Sinister
...
The large neon sign projecting out over the sidewalk displayed the name of the establishment as "El Pura Vida", The Pure Life, the unofficial motto of the Central American nation of Costa Rica. It was a very nondescript building, sandwiched between a small insurance office and a home furniture store. The front was covered with a rust-colored stone façade and large, painted-glass windows, with terra-cotta tiles on the part of the roof you could see from the street. Other than the traditional Latin American appearance of the exterior, there wasn't much that made the place stand out in that part of Van Nuys business district.
Kensi pulled her SRX into one of the few remaining parking spots in front of the small building, her mind still wondering exactly what type of place it was but when she opened the vehicle's door and the strong aroma of spicy Latin American food hit her ... she figured it out fairly quickly. She looked over the roof of the vehicle as Jericho climbed out on the other side and waited until his eyes found hers.
"Was this some sort of sneaky way of getting me out of the office or was my stomach grumbling again?"
His left eyebrow cocked up, giving his face a strange look in the bright neon as he totally ignored the comment about her stomach. "Why would I need to sneak out of the office, Very Special Agent Blye?"
As she shut her door, she let out a long sigh. They hadn't spoken much during the drive up to Van Nuys but she felt like he was holding some secret to himself, and it only brought some of her buried nervousness and aggravation to the surface. She didn't mean to, but when she answered his question, it came out a lot harsher than she intended. "Oh, I don't know ... give me advice about how to handle Deeks ... tell me what to do so I don't screw it all up ... let me know that it'll all work out in the end ... take your pick, Steele."
As they moved over to the sidewalk and he led her toward the front entrance of the small family restaurant, he gestured with one hand, making her pause. "Just cool your jets, Ace. First, I'm the last person to give you any advice about relationships. Second, if you screw this up with Deeks, I'll crawl out from whatever hell hole I'm stuck in and come back here to personally kick your ass ... " Kensi stopped walking and gave him an exasperated look but he completely ignored it. " ... and third, I have complete faith that the two of you will find your way."
Kensi started walking again, her head dipping a little as she felt a bit contrite at his honest answer to her snarky statement. "Sorry, didn't mean to snap at you ... it's just a there was already so much going on and Deeks and I are ... well ... things between us are changing now … and it's a little intimidating."
Jericho stopped at the end of one of the large glass windows and when she halted beside him, Kensi could see inside the small restaurant. The place was quaint and simple but almost every table or booth was filled with couples, families, or college-age kids. Male and female servers were weaving between the simple wooden tables, trays of steaming platters balanced on their arms as the soft thump of a deep bass guitar and a sharp trumpet emanated from an antique jukebox sitting over at the far wall.
When Jericho spoke, Kensi's eyes remained fixed on all the activity taking place on the inside of the bustling eatery. "Yeah … guess so … but it's worth it, believe me. Just take your time, go slow, make every moment count, take in everything that's going on around you."
After rolling them, she slowly cut her eyes over to her friend. "Thanks … Yoda."
In an almost perfect imitation of the small Jedi Master created by George Lucas, Jericho responded. "Mmmmm … try not … do or do not … there is no try … mmmmm … " When she laughed, he felt the tension that had been so thick in the car slowly fade away. "You good now, my young padawan?"
Kensi paused for a moment to seriously consider her answer before she gave him a firm nod. "Yeah … I'm good."
Jericho let an exaggerated sigh. "That's a relief … I was getting pretty tired of moody Kensi."
She punched him in the center of his left bicep and he flinched away slightly.
"Mmmmmmm … anger leads to hate … hate leads to suffering … " He even slumped his shoulders, pulling his arms up as if he was leaning on an invisible cane.
Kensi folded her arms across her chest. "Are you saying that you're going to make me suffer?"
"You keep hitting me like that and yes, Agent Blye, you most assuredly will suffer."
He held her glare for several seconds, but then she caught the twinkle in the corner of his eye, causing her to chuckle at the way he was teasing her. Shaking her head, she turned to walk toward the main entrance but he reached out and caught her arm.
"Just a sec, Kensi … before we go in, I need to fill you in on a few things." When she stopped and turned to face him, his face turned serious as he continued. "I haven't seen these people in some time, we have a … uh … a history … we went through a lot together. They know me as Jordan Styles and they have no idea which government agency I really work for, but you can trust them with anything ... they're good people."
That caused her eyebrows to shoot up and she cocked her head to the side. "Do I even want to know?"
Jericho gave her a lopsided smile as he shook his head. "Not really, but it may come up. Just play along and follow my lead … think you can handle that?"
He was turning toward the large double doors when she whispered forcefully from behind him. "Yeah, can you?!"
Jericho pulled one of the doors open for her and spoke softly into her ear as she stepped past him. "Yes, I think I'll manage … Kacey."
As Kensi stepped up to the small podium that held a sign that read "Please Wait To Be Seated", she took Jericho's hint, slipping into the cover, silently repeating "Kacey" over and over in her mind so that she would automatically respond if and when someone called her by that name. A pretty young woman with caramel colored skin and dark hair appeared from behind a thick wood column, her smile both warm and welcoming. She spoke in English, but with a slight Spanish influence as she pulled two menus from the small stack on the edge the podium. "Table for two?"
Jericho responded in a Spanish dialect common in Central America. "Please … and if it's possible, could you ask Mr. Pena if he could join us at his convenience?"
"I will give him the message … but may I ask your name sir?"
"Jordan, Jordan Styles … we are old friends."
