So, apologies for the long delay to all the readers, and followers. Life got in the way. I do have more written, and I should be able to post with more frequency now.

Cheers, and on with the story.

The Chase, or Don't Get Attached to the Car Pt II

"Commissioner?"

Frank Reagan stood staring out the window out at the city he loved.

"Frank?" Deputy Garrett pressed again. "The press is going to want a comment."

At this the commissioner turned around, taking his hands out of his pockets. Looking up, he set his gaze on Garrett then Detective Slaughter.

"What else did Detective Ryan, and Rick have to say about the Farthing girl?"

"What?" Garrett asked, pointing with his folio to the TV that was still running footage of the school, replaying the fast exit of the Buick, and the police car racing with it, down the street. "Frank, they're going to want a comment about the shooting. And what I'm sure in a few minutes will be traffic helicopters following a chase!"

"You came into this room an—," Frank started.

"The story's going to be…"

Frank raised his voice. "You came into this room. Garrett! You came into this room, to tell me about a dead student. Someone my granddaughter goes to school with. The little girl of a friend of ours! I'm not going to let that simple fact get drowned out by some media sideshow."

"Due respect Commissioner," Detective Slaughter said pointing to the TV. "But a damned ride-along just took off thinking he can lead a police chase! If not for the dead kid, the reporters are going to be asking about HIM, and Detective tight-pants shouting after him."

"Rick Rodgers is a friend, and he's not just a ride along. Like I said, he helps close cases." The commissioner stated. Turning to face the television, Frank removed his glasses, and started to clean them with a handkerchief. Sparing a glance to the clock on his desk, he called to his assistant. "Baker!"

"Yes, sir?" Abigail June Baker asked upon entering the office.

"Could you get Captain Miller on the phone please? I'd like an update. And get Danny too please." Frank said.

"Sir."

"And Baker," Frank called. "You had best clear my afternoon."

Detective Slaughter continued looking to the TV. The news coverage was rerunning the second drive by and lead up to the take off of Castle and the unmarked cruiser.

"The hell is this guy?" Slaughter muttered.

"You say something, Detective?" Deputy Garrett asked.

Slaughter pointed to the TV. "I just-,"

"Detective, can it!" Frank Reagan bit out, releasing some of his frustration. Frank walked around his desk, taping his glasses in his hand.

"Captain Miller, on line 1 for you sir!" Baker shouted through the open door.

Frank picked up the receiver. Pausing before putting the phone to his ear, he put the phone to speaker mode and set the receiver down.

"John," Frank said slowly. "Do the coroners have the body moved yet?"

"Yeah!" Captain John Miller said with a cell phone in his ear, with his other hand covering his right ear. "Sorry sir. I didn't mean to shout. We got the body out. The M.E. and my partner and Detective Curratola went with him."

"That's good," the Commissioner's voice came over the line.

"Perlmutter's going to walk through the autopsy," Miller continued. "Don't worry about the kids here. Paramedics are on scene. Sergeant Finney is coordinating statements for the shooting. Lieutenant Davis is dealing with the newsies. Your daughter is fine by the way. She and her kid, Nicky?. They look to have made a new friend."

"A friend?" Frank asked.

"Yes sir," John replied with a smile towards the three girls. "Ricky's girl. What's her name with the nice legs – uh – Beckett. She hasn't left their side since the guns starting firing."

"Well, that's comforting," Frank said.

"Officer Reagan went off with Sergeant Boscorrelli," Miller continued. "You should hear the radio chatter, sir. Ricky's scaring the shit out of patrol with his driving. Bosco's laughing at Ryan's colour commentary. It's really quite funny actually."

"Funny!" Frank said, raising his voice. "A kid is dead in a school stairwell. That same school was shot up in a drive-by during an NYPD operation. Funny is hardly the word I'd use to describe this!"

"Of course you're right sir," Miller said, chastised. Waving at the girls, the captain summoned them over. "Want to speak to your girls, sir?"

"Thank you, John."

Erin, Nicky, followed by Kate walked to the side of the squad car. Erin kept her arms around Nicky's shoulders, holding her against her hip.

"Got your dad for you, Reagan," Miller said to Erin.

Beckett looked to the radio on the hood of the car. It was silent, which was worrying her.

"Did you tell him the theory?" Beckett asked Miller.

Miller pulled the phone back to his ear. "Oh, yeah, Commissioner. Ricky and Ryan think the guy to be hunting is Gerry Tyson."

Miller passed the phone to Erin.

Taking the phone gratefully, Erin gripped her daughter's shoulder. "Dad?"

"How's Nicky?" was the first Erin heard from her dad.

Looking down at her daughter, Erin replied. "We're okay dad. Rick pulled us down pretty hard. I cut my forehead. Nicky has some scrapes and bruises. But we're fine."

"The captain said you made a new friend," Frank said. Erin could tell he was smirking on his end of the line.

"Yes. And Rick is terrified," Erin replied with a look to Kate who was still looking at the silent radio on the car.

"What's this about Rick taking off as part of a police pursuit?" Frank asked.

