Darkness Past

by Sherryl Hancock

  Christian nodded, glancing at Stevie. She shook her head slowly. They were all feeling like it was hopeless at that point. It had been five hours since the failed attempts to find Elizabeth.

  Cat sat down in the chair Christian vacated for her. She scrolled through each picture slowly, back and forth, praying for something, anything. Her mind couldn’t stay away from the mental picture of Elizabeth tied to a bed somewhere, beaten, or hurt, or worse... All she could picture was the house she’d been held in. Then something clicked.

  “Nob Hill,” she said, scrolling back to the original pictures and addresses. “Nob Hill, damn it!” she exclaimed, moving to stand. “That’s where she is.” She pointed to the address.

  “That’s major upper class,” Jeanie said to Cat, shaking her head, her look sympathetic. They were all tired and very discouraged.

  “Exactly!” Cat said. “So was the house I was being held in, remember? Midnight thought that was weird.” She looked to Kevin, who was turning the possibilities over in his mind. “She’s there, Mace, I know it,” Cat said, her tone sure.

  Kevin nodded. “Okay, let’s mount up. We’ll go for some surveillance and hit it if we need to.”

  “What about a warrant?” Donovan asked.

  “Fuck the warrant,” Cat said. “If they have her, I’m getting her back.”

  The members of Rogue Squadron exchanged glances, then shrugged, knowing they had to back Cat up on this.

  A half hour later, they were parked in two SUVs a block from the house. Donovan and Kevin did some reconnaissance. They came back looking confident.

  “It’s possible,” Donovan said.

  “For a nice house, on a nice day, most of the shades are down,” Kevin said. “Especially in that back room there.” He pointed to the back of the house, which was visible from the street.

  Cat nodded. “Let’s try a knock and talk and see where we go.”

  Jeanie got out of the car. She wore civilian clothes, to act as the decoy. She had her gun at her back.

  “Be careful,” Donovan told her, leaning down to kiss her on the lips.

  Jeanie walked up to the house and knocked on the door, waiting patiently for someone to answer, looking for all intents and purposes like she was selling something—right down to the clipboard she’d picked up from the front desk at the hotel.

  The door opened, and a man stood in the doorway.

  “Good afternoon, sir,” Jeanie said, smiling brightly. “I’m in the neighbourhood today to give assessments on dual-paned vinyl windows. Would you be interested in a free estimate?”

  When the man hesitated, Jeanie went on undaunted.

  “You have a lovely house here,” she said, moving to look inside. “Lots of windows. I’m sure, though, that your energy bills must be outrageous. These old windows let in far too much of a draft...” She went on talking, even as she leaned past the man to peer inside, pointing out areas in which he could save money.

  “So,” she said, smiling, “what do you say? anna give a girl a break, let me give you a free estimate? I’m sure it would be worth your time.”

  The man looked back at her, obviously moved by her looks, rather than her speech—he’d been staring down her shirt, purposely low cut, most of the time.

  “Well,” he said, reaching up to scratch his chin, unknowingly baring a very definite prison tattoo, and the fact that the heel of his hand had blood on it, “I can’t really do it today, honey.” He winked at her. “But maybe you can come back tomorrow.”

  “Sure,” she said, smiling happily. “I can do that. What time would be good for you?”

  “Say one thirty?” he said, licking his lips.

  “I’ll be here,” she said, smiling again. “Thank you so much.” Her eyes flicked behind him again, then back at him. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Great,” he said, his grin lascivious.

  Jeanie turned and walked down the stairs; he watched her the entire time. When she got back to the SUV, she tossed the clipboard in the back and grabbed her bulletproof vest marked with POLICE and the Department of Justice patch.

  “Definitely,” she said, nodding.

  The team started getting ready.

  “I saw two men, plus the tree trunk that answered the door,” she said, not mentioning the blood she’d seen on his hand, knowing it would only upset Cat. “I didn’t see weapons, but my guy stood like he was packing, so let’s assume yes.”

  Donovan nodded. “Okay, Blue—you, Stevie, Mace, and Cat take the back door. Jeanie and me will take the front. They won’t be expecting much from the back. Blue, you’re on shotgun. Let’s go.”

