Lost in LA

by ChristyK

Deaq must find his partner before it's too late

Lost in L.A.

Deaq had just returned from visiting family and friends in New York City for the last two weeks and was feeling great. He had asked his partner if he wanted to come with him but Van had refused. He had told Deaq he had a few things he needed to take care of, since Billie had given him two weeks off also not wanting either man to work solo. Deaq was humming to himself when he knocked on Van's door. He figured he'd stop in and see how things were going. Since there was no answer he decided to head to the Candy Store figuring Van was probably there. He entered and headed toward Billie who was sitting at her desk.

"Hey Billie. How's it going?" He looked around. "Van here? Had a great time in N.Y. Van should have..............." He stopped when he saw the look on her face.

"Billie, what's the matter?"

"Deaq..............." Billie stood up her eyes were rimmed in red. "I tried to call you in New York but I could never catch you."

"I was never at one place." Deaq could feel his heart pounding. "Billie?"

"Deaq, I'm sorry........ ......I have some............bad news."

Deaq could feel a cold chill shoot up his spine.

"Not Van." He said softly.

Billie nodded sadly. Deaq felt as if he had been punched in the stomach and all the air forced from his lungs.

"We don't know all the details but..............someone grabbed Van." She turned her head trying to hide her tears. "They tortured him............My God Deaq they even taped it and mailed the tape to the police." She held up the tape. "Then.............then they turned him into a junkie and put him out on the street."

Deaq's own eyes welled up with tears. Oh God...............Not Van

"We found him on the streets and took him to the hospital but he escaped. Deaq.................he's in bad shape and we have no idea where he is or if he's dead or alive. The blood tests they took at the hospital said that he was on a hallucinogenic plus heroin. The police are looking for him but they haven't turned up anything."

"Do you know who grabbed him?" Deaq managed to get out.

"We're looking into it. We figured it had to be someone you guys busted, or someone he busted before you came. Someone looking for revenge."

"I want to see the tape." Deaq said flatly his voice void of emotion.

"Deaq.............maybe you shouldn't. It's bad, real bad."

"I have to Billie.............Maybe there's something.............something you missed."

Billie reluctantly handed the tape to Deaq who popped it in the VCR. She watched him carefully; she knew the tape would rip his heart out.

The tape starts with Van tied to a chair, he appears to be unconscious. His head hangs to one side, his hair obscuring his face. A man with a black mask walks over to him and first gives Van a shot then throws water in his face to wake him. Van shakes his head and slowly raises it. Deaq sucked in his breath as he saw Van's battered face. The man then grabs Van's hand and begins ripping his fingernails off slowly with pliers, one by one. Van struggles in vain to pull his hand away but it is of no use. When the man is finished Van sits in the chair his eyes squeezed shut in pain. Next the man takes Van's hand and pours some kind of liquid over it. The pain is unbearable and Van throws his head back and screams in agony. The man then takes an electric cattle prod and starts shocking him. His body jerks in the chair until he finally passes out. Deaq shut his eyes and took a deep breath trying to stay in charge of his emotions. When he opens his eyes the tape is black for a few seconds then the picture comes back on. This time Van is lying beside a pool, his hands tied behind his back, his feet also tied. What appears to be the same man puts his foot against Van's hip and pushes him into the water. Deaq watches in horror as Van struggles in the water then finally sinks. Another man in the water pulls him out and revives him. As soon as Van starts to come around he is once more thrown back in the water. This is done about three times. After the third time Van lies gasping for air while the man with the mask once more gives him a shot. Deaq's face is filled with anguish as he puts his hand up to his face, and rubs the bridge of his nose. Billie walks over to him and put her arm around Deaq's shoulder.

"Deaq, you shouldn't watch this."

"He's my partner, I have to."

