Here's the first chapter to Whatever it Takes, hope you enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 1:
June 21st 2019
70 Wakefield Road, Staten Island, New York City
It was a nice, early and spring-filled day in Staten Island. In the large 2-storey house that had a private section of the beach in Eltingville.
The driveway extended downwards towards the house, there was a small American Flag on the gate outside the driveway, the NYPD and Chicago Police Department decals were in the window as well.
The driveway contained a Black Cadillac Escalade 2017 and a Grey Ford Mondeo 2015. Inside the house there were so many bedrooms, the garden had a stairwell in the middle that went both ways. There was a balcony on the top floor of the house, that overlooked the ocean at night or during the morning.
In one of the many bedrooms, there was Daniela lying in the bedsheets peacefully, Daniela had soft dark brown eyes, brown hair that reached down to her collarbone, she had a bit of muscle on her.
Her bedside cabinet revealed a picture of herself and a little girl that looked exactly her. Another picture revealed Daniela and an older woman with the same features as her, it was her mother Amelia. Her alarm had gone off as it played her favourite song which was, Rachel Platten – Stand by You. It had been Daniela's favourite song ever since it came out.
One Hour Earlier
21st District, Chicago, Illinois
It was a damp and windy day in the Windy City, ironic, you would say.
In this event, it was a slow day at the office for Intelligence, everyone had been catching up on paperwork or meeting up with their CIs, it was too quiet, eerily quiet for Intelligence, there was no laughter, no cracking of a joke amongst them. They had lost two good officers out of their unit, Antonio Dawson who had been killed 2 years ago and Daniela Lòpez, who transferred to the NYPD to protect herself.
Hank Voight had been in his office working through some statistics over the unit when a knock sounded at the door, he looked up to see Jay Halstead as he said, "Everything alright, Halstead?"
"Yeah, you haven't spoken to Ruzek at all, have you?" Jay asked. Hank looked in some confusion as he said, "No, I haven't spoken to him. Not since he went undercover for the Feds."
"Yeah, when was his assignment supposed to have been over?" Jay asked before continuing, "He was supposed to have checked in regularly, this was our case too."
Hank shook his head, "Look, I wish I could tell ya… I was still reluctant to let him work with the Feds. He said he'd be fine… didn't raise a damn doubt. Surely Al's heard from him." "He hasn't, I'm worried about if we blew his cover or he's gone into hiding." Jay said.
"I'll have a talk with the commander about it, see if there was anything, we can find out from their angle…" Hank said in command voice.
"Should I put the word out to Daniela?" Jay asked interrupting Hank.
Hank nodded, "Do what we have to. It's necessary I'll call Daniela… Have Al try Ruzek's father." "Yes Sarge." Jay said in response.
Hank pulled his phone out of his pocket and found Daniela's number, then he looked at the picture of herself and Gracelyn as he smiled wondering how the López family was since they moved to New York City.
He dialled the phone number and waited for it to be answered as it was answered instantly, "Morning Sarge… you sure have a lousy sense of timing…" "Disturb you, did I?" Hank asked.
Daniela snorted, "I was just changing into my uniform getting ready to leave…" "Sorry kid. Listen, while you're on, you haven't spoken to Ruzek have you?" Hank asked.
"Did he hurt Burgess? If he did, I'll skin him alive!" Daniela growled out. Hank could have sworn he heard a gun cocking in the background as he asked with confusion, "Him and Burgess back together?!" "Yeah, you didn't know?" Daniela asked.
"I had a suspicion and then he told me that she wanted to give him a 2nd chance." Daniela said. Hank chuckled, "How long ago was this?" "A month ago, since then… I assume things were going cosily well." Daniela replied struggling.
"Well, if you hear from him… can you do a check up on him?" Hank asked. Daniela says, "Sure, but I'll need to know where he is…"
"He's undercover for the Feds… I didn't get a lot of info about the operation they wanted Adam for… I'm assuming something's gone wrong…" Hank said worriedly.
"I'll try and find out… but I can't promise anything… I gotta go, Sarge. I've got to get to the 27th." Daniela said walking to the front door.
"See ya kid… Let me know what you find out." Hank said as he put the phone down.
He rubbed his tired eyes as a headache started to form and it was getting to be a painful one.
Soon Al appeared at the door and said, "Hey… There's been no response from Ruzek. I left 2 messages… he hasn't called back. What's Daniela said?"
