Title: Too Tough To Die
Chapter 29 – Careful What you Wish For


"How are you feeling?"

"Like….crap," Danny groaned as he slowly sat upright for the first time in hours and rubbed his face. "Damn why the hell do people wanna get high?"

"To escape reality."

"I'd like to escape this reality but I don't need drugs to do it," Danny shot back in sarcasm. "My head…damn room is still spinning…or then it stops."

"Withdrawals are different for everybody."

"Yeah I know that," Danny groaned as his stomach tightened and he doubled forward. "I'm…" he stated in haste as he felt his stomach wanting to lurch. He scrambled out of bed and rushed into the small bathroom and threw up some watery bile. But after he splashed some cold water onto his face and looked up, he was once again greeted with Wilder's face instead of his own and nearly busted the mirror with his balled fist to erase the smiling image that unsettled him so.

"You okay?"

"Peachy," Danny retorted in sarcasm as he slowly left the bathroom and then wandered back into his small room. With his head still pounding and his heart not sure if it wanted to race or slow down, his emotions were all over the place. "This place…people come here by choice?"

"Sometimes," Baez responded with a look of sympathy as she told herself she had to get back so as not to arouse too much suspicion. "What do you remember?"

"It's all uh…nurse…she gave…"

"Remember her name?"

"Right now I hardly remember mine," Danny deadpanned as Baez's lips pursed. "No…I don't remember her name. Don't they have security for that? She gave me two pills that the doc prescribed…or didn't," Danny huffed as he reached for a small glass of water. "Wilder…I saw him here."

"You think it was the lookalike?"

"Well if he's in here then Wilder has a hell of a lot more pull than I give him credit for," Danny shook his head. "No…I think…I was seeing him. The orderly did you see him?"

"Yeah…he has a black eye. At least even high you haven't lost your touch."

"Funny," Danny retorted as she gave him a friendly pat on his shoulder.

"I gotta get back. This nurse. What else?"

"She called me Danny Reagan."

"So? That's your name."

"So Higgins said only two knew my real name. The other shrink isn't here yet."

"Right," Baez remembered what Higgins had said earlier. "I'll get Parker to pull the tapes and run a facial on her."

"'kay, keep me posted." Danny replied as he watched his partner get up and then discretely leave the room. Danny watched her go and then reached for the glass of water. But just as he reached for it, the room started to distort for a few seconds which prompted Danny to pull his hand back. "Damn drugs…" Danny sighed as he slowly stood up. But once again the room started to spin and he felt himself falling to all fours.

'Oh Danny…if only you could see yourself now.'

Danny looked up to see Wilder standing in the doorway with a smug look on his face. But as the room briefly distorted along with Wilder's face, Danny squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them again to see Wilder gone.

"Damn…bastard," Danny grumbled as he pulled himself back up to the bed and the rested on the edge. This time when he reached for the water, he was able to grasp the glass and down the rest of the cool, clear contents. "Hope Jamie gets that number…need this to be over…and fast."

With that Danny pushed himself up and wandered over to the window and stared out miserably into the inky black of night. "Just be careful Jamie…"

XXXXXXXX

Jamie entered the club and then looked at the woman that Anthony told him about.

'Her name's Maddie. Her old man and I go back a long time. He knows what she does but it's her life right? She's helped me out a few times and I helped her. Last time, the guy she was dancing for nearly killed her. Found them in the back alley and stepped in. She said she owed me if I didn't tell her father about the attack. She'll have your back Jamie. She's a good kid inside. But if something feels off…just walk away.'

"Yeah…walk away," Jamie muttered as he entered the strip club and then quickly scanned the area to make sure that his plan was still intact and that Blueridge wasn't there yet. Of course Blueridge would recognize him so he had put on a disguise of a dark wig and mustache, something Anthony gave him so that his contact would know it was him.

'What if someone recognizes you? I mean Jamie Reagan isn't exactly a nobody in this city.'

It made sense, plus if anyone called out Jamie and Blueridge saw…it would be game over – for good. Blueridge would be even more suspicious and make sure he avoided Jamie for good. Hence the disguise.

Jamie took a table near the middle, a patch where there were no lights to shine down on him and a row behind the table Blueridge normally sat at. Being in a strip club wasn't his idea of fun but he had to tell himself to act natural and right now this is where he wanted to be.

He watched as a woman neared him and started to dance provocatively before him, her actions making his core instantly warm. She leaned in pretending to be kissing his cheek but instead her intent was to deliver a message.

