Hospitals were becoming too frequent a location for his liking, and
he had tried on two separate occassions to leave... unsuccessfully. Both
times he had been spotted trying to leave by Morales, and that infuriating
woman had insisted he not go, even threatened to call security if he didn't
sit still for 'just a little while longer'.
Bosco just wanted to get out of here... try to find Faith. Apparently, the detectives were on the case, trying to find her... great, Bosco had to rely on hotshots like Tancreedy to try and find his partner. Like that idiot had a chance. Bosco would be able to find her, if they would just let him out of here!
"Okay, Officer Boscorelli," Dana Murphy began as she walked into the room, and he sat bolt upright immediately, almost regretting the sudden movement, as his side throbbed. "You seem -surprisingly- to be no worse for wear. Just take it easy for a while, okay?"
"Yeah, sure, whatever," Bosco mumbled in agreement, sliding off the bed and grabbing his sweater and jacket, and making for the door.
"Doctor Morales said to check back with her if there are any problems," Dana added as he swung the door open. He nodded in acknowledgement, and then closed the door behind him, making a hasty retreat, heading straight for the glowing exit sign at the end of the corridor.
"Bosco! Wait, Bosco!" he heard someone call to him just as he was about to reach the door, already reaching for the handle. He paused, and turned his head back to glance over his shoulder, watching Sully move over to him quickly.
"What is it? Unless they've found Faith-"
"Bosco," Sully cut in, holding up a hand to stop him from continuing. Bosco looked him in the eye, and then shook his head.
"They've got to be kidding me..."
"I'm sorry, Bosco. I've been told to drive you back to the station. Captain wants you to take it easy for a few days, go home."
"You mean he doesn't want me to find my own partner?" Bosco asked loudly, seeing Sully glance around as if embarrassed by the volume. He turned back shortly after.
"It's not that at all. Think about it, Bosco, in the last three days, you've nearly been shot to pieces by multiple shooters; almost blown apart by a guy with a bomb; been involved in a dangerous car accident; and thrown off a bridge, for Christ's sakes! Everyone's worried about you."
"Sully," Bosco began, even as the older man led the way out, "Faith is missing, my partner... my best friend. I have to do something."
"Yeah," Sully agreed, nodding. "You have to take it easy, and let the detectives handle it. Don't worry... me and Davis and the rest of the guys will do everything we can to try and find Yokas... I promise."
Bosco let his shoulders slump in near-resignation, and nodded. He wasn't going to argue with the superiors. If they wanted to take him off- duty for a few days, then fine... to hell with it, but he wasn't going to just give up on Faith. He would try and find her without their help. If he had to go through every seedy bar, down every dark alley, and talk with every drugged up junkie to do it, then he would. Nothing was going to stop him from doing what needed to be done to find her.
He couldn't stand the thought of something happening to her... he blamed himself already. If she were to be hurt, he wouldn't know what he would do. The guilt would be too much.
Bosco was quiet all the way back to the station, too tired to even don his jacket, simply staring out the window on the passenger side in the back of the squad, Davis and Sully in the front. It felt odd seeing everything from this point of view, but at that moment, he barely noticed.
When they reached the station, he went right up to the Captain's office, and handed over his equipment. All but his gun... that was his own licensed weapon. Cap' had made him hand over his badge, nightstick and back- up weapon, but Bosco felt a little better knowing he had something to protect himself out of work. He was told he could return to work at the end of the week. He barely spoke... just agreed. He saw the shock in the Captain's eyes at the agreeable nature he was presenting, but just moved along to the locker room to change.
He passed roll call, where a group of the third watch were gathered, going over what they knew. They saw Bosco pass, and for a moment, he stopped and looked in at them, noticing how they tried to avoid his gaze. After a few seconds, Bosco moved on his way, and pushed through the door into the locker room to change.
As he dressed in his civilian clothes, his tousled hair sticking up in all directions, he stared through the bars of his locker. He looked to Faith's locker, and then faced the mirror, pulling his hood out over his jacket, and slipping his scarf around his neck.
He had managed to drive into work that afternoon, but he didn't feel so safe taking the Mustang home. He didn't have a choice... he hated the EL. He would drive... there was no argument.
Within five minutes, he was out in the parking lot, and climbing carefully into his car, taking a moment to start up the engine before driving home, all the time his mind working over how he could find his partner.
* * *
The next day featured a full-blown thunderstorm, with all the trimmings. The heavens broke open with every crack of deafening thunder, lines of blinding lightning streaked the blackened skies, and it seemed that every drop of rain that would ever fall had decided to pour down on New York. The wind was enough to bend small trees, and almost dislodge young children, if it weren't for the helping hands of their mothers. People rushed about under umbrellas that were torn this way and that with the gale, and even a second out in the open could result in a full soaking.
