Chapter Six: If You Land On Your Feet
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, Without A Trace or the F.B.I. I do however own my imagination, my Muse, my insanity, my fangirliness and my dreams.
A/N:- Thanks to everyone who wished me luck. Exams are over for better or for worse ….. I think probably for the worse but hey, on the plus side my Muse has come out of hibernation and I have many ideas for fanfics.
Dedicated To:
Berta101, Spooky Bibi, Lapmal, Give Love A Break, Isabell, Missusmesser (Very true. Just as well we don't need to pass exams when we have fanfiction otherwise I'd be screwed!), Jtsideout389, Tea, Without A Trace Freak, NightMage, Briana, Ariel3JLP (Thanks for the long review. The praise is undeserved and you know it! Yeah, Martin was a bit OoC at the end but I think we have to cut him a little bit of slack!), EquestrianBabe
Jack Malone stood out on the corridor, looking through the glass into the FBI Fitness centre below. He watched Martin's face tense and focus on the punch bag in front of him before punching it as hard as he could repeatedly. Jack sighed. He could only imagine Martin's frustration at being able to use his left arm but still not being able to be declared fully fit. He had admired Martin's determination to work through his injuries. He had regained his original strength in his legs and his right arm and even though his left arm was still technically without feeling, he could hold a gun and aim pretty well with it. The team had managed to work quite well with only four of them out on the field but Jack was under no false impression the stress Martin was under at being able to do the best background research and fingerprint matching in the office but still not being able to go and do the real work, being out there in the action …………….
"How is he doing?" a voice asked.
Jack turned slightly as Victor Fitzgerald came and stood next to him, watching Martin leave the punch bag and heading over to the gym mats before going through some fight practise with the judo instructor. "He's doing remarkably well. If he got the sense of touch back in his left hand and could take his bandage off then he'll be back to normal." Jack said formally.
"The Doctors said that it could return at anytime ….. until then you're effectively one Agent short. We can put Martin on sick leave and give you a temp …..?" Victor suggested.
"No, we're fine." Jack said. He knew how defeated Martin would feel if he was told he couldn't even be in the office. Jack sometimes felt he knew Martin better than his own father. "If every Agent had the same fierce determination as Martin then the FBI would be very lucky." he said, starting to walk away to go back to the office.
Victor followed him. "Look Jack, I know that day at the hospital I was less than professional …………… what I said to Agent Spade was uncalled for and-"
"Don't you think you should be apologising to her then?" Jack said before walking off. The frostiness which had always existed between the two men had never been so apparent.
Victor glared at Jack's retreating back silently.
Martin blocked the instructor's every punch and kick forcefully and every attack was on target. It felt good working up a sweat and letting his pent up frustration out. "Okay, you're done for today." the instructor said at last, letting Martin go. He grabbed a towel with FBI printed all over it and wiped the sweat off his face before heading back to the changing room. He had been out of the office all morning. First was firearms re-training then the physiotherapist, then this. He knew that every Agent who was hospitalised for more than ten days had to go through the same rehabilitation process but the annoying thing was that Martin knew that two-thirds of it wasn't even helping. His shot with the gun was almost perfect, and his left hand was just as steady as always despite the fact he couldn't even feel the metal in his fingers …… and the physiotherapist …. well, every time he saw her, he ended up coming out more depressed and annoyed at himself that there was still no improvement with his left arm.
Martin walked into the changing rooms and pulled off his FBI tank top and tracksuit bottoms and had a shower before putting on his work suit and shirt. He sat down on the benches and was just re-bandaging his left arm when the door opened and his father walked in. "Martin, hi!" his father said.
Martin tensed up again. He wasn't exactly overjoyed at seeing him. "Hi."
"How are you doing?"
"Apart from being stuck in the office all the time and having a dead arm I'm fine." Martin replied with a sigh.
"Bravery does have its cost you know."
Martin's face set and looked at his father stonily. "What are you implying?"
His father didn't say anything but moved on hastily. "Sorry I wasn't there when the Director presented you with the award – I was in an inescapable meeting."
Martin shrugged. "I didn't deserve it anyway." he said, stuffing his towel into his bag.
"You're too modest Martin – you get that from your mother." Victor said. There was a pause. "Well, as long as you're not regretting your decision to save Agent Spade …… it was very heroic but ill-advised …."
Martin dropped his bag and turned on his father. "Tell me one thing – why did you send me to the New York office if you hate her so much? Why did you send me here anyway without telling me she'd be here?"
