I wish to express my warmest gratitude to Ece23, as a fantastic beta-reader, and to you all, for being patient and following this story.
Here come chapter 20. A couple more to go and we'll reach the conclusion.
Thanks again for your visit.
Love, Lyxie.

S*H ~ S*H ~ S*H ~ S*H ~ S*H ~ S*H ~ S*H ~

20

As cautiously as he could, carefully checking the surroundings before moving ahead, Starsky sneaked into Tessa's building and softly knocked on her door.

He had to wait for what seemed several long minutes before she opened the door. He froze, his mouth open, when he saw her face.

Aware of the covert spying devices, he moved his lips in silence to tell her he wanted to talk to her. She wanted to act like she was alone, singing softly her favorite song, making noises in the apartment. But she knew that the one who was spying on her must have known Burnett was in her apartment. She turned on the radio real loud and pointed her finger to the bathroom. Once Starsky had joined her, she turned on the shower tap full capacity and sat on the floor. Starsky sat next to her. For a moment, they remained there, in silence, as if they had run a hundred miles and all energy had been drained from their bodies.

He turned to her and started to whisper in her ear.

"Tessa, you need to get off this case. It's becoming too dangerous."

"I can't… and you know it."

"Why should I know it? All I know is you've been involved for too long and these guys are no altar boys."

"I gotta get to the end of it and then, I'll be gone."

"Where?"

"Don't care. Outa here. Far away."

Starsky stared at her.

What could have possibly happened to her? She carries so much pain… and some secret, he thought.

"Hey, look at me."

She did. And all she could see on his face was a warm feeling of protection he was ready to offer.

"Who do you think bugged the apartment?"

"I guess Rico is nasty enough to do that."

"All right. Do you think he'd fall for a little game of our own?"

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see. When people are pushed to their limits, they sometimes make mistakes."

She didn't reply to that, because she simply didn't understand his logic, and she was too tired to ask any more questions.

They remained on the floor for a long while. Starsky slowly put his hand on hers and gently squeezed, as if to pass on some of his confidence, his energy, his optimism, anything which could support her.

She started to believe this guy sitting on the floor of an anonymous apartment in an unknown town during an undercover mission could have been a serious opportunity for her to begin again, start a new life, forget about all that happened before.

Then she got a grip on herself and frowned, as if the memories she was holding inside had slapped her in the face.

"I'll be all right. Come."

She stood up and turned off the tap. She faced the mirror but the mist had covered it entirely. She couldn't see her face at all and thought it was better like this.

It was now time to give Rico what he wanted, if he was the one listening at the other end of the covert line. Whoever was there, he or she would not be fooled by the radio and the silence for the little time. Yet, she didn't care anymore. Her cover started to mean less and less every day for her.

They headed back to the living room. Tessa lowered the sound of the radio until there was nothing left but a faint crackling.

"When are you meeting with Al?" she asked, resuming their pretending game.

"I don't know, I guess he will contact us any time now. Seems like a big man you can trust."

"Yeah. You can."

"I wonder about his nephew, though."

Starsky was playing a dangerous game, but if the listeners thought this was genuine enough, they would fall for it.

"Rico has always been a strong one, ya know, I guess he looks a lot like Al must have been when he was young."

"Is that what you think?"

Tessa shivered and felt the burning sensation on her face.

"He may seem reluctant to do business with you, but something tells me that, when Al retires from all of this, he is the one who's gonna take care of the future."

"And you'll become his new puppet, is that it?"

Tessa gave Starsky a nasty look. Why was he doing this? He stared back at her, to let her know he was sure of himself. But she found it difficult to understand where he was heading.

"I'm no puppet! You don't know jack about who I am, Mr Collins."

"I'm Burnett. Collins is my partner."

"Whatever!" Now she was playing the game all along. "Alejandro Fuentes has taken care of me after I… well, he's been kind and gentle and I owe him a lot."

"Are you sure of this?"

