Title: Trouble in Paradise
Chapter 5 – A Rocky Reunion

Casey looks at Hector with a small frown as Severide's voice cracks on the other side. "Kelly…"

"Matt I gotta go…think they're…what's wrong?"

"Kelly text me the address or…"

"Mr. Casey…" Hector starts as Casey's brow furrows.

"My friend says two cops are hunting him and they are the ones that attacked him," Casey confronts Hector as his son looks up in wonder.

"I give you my word…"

"Okay you just wait there at the front of the Embassy," Casey tells Severide firmly as Hector's brow furrows.

"You…you're not alone? Are you with the cops?"

"Yes correct."

"Mr. Casey. Please you must believe me. I want to help. We'll take a cab and I'll leave my phone at home. I'm off duty today. No weapon. But if there are policia after him then he won't last long out there. They offer money and the poor willingly take it. He has no one to help him and no one he can turn to. If he's at the embassy he'll be safe but it's not close to here so I think it's a bluff. Please…let me help."

"Matt…don't trust him! But hurry…ah damn…"

"Kelly? Kelly!"

"I'll bring Carlos with me. I wouldn't willingly put my son in harms way. We're running out of time."

Casey looks at the young boy's pleading expression to that anxious one of his father and feels torn. But with Kelly hurt and knowing that time was about to run out for both of them – he had to make a decision and right now.

XXXXXXXX

"Thank you…uh…gracias," Severide replies with a heavy wince as he hangs up and then sags against the wall and looks at the old woman with a heavy frown.

"Where…are you injured?"

"Uh…my side. It's okay," Severide lies, as the old woman folds her arms across her chest. "I uh…just need a bandage or…I need to go. My friend is coming. Thank you again," Severide offers as he limps toward the door and then pops his head outside into the quiet hallway, pausing a few seconds before he decides to take a chance and head to the front of the building to wait for Casey.

But just before he can take another step, the old woman's hand rests on his bare forearm and forces him to turn around.

"Did you call the cops?"

"No. Heard what you said. What did you do?"

"Nothing," Severide explains with a small huff as his right hand continues pressed down on his wounded left-side. "I was mistaken for…for someone else. I have no money or anything worth taking. Wrong place at the wrong time I guess or…or they followed us from the hotel or…I don't know," Severide stammers as the old woman gestures for him to sit in a nearby chair.

"You wait for your friend here," she tells him in a heavy Spanish accent but one he can understand. "No cops."

Something inside him said to run….get the hell outta here right now!...but his body refused. It was tired, dirty, beat up, shot and rapidly running out of strength, adrenaline and energy. If they came for him now, Severide knows he'd be doomed.

But his mind now races with other agitation. Casey had come down from Chicago to find him. His absence and unusual silence had alerted his friend and he was thankful for that. However, Casey had told him that he was with the man that he helped the son of…a local police officer. Damn it…can Matt trust him? How did he even find that guy? Maybe it was a setup and Matt's in trouble? This…this is bad…

In that moment, his brain snaps him out of his somewhat sleepy stupor with the sound of nearing police sirens. His whole body tenses and he makes to get out of the chair and high tail it out of there, telling himself the old woman betrayed him.

"Stay," she says to him instantly. "Not here for you."

Severide's weary expression looks up with a heavy frown but something in her kind eyes tells him that he can rest a few minutes longer and she's telling him the truth. That hunch would be correct. The blaring sirens keep right on going; the sound dying out as quickly as it had sprung up.

He exhales heavily as he looks up at her with a heavy frown. "What's your name?"

"Valentina."

"Kelly," he answers and then slightly smirks when her salt and pepper brows arch. "Yeah, where I come from it can be a guy's name," he gently laughs but winces more than anything.

Severide watches her turn and slowly wander into her kitchen, leaving the phone on the table where he can see it. She could still have a cell phone that you can't see. She could be calling the cops right now! So just as he tries to push himself up, his right hand pulls back and he can only curse when he looks at the fresh blood and slumps back down.

Come on Casey…hurry up…Severide's mind swirls around as he watches the old woman come back with a small box.

"Your side…let's see it."

"No I'm…" Severide starts with a small huff only to be shushed by the old woman as she opens the small box and shows him some clean first aid supplies.

"Arms up…" the old woman lightly demands in broken English as Severide slowly lifts his dirty black golf shirt. But just as he does he pauses as he hears his name being called. "Matt!"

Casey hears Severide reply to his call and hurries down the hallway and stops short just as his friendly slowly stumbles into the hallway with the old woman in tow.

"Kelly!"

