Author's Note: Thank you so much for the interest shown is this story! As this is my first fic ever, every time I receive an e-mail telling me someone favored, followed the story or wrote a review, my day gets 100 times better! If you have ideas or suggestions about how you want this to continue, please tell! Also, if you are unhappy with something, message me and I will do my best to satisfy your wishes. I would also like to apologize for my lack of skill in writing cases, I've never done it before, so I really hope what I wrote makes sense. Well, here comes chapter 4 :)
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners.
They have been listening to Jensen Williams interview police officers for the past 2 hours. You could see with the naked eye that he had experience with this. After the first 4 cops were interviewed, Korsak and Frost kept insisting to let him be and go back to doing something productive, but in the end Jane's stubbornness won over. Now, 4 cups of coffee later, Korsak started watching videos with kittens on his phone and Frost was day-dreaming. The brunette was the only one paying attention, her gut telling her to keep her eyes on Jensen. Jane rose from her chair and stretched her lanky arms and legs. She started walking slowly around the room, massaging away the pain in her back. When she turned around to look at the screen again, the federal agent was gone from the room.
"What the…" Jane's voice startled Korsak making him jump from his chair and woke Frost from his reverie.
Not long after, you could hear Jensen determined steps approach the bullpen.
"What happened? " Jane asked.
Jensen acted like he didn't hear her question and commanded Frost:
"Barry, look up the last buildings purchased by Russians on an area of 10000 square miles around Boston."
Frost entered working-mode in the blink on an eye. "On it."
As Frost did as he was told, Jane eyed Jensen suspiciously. The agent mouthed a quiet "Trust me" and came closer.
A list of 10 people appeared on the screen.
"Okay, now, save this list and make another search."
"What do you want me to search for?"
"I want you to search who from the list has changed his name into something that sounds more…American."
"Done."
By the end of the second search, there was only one profile left on the screen : a middle-aged man, quite fat, with pale blue eyes.
"That's our guy." Jensen stated full of satisfaction.
"Piotr Ivanovich?" Jane asked incredulously, reading the name of the screen.
"Piotr Ivanovich, studied at Harvard and moved to the U.S. After he graduated he changed his name to Peter Ivinson. He tried to adapt his name to the English version. He comes from a rich family that is the main power in the Russian Mafia. His record is clean, though, he looks like he has never been part of it."
"Until now." Jane continued.
"Until now." Jensen nodded.
"So, he may be part of the Russian Mafia, what does that have to do with Maura? Her dad was Irish, not Russian." Korsak asked.
"Frost, look up on-going cases of assault involving women and children, where we have Russian suspects whose last name is Ivanovich or Ivanson." Jensen ignored Korsak's question, just like he did with Jane's earlier.
"Why would th-…" Frost's question was cut short by Jane's glare.
A list of 4 people popped up on the screen. They all looked blood-related.
"Now look at the names of the witnesses." Jensen said.
Their eyes went down the list. Jane gasped.
"Oh my God…Patty Doyle's brother was the only witness in one of the assaults that happened in a public place." All Jane could manage was a strangled whisper.
"This means he probably told Patty about it. We all know how he was when it comes to victimized women and kids. Damn it! I was right!" Jensen clenched his fists.
"Right about…right about what?" Jane already knew the answer. She just needed a confirmation.
Jensen turned to her with sad eyes. "They captured Maura to get their hands on the agenda. And they won't let her go until they get it."
6 years of Med School taught Maura the importance of positive thinking when dealing with a life-threatening disease. She was told that the human brain can influence the outcome of a situation regarding the human body just by being optimistic and believing it will be okay. She never agreed that your way of thinking could possibly have anything to do with the way your body responds to danger. Not until now, anyway. Because now, she finally understood what they had meant by 'danger'. It wasn't "normal danger" like breaking your arm, having an internal bleeding…Hell, they didn't even mean when you get hit by a car. No, in those cases, medicine and technology saved you. High-tech medicine and hot-shot doctors did the saving. What they had meant, were situations where medicine was no longer helpful. When the human body was on its own. When you needed to be your own hero. When kidneys finally gave in because the weight of the surgery was too much, and all your organs came crushing down afterwards. When you had cancer in the last stage. Situations where hoping and believing were everything you had left. Your only choice. Situations like the one she was in.
…
She kept going. She didn't allow herself to think of the agenda. She didn't allow herself to think of anything that mattered to her. She didn't allow herself to think about Jane. Because everything she was thinking about, was represented on the computer's screen. And they pushed. They sent electric waves powerful enough to make her scream, but just not enough to kill her neurons. It was a dangerous dance on a line so thin, you couldn't see it with the naked eye. They pushed so hard, Maura thought her brain was going to burst because of the pain. She didn't even feel her body anymore. It was just that indescribable ache running through her. Consuming everything that she is. No. I won't let them win. No. As long as she kept going, they couldn't do much. But the moment she let meaningful thoughts enter her mind, they could save them, twist them, and send them back, making her fight with herself. Making her question her reality. Making her wonder for the rest of her days what memories are authentic, and which of them have been forced into her brain. And only then the fight would be lost. Only then the bad guys would win.
