In Search
There was no way with even Punk's security clearance he'd be able to get an EXACT location on April. He did have a state and a neighborhood though and that was good enough for him. Punk tracked people down for a living and no one knew the Marshal services better than him. He took April's advice and put in for four weeks vacation, told his Chief it was because be needed time to heal but in reality he had been driving around the same Wisconsin neighborhood for almost two weeks now searching for April. He knew prototypical and knew April would lose her security detail after a two week adjustment period. He also knew April would run for it. He had gotten used to know her well and knew after two weeks of being locked up she was going to run and take her chances so he had to find her before that happened because April was smart and it would be hard to find her.
"Any luck?" Adam asked over the phone.
"No." Punk said as he was parked down a residential street keeping his eyes open. His eyes were baggy and his beard and hair were growing long. It looked like he aged ten years. Searching for April was not only exhausting but he was worried about her. He was scared he'd be too late.
"I haven't heard anything but Cena isn't back in the office yet." Adam told him. "Chief isn't talking about it either."
"Any leads on Sawyer?" Punk asked.
"A few but they were all dead ends." Adam said to him.
"That should be your only focus." Punk reminded him. "I can find her but can't bring her home until he's locked up."
"That's a tall order." Adam reminded him. "This is bigger than you. You can't protect April and track down Jeremy Sawyer. You're going to get yourself killed."
"Then at least I died trying." Punk said to him then hung up.
If everyone was going to be negative then he'd do this on his own and he already felt like he was. He was a great Marshal and it wasn't just about his growing attraction and feelings towards April, he knew in the fiber of his being that something was very wrong with this case. She was the most creditable witness against James Sawyer they had ever had so he knew it would be risky for her but this was out of control. He didn't have the proof but he knew Cena was the mole who was leaking information to the Sawyer family and since Cena was in charge of April's safety, it meant her time was running out.
He looked over to the passenger side seat of his car and picked up the letter April had wrote him. He read it constantly and not just because it meant so much to me or because it bared her true feelings and she opened herself up so beautifully to him but he was also looking for clues or hints.
He knew deep down she didn't want to leave him. She felt safest under his watchful eye and he was the only friend she had in the world. She wouldn't want to say goodbye through a letter. He was hoping she'd reach out and call him but knew Cena wouldn't let that happen either. He began to drive and around the corner was a coffee shop. He pulled into the parking lot and that's when he froze.
There was April. She had on dark sunglasses, her hair was gently blowing in the wind as she stepped out of the coffee shop. What made him scowl was John Cena at her side. He couldn't just get out of the car and cause a scene. He had to be patient and play this smart but he was relieved to see her breathing.
Actually, he was relieved to see her in general. He had spent every waking hour with her for almost a month and then to suddenly not see or speak to her for weeks was a depressing feeling for him. He decided once this was over he wasn't letting her walk out of his life. He kept thinking about his big white house with the red door during these last two weeks a lot. He couldn't envision the life April imagined for him without her. Whether it was a romantic relationship or just friendship, he wanted April around for the rest of his life.
Punk started his car up again and slowly began to follow John. He knew John would be on the lookout for him so he was careful when following him. He didn't need to know the exact house she was in. Just the block and then he'd go from there. John turned down a dead end block with only four houses and Punk kept going straight. He knew where they were now and she was going to be safe. She was coming back with him and he'd kill John or anyone else who got on his way...
Later that night Punk pulled down that block that John had turned down. He didn't see John's car on the street which meant John was parking in the garage. But he knew April was a fan of views at night and even though there were no City lights out here but he would bet his life she was looking out at the stars somewhere. Punk got out of his car and headed towards a lightly wooded area located behind the houses. At the third house he saw her in the yard laying on a blanket and looking up at the sky.
She looked so at peace as she admired the stars in the sky. He took a step back further into the woods when she suddenly sat up. She peered towards the woods but Punk knew she didn't see him. He couldn't just run up and grab her, John would shoot him on sight. She stood up slowly and peered around the entire yard.
"Something wrong?" Punk heard John asked as he stepped into the back.
"I just..." April trailed off. "No. You can leave me alone now."
"You have to talk to me." John said to her and Punk stepped closer to listen better. "Almost two weeks of silence is driving me crazy."
"I don't care." April said to him. "I don't like it here."
"You don't like it anywhere." John laughed.
"I liked it at Phil's." She retorted and Punk smirked.
"And how did you pay him back for that? Almost getting him killed twice. You can't go back there." John told her.
"Why can't I at least talk to him?" April asked.
"He's working like crazy." John lied and Punk glared at him even though John wouldn't be able to see it. "We told him you went into WITSEC and he agreed it was for the best. Almost being killed changed his mind."
