Title: Nevermore
Chapter: 6
Author: Evidence
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Again thanks always to D and Maple Street.
"Here you go, Foley Square." The cabbie turned with a smile to his passenger.
"Oh thanks, this is perfect." He grinned and seized the moment putting the shoelace around the man's neck. It was harder though than with the girls. This man was strong and fighting fiercely for his life.
Podena hit his shoulder blade against the backseat window, the man pushing against him. They struggled, neither the victor, and then Podena caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. The cabbie was reaching for a gun hooked snugly under the dashboard.
"You asshole!" Podena screamed letting go of the shoelace to grab the man's hand.
The cabbie had the gun in his hand with Podena's clasping it from above. He couldn't shoot, the safety was still on. He jerked the gun back but Podena's grasp didn't loosen. With both hands on his pistol he tried to reach the safety, Podena used his other hand to scratch at the man's face. The safety was reached.
Samantha Spade needed some fresh air. She had gone out for a walk to let her crazed head calm down. It wasn't past one yet but already she had broken it off with Martin and thus broke his heart, had to speak to her wayward cousin, a serial killer was on the loose and Jack had…touched her once again. Just when she thought she had finally moved on, something would make it so all she could see in her mind was Jack. His smile, touch, understanding. The memory of their morning encounter lingered on her soul and flesh. That's when she found herself heading to the bench where they had agreed it was over. It would never be over.
The tape in Vivian's pocket burned a hole in her moral fiber. Her conscious had begun weighing in. She had committed an illegal act even if it was for the best attentions. It was something she was going to have to live with. She pulled the tape out of her pocket and looked at, so small and ordinary looking but able to cause so much damage.
"Vivian!"
Her hand dropped the tape. It clinked to the floor. She reached for it but he was too quick.
"What is this?" Martin asked, rolling it over in his hand. His eyes caught sight of the date/time code and the words "Interrogation room". "You stole this!"
"Martin…I…just give it back." Vivian's voice had never shaken as it was doing right now.
"This is a nice audio version of Jack and Sam isn't it?" Martin asked.
Vivian was surprised, "You…"
"Know what happened this morning between them? Yup got a nice visual representation."
"Martin I am sorry for you…"
"Are they worth losing your job, Vivian? Just because they can't keep their hands off each other?" There was an odd shading to Martin's eyes. "Maybe Van Doran should listen to this."
"No, Martin you can't do that! You'll ruin their careers." Vivian's heart was rapidly beating.
"I hate to ruin yours Viv but they did wrong and they know it."
"If you turn that in, it won't be because they did wrong, it will be out of revenge. I didn't think you were like that."
"I guess you don't know me then." His eyes were steely, the light gone from them.
Vivian swallowed. "Martin, please think before you do this. This isn't you, you are a good man."
"Yeah and look where good men end up- dead last." He turned and walked away.
Vivian looked at the picture of Reggie and herself: both of them smiling. How would she explain to him what she had done?
Sam would have probably never noticed the cab…she had been so intent on her mission of getting to the bench. The gunshot made her stop in her tracks. The window of a yellow cab, stopped on the street, was in jagged pieces. She felt her feet start running and her hand reach for her own gun strapped to her side. Her breath intake was caught between the lump in her throat and her diaphragm.
The gunshot shattered the window spraying glass on the two people in the cab. Podena felt blood on his lip. The cabbie still had the gun but he couldn't turn it towards him. He was still safe, but barely. He removed his left hand and struck a blow to the cabby's ear. The cabbie yelped in pain and loosened his grip.
Samantha saw the occupants of the cab clearly when she was a foot and a half away: Podena and some poor man. There was no time to call for backup; there was not time to think. Sam rushed forward, gun drawn, yelling, "F.B.I. freeze!"
The words filled Podena's head. Fuck! It couldn't end this quick before his reign of terror even began. He would never make the history books or put fear in the hearts of people when a copycat stole his grand scheme years later. If he was going to pay for his crimes he wanted to go out as a celebrity, someone "known" if not revered.
Sam's hand clasped the door handle. She couldn't hear anything. It was as if all the sound in the world was shut off. The door opened and she readied her finger on the trigger.
He had no time to spare. Letting go of the gun he grabbed the back door handle and opened to the outside world. He got out in nearly a fall, looking up to see the blonde woman's gun pointed at him.
The silence gone she heard herself say the words, "Franklin Podena you are under arrest for the murder of Susan Shepard." She kept the gun pointed at him.
He raised his hands slowly. A strange expression showed on his face.
"Get up." Sam instructed. The cabbie was moaning slightly in the background.
Podena slowly rose. He glared at her. "Say please" he said with a grin.
"What? I'm not saying anything to you. Back away from the door."
He backed away so nothing was obstructing Sam from shooting him. His eyes looked over her shoulder. "Take her out."
Who was he taking to? Then a thought occurred to Sam, what if he hadn't been working alone? Instinct took over and she twirled around to face this new foe. No one was there. Podena's weight hit her full blast knocking the gun out of her hand and smashing her head on the ground. The world went quickly black.
To be continued…