1A/N: Thanks again to the readers and reviewers. Your input and comments are welcome and most appreciated. Grateful thanks to Mr. Wolf for "sharing" his LO:CI characters. The guys in my crew are: Bill Kowalski, Lt. Schultz, Sgt. Marino and Sgt. Sanchez...and the bad guys, too, Mikey Fagen and Benny Vasquez.
I hope you enjoy it!
Deadly Aim
8:20 p.m.
Inside the MCU
Bobby stood, watching the monitors and tapping a pen on the desk. He was waiting for Det. Morris to get back to him with whatever information he was able to find on the Vasquez family.
Alex sauntered over and stood next to Bobby, "What'cha doin'?"
"I'm waiting to hear back from Morris," he sighed. "I was hoping to get some more information about the family– I can't wait any longer, though – not with the Captain's wife in there."
"And three other civilians," Alex reminded him. "Maybe we should give the Captain a call – update him."
"You can call him in a little while, after I'm inside."
"What!" Alex asked in exclamation. "You're not going in there!" Her protests were an impulsive reaction, borne of genuine concern for the safety of her partner. Schultz and his men saw right through her. While it was true that any cop would worry about his partner's safety – especially in a situation like this – it was the look in her eyes that gave it away. Bobby was more than just a partner to her.
"I'll be fine," he answered firmly, turning towards Schultz and Sanchez.
Alex was fuming. Bobby was doing it again– – giving her a dismissive answer and not letting her in on his plans– not very "partner-like" behavior and she made a mental note that the two of them would have a talk about it in the very near future.
"I plan on calling him back and offering myself in exchange for the hostages. I think there's a good chance he'll go for it, given our history."
Sanchez smirked as he asked, "With all due respect, Detective, don'tcha think that's like walking into your own execution? I mean, this guy –he has it out for ya'. " The Sergeant removed the wad of now flavorless gum from his cheek, tossed it in the trash and immediately unwrapped a new replacement piece. "Anybody want some? BubbleYum –Watermelon...it's the best!" he endorsed, while popping it into his mouth.
Alex tried to interject, but Bobby kept talking –leaving no leeway for her to get a word in edgewise. She was quickly growing frustrated and angry, but most of all, worried.
Bobby grabbed the phone, ready to dial the bank. He looked at Schultz and asked, "Your guys ready?"
"We're ready," he assured, looking Bobby in the eye, as Sanchez commented with a sly grin, "I was born ready." Bobby appreciated Sanchez' cocky attitude – he needed a guy that was sure of himself – and his capabilities – backing him up on this one.
Bobby dialed and Vasquez picked up on practically the first ring.
"Benny – ya' had enough time to think?" Bobby asked.
"Oh, I've been thinkin' all right – – been thinkin' for twelve long years about the shit you did to me and my family," he sneered.
"Well, I've been thinking, too, Benny. Who wants to go first? Me? Okay!" Bobby said, not giving Benny a chance to reply. "What we want, Benny, is for you to release the hostages. Then we can talk –make a deal." Bobby fully intended to offer himself in exchange for the hostages, but thought he'd give this approach try; why tip his hand early?.
"It ain't gonna' happen your way, Bobby," he tauntingly hissed. "I'll tell you my plan – so you shut up and listen!"
"Okay, Benny – go ahead and tell me your plan."
"I let three hostages go, and in their place, you come in."
Bobby smiled as he looked at Schultz and his men. He knew the way Benny thought. He knew there was no way that Benny would be able to resist the opportunity.
Inside the bank, Vasquez waiting anxiously for Goren's answer. He had already resigned himself to the fact that today was the day he was going to die, but not before he had the chance to see Goren face to face– before putting a bullet in his head and then turning the gun on himself. Benny thought he had it all worked out.
"All right, Benny. The woman and two of the men – and I come in." Bobby offered.
"No, you ain't callin' the shots, cop. I get rid of the three men – the woman stays. I'll stick to my theory, Bobby – she's worth more."
"C'mon Benny," Bobby pleaded, "None of those people ever did anything to you...why don'tcha let 'em go...they just wanna' get home to their families. This is between you and me now, isn't it?"
"No! You listen to me! If I don't see you and only you walking towards the front door, no weapons, hands in the air, in the next five minutes, I'm gonna' start offin' your precious hostages, one-by-one."
