Break out

Jack had been reading and watching screens for almost two hours all by himself. During that time he had nearly finished the Kingsly file, even with the detective's extraordinary searches there wasn't much to dig up on Blaire Kingsly; he didn't even have an arrest record. Jack called Freddy around midnight and asked what Dick was doing in Lucia's room. Fred said it sounded like they were watching Kill Bill, he recognized some of the dialogue. Before Dick finished his movie Rico and one of his guards headed down to the kitchen for second dinner. Jack wished he had room for more lasagna. It was good.

Eventually Jack caught movement again on the hall monitor; Dick had finally brought his ass out of Lucia's room and was coming back to work. The specter wore a grin from ear to ear. Jack frowned at the image of the man making his way to the third floor. What do you look so damn happy for Dick? So help me if you skipped out on work to go nail Lucia I'll kick your lily white ass! Jack washed down his rage with some more coffee. Edgy as he was he really didn't need the caffeine.

"Anything yet?" L asked coming into the surveillance room.

"Our perps are a no show so far." He looked from the monitors to Dick crawling up into his chair.

"That's alright, I think they're more of an after hours crowd." L settled into his seat. Wammy had left him tea and it was still warm. He set to fixing himself a cup.

Jack leaned closer to Dick to pour himself another cup of Joe. The detective was covered with Lucia's scents. You son of a bitch. Jack leaned back in his chair and glared at his rival. After a long moment Jack asked, "Did you enjoy your break Dick?"

"Yes, I really needed some time out of this room," L stirred in creamer.

"And between Lucia's legs, right?"

L looked at Jack sidelong; the agent looked furious, the vein in his forehead was throbbing. "I've told you what Lucia and I do in private is none of your business."

"I can smell her perfume and pussy all over you!" Jack slammed his cup down on the desk sloshing coffee all over Kingsly's file. The detective quit fussing over his tea and straightened. Jack stood up. "You couldn't even wait for me to leave before you fucked her!"

He set his spoon down and turned his chair to fully face Jack. "I'm getting real sick of repeating myself to you."

"Trying to rub it in my face Dick? You got the pussy now, I should just back off right?"

"I'm not rubbing anything in Jack. I'm not going out of my way to agitate you. Lucia is my girlfriend and she is happy with me. You need to let her go."

I hate you. A thousand tiny knives stabbed at Jack's heart. Hurting others when he was hurting inside came naturally to him. "Does Lucia still do that thing with her tongue, you know what I mean right, when she's down there sucking you off?!"

His last dig hit a little to close to home and L stepped out of his chair. Stay calm. "That's enough of your filthy mouth. You talk about Lucia like that again and I'll pound you."

Dick was trying to stay cool, but Jack knew he was getting to the spook. "Does she mind the step children like I taught her to?"

That's it. L could barely stomach the thought that Lucia had been with such a bastard, he wasn't going to let Jack stand here and talk about what she was like in bed. One hundred percent sure he wanted to kick this guys ass, L swung at Jack first.

L and Jack were too busy glaring at each other to notice Lucia and Fred head downstairs. Lucia wanted a tall glass of lemonade and Fred was more then happy to join her. The agent was exhausted and desperately needed some sleep. Fred couldn't nap just yet but he could slam a Coke, maybe even have some more of that chocolate cake. All that sugar would keep him awake for hours. Agent Jones forewarned his ward that Rico and one of the officers had gone downstairs to get into the leftovers. Lucia made sure her robe was tied tightly closed before they went into the kitchen.

Rico and the cop were at the little table finishing up plates of lasagna and glasses of milk. His eyes went to the woman in virtuous white silk as she came in. "Ma bell peche," Rico wiped his mouth with his napkin. "Pardon me; I just had to have seconds."

"Excellent dinner mademoiselle," the cop nodded at the pretty lady.

It wasn't easy to be annoyed when she was being complemented. "Thank you. Chocolate cake anyone?"

