by Laura Acton
Nick added, “Loki needed a little of his own medicine. Don’t think you’ll have to worry about masked bandits attacking you from lockers now.”
Still astounded, Dan grinned. “Thanks.”
Grabbing his boots from the bottom shelf, Dan sat and tugged them on. Stealing a glance at the at the stuffed raccoon sitting on Loki’s shelf a slight shiver went down his spine but was replaced with a chuckle. After all this time Boss can still surprise me. Never would’ve imagine Boss pranking any of us; least of all Loki. And Loki will never in a hundred-million years suspect Boss of this awesome practical joke.
He loved his new chosen family. They looked out for him. None of them teased him about his loopy comments or his hallucination. Loki’s prank would’ve been the first incident of calling attention to the events, but Boss stopped Loki in his tracks and turned the tables on the techie. Dan hurried to finish changing, wanting a moment to share the funny episode with Lexa before briefing started.
TRF HQ – Briefing Room – 12:15 p.m.
Nick wrapped up the briefing, mostly standard business and relating details gleaned from the sergeant’s meeting. “So, Gambrill received the go-ahead to begin preliminary trials for a TRF reserve force. They will be short-listed candidates who receive introductory training in negotiations and tactics.
“They’ll also do an occasional ride along with various teams. In addition to the officers Dan flagged for marksmanship, an open invitation for all constables whose annual evals meet our levels will be issued.
“Gambrill wants all teams to take part in the evaluations to pare the list down to five. His hope in having reserve officers in place is when we need a fill-in, we can draw on them instead of pulling from our ranks to cover on other teams. Any questions?”
“If there is a permanent opening on a team, are we limited to selecting from them or can we run trials ourselves?” Ray asked.
“Not restricted, but those on the reserve will have a leg up on the competition with their additional training. Team dynamics will still take precedence so no change in how we prefer to select teammates.” Nick glimpsed almost imperceptible winces from several of his team. The way Dan joined would always cause everyone a little guilt.
To ease the tension his comment created, Nick grinned and said, “Pond tonight after shift. First round is on Dan.”
Confused Dan questioned, “Why me?”
Jon rapped the table. “Fourteen days overdue.”
Rolling his eyes, Dan retorted, “I was bitten and scratched by a damned rabid raccoon, not shot.”
“Remember we changed the rules to stop you from taking reckless risks. If you are injured during a call you’re responsible for the first beers,” Bram said.
Pinning his eyes on Jon’s, Dan challenged with humor in his voice, “I didn’t take a risk. Jon’s tactical plan sent me up that tree.”
Lexa chuckled. “Dan’s got a valid point. Jon should buy the drinks.”
“Now hold on a moment,” Jon started, but they all halted before their banter moved into full swing as Inspector Pope entered the briefing room.
Pope motioned for Pastore to remain sitting as he started to rise. “I come bearing news. Do you have time for me to review details with you?”
Nick called out to Tia, “Make Echo primary for now.”
“Copy,” Tia responded, curious what news the inspector brought. She would find out soon enough since most information in TRF filtered through her at one point or another.
Roman Pope moved to the front and took the empty seat next to Pastore, setting his folders on the table. “My men have been quite busy in the past few weeks, and I now believe we discerned a motive for the incidents Alpha Team is experiencing recently. Everything is not tied up with festive bows yet, but this morning we made an arrest in the case of the swapped medication.”
Though his remark captured their attention, Lexa and Dan shared a moment’s glance and smiled. A break in the case would make today even better. Everyone remained silent, but half-expected Pope to reveal Song Hai as the perpetrator, especially after the note of confession found with her failed suicide attempt. Once she woke in the hospital, Song claimed she had been attacked and was innocent.
“First, Ms. Hai is not the person we arrested. Evidence found clears her of all wrong-doing and supports her claim someone attempted to kill her with an overdose and faked the suicide note. I’m happy to report she is on the mend and in our protective custody. She is an innocent victim in this affair.
