Plot: Marcus Pike heads a highly efficient task force for many years now and his career is going up and up. She on the other hand is trying to organize her life from a trying ordeal when an unexpected event put her life on a spin again.
AN: Marcus Pike was a guest character in the show The Mentalist. To that person who didn't like the character. I don't care if you like him or not. I will continue to write the story because THIS is MY story and you don't have the right to tell me what to post or not in MY own fan fiction page!
WARNING: TALK OF AND SCENES OF TORTURE & VIOLENCE
CHAPTER 14
I have sought this 'thing' they call peace;
But I have wolves howling in my veins.
~L.L. Musings~
"Hey, calm down. Tell me what happened." Sasha asks the woman.
"I went there,' the woman points, hand shaking, "with my boyfriend but we saw a man. He was standing over a woman, then…when he saw us he suddenly ran! There's so much blood! My boyfriend ran after the man….oh my God! That was horrible!" The woman brought a shaking hand to her lips. "Where's the ambulance?"
"Sasha!" From the darkness of the alley Marcus yells out. Sasha and the woman turn, "Drive! Hospital!"
"What's…?" It took a moment for Sasha to understand who Marcus carries in his arms. "Tessa? Tessa! Oh, my God!" Something rips as she hastily got down from her side of the car and ran to the driver's seat. "Shit!" She stops in front of the SUV and hitched up the annoying dress, the asphalt feels warm under her feet after she slides off her heels. "Fucking so high!" Grunting, getting up to the driver's seat was a struggle without Marcus to boost her and the narrow skirt isn't helping her. Sasha threw her heels on the floor of the front passenger seat so she could grab the bar up the door and pull herself up at the wheel just as Marcus opens the rear passenger door.
Tessa is as light as a feather in his arms when he picked her up from the gravel at the utility area. It feels like a déjà vu. This happened before.
Cleo, the cat.
The torn and broken feline Tessa wanted desperately to save.
Cautiously, like handling fragile crystal he places Tessa in the rear passenger seat. He makes sure that she wouldn't tip over or slump on the side. Her head lolls back on the seat, staining the leather dark. Despite the urgency of the situation he carefully and quietly closes the door to avoid jarring her more than necessary. With pained eyes Marcus couldn't help but stop and look at Tessa through the window, fists balled tightly. With eyes full of rage he tore his attention from her and ran to the other side of the car. He only slams the door after he lays Tessa in his lap wincing as she gasps and groans in pain. The velvet jacket would keep Tessa warm as first aid against the onset of shock.
Sasha is already moving the car forward as soon as Marcus had Tessa secured in his arms. "Marcus, " She said as she hit the brakes. She looks up at the rear view mirror. "It's Paul."
"Chief…!" Paul is a little breathless. "Who did this?" The light was harsh. The brutality that was done to Tessa would stay with him for a long time. "Is she…"
"Paul, Tessa left some of her things at the AC machine area. Over there." Marcus sounds remarkably calm and composed the way he points to the area. "Gather and bag them."
"Yes, chief."
"The woman over there the one who found Tessa she might have seen something, interview her. This is a crime scene. Understood?" His instructions were spat out. Angry.
"Yes, boss. Leave it to us." Paul looks over at Sasha who is crying quietly. "I'll call everyone."
"Thanks Paul. Let's go, Sasha."
"Who did this?" Sasha was getting angry by the minute as she drove out of the driveway and through the avenue. She honks the horn repeatedly.
"Mar…cus….?" Tessa's voice is thick and weak which scares Marcus.
"Hey Tessa….hi!" The pain in her voice almost implodes his heart. There's a feeling in his chest that he only felt the first time he lost a patient as a paramedic. It feels like his chest is quivering and he wants to fold his body over it.
"It hurts…hm!" she winces when the SUV slightly hit a bump.
"Sorry!" Sasha winces. "Sorry Tessa!"
"We're going to the hospital, my love. Hang in there. Please. What?" her voice is so weak Marcus had to bend so low to her lips. She reaches for his hand and traces lines on his palm again and again.
"C..p…" she breathed then went quiet; her cold finger curls on his palm.
"Tessa?" Fingers sought the pulse on her jugular, scared and afraid that he wouldn't feel anything there. "Tessa!"
