Diablo. Go!”

He needed no further urging, breaking into a run that had his long, graceful legs eating up the distance in a matter of seconds. He slowed as he neared his goal and covered the rest of the ground at an uncertain walk. He moved to stand between Max’s knees, nudging the man’s bowed head with his nose before resting his muzzle on his thigh. He felt the tremors and shifted, pushing his muscled body as close as he could and whining quietly in an attempt to coax a response.

“When you see him… don’t pry and don’t push him.”

Shakes’ quiet words echoed in her head as she stared at Max’s dejected posture. He was right where she’d known she’d find him – sitting on the bench facing the statue of Balto. She could only imagine what he was feeling as he sat there, unresponsive to the dog waiting to be acknowledged. She had to be patient, she thought. He was dealing with so much and she had to let him know she was there when he was ready to let her in.

She moved to sit on the bench next to him, but left enough distance between them for him to be comfortable. She called his name quietly but he didn’t respond and she wasn’t sure it was safe to reach over and touch him in his state. He was withdrawn, his eyes locked on the plaque below the statue, and his body so taut he looked like he could snap in half with the slightest movement.

He stared at the plaque, his eyes locked on the three words that had come to mean so much to him. Endurance. Fidelity. Intelligence. But all he could see was his hand slapping down over that magazine, making the conscious choice to end someone’s life. He slowly lifted his head to look at Diablo and he couldn’t bring himself to touch the animal. The feelings inside of him were dark and twisted, taking him back to a place he didn’t want to be. He had fought so hard to change, to become someone decent people would be proud to know, and now he felt like with a single decision he had destroyed everything he had been building.

“Max, I know what happened,” she said, keeping her voice low and soothing. “Shakes came by to see me. He had a message for you.” She gnawed on her bottom lip for several moments as she waited to see if he would respond. “He wanted me to tell you that investigator was already dead.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he said, his voice ragged.

“He was threatening your family.” She shifted and reached for him. “But you aren’t responsible for that investigator’s death. He made the choice – “

He jerked his hand out of reach and got to his feet. “And his only crime was lookin’ for me! Do you understand what I did tonight? It doesn’t matter that he was already dead, Liz! I didn’t know that when I made that choice!” His hands clenched into white-knuckled fists and he fell silent when a couple walked by on the path, taking their time and talking to each other in hushed tones. He knew why Shakes had provided Liz with the information about what had happened but it didn’t matter.

Liz waited until the couple had disappeared from sight before she stood and faced Max. “Why don’t we just go home? You can…” she trailed off when he shook his head negatively. “You can’t stay out here indefinitely, Max.”

He couldn’t be around her, not like this. If he let down his guard with her he knew what would happen and it would destroy the trust they had worked so hard to build between them. It would be so easy to let her comfort him but he knew as sure as the sun would rise the next morning it wouldn’t stop there. There were too many feelings and emotions rioting inside of him and he knew what she needed from him would take a backseat and he couldn’t, he wouldn’t, let that happen.

He didn’t want their first time together to be a quick rough and tumble in the sheets. There was a time and place for that, but it wouldn’t be right their first time. She’d been with enough guys who had taken what she had offered without giving a second thought to what she needed. She deserved more than that from him and he’d be damned if he gave her any less than everything when it happened.

“I want you to go home, Liz. Take Diablo and just go home.”

“Come with us, Max.”

“No. I’m not asking you to go, I’m telling you. You wanna be pissed at me, knock yourself out, but go home.” He backed away, putting more distance between them. It hurt when Diablo moved back, his muscled body planted in front of Liz, as if preventing her from moving any closer to him. “I appreciate you comin’ here to tell me what Shakes said, but…” he shook his head, “I’ve gotta get my head straight.”

Everything in her was screaming for her to grab onto him and never let go but she fought the need to go to him. Shakes had been adamant that she heed his warning and give Max the space he needed to work things out. This was a side of Max that she really knew nothing about and she didn’t know how to deal with him like this. Up until now he had let her in, let her see things that he hadn’t always been comfortable sharing, but this time he was putting a wall up and making it clear that she wasn’t welcome to try and get past it.

“Alright, we’ll go home.”

He wasn’t quick enough to hide his surprise when she capitulated without an argument.

“Before you go… wherever you’re about to go, you should know that Shakes said your family’s being protected. And when you’re ready I’ll be waiting.” She shrugged one shoulder. “To talk, to listen, or to just be with you in silence.”

He nodded and took several more steps before she called his name again. “Yeah,” he grated out. The pull he felt towards her was strong but the alarms going off in his head warning him to get away before he damaged their relationship was even stronger.

She could only imagine what he was going to do after leaving her. Shakes’ words had given her at least an idea of what he was gonna be looking for. “Please be careful.”

He disappeared into the shadows and then hung back to make sure she and Diablo left the park and that her bodyguard was close by. He waited until they were out of sight and then followed them, seeing her safely to her car and watching her pull away. Seconds later the bodyguard Shakes had sent eased out into traffic and stayed close, but not so close to make it obvious.

*****

The streets of East Harlem were busy but as he left the main drag the activity slowed, changed from the chaotic push of New Yorkers rushing to their destinations. In stark contrast to the flashing neon signs, the constant bustle of activity, and the never ending noise, the back alleys were teeming with another kind of life. He moved through the shadows, blending in with his surroundings as he slipped through the neighborhoods to reach his destination.

The building was nondescript: brown paint chipped and peeling to expose the brick beneath, razor wire coiled and running the perimeter of the rooftop, the few windows high up on the walls boarded up, and several red and white no trespassing signs posted. At the single entrance a large man was slouched against the wall, his posture falsely relaxed as his gaze constantly swept the area.

He knew he had already been spotted but unless he did something the man felt was threatening or suspicious he wouldn’t make a move. It had only taken a conversation with an old street contact to get the location. It was one of the few things Damon didn’t have a hand in – or at least he hadn’t been involved years ago. It didn’t matter, he decided. He forced his hands to hang loose at his sides as he crossed the street, but it did little to make him appear non-threatening as he approached the man at the door.

The man straightened, his gaze assessing as he studied the stranger, quickly determining that he wasn’t a spectator. He was well practiced in reading people and he could see the leashed violence in the man’s demeanor. He wasn’t as large or heavily muscled as some of the others that had been admitted that night but the rage inside of him would give him an edge. When he asked a seemingly unassuming question and received the correct answer in response he punched in the code and gave the sliding door a push to allow the other man to enter.

The sounds of fighting were unmistakable and the shouting of bloodthirsty spectators only heightened the rabid energy pulsing through the room. Even though he hadn’t been near one of these fights in years it didn’t seem as if anything had changed. The atmosphere was the same; the space was too hot, which only served to further agitate the fighters, people no one would look at twice and think they were involved in anything as illicit as underground fighting, throwing their money down on the two men at the center of the crowded room, and the constant shouting as they urged on the fighter of their choice. It was rare but there were occasions where the two combatants doing their best to beat each other to a pulp were women.

Tonight though, the two fighters throwing bare-knuckled punches were men. Bare from the waist up, their backs and chests were marked with numbers to distinguish their identities for those betting on the outcome. Names were never exchanged as protection for everyone involved. Number Seven threw an overhand punch and caught Number Six by surprise. The blow temporarily stunned him but it didn’t stop his opponent from continuing to pummel him, driving him to the floor. Prone on the ground his body jerked convulsively from the punches and the concrete around him was spattered with his blood and that of the fighters before him.

The crowd grew frenzied in response, pushing and shoving at each other to get a better look at the pounding taking place before them. As much as their greed and desire for bloodshed sickened him he wanted nothing more at that moment than to be facing off against an opponent. He located the man handling the action and he started to make his way toward him when a hand wrapped around his upper arm and forcibly pulled him back. He slowly turned his head and followed the length of the other person’s arm, his right hand clenching spasmodically because he was just itching to throw a punch. His irritation notched up when he recognized the man and it only worsened when he had the audacity to smirk at him.

“What the fuck are you doin’ here?”

Sean just shrugged and nodded back toward the door, indicating he wanted them to leave.

“I came here to – “

“I know why you came here. But you don’t need to do it this way.”

Max pushed him away from the crowd and shoved him up against the wall. “Get outta here.”

“Come with me.”

He frowned. “I don’t need you to babysit me.”

“In about five minutes this place is gonna be crawling with cops. You wanna work somethin’ out, I’ll take you somewhere you can do that. But, this right here? This isn’t the way to do it. You want me to leave so you can get in there and bust some guy up, I’ll leave. But it’s not worth getting tossed back in jail. Bare knuckles isn’t the only way to work things out, Evans.” He tapped the face of his watch. “Time’s running out.”

Too much was riding on him being free on Saturday night. There were too many people counting on him to do his part and he couldn’t let them down. He nodded and followed Sean from the room, not questioning it when he took a different corridor that led them out through the back of the building. They crossed several streets over before Sean indicated his car and they climbed inside, pulling away just as a couple of cop cars blew by.

“You call that raid in?”

“Yeah, I did.” He drove for a while in silence, well aware that his companion’s temper was at the boiling point. He parked in front of a building in a rundown part of the city and got out, rapping his knuckles on the hood as he rounded the front of the car. He motioned for the other man to get out. “And don’t slam that door.” He went inside, knowing it wouldn’t be long before Evans followed him.

“Gym’s closed for the night.” Seamus Sullivan, better known as Sully to frequenters of TKO Gym, poked his head out of his office and the scowl on his grizzled features softened slightly when he saw who his visitor was. “Where you been, boy?”

He grinned and shrugged one shoulder. “Workin’ like a dog.”

“How many times I told you hittin’ the gym’s just as important for your mind as it is for your body?” He shook his head and ran his hand through his frizzy gray hair that was going in every direction. As a young man his future of a promising career as a heavyweight boxer had been cut short when he had been drafted to fight in Vietnam. When he had finally come back home he hadn’t been able to get in the ring; all of his focus had been on recovering and learning how to cope with losing his right leg. He had struggled to survive for a long time before he had realized he still had something to offer the sport he loved so much. “Body goes soft, so does the mind, Sean.”

Sean slapped his palm against his abdomen. “Nothin’ soft on this body, Sully.”

The old man rolled his eyes but before he could respond to the younger man’s comment the door was shoved open and another man came into the gym. Sully hadn’t made it to 68 years old without learning how to read body language and he tensed in response to the new arrival. He glanced at Sean and when he saw that he obviously knew the man he relaxed.

“Think I can borrow the ring for a while?”

He glanced between the two men. His ring had been used to work out more issues than he’d ever know. “Knock yourself out.” He chuckled at his words. “I’m gonna head home. Lock up when you’re finished.”

Max watched the old man as he scooped up a three-legged tabby cat that looked older than dirt before disappearing through a door at the back. There was a distinct hitch in his gait that suggested some type of old injury. Moments later he heard slow footsteps on stairs and he figured the man must live above the gym.

“You wanna tell me what we’re doin’ here?” he asked as he looked around.

“You wanted a fight,” Sean said as he moved to the entrance and locked up.

“And you’re gonna fight me?” Max snorted and gestured to the boxing ring that dominated the center of the gym. “Not the kinda fight I was lookin’ for. I want somethin’ real.”

Sean just laughed and crossed the room to the office, pulling a cabinet open and grabbing an armful of equipment. “Bare knuckles offers a certain satisfaction,” he agreed as he dropped everything on the ring’s platform, “but,” he shoved a pair of boxing gloves into Max’s hands, “you can’t afford to take the risk of some street fighter kicking your ass. Hold your right hand out.”

Max glared at him but when he saw him reach for a roll of what looked like bandaging and he explained that it was used to protect his hands he reluctantly relented. “I’m not worried about getting banged up.”

“Maybe not, but you really wanna go home and have your girl seeing you all busted up? Those guys were out for blood.” He shrugged and focused his gaze on what he was doing with the hand wraps. “Most street fighters usually are. And don’t get me wrong, I understand why you went looking for a fight, but sometimes you’ve gotta think about others and come up with an alternative solution.”

“Like fighting with all this protective gear?” He just snorted. “It’s not the same thing. Maybe you think you’re gonna cool me off with all this talkin’ or you think I’ll hold back because you’re a cop – “

Sean shook his head. “Nope, don’t expect you to and don’t want you to.” He finished wrapping Max’s hands and went to work on his own. “We didn’t grow up the same way but I had my own troubles getting where I am today. Uncle Jim kinda stepped in, taught me stuff a boy needs to know as he grows up, and one of those things was how to throw a punch.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t need a father figure, and I already know how to fight.”

“I’m not interested in bein’ your daddy, Evans.” He grabbed one of the gloves and motioned for Evans to push his hand inside. “Get it all the way in there, good an’ tight. I’m here because I got a call asking me to make sure you stayed in one piece.”

“Liz shouldn’t have – “

“Man, Parker didn’t call me. She’d sooner call up the plague than to call me for anything and as far as I’m concerned she can do just that. We have a mutual acquaintance who’s concerned for your safety and as he’s unable to intervene himself at the moment, I was asked to keep you outta trouble.”

“Shakes.”

“That’d be the one.” Once he had him fitted with protective gear, mouth guard, and gloves, Sean got in the ring with him. “Alright,” he shuffled around and knocked his gloved fists together, “let’s go. No hitting below the belt. Other than that, no holds barred, Evans, hit me with your best – “

Max wasn’t accustomed to the gloves or the rest of the gear but he knew how to fight. Rule number one: use any advantage no matter how small it seemed. He didn’t know Sean well, but he’d learned enough about him to know he’d had a thing for Liz back in high school. That hadn’t really bothered him before and if he weren’t so on edge and being pushed around by the guy it probably wouldn’t even be bothering him right now. He knew what Sean was doing and later, when he had gotten this out of his system, he might even appreciate it, but right now all he wanted was to hit something as hard as he could.

He had gotten into his share of fights as a teenager and between Uncle Jim and the Army he had honed his fighting skills, but Max had learned to fight on the streets. There was no finesse to his movements but there was no question he knew how to throw a punch. Even through the protective gear he could feel the strikes and he didn’t hold himself back as he responded punch for punch. Max stood his ground, his stance strong and it was apparent that he wasn’t used to the constant movement employed in the boxing ring. There wasn’t a lot of footwork; most of his focus was on striking as hard and as often as possible.

Max’s head snapped back when Sean caught him with an uppercut and he shook his head as he prepared to retaliate. He could taste blood and he welcomed the accompanying pain. He shook his arms out went after the other man with everything he had. His eyes were locked on his opponent but all he could see was Damon, carelessly putting bullets into McCallum’s body, telling him to choose between his family and someone he didn’t know, threatening to sell his sister and his niece like they were a product on a shelf. Just the thought of what could happen to them at Damon’s hands fueled his temper and increased the force behind every strike.

No, he wasn’t responsible for McCallum’s death but until Liz had found him and given him Shakes’ message he had believed he was. He still had to live with making that choice. It didn’t matter that Damon had unloaded the magazine from another gun into the man, ignoring the one he had chosen. All that mattered was that he had made a choice that at the time he believed could ended the man’s life. Was it right to make a choice that might take an innocent man’s life if it meant protecting your family? He had consciously traded one life for another. Could he really call himself any better than Damon?

Sean spit out the mouth guard and leaned back against the ropes when Max began to tire and his punches began to lose some of the force that had been behind them. He used his teeth to pull the strap securing the glove on his right hand and dropped it to the platform so he could lean over to retrieve the bottles of water he had left by the corner post. He held them between his forearm and side so he could uncap them and then moved to Max, gesturing for him to hold his hand out so he could free him from the glove and hand him one of the bottles.

“You know what happened tonight.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I know.”

“You’re a cop,” Max said after downing half of the bottle.

“Not exactly a newsflash.”

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and shook his head. “No, but you said you know Shakes. How?”

“Like I said, he’s a mutual acquaintance. He needed someone he could trust to haul your ass outta there before you could get hurt. Or hurt someone else,” he said with a meaningful look. “He explained what was going on with the investigator – “

“Then you knew about him?”

He shook his head. “McCallum’s office reported him missing and it was suggested that he had been snooping around Knight’s organization but there was no hard proof that he had been taken by them. What Knight made you do is unconscionable but the fact of the matter is he was already gone before he was hauled into that warehouse.”

“How did he know?”

“Shakes?” He sat down, bracing his back against the corner post and placing the water bottle next to him so he could start unwrapping his hand. “He didn’t say and I didn’t ask. Pascal would’ve been waiting for the right time to get rid of the body so they probably had the guy on ice. He may have already known McCallum was dead but wasn’t in a position to do anything about it. Honestly, we hear that Knight’s caught anyone investigating his operation and we already know chances are good we’ll never find them.”

“It still doesn’t make it right.”

“No, you’re right, it doesn’t. I remember when I came home from Afghanistan I had my own demons and it took some time to get my head right. I remember waking up after a drinking binge to find Uncle Jim watching over me. A friend of mine I had served with told him what had happened and after talking about it for a while he kinda leaned back and he was quiet for a few minutes. He’s a thinker; he won’t just blurt out a bunch of useless things to make you feel better. But he finally looked me straight in the eye, and he said, ‘Sean, everyone at some point in their lives, is faced with a dilemma that leaves scars. The kinda dilemma that’s moral and ethical and no matter which choice you make the consequences of your actions stay with you forever.’” He emptied the water bottle and set it aside. “He was right. We all do things we have to live with. We may do the wrong thing for the right reason and the right thing for the wrong reason, but what it all boils down to is we learn to live with the choices we make or we drive ourselves mad trying to make sense of it.”

“How do you live with something like this?” Max asked as he probed around his left eye.

“One day at a time.” He shrugged one shoulder. “I think everyone finds their own way to live with the choices they’ve made. At the very least you can console yourself with the fact that McCallum didn’t suffer or die as a result of your choice. There’s no easy fix. Part of being a man is facing up to what you’ve done and accepting the consequences.”

Max leaned his head back against the corner post and mulled over Sean’s words. The rage that had been burning through him had calmed and now he just felt drained by the evening’s events. He didn’t know what it would take to make peace with what had happened but he felt like he was moving in the right direction. He didn’t know what Liz would say but he owed it to her to be honest about what had happened. Back at the park she had seemed supportive but he hadn’t been able to focus on much beyond getting away from her. Now it was time to go home, give her the truth, and find out if they were strong enough to survive it.

Natalie36: Thanks! We’ll check in on Liz and see if she can do just that.

begonia9508: Knight is a dark cloud hanging over the city and it’s past time for him to go.

Strawbehrry Shortcake: Thanks!

Back soon as I could get here!

xilaj: Isn’t that the truth? We’ll be getting a little view into Shakes’ past today and while it doesn’t give us everything about him, it’s a start.

Knight definitely has even lower depths than we’ve seen. If he can find a way to twist anything good and turn it into something evil he’ll do his best. And as for Max? Well, Knight seems to have a special interest in turning him upside down and inside out. I’m so glad you care so much about these characters – I don’t think there’s a higher compliment for a writer.

Sean was an unexpected choice but Shakes has done his homework and he’s invested everything into making sure Max survives this intact. Mac does seem like a good match for Sean, doesn’t she?

Lol, I know how much you just love Diablo and he’ll be making an appearance in this update. He had a hard time understanding what was happening and he definitely needs some reassurance that one of his favorite humans is alright.

Liz will do her best to convince Max of just that. He does have to reach a place where he believes he’s worthy of that love and to believe in her feelings for him but he’s getting close. He just needs a nudge in the right direction. Here’s an update and well… the characters kinda took hold and it’s longer than normal but I’m guessing that’ll be alright.

roswellian love: Thanks!

We’ll get a look into the mystery surrounding Shakes today.

keepsmiling7: His break is coming…

The only good thing about Knight will be seeing him taken down, lol.

Liz could sense that Diablo was the best one to check on Max first.

Sean was the right man for the job!

BQ1: Thanks for reading!

Eva: Max has a good support system. If he’ll just learn to lean on them a little bit it’ll do him good.

Thanks!

Alien_Friend: I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

Max hasn’t seen it just yet, but he’s getting closer to that realization. He just needs a little more gentle nudging to get him there.

Such truth in those words.

Shakes is so committed to making sure Max survives this situation and goes on to live and enjoy his life. Now if Max can just turn what happened around and use it to his advantage he’ll be doing good.

Sean was a surprising choice but Shakes has done his homework on everyone involved.

Thank you so much!

We’ll be catching up with Shakes in this update and getting a glimpse into his mysterious past. He won’t be revealing everything just yet, but we’ll learn more about him. He’s counting on his ability to keep it all together when the moment comes… and it’s coming soon.


Author's Note: This part will contain mention of abuse against a child - nothing graphic, but be warned that it is part of this chapter.


Part 53

“He’s safe.”

Two words and Ava felt like she could easily dissolve into a puddle of relief.

“Now maybe you can relax a little,” Kyle said as he rubbed her shoulder. “Three more days and this’ll all be over.”

“This part,” she said quietly. “But what happens to Max when it’s over?” She sighed. “He shouldn’t go back to prison for this.”

“I kinda got the feeling Shakes is gonna pull whatever strings are necessary to make sure that doesn’t happen.” He settled back in his chair and took a bite of his sandwich and made a face when he started chewing. He hated the outer ring that a lot of stores left on the ham when they sliced it. “You guys been friends with him for a long time?”

She shrugged one shoulder. “We’ve known Shakes for years but I’m not sure we can be called friends. When we’d run into each other he always seemed to gravitate towards Max and I never understood it. At first I thought he was just into Max but that’s not it. I know he’d been on the streets for years before we were but no one really seems to know what his story is. In a lot of ways he’s so much older than us and I don’t think I’ve ever once heard him call Max by name. I only saw him a few times after Max was arrested that last time and then he disappeared about three years ago. One rumor was he had gotten off the streets and another was he had finally run outta luck. Then I heard he’d gotten out of the life and I saw him one day so I knew he had made it out alive.”

“So if you guys aren’t really friends why would he get so involved in this situation?” DJ asked as he snatched up the remote while Michael was busy trying to dissect the ham on his second sandwich. “I mean, from what I saw the night we met he seems to be the one running the show.”

“He has his own agenda,” Michael said, his tone distracted, “but there’s no question protecting Max is at the top of his list.”

“That protective streak’s always been there.” Ava smiled slightly. “He took an immediate liking to Max the first time we met him. He had a habit of showing up when something was about to go wrong but I never did understand how he knew. It was like a sixth sense or something.” She sighed. “He sort of backed off when we started working for Damon. When we’d run into him he’d talk to us but there was, I don’t know, it’s like he was wary or suspicious or something.”

“I don’t know what the guy’s history is with this Knight guy, but whatever it is, it’s bad,” DJ said. He tipped his head back to look at Courtney. “Got a preference?” he asked, holding the remote up.

She took the remote and turned the television off. “If you’re gonna be standing watch you need to be focused.”

He shifted to let his long legs hang over one of the arms of his chair. “Got any idea what Shakes’ history with Knight is?”

“I think the man has a right to keep his demons private.” She fell silent and turned her head to the side when she heard something and a moment later she identified it as the baby upstairs crying.

Michael stood up with his plate and waved Ava back when she started to get up. “I’m already up. I can get her if that’s okay.”

She nodded after a moment.

“Thanks,” Kyle said when she settled back against him.

Her gaze followed Michael’s progression up the stairs. “For what?”

“For letting him check on Cadence. He misses his family and even though he hides it carefully, being away from them when they’re in potential danger has him on edge.”

“Cadence likes him and he’s very gentle with her. You wouldn’t really think it to look at him but he’s really very sweet.”

DJ snorted at that descriptive. “Yeah, sweet’s the first word that comes to mind,” he laughed.

She smiled. “Dangerous is the first word that comes to mind in my opinion.”

Kyle slouched down a little further and propped his feet up on the corner of the coffee table, dropping them again when Ava smacked his leg. “Oh, sorry.”

“It’s okay,” DJ assured her. “I prop my feet up on it too. Not if my mother’s around of course, but my godmother always let me do it. My mother would have a fit and lecture me about putting my feet up on a table that costs so much.” He nodded at the table. “Make yourself comfortable.”

“Pay a couple hundred for it?” Kyle asked as he put his feet back up in response to DJ’s motion.

“Nah, but she got a good deal on it. She only paid about twenty-five grand.” He smirked when the other man hurried to drop his feet and behind him he heard Courtney nearly choke on her drink.

Ava couldn’t stop the smile when her cop leaned forward to inspect the table. She had seen pieces of furniture in Damon’s house that had come with even pricier tags. She laughed when Kyle gripped the edge of the table and gave it a good shake, muttering under his breath about expensive furniture and his salary.

“It’s a coffee table,” he said, resuming his former position when Ava reached for his sleeve and tugged on it.

“Valenti, you blew six hundred bucks on a coffee table,” Michael said as he rejoined them and dropped back down in his chair. “She went right back to sleep, Ava.”

She nodded. “Thanks.”

“At least my coffee table does something.”

DJ frowned. “What does it do?”

“It doubles as a fish aquarium. And Hunter has a ball with it every time he’s over.”

“Not to mention it drives Deluca’s stupid cat insane when he’s outta town and you keep it for him.”

“Someone has to do it since you won’t.”

Michael narrowed his eyes at Kyle. There was no need to have that story shared again. “Cadence will probably get a kick out of it too. Kids love colorful things and that aquarium keeps my kid entertained for hours.”

Kyle rolled his eyes before closing them. “Like his dad he’s easily amused.”

“Let’s call it a night, people,” Courtney said after making another pass around the first floor to check the doors and windows. “We don’t wanna get too comfortable and forget why we’re here.”

DJ waited until Kyle had pulled Ava to her feet and they said their goodnights before he got up to follow Courtney into the kitchen. She was standing in the darkened room, her gaze scanning the grounds beyond the window.

“You do sleep, don’t you?” he asked.

Her hand relaxed and slowly eased away from her weapon when she recognized his voice. “My business, pretty boy.”

“Do you ever get tired of holding the world at a distance?”

“What I get tired of is nosy questions. Goodnight, Mr. Callahan.”

“How about a question of another nature?” he asked, blocking her path when she started to leave the room.

She sighed deeply before glaring at him. “Yes, I know where your room is, and no, I won’t be joining you later.”

“That’s a bit presumptuous on your part, don’t you think?”

The smirk on his face irritated her. “Are you denying that thought’s crossed your mind?”

“No, and as much as I appreciate that logical leap your intuitive mind’s produced, it wasn’t what I was thinking when I suggested another question.”

“What then?” she snapped when he fell silent.

“I want to know if you’d go out with me after this’s all over.”

She stared at him for several long seconds before shaking her head. “No.”

He grabbed her wrist in a light grip when she tried to push past him and he quickly released her and took a step back when he found himself facing the business end of her gun. “Okay, no need to stick a gun in my face.”

She blinked and after a moment lowered the gun. “Sorry,” she muttered. “Let’s just leave it at I don’t date and let it go, okay?”

He studied her, noting the way she held herself so taut. He had seen something similar in Liz’s posture so often after Rhoads had attacked her. “I don’t know who hurt you but I hope they got the punishment they deserved.”

“Justice is deaf, dumb, and blind, and it only applies to certain people.” She holstered the gun and moved past him, surprised when he didn’t push the issue.

“You should know I’m gonna keep asking until you say yes.”

“Goodnight, Daniel.”

“Daniel,” he murmured with a small smile as he watched her walk away. He allowed very few people to call him by his given name but he kinda liked the way it sounded when she said it. He wondered what her story was and what it would take for her to trust him enough to let him in. He chuckled under his breath and went to make a pot of coffee because he knew he’d need the caffeine to keep him awake. Why couldn’t he ever be seriously attracted to women who didn’t present him with a challenge?

*****

It was the sound of weary footsteps that woke him. He lifted his head from his paws and his dark eyes zeroed in on the doorknob. His ears flicked at the sound of a key being inserted into the lock and he took several steps back, slipping into the shadows of the dining room and staying there as the door opened and then closed again. His nose twitched as he searched for the scent and a moment later he caught it and whimpered quietly in response.

He watched from his hiding place as Max leaned back against the door and his ears easily detected the tired sigh. The man finally moved, kicking his shoes off and pushing away from the door to walk down the hallway to the bedroom. He followed quietly, his steps light and his body close to the wall. He peered around the doorframe and watched Max as he emptied out his pockets and placed his things on the dresser.

He quickly backtracked to the dining room and hid in the shadows, his eyes following Max as he made his way into the kitchen. He blinked when the light came on and he listened as doors were opened and closed, things were moved, and finally he heard the sound of the man’s voice.

“Went for coffee with the parents. Back soon. Love, Liz.”

He moved to lie under the table when Max turned the lights off and came out of the kitchen, just watching as the man walked into the living room. His body tensed in anticipation when Max picked up Bunny but he was still reluctant to leave his hiding place. He watched and waited as the man moved to stand at the large window, his gaze locked on something outside as he absentmindedly played with the ratty stuffed animal.

Diablo could sense the man’s emotions, could tell that something was different even though he didn’t understand it. His head dropped to rest on his paws, his eyes never leaving Max as he moved back a few steps, one of his hands reaching out to brace his weight on the arm of the chair as he slowly lowered himself to sit on the floor. He wiggled his way out from under the table, crawling between the legs of one of the dining room chairs, and he froze when the man lifted his head and their eyes locked.

Max held Bunny up, wondering if Diablo would ever trust him again. “You’re probably asking yourself the same question, aren’t you?” he asked as he watched the dog. His gaze dropped to the toy and he tossed it in Diablo’s direction but the animal didn’t move. “I know you don’t understand it, but I couldn’t come home with her. Not like that.” He shifted to lie on the floor and he reached up to rub his gritty eyes. “Hell, I’m not even sure she understands it.”

Diablo got to his feet after several minutes and he moved closer, lying down with more than a foot still separating them. He cocked his head to one side, listening when Max started to talk again, his intelligent eyes focused intently on him.

“What Damon did tonight…” he sighed. “That’s something I didn’t ever want her to know. Not that it matters now since Shakes decided he’d tell her. She shouldn’t know shit like that exists. I wanted to protect her from that darkness and instead I brought it right to her front door.”

The Doberman whined in response to the sadness evident in the man’s voice and he crawled closer, resting his muzzle in the hand stretched out in his direction. His stubby tail started to wag when Max’s fingers closed reflexively before he moved his hand to cradle his head and scratch his ears.

“I nearly lost it tonight, Diablo. How do you choose between a stranger and your family, even though they’re basically strangers too?” He shifted just enough to prop his head against the chair so he could look into the dog’s eyes when Diablo rested his head on his chest. “Damon wouldn’t think twice about selling my sister or my niece.” He swallowed hard. “No one has the right to own another human being, but the kinda sick shit that could happen to them,” he shook his head, “I could never let that happen to them.”

Diablo lifted his head when Max rolled to his side for a moment, dropping it back into place when he settled once again. His eyes followed the man’s finger when he pointed at something.

“See this? This guy here, he’s engaged to my sister. This’s my sister Isabel and the little one here, that’s my niece. I don’t even know her name,” he mused quietly. He looked back at Diablo. “Y’know, I’ve read that dogs can’t see in color but I wonder how they can even know that. I’ll bet you can see in color.” He rubbed the dog’s head and turned his attention back to the pictures. “I wonder if they’d allow her to be around you.” He placed the pictures on the chair above him and used both hands to cradle Diablo’s head. “Ava, she’ll love you. Girl has a soft spot for all animals. I don’t have a picture of her but she’ll be the one gushing all over you, telling you how sweet you are.” He rubbed the dog’s neck with both hands. “You’ll be happy about that though, won’t you?”

The dog turned his head to look at the front door when he heard movement in the corridor but a moment later the footsteps faded away.

“Guess that’s not Liz. I’d feel better if she’d taken you with her.” He closed his eyes for a moment and yawned widely. “Three more days and this shit with Damon will be over and then I can really leave all of that behind.” He reached up and let his fingers trail over his goatee as he lost himself in his thoughts.

Diablo rubbed his muzzle against Max’s chest before settling against him and he watched him for several minutes of contemplative silence. When he felt the slight tensing of muscles beneath him he whined quietly and got up, retrieving Bunny and dropping it on the floor next to Max’s hand. He nudged it closer and stretched one long leg out to paw at the man’s hand.

Max pushed himself up into a sitting position and reached for Bunny, flinging the toy across the room. He smiled when Diablo took up the chase, running into the dining room and snatching it up, shaking it roughly before running back to Max with it. He waited, front legs planted wide and his stubby tail wagging in anticipation. He growled low in his throat when Max finally got into the game and inched forward, reaching out to make a grab for the toy.

The dog barked without releasing the bunny and he jumped back, his athletic body twisting as he took up his daring stance from another position. He lowered his head until Bunny was almost touching the floor and when he jerked his head to keep the toy from Max he lost his grip and it flew across the room. They glanced at the toy and then looked at each other for two full seconds before racing after it.

*****

Dull blue eyes stared out into the night sky that was backlit by the city lights that never stopped shining. The lights did nothing to deter the seedy underbelly or those who carried out the orders of men like Damon Knight. The illicit activities that destroyed too many lives to count also funded businesses and campaigns, and as such, allowed its perpetuators to operate with impunity.

But that was about to change.

Knight’s organization was on the verge of collapse. He was going to be financially bankrupt and his empire was going to fall overnight. The city would wake on Sunday morning and most of the population would never know what had transpired in the dark of night. Safe in their own little worlds, wrapped up in their own little problems, and just as clueless as they had been the day before. He sighed tiredly and pushed away from the window.

