Chapter 4
Sorry it took so long but I actually took a vacation but now I'm back and ready to write! I hope you're ready to read and review!
Taylor felt a great sense of relief as his eyes met the open eyes of his mother. He immediately went to her and bent down to cautiously kiss her cheek ensuring to avoid jostling her bandages from surgery.
"I love you mom," Taylor said sincerely as Carter nodded in agreement not being able to speak through her respirator.
Feeling confident she was going to recover Taylor informed Reese he was going to notify the nurse of his mother's status to offer him some alone time with her.
In the last eight hours, John had learned that Taylor was as intelligent and strong as his mother but he was truly awed by the young man's sense of awareness and consideration for others. Jocelyn had done a great job of raising him and he hoped he would be around to see the man he would become. He turned his attention to Jocelyn as Taylor left. He walked over and grabbed her hand.
"You and I have some things to talk about," he said rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb, "starting with you explaining to me what the hell you were thinking when you jumped in front of that bullet."
Jocelyn averted her gaze momentarily at his statement but she squeezed his hand hoping to reassure him she would be fine. She felt the tension release from him momentarily.
"I'm angry but not at you," he said at her worried look. "I'm too relieved you're going to walk out of here eventually but the Red Barons are going to pay severely for last night," John's voice was dangerous and the ice in his steel blue glaze was chilling.
As he heard Taylor approaching with Dr. Tillman, he leaned down to kiss Joss's cheek gently.
"I'll be back by the time you get a room but right now I have something to take care of," he whispered in her ear as he pulled easily away from her attempted clutch on his arm. He pretended not to see her shaking her head as he turned to face Taylor and Meaghan.
"I hear Ms. Carter is awake," Dr. Tillman said to John assessing his state of mind.
"I will never be able to repay you for what you did but know that if you ever need me for any reason, I will be there no questions asked," Reese said sincerely.
Meaghan was happy to see the John she remembered serious, intense and controlled.
"You've done more than enough for me, I was just doing my job," she smiled at him.
"It was more than that and you will never know how much I appreciate your efforts but I do need you to keep an eye on her while she's moved to a private room."
"Of course I will. Are you leaving," Meaghan asked surprised?
"I'll be back shortly, I just have to take care of something real quick," he said glancing back at Taylor talking softly to his mother behind them.
Meaghan reached out and grabbed his arm.
"I know you're angry but you are not the man you once were and a wise man once told me taking a life causes you to lose the best part of yourself and she deserves your best," she said turning toward Carter.
Reese stared at Meaghan knowing she had a point but the vision of the blood pouring out of Jocelyn's chest wouldn't leave his mind and the thought of how close he came to losing her fueled the darkness inside him.
Dr. Tillman saw the conflict in his eyes but when he gave her a barely perceptible nod and walked away she felt a cold chill at the blank mask that changed his features into a frightening imitation of a dead man's gaze.
Reese went back to the surgical waiting room where Finch was waiting. Finch rose as John approached.
"How is she," Harold asked concerned?
"She's strong she'll be on her feet in no time," John said with a small smile.
"Thank God," Finch said relieved.
"I will after I ask for his forgiveness for the devil's work I'm about to do," Reese's demeanor changed as he looked at Finch with a dead stare.
"Don't you think you should stay with Carter for now," Harold asked? He was intending on taking care of the Red Barons through anonymous tips and connecting Ogle to a trustworthy assistant district attorney before Reese could unleash his wrath.
"I'll be back by the time she gets a room but right now I need some information and I know just where to get it," John smiled a terrifying smile that conflicted with the anger in his eyes as he walked away.
Reese made his way to the pediatric unit and approached the nurses' station with a charming smile.
"Good morning ladies. Can someone help me find the young man they brought in a few hours ago with gunshots to both legs," he asked smiling?
The nurse and the secretary behind the desk gave each other the nod speaking volumes without saying a single word. It was obvious they had been working together for many years and while they were impressed with Reese's rugged handsomeness they wouldn't be easily swayed.
"I'm sorry I should have introduced myself, I'm detective Stills from the gang unit and we just had one hell of a shoot out and I'm the new guy they saddled with figuring out what happened," he said flashing Stills badge and giving them his best lost boy look.
The older of the two women immediately sympathized with him and her posture relaxed some as she returned his smile.
"He's down in 301 at the end of the hall," she said pointing to the hallway to the right of the nurses' station. "He isn't being very nice to anyone right now so I don't know how much information you'll get out of him."