"If he's working that means he's ok, right?" April asked.
"I told you he was fine." John said to her. "He's not coming here so you can stop coming out and looking for him."
"I'm not looking for him." April mumbled and Punk frowned. "He's better off without me."
"That we agree on." John said to her. "He cared about you though if that makes an difference."
"You don't know anything." April responded and Punk nodded in agreement with her. "He didn't trust you and that was with good reason."
"It really wasn't." John smirked stepping closer to her. "Have I tried to hurt you? Make you uncomfortable?"
"No. But you talk a lot." April shot at him. "Ever hear of something called 'comfortable silence'?" Punk would have laughed out loud if he could, that was his girl.
"Fine. Go back to laying on the grass, I'll go back inside." John offered.
"No." she said grabbing her blanket. "You stay out here so I can shower."
"The shower is all the way upstairs." John said to her.
"I don't want you in the house with me when I shower." She reminded him coldly then walked back inside and Punk shook his head in annoyance. There went his opportunity to talk to her tonight.
Punk waited around and kept his eyes on John and saw he was armed, otherwise Punk would have bum rushed him. He wasn't sure if John had other people in the house either. He watched as John reached into his pocket and made a phone call.
"Yea, I'm here until Saturday." John said into the phone. "I don't know if I want to leave her just yet. She's jumpy. I'm afraid she's going to run the second I'm gone...her attitude sucks, she keeps wondering why I won't let her at least call Punk but I told her it's for his own safety. Is he back at work yet?...vacation? Punk?" John laughed and Punk rolled his eyes. "I don't know if he'd find her out here but if he does..." he began but Punk couldn't hear anymore since a plane passed by. "...yea I mean she's scared but it will be all over soon. And the sooner the better I'm sick of this shit." he said into the phone and now Punk was convinced he was talking to one of Sawyers men. "She's a pain in the ass, I don't know how Punk put up with her for so long. But I suppose two pain in the asses get along well."
John listened for a bit and it frustrated Punk to no need to not be able to hear what was being said to him.
"I would have seen Punk if he was here, this area is small." John said into the phone. "Alright...yea I'm going to keep her calm but we have to get this over with fast because she's smart and is going to figure this out. I already think she suspects me. I wish I could get it over with myself because I have to be honest, she's hot but I can't stand her fucking mouth."
Punk glared at his former team member and was no in fear of April annoying him into shooting her. He had to warn her to at least behave and stay on his good side. Punk had no idea what John was waiting for. Probably for Sawyer's men to be able to sneak into the state because he knew if he killed April himself it would be traced back to him.
Punk felt his phone vibrating in his pocket but ignored it until John was off the phone. Once the call was over John turned to walk into the house but the backdoor was locked and he groaned.
"Is she kidding me?" John asked trying to pull the door open. "Hey!" John yelled up to what he assumed was the bathroom window since it was steaming over now. "She's really going to make me wait out here." He groaned then sat on a step and began to play on his phone.
When Punk made his way back to his car he pulled his phone out hoping for good news from Adam but the number that called him made his heart drop. Although he didn't want to have this conversation, he was a man of his word and called it back.
"Mr. Mendez." Punk greeted as cheerfully as possible. "I'm sorry I missed your call."
"It's alright, son. I know you're busy. We're still on the cruise but we've tried to call April a couple of times and she's not answering. Is she alright?" Robert asked.
"Yea she's in perfect health." Punk told him honestly. "She's in the shower right now."
"Can you have her call us?" Robert asked.
"We had a security breach." Punk told him. "I'm not going to lie to you, they put her in witness protection."
"They what?" Robert snapped.
"They didn't tell me they were and she volunteered to go." Punk confided.
"How am I going to tell my wife?" Robert asked in disbelief. "I can't talk to her ever again? How will I know if she's alright?"
"I'm here." Punk said quietly looking towards the house. "I just tracked her down. I'm going to stay here until I figure something out. I'm not leaving her."
"I should be alarmed you went through so much trouble for my daughter who is just a witness but I'm actually relieved." Robert had to admit.
"They pressured her into doing this and I'm not going to let them change her entire life." Punk told him.
"I'd feel better knowing you were still with her." Robert said to him.
"Me too." Punk agreed. "I'm here now and I'm watching. I can't get to her yet but when I do I'll have her call you."
"She's just a young woman." Robert said to Punk sadly. "She doesn't deserve this, she did nothing wrong."
"I know." Punk agreed again. "That's why I'm not going to let her sacrifice her entire life because of a criminal. She deserves better. She deserves her life."
"Just don't get yourself killed in the process." Robert warned him. "She thinks very highly of you."
"I think very highly of her too." Punk said staring at the house. "I'll take care of her. Just enjoy your trip and don't worry your wife."
