SHOWDOWN

Refreshed from his nap in the back of Donovan's car, Jackson entered the office and announced he wanted to relieve them.  Donovan refused, of course, but he insisted that Loralei go.  However, she refused to budge unless Donovan went with her.  The dark circles beneath his eyes were prominent, and if he didn't sleep soon, he would fall out.  The two of them went back to his apartment together.  Before passing totally out on his bed, he took her in his arms and held her close against him.  He then pulled back and kissed her.

"This isn't sleeping, Frank," she said against his lips.

He drew away momentarily and gazed down at her.  "We'll sleep, but not right now.  I need you, Loralei.  I've never needed anyone so much."

He swooped in for a long, passionate kiss, slipping his tongue between her waiting, eager lips.  At one point so exhausted that she thought she might die, Loralei was now energized and ready to hit it.  I have found the cure for fatigue!  Make love to Frank Donovan, and it will cure what ails you, she thought and then giggled.  He drew away from her for a moment and gazed at her curiously.

"What's so funny," he asked, bewildered.

"Nothing," she said as she began unbuttoning his shirt.  "I was thinking how tired I was until you kissed me."

"We need to make quick work of our clothes.  We have a long day ahead of us."

She leaned up and kissed him as she slid her hands inside his opened shirt.  "So many buttons, so little time."

*  *  *

Donovan slid out of bed a few hours later.  He was still bone tired, but the two-hour nap had helped a little.  He thought he could probably function for the rest of the day and into the night.  He was disappointed that he hadn't heard from anyone.  Zara had obviously not left town yet, and he didn't understand why.  She had to know they were onto her.  Yet, from experience, he knew that serial killers enjoyed toying with law enforcement.  For a moment, he glanced at Loralei, who was sleeping soundly.  She would face disciplinary action for what she had done, and he wasn't sure what would happen.  He hadn't thought much about what would become of their relationship once she was taken off the case.  He had to be honest with himself and admit that he didn't want to think about it.  He simply didn't want her to leave.  Although he had fought hard against it, he had ended up falling in love with her anyway.  She had let him know she felt the same without speaking a word.  Yet, it bothered him that neither had voiced it to the other.

He turned toward her sleeping form and ran the back of his hand gently across her soft cheek.  "We're both so afraid," he whispered to her.  He turned away from her, got up, and made his way toward the bathroom.

After Donovan was fully dressed, he seemed to feel better, more awake.  Today would be a good day for Cody to make the coffee.  Everyone would need it.  He checked in on Loralei again, and she hadn't moved an inch.  Carefully, he crawled partially onto the bed and leaned over her.  He kissed her temple very gently, trying hard not to wake her.  She would probably chew him out once she realized that he had left without her.  With one final glance back at her, he crept out of the bedroom and made his way back to the office, back to the insanity of Zara Damon.

*  *  *

Zara stood outside the tall apartment building for what seemed like hours.  She had followed the two agents back, and they had been totally unaware of her presence the whole time.  They could see very little, just each other.  She needed to get inside the man's apartment.  What had she called him again?  Was it Frank?  Whoever he was, she knew she could pass for his girlfriend with ease.  If she could gain access to his apartment, she would take both of them out.  She had brought plenty of spare ammunition.  She had visions of making it appear as if they had had a lovers' spat and then shot each other.  It would work perfectly; her plans never failed.

*  *  *

Loralei stretched and yawned, keeping her eyes closed.  She turned her body toward where Donovan should still be laying, but her arm hit nothing more than a cold bed sheet.  She opened her eyes and rose up on one elbow.  "Frank?"  When she didn't receive an answer, she knew he had already gone.  He had gotten up and left her in bed.  Damn him, she thought.  She was annoyed, but couldn't be annoyed at the same time.  He cared enough to look out for her, but she wasn't an amateur [even if I do act like one].  She eyed the phone for a few minutes, and found she was tempted to call him up and give him a piece of her mind.  However, she would see him soon enough. 

