SHOUTOUTS/ANSWERS

Lynny: Thanks

Windyfontaine (ch 1-3): Yep. Thanks. Actually, Hanson was undercover so I was writing him as the suspects saw him. Sorry for the confusion. Yep. Enjoy. Thanks. Sorry 'bout that. Enjoy. Glad you approve. Hope it's what you expected. No prob. Thanks. You too.

Jayme: Thanks. Yeah, he grew on me.

NikkiCee: (ch 1-3): Thanks. Glad you liked. Thanks. Glad you approve. Thanks, here's more. Well, here's hopin'.

DISCLAIMER

21 Jump Street belongs to Stephen J. Cannel. The back story for Torres belongs to Wes Craven.

Late that night, Tom made his way down Elm Street and to a now run-down boiler room.

"Playground, sweet, playground," he grinned to himself. For a moment, he let himself get lost in the memories of him and the others running around the place, playing hide and seek, just hanging out...a hand on his shoulder brought the officer out of his reverie.

"You're slippin', Kiddo," a voice teased. Tom glared at Rod.

"Knock it off, Rod," Melissa chided, as she and Kelly walked in.

"Thanks for coming," Tom said.

"I can't believe they released the Butcher," Kelly stated.

"Yeah, I know," Tom responded.

"How could they? Everyone knows what he did," Melissa worried.

"What are we gonna do?" Rod wondered.

"I don't know," Tom said. Then, to the surprise of the others, he began hitting the wall.

"Dang it! I had him! I had him!" he exclaimed.

"Tommy!" Melissa cried desperately.

"I had him! They should've let me do it! They should've let me do it!" Tom screamed.

"Hey, hey, hey. Come on, man," Rod said softly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I had him! He was hurt! I could've ended it!" Tom continued.

"Tommy, stop!" Rod pleaded, turning him around.

"Dang it, I had him! He was right in front of us! They should've let me kill him! They should've just let me kill him!" Tom shouted, his voice breaking. "Why didn't they let me kill him?" he asked softly. His friends looked at him with equally pained expressions on their faces. It was a question they had asked themselves for the last ten years. Why hadn't their parents just them end it? Why had they been stopped?

"He was---he was right there. I---was right there. It would've been so simple. Everything would've been fine if they had just let me do it," Tom stated hoarsely. He let out a labored breath. "They should've---they should've let me do it," he insisted. He dropped to his knees, bringing Rod with him.

"Tommy," Kelly murmured as she and Melissa bent down to their friends' level. Rod turned to look at them.

"We'd all be better off if Fred Torres had never been born," he growled angrily. Meanwhile, a car pulled into a driveway. The boy got out of the car and headed for the front porch. In the bushes, a figure crouched, waiting. Just a little bit further and he'd have him. The boy continued until---something sharp hit his right leg. With a cry, he fell to the ground. Torres quickly dragged the boy towards him and put a gloved finger to his lips. Then, he hoisted the teen over his shoulder, carried him to a sedan, dumped him in the backseat, and then drove away. There was no trace of what had happened except for a piece of paper tucked safely under a rock.