Davis hurriedly joined Yokas and Sullivan in one of the unoccupied offices at the Station. Faith's request for clearance to ride along was in the process of review. It was a formality they couldn't ignore even though they were anxious to join the other squads in the search. The short amount of time they already waited seemed like an eternity.
"I just spoke to the desk Sergeant." The excited young man announced. "5-5 John sighted Bosco within the last half hour, they're not positive but he seemed to be alone." Ty proclaimed, relieved they now had something concrete to go on. "He was waiting to cross at Bleecker and l2th."
"That's no where near his apartment." Faith stated, getting up from her seat. The location of the sighting, especially at this time of night, was perplexing. "There's no word on his car yet so he must still be on foot." She reasoned, wondering why Bosco didn't let John's occupants know if he was having a problem. Unless of course, something prevented him from doing so.
"Could they tell which way was he heading?" Sully asked, thinking how beneficial the sighting would have been if the APB had been out at that time.
"West…or at least that's the way he was going when they spotted him." Ty responded.
"Why would he be heading towards the River?" Faith wondered out loud.
Davis wasn't certain how to answer his concerned co-worker and didn't know if he would sound reassuring if he did.
Sully contemplated the question while pacing the small room. One of a few places in the general location came to mind. "The dock…or maybe one of the piers? Maybe his cars there for some reason." He guessed. "Faith, Davis and I have to get back out on patrol." The senior officer declared as he reached for his jacket. "We'll cruise the area. Who knows…maybe we'll get lucky."
"Great idea Sul. I'm riding along! We've waited for that clearance long enough!" Faith firmly stated, heading for the doorway as Davis and Sullivan looked at each other. "I need something to do guys and I don't see what I can accomplish here."
Knowing it was useless to argue, Sully led the way back to 5-5 Charlie, sure their superiors would understand the minor infraction. He hoped the mysterious situation would be resolved shortly and prayed for a favorable outcome.
The figure in black, currently also on foot, followed his target for several blocks. He had to remain totally inconspicuous. Too much time and effort had already been spent on the search for the mark. He couldn't risk losing the man again. The situation needed to be resolved without further hesitation.
He'd been reminded that his fee for the job had been paid in advance, therefore, another delay would cause his associates to reevaluate his position with the group. He wasn't sure exactly what that meant but he knew he didn't want to find out.
He caught sight of the subject totally by coincidence a short time ago while driving the SUV. Unfortunately, he had to abandon the vehicle five blocks from his current location when he noticed the target looking back at him numerous times. It was as if the man was expecting to be followed.
The darkly shrouded figure was caught off guard by the presence of the individual with the mark. He knew that a witness to his assignment was unacceptable, nevertheless, the situation needed to be reported.
He phoned his colleague to inform him of the most recent, unexpected development and was told to continue as per the original agreement, however, under no circumstance would an individual not on the contract be harmed. The life of an innocent human being would never be sacrificed in order to bring a guilty criminal to justice. A tragic mistake would mar the existence of the Group and defeat the whole point of their stance. He reassured his associate he would accomplish the task entrusted upon him with complete satisfaction and at no risk to another.
The dark figure wondered what the subject would do if he knew he only had a short time left to live.
They were getting closer to the River and Bosco knew he had to make a move. He wasn't going to make it easy for the killer and was ready to fight with all he had.
It was fairly dark due to the inadequate street lighting and if not for the multitude of vehicles scattered throughout, the area would be deserted. The only audible sound was that of a barge horn in the distance. Except for routine patrol, he never had a reason to go to the docks and wondered why Leonard brought him here.
He debated whether he was quick enough to make a run for it. Would he be able to shield himself behind a parked car or maybe underneath one of the pick-up trucks he saw? Perhaps make a clean get away into one of the many near-by warehouses? Or did he have a better chance taking a high dive into the Hudson before he got shot in the back? The latter method of escape appealed to him the least.
