Title: Family Ties

Author: I AM GRUMPY BEAR

Rating: PG 13 (for later Chapters)

Spoilers: None

Disclaimer: No, no. don't own them.

Summary: Sequel type thing to Problems with the Past. Hazel is back with a new partner to help Gary and Crumb with a problem. (Really bad summary.)

Note: Reviews and help would be greatly appreciated still.

Family Ties

Chapter Eight: Special Delivery

"When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on." Thomas Jefferson

Hazel woke up suddenly. She found herself at the small table in the hotel room. Her pillow had been a large stack of papers. "I have to stop doing this," said Hazel as she ran her hand through her long curly hair. She grabbed her glasses which were lying next to her head and put them on. She hadn't worn her glasses in a long times and it felt funny.

She stretched her arms and looked over at the clock on the night stand. "Six twenty-eight," she said to herself. "Breakfast time." She got up and grabbed the room key off the dresser. She opened the door and just about stepped on a cat sitting there on a newspaper. "I didn't know this hotel allowed pets," said Hazel, "otherwise I would have brought Wadsworth." She tried to step around the cat, but it scratched at her pant leg. "Hey," shouted Hazel as she looked down at the animal. It meowed at her as it stepped off the paper. "Are you a newspaper cat?" asked Hazel as she bent down and picked up the cat and the paper. She sighed and looked at the paper. "I need to know about the depressing things in this city today anyway," Hazel said to the animal. She looked at the paper and saw the date. She dropped the cat and the paper and leaned against the wall. "It was just a trick of light," she saw to herself. "When I look at it again, it will have changed." Hazel bent down and picked the paper up again. "It still says it," Hazel said nervously to herself. "It says April fourteenth."

Hazel looked down at the cat and it stared at her. "I don't want this," she said to the cat. "I don't need this. Of all the things in the world, I don't need this." The cat continued to stare at her. Hazel swallowed hard and stuck the paper under her arm. She ran down the hall to the elevator. She got on it and pressed the button for the ground floor. She waited while the elevator descended. She had no idea where she was going to go, but she knew she had to get there fast.

???

Nikki opened her eyes and looked around the hotel room. She had forgotten where she was for a moment, but it didn't take her long to remember. Nikki sighed and climbed out of bed. "I should just go home," Nikki said to herself as she walked over to her suitcase. "It's obvious Hazel doesn't want me here and quite frankly, I don't want to help her anymore." She grabbed her hairbrush out of her bag and brushed out her short brown hair.

"That's it," she said to herself. "I'm going to spend the day enjoying myself and then, I'm going home. This was supposed to me a vacation and I'm going to spend the day treating it like one." She looked around the hotel and asked herself, "Where are my shoes?"

???

Gary opened his eyes suddenly and looked around the room. He had forgotten where he was and what had happened for a second. "Still not a dream," Gary muttered to himself. He didn't feel the ropes biting into his wrist and discovered they were gone.

Gary got to his feet, but the sudden movement caused a head rush and he nearly lost his balance. He walked over to the door and tried to open it. It was locked. Gary fought with the door, but it wouldn't budge. A wave of dizziness hit him and he leaned against the wall for support. He tried to open the door again, but he still couldn't get it to open. Gary threw his shoulder against the door, but it only caused a sharp pain in his side.

Gary leaned against the wall. His breathing was heavy and the dizziness was coming back. He slid down the wall and waited for it all to pass.

???

Hazel walked down the street. The paper was in her hand and she was trying her best to stay calm. "I'm dreaming," Hazel said to herself. "This is all a nice dream and in a few moments I'm going to wake up the hotel table. Now!" She closed her eyes, but when she opened them, she was still standing on the sidewalk. Hazel pinched her arm and felt a sting of pain. "Okay," she said. "I'm not dreaming. I have this paper. That means what?"

Hazel suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. "Does this mean it's too late?" she asked herself nervously. For a moment, Hazel felt like she was going to pass out, but she managed to get a hold of herself and calm down.

