CHAPTER 14 - CHOICES
Carter had her checkup the following week and passed with flying colors. However her boss wanted her on desk duty for the first two weeks after which she would have to do a complete physical before hitting the playground with the rest of them. Amalricius and his wife had also been by to see her and they couldn't stop thanking her for what she did, everyone was so grateful that they all sent her a get well card and an envelope full of money, over ten thousand dollars, which she declined, but they would not hear of it, reluctantly she accepted the money. Hours later she went and banked it, adding it to Taylor's college fund. Later she called her mother and gave her a full update.
~Precinct~
"Carter you feel like joining us for a bite?"
"Thanks Lionel but I got a lot of paperwork to catch up on."
"Come on; don't make me spoil the guy's surprise they got for you."
"I hate surprises."
"No you don't."
"I certainly do now, tell the guys sorry I couldn't make it."
Carter didn't leave the station till midnight, she'd checked in with Taylor earlier reminding him to keep the doors and windows lock and let no one in. The drive home was peaceful, except for the soft music playing in the background. Soon she was pulling up to her building; she secured her car before moving towards the main door. She was in her apartment in no time, she checked in on Taylor who was sleeping and headed straight for her bedroom. She wasn't feeling particularly hungry; she entered her bath, performed her nightly routine and slipped into her bed, welcoming sleep with a blissful smile.
John had kept a safe distance, watching once she was home he decided he could leave now that she was safely home.
The drop in temperature had seen a drop in crime possibly. Carter wished the last week would hurry and pass, a new case had come up and this one was big, she wanted to get in on it. There were many leads to follow, but knowing how lazy some of these guys were she knew they would spend days. Weeks even before they could make a solid dent in the case.
At the start of the third week she had her physical and she barely passed it, she was still a little stiff, but with constant physical activities, soon she wouldn't even feel the stiffness.
John and Harold sat in the library talking, about the new number. Lee Yi Hing, a Chinese businessman, has lived in the US for over fourteen years, has two children, who are in college, and is expecting a third with his second wife, who is much younger than the first wife. He runs a chain of Laundromat services, which happens to be quite successful to have thirteen branches in three different states.
They weren't sure if he was in danger or if he was a threat, but they would have to dig deeper than the top of his laundry to find out why his number came up.
"Hey Donald, you make any headway on that case you working on?" Carter asked with a smile.
"Not yet, still looking but I don't mind the help."
"Finally real work to do," she said to no one in particular as she took up the case file and took it over to her desk.
"Hey don, let's hit the board, something isn't adding up here." She said walking over to the white board; she stuck each piece of paper on the board as numbered.
"Okay so what do, we really know about Mr. Lee Yi Hing, besides the fact that he owns a chain of successful Laundromats?"
"He's got a super-hot young wife," one of the officers said.
"Can it Jim, if you're not going to be helpful then don't say anything."
"Uh- detective Carter_"
"Tell me what you got Stan?"
"I- um, Mr. Lee has an offshore account, and I recently discovered that a large amount of money was being deposited and withdrawn in less than 48 hours."
"Good start, so Mr. Lee could be laundering money."
"He also pays his taxes in advance; and says here he also bought a brand new bullet proof Knight XV hummer, two months ago anyone who buys one of that is involved in a lot more than laundry business in my opinion." She said
"We're back to square one then Carter."
"Not yet, we're going to set up surveillance at various locations, any suspicious persons, run them through the database and if they don't have a record, then we'll find something else. Since it's a 16 hour Laundromat business, we're going to start watch today, at the six locations in New York till they close at 11pm tonight, we need to know if and when he goes into any of the laundry's, how long he stays, we need pictures and possibly audio if we can hack it. Fusco and I will head up to Brooklyn, you guys spread out in teams of three's to the other's make sure to cover front, back and side doors of every business more importantly make sure that you blend it."
Mr. Reese, I believe where going to have to move things along a lot faster than we planned."
"Why is that Finch?"
"Detective Carter just got involved, in fact they are looking to set up watch teams at the six locations in New York, with both detective Carter and Fusco heading to Brooklyn."
"Damn stubborn woman, just came back from injury and already looking to get in on the action."
"Mr. Reese where are you?"