Once more the tape goes black, then comes back on. This times the scene is of Van hanging by his wrists. He tries to pull away from the man as he is given another shot. He is then whipped repeatedly. The camera zooms in on his back as the whip rips his flesh. Long trails of blood run down the length of his back. He clenches his teeth and does not cry out until the man throws what looks like salt onto his back. Van then throws his head back and screams Deaq's name.

"Oh God!" Deaq slammed his fist down on the table and choked back a sob. The sound of Van calling for him is too much to bear. He stands up and turns his back to the video. He can hear the man laughing on the tape in the background. "Oh God Billie I shouldn't have gone! I should have been here. Maybe this wouldn't have happened."

"Deaq, you didn't know. None of us knew." She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

Deaq can hear the video continuing and looks back at the screen. The next scene you can tell is shot a few days later. It shows Van in a dark room, he has a couple of day's worth of whiskers on his face. The man walks over to him and Van puts his arm out willingly for the shot. The man gives it to him then pats him on the face. Van shuts his eyes and leans back against the wall as the drug shoots through his system. The final scene shows Van giving himself the shot, then being dumped in a dark alley. The man laughs and you can barely hear him say 'You know where to find me.' The tape then goes black.

"We found him a few days after this. He fought us all the way. He's hooked Deaq. He almost killed the guard escaping from the hospital."

"I'm going to find him Billie."

"Deaq,............he has the guard's gun. He's not Van. He's hurt, he's scared, and he's hooked. I don't know what he'll do if you try to bring him in. Oh God Deaq............he acted like he didn't even know me." Billie said through tears. "They really did a job on him."

"Billie, he's Van. He's my partner. I'll get through to him. I'll find him and I'll clean him up. Then I'm going after the man who did this to him."

"You be careful. This man might go after you too."

"Don't worry, I'll be waiting for him."

Deaq replayed the tape over and over looking for some kind of clue as to where Van had been held. He could hear planes flying over low that might indicate it was near an airport. At the scene where Van is hanging by his wrists Deaq stopped the tape and kept replaying it.

"Billie, zoom in on Van's hands."

She pressed a couple of buttons on the VCR and enlarged the area where Van's hands were. She then slowed down the tape.

"Oh my God." Billie said softly noticing what Deaq had seen.

Van made a four, then a two, then one and another one with his fingers. He kept repeating it till the whip started to hit his back.

"Four, two, one, one.............." Deaq wrote the numbers down. "What do you think, an address, a licence ............?"

"I'll get on it." Billie went over to her computer and typed in the numbers. "This is going to pull out a lot of matches."

"While you're doing that I'm gonna hit the streets, see if I can find him. You get anything, anything at all call me."

"Please be careful Deaq." She said to his back as he stormed off to try and find his partner.

Deaq drove to the seedy section of L.A. where most of the junkies hung out. He drove up and down the back alleys his eyes searching desperately for his partner. Where are you buddy? He drove for hours running into every kind of lowlife L.A. had to offer. Suddenly he recognized a jacket that looked like Van's. The man wearing it was leaning against a building smoking a cigarette. He parked his car and slowly began walking toward the man hoping he wouldn't spook him. The man watched Deaq as he approached, sizing him up. He then turned and began walking quickly away from him.

"Hey, I just want to talk to you!" Deaq called after the man. The man began to run but Deaq caught up to him quickly and spun him around. The man yanked a knife from his waistband.

"Whoaaaa.............." Deaq put up his hands showing the man that he meant him no harm.

"What do you want?" The man held the knife protectively in front of him.

"I'm looking for my friend.............I think that's his jacket."

"This ain't your friend's jacket it's mine." The man glared at Deaq. Deaq glanced at the pocket and saw that it was torn. He remembered Van's jacket had been torn a few weeks before during a bust. He was going to have it repaired but never got around to it. Deaq's breathing quickened when he saw the red stain on the side of the jacket.

"All I want to know is where you got the jacket?"

"Ain't none of your business." The man flashed the knife in front of Deaq's face.

Deaq stepped back and easily kicked the knife out of the man's hand. He then grabbed the man by the collar and threw him against the wall.