Sometimes he wished he was that clueless, that he didn’t know just how ugly life could be or how cruel people could be. But he did know. He knew and couldn’t forget. The truth had been left in the form of scars, mental and physical. And after years of abuse at the hands of others he was finally in a position to rid the city of an infestation the law hadn’t been willing or able to eradicate. He looked around his bedroom and his gaze travelled over the expensive furnishings, the original works of art, and the shadows that embraced all of it.

He had told Max he didn’t have to blend in with the shadows any longer but the truth was he wasn’t comfortable without that crutch. He had been living in the shadows for so long he didn’t know if he’d ever be comfortable without them. He left his room to wander the halls and his feet eventually took him into the library. He closed the door quietly and leaned back against it, letting the tranquility of the room wash over him.

The walls were lined with thousands of books, many of them first editions, all of them hard cover. Jeremy had been an avid reader; he had been obsessive about the written word and fond of the tactile feel of a good book. Everything in his extensive library had been read repeatedly, the pages dog-eared, the edges of the covers gently worn where he had so carefully held them as he read.

The library was the one room that really reflected the man Jeremy had been. It was decorated in warm, rich tones; the shelves were made of mahogany, the hard wood floors polished to a high shine, the leather furniture was comfortable, and there was a large fireplace that dominated one wall. It was a room that had suited the man who had designed it. It was the one place in the house that he had been most comfortable and it was here that his presence could still be felt.

Jeremy had been tall, his features not so much handsome as striking, and he had been quiet. In the time they had known each other he had never once heard him raise his voice. He had come from an old money family and he’d had no living relatives, something that had only increased the loneliness he had carried with him. They had met by chance one night when it had been raining so hard it had driven him to seek out shelter and the place closest to his corner was a bar.

He hadn’t cared for bars then and he still didn’t now. Jeremy hadn’t been a drinker but his car had broken down and the repair service had suggested he find someplace to wait because they were backed up due to the inclement weather. He had been sitting in the shadows at the bar when the door opened and the wind blew, pushing Jeremy and the heavy rain inside.

“Shut the fuckin’ door!”

Shakes turned his head, his attention drawn to the drunk shouting from his hunched over position at a table near the door. He didn’t bother trying to hide his amusement when the rain soaked one side of the asshole’s body. He was shifting back to stare at the doodles he was making on the cocktail napkin in front of him when the stranger took his hat off.

He wasn’t particularly handsome but his features were striking, drawing attention to them. He had presence but he also carried his wealth around like a flashing neon sign. And worst of all, he was obviously unprepared to defend himself against any kind of attack. He watched as the man who had gotten soaked stood drunkenly and shoved the stranger.

It wasn’t any of his business and he started to turn back to his napkin doodles when he saw the fear in the stranger’s eyes as he apologized. The drunk hurled insults at the stranger and shoved him again but when he grabbed the man and his hand curled into a fist he got to his feet. No one else was going to do anything and normally he wouldn’t interfere, but it wouldn’t be a fair fight and he wouldn’t just stand by and watch some guy who couldn’t defend himself get pummeled for nothing.

He caught the drunk’s hand when he threw the punch and he twisted it until the man had no choice but to sit down or suffer a broken wrist. “The man apologized. Let it go.” He nodded at the stranger and turned to go back to his seat. He was aware of the man’s curious gaze as he walked away but he did nothing to encourage him to follow.

He looked up several minutes later when the stranger paused next to him and he raised an eyebrow in silent question.

“You didn’t have to – “

“This ain’t no gay bar!” the drunk slurred as he came up behind the stranger and grabbed his shoulder.

Shakes grabbed the man by the collar and spun him around, pinning him to the wall where the counter ended. “I told you to let it go.” His eyes flashed dangerously and he added pressure to the blade of the knife he held to the man’s dick. “He apologized very politely and unless you wanna lose your brain you’re gonna walk away right now.”

The man was drunk but the threat was clear and he wasn’t about to risk precious body parts. “Whatever, man. Just keep it in your pants. No one here wants to see a couple fags makin’ out.” He straightened his shirt, ran a hand over his hair, and stumbled away with as much dignity as possible.

“Thank you.” The stranger smiled crookedly and held his hand out. “My name is Jeremy Allen Wayne Kincaid IV.”

Shakes looked him up and down and then shook his head. “That’s a mouthful.” He took the man’s hand and shook it. “You look lost.”

“I’m afraid my car broke down and my service is backed up. I was in this part of the city for a meeting with one of the grade schools that’s in need of a new library. Children should be encouraged to read and explore, don’t you agree?”

“I think kids should be encouraged to be kids.” He took a drink of his water. “Life takes their innocence soon enough.”

Jeremy stared at him. “You believe that,” he said incredulously.

“No, I know that. There’s a difference.”

“Oh. Yes, I suppose that’s true. Do you suppose you could give me a ride? I was hoping to make it uptown before six.”

“I could give you a ride but I’ve got a feelin’ you’d be in for a rude awakening.”

His eyes widened comically. “Oh, my. No, I just thought…” He turned, flustered, and motioned for the bartender, asking for a glass of water when the man acknowledged him. He took a long drink and then inhaled slowly. “I apologize for my rudeness.”

Shakes chuckled and waved his apology off. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve been on the receiving end of a lot worse.”

“How sad,” Jeremy murmured.

He bristled. “I don’t need pity from you.”

“No, of course not. I can see well enough that you’re a man who believes he needs nothing from anyone.”

As the night had worn on they had moved to a corner booth and the conversation had deepened. It hadn’t taken long to figure out that Jeremy was starved for companionship and he had realized just how isolated and lonely the man was. At the end of the night when the rain had finally stopped and the repair company had finished working on his car he had surprised Shakes by asking him if he would accompany him home.

His fingers gently traced over the creased spine of a leather-bound book of poetry. He had spent many nights sitting on the hearth next to the roaring fireplace just listening to Jeremy read. He didn’t care much for poetry personally but the man he had come to call friend had loved it. Most of it hadn’t made much sense to him but the words spoken in the other man’s quiet voice had given him a sense of peace.

Jeremy had been on borrowed time before they had met. In the beginning they had gotten together once or twice a week just to talk and the man had always insisted on paying him since Shakes had been honest with him about how he made his living. Eventually their relationship had grown and he had started staying overnight, usually falling asleep in the middle of a conversation. In time he had allowed himself to be talked into moving in though they had maintained separate bedrooms. They had fooled around on occasion but they had never truly become lovers. And even though there had been a deep sense of respect between them he had never expected Jeremy to leave anything to him in his will.

It wasn’t the immense wealth that Jeremy had left that had meant the most to him though. It was the package his lawyer had presented Shakes with after the reading of the will that had meant the most. The money had given him the power to go after Knight, but the contents of that package had given him the courage to go after the man who had left him scarred in so many ways.

*****

Jeff set his coffee cup down and carefully weighed his words before he spoke. They had talked about everything under the sun except the one thing he really wanted to talk to her about. The conversation with James had left him feeling very uneasy. When he had expressed his concerns to his wife she had suggested they call and ask Liz to come over. The difference in their daughter since Max had come into her life couldn’t be missed but standing by and keeping quiet when she could be in danger wasn’t something he could do.

“I know why you asked me over,” Liz said, breaking the silence. It took an effort to keep from reaching up to self-consciously cover the bruise that was hidden beneath concealer. “And I’ve already told you I’m not leaving him.”

“Honey, I know you’re dead set against doing anything that might hurt him and I understand that, but you have to understand the position we’re in.”

“Liz,” Nancy said, reaching across the table to take her daughter’s hands, “sweetie, we just have some concerns and we want to make sure you’re aware of what you’ve gotten involved in.”

“Do you guys really think Max has kept what’s going on from me? I know what he’s involved in and he’s been honest with me about it. At first he tried hard to protect me from knowing, but even then he did his best to be honest with me. We’ve talked about it, discussed the situation, and we’re past that now. He still wants to protect me from the ugly or dark parts of his life and the current situation, and I still want to know everything, but we’re at a place where we understand there has to be some compromise on both sides.”

Jeff rubbed his face with both hands. “He’s in a lot of trouble, Liz.”

“I know you talked to James yesterday, Dad.” She nodded when he frowned. “Max overheard part of your conversation and he was ready to walk away to protect me. Maybe being with him has put me in danger but I don’t see how being apart at this point would keep me any safer. He’s only involved in this situation because he was trying to do the right thing.”

“Is that why he called in sick this morning?”

She shook her head. “No, he called in because I wasn’t feeling good last night and he stayed home to make sure I was okay.” Well, it wasn’t a complete lie, she rationalized. “And it’s not like he’s called in once since he started working for you, Dad.”

“We’re just concerned for your safety. And Max’s too,” Nancy assured her, “but you’re our child and our first priority.”

“I’m also an adult and maybe I haven’t always made the best decisions, but this is one I intend to stand by no matter what.” She glanced at the clock. “And it’s getting late so I’m gonna go home because Max is waiting.” Or at least she hoped he would be there when she arrived. She stood to say her goodbyes and kissed her parents before heading for the door.

Jeff leaned back and rubbed his face with both hands, sighing tiredly when the door closed behind her. “She doesn’t understand what’s going on,” he muttered.

“Maybe she understands better than we think she does,” Nancy said as she reached over to rub his arm. “No, she can’t fully understand what’s going on because his life has been worlds apart from the one she’s had growing up, but she’s in love with him.”

He got up and started to pace. “She’s not seeing the big picture here.”

“Jeff, she doesn’t think he’s perfect. She knows his past and most importantly, she knows him. With what she’s been through it says a lot that she not only knows his past but he knows hers as well.”

“And I’m happy they have the ability to communicate and work through their pasts, but, Nancy, if she gets hurt because of her involvement – “

“I seem to recall a young man with a questionable past arguing with my father and trying desperately to convince him that I wouldn’t get hurt by that past.”

“Your father was a smart man and he only relented because your mother intervened on my behalf.”

“Yes, because she was a wise woman and she knew nothing they said would keep me away from you. You were a lot like Max once, Jeff. You needed someone to believe in you; I did without question, and my parents did as well. My father, of course, would’ve preferred that we wait to be together after your problems were well in the past but my mother knew we’d never do that. She was smart enough to know it was safer if we were together and they knew what was going on. And you know something? She was right.”

He sighed loudly. “I wasn’t involved with the likes of Damon Knight.”

“30 years ago you were working for Patrick O’Shaughnessy down on the docks and he may have been involved in different ventures, but he was still the head of a criminal organization. And I know how deep you were in with him. We faced more than one dangerous situation because of your involvement with that organization and nothing my parents ever could’ve said or done would’ve made me walk away from you. They never knew everything that happened as a result of you turning on O’Shaughnessy and if they had my father would’ve packed our entire family up and moved out of the country to try to keep us apart.”

“It wouldn’t have worked. I would’ve found you no matter where he took you.”

Nancy smiled and nodded. “Yes, you would’ve, and when you found me I would’ve been running right to you. Our daughter’s no different, Jeff.”

“30 years ago I didn’t appreciate your father’s position. As a man with a daughter of his own I can see why he wanted to keep us apart.”

“Then you also know that trying to keep them apart would be a waste of time.”

“Knowing doesn’t make it any easier to accept,” he grumbled. “If he even survives this thing he’s gonna end up right back in prison. Is she just supposed to wait for him to serve his time and hope he gets paroled?”

“I waited.” She got up and walked around the table to take a seat in his lap. “Jeff, we both know there’re no guarantees in this life. Liz has already faced a very difficult challenge when that man attacked her and it’s taken having Max in her life for her to be able to finally begin dealing with it.”

“I don’t deny she’s changed quite a bit since he moved into the guesthouse.”

“We’re not just talking about changing; we’re talking about her growing up. She’s acting more responsibly, she’s thinking about others and considering their feelings, and she’s stopped jumping from one man to the next. She’s found stability with Max and I know what he’s involved in is dangerous, but I think we have to let them find their way.”

He wrapped his arms around her and rested his forehead on her shoulder. “You know what you’re suggesting, don’t you?”

“I’m suggesting that we treat our daughter like a responsible adult. The two of us are in a position to be there for them. That young man is trying hard to do the right thing and we can continue supporting them, providing guidance, but ultimately we have to let them live their own lives.”

“That’s a lot to ask, Nancy.”

“It’s no more than my mother asked of my father.” She kissed him. “And she was right, wasn’t she?”

*****

“I think we can officially declare you the winner,” Max said when the game finally ended. He leaned back against the couch and Diablo flopped down beside him, tongue lolling out of his mouth as he panted from the exertion.

“I’m gonna have to get cleaned up,” he said as he reached for the glass of ice water he had gotten before settling on the floor. He tipped the glass to the side and reached inside to pull out an ice cube, offering it to his companion.

Diablo cocked his head to the right, sniffing it before licking it several times and then carefully taking it between his teeth. He pinned it between his paws and chewed on it, wagging his tail and looking at Max when he had finished it.

Several pieces of ice and an empty glass later Max looked at the dog and made a face at the wet spot where small shards of ice had melted on the floor. He pulled his shirt off and mopped up the water before getting to his feet. “Alright,” he said and patted the dog’s side, “you watch for Liz while I go grab a shower.”

He had washed up at the gym but after more than half an hour of wrestling with Diablo over the soggy bunny lying on the floor several feet away he was in dire need of something a little better than what had basically amounted to a wipe down. In the bathroom he turned the water on, adjusting the temperature until it was as hot as he could stand it, and he walked into the bedroom to grab something to wear afterwards.

He stepped into the closet and was reaching for a pair of jeans when he paused with his hand on the hanger. His hand eased back as his gaze wandered over the row of clothes neatly hanging there and he wondered when it was exactly that the majority of his clothes had ended up in her closet. He was neat for a guy but it was easy enough to tell that he hadn’t been the one to hang the clothes up; the creases were lined up too perfectly and the shirts sorted by type.

“Huh,” he mused as he pulled a pair of jeans down. He moved the empty hanger to the end of the rod without consciously thinking about it, something Liz always did so when it was time to do laundry all she had to do was grab the hangers collected at the end.

In the shower he washed himself and then braced his hands against the tiled wall, dropping his head low and letting the hot, pounding water beat down on his head and shoulders. Every moment of the time he’d spent with Damon flashed through his mind and his eyes squeezed shut as he recalled with painful clarity the image of the investigator’s body jerking spasmodically as the bullets slammed into him. He hated that the man was dead but at the same time he was so grateful that his decision hadn’t cost a stranger his life. He had no idea how Shakes knew the things he knew or how he had managed to be close enough to know about the investigator, but he was glad he did.

He leaned forward to rest his forehead on his fisted hands, welcoming the aches that came from the workout Maria’s cousin had put him through. Of all the people Shakes could’ve sent he never would’ve expected him to choose Sean Deluca, but again, he had known exactly what to do and who to send. He would’ve expected Michael if he’d known to expect anyone at all, but according to Maria he was out of town, working on the coast.

He pushed himself back and shut the faucets off, shaking his head of excess water before opening the shower door and stepping out onto the bath mat. After toweling off and pulling on a pair of jeans he stopped in front of the sink in the vanity area outside of the bathroom to contemplate his reflection in the mirror.

*****

Dimitri stepped into the house and turned to disarm the alarm before it could go off. He reset it once he had closed and locked the door, and then made his way through the darkened, silent rooms searching for David. He knew he wouldn’t be in his room sleeping because he was waiting for word that Max was safe. His world revolved around two things: seeing Damon Knight brought down and making sure Max Evans was safe and on the right path. Nothing else seemed to matter and he wanted to understand why those two things were so important to him.

He understood the desire to remove Knight’s existence from the face of the earth. He didn’t know much about the connection between David and Knight, but he had seen the scars the head of the criminal organization had left on his body. The man’s cruelty knew no boundaries and there was no redemption for someone of his character. The only way to deal with the kind of sickness he was afflicted with was the same way one dealt with a rabid animal – put him down.

David had never opened up and shared the story behind the scars other than a painkiller-induced confession that Knight was responsible for them. But even with his mind clouded by the drugs his subconscious had fought against revealing anything personal. It was a meeting he would never forget.

He had just been discharged against medical advice after being hospitalized for wounds sustained in the gun battle that had ensued when an operation had gone horribly wrong. After weeks in the hospital he couldn’t take it any longer. He had still been trying to wrap his mind around the loss of his wife and daughter but no matter how hard he tried it just didn’t seem real. That last operation had stripped him of every belief he had that good could triumph over evil, that the good guys ever won against the bad guys, and that justice was anything more than a seven-letter word used in an attempt to keep the peace. He hadn’t cared about himself or anything else and he had been seriously contemplating eating a bullet.

He had been carefully making his way down one of the endless corridors of the large hospital when he had heard someone scream. The sound had made his skin crawl. It was filled with pain that went deeper than just the physical and he had been drawn to the room it had emitted from. His own body was wracked with pain as he navigated the halls, moving around equipment and gurneys, and pausing more than once to catch his breath. He had been leaning heavily on the single crutch he couldn’t walk without by the time he found the room and he peered into the dimly lit interior just as a nurse walked out.

“Mr. Petrovsky,” she said, sounding surprised, “have you changed your mind about staying in the hospital?”

“No.”

Laura Connelly tried not to smile at his stubborn response. “You really should reconsider.”

“What’s up with him?” he asked, jerking his chin towards the prone figure in the bed and regretting it when it made his head spin.

Normally she wouldn’t discuss one patient with another but neither of them seemed to care one way or the other if they lived and maybe, just maybe, it could help. “He’s been worked over pretty good.” She bit her bottom lip as her gaze moved to the young man sleeping fitfully. “He’s indigent, no family, and he’s been hurt badly.” She shook her head. “From the looks of him it’s not the first time.” She gestured into the room. “Maybe you’d like to sit with him for a bit.”

“I don’t know…”

She smiled and nodded, patting his arm as she passed him. “There’s a comfortable chair by the window if you change your mind. It’ll at least give you a little break before you leave. It’s been raining all evening and hailing a cab’s gonna be a nightmare for a while.”

“Well… maybe…”

Nurse Connelly had left him alone to make her rounds on the floor and he had finally given in and gone into the room. He cautiously moved around the bed and the monitors, bypassing the chair in favor of finding an open area next to the bed so he could look down at the patient. The guy had definitely seen better days but he wondered if he could remember them.

He had been badly beaten as evidenced by the cuts and bruises that marred his features. His upper body was encased in bandages and he could imagine what lay hidden beneath them. His gaze shifted to his arms; long, too thin, and scarred. He slowly reached for the arm closest to him, turning it over without disturbing the IV attached there. He winced at the sight of the scars that crisscrossed flesh that was badly bruised. The pattern of the purple, yellow, and greenish marks unmistakably identified the weapon as the sole of a boot.

The scars were old but still grotesque. And they weren’t there by accident. Whoever had done it had the kind of knowledge that allowed them to maim the human body, to cause great pain, but not kill their victim. He shook his head and gently placed the man’s arm back on the bed. He studied the patient’s face and knew from experience he had aged well beyond his years. Chronologically he couldn’t be more than 17 or 18 years old. Mentally and emotionally, that was a completely different story.

The nurse had said he was indigent and had no family. There were only so many things someone on the streets could do to make money, didn’t matter if they were male or female. He had seen the ugliness that life could heap on people, had seen how a single decision could destroy a life or make it better, and he knew that sometimes people ended up in their situations through no fault of their own. It wasn’t his place to judge. Everyone suffered in their own way, some just suffered more than others.

His body protested the position it had been in for too long and he gripped the crutch tightly as he carefully turned to hobble over to the chair. His hand shook as he pulled a bottle of painkillers out of the inside pocket of his jacket and he cursed when he finally managed to pop the cap off and two of the pills bounced out of his palm to roll across the floor. He swallowed them down dry and eased back slowly, too exhausted to try and figure out how to push the footrest out.

He had dozed fitfully for a while and just as he had started to slip into a deep sleep the screams had awakened him again. He had reacted without thinking, without considering the injuries to his own body, and he had come up out of the chair reaching for the gun he no longer carried. His leg had given out, too damaged and weak to fully support his weight on its own, and he had pitched forward. The only thing that had saved him from crashing to the floor was the handrail on the bed and his arms shook with the effort to keep him upright.

The shock of the bed being jostled so violently had been enough to bring the patient out of the nightmare that had held him in its grip and he had found himself staring into the bluest eyes he had ever seen. Blue eyes that had seen too much of the darkness in life, eyes that held so many emotions that it nearly hurt to look into them, and that seemed to be asking for something.

“Don’t… I can’t… No more…”

He didn’t know how he knew, but he did. The broken, garbled sentences were a plea to be left alone, to be spared more pain. And all he could do was reach for the hand nearest him, grip the too-thin fingers in his, and swear the younger man would be safe as long as he himself drew breath.

Nurse Connelly had hurried in just as his charge drifted off again and he expelled a labored breath. “I could really use that chair,” he huffed raggedly.

She helped him across the room and back into the chair, supporting most of his weight. It never ceased to amaze him just how strong nurses were. They were truly the unsung heroes in hospitals all over. Doctors were the ones who put damaged bodies back together but it was the nurses who helped those bodies to mend and gently urged the shattered pieces of souls back together.

“He shouldn’t be alone.”

“No, he shouldn’t. But unfortunately we can’t put him in with another patient because he’d scare them half to death waking up like that multiple times each night.” She smiled. “Would you be offering to keep him company?”

Dimitri had watched the younger man who was once again sleeping fitfully and after several long moments he nodded. “How long’s he been here?”

“Four days.”

“And the nightmares?”

“Every night.” She shook her head sadly. “I don’t know what all he’s seen and suffered in his short life but it’s been more than anyone should ever carry on their shoulders.”

He nodded in understanding. “How old is he?”

“Barely 18.”

“What happened to him?”

She bit her bottom lip. “I’d imagine in your job you’ve seen what can happen to people on the streets. You know how easily they can become targets. I’m sure if you use your imagination you can fill in the blanks.”

“I’ve seen some pretty ugly, dark things.”

“So has he. People can take things from others that no amount of healing can ever give back.”

“They catch the guy?”

“It wasn’t just one, and do they ever?” She would’ve reached up to brush her patient’s hair back but he pulled away from any kind of contact. “Street people aren’t exactly high up on the priority list and most people figure if they’re on a corner they’re asking for it anyway.”

“Was he able to give a description of his assailants?”

This was the first sign of interest she’d really seen in him in the more than five weeks he’d been a patient and it made her smile on the inside. “I believe he was at least able to provide a partial description.”

“When I asked to be discharged the doctor said you could keep my laptop locked up until I could come back for it. I’d like to have it now.”

She smiled at the spark of life in his dark eyes and nodded. “I’ll get it for you and I’ll have a bed brought in. You need to be able to stretch out because another launch like that earlier one and you’re likely to reinjure that leg and really set your progress back.”

“Hey, before you go… What’s his name?”

“His street name is Shakes. I have no idea what his given name is.”

He had spent a couple more weeks in the hospital and if his companion had said very little about what had happened to put him there in the first place, he had said even less about the older scars on his arms. The only thing he knew was that Knight was responsible for them, but that had been a drug-induced admission, not necessarily information that had been given freely.

The nightmares were a common occurrence, and not all of them were related to the assault. Not a single night passed without the disruptions but the more his body healed, the more aware of his surroundings he became, the more he withdrew into himself, and the nightmares occurred with less frequency. He never revealed anything and as the frequency slowed the ones that had been causing him to wake screaming had shifted into the background.

Even after he had been discharged with his doctor’s blessing he had continued to visit the young man that had unknowingly given him a reason to keep living. He’d had hell trying to learn anything about him; fingerprints had eventually given him a name and a juvenile record but even then so much of it had provided just the bare minimum of information. Even though he’d been in and out of the system very little was known about him or his past.

The oldest record he had found was nearly 12 years old and it had sickened him when he had read the contents. At eight years old the cops had picked him up wandering around the city with no adult supervision. The injuries listed in the report had turned his stomach because no child should ever be subjected to such things. There was no family history and no missing persons report to indicate anyone had ever looked for him. Attempts had been made to place him with a foster family but he hadn’t responded well to the environment. He had run away from the group home multiple times and at nine years old they had either given up trying to retrieve him or just lost track of him altogether.

There had been more reports, painting a picture of a damaged boy growing into an even more damaged man. He had put the pieces together as he read report after report. He had been found by a street slug that had seen an opportunity and taken it. There was no shortage of sick people trolling the streets and if Dimitri had his way every single one of them would be taken out and strung up by their balls. Eventually he had ended up on his own again and for years he’d done whatever was necessary to survive. A kid alone on the streets, no money, no family, nowhere to go… he had turned to what he had learned at the hands of the men who had victimized him as a child.

A child, he snorted mentally. He’d never had the opportunity to be a child.

Music filtered through the halls and reached his ears as he mounted the steps. The volume increased as he reached the room where David conducted the majority of his surveillance and he easily identified the fading strains of Rachmaninoff. Moments later another track began and he paused, leaning back against the wall as he listened to Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty Waltz. It wasn’t the complete piece and he knew David really didn’t care for anything leaning toward the classical, so it was something coming through the surveillance feed.

He closed his eyes and let the music wash over him and he could almost hear Irina’s musical laughter. He and Robin had made a good couple; they had respected each other, understood what the other needed, and cared for each other a great deal. They could’ve made a decent life together, raised their daughter in a stable and loving home, and given her such a good life. They’d had so many plans for Irina.

He smiled faintly as he remembered the friendly disagreements over musical taste. Robin had loved hard rock and in the right mood he knew he’d catch her singing along with some country song. He had grown up with classical music and he had a deep love and appreciation for the genre. They’d always had music on at home and they had encouraged their little girl to enjoy music. Neither of them had wasted much time on television or movies, preferring music to the distraction of other media.

He inhaled slow and deep when the music suddenly lifted, reaching one of its dramatic crescendos before dropping and mellowing again. How many nights had he used that piece as a soundtrack to tell his baby girl a bedtime story? Robin had loved the musical events in Central Park and they had spent a lot of their free time there. They hadn’t wanted Irina to grow up in front of the television, they had wanted her to experience life, to be active and appreciate the world around her.

They had been doing a pretty good job in his opinion. He and Robin had good careers, working for something they both believed in. They had a daughter they had loved more than anything else. Life hadn’t been perfect but it had been good. And with a single order it had all been taken away.

He shook the memories off before they could take him through the door of the home he had shared with Robin and Irina. There were good memories but he knew what lay beyond that door and going there wasn’t something he could face. There was a reason cops didn’t want family members to see their loved ones immediately after they had been taken from them so violently. It left a picture in the mind that nothing could ever erase. But, like a fool he had forced his way in that night, unable to listen to the rational side of his brain that warned him to listen to the cops swarming in and around his home.

“Dimitri!”

He turned his head to look at David when he called his name sharply. It wasn’t often that he used his first name, having settled on calling him D a long time ago. He didn’t know why and he didn’t really care. It was something no one else called him and that was reason enough to leave it unquestioned.

Shakes frowned at the expression in Dimitri’s eyes. It was sadness so profound it was almost a physical thing. “What’s wrong?”

He started to shrug it off but it suddenly occurred to him that he was doing the very thing David did that drove him crazy. Just recently he had revealed that he’d had a daughter and not a single question had been asked. He’d offered very little of himself, and his explanation, his unwillingness to talk about it, had been accepted without protest. Some things just cut too deep and dredging them up could push a person to the brink of insanity. If David had asked he couldn’t, he wouldn’t, have been able to talk about it. “Just that piece that was just playing…”

He turned to look back into the room, his blue gaze settling on the speakers. “It won’t play again.” He didn’t know what it meant to Dimitri but he could see that it had upset him.

Dimitri cleared his throat. “What’s goin’ on?”

“Not much. Knight’s out on the town with some woman he picked up and she’s got enough space between her ears to believe he’s a refined, wealthy businessman.”

“Who happens to listen to compilation CDs,” he snorted. “Yeah, he’s refined alright.” It was such an insult to chop up such great works, piece them together, and slap a label on them that proclaimed they contained the best pieces by the composers.

“You talked to Deluca?”

“Um-hmm, your boy’s safely tucked into the girlfriend’s apartment and I checked in with her bodyguard. She just saw her into the building so it looks like everyone’s in for the night.” He nodded at the surveillance equipment on the desk beyond the door. “Anything important?”

“No, just couldn’t sleep.”

“Because you needed to know Evans was alright?” He shook his head when the other man sighed loudly. “I don’t understand your interest in this kid, David. Yeah, part of it is jealousy and that’s not something I can just turn off at will. But regardless of your reasons, you’ve gone to a lot of trouble to save him and we’re so damn close to seeing that goal met.”

“I don’t – “

“What I’m saying is you should get some rest. You won’t be any good to him or the plan if you’re not thinking clearly because you’re exhausted.” He smiled and pushed away from the wall. “I haven’t eaten a thing since lunch, so I’m gonna scrounge up something before I go to bed.” He paused in front of David and met his gaze evenly. “Jealous, yes, there is that, but most of it is concern for you. I want to see you get through this in one piece.”

Shakes nodded, hiding his surprise when Dimitri didn’t push for more information about Max. “Alejandra saved a plate for you.” He watched the man who had pulled him back from the edge and saved his sanity walk away and he took a halting step after him before he caught himself. He hadn’t known what to make of the stranger who had unintentionally woken him from a nightmare and then sworn to protect him, but he had believed him. Since that night Dimitri had been a presence in his life, not constant, but there whenever he had needed him.

He pushed once in a while, tried to get him to open up, but he hadn’t once tried to change him. It was that easy acceptance that had allowed their friendship to grow and he held it as close as he had ever held anything that was important to him. Dimitri had disappeared when he had allowed himself to get involved with Jeremy, even though it was very limited as far as relationships went. But he had contacted him after the other man’s death, letting him know he was there if he needed him.

“What was for dinner tonight?”

He shook himself and leaned forward to look over the railing, silent for a moment as he tried to remember. “Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, coleslaw, biscuits, and,” he made a face, “those fried jalapenos you like so much.”

Dimitri grinned as his foot landed on the bottom step. “That woman knows how to put a meal together. Want me to warm your plate up?” David hadn’t been doing justice to the meals Alejandra made so he did his best to get him to eat whenever he could. It was a recent development and he knew it was the stress of the situation with Knight because as a rule he didn’t leave so much as a crumb on his plate.

Shakes shrugged, not expecting it when his stomach growled at the suggestion. “If you want.”

He nodded, taking the win. “I could bring them up; we can eat while working on surveillance?”

“Just don’t put any jalapenos on my plate.”

Dimitri chuckled. “Don’t worry, if there’s any on your plate I’ll scarf them up.” He felt some of the tiredness leave him as he walked into the kitchen and flipped the light switch on.

“You have to be patient with him.”

Alejandra’s words echoed in his head as he moved around the large airy kitchen, collecting the plates she had set aside for them, and setting about warming them up. “You’re a very smart woman,” he mused quietly. He snagged one of the fried jalapenos off one of the plates and blew on it before biting into it. “And a damn good cook.” He got a couple of cold drinks and tucked them under one arm before balancing the hot plates in his hands and hitting the light switch with his elbow on his way out of the room.

begonia9508: Thanks!

Oh, lol, no, Damon isn’t gone as much as we all wish he was. His demise is in the works though, so stay tuned. I promise he won’t just disappear off screen.

Jeff does want the best for his little girl but Nancy understands the situation from her daughter’s point of view.

keepsmiling7: Thanks! There is definitely light waiting at the end of the tunnel.

Shakes is very invested in seeing Knight go down.

Diablo’s smart and he knows when to exercise caution.

Isn’t that the truth? And in this case, the Parkers have plenty to worry about!

The next three days are going to move quickly.

Natalie36: Thanks! You don’t have to wait any longer!

xilaj: Thanks! This update isn’t quite as long as the last one and Diablo the wonder dog only has a small part, but I think it’ll be worth the wait.

Courtney, like many others in this story, has her demons that haven’t allowed her to escape the past. Lol, I’m not sure we’ll get the opportunity to explore everyone’s secrets… that could make for a very long fic considering the pasts some of them have.

Diablo has become such an integral character in Prisoners. His ability to sense the emotions in his humans and to provide them with comfort and unconditional love has given us a unique view of the world through his eyes.

I’m glad you enjoy Diablo so much! He’s modeled after a very special companion. The ability of these noble animals to give love without question, provide comfort without expectation, and to simply be there with their quiet understanding has never failed to amaze me. We’ll be getting a LOT of Max and Liz in this update and we’ll find out if they can move forward. Those small moments, so seemingly insignificant on a larger scale, are often the most important. They are the moments that make a life.

Spending time with Sean and getting advice from him and then later the opportunity to just be so accepted and loved by Diablo has helped calm Max. Today Liz will have her chance to be there and let Max know she isn’t going anywhere.

Ah, the mysterious package… we will find out what was inside and it won’t be a very long wait. Shakes has had a very difficult and traumatic past and it’s shaped him into the man he is today. Dimitri and Shakes met at a very pivotal moment in their lives and in many ways is responsible for them surviving the traumas that led them to that moment in time. We will be learning why Max means so much to Shakes, and that is also coming fairly soon.

You’re right about Shakes – he will risk everything and put anything on the line to take Knight down. What he does after his mission’s been accomplished… that’s difficult to say. After all he’s been through and where he’s come from, well, we’ll have to wait and see.

roswellian love: There are bits and pieces there that are part of the reason that Shakes is going to these lengths to protect Max. We’ll be getting the answers soon!

clueless: Thanks! Here’s more for you!

dreamon: Timing is everything, lol. Here’s the next part!


