Jacob's Revenge

Chapter four

Both Van and Deaq jumped to opposite sides and pulled heavy wooden tables down between them and the gunmen. Gains stepped aside as his three men began shooting, concentrating all their gunfire in Deaq's direction. Deaq returned fire wondering why Van wasn't shooting back. Had he been hit he wondered? He tried to glance over at his partner as pieces of wood splintered off of his table as the bullets plowed into it. He could see Van sitting with his back to his table his gun in front of him held tight to his chest the barrel pointed toward the ceiling. He stared straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to everything going on around him.

"Van! Van are you okay?" Deaq screamed over to Van trying to be heard over the gunfire.

Van slowly looked over at him but didn't say anything.

"Van are you hurt?" Deaq yelled as he peaked out from behind the table and managed to take out one of the gunmen.

What the hell is he doing? Deaq wondered as he watched Van slowly stand up and step into the open.

"Get down!" Deaq screamed expecting to see his partner's body being riddled by bullets. But none of the gunfire was directed at him What the hell's going on? Deaq wondered as he watched Van lower his gun and just stand there. "Van!" Deaq yelled once more. Then it was as if Van suddenly woke up. He shut his eyes and shook his head slightly, then looked at Deaq as if just realizing he was in danger. He quickly brought his gun up and shot the other two men, then held his gun on Gains.

Deaq climbed out from behind the table and walked over and stood next to Van.

"What the hell's going on?"

Van glanced over at him but didn't say anything which made Deaq angrier.

"Why weren't they shooting at you? And why the hell did you just sit there and not back me up?"

"What do you mean? I got the job done didn't I?"

"Yeah, after I almost got my head blown off!"

"Case closed." Van said simply as he walked away.

Deaq shook his head as he watched his partner. There were so many questions he wanted answered. How did Gains find out they were cops? Why weren't Gain's men shooting at Van, only him? And why didn't Van back him up? He knew his partner and trusted him with his life. But Van had sat behind the table almost like he was in shock, and then standing up out in the open made no sense. Something was wrong with his partner and he was going to make sure he got some help after they finished off the tons of paper work he knew they'd be facing. He knew the drug charges against Gains were down the tubes since they didn't make the buy, but at least they could get him for attempted murder. At least he'd be off the streets.

Later

They dropped Gains and his men off, first at the hospital, where two of the men were kept with serious injuries, then at the police station where Gains and his other man were held. Deaq and Van then had gone to the Candy Store where they filled out reports and told Billie what had happened. They both left out the part about no one firing at Van and of his not backing Deaq up. They wanted to deal with that between the two of them before involving Billie.

Billie was very worried about the fact that someone apparently had leaked the fact that they were cops to Gains. The case had been going extremely well and then all of a sudden it had blown up in their faces. She told them she wanted them both in her office first thing in the morning to sit down and try to figure out what had gone wrong.

Later at Van's Apartment

"Hey, aren't you going to invite me in for a beer?" Deaq asked as Van climbed out of his car.

"Look Deaq it's late."

"Just one partner…we need to talk."

"Deaq…" Van shook his head slightly, he was tired and just wanted to be alone.

"Just one." Deaq repeated interrupting him.

Van finally relented and nodded.

Once they were in Van's apartment he handed Deaq a beer then walked over and leaned against a wall.

"Van, something's going on with you partner. I know it and you know it." Deaq felt he might as well come right out with it.

"Yeah, what's going on is I'm getting sick and tired of all these questions. I told you, I'm tired, that's it. With a little rest I'll be fine."

"Van, I know you like a brother." Deaq said softly not wanted to further anger Van. "I know when something's wrong and something is definitely wrong. You have bruises all over your body Van…And back at the club…I never saw you freeze like that before."

"What are you talking about?" Van said angrily as he took a swallow of beer.

"You didn't return fire."

"What do you mean I didn't return fire? I took two of them out didn't?"

"Yeah, but at first you just sat there as if nothing was happening."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"See, that's what I mean. You're don't remember things, you're not thinking straight, you're having…blackouts or something. Van, you really need to go see a doctor."

"Look Deaq, I don't know if you're trying to win brownie points with Billie by proving me incompetent or what…but I'm tired and we can deal with this in the morning." Van walked over and opened the door. "Now get out."

Deaq got up, but as he did he noticed a shadow moving behind Van's bedroom door. He instinctively started reaching for his gun.

Van, seeing what Deaq was looking at, put his hand over Deaq's hand.

"Calm down, it's only Wendy."

To Deaq it appeared that Wendy was standing behind the door listening. He didn't know why, but for some reason he was beginning to like her less and less.

"And her." Deaq nodded toward the bedroom door. "What's up with her?"

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"All of your other girlfriends you use to talk about, in fact most of them you bragged about, but not her. If I hadn't walked in on her the other day, I probably wouldn't even know she existed. It's like she's some kind of mystery woman."

"My private life is just that…private. It's none of your business who I go out with. We're partners, nothing more." Van said as he glared at Deaq. "Now get out."

Van's harsh words stung Deaq. He knew they were more then partners, they were friends. In fact they were best friends. The more he thought about Van's strange behavior the more worried he became. He watched as the anger on Van's face was replaced by a confused look, as if he had no idea why they were arguing. Deaq decided not to push the issue.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He said as he walked out the door.

Van only nodded, then shut the door and locked it.

Outside

Deaq glanced back at the shut door. Tomorrow if Van didn't say something to Billie he was going to. He walked to his car, got in, then instead of driving away circled the block and parked within viewing distance of the parking garage. He was worried and decided to keep an eye on Van's apartment for awhile. If he went anywhere, he would follow him. And this time he wouldn't lose him.

Two hours later

Deaq yawned and stretched. He decided to give up his watch assuming that Van was in for the night. But just as he was about to pull away Van and Wendy came down to the garage and got in a car. He felt guilty as he slowly pulled out behind them, leaving enough cars between them so he wouldn't be spotted.

They drove for about half an hour then Wendy pulled into a dark alley. Deaq watched as she talked to Van who sat staring straight ahead. After a few seconds Van got out of the car and Wendy slowly pulled away.

Where the hell are you going at this time of night? Deaq wondered. He watched in disbelief as Van pulled a mask over his face and walked into a liquor store. Oh God no! Deaq shook his head. He was a cop and he knew he should stop Van but Van was also his partner, his friend. What the hell are you doing? Deaq tried to think why Van would do something like this. He knew Van was a good honest cop. What would cause him to rob a liquor store? The only thing he could think of was that Van had somehow become addicted to the pain medication he had been on months earlier when he had been shot. Everyone thought he had been weaned off of it but maybe he had become addicted to it and needed the extra money to buy the drugs on the street. Deaq took a deep breath and shut his eyes for a moment. He didn't want to believe Van might be a junkie. He'd have to tell Billie. Van was not only a danger to himself but if he was robbing liquor stores he was a danger to the public as well. He knew he had to follow him home and confront him. He knew it wasn't going to be pretty, but he hoped he could talk Van into turning himself in. He needed help and maybe Billie and he could help him without getting any one else involved. It was then he felt the muzzle of a gun placed against the side of his head.

TBC