Title: Paying Old Debts
Author: Cheryl W.
Disclaimer: I don't own Fastlane or anything in conjunction with Fastlane nor am I making a profit from this story. No copyright infringement is intended.
Replies to Reviews are at the bottom of this chapter
*******************************
Chapter 4
Hours later, when a doctor approached Deaq and Billie, both rose, fear clouding their faces. "How's Van?" Deaq demanded, piercing the doctor with a look that warned harsh repercussions for ill news.
"He came through the surgery well. The next few hours are crucial but if no infection sets in, he has a good chance of living."
Immediately Deaq shook the doctor's hand, "Thank you, doctor. When can we see him."
"He'll be in recovery for another two hours and then, if everything seems fine, we'll move him into a room where you can visit him. Why don't you take a break from your vigil and come back in a few hours," the doctor replies.
"We'll do that, Doctor," Billie complied and, with a nod, the doctor left. Turning to Deaq, Billie's features darkened with resolve. "Let's take a trip to Club 9."
But Deaq shook his head, "No." And he reclaimed his chair. "I'm not leaving Van."
Sitting beside Deaq, Billie turned to her junior officer and gently proposed, "You can't see Van for another two hours, we can have Roberts handcuffed and locked in a cell before Van even gets out of recovery." But she could see Deaq's decision before he spoke.
"I'm not leaving, Van," Deaq stated, meeting Billie's eyes. "Not for some revenge trip...I'm not letting my anger make me abandon another person I give a damn about ..not like I did Dre."
Sensing that no words she offered would sway Deaq, she patted him on the knee, "Alright. I'll handle Cade Roberts for the both of us." And she stood up and began to walk away.
"If he resists arrest, you'll shoot him right?" Deaq called after her.
Turning Billie smiled with deadliness, "Maybe even if he doesn't resist." And then she swung out of the doors.
*************************
Billie swung out of the hospital doors, worry for Van creasing her face and taking down Roberts on her mind. Her phone rang and she answered it still on the move. "Hello."
"Billie, we need to talk," Captain Perish, her boss, greeted.
But Billie countered with steel in her tone, "After I bring in Roberts."
"No. Now. I'll meet you at the Candy Store," and before she could protest he hung up.
***************************
Twenty minutes later Captain Perish stepped into Billie's office at the Candy Store and Billie looked up from reading Cade Roberts's file. Before the captain could say a word she firmly stated, "I'm taking Cade Roberts down." But she could read the protest in his expression and her tone turned to steel, "Don't tell me to back off."
Claiming a chair, the captain steadily met Billie's eyes, "I'm not asking you to...the Feds are. They've been working to get an air tight case on Roberts and they are extremely worried that you will jeopardize their operation."
The Federal Government's involvement did not faze Billie. Cade Roberts was one bad boy. Leaning back in her chair she gave the impression of indifference to his words but Perish knew her well enough to know it was all a façade. Calmly she began, "And how long have they been working on building their case?" Suddenly her eyes darkened and her tone turned critical, "What "year" do they think they might actually make a move? I read Roberts's file. He's got Mob ties for drug trafficking and money laundering and he's been "thought" to be tied to at least ten murders" then her voice dropped subzero, "at least three he did personally, with ice picks."
The captain added, "And those are only the murders that the Feds have any hope of tying to Roberts. No one knows many murders he's ordered his men to carry out." He let that sink in before he continued, "The ice pick is Roberts's personal trademark. He makes few things personal." His eyes bore into Billie's. "You know Roberts's relationship with Van?" he asked trying hard to not let accusation tint his tone.
But Billie felt the implications strongly and, abandoning her relaxed pose, she leaned forward and pierced her boss with her look. "Relationship?! Van doesn't have a relationship with Roberts. Roberts knew Van as a kid. A dad like Van's, that's no surprise."
"I'll look into the connection," Perish said, hoping to avoid dangerous ground.
Billie countered with, "I just told you the connection. What matters is taking Roberts down...now."
Quietly Perish pressed, "There something you aren't telling me. What happened at the club?"
"I'm not holding out on you," she answered even as she knew that it was Deaq that was holding out on her. Like Perish, she sensed more had gone down at the club than Deaq had said. And maybe Deaq had told her all he knew and Van alone could tell the whole story...if he lived. Pushing that thought aside she focused again on Perish, "You know what I know."
