An Act of Vengeance

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of DM. I do own the ones that I created.

Rating: I'm giving it an M for violence and assault.

Summary: Revenge against Steve Sloan is taken out on the person he loves most.

Author's notes: Feedback is always appreciated. Also beta help is always welcomed. Thank you for reading.

Chapter Two: Realization

Steve made his way slowly through the home of Judge Francis Million. The home had been utterly ransacked during the murder.

He stopped at the partially covered, yet badly beaten bodies lying so still on the living room floor. Amanda Bentley work quietly over the body of Judge Million.

Steve knelt down next to the young medical examiner. "Can you tell time of death?"

Amanda sighed, "I'd say by the liver temp, maybe two to three hours."

Steve ran his hand through his hair, "We sure are on this scene early… Something just doesn't sit right with me. It feels wrong."

Amanda cleared her throat, "Steve…"

Steve's bright blue eyes made contact with Amanda's warm chocolate ones, "what's wrong Amanda?"

"I believe they've been sexually assaulted."

The shock showed on Steve's face, "what… him too?"

Amanda nodded, "They were both naked from the waist down, He has rectal tears… she has bruising consistent with sexual assault."

Steve stood up, he felt as if he were going to be sick. "What kind of person or persons would do that to people their age? I'm mean, how old are they? He has to be his seventies because Dad is sixty-two."

Cheryl stepped up, "he's seventy-six, and his wife is sixty-eight."

Steve shook his head from side to side as he watched Amanda's techs respectfully place the bodies of the Millions one by one into the black body bags. "I don't understand this. It's such a waste."

Glancing over at his partner he asked, "Are there any family members that would be able to tell us if there is anything missing?"

"They have two sons both in service and out of the country. He has a brother in L. A. She has a sister in Atlanta," Cheryl replied.

Amanda was the one of the group that always thought like a mother. She shook her head from side to side, "oh it's terrible for their sons to learn something like this so far from home."

Steve sighed, "I don't think there is a good time for this kind of news."

He stood there for a few seconds as his thoughts moved to his own father. "I'm glad I let Dad sleep this morning. This would've been tough on him. He's known the Million's since he and Mom moved here."

Amanda smiled and patted Steve's shoulder, "I am you let him sleep. Mark expects so much from his self and works way too hard for a man his age. He needs his rest."

Cheryl sighed, "Well I'll contact the Red Cross to notify their sons. I'll have the locals contact his brother and her sister, and give them the news. I'll ask his brother to come down and help us determine if this is a robbery."

………………………………………………………

Jessie Travis looked once again at his watch. It was six-fifteen and Dr. Mark Sloan was not at work yet. A person could set their watch by his arrival these days, since he got a new car. He was in the door at five forty-five every morning and expected everyone else to soon follow.

Jessie paced in the hallway, back and forth…, back and forth.

Doris arrived at six thirty. She stopped for a moment and watched the young doctor pacing outside of Mark Sloan's office. Shaking her head from side to side, "what are you doing, Dr. Travis? Wearing a hole in my carpet? Why don't you just go on in? You know he's in there."

Jessie turned, "Oh, Doris… I'm glad you're here. Dr. Sloan is late. Did he say anything to you about errands he had to run this morning, or a reason why he would be late?"

"No he did not. And just what makes you think he's late? He's probably in there and forgot to leave the door unlocked. You know how forgetful he can be," she said as she walked with her keys in hand ready to unlock the door.

Jesse sighed, "He doesn't answer at his door either. I knocked a few minutes ago."

Doris stuck the key in the lock and turned it. She opened the door and stepped inside. "He probably slept here again. That man doesn't take care of himself."

Moving toward his closed office door she knocked and opened it speaking as she went, "Dr. Sloan are you napping in there? I don't know how many times I've told you that sleeping here isn't healthy…"

Doris stopped and gasped, "Oh, my goodness me!"

Jessie walked right into her back as he wasn't expecting her to stop. "Ummph…, Doris why did you stop?" he groaned as he stepped around her. "Oh my God…," Jessie sighed.

