March 9, 2016 - Police Precinct - D'Artagnan
D'Artagnan had just put himself in a predicament. A situation that would have Aramis teasing him endlessly for his rash temper and taking as many pictures as he could, posting them all on social media for their friends to see. When he heard that Aramis had been the nurse abducted he'd panicked, and then when Athos and Porthos hadn't showed up to investigate, he'd panicked more. He'd answered the questions of the detectives on scene and then raced to his friends' precinct to find out why they hadn't shown up. In his mind, there should have been no-one else investigating but Aramis' closest friends, which is why he basically broke into the jail, terrified the receptionist and flipped a desk in his quest to find Athos and Porthos.
So now he was sitting in a holding cell in the back of the jail awaiting a visit from either Athos, Porthos or Treville… actually knowing his luck it would be all three.
D'Artagnan stretched out a little further on the bench in the jail cell and rotated his wrists a little. The police officers had left the cuffs on his wrists when he was tossed in here earlier, telling him to calm down first. He hoped they would come back soon and remove them, as the cuffs were beginning to hurt and leave red marks on his wrists.
D'Artagnan actually couldn't decide who he'd rather deal with. Treville frightened him the most, mostly because the man knew his father and Treville was like an uncle to him. So obviously Treville could rat him out to the family and he would never hear the end of it. Actually no, he thought as he squirmed nervously on the small bench, Athos terrified him even more. Never had d'Artagnan met a man who could stare at you without emotion until you confessed your darkest secrets like Athos could. D'Artagnan absolutely had no interest in seeing Porthos at present, however; Aramis had confided in him what happened between the two earlier and d'Artagnan had a few things to say to the idiot. But put all three together and he was screwed.
"You know," said a voice to d'Artagnan's left, "I don't think I've ever met someone that tried to break INTO jail."
"Athos," d'Artagnan squeaked. He stood up and walked over to where Athos was standing and grabbed the bars as if needing them for support. The detective was swinging a set of keys around his finger, and glaring at his prisoner, unimpressed.
"A simple request to see Porthos and I would have worked just as well. I have a pissed off receptionist wanting to press harassment charges and a missing best friend to find, so I don't have the time for your childish antics, kid." As he spoke Athos moved forward and inserted one of the keys unlocking the cell door. He swung the door open and motioned for d'Artagnan to come forward so he could undo the cuffs that his fellow police officer had left him in.
"You owe the receptionist a huge apology; she likes expensive red wines and gift cards to 5-star restaurants." With a click, the cuffs fell away and Athos attached them to his belt. He swung the cell door shut and motioned for d'Artagnan to follow him.
They wandered down a set of stairs and through a hallway to an older part of the building. D'Artagnan was weighing the pros and cons of asking Athos where they were going when they arrived at their destination. Tucked in an out of the way corner was a large conference room littered with boxes of files, a map hung on the wall with all sorts of news stories and victims' pictures pinned to it. There was a large table in the center of the room and more than a few chairs positioned against the table. The room had no overhead lights, instead wall sconces all around the room let off a pleasant ambient glow. Most importantly it was quiet and d'Artagnan knew this was the room Athos and Porthos spent most of their time researching in. D'Artagnan looked down at a file resting on top of the nearest edge of the table and his eyes widened.
"You guys are researching the serial killer?" D'Artagnan asked, and before he could filter his next words he whirled around to Porthos who was sitting bent over a large file on the table and shouted, "That's why you two didn't come to the hospital? Doesn't Aramis mean anything to you?"
Porthos looked up at d'Artagnan sharply, anger at the younger man's words visible in the rigidity of his muscles. D'Artagnan was about to rush forward to confront Porthos further when Athos laid a hand on his shoulder. "Peace, brother. Treville thinks there is some connection to our serial killer and the hospital fire. We also think Aramis' abduction was premeditated, so we chose to remain behind and see if we could make any connections."
"Yeah, but-" D'Artagnan started.
Porthos stood up from his place on the table and walked over to d'Artagnan, interrupting him by placing his large hands on the young man's shoulders, "Look, I get it. I'm sure Aramis told you we broke up, but right now he's missing and this isn't the time or place to have the conversation about who was right and wrong ok? I just want to find him."
D'Artagnan only nodded, unsatisfied with Porthos answers and disentangled himself from the two detectives. "I suppose you want to hear my side of what happened at the hospital?"
"We want to know everything," Athos responded. D'Artagnan watched as the man walked over to the opposite side of the room and grabbed a notepad and pen from the stash of supplies in the corner. He motioned for him to sit down next to Porthos and then pulled his chair over to face both of them. "Porthos, you record him and I will jot down notes. Maybe there is something in your story that will match with our investigation."
