A new number had come in, 30-year-old Anna Bucker. Harold was taping her picture to the board when John walked in.
"New number Finch," john asked setting down the box of doughnuts and drink carrier that he had.
"Yes, Ms. Bucker appears to have been in some serious finical trouble that suddenly she was able to repay." Harold said turning to face John, "It seems that she came into the exact sum of money that she needed to pay her debts."
While john's face remained neutral his tone took an amused lit "So where would she get the exact amount of money from on such short notice?"
"well Mr. Reese if we find that out I'm sure we will find the threat to Ms. Bucker."
Reese went to follow the number and try to find out anything on his end while Harold went to work tracking the money. I was quickly discovered that Ms. Bucker was quite jumpy and wary of men in suits following her and Shaw was quickly called to take over the following and protecting while Reese headed back to the library.
"Mr. Reese you may need to turn around I found the source of the money and it is a well-organized group of loan sharks they have made quite the name for themselves in several cities before moving on to the next one. They specialize in targeting single women." Harold spoke quickly over the comms as John headed to the building that they rented.
"What's the plan Harold," John asked as he sped as much as he dared to get to the location Harold had given him, he had a feeling these guys were getting ready to run.
"Luck for us the building they rented came with security cameras… which I just got the feeds for, Mr. Reese you better hurry."
"I just got here it looks like they are packing up," John said grabbing a spare gun and clip from the glove compartment.
"I think you should wait till the detectives get there, they are on their way," Harold said urgently having seen John get out of the car.
"There's no time Finch if these guys leave they are in the wind and can do this to someone else." After john finished speaking he turned off the ear piece because he knew Harold would argue and would distract him not the turning off the ear piece would true keep Harold out.
While john was sneaking into the building Harold and bear rushed out of the library and to the car he had ordered. He knew john was right, but he had a bad feeling about this one, he already called the detectives and told them to hurry and had pulled up the cameras on his laptop in the car.
He watched as john cleared each room with ease finally making his way to the one room with the worst camera angles. The room was rather large and filled with rows of crates left from the last tenant of the building. The ring leader was hiding with two goons in the very back. The first goon was no problem for john. The second good left the boss and Reese found the boss first after tying him up he relaxed a little thinking that the threat was over when goon number 2 came around a stack of crates. The goon had the element of surprise and was able to hit Reese in the shoulder as he was turning around. Harold's breath started to speed up John was hurt. The goon was re aiming higher when Reese got his shot off, right to the heart but not before the goon fired.
"NO!" Harold screamed as the goon's bullet found its target and hit Reese in the head. The goon had gone down in the camera frame, but John had not. He was completely out of sight other than the creeping red stain at the corner of the screen.
"No, no, no, no, no," Harold just get repeating as bear whined sensing his distress and he frantically looked for a camera angle John was in but not finding one. On the outside feed from the building he saw the detectives' car and an ambulance pull up. He told his driver to head to the nearest hospital instead.
Harold called Carter. "Mr. Reese has been shot and is in dire need of medical attention, he is in the main room toward the back" no greeting just facts then disconnected the call he had other things to do.
While still monitor the cameras, he arranged for the best surgeons to be on hand when Reese arrived and arranged the cover he would be checked in under to have the best medical insurance available, so nothing would stop Reese from getting the care he needed. The angle was poor and couldn't tell how Reese was, but he was loaded onto the ambulance, so he was still alive at least and Carter had got into the ambulance with them.
Harold had one last task to complete. He pulled up everything he knew about the men running the loan sharking business and one by one destroyed them. He added false convictions, emptied bank accounts, created false account with links to terrorist groups, anything he could to make them pay for what they did.
Harold arrives shortly after the ambulance does. When the nurse asks what he's here for while eyeing Bear suspiciously he just says the man that just came in on the ambulance and sits down to wait for carter, sending her a text on where he is.
After 15 long minutes Carter comes through the doors that lead to the ER. She looks like hell and her light blue shirt is dark purple mostly a dark purple now thanks to the blood she is covered in. she sits next to Harold.
"How is he?" Harold's voice is flat though there is a subtle strain to it that if Carter had been John would have known he's barely holding it together.
Joss sighed, "I'm not going to lie, he isn't great ne crashed twice on the way here and just now as they where wheeling him into surgery. The shoulder wound looked like a clean through and through from what I could tell."
"And the head wound," Harold prompted when it didn't seem like the detective would continue on her own.
"I'm really not sure Harold, there was so much blood I couldn't tell how bad it was. I'm sorry," she finished.
"Thank you, detective, when they are ready for it I can fill out the forms for Reese." Harold said still in the same tone. "would you do me one more favor and call Ms. Shaw and let her know what's happened and the threat to the number is neutralized."
"Of course, Harold." Joss said squeezing Harold's shoulder before standing up and pulling out her phone.
After Carter leaves and he fills out the paperwork for John Harold is left alone sitting in his chair with Bear at his feet. He couldn't stop playing the moment John was shot repeatedly in his head and how it felt like he had been shot too. He almost asked for one of the nurses to check him over, but he knew he wasn't physically injured at least. He had felt this pain before and it scared the hell out of him. This was the pain he felt when he lost Nathan and had to leave Grace.
He couldn't help but think of all the things that John does for him. Brings him tea and breakfast everyone morning. Made him feel safe again after his first kidnapping from root. On that subject gave his creation an ultimatum so John would be able to find him. John lets him dress him how he wants and lets Harold tailor his suits. John is always trying to protect him even getting a dog to help with the protecting. And there are so many more examples.
"Oh Bear," the dog sat up and put his head on Harold's knee, so he could stroke his head "what am I going to do if he's gone." Harold choked out because he suddenly realized what he would do. He would stop working the numbers he wouldn't be able to do this without his partner, without the man he loved. John was so perfectly suited for this work that continuing it without him would be unbearable.
But this realization was a double-edged sword, he couldn't do the work without John, but wouldn't be able to hide his feelings from John for long now that he consciously realized them. And there was the matter of if John was brain damaged from the shot to the head. The decision came to Harold easily whatever came next if John lived Harold would be by his side and if he was perfect whole then he would tell John how he felt. He had to trust that the friendship that they had built would withstand if his feeling weren't returned and if john ended up needed long term care he would become his care taker and be by his side through it all.
Having made his peace and his decision Harold kept stroking Bear's head and waited for someone to come deliver some sort of news.