"Let's keep it that way," Perish ordered and then a softening entered his eyes. "I know it's real hard not to make things personal but remember "Officer" Ray knows the risks of this job, that any undercover assignment could cost him his life."
Instead of soothing Billie this spark anger in her. "What are you saying?! That I'm suppose to accept the fact that some bastard plunged an ice pick in Van's back as...what... hazards of the job?!"
Choosing not to respond to that taunt, Perish sighed. "We had this conversation before you got the Candy Store about distancing yourself from those that work for you."
The change in topic caught Billie off guard and she defended, "I did...I do."
"Billie," Perish said with disbelief at her words.
Recognizing that Perish could see through her lie, Billie opted for the truth, her voice turning soft. "You don't know what it's like for them...being under 24 - seven. They need me to be more than a boss to them."
Without reprimand, Perish contradicted, "We aren't discussing what they need. We are discussing protocol."
"Protocol? Same thing as politics," Billie retorted bitterly. "And politics is what's keeping Roberts safe."
"Van and Deaq are your subordinates."
Suddenly Billie stood up and her voice cracked with emotion. "Well, they are also family and I won't stand by and let Roberts hurt Van...almost kill him. So don't ask me to."
For a beat the captain's and the lieutenant's eyes met in silence. Then Perish relaxed back in the chair, "The Feds won't be happy if you mess with their operation."
A fleeting smile crossed Billie's face. "Too bad for them," she said and she headed for the door.
"Billie," Perish called and Billie turned around to face her boss and friend, "don't underestimate Roberts."
*******************************************
Billie buzzed Club 9's back door. After a moment a man built like a natural born bouncer opened the door, eyed her up for a second before he growled, "Club's closed," and attempted to slam the door in her face. With cat like grace, Billie snuck in the closing gap and slammed her elbow into the bouncer's face. He fell to the ground, out cold. Pulling her gun, Billie stepped over the downed man and entered the club.
She had never been in Club 9 before but she didn't have to worry about finding the office. Only a few lights still burned now and it was like a bread crumb trail leading her to her objective. Quietly crossing the dance floor her jaw clenched as she saw the mirrors that lined the wall...the mirrors that Van had been behind earlier that night helplessly watching as three men targeted Deaq. 'Stay cold, stay cold,' Billie reprimanded herself, knowing that Roberts fed on emotions.
Coming to the closed door marked "office", Billie took a steadying breath then she calmly opened the door and stepped into the office. Her appearance startled the three men occupying the room but her eyes and her gun sight never left the man behind the desk.
Roberts' two men reached for their guns even as Roberts calmly eyed up his guest but Billie's words halted Roberts' thugs.
With a sweet voice she encouraged, "Please pull your guns cause I'm begging for a reason to blow a hole in your boss's head," her eyes never wavering from Roberts's.
A smirk pulled onto Cade Roberts' face and he looked to his two men. "Take a walk," and he nodded at the door.
Obediently Roberts' dogs dropped their hands from their guns and walked by Billie and out the door.
Cade resettled his look to Billie and gave her a full smile, "Welcome to Club 9 Lieutenant Wilhelmina "Billie" Chambers. I guess Van's still breathing or else you wouldn't be on such good behavior."
With those words, Billie's eyes hardened to cut glass. Crossing the room to Robert's desk, she put the gun against Roberts' chest and cocked the hammer. Leaning over the desk she met his eyes unflinchingly and purred with deadliness, "How 'bout we see how far you get with a bullet lodged in your chest."
But no fear entered Roberts' eyes, instead he gave a short laugh. "That seems a little more unsportsmanlike than the ice pick I shoved in Van's back but you cops always play dirty," unmasking his pleasure at hurting Van.
With fury Billie slammed the gun barrel across Roberts' cheek and watched in satisfaction as blood seeped from a cut on his face. Pulling back, her eyes met the suddenly unsmiling eyes of Cade Roberts. "You'll be seeing a lot of me because I'm not gonna stop being your shadow until I get what I want."
A veil pulled again on Roberts' features and he calmly pulled the handkerchief from his suit breast pocket and wiped at the blood running down his face. "And what is it that you want?" he asked with little interest.
A smile pulled onto Billie's face. "You wishing to God that you never laid a hand on Van." And then she turned around and began to walk away.
