Disclaimer: Refer to chapter 1

It's been awhile since I updated this story ... hope you enjoy this twist!

Moran's time is running out

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CHAPTER 21

Moran Sees the Light

Captain Ross leaves the hospital after getting reamed out by Eames once again. Russian Roulette … how can she think that? Hmm … how can she not? He makes his way to Chief Moran's office. He wants his Detectives back … this is the only way. He told Bobby about the e-mail that Eames sent. He asked him to talk some sense into her. Goren told him that he would try but if he were unsuccessful, he would tender his resignation along with hers.

Moran's Office

"Chief, I need a word."

"I don't really have the time today Danny."

"Make the time, this is important."

"What is it?"

"I have Goren in the hospital fighting for his life and this. He throws Eames resignation on Moran's desk. All because of you and your hatred for my Detective. I'm tired of it and it's going to stop now Chief or mine comes next."

The Chief rises from his chair ready to throw Ross out of his office but Ross intends to be heard. He puts his hands up …

"Sit down Chief, I'm not done."

"Oh, your done Danny."

"No I don't think so. You see, I know about Adair."

The Chief sits.

"I know you had a hand in some of his dirty dealings and I also know that you could have stopped him from framing Jimmy Deakins. I'm not going to let you hurt Goren and Eames anymore."

"Blackmail doesn't suit you Danny."

"The way I see it, The Chief of Detectives, doesn't suit you."

"You can't prove any of this Ross."

Ross tosses another envelope on Moran's desk. It has times, places and photos … more than enough proof that Moran had his hands in some illegal dealings of Adair's. Mostly prostitution and drugs for his "clients," certainly enough for Moran to lose his job and pension. As much as Ross wanted to pull the plug on Moran and his day was coming, his main objective was getting his A team back and Moran on his knees begging them for forgiveness.

"What do you want Ross?"

"First of all, you should know that what you have in your hand is merely a copy. If anything happens to me or my detectives, the rug gets pulled out from underneath you, is that understood?"

"You just love this, don't you Ross?"

"No, I hate rotten cops! Next … you start respecting Goren for the brilliant Cop and Profiler he is. For Christ sakes … he has a Purple Heart and a Metal Valor and lets not forget his conviction rate. I shouldn't have to defend this man, to you or anybody else! Or to myself ever again. Thirdly, I want you to go to that hospital and tell him how much you respect him and value him as a member of the NYPD and as one of the finest Detectives that you have ever known. Oh and Chief, you better pray that Goren and Eames never find out what I recently found out about you, Deakins was their Rabbi."

"Well, I hope you're proud of yourself Ross."

"I'm not, you should be with your friend in jail … then I would be proud. Don't forget what I know … Chief. I'm done here."

Captain Ross storms out of the Chief's office, he's shaking but he did it. The information on the Chief recently "fell off a truck" and landed on Ross's desk. He doesn't know where it came from but he now knows that the information was true. He would have to turn the Chief in but he wanted Goren to have the pleasure … it would land on Goren's desk when he got back.

Eames and Eames question Goren

"Bobby are you strong enough to help us find Jack?"

"I don't think I can get out of this bed Eames."

"I didn't mean that. Can you answer some questions?"

He tries to make himself comfortable. Eames helps by adjusting his bed, her father watches the interaction between the two and how careful she is with him. She runs her hand through his hair when he winces from the pain as he changes position and he smiles up at her. John Eames feels comforted that his daughter has found some happiness with Bobby, he always liked the big Detective and never found him to be odd … he found him to be intelligent and interesting. He found himself smiling at the two even though his younger son was missing.

"Okay, that's better, fire away."

"Well Detective, we can't find my son. We think he may have gone to the Addleson's Penthouse to confront Jake about what he had done to you."

"How did he know about that?"

"He responded to the 'officer needs assistance' call. I never saw him there Bobby but my Dad and I spoke with his Captain and the rookie that he rode with that night, he was there. He must have been in the alley and witnessed the whole thing. He probably followed Jake home and confronted him."

"I would hunt the driver of the limo down, he knows everything that goes on, pressure him. He looks tough but he'll crack."

"We could take Scoop as a back up Lex."

"Ah, who's Scoop."

"He's the rookie that was with Jack that night, he's bigger than you Bobby."

"There are a lot of people bigger than me."

"He's like 6'8, what do ya say dad, like 300 lbs?"

"Close."

"Whoa, yeah … take him with ya … please. I'll feel better knowing that a concrete wall was in front of you!"

"Well dad, we should find out Scoops schedule, we're doing this off the clock, no need to get the kid in any trouble."

"I'll go make a call and leave you two alone for a few minutes." He winks at Goren and leaves the room.

"He knows about us?"

"He guessed."

"How?"

"He said I smiled every time I said your name."

Goren smiled, he held out his hand for her to come closer. He wanted to hold her, he knew he couldn't but he needed her to be close to him. She felt the same, she missed him in her bed, she missed him flinging paint at her, she missed her Partner. She leaned in and kissed him, he had too many tubes for a real kiss but it was a promise kiss for later … that's when Moran walked in.

"Excuse me Detectives."

