Thoughts, Trap Sprung & The Secret's Out

Home of Marbella Ridgewater

Spike had long ago gone to Dame Ridgewater's master bedroom on the second floor of the house. He had cringed as he put on the bathrobe. But took solace in the fact that he no longer had to wear the heels. Christ how the hell did women walk in those things.

He lay on top of the bed pretending to sleep. It was a bit hard not to actually nod off though. The bed was so comfortable and they had all been up for more than twenty-four hours. He glanced at the bedside digital clock 4:27 am. He wished the men would attempt a kidnapping so they could bring them to justice for what they did to Sam. Add another twenty-five years or so to their sentences so they never saw another day outside prison.

Spike wanted this over quickly so he could go check on Sam. He wondered if they had to do surgery. God he hoped not. Sam would be out for a long time if they had to do that. Spike begged in his mind that the bleeding had stopped. The team just wasn't the same without Jules and Sam.

Those two brought an easy, good feeling of camaraderie to the team. It was fun watching those two as they bantered back and forth. He'd never seen best friends between a man and a woman before. But those two were exactly that. They knew how each other ticked and were great partners because of it. The team just lacked something when they were gone. Then it occurred to him, the team lacked heart and soul without them.

Spike shifted on the bed, he hoped those men attempted it soon. Poor Jules sounded devastated on the phone. He wished she had been able to get there before the team had to leave. She sounded like she needed a hug. Jules was now all alone watching over Sam.

The whole team should be there right now. Then Spike remembered, no Jules and Sam were not all alone. Whoever this Dame Ridgewater was she was there too. He saw on the monitors as the elderly woman entered Sam's room. She had given Sam such a compassionate look as she approached his bedside. Then the Boss called him and they headed here.

Donna yawned from her position in the walk-in closet. She was Spike's first line of defense. She was thinking that the hours in vice were never quite this long. She was also thinking that this trap was a bust tonight. The convicts were unlikely to show. She wanted to catch them because they were the lowest of the low. Ex-cops that potentially had become cop killers.

She let her mind wander over this whole situation. She didn't really like or dislike Sam. She didn't know him and he held her at distance refusing to even talk to her. But he seemed the moody type and she had seen some of the looks he had given her when he did not know she saw him. Clearly he thought she did not belong on this team and didn't want her here. He was acting more like a resentful child than a professional. But she could take it. She wondered if his vacation had to do with his behavior towards her.

The team had made lots of excuses for Sam's behavior. Ed's first one 'he's shy' was just down right stupid. There was nothing shy about that man. He was self-assured and a bit cocky. But even he didn't deserve what happened to him. She'd seen people beaten before but that was bad. She tried to push the image of Sam in the basement from her head.

She hated to think this way but she really didn't think Sam would survive. Not that she wanted anything bad to happen to him but he looked that bad as the medics had cut off his shirt. Not an inch of his face, torso and arms wasn't black, blue, purple and all other colors. But then Lou had joked about him bruising worse than it was so maybe, hopefully.

Wordy stretched his back and rotated his head around his shoulders. He was stationed in the living room at the front of the first floor hidden by long full draperies. Part of him was feeling a little stiff but he chided himself. There was no way in hell he felt as bad or as sore as Sam. He had been stewing the entire night still trying to figure out why Ed had ridden Sam so hard. He had come to the conclusion it did not have anything to do with Donna.

Something else was definitely up. He was pretty sure it had to do with Sam and Jules. Did they take it beyond where they should? His mind was split in two on this. But if he was honest with himself, the side he never thought would win was actually winning the battle of conscience. If so, did it really matter?

He couldn't recall any change in their work on the job if they had. And both of them were so alone in life. They had so much in common. Sam may have reconciled with his family but the residual effects still left him valuing the team more than his biological family. Poor Jules, the team was her only family. Her idiot father and brothers shunned her.

So they had a lot in common. They were partnered most days. They seemed to understand each other and shared so many likes. They were off mountain biking together or at the gun range most days off. Sam was the only one who could calm Jules with a single call of her name. He was so protective of her. Jules was the only one able to pull Sam out of his silent, closed off moods after he had to take a lethal shot. Hell she was also very protective of him.

