Title: Nevermore
Chapter: 8
Author: Evidence
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Big thanks to D and Maple Street.
"Hey, man, where have you been, I've been looking all over for you," Danny half grinned.
"Busy," Martin said.
"Oh, now we have stopped talking using whole sentences. You're forgetting the subject of the sentence, dude." Danny gave him a full-blown smile.
"I'm not in the mood for your lame humor right now," Martin shifted a stack of papers on his desk to the other side.
Growing more serious Danny said, "What's up?"
"Just...nothing."
"Hey, I'm here to talk with you when you're ready."
"Thanks," Martin replied.
"Right now you need to decide shotgun or driver."
"What?"
"Jack wants us heading upstate to find out if Podena's uncle's farm carries some buried secrets," Danny shrugged at Martin's sigh.
"Great, this will be the topping on the cake today."
"Hey, I'll make a deal with you, you can choose the music for the trip if you stop whining."
"Deal. I've heard enough of the Latin Polka to last a lifetime." Martin finally let a small smile appear on his face.
"Trisha, any messages?" Van Doran asked as she stood in front of her secretary's desk.
"Yes, three from Senator Leewood, a voice mail from your husband concerned about a dinner tonight and whether or not you can attend," and as the memory just entered her mind, "oh, and Agent Fitzgerald left a tape for you. He said Agent Johnson didn't want you to hear it but he thought you would find it interesting."
Van Doran frowned, something was a miss. "Thanks, Trisha." She walked into her office, hanging up her coat and her purse. The tape sat on the center of the desk. She picked it up looking at the time/date and room. Swiftly moving to the secretary's desk she instructed Trisha, "Have Johnson and Fitzgerald in my office immediately."
"Yeeesss," Trisha said meekly wondering if she had done something to make Van Doran angry.
Van Doran slammed the door behind her and threw the tape back on her desk.
"I really don't need an ambulance," Samantha repeated.
"Let the doctors check you out. Please do it for me." Jack looked at her as only he could, breaking down that fake exterior she put out at times to protect herself.
"Fine, if that's an order…"
"It's an order." His hand lingered on her face for a moment before he pulled away and she was pushed into the ambulance longing for more of his touch.
Jack watched the flashing lights fade. He turned to look at the bench. A forensic crew was wiping it clean for evidence. A pang hit his heart; any proof of Sam and him sitting there together was being erased. Every physical trace of proof could be erased but the memory of what they shared would forever linger in his mind. Haunting him how life could have been.
Thomas heard the door opening before he turned to look and see who was entering. A chill went down his spine when he saw Franklin Podena.
"Agent Marks for Mr. Spade," Podena said flashing the badge.
"Do you need him?" The guard asked.
"Yes, we have something he needs to see." Podena smiled at Thomas.
"No, he's not a agent!" Thomas yelled, his eyes wide with fear. "He's a killer!"
The guard sighed. "I know Thomas, I work for aliens."
"No, really he is! Call my cousin!"
"Thomas, Thomas," Podena said smiling, "This won't hurt." With that he swung his fist to Thomas's head knocking him off his chair.
"Hey!" The guard yelled.
Podena grabbed both guns he had acquired and pointed them at the guard. "Willing to die for him?"
The guard put his hands up in a surrender signal.
"Get up, Thomas," Podena instructed.
Holding his head, Thomas stood.
Podena moved close to his ear. "If you try to get away I'll go after Samantha Spade- got it?"
Thomas nodded.
They moved quickly down the beige hallway. The guard entered yelling to the guard up front. "Hey, that guy is not an agent!"
Podena retrieved the pistols from his pockets turning, firing and hitting the guard behind him and then ending the guard in front's life. "Run," he instructed Thomas.
Thomas ran out to the street, Podena at his heels. A yellow cab pulled to a stop.
"Do you guys need a …" the man saw the guns, his facial expression changing.
"Yes, we do. And unless you want your head in your lap you'll drive us anywhere we want to go." Podena smirked.
"Suuuure…" The man said his face growing pale.
"Get in," Podena ordered Thomas.
Thomas swallowed hard as Podena gave the driver instructions and they speeded off. "You're bringing me to your home planet aren't you? The one no one ever comes back from."
Podena laughed. "Yes, Thomas I am but first you are going to help me. Who is Samantha Spade?"
Thomas bit at his fingers. "My cousin."
"Excellent. The blonde American beauty who meets her untimely death. All because she was saving her blessed cousin." Podena grinned maniacally. He would never be forgotten. His memory would linger in the hearts of every federal agent when he took the life of one of their own. "Thomas, you are so lucky. You are going to learn how to make a bomb."
Thomas Spade looked at the monster next to them wishing his arms could grow long and strangle him. "Samantha will make you pay."
"Not when you two are going to die together," Podena smiled once more as the vision of his plan took a final shape.
To be continued…