"I'm gonna ask you one more time. Where did you get the jacket?" Deaq said through clenched teeth.

"I took it off of some dude over on Westmore. He was sleeping in the alley and using it as a pillow."

"Was it this man?" Deaq pulled out a picture of Van.

"Could be.............I don't know............some young dude."

"Was he hurt? Did you stab him?" Deaq glared at the man.

"No,no,no.............I didn't hurt him! He didn't look too good, like maybe he was sick or something."

"When did you take it?"

"Last night."

"Where on Westmore?"

"The alley where they had that warehouse fire last week."

Deaq pushed the man away but not before he tore Van's jacket off of him. He jumped in his car and headed for Westmore. He was frantic. He knew someone was selling crack and heroin mixed with rat poison on the streets. Seven junkies had ended up dead after shooting the poison into their system. Their next case was going to be trying to find out who was involved in it. Now he prayed Van didn't run into them and inject the poison into his system. The ringing of his cell phone startled him.

"Yeah."

"Deaq, it's Billie. I just got a call from a uniform, says he thinks he spotted Van near the 200 block of Front St. but then lost him."

"I'm heading that way. I think he could have spent last night at Westmore, I'm checking it out. I'll swing by Front on my way there. And Billie.............I think he's been hurt. I found his jacket and there's blood on it."

There was silence at the other end then Billie finally spoke.

"Find him, Deaq."

Deaq hung up and sped toward Front. He got out and walked the block. Nothing. He drove to Westmore. He showed Van's picture to the people he ran into but even if someone recognized him they weren't talking. It was getting dark when Deaq spotted a familiar figure down an alley. He prayed it was his partner. He could see him handing money over to another man who was sitting in a car. Deaq turned his collar up and staggered down the alley pretending to be drunk. When he got close enough to the two men he glanced up. It was Van! He slowly approached him. The man in the car seeing Deaq, quickly sped off. For a second Deaq thought he recognized the man and glanced at the license number but his main concern was for his partner. As the man sped off Van turned around and looked at him. Deaq instinctively reached toward his partner.

"Van." He said softly as he noticed the wild look in Van's eyes. He looked terrible. His eyes were red and he had a weeks worth of whiskers covering his face. He backed away from Deaq as if he was terrified of him. Deaq could see the front of Van's shirt was covered in dry blood.

"Easy Van, it's me ............"

Before Deaq could finish Van had pushed him to the ground and had run past him and into the burned out warehouse. Deaq jumped up and followed him. Van ran up to the top floor then climbed onto the roof. He headed for the fire escape, Deaq right behind him.

"Van it's me! It's Deaq!" Deaq yelled, he stayed back from his partner terrified that Van, in the state of mind he was in, might jump off the roof to escape him.

Van turned around and for a moment Deaq could see a spark of recognition in his eyes.

"Deaq?" Van took a few steps toward Deaq. The recognition was soon replaced by fear and Van once more backed toward the fire escape. Deaq glanced at the fire escape and realized it was nearly disconnected from the building. If Van got on it, more then likely it would pull away and it and Van would crash to the ground below. Somehow he had to get through to him.

"Van it's me! Look at me! It's me partner!"

"No! You're dead! They killed you! They told me you were dead! I saw your body! It's a trick!" Van kept backing away, he pulled out a gun, his eyes started to fill with tears. "Go away! I don't want to shoot you!"

Deaq could hear the panic in Van's voice and could see his eyes wide with fear.

"They lied to you Van. I'm here...........I'm here to help you." Deaq spoke calmly as he slowly closed the distance between them.

"No! Get out of here! Leave me alone!" Van pointed the gun at Deaq.

He put his hands up in the air to show Van he meant him no harm.

"I'm your partner Van. I'm not going to hurt you. Put down the gun."

"My partner's dead! They killed him and they sent you to kill me!"

"I'm not dead. They lied to you Van. Look at me. Try to think." He kept his voice calm.