The woman led them to a small booth sitting in one of the back corners of the room and she made sure they were settled before hustling off to find Mr. Pena. As a young waitress poured their water from a large glass pitcher, the two agents took a moment to scout out all the exits and avenues of approach. They sipped ice-cold water from the goblets on the table and even though they weren't expecting any trouble from the families and couples around them, they only relaxed slightly as they settled in to wait on the man Jericho was seeking.
Just as their waitress came back to take their food order, a middle-aged man of Hispanic descent with streaks of grey in his jet-black hair stepped up and 'tisked' her away, saying he would take care of the new arrivals. Suddenly, Jericho was on his feet, his six-foot-two frame towering over the shorter man and as their gazes locked on each other, Kensi couldn't decipher exactly what was passing between the two of them. She was about to rise to stand with her companion when the small Latino man let a choked laugh before wrapping his arms tightly around Jericho's waist and crushing them together in a bear-hug.
"Jordan! Oh my goodness ... I can not believe it's you!" While he spoke English, it was obvious to Kensi that it was a second language to him, and when Jericho responded, he did so in Spanish.
"Good to see you too my friend ... it's been a long time."
When Mr. Pena spoke again, he was using his native tongue. "Yes ... far too long ... far too long."
The two men stepped out of their warm embrace, Mr. Pena gesturing for Jericho to sit as he turned to speak to Kensi. "And who is this lovely lady at your side?"
"This is Ms. Kacey Brooks ... she's an associate of mine."
"Associate? She's far too lovely to be out in public with the likes of you."
That comment made her chuckle as she offered her hand to the man standing by the edge of the table. "It's a pleasure Mr. Pena." She smiled warmly as he bowed and softly kissed the top of her middle knuckle.
"Please, Ms. Brooks, call me Oscar." He released her hand as he slipped into the booth across from them.
His formal greeting took her a little by surprise, but she recovered quickly. "Only if you call me Kacey."
The friendly smile that warmed his face, gave Kensi the impression that this was a man who was genuine and kind, someone to be trusted. The way his eyes twinkled in the lights told her that he was also at peace with the world around him, even though it seemed quite chaotic to her at the moment. There were small wrinkles that formed at the corners of his eyes when he spoke but he had the energy of a man many years his junior. She also noted that he seemed to share a bond with Jericho that could only be formed through the forge of adversity.
With another warm smile at Kensi, Oscar Pena turned back to face Jericho. "So, Jordan ... what brings you to my humble establishment after so many years?"
"I'm hoping that you can help us with a situation."
Jericho's statement seemed to strike Oscar as both humorous and profane. "You? You need ... my help?"
The emotion in the man's words was perfectly clear to Kensi and she glanced over at her friend, silently wondering what he could have done to merit the allegiance of the small man sitting across from them. She knew some of his past but it was only bits and pieces, and she hoped that one day, they would finally have a chance to really talk and she could get to know him even better than she did at that moment.
"Yes, I do ... well, really ... just some information ... if you can."
The look on Oscar's face and the emotions in his eyes told of a hidden debt that went far beyond anything Kensi could imagine.
"Anything my friend ... anything."
Just as Jericho leaned forward to speak, a high-pitched shriek interrupted him.
"Jordan! Is that you?!"
All three heads turned just as a young woman of about seventeen or eight-teen years old came barreling down the aisle, right at their table. She was wearing a simple evening dress that matched the Latin American theme of the restaurant, her long, black hair billowed out behind her as she ran at them ... a firm and determined look on her pretty face. Jericho was barely on his feet when she leapt into his arms, almost knocking the big man over.
"Carmen?! Oh my God ... you've grown!" He wrapped his arms around her slender waist, holding tightly to her as they spun in a small circle at the edge of the table. "The last time I saw you, you were no bigger than a chipmunk!"
"Well, it's been a few years ... " Then, to Kensi's amazement, the young woman drew back and punched him square in his sternum. " ... and don't start calling me 'Chipmunk' again ... I hate that nickname."
"No you don't ... it always made you laugh."
"I was more forgiving when I was younger ... now, I'll have to hurt you!"
Jericho smiled back at the girl warmly, and the girl's eyes lit up even more. After a moment of silence, she lowered her head, resting her forehead on his chest, her small arms circling around his neck and Kensi saw the slight tremble in them. "I didn't think I would ever see you again ... I've missed you."
Jericho tenderly slid his hand along the strands of her long hair. "Missed you too Chipmunk ... missed you too."
There wasn't anything sexual or inappropriate about the way Jericho held the much younger woman, it was as close to an embrace between an older brother and his little sister that Kensi had witnessed outside of a real family. She felt the warmth of love between the girl, Oscar, and Jericho ... and for a moment, the darkness of what had brought them here was forgotten.
After giving Carmen another firm squeeze, Jericho eased her down so her feet were back on the floor, but she quickly grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the back of the room. "Come on! I want to show you my latest work!"
As she watched the big man half-heartedly struggle against the girl, Kensi's mind couldn't make any sense out of what she had said. For a moment, she thought she must have misheard the words, but Oscar caught the questioning look on her face and cleared his throat so she would look over at him.
"You see all the artwork?" He gestured toward all the hand-painted pieces hanging around them.
Kensi glanced around the room and took note of the beautiful Latin American themed drawings and paintings that hung all over the restaurant. Oscar followed her eyes, and when she turned back to him, he proudly explained. "My daughter is responsible for all of them."