Roberts conversationally called out to her. "Van will dissuade you from taking this path, Billie. Listen to him if you want to live." But Billie gave no indication she heard his words as she walked from Club 9.
Two hours passed and Billie had yet to return, leaving Deaq alone with his worry for his partner. When a nurse approached him and told him what room Van was in, Deaq quickly negotiated the hallways but as he drew closer to Van's room his steps began to falter. The truth was, Van was not out of danger, he could still lose his partner.
Steeling himself against that fear, Deaq pushed open the door to Van's room. His heart seemed to thud to a stop as he saw Van lying pale and motionless upon the bed. Forcing weak legs into motion, Deaq crossed to Van. Looking down at his partner's pale face, Deaq felt fear ripple through him. How many times in how many ways had he tried to keep Van from getting behind his barriers? How many insults had Van let slide off his back? And how many times could he tell Van that they were not friends. 'Too bad I didn't convince myself we weren't friends,' Deaq silently reprimanded himself.
With a voice rough from disuse and emotion, Deaq softly entreated, "Hey, Van. I'm here for you partner. And I'm not gonna leave you...so you don't leave me, OK. We got ourselves a deal?"
There was no reaction from Van and that silence alone tore through Deaq. Silent was one thing Van Ray hardly ever was. Even that time they were trapped under Dallas's bed, Van couldn't remain silent...even if that silence was broken by typed words.
But Deaq quickly pushed away the thought of Dallas, of Dallas dying in his arms. No, Van wasn't gonna die, he was gonna live. He had too much fight in him. Deaq knew this even if Van doubted it. "You got enough fight in you for the both of us, Van. Someone knocks you down, you come up swinging. Every single time. I know you, partner. You don't know how to quit. And you're not quitting now, you hear."
Deaq snagged onto a chair, pulled it beside Van's bed and sank into it. He left the silence reign in the room, grateful for the reassuring rise and fall of Van's chest.
***********************
An hour later, the door to Van's room opened and Billie slowly walked into the room. Deaq looked up at his boss and watched Billie's face cloud with fear and tenderness alike as her look settled on Van. "How's he doing?" she asked quietly.
"He's fighting like he's suppose to." Deaq answered, shooting a look to Van's pale face before he rose to stand beside Billie. Softly he drew her attention to him, "Roberts in custody?"
Billie shook her head. "No. The Feds are involved."
"Feds? How high up on the food chain is this Roberts guy?" Deaq countered in surprise and frustration.
"High. The best I could do was rattle Roberts's cage," Billie said as her eyes drifted again to Van's motionless body. How she had wanted to pull that trigger when her gun had rested on Roberts chest. If Van dies...
But Deaq broke her out of those morbid thoughts by grabbing her arms and forcing her to refocus on him. "'Rattle his cage', what are you talking about? What did you do?"
"I paid him a little visit and told him of things to come," she replied, her eyes hard with the memory.
Deaq sighed, "In other words, you threatened him."
Billie pulled from Deaq's grasp, "I'm going to take him out, Deaq. No matter what."
"And I'm down with that but we gotta do it smart. This Roberts ain't no slouch if the Feds are after him," Deaq cautioned.
"I agree," and her eyes bore into Deaq's. "And that's why you need to tell me "everything" that went down between Van and Roberts."
TBC
Sorry about the long wait for this chapter!! I hope to have the next chapter out early this week. And yes, Van will wake up and we'll learn the history he has with Roberts...well at least some of it will be revealed next chapter.
Thanks for reading!!
Replies to Reviews:
DKM: I wrote something "riveting"?!?! You are the best for thinking that! Sorry this chapter took so long but I'm trying hard to not drop the ball on the plot and the characterizations and I had to do some homework (you know, watch some of the episodes - and what hard work it was) Thanks for sticking with this story!!
ZoZe: I'm blushing with your compliments! And a sick part of me loves that I made you cry?!? Hope I don't disappointment you as the chapters keep coming! Please keep telling me what you think!
Leann: I know, I still didn't get Van outta danger of dying but it is fun to "pull the team together" as you said. So glad you liked it and reviewed it and I'd love to hear what you think as the story continues.
