Serial Killer

by ChristyK

A serial killer is killing men in L.A. This is another old one some of you might have read on another site.

Serial Killer

It had been a long, steamy summer and to make matters worse there was a serial killer prowling the streets of L.A. Five men had disappeared from various bars in and around the city. Three were from gay bars and two from straight bars. The person or people involved in this had taunted the police by sending them videos of the men being tortured. Each tape they received of the victim was worse then the previous one. The final tape showed some of the men being raped and killed. None of the bodies were ever found, and all were presumed dead. They were all between the ages of twenty-five and thirty and last seen leaving the bar alone or on two occasions with another man. Witnesses described the man to be about six feet three inches, blonde hair, and built like a weight lifter. All the detectives in L.A. County, that weren't already on other cases, were taking turns working undercover in the clubs in hopes that the killer would approach one of them. They had a couple of nibbles but nothing had panned out. Each would take turns wearing a wire while their partner sat in the parking lot listening and watching. It had been over a month since the last disappearance and Billie was wondering if the perpetrator had moved on to another city. She secretly hoped he had. She didn't like the idea of putting her men out as bait but had no choice. If the killer was still in L.A. he had to be caught. She stood at her desk while Van and Deaq each sat on a corner of it.

"Well, I guess tonight Van you're on. Check wardrobe for some clothes and as usual be careful. Who ever is doing this might have left the area, but we don't know that for sure. Don't let your guard down. Make sure you check your wire and make sure Deaq can hear you, and Deaq, keep your eyes open for anyone acting strange in the parking lot. You both know the routine. We want to get this guy if he's still around." She nodded to them as her way of dismissing them and went back to her paper work.

Deaq and Van headed down to the wardrobe room to pick out an outfit for Van to wear.

"How 'bout this? You'd look real cute in it." Deaq held up a pink flowered shirt smiling.

"Real funny Deaq, ha, ha. Hand me that black one I wore last time."

After Van had changed they drove out to the Purple Goose, a known gay bar, in separate cars. Van adjusted his microphone so it wouldn't stick out of his shirt.

"Testing, testing." He said as he got out of his car and walked toward Deaq's car.

"Loud and clear." Deaq said to himself as he leaned back in his seat and put his hands behind his head expecting a long boring night of waiting.

"Well here goes." Van said as he walked past Deaq.

"Make sure you shake your booty." Deaq called out to him as he passed.

"Shut up, you do your job and let me do mine."

As Van walked toward the entrance of the bar Deaq noticed most of the men in the parking lot eyeing his partner up and down. He smiled to himself wishing he could be inside to watch Van's performance instead of stuck in the car.

Within a few minutes men were already hitting on Van.

"You alone?" As a voice came over the wire Deaq straightened up in the seat and listened. Secretly hoping for a little action. Anything instead of spending hours in the car doing backup.

"Yeah, I am." Van answered.

"Mind if I join you?"

"It's a free country, but you're not really my type...................sorry."

"I can be any type you want."

"Sorry friend, I don't think so."

"Tell me what you're looking for?"

"I'm into the muscular type."

"You don't need that type.................I can do you real good."

"I'm sure you can."

"Why not you and me head out to the parking lot and I can show you what I can do for you?"

"Sorry buddy, not tonight."

"I'll make you feel real good."

"Sorry, but like I said, you're not my type."

"Maybe some other time?"

"Maybe."

Deaq smiled and shook his head. They were told to look out for a tall blonde seen leaving the bar with two of the men. They weren't sure if the blonde had an accomplice and maybe one of these men could be it, but they couldn't take the chance and miss the sure thing. After three hours of being propositioned Van finally left the bar and walked toward Deaq, he shook his head. He pulled off his shirt and wire and threw it in the back of Deaq's car.

"That thing picks the hell out of me." He gave Deaq a smile as he rubbed his chest where the wire had been attached. "You'll be wearing it tomorrow anyway." He puckered up his lips and threw Deaq a kiss.

"Very funny. Well, I'm starving, I'm going to get something to eat, want to come with me?"

"Nah, I'm beat. I'm heading home. Gotta get my beauty rest."

"Suit yourself." Deaq waited till Van got in his car then pulled out of the parking lot. No one saw the tall blonde watching Van from the shadows. When Deaq pulled away the man approached Van's car.

"Hey buddy, you got the time?" The man asked.

Van glanced up, but before he could react he felt a sharp pain in the side of his neck. The blonde man smiled as he lowered the syringe he was holding. Van tried to get out of the car but the effects of the drugs started to work immediately. He slumped forward on the steering wheel. The man moved Van over to the passenger's side and climbed in the driver's seat. Another one for my collection The man smiled to himself as he drove away.