Director Casey was going to pull her off the case.  She had made one too many mistakes, and the Bureau couldn't afford to risk the lives of its agents or spend more of the taxpayer's money on extravagant sting operations.  She also had to answer to an ethics charge.  She hadn't said anything to Donovan, but she had told her boss what she had done.  He had hit the roof, of course, and had demanded that she put in for a transfer out of his regional office.  Her choices were few.  She could either take the transfer or ask to be released from duty.  Each time she kissed Donovan, each time he made love to her, she felt as if it was the last time.  She couldn't tell him about the transfer, because she was torn in fifteen different directions at once.  She loved him, but couldn't dare speak the words.  Thoughts of seeing him today depressed her immensely.  Sooner or later, she would have to leave him. 

She shrugged away her confusion and slowly got out of bed.  She hadn't brought a change of clothes with her, and would be forced to wear the same outfit today.  Perhaps she might borrow something from Alex or Monica.  She went into the bathroom, keeping her mind occupied with mundane thoughts.  However, as she stepped beneath the hot spray of water, her mind drifted once again to Frank Donovan.  When Director Casey had presented her with his ultimatum, she had decided to quietly take the transfer and slip uneventfully out of Donovan's life forever.  She hadn't been comfortable with that decision, and had questioned her motives a dozen times.  Right now, at this very moment, her mind was solidly made up and couldn't be swayed.  When she saw Donovan today, she would tell him how she felt, and then she would stay if he wanted her.  After that, she would turn in her shield and service revolver, and tell Director Casey where he could stick them.   

*  *  *

"Still nothing," Donovan asked as he entered the room.  Everyone else had arrived a couple of hours ago.  They appeared as worn out as he felt.

Cody shook his head.  "Nope.  No sign of her anywhere.  Maybe she dyed her hair and slipped out that way.  She had to have done something like that.  I don't see any other way she could have escaped."

"She hasn't left," Jake said suddenly.  He was sitting at the conference table with his head in his hands.  He had been fighting a massive headache since last night.  "Don't ask me how I know this, but I do.  She's waiting for something, waiting for someone, probably me.  She knows we're after her, but she doesn't know that I know."

Either he was more tired than he thought or Jake had been taking lessons from Cody, but Donovan had difficulty comprehending his words.  After a moment, the fog lifted and he finally understood.  "She'll come back for you," he said.

Jake nodded.  "Yeah.  She's a hunter.  She won't give up on her game that easily; she won't lose.  I was thinking about this last night.  I don't fit the profile, I'm not a millionaire, but I am what she fears the most.  Do you get it?  She wasn't after me for money at all.  She targeted me just for shits and giggles."

"He's right," Monica said suddenly.  "She is into Jake for the thrill of it, and she's cracking up.  She may target every one of us.  She's at the point where most serial killers end up getting caught."

"Where is Agent Kadin," Jackson asked suddenly.  "She needs to be here for this."

Donovan glanced casually at Loralei's partner.  "When I left her, she was still asleep," he said nonchalantly.  Without another word, he went up to his office and grabbed the phone.  He dialed his number and listened to the burring rings.  She might be in the shower, he thought.  He hung up without leaving a message and made his way back downstairs.  "I'll brief Loralei after she arrives.  I think we need to send Jake to his apartment to wait for her.  How do you feel about that, Jake?"

Surprised, Jake fixed his eyes on Donovan's face.  Since when do you ask how I feel about anything?  Orders were barked and followed, no questions asked.  "I don't care which way we do this, I just want her caught and locked up.  I've been her target for over a month now, and I suppose twenty-four more hours won't hurt."    

*  *  *

Loralei rushed out of the bathroom when she heard the phone.  She had her hand on it when it stopped ringing.  She figured it was probably Donovan paging her to get her ass in.  She went back to the bathroom and hastily dried off.  She slipped into yesterday's clothes, irritated that she had nothing else.  The phone rang again, startling her.  She swiped it up on the third ring.

"Frank?"

"I thought that was what I was supposed to say."