"Ooh, me please," Freddy piped up at once. The men at the table chimed in after him. Everybody wanted cake. Lucia went to the cupboard to pull down plates and glasses. Fred took the seat closest to her at the table. He looked at the other men finishing their lasagna. "Good eats huh?"

The cop nodded and Rico stood with his empty plate. "Excellent." He started toward the sink. "Mademoiselle, where is the dishwasher?"

Lucia was lining up cake plates for the guys. "You can just put it in the sink. I've already run the dishwasher tonight." She slid the cake closer to her and uncovered it. The smell of chocolate wafted up to her nose.

Setting his plate in the sink Rico took note of the block of kitchen knives on the counter to her right. He took a step her way. "May I help you serve the cake?"

She plucked a knife from the block and started cutting cake. "Thanks."

"Got a Coke in the fridge Lucia?" Fred hoped.

"Sure Fred, you want a glass?"

"That's okay." He slid his chair back and went to the fridge. Fred went back to his seat cracking open his drink while Lucia put cake on plates. Sweet!

Rico's guard finished his lasagna and stood to take his plate to the sink. The FBI agent reclaimed his seat guzzling his can of soda. Lucia placed slices of cake on one plate after the next. Rico took a step closer to the counter; it was almost time to blow this place.

Jack saw the punch coming, he didn't bother to dodge Jack swung back. Fists connected with faces and the men sent each other staggering backwards. "You son of a bitch Dick!" Jack was trying to right himself when Dick lunged and kicked him in the chest. Going down Jack grabbed Dick's pant leg and took him with him.

Damn it! L lost control of his temper the moment he landed on his ass. "Let the fuck go!" he used his free foot to kick Jack in the side of the head. Jack fell over still clinging to L's jeans. L kicked at the arm holding him and freed himself from Jack's grip. L slid back and started to get up.

One thing that Jack could do fairly well was take a blow to the head. He let go of Dick and righted himself. The specter was getting to his feet. Jack's bruised ego cried out for vengeance. He got his feet under him and sprang at Dick before he could fully stand up. The duo backpedaled half a dozen steps or so before Jack fell on Dick. "I'm gonna make mashed potatoes outta your face motherfucker!"

He couldn't block all of the punches raining down on him from this disadvantageous position. L took one to the jaw wriggling under Jack. Another wild punch mashed his lips into his teeth. A second later he could taste his own blood. L grabbed Jack by the shirt and threw him off. L rocked to his feet while Jack scrambled to sit up. "Get up!" L took a threatening step Jack's way.

He was slightly beyond reason now; Jack all but launched himself at Dick. A frenzy of punches, kicks and blocks ensued as the pair dueled their way around the room. "Did Lucia tell you why I call her kitten Dick?" Dodge right cross block.

L was sure he didn't want to hear it. "Shut up fuck face!" He's no good with his feet and leads with the right. L was having much less difficulty blocking Jack's swings in an upright position.

Aggravate him more. Fuck up his thinking. "Kitten's got claws. Does Lucia dig into you when you make her cum Dick or can't you do that for her huh?"

"You miserable son of a bitch, I'll end you!" Furious, L kicked Jack with all of his might. The agent tried to block but still went reeling backwards. Jack crashed into his chair and it fell to the floor with him.

Some part of the stupid chair nailed Jack right between the eyes on the way down. He roared in rage and pain. Jack grabbed the chair and staggered to his feet holding the damn thing. "Fuck you Dick!" Jack threw the chair at the spook across the room.

The cop leaned over to put his plate in the sink and Rico made his move. In one fluid movement he pulled a long sharp knife from the butcher block and sunk it into the back of his guard's neck. The cop cried out as Rico pulled the knife free; Lucia was turning to him. Rico reached for her as her eyes widened and the cop dropped behind him. He grabbed her by the hair and yanked her too him. Lucia let out a startled gasp and the FBI agent turned around. The American went for his gun; Rico brought the bloody knife up to the woman's throat. "Don't fuck around you piece of shit! I'll fucking kill her!" he screamed at the FBI.

