Thanks again, Beasties!
...
"What do you know about a man named Oliver Alvarez?"
"Not much.."
"What about your friend Lena? Did you know that she was tracking him?"
"From what I know, maybe..I just never saw him around.."
"So, you mean that you and Lena never saw him at the club, like at all?"
"Look, from what I know is that I just made a deal with Lena about the switching part things! Just to help her out into whatever she's doing as long she keeps me away from her stupid mess. However I had never seen a guy like your Alvarez guy..You said he was a doctor, so that explains his lacking of showing up his ass over here, so.."
"So, let me get this straight and I hope I don't mess it up here; You made a deal with another girl? The switching thing?"
"Yes.."
"Like carrying your name, while you carry hers?"
"She said, it was because she needed protection away from her husband and when she'll bust him for good, she'll pay me fifty bucks for carrying her name.."
"While you being Lena and her, being you?"
"Quite that..Can I go now?"
"One last question here. Are you sure, that you've never had seen Alvarez around the club here? And I mean, alone here?"
"Is this an interrogation? Am I a suspect here?"
"Could be one, if I ever find you lying to my face. I don't have a warrant here, but I can get one if I found answers from your ' so- called' friends here. Like the reason of why, you stuffed a few hundred bills into your bag, for an example. Care to share?"
"Like I said, I have never seen a man named Oliver Alvarez here. Heard the guy handles the money here, but never saw him around. That's all I know. Now, if you excuse me, I have to go to my appointement, or else you'll have to hear from my lawyer.."
...
Gretchen made it clear to the girl with the red dress as she walked away. Ok, she didn't have a lawyer, but she could always get one if Esperanza could help her out, just a little help from the nice old lady, wouldn't hurt no? After she had a full and check up with a nurse, she was asked to go the surgery room, so she could be put on prepping on.
Who was that lady with the red dress? And from her sounding tone voice, it looked like she was a cop and a damn good one when she had left Gretchen her yellow card with her name on it.
She slowly lied down on the gurney, with nothing but a blue platstic hat that was covering her short and black haircut and was wearing an hospital blue gown that would soon be taken off. Her hernia fell out a few weeks ago and if it wasn't being treated by now, it could possibly lead into complications. However her prayers had been answered when the receptionist had told her that a surgeon named Dr. David Rodriguez was on schedule for the night shift and had gladly accepted the money she offered to him. Even if it looked out of nowhere. Maybe the guy needed the money for something else and paid in cash, that was against hospital rules. Her insurance card was about to exprire soon and she needed the surgery to be done quickly..
While two nurses were checking her charts and connecting her to a beeping heart machine, the anesthesiologist came into the place and Gretchen could tell that the person who was going to put her alsleep was a asian woman and despite her blue scrubs, hat and mask, she reminded her of someone she knew. But the only one thing she found odd about this person was the color of her eyes.
They were blue. Just as Lena's color. The anesthesiologist went behind her lying position and looked down on her face. Gretchen tried not to look a little nervous when she heard her spoke this;
"Well hello there, I'm Dr. Jenna Choi, I'm gonna make you feel comfortable here. And so are my friends here. So, you don't have to worry, we'll take great care of you, darling..." What a strange but familiar accent, Gretchen was sure she recognized that voice, but from where?
"Dr. Rodriguez is getting ready to the other room, by now, so why don't you just try and relax? You're in good hands here, darling. Everything's gonna be fine.."With an approving nod, one of the nurses appeared to her side and took off the plastic nightrobe from Gretchen, as they went to put an red liquid on her belly and covered to the rest of her private body parts with a blue sheet. Dr Choi went back to her doing, prepparing the equipement for the anesthesia procedure. Leaving Gretchen with her thoughts that turned to be questions, alone. She wasn't afraid of her naked body being exposed to unknown strangers, but she could feel that something was wrong. Is Lena assisting her in the surgery, or did she said something she shouldn't had? They both swore to secrecy, that none of their covers would be blown. Long lost to her thoughts, she didn't pay any attention to the nurse who went to listen to her heartbeat with an stetescope as her eyes continued to focus at the suspended blinding light from above of her.
"You have to promise that none of covers would be blown, Gretchen. I want my daughter to be far away from him and his troubles, for good. Even if it means that he must have me dead, for it..."
"Doing everything for your daughter, in order to keep her safe? You know what kind of danger you're going into, no?"
"I know..So can I have your word, Gretchen?"
"As long, you ending paying me a few hundred dollars, your word is okay.."
"Everything for you is money? Gretchen?" She snickered at her word. Gretchen just shrugged adding this;
"Well a girl's got to live for a living, no?"
"Yeah, she does, even if it means by sacrificing everything she cherish.." The light that was exposing her belly, covering with red liquid was so bright that had almost blinded her eyes. Brown eyes. That were about to become sensitive to the drugs. She took out the contacts for the surgery. What if someone had recognized her on table?
'Lena..Did I ever wronged you?'
Dr. Choi was ready this time as she connected a black mask to a big balloon of breath and smiled as she went look down on her patient. An oxygen mask to help her breathe until she ended into a comatose prison state. In complete distraught, Gretchen's stunned eyes shifted back up to the doctor who held the mask with her gloved fingers.
"Take a nice and long deep breath..." She put the black haunting mask on Gretchen's nose and mouth and kept her gloved hand on the mask and chin as an nurse from her right side, lifted Gretchen's right arm and injected an cold massive but less strong propofol from a syringe into her skin. General anesthesia. Smelling the haunting and distracting sleeping smell, Gretchen inhaled the smell through her mouth into her lungs slowly.
"It's all gonna be alright, just breath slowly and count from 100..." Her eyes tried to stay focused to the brighting light as Gretchen tried to stay awake, desparately. She could hear her heartbeat going rushing just a little faster at the machine as the breathing machine was following her moving breathing air. Her middle part was going up and down.