"I," Erin started. She looked down to her daughter, pulling her closer, she kissed the top of her head. "I told him to go."

Kate jerked her head in Erin's direction.

"You what?!" Frank's voice could be heard through the phone.

"You need all the help you can get right now. Half a precinct's worth of cars are out of commission right here! He had a working car," Erin began.

"The news has been replaying his tire squealing exit," Frank said. Taking a pause to take a calming breath, Erin heard him turn up the TV in his office. "Damnit Erin! What did he have in his car?"

"I don't understand. I wasn't near his car. We met here at the school."

"I'm looking at tape right now. He took something from the back seat, got out of the car, put on a vest then threw one to Detective Ryan. What's in the car?"

Erin shot a worried look to Kate, then the radio.

"I don't know."

"Bosco, cut to the left. I'm going to try to slingshot this assclown over to the next street. I thought I saw some mounted patrol over there."

The radio crackled to life again.

"These guys shot up a school, what makes you think a police horse will stop them?"

"A full squad of mounted police going at you full gallop, will scare the shit out of anyone Bos."

Bosco could be heard laughing through the radio. Followed by the screech of tires.

"Whoa shit! Ah, Ricky? At that speed are you going to be able to pull to a stop in time? Ricky. Ricky! Brace yourself kid. Yeah! Damn that's some drivin'! You alright back there Ryan?"

"Shut up Bosco! You're not the car going backwards right now." Ryan said testily.

Kate grabbed the radio off the car.

"Castle! What the hell are you doing?" she asked, her words slow, worried.

"Castle?" she asked again.

Static.

"Castle," Beckett said. "Ryan?"

Static.

"Rick. Please."

The sharp pop of gunfire exchange was heard over the radio.

"You have realized that you are going backwards down the street, right?" Ryan asked.

"Trying to concentrate here Kev," Castle replied.

"Well are you going to turn around?"

Rick swerved to the left to get up alongside Bosco and Jamie Reagan. He rolled down the window.

"So what's the plan?" Bosco asked, his speed not slowing. "Reagan here just got off the phone with his brother. He said that Anti-Crime has a net a couple blocks around the building they were watching. No one's getting out."

Jamie Reagan leaned over.

"Danny said he was coming to assist the pursuit with one of the anti-crime cops," Jamie said. "He mentioned a bar with a nice back alley. We might be able to box these guys in."

"O'Realley's?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah," Jamie replied. "You know it?"

Ryan sat back in his seat, leaning his head back. "Yes."

"Then O'Realley's it is then," Bosco said.

Castle nodded.

Bosco lifted his radio.

"Reagan? It's a go for O'Realley's."

"Copy," Danny's reply came a few moments later. "I got the east entrance."

Ryan took picked up his radio. Pausing, before he pushed the switch to talk. "Keep the cavalry in reserve. One of these jerks might be a runner."

"You know they're just doing a training exercise, right?" Danny asked.

Bosco looked to Castle.

"You might want to turn around Ricky."

Castle looked up the street. The 2 cars they were chasing taking a right 3 streets ahead.

"See you in a few," Castle said. "Ryan, hold on."

Castle changed gear, turned the wheel sharply to his left, cutting into the alley they just past. Jerking the wheel left and right to avoid the dumpsters, he fishtailed onto the next street. Stopping a moment, then going slower up the street.

"I told you I don't like it when you do that!" Ryan said, his hand grabbing the sway bar above the door.

"Roll down your window, and keep an eye out will you?" Castle asked.

"Roll down the window?"

Castle gave Ryan a dark smile.

"Castle, what are you thinking?" Ryan asked.

Castle looked up the road, spotting the mid 90's sedans, he gunned the accelerator.

"If we get close enough, do you think you can shoot out the tires?" Castle asked.

"Maybe."

Bosco and Reagan turned in to the street ahead of them, their sirens blaring.

Castle shook his head. He tapped his hand on the steering wheel.

"O'Realley's is just up the street right?" Rick asked.

"Yeah," Ryan said. "About 4 or 5 blocks or so."

Castle put his foot down on the gas pedal, speeding to catch up with Bosco. Reaching down to the console, he ejected and turned over the tape. Just as they were about to pass Bosco and Reagan in their cruiser, he turned the stereo back on. Stan Bush's The Touch sounded through the speakers.

Bosco looked sharply to his left as Castle and Ryan passed him. Smiling to himself as he saw Castle start to overtake the two cars, Ryan lean out the window and shoot at the tires.

"Ballsy move your partner made there," Bosco said to Reagan.

The first car turned into the alley. Castle turned sharply to the right, skidding sideways down the street, forcing the second car to follow into the alley. Castle stopped his car sideways in the middle of the street.

Bosco just a street behind was quick to catch up, and turn into the alley behind the two cars.

"Get out of the car, dumbass!" Bosco said over his loudspeaker.

The first car moved forward in the alley, but came to a sharp halt when Danny Reagan's cruise entered from the other side, and another squad car blocked the far entrance.

Danny exited his cruiser, gun drawn.

"He said 'Get out of the car!' Dumbass," Danny said.