Deaq could feel his heart pounding. Van was backing closer to fire escape. If he stepped on it he would go down with it. Deaq continued speaking softly as he stepped closer to Van.

"They drugged you partner. You need to let me help you. I just want to help you..............that's all."

Van shook his head no and stepped backward onto the fire escape. The added weight caused the fire escape to break away from the wall. The railing as it gave way struck Van on the side of his head knocking him unconscious. The gun flew from his hand. Deaq dived forward and grabbed Van by the shirt, which started to rip with the dead weight of Van's unconscious body. Oh God! Please no! Deaq lurched forward and got a better grip, he couldn't lose him now.

"Gotcha partner." Deaq pulled Van up onto the roof then swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked at him. He prayed he could help him. He picked up the gun and gently carried Van to the car and immediately contacted Billie.

"I got him Billie."

"Oh thank God." The relief evident in her voice. "How is he?"

"Not good.............I'm bringing him there."

"Shouldn't you take him to the hospital."

"I think he's safer there. Just have a doctor ready when I get there."

"You got it."

Deaq arrived forty-five minutes later with Van. He carried him into one of the makeshift bedrooms in the back and laid him on the bed. The doctor and Billie followed him into the room. They removed his shirt and the doctor examined him. Needle marks covered his left arm and he had a deep cut across his side. They rolled him over and could see the lash marks on his back. Billie had already informed the doctor on what had happened to Van. He shook his head in sympathy.

"First we got to get him cleaned up." The doctor said.

"There's a tub in there." Billie nodded toward a door.

"Give me a hand." The doctor said to Deaq.

"Billie, get some candy, lots of it." Deaq knew Van would crave sweets when coming down off the high.

She left the room as Deaq and the doctor stripped Van of his clothes, then carried him into the tub. They filled it with hot water and gently lowered him into it. Carefully they cleaned his wounds, washed his hair, and shaved him. Then they bandaged him, redressed him in clean clothes, and put him back in the bed. He almost looked like the old Van, but Deaq knew it was just an illusion. Billie came back in the room just as the doctor was giving Van a shot; she put the candy on a table. The doctor looked back and forth between them as he spoke.

"That should take some of the edge off when he wakes up. I read the report from the hospital. He's on heroin and some kind of hallucinogenic. The hallucinogenic should wear off soon the heroin is another story. He'll probably know who you are but won't care. All he'll want is to get out of this room and get another fix. He'll fight you, he'll beg you, and he'll do anything for that fix. He'll be sick as a dog, won't be able to keep anything down, and in constant pain. If I were you I'd think twice about trying to help him on your own."

Billie looked at Deaq but he shook his head. He wanted his partner with him. He didn't trust the hospital, they could protect him better here.

"I'm going to give you this." The doctor handed Deaq two vials and a handful of syringes. "Give him two CCs of this about two hours after he wakes up. Then when ever he starts getting really agitated give him another, but not closer then two hours apart. With each dose give him less then the last. This should help a little with his withdrawal systems. It should take at least three days for the drugs to get out of his system. After that he'll be very weak and still crave the drugs but will be able to resist them. The only true test will be when he's offered heroin and refuses it."

Billie looked concerned.

"Deaq are you sure you want to do this? We could take him to the hospital..........I'd put one of my best men at his door. No one would get through."

"I'm sure Billie. He's my partner. He needs me, not strangers."

"Okay, I'll help in any way I can." She put her hand on Deaq's arm. "We're going to get Van back." She said trying to reassure both of them.

"I hope so Billie............I hope so." He sadly looked down at his unconscious partner.

"Well I got to get back to the hospital." The doctor looked at them. "You need me.............call."

After he left Billie sat with Deaq on the edge of Van's bed.

"They really did a number on him didn't they?" She reached down and pushed Van's damp hair out of his eyes. "I thought we lost him for good."

Deaq shook his head sadly.

"He was scared of me Billie." He blinked back tears. "My partner was scared of me."

