Huge thanks to anmodo for betaing this chapter. Also thanks to everyone that has reviewed.
Chapter 14
"Jack, I...I…I think we need to talk." Danny stammered as turned to face Jack, feeling beads of sweat running down his back.
Noticing the younger man's apprehensiveness, Jack nodded and walked towards his office indicating for Danny to follow him. The walked in and closed the door behind them. "Take a seat," Jack said as calmly as possible.
Feeling shaky, Danny slowly lowered himself into the chair in front of Jack's desk. He hated being on the wrong side of Jack Malone. He not only hated it – it terrified him. "U-mm Jack t-the logo, well u-mm, it's the cartels," Danny said nervously. He closed his eyes as he waited for an explosion – but there was none.
Jack stared at Danny, thinking his first instinct was to pull Danny from the field and have people watch over him. It wasn't because he didn't trust Danny; he would trust Danny with his life and the lives of his family. It was to protect him. If the cartel saw or even thought they saw Danny, his life would be in great danger. "Danny I'm-"
Reading Jack's thoughts, Danny interrupted, "No Jack, I'm of more use to you in the field. I know these guys inside out and back to front." He paused and looked down; he really didn't want to do this but if it could crack the case… if he could see Lucia again. "You could send me under. I will get all of the intel you need."
"No way! There's no way in hell I'm sending you undercover with the cartel. It's totally out of the question. No way – it's too risky. What happens if they recognise you?" Jack panicked.
Danny held his hands up in surrender. He had never seen his ice-cold boss look panicked. "Okay, Jack, not undercover. But I will still be more use to you in the field," he paused. "I know these how these guys work, I know their weapon systems… I know how they think."
Jack thought for a moment before he decided. "Fine, you can be in the field, but only on two conditions. First you are with me and you won't be out of my sight."
"Isn't that normal nowadays?" Danny replied sarcastically
"Danny!"
"Ok, ok that's fine, what's the second condition?" Danny asked slightly apprehensively.
"The second condition is you have to wear a vest," Jack finished.
"Jack! No, I don't want to and it's pointless anyway. These guys use large calibre rifles and only take headshots! I just- what about you?" Danny exclaimed.
"I will be fine," Jack replied calmly. "If you don't want to wear a vest, then you will work from the office."
"Oh, come on! That's pointless. I'll be fine," Danny said, but as he looked at Jack he knew he was arguing a losing battle. "Fine I'll wear the god damn vest."
Jack smiled knowing he'd won the argument and, most importantly, he was protecting Danny from unnecessary danger. Maybe Danny was right, maybe it was pointless – but at least it was something. He looked at Danny again and realized that he still had more to say. "What's the real reason you wanted to talk to me and don't tell me it was because you recognised the cartel's logo – you could've told the whole team that."
"There's no other reason!" Danny snapped, but then back-pedalled. "Sorry Jack, I didn't mean to, its just-"
"It brings back memories," Jack said finishing Danny's sentence. "Now calm down and tell me the real reason you wanted to talk to me."
"It's so screwed up and completely crazy," Danny said as he held his head in his hands. "When-when I was out there, I met this girl."
Jack raised an eyebrow. In all the years he had known Danny – which was going on for eight years – he had never seen this look on his face. He had always wanted three things from his team. He wanted them to do their job well, he wanted them to be safe and he wanted them to be happy. Danny fell in to those categories 98 of the time, or so he thought. He always thought Danny was happy with his various relationships and dates, but he obviously wasn't. He looked at Danny in concern as he continued the hard and obviously painful story.
"She's really amazing, Jack and she has a great little boy," Danny smiled at the thought of them. "But like all things in my life, there are issues. Her father is Carlos Vega – the leader of the cartel. I understand if you want me to fire me after you hear this.
"I will decide that after you have told me. Spill."
"Lucia," Danny started.
"She's the girl – right?" Jack asked.