"She hasn't heard from him… Only time she did… it concerned Burgess and Him getting back together." Hank asked. Alvin looked surprised, "I didn't see that coming."
Hank grunted, "You and me both, anything from Bob at the 26th?" "I checked with him… nada. The only time he spoke to Adam was before the Op, he was fine as always." Alvin said.
Hank nodded as he said, "I'm heading out for a minute… call if we have a case on our hands." "Yeah, you got it." Alvin responded.
27th Precinct, Manhattan, New York
Daniela was at the precinct leaving the briefing room, she stood next to one of her good friends in Thomas Donnelly IV. The pair were considered good friends due to their service in the US Army and the fact the pair had daughters of their own, today Daniela was partnered up with Thomas for the day.
"How's Gracelyn?" Thomas asked curiously. Daniela smirked, "She's doin' really well, how's your Danielle?"
Thomas chortled, "Said she wants to take up Ballet. Kate thinks it'll do her some good, but I don't know what to do." "You gotta let 'em grow, take on activities that'll help them to grow." Daniela said learning from her own years of experience.
"You always know what to say, don't you?" Thomas says. Daniela then said, "I've been a parent for 4 years, it's really easy, you've just got to trust your child."
"I know." Thomas said.
Thomas had gone to pick up two radio communication devices as he noticed Daniela's solemn expression as he said, "You okay? Somethin's off with ya?"
"It's an old friend of mine from Chicago, he's gone missing. He's a cop." Daniela said reluctantly.
Thomas formed a saddening expression as he said, "Sorry to hear…" "I've lost a lot of people in my life… my Dad, my comrades from the war and my partner in my own arms… every death I've seen, it should be easy for me to deal with."
"I've had it rough comin' back from combat… it never gets easy. Me being in the Rangers I still can't find a way to forget… this is all seared into our brains… no matter how tough you are… no matter what we do… we just gotta make it to the other side and ride out the fight for as long as we can." Thomas said.
Daniela shook her head, "Spoken like a true soldier… my buddy Jay would like you…" "He served?" Thomas asked purely out of interest. Daniela nods, "Army Rangers, 3/75th."
"Sounds like a man worthy of havin' a conversation with." Thomas says.
Soon the radio goes off, "10-13 Officer needs assistance at Chambers St Station. Unit to handle?"
Daniela and Thomas share a nod, "27-Alpha, show us responding to the Chambers Street Station."
Thomas drove to the scene as he turned on the sirens, the latest bulletin had come in saying that officers were in a gun battle at the Chambers Street Station, suspects were armed and dangerous.
They arrived at the station as Daniela said, "Grab a long gun!"
Thomas raced to the trunk as he grabbed two M4 Carbines as he said, "Ready?" "Take point, Ranger." Daniela ordered.
The pair kept their weapons up as they heard the gunfire rattle around closely as the pair saw 2 police officers pinned down by the enemy fire as Thomas shouted, "NYPD! HANDS IN THE AIR NOW!"
Soon the criminals started shooting at the newly arrived officers as Thomas moved towards the officer on the right side who was firing an AR-15 as he said, "How bad?!"
"Shit-show out there! One of our people tried to circle around and hit 'em on the side, I think they got wounded. Swann's hit, he's losing blood." The officer known as Bacciarelli said.
Two shots hit the cover where Bacciarelli and Donnelly were at as Thomas returned fire before saying, "How many bad guys?!" "We got 2 of 'em so far, there's another 10 still there."
Bacciarelli took a peek round his right side seeing the train track was clear as he said, "If you move on their left flank me and your partner can hold 'em here." "Bottle 'em up… buy me time to move." Thomas instructed.
"I was Marines for 18-years. Don't doubt me." Bacciarelli said.
Thomas laughed, "Wouldn't dream of it…"
Thomas shouted to Daniela, "López! Cover me, I'm makin' a move, you and Bacciarelli bottle 'em up!"
"Waitin' on you!" Daniela said. Thomas reloaded his M4 shouting, "COVER FIRE!"
Bacciarelli and Daniela open fired on the opposite side of the station allowing Thomas to move quickly and without drawing attention to himself.
Thomas took a small peek at the other side as he laughed, "Suck it." Thomas came out of cover and started shooting at the targets, taking them down with ease and precision.
By the end, it was all clear as Thomas did a double-check for all targets as he said, "All clear!"
Daniela nods to Thomas as she says, "Mano Ensangrentada. Why ain't I surprised?"
