White Rose
******** The Forever Knight show and its characters belong to Sony and those who have purchased exclusive rights to show the series. This story is strictly for fun only and I do not own nor claim ownership to any character, place, or event in this fiction. ********
"Purity. Something we all strive for in one form or another. But what is pure? Is it blind love, or the fire of hell that pits us against each other? That never ending spiral that tears us apart, but in the end brings us together. What purity is it that you seek, that keeps you up to the waking light of day? Perhaps, you hope to create that purity in others around you. Humanity does not understand pure love. Nor do we. We, who have experienced life, and death, but never love."
"God Knight. You listen to this quack?" Schanke turned the radio dial.
"Yeah, why?"
"No reason. It's just the guy creeps me out." He found the Polka station and sat back in the seat.
"At least it's more amusing than this, Schank." Nick pressed the preset to another station. Some more lively tunes played as he drove down the street towards the precinct.
The police station buzzed with excitement as Don and Nick sat down at their desks. It had been another uneventful night in Toronto.
"Hello Schanke. Knight." Cohen welcomed the partners. "I need you two in my office. Now, please." They glumly followed her, wondering what they had done this time. "There's a Radio Personality fair at the arena tomorrow and I'm a couple bodies short. I was hoping the two of you would be free to hang out there for the night. There are some notorious minds there and I want to make sure that everyone's safe." Schanke's eyes lit up at the sound of a duty free night at the arena. He might even get some autographs.
"Sure! I'm up for it. How does that sound to you Knight?"
"Not too bad. I'll go." Nick thought it might be a nice break from the normal run. Don and Nick got up and left before the sunrise so they might catch a few winks before the next shift.
Around 10 a.m. Natalie came up to Nick's loft to find him out cold on the couch with an empty bottle next to him. She let out an exasperated sigh as she threw out the green bottle with a large crash that still didn't wake Nick. As she watched him, his face became troubled with a passing nightmare. She noticed little beads of blood forming on his forehead when he suddenly sat up, breathing hard.
"Nick?" Nat touched his back and he spun around, his frightened yellow eyes scanning her.
"Nat. What are you doing here?" He choked down his fangs and looked back to her with his clear, blue eyes.
"I came to see you, what else do you think?" She sat across from him on the couch, wiping his forehead with a towel. "What did you dream about?" Nick seemed surprised she knew he'd been dreaming.
"Lacroix." He quietly admitted. Natalie looked disturbed.
"What about him?"
"I dreamt about the night he brought me across. And Janette. And the first time I killed." Nick got up and walked sluggishly to the fridge.
"Nick, please." Nat begged as he opened the door and pulled out a half emptied bottle. He looked at the green glass in his hand and then back to Nat, returning the bottle to chill.
"Sorry. I'm just really tired." He started for his bedroom.
"You think he'll be there?"
"What?" Nick asked, confused.
"Schanke told me that you two are going to the convention at the arena tonight. Do you think Lacroix might be there?"
"He could never pass up an opportunity like this. I'm certain of it." Nick went up to his bedroom and Nat left him to sleep for the rest of the day.
Don and Nick met at the station the next night, and then took the caddy over to the arena. Thousands of people swarmed the building to see the voices of their favorite radio shows. Schanke quickly spotted the free food and Polka stations while Nick scanned the crowd. They were hanging around one set of booths that attracted an unusually rowdy crowd when Nick saw Lacroix across the aisle, signing autographs for a rather oddly dressed group.
"Lookie, lookie Nick. It's your ever-so-creepy friend, the Nightcrawler. Why don't you go get his autograph?" Schanke poked at Nick with his half- eaten bag of popcorn. "I can handle this bunch here. Go enjoy yourself for a few minutes, will you?" Nick looked questioningly at his partner, and then walked towards Lacroix. His booth was dark with small pictures of him in the radio station. He was talking quietly with a human fan when he spotted Nick. He didn't acknowledge him until he had finished the conversation.
"Nicolas. Fancy seeing you here. Would you like my autograph as well?" He smiled, and laughed quietly as pulled out a picture of his face with a white rose next to it and scrawled a message in Latin on it, handing it to Nick. They both smiled as Nick read the message and walked away. Lacroix went back to his task as Nick stood next to Schanke.
"What'd he write to you that's so funny?" He said with a mouthful of popcorn. "Is that Italian or something? Great just what we need, another screwball. Why do you like this guy anyways, Nick?"
"He's an old friend, Schanke. And by the way, it's Latin."
"Oh." Don bit his lip. He turned and scampered away to his favorite Polka station and got another autograph for his wife. As Nick began to follow, someone in the line for a psychiatric therapy station started to complain and bother the others around them. Nick moved to approach the man when he turned and ran up to the CERK booth and threw a poorly-aimed punch at Lacroix.