“She is lucky her roommate found her and called 911. Unfortunately, there is no identification on her attacker. Ms. Hai is still unable to provide any description other than she believes it was a man given the perpetrator’s size. However, we suspect it will be a member of the Blooddrop Crew.”
Ray’s gut seized. “The BDC? Are you certain?”
Pope nodded. “As sure as I can be at this time. Let me continue, and you will understand why.” At the nods around the table, he said, “I tasked Constable McGary, my tech-savvy man, with investigating the hospital’s security video.”
“But the tape was stolen,” Loki interjected.
“Yes, the physical tapes were, but what Mr. Fresnel failed to mention is they installed a system which backups all their video on an hourly basis. Though to be fair, he might not remember. The backup process was put in by Mr. Hougham, who covered for Fresnel while he was out on medical leave in December. Fresnel admitted his eyesight is failing and he is experiencing issues with short-term memory. As a result of this, he is retiring effective immediately, and Hougham is his temporary replacement.
“McGary, working with Hougham located the digital files. Reviewing them, they discovered substantial evidence against the pharmacy intern who filled the prescription. While scanning the entire day, McGary spotted her obtaining a vial of morphine to fill an order for an oncology patient.
“She failed to follow protocol and return the vial to the secured narcotics section, concealing it in her workstation drawer instead. Rolling forward to the timestamp of Constable Broderick’s prescription, the footage reveals her retrieving the morphine and another vial from her area.
“Although the angle obscures her activities slightly, she can be seen making a mark on the syringe, ejecting the antibiotic into one vial, and drawing up morphine. She slipped both vials in her lab coat and then followed standard procedures to finish preparing the medication and obtaining Ms. Hai’s signature before sealing the package.”
Loki’s shoulders slumped. “I can’t believe I missed a digital backup system.”
Dan patted Loki’s shoulder, “You spoke to Fresnel, not your fault if he didn’t reveal or recall the capability.”
Not mollified by Dan’s comment, Loki shook his head. “That is like you missing a shot … something which doesn’t happen.”
“No one is perfect. I miss occasionally,” Dan admitted but omitted, when drunk on a rescue mission. Glad Brody was there to spot for me.
Loki eyed Dan trying to assess if what he said was the truth, then recalled his teammate didn’t lie … deflected and omitted, but never outright lied. He inhaled, nodded, and exhaled, accepting Dan didn’t blame him.
Lexa smiled at Dan’s admission and his attempt to make Loki feel better, but asked, “How does this tie to the BDC?”
Pope flipped open a file and handed a photo to Pastore. “This is the woman we took into custody. Mrs. Renata Nores. The wife of Diego Nores, one of the leaders of the Blooddrop Crew. Diego’s never been detained, he tends to use others to do his dirty work. However, his older brother Alonzo possesses a long rap sheet. Your team captured him during a mugging last August which netted several other of their group. He is still doing time for the conviction.”
Jon’s gaze landed on Ray. “I recall the incident. You and Loki spotted the mugging. You ran after them without backup and ended up clobbered. Damned lucky they didn’t kill you.”
Something about the call niggled at the back of Lexa’s mind, but she co
uldn’t recall the details.
His mind warring over whether or not to tell them of his past, Ray’s eyes turned to Boss.
Nick read the unvoiced question in Ray’s gaze. He gave him a slight shake of the head indicating now was not the time. At this point, they had not listened to all Pope had to say, and any revelation Ray might make of his history, Nick wanted to be within the team only.
Pope dropped another bomb on them. “Internal Affairs opened an investigation on Detective Emilio Sanchez this morning.”
Nick’s attention whipped from Ray to Roman. “Why?”
“Well, Mrs. Nores’ maiden name is Sanchez, and she is Detective Sanchez’s sister. He failed to disclose to his superiors the familial connection to the gang he specializes in. He is now on administrative leave pending the outcome of IA’s probe. Though no proof exists of maleficence the fact he didn’t identify the tie casts a shadow over all his cases dealing with the BDC. We’re reassessing Luis Garcia’s murder as well in light of this discovery.”
