Leaving another bar without a further hint, Joss hit the speed dial button that connected her to Finch.
"Good evening, Detective. Unfortunately, there's still no news about John if that's the reason you're calling", he answered her question before she even had the chance to come up with a polite greeting.
Her eyes casted unsteadily around the neighborhood Joss nervously tucked back a loose strand of her hair. As for the past nine days already, she had also spent her free time tonight searching for the man she feared to be in serious trouble.
"That´s simply impossible. He has to be somewhere. Even if John has a lot of abilities, vanishing is unlikely one of them", she concerned voice echoed through the narrow street.
After visiting too many shabby bars, dodgy motels and private properties that could serve him as a hide away, Joss had no clue what else she could do.
"I agree, Detective. However, Mr. Reese is very adept at effacing his tracks and thus flying under the radar or, as you put it, becoming invisible. I'm afraid that as long as John doesn't want to be found, we don´t have to a chance to track him."
"And that doesn't worry you? I thought you were friends. He could be in God knows what trouble or injured and in need of help. Have you checked the ambulances again?"
"I did, but there are no new entries that would fit his description. Believe me, I don't like this situation any more than you do. You can be assured that I have tried everything possible to locate him. Unfortunately, my search was just as unsuccessful as yours."
Taking a deep breath Joss let her gaze wander through the streets of an area she usually preferred to avoid in her free time.
"Thank you anyway. Let me know if you have anything new", she addressed the man who, at first glance, most people probably would describe as an eccentric.
A glance at her watch, which showed 10:25 p.m., made her take the decision to end the pointless endeavor for tonight. Trying in vain to ignore her worries about the person who, since his appearance in her life, had strangely become more important to her than she ever thought possible, she tried to organize her thoughts.
Closing the door to her apartment a little later, Joss activated the small floor lamp as her cell phone began to vibrate in her pocket.
"Damn, woe betide you, it's just a trifle, Fusco", she cursed, groping for the device, as a suppressed number made her heart to skip a beat.
Wishful thinking - perhaps it was nothing more than that and yet Joss gulped at the possibility.
With shaking hands she answered the call when it was in fact John's voice that suddenly reached her ear.
"Stop looking for me, Carter", it was his simple appeal - a request that by the tone of his voice couldn't have been more urgent.
"John!"
Carried by a sudden relief that made what felt like a mountain slide from her heart, Joss' fingers tightened around the cell phone in an intuitive reaction.
"Just leave it as what it is and stop the search", he asked her again.
"No, John", she shook her head as if he´d be able to see. "You tell me where you are and what's going on. Finch and I are worried about you and assumed the worst."
Driven by another wave of fear as the line remained quiet on the other end, her voice threatened to break.
"Please John. Let me help you."
"I can't do that, Joss. If I did, you would be in danger too."
Joss – it echoed in her head. While she constantly called him by his first name, there were only a few moments in the past when he did the same; Moments that seemed to connect them more each time… or at least she imagined so. Trying to ignore the involuntary tingling feeling in her stomach at the thought, she returned her focus to the conversation.
"Believe it or not, but I've gotten used to it by my career choice", she tried a quick-witted counterattack.
It was one of the foundations on which their previous, unusual friendship was based. Aside from helping each other job wise beside a few personal conversations, it has been the same kind of worldview; their common understanding of life, but above all, their dry sense of humor that connected them in a unique way right from the start.
Unsure of how to interpret the silence on the other end of the line, she tried again.
"Tell me if you're okay and where I can find you."
"I'm good, and since I want the same for you and Finch, I can't tell you where I am. But will you do me a favor?"
"What favor?"
"Take care of yourself and Harold."
Not giving her the opportunity to answer, the tooting signal of the interrupted connection made her freeze in motion.
"No, no, no!", Joss cursed, staring helplessly at the display.
Think, she forced herself. If he knows you're looking for him, he must be in the area.
Even though it was against her nature, she would take a spontaneous day off tomorrow to focus on her ongoing search. Suspecting that his last request was not a good omen, she hoped to find him in time to forcome the worst.