A/N: Hey guys! Lately I received multiple PMs that complained about the story's focus on Andy's and Sam's relationship. Sorry, but this was always planned as a McSwarek story. Don't like, don't read! ;)

Furthermore, I'd like to give special thanks to kate1701, lilou, jh126, stefrosacarnevale, AllMcSwarek and linda p. for their continued support. But of course I'm grateful for all my readers and their numerous reviews - you guys rock! Your posts are what keeps me going, so thanks a lot!

X

"You've got to be kidding me!", Andy exclaimed. She was standing in front of a floor-length mirror, staring at the shortest skirt she'd ever seen. Combined with the beige leather top that managed to be even sluttier than the skirt, she positively could have given a hooker a run for his money.

"Suits you", Nick commented with a sly grin. Andy threw her socks at him and glared at everybody who'd dared to chuckle at his statement. The zipper on the front of her top was itching when she turned around and strode out the door, trying to keep her balance on the shiny black high heels. When she saw Detective Peck's outfit, a red-and-black chequered shirt, paired with tattered jeans – jeans! - her outrage multiplied again.

"I'm not wearing this", she said matter-of-factly. The blond Detective looked her over and nodded. "This will do."

"Did you hear me? I'm not wearing this. I'm gonna go change right now, be back in five." Her black skirt swirled up dangerously high when she turned around. Before she could take another step, the older Peck took hold of her elbow and stopped her.

"Officer McNally. Do you think I was joking when I recommended you wear clothes like this? You need to seduce a criminal simply by being in the same room with him. You need to divert his attention from the fact that he hasn't seen me in years, thus having no reason to trust me."

"I could have done it in something classier", Andy protested, more quietly this time.

"Perhaps. But could you also have convinced him that you were happily in love with a lowlife criminal and had a sadistic streak, all the while wearing a pink cocktail dress?"

"Okay, okay, I get it." She held her hands up in surrender, inwardly ashamed that they were even arguing about dress code at a time like this. To make up for her failure, she kept her mouth shut while the others discussed last-minute details of the op. They wouldn't be able to bring any weapons past the security at the door, instead opting for a tiny transmitter embedded in Andy's earring and a tracking device in the car.

"Push the shiny part in the middle once to start sending. Once more if you're in trouble. Thrice if you found Sam and need backup", Dove explained and retreated once Andy nodded understanding. Soon, she and Detective Peck were sitting in an old BMW. Peck seemed completely relaxed, brandishing a tattoo on his neck and looking very much the gang member they needed everyone to believe he was. Suddenly, Andy felt insecure.

"Um... Detective?"

"It's Steve from now on", he replied and glanced at her. Without further comment, he explained exactly what he wanted her to do. "Your name is Aline. Seduce them. Be clingy but and extrovert to the point of being brash. Don't be intimidated, be impressed. Play naive if you have to. You like my darker side, remember?"

"Yeah, got it", Andy said and saluted him, bringing her fingers deliberately across her decollete on the way back. Steve's mouth curled into a half-smile. "Perfect."

He parked the car behind a club downtown, got out and lead Andy towards a back entrance. She could hear techno music and laughter through the walls and wished that she were here with Sam, out to have a few drinks and dance. He'd make jokes about her outfit but like it nevertheless. Instead, she clung to Steve's arm as the Detective had a short discussion with the bouncer. When Steve mentioned the name O'Sullivan, the man opened the door and followed them inside, ushering them into a small room with another door to a back chamber.

"I'm gonna have to search you", he said. Steve stood still while the man did his job and smiled when Andy called the Irishman a pervert. "Where would I hide a gun in this dress?"

"Babe, leave it be", Steve interjected, earning a grateful expression from the bouncer. Less than a minute later, they were standing in the next room, opposite a man in a dark suit. Andy didn't know what she had expected, but glasses and long hair certainly were a surprise. Yet there was no doubt that this was O'Sullivan, judging from the respect everybody treated him with.

"Steve Warren! Haven't aged a bit! What brings you to my part of town after all this time?" Straight to business, then, Andy thought and was almost grateful when the man's gaze lingered on her body for a few seconds before he pulled his attention back to Steve.

"Heard you got yourself a certain policeman", Steve said with a slight accent. Even his stance had changed since they'd gotten out of the car. Impressive.

"That's none of your business." Suddenly, all the warmth in O'Sullivan's voice was gone, replaced by cold eyes and obvious mistrust. My job to soften him up a little before we get kicked out, Andy realized and went to work.

Her hand slowly stroked Steve's chest while she transfixed O'Sullivan with her big, pleading eyes. "But my baby went to jail because of that son of a bitch. He couldn't see me for three years and it's all the fault of that policeman. It ain't fair. Please, would you help my baby get his revenge?"

"Is that true?", O'Sullivan asked sharply. Steve confirmed and stated he'd even been shipped back into his home country, that's why he hadn't stayed in touch. "Bloody coppers", O'Sullivan muttered, then he took a long step towards Andy, which in reaction made Detective Peck to hold her closer.

"And why would you bring your... girlfriend with you on an occasion like this?" Andy could practically see him lick his lips and was both disgusted and relieved. Thank God she hadn't changed back into jeans and t-shirt.

"I like to watch", she answered suggestively, which made him laugh.

"She's a handful", he said and pointed a finger at Andy. Steve smiled and grabbed her ass.

