Disclaimer: same as always…
Wow guys, thanks for the reviews for chapter one! As promised, chapter two is up. Some of you had questions about Jen and Dave, and who is the father, Alex or Wes… we will be exploring into that relationship further, as well as what happened to Maddy.
Please bear with me for the next chapter or two, if they seem slow. It'll be well worth the wait, I promise.
Chapter two, enjoy!
What Grown-Ups Do
Cameras flashed all around the room as police and EMS personnel carefully stepped around the room, catching every angle in a photograph. The pool of blood on the floor had started to dry up slowly as the detectives placed yellow number cards around everything.
Vida Rocca stood in disbelief as she told the Police what she had come home to find. Her parents stood with her, holding each other for comfort. Their precious baby girl was missing, and not a clue of what had happened could be found. The real question that plagued everyone's mind was whether the girl was alive or not. For Vida, she feared the worst.
"Detective," called an officer who was photographing a door frame, "I think you should have a look at this."
Curiously, the detective walked over and saw a very strange sight. Pieces of the door frame were ripped, as if something grabbed them by the handful and tore them apart.
"This is even stranger, Detective," the officer pointed to a large charred piece of wall. He ran a gloved finger over the blackened section as a thick and heavily powdered material rubbed off of it.
"Ms. Rocca," he turned to Vida, "you did not have any type of candles burning or any type of flammable material, that you are aware of, or that your sister may have been using?"
Vida shook her head. "Not that I am aware of, no. Why, could her kidnapper possibly have tried to burn her?"
The Detective did not answer. "If he used fire, this place would have been up in flames by the time you got home. No, this was some sort of non-flammable…" he tried to think of a sensible word, "substance. Able to cause harm to the victim, but not inflict damage on the things around them."
Another officer called from the hallway, "Uh Detective, I wouldn't be so sure about that. Take a look at this!" The Detective went over to where the young officer crouched. Three clean holes were seen through the wall, and had the same coal-like substance around them.
The Detective bent down, amazed and looked through. "What type of gun would have the power to shoot cleanly through a wall?" He looked around where the holes ran parallel to, but found no other entry or exit areas for bullets.
Signing, he turned to Vida and her family. "I encourage the three of you not to stay here tonight. If Madison's kidnapper comes back here for some odd reason, we do not want two of you missing. Is there a friend or relative you can stay with?"
"I'll call my mother, I'm sure we can stay with her," Vida's mother said and stepped outside to use her cell phone.
"Detective," Vida's father said, "please, do you have any idea to where Maddy may be?"
The Detective sighed and looked at Vida. "I'm sorry; we do not have any leads at this point. If we do find out anything, I assure you, you will be the first person I tell." Vida's father nodded.
Her mother walked back in. "My mother says we can stay with her for a few days. I'll leave you the keys, Detective, so you can enter the house whenever you need." She put her hand on Vida's shoulder. "Come on, sweetie; let's start getting some clothes together."
Vida turned slowly and followed her mother up the stairs, but the thought of Maddy being somewhere, cold, hurt and alone haunted her mind.
"Be safe, Maddy," she whispered and slowly entered her room to pack.
"Now arriving Portal 143, flight 5920 from Tampa to San Francisco. That's repeating…"
Dave sighed as he and his mother sat in the airport terminal awaiting the arrival of Dave's father, Commander Alexander Drake.
"I hear an announcement like that once more, I'm going to bug out," the boy muttered and earned a grin from Jen, who sat comfortably reading a romance novel she had recently purchased. He clipped his pen to his notebook and closed the cover. He fidgeted around in his seat, kicking his feet back and forth. Unclipping his pen again, he started to tap on the notebook rigorously to ease his boredom.
"Sweetie, stop drumming. It's annoying to other people around you," her eyes glued to the book.
"I can't help it, Mom, I'm bored," he replied. "When will Alex be getting back?"
"Give him a few more hours and he'll be here," said a voice from behind them. Both Jen and Dave turned around to see a strapping man standing besides them, his white uniform crisp and clean. Jen smiled as she marked her place in her book and stood up to greet him.
"Alex," she smiled and hugged him hello, "Good to see you had a safe flight."