Fan4fastln: Yup, I'm evil!! And I'm sorry that I left you hanging for an extra week but I wanted to be satisfied with the chapter and I just wasn't for awhile but after rewatching some episodes, I think I got things back on track. Hopefully I can get back to posting once a week again. Thanks for sticking with me and for liking last chapter!
Hazelnut: Thanks for your review and I appreciate your input about Billie and it gave me my idea for this chapter so thanks so much!! Hope I didn't play her too cold still or too mushy. I try really hard to get the characterizations just right and if I'm off, I wanna know about it.
Lynne: That was so nice of you to read my Houston Knights story?!?! And I'm glad I didn't screw up on my presentation of Lundy. And thank you so much for thinking I'm a 'great storyteller'. But now I feel real pressure to get this Fastlane story done right. Please continue to tell me what you think of this story!
Silent Typewriter: Sorry this update took so long and for sure you thought I was abandoning it but fear not, I'm still here and I've got the basic plot in my head so it's just a matter of putting it into words. This story will get finished!! And next chapter we will see Van coming around and getting involved with the action. Hope this chapter didn't bore you?!
Meike: I know..I know. This chapter was a long way in coming and I had the nerve to not even have Van wake up?!?! I am beyond cruel?!?! But I felt this chapter had to happen to set things up and well, I didn't want Van to do one of those "I-was-near-death-a-minute-ago-but-now-I'm-duking-it-out-with-the-bad-guys" like Matt Houston (a tv show about a private eye) use to do and I use to groan about. Hope you stick around for the next chapter cause it definitely has a waking and talking Van in it.
Bladdering: Alright..I apologize for making chapter 3's cliffy stay around way too long! But I promise this story will get somewhere..it just takes me time to advance the plot sometimes. Thanks for liking the story and I hope you liked this chapter that focused more on Billie (thanks to your suggestions-boy that was helpful to me when I was kinda having writer's block!) And I'm glad you like suspense because as you can tell, I can't get enough of that.
Electricgurl: Thanks for your review and "loving" my story. And I promise there will be more Van in the next chapter so please keep reading.
Valentine Blue: I'm flattered that my story's got you on the edge of your seat. I hope I can keep up that momentum and not bore you, confuse you or disappoint you. Keep in touch!
Author: Cheryl W.
Disclaimer: I don't own Fastlane or anything in conjunction with Fastlane nor am I making a profit from this story. No copyright infringement is intended.
Replies to Reviews are at the bottom of this chapter
*******************************
Chapter 4
Hours later, when a doctor approached Deaq and Billie, both rose, fear clouding their faces. "How's Van?" Deaq demanded, piercing the doctor with a look that warned harsh repercussions for ill news.
"He came through the surgery well. The next few hours are crucial but if no infection sets in, he has a good chance of living."
Immediately Deaq shook the doctor's hand, "Thank you, doctor. When can we see him."
"He'll be in recovery for another two hours and then, if everything seems fine, we'll move him into a room where you can visit him. Why don't you take a break from your vigil and come back in a few hours," the doctor replies.
"We'll do that, Doctor," Billie complied and, with a nod, the doctor left. Turning to Deaq, Billie's features darkened with resolve. "Let's take a trip to Club 9."
But Deaq shook his head, "No." And he reclaimed his chair. "I'm not leaving Van."
Sitting beside Deaq, Billie turned to her junior officer and gently proposed, "You can't see Van for another two hours, we can have Roberts handcuffed and locked in a cell before Van even gets out of recovery." But she could see Deaq's decision before he spoke.
"I'm not leaving, Van," Deaq stated, meeting Billie's eyes. "Not for some revenge trip...I'm not letting my anger make me abandon another person I give a damn about ..not like I did Dre."
Sensing that no words she offered would sway Deaq, she patted him on the knee, "Alright. I'll handle Cade Roberts for the both of us." And she stood up and began to walk away.
"If he resists arrest, you'll shoot him right?" Deaq called after her.
Turning Billie smiled with deadliness, "Maybe even if he doesn't resist." And then she swung out of the doors.
*************************
Billie swung out of the hospital doors, worry for Van creasing her face and taking down Roberts on her mind. Her phone rang and she answered it still on the move. "Hello."
"Billie, we need to talk," Captain Perish, her boss, greeted.
But Billie countered with steel in her tone, "After I bring in Roberts."
