Hello all! I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Thank you to everyone who has been supporting this story and me as an author. For every review, follow, and favorite I thank you sincerely for your support. Enjoy!
Chapter Ten
"Castle, tell me." Esposito urged as he tore through his apartment, looking for everything he needed to leave.
The writer watched him in a daze completely transfixed by his friend's frantic movements. "Uh, okay. Well we were looking at what first appeared to be a simple drugstore robbery gone wrong."
"Why would Beckett be assigned a robbery death?" Javier interrupted.
"As much as it pains me to say: Demming asked for her help with the case."
Javier smirked to himself when he heard Castle's statement followed up with the author whispering, "I hate Demming," under his breath.
"Anyways, Beckett offered to have Sam look over the security footage while she, Demming, and I checked out the crime scene again."
Javier slipped his arms into his olive green jacket and placed his phone in the side pocket. "Why did Demming ask for Kate's help? What makes this case special at all?"
"Because after the robber killed the cashier he turned to look at another customer in the store. It looked like he was going to shoot the guy, but instead he turned the gun on himself. And when Sam was reviewing the footage he recognized the customer. It was-"
"Damon Calder." The Hispanic detective finished Rick's sentence curtly.
"Yeah." Richard breathed out, following behind Javier as he strode out the door.
Ryan weakly paced the length of his prison unable to sit still for more than a few seconds. He still had the large shard of mirror held tightly in his wrapped hand, but even having a weapon did nothing to steady his fanatically beating heart. The young detective knew in his gut this was a bad idea; that he should just wait for his friends to find him. But Kevin also knew that if he didn't at least try something soon he would die down in this dingy basement in the middle of nowhere. The father, husband, son, brother, and friend in him would not accept that fate. Kevin Ryan would not die like this.
Creaking above halted Kevin's pacing and sped up his already racing pulse. Carefully the NYPD detective followed his captor's footstep from each sound the floor made. When he was sure Calder was heading towards the basement door Ryan rushed to the back corner covered in darkness, hoping to take the former military man by surprise.
"Kevin, you're in for a treat. I brought home some of the best pizza in New York City for dinner." Damon called out in excitement as he slowly descended the stairs.
When no response was given Calder narrowed his cold grey eyes at the ajar bathroom door and silently placed his hand on his still holstered gun. "Ah, come on Kev. Don't be like this. I know you're still upset about earlier, but I was only looking out for you. Kevin?"
Cautiously, Damon reached out with his right hand to push open the bathroom door fully while pulling his pistol free with his left. A few strands of dark blond hair shifted over one of Calder's eyes as he stepped through the threshold. A spike of annoyance building in his chest.
A crunching noise pulled the searching man's attention to his black combat boots and the surrounding shattered pieces of mirror littering the floor. Frowning, Damon's mind didn't have a chance to fully comprehend what those sharp shards meant before a searing pain ripped through his left shoulder. The highly trained warrior tumbled forward, slamming into the wall, as Kevin threw all of his bodyweight into his surprise attack.
Adrenaline fueling his body, detective Ryan drove the piece of glass into his captor's shoulder with everything he had and shoved the man further into the bathroom, pushing the door closed swiftly as Calder's body met the wall. Stumbling Ryan moved as fast as he could to the metal shelving unit next to the bathroom door. Screaming through clench teeth with effort the injured detective succeeded at blocking Calder in. Sparing no time Kevin pushed his battered and abused body up the stairs just as loud banging signaled his time to get away was running out.
Raging, Damon's furious voice roared at Kevin as the cruel man made quick work of escaping the small bathroom. "I'm going to make you PAY FOR THAT! KEVIN! KEVIN! GAHHHH!"
Detective Ryan didn't look back as he burst through the basement door; the cabin's front door soon following. He didn't take any time to think of which direction to run, or find something to arm himself with, his only thought to get away. Kevin didn't give consideration to his bare feet being cut by the rough forest floor with each desperate step he took or his numerous injures hindering him. He just ran.
Javier's fingers twitched against his thigh while his dark eyes glared up at the glowing floor numbers above the elevator doors, willing them to move faster. His mind running wild with all the different ways he would like to kill Calder after they caught him. The Hispanic detective felt a tension in his shoulders at being back in the 12th without his brother at his side. The feeling making him want to turn right back around and leave with no intentions of ever looking back. He couldn't do that though. He needed to finish this…for Kevin.
Castle hadn't said a word to Javier since entering the building and Esposito was grateful. He needed the quiet. A sharp ding sounded just before the double doors open sluggishly to reveal the homicide department. Swallowing thickly Javier stepped off the elevator just behind Castle and shook off the many stares directed at him. With anger powering him Detective Esposito crossed the old wooden floors and marched with propose to a stunned looking Kate, pointedly ignoring his partner's replacement sitting equally stunned at Ryan's old desk.
"I'm here to catch the bastard!" Javier growled as soon as he reached Beckett.
Kate narrowed her eyes at her friend's tone and quickly sent a glare at Castle over Javier's shoulder. "I thought I told you not to get Javi involved yet. We still don't know what's going on or have any idea of where to start looking for Calder."
"And out of anybody Espo's got the best chance of figuring that out." Rick said confidently.
"He is also the one person who shouldn't be on this case. I'm sorry Espo. You're just too close to this."
"HE KILLED MY BEST FRIEND!" Javier roared breathing heavily. His hands shook uncontrollably at his sides, making the detective have to clench them into tight fists, hoping to hide the action from Beckett. He didn't succeed.
