Chapter 14,
"I am giving you the tranquiliser gun and I want you to use it on the man I have identified", John Tandy whispered down the phone line. "Fine, I'll do it as soon as he is by himself", came back the reply.
"Don't stuff this up", Tandy warned his contact. "Phone me when it is done and remember to remove his cell phone so we can't be traced", he warned. "I know what to do", snapped his contact.
Putting down the phone Tandy smiled, very soon Saunders would come into his possession and he was going to make good use of the abilities he possessed. Of course he would also have to find some leverage to persuade the man to go along. But if you had a family then leverage was always going to be easy. He looked at the pictures of Simon's two young daughters, "perfect", he stated.
"Well Trix by tomorrow your dad will be free", Di told her friend as they made their way back to the apartment. "Yes moms will be so happy", Trixie replied softly. She guessed she should be as well but could not shake off the fact that Roland Cole had only killed to protect his family.
Simon was having similar thought walking apart from the group. "Dad you did a good job, Dan praised picking up on his fathers mood. "Did I Dan, Once again it is not the big fish who pays", Simon retorted.
"This is so familiar and I get tired of it being that way", he grumbled. Picking up on the tone of disgust Dan pleaded. "Please don't do something stupid like going after the big fish dad. I know you could probably find out who he was if you wanted to".Simon squeezed Dan's hand, "don't worry Dan, I know my limitations. The big fish is always guarded by lots of little fish". Dan immediately looked relieved.
"Dan when you have a gift you always have to have an anchor to stop you drifting into places you should not go. Once it was your mother, now it is you , Alena and Hope", Simon told him. "
Feeling warmth fill him Dan took a tighter grip on his fathers hand, " I have been afraid of your gift for awhile dad, but it's not just because of what you did with it", he admitted. Looking over at him Simon felt compassion fill him, "I know why you are so afraid Dan. It is because you are a Saunders as well and it is a hereditary gift". Dan just nodded and looked down, "I will be your anchor as well Dan to make sure you use your gifts in appropriate ways. Though perhaps we are not off to a good start with that", Simon remarked. Almost forgetting to breathe Dan stared at his father. "Dan nobody I know can crack a state of the art security system in seconds. You have probably been using the gift for years without even realizing it", Simon told him. Finally admitting to himself that he'd held the fear that he had aquired the Saunders gift Dan found himself unable to speak. "I think the difficulty with Hope came from the fact she found out about what you could do and you were afraid she'd tell me", Simon pressed gently hoping Dan would open up.
Dan's eyes widened, "how do you know that, did she tell you", he asked. "No Dan she didn't but I knew there had been a problem and after seeing you work on that security system so easily I guessed what it was".
Sighing Dan decided he should explain , "she had locked her teddy in her toy chest then lost the key. I got it out for her without even using a piece of wire. That was when I decided there was something a little odd about that fact."
"I started to imagine developing all sorts of scary abilities and turning into somebody else entirely".
"Even though I knew you'd understand I was still afraid to talk about it. I kind of hoped it'd just go away. But I guess it's not going to", Dan sighed. "No Dan, it's not ", Simon told him. "But I'll hold onto you tight and make sure you don't fall". You mean only break into things for the good guys and not the bad ones", Dan asked bluntly. 'Simon looked at him, "if you can used what you can do to help people Dan then why not", he challenged. "We would not have gotten that evidence without your gift and probably Peter would still be in jail." But of course the choice is yours. I just happen to know that it is hard to stand back and doing nothing if you have the ability to change something", Simon said sagely. Reflecting on his words Dan knew he'd be the same as his father unable to stand by and see innocent people suffer. "I guess we are a crime fighting duo then", he decided. "As long as you don't make me wear tights", Simon stated with a smile. "No fear on that Dad", Dan said firmly.
Laughing the two of them continued toward Jays apartment leaving the others to return to the Wheelers. Reflecting over the facts of the case Simon felt old fears begin to rise. "Dan I can't shake off the feeling of Deja vu around this case. Look at the facts, during the skating competition Dennis Healy tried to kill me because his family was under threat. Now we have almost exactly the same this time the victim decided to hit back first. We were told this sort of thing is typical for the Caruzo's Dan. Only they are supposed to be all dead. My feelings are never wrong Dan", Simon concluded anxiously.
