Retribution
part three
by mardel

I just borrowed them for the story.

Claire sighed, she was trying very hard to hold herself together. What
she was tempted to do was get her gun and go hunt Devol down.
He would never hurt anyone again that way, but she would be in jail
for life.

"Hang in there Claire we are going to get this guy." Bobby reached
across the seat and covered her hand with his. The look in his dark
brown eyes reassured her. She did have faith in him and Darien.

" I know you will. It was just the shock of seeing him again."

Bobby nodded, giving her hand a squeeze. "Let's get back to the room ."
He started the car and headed for their hotel.

Darien was deep in thought, he knew there had to be some scam they could
use to get Devol to show his true intentions. He just needed to figure out
which bait would get the Doctor to take the hook.

Claire was withdrawn into her own world. She was fighting off the
memories from the time she had worked with and cared about the man
they were after. She'd been taken in by his smooth line, his knowing just
what to say to make her at ease. Then once she was lulled in to a sense of
false security he trapped her.

Bobby loaded the disk into the borrowed lap top and began to review the
information. Claire sat beside him and read the files with him.
"If we could get a warrant and seize these files legally. We'd have him."
Bobby pointed to the screen.

"Don't we need probable cause for the warrant in the first place?"
Darien asked, he'd been pacing the room thinking.

"Did either of those Doctors you were talking with want to testify against
Devol?"

"Yes I think they would be willing to, but only as a second witness. We'll
need to have evidence against him also."


"I think we need to stop him tonight. He shouldn't be allowed to hurt
any more women." Darien stated.

"I agree with you Partner, but aside from me taking him out what do you
have in mind?"

"Would the new tests be run if he didn't show up?"

"I wouldn't think so, I'm sure he wants to supervise. Especially on the first
day of the testing." Claire thought she knew what Darien had in mind.

Darien smiled, "Then I think we will arrange for him to miss work tonight."
He rubbed his hands together, explained his plan to Bobby and Claire.

Bobby and Darien located Devol's house and set up surveillance in his attic.
Darien was going to pay him a visit while quick silvered. Bobby had a
special little pill to slip in his drink that would put him to sleep and give him
a severe case of Montezuma's revenge

But first they wanted to search is place for more evidence. Darien took the
up stairs and Bobby searched the main floor. Darien found a stash of porno
behind the dresser but nothing they could use against him.

"Did you find anything Partner?"

"No, just a stack of Oui and Penthouse." Darien looked disgusted.

"Figures, lets get set up then. If he keeps to his schedule he'll be home
soon." Bobby moved towards the garage and the access stairway.

He'd already rigged a tiny camera in several of the rooms so he could
monitor Darien and Devol when the show began. Darien was going
to have to slip the pill into his drink. Then he was going to work on
his conscious, make him think twice before he attempted to hurt
anyone again.

"Here he comes Fawkes get ready." Bobby was watching from his
place in the attic. Darien was waiting on the second floor, Bobby had a full
dose of counter agent ready for him if he had to stay invisible longer than
they had planned.

Devol came thru his front door carrying his mail and a brief case. He set
them on the kitchen counter and checked for any messages on his answering
machine. He was listening to the messages as Darien waited.

Bobby was listening, from the attic and watching a small monitor hooked to
the camera he'd placed in the kitchen.

"He's taking his time Fawkes, just hang in there."

Devol finally finished checking his messages and opened his cabinet
for a glass. He poured a scotch over ice and moved into the living
room.

"Give him a few more minutes, he poured a double." Bobby advised Darien.

Devol sat back in his easy chair and turned on the television. He settled on
a new program, that was talking about the up coming music festival.

Darien quick silvered, and moved into the living room. He dropped the pill
into the drink and moved to stand behind him. After allowing a few minutes
for the pill to take effect he began the plan.

"You really think you have fooled everyone don't you?" Darien whispered.
Devol nodded.

" You're plan to endanger the lives of dozens of women with your new tests
has gone unnoticed by the committee that approved your research."

He nodded again. "Why shouldn't it go unnoticed, they are all fools."

"Keep going Partner, we need all the evidence we can get."

Darien moved closer. " You're not concerned that the testes might cause injury
to the women you are testing the procedure on?"

"No, they are merely tools. If a few are hurt, that is the price of medical science
to find new means of treating the general population."

Darien became visible then. Bobby could see him on the monitor.

"Don't Fawkes, you'll ruin everything if you hurt him now." Bobby warned
in a stern tone of voice.

"He's asleep the pill worked quicker than we thought."
Darien hit the back of the chair Devol was sleeping in but it didn't rouse him.

::::::::::::::::::::

"You should have let me mess him up."

