12th Precinct, Present Time
To Serve and Protect
Chapter 7 - Developments
Alexis is disembarking from her flight into the airport at Kyiv International Airport. She quickly passes thru immigration thanks to her official U.S. passport. Once she gets her luggage, she is looking for her ride to the hotel. She sees a driver holding up a sign with "Alexis Castle" written on it, she heads for the car and the driver. She is surprised when she sees the driver.
"Grandpa Jack, why are you here?", she says giving him an affectionate hug.
"Can't have my eldest grandchild on a dangerous mission without backup. Your parents texted me and told me about your assignment. I thought I might be here for you to keep you safe. Despite being retired from the service, I still have my contacts. Let me grab your bags and we can talk on the way to your hotel."
As they head to her hotel, Jackson Hunt is giving details of a exit plan from the Ukraine if everything goes south, "Should circumstances get critical, your first backup is to head for the American Embassy, they will have flights for all American Citizens leaving the country. Your staff did well getting you an official passport, that gives you a space on the diplomatic aircraft taking official personnel out of the country."
"That was always our backup plan that my staff came up with, hence the need for an official passport", replies Lexy to her grandfather.
"Your staff did well. However, should that alternative go bust, I have the address and directions to a safehouse in the area on your burner phone. I trust you brought it as your dad suggested?"
"I do have it grandpa Jack."
"Good, here is a SIM card to replace your existing SIM so you have access to the cell networks here", Jackson hands the sim to Alexis over his shoulder as he drives, "I will be your driver for the duration of your stay here. I also left a message on your SIM so my number is now in your contact list."
"Thank you for this grandpa, I feel safer now."
"Well, we will not let happen what occurred when you were kidnapped as a teen and held captive in Paris."
"And again, I had you and dad helping me there."
"You know I will always have your back pumpkin. You were my only grandchild for a long time", says Jackson and then continues, "So if you have to use the safehouse address, we will depart from there to Poland via air or ground, and then London, depending on the circumstances. Hopefully as your driver for this assignment, I will be close and here to help you. Otherwise, you have the location and directions to the safehouse. I also included the directions to the U.S. Embassy, just to be sure you can get there if need be."
They get to the hotel and Jackson Hunt takes his granddaughter's luggage to her room and from there gives her an affectionate good bye kiss to the cheek.
"I'll be here bright and early tomorrow morning to provide transportation for you on your assignment", he tells her before departing.
"I've got you on my burner phone just buzz me when you get here grandpa."
Alexis settles into her hotel room. She texts her dad and stepmom about her arrival. She let's them know she had made contact with her grandfather. Alexis goes to sleep that night feeling safer and more calm now that her grandfather is here for her.
Back At The 12th
Alpha is looking at all the possible computer databases that might be accessed by their prep to allow him a list of possible targets.
"This is getting pretty intense, there are so many billing data bases out there. It is like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack", says Kevin Ryan from his desk where he is on his desk computer.
"Yeah and it seems that almost every hospital has it's own which means the prep would have to access each individual database", points out Tori Ellis.
"Maybe we are looking for just one database that contains billing info of several hospitals", Anne Witaker adds, thinking out loud.
"Does such a database even exist?", Espo replies back to Witaker's remark.
"What if hospitals outsourced their billing functions to a third party contractor. That contractor would have info from several hospitals and health institutions?", Castle says.
Ryan is on his computer immediately to check for such sources, Tori Ellis also does the same.
After a while, Ellis proclaims in an excited voice, "Got it!. There are three possible contract firms that we can look into."
"Let's get a list of hospitals serviced by the three firms and compare that to the list of hospitals and care facilities of our vics. Ryan can you do that?", Espo directs his partner.
As the team scrambles to get the info, LT and one other uniform comes on to their floor escorting a young female. She is blonde, blue eyes, and a match for the appearances of their previous vics. Everyone turns to look at her.
"This young lady claims to have been stalked and assaulted by her attacker. By her appearance, I figured that homicide might want to talk to her", LT states to the team.
"Good man LT, bring her to Conference Room One", Espo responds, "Witaker you're with me on this one."
Interviewing the Vic
Espo and Witaker enter Conference Room one. The rest of the team is watching the interview from the Observation Room behind the one way mirror to the conference room.
Espo and Witaker get personal info from the young lady. Her name is Linda Frances and is a part time barista at a local coffee shop and college student at NYCC.
"Could you tell us what happened Ms. Frances", Espo asks to begin their interview.
She recounts a story of feeling like she was being followed. On a couple instances she saw a man in the distance apparently following her but also avoiding being seen by her. Every time she would turn to catch a glimpse, the person would fall out of sight. She thought at first she was being paranoid.
"One can't be too cautious as a single woman in NYC. I mean I love this city, that's why I chose to study here, but as a single woman I am constantly aware of my surroundings", she tells Anne Witaker.
"I know exactly what you mean Ms. Frances", replies Anne, "please continue with your account of the incident."
"Today my stalker actually made a move. I have had several self defense course so I was prepared to react. Going home from the subway station I always carry my keys between my fingers to serve as a make shift weapon for any attacker. Coming from the subway station to the street close to my apartment it was dark and no one was on it. My senses told be to be more alert. He came from out of the dark shadows and came up behind me. He grabbed me from behind but I gave him a elbow to the gut and then turned around to strike him with the hand holding the keys. I took a swing buu he backed away as the keys cut his cheek as I swung out. He was surprised, and then I gave him a kick to his chest. He fell backward and immediately got up and ran away. I called 911 immediately and a squad car was there in minutes. Thank god, I was scared my attacker might come back and finish what he started."