It was a miserable day.
Bosco stared out of the window, rubbing his tired eyes through lack of sleep, and scratched his head subconsciously, fingers running through his spiky hair over and over again until he realised what he was doing and forced himself to stop. He let out a long restless sigh, and turned from the depressing sight of the weather-stricken streets.
His eyes fell on his gun, still in its leather holster, and he swallowed, hearing two reverberating gunshots in his head, memories of the shootout a little over a year ago filling his mind for near on a minute. He shook his head to free himself, and then grabbed the weapon, hooking it onto his belt, and over the top of his jeans.
His black shirt was done up halfway, and as he grabbed his leather jacket with one hand, he managed to fasten the shirt with the other. Bosco pulled on a hooded jacket first, donning the leather coat afterwards, retrieving his gloves from the pockets, and ripping his scarf off the coat stand as he passed it on his way out. The last thing he thought to pick up was his cell phone... he barely ever used the damned thing. He wasn't even sure why he pocketed it, slipping it into one of the concealed inner pouches in his jacket.
A grave look on his face, he slammed his apartment door closed, feeling the weight of his keys in his pocket, soon on his way to the stairwell, pushing his way through the exit door. He sprinted down half of them, skipping a few steps here and there, careful not to lose his footing.
He wanted to find Faith... he needed to find Faith. Bosco felt lost without her, and the pain was so much it was almost blinding to be without her... to not know she was safe and well. He needed to know where she was, wanted to see her face, hear her voice again. He felt on the verge of falling apart without her.
Don't be so dramatic, he tried to tell himself, failing miserably, and letting the anger at what had happened run free-reign through him inside, shoving the door from the stairwell open into the lobby.
Bosco dug his car keys out of his pocket, and pulled his hood onto his head, sprinting out to his car, and slipping inside, seeing more than feeling the moisture seep into his jeans and run down his leather jacket. He ignored it. It bothered him little.
He soon found himself driving to the scene of their attack... or rather, ambush. He felt it a good place to start in his mission to find his partner. Bosco couldn't think of anything else. He wasn't sure what else to do anyway. He just hoped that he found something that would lead him to Faith.
Passing many a police car on his journey, Bosco's attention barely left the road, eyes staring through a smeary windshield and out into the world beyond... or what little of it he could see through the rain. Lightning flashed, filling the sky with a bright illuminating flare that hovered for a few moments and then died almost as suddenly. It sounded as though the storm was right overhead, and had little intention of moving along any time soon.
The radio was silent, ignored, overlooked. The speakers in the back of the car served very little purpose today, shoved into the back of his mind, replaced by overwhelming thoughts of guilt for what had happened on the bridge the previous day.
Arriving at his destination, he stepped out of the car, leaving his hood down, and feeling the wind tear at him as soon as his body cleared the vehicle, whipping his scarf about his neck and face. His hair was soaked almost instantly, and fluttered about with the storm.
His feet carried him to the edge where he had been tossed over, and his eyes stared blankly into the turbulent waters below. His head turned to consider the rest of the small deserted bridge, and he blinked against the rain, wiping it away with a gloved hand that clenched afterwards.
Bosco -knowing he would receive no reply- called his partner's name against the loud storm a few times before he forced himself to remember she wouldn't be here anymore. His eyes welled for a moment, before he steeled his resolves, and choked them back at once, not allowing himself to give in to his emotions... at least not entirely.
That was when he heard the shrill ring of his cell phone.
* * *
From her position lying on her side on the floor, Faith watched helplessly as the woman dialled the phone. She tried to speak, and failed. She didn't want Bosco to know where she was... Faith didn't want him to have the opportunity to get himself hurt or killed because of her. She didn't want that to happen.
The chilling gaze turned upon her as the woman put the phone to her ear, and smiled wickedly. When she spoke, her voice was a low hiss, "I just want to make sure Boscorelli knows you're okay. We don't want him worrying about you, now, do we?"
Faith wished she had the strength to stand, or at least talk. She closed her eyes tight, and wished for nothing more than for all of what had happened to be some awful nightmare. When she opened her eyes again, she realised how hopeless her wish had been.
The woman, who had called herself Amanda Olmos, crossed her free arm over her chest as she waited, eyes staring down at Faith with menace and hatred. A shiver ran down Faith's spine, and when the smile crossed Amanda's face again, she wanted nothing more than to cry.
