Chapter 14-Life and Death

Randi clung to Sully. The dog knew she was scared and he stood firm next to his mistress. Officers started to arrive due to the shift ending. Jimmy and Lt. Swetzsky had put crime tape around the cars and the surrounding area. Bosco was just pulling into the lot when the Luitenant came up to him.

"Bosco I need to talk to you."

"Yeah leiu. Can it wait till I get inside?"

"No. Bosco it's Randi." Bosco turned and looked at him. "Take a deep breath." Bosco rolled his eyes.

"Come on Leiu. What about Randi?"

"She's in front standing on a trigger pad for a bomb planted under her RMP." Bosco felt a little weak.

"What the hell…how?

"She went outside for some air. Doherty was talking to her and she went to pet Sully and found the bomb and noticed she was standing on the trigger." Swetzsky took a step toward Bosco. "I need you to tell Sully. The bomb squad is on its way. Faith, can you come up front with me? I think Randi needs a friendy face."

"Yeah Boss. Bosco are you alright?"

"Yeah." He turned and went to the back door. "Faith…tell her I'll be right there. I just need to get Sully."

"I'm on it partner." Faith followed the Luietenant to where Randi sat. "Hey girlfriend. Heard you started a party without me." Randi looked up.

"Sorry. You know how I am. When the time is right I just take it and go." Faith thought she looked tired. She was down on one knee.

"Bosco's getting your dad. He'll be right out."

"I'm getting a cramp in my calf. I…I'm not sure how long I can hold this."

"You'll hold it till the bomb squad figures out how to get your ass out of the mess you've gotten it into." Bosco came down the front steps. "Don't you dare give up Maloney, Miranda, Randi."

"Who said I was giving up." She smiled. "I just said I was in pain." He came down and stood right next to her.

"You need to step back Bocso."

"I'm not going anywhere." He nelt down next to her. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Tell me this isn't going to end badly."

"It's not going to end badly."

"You're lying to me Bosco. Please take care of my dad. Please."

"You're going to be around a long time to take care of the cranky old coot."

"I heard that Bosco." Sully came to them. "Everyting's going to be fine Randi. Bomb squad is here and they are assesing the situation. We are getting you out of here." The commander came and cleared everyone out. Sully and Bosco told him they wern't leaving.

"Go. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to the two of you. Please. This is my mess." Niether man moved. The cammander looked at Randi.

"You know anything about the bomb?"

"Just the prick who put it there is an expert. There's about a pound of C4. Most likely military grade." She closed her eyes and tried to remember everything she saw before she heard the click of the pressure pad. "One color wire that I saw. Red. Flashing red light. No timer that I could see either."

"So let's hope he isn't somewhere with his finger on the trigger." Randi looked at the commander of the bomb sqaud.

"I know he's around. He's blond about six two, a tatoo on his left hand of an eagle. Last time I saw him he had a black leather jacket on." Randi took a deep breath. "He's psyco and he wants me dead." She looked at Bosco. "He hated to see me happy."

"Randi…"

"I was happy. With you. Us together Bosco."

"Randi this isn't the time." He looked at her. Her eyes were so much like her father's.

"I never thought I would't have time. Even with Dan on my ass all the time. I thought I had all the time in the world to tell you I love you Boscorelli, Marice, Bosco." She looked at him. "You don't have to say it back. I just know…that if I don't say it now…"

"Randi…I love you too." He touched her cheek. Sully wined. "I love you too boy." He scanned the area around them. "He's here. He wouldn't go this far not to see his handy work."

"Yeah. Let's hope his real disappointed." The bomb squad commander came up to them.

"My people have never seen anything like whats under that car." He shook his head. "Not even my militaty guys."

"Then get everyone the hell out of here."

"See little lady I can't do that. I've never left a man…"He cleared his throat. "Or woman behind. So we have to do this one of two ways. We have you jump behind the burrier and hope it's strong enough to keep you safe."

"And the other way?"

"We hook you to a high speed crane and have you lifted out."

"I never was too fond of hights." She looked at Sully. "But I can't jump. Not without loosing my dog and my legs are too stiff."

"Okay then the crane it is. Hook her up boys." Two men came up and gentally hooked a belt around her waist.

"Fear Factor has nothing on these guys." Randi smiled. "Bosco this is going to work. You're the one who told me this wasn't going to end badly." He looked at her and pushed a stray hair away from her cheek.

"I did say that didn't I." He looked at John Sullivan standing a few feet away. Randi had saved him from something none of them could imagian. He had been in his own hell. This woman had saved them both. Now her life hung in the balance. If she died they would be back in hell. This time he was afaid that neither of them could pull out of it. "It can't end any other way then ok."

"Boscorelli, I need you to fall back."

"Yeah. I'll see you back down here in a few minutes…okay?"

"Okay." Randi clung to her partner. "We're going to be okay Sully. Bosco said."

"Okay Randi we're going to count down from ten. When we get to one we're going to yank you. Hold on tight to the dog or he'll go flying." Randi knodded and clung to Sully. She closed her eyes and clung to Sully for dear life.

Bosco fell back to the safe zone. His eyes scanned the crowed behind the burrier. Rawlings was there. Somewhere close. He knew he wanted to see them suffer. He was a bastard and Bosco wanted him caught and this to be all over. He watched. He said a prayer. His mother would be proud of him. She never knew about the rosery he kept in his jacket pocket for occasions just like this one. Rose Boscorelli believed God was always around. Bosco believed God chose his battles. He hopped this battle was one he felt needed fighting. Faith came up behind him.

"She's a fighter Bosco." She put her hand on his shoulder. "I've been praying for them ever since we heard." She knew Bosco prayed at times like this. But lately his faith had dwindled. Things had happened in both of their lives making believing in God a little more difficult. She took his hand and held it. Miranda had made him believe in a lot of things lately. Maybe miricles were one of them because Faith knew that they needed one now. A big one.

"Faith?"

"Yeah Bos."

"Thank you. For being my friend when I didn't deserve it."

"Your welcome." Was all she said as the count down started.

Mirand held tight to Sully as the countdown got closer and closer to one. She sqeezed her eyes shut and prayed to God that she could hold on to Sully and that this would all be over in a few seconds. All she wanted it to crawl into a warm bed with her dog and the man she loved. She felt the tesion in the line and clung to her faithful partner.