"You'll call me if there are any changes?" Robert asked.
"Of course." Punk told him.
"When you see her, tell her I love her." Robert requested.
"I will." Punk promised then Robert hung up.
"You are going to get me into so much trouble." Punk said still looking at the house but talking to April.
Punk was wide awake all night. He moved his car around the corner and watched the house by foot and kept switching it up all night. He needed John out so he could get in and talk to April. He was already planning his next move. He wasn't going to bring April back to Chicago, he would hide out with her elsewhere. Somewhere Sawyer would never find her. He already came to peace with the idea of his career being over and he was ok with it if it meant April lived to see another day.
Punk was across the street watching the house when he saw John run out of the front door in a panic. Punk narrowed his eyes and grew alarmed that something happened. The worst hit him thinking John had finally snapped and killed her. John was on the phone panicking to whoever he was talking to and peering up and down the block.
"She's gone! It's over!" John yelled.
Punk was able to hear him yell that much into the phone and Punk reached for his gun that he was hiding in his pants behind his back and pulled it out and unlocked then jetted across the street. He tackled John to the ground causing the phone to go flying and pressed his gun to John's temple before he could even react.
"Where is she?" both John and Punk asked at the same time.
"What?" John asked.
"I saw her here! She was fine last night!" Punk yelled pressing the gun harder against his head. "What did you do to her?"
"She was gone when I woke up!" John yelled. "You fucking talked her into running!"
"I didn't talk to her at all! She didn't even know I was here!" Punk yelled not moving his gun. "You're working with Sawyer and you-"
"I'm not working with Sawyer!" John shouted.
"I've heard you talking to him!" Punk yelled.
"April's stuff is gone! She packed up and snuck out! Go check the house! I didn't lay a hand on her!" John defended.
Punk got off of John but kept his gun on him.
"Get the fuck up." Punk ordered and John stood up and Punk pulled his gun off of him. "Walk into the house."
"Do you realize what you're doing?" John asked him as he walked into the house ahead of Punk. "You may have a higher ranking but you broke so many fucking rules and now you're holding a gun on a fellow Marshal?"
"You're not a Marshal." Punk said to him coldly. "You're a rat. You're a mole and you talked April into coming here so you could let Sawyer's men kill her."
"That's the most paranoid shit I have ever heard in my life." John had to laugh. "I'm not a perfect man but I'm not a killer and I'm not working with criminals. I was trying to keep YOU alive."
"I didn't need the help!" Punk yelled.
"Yes you did." John said to him.
"Take me to her room." Punk ordered and John walked on the steps and into the first bedroom.
It was a bare room but it was April's for sure. There was a wet towel on the floor and a couple of books.
"Her clothes and bag are gone." John said quietly. "Her window was open too." he told him and Punk peered out the window and saw a drain pipe. Just like at her family home, she crawled out the window and slid down the pipe.
"You scared her." Punk said to him.
"I didn't scare her." John said to him with a laugh. "I've been nothing but nice to her and she's been a real asshole to me."
"Watch it." Punk warned pulling the trigger back on his gun.
"And you thought I had a thing for her." John laughed. "I knew you'd find us. I just didn't think you'd make her run."
"If I convinced her to run then I'd be with her." Punk said to him. "I wouldn't let her off on her own."
"Can you just lower the gun so we can figure out where the fuck she went?" John asked.
"I don't trust you." Punk reminded him not lowering the gun.
"I'm calm and relaxed. I have another gun at my ankle and I would have pulled it if I want to shoot you or fight you but I don't." John said to him. "Who else knows you're here?"
"No one." Punk said keeping his gun on him.
"Good." John said relieved. "I might be able to save April and your career."
"I don't need your help with either." Punk said finally lowering his gun and waited for John to make a move but he didn't.
"I get you dig her-" John began.
"This has nothing to do with my personal feelings." Punk said coldly.
"It has EVERYTHING to do with your personal feelings." John corrected. "You know she's better off away from you and the team in general."
"Stop saying that." Punk warned him. "I'm the only one fighting to keep her alive."
"What the fuck do you think I'm doing!?" John asked annoyed. "My wife is pregnant and I've spent two weeks with April here! I gave up part of my life to keep her and you safe!"
"I'm not in danger!" Punk yelled.
"You are!" John yelled back. "You just don't know how much."
It suddenly hit Punk, he knew exactly where April would run to.
"Other Marshal's are on their way to trace her steps so I suggest you go before-" John began but Punk was already halfway down the stairs.
John curiously followed Punk down the stairs and watched him jump in his car and speed off. He knew where April was.
"Son of a bitch." John muttered then opened the garage and jumped into his own car.