Amanda spoke, her voice frighteningly warm-sounding, as someone on the other end of the phone answered; "Officer Boscorelli, I presume?"
* * *
Bosco heard the voice, and froze at once on the bridge, despite the torrential downpour that soaked through to his skin, and looked around, as if he were being watched from somewhere distant, his eyes scanning everything in sight.
"Who is this?" he asked slowly, speaking each word carefully.
"An old friend... of sorts," came the reply, one that confirmed Bosco's suspicions of what this phone call was going to be about.
There was a chilling laugh, one that made Bosco's entire body tense with rage. He closed his eyes, and fought to keep himself under control, as he demanded calmly, "Where's Faith?"
"Officer Yokas? Oh, don't worry about her," the voice replied, the tone taking a more sinister edge, "she's perfectly fine... for now."
"What do you want?" Bosco asked, moving to his car for a little shelter. He could barely hear in the storm. He needed to hear what this woman was saying.
He thought he could hear footsteps on the other end of the phone, and there was a prolonged silence that actually frightened Bosco somewhat. What was going on? It seemed to drag on for hours... hours that were in reality merely seconds.
"I want you to join us, Officer Boscorelli... or should I say Bosco?" There was a pause, before the woman continued, "I believe that's what people call you... can I call you Bosco?" There was that laugh again.
Bosco clenched his teeth, and let out a long breath, before he responded, deciding to ignore her taunting questions and queries, saying instead, "Where are you? What have you done to Faith?"
"I'm a little hurt you don't believe me, Bosco," she replied, "I told you she was safe... and she is. That is, unless you continue to stall, and follow my instructions carefully."
Bosco remained silent, and waited for her to continue.
"At the back of the bus garage on Lexington... I'll send someone to meet you. If you involve anyone else in this... Officer Yokas dies. When you've been picked up, you'll be brought here. An hour."
Bosco felt his heart sink a little, and nodded, remembering shortly after that the woman couldn't see him, settling for a simple, "Okay."
There was a moment's pause, before she said quietly and sinisterly, "Don't disappoint me, Boscorelli."
The line went dead, and Bosco brought the phone from his ear and stared at it, as if it would answer all the questions he had. The device sat in his palm, and made no sound at all. He shook his head, and shoved the phone into his pocket again, feeling his holster and gun move against his body, feeling somewhat more secure for it as he started up the engine.
They're going to take it off you as soon as they meet you, he reminded himself, and tugged hard on the steering wheel to drive off of the bridge, heading straight for his designated destination.
Bosco just wanted to get out of here... try to find Faith. Apparently, the detectives were on the case, trying to find her... great, Bosco had to rely on hotshots like Tancreedy to try and find his partner. Like that idiot had a chance. Bosco would be able to find her, if they would just let him out of here!
"Okay, Officer Boscorelli," Dana Murphy began as she walked into the room, and he sat bolt upright immediately, almost regretting the sudden movement, as his side throbbed. "You seem -surprisingly- to be no worse for wear. Just take it easy for a while, okay?"
"Yeah, sure, whatever," Bosco mumbled in agreement, sliding off the bed and grabbing his sweater and jacket, and making for the door.
"Doctor Morales said to check back with her if there are any problems," Dana added as he swung the door open. He nodded in acknowledgement, and then closed the door behind him, making a hasty retreat, heading straight for the glowing exit sign at the end of the corridor.
"Bosco! Wait, Bosco!" he heard someone call to him just as he was about to reach the door, already reaching for the handle. He paused, and turned his head back to glance over his shoulder, watching Sully move over to him quickly.
"What is it? Unless they've found Faith-"
"Bosco," Sully cut in, holding up a hand to stop him from continuing. Bosco looked him in the eye, and then shook his head.
"They've got to be kidding me..."
"I'm sorry, Bosco. I've been told to drive you back to the station. Captain wants you to take it easy for a few days, go home."
"You mean he doesn't want me to find my own partner?" Bosco asked loudly, seeing Sully glance around as if embarrassed by the volume. He turned back shortly after.
"It's not that at all. Think about it, Bosco, in the last three days, you've nearly been shot to pieces by multiple shooters; almost blown apart by a guy with a bomb; been involved in a dangerous car accident; and thrown off a bridge, for Christ's sakes! Everyone's worried about you."
"Sully," Bosco began, even as the older man led the way out, "Faith is missing, my partner... my best friend. I have to do something."
"Yeah," Sully agreed, nodding. "You have to take it easy, and let the detectives handle it. Don't worry... me and Davis and the rest of the guys will do everything we can to try and find Yokas... I promise."