"You ruined my life!" The man yelled as he climbed over the table. "You and your stupid show! I'll get you back for what you did to me!" Lacroix avoided all of his disgruntled attacks until the police were able to restrain the man.
"We're sorry sir." One of the officers atoned.
"It's quite alright, officer. No need for an apology. No one was hurt; the man was simply voicing his troubles." Lacroix returned, unfazed to his booth as the struggling man was brought off the premises.
The rest of the night went on without incident until the fair closed at 1 a.m. Nick and Don hung around until all of the fans left and strolled around the closing booths, stopping at the CERK stand.
"We're sorry about that today, Mr. uh. Nightcrawler." Schanke apologized.
"Like I said before, no apologies necessary. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an early morning show scheduled." Lacroix left with his few displays, only glancing at Nick. They were the last two out of the building, save the security guards; and returned to their desks at the division. Schanke retuned to find a box of donuts had been brought by his wife and offered one to Nick, who in usual fashion declined.
"Oh well, more for me!" He dove into the pastries, ignoring Cohen as she came up to Nick.
"Knight? Schanke? I have a job for you. They need you down at the CERK radio station. Some guy went in there with a sledge hammer and trashed the place."
"Sounds more like a job for the insurance companies."
"He went after a producer and killed her. It's pretty messy, but the guy in charge is taking it pretty well. He's the original target we think, and it seems the producer was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"We're on it, Captain." Nick said before Schanke could finish swallowing, and they sped off to the scene in the caddy.
"Geeze Nick, at least let me swallow next time, will you?" Don complained as they reached the radio station. The entire parking lot had been taped off and officers were questioning Lacroix and his staff. Don led Nick up to the recording booth where they were met with a war zone of destroyed equipment, finished off by the mauled body of the producer. Her piled remains were in a doorway with Nat standing over them. Nick approached her to see what she had found so far.
"What can I say, Nick. She was hit multiple times with a large, blunt object. Brutal, but quick. First blow to the head, death was instantaneous. The rest of her was just for kicks, I guess." She walked away to fill out some paperwork. Nick and Don peeked under the bloody sheet and came back with sickened faces.
"Did anyone find any security tapes?" He said, changing the topic.
"I don't think there are any." Nick said, pointing out there were no cameras. "Wait a second, Schank. Wasn't he recording during the attack?"
"Yeah! That's using the old noodle, Nick!" Hey, you!" Schanke ran off to find Lacroix with Nick in tow. They brought him down to the station for a statement, and right before he left, Cohen decided to put him under protective custody.
"Captain," interrupted Lacroix, "if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to ask to be put in the hands of Detective Knight."
"Knight, is that alright with you?"
"Sure, come with me. I was about to go home." Nick brought Lacroix to the caddy and drove home, barely beating the sunrise. "Lacroix, you can sleep upstairs. I'll be down here if you need anything."
"I can take care of myself, Nicolas. But thank you for accommodating me. Good night." He left to the bedroom and Nick crashed on the couch.
Around noon, Natalie cam back to bug Nick again and to tell him the results of her DNA tests from the radio station. As she closed his door, she found herself in the grip of a raging Lacroix. He recognized who she was and let her go.
"Ah, the good doctor has come to check up on us." He said through his long teeth. Nick sat up from the couch and went after Lacroix.
"Get away from her." Nick growled.
"As you wish, Nicolas." Lacroix returned to his normal self and went back to bed.
"Nick? What's this all about?"
"The CERK station was attacked last night. They think Lacroix was the target so he's under my protective custody."
"Good luck." She remarked. "That would explain it all, though."
"Explain what?"
"I found some of his blood at the scene, and on the tape he was using to record prior to the attack. I listened to the recording, and think you should too." Nat pulled out an evidence bag and latex glove. She popped the tape into Nick's entertainment system and turned up the volume.
"Revenge tastes sweetest when savored through love. Metallic, strong, perfect." He was interrupted by crashing and a woman screaming. A door could be heard being broken down in the background.
Lacroix stood weakly on the stairs as Nat and Nick listened.
"This time there's no one to protect you!" A man yelled and the sounds of a struggle ensued. Lacroix'' vampiric growling sounded in the background when it unexpectedly stopped. Lacroix could be heard shouting as the attacker smashed equipment. Suddenly, all noise stopped and there was a sickening, heavy thud. The only sound left on the tape was a heavy wheezing that sounded like Lacroix when the tape ended. Nick sensed Lacroix behind him and turned to confront him.
"Lacroix. What happened?" Nick and Nat looked at him worriedly.
"What do you think? A mortal attacked my radio station."
"There's more to it than that. The tape proves it." Nat prodded. "Oh my God; did he hit you?"
"Naturally." Lacroix said quietly, as if out of breath.