They were a good match, he couldn't think of anyone better for either one of them. So what if they had found each other, would that be so bad? Wordy sighed and shifted his weight a bit, it would only be bad if the brass found out. Breaking a rule like that could be cause for dismissal from SRU and even the force completely. He wouldn't want that for either of them. Would they risk that to be together? A small part hoped they would. Both deserved to have someone special in their lives.

Lou was in one of the upstairs bedrooms with a view of the back. He was watchman and second backup for Spike. He didn't like that Spike was so vulnerable and laying there playing bait. It was the riskiest position in this trap. He liked Donna alright but she was no Jules. He wished he or Jules was the one covering Spike right now.

He was also wishing they had a chance to visit Sam before they left. He looked so bad and he prayed the bleeding had stopped. Anger boiled in him against the men that did that to him. Darker thoughts from his past kept creeping in as he thought what he would like to have happen to them. Thoughts he had to shove down hard.

His mind also kept coming back to and questioning why Sam was on vacation. His suggestion to Spike that it was related to Volcek didn't wash anymore with him. Sam was a soldier and that would not faze him. Likely he would be pissed that he got taken but the rest, no that wouldn't be why he needed a vacation. But then why?

Ed was in the first floor dining room at the back of the house. He had plenty of time tonight to beat the crap out of himself for what he said to Sam. He kept replaying it over and over in his mind. Each time it felt worse and worse as he recalled small nuances he did not pick up on as he was laying into him. The small almost imperceptible looks of hurt. The telling slight downward or sideways flicks of Sam's eyes. The flat emotionless mask that slid into place. Ah Christ the flat toned Yes Sirs.

This was going to require more than a simple I'm sorry buddy. Christ what if Sam decided to leave the team? He wouldn't blame him if he did. But he knew six people that would flay him alive. He deserved it for the way he handled this situation.

He admitted and accepted that yes he handled it wrong. But he also felt strongly it had to be dealt with; there were rules. The rules were in place to keep everyone safe. He thought about Sophie. He imagined if he and Sophie worked together. If he was ever in a situation that required him to get a hostage instead of Sophie first he would not be able to do it.

Protocols were there to keep the team objective to keep them safe. His job was to keep the whole team safe so they could return home to their families after shift ended. They were cops and followed the rules, they didn't make them or interpret them. They enforced them. It was a slippery slope if they started picking and choosing which rules to follow.

Greg was positioned in the entry hall near the stairs. They had repositioned three large potted plants to provide him cover. He was positioned to assist either downstairs or upstairs if needed. The perimeter of the grounds contained various other officers from the task force.

He called out softly for the routine check "Status?" They had established a known rotation for response Ed, Wordy, Spike, Donna then Lou. He got the all okay from each. Then he switched channels and checked with Arbor on the perimeter for any movement and got an all clear.

He checked his watch, 4:36 am. It was looking like it wouldn't happen tonight. They had all been up for over twenty-four hours and the team had been in their positions for nearly nine hours. His team needed rest. Bad things could happen if they were too fatigued. Clear thinking could go out the window and they were all on edge anyways worried about Sam. They would need to get another team in place soon.

He was about to call it quits when Arbor called out "I see movement in the rear of the house near the dining room. Two figures moving slowly. No wait make that four."

Greg acknowledged and told them to move in to secure all exits after the subjects entered the house. Then he switched channels and informed the team. Everyone tensed. They were actually attempting a kidnapping. Sam had been right to be worried about Dame Ridgewater.

They all knew the plan. They needed to allow the men to enter the house. They needed to catch them in the act so that their sentences would increase and never be a threat to Sam or others again. If they attempted to flee and actually got passed the team then Arbor and Fulco's task force would apprehend them.

Ed watched as the one of the doors to the terrace outside the dining room opened silently. He watched as four men slipped inside. He overheard the large fat one, Brogan, tell two others to search the upstairs while he and the other checked the lower level.

Greg watched as two men headed upstairs. He squelched his comlink twice to alert Spike, Lou and Donna that two men were heading upstairs.

Wordy watched as one man came into the living room. Part of him wanted to act now but he knew to hold. They had to make their move on Spike first.

Robert and Charley padded up the stairs as quietly as they could. They checked four bedrooms before coming to a set of large double doors at one end of the hall. Charley opened the door slowly and peered in. He turned back to Robert and said "Bingo."

Charley pulled the gun from his waist and slowly entered the room as Robert poured a large amount of chloroform onto a rag. He sniffed it. Whoa it was strong. Charley looked at him and whispered harshly "Idiot don't get that close to your face or you'll be out in seconds flat."