Silence fell over the precinct after the sudden outburst and Kate placed a gentle hand on Esposito's taut shoulder. "Come on, Javi. You know I can't have you work this. Just as you know you shouldn't work it. I'm surprised Gates hasn't taken us off the case yet."
Clearing the burning sensation in his throat Javier spoke unsteadily. "You have to let me help, Kate…please...I...I need to do something."
Kathrine Beckett's heart ached as she stood motionless, sharing in Esposito's pain. Kate would be lying if she said she too wasn't out for blood. Calder took away someone she loved and in doing so created an emptiness in herself, much like after her mother's death. Beckett wanted revenge; more than anything she wanted Calder to pay. However she may feel though, Kate knew what craving vengeance did to someone. She knew what it was like to lose yourself in it like she did looking for her mother's killer. It took her a long time to put her head on straight. She was an NYPD detective, and an upholder of the law. So no matter how much she craved retribution for Kevin's murder she would follow the law as she pledged the moment she entered law enforcement, and arrest the man that killed one her chosen brothers. If Espo was there when Beckett found Calder she wasn't sure she could…would want to stop him from killing the man that ruined their lives by taking Kevin's.
Detective Beckett opened her mouth to order Javier home when her warm eyes finally connected with his hollow yet determined ones. She knew he would never go home now. Not when they finally had a lead on Calder, even a lead as small as this one. Sighing heavily Kate spoke sternly. "Fine you can help, but Javi we bring him in alive. I know all you have been thinking about since Rick told you is how you can kill him and probably in various ways each one more painful than the last, but we have to do this the right way. Kevi…Kevin wouldn't have wanted you to throw your life away."
Esposito's cheek muscle twitched with the strain from grinding his teeth firmly the moment Beckett said Kevin's name. Swallowing down his emotions Javier tried to keep his voice steady. "Thank you. What do you guys have so far?"
"Uh…Detective Esposito?" A tentative voice suddenly sounded from behind Javier.
The Hispanic detective snapped his gaze at the new voice almost forgetting that Sam was still here, sitting at his partner's desk.
When he was sure he had Javier's attention Sam spoke again his pale green eyes were steady but his voice hesitant. "I…I just wanted to say how…incredibly sorry I am for…for everything. I hope we can work together to get this Bastard. Kevin Ryan was a kind, and generous soul. He was the first person to make me feel like I didn't make a mistake transferring here from my last precinct. He didn't deserve what happened, and I wish I could have tracked him sooner. May…maybe you guys could have saved him if I was better, and for that I…I'm sorry."
Javier had every intention of ignoring Samuel Whitmore, not needing the constant reminder of his loss, but it was difficult to continue with that plan when the young detective up and spouts his feelings of unnecessary guilt. "Whitmore, if it wasn't for you we may not have ever found Kevin. Things didn't go how any of us would have liked, but that was in no part your fault. Now take what you're feeling and use it."
Samuel's face lit up with a genuine smile of gratitude. "I will, Sir."
Javier grimaced. "No way are you calling me that. It's just Javier or Esposito. If you need to Detective Esposito will also do, but if you call me sir again we're gonna have a problem."
Sam laughed while Castle sent him a wink from behind Javier just as his cell phone began to ring. Pulling the object out of his pocket the young detective's smile faltered for a split-second before the smile was back in place. "I'm really sorry but I have to take this. It's my girlfriend, pregnant girlfriend, and she had a doctor's appointment today. I'll be quick I swear."
Kate smiled a warm smile at the youngest member of her team. "Of course Sam. Say hi to Becca for me."
Samuel sent her a quick nod as he stood from his chair and answered the phone, cutting off its' shrill ringing. "Hey Babe! What'd the doctor say?"
Carefully, the young detective made his way through the multitude of cops surrounding him and leaned up against the wall in a quiet corner as a deep and stress-filled voice answered him. "We have to move the timetable up."
Samuel released a slow breath, trying to keep his anger in check. "What do you mean?! Javier just got back into the investigation! We can't just speed things up now." He whispered in a clearly frustrated tone.
Chuckling darkly, "That's funny. It almost sounded like you were telling me what 'we' can and can't do, but that's obviously not what happened. I mean after I gave you everything you ever wanted; respect, a new identity, a place on Beckett's team. I own you, Sammy."
Detective Whitmore closed his eyes in an attempt to suppress his annoyance. "I don't need you to remind me of what you've done for me, Damon. I know I owe you. How exactly do you expect me to speed up your plan without making them suspicious of me? Need I remind you that you still need me on the inside? It wouldn't do any good if I was say…arrested or if Esposito killed me."
Damon Calder smirked. "I don't know Javier killing you could still work for my plan." The ex-military man crouched low to the forest's floor his cold eyes surveying the tracks dug deeply into the dirt. Reaching out Calder placed two figures to the earth, bringing them back he brushed slowly over the blood now staining his fingertips with a smile. "I don't care what you have to say or how you have to say it. Just get them moving faster."
Calder tuned out Samuel's new complaint as he breathed in deeply. The scent of a camp fire tickling his nose, prompting Calder to scan the horizon looking for any sign of smoke. He saw a faint outline of grey smoke against the orange sky not far from his position in direction that the tracks were leading. Standing hastily Damon grunted with the sudden pain shooting down his back from his shoulder wound and after a moment started towards the fire as if nothing was wrong. "Now if you'll excuse me Sammy. I have a misbehaving bunny to catch."
Samuel NOOOO! Why are you helping Calder?! Oh that's right because I wrote it that way. Haha! What did you all think? I was very saddened to hear of Castle's cancellation. I was hoping to get more Ryan and Esposito in the new season, but what can you do. Thankfully, I can write all the Ryan and Esposito that I like! Until next time!