Most of the drawings were very good, others were down right breath-taking. One that hung on the wall just across from them was of a dark-skinned woman who appeared to have a jaguar tattoo that started on her naked side near her hip and ran up across the back of her shoulder, up her neck and ending on the left side of her beautiful face. It was stunning. Now that she understood the context of Carmen's request, Kensi smiled warmly back at her host. "She's very talented, but why did she ask Jordan to go with her?"
Oscar shot her a very strange look. "What? You didn't know he can draw?"
Her mind flew back to the pencil sketch from when he had first met her in the park when they were waiting on the killer from Columbia. The sheer talent and skill required to produce such a beautiful piece of artwork had rendered her speechless when he gave it to her and it only meant more to her, now that the man had become her friend. She already had a spot on her wall at her bungalow for it as soon as she got it back from the art store where it was being framed.
"Ah, my dear ... he's the one that first encouraged Carmen to start drawing in the first place." There was a hint of sadness in his words but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.
As she watched Jericho allow himself to be dragged away by the enthusiastic Carmen, Kensi felt the pull of the need to know the story behind the connection between these people and her friend. "So, what's the story between your family and Jordan?"
Oscar Pena leaned back against the padded seat of the booth, his eyes falling to the candle that burned softly in the middle of the table, his face turning hard for an instant before his peaceful demeanor fell back into place. Suddenly, Kensi felt she had brought up a memory of pain or heartache, but when she started to retract her question, he held up a steady hand to stop her.
"Oscar ... I ..."
"Do not fret my dear ... if you are here with him ... then I can tell you our tale without fear." His eyes flicked up to hers and she found herself lost in the depths of the brown color, but even more than that, she felt his tender spirit reach out to her, making the connection of trust and faith. She cut her eyes to where Jericho had disappeared with Carmen, and for a moment, she wondered if it would be easier if he was sitting beside her. But before she had time to debate it too much in her mind, the man sitting in front of her began to speak.
"I will begin this by telling you that I wasn't always Oscar Pena ... my old name is part of the past and that's where it will stay, but I will tell you enough so you understand why that has to be. I was born in a region at the tip of the Panamanian border with Costa Rica. My parents were native Bribri and when I was old enough, they sent me to live with relatives in Puerto Limon ... and that's were my troubles began."
He poured himself a glass of ice water from the pitcher and after he had taken a sip, his soft eyes fell back to the candle. "But before my world turned bad ... I met the woman who would become my wife and then we had our three lovely daughters ... life was good until the man I worked for at the port fell under the control of the Matanza cartel out of Panama ... I soon found myself embroiled in the world of drug smuggling and the harder I tried to get out ... the more I sank below the surface."
Kensi sat stone still, finding it difficult to imagine the gentile man sitting with her as someone who would fit into that world. "You don't strike me as the type of man who could stomach that type of thing."
"When men threaten the lives of you wife ... your children ... you will do anything to protect them."
His statement caught her slightly off guard. "I am sorry ... I did not ... "
Again, he raised a hand to stop her. "Please, you did not know and anyway, when the men I worked for began to notice my daughters growing into young women ... I knew it was time to get out before it was too late."
As she thought of the implications of his last statement, Kensi felt a shudder run up her spine at another example of the darkness that lurks in the hearts of evil men.
"In my search for an escape, I came into contact with people from your drug enforcement agencies ... "
Kensi speculated that he was referring to the DEA who were always looking for underlings to turn on any of the various drug cartels that supplied the product for the coke pipeline from Columbia to the U.S.
" ... they promised to get me and my family out of Costa Rica if I would testify about the cartel and help to destroy them ... I couldn't sign up quick enough."
Out of the corner of her eye, Kensi spotted Jericho and Carmen. The young woman was pointing excitedly at a large painting of a black panther's face where the big cat's whiskers looked real enough to touch. The special agent also took note that both of the girl's hands were locked around the big man's left forearm and her eyes sparkled when she looked up at him. It seemed the agent had another admirer with a huge crush on him.
When she turned back toward her host, she could see the admiration and affection that Oscar had for the man his daughter was clinging to. There was nothing on the older man's face to indicate disapproval of the way they were together and he smiled when he turned back to Kensi. "He was the older brother my girls never had and they love him deeply."
"Is that when you met Jordan? During your escape from Costa Rica?"
Oscar nodded his head in simple acknowledgement. "He was there, hovering in the background. Most of the time, I didn't even notice him ... he has a gift of being able to remain unseen when he wants to. It wasn't until the drug agents went to pull us out that it all fell apart ... there was some unforeseen problems, a missed rendezvous, and in the confusion and chaos ... my family was left behind." He paused, letting that part settle between them before he continued. "When we arrived in Miami and I realized my family wasn't coming ... that I was alone ... "
Kensi saw old anguish sweep over his eyes for a second or two, but it faded quickly, replaced by another warm smile. "That's when Jordan stepped in and changed the fates design. When the agents reported that they had to leave my wife and children back in Costa Rica and that they were not prepared to go back and get them, he was livid ... but after he calmed, he looked me in the eye and gave me his word that he would bring them safely to me."
"Five days later ... he kept his promise." Oscar Pena glanced back to where Carmen was standing with Jericho, and a small smile formed on his lips. "He went back in ... all by himself ... and he brought my world back to me."
"Were they okay?" Kensi leaned forward in her seat, the incredible story playing out in her mind.
"They were fine ... Jordan had a gunshot wound to his shoulder and leg ... " The gratitude was evident in his voice as he spoke. " ... it seems that the Cartel had dispatched a crew to find and eliminate my family ... Jordan got there just in time."