Billie put her hand over Deaq's

"Who would do this to him, and why?"

"I don't know Billie, but I'm going to find out."

"Are you going to be okay with him? I want to run some files on my computer."

"I'll be fine."

"Be careful Deaq. This isn't Van."

"Don't worry." He smiled at her. "We're going to get him back."

Billie left and Deaq anxiously waited for Van to wake up. An hour and a half later he did. His eyes slowly opened but before Deaq could react he was out of bed and stood with his back to the far wall, a wild, trapped animal look in his eyes.

"Van, take it easy." Deaq said softly, slowly walking toward him.

"Get away from me!" Van backed along the wall toward the door.

"Come on partner............I want to help you." Deaq slowly reached out a hand to Van.

"Nooooooooo!" Van ran to the door. It was locked. He ran to the corner of the room and stood with his back to the wall, slowly he slid down the wall and covered his face with his hands.

"Van, it's me Deaq."

Van slowly lowered his hands. The hallucinogenic was wearing off and he recognized his partner but pain was shooting through his body as the need for the heroin increased.

"Deaq, please............please let me out of here." Van pleaded

"Can't do that partner."

"I need it.............please Deaq............I need it." Tears ran down Van's face.

"You gotta fight it Van.............you gotta fight it." Tears welled up in his own eyes as he watched his partner suffer.

"I can't!" Van screamed. "Why are you doing this to me?!"

"Because I'm your friend."

"You're not my friend! If you were my friend you'd help me!"

"That's the drug talking Van, not you."

"Please Deaq............you know Billy has some dope in the evidence room. Please...........I won't tell her..........Please Deaq...........just this once."

"Van I want to help you...............but I need to know who did this to you."

"I'll take you to him, just let me out of here." Van pleaded.

"Van, your not leaving here till you're clean."

"Oh God Deaq please!" Tears ran down Van's face. "Please Deaq it hurts!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry you're in pain, but you're going to beat this." Deaq slowly walked over to Van "Who did this to you partner?" Deaq put his hand on Van's shoulder. Van pulled away glaring at him.

"Leave me alone! Get the hell out of here and leave me alone!" Van pulled his knees up and wrapped his arms around them. "Oh God." Van groaned and put his head down on his knees. "Please Deaq.............please..............I need it."

"Van, we're gong to beat this, together we're going to beat this."

"God, I'm going to be sick." Van stumbled into the bathroom; Deaq could hear him violently throwing up. He came back out and lay down on the bed shivering. Deaq wrapped a blanket around him, then picked up a candy bar and put it next to him.

"Eat this, it will help with the withdrawal."

Van ignored Deaq and turned his back to him. Deaq waited till Van had drifted off to a restless sleep, he then left, locked the door, and went over to Billie. He kept an eye on Van through the large shatterproof window in his room.

"Got anything Billie?"

"I just might. Do you remember Dalton Mannix?"

"Yeah, Van and I busted him and his crew a couple of months ago. He got off on a technicality."

"He got off, but he lost millions when his drug cartel fell apart." She looked up at Deaq. "He lives on the outskirts of L.A., 4211 Westside Drive." Billie smiled. "It's gotta be him."

Deaq remembered Van's hand signals from the tape, four,two,one,one.

"That son of a bitch. We busted him for drugs and now he's turned Van into one of his junkies."

"The perfect revenge." Billie said.

"I can't leave Van right now..............but when he's better I'm going to have myself a little visit with Mr. Mannix." Deaq glanced at Van's room.

"Deaq, we can't just go up there with out proof. He'll get us for harassment."

"He's not going to get away with what he did to Van. No way."

"We'll get him Deaq, but we gotta stay within the law."

"In the law or outside the law, I'm taking him down Billie. There's no way he's hurting my partner then walking away. Ain't going to happen."

"Deaq I know you're hurting because Van's hurting. I'm hurting too, but we're going to play this by the book. We don't, we'll lose him, and he'll walk."