"I have to do something," Hazel said to herself. "I have to stay calm." She closed her eyes and opened the paper. Hazel slowly opened her eyes and looked at the article on the page. A wave of shock hit and she struggled to stay calm. Hazel suddenly felt light-headed and before she could do anything, she passed out. The people on the sidewalk stopped and stared at the woman lying on the sidewalk unconscious. The paper lying next to her.

???

Crumb walked down the sidewalk. He was on his way to McGinty's to talk to Marissa and Hazel. "Are you Marion Crumb?" someone from behind him asked.

Crumb turned around and said, "My friends call me Zeke."

The man shook Crumb's hand and said, "My name is Agent Leo Sanders. I was sent here by the FBI to help Agent Hazel."

"She said she was here unofficially," said Crumb suspiciously.

"It became official last night," said the man. "Hazel told me to find and take you to McGinty's."

"Where is you badge?" asked Crumb. He still didn't trust the man.

The man sighed and reached in his coat pocket. He pulled out a badge and showed it to Crumb. "Sorry," said Crumb. "You can't be too careful."

"It's alright," said the man. "Let's go."

???

Hazel slowly opened her eyes and stared at the crowd of people around her. "Are you alright?" a man who was kneeling next to her head asked her.

Hazel didn't respond and sat up quickly. "Where's the paper?" she asked nervously.

"What?" asked the man.

"The paper," repeat Hazel. She looked around and saw it lying a few feet away from her. She grabbed the paper and shakily got to her feet.

"Are you sure you're alright?" the man asked again.

"I'm fine," muttered Hazel as she took off running down the street. She had to get to McGinty's before it was too late.

???

Nikki sat in her hotel room reading a magazine she had bought in the lobby and drinking a cup of coffee. She planned on spending her day walking around Chicago and then she had a ticket on the last flight to Washington DC that night. "All I have to do is kill thirteen hours," Nikki muttered to herself, "and then I'm on my way home."

She turned the page of the magazine and said, "maybe I'll go shopping. Get my Christmas shopping done eight months early." She let out a frustrated sigh and turned the magazine page again.

???

Hazel's legs felt like they were going to fall off, but she wasn't going to stop until she was there. She finally reached McGinty's and stopped and moment to catch her breath. She knocked hard and the door and waited. "Please be here," Hazel muttered quietly to herself. "Please."

Marissa came to the door and said, "Good morning, Hazel. Did you find out anything new?"

"I got the paper!" shouted Hazel.

"What?!" asked Marissa.

"I got the paper," repeated Hazel. "It was outside my hotel room this morning. What does this mean?"

"It means Gary's in serious trouble," replied Marissa quietly.

"That's not all," said Hazel. "It says you're going to be shot!"

"What?!" shouted Marissa. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," replied Hazel. "It doesn't say who does it. It just says it happens." Marissa stood there speechless and Hazel continued talking. "I want you to go down the street to a payphone on the corner." She handed Marissa a handful of change and continued. "I want you to call the police and wait for them there. Do not come back here."

"You have to be crazy!" said Marissa.

"I'm not so sure about my sanity right now," said Hazel," but I am sure about this." It took a few more minutes, but she finally convinced Marissa to go.

Hazel walked into the bar and started to pace. She had to stay calm, she had to think this through. She sat down at a table and raid to herself, "I just have to stay calm and one day I'll be able to look back on this without having a nervous breakdown. Oh who the hell am I kidding, I'll be lucky to get out of this without therapy.

She heard somebody open the bar door and looked up to see Crumb and a man in his late forties walking into the bar.

"Hello, Hazel," Crumb said. "I met Agent Sanders." He saw the look on Hazel's face and said, "The backup." He could tell there was something very wrong. There was a look of pure fear on Hazel face.

"I never asked for backup, Crumb," said Hazel quietly.

"So who's this guy?" asked Crumb. He turned around and saw the guy now had a gun trained on them.

