Deakins looked up from his desk and said, "Get in here."
Goren and Logan came into the office, closing the door behind them, and sat down. "Every time you two work together, I get a migraine."
Neither of them said a word, which was fortunate for them. The captain sighed. "I'm just glad John Eames is going to be ok."
"Hey," Logan protested. "That wasn't us. If we hadn't got there when we did, John would be dead and so would Eames and the kids."
"I know...I wasn't blaming you for that." He looked at Goren, who seemed pale. "How are you feeling, Bobby?"
"Better." He didn't like being reminded of the close call Alex and the kids had recently had, or the fact the John Eames had nearly been killed.
"Maggie was asking for you at breakfast."
Goren nodded, not surprised. "Um, thank you, Captain."
Deakins just nodded and waved his hand. "Having children around again makes my wife happy. And the girls love fawning over them."
"Great. They'll be nice and spoiled."
"Like they aren't already," Logan observed.
"Hey, you had a big hand in that."
"Who can say no to Maggie?"
Deakins laughed. "Not one of us. Thank God she has her mother to show her that she can't always have her own way."
Goren frowned in mock annoyance. "All that teaches her is that when Mommy says no she can come to one of us."
They laughed and Deakins shook his head. "Maggie is the most loveable kid I've ever known."
Logan grinned as he playfully punched Goren's shoulder. "Yeah, but she's Daddy's little girl all the way...since the day she was born."
Deakins sighed. "Well, while you two were busy giving the nurses at St. Vincent's a hard time..." He looked at Logan, who shrugged. "I've had the FBI look into things. Logan told you about the escalated threat to the two of you?"
"Yes, and I'd like to know where it's coming from."
"I know IAB pulled you into this, Goren, and you pulled Logan in. You busted this wide open, and that's good. But Waters and his boys were in deep, much deeper than any of us ever realized. Bedford is in protective custody now...three attempts have been made on his life in the last week, and I'm afraid you two are next."
"Alex and the kids?"
Deakins shook his head. "There's nothing to indicate they are in any danger, but I have two units watching my house...hand picked by me, from our squad. They're clean...and they know who they're protecting."
Goren nodded. "Who'd you pick?"
"McManus, Dobbins, Carter and Sanchez on days. Turner, Forsythe, Markus and Wilson on nights."
Both he and Logan nodded their approval. Deakins just smiled before he got serious again. "Now...neither one of you is going to like this." They both groaned. "Two agents will be here within the hour to take you guys into protective custody."
"What?" Logan jumped to his feet.
"No way," Goren protested.
"First of all, this is not open to debate. Second of all, I've spoken to both of your partners and they want you to cooperate because they do not want to bury either one of you." His eye fell on Goren. "And you have two little ones..."
Goren waved his hand impatiently. "I know, I know..."
"If either of you has another word of protest, I want you to think about Maggie. Ok?"
Logan sat back down and ran his hands over his face while Goren remained silent and looked at the ceiling. "Where are we going?" Goren asked.
"Out of state. I've already told Eames and Barek where, but you will be under a no contact order until we get this straightened out."
"Where is this threat coming from?" Logan asked.
"I'm sorry, guys. I can't tell you that. You two have done enough to my blood pressure. I am not having you take off to try and deal with this on your own. This case is now in federal hands, and so is your safety. Got it?"
They looked at each other. Deakins leaned forward, hands on his desk. "I said, 'Got it?'" They nodded reluctantly. "Now behave yourselves and play nice. I'll take care of your family, Bobby. Don't worry about them. And Barek and Bishop seem to be getting along well. I'll keep Bishop on for as long as I need to."
Goren frowned. "How long do you expect this to take?"
"I hope to have you home before your son is crawling."
"Great. Um, this weekend..."
"Don't worry. I'm going to figure something out so you guys can be together for at least a few hours on Christmas."
"Thanks."
Logan rubbed the back of his neck. "I suppose it's out of the question for us to go home and pack a few things..."
"Nice try. You can buy a new toothbrush. Barek ran by your apartment to pack some clothes for you and Alex sent a bag for you. They're out there by Goren's desk. Now get ready to go...and please...behave."
They left the office. Logan looked at Goren. "What the hell does he think we're gonna do?"
-----------------------------------
Neither of them had much to say as they headed out of the city in the back of a federal sedan. The agent sitting in the passenger seat turned to look at them. "You guys hungry?"
"Yes," Logan answered as Goren shook his head, still looking out the window.
"We'll stop at Burger King or something."
"Where are we heading?" Goren asked.
"Your captain didn't tell you?"
"No, but we're on the way now. What harm can it do to tell us?"
"Look, we understand how you guys feel..."
"Do you? I don't see you guys being pulled off your jobs and taken away from your families..."
Logan laid a hand on his arm. It wasn't their fault. Goren turned angrily toward the window. The two things that gave his life meaning--his job and his family--were out of his reach and, simply put, he was lost. The only bearing he had right now was Logan...
The agent looked at his partner. He felt bad for the two cops in the back seat. It was just four days till Christmas, too. Well, a little concession might go a ways toward making the three hour ride a little less tense. "We're taking you boys to Southbridge, Massachussetts."
"Southbridge, Mass.?" Logan repeated. "What the hell is in Southbridge, Mass.?"
"I think that's the point, Logan," Goren muttered without turning from the window.
Logan sighed. "Don't mind him," he said to the agents. "His son is three days old, his three-year-old daughter is lost without him and he's lost without his wife."
Goren smacked him. "Ow! Hey...if anything I said is a lie..."
"Just shut up, ok, Logan?"
"Fine."
Yep, Logan mused. This is gonna be a blast.
In the front seat, the driver's phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to his partner. "Gordon." He listened intently. "No...oh, jeez. Yeah, ok. I'll tell them."
He closed the phone and turned to look into the back seat. "Your suspect at Rikers... Bedford?"
"What about him?" Goren asked, suddenly interested in what the agent had to say.
"He was found dead in his cell about an hour and a half ago."