"Okay, okay! Benny, don't do that. I-I'm comin' ...just give me a minute...I'm comin' in and then we'll talk, okay?"
"Five minutes," Benny snarled and slammed down the receiver.
Bobby looked at Schultz; his head cocked – shoulders relaxing after releasing a long sigh, "This is it," he said, as he removed his holster. "I'm gonna' try to draw him to the front of the lobby, by the windows, so you can get a clean shot," he said to Sanchez. "You'd better get in position."
Sanchez grabbed his rifle, holding it up for everyone to see. "Check it out," he said, admiringly. "Top of the line – new Burris scope – just mounted it last month."
Alex stood by watching and listening. She was already angry with Bobby and growing more disenchanted with Sanchez by the minute. "How the hell can he be so cavalier at a time like this, with all these people's lives at stake?" she silently asked herself.
Schultz and Marino were used to Sanchez' demeanor but, for others who didn't know him well, he could be a little hard to take. Once you got used to his off-beat sense of humor, his macho BS and his over-enthusiasm for his line of work, he was an all-right guy – and there was no denying, the boy could shoot.
He squeezed past Bobby in the cramped MCU trailer and looked him in the eye. "I got your back, man."
Bobby nodded a "Thanks."
Alex watched as Sanchez bounded down the steps of the MCU trailer, retrieved a gold necklace from under his shirt, kissed the sparkling charm dangling from it for 'good luck' and tucked it back in against his chest, with a satisfied grin. "Oh great!" She thought, rolling her eyes. "The Captain's wife is being held hostage by a nut with a gun and a vendetta against my partner; my partner's on his way in to the middle of the mess and this idiot is relying on his lucky charm to get 'em all out of it!"
8:25 p.m.
Inside the Chase Manhattan Bank
Vasquez slammed down the phone and spun around towards the hostages. "You three," he yelled, pointing his gun at Dave Conroy and the other two men. "Get up!"
Dave looked to his side at Cathy Deakins. He didn't want to leave her behind, but wasn't about to endanger himself and the others any more, by not following the gunman's orders. He gave her a regretful look as he quickly slid the useless cell phone to its original hiding spot behind her back and shakily stood to his feet, following his fellow workers over to the center of the lobby, nearing the front door to the bank.
Vasquez checked his watch and glanced out the window, waiting to see the figure of Robert Goren appear. He could barely stand the anticipation of it.
8:26 p.m.
Inside the MCU
Bobby attempted to pass by Alex, who was standing near the doorway. Schultz and Marino turned their attention back to the monitors – even if they were only pretending to busy themselves in order to afford some 'privacy' to Bobby and Alex, the gesture was appreciated.
Bobby took Alex by the shoulders, hunching as he always did and dipping his head to look her in the eyes, "It'll be all right."
She looked at him. She knew that he knew what she was thinking. "I don't like this one bit, Bobby." She fought back the huge lump in her throat and the tears welling up in her eyes. Alex gave him a quick hug, whispering "please be careful," in his ear as he pulled away. He trotted down the steps of the MCU and turned back towards Alex. "Give the Captain a call and fill him in." She nodded and reached for her cell phone, as she heard Bobby's voice call her, once again. "Don't forget – we're still 'on' for pizza and beer once this is over!" She forced a smile, but couldn't force the thought from her mind that those might be the last words she'd ever hear her partner say. She blinked the teary blurriness from her eyes and began dialing the Captain.
8:27 p.m.
Continental Flight #1699 to NYC
On his insides, Deakins was growing more frantic with worry and fear than he'd ever outwardly let on to his friends. He couldn't resist the temptation for one second longer and grabbed for his cell phone– he needed to know what was going on back home. The instant he touched his phone, it began ringing.
"Deakins."
"Captain, it's Alex."
"What's happening Alex?" he asked, as Bill and Don looked on to overhear any news.
"The gunman, Vasquez – he's agreed to release three of the hostages..."
Deakins interrupted before Alex could finish her sentence. "Cathy?"
"No, sir," she sighed. "I'm sorry."
"Talk to me, Alex!"
"Vasquez thinks it gives him a better bargaining chip to have a female hostage, Captain. He's agreed to release the three male bank employees."
"Well, that's good. Maybe he can be reasoned with...maybe he'll let her go if we..."
Alex interrupted, this time. "Captain, Vasquez isn't releasing these guys outta' the goodness of his heart...he made a deal for 'em."