"Okay Billie, for now we'll play it your way, but after Van gets clean we'll talk about it." Deaq could see Van getting up. "He's awake, I gotta get back to him."

Deaq left Billie and went back to his partner. Van sat on the side of the bed running his hand through his hair.

"Hey partner." Deaq said as he entered.

"Hey man, don't put me through this. I'm sick Deaq, just get me a little to hold me over."

"The doctor said I could give you something to take the edge off." Deaq pulled out the vial and syringe the doctor had given him. "This should make it easier."

Van stood up and looked at Deaq, there were tears in his eyes as he put out his hand for the syringe. Deaq filled it according to the doctor's orders and handed it to Van. He injected himself then sat down and shut his eyes as the drug hit his system.

"Oh thank God." Van said as the drug gave him some relief from his pain.

When Van opened his eyes Billie was in the room standing next to Deaq. Van shook his head sadly and looked away.

"Van, I know what you're going through, remember I've been there." Billie walked over and stood in front of Van. "There's two ways you can do this. You can let Deaq give you something every couple of hours which will make it easier but take days, or you can go cold turkey and get through the worse of it in a day. It will be pure hell, you'll want to die, you'll want to kill us, but it will be over."

Deaq walked over.

"We'll be with you all the way partner. We'll get you through this." Deaq put his hand on Van's shoulder; he flinched but did not pull away. "We think we know who got you hooked, Dalton Mannix. It was him, wasn't it?"

Van slowly nodded.

"When this is over Van, I'm taking him down. One way or the other, the man's going down." Deaq knelt in front of Van and looked into his eyes. "Like Billie said, I think cold turkey's the way to go but it's up to you partner."

Van looked up his eyes rimmed in red.

"I'm scared Deaq, I don't know if I can do this." Van said softly. "I need it, I need it so bad I'd kill for it."

Deaq took Van's hand and squeezed it.

"We'll do it together Van, you, me and Billie, we'll get through this together."

The next day like Billie said was pure hell. Van fought them all the way. He was sick, he threw anything he could get his hands on, and he begged them constantly to get him a hit. It was true, he wanted to die and he wanted to kill them for keeping him there. The following day he was just extremely weak, he still wanted the drugs but he had the will power to resist them. Billie and Deaq tried to get him to eat but he still couldn't keep anything down. As Van slept they sat on chairs in his room.

"The worse it over." Billie put her hand over Deaq's. "Now it's up to him."

Deaq put his head back and shut his eyes. He was exhausted.

"You know Billie, he's going to be around this stuff all the time on the job."

"I know Deaq, but Van's strong, he has us. He'll always crave it, I still do, but I can fight the cravings and Van will too."

"I want Mannix Billie. I want him so bad I can taste it."

"We'll get him, but first we all need to get some rest. We'll talk about this later."

They pushed a couch into Van's room since Deaq wanted to stay with him. Billie went out to her office and pushed back her recliner and shut her eyes. Within a few minutes they all fell asleep. When Deaq awoke a few hours later Van was sitting on the edge of the bed eating a candy bar. He gave Deaq a small smile and held out a candy bar for him. Deaq took it and peeled back the wrapper.

"Thanks. How ya feeling?" Deaq asked.

"Like I got run over by a truck. How do I look?"

"Like you got run over by a truck." Deaq gave a small laugh.

Hearing the two men talking Billie walked into the room. Van tossed her a candy bar as well.

"You look like hell." Billie smiled at Van as she tore open the wrapper.

"So I've been told."

Deaq looked at Billie.

"So what are we going to do about Mannix?"

"We're going to have get somebody on the inside."

"I'll do it." Van said.

"No way." Deaq blurted out.

Deaq stood up; he wasn't going to take a change on losing his partner again.

"There's no way you're going back there. He almost killed you once, what do you want him to do finish the job?"