"What's happening? Marcus! Talk to me!" Sasha's finger never left the horn as she speeds through the streets. They crossed intersections and even crossed red lights. "We're almost there." Sasha was glad to see ambulance trucks along the streets and the brightly lit driveway came to view. She came to a noisy halt at the emergency room entrance. "Help! We need help!
-o0o-
At the slam of the door Paul and the team turn.
"Tell me what you found."
The director is back.
They gape. All eyes were fixated on the front of the previously immaculate white evening shirt. The director came back wearing the same clothes. The jacket and tie were missing. Something else was gone but something else was supplanted. The voice. The eyes.
The eyes.
Paul clears his throat, the first who recovers. "It's the video feed from the entrance. It's ready. We're just gonna check that."
To Marcus the words felt like they were coming from the end of a tunnel. His hands went cold but his heart starts pounding madly. Marcus forgot who's gonna be in that video. Tessa with that man. No. Tessa and that man.
"Chief?" Paul and the others exchange glances. "How's Tessa?"
"Uh, yeah." Marcus blinks and focuses on Paul's voice. "We took her to the hospital and she's unconscious." Marcus said. For Marcus's team the word 'shaken' is the word they rarely use but that word is their word for today.
Paul feels pity on his boss but he doesn't want to show it out of respect. "Chief? We can do this by ourselves. Don't you wanna be with Tessa?"
"I wanna see this." Marcus shook himself out of his fear. This is a horror movie where Marcus personally knows the characters in it.
"Chief, the rule."
"I know the rule, Paul."
"So…"
"I don't care. I wanna find that son of a bitch…."
"I wanna find him too, boss. We all do but you're…"
"I'm what?"
"You're too emotional and too close to the case." There was a collective gasp and shouts. Paul felt himself moving and then he got numb at first but then it got warm as pain spread on his front and back. Only when Marcus's face was inches from his that he realizes he had been pushed to the wall. Marcus moved too fast, he had grabbed the other man by the shirt.
"Tessa's half dead in the ICU!" Marcus's voice caught.
"Chief…" Paul's heart went to his boss.
"Chief?" Sam, one of the senior analysts, aka operative, came forward, eyes moist. "It's okay. We understand. It's just we didn't want to upset you further." Her words seem to calm Marcus.
"Chief, we'll catch who did this to Tessa. Will you trust us?" Paul's dares to reach out and touch the man's shoulder.
"I'm sorry. It was just…" With a jerk Marcus quickly removes his hand from Paul's person.
"How about changing your shirt? You can wash up…"
Marcus follows where Sam points. He seemed surprised. "Uh yeah, I think I wanna do that."
"I'll get your luggage from the car…chief?" The woman was surprised when Marcus grabs her arm. It's the first time he laid a hand on anyone of them. It's also the first time his shell cracked.
"Don't go alone." Marcus clicks his fingers to one of the guys. "Jack, go with Sam. Wear your side arms, all of you." he said with a soft voice.
"Don't worry, chief. We won't be long." Sam, or Samantha notes with some sadness the dried blood on his wrist. The man is grieving and worried for Tessa but he is still thinking of them.
The team was elated that their boss found someone. They think it's about time he found happiness. They've never seen him show any kind of interest in any woman, or man, if that's his thing. They heard he used to be with someone a long time ago but that didn't work for the chief. Sigh, even romance is lonely at the top.
"Paul…" Marcus glances at his second in command. "I'm sorry, man."
Paul shrugs. "Water under the bridge. What do you need, chief?"
"Where's Tessa's phone?" Marcus sits on one of the tables looking down at his hands.
"In there." Paul indicates a box.
"Are all her things in there too?"
"Yes."
"I want them."
"Sure." Paul went to the other table. "Everything's here, chief." He placed the small black box beside Marcus.
"Thanks."
Paul decided not to say anything petty or paltry in this kind of situation. "Call me if you need anything." Paul got a nod from his boss.
With simmering anger Marcus looks at the items which belonged to Tessa now reduced to a crime scene evidence. Where it once held up and adorned her hair, the golden hair comb with emerald rhinestones is misshapen, the gems cracked and broken as if it had been trodden by a heavy foot. Marcus turns it over looking at it with a professional eye. Then he got up from the table when Sam passes by with his luggage in another room. He returns the plastic wrapped comb with Tessa's other things, picks up the box, a clipboard with some paper and a pen. He nods his thanks to Sam when she came out of the office.