"Yes – sorry – anyway," Danny paused as he tried to think of away to phrase the next part. "Well she works, sorry she is forced to work for her father. You have to understand what she is forced to do, what her own father forces her to do and she has a son. She only does it to protect her son. It's so screwed up, Jack. I just wanted to protect her and her son if something happened when I wasn't there anymore, so I bought her a gun."
Jack walked over and rested a hand on the panicked Danny's shoulder. "And you think that gun was found at Curtis's hotel room?"
"I don't think, I know Jack - It is the gun. It is the same type – it has the same serial number. You have to understand that if it was Lucia that fired the gun, she only did it-"
"She did it in self defence," Jack said finishing Danny's sentence.
"Yes," Danny said smiling slightly. "Look I understand if you want-"
Jack cut Danny off. "I'm not firing you. Anyway what's the problem? 'Danny Taylor' didn't buy the gun. Alejandro Rios bought it."
"Thanks Jack," Danny replied. "I mean, really, thanks. I know we have to follow through on this as a legitimate lead, but after everything you have done for me – I don't know how to repay you."
"There's no debt to be paid. And anyway you more than repaid me twelve weeks ago when you took that bullet for me. Now you need to tell the team about the cartel's connection – as you are the team's, sorry the FBI's – probably the whole of the US intelligence communities—source for the cartel." Jack gave Danny a supportive tap on the shoulder. "Let's go – you don't have to tell them about Lucia if you don't want to."
Standing up, Danny took a deep breath. He didn't understand why he was so apprehensive – he was only talking to the team. But Viv and Sam didn't know what he had done for those ten months. He had only told Martin because of the hit on his father and he didn't have a choice when it came to Jack.
"I've got the forensic report on Curtis's hotel room and office. The blood in the hotel room was his, but it was mixed with pig's blood," Martin said as he handed Jack the report. "But with the estimated amount of Curtis's blood – even with immediate medical attention – he's gotta be dead."
Jack read through the report. "Not necessary, this guy here," Jack said as he tapped Danny on the head, "lost more blood than that and he's alive." He found himself picking at his nails as if he was still trying to remove Danny's blood from them.
"Okay," Martin managed to say as he looked at his friend in amazement. "Anyway if he's alive he's in a bad way. And since the office tested positive for cocaine, I'm thinking a drug deal gone bad. The coke was high grade-"
"Uncut from the west region of Colombia, from the Cali region," Danny said as he finished Martin's sentence. "Looking at the logo, it's from Carlos Vega's compound, specifically from the north-east part of the compound."
"And you know all of that because-" Sam asked.
"Because I spent ten months working for Carlos Vega's main security detail. Mainly I dealt with security for Carlos and his family, when he had clients over to the compound I would arrange the security for their stay," Danny paused. "From time to time, when there were big shipments I would be part of the security detail with the shipment. In other words, I know these guys."
"What's their usually choice of weapon?" Viv asked.
"Usually high calibre rifles – they like the feeling of power the sniper rifle gives them. The feeling that they can take someone out and they would never have seen them. With hand guns, they like the overstated guns – such as the Desert Eagle."
"Lucky for us, we have an ace up our sleeve," Martin said.
"Why's that?" Sam asked.
"Because we have the cartels best sniper," Martin said as he clapped Danny's back.
"Seriously?" Viv and Sam said together.
"He was also offered a job at Quantico as a sharpshooter instructor." Jack said proudly.
"The difference is—I hate the power a sniper rifle gives me. I hate the fact that I could set up two miles away and kill someone," Danny said defensively.
"The other difference is that you would never kill in cold blood. You would only ever use it to save the life of an innocent person," Viv said as she reassured Danny.
Jack glanced at Danny to see he had relaxed before he continued. "So we know Curtis does not have the normal association: Wall Street with cocaine. With young Wall Street bankers cocaine is part of the scene – but having an association with a major cocaine dealer, is one major step up.- why?"
"Money" Danny suggested.
