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XII. Purgatory
Captain Bruno Dante watched everything around him. He made sure he knew as much as he could about what was going on in his precinct. He was a good cop, but that didn't mean that he didn't stick his nose into the things that he wasn't supposed to. He had nearly forgotten what it was to do honest work, and not what he considered his own brand of justice.
Right now, he had his eye on two of his homicide detectives. Dante could care less about Jim Pezzini's wayward daughter, but her trainee on the other hand . . . He swore by the sunday news paper that he saw something of himself and Jake McCartey. But the boy was stubborn. Time and time again he had offered to reassign McCartey to another partner, to even train him on his own.
He always refused, or never gave Dante an answer.
The Captain resigned it to a misplaced sense of loyalty.
One way or another, he would get through to McCartey. He had too, Dante had nominated him for membership. It would be harder to separate him and Pezzini now. It looked like she had begun to take her responsibility more seriously. You didn't see one without the other. He hadn't helped any, either.
When Pezzini had called in to inform him of their little shadow, the part of him that still gave a damn about doing his job the way it was meant to be done, had taken over for a brief moment. He had told them to stick with each other.
He really hated that woman. So far, everything he had thought of to get rid of her hadn't worked.
It was time to call his man again.
* * * *
"So, now what?"
"What do you mean, Jake?"
Sara took another bite out of her english muffin while they walked to Jake's car. He closed her door for her, and rounded the car to miss getting hit by a taxi cab.
"Watch it!"
He yanked open his door, and slammed it shut.
"See, you're already starting to fit in." Sara joked. Jake glared at her before he continued his earlier question.
"What I mean is: what now? We have something that links all of the victims. Great. Where does that put us? I don't think that we can get out on the street with big sign that reads, 'Had any visions lately? Think you might be Clairvoyant? If so please contact your local NYPD precinct.' "
"That's what we have to figure out."
"How do you find that out anyway?"
"I told you."
Jake shook his head, "Our guy has a high chance of not knowing his victims personally, so how did he know?"
"I don't know. Maybe he has some kind of sense for it?"
"Great. A human bloodhound." Wasn't this city weird enough.
"What would the ex-spy do?" She teased.
"Sara . . . stop it." He warned.
"You won't hear the end of it."
Jake started the car, and pulled out on to the street. At least she didn't say stuff like that in public.
"I think you're a bit too paranoid, Jake."
"I'm supposed to be."
This was going to be a long day. The first thing he had done when he had woken up this morning, was to slam his hand against the night stand. It hurt just thinking about it. About the only good thing so far was when Sara had taken a a good portion of his time to give him a good morning kiss.
Jake had forgotten about his hand after that, and now she was making fun of him. Maybe the car should have hit him. It would have made his headache go away. To top it off, more of New York City's famous morning rush-hour traffic. It's a good thing that they didn't have a set time to be in the office. He rested his forehead against the steering wheel. They wouldn't be moving for a while.
He needed to go to the gym and hit something before he took it out on someone.
"He's had to have researched who he was going after. We don't know if the victims put up much of a fight, if any at all. He seems to know where he needed to be and when. He probably follows them to learn about his victims, Jake."
He didn't move his head when he answered.
"Want me too look up any convicted stalkers that have been released recently?"
"What's that, Jake? I lost your voice in the floor boards."
He turned his head to repeat to look at her. He sighed.
"I said ' Want me to-"
"It's okay, Jake. I heard you the first time. And yes. I do."
He moved his head in something the resembled a nod. He was so tired all of the sudden. He could never stay angry at any one for too long, it always took a lot out of him.
"Do you want me to drive, Jake?"
"Yeah, yeah."
Their exiting of the car resulted in several drivers yelling at them. He didn't understand it. Maybe he should go back to being a beach bum. The only danger there was risk of heat stroke, and there were fewer instances of headaches. He jumped when Sara joined the other drivers in honking the horn.
This was going to take forever.
* * * *
He knew where the Lady Detective and the Partner were staying now. He had found her last night. The snow and wind had calmed down enough for him to go and see them earlier this morning. The Lady Detective looked very happy. The Partner didn't. Maybe he would go away. It wasn't likely.
He had decided to wait for the little girl before he helped any one else. She would be at the park tomorrow afternoon. He had something special planned for the girl. He was planning something special for the Lady Detective, too. He would have to show her how worthless the Partner was first. Then he would send her on to the better place.
* * * *
Kenneth Irons was disappointed. He thought that Detective Pezzini would have learned not to keep anyone to close, by now. The latest news disturbed him.
"Are you absolutely sure, Ian?"
"I do not believe that friends greet each other in that manner."
"First the singer, and now her partner."
Irons said the words with great distaste. As if the syllables themselves had a bitter taste to them.
"Should I continue to observe them?"