"Quite sure, Mr Burnett. Why do you keep asking?"

"Because I've seen how some members of that family treat you and I… well, I'd love to serve as a better alternative."

"And become your puppet, perhaps?"

"That's not what I meant."

"I have a pretty good idea where you're heading at, Mister."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes, and I hope my answer is clear enough; get this out of your mind."

"Suits you; but when Al decides to "retire", as you kindly said, Rico will use you in every way he can, and not necessarily with tenderness."

"That's not for you to decide. You'll do your business with Mr Fuentes, and you'll be gone. What can I expect from you?"

"You tell me."

Tessa was out of argument and looked at Starsky whose eyes were asking whether this little game they were playing was now enough to reassure the listeners on Tessa's commitment to Al Fuentes, at least. Tessa nodded. It would be enough.

Yet, there was something in Rico's attitude that definitely meant he was jealous and would keep an eye on the brunet newcomer. If Starsky and Tessa wanted to lure him deep into their trap and get him muddled up some more, they felt they had to go one step further.

Starsky approached Tessa until he could feel her warmth.

"Don't tell me lies, Tessa. You're faithful to Fuentes. But he won't be there forever. I think you're a beautiful young woman, intelligent, smart, and you deserve so much more than this Rico."

"Please, don't." She whispered, yet loud enough to be heard.

"Don't fight this. I knew the moment I first saw you something special was at hand between us and I know now… Don't fight it, Tessa. It's… destiny."

Whoever was listening was now deprived of sound. A profound silence was all that was left and the mikes didn't convey anything more.

Starsky had taken Tessa in his arms. Their breath accelerated. Their heartbeats raced. Tessa was wondering whether she was shivering because she was afraid that Starsky was playing a foolish game, or because she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time. The comfort of a man's warmth, his strength, his confidence.

Starsky had the sensation he was holding a trembling little bird that fell from the nest too soon. His arms felt strong around her and she had stopped resisting. His face got closer and closer to the young woman's bruised face and when their lips touched, he enjoyed a delicious electric discharge running down his spine. He had the feeling the young cop in his arms was feeling the same way. Before they were aware of what had taken possession of their reasoning, their kiss became more passionate, each one searching to explore with unexpected delight the taste of the other. At this point, there was nothing that could have distracted them from the burning sensation of drowning and lacking of air. They parted for a brief moment. Tessa looked at Starsky and she wanted to get free from his embrace, afraid of what she had just done.

I'm betraying HIM with this cop, this is not right, she thought.

Yet, before she could express another thought, Starsky pulled her again close to him. This time, he kissed her passionately, yet slowly, with utmost tenderness, letting her explore his lips and mouth, slowly and shyly at first, then she started to feel more confident and showed more initiative, until she grabbed the back of his shirt and hung on to his body like a buoy.

When they finally parted, a little out of breath, she felt a weird sensation of shame – that permanent feeling of betrayal, not towards Al, or anyone else, but him – and fear, for Starsky. Because she was sure that Al's nephew would try to retaliate soon.

"You need to go now." She whispered, not too loud, this time, so that no one could hear.

"Yeah." Starsky whispered too. "Promise me you'll be careful."

"I will."

She gave him a last delicate kiss on the lips. Starsky turned around to look in the direction of the mikes and then again to Tessa. His eyes were silently asking if she could manage what was to come on her own. She nodded with a faint smile.

"I guess we'll see each other again soon, before or after our … business with Fuentes." He said a bit louder.

"Most certainly. Goodbye, Mr Burnett."

Tessa's voice was professional again, almost cold. But her eyes were telling something else.

That she would be waiting, indeed, for their next encounter; for this investigation to end, for the bad guys to be arrested, for her life to start again, for her sanity to survive.

For the first time in such a long time, she was looking forward to a brand new day.

S*H ~ S*H ~ S*H ~ S*H ~ S*H ~ S*H ~ S*H ~