  The operation took minutes. Christian heard Donovan’s knock and notice, and kicked the back door open at the precise time Donovan kicked open the front. There were shots fired, and general mayhem ensued. Amidst gunfire, Cat and Kevin made their way through and got to the back bedroom they thought Elizabeth was in. Cat stood back, kicking the door open, while Kevin covered her. She pulled back out of the doorway, then spun back into it in a crouch, her gun at the ready.

  She was stunned at what she saw. Elizabeth was on the bed; there was blood, too much of it, around her. She was bloody and bruised. Cat was sure she was going to be sick. Fortunately there was no one in the room with Elizabeth, because Cat couldn’t see anything but the woman she loved on the bed, almost dead.

  “Mace!” Cat yelled. “In here, now!”

  Kevin moved into the doorway as Cat strode to the bed, dropping to her knees next to it. Kevin kept watch, glancing at Cat, then back out into the hallway.

  Cat reached out and touched Elizabeth’s cheek, cut and bleeding.

  “Bet?” Cat queried softly, tears in her eyes, her lips trembling.

  Reaching up, Cat touched Elizabeth’s neck, feeling for a pulse, her hands shaking terribly.

  “Bet?” she said again, her voice louder this time.

  Elizabeth stirred, opening her eyes, although they were mere slits because they were so swollen.

  “Cat?” Elizabeth said, her voice full of wonder.

  “I got you baby,” Cat said, moving to stand. “We’re getting you out of here. You’ll be okay.”

  Cat strode to the door, taking over for Kevin. Kevin holstered his weapon and walked to the bed, picking Elizabeth up in his arms as carefully as he could. It didn’t matter—she’d passed out again by that time. Cat covered him as he strode out of the back of the house and down the back stairs. Everything had quieted by then. As soon as Cat was out of the house she was calling in the paramedics.

  ***

  When Kana finally came to, she still felt like her head was filled with toxic fumes. She leaped off the hospital bed and into the bathroom, where she threw up, retching terribly. Palani was there, soothing her, holding her long hair back. Kana sat back down on the bed, feeling horrible.

  “Are you okay?” Palani asked, concerned.

  “I don’t know what the fuck they nailed me with, but it’s vicious stuff. How’s Midnight?”

  Palani shook her head. “She’s getting worse, Kana. So is Tiny. He’s not as sick, but Midnight seems to be in so much pain. The doctors are doing everything they can to figure out why she’s so sick. They’re wondering if it has to do with whatever was sprayed in your face. They drew some blood from you to analyze it. I told them it was okay, I hope you don’t mind.”

  “No,” Kana said. “They can take anything they want, so long as they figure out what’s wrong with Midnight.”

  Palani knew that Kana was feeling like she’d let Midnight down, by failing to protect her.

  “Joe says that this was an extremely well coordinated attack, Kana,” Palani said. “That these men arranged everything right down to your cell phone cutting out intermittently, to get Midnight to walk toward the front of the terminal. He thinks there may have been a number of people involved.”

  Kana nodded, doing her best to deal with her failure in this instance.

  “If you’d been out there, you woul
d be in the same place they’re in, Kana,” Palani said. “And you wouldn’t be here to help us figure out who did this and stop it.”

  Just then there was a ruckus in the hallway outside Kana’s room. Kana jumped up, striding to the door and opening it. The hospital security guard was trying to stop someone from going down the hallway toward where Midnight and Tiny’s rooms were located.

  The sound Kana had heard was a woman’s voice yelling, “Kashena!”

  Kana glanced down the hallway and saw Kashena Marshal running toward the security officer standing two feet from Kana’s doorway. Then Kana looked at who the man was grappling with—it was Sierra Youngblood.

  “Let her go,” Kana said authoritatively from behind the security officer.

  The man was surprised to hear someone behind him. He turned his head to look at Kana. He also took his hands off Sierra momentarily, and that was when Kashena hit him full force. Kashena had him by two handfuls of his shirt, and she didn’t stop moving, ramming his back up against the wall next to Kana’s room. She held him two inches off the floor, her face not an inch from his.