"Don't worry I'm great with kids, even the ornery ones," he said smiling and walking towards the doors as she buzzed him in.
Reese walked purposely to room 301. As he entered the room he turned and released the door stand and shut and locked the door. The teenager was asleep looking very uncomfortable in the ill fitting hospital gown with both legs heavily bandaged and held stationary in a contraption elevated above the bed. There was an IV attached to his arm feeding pain meds electronically. John read the machine and realized the kid was due for a dose in two minutes. He turned the machine off, snapped the nurse call button and sat down waiting patiently for the boy to wake up.
Reese could tell when the pain started kicking in because the boy started to shift his upper body in an effort get comfortable. After a few minutes the young man's eyes finally opened and they were clouded with pain. He found the nurse call button and attempted to click the broken piece repeatedly.
"They're all at lunch," John said softly from a chair not far from the bed.
"Who the hell are you," the kid asked focusing his attention on Reese?
"I'm the guy you're going to tell everything you know about the leadership of the Red Barons," Reese said nonchalantly.
"I'm not telling you shit man. I ain't no snitch."
"Well I'm pretty sure you want some pain meds right now and in about ten minutes you'll tell me whatever I want to know since I shut the machine off," Reese looked casually at his watch.
The kid looked carefully at Reese and realized he wasn't a cop. He also recognized the look in his eyes. He'd seen it before on the face of one of the forefather's just before he shot a man dead. His heart began racing and the pain in his legs was getting worse by the second.
Reese saw the fear in the boy's eyes and he knew he would get the information he came for.
"Who are they?"
"I only know two of their names the other one goes by Napoleon."
Reese stood abruptly and the young man flinched afraid of what was going to happen to him.
"I'm listening. You haven't told me enough to earn your meds."
"Tony and Mark are the other two guys but Napoleon is in charge," the kid spit out quickly. "There's an abandoned apartment building up one block from where we were last night that they run things out of."
"Thanks for the info and I would look into a new line of work if I were you because the Barons are going down and they've made some scary enemies," Reese said as he headed for the door.
"Wait the machine!"
"Oh yeah you might want to call for those nurses you've been abusing for the last few hours," Reese opened the door and stepped out. He waited a few seconds and stepped back in. "I forgot your nurse call button is broken. I'll let them know your sleeping and not to disturb you for a while," he smiled as he left ignoring the curses hurled at him as he closed the door.
While leaving the pediatric ward, John stopped to let the nurses know the kid was pretty exhausted and had fallen asleep in the middle of his interview. He recommended they not bother him for a while suggesting some rest might improve his attitude. With a genuine smile he headed back to the surgical waiting room.
As John looked around the waiting room a nurse walked up and addressed him.
"John," she asked," looking for reassurance of his identity?
Reese nodded and a worried expression crossed his face momentarily.
"Dr. Tillman asked me to escort you to Miss Evans room."
Reese realized he was supposed to follow her as she turned and walked away and he quickly matched his steps with hers. As they approached a private door he heard the most beautiful sound, Carter's laugh. He closed his eyes and exhaled a slow breath and took a moment to feel relieved that Jocelyn was really going to be fine.
Reese acknowledged all the feelings he'd being trying to contain over the last couple of months all came to the surface when Joss had been shot. The pain he'd felt when he'd opened her vest and saw the hole in her chest had almost overwhelmed him. He'd known for months his attraction to Carter was developing into something more substantial the more he learned about her. He also recognized that anything between them would be complicated and heavy so he had decided to leave it alone. Then she went on a date and as much as he'd tried to ignore it he was pissed. Reese wanted to beat the hell out of that cop. Still he hadn't told Carter how he felt but laying on the ground with Carter in his arms fearing it would be their last conversation he'd admitted he cared for her.
Now he had to face the consequences of his words and honestly he was looking forward to exploring his feelings with her. As he entered the room, Carter turned to him and she smiled so warm John couldn't help but respond with a smile of his own.
She was propped up in the bed looking tired but well with the respirator removed. Taylor was sitting in a chair next to the bed where he had been entertaining her with some slightly exaggerated story of his athletic prowess. Finch was sitting in the corner enjoying the interplay between mother and son. Everyone turned to John as he entered the room and the room got quiet as the nurse silently excused herself. Ignoring Taylor and Finch, Reese walked over to the bed bent down smiling and lightly pressed his lips against Jocelyn's surprising all the room's inhabitants especially Carter.
"Hello beautiful, how are you feeling," he asked grabbing her hand and sitting at the end of the bed?
