Revenge Chapter 14
Later that afternoon Charlie and Amita have come by the hospital for a visit Charlie managed to drag Larry down to the cafeteria for something to eat while Amita and Megan talk.
"How are you feeling?"
"A little better. I can feel the drug wearing off."
Amita nods.
"That's good."
Megan gives a slight nod.
"I just wish…"
Megan gets a distressed look on her face.
"You just wish what?"
Megan looks at Amita sadly.
"You know, I never understood what victims meant when they said they could actually feel their attackers hands on them long after the attack was over. But…Amita I can, I can feel him on me I can even smell him on me!"
Megan begins to cry.
"And I know it's in my head and it's all normal and understandable but I hate it! I hate this feeling."
Amita sits gently on Megan's bed.
"Can I hug you?"
Megan nods emotionally. Amita reaches out and hugs her tightly.
"I can't even imagine what this must be like for you, but we both know that it will get easier, it will get better. You aren't always going to feel like this."
Amita gently lets go as Megan rests back into her pillows.
"Everything hurts and I feel like I have no control. I don't even have control over my feelings. Men I don't know come in here and I feel like I'm going to jump out of my skin. Larry leaves the room while a man I know is in here and I feel like hiding under the bed! Amita I am a trained FBI agent! This is ridiculous!"
Amita takes Megan's hands firmly in hers.
"Being an Agent doesn't make you any less human. Megan, you were the victim of a violent crime you aren't supposed to feel strong and confident and unscathed. If you did? Then there'd be a problem, at least in my book. Cut yourself some slack. "
Megan sighs tears still coming down her cheeks she tries to wipe them away but her hands are still very uncoordinated.
"Here let me help you."
Amita grabs a tissue and helps dry her tears.
"I can't even do the simplest thing for myself."
"Well, this part isn't going to last much longer."
Megan lets out a small chuckle.
"Thank God for small blessings, right?"
Amita gets an idea.
"Listen. I don't know if it'll help but I brought some scented lotions. I don't know maybe it was a dumb idea but I thought maybe it would make you feel better. Do you want me to put some on you? It might help your mind erase his smell."
Megan considers this.
"Sure, but can we talk about something else now?"
Amita nods pulling some lotion out of the bag she brought.
"Of course."
She begins helping Megan put the lotion on.
"What would you like to talk about?"
Megan thinks for a minute.
"How are things with you and Charlie?"
Amita smiles.
"They're really good. You know, it's funny after our very first date I kind of decided there was no future for us and yet here we are basically living together."
"Life can be funny like that."
Amita sighs getting a worried look on her face.
"I just hope we can weather what's ahead."
Megan looks at Amita questioningly.
"What's ahead?"
Amita sighs.
"Charlie wants to meet my parents."
"And this is bad because?"
"My Dad isn't a racist but he doesn't exactly like the idea of me even dating a man who isn't of East Indian descent. And considering Charlie and I appear to be moving towards a more permanent arrangement, well…"
"You think he'll be upset?"
Amita nods.
"I can't say for sure how far he'll go. I mean, don't get me wrong he's not a violent person and I know he loves me. But I also know how important our Indian background and Hindu beliefs are to him. Since the day I first started dating he made it clear he expected me to only date Indian men. I wasn't even allowed to do other wise as long as I was living under his roof."
"Does he know you're with Charlie?"
Amita takes a deep breath.
"He knows that I'm in a very serious relationship but I've allowed him to assume that the man I'm with is Indian."
"Amita…"
"Believe me Megan, I know. I guess I'm just scared. I've had friends who've been disowned over this sort of thing. I've even heard through the grape vine about a couple of girls who were victims of honor killings over this sort of thing. Granted that's an extreme and rare out come but it does happen."
Megan nods her understanding.
"You said you know your Dad loves you and that you believe he's not a violent man. Do you trust him?"
"With most things yes."
"Then you need to trust him with this. If he has no idea before he meets Charlie then yes it'll probably go badly. But if you tell him or maybe your Mom ahead of time then things might go just fine. You need to give him a chance."
"Yeah, you're probably right. I just don't want to loose him."
"You don't know that you will."
Amita chuckles.
"Can I now ask that we talk about something else?"
Megan laughs.
"Sure. Actually there is something I wanted to tell you."
"What?"
Megan looks at her sincerely.
"Thank you. And I don't just mean for today though I do appreciate the comfort. Last night, for everything, you've… you've been a great friend."
Amita smiles and blushes modestly.
"Hey us girls have to stick together. Besides we're friends and that's what friends do for each other."
Megan smiles and nods.
"Well, I'm lucky to have you as a friend."
oooOooo
Down in the cafeteria Charlie and Larry are eating.
"So, he's in Illinois?"