Fred Jones froze. He put his hands where Rico could see them and cut his eyes down to the cop bleeding all over the floor. "Jesus Christ."

"Put your gun on the table, try anything and I'll slit her throat," Rico commanded.

Ohmyfuckingod! Instinctively Lucia reached up and held on to the arm that could kill her. She watched Fred easing his gun out with one hand. She was vaguely aware Rico was getting blood all over her white robe. Her eyes rolled up to the camera in the corner behind Fred. Spook!

Using extreme caution Fred did what the maniac said. "It's okay Lucia, stay calm."

Rico kept the orders coming fast. "Get up. There are car keys in his pocket, get them." He kicked at the downed cop and stepped away dragging his hostage with him. As soon as the agent was clear of the table Rico ditched the knife in favor of the gun. He hooked one arm around the woman's throat and pushed the barrel of the .45 into her side. "Don't piss me off ma peche," Rico warned her.

He tried to asses the policeman's condition as Fred frisked the man for his keys. He's losing a lot of blood, this man is dieing. Fred stood with the keys and held them out to the criminal. Jack don't you see this?!

"No, you're driving asshole. Let's go. Move it now!" Rico knew they needed to make a timely escape, this place had cameras all over. He rushed his hostages down the hall and to the front door.

L dodged the chair flying at him. It hit L's chair and they rolled for a minute before falling over with a loud crash. There was no time to appreciate the acoustics; the fight was still full on. Jack charged him again; L dodged and smashed a fist into the Yankee's foul mouth. Jack got him with an uppercut to the ribs; L countered with a hard right to the bastards solar plexus. Jack grabbed the front of L's shirt, L swept Jacks feet out from underneath him. Both men went down screaming.

Being on top had its advantages, it was L's turn to let the punches rain down on Jack, and boy did it rain. L connected one punch after another. "Whose making mashed potatoes now motherfucker!"

He let go of Dick's shirt and grabbed him by the throat. "You little fuck!" Jack used his weight advantage and gravity to get them tipping. He sat up slamming Dick's head into the hardwood floor.

For a second L saw stars. That fucking hurt! He used one hand to hit a pressure point on Jack's arm to make him let go. As soon as his grip on L's neck slackened L slid away kicking at Jack. He got him in the chest again; Jack righted himself and lunged at L again. L hopped up to a crouching position and kicked Jack in the nose as he charged.

He staggered back blinded for a second. He busted my nose! Jack didn't have time to worry about his nose, before he could even see Dick kicked him in the head again. He tripped backwards and slammed into the wall. He blinked away some of the fuzz and saw Dick closing in on him. "I won't let you win!" Jack summoned the last of his strength and ran at Dick. He grabbed the little ghoul's shoulders and pushed him back into the opposite wall. A second later one hand was choking Dick while the other punched him in the head.

Two could play at this game. L grabbed Jack's throat tempted to rip out his larynx. He used his other hand to block and get the occasional punch in himself. His peripheral vision was starting to blacken; L had to get Jack off his windpipe. We'll see which one of us is going down you bastard. L let go of Jack's neck and used both hands to rip Jack off of him. He pushed at the agent and then kicked him hard in the jaw. Jack went staggering backwards.

Alone in the kitchen and bleeding to death officer Keith Whymes reached for his two way radio. He couldn't pull it free but he was able to hit the send button a few times before the world went dark.

On the third floor officer Pete Jenkins hit his end of the radio. "What is it Whymes?" no answer. "Whymes?" Pete went to the door and peeked out. There was something loud going on down the hall; screaming of some sort. Pete forgot about his partner for the moment and headed for what sounded like a fight.

Fred opened the back door for Rico and Lucia and then stepped to the driver's door. He got in as the criminal and his ward settled in the back seat. Fred put the key in the ignition. God damn it Jack where are you?! Richard, cops, anybody!