Carter was shocked by Reese's display of affection. She immediately looked to Taylor and saw a smug smile on his face. She correctly guessed he consented to a relationship between her and John. On the other hand, Finch looked embarrassed and worried as indicated by the red tint to his face and ears. She turned her attention back to Reese and was met with an intense gaze as he waited for her response. The look on his face encouraged Jocelyn to disregard anyone else's concern and follow her heart. She let go of John's hand and reached for his shirt and pulled him to her as she leaned forward and joined their lips again.
Feeling Carter pull him to her for a kiss released the anxiety he felt. After the brief contact, he leaned his forehead against hers and stroked her cheek with his hand.
Finch got to his feet as quickly as he could and started heading toward the door.
"Taylor, are you hungry," he asked never looking back towards the bed?
Realizing he didn't really want to watch his mom making out, Taylor quickly followed Harold out the room.
"Yeah starving," he answered as he exited.
"I think we ran them off," Carter said as she tilted her head towards the door.
Reese laughed as he climbed across the bed and laid down next to Jocelyn on her uninjured side. He gently put his arm around her neck and rested his cheek on top of her head.
"You know you scared the hell out of me right," he said in a soft voice?
"I'm sorry John," she said looking up at him. "I just thought I should take the shot rather than Ogle since I had a vest on."
"Vest or not, if you do that again I'm going to kill you myself."
"Yes sir," Carter teased trying to lighten the mood.
"It's irrelevant now anyway because I'm never letting you out of my sight again," he intoned.
"Good so you're staying here tonight," she said remembering his absence from earlier and knowing he was up to no good.
"I will but I have something to take care of first," he said looking away from Joss.
"John please don't hurt anyone because of me."
"They almost killed you," he said angrily. "I'm not going to let that slide," he said sitting up and placing his feet on the floor.
"I want to be with you John," she sat up and rubbed his back. "The man who risks his life to save strangers and looks out for me and my son but I can't be with you if you can't control the other side of you."
"Fair enough," Reese stood and walked to the door. He turned and looked back and saw tears falling from Carter's eyes.
Reese wanted to go back to her. He fought the urge to punish the men responsible for hurting her but the memory of her lung collapsing in the ambulance hit him hard and he knew he couldn't rest until they paid. He gave Joss one last longing look and left the room.
Reese made his way to Ogle's apartment building where everything had went down the previous night. The sun was fading as dusk settled in across the city. John hadn't slept since the night before last but he wasn't tired. He was angry and he wanted to someone to pay for hurting her. All other emotions were being overridden by a need to make an example out of the people responsible.
Reese knew Carter didn't understand his code of justice and how important it was to his new life after the C.I.A. When he had been an assassin he'd followed orders without question and innocent people had been killed because of it. Now he had his own personal code of saving the innocent, exposing the evil and protecting those close to him with extreme prejudice. After Jessica, he vowed never again to be too late. So he had to make an example out of the Red Barons to ensure everyone got the hint Carter was off limits. If he had to lose his chance at being with her to keep her safe then so be it.
It didn't take long for Reese to find a couple of the gang members hanging around dressed down in red. He watched them sell some product and then followed them to an abandoned apartment complex that fit the description the kid in the hospital gave him. Reese surveilled the place for hours keeping track of who entered and who left. As he was attempting to remain focused and not think about the look Jocelyn gave him as he left her room an incoming call beeped in his ear.
"Yes Finch," he answered shortly.
"What are you up to Mr. Reese," Finch asked tracking John's location on his laptop?
"Taking care of some loose ends," Reese answered coldly.
"John, I know you're upset but Carter is getting more agitated the longer you're gone and Taylor is not too happy with you after finding his mother in tears."
Reese closed his eyes against the pain Finch's words brought and focused on the memory of Jocelyn's heart rate dropping out in the back of the ambulance.
"I'll take care of that when I get back but right now I'm going to make sure everyone knows the consequences of hurting her," John said angrily.
"John, you're not the man you used to be and the new man is the one she cares about. If you do this then she'll know the old you will always be there and she won't expose Taylor to that type of violence."
"She didn't almost die in your arms," Reese whispered. "I probably shouldn't be around her and Taylor. After all I am what I am," he said resigned and disconnected the call.
An hour later Reese discovered only two of the teenaged Red Barons were in the building and the three adult leaders. He loaded up his weapons, strapped his knife on his waist and covered his face with a black ski mask. Stealthily approaching a broken window in the rear of the building, he made it to his destination undetected. He leveraged himself into the window and lowered himself silently to the ground. There was a stairwell to his left being monitored by one of the teens.