"So you were able to testify against the Cartel?"
"Yes, what Jordan left of them ... and then he gave me a new name and a fresh start here in the Land of the Free ... even helped me secure the business loan to start the restaurant."
Kensi smile matched his as they looked back to where Jericho was now surrounded by an older lady and two other women that appeared closer to Carmen's age. The way they were all hugging and fussing over the taller man, they must have been the rest of Oscar's family; his wife and other two daughters. The older woman and one of the girls each wore simple white aprons over their clothes, indicating they had just come from the kitchen. The other girl standing next to Carmen wore a sharp, black business suit that set off her dark skin and hair.
"That's my wife, Aina ... and my other daughters, Rebeca and Tonia. Tonia helps my wife in the kitchen and Rebeca handles the books." As the gaggle of women continue to bombard the big man with multiple questions, he seemed to grow exasperated at them, but instead of growing impatient, he simply threw his head back and let out a deep chuckle. The women grew somewhat quiet for a moment, but before they could continue, Jericho had wrapped all four of them into bone crunching hug that had the desired effect of rendering them silent. Unfortunately, all but Carmen seemed to have other duties to attend and after another round of intense hugs, the three older women slipped away. When Jericho and Carmen were standing alone, she nodded toward a group of young people her age who seemed to be waiting on her. The tall agent gestured that she should go join her friends and she eased up on her toes so she could kiss him sweetly on the cheek. He leaned back, ruffling the top of her head with his left hand, making her giggle. As Kensi watched the tender moment, she heard Oscar speak from across the table.
"He didn't even know us ... yet he risked his life for me ... my family ... kept them safe ... brought them back to me ... " Kensi wasn't sure but she thought she saw the older man wipe a little moisture from his eyes. "I will owe him forever."
"He's a good man." Kensi couldn't help the compliment that fell from her lips as Jericho was making his way back to their table. Like the Penas, her little NCIS family had only none the NSA agent for a few weeks, and yet he had displayed a willingness to sacrifice himself for each and every one of them.
When he arrived back at his seat, Jericho noticed the strange looks that the man and woman were giving him.
"What?" When the two of them didn't answer right away, he knew that they had been talking about him. "That's why my ears were burning ... talking about your's truly?"
"He told me about Costa Rica and the cartel."
"Ahh ... those were good times." Jericho's eyes turned to fix on his old friend, and for a moment, the two men shared a silent conversation that only the two of them could.
"But ... I think you are not here to discuss the past, correct?" Oscar nodded in understanding at the shift in Jericho's facial expression. "So , how then may I help you?"
Leaning over the small table, Jericho spoke in a hushed tone so that none of the other patrons would overhear. "We are hunting a man who may be operating in this area ... we are hoping that you may have some information that can help us find him before he strikes again."
"What does he do?"
Jericho glanced quickly over at Kensi before turning back to his friend, apparently knowing how this would affect the older man. "He likes to hurt women ... in horrible ways."
Kensi watched the color drain from Oscar's face for a moment, then he schooled his features before leaning across the table. "What can I do?"
"I know you Oscar... what kind of man you are ... you have a kind heart and I would wager Carmen's favorite painting that you help people who come to you."
Oscar chuckled lightly, knowing he was busted. "See a need, fill a need."
"We were wondering if some of the women who work on the streets come to you and your family for help, have mentioned anything that they may not willingly share with local law enforcement?" Jericho knew that the Penas would lend aid to anyone who came to them and he was confident that the local street-walkers would come to them for food and assistance if they needed it. During those times, they would likely share information with the family that they would not readily share with anyone from outside the neighborhood. "Anything about unexplained disappearances, things that just aren't right, something that might scare them ... have you heard anything like that?"
Oscar sat back in his seat, contemplating Jericho's question and when he let his eyes drop to the table for a second before they shot back up to look at them, Kensi knew that the visit had paid off.
"Yes ... there has been something that a few of them have mentioned ... something that has more than a few of them on edge."
Jericho glanced over at Kensi before he turned back to his friend. "What do you know Oscar?"
"They are afraid." Oscar cocked his head to the side but his expression was hard and intense. "They feel like they are being stalked ... hunted."
Kensi slid closer to the edge of the table. "But that's not unusual ... their particular profession attracts some of the worse low-lifes in the city."
"You are correct Kacey, but sometimes there comes something ... or rather, someone ... that scares them, makes them afraid to go out onto the streets."
Kensi nodded. "Someone ... like a monster."
A silence fell over the table as the truth of that statement rang true. Jericho leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as he locked his eyes on Oscar. "Is there anywhere specific that the disappearances have occurred?"
"Some are too close for comfort."
Jericho slid forward in his seat. "Please, go on."
Oscar Pena let a sad sigh as he considered carefully how he would answer his friend. "Sometimes the people of this neighborhood come to us ... they need food or a safe place to sleep. Sometimes, we can get them to stay and even try to help them leave the life that they have. Sometimes they are able to find a better way ... most times, they are still trapped ... by drugs, violence, fear."
The table had become very quiet as both agents listened intently as the older man laid out the sad life of some of the residents who called this area home. Stuck in a world they so no way of escaping, the addicts, prostitutes, and others ... had found a family that would do what they could to help. But choosing to move on from the only life they knew could be a very daunting task ... and there were very few who could find their way out.