Part 54

Liz entered her apartment quietly, peering around the door and spotting Diablo immediately. He wagged his tail and gave her his doggy grin as he ran up to her, greeting her in his usual exuberant manner. His mood had improved considerably since their trip to the park and she had a feeling that meant Max had come home. She closed and locked the door before putting her things on the table next to it and walking through the apartment.

Light spilled out into the hallway from the open bedroom door and she stepped inside, mentally rolling her eyes at the pile of dirty clothes on the floor next to the hamper. What was it about guys and their inability to actually put their clothes someplace besides the floor or hanging on the furniture? She picked them up and dropped them in the hamper before moving to the vanity area and leaning in the doorframe to soak up the sight of Max standing there. She watched as he shifted, leaning in close to the mirror as he pulled his skin taut before carefully moving the blade of the straight razor over the area.

She waited until he lowered the razor to rinse the blade before she moved towards him, clearing her throat to get his attention. His hand tightened on the razor as his gaze lifted to catch her reflection in the mirror. He shook the excess water off of the blade as he turned his head to look at her.

“Hey,” he said slowly, straightening and facing her fully.

“You’re home.” She smiled and motioned to the shaving cream on his face. “What made you decide to shave?”

He shook his head. “I don’t need it anymore. I had this idea in my head that it gave me an edge but it doesn’t.” He looked down at the razor. “People see what they wanna see, it doesn’t really matter what you show them. I let it grow out in prison because it does make me look older and considering some of the sick bastards behind bars that’s a good thing. But when I got out I kept it because I thought I needed it.”

“And now you don’t?”

“I’m not the same guy I was when I was sentenced. I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of and there’s no way to go back and erase them. Some of those things were done out of necessity; things that I shouldn’t have done but if I hadn’t I probably wouldn’t be alive today. I don’t make apologies or excuses for those things. I’ve made peace with them and I’ve let them go.” He sighed and shook his head. “What Damon did tonight… What I did tonight… I don’t know how to let that go.”

“Max, he put you in an impossible situation.” She moved to squeeze between him and the vanity area and hopped up to sit on the countertop. “He made you choose between your family and a man you didn’t know. What kind of choice was that? Put your little niece and your sister into that kind of nightmare situation or choose a gun that might or might not have been loaded? He’s sick and he deserves to die a horrible and painful death!” She touched his chin, exerting just enough pressure to bring his gaze to hers. “I know it bothers you that Shakes told me what happened tonight, but in a way it’s better that he did.”

“How can knowing the kinda sick things Damon’s twisted mind can come up be a good thing?”

Her hand rested over his, rubbing his knuckles before slipping down to touch the handle of the razor. “May I?”

“You ever used one of these before?”

“I’ve been practicing ever since I saw it in your shaving kit when you left it open one night.”

He frowned. “Practicing on who?”

“Well, on an inflated balloon, but I’ve gotten pretty good. I haven’t popped one in weeks,” she said proudly.

“You do realize my face isn’t the same as a balloon, right? You nick me and I’m not gonna pop; I’m just gonna bleed all over the place.” He relented when she nodded. “Just keep the skin taut and take it slow and easy.”

“It’s a good thing because I know, nothing more complicated than that,” she said, going back to their previous conversation. He tipped his head to the side at her urging and his gaze locked on her movements as she placed the blade against his skin and he didn’t draw a breath as she slowly shaved a path through the white shaving cream covering that side of his face.

“I know you wanna protect me,” she said as she repeated the process, careful to keep her motions slow and steady. “But that’s a two-way street and we’ve both agreed that we’d like to make this relationship work, so we have to be open to letting the other person in even when it’s things that makes one or both of us uncomfortable.”

He reached up to still her hand when she moved the razor away from his jaw. “After what you went through with Rhoads I didn’t wanna bring up anything related to sex trafficking. I know it’s not the same thing, but…” He swallowed with difficulty. “A lot of people think it’s not a problem right here in their own backyards, that it’s something that only exists outside of our borders. But the reality is that it’s a major financial gain right here in America and it happens right under our noses every day.”

“That guy, Knight, he’s involved in that too?”

“Liz, he’s involved in every possible illegal activity that’ll turn a profit and believe me when I tell you sex and drugs are two of the most lucrative commodities on the market. He doesn’t care who he hurts to get what he wants. And even though we’re getting closer to putting this to rest I’m scared to believe we’re gonna pull it off. He’s there at every turn and he’s always a dozen steps ahead of everyone else. Shakes is doin’ everything humanly possible and I don’t know how he pulls off some of the things he’s done, but he’s put himself in a dangerous position if his role in this ever comes out. Somehow I don’t think I even have a clue just how much he’s put on the line to get me out of this mess.” He took the razor from her and finished the job, handling the areas of his face that were slightly curved and provided more of a challenge.

“What’re you thinking?” she asked when he fell silent.

“I went lookin’ for a fight tonight but before I could get in there Maria’s cousin, Sean showed up. He hauled me outta the dive I was in just before it got raided and took me to some gym. The guy got in the ring with me and we went a few rounds.”

“Sean? But, why?”

“Because Shakes asked him to do it.” He cleaned the razor and put everything away before moving to stand in front of her again. “I’m tellin’ you, Liz, he’s involved in so many things that I don’t know about. I know they met that night at the bowling alley but I had no idea they’d ever talked beyond that.”

“He’s just looking out for you any way he can, Max. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. A little curious, yes, but not bad. I agree he has put a lot of time and effort into this, not to mention a considerable amount of money, but he’s doing it because he wants to. Whatever his reasons are, he hasn’t felt the need to give an explanation, and I think he has a right to keep them private if that’s what he wants.”

“I know taking Damon down is important to him, possibly more important than anything else. I just hope when Saturday night gets here everything goes according to plan so we can at least put this behind us once and for all. I’m tired of Damon trying to control every aspect of my life.”

“Are you ready for what comes after Saturday night?”

“Yeah. I haven’t had to talk to the DA yet but a reduced sentence is better than nothing. I guess Shakes will let me know what our next move is as far as that’s concerned too. He’s looking into the DA, making sure he’s the right guy to make things happen. I sure as hell don’t wanna put myself out there only to find out the guy I talked to was dirty so I’ll just wait until he gives me the all clear.”

Liz was only halfway paying attention to the conversation, her eyes roaming over his bare chest. “I’m sure he’ll let you know soon.” Her fingers ghosted over his skin, moving down to the scar on his lower abdomen. She looked up when he caught her hand, stopping her from continuing her exploratory foray.

“You understand why I couldn’t come home with you tonight.” It wasn’t a question but he waited for her response.

“I do understand,” she said quietly. “I didn’t at first, but after I had some time to calm down and think about it I did. And while I trust you to never hurt me intentionally I realize that had you come home with me we would’ve taken the next step in our relationship and we’ve taken our time and waited for the right moment to avoid moving too fast.”

“I could’ve hurt you if we’d – “

She covered his mouth with her free hand. “Max, if we’d come home and had sex it would’ve been consensual. Yeah, there’s a very good chance that we would’ve taken it too fast, that you wouldn’t have been listening as close as you would be otherwise, but that wouldn’t be just on you.”

“I won’t ever do anything to intentionally hurt you or make you lose your faith in me. I know it would’ve been consensual, but I wasn’t thinking clearly and it wasn’t worth risking your trust or this relationship we’ve worked so hard to build. So, even if you didn’t fully understand what I was asking at the time or why, thanks for doing what I asked.”

Liz wrinkled her nose. “I don’t recall you asking so much as ordering.” She smiled to take the sting out of the words. “But I do understand why you felt the need to do it. Even consensually we could’ve easily and irreparably damaged our relationship. But it would’ve been on both of us if we’d taken that route.”

He nodded even though he didn’t fully agree with her. Yes, there would’ve been responsibility on both sides, but ultimately the guilt would’ve rested on his shoulders. “I wasn’t in a good place earlier, Liz. What Damon did, the position he put me in… I couldn’t let him take my sister and my niece. I know it wasn’t right to play God with that investigator’s life, but I know what happens to women and children when they’re taken for that purpose and there was no way I was gonna choose them.”

“Max, you did the only thing you could do in that moment. I’m not saying it was right or wrong because I’m not even sure how you determine that in this situation, but I do think you made the only choice you could make.”

His hands settled on her thighs and he looked at her directly. “It terrifies me what he could do if he ever got his hands on you.”

“Hey,” Liz framed his face in her hands, mindless of the bits of shaving cream still there, “I’m under constant surveillance and I have Diablo.”

“The dog you left home tonight.”

“The dog I felt would be needed more here when you came home.” She leaned in to kiss him, stopping the protest she knew was coming. “I promise I won’t go anywhere without him from now on. Not until this situation’s resolved, okay?”

“How well trained is he, Liz? If any of Damon’s people got past the bodyguard Shakes has on you, how well could Diablo really protect you?”

“He’s a fully trained level three protection dog. There’s only one way to get past a dog with that level of training. If someone ever came after me Diablo would be on them in less than three seconds, and if need be he’s capable of taking on multiple attackers.”

“I hope it never comes to that.”

“Me too. After Rhoads I was so scared of being attacked again that I invested in what I was told was the best form of security. At the time I wasn’t interested in a pet but the company I bought him from trains their dogs to serve as family pets first. I guess it allows the dogs to bond with their families and that increases the protective instinct or something. I didn’t care. I just wanted a means of protecting myself. I never expected to actually care about him, but now I can’t imagine him not being here.” She hooked her hands under his arms and pulled him closer. “I can’t imagine you not being here either.”

He studied her for a while in silence. “You’re absolutely certain you’re gonna be able to deal with me goin’ away for a while when this’s all over with?”

“I’m certain of just one thing, Max,” she whispered as she looked into his eyes. “I love you and you’re the only one I want to be with.”

“I won’t be free until this thing’s over,” he said quietly. “I don’t know what I’m looking at as far as time’s concerned but realistically I could be in even longer than the last time.”

She leaned in a little closer to him, her hands sliding up over his chest to settle on his shoulders. “Are you still trying to scare me off?”

He shook his head but didn’t meet her eyes.

“Does it bother you when I say I love you?”

“I don’t remember anyone ever sayin’ that to me before you.” He paused for the space of a heartbeat. “It scares me a little bit,” he admitted finally.

“Not ever?” Her eyes widened in horror and she slapped her hand over her mouth. “Sorry,” she mumbled, “I should’ve consulted my brain before opening my mouth.” She nudged his chin up. “Why does it scare you?”

“I remember how bad it hurt when my mom left me, and she didn’t even love me. Hell, she didn’t even want me. And I’ve accepted that, but knowing not even your own mother wanted you around kinda makes you a little wary.”

She bit back the automatic reassurance that his mother must have loved him. She only knew what he had told her, but what reason could any woman have for just walking out on a six-year-old child and never coming back? Not even bothering to call and tell someone that he was all alone in the apartment. “I’m not going anywhere, Max. I know situations can change, people can change, even feelings can change, but I promise you I won’t ever just walk out on you like that.”

His eyes moved over her face, taking in every nuance of her features. “What causes that to happen? I mean, I get situations and people, but what makes one person’s feelings for another change?”

“I asked my mom about that when my aunt and uncle divorced years ago. She said sometimes people just grow apart and,” he gaze dropped to his mouth, “either they don’t wanna try to bridge that gap or they just don’t know how.”

“I know no one can realistically promise forever, but… if we ever started to grow apart…?”

“I’d try my damnedest to bridge the gap,” she promised.

One side of his mouth lifted in a slow smile. “Me too.”

Liz reached up to frame his face in her hands, her fingertips sliding over the smooth skin there. “Considering what we know is coming, do you think it was wise to shave it off?”

“We’ve got two days and three nights before whatever’s gonna happen goes down. I wanna spend it with you without the act I’ve been puttin’ on for everyone else.” He hung his head for a moment. “That’s part of who I am too. I’m tryin’ to put the past behind me but even when I do that’s still gonna…” he trailed off when she nudged his chin up.

“I understand what you’re saying, Max. I think everyone has a side of themselves that they’re not necessarily proud of. And in your case it’s something that was necessary and it’s a part of what’s kept you alive. You’ve survived a life that no one should’ve had to live and you’ve come out of it with this incredibly strong moral code that, honestly, just blows me away.”

“That doesn’t make me special, Liz,” he said with a shake of his head. “Most people will try to do the right thing given the opportunity.”

“I can’t imagine most people being willing to do all that you’ve done in this situation.” She shrugged one shoulder. “Maybe that’s because I’m a little bit jaded about things, but I just don’t see that side of all that many people.”

He smiled and cupped her cheek. “You have to give them a chance. You’d be surprised at the goodness people are capable of. I’ve seen people so far in the gutter no one thought they’d ever find their way out, people everyone had written off, I’ve seen them do selfless things that have changed other people’s lives.”

“But you’ve put everything on the line for this, Max.”

“Yeah, but I’m doin’ it for the right reason.”

“What if he doesn’t act the way Shakes is predicting?”

“Shakes made the right call about this. We’re countin’ heavily on his predictable nature. I know what a long shot this is; I know takin’ Damon down is an ambitious goal and even with every precaution that’s been put into place we’re gambling big. Damon’s a creature of habit though, and he thinks he’s untouchable. That works in our favor.”

“But it also makes him twice as dangerous, doesn’t it? Someone who thinks like that, who has no fear of the law, they’re more likely to get away with illegal activities. That confidence doesn’t just work in your favor, it works in his too.”

“There are a million things that could go wrong but even with those odds, all we need is this one thing to go right and we have him.” He braced his hands on the counter on either side of her. “I have to believe it’s gonna happen.”

Liz hooked her legs around him to pull him closer. She desperately hoped that someone would make sure Knight wasn’t alive when this was all said and done. Otherwise he would continue to be a threat and she had a feeling someone like him wouldn’t forget who had turned on him. “It’s gonna happen, Max.” She rested her left arm around his shoulders and the fingertips of her other hand played over his freshly shaven cheek. “When Shakes told me what happened I was so scared for you.”

“I wouldn’t have told you what happened, Liz.”

She nodded and met his gaze directly. “I know that. I also know what it would’ve cost you to carry the weight of that knowledge alone.”

“You understand that it’s not a trust issue?”

“I do, yes. It’s an issue of you wanting to protect me from the ugliness in the world.” She smiled and kissed the tip of his nose. “And I love you for wanting to do that, but sometimes I just wish I could protect you from yourself.” She nuzzled his cheek and her lips nibbled a path down to his, humming in appreciation when he took the hint and turned his head to kiss her fully.

He deepened the kiss, careful not to go too fast. He had wanted her to be comfortable enough with him to let him know what she was ready for and he knew they were finally there. He broke the kiss, pulling back just enough to whisper her name.

Liz rested her forearms on his shoulders and looked deeply into his eyes as she waited for her heartbeat to slow enough for her to speak.

“Yes.”

He smiled and took a step back, scooping her up in his arms and hitting the light switch with his elbow as they left the dressing area. The full moon was partially hidden by clouds but it cast ample light and fell over the bed in places. He laid her on the bed and hurried to rid himself of his jeans while she shoved the covers out of the way.

He was burning to feel her against him, under him, but once again he cautioned himself to take it slow. The mattress dipped with his weight as he leaned his knee on the edge and he braced himself on one hand as he looked down at her. She was watching him, her eyes moving over his body, and a moment later her hands joined the visual exploration.

“Are we okay without the lights?” he asked.

“We’re good,” she assured him, hooking her fingers in the waistband of his boxers and pulling him closer.

Max allowed her to pull him down and he came to rest beside her. She rolled onto her side to face him and he hooked an arm around her waist to bring their bodies together. Her hands explored his back as their lips met in slow gentle kisses, taking their time and letting the passion build. His palm moved over her back in ever widening circles, dipping into the hollow of her waist to gather the material of her shirt and tug it up.

She sighed and moved with him, breaking the kiss only long enough to help him rid her of her shirt. She settled back into his arms as soon as her bra had been dealt with and she moaned at the feeling of her skin rasping against his. She could feel the restraint in his touch and she reached for his hand, moving it where she wanted it to let him know it was more than okay, it was what she wanted.

He followed her lead, leaning back to look down at her. He felt his breath catch when she laid back against the pillows, allowing him to just look at her in the moonlight. “I’ve never believed in perfection but you’re the closest I’ve ever come to seeing it.” His hand trembled slightly as it hovered over her and she inhaled sharply when he lowered it, his palm flat against her stomach. His thumb ghosted over her skin before his hand moved, slowly edging closer to her breasts.

Liz shifted restlessly, her nerve endings seeming to snap with electricity and making it impossible to be still. She reveled in the feel of his lips and hands on her skin but she needed more. Her hands shook as she reached for the waistband of his boxers and she chuckled breathlessly when she realized he was reaching for her jeans at the same time.

Their eyes locked for a moment and by unspoken agreement they quickly stripped off the last of their clothes. They explored each other, learning what made them sigh, moan, gasp, and nearly sob in frustration. As their kisses increased in fervor and their touches became more desperate, his hand settled on her thigh, pulling it up higher on his hip as he rocked against her.

Liz groaned at the intimate contact and her hand brushed against him, feeling the thin barrier of protection. Need slammed into her and her hand snaked under his arm, wrapping around him as she rolled over onto her back. The familiar feeling of panic intruded the moment his weight came to rest against her and she tore her mouth free of his.

It only took a moment for Max to notice the sudden change and he quickly moved off of her, kicking himself for getting so carried away.

“I’m sorry,” she panted, her pounding heart causing her voice to jump. “I wanted it, wanted you, like that, but I couldn’t… I can’t…” she trailed off and shook her head as she stared up at the ceiling.

“First off, don’t ever apologize for this.” He took her hand and gave it a gentle tug, letting her decide if she wanted to face him or not. “Not ever, Liz. I want that too, but when your mind and body are in agreement over the matter.” He brushed his hand over her damp cheek, seeing the tears of frustration and anger in her eyes when she rolled onto her side to look at him. “We’re just gonna have to be patient until then.”

“I’m tired of being patient. I wanna be able to have sex with the man I love without freaking out.”

His thumb brushed against her jaw. “I love you enough to be patient,” he said with a smile.

She stared at him speechlessly for a moment. “You love me,” she whispered, taking in the unmasked truth in his eyes. Her heart nearly tripped over itself when he gave her that quiet half-smile and nodded. She launched herself at him, so many emotions racing through her at his admission.

Max fell over on his back, his arms around her waist as she leaned down for a kiss. Their mouths came together, slow, gentle kisses that quickly reignited their passion. He pushed himself upright as their kisses intensified and they didn’t stop until the need for oxygen because necessary.

Liz chuckled breathlessly when she shifted and the contact between their lower bodies made him hiss. “I’m thinking,” she whispered as she pressed him back into the pillows and braced her left hand on his chest, “that maybe this position has some definite advantages.”

“Yeah,” he huffed as she touched him, guided him, slowly taking him in until she possessed him fully. When she lowered herself so they were chest to chest and she slowly started to rotate her pelvis he thought he was gonna lose it. His hands settled at her hips, guiding her movements and steadying her at the same time.

She slowly sat up as the need to move became more insistent and she covered his hands when they came up to brush against her breasts. Her fingers trailed down his arms, moving up and down, her lower body beginning to follow suit. She gasped when one of his hands slipped down to touch her and she nearly came undone.

Max watched her, unable to look away as her eyes closed and her teeth sank into her bottom lip. He couldn’t believe how beautiful she was or that she was his. He didn’t have any experience with relationship but he hoped he was capable of making this one work. He felt her begin to tremble around him and when her movements became more erratic he added just enough pressure to send her over the edge. He was glad he was so close because as she cried his name hoarsely his own release tore through him. She collapsed on his chest and his arms came around her as they both gasped for air.

“Just for the record,” he panted a few moments later, “I really, really love this position.”

Liz laughed breathlessly and nodded, her fingers tracing over his chest where his heart was thumping so madly it made his skin jump beneath her touch. She shifted so she could listen to his heartbeat and she closed her eyes at the reassuring sound. “Your heart has a nice rhythm,” she murmured.

“I don’t think I can take credit for that. It just has its own beat around you.” He cringed and was just about to roll his eyes at saying something so goofy when he felt her cheek curve against his skin. Was she trying not to laugh?

“I like that thought. That two people can be so in sync, that their hearts can actually beat for each other.”

“Liz Parker, you’re a romantic,” he teased and kissed the top of her head.

“Just don’t tell anyone,” she warned and pinched his side.

“Your secret’s safe with me.” He shifted and raised his left arm, bending it so he could use it to rest his head on. “You think once this’s over and I’ve served my time your dad’s gonna let me have my job back?”

She opened her eyes and crossed her arms on his chest, resting her chin on them as she studied his features. “You really like working at the restaurant?”

“Yeah,” he answered with a shrug. “I figure I’ll be able to keep working on my college courses while I’m inside, but I’ll still have a ways to go when I’m paroled. I’m gonna need a job to cover living expenses and as much as I know you’re happy to spend your money, I’ve gotta be able to pay my own way, ya know?”

“That’s important to you, I understand that.” Her fingers played over his face, amazed at how smooth his skin was. “What do you wanna do? I mean, after you’re paroled, you go back to work, and you’re in school… what do you see yourself doing?”

“I wanna do something with kids. I don’t know what yet, but there’re so many kids on the streets.” He raised himself up to stuff a couple more pillows behind him and he shuffled back to lean against them. “I’ve been there; I know how they end up on the streets, what they have to do to survive, the anger, guilt, and humiliation they deal with and I think what I went through, what I’m still goin’ through, maybe it could help other kids before they make some of the mistakes I’ve made.”

Liz watched him as he talked, seeing how important it was to him to make a difference for kids who didn’t have anyone else. His eyes shined with excitement and it lit his entire face up. “You mean like a social worker or something?”

“No, something else. Don’t get me wrong, social workers do their part but so many street kids just get lost in the shuffle at first, and later, nobody wants to deal with them. The statistics for homeless kids are just insane and the numbers aren’t getting any better.” He dropped his chin and looked at her, smiling as he brushed her hair back from her face. “Probably not the best conversation in this situation.”

“Oh, Max, I wanna hear all about it. I don’t have any experience with kids and especially not street kids. I don’t even know if I’d be good at something like that. I majored in business and minored in marketing and I still have no idea what to do with myself. My mom’s into her charity work and my dad’s all about his restaurant, but neither of those things was ever the right fit for me. I just never really had any ambition. If I had an interest in taking over the restaurant one day Dad would be over the moon, but I just don’t.”

“What’d you wanna be when you were little?” His eyes moved over her face, taking in every nuance of her expression.

She finally shrugged. “That’s what I mean. I grew up without any worries, I never wanted for anything, and in spite of my parents doing their best to foster an interest in well, anything, I just kinda breezed through life. I wasn’t kidding when I said I don’t know what I wanna do. Since we’ve gotten involved I have realized that I’d like to do something important… not like popular, but something that might make a difference somehow.” She shivered when his fingertips dragged down the center of her back, raising gooseflesh on her skin.

“Whatever you decide to do, you’ll be great at it, Liz.” He grinned crookedly. “And I’ll help out any way I can.”

“That goes both ways, Max.” She braced her hands on either side of him and slowly pulled herself up over his body until she could nip his bottom lip between her teeth. She ran her tongue over the tiny bite, soothing the sting and melting into a long, lingering kiss. Her hand settled against his side, tracing a path from the tip of the scar on his abdomen to his chest and then higher to tangle in his hair. “I want you,” she mumbled breathlessly and immediately felt his response to her words.

His eyes, darker than normal, met hers and he grinned. “Trust me.”

“Always,” she promised.

He nodded and wrapped one arm around her, rolling them over but careful to keep the majority of his weight off of her. He braced himself on his elbow and reached over to shake a packet out of the box of condoms he had pulled from the nightstand drawer earlier. He lowered his head for a kiss but didn’t draw it out because of their position. “I love you,” he whispered as he relinquished the packet to her questing hand and rolled them back over so she was resting against him once again. One day she would be comfortable enough to handle his weight on her, but until that day came they would stay within the boundaries where she felt safe.

In the hallway Diablo tipped his head to one side, listening for a moment before he snuffled and turned to go back to the living room. He grabbed Bunny and carried the beloved toy over to his bed, stepping up on the large pillow and turning around several times before he settled down. He dropped Bunny and rested his muzzle on the toy as he shifted and kicked one of his back legs out to get comfortable. His dark eyes scanned the apartment, pausing for a moment on the doorway that led to his humans and he sighed happily before his eyelids slid closed and he went to sleep.

Eva: Thanks! I take that as a great compliment – especially from a Candy lover such as yourself.

Natalie36: Thanks for reading!

keepsmiling7: Diablo has become a special character in this story and he’s stolen the show more than once, lol.

Patience has its own rewards, doesn’t it?

We’re getting ready to take off!

dreamon: Lol, they took their sweet time, but they finally got there! Definitely the calm before the storm.

xilaj: I’m so glad that Diablo has become such a beloved character in this story. His first concern is always for his humans and he loves them both with a devotion and depth that has no end.

Max and Liz have both come a long way since the beginning of this story and finally reaching this place in their relationship, in their lives, where they can really accept each other and even themselves, understand their flaws and imperfections, and move forward with a resolve to be open and honest with each other is something that will continue to strengthen their relationship over time.

They’re both at a place where they’re becoming more comfortable in their own skin and it’s allowing them to set those masks aside. Everyone hides behind something at some point or other in their lives and our couple here are truly letting their guard down with each other and letting that go. Thanks for the compliment!

Oh, the storm is about to break… and very, very soon!

Alien_Friend: Oh, I so understand! I hate not being able to post regularly because RL keeps interrupting precious writing time! There’s nothing like reading and writing to give you an escape from the insanity of RL.

Nancy is a strong woman and Jeff is a very smart man to not only listen to her, but to see the logic in her argument and accept it.

Unfortunately Jeremy was ill but the time he and Shakes had together was important to both of them. He was a lover of the written word and it must’ve been quite a gift to him to be able to share it with someone he grew to care for very much.

Diablo is a scene stealer, lol. And he loves a good conversation. He may not be very verbal, but he certainly gets his thoughts across. Thanks for the compliment!

Max and Liz have come a long way and they’re only getting stronger with each part. Together and individually they’ve grown so much and I can only imagine the good they can do in the future working with street kids.

If it ever comes down to a confrontation where Diablo has to show off those skills it’ll be quite the battle. He’ll do everything in his power to protect his humans and if anyone tries to hurt one of them and he’s there… well, I wouldn’t want to be them. There are several levels of protection dogs but unfortunately they’re very expensive. Luckily, that’s one thing Liz didn’t have to worry about when she went in search of a means of protection.

LovelyPOM83: I take that as a great compliment! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed Max and Liz’ story in Prisoners of the Past. It’s been a lot of fun, and at times, also quite a challenge, to write. Their story has progressed so beautifully and it allowed the opportunity to explore so many aspects of the life of someone recently paroled.

begonia9508: Thanks!

Why is Shakes going to such lengths to help Max? I promise that will be revealed before the end of the story!


Part 55

The peaceful quiet of Saturday morning was shattered by a triumphant shout that brought Shakes out of his bed, gun in hand. He was halfway to his door, still trying to focus his eyes, when he identified the voice as belonging to Dimitri. He growled and flicked the safety on, switching the gun to his left hand and reaching up to rub the tension at the back of his neck. Too little sleep could be hell on the human body and he didn’t get enough sleep on a good night. The shouting from down the hall had interrupted what had been one of the good nights.

He put the gun away and grabbed a pair of jeans, pulling them on and jerking a sweatshirt over his head before padding down the hall. He slouched in the doorframe and rubbed the side of his head against it as he glared at Dimitri. “I hope this isn’t related to anything that’s gonna irritate me. Not a touchdown or a field goal or a homerun or anything else related to sports. Please tell me I’m awake before the sun because you’ve solved some big mystery that’s gonna enlighten the world.”

Dimitri jerked a disc out of the burner and snapped it in a case, waving it in the air before slapping it on the desk. “I did it.”

“Did what?” It was really too early for this.

“I’ve got the list.”

Shakes rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “Grocery list, fantasy car list, sports teams list… please stop being cryptic,” he grumbled.

Dimitri just grinned, invading David’s space to rest his hands on either side of his neck, his fingers slipping down to rub at the tense muscles at the base. “You were worried Captain Stone might trust the wrong cop tonight.” He shook his head. “I’ve got Knight’s list; every cop, agent, lawyer, and judge on his payroll. And it’s not just names. He’s kept evidence against them and being the fool he is, it was all right there in his files.”

His eyes widened and he stared at the disc lying on the desk. “You really found it.”

“Not as quickly as I’d hoped, but yeah, I found it. I was careful, covered my tracks, so his people will never know I was in the system for this one.”

“The timing couldn’t be better. With this list we can make sure everyone involved is clean.” If he was comfortable with physical demonstrations he probably would’ve hugged Dimitri at that moment. But he wasn’t so he shifted, moving further into the room so he could pick the case up. He turned to rest his hip on the edge of the desk when he heard his companion sigh and he watched as Dimitri hung his head for a moment before taking a deep breath and nodding to himself. “I don’t know how to do this, D.” He froze, not expecting it when Dimitri turned around and smiled slowly.

“You’re not telling me anything I don’t know, David, and I don’t expect you to apologize in that unique way you have when things get uncomfortable.”

“That wasn’t an apology,” he snapped and turned around to shuffle the papers and folders around. He really needed to start organizing them so they would be ready to be destroyed once this operation was finished. It wasn’t an apology, he rationalized silently. He didn’t apologize for being the way he was.

“Yeah, it was. We’ve already established you may never be able to do a relationship and I’ve accepted that. Would I change that if I could? Hell, yeah. But since I can’t we’ll take things as they come.”

“I don’t understand you.”

“But you care about me.”

He shrugged. “Yeah, but – “

Dimitri reached out to silence him. “That’s all that matters.” He tapped his fingernail against the plastic case in David’s hands. “You’ll wanna get that to Captain Stone.” He picked up the headphones. “I’ve got some listening to do and I wanna go over the viruses a couple more times just to make sure nothing goes wrong when I turn them loose tonight.” He had settled into the chair and was reaching over to turn the equipment on when he realized David was still standing there. He shifted to look at him, watching as his eyes scanned over the room. “You ready for this to be over?”

“Yeah.” He hooked his thumb over his shoulder. “I’d better set up a meet with Stone. Our time’s limited and I need to get to her before she notifies the cops she intends to use tonight.”

He nodded as David made his escape. He was ready for the situation with Knight to be over but he wasn’t so sure he was ready for what came after that. For so long his life had revolved around seeing Knight taken down and he had been unable or unwilling to focus on anything else. He had a feeling his friend was going to feel aimless once his mission was finished. All he had known his whole life was pain and suffering on the mean streets of New York City. He smiled as he turned the audio on. If things went the way he hoped they would they would leave the city that had taken so much from David far behind once this was over.

*****

Liz rolled over and stretched, her eyes opening when her hand encountered cool sheets rather than her boyfriend’s sleep-warmed skin. Her breathing slowed as she strained to hear any movement in the apartment, but after several seconds she decided he and Diablo had gone for their morning run. She reached for his pillow to pull it closer and snuggle into it but as her arm wrapped around it she felt something crinkle and she pushed herself up on her elbows to see what it was.

She picked up the piece of paper, smoothing out the creases she had just put into it, and unfolded it. A smile graced her features when she saw the ‘I love you’ scrawled below the ‘happy birthday’. She wondered how it was possible to be so happy and content but then decided it didn’t matter. She was pulled out of her musings when her phone rang and she answered it without checking the caller ID.

“Good morning, Mom, Dad.”

She rolled her eyes affectionately when they launched into their version of the birthday song instead of answering with a traditional response. She waited until they were finished and then talked to them for a good twenty minutes before assuring them that she and Max would be meeting them for dinner at seven o’clock. There were several more calls from family and friends and she was disconnecting from the last one when she heard Max and Diablo return.

“Are you boys back from your run?”

“We had to run out for somethin’ and we decided to stop at that bakery you like to grab breakfast,” Max called back.

“Gimme just a few minutes and I’ll join you.”

“No rush, take your time.” As soon as he heard the shower come on he hurried to start a pot of coffee and set everything out on the table. He looked at Diablo where he sat in the kitchen doorway watching him. “You’re sure you’re ready?”

The dog yawned widely and turned to look at the table.

“I didn’t mean were you ready to eat. She’s gonna be out here in a few minutes so make sure you’re ready.” He filled two mugs with coffee when it was finished brewing and he added cream and sugar to them before carrying them to the table. He retrieved the gift he had gotten for her and ran his fingers over the paper he had painstakingly wrapped around it before placing it on the table where she normally sat for meals. He snapped his fingers when he heard movement in the hallway and Diablo took off.

Liz ran her fingers through her hair, pausing when she reached the dining area and saw Diablo sitting next to Max with a package on the floor in front of him. “What’re you two up to?” she asked as she walked over to them, reaching down to rub the dog’s head as she leaned in to kiss Max.

She looked down when the dog nudged her without an ounce of subtlety and she tried not to laugh when he placed a paw on top of the package and looked at her as if to ask what she was waiting for. “Hmm… whose gift should I open first?” She hadn’t missed the package sitting in front of her chair and she could practically feel the anticipation humming through Max’s body as he waited.

“He’s pretty excited about his gift so maybe you should go with his first,” Max said and nudged him with his foot.

Diablo picked the package up by the ribbon and lifted it up, releasing it when she reached for it. He watched as she held it up, turning it this way and that way before giving it a gentle shake.

Liz smiled as Max shifted to make room for her on his lap and she ran her fingers over the wrapping paper while making herself comfortable. “I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess that Diablo picked the paper out.” It was blue and decorated with white dog bones in various sizes and the card attached next to the bow was shaped like a bone as well.