"I'm watching Mr. Yi Hing, talking to some Russian guy, he looks ordinary, and I'm sending you a picture now, let me know what you find." He said hitting send
~~ Brooklyn (Brighton Beach Area)~~
Finch worked fast eight minutes later he relayed the necessary information to john. That the guy that Hing was talking to was Yevgeny Dvoskin III, son of the Yevgeny Dvoskin a former Russian mafia leader / business man who was deported in 2001 for breaking immigration regulations back to his country, where he was later believed to have been killed in a shootout with the FBI. It would appear his son was looking to make a comeback, but the new leaders of the Odessa mafia don't want him around their territory.
Even worse Mr. Lee was laundering money for both parties in a very good scam which john was witnessing, he continued taking pictures, till Yevgeny got in his Maserati and left, with Mr. Lee re-entering the dry cleaners. John witnessed the unmarked car pulling up at least a block away, he aimed the camera, it was who he suspected Detective Carter and Lionel.
"Little to late detectives," he said
"Mr. Reese you said something."
"Nothing," He replied smiling as he looked at her through the lens.
"Hey Finch…get me names of the Odessa mafia people. I am heading off to have a talk with Mr. Yevgeny."
"May I ask what about?'
"You may but I'm not telling you anything yet."
"Hey Carter, you sure about him being here,"
"Yeah, my gut says so,"
"I hope so."
"Fusco, it's nothing bad, we're just gathering information, on why a seemingly good guy like Mr. Lee has suddenly hit the top of the wanted list."
"Why, it's obvious he's dirty, bullet proof cars, half mil being moved within 48 hours."
"And that's what we need to find out about, if its drugs, weapons or something else."
They quieted when they saw him walk out and round the corner to be picked up by his hummer, Carter pulled out behind leaving a good distance.
John caught up with Yevgeny as he was about to enter a strip club. He locked his arm around his neck in a sleeper hold, once he'd stopped struggling, john threw him over his shoulder and took him back to his car, throwing him on the back seat, and then tying his hands with the tie straps.
Carter and Lionel kept a safe distance as they followed; they noted that they were now in the Bronx area. The hummer stopped around the corner from 'Lee's Dry Cleaners', the short Asian man got out without a backward glance to disappear through a side door. 6 minutes later he was exiting through the front door, a smile on his face…
"Fucker must have hit a pay day no less."
"Lionel, stop complaining."
"I'm not, but just look at his tiny eyes,"
"Can you really see them from here?"
"No- but,"
"No buts, just shush."
Carter radioed the team that was covering the area; she filled them in quickly and then changed places with fusco as he took over driving.
The next day john walked into the room where he was holding Yevgeny.
"Who are you?"
"A friend,"
"Bolshivek же отправить вам, (did Bolshivek send you?)"
"Нет, я знал вашего отца (No, I knew your father)
"How,"
"Doesn't matter, what you need to know is that you need to tell me what business are you and Mr. Lee are involved in."
"None of your bizness,"
"I want to help you,"
"Why do I need your help?"
"Because, you're dealing on Odessa turf,"
"Одесса кучу киски, они не владеют Нью-Йорке, мой отец был царем здесь, и я буду его преемником, (Odessa is a bunch of pussies, they do not own New York, my father was a king here and I will be his successor,)
"Or you could end up like your brother, gutted."
"My brother was a fool; you do not make deals with people like them,"
"Do you want to live or do you want to die foolishly?"
"I die proud like a man,"
"You're one man and handful of followers, Odessa is hundreds more than you can employ."
"My men are loyal to me,"
"Not if you're leading them to their slaughter like this, why don't you go to another state and start there?'
"Because New York is Dvoskin territory, we will own this city once more."
"Do you know that Odessa also does business with Mr. Lee, in fact most of the mafia organizations do business with him?"
"That is how business is."
"What makes you think he won't sell you out for the right price?"
"Everyone has a weakness."
John smirked as he rammed his fist into Yevgeny face.
"I could kill you, do you think anyone will care?" john said hitting him in the gut till the air left his body. "Your father wouldn't want this for you, and if I have to beat sense into you, then I will," he said hitting him in the stomach again. He walked away and returned with a blow torch.
"What is it that you do?"