"I'm Maddie. Jamie. I'll keep that guy busy. Just act natural."

She pulled back with a wide smile as Jamie entreated her to sit on his lap and continue the rest of her act; wanting to give those around him no cause for uneasy discussions. He offered her a small amount of money after she had finished and then watched as she sashayed over to another customer and started to perform the same act on him.

As he waited, he thought about his brother and hoped that for Danny's sake that he would come out of the therapy center a bit less agitated then when he went in. Of course he couldn't have known in that moment that that was the furthest from the truth.

But he didn't have to wait too long for Blueridge to show up because about ten minutes later Blueridge and another guy that Jamie didn't recognize from the photo's walked in.

Just act natural…don't draw any attention to yourself…Jamie's mind reminded him as Blueridge and the man with him sat down at a table and then ordered their first round of drinks. He knew that they wouldn't be able to move on Blueridge right away as he'd still be alert and not as inebriated as they wanted.

Anthony would come in and then after Blueridge was plied with a few drinks in an hour or two they'd make their move.

An hour or two…Jamie inwardly groaned. I have to wait for two hours in this place? Hope Danny's having a better night.

XXXXXXXX

Danny entered his room after a short walk and heard his private phone ringing and hurried to answer it. "Linda?"

"No…it's me."

"Doc Higgins told you?" Danny answered his father with a sour note.

"She did and I also talked to Parker who talked to Baez and we're tracking down the nurse who either gave you the drugs after they were switched or…she switched them herself. Did she look familiar?"

"No. So do you believe me now that Wilder has a long reach?"

"When I find out it's him then…"

"Come on!" Danny growled as he held the phone away from his ear and then put it back. "Who else knew I would be in here and…"

"How did Wilder find out?"

"Because he's a damn genius! Look I don't know," Danny huffed. "But he…he's found a way to find me here or…or what else could it be?"

"Someone else who has a grudge against Danny Reagan. We sent you to a place with the least amount of contact with the outside media world but it is possible that someone knows who you are. It could be a personal grudge. It wasn't enough to kill you just enough to…"

"Piss me off? Well it worked!" Danny's voice raised and then fell as he wandered over to his door and closed it. "What if that was just the start?"

"Think someone would know that the hospital would run a blood test and if it is Wilder who has covered most of his tracks so far, it would seem sloppy for him."

"Look I just…how much longer do I have to stay in this damn place?"

"Jamie is trying to get Blueridge's phone tonight and hopefully we'll have a real live witness to help us put another nail in Wilder's coffin."

Silence.

"Danny?"

"Yeah. Still here," Danny answered in a quieter tone. "I uh…that…was so damn realistic. Thought for sure it was Wilder in my room. Was so realistic. And the staff. Higgins told you what happened? You feeling guilty?" Danny added and then cringed. "Sorry that was…"

"When I heard that the staff had to restrain you I…felt guilty. We'll get to the bottom of who gave you those drugs and why. Linda and the boys send their love. And no…I didn't tell Linda."

"Thanks."

Danny hung up with his father and then looked at the clock and frowned. "Nearly eleven…" he huffed as he slipped into bed; his core still enflamed but his headache a bit subsided. He looked at the small lamp and hesitated before he turned it off.

'I always be in your head detective.'

"Jamie better get what he needs and fast! Hate this place," Danny sighed as his hand pulled back and he rolled onto his other side away from the light; hoping that by leaving it on, his nightmares would be less.

XXXXXXXX

Jamie had watched Anthony enter the club about an hour ago and now it was almost time to make their move. Come on Maddie…he looked up at Anthony who was at a table to the right, also in the shadows and not drawing any attention to himself.

Jamie now watched as Maddie made her move. She started dancing slowly toward Blueridge who was more than eager and also more than a bit inebriated – his guard already at the low level they wanted.

"Hey baby…can I do something special for you?"

"Use me as you want," Blueridge uttered with a low predatory growl.

And to make sure his friend was also distracted, Maddie signaled to her friend to come and keep him company.

"Double the pleasure," Maddie told Blueridge as Jamie also started to make his move.

Anthony watched from under the brim of his dark ball cap as Jamie inched in closer, pretending that he too wanted to get in on the action.

Maddie's hands started with Blueridge's face, giving him the full show and making sure that he got into it as much as possible; which he did.

Jamie waited for the phone to drop, his heart rate about to explode. Since he figured the phone would have a lock Maddie's plan was to get him to open it to put her phone number in, a phony number of course and after she had typed it in would drop it, to which Jamie would instantly catch it and then try to put his plan into motion.

