Hi guys!
I can't even begin to apologize for how long it took to update this story. I lost my mojo when the summer rolled around and I'm finally starting to find it again. I realize that the crime part of the story may not make much sense - I'm beginning to realize that isn't my forte.
I think there will only be one more section of this story to describe what happens next. Hopefully I can get that written and posted sooner rather than later.
I want to thank everyone who has commented and who have stuck around to see what happens with our favorite guys.
As always - the characters do not belong to me
Chapter 12:
Ryan pushed Track away as hard as he could and wiped his lips. Track and Taylor both laughed at Ryan's reaction.
"Just as good as I remember." Track said turning to face Taylor.
"So this is all about sex? It's been years, why the hell now?" Ryan asked crossing his arms over his chest.
"I got bored." Track shrugged sitting on the edge of his desk, next to Taylor.
"Bullshit!" Ryan demanded, "This was a stupid mistake. You know I have people who will be looking for me."
"Oh yeah," Taylor's face lit up, "Kevin here is sleeping with his partner." Taylor looked at Track with a large grin on his face.
"Well, well, well, seems like someone has a type. Kevin you really should learn not to mix business with pleasure" Track laughed. Ryan huffed in frustration. He had no idea what was going on right in front of his face and it was killing him. People were dying and he couldn't do anything about it.
"Why? What is the point of all this? The drugs I get, but the dead girls? I couldn't figure it out four years ago, so please just tell me what this is all about." Ryan stared at the two men and placed his hands on his hips. Ryan saw two distinct looks cross over the faces of the two men. Taylor's eyes clouded in anger while Track looked uncomfortable.
"Wait a minute." Ryan said starting to put two and two together. "Taylor, you don't work for Track do you?"
"Kevin, I would stop now. You don't want to know more than you already do." Taylor warned, standing up. All Ryan's hope that his old partner hadn't really changed, evaporated into thin air at the look on Taylor's face.
"There was a reason I never heard anything about prostitutes when I was undercover." Ryan looked from Taylor to Track. Track had a bemused smile on his face, as if he was enjoying the scene playing out in front of him.
"Kevin, stop!" Taylor huffed.
"Now, now Anthony, why not just let him in on your little secret?" Track asked nonchalantly. Taylor's head snapped to Track's in shock. Track laughed.
"Kevin, you are obviously a very talented detective, you even managed to fool me for quite some time. And you have managed to figure it out once again." Track stood up and placed his hand on Taylor's shoulder to calm him down.
"Anthony and I have a mutual business agreement. I supply the drugs and Anthony uses his girls to bring me new clients."
"Anthony? Why?" Ryan questioned.
"Will you stop asking why, you're pissing me off. I already told you why." Taylor shrugged off Track's hand and went over to the mini bar on the other side of the room. "It's all about the money." He stated as he poured himself a drink. He turned around, holding it in his hand.
"I have seen a lot in my years as a cop and I had nothing to show for it. So when we went undercover for Track, I decided to work for the other side."
"But Track is simply a drug guy, how did the girls come in?" Ryan asked, unable to believe what had become of his ex-partner.
"I made new connections while working. It isn't really that difficult to be honest." Taylor finished his drink in a single gulp and set the glass back down on the bar. "Now enough of this chit-chat. Kevin, we did bring you here for a reason. We want you to make all of this murder business to go away." Taylor stood in front of Ryan with his arms crossed over his chest.
"What? How the hell do you expect me to do that? Beckett is already on to Track." Ryan waved his hand in Track's direction.
"Ah, but I had nothing to do with any murders." Track chimed in from his perch on the desk.
"It doesn't matter who actually did do it, all that matters is who will be taking the fall for it." Taylor directed the comment over his shoulder towards Track. He turned his head back around in time for a fist to land itself squarely on his jaw.
"What the fuck, Ryan?" Taylor stumbled backwards rubbing his jaw.
"You're insane Anthony. I don't understand what happened to you, and frankly I don't give a damn, but this plan of yours won't work. There is no scenario where this ends well for you. I wont help you frame another innocent man." Ryan squared his shoulder, preparing for a fight.
"Kevin, you are making a big mistake here." Taylor pulled a gun out from the waist band of his jeans and pointed it at Ryan. Track stood up, slightly shocked at the way things were turning out.
"Anthony, what are you doing? This wasn't part of the plan." Ryan's head spun towards Track's, beyond confused as to why he was stopping Taylor. Something was different about Track and he couldn't put his finger on it. Taylor didn't put the gun down.
"I doubt your plan was going to work anyway. This way is guaranteed to work. Now Kevin, you will do all that you can to pin the murders of those whores on the man we choose or I will kill your little fuck buddy."
Ryan's jaw dropped open in shock.
Beckett placed her hand on Esposito's shoulder, "We will find him Espo." Esposito shrugged off her hand and walked out of the apartment. Beckett shared a look with Castle before they both followed him out.
"Espo, wait up." She hollered at him. She reached him just as he opened the car door. She slammed the door shut before he could get in.
"Get out of my way, Beckett." He growled through clenched teeth.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"I'm going to get Ryan!"
