Author's notes: I do not own Flashpoint, for if I did it wouldn't have ended. This story is slightly AU; In my world Lou doesn't die and Wordy doesn't have MS. Sam and Jules are dating and Spike likes Winnie.
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Michelangelo Scarlatti, or Spike to his friends, pulled the uniform shirt over his head and tucked it into his pants. "What a perfect way to spend two days; flying to Saskatchewan and getting paid to do it."
"I could think of better places to fly into. Not to bash on Saskatchewan, but what is there to do there?" Kevin "Wordy" Wordsworth was busy lacing his boots. "It's pretty rural out there."
"Saskatoon has some really good clubs. The Sheepdogs got their start there."
"I still don't think flying over 2000 km sounds like a good time." Wordy moved on to his second boot.
"Did I mention the overtime pay?" Spike rubbed his fingers together. "Christmas is coming."
"I wouldn't talk too loudly about that overtime if I were you Spike." Ed Lane, the team leader for the SRU's team one replied. "Most of us only get car trips when we have to provide escort service."
"It's all in the Scarlatti luck. I've always been lucky when it comes to pulling escort duty."
"Yeah," piped in his buddy Lou, who had finished dressing and was shutting his locker. "Remember the time you got stuck transporting the stripper who killed her manager?"
"Prison orange was her color." Spike opened his overnight bag to check the contents. "Dio ti benedica Ma." Spike held up a bag of chocolate chip cookies. "She's always looking out for me."
"Still doing your laundry too?" Ed quipped.
"Yes." Spike replied proudly. "It's one of the perks of being the only child that lives at home. Don't forget the home cooked meals."
"You'll never want to move out and get married at this rate." Ed fired back. "No one will meet up to your expectations when your mother is spoiling you."
"I don't know Ed," Wordy added. "You've tasted his mother's cooking. I'd be living at home to if my mother cooked like that."
Lou put his arm around his friend, "Na, Spike will find himself a good Italian girl who makes her own sauce and wants to have lots of bambinos."
"Hey, hey. She doesn't have to be Italian. I like all kinds of food."
The others laughed with the good natured banter that continued between the friends. The door to the locker room opened and Sam Braddock walked in carrying a duffle bag of his own.
"Hey, Samtastic!" Spike shouted. "Are you ready for Spike and Sam's excellent roadtrip adventure?"
Sam smiled briefly at Spike's exuberance. "I don't think transporting a prisoner is exactly a pleasure trip."
"I admit there are plenty more exciting things, but as transporting goes this isn't that bad of assignment. After we drop him off I know of this amazing club."
"Ah, the truth is reveled." Wordy quipped. "Spike is looking for an out of town hook-up."
"A gentleman never tells."
"So we'll be hearing all the details in two days." Ed looked at his watch. "We better get out for morning meeting. Boss hates it when we're late."
The men filed out of the locker room and headed towards the conference room. Inside Greg and Jules, the two remaining team members, were waiting.
"Glad you boys could join us." Greg looked up from his clipboard.
"That would be manly men Sarge." Spike replied.
"From the sounds of the talk in the locker room, I think my statement is correct." Greg waited until everyone was seated. "As everyone knows we will be standing down at noon and Team Two will cover for us. This will allow for some firing range trainings and Constables Braddock and Scarlatti will be leaving to transfer a prisoner. They will be returning tomorrow and we will then take the p.m. shift." Looking at Spike, Greg continued. "I would recommend you two take it easy on the town tonight, I don't want you falling asleep on duty tomorrow." Greg looked at them sternly, however the glint in his eye indicated the teasing nature.
"We can sleep on the plane back." Spike chimed in. "Don't worry about us, we'll be as fresh as daisies tomorrow."
"Daisies, buttercups or roses; I don't care, but I don't want you conducting an all-night investigation of the local Timmies."
Everyone laughed and the morning briefing continued as normal. "Well, unless anyone has something for the good of the cause, we'll head to the range." Greg looked at his team and seeing that no one wanted to add anything he continued. "We'll meet in twenty minutes."
The group stood and began to move out of the room. Sam had caught Jules eye and she hung back, letting Ed and Wordy exit ahead of her.
"I'm going to miss you tonight." Sam said quietly, maintaining a professional distance from his girlfriend.
"That's why I gave you that going away gift this morning." She smiled knowingly.
