Intersecting Lines Book 2

35 The Raid Part 1

Gabriel's viewpoint

With the warrant in our hands, we'd gathered around the corner from the restaurant again while we waited for it to close, no one wanted to try and take down a team of cold-blooded killers with bystanders and potential hostages around. It had taken a while but the last of the staff had left, though it was obvious from the lights on the first floor that people were still inside. We knew it wasn't Otomo and Arima; the gardeners were sitting at their local casino, playing Pai Gow again under the casino's surveillance, two less complications to worry about.

We made our way up to the door, while Flynn, Provenza and two uniformed cops covered the rear. The Chief, Sanchez, Tao, Rizzoli and I took the front, with two uniforms there to cover the front while we did the take down. I can't say I was surprised to find we'd been joined by Ana Romanov; she'd just turned up in the squad room and mentioned that given all the federal aspects to the case, it'd help to have a Fed on site. We'd all exchanged a few amused glances but no one called her on it, she'd kinda become one of the team, especially after putting it on the line right besides us when we'd taken down the sniper a few months back, the Chief had simply raised an amused eyebrow before carrying on with the briefing.

The Chief led us to the front door, motioning us to stay quiet as she pulled a set of lock pick tools out of her windcheater pocket and set to work. I'd seen her do this before and shook my head a little, for all the Southern, 'aw shucks' demeanor she affects, the Chief was a hell of a lot more than most people would ever guess. She'd proved that with all the perps she'd put away, most had seen the looks and the accent and written her off, not realising what she was capable of until the cuffs were being put on them.

Less than a minute later there was a soft click as the door unlocked and we quietly filed inside, moving carefully to avoid making noise. There was enough light bleeding in from outside through the front widows to give us a clear enough view as we slowly moved round and between the tables. Rizzoli had been inside before so she took point, leading us towards the doorway leading upstairs.

She indicated the door, there behind a screen as we nodded, then pointed at herself and raised her index finger, indicating she'd be first through the door, just what I'd expect from her, she'd always try and be first, not that she was being a hero, she just knew she was faster and more accurate than most of us. She then pointed at Sanchez and raised two fingers, then me and three, setting up the entry order.

We glanced at the Chief who nodded, though I saw Ana frowning, she was probably thinking she should go first, she'd had the house to house experience in Iraq, but this was the Chief's show. Rizzoli glanced round at us then stepped up to the door, reaching for the door know with her right hand, her pistol in her left, Carefully swinging it open she leaned in far enough to glance round the corner, then ducked back.

"Empty" her whispered voice was low and harsh with the stress we were all feeling as, with a nod she stepped through and quietly moved inside as Sanchez followed, then me. There was a small area before the stairs, we could see light coming from upstairs as Rizzoli carefully started making her way upwards, pistol held in both hands aimed to the top of the stairs. In the quiet all I could hear was our soft breathing and the sounds of male voices from up the stairs, couldn't tell how many, then a female voice laughed, were they having a party up there? Rizzoli moved over to the left side of the stairs making it harder for her to be seen as she quietly stepped up again. I moved to the right as Sanchez stayed in the middle, it meant we each had a clear line of fire if we needed it, no one blocking anyone else.

Rizzoli was about half way up when there was a shockingly loud creak under her foot, we all froze as there was a sudden stilling of voices up above, then a single voice speaking loudly. There was a quick exchange of glances and a universal, unspoken 'oh fuck' from everyone before Rizzoli swallowed and took another step, just as a man appeared at the top of the step. I could see his eyes widen almost comically, before he started shouting and ducked back.

I could see Rizzoli's face tighten and she raced up the stairs, even as we could hear a loud male voice yelling something I couldn't understand, not that I needed to. I clenched my teeth and took after Sanchez who had followed Rizzoli up to the top of the stairs to find her already moving carefully down the corridor, pistol swinging to cover doorways, I could hear shouting from up ahead, before an Asian guy swung out into the corridor, a handgun already turning our way as I called it.

"Gun!" There was a shouted chorus of "LAPD" and "Gun" and "Police" as the guy's pistol lifted and fired, even as Rizzoli, Sanchez and I all shot back. I saw his body jerk back as we hit him, before he fell gracelessly into the doorway in that particularly boneless way that told you he was dead before his body hit the ground, hardly surprising given Rizzoli and Sanchez are very good shots and I was sure I'd hit him too, even as Sanchez tumbled backwards past me and right into the people behind us, Tao and the Chief grabbing him, his groan soft after the gunfire. There was a second's pause, before Rizzoli was moving again, Romanov squeezing past us and taking off after her.

I was torn for a moment, looking down at Julio, seeing his eyes squeezed shut, face twisted in pain, seeing the Chief's hand's searching for blood even as she asked where he was shot, Mike Tao was already on the radio to dispatch calling for a bus before the Chief glanced up at me and tossed her head.

"Go, we got this" I took off after Rizzoli and Romanov, seeing they'd already checked out the room the gunman had come from and moved on down the corridor, even as I heard the sound of the uniforms downstairs racing to the stairs plus Provenza's voice on the radio, calling for an update. I moved up to the next door to join them as Romanov nodded and Jane kicked it in, Stepping through the door and looking round the darkened room, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye, turning to see two figures backlit from the window behind them and the light filtering in from the door.