"What makes you think you know where he is?" Castle questioned. Esposito huffed at the whole situation.
"We all know where he is. Taylor was obviously working for Track. If Ryan came here and confronted Taylor, he would have figured it out too." Esposito slammed his fist into the car. "Damn it! I knew I didn't like that guy."
"So you think Taylor took Ryan to Track?" Beckett asked.
"The Club!" Castle offered.
"Yeah, that's where I think he is and we have to get him now!" Esposito demanded.
"Ok, I can see how you could put two and two together but we have no proof. Espo, you can't just bust into Track's club without a warrant." Beckett said trying to keep Esposito calm.
"Actually we don't need a warrant." Castle pointed out. Both Esposito and Beckett turned to look at him. "There is that meeting you set up with Track." Castle smiled. Beckett and Esposito exchanged glances.
"Let's go!" They said in unison. All three of them got into the car and headed over to Track's club. Beckett called to have their witness to meet them at the club. The only way to get Track, and now Taylor, was to get them to incriminate themselves.
"Anthony, you don't have to do this. We don't have anything linking you to the murders. All you have to do is walk away." Ryan held his hands up in defense.
"I'm not stupid, Kevin. I know how good Beckett is at her job. She would never let a killer get away. We need a fall guy and we have the perfect candidate.
"Who is it this time?"
"Rex Cutter." Taylor smirked and Ryan's eyes widened in shock. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Track slowly making his way around Taylor.
"Now before you say anything, I already know what you are thinking." Taylor seemed oblivious to the movement around him, his focus completely on Ryan. "I know that Beckett was going to pick up Cutter and I bet he squealed like the rat he is. However, he is coming here for a little meeting and that is where you come in." Taylor jumped as a hand came to a rest on the gun.
"Anthony, you need to put the gun down. Let's just talk about this first. He isn't going anywhere and I think you made your point." Track took the gun from Taylor. He and Ryan both took a deep breath. Taylor raised his hands in surrender and walked back over to the desk. Track turned to address Ryan.
"Kevin, we plan on setting Rex up to take the fall for those murders, but we need you to do it."
"And what do you think I'm going to do?" Ryan once again crossed his arms at the absurdity of the whole situation. Track smiled a devilish grin at Ryan's question.
"You're going to get hurt." Ryan couldn't even register the news before Track pistol whipped him.
As Beckett pulled the car into the club parking lot, they saw that the marshals were already there. Beckett parked the car and they all got out. The marshals walked up to meet them.
"I'm Detective Beckett, where is Cutter?" She shook hands with the female agent.
"Reynolds. Cutter is inside. We have him wired so we figured we give him some time before going in."
"Ok, let's go ahead and go in. Castle, you follow behind and don't screw anything up." Everybody geared up and made their way into the club. They heard raised voices coming from the back but the front was clear. They slowly made their way towards the back. Beckett halted everyone and she knocked on the door.
"NYPD, open up." They heard loud scuffling that caused Esposito to kick open the door. He and Beckett were first in the door and saw both Track and Taylor holding guns, pointing them at Rex.
"Track, Taylor put your weapons down now!" Beckett demanded. Cutter immediately cowered down behind some boxes. Track and Taylor turned their guns on Beckett and Esposito.
"Where is Ryan?" Esposito yelled. Taylor smiled and reached down behind another stack of boxes and hauled Ryan to his feet. Ryan was barely conscious and could hardly stand on his own two feet. Taylor positioned Ryan between himself and Esposito.
"How about you put your gun down or I shoot your boyfriend here?" Taylor dug his gun into Ryan's ribs. Esposito scowled but didn't lower his weapon.
"Taylor, let's just talk about this." Beckett said. She turned her head slightly at the movement in her peripheral vision.
Track was ever so lightly lowering his weapon while watching Taylor.
Taylor caught Beckett's movement and turned towards Track. At that moment sirens pierced the silence and all hell broke loose.
Taylor made the first move as he connected the dots between Track's actions and the sirens he heard. Esposito and Beckett watched as pure anger came over Taylor's face. He looked at Esposito and grinned.
Multiple shots rang out. The room was pure chaos as back up arrived.
When the room settled down, Track, Taylor and Ryan were all down on the ground.
Esposito rushed over to Ryan as Beckett checked on Taylor and Track.
"Kevin, baby can you hear me?" Ryan's eyes were closed and Esposito could see the blood pooling under him. "Baby, you need to open your eyes for me please." Esposito begged his partner. Finally, Ryan moaned and his eyes fluttered open.
"Javi?" He groaned before his eyes closed again. Just then the paramedics arrived.
"You need to back up and let us do our job. He is losing a lot of blood, Sir." The paramedic calmly told Esposito. Esposito stepped back and watched as the paramedics did their job and then put Ryan on a gurney and started to wheel him out. Esposito started to follow them out when Beckett called his name.
"Beckett, I have to go with him." He answered turning to face her.
"Javi, we have a problem." He watched as Beckett stood up from her position next to Track's lifeless body. She turned to him with a grim look on her face as she showed him the badge in her hand.