March 9, 2016 - Hospital - D'Artagnan's office
This was shaping up to be a long day d'Artagnan thought to himself. Aramis had been by a short time ago looking frazzled and extremely wet and had explained that on the way into work a semi truck had hit a puddle of water as he careened past and drenched him. D'Artagnan always kept a couple of extra pairs of scrubs in his office, whether they were for parents or patients or fellow nurses who needed a change of clothing. He had found out early on in his tenure here that it was something no one ever thought to keep on hand and already he'd rotated through several sets of scrubs. He had given Aramis the last pair he had and made a mental note to pick up some more on the way home later.
When Aramis was all changed he had shuffled out and plopped down into a chair that d'Artagnan reserved for patients. It was an overly stuffed, hideous thing with pink flowers set against a green background. It was immensely comfortable though and d'Artagnan would be the first to admit he'd taken a thoroughly restful nap in that chair more than once. Aramis clashed hideously with the chair in his blue scrubs with fluffy bunnies and d'Artagnan couldn't help but chuckle at the slightly damp man, earning a glare from him.
" What's going on today Aramis?" d'Artagnan asked. "Molly's parents are bringing her in for her final round of chemo. I thought I'd have them in for some celebratory apple juice after. Will you join us?"
Aramis' response was muffled as the man snuggled further into the chair and all but disappeared from view.
" Is everything ok?" d'Artagnan leaned over to better see Aramis, concerned when he heard a suspicious snuffle from the depths of the chair. He got up and walked over to Aramis and grasping his shoulders pulled him out into his embrace. "What's going on my friend?"
Aramis and d'Artagnan had known each other for a while before the duo had met Athos and Porthos. They had been attending university at the same time and had literally run into each other trying to attend the same lecture. It was a shaky friendship to start, but had quickly developed into a lasting friendship and the two had been inseparable for a couple of years before Porthos and Athos rolled in turning their duo into a foursome.
" I am not crying," Aramis responded indignantly.
D'Artagnan could feel Aramis' hand swiping at his eyes and knew he was lying. He pulled away from the embrace and stared at his long-time friend, eyebrows raised in confusion and disbelief.
" Fine, ok, I was having a moment of weakness." Aramis sighed. "Only it's just, I don't think Porthos and I are going to make it this time."
" Oh Aramis…" d'Artagnan pulled his friend back into his embrace and hugged him firmly. "I am sure things will be just fine. It's a rough time of year for you, and both of you have just been so busy."
" It's exactly both of those things: he still can't handle me and my issues and I am not sure I trust him anymore."
" We've been over this though Aramis. You need to tell him what happened seven years ago. At least, even if you don't tell him, you need to tell someone, anyone. I think you will find it cathartic."
Aramis paled at the thought of revealing his innermost secrets. He shook his head no and pulled out of d'Artagnan's embrace again and sat back into the chair. "I…"
" You can tell me?" D'Artagnan interrupted before Aramis could retreat back into himself or his memories. "But I understand why you won't. You really need to trust Porthos, and you know of all people he wouldn't judge. If whatever happened was actually that bad he'd understand Aramis."
" But…"
" No. It's time if you want to have any future with him or any ability to work past your ghosts you need his help." D'Artagnan got up and went back to his desk and opened the top drawer, pulling out paper and a pen. "If you are having trouble telling him in person, then write him a letter. I'll even deliver it to him so you don't have to." He walked back to Aramis and waved the objects in front of him. When they weren't immediately taken, he tossed them into the man's lap and walked away.
" You're so mean to me."
" Yeah, yeah, love you too Aramis."
" But seriously," Aramis began. "What century are you living in? I could just text him."
D'Artagnan jumped out of the way a moment later when the pen went sailing past his face, landing perfectly into the garbage bin on the other side of the desk. The other side where Aramis couldn't even see from his vantage point. "How?"
" Skills."
" But-"
" So what should I say? If I am doing this I am telling him in person, but I'd like him to have some history to base what I am telling him on." Aramis had pulled out his cell phone and had opened up a conversation between him and Porthos. His thumbs hovered above the keyboard and he looked extremely nervous.
" Keep it simple, Aramis. He's a detective and can figure out where to start," d'Artagnan walked over to the garbage bin and fished out the pen. He backed up and threw the pen in an arch, it sailed straight over the bin and clattered to Aramis' feet.
Aramis smirked and finished typing a quick message to Porthos, reading it aloud to d'Artagnan before hitting send.