"Are you alright?" Nat ran up the stairs to Lacroix, who stepped away from her. "Where did he hit you?" She noticed a barely visible blood stain on the chest of his black shirt. He seemed unusually pale to her now, and he swayed when he didn't hold on to something.
"I'm fine. Let me sleep." Lacroix swooned and Nick caught him just before he hit the floor. He dragged him into the bedroom and laid him on the bed. Nat unbuttoned Lacroix's shirt and found what she feared most. Just above his heart, was a large, bloody indentation. Every time he took a breath blood would bubble from the bruised rim of the wound.
"He's in a lot of pain, Nick. Anyone would be."
"Well, what can you do?"
"Nothing that I know of, really. You'll just have to make him comfortable until it heals."
"And what about the tape, Nat?"
"I'll figure out what to do with it for now. If they find out that he was hit and hasn't a scratch on him, they'll get wondering. I'll think of something though, count on it."
"I am." Nat left with the tape as Nick propped Lacroix up with pillows. All day, Lacroix slept and didn't wake until an hour after sunset. He only had a little bruising from the encounter, and his ego seemed not at all lacking. Nick drove him to the Raven to have a drink as they quietly watched the patrons of the club bounce to the music. Janette was said to be out with a friend so Lacroix and Nick went to the precinct to stay out the night.
At the end of the shift, Nick and Lacroix went out to the caddy early in hopes of beating the sun with time to spare. As Nick went to open the doors, he noticed a white rose under the driver's wiper and pulled it out. He looked at it, twirling it in between his fingers, when his eyes suddenly grew wide.
"Lacroix! Get down!" They both ducked just a bullet whizzed over their heads. "In the car, quickly!" They crept into the car and Nick sped off towards his loft. When he pulled up, Lacroix saw what looked like another rose inside the windowsill of the bedroom. "I've got to find a safe place for you."
"Well it seems your clever friend has found where you live. He's already left his mark in you bedroom window." Nick looked up at the flower. "I recommend you think quickly Nicolas. The man is without a doubt nearby, and the sun will rise in only a few minutes. Your turn, detective." Lacroix sneered at Nick.
The only place Nick could think to go was Nat's place, but he couldn't risk putting her in that situation. As the rear window shattered, Nick realized it was his only safe choice.
He sped away from the apartment with the sniper firing after them. Nick could slowly feel his back warming as he raced the streets to Nat's apartment. The two men ran into the building as the sun scalded them. Nick led Lacroix quickly up the stairs to Nat's room and nearly broke down her door. When they burst in, they were met with a sun lit room and both quickly drew all of the shades.
"Hello? Who's there?" Nat walked around the corner in her towel and screamed. "Nick! What are you doing here?" She looked furious.
"Nat, I can explain."
"Oh you better!" She stormed off to her room and came back dressed. "Okay, why did you come here, with him!?" She pointed her finger at Lacroix.
"Nat, the guy that attacked Lacroix found out where I live. He tried to shoot us and the sun was coming up."
"So you led him here?! Oh this is real great Nick. Thanks a lot for bringing me into this!"
"Nat! I'm sorry!"
"No, no; it's fine, Nick. Real fine. You can just stay here while I run around all day trying to stay alive on my own!" There was a knock at the door and Lacroix and Nick froze. "Hide!" Nat exclaimed and they ran around the corner as she opened the door.
"I'm here for maintenance. Did someone call?" A familiar voice stated.
"I'm sorry; you must have the wrong apartment. I didn't call for maintenance." There was a scuffle and Nat shouted. Lacroix held Nick still as the man yelled to them, pointing a gun around the room.
"I saw you come in here. I know you're in here!" Nick stepped into view. "You're not the Nightcrawler; you're that cop from the fair. Where is he?"
"Right here." Lacroix came into view. "Leave the woman and detective alone. What do you want?"
"You!!" The man yelled and shot Lacroix. He ran off with Nat fighting against him as Nick went after him, but was stopped at the open door. Lacroix followed close behind and stopped at the sunlight as they watched a car speed off.
"You can't do anything now for her, Nicolas. Come back in, you might as well live to see another day. Then you can go save her."
"I shouldn't have come here."
"It looks a little late for that now, doesn't it?" Lacroix brought Nick back to the apartment where he paced back and forth while Lacroix slept. Finally he came up with an idea and called Cohen at the precinct.
"Captain?"
"Yes, Knight? What is it?"
"The aggressor came after my charge. He attacked us at my apartment and we escaped to Doctor Lambert's place. Then he came and took her hostage at gun point. I need an APB sent out on her."
"Right away, Knight. Is the Nightcrawler safe?"
"Yeah, he's fine. I got him to give me a positive i.d. on the guy. He's the one who destroyed the radio station."
"I'm on if Knight."
"I'll be on duty once I can get out of here, captain."
"See you then, Knight. Bye."