"The past few weeks, some of the women who we help have been afraid of something worse than their pimps or the crooked cops that shake them down for free 'favors'." He used his hands to gesture awkwardly at the word 'favor' and his expression indicated that it turned his stomach that someone who was sworn "To Protect and To Serve" would do something so vile. "They are used to the occasional creep who hits one of them a little more than he paid for ... but they fell like a hunter has come this place. Some are even scared to go out after dark, no matter how badly their owners threaten them."
"There have been some girls who have disappeared ... and there are rumors of a man who hunts them like animals." Oscar leaned forward and his voice grew hushed, like he didn't want anyone else to hear what he was about to say. "The girls say that he carries them away ... and when they are found ... he ... he has butchered them."
Both Kensi and Jericho felt their stomachs drop at the man's revelation, knowing that they were closing in on the right monster. Taking a quick breath, the brunette locked her eyes on the older man's dark ones and spoke softly. "Is there any particular place that they are disappearing from ... a street? A corner? Anywhere?"
"There have been three that I know of ... " Oscar's eyes turned down to the table, drifting to the candle that flickered gently in the small vase that was a soft shade of green. When he continued, there was a hard sadness to his words. "Tonya ... Clarissa ... and Sharon ... they all worked the same area ... near Vose and Hart Streets, up around Sherman Way."
Kensi saw that the moisture had returned to Oscar's eyes, the fact that he had called the girls out by name meant that he had gotten close enough to care for them and their loss weighed heavy on his tender heart. She reached over and covered his hand with hers, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "Is there anything else you can think of that might help us catch him?"
Oscar shrugged, his eyes still focused on the candle's flame. "They were all so young ... so beautiful ... they deserved better than what this life did to them."
Jericho turned to face Kensi, giving her a quick nod and she understood that it was time to go and put an end to Vlad The Defiler. There was no way for them to save the ones that were already lost to the vile man, but maybe if they were able to take him down, the lost girls would have some measure of peace in the next life. The two of them were sure as hell going to do their best to stop Vlad from killing again, no matter the cost.
Giving their host's hand another firm squeeze, Kensi was just pulling her hand away when he quickly reached over and clasped her hand between both of his. When she looked up at him, there was a single tear making its way down his left cheek and there was a dark desperation in his brown eyes.
"You stop this man ... you make him stop!" His words were sincere, his voice pleading.
Jericho reached over to cover their joined hands with one of his larger ones, his grip tight and firm.
"You have my word, my friend ... you have my word."
...
While Jericho and Kensi were talking to Oscar Pena, a few blocks away just south of Sherman Way ...
"So, are your feet killing you yet?" Detective Daniel Coyle spoke just loud enough for the mic clipped to his shirt to pick up what he said.
Approximately one-hundred or so yards down the street from where her partner was watching from inside a nondescript brown van, Alyssa Moss cocked her head the side and spoke quietly into the air, her own mic picking up her soft words. "Spend two hours walking around on a concrete sidewalk wearing three-inch stilettos and then tell me what you think, partner."
"No need to get snippy ... just a little while longer and we'll call it a night."
Alyssa adjusted her short dress that was clinging in all the wrong places as she made another slow turn to continue her path along the side of the street. Her feet were, in fact, killing her and she was dreaming of a long, hot bath followed by a glass of wine, a good book and several hours of uninterrupted sleep. For the past few hours, her and her team of vice cops had been busting the men who were coming to this small part of town looking for a little party with one of the many local prostitutes. It had been a successful operation so far, with several arrests and even a few of the men caught with more than just cash in their possession. Already, two had been busted for hard drugs and even one on an outstanding arrest warrant for assault and battery. All in all, what Alyssa and her team would call 'a good op'.
Daniel glanced up and down the street from his vantage point inside the van. He and Detective Aaron Hill were parked under a broken street light so they could watch Alyssa and, at the same time, cover the street to the west and see to the east in the rear view mirrors. It wasn't ideal, but with the take-down team at the hotel, his partner walking the sidewalk, and he stuck in the vehicle with Aaron ... the Vice Unit was spread pretty thin. There were some patrol units nearby but they were positioned far enough away so that they wouldn't scare off any potential targets. All of them were ready for anything that might happen ... they had been doing this for a long time and it was turning out to be a rather mundane evening. Of course, in this line of work the mundane could turn into the insanely dangerous in a matter of seconds.
But the thoughts running through Daniel's mind at the moment, had more to do with double-checking the reservations at Alyssa's favorite restaurant and picking up his best jacket from the dry cleaners tomorrow afternoon. 'The Date', what the entire precinct was calling it, was turning out to be the event of the month, maybe even the entire year. For some reason, the fact that he was actually taking his partner out for more than a friendly get-together, had everyone contemplating the ramifications of any shift in their partnership.
Case in point ... the very anxious Aaron Hill who was continually fidgeting in the seat next to Daniel.
"So, what do you have planned for your date with Detective Moss?"
Taking a moment to collect his response, Daniel let out a slightly exasperated sigh. "I'll tell you the same thing I told you the last time you asked ... and the time before that ... none-of-your-business."
"Oh, come on ... you knew where I was taking Maria for our anniversary."
Daniel cocked his head in the direction of his temporary partner, but his eyes never strayed too far away from Alyssa's position down the street. "That's because you practically yelled it from the roof tops that you guys were going to the Bahamas. Hell, you even posted it on the bulletin board in the break-room."
Aaron lowered his head as he shyly tried to hide the huge smile on his face. "Yeah ... I guess I got a little carried away with that."
"It's cool. It was your first year as a married couple ... you had every right to get a little excited over it." Daniel couldn't help but be happy for his friend and his happiness, even though Aaron was much younger and was already married. "By the way, how's married life treating you? Maria still being nice?"