" Who is Rene d'Herblay and Adel-" d'Artagnan began when both his and Aramis' pagers went off. "Crap, what horrible timing! This conversation isn't over, and you're also going to teach me to throw like that."
Aramis stood up and bowed mockingly, "As you wish my friend. Thank you d'Artagnan; the text idea actually helped."
Both men gathered their things and made their separate ways down the hallways, Aramis heading for the ER and d'Artagnan to meet with Molly and her parents.
D'Artagnan had just made it to the sliding doors of the children's ward when the fire alarms went off and gunshots could be heard echoing through the hospital walls. He spun around and shouted for Aramis who was still standing in the hall waiting for the elevator.
" Get in the children's ward and lock the doors! Evacuate everyone out the emergency exits." Aramis shouted back. The elevator doors opened and smoke began wafting out. "Quickly, d'Artagnan!"
Aramis turned and ran for the stairs shouting to the palliative care ward at the opposite end of the hall to do the same and then disappeared from view as he ran into the stairwell.
March 9, 2016 - Conference Room - Athos, Porthos and d'Artagnan
"That was the last I saw of him. It was chaos, but everyone said the same thing: Aramis stopped at every level and repeated his instructions. Aramis must have turned on the manual emergency fire showers because they didn't go off when they were supposed to have. There is a lever in emergency and no one saw him after he entered the ER."
Athos was handwriting on the pad of paper furiously and d'Artagnan leaned forward trying read what the detective had written. "We have a surveillance video of the ER, kid. It isn't pretty. We reviewed the footage for hours and Treville is still going over it. We hoped to find some clues as to what happened and so far all we have figured out is that Aramis knew all or some of his abductors. It only proves that this was premeditated, though, not who these people are."
D'Artagnan nodded, unsatisfied with Athos' answers. He wished that he had been more heroic like Aramis had and followed him down to the emergency. He wondered, not for the first time if he had done more if things would have worked out differently.
"Oh d'Artagnan, you did the right thing," Athos responded. D'Artagnan was shocked at how intuitive Athos seemed to be. "You did exactly as you should have, following through on Aramis' instructions. There is no telling what could have happened if you had gone with him. Something tells me they would have gotten to Aramis one way or another, and, at least, this way, the people at the hospital, both sick and not, were saved from the fire."
D'Artagnan pondered Athos words for a moment before being distracted by the sudden grunt from the other occupant of the room. He turned to Porthos puzzled as to why the man was squirming in his chair.
"What do you mean Aramis sent me a text message? I haven't had my phone go off all day." Porthos stood up from the chair and shut the recorder off. He fumbled around looking for his cell phone and frowned when he didn't find it. "What the hell. Athos call my phone would you?"
Athos tossed the pad of paper onto the conference table and reached into his back pocket for his cell phone. He dialed Porthos' number in and they all waited to hear the receiving phone ring. When there was no sound, Porthos growled and stalked out of the room and slammed the door shut behind him.
"I take it he's going to find his phone?" D'Artagnan asked.
Athos just stared at d'Artagnan blankly for a moment and then picked up the pad of paper reading it carefully. "This really doesn't help us much. There isn't anything to go on and nothing that really matches up with our current investigation. Like I told Porthos before, I don't think these cases are related at all."
"There is the fire at the hospital. Do those incidents match?"
Athos hummed, still staring at the pad of paper. "I won't know for sure until the fire department sends us their reports. I've requested that this set precedent over all other investigations due to the serial arsonist we are dealing with. I hope to have that report soon, though…I will know more at that time."
D'Artagnan could hear the doubt in Athos' voice; he could tell the man really wanted a break in the arsonist case, even if it meant that Aramis was the newest victim. He figured it couldn't be easy feeling this way and d'Artagnan didn't blame Athos one bit for it. At least, if it was their bad guy they'd have some history to base it on. If this was a completely new person they would be starting from scratch. "Athos, can I stay and help please? I have some time off that the hospital has been trying to force me to take. And with the fire, I am thinking they will relocate the patients for the time being. I want to help find Aramis. I mean I've known him a couple of years more than you guys, so maybe some of my insight will help?" D'Artagnan pleaded.
A knock on the door interrupted Athos' response, and one of the uniformed officers opened the door and poked his head in. "Hey, Athos? Porthos told me to get you and someone called the whelp. He wants to see you in his office."
Athos smirked at the officer's confusion over d'Artagnan's nickname and pulled the younger man along with him out the door towards Porthos' office. "Yes, you can help if Treville grants you access, and you get to ask him yourself."