Victor shrugged. "You said you wanted to see New York. Besides, your mother thought it would be a chance for you to get answers."
Martin shook his head and laughed dryly. It was always the case. His mother always had to tell his father how to act around him. If it wasn't for his mother, Martin didn't even think he and his father would still be talking.
"Well, did she tell you why she broke your heart? Was I right about her all along?" Victor pushed.
"Yes she did tell me. You weren't right about Samantha. Mom was right. She was scared." Martin said, slinging his bag over his shoulder and heading towards the door.
"Martin, I don't want you to be …… renewing ….. any feelings you have for her …. Now you're working in the same office, it would be unprofessional and ……"
"……. And ten years later you still don't approve of her. She's still not good enough for you." Martin shot.
"It's not me I'm thinking of Martin." Victor said sternly. "It's you."
"For your peace of mind, there's nothing going on between Samantha and I but that's not because of anything you've said or tried to make me believe about her. I saved her life because, rightly or wrongly, I still care about her and that's something which you're going to have to learn to accept." Martin said forcefully before walking out of the room, leaving the doors swinging behind him.
………………………………….
Martin walked into the office, still worked up from the conversation with his father. Vivian and Samantha were at their desks and Jack was talking to Danny but he looked up as Martin entered.
"Sorry I'm late." Martin said, putting his stuff down on his desk. "I had a run-in with my father."
Samantha looked up and caught his gaze. She looked back down quickly. Why was it that she was always going to be an issue between Martin and his father? Still, if they had been arguing about her again then at least that meant Martin still cared enough to stand up for her and ignore what his father had to say.
"Yeah, I saw him earlier as well." Jack said grimacing. "Okay, new case in: Sarah Freedman, 23, works part time in a 'gentleman's' club on 42nd Street."
"Yeah, I know it." Martin said. Everyone turned to look at him and Danny's face broke into a grin. "I pass it on my way home – it's near where I live." he said, explaining himself quickly.
Jack hid a smile and continued. "She's been missing for 30 hours, last seen at the club on Wednesday night. So far we one suspect: Harry Stiles. 40 year-old, divorced twice – had a run-in with Sarah last month. Most of the girls in the club do more than just lap-dance and strip, but she refused his offer of $250 for a night at his place. Apparently he had been pestering her for the last three weeks and the owner had to throw him out a few times but he always managed to crawl his way back in. We think maybe he has an accomplice inside the club."
"Did anyone see anything on the night?"
"We've had no reports and no one's saying anything." Vivian answered. "We're running out of leads."
"Okay, Martin and Samantha I want you to run a search on all the girls that work in the club and any regulars. Vivian, talk to the parents again. Danny you're coming with me to question the boss." Jack ordered.
The other three left the office and Samantha walked up to Martin and dropped a pile of files on his desk. "Fifty-two lap-dancers - all of them potential accomplices." she sighed, pulling up a chair. "We practically had to threaten Donald Yates, the boss to get hold of these.
Martin took his bag off the desk to make way for the files. He took the top file and opened in it. Fastened to the top was a very risqué picture of Debbie 'Cherry' Liton. "Debbie Liton, 28, lives in Brooklyn ….. blahdeeblah ……… size of breasts …. preferred underwear ……. special moves ………. These are some files." he said raising his eyebrows.
Samantha looked over. "You like red headed strippers with large assets because I've got another one here." she said waving a file at him.
"You know that I only like pretty blonde FBI Agents." Martin said tongue in cheek grinning at her.
Samantha laughed and dropped her eyes to the file in front of her. She remembered that day, ten years ago, walking home from the cinema when they had laughed about the film and she'd teased him about the female lead in it. The irony in it.
Samantha glanced over another file with a faint hint of a smile on her lips. Martin's cool, distant façade that he had had the day that he had returned from the hospital hadn't lasted and by the next morning he was back to his normal cheerful self. Now that everything was out in the open, they hadn't talked about the past again, but the air between them had cleared as if they came to a mutual understanding that it was necessary if they were going to be working together. Their friendship was slowly growing back and they even managed the old laughing and joking with each other. It brought back memories of how happy Samantha had been back then ……. Martin had always been able to make her laugh, have fun and feel good, and nothing had changed.
