The Mentalist Tag (Fire and Brimstone)
Chapter 2 - Let Me Go
After he recovered from the explosion at his Malibu house, Jane got away of the Sacramento H.G as quickly as he could. He knew that once the effects of the drug would fade, he wouldn't be able to face his co-workers, and most importantly his own partner-Teresa Lisbon.
The cold of winter drove chilling spasm through Patrick Jane's body. Usually he was able to use biofeedback in those situations, but now he clearly failed.
He was waiting at a bus station in the middle of the night. His old rusty Citroen had broken down a couple hours ago in the middle of the road and no one-not even his colleagues at the CBI answered any of his calls.
The bus was supposed to arrive half an hour ago, but no headlight was visible in the midst of the breezy night.
Jane rubbed his hands together tightly in hope to reactivate the blood circling into his veins-he was wearing his usual three piece suit with no coat.
All he wanted to do was go after his "new" Red John lead ; the man wasn't anyone from the list but they were merely informers to their master.
He went back to his old habits and kept this little nocturne adventure to himself. Last time he told Lisbon about his plan, he had no choice but to leave her on a little beach he had discover only a few days earlier.
He noted the irony since he was the one stuck on a road without any firearm to protect himself and no one to know where he was.
What goes around comes around, he though.
He could always find some cheap motel room nearby, where he could remain unnoticed, but he doubted that would be the best idea.
He would have gone to his old Malibu house if it wouldn't have catch on fire by the hands of Red John.
He has his theories about Red John's diversion, something he also decided to keep to himself.
That's where he had found the "fatal clue" taking him closer to his nemesis. Somewhere deep beneath the remaining ashes of his beloved house, he had found a single piece of evidence, yet crucial.
When he had almost lost all once of hope, he heard his cellphone beeped- it was Lisbon.
"where are you ?" Lisbon almost shouted "I've been trying to call you for half an hour"
"I don't know somewhere between the Lost Island and ghost city" Jane retorted
He really didn't want her to know about his destination
"very funny, but I know you're still in Sacramento" Lisbon said
Jane heard the sound of the wheels scratching and the noise of a horn
"are you driving ?" Jane asked concerned
"yes" she said "tell me exactly where you are and I'll come pick you up" Lisbon commended
"I'm sorry Lisbon but I have to run an errand I'll call you back tomorrow" he said
"J-A-N-E" Lisbon said but he hung up on her
Xxxxxxx
Jane knew Lisbon had bugged his phone and she was mainly trying to gain time by talking to him and that is the reason he didn't answer her.
At least she had learn a few tricks from over the year, he though, not that it would ever work with him.
Actually the first person he'd called was Cho mainly because he knew the Asian man wouldn't ask questions.
So he broke his phone and tossed it into the nearest ditch. The bust finally arrived and at the very same moment Lisbon's car stopped from the other side of the road.
The headlight almost dazzled Jane's view.
All she could do was run and try to stop Jane as he gave her one last look from bus door, but unfortunately it was too late.
"I'm sorry Teresa" Jane whispered
She was only miles apart, but yet still too far to hear him.
"dammit Jane" Lisbon said as she watched the bus go away
She saw Jane's face never leaving hers form the frosty window. She knew that she would picture this moment in her memory palace.
Since Jane had confessed to her about this unusual collection of "happy" moments, she decided to make one on her own, even though this was a very sad moment, nonetheless it mattered to her.
At least, she could still follow the bus and watch for whenever Jane would be drop out. She tried in vain to start the engine, but the muffled sound indicated her car didn't have any power.
She checked the weather gauge with her cellphone, it was almost six below zero- no wonder her car didn't want to start.
She immediately called for a towing, which at least was covered by her work assurance fees, but she could forget any chance of finding back Patrick Jane any time soon.
She cursed herself to not have noticed the bus's number; she could at least figure out where he went.
Xxxxxx
Fortunately, Lisbon had found a little tourist section a couple blocks away from the road. With the hour of the bus and the station she might have been able to find Jane after all.
"agent Lisbon from CBI" Lisbon said showing her badge "you need to tell me every bus that passed within the last hour and their destination" Lisbon said in a rush
"whoa, lady I'm sorry but we're almost closed come back tomorrow will you ?" the men said with arrogance and a mingle of Italian accent
"I'm sorry but this is a matter of crisis" Lisbon said lowering her voice "and if you don't cooperate with the justice you can be sanctioned by the law" Lisbon threatened
"okay okay, lady you have balls I like that" the man said in fear "but I'm sorry there is no bus that passed at dock 17 within the last hour" he added
"that's impossible, I saw it" Lisbon said confused and clueless
The man with the Italian accent finally replied
"actually there is a bus that went on dock 17 and hour and a half ago" the man said "I just received a report saying that the bus was late"
"where did it went ?" Lisbon asked enthusiastic
"bus 25, going to Napa Center" the man said but Lisbon was already gone
"don't you need to know when the next bus is ?" the man shouted
"no, I'll drive thank you sir" Lisbon shouted back
xxxxxx
A couple hours ago, Jane had left Sacramento and decided to cash in for the night at a little Napa restaurant. He was looking for two of his gateway suspects-Reed Smith and Bertram- in order to squeeze out some information about Red John.