"Matt! Thank God…" Severide offers in honest relief as Casey gives his friend a hug of relief and then pulls back to see what's happened; his expression widening with horror as he takes in Severide's disheveled appearance. But before he can say a word, Severide looks past Casey and lets his eyes rest on a familiar face. "Is he…"

"You can trust me," Hector interjects in haste.

"He wanted to bring his son to prove it," Casey adds as Hector nears.

"Not all of us are corrupt," Hector offers in truth. "Please…let me help you both."

Severide looks at Casey who nods and then gives Hector a small nod and then looks at Casey in painful desperation. "Need some…help," he offers as his body willingly surrenders itself into Casey's strong grasp.

"Kelly!" Casey exclaims as he quickly puts his arms around his friend's faltering frame and then looks at the old woman who turns and heads back into her small apartment, prompting them to follow. "I texted both Gabby and Boden on the way here. So they know where we are."

"Travis. This is all on him," Severide offers weakly as they shuffle back into the small apartment and Casey looks around for a bathroom.

"Where are you…hurt?"

"Shot…left side…bullet…went through…I think," Severide manages with a few gasps as his walking with help proves a bit more awkward than on his own.

The old woman gestures for Severide to sit down on the closed toilet set while Casey helps him remove his dirty golf shirt. He can only offer a soft curse as he looks at Severide's chewed up side.

"Think they…thought I was Travis. Asked for money. Told them I have none. They didn't care."

"Around here…anyone with a driver appears to have money," Hector lightly corrected as Severide's faces offers a heavy wince when Casey starts to tend to his wound. "You helped my son. I am indebted to you."

Casey continues to clean the wound and is thankful that Severide's words were true – the bullet had gone straight through. "Okay…stand up."

Biting back an exhausted wince, Severide pushes himself back upright and then mutters something when Casey finishes cleaning away all the bits of dirt and fabric from the wound and then starts to apply the thick bandages on either side to stop the blood flow – at least for now.

"You need to get that stitched up," Casey tells his friend in concern as he looks at Hector. "Is there a hospital…"

"No, we need to get to the Embassy," Severide implores with fatigue in his tone. "You still have copies of all my papers right?"

"Yeah, I can get Gabby to fax them over but your side…is…"

"It can wait. My damn insurance was in my wallet but my passport should be in my suitcase. It should still be at the hotel. If it's gone then I'm in trouble. Ah…I don't even know if my passport is in my suitcase!" Severide huffs as Casey's lips purse. "Sorry. I uh…" he stammers as he shakes his head.

"Okay, let's get to the hotel, get your stuff and see if you need to go to the Embassy or just…get home," Casey explains. "How far is the Embassy just in case?" Casey asks Hector.

"If need be, I can take you. It's a few hours from here but I know the way," Hector volunteers. "It's safer than traveling by cab."

When Severide hesitates, Casey asks for a few minutes in private but leaves the door open so they can hear if anyone outside makes a call.

"You hurt anywhere else?" Casey asks in haste as Severide leans his weary and aching frame against the wall.

"All over," Severide slightly smirks as Casey's frown deepens. "Travis…damn bastard I think he owed them money or…or drugs or something. I don't know. Thought I heard his name. They shot Leroy right in front of me and…said they were cops! They just shot Leroy and…when we get out of this I'm gonna find Travis and really thank him for a great time!" Severide hisses as Casey slightly smirks to that comment. "We're not safe here. Those cops…the bad ones…they'll be back."

"He's right," Hector pipes up as he nears them once more. "If they know you're in this area, they'll find you by luck or…by paying off someone who might have seen you. And trust me, they have deep pockets."

Severide pulls away from Casey and slowly limps toward the old woman. "Gracias Valentina," he offers in friendly Spanish and gives her a hug, the old woman giving him a hug and patting him on the back. "Wish I had something to give."

She waves her hand in the air like its no big deal and then ushers them out of her apartment. But just as Casey exits, he pulls a couple of twenties from his wallet and puts it on her table. "He's grateful," Casey offers for Severide and then closes the door before she can refuse or protest.

XXXXXXXX

"Damn they know where I live…they have my phone…my credit cards," Severide grumbles as he uses Casey's phone to call VISA and get his primary means of payment cancelled.

"They won't get on a plane to come find you. They'll hope to stop you before you get on the plane," Hector relates in truth as they near his small truck. But just before Severide can climb into the back, Hector stops him and looks at him seriously. "My boy Carlos. He's all I have left. Lost my Maria a few years back. I give you my word…on his life, I'll get you to the plane so you can get home safely," Hector promises in gratitude.

"And you? If they find out you helped me?" Severide asks in concern.