"Good for you", Espo remarks, "now I will ask you a question that might seem strange, have you had covid?"
"Funny you should asked, I recently did a 10 day quarantine and treatment for covid..., oh my God, ...you think my attacker is this covid killer!", Frances exclaims realizing now the significance of her attack.
"I do. Can you work with our sketch artist and give us a picture of your assailant?"
"I will try. It happened so fast and I really did not get a good look at him, other than he had dark hair and was taller than me."
"You will be surprised what our sketch artist can do. Detective Witaker can you accompany Ms. Frances to our sketch artist".
As Anne and Frances leave, the other team members come into the conference room.
"This is a big break Espo!", says Castle.
"Yeah it is. Ryan and Ellis how about going to the site of the assault and check it for any other evidence that may have been left from the attempted assault", Espo says to the two.
"Castle you can continue with the data base search. You all have your assignments so let's get on it!"
Espo heads immediately to Captain Castle's office. He wants to brief her on the recent developments on the case.
After the brief with the Captain, Espo is back in the bull pen as Ryan and Ellis return.
"We found evidence of a syringe left at the scene of the assault and took it to the ME for analysis. Would not surprise me if it contained a knock out drug", recounts Ryan to Espo.
"So that is how he subdued his victims. The fact that such a drug did not show up on the past victims indicates he held them for some time. Time enough for the drug to dissipate in the vics and not show up on an ME analysis. So now we know he holds his vics for a time before he actually kills them."
Gregg Fletcher's Apartment
He had been careless. He let a potential victim escape. But he had been surprised. None of his other vics had fought back. Fletcher had come up on them quickly and drugged them before they could react. This time though the vic had elbowed him and caught him off guard before he could inject the needle in her. He tried to come back and finish the deed, but he saw her calling for help. He ran away, but as the fled, he saw the flashing lights of the squad car coming to the scene. He had made the right choice when he decided to run away. Now the NYPD would get info from this attack that could I.D. him. He needed to lay low for a while and stay silent.
He looked into the bathroom mirror and saw that his vic had given him a good scar on his cheek. He would have to explain it at the office in case people got curious and asked. Gregg needed to come up with a good story for the wound. He cleans the wound and then treated it with an ointment placing a bandage on it after applying the ointment. Fortunately the scar was not deep enough that it require stitches. Gregg was lucky he did not get caught on this one and he was thankful for his luck.
He knew the NYPD would be using a sketch artist to get a drawing of him. Gregg knew also that in the time it took for the attempted assault and abduction that his vic probably did not get a good look at him. That would work to his advantage, but he also knew that a good police sketch artist could do magic and Gregg had to assume the NYPD would have a good drawing of his likeness. For now, Gregg would stop his activity and get off the NYPD radar. He was now already on it, but he needed to go stealth for a while and be off screen. This put a halt to all he was doing, but he knew he could come back after some time passed. He fully intended to do that.
Castle Loft
Kate Castle puts the key into the loft door and enters. She sees Rick and the Kids in the kitchen/dining area enjoying dinner. Rick had left the precinct early to pickup the kids and get dinner started. The moment her three kids see her, they run to greet her.
"Mommy", they all say in unison as the boys grab on to her legs and Lily extends her arms indicating she wants to be picked up. Kate scoops Lily up and pulls her close as Lily plants a kiss on her mom's cheek. Kate then releases Lily and bends down to get kisses from her sons.
"Mommy, daddy made pizza", says Lily.
"Yeah, and 'getti", adds the boys.
"He did! Is it good?"
"Yeah and later daddy gonna give us lato", says Reece.
"It's our treat for finishing our food", Jackson adds to his brother's remark.
Rick comes up to his wife and plants a small affectionate kiss to her lips.
"Come, dinner's ready", Rick tells Kate.
Kate looks at the dinner table and sees her meal is already set out. Spaghetti, salad with bread sticks, and a small plate with a slice of pizza. There is a nice red wine in the stem ware by her plate.
"How did I ever luck out and marry a man who can cook."
"Are you saying you married me for my cooking?", teases Rick.
"Well you know babe the way to a women's heart is thru her stomach".
"Isn't that about a man?"
"Well, you are Mr. Mom."
"What's that make you, Ms. Dad?"
They both laugh at their teasing.
"Daddy, gelato!", says Lily.
"Did you all finish your food?"
"Yes we did", the kids all respond to their dad showing their empty plates.
Rick gets the treat for his kids. As he does his cell phone rings. It is Alexis doing a facetime call.
Rick puts her on speaker.
"Hi dad, momma Kate and the kids there with you?"
He turns the phone so Alexis can see her siblings with Kate.
"Hi kids, hi momma Kate, big sis misses you all?"
"Lexy", they all say together.
"When are you coming home?", ask Lily
"Soon sweetie after I finish my job."
That causes Lily to frown and Alexis sees it. She tries to cheer up her little sister.
"Guess who's with me Lily? Grandpa Jack!"
"He is, when is he coming to see us?"
"Maybe after we are done here."
"Ye..yeah", replies Lily happy to hear about her grandpa Jack.
"So your grandpa is there with you, I figured as much", Ricks says.
"He met me at the airport and will be my driver for this assignment."
"That makes me feel better about your assignment", Kate tells Alexis.
"Same here momma Kate, I really feel safer now."
"Glad to hear that", Rick responds.
"Well, got to go now and get some sleep ...love you all."
"Same here", replies Rick.
"Bye", her family says in chorus.
It was a nice way to end the day.