“Yeah, I couldn’t talk him outta that design.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and grinned at the dog when Diablo watched her every move so closely. “What’s it say?” he asked when she opened the card.

Her arm settled around his shoulders as her eyes moved over the words written inside. “To keep us visible and safe on our nighttime walks, while Max isn’t here to watch us like a hawk.”

“Yeah, he’s not the best poet,” Max said, trying to keep the mood light.

Liz looked at him as she shook her head. “It came from the heart and I think that’s all that matters.” She gave him a quick kiss and then focused on the gift once more, peeling the paper back to reveal a rectangular white box. “He’s not giving anything away, is he?”

“He opted for the more mysterious packaging.”

Diablo barked when she lifted the lid and he jumped up, bouncing around the room when she lifted the new collar and leash set out of the box.

“They’re made with LED lights and he picked these out,” he reached into the box and searched through the tissue paper to pull out a pack of lighted armbands, “for you. It’ll keep both of you visible at night or early in the morning and with the seasons changing it’s getting dark earlier and light later, so…”

She smiled. “It’s the perfect gift and I promise we’ll use it.”

“Thank you.” He cleared his throat when her teasing laugh registered. “Diablo says thanks too. Since he picked it out an’ all.”

Liz leaned over to give Diablo a rubdown and pressed a kiss to his head. “You did a good job.”

As soon as she released him he ran across the room and snatched Bunny up off of his pillow, shaking it back and forth while he growled happily.

“Looks like I’ve got something else to open up,” she said as she reached across the table for the small box. The edges and corners weren’t perfectly creased, indicating he’d wrapped it himself, but to her that made it all the more meaningful. She didn’t shake the box this time, but she took her time running her fingers over it and letting the anticipation build. After several minutes she started to peel the taped ends apart and she could feel Max holding his breath as he watched her every move. “Hmm… another mystery box,” she said when the wrapping paper fell away to reveal the small white box.

He couldn’t breathe as he watched her lift the lid and reach inside for the small velvet bag. She gently undid the fastening at the top and raised one end, her eyes widening when she saw the bracelet that slid into her waiting palm.

“Max,” she whispered as she took in the bracelet, “it’s beautiful.” The thin sterling silver links were tastefully crafted, and her fingertips traced over the tiny 14-carat gold key that rested alongside a diamond-studded heart charm. “I love it.” She presented her wrist to him. “Put it on for me?”

He accepted the bracelet and was once again struck by just how clumsy and awkward he felt handling something so fragile. As he secured the clasp he caught her hand and lifted it, pressing a kiss to the inside of her wrist. “Happy birthday, Liz.”

She almost missed the small card attached to the inside of the box lid as she leaned forward to place it on the table, but as she moved to sit back one edge lifted for a moment and she reached for it again. She caught the edge with her fingernail and slid her finger under it, opening the card and reading the inscription. It wasn’t printed and it wasn’t anything fancy; it was simple and written from his heart in his own handwriting.

To the woman who taught me what love is and who gives me something new to love about her every day. Love, Max.

Her eyes filled as she read the words and she shifted to throw her arms around him. “I love you, Max,” she whispered between kisses. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.” He didn’t want to ever let her go, to ever lose this moment, and he wondered how things would change while he was serving his time. Would they be able to recapture this feeling or would it remain strong throughout his incarceration?

“I have something for you.”

“For me?” He shook his head. “It’s your birthday, Liz.”

“It is my birthday,” she said as she slipped out of his grasp and got up, “and I wanted to give you something.” She disappeared into the kitchen and he heard her pause in her rummaging. “I see the two of you stopped by Gourmet Paws.”

“Well, Diablo thought since we were having croissants he should at least get some of those carob and vanilla bagels they make over there and it wasn’t really out of our way.”

“Um-hmm.” She moved things around for another minute or two before finally coming back out of the kitchen to retake her place in his lap. She placed the small black designer box on the table next to him and watched his hand clench and unclench spasmodically as he reached for it and then backed off. She had purchased it the same day she had run across it but she purposefully hadn’t had it wrapped because she had no idea how he felt about receiving gifts. When his hesitation didn’t seem to be easing she reached over and covered his hand. “If you’d rather not…”

“No, it’s just… I mean, me an’ Ava picked stuff up for each other, but it was usually necessity items, not really gifts.”

“Oh.” She remembered him telling her that his mother had run out on him on his sixth birthday but he had never mentioned receiving anything for any birthday or Christmas that she could recall. And after his mother deserting him he had been put into foster care for several years before he had hit the streets. Her heart broke for the little boy he had been, never knowing what it was like to be loved and cherished the way all children should be. “Max, if you don’t like it you don’t have to keep it.”

“No, I’m sure I’ll like it,” he said, his eyes glued to the store emblem. He recognized the store name and he could just imagine how much she had paid for whatever was tucked away in that small box. He knew the price tag wasn’t the point and that she wasn’t likely to ever hurt financially, but accepting something so expensive was a little disconcerting.

“Is it because of the price tag?” she asked after a moment. She bit her lip uncertainly. “I didn’t buy it because of how much it cost, Max. I just saw it and I thought you’d like it. It’s a gift, nothing more, nothing less. There are no price tags between us, not ever.”

He swallowed hard. He had to be able to accept that she didn’t see boundaries where money was concerned and he knew that. Knowing it and accepting it were two completely different things though. There were plenty of things he could imagine getting for her but most of them were out of his price range and probably always would be. And he could live with that. It was just gonna take some adjusting on his part because he knew she had grown up with money and it was second nature for her to spend it when she saw something she wanted and he didn’t have that luxury.

“Be patient with me, Liz. I don’t want money to ever be an issue between us and there’re gonna be times when I might have to choke down my pride because of that – “

She covered his mouth with her hand. “Max, I don’t care if you never have a million dollars. I don’t care if you don’t have some prestigious job and wear a three-piece suit to work every day.” She wrinkled her nose. “Matter of fact, I can’t even picture that and I have a pretty good imagination. You wanna do something to help street kids and I respect that.” She shrugged one shoulder. “I’d even love to help if I can, but please, let’s never make it about money. I have money, yes, and I love to spend it. I make no apologies for that.” She smiled at him. “And you haven’t asked for any, so we’re good there. But at the same time, if something happened and it all went away I’d still have you and that’s what matters most to me. So if we ever become destitute then you’ll know what to do and I’ll have to follow your lead.” She chuckled and gave him a quick kiss. “But for now we’re not so let’s just enjoy life and each other without money creating some kinda barrier between us. If I get too pushy financially just tell me and I’ll back off.”

Max snorted. “You get too pushy in any capacity and I’ll tell you.”

She hugged him and nudged the box closer to his hand. “Good, now I’m gonna be just a little pushy and beg you to please open that box.”

“It’s not something crazy expensive is it?”

“You mean, did I go overboard and buy you a car and gift wrap the keys?” She laughed outright when his eyes shot to hers. “No, I didn’t.”

He nodded. He didn’t want to ruin her happiness by being so reluctant to accept her gift; he just didn’t know how to do it gracefully. He forced down the hesitation he felt and lifted the lid off of the box, pulling it closer to look inside. He had never worn any kind of jewelry other than a cheap wristwatch but it was a nice piece, and one he could honestly say he liked before he had even picked it up.

Liz watched him, taking in every nuance of his expression. It was a man’s bracelet made of silver-tone brass with silver chain links on one side and the rest of it was a solid band with a leather inset. She relaxed when he carefully picked it up to inspect it and she gnawed on her bottom lip when he noticed the words engraved on the inside of the band.

My love is given freely. Love, Liz.

Her heart somersaulted in her chest when his lips turned up at the corners and she recognized the smile as the most genuine in his arsenal, the one she hadn’t seen given to anyone but her. When he held it out to her wordlessly she accepted it and fit it around his right wrist before snapping the clasp in place.

“Thanks,” he said, his voice gruff with emotion.

She knew it was going to take time for him to become comfortable with receiving gifts and she accepted that. She wasn’t in any rush and they were going to have plenty of time to work their way around each other’s quirks, insecurities, and bad habits.

*****

The Brooklyn Heights Promenade was busy, but not so busy as to make it miserable to be out and about. The weather was comfortable for a late September afternoon but the breeze coming off of the East River was just cool enough to require a light jacket. Alex and Isabel kept an eye on Jenny as she hurried ahead of them, the short ankle-to-knee casts hidden beneath a pair of sweatpants, her gait slightly awkward but allowing her to feel normal as she chattered happily with her companions.

“Her progress has just been amazing,” Josh said as he and his wife Teresa kept an eye on their own girls. They had decided to get together and bring their kids down to Brooklyn Park for a picnic lunch. Rather than drive they had taken the ferry and the girls had been so excited they hadn’t stopped talking since they had gotten together. The family dog trotted ahead of them, his dark eyes following the girls and watching the area around them. Lugnut was a Swedish Vallhund and even though he was a very small dog and had a fluffy tail that curled over his back he kind of resembled the German shepherd.

“It won’t be much longer before she’s out of the casts, will it?” Teresa asked. She was nearly as tall as her husband with long black hair and dark eyes.

Isabel shook her head. “No, not long at all now. She’s made it through all of this with such a good attitude. I think that’s really helped.”

Teresa chuckled. “I think her parents can take some credit for that. Without a strong support system it’s difficult to keep those spirits up.” She was about to holler at the girls when their three-year-old Sadie started climbing up on the fence that bordered the bridge they were taking down to the park but Josh got to it first. His arm dropped from around her shoulders and he set the picnic basket down as he shoved Lugnut’s leash into her hand so he could rush forward to grab Sadie. “Thank God,” she whispered when their youngest was safely enfolded in her daddy’s arms.

“I’m not looking forward to moments like that,” Isabel admitted.

“They certainly keep you busy but I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

Alex looked down when Jenny ran up to them and her hands locked around his wrist.

“Hey, Alex, did you know the best ice cream anywhere is close to here?”

“Is that so?” he asked with a smile.

“Um-hmm, Joshlynn said so.”

His gaze lifted to look at the nine-year-old girl who ran back to pick up the picnic basket as Josh swung Sadie up to sit on his shoulders. “Well, I guess if Joshlynn said so it must be true.”

“Mommy, Mommy, can we get ice cream?”

Teresa took her five-year-olds hand when Zoey ran up to her. “After lunch, honey, and no buts because I won’t change my mind.”

The little girl made a face but knew better than to argue with her mom’s decision. “Can I take Lugs?”

“Yeah, but be careful and don’t trip him or anyone else with the leash. You remember how Daddy showed you to use it?”

“Uh-huh,” she said and eagerly accepted the retractable leash. Zoey ran down the walkway, slowing down when her daddy called after her when she passed him.

“How do you manage a job, three kids, a dog, a husband, and a pregnancy?” Isabel asked as she and Teresa fell back. Her gaze stayed on Alex as he and Josh scouted the area looking for a good spot to get things set up for the picnic.

“I don’t sleep much,” Teresa said and laughed. “I have a husband who always leaves the toilet seat up, never rinses his cups or glasses out, leaves his clothes wherever he happens to drop them, throws his wet towels on the bed, and leaves the newspaper all over the house.” She watched her husband help Alex down onto one of the benches before taking the picnic basket from Joshlynn and setting it on the table. “But, in all seriousness, he’s an amazing father and husband. I may have to provide a little guidance around the house, but he’s good about pitching in when it’s needed.”

“You have a lot on your plate.”

“I’m not the only one. From what Josh has told me you can’t possibly have much time to yourself right now.”

“No,” Isabel said and chuckled. “Alex keeps telling me to get out of the house, take an afternoon off and go do something just for myself.”

“Um-hmm,” Teresa murmured, “but you’re not quite at the point where you’re able to let go. I understand that. Of course, now that I’ve had three kids and number four’s on the way, I have no problem taking a ‘me’ day when Josh suggests it. Matter of fact, sometimes I have to remind him it’s time for me to take one of those days. It’s good for you, and believe me it’s good for them too.” She winked. “It reminds them just how much they appreciate you and everything you do for them.”

“When’s the last time you took one of those days, Teresa?”

“Oh, I’m about due for one.”

“Have you been to the spa lately?”

She laughed and shook her head. “No, but that sounds lovely.”

“How’s next Saturday sound?”

“I’ll have to check with my OB, but other than that I say let’s put it on the calendar.”

“They have an entire package for pregnant women. I can call over and have them email me the details and then forward it to you in case your doctor wants to look it over.”

They were making plans for the following weekend as they finally joined their families and Alex smiled as he listened to their conversation. He was glad she was finally taking his advice and planning to spend a little time away from home. She needed a break and Teresa was the perfect person for her to hang out with because she was in a position to really understand her situation.

*****

Max leaned back, his weight braced on his hands, as he stared out at the Statue of Liberty. As tempting as it had been to spend the day at home they had decided to spend the afternoon at Brooklyn Bridge Park. They had considered just going to Central Park so they could take Diablo but when she had discovered he’d never been here she decided they’d drop the dog off at her parents’ home and she’d pick him up after the party. He had been awed when they had started walking and he’d noticed Liberty Island in the distance. They had spread the blanket out in an area that had given him a clear view of the statue and while the park had been flooded with people earlier the dark clouds moving in and threatening rain had sent many of them searching for other activities.

“New York has to be one of the most amazing cities on the planet,” he said as he watched the waves of the ocean rioting against the hulls of the boats daring to cross its angry expanse. “You could spend your time exploring it every day for an entire year and still never manage to see all of it.”

“It’s gorgeous at night,” Liz said as she followed his gaze. “I wish I’d thought to bring you down to Pier 1 before now. The view of Brooklyn Bridge all lit up at night with the city as a backdrop, it’s just beautiful.”

“We’ll see it.” And they would, he believed that. He glanced up when it started to drizzle and he watched the dark clouds slowly rolling across the sky. “I guess we’d better get moving before it starts to pour.” He stood with the intention of helping her to fold the blanket but he found himself captivated once more by Lady Liberty. “Y’know, so many people can quote the phrase, ‘give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses’, but I’ll bet almost none of them can quote the last two lines of “The New Colossus”, if they even know what it is.”

Liz found herself embarrassed by her lack of knowledge, but rather than make some flippant remark she folded the blanket and waited. For all of her years of education she couldn’t say she knew what he was talking about. Sometimes she wondered at the quality of education students were receiving because there were so many things he could talk about for hours on end that she either hadn’t studied in school or it had just been a passing footnote in her studies. There was no end to his fascination with nearly any subject, but he had an absolute thirst for history.

“The last two lines are: ‘Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me’,” he chuckled quietly and continued. “’I lift my lamp beside the golden door.’ The doors of this country may have been left open, but when it comes to the homeless, the hearts of her people have been slammed shut.” He shook his head and sighed. “The number of homeless people is off the charts and now they’re intentionally overlooked, ignored, and treated like the lowest form of life.”

“People are scared of them,” Liz said as she moved to stand beside him. “They can’t relate to them and all they know about the situation is what they see on TV.”

“When did people lose the ability to think for themselves? When did they become slaves to the media? Homeless people do commit acts of crime, but the majority of them are non-violent. While violent crimes against the homeless are increasing. Studies have even been conducted that prove that, but most people will never hear of them let alone read them.” He shoved his hand in his pocket and absentmindedly jingled the loose change there.

“Maybe you’ll be the one to change the way people view and treat the homeless.”

He smiled. “That’d be great, but even if it’s just a few people I’ll be happy.” He took the blanket from her and draped his free arm around her shoulders as they started to head out of the park. “Do we have time to make the ferry?”

“Yeah, but we’d better hurry if we don’t wanna wait for the next one.”

He looked up when the rain started to come down a little harder. “You wanna run, try to avoid getting wet?”

She shook her head. “Not really, and it’s not raining hard yet. If it starts coming down hard we’ll make a run for it.” She knew he could spend all day walking in the rain or even just standing in it, drawing in deep lungfuls of the clean scent and feeling its wetness against his skin. She could only imagine how much such a simple thing meant to him after being locked up for years. Although when it started getting cold she’d have to keep an eye on him, make sure he didn’t end up making himself sick. But, by the time it started getting really cold he’d be back in prison, she realized.

“What’s on your mind?” Max asked when she suddenly fell silent and her expression turned pensive. “Liz?”

She forced a smile. “I’m not ready to let you go.” She sighed and leaned into him. No matter how hard they tried to keep what was coming from intruding on their day together it was impossible to completely forget it. “You’re going into this thing tonight and there’s no safety net. I know you trust Shakes but you never heard from the District Attorney or anyone else about getting your deal and without that… without it you could be looking at a long sentence, Max.”

“I’ll admit it’s a little unsettling that I haven’t heard anything, but there’s a reason. Shakes has had this thing planned out from the beginning and if he’s kept things quiet he’s got his reasons.”

“You have a lot of faith in him.” She searched for the words she wanted to say. “I don’t mean that you trust blindly, you obviously don’t, but you’re just placing a lot of faith in him and I don’t see how he can do anything to protect you when this is all over and done with.” She sighed. “I’m saying this all wrong. I don’t mean that – “

“It’s okay, Liz, I know what you’re tryin’ to say, and you’re right. But I trust Shakes and he’s never let me down. Where I come from you trust someone or you don’t, there’s no in between.”

She nodded. “And you trust him.”

“Without question. I know I could end up serving a longer sentence without the deal and I’m prepared if it comes to that. Yeah, a deal would be nice, and I’d be lyin’ if I said I wasn’t hopin’ to have one before tonight, but if Shakes didn’t feel it was safe for a meet with the D.A. or anyone else, I know there’s a good reason for it.”

“I hope you’re right, Max.” She hugged him a little tighter. “God, I hope you’re right.”

*****

Kyle was sitting on the floor in the living room, watching the college football game and keeping an eye on Cadence. He had put her down on a blanket next to him while Ava and DJ made dinner, keeping her occupied until the food was ready. He glanced down to check on her and he missed the next play when he saw her push herself up on her arms and tilt her head just enough to give him a big toothless grin.

“Hey, look at you.” He shifted and rolled over onto his stomach, facing her as she babbled happily. He braced his weight on his fisted hands and pushed up and he laughed when his little girl mimicked the move with a sort of bouncy push. “Ava, come check this out!” he hollered.

She came into the room drying her hands on a dishtowel, her mouth open to ask him what he was yelling for when she was just a room away, but the words died on her tongue when she saw the two of them.

“Now there’s a photo opportunity,” DJ said as he came up behind her and reached over her shoulder to offer her the camera he had dug up a few days ago. “Dinner’s almost finished. Go on, I’ll take care of it.”

“Thanks, DJ,” she said with a smile.

He nodded and disappeared back into the kitchen, lifting an eyebrow when he caught Courtney snooping through the pots on the stove. “You’re not hungry, are you?”

She froze for a moment and then slowly lowered the lid back to cover the pot. “There’s too much oregano in the sauce.”

“What?” He grabbed a spoon and nudged her out of the way so he could check for himself. He shook his head as he lifted the lid and stirred the sauce. “Too much oregano,” he huffed. “This recipe has been in my family for generations, passed down from my great-great-grandmother and you can rest assured she never put too much or too little of anything in her spaghetti sauce.”

“Callahan isn’t an Italian name.” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the counter to watch him as he tasted the sauce, smirking when he frowned at the taste. “You’ll want to add just a little bit of sugar.”

“No, but my great-great-grandmother was Italian and she wanted to make sure the family recipe was passed down for future generations,” he said as he added a pinch of sugar and started to stir again. “And last I checked Banks wasn’t Italian either.”

“My great-great-great-grandfather was Sicilian.”

“Sicilian and Italian, huh?” He waggled his eyebrows playfully. “I’ll bet we could set off some serious fireworks.” He grinned at her. “C’mon, Court, go out with me.”

“Stick to your sauce, Daniel.” She straightened and pushed away from the counter. “I need to check the perimeter.”

“Dinner’ll be ready in fifteen.”

“I’ll be finished in ten.”

He chuckled and started getting the garlic bread ready when she left him alone again. He took her parting words as a win. There hadn’t been a bite to the words this time and usually there was. He was brushing the garlic spread over the bread when he heard heavy footfalls behind him and he turned his head to see Michael come into the room.

“No word yet?” he asked, knowing the other man was waiting for a text from Sean to let him know everything was okay with his family.

He shook his head and nodded at the stove. “Need a hand with anything?” He was glad Kyle had found someone he wanted to be with; a woman who made him happy and a little girl that had him wrapped around her little finger, but right now he couldn’t watch the three of them together.

“Table needs to be set or…” he trailed off when Michael suddenly jerked and he fumbled to pull the cell phone from his pocket.

“I’ll get it in a minute. Care if I borrow the computer in the study?” Michael asked, his eyes locked on the small screen as he scrolled down to read the whole message.

“Go for it.” Courtney had already installed protective measures on the only computer in the house and they rarely touched it.

He hurried out of the room and rushed down the hall to the study, closing the door behind him and dropping down into the chair behind the desk. He followed the instructions Sean had sent him in the text message, logging into a dummy email account, and opening up the attached media file. He adjusted the volume and sat back only to shift forward a second later when the 17-second video started to play and he recognized Jim and Amy’s living room.

He felt the tightness in his throat when his little boy walked into the room, his arms wrapped around the stuffed toy he’d started carrying around everywhere he went. The sensation worsened when Maria entered the shot and she tried her best to direct Hunter’s attention to the camera.

“Hunter, can you say hi to Daddy?”

The little boy grinned, showing off his new teeth, and he waved clumsily. He walked right up to the camera and he reached out to touch the lens as he tipped his head back to look at Mama with a curious look on his face. “Dada?”

“That’s it, right there, Hunter.”

He heard Jim chuckling off screen and a moment later Maria stepped into the shot again, picking Hunter up and sitting down facing the camera. She looked up and nodded at a question from her dad and he heard footsteps moving away.

“Hunter’s finally managed to get Dada out. I can’t wait until you can hear him say it in person. Sean said we had to keep this around 15 seconds or so and our time’s already short, so here goes. I hope wherever you are you’re safe and you’re not taking any unnecessary chances. We’re doing fine on our end, keeping a low profile, and if everything goes according to whatever plan you guys have put together, I guess we’ll be seeing you either late tonight or early tomorrow.” She glanced up and nodded when someone he couldn’t identify spoke. “We’re counting on you coming home to us, so don’t let us down. We love you, Michael. Take care and be safe.”

The video ended and the screen went black. He sat back and sighed as he reached up to rub his face with both hands. They were still safe and this mess was almost over. He watched the video one more time before closing everything out and pulling the engagement ring out of his pocket. He studied it for several minutes before closing his hand around it and nodding to himself.

He had asked her to marry him because he didn’t know what was gonna happen and he wanted to make sure she and Hunter were taken care of if anything happened to him. He’d always believed that marriage was just a piece of paper and Maria had never pushed him to think differently but he’d seen her face the night he’d offered her the engagement ring and asked her to marry him. What they had was good and it’d always been enough for him but it was time to take it that step further. She wanted him as her husband and the more time he’d spent thinking about it the more he’d realized that he wanted to make things official too.

*****

They were soaked as they burst through the front door, laughing breathlessly after their race through the downpour. The apartment was dark, the only illumination provided by the jagged streaks of lightening that flashed across the sky from time to time. Max turned at the same time as Liz and their eyes met as he reached out to shut the door.

The locks were turned one by one as his free hand settled at her waist, tugging her closer as he lowered his head to kiss her. Their time was growing shorter and that only fueled the intensity of their need as their mouths devoured, their hand roamed, and their hearts raced.

He spun her around, his lips moving over her neck and shoulder as it was bared. His right hand moved over her, quickly stripping her shirt and bra off and dropping them to the floor. He cupped her breasts, his thumbs working her nipples to stiff points as he nuzzled her neck before tasting her skin.

She whispered his name as her head dropped back against his shoulder and she pushed her lower body back into him. She reveled in the growl she elicited from him when she ground her backside into his erection and their hands collided when they reached for the fastening of her jeans at the same time. He moved her hand, pressing it to the door before he returned to his intended target, releasing the button and zipper and sliding his palm over her soft skin to cup her heated center. He drew in a ragged breath when he teased her and her body shuddered against him. She moved in tandem with his fingers, her soft sighs and needy moans increasing his need for her.

“Max,” she covered his hand with one of hers, squeezing it lightly to get his attention.

“You okay,” he rasped, stilling his movements.

“Better than okay.” She moved against him when his hand flexed. “I wanna do it like this.”

His fingers dragged against her when he withdrew his hand and she stripped the wet denim and panties off while he shoved his clothing out of the way and applied protection. He ran his hands over her body, loving the way her skin felt.

“I love you,” he whispered as he entered her slowly, rocking against her and drawing their pleasure out. He could feel her inner muscles fluttering around him and he held her tighter, bracing one hand against the wall for leverage as he started to move faster.

Her hand wrapped around his wrist as she reached between them to touch him. The storm outside increased in intensity; the thunder rumbled and the windows rattled in their frames. The lightning flashed, briefly illuminating the couple locked in the most intimate of embraces, the gentleness in their touches as they recovered at odds with the tempest raging just beyond the windows.

“If tonight didn’t mean so much to my dad I’d call and cancel so we could spend the rest of our time together right here,” Liz said as she turned to lean against the door.

“Your dad has been pretty excited about your birthday.” He leaned back, giving her room to work as she helped him pull his shirt off. He could see the conflicted look in her eyes as she wondered if her dad would understand. “And I appreciate the thought, but it’d be selfish of us to take that away from him,” he said as he cupped her face in his hands and brought her gaze to his.

She nodded and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. “Please be careful tonight, Max.”

“I will,” he promised. “Now let’s get ready for that party because your parents are expecting us to be there on time.” He couldn’t promise her everything would be alright, that it would all work to their advantage, but he could at least promise that he’d be as careful as he could be under the circumstances.

*****

Mac watched as Yoda crept along the windowsill, stalking her prey with a patience that would make a saint proud. She had observed the feline over the past couple of months and while she liked the animal more than she had when they had first met, she still wasn’t a cat person. Not that Yoda was like any other cat she’d ever seen. As Sean had told her on more than one occasion, the animal was more like a dog than a cat in many respects.

She shook her head when the cat suddenly reared up on her back legs and made a valiant attempt to capture the moth that took flight. The animal yowled in annoyance when the winged creature slipped through her paws but she still managed to land on all fours on the floor. She continued to follow the moth across the room and Mac was just waiting for the animal to walk into a wall when her attention was pulled away by the sound of the front door opening.

Yoda ran across the room, sliding to a practiced stop just as Sean stepped through the door with takeout from a nearby pizza place.

“I’m runnin’ a little behind so I called ahead and ordered somethin’ for dinner. Figured it’d be faster than waitin’ for delivery.” He paused to scratch Yoda’s ears and then carried the pizza over to hand it off to Mac. “Wanna soda?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

He nodded at the laptop sitting on the coffee table in front of her. “Anything from Atlas?”

“He emailed earlier just to make sure everything was ready. He said most of his people are already in place and those that aren’t are en route. He has spotters on Knight, Pascal, and Grainger. So far they haven’t done anything unexpected but he said they’re packing a lot of firepower. Pascal picked up another shipment from that arms dealer he does business with.”

“Great.” He retrieved a couple of drinks from the fridge and they discussed the plan while eating their dinner. Everything had been planned out down to the last detail – the best vantage points for everyone involved, the signals that would be used, who would make the final call when it was time to move in, and then they had gone over it all again from an alternate plan because they wanted to be prepared for anything that came their way.

Mac looked up when Yoda jumped up to walk along the back of the couch. She did her best to ignore the cat when she stretched out to stare at her, tail slowly flicking as her gaze bounced back and forth between the slice of pizza and the woman holding it.

“Oh, fine, take the damn thing,” she huffed, peeling a pepperoni off and holding it out.

Sean hid a smirk and shoved the last bite of his own pizza in his mouth. He washed it down with a drink of soda and wished it was a cold beer. There would be plenty of time for that later, he reminded himself. He leaned forward, wiping his hands on a paper towel and tossing it in the empty carton.

“Alright, I guess we’d better get down to business.” He got to his feet and walked over to the wall facing them and reached up to release the panel with family pictures mounted to it. He lifted it up out of the frame and set it aside, careful to make sure it was secure before he turned back to the opening in the wall.

Mac’s eyebrows lifted in surprise when she saw the safe behind the wall. A gun safe, she realized. He inserted a key into the lock and turned it, then identified himself using the fingerprint scanner before the locking mechanisms released. He turned the handle and pulled the door open to reveal the lighted interior. “You should be ready for whatever comes at you tonight.”

He smiled when he heard the envious tone in her voice. “It’s only right that you be there tonight, Mac.”

“Don’t say that, Sean.” She shook her head. “Your captain’s gone out on a limb not turning me in. As much as I wanna be part of the task force taking Knight down…” she swallowed hard. “I won’t jeopardize all the work that’s gone into this.”

He reached for a bulletproof vest and turned to toss it to her, nodding when she caught it deftly. “Captain Stone got it approved. This case is yours as much as ours, maybe more. You earned the right to be there tonight.” He stepped aside and motioned to the safe that housed rifles, handguns, ammo, scopes, laser sights, holsters, and an assortment of knives. “It’s too risky to get you into the station and we still need to keep you outta sight so you’ll have to gear up here.”

She got up and slowly crossed the room, almost holding her breath as she reached inside the safe and picked the weapons up one by one, testing the weight and balance. “This’s a beautiful collection,” she said reverently.

Sean watched her as she handled the guns, her hands confident and sure, her stance solid, and her expression focused. “At the risk of getting slapped into next week I’ve gotta tell you I find this incredibly hot.”

She slowly turned her head, meeting his gaze over the barrel of the gun. “When this’s over you can take me out to dinner and we’ll discuss that.”

“Slapping me or me finding this hot?”

Mac laughed and shook her head. “I should probably warn you I’m about as romantic as a doorknob.”

“Yeah, well, my ex didn’t think the gun range was very romantic so we might just discover we’re pretty compatible.”

“Never ever compare me to your ex and we’ll get along just fine. I figure I’ve already survived living with you and your cat for the past few months so dinner’s just the next step.” She held her hand up, stopping him before he could open his mouth to suggest an alternative suggestion. “Dinner is the next step.”

He sighed and nodded. “Dinner it is,” he agreed as he glanced at the time. “We’d better get ready. It’s almost time for us to get into position.”

*****

Max held the door for Liz as they walked out of her apartment building and his eyebrows lifted in response to the long black limousine waiting at the curb. Jeff had told him he would be sending a car for them but he hadn’t said anything about it being a limo. He glanced down at Liz when her hand settled in the crook of his arm and she took his breath away all over again. They had dressed for the occasion but he had brought a change of clothes with him so when it was time to duck out he could make it to the meet with Damon prepared for whatever was coming at him.

He couldn’t name the designer or the style other than knowing the dress had what she’d called spaghetti straps. It was a deep red and it moved with her, clinging to her body in all the right places. Not like a second skin though; it left room for the imagination and that was the way he liked it. The neckline was low cut and hinted at her cleavage but wasn’t excessively revealing. And out of deference to the cool night air, or maybe it was simply part of the getup, she had chosen a shawl that draped over her shoulders and further hinted at the mystery beneath.

Her hair was done up in some kind of upswept style with bits that curled and dangled around her face. A necklace adorned her neck, the tiny line of diamonds with the small teardrop-shaped ruby pendant at the center nicely accenting the bracelet that dangled from her wrist. Her eyes shone brightly with happiness, and the radiance in her smile put the sparkle on the diamonds to shame.

He didn’t miss her appreciative gaze as it swept over him and while he didn’t mind dressing up to go out he was glad he’d gone to the extra effort of finding the new suit. He’d asked Dottie to give him a hand with it and she’d known exactly where to go so he wouldn’t have to take out a loan to buy the thing. It was cut in the traditional style, classic black with a crisp white dress shirt. He had a feeling Dottie had probably consulted with Liz about the color of her dress because she had picked out a tie that matched it perfectly.

The cufflinks and tie clip were both silver with a black inlay, which also suggested that Liz had been consulted. The getup was a nice ensemble though and there was no doubt that she had impeccable taste. He had enjoyed the way the older woman had fussed over him and he hadn’t missed the tears in Dottie’s eyes as she had stood back to look at him.

The rain that had slowed to a steady drizzle suddenly began to gain momentum again, the fat drops pelting the glass awning that covered the walkway leading into the building. The chauffer suddenly appeared next to him, umbrella in hand, and he motioned to the car.

“Ms. Parker, Mr. Evans, if you’ll allow me…?”

Liz smiled up at Max. “You ready?”

“Me?” he chuckled. “I’m not the one who’s gonna have to blow all those candles out.” He’d been having fun teasing her since he’d discovered she was almost two years older than him.

“You’re having way too much fun with this.” She rolled her eyes at him and nodded at the chauffer. “We’re ready.”

He gave a sharp nod and walked them over to the waiting car, opening the back door and continuing to shield them from the falling rain while Max helped Liz into the car.

She was settling into the comfortable leather seat when she noticed the shadowed figure sitting across from her. She started to warn Max before he could get inside but the chauffer moved and the light from the front of the apartment building illuminated the interior of the limo and she recognized Shakes just as Max eased inside.

Shakes lifted a finger to his lips in a bid for silence just as the door was closed and he waited until Liz had raised the divider that separated the driver from the rest of the car before he nodded. “You clean up nice, kid,” he said after a moment.

Max grinned. “Not too shabby, huh?”

“No, not at all.”