Pope let his thoughts wander briefly before turning his attention to Hardy. “I also possess news regarding the fight your son was involved in. One of my men did a background check on the boys and found they transferred to the school at the beginning of this semester. Originally, they lived within BDC territory, and we confirmed they are known to associate with them. One reason their parents relocated.”
“You believe they targeted Kent on purpose?” Jon’s gut twisted.
Nodding, Pope presented his theory, “Mrs. Nores refuses to answer any questions as to why she swapped the drugs, but I believe this gang is targeting Alpha Team as retribution for a variety of arrests made over the past few years.
“Last April you arrested four members in the Grandwood Mall shooting. Kash provided details which led to the apprehension of twelve more key players. You also hampered their ability to procure weapons when you took down the Jackals’ gun-running operation in December.
“The mugging suspect Broderick caught behind Arriba Foods was a BDC recruit beginning his initiation path. And we tracked down the purchase of several of the burner phones. Though we can’t identify their faces, the red teardrop tattoos are a dead giveaway they are part of BDC.
“I won’t go over all the incidences, the list is too long, but this team single-handedly put a dent in their operations. My working theory is they are targeting you and yours. I am seeking a warrant to raid the BDC hangout and bring in the leaders for interviews.
“I’m gathering the necessary data to obtain a judge’s approval. When I do, I thought it might be appropriate and satisfying if your team is the one to serve the no-knock warrant. Are you interested?”
Pope smirked, knowing the answer before he offered. The round of yeses confirmed his assumption. He slid the other folders to Pastore and said, “These are the details we’ve gathered so far on their location, the numbers of members, and firepower you can expect. I figured you would want time to plan your tactics and manpower accordingly.”
Nick nodded. “Anything else?”
“No, but if new information comes to light, I will be sure to pass it on.” Pope rose. “I’ll be in touch once the warrant is issued.”
The team sat in silence for a long time after Pope left, each reviewing what the inspector shared. Jon broke the quiet revere as he reached for the files and said, “We’ve got planning to do.”
Abandoned Warehouse – 1:30 p.m.
“Where is he?” Pitbull raged as he stormed inside.
Witnessing the deadly intent in Pitbull’s bearing, men scattered in fear as their de facto leader approached the pool table and grabbed one of the sticks. When Pitbull broke it in half with his bare hands and retained both pieces, hardened men and wet-behind-the-ears boys all scurried against the wall.
Although he had never been arrested, Diego was the deadliest of the Nores brothers … and the smartest. Alonzo was the hot-head eldest who loved to participate and initiate the recruits by example, which is why Machete’s rap sheet was filled with all sorts of offenses. Pablo, the youngest, was tech-savvy and used his natural charm and looks to achieve his goals, but like his siblings, he did not hesitate to use guns when charisma failed. An exceptional shot, Pablo was called Two-shots because he always double-tapped his victims.
However, Pitbull earned his moniker due to being extremely protective of those he loved and once he determined someone posed a threat or harmed anyone he cared about, he sunk his teeth in and gave no quarter. He would rip his quarry to shreds. And his prey today … Panther. The fourth in rank failed Pitbull when he didn’t kill Song outright. An error which now caused Pitbull’s pregnant wife to be arrested.
Once Pitbull found Panther, nothing would be left of the man, but finding Ramon Vasquez would be difficult. He obtained his name because he could vanish in plain sight and sneak up on victims without being seen, which is the only thing that might save him now.
Two-shots sat, cleaning his guns, as he peered up at his enraged brother. “Evidently, he is not here. He knows better than to show his face. I sent men out to search for Panther, but his place is cleared out. He left in a hurry.”
Stabbing both pieces of the pool stick into the cushions of the chair Panther customarily sat in, Pitbull shredded the fabric to bits, releasing enough of his blind fury for rational thought to obtain a tiny foothold. Panting from his effort and emotional state, he turned to his younger brother. “They will all pay now. I’m tired of playing Machete’s game. My child will be born in prison because of Vasquez’s incompetence. I will have my revenge!”