Aaron knew he was being teased by the older detective, but they had been working around each other for a long time and whenever members of the department picked on you, it really meant they were just adding another level to the friendship. "Well, you know Maria, she spends her days teaching advanced Math and Calculus down at UCLA, then she gets to come home to all of this ... " The young man gestured slowly to himself. " ... girl's got it made."
That elicited a slight chuckle from Daniel. "How a rather unremarkable looking detective with the LAPD landed a knock-out, super-smart woman like Maria, will always be a mystery to me."
"You're not the only one. I have no idea what she sees ... but she's the best thing that ever happened to a loser like me." There was a hint of self-depreciation in his words and Daniel wasn't sure if he was kidding or being serious.
"Hey, come on Aaron, you're not that bad. A little high-strung sometimes ... but you're getting better."
Aaron laughed softly at his friend's attempt to bring some levity into the conversation. "Was that a compliment from Detective 'Iron Head' Coyle? I'm touched."
Daniel smile turned crooked at the use of his old nick-name, 'Iron Head', a title that had stuck with him since his days back in Robbery/Homicide. It came from an incident that occurred years ago, right after he was promoted out of uniform and into the world of being a detective for the Los Angeles Police Department. The name was given in fun and jest, but it had also stuck because of his stubborn refusal to give up or back down, even when everyone else thought that he should. It was that trait that helped to make him one of the best young officers on the force and what had finally worn down the walls around his partner's heart.
While he was still getting used to wearing the gold shield, Daniel and his team had tracked a homicide suspect's probable location to a small trailer park on the outskirts of L.A. and had spent the better part of three days waiting for the right time to make the arrest. When the team made their move, the suspect had fled to another home in his attempt to escape or possibly grab a hostage. Daniel was pursuing though the front door of the house and in his haste to stop the man from putting any one else in danger, he forgot that the front doors on older model mobile homes were a few inches shorted than a standard house door. As Daniel's six-foot, two-inch frame ran through the doorway, the top of the door's metal threshold caught him hard across the forehead, the impact causing him to stagger and finally collapse to the floor. The suspect was so caught up in laughing at the downed cop, the rest of the team quickly took him down without further incident. Later, after the hospital cleared him with a severe knot on his head and a mild concussion, Daniel arrived back at headquarters to the thunderous chants of 'Iron Head! Iron Head!' ... and he knew the name would follow him for his entire career on the force.
"Yeah, well ... don't let it go to your head, there's still plenty of things about you that annoy me."
Aaron faked his shock. "Like what, pray-tell?"
"Well, I have kept my peace because I know how sensitive you are and I didn't won't to hurt your feelings ... " Daniel tilted his head so he could see better as pair of headlights turned down the street. It was an older model car, the color a faded shade of what had once been green; it did little to improve the looks of the vehicle. There was a hint of exhaust smoke coming from the slightly inefficient tailpipe as it slowly ambled up the street. The detective let a sigh of relief when it passed by Alyssa's position without slowing down, continuing on it's path past the van until it stopped on the corner before making a left hand turn at the stop sign. " ... but you really do have the worst haircut of any one I've ever seen."
"What? You don't like my hair?"
"You look like someone held you down and hacked away at your head with a weed-eater."
Aaron flipped down the sun visor and peered into the vanity mirror. "You know how much this cut cost me?!"
"If you paid more than a buck-fifty ... you got ripped-off, dude."
"Awww man ... he said it was the latest style!"
Daniel was having a hard time keeping a straight face as his friend's anxiety continued to escalate. "Who did?"
"My barber ... he said that this cut was going to be the next big thing in Hollywood."
There was a hint of a smirk on Daniel's face when he turned to face his companion. "If it's a remake of 'The Last of the Mohicans' ... you've got it made."
Aaron turned to face Daniel, a very confused look on his face. "I don't get it ... 'Last of the Mohicans'?"
Daniel couldn't stop the chuckle that slipped out as he spoke. "You'd fit right in ... you look like you've been scalped already."
The younger detective started to turn back to the mirror when he caught the smirk and the soft chuckle from the man sitting beside him. Shaking his head, he flipped up the visor and gave Daniel a withering look. "You're freaking hilarious ... you should be a stand up comic with that routine."
"You're the one with the 'Styled by Yard Equipment' hair-doo ... don't be mad at me, I just call 'em like I see 'em." Daniel turned his grinning face back to look out the window to check on Alyssa once more and Aaron fumed in the seat next to him. "Hey Lyssa, how are we doing out there." He heard a long, frustrated sigh over the com system as he took a sip of coffee from a blue thermos.
"What's this 'we' stuff? I'm the one out here wearing heels designed by Attila the Hun in an outfit that would be illegal even in Vegas while my partner is sitting on his ass ... drinking my coffee."
Daniel almost spit out the mouthful of the warm liquid onto the van's dash, instead he choked it down with a gasp and a cough. "Ahhhh ... "
"Gotcha ... partner."
He heard her self-satisfied laugh through his ear piece and wondered when it was that they had gotten to know each other so well that they knew what the other was doing even though they were far apart. It had developed rather early in their partnership and had led them into the easy way they had with each other ... the thing that made them great partners, both on and off the clock.
"Sorry Lyssa, couldn't help myself." Daniel tried to sound apologetic as he knew how much she liked her coffee.
"No worries, as long as you left me some ... but I still expect a full-blown foot massage when this is all over."