Van wasn't sure how long he had been unconscious but the stench of the place he was in woke him. He gagged on the smell. He opened his eyes and had to shut them immediately, the room wouldn't stop spinning. He tried opening them again and looked out through half opened lids. What he saw terrified him. The five missing men were in the room with him, all of them dead and in various states of decay. Flies and maggots crawled all over them. Van pushed himself back as far away from the men as possible. As he leaned against the wall he felt something in his back pocket. My cell phone He couldn't believe his luck; the man apparently had not searched him. He dialed Deaq's cell phone then shut his eyes again to block out the scene and to try and stop the dizzy feeling. Deaq picked up on the second ring.

"Yeah." Deaq answered.

"Deaq..................Deaq." Van said weakly.

"I can barely hear you. Is that you Van?"

"Deaq.................."

Sensing something was wrong Deaq walked to the outside of the restaurant where he was eating in order to get better reception.

"Van?"

"He was waiting....................He was waiting in the parking lot..............."

"Van, where are you?" Deaq asked anxiously his heart pounding. Oh God no! Don't let this be happening

"Deaq, they're here...............the five men...............they're all here. They're dead. Oh God Deaq the smell........... They're all dead.................There's flies...............maggots...................Oh God I can't take the smell.........."

"Van, is the man that took you around?"

"I....................I don't know."

"Van, you gotta look around, see if you can tell where you are."

"Seems like some kind of............basement. Warehouse? I don't know..................I can't think ................he gave me some kind of shot."

"You got to try and get out of there! Van you gotta think! You got to snap out of it before he comes back!" Deaq yelled trying to snap Van out of the haze he was in.

"I can't Deaq..................the smell................it's so..............."Van started gagging on the smell. "Can't .................breathe."

"Is there a window, a door?......................Van you gotta look around!" Deaq was starting to panic. His partner was trapped somewhere and he had no idea where to look for him.

"Deaq....................I....................I really don't think I'm.................going to make it through this."

"Van, don't you give up! I'm going to get you out of there! Can you give me a description of the man?"

"Blonde hair, ponytail, six feet three or four, scar on chin, brown eyes, muscular...................He was waiting in the parking lot....................He has my car.................the bastard has my car."

Deaq paced back and forth in the parking lot of the restaurant running his hand over his face. Van would die if he couldn't find him.

"Any idea what direction he took you?"

"I don't know..................north maybe..................not sure. Can't think straight..................Oh God Deaq.............The bodies they're all rotting."

Deaq could hear Van starting to gag again. He blinked back tears and slammed his fist down on the hood of his car. He could tell Van was suffering and there was nothing he could do but listen. He felt totally helpless.

"Van, don't give up. I'll find you....................I promise."

"Deaq! Deaq, I hear him, he's coming back.................I have to hide the phone! I'll try and call you later. I'm sorry partner...................I'm sorry I screwed up." He hung up and slid the phone under one of the bodies. He looked up in dread as the door opened.

You didn't screw up partner I did Deaq could hear the fear in Van's voice. My God, what are they going to do to him Deaq jumped in his car and punched in Billie's number. She picked up on the first ring.

"Billie, where are you?"

"I'm still at the Candy Store. Deaq.................what's wrong?" She could tell by the tone in his voice something was dreadfully wrong.

"They got Van! That bastard has my partner!"

"Deaq come on back. We'll talk when you get here." Billie hung up then shut her eyes. She had seen the videos and knew they had to find Van, and soon.

Deaq raced back to the Candy Store. Billie jumped up when he came in.

"Deaq, what happened?"

"Nothing went down at the bar. We were leaving for the night and I watched him get in his car then I left." Deaq slammed his fist down on Billie's desk causing her to jump. "I should have waited till he pulled out of the lot. Damn! I should have waited."

"Go on."

"I went to get something to eat and about an hour and a half later I got a call from Van. He told me the guy was waiting for him in the parking lot." Deaq turned to Billie, fear in his eyes. "My God Billie, he has him in with the bodies of the other men that were missing. He said they're all dead. He's in with them..................he said the smell, he couldn't take it." Deaq choked on his words and couldn't continue.

"Deaq you got to calm down. Did he say anything else?"

"He was given some kind of shot, he couldn't think straight. He said he thought he was in a warehouse or basement but couldn't be sure. The man was coming back for him so he hid the phone......................God Billie, I should have waited for him to leave. If anything happens to him..............."

"Deaq, you got to hold it together for Van's sake. He needs for you to be strong. He's going through hell and he can't have you falling apart."

"I know Billie.................it's just that................."

"You feel responsible since you left him there." She finished the sentence for him.

"Yeah, I should have waited till I saw him pull off the lot."

"Deaq, this man hasn't attacked anyone for over a month. Neither you nor Van had any idea he was going to strike tonight. It's not your fault. Van wouldn't blame you, you know that."