'...97..96..95..94...' Dr Choi looked behind her and noticed the heart system going just a little faster than usual..The patient was anxious as she was chocking for air, eyes moving from left to right in fear. "Just relax, darling. It's all gonna be okay.." Dr. Choi had lifted up her free hand to caress her cheek, trying to calm her down. And something clicked as the heart beating had relaxed up a bit as the patient tried to calm down. Gretchen closed up her eyes as she take control onto herself. After a few seconds, Gretchen's breathings sounds echoed into the room as she kept breathing, but in a relaxing state now. Her heart rate was starting going slowly as was taking over her. Her body became trapped into a paralyzing state, blocking her from doing any movement or even feel anything from the outside world.
The powerful drug was trapping her into a prison. From any pain.
Her eyes opened up back to the blinding light and gave up from control as the world had finally shut down. Tension left her shoulders as she let herself relax, following the doctor's calming words. She focused back to the light as an powerful and fastening strong sensation went to her spine. So tired. Can't move. Can't stay awake. Can't think. Can't breathe.. Damn, she almost couldn't feel herself or even breathe on her own, anymore. It was too powerful. The drug was rushing into her system and faster. Her eyelids were starting to get heavier much more heavier than she ever felt. The lighting was starting to blur her sight. Everything was spinning around. She was slowly going to leave her body. Strength was leaving her arms and legs and close enough her brain as well. She had no control over it. Her awakening state was finally giving away as her eyes weren't hurting anymore. Her mind state was backing away letting herself falling into a blissing and endeless sleep or more into an endless artificial coma and vegetable state. Letting her life to the doctors's hands now. She felt so exhausted and tired, so suddenly. Gretchen had given up on resistance as the propofol drug was making its way into her body. Colors were turning into black as she vanished and shut down everything living away from this world.
'89..87...85..Lenaaaa..' She thought of her friend as she was running out of strength. Energy that had given up her body to the propofol and powerful drug that finally taking over everything now. Her eyeballs rolled up, unmoving as her eyelids could barely shut down on their system failed to any touch, like she was gone. Seeing nothing and unbudged to any movement. Gretchen ended up fading now into an motionless deeping, paralyzing and unresponding sleeping state. Silence had entered into the room, despite the heart beating and breathing monitor left behind. Looking down, Dr. Choi just smiled as she felt Gretchen's head falling to left side as strength had finally given away, this time. Without any force. She patted the comatose woman's shoulder in comfort as she could hear Gretchen's loud breathing through the mask as much as her heart was actually slowing down, in a relaxing move.
'I'm sorry Lena..'
"That's a good girl.." She replaced the patient back, raising Gretchen's head, with her gloved hand still locked on the mask and chin up as she pressed on the balloon air, making sure that her patient was still responding, pupping air into her lungs, even into a vegetable state.
"Is the doctor ready yet? Cause, she's out now.." Jenna watched the patient's chest moving slowly as the air continued to penetrate into the lungs, so perfectly, but slowly. The oxygen machine as monitoring Gretchen's sounding and breathing through the surgery room. The only and perfect sound was the comatose woman's gasping that was out through the place.
"The doctor is washing his hands as we speak, he's almost ready.."
"Good. Go and bring him in.." With that, the nurse left. Jenna checked her patient's cheek even gave a pinch to find any movement, but there were none. Gretchen lay completely still and was unresponsive to any reaction. Numb. Despite her slowing heart rate and her breathing through the balloon bag. Jenna checked back at the beeping machine from behind and winced from what she was seeing.
Beep..Beep..Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...
Her slowing heartbeat was not a good sign. It was a close way to end up having heart attack on the operating table. They gonna have to be very careful, during the procedure. Shaking her head, she turned back her attention to her patient's state who still was limb as a doll on the table.
After she made sure that Gretchen was breathing more normally and went numb, she took out the mask from Gretchen's half opened mouth and unseeing eyes who were left half open, and with her chin still up, had inserted a long breathing tube through her larynx that would lead the air through the lungs as it would also keep the patient unresponsive through the surgery, very carefully through the throat until it reached its limit and tied the tube to the balloon bag whose tube was connected to the machines as the last nurse went to check her heart rate. And then, it came for the scotch tape to finish up.
"Her vital signs are good, what's left to do now?" After finishing putting the tape on the patient's mouth to make sure that the tube was hanging with force right through the larynx area. Dr. Choi added this. "Now, we wait for him to come in and put some of that red liquid as well, everywhere close to the area here, we don't want any mess to come.." With precaution, she lifted both eyelids and flashed a light to the eyes, making sure that Gretchen remained motioneless for the surgery. None, they were both dilated, but unmoving. Pressing them close with her fingers, she taped them both with the rest of the scotching tape and put her hands on Gretchen's both cheeks, to keep her head from falling. With a slight of smirk, hiding behind her mask, she bend down behind Gretchen and whispered something that the other nurse couldn't hear;
"Not so strong, aren't you, Gretchen?.." From the corner of her eye, the doctor came in blue scrubs, with a blue coat, hat, mask and gloves as he ordered everyone to get themselves ready, so they could start even if Jenna was about to have fun with her patient, before he could do it. The nurse next to her was pressing up the needle connected to Gretchen's IV and gave a larger dose of propofol, as it would continue to keep the patient far away from any reaction.
Jenna kept on smirking so evily as her hand lifted down from Gretchen's face and went down to Gretchen's perfect right breast and clutched the sensitive nipple and squeezed it very hard enough to make her patient burst into an endeless screaming as her heart would gladly drop dead. So delicate and beautiful through the exposing light and without any force.
However, Gretchen never had the chance to do it as darkness kept her unaware from reaction. She couldn't even feel the covers that were being put on onto her face or to the rest of her body leaving her midsection exposed to the light. Not even the glowing scalpel that slowly went down to her skin and started to slice up right down to her to her right breast and dangerously close up to her beating heart.
She couldn't even felt them. Or any pain and not even death.
...
"We don't have four seasons here, just two full pitifull seasons!"had spat a very trembling Tori, like she was making herself clear about that remark. "I'd probably move up to Miami,if I ever want to skip the winter season here. Grrr! I hate that freezing cold of freaking weather!" Trying to suck her hands into the pockets of her coat, Tori couldn't help but to shiver through the cold wind. She was waiting outside of the Cantuccio Il as she wondered if she should or should not go into the coffee-bar shop, but she was brave enough to come out from Gabe's appartement, leaving a poor sleeping dog alone, at the living room. And left the place. It was running late and the place was about to shut down its lights soon.