"Well, it looks like that. At the very least the person who is helping him is there. And since as of yet there's been no credit card activity on any of his cards, unless someone else is paying his way into hiding…"
"He's there."
Charlie nods.
"But wouldn't there be a flight record regardless of who paid for the ticket?"
"There was a Ray Galuski listed on a flight into Chicago O'Hare international air port but it doesn't appear to have been put on his or his brothers credit card and the trail dries up after that."
"So maybe another relative paid for the flight and his brother picked him up?"
"Maybe. Believe me Sam Galuski is going to have some serious questions to answer but Don wants some information on him before he does anything."
Larry nods.
"It certainly would help to be prepared."
Larry shakes his head and sighs heavily.
"To think this time yesterday I was planning an engagement and now…"
"You're still going to ask her aren't you?"
"Well, of course. But the question of when is now one of complete mystery. Megan has just been through a horrific experience. It hardly seems fair or just of me to ask her such a life altering question when she's dealing with so much."
Charlie tilts his head to the side considering this.
"I'll be the first to admit my genius does no lay in understanding people. However, I would think that something as wonderful as getting married would be a welcome distraction from the current situation. Not to mention help in making her feel loved and protected. Furthermore it's not as if this is a negative life change, it's a positive one."
"Yes, but I've heard rape victims sometimes misunderstand love and devotion for pity."
"But this is Megan we're talking about. With her psychology back ground I'd assume she'd know better."
"Knowledge and emotion aren't always on the same page Charles."
"So tell her you don't pity her. Tell her you got the ring before this happened."
Larry has to laugh.
"Charles even I know that would make for a lousy proposal. But don't worry. I have no intention of not proposing. As I said it's simply a question of the right time. Speaking of relationships how are things with Amita?"
Charlie considers this.
"Good. We're actually making some really good inroads into building a lasting future together. In fact she's finally agreed to let me meet her parents."
Larry raises his eyebrows.
"Are you sure you're ready for such an endeavor? It is hardly a secret that Amita's father will not approve. You're going to have a hard fight winning him over."
Charlie considers this.
"I agree it will be a challenge but I think I've got a few things going for me."
"And those would be?"
"Well, the most important is that Amita and I are in love and I know for a fact I make her happy. Now, from what Amita has told me her father loves her, so unless she's wrong about that I can't imagine him being to upset about his daughter being in a loving relationship with a man who makes her happy. Also, I treat Amita with a great deal of respect and give her the freedom to be herself. In other words I treat her right. Again things a loving father would approve of."
"And if we didn't know that he wishes for his daughter to be with a man of Indian descent and I'd assume Hindu beliefs then I'd agree that you have nothing to worry about but…"
"But Larry, I don't practice my religion. Yes, I am essentially Jewish but it's not a big part of my life. Meaning, that if Amita wants to practice her religion and raise any future children we might have Hindu it's fine with me. It's also fine with me if she brings any Indian traditions or customs into our home that she wants. It's not as if by choosing me she has to give up anything. And I plan to tell her father these things."
"And have you told your father these things?"
"Actually, yes. When Amita first told me about the issues her father was going to have with me Dad and I had a long talk. He knows that religion has never really been part of my life, and I've never paid much attention to any customs or traditions of our own. The truth is no one in our immediate family does. My Dad isn't concerned about his grandkids being Jewish he's just concerned about having them."
This causes both men to laugh and Larry nods.
"This is true."
"He also cares a great deal about Amita and loves seeing me happy so any concessions he has to make he's willing to make. So, I'm not really worried."
oooOooo
At the Chicago PD Captain Peterson sits in his office in the middle of a stressful phone conversation with Chicago Chief of Police Baldwin.
"Sir, I assure you there has to be a logical explanation for this. Lt. Galuski is one of our best men. He has served the City of Chicago valiantly for 25 years. His record is not only spotless it's covered with all sorts of medals of honor."
"Well, I have an FBI agent informing me that at this time it appears he could be at the very least assisting a federal fugitive! I will not allow dirty cops in this city!"
"I wouldn't allow it either and I assure you Lt. Galuski isn't one. Please, let me speak with Lt. Galuski before the FBI does and see if I can get to the bottom of this. I'm sure he has no idea that he's helping a federal fugitive."
"Fine, speak with him first, but I am not allowing for any special treatment. If he isn't involved then he better be damn ready to help us track down this brother of his!"
"I understand sir, of course."
They hang up and Captain Peterson sighs heavily as he leans his elbows on the desk and drops his head into his hands.
"Damn it, Galuski don't I have enough to deal with."
He gets up and goes out into the bullpen. After a quick scan of the room he spots Galuski at his desk.
"Galuski, my office now!"
He goes back into his office and flops down in his chair. Sam enters looking concerned.
