Bye Bye Baby
Chapter 14
Norm had been sent down to escort their visitor up to the Homicide Department and Mike paced nervously while waiting until Haseejian opened the outer bullpen door and escorted the young fair haired Russian girl in ahead of him. She looked anxious and was visibly trembling, her nervousness visibly increasing tenfold as she laid eyes on the amount of detectives occupying such a small office as she entered, all their eyes focused on her as they waited for news of their colleague. Sensing her unease, Mike stepped forward and spoke in a warm, friendly tone.
"Lieutenant Mike Stone. I'm the one you asked to see. And who do I have the pleasure of speaking to, may I ask?"
Her body shook as she spoke in an equally shaky voice.
"I am ... Elena. Elena Roscoff. Your partner ... told me you would ... help me ... "
Mike's smile faded at the mention of his partner and taking her elbow gently he guided her to a seat near the door and sat her down, kneeling in front of her as he did.
"You've SEEN Steve? Is he alright? "
"He is alive ... or at least he was when I left. But he ... he was hurt badly ... They ... beat him and ... and ..."
She started to cry and left her sentence incomplete. Rudy could see Mike's worry increase and saw his friend struggle to process that new worrying development and so he stepped forward and spoke for Mike instead.
"Miss Roscoff, I'm Captain Rudy Olsen. You didn't finish your sentence. What else has happened to Inspector Steve Keller?"
Elena could see the upset on the man called Stone's face and felt sympathy for him but at Olsen's words her gaze left Mike's to look at the other man who spoke.
"They ... they are ruthless. They stuck a knife in his leg ... and ... and left it there ..." she stammered as more tears fell down her cheeks.
There was a collective gasp in the room at her latest statement as all eyes focused on Mike's reaction. He still knelt in front of Elena, his hand covering his mouth and his face held an anguish that belied his otherwise calm exterior. Olsen's hand reached out and squeezed his Lieutenant's shoulder as he spoke again purposefully to the younger woman.
"What about the baby Miss Roscoff. Is ... she alright?" he asked tentatively as the entire bullpen fell silent awaiting her reply, all breaths firmly held as the baby's fate had still to be revealed.
Elena looked around the room at each anxious face and then nodded solemnly.
"Yes, she was unharmed when I left ... "
A collective sigh of relief echoed throughout the bullpen as Elena's hurried and anguished voice then spoke again, grabbing out for Mike's arm as she did.
"Lieutenant Stone. There is little time. You MUST listen to me. "
Those words were enough to pull Mike from the harrowing thoughts that filled his head as he thought of Steve so badly wounded and knew their earlier discussion about him planning his own escape was definitely not on the cards now with injuries as horrific as that to contend with. He drew his gaze back to the young Russian woman and gave her his undivided attention.
"Forgive me. Please ... Go on ..."
"I was sent to give a message to the baby's mother from Grigori Damacov ... I was not sent alone. There is a man outside in the parking lot. He could not accompany me for fear he would be recognized but if I am not back out to him in ten minutes he will return to Damacov and they will kill your partner and the child. Please help me. I don't ... want to go back to him ..."
She sobbed heartwrenchingly and Mike glanced at his watch hastily. Ten minutes! That wasn't a long time. He quickly stood up and placing his arm around the distraught young woman, he lifted her from the chair and guided her towards his office, closely followed by Olsen, Norm and Dan. As they got to the window, Mike spoke soothingly.
"Ok, it's going to be alright. We'll protect you. You have my word ... but you have to help us too. Now where is the man that brought you here."
Elena glanced out the window and seeing Mikhail, she pulled back in a frightened reaction, her voice coming in emotional heaves.
"His name is Mikhail Balashov. He is standing by the silver car down on the right but please be careful. He is very dangerous and ... cruel. "
Mike's arm squeezed the young woman's shoulder gratefully and he threw a purposeful glance back at Norm and Dan.
"Go get him boys but ... be careful. And don't forget if he gets away, Steve and that innocent child will pay the price ..."
Dan's face darkened at that statement but Norm took the instruction in his stride.
"Don't worry Mike. Mikhail will get a definite taste of a true SFPD welcome, Haseejian style ... Don't you worry."
With that, him and Dan hurried out of the office as Mike sat the young girl down in his chair and spoke again soothingly.
