Dammit, I still own nothing.
Some language in this one, but nothing serious at all.
Balboa Park.
The park was not called "Heart of the city" for no reason, it was exactly as beautiful as every human heart should have been. Beautiful flowers and lovely trees made the park the dream of every soul, but there was much more too. The park was filled with museums, restaurants and all kinds of fascinating places.
Bennett sat in one of the many restaurants and stared at the map in his hands. The name of the restaurant was Galileo Café and though the food there was known to be good Bennett hadn't even tasted what he had ordered. He was in a bad mood.
"Damn," he mutteredto himself. When Briggs Jr. had told him that Naoise had movedto a city that started with "San" he had though it would be an easy mission to find him. How many cities could really have a name that began with those three letters?
First he had thought of San Francisco, but it had seemed too obvious, so now he was in San Diego.
Unfortunately he had realised the impossibility of his job when he had bought a map.
"How am I supposed to find him in the middle of all this Sans?" he asked from himself.
Bennett was a man from Washington and one of those people who didn't think intelligent life existed beyond their home city. Of course he had always known that Washington wasn't the whole world, but because he had always got all he needed there he hadn't bothered learning much from other places.
Now he regretted it because if he really had to visit all this countless Sans he would either die of old age or be broke before finding what he was looking for. Why couldn't that damned idiot remember the city any better?
His popularity was going downhill too. He had not been able to give the TV-people any decent reports and the audience didn't like him. His partners had done pretty well and Hooper even believed she'd find Chris at any moment. Heck, she even had a camera group with her all the time!
Oh well, there was still hope. An old friend of his lived in San Diego and he always knew everything that was going on. If Naoise had ever been in this city or done anything important in California Bobby would know it.
Bennett folded the map neatly and slipped it in his pocket. He and Bobby had agreed that they would meet in Galileo Café at noon and his friend should have come already.
"That crook is late again," Bennett muttered.
But he didn't have to wait for long anymore, he soon saw the familiar form of Bobby and gestured him closer. Bobby obeyed and sat at the opposite side of the table glancing around himself.
"They didn't follow me, did they?" he asked quietly.
Bennett shrugged. "How should I know?"
"Blast. They could be anywhere," Bobby said. He drew a deep breath and seemed to be collecting himself. He was a short man with light hair and beaver-like face. His nose was crooked as if someone had once broken it and he hadn't bothered to let it heal properly.
"I am not interested in what kind of problems you have now. I need your help," Bennett said. He didn't have to ask who Bobby was afraid of. He was always in trouble and someone was after his head.
"What do you want? I am busy," Bobby said.
"Too busy to do an old friend a favour?"
"Well, actually - "
"You still owe me the money I gave you last Christmas. And don't try anything, I know you didn't buy anything to your wife," Bennett snapped. Bobby raised his palms and sighed in defeat.
"Okay, okay. What do I have to do?"
Bennett licked his lips.
"Could you tell me where to find a person called Naoise Finn?"
"Naoise Finn?"
"Yes."
Neither said anything. Bobby tapped the table with his fingers and seemed to be lost in an imaginary world that only he saw. In truth he was going through the amazing list of names and faces he had somehow managed to gather in his head.
"Well?" Bennett asked impatiently. He really hoped that this would work or he would be in trouble.
Bobby shook his head. "I am sorry, I don't know him. I could ask around if someone else does," he said. "Why are you looking for him?"
"It doesn't matter," Bennett sighed, "Just keep running from your invisible enemies."
"We have to save Chow. Nothing else matters," Finn said to Ratso. They had returned tohis apartment and tried to come up with something, but it was no good. Finn was too mad for that Valmont hadn't wanted to do anything, for that this had happened and that Chow had been stupid enough to get in his mess.
No, he wasn't mad at Chow. Only at everyone else. Even himself.
"But how? We don't know where Section 13 is and they might have taken him somewhere else by now," Ratso said. Not that it mattered to him. He would do all Finn told him to.
The Irish sighed.
"I know, I know. But we have to do something," he said.
"Do you think they will give him a trial?" Ratso asked.
"Of course not. Black and Chan are not that nice."
"I thought they are the good guys."
"Depends on what side you are on yourself."
"That doesn't sound right."
Neither said anything now. Even the clock didn't tick on the wall, it had been broken for three months. The hands of the clock had stopped to point at forty past four and gave the face of the clock a very gloomy expression.
Finn tapped his fingers on the table and frowned. Usually he always knew what to do, but now he had no idea how they were going to survive. They, he and Ratso. It felt strange to think that now there was only two of them instead of four.
He, Ratso and Chow had been in the Dark Hand from the beginning and without them the syndicate wouldn't have grown to be what it was now. Without them Valmont wouldn't probably even bealive anymore because they were the ones who had been on his side during the Shendu incident. Finn could bet that no one else would have stayed with the possessed crime lord.
Yeah, everyone else would have made the right choice.
"So, what are we going to do?" Ratso asked. It was the third time he asked it within an hour and Finn still didn't know the answer.