He glanced at the window when he heard the drivers’ door close. “I’m guessing you’re not here to compliment my choice of clothes though.”

“No, but the two of you do go together very well.” He shifted and pulled an envelope from the inside pocket of his coat as the car started to move. “I don’t care to put a damper on your evening out,” he said with a glance at Liz and then focused on Max, “but there’re a couple of things we need to handle before you leave to meet Knight.”

“The wire?” Max asked, feeling his nerves quicken at the thought.

“I was able to get my hands on the wire and have an associate adjust it so Knight won’t be able to detect it.” He upended the envelope and a small device slid into his palm. “The district attorney approved it so all you’ll need to do is keep it out of sight. You’re wearing a jacket tonight? What kind?” he asked when Max nodded.

“Just a jean jacket, nothin’ special.”

“Perfect. Put the bug in one of the chest pockets and forget it’s there. It’s made to secure to the backside of the button so it won’t be noticed during a pat-down.” He upended the envelope again and tapped it against his palm until a packet of papers dropped into it. “The other thing is your deal with the district attorney’s office.”

Liz swallowed with difficulty. As much as she wanted this to all be over she had dreaded this moment. “You were able to work the deal?”

Shakes smiled tightly. “I wouldn’t leave him hanging like that. He wasn’t going into the meet without a deal.” He handed the papers over to Max. “I’ve had everything verified to make sure it was what we agreed to when I met with McCarthy. My lawyer went over it multiple times to ensure there were no legal loopholes.”

Max blinked when Liz switched on the interior lights and he shifted to lean forward so he could read the document. After several tense minutes he swallowed with difficulty and shook his head. “Shakes, this’s… I never expected…” He was shocked and didn’t know what to say. “How were you able to get them to agree to this?”

He shook his head. “All it needs is your signature and I’ll get it into the proper hands after I leave.”

“You’ve tested that wire, right?” Liz asked, watching Max sign the legal documents.

“Repeatedly.”

“What if they have some kind of equipment that can, I don’t know, interfere with the signal? Things like that exist, right?”

“There are devices that can disrupt the signal and we haven’t discounted the possibility that Knight will have one,” Shakes said as his eyes moved from one tinted window to the next. “We don’t have a way around that. If they bring a jamming device into play we’ll rely on our own eyes and ears to get him out safely.” He looked at Max directly, seeing the shadows of fear hidden beneath the determination in his eyes. Only a fool wouldn’t be afraid, he thought. A little fear wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. It kept a person on edge, kept them aware of everything going on around them, and prevented them from easily becoming someone else’s victim. “I’ve got your back, kid. Just a few more hours and this nightmare will be over and you’ll be free.” He nodded at the restaurant’s entrance when the limo pulled to a smooth stop and then he looked at Liz. “Happy birthday.”

“Thank you.” Her smile slipped slightly. “How did you know?”

He chuckled roughly and shrugged one shoulder. “Am I wrong?”

“Well, no, but...” She just nodded when the driver got out and she could hear the soles of his shoes slapping against the wet pavement as he rounded the car and a moment later his shadow fell over them. “Please keep him safe tonight, Shakes.”

“With everything I have,” he promised.

*****

Two hours into her surprise birthday party Liz was beginning to feel anxious. There had been dinner followed by cake and then opening the small mountain of presents that had been stacked on a table. Max had stayed close by since their arrival and she’d introduced him to so many people she doubted he’d remember half of their names. She had paused when she’d reached a gift box wrapped in shiny blue paper and she’d looked around for DJ. She hadn’t seen or heard from him in a few days, which wasn’t unusual, but it was unlike him to miss her birthday. She had set the gift aside, hoping he might arrive before the end of the party but so far he hadn’t made an appearance.

She glanced up when someone sat down next to her and she smiled at Maria. “Hey, I’ve hardly seen you all night.”

Maria smiled and shifted a half-asleep Hunter into a more comfortable position. “He’s been a little fussy and it’s your night.”

“Is Michael still working with that crew down on the coast?”

“Yeah, but he’s hoping to be finished and home soon.” She reached for Liz’s right hand and lifted it to look at the bracelet that caught light from every angle. “That’s pretty.”

Her lips lifted at the corners as she reached out to touch it with her fingertips. “It was a gift from Max.” She felt her throat thicken as she remembered the words he had written on the card. She knew he would be leaving soon and she had to be strong enough to let him go. “He has great taste, don’t you think?”

“It’s very nice,” Maria agreed. “Where is he anyway?”

“Oh, he went to help Dottie with something.” She leaned forward and picked up one of the cards off of the stack in front of her. “Michael’s influence?” she asked as she waved it in front of her friend’s face.

She chuckled quietly so she wouldn’t disturb Hunter. “Well, you have to admit four passes to the bowling alley and dinner for four at the Mexican restaurant he likes is an improvement. You have to take your victories where you can get them, Liz.”

Liz shook her head. “Considering he’d probably prefer to spend a night in anyone’s company but mine I think it was pretty generous.”

“Are you feeling alright?” Maria teased as she leaned forward to place her palm against her friend’s forehead.

“I actually had a pretty good time the night we all went out and Max really enjoys hanging out with Michael.” She gave a longsuffering sigh. “I’m making the sacrifice for the man I love.” She suddenly smiled when she caught the look of surprise on Maria’s face. “Yeah, it’s true. And maybe Michael’s not as bad as I thought he was.” She shrugged as her expression sobered. “How have you put up with me?”

“Differing opinions aside, you’re my best friend, Liz, and I love you.”

They glanced up when Max settled into the chair on Liz’s left side, his arm settling on the back of her chair. “Hey, Maria, how’s it goin’?”

“Good.” She smiled at him. “Just love your gift.”

“Thanks. Michael still down on the coast?”

“Um-hmm.” She looked at Hunter when he started to stir and she could tell just from his fidgeting that he wasn’t going to be happy when he woke up. “I’d better get him home.” She leaned over and hugged Liz. “Happy birthday, girl. I’ll call you later.”

Max waited until Maria had left them to get her things together. “I need to get going too, Liz,” he said regretfully. “It’s almost time.”

She nodded and wished they could be somewhere private but she didn’t want to draw any unnecessary attention to him before he slipped out for the meeting with Knight. “Please be careful tonight, Max.” She reached up to cradle his jaw and she brushed her thumb over his chin. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Liz.” He covered her hand with his and turned his head to press a kiss to her palm. “Promise me you’ll go get Diablo as soon as you leave here. Don’t take any unnecessary risks tonight. I don’t trust Damon and I have no idea what he might do.”

“I won’t. I think I’ll see if Maria wants a ride home since getting a taxi in this weather might take a while and then I’ll go straight to my parents’ place and get Diablo. I know for a fact Emily baked a little cake for him and I’m sure he’s patiently waiting for it.”

“Okay.” He checked the time again. “I’d better go, Liz.” He leaned in and kissed her, wanting to hold onto her and never let her go.

*****

The shipping docks were cast in shadow courtesy of the hundreds, possibly thousands, of shipping containers, equipment cranes, and even ships that seemed to be everywhere Max looked. He’d only been to the docks a handful of times but he was always awed by the sheer size of the ships that docked there. This time though, he hardly noticed the shadowy outlines of the ships. All of his focus was on the men around him, listening to everything being said and watching every move they made. It was still raining heavily, making it a little harder to hear what was being said.

Pascal had picked him up and he’d been patted down and checked for listening devices and when that hadn’t satisfied the sadistic bastard he’d insisted on a strip search. It wasn’t the first time he’d ever been subjected to a search of that nature but it didn’t lower the humiliation factor. He’d been allowed to dress again once he had proven he wasn’t wired and now he was waiting for the delivery so this could be over with.

He watched as a car was escorted into the area and a man he didn’t recognize stepped out of the back. The guy looked normal; no flashy jewelry or fancy suit, just a regular looking guy in his mid-forties who would’ve looked normal sitting in the bleachers at his kid’s little league game. He nodded at Knight, his eyes scanning over the men assembled on the dock.

“You’re late,” Damon growled.

“Other business ran late,” the man answered unapologetically. “We can do this or not, your choice.”

Max wanted to laugh at the look on Damon’s face but he’d only seen one guy ever make that mistake and he’d only been breathing for a matter of seconds afterwards.

“Let’s see the merchandise.”

The man snapped his fingers and another man stepped out of the car and ran over to one of the containers, unlocking the padlock and pulling the chain free of the doors so he could pull them open. He switched on a high-powered flashlight and swept the beam of light over the cargo.

Max nearly swallowed his tongue when he saw the amount of product packed into the container. The street value on the shipment would be in the billions, he thought. He waited while Damon sent Pascal over to check the purity of the product and he tried to ignore it when the man who had unlocked the container started staring at him.

His unease notched up when the man casually made his way over to his own boss, motioning for him to step aside for a private conversation, and started speaking quietly to him.

“What’s that about?” Damon snarled at him. He hadn’t missed the way Hardison’s man had been watching Max.

“I don’t know. Never saw the guy before,” he said, hoping his voice didn’t reveal the nervous feeling in his gut.

From his vantage point Shakes was watching the scene unfolding and he felt that familiar sensation that always accompanied something going wrong. “I don’t like the way he was watching the kid,” he muttered. “This’s about to get ugly.”

“We need to see money change hands before we move in,” Captain Stone said, knowing the deal was about to go bad. She had been on the job long enough to trust her gut feelings about these situations. “If we don’t wait, the case against Knight’s dead.”

“If we wait he’s dead.”

From the top of a nearby container Mac glanced at Sean. “They’ve made him.”

Sean nodded. “Yeah.” He watched through the scope and waited for the captain to give him the green light. “This entire thing’s about to go to hell.”

Hardison looked at the man who had served as his right hand for the past several years and his eyes lifted just enough to look across the dock. “You’re absolutely sure?”

“I wasn’t sure at first because he got rid of the facial hair, but that’s the guy. My contact in the police department said there was a rumor that Knight has a mole in his ranks. He said the guy’s a parolee. We weren’t on the same cell block, but that’s him.”

“If he’s a mole he’s got backup.” He glanced down at Murph’s gloved hands. “There’s nothing to trace ownership of the product back to us and no money’s changed hands yet. Tell Wilson to be ready. If we get any resistance from Knight or his crew I want them dropped where they stand, got it?”

“Got it, Boss.”

“We’re gonna call it a night,” Hardison said as he approached Knight. He was going to take a major financial hit with the loss of this container but it wasn’t worth his life.

Damon’s gaze moved around the dock area suspiciously when Hardison’s men made no move to close the container or secure it. “Why?”

Max fought down the urge to swallow, knowing the man would notice the nervous movement. He knew. He didn’t know how the guy knew, but he did.

“Because I don’t do business with anyone who can’t keep his own ranks clear of cops.”

Damon looked at Max and laughed. “He’s not a cop. I don’t know what that man of yours told you but maybe you’d better invest in a better vision plan for your people.”

Hardison shook his head. “He doesn’t have to be a cop to be working with them, Knight.” He nodded at the crime boss and then looked at Max, his expression ice cold. “Whatever the cops promised you, it wasn’t worth taking this risk.” He turned sharply and walked back to his car and he listened as Knight called Pascal over to him. He met Murph’s gaze and nodded slightly when he got the expected response.

“This’s about to turn into a real bloodbath,” Dimitri said to the cop standing next to him.

Jim Valenti sighed and nodded. “Yeah, and there’s no way for anyone to get down there and get Evans outta there.”

Before another word could be spoken bright light flooded the dock area, temporarily blinding everyone who had been watching through scopes equipped with night vision. Chaos erupted as the bullets started flying and as Max turned to make a run for it something hit him from behind and he fell to the ground. He didn’t regain consciousness as he was thrown off of the dock and into the small boat waiting below.

xilaj: Lol, yeah… um, about that… I sure do hope your heart’s holding out! You have no idea how much it made my day when you said you were shrieking at the end of the part!

I’m hoping to perhaps go a little easier on your nerves soon. Knight does still have a trick or two up his sleeve… we’ll see how that goes.

Max couldn’t leave Diablo out of the gift giving. The two of them have become thick as thieves, lol. Their hope for a life together is being threatened but after they’ve come so far that only makes their resolve to survive this even stronger.

It is scary just how easily a person or people can become caught up in danger without ever knowing it exists.

Max has a unique perspective as he’s been in that place. He knows what it’s like to go without food and shelter, to survive on nothing but sheer willpower. He also knows the price the homeless pay and the scars it leaves behind.

Dottie and Max have a relationship that really does fill a hole in both their lives.

Kyle is certainly wrapped around that little girl’s finger. And I don’t think he’d change it if he could. Michael has a past that lacks family and the warmth that can come with it, but now he has it and he knows how precious it is. Hardison didn’t have any proof, but the fact that he was about to walk away from his drugs without taking payment set off the warning bells for Knight.

I savor every word of feedback and I had it saved.

Merry Christmas!

Natalie36: Thanks for reading! Merry Christmas!

roswellian love: I did leave it there. But I’m back and there is a plan in place to fix it! Merry Christmas!

keepsmiling7: That evidence will be an important payoff.

Diablo has great taste when it comes to picking out cards and wrapping paper, lol. In time Max may become a little more at ease with accepting gifts. It can be a difficult hurdle to cross with his past.

Eva: Lol, I tried, I really tried, but RL kept getting in the way.

begonia9508: I wish I could be more frequent with the updates, and promise whenever that’s possible I won’t keep you waiting.

Was Max shot? We’ll find out in this part what happened to Max.

Time is running out for Knight and his reign of terror.

LovelyPOM83: Thanks for reading!

I’m so thrilled that you’re enjoying Max and Liz’s story in PotP!

Alien_Friend: Lol, I think you’re the only one to say that!

That’s so true and Shakes, as much as he wants to reach out, just can’t do it.

Max and Liz have come so far and it does really bring it home just how much is at risk. It’ll take time for him to really be comfortable with getting gifts. After a lifetime of not receiving gifts and coming to accept that as the norm just seeing something with his name on it makes him uncomfortable.

With his past, Michael knows just how precious his little family is, and how easily that can slip away. He’ll do anything to protect them.

Kyle really has found something so very important on this assignment and like Michael, he’ll protect them with everything he has.

Lol, DJ would be over the moon if she’d just say yes!

Max and Liz are finally at a place where they’re healing and growing together.

Shakes has fought hard to get the plan to this point and he wants Max to have a good life when this’s all over. He’ll be on the move and soon.

dreamon: I think you’re right!


Author’s Note: I’m just making it in under the wire (well, my time anyway, lol), but, Merry Christmas Everyone!!!


Part 56

The city lights passed by in a blur, obscured and distorted by the rain sliding down over the tinted windows of the limo. Inside the warm luxurious interior Liz stared out through the window next to her. They were barely moving; traffic was nearly at a standstill due to an accident and they had been crawling for more than an hour already. She wished she knew what was going on with Max. How long did something like this take? Would he have to go with the police after it was all over? Would they let him come home tonight?

She sighed heavily and prayed that wherever he was, he was safe. She glanced over at Maria and smiled apologetically. “I thought this would save you from having to wait for a cab.”

Maria shrugged as she checked on Hunter. He slept well in the car and the occasional rumble of the thunder overhead didn’t bother him in the least. “We’re warm and dry, and it’s not like a cab would’ve gotten us home any faster.” She smiled at Liz. “And hey, at least this way we’re in good company.”

“You’re sure you don’t want the driver to take you home?”

“No, Michael feels better knowing we’re staying with my parents until he gets back.”

Liz nodded. Not that long ago she wouldn’t have understood that; she would’ve just assumed it was Michael being his overbearing self and pushing Maria to do what he wanted, but now she could appreciate Maria’s decision to stay with her parents while he was away. Her fingers were itching to turn on the radio and search the stations for some sort of breaking news bulletin that Damon Knight had been apprehended, but then she’d have to explain her interest in the report because as a rule if the news came on she changed the station and Maria knew that. “He’ll be back soon?”

“Hopefully tonight or tomorrow.” Maria watched Liz for several minutes, seeing the nervous tension that had her features drawn and tense. “Liz?”

She jumped, so caught up in her worried thoughts that Maria’s voice cutting into the silence startled her. “What?” She winced when the word came out high-pitched. “I mean…” She cleared her throat and tried again. “What?”

“What’s the matter?”

She followed one of the numerous raindrops as it blended in with the steady stream flowing down the glass. Why bother trying to hide it? She’d told Maria everything the other night anyway. “You remember what I told you about Max the other night? That he had to go through with this meet with that guy Damon Knight?”

“That’s where he went,” Maria guessed.

“I just wish I knew how long it was supposed to take.” She looked at her friend expectantly. “Do you know?”

“No, sorry, I wish I did. I’m not sure there’s any kind of timeframe on things like this, but what Michael was involved in was never drug-related and never anything of this magnitude. We’re talking about the biggest crime boss in the city, Liz. I can only imagine the kinda taskforce it’ll take to bring him down.”

“That’s what worries me,” Liz admitted quietly. “They think they know who can be trusted, but all it’d take would be one person and the entire house of cards would fall apart. I know Shakes is doing everything he can and Max trusts him implicitly, but how much can one person do?”

“Michael told me once that there’s no halfway when it comes to trust, especially when you come from the kind of world they come from. So if Max trusts Shakes that much then you have to trust his judgment.”

“I know Shakes will do everything in his power to make sure things go the way they need to, but Maria, what they’re up against…” she shook her head. “I can’t even fathom it. There’re so many things that can go wrong, so many ways he could be hurt.”

“And you’ll drive yourself insane with those thoughts. I know it’s hard to shelve them when it’s the man you love out there putting his life on the line, but you can’t stay focused on that.” She sighed and looked out the window. “I’m so glad Michael’s not a cop. I have so much respect for anyone who wears the uniform and puts their lives on the line on a daily basis, but I’m also glad I don’t have to sit at home and wonder if he’s gonna make it home to me night after night.”

“Yeah, I can’t imagine having to wait like this all the time. It’s no wonder people in those high pressure jobs don’t have a very good track record with relationships.”

“It takes a special kind of woman, or man in some cases, to be able to stick it out.” She smiled as she thought about her mom. “I asked Mom one time how she did it when Jim was still out on the streets so much of the time. She said loving a man who worked in any dangerous profession was the easy part. The hard part was the waiting and the silence. Some of the stuff you see on TV shows and movies just makes you sick, ya know? Can you imagine how bad it is in reality? A lot of people who have these high pressure careers make the mistake of thinking they can just bottle up everything they see and do, that by doing that they protect themselves and the people they love from what they see every day.” She shook her head. “How can you keep all that inside without going mad though?”

Liz shook her head. It wasn’t easy. “Max suggested we see a therapist, separately and together. He thinks it’d be a good idea after what I went through with Rhoads, and after what he went through in prison and before.” She sighed. “I talked to Mom about it and she thinks it’d be a good idea. She even offered to pay for the sessions.”

“What do you think?”

“I think as uncomfortable as it’ll be it’s something we need to do, for ourselves and each other. Some of the things this Knight guy’s done to Max have really messed with his head. I think when DJ gets back from wherever he’s taken off to this time I’m gonna ask him about his therapist. He tried for the longest time to get me in to see her, but he finally backed off and told me that until it was what I knew I needed to do, it wouldn’t do any good to go anyway. I know she really helped him and he was pretty messed up after that whole incident.” She shrugged. “Anyway, I think it’s a good idea.”

Maria smiled and nodded. “At least Max is open to the idea.” She snorted quietly. “Michael would rather face a firing squad than sit in a room with a shrink.”

“He prefers to deal with things himself.”

“Yeah, but he’s realized over time that sometimes you have to talk about what’s bothering you or it only gets worse. Not that he’s an open book or anything and getting him to talk is harder than pulling teeth sometimes, but with him it’s all about patience. I realized a long time ago that if I wanted him to talk I had to wait and let him come to me. He has a roundabout way of talking about things, but now he has a family he loves and trusts and that allows him to get things out a little better than before.”

“You know, I – “

Maria bit back a scream and shifted over to shield Hunter with her body when one of the back doors was suddenly opened and a man pushed his way into the backseat next to Liz. He was dripping wet and his narrowed eyes were constantly scanning the windows as he looked around. The streetlights caught the tattoo that covered his neck and she looked over at her best friend, reaching out to place a hand on her knee before she could pull out whatever protection she was carrying in her purse.

“It’s alright.”

“It’s not alright,” Liz insisted as she faced the man, hating the tremors that raced through her body but refusing to give in to the fear. “Who are you?” she demanded shakily.

“Michael sent him, Liz.”

“What?” Her eyes widened. “Why?”

“They’re coming for you,” Little Ricky rasped, his eyes locked on Maria. “The three of you.” His gaze suddenly shifted to the brunette. “You’re the rich one, right?” He nodded as his gaze raked over her. “You’ve got a panic room in your house.”

Liz swallowed with difficulty and nodded, unaware that it was a statement and not a question. “Who’s coming after us?”

“Knight’s people. Tell your driver to go straight to your house. We won’t beat them by much but it’ll be enough.”

*****

They watched from the shadows as the family settled down for the night, and as the lights were switched off they began to move. Their footsteps were silent, out of habit rather than necessity since the storm raging overhead provided them with plenty of cover. They approached the junction box on the side of the house and one of them kept watch while the other began working on removing the panel.

“What you think the boss wants with these people?”

The man keeping watch shrugged, cursing when the movement shifted the collar of his jacket and the cold rain hit the back of his neck. “Fuck if I know. Hurry it up, would you?”

“Bet he’s gonna sell ‘em. I’d sure like to take a crack at the woman.”

“You ain’t ever gonna have that kinda money.” His eyes narrowed on a car that turned onto the street. “Down,” he hissed when he saw the emblem on the door for the security company that monitored the neighborhood. “They must pay that rent-a-cop good.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because it’s rainin’ like crazy and that dumbass is actually patrolling.”

“Rich people,” he muttered as the panel finally came free.

“About damn time. Cut the alarm and let’s do this. I’ll grab the woman and the kid. The cripple’s yours.”

“And here I thought this was gonna be a challenge. Killin’ him ain’t gonna take any work.” He was reaching into the box to cut the connection when something cold and hard pressed into the base of his neck.

“Sever that wire and I’ll sever your spinal column from your skull,” a voice warned. “Nice an’ easy, let’s see those hands.”

He slowly raised his hands, his head turning just enough to see that his partner had a similar situation going on.

“Eyes front, hands behind your back,” the unknown voice ordered.

He grunted when his hands were bound together tightly and he was quickly patted down and relieved of his weapons before he was turned and propelled towards the row of hedges that bordered the property. “You have no idea who you’re messin’ with.”

“We know exactly who we’re messing with,” Martinez said as she and Bernard escorted their captives to the car waiting on the street. “And you’re gonna tell us where to find him.”

“We’re not tellin’ you anything.”

Bernard shoved the guy, intentionally smacking his forehead into the car’s frame before pulling him back and pushing him into the car. “Sorry ‘bout that. Gotta have the doc do somethin’ about this depth perception problem I’m havin’ here lately.”

She just snorted and shoved the other guy into the car and slammed the door. “Funny how close people can come to losing everything and never even know the threat existed,” she mused as she stared up at the large house for a moment before climbing into the front seat.

“Yeah, probably better for ‘em if they don’t know,” Bernard said as he turned to watch their captives while she started the car.

“Let’s get them to the boss so we can get on our next assignment.”

*****

The docks were swarming with every conceivable branch of law enforcement. The docks looked like a warzone. Officers and agents moved around, taking inventory of bodies, weapons, bullet casings, and drugs. Reporters pushed against the crime tape that cordoned off the area, straining to get a shot that would make the story. Smoke rose from all around, debris lay scattered everywhere, and the night sky was lit up by the flashing lights of emergency vehicles, reporters’ cameras, and the high-powered portable lights that had been set up by first responders.

Officers with the Harbor Patrol were sweeping the area around the docks looking for bodies in the water. K-9 units had been deployed to search the surrounding area for anyone who might have escaped in the chaos and in the distance one of the bloodhounds caught the scent of one of the escapees and he began to bay loudly. ATF and DEA agents were everywhere; cataloging drugs and weapons and coordinating with Captain Stone. The captain had brought in backup from every trusted source she had and it had culminated in a major takedown.

Captain Anita Stone brushed off the paramedic that had been trailing after her every time he had two seconds free. “Do you not understand what ‘not now’ means?” she bit out.

“Captain, do you know how quickly infection can set in?” he countered patiently. “Would you like to see what a severe infection looks like up close and personal?” He’d been dealing with cops all of his life and she was no different from the rest of them. As long as they had a job to do and they could stand on their own two feet nothing would stop them from seeing that job done. They didn’t respond well to being bullied or badgered, but babying them wasn’t an option either. To get the job done they had to be dealt with firmly, honestly, and without pulling any punches. That was what they responded to.

She tried to brush him off again. “It’s a through-and-through.”

“At least let me clean and pack it, Captain.”

“And then you’ll go away and let me do my job in relative peace?”

He flashed his crooked grin at her. “Scout’s honor,” he said and held his right hand up.

She rolled her eyes at him. “You were never a scout, Sam.” She made a rolling motion to get him moving and then reached for her radio to check in with her people. She was just about to press the button when someone called her and she turned to see Officer Deluca approaching her with Agent Mackenzie.

“Hey, Captain,” he said and shifted the shoulder strap on his rifle. “We’ve swept every point of entry and exit on the nearby docks and there’s no sign of Evans or Knight.”

“Any word from Atlas?”

Mac shook her head. “At last contact he was scrambling his people, sending them out to find Knight.”

“If Knight has Evans he’s as good as dead.”

“Not if Atlas can find him.” Mac was certain her contact would find him.

“He’ll do his best but he’s got a lot on his plate. I want the two of you to hit the streets, take Cavanaugh and Logan. Knight won’t be in one of his usual haunts so you’re gonna have to think outside the box. You find him, don’t be a hero, call it in and wait for backup. If Atlas finds him first and reaches out to you…” She believed in the system, but it wasn’t perfect. They all knew Knight was too powerful to ever see the inside of a prison cell. Jurors, lawyers, and judges could and would be bribed or killed to ensure his freedom. She also knew that taking the law into their own hands would make them just as guilty as those they sought to bring to justice. She drew herself up straight and drew in a deep breath. “We have a sworn duty to uphold the law. Our job isn’t to be judge, jury, and executioner. If Atlas contacts you with Knight’s location I want him brought in alive if at all possible.”

“And if he puts up a fight?”

“Then you defend yourselves to the best of your ability, with extreme prejudice.”

Sean nodded. “If we can bring him in alive, Captain, we’ll do it.”

Mac looked at him as they hurried along the docks in search of the cops Captain Stone had told them to take with them. “I don’t know the background is between Atlas and Knight, but if he finds him I don’t think they’ll both walk away.”

“And we both know if Knight walks away he’ll never be brought to justice.” He picked up his pace. “C’mon, let’s get movin’.”

*****

Something was wrong. She could feel it with certainty. Liz watched as the lights of the city began to fade into the distance as the limo navigated the quieter streets of the neighborhoods that surrounded it. “Why do you think we’re in danger?” she asked finally.

“I don’t think.” His thumb stroked the sharp edge of the knife he held in his hand, the motion one that kept him calm. “I know. Knight’s sent a team for you.” His gaze raked over her. “I won’t tell you what he plans to do with you. Suffice it to say he’ll never get the chance.”

“You know what happened,” she guessed. “Where’s Max?”

“That the boyfriend?” He nodded and checked the windows again, squinting against the rain and darkness in an effort to make out the addresses on the houses. “All I know is someone blew his cover and Knight managed to get away with him.”

“Oh my God,” she whispered. She looked at Maria. “You and Hunter can stay in the panic room. He can take me to – “

“You’ll be right there with them,” he growled. “You’re not callin’ the shots and I’m not gonna let anyone take you to Knight. There’s still a chance this can go down and leave Knight six feet under, but you get thrown in the mix and he’ll use you to destroy your boyfriend. That happens it won’t matter if he lives because he’ll be walking dead for the rest of his life.”

“Liz, I know how hard this is, but you have to trust him.”

“What would you do in my position, Maria?”

“I’d do everything I could to get to Michael and hope like hell I listened if I had someone there to tell me my being there would only make it worse for him.”

She turned her head to look out the window, sighing and finally giving a little nod when they turned onto the street she had grown up on.

“As soon as you’re inside go to the panic room. Do not stop for anything, do you understand?”

Liz looked at the man who had spoken, unnerved by the unblinking, intense stare he leveled on her. “Yeah, I’ve got it. How will we know it’s safe to come out?”

“Until someone you trust comes for you, don’t.”

“My parents – “

“They’re safe at the restaurant.” His gaze swung to Maria. “Your mother’s safe as well. Our goal here is to get the two of you to safety. I’ll take care of the men coming for you.”

“I have a bodyguard – “

“She’ll be with you,” he interrupted. “She’s our last line of defense if it comes to that. We’ve already coordinated the plan and she got here ahead of us to make sure everything was on the level.” He nodded at the baby in the car seat. “Get the kid outta that thing. We need to be ready to move the second we hit the driveway.”

Liz shook herself and started searching through her purse for something she had never expected to have to use. She finally located the small case and pulled it out, opening it up and retrieving the bottle inside. She had to replace it with a fresh bottle every few months even though she’d never had cause to use it, but it was best to keep the scent inside strong. She held it out to the heavily pierced and tattooed man. “You’ll need to spray this on your clothes. You won’t even be able to smell it.” He wouldn’t, but Diablo would.

His dark eyes locked on her and he frowned. “Why?”

“Because if the people coming after us get into the house my dog needs to be able to distinguish you from the bad guys, otherwise he’ll think you’re an intruder and go after you too.”

Everything went smoothly as they exited the car and the driver pulled away. It was while Liz was trying to unlock the front door, her fingers shaking so badly she couldn’t insert the key into the lock that all hell broke loose. Little Ricky snatched the keys from her hand and unlocked the door, unceremoniously shoving them inside and slamming the door behind them just as several men appeared from the shadows and ran towards them.

They heard noise at the back of the house and several gunshots moments later. Liz ran through the house as fast as her feet would carry her, racing for the door beneath the staircase in the kitchen. She jerked it open and hit the light as she led the way down the staircase. She could hear Diablo barking and growling and tears began to fall as she placed her hand over the glass plate embedded in the wall next to a steel door.

A scream tore through the air as a bullet whizzed past them, hers or Maria’s she didn’t know, but it blended in with Hunter’s cries. They were unceremoniously shoved inside the room when the door finally released and when someone crowded in behind them they feared that one of their attackers had managed to get past Little Ricky.

“They can’t get to you in here,” a surprisingly soft yet strong voice spoke through the darkness as the airlocks hissed and the door locked into place once again.

“Liz?” The worry in Maria’s voice was evident.

The brunette swallowed hard and fumbled to find the light switch, flooding the room with the bright overhead lighting. She stared at the woman leaning back against the door, an automatic rifle held so casually in her arms. The ease with which she cradled the weapon spoke to a familiarity with guns and she wondered where that came from.

“You’re the bodyguard.”

“Serena Paxton,” the tall blonde said with a nod. “I know this’s pretty scary stuff, but we’ll get you outta here alive. I counted five guys coming at you. Between your bodyguard,” she said with a look at Maria, “and that Doberman out there, I think it’s more than a fair fight.”

****

“Why aren’t we picking up a signal?” Shakes snapped as he paced back and forth in front of the table where Dimitri was working so hard to reestablish a connection from the device Max had been wearing. “It was supposed to transmit a signal regardless of distance, temperature, weather, and any other damn complication!”

“Technology isn’t perfect, David,” he said as he leaned in close to the equipment, straining to hear even the slightest sound over his companion’s agitated footsteps. “That bug took a direct hit when Evans was thrown to the ground and again when he was tossed in the boat.”

“How can you be so calm?”

“Because getting myself worked up won’t change anything. I work better if I keep my cool, got it? You’ve already set the wheels in motion; his family’s safe, his girlfriend’s safe, the parents are safe – “

“Everyone’s safe but the kid,” he snarled. How had this happened? They had planned everything so carefully, prepared for every possibility. But they hadn’t anticipated Knight’s supplier would be there with someone who would blow the kid’s cover. He jerked around and grabbed the phone off of the end of the table when it rang, not even bothering with the caller ID. “What?” Partial relief surged through him at the report coming from the other end. “Take them to the location we discussed earlier.” He nodded. “We’ll take it from there. Then the two of you head over to the Parker home and provide backup.”

“Martinez?” Dimitri asked without looking up from what he was working on.

“They won’t know where Knight is,” Shakes said, distracted by his thoughts. “He wouldn’t be so foolish.”

“Desperate men do desperate things and his entire empire’s crumbling around him right now. He has to make an example of Evans. It’s the only way for him to save face. Making a move on his family, going after the girlfriend and the other girl without having an actual plan in place, they’re moves only a desperate man would make.” He slammed his fist down on the table in triumph when a burst of static suddenly came through the speakers. “We’re getting somewhere. I’m getting closer to getting the signal back, so hold it together, David.”

Shakes nodded and continued to pace. What if everything they had done had all been in vain? They had come so far, were so close to bringing Knight’s organization to its knees, and they had been blindsided out of nowhere. He didn’t want the kid to pay for his plans to gain revenge against the crime lord and he knew if they didn’t find him soon that was exactly what would happen.

His heart had stopped when he’d seen Max go down and no one else had seen or been close enough to stop Santini from throwing him off of the dock. The explosions that had rocked the docks set off by Hardison’s men combined by the lights Knight’s men had flooded the area with had disoriented everyone concerned; communications had been disrupted and everyone using night vision scopes had been temporarily blinded. By the time they’d pulled themselves together again Knight had been nowhere to be seen. They’d managed to slip past Harbor Patrol and once they’d hit the open water they’d simply disappeared.

