Author's note: I just wanted to thank those of you who took the time to review. I feel welcome to the fandom. Sadly, this chapter is shorter than the previous ones, but the next ones are already written and will come sooner and longer. Ok, that sounded just a little bit dirty. Read on.
Disclaimer: Still not mine.
CHAPTER 3 - Party like it's 1979
Veronica's eyes widened as she held the fabric letters that spelled out Logan's initials. The threat was evident.
"I'm calling him," Mac said, dialing quickly.
Veronica nodded, taking out her phone. "Dad? Yeah. Mac figured something out. Whoever this is, they're going after Logan. Yeah. Ok." Pause. "He's still living at the Neptune Grand." She hung up, quickly. "Dad's on his way."
Piz watched Mac hit re-dial furiously. "Logan's not picking up."
"Did it go to voicemail?" Veronica asked.
"Yeah," Mac answered.
"I'm going," Veronica said.
Wallace shook his head. "I'm betting your father said to stay put."
Veronica started grabbing things and sticking them in her purse. Taser. Pepper spray. A cellphone-like device. A GPS maybe? Piz just watched her quietly.
"Going where? You don't even know where Logan is right now," Mac said. "He might not be at the Grand."
"She does know," Piz said, watching her fiddle with the GPS-like apparatus. "You have a tracking device on him?"
"It's a long story," she said, picking up Piz's car keys. "I'm taking your car."
"And telling me that long story on the way to wherever," Piz added, following her out of the room.
"I'll stay here and keep calling," Mac called out.
Wallace nodded. "I'll ask around campus."
"Keep us posted," Piz called back, walking faster to keep up with Veronica.
- - - - - - - - -
"I'm driving," Piz declared, taking the keys from Veronica.
"Why?"
"So you can guide me with the GPS thing. I can't read those."
Veronica huffed. "I can read and drive at the same time," she muttered.
"Humor me," Piz replied. He pulled out of the campus parking lot and onto the main street. "Where to?"
"The Grand. Take a left on Peach."
He did. "Buckle up."
She did.
Silence.
"Can you see where it is? His cellphone?" Piz asked.
"Up to a point. Near the Neptune Grand, maybe in the hotel," Veronica answered. "But I can't be sure how close until we're in full range."
Piz nodded, cutting through traffic. Veronica had never seen him drive so fast. "So, tracking your ex's cellphone?"
"In my defense, he wasn't my ex when I planted the tracking device," Veronica attempted.
"I don't see how that works in your defense," Piz replied.
"Well, it came in handy, didn't it?"
Piz took a deep breath. "Have you planted one on me?"
"Nope." She sighed. "Take a right here."
Piz veered dangerously. "Now I don't know whether to be happy or disappointed."
"Because I haven't planted a tracking device on your cellphone?"
Piz shook his head every which way. "You know what? Just ignore me. This isn't important now."
"Good, yes, let's have it out later. Slow down," she said. "We're getting closer."
"Is he in the hotel?" Piz asked.
"His cellphone is. In his penthouse is my best guess."
"Is your dad on his way?"
"Should be."
Piz pulled into the parking lot, leaving the car in front of the valet service. Both he and Veronica jumped out of the car. "It's an emergency and I'm broke," he yelled out as he ran behind Veronica, tossing the Valet his keys.
He caught up with Veronica at the front desk. "We're here to see Logan Echolls," she said.
"The Echolls party, right?" The receptionist smiled. "I'll buzz you up," she said, pointing to the elevators.
Veronica's cellphone rang. "It's Wallace. Hey, Wallace." Silence. "Yeah, we're here, we just heard of the party too. Call my dad and tell him."
She hung up. "There's flyers all over campus announcing a party. The flyers are all red, and they all have pit-bulls drawn on them." Veronica started toward the elevators.
"We should wait for your father," Piz said, holding her back.
"It's a party. And I have a taser."
"Yes, and that guy had a knife. So he's obviously got the upper hand."
"You shouldn't have come if you couldn't handle it," Veronica said, keeping her stride.
