Hello! I had this idea hit me last night, and I wanted to get it down. I just really liked the idea of Kate and Luke working together.
I really hope you enjoy!
And the time's come to realize there will be promises I can't keep...
2023
Kate Macer sat at her desk and sighed, rubbing her face. It had been a particularly long day. She was no closer to solving her case, and she felt a bit hopeless.
"Here," a young woman said, coming in holding a coffee cup. "Thought you might need this."
Kate looked up and smiled.
"You're very intuitive, Mei," she replied.
"So I've been told," Mei grinned. She set the cup down on the desk and sat across from Kate. "We'll get them, Kate."
"I love your enthusiasm, but I'm just not feeling it right now," Kate sighed. She put her hand around the cup, feeling it's warmth, but she didn't drink it. She couldn't stomach anything right now.
"Maybe tomorrow. As my friend always says, tomorrow is another day," Mei explained.
"I've heard that before."
Mei didn't say anything else, but she did examine Kate's office. Kate watched her. Mei was still what they considered a "newbie" with the FBI. She was just 23, and the only reason she got to start the process early was because of her incredible gift. Mei had graduated high school before 16, and she moved on into preparing for the FBI ever since. The girl could memorize anything you put in front of her in seconds, and the FBI wanted someone like that on their team. Kate was honored that they had chosen her to be Mei's mentor and trainer. Kate herself had moved to the Seattle division eight years earlier, after Alejandro suggested she move to a smaller town. Seattle wasn't necessarily smaller, but it was far enough away from Mexico. She was still a kidnap specialist, and the case they were working on involved a big trafficking ring.
"You should get home," Kate suggested. "It's been a long day. Get some rest."
"I feel bad leaving if you're staying," Mei argued.
"I won't be long behind you. I'm just gonna finish up my notes," Kate assured her. She was so done with this day.
"Okay. See you tomorrow," Mei said, getting up. She flashed Kate an encouraging smile before going out the door. Kate wondered about Mei's life and what she did in her spare time. The young woman kept to herself and kept her head down at work. Kate knew next to nothing about her aside from the few times she mentioned a friend of hers who had such cliche sayings.
Kate looked down at her computer screen and sighed again. She didn't even know what to write, but she started on her notes anyway. Then she could go home.
...
Luke Wright. Big Apple's hardest cop once upon a time...
Luke squared off in front of the punching bag in front of him. He'd long ago given up cage fighting, but he still had to exert his anger and frustration out somewhere.
Are we safe?
One day at a time, okay?
Luke punched himself out and stood panting, hands on his knees. He heard the door upstairs open and close, and he knew she was home.
I'm not sure that I could be a good father.
I don't want anymore fathers. Will you be my friend?
Til my dying day.
"Luke?" she called.
"Yea," he answered. Her steps came down the stairs, and Mei appeared in her work clothes looking at him, arms crossed. There was a slight smile on her face.
"Killed another one?" she asked.
"Almost," he answered. He wiped the sweat off his face. "How was work?"
"Disappointing," Mei answered. "We still haven't solved the case."
"You will," he encouraged.
"If I don't, I feel as though they'd fire me."
"They wouldn't do that, Mei, you're a valuable asset," Luke told her. He knew it very well. It was how they had met 11 years ago in fact. Mei had been working for the Chinese Triad gangster Han, and she had been kidnapped by the Russian mafia in order to get the important information Han had made her memorize. Luke had rescued her, gotten the Russians and Chinese off their backs as well as the mayor of the city, and they had left New York to come to Seattle to start new lives. Luke had feigned to be her uncle for school and such, and no one ever questioned it.
"I'm sure there are other geniuses out there they can use," Mei argued.
"Not ones that want to be in the FBI I'll bet," Luke countered. He unwrapped his hands, setting the wraps down on the shelf along the wall. He grabbed the towel and wiped off his face and head as he walked up the stairs behind her.
"Sometimes your constant positivity is annoying," Mei said as they entered the kitchen.
"Someone has to be positive around here," Luke commented. She rolled her eyes.
"I'm going out tonight," she said.
"All right."
Mei went to change out of her work clothes, leaving Luke to root around for some water. He wasn't exactly fond of her new boyfriend, Steve. There was something about him that made Luke suspicious, but he couldn't find any evidence as to what it was. Luke himself did not date. He had no desire to, not after losing his wife, Annie, right before he'd met Mei. In fact, Mei had unknowingly saved his life.
What is she to you?
Life.
"Don't wait up," Mei said, returning in a black dress and heels. Luke still had a hard time getting used to her being an adult. He still pictured her as the 12 year old girl who needed him at times. She didn't really need him so much anymore.
"Is there a time you want me to keep an eye on in case you don't come home?" Luke asked casually.
"I might not come home tonight," she replied.
"I see."
She flushed a little, but she didn't say anything else. Luke hadn't meant to embarrass her. He just liked to know roughly a timeline in case he had to go out looking for her, in case something bad happened to her. After all, he had a promise to keep.
