A/N: So I know I said that the last chapter would be the last for a week – but I had a sudden need to write the next chapter; possibly because it so full on; and I was in one of those emotional-channelling moods. I've loved each and everyone of the reviews, so please keep them coming and I hope you enjoy this instalment! This will most likely be the last for a week however.
Chapter 7 – The Tracking
TR1 and TR2 came racing around the corner towards the Medibank Icehouse. The sound of the engines revving and the tires squealing to a halt brought pedestrians and citizens all around to look at the tactical response officers dispatching from their vehicles, guns drawn and aimed at the ice house.
"Leon, we're at the Icehouse. You're positive this is the safe house?" Charlie uttered into his mic.
"Yeah, we're positive guys. From what we can tell they're using a cellar room as a storage facility for weapons and drugs. It's nothing unusual for Kronin, but storing it such a public place is a little out of the norm." Leon called back into his headset, scanning the information that was popping up before him with the help of his trusty assistance, Audrey.
"Alright, copy that Leon." Charlie spoke smoothly, signalling Shannon and Stella to make the approach toward the entrance. "I want the place cleared before we start waving our guns around in there. Get all innocents out, is that clear?" Charlie spoke to the point; receiving an understanding nod from his fellow officers. "Josh; you're waiting with me."
With the order, Josh reluctantly pulled himself back and regrouped with Charlie, watching on as Shannon and Stella entered the facility, holstering their guns and tending to getting the paying customers out. Swarms of people departed and Charlie as well as Josh kept a level eye out for anyone acting suspiciously. For the most part those leaving were younger teen couples, family groups and a couple of the odd school wagging teenagers that felt obliged to take a day off for a fun day out with their mates at the ice house; but other than that vastly low level of suspicious behaviour – everyone seemed normal.
"Well – if they're here – they're still inside." Charlie spoke, putting out the clearly obvious as he began pacing towards the entrance. Falling in step, Josh accompanied the Senior Sergeant and held his pistol down in a neutral position. The silence of the ice house was unnerving. The slight humming of vending machines seemed to be the only thing keeping the place from being possessed by a completely dead silence.
"There's no one here, Charlie." Stella spoke, disappointed and anxious. "We've got the wrong place. We've dealt with Kronin enough to know that he wouldn't use a place like this as a safe house. It's way too public." She offered, looking the Senior Sergeant directly in the eyes.
"Give the place a thorough look. I'm convinced there's something going on here, Stell'." Charlie added after a brief pause, and Josh, surprisingly offered his word of agreement.
"It'd be a good place to hide a body. It's cold." Josh's words were low and as much as he didn't want to say them – the point was an obvious one. If Kronin's goons had killed Michael, or needed a place to put him, an icy facility that preserved the body would've been a good place to do it. It wouldn't smell and it wouldn't rot away. The look on Stella's face when Josh uttered the possibility spoke for itself. She almost looked as if she were going to be sick; she couldn't lose Michael. Not after losing Dom only a few months ago. That couldn't happen to her. It couldn't happen to TR.
It was the sudden sound of a door swinging open that caught the officers' attention. Charlie and Josh swung their heads to meet the noise, and there stood a man with slicked back black hair and a tracksuit on. His eyes were scanning the officers in the ice house over and the look of concern plastered across his dimwitted features was immiscible.
"Shit! Kronin – cops!" the tracksuit man pulled the door shut and rushed off in the opposite direction. Josh sprung into action and bolted for the door, grabbing at the handle and pulling the door open, barely stopping in his stride as he did it. Charlie was slightly slower off the mark, giving Stella and Shannon the order to keep eyes on the entrance to make sure the criminals didn't double back, the Senior Sergeant followed Josh down towards the underground cooling area. It was an intense run. The cool air underneath the ice house had Josh's chest hurting with every step he took and when he started narrowing in on the target, his boots lost traction on the damp floors and he was forced to regain his footing to a degree. The scar faced officer, ducked and weaved under endless exposed pipe, and eventually, he found himself in a straight corridor; his target still needing to run a good four to five meters before he had the opportunity to round a corner and get out of sight. Pulling his gun to eye level, Sergeant Joshua called. "Police! Stop where you are, get on the ground and put your hands on your head. I will shoot you!"
The running male halted, but had no intention of going quietly. Reaching down the front of his pants, he turned quickly; gun clenched and fired two shots. One bullet whizzed passed Josh's head and narrowly missed him – as well as Charlie who'd skidded around the corner and almost crashed into a wall. The second bullet clipped Josh's leg and he found himself struggling down with a slight wince of pain. None the less, the officer kept a steady sight and discharged one shot; landing a perfect hit on the targets weapon arm. The track suiting wearing goon dropped his weapon and fell to the floor wailing in pain and Josh advanced, kicking the gun to a safe distance and applied his tie-on's as cuffs.
"Charlie!" Josh called back, "Keep an eye on this one would ya'? I'm gonna' check if there are anymore up ahead." Josh spoke, not waiting for a response before taking off around the corner and tracking along to determine whether Kronin had escaped or not. Inevitably, he'd had more than enough time to get on his merry way – and Michael Sandrelli was nowhere to be seen.