"Lots of us down here help out tourists," Hector replies as he gestures for Severide to get into the truck. "It's a risk we all take but one that we feel is worth it."

"You're a good man Hector," Severide offers genuinely. "Thank you."

Hector clasps his hand and then looks at Casey and nods. "Let's go."

Severide leans back into the somewhat tattered upholstery, thankful that his frame can get a bit of rest and try to regain some energy and thankful that his side was tended to and protected. But Hector was right, they weren't out of the woods just yet – so to speak and the route between here and the American Embassy if it came to that, wasn't without a few issues of its own, locals desperate for money on the lookout for an injured American, possibly now two.

Despite wanting to drive a bit faster, they all knew if they were to do anything above the local limit or drive so as to attract attention they would – the wrong attention.

But just before they can hit the main highway, Hector veers off and heads for the hotel which Severide tells himself his passport should still be in there unless it was pilfered. "Some damn detour. Leroy…I thought for a moment he was in on it," Severide explains as they near the luxury resort. "When the SUV started to slow down…damn that was scary. Then we hit something and it all happened so fast. They shot Leroy, pulled me out, told me I was arrested and then zip-cuffed me and when I tried to run was shot."

"Did you get a good look at them?" Hector asks somewhat hopefully.

"Was dark and my head was spinning from the crash but uh…one of them…" Severide pauses as his mind struggles to go back in time two days to the start of his harrowing ordeal. "He had what looked like the top of a skull or something on his neck…maybe the top of a skull…wish I could remember more."

"No…I think I know who you're talking about. And was the other one slightly taller?"

"Take it you know them?"

"We all do. They are involved in all sorts of things," Hector replies dryly. "If your friend was mixed-up with them, he messed with the wrong men."

"He's not…my friend," Severide retorts softly but with a sour note in his tone. "I think they thought I was him…or they saw me with him. Certainly not…friends. I was just along for a free ride."

They near the luxury hotel/resort and Severide slowly climbs out of the back of the beat-up truck and limps toward the front entrance, instantly drawing a few looks from customers gazing at his rather unsettling appearance and wondering how someone who looks like that could afford to stay at a place like this.

"Suddenly I feel like I know how the other half lives down here," Severide whispers to Casey as he approaches the front desk. "Kelly Severide. Here to claim my suitcase."

"ID?"

"Well since I don't look like this all the time…I was mugged and it was stolen. Wallet, phone…whatever else I had. But if I can see my suitcase I'm pretty sure my passport is in there. Top front pouch."

"One minute."

"Or check Travis Brenner's social media page," Casey adds in sarcasm as Severide slightly snickers.

"Wonder if I can have a quick shower here?" Severide mutters, mostly to himself as they wait.

"If they won't let you, you can come to the club where I work. There is a staff area there. It's not much but the water and towels are clean."

Severide looks at Hector's earnest expression and can't help but offer an expression of silent gratitude. The hotel concierge returns with Severide's suitcase and sure enough the passport is where he said it should be. But after verifying a few personal details, he's able to take his items and is able to use the pool facilities to shower and change into something clean.

"Nice place," Casey mentions as Severide nears. As much as he had wanted to check the place out a bit more while Severide was cleaning up, he reminded himself that as much as they are grateful for Hector's help, he's still a stranger to them and they are still not out of the woods.

"It was. Had a great time…until I decided to check things out…on my own."

"Which makes me think they were waiting until Mr. Travis was away from his entourage," Hector pipes up as they finally leave the luxury hotel for good, piling back into Hector's truck.

"Thinking…maybe we should just go to the airport," Severide ponders as his brain urges him just to go home.

"And not report anything to the Embassy?" Casey turns around from the front seat to ask.

"Think I just wanna leave already."

"Fine with that," Casey replies, not wanting to argue. He can see the utter fatigue in his friend's eyes and knows Severide won't rest completely until they were safely in the air, on the way back home. "Airport it is."

"Okay. I would encourage you to report it. Reporting it also helps us to get better funding and more officers to help combat the crime down here. Not from the American's but from our local government. But I think if I were you, I'd want to leave also," Hector tells them quietly.

They drive for about twenty minutes before Casey glances into his rear view mirror once more and then looks at Hector in concern. "Okay not to sound alarmist but…I think we're being followed."

Severide quickly turns around and stares out the back of the small window, his weary gaze at first not registering the two faces in the front seat. However, the two sapphire pools widen as the blackened SUV starts to close the gap and he knows they're in trouble.

"Get us out of here!" Severide barks.

"Here they come!"

A/N: Uh oh…yeah had to get one last rush of danger before our boys get on that plane. Hmm how will they get out of this? And will they make it out unscathed? Please do review before you go and thanks so much!