"Damn Billie, you know what he's going to do to him. You saw the tapes." Deaq's eyes welled up.

"I know Deaq." Billie looked sadly into Deaq's eyes. "You know Van's a strong man. He'll hang in there as long as he knows we haven't given up on him."

"Billie.................We gotta find him before............."

"We will Deaq......................Did he say anything else?" She interrupted him.

"He gave me a description, pretty much what we already knew. Blonde, brown eyes, six three, scar on chin, muscleman type, ponytail.................Van said he took his car."

"I'll put out an APB on Van's car. Do you think he knows Van's a cop?"

"No, I don't think so. He took off his wire at my car."

"That's good. He might have killed him right away if he knew he was a cop."

"Great, now he'll just slowly torture him to death." Deaq said sarcastically.

"It will give us time to find him...................and we will find him." Billie put her hands on Deaq's shoulders. "I care about Van too. We'll get that bastard, I promise you."

"But in time? That son of a bitch has him in with rotting bodies. You know what one body smells like................He's in with five. We got to find him.............and quick."

"We will, but we'll have to keep it quiet. We can't let the public know the killer has a cop. If he finds out, he might kill him outright."

"He said he would try and call me back if he could. Billie, I can't hang around here waiting for his call, I got to start looking for him."

"Okay, I'll get the word out and put a trace on any calls coming from his phone. I can't put it on the radio because the media will jump all over it so I'll call Captain Parish privately and get some men on it. Deaq you be careful, you hold it together. We're going to get him back."

Deaq nodded then quickly left the Candy Store. You hang in there Van................we're going to find you.

Two men, the blonde and a black man pulled Van from the room. He struggled but it was useless they were too strong for him. He tried to remember anything he could about the new man. The blonde once more stuck him with a needle and the room began to spin. They then drug him to a room and tied him spread eagle against a wall. The blonde painted a round circle on his naked chest with a bull's eye in the middle. They then stepped back behind the camera before the black man started filming. The men then began throwing darts at Van. Each time they would retrieve the darts they would cover the camera lens. Van's body would jerk each time the dart hit, but in his drugged state he didn't cry out. Small trickles of blood ran down his chest and body. After about ten minutes the camera was shut off and he was dragged back to his room and tossed inside. He gratefully slipped into unconsciousness. About two hours later he started to come around and reached for the hidden phone. He dialed Deaq.

"Van?" Deaq asked hopefully.

"Deaq..................there's two................Black man, bald, six................six two...............earring, right ear, big...............like the blonde."

Deaq could tell Van was having trouble breathing.

"How are you partner?"

"Can't....................can't take the smell................can't breathe.............flies...............bugs everywhere. I just can't .................breathe."

"Did they hurt you?"

"They gave me..............another shot but.............I'm okay."

"You hang in there partner, we'll find you. Billie has a trace on your phone."

Van started coughing and gagging. Deaq winced in sympathy as he heard Van trying to catch his breath.

"Sorry, can't hang on the phone................batteries are low. Better go................try and call you later."

Deaq's heart broke for Van. He had many times smelled the odor of death. It was something you didn't get use to. He couldn't imagine what his partner was going through. He swore to himself he would get the men responsible and make them suffer for what they were doing to Van. He wondered if each of the victims had to endure the same thing before they were killed. Would his partner end up being the sixth body in the room? He shut his eyes and shook his head to get the image out of his mind. He knew Van was lieing when he said he was okay. Deaq had seen the tapes which usually began arriving a day after each man disappeared. He knew each tape got worse. He blinked back tears. I'm so sorry partner. I shouldn't have left you. The guilt was twisting his insides. He had to think positive; he was going to get his partner back he wouldn't let himself think otherwise. He now had two descriptions to go on. Deaq immediately phoned Billie and informed her of the last phone call and gave her the new description.

"I'm going back to the Purple Goose and see if any of the bartenders recognize either men."

"Please be careful Deaq. I have about twenty men searching for him. Next time he calls tell him not to give up, we're going to find him."

"I will Billie." Deaq hung up and headed for the Purple Goose.

He entered the club and walked to the bar. Deaq scanned the club looking for anyone that would fit the description Van had given to him. He couldn't find anyone that matched. He described the two men to the bartender and was told that they came in but infrequently. Deaq gave the man his cell phone number and told him to call if he spotted either man. The bartender assured Deaq he would. Next he went to the Flamingo, another gay bar, and was told the same thing. The bartender recognized the description but neither man had been there lately. Not knowing what else to do he drove around town and started to check any empty warehouse or building he passed. Nothing. The sun was starting to come up when he headed back to the Candy Store. Billie was still there; she walked over to him and gave him a hug.

"Deaq, this just came in. I already checked it out." Billie held up a videotape. "I'm going to send it down to the lab and have it analyzed for any kind of sounds in the background."