"Danny these guys are earning well into the seven figure bracket – I doubt its money," Martin counted.
"These cartel guys – a new house with swimming pool is small change. These guys have empires, which they rule by fear. Maybe Curtis got a taste of it and liked what he saw," Danny argued.
"Right," Viv started. "We know Curtis had an association with the cartel, but we don't the motive. But from what you have said, a .22 calibre gun is the not the weapon of choice for the cartel." Viv said directing her last comment to Danny.
Danny ran his hands through his hair. "When I was out there, I met Lucia Vega – Carlos Vega's daughter, who is the boss of the cartel. She is forced to work for the cartel."
"Doing what?" Sam asked. She looked at Danny's expression and knew. "Oh God, that's sick. Her own father makes her do that?"
"She has a five year old kid and with the way the cartel works," Danny paused looking at their confused expressions, "the only way out is from a visit from the grim reaper. Carlos all ready killed her mother and the father of her child. Understandably she was scared, so… so I brought her a gun for protection and before you ask—it was the gun found in the apartment."
"From what you have said it sounds like self defence, so why did she run?" Sam asked.
"First, when you are with the cartel you trust no one. Second, she blew the op, so she may have not had a choice," Danny paused and ran his hand through his hair again. "And third, this was obviously a big deal for the cartel, so they would have taken out insurance. Jack, I think we could be looking at a possible kidnapping."
"You think they have her kid?" Jack asked
"I don't think – I know – it's how they work. Carlos rules by fear. They have Chris. Right now both their lives are in danger – that's if they are still alive." Danny said sadly.
Jack sighed, "Okay, this case is now very delicate. We need to tread very carefully. Danny, where do think the cartel could be?"
"I think a big shipment is coming in, so the port or the airport," Danny thought for a second. "It will come in with a legit shipment, as the cartel also grows coffee – that's what will be on the shipping list."
"Right – Sam, Viv, Martin I want you to check the airports. Be careful. If you get the slightest feeling that something is not right, get the hell out there," Jack said. "Danny, you and I are going to pay a visit to the port."
As Jack and Danny walked down to the car, Jack handed Danny a bulletproof vest. "I don't care if you wear it under or over your shirt but you are wearing it. If you don't, you're going back upstairs to go though Curtis's financial records."
"Fine," Danny said as he snatched the vest from Jack and went to bathroom. He remerged a few moments later.
Jack looked Danny up and down as he patted Danny on the chest checking he was wearing the vest. "I see you went with the vest under the shirt," Jack said as he walked towards the car.
"I have an image to preserve," Danny replied in an irritated tone.
Jack spun around and slammed Danny against the car. "And that image will be a lot better preserved if you are alive." Jack said as he watched realisation hit Danny. "So if you have a problem with that, you can go back upstairs."
"S-sorry," Danny shuddered. "It's just, damn it Jack, I promised I would go back for her and now she may have murdered someone."
"It's not your fault, and I don't think Lucia killed anyone in cold blood. She may have killed someone but it was in self defence."
"Than may have been the case, but I still should have gone back to Colombia as soon as possible. I left her there; I left her kid there. I am as bad as her father"
"No, you're not. First, until a couple of weeks ago you couldn't go back there. You weren't even allowed to fly. Second, you cared and still care about Lucia and her kid. You protected her when you were out there, you bought and showed her how to use a gun, so when you weren't around she could defend herself," Jack said as he tried not to yell at Danny.
"I love her, Jack. Chris and her were the closest I ever came to having a family to call my own. I love them and I blew it," he said as his voice cracked with emotion.
Jack stepped back, temporarily at a loss for words. He was shocked by the honest of Danny confession. "You didn't blow it, but how about we get down to the port and try and make things right. Let's get you that second chance."