"No. Now. I'll meet you at the Candy Store," and before she could protest he hung up.
***************************
Twenty minutes later Captain Perish stepped into Billie's office at the Candy Store and Billie looked up from reading Cade Roberts's file. Before the captain could say a word she firmly stated, "I'm taking Cade Roberts down." But she could read the protest in his expression and her tone turned to steel, "Don't tell me to back off."
Claiming a chair, the captain steadily met Billie's eyes, "I'm not asking you to...the Feds are. They've been working to get an air tight case on Roberts and they are extremely worried that you will jeopardize their operation."
The Federal Government's involvement did not faze Billie. Cade Roberts was one bad boy. Leaning back in her chair she gave the impression of indifference to his words but Perish knew her well enough to know it was all a façade. Calmly she began, "And how long have they been working on building their case?" Suddenly her eyes darkened and her tone turned critical, "What "year" do they think they might actually make a move? I read Roberts's file. He's got Mob ties for drug trafficking and money laundering and he's been "thought" to be tied to at least ten murders" then her voice dropped subzero, "at least three he did personally, with ice picks."
The captain added, "And those are only the murders that the Feds have any hope of tying to Roberts. No one knows many murders he's ordered his men to carry out." He let that sink in before he continued, "The ice pick is Roberts's personal trademark. He makes few things personal." His eyes bore into Billie's. "You know Roberts's relationship with Van?" he asked trying hard to not let accusation tint his tone.
But Billie felt the implications strongly and, abandoning her relaxed pose, she leaned forward and pierced her boss with her look. "Relationship?! Van doesn't have a relationship with Roberts. Roberts knew Van as a kid. A dad like Van's, that's no surprise."
"I'll look into the connection," Perish said, hoping to avoid dangerous ground.
Billie countered with, "I just told you the connection. What matters is taking Roberts down...now."
Quietly Perish pressed, "There something you aren't telling me. What happened at the club?"
"I'm not holding out on you," she answered even as she knew that it was Deaq that was holding out on her. Like Perish, she sensed more had gone down at the club than Deaq had said. And maybe Deaq had told her all he knew and Van alone could tell the whole story...if he lived. Pushing that thought aside she focused again on Perish, "You know what I know."
"Let's keep it that way," Perish ordered and then a softening entered his eyes. "I know it's real hard not to make things personal but remember "Officer" Ray knows the risks of this job, that any undercover assignment could cost him his life."
Instead of soothing Billie this spark anger in her. "What are you saying?! That I'm suppose to accept the fact that some bastard plunged an ice pick in Van's back as...what... hazards of the job?!"
Choosing not to respond to that taunt, Perish sighed. "We had this conversation before you got the Candy Store about distancing yourself from those that work for you."
The change in topic caught Billie off guard and she defended, "I did...I do."
"Billie," Perish said with disbelief at her words.
Recognizing that Perish could see through her lie, Billie opted for the truth, her voice turning soft. "You don't know what it's like for them...being under 24 - seven. They need me to be more than a boss to them."
Without reprimand, Perish contradicted, "We aren't discussing what they need. We are discussing protocol."
"Protocol? Same thing as politics," Billie retorted bitterly. "And politics is what's keeping Roberts safe."
"Van and Deaq are your subordinates."
Suddenly Billie stood up and her voice cracked with emotion. "Well, they are also family and I won't stand by and let Roberts hurt Van...almost kill him. So don't ask me to."
For a beat the captain's and the lieutenant's eyes met in silence. Then Perish relaxed back in the chair, "The Feds won't be happy if you mess with their operation."
A fleeting smile crossed Billie's face. "Too bad for them," she said and she headed for the door.
"Billie," Perish called and Billie turned around to face her boss and friend, "don't underestimate Roberts."
*******************************************
Billie buzzed Club 9's back door. After a moment a man built like a natural born bouncer opened the door, eyed her up for a second before he growled, "Club's closed," and attempted to slam the door in her face. With cat like grace, Billie snuck in the closing gap and slammed her elbow into the bouncer's face. He fell to the ground, out cold. Pulling her gun, Billie stepped over the downed man and entered the club.