Gabe's gonna kill her, if he ever come back home, only to find out that she had vanished from his place. God. And there she was standing at the middle of the night alone.
I just couldn't stand there alone and do nothing but sit!
She knows that she ended up breaking his rules and have to face the consecquences of her actions, soon or later. However, after what happened earlier today, she wasn't so sure about staying with Gabe anymore. And with the beast gone, she didn't feel safe with him now.
The visions.
Gosh, she didn't even feel safe on her own now. These visions were driving her crazy, nothing like that had ever happened before. Was it a side effect from the transplant? She heard from the past, that even if it's only a myth, that some people change after recovering from a transplant. True or not. The doctor told her to take it easy, after that attack or she could consider therapy or even turn herself into an asylum and she couldn't get access to the donor's identity since it was strickly confendential. Who was that woman, through Gabe's memories? Couldn't be Catherine, that woman had long blond hair and looked taller than her and she was being attacked by her boyfriend, beast or not. Nobody in the room wanted to help her out, so she had to escape. Her first thoughts were to see Vincent again, but remembering Gabe's conditions made her dither.
Gabe won't do that, I mean, convincing Vincent by putting an restraining order against me. I know he won't do that..
But, she noticed something else as well. Just as she was about to get herself discharged from the hospital and as she waited for Gabe to get her, a woman in her late thirties came over to her room. Tori remembered the long blond haired woman who came into her room.
"Oh my god, you just look so much like her..." Sitting on the bed, wearing a green shirt with black jeggings, the red haired woman looked up at the woman who stared up at her, stunned.
"What?"She blinked back at the question as the woman stuttered back with an answer.
"After all these years, and despite Curt's blackmailing over me, I'm more than relieved to find out that you're totally not like your father, but more like your mother.." Still in shock, the woman approached the bed as Tori could observe her from her sight. The woman before had wild long dark blond hair, green eyes, but paler. She wore a long black trench coat along with a black scarf. Her cheekbones were red coming out from the cold or more like she ran into the hospital with her long and black high boots with heels.
"I'm just so happy to see you alive, Tori, there's so much I have-"
"Who are you and how do you even know about my name?" The stranger stopped to talk at that point, before she responded with this, but more with a calmer tone. "I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself. My name is Veronica Vasquez, I used to be your mother's best friend.."
"My mom's best friend? She never mentionned about someone named Veronica before.."
"It's a long story, Tori, but I'm sure we'll have the plenty of time about catching things up, together. There's so much things I want to talk you about. And that includes your parents's divorce and your mother passing away.."
"I don't need your sympathies, my mother passed away a longtime ago.." Trying to be tough here.
"But I think she ended up hidding things from you, and that includes your father's true identity..."
"What do you know about my father?"Veronica managed to keep on talking, even if she was getting cutting off from the red haired woman who seemed to be on her guard.
"It all started when they meet and how your father ended up blackmailing me.."
"And why?"
"Because I saw something that I shouldn't have seen.."
Tori didn't need to make sure that Veronica was either lying or not, she looked pretty serious. So skip the shaking hand thing part, it's better that way. Veronica said that she knows a lot of things about her mother, but mostly about her father too. Veronica had also, mentionned to her that he blackmailed her, after she ended up seeing something she shouldn't have had seen. Did Veronica had seen him beasting out, was he getting worse from that time?
"If not, know how much I love you, how much I need you.." It was the last words, he had pronnounced. Her daddy's words just before he beasted out and died from Vincents's hands. Even if it meant by self defense. Did Curt ever had tried to kill Veronica, in the past?
She took out a yellow card from her pocket with her left hand and with her right hand took out a burden phone, one of Gabe's and dialed the number, before she said this, still fixing the coffee-bar.
"Yeah, it's me. You gave me your card, that day at the hospital, saying you want to catch things up. I was wondering if we could talk, I mean from what you know about my parents..."
...
"Vincent?" He jumped back at that voice of hers, interrupting his working out. He was so focused on letting out his frustuation as he worked his movements out, that he didn't heard her knocking or coming in. She came back to him, after all the mess he had caused. He turned his head back as he watched her walking into the place, feeling the houseboat a little heavier now that they were two in the same place.
"Hey.." He got up and retrieved his sweater, trying to hide his hard muscular form from his ex-flame's, feeling a little feverish in here. Catherine took a few steps towards him, but still remained away. "What are you doing here? Are you okay? Did Sam do something?" He couldn't help but to ask these kind of questions back as she closed the door behind her back.
"No this isn't about Sam.."
"Ok, where's Gabe?"
"I came alone, I want to talk.."
"About?"
"About us..." She folded up her arms around herself as he sighed;
"I thought that there wasn't an us, anymore, I mean.." He ziped up his sweater as she let this out;
"Do you want there to be?" Did he heard that right? He walked up, slowly but close enough at her height, waiting like a tiger hidding through the trees in order to pounce up at its prey. Catherine didn't even budge at his movement, it's like she waited for him to come and make the first move. He leaned down at her as she looked up to him, hazel and desiring eyes waiting for him to lean down to her, close enough to touch her lips. He leaned down staring her lips, his heart wanting to explode, but as he went to wound his large hands around her waist, he felt something strange, warm and wet as she touched him with one hand down there. He narrowed his eyebrows in confusion, Vincent looked down at his shirt and took a few steps back from Catherine, completely stunned.
Blood was rushing out from the forming hole through his pierced sweater. And faster. She stabbed him in the chest. But why? Letting out a surprising gasping sound, Vincent stared up at Catherine, too shocked to feel any pain. Her eyes had darkened to his sight.
"Catherine.." He looked back to these hazel brown eyes that did not looked any desirable anymore. They were full of hatred. Hatred that he hadn't never seen from her before. A shining blade was at her side. Covered from his blood. No, not Catherine, it just can't be...The woman before him just said this and, boy was she right or not?
"Spare your breath, I don't need it! Now, you know why, you and I can't never be together. It's because of him. I don't need a monster by my side, which you are..And despite how many times you're trying to keep him away, it's always gonna be between us. So, don't mind me, ending up your suffering for you, Vincent..."In fear, he backed away, raising up a hand hoping to resonate her, while the other clutched his wounded chest as he watched her raising the knife up at the air, but at him...He begged her not to do the unthinkable. Yes, he begged her and she still was coming closer to him with the knife up, as if she hadn't heard his answer.