Daniel ignored Aaron's raised eyebrows and knowing smirk. "I'll even wash them for you."
Aaron's face turned into an expression of disgust. "You'd wash her feet? Dude, that's not right."
Before Daniel could speak to defend himself, his partner stepped in for him, her voice bouncing across the radio. "I'll have you know, in some religions, washing someone's feet is a symbol of humility and reverence."
Aaron started shaking his head. "I say it's disgusting ... touching another person's feet ... ugh."
"I think it's very sweet ... and sexy." Alyssa's voice came over their ear pieces, low and sultry. Both of the men were clearly affected by the tone of her words; Aaron trying to keep his composure while Daniel was trying to hide the hint of red creeping across his cheeks. As he swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, she continued. "If you're looking for a way to blow Maria's mind, you should try it sometime, Aaron."
"Women really like that sort of thing?" While he still had his doubts about the idea, Aaron would do anything for his wife.
When Alyssa spoke, the temperature inside the van escalated a few more degrees. "Yesss ... they do."
For a few moments, the communication system was silent as the little exchange radiated through all three of them, each contemplating the meaning behind the words. Just when it was getting a little weird, Daniel spoke up.
"Just make sure she's not too ticklish."
Aaron glanced over at the other man. "Maria's not ticklish."
"But Detective Moss is." Daniel's head bobbed up and down, his eyebrows up.
There was a story hidden behind the detective's eyes and Aaron couldn't help but ask. "What happened?"
"She kicked me."
Alyssa's voice came over the system. "You surprised me ... I had no idea what you were doing!"
Aaron was giggling now. "So, where did she get you?"
Daniel didn't want to talk about it, but he knew Aaron wouldn't stop pestering him about it until he reveal the rest of the story. "Take a wild guess."
It only took a moment for Aaron to catch on to his meaning. "Awww ... dude! How'd she manage that?"
When Daniel turned away without answering, the younger detective called out to his partner. "Detective Moss?"
The woman let out an embarrassed sigh before she spoke. "I was sitting on my couch and he was kneeling in front of me ... he had a towel over his shoulder, a pan of warm water on the floor in front of him ... he went to wash my left foot ... when he touched my arch ... well ..." Her voice trailed off after that.
"Her leg shot out, stiff as a board and the top of her foot caught me ... in the ... well, you know." Daniel shrugged shyly as he finished out the remainder of the story.
"Ouch." Aaron gave his friend a sympathetic look that slowly turned into soft laughter.
"Hey ... so not funny!" Daniel tried to sound mad but it only caused Aaron to laugh even more. "Great, laugh it up Fuzzball ... maybe one of the other guys will give you a lift back to the precinct."
As Aaron continued to chortle at her partner's misfortune during his first attempt at washing her feet, she decided to throw the poor man a life-line. "Yeah, it wasn't my best moment ... but I more than made up for it later."
That brought Aaron's laughter to a screeching half as his mind began to picture all the things she cold be saying without actually saying them. He didn't know that she had made Daniel his favorite dish to make up for her lack of bodily control ... and had let him wash and massage her feet later that evening after the meal. Of course, Daniel was a lot more careful about how he positioned himself in front of her that time.
Before Aaron could beg her to tell him what she had meant by her statement, Alyssa cut him off with a soft whisper into her concealed mic. "Danny, I think we have a another bite."
"Awww ... the conversation was just getting good." Aaron sighed in frustration.
Daniel sat up a little straighter in his seat, his eyes locking on the car coming around the corner. "Head out of the gutter buddy ... duty calls."
The two men watched as the faded green car from earlier turned down the street once more. It was common for the Johns to cruise by, checking to see if any of the women on the street were what they were in the mood for that evening or they were just nervous about the transaction they were about to undertake.
Alyssa relaxed her hips, adding a little more sway to her walk as the car slowly eased over to the side walk, stopping right in front of her. Daniel and Aaron watched her saunter over to the passenger side of the car as the driver lowered his head to look out the window at her. She leaned down, letting him admire her assets that the little dress amplified magnificently. In her sexiest voice, the female detective plied the man for his plans for the evening.
"Hey Sugar, looking for a party?"
...
Vlad Karenin eyes locked onto the face of the pretty, blonde prostitute as she leaned seductively against the side of his car, her hands resting on the roof, her hair draping across the bottom of the open window. The little blue dress, that was doing little to hide any of her lithe body, slid over her curves like dark velvet but the movement caused no physical reaction in him at all and the sultry tone of her voice was lost in the blood pounding in his ears. He was fixated on her long blonde hair and the depth of the green of her eyes ... both triggering memories of a woman who he had given his heart to, but had betrayed his love in the worst way possible.
As she spoke, her voice was soft and sexy, exactly what any other man would want in a lover, but Karenin wasn't interested in taking the woman bed ... the only interest that her voice peaked in him was a curiosity about what she would sound like when she screamed. When the young woman seemed to grow a little impatient for his answer, he cleared his throat and spoke in clipped English that did little to hide his heavy Russian accent.
"Yes ... I look for party."
The blonde prostitute cocked her head to the side, gesturing to the small, two-story hotel just behind her. "I have a room reserved up there, baby ... tell me what you want and we can get the party started."
"No ... you come with me ... I have place we can go."
The woman shook her head softly in disagreement. "Sorry sugar ... but my mom taught me not to get into cars with strangers. Just tell me what you want me to do, we'll go up to my room ... and I'll make all your dreams come true."
