Author's Note:
This story occurs right after Red Sky In The Morning Season 2, Episode 23. When your world falls apart, some soul searching may be in order.
Red John Reverie
(A Chat with Cho)
Cho's heart rate had returned to normal, now, and the aroma of the coffee, the sounds of the cafe bustle around him, was as comforting part of his Sunday morning routine. A brisk workout in his room, and then a relaxing jog around the lake, a high protein breakfast, all followed by a cup of cinnamon coffee. What more could a man ask for on a Sunday morning?
Patrick Jane opened the door, walked in, looked around and smiled on seeing Cho. He waved and Cho reluctantly waved back. "A man could ask for some peace and quiet," he internally grumbled. The grumble was more of a Cho formality. He was not all that upset to be disturbed. He was done eating and Jane could be entertaining. And he was a team member. Cho was very aware that Jane was not an early riser. That he was up and functional probably indicated that he could not rest and was seeking diversion. "The damn guy rubs off on you. Now, I'm profiling him!"
Jane had made his way to Cho's table. Cocking one eyebrow: "May I," he asked, indicating an empty chair, more as a formality than anything else.
Cho nodded amiably and pushed the empty chair from under the table with his foot. As he was sitting, he caught the waitress' eye. "Lapsang souchong," he ordered. They waited for his tea in companionable silence. The tea was quickly delivered. Jane sniffed, smiled and added a hefty dollop of sugar. "You have to love Sacramento." he said. "Where else can you go and ask for lapsang souchong, and not only do they not ask you what is is, but deliver it, properly brewed, in minutes?"
Cho smiled but said nothing. Jane took a careful sip, (it was hot!), leaned back and focused on Cho. "I keep forgetting how toned you keep your body," he observed. "At the office, in a suit, you look well built but reasonably normal. Sitting there, sweat pants and a tank top, you are rather impressive. Tell me, honestly now, do you have to beat the ladies off?"
Cho grimaced his displeasure at being asked a personal question. "Not really," he grunted. Then, opening up a bit more, "I just tell them my job and work schedule." He actually smiled. "That usually does it."
Jane chuckled. "Maybe that's what I need to do, but Kristina knew what I do and my work schedule." He paused, tea cup half way to his mouth and gazed into the distance.
"The ten thousand mile stare," Cho thought. "He's going Asiatic on us. The guy's bothered." Cho could see the stress in Patrick's total demeanor. "Can't say that I blame him. This Red John thing is freaky, and he does seem to be right at the center of it."
"That didn't stop her," Jane finally continued. "What do you think, Cho? Is she Red John, or should I say red Jane?" Cho said nothing. "No, I don't see how she can be," Patrick continued. "Just the physical strength required would exceed her capacity, but do you think she's involved with him? Maybe she's even in love with him or related to him. That could be it, couldn't it?"
Cho shrugged. "Could be. Or..."
"Or maybe she's like you," Jane interrupted. "She could be a lot stronger than she looks. Most of her actions consist more of planning and disabling the victims, not brute strength, anyway. It could be a woman, even if the normal profile for serial killers is not a female pattern. There are always exceptions, aren't there?"
Cho smiled and nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. He leaned back. Cho did not think that Red John was, in actuality, Red Jane, but Kristina's disappearance was suspicious. Of course, she could have realized that she could be Red John's next target and bolted in fear. So far, protecting people from RJ had not been all that successful.
"Yes," Jane continued, "There can be exceptions, but she could have panicked, too. If she's not associated with him, she could have been his next target. She's smart enough to figure that one out, and she's smart enough to realized that our chances of protecting her are not all the great. She may have done the only thing available to her to say alive, and that's run! We may be condemning an innocent person who's just trying to stay alive."
Cho smiled. "Not me, white man. I've never condemned her."
Patrick started at Cho, stunned. "Not you? You mean you don't think it was her?" The expression on Patrick's face displayed his incredulity.
Cho shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. There's not enough evidence to make a decision. Almost everything we know about her could be taken two ways."
Patrick nodded. The tea had cooled enough that he could take a deep, satisfying sip. "Ah, love this stuff." He continued, "You're right, I guess. It could, but," he paused. "I was actually beginning to like her, Cho. Then there's this Red John mess. AGAIN! Every time I have feelings for someone, is Red John going to take them from me? Is that bastard going to follow me my entire life and screw up everything I live and breathe for, kill everything I love?"
Cho reached over and grabbed Jane's wrist. "Easy, Jane. You're going to break the cup."
Patrick jerked and realized how hard he was gripping the heavy cup his tea was in. Opening his hand. his smile was shaky. "Guess I'm lucky I'm not stronger. That would have hurt," he observed. Then, looking at Cho, "Now what, he asked. "What do I do now?"
Cho, gripped Jane's wrist tighter and pulled Jane towards him. Leaning forward, in a low intense voice he said, "You get through one day at a time. One day at a time you get closer to Red Jane, and then, one day, you kill him." He quickly released Jane's arm and leaned back against his chair. Patrick almost fell backwards from the tension release.
They were both breathing hard. Patrick's reason for his tension, obvious, Cho's not as obvious, but apparently, just as intense.
Patrick leaned forward staring a Cho. "Kimball, sometimes you scare me."
Cho grunted. "If you knew me better, you'd be scared all of the time."
Patrick gave a sharp short laugh. "You're probably right, Kimball. While I can trust you with my life, you can still scare me, and I'm not sure where that comes from." He continues. "Not that it matters, right now, I have other things to be scared of, don't I?"
Cho nodded. "We all do. Red Jane's an unpredictable bastard and we do have to stop him."
Patrick stood, leaving a five dollar bill on the table for his tea. "Yes, we do have to stop him and the CBI team is probably as good as any could be to do that." He pushed his chair under the table. "Thanks for the chat, Cho. I think I can face the day now."
Patrick turned and left the cafe. Cho sat, contemplating the interior of his coffee cup.
~oOOOo~
OK, if you got this far, you may have read it. Now, do me the favor of letting me know what you think. Should this be the end or should it continue? Your thoughts?
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