She had never been in Club 9 before but she didn't have to worry about finding the office. Only a few lights still burned now and it was like a bread crumb trail leading her to her objective. Quietly crossing the dance floor her jaw clenched as she saw the mirrors that lined the wall...the mirrors that Van had been behind earlier that night helplessly watching as three men targeted Deaq. 'Stay cold, stay cold,' Billie reprimanded herself, knowing that Roberts fed on emotions.
Coming to the closed door marked "office", Billie took a steadying breath then she calmly opened the door and stepped into the office. Her appearance startled the three men occupying the room but her eyes and her gun sight never left the man behind the desk.
Roberts' two men reached for their guns even as Roberts calmly eyed up his guest but Billie's words halted Roberts' thugs.
With a sweet voice she encouraged, "Please pull your guns cause I'm begging for a reason to blow a hole in your boss's head," her eyes never wavering from Roberts's.
A smirk pulled onto Cade Roberts' face and he looked to his two men. "Take a walk," and he nodded at the door.
Obediently Roberts' dogs dropped their hands from their guns and walked by Billie and out the door.
Cade resettled his look to Billie and gave her a full smile, "Welcome to Club 9 Lieutenant Wilhelmina "Billie" Chambers. I guess Van's still breathing or else you wouldn't be on such good behavior."
With those words, Billie's eyes hardened to cut glass. Crossing the room to Robert's desk, she put the gun against Roberts' chest and cocked the hammer. Leaning over the desk she met his eyes unflinchingly and purred with deadliness, "How 'bout we see how far you get with a bullet lodged in your chest."
But no fear entered Roberts' eyes, instead he gave a short laugh. "That seems a little more unsportsmanlike than the ice pick I shoved in Van's back but you cops always play dirty," unmasking his pleasure at hurting Van.
With fury Billie slammed the gun barrel across Roberts' cheek and watched in satisfaction as blood seeped from a cut on his face. Pulling back, her eyes met the suddenly unsmiling eyes of Cade Roberts. "You'll be seeing a lot of me because I'm not gonna stop being your shadow until I get what I want."
A veil pulled again on Roberts' features and he calmly pulled the handkerchief from his suit breast pocket and wiped at the blood running down his face. "And what is it that you want?" he asked with little interest.
A smile pulled onto Billie's face. "You wishing to God that you never laid a hand on Van." And then she turned around and began to walk away.
Roberts conversationally called out to her. "Van will dissuade you from taking this path, Billie. Listen to him if you want to live." But Billie gave no indication she heard his words as she walked from Club 9.
Two hours passed and Billie had yet to return, leaving Deaq alone with his worry for his partner. When a nurse approached him and told him what room Van was in, Deaq quickly negotiated the hallways but as he drew closer to Van's room his steps began to falter. The truth was, Van was not out of danger, he could still lose his partner.
Steeling himself against that fear, Deaq pushed open the door to Van's room. His heart seemed to thud to a stop as he saw Van lying pale and motionless upon the bed. Forcing weak legs into motion, Deaq crossed to Van. Looking down at his partner's pale face, Deaq felt fear ripple through him. How many times in how many ways had he tried to keep Van from getting behind his barriers? How many insults had Van let slide off his back? And how many times could he tell Van that they were not friends. 'Too bad I didn't convince myself we weren't friends,' Deaq silently reprimanded himself.
With a voice rough from disuse and emotion, Deaq softly entreated, "Hey, Van. I'm here for you partner. And I'm not gonna leave you...so you don't leave me, OK. We got ourselves a deal?"
There was no reaction from Van and that silence alone tore through Deaq. Silent was one thing Van Ray hardly ever was. Even that time they were trapped under Dallas's bed, Van couldn't remain silent...even if that silence was broken by typed words.
But Deaq quickly pushed away the thought of Dallas, of Dallas dying in his arms. No, Van wasn't gonna die, he was gonna live. He had too much fight in him. Deaq knew this even if Van doubted it. "You got enough fight in you for the both of us, Van. Someone knocks you down, you come up swinging. Every single time. I know you, partner. You don't know how to quit. And you're not quitting now, you hear."
Deaq snagged onto a chair, pulled it beside Van's bed and sank into it. He left the silence reign in the room, grateful for the reassuring rise and fall of Van's chest.
***********************
An hour later, the door to Van's room opened and Billie slowly walked into the room. Deaq looked up at his boss and watched Billie's face cloud with fear and tenderness alike as her look settled on Van. "How's he doing?" she asked quietly.
