Chasing Shadows [Blood Ties Fic]
Title - Chasing Shadows [Blood Ties Fic]
Author -hf_pocus
Rating - mature
Disclaimer - don’t own them, don’t claim to, make no profit, just writing for fun.
The music blared through the speakers; the bass, along with the drum, pounded through Mike’s chest and sent jolts of dull pain to his already throbbing temples. What a fucking day it had been and now here he was chasing some anonymous tip that the perp he had been looking for would be showing up tonight in this crowded nightclub.
“I am getting way too old for this shit.” Celluci griped leaning his elbows on the sticky tabletop and massaging his temples with the tips of his fingers.
“What?” The young rookie asked loudly leaning in as he sipped through the straw half submerged in his glass of cola. “What did you say?
I said…” Mike sat back glancing at the young males naive doesn’t know shit eyes. “Nothing…” he sighed “Just fucking nothing….”
Again Mike leaned forward this time leaving his now tacky elbows resting on his knees as his eyes scanned the club. He knew what this person pretty much looked like. He had been staring at mug shots of him all day, so much that his ugly face had been burned into his retinas but, and Mike wasn’t surprised, the guy was not here. Another false lead he thought just what I needed tonight.
The young rookie slurped the bottom of his glass dry with the straw. “Hey I am going to get another drink. Want anything?”
“Club soda and a couple Tylenol.” Mike huffed.
The rookie nodded and stood. “Too bad we weren’t off the clock - I could go for a little rum in my coke.” He flashed a brilliant million-dollar smile his blue eyes sparkling. “How ‘bout you Celluci?”
Mike nodded grinning half heartedly as he looked around again. “Club soda and Tylenol.”
The rookie sighed shaking his head as he made his way to the bar.
Mike sat back in the chair his eyes sifting through the dancers on the dance floor. Bodies swayed in and out before him as the beat throbbed wearingly behind his eyes. He should have known this tip would send him nowhere. All of them had and there was no reason to feel this tip would be any different. Nevertheless, being the good cop that he is, he had to do his job and follow through. Now he was wishing for the night to end, to be off the clock and home with hot water from the shower pulsating on his overly tight back muscles and then, ultimately, flopping his old bones into his cozy bed.
“Yep…” Mike pulled the word through his teeth. “I am too old for this shit.” Still his eyes did their job and searched the entire club, at least the part of the club that was viewable. He was beginning to feel restless, antsy, not to mention stiff, nights as this always made him feel this way. Raising his arms over his head, he stretched, stifling a yawn as he thought of all the tables pushed back in the dimly lit corners of the club this perp could be sitting at. He needed to check them out, to make sure he had covered the entire perimeter before he called it a night and, not only that; it was a good enough excuse to use to stretch his cramped legs.
The rookie placed Mike’s club soda minus the Tylenol on the table as he took a seat slurping on the straw plunged deep into his glass of cola.
“I am going to take a look around before I call it, ok?” Mike said standing. The rookie nodded, glancing up briefly, his lips still attached to the straw as he tapped his foot to the beat.
Mike snaked his way through the sea of bodies to the farthest edge of the bar. He moved to lean against it but stopped briefly and tapped his fingers on the surface checking for gumminess. Satisfied he leaned on one elbow and began studying the shadowed tables.
“What can I get ya buddy?” The barkeep grumbled, looking bored as he wiped the counter’s surface with a towel.
Mike didn’t look at him. “Club soda and a couple Tylenol if you have any.” he answered flatly.
“Club soda it is but this ain’t a pharmacy buddy.”
Mike flashed an irritated smirk. “No shit.” He muttered under his breath.
“There you go buddy.” The barkeep slid the carbonated beverage at him. Celluci reached for his wallet and pulled out the cash, laying it on the counter. The barkeep stood there for a moment, waiting for Celluci to offer his change as a tip but when Mike said nothing, the barkeep rolled his eyes and grumbled. “I’ll be back with your change.”
Mike nodded and turned his attention to the other end of the bar. There was a guy sitting next to a woman dressed much too nicely for a place like this and the look on her face showed her annoyance with the guy’s choice in establishments for an entertaining evening. Mike could tell that with every eye roll she made at the males comments and advances that she was weighing very heavily which excuse she would use to skip out on him. In the stool next to them two males sat huddled together in deep conversation, both making quick glances at the dance floor where a young female, dressed in a too tight black mini and two sizes too small red tank top, swayed her hips against another male’s groin. Break up and a consoling friend thought Mike, at least he hoped, because the way she was advertising, her behavior could lead to nothing but a whole lot of trouble before the night ended. Mike turned, repositioning himself on the stool, bringing the cool glass to his lips, grimacing at the taste, as his eyes brushed over the heads of the nearest tables and zoned in on the tables against the back wall.
