Act Of Remembrance
Chapter 13
As Steve and Mike approached the building there were three young men in their early twenties Steve reckoned, sitting on the steps. As Steve went up the first couple of steps the three men moved closer together and blocked his way. The taller of the three, stood up directly in front of Steve while the other two blocked Mike's path. Mike watched all three carefully, his hand hovering near his holster just in case, as the brave one stood face to face with Steve.
"You lost muchacho? You know, you two don't look like you belong around here. You see we're a very close neighbourhood and we don't take kindly to strangers. Maybe you two should get back into your fancy car and head back to wherever you came from."
Not even flinching Steve stayed courageously where he stood and while his heart was pounding wildly in his chest he kept his cool exterior intact.
"Could you excuse us please? You see you're kind of in our way and what we're here for is quite frankly none of your business. Now if you want some friendly advice from this stranger I suggest all three of you go take a nice long walk. The exercise would do you good."
Steve could see the young man's jaw twitch in anger at his bravado and felt the tension rise between them. He readied himself for an attack of some kind knowing that Mike was watching his back. The young man spoke again more menacingly this time.
"Now you listen to me amigo ..." but before he could finish his sentence Steve had interrupted him.
"First of all I am not your amigo and secondly unless you want to take a ride downtown for loitering with intent I suggest you take my friendly advice and take that nice long walk."
As he spoke he pulled his jacket aside and revealed his badge still vigilant for any further signs of aggression both from the front or from behind him. Mike also kept a watchful eye fearful that while he was on the outside of the group flanked by two of them, Steve was in fact surrounded. He kept his hand close to his weapon, ready and willing to use it if things got nasty. However much to Mike's relief, the tall fellow seemed to realize that Steve was not someone to be trifled with and putting his hands up in mock surrender he moved aside and beckoned to his two friends to do the same.
"Hey man! Be cool! We want no trouble. We'll be on our way. You both have a nice day officers!" he finished with a tone of sarcastic contempt and all three passed down the steps jostling past Mike in the process and down the street. Steve kept watching them until they were well down the street and then turned to look at Mike.
"You ok buddy boy? That was pretty tense."
"Yeah, I'm ok. Let's just hope they don't have more friends inside though. Huh?"
"Like I said buddy boy, keep your eyes peeled in here and watch yourself!"
Again Steve nodded at Mike and they entered the front door. The flat they were looking for was about six flights up so they slowly and carefully made their way up the many flights of stairs. As they passed, doors were slammed shut and kids that had been playing on the landings were picked up by alarmed parents and carried inside. Their mere presence seemed to cause alarm among the residents and Steve had to admit that they did stick out like sore thumbs. As they reached the sixth floor slightly out of breath Steve saw the number of the flat they were looking for. This landing seemed to be eerily quiet compared to the others and had a certain foreboding about it. Mike and Steve exchanged a nervous look between them and Mike pulled Steve to one side of the door and whispered.
"You knock but keep alert. I'll watch your back. If she answers try to draw her out. If he's in there he might shoot first and ask questions later so be careful! This guy is dangerous! Now use that charm of yours buddy boy!"
"Ok ..." Steve whispered back and couldn't help but feel apprehensive as he watched Mike pull his gun and stand off to one side out of sight of the door opening.
Steve's heart was pounding in his chest but he knocked twice on the door and stood slightly back just in case. They listened closely. At first everything was quiet and then they could just about hear whispered voices. The whispers were too low to make out and seemed to be in Spanish. Next they heard footsteps and then someone seemed to fumble with the locks on the door. The door opened on a chain and a young hispanic woman peeped out. From the glimpse that Steve could see of her he noted that she appeared to be roughly in her twenties with dark flowing wavy hair. She had beautiful brown eyes but try as she did she failed to hide the fact from Steve that she had a dark bruise over her left one. She looked terrified and Steve immediately felt sympathy for the young woman who by her appearance and demeanour appeared to be held there against her will. Steve's anger grew inside at the thought that this creep had also struck this young woman. It was a cowardly trait that made Steve's blood boil. Staring at Steve she spoke nervously.
