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Chapter 12.
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'Dance with the death'
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Wednesday
Tom gasped suddenly coming back to consciousness. His mind noticed strange change in the air around as if everything tensed waiting for something coming. He felt some strange warmness moving down his cheek towards neck. Hanson wrenched his head on his side trying to get rid of it and opened his eyes to see what caused that warm sensation. He surely didn't want any rodent to close to him too much not to mention touch his face. But as soon as his eyes accustomed with the bright light coming from the bulb in the ceiling he regretted it wasn't a rat. All his still a bit blurry vision was filled with Guardian's amused face, his hand closing back to Tom's face again. The young cop jerked himself back disgusted and ignoring pain the movement caused he struck forcefully Guardian's hand with sweeping movement of his arm .
"Don't touch me you sick bastard!"
At that unexpected and insolent action Guardian's face changed abruptly into almost hateful and cruel.
"Don't you dare..." he started and slapped his victims face forcefully to mark his words. Tom blinked at sudden stinging in his right cheek. Even though the feeling fuelled his anger at treatment he recieved and he struggled even stronger to get rid of the man, he didn't have chance to do this. Guardian with no effort managed to avoid the smaller man's attacs and then continued:
"... to hit me anymore!" With following much stronger slap he sent Tom's head on his side. Then quickly he immobilized Tom's arms with one hand and with another catched his hair forcing his head brutally back. He cast a look on the defeated and defenceless form lying under him and smiled at the sight of the exposed neck. He closed-up his face and almost touching Tom's ear he whispered:
"Soon you will beg me to touch you like that, Tommy. When Jimmy finishes asking you questions, you will even start to like this." After he said that he strengthed the grip on his prisoner's hair and started to move his tongue along Hanson's bare neck. The young officer gritted his teeth with disgust and struggled to move himself away from Guardian. The older man just laughed aloud at those vainly efforts and with malicious pleasure moved his wet tongue and lips up Tom's neck reaching the top of his chin and then, to Tom's horror, touched his lips.
"Oh God, no!" Tom forced his head away and yelled with all his power hoping the action itself will cause the nightmare to stop. It was too much for the young cop so he started again writhing himself desperately in the strong Guardian's grip trying simultaneously to forget about the pain in his body and the rising bile in the stomach. In the mean time he managed somehow to free his hands and move them towards his tormentors' neck and squeeze it forcefully, adrenaline and fear giving him strength he needed. Guardian surprised of this action moved himself back and catched Tom's arms trying to break his grip before he will choke to death. Unfortunately for him he lost his balance and fell on the floor forcing the young cop to follow him. Tom, not aware how and when, found himself on the top of Guardian's body with his hands still cutting off flow of the air to his tormentor's lungs.
The fight wasn't long after that. Tom who still wasn't fully aware of his doings beginning it, didn't take into account the presence of another person in his cell. He paid for that being brutally kicked off from the top of Guardian's body. The fog of pain covered Hanson's mind as he landed hardly on the floor. But still with the adrenaline in his veins he felt he could fight his captors so he struggled awkwardly to get back on his feet.
In this time, with Jimmy's help, extremely furious Guardian managed to get on his feet and close to Tom, who supporting himself on his elbows tried in vain to get up. The older man took off his cloak and handed it to his companion. Then he sent first vicious kick into Tom's ribs saying:
"Clearly you can't wait when you will dance with the death, huh?"
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Thursday
"Shit!" Judy irritated reached for something she could vent her frustration on and threw it ahead which met with somebody's "Ouch!" but she missed it and furiously stood up and started walk around her desk for about tenth time this afternoon.
"Judy!" Doug's voice was resigned. "Would you please quit throwing your books on me? Note that we need every good working and undamaged head."
"Oh, sorry Doug."
"I think nothing can harm your head anymore, Doug. Your head is a hopeless case..." Ioki commented his partners' words, trying to enlighten their moods a bit, but he was interrupted by a loud shout.
"Gotcha!" Dennis shouted to the display of the computer he was still working on, throwing his arms up in a gesture of victory.
"Something interesting, Dennis?" Doug closed to him with hope followed by Judy and Ioki.
"Well..." Dennis tried to hide the pride in his voice, but failed it. "I managed to get to the private files of FBI. I think..."
"What!" The three cops cried in unison highly surprised.
"You've broken into FBI database?" Doug asked with admiration.
"It is illegal, Dennis! You can't enter FBI archives just like that without consequences!" Judy was terrified.
"I know that, Jude but they didn't give us chance, did they? Huh?"
"What do you expect to find there, Booker?" Doug cut off the conversation willing to check what informations they would get from their new source. He completely ignored Hoffs' accusing stare.
"But Doug!" Judy shouted, she just couldn't believe her ears. "It is illegal!"
"Give it up, Judy." Ioki catched her arms willing to calm the young women down. "You won't win with them."
"I don't believe, you too Ioki?"
"The evil is already done." Ioki answered matter of factly. "Let's use it until we have the opportunity. Maybe it is the only way to find Tom." Though in spite what he had already said, he didn't like the idea of breaking the law messing with FBI.
"Oh." Judy stared at him for a moment. Ioki's mention about Tom had awoken her worries and melted down all her anger and fear about breaking the law. "Okey. Dennis could you enlighten us what's in your head?"
"Of course." He smiled. "As you know Guardian didn't act in our city all the time. I am going to find out where he was working before and how. And I want to get know about him as much as possible. Maybe he uses some kind of scheme."
"But question is how are you going to start." Judy asked.
"Erm... I thought about checking his connection with Jimmy Clarke for beginning and then... well..."
"Maybe you should..." Doug started excited. He got an idea. "Maybe you should look there for another satanistic sects connected with drugs traffic and rapes. You know, maybe somewhere there between them you will find Guardian."
"That's an idea." Dennis answered.
"And I think we should ask for help some priest or specialist who is familiar with satanistic sects." Doug continued. "Maybe he could give us some clues."
"Mhm..." Dennis raised his brows surprised, and then with a smile looking straight at Penhall he commented. "You know, maybe Judy should throw books on your head bit more often. You're getting ideas after that."
"Well, every way is good." Doug smiled back to Dennis.
"But..." groaned Judy looking at them astonished. It was unbelieveable for her Doug and Dennis talked with each other without constant snapping. Though their new relationship didn't bother her too long because she was concerned about Tom much more and she was disappointed at their ideas. "I thought after risking our carriers you will think of something more spectacular."
"What did you expect Judy?" Dennis asked. "To find in the FBI archives ready map leading to Tom?"
"No, it's just..." She suddenly felt tears filling her eyes. "I can't wait. I am so scared about him. What is happening with him now."
Doug approached the female officer and put his arms around her. His eyes became wet as well.
"So are we."
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