"I want to see it."

"Deaq, I don't think.................."

"I have to Billie." Deaq interrupted her.

"Okay." She said softly. She put the tape in the VCR and pressed play.

The tape started with Van tied to the wall, his head hung down on his naked chest. You could see the red target drawn on his chest. Within a few seconds darts started to hit his body. He barely reacted to the pain, not making a sound. They watched the entire tape then sat silently for a minute trying to compose themselves.

"He said they had given him another shot. That's why he didn't react." Deaq stood up his lips pressed tight in anger. "Damn! What the hell are they giving him and why? You would think they would want him to feel the pain. That they would get off on it." Deaq suddenly looked over at Billie. "Unless they don't want him to cry out in case someone would hear him. Maybe there are occupied buildings nearby. Maybe he's in a warehouse surrounded by other occupied buildings."

"It's a start."Billie knew they were grasping at straws.

Deaq stood staring at the blank TV screen. He felt a loneliness he hadn't felt since his brother died. A sudden weariness came over him and he put his hand on a chair to steady himself.

"Deaq.....................Deaq." Billie said softly reaching out for him.

"Yeah."

"You need to go home, get some rest. You look terrible. We'll find him."

"I can't Billie, not till we get him back."

"You're not going to help Van by falling over with exhaustion."

"I gotta keep looking..................I not losing him."

"Deaq, I want you to go home, wait for his call. I'll let you know if we turn up anything."

"He's my partner.................he counted on me and I failed him." he stated dejectedly.

"Deaq." Billie took Deaq's hand. "You didn't fail him. You've always been there for him. Van wouldn't want to hear you talking like that."

"I wasn't there for him last night was I? I should have waited till he pulled off the lot. I was suppose to watch his back. Van's suffering, he could die because I couldn't wait two minutes longer. I gotta go.................I gotta get back on the street and find him." Billie reached out to stop him but Deaq pushed past her.

Billie stood alone in her office. She knew if Van didn't make it she'd lose both of them. Deaq would eat himself up with guilt. She said a silent prayer for their safety and then called Captain Parish to see if any leads were being turned up.

Once more the door to Van's cell was opened. The black man reached in and pulled him out. A needle was once more stuck in his arm. This time he welcomed the needle, it took him away from the horrors of the room. He was taken to a room and tied with his face toward the wall, his arms stretched above his head. The camera was turned on again as he was struck repeatedly with a whip. This time he felt the pain. It felt far away but it was there. He clenched his teeth and tried not to cry out. He didn't want to give them the satisfaction. The cameraman zoomed in on his pain filled face. Rivers of blood ran down his back. The drugs made the room spin and he could feel himself start to pass out. He gladly gave into the darkness. A man with a black mask on walked over to Van and started kissing the unconscious man, his hands groping Van's body. He hung there for ten minutes before the camera was turned off and he was returned to his room. He woke up three hours later. His back felt like it was on fire. He looked down at the floor; they had left him a gun. He picked it up and looked at it. One bullet. They were giving him an option, torture or suicide. He shut his eyes. He knew he should be strong and fight but he didn't know if he could take anymore. He could stand the pain, at least for now, but it was the room. He would do anything to get out of that room. Including using the gun. It was painful to breathe and the odor was overpowering. He held the gun as he reached for the phone.

"Van?" Deaq answered.

"There was silence at the other end.
"Van!"

"Deaq." Van's voice was getting weaker. A chill went through Deaq.

"Hey partner." Deaq said gently.

"Deaq...................Deaq, I'm sorry. I can't................take this anymore. Hurts to breathe."

"You gotta be strong Van. Billie has people out searching for you. You got to hang in there. We're going to find you."

"They left me a gun.....................there's one bullet..................I'm sorry Deaq....................."

Deaq felt his heart pounding. He knew what his partner was thinking. He had to stop him.

"No! Van you fight it! If it takes every bit of strength you have, you fight it. We're going to find you. It's only a matter of time."

Deaq could hear Van breathing in small gasps in the background. His heart broke. He knew Van could handle the pain but it was the mental anguish that worried him.

"Van?"

No answer.

"Van! Talk to me!"

"Deaq..............I'm sorry man.................It's no use................. I'm never going to get out.................... I can't hold it together anymore. I'm sorry..............I love ya partner."

"I thought you were stronger then this! Don't you wimp out on me boy!" Deaq tried to get through to Van.

"I.................just want it............to end. I can't think..............room keeps spinning."

"They gave you another shot didn't they? It's the shot talking Van, not you."

"I'm sorry Deaq, I'm sorry." Van leaned his head back against the wall and held the phone away from his mouth. He didn't try to stop the tears that fell down his face. Deaq could hear the soft sound of his partner crying in the background. His own eyes filled with tears.

