18

THE GIRLFRIEND ANGLE

I looked to the floor of the warehouse to see one survivor. That rage I had was still in me as I quickly leapt off of the scaffold, and sprinted up to him. I grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him up. All the while one of my Desert Eagles where pointing at his head.

"DAMN IT!" I yelled. "YOU TELL ME WHERE ROCKY WENT OR I'LL BLOW YOUR FRIGGEN HEAD OFF!"

The man was plainly terrified (could you blame him after my little killing spree?), he was shaking and his eyes where wide in fear.

"I-I don't know," He said, stuttering in his Russian accent. "Rocky never tell where he go,"

"OKAY! HAVE IT YOUR WAY!" I yelled, cocking my gun and pressing it up to his temple.

"Wait!" He cried. "Okay! Okay! Maybe his girlfriend Jill, he tell her everything."

I lower my gun, which encouraged him to continue.

"She-she lives in Morina in fancy condo," He said

That was all the Intel that I needed.

"ATTA BOY!" I cried.

I let go of the back of his shirt and slammed my gun handle into the back of his head, knocking him out and made my way to the door.

---

It was around nine or ten at night when I was sitting in front of Morina's most exclusive condos. After a little web surfing (since I couldn't ask Rosie anymore) I found out that Jill, Rocky's girl, did in fact live here. And it was in front of her condo that I sat in my Cadillac, waiting. Luckily I didn't have to wait long.

I saw a familiar sleek black Honda convertible, and it's driver's pretty model like profile looking both ways before pulling out on to the road.

"Hello Jill," I said softly, turning my keys in the ignition.

She pulled her car out of the parking lot and turned left. I started tailing after her.

"Take me to your leader."

---

I had followed Jill at least several blocks when we made it to an intersection where she stopped at a red light. I did the same. I wasn't exactly behind her but I was still close.

It was later I realized I was, well, perhaps a little too close, too late.

Because at that exact moment I felt the Cadillac give a sudden jerk, there was a metal crunch, and my head, almost, bounced off the steering wheel.

As if this couldn't get any better some asshole had rear ended my car!

I swung around (to yell at the driver I think) to see, from the looks of it, a fifteen year old and a parent. I could see the kid mouth the word 'Sorry'.

Remembering the first time I drove, I shook it off.

This was all good and well until I saw that Jill and several other drivers turn their heads to see what had made that noise. So thanks to the street light above me, Jill saw my face perfectly.

I could see her mouth open in surprise.

She had realized who I was.

Aw Shit.

With out even waiting for the street light to turn green Jill hit the gas and took off.

Quickly, I turned on the sirens (I know I'm not at Cop anymore but this was an emergency for all of LA, so Masterson can kiss my ass ). Quickly, all the Citizens in their cars turned to let me pass.

"Okay Jill," I said, taking off after her. "Let's do it the hard way."

I hit the NOS to get along side her.

"Pull over!" I yelled to her.

She shook her head, her dark hair flying, and yanked at the steering wheel. The side of her car bashed in to mine. She did it twice when other cars appeared on the road ahead of us. I pulled back and got behind her.

I pulled forward, hitting her back bumper. I was about to do it again when she hit the gas. Then Jill, suddenly, passed the car in front of her, almost making me hit them instead of her.

I was getting real pissed, real fast.

She was running, and I wasn't going to let her get away with it. As soon as I was behind her I pulled out one of my Desert Eagles and started shooting at her left back tire.

Jill tried to pull a few fast left and right turns, she even tried to hit the gas but I stayed on her ass all the way.

Suddenly I finally hit her tire with a bullet, it popped and suddenly the rim of the tire was dragging on the asphalt creating sparks. This time when I rear ended her car I spun her out. As she was spinning I took the time to aim and fire out another of her tires.

So when she stopped, Jill would be going nowhere, for now anyway.

I got out of my car and went to the driver's side of her car. I kept my Desert Eagle out pointing at her.

"GET OUT OF THE CAR NOW, JILL!" I yelled at her, really pissed off.

I couldn't see her face very well but I could see she was terrified, she got out of the car just in time for me to grab her by the forearm and pulled her to the passenger side of my car.

"Get. In." I demanded coldly, gritting my teeth together.

Jill did I said quickly, shaking. I went to the driver's side of my Cadillac. And got back onto the road.

Jill didn't say a word, knowing that I wasn't one to take any bullshit. She also seemed to keep her pretty face into the shadows, like she didn't want to be seen…

---

I pulled over to a local diner. When me and Jill walked in the waiter's (as well as a few people eating) looked up in alarm. I guessed it was because of the way I had grabbed her and pulled her in by the forearm, and what had happened to her pretty face (which I saw later).

Quickly, I pulled out and flashed my EOD badge, and said, "Police business, I need one of your booths."

They nodded in understanding, and one of the waiter's pointed to a empty booth in a corner.

I pulled Jill to that booth and pushed her in to the seat.

"What do you want!" Jill cried suddenly, near tears as I sat down across from her.

"Why did you run, Jill?" I asked sternly.

She took a shuddering breath.

"I'm sorry, officer." She said, her voice trembling. "I was so scared. You don't know what my life has been like the past few days."

It was now I could see what she had meant, and also why she had hidden her face into the shadows the whole way here. She had a livid bruise forming over her right eye, cuts across her neck, and large bruises on her arms. She looked like she had, barely, survived hell.

"Did Rocky put those bruises on your face?" I asked.

Jill swallowed hard, tears in her eyes, but nodded.

Suddenly I felt my hatred for Rocky grow (if it was possible). It was one thing for Rocky to be the son of a bitch he was, it entirely different for him to take out his anger on his girl.

"Where do I find him?" I asked her, my tone once again cold.