Mike stiffened nearly choking on his sparkling club soda. The face burned into his retinas was seated two tables back from the dance floor and clear across the room completely out of the view from the rookie, who was now, immersed in conversation with a female with black eyeliner ringed eyes.
“Aw - damn it all to hell.” Mike grumbled placing his glass back on the counter. Swiftly his eyes moved back to the perp who had some female conversation going on of his own. Two females sat with the dirt bag, one on either side, both sporting red lipstick, glitter eye shadow, dangling earrings, smiling and giggling at every word that came out of his foul little mouth. If only they knew the scumbag, they were competing against one another to cozy up to, if only they knew. Mike’s grip tightened on the glass.
“Time for another bud?” the barkeep asked.
“Uh…no. I’m good.” He mumbled with a declining headshake hoping his focus on the perp at the table was discreet.
Slowly Mike stood, glancing again at his partner who was completely oblivious to the guy sitting only a few feet away from him. “If you would just turn your head…just to the right…forget it. You want this guy Celluci you’re going to have to do it yourself.”
Mike sifted through the congested club, moving closer and closer but still trying to maintain an inconspicuous distance. The perp had a soulless smile, a dead stare and a complete bleakness about him. Just looking at him made Mike’s skin crawl. Even so, the adrenaline was building in him enough to counteract the affect. Languidly the young females hung and rubbed up against the male, laughing, grinning, batting their false lashes and stroking his forearms, shoulder and cheeks, the guy soaking in all the undeserved attention. Mike paused in the shadows, closest to his rookie partner, still hoping he was far enough in the light to catch his attention; but by the way, the rookie’s eyes were sparkling at the girl who had taken a seat beside him, Mike knew for sure now he was on his own. Mike sighed heavily feeling a sudden weight bear down on his shoulders as leaden butterflies fluttered thickly in his stomach.
“Damn club soda.” he grumbled to himself trying to force up a burp.
The young women’s laughter grew louder as Mike tried to circle closer to the table. The perp had not noticed him, his slimy fingers skimming against one of the girl’s cheeks, as he leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear. The female shyly giggled and nodded at the other female, who smiled knowingly in return.
“Aw…shit…” Mike thought “They are deciding to take the party elsewhere…”
The perp stood, throwing some money on the table, the girls only looking up at him with half ass grins on their faces. He leaned over and kissed one on the cheek, then the other, as slender fingers with red painted nails quickly snatched up the green. The male grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair, slid his arms into the sleeves, flashed another greasy smile, and proceeded to make his way in the direction of the crowded dance floor.
He’s on his own. Mike thought glancing at his partner again, who was now leaning into the female, their foreheads almost touching. “And so am I…” Mike huffed under his breath as he began to follow the male through the sea of people on the dance floor.
The male bobbed in and out, snaking his way to the side exit that led to the alley. Mike kept on him hoping his partner would somehow take notice of his absence.
The night air was cold and stung Mike’s skin as he stepped into the alley. He blinked a few times adjusting his eyes to the sudden darkness and hoped he was not too far behind the slime ball but they guy was not in Mike’s immediate view. Snakes usually do find dark corners to slither into he thought as he listened for the shuffle of footsteps and followed the direction they were heading. Mike moved slowly, the weight of his concealed handgun pressing against his hip, reminding him that there was a strong probability the guy he was following is armed. He reached inside his coat, his hand almost touching the handle when the footsteps suddenly came from behind him and he felt the hardness of cold steel press into his back as a firm hand gripped him by the arm.
“I’ll take that.” The guy growled reaching underneath Mike’s jacket and slipping the gun from the holster with ease. Mike swayed as the one free hand patted him down, the steel sternly poking his back, as the male pulled Mike’s wallet along with his badge from his pocket. Oh shit Mike thought to himself.
“Just as I thought.” The guy growled. “What? Did you think I didn’t notice you eyeballing me from the bar? Not too fucking smart are you….Detective Celluci?” The revolver pressed deeply into Mike’s spine nudging him to move forward. Mike slowly took a step, his mind racing with thoughts of how he could take this guy down without the gun putting a bullet in his back.
“Listen…” Mike began “I’m not alone and…any minute now…”
“Save it your buddy is too busy making plans to get a little tonight. You - Celluci - are the farthest thing from his mind and, not only that, he doesn’t look bright enough to come in out of the rain much less call for back up.”
Mike gave a defeated sigh he could not dispute that.
The guy kept pushing Mike forward, at least what Mike thought was forward until he noticed the boxes, the dumpster and that the alley had become darker as the cold mist rose from the pavement. Ah shit