"I'll bring you some coffee. Would you like that, chief?"
"Yes, thanks." The senior agent gave him a nod before she closed the door behind her.
Marcus stood at the table where he placed all the things he gathered but Tessa's image when he found her keep on surfacing and haunting him. He forced himself to take a deep breath, closing his eyes for the moment to remain calm and centered.
There was something strange on his left wrist, it moved when he leaned on the table; it's the red thread bracelet Tessa tied on his wrist. He runs his hand over it just like what Tessa had done, the tiny jade beads stained with her blood. Marcus suddenly recalls what Tessa did in the SUV. The faint lines she drew over and over on his skin….
Plastic was torn open, the phone slid in his hand and it unlocks after he used the lock pattern 'T'. He stops, a little stunned. "Tessa…" he finally tore up. She used his picture as wallpaper on her phone. It was a slightly blurred shot taken on the day he drove her to the convenience store. He was standing by the SUV while she got what she needed then like a moth to a flame he followed her inside.
It was the day he made scones…and she loved it. She even took pictures and posted it on her social media account.
Marcus took a deep breath as he looks for the audio file. There's one that's with the date today. His hand shakes for a moment while his chest starts thudding. With cold fingers he taps the audio file and plays it.
'Hi Marcus…this is Tessa. (She chuckles softly) I wanna tell you I love you so much. Also I changed my mind. I'll work for you…'
'Hi! Remember me?'
'Yes, of course! James! The son of…'
'Yeah! I'm glad you remembered.'
"Fuck! James who?" Marcus grits out. "Who the fuck is he?" He fast forward a few seconds…
'Your escort is lucky. I almost won the bid for you.' James said.
"What?" Marcus cursed. Fast forward again….
'I was entered in the auction against my will!' Tessa said.
'I know.'
'You…what?' Marcus echoes Tessa's words.
'I asked Mel to enter your name.… your friend thought that it was a prank but not for me…' The man called James, continues. At that point the phone picked up mostly sounds that one would hear if the device has been moved somewhere. It got a little muted. Marcus had to turn up the device's sound. Tessa's voice sounds shocked and then her footsteps; walking at first, then some shuffling, running for a short time…
'My yacht is better than the storage room.' James said.
"What the fuck!" Marcus went hot then cold. "Shit!" Marcus almost drops the phone when there was a knock on the door. He taps to stop the file. "Yeah!"
"Chief?" It's Sam. "Coffee." she asks as she places the hot coffee on the table. "Hungry?"
"No. Not hungry." Be calm for Tessa…she needs you…
"If you change your mind I can make you a sandwich."
"Thanks, not for now."
Sam sighs sadly, "I'm sorry about Tessa. Would you like us to call her friend or her family?"
Marcus made a sound and closes his eyes for a moment. He almost punches the table. He shifts on his feet, hoping the movement would calm him down. Focus. Focus. "Shit. You're right. Get the numbers from her contacts." Sam ran out and when she returns she took the phone from Marcus and used a device to copy all phone contacts.
"Who do we call first?" Sam asks as she scrolls at the directory.
"First off, someone needs to go to her school today," Marcus checks his watch, "and inform the people there what happened to Tessa. They will deduct a lot of fees from her class if she's absent. This is a priority. " He gave the name of the school. Be calm for Tessa…
"I'll send Lane. She's good with these things. Lane can get the address on the internet."
"Good. Next, call her friend, Mel, and send him here. I need to talk to him."
"I'll call him later…"
"No. Now. If he resists pick him up at his house."
"Got it." Sam nods as she finds Mel's contact number.
"I will take care of calling her family." Who's her nephew? Uh…Jun!
"Understood. I'm calling Mel now." Sam stops as Marcus gestures her to stay, to take the call in the room. Sam nods. "It's ringing." Marcus tells Sam to turn the speaker on.
'Yeah?' says a voice.
"I'm calling for Tessa. Is this her friend, Mel?"
'Yeah? What's up?'
Marcus sighs. Mel wasn't lying to Tessa when he said he wanted to get drunk. He sounds totally sloshed. There's music in the background which sounds familiar. They frown.
"My name is Sam and I have bad news about Tessa."
'What's this? Bad news?'
"There's been an accident."