He kissed her lightly on the cheek. "I'd like to see you try and sit still on a four hour flight," Alex chuckled and turned his gaze to Dave. "Hey there, kiddo," Alex said as the boy hugged him.
"Hi Alex," Dave said and eyed the man. "Nice to see you're back from New York."
Alex put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'm glad to be home," he said and looked towards Jen. Grabbing the rest of his bags, the trio made their way out to Jen's car that sat in the parking lot.
"I trust all is good with Commander Dalais?" Jen asked as she turned back onto the parkway.
Alex nodded. "Yes. Their mutant problem hasn't been as bad as ours was a few years ago. Oh, by the way, Katie and Trip say hello. They're doing well; they wanted me to tell you."
"Thanks for telling me," she responded. For the rest of the trip they traveled in silence as light Christmas music played over the stereo. About forty minutes later Jen pulled into the parking lot that housed Time Force's apartment complex. Stepping out of the warm car, Jen shivered. "It's getting colder each day,"
Alex placed his jacket around her shoulders, but she refused it and insisted she was okay. "We'll be inside in seconds, but thanks."
Dave stepped out of the car and zippered his jacket. "I hope it snows for Christmas- that would be awesome."
"If it says this cold, it just may." Alex said and closed the trunk.
"I'm hungry, Mom," the boy said to Jen, who nodded chuckled in agreement. "Can we get pizza, Mom?" Dave asked happily. "Please?"
Jen shook her head. "Dave, we had pizza the other-" Alex shushed her.
"I'll buy, please. I'm back in town and owe you a dinner anyway." Jen rolled her eyes as Dave cheered. Once inside and up in Alex's apartment, Alex grabbed his keys. "I'm going to get dinner, Jen. Dave, why don't you come along?"
Dave shrugged, as if to say he wasn't interested, but Jen urged him on. "Sure, I'll go." Grabbing his jacket yet again, father and son set off in Alex's SUV to the pizzeria. After arriving, paying, and leaving, Alex looked at the young boy sitting in the passenger's seat. His eager eyes scanned the sky, hoping for the first sign of snow. Once they arrived back at the apartment parking lot, Alex turned off the car and sighed.
"Dave, I know I haven't been around much, but that's about to change," the Officer spoke slowly.
"Mom says a lot of things are going to change, Alex. But not a lot really does." The tone in his son's voice was enough to make Alex look away. Alex got out of the car and walked over to Dave's side and opened the door to look at the boy.
"I know times are hard right now. Your mother is always there, but busy. I was hardly there, but like I said, now I'll be around to be the dad you really need," Alex sighed. "You're my boy, Dave, don't forget that. I haven't. It's hard to live the life of a Time Force Officer's kid. Believe me, I know."
Curiously, Dave grinned. "How?"
Alex bit his lip. "My father was Commander back when I was your age. I spent a lot of time with my mom. She was in Time Force, too. My dad came home when he could, which was on occasional Sundays, and I hardly saw him. I made a decision the day you were born that I wouldn't be like him. I'd be home for my little boy. Starting now, I'm going to keep that promise." He sighed. "If you'd give me that chance, Dave. All I asked for is that second try and I promise things will be better from now on."
Dave hesitated with his answer, and then spoke slowly. "You won't hurt Mom, will you? I mean, by like leaving her or anything, will you?"
"Never, Dave. I've loved your mother since the day I first saw her."
"Then why aren't you two married? I mean, isn't that what grown ups do when they love each other?"
Dave's question hit a hard spot in Alex's heart. All the memories of that final day back in November of 2001 came back to him, and how the love of his life was lost to another man who lived one thousand years before their time. "We were going to get married, but there were… complications. Come on, the pizza's going to get cold."
Alex's sudden reaction to his question immediately sent off an alarm in Dave's head. Something else was going on here; something that neither Jen nor Alex told him about. Minutes later they opened the door as Jen finished setting out the plates on the table, and they began to eat. Alex told of his visit to Time Force's New York Headquarters while Jen filled him in on what was happening around here.
Dave listened quietly and watched as they talked back and forth. But his mind wondered back to Alex's statement. Complications… what on earth could keep two people from marrying one another? He didn't understand, but made it his mission to find out why.
Hours later, Alex carried a sleeping Dave up to Jen's apartment. He fell asleep on the couch while watching cartoons as Jen and Alex talked some more. Jen quietly opened the door as Alex continued to Dave's room.