"I would have loved nothing better Partner. But Claire wants him to pay for
his crimes. Don't you think I want to just pull my gun and put two between
his eyes?"

"Yeah, I know." Darien was slumped in his seat on the drive back to the hotel.

"How did it go?" Claire met them at the door as soon as she heard them returning.

"Good, we got some more evidence on him." Bobby informed her.

"Did the pill work, he won't be starting the trails tonight?"

"Yeah it worked. We have another day to get the evidence we need to put him
away for good." Darien assured her.

"I've found some charts here and some notes he made. I think they will be
enough for a warrant to search his files and computer legally."

"I'll have Eberts look into who to contact with this." Bobby went into the
adjoining room and made the call.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm holding on." Claire tried to smile at Darien.

Darien was still seething with rage from his encounter with Devol. He was afraid to
let Claire know how angry he was. She'd experienced enough violence from men
as it was.

Bobby returned to the room. "Eberts is going to check into it and get back to me."

"Good, excuse me a minute." Darien went into the other room, partly to escape
and partly because he hoped Bobby would feel more comfortable in offering
Claire a shoulder to lean of if they were alone.

" You've been working on that all afternoon. Take a break." Bobby came to
stand near her. He wanted to offer her his support if she needed it. But he
didn't know how to with out letting her know his feelings. He didn't think
she needed to hear he was in love with her right now.

"Alright." Claire stood and moved to the tiny refrig for a cold drink.
She took a few sips then turned to face Bobby.

"I want to thank you for all you help Bobby. You could be risking your job if
we are caught before we get him into custody."

"It would be worth it." He shrugged.

Claire turned the bottle nervously in her hands then set it on the dresser. She needed
a hug, and didn't know how to ask him.

"Bobby, it probably seems silly, but if you wouldn't mind." She lifted her arms out
towards him hoping he would understand.
He was quick to pick up her request, he was surprised she wanted a hug from him.
But he was more than willing to embrace her. His arms wrapped around her gently at first
then when she sighed and said. "This feels so nice Bobby. You have no idea."
He tightened his hold a little more.

Claire melted into him, she needed this hug. She hadn't taken his flirting seriously, but
a hug from a friend was nice. Especially a male friend as virile as Bobby. She felt protected
with his arms around her.

He did have an idea of how nice it felt. She felt perfect in his arms. He could hold
her for ages and never tire of the feeling. "You should have said something sooner.
What's a hug between friends?"

"I wasn't sure if you would mind. Next time I'll know."

"Why would I mind? I'm here for you anytime. I'll pay better attention from now
on so you won't have to ask."

Claire stayed in his embrace for another few seconds then eased away afraid she
would become to needy for his support if she continued.

"Thank you."

" Your welcome, anytime." Bobby smiled, but not a big grin a trademark Hobbes smile.

:::::::::::::::

Darien was getting his temper under control. He was talking himself down from the
anger he was feeling towards Devol. He was sure it was influenced by the fact that
beside the man being a scum bag, he looked like Arnau, the man he hated more than
anyone else in the world.

The phone rang and he picked it up. "Yeah, hang on I'll get him."

Darien poked his head into the next room. "Hobbes it's Eberts again."

"Thanks, I hope he has some good news. Yeah, did you locate a judge for us?"

"I've located a Judge Stone, he's rumored to be very hard on criminals that perpetrate
crimes on women and children. If you detail the evidence you have to him about Devol
I'm sure he will grant you the warrant you need."

"Thanks great work Eberts thanks." Bobby was smiling.
"Let me speak with him." Claire reached for the phone.
"Hang on I need to get the location first."

"Judge Stone has a home on the gulf coast the address is 7126 High Cliff Rd. I took
the liberty of calling ahead and telling him to expect you."

"Great Eberts thanks. Claire wants to talk to you hand on a second."
Bobby passed her the phone.

"Albert thank you so much for your assistance. I don't know how I'll ever repay
you for this information."

"You're welcome Dr. I'm glad to be of service." Eberts blushed on his end of the line.

"Just the same I'm in you debt. Thank you and goodbye."

"Good luck."

"Eberts who were you talking to just now?" The Official was standing in the door
way of Eberts extremely small office.

"I was talking to my landlady Sir. She asked me to look in on her cat while she is
out of town. She's taking a bus to Vegas with her church group."

"Oh, fine. I'm going home, I'll see you in the morning."

"Yes Sir, good evening." Eberts almost collapsed on desk once his boss was out
of site. He'd almost given them away.

::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Fawkes you let me and Claire do the talking. I've gotten warrants from Judges many
times over the years. They just want the facts. He'll want to hear Claire's explanation
since she's the Doctor."

"Do you want me to stay in the car?"

"No, that won't be necessary." Claire turned to look at him from the front seat.

end part three