Author's Note: We are all subject to temptation. Some are more difficult to resist than others. When it comes to making the final choice, how do you decide?
Temptation
Cho grunted, almost silently, and he lowered himself into his office chair and carefully set his coffee cup down. Today seemed a day of excess. He'd gotten up too early, run too far, too fast, made his shower too hot, then too cold and now he was early too work and his coffee cup was too full, and of course, he'd spilled some. His face impassive, the dabbed at the coffee stains on the reports on his desk, his bland countenance not revealing his inner turmoil.
Sometimes, revealing too much gave others an advantage that could be to one's detriment! He liked his job, he liked what he accomplished, but sometimes an irritant presented itself, and options could be limited. Sipping the coffee, he grimaced, the coffee was still a little too hot.
oOo
The wind blew into his face, cooling him somewhat. The tar roof was hot, but it offered a clear view of the suspect site, and the sniper scope made it seem like he was just a few feet away, though he was actually 600 meters from the target zone. Things were starting to happen, now. He checked the wind and it was still straight on. That was good for a clean shot since there would be no consideration of windage. He wondered why Hightower was there and Lisbon wasn't, but for some reason, no one was explaining anything to anybody, and his tongue still hurt from the too hot coffee. "Political bull shit!" he muttered under his breath, his mood truly foul.
Briefly the cross hairs of the scope aligned on Hightower's head and he could not resist a grin. "No, Cho," he told himself. "There is no way you could justify that as an accident." So far the scene below was playing out as if it was a script written by the CBI. The CBI team was in place, scattered around at random intervals, looking very innocent and busy with their own ends. The three suspects appeared, right on schedule, the way the tip said they would, and headed for the loan office.
When one displayed a shot gun, the CBI magically materialized, fully armed and fully intimidating, taking total command almost instantly.
Cho smiled, not resisting the urge to take a look at Hightower through the scope one more time. Yes, that had gone well and no one even got a skinned knee, today. He stood, folded the bi-pod next to the barrel and slung the rifle over his shoulder. Brushing the dirt from his suit, he headed off of the hot roof and into the welcome coolness of the stairwell down. "What a way to make a living," he thought.
oOo
"Does anyone know where Lisbon is," asked Rigsby. "And why was Hightower on the case with us, today? I don't have a good feeling about this."
It had been the successful conclusion of a case, but pizza had not been ordered, and it just felt wrong without Lisbon being there. Even Jane was not napping. He sipped his tea and nodded. "I agree, Wayne. I don't like the feel of this. Hightower is a self-serving, political animal that I wouldn't trust with last weeks garbage."
That pronouncement got grins and some chuckles, and even a snort from Cho. With almost psychic glee, Jane focused on Cho and asked, "How did Hightower's head look through that scope, Cho?" He hesitated, and when Cho said nothing, continued, "Bet you had a hard time resisting. Come on, you can tell us. We all know you have to sight around to keep your bearing. I'll bet Hightower looked good with the cross hairs on her face!"
Cho just glared a Jane, but Jane did not miss that the corners of his mouth tightened as he controlled the urge to grin and how the corners of his eyes crinkled, almost as if he was smiling. Jane didn't say anything but he gave Cho a conspiratorial wink, intimating at a shared secret.
"That man sees too much," Cho thought, "but at least he does know when to button it up." Cho busied himself at the computer terminal. "But she did look good through that scope."
oOo
Three weeks later, the day Lisbon wasn't there had passed and was now ancient history. The next day, Lisbon had been in as usual and she'd not mentioned her day off, nor the fact that the team, along with Hightower had closed a very dangerous case with no incidents, not even Jane had caused a problem. She'd not mentioned it, and based on their speculation, no one really wanted the be the one to bring it up so it just faded and was never discussed. But Cho had not forgotten.
Cho had a very good memory. He remembered a time in the third grade when a fifth grade bully stole his lunch money. He remembered how, three days later, that same bully was attacked by a dog that had gotten loose, and he remembered how, 12 years later, he had a decision to make with that same bully: shoot to kill or shoot to wound. The manual says go for center of mass, which is usually fatal. He didn't. He went for the center of the forehead which, when it's a good shot, is always fatal. He was a good shot that day, too. That particular bully would never hurt another innocent person.
Yes, Cho had a very good memory and he was a patient, some would say, a vindictive man. Cho considered his actions the working of justice. He was charged by society to apprehend those who violate laws or harm others. He was not the jury and he was not the judge, but on some days, fate would have it that he was the judgment. He always felt a grim, but determined, sense of satisfaction on those days. On those days, he knew that he was in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing.
oOo
It had been a nasty case from the start. It was marked by senseless violence and a total disregard for life. They knew of two men who were involved. It was uncertain if there was a third or not. Due to the lack of witnesses, what they had to go on was only physical evidence, though they did have some blurry footage from a malfunctioning security camera. Patrick Jane was working overtime profiling them, but with less than stellar success. Hightower had started insisting on tagging along on every call, thoroughly getting in everyone's way and on everyone's nerves. The mayor was twitching like a puppet in the hands of a drunk with Dts and everyone was on edge.
If it came to a show down, Jane had clearly informed them that it would be kill or be killed. He was insistent that they believe nothing they were told by this pair, except it was a way to get close enough to kill. Jane insisted this was a pair of symbiotic sociopaths and that they would continue killing as long as they were alive, and if he read them right, actually planned on causing death after they were dead, though he didn't know how.
Preview:
Van Pelt took the call. There was no special reason, it was just her turn to answer the phone. Her face and the way she was waving at everyone alerted them to the fact something was wrong. She punched the phone to speaker phone so everyone could hear.
"They are going to hit the Dusty Day Care Center, at the edge of town.