Run Devil Run
Written for the Paul McCartney Songbook Challenge and the What Happened to Me? Challenge.
Originally a one shot, but I split it into chapters. The fic is complete and a chapter a day will be posted.
Genre: Mystery/ Suspense
Rating: T/FR 15
Summary: Is the Devil hiding in plain sight? It is merely a question of perception. A story told from two points of view.
Disclaimer: Still don't own. Bummer
This one is sort of Social Outsider's fault. She wanted a story about "McGee as the Devil". Pretty sure this isn't what she had in mind, but…
Chapter 1
This is what she says to keep the demons away
Run Devil run…
~Run Devil Run, by Paul McCartney (1999)
When she first caught sight of him, she felt a cold stab of terror pierce her heart. It was unbelievable, and yet… it made sense. Beneath that boyish-face, behind those bright green and intelligent eyes, lurked the face of a monster, the monster. Satan himself. Of course the origin of all sin, the root of all evil, would hide behind such an innocent mask. Much less obvious than the serpent, much easier to earn trust and thus to manipulate.
None of those around him seemed to realize what was in their midst. They were all blind, or perhaps they had already been corrupted and were serving their dark master. She could see him for what he was. She knew that the Devil walked among them. She would have to be the one to end the Dark Prince's reign on Earth. Her guardians told her what she had to do, and she knew it was the only way to redeem herself for her past sins.
She wanted to rush in, to tear the life out of him, but her constant companions told her to wait. Learn his routine. Catch him off-guard. It would not be an easy task, killing the Devil. She needed time to prepare, time to find the perfect weapon. She would have to be patient, but she knew he would not escape her. It was her duty. It was her destiny.
She saw his gaze start to move towards her, those dreadful, evil eyes, and she concealed herself. She feared he would be able to hear her hammering heartbeat and discern her intentions, but he did not move towards her. Perhaps he felt her righteousness and feared her. The thought warmed her, and she smiled as she watched him finally leave with his group. He was retreating, but he could not avoid his fate forever.
Run, Devil, run…
XXX
Tim paused, his camera still aimed at the piece of evidence he was documenting, and waited for the faint feeling of unease that had arisen to pass. He waited, listening for some clue that would explain the apprehension he inexplicably felt but nothing drew his attention. Finally he lowered the camera and scanned the alleyway, searching for a hint of danger. He caught a brief flash of movement out of the corner of his eye but when he turned there was nothing there. He started to wonder if he was just imagining things. Maybe the case, the brutal murder of a young Marine, was getting to him. He glanced over at the spot where the mutilated body had been found and suppressed a shudder. He didn't know why this particular case bothered him so much. He had seen much worse over the years, but there was something…
"Problem, McGee?" Gibbs voice, directly behind Tim, carried its normal gruffness
"Uh, no, Boss. I just thought…" He turned and saw the lead agent's eyes narrow with impatience and he immediately forsook the idea of expressing his fear. "Never mind. I'm almost done here."
Gibbs moved off without another word and Tim resumed his task. He hoped the familiarity of what he was doing would calm his nerves, but the feeling of being watched remained until he joined the rest of his team for the trip back to the Yard.
XXX
She followed him until she reached a barrier she couldn't cross and settled in to wait. She was fairly sure this could not be his permanent lair. It was too public, too full of people, not all of whom appeared as if they were under his influence. She watched, and she waited, and finally when it grew dark, she saw him leave the building and walk to his car: a Porsche. She almost laughed. The Devil was vain, and of course he would surround himself with luxury. She wondered why no one else had questioned such excessiveness in a government employee. It just showed how much those surrounding him had been fooled by the Father of Lies.
She hung back, waiting until he had left the safety of his workplace before she started to follow him. It was surprisingly easy, and she briefly wondered if he was luring her into a trap. She would have to be cautious and not approach too soon, lest she would find herself in peril.
She followed him to an apartment complex in a middle-class section of the city. Again, she pondered the contrast. He was able to pass off as ordinary: normal job, normal residence, but anyone caring to peer beneath the surface would surely see what she saw: the dark, twisted, horrible visage. Unfortunately, it seemed they preferred to turn a blind eye to the personification of evil that walked among them. She was disgusted that no one would see him as she did, but it only strengthened her resolve to complete her task. She and she alone knew the stakes.