"Bye." Nick nearly went insane waiting out the sun. An hour from sunset, Nat's phone rang. Nick stood perfectly still as the machine picked up.
"Detective, I know you're there. You don't need to pick this up. I'm just going to tell you." Nick dashed to the phone.
"Where is she?!" He yelled into the receiver.
"Is he dead?" Something sinisterly pleasing rang in his voice. "Is he, that freak? He somehow managed to live through my sledgehammer; but a gun? I doubt it." Nick could envision the smile on the man's face.
"He's alive." There was silence at the other end. "We were both wearing bulletproof vests. Where's Nat?" He could hear struggling.
"Nick?" A frightened Natalie came on. "Nick, is that you?"
"Nat?! Are you okay?"
"Yeah; I'm blindfolded, but I'm fine."
"Hang on Nat, I'm coming."
"Bring the Nightcrawler, and we could swap." The man came back, and Lacroix turned around the corner, tuning into Nick's conversation. "In the park, North side. There's a bench next to a statue, it's the only one on the North side. Do you know where that is?"
"Yes. Go on."
"Bring the Nightcrawler with you wherever you go; there'll be a white rose. Follow the directions and you'll get the woman back safely. You have till an hour after sunset to get there. No cops, no one else. I'll be watching." The phone went dead as Nick looked at Lacroix.
"Well, Nicolas. What do you intend to do? Are you so in love with this girl that you will even give up your own master to save her? Or will you let her die?"
"I intend to win this both ways, Lacroix. And you're my ticket to success." Lacroix looked at Nick and realized what he'd meant. Nick planned to give the man Lacroix, and then let his master do whatever he wanted with the man. The kidnapper had picked the wrong target for murder.
Nick and Lacroix left the apartment as soon as the sun set and hurried in the caddy to the northern end of Toronto's park. There, just as the man said, was a white rose with a card telling Nick to take Lacroix to an abandoned warehouse on the east side of Toronto by midnight.
"Hide and seek. Goody." Lacroix mocked Nick. Upon reaching the warehouse, Nick went up to the roof where the man had said he would meet him. Lacroix was waiting just inside the stairwell to the roof so Nick could make sure Nat would be alright. As he looked around, he saw on an adjacent roof, two figures. One was near the ledge and the other was behind them. Nick walked over as close as he could and found a walkie-talkie.
"Where's the Nightcrawler!" The man yelled over the talkie.
"He's inside the stairwell. I wanted to make sure you wouldn't break our agreement."
"Bring him out now! Or I will!" Lacroix had heard the demand and stepped into plain view.
"Do you see him?"
"Yes, I do." The voice laughed. "I do very well."
"Then we're agreed. Bring her to me."
"Actually, I would prefer it if you brought him to me. Then I can make sure you don't do anything you might regret. Bring the walkie-talkie with you"
"Very well then." Nick and Lacroix went back out of the building and into the next one. As he walked in, he heard a gunshot, and he and Lacroix ducked. Looking back up, Nick saw Nat hanging precariously over the edge of a catwalk.
"Nick! Nick! Look out! He's got a rifle! He's to your left!" Nick and Lacroix scrambled for safety as the man shot at them over and over.
"This time, even vests won't protect you." The man sneered as three more shots whizzed over Nick's head.
"Let her go, damn you!" Nick yelled into the talkie.
"As you wish, Detective." A shadow moved towards Nat. "You know, I have been thinking; you know the Nightcrawler destroyed my life. But you don't know how."
"Tell me."
"That would take the fun out of this then." The shadow moved behind Nat as she yelped. "I'm going to show you just how much a single voice on the radio can ruin your life."
"NICK! He's cutting the rope!" Nat screamed.
"Nat! No!" Nick looked up just in time to see Nat begin to fall forward. He had to save her, so he threw away his disguise and flew after her, catching her ten feet from the ground. "Lacroix!" Nick's master flew out from behind a crate and went after the shadow. Nick ran Nat out of the building as the man screamed for his life. A few minutes later, Lacroix walked satisfactorily out of the doorway with a trickle of blood coming from the corner of his mouth.
"I wish you would join me once in a while, Nicolas. It isn't as fun without you." Lacroix smiled evilly at them and then flew away. Nick brought her to the caddy where he drove her home and after making sure she was alright, went back to the warehouses. He burned the body of the kidnapper in a basement furnace and reported back to Cohen.
"I couldn't find him, but I did find Nat, and the Nightcrawler is safe. The kidnapper seemed happy with his work and didn't come back. I'll write up the report tomorrow, okay Captain?"
"If that's what happened, Knight." Cohen sounded skeptical, but didn't pry.
"Thanks, Cap." Nick went back to his desk to fill out the forms when he was greeted by two hands on his shoulders.
"Well, well; isn't my goody pal partner who went MIA tonight. Where have you been, Nick?"
"Oh, around. Say, how did Myra like her autographs?"
