Chapter 11

Just before first light, Darien and Bobby were hauled unceremoniously from the cabin by Dino and two of the thugs-for-hire, and brought to the lower deck where Dominic Casati was already waiting for them.

He was enjoying himself…a lot. He always did when things were going his way. And with the disk and the explosive information it contained now in his possession, he could ensure the identity of his 'contacts' - many of them in positions of influence and power - stayed a secret, unless he chose to use the information to his own advantage at some point in the future. He wasn't adverse to a bit of blackmail if a situation called for it.

For now though all he really wanted to make his life complete was to be rid of Darien Fawkes and his partner, and with them any evidence linking him to Keating's murder or their abduction…and disappearance.

"Well gentlemen. I'd like to say it's been a pleasure but…"

"Save the crappy cliché's for somebody who gives a shit," Hobbes countered venomously. "And don't think it's over, cause our people won't sit back and let you get away with this."

An indifferent shrug. "Well, 'your people' would have to find me first and I've paid good money to ensure that doesn't happen. Plus they'd also need some hard evidence, and I suspect there won't be much in the way of…remains…by the time your bodies wash ashore." His comment was rewarded by an appreciative belly laugh from Dino and the two other goons.. "Though by the look of him," he gestured at Darien who was leaning against the outer wall of the main salon just struggling to stay upright, " I don't think he's going to offer much in the way of nutritional value to the sea life around here."

Taking a step closer to Darien, Casati found his path blocked almost immediately by Hobbes whose dark expression held the promise of some serious damage if he dared to touch his friend. But all it took was a quick gesture before two pairs of hands roughly grabbed the agent and yanked him out of the way, so that their boss could get to his intended target. Despite looking like he was about to keel over a moment or so before, Darien somehow managed to push himself away from the wall and straighten to his full height at the man's approach, determined not to show any sign of weakness.

This little act of bravado wasn't lost on Casati, who smiled coldly as he confronted the taller man.

"I just thought you should know that it didn't take that much to make Francesca finally seen sense Fawkes.," he said almost conversationally. "Guess she finally realized exactly what she'd be giving up for a lost cause like you, huh?" Darien kept his gaze defiant, refusing to show any emotion, so Casati stepped up the torment.

"You know, if it hadn't been for little sis's intervention I would've put you six feet under all those years ago when you were both playing at being Romeo and Juliet. But this time she really couldn't give a damn, if she did she'd be here right now, wouldn't she!" To make his point, Casati gestured around at the mostly empty expanse of deck and then without warning grabbed hold of Darien, spun him around and shoved him up against the wall…hard.

"Get your hands offa me…," was just about all he managed before a sharp fist pounded into his side.

Somewhere beside him he heard Bobby's howl of outrage and then the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked, and most likely aimed right at Bobby to keep him at bay while Casati had a few final moments of fun with Darien. He pulled him away and then slammed back into the wall a second time, Casati's face hovering just inches from Darien's as he held him up and in place with brute force.

"So, the other big unresolved question of the day is will your partner turn his back on you as well," he said with a smirk. "What are we…5, 6 miles from shore…so a man in his sort of shape might just be able to cover that distance even with the unpredictable currents this far out, but not if he has to keep you afloat too…"

Again he drove a fist viciously into the body and then followed through with another, smiling this time as he was rewarded with a low whimper of pain before finally releasing Darien and letting him sag to his knees.

Hobbes was glaring murderously, with cuffed hands balled into tight fists and his entire body literally shaking with rage. Just about the only thing stopping him from launching himself at Casati and taking his chances was the gun currently jammed into the side of his head.

Casati chuckled as he and Bobby locked gazes. "I guess you're the only one who knows if he's worth the sacrifice, huh Agent Hobbes?"

"He's worth it," Bobby snarled. "Which is more than I can say for you, scumbag. You'd better pray that we don't meet up any time soon."