"Drive," Rico commanded and the car got rolling. "You can open the gate without stepping out of the car."

He drove up to the box on a pole on the inside of the gate. Fred pushed the open button and hit the intercom as well. Damnit somebody hear us! The gates slowly swung open and Fred had to let go of the button. "Where are we going?"

"Shut the fuck up and take a right."

The door to the surveillance room creaked open and one of the French cops appeared. The agent and the detective stood in the middle of the room about to punch each other. "Mouser!" he gasped.

L and Jack both froze mid swing and looked at the cop in the doorway. Behind them a light on the console flashed and a monitor beeped. It was the one that watched the main gate, it sounded every time it opened. L snapped his head around and looked at the screen. Agent Jones had opened the gate and pushed the intercom on. There were two passengers in the back seat; Lucia and Rico Suave. "What the hell?"

Dick let go and dashed back to the console. Jack looked at the rows of monitors. There was something out of place in the kitchen. A man lay on the floor in a spreading pool of blood. "Oh shit Dick!" Jack turned and saw what the specter was looking at. Rico had hostages. Lucia! Jack reached for his gun and broke into a run. "Call 911!"

The car pulled away and L hit a button on the console letting his eyes take in the other monitors. "Get down to the kitchen and see to your friend," L told the cop over his shoulder and then into the microphone, "This is Water Six. I need an ambulance at my house, there is an officer down. Connect me to Chief Renaldo immediately." Behind him the cop ran out. On the monitor Jack ran down the stairs waving his gun and screaming. Jack made it all the way down to the foyer before Renaldo came on the line.

"Six, what has happened?"

"I need an all points bulletin on the police car that just left my home. My girlfriend and Agent Jones have been kidnapped by Ricardo Fernier. There is an officer down at Rico's hands. Suspect should be considered armed and extremely dangerous." L swallowed the heart that had leapt into his throat. Lucia… "We have to find him before he kills his hostages."

Jack could barely breathe by the time he got to the gate. The car was gone, Lucia and Freddy boy were no where to be found. "Fuck!" he brought a hand up and wiped blood off of his face. Godamn you Dick this is all your fault! Tucking his gun away Jack stormed back to the house.

Rico was leading them out of town. The suburbs were nearly behind them now. "Agent Jones, you have handcuffs on you, no?"

"Yes," Fred remained calm.

"Get them out." Rico waited for the agent to pull out the bracelets. He poked Lucia with the gun. "Give him one of your hands ma peche." She stuck a hand into the front. "Slap them on." Fred did. "Now peche, put your hands behind your back."

Shit. Lucia hated being handcuffed. She clenched her teeth to keep her mouth shut while the sleaze secured her hands behind her. Spook. Her eyes went to the rear view mirror again. It didn't look like anyone was following them. He had to have seen that, where's the Calvary?

"Do you have your cell phone agent?"

"Yes."

"Give it to me." Rico took the phone and dialed a friend. "It's me. Meet me at the spot in ten minutes. I have hostages. Don't make me wait." He ended the call and addressed the FBI again. "Your partner is on speed dial, no?"

"Yes. Hold down number three to dial Agent Gillmore."

Rico looked down at the woman next to him. His peche was pretty calm. "You have been in dangerous situations before ma peche? You are FBI too?"

Lucia wasn't going to give up any information. "No and no. I just don't see what getting hysterical will do to help me."

He smiled a little. Just you wait Lucia. I'll break you. I'll make you scream. "Beautiful and smart. What a catch you are ma peche." Rico pressed the three down on the FBI's cell.

Jack went back into a mad house. The French cop and the old man were in the kitchen trying to save the stabbed cops life, sirens wailed in the distance. After checking in on the bloody scene in the kitchen Jack hurried back up the stairs. He went to his own bathroom first and grabbed a couple of towels; then he ran back up to the surveillance room wiping blood off his face. Dick was talking to cops when Jack walked in. He threw the second towel down on the console in front of the specter. Dick was bleeding pretty good too.