******** The Forever Knight show and its characters belong to Sony and those who have purchased exclusive rights to show the series. This story is strictly for fun only and I do not own nor claim ownership to any character, place, or event in this fiction. ********
"Purity. Something we all strive for in one form or another. But what is pure? Is it blind love, or the fire of hell that pits us against each other? That never ending spiral that tears us apart, but in the end brings us together. What purity is it that you seek, that keeps you up to the waking light of day? Perhaps, you hope to create that purity in others around you. Humanity does not understand pure love. Nor do we. We, who have experienced life, and death, but never love."
"God Knight. You listen to this quack?" Schanke turned the radio dial.
"Yeah, why?"
"No reason. It's just the guy creeps me out." He found the Polka station and sat back in the seat.
"At least it's more amusing than this, Schank." Nick pressed the preset to another station. Some more lively tunes played as he drove down the street towards the precinct.
The police station buzzed with excitement as Don and Nick sat down at their desks. It had been another uneventful night in Toronto.
"Hello Schanke. Knight." Cohen welcomed the partners. "I need you two in my office. Now, please." They glumly followed her, wondering what they had done this time. "There's a Radio Personality fair at the arena tomorrow and I'm a couple bodies short. I was hoping the two of you would be free to hang out there for the night. There are some notorious minds there and I want to make sure that everyone's safe." Schanke's eyes lit up at the sound of a duty free night at the arena. He might even get some autographs.
"Sure! I'm up for it. How does that sound to you Knight?"
"Not too bad. I'll go." Nick thought it might be a nice break from the normal run. Don and Nick got up and left before the sunrise so they might catch a few winks before the next shift.
Around 10 a.m. Natalie came up to Nick's loft to find him out cold on the couch with an empty bottle next to him. She let out an exasperated sigh as she threw out the green bottle with a large crash that still didn't wake Nick. As she watched him, his face became troubled with a passing nightmare. She noticed little beads of blood forming on his forehead when he suddenly sat up, breathing hard.
"Nick?" Nat touched his back and he spun around, his frightened yellow eyes scanning her.
"Nat. What are you doing here?" He choked down his fangs and looked back to her with his clear, blue eyes.
"I came to see you, what else do you think?" She sat across from him on the couch, wiping his forehead with a towel. "What did you dream about?" Nick seemed surprised she knew he'd been dreaming.
"Lacroix." He quietly admitted. Natalie looked disturbed.
"What about him?"
"I dreamt about the night he brought me across. And Janette. And the first time I killed." Nick got up and walked sluggishly to the fridge.
"Nick, please." Nat begged as he opened the door and pulled out a half emptied bottle. He looked at the green glass in his hand and then back to Nat, returning the bottle to chill.
"Sorry. I'm just really tired." He started for his bedroom.
"You think he'll be there?"
"What?" Nick asked, confused.
"Schanke told me that you two are going to the convention at the arena tonight. Do you think Lacroix might be there?"
"He could never pass up an opportunity like this. I'm certain of it." Nick went up to his bedroom and Nat left him to sleep for the rest of the day.
Don and Nick met at the station the next night, and then took the caddy over to the arena. Thousands of people swarmed the building to see the voices of their favorite radio shows. Schanke quickly spotted the free food and Polka stations while Nick scanned the crowd. They were hanging around one set of booths that attracted an unusually rowdy crowd when Nick saw Lacroix across the aisle, signing autographs for a rather oddly dressed group.
"Lookie, lookie Nick. It's your ever-so-creepy friend, the Nightcrawler. Why don't you go get his autograph?" Schanke poked at Nick with his half- eaten bag of popcorn. "I can handle this bunch here. Go enjoy yourself for a few minutes, will you?" Nick looked questioningly at his partner, and then walked towards Lacroix. His booth was dark with small pictures of him in the radio station. He was talking quietly with a human fan when he spotted Nick. He didn't acknowledge him until he had finished the conversation.
"Nicolas. Fancy seeing you here. Would you like my autograph as well?" He smiled, and laughed quietly as pulled out a picture of his face with a white rose next to it and scrawled a message in Latin on it, handing it to Nick. They both smiled as Nick read the message and walked away. Lacroix went back to his task as Nick stood next to Schanke.
"What'd he write to you that's so funny?" He said with a mouthful of popcorn. "Is that Italian or something? Great just what we need, another screwball. Why do you like this guy anyways, Nick?"
"He's an old friend, Schanke. And by the way, it's Latin."
"Oh." Don bit his lip. He turned and scampered away to his favorite Polka station and got another autograph for his wife. As Nick began to follow, someone in the line for a psychiatric therapy station started to complain and bother the others around them. Nick moved to approach the man when he turned and ran up to the CERK booth and threw a poorly-aimed punch at Lacroix.