"Racketeering, drugs, guns, prostitution, cyber-crime,"
"What is Mr. Lee's involvement?"
"He cleans the money, and gets the weapons."
"Is that all?"
"Maybe, now you need to tell me who you are?"
"Like I said a friend of your father, and I just want to help you, I don't work for anyone, I owed your father a favor,"
"Is this how you show gratitude?"
"I don't plan on killing you, I just want you to take my advice and get out of Brighton, go look after your mother, simply move to another city or state, do not engage Odessa."
"If you let me live I promise will kill you."
"Then I'll wait for that day,"
"I can't, not yet. I have a deal happening day after tomorrow at the pier, I have to collect a shipment, and it's worth a lot of money."
"How much…?"
"Two million dollars,"
"Mr. Reese, a text was just sent from Mr. Lee's phone, to a Monya Elson, about a meet day after at the pier."
"Thanks H," he said as he turned back to Yevgeny."
"What time is your meeting?"
"Tomorrow night 7pm."
"Who are you meeting?"
"The guy that brings in the weapons,"
"I want a name?"
"Mkhedrioni_"
"You got a number?"
"Yes, cell phone, left pocket."
"Thanks," john said fishing in his left pocket for his phone.
"Day after tomorrow I'm going to release you and I will warn you from now, I see you around Odessa territory, I'll kill you myself. Dying by my hands will be an act of mercy you'll want."
Carter and Donald had pulled all-nighters since they started surveillance on Mr. Lee's business places. They had a good idea of his routine, the times he'd go to each location to pick up the money. They even had pictures of him with a couple small time crooks, but no one with a bull's-eye on their back.
~~ Day After
It was a few minutes to six when Lionel received an anonymous text.
"Hey Carter, one of my CI guys just sent me a lead, I think we should follow."
"Okay and what's the lead?'
"There is going to be a meet tonight at 328 Tiffany and Casanova street, Bronx."
"That's like a shipping yard or something right?"
"That's where sea Transfer Corporation is located."
"Let's go, I'll call for backup," she said radioing Donald to give him an update.
"Donald and guys make sure we take them by surprise, no sirens." She said
"Let's hope my guy is right, because I hate wasted runs."
Carter slipped on her vest and rechecked her gun and her back up ammo; she wanted to be prepared for anything.
~~ The Meet.
John watched the little red dots that were Carter and fusco, they were five minutes out, and Mkhedrioni had just pulled up to the pier. He jumped down and made his way over to Mr. Lee, and a guy named Brezhnev, supposedly Yevgeny right hand man.
"Привет Ли (Hello Lee,)"
"Привет другу (Hello friend,)"
"Кто есть новый парень… (Who's the new guy…?)"
"Евгений, самых надежных рук (Yevgeny, most trusted hand,)"
"Брат (brother)" Mkhedrioni said in greeting
"Yважаемый брат, (Respected brother,)" Brezhnev replied looking him in the eye as was customary.
"Shall we then get down to business gentlemen; I need to be somewhere else by 9pm."
Brezhnev wasn't disappointed with the arsenal before him, this was the real deal… the stechkin APS pistol was double action, select fire, measuring 225mm with a caliber of 9+18mm, weighed a thousand and some empty roughly 1220 loaded with a full round of 20, at a rate fire of 600 rounds per minute.
Not to mention he had a couple Kalashnikov AKMS-AKM rifles with folding buttstock, this wasn't any ordinary gun, it was strictly a gas operated rotating bolt with two lugs, holding 30 in a single round, weighed roughly 3.14kg loaded, and carried a fire rate of 600 rounds per minute.
And there was also a couple VSS sniper rifles, and SR-3M assault rifles.
What the fuck this could start a small war. Yevgeny was looking for a fight if he was ordering this kind of firepower.
"Guys listen up, we need to split up into four groups, and Don you're welcome to take lead, me, fusco, Stan and Eddie are going to head east near the water, you guys gonna have to decide who is covering west, north and south. Everyone make sure your earpiece is in place, make sure you vest is on, if we can take them down without killing them do it, if they fire then aim to wound, we don't want causalities unless it can't be avoided, is that clear?"
"Copy…" everyone said
"Good, now move out, call for backup if you need it otherwise don't give away your positions."