"Van!" Deaq shouted into the phone. He could hear a soft groan as Van put the phone back to his ear.

"Sorry Deaq....................I'm losing it..............I want it to end. I want it over with."

"Van you have to hang on, if not for you then for me. You're my partner, I need you man. I'm the one that got you into this mess."

"No..........don't blame yourself...........Not your fault......I'll try............I'll try." Van shut his eyes.

"Van I want you to promise me you won't do anything."

"I'll try Deaq..................Gotta go, phones going dead."

"We're going to find you partner." Deaq said before he heard Van hang up.

Deaq shut his eyes and took a deep breath. In his mind he could see Van raising the gun to his head. Please God let us find him before it's too late. Please.Deaq felt like giving into the despair he felt but knew he couldn't. He choked back a sob and headed for another vacant warehouse. He had to keep looking. Just before he reached it his phone rang.

"Van!"

"Sorry Deaq its Billie." She hesitated a few seconds. "We got another tape."

Deaq shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I'll be right there."

Billie pushed the tape into the VCR. They watched the tape of Van being whipped. Deaq winced each time the whip touched his partner's back. His eyes welled up with tears when he saw the close up of Van's face. My God they're going to kill him Billie shook her head and looked away. She wiped tears away then looked over at Deaq. When the whipping was over Van hung by his wrists from the ropes his head hanging to the side, unconscious. When the scene of the man molesting Van came on Deaq clenched his fists, then spun around and slammed his fist on Billie's desk.

"Damn them!"

"Deaq, I'm so sorry." Her heart broke for both men and for herself.

"Listen." Deaq said suddenly turning back to the video. "Music."

In the background of the tape you could hear the sound of a band playing. It was hard to hear but it was there.

"A radio?" Billie asked.

"No, that's a band. They must be near a club."

"Well that narrows it down a little bit. I'll let the guys know."

Just then the phone rang, Billie picked it up. She listened a few seconds.

"Great, bring him in." Billie looked at Deaq. "They found Van's car. Harris is bringing the man in that was driving it and Samuels is bringing in Van's car." Not wanting to get Deaq's hope up she quickly added. "The man doesn't fit the description of either of the men that have Van but at least it's something."

"Anything's better then nothing." Deaq looked at Billie. "Billie, we got to find him soon. He's losing it, he told me so. They want him to kill himself. I think he was actually gonna do it."

"Oh God no. Do you really think he would?"

"I don't know Billie. Between the drugs, pain and being in that room...............I just don't know. He didn't sound good, he didn't sound good at all." Deaq suddenly lost it, he picked up a chair and threw it against the wall. "I'm gonna kill those bastards! I'm gonna rip their fucking throats out with my bare hands! You saw the tapes Billie! The next one will probably show them killing him!"

Billie backed up against her desk, her eyes wide at Deaq's sudden outburst. She understood how he felt; she felt the same way but was startled by the pure hatred in his voice. She didn't know what he might do.

"I'm sorry Billie. I just feel so helpless." He apologized seeing the look on her face.

"I know Deaq, but we're getting close I just know we are."

"Even if we find him he might not be the same. They're screwing with his head. He sounded so scared, so lost.....................I think he's handling the pain but.............I think being in that room..............I just don't know if he can hold it together."

"First we get him back, then we'll deal with the aftereffects."

A half hour later Harris came in holding the arm of a filthy, staggering man of about thirty. Deaq walked over to the man and swung him around till he landed in a chair.

"Where did you get the car?" Deaq put his face right in front of the man.

"It's a friend's car, he's letting me use it." The man lied which caused Deaq to lose the little control he had regained. He grabbed the man by the neck.

"It's my partner's car and if you don't tell me where you got it you're not going to be able to eat for months." Deaq said through clenched teeth as he put his fist in front of the man's face.

"He's not allowed to threaten me like that is he?" The man looked back and forth between Billie and Harris.

"His partner's missing. He's allowed to do anything he wants." Billie said.

"I found it down by the Black Crow. It was just sitting there with the keys in it. I wasn't gonna keep it."

"Black Crow?" Deaq looked at Billie.

"I know where it is. South side, bad section."

"Do they have a band there?" Deaq asked the man.

"Yeah, almost every night."

"Are there any empty warehouses nearby?"

"Yeah, right behind it."

Deaq headed for the door. Billie walked over to him.

"I'm going with you. Harris, get us some backup."

Deaq and Billie ran down to the garage. Deaq glanced at Van's car and felt a stab of sorrow. The usually well-kept car was a total mess. Covered in dirt with fast food wrappers littering the inside. When they got his partner back Deaq promised himself he would have it spotless before Van saw it. They jumped in Deaq's car and sped toward the south side of town. They pulled up at the Black Crow and parked, then ran toward the old warehouse in the back. They could see why the smell of death was masked; garbage and litter covered the area. The stench was overpowering.