"Yes, well, there's not much chance of that is there," he responded flippantly, before turning to look at them both for what he expected was the last time, a satisfied smirk in place. "I'd like nothing better than to stay around and join in all the fun, but this sea air combined with all this… excitement… does something to a man's libido and I've got a perfect hot little body waiting in my bed to fix that for me. So, I'm leaving you in the more than capable hands of my boys." He gestured for the big man to follow him into the salon. "Dino, a word." Peering back at Bobby and Darien for one parting shot. "Enjoy your swim."

With the first rays of sunlight spreading a warm golden glow across the water and caressing the sleek lines of the Summer Breeze, Hobbes glanced at his watch and then at his partner and knew they were running out of time.

Casati's two goons were deliberately staring in their direction from across the deck, one of them muttering something quietly to the other as they prepared to carry out their bosses orders.

"Fawkes, come on back to me here buddy." Bobby snapped his fingers several times right in front of Darien's glazed eyes, desperately trying to get some sort of response - his partner had 'zoned out' on him again a short time before and he needed to rouse him and quickly. He gave it another go, this time gently slapping the younger man's face until he was rewarded by a blink and then another as Darien finally focused, giving a soft groan as he tried to push himself up off the hard deck.

"Uh, w…what!"

"Take it easy for a second, Fawksey." Hobbes helped his friend into a sitting position and eased him back against the wall, noting the grimace of pain as he tried to flex his arms.

"If those are hurting," he gestured to the cuffs and made a snapping motion, "why don't you just do your thing?"

"I thought I should wait…until we're in the water."

"Listen buddy, I don't think we can risk letting it go that far." Bobby stared at his partner intently. "Help should be on the way by now, but it could be hours before they get a definite fix on us. We're gonna need to make our stand right here on this boat…and soon."

If Darien was in any way curious to know exactly how his Agency colleagues would manage to track them down, this far from the coast and virtually in the middle of nowhere, then he didn't show it. Instead he lifted his t-shirt a little to gingerly probe the tender area of his body where Casati's fist had pummeled him, with Bobby looking on with concern etched all over his face at the site of the angry bruising..

"How're ya doing there, buddy?"

"Ouch!" Darien winced as Hobbes's fingers probed a particularly tender spot. "Well, I've definitely been better. Why what do you have in mind?"

Bobby indicated with his eyes. "I'm guessing that the gruesome twosome over there are just about to follow Big Bad Dom's orders and toss us overboard." He grinned conspiratorially. "You think you're up to some Invisible Improv?"

"Ah, the ole' Invisible Improv," Darien echoed with a weak grin of his own. "I'll give it a try, but I'm not absolutely sure everything's in proper working order with my little roomie up here. The last few times I've Quicksilvered it's felt…different, I can't explain it. Like it's sapping my energy or something."

"Yeah, well the sooner we can get you back to Claire, the happier I'll be." Hobbes muttered. "Uh, oh, here they come. You can do this Fawkes, okay." Bobby said, giving his shoulder a quick reassuring squeeze.

Darien nodded not all that convincingly as the taller of Casati's men - Goon One - waved a gun at them, motioning them both up. With Bobby's help he managed to pull himself to his feet, taking a few calming breaths to steady his already racing heart rate and adrenaline surge.

Meanwhile, Goon Two - the shorter and stockier of the pair - had unlocked the section of handrail that led to the metal ladder, but this time there was no power boat tied below, just an unhindered route straight into the deep water.

"Okay, which of you ladies wants to go first?" he asked with a grin of anticipation. "The water looks real nice from way up here."

Bobby watched as his younger partner called on some hidden energy reserve to move forward on unsteady legs, took a peak over the rail then turned back quickly to face Goon Two

"Nuh uh. I'm not goin' first. Make him go first," Darien shook his head emphatically and jerked his thumb in Hobbes' direction.

Bobby took it up smoothly. "Beauty before age, buddy boy. It's a well known fact."