...
"Nice to see that you're both doing well. You gave the policing world quite a bit of a scare there at one stage." Commissioner Steven Hoff-Bauer spoke with a broad grin plastered over his face; his eyes levelling on both Kerry and Lawson who'd found themselves once again back in his office – for yet again – more official police business.
"Yeah, well – I can't say it was planned." Kerry spoke, almost jokingly, but with a sense of honesty to her words.
"Yeah." Lawson agreed, his eyes holding on the Commissioner and his hands tapping impatiently away at the sides of his arm rests. Truth be told, the Senior Sergeant just wanted to be at home with Shannon. He hadn't had the privilege to pay her a visit since getting back – and after what had happened – and what he'd heard about happening to Michael and Christian; the idea of spending time with the people you loved was ever more longed for.
"Well, let's get right down to the juicy gossip then shall we?" Steven spoke, with a cocky raise of the brow. There was no doubting that the Commissioner was taking a little offence from Lawson's attitude, and Kerry's reluctance to engage in a decent conversation. "It's been decided that Miguel Venture will be let off without conviction due to his ongoing, undeniably helpful assistance towards the police. My 'friends in high places' have determined that they're going to be able to make it look legitimate so long as he keeps his mouth shut on exactly what he saw them do." Steven smiled confidently. Kerry's eyes tracked over to Lawson whose hands had now stopped pattering away but were clutching at the sides of the chair for dear life. The Superintendant's heart was racing. Did this dipshit that was sitting in front of her realize that the Senior Sergeant and her herself were immensely close to Dominic Wales?
"I'd like for you to break the news to the press!" the Commissioner spoke, breaking the awkward silence that had arisen. But seemingly, more silence followed and Kerry looked towards the ground, and back up, "Steven – I – You're going to have to get someone else. I'm not breaking that to the press. This guy deserves to serve time, and you're just going to let him walk scott-free? That's just not right. He killed people, Steven. He killed a friend of mine – and he's shitting all over what the Victoria police stand for." Kerry uttered painfully away.
"Who gives a shit what the Victoria police stand for? I am Victoria police and without me – there'd be no backbone to this force! Fuck Dominic Wales; he was a necessary casualty! He's had his media coverage and he can be forgotten – and good riddance! He's played the hero; that's more than I can say for half of the police force!" the commissioners words stung Lawson like nothing else had. The Senior Sergeant raced to his feet and his hands clenched at his sides.
"I'll fucking out you if you let, Venture walk…" Lawson snapped. "Over the past few weeks I've been here, I've seen more corrupt policing than I have in my entire career, and it's coming from the top of the ranking ladder. I couldn't think of anything better than replacing some dickhead who thinks his top shit with someone who takes policing seriously!" The Senior Sergeant advanced toward the desk, a rage burning in his chest and stomach; his eyes watering slightly from the anger he was trying to suppress.
"Lawson!" Kerry tried.
"You can either hold the charges you've got on Venture, or I'll out you. Simple as that."
"Lawson!" Kerry called again, more punch in her voice this time.
"No Kerry. Stuff him!" Lawson shot, raising his hand back at her, but keeping his eyes fixated on the Commissioner.
Steven's faced was tomato red. Whether it was from anger or sheer embarrassment, or both was beyond the care of Lawson. All that mattered was that this asshole set things right and made sure Venture went away for the crimes he'd committed.
"Senior Sergeant Blake. You can consider yourself dismissed from active duty." The Commissioner tried to utter composed.
"Really? On what? Attempting to stop, deter and prevent police corruption? Good luck having that stand. I've got a witness here, Commissioner. What've you got? A couple of high-paid police officials who'll do their best to tamper with video surveillance evidence running in your office, which mind you, is in the favour of my case? You've dug your own grave, Commissioner; now you can bloody well lie in it." Lawson's voice of pure victory broke the air and Kerry's eyebrows rose in amazement at his well thought out defence. Her hands had previously been clenching the sides of her chair in the same way Lawson had been, but now, she'd felt herself release.
"G… Get out." The Commissioner spoke, trying to sound confident in his response.
"Oh, it'd be a pleasure." Lawson shot back, following Kerry as she departed the room, running an anxious hand through her hair.
"Oh, Lawson. You're lucky you had your ass covered in there – because – Christ, I thought you were on your ass and out of the job." Kerry smiled back, a sigh of relief escaping her lips.
"Well, Kerry – I didn't become a Senior Sergeant and the primary negotiator of an elite squad by sitting on my ass and avoiding the technicalities of policing now did I?" Lawson smiled back cockily.
...
"Where's Michael?" Josh spoke slowly, leaning down at the level of the suspect they'd arrested. The Sergeant had been at interrogating the newly arrested suspect for a good half an hour and he'd gotten nowhere. Charlie wasn't one for Josh's brutish methods and beatings and so, the Sergeant had to tap into some of the stuff he'd seen Kerry and Lawson do over the years. Using their words to try and weave their way into getting information.