Cho had tipped him off about them and apparently they had run away together which would make the task easier for Jane.
"anything I can get you sweetheart ?" a blonde waitress asked Jane
"a cup of tea please and how are the eggs ?" Jane asked trying to stay polite
"fantastic" the waitress replied "you want some ?" she asked with a teasing tone
When he looked bitter and lonely, women would flirt with him even more.
At first it was flattering but it had come to bother him over the years.
"yes, please" he said trying to stay polite
When he saw a very familiar feature get out of the car in front of the restaurant he knew he had to run away, he couldn't face her.
"actually, cancel this order I need to go someplace" Jane said
"waiting for someone ?" the waitress said lifting an eyebrow
"yes" he lied "too bad" she retorted
Jane knew he couldn't escape through the front door she he asked for the waitress where were the men's room. She had helped him clueless about his plan-which wasn't really hard, she was already hypnotized by his charms.
Like he expected, there was a small window thought which he escaped.
When she got into the restaurant, Lisbon looked around her but Jane was nowhere to be found.
"excuse me ma'am but have you seen this man ?" Lisbon asked showing the only picture she had of Jane to the waitress
"oh sure, a sweet guy and gentleman like him you don't forget that around here" the lady said
Great another Jane's groupie, Lisbon though.
"do you know where he is ?" Lisbon asked
"yeah, he went to the man's room couple minutes ago" she said
"thank you"
Lisbon knew there was something out of place but it was her best chance at finding him. She waited in front of the bathrooms when she finally decided to take a peek inside.
When she opened the door, he worst expectations had come to life. The window was wide open and Jane was nowhere to be found.
She rushed out of the restaurant as quickly as she could and caught him right before he could enter what seemed like a rental car.
Jane would have got away but Lisbon used his worst weaknesses against him, like he had done with her- she pointed her gun toward him.
"what are you going to do shoot me Lisbon" Jane said
"if I have too" she said
"we both know that's not true" Jane said
"try me" Lisbon said
"please Lisbon I know you're upset but get inside the car please will you" he said
Lisbon tried to process the situation but the cold didn't help he think clearly, but she finally decided to lower her gun.
"thank you" Jane said "get inside the car we have to talk" he said
Xxxxxx
"I knew you would find me" he said almost in defense
"yeah, sure" Lisbon said sarcastically "that's why you escaped from that restaurant through the window like a sly and that's why I had to run and save your sorry ass from the explosion" she added
"I would have been fine the paramedics took me in" Jane said
"because I called them" Lisbon said offended
"but I wasn't escaping, I was trying to protect you" Jane said like it was some king of evident truth
"no you escaped too times from me because you only want Red John for yourself" Lisbon said
There was an awkward pause before Jane spoke again. She could see the cold in his eyes matching the weather in perfect symbiosis, but his body was leaving traces of warmth all over her.
"my life stopped mattering ten years ago when Red John killed my family" he said
It matters to me, Lisbon secretly wanted to scream out lout, but she didn't have too because Jane say the answer deep hidden beneath her eyes.
He always knew how she felt for him, but he never had the courage to act upon it. He knew he deserved all the hate.
"but I do realize how it matters to some people" he said looking at her
He knew he had to say those words, to prevent what they had to shatter on the ground like a statue made of ice.
"you left Jane, you said nice words to me, than you left" Lisbon said "and the worst part is I don't even know if you meant it or what you meant by it" she said
Jane knew she was talking about that day on the beach, which made him stiffen on his seat.
Lisbon felt like she was going back two years ago when she had asked him what he meant when he said he "loved" her.
"here we go again always going back to that" Jane said in defense
"yes because you always lie to me" she shot back
"not always" he said
"you were drugged it didn't count" Lisbon said
Of course you matter to me Lisbon, of course, he wanted to say.
"then I guess you have your answer" he shot back
Jane knew he had broken Lisbon's heart once again and it pained him for more than he could say, but he had too if he wanted to win.
He knew he had to say something more or she would be the one to leave him on the road now-and with reason, but he was a coward.
Author's note: I know the ending was very harsh, but what you want I can't change the characters and stop Jane from being Jane or Lisbon from being faithful to him. But I promise in the last chapter you will have a "happy" ending. Next chapter leads right before the 6x07 promo and I will publish the rests every week until the catch of Red John is over. SO STAY STUNED FOR A FOLLOWING CHAPTER OF THIS FANFICTION hehe lol xD don't forget to comment ;))