'Accident? What? What are you talking about? What acci…"
"Mel, this is Marcus Pike. Remember me?"
'Hi! Of course! You're Tessa's Mr. Gorgeous…' Mel giggles.
"What?" Marcus frowns.
Sam looks up at her boss who appeared surprised and perplexed on the description. Sam thought it was kind of adorable that the director got kinda speechless for a few seconds. Apparently Marcus Pike had no idea about his attractiveness to either gender. Well Mr. Gorgeous, how does one respond to that? Sam thought with an amused smirk.
"Mel, Tessa's in the hospital right now. Someone mugged her. I need you to come here."
'Is this a prank? Tessa?'
"Where are you?"
'I'm drinking…I'm drunk…' more giggles.
"Where are you?"
'I'm at the gallery…where else would I be?'
"Where?" Marcus pockets Tessa's phone and took something from his laptop bag. He slid it behind him.
"Chief…" Sam looks on; a little worried when Marcus left the room almost running. She follows him and motions Paul to come with them.
"Where?" Marcus barks into the device. He walks fast. "Where in the gallery?"
'Uh, near the stage? The bar. Uh, is this her payback for…'
"Stay there. Do not move. I'm coming over." Marcus is already out of the room where the team had set up earlier. Sam and Paul had to run fast behind him. The gallery party is on the wind down. Slow music's still playing but the caterers have started to pack up.
'Where's Tessa? What do you mean she got…oh…hi.' Mel's jaws drops open at seeing Marcus appear in front him. Tessa's friend lowers the phone, eyes widening at the stain on the man's shirt. "My…my God! What happened?"
"Come with us, please." Paul said.
"No." Marcus steps in front of Paul. "Who's James?" he asks.
Mel leans back in his chair as Marcus looms over him and traps him by placing a hand on the table and another on his chair. "Uh, James? Why?"
"Answer me."
"He's the son of the gallery director." Quaking from the intensity of the man's eyes Mel gave Marcus the full name. The female staff who's with Marcus began searching for something on a tablet and the man, Paul, he remembers, is like a barrier between Marcus and curious onlookers. Mel's almond eyes opened wider after he glimpses the gun Paul hides behind him.
"Where is he?" Slowly Marcus sits on his haunches but keeping Mel within the trap of his arms and body.
"May...maybe back at home? Marcus, what happened to Tessa?" Mel changes his mind from touching Marcus.
"Someone hurt her. James hurt her."
"What?! Why would he hurt Tessa? Is Tessa okay?" Mel stares at the blood on Marcus's shirt and gulped.
"No, she isn't okay." Marcus said, quietly, deeply. "Take a look." The man shows a picture on his phone.
"I don't understand…Oh, my God! Bestie!" Marcus lets him take his phone. Mel starts sobbing. "What the fuck?!"
Marcus took back his device from Mel's shaking hand. "He did this to your friend."
"Marcus, where's Tessa now?"
"I took her to a hospital."
"I wanna see my friend. Please!"
"Go home for now. I'll fetch you and take you to her. But Mel…"
The man looms over him again. "Uh, yes?"
"Never a word to anyone. Understand?"
Oh my God. Mel thought, that voice is such a turn on. No! He's bestie's man! "Yes. Yes, trust me."
"Chief?" Marcus goes to the woman, they confer in quiet voices. Mel gulps at the weapon tucked behind Marcus. Who the fuck is he? Why is he packing?
"Let's go." Marcus nods. The woman nods back, walks a few steps away.
"Where are you going, Marcus?" The man turned to Mel at the question. What a transformation. It petrified him. Gone were the eyes that had bashfully glance at Tessa when she's not looking, the tender look the man gave his friend when he was asking permission to bring her home. Mel didn't see those eyes. Mel was shaken at the man's next words.
"To hunt."
-o0o-
"Fuck that bitch! Ah..ah..ah…aw!" The suture fell to the sink, dotting the porcelain in crimson. His fingers were slick with his blood. It pinches the gash that keeps on leaking as it gapes open. A dark thread landed at one of the crimson dots when he snips off the last crooked suture he made. The surface tension broke, a thin line bled down the sink.
"Bitch! Fuck you!" he rages. The fallen suture hook made a tiny sound in the sink.