"I can get in. There's no way he's going to let you or anyone else up there." Van went to stand up but the last two weeks had done him in, he swayed then sat back down.

"You can't even stand up you're so weak and you want to go up against Mannix?"

"Van might be right." Billie spoke up.

"What!! Have you both gone crazy? My God Billie, he can't even stand by himself."

"He'll have to get some rest but Van might be the only one that can get in. If Mannix thinks Van escaped from you and is still using, he might sell to him again, and if we can get it on film we've got ourselves a bust and probable cause to search his house."

"I can do it Deaq." Van looked at Deaq, but Deaq could see how tired and weak his partner looked. He didn't like putting him in danger especially in his weakened condition.

"I don't like it. You go in there in the condition you're in and you need to fight your way out of there, there's no way you'll be able to, and until we could get to you.............you could be dead."

Van turned to Billie knowing Deaq wasn't about to give in.

"I want to do this Billie. I can get in..............I know I can."

"You sure you're up to this?"

"Yeah."

Deaq walked over to Van and looked into his eyes.

"Look at you Van, you look more dead then alive. I just got you back partner, I don't want to be going to your funeral."

"I can do this Deaq, trust me."

Billie put her hands on her hips and looked at Deaq.

"It might be the only way to get him Deaq. We'll wire Van and put a miniature camera in one of the buttons on his jacket. We'll get everything on video, and we'll be right outside if he needs us."

Deaq shut his eyes and shook his head, he knew it was two against one and there was no way he was going to win this argument.

Later that day they went over their plans. Van would go to Mannix's house and say he had escaped from Deaq and needed a fix. Hopefully Mannix would give him one and they would get it on tape. Van would be fitted with a rubber substance over his arm, which looked like skin, so if Mannix watched, Van could inject the heroin under the rubber and it would appear he was injecting himself. They hoped it wouldn't go that far. As soon as Mannix gave Van the heroin, the back up would move in and hopefully Van wouldn't have to pull off his little charade. The rest of the day Van ate a little but mostly slept while Deaq worried and Billie arranged back up. The next morning they were ready to roll. Van was fitted with the fake skin and given dirty clothes to wear to make it appear he had been on the streets. A miniature camera was put in one of his buttons. He still looked sick so he didn't need any make up to make him appear so. He looked almost as bad as when Deaq found him. Deaq and Billie would be in a van near the house watching and listening to the transaction and would signal the additional back up units when it was time to move. They went over the final preparations.

"You be careful partner." Deaq said his voice full of concern.

Van gave Deaq a small smile.

"It'll be okay." Van put his hand on his partner's shoulder and squeezed. "Thanks partner, thanks for helping me through the last couple days."

Deaq reached up and put his hand over his partner's.

"We'll get him Van..............he's gonna go down for doing this to you."

Van nodded as Billie walked over.

"Okay it's time." She looked at Van. "We'll drop you off a couple of blocks from his house, then we'll park outside. Our backup is already there. Van.................if he gives you the H it's going to be tempting; it's going to take all of your will power not to shoot up. You gotta be strong."

"I can do this Billie."

"Okay let's go."

Forty minutes later Van was dropped off and Billie and Deaq continued to Mannix's house. They parked across the street, a few cars away a plumbing van sat filled with additional backup. A short time later Van walked up to the gate and rang the bell. Deaq and Billie watched on the small TV screen.

"Yes." A voice could be heard answering.
"Mannix, it's Strummer."

"Strummer! What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm hurting, I need a fix.............Please............please let me in."

"Strummer I told you not to come here, I told you I'd deal with you down at Westmore." You could hear the anger in Mannix's voice.

"I tried.............you weren't there. Oh God, please let me in, I'm hurting." Van raised his voice pleading.

"Shut up! The neighbors will here you."

Mannix pressed a button inside which opened the gate. Van went in and hurried toward the house. Billie and Deaq watched as Van knocked on the door and a man opened it and led him into the kitchen where Mannix was waiting.