"Those letters... Whoever is doing this is out to hurt you."
"And I'm out to hurt them. Let go," she countered. "You can stay here if you want."
"I don't want," Piz said, getting into the elevator behind her. "Strength in numbers, right?"
"Right."
"Fine."
"Fine."
- - - - - - - - - -
The elevator opened to the rave to end all raves that could fit into a penthouse apartment.
"What does the tracking thingy say?" Piz asked.
"The phone is here, in the apartment," Veronica answered. "He's probably not answering because of the music, right?"
"Right. Maybe if you'd installed an ankle bracelet..."
"Cool it."
"Let's find him before your dad gets here and breaks up the party. There's at least 70% of everything DARE ever warned my grade school about going on in here."
"Yeah, Dad doesn't have the authority to break up the party anymore."
"I think I see Dick over there," Piz pointed. Someone turned up the music all of a sudded. "He's the one diving off the stage."
Veronica didn't hear Piz but saw Dick fall onto the crowd, disappear, then saw his blonde hair flying up and down. They made their way through the densely packed, jumping crowd, past the amateur mosh pit.
"Dick!" Veronica yelled. Piz tapped his shoulder. Dick finally looked up from his shoes.
"Did you plan this party?" Veronica asked. Dick looked at her blankly. Veronica picked up two flyers from a nearby table and showed one to Dick. "You made this?" she yelled.
Dick shook his head, almost tripping in his effort. Veronica rubbed her temple. It was no use interrogating him now. She stuffed the flyers in her purse.
Piz tried a different approach. He snapped his fingers in front of Dick, calling for attention. "LO-GAN?" he mouthed.
"What?" Dick asked.
"LOGAN!" Veronica repeated.
"HIS ROOM!" Dick yelled back. Then, realizing Piz was there, he asked: "You're not gonna beat him up, are you?"
"NO!" Piz yelled.
"Good," Dick said, and continued his uninspired dancing.
Veronica led the way to Logan's bedroom. As much as he was trying to be oh-so-mature about it, the fact that Veronica could guide them to Logan's bedroom ate Piz up inside.
Veronica pushed the doors open and found only an empty bedroom. Suddenly, as if sensing space had opened up, the crowd invaded the room almost by osmosis. A couple started making out in Logan's bed, a few people started dancing around his TV set.
"I'll check the bathroom," Piz said, speaking into Veronica's ear.
"I'll go look in the kitchen," Veronica replied.
Piz made his way over to the bathroom, through a walk in closet. He knocked twice to no avail. Knocking made no sense. He pushed the bathroom door open, but found resistance. The door was jammed, but not locked.
There was weight against the door. Maybe Logan had passed out. He pushed a little harder, until the weight gave.
It was then when he saw it. The writing on the mirror that faced the door.
The phrase "Have a great summer" was written in red.
His eyes followed the drops of blood to the floor. And then he saw a hand.
Piz stepped in and found Logan, lying on the white tile, bleeding from his side.
Piz looked over the door, trying to spot Veronica to no avail. "Fuck," he muttered under his breath. In the bathroom the music was still loud, but not impossibly so. He dialed 911 on his cellphone and looked around the bathroom for a towel. He found one and grabbed it, pressing it against the cut while he waited for the 911 operator to pickup.
"Yeah. I'm at the Neptune Grand, Penthouse level. Someone stabbed Logan Echolls. He's bleeding out," Piz said. The operator told him help was on the way and to stay on the line, but he couldn't keep a hold on his phone and on the towel at the same time.
He let his cellphone drop to the floor and heard the display shatter. He slapped Logan's face, trying to get him to regain consciousness. "Dammit, Logan, wake up."
Nothing.
"Come on, Logan," he muttered. Logan took a shallow breath and groaned. "Ok. Come on, keep being alive." Piz pressed even harder against the wound, with both hands this time.
Dick picked that precise moment to step into the bathroom to take a leak. "Man, you said you weren't gonna beat him up."
"Get Veronica," Piz ordered. "Now!"
TBC...
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Thanks for reading.
Di.