Mark's office had been turned upside down. Many things in the office had been broken. Files and books were strewn about the room.

Jessie asked, "Who would do something like this. Mark is going to be really upset."

Doris was always the voice of reason, "I don't know but I'm calling the police."

Jessie grabbed his cell, "I'm going to call and see where Mark is."

Doris turned, "I think we better call Steve…," as she pointed to the picture of him and his father taken while they were on their last fishing trip. A hunting knife was stuck in the picture of Mark and something dangled from a wire attached to the knife. Whatever it was, it was wrapped in newspaper.

Jessie approached the picture. He could smell the dead fish odor as he got closer. "Doris, I have a real bad feeling about this."

Holding the receiver to her phone in her hand Doris placed her other hand on her hip, "Well, aren't you just a Sherlock Holmes this morning."

………………………………………………………………………………

Steve and his partner were finishing up at the scene, when their boss pulled into the driveway. Captain Newman got out of the car and headed toward the house, stopping to talk with some of the uniform officers.

Steve watched as the officers got into their cars and left with sirens blaring.

Sighing he looked at his partner, "That doesn't look good."

…………………………………………………

Jessie didn't get an answer at the Sloan home, or on Mark's phone. Looking up at Doris he said, "I'm gonna' call Steve."

……………………………………………………

Steve stepped toward the door as he watched Captain Newman send another set of officers off sirens blaring.

Newman stopped on the side walk and made eye contact with Steve then dropped his head for a moment.

"This can't be good news, "Steve growled. About that time his cell rang.

Cheryl whispered, "I'll go see what he wants."

Pulling his phone from it's holder on his waist Steve grinned, "Thanks partner."

Cheryl grinned. "Don't mention it."

Steve looked down at his phone, "Jessie?" Steve flipped his phone open. "Hey Jess, what's going on?"

"Steve, is your Dad with you?"

Steve watched as Cheryl looked back at him then handed her notebook over to Captain Newman. She gazed over at him briefly before getting in her car and pulling out. An uneasy feeling began to fill Steve's gut.

"No, Jesse. He's not with me. Is he not at work?"

Jesse groaned, "Would I have called you to see if he was with you if he were here?"

Steve watched as a black sedan pull into the driveway. When it stopped, two of his fellow detectives got out. The feeling in his gut was getting stronger by the minute. He tried to continue with his conversation with Jesse, "Have you called the house? What about his cell?"

The two detectives stooped and talked to Captain Newman and one of them took possession of Cheryl's notebook.

"I don't get an answer on either. I think I'll go to the house and check on him. I need to make sure he's alright." Jesse continued.

Steve swallowed hard when Captain Newman looked up at him and slid his hands in his pockets and ambled toward the house.

"No, Jesse… I'm only a few blocks away. I'll go check on him. Dad was really tired last night he probably forgot to set his alarm."

"But Steve, he didn't answer the phone."

"Well, maybe he was in the shower."

"Steve, I think I should tell you…"

"Look Jess, I said I'd check on it… Dad or I will call you shortly."

"But Steve I think you should know…"

Steve cut his friend off, "I'll take care of it. Now bye Jessie, and thanks for calling," and flipped his phone closed.

……………………………………………………………………

Steve met his boss on the front porch, "Hey Cap. What's going on?"

Captain Newman took a deep breath, "Umm, Steve… Let's step in the house."

Steve obliged his Captain's request. He waited silently for his Captain to continue.

Taking a deep breath Newman said, "I need your notes on the Million's murder. I'm giving it to Stevens and Johnson."

Steve stared at his boss, "Oh, and why is that?"

"Well, something's come up."

Steve arched his eyebrows, "Something's come up? Something that is more important than this murder?"

Captain Newman's phone rang. "Yes…"

Steve watched his boss closely as the color drained from his face. ""Yes, I understand. We'll be there shortly."

Newman closed his phone. "Steve, there's been an incident."