"What deal?" Deakins asked.
"The three hostages in exchange for Bobby," she answered.
"Oh geez...and Schultz is okay with that? Where's Goren? Put him on."
"Um, it's too late for that, Sir. Bobby's already at the door of the bank, on his way in. Vasquez gave him five minutes to go in or said he'd start executing the hostages."
Deakins rubbed a hand through his hair and over his tired eyes. "Keep me posted, Alex," he said, snapping his phone closed. He filled Bill and Don in on what was going on back in New York and sunk back into his seat. He checked his watch again, "Another hour and a half," he said to himself and let out a sigh. The captain continued thinking, "Three hostages safe, at least; but not Cathy...and now Bobby's goin' in. He tried to shake the negative thoughts from his mind, as he said a silent prayer for his wife's –and now Bobby's– safety. He, once again, recalled Bobby's words, 'I'm gonna' get her outta' there'. Deakins wanted nothing more than to believe it.
8:30 p.m.
Outside the Chase Manhattan Bank
Hands in the air, Bobby approached the front of the bank, trying to peer through the glass and quickly scan the lobby to ascertain Vasquez' and Cathy Deakins' whereabouts. He watched as the three male hostages approached, each of them slowly stepping into one of the segregated compartments of the revolving door and slowly pushing. When the first compartment emptied as the hostage exited the bank, jogging off to the safety behind the Police barricades, Bobby entered. The spinning momentum of the door continued, as the two remaining hostages slowly pushed their way to freedom and safety. Another half turn and Bobby was inside.
8:30 p.m.
Inside the Chase Manhattan Bank
Cathy Deakins sat, frozen. She couldn't let on that she knew Bobby – that would be bad for both of them, but just the sight of him gave her some comfort. If he was half as amazing and capable as her husband's dinner-time stories made him out to be, she felt she had a better than average chance of getting out of the bank alive.
"Stop right there!" Vasquez commanded. Bobby froze, hands still in the air. "Look, Benny, hands up, no weapon, just like you said," Bobby said, trying to appease him by his show of compliance.
Vasquez took a few steps forward, carefully avoiding illumination from the small overhead spotlight.
Bobby spoke, his head oscillating between Benny and Mrs. Deakins, "Ma'am, my name is Detective Robert Goren. I'm here to try to help you get out of this situation saf..."
Vasquez yelled, cutting Bobby off, "She knows why you're here! ... I know why you're here! ...it's 'cause you always have to be the God damn hero! "So, hero," he said with a mocking sneer, "first things first; lose the vest."
Benny took a few more steps, closing in on Bobby, gun aimed at the middle of his chest.
"I'll lose the vest, Benny, if I can give it to her," Bobby offered, tossing his head in Cathy's direction.
"You're not making the rules here, Goren! I am!" Benny shouted. He inched closer, perspiring, his breathing rapid, once again ignoring the sickening squish of the plastic on the guard's coagulated blood. He stood staring into the face of the man he hadn't seen in twelve years – the man who had lied to and deceived him; betrayed him and, worst of all, robbed him of his family.
The words came from his snarled lips, like venom, "That vest ain't gonna' do jack shit for you, cop, when I put a bullet in your head!"
8:36 p.m.
Inside the MCU
Alex flipped her cell phone closed. Morris hadn't dug up much news on the Vasquez family –or so he told her. She joined Lt. Schultz and Sgt. Marino by the console, watching the monitors. She saw Bobby in the foreground, standing about 8 feet away from the plastic-covered body of the dead guard.
Schultz' voice broke the silence, as he radioed, "Command to Sniper One. Confirm position."
Sanchez' voice answered, "Sniper One, in position."
"Command to Sniper One. You have the green light, Sniper One. You see your mark, you hit it –clean."
"Sniper One to Command. Roger that."
Schultz turned in his chair and looked at Alex. "He's our best shooter, Detective...and I sure as hell don't want Captain Deakins' old lady killed on my watch."
Alex nodded, silently, watching Bobby on the monitors and praying.
8:37 p.m.
Chase Manhattan Plaza - Store rooftop across the street from the Chase Manhattan Bank.
Sgt. Darius Sanchez laid in wait; his right eye fixed to the sight of his high-powered scope, finger lightly on the trigger. His breathing was calm –rhythmic and steady. The only thing steadier was his aim.
END Chapt. 7.