Dimitri suddenly cursed in Russian and he slapped the equipment he was working with as hard as he could. Before Shakes could speak his companion froze and his gaze locked on the computer screen. “We don’t have any sound, but the GPS tracker’s working.” He scanned over the information scrolling onto the screen and he flicked it with his forefinger when it finally settled on a location. “Bastard’s less than ten miles away but we’re going in blind and without backup.”

“Knight won’t have much in the way of backup either. Based on the body count the only one with him will be Santini, maybe some low level soldiers.”

“Then we need to bring in some backup. You know how to use a gun, but you’re not used to having to operate under pressure. We come under fire you’re not trained to respond properly and it could cost one or both of us our lives. It could also put Evans at risk.”

“We have Otto. He’ll be more than sufficient as backup.”

He was familiar with Otto’s past so he knew the man could hold his own. “Let’s roll out.”

*****

Diablo crept through the living room, his body low to the ground as he followed the intruder’s scent. He had heard his mistress scream, had caught the scent of fear as it rolled off of her, and he had known instinctively that she was in danger. His training had immediately kicked in and he had dropped his head, shaking his head gently and letting the choker around his neck slip off to fall on the floor before slipping further into the shadows to stalk the intruders.

He froze when he heard movement, his ears moving back and forth as he determined the direction the man was taking. He took two steps forward and peered around the edge of an end table, his eyes gleaming when he caught sight of two men. He tipped his head in an effort to sort their scents out and his breathing slowed as he watched them. The only thing on his muscled body that moved was his eyes and when the men separated he followed the one with the strongest fear scent.

There was another man in the house, but this one was different. He carried a second scent, a scent that identified him as a friend. He tracked his prey, his senses on high alert as he moved through the house. He followed the man into the kitchen and he watched as he found the door that led downstairs.

His eyes narrowed as he took several steps back, his feet finding purchase on one of the large area rugs. He ran, his long legs quickly eating up the distance, and at the last minute he jumped, using the counter as a springboard and planting his paws against the man’s back. His weight threw the man forward and he pushed himself back, sliding on the polished tile and scrabbling for a solid foothold as he hurried out of the kitchen.

He waited a moment and then went back to the open door, peering into the lighted area and growling quietly when he detected a new scent. A scent that indicated his mistress was safe from the intruder. He backed out of the kitchen and slipped back into the shadows, going on the hunt for his next target.

He froze again, his ears snapping forward when he heard the sound of something heavy falling quickly followed by the sound of someone in agony. They were intermingled with the friend’s scent but there was nothing to indicate the friend was hurt so he ignored those sounds and concentrated on tracking down his next target. He could still identify two separate scents and he lifted his head as his gaze locked on the staircase that led to the second floor.

His movements were stealthy as he took the stairs, his muscled body close to the wall as he followed their scents. It didn’t matter how quiet they tried to be, he could hear them moving from room to room, doors opening and closing, their quiet voices speaking, and once he even caught the name of his mistress passing between them. He didn’t know who the intruders were, didn’t know why they had come, but for the love of his human, they would never touch her.

His muscles locked when their footsteps shuffled down the hallway and he quickly turned and loped back down the stairs, his paws not making a sound. He watched from his hiding place as one of the intruders came downstairs and his head snapped to the side when he caught the scent of the friend. As he watched the man entered his line of sight and light from the open doorway in the kitchen that led down to the safe place glinted off of the knife in the friend’s hand.

Little Ricky knew the exact moment the guy realized he wasn’t alone; his opponent froze on the steps. Only for a split second before he caught himself and straightened up, but it was all he needed to know he had the upper hand. His gaze was unwavering as he watched the guy, saw his fingers flex around the gun he held in his left hand.

“You’ll never get to them.” His voice was raspy from having his windpipe nearly crushed years ago. “You want outta here alive you’d better think twice before takin’ another step.”

Tommy Franklin just watched him, waiting for his partner to get the drop on the fool blocking his path. “You can only hide them for so long.” He had been sent to retrieve Elizabeth Parker and returning without her wasn’t an option. “Why don’t you do yourself a favor and tell me where you put them?” He saw a shadow move behind the other man and he knew it was just a matter of seconds before they removed him from their path. “Tell me and instead of killing you we’ll let you live.”

Diablo’s gaze was unblinking as he slowly tracked the intruder coming up behind the friend. He paused when the intruder suddenly stopped and he crouched, the muscles in his body trembling slightly in anticipation. He waited as the intruder brought his arm up and as he did, Diablo lunged at him, teeth locking around the hand holding the weapon and taking him down.

Little Ricky’s left hand flexed and in the blink of an eye he had pulled his hand back and released the knife he had been holding. He stood there staring at the man as his eyes widened and dropped to his chest to stare at the ivory handle that belonged to the blade embedded in his body. For several long moments he teetered back and forth on the step and then his legs crumpled beneath him and he pitched forward.

“Told you you’d never get to ‘em, you stupid fucker,” he snarled as he used a booted foot to roll the body over. He kicked the gun away and pulled his knife free, wiping the blade clean on the dead man’s shirt before putting it away. He turned to look at the dog, wincing at the sight of the animal’s teeth wrapped around the man’s throat. As far as he could tell the dog hadn’t drawn blood but the man’s hand was feeling around in the futile hope of locating the gun he’d dropped when the animal had jumped him.

He shook his head and kicked the gun far enough away the man would never find it and then went to check on Guerin’s girl and kid. He was whistling under his breath as he made his way down the stairs and he felt much lighter knowing that he’d finally be out of Guerin’s debt after handling this job for him.

*****

Damon’s hands curled around the edge of the table he was leaning against as his gaze followed Santini. The man moved slowly, methodically, walking around Max and watching him like a snake waiting to strike. He rubbed the knuckles of his fisted left hand for a moment before pulling it back and slamming it into his victim’s face. The street rat’s body slumped forward against the ropes that bound him to the chair as blood ran down his face, dripping off of his chin to land on his wet clothes.

“Are you ready to give me a straight answer yet?” Damon asked as he straightened away from the table and moved closer to the bound man. He nodded at Santini and the silent man grabbed a fistful of Evans’ hair and jerked his head back, forcing him to look at him.

Max could feel nearly every muscle in his body scream in protest at the sudden move but he gritted his teeth against the pain. He wouldn’t give Damon the satisfaction of hearing him utter a sound to identify the agony he was in. “I have nothin’ to say to you,” he forced out, praying the difficulty he was having breathing was only due to broken ribs and nothing more serious.

“Perhaps you’ll be a little more open when my men drag your little friend and her baby in here.” He lifted his hand to glance at his nails. “Or when your sister and her child are brought in.” He dropped his hand and crouched down to meet Max’ gaze directly. “I suppose if they don’t provide enough incentive that little brunette you’ve been nailing will do the trick.”

“You’d better kill me then, because if you touch her I won’t rest until you’re dead,” he growled.

Damon chuckled, the sound low and evil. “Oh, Max, when I’m finished with her there won’t be anything left for you to live for.” He shook his head as he stood again. “Kill you? No, no, I have no intention of killing you. You’ll do that for me and do you know why? Because you’re weak and seeing the women you care about broken right before your eyes while you sit there helplessly watching will, in turn, break you.”

“You can’t touch them.” Shakes had seen to their protection. They were safe. God, please, let them be safe!

“No? As we speak my men are in the process of bringing them to me.” He moved back to his original position and crossed his arms over his chest. “I want to know how much you told the cops.”

“I thought you owned the cops?” Max asked with a forced smirk. He just needed to keep the crime lord’s focus on him and make sure the people watching over his family and friends had time to keep them safe from his people.

“Arrogant little prick!” he exploded, lurching forward to backhand the street rat hard enough to rattle his teeth. He straightened to his full height and stared down his nose at the ungrateful bastard he had saved from certain death so many years ago. “Santini, start on his fingers while we wait.”

Max tried in vain to keep his hands curled into fists and when that struggle became futile he uncurled his fingers and gripped the arms of the chair as tightly as he could. His vision was slightly blurry, his head ached, and his thought processes felt too slow; all were signs that indicated he had suffered a concussion. At the very least he knew he had cracked ribs and he suspected that at least one was broken. His face was a mess and without getting a look at himself in a mirror he knew he had a laceration over his right temple, numerous hits by Santini’s fists had left him bruised and bleeding, and he was having trouble hearing out of his right ear.

Santini became impatient with the attempts at evading the inevitable and he brought his fisted hand down, slamming it into the back of the street rat’s hand and then grabbing it when the automatic spasm caused his fingers to uncurl against his will. His iron grip locked on the forefinger and without blinking he forced it backwards.

Max fought to bury the searing pain that shot through his finger, burned through his hand, and moved straight up his arm at a rate even his poorly functioning brain processed immediately. His teeth sank into his bottom lip and he tasted blood, but other than a grunt he didn’t reveal the pain he was in. There was nothing he could do to stop Santini from repeating the process and he could feel nausea rolling through his stomach when he reached for the next one.

The fresh round of pain he was expecting never came. Santini was prying the finger away from the others, preparing to snap it, when he suddenly collapsed. He barely registered the sound of Damon’s surprised shout. In fact, he was having a difficult time lifting his head and seeing the people running across the concrete floor. The noise was making his head hurt worse and the room felt like it was spinning around him.

“Kid, focus on me.” Shakes reached out to tip his chin up, careful to avoid the lacerations and bruising that seemed to be everywhere. He glanced over his shoulder, hatred burning in his veins when his gaze landed on Knight. He was lying on the floor in a crumpled heap while Otto leaned over him, binding his hands. “He’s messed up bad,” he said as he gently turned Max’ head to examine the damage that had been inflicted on him. He cut the ropes that had been used to restrain him, wincing at the raw skin beneath. “We need to get him to the hospital, D.”

“I’ll have Otto bring the car around. He can get him to the hospital and stay with him until this’s over.”

“I want you to – “

“No.” Dimitri wouldn’t be moved. “Whatever you intend to do I’m gonna be here to see it through.” And to watch over you, he thought to himself.

Max’ head tipped back drunkenly. “Liz?” he slurred.

“She’s okay, kid. We got to her before they could hurt her.” He cradled the kid’s jaw, keeping his head from falling forward. “Kid, you hear me? She’s safe.”

“Safe,” Max whispered, unable to express his relief as his eyes rolled back in his head and he lost consciousness.

Shakes caught him when he slumped forward, carefully helping Dimitri pull him up and carry him over to the car that Otto had driven inside. As soon as Max was settled inside he turned to look at Otto. “Don’t stop for anything and don’t leave him alone.”

The big man looked torn as his gaze moved between the man he had sworn his loyalty to and the man lying on the floor. “He’s not worth it, boss.”

He turned to follow his bodyguard’s stare and he shook his head. “He may not be worth it, but the kid is. Get him to the hospital and stay with him.”

Dimitri remained silent as Otto received his orders and left to carry them out. He didn’t know the details of what David had planned out but whatever it was he hoped he would remember his promise and not drag it out. His young friend had lost enough of his soul and Knight didn’t deserve to have what was left of it.

xilaj: Lol, you know, I’m glad I’m not the only one who does things like that! But, I do appreciate the effort it took to write that review all over again!

Well, the characters had a few surprises left in them for this part, so hold onto your seat… it could get a little bumpy. It is terrifying to know just how close one can be to danger and never know it’s waiting just outside the place where you feel safest and most secure.

Liz has made some great strides throughout this story and finally reaching a point where she feels that talking to a psychiatrist would be beneficial really shows her growth. Poor Max was not in a good position and it must’ve been doubly terrifying for him knowing that not only had he been compromised, but that he was off the radar.

Thank you! Diablo adds a unique element to the story and as he’s proven repeatedly there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to make sure his humans are safe. He wasn’t going to let them down and he fought valiantly to make sure Liz wasn’t hurt.

Shakes is finally to the point where he has Knight where he wants him. His choice has been made, he has only to carry it out now. The consequences can help or hurt, but you can be sure that Dimitri will fight to stay there with him, to watch over him, and to bring him back if it’s too much.

This is the one and only time we’ll ever see the three of them sharing the same space. The battle for Max has been fought and now we’ll see its conclusion.

While I was hoping to post for New Years’, lol, it just didn’t work out that way. But, after this part the heart-pounding nail-biting should be over.

Eva: Lol, I’m painfully aware of that particular female dog.

Max is a mess right now, but as you said, he’ll survive. And he’s not alone so his recovery should be made a little easier.

Natalie36: Lol, I have more, and the reunion is on its way.

Strawbehrry Shortcake: I’m glad to hear your breathing has begun to regulate… practice those breathing exercises. You may need them for one more part, lol.

begonia9508: Lol, well, okay, peaceful may not be what that last update was, right?

We’ll find out today if the bad guys get what’s coming to them.

Unfortunately people like Knight don’t lose their power even after they’ve gone to prison, so we’ll have to see what Shakes has in store.

dreamon: Thanks! I have more coming up today!

keepsmiling7: Shakes was worried for a while there, but they did it.

Liz definitely knew something was wrong.

Diablo’s great and I have a lot of fun writing him.

We’ll be catching up with everyone today.

LovelyPOM83: Lol, isn’t that the truth? Max has endured a rough time but he’d finally someplace safe and surrounded by people who care about him.

fadedblue: I’m always awed when a reader delurks to leave a review and I’m humbled by yours. I wish I could write fiction full time, lol, because… what a way to earn a living! Writing these characters is always a joy and whether it’s working as a collaboration or solo a lot of enjoyment is derived from spending time with these characters and weaving a story. What better compliment is there for a Candy to find out that a hardcore Dreamer enjoys a storyline with M&M or that they can write M&L as well? Prisoners of the Past still has a little ways to go, but it is getting close to the end. There is still an amazing dedication to this fandom and I’m proud to be a part of it. I can’t promise no edge of the seat moments in this next part, but they shouldn’t be quite as tense as the last update, lol.

Alien_Friend: Thank you! There might be a bit more suspense in this part.

Shakes is going to give us the answer to that question today. D will stay close by and he’ll do everything he can to make sure Shakes makes it out of this alive and intact.

Little Ricky’s kinda scary. I’d hate to be on his bad side.

Oh, Diablo’s scene on-screen… what an image! I have to admit, I made the spray up, lol, but considering dogs identify so much through scent it made sense to me. Diablo deserves a little vacation now.

That poor paramedic had his hands full with the Captain, didn’t he?

It’s a very scary thing just how close to danger people can be and never know it. We’ll find out if Max is willing to take that step and get to know Isabel.

Thank you, for the amazing compliment!

roswellian love: Thank you!

Diablo did a great job tracking the intruders.


Part 57

Liz was enveloped in her parents’ embrace the moment they stepped through the door and she held onto them tightly as she fought to keep her emotions under control. She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see the bodies that seemed to be everywhere. She could hear her dad demanding answers and even though he was holding her tightly to his chest his voice sounded so far away.

“Liz, honey, are you sure you’re alright?” Nancy asked, doing her damnedest to keep the panic from creeping into her voice. The house looked like a warzone with several bodies lying on the floors, Diablo pinning one of the men and growling intermittently, and cops swarming all over the place. She cast a nervous glance at the man standing near the door, not liking the way his dark eyes glittered as he looked around the room. She reached out to catch the sleeve of one of the officers milling around. “Officer, why hasn’t someone arrested that man?”

“Believe it or not, ma’am, that man’s the reason your daughter’s alive,” Officer Andrews said with a reassuring smile.

“He looks dangerous.”

“I’d have to agree with you.” They’d cuffed him upon arrival, assuming he was part of the group sent after the girls. They had run the man through the system and his rap sheet had raised more than a few eyebrows but his story had checked out and they’d released him again. “But he was asked to watch out for your daughter’s friend and her baby as a favor. You’re lucky the girls were together when this went down. I don’t know that your daughter’s bodyguard could’ve held this many men off and gotten the girls to the panic room in time. If he hadn’t been here this could’ve had a very different outcome.”

“Maria!”

Jeff turned his head when he heard the girl’s name being shouted by her father and he squeezed his daughter’s shoulders tightly for a moment. “I’ll be right back,” he murmured as he dropped a kiss on her head. He hurried over to join Jim Valenti where he had stopped to speak with the man with all of the body art.

“Where’s my daughter?” Jim demanded when Jeff rested a hand on his shoulder.

“She’s in the den with a couple of officers.”

He nodded and glanced around Jeff. “Your girl’s alright?”

“Shaken up, but she’s gonna be okay. I know you wanna get to Maria, but have you heard anything about Max?”

“They’ve sent him to Mercy. He’s in bad shape, but from what I hear it could be a lot worse. I thought we could take the girls over there, keep them together for now. We’re in the process of rounding up the last of the heavy hitters and it’s gonna take time to bring in all the organization’s lower level soldiers. We’ll want to keep a protection detail on Liz until we’ve shut off the threat. I’m gonna check on Maria and my grandson and then we’ll head on over there.”

Liz flinched and looked up when a hand settled on her upper arm and she forced a smile when she saw her dad’s concerned expression. “I’m okay, Dad.” Her eyes widened when she saw Jim and her gaze shot back up to her dad. “Did he know anything about Max?”

“He’s been taken to Mercy. He didn’t have any specifics but he did say his condition could be worse.”

“I need to go to him, Dad.”

“We’re all gonna go, honey. Why don’t you go with your mom and freshen up a bit while I collect Diablo and your bodyguard, okay?” He shook his head when she started to protest. “The doctors will need time to assess Max’ condition and they won’t let you in to see him right away. And they may not allow you to see him unless his family gives their consent.”

“His…” She shook her head. “Dad, they won’t have any idea who his family is, and even if they did, he doesn’t know them.”

“Don’t you think they should at least know he’s been hurt?” he asked gently. “As his family they have that right.”

“He wouldn’t want them to see him like this. He hasn’t even decided if he’s gonna agree to see them again and that’s his choice to make. I won’t have them ambushing him just because they’re his family.”

“Then at least call them and make them aware of the situation.”

“Your dad’s right, honey,” Nancy said with an encouraging smile. “This’s already all over the news and it’s unlikely that the press won’t release Max’ name. At least if you call them and make them aware of what’s happened and what his condition is you can ask that they wait until he’s comfortable accepting visitors. I have a feeling they’ll respect your request.”

*****

Damon shook his head, sputtering when a bucket of icy water rudely brought him back to consciousness. He blinked in an effort to displace the water dripping down his face and he squinted as he tried to identify his location. The space felt large but it was difficult to say since it was cast in shadows. He looked down when he tried to move and his muddled brain registered the fact that he was bound to the chair he was sitting in.

“Disorienting, isn’t it?”

The words echoed, giving proof to his belief that he was being kept in a large open space. Light suddenly flooded the area around him and he tried in vain to look around for the source of the voice. “How much do you want?” As the fog lifted from his mind he realized he hadn’t gone anywhere; he was bound to the chair that had so recently held Max captive.

“You think this is about money?” There was laughter but it was humorless. “I’ve already emptied your bank accounts. The money kept in the safe in your house is inconsequential in comparison to what I’ve already moved.”

So this was the person responsible for hacking his accounts, he thought as he forced himself to play along and act unaffected. “Impossible.”

“There isn’t so much as a cent left in any of your accounts. It took time of course,” the voice mused. “Time to get into your accounts, determine the best course of action, leave breadcrumbs for your accountant to follow…” The man emitted a hollow laugh. “Even if I hadn’t shut you down financially, even if those accounts were still padded with the money you’ve made off of the suffering of others, it wouldn’t matter because you won’t be around to spend it.”

“If you have any sense of self preservation you’ll release me and run for your life,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “Any moment now my people will come through those doors and when they do you won’t have the chance to run.”

“I don’t need to run. I don’t have to hide.”

“Your choice. You’ll be dead so it won’t matter.” The rusty chuckle that came from behind him sent a frisson of worry down his spine.

“It is my choice, just like it’s my choice to make sure you never see daylight again.” Shakes came around the chair and leaned forward to brace his hands on its arms as he met Knight’s gaze with only a matter of inches between them. “You won’t walk out of here tonight. Your people aren’t coming for you because they’re dead. Santini… Pascal… Grainger… Frankie… Tommy…” he listed them off one by one, continuing until he had counted off the highest level of the organization.

It wasn’t possible. “You’re bluffing.”

“Why would I bother?”

“You think I’ll negotiate and you’ll get a piece of my action.”

He straightened up. “I don’t want your action, your organization, your money, or anything else of value.” He moved across the room and kicked Santini’s lifeless body, bringing home the fact that his avenue of rescue had been closed. “All I want is your life.”

“What the fuck did I ever do to you?”

Shakes turned away and smiled slightly. The angry question revealed Knight’s unease with the situation and that was exactly where he wanted him. His features hardened as he turned to face the demon that ruled his nightmares. Oh, he was by no means the only face that appeared in his nightmares, but Knight was the dominant threat night after night.

“It would take so much time to answer that question.”

“I’ve got time.”

“That’s the one thing you don’t have,” Shakes said with a negative shake of his head. “I’ve had years to think about wiping you from existence, years for the hate, the fear, and the anger to fester and push everything else out.” He paused and crossed his arms over his chest. “Darlene Ward.”

“What?”

“You don’t even remember her name, do you?” He leaned over and his hands gripped the arms of the chair again as he pushed his face into Knight’s space. “Think hard, Knight.”

He repeated the name over and over in his head but it didn’t ring a bell. “No clue,” he said finally. He could tell the answer angered the man but he was sick of this mind game he was playing and he was ready for him to just say what he wanted so they could get this over with.

Shakes stood upright and stepped back, ripping the buttons from the cuffs of his shirt in his haste to reveal his forearms. He held them out in front of the man, revealing the scarred inner arms and he waited.

“Oh, it’s you.”

“So you remember.”

Damon shrugged. “I remember you thought I owed you something.” His gaze moved over the scars dispassionately. “I was under the impression you left with the understanding you were nothing to me.”

“I came to you for help.” He had wanted nothing more than the chance to get off the streets but all he had gotten was more pain and suffering.

“You wanted something that wasn’t owed to you.” He remembered the scraggly 14-year-old coming to his front door, insisting he be permitted entrance, and then going off on him about his mother’s death.

“Your blood runs through my veins. That should’ve been enough.”

Damon tipped his head back and sighed in annoyance at the reminder. “Do you have a point?”

The boredom in his tone irritated Shakes.

“I told you before your mother made her own choices. Her death isn’t on my conscience.”

“You’d have to have a conscience for that.”

“She was a junkie and an alcoholic.” He shrugged. “I don’t have time for weakness.”

“Weakness that you fostered!” He didn’t put all of the responsibility for his mother’s poor choices on Knight’s shoulders, but he did blame him for keeping her hooked and screwing with her mind. “She was so fried on the drugs you kept giving her that she never thought twice when you held them back and suggested she could pay for them by selling me! It wasn’t enough that you had her whoring herself out you had to – “

“Like mother, like son.” Damon yawned and looked at his captor, his son, and shifted in an effort to find a more comfortable spot on the hard chair. “She made her own choices. It was you or the drugs and we both know what was more important to her. Look, it was nothing personal, it was just good business to keep you away.”

“Why would I take it personally? You convinced my mother to sell me to some sick pervert to pay for her next fix and when I finally found you and asked for your help you laughed at me and carved me up. How many lives have you fucked up? How many people have you irreparably damaged in your pursuit of the wealth and power? The only thing I wanted from you was a way off of the streets. I didn’t want your money, I didn’t want your drugs, I didn’t want any part of your business; all I wanted was to get away from a life I never chose.”

“This conversation is pointless.” Damon clearly remembered Darlene Ward now that he had been reminded of who she was. He had been a low level dealer in the organization at the time he had gotten involved with her and he had been working his way up the ranks. He had been mildly annoyed when she’d gotten pregnant and it had quickly turned into raging anger when she had refused to just deal with the situation. She had tried hard to stay clean while she was pregnant but the lure of the drugs had been too strong and the baby had been born already addicted. He had been certain that would be enough for her to just leave it at the hospital but she had fought valiantly to beat her addiction and tried hard to provide a home for the child.

He had finally won though. He always did.

Years later he had stepped up and taken out the head of the organization, taking the man’s place and running the operation. Any doubts anyone had harbored that he was as coldblooded and ruthless as the reputation he had worked so hard to build had been quelled when he had made a point of carving up his own flesh and blood.

“You never thought you’d see me again, did you? You probably thought after what you put me through I’d disappear and you’d never have to be bothered by me again. Or maybe you just thought I’d crawl in a corner somewhere and die.” He pulled the .45 from his waistband at the small of his back and his hand wrapped around the grip, flexing as he paced in front of Knight. “I wanted to. You don’t know how badly I wanted to, but I couldn’t. I can’t.” His eyes locked on the cold features of the man who had fathered him and without consciously thinking it through he drew his hand back and hit him across the face as hard as he could. “I’ve been fighting just to survive for so long that I don’t know how to let go.”

From his vantage point some distance away Dimitri watched through the scope of his rifle and listened to the conversation. His finger brushed against the trigger over and over in an effort to calm himself. He’d asked him to give him space, to let him deal with Knight on his own, and once the man had been securely bound he had respected David’s request. He had known bits and pieces but he hadn’t known the animal they had caged was David’s father. It was understandable that he hadn’t wanted to share that information and he respected that decision, but it complicated things.

David was doing his best to hold the rage at bay but his control was beginning to slip. He could only imagine what might happen if he unleashed that rage after keeping it buried for so many years. The side of his finger ghosted against the trigger again and he considered just taking Knight out and ending it once and for all. The way he had put down the animals that had brutalized David and left him to die just days before their first meeting. But the fact that David knew he was there, had known what he would be hearing, made him hesitate. He had a feeling it was the only way he knew to reveal his inner demons, that maybe it was the only opportunity he would ever get to really know the tortured youth his young friend had experienced.

Damon ran his tongue over his teeth and spit out the blood collecting in his mouth from the impact of the gun against his face. “You can kill me but you’ll never outrun the truth.”

“Stay steady, David,” Dimitri whispered. “Don’t let him bait you.” He lowered the rifle just enough to use the scope to check the bindings keeping Knight captive.

“What truth?” He held his arms out again. “You think this’s my truth?”

“You can never escape the fact that my blood runs through your veins, that you’re the bastard son of the city’s highest ranking crime boss. It’s your legacy.”

He shook his head. “It’s your legacy, not mine.” He took a step back and stared at Knight, his blue eyes unwavering as he raised the gun and drew a bead on him. For years he had wondered why he had been brought into the world; a child already damaged and facing an uncertain, yet painful future. His father had left his mark, leaving death and destruction in his wake. He had built an empire on the suffering and misfortune of others, rising to the top because he lacked a conscience. It didn’t bother him to hurt people or to see them hurt, to drive them to ruin, to take everything they had and still demand more. He dealt in misery the way other people dealt in the stock market.

“Just put him down, David,” Dimitri muttered under his breath. His forefinger grazed the side of the trigger, seriously considering just doing it himself. It was risky. If he took the shot it would put an end to this mess, but it would also jeopardize every bit of trust he had struggled so hard to build with David.

Damon tipped his head back and laughed. “You talk a good game, but you can’t do it, can you?”

“You think you can read people so well.” Shakes stared at him unblinkingly.

“I know a coward when I see one.” He forcibly relaxed and his tone was condescending when he spoke again. “If you were any kind of man you’d face me like one.” He nodded down at himself. “Binding your target while he’s unconscious automatically puts you in an advantageous position.”

“Damn it, David, he’s baiting you.” Dimitri could feel the sweat creeping down his neck to trail along the ridge of his spine, soaking his tee shirt at the small of his back. His finger moved, the calloused pad resting gently against the trigger as he brought the back of Knight’s head into the crosshairs.

“You think if you challenge me I’ll release you? Fight you like a man? You’re not a man.” He dropped his arm and stared at the man who had fathered him. He had his answer. Jeremy had unknowingly given it to him along with the information he’d dug up on Knight. He had been brought into the world to destroy his own father. “You deserve nothing more than to be put down like the rabid animal you are.” Shakes chambered a round and he brought his hand up, drawing a bead, and pulling the trigger without taking another breath.

*****

The pain was the first thing he became aware of. His skin burned deep below the surface, nerve endings screaming in agony. He opened his eyes to darkness and the slightest movement caused even more pain, but it was momentarily overshadowed by the realization that he was imprisoned by some sort of restraint. He bit back the scream that was fighting for release when he moved, his hand feeling along the walls of his prison.

Confining but not solid. Slick but dry. His mind struggled to make sense of the paradox. He gritted his teeth when something cold and metallic abraded his skin, setting off a new wave of agony and he struggled to remember what had happened. He forced the pain down and fumbled in his pocket for the knife he carried everywhere, releasing the blade and drawing a breath that seared through his lungs before thrusting the tip through the wall of his prison.

Dim lighting and the smell of death greeted him on the other side and he sat up, his gaze filled with disdain when he realized he had been cocooned inside a body bag. He scanned the room as he swung his legs over the side of the stainless steel table, kicking free of the bag. His hand tightened around the grip of the knife as he looked down to take inventory of his condition and as he took in his appearance the floodgates of his memory suddenly flew open.

He had been returning fire, shooting at Hardison’s men and the cops that had suddenly been coming out of the woodwork when an explosion had gone off practically beneath his feet. He had been catapulted through the air and thrown against one of the shipping containers. He vaguely recalled rolling around on the dock in an effort to extinguish the flames that had engulfed the right side of his body and then there was nothing but darkness.

He rose from the table like some terrible thing rising from beyond the grave, his movements careful as he lowered himself to the floor. He had sustained wounds in the explosion but the fire had cauterized them so he had no idea how extensive the damage was. It was the evil festering inside of him that gave him the willpower to stand on his own two feet, to move when others would have collapsed and given in to the pain screaming along nerve endings left raw and exposed by the fire that had left his body charred and ruined.

He checked for a weapon and found nothing beyond the knife he’d had in his pocket. He wouldn’t find anything to arm himself with in the morgue but he knew there would be an armed security officer close by. Once he had a weapon he could escape the hospital and make his way to one of the safe houses and the boss would have one of the doctors on his payroll summoned to treat his injuries.

*****

Michael burst through the emergency room doors, his sharp gaze scanning the waiting area and quickly moving on when he didn’t see his family. He ignored the others hurrying to keep up with him as he rushed the nurses’ station, paying little mind to the fact that the woman there pulled back when his hands slammed on the counter in front of her.

“Maria Deluca, where is she?” They’d only been told that the situation was over and the girls had been brought to Mercy. There had been no further communication and he was ready to strangle the next person who got in his way.

“Sir, I need you to calm down,” the woman insisted.

He cocked his head slightly and glared at her patronizing tone. “Lady, I got a call that my wife and kid were here and if you don’t tell me where they are right now – “

“Michael.”

His name. Her voice. Everything else faded into the background as he whirled around and saw Maria standing there, visibly shaken with an exhausted Hunter lying heavily against her shoulder. She was looking a little ragged with her eyes damp, her cheeks lined with dried tear tracks, and her nose red. And he’d never seen a more beautiful sight. They stared at each other for a matter of moments before he hurried over to pull them into his arms.

Liz watched them for a moment, taking in the way their hands moved over each other, constantly in motion as they reassured themselves the other was truly alright. She could understand that need, could feel the frustration at not being able to see for herself that Max was going to be alright. She resented the doctors and nurses for constantly denying her access and for refusing to update her on his condition. Nothing she had said had convinced them to share any information and she hated them for it.

“Liz?”

She turned to look for the owner of the unfamiliar voice and her confused gaze landed on a petite blonde woman that somehow seemed familiar.

“I’m Ava,” she said and extended a tentative hand.

“Oh, oh, yes, of course.” She shook the other woman’s hand. “I don’t know how he’s doing, they won’t tell me anything.”

“Because you’re not family.” She nodded and gave the brunette a little wink. “I’ll see what I can find out.”

She watched as Ava went to the nurse’s station and the woman started talking so fast she couldn’t keep up with what she was saying. She couldn’t hide her shock when in the midst of the disjointed and emotional rambling Ava held her hand out and Kyle suddenly came forward to take it.

“…and I know there’s all kinds of rules and stuff, but at least if my brother’s girlfriend had been notified of his condition then I’d know what was going on with him.”

“Ma’am, I understand that you’re upset,” the nurse said in an effort to calm her, “and if you’ll give me just a moment I’ll have an update for you.”

Ava nodded and gave her a weak smile. “Thank you so much. I’m going to get my brother’s girlfriend because he’d want her to know about his condition as soon as possible.”

“That’s fine.” The nurse patted her hand and smiled at the woman’s husband. “You just wait right here and I’ll be back soon.”

She slumped against Kyle when the woman hurried away and she glanced over his shoulder, easily locating Cadence sleeping in DJ’s arms. “All of these people around and no one knows anything about the condition he’s in?”

He looked around until his gaze landed on his cousin and he raised a hand, waving him over. “Yo, Deluca, c’mere a minute!”

“What’s up, Cuz?” Sean asked as he slapped him on the back and gave him a manly one-armed half-hug.

“Damn, it’s good to see your ugly mug,” Kyle said and returned the short-lived hug. “Sean, I want you to meet Ava.” He smiled at the woman in his arms. “Ava, this’s my cousin and one of my best friends, Sean.”

He touched the brim of his black baseball cap that proudly identified him as a member of the SWAT team before reaching out to shake the woman’s hand. “Ava, it’s good to finally meet you.”

“What happened?”

