It has been waaaaaay too long! I'm so sorry for the snail pace at which I've updated! I have a good excuse though! Okay, a mediocre excuse. But an excuse none-the-less. My laptop broke sortof and I thought it was a virus but it actually wasn't. Anyway, so it's been gone for a week and I'm not getting it back for another few days. Anyway, I couldn't write on the computer while I was mourning my laptop now could I? :p Just joking. But that's my story and I'm sticking to it! I hope you will take my peace offering, this chapter :D
Life or Death
Lisbon was in Michael's car on the way to the restaurant when she let her mind wander back to the case. Even though she had said that she could leave the team to work on the case without her, she found herself worrying about them. Was Jane behaving himself? Had they found any leads? Were they going to question a new-found suspect? Was this suspect armed and/or dangerous? And the most important and pressing matter at hand: would Jane prove to be right in his suspicions? She had realized that she held a certain resemblance to the victims, she couldn't deny that. But she wasn't worried about that. She was a state agent after all; she could take care of herself. No, what she was worried the most about was that Jane was right and the killer would kill again.
"Where is your mind at?" Michael asked. He was driving the car, something that Lisbon normally wouldn't have liked but it allowed her to ponder the many things on her mind without distraction and she was thankful for it.
"Oh nowhere in particular. It's just a tough case that's all." Lisbon replied.
"Want to tell me about it?" Michael said softly. He knew better than most that you couldn't force information out of this firecracker, she had to relinquish it willingly or you would get nowhere.
"You know I can't discuss an ongoing investigation." Lisbon said. "But if you must know, there were two women killed recently by someone who we suspect is a serial killer. It hits close to home is all."
"How so?" Michael inquired.
"When we arrived on scene and found the victim, and later when we found another I was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by memories. My mother died when I was young, I told you that, and every time I looked at the victims I saw her. They looked so much like her." Lisbon said.
"I'm so sorry Teresa. If there's anything I can do, anything at all you just let me know alright?" Michael said, concern shining in his eyes.
"Thanks. I think I just need to take my mind off it is all." Lisbon said, looking out the window.
"You look a lot like your mother did, don't you?" Michael asked tentatively.
"Yeah, I guess so. I mean we both have the same green eyes and dark brown hair. We are both vertically challenged." Lisbon said with a small chuckle. "At least, we were. I guess not anymore, since she's gone."
"I'm sorry. But shouldn't you be worried that the killer will come after you?" Michael asked, the concern never leaving his voice, or his expression.
"Nah, I can take care of myself. I'll be fine." Lisbon said. She turned her head to gaze out the window once more. She failed to see the small smirk that graced Michael's face and the way his eyes lit up with cruel anticipation.
"I wouldn't be so sure."
xxxx
"Where could she possibly have gotten?" Jane asked, frustrated. He was pacing across the local police department's headquarters. "She must have left not five minutes before us. How can we have no idea where she is or where she's going?"
"They must be driving fast. Jane, you need to calm down." Cho said, not letting his panic show on his face.
"Calm down? How can you expect me to calm down? Lisbon has gone who knows where with a serial killer whom she believes to be her boyfriend!" Jane said frantically.
"This is where you come in handy Jane. You are great at figuring out what is going through people's minds and we need you to put yourself in the killer's shoes and tell us where he's taking her. You are no good to us unless you can calm down and do your job. Unless you can do that, you're no good to Lisbon either." Cho said rationally.
"You're right. I'm sorry, but it's just... it's hard." Jane said pleadingly.
"I know it is man. We all do." Cho said, patting Jane lightly on the shoulder.
"Yeah. Okay, so this man obviously likes to kill in somewhat public places but will not risk getting caught. So we can assume that he will take her to a place that is public, but not at this time of night." Jane reasoned. You could practically see the wheels turning inside his head.
"So what? Like a park?" Rigsby inquired.
"Exactly." Jane sad. "The other victims were found in parks, whether it was a playground or wooded area they are all considered parks."
"I'll search for parks in the area and see what we come up with." Van Pelt said. She was already typing vigorously. About a minute had passed as she delved into cyberspace looking for possible killing grounds for their serial killer to execute their beloved Lisbon. "I got it. There are four parks in the area, two playgrounds for kids and two wooded parks."
"We'll have to split up. We don't have time for back-up. Rigsby, you take one of the child's playgrounds and Van Pelt, you take the other. I'll take the bigger wooded park." Cho directed, wasting no time in giving orders. "Jane, I realize that it's crazy to put you in the field..."
"It would be crazy to expect me to wait on the side lines when Lisbon's life is at stake." Jane said strongly.
"Alright. You take the smaller wooded area. I want all of you wearing vests, no exceptions." Cho said. "We need to work fast, remember his MO; he doesn't only kill his victims. They all had evidence of sexual assault and I'll be damned if we let that happen to Lisbon."