Darien snorted. "Well known only in the Bobby Hobbes' school of 'Looking out for freakin' No. 1'. Yeah, well I'm not goin' first. The fact that I'm younger than you means I'm due at least 5 extra minutes of living and breathing."

Goon One gaped at the bickering duo incredulously before turning to Goon Two, who shrugged and then tried jabbing his gun deliberately at the two agents who continued to ignore him.

"You know what your problem is Fawkesy?" Bobby smirked, squaring his shoulders and rounding on his partner defiantly.

"Here we go." Darien shook his head and rolled his eyes. "So, what's my problem, Hobbesy?"

"Well, Mister-I'm- such- a-hotshot, you are selfish, is what you are."

"Me, selfish. Well coming from you that's…"

"Will you both just SHUT THE HELL UP!" Goon Two yelled in desperation, waving his gun about him as a warning. "Now one of you jump for Chrissakes. We haven't got all day."

Fawkes and Hobbes glanced at each other as if slightly wounded by the man's harsh outburst, then both took a halting step forward and peered down into the waters of the pacific and the churning wake thrown up by the passage of the large yacht.

After a minute or two of contemplating the drop, Darien piped up. ""Okay, I'll go first.." Turning to the two heavies and nodding in Hobbes' direction.. "Actually, it'll be a relief to get away from his bitchin'." Then also for their benefit he scowled at his partner. "And don't think this is over pal, cause I'm gonna be waiting for you on the other side."

A snort of contemptuous laughter from Hobbes. "Yeah, and what makes you so sure you're gonna end up in the same place as me, huh?"

Before he turned, Darien glanced deliberately at Hobbes who nodded imperceptibly in return; the two partners always knew what the other one was thinking - words were very rarely needed these days.

"On the count of…one…two…three." Darien took a few steps back and braced himself before taking a running leap for the edge of the boat, disappearing from view completely just as he reached the open section of handrail.

Goon's One and Two exchanged shocked glances.

"Where'd he go?" Asked Goon One, taking an uneasy step towards the precipice.

"What do ya mean 'where'd he go'?" Hobbes asked sarcastically. "You told him to jump, so he jumped. It's a bit late to start having second thoughts."

"No he didn't. He…he just disappeared." Goon Two was looking equally concerned now, still not sure what he'd just witnessed. "He definitely didn't jump. We woulda heard the splash," he reasoned, looking to his colleague for assurance.

"Nah, if he didn't jump, then where'd he go? He's gotta be fishy food by now.." Hobbes advised with authority.

Goon One was just about to step back to argue the point as an icy force snagged the collar of his shirt jerking him forward, his arms flapping about almost comically as he was pulled off balance to teeter on the very edge of the boat before he seemed to do an odd sort of somersault, plummeting down into the water below with a terrified scream .

Goon Two could only gape, his expression a mix of horror and confusion.. Not more than a couple of seconds elapsed before he decided to raise his gun again just as Hobbes leapt at him easily kicking the weapon from his hand. The man yelped in pain as Hobbes followed through, grabbing onto his arm to spin him around and with one well placed foot to the ass sent him reeling across the deck, where he collided with the handrail and then flipped over it.

For a few seconds, Bobby just stood right where he was. breathing hard, until that familiar strained voice had him rushing for the side.

"Hobbesy, a little help here, man."

Darien had one arm wrapped around the metal rung of the ladder and the other - with a snapped section of cuff still dangling from the wrist - stretching overhead to try to pull himself back on board, but he just didn't have the strength. Hobbes knelt down to get a firm grip on the free hand, then with not much effort yanked his friend up, catching his body as it sagged heavily against him, then easing him down gently onto the deck.

That moment coincided with Dino's reappearance in the doorway of the salon. It took the big man a second to take in the scene before him, and with a shouted obscenity and then a yelled warning to alert other members of the crew, his gun was in his large hand and firing off a shot at the two agents.