"Can't wait for backup Billie. I got to get him out of there."

"I'm right behind you."

They both pulled out their guns and keeping their backs to the wall slowly began going floor to floor. No sign of anything. Heading for the basement they heard noises coming from one of the rooms. They crept toward it and Deaq peeked around the door frame. A large black man was assembling some kind of rack. It looked like an upright box spring from a bed. On a table next to it were numerous batteries and wires, also handcuffs and a rope. It looked like what it was...............a torture table. Deaq clenched his jaw as he felt a murderous rage sweep over him.

"Police! Freeze!" Deaq yelled.

The man spun around holding a large knife in one hand.

"Try it!" Deaq pointed his gun at the man's head. The man dropped the gun and put his hands up.

"Where is he?" Deaq advanced toward the man.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You better pray he's still alive."

Seeing the look in Deaq's eyes the man started to back slowly away until he came against a wall.

"I'll ask you one more time, where is he?" Deaq pulled back the hammer of his gun and put it between the man's eyes.

The man looked toward Billie for help that wasn't coming.

"You have his partner, you better answer the man because I'm not going to stop him."

"He's down the hall, make a right then three doors down on the right."

"Turn around." Deaq snarled. The man turned and Deaq slammed him face first into the wall. The man crumbled to the floor. Deaq snapped a handcuff on one arm then fastened the other to the box spring. He and Billie then ran down the hall. When they got to the end of the hallway they peeked around the corner. Van was on his back in the hallway where he had been dragged. His arms lying on the floor above his head with his feet still in the room. The blonde man was kneeling beside him. He had already removed Van's belt and was unzipping his pants. His other hand groped at the front of Van's pants.

"No..................please no................" Van's head rolled back and forth as he weakly tried to push the blonde's hands away. He finally passed out. The blonde man was laughing to himself as he started to pull Van's pants down.

"Police! Get away from him!" Deaq shouted his face filled with hate. He fired a bullet above the man's head.

The blonde looked up his eyes wide with shock. He was holding a syringe that he threw at them before running down the hallway away from Deaq and Billie.

"Check on Van. I'll get him." Billie ran after the blonde.

Deaq ran to Van and knelt on the floor beside him. He was relieved to see he was still alive but was worried because he was having a great deal of trouble breathing. His breaths came in shallow gasps. The smell coming from the room caused bile to rise in Deaq's throat. He gagged and put his hand over his nose and mouth and looked into the room. The sight was horrifying. The bodies were scattered around the room, the floor sticky with the decay and fluid from the bodies. Flies and maggots covered the men. Deaq felt the room start to spin and felt like he was going to pass out. He couldn't imagine how his partner had managed to hold on. He gently picked Van up and carried him down the hall away from the room. He picked up the discarded syringe on the way then lowered Van back to the floor.

"Van..............." Deaq gently touched his partner's face. "Hey partner, we got ya, you're out of that room. Come on, you got to wake up for me." Deaq blinked back tears as he looked at his unconscious partner. Damn those bastards

Hearing a commotion at the end of the hallway Deaq protectively knelt in front of Van and pointed his gun toward the sound. Two uniformed officers came around the corner.

"LAPD!" Deaq yelled to let the officers know he was one of them. "Is there an ambulance coming?"

"Right behind us. We came to see if the place was secure."

"There's a black man down the hall to the left. Take him in. Also there's an officer in pursuit of another suspect. Tell the paramedics where I am, my partner needs help"

"What the hell happened here?" One of the officers asked as the other one turned away from the smell and threw up.

"The five men that were missing are here. All dead. They had my partner locked in the room with the bodies."

The officers shook their heads sadly looking at Van.

"We'll take care of the man down the hall and send the paramedics in."

A few minutes after they left Billie showed up with the blonde man in handcuffs.

"What were you giving him?" Deaq held up the syringe. The man turned away from Deaq with a smug look on his face. Deaq sprang up and grabbed the man by the throat nearly knocking Billie over. He slammed the man against the wall, grabbed his hair and banged his head against it.

"I asked you a question."

The man still did not respond. Deaq punched the man twice in the stomach. He gasped and doubled over. He pulled the man back up by the hair and punched him in the face.

"I'm asking you one more time." Deaq pointed his gun at the man's head.

"It's in my back pocket."

Deaq reached in the man's pocket and took out the vial. He then released the man who slid to the floor.

"Get him the hell out of here." Deaq said to Billie then looked at the blonde. "My partner doesn't come out of this..................you're a dead man."

"Too bad you came when you did. Your friend and I were just becoming acquainted. I would have loved to have tasted him." He looked at Deaq and sneered.

Deaq lost it. He flew at the man and began beating him senseless. Billie finally managed to pull him off.

"Take it easy Deaq, he isn't worth it..................How's Van?"