"Is there a problem sir?"
"You could say that. Seems that a Special Agent Don Eppes from the Los Angeles FBI field office is trying to get a hold of you."
Sam is clearly taken a back by this.
"Of me? Why? Is there a case we're working on that they're interested in?"
"Well, apparently less then 24 hours ago a female federal agent in Los Angeles was the victim of a vicious rape, and her attacker it appears has strong ties to Chicago. Ring any bells?"
Sam is looking at Captain Peterson more confused then ever.
"Sir, I'm sorry, I'm not formilure with this case, does the FBI want our help with it?"
Peterson looks long and hard at his Lt. and seeing the complete confusion in his face sighs in relief.
"I'm glad to see you haven't heard about it, unfortunately it does appear you are involved in it. Do you have a brother named Ray?"
Sam gets a sick feeling in his gut.
"Yes, sir."
"Well, according to the FBI your brother has been stalking a federal agent for about a year now. And it came to a head last night with him breaking into her apartment, knocking out her boyfriend, then drugging and violently raping her. There is evidence that in the past when he's been in any kind of legal trouble that you've been the one to bail him out and from the looks of things he flew to Chicago late last night."
Peterson pauses to check something he's written down.
"The ticket was purchased using a joint account that you are a holder in. The other account holder is a Norma Galuski. That's your mother right?"
Sam is as white as a ghost and looks like he's about to loose his lunch. He has to reach out and steady himself on a chair in the office.
"My brother raped a federal agent?"
Captain Peterson nods slowly.
"And is making you look very bad. So, if you know where he is I suggest you talk."
Sam takes a deep breath.
"Sir, I can assure you I had no idea about this. Normally when he needs my help it's nothing more then a restraining order pertaining to sexual harassment. There was one incident where it looked like it could be more but I didn't hide him the police knew at all times where he was I made sure of it."
Peterson nods his understanding.
"Well, be that as it may it seems he's crossed a very serious line now."
"Yes, Sir. If you'll let me I'd like to be the one to bring him in."
Peterson raises an eyebrow at him.
"Are you sure that's wise?"
Sam takes a deep breath.
"He's still my brother, I just feel like it's my responsibility. Please, sir."
Peterson considers this.
"All right. But call if you need back up."
"Yes, sir."
Sam hurries out of the office a sick feeling turning to rage and disgust.
oooOooo
Don is back at the FBI talking with David and Colby.
"So, his Captain is going to talk to him instead of us?"
David looks at Don surprised his boss is allowing this.
"Well, the guy's in a different state we wouldn't be the first to talk to him anyway. And don't forget he's not a suspect so much as a person of interest. Besides, his Captain knows him where as we don't. Look, they're going to call us back as soon as his Captain has some answers and we'll go from there."
Just then the phone rings.
Don snatches it up.
"Eppes"
Don listens carefully for a minute his forehead creasing in concern.
"Are you sure that's wise given his conflict of interest?"
He listens some more.
"All right, but I want to be notified as soon as Ray is in custody, also I'll want to arrange for the Chicago FBI field office to take custody of him until he can be sent back here."
He listens some more.
"Thank you for your cooperation"
He hangs up and sighs.
"Well, supposedly Sam didn't know what was going on. He's on his way now to pick his brother up and bring him in. They'll call when he's in custody."
Colby shakes his head.
"That's going to be one hard arrest."
David nods.
"It's bad enough when it's someone who's like a brother to you. But to actually have to arrest your own brother?"
David shakes his head feeling sympathy for this man he's never met.
oooOooo
Sam goes charging into his house full of anger.
"Ray, you get your ass down here!"
Mrs. Galuski comes out of the kitchen looking annoyed.
"Don't you dare speak to your brother that way!"
"I'll speak to that federal fugitive any way I damn well please!"
She slaps him across the face.
"How dare you call him such a thing!"
"Mom, the man raped a federal agent and then used us to help him hide out! I could've lost my badge! I'm just lucky my Captain has faith in me!"
"How dare you say such lies!"
"They aren't lies! The FBI is looking for him because he raped a federal agent!"
"He's being framed! He's being framed! We have to hide him!"
"No, we have to turn him in!"
"Never!"
"Mom he raped an…"
She slaps him again harder.
"You will stop with these vicious lies! You're just jealous of your brother you always have been! I will not let you ruin him! If you try and arrest him I will disown you!"
Sam looks at her a million emotions flooding his mind.
"Mom, I am sworn to up hold the law, and that is what I'm going to do."
Suddenly Mrs. Galuski's eyes get wide with horror as Sam feels a blinding pain in his head and everything goes dark. Ray stands over his motionless brother glaring at him.
"Sorry, but I can't let you do that brother dear."