Darien had just started to rise when a bullet pinged against the metal handrail just inches from his head. Instinctively Bobby dived at his partner, showing him back into the relative safety of the opposite side of the salon from Dino, shielding his body with his own. He knew though that this was just a temporary haven; it wouldn't take long for Casati's to men surround and overwhelm them.

"You keep that spiky head of yours down before someone takes another pot shot at it, you hear?" Hobbes waited for the younger man's grunted assurance and then smiled grimly as Darien's hand reached out and encircled the handcuff around his right wrist with a band of Quicksilver, shattering the metal bracelet a moment later.

Nodding his thanks, Bobby risked a quick peak around the corner of the salon and across the deck, to where Hood Two's weapon lay exactly where he'd dropped it before going over the side. He knew he had to take the chance to grab it, because without it or a weapon of some sort their chances of survival were not good.

More voices raised in shouted agitation and feet pounding across the deck overhead, spurred Bobby to move. Darting out fast and throwing himself across the deck, his fingers folded around the butt of the gun as several more shots blasted out in quick succession, then just as quickly losing his tenuous grip on the weapon as one of bullets seared a white hot trail of pain across the back of his hand.

Ducking low and cursing bitterly, Bobby pulled a handkerchief from the pocket of his pants and wrapped it tightly around his injured hand, steeling himself for another try at reaching the gun when something cold and hard touched the back of his neck. He froze.

"Give it up Fed, time for you and your partner to…" For a moment a sneering Dino thought he'd gained the upper hand as he stood over Bobby finger tightening on the trigger of his gun, then came an icy blast as something solid rammed into him from the side with a force that caught him off guard and took him down heavily, pinning him there. The big man fought off the urge to panic at the weight and pressure on top of him and of the seemingly invisible assailant who grabbed a handful of his hair and rammed his head down hard onto the deck.

"I've… got… him, now get the damn gun Bobby."

Dino shook his head to clear the fog and as he did so a shape began to manifest above him in a glittering display of tiny silver flakes. Certain now that he was hallucinating he shook his head again and when he opened his eyes found himself staring up at a grim faced Darien Fawkes, who was sweating and trembling uncontrollably with the exertion, beads of sweat trickling down his face.

With his left hand Hobbes snagged the gun and in one fluid motion went down on one knee and lined it up to fire two quick shots in succession, just as two more of the crew appeared on the steps leading down from the upper deck. His reward was a satisfying grunt of pain from the man in the lead at the top of the stairs as the bullet slammed into his shoulder, knocking him off balance. As he stumbled backwards, he reached out desperately to grab onto the first thing he could find to steady himself, and ended up taking the man behind him over the handrail and into the water with him with a startled scream of panic.

Pivoting quickly and with every intention of helping his partner - who was no match for the likes of Dino even when in the best of health - Bobby was horrified to see Darien doubled over and gasping from a blow to his already injured mid section. Dino then grabbed his shoulders and savagely head butted him, pushing him backwards where he lay gasping, one hand covering his injured and bloodied nose and the other clutching his stomach. Then with a harsh backhand he was on the deck and Dino was on top, the heavy body mass crushing down and the big hands pummeling him. Darien didn't move, didn't struggle, he simply had no energy or inclination left to fight with.

With a roar of unadulterated anger, Hobbes was about to move when something struck him from behind, and he staggered bruising his hip as he collided with the handrail. Turning he wasn't surprised to see Dominic Casati standing just a few feet away, beckoning him forward with the small gun he held in his hand.

"Why don't you just give it up now, Agent Hobbes, stop prolonging the inevitable. You're both as good as dead,." he said with a sneer which turned into a shout of surprise as the small man suddenly launched himself at him, taking Casati down under a deluge of perfectly placed kicks and punches and easily prizing the gun from his hand. All Casati could do was cower under the onslaught, until finally Hobbes was violently shoving the muzzle of the gun into his mouth, chipping a couple of teeth in the process.