Damn, he really needed Chow.
"I don't know. I really don't know," he muttered.
All of his problems seemed to revolve around Black nowadays. First the fate had a started a very nasty game with him and now this. Finn was against Black because of his principals, but this time he really hoped the man would have success and capture Flick and his gang.
Hmh, I wonder if Black would let Chow go if I asked really nicely. After all, you should always help your brother, Finn thought in dark amusement. Bah, he'd just be so shocked that he'd make the sentence even worse.
Suddenly the door was opened and Finn and Ratso turned to look. They didn't expect anyone and both thought Flick's men had found them now.
But it was not that, the one who came in was no one but Hak Foo.
"What are you doing here?" Finn asked rather suspiciously. They had never got along with Hak Foo as well as they probably should have and he wasn't sure of what the warrior wanted.
"I have business with you," Hak Foo said. He marched in and slammed the door shut behind him. Neither Finn nor Ratso objected, but the sudden arrival of the warrior confused them a great deal.
"What sort of business?"
"I want the Ox Talisman."
"Well, we all do actually, but what does it have to do with us? We have a bit different problems," Finn said.
Hak Foo's expression didn't chance, but his eyes told how stupid he thought Valmont's other men were.´"The talisman is in Section 13." he said shortly. Ratso's face brightened.
"Oh! And Chow's there too!" he said.
Finn gave Hak Foo a suspicious glance. They worked together, yes, but could he really trust the silent and gloomy warrior?
"So you are offering us your help?" he asked. He would have liked to ask if Hak Foo thought he couldn't do it alone, but didn't dare to. The man could get mad and leave and Finn couldn't afford to lose his possible support.
Hak Foo nodded.
"You get your partner, I get the Ox Talisman," he said.
"Great! Now that we have Hak Foo we can't lose!" Ratsosaid happily.
"If Chan doesn't show up and ruin everything," Finn pointed out.
"That will not happen. I know what we are going to do," Hak Foo announced.
"You do?" Finn asked in surprise. He had tried to come up with something the whole day and now Hak Foo just stepped in and told he had a plan. So there is brain function under all that hair, he though to himself.
"I do. We will capture Black and force him to give us what we want. We can make him convinced. Chan won't try to rescue his friend if we threaten to kill him," the warrior said.
"Capture Black? Isn't that really difficult?" Ratso asked.
"Not if we do it the right way," Hak Foo said.
"So our next victim will be that idiot?" Barbara asked from Jacey who nodded.
"Yes. He is so stupid that won't even understand to fight back," he said.
"How fascinating."
"He is physically stronger than the last one, but this will still be an easy kill."
"Better so. Mister Flick was really mad when we failed."
"That won't happen again. I have taken care of everything," Jacey said.
"How?" Barbara wanted to know. She tilted her head and brushed her hair.
"This time we will choose the place and Chan or anyone else won't have any chances against us."
"How fascinating."
"Exactly."
"What are we going to do with him?" Jackie asked meaning Chow. He was with Black in Section 13 and they were walking around and talking about the situation.
"That is clear. If he refuses to sing to me he will sing to my superiors' interrogators," Black replied.
"Isn't that arather radical option? I mean, he just came here and is injured. Maybe we should give him some time."
Black shrugged. "Your opinion is very natural Jackie, but that is not the way this job is done. You can't be soft with criminals in any situation. Those guys know how to use every opportunity so we can't give in at any time."
"You are probably right," Jackie admitted. "Anything new from Flick?"
"Nothing. He must have hidden himself very well and let his men take care of everything. If he manages to destroy Valmont we will be facing a hard time," Black said.
"I agree. If all of Flick's men are as cold-blooded as the three I don't want to have anything to do with them. Especially if they are more talented."
"On the other hand this war is a positive thing. If we can play our cards right we might be able to catch both Valmont and Flick. Harrison will be pleased."
"That reminds me, what kind of person ishe actually?"
Black thought about it a while. "Very old fashioned, proud and stubborn, but a man you have to respect. He was my superior when I was younger and it was very much his doing that I was made the head of this Section."
"So we can trust him?"
"What do you mean?"
Jackie snorted quietly and felt embarrassed. "Nothing. I just have a hunch," he said. He knew he was being stupid when he suspected a man who Black respected. Especially since he hadn't even seen Harris himself.
Black didn't say anything. They kept walking.
"When will Chow leave?" Jackie asked then.
"If he doesn't tell us anything in four days I will send him to Washington. They know how to handle him and we will get all the information of the Dark Hand before we know it."
"I see."
"Or do you have something against it?"
"What? No, of course not! I just don't feel very comfortable when we talk about people - even criminals - like they were just animals," Jackie said.
"That is one of the things you must learn to accept in this job," Black said. Then he smiled. "But don't worry, just let me take care of this."
So they were going to capture Black.
Finn didn't know should he have been excited, afraid or feel nothing. Maybe the last option described him the best, most of him was completely numb.
Of course he had nothing against that they used Black in their plan. They were enemies and that would never change - at least if it depended on him. Black didn't even have to find out.