"Listen to me. You're in some serious shit here. If you help us, we can get you cleared. You'll serve a lesser sentence – maybe even not serve a sentence at all. Give us something?" Josh tried once more, and this time, received a glance. It was a sign; the guy was considering the Sergeants offer. "I'm serious. You give us even a little bit of info on where our guy is, and we can help you…." Josh spoke softly, standing back to full height and looking down on the track suit wearing man. A grunt escaped his lips, and he sat in silence for a moment before starting at anything.
"Alright." He lipped. "You're not gonna' like it – but here it is. The copper we got; Kronin asked us to pick him up and teach him a lesson. We were beatin' into him and one of the guys got carried away. He got shot, mate. Your guys dead."
Josh's heart stopped. His face fell pale and he hesitated backwards, feeling as if he were going to collapse from the instant jab of bad news that came his way. The nausea in his head made him feel as if he was in limbo, and slowly, the Sergeant managed to find his center of gravity.
"That's bullshit. Where is he?" Josh's denial was dangerous.
"Some warehouse…. I dono. Does it matter; he's long gone mate."
"He's not! Tell me where he is!" Josh yelled furiously, his nausea and heartache turning into anger as he let his fist fly into the suspects face. Splitting the mans lip, he fell onto his side, grunting in pain yet again. Before Charlie could come and restrain Josh, he'd managed to get a food few more hits in.
"Josh!" Charlie pulled at the struggling Sergeant, "What the hell do you think you're doing!" pushing him in the opposite direction to the suspect, Charlie held his hand against the Sergeant's chest as insurance in case he lashed out again.
Catching his breath, Josh shook his head, "He said – he said Michael's dead." Josh struggled to repeat the words, and this time, Stella overheard.
"Bullshit…" she spoke from behind and advanced, "No! That can't be right. Josh – he's alright! He's going to be fine." Stella didn't know exactly who she was trying to convince; herself, or Josh; maybe both. "Josh…" she tried once more, but felt her hands shaking at her sides. The shock had taken her over and she didn't know what emotions she was feeling. "Josh…." She repeated once more, falling towards him in need of some sort of embrace. Taking her into his arms, Josh felt the need to let his sorrows roam free and cry; but he didn't. He needed to stay strong for Stella and stay true to his idea that Michael was going to be alright. TR was going to find Michael, and he was going to be perfectly fine. Michael was too young to go; to naïve. For god sake he was still living with his parents. It was way too soon to say goodbye to him – and hence – Josh wasn't coming to terms with the idea that he may have too.
"Guys…." Shannon piped up in as appropriate of a voice she could. "You found James at an abandoned warehouse near the West Gate. Maybe that's where we can find him. Find Michael." She didn't want to say his name. Even Shannon was struggling with the idea of losing a friend and teammate.
"It's worth a shot." Charlie nodded in agreement, a solemness to his tone. "Josh, Stell', Shan and I'll go check it out."
"No." Josh piped.
"We'll go." Stella added, wiping the tears from her eyes as she fell away from Josh's chest.
Charlie didn't argue and simply nodded. There was no way that he could argue with them – not when they were in this position. Not when the worst confrontation possible could be waiting around the corner.
Making their way out to the car, Stella and Josh readied for their departure. The world around them seemed to be moving so slowly, and the car – quickly through a world without moving time. The drive to the warehouse was too long to even time. It felt like a day had passed by the time they were even nearing it, but eventually, they found themselves parked at the front of it and Stella couldn't even move. She wanted to get out of the car. She wanted to go and see whether Michael was going to be okay – whether he was even here, but her body didn't want too. It didn't want to put her through that; not something that traumatic. Not now. Not ever.
Stepping out of the car, Josh leaned back in to give Stella a look, "You coming, Stell'?" he asked, his voice shaky from the emotion he was clearly trying to hold back. But Stella shook her head and kept her eyes fixated out the front windscreen. "I can't, Josh. I can't do this." She spoke quickly, her hands still clenching the steering wheel as if she were driving, even though she'd stopped several moments ago.
Nodding his head, the Sergeant shut the door softly and took a few assessed steps towards the entrance to the old warehouse door. Moving towards it and placing his hand onto the handle, Josh opened it and took a step in. The dark, moist and terrible interior reminded him of when they'd found James. The exact spot they'd found him was engraved in the Sergeant's head. It was about three meters ahead through a dark sheet draped over a doorway to prevent anyone seeing in. So the walk to the drapery seemed long and uninformed and Sergeant Joshua stopped before he could pass through it. The sound of chains creaking made Josh's eyes close and with one quick motion, Josh pulled the drapery open. Ahead was a body, chains branching from the roof to the bound hands of a young male, dangling just a few inches off the ground. His toes were just touching the ground, but his body was beaten, broken and his eyes were opening and closing; the whites revealing themselves as his eyes rolled back. In that moment, one thing was for certain. Even through all the blood – Josh knew exactly who he was looking at; Michael.