Karenin felt the fire of anger start to bubble up from deep inside of him but he forced it down, the woman was almost a carbon copy of his young wife who he had killed all those years ago and he couldn't afford to let this opportunity slip away. He swallowed the burn in his throat and tried to smile as sweetly as he could. "I pay extra ... as much as you want ... but you have to come with me."
The blonde shook her head again, a little more adamant this time. "Look sweetie, if you want to party, then I'm your girl ... but it will only take place up in my room, understand?"
Pure, hot rage began to bubble just under the surface of his calm demeanor, threatening to roar out of him, but with a coolness developed over years of hunting this particular prey, Karenin reeled his emotions in and answered as politely as he could. "I want to be with you ... but I'm nervous ... it is my first time doing this." He added a small waiver to his voice while he glanced around as if he was nervous, hoping that it might cause her to acquiesce to his request. In actuality, the experienced killer was scoping out the hotel, the parking lot, the street, even the van parked under the broken street light. He had a feeling that something was off, he just wasn't quite sure what it was. Normally, he would have closed the deal by now, or he would have driven away empty-handed ... but the green-eyed blonde was just too good an opportunity to pass up without trying a little more.
The woman let out a small sigh that sounded like a frustrated huff, like she was a little indecisive for a moment, but then she leaned back, folding her arms across her chest. "First time or not, baby ... my rules are just that ... my rules. Either you tell me what you want and you meet me up in my room, or you move along so I can get back to work. It's your choice."
Karenin leaned over, bringing his left hand out from beside his leg, a wad of rolled up twenty-dollar bills clutched between his fingers. "See, I have plenty of money ... get in ... it's not far."
He twisted in his seat so that the bills were just out of her reach but close enough for her to see the amount of cash he had in his hand. The shadows of the interior of the car concealed his right hand that was holding the small syringe and he was hoping she would be tempted to lean into the car to get a better look at the cash. It was a ploy he had used before with great success ... greed was a powerful motivator that could easily trap the most cautious of prey. If she moved close enough, he could strike quickly, catching her hand in his strong grip while he injected her with the needle. Before she could pull back, the drug would have already gone to work on her central nervous system, relaxing her diaphragm so she couldn't scream and her muscles enough so she couldn't fight.
Instead of coming any closer, the woman took a step away from the car, her eyes turning away from him to glance back up the street where other cars might hold better prospects. "Sorry sugar ... tonight's just not your night ... maybe next time." Then she shrugged her shoulders and walked away from the vehicle, her hips rolling playfully under her dress.
For a moment, Karenin debated calling out to her or even getting out of the car so he could try and negotiate with her some more. He quelled those thoughts as another vehicle began to ease over to the sidewalk and the blonde was already heading in that direction. Glancing around quickly, the big Russian let his foot slip off the brake pedal and the car moved down the street as the woman began talking with another potential customer. As he drove slowly away, there was something that still felt a little strange ... about what, he wasn't sure. Maybe it was the location or the fact that the prostitute was determined not to get into his car; maybe it was something else but he was still incredibly disappointed that the perfect opportunity for the evening had slipped away from him.
As he reached the end of the street, he once again made a left hand turn that put him back on the track he had been using to scope out the area before he had stopped to talk to the blonde street-walker. Karenin always used his years of tactical training when he hunted his human prey and this night was no different. He had already mapped out his alternate routes back to his lair, checked for any police presence before he even ventured down this street, and his mind was flipping through another possible way to capture the blonde woman who had so captivated him.
After making another set of quick left-hand turns, he found himself just one block over from where he had struck-out with the prostitute. He stopped his car, threw it into reverse and backed down into a small alley that opened up onto the street that held his prize. After he parked, he took another second or two to look around the area, finding the alley dark and only slightly cluttered with the days refuse and one or two abandoned vehicles. When he stepped out, Karenin checked his concealed weapons and tucked the syringe back into its small sheath on his arm. There were no windows that had a clear view of the alley and there was very little traffic on this end of the street.
As he walked silently back to the south, he found that he could easily traverse the route back to his car without being observed or hindered in any way. When he approached the end of the alley, he stopped and let himself become part of the environment ... listening to the roar of the traffic of the distant interstate and the sounds of the buildings around him. There was nothing that stood out or indicated any danger of any type, so he took a calming breath and glanced around the corner of the brick building that sat right next door to the hooker's hotel. He had picked a perfect place to both observe her and, if he was lucky, she might wander a little too close to the corner of the building ... and that's where he would take her.
The woman was walking away from him, back toward the hotel, as a car pulled ahead of her into the building's parking lot. Apparently, she had scored another customer after he had left and was slipping away to complete their business up in her room. Karenin felt no disappointment about what she was about to do, it made absolutely no difference to him and it actually added to the rage that smoldered deep in his soul. She was just doing what she did ... what all of them did. She was going to give herself away for a few dollars and then, maybe, she would wash the man off of her body before returning to do it again with the next poor, lost soul who crossed her path.
He didn't know or care how long she would be gone. He was on the hunt and she was the perfect prey for him to release his pent-up anger and hate.
The Defiler could wait.
...
A/N: I'm sorry for the INCREDIBLY lonnnnnnngggggggg wait for this update. It wasn't 'Writer's Block' or anything that I can really define ... I just lost the urge to write for a while and needed to take a little time to catch my breath. You guys are the best for waiting this long and sticking around ... you all get kudos for tolerating my proclivity for procrastination.
Hope you liked it and if you want to give me your thoughts, there's a little box at the bottom for just that.
Semper Fi
JS