Before Martin had joined the team, Danny used to often joke that whenever Samantha laughed then something was definitely wrong, but these past few weeks since things between her and Martin had got better, she always seemed to be laughing at his immature behaviour or witty remarks coupled with her sarcasm. There were times when they were alone together, like now, looking through files or statements or working on a report together that their conversation would take on a bit of a …. flirtatious nature? She wasn't even aware she was doing it half the time, and she was sure Martin wasn't 'flirting' but just being his relaxed, charming self which is what had made Samantha fall for him in the first place …. ……
"Look at this one." Martin said, drawing Samantha out of her thoughts. "Stacie 'Blossom' Jones." he said, showing Samantha a picture of a tall, slender, very pretty brunette, dressed in a golden costume revealing most of her chest area. "Some one's scribbled 'Queen' next to it, watcha reckon that means?"
"In a strip club there's always going to be a dominant one, the ring-leader, the one who's most 'successful' at her job and I'm guessing that Yates has nominated Blossom as being the one. She'll probably get paid a little bit more and will be used to pull the rich, hardcore business men and not the regular sleaze monkeys that go to these joints night after night." she explained, looking back down at Yvette 'Star' Olderton's file. Martin didn't move and she could feel his eyes on her. "What?" she questioned, looking up again.
"How come you know so much about the innermost workings of a strip club?" he asked, a smile hovering on his lips.
"What are you suggesting?" she challenged.
"Nothing. I mean I don't have a problem with women earning a little bit of extra money ….. you've got nothing to be ashamed off." Martin said, leafing through another file.
Samantha grabbed the nearest file and whacked Martin over the head with it repeatedly.
"Okay, okay, I was only joking." he said, surrendering. "Still, I think you'd look kinda good in all this skimpy stuff." he muttered under his breath playfully.
"Don't make me hurt you." she threatened, turning her back, before Martin could see her smile. "You know, we're never going to get anywhere by doing this. I'm going to run through the list of customers." she said getting up. "I'll leave you with your files of half-naked women." she said to Martin before walking back over to her desk.
Martin watched her walk away and his face broke into a grin. There was never any chance that he was going to be able to stay mad at her. The irony was that she was the reason his left arm was so badly hurt but when he was with her, she took away the frustration he felt at not being able to go out on the field with the rest of them. He couldn't understand it but it was like their eighteen year-old selves interacting in the present day environment. His feelings for Samantha had never gone away – that was one of the main reasons he had been prepared to risk everything to save her – and now they were actually talking to each other like they used to, he couldn't deny that the attraction between them was growing as strong as it was ten years ago. But no matter what, she had hurt him – and hurt herself in the process - and it was going to be awhile before either of them had the courage to put themselves on the line again.
"Hey, you have Hailey Rogers' file there?" Samantha called.
Martin dug through the pile. "Uhuh," he said opening it and walking over. "Her most regular customer is ….. Harry Stiles."
"Bingo." Samantha muttered, leaning back in her chair, pleased at her success.
"Well done." Martin said.
"Okay so Stiles gets Hailey to help him kidnap or murder Sarah Freedman……. maybe he offers her a lot of money to do it …." Samantha mused aloud.
"Why would Harry Stiles want to go to so much trouble to harm Sarah just because she won't sleep with him?" Martin asked. "It doesn't make sense. There's got to be more going on below the surface."
"Well, we're about to find out what." Samantha said, getting up from her desk and sitting down at the conference table as Jack, Danny and Vivian came back.
"Drugs." Jack stated firmly, pulling out a chair. "According to Yates, they have a bit of a drug 'problem' there. All we could get out of him was that Stiles is the big supplier, Sarah was doing coke but couldn't come up with the money to pay for her last batch, Stiles said he'd forget about the debt if she'd sleep with him ……"
"Well, the parents don't have a clue about her drug problem." Vivian sighed. "Or about her job."
"Did you find out anything about accomplices?" Jack asked turning to Martin and Samantha.
"Yeah. Hailey Rogers. Apparently she's 'reserved' for Stiles only." Samantha said. "She's got a record for petty theft but that's it."
"So Stiles and Rogers take Sarah because she hasn't been keeping up with her payments and do what with her?" Danny asked.
"I don't know. If he's a drug dealer, he's going to want to get the money out of her, not murder her. Maybe he's bribing her boyfriend, carrying out a quiet ransom ……." Jack sighed.
"There's no record of a regular boyfriend in Sarah's life." Martin said.
"Maybe her parents aren't telling the truth."
"Yeah, maybe." said Vivian.