John heard everything Carter said, he heard them before he saw them, but didn't move, until he heard the bark of gunfire whiz pass him, Mkhedrioni men had spotted them, and Carter and her guys opened fire as well. John grabbed Mr. Lee and started to run dragging him behind him, as the man's short legs could hardly keep up with john's long strides.
"We got two runners, Fusco go round the other side I'm heading straight for them," Carter said taking of behind them ignoring Fusco's words, as more shots were fired.
"Mr. Lee, I'm sorry," john said knocking him at the back of the head, immediately he crumpled in a heap. John quickly tied him up and then waited for Carter to get closer before stepping out.
"Don't move,"
"Вы уверены, что (You sure about that,)" he said in Russian, moving slowly in a bid to turn and face her.
"I said don't move, keep your hands where I can see them, now turn around slowly."
He did as she asked, then moved the hood slowly of his head, raising his eyes to meet hers fully.
Carter felt like she had stopped breathing, it was him, her hands suddenly felt clammy and they were also starting to shake terribly.
"Detective Carter how nice to see you again,"
"What are you doing here?"
"Oh that's not important; I come bearing a gift..."
"What gift?"
"Mr. Lee of course… and his friends"
"How do you know him?"
"I don't know him, I was just looking to get into some trouble so I could run into you, and here you are aren't I, a lucky man?" he said with a smirk
"Do you try to be an ass or you're a natural ass."
"Neither, you promised me, detective and I made you a promise, one of us has got to keep up our end of the deal."
"I'm not going to shoot you if you're unarmed."
"Then I am walking out of here,"
"You make a move and I will take your legs out."
"I have a high threshold when it comes to pain, I told you there was only one way to stop me, you either do it or let me walk, the choice is yours."
"I swear I'll shoot you if you move john."
Slowly he moved towards her, and she gritted her teeth and kept her gun leveled at him. "Don't come any closer."
He smiled, still moving.
"I mean it john."
"Make sure you get a good aim at the target joce."
"John, stop- I'll really shoot..."
"I won't let you take me in wounded Carter; you're only doing so if I'm dead."
"Carter where are you?" she heard Fusco saying.
But she couldn't respond, as John stood facing her, the barrel of her glock pressed right over his heart.
"Do it joce."
"Is this supposed to, be amusing?"
"Hardly, I'm dead serious. Come on joce you can't miss from here,"
"No- I don't know what you want, why you're doing this but I'm not some cold blooded killer."
"I know that, but I deserve it, after all the hurt I caused you."
"Are you involved in this operation?"
"It's irrelevant,"
"Not to me, because I'm placing you under arrest..."
He put his hands up before her and waited. As she reached for the handcuff, "I'll behave..." He said as she slipped the first ring on, he smirked once more and in the blink of an eye he had her disarmed and her hands behind her, using her own cuffs to cuff her.
"Just give me a chance to explain, for you to get to know the real John Reese,"
"I already know, and john isn't even your real name, because you're dead."
"Been doing your homework I see, don't you want to know why?"
"Why should I, it'll just be more lies."
"Then hear my side of the story, all I want is a chance to set things straight with you, maybe it'll be worth it to you, I promise you I'll be the best friend you never had,"
"Carter- you there…?" Fusco said again, me and Eddie are approaching a storage room near the water, are you in there?"
John heard him, it was time to go. He caressed the plains of her face before capturing her lips in a sensual kiss… "Something to remember me by," he husked, stepping backwards into the shadows and disappearing behind a huge stack of crates.
When Lionel and Eddie did find her, she was sitting on the ground, head bowed in shame.
"Hey Carter what happened?" Eddie asked
"I got jumped and cuffed is what, get these damn things of me." She said more out of shame than anger or annoyance.
~~Day L8r~~
Carter dragged herself up the last flight of stairs to her apartment, all she wanted to do was soak in the tub and relax with a drink. She hated paper work but it was necessary, she actually felt more drained doing paper work than actually running after bad guys in the field.
"You look worn for a better word."
"Fuck! Where the hell did you come from, why do you choose to torment me like this… Last few times I told you repeatedly I didn't have anything to say to you?"
