A/N: Here's the big moment! If you review (and I hope you do), please be kind I worked really hard on this scene and I'm still not quite happy with it, but couldn't really change it any more.
He didn't stop walking until he got into his car. Once he got in, he drove faster than he'd ever driven to get to the other side of town. As nonchalantly as he could, he walked through the lobby and to the staircase in the back. He knew the elevator didn't go to the roof, and he didn't want to see anyone else. As soon as he was in the staircase and away from any prying eyes, he started to run.
He had no idea what was waiting for him at the top of the stairs. He paused for only a second at the door. He could feel his heart racing, but he took a breath and took his gun out of his holster, turning the safety off. He opened the door, gun drawn.
His eyes swept the rooftop, finding them in the farthest corner from the door, which he was sure Truman had done intentionally. Even though he wasn't surprised, his heart leaped up to this throat when he saw Truman standing over Natalie. He hadn't bothered to disguise himself, he was wearing a regular old button down shirt and the same smug expression he'd always had on his face. Natalie, on the other hand, was clearly unconscious, her hands and feet bound, and her mouth taped over. She wore the blue shirt and tight jeans she'd worn the last time he'd seen her. She was drugged, he was sure, because of the pictures, but why he felt the need to bound and gag her was beyond him, especially with all the drugs he'd been pumping her with.
"Truman" he said, his gun steady on him.
"Surprised, McBain?"
"No" he said, "I knew it was you from the first note"
"Are there police officers on the way?"
"No" he said, "I came alone"
"So let's get down to business"
"What did you do to her?" he tried to keep his voice level.
"I'm a doctor, Lieutenant, I swore to do no harm"
"Start talking"
"If all goes according to plan, she'll be awake by the time we're done here"
"And if it doesn't go according to plan?"
"I have an insurance policy" he said, and he pushed his jacket back to show a holstered gun, "no one has to get hurt McBain"
John lowered his gun, but didn't holster it, "start talking"
"See, a few years ago, Natalie here got a claim to the Buchanan name and fortune" he said, "but Asa Buchanan, see, he was a philandering son of a bitch and he knocked up my mother with me"
John nodded, as though he didn't already know this.
"By the time Natalie Balsom became Natalie Buchanan, I was already through medical school, I was already practicing medicine in AC, just blocks away from where she was found" he said, "and I still haven't gotten my fair share. Why detective, does she get her share of that bastard's wealth when I have don't any of it? I'm his kid, she's his grandkid"
"I think you got the story a little wrong" he said.
"The point of the story is that I deserve to be recognized. More than she did. I deserve the money"
"I can't get you the money" he said.
"She can" he said, pointing to her.
"Yeah, you definitely got some details wrong there" he said.
"She doesn't have any money?" Truman asked.
John shook his head, "You see, Natalie didn't want to be an heiress. So, when she got the money after a few years, she put it in a trust fund for her kids, if she has any. She doesn't have any access to her trustfund"
"Why would she do that?"
"It's just who she is" John said, "but you're far too smart and too calculating to have brought me here to ask me about money"
"You're right" he said, "I've made my own fortune, I just want the recognition"
"You didn't want me alone for recognition"
"If I'm being honest, I didn't think you'd come. Didn't think you'd put justice on hold for your side piece"
"Don't call her that" he said.
"You're still looking for your father's murderer?"
"Yes" he said.
"And you're still looking at me?"
"yes" he said, "because you did it"
"What proof of that do you have?"
"We got David's account of the night, we got the autopsy report, we have the bullet" he said, "if we got the gun, I'd have you dead to rights" he said, "and then there are your other crimes"
"I haven't committed any crimes, your father's murder included"
"Well, we know that's not true" John said, "because you somehow got Margret to lose her memory and you kidnapped her child. And that, that there's proof of. Plus the forgery, which there's also proof of" he paused, "and that's all before we get into this"
"I'm not in a jailcell"
"Why did you bring me here?" John said.
"See if you're interested in a bargain"
"I'm listening"
"Natalie, here, well, she's seen better days"
"What do you mean? What did you do to her?"
"Nothing that, if managed correctly, will kill her" he said, "but you know, people make mistakes all the time. Who's to say the next dose will be correct"
"What did you give her?"
"A concoction of my own creation, a mild dose won't do much, just act as a sedative. Too much, though, and, organs could start failing" he said.
"How did you manage to make that, Dr. Truman?"
"Don't worry about that" he said, "What you should worry about is the amount I have in here"
John watched as he pulled a vial out of his pocket.
"This is far too much of that drug I mentioned" he paused, putting the vial back in his pocket, "I also have a special-order Colt"
"What do you want, Truman?" he asked. The special-order Colt wasn't lost on him, but he couldn't engage in that right now. Truman wanted to be sure he knew he could kill her, and he knew that if he bided his time long enough, he might end up with back up.