"Now, now. It's ok. You've done the right thing, believe me and we're very grateful to you for helping us. I know this took a lot of bravery. You ah ... you said you had a message to deliver. What was it?"
Another stifled sob left her lips as she opened her tiny handbag that lay clutched in her hands and opening it she shakily pulled out a blood soaked envelope and with an even shakier hand she handed it to Mike, as her sobs grew louder. As Olsen and Mike's eyes fell on the envelope both their hearts sank and Mike felt sick to his stomach. Taking his handkerchief from his pocket, he lightly took the envelope from her hand so as not to contaminate the new evidence and after a brief worried glance at Rudy and noticing that the Captain had paled considerably as well, he turned back to open the envelope with a shakier hand than Elena had displayed minutes earlier. He knew of Damacov's reputation and had seen the many dead bodies that had been missing fingers and other parts and feared the worst. But after a second or two's hesitation he suddenly handed it to Rudy and spoke in an apologetic tone.
"I can't open it Rudy ... Do it for me will you please?"
Rudy's face dropped and he looked every bit as hesitant but knowing how hard this was on his Lieutenant and friend he reluctantly agreed. Opening the envelope he reached in and pulled out its contents quickly so as not to draw out the agony as a chunk of blood soaked hair with skin attached fell out along with a small torn square of baby soft fabric. His first instinct was to drop the envelope back onto Mike's desk, not wanting to hold it for a second longer than necessary, as he heard Mike inhale sharply at the sight of a portion of Steve's hair now so crudely on display before him. Olsen saw Mike's hand ball into a tight fist and saw anger cross Mike's face but he understood the sentiment. Whoever did this to Steve was going to wish they never had. Trying to pull things back to a more professional setting, Rudy questioned Elena, allowing Mike a few more minutes to get his anger and upset under control.
"Is that from Keller?"
Elena nodded sadly.
"Yes ... And Damacov cut the material from the baby's sleep suit. "
"Was there a verbal message attached to ... THIS!" he added crossly, waving his hand towards the grisly items on display, as his own emotions started to unravel at the horror of it all.
"Yes ... She was to trade herself for the child and Stone and the police were not to interfere if you wanted Keller to live ... "
Mike's voice, cold and yet calm then pierced the air.
"Where are they being held?"
"A warehouse ... An abandoned warehouse ... Somewhere down at the Embarcadero ... Please ... I don't know the exact address. Please ... do not hurt me ..." she sobbed louder as she cowered on her seat and Mike looked across at Rudy horrified.
It was obvious by her reaction what treatment she was used to from Damacov and yet she was no older than his own daughter. Mike knelt down towards her which made her cower more in fear so Mike spoke softly and soothingly.
"Hey, hey don't worry. Nobody here is going to hurt you. In fact nobody is ever going to hurt you again. You have my solemn word on that ... I ... well I just need your help to find them, that's all. Can I ask you some questions that could help us?"
Elena unfurled nervously and looked the blue eyed Lieutenant square in the eyes. They radiated warmth and she felt she could trust him. There was no coldness in them as there was in Damacov's and she found herself calming down subconsciously. She half smiled and nodded at Mike before answering strongly.
"Yes ... I will help you all I can. They were being held on the second floor in an old disused room. I ... I gave him a key to the roof. I had stolen it from Damacov. I told him he had to get himself out of the room somehow and that if he did, he was not to try and escape through the ground floor. Damacov has many armed and dangerous men to do his bidding. Most of them are at ground level. He was to make his way to the roof and hide there until I got help. I ... I don't know if ... if he made it or ... or not."
Realizing just how much she had helped his partner and further gratified by her trust in him, Mike patted her hand and smiled warmly.
"You are one very brave young woman Elena Roscoff and the SFPD owe you a great deal, none more than me ... Thank you for helping him ... Does he still have the baby?"
"Yes ... He got me to tie the baby around him with her blanket and I got him her pacifier and her bottle."
Another grateful smile crossed Mike's face and he then pulled himself together to concentrate on the important task at hand. Standing up, he continued his questions as Olsen put the offending and disturbing items back into the envelope and handed it to an officer to bring to the lab for processing.