Robert snorted softly "I know what I'm doing jackass. Just cover me."

Charley shook his head, Robbie steel-toes was an idiot, a complete idiot. Why the hell did he always get stuck with Robert. He took up a position near the walk-in closet as Robert approached the bed.

Donna could hear them enter but could not make out their words they spoke quietly. She squelched her comlink once to alert the team the men were in the room. She readied herself to act.

Spike tried not to move. He tensed preparing himself to react. He had no idea what if anything they would come at him with, gun, knife or something else. He felt one of them come close.

Then a very pungent, sweet smelling, soaking rag was pushed over his nose and mouth. He lurched back and forth trying to remove it. The rag was held tightly and he could not dislodge it. Spike held his breath for as long as he could trying to get it off. But his lungs were bursting. He needed air. He finally had to inhale. Within a few seconds his extremities went numb and then his vision and hearing faded. He was unconscious within seconds.

At the sound of the squelch Lou had started moving from his position to get closer to the master bedroom. He was just outside the door when he heard the muffled sound. He was trying to decide exactly what the sound was when he heard Donna call out "Freeze SRU you are…"

He burst into the room and saw Donna duck a punch and then sweep the legs out from a man. Charley fell backwards and struck his head on a marble tabletop and was down for the count. But as Lou was raising his gun and yelled "Freeze" Robert kicked out towards Donna's head and connected with her jaw. She went down hard, out cold. Lou had his gun on the man "Freeze now, police you are un…"

Robert rushed him. Shit, Lou thought. They went down in a tangle of arms and legs just outside the room. Lou was struggling to get the upper hand on Robert. He needed to get this guy subdued fast he need to check on Donna and Spike. He didn't know either of their conditions. He finally got on top and positioned Robert on his stomach kneeling on his back as he held one of Robert's arms twisted securely behind his back.

He was grabbing for Robert's other arm to cuff him as Greg appear at the top of the stairs rushing to help him. Lou called out "Boss, I got him. Check on Spike and Donna. Don't know Spike's condition but Donna took a kick to the jaw and went down hard and the other subject was down too but not cuffed yet."

Greg entered the room and first cuffed an unconscious Charley and checked his pulse. Then he bent down and checked an unconscious Donna. Her pulse was strong and steady thank goodness. Then he went to Spike. He held his breath as a strong odor of chloroform emanated from near Spike.

He quickly reached down and pulled the rag off that covered Spike's nose and mouth. He tossed the rag across the room into a corner well away from them. There was enough chloroform on the rag to knock out a damned horse Greg thought. He checked Spike's pulse. Good thank god. He loosened Spike's collar so he could breathe easier.

Greg called out "Two officers and one subject down. Need EMS in the master bedroom." He ran to the master bathroom to get a wet wash cloth. He needed to get the residual chloroform off Spike's face quickly.

Meanwhile at the sounds of the call to freeze from above stairs Wordy had commanded Al to freeze. Al raced for the dining room and Wordy pursued. He tackled the man just inside the dining room. There was a short scuffle but Wordy quickly took control.

Wordy was in the process of cuffing Al as he glanced over and saw Ed was cuffing Brogan. Brogan was easy to bring down. When Ed told him to freeze he had simply given up, too lazy to run.

Rising from the floor Wordy yanked Al up too and put him in a chair next to Brogan. They heard Lou's call out to Greg and then Greg's call for EMS. Wordy looked at Ed "Go. You need to check on Spike and Donna. I've got these two until the patrol officers arrive." Ed took off at a run for the upstairs.

Just after Greg entered the room Lou finally got the cuffs on Robert as he struggled to get out of his hold. Over the comlink Greg, Ed, and Wordy all heard the conversation between Robert and Lou.

Robert yelled "How the hell did you know we would be coming here?"

As he continued to hold down Robert waiting, wanting to keep the stairs clear for EMS to get to his teammates, Lou said smoothly "That would because of Sam's concern for Dame Ridgewater."

Robert quit struggling at the implication "You found Braddickhead?"

Lou bristled at the name the asshole had called Sam but he continued in an unfazed tone "Yes we found Sam. Lucky for you he was still alive."

"We should have killed that pathetic cocky shit before we left. But no we left him to slowly starve to death" Robert ground out pissed off they had found him alive.