"You need to stop this tirade against me" he continued, "I am innocent, and you cannot keep putting the idea that I'm guilty in people's heads. I have a career, I have a fiancée, I have the Buchanan trust all to keep and I can't do that with you insinuating I'm a criminal"
"I wouldn't have a case against you if-"
"I'd be careful if I were you, Lieutenant" Spencer said, "I have the upper hand, I have a drug, I have a gun, and I have Natalie"
"Natalie would fight you if you gave her half a chance, I bet that's why you need her drugged"
"I'll kill her and I'll make you watch" he yelled as he took his gun out of his holster.
John raised his gun at him, "Watch it" he said.
"Are you going to drop the cases?"
"That's not my call"
"Then I guess I kidnapped the wrong girlfriend. Should I just make her collateral damage?"
"No" John yelled, and he knew immediately he'd done it too fast, shown his hand, risked both their lives. Now he had to play ball with the guy and hope Bo was on his way with the warrant.
"So let's make a deal" Truman said, "Drop the case"
"I can't do that" John said.
"What's the evidence you have?"
John took a beat before he answered, he wracked his brain looking for a way out of this. His eyes went to Natalie. Her hair was blocking her face, and he wished he could see her face. It was always so peaceful when she was asleep.
"McBain, you have to start talking"
"The first count will probably be the forgery" he said.
"What's the evidence?"
"The contract you had Lenny Kravitz sign" his eyes didn't falter from Natalie.
"Contract?"
The question sounded fake to his ears. He and Bo had been right after all, he was starting to go off the rails.
"Yeah, we found it in your safe deposit box"
"I don't have a safe deposit box"
"Well, you don't have one in your name"
John heard the silence. Maybe he was bested. Maybe he was calculating his next move. Either way, John knew he had to look back at him in case he had to prepare for the worst. He wanted Natalie to wake up, he wanted her to be okay, but for her to be okay, he had to protect her now. He put his eyes back on Truman.
While Truman still had the gun in his hand, but it was down. The look in his eyes told John that he hadn't expected him to find the safe deposit in his father's name. It was a look of desperation. It was a look of panic. John knew whatever was coming next wasn't going to be easy. He hoped that warrant was coming through soon.
"You found the safe deposit box?"
"Yeah" he said.
"And everything that was in there? The police have all of it?"
"Yeah" he said.
In the distance, John heard sirens. He hoped they were coming here, for back up. He wasn't sure how much longer before Truman snapped.
"I need the money" Truman said.
"Truman, we've already been over this" John said.
"Situation's changed"
The sirens got closer.
"It's over, Truman, they're going to be here any minute" John said.
"No" he said, "there's got to be-" he paused, and he raised his gun on John, "you're one of them. They won't take me if I threaten to kill you"
John raised his gun at him, "I wouldn't try that"
Truman's eyes went all over the roof, and John knew he was trying to find an escape. Trying to find any way to get out of this.
"Then, maybe I'll try and get you to negotiate on my behalf" he switched his gun to Natalie's motionless form.
"Truman, you can't. It'll just be another charge locking you up"
"You can make it all go away" Truman said, "You're running the department right now, you can make it all go away"
"No I can't, even if I could there's the judge who gave the warrant, there's the Internal Affairs office, and they watch my every move"
"So you're willing to give up on her to get me in a jail cell?"
John made sure his stance didn't waver. If he was going to snap, his response was going to have to be quick.
"I'm not giving up on Natalie. You're not going to hurt her anymore"
"Awful lot of faith you have in me when it seems I've got nothing to lose" Truman said.
"I don't have any faith in you" John said, "but I don't think you can add murder to your rap sheets with a witness staring at you"
"Unless I kill you too"
"Let's get this straight" John said, "you make any move to hurt her any more, I'll shoot you where you stand" he felt his resolve double. He wasn't going to let Natalie die, no matter what.
"What good will that do you? If you kill me, you'll go to jail and I won't face any charges"
"But Natalie will be alive"
"You're not giving me many options, Lieutenant" he said.
"It's over Truman. There's nothing to do"
"There's always something to be done, there has to be something to be done"
The sirens were getting louder, and John felt a sense of relief sneaking up on him. He knew it wasn't over yet, but at least he'd managed to hold him here.
"You got no moves left" John said, "Just put the gun down, leave the vial. Go peacefully"
"No" he said, "That's not the way this is going to end. I'm not going down now. I've got too much, my career, Blair-"
"It's all over, Truman" John said.
Spencer looked down for a moment, then trained the gun on him.
"Police don't shoot in a hostage situation" he said.
"This isn't a hostage situation"
Without breaking eye contact with him, Spencer moved the gun and clicked the safety off, recklessly aiming at Natalie. John felt that relief that had been sneaking in quickly vanishing.
"It seems to me I just have to pick my target carefully"
"Why don't you put the gun down" John said, adjusting his aim and taking a step towards Natalie.
"Don't get any closer to her" Spencer said, "I know what I'm doing. You won't let her get killed"
"You're not going to kill her" John said.
"So you'll drop it"
"I'll drop you first" John said.
"I wouldn't talk like that"
"Just telling you how it is" John said, "You're going down, and if you hurt her anymore, I will make sure you pay for it, one way or another"
"Sounds like a threat"
"It's a promise"