She chuckled.  "You bastard," she said, not unkindly.  "You left me behind.  Any word on our girl?"

"I'm sorry about that, Loralei, but you needed to rest.  No word, but we have a new theory.  I don't want to go into it over the phone.  Paranoia can be a good thing.  I'll pick you up shortly and brief you then."

"Okay."  She hesitated for half a second as she struggled to spit out what she had on her mind.  "Frank?  When this is all over, hopefully by tonight, we need to talk."

Normally when he heard 'we need to talk,' it was never good.  Images of getting dumped immediately came to mind.  Yet, the sound of her voice held promise, and he knew what they would be discussing.  "Yes," he agreed, "we do."

She hung up without saying goodbye.  If she hadn't, she would have blurted out everything right then and there, but it wasn't the right time for it.  They had to find Zara Damon and put a stop to her homicidal binge.  As Donovan had thought before her, there was plenty of time for it.  They had their whole lives before them.

*  *  *

By the time the team arrived at Jake's apartment, his door had been replaced.  He had had to go the manager's office and get a key to the new lock to even let himself inside.  Donovan had ordered Alex and Jake to remain inside while the rest of them kept watch from outside.  They had no idea when or if Zara would show up, and were equally clueless as to how she intended to kill Jake.  Suddenly, Donovan thought of Loralei.  She was awaiting him.

"I'll check back with you later.  Loralei is expecting me," Donovan said before turning away to leave.

Alex grinned a little as she watched Donovan walk toward the door.  She glanced over at Jake.  He was smiling as well.  "Do you think he'll marry her," she asked.

He nodded and laughed a little.  "Probably.  That is, if they don't kill each other first."

*  *  *

Loralei paced about the apartment, impatiently awaiting Donovan's arrival.  She heard the key rattling in the door and she turned toward it with a smile.  Expecting her lover, she planted her hands onto her hips with every intention to bitch him out thoroughly for being late.  However, when the door came open, her jaw dropped in shocked surprise.  She stood face to face with the Black Heart Killer.  Acting on pure impulse, Loralei rushed the woman, flying toward her with her fingers hooked into claws, her face drawn into a vicious snarl.

*  *  *

Mid-morning traffic was heavy and hectic, and Donovan maneuvered through it, his irritation growing.  He snapped on the radio and tuned it to the police band.  Several agencies, including the police department, had been alerted.  Perhaps he would luck out and hear that Zara had been caught.  He listened to the dispatchers as he tried to keep his mind focused on traffic.  A sharp burst of static broke his concentration.  He hadn't even been aware he wasn't paying attention to the radio.  Years later, Donovan would think back and wonder why he had heard that particular call when he had blocked out all the rest.

"Shots fired in the vicinity of 23rd and Main.  Any available units respond."

Donovan's heart stopped for a very brief moment.  His apartment building was in that area.  Loralei…dear God no.  Without thinking, he grabbed his cell phone and flipped it open.  "Zara didn't go after Jake, she went for Loralei.  Get to my apartment now," he barked into the phone before snapping it closed.  He felt his sanity slipping away.  Panic threatened to seize him and hold on.  He pressed his foot to the accelerator and weaved in and out of traffic like a man possessed.

By the time he arrived at his apartment building, it was swarming with police and medical personnel.  His heart began to pound in his chest as his level of anxiety began to spiral out of control.  His brain was telling his body to run, but it couldn't respond to the command.  A hint of red caught his eye, and he immediately looked up, expecting to see Loralei.  However, it wasn't Loralei.  It was Zara.  She caught sight of Donovan and began to run.  His heart was leading him to Loralei, but his brain was pushing him to pursue Zara.  Following his brain's commands, he drew his weapon, and gave chase.  Her long legs and lighter body had given her a nice lead.  However, Donovan's was stronger and in better shape.  He pressed onward and caught up soon enough.  With dawning horror, he realized that she had a gun.  His heart began to break as he thought of Loralei, but this bitch would not get away from him.