“Man, the whole thing went to hell. One of Hardison’s men pegged Evans as an informant and no one was expecting Hardison to be there anyway so there was no intel on him for the meet. Everything we had on the meet indicated it was just a shipment being received. He was ready for things to go south though and he called Knight on having an informant in his ranks. After that the fireworks started and in the confusion Knight got away with Evans.”

“Oh, my God,” Liz whispered. She had moved closer to hear what the guys were talking about, certain it had to do with Max the way Ava was absorbing every word.

“Shakes found him. Don’t know how and probably never will,” Sean said, watching as Ava reached out to take Liz’ hand, the gesture apparently comforting for both of the girls. “He had someone bring him in and then we received a call notifying us where Evans was being taken.”

“But no word on Knight’s location,” Kyle guessed.

“No, that was conspicuously left out but I have a feelin’ we won’t be hearing anything else from him.”

“Good riddance is about all I can say.”

“So no one knows anything about how Max is?” Liz asked. “Where’s the man who brought him in?”

Sean looked at her, easily reading the concern and worry in her expression. For the first time he could look at her without seeing the self-absorbed 16-year-old girl that had dumped him right before his Senior Prom. “Otto hasn’t left his side since he brought him in. The doctors are working around him.”

“Mrs. Valenti?”

He lifted an eyebrow but didn’t comment on the light blush staining Ava’s cheeks as she turned to look at the nurse. As soon as she was looking away he glanced at his cousin and mouthed, Mrs. Valenti?

Kyle just grinned and shrugged. It was the easiest way for Ava to explain that she was Max’s sister and not have to show identification to prove it.

“Your brother did regain consciousness briefly, his condition is stable, and they’re preparing to move him to a private room. The doctor didn’t really give me any specifics, but said he’d be out shortly to give you an update personally.”

“Thank you.”

“Regaining consciousness, that’s a good sign, right?” Liz asked no one in particular.

“That’s a very good sign,” Kyle said and reached over to squeeze her shoulder.

“Hey, I think this little lady’s lookin’ for her parents.”

Liz’ head jerked to the side when she heard DJ speak and her mouth dropped open when she saw him standing there with a baby in his arms. She watched as Kyle reached for the baby and she settled into his arms with a sleepy grin just for him. “Um… I didn’t know you were…”

He kissed his little girl’s head and gave Liz a wink. “Later, after we’ve all had time to let it sink in that this mess is finally behind us, we’ll all get together and I’ll explain our story, you can explain yours… I think we’re all gonna have pieces of this puzzle so once things settle down we’ll get together and get a look at the big picture.”

She nodded. “I’d like that.” She motioned between Ava and Kyle. “So the two of you are together?” She looked at DJ, her expression pure confusion. “You’ve been with them? You’re part of this thing?”

“All part of that big picture, Parker,” DJ said as he slung his arm around her shoulders and tugged her away from the others. He nodded at Amy Valenti when she came in with a tray of coffees that she set on a nearby table. “Grandma alert.”

Amy was placing the tray on the table and turning to ask if anyone wanted a coffee when she noticed the additions to their group since she’d offered to make the coffee run. Michael was with Maria and Hunter and it didn’t look like he would be letting them go any time soon, Sean had come in and he was slouched against the nurse’s station still geared up, and next to him Kyle was standing with one arm around a young woman and holding a baby in his other arm. She scanned the room for Jim, knowing he wouldn’t have gone far after the close call with their daughter, grandson, and Liz earlier that evening. He was by one of the exits, reading some sort of report and nodding at something a uniformed officer was saying.

She smiled when her son glanced up and caught sight of her and he waved her over, releasing the girl at his side to give her a hug when she reached him. As much as she didn’t want to let him go the baby he was holding was squirming and squawking in protest at being sandwiched between them.

“Mom, I’d like to introduce you to Ava Johnson.” He waited until they had exchanged a handshake before he shifted to give Mom a good look at his pride and joy. “And this little lady here is Cadence Evangeline.”

Amy looked at the baby, taking in the blue eyes and blonde hair that she had obviously gotten from her mother. “She’s beautiful.” She didn’t know what was going on but she did know that whatever it was, her son was serious about the mother and daughter. “May I?” she asked, glancing between Kyle and Ava.

Ava gnawed on her bottom lip and after a reassuring smile from Kyle she nodded. She watched as his mother held her hands out to Cadence and after a few moments of hesitation her little girl reached out a tentative hand towards the woman.

*****

He watched from the shadows as the security guard made his rounds, checking the doors to be sure they were locked and making sure nothing appeared to be out of order. He waited for the right moment, waited as the pain coursing through his body slowly drove him out of his mind. His hand curled tighter around the hilt of the knife as the man drew closer, grabbing him from behind and ramming the blade into his back. The knife’s trajectory ensured that his victim went down without making a sound and he dragged him back out of sight, tossing his lifeless body into a closet after taking his weapon from the holster at his side.

He closed the closet door and leaned against the wall to draw in a pained breath, shaking his head slightly and trying to ignore the feeling that his skin was being ripped away from his bones one slow inch at a time. His head snapped to the side when he heard footsteps nearby, the sudden move pulling at the taut, burned flesh of his neck. Fighting back the crazed feelings roaring through his head he pushed away from the wall and stumbled closer to the hushed voices.

Reaching the next hallway he peered around the corner and watched as a nurse, a couple of orderlies, and a doctor converged outside a door. The top half of the door was open and a woman in a pink lab coat gave the nurse a smile and shook her head.

“I’ll call soon as the results are in,” she promised as the nurse turned to leave.

“Deacon promised to rush the results on Evans,” the doctor said as he braced one hand high on the doorframe.

“Well, if he promised you know he’ll deliver. Give me a second and I’ll print off the results on the workup you ordered on him.”

From the darkened corridor the man listened and wondered. What were the chances of the Evans they were talking about being the same Evans that was responsible for his current condition? His breathing was labored as he waited for the doctor to collect the results and leave, presumably to pay his patient a visit. Providence was shining down on him, he thought as he took up pursuit. If it was the street rat he would see that he paid for his betrayal.

*****

Across the room Mac was leaning against one of the walls, her right leg bent at the knee and the bottom of her booted foot resting flat against the wall at her back. Her gaze was constantly scanning the area, having grown accustomed to being wanted and staying hidden from the world.

“Looks like you’ve healed up alright,” Courtney said as she took up a post next to the agent.

“Yeah, I had a good doctor,” she said with a faint smile.

“Things seem fairly agreeable between you and Deluca.”

She snorted. “The man has a cat that he treats like his own child.”

“I’ve heard it said you can tell a lot about a man from the way he treats his mother and animals.”

“So what about you and the rich boy?”

“I wouldn’t know. Never seen him with animals or his mother.”

Mac chuckled. “I think maybe we need to go out for drinks once the debriefing’s finished.”

Courtney glanced at her and smiled tightly before she shot a look at DJ. He was persistent and she could feel herself wearing down, but she knew he deserved more than she would ever be able to give him. “Sounds like a plan. You can get my number from Deluca.”

“Cool, I’ll – “ She was cut off by a woman’s scream and silence fell over the room for the space of a heartbeat before the air was filled with the sound of guns being drawn.

“Gun!”

Michael held tightly to Maria and Hunter as he swung them around, getting them safely up against the wall next to the nurse’s station and out of the line of fire. The sudden jarring move woke Hunter and he started to scream, the sound terrified. He reached for the gun tucked in the waistband of his jeans at the small of his back, his hand wrapping around the grip and flexing as he glanced around for Kyle.

Kyle wasn’t far away, using his own body as a shield as he hustled Amy, Ava, and Cadence out of the hallway. His gun was already in his hand as he pushed them out of the path of danger and peered around the corner. His gaze locked with Sean’s and he nodded when the other man relayed several hand signals. He was crouching next to the nurse’s station with two nurses huddling against the counter behind him.

Hospital personnel had scattered or dropped where they were standing in an effort to avoid being shot. Every law enforcement officer in the immediate area had drawn their weapons and had them trained on the gunman as he walked down the hall, his movements stiff and unnatural. He held a doctor in front of him, his arm pressed tightly against the man’s throat.

He pressed the barrel of the gun just below the doctor’s ear. “Where is he?” he rasped.

The doctor shot a glance at the doors that led back to the room Max Evans was in while he awaited transfer to a private room but he stubbornly kept his mouth closed. It wasn’t only the Hippocratic Oath that kept him from revealing his patient’s whereabouts; he had been a medic in the Army and he’d seen his share of action overseas.

“Release the hostage and drop your weapon,” Sean yelled as he tried to draw a bead on the man.

“Are you still wired?” Courtney whispered with a look at Mac.

She nodded wordlessly and pulled the thin coiled wire free of the collar of her shirt to hand it to the other woman. She kept her gaze trained on the gunman, listening as she relayed information to Sean before handing the earpiece back to her.

“You know this doctor?”

“Not well, but we crossed paths in the service. He’ll give us an opening in just a minute.”

Ava’s gaze was locked on the gunman’s horrifying reflection in the automatic glass doors. It took several heart-pounding moments before she identified him and her eyes widened in shock. Pascal. He looked like something that had been spewed from the fiery depths of hell itself. His skin had been burned badly, large areas of it blackened and charred while other areas appeared to be nothing more than patches of raw tissue.

Kyle saw the brief conversation between his cousin and Courtney and he nodded when Sean signaled to let him know to be ready. It felt like every cop in the place was just waiting; the large corridor practically vibrated with the tension. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion but he knew when he recalled it later these moments in time would pass in the blink of an eye.

Dr. Kirk Fielding tipped his head forward and closed his eyes, drawing in a long slow breath before he suddenly slammed his head back to impact with his captor’s nose. The man screamed in rage as his body was assaulted by even more pain than he already had to be in and the moment of shock caused him to loosen his hold just enough for him to escape. He dove for cover as orders for the gunman to drop his weapon and get on his knees came from every conceivable direction. He’d recognized the crazed look in the gunman’s eyes and knew he’d never surrender.

Liz pressed herself into DJ’s side, her hands covering her ears as gunshots suddenly echoed through the corridor. She hadn’t been expecting it when he’d barreled into her, knocking her off of her feet. They’d slid across the highly polished floor and he’d jerked a small table out from between a couple of sets of the hard plastic chairs and now they were huddled in that spot, using the upended table as a shield.

When was this going to end? Why wouldn’t they just leave Max alone? All he wanted was to be free of his past, free of the nightmare that Damon Knight represented. The silence that fell in the aftermath was deafening but it was quickly broken as the area broke out in chaotic activity.

“Hey, you still with me?”

She looked up at DJ when he spoke and she nodded, wiping her cheeks with the heels of her hands and frowning at the moisture that came away with them. “I need to see Max.”

He hugged her tightly and rubbed her arm when he saw her parents burst through the doors, pushing past a couple of cops that were trying to keep them out. His eyebrows shot up when Jeff Parker lost his cool and swung on one of the officers, giving Nancy the time she needed to break away and get to their daughter. He chuckled under his breath when Jim Valenti hurried to smooth things over between the cops and the angry father and he got to his feet, turning Liz over to her mother. He had his own girl to check on. Oh, she’d inform him that she could take care of herself and she didn’t need him fussing over her but eventually he was gonna get past those walls. He wasn’t an optimist for nothing.

*****

Maria patted Hunter’s back and squeezed Michael’s hand, waiting for his nod before she released him and walked over to sit beside Liz. Two hours had passed since the gunman had shot up the corridor in the emergency department and the cops had wanted statements from everyone before allowing them to leave. They had finally finished, satisfied that they had all of the pertinent information for the time being, and they had declared their witnesses free to go.

Hunter had finally calmed down and now her exhausted little boy was sleeping fitfully in his daddy’s arms. It was going to take time for him to recover from the excitement the night had brought, but she knew he would. They all would, given time. For now though, it was time to go home and fall into bed with the man she loved more than anything and celebrate the fact that they had survived.

She was just about to tell Liz they were leaving when the doctor finally made his appearance and she could almost feel the breath her best friend was holding as he approached them. The woman that had been introduced as Ava stood, her expression neutral, but her hand clutched tightly around Kyle’s. He had hardly left her side, staying close by even when something called him away, and she couldn’t wait to find out what was going on there.

“Mrs. Valenti,” he greeted with a nod of his head. “I’m Dr. Fielding. I apologize for the delay but your brother experienced a slight setback.”

Ava glanced at Kyle, feeling the quivering of her insides calm when he squeezed her hand and his thumb stroked over her knuckles. She turned and motioned for Liz to join them and she reached for the other woman’s hand as they waited for what the doctor had to say. She didn’t normally reach out to people, but Max cared for her a great deal, perhaps even loved her, and it was obvious to her those feelings were genuinely returned.

“Max experienced multiple blows to the head in addition to the beating the rest of his body took. He did regain consciousness for a period and that’s a good sign. He has several fractured ribs, two broken fingers, multiple contusions and lacerations, blunt force trauma to his chest which resulted in a bruised lung, his right eardrum is ruptured, and he suffered a pretty serious concussion.”

Liz felt ill but she refused to give in to it. “You said there was a setback?”

Dr. Fielding gave her a small smile before directing his answer to his patient’s sister. “Max did experience a seizure.”

“How serious is that?” Kyle asked. “I mean, I know it’s serious, but in the grand scheme of things, what’re we looking at?”

“It’s possible the seizure was a result of the concussion he’s suffered.” He looked at Max’s sister again. “You indicated on his paperwork that there was no history of epilepsy so for the moment we’re being cautious and monitoring him for additional seizures. A very small percentage of patients will experience epileptic seizures throughout their lifetime after a brain injury. But that’s something that we look for in patients who have late seizures, occurring a week or more after the brain injury.”

“How is he, overall?” Ava asked.

“Considering what he’s been through I’d say he’s doing very well. His recovery will take some time, but four to six weeks from now he should be back to normal. One thing you need to understand though is that patients suffering from a concussion or brain injury can experience what we call ‘concussion syndrome’.”

Liz swallowed with difficulty. “That doesn’t sound good.”

“It’s possible he could have some trouble remembering things, problems with concentration, he may experience mood swings, have bouts of dizziness, and it’s not uncommon for them to develop migraine headaches. He could experience some or none of these symptoms, but it’s best to be prepared.”

“How long before those symptoms go away?” Ava asked.

“They could last a matter of weeks or a lifetime, or he may never experience them at all.” He shook his head. “I wish I could give you a definite answer but head injuries can be difficult.”

“All that matters is he’s alive,” Liz said, certain that whatever life threw at them they could handle it. It might not be easy but as far as she was concerned that wasn’t the most important thing.

“Can we see him?”

“Of course. If you’ll just follow the corridor to your right and take the elevator up to the third floor you’ll find him in room 317.” He chuckled quietly. “And if there’s any confusion as to which room it is, just look for the muscled gentleman standing guard at the door.” The doctor left them to make his rounds after assuring them that if he was needed his service would notify him immediately.

Maria waited for Liz to come back to her, giving her the space she knew she needed. When she finally turned to look at her, she rushed to her side and hugged her tightly.

“He’s gonna be okay, Maria,” she whispered raggedly. “I know you need to go and they wanna keep his visitors to a minimum tonight, so I’ll call you in the morning to let you know how he’s doing if that’s alright. If you need a few days to recover from everything I’ll understand.”

“Elizabeth Parker, if you don’t call me tomorrow you’ll never hear the end of it. And when he’s up for visitors you let us know and we’ll come by to see both of you, okay?”

Her hold on her friend tightened for a moment. “Thank you, Maria. For everything.”

“Anytime, Chica, but next time, let’s just go out for a drink and leave the bad guys out of it.”

“Deal.”

*****

The third floor was quiet as they stepped out of the elevator with Kyle and Serena flanking them. It was late, well past visiting hours, but hospital personnel had already been advised that they were coming and they were allowed to pass without question. Room 317 definitely stood apart from the others with Otto standing guard at the door, large arms crossed over his muscled chest. His posture relaxed fractionally when he saw them approaching and he didn’t make a sound as he shifted to open the door for them.

They took up positions on either side of the bed and Liz carefully touched his bandaged hand, the braces on his fingers indicating they were the ones that had been broken. “God, what’d they do to you?” she whispered.

Ava brushed his hair back off of his forehead, wincing at the row of stitches that had been used to close up the laceration over his temple. “You just couldn’t leave it alone, could you?” She glanced over at the other woman, watching her as she ever so gently touched him, wanting to feel for herself that he was really alive. “He’s survived worse, Liz.”

“And that should what, comfort me?” She shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. You’re trying to be nice and…”

“Max is a fighter, he’s a survivor, and if there’s one thing he knows how to do better than just about anything, it’s overcome the odds. He’ll get through this too. He might be a little off-balance for a while, but we’ll be here to help him and give him a push when he needs it.”

“You know, he’s fought so hard; first to find you and then later to make it safe for you to come back. You mean so much to him.” She rubbed his arm with the barest of touches, afraid anything more might cause him pain. “I was jealous of you for a while, certain there was more there between you than just friendship.”

Ava snorted. “I’m sure he set you straight.”

“I wish I could understand what he’s been through. What you’ve both been through,” she clarified. “Sometimes not knowing makes it difficult to see things from his perspective.”

“Do you love him?”

“Yes.”

She smiled when not a single moment of hesitation postponed the brunette’s answer. “Then don’t ever worry about that. Max has a gift for sharing his view of the world and if you’re as important to him as I suspect you are, then nothing will stop him from being with you.” She studied his sleeping features and wished she could imagine him as simply sleeping rather than recovering from a severe beating. She lifted his hand up and pressed a kiss to the back of it, holding it to her cheek for a moment and absorbing the warmth from his skin, the proof that he was alive. “Kyle suggested maybe we could come by in the morning and bring breakfast.”

Liz looked at her in surprise. “You’re not gonna stay here?”

Ava shook her head and motioned to the lone chair in the room. “Liz, we both know it’s your place to stay at his side. I’ve known Max a long time and I know this’s what he’d want. Just do me a favor and when he wakes up, don’t mention anything about Cadence. I wanna see his face when he sees her for the first time.”

When she was left alone with Max she moved the chair as close to the bed as she could get it without being in the way if the nurses came in. She curled up and reached through the rails to loosely clasp her hands around his arm, almost afraid to touch him because he looked so uncharacteristically fragile. She rested her forehead on her arm and finally allowed the barrier holding her emotions back break free. Her body shook with the force of her sobs and she prayed to anyone listening, expressing her gratitude that he was alive and fervently wishing that his recovery went well.

*****

Shakes stood next to the hospital bed, his gaze bouncing around the room at the various machines and trying to avoid the memories that were trying to surface. His eyes finally settled on the man in the bed and he sighed at the evidence of the brutal beating he had taken. He knew the bruises would disappear, broken bones and fractured ribs would heal, and the wounds that had been stitched would eventually fade, leaving behind scars. They would be a reminder, but hopefully he would see them for the badge of honor they were rather than a ticket to revisit the time he had spent being tortured by Damon Knight.

He shot a look at Liz where she slept curled up in what had to be the most uncomfortable position he’d ever seen. Her forehead rested on the bedrail, her body as close to Max’ as she could get without climbing into the bed with him. Otto had informed him that she had finally succumbed to sleep after the emotional release at seeing Max, damaged, but alive. He doubted she would be moving anytime soon as her body recovered from the adrenaline and emotional overload of the day.

Nonetheless, he kept his voice hushed when he began to speak. He moved closer to the bed and his hands curled around the safety rail. “You did a helluva job, kid. Knight won’t ever hurt another person. The entire upper level of his organization’s been taken out and we were able to get enough information and evidence to the right people so the rest are being taken into custody. Without Knight and the rest of his high-ranking officers to testify against, the DA isn’t looking to cut deals.”

He looked at the window facing the bed and he stared out into the darkness beyond. But it wasn’t darkness he saw as he stood there. It was the sunlight sparkling off of the East River, blinding in its intensity but impossible to look away from. He had been standing in the lawyer’s office trying to understand the gift Jeremy had left him with. He had been approached by the man after the funeral service and now he knew why Jeremy had been so insistent that he promise to be there when the time came.

“I don’t understand this.” He finally turned away from the view of the river to look at the white-haired lawyer patiently waiting behind the large desk. “Why me?”

“He said you wouldn’t,” Will Carrington said with a smile. “Not at first.” He turned and opened a drawer behind him, withdrawing a package with an envelope taped to the front. He slid it across the desk where it sat untouched. “I was instructed to give this to you with the request that you wait until you’re home to open it.”

Home. Home had always been a luxury other people had. Now, thanks to Jeremy, it was a house so big he could get lost in it. He nodded and finished signing the paperwork that seemed to have no end but his gaze strayed to the package time after time. When he was finally done with the forms he picked it up, shook the lawyer’s hand, and left the building. In spite of Jeremy’s affection for him he hadn’t expected him to leave his estate to him. Even after allotting a significant amount to his favorite charities he had willed him more money than he could spend in multiple lifetimes.

He’d had no idea what to do with it.

That had changed when the contents of the package had been revealed. Jeremy had taken the bits and pieces he had shared about his life and he had gone looking for answers. Not for himself, but to help someone he had come to care about very much. He had managed to unearth the truth about who his father was – something he had never shared with another living soul, and then he had searched even deeper, digging up information about Knight and his life during his rise to power. He’d also uncovered information about his mother, but it was too late for the few good things to matter.

Jeremy had wanted to leave him with something good, something that signified hope, and he had succeeded. He had given him the means to take Knight down, he had provided him with the first pieces of the puzzle that would eventually become his strategy, but the most important thing he had given him was hope. Not for himself, though he knew that’s what Jeremy had intended, but for someone who had been touched by the ugly side of life and whose soul was still salvageable.

He moved back to the bed and his eyes scanned the monitors when Max shifted and moaned quietly. Liz shifted slightly, responding to the sound of distress by unconsciously rubbing his arm. He leaned over and pressed the button to call the nurse, letting her know when she arrived that her patient was in pain. She checked his vitals, adjusted the IV that was delivering the pain meds, made notations in his chart, and reminded him that visiting hours were over before leaving them alone again.

From the moment he had opened that folder and read its contents he had known he would have to walk away. He had hoped to take Knight down without involving Max but circumstances beyond his control had forced him to alter the plan. It was for the best though. Max was on the verge of embarking on a new life and he needed to be able to do that without the burden of the truth or the shadows of the past hanging over him.

He was seven months older than Max, born in Hell’s Kitchen to an alcoholic, drug-addicted mother. Max had been born in the Bronx to a neglectful, spiteful mother who blamed him for his father leaving. His mother had sold him to support her habit while Max’s mother had walked out on him and never looked back. They had both had difficulties acclimating to life with foster families and they had survived the streets.

By some stroke of fate their paths, similar in so many ways, had crossed while they were on the streets. Max had gotten involved with Knight less than a year after the crime lord had carved him up. He hadn’t wanted anyone to know the man had fathered him; that he even knew he existed, and he had warned Max to never bring his name up around Knight. And he never had. Max understood the meaning of loyalty. He hadn’t required an explanation, had simply accepted that Shakes wanted to be kept out of that scene.

“I’ll be gone before you wake up,” he said quietly. “Don’t waste your time looking for me because you won’t find me.” He had been drawn to Max from the moment they’d met but he’d never understood it. It hadn’t been attraction, it hadn’t been sexual; it had just been something in him that wanted to make sure he was safe.

He studied his battered features, memorizing them because he didn’t believe he’d ever see him again. He straightened the covers and pulled a gold pocket watch from his shirt pocket. His thumb brushed over the words engraved on the back for a moment before he coiled the chain and carefully placed it in Max’s hand. For a long time Max had carried one around and he knew he’d lost it when he’d gotten rolled that fateful night that had brought Damon into his life. That one had been a cheap version, old and beat up, the face cracked and scratched, but Max had treasured it. This one was a fine quality piece and he knew he would value it and treat it with the respect it deserved. He closed Max’ fingers around it and leaned over him to press a kiss to his forehead.

“You’re safe now, little brother,” he murmured. He backed away from the bed, moving to the door and taking one last look at him before leaving and pulling the door closed behind him.

xilaj: That chapter did kinda keep you holding your breath, didn’t it? Lol. We haven’t seen the last of Shakes and Dimitri just yet.

What Shakes has been through is very damaging and finding a way to get past it may never happen for him. Only time will tell. But you can count on Dimitri to be persistent. It took a lot of courage for Shakes to share as much as he did even if he was unable to do it face to face. Max has a very good support system and you can bet they’ll be there to get him through his recovery and beyond.

Destroying Knight and protecting Max, two sides of the same coin in a way, was the thing that pushed Shakes to complete his mission.

This group will definitely have their opportunity to get together and have that conversation. I have a feeling a barbecue at the Parkers’ may be just the thing. These characters have all made progress throughout the story and it’s not over just yet. As for Max meeting Cadence Evangeline (thank you, that name was a long time coming, lol) we will be seeing that very soon. It’s likely Alex and Isabel will never know the truth about their brush with danger.

DJ isn’t the kinda guy who gives up easily so count on him to keep trying.

Pascal… yes, he just wouldn’t die easily. Recovery time is coming.

Max has a very good chance to make a full recovery even though the doctor’s warnings were pretty scary. Liz finally being able to see Max, to touch him, and to reassure herself that he was still alive was a very powerful moment for her.

We’ll check in with DA McCarthy today and the deal will come up in conversation.

There may be at least one shock left…

begonia9508: Thank you!

It would be very difficult to be faced with such threats.

They’ve been through the fire, but they’re survivors.

Shakes isn’t much older than Max, he’s about 24 years old. No, if everything goes according to plan Max will never know the truth.

Yes, having things suddenly begin to go right would be hard to accept after being so accustomed to everything going wrong at every turn.

Eva: Thank you!

Shakes’ story truly has its horrifying moments and his soul is shattered but he’s a survivor and he’ll keep going. He does need to get away and while he might have regrets over leaving Max behind, he believes it’s best for both of them to put miles between them. He’s made sure that Max has the opportunity to start fresh and that’s what he wanted for him.

These guys are definitely protective and this group has gotten very close as the story has unfolded.

Natalie36: Thank you for reading!

keepsmiling7: Diablo shined in that part. Nothing and no one was going to harm his human.

Being separated from Max and knowing he was hurt was very hard for Liz.

Lol, Michael wasn’t about to wait for an invitation.

Ava wasn’t about to stand back and wait.

Hopefully that setback won’t cause too many problems.

Shakes needs to put distance between him and NYC. Unfortunately he can’t shed his past, but he can put miles between him and the place where he’s experienced so much trauma.

roswellian love: If Shakes has his way they won’t see each other again. He wants to make a clean break and he feels he’s done everything he can do to ensure Max’ safety once he’s gone.

Thank you so much!

There was so much said in those two words.

Alien_Friend: Thank you! Stopping Knight was necessary for Shakes to move forward. What Jeremy left him gave him what he needed to see that goal achieved. Saving Max, ensuring he could go on to live a life free of that demon, was something that drove him and allowed him to finally bring it to completion. Dimitri will do his best to help him find a new purpose but he has a big job on his hands. Shakes grew up with nothing and no one to rely on; to a small degree Max changed that when their paths crossed. Dimitri has a great inner strength and he’ll do all he can to help Shakes forge a new path.

Kyle really does roll right along and has no problem following Ava’s lead.

I have a feeling that while she knows her parents have their hearts in the right place, Liz did what she felt was best for Max.

Max could still have some potentially serious problems to deal with, but it’s also possible that he escapes this brush without having to face the worst of them. That would be incredibly scary and I’m glad things turned out alright with your brother-in-law. I’m very sorry to hear about your sister; there are no words strong enough to convey the depth of my thoughts so I’ll keep you and yours in my prayers.

DJ won’t give up easily. He’s found someone who challenges him, someone who interests him, and he isn’t likely to walk away without a fight.

Lol, I’ll bet you’re right about Sean! You know, Pascal just would not cooperate with me! He kept coming back for more. But, I think now that the guys have filled him full of lead he’s down for the count. Things are definitely going to get better and that sit-down with all of them will be coming soon.

Thank you for the amazing compliment! To be ranked among such greatness is an honor!

Roswelllostcause: Ava and Liz are definitely on the right track and they’ve got one very common thread tying them together. Lol, Diablo agrees with you!

mela3: Thanks for reading!

Natalie36: Thanks for the bump!

dreamon: Posting right away!

begonia9508: And more you shall have… here’s to happiness!

roswellian love: Thanks for the bump!

killjoy: Lol, that was profound and enlightened enough! Thanks for reading!

L-J-L 76: Lol, I’ve just recently started re-reading PotP from the beginning myself and that’s a lot of reading! Thank you! We’ll be catching up with Max today, checking in on him and seeing how he’s doing. The answers to all of your questions are coming soon, promise!


Part 58

Captain Stone dropped down into the comfortable leather chair facing District Attorney McCarthy’s desk, nodding in gratitude when he handed her a glass of the expensive scotch he kept for special occasions. She watched him as he leaned back in his chair, the springs creaking loudly in protest but yielding to his wishes. They had just come from the Chief Medical Examiner’s office, seeing with their own eyes that Damon Knight was really and truly dead.

“Will the DA’s office open an investigation into the circumstances of his death?” There was evidence that the crime lord had been executed.

He shook his head. “Evans will likely have no recollection of what happened and according to the medical examiner the time of death was at least an hour after the boy was admitted to the ER at Mercy. Knight could’ve been taken out by someone in Hardison’s organization for all we know.”

The captain studied the drink in her hand. “You don’t believe that.”

“This is one time I’m willing to let it rest with speculation.”

She sighed and nodded. It didn’t set well with her and she had her suspicions that the person responsible for Knight’s death wasn’t in any way connected to a criminal organization.

“It’s the best ending we could’ve asked for,” McCarthy said finally.

“Will you uphold the deals with Evans and Johnson?” She tipped her head to the side to study him when he shifted and glanced up to meet her gaze. “The deal was made in exchange for their testimony against Knight.”

“I see no reason to rescind the deals. The agreement was made in good faith and it’s not their fault the man they agreed to testify against is no longer among the living. This office will have its hands full for quite some time with all of the evidence we’ve received. We have criminals to keep behind bars and we have corrupt law enforcement personnel to deal with, and I have every intention of seeing that each and every one of them is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I have to cut the occasional deal with criminals and I don’t like it, but sometimes it’s a necessity for the greater good.” His eyes hardened. “I won’t cut a deal with a corrupt cop. In many ways I find them more reprehensible than the criminals we prosecute every day, and for that I will not rest until I see every single one of them charged and sentenced.”

Captain Stone nodded in agreement. “I feel the same way.” She took a drink of the scotch and thought over the past twelve hours. “We still have a long way to go.” Cleaning up the department and prosecuting the cops on Knight’s payroll, not to mention those from other law enforcement agencies, was going to take time.

McCarthy sighed and pressed the glass against his right temple. “I still can’t believe Jefferson Clancy was on his payroll.”

“I was sorry to see his name on the list, Sam.” She knew he had played golf with the judge every Sunday for years, their families had gotten together on many occasions, and he had been honored to be godfather to the man’s daughter.

He forced a tight smile. “You think you know someone…”

“I know how you feel.” Her training officer, retired for nearly four years now, had been named on the list. They hadn’t had the type of relationship McCarthy had with Judge Clancy, but she’d had a lot of respect for the man who had trained her and in many ways helped her to become the cop she was today. It was a betrayal, not just of family and friends, coworkers and associates, the public and the law, but of honor and the code they lived by.

They fell silent, lost in their own thoughts as the minutes ticked by. Her mind began to drift and she wondered if Atlas had already disappeared into the night. They would never know why he’d harbored such an intense desire to see the crime lord and his organization destroyed and she supposed in the grand scheme of things it didn’t really matter. Her personal opinion was that Knight had done something that had destroyed some part of his soul, something for which there was no forgiveness. Whatever his reasons for becoming involved in the situation, they had allowed them to achieve a goal that had been otherwise insurmountable. She had a feeling, gone or not, they wouldn’t see him again.

*****

Dimitri glanced over the file lying open on top of the stack, the next in line to be tossed in the fire. They were destroying everything related to the Knight situation and preparing to leave. David had emptied out most of the furnishings but left the library untouched. He had left a list of instructions as long as his right arm with his lawyer, things to do after their departure. He had released the majority of his staff earlier and since returning from completing their mission they had been busy tying up loose ends.

The house and everything remaining in it had been signed over to Max. He had a feeling the young man would be lost for a while as he tried to come to grips with everything that had happened and what David had left him with. He wiped a trickle of sweat from his brow and looked up when David came into the library. “Almost ready?” he asked as he reached for the next file and started tossing papers into the fire roaring in front of him.

“Yeah.” He looked around, taking a moment to soak up the warm feelings he’d always had while spending time in this room. Max would appreciate the library and the books it housed; he was an avid reader and even though he might not be interested in every title on the shelves, he would treat them with the respect they deserved.

“I don’t have a library, but we could convert the office if you want,” he offered when he caught the look on David’s face as his gaze moved over the shelves.

Shakes smiled briefly at the offer but shook his head. This library, this room, was important to him, but by itself, without the memories, shelves of books held little interest for him. “You know I’m not promising anything.” He had agreed to accompany Dimitri to his home in San Diego because he had nowhere else to go. He gave an internal snort. More money than he knew what to do with and he had nowhere to go. It was absurd.

“You were clear on that.” He shrugged as his gaze moved over the information scrawled on the report in his hand and his brow pulled down into a frown. “Knight was responsible for the death of – “ He looked up when the folder was snatched out of his hand and thrown into the fireplace where the flames quickly surrounded it, the edges curling and blackening.