Danny nodded and slid into the car. He hoped that Jack was right. He hoped that if Lucia fired that gun they could prove it was in self-defence. He hoped that Lucia and Chris were still alive. He hoped that he would get that second chance that Jack was talking about. He hoped that Lucia and Chris would join him in his life in New York.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Martin approached the private jet sector at JFK. He was disturbed by the silence that had ridden with them during the ride out to the airport. But that did not disturb him as much as Danny's connection to the case. Sure he knew Danny worked for the cartel. He knew Danny had been ordered to kill his father, but this latest developed disturbed him. It was not as if he didn't think that Danny should have dated Lucia when he was out there – hell with it he was happy when Danny had told them – at least Danny had someone when he was out there. But what disturbed him was that this girl may have murdered their missing person and he was siding with the suspect. He pulled into the parking lot and shut down the engine. He moved his shoulders but felt restricted against the bulkiness of the bulletproof vest that Jack had ordered them to wear. Jack still hadn't let down his protective guard with him. In a way, he pitied Danny because Martin couldn't begin to imagine how overprotective Jack must be right now.
"Are you ready?" Martin said as turned to face Sam and Viv.
"Yeah," Sam replied. "From what Danny told us, we're looking for a Gulfstream 500 jet, identification number CL-452345-XF. According to tower control, it arrived four days ago and it's still at the airport."
"Do you know where it is?" Martin asked
"It's right in front of you," Viv said pointing to the gleaming white jet.
"Oh," Martin replied wondering how he had missed the 97ft plane. It looked far superior to the FBI's.
As they approached the plane, they noticed that the door was open. Drawing their guns, they continued to approach the jet but with added caution, now knowing the threats that lay within the plane.
Martin saw a shadow move within the plane. "FBI," he yelled identifying himself. "Don't move." He watched as the shadow continued to move. "I said don't move," Martin yelled again as he moved his finger on to the trigger.
XXXXX
Lucia couldn't stop shaking; she'd had a bad feeling about that meeting. She knew she shouldn't have put that gun in the drawer, but she didn't feel she had a choice. If only AJ had been there, none of this would have happened. She knew the mission he had been sent on had failed; she prayed that he was alive. She clutched her ribs; her jaw still throbbed from where he had hit her. She had blown the op and the cartel had blown Curtis away. Her father had beaten her with the nearest thing available – his baseball bat – and now he had Chris. She had no escape, the FBI had her cornered; her life was over as was Chris's. The FBI would arrest her because she couldn't prove that she didn't murder an American citizen. She would go to jail and Chris would remain with the cartel. Feeling tears sting her eyes, she thought she was as good as dead but maybe if she gave herself up then maybe Chris would have a chance. The FBI couldn't be as inhumane as her father said – they wouldn't hurt a five-year-old kid. She backed against the wall and closed her eyes as the armed federal agents stormed into the plane. This was it. Her life was over, Lucia thought as she sank down against the wall.
XXXX
Martin looked over to the far side of the cabin to see a terrified woman backed against the wall. He turned and motioned Viv and Sam to take the lead – believing that this terrified woman would probably feel more comfortable with Sam and Viv than him.
Sam approached the woman who was now cowering against the cabin wall. It didn't surprise her – she had probably had it drilled into her head since the word go that FBI could not be trusted.
"Please don't shot. I will go with you. I will cooperate with you fully," Lucia stammered as she held her arms in front of her face in a defensive stance. "Please don't kill me."
Sam lowered her gun but motioned to Martin to clear the rest of the plane. She bent down next to Lucia. "We're not here to hurt you, we're here to help," Sam said hoping that they really would be helping her. "I'm Special Agent Samantha Spade, this is Special Agent Vivian Johnson and that's Special Agent Martin Fitzgerald." Sam pulled out her ID to show the terrified woman. She looked up to see Martin signalling that the plane was clear.