  “If you ever manhandle a woman like that in my presence again, especially her,” she said, letting go of one handful of shirt to point at Sierra, her other hand still supporting the man’s weight, “I’ll take you apart piece by piece. You got it?” she asked, her voice low and threatening. Sierra stood staring wide-eyed at Kashena, astounded by not only Kashena’s words but by the pure brute force she’d just exhibited very publicly in Sierra’s defense.

  Kashena let the man go, turning her back on him and stepping back over to Sierra, looking her over.

  “Are you okay?” Kashena asked in a solicitous tone.

  Sierra nodded, glancing behind Kashena at Kana, who still stood in the doorway to her room.

  Kashena turned around, inclining her head to Kana. “I’m sorry you were disturbed, ma’am, but he was getting far too rough with her. I couldn’t allow that.”

  Kana looked back at Kashena. She’d just seen how dangerous Kashena Marshal could be, and it had given her a new appreciation for the woman. Kana had also recognized the protectiveness of a lover, but she couldn’t find blame with her for it. If any man had grabbed Palani the way the security officer had been grabbing Sierra, he’d have seen the dangerous side of Samoa pretty quickly too.

  Instead of responding to Kashena, Kana looked at the security officer.

  “I think we’re pretty clear on that, aren’t we, officer?” Kana asked pointedly.

  “Yes, ma’am,” the officer said, looking fairly intimidated.

  Kana looked back at Kashena, a smile curling her lips slightly. Then she looked at Sierra.

  “Good to see you again, Chief Deputy Youngblood,” Kana said, smiling at the smaller woman.

  “I’m glad to hear you’re okay, Special Agent in Charge Sorbinno,” Sierra said, smiling too.

  “Palani,” Kana said, putting her arm around Palani, “this is Sierra Youngblood. She’s Midnight’s Chief Deputy Attorney General in charge of the criminal division, and Kashena’s girlfriend.”

  Palani smiled at Sierra, noting the way Kashena’s eyes widened slightly at the way Kana had introduced Sierra.

  “It’s very nice to meet you,” Palani said, extending her hand to Sierra.

  “I’m sorry it’s under such horrendous conditions,” Sierra said sadly. She looked to Kashena. “How is Midnight doing?”

  “Worse, not better,” Kashena said, her voice pained.

  Sierra pressed her lips together, very worried about the dynamic Attorney General.

  “Kana, you need to lie back down,” Palani said, noting the way Kana’s hands were shaking.

  Kana nodded. “Kashena, let me know if there’s any change.”

  “I will,” Kashena said.

  Sierra and Kashena walked back toward Midnight’s room. Sebastian stood to one side of the door, nodding to Sierra as they walked up.

  “Good to see you, Deputy Youngblood,” he said.

  “Hi, Sebastian,” Sierra said, smiling.

  “Missed her, huh?” Sebastian said.

  “And then some.”

  Sebastian smiled. “Kash, why don’t you take a break and go grab something to eat?”

  Kashena narrowed her eyes at him, knowing that he was trying to give her time with Sierra. Sebastian only grinned unrepentantly.

  “I’ll bring you something,” Kashena said, nodding.

  “A blonde would be nice.”

  “Tramp,” Kashena said under her breath.

  “And?”

  “And nothing. That was it,” Kashena said.

  Sebastian grinned. “See you in a bit.”

  Sierra and Kashena walked across the street to a café.

  “So, how’s it going?” Sierra asked, after they’d ordered.

  “To tell you the truth, I’m getting really frustrated,” Kashena said. “I’m seriously starting to lose faith in this gift of mine.”

  Sierra chewed on the inside of her lip, looking concerned. “Kash, you know it means something, and you know that it will eventually show itself and its meaning.”

  “Before or after the AG dies?” Kashena replied unhappily.

  Sierra grimaced. “Kash, you wouldn’t have had the vision if you weren’t meant to play a part in stopping this. You know it’s true. You just have to have faith in your gift, and know that the spirits will show you the way.”

  Kashena took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Sierra was right. Her visions had always explained themselves eventually. She was just terrified that this was the first time it would fail her, and she’d lose the woman she was meant to protect. Opening her eyes, she looked across at Sierra. The gods had brought Sierra to her. Someone who understood not only her gift, but her culture.