Are we safe?
One day at a time, Mei. One day at a time.
...
Kate found herself at a bar drinking alone. She preferred to be alone these days. Ever since her ex husband, Evan, she had dated a few men, but she just didn't find anyone that suited her. Not to mention after her date with Ted the corrupt cop who almost killed her, she was more cautious about men she met in a bar.
She didn't think much about that time in her life if she could help it. Alejandro popped into her head every so often, but he didn't stay there long. She felt a bit of hatred towards him for allowing her to be used and put in danger before sticking a gun in her face himself and threatening to kill her if she didn't sign his damn papers. She unconsciously gripped her beer bottle hard. Too bad it had been Matt Graver she'd punched in the face and not him.
"Squeeze it any tighter, and you'll break it," the bartender said, noticing. Kate looked at him, blinking out of her trance.
"What?"
"The bottle. You're gripping it pretty hard," he gestured. Kate looked down and realized she was. She let it go and put her hand on the bar top.
"Sorry," she said.
"You don't have to apologize to me. I just didn't want you to cut yourself on the broken glass if it broke," he shrugged. Kate studied him for a moment. He was average height, in shape, and clearly did some kind of work out. Not many could pull off the shaved head look, but he certainly did.
"Well, thanks," she responded. He flashed a quick smile before moving on to someone else. Kate caught sight of two men getting a little rowdy at the other end of the bar. The bartender noticed too. She watched as he went over to chat with them, and she almost spit out her beer in shock when one of the men took a swing at him. She jumped off her stool, prepared to intervene, when the bartender cleanly and expertly took down the attacker. The second man had already fled. The bartender picked up the first man and hauled him outside. Kate watched through the window as they talked animatedly before the man stumbled off. The bartender returned and acted as though nothing had happened. She stared at him.
"What?" he asked, catching her looking at him.
"What just happened?"
"He swung at me first. Self-defense. He left in one piece," the bartender reasoned. "It happens here a lot unfortunately."
Kate had nothing else to say, so she paid and left. She went home and tried to sleep. She couldn't help but echo Mei's friend's words in her head.
Tomorrow was another day.
The Next Day
Kate dragged herself out of bed and into work. She noticed Mei's desk was empty when she got there, and she frowned. Mei was never late for work. If anything, she was usually the first one there. Mei had a special interest in the kidnap division of the FBI, and Kate sometimes wondered if it was because of a personal reason. She'd never asked.
"Where's Mei?" she asked her fellow agent, Henry DeLuca. He was their tech guy so to speak.
"Haven't seen her," Henry shrugged.
Feeling unsettled, Kate went into her office, but instead of sitting, she paced. Something didn't feel right. She pulled out her phone to call Mei, but it went straight to voicemail. Kate tapped her fingers against the phone's case in her hand, thinking. She went back out to the main room.
"I need a phone trace," she said. Henry looked up at her.
"I'm sure she'll be in soon," he replied, knowing Kate wanted the trace on Mei's phone.
"She is never late," Kate argued. "And we are currently working a high profile case."
"You think something's happened to her because of the case?" Henry asked, getting it.
"I do. Run the trace. Now."
"Okay," Henry said, beginning the process. Kate waited anxiously. When she saw Henry frown, her anxiety rose up another level.
"What?" she asked.
"It's offline. I can't trace it."
"Now I know something is wrong," Kate said, bursting forward to her boss's office. Director Alan White looked up at her when she came in.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Mei's gone," she answered.
"Gone?" he frowned. "Like, quit?"
"No, like kidnapped."
"What?!"
"She's not here, and her phone is offline. Mei is never late and never misses work, not even when she's half dead from an illness." This was very true. Kate had to force Mei to leave one time because Mei was so sick with a flu bug but came in anyway because she had to finish her work.
"You're working the Henessy case, aren't you?"
"Yes. We both are."
"So, you think it's related to that?"
"I do."
"How can you be sure?"
"My gut says so."
"We can't run off of gut feelings, Kate," Alan sighed. There was a bit of a commotion outside in the hallway then, and both Kate and Alan moved to investigate.
"I'm telling you, something's happened. If she's not here, something's happened!" a man was shouting.
"Sir, you need to calm down."
"Don't tell me to calm down!"
Kate moved closer and immediately recognized the bartender from last night. What was going on?
"You," he said, spying her and marching towards her. The other agents were following him hurriedly. "Are you in charge here?"
"No," Kate shook her head.
"I am," Alan explained.
"Something has happened to my niece," the bartender went on. "She didn't come home last night. I know she works here, and she's not here, so something is wrong."
Kate went cold. He wouldn't be talking about Mei, would he? Along with the anger in his facial expression, she caught fear in his eyes.
"Are you referring to Mei Chan?" Alan asked.
"Yes."
"And you are...?"
"Her uncle."
"You're her uncle?" Alan confirmed. He looked the man up and down. There was quite a difference there.
