In The Wrong Place
Chapter 22
Joe checked Steve's pulse and sighed with relief when he felt the weak but steady rhythm beneath his fingertips...The kid didn't look good though.. Getting up he rushed to the window and very carefully glanced out...The place was swarming with cops...Damn it Joe...How the hell did you get yourself into this mess? he thought to himself as he felt panic start to grow inside him...He had a bad case of the shakes and desperately needed a drink!.Think Joe ! Think! ...Just as he was trying to figure out his next move he heard Steve groaning and he hurried back over and knelt beside the prone figure on the floor...
As consciousness returned Steve felt like his side was on fire...He groaned at the discomfort of it and opened his eyes trying to piece together where he was and what had happened. Seeing Joe brought the memories rushing back and he groaned again when he remembered that he wasn't out of danger just yet...
"Take it easy Steve...Did I hit your sore side?"
Steve just nodded as the pain was almost unbearable...Through gritted teeth Steve continued...
"Damn it Joe...I think you ...burst my stitches..."
Hearing that, Joe felt guilty and leaning over Steve he tried to gain access to Steve's side...
"Here, you better let me look at it..."
Steve tightened his grip on his side to block Joe's ministrations...
"NO!...DON'T TOUCH IT!... " Steve gasped again..."Besides, you don't have to check. I felt them rip..."
Poor Steve wasn't getting any respite from the pain and the fever was still raging as Steve shivered violently...
"Joe, help me sit up...Will you please?"
"Sure" and with that Joe helped Steve shift back until he was sitting up against the side wall...He was breathing heavy and shivering violently by the time that he was settled and was holding his side firmly with his right hand...
"Damn, you sure pack a punch Joe...you know that?"
"Sorry...You know you're pretty strong yourself considering the condition you're in..." Joe replied rubbing his aching wrist that Steve had grabbed during the struggle..."Why did you pull such a crazy stunt like that kid?"
"You wouldn't let her go...You didn't give me a choice Joe."
Joe studied the young man in front of him...
"You must really like her huh to risk a move like that?"
Steve thought about Jeannie and half smiled at Joe...
"Yeah...She's special..."
"Does she know how you feel about her kid?"
Steve looked down at the floor and without catching Joe's eye he added...
"It's complicated..."
Joe started to laugh..."I'll bet it is...You must be braver than I thought if you'd even consider having feelings for the daughter of Iron Mike!"
"It's not like that Joe...We're just real close friends..." Steve added slightly flustered...
"Oh sure!" Joe teased "We all risk our lives for real close friends...Who are you trying to kid Steve me or yourself?"
Wanting to change the subject Steve continued...
"And you know Mike's not the person you think he is...He's a great cop...The best...And he cares Joe...He's not out to destroy you...He just wants to help you...You can ...trust him Joe..." and with that another wave of pain hit Steve and he bent over gripping his side...
Joe saw the movement and glanced at where Steve was holding and was alarmed to see a large bloodstain under the young detectives fingers...
"Take it easy kid...You know that's bleeding pretty bad" and getting up Joe rushed to the kitchen and came back seconds later with a towel. Handing it to Steve he said...
"Here, press that on it...It'll ease it up..."
Accepting the towel Steve pressed it against his side and had to breathe through another wave of dizziness...
Just then the phone started to ring...Steve looked at Joe who just stood listening to it ringing...
"Joe ...Aren't you going to answer it? It's probably Mike...Talk to him Joe...Give yourself up...It's over Joe...The house is probably surrounded by now...There's no way out..."
"No Steve...It's too late for talking...I'm finished !..." and Steve watched as Joe eyed up his gun...Fearing the worst Steve quickly intervened...
"Joe...Don't you even think about that!...Give me the gun Joe...It doesn't have to end like this...You give me the gun and we'll leave here together...You have to take responsibility but it'll work out...You didn't mean to kill Mel... It was a tragic accident...You can plead manslaughter ..."
Joe smiled at Steve..." Oh come on Steve...They're gonna throw the book at me and you know it...What am I gonna do huh? Go to prison with the perps I put away? No...No...it's over I tell you..."