  “So, maybe you’re meant to be here too,” Kashena said, taking Sierra’s hand in hers. “Maybe you’re meant to keep me from losing my faith.”

  Sierra smiled, glad that she could be there to help Kashena. She felt that she owed Kashena so much, and finally she was getting a chance to be there when Kashena needed her most.

  “So, have you worked with a sketch artist or anything to get the picture in your head out on paper?” Sierra asked a little while later.

  “No,” Kashena said, pressing her lips together in consternation. “That would have to come from San Diego PD’s camp, and Kyle Masterson thinks I’m nuts.”

  “Well, maybe I need to have a chat with Mr. Masterson,” Sierra said. Her tone matched the determination in her eyes.

  Kashena couldn’t help but smile. Sierra had a lot more clout than Kashena did. Course, Kyle Masterson could think Sierra was nuts too, but it was less likely.

  An hour and a half later, Kyle Masterson had been “set straight” on Kashena’s mental state. He’d also been informed that it was never wise to discount something simply because he himself didn’t either believe in or understand it.

  Kyle rocked back on his heels when approached by the small woman. She introduced herself, and he quickly found that her stature had absolutely no relation to either her determination or her clout. He was fairly sure she didn’t understand his amused grin, since she found it necessary to remind him of the use of psychics in a great many police cases, but she truly reminded him of Midnight. It was obvious that Midnight was putting women like herself in power at the Attorney General’s office. He knew he should have known that, but it was amusing, if not a bit off-putting, to have it in his face suddenly.

  “So, what exactly would you require, Chief Deputy Attorney General Youngblood?” Kyle queried when she’d finished with her diatribe.

  “A police sketch artist,” she said, not lightening up a bit. “Kashena Marshal has likely seen the man behind all of this in her vision, and we’d like to find out who he is as soon as possible. Locating him may be key in finding a way to save the AG.”

  “I’ll contact someone in my department right away,” Kyle said.

  “Good,” Sierra
said, her dark eyes staring up into his. “Thank you, Chief Masterson.”

  “So what have you come up with?” Sierra asked as she walked up to where Kashena and the sketch artist were sitting.

  “Just about done,” the sketch artist said as she made some final marks.

  When she turned the sketch book around, Kashena nodded, and Sierra gasped.

  “Oh my God, Kashena, I know him!” Sierra exclaimed.

  “What?” Kashena asked, as Joe’s and Kyle’s heads snapped around in their direction. They strode over to them.

  “You what?” Joe asked.

  “I know him,” Sierra repeated. “He was a Chief Deputy Attorney General in charge of the civil division—his name is Johnathan Weiskoff. Midnight made a point of getting rid of him,” Sierra said, worried. “He was crazy. At least that’s what I’ve heard. Very maniacal about his domain and civil rights and all that. A lot of people have said he’s the type to go postal some day…”

  “Lovely,” Joe said, nodding. “Well, he’s not going postal—he’s doing much more damage than that.” He looked at Kyle. “Let’s run him.”

  Two hours later, they knew that Johnathan Weiskoff lived in a house in La Jolla, and a raid was quickly planned. Joe’s private jet had brought Rogue Squadron back home that morning, and they were all too happy to take part in the raid, to go after the man that had created such havoc for their family. Kana, who was feeling stronger, was determined to take part. As she joined the team headed out of the hospital, Joe looked over at her.

  “K, you’re still not full strength,” Joe said gently.

  “Fuck full strength,” Kana said, narrowing her eyes. “I owe this sonofabitch. Midnight’s my responsibility. He fucked with that.”

  Joe made no further comment.

  After a bit of a firefight with Weiskoff’s men, Rick and Mikeyla were rescued. But the team learned then that Johnathan Weiskoff was dead. Rick told Joe he’d explain later; it was more important that they get to the hospital.

  Weiskoff being dead, however, meant they had another riddle on their hands: they needed to figure what was killing Midnight and Tiny. Rogue Squadron and Kana searched the house and eventually found his journals, but there were many of them. They began going through them immediately.