James squints as he wipes more blood on the side of his face. He didn't anticipate Tessa would strike him. The pain turned him on, the fight in her eyes made him hard. He allowed her to hit him again. He was getting more and more excited by Tessa's opposition. It would be a glorious feeling when he penetrates her and she would know what a real man would feel like as he rides her until she comes under him.
Of course, women are expected to resist but not with a fucking evening purse! She walks backwards but her back hit the corrugated wall of the electrical room. She has nowhere to go, James blocks the exit. He was grinning at the fear in her eyes. Still grinning he began to reach for her but he almost got himself blinded with his own blood.
And then…
And…then…?
What then?
Shit.
He came to in a panic at the marina and swallowed a mouthful of sea water, and got half drowned. When he calmed down he treaded water until he found his yacht where it was berthed at the far side of the pier. James marvels as he looks back at the bay at the distance the current carried him. The current was quite strong tonight and he had to fight the waters so he wouldn't be carried off farther. He was totally exhausted when he got to where the boat is tethered. He hid under the pier and waited until a roving guard passed by then pulled himself up the wharf. James stood on the lightly moving pier taking a deep breath until he was forced to move because blood is rolling down the side of his face again.
He's uneasy at the sight of blood. He doesn't like the smell of it and most especially the feel of it. Shit. He sighs as he wraps bandage around his head. That would do until his goddamned assistant comes over to fix him up. James washed his hands very thoroughly until he couldn't smell blood on his fingers.
Next, calm yourself. James said the words like a mantra as he lights up a cigarette. "Forget it. That bitch was trouble, man. You wouldn't like this one. Yeah, she's beautiful but she's a fucking lawyer!" The man went to a small table with liquor decanters. Golden liquid fills a crystal tumbler some spills to the table. The man hisses as the beverage stings his lips. Aww! He forgot she punched him there. Her ring hit him and broke the skin. "And she's already been fucked out of her head." The smoke blew out of the open door. The man jerked jostling the table of decanters and he almost drops his cigarette. Shit. I thought…shit. Just a shadow.
"Yeah. She's too feisty. What the…?" James looks at his hand as if he's seeing them for the first time. "What the…?"
"Hell?"
James turns. The man moves, fiery eyes focused on his target. One moment James is standing in the middle of the room and next, glass shatters, the cigarette went flying and he was on the floor. James arches in pain. A gasp was torn from him when his back and head hits the metal railing. The man's footsteps were heavy against the wooden floor of the boat.
"Who the fuck are you?" he groans.
"Your nightmare."
-o0o-
"Sasha."
At the slight shake on her shoulder Sasha opens her eyes. "Marcus! Thank God you're back." she got a half-hug from the man when she got up and they both watch through the glass partition of the ICU room.
"Sorry I left you here. Thank you for staying with her. Here. Coffee."
"Oh, thank you!" Sasha accepted the hot beverage gratefully. "No problem." She kept the blue velvet jacket around her. Marcus put it around her shoulders before he left since her clothes were not really suitable for the hospital. She was glad because her evening dress is no match for the cold AC at the ICU area.
"Any change?" Marcus leans against the sill of the ICU glass window.
"I don't think so." Sasha frowns at the bruises on Marcus's knuckles. "Where did you go?" she was afraid of his answer.
"Looking for clues."
"Have you found it?"
"I have." Marcus lowered his head his body moving back and away from the window as if he's stretching his back. "I can't tell you…"
"Hey, I know. I'm glad." Sasha nods her understanding. For a moment her eyes hardened. "I'm glad." She nodded at Marcus's knuckles.
"I'll bring you home. Then I'll come back here."
"Thanks. I'll inform the ambassador and I'll drop by to bring you…"
"Inform the ambassador but tomorrow….uh, today someone from the team will be here. I don't want to involve you further."
"But Marcus I'd like to visit Tessa, please." Sasha looks back at the woman in the hospital bed.
"Fine, but only when you're with me. Text me when you want to come here."
"Thank you, I will." Sasha smiles. "Uh, that's the doctor." Sasha nods at the white robed woman who just went in the room. Marcus and Sasha observes as the doctor checks the machines that monitor Tessa's vitals and performed other checks on her patient then wrote down her findings.
"Let me just talk to the doctor." Marcus nods to the white robed specialist who steps out of the room. "Doctor? I'm Marcus Pike. I was the one who brought Tessa Salvador, the patient, here." Marcus nods to the room.