At those words Lou bent low and close. The anger that had been welling in him all night came to a head and he could not stop himself. In a tone no one on the team would have ever known possible from Lou he said deadly seriously "If we had found him dead or if he still dies none of you four will live much longer. Of that you can be assured. I will avenge my brother's death."

Ed was still on his way. Lou's tone shocked the hell out of him and he called out in a warning voice meant to recall Lou to his senses "Lou!" Ed knew they were all on edge and it was hard to be objective given what these men had done to Sam. He didn't want Lou to lose it and do something he would regret.

Lou didn't respond because Robert laughed "Yeah right. Quit trying to play bad cop it doesn't suit you. We heard them call you less lethal Lou. We know Braddickhead is a screw up we watched him for two weeks. He has no family, your brother, now that's just laughable. No one gives shit about him. We clearly saw that."

Lou fought hard the urge to slam the man's head into the floor. The only reason he didn't is because of Ed calling his name a moment ago. He opted to say "It would be in your best interest to shut the hell up."

Not listening in the least Robert continued "You know if he dies it will save your bosses the paperwork necessary to kick him off your team. Always thought he was a by the book wimp. Guess not so much now. God that was fun watching them flay him alive for over an hour for breaking the rules and screwing your teammate Jules."

"Laughed so damned hard when the tall one told him he should have just kept it in his pants and she deserved better than him. All the pathetic little shit could say was Yes Sir, My fault Sir." Robert mimicked Sam's flat, dead tone when he normally responded with those answers.

Then he laughed. Humor in his voice Robert continued as Lou stared dumbstruck at him "Then when your boss told him not to play so cruelly with her heart I just about bust a gut. If they only knew it was the reverse. Oh but that was so much fun watching as she ripped his heart out. God he looked pitiful when she told him that she loved him but broke up with him. He was almost crying when he told her that he didn't think the first time she told him she loved him would be when she broke up with him."

Emboldened because the SRU officer remained quiet he said "You know the little brunette is hot; I'd do her any day and twice on Sunday. I can see why he went after her. But boy is she heartless and cold the way she dumped him. It was so fun to watch though."

"She told him the only way she would be with him was if he left the team. God he's still so pathetic, hasn't changed a bit. Always begging for someone, anyone to want him so he wasn't alone. I saw him duck into an alley on his walk home after she discarded him. Heard him crying like a baby. I should have just put him out of his misery with a few more well placed kicks to his liver."

Robert had taken a breath to continue but whatever it was he was going to say never made it across his lips. Ed had just made it to the top of the stair case and saw Lou lose it. He watched as Lou slammed his fist into the man's face and knocked him out cold with one punch.

Then Lou looked up and saw Ed.

Ed registered aggression, condemnation and contempt like Lou would disembowel him right here and now where he stood. He could only stare back. He had no words to offer as excuse for his repugnant choice of words to someone he called friend. He stayed rooted in place maintaining Lou's gaze. If Lou came at him right now he would stand here and take it. He would not even try to defend himself. His words we indefensible.

Lou stood and turned his back on his team leader. If he didn't leave now he would do something he might possibly regret. He walked into the master bedroom and directly to Spike. He glared at Greg with the same repulsed, malevolent look he had given Ed. With barely controlled fury he declared "I'm going with Spike to the hospital."

He looked down at Spike and removed the wig. Part of him was relieved Spike had not heard all of that. Spike's world would be crushed if he had. Greg was like a father to him, but Spike was always so protective of Sam since the Central Bank call. He had seen something on the monitors that none of them had that day that and it affected him deeply. Somehow linked him to Sam.

Spike never shared what he had seen though. Now he had to decide how to handle Spike; how much or little to tell him. Spike would pick up on the tension but he couldn't crush his brother's world by telling him what Ed, Greg and Jules did. Hell he had to decide how he was going to deal with Ed, Greg and Jules. He needed some space to think. They better damn well give it to him or they would not like the result.

Greg could only nod when Lou pushed him away from Spike with his reproachful eyes alone. He went and knelt down next to Donna who was starting to stir. As he placed a hand on her shoulder to encourage her to remain still he thought what have I done?

What he had done was he had completely destroyed the team. Hearing his words back at him from that contemptable man shamed him to the core. What he had done was inexcusable. Then he realized that it was all in the transcript. It would be out in the open. Now Jules and Sam could be fired if the brass got wind of it. He closed his eyes. What had he done?