"Hello ..."
"Good evening Ma'am. Are you Consuela Ortega?"
"Yes. And who ... are you?"
"Well Ma'am, I'm Inspector Steve Keller, SFPD and I need to ask you some questions about the whereabouts of a friend of yours, Javier Fernandez. Would that be ok?"
At the mention of his name a fleeting look of horror crossed the young woman's face and Steve could see tears appear in her eyes. Swallowing nervously she spoke with pleading in her voice.
"I'm sorry. Now is not a good time! But I haven't seen him for many weeks now. I ... I think he's gone to visit friends in San Diego. Please could you come back another time?"
Steve could hear the urgency in her voice and knew that she was in danger. He risked a casual sideways glance at Mike and could see that Mike was of the same opinion. He was in there probably pointing a weapon at her as they spoke. Quickly forming a plan of action in his mind he decided what he would do. Looking reassuringly at the young woman he spoke casually.
"Sure. I can come back another time. No problem. Let me just give you my card so you can ring me if you hear from him."
Steve took out a business card and a pen and proceeded to write something on it against the wall. Mike knew that Steve's numbers were already printed on it and so wondered what he was writing. Handing the card to the nervous young lady he watched her intently. She read what he had written. "Is he in there?" and looked back up at him, tears now falling freely down her face. Nodding her head she couldn't bring herself to speak.
"Oh, forgive me ! I forgot to write down my home number for you too."Steve said as he took the card back off her and wrote something else on it. Then handing it back to her he reached under his jacket and opened the clip on his holster casually.
Again she took the card and this time was written. "Take off the chain carefully and open the door enough so that I can get you out and prepare to duck! Trust me! I can help you!"
As Consuelo read the card more tears fell down her cheeks and when she looked back up at Steve, he could see the fear and uncertainty in her eyes.
"Do you think you could do that for me?"Steve asked and then he paused for effect to let her know that he was asking her to trust him. Then he continued for the benefit of her captor." I mean call me that is!"
Very shakily she answered uncertainly.
"I ...think so."
As she spoke she reached up casually and slid the chain off the door and then in one swift moment she opened the door a little wider and ducked down. With equal speed Steve grabbed Consuela's arm and pulled her to safety behind him just as gunfire erupted. One bullet struck the door and Steve heard the second bullet whizz past his ear and hit the wall opposite as Consuela screamed hysterically. Mike ducked back too to avoid the gunfire and then looking over at Steve and Consuela anxiously he shouted over to them.
"Are you two ok?"
Steve quickly looked at Consuela who despite the fact that she was shaking violently and sobbing uncontrollably seemed to be unharmed and nodded to Mike that they were fine.
Then Mike yelled out.
"Fernandez! Give yourself up! Don't make this harder than it has to be! Put down your weapon and come out with your hands up!"
The only answer he received was another bullet aimed in their direction striking the door frame this time.
Steve looked at Mike anxiously.
"I think that's a "no" Mike!"
With Consuela safely out of harm's way and still sobbing behind him, Steve used his foot to kick open the door. When no more gunfire came Mike looked at Steve and gestured for him to enter as they normally would. Steve dived in on the floor with his gun poised while Mike brought up the rear. The room was empty so getting up quickly Steve raced into the adjoining room in time to see Fernandez getting out onto the fire escape.
"MIKE! HE'S HEADING UP ONTO THE ROOF!" Steve shouted out to Mike and proceeded to climb through the window after him.
Mike entered the room just as Steve made it out onto the fire escape too and shouted after him.
"Be careful! I'll get us backup and cover the street until they arrive!"
As Steve climbed the metal steps to the roof after the shooter, Mike returned to the landing. Reaching down and helping Consuela up on her feet he put an arm around her shoulders and spoke softly to her.
"You had better come with me young lady just to be on the safe side."
