Disclaimer - I don't own um, just like to play with their lives...play, screw up... call it what ya want.
Summary - Lets start at the beginning shall we?
Special Thanx -Special thanks goes out to my new co-author on this series Rene the crazy one.... but then again I'm crazy so I can't talk all that much.... Pam I told you to stop pouring battery acid on Tommy and laughing!
Under Arrest
(3 years ago, New York City)
Leaning against the table, I eye the crowd like a hawk. The whole damn place should be arrested; I mean everyone in here's a hooker, a minor, a thief, or an accomplice to one of the above. Oh wait I take that back there are also two under cover cops. Looking across the table at my partner Larry Steinberg, I try to push the headache that's been surfacing all night away. I am so not in the mood for this tonight.
"Hey Daniel, got your prospect." Looking up to where Larry's eyes have gone, I see the kid he means the second he's through the door.
"God, they get younger and younger don't they. Look at him he can't be more then fourteen, fifteen at most." It's true the kid may be trying to put on a bad-boy appearance but his youth and innocence just takes it all away in a flash. He's nervous, I can tell he's nervous even from over here.
As the boy in the green shirt and black jacket slowly crosses the room and takes seat at the bar I can't help but feel sorry for him. He's just a baby and he's out working a sleazy dive like this. Poor kid and to make things worse now I have to go arrest his ass. Suddenly Larry breaks through my thoughts with a snap of his fingers. "You okay there, Oliver? Not going soft are ya?"
"No, just feel sorry for the kid. Makes you ask where the hell his parents are?" Though I kind of don't want to. Kid that young and that weary looking, his parents probably put him up to it.
"Probably on drugs, or are hookers themselves." Larry's own voice drops into a more sympathetic level for a moment too. Yeah, you can be as tough as that kid's pretending to be but you know you feel sorry for him too. "Well, think of it like this, at least if he's down town he's not going to wind up getting killed or used tonight." Point taken.
"Yeah." Taking one more drink of my barely touched beer, I get up. "Time to go rock his little world." Walking over to the bar I casually take a set next to the kid, who's now nursing a beer of his own. Where the hell are your parents, kid?
"Hey there." The sudden voice in his ear makes him jump a foot in the air. Oh boy, wonder if this is his first time, most of the usual hookers don't look like a deer caught in the headlights when I say hi.
Apparently trying to recover quickly, the kid offers me a less then easy smile. "Hi." Yeah, he's better off at the station, he'll get himself killed out here. Well time to go into the routine.
"My name's Daniel and I was just wondering if I could buy you a drink." Voice smooth as slick, I wait for him to get a grip and accept or...or what, maybe get some sense and turn tail and run home. Assuming he has a home.
After what I guess is a quick internal debate, he picks the wrong door. "Sure." Well kid, sorry, but you're in it now. As I order us both a shot of Jim Bean I take in his sudden paled face. Don't like the hard stuff, kid? Well if he doesn't drink it at least I know he's not too bad off, but then if he does it'll make the arrest easier.
As the bartender pours our shots, I suddenly see his eyes light up a little. What's this now? Once the tiny glasses are full I pick mine up and watch as he does the same. "Bottoms up." Downing it quickly, I nearly miss it as the kid waits for what I guess he thinks as his one chance and tosses his shot to the floor. Pretty good timing too, had I tilted my head back a touch further I would have missed it and thought he'd drank it. Well that was just interesting, I think I'll keep this little game up for a bit. He's a pretty smart kid, not only did he not drink it, he found a cleaver way to make me think he'd be more helpless then he is. With a brain like that what the hell are you doing here?
"Thanks." Turning his glass over on the bar, he seems to be eyeing me, perhaps wondering if maybe I caught his trick after all. When I give no indication that I had, he seems to relax a bit.
"My pleasure." Snapping my fingers I signal the bartender to pour us two more. "So here I am buying you drinks and I don't even know your name. What is it?" Again I keep my voice smooth as silk. Gotta know how to play the game.