"Catherine, please don't do this! Catherine, don't!...Catherine!" And he jerked awake in sweat, gasping for air as he sat up on his bed with a quite happy dog who was trying to wake him up by licking his face with its giant tongue.
Ed, sweet buddy...
He breathed in and out, trying to compose himself with the nightmare he just had by now. If Ed hadn't come up to him, Catherine would have killed him in this nightmare.
Oh God, it really felt so real..
Under his dog's staring, he rubbed his eyes and wipped the sweat off of his face. Sunlight highlights were piercing through the room, which concluded that it was morning already. He threw the covers away as he got off from the bed, careful of not stepping onto Ed's tail. He went to the sink and splashed his face with water. It was the first time he had dreamt about Catherine killing him and with cold blood, she shot him once, but at a close range that was meant to save him from himself. However this time, it was different and she really wanted to finish him off for good. He blinked once or twice as he stared up at the mirror, completely soaked with water.
"And despite how many times you're trying to keep him away, it's always gonna be between us.." She was talking about the other part of him, the one that got almost out of control and had costed their relationship. Sometimes, he even wondered what Catherine would had done if she were the one whose life had been destroyed by the people whom you had trusted before? Would she had been that quiet to just sit around and do nothing? He looked back at the mirror before him, as he tried to calm down and to ease that stupid hangover from last night.
Damn, I'm so gonna kill Jeff, once he wakes up! From what he could remember from last night, he and the others went home, at J.T's place and the most of them wanted to get drunk. And really drunk, by the way. The Moutai Yingbin drink had an awful taste and just took off from the bar. He believed that all of them had emptied the bottles, included The Jack Daniels bottles from J.T's hidden spot, like crazy and stupid teenagers and that lead them to do a stupid game. Strip, truth or dare. A new and erotic version of the original Truth or Dare game. Jeffrey's game was a stupid mess, but what else was to do, and that kept him out from thinking about Catherine's smoky cat eyes? Did the most of them ended up naked, at the end?
From what Vincent could see, he only had his pants from last night and the rest were taken off, but as his eyes went down and noticied the pink and pale marking scar that was imprinted to his left side. Stuck into his skin was like remembering him, Catherine's betrayal. Forever.
"You can chose to walk away and save yourself, Save Us.." But he didn't save them. Save them from this mess. For a short while, he stood angry at her, until he had finally realized that she was just trying to do the right thing and sometimes, by doing the right thing, doesn't always means that you have to love it. He left her no choice and by doing that, she did the unthinkable and the fact that he was tired to be angry. He clung himself to the edge of the sink, on both sides. Vincent took a minute or two to stare at the man before him.
He almost couldn't recognized the man staring back at the mirror. So much that the beast in him had took an big advantage part of him, until he backed everything away. It scared him to see how much of a close state he was about to lose and Tori almost drove him into a most darker place he did not want to belong. Not that it was her fault, but somehow he blamed her for it. A half naked and very muscular, but tired man with moist eyes was looking back at him.
Dang, I couldn't even recognized myself anymore. Just to look at the mirror, reminds me of how much close I was about to lose..He shook his head, letting out of a sigh as Ed went up to him and to cuddle against his leg reminding his master that he wasn't alone in this. How long Ed was in the houseboat? Did Tori dropped him off? Did she crossed a barrer by going against Gabe's rules? Putting his thoughts aside, he turned around and bent down to his knees as he stroked Ed's head as the dog barked happily. He felt so glad to see Vincent smiling at him.
"It's okay, buddy. I'm ok. Ed.." Ed couldn't helped himself but to lick his face again. Vincent moaned whining that he had to shave soon. "Ed, stop that! I have to shave now..Gee, that tickles!" He laughed at the dog's supporting and loving gesture. As Vincent managed to calm Ed down, he noticied something weird hanging at Ed's red necklace. A folded paper note. He took it out from its grasp, gently to not scare his dog and unfolded the message. He narrowed his eyebrows in wonder, when he read this;
"Tori's gone missing. If I were you, I'd would watch my back, Vincent...She's unstable.."
It was signed Gabe. And without thinking twice, Vincent rushed to the bathroom as fast his legs could go. From what he heard from J.T and Gabe, Tori could be very unstable, at the moment now.
...
"Oh God, looks like I wasn't the only one who had a bad time after playing the officer on the undercover thing.."From her desk, Tess watched her partner coming into the place wearing some big sunglasses to cover her eyes. Even after a horrible night, Cat managed to be on time, with her hair in a loose ponytail, wearing a loose and long green shirt with sleeves, held a large non-fat french vanilla cappuccino cup, dropped her coat at her chair and sat at her desk. Sunglasses. Something was weird here.
"Something went off, last night?"
"Sort of..."
"Like?"
"I saw Vincent, last night..." That caught the taller cop's attention in here. "And?" Catherine just scoffed.
"It was awkward.."
"Such as?" Her partner tried to explain as she waved her hand as she tried to say;
"I mean...I never felt so weird around him, and it felt like it. I mean, weird. He had lost so much weight and looked very tired, I couldn't even noticied..After all that time, I thought I was the only one who suffered here.." Cat hoped that it was just enough to explain about her meeting with Vincent, last night. And to clearify this, he did not lost much weight, but still, he kinda looked like he had.
"I guess he suffered as well. No wonder it felt so weird, just to see him again in person, I mean.."
"Yeah, it felt weird.."
"But, why the sunglasses, so? It might rain during the day..." Cat just put her elbows on the desk and rubbed her temples, like she had an embarassing nightmare such as walking naked on the street. She let something like this, out;
"Two words. Asian flush." Tess just snorted at this, laughing at Cat's frowning face. After having a hard time with a certain and familiar Gretchen Hermandez last night, she needed a little life lightening up. Catherine and her genes, coming from her mother's were not always funny, but this time, it was. Asian flush, true or not, her partner might have some unwanted redness to handle for a few days to come. She was having a good time, until she caught the sight of Medina coming in with his phone at his ear. Geez, that dude needed to take a nap, cause he really deserved one.
