Out Front - The Waterfront
Max grinned up at the familiar "face" of the muddy Aztek, flicking a chunk of dirt off the front grille.
"About time I caught a little break," she thought. Reaching under the rear bumper, she pulled out the spare key. Circling around to the driver's side door, she glanced down at the muddy footprint on the step as she pressed the key to unlock the door.
Footprint?
She froze. Stepping quickly to the side, she threw open the back door. A dark figure lay on the floor. As the figure began to rise up, Max unleashed a swift kick. The man dodged the kick easily. Taken aback, Max quickly adjusted and closed the distance between them. She connected with her fists, once, twice. Then her opponent ducked around a third punch, backing farther into the car.
"Max! Give it a rest, will you? Just get in the car and shut the door."
Alec's brown head emerged from the shadows. Max sank back against the door frame, sighing with relief. Alec climbed into the passenger seat, withdrawing a small laptop and placing an earpiece in one ear. He settled down immediately and began to type.
"So what'd you find out?" Alec asked, not looking up from the computer.
Max climbed wearily into the back seat, burying her head in her hands.
"Look, Alec, I'm really sorry I just ran out of there."
Alec continued to type. Shutting the door, Max climbed over into the driver's seat.
"You should know better than to leave a footprint on Logan's side of the car," Max tried to tease lightly.
A silence settled between them again.
"Alec?"
"No, Max, I get it, Alec interrupted. "You're gonna do what you're gonna do. You don't think I know that by now? You haven't talked to me in months. You just want me around to watch out for Eva, so you can do your own rescue mission. You always had to make it a solo op, didn't you?" Alec spat the words out.
Max didn't reply. She leaned forehead against the cool window.
"I didn't find out anything, Alec. There were cops everywhere. I couldn't get close enough. The body…" her voice trailed off. It was covered up. But Logan's shoes, and his coat, his chair." She couldn't finish. "I would know in my heart, wouldn't I? Her eyes wide, she turned to Alec for confirmation.
Alec's fingers stopped, but he didn't look up.
Max's voice was quiet, "I should have waited for a plan, for backup. I'm sorry."
Finally, Alec looked up. He stared at her a long moment. He pursed his lips as if to say something, then thought better of it. "Whatever," he shrugged.
Max gripped the steering wheel and looked out into the steady drizzle. Neither of them said anything for some time.
After a few minutes, Alec pressed "talk" on the wireless headset.
"Hello, can I speak to Chief Matt Sung, please."
Max reached out and pressed mute on the laptop. "Are you crazy? We haven't talked to Matt in years. After he and Logan were kidnapped by Bronck, Logan cut off contact with him, told him that Eyes Only suspected he might have been a leak. Matt didn't remember too much of that night. Logan wanted to scare him off, to protect him and his family. They didn't part on the best of terms. You can't just call him up"
"Do you have any other more brilliant ideas, 'cause I'm ready to hear them any time? Someone needs to take a look at that body once and for all, someone we can trust, and I don't know how else to get at it," Alec continued.
"There has to be some other way, Alec. Logan made me promise we'd never involve Matt."
Matt and Logan had been true friends, during a very dark time when Logan hadn't had too many friends to spare. Matt knew Logan before and after the shooting and always treated him in the same steady manner. That had meant a lot to Logan.
"Anyway, after Bronck captured and tortured both of them, Logan just decided that he'd never put Matt in danger like that again. I tried to tell him that Matt was a big boy and that he knew about the risks in talking to Eyes Only. But Logan starting going on about Matt figuring out Eyes Only's true identity and bringing danger onto himself and his family. After the incident, Logan called him up and told him that Eyes Only had found information suggesting that Matt been trying to deliver Eyes Only to Bronck, and that he would have to break off all contact with him. Matt was devastated. Matt called once and left a message begging for a chance to explain, but Logan never answered him. I know Logan was just trying to protect Matt, but it seemed "cruel and unusual" at the time. You know how pigheaded Logan can be. He just gave some hollow excuse that it was more important to have someone incorruptible in the police department, and refused to talk about it. He certainly wasn't taking advice from me at the time. I know Logan missed Matt's help and his friendship, but he never suggested opening things up with again. I can't go against Logan's wishes."
"Max, you're not going against Logan's wishes. I am. And I don't have a problem with it."
"Yes, sorry we got cut off," Alec spoke into the headset again. "Can I please speak to Chief Sung? It's about the murder this morning at the waterfront. Tell him Max needs to speak to him. No, I need to speak directly to the chief. I can wait."
Alec drummed his fingers on the dashboard.
The woman came back on the line. "I'm sorry, the Chief says he can't talk to you. He's about to give a press conference."
"Wait," Alec pressed on, "Tell him if he changes his mind, he can call this number when he's done. Make sure to tell him Max is calling." Alec reeled off the number to the secure cell phone in his hand.
"All right. It will be at least 45 minutes."
"Okay." Alec signed off. There was nothing else to do, but wait. The drizzle turned to rain police officers began to leave, a few at a time. After three quarters of an hour, the place looked deserted.
Max stirred. "I'm going out to check the scene one more time."
"No, Max. Just wait fifteen more minutes. Matt might call back. Then, I'll come with you," Alec pleaded.
Max took her hand off the door handle, but she didn't settle back down into her seat.