Once again, she met a barrier and could not follow, but she watched the windows of the complex, hoping for a hint of the precise location of his lair, and soon she was rewarded for her diligence. A light appeared in one of the second story windows, close to the fire escape, and after a few moments the window opened. She could see him inside, looking out at the night and surveying his surroundings. She felt a small welling of satisfaction. She had managed to rattle him. Soon the warmth of her accomplishment faded. He was wary, and it would make it much more difficult to find a vulnerable moment in which to strike. She growled in frustration and retreated, but not far. She would never be far from her target, not until she had completed her mission.
XXX
Tim opened the door to his apartment, expecting to be met by an exuberant German shepherd, and frowned when he found the small entryway empty.
"Jethro?" he called. Silence. He drew his gun and cautiously moved deeper into the apartment, alert to anything out of place, but his living space was as he had left it that morning. Finally he reached his bedroom and saw Jethro standing at the window, hackles raised along his back and growling softly.
"What's wrong, boy?" Tim asked. Jethro turned and let out a sound somewhere between a whine and a growl before returning his attention to the window.
"What's got you stirred up tonight, huh?" Tim flipped on the light and moved to the window where he peered out. He searched the area for signs of an intruder and found nothing. The feeling of dread that he had experienced at the crime scene earlier returned, but he tried to dismiss it as exhaustion-the result of a long and difficult day. "Come on, Jethro, I know it's late, but you need your pre-bedtime walk."
At the mention of a walk, Jethro finally turned his full attention to his master and wagged his tail before rushing past Tim towards the front door. Tim shook his head and quickly changed into his running gear before tucking his holster into the waistband of his sweatpants. He grabbed Jethro's leash from the rack, attached it to the excited dog's collar and opened the door. Jethro nearly pulled Tim's arm from its socket as he surged down the hallway, and Tim struggled to reign in his companion before he finally managed to gain control.
"Calm down, damn it! I need to lock the door." He dragged Jethro back to the apartment and turned the key in the lock, then adjusted his grip on the leash and urged the dog to follow him. Jethro didn't need to be told twice.
Once outside, Jethro began pulling Tim towards the road that ran behind the building, barking viciously. Tim tried to keep the dog in check but Jethro was not to be deterred and finally Tim broke into a jog as he tried to keep up. He caught a brief glimpse of a figure as it jumped into the driver's seat of a rather decrepit pickup truck but before he could get a better glimpse of the driver or the license plate the truck pulled out onto the road with a screech of tires and roar of a poorly maintained engine. Tim bit back a curse as he and Jethro raced after the vehicle but they were too slow. It had already disappeared around a corner.
Once the vehicle was out of sight, Jethro calmed down and began to pull Tim in a different direction, towards their normal jogging trail. Tim managed to keep him in check as he debated calling the police but soon realized that he had nothing to offer as a reason for his call. He had no idea if the person fled in fear of the large, aggressively barking dog, or because they had been discovered watching the agent's apartment. Finally he decided to refrain from calling and hoped that this was just an isolated incident. Nevertheless, he would have to be much more alert in the future, just in case there was something to this after all.
Half an hour later, they returned to the apartment and Tim got ready for bed. Once his nighttime routine was complete, he collapsed on top of the comforter and tried to sleep, but his mind wouldn't shut off. Soon he noticed Jethro enter his room and walk over towards the window. The shepherd sat and stared through the glass, watching and waiting for the threat he had detected before to return. His guardian's presence eased Tim's mind a little, but it was a long time before he was able to settle down enough to allow sleep to claim him.
XXX
She wanted to scream in frustration. The idea that the Devil would bring one of his Hellhounds as a guard had never occurred to her, and now she knew she'd never be able to get past it and take him while he was most vulnerable. She'd have to devise a new plan, but in the meantime? She needed to find a weapon. She listened as her companions whispered in her ear, telling her where to start her search, and what to do to make sure the weapon would do its job. They also advised her to be patient. Her time would come.
She glanced back up at the window, wondering if he truly held fear in his blackened heart, wondering if he would try to flee. She smiled. He could run, but he would not be able to avoid her forever. She would be like one of his own hounds of Hell, never ceasing until she had claimed her quarry. She reveled in the thought of him fleeing in fear… and in vain.
Run, Devil, run…
TBC…