Before he was even able to decide on a final plan, he felt a sudden, hard blow to the back of his head. He instinctively moved his right hand to the painful spot as he stumbled towards the macadam, landing on his knees. He attempted to support himself by leaning on his extended left arm. "What the hell…" He wasn't sure if he actually verbalized his surprise or merely thought it. His vision blurred as he watched Leonard pace wildly around him.
He heard the lunatic's vulgar ranting and raving but couldn't focus on the words. Something about his brother and bastard cops. He tried to get up but was mercilessly kicked on the right side of his torso. He swore he actually felt a rib snap. The intense pain was on the verge of unbearable.
He collapsed onto the street, pulling his legs into a fetal position. As he lay there trying to protect his injured chest from any further assault, Leonard's sneakered foot pushed his already sore head into the hard, paved ground and held it there for a moment before maliciously kicking him in the back. He couldn't help but cry out in pain.
Bosco was unprepared for the vicious attacks and found the simple act of breathing excruciating. His eyes began to water as he struggled for each breath. He expected a gunshot at any moment to end his life.
He heard police sirens in the distance but it didn't seem as if Leonard noticed them. Did his fellow officers already know he was in trouble and needed help? As the agony of his injuries threatened to overtake him, he was momentarily confused as to his exact whereabouts and wasn't even sure if he was still in the five-five sector.
Perhaps Faith had gone to his apartment to talk and saw the aftermath of the attack? Maybe his co-workers in 5-5 John relayed his previous location to Central. Was there even an APB out on him yet? His Mustang? Wait…no one knew about his car…or did they? His heart sank as he realized the sirens were beginning to fade. No…they would never leave the location without a thorough search…would they? As the piercing sounds of his potential salvation diminished even more, he slowly began to realize the response was not directed towards him after all, but to some other helpless victim hoping for a swift rescue.
He didn't want to die. He got himself into this predicament due to his own carelessness. In his line of work, he'd been trained to expect the unexpected! At all times! How could he have failed so miserably?
His brain was on overdrive, wishing he'd acted when he had the chance, still trying to figure a possible way out of the mess.
He sensed Leonard standing over him. The lunatic's face was a blur, even as he inched closer to his own. The night sky seemed darker than it appeared a short time ago and he could tell the streetlight directly above them was unlit, making it very difficult to see.
He felt his aching head being pulled up by his hair and felt Leonard jab the barrel of a gun into his side. "I'm talking to you Boscorelli!"
The madman screamed at his defenseless prey, enraged the cop wasn't answering him. After angrily cursing his foe's existence, the killer banged his captive's head against the black street. The heinous act gave him immense satisfaction.
Bosco struggled to stay conscious even though the urge to fight back and the will to survive diminished with each painful breath. He felt blood trickle into the outer corner of his eye. At first he thought he was seeing double when another figure appeared next to Leonard. The psycho was still carrying on and didn't notice the presence. The human frame was cloaked in black and difficult to see but Bosco was sure it was there.
His eyelids were too heavy to keep open any longer. He was suddenly so very cold. The dark clouds of an approaching storm now covered the bright stars that shone so beautifully a short time ago. He focused on the night sky as he drifted into unconsciousness. The last thing he heard was the blast of a handgun very close to his head.
5-5 George was assigned to patrol the immediate vicinity of the missing officer's home. In cases such as this, there was always a strong possibility that the unaccountable individual would return to their dwelling, unaware that they were even listed as missing. Though the likelihood of that scenario didn't seem plausible in this particular instance, they were still required to go through the motions.
The third trip around the general area proved more insightful than the first two. After shinning the RMP's spotlight on the darkest areas of their route, the driver of George noticed the partial plate number on a car covered by tarp within the perimeter of the chain-link, fenced lot of Alvin Bros. Auto Repair. Upon closer inspection on foot, the squad's passenger was able to reach close enough through the rusted fence to move some of the tarp with his nightstick and verified that sure enough, the plate along with the vehicle it was attached to, matched the current APB.
The officer's relayed their discovery to Central and within minutes, the shop was inundated by the proper investigative teams. The perplexed business owner arrived by police escort in time to witness the removal of the bolted gates, swearing his innocence of any criminal activity to anyone who would listen.