"You said Harry Stiles was a regular at the club …… How regular?" Jack asked Samantha.
"You got a plan?" questioned Danny.
"Maybe." Jack said.
"Erm, 5 nights a week from 8 until midnight. Like clockwork." Samantha reported, looking up from the file.
"Right." Jack said, looking squarely at the rest of the team. "My guess is that he's going to turn up there as usual tonight – he'll want to deal and get more dole in, plus it'll avoid arousing suspicion if he's there as usual. Hailey will show up as well. They'll probably leave Sarah locked away somewhere………. we're gonna go undercover on this one. Get in there, watch their movements, arrest them for possessions of drugs, get them to speak. Everyone get the idea?"
They all nodded. Martin sighed. He guessed that this would mean another evening stuck in the office alone finishing up paperwork whilst everyone else was out on this case.
"Danny, I want you to go in." Jack said. Danny nodded. There was a pause as if Jack was running something over in his mind. "Martin too." he said at last.
Martin looked surprised. "Seriously?"
Jack smiled. He knew how much giving him a chance to be active in a case again would mean to Martin. "You up for it?"
"Definitely." Martin grinned.
"Good because I can hardly send Viv or Sam in there and I think Maria would never let me in the house again if I went." Jack laughed. "We're gonna do surveillance round the back and have NYPD covering the front. Danny, Martin do you want to go and get ready?"
They nodded and headed off, laughing and joking with each other at the thought of the potential fun this case could bring. Samantha looked at Jack unsurely. "Jack, do you think it's wise putting Martin in there?" Samantha said, wringing her hands together.
"According to the recuperation report, the lack of feeling in his left arm isn't hindering his ability as an Agent at all." Jack said.
"I know but if something went wrong ……. he's still got the bandage …. and is it worth the risk?"
Jack looked at her. "I wouldn't send him on this if I thought he wasn't fully ready." Samantha opened her mouth to say something but Jack interrupted. "I know that you feel personally responsible for his safety right now, after everything, but this will be good for him, I promise."
………………………………………………
The five of them stood near the white van in the back alley, Danny and Martin dressed in jeans and casual shirts.
"I wouldn't put your gun in your pocket." Martin said, looking over at Danny. "They'll probably go down there."
Danny looked at him and grinned. "Well, what did you do with yours?" he demanded.
Martin rolled up his trouser leg to reveal his gun wedged in the side of his shoe and some rope tying it to his leg. Samantha saw the scars still very visible on his legs and felt a pang of guilt again.
"Good thinking." Danny said, doing the same, as Martin rolled his jeans back down again.
"Okay, are you both wired?" Jack asked finishing up his call.
"Yeah, I'm modelling the latest technology. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the microphone watch." Danny answered, revealing what would look like an ordinary watch to the untrained eye.
"Martin?"
"Mike's concealed under the bandages." he said, lifting up his left arm.
"We've managed to hack into the club's CCTV and we'll be watching your every move from the van." Jack explained. "You both clear what you're doing?" They nodded. It was starting to drizzle and Samantha shivered in her thin FBI jacket. "I want you to avoid having too much fun in there." Jack said pointedly. "Focus."
Danny laughed and Martin smiled but frankly he was actually quite nervous. First day out on the field and he gets this job: he needed this to go smoothly. He had something to prove to himself - and to Jack for putting faith in him. He glanced down at Samantha who was standing next to him.
She caught his gaze. "You'll be fine." she smiled touching his arm before climbing into the van.
Martin took a deep breath. "Okay, let's go." he said determinedly.
"Behave yourself." Vivian warned with a smile.
Samantha sat down in a tight corner in front of a buzzing computer screen and pulled on her headset. "Samantha, I want you to monitor Martin, Vivian you got Danny. If there's any sign that Stiles is about to do a runner then we need to get in there." Jack instructed.
Samantha nodded and selected Camera one which was situated at the doorway of the club. Two busty blondes were standing there, luring customers in: A businessman, a civil servant …. and then Martin and Danny. She zoomed in on Martin and followed him as he moved across the screen. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach which were usually only reserved for when she was undercover herself, now she was anxious on Martin's behalf. Her resurfacing feelings for him were starting to scare her.
Martin and Danny had hardly stepped into 'Calypso's Cave' Club when hands came out of nowhere to tug on their shirts and draw them in. They made their way over to the bar together as planned. Martin ordered a drink from the bartender - who was basically wearing three belts strategically placed so you could just about call them clothes – and Danny drifted away as a dark-haired, Italian-looking girl approached him.