"Sorry to disappoint you girls, but we are needed to come to a crime scene at the moment.." As he hung up his phone when Tess just folded her arms against her chest, as she demanded;
"Why the fire?"
"Why the fire, you ask? Cause a nurse from NY General Hospital had called at this moment, stating that she found a dead body at the surgery bulding area.."
"And why it does concerns us?"
"Because, it turns out that her personal items from her bag. The victim's bag, that there was a police card with your number on it.." Oh oh..
"Meaning?" She felt her jaw had tighten up at bit, feeling the worse to come as Catherine felt it as well. She looked up at Medina and despite, looking ridiculous with her sunglasses, she added being curious;
"A police card with Tess's number was found into that body's bag? Who told you that? The nurse?"
"Not quite. A few hours after that call was made and while you two were both late, deputies Gonzalez and Pitt were the first to come in and called for back up. Cheng mentionned for us to come up there and since your partner is invovled as well.."
"At what time, that call was made?"
"Around four of clock of the morning, the nurse wondered why the patient hadn't come out from the surgery and when she went there, she made a shocking discovery and I believe you know what I meant by.." Frightened, Tess and Cat looked at each other at the same time. Gretchen's surgery was scheduled around at eleven or at midnight yesterday, at NY General Hospital and they feared for the worst now. Gretchen hadn't called Tess back and it could only mean one thing.
...
"Ouch! I swear to God, I'm never touching an tequila bottle, for the rest of my life!"
"I guess Jeff was right, you do act like a drag queen, Ash.."
"Shut Up! Forbes!" J.T laughed at the guy's whining until he went up to the entry door, where someone was knocking quite loudy and seemed to be impatient. He groaned as he opened up the door to see a very distraught Gabe in his usual suit, who hadn't slept ever since last night. "Hey, ever heard of an hangover?"
"Where's Vincent, J.T? I have some bad news to tell you.."
"Like punching someone's head?" Ignoring that remark, Gabe just blurt out this...
"No! Tori's missing ever since last night!" If J.T was sick from last night, he would have thrown up on Gabe's suit. His eyes went wide as they would want to pop out. "The hell, you've said?" Gabe just ran to the room without its permission and went to the bar as he ignored an very grumping Ash who was wearing his shirt from last night and red underwear, held a blue mug of coffee and an confusing Regan who was in her running clothes as she just came back from her jogging morning routine. Both of them were watching him as he tried or managed to find the right mug for coffee as he and J.T were talking still.
"What do you mean, Tori's missing? You've got to be kidding-"
"No, I'm not, I came back home at four of clock of the morning and noticied that she wasn't there anymore.."
"You don't think that she would probably go to Vincent, no?" But Gabe wasn't sure. Damn, he looked so lost now. Felt like he had failed.
"I don't know.."
"You don't think about calling the authorities? Gabe, you can't be serious here!" Both Ash and Regan looked back at each other, completely confused and left ignored by the very panicked ADA guy and an very anxious J.T. still in his underwear.
"What can I say, J.T? If she over does it, I might have, not only I believe she's unstable, but I believe she has much changed ever since the attack and I don't know how much damage she can do now.."
"I have to warn Big Guy here, he has to know.." The professor went to his competers's desk, when Gabe held him back, with a hand.
"Don't bother, I've dropped him his dog back at the houseboat with a note. He must be running back, at any moment by now.."He poured himself coffee from the pot as his eyes caught up an very staring Ash. "You must be the new guy.."
"Yeah, I work and butch dead people for a living. Friends, call me Ash here.." Gabe nodded at that, not being sure if the guy next to him was kidding or not, cause he had a lot in his head at the moment as he turned back to J.T who was trying to catch Vincent who was probably on his way here. "Look, I've got to go back to work, the departement might need some of my help now.."
"But what about your situation with Tyler's murder?" At that sentence, Ash's eyebrows went into into wonder. "Hang on, you're involved into this?"
"Talking about butching people.." had muttured Regan back up.
"Look, my lawyer told me to not answer any questions at the moment. Tyler may had been abused and not by me." Gabe had concluded back as pointed up. "But I do know this, is that I wasn't invovled into her murder, like at all. So, as long I stay put, I shouldn't have any problem at the moment.."
"Man, I.."But Gabe wasn't having none of it, as he was making his way out of the Gentlemen's club. Leaving his mug alone onto the bar counter. "Call me, if you find Tori around, I gotta go back into work and that includes the new guy here.."
"I'll go back once I'll have my coffee, thank you very much!" But Gabe had already left the loft, even without having the time to drink up his coffee, left alone. "What was all about?" had answered the blond haired girl back to both of them. When J.T didn't had a quite good answer to reply, Ash just let out this: "He just wants me to work like a bitch, that's all.."
"Ash!"
"What? The guy had been away for I don't know how long and gives me orders, like out of nowhere? How am I suppose to react to this?"
"Polite?"
"Polite? My ass!" And as Ash wanted to add something back, Vincent had bursted into the place with Ed tied up into a red leash at his side, fully dressed into a grey shirt with the same pants from last night with a old grey winter coat. He looked alarmed with no sign of hangover marked on his face. "Speaking about fading away like a ghost.." He rolled up his eyes as Vincent ignored him.
"J.T. Did Gabe just came in, to burst out about Tori?"
"And left, just a few seconds before you came in.." He went behind the bar and took the left alone coffee mug and to a sip. He winced at the taste too strong. "How was your night, anyways? I mean, Ash and I had remained here when you and Jeff went back to your place.." He didn't remembered where Regan or Miguel went to after last night, but from what he knew Jeffrey and Vincent had left the building laughing like two retarded guys leaving J.T and Ash almost passed out from the drinking. He remembered waking up sitting on the sofa with a drooling and sleeping Ash lying on his lap. Both of them were totally topeless. Or that was how Regan had found them stuck together.
Hangover was the word to confirm their mistakes when it comes to an terrible drinking evening and special reunion night.