D'Artagnan shouted in glee, pumping his fist in the air. He froze mid-shout a second later when several police officers froze and turned to look at him angrily. "Uhh sorry about that," he apologised meekly.
Hearing the commotion in the hallway Treville walked out of his office and over to the duo. "Hello d'Artagnan, I don't think your mama is going to be pleased to hear of your antics at my precinct, is she?"
"No, sir, I'm sorry Uncle. I just want to help find Aramis. I promise to compose an award winning apology to the receptionist. Can I stay and assist? I'll behave, I swear."
Treville eyed d'Artagnan warily, the young man wasn't really his nephew, but he had known the boy's parents for as long as he could remember. It was through him that he had met Aramis and had learned that the young man had lost his parents when he was younger. Treville had become a bit of a surrogate father for Aramis and he hoped and prayed that they would find him alive and generally unharmed. He turned back to Athos seeking confirmation that d'Artagnan wouldn't be a burden in this investigation. Technically he was going against policies and procedures allowing a civilian to assist in an investigation, but he was also breaking those same rules by allowing both Athos and Porthos to investigate. He saw Athos nod imperceptibly and turned to his nephew, looking at the kid as sternly as he could muster.
"Very well, you may stay as long as you don't impede this investigation. Oh, and Athos, the detectives that were on scene at the hospital will be dropping off all information pertaining to this case on your desk as soon as they process it. You should expect them sometime after dinner." Treville looked at both Athos and d'Artagnan, lingering on the latter for an extra moment longer as if trying to convey his worry, and went back to his office.
"He's worried," d'Artagnan stated as they turned and made their way towards Porthos' office. "I mean of course he is, Aramis is like a son to him. I'm sorry Athos, I am just making conversation."
"It's alright kid, we are all worried, but Treville is bound by more than just being a father figure here, he's the captain of this precinct and his loyalty is pulled in all directions. I suspect that is why he allowed you to continue helping us. You'll be looked upon to keep him updated on the situation as a civilian instead of a police officer."
D'Artagnan nodded gravely, promising himself to make sure he did his best both to find Aramis and to keep the Captain from having to worry about the situation.
When they reached Porthos' office they were surprised to find him hunched over the keyboard, face inches from the screen, frowning. "He left me a message saying that he is sorry about this morning, that he would tell me everything tonight and that he wanted to help me ease into it by giving me two names…" Porthos said, never tearing his eyes from the screen.
"Rene d'Herblay and Adele Bess… Besse… something like that!" D'Artagnan exclaimed.
"Yes well, I pulled up those names on the police database, but it only leads me to the names of the couple that died in the fire at the Savoy church. The same one that Aramis was a first responder to the scene. It wasn't one of his better days."
Athos sat down in the chair on the opposite side of Porthos' desk and motioned for d'Artagnan to take the other. "I admit," he began. "That I never really looked into the whole event, despite knowing that it shattered Aramis."
"Honestly, I never did either. The very idea that Aramis' mental state crumbles at this time of year is overwhelming, to say the least, and I never really had the time to focus on the why, only on how to get him through the coming days. I don't think he would have appreciated my search into his past either and he isn't going to like it this time around either."
Porthos' eyes widened suddenly and he gripped the edge of his desk until his knuckles turned distinctly whiter. "What if we don't find him in the next couple of weeks Athos? He's going to have to go through this all alone! Easter is only three weeks away."
"Hey, hey no Porthos. We'll find him long before that. The whelp is allowed to stay with us and help. You'll see… with the three of us looking we will have him home in your arms before you know it. D'Artagnan, you help Porthos with this and I am going to go back to the conference room and continue with the research on our serial arsonist.'' Athos stood up and pushed the chair back under the desk. "And if you find anything come and update me, yeah?"
Both d'Artagnan and Porthos nodded, the latter still looking unconvinced.
As Athos walked out of the office he heard the kid ask if Porthos could pull up anything on the deaths of Rene and Adele and he smiled grimly. He still had doubts that the two cases were related, but he knew Porthos wouldn't rest until Aramis was safe in his arms again. And while he himself was just as worried, he hadn't forgotten that they also had an arsonist to capture. So it was with a heavy heart that Athos wandered back to the conference room and sat down in the midst of the many files to research. He picked up a random file and opened it reading the first sentence before he paused and shut it firmly.
"I wonder…" He said aloud and got up, moving to the back of the room where he kept his laptop. After turning it on, he opened up the police records for arsons in 2009 and pulled up the Savoy Fire file. "What happened that day, Aramis? How would that day be connected to the current arsons..."