"You ruined my life!" The man yelled as he climbed over the table. "You and your stupid show! I'll get you back for what you did to me!" Lacroix avoided all of his disgruntled attacks until the police were able to restrain the man.
"We're sorry sir." One of the officers atoned.
"It's quite alright, officer. No need for an apology. No one was hurt; the man was simply voicing his troubles." Lacroix returned, unfazed to his booth as the struggling man was brought off the premises.
The rest of the night went on without incident until the fair closed at 1 a.m. Nick and Don hung around until all of the fans left and strolled around the closing booths, stopping at the CERK stand.
"We're sorry about that today, Mr. uh. Nightcrawler." Schanke apologized.
"Like I said before, no apologies necessary. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an early morning show scheduled." Lacroix left with his few displays, only glancing at Nick. They were the last two out of the building, save the security guards; and returned to their desks at the division. Schanke retuned to find a box of donuts had been brought by his wife and offered one to Nick, who in usual fashion declined.
"Oh well, more for me!" He dove into the pastries, ignoring Cohen as she came up to Nick.
"Knight? Schanke? I have a job for you. They need you down at the CERK radio station. Some guy went in there with a sledge hammer and trashed the place."
"Sounds more like a job for the insurance companies."
"He went after a producer and killed her. It's pretty messy, but the guy in charge is taking it pretty well. He's the original target we think, and it seems the producer was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"We're on it, Captain." Nick said before Schanke could finish swallowing, and they sped off to the scene in the caddy.
"Geeze Nick, at least let me swallow next time, will you?" Don complained as they reached the radio station. The entire parking lot had been taped off and officers were questioning Lacroix and his staff. Don led Nick up to the recording booth where they were met with a war zone of destroyed equipment, finished off by the mauled body of the producer. Her piled remains were in a doorway with Nat standing over them. Nick approached her to see what she had found so far.
"What can I say, Nick. She was hit multiple times with a large, blunt object. Brutal, but quick. First blow to the head, death was instantaneous. The rest of her was just for kicks, I guess." She walked away to fill out some paperwork. Nick and Don peeked under the bloody sheet and came back with sickened faces.
"Did anyone find any security tapes?" He said, changing the topic.
"I don't think there are any." Nick said, pointing out there were no cameras. "Wait a second, Schank. Wasn't he recording during the attack?"
"Yeah! That's using the old noodle, Nick!" Hey, you!" Schanke ran off to find Lacroix with Nick in tow. They brought him down to the station for a statement, and right before he left, Cohen decided to put him under protective custody.
"Captain," interrupted Lacroix, "if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to ask to be put in the hands of Detective Knight."
"Knight, is that alright with you?"
"Sure, come with me. I was about to go home." Nick brought Lacroix to the caddy and drove home, barely beating the sunrise. "Lacroix, you can sleep upstairs. I'll be down here if you need anything."
"I can take care of myself, Nicolas. But thank you for accommodating me. Good night." He left to the bedroom and Nick crashed on the couch.
Around noon, Natalie cam back to bug Nick again and to tell him the results of her DNA tests from the radio station. As she closed his door, she found herself in the grip of a raging Lacroix. He recognized who she was and let her go.
"Ah, the good doctor has come to check up on us." He said through his long teeth. Nick sat up from the couch and went after Lacroix.
"Get away from her." Nick growled.
"As you wish, Nicolas." Lacroix returned to his normal self and went back to bed.
"Nick? What's this all about?"
"The CERK station was attacked last night. They think Lacroix was the target so he's under my protective custody."
"Good luck." She remarked. "That would explain it all, though."
"Explain what?"
"I found some of his blood at the scene, and on the tape he was using to record prior to the attack. I listened to the recording, and think you should too." Nat pulled out an evidence bag and latex glove. She popped the tape into Nick's entertainment system and turned up the volume.
"Revenge tastes sweetest when savored through love. Metallic, strong, perfect." He was interrupted by crashing and a woman screaming. A door could be heard being broken down in the background.
Lacroix stood weakly on the stairs as Nat and Nick listened.
"This time there's no one to protect you!" A man yelled and the sounds of a struggle ensued. Lacroix'' vampiric growling sounded in the background when it unexpectedly stopped. Lacroix could be heard shouting as the attacker smashed equipment. Suddenly, all noise stopped and there was a sickening, heavy thud. The only sound left on the tape was a heavy wheezing that sounded like Lacroix when the tape ended. Nick sensed Lacroix behind him and turned to confront him.
"Lacroix. What happened?" Nick and Nat looked at him worriedly.
"What do you think? A mortal attacked my radio station."
"There's more to it than that. The tape proves it." Nat prodded. "Oh my God; did he hit you?"
"Naturally." Lacroix said quietly, as if out of breath.