The well-groomed man stood at the window of the high-rise and gazed onto the City streets below. He raised the chilled glass of bourbon to his lips and savored the smooth taste of the whiskey as it slid down his throat. The scent of recently smoked, imported cigars still lingered.
From his vantage point by the large tinted glass, the lit up City was a magnificent land of wonder. A truly spectacular, serene sight to behold. It was difficult to imagine so much crime, misery and mayhem could exist among such beauty.
The others had left some time ago, leaving him to savor the moment. They trusted the deed would be completed as was promised. He knew they didn't doubt the outcome, however, the risk of discovery was always foremost on their minds. After all, if they were dismantled, how would Justice prevail?
The task of holding criminals accountable and seeing that they paid for their crimes was what the Group strived for. The Group stepped in when the Judicial System failed. Their intervention was, of course, a last resort. Even though a portion of society would be appalled by their actions, each member believed the vast majority would be indebted. The retribution the Group dispensed was for the helpless victims and their grief-stricken families.
At first, their form of Justice was difficult to administer, but as time went on and the crimes to society became more vicious, the Group believed they were justified in their actions. Too many guilty criminals were released on technicalities to once again wreak havoc on innocent and unsuspecting citizens; a travesty they had all witnessed countless times. The individuals who ran afoul of the law needed to be stopped.
His righteous thoughts were interrupted as he caught sight of the framed photograph in the dimly lit office.
Swersky heard the phone ring before his wife did. As long as he'd been on the Job, the shrill sound still scared the hell out of him, especially in the early morning hours, when he was awakened from a deep sleep and it was still dark outside. He wasn't scheduled to begin his shift for hours; thus, his first reaction at the untimely disturbance was one of pure dread.
He could see the lit up digits the caller ID displayed were one of the Station's various telephone numbers. He exited the bedroom as he answered; knowing the caller was about to give him information he didn't want to hear.
Lieutenant Andrews picked up the picture on his desk and lovingly gazed at the happy, young family it portrayed. He remembered the day the photo was taken vividly since it was one of the last times they were together. He knew the sense of pride he felt that day was as strong now as it was then. He gently placed the framed photo back, his smile fading, as another memory took over.
He remembered the devastating phone call from his hysterical wife. He'd recently been promoted to Sergeant and was in Vegas at the time for some useless police convention. She was beside herself with grief and anguish. He understood something terrible happened…to their daughter… he had to hurry home…
She never withdrew from her deep depression and killed herself on the first anniversary of their child's death. Their daughter's brutal murder all those years ago nearly destroyed him as it had his beautiful spouse.
He recalled the golf outing he went on several years ago with his best friend, currently a retired Circuit Court Judge, and a renowned member of the Group, (of course, a fact unbeknownst to him at the time). A trip he didn't want to take but was coerced into because someone cared and didn't think he should be alone again, on that specific date. It was a journey that changed his life forever. A trip that culminated with his ordination into a secret society whose members were on board for life.
The Group was his salvation. His chance to see that the animal who killed his only child would suffer as she did. Her killer received his final sentence fourteen months and five days after her death. The murderer's identity, as well as his fate, known only to the associates of the Group. His only regret was the fact that his wife never knew that the animal that took their daughter's life paid with his own.
In the beginning, his membership was looked upon with suspicion by some of his associates; however, his loyalty had been proven several times during the years. He had become a valuable asset to the organization. His professional occupation, which was the cause of earlier skepticism, was now a plus and guaranteed priceless information he had access to.
Tonight, another case, the one against Vincent Leonard was officially closed. His detailed file taken by one of the members to dispose of. Weeks of searching for the cold-blooded killer were finally over. Any chance for a possible acquittal, null and void. His death sentence administered quickly and painlessly, with more sympathy than he granted his victims. He would never harm another innocent human being again.
Andrews stepped away from the window and gathered his belongings, placing them into his leather briefcase. He turned off the light switch and stared at the photo across the room once again before leaving the tranquil surroundings.
Please…hurry Sully! Faith silently pleaded. In her opinion, the harrowing ride to the auto repair shop was taking much too long. They were en route to Bleecker when they heard 5-5 George's request for assistance a short time ago. Bosco's car had been located.