"I am not tormenting, you not the way I'd like to and I am here to set the record straight AGAIN! The shipping yard wasn't really an ideal place for us to continue the talk."
"Well you can set it straight AGAIN! Where you're standing,"
"Detective I am tired, I've spent the whole day and night thinking, my stomach is in knots that I can't eat, honestly I haven't eaten and my bladder is about to burst from all the liquor I drank trying to drown my own selfish sorrows in, please could you invite me in so I may use your bathroom, it's not a trick."
"I didn't say it you said it."
"What?" he said looking at her perplexed?
"It's a trick…" she repeated for clarity
"Look fine if you don't want me to use your bathroom, then, just wait here while I go relieve myself behind some -uh bush or tree, just wait…"
"You can't be serious," she said watching him hawk like
"Serious as I am unbuckling my pants right now."
"But you can't." she exclaimed in disbelief still
"But I have to."
"Ok fine, come in but make sure you pee and get out I have nothing to say and I don't want to hear anything either."
"Fine Detective if you say so…." She hurried up the last set of steps; she entered and moved aside to allow him entrance.
"What is it?" she asked
"Bathroom…?" he asked though he knew full well where it was.
"Oh right this way,"
"Thank you," he said disappearing into the bathroom.
She went back to her living room and paced the floor waiting for him to get out the bathroom and out her home.
"Thank you." He said hating her restless pacing.
Joce looked at him and somehow he seemed to tower over her, his hidden size made the room and furniture take on dimensions of miniature furniture in a dolls house. He reached out a hand and adroitly, she moved away. He let his hand fall to the side as if her snub had found the target….
"Ok well you can leave now,"
"I am not leaving so ask me to have a seat."
"You are leaving."
"Not willingly," he replied nonchalantly
"John I am the cop here I do the negotiating not you."
"Please don't try that law crap with me; there is nothing to negotiate about and you are not working a case unless you want to work me, I am willing to compromise and I don't exactly follow the law, I'm your vigilante remember."
"Ffff –HELL…! Look please leave you have no reason to be in my home or here ever again."
"The hell I don't I have every reason to be here and I will be again for a long time."
"What_"
"Jocelyn, ask me to have a seat?
"Ok Mr. whoever you are please have a seat. Can I get you anything else?"
"No thanks!" he said as he took a seat on the couch.
"What now?" she asked trying to cover her confusion by formal show of politeness which was at odds with the tumult raging inside her…. "You look uncomfortable."
"I didn't think you would notice much less care, but no I am not quite uncomfortable."
Joce thought why was she, putting out so much energy, weeks ago there should have been so much to talk about, but now it didn't matter. The barrier between them seemed insurmountable now… "I wish you had not bothered to explain things to me AGAIN! It really doesn't matter?"
"It doesn't to you but you matter to me and the pain I have caused you matters to me, I know my presence here is damning but not being able to talk to you or see you, is more damning to me."
"Like I told you before there never was an, us… it was just sex."
"And I told myself that before I even slept with you."
"What is it then?"
"First I want to say again how sorry I am for the way I treated you in that interrogation room, but I was doing my job and I am even more, sorry that you found out the way you did, because in your eyes it made me a liar and a rotten, deceptive, manipulative bastard for a man. I deceived you by pretending I was someone else it was part of the job, but you have to believe me when I say I never used you."
"Why should I, Lizzel and you both made the decision for me."
"I can't speak in Lizzel defense, but I am not that low of a scum. You matter to me, everything I felt then and feel right now are true, you may have known me in name as Hamilton Thorpe but you felt me as John."
"Same bullshit story, I don't want to hear it and I am asking you nicely to get out of my home now, I won't ask again," she said placing her phone on the table and turning on the speaker...
"Hello 911, what's your emergency?"
"Hello this is detective Carter with the NYPD, Delta 2793…"
"Yes Detective, are you calling from your home?"
"Yes and I would like to_" she started when john got up and moved to the door.
"Well played detective," he whispered before exiting.
"Detective Carter, is everything alright?" the operator asked.
"I'm sorry, I think it's a false alarm, my son just said that he was the one that left the front door unlocked, I'm sorry for wasting your time."
"That's fine ma'am, have a good evening."
"Thanks- you to," Carter said ending the call.