"Not quite a good one as for Jeff, I guess he left even before I woke up. Do you have any food for Ed? Gabe didn't left any at my door.." J.T just pointed the sofa across from the television where an quite huge Pedigree bag was left as he reached up for the milk bottle. At the same moment, a weird sound was heard at the room, more of an vibrating sound. Regan smirked when she noticied that Ash's face gone a bit redder.
"Ooh, looks like it's the job calling up here..." The black haired guy made a face as he remembered the pact he made with Tanaka, last night.
"My pants must be somewhere here, I'm gonna get them by now.." Dropping the mug on the counter, Ash went to look for for his pants who were lost somewhere to the place. As he filled Ed's water bowl, Vincent just asked this; "Just how much we ended up drinking up, last night? Anyways.."
"Too much, it's a good thing we had passed out even before the end of the game. I mean, intoxicated, but not enough to drop dead. However, I do remember that Regan refused to take off her dress, last night..." He pointed back at Regan. The blond haired woman waved her hands as if she was just defending herself.
"Well, I'm sorry to tell you this, J.T., but from what I remembered I didn't got any daring cards to do so...Or being asked to do anything daring...I guess I was just being lucky.."
"Yeah right, like all of us ended up naked, except for you..." had snorted J.T as she shook her head in denial, playing the inoncent one here.
"Like I said, I may have been drunk, but I was lucky.."
"It was Jeffrey's game, you may had tricked him with the cards.."
"I did not do such thing! Tell him Vincent!" As he rose up on his feet making sure Ed had his water bowl, he went behind the counter at her side. "Sorry Regan, but I didn't stay the whole night, last night and I probably don't really remember if we all had ended up naked or not..." And he turned back to a very disappointing J.T. He really was stuck between the two of them as they were forcing him to choose a side. Vincent sighed. "I may sound stupid if I say this, but, did I ever had thrown up last night? Cause this morning I believed I smelled nachos on me..."
"No Keller, you did not thrown up last night, I did..." had announced a very grumping Ash as he was on his knees on the floor, he couldn't tell whose clothes were lying down, but as he continued to follow the sound of a very vibrating phone, he managed to found them. Behind the tv. Covered with a few empty beers, he put them away and went for his pants pockets as he digged for his phone. Fitching up the iphone from his pants, he checked for his e-mails.
Two messages.
One from Captain Ward and one from Fujiko. Both at the same hour. Ash rose up and dialed her phone numbber. "Hey there, Tanaka..."
"You idiot! Where have you been? I've been trying to reach your ass!" She nearly and pitched screamed at his ear.
"Sorry, I've been dead-drunk for the whole night..."
"Ward is furious at the moment!"
"What's going on up there? Your majesty?" He rolled his eyes up as Fujiko followed, trying to remain her tone.
"The departement had a very terrifying call on this very early morning! A call from a nurse from New York's General Hospital and needs its medical examiner to examinate the scene.."
"Why don't you ask Chandler and Vargas?"
"The cops are on their way there and when I meant, scene. I meant crime scene with a body. A body was found on a gurney, covered with blood..."
"Tanaka, I don't have time to guess, just be more clear...Okay, did the nurse described the scene?" Ash rubbed his temple like he tried to imagine the crime scene, but what Fujiko told him later, left him spooked.
"She said the body was mauled like it was by an wild animal that had attacked her and had snatched out the body's organs...Like all of them! It's female, just to specify, Ash..." His eyes widened at that he just heard that all organs from that body were snatched out? Oh God, just to think of it made him want to threw up.
"An animal? Where the body was found?"
"It was left alone at some surgery room, fourth floor, the nurse sounded so shocked that she almost had lost consciouness at the scene. Quite a frightening sight coming from an asian horror movie...I'm on my way as we speak.."
"Oh, God..." It was the only word he could manage to let out as he looked back the very concerned trio who were behind the bar, looking back at him in silence as if they heard Ash talking to Fujiko. He gulped. "Tell Ward, that I'm on my way up there after I took a shower and change few clothes... Tell to everyone to not touch anything, Call me back.." He hung up and he shook his head to left and to right as he tried to decide which way to take one, he looked like he was about to explode in any minute. An very rushing heartbeat that was going to get out in any second,from what Vincent thought.
"Ash.."
"Gee, what a mess..And I thought that having a stupid hangover was worse, turns out it's not after all..."Ash was speaking faster, than he usually did, pacing around the place under his friends's watch.
"Ash, what's going on?" The poor guy's eyes wen up for a second as he tried to clear up with his words even they sound not so understandable for him as his hands were horribly shaking and sweating.
"A body was found, at New York's General Hospital, huh, left alone at some surgery place, mauled to death-"
"Say what?" had spit out Regan, unbelieving. The guy quite took that call for an waking call, like he'd been sleepwalking. He gulped very hard as he spoke back, trying adjust the thing now.
"I have to go there...J.T, can I use your bathroom? I have to take a shower and go home to change clothes..I have to go quick!"
"Don't panic, buddy, go ahead! It's just behind you.."Without hesitating, Ash rushed to the bathroom as fast as he managed, like the devil was coming to get him.
"I'll call Miguel, he'll pick up some clothes for you to change, so you don't have to be late..."had offered Regan, reaching up her phone from her purple jogging pants and dialed her new boyfriend as she walked away leaving J.T and Vincent alone, in confused. J.T looked back at Vincent who was lost into his thoughts, fearing for the worst to come.
"You don't think it's Tori who did this, no?" But his friend just shook his head, almost shocked like Ash looked like.
"I don't know about that..." Vincent wasn't quite sure of what happened last night, but he knew one thing for sure. He wasn't involved into that cold murder scene, since he spent the night with Catherine and the rest of the gang. So it couldn't be him. But that left Tori aside and he was afraid that she may had done something far more irraparable this time...
...
"Tess, just calm down..."
"Calm down? Mooooi? Neh Neh, I would not!"
"We still don't know if it's Gretchen for sure, could be anybody on that stretcher..."
"Oh? What the hell ever happened to the switching part thing? That you were so worried? Sherlock?"
"Look, stop bitching and walk!"