"Samuel Bostwick," replied Hazel nervously.

"Correct," replied the man, "and you're Marion "Zeke" Crumb and you're Maureen Elizabeth Hazel. Two people who caused me a lot of trouble."

"How?" asked Crumb angrily.

"You killed my brother," replied Bostwick.

"You're getting revenge for your brother?" asked Hazel. Her voice was quiet compared to Bostwick's.

"No," replied Bostwick. "I'm getting revenge for myself. I hated my brother. He took all the attention in life. My parents always loved him more, even when he died they still thought he was a perfect angel. He ruined my life. All he ever was, was a dirty low-life son of a bitch."

"So what do you want with us?" asked Crumb.

"I told you," said Bostwick. "I want revenge. You caused my brother's death. Crumb, you tracked him down, and Hazel, you shot him."

"You really don't have your facts right," said Hazel, "and what does Gary have to do with all this?"

"He helped you find him," said Bostwick.

"What about Robin?" asked Hazel. Then she mentally kicked herself for mentioning Robin when it could put in danger.

"I have nothing against Miss Mason," said Bostwick. "On the contrary. She embarrassed my dear brother Freddy. I have only the up most respect for her." He cocked the gun. "Now if you don't-," he was cut off by the ringing of Hazel's cellphone.

Hazel reached into her pocket and pulled out the cellphone. "Turn it off," said Bostwick through clenched teeth and then put it away. Hazel did so and Bostwick continued, "As I was saying, if you don't mind, we shall be going. We're going to walk outside where I have a car about a block away. If either one of you tries to get away, you'll both be shot. Understand?" Hazel and Crumb nodded and left the bar followed by Bostwick who still had the gun trained on them.

???

Nikki walked down the side walk carrying a bag. She heard the cellphone in her pocket ring and pulled it out of her pocket. "Hello?" she said into the phone.

"Agent Stevens?" said the man on the other.

"Yeah," said Nikki.

"This is the chief of police," said the caller. "One of the officers spotted your guy."

Nikki paused for a moment. She wanted so much to tell the chief that she didn't care. She wanted to tell him she was no longer working on the case, but she knew couldn't. "Where at?" Nikki asked with a sigh.

The chief gave her the address and Nikki sighed again. "Alright," she said trying to sound polite. "I'll go over there and check it out. Thank you for the information."

"You're not going to go there alone are you?" asked the chief.

"Yes," said Nikki. "I am. If I need backup, you'll be the first one I call." Before the chief could respond, Nikki hung up the phone. Nikki hailed and taxi and got inside. She gave the cab driver the address and he started off across town.

???

Hazel sat in the passenger's seat of Bostwick's car while Crumb sat in the back. She hated herself at that moment in time. She had once again put people in danger and now they might not make it out. "Where'd you get the badge?" Hazel asked Bostwick quietly.

"I did work for the FBI," said Bostwick as he turned a corner. "I had access to everything I needed. Your addresses, information on you, the badge, and codes you had broken before, Hazel. You didn't think I made it all up, did you?"

"You're crazy," said Crumb.

"No, I'm not," said Bostwick with a sick grin. "I'm merely paying everyone back."

"How?!" shouted Hazel. "By killing people who had nothing to do with your brother. I'm the one who shot him. Let Crumb and Gary go and I'll go willingly."

"I can't do that," said Bostwick. "True, you're the one who killed him, Crumb helped you find him. I'm just getting the last three people who had to do with making my brother more important to my parents."

"How did we make him more important to your parents?" asked Crumb angrily.

"By arresting him," said Bostwick through clenched teeth, "by following him, by calling my parents for information. They always worried about him, cared about him, forgot about me. You helped. You're a message to them all. Now would you two kindly shut up before I'm forced to shoot you. We're here." He stopped the car and Bostwick and the two hostages got out.

???