"Are you alright?" Nat ran up the stairs to Lacroix, who stepped away from her. "Where did he hit you?" She noticed a barely visible blood stain on the chest of his black shirt. He seemed unusually pale to her now, and he swayed when he didn't hold on to something.
"I'm fine. Let me sleep." Lacroix swooned and Nick caught him just before he hit the floor. He dragged him into the bedroom and laid him on the bed. Nat unbuttoned Lacroix's shirt and found what she feared most. Just above his heart, was a large, bloody indentation. Every time he took a breath blood would bubble from the bruised rim of the wound.
"He's in a lot of pain, Nick. Anyone would be."
"Well, what can you do?"
"Nothing that I know of, really. You'll just have to make him comfortable until it heals."
"And what about the tape, Nat?"
"I'll figure out what to do with it for now. If they find out that he was hit and hasn't a scratch on him, they'll get wondering. I'll think of something though, count on it."
"I am." Nat left with the tape as Nick propped Lacroix up with pillows. All day, Lacroix slept and didn't wake until an hour after sunset. He only had a little bruising from the encounter, and his ego seemed not at all lacking. Nick drove him to the Raven to have a drink as they quietly watched the patrons of the club bounce to the music. Janette was said to be out with a friend so Lacroix and Nick went to the precinct to stay out the night.
At the end of the shift, Nick and Lacroix went out to the caddy early in hopes of beating the sun with time to spare. As Nick went to open the doors, he noticed a white rose under the driver's wiper and pulled it out. He looked at it, twirling it in between his fingers, when his eyes suddenly grew wide.
"Lacroix! Get down!" They both ducked just a bullet whizzed over their heads. "In the car, quickly!" They crept into the car and Nick sped off towards his loft. When he pulled up, Lacroix saw what looked like another rose inside the windowsill of the bedroom. "I've got to find a safe place for you."
"Well it seems your clever friend has found where you live. He's already left his mark in you bedroom window." Nick looked up at the flower. "I recommend you think quickly Nicolas. The man is without a doubt nearby, and the sun will rise in only a few minutes. Your turn, detective." Lacroix sneered at Nick.
The only place Nick could think to go was Nat's place, but he couldn't risk putting her in that situation. As the rear window shattered, Nick realized it was his only safe choice.
He sped away from the apartment with the sniper firing after them. Nick could slowly feel his back warming as he raced the streets to Nat's apartment. The two men ran into the building as the sun scalded them. Nick led Lacroix quickly up the stairs to Nat's room and nearly broke down her door. When they burst in, they were met with a sun lit room and both quickly drew all of the shades.
"Hello? Who's there?" Nat walked around the corner in her towel and screamed. "Nick! What are you doing here?" She looked furious.
"Nat, I can explain."
"Oh you better!" She stormed off to her room and came back dressed. "Okay, why did you come here, with him!?" She pointed her finger at Lacroix.
"Nat, the guy that attacked Lacroix found out where I live. He tried to shoot us and the sun was coming up."
"So you led him here?! Oh this is real great Nick. Thanks a lot for bringing me into this!"
"Nat! I'm sorry!"
"No, no; it's fine, Nick. Real fine. You can just stay here while I run around all day trying to stay alive on my own!" There was a knock at the door and Lacroix and Nick froze. "Hide!" Nat exclaimed and they ran around the corner as she opened the door.
"I'm here for maintenance. Did someone call?" A familiar voice stated.
"I'm sorry; you must have the wrong apartment. I didn't call for maintenance." There was a scuffle and Nat shouted. Lacroix held Nick still as the man yelled to them, pointing a gun around the room.
"I saw you come in here. I know you're in here!" Nick stepped into view. "You're not the Nightcrawler; you're that cop from the fair. Where is he?"
"Right here." Lacroix came into view. "Leave the woman and detective alone. What do you want?"
"You!!" The man yelled and shot Lacroix. He ran off with Nat fighting against him as Nick went after him, but was stopped at the open door. Lacroix followed close behind and stopped at the sunlight as they watched a car speed off.
"You can't do anything now for her, Nicolas. Come back in, you might as well live to see another day. Then you can go save her."
"I shouldn't have come here."
"It looks a little late for that now, doesn't it?" Lacroix brought Nick back to the apartment where he paced back and forth while Lacroix slept. Finally he came up with an idea and called Cohen at the precinct.
"Captain?"
"Yes, Knight? What is it?"
"The aggressor came after my charge. He attacked us at my apartment and we escaped to Doctor Lambert's place. Then he came and took her hostage at gun point. I need an APB sent out on her."
"Right away, Knight. Is the Nightcrawler safe?"
"Yeah, he's fine. I got him to give me a positive i.d. on the guy. He's the one who destroyed the radio station."
"I'm on if Knight."
"I'll be on duty once I can get out of here, captain."
"See you then, Knight. Bye."
"Bye." Nick nearly went insane waiting out the sun. An hour from sunset, Nat's phone rang. Nick stood perfectly still as the machine picked up.