“Yes, you will. I have taken steps in that direction.” Two-shots flashed his favorite brother a smile. “Theresa successfully implemented the hack swapping prisoner IDs for release in April. Machete and the others will be out soon, and no one will be the wiser.”
“I’m not waiting!” Pitbull paced. “Machete’s revenge on Palomo backfired, and now Renata is paying the price. I want them dead now! Every last one of them.”
“Never said you had to wait. But think before you act. You don’t want your child to grow up without you and Renata. We need to be smart about this. Go after them in ways which can’t be traced back to us.” Two-shots relaxed a bit as he noted the change in his brother. His mind is reengaging now.
Throwing the sticks across the room, not caring that one whacked a teen in the face, causing a laceration on his cheek, Diego moved to his chair and sat. “What did you come up with?”
Putting his Glock back together, Two-shots grinned. “One item is in the works. I obtained some explosives …”
A Small Price to Pay
68
April 1
Inside Cave – 5:00 p.m.
Dan shifted, only slightly, attempting to find a comfortable position and failing miserably. Not much he could do about it with both legs and one arm trapped under a pile of rubble. His predicament annoying and embarrassing, but surprisingly not painful. How he landed on his back and remained uninjured he had no friggin’ clue, but he was thankful because he was sick of light duty.
He whacked his flashlight again. Hitting things usually fixed them when all else failed. It flickered on for a moment, and he illuminated the area around him. His hopes sinking into blackness along with his surroundings as the meager light died again. “Crap! This sucks.”
Inside Command Truck – 5:00 p.m.
“Dan, buddy. Cheer up. We’re making progress,” Ray said over the headset as he glanced over at his best friend, who frantically searched for old records and land surveys which would assist them.
“Yeah, you figure out a way to get me out of here?” Dan replied.
“Not exactly.” Loki glared back at Ray, disliking his friend lied to their teammate, but his expression softened catching sight of Ray’s bandaged hand and makeshift sling. He had been injured, not life-threateningly, but Ray would definitely need stitches in his hand, and his wrist might be broken.
They were waiting for EMS and the fire services rescue s
quad to arrive, so Loki cut Ray some slack. He could also understand why Ray tried to remain upbeat. Dan’s actions saved Ray’s life today. He returned to his searching, desperate to uncover information which would allow the team to rescue Dan. His knee began nervously bouncing as he kept coming up with blanks.
Outside Command Truck – 5:03 p.m.
“Loki will come through, Dan,” Lexa said as she paced outside the truck. She stopped and poked her head inside. When she gained Loki’s attention, she raised a fist and mouthed, “Stay positive for his sake.”
Slamming the door, she resumed striding back and forth as her anxiety grew. She understood most of her emotion came from her fears but increased tenfold because her phobia appeared to be coming true for the man she had come to care deeply for … the one man she dared to allow into her heart.
I’m not the one trapped below ground. I’m not buried alive, Dan is. And what did that get me … more hurt. He’s gonna suffocate and die, and we’re gonna haul up a corpse. Every man I open my heart to leaves me one way or another. So wrapped up in her thoughts, a hand on her shoulder made Lexa jump. She turned and found Boss’ kind eyes staring at her.
Nick reached out and muted her headset, his already silenced. “Lexa. We will find a way. The fire department is sending out a rescue team.”
“He might run out of air before then.” Lexa drew in a shuddering breath and struggled to retain her professionalism. If she were not careful, she would reveal something to Boss, and both Dan and she would be cooked for sure. “Okay, I know. I’m overreacting.” She grabbed on to something she could blame her emotional state on. “It’s just … darn it, he’s buried, and we have no idea how much air is available or how long it will last.”
Nick patted her back. Lexa’s fear may well drive her behavior, but he believed this to be another example supporting the existence of a clandestine relationship between her and Dan. Though, for now, he would give her latitude. “Understandable. Dan is family, but you must control your taphophobia.”