Suddenly and without warning the kid begins cracking up. Did I miss the joke here? "What do you want it to be?" When I just give him a look that clearly says 'I don't get the funny' his laughter dies down a little and he pouts. Yes, he actually POUTS. Okay he's gotta be like fourteen. "Tommy, my name is Tommy. Geez haven't you ever seen Pretty Woman before?" The second it's out of his mouth I have a mental picture of Julia Roberts asking that millionaire the same question he'd asked me. 'What do you want it to be'. Well that's great, his entire knowledge of prostitution comes from a Julia Roberts flick and not a very good one at that, in my opinion.
"Sorry, I'm not a big Julia Roberts fan." Heaving a sigh, I decide to give the kid one last chance. He seems like a sweet enough kid, so maybe it wasn't his idea to even be here. "You seem like a pretty good kid, so tell me, what's a nice, cute, decent kid like you doing in a place like this?" Come on tell me yer dad's an ass and sent you out here, send me to go arrest someone that deserves it.
Eyes suddenly going pained and misty, I for a split second think he's going to spill his guts and tell me exactly that. He was forced to do this, maybe even his guardians are sitting around here watching him but then it only lasts a second and the mask is right back in place. "I'm not a kid first of all, far from it. But I am still young and I have to get my kicks while I still can." Then why do you look like you're about to throw up. Well, missed your chance, Tommy. I'm sorry, but maybe once you're at the station you'll feel more like telling the real reason. Alright, time to end this then.
Moving my chair closer to him, I lay my right hand on his thigh and lean in. "Is that so?" When he looks ill again and says something that sounds like 'yeah' I have to fight to stay in character. "Well then, what do you say we get out of here and go some place a bit more private." Like the police station downtown.
"Sure." Voice wavering just slightly, he stands up and we head out of the crowed bar. Larry's already outside, I know he's probably been waiting for me to get the kid out there for ten minutes now. Well these things take time. Once out of the stuffy place, I lead him over to the near by alley I'd already picked out when I'd arrived earlier tonight. Time to close the deal.
Leaning him against the wall, I can see the spike of fear in his eyes now. Even in the dark, it's as clear as day. I'm sorry kid, but I'm now truly believing this is for your own good. "What do you charge for what?"
Then there's a new look. That one that lets me KNOW he hasn't done this before. It's that clear-cut 'oh shit didn't think of that' look. Still, he's quick and recovers in a moment. "Uh..500 for a quick blow job or other and 1000 for the night." His face is an open book and right now it's saying 'Please god don't let him want me for the night'. Well sorry kid but that's exactly what it's gonna be.
Leaning in I get right in his ear. "Hmm, well I think that...you're under arrest." Flashing my badge at him, I feel a little better when I see the spark of relief flood his eyes. Of course that doesn't last as I bring out my handcuffs to snap on his wrists. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, isn't that always the way it is.
Suddenly snapping out of his shock a second before I can get the damn cuffs on him, he drop kicks me before I even know what hit me. Stumbling back more in surprise then pain, I unfortunately give the brat enough room to turn around and sidekick me this time. That's gonna leave a mark. Perhaps he was working on instinct, maybe not, but whatever it was he suddenly stops and seems to realize what he's just done.
That's all the time I need to grab him again and pin him back against the wall. Too bad he's still facing me though. I guess it's my fault that just as I fumble the cuffs open and move to put them on him he has the opportunity to knee me in the crotch. Let me tell all you women out there, it hurts a fuck of a lot more then you can ever imagine. Just as I drop to the ground cursing and screaming does my partner decide to finally get his ass in gear and show up.
"Freeze! Don't move!" Tommy's head shoots to the side just in time to see Larry rush at him, gun drawn I'm sure. Take your fucking sweet time, Larry.
Looking down at me one more time, he mutters a fast 'I'm really sorry' before taking off down the opposite end of the alley. Yer gonna be sorry when I get a hold of you again but then that won't be tonight, as I watch the kid somehow manage to scale the fence at the end of the ally before Larry even reaches where I am, I know he's gonna get away. The boy reeks of street smarts, no one who's that quick is gonna get caught with that much of a head start. I will get him though, that's a promise.
To be continued.........