"If we're going asshole, you're coming with us."

At that moment, Casati experienced true fear as he stared up at into those dark eyes and for the first time in a long time he was really afraid. Then salvation came in the form of a loud gun shot, the steady voice that accompanied it had them all freezing in place.

"All of you just …STOP!"

Frankie had positioned herself on the deck above so that she could cover them all, the gun in her hand unwavering. She jerked it about for emphasis. " The next one who moves I will shoot!"

Casati breathing heavily, pushed the gun and Bobby's hand to one side and grinned casting a triumphant glance across to where Dino, who had so easily gained the upper hand in his struggle with Darien, now had him sprawled on the deck, using his superior mass to its full advantage as he crushed the lean body beneath him.

"Get off of him…now!" Frankie hissed.

"Good girl, Francesca," Casati crowed, doing his best to conceal the unmitigated terror of a moment before as he prepared to push Hobbes off of him and get upright - then the Fed and his partner would be well and truly sorry. "Good to see you really understand where your loyalties lie, my sweet."

A look of both anger and incredulity flashed across the lovely face as his words sunk in, and she shifted slightly to amend the aim of her gun.

"I'm not talking to you," she snapped irritably. "In fact, Bobby, feel free to give the murdering bastard a hard slap from me." Ignoring her brother's outraged and then pain-filled gasp just as Bobby's fist hit home, Frankie cocked the weapon deliberately closing one eye as she sited on her proper target. "Dino, you have five seconds to get your fat ass off of my boy before I blow a hole in it."

An instant later and to Darien's overwhelming relief the huge weight was gone from his battered self, leaving him just lying there trying to convince his body parts to move…or do anything at all. Then Frankie was calling out.

"Are you okay, baby?"

"No….I think he flattened me," came the pathetic groaned response.

Meanwhile, a dazed and bleeding Casati, was being roughly hauled on his knees to where Dino was now hunched, with Bobby using his feet to kick the two men into the back to back position he wanted, before he grabbed a long length of rope and looped it around them, knotting it tightly.

Frankie waited until he'd finished and then handed the gun over with a wan smile before crossing to where Darien lay, and a moment later she was on the deck cradling him in her arms, whispering gentle words. Bobby smiled and nodded as he caught her gaze before she turned her attention back to Darien.

"This is far from over," Casati snarled through swollen lips, bringing Bobby's focus back on him.. "My lawyers will…"

"Just stop with the hard-assed gangster routine," Bobby growled impatiently. "You're seriously delusional if you think you're ever gonna see the light of day again after this." He hunkered down next to the man. "You've pushed her too far and I've got a feeling that nothing's gonna keep little Frankie from the witness stand this time. Course, that's always supposing you even make it as far as a proper court of law."

"W..what do you mean?"

Bobby relished the note of anxiety that had crept into Casati's voice.

"Well, see Fawksey aint no ordinary Federal Agent, so when our Chief gets through pulling your balls out through your nose for kidnapping and damaging him, we'll no doubt be making quite a few arrests." Bobby leaned close in so that his face was just inches from Casati's, really enjoying himself now. "And what do you suppose those so-called 'friends' of yours are gonna think, when they hear that you've tried to cut a deal with the Feds by handing over a disk full of their names… and details of all the dirty payments they've taken from you over the years, huh?"

Despite his close proximity to Hobbes - he could feel the man's breath on his face - Casati didn't even try to conceal a smirk. "What disk?" he asked pointedly, and behind him Dino snorted in amusement.