"He's fighting like he's suppose to." Deaq answered, shooting a look to Van's pale face before he rose to stand beside Billie. Softly he drew her attention to him, "Roberts in custody?"
Billie shook her head. "No. The Feds are involved."
"Feds? How high up on the food chain is this Roberts guy?" Deaq countered in surprise and frustration.
"High. The best I could do was rattle Roberts's cage," Billie said as her eyes drifted again to Van's motionless body. How she had wanted to pull that trigger when her gun had rested on Roberts chest. If Van dies...
But Deaq broke her out of those morbid thoughts by grabbing her arms and forcing her to refocus on him. "'Rattle his cage', what are you talking about? What did you do?"
"I paid him a little visit and told him of things to come," she replied, her eyes hard with the memory.
Deaq sighed, "In other words, you threatened him."
Billie pulled from Deaq's grasp, "I'm going to take him out, Deaq. No matter what."
"And I'm down with that but we gotta do it smart. This Roberts ain't no slouch if the Feds are after him," Deaq cautioned.
"I agree," and her eyes bore into Deaq's. "And that's why you need to tell me "everything" that went down between Van and Roberts."
TBC
Sorry about the long wait for this chapter!! I hope to have the next chapter out early this week. And yes, Van will wake up and we'll learn the history he has with Roberts...well at least some of it will be revealed next chapter.
Thanks for reading!!
Replies to Reviews:
DKM: I wrote something "riveting"?!?! You are the best for thinking that! Sorry this chapter took so long but I'm trying hard to not drop the ball on the plot and the characterizations and I had to do some homework (you know, watch some of the episodes - and what hard work it was) Thanks for sticking with this story!!
ZoZe: I'm blushing with your compliments! And a sick part of me loves that I made you cry?!? Hope I don't disappointment you as the chapters keep coming! Please keep telling me what you think!
Leann: I know, I still didn't get Van outta danger of dying but it is fun to "pull the team together" as you said. So glad you liked it and reviewed it and I'd love to hear what you think as the story continues.
Fan4fastln: Yup, I'm evil!! And I'm sorry that I left you hanging for an extra week but I wanted to be satisfied with the chapter and I just wasn't for awhile but after rewatching some episodes, I think I got things back on track. Hopefully I can get back to posting once a week again. Thanks for sticking with me and for liking last chapter!
Hazelnut: Thanks for your review and I appreciate your input about Billie and it gave me my idea for this chapter so thanks so much!! Hope I didn't play her too cold still or too mushy. I try really hard to get the characterizations just right and if I'm off, I wanna know about it.
Lynne: That was so nice of you to read my Houston Knights story?!?! And I'm glad I didn't screw up on my presentation of Lundy. And thank you so much for thinking I'm a 'great storyteller'. But now I feel real pressure to get this Fastlane story done right. Please continue to tell me what you think of this story!
Silent Typewriter: Sorry this update took so long and for sure you thought I was abandoning it but fear not, I'm still here and I've got the basic plot in my head so it's just a matter of putting it into words. This story will get finished!! And next chapter we will see Van coming around and getting involved with the action. Hope this chapter didn't bore you?!
Meike: I know..I know. This chapter was a long way in coming and I had the nerve to not even have Van wake up?!?! I am beyond cruel?!?! But I felt this chapter had to happen to set things up and well, I didn't want Van to do one of those "I-was-near-death-a-minute-ago-but-now-I'm-duking-it-out-with-the-bad-guys" like Matt Houston (a tv show about a private eye) use to do and I use to groan about. Hope you stick around for the next chapter cause it definitely has a waking and talking Van in it.
Bladdering: Alright..I apologize for making chapter 3's cliffy stay around way too long! But I promise this story will get somewhere..it just takes me time to advance the plot sometimes. Thanks for liking the story and I hope you liked this chapter that focused more on Billie (thanks to your suggestions-boy that was helpful to me when I was kinda having writer's block!) And I'm glad you like suspense because as you can tell, I can't get enough of that.
Electricgurl: Thanks for your review and "loving" my story. And I promise there will be more Van in the next chapter so please keep reading.
Valentine Blue: I'm flattered that my story's got you on the edge of your seat. I hope I can keep up that momentum and not bore you, confuse you or disappoint you. Keep in touch!