"Says the girl who can't get rid of an ex from her naughty thoughts..." Catherine just made a face at that back to a very stressing Tess. They were walking to the fourth floor after they were got out from the elevator to check the surgery room followed by the lead nurse who gestured them the place. As the girls stepped into the place, the CSU team were already and worked up there under an asian young woman's orders. The place and objects were surrounded by yellow police tapes Fujiko Tanaka who was taking notes on her ipad and was standing next to the body covered all up. Drenched with blood. Along with a very frowning Medina who was standing there as well with arms crossed against his black leather coat, it looked like he was waiting for both of them to join the fun. The cop from NJPD had noticed that Catherine had kept her sunglasses and had come all the way with them, from the precinct.
"Why the sunglasses, Detective? The weather warned a tons of rain for today..."But Tess had cut him off, like her patience was reaching off of its limits.
"None of your business, Medina, can't we just jump into the conclusion here?" He just rolled up his eyes and nodded at the woman who raised up her black orbs from her ipad to look back at the girls standing in front of the stretcher, where the body was led.
"From what I can tell, it's not such a good idea to see the body, at the moment.."At her early thirties, Fujiko Tanaka was a petite person much like Cat's height, with a short boyish black haircut, big wide eyes behind her small rectangular glasses, were sending to Cat and Tess a serious look that had meant 'Wanna see this? You'll end up sick and very sick' Tanaka wore a black winter coat, however kept her hands covered up with sterilized gloves.
"Like she said, it's not such a good idea.." had added Medina back.
"How bad can it be?"
"Maybe we should wait for Ash to come over.."had suggested Tanaka as Tess snorted like this. From her stare, it looked like she knew more than she knows.
"I'm sorry, what? That stupid greek goat is working with you?"
"Who are you calling a goat? Vargas!" The four of them turned theirs heads to see the black haired guy who rushed into the building as if he was late for class. Ash reached up to them, standing to Medina's right side and at Tess's left side. Turns out the guy had a long and painful night just to look at his wet hair like he just walked out from the shower and he wore clothes that looked too big for him.
"So what do we got here?"
"That was supposed to be your job, Ash, where were you last night?"
"Almost dead drunk. Went to see that war hero guy Vincent Keller, since we shared a past, ten years ago and Regs thought it would had been a great idea to see him again..You know, catching things up?" Unknown to both of them, Catherine had kept her ears wide open at that reply. Ash had a past with Vincent, from before?
"And what happened?"
"I told you, we all dropped dead drunk. Like facedown and naked on the floor. Can't we just see whose body is under this sheet?" Tanaka just sighed, like she had excepted this to happen anyways. "As you wish, boss.." And with that, she took out the sheet away from the body's face and covered the rest of it. In order to avoid to get any sickier than that. Quite gory as Cat thought as she took a look at the face who was still intact. Trying to not imagine the rest of it.
Or whatever remained of Gretchen. The real Gretchen looked like she couldn't had the time to escape from death's doors...Her stomach was about to take its breakast out as she could hear Tess's voice shaking, as she faced the body as well.
"Feel sick, Cat?"
"I'll be fine..." Oh God, the sight was horrfying to describe, no wonder the nurse who called them was about to collapse when she found out the patient dead with all the blood on the surgery table. Not to mention a small hole into the forehead."Oh God.." Tess just shook her head, unbelieving the fact that the girl she had tried to talk with last night, had turned out to be dead and in a horrifying way. Naked under the sheet, Gretchen's eyes were wide open as they looked shocked, that her last hour would come by the hands of her doctor. Now, they were lifeless to anything. Splashed blood on her face, hair covered by a plastic blue hat, a hole on her chest was wide open...And who knows how many they were there. All the tubes and wires were taken off from her body, including her life in the most horrid way to end up.
Just like Tyler.
Her heart was stolen, just like it had been for Tyler, but all of them, Gretchen's organs were all out. A case like that could go all over the news, which means Lena's cover would be blown now that her friend had ended up dead.
"Looks like that bitch just got awakened from her surgery to just get herself killed by her surgeon.." Tanaka's voice had woken her up from her thoughts as Catherine managed to ask;
"Can you give us the exact time of death?"
"I'd say to four or six hours. Usually to take an fallen hernia out takes an very thirties minutes to an hour with precaution. But that depands on the patient's health..I'll know more when I'll do the autopsy, though.." Tanaka added back with a frown pointed the hole that went through the patient's head." And by that, I can only tell that they had covered up the murder by gunshot, here." So, not only someone had killed Gretchen by snatching her organs out but had covered up the act with a gunshot. Much as a cover. However the bullet wasn't there unless it was taken to the ballistics and evidence room. Shaking up her head in fear, Tess got a little pale at that sentence which made Cat worried. "Tess?" She touched her partner's arm. And boy, she was shaking here.
"I'm sorry, Cat. Usually, cases like these aren't so bad when you don't know the victim. However, it's the first time I felt differentely...It's Gretchen, that's for sure.." She had admitted nodding at the dead lying body.
"Your captain might need a report, since the two of you seemed to know the victim..."had blurted out Medina back, staring at the two of them.
"Just me. Not Cat, idiot.."
"However, the two of you are involved.."
"I agree with my partner here, I wasn't involved with Gretchen, Medina.."
"Is that so? So, where were you, Chandler? And I mean, at the time of the murder was hold?" At that, the female stepped back, defending herself from his questions. Catherine thought she could manage to handle Medina around, but turns out that Tess was right in one point. He is a bastard, thinking he can play Dirty Harry to her face.
"Is this an interrogation? Let me remind you that we have a dead and cut out body that needs to be examined here, as we speak. So,until the real culprit is caught and like Tess had said earlier, it's none of your freaking business.." She had stated out threatening the cop as she took off her glasses, revealing red burning spots on her cheekbones, from the alchool beverage from last night. Her partner tried to not wince at the sight when Tanaka whistled as a joking matter.
"Asian flush? Welcome to the club.." However, Catherine wasn't in the mood for joking, glaring at Medina. Not it ever had happened to her from before, she never went that hard on anyone. She was surprised at her own reaction here.
"Woah...Aren't we getting a little agressive here? I only asked you a question here.." He added back with an amusing smile like he wanted to make fun of her answer and expression. Catherine had to admit to herself that she went a little sensitive here. After the events of last night with Lena and Vincent, it was quite impossible to stay to put in hold. It never had happened to her before, to lose it. But Medina did quite accused her to be responsible of the crime here. Tess felt the tension here, trying not to grimace, just to look at Cat's burning cheekbones.
