Chapter 5: Not Exactly Unseen

"Okay, move outta my way, unless you want a kick in the head!" Ray shouted, pacing through the station to get to the questioning room where Colin was being held.

Fraser was trying to keep up, almost losing balance as he dodged fellow officers to reach the detective. "Ray...Ray! He may already be..."

"Ya, I know," Ray called back, still pacing. "He could be gone but I'm still gonna try to-" he stopped as he opened the door to the holding room, finding it empty. He slammed a fist on the door, spun around and jogged to the nearest window that overlooked the station's parking lot.

The Mountie, once again, swerved out of the way as he continued to follow the detective.

Kowalski shielded his eyes with a hand on his forehead as he scanned outside.

"There. There he is," he announced, pointing and headed for the parking lot.

Before the Ray could get very far, Welsh stepped out of his office. "Detective, what are you doing?" The Lieutenant crossed his arms.

Ray didn't stop, but was about to shout his answer when Fraser cut in, appearing at Welsh's side.

Welsh was watching the detective move while Fraser started to speak, removing his hat.

"I believe we're on the trail of Collin Nicholson, for he may be behind all those random assaults that have been occurring throughout the city, the last one being near Lincoln Park, Lieutenant," the Mountie explained, pronouncing 'Lieutenant' as 'Left-tenant', in the Canadian way.

The older superior reluctantly turned to look at Fraser. "And you have some sort of evidence?"

"Yes, sir." The Mountie didn't go into more detail. They needed to focus on catching the suspect as time was crucial.

"Okay, Constable. Just tell Vecchio that next time he is to check in with me. He's been 'forgetting' to do that pretty often now." The Lieutenant headed back into his office.

Fraser was about to respond, but thought better of it, and just nodded to no one in particular. He looked ahead to catch up with Kowalski, placing his Stetson on his head.

Kowalski was already in the car with the engine running, stopping only in front of the building's door for the Mountie to get in. The detective accelerated even before Fraser had a chance to close his door.

After securing the car door properly, Fraser looked over at Ray. "Francesca told me on the way out that he was put out on bail."

"Apparently," Kowalski said, with a hint of sarcasm.

Diefenbaker barked from the backseat.

The Mountie automatically turned around. "How did you…?" Then he shook his head to give up. Fraser went back to business.

"What vehicle is he driving?"

"Chevy. Beretta from '95...white. He just turned right. Hold on." Ray pumped up the speed as he swerved around some cars, getting some honks along the way.

Fraser held onto his seat as the detective did a wide turn that narrowly missed a couple cars.

Ray grinned and looked at his partner. "This is what I call driving for the law, Fraser."

His smile turned into a look of determination as he was slowly catching up with the alleged assailant.

The road was getting more and more abandoned as the minutes clicked by, just as the street had cleared when Nicholson was first caught.

"What exactly do you plan on doing if you stop him?"

"If, Fraser? IF? When I take him down, I'll…"

"Interrogate him? Arrest him on suspicion?"

"Well, ya. What, am I just suppose to let him go?"

There was quiet for a moment. It was broken by Fraser.

"Hm."

Ray thrust his head back in annoyance.

No one said anything more. Until Fraser did again.

"Hm."

"What!"

"Well, now that you've asked," Fraser replied, shifting in his seat and leaning forward, "I think it may be better if we just follow the suspect for a while, and see where he leads us."

Kowalski threw up his hands in protest. "And just trail the perp until the wee hours of the mornin'."

"Or until he commits a crime and we catch him in the act."

Ray hesitated. It would be a lot faster that way.

"Okay, you got me Fraser. Let's just hang back and see what happens."

They followed Nicholson to seemingly 'routine' places: a burger joint to eat, the bank,

gasoline station, and finally his apartment. The building was on the smaller side, more in the suburbs of Chicago.

Ray and Fraser were still waiting outside the suspect's apartment a little after midnight.

Kowalski's stomach grumbled, reminding him he had nothing all day except some coffee and part of a muffin. He was getting antsy.

"Hey, Fraser. Open up the dashboard and see if there's anything in there to eat."

The Mountie rummaged through until he found a half-empty bag of potato chips. He hesitantly held it up although he could tell the contents were old.

Ray ignored the implication and grabbed the bag, starting to munch on the food.

Dief howled in hunger and in disgust.

Not that he did his best thinking on an empty stomach, the detective conveniently remembered something: How did Nicholson get a vehicle to drive from the station when he had been on foot when they first snatched him?

The detective confessed his thoughts to Fraser as he offered some chips in holding out the bag. Fraser shook his head to the offer, and listened.

The Mountie agreed with what Kowalski was thinking. "So that means that either he stole the vehicle, or someone left it for him there."

"Probably option B." The chip bag got thrown into the back seat. Dief automatically put his nose in the bag.

"That is my assumption as well."

A couple minutes later, Nicholson, dressed in darker clothing, carefully emerged from the building and looked around.

Ray and Fraser had nothing to worry about because they hid themselves well.

The disguised individual then darted to his white Beretta, and starting driving.

Seconds later, the two law enforcers where on him.

"What's the point of disguising himself when that car gives him away? Kowalski considered aloud.

"That is an interesting observation, Ray." The Mountie paused. "You know, my father always told me that the best way to hide is in plain sight-"

"I bet he also told you that the best way to stay alive is to try and get killed."

"No, but you would think that logic like that would work," Fraser said, mulling over it.

The detective just slightly shook his head and concentrated on the road.

Seven minutes later, the detective and the Mountie saw Nicholson pull into some sort of private establishment with the closest neighbour being a mile away.

The establishment was about three stories high. It could almost pass for a large house if

not for the way it was fenced with wires, similar to that as if it was a private factory. The driveway ran about 300 metres in. There was only a couple other vehicles parked at the building.

Fraser looked at Ray in decision. "We need to get into the building."

Side note: Yes, a larger update! And thanks jessicajason, I corrected the error. That's what reviews are for:)