"Surely grand dad would tell us", Dan replied nervously. "Would he Dan, I am not too sure of that", Simon replied. He slipped his hand into Dan's unaware of the man who watched him through the crosshairs of a weapon. Dan bit his lip at that comment, "he cannot lie to you, Dan stated firmly. "no he can't Dan but if you know peoples abilities then you also learn ways of countering them, misdirection works well".
"I think there is a link to the past. But perhaps Dad cannot prove anything and that is why he has said nothing. He would not want me to put my head in the firing line by using my abilities", Simon stated. "You are right", Dan agreed. "I hope grand dad has it all under control".
Simon agreed with that.
A few miles away Giles and Jospeh Trident were facing a wary looking Detective Carl Branston. "We have a confession for you to hear", Giles told the detective. Looking at him sourly Carl proclaimed , "I thought the FBI had no interest in the Belden case. I guess that other agent was just spinning me a line".
"Other agent", Giles was feeling suddenly cold. "Yeah Agent Tandy took time to look over the evidence and notes on the Belden case but claimed his interest was in someone else", Carl told him.
Joseph was looking over at his pale director and wondering what was wrong, however one easy question brought forth an unexpected answer. "Who was he interested in".
"Mr Saunders, though he did not say why", Carl replied. That made Giles flush and grind his teeth.
"He was just giving you excuses", Giles muttered. "This man has identified a Mr Roland Cole as the man who murdered the security guard". Because it involves contract killing we have decided to take an interest in the case".
"Typical",Carl swore. Giles folded his arms over his chest, "I did not say take over the case Detective. There is much you could do to help us. But we will get nowhere if you don't stow the attitude ."
Carl immediately looked down regretting his words. Half a pie was definitely better than none at all.
"Very well director we will help each other". "Good, you can get this mans statement, I have a little business to attend to", Giles told the detective.
Moving away from the detective Giles strode across the room unable to shake the feeling that Simon was in deadly danger and he'd underestimated John Tandy. "Sir", Giles jumped suddenly realizing Joseph was following him. "Yes what is it Trident",he asked. "What is going on with you, Agent Tandy and Simon Saunders", the lawyer asked bluntly.
Giles swallowed, "I don't have time to fill you in Joseph", he explained. "Is it to do with Saunders profiling abilities", Joseph pressed. Sensing that the lawyer was not going to back down quickly Giles decided that another ally might be a good thing. "In part Joseph, though I think it has more to do with the fact Simon is my son".
Joseph's eyebrows shot right up his face then relaxed, "ahh I suppose that explains a few things", he remarked. "Yeah and right now my son needs his father", Giles insisted.
"Fine sir, but I hope you don't mind if I come as well. I think an extra witness in what ever this business is about might come in handy", Joseph remarked firmly. "Very well Joseph, you can come", Giles pulled out his phone, 'you will not be the only helper I might need". He started making several very important calls
Simon and Dan finally reached Jay's apartment block. "Dan you go up , I'll just go an move my car from that car park before it closes for the evening".
Dan smiled, "I'll put coffee on dad", he told his father. "You do that, Simon replied with a grin.
He watched until Dan closed the door behind him. Then he headed in the opposite direction.
The man with the tranquilizer gun watched Simon and waited until he had reached the quiet side road.
Then he carefully took aim and fired. Watching his target fall seconds later the man hurried over and began to pat Simon down.
Discovering no phone he relaxed. Taking his own phone from his pocket he called Tandy, "your target has been aquired".
John Tandy felt excitement fill him, 'good I am on my way to collect him now". He took time to arm himself before he left deciding he'd leave nothing to chance. Saunders had proved to be dangerous and he had no real idea of what he might be capable of. If the threats did not work then he would shoot him. Either way he'd get revenge on Giles Mangan.
Dan made coffee then tidied up the kitchen area. Ten minutes went by, when it turned to 30 he began to pace. Five minutes later he left the apartment and hurried to the car park.
When he saw Simons car still there terror began to fill him. He was sure something bad had happened.