Lucia relaxed slightly as she took the ID from the person identifying herself as Samantha Spade. She checked the ID, it didn't appear to be a fake and if it was it was a damn good fake, Lucia thought. Something told her that she could trust these people, something told to go against her father's teachings. As she slid into the car, she thought about AJ. She didn't know why these people made her think about him – they had no connection to him.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
As Danny and Jack approached the port they noticed several FBI cars. Danny looked across to see one FBI agent in particular. "Hey Jack, your favourite friend is here," Danny said sarcastically
Jack glared at Danny before he turned his glare to Special Agent John Carmon-Sommers. Agent Carmon-Sommers was an arrogant son of a bitch, who worked narcotics. He and Jack had locked horns several times throughout their careers, but Carmon-Sommers cared more about his career than his agents or the victims that got caught up in any of their cases. Jack didn't doubt that Carmon-Sommers was also a complete bastard to his team; hence none of them had stayed more than a year.
"Funny Taylor, real funny," Jack said as he got out of the car and walked towards Agent Carmon-Sommers.
Agent Carmon-Sommers stopped his talking with his team and glanced over at the approaching agents – at Jack Malone. "What do you want?" Agent Carmon-Sommers sneered.
"Nothing. We are just following up a lead on our case," Jack said. He really wasn't in the mood to argue with this maggot.
"Well, Agent Malone, this is a narcotics case," Agent Carmon-Sommers said as he continued to sneer arrogantly at Jack. "It's too dangerous for you. The Cali drug cartel are armed with SV-Dragoons, like the one in my hands."
Danny took one look at the weapon and smirked. "Actually Agent Carmon-Sommers that is a SV-98," he looked at the gun again and frowned. "Were you drunk or something were you put the gun together?"
"Excuse me, who the hell are you?" Agent Carmon-Sommers yelled.
Jack stepped forward and laid a hand on Danny's shoulder. "This is Special Agent Danny Taylor, he's on my team."
"Well, Taylor, I do not like your tone and if you think you're so clever – you put the gun together," Agent Carmon-Sommers said as he threw the gun at Danny. "Anyway—save the name—there is no difference between the guns."
Danny's fingers danced over the gun, but his eyes never left Carmon-Sommers. "Actually there's tons of differences, they are totally different weapons. Same manufacturer and the fact they are sniper rifles but that's were the similarities end," Danny said as he handed the gun back to Agent Carmon-Sommers. "Now are you sure can handle it?"
"Now I'm going to repo-" Agent Carmon-Sommers said but his words were cut short as a shot rang out. Everyone dropped to the ground, but Agent Carmon-Sommers remained standing. Danny kicked him at the back of the knees causing him to fall. As Agent Carmon-Sommers fell, Danny grabbed the back of Carmon-Sommers suit and pulled him behind the wall. In the same action, he grabbed the SV-98 from Carmon-Sommers.
"Your trying to get yourself killed," Danny yelled. Another shot rang out. Danny loaded the gun and looked down the scope looking for the target, he glanced across at Jack. "Did you see were the shot came from?"
"The crane over there," Jack said as he pointed in the direction of the crane. "He's halfway up. Take him out, Danny."
Danny moved the gun towards the crane and lined up his target. He had never done this before, the only live target he had shot at, and he missed. Sure he had shot in self-defence – why was different, why was it so hard to take the shot. Another shot rang out. He took a deep breath and took one final glance down the scope before he squeezed the trigger. The shooting stopped, he had made his first kill. Suddenly gunfire erupted around them.
"Look what you have done now," Agent Carmon-Sommers yelled
"Gunfire is at ground level, its automatic," Danny yelled back at Carmon-Sommers. "I took out the main danger. These guys shot to kill. I advise you to do the same." Danny said as he slung the SV-98 across his back and pulled out his Sig.
Jack moved positions. Twisting, turning, dropping, shooting and reloading, as it if the bullets firing at them were his invisible dance partners. He didn't know how many bullets or how long he had been shooting before he felt like he had been kicked in the chest. He saw Danny dive in front of him shooting at the target, before everything went black.
