Fraser gripped the handhold above the passenger door as the Riv took a sharp right. For once, instead of admonishing Ray for disregarding traffic laws, he silently urged his friend to drive faster. He prayed their hunch was correct and Orvitz had taken Meg to his old apartment. Just in case, Ben and wracked his brain trying to think of another location that would suit, but came up with nothing.

"Just up ahead," he murmured, as Ray saw an opening by the curb and the Riv skidded into the spot. Ben was already opening his door when Ray grabbed his arm.

"Wait up, Benny." He was just about to yank his arm away, irritated with the delay when Ray reached down to his sock and produced his backup gun. The sight of Ray checking the chamber was enough to give Ben pause, but he was shocked to stillness when, after checking the chamber, Ray looked him straight in the eye and held it out to him, stock first. He vaguely heard Turnbull's quick intake of breath, but to the other Mountie's credit he kept his mouth shut.

"You know I'm not-" Ben cut himself off at the same time Ray said "take it."

The Blond leaned forward from the backseat as Dief whined. "What's the hold up?"

Ben looked at Ray a moment longer. Saw that his friend was willing to do anything to make sure Meg was safe, including break the law. He had to swallow a lump, knowing his friend was willing to put his career on the line, for their friendship.

Not trusting himself to speak, Ben gave a nod and took the weapon.

"Nothing, lets go." Ray replied as he opened his door. Once all four men, and one wolf, were free of the car Ben spoke as he took in the street.

"Detective Kowalski, Turnbull, there are two other exits from the building", Ben motioned towards a narrow alley "Cover those and make your way up to the third floor, rear apartment on the right. Ray?"

"Let's do this" Ray replied as he, Ben and the wolf ran towards the front of the building.

Ben reached the front of the building a good twenty paces ahead of Ray. He noticed the door to the apartment building was ajar and motioned for Dief to stay as he carefully pushed it open. Listening intently, he held up a staying hand as Ray caught up, slightly out of breath.

No noises greeted him and he looked down at the Wolf, making sure the lupine could clearly see his lips. "Stay with us, don't run ahead", then he placed a finger to his lips. Dief let out a breath of air that seemed to Ray, to be an agreement. Ben eased his way in, and he didn't have to look at Ray to know from the minute sounds that his partner had drawn his weapon. The gun tucked into the back waistband of his jeans was a last resort, he told himself, no matter how much he wanted to uncharacteristically put a hole thru Orvitz' heart.

As quietly and quickly as they could, the three of them made their way up the main staircase taking care to step around broken bottles and other debris while glancing overhead for movement. To Ben it seemed to take forever to make it to the 3rd floor landing. Dief let out another huff causing Ben to take a deep breath. Barely a whisper he glanced at Ray as his stomach lurched. "Blood".

Ray, craned his neck and took a deep breath as he glanced behind him, then up the stairway to the fourth floor. He couldn't smell anything except mildew and decay of an abandoned building. Holding his weapon with both hands, he tried to walk as quietly as Benny as they made their way to the tellingly half open door at the end of the hall. Knowing that at any moment any of the other doors could open and they would be sitting ducks if Orvitz wanted to shoot them had him looking from his left to his right, peering in each room if the door was open.

Dief growled low in his throat and disappeared into the room. Ben was right behind him. Looking about as he was, he ran into Fraser's back not realizing his friend had stopped.

"What the hell?"

"Shh!" Ben knelt by the first man slumped against the wall, blood soaked him from the neck down. He gingerly felt the right side of his neck for a pulse. Thready, but he was alive. "It's Inspector Lombardi, Inspector Thatcher's temporary replacement" Ben whispered to Ray as he watched Ray turn over the other man.

"Fishbreath" Ray muttered.

"Ray?"

"It's Hackensaw" at Ben's questioning look he continued "He's IA. He and another guy questioned me after you were sent back to Canada. No bus is going to help him." Ray stepped away from the vacant stare, and the man's lifeblood seeping into the old wooden floor. "What the hell are they doing here?"

Ben stood and looked around the small room. It only took him a moment to see the ropes tied to the metal rails at the top and bottom of his old bed. He picked one up and examined the cut edge as his stomach churned. Ray stepped up to him.

"Looks like they interrupted Orvitz" Ray said and the next instant swung towards the door gun cocked before recognizing Kowalski.

"Nothing from the rear. I told Turnbull to stay outback in case someone tried to come thru" Ray Kowalski looked at the two men on the floor "Who are these guys?"

"Canadians" Ben answered for him "Look" Ben squatted by Hackensaw" Direct to the heart, not a lot of blood but it's still pooling. We missed him by a matter of minutes. Perhaps five or ten, at most"

The Blond man shook his head "No one's come out since we got here and that's been maybe ten minutes."

"He could be in any of these apartments" Vecchio said in a hushed voice

Dief whined again as he paced around the bed. "What? What's Dief saying?" the Italian asked.

"Go" Ben told the wolf and followed him into the hallway. Ray gestured to Lombardi. "Call a bus and backup." And with that he was out the door.

The blond man, irritated with the command glared at the open doorway. I cannot stand that man Ray thought as he pulled out his cell and punched in a number.