Bacciarelli looks surprised before saying, "Who's Mano what-now?" "Drug cartel in Mexico, bastards have a habit of eliminating targets and causin' a little chaos… killed a buddy of mine's father." Thomas growls.
"These guys show no mercy obviously." Bacciarelli says. Daniela nods, "Damn right. They keep comin' like persistent bastards."
Thomas then says, "You encountered these guys?" "Two times, since I've been on the job." Bacciarelli said a little out of breath.
Thomas then says, "You held your own out there, it true you were Marines?" "18-years. Henry Bacciarelli. Call me Hank both of ya's." Hank introduced himself.
Thomas shook his hand saying, "Thomas Donnelly. Army Rangers 2014-18." "PC's kid, right?" Hank asked knowing he heard the name Donnelly before.
"Damn right, Irish-Italian heritage for me." Thomas said.
Hank chuckled, "Good to meet ya, amica."
Hank turned to Daniela who introduced herself, "Daniela López, 101st Airborne 11-15. Latina-Irish heritage. I've seen you before. You live on Staten Island, right?"
"Eltingville, 80 Wakefield Road Staten Island." Hank said shyly.
Daniela's expression widens as she says, "Nice to meet ya, Hank. We best get moving back to the job. Come on rookie."
Thomas rolls his eyes as he says, "I'm not much of a rookie." "You're my partner, what I say goes. Repeat it?"
"What you say goes." Thomas says like a scolded child.
The 2 officers move back up the stairs as Daniela says, "He lives next to me…" "Who that Bacciarelli guy?"
"Yeah, he's next door to me down at Wakefield road… house with the gate and the pool in the front yard." Daniela says explaining her side.
"Never knew that. What else do you know?" Thomas asks.
Daniela asks, "Ever heard of the Bacciarelli Marine that went MIA after WW2 ended?" "Nobody knew what happened. Some say he died. Others say he was kidnapped by the Soviets after the war ended." Thomas said remembering.
"Well that is him… that's the long-lost hero of the Pacific." Daniela explained to Thomas.
Thomas stopped short of putting the guns in the squad car as he said, "No way… get the hell out of town."
"You gotta be friggin' kiddin' how'd you know?" Thomas asks in shock, once again.
Daniela laughed, "Matt and Henry know him… he was in yours and Hank's academy class when you joined up for training."
"Didn't see that comin', did I?" Thomas asks. Daniela laughs at him more as she says, "You're stupid."
Thomas glares at her in annoyance as he gets into the squad car before flipping off Daniela in a joking manner.
On the other side of the street, someone is watching Daniela and her partner. Just as the squad car prepares to move, the silver Audi moves, the driver keeps up the pace with them, trying to get used to New York City. The man wore a plaid shirt, green bomber jacket and a pair of boots, he also wore a pair of sunglasses on his head, his shirt had day old blood, he was bleeding.
He had a gun in his ankle holster. 2 expended gun shells sat next to his left boot.
Back in the squad car, Thomas was keeping an eye on their 6 trying to determine what the Silver Audi's game was.
Thomas then said, "Don't look, but that silver Audi's following us like we've done somethin' wrong." "It stays on us for one more block, let's confront him…" Daniela said.
"Copy." Thomas said.
They continue to take occasional glances at the silver Audi trying to figure out what it's doing as Thomas says, "Let's just take 'em and see what's goin' on?"
"Screw it, let's just do this the hard way." Daniela pulled over to an empty side space as Thomas got out of the vehicle and approached as he said, "Cover me."
Thomas walked up to the silver Audi as he knocked on the window and said, "Hello sir… can you roll down the window?"
The man complies as he says, "Somethin' the problem, officer?" "You've been following us for the last 3 blocks since Chambers Street Station… so you're either a threat to us or there's somethin' you need help with… Licence and registration, please?" Thomas rants.
The man tries to dodge the smirk as he obliges to the request pulling out a driver's licence and a gun licence as he hands it over to Thomas before saying, "My registration seems to have been lost in the vehicle, sir… I've been on a long drive for the past 6 hours."
"Where you comin' from?" Thomas asks as he takes the licence that says 'Adam Ruzek.'
"Northbridge, Massachusetts. I was workin' at Hartfeld University." Adam says.
Thomas nods, "Thank you for being honest with me. Can you take the sunglasses off?"
Adam takes the sunglasses off as Daniela's jaw drops in shock as she says, "ADAM?!"
Adam looks to see his old friend Daniela as he says, "This is awkward."
'Adam's in trouble' what'll happen next? Like what you see so far?
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