"Joe!...They treat officers different in prison...You won't be with the others...You do your time and you move on..."
"Oh yeah...And when I get out they're going to just give me back my badge huh?"
Steve's strength was starting to fail him...The new blood loss was taking its toll and the shivering was getting worse...He felt light-headed and he shook his head...He had to keep talking to Joe until Mike found a way to get in here.
"No... that's not going to happen but there are other things out there you could do Joe when you get out...private security...stuff like that... Your way is not the answer Joe. Now for God sake just GIVE ME THE GUN !"
Meanwhile...
Outside on the street Mike stood with Dan Healy trying desperately to raise Joe on the phone...Looking up despondently at Mike, Dan spoke...
"He's not picking up Mike...It's just ringing out... What now?" Dan asked almost afraid of what Mike's answer would be...
Feeling frustrated and worrying sick about Steve, Mike made his decision ...
"Alright...If he won't talk to me, then I'm gonna have to go talk to him."
"Mike! That's crazy!" Dan protested but seeing Mike's steely determination he knew that it would be impossible to talk him out of it...
"Look Dan...Steve's in there and he's counting on us to get him out...Now I for one am not going to let him down...We have no idea what's going on in there! I have to go and try to reason with him...I HAVE TO!"
"Alright Mike but at least bring back up with you and maybe a bulletproof vest wouldn't be a bad idea either Mike..." Dan suggested...
Just then Corky Shaffer came forward...
"Let me be your back up Mike...He won't shoot me...I might be able to reason with him...Please Mike..."
"Oh no Corky...after your last get together at that meeting I don't think so... And besides what makes you think that he won't shoot you too?"
"Because...because he's ...he's my godfather Mike" Corky said purposely avoiding Mike's eye...
Mike was taken aback and looked at Corky surprised and slightly annoyed...
"Why didn't you mention that before?
Corky looked suitably embarrassed ..."Well, the last few days I guess I've been kind of ashamed to admit it...He won't hurt me Mike...Please...I won't let you down."
Mike thought about it and felt sorry for the young man in front of him who so desperately needed closure on this in order to move on...
"Ok..ok...But you stay behind me and you do as I tell you. Ok?"
"Ok...and thanks Mike!" the young man said...
"Don't thank me yet ! " Mike said as he approached the young man and studied him closely..."Now before you go up those steps with me I need to know that this is not some misguided vendetta you have to take Joe down in revenge for your father...You are only to use deadly force if it is absolutely unavoidable do you hear me now? I'm trusting you Corky..."
"I know you are and I told you Mike I won't let you down...I promise I'll follow your orders but if he goes to shoot you I'm taking him down Mike!...He's hurt enough people sick or not..."
Mike stood and seemed to be thinking about what Corky had said...He glanced up at his house and back at Corky...Not knowing whether Steve was dead or alive was eating him up inside and in that instant Mike made his decisions...
"Ok, Corky...Fair enough...Go get me a megaphone and get yourself one of those vests...We'll go in but there's one thing I have to do first...Wait for me over at Dan's car...Ok?"
"Ok Mike...Will I get you a vest too?"
"No... never could stand the things... Go on now...I'll be with you in a minute" and with that Mike turned and headed over to where Norm Haseejian was taking care of Jeannie...
Approaching his daughter he forced a smile not wanting to alert her to the fact that inside he was in turmoil worrying about Steve and how things were going to pan out...
"Hey sweetheart...How are you holding up?" he said pulling her in for another hug...
"I'm ok Mike...Any word of Steve? Did you get through to Joe yet?"
Mike's smile faded slightly...
"No...no I'm afraid not...Listen Jeannie I'm going to have to go and try to talk to him face to face...He's not picking up the phone...There really is no other way to do this without putting Steve in more danger honey...If I send a swat team in Steve could get caught in the crossfire...I can't do this any other way. We need to find out what's going on in there. You understand don't you Jeannie? I have to do this for Steve..We have to get him out of there.."
Jeannie's heart sank when she heard what her father was about to do...