"Police, don't move!" I could make out two figures, one much larger than the other, I recognised the big one as Homoru before the smaller figure was suddenly shoved at me, the woman cannoning into me as she stumbled, clutching me to her and dragging me down with her as I desperately tried to keep my gun out of the way. I heard the sound of breaking glass, frantically looking round as first Rizzoli and then Romanov leapt over us and out the same window the big guy had gone out of. Climbing to my feet I dragged the woman upright, to see she was a blonde in skimpy lingerie. She looked me up and down.

"Who the hell are you?" I shrugged.

"LAPD" She grimaced as she looked down and dusted herself off

"Figures" She frowned. "Couldn't you have at least waited until he paid me?" I suddenly realised who she was, a working girl. I was about to check the window to see where everyone had gone but before I could do anything there was a fusillade of shots from outside the room, followed by a howling scream, I saw the woman dive into a corner behind the bed, not a bad idea in retrospect.

"Stay there and don't move" her voice was low but certain.

"No shit Sherlock" I turned and moved back to the door and chanced a quick look round, seeing another Asian guy lying on the floor, hands wrapped around his thigh as he whimpered, a pistol dropped a few feet from him where it was now laying between the Chief's feet. What did capture my attention though was the scene just beyond him, a guy who looked like the Yakuza boss, Abe, was standing there with a pistol held to the head of another half-dressed blonde woman, maybe another hooker, using her as a shield.

The Chief and Tao had guns drawn on him, both calling for him to drop the weapon and let the woman go. The guy shook his head and spoke.

"You will get out of my way and let me pass or this woman dies" The Chief's voice was as steady as her pistol.

"That is not going to happen" Her pistol moved slightly, probably drawing a bead on Abe's head. "You put the gun down and let the woman go and no one gets hurt, least of all you" I tried to line him up, but I didn't have a particularly clear shot, the Chief and Tao probably had a better one, even as Abe spoke, his hand around the woman's throat,

"You will not risk the woman's life" The Chief didn't move, her gun unwavering.

"You let her go and surrender and take your chances with the US Justice system or you try to walk out of here and you will be shot dead where you stand" I frowned, she was pushing him real hard, I wondered if Abe thought she was bluffing, if so he was wrong.

"You will shoot me either way, this way I have a bargaining chip" Brenda didn't move.

"What you have is another charge on your docket, taking a hostage will add a lot more years to an already long rap sheet" Abe shook his head.

"You will step back and let me through, or she dies" To back up the threat he ground the gun into the woman's cheek, eliciting a terrified yelp from her as the Chief spoke again, her voice firm and cold.

"You let her go and we all walk out of here alive. Try and use her as a shield and all you'll do is wind up dead" I heard a soft groan and looked back up the corridor to see Sanchez lying there with a uniformed cop bending over him, the other cop was standing there with his pistol out, even though Mike and Brenda were blocking the best shot. I looked back up the corridor, to see Mike was moving to the side of the corridor, making Abe have to split his attention, even as The Chief stood there, unmoving, staring over the sights at Abe.

"How do I know you won't shoot me if I let her go?"

"You don't, but I give you my word, you let her go and drop the weapon and no one will shoot"

"No one will shoot me trying to escape?" Brenda shook her head once even as I rolled my eyes at his statement, he must have watched too many bad movies.

"You will not be harmed if, IF you put the gun down and let her go" She paused then continued. "You have my word" Abe looked back at her across the ten feet or so of space between them.

"And you are?"

"Deputy Chief Johnson, LAPD"

Abe and the Chief had a bit of a stare down that must have gone on for ten or fifteen seconds before Abe suddenly held the gun away from the woman, flicked the safety on and leant over, placing the gun on the floor. He straightened up and released the woman, who took a step forward, her hand coming up to her cheek where the pistol had been jammed into her as I saw her expression change, before she turned and lunged at him, fingernails clawing for his eyes. Mike and I jumped in and helped pull her off, getting a few scratches myself for my trouble while the Chief cuffed Abe. He had some scratches on his face but was in better shape than Sanchez so I wasn't particularly concerned for his welfare.

Mike moved the woman into another room as I checked on Sanchez, he'd been hit in the vest at close range, he was sore and sorry and his chest was a mass of bruises, but the vest had done it's job, stopping the bullet and keeping him alive.

In another minute the corridor was full of people, Flynn and Provenza and a bunch of uniforms who helped clear the floor finding no one else, then a couple of EMTs to take care of Sanchez and the Yakuza guy with the bullet in his leg. The Chief watched as Abe was led away, turning to Buzz and telling him to film everything for our investigation and for the inevitable OIS inquiry into the shooting. It couldn't have been more than a minute or two and then she turned to look at us.

"Good job everyone" She frowned and looked around. "Where exactly is Detective Rizzoli…" Her frown deepened. "…and Special Agent Romanov?" I felt my face heat up as I'd gotten distracted by the stand off with Abe. I turned, looking round and through the open door, seeing the broken window again. I waved in its direction as I spoke.

"Uh Chief…" She turned to look at me. "They went that way"