Mike led Consuela carefully and quickly down the stairs, down the outside steps and over to their car. Opening the back door he sat the young woman on the back seat and then reaching in to the front he hastily grabbed the radio and called for back up. Having told Consuela to stay put until help arrived he then quickly glanced across the street at the rooftop to see if he could catch sight of Steve and Fernandez.
Meanwhile...
Across the street, Steve had quickly climbed the steps until he reached the roof. As he stepped out onto the roof he stood quietly for a moment to see could he catch sight of Fernandez. Keeping low, Steve hurried over behind the cover of some pipes. Listening carefully and looking around he couldn't see or hear any sign of the shooter. He was starting to curse himself for losing their suspect when he caught sight of a skylight a little bit away. One of the window panes was broken and for some unexplained reason his mind was taken back to the window in Sherry's flat that he had broken to save her from Oren Prentiss just a year ago. He shook his head to clear his mind of it. He couldn't afford to think of that awful time. Not now! Getting distracted now could get him killed! As he desperately tried to dispel the demons in his head, he heard a noise just over to his left and without warning Fernandez bolted from behind an air vent and raced towards the far side of the roof. Pulling himself together as quickly as he could Steve stood up and pointed his weapon at the fleeing man.
"FERNANDEZ! STOP OR I'LL SHOOT!"
The suspect turned and pointed his weapon at Steve.
"DON'T DO IT !" Steve yelled.
The exact words he had said to Oren Prentiss ! Steve's concentration slipped for just a second but unfortunately for Steve it was just enough time for Fernandez to discharge his weapon at Steve and Steve felt a shooting pain in his left side. However, high on adrenaline, Steve barely flinched and fired his weapon too hitting Fernandez in the right shoulder as he turned and ran again. The suspect stumbled forward but quickly recovered and continued to run. As Steve went to follow, Fernandez turned and sent another bullet in his direction barely missing him as he ducked again behind cover.
Breathing heavily and feeling an annoying stinging sensation in his side Steve pulled his jacket aside and checked for damage. The bullet seemed to have just glanced his side from what he could see, so satisfied and relieved that it was probably just a crease he turned his attention back to apprehending his suspect.
Judging from the glimpse of the revolver that he had seen in the shooter's hand and counting in his head, Steve reckoned that he had only one bullet left so hoping that he had counted right Steve again got up and chased after Fernandez. As he caught sight of him again he looked in amazement as Fernandez ran and jumped off the edge of the building and landed heavily on the rooftop opposite. Steve knew that in order to continue the chase he would have to make the same jump and normally he would have jumped it without a second thought but as he came to the edge he looked down into the alley below and his breath caught in his throat. They were at least seven stories up and the gap was fairly wide. Fernandez had gotten up and although he seemed to be struggling from his gunshot wound he had made it to the stairwell door in the middle of the rooftop opposite. Steve knew that he had to move fast or he would lose him. Fernandez seemed to notice Steve's reluctance to jump and stopped at the doorway and shouted across to Steve.
"Hey! What's the matter pig? You turning chicken?" and with that he laughed.
Steve's anger flared and gave him the motivation he needed. So giving himself space to get up speed, he raced towards the edge. He would have made it too with a clear head but as he ran Evelyn came to his mind again and tortured by his demons he allowed doubts to enter his head and the split second hesitation that followed meant that as he leapt from the building's edge he fell inches short of the other side and in panic he grabbed out and luckily caught the fire escape railing. Dangling seven stories up in the air, Steve's life flashed before his eyes as he heard the suspect belly laugh again and shout.
"Have fun hanging around pig! "
Then he heard the bang of the door. And a panicked shout from the alley below.
"STEVE!"
Steve made himself look down and he saw Mike at the entrance to the alleyway below.
"HOLD ON!"
Steve saw Mike disappear again obviously on his way to help but as his arms started to ache and his side started to burn Steve prayed that Mike would make it on time and that he wouldn't meet Fernandez on his way up!