"Cat, you're sure, you're okay?" The brunette next to her took out a long sigh, trying to calm down as she closed her eyes for a minute, before she could reply.
"I got your back, you got that?" Tess just shrugged her shoulders knowing Cat won't answer her question.
"Whatever is the situation here, you girls stick together, no matter what, isn't that right?" had calmed said Medina with a bit of mockery through his voice, as a deputy officer came to him to talk. The two of them exchanged a few words as the girls whispered to each other, hoping that Tanaka and Ash won't hear them. Trying to find a good composure, Cat rubbed her arms as she opened up her eyes, staring at Gretchen's body whose sheet was back on covering the rest of her head. Who knows what other things that bastard ever did do to her, while she was alive and awake?
"Cat, you can go home, if you can't handle the case.."
"I'm gonna be fine, Tess, I just need a little distraction here, keep my mind off from personal things.." She backed away by a step.
"You mean, Vincent or Medina? Medina is a little old for you, don't you think?" Damn, Tess finally managed to break out from her fear zone and was now trying to make her cheer up?
"It's not what I meant.."As Catherine tried to explain, the other detective came back to them, with a sigh that said get the hell out of my life here or more like; Can't wait to go home...
"I've got some news here, and I hope you still have an solid stomach, here, cause a old man with his dog had found two bodies burried into the snow.." All stunned eyes were on him.
"Two others bodies and burried into the snow? Where?" had blurted out Tess as her partner just blinked twice at that kept away by his stupid mistake from last night, Ash looked up after he heard the news feeling his stomatch going upside down. Great another surprising hangover to endure today.
"Central Park, this morning and just a few minutes after that call from the nurse here...Both female.." Just what the hell is going on, now?
...
"Hey, Reynolds, you have a visitor...So shake your ass up.." The ex-FBI Agent and biological father of Detective Catherine Chandler bolted up onto the cold bench. Taking a nap in prison wasn't always comfortable as it seems and so are the neighbors. The silver haired man in the orange suit from Rikers Prison, looked up at the officer in uniform.
"Who would come up at this time? My daughter?"
"Not sure if you ever had cheated behind Windsor's back with his late wife, in the past, but who knows if you also have a red haired daughter, so..." The officer stepped back as an very and drenched red long haired woman, wearing a black coat, approached his cell, with a frown. And boy, did she looked even better pissed? Reynolds wondered if he was hallicinating or his eyes were seeing clearly.
Tori Windsor. Reynolds couldn't just believe it. She was still alive, after being abducted by some insane man who was after Vincent's blood, but had got hers, instead. How could she even stand in front of him when that insane fella had got what he needed? Something felt different here.
"Oh my God, Tori, how can it be that possible? I thought you were dead.." She managed to arrange her hair by pulling them back, despite them being wet from the heavy rain.
"Turns out, I'm not. But I'm not here to whine about how you had tried to kill me twice, along with Vincent..I'm here about something else, instead.."
"What do you want to know?"
"Like, how much my dad had paid that stupid company of yours, and I mean, Murfield.."Her green eyes looked like they could pierce through him with a very threatening feeling coming from her late father's very angry nature. "And be very truthful, cause if I ever find out that you're lying to me here, I'll rip both of your hands off..."
...
"Rui, I don't have much time to talk so make it quick.." Medina stepped away from the crime scene, leaving both Tess and Cat alone with the two M.E, Ash and Tanaka, as he spoke to his phone. He received news from Rui, the 'private detective' and best friend.
"Look, from what you told me to search, it looks like it was out of universe thing.."
"Okay, so talk quick.." Rui tried to explain from what he found about the other case, in his own words.
"Look, Santiago, from what you told me to search is almost unspeakable...I've talked with a few co-workers from Reynolds's departement. Nothing pretty much to say, but private and a guy always doing it's job. Nothing out of ordinary until he was arrested from these unspeakable murders.."
"So none of his co-workers knew of whatever he was doing behind? What about the case about Chandler and that bullet?"
"I was getting to the point there. I did some work for NYPD from years ago and what I've found about Chandler, is quite interesting..If hacking wasn't so illegal, I would had done the job without worry. Turns out, you and Chandler have a lot in commun, I mean both of you wanted to make a career with the law, years ago, but Chandler had gave up that path to persue law enforcement and you know why?"
"What reason?"
"It all happened when her mother, Dr. Vanessa Chandler was murdered by two or three unknown men, at that night. Mrs Chandler was helping her daughter with her car, only to be shot by these guys. Frightened and traumatized, Chandler ran for her life into the forest, followed by these dudes and just when they were about to kill her, from exposing them, something or someone bursted out from the trees and slashed them to death, leaving Chandler alone at the dark.."
"Rui, what does it has to do with the unmatching bullet?"
"I don't know, but that case is just weird, words, buddy. I've made three points about it; Uno, Chandler arrests her biological father from these mauling murders. Dos, a bullet in blood from Chandler's gun was found at the crime scene which made Hendricks very suspicious and had accused her of covering someone that may or may not be dead from her shot. And, tres, Vincent Keller comes out from the shadows after almost ten years of hiding. Amnesiac and recovering from a gunshot wound and just a few days after Reynolds's arrest..."
"So, from what you're trying to say. You think that whacko hero guy has something to do with Chandler?"
"Just my idea. I'm not sure about Chandler's mother murder, if Keller had come in or not, but I strongly believe that they are involved in something and my guts is telling me, that Keller and Chandler are connected into Reynolds's arrest, just to put these days together and make sense.." Medina turned his head back the girls who were now talking to each other, wondering if Chandler looked any innocent than she tried to be, after he heard Rui's part of the story. And mostly about Vincent Keller's part as well and if Rui was right about that fact, stating that if that war hero guy had something to do with Catherine's father's arrest. That could go pretty viral here...
...
So like it, so far? I know it's not much, but now that Gretchen is dead, things could go pretty bad for Patrick and Lena's cover and Cat having to arrest her, might be hard. What a shock about Vincent's nightmare, uh? And Tori, as well. What is she up to now?
See ya!