"It's only a few blocks now Faith." Davis assured her, sensing her worry and wishing he had something more positive to say to soothe her mounting anxiety. Ty noticed Sully's grim expression and knew his partner had a bad feeling regarding the recent discovery.
Sullivan turned the final corner and Charlie's occupants were greeted by an array of flashing red and blue lights. The block ahead was cordoned off by the familiar bright yellow tape as police and emergency vehicles were scattered about.
Sully emerged from the squad while his partner opened the back door. "Faith…wait!" He called as she rushed towards the mangled gate just as the fire department was opening the trunk of the vandalized Mustang.
The uplifted sheet of metal obstructed her view, rendering her unable to see what was happening behind it. Her heart skipped a beat as she noted the destruction to the vehicle; however, her concern was focused on what might be found inside the car's rear compartment. She held her breath as she peered inside the empty trunk. Immensely relieved there was no body or blood, she approached one of the detectives she recognized. "Anything?" She worriedly asked.
"No, not yet. We're just about to do an evidence sweep. The business owner, a James Alvin, says it was towed here yesterday morning, at Boscorelli's request." The investigator stated.
"What? Where is Mr. Alvin?" Faith asked.
"He's in his office, being questioned." The veteran officer informed her as he continued with his investigation.
Faith didn't hear Sully, who once again called after her as she raced to the office, wondering what kind of explanation this Mr. Alvin had to offer. She was convinced the owner wasn't being truthful because the Bosco she knew would never have kept something as serious as this from her. He was her partner, after all they had been through, Bosco was still her best friend. Surely if he knew her at all, he had to know that much. He would certainly confide in her if he were in trouble, no matter how minor he thought the incident was.
She hated herself for her earlier outburst. She had to believe he was all right. She would never forgive herself if anything happened to him. God forbid, if the outcome of the current situation ended badly, the last thing he would remember about her would be the hurtful words she spewed at him in angry frustration. She wiped a tear from her cheek as she entered the small, cluttered office, anxious to get to the bottom of the nerve-racking mystery.
Leonard was too involved with tormenting his helpless hostage and failed to hear, or even notice, the figure's approach until the final second of his life.
The assassin fired his 9-mm, point blank, at the back of the antagonists' head, killing him instantly. The shooter gawked at the lifeless body for a moment, a good portion of the top of the dead man's head was gone, the corpse's callous, dark eyes stared into oblivion, it's distorted mouth agape with shocked surprise
His agenda back on track, the assassin knew he had to move quickly. Thunder rumbled close by and lightening bolts lit up the dark sky. The approaching storm threatened a heavy downpour at any moment. The figure dragged Leonard's body to the edge of the dock and pushed it into the dark, murky river, making sure any evidence followed close behind.
He walked over to the downed man; aware of each labored breath the unconscious victim took. For an instant, he debated whether to put the poor bastard out of his misery. The guy might even be thankful; after all, it would be quicker than bleeding to death. The gash on the side of his head alone looked like it could very well be fatal. He hesitated long enough to second-guess his first impulse. Causing injury or harm to an innocent individual was completely forbidden by the Group. The repercussions of such a grievous mistake would surely anger the members and terminate his service with the Organization. Permanently.
The darkly clad man searched the unconscious victim's pockets but found nothing. No ID, wallet, or even keys, lead him to believe the injured individual was more than likely a random robbery casualty of Leonard's. He was convinced the clean-cut man wasn't a drug addict since his inner arms were free of any track marks, after all, he would never feel obligated to go through so much trouble for some junkie. Probably just some guy who was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
The assassin dialed 911 on a nearby pay phone, not wanting to use his cell on the chance the call could eventually be traced. He relayed all the pertinent information regarding the injured man to the dispatcher, whose insistent questions as to the caller's identity were left unanswered.
As in all the past cases, things always had a way of working out for the best. He took one last look around as the storm closed in, washing away all evidence of his presence and Leonard's existence.