L finished with the patrolman and picked up the towel Jack brought him. He dabbed the blood off his chin. "They're looking for the car now. A chopper is in the air. We'll find them."

Jack opened his mouth to ask some questions when his cell phone rang; the tone he had set for Freddy boy. Jack yanked it out of his pocket and flipped it open. "Fred?"

"No Agent Surfer dick, this is Rico. I have your partner and detective shit bag's girlfriend too."

He stepped closer to Dick holding the phone so they could both here. "What have you done to them?"

L Leaned in and heard Rico say, "Nothing yet."

"I want to know they're alright. Let me talk to them," Jack followed procedure.

Rico shifted the phone away. "Could you both tell this idiot you're alright?"

"We're okay Jack," Fred said loudly obeying the kidnapper.

The kidnaper looked at Lucia and she frowned at him. "Say something to him."

Fuck you. Lucia shook her head negative.

Into the phone Jack growled, "I wanna hear her too Rico."

"Have it your way," Rico dropped the phone in Lucia's lap and reached for her with his free hand. He knew what kind of a girl she was and just how to make her scream. Rico grabbed her breast and pushed her back against the seat. His lips went to her neck as he pushed the gun into her ribs.

The scumbag nipped at her and Lucia cracked. "Get off me you bastard!"

Rico backed off smiling and picked up the phone. "Satisfied asshole?"

"Don't you dare put a hand on her!" Jack didn't like the sound of Lucia's protest.

"Ma peche and Agent Jones are alive for now but if you don't call of the search for this car I will be forced to shoot someone."

"Let them go!" Jack demanded.

"I'll stay in touch," Rico closed Fred's phone. He hit the button to put the window down and tossed it out. The cell phone shattered on impact.

"Rico?" silence and then a dial tone. "Damnit!" Jack snapped his phone shut.

L felt cold, tingly. The revulsion in Lucia's tone was frightening. He grabbed her inappropriately. That's why she screamed at him like that. He turned back to the console and picked up the stack all about Rico. He split the paperwork in half and handed some to Jack. "I need to know everything I can about this guy right now. Help me Jack."

He didn't like the look on the spooks blood streaked face. Jack stepped over to the chairs and detangled one. "Alright Dick, lets bust this turd."

Rico commanded they pull off on a side road. A van and another gunman were waiting for them on the side of a narrow lane. Fred and Lucia were ushered out of the car and into the back of the van. Rico's accomplice held them at gunpoint while Rico used the belt from Lucia's robe to tie Fred's hands together behind his back. Rico stayed in the back with Fred's gun and the accomplice went up front and got them rolling.

Fred had to try. "Please, let Lucia go. I'm a better hostage then she is. I'm FBI."

"That's very noble of you Fred but you're mistaken. Ma peche is a much better bargaining chip then you are. I'm sure her little boyfriends are sick with worry." Rico looked at Lucia. The bitch wouldn't look at him. "Do you think the little troll can save you or are you depending on Agent Surfer?"

She wouldn't be baited into a fight. "It's going to be alright Freddy."

Be that way bitch. I'll have you where I want you soon enough. I'll make you pay attention to me. Rico sat back and waited. Ten minutes on the back roads, twenty on the highway and another ten to get to the house and then you're all mine. I'm going to make you scream.

Jack tore through his half of Rico's file and found a disturbing pattern. "He's been questioned in the disappearances of six women all up and down the coast, three bodies turned up out of the six. Post mortem indicates they were both bound at the hands and feet, assaulted and then strangled to death. Both women had traces of heroine in their systems, a near fatal dose at the time of injection."

L concentrated to keep his hands from shaking. "I have another four missing persons cases here and another three bodies. The women were killed the same way; at least one of them was sexually assaulted before she was killed. Cases all along the Mediterranean." L swallowed hard. Lucia's in the hands of a serial killer.