"No. She will realize that with the Witchblade, there will be no room for anything else in her life. One way or another Detective McCartey will be out of her life. Be it by her own choice or some outside force."
"You would-"
"Do not question me. But for now, find the two you saw at the airport. I wish to know why they have returned to New York."
Ian left Irons sitting in front of his desk at the top of the Vorshlage building. He picked up his phone and dialed Sara's cell phone.
He need to talk to her again.
* * * *
It had been a while since she had seen Danny. Sara had almost become worried. He had normally shown up a regular intervals, when she wasn't about to do something extraordinarily dangerous and stupid. However, if there was one thing she could count on, it would be that Danny would pop up soon to tease her about . . . well, anything. That's why she was almost worried, he hadn't let her down.
"You just had to go for the hard core, heavy metal, tattooed surfer, huh Pez?"
She laughed at the repeated conversation. Sara played along.
"You think he's hot, don't you?"
"I think Ricky Martin is hot."
"What about Tommy Lee?"
"He's hot too. More tattoo's, though?"
"Jake doesn't have any tattoo's."
"How do you know that, Pez? I told you that you had a thing for him."
She blushed, and cursed herself for letting him set her up.
"I asked!"
"How does that fit into a conversation?"
"You know Danny, you're my best friend and all, but just spit it out!"
"I think McCartey's mood is rubbing off on you today."
"Danny!"
"Fine, fine. I was just trying to be Mr. Funny-dead-guy. Say, where is you're trainee."
"Dante, pulled him into his office. He's been trying to get Jake to agree to reassignment, or trying to find something that I've done to break us up or get me kicked out. Not that there is anything."
"Actually . . ."
Sara's head shot up when Danny trailed off. Danny continued.
"I know that you were . . . concerned about what would happen if the Captain found out. If you really want to stay teamed up with him, I'd be careful."
"Oh come on, Danny. I can think of a dozen people who were-"
"In the beginning, yeah. But you can't be involved with your superior, and not with your partner. I mean, you can be with Jake, there no big rule against it. But you will get split up. You know, the whole 'who are you going to save your . . . significant other or the people you're paid to protect.' "
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I'm your friend. And I don't like Dante."
"You are not in the minority on the last part."
"Well you know me, I follow the current trends and all. Oh and Sara?"
"Yes?"
"The weather is supposed to be nice tomorrow."
"Okay . . ."
"I think I might stop by that little park on Highland."
"Huh?"
Danny was gone again. She hated when he did that. She was going to put a bell on him. Somehow.
Her cell phone rang.
"This is Pez, go."
* * * *
"I don't understand, Detective. I'm trying to help you. If you stay partnered up with Pezzini, I'm telling you: you won't go anywhere. She's not worth it."
"I don't think so, sir."
"If this is some loyalty trip you're on-"
"No, sir."
"Siri told me you requested her as you training partner after Danny Woo was killed."
"I've already told you, sir. Yes, I did."
"Why?"
"It's . . . hard to explain."
Jake realized his error the second he ended the sentence. Shit. He didn't change is outward expression, but inside was another story. He saw the corner of the Captain's mouth turn up. At least he could predict what Dante was going to say, it was a good thing to. Jake really didn't want to screw this up. All he had to do was make sure that Dante believed him.
"Really, Jake."
He shrugged his shoulders.
"You're not . . . you and her?"
Jake laughed and rolled his eyes.
"No!" He shook his head like the thought was ridiculous. "I mean, she's hot. But, uh, I do value my life."
The Captain's smile disappeared. He was disappointed. That was close. It would a have screwed everything up.
"That's true. I would be required to give you a new partner if you were."
"Nah, I can't even picture it."
Dante nodded his head, and sighed.
"Go back to work, Detective."
"Yes, sir."
Jake closed the door behind him and exhaled. He would be very, very happy the day that Dante was out of the picture. The man was infuriating. Jake always felt the need to scream after the Captain pulled him aside for his little slam sessions. He walked back to his office and tried to clear his head.
It was pretty quiet today. There was some kid from out of state giving the description of his missing friend to an officer. He nodded to Jake, and finished answering all if his questions. Nothing spectacular.
Sara came rushing out of their office, and pulled him towards the door.
"Pez?"
"It's time to go see Kenneth Irons."
Oh joy.
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I've hit something of a block in my mind. I know what's going to happen, main parts of the story and stuff like that. But the right now, I'm having trouble with the transition portions.
In little words: I have writer's block!!!!! :::screams and pulls at hair while trying to think of something:::
That's why I called this chapter Purgatory. Because it goes absolutely no where. Static, stagnate, the creamy white filling . . . sorry. I got carried away.
But don't fret, for as I have sat here. Writing this little ramble, an idea has taken form in my brain.
I lied. I have recovered from my little impasse.
REVIEW!!!!!
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