"Cap, just tell me what's going…," Steve stopped mid-sentence. Putting the pieces together, Jesse's phone call, his father was missing. "Is it my Dad? Has something happened to my Father?"

Newman pursed his lips, "Steve… I want you to just listen to me for a moment. It seems that someone broke in to your Father's office at CMC and basically demolished it.

Steve's eyes darted back and forth while he processed the information. "Was my father in his office?"

Shaking his head from side to side, Newman answered, "No, it does look as if your Father made to the hospital today."

Steve clinched his jaw, "Jesse called me a few minutes ago… He was looking for dad."

"The people at the hospital are pretty upset. There is more."

Steve swallowed, "Ok, what else?"

Newman continued, "In your father's office, a knife was left in a picture of you and your Father, with a dead fish attached."

Steve started to back away from his boss "What about my Father? Is he… Is he dead?"

Sighing Captain Newman answered, "We don't know."

Steve wanted to run, "I have to go home and see if he's there."

Newman grasped his detective's shoulder, "I have people at your house. He's not there."

"We have to find him," Steve whispered as he moved toward the door."

"Listen to me Lieutenant, there is more," Captain Newman said sternly.

Steve stopped and glared at his commander. "What?"

"I have units on scene at you Father's house. There's quiet a lot of blood… and your Father is missing."

Steve felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. His respirations increase, the color drained from his face, he felt as if he was going to be sick. "What? Where is he?"

"We don't know, but it appears he or someone was injured."

Steve's heart was racing, he backed away, "I've got to get over there."

"I'll take you," his superior offered.

"No, I'm fine."

Reaching out Captain Newman grabbed Steve's arm, "Let me drive you."

Steve pulled his arm away, growled, "I don't need you to drive me!" Turning away he moved towards his truck.

Captain Newman called out, "I need to tell you something else, Sloan."

Steve stopped at his truck door. "Ok, make it fast."

Newman licked his dry lips. He knew this was going to set Steve Sloan off like a rocket. "Thirty six hours ago, there was a successful escape from Sacramento State Prison."

Steve's heart clinched, "Who?"

Newman stared at the quickly angering man before him. "Somehow, the dispatchers missed the note that was attached to the bolo. Due to the possible danger to yourselves from these inmates, the bolo gave specific instructions to notify Judge Million, the prosecutor, yourself and your father of the escape. As you know that was not done."

The muscles in Steve's jaws twitched as he attempted to retain some control. "Well, the information went a long way in protecting the Millions, didn't it? Now, are you going to tell me who the hell escaped?" he shouted.

"Eddie Gault and Vincent Walker," Newman answered.

Steve grabbed his boss by the lapels of his jacket and spun him around, slamming him into the side of his truck, "Are you kidding me? They escaped and no one told me? How the Hell did that happen?"

Newman tried to keep his voice calm, "Sloan, I just found out myself a little while ago. Then all this happened with your Father. I came to you as soon as I could."

Steve shook him, "That's not much help for my Father; is it Captain?"

He felt hands grab his arms as Stevens and Johnson tried to free Captain Newman from the icy grip of a very angry Steve Sloan. "Sloan, let go. This isn't going to help. It's not Newman's fault!"

Steve ice blue glare never left his superior's face, he tighten his grip, "Yeah, then whose fault is it?"

Newman gasped, "This won't help your father, Sloan. I'm in the process of running that problem down now."

Steve held him for a moment longer before he lessened his grip and let go of the man he had pressed against his truck. "Ok, I'm… I've got to go."

Standing in front of Steve's truck door, Newman attempt to slow the distraught detective's ability to leave, "Steve you need to get a hold of yourself."

"I'm going home. Now move out of my way or I'll move you, Sir."

Newman stared at him for a few moments then moved to the side.

Steve got in his truck, and spun his tires as he tore towards home.

Newman pulled out his phone and called Cheryl, "Lookout, he's on his way… Yeah, I told him. He's aware. Yes, I would say he's pretty angry… Yes, I'll be along soon." Closing his phone, he went to talk with Stevens and Johnson about the Million's case.


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