"Spike's mom gave him cookies. I guess I'm the lucky guy. With gifts like that I might request more overnight assignments."
"If you liked that, wait until I welcome you home." Jules replied playfully, knowing that her co-workers were now out of earshot.
"Then I'll be counting the hours until I'm back."
"Just make sure that Spike doesn't corrupt you when you two go out on the town tonight."
"I think Spike's bark is worse than his bite. I'm betting he'll settle for a good meal, a couple of drinks and then we'll head back to the hotel. We are supposed to fly out at 9:30 in the morning."
"Regardless, just remember what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas but what happens with Spike gets told everywhere." Jules gave him a quick hug. "I better get going. Be careful alright?"
"No problem, this is going to be a piece of cake. I'll see you tomorrow night."
"Don't jinx it Braddock. Just stay safe o.k.?" She waited for Sam to nod his agreement before disappearing around the corner to join the others heading towards the range.
Sam went into the locker room and grabbed his duffle bag out of the locker. Heading to the front desk, he could hear Spike conversing with Winnie.
"So, Friday was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed hanging out with you. I hope we can do that again soon."
Winnie laughed, her face showing her enjoyment. "But only if I get to pick out the movie this time."
"Certainly, but it would never compare to The Avengers." He looked up, surprised to see Sam. "Um, so that paperwork looks in order. Thank you Winnie."
Winnie looked confused for a moment until she saw Sam and then her face became a picture of professionalism. "You are quiet welcome Spike. Good luck on the transfer."
"Thank you. Sam and I will be back tomorrow."
"Good. I look forward to seeing you both then." Her eyes dropped back to her computer screen.
Sam shot a glance at Spike, "Ready to go?"
"Yep, you want to drive?" Spike turned and gave Winnie a brief wave good-bye.
"I can. What time are they expecting us to pick him up?"
"Around eleven. Flight should leave at 1:15." Spike shifted the paperwork to his free hand.
"All right. Let's get this trip on the road."
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Javier Hernandez sat quietly in a temporary holding cell of the South Etobicoke Detention Centre. The official transfer notice had approved yesterday, however with his connections he had known for over a week. Of course planning for his escape had started immediately after his conviction. Not only did he have the money to orchestrate such a plan, his family had the connections needed. It was too bad The Don, as the old jail had been referred to, had been replaced by this high tech prison campus, the old jail would have provided for a simpler break-out.
Through visits with his cousin, who happened to be his family's lawyer; bought and paid for with the money they made running drugs and several other lucrative business dealings, Javier had learned that he would be gaining his freedom during the transfer. Plans and contingency plans had been put into place. "Soon," he thought with a smile. "I will be a free man again".
A trio of guards approached his cell. "Moving day Javier." The lead guard spoke. "I hope you enjoy your new home at PA. I hear Saskatchewan winters are lovely."
Another guard chimed in, "I bet you'll find someone to keep you warm at nights. Besides, when they hear what you did with that little girl, they will probably all want a chance to play with you. I wouldn't drop the soap if I was you."
The cell door opened and two of the guards went in. Javier smiled with a wolfish grin to one of the guards that had taunted him. "In my country, no one would think that being with a thirteen year old was a crime. Many girls are married by then. Of course in your country, men like yourself can only afford an old used up whore to warm your bed."
The smiles disappeared from the guards faces. The one looked at his superior for confirmation and then threw a punch into the prisoner's midriff.
Javier doubled over slightly, but stood back up smiling. "I expected no less from pigs."
"You'll be the one squealing like a pig when you become someone's girlfriend." The head guard motioned to his men. "Get him cuffed, the SRU guys will be here soon."
Handcuffs were attached to a belly chain and leg shackles were also placed on the criminal. With a final check of the restraints, they led their prisoner from the cell.
Spike and Sam had finished signing the transfer paperwork and were waiting when the guards delivered their shuffling package.
"Hey Sam." The younger of the guards spoke. "I didn't know you were out of the army."
"Tyler!" Sam smiled warmly. "I've been out for two years now. When did you start working for corrections?"
"Last April. I got tired of the moving around and decided to come back home."
"Spike, this is Tyler Bosen. He was in the army with me. H helped keep my butt from getting shot a time or two."
"Ah, I had to or your Dad would have court marshaled me. Nice to meet you Spike."