Bosco let his shoulders slump in near-resignation, and nodded. He wasn't going to argue with the superiors. If they wanted to take him off- duty for a few days, then fine... to hell with it, but he wasn't going to just give up on Faith. He would try and find her without their help. If he had to go through every seedy bar, down every dark alley, and talk with every drugged up junkie to do it, then he would. Nothing was going to stop him from doing what needed to be done to find her.
He couldn't stand the thought of something happening to her... he blamed himself already. If she were to be hurt, he wouldn't know what he would do. The guilt would be too much.
Bosco was quiet all the way back to the station, too tired to even don his jacket, simply staring out the window on the passenger side in the back of the squad, Davis and Sully in the front. It felt odd seeing everything from this point of view, but at that moment, he barely noticed.
When they reached the station, he went right up to the Captain's office, and handed over his equipment. All but his gun... that was his own licensed weapon. Cap' had made him hand over his badge, nightstick and back- up weapon, but Bosco felt a little better knowing he had something to protect himself out of work. He was told he could return to work at the end of the week. He barely spoke... just agreed. He saw the shock in the Captain's eyes at the agreeable nature he was presenting, but just moved along to the locker room to change.
He passed roll call, where a group of the third watch were gathered, going over what they knew. They saw Bosco pass, and for a moment, he stopped and looked in at them, noticing how they tried to avoid his gaze. After a few seconds, Bosco moved on his way, and pushed through the door into the locker room to change.
As he dressed in his civilian clothes, his tousled hair sticking up in all directions, he stared through the bars of his locker. He looked to Faith's locker, and then faced the mirror, pulling his hood out over his jacket, and slipping his scarf around his neck.
He had managed to drive into work that afternoon, but he didn't feel so safe taking the Mustang home. He didn't have a choice... he hated the EL. He would drive... there was no argument.
Within five minutes, he was out in the parking lot, and climbing carefully into his car, taking a moment to start up the engine before driving home, all the time his mind working over how he could find his partner.
* * *
The next day featured a full-blown thunderstorm, with all the trimmings. The heavens broke open with every crack of deafening thunder, lines of blinding lightning streaked the blackened skies, and it seemed that every drop of rain that would ever fall had decided to pour down on New York. The wind was enough to bend small trees, and almost dislodge young children, if it weren't for the helping hands of their mothers. People rushed about under umbrellas that were torn this way and that with the gale, and even a second out in the open could result in a full soaking.
It was a miserable day.
Bosco stared out of the window, rubbing his tired eyes through lack of sleep, and scratched his head subconsciously, fingers running through his spiky hair over and over again until he realised what he was doing and forced himself to stop. He let out a long restless sigh, and turned from the depressing sight of the weather-stricken streets.
His eyes fell on his gun, still in its leather holster, and he swallowed, hearing two reverberating gunshots in his head, memories of the shootout a little over a year ago filling his mind for near on a minute. He shook his head to free himself, and then grabbed the weapon, hooking it onto his belt, and over the top of his jeans.
His black shirt was done up halfway, and as he grabbed his leather jacket with one hand, he managed to fasten the shirt with the other. Bosco pulled on a hooded jacket first, donning the leather coat afterwards, retrieving his gloves from the pockets, and ripping his scarf off the coat stand as he passed it on his way out. The last thing he thought to pick up was his cell phone... he barely ever used the damned thing. He wasn't even sure why he pocketed it, slipping it into one of the concealed inner pouches in his jacket.
A grave look on his face, he slammed his apartment door closed, feeling the weight of his keys in his pocket, soon on his way to the stairwell, pushing his way through the exit door. He sprinted down half of them, skipping a few steps here and there, careful not to lose his footing.
He wanted to find Faith... he needed to find Faith. Bosco felt lost without her, and the pain was so much it was almost blinding to be without her... to not know she was safe and well. He needed to know where she was, wanted to see her face, hear her voice again. He felt on the verge of falling apart without her.
Don't be so dramatic, he tried to tell himself, failing miserably, and letting the anger at what had happened run free-reign through him inside, shoving the door from the stairwell open into the lobby.
Bosco dug his car keys out of his pocket, and pulled his hood onto his head, sprinting out to his car, and slipping inside, seeing more than feeling the moisture seep into his jeans and run down his leather jacket. He ignored it. It bothered him little.
He soon found himself driving to the scene of their attack... or rather, ambush. He felt it a good place to start in his mission to find his partner. Bosco couldn't think of anything else. He wasn't sure what else to do anyway. He just hoped that he found something that would lead him to Faith.
