Title: Scenario

author: Cindy Ryan

Laundry had brought in one of LA's most wanted. Caleb Wright had been found of all places at a twenty-four hour laundromat not far from the abandoned zoo. The manager had called it in after seeing the news blitz the department had done after Lucy disappeared. Tim and Angela had been the first to arrive at eleven am. The not knowing and turmoil of emotions had Tim as tight as a taunt wire. As soon as he'd seen the kidnapper Tim had seen red. His vision had narrowed and all he could think of was Lucy scared and alone in a barrel being buried alive.

The manager had backed up several steps and the twenty customers had taken had charged Caleb and had decked the man with a left hook before Caleb could register that he'd been caught. Tim had dragged him to his feet and slammed him against a bank of washing machines face first.

"Damage my machines, you pay!"The middle aged bald white man had shouted even as he kept his distance.

Tim had ignored him and slammed Caleb again with enough force that the kidnapper bounced off the machine and sprawled to the floor. Tim had advanced on him once more and yanked him to his feet. Caleb's face had been a bloody mess but it hadn't phased Tim nor had Angela's pleas to stop. Now Tim pressed Caleb against a dryer.

"You have one chance to tell me where she is!"Tim demanded as he pressed his forearm against the man's throat.

The kidnapper smirked and as Tim's forearm came down on his throat the kidnapper had vowed.

"You'll never find her."

Tim had no memory of the next few minutes. It wasn't until Grey's stern angry face came into view that reality returned. Tim was pulled away from Caleb and to the other side of the laundrymat. An ambulance was outside and Caleb was being carried out on a gurney. The bastard's words echoed through Tim's thoughts as he looked down at his bruised; bloody hands.

"You'll never find her."

Tim vowed there and then that even if he had to dig up the whole city; Tim would find his partner.

Tim knew Angela was trailing behind him as he stormed into the hospital forty minutes later but he didn't slow down. He didn't care how he looked or the double takes the hospital staff was giving him. He wanted one person. One person in a lock down unit of the hospital. One the department didn't use that often. Grey was taking no chances and Tim didn't blame him. They had the copy cat killer in custody. It was going to be a feather in the department's crown. It was going to be the internet equivalent of front page news if it wasn't already. The city was safe. The mayor and ADA could pat themselves on the back. They could have all the praise; all Tim wanted was five minutes with Wright. He was almost certain that five minutes he could get Lucy's location. Most likely less.

"Tim!"

Angela's shout finally dented Tim's thoughts and he glared back at his friend. She glared right back. Angela glanced to her right saw a darkened room opened the door and yanked Tim inside it. He instantly turned and opened the door and she slammed it shut blocking his way.

"You need to take a breath and calm down a notch."Angela suggested as she folded her arms across her chest. "Grey's not going to let you anywhere near Wright if you're acting like 'One flew over the coo-coo's nest."

"I don't need Grey; I can get in there."Tim nearly growled angry and impatient with the delay.

"With the charm you're oozing now?"Angela countered sharply.

"I can move you out of the way."Tim threatened.

"You won't."Angela returned.

Tim stalked to the other side of what was a small conference room and then paced the length of it by the window. This was wasting time.

"Do you think that the others haven't already talked to him?"Angela began. "That Armstrong isn't..."

"They haven't got him to talk or we'd be moving to where she is!"Tim nearly shouted. "I can get him to talk."

Angela frowned and tried to keep a reign on her own temper. She knew Tim didn't deal with helplessness well; most men didn't. Add to that mix that it was his rookie; his boot. One that had become a friend no matter how he tried to deny that fact was a volatile mix.

"You can't control yourself around him."Angela reasoned. "I get that. Seeing him going about his daily business like Chen wasn't missing hit me too. Means he's got more than a few screws loose. That he could do that to her and then go do errands and laundry and for all we know grocery shopping it's sick and twisted. But you won't be any help to Chen if Grey takes your badge."

"You think I give a damn about my badge?!"Tim retorted as he stalked around the table. "This is on me!"

"She's your rookie, I get that..."Angela replied confused.

"No, you don't!"Tim thundered his voice breaking. "I told her to go and get a drink after the stressful day. She asked for my advice and that's what I gave her. This is on me!"

Oh, Tim. Angela thought with compassion and she walked forward and pulled her friend into a hug.

He hadn't told anyone but Grey Tim realized as Angela engulfed him in a hug. His C.O had been the only one he'd confessed his guilt to when he'd first learned Lucy was missing. That had been hard enough.

"People like him are good at blending in; fooling people."Angela soothed quietly.

The anger finally draining from him at least partly Tim pulled away and sank down onto the corner of the table. He ran a hand through his hair and then looked at the clock on the wall. The ticking of the second hand seemed unusually loud. Reminding him that his partner was somewhere buried alive and running out of air. If she hadn't already.

"I haven't had a boot die on me yet."Tim stated in a strained voice. "If Chen's the first...if that piece of advice is my failure..."

Angela lowered herself so she was eye level with Tim. She rested her hands on her thighs.

"Chen is smart; one of the smartest we've had in a few years."Angela began quietly. "Even Harper sees her potential. You trained her well. I haven't lost faith yet that we'll bring her home; alive."

"I don't want to either."Tim admitted but he gestured to the clock. "But we're running on an estimated clock, Angela. We're guessing that he didn't take her from the trunk and put her in the ground. We're..."

"No, we're going on his track record. The girl at the zoo..."Angela protested.

"We don't know how he found her. He met Chen before this. She could trigger something else in his craziness that..."Tim argued.

Grey's voice over the radio interrupted the conversation.

"Grey to Bradford. We've got a possible location on Chen. I sent directions to your shop!"Grey stated grimly.

Hope surged through Tim as he stood and he tried to wrestle it back. This could be another proverbial brick wall. They'd hit so many already. Tim picked his hand mike and acknowledged Grey's call. Then he yanked open the conference room door and sprinted to the stairs. Angela was close on his heels. They didn't have time for the elevator.