Multi-coloured lights and strobe lighting flashed across the room. Girls were 'dancing' together in booths in the corners whilst some others fondled each other on tables in the middle of the room as men leered and touched them. 'Somebody Told Me' by The Killers blared out from the stereo.
Martin had been to a strip-club a couple of times for his friends' stag nights but frankly he found the whole thing rather amusing. He glanced behind him. Danny was grinning as his girl climbed onto his lap. Martin laughed to himself.
"Hello handsome." someone purred into his ear and a pair of nicely manicured hands started massaging his shoulders. The girl then moved round and drew a stool right up close to Martin before sitting down on it, leaning into him. She was tall, slender and a very pretty brunette, her face was plastered in make-up and she was wearing a very tight, a very short and a very low-cut strapless 'dress.' He guessed that it could be called a dress but it more like a top with some frills at the bottom which constituted the 'skirt' part. Her long legs were covered in fishnet tights but her frilly underwear was plainly visible underneath as she crossed her legs. She looked oddly familiar ……. Martin was sure he'd seen her before …….
Samantha chuckled at the screen.
"What's funny?" Jack asked, peering over her shoulder.
"Martin's landed himself the big fish. Stacie 'Blossom' Jones – without her there would be no club." Samantha explained, focussing back on the screen.
"Awwwh, soldier-boy, someone's wounded." Blossom said reaching over, holding Martin's hand and stroking the bandage softly with her other hand.
"Yeah, some thug stuck a knife in it whilst I was out on the beat." Martin said, playing up the part. She looked at him eyebrows raised. "I'm a cop." he explained.
"Not on the job tonight I hope." Blossom said guardedly.
Martin laughed. "No, I'm here purely for pleasure." he said, relaxing his posture and opening his legs invitingly. She seemed convinced and climbed on him straddling him.
"Didn't happen to bring your handcuffs along with you?" she asked, drawing him into a kiss, her hands in his hair, massaging his head. Martin groaned and leant back in his seat. She tasted of coconut and smelt irresistible. It reminded him of how long it had been since he was with someone.
"No." he answered.
"Shame, we could have made use of them later." she said seductively, trailing kisses from his mouth, down his neck and along his collarbone.
Martin looked over her shoulder and scanned the club for any sign of Stiles and Hailey. Now he understood Jack's warnings. It sure was easy to lose concentration in a room full of scantily clad women, especially with such a fine specimen on his lap …………. "Is Sarah Freedman working tonight?" he asked, trying to see whether he could get anything out of Blossom.
Blossom looked at him, mock-offendedly. "Aren't I good enough for you tiger?" she asked.
"Oh no, this is good …" Martin said hastily, not wanting to offend her and arouse suspicions. She went back to sucking on his neck and he moved his hands up slowly from where they had been resting on her waist. "I was just thinking for later …. maybe you, me and her could get a room somewhere ….." he added, glad that she couldn't see the cheeky expression he had on his face. He knew that Vivian, Samantha and Jack would be cracking up, listening to him in the van right now.
"Oh, so you're that kind of guy are you?" Blossom replied, running her tongue over her lips. "Well I'm sorry to say that Sarah's got the week off ……. but I'm sure we can find someone else." she said, pressing her lips against Martin's again and letting her tongue explore his mouth. He let his hands wander a bit as she started running one of her hands under his shirt and letting the other one explore lower.
"Well, looks like our boys are getting more action that they've had for awhile." Vivian said.
"Yeah." Jack laughed.
Samantha shifted in her seat. It had really started raining now and every drop which bounced off the metal roof echoed round the van. She must be crazy to even feel the tiniest bit jealous of Martin and the girl. He was doing this for the job and she was nothing more than a higher-class whore. It didn't mean anything. Why did she care anyway that she was having to watch him make out with a girl anyway? It shouldn't bother her this much!
"Any sign of Hailey Rogers and Harry Stiles yet?" Jack asked.
"No." Samantha replied, as did Vivian.
Martin drew himself out of his wildest fantasies and began to focus again. As the crowd started to move away from the bar he could see Harry Stiles with Hailey on his lap, doing business with a couple of men in the corner. Martin reached into his jeans pocket and drew out a wad of notes. "Hey, you couldn't go get me some could you?" he said handing Blossom the money and nodding over at Stiles.
She glanced at the money. "Oooh, you're a bad boy then?" she said, her lips widening into a grin.