"Oh yeah, but it's definitely worth it."

"Is that so?", O'Sullivan repeated lazily, then caught himself and returned to the topic at hand. "Assuming I had indeed found a certain Detective, what would you like me to do?"

"Give me a chance to teach the fucker a lesson myself!", Steve responded with gusto. For a second, Andy got a glimpse at a different kind of person and was almost scared of the man that held her. Then she blinked and the feeling was gone.

"Alright, have your fun. Johnny will drive you." Oh no, Andy thought, as she remembered the tracker beneath their car's engine. Still, she wouldn't risk finding Sam by making the stupid request to take their own vehicle, so she smiled sweetly at the criminal. "Thank you very much, Mister."

On their way to the car, Andy leaned over to Steve and pretended to whisper something slutty in his ear. "That was easy", she remarked instead and got into the backseat of a car when the bouncer from the club opened the door. Steve sat down right next to her and crushed her high hopes when he returned the favor and whispered: "I don't think he fully bought it. There's a car following us with his guys in it."

"Is that gonna be a problem?", Andy asked, earning a strange look from the driver. Steve smiled and draped an arm around her. "No, baby, that's no problem at all." Then why didn't she believe him? Her mouth was dry, her stomach churned and she constantly had to resist the urge to turn around and see the men with her own eyes. When the car finally came to a halt in front of a warehouse, she was thankful to get out.

"Pretty", she commented sarcastically and let herself be guided towards the huge entrance, where a guard was fighting off boredom by using his smartphone. Now that they were near, she could see that the paint was flaking off the dirty building's facade and the whole place seemed run-down. Abandoned. Perfect if you wanted space and loneliness, say, in order to hide a prisoner. Sam had to be here.

Andy was lost in thought so deep she jumped when the doors opened right before they had time to grab the handles themselves. Suddenly, she was staring into the surprised faces of Frankie and Boyden Connigh. It was so surreal that Andy only managed a quick "Hi." before Steve pushed her past the two criminals into the gloom of the building. Frankie's gaze followed them, his brow creased in confusion. Then his features cleared, he shouted "Peck!" and went for his gun, but Steve was faster. While Andy stood by, the Detective grabbed Frankie's wrist, turned him around and pushed the man fully out onto the parking lot, also managing to pull the pistol out of the Irishman's waistband.

"Go!", Steve yelled at Andy, who was now busy giving Boyden the same treatment his uncle had received. Together they closed the double doors and locked them with a heavy bolt.

"What the hell happened?", Andy gasped, leaning against the wall. Although whole interlude had only lasted seconds, she and Steve were both breathing faster than usual.

"He must have recognized me. Damn, I didn't think he'd remember me after all this time", Steve answered, then grimaced as they heard someone trying to get in. So far, they weren't doing much damage to the think iron door, but they'd gain access eventually.

"What now?", Andy asked, only to be interrupted by a scream from downstairs. Immediately all her concerns for her safety were pushed into the background. She knew that voice, had heard it countless times, giving orders, arguing, laughing, joking, but never crying out in pain. Sam! Without thought, she sprinted down the stairs.

"Aline!", Steve shouted and caught up with her just as she turned the last corner. Andy froze when she saw the scene in front of her. Her boyfriend was sitting on a chair at the back of the room, his hands tied in front of him. There were bruises on his face, blood on his shirt and even more blood on his jeans. Sam was hunched over, but at the sound he lifted his head and looked right at her, his warm brown eyes widening in shock. He obviously wanted to say something, but caught himself at the last moment, possibly because a knife was pressed to his throat. The man holding it surveyed her with a predatory smile while his slightly smaller companion focused solely on Detective Peck.

"Aline, baby, are you okay?", Steve asked loudly and turned her around to face him. Andy needed a moment to calm her racing heart, then she nodded at the Detective. "I'm fine. Sorry I took off, I was just... curious." With a strained smile, he stroked her hair and simultaneously pushed the transmitter three times.

"Steve Warren. O'Sullivan said you'd come. This is turning into an interesting evening", the companion said snidely. Steve turned his attention away from Andy and strode through the open space confidently while she followed close behind. All the while, she couldn't take her eyes off Sam. He was alive! Now all they had to do was get that dreadful knife away from his neck and him safely out of here. But how?

"Johnny. Connor", the Detective greeted when they'd reached the small group.

"Sorry, I can't shake hands right now, I'm a tad busy", Connor lamented and pulled the knife down a little, just close enough to Sam's skin to draw a few drops of blood. Sam winced but held very still, trying not to exacerbate the damage. Everything within Andy screamed to make that man stop, but she had to be clever with this, so she pretended to be hugely entertained. She didn't even have to pretend breathlessness when she asked whether she could try, too.

"My kind of girl", Johnny laughed, "C'mon, let her play a little."

"Fine", Connor said and stepped back reluctantly. His fingers were cold on Andy's, but he gave the weapon over without further discussion, even though he stayed very close. Sam let out a relieved breath, only to suck it back in as Andy forcefully gripped his hair and tilted his head back. Their eyes met the same instance he felt the cool blade against his skin.

"Hi, Sam", she whispered and held his gaze for a moment. Then she whipped her hand around and plunged the knife deep into Connor's thigh. And that's when all hell broke loose.

A/N: And for all those of you who are wondering about Andy's outfit, imagine this with a skirt:

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