"All available units…respond to an anonymous call in the vicinity of 16th and Waterfront…caller states unconscious, male victim found on dock between piers…"
Faith, convinced that Mr. Alvin truly didn't know anything, heard the call while searching the grounds for Sully and Davis. She heard random bits and pieces of the broadcast as she raced to find an RMP with a driver ready to roll.
"…be advised, description of victim matches current APB on miss…" The heavy rain drowned out some of the pertinent information she craved, but she didn't need to hear the rest, her gut feeling told her all she needed to know…her partner had been found. "…EMS en route…" Was the final thing she heard when she noticed 5-5 Charlie's approach.
"Faith!" Davis called to her as he and Sullivan pulled up to the rain soaked woman, stopping just long enough to collect her where she stood.
"I couldn't hear the entire call…but it's got to be Bosco…hurry Sully!" She implored, vaguely noticing as Davis radioed their intentions.
"It won't take long Faith…we're not that far away." Sullivan reassured her as he focused on the road ahead.
Faith tried not to give into her despair. She heard the dispatcher say injured male, nothing about a body. She shivered, only now noticing how wet she actually was. The heavy rainfall slowed as she took note of the time. Fred would be waking soon. He would wonder where she was. She never took the time to leave a note, convinced she wouldn't be gone long.
5-5 Adam, carrying the first shift of the day, pulled directly behind Charlie. The sight of the life-saving bus and the high-low siren it emitted gave her some comfort. Help was on the way. She willed her partner to be all right…to hold-on and fight if he wasn't.
Sully gazed into the rear-view mirror. Yokas appeared calm but he knew the entire episode was killing her inside. He knew there would be no holding her back when they finally reached their destination. Davis was in constant radio contact with 5-5 Victor and 5-5 David, who were already at the site, their search for the victim unsuccessful for the time being. As long as he'd been on the Job, Sullivan could, and never would, understand the cruelty that human beings were capable of bestowing upon one another.
Even in the dark RMP, he noticed her tired eyes were puffy and red, random tears stained her cheeks. "It'll be all right Faith…we'll find him." He gently offered. They all realized the longer it took to locate Bosco, the less likely the situation would end favorably.
They neared Waterfront, several units already there, lights flashing, spotlights shinning onto the darkest areas of the dock. Faith ready to bolt as soon as he stopped.
"Yokas…Sullivan and Davis!" Swersky called as he saw Charlie pull up to the fiftieth pier. The Lieutenant walked closer to the trio as they emerged from the squad. "I need somebody to shed some light onto what the hell is going on here tonight?" Their confused but adamant supervisor inquired as he met the three.
"I wish I knew Boss." Faith answered, almost in daze.
Sullivan continued. "From what we could figure so far, it looks like someone had some kind of vendetta against Bosco and followed through with it. It's just a hunch Sir, but the best one we could come up with."
"I just came from Boscorelli's apartment. Two threatening, hand-written notes were found among his belongings." The Lieutenant stated. "They were scattered on a table along with Vincent Leonard's picture and information on the killings and robberies he's committed."
"Makes sense…after all that's happened tonight." Davis added. "We all know Bosco hasn't been himself lately. Even though he insisted there was nothing wrong, the whole Leonard thing must have gotten' to him more than he was willing to admit."
Faith could no longer contain her desperation. "How the hell are we suppose to find him here? What kind of person would call 911 and not give the victims exact location?" Her fear for her partner's safety turning into anger towards the unidentified caller. Before she could excuse herself and partake in the search, she heard the words she'd been waiting for since the ordeal began.
"Over here…!" A voice called from behind a parked vehicle "…by warehouse number nine!" Another joined in.
Faith ran to the location as the others followed. Oh God…please! She silently begged, running faster than she ever thought she was capable of, the EMT's and some uniforms two steps ahead of her.
She forced her way through the gathering of uniformed personnel. The sight of her partner made her gasp and her knees weaken.
OK! Epilogue to follow soon! Sorry if this chapter is a little too long, but I have a habit for rambling on. Hope you are somewhat enthralled so far. I'm having a great time writing. Your generous reviews are so very much appreciated!