…
Every once in a while, Maura had to remind herself why she wasn't giving up. She had to remind herself the concept behind the computer and the fact that its effectiveness completely depends on her. She didn't care they were able to see her thinking about it, if she didn't do it, she would give in and regret it for the rest of her life.
Again. They electrocute my mind to cause so much pain to think I'm dying. When someone thinks they are dying, they reminisce their favorite memories. They want me to think about what matters most to me so they can use it against me. I'm not actually dying. I'm more valuable to them alive than dead. I'm not dying. I have to hold on. Just hold on. If not for yourself, do it for Jane.
And she did.
Jane and Jensen were driving to the address of the building Piotr Ivanovich recently bought, Frost and Korsak closely behind them. They had another dozen detectives and police officer on the way there. Jane let the agent drive, too nervous to concentrate on anything. She was fidgeting with her hands when she spoke softly, her words barely above a whisper.
"Take me through it again."
Jensen let out a small sigh, but obliged, trying to put her nerves at ease. "Piotr's smaller brother, who is part of the Russian Mafia, is the main suspect in an on-going case of assault that took place in the bathroom of a restaurant. Doyle's brother, part of the Irish Mafia, was inside the bathroom when it happened. He is the only witness. He managed to get away and tell Patty about it. Of course, Doyle noted it down in his agenda, waiting for the opportunity to 'make justice'. With Doyle in prison, Piotr thought it would be easier to get his hands on the agenda, knowing Patty gave it to Maura. So, he kidnapped her. In the agenda is not only his brother's name, but also Doyle's brother address and connections. Patty keeps in that agenda all the important stuff. How Ivanovich knows Doyle gave the agenda to his daughter, I have no idea, but the important thing is that he does. Now all that matters is to save Maura. When we arrive at the building, we split. You and I go through the back, Frost and Korsak take the sides, each with one more detective. The rest of the crew takes the front. We all attack in the same time. Once we are in, you look for Maura and get out of there as soon as possible. That's it." He chanced a glance at the detective. She was bitting the bottom lip, emotions all over her face. He has never seen her like that before. "Jane…"
She managed to turn her head and look him in the eye.
"You'll save her."
"She hates me."
"You will save her nonetheless."
Huh, maybe I was wrong about him. Maybe he is actually one of the good guys. Her eyes softened visibly. "Thanks."
The remainder of the ride was done in a comfortable silence.
…
Jane, Jensen, Frost and Korsak all arrived simultaneously.
As she got out of the car, her nerves came back tenfold.
Why do I have a bad feeling about this? Jane tried not to think too much about it, but the thought of going in there and having someone else beside Frost or Korsak watch her back made her feel anxious. She looked over at Williams who was getting ready for the intervention. He proved it over and over again that he is on our team. If it weren't for him, we wouldn't even be here right now. Oh, shit, I haven't even asked how he found out about the Russians and the connections they had to Doyle…
"Hey, Jensen," Jane turned over to watch his reaction "how did you find out about the Russians? From whose interrogation?"
He tried to keep a straight face and gave a nonchalant shrug, but Jane had too much experience to not notice when the expression of his eyes changed.
"Oh, well…" He averted his gaze from Jane's "I suppose…ugh…I suppose you can say I was lucky."
To anyone else he looked shy, but not to Jane.
"I want Frost and Korsak to come with us."
"No!" The agent pushed his hands out in front of him, as if trying to physically push away the idea. After a moment he composed himself "Why? I mean, they would be of better use if they covered the sides."
"Oh well, I want them with me. Let's just say I'm not feeling lucky today." Jane made a point of speaking calm and even every word, pausing a little at 'lucky'.
"Okay then, sure. If that makes you feel better."
"It does, actually, thank you." Deep down, she found a smile.
He didn't answer. "Frost, Korsak, ready to go?"
"Ready when you are." They grabbed their guns and took off towards the building.
With every passing second, it became harder and harder for Maura to go on. Her mind was numb. She tried to focus on her breathing, but every time a new shock wave went through her all she could go was try and not fall into a coma. If she did…I wouldn't wake up as myself ever again. In state of sleep, or coma, thoughts run freely, our will useless.
Piotr entered the room, talking at the same time "How's it going?"
Some guy who maneuvered the computer answered "Still nothing. She is stronger than we thought. If we intensify the waves she would become brain-dead."
Even though she heard the words, she couldn't listen. Her mind was too tired to register their meaning. So, so tired. If I could rest, just for a little while. Her eyes started to close.
Jane. She felt her body go slack, but not before the face of the detective flushed brightly before her closed eyes. I'm so sorry. And she held on. Until she could hold on no more.
As the four of them entered the building, Jane took a deep breath.
"You didn't say it." Korsak whispered.
"Excuse me?" Jane looked at him, trying to understand what he meant.
"Your phrase. You always say it when we go for the rescue. You didn't say it today."
Jane gave a small smile, but her eyes were sad. "No…no, I didn't."
"Say it, Jane. It's your lucky juju."
"Okay. Well, gentlemen. It's a good day to save lives!" By the end of it, she was already feeling better. Damn, how could Korsak know me so well?
Jensen, who was walking in front of them, turned his head, an evil sparkle in his eyes. "Oh, I don't think so... you see, nobody is getting saved."
And when he snapped his fingers, all hell broke loose.