"Dick, Rico…he…" it was too horrible for words.

"I suspect he killed them all. Four aliases in three years and a connection to all of these women. The Italian police refer to the killer as The Strangler; I believe that is who Rico Suave really is."

"Lucia is in danger. All of these broads were Lucia; age, physical description, accidental encounters with that piece of shit."

He had a better understanding now of just what kind of psychopath he was dealing with. "It's worse then you think. Torture killers are the smartest of their deranged lot. Rico likely targeted Lucia to be his next victim as soon as he saw her. He has some kind of plan."

Torture!? Jack's hand balled into a fist. "What plan?"

"He won't get far in a cop car, undercover or otherwise. He'll have to dump it somewhere. He can't be that far from where we will find the car. He can't run forever, eventually he will need a safe place to hide until he can escape the country."

"He won't drag two hostages over the border with him Dick. Fred could already be dead, Lucia too!"

"Rico said he would stay in touch, they're still alive. He intends to use them against us, but for now you must believe that they are still unharmed."

His body started to shake. Poor Freddy boy was as good as dead and "How unharmed is Lucia going to be when that sick fuck ties her down and rapes her!?"

L clutched a handful of his pant leg. "Stop it Jack, screaming isn't going to get you anywhere."

"Then what are we going to do?!"

"We're going to find Rico before he can hurt Lucia or Fred. We'll rescue them before the situation can get any worse." L looked at a monitor displaying updated reports on the search for the car. A unit was closing in on the abandon vehicle. "Look, we already have a search perimeter." His free hand hit a button. "Look carefully to see which direction the tracks lead off," L instructed an anonymous cop.

"Feel the hood for warmth too," Jack added. "We need to know how long it's been sitting there."

The van came to a stop. A moment later Rico's accomplice opened the back door and waved his gun at the hostages. Everyone piled out of the van; the accomplice led Fred into the house, Rico pulled Lucia along behind them. They stepped up the three steps and into a plain looking farmhouse. Once inside the hostages were pulled separate ways.

"Wait!" Lucia resisted Rico. "What are you going to do with Fred?"
Rico kept pushing her down the hall away from the FBI agent. "You should be worried about what I'm going to do to you ma peche."

Lucia stopped short, she couldn't stand to be bullied and it wasn't as if was the first time a killer threatened her. "What are you going to do to him?!"

He was on his own turf now and Rico didn't have to put up with her crap. He twisted her around to face him and Rico slapped the woman hard across the face. Lucia nearly fell over but Rico tightened his grip on her arm and held her up. She looked up at him with frightened eyes; blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. "Are you afraid now Lucia?"

If I resist him now he might… Rico apparently took her stunned silence as a reply. He turned her around again and pushed her toward a door at the end of the hall. Shit Freddy, what are they doing to him? "Rico, please don't hurt him. He's FBI; you'll be in so much shit."

Rico opened the door and pushed Lucia into the dark bedroom. "So long as you both cooperate no one has to die." He flipped on the overhead light and gave her a shove toward the bed. "Are you ready to be good Lucia?"

When Rico turned on the light her eyes focused on the bed draped in black satin. Oh shit! Quickly she turned around and faced her kidnapper. "I'll behave," her voice lost its resistant edge.

He smiled and pulled a handkerchief from his pants pocket. "You're so smart ma peche." Rico stepped over and dabbed the blood off the corner of the woman's mouth. She watched him with wary eyes. Yes, you're afraid now. Rico finally had her undivided attention. "I'm so glad we'll get to spend some time together Lucia, I was hoping we could get to know each other better."

She saw it, the madness in his eyes. Her heart dropped into her stomach. Oh god Spook hurry! "Is this my room," Lucia tried to sound unafraid.

"It's mine, but it's where you'll be staying." Rico loomed over his victim. "Don't worry ma peche; I'll take excellent care of you."