'And if that doesn't work, we'll jump him outside the club,' Anthony had suggested seriously.

And the way things were going, it looked like they might have to put Plan B into motion.

"I've seen you in here and I think I know what you want…my number…" Maddie whispered as she pulled back with a seductive smile.

Blueridge already plied with more than enough alcohol and a little something extra courtesy of Maddie, was more than agreeable. He pulled his phone and opened it. Jamie waited…his breath held and his mind telling him this was it.

"Here…let me and after I'm done…" Maddie leaned forward and whispered in Blueridge's ear; his friend distracted to her actions which finally allowed her to drop the phone.

Jamie instantly scoops it up and then hits the contacts button and quickly presses the record button on his phone, scrolls once with his finger as it keeps recording the phone history. Anthony literally held his breath as he watched Jamie with the phone, telling himself that this would work and they'd finally have a lead.

But when one of the other men wanted in on some of the action, their cover was in danger of being blown. Hurry up Jamie…Anthony's mind urged silently. But the friend started to get agitated and he knew he had to buy Jamie a few more seconds to get the phone back to Maddie who had to get it back to Blueridge.

"You dropped your wallet," Anthony told the buy with Blueridge. The rouse worked as he looked away, Jamie slipped the phone back to Maddie and Maddie pulled up with the club's number on Blueridge's display.

"In case of emergencies baby," she whispered as she pushed the camera button and took a picture of her and Blueridge before he tucked the phone back into his pocket. With that she lingered a bit longer before she pulled back all the way and then sashayed back onto the stage.

Jamie remained in place and so did Anthony. The two of them with their gazes fixed on the stage – anything but each other. Jamie waited for another half hour and then slowly got up and left. Twenty minutes after that Anthony got up and left and exited outside into the cool night air.

"Hope we never have to do that again," Jamie commented as he pulled the wig off his head and then ripped the black mustache off his face.

"Think I lost five years off my life tonight."

"Maddie really came through," Jamie told Anthony as they slowly walked down the street to where their cars were parked. "Let's just hope this comes through too," Jamie patted his jacket with the phone in his inner pocket. "I'll get it to Syd in the morning and as soon as he has something I'll call you and…"

"I'll get the warrant and we'll go get this son of a bitch."

"Good plan," Jamie agreed as he gave Anthony a fist pump and then turned to leave. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he pushed his jacket a bit closer to his frame, his body wanting nothing more than to just have a shower, wash off the less than reputable institution and crawl into bed.

However…that would have to wait. As soon as Jamie rounded the corner he was met in the face with a hard fist.

"Following me huh Reagan?" Blueridge growled as he glowered in drunken rage. "You'll be sorry!"

XXXXXXXX

'No…let me…go!'

'now now Danny…those restraints are for your protection only. Very delicious to see you all captive like that…but now…now it's time for some fun…'

"NOOOO!" Danny gasped as he was pulled from his nightmare in a panicked sweat; his body rising just as Wilder plunged the knife into his vulnerable chest. His watery eyes rapidly blinked away angry bits of watery sweat as his right hand felt his forehead.

Course it was flushed but what did he expect. From the damn LSD withdrawals to his agitation already being high from being in the treatment center to have only a few believe him about Wilder, his anxiety surges were higher than normal. To be expected but still frustrating to deal with.

He got up and then after splashing more cold water on his flushed faced wandered back over toward the window and stared out with a racing mind. He thought about Jamie going after Blueridge and vowed that if something happened to Jamie, Blueridge would pay.

He thought about his father's guilt and how he'd feel if it were his son sent for treatment, slipped something and then forcibly restrained for his own good and those of others.

And then his thoughts turned to Thomas Wilder. He could just picture him in his cell, sitting there with a smug look on his face and felt his teeth instantly grit. "You're going down Wilder…one way or another, it'll be you and I and I will end this!"

XXXXXXXX

But at the same time…on the other side of the city, another man sat in a solitary setting contemplating a similar thought but with an opposite outcome.

"Oh Danny very soon it'll be you and me…and I will end this. For us both. For good."

With that evil laughter rang in the air, drifting outside the thick prison walls and resting on all parties involved – Jamie Reagan, Anthony Abetemarco and Danny Reagan and making them shudder.


A/N: yikes is it safe to exhale yet? Hmm maybe not just yet. Will they find out who gave Danny the pills? Is he out of danger? Will they find the nurse? Has Jamie's plan been foiled? Eeks! Please do review before you go and thanks so much!