"I don't know Billie. That bastard gave him another shot. He's not breathing right and his back looks infected. He's been through hell." Deaq glared at the blonde then knelt by his partner.

"Thank God we found him in time." Billie pulled the blonde off the floor and escorted him out of the building.

Deaq pulled Van into his arms and cradled his body.
"I got you now partner." He said gently.

A few minutes later two paramedics ran toward him.

"Let us have him." One of the paramedics took Van from Deaq and laid him flat on the floor.

"Looks like he's going into respiratory arrest." The other paramedic said as he hooked up an oxygen mask and put it over Van's face.

"What the hell did they do to him?" The first paramedic gently turned Van on his side so he could examine his back.

"They beat him with a whip, and threw darts at him." Deaq pointed to the tiny holes covering Van's chest. "They were drugging him with this." He handed the vial to the paramedic.

"God it smells like death down here." The paramedic said to Deaq as he worked on Van.

Deaq nodded toward the room down the hallway.

"The five missing men are down there. Dead. They had my partner in with them."

"He was in with the decaying corpses?"

"Yeah."

"That explains his breathing problem. Who knows what kind of germs were in that air. Let's get him out of here."

The paramedics loaded Van onto a stretcher and carried him outside. Deaq stayed close by his side. As they loaded him into the ambulance Deaq yelled over to Billie that he was going with Van. She told him she'd meet him there later.

It seemed like it took forever to get to the hospital. Once there they wheeled Van into the emergency room. Deaq followed, not wanting to leave his partner. He stood back against the wall so he wouldn't be in their way. He knew Van was in good hands but he was scared to leave him out of his sight. Scared if he did, he'd lose him. He felt like he could give his partner strength just by being there. The doctor withdrew blood and sent it and the vial down to the laboratory. Deaq explained what Van had been through to the doctor as he tried to stabilize him. After examining Van he motioned Deaq to go out with him into the hall.

"Does he have family in the area?" The doctor asked.

"No, not that I know of." Deaq had no idea where Van's dad was and knew nothing about the rest of his family.

"Can you sign his insurance papers for him?"

"I guess I can, I'm his partner."

"Do you know if he's an organ donor?"

"What?!!"

The question startled Deaq. The room started to spin. He didn't want to think that even though Van made it to the hospital, he still might die. He leaned against the wall and swallowed the lump in his throat. Oh God, please don't let him die

"Is he an organ donor?" The doctor repeated.

"I think so, yes." Deaq shut his eyes and slowly left out the breath of air he was holding. He tried to get the picture of Van's body lying in a casket out of his mind.

"Your friend is having a very difficult time breathing which is putting a terrific strain on his heart. If we lose him I need to know if we can harvest his organs. His heart and lungs would be shot but we could use his kidneys, liver, eyes, skin whatever."

Oh God I can't deal with this now

"Don't want to talk about this now Doc. Just save him. Please."

"We're doing everything possible. You said the two men that had him were the ones involved in the disappearance of the other five men?"

"Yeah."

"Do you know if he was raped?" The doctor had seen press reports about the tapes.

Deaq winced at the question.

"No, I don't think so. I think they might have been planning something like that when we found them."

The doctor patted Deaq on his back.

"Why don't you go, get something to eat, and some rest. We need to clean him up then we'll move him to ICU until we get the lab results back."

"Not hungry. I'll wait in the waiting room. Get me as soon as he's moved."

The doctor nodded and headed back into the emergency room. Deaq went to the small waiting room and paced back and forth. A few minutes later he looked up to see Billie heading toward him. He explained what was going on.

"My God Billie, the doctor was talking about taking his organs if he doesn't make it."

Deaq rubbed his hands over his face he was exhausted. Billie put her arm around him.

"Deaq you need to rest, you're going to fall over. Shut your eyes for a while. I'll keep watch."

Deaq sat down on the sofa and put his head back, within a minute he had fallen into a restless sleep. He had nightmares of Van calling to him and not being able to find him. Then he dreamt he would find his partner still alive but the doctor was cutting him up and selling his body parts. He started mumbling in his sleep.

"No....................No don't! He's still alive! He's not dead!"

Billie took his hand.

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhh Deaq, it's only a dream." She said softly.

About two hours later the doctor came out to the waiting room. Billie gently woke Deaq up.

"Well the lab report came back. He has a very bad infection in both lungs from lying in that damp room and breathing the air of the decaying bodies. Also he had been given a very strong depressant to keep him quiet. We're giving him strong antibiotics to fight the infection but between the infection and the depressant it has put a severe strain on his heart. He stopped breathing in the ER so we had to put him on a ventilator. I'm sorry but we can only wait and see. We moved him to a private room, if you want to see him, it's room 202."