"Mr. Pike?" The resident reads the patient information clipboard. "How are you related to the patient?"
"I'm her boyfriend. How is she?" Marcus has a heavy feeling in his chest as the doctor looks down at Tessa's medical file.
"She has since lapsed into a coma due to her head injuries. Plus she sustained a few hematomas on the face. Her right shoulder was almost dislocated…"
Sasha gasped, eyes filling up. She completely lost it and cried at Marcus's back. "My God…"
The man became quieter after the news of his fiancé's condition. The doctor seemed to hesitate; that look of having their world collapse in on them is a daily occurrence that the doctor has seen over and over again. This is another one of them. The man is focused on the occupant in ICU room 6 as if he'd like to give his own life for hers; his chest heaves, his jaw clenched as were his hands. "This might be indelicate but in cases like these where women have been mugged we are required to do a 'rape test.'" The man looks back at her blankly. "The result indicates she had intercourse recently." She ended in a quiet voice. The man slightly blushed.
Marcus clears his throat. "We were together…" He didn't know why for some reason he got shy all of a sudden.
"Aw, really?" Good thing Sasha smiles at Marcus and gave him a rub on the arm.
"Yeah. Tessa said yes today." The man's smile was serene and happy until his attention went back to the patient then he looks lost.
"That's awesome! Congratulations!" She gave his arm a hug
"Thanks." Marcus blinks the tears away. He took a deep breath.
Sasha looks at the doctor, still teary-eyed. "He waited for her to say yes."
The doctor observes Marcus. "I see. And I hope it was consensual?"
"Yes. Of course, it was!"
The doctor sighs in relief. "I concur. There were no lacerations in the vaginal wall."
Marcus, for all his worldly experience and exposure didn't enjoy discussing the clinical results of his tryst with Tessa or talk about her intimate parts in the open. It fuels his anger that James spoiled his blissful and wonderful union with Tessa and is now a result of a damn 'rape test.' "Doc, may I see her, please? Even just for a short time?"
The doctor sighs as she relents. "Alright, but you must wear sterile clothing before you enter."
"Sure, anything." Marcus breathes with relief as the doctor motioned to a nurse.
"Follow the nurse. She will show you where to change."
-o0o-
"Come in. As per hospital regulation I will have to be present so that I can monitor what happens here." The doctor nods to Tessa when the physician lets Marcus inside the room.
"No problem, doc. Thank you."
"Five minutes is all I can give you."
"It's enough, and thank you."
"Go ahead. I'll be just here." The female doctor took the stool placed by the door. Outside the glass Sasha lightly waves at Marcus.
Marcus took a deep breath after he got a second shock now that Tessa had been cleaned. The full extent of her injuries is laid bare to him. A groan escaped from his lips. Another deep breath might help his focus. He doesn't have enough time.
"Hey, Tessa. It's Marcus. I'm here." He whispers. "I'm sorry I was so stupid. I took so long to bring the car around. If I just carried you to the car park then you wouldn't have met that asshole." Marcus looks down the hospital bed and carefully lifts her hand; the one that's free of IV tube. "Hey, wanna hear some good news? I got your message. I heard your recording. I'm so proud of you. Your brilliant recording helped me find him. I found James. My God, you must have been so scared. I'm sorry…" Marcus gasped as tears fell as he lays his forehead on Tessa's head. She feels so cold. The skin that he kissed is cold… "Tessa…please don't leave me. Please come back. Wake up, okay? I promise I will not accept any dangerous jobs. You can chain me to the bed. Anything…just come back, Tessa. Please. I'll die inside if you leave me alone."
"Mr. Pike?" The doctor clears her throat. Marcus motions two minutes more.
"I've to go. By the way, the team says 'hi' and they want to see you. Wake up soon, okay? Did you hear me? Hey, let's do that moon bathing thing again. I like that. It was so relaxing. Uh, Sasha says hi also. I'll just bring Sasha home. She drove us here. Bloody hell, she drives like maniac but she got us here in one piece. Okay. I'll be back and then I'll call your family to let them know." Marcus gave Tessa a kiss on her forehead. "I'll just take a shower and get a change clothes at the office then I'll come back here. Wait for me, okay? Don't go away. Please. Don't go away."
-o0o-