"Detective, I know you're there. You don't need to pick this up. I'm just going to tell you." Nick dashed to the phone.
"Where is she?!" He yelled into the receiver.
"Is he dead?" Something sinisterly pleasing rang in his voice. "Is he, that freak? He somehow managed to live through my sledgehammer; but a gun? I doubt it." Nick could envision the smile on the man's face.
"He's alive." There was silence at the other end. "We were both wearing bulletproof vests. Where's Nat?" He could hear struggling.
"Nick?" A frightened Natalie came on. "Nick, is that you?"
"Nat?! Are you okay?"
"Yeah; I'm blindfolded, but I'm fine."
"Hang on Nat, I'm coming."
"Bring the Nightcrawler, and we could swap." The man came back, and Lacroix turned around the corner, tuning into Nick's conversation. "In the park, North side. There's a bench next to a statue, it's the only one on the North side. Do you know where that is?"
"Yes. Go on."
"Bring the Nightcrawler with you wherever you go; there'll be a white rose. Follow the directions and you'll get the woman back safely. You have till an hour after sunset to get there. No cops, no one else. I'll be watching." The phone went dead as Nick looked at Lacroix.
"Well, Nicolas. What do you intend to do? Are you so in love with this girl that you will even give up your own master to save her? Or will you let her die?"
"I intend to win this both ways, Lacroix. And you're my ticket to success." Lacroix looked at Nick and realized what he'd meant. Nick planned to give the man Lacroix, and then let his master do whatever he wanted with the man. The kidnapper had picked the wrong target for murder.
Nick and Lacroix left the apartment as soon as the sun set and hurried in the caddy to the northern end of Toronto's park. There, just as the man said, was a white rose with a card telling Nick to take Lacroix to an abandoned warehouse on the east side of Toronto by midnight.
"Hide and seek. Goody." Lacroix mocked Nick. Upon reaching the warehouse, Nick went up to the roof where the man had said he would meet him. Lacroix was waiting just inside the stairwell to the roof so Nick could make sure Nat would be alright. As he looked around, he saw on an adjacent roof, two figures. One was near the ledge and the other was behind them. Nick walked over as close as he could and found a walkie-talkie.
"Where's the Nightcrawler!" The man yelled over the talkie.
"He's inside the stairwell. I wanted to make sure you wouldn't break our agreement."
"Bring him out now! Or I will!" Lacroix had heard the demand and stepped into plain view.
"Do you see him?"
"Yes, I do." The voice laughed. "I do very well."
"Then we're agreed. Bring her to me."
"Actually, I would prefer it if you brought him to me. Then I can make sure you don't do anything you might regret. Bring the walkie-talkie with you"
"Very well then." Nick and Lacroix went back out of the building and into the next one. As he walked in, he heard a gunshot, and he and Lacroix ducked. Looking back up, Nick saw Nat hanging precariously over the edge of a catwalk.
"Nick! Nick! Look out! He's got a rifle! He's to your left!" Nick and Lacroix scrambled for safety as the man shot at them over and over.
"This time, even vests won't protect you." The man sneered as three more shots whizzed over Nick's head.
"Let her go, damn you!" Nick yelled into the talkie.
"As you wish, Detective." A shadow moved towards Nat. "You know, I have been thinking; you know the Nightcrawler destroyed my life. But you don't know how."
"Tell me."
"That would take the fun out of this then." The shadow moved behind Nat as she yelped. "I'm going to show you just how much a single voice on the radio can ruin your life."
"NICK! He's cutting the rope!" Nat screamed.
"Nat! No!" Nick looked up just in time to see Nat begin to fall forward. He had to save her, so he threw away his disguise and flew after her, catching her ten feet from the ground. "Lacroix!" Nick's master flew out from behind a crate and went after the shadow. Nick ran Nat out of the building as the man screamed for his life. A few minutes later, Lacroix walked satisfactorily out of the doorway with a trickle of blood coming from the corner of his mouth.
"I wish you would join me once in a while, Nicolas. It isn't as fun without you." Lacroix smiled evilly at them and then flew away. Nick brought her to the caddy where he drove her home and after making sure she was alright, went back to the warehouses. He burned the body of the kidnapper in a basement furnace and reported back to Cohen.
"I couldn't find him, but I did find Nat, and the Nightcrawler is safe. The kidnapper seemed happy with his work and didn't come back. I'll write up the report tomorrow, okay Captain?"
"If that's what happened, Knight." Cohen sounded skeptical, but didn't pry.
"Thanks, Cap." Nick went back to his desk to fill out the forms when he was greeted by two hands on his shoulders.
"Well, well; isn't my goody pal partner who went MIA tonight. Where have you been, Nick?"
"Oh, around. Say, how did Myra like her autographs?"