"Don't judge," the bartender snorted. "My brother was adopted from China."
"Right, right. Sorry," Alan shook his head. Kate somehow knew this was a lie, but she couldn't pin down as to why she felt that way.
"Is somebody doing something to find her?" the bartender demanded.
"What is your name, sir?" Alan asked.
"This isn't about me."
"I know that, but I still need your name."
"Luke. Can we get back to finding Mei now?" Luke asked.
"Last name?"
"None of your business. Is anybody going to do their job around here?" he questioned angrily. Kate could only imagine how he felt if she felt afraid for Mei.
"Come with me," she commanded, turning and heading for the conference room. Luke followed. She closed the door behind them and faced him. He was standing with his hands crossed. She noticed he was still wearing the same clothes he'd had on at work last night.
"I'm special agent Kate Macer," she said. "I am Mei's mentor. She was working cases with me."
"You're Kate," Luke echoed. "She talks about you a lot."
"Good things I hope."
"Let's stay on topic here, shall we?"
"Yes. When was the last time you saw her?" Kate asked, pulling out her pen and pad of paper.
"Just before seven. She was going out with Stevie Wonder."
"I'm sorry, who?" Kate asked, looking up from her notepad. He sighed.
"Sorry. Steve. I don't know his last name. It was a new relationship. I just...I didn't like him," Luke finished.
"Okay, we'll get back to that," she commented. "What was she wearing?"
"Black dress to the knees. Capped sleeves. Black heels. Red teardrop necklace," he described. "Her hair was in a French braid." He always memorized her clothes in case he had to do exactly this. He had never wanted to be here doing this.
"Okay," she nodded. "Vehicle?"
"Whatever Steve drives. I think it's a Ford truck. Could be black, but it was dark out so I didn't see."
"Did she say where they were going?"
"No," he shook his head. "She did make a smart comment that she might not come home, though, when I asked her what time she'd be back."
"Do you think she's still with Steve right now?"
"No," he shook his head again. "She never misses work. Even if she had stayed with him last night, she'd be here today."
"Okay, so about Steve. Why don't you like him? Have you met him?"
"Once. He just had something about him that didn't feel right."
"How long have they been dating?"
"Two weeks?"
"Anything about him that stands out physically?" Kate asked.
"He looked pretty average. Caucasian, short, black hair, and about 5'9, but he did have a tattoo on the inside of his wrist. I wasn't close enough to see what it was, though," Luke replied. "There was also some kind of rubber looking bracelet." Kate felt something inside of her then, and she worked hard to keep it in there instead of releasing it out into the open.
"What color?" she asked, looking at him.
"Why? What are you thinking?" he countered.
"What color was it?" she asked again, louder.
"Blue and red," he answered. Kate's hands began to shake as she recalled looking at Ted's red and blue bracelet on the coffee table eight years ago before he tried to strangle her.
"Hey," Luke said, snapping his fingers at her. "What's going on?"
Kate swore and slammed her hand on the table, jumping to her feet and leaving the room. Luke was on her heels instantly.
"Hey!" he shouted after her. Kate ignored him as she went into Alan's office again.
"What is it?" Alan asked, seeing her distressed.
"I think Mei has been taken by cartel," she answered. "It was a suspicion of ours that cartel was involved in Henessy's trafficking circles, and I think this has finally clarified that."
"Hang on," Alan said, holding out his hand. "How do you know this?"
"Cartel?" Luke asked, standing in the doorway. Kate spun to face him. She'd forgotten he'd been chasing her.
"How do you know that, Kate?" Alan repeated. Kate turned back to him.
"From my past. I met someone who worked for the cartel and had a red and blue bracelet, and it's the exact same one Mei's date was wearing last night."
"You think Steve is working for the cartel," Luke said, getting it.
"Who is Steve?" Alan asked, confused.
"The guy Mei went out with last night," Kate answered impatiently. "She was targeted. Sir, I have to get on this now."
"Go, go," Alan urged. Kate practically ran back to her office.
"Where do we start?" Luke asked when they reached it. Kate swung around, confused for a moment.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm helping with this," Luke insisted.
"Um, no. You're not. You're a civilian."
"That's what you think," Luke remarked. He knew she had no idea. The mayor of New York had hired him on to do special ops. Luke was more than just a cop. He had been an assassin for the government.
"I don't care what you think you can do or who you think you are, but you are not to intervene in this," Kate ordered. "I will update you as we go on what we find."
Luke gave her a level stare before nodding slowly.
"All right," he said. "If that's how you want to do this."
Kate watched him walk away, and she had a feeling that Luke was not done with her or interfering with the search. However, she did not have time to babysit him, but Henry could.
"Henry, put a tab on him," she ordered when Luke was gone.
"How? I don't have his phone number."
"Watch what vehicle he gets into and then track it," she instructed. Was he stupid? He hurried to do so while she shook her head. Then she went back to her office to make some call. She had to find Mei and fast.
I love hearing your thoughts!