“He doesn’t need to know about that.”

“And I have no intention of telling him.” He sighed and rested his forearm on his raised knee as he looked up at David. “I hope one day you’ll feel safe enough to share the burden of your knowledge. You’ve got so many secrets trapped inside, so much darkness that shouldn’t be yours to carry.”

“Damon Knight took everything he could from everyone that ever crossed his path.” Shakes stretched his hand out to rest on the bookshelf nearest to him. “You may think it’s wrong to withhold this information from them but knowing that her father’s death wasn’t the result of a random traffic accident, but rather a planned assault, could easily ruin their chances of creating a lasting relationship. I didn’t go through all of this, put my people through all of this, just to see him lose what little family he has left.”

“I think you’re judging his family a little unfairly,” Dimitri said as he reached for the next folder. He flipped it open out of habit and tossed the contents into the fire a few pieces at a time.

“Maybe,” Shakes said, his gaze moving over the collection of rare first editions housed on the shelf he was leaning against. “And maybe I’m not. They have a chance to build a relationship without Knight threatening it, but the knowledge that he targeted her father because of his interest in the kid could easily destroy that.”

“You don’t think they could survive that?”

“I think if that came out she would have more questions and she wouldn’t be able to leave it alone. There are too many skeletons that could be uncovered if she started to dig for those answers and no, I don’t think they could survive the truth.”

Dimitri shrugged. “I think you underestimate them.”

“Blood isn’t always thicker than water, D.”

“It’s not his fault that Knight put a hit out on her father. You can’t think she’d blame him for that.”

“No, but if an investigation uncovered the fact that it was his father that ordered the hit that killed her father,” he shook his head, “I don’t believe she’d be able to see past that. And I don’t think the kid would handle the news that Knight fathered him very well. He’s shouldered the past long enough. He can make a clean break from his old life now and that’s what I want for him.”

He chuckled and shook his head as he thought of every moment of jealousy he’d felt over Max Evans’ relationship with David. “I want you to come to San Diego with me more than just about anything, but…” He rubbed his unshaven jaw and sighed. “You have someone in your life that means so much to you and given the chance it’s possible you could – “

“What I have D, is you. I know myself pretty damn well, and I’m never gonna be that Sunday-afternoon-barbecuing-with-the-family-in-the-backyard guy. I don’t know how to be that person and it’s too late for me to become that person. This right here,” he held his arms out at his sides, “this’s all there is to me.”

Dimitri shook his head for a moment before nodding. He knew it wouldn’t do any good to push the subject. David was damaged. They were all damaged in some way, some more than others, and he knew the likelihood that he would ever be able to form lasting emotional attachments to others was a long shot at best. There was a very real possibility that David wouldn’t be able to stay with him, that he would begin to feel restless, caged in, and he would leave. But then, nothing in life was a guarantee, was it? There were no sure things, it was all a gamble, and he knew he was rolling the dice on one of the biggest gambles of his life. It was time to change the subject before he started to get agitated. “You talk to Paxton?”

“Yes, and she’s accepted the job offer. I’ll need to stop and meet with her briefly to tie up the loose ends and take care of the paperwork, but that’s just formality.”

“Mr. Shakes?”

He turned his head when Alejandra called his name and he straightened up when he realized why she was there. “Everyone’s arrived?”

“Si,” she nodded with a smile.

“Alright, I’ll join you in just a moment.” He waited until she had left and then he moved to retrieve the stack of envelopes waiting on one of the tables. He glanced over his shoulder at Dimitri, watching him as he efficiently moved through the last stack of folders.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be gone before the sun comes up. Go on and do what you need to do.” He had a feeling David was in for a shock, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

Shakes moved through the house, his footsteps echoing off the walls. The rooms had all been emptied to make room for furnishings and decorations that would better suit the new owner. He stepped into the living room that had seemed ridiculously large before, but now that it was devoid of furniture it seemed even larger. He looked at the people standing around or leaning against the walls as they waited for him to arrive.

“What’s up, Boss?” Martinez asked. She was watching him as his eyes scanned the room and she had the feeling he was memorizing it. Alejandra had told them he had already released everyone else but that he had saved them for last because they were the ones who had carried a lot of the responsibility for keeping Evans safe.

“I’ve decided to leave the city,” he said after several moments of heavy silence. “But first I wanted to compensate you all for a job well done and to tell you that I appreciate everything you’ve done.” His gaze moved over each of them, resting longer on Duncan and Liam. “No amount of money can compensate sacrifice, but it’s all that I have.” He looked down at the envelopes in his hand before moving around the room to distribute them.

“Mr. Shakes,” Alejandra spoke up, her hand outstretched to pass the unopened envelope back to him. “This is not necessary. I wish to go with you.”

“What?”

“Because of you I have a home. I have the life of a free woman and I take care of you. I do that of my own free will and that is what I wish to do now.” She waved the envelope. “I do not need this. What you pay me is more than enough. You need someone to make sure you eat and I am that person.”

“Yeah,” Otto added, “and you gotta have someone to watch your back and get you from point A to point B and that’d be me.” He held his envelope out in the boss’ direction.

“Good security’s hard to find and we’ve already paid our dues,” Liam rasped as he motioned between him and Duncan.

Duncan reached out to take the envelope and placed it on top of his before holding it out. “Yeah, we’re a couple of broken down wrecks right now, but give us a couple months to recover and get back in shape and we’ll be ready to take on whatever gets thrown at us.”

“Hell, we’re in too, boss,” Bernard said after a glance at his partner. “And like Alejandra said, you pay us damn good so whatever’s in these envelopes isn’t necessary.”

“Yeah, who knows,” Martinez said with a grin, “wherever we’re going there might be another crime boss that needs to be taken down.”

“No.” Shakes shook his head. “No, you can’t go. It’s… I’m leaving the state and I’m not coming back. I’m leaving in a matter of hours.”

“Are we going somewhere warm?” Bernard asked. “Just so Martinez knows if she should pack a bikini.”

“Take your envelopes and go.” He waved them off.

“Boss, this’s what we’ve got,” Otto said after a couple of minutes, the hand with the envelope gesturing around the room at the others. “Before this we didn’t have nothin’ so if it’s all the same to you we’d just as soon stick it out.”

“Yeah,” Duncan agreed, “what the big guy said.”

“Look, I don’t know where I’m going and even if I did, I don’t know that there’s…” He sighed in frustration and ran a hand through his hair as he turned and yelled for Dimitri.

“What’s going on?” Dimitri asked as he came into the room.

“I can’t get it through their thick heads that they’re not going with us.”

“Y’know, Alejandra would really like my kitchen. She’d have a great view of the ocean.” He was making light of the situation but he knew these people couldn’t care less about the view; it was important to them to have a roof over their heads and food in their bellies.

Shakes glared at him. “Handle this.”

Dimitri smiled when David stalked out of the room. He understood loyalty, he appreciated it, but he had trouble understanding it when it was given to him. He scratched the back of his head as he looked over the group. “You guys should know we’re goin’ to California. San Diego to be more specific.”

Bernard winked at Martinez. “You’ll definitely wanna bring a bikini.”

“You got a problem with us stickin’ with him?” Otto rumbled.

“No, not at all. I welcome it. Quarters may be cramped for a while though if you choose to live onsite. The guesthouse only has three bedrooms.” The main house had more than that but David had a difficult enough time sharing space with him.

“We can figure out the logistics between us,” Duncan said. He and Liam shared a hotel room and lived out of their bags. Neither of them had ever had any money to speak of before coming to work for Shakes and they were so used to scraping by that they hoarded their money carefully.

“Hell, Bernard lives in my back pocket most of the time anyway,” Martinez snorted and elbowed the man beside her. They’d had it considerably easier than the others. Life hadn’t been easy for them, but at least they hadn’t been trying to scrape out a living on the streets before they’d been hired by Shakes.

“Yeah, and we know how the boss is about his space so we can always find a place to crash,” Otto said. He didn’t care so long as he was useful to the man who had saved his life. Shakes had never made him feel as if he owed him anything, but it was a debt he himself took very seriously.

Dimitri chuckled and rubbed his jaw. “Alright, I’ll talk to him. Get your gear together and be back here in an hour. Our flight leaves just before six.” He waved a hand at the envelopes that were held out to him, not surprised to see that they hadn’t even been opened. “He wanted you to have the money and you’ve earned every bit of it.” He moved back out of the room. “Don’t be late.”

Shakes was pacing the floor in the library when Dimitri returned and he whirled around to face him. “Did you explain the situation?”

“I explained the situation and I’m thinking we’re stuck with the lot of them.”

He froze, his expression one of disbelief. “But you said you explained it to them.”

“And I’m afraid their loyalty to you is greater than you anticipated, my friend. They aren’t staying with you because it’s expected; they’re staying with you because it’s what they want. You’re just gonna have to suck it up and deal with the fact that there are people who care about you whether you like it or not. Now, I have a guesthouse on the property they can use so you won’t have to worry about sharing space with anyone but me.” He shook his head and grinned. “And I own the place so I’m not bunking in with the rest of them out in the guesthouse.”

“That’s absurd. You can’t put six adults in a guesthouse for any length of time.”

“No, you’re right about that.” He sat down and started emptying the files again. “I’m thinking we’ll need to expand the floorplan or maybe even build a second one. There’s plenty of space and I don’t have any close neighbors. I do think we should consider giving Alejandra and Otto rooms in the house. There’s a separate wing that was originally built as servants’ quarters, but I dislike that term, so we’ll just call it an extension off the main house. It’s plenty roomy enough for the two of them and as he is your bodyguard and she handles all of the cooking and cleaning I think the offer should at least be made. However, I’ll leave that decision to you. Oh, and I told them to keep the checks when they tried to give them back. Again.”

“They don’t owe me anything,” he grumbled.

“You’ll like the west coast, David,” Dimitri said, choosing to change the subject rather than dwell on something that could lead to an argument. “The temperatures stay between 50 and 70 degrees year-round, lots of sunshine, a great view of the Pacific Ocean, and we’re just minutes from the city.”

Shakes watched him for several minutes before deciding to let it go. It was a free country and people could go where they wanted to go. He had no idea what he’d do with all of them but he supposed there must be something. “I’m gonna check the house once more, make sure I haven’t overlooked anything before we leave.”

“I’ll finish up here and then do the same.” His gaze followed David as he left the room. He was holding up for the moment but he knew it was only a matter of time before he had to deal with the emotional fallout from putting Knight down. It was a fact of life and David wasn’t a cold-blooded killer so eventually he’d have to face the moment he’d pulled the trigger.

He looked around the room, imagining the warmth that his friend felt when he spent time there. “I’ll take care of him, Jeremy. You’ve got my word on that.” Now he was making promises to a dead man. He chuckled to himself and shook his head as he reached for the last folder. He had no idea what the future held but for the first time in a long time, he was actually looking forward to it.

*****

Michael’s eyes scanned the front of the house, the driveway, garage, and finally the yard before moving on to check the street before parking the car. His hand hovered over the keys where they hung from the ignition but after a moment he dropped it to rest on his thigh. Something didn’t feel right. It was a feeling he couldn’t put into words, but it was one he knew better than to ignore. It was a feeling that had given him just enough warning to save his ass more than once.

Next to him Maria was following every little move, seeing the tension in him as he waited for something. “Michael?”

“Soon as I get out I want you to slide over here.” He glanced over at Maria, hating it when he saw the fear in her eyes as she watched him.

She reached over and grabbed a handful of his tee shirt. “Michael, no, let’s just go. Whatever it is, call the cops and let them handle it.”

“Maria, don’t argue with me. Lock the doors and keep the engine running. You don’t get a signal from me within a minute you haul ass outta here. If everything’s okay I’ll flash the lights twice and come back out for you. Don’t leave the car until I come for you. Wait for me.” His dark eyes were piercing as he met her gaze. “Wait for me.” He kissed her, hard and fast, and then climbed out of the car.

She wiggled her way over the center console and slid into the drivers’ seat, checking to make sure the doors were all locked as her eyes followed Michael as he made his way up the front walk. Her heart was pounding madly as he disappeared around the side of the house and her hands were clenching the steering wheel tightly as they twisted back and forth, the friction causing her palms burn but she didn’t even notice it.

It was supposed to be over. She worried her bottom lip and she was suddenly conscious of sounds she was certain she never noticed or really paid attention to at any other time; the intermittent chirp of crickets, the occasional call of a bird, the tires of a passing car against the asphalt, and the raspy bark of one of their neighbor’s dogs.

It felt like time had stopped as she waited for Michael’s signal. It would’ve helped it he’d at least told her what to be on the lookout for, she thought. Wait, he had. He said he’d flash the lights. She risked a quick glance over her shoulder to check on Hunter, his peaceful features and the gentle sounds of his easy breathing helping her to remain calm and hold it together.

The acrid scent of cigarette smoke carried even though the night air was still and his eyes narrowed as he searched for the source. Whoever was waiting for him was either inexperienced or it was someone who wasn’t worried about being noticed before they were ready. His sharp gaze locked on the small glowing tip of a cigarette as its owner dragged in a lungful of nicotine and he reached for the gun he was still carrying. His hand wrapped around the grip, fingers flexing for a moment before settling into place. He flicked the safety off with the side of his thumb and he kept the gun trained on his target as he neared the back porch.

His eyes hardened when he recognized the man’s shadowed features. “What the fuck are you doin’ at my house?”

Little Ricky exhaled slowly, emitting a raspy chuckle at the annoyed look on Guerin’s face in response to the fresh cloud of nicotine that floated past him. “Your family’s safe.”

“That was the agreement.”

“Just came by to make sure we’re square.”

“The debt’s been erased.” Michael relaxed slightly and lowered the gun as he stepped up on the porch and unlocked the door. Reaching inside without taking his eyes off of Little Ricky he felt around on the wall, locating the light switch and flipping it up and down several times. He moved back and let the screen door close. “We’re square.”

“You’re really outta the life, aren’t you?”

“I’m out and I don’t want it around my family.”

Little Ricky stood and started to flick the cigarette butt out into the yard but a warning look from Guerin had him pinching the end between his thumb and forefinger and tucking it behind his ear. “Funny how things change.” His sharp gaze dropped to the gun the other man still held, his ease with its weight unmistakable; he knew how to handle a piece but he’d managed to avoid ever getting popped for a weapons charge. He didn’t miss the slight tensing in Guerin’s posture when he passed him and he turned, flashing a thin smile. “I guess I won’t be seein’ you around.”

Michael shook his head wordlessly and waited until Little Ricky had reached the gate before he spoke. “Don’t ever come to my house again, Razor.” The hand holding the gun flexed. “You come here again and any conversation we have won’t be verbal.”

The tattooed man laughed as he jumped over the fence. He had no interest in going up against Guerin. Did he think he could take him? Without question. He wielded a mean knife and he was more than capable of putting down a target twice his size. But word on the street was that he and everyone else connected to him were off limits. No one seemed to know who had put the word out but it was being taken seriously. Even without that there was no reason for him to have anything else to do with Guerin. Right or wrong, they lived by a code, and as far as he was concerned he had honored his debt and the slate between them was clean. They weren’t friends, never had been, but they both understood and lived by that code.

Michael waited until he was sure Little Ricky was out of sight and he did a quick check of the house before going around front to get Maria and Hunter. He saw her eyes dart around nervously and he hated that anything could put that look of fear in her beautiful green eyes. He motioned for her to open the door and he reached in behind her to unlock the back door. He straightened and pulled her out of the car and into his arms in one smooth motion. “It’s okay,” he assured her. “It’s over.”

“You’re sure?”

“Just taking precautions.” He released her. “C’mon, let’s get him inside and into bed.”

Maria’s hand wandered over his back as he leaned into the car to free their little boy from the confines of his car seat and she paused when her fingertips encountered the gun. “Michael?”

“I won’t bring it in the house.” He turned to hand Hunter to her and then nodded at the garage. “I’ll take care of this and then we’ll go inside.”

She nodded and shouldered the diaper bag. She had no doubts that he would never endanger Hunter but they had agreed that as long as they had a child under their roof guns wouldn’t be anywhere in the vicinity. “Hurry up, Michael, it’s been a long few days.”

“That’s my girl,” he smirked as he shouldered the door to the garage open to put the gun away where it would be safe. Under the right circumstances she could be incredibly impatient and now that they were home and safe they had some catching up to do.

*****

Kyle rolled his shoulders tiredly as he flipped through his key ring looking for the right key. He was exhausted and all he wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep for the next 18 hours. His gaze dropped to Ava and he found the energy to give her a smile as he finally unlocked the door and reached inside to turn the lights on. He stepped back and gestured to the entrance, following her inside and shutting the world out as he closed and locked the door behind him.

“Welcome home, Ava.”

She moved through the living area, gently rocking Cadence as she looked around, taking in the decidedly masculine furnishings and art, the entertainment system that was easily the most expensive thing in the room, and coming to rest on the glass coffee table that doubled as an aquarium.

“Do you have a cleaning service?” she asked, surprised at just how spotless everything was.

He chuckled and tossed his keys on the kitchen counter. “Not even close.”

“But everything’s so… clean.” Her eyes widened as she realized how what she had just said probably sounded. “No, I mean, not that you’re…”

Kyle laughed and held a hand up before she could dig the hole any deeper, loving the way her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I’m not a complete slob, but there’s no point trying to convince you the place looks like this all the time either. When I’m away on extended jobs Mom and Maria will swing by and tidy things up, feed the fish, stuff like that.” He nodded at the kitchen as he walked around the breakfast bar and pulled the refrigerator open, seeing the recent additions. “My parents went by the store after leaving the hospital a couple hours ago, stocked up on the essentials, and I’ll bet you my next week’s pay we’ll find a crib in the bedroom. It’ll be the one I had when I was a baby, but the mattress will be new.” Dad had inherited it in the divorce and he’d kept it in the garage, safely packed away to protect it so that someday his only son would pass it down to his own child.

Ava followed him as he led the way down a short hallway and turned into another room, flipping a light switch and gesturing to the crib that had been set up against an interior wall. She moved to it, her breath catching at the sight of the polished wood. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered as she reached out to run her fingertips over it.

“Dad made it himself.”

“Your dad did this?” She moved around it, her fingers moving over the frame before pausing to reach up and touch the mobile attached to the side. She hid a smile when Kyle cleared his throat. “I’m guessing Minnie Mouse wasn’t the theme they used for you?”

“No.” He crossed the room and reached into the crib to pull back the small pink comforter that was decorated with Minnie Mouse to match the mobile. “Mom and Dad are already in love with Cadence and they can’t wait to spoil her just like they do with Hunter. And if you’d like a different theme or whatever they won’t be offended or anything.”

She shook her head and bit her lips as her eyes watered at the easy acceptance and warm welcome they had received from his family. She had watched his parents and sister take turns holding Cadence, had seen his brother-in-law interact with her several times over the past few days, and even his cousin had stopped to introduce himself and play with her for a couple of minutes before leaving the hospital to write up his reports.

They had drawn her into conversations and while it was easy to see that they were curious about her they hadn’t done anything to make her feel as if they thought she wasn’t good enough for Kyle. Everything about his friends and family seemed so genuine and their concern extended to all of them. They were everything she’d ever wanted in a family; warm, loving, caring, open, and accepting. And as much she wanted that for Cadence and for herself, as much as she craved it, she found herself overwhelmed by it too. It would take time and she knew she’d have to make an effort because she was used to a very isolated existence, but she’d also never been the type to back down from a challenge.

“Why don’t we get our girl into her PJs so we can all get some sleep?”

She released Cadence when Kyle reached for her and she leaned over the side of the crib to pick up the pink sleeper that had been left on the mattress. She unfolded it and shook it out before smoothing her fingers over it. “Your family’s so nice.”

He sat on the bed and laid Cadence down so he could undo the snaps on the little outfit she was wearing. It was definitely a lot easier to dress and undress this little person when she was sleeping, he thought as he maneuvered her little arms and legs with an ease that just wasn’t there when she was awake. “Yeah, they’re good people.” He glanced up to watch her as she moved around in his space. He knew she wasn’t used to being surrounded by decent people; the type of folks that treated others with kindness and didn’t pass judgment. She was finding her way, slowly settling in and becoming comfortable with that change, and he hoped she didn’t find it too overwhelming now that they were out of hiding and back in the real world. He was certain the time they’d spent together out in the cabin, and then later with Courtney, Michael, and DJ had helped a lot and while he expected a few bumps along the way, he was counting on things to work out the way he wanted them to.

*****

Sean leaned forward over the mug of coffee, pulling at the muscles in his shoulders in an effort to stretch them. They had talked about going out for a beer but by the time they’d finished their reports and Captain Stone had been satisfied that they’d met all of their obligations for the evening it had just been too late. Or too early, he thought as he looked out at the sky that was already beginning to show signs of dawn’s approach.

Angelo’s was fairly quiet; the clink of dishes and silverware, the hushed conversations of a handful of patrons, the muted sounds of the cook working behind the swinging doors, and the only real noise the occasional shout as an order was called out for pickup by the lone waitress. He rubbed his eyes, hating the gritty feeling that came after too many hours and too little sleep.

“Getting old, Deluca,” Courtney muttered from her position slouched down on the bench seat across the table from him.

“If I wasn’t so tired I’d make you take that back.”

She laughed. “If I wasn’t so tired I’d tell you to try it.” She pushed herself up and dropped her feet to the floor when the waitress brought their plates out and slid them on the table.

“What the hell did you order?” he asked once they had been left alone again. He shifted to lean forward, frowning at the food on her plate.

“It’s breakfast, what the hell’s it look like?” She reached out to give his shoulder a shove. “Stay on your own side of the table.”

He ignored the threatening growl and poked at what he assumed was some form of bacon-like product.

Courtney used her own fork to stop him from digging around in her food. “Do you mind?”

He studied her food choices; a couple of scrambled eggs, wheat toast with no butter, and some fruit on the side. Oh, and don’t forget the crap breakfast meat. “That’s not real…” He made a show of sniffing the air. “Is that…” he made a face, “turkey bacon?”

“So what?”

“Usually when we go out to breakfast you order a steak omelet with hash browns and a side of buttered toast… normal toast.” He stabbed a bite of pancakes and sausage and gestured to her plate with the loaded fork. “That’s the kinda thing…” He pulled his fork back and stuck the food in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully while he stared at her and after a moment a grin settled on his lips. “That’s DJ’s influence.”

“Do you have a point?”

He dropped that and changed tactics. “Sounded to me like he held his own pretty good out there.”

She shrugged and started eating. “We didn’t have to carry him.”

“You gonna see him again?”

“Are you gonna see the agent again?”

“Yep.” Mac had gone home to sleep in her own bed for the night and to get resettled before her meeting with the director of the FBI on Monday morning. She had told him she needed a few days to decompress and asked him to wait for her to call. He respected her decision and had agreed to wait. He had no doubt she’d call; not because he was that conceited, but because it wasn’t in her to back down or take the coward’s way out and leave him hanging if she changed her mind. “What about you?”

“What? Oh, rich boy?” she asked with a careless shrug. “Not much of a point. I don’t really see it going anywhere.”

“He likes you.”

“Yeah, he probably likes a lot of girls, Sean.”

“There’s liking a girl, and then there’s liking a girl,” he countered and took another bite after dousing his pancakes with more syrup.

“What’re we, in the sixth grade?”

“I think you like him, Court.” He grinned when she rolled her eyes at him. “And I think it scares you. Look, I’m a guy and yeah, most of us do like a lot of girls at one point or another because we’re very visual creatures. But, there’re girls who’re different and yeah, we like them in a completely different way. That doesn’t suddenly render us incapable of noticing other hot girls, but it does change our focus.” He pointed at her with his fork. “And trust me, his focus has changed.”

Courtney speared a piece of mango and studied it for a moment. “He’s a very open man and I’m far from being an open book. Guys like him, they don’t wait around.”

He snickered. “You have no idea just how patient DJ can be.” His expression turned serious again. “Just don’t shut him down before he even has a chance to get outta the gate, that’s all I’m sayin’. Once Evans gets discharged they’re gonna wanna get everyone together for a sit-down to put all the pieces together. If nothin’ else you should be there for that.”

“You’re not as clever as you think you are, Deluca.”

“Yeah, I am. Give it a few days and I’ll bet you’ll be ready to see him again.” He pulled his wallet out and slapped a twenty on the table between them.

She smirked and shook her head. “There oughta be a law against taking someone’s money so easily, but hell, if you just wanna throw it away…” She tossed a twenty down on top of his and laughed. “I’ll be happy to take that off your hands at the meeting.”

Courtney was nothing if not honest and he was certain when she showed up she’d be handing that twenty to him.

*****

It was the alarm that woke Liz. Not the irritating monotone buzz that could be associated with a morning wakeup call, but the incessant warning drone that signaled a call of distress. Her vision was bleary as she opened her eyes, but clarity came suddenly as her surroundings registered and she realized Max’s bed was surrounded by doctors and nurses trying to hold him down. Before she could move a firm hand settled on her shoulder and pinned her to her chair.

“He’ll be alright,” Serena murmured. Her ice blue eyes were constantly scanning the room, watching everything that was being done. “He’s awake and he’s confused and disoriented by his surroundings. You go over there you’ll only be in the way. They don’t need the distraction of dealing with you; they need all of their focus on him.”

Her heart was pounding, threatening to break free of her chest as she watched them. The sound of the alarm assaulted her ears and only made the stress she felt escalate. “The alarm,” she whispered and then repeated it, her voice stronger. “His eardrum ruptured. They have to turn the alarm off.” God, how much agony was he in with that sound? It had to feel like someone stabbing an ice pick in his ear.

Serena’s gaze searched for the source of the sound and seeing no way to silence it inside the room she bolted through the door and down the hall to the nurses’ station.

Relief flooded Liz’ entire body when silence suddenly fell over the room and heedless of her bodyguard’s warning she plowed her way through the sea of medical personnel to grab onto Max’s hand. She could feel the weakness in his body as he lay limply on the bed, his chest rising and falling rapidly as his terrified eyes searched the room. “Max,” she shouldered past one of the orderlies who had stepped in to help, shaking his hand off when he tried to stop her, “Max, it’s okay.”

She kept her voice low as she looked up at the others. “Don’t you people read?!” she hissed. “He has a ruptured eardrum!” She turned her attention back to her boyfriend, leaning over to press a kiss to his forehead. “You’re okay and you’ll be able to go home soon.” Her eyes locked on his, her touch gentle as she ran her fingers through his hair.

He reached up to wrap his hand around hers, his grip surprisingly strong and a direct contrast to his fragile appearance.

“Ms. Parker,” the doctor spoke up gently, “the racket from the alarm wasn’t causing any pain to his injured ear. With this type of injury he’s basically temporarily deaf in that ear.”

“Oh. Well, it had to be adding to his agitated state either way. What set the alarm off? Did he have another seizure?”

“No, he woke up and didn’t recognize where he was or why he was attached to the monitoring equipment and he panicked. It’s not unusual but with the lung injury he sustained it was imperative we restrain him as quickly as possible to prevent further injury. Now, Nurse Lane will take Mr. Evans’ vitals and we’ll leave you to get some rest.”

Liz nodded and she watched every move the nurse made as she went about her duties, taking vitals and logging the information in the computer next to the bed. She looked up when the nurse took her leave, catching sight of Serena standing in the doorway. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

Serena tilted her head slightly in acknowledgment.

“I guess the alarm wasn’t causing him any pain.” She shrugged. “It seemed to make sense that anything that’s ruptured would cause pain and that if it’s an ear it would have to be worse when there’s noise.” She studied the bodyguard’s features, taking in the small smile of understanding that had settled there. “But you already knew it wasn’t hurting him.”

“It wasn’t causing him any pain, but it was causing you to stress out, that’s all that mattered,” she stated matter-of-factly. She hooked her thumb over her shoulder. “I have to step out for a little bit, but Otto’s here if you need him.”

She reached over and carefully resituated the nasal canula when he turned his head and disturbed its placement. She’d heard the nurse explaining its necessity after asking him some basic questions like what his name was, his date of birth, and what day it was. He’d answered them with a fair amount of accuracy, only running into trouble when he’d tried to remember the day.

“Liz?” Max was looking around, trying to remember what had happened but he was drawing a blank. He reached up and tugged at the tube running over his ears and blowing air up his nose, frowning in confusion when she stopped him from removing it.

“You have to leave that alone, Max. The nurse just explained why you need the oxygen right now, remember?”

His brows pulled down over the bridge of his nose and his eyes held a hint of panic when he looked up at her. “What’s wrong with me?”

“You got hurt during the meet with Knight. Do you remember anything about that?” She cursed under her breath when it took several tries to figure out how to lower the rail that ran along the side of his bed.

He reached up to scratch his head and he froze when his eyes landed on the silver braces on two of his fingers. “I remember your birthday party and then…” the frown lines deepened. “Then I left… I had to make it to meet with Damon. The guy he was meeting, one of his people made me and then it all went to hell. I remember… something hit me from behind and then…” he shook his head. “Then it’s just a blank.”

“You may or may not ever remember what happened after that,” she said quietly and personally she hoped he never had recall of what he’d endured at Knight’s hands. “The doctor said it’s not uncommon for the mind to block traumatic events, especially after a head injury.” She sat next to him, her hand rubbing his arm and her gaze bouncing between him and the machine constantly monitoring his heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels. The numbers for the first two had started to jump erratically during his struggle to remember, but now they were gradually decreasing and slipping back into normal territory.

“You’re safe,” he murmured tiredly.

Liz couldn’t stop the smile or the tears that sprang to her eyes as she nodded. “We’re all safe, Max.”

“Did they get Knight?”

She glanced out the window into the black of night. She didn’t know what time it was but the night seemed interminable. At some point she had woken up and been so wide awake she couldn’t sleep and she’d turned the TV on; the reports of the city’s biggest crime boss being found dead had been a relief. “He’s dead. There’s speculation that there was a shoot-out between him and some rival, they haven’t released all of the details yet.”

“They’ll never know.” The words were mumbled as his eyes began to drift closed once again and he slipped back into sleep.

He moved slightly and her gaze dropped at the small metallic rustling sound that accompanied the motion and she reached out to turn his uninjured hand over. Her eyebrows lifted at the sight of the gold pocket watch lying there, loosely clasped in his hand. She picked it up, her fingers tracing over the intricate design before releasing the cover to look at the unmarred glass surface covering the face of the clock inside. The numbers were elegant and she knew the watch was old and worth a considerable amount of money. She carefully closed the cover and turned the watch over, her fingertips ghosting over the words that had been recently engraved there and a fresh wave of tears blurred her vision.

Endurance. Fidelity. Intelligence. Very few people would have an understanding of what those three words meant to Max. But somehow he knew. He always knew.

Shakes had been there and he had left the watch as a gift. No, she decided, it wasn’t just a gift; it was his way of saying goodbye. She had a feeling they wouldn’t see him again. Max was right. The public would never know what had really happened to Knight, and truthfully, neither did she, but she had a feeling it wasn’t a rival crime organization that had taken him out. Shakes had sworn he would keep Max safe and she knew he’d done everything in his power to keep that promise; he was the one who had found Max and she believed he had killed Knight.

She placed the watch back in Max’s hand and started to stand so she could go back to her post next to his bed, but his eyes fluttered open and he looked at her.

“Stay.”

She wanted more than anything to be close to him but he was injured and there seemed to be tubes and wires and IV lines running everywhere. One wrong move and one of them could be displaced or accidentally pulled out and she couldn’t get the thought of hurting him worse than he already was out of her mind.

“I’ve survived worse,” he whispered with a crooked grin that slowly disappeared when he saw the devastation in her features. “Liz, c’mere.” He took her hand to pull her down next to him and he frowned when she resisted. “I promise it’s worse than it looks, but I can’t promise,” he yawned, “that I’m gonna be awake much longer.”

“I don’t wanna hurt you.”

“You won’t.” His eyes softened when she fussed with the lines, making sure everything was out of the way before she ever so carefully lay down beside him. “Give it a few days and when the worst of the bruises start to fade it won’t seem so bad.”

It wasn’t long before he was asleep again and she had a feeling it would be like this for a few days at least. The doctors were monitoring him for further seizures and they had said it would just be a few short weeks before his body was completely healed, but she knew he would be released well before then. And that was good because she could just imagine what they’d have to put up with if they tried to keep him confined for the duration of his recovery. She sighed quietly and relaxed against him as she slipped into sleep, comforted by the knowledge that Damon Knight was no longer a threat to him or anyone else.

Angel
Great chapter!!!! Please please please please please please come back and post more really really really really soon ? I can't wait to read what will happen next for Max and Liz. I hope everything works out for everyone. I'm glad that Evryone is fine. I still can't believe it was a cop on pay roll. And where Michael and Maria went. I guess shakes wnats to get away and start all over again. Hopefully he will be able to get past all thr trouble. I'm hoping Michael, Maria, Ava, Kyle, Sean, Max and Liz can get past evrerything. I'm glad that Max is doing good. I hope Max and Liz will be fine. Where will Max go when he gets out of the hospital? Will Max stay with Liz? Will Max and Liz stay together? Will Max have to go to prison or will he be free to be with Liz? What happened with Max's parents? Did Max's parents meet Liz? What happened when Max's parents met Liz? Where are Liz's parents? Did Liz's parents come to the hospital? Will Liz's parents let Max and Liz see each other? Will Max and Liz keep seeing each other? Will Max and Liz have a happy ending together? Sorry for all the questions I was just wondering. Please please please please please please come back and post more really really really really soon? I can't wait to read what will happen next for Max and Liz.

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