Billie and Deaq walked down the hall and entered Van's room. He lay unmoving on the bed. A machine did the breathing for him. His face covered in sweat as his body tried to fight off the infection. Billie put her hand to her mouth as she choked back a sob. Deaq reached down and picked up Van's hand.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I should have waited for you partner." Deaq's eyes welled up. He turned toward Billie. "He wouldn't be lying here like this if I had done my job. If he doesn't make it I'm handing in my resignation."

"Deaq............." Billie began.

"Billie, it's my fault for leaving him in the parking lot. We always waited till we both drove off the lot together but this time..........."

"Deaq you couldn't possibly have known Van was in danger. I know and he knows you never would've left him if you had any doubt."

"But I did leave him..............and now because of me he might die."

Billie knew how guilt could eat people up. Her heart broke as she looked at Deaq then down at Van. They had gotten off to a rocky start as partners but they had learned to trust and depend on each other. They had a close friendship. Either one would die for the other. They had both lost someone close to them and needed each other more then most partners did. It would tear Deaq apart to lose Van. She knew he was serious when he told her he would resign.

"Deaq, you need to go home. You look exhausted. I'll stay with Van tonight."

Deaq shook his head.

"I gotta stay. He needs me here." He saw down on a chair next to the bed, he continued to grasp his partner's hand. He looked up at Billie. "Why don't you go home, there's nothing you can do here. I've got to be with him................help him fight through this. I'll call you if there's any change."

"I need to go fill out the report downtown. You're sure you'll be okay."

Deaq nodded. Billie leaned over and whispered in Van's ear.

"Deaq needs you Van, and so do I. You come back to us. You hear me Van, you come back to us." She stood up and looked at Deaq. "You take care and call me if you need anything."

"Thanks Billie."

"I'll be back as soon as I'm done."

After she left, Deaq shut his eyes and said a silent prayer for Van. He couldn't believe how scared he was. He couldn't begin to image life without his partner.

The days passed slowly as Van fought for his life. He lay soaked in sweat as fever raked his body. Finally the antibiotics kicked in, his fever broke and he was removed from the ventilator. Deaq had been sleeping on a cot in Van's room refusing to leave him, Billie stopping in every chance she got. On the fourth day he opened his eyes. When he heard Van groaning Deaq stood up and went to the side of the bed. At first Van panicked not knowing where he was or who Deaq was. Images of the two killers flashed through his mind as he pushed himself away from Deaq and tried to pull the IVs out. Deaq gently reached over and held him down so he wouldn't hurt himself.

"Van, easy, it's me." Deaq said softly.

Deaq could see the fear in Van's eyes slowly turn to recognition.

"Deaq?"

"Welcome back partner, you're safe now."

"Where...................?" Van looked around the room.

"You're in the hospital."

"The bodies.....................what about the bodies?" Van's eyes started to well up with tears as the memories of what happened to him came back.

"We've taken care of them." Deaq squeezed Van's arm in sympathy. He wished he could do something to erase the last week from Van's memory.

"Did you....................did you get them?"

Deaq nodded.

"They're in jail. They're not going to hurt anyone again."

Van shut his eyes and leaned back in the bed. He breathed a sigh of relief.

He opened his eyes just as Billie walked into the room. Her worried look immediately replaced by a big smile.

"Glad to see you're feeling better. You had us worried buddy."

"Sorry to have caused so much trouble Billie."

"No problem, we're just glad to have you back."

Deaq gripped the bars on Van's bed as he looked down at him.

"I'm sorry Van, I'm sorry you had to go through what you did. It's all my fault. I never should have left the parking lot without making sure you pulled out too."

"Hey.................." Van reached over weakly and put his hand on top of Deaq's. "It's not your fault partner. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"Deaq's been kicking himself in the head ever since you went missing. I really thought I would lose both of you." Billie's blue eyes filled with tears, she turned around not wanting the two men to see her cry.

Deaq winked at Van, he was going to milk this for all it was worth.

"So you would have missed us. You finally realized how much you need us. How the Candy Store would just fall apart if Van and I weren't there keeping things moving along smoothly. How the entire system would collapse if not for Van and me. How criminals would rule the world if not for my partner and me. How the.................."

"No, you're not getting a raise." Billie interrupted Deaq as she turned back to face them.

"How' bout we get our pick of one of the cars in the Candy Store?" Van asked winking back at Deaq.

"Dream on boys." Billie smiled; glad to see things were back to normal. "Since I can tell you boys are both feeling better, I got work to do." She patted Van's arm, smiled at Deaq and walked out of the room.

"I think she likes us." Van smiled at Deaq.

"Until the next time you get on her nerves."

"Me!"

Deaq looked down at his partner, he looked pale and weak. Deaq knew he had been through hell and it would take awhile before the memories faded, but with rest and time things would slowly get back to normal.

The End