"He's a monster!" She sobbed, suddenly. "You don't understand! He'll kill me if I say anything!"

Jill buried her bruised face in her elegant hands.

"Look at you!" I snapped at her, suddenly. "Your one smack away from being killed anyway if you don't do something about it!"

Jill looked at me, her eyes widened in surprised at my reaction. She looked like she wanted to tell me something, but her big brown eyes looked unsure.

"Jill, you can trust me," I promised in a soft reassuring tone. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

Jill took several shaky breaths, as if, deciding and then she spoke.

"He-he had a meeting at The Gulag, tonight, at eleven."

I looked at the clock above the door, it read 10:30.

"Hmm, Not much time left," I said.

I would need all that time to get from here to Hollywood.

I looked back to Jill as I got up.

"Look, just sit tight, and I'll be back for ya."

---

The first thing I noticed when I jumped back in to my Caddie was how low I was on both NOS and gas. I knew that I'd have to find another car and fast.

It was then I saw it. A red'01 roadster car convertable, or a Viper. I quickly went over to the driver and pulled out me Desert Eagles.

"Hey! Stop right there! Police buisness!" I yelled going to the drivers side.

At once the man (who could have been some kid's grandpa) stopped, and got out of the car. I could tell he was less then happy about it.

"The city of LA appreciates your cooperetion," I told him as I hopped in the car and drove away.

" 'Police buisness' my ass!" Yelled the old man.

I ignored the comment, besides I had other matters to worry about anyway.

I had the pedal hitting the floor, hoping that I wasn't too late.

Luckly, I wasn't.

Almost all to soon I had pulled in front of Rocky's nightclub. I jumped out of my car, ran to the Gulag's front doors (the techno music I could hear even on the road) and thrust kicked them open.

As soon as I walked inside I got this really bad feeling, and no wonder.

Three Russkies where laying unconscious on the dance floor. Tables where turned over and chairs where all over the place.

"What the hell happened here?" I asked as I walked on to the dance floor.

Like I said the place was a mess, as for the Russkies I suddenly recognized them. One of them was Misha from Crème's Spa (ugh), the other was that DJ that had pulled out an AK-47 the last time I had visited this place, the last one was one of Rocky's bodyguards.

Suddenly the base of Rocky's goddamn techno music got so damn loud that my ear drums where rattling (you'd think that he'd listen to better music, being a bad guy, but I guess not).

"Ah!" I cried, one of my hands going to one of my pounding ears. "Too much base! My ears are about to start bleeding!"

"We can arrange that!" Yelled a voice behind me just above the music.

I swung around to dodge a punch from a very conscious Misha. Turning around I saw the two other Russkies where also very conscious indeed.

What the-?

Suddenly I realized why they had been acting unconscious.

It was a trap. It had been a trap all along.

Jill. Sweet and pretty Jill had played me from the start.

How friggen fantastic.

"Damn it, Jill!" I groaned, getting into a fighting stance. "Those puppy-dog eyes, I fall for 'em every time!"

At that moment Misha went at me with a crescent kick that I was just able to dodge. Quickly, I gave him a three punches in the face, he was able to only block the first.

Then I gave him a jump-snap kick right in the jaw. He stumbled back, dazed and I gave him a 'dragon drop kick' in the chest. He fell to the floor, I was getting up to give him a body slam when suddenly I had gotten a hit from behind.

I glanced over my shoulder to see one of Rocky's bodyguards. I gave him a back kick in the stomach and swung around and gave him a reverse crescent kick across the chest. He stumbled back and I gave him a 'tiger claw' in the jaw yelling "YEE-HAW!"

He fell to the dance floor.

I turned to see Misha about to leap up on to his feet.

"You better stay down," I told him.

At that moment, Misha jumped up and turned to face me.

"Well, aren't we a feisty one?"

I ran at him with a punch that he blocked expertly. I then gave him a nice roundhouse kick in the ribs. He stumbled back. And I swung around with a 'leaping tiger' kick that knocked his ass to the floor.

I swung around to the face the DJ.

"I still think your music sucks, by the way," I told him, just to piss him off.

He ran and me with a side snap kick, I dodged it and took the moment to kick him in the stomach. That made him stumble back. I gave him several swift punches, and then grabbed him by the wrists twisted them so they crisscrossed and sent him flying upwards.

So much for Rocky's 'trap'

---

I had dragged Misha and the DJ up to the balcony on the left side of the club. Gun pointed at the DJ, I grabbed Misha by the collar of his Puma hoody. I pushed him so far off the edge that if it wasn't for the fact I had him he would of fallen off the edge, even with the protective metal railing.

"WHERE'S YOUR BOSS, COMRADE!" I demanded.

"PISS-OFF!" He spat back bitterly.

I let go of his hoody and he fell to the floor below with a loud SLAM! Followed by a "OW!"

I turned to the DJ, gun barrel pointing right between his wide eyes. He looked terrified (then agian who could blame him). I was just about to ask him the same question I asked Misha when he spoke.

"I-I tell you if you no hurt me," He stuttered in a small scared voice. "We-we make deal, yes?"

"A DEAL!" I snorted.

Here I was, gun pointing at his head and he wanted to make a friggen deal!

Instead I asked, "How 'bout I kill you quick and painless!"

"No-no please," He pleaded. "Rocky at Santa Monica Airport, number 6"

The Russian held up six of his fingers. I looked in to the terrified eye's of the DJ to see any signs that would tell me that he was lying.

I didn't see any. Realizing this, I lowered my gun.

"You-you be nice now, yeah?" The DJ asked, sheepishly.

I nodded.

"A model citizen," I replied coolly.

And, as I turned to go down the stairs and out the front door, I made sure he got one of my killer punches across the face.