"Same here. I bet you have some great stories about Samtastic here."
"That I do. There was one time when."
Sam cut Tyler off. "Well, we better cut this short and head out. We've got a plane to catch. Tyler, I'll call you when I get back and we'll get together to catch up."
"Sounds good." He waited until Sam had put a hand on Javier's arm and then he released his own. "Be careful with him Sam. I don't trust him."
Sam smiled tightly, "Don't worry, we deal with guys like this all the time."
The three men made their way out to the black suv that awaited them. Sam opened the door to the rear and assisted the chained man in. He shut the door and then opened the front passenger door and climbed in. He glanced back through the plexiglass barrier.
Spike had already started the vehicle and looked over at Sam. "We ready to roll?"
"Ready to roll Spike."
The trip to the airport was uneventful as the morning rush hour traffic was long gone and the noon-time motorists were still sitting at their desks somewhere. They found the hanger area for the chartered plane they were taking and parked near the building.
Spike went into the hanger's office and spoke to the young woman behind the counter. "Hello, we're from the Toronto Police Department. We are transporting a prisoner on a flight to Saskatoon."
"Just a moment and I'll take you out to the hanger. My Dad is just finishing a pre-flight check." She finished typing on her computer and closed the screen. "Follow me please."
Inside the hanger there were multiple airplanes and she led him over to a blue and white Cessna. It was larger than Spike had expected and he mentioned it to the woman.
"It's a Cessna 421C Ram. They are designed to carry six to eight people, so they are real popular with smaller companies and such. The big shots all want Lear jets now. But this girl will cruise along at 240 kph and can take you over 2700 kilometers with a full tank."
"I see Monica is boring you to death with airplane details. I'm Brian Doyle, the pilot."
A very large man stood at the opening of the plane; his bulk filling the space. His face had a smile that didn't meet his eyes.
"It's all right; I'm a details kind of guy. Mike Scarlatti."
"So are you ready to get your passenger loaded?"
"We are. Do you want us to bring him in here?"
"Yes, I'll be up front looking over some last checks." The older man turned back to the plane and climbed up into the open doorway.
"Thanks," Spike told the young woman as they walked back towards the office.
"No problem. Dad does a lot of these types of flights. He's been real worried about this one though."
"Really?" Spike replied. "He worried about the weather or something?"
"I don't know, he won't tell me. I've just noticed he's been acting real concerned. This guy you are transporting must be a bad one." Monica shook her head. "It's the only reason I can think of."
"Don't worry." Spike smiled warmly. "We have him secured and we are with him the whole time. Nothing to it."
"Great." They had reached the office. "Thanks again."
Spike walked over to the vehicle and waited as Sam exited the vehicle. Each man grabbed an arm as they then transported the convicted drug dealer over to the hanger and the waiting plane. Assisting the shackled man into the plane, Sam then motioned to a seat at the front of the cabin. Once seated, Sam unlocked the cuffs from the belly chain and hooked one of the cuffs to the armrest's bracing. With his legs still bound, there was no need to cuff him further.
"Let's get the seatbelt on you Mr. Hernandez. I'd hate to have you bump your head if we hit some turbulence." Sam pulled the belt tight across the man's lap.
"We shouldn't be seeing any turbulence." The pilot turned in his seat at the front of the plane. The cockpit was only separated by a curtain. "Weather is supposed to be good all the way to Saskatoon."
"Great." Spike was in now as well and he made his way towards one of the open seats. "Flying time is over four hours, right?"
"Closer to five, but a lot depends on the headwinds." Brian answered. "If you guys are set, let's get going."
"We're good." Sam had pulled out an IPod and put in his earplugs. With the prisoner chained there was nothing to do during the flight except to relax.
The pilot's ground crew closed door and the small plane taxied out of the hanger and towards the airport runways. A short time later, the plane was in the air and headed slightly north-west. The city of Toronto disappeared below as they climbed higher into the sky.
Spike looked at the chained man and noticed that his eyes were closed and he appeared to be praying, his mouth forming the words silently. "Must be afraid of flying." Spike thought silently.
In the other seat, Javier sat quietly, his lips forming the words that his mind was composing. It was a list of names; men that he was going to kill as soon as the opportunity arose. Now there were two new names on the list, Scarlatti and Braddock.