Author's note: Hi guys. Thanks again for all the reviews. You rock!

Well, here's the next chapter and I have to admit I'm not really happy with it. I rewrote it a couple of times by now, but ... I don't know I'm just not happy with it. It has also given me a headache, so I just gave up and I will let you guys be the judge of it. I just hope it doesn't suck too bad, but I'll understand if you think so. Anyway, I'm just gonna post it and go search for an Aspirin.


Chapter 9

The following morning Carter dragged herself into the precinct early. Sleep had eluded her for most of the night and she'd been checking her phone constantly for missed calls or messages. Finally giving up on sleep altogether she got up and got ready for work. The bull-pen was still pretty much deserted at this early hour. Only one desk was already occupied, proofing that Lionel Fusco's night had been less than restful, as well.

"Morning Fusco." she greeted him.

Fusco startled, having been lost in his own thoughts. "Morning," he mumbled. He got up and beckoned her to follow him to an even more private area. Considering the emptiness of the bull-pen that action seemed to be redundant, but last night's events had raised both their paranoia levels. "Have you heard from Mr. Vocabulary?"

She shook her head "No. I take it you haven't either?"

This time it was his turn to shake his head. "Should we be worried?" he asked.

"I don't know. It is Wonderboy we are talking about, right?" Joss tried to lighten the mood but judging by the grimace on Fusco's face she knew she hadn't succeeded. "How is Lee?" she inquired instead.

"A little shaken, but OK. Kids bounce back quick, ya know? Explaining to his mother why he didn't come home after practice last night without mentioning the 'K'-word? That, I tell you, wasn't easy. A few more minutes and we'd have had an AMBER alert on our asses."

Joss winced. That would have been just the icing on the cake. "What did you tell her?"

"I didn't really tell her anything. Not like I got a word in, anyway. I just kept apologizing for a million time."

They fell into silence for a few seconds. Fusco was the first to voice what was on both their minds.

"I can't believe he might be dead. That … that I killed him."

"You don't know that, Lionel. I'm sure he's going to be fine."

Lionel shot her an unbelieving look. "You did see how the guy looked when they took him away, right?"

"Please, don't remind me." Joss forcefully shook the image out of her mind's eye again. "Any ideas how HR knew about the meeting?"

Lionel's face darkened. "Those bastards put a tracking device on my car. I found it last night after dropping off Lee at his mother's."

That explained how the goon had found them. Carter made a mental note to check her car, as well, to be on the save side. But since she had been able to sneak up on the guy last night it looked like that so far she hadn't shown up on HR's radar. Still, there was enough reason to get even more paranoid.

"But how did they ... he know you and John were going to meet last night? We didn't even know about the meeting until an hour before."

Joss had tried to come up with an explanation all night only managing to get a headache instead. Even if HR had bugged Fusco's phone, she had received the call last night on the burner phone John had given her and nobody knew about. It just didn't make sense.

Fusco let out a breath. "I talked to Lee after he'd calmed down a bit last night. You know, trying to figuring out what that son of a bitch did to my son." He shook his head. Anger and bewilderment fighting a battle over his expression. "Apparently, it was dumb luck."

Carter creased her brow. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, he grabbed my son after Hockey practice with the intention of using him to force me to take him to Wonderboy. I don't think he knew about the meeting. He just followed me and took advantage of the situation. At least that's what I deduced from what Lee told me. Friggin' dumb luck." By now, anger had won the battle.

For a few seconds Carter just gaped at him. Bewildered she asked, "So, what are you gonna do about HR, now?

Lionel snorted, "Hell, I don't know. They crossed a line, that's for sure."

The bull-pen started to fill up with potential eavesdroppers, so Joss patted Fusco's arm in support and moved over to her own desk. She really didn't feel like it but she started working on her paperwork anyway. Out of curiosity she checked to see if any reports were filed last night that could have anything even remotely to do with what happened in that damn alley. But no bodies with unexplained bullet holes had yet shown up, as well, as no reports on victims with mysterious GSWs being treated at any local hospital. Carter had no idea how he did it but it seemed like someone with a computer had been very busy last night.

She was in the middle of her third report, her mind distracted by the tedious work, as the ringing of the cell phone Reese had once given her startled her. She glanced around inconspicuously before answering the phone. "Yes?"

"Good morning, Detective." Finch's voice sounded tired and before he could utter another word Joss inquired urgently "How is he?"

There was a short pause on the line, which made her heart sink. She glanced over to where Fusco was trying to look not to be too interested in her conversation and failed miserably. Apparently giving up on pretending he looked at her questioningly. She held up the forefinger of the hand not holding the phone, indicating that she yet had not received any information. "Finch?" she prompted once more.

The man on the other end sighed. "He's still alive."

"Thank God", Joss breathed and closed her eyes in relief. She was surprised at how much she actually worried about the man she, not so long ago, would have most gladly slapped into cuffs before he could have been whisked away by the ambulance.

Finch continued on as if she hadn't spoken. "But I'm afraid he is not well." Another pause. Apparently Finch was mentally weighing up how much he should be disclosing of John's condition. Finally, he'd made up his mind. "The doctors say if he survives the next two days his chances of recovery will look a lot better. Barring complications he'll make a full recovery."

"That's good to hear."

"He's by far not out of the woods, yet, Detective." Finch said in a grave voice.

"Is there anything I ..." Fusco cleared his throat across from her and she glanced up again, "we", she said pointedly, "can do?"

"As a matter of fact, there is, Detective." And Finch explained to her what he needed them to do to help save another live. By now she'd given up on ever finding out how he got his information. All she knew was that so far it had always been solid.

"Alright, we'll see what we can do. And Finch, we have a theory about last night."

"Yes, I heard."

"Of course you did." Joss said dryly, not even surprised anymore.

Finch ignored her. "I've been checking into it. And except for that tracking device on Detective Fusco's car, I haven't been able to find anything else to explain how HR could haven known about the meeting ... As unfortunate as it sounds, but your theory seems to be the most plausible at the moment."

Joss shook her head. "So, bad luck?" she said incredulously.

"So it would seem. But I'll continue to look into it."

Before Finch ended the call Carter made him promise to update her on John's condition regularly.

"Your concern for our mutual friend is very touching, Detective."

"Well, you know, he grows on ya."

"He certainly does ..." Finch said with a smile in his voice. "I'll stay in contact."

Without saying goodbye the line went dead and Carter returned the cell to her pocket.

"What did he say?"

Taking a deep breath Carter proceeded to fill Fusco in on her conversation with 'Mr. Vocabulary'.

"So? It's just back to normal?" Lionel asked amazed. "Can you believe that guy?"

Joss just shrugged her shoulders. She knew that throwing oneself into one's work could act as a copying mechanism quite well.

"There is nothing normal about those two and ...well, apparently the wicked never rest."

"Yeah? Whatever." Fusco grumbled. He jotted down the name of Four-Eye's newest charity case and got to work on finding out whatever the hell the guy had gotten himself into, figuring that it was the least he could do.