The young gang member heard nothing out of the ordinary before he found himself in a choke hold he couldn't escape. He dropped his weapon in an attempt to dislodge the arm from around his neck but in a matter of seconds he was in an unconscious heap on the ground. Reese moved the kid to a dark corner. Zip tied his hands and gagged him. He approached the stairwell cautiously and slowly made his way to the top weapon drawn. He heard two men's voices coming from an open door at the end of the hall as he hid in the darkness.
"Napoleon this situation is out of control. I don't see why we have to go after a guy who wasn't talking anyway."
"Loose ends are how I ended up in prison and I'm never going back so you know the rule, no witnesses."
"Yeah but now there's the lady who got shot and the guy that was with Ogle. We can't kill them all."
"We can and we will. We have plenty of toy soldiers to sacrifice."
Reese was furious. Just the thought of the Barons pursuing Carter in the hospital sent him over the edge. He started to run down the hall and charge the room until he heard footsteps approaching the stairwell he'd come up previously. He flattened himself against the wall and went completely still. The kid walked right by him missing his form in the darkness. He approached the door and let the men know the building was secure and he was leaving.
"Report in early tomorrow. I have a special assignment for you at the hospital," Reese recognized Napoleon's voice.
"Yes sir," the kid said and walked to the other stairwell at the end of the hall closest to the room where the men were and left.
John made sure the young man had enough time to leave and then he made his way to a door a couple of apartments away from where the gang members were. He found an empty bottle on the floor and rolled it into the apartment across from where he was.
"What the hell was that," Napoleon asked drawing his weapon?
"Probably rats," Tony said shrugging his shoulders.
"Go check it out," Napoleon waved his hand toward the door.
Tony rolled his eyes thinking his boss was paranoid as he walked down the hallway towards the sound. As he got to the door across from John, he stood there with his back to the hallway trying to make out any movement. The quick, hard chop to the throat completely incapacitated him and Reese caught him as he fell and drug him into a dark corner and secured his hands and mouth.
Reese made his way back to the hallway and backed up and laid on his stomach. Donning infrared glasses and aiming his glock at the hallway he waited for the two remaining men.
"Tony," Napoleon shouted!
When there was no answer, Mark drew his weapon and they both flanked the door to the hallway. Mark stuck his head out and waited for his eyes to adjust to the dark. He could only see a little ways in front of him but he didn't hear any movement. Stepping boldly into the hallway with a small flashlight aimed ahead of him he headed into the dark corridor.
Napoleon, seeing Mark enter the hallway safely stepped into the hall to back him up.
Just as Mark's flashlight illuminated John's weapon he fired twice sending both men to the ground as the bullets entered a leg on each man.
Reese jumped to his feet and straddled Mark quickly knocking him unconscious. Then he ran to Napoleon kicked his weapon away and dragged him back into the office.
"Who are you," the short, stocky man cried?
"I'm the man who's going to give you what you deserve," John growled as he picked the man up by his collar and slammed him on the makeshift desk they had been using.
"Using children to commit your crimes, putting out hits on cops," Reese punched Napoleon in the face after each statement. "You have delusions of grandeur but it's all over now." John unsheathed his knife and cut Napoleon's shirt down the middle making sure to knick the skin and draw blood.
Reese could feel the darkness overcoming him as he was going to enjoy ending this man's life.
Ignoring Napoleon's pleas for his life, he positioned the tip of the blade over his right lung and looked him in the eyes.
"She almost died in my arms. Suffocating right before my eyes because you wanted some guy dead who didn't even care about what he saw. Now you're going to feel what she felt but nobody's going to save you," Reese said menacingly trying to embrace the dark side of him.
Napoleon was crying hysterically and Reese had both hands over the base of the knife. One quick thrust and it would all be over. Then her smile flashed in his mind and some of the dark receded. Her flirting with him in the back of her patrol car crossed his mind and more light penetrated his thoughts. He looked down at the man squirming beneath his blade and yet he saw Jocelyn's tear filled eyes as he left her room and he knew he wanted her light more than the darkness he'd been carrying since he first took a life.
Reese struck Napoleon in the head effectively silencing him and contacted Finch.
"Can you make a non traceable call to the police sending them to my location? I'm coming home."
"Sure, what's the condition of the Baron's," Finch asked cautiously?
"They'll live," John said exhaling slowly. "I guess you, Tillman, and Joss are right, I'm not the monster I was."