Martin shrugged and took a sip of his beer as she climbed off his lap. He loosened his shirt. It was really hot in here. He turned round to look at Danny. His girl was rubbing herself up and down him and Martin didn't even want to see where her hands were but Danny's eyes were open and staring right back at him, signalling that he understood that Martin had done phase one. Martin turned round and watched Blossom hand Stiles the money. Stiles glanced over in his direction and Martin gave a small nod. It wasn't long before Blossom came back over and sat back on him. "It's down there." she said, motioning to her bra.
Martin reached up and took out the small bag of powder, trying not to let his fingers touch too much. "Okay thanks." he said, then he gently pushed the girl off his lap and handed her another wad of money. "I'm gonna take a breather now." he muttered.
Blossom looked mildly irritated but Martin didn't have time to bother about hurting the pride of some call-girl. Danny, seeing Martin stand up, had also paid off his girl and they both began to walk slowly over to Stiles.
Hailey had seen the two Agents approaching and muttered something in Harry Stiles' ear. He looked at Martin and Danny suspiciously before standing up quickly and pushing through the crowd to the back door.
"Okay, he's running for it." Samantha said, alerting the other two. Jack opened the van door and jumped out.
Martin pulled out his gun. "FBI." he shouted. The hordes of girls started screaming and Stiles started to run, followed closely by Hailey. He and Danny followed him but he got to the back door and pushed it open out onto the alley. Martin was closer and ran outside. It was pouring down with rain. Stiles was legging it down the alley away from Jack and the other guys. He started running after him as fast as he possibly could. He felt like he was back in High School, running for the ball in football. "FBI. Stop." he shouted again. Stiles came to a dead end and hesitated for a moment, just long enough for Martin to gain on him. He pushed him to the ground and onto his back, not caring that the suspect's face was pushed into the dirty water of a puddle. "You're under arrest for the possession of Class A drugs and for the abduction of Sarah Freedman." he said, breathing heavily, fumbling with the handcuffs. He groaned in frustration as the wet bandages on his left arm, the rain and the lack of touch in his hand made it hard to open the cuffs but he managed it at last.
Samantha watched the suspect and the girl run out from the Fire Exit door, closely followed by Martin and Danny. Hailey started running the other way, towards them, not seeing the Agents hiding in the dark shadows. Jack and Vivian jumped out. "Stop! FBI!" they shouted but Hailey kept on running. Samantha raced after her and leapt on her, pushing her to the ground. She struggled and attempted to fling Samantha off of her but she wrestled her onto her back and cuffed her.
NYPD came to take the suspects away and the five of them came back together under the pouring rain. "Well done everyone." Jack said, looking at Martin. Martin smiled. Samantha tried to stop herself from being distracted by how awfully cute he looked in a wet shirt with his hair plastered to his head and water falling down his face. "It's getting late now …. the other team will finish up getting it out of Stiles where Sarah is, but we still need to debrief back at the office ……."
"Oh come on Jack, we're soaking wet." Vivian moaned.
"Hey, my place is just round the corner. We could go back there, change into some dry clothes and debrief over beer and pizza." Martin offered.
Jack hesitated.
"Please." Danny pleaded. "We're soaked to the bone and unless you want us all off work with pneumonia ……."
"Okay." Jack said reluctantly.
Martin grinned. "It's five minutes round the block." he said, leading them over there. Samantha fell into step beside him as Danny hung back laughing with Jack and Vivian about his antics in the club.
"Great work tonight." Samantha said. The rain fell unceasingly and she was staring to feel cold.
"Thanks." he smiled. "Quite ironic that I ended up with Blossom, eh?"
"Yeah." she laughed.
He leant down. "Don't worry, she wasn't my type either." he muttered confidentially.
"Why do I care if she was?" Samantha retorted.
Then suddenly the tone changed. It wasn't playful teasing anymore.
"I don't know. Do you care?" Martin asked, looking down at her, meeting her gaze.
There was a long pause.
"Oi Martin! How much further?" Danny called. "I'm so wet it's like I've been swimming with my clothes on!" he moaned.
Martin looked away from Samantha. "We're here." he said, walking up to the doorway of a large impressive block of apartments.
A/N:- And so this case brought a little bit of fun for Marty and I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't kinda fun to write. Would just like to point out that having never been in a strip-club myself, I had to stretch the powers of my imagination to write this chapter! Sit tight for the next chapter!