"Dude, I ain't talking. Everybody who comes in contact with that guy dies…it's like he's the black plague."
Mike leaned deeper into the backseat of the Galaxy, as they turned onto Ellis toward the busy Hyde Street Corner, ready to circle the block once again. As they rain continued to pound down on the city, they'd spent the last fifteen minutes trying to get the uppity Puerto Rican to talk about their killer.
After assuaging his fears of being seen by keeping the unmarked police car moving, Mike even promised protective custody to no avail. It was obvious by the young man's body language that their killer had done a fine job spreading fear and terror amongst the crooks in town.
"And the sooner we can find him, the sooner we can stop him."
"And I am supposed to trust you on that?!"
"I trusted you. And you tried to stab me.", Steve growled from the front seat, keeping a close eye on his occupants through the rearview mirror.
"That was just to see if you'd flinch.", Tahoola countered and smirked, before pointing his chin at a near-by newsstand, "Something tells me you guys haven't got the slightest idea who this guy is. But you want to put me in the middle to get him. That won't work."
Mike saw his partner ready himself to say something and quickly reached forward to squeeze his tense shoulder, signaling to let him continue the interview.
"You are misinformed, my friend.", the Lieutenant began cordially and flashed a fake smile, "See, we've been selective about the information we've released to the media outlets about our killer. We don't want him to know what we know. As a matter of fact, we want him to think that we're clueless. And believe me, we're not. We're pretty close to solving this case."
Glancing up for a moment, Mike met Steve's curious green eyes in the rearview mirror and blinked almost imperceptibly.
"I don't believe you. You are putting me on. If you are that close to solving the case, you wouldn't need me."
Tahoola's voice was still full of arrogance as he shook his head decisively and looked out of the side window, not wanting to listen.
"This is where your lack of information is misleading you.", Mike explained in a calm voice and clasped his hands in his lap, "We know that our hitman is being frighteningly efficient at clearing the entire north side of any mob activity left. We know that because he did the same thing in New York. And you know what he did after he got done icing the mobsters?...He started to go after the gangs and the little guys."
This time, Tahoola didn't answer and resumed his stoic window watching.
"Doubt my words all you want, but I can have Steve here bring you back downtown and we can show you a very detailed police report explaining everything we just said. Now, you can help us stop this killer before he starts looking for you, or any of your buddies, to resume his plan. All we need from you is some information. The last few pieces we're missing in our puzzle is his name, and who he works for."
The atmosphere in the Galaxy turned tense for a brief moment as the young Puerto Rican shook his head, seemingly fighting an internal battle about helping the police. In the end, he let out a frustrated grunt and cleared his throat.
"Clarence and I got pretty high that night, so I can't promise you that anything I heard and saw actually happened. But I do remember a foreign looking guy. The kind of guy that you know is trouble, if you get my drift."
Suddenly, Tahoola's voice was stripped of all its previous arrogance, as the Puerto Rican drew in a shuddered breath.
"I wasn't liking the digs and wanted to leave, but Clarence was so doped up, he couldn't go anywhere. And I was an idiot and felt compelled to stay with him, instead of just leaving him behind."
"Where was that party?"
"It was at a halfway house down by the Embarcadero. The Bay Street Dragons put it on as part of the truce with the Muertos."
"I thought the Muerto's were long gone…", Steve asked from the driver's seat and briefly turned his head enough to look over at Tahoola.
"Yeah, well that's what we wanted you punks to think. The Muerto's have seen vast growth, but with the mob having a stronghold on the north side, we felt it to be necessary to merge houses with the Dragons. For a larger economical impact to support our…endeavors."
"Listen to you, Raul.", the young Inspector mocked, as he shook his head, "Talking as if you're running a company. You're gonna form a union next? What's the benefit package and retirement savings plan look like?"
"Stephen.", Mike warned sternly, causing his partner to fall quiet again and resume his attention on the road ahead.
Thankfully, Tahoola didn't take the bait and focused back on the Lieutenant, who was facing him intrigued.
"I take it this killer didn't fit into the age group all that well.", Mike pried and watched the young Puerto Rican nod hesitantly.
"Yes and no. It was a weird sort of coming and going. Turns out there was a lot more going on than just celebrating a truce. A fight broke out in the end and we decided to leave, before shots would get fired."
"What kind of a fight?"
Mike noticed his partner changing course outside of the city block they'd been circling for quite a while now. Looking through the back window, a growing sense of unease told him why.
"Well, in the end, the Dragons tried to convince the Muerto's to work together with some of the mobsters. It was insane. Of course, the Muerto's fought the plan. We will not support the mob, ever. That's when that creepy guy came in. He walked in with one of the mobster guys."
Feeling his heart beat faster, Mike leaned forward and grasped Tahoola's elbow, his blue eyes focused intently on the young man.
"Do you know who he was with? Which mobster?"
"Nah, I don't know these guys too well. He was older. Gray hair combed back. Black suit. Black sunglasses. The creepy guy, they called him Vlad. I thought he was their bodyguard. But that's all I remember, I swear. We left right after they showed up."
"Mike, we picked up a tail.", Steve interrupted worriedly and glanced back at him through the rearview mirror. Meeting his partner's green eyes with solemn certainty, Mike nodded and reached over to unlock Tahoola's handcuffs.
"You mean the cream-colored firebird four cars back?"
"Yeah. He's been on us for the last five turns."
Frantically glancing back and forth between the two detectives, Tahoola rubbed his sore wrists, before turning around to stare at the traffic behind them.
"Is that…could that be him coming after me?!"
"We don't know.", Mike admitted truthfully and reached for Steve's shoulder again, before pulling himself closer to the driver's seat.
"Where do you want to trap him at, Buddy Boy? You went east earlier."
Never taking his eyes off the road, Steve came to a halt at a stop sign, before blinking and turning right.
"There's a couple abandoned apartment buildings on Laguna and Haight, the ones that almost completely burnt down a few months back, three people died. We could lure him into the old underground parking and have uni's come in from either side to cut off his escape route."
"I am afraid he might be listening in on our radio communication. If we call for help, he will know that he's been made. I don't want to give him that advantage. How about you head down there and see if we can play a game of turtle and hare with him."
Mike was still holding on to his partner's shoulder when he felt Tahoola nudge his arm.
"What about me? Who's going to keep me safe?"
Glancing over at the nervous young man, Mike pursed his lips, feeling an involuntary shudder run down his back, as their newest problem unfolded.
"We will. Just hold on and stay put. Whatever you do, do not leave this car do you understand me?"