"Now, this disused warehouse. Is it on the docks, right beside the sea or on one of the many piers down there? "
Elena thought for a few seconds
"I'm sorry ... I'm not sure what you mean?" Elena stammered nervously.
Determined to keep her at her ease, Mike smiled and spoke sweetly.
"That's alright. Let me rephrase. The warehouse, is it built on a pier that juts out into the Bay?"
Elena seemed to understand and nodded purposefully.
"Yes ... There is sea on both sides."
"Great! ... just hold on a minute. Jefferson? Bring me in that map please?" Mike called out as a uniformed officer rushed in with the map from earlier in hand.
Thanking the young officer, he laid the map out on his desk and pulled his glasses down on his nose again from where he had perched them on his head earlier, as he had waited for Elena to be escorted up to the bullpen.
Crossing out two of Damacov's properties that were more inland he spoke again.
"Ok, Elena. Could you see either of the big bridges from the warehouse?"
Again Elena seemed thoughtful.
"Em ... Yes ... The Bay Bridge was all lit up at night. It was very beautiful."
Mike crossed out another two properties purposefully that had no clear view of the Bay bridge which left just two others.
"Bay Bridge ... Ok ... Were there any other piers visible between where you were and the Bay Bridge?
" Em ... Yes a few I think. But there was a big gap to the next one ..."
As Mike crossed off one of the properties left, leaving only one that he now felt could be holding Steve and Brigitte, he noted a fish processing plant beside the one property he had left, so just to be extra sure of his choice, he asked his one final question with added enthusiasm.
"Is there a strong smell of fish from around the warehouse Elena?"
Elena wrinkled her nose and nodded with distaste.
"Yes ... How did you know that?"
Mike slapped his hand down triumphantly on the map as he circled the property several times before announcing proudly.
"It's Pier 38! That's where they're holding Steve and the baby. Get Collins on the phone Jefferson and give him the address and then have dispatch contact Lee and Bill. Tell them to meet us at Pier 38 but to hang back until we arrive in greater numbers."
Then turning to the young woman who had helped them more than she could possibly appreciate, he beamed sweetly.
"Elena, you've done it! You've given us the address, now for your own safety, I need you to stay here with Officer Jefferson and Captain Olsen in my office until we can sort everything out for you and get them back safely. Can you do that for me?"
Elena nodded, feeling pleased that she could have helped so much.
"Yes ... But Lieutenant Stone, please be careful. Damacov will not give up easily. He is a cold and dangerous man and Dmitriy is worse. He will stop at nothing to succeed. "
"Now, now don't you worry about that. You leave this to us. Everything's going to be alright and you're never going to have to see that man again. That I CAN promise you ..."
Outside Bryant Street : In the Parking Lot
Mikhail paced up and down, glancing at his watch nervously. Every time a patrol car or Officers left the building he turned his head so that his face would not be visible to them. He paced a little further along and stared over at the building intently. There was no sign of Elena and Mikhail felt that something had gone wrong. He had never trusted her and had told Damacov many times of his feelings about the young girl Damacov was so smitten over, but to no avail. Convinced that she had now turned on them, he glanced once more to see that her ten minutes was up. As one more glance up at the doorway saw no Elena, he smirked coldly and headed back to the car. Now Damacov would see that he had been right all along and the cop and the baby's fate would be sealed. As he approached the silver sedan, he noted a drunk sprawled over the bonnet of his car. Frowning, he leaned over the man in a beige trench coat and tapped him in frustration.
"Hey you ... Beat it Pal ... This is MY car ..."
A mere drunken groan came from the sprawled man so Mikhail losing his patience grabbed the back of his collar and hauled him up off his bonnet, shouting as he did.
"I SAID ... Get out of here you drunken bum ..."
As he hauled the large bulky man up, he suddenly swung around and a 38" was pointed at his stomach as the drunk's face lit up in a smile.
"Now that's not very friendly PAL ... Sergeant Haseejian at your service and YOU PAL are under arrest for the false imprisonment and assault of a Police Officer and that's just for starters. Hands behind your back while I read you your rights PAL ..."
Mikhail scowled but had little choice with the gun pointing where it was and as he placed his hands behind his back, Dan appeared and slapped on the handcuffs diligently as Norm whipped out the small card and read Mikhail his rights.