Danny saw Jack as he closed his eyes briefly before his survival instincts kicked. Unlike most people, Danny's survival instincts extended to the people he cared about. He dove towards Jack shooting at the target as he moved. He moved behind the wall pulling Jack with him, he tapped Jack face there was no response, this couldn't be happening. He was the target not Jack. Danny fired the last round off, before he bent down and grabbed Jack's gun. He started shooting, eliminating targets, trying to kill the person that had harmed his family; the same people that hurt and terrified Lucia and Chris. As the gunfire appeared to stop, he looked around for other possible threats. He was surprised at how calm he was, he wasn't even shaking. He looked around at his fellow agents. They looked shaken up but unharmed.
Danny looked down and tapped Jack's face. "Damn-it Jack don't do this to me, please Jack. What I'm I going to tell the team? What I'm going to tell Hannah and Kate." Danny said as he bite back the tears that stung his eyes.
"You know there are easier and safer ways to suck up to the boss," Jack said as he painfully sat up. "Are you sure it wasn't the Secret Service you worked for with all this diving in front of bullets you are doing."
"You're ok," Danny said smiling.
"Yeah but I'll need a new bulletproof vest," Jack said as he looked down at were the vest had stopped the bullet. "I'll have a pretty good bruise tomorrow but I'll live to fight another day."
Danny slowly stood up picking up the AK-47 next to them. He cautiously moved over to the truck scanning for possible threats. He looked into the trunk. "I think we can close this case."
Jack stood up painful and walked towards Danny. He looked into the truck and closed his eyes.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Lucia paced up and down; they had cleared her from shooting the gun. She could understand why she was she still there? Where was Chris? When she wasn't at the jet waiting for her father – there would be hell to pay. He had killed her mother, he had killed Chris's father, for all she knew he had killed AJ and Chris. She glanced across at a group of people stepping off the elevator – two of which started walking towards her. The smaller, stockier of the two looked like he was issuing instructions to the taller one. She watched as the shorter one, in obvious pain, walked in a different direction. Something made her return her glaze to the taller man. He looked familiar. She looked at his tall, lean, muscular body, at the rifle slung over his back, at the rumpled shirt, at the strong, stubbled jaw, at untamed hair, at the brown eyes… it was AJ. She watched him turn and walk down the passage away from her. She wanted to run after him – but something was stopping her. AJ worked for the cartel – then why was he in the FBI building in New York? Summoning up the courage, she ran after him. "AJ, AJ"
Danny stopped dead in his tracks. No one called him AJ, apart from cartel members. No woman called him AJ, apart from… Lucia. Spinning around, he saw Lucia standing in front of him. Feeling heart rate increase and his lungs constrict, when he saw… she was alive. "Lucia," he managed to say.
It was him, it was her AJ, but why was he here with an FBI ID on him? "What are you doing here?" She asked apprehensively.
"I-I work here."
Lucia felt as thought the building had dropped several degrees in temperature. She felt as thought she could hear a pin drop. "Y-you work here?" summoning up the courage she continued. "Then what the hell were you doing in Colombia?"
"I-I was working," Danny said knowing that he was going to lose her now. Now he was going to tell her that the whole time he had spent with her was based on lies.
"You mean you were fucking spying on us? What the hell was that about? AJ isn't even your real name is it?" Lucia yelled
"No," Danny said dropping his head.
"I trusted you, I trusted you with Chris and I don't even know your real name," Lucia said as she angrily wiped away the tears that fell. "They have Chris and I don't know if he's alive – and now I don't know who the hell the man was who I trusted with my child and my…my…heart."
"They have Chris?" Danny said in concern.
"Yes, but why should you care? Chris and I were just a way for you to get closer to my father. You used us, you son of bitch. I don't know you," Lucia said in between her tears. "What the hell is it – what the fuck is your real name? Actually, I don't want to know it," Lucia finished as she stormed off.
Danny felt himself sink down against the wall. It was his fault – all of this, if he had just stayed in Colombia none of this would have happened. "It's Danny Taylor," he whispered at Lucia's retreating form.