"Oh Mike...I never understand the risks you and Steve take...but I know you have to do what you think is best...But please...please be careful Mike...I want you both out of this in one piece... Oh Daddy!..." and with that she threw her arms around him and hugged him tight...Blinking back the tears that were threatening to come and knowing that this was hard enough for Mike without her making it any harder she let him go and placing a kiss on his cheek she said softly "Go get him out of there Daddy..."
Mike squeezed her hand and smiling at his beloved daughter...he reassured her..."Don't you worry now...This will all be over soon and everything will be ok...You'll see!" Then placing a kiss on her forehead he turned and headed back to Corky purposely not looking back for fear that the raw emotion that was currently tearing at his heart would surface and threaten the calmness he needed to carry out the task at hand.. Reaching Corky and taking the megaphone Mike took control once more...Turning to Dan he instructed...
"Dan..We don't know yet what the situation is inside...We might be better to have paramedics on standby just in case...Take care of that for me will you please?"
"Sure thing Mike...Good luck!"
Smiling at Dan, Mike nodded his thanks and turning to Corky he asked...
"You ready?"
"As I'll ever be." Corky said...
"Then let's go!" and with that Mike and Corky headed towards Mike's house...Mike headed half way up the steps and gestured for Corky to wait at the end with the shrubbery for cover but where he had a clear view of Mike's front door...Corky took out his weapon and pointed it in readiness and gestured to Mike that he was in position...Then nervously Mike raised the megaphone and spoke into it...
"JOE!...JOE , IT'S MIKE! LET'S TALK...COME ON JOE! LET'S SETTLE THIS ONE ON ONE...WHAT DO YOU SAY?...JOE?...JOE?"
Meanwhile...
Back inside Steve was getting increasingly anxious...Joe was shaking really badly and had started pacing back and forth...He was looking more hopeless by the second and Steve was getting a bad feeling about how things were going to turn out...On top of all that Steve was getting weaker...His side was excruciatingly painful and he was feeling dizzier and more light-headed as the minutes passed...He was shivering badly and was freezing cold despite the beads of sweat that were still appearing on his brow ...He feared that it was just a matter of time before he passed out and he knew he had to get Joe to give himself up before that happened...
Just then Mike's voice boomed out over the megaphone and both men looked at each other nervously...Shaking his head to try to clear it even temporarily Steve tried again to reason with Joe ...
"Joe...please...Give me the gun and do the right thing...I know things look bleak right now but it will work out...Talk to Mike...Please Joe...Don't do anything foolish..."
Joe stood and smiled at Steve...
"You know I was wrong about you...You're nothing like me...You really are the real deal...A real live hero!...Even trying to save the bad guy...Eh Steve?"
"Everyone deserves saving Joe"...Steve added still staring at Joe's gun and worrying about what Joe's next move would be...
Joe noticed Steve's concern and seemed to make his decision...
"Ok hero...Let's do it your way!"
Steve sighed with relief..."You're doing the right thing Joe...Now give me the gun and talk to Mike..."
Kneeling down beside Steve, Joe spoke ...
"I'll do better than that kid" and emptying the chamber of his gun he showed Steve the empty chamber and opening Steve's left hand he placed all the bullets in the palm of Steve's hand and closed his fingers around them...
"Happy now kid?"
Steve nodded, feeling relieved that the danger had finally passed and that Mike would soon be here...and as another bout of shivers racked his body he allowed himself a second to lean his head back against the wall and close his eyes...Without warning ,Steve felt something close around his left wrist and opening his eyes he saw Joe handcuff him to the leg of the sideboard beside him...
As panic gripped Steve again he pulled at his restraints and looked at Joe in horror...
"JOE!...What the hell are you doing? Take these off me!...Joe?"
Joe stood up and looked down at Steve...
"I'm sorry kid...I couldn't take the chance of you spoiling my plans again...Now you just sit tight...Help will be in to you in a minute...Just take it easy...I'm sorry I hurt your side again..but I'm going to make everything right!...THIS ENDS NOW !"...