But still somewhere in his mind a very small thought asked what would happen when Black was in their hands. Would he be able to stand in front of the man as if nothing was wrong?
Of course he would.
Criminal life had taken care of that he knew how to hide his true feelings. It didn't show, he was always commenting and laughing at everything. If you had asked Ratso's opinion, for an example, he would have said that Finn was a very open person.
Maybe it was kind of like that. He showed people his positive feelings; happiness, laughter and excitement. Positive feelings were not dangerous, but you had to beware the negative ones. It was dangerous to reveal your sorrow and what hurt you. That was why he never let see those feelings anymore.
He had actually done that decision a long time ago.
Finn could still remember how he had almost got caught.
What a magnificent feeling!
He was rich!
Finn kept his hand in his pocket and let his fingers caress the bills. They were his payment for the job he and his friends had done in the jewellery shop. It wasn't much, but to him and ones like him it was fantastic.
And he had earned it on his own.
His career had started now, a career that would make him rich, powerful and respected. He could leave this place and go somewhere where he was truly useful. And where he could make more money.
Yup, he would become a crime lord. Or a very rich henchman of a crime lord.
Of course father would not know before it was too late. Despite that Seamus Finn wasn't actually a model example - truth to be told, Finn didn't even know where he got hismoney - he would definitely not accept what his son was doing.
Hah, like that even mattered.
And talking about father...
"Naoise! What the hell have you done?"
Finn stopped on his tracks when he noticed father running at him his face red and looking angrier than ever before. It seemed like father was completely sober now, he never got mad if he was drunk.
"What do you mean? I've just been around my pals," he replied.
"Damn you have! You weren't at home the whole night and I know you didn't sleep at anyone else's either!" his father barked. He looked like he could explode at any moment, but Finn wasn't afraid. He had always cowered away when he had been much younger, but now he felt so confident that he wasn't about to move an inch.
"Then where could I have been?" he asked calmly.
His father drew a deep breath and strange, almost sad, expression appeared on his face.
Seamus Finn was a very ordinary looking man and one could not have told he was from Ireland. His hair was more brown than red and his eyes were pale grey. He had been a strong and handsome man when he had moved to America, but years and the loss of his wife had treated him badly. Now he walked with a stoop and his face was marked by age. He had also lost most of his accent -partly by accident, mostly on purpose. Finn had never even had an accent, he had grown up in New York.
"Gary's shop was robbed last night," Seamus Finn said quietly.
Finn shrugged. "So what? That happens often here and old Gary was asking for it," he said.
At first Seamus couldn't say anything. He found himself staring at his son's green eyes and found his wife in them. Oh Angela... He loved the woman so much! Why had she left him?
He knew the reason better than well, but was not about to say it aloud. No, he had to blame someone else for it.
Like Thomas Black.
"You know quite well what I mean! If you think I will let you destroy your life like that you are sadly mistaken!" he snapped angrily and for the first time during the conversation Finn was starting to feel his father was serious after all.
"But I have done nothing!" he defended himself.
"Don't lie to me! I have clearly been too nice if you dare to behave like that!"
"Good morning Seamus. Naoise."
Both Finns flinched and turned around when they noticed that old Briggs had arrived. The old man smiled at the both of them and his eyes twinkled happily. He looked like nothing could be bothering him.
"Go away. This is none of your business," Seamus snapped unfriendly.
"What? What is going on?" Briggs asked with an innocent tone. Finn saw a knowing flash on the old man's face, but it was gone before his father noticed anything.
"I am teaching my son what life really is about."
"In the middle of a street?"
"Better place than some others."
"And may I ask why?"
"I don't want to be rude, but that is none of your business!"
At this point Finn decided to take part in the conversation as well. This matter concerned him more than either of the men, after all.
"Father believes I had something to do with the robbery at Gary's shop," he said. Briggs turned to look at him.
"I see," he said.
"Don't spread the family matters!" Seamus snapped angrily. What family? Finn wanted to ask, but he kept his jaw shut.
"But Seamus, your son is innocent," Briggs pointed out. It was like a slap at Seamus' face.
"What?" he asked.
"Naoise was with me the whole night. I asked him to help me to organise my room and after that he was so tired that fell asleep on the couch," Briggs said. Seamus looked both very relieved and suspicious.
"Really?" he asked.
"What reason do I have to lie?"
Seamus nodded. He accepted the truth much faster than someone else might have, but that wasn't a miracle. Briggs' words were exactly the truth he wanted to hear and what helped him to forget his own situation.
"Good," he growled and turned to walk away. He didn't even apologise that he had blamed his own son for a robbery.
"Thanks," Finn said after his father was gone.
"Don't. You didn't deserve to be saved. A beating might have made you get back to your senses, but my old heart couldn't let your father to do that," Briggs said. He didn't sound happy anymore, more like sad and angry.
Finn didn't say anything. He followed his father's example and walked away angry because Briggs didn't understand.
No one understood him.
To be continued...