Gary threw his shoulder against the door again and felt it start to give again. He had been trying to get the door to open for the past half hour and he felt like he was gonna pass out. He hit the door with his shoulder again and the lock of the door broke. Gary fell into the hallway as the door flew open and struggled to get back to his feet. He could hear the door downstairs opening and Bostwick talking to someone.

Gary walked quietly back into the room and closed the door just enough so it looked shut. He was running only on adrenaline now and he knew that he wasn't going to be able to stay awake much longer. He waited silently behind the door for Bostwick.

???

"Welcome," said Bostwick. "This is the last place you're ever going to see so you'd better take it all in. Okay?" He turned toward Crumb and Hazel and saw them glaring at him.

"Where's Gary?" asked Hazel angrily.

"Upstairs," said Bostwick with a smile. "You'll all get a chance to see each other once more. You're supposed to die on the fourteenth. The same day as my brother." He lost the smile. "But you already now that, Hazel. Now get upstairs." He followed the two upstairs the gun still trained on them both.

Bostwick walked past them and towards the room Gary was in. He opened the door and was met by an elbow in the nose. He stumbled into the hall and leaned against the wall for a moment. Crumb was about to tackle the man, but Bostwick quickly regained his composure and aimed the gun at them. "I don't advise that," he said coldly.

Gary stepped slowly out of the room and tried his best to stay balanced. "You might actually have to die today," said Bostwick.

"You can't do that, Bostwick," said Hazel. "It wouldn't fit the letter." Bostwick looked toward Hazel and the distraction gave Gary an opportunity. He threw a punch at Bostwick that hit him across the face. It wasn't a very strong punch, but it was enough to knock Bostwick back a few feet.

Crumb rushed at Bostwick and knocked him to the floor. The gun skidded across the hall floor and down the stairs. It fired twice harmlessly into the wall. Bostwick elbowed Crumb in the stomach and used the time to get to his feet. He grabbed Gary who was leaning against the wall and threw him up against the opposite wall. Crumb was trying to get his breath back after the breath had been knocked out of him and Hazel ran toward Bostwick.

"You ruined everything," Bostwick said menacingly to Gary as he wrapped his hands around Gary's neck. Gary struggled to get air, but was failing. Hazel hit Bostwick in the back of the head, but it didn't even phase. He continued to choke Gary.

Gary's mind was dimming as he clawed at Bostwick's hands. Both Crumb and Hazel were trying to pull the man off him, but they couldn't. Gary saw Hazel reach into her pocket and pull something out. For a second, he didn't know what it was, but he realized it was a pocketknife when she pulled out a blade. Just as he thought his lungs were going to give out, Gary saw Hazel stabbed the knife into Bostwick's arm. Gary felt the grip on his neck loosen as Crumb pulled Bostwick off. Gary slid down the wall and tried to breath. Crumb punched Bostwick across the face and the man fell to the floor unconscious.

Gary tried to gulp in air, but it wasn't working very well. "Don't gulp," he heard Hazel say to him, "just try and breath normal." It took his several more seconds, but he was finally able to get a good breath.

"Is he alright?" asked Crumb.

"I'm not sure," replied Hazel. "It looks like he has a nasty stab wound on his right side." She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cellphone. "Call the police and an ambulance," she said as she handed Crumb the phone. Crumb took the phone and called 911.

"Are you alright?" Hazel asked Gary. Gary shook his head and grabbed his side as another pain shot through it. Hazel lifted up the side of Gary's shirt and saw the stab wound. She inhaled sharply and reached into her pocket. All the activity had caused the would to bleed again and she placed an old bandana against it. "You're going to be fine, Gary," she said trying her best to reassure both Gary and herself. "We're going to get you to a hospital and you'll be fine."

"Thanks," said Gary. He was starting to lose consciousness.

"No," Hazel said to Gary as she tapped him the cheek. "Stay awake. Stay awake a little longer. I promise you can sleep later." Her words were lost though as Gary's head lolled to the side and he slipped into unconsciousness.

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One or two more chapters.