Bobby stood and stretched popping the tired and stiff muscles in his arms and neck, all the while smiling along with the two men., letting them have their moment. "Oh, that's right…the disk. I'm guessing you've destroyed the one I brought with me, right? But, see I've just remembered that I found a couple of them in Fawksey's locker and in all the confusion I may have mixed them up - guess they all look the same to me.. Now lemme think," he pursed his lips and stared off into the distance as if trying to recall some really important fact. "I handed one to my Chief before I left and the other one…oh yeah, it was called something like 'Baywatch Babes'…." he let his words trail away, staring smugly from one man to the other. "Don't tell me you didn't check the disk?" His answer lay in the stunned look on Dino's face and the cold mask of pure fury washing over Casati's. "And who said there was no trust left in this world, huh?"

Dominic Casati looked truly stunned. "I'm a dead man," he stated flatly, the reality of his predicament finally cutting through the layers of arrogance and smug self-belief, and hitting home hard.

"Only if you get real lucky," came Bobby's indifferent response as he turned his back on the man and walked across the deck, sinking down wearily next to where Frankie sat huddled with Darien to wait for the back up he hoped was on its way.

Almost on cue from somewhere off in the distance came the sound of a helicopter, followed by the unmistakable drone of a large power boat - most probably the coastguard..

Feeling his partner's presence as he settled next to him, Darien pulled his face up and out of Frankie's lap. "I can't believe you gave them my Baywatch DVD," he whined.

"All in a good cause, my friend," Bobby assured, patting his back sympathetically.

And then suddenly it was all over.

The Summer Breeze was soon swarming with armed Agency personnel and a team of FBI Agents, led by Alex Monroe and Dee Davies, who rounded up and cuffed Casati and his gang, manhandling them all onto the two coastguard launches idling alongside.

Claire was among the first group of arrivals and had wasted no time in getting to her Kept, who'd groaned, "Oh great, here come the shots.' the minute he spotted her. Darien now lay on the deck with his head still nestling on Frankie's knees, refusing to let go his vice -like grip on her hand the whole time his Keeper examined him, doing what she could with her portable medical kit to alleviate some of the pain and soreness from his three cracked ribs and numerous other cuts and abrasions. The more serious and worrying issues connected with his overall health would need to be treated when she had the proper medical facilities and equipment at her disposal, and that was why the US Navy helicopter hovered overhead, just waiting for the order to approach and airlift the high-priority patient and his doctor to Fort Leavitt.

But there was a problem; the patient was refusing to leave unless Frankie could go with him, while Davies insisted that his orders were that she had to be taken back into the FBI's protective custody immediately for her own safety.

"Bobby, Alex do something…please," Darien looked over pleadingly to where his partner sat just a few feet away as a medic finished bandaging his injured hand. Thinking Bobby hadn't heard him, Darien made another try at pushing himself upright, ignoring Claire's hissed admonishment and Frankie's hands on his shoulders trying to keep him calm, but it was actually the sharp twist of pain in his chest that had him falling back with a loud gasp.

"Darien, if you don't lie still I will have to sedate you," Claire warned sternly. Visibly annoyed now she turned to stare at the FBI agent hovering just behind them. "Agent Davies, I would be very grateful if you and your men could move right away for the moment and allow me some space to work. Francesca's hardly going to run away now is she! Besides, you're agitating my patient and he's agitating me...as usual." She gave Frankie the flicker of an indulgent smile as she leaned back over Darien, deftly inserting an IV line into the back of his hand.

As the medic finished with him, Bobby sprung to his feet cradling his injured hand. Glaring at Davies deliberately and taking charge of the situation "What's gonna happen, is that the lovely Miss Casati will travel with my partner to the hospital and then spend a few hours with him until he's settled. I will personally vouch for her safety during this time."

"My order's are specific …" Davies started to protest, but stopped as soon as he recognized that as far as Hobbes was concerned this was non-negotiable. Alex Monroe took her place beside Bobby.

"You have my word too, Agent Davies," she informed him. "And I'll oversee the transfer myself."

Davies looked from one to the other and then after a long pause nodded slowly in agreement.

Claire gestured to the medic. "Okay, let's get him on the stretcher and ready for transfer."