Jane's face blanched at the mention of this temporarily forgotten information. Usually he could recall every tiny detailed, but when Lisbon was in danger it seemed that his memory palace was somewhat hazy. He was instantly disgusted with the killer once more and also with himself for forgetting this crucial information. They all rushed out and made their way to their designated parks, each one praying they wouldn't be too late.
xxxx
"We're here." Michael said cheerily. Everything was going according to plan. Of course, he hadn't planned on Teresa catching his case before he killed her. But he'd made the necessary arrangements and everything was running smoothly, she had no idea.
"What?" Lisbon questioned as she got out of the vehicle. "I thought we were going to eat dinner at the local restaurant?"
"I thought we'd skip the main course and go straight to dessert." Michael said with a predatory look that Lisbon missed. She was busy looking at her surroundings, all the trees blocking out all of civilization.
"What do you mean?" Lisbon asked.
"Come on, I know you didn't live out your teenage years to the fullest and I understand that." Michael told Lisbon who had a confused expression on her face. "But everyone should get a chance to make out like horny teenagers in the woods at some point." He said cheekily.
"I don't think that's such a great idea..." Lisbon said with a giggle.
"And why not?" Michael asked as he moved closer to her. He wrapped his arms around her small waist tenderly.
"Someone could see us, I mean this is a public park." Lisbon said with a grin.
"Relax; no one goes to parks at this time of night." Michael said. "And don't worry about that serial killer, I'll keep you safe."
"What about the serial killer? Why would I be afraid?" Lisbon asked, trying to mask her alarm.
"The other victims were all found in parks, weren't they?" Michael said gently.
"Uh, well yeah, I guess so. How'd you...?" Lisbon asked suspiciously.
"You told me. Don't you remember? You must have dozed off a bit in the car ride." Michael said with a reassuring smile.
Smooth Lisbon thought. But she had enough experience as an enforcer of the law and with working alongside Jane to always watch what she said and she knew for sure that she had not divulged this tidbit of information. But she masked her new discovery carefully so as not to alert Michael to her epiphany.
"Michael." Lisbon said, trying to gently pry herself from his arms and step away from him. And she was successful, until he grabbed hold of her arm to intertwine their fingers.
"Yes, Teresa?" Michael said with a heart-felt smile.
"How did you know that I was here?" Lisbon asked.
"What do you mean? I drove us here. Are you feeling alright?" Michael said with a teasing glint in his eyes.
"I mean in this town, Michael. How did you know that I was in this town when you came to pick me up for dinner?" Lisbon said, slipping some authority into her voice.
"You told me, when you called me to let me know that you would be out of town for a case. You gave me the number of the hotel in case I couldn't reach your cell phone and you told me what town you would be in." Michael said smoothly. So smoothly, it almost sounded like it was rehearsed.
"No I didn't. I told you the town that we were in when we were at the first crime scene. Not the one where we found the second victim. How did you know where I was?" Lisbon said, not even trying to be subtle in her attempts to put some distance in between the two of them. But his gently hold on her wrist quickly turned into a death grip that threatened to break it.
"Well, you see Teresa, I've been here before. Recently, in fact, to do a sort of job. It's more of a hobby really, this thing I do. And I knew that since you were investigating my previous work, you would inevitably be here to admire my most recent masterpiece." Michael said. His eyes had turned manic and wild. "I do love collections, have I ever told you? Well, you know now. And I plan on making you my newest addition, how does that sound Teresa Lisbon?"
In this moment Lisbon found herself worried for her own life for the first time during this case. She should have listened to Jane when he warned her that she could possibly be the next victim. What was that song? The one that said it's the good advice that you just didn't take? Oh yes, Ironic. Good song, fitting, given her current situation. For she had entered this park silently hoping that Michael had packed a picnic dinner since she hadn't gone on a picnic since before her mother had died. And now here she was, most likely to die herself.
xxxx
"What's the news?" Jane asked Cho over the phone.
"Van Pelt and Rigsby have both arrived at their parks and checked them thoroughly, both are clear. I'm at mine and it is empty. Nothing!" Cho said allowing his frustration to reach Jane's ears. "We're on our way to yours. We'll be there in ten, maybe fifteen minutes. Are you there yet?"
"No." Jane replied. "This one is the farthest away, I'm just pulling in now."
Jane hung up his phone hastily, jumping out of his car before he'd taken his keys out. He rushed into the woods, running faster than he ever knew he could. He reached a clearing with a car in it that he recognized as the one that had dropped Lisbon off frequently at the CBI. He ran even faster, if that was possible. He entered a smaller clearing where he found Michael and Lisbon. He ran towards them and collapsed on the ground next to Lisbon. He quickly got out his phone and called for an ambulance.
"We need an ambulance at Green Woods Park on Burke Drive. There are two victims; one has a gunshot in his torso and the other..." Jane's voice broke a bit before he could continue. "She's been stabbed in the torso. There's so much blood."
You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch. I belive this may become my theme song, what do you think? :p Hey! At least it's a new chapter?
*Insert witty comment about leaving a review here* :D