Alex moved away from Bobby. She felt no guilt or shame. What Moran witnessed was a concerned Partner of eight years kissing her Partner goodbye. It was a tender moment that he interrupted, she was mad not embarrassed. Moran didn't even flinch at the sight of his two Detectives kissing … that concerned Goren … but lets be honest … not too much. John Eames walked back in the room and saw Moran … he didn't hold him in the highest regards. He didn't like the way he treated Goren or his daughter for that matter.

"Sergeant Eames, nice to see you again Sir."

"Chief."

"Detective Goren, how are you feeling?"

"Like a bullet hit me in my side and took out about a mile of my intestines Sir."

Alex just stood by Bobby's side guarding him, almost like she thought the Chief was going to "finish the job."

"I guess that sounds about right Bobby."

A collective thought by all three … Bobby?

"Yes Sir."

"I just wanted to come by and tell you how sorry I was to send you on this fools errand. Not that I think that you're anyone's fool Detective, quite the opposite actually. I never thought it would get out of hand like this. I thought you would just have a word or two with officer Eames and it would be over."

"Well you were wrong Chief. Bobby's here in ICU and we have no idea where Jack is or even if Jack is alive thanks to you and Ross."

"Lex, lets not think like that."

"Detective Eames, let me make one thing perfectly clear, Ross had nothing to do with this. Richard Addleson is a friend of mine, I was trying to do him a favor, it backfired."

"Backfired? BACKFIRED!?"

"Lex."

"Alex."

"No, I'm going to say my peace. Dad, Bobby you might as well know, I resigned, so I'm going to say whatever I damn well please to Chief Moran!"

"Alex please don't."

"Bobby, I have to get this off my chest. You have played with my Partner's life for THE LAST TIME! Testarossa didn't kill him so you had to find another way aye Chief. You knew that Jake was schizophrenic … didn't you? You probably knew that the baby was his old man's too. Addleson is a rich and powerful man, this was never about getting my brother to back off, it was trying to trap Bobby once again … WASN'T IT?"

"No, Detective, I value Detective Goren … he's one of my finest Detectives, in fact one of the best I've ever known."

John and Bobby tried to hide their sarcastic laugh with a fake cough, which caused a great deal of pain to surge through Goren's body. He resisted the urge to push the button for his pain meds. The show he was watching was "must see."

Captain Ross was lurking right outside of the door and almost gave himself away by the same "cough." He was happy about the Chief declaration in front of Eames and her father … of course they wouldn't believe a word he said but this was more confirmation that the information linking the Chief to Adair was real … Bobby and Alex would have a field day with it. Ross got what he needed and left the hospital.

"You value Detective Goren? Okay, prove it!"

"Anything. Name it."

"A public apology for the way you treated him throughout the years, a pay raise, the black marks taken out of all of our jackets and hero status!"

"Hero status?"

"That's right. He saved my life … stepped right in front of that bullet that would have killed me instantly … I want IAB off of our backs about the shooting and I want you to tell the public that if there were such a thing as a modern day hero … Goren is it."

"Done."

Goren, Eames and Eames all look at each other like the Chief had dipped into Goren's pain meds.

"But you have to do one thing for me Detective Eames."

"What's that?"

"Come back to MCS … with your Partner of course … I can't afford to lose my A team. I value you both. You should know that."

The Chief left Goren's room feeling that his job and life would be secure … he did as Captain Ross asked and would do what Eames asked as well. He was trying to repent. He got caught up in the money and prestige that went along with being one of Adair's men. He was able to keep his hands clean by wheeling and dealing with people that owed him favors … big favors. One of those men owned a truck and he was a "fan" of Goren's … he'd seen enough.

"What the hell just happened?"

"I think we just entered the twilight zone."

"Quick Bobby, check your IV, is it still attached to you or did Moran take it?"

"No, I have it … he didn't look impaired. Hey you guys need to go find Jack … it's been what, 48 hours or more … that's a long time for a missing person. You need to be looking for Jack not hanging with me."

"Okay, we'll go talk to the limo driver."

"Take that Scoop kid."

"Oh yeah right, he's available. I talked to him before Moran got here. He said he's all in."

"Great, a gambler. You tell that kid, if he gambles with my Partner's life, I don't care how big he is, I'll kick his ass!"

"You just get better. I'll take care of my daughter."

"Excuse me boys."

Boys?

"I've been known to do my own ass kickin. Come on Partner lets go."

"Um Eames … I have tubes coming and going out of places that I don't even want to talk about."

"Sorry Bobby, John's my Partner on this one."

"John?"

"If you want to be my Partner, it's either John or Eames … pick one."

"Dad."

"Not an option. John it is." She winks at Goren and they head off to pick up Scoop.

Goren goes to hit the button for his pain meds when he gets another visitor. Mr. Richard Addleson. The alarms on Bobby's EKG goes off indicating a sharp increase in his heart rate … his ICU nurse had stepped away while Eames was with him … she came running.

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Next up: Eames and her new Partner "John" pick up Scoop and lean on the limo and the limo driver. I crave reviews and chocolate ... please hit send ... I have chocolate!