Downstairs Wordy had heard absolutely everything. He was gobsmacked. He had taken several faltering steps backwards as if to move away from a horrific scene. But it didn't stop him from hearing the despicable things Ed and Greg had said to Sam. To Sam. To Sam of all people. To tell him Jules deserved better. Every painful, lonely childhood memory Sam had shared with him flooded in. Sam never felt good enough or accepted. He reverted back to Yes Sirs. God damn them.

What the fuck were they thinking? That's right they fucking were not thinking. They went off halfcocked. Then he remembered Sam's words when they found him. Sam had gazed into Greg's eyes and so softly said 'Knew you would come for me. Thanks for caring.' Caring? Sam still had a warped sense of thinking if he thought that Ed and Greg were caring. Anger was rising, swelling and nearly overwhelming him as he dutifully guarded the pieces of shit in front of him.

Wordy was relieved when two patrol officers arrived. He had to get away from here and now. In a clipped, feral, disgusted tone he said over the headset "Patrol officers have Brogan and Al in custody. Heading to the hospital now to be with Sam. Ed, Greg, don't come near Sam or I won't be responsible for what I might do."

Wordy headed to one of the SUVs. He sat for several minutes in the driver's seat too much anger swirling around in him to drive. His hand pounded on the steering wheel several times. He watched as an unconscious Spike was loaded into an ambulance and solemn, pissed off Lou climbed in after. The doors were closed and it took off.

Then he watched as three of the dirt bags were loaded into patrol cars and left. Next he saw Donna on a gurney, he noted she was awake and felt a sense of relief for two reasons. One she appeared to be okay and two she had not heard what was said. Or at least he hoped she hadn't heard. He put the SUV in drive and followed Donna's ambulance.

Ed still had not moved much; only enough so the EMTs and patrol officers could get by. Greg came out of the master bedroom and stared at Ed at the top of the stairs. Ed wore a completely washed out blank expression. Greg didn't hear the first call to him from Fulco.

Fulco was looking between Ed and Greg wondering what the heck was going on. Greg was nonresponsive to his call. He chalked it up to team leaders in shock and concerned for injured team members. So he said again more loudly "Sergeant Parker."

Greg startled and looked at Fulco who was about five paces away. When did he get here Greg thought. He answered "Yes."

Fulco stated "If you want to head off to check on your injured officers we have the scene in hand now. The task force will do the mop up. I want to extend our thanks to your team and to Sam too. This ruse worked. Now we have seven of the ten back in custody."

Detective Fulco saw he still did not have Parker's full attention but continued anyway "Also wanted to let you know we ran the license plate on the car they used. Officers were sent to the address it was registered too. They found an elderly man tied up in his basement and his home ransacked. The man will be just fine. Good work. Always enjoyable to work with such a tight knit team."

Greg could only nod and he gave Fulco a small tight smile. Then he looked at Ed and said "Let's go. We need to talk. We need to fix this."

Ed looked at him emotionless "Can it be fixed?"

Greg removed his hat, rubbed his face, put his hat back on, and pursed his lips as his eyes misted a bit "I don't know. I just don't know. But I need to try."

Woods Behind Home of Marbella Ridgewater

On the phone the man said "You were right to worry about this."

["How much came out?" was her response.]

"Enough to do significant damage" he answered.

["Take care of it" she said.]

"Yes Ma'am" he said then hung up and looked to his partner "How long to make it disappear."

His partner turned off the live feed security cameras with sound the two had been watching and listening to on his laptop and pulled up another program "Three minutes tops."

The man smiled and set the timer on his watch "Twenty bucks says you can't do it in two."

"You're on, will be a pleasure to relieve you of your money. Go" he said as he tapped away on the computer. A short time later he said "Stop." Then reached out his hand and said "Hand it over Wilson."

"Damn Galloway you are good. One minute fifty seven seconds." Wilson said as handed the twenty over.

Mike Galloway closed his laptop and pocketed the twenty "Have to be if you work for him."

Wilson laughed "Don't you mean her?"

"Yeah, actually sometimes Mrs. General is more scary than General Badass. I can tell you she would have my hide if screwed up this one. That woman is so protective of her son." The two men packed up and headed out with no one ever knowing they had been there.