"I've got to hand it to you Norm. You pulled that off like a pro. " Dan praised his partner.
Norm grinned and then looked insulted.
"Did you hear that? A bum he called me ... The CHEEK!"
Dan laughed as the two detectives escorted Mikhail over into Bryant Street as their prisoner shouted at them in Russian and somehow the two men were suddenly glad they didn't understand what he was saying.
Back upstairs in Mike's Office :
Mike had questioned Elena some more about how many men Damacov had and what type of weapons they had and any other small pieces of information that might come in handy during the rescue. Then he grabbed his coat and hat from his coat rack as Olsen handed Elena a warm cup of coffee and she sat with her hands curled around it, her nerves still on edge and her future still uncertain, as Dan and Norm appeared back into the bullpen and as they headed towards him, Mike's face froze momentarily when he saw them.
"Well?"
Norm smiled from ear to ear.
"Mikhail is in holding and seems to have suddenly forgotten how to speak English. He won't be going anywhere, anytime soon Mike."
Mike sighed with relief and then patted Norm's shoulder proudly.
"Good man! Now ... What do you say we go rescue one man and a baby. They're being held at Pier 38. Lee and Bill are on site. A Black Sedan parked out front and two suits on lookout. Collins' men are on route. We're going to meet them there. "
"I thought you'd never ask. Let's go ... I fancy a spot of sea air, don't you?"
Mike grinned at his colleague's bravado and together with Dan, they headed for the door. Reaching it, Olsen suddenly called out to Mike, stopping him briefly as he turned and looked in his Captain's direction.
"Mike, be careful out there. Bring Keller and that baby home safe, ok? And try not to get yourself killed in the process, alright?"
"That's my plan Rudy ... I'll keep you posted ..."
Olsen nodded and smiled but as they disappeared through the outer door, he had a bad feeling that this operation would not be as easy as they hoped it would be.
With Norm at the driving wheel, the three men reached their destination in ten minutes flat not using the siren and gumball for fear of tipping off their arrival outside Pier 38. They could see the other vehicles parked a little bit away from the warehouse and pulled in to park behind them. A little shaken from Norm's manic driving which only served to make Mike miss his partner at the wheel all the more, Mike got out and hurried over to where Lee, Bill and Lieutenant Pat Collins had gathered, followed closely by Norm and Dan in quick succession.
"Lieutenant Stone, I'm Pat Collins. What's the situation?"
"Hello Pat, call me Mike. We're dealing with a vicious Russian Gang. From my sources they have at least thirty heavily armed men, most are at ground level. Our hostages should be on the roof but ... they also may be in some room on the second floor. We're not sure about that exactly. Are your men ready to storm the building if necessary?"
"We're ready and waiting and we have a chopper and paramedics on standby as requested ... but Mike if we storm the building you do realize that the risk we run is that they may kill the hostages anyway before we can get to them?"
Mike swallowed hard. He knew that was a strong possibility but he hoped and had faith that Steve had managed to escape his prison somehow and made it to the roof to hide out as planned. Looking up at the roof and saying a silent prayer that he was doing the right thing, he nodded firmly before answering bravely.
"Let's get this done ..."
Taking the megaphone from Collins' hand as the men took up their various positions, Mike shouted loudly, his voice echoing through the megaphone and piercing the early morning air.
"DAMACOV! This is Lieutenant Michael Stone of the SFPD. We have you surrounded. Release your hostages, throw down your weapons and leave with your hands raised above your head!"
Mike almost laughed at his own words knowing full well Damacov would do no such thing and lowered his megaphone as the first shots rang out in their direction and the gunfight began. He watched as Collins' men managed to maneuver closer to the building and tear gas canisters were thrown inside, erupting in seconds as belching gas poured from the downstairs windows yet still amidst the sounds of heavy coughing, the gunshots continued.
Up On the Roof of the Warehouse :
Strange noises penetrated through the fog that had descended heavily in Steve's brain. He forced his eyes open and blinked several times as the sun seemed to have risen slightly since he had been awake last and he could see a little more clearly now in the early morning light. Remembering all too vividly in that moment where he was and the danger they were still in, he sat up straighter in a panicked fashion and regretted the sudden move as the whole left side of his body protested the move and seemed to radiate hot blinding pain from his thigh to his ribs. He shook his head to clear the threatening darkness and to stop it from returning to claim him once more and then glanced in concern through the gaps in his concrete hiding place over at the doorway to the roof and sighed heavily with relief to see the wooden plank still in place and that the doorway hadn't been breached while he had been passed out unhelpfully.