Passing many a police car on his journey, Bosco's attention barely left the road, eyes staring through a smeary windshield and out into the world beyond... or what little of it he could see through the rain. Lightning flashed, filling the sky with a bright illuminating flare that hovered for a few moments and then died almost as suddenly. It sounded as though the storm was right overhead, and had little intention of moving along any time soon.
The radio was silent, ignored, overlooked. The speakers in the back of the car served very little purpose today, shoved into the back of his mind, replaced by overwhelming thoughts of guilt for what had happened on the bridge the previous day.
Arriving at his destination, he stepped out of the car, leaving his hood down, and feeling the wind tear at him as soon as his body cleared the vehicle, whipping his scarf about his neck and face. His hair was soaked almost instantly, and fluttered about with the storm.
His feet carried him to the edge where he had been tossed over, and his eyes stared blankly into the turbulent waters below. His head turned to consider the rest of the small deserted bridge, and he blinked against the rain, wiping it away with a gloved hand that clenched afterwards.
Bosco -knowing he would receive no reply- called his partner's name against the loud storm a few times before he forced himself to remember she wouldn't be here anymore. His eyes welled for a moment, before he steeled his resolves, and choked them back at once, not allowing himself to give in to his emotions... at least not entirely.
That was when he heard the shrill ring of his cell phone.
* * *
From her position lying on her side on the floor, Faith watched helplessly as the woman dialled the phone. She tried to speak, and failed. She didn't want Bosco to know where she was... Faith didn't want him to have the opportunity to get himself hurt or killed because of her. She didn't want that to happen.
The chilling gaze turned upon her as the woman put the phone to her ear, and smiled wickedly. When she spoke, her voice was a low hiss, "I just want to make sure Boscorelli knows you're okay. We don't want him worrying about you, now, do we?"
Faith wished she had the strength to stand, or at least talk. She closed her eyes tight, and wished for nothing more than for all of what had happened to be some awful nightmare. When she opened her eyes again, she realised how hopeless her wish had been.
The woman, who had called herself Amanda Olmos, crossed her free arm over her chest as she waited, eyes staring down at Faith with menace and hatred. A shiver ran down Faith's spine, and when the smile crossed Amanda's face again, she wanted nothing more than to cry.
Amanda spoke, her voice frighteningly warm-sounding, as someone on the other end of the phone answered; "Officer Boscorelli, I presume?"
* * *
Bosco heard the voice, and froze at once on the bridge, despite the torrential downpour that soaked through to his skin, and looked around, as if he were being watched from somewhere distant, his eyes scanning everything in sight.
"Who is this?" he asked slowly, speaking each word carefully.
"An old friend... of sorts," came the reply, one that confirmed Bosco's suspicions of what this phone call was going to be about.
There was a chilling laugh, one that made Bosco's entire body tense with rage. He closed his eyes, and fought to keep himself under control, as he demanded calmly, "Where's Faith?"
"Officer Yokas? Oh, don't worry about her," the voice replied, the tone taking a more sinister edge, "she's perfectly fine... for now."
"What do you want?" Bosco asked, moving to his car for a little shelter. He could barely hear in the storm. He needed to hear what this woman was saying.
He thought he could hear footsteps on the other end of the phone, and there was a prolonged silence that actually frightened Bosco somewhat. What was going on? It seemed to drag on for hours... hours that were in reality merely seconds.
"I want you to join us, Officer Boscorelli... or should I say Bosco?" There was a pause, before the woman continued, "I believe that's what people call you... can I call you Bosco?" There was that laugh again.
Bosco clenched his teeth, and let out a long breath, before he responded, deciding to ignore her taunting questions and queries, saying instead, "Where are you? What have you done to Faith?"
"I'm a little hurt you don't believe me, Bosco," she replied, "I told you she was safe... and she is. That is, unless you continue to stall, and follow my instructions carefully."
Bosco remained silent, and waited for her to continue.
"At the back of the bus garage on Lexington... I'll send someone to meet you. If you involve anyone else in this... Officer Yokas dies. When you've been picked up, you'll be brought here. An hour."
Bosco felt his heart sink a little, and nodded, remembering shortly after that the woman couldn't see him, settling for a simple, "Okay."
There was a moment's pause, before she said quietly and sinisterly, "Don't disappoint me, Boscorelli."
The line went dead, and Bosco brought the phone from his ear and stared at it, as if it would answer all the questions he had. The device sat in his palm, and made no sound at all. He shook his head, and shoved the phone into his pocket again, feeling his holster and gun move against his body, feeling somewhat more secure for it as he started up the engine.
They're going to take it off you as soon as they meet you, he reminded himself, and tugged hard on the steering wheel to drive off of the bridge, heading straight for his designated destination.