The sidewalk was alive with activity as dozens of people began to stop and stare.  When Zara ducked between two buildings, Donovan stopped just at the edge of the first building.  A dead-end alley separated them, and there was only one-way in and out.  She was trapped.  "Get back," he snarled at the bystanders.  At any moment, she could run out and begin shooting. 

Donovan was relieved when he saw several police officers catching up to him.  One of them knew him, and he didn't have to explain his presence or the gun clinched tightly in his hand.  They began moving the people out of the area.

Sweating now, he peeked around the corner.  This action alone was met with gunfire.  She had opened fire on him and the police.  The officers were ready to take her out.  "No," he spat.  "Hold your fire."  He ignored the sweat trickling down his face.  "Zara, you're trapped.  There's no way out." 

"Fuck you, Baron Holden," she cried sarcastically.

The anxiety and stress had settled firmly inside him.  He felt as if he were losing his mind.  He wanted to take her alive, for Loralei.  "There is no way out," he repeated.  "If you don't come out, I'm coming in, and I won't hesitate to do what I have to until you surrender.  If you come out, you'll live."

"You have nothing," she screamed.  "You are nothing." 

Without warning, she ran out into the street again.  Donovan pounced.

*  *  *

Donovan wasted no time with Zara.  Once she was secured, he ran like he had never run before.  He didn't see anyone, including his team and Loralei's partner as they ran after him.  They had been inside already; he didn't need to see her.  Donovan saw nothing, no one.  He had a single-minded purpose, and he drove his body forward, pushing his way through.  The first thing he actually noticed was the blood.  There was so much blood.  Had he ever seen this much blood?  He was certain he had, but never had it come from the woman he loved.  In the middle of all the blood was Loralei.  Medical personnel surrounded her, but there was obviously very little they could do.  Every ounce of strength began to flow out of his body.  He felt arms and hands holding him back, and he fought against them.  The paramedics carefully lifted her body and placed her on a stretcher.  Five or six people were working on her at the same time.  Her face was covered with an oxygen mask, and he couldn't see her, couldn't determine if she was alive or dead.

He broke free of the hands holding him and he ran after the paramedics.  His entire soul aching now, he refused to leave her.  He went into the ambulance with her, despite the insistence of medical personnel that he stay behind.  The paramedics quickly discovered that this man was not rational, he couldn't be reasoned with at all.  Nothing shook him up, including threats of arrest.

Although it was difficult and a tight squeeze, Donovan kneeled between the gurney and the side of the ambulance.  He caressed her hair and felt the bitter sting of tears just behind his eyelids.  She was barely alive.  She focused her eyes on his handsome face. 

"Loralei," he said gently, "you must fight.  You can't do this, you can't let go."

Her hand came up slowly.  Any little movement immediately drained her strength, but she had to get the mask off her face, had to tell him.  As her blood streaked hand reached up for the mask, Donovan took hold of it and held it back.

"No, don't move.  Save your strength.  You mustn't…"

"No," she croaked out weakly behind the mask. 

Somehow, some way, she found the strength to pull her hand out of his.  She moved the mask away from her mouth.  Her breathing was labored and gurgling.

"Please Loralei," he begged urgently as his tears slid slowly out of his eyes.  "Don't."  Her hand came up and rested on his cheek.  He covered it with his own.  A little smile touched her lips, and he had no idea how she had managed to muster the strength.  "Stay with me, Loralei, I need you."

"It's okay," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.  "Come close, Frank, please.  Don't-don't…have…time."  He leaned down as close to her as he could while his hand continually caressed her hair.  "I love you," she whispered as tears filled her eyes.

Donovan forced a smile through his tears.  He placed a kiss on her sweaty brow.  "I love you, too."

A soft sigh escaped her as her body grew still.  He knew she was gone; he had seen more people die than he cared to remember.  He held onto her hand and laid his cheek against her forehead.  His tears fell steadily as he whispered 'I love you' over and over again.  He had waited too long, had falsely believed he had plenty of time to express his love for her.  Fate had played the cruelest trick of all.