Alex gently placed Dave in his bed, and Dave snuggled up against his pillows. "Should we put him in his pajamas?" Alex whispered as Jen entered the young boy's room.
"I wouldn't bother. He sleeps in sweatpants and shirts all the time," she pulled his comforter up to his neck, bent down and kissed him good night. Alex watched curiously at a mother's love and how strong Jen's bond with her son was. Jen and Alex exited his room as Jen lowered the dim light to darkness, and closed his door.
"I should get to bed," Jen said, "I'm working a half day shift tomorrow. I told Dave we'd go see a movie after work."
Alex turned as she walked past him, and followed her towards the door. "Thanks for dinner, Alex."
"My pleasure," he said and put his hand on the door knob. "I'll see you later." She gave him a small smile, but wasn't enough for him. He stepped forward and rubbed his thumb lightly over her cheek.
"Alex, please," she whispered, "We can't."
"Why not, Jen? What are you afraid of?" he asked. She did not respond, only shook her head.
Finally she let out an unsteady sigh. "I… I don't want to hurt you again, Alex. I'm sorry."
His eyes turned down as he nodded in understanding. He slowly kissed her cheek. "Good night, Jennifer," he said and exited her door and headed towards the elevator.
"Good night, Alex." Jen closed the door slowly. Once all the lights were out, she opened Dave's door to see him snoring soundly. She smiled and headed for her own bedroom. Minutes later she curled into bed and closed her eyes.
So much had changed within the past years. Her job, her son, her mindset, and most importantly, her relationship with Alex. As close as they had grown since Dave's birth, they had slowly grown apart. She wanted so much to love him, but there was always something holding her back. She did love him, she thought to herself, but then again, she loved Wes just the same.
Why had she still been in love with him? She left him almost ten years ago, but there was a void that could not be filled. Many times she tried to convince herself she did not love him anymore, but each time she told herself she did.
Jen rolled over to her side and sighed. "Get out of there," she muttered and squeezed her eyes shut. Jen then silently laughed at herself. She was acting like a child. Her childhood crush never escaped her heart, even when there was a boy who would give anything to be with her.
But Wes's face would not leave her memories. All the times they spent together, good or bad, he could always make her smile. Jen forced herself to stop thinking about him. It was a childhood crush was all her affection for Wes was. Yet, she could not shake it. But crushes you normally grow out of, right?
That's what grown ups do, she told herself. Rolling over again Jen closed her eyes and slowly fell asleep as a soft white snow began to fall outside.
The air suddenly grew colder around him as he scribbled down notes furiously onto the paper. Soon, he thought. It's going to happen soon. He had to let the others know what was happening. They had to stop it. They had no choice.
"Excuse me, sir, what are you doing here so late?" a library security guard asked the man.
He looked at his watch and gasped to sound surprised. "My gosh, is that the time? I was busy doing research and must have lost track of time. If you'll excuse me," he said and gathered his books.
"I'm afraid I cannot let you do that, sir." The guard said. He then gave a surprising punch to the man and his books scattered. He tried to fight back, but the guard was inhumanly strong. Kicking the man hard and quickly, the guard spat insults and derogatory words at him before pulling a gun out of his holster.
"Did you honestly think you could escape us?" the guard snickered. "Time to meet your maker, sir."
"You… you won't get away with this, you know that, right?" the man panted and held his chest.
The guard pulled a knob and the weapon charged. "I already have." A silent gunshot went off as the man's body fell limp and a pool of blood started to form around him. "Step one is complete, now to find the others." In a flash of light his body changed, making him taller and more defined.
He let out a bone-chilling laugh as he disappeared under the dark gray clouds, and snowflakes fell lightly, covering the path he just made.
The man's breathing slowed down as he hastily scribbled a word into the back of his notes. Once the last letter written, he crumbled up the paper and held it in his hand. He let go of the pen and closed his eyes. His fingers became cold, his breathing stopped. Crimson blood leaked out his very existence, but still held the secrets he knew. Once his heart stopped, he muscles loosened, and the crumpled paper became somewhat visible.
The glow of the falling snow cast its light shadow on his hand, and the one word was visible through his fingers. It was a single word, written in blood red ink:
Murder…