"What the hell happened to you? I saw your friend chasing you the other day then you disappeared."

"He had me for a day but I got away. He won't be bothering me again."

"You iced him?" Mannix asked smiling.

"Yeah, I had to, he wouldn't let me go."

"Boy, you must have it bad, killing your friend for a fix."

"Look, I just want to get out of here. Just give me what I need." Van pulled out money and laid it on the table in front of Mannix.

"The price has gone up."

"This is all I have..............I'll get the rest for you, I'll get it tonight.............just please give me something...............I'm hurting."

"I want double what you've been giving me. You go out on the streets and get it for me."

"Double! I can't get double.................How the hell am I suppose to get it?"

"Sell your body on the street...............I don't care how you get it just get it."

"Next time, I'll get you double, next time. Just give me enough to hold me over, please just enough to hold me over."

Van held out his hand toward Mannix.

"Please."

"On your knees Strummer, I want you to beg."

Van knelt down.

"Please, I need it. I'm hurting bad, please."

Mannix laughed, he kicked Van knocking him down.

Back in the van Deaq reached for the door handle, Billie stopped him.

"Easy Deaq, we got to wait to see if he deals."

"Damn that son of a bitch." Deaq glared at the TV screen. Both Mannix and the man that had let Van in could be seen standing over Van.

"You tried to bring down my empire." Mannix said as he kicked Van again.

"But now your friend's dead and you................your just some pathetic junkie................Brian, go get my boy his fix."

Mannix reached down and roughly pulled Van up and threw him into one of the chairs at the kitchen table.

"You're mine boy, I own you. Your going to do what ever I tell you or I'll cut you lose. You're going to be my personal slave. If I tell you to lick my boots clean you will. You understand?"

Van nodded. Brian came in a few minutes later with the heroin. He poured some in a spoon then lit a candle and heated the heroin till it had liquefied. Next he took a syringe and filled it, and then after Mannix had nodded he handed it to Van.

Billie radioed their backup.

"It's going down! Move!"

Deaq and Billie got out of the van, guns drawn, and ran toward the house.

"There you go Strummer, but remember I own your soul."

The need for the heroin hit Van hard. His hand shook as he fought the urge to really inject himself. He knew he had to fight it for Deaq and Billie's sake. He stuck the needle in his arm at an angle so it would slide under the rubber coating. Before he had time to press the syringe all hell broke lose. The door crashed open having been kicked in by one of the backup units. A stream of black masked officers stormed into the kitchen led by Deaq and Billie. Brian went for his gun but was put out of commission by a shot to his shoulder. Mannix leaped behind Van and grabbed a knife off the counter. He pulled Van's head back by his hair and pressed the knife to his throat as he crouched behind him.

"Back off or he dies!" Mannix shouted.

"He dies, you die." Deaq stood at the table his gun pointed at Mannix. Deaq glanced at his partner. Van gave Deaq a little wink, then quickly threw his hand up and plunged the syringe into Mannix's hand. Mannix cried out, dropped the knife, and ran out of the kitchen, Deaq was right behind him. He tackled him in the living room.

"You son of a bitch, I'll kill you!" Deaq shouted as he began beating Mannix.

Mannix managed to get in a few good hits but Deaq was full of rage and dominated the fight.

"I'll teach you to mess with my partner." Deaq said as he continued pounding Mannix.

Billie slowly walked into the living room, deliberately giving Deaq time to take out his revenge on Mannix.

"Okay Deaq, that's enough." She looked down at Mannix and smiled. "My men found your stash. Looks like there's enough there to put you away for a long time."

Deaq hurried back to Van.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Van grinned up at Deaq. "We got him partner."

"That we did." Deaq patted Van on the back. He was sure with a little rest his partner would be just fine. Deaq and Van headed toward the door as Billie came in from the living room with Mannix in cuffs.

"Never, never mess with a man's partner." She said as she looked into Mannix's beaten face, she then turned him over to one of the other officers.

"Book him."

The End