He felt chilled right through to his bones, as the strong, cold sea air relentlessly blew around them and he shivered uncontrollably. He longed for something warm to wrap around his cold body and for a warm soothing drink but he also knew that that prospect was a long way off. His teeth chattered which only made his split lip hurt all the more and his head felt clammy and fevered. The knife in his leg was starting to really irritate him and he longed to pull it out and discard it in the vain hope that it would ease the growing discomfort in his leg but yet having remembered Damacov's earlier words, he knew that removing it would only cause even more blood loss and complications that would hamper his ability to keep him and the baby alive until help arrived so he tried to ignore the horrible sensation the knife was causing, still embedded in his thigh. He noted that his breathing was a little more labored than before and it felt like his chest was a little congested. He fought the strong urge he had to cough violently as he knew that would only jolt his already agonized ribs but trying to stop the inevitable only made his urge to cough greater as his eyes watered from the effort and finally he had little choice but to give in as several barking coughs racked his body and sent explosions of pain through his bruised and abused left side.
As the coughing fit gradually subsided leaving pure misery in its wake he suddenly heard it ... Mike's voice booming out over a megaphone and he almost didn't trust his own ears. He strained to make out any of the words but it was definitely MIKE. Elena had made it ... Mike had found them! He allowed himself a relieved chuckle as he placed a hand on the makeshift sling and spoke soothingly, forcing the words from his parched throat and over his sore, swollen lip.
"Uncle Mike's here Honey ... I told you he wouldn't let us down. He's going to get us out of here ... We're going to make it ..."
Steve couldn't feel any movement again from the baby clasped to his chest. Again in alarm he quickly reached in to check on Brigitte. She seemed very still to him and this time her tiny hand felt slightly cooler. He felt his heart skip a beat as he felt panic rise within him. NO! This can't be happening! She HAS to be ok ... Help is finally here! Please God, don't let her die now ...
His fingers sought her pacifier out to check for the comforting pull as he did the last time but before he could check, he heard the disturbing sounds of pounding coming from the roof doorway. He looked over in time to see the door burst open and the angry looking form of Dmitriy came rushing through it. He held his breath and heard loud gunshots ring out from ground level and knew that Mike and whatever rescue party he had brought were busy exchanging gunfire so for now he was on his OWN. Dmitriy's voice boomed angrily.
"KELLER? I know you're up HERE! I found the bottle. You must have dropped it, HUH? It was Elena wasn't it? She helped you. I told Damacov he couldn't trust that little tramp but he wouldn't listen. Your pig friends have come to save you Keller but they will be too late. After I carve you and that baby up I am going to find that treacherous little tramp and rip her heart right out of her chest. Shame you won't be around to witness it, Keller ..."
Steve swallowed hard and his breathing quickened as he watched as Dmitriy didn't move far from the doorway. He knew he was no match in his current condition for a fight with the bulky Russian and feared the outcome of any confrontation. For now he had to hope that he could remain hidden for as long as possible as he then picked up Elena's gun and held it as his last hope of survival.
Dmitriy scanned around him and then spoke menacingly in a soft singsong tone.
"Come out, come out wherever you are ... "
Then he belly laughed and the sound froze the blood in Steve's veins.
"Oh Keller! You are not as clever as Damacov thinks. You have not realized that under cover of darkness you have left a bloodied trail ... right to your hiding place ... " he added as he laughed again heartily.
Steve shook violently at his words and looked quickly towards the ground where he had squeezed through earlier and to his horror saw the bloodied trail that he hadn't noticed up to this. Dmitriy was right! He had left a trail right to them! He dry swallowed hard and his heart hammered in his chest, as he heard Dmitriy speak again.
"So Keller, Inspector of Pigs, as you will not reveal yourself and face your death like the brave man Damacov thinks you are ... I will now have to come and drag you from your hiding place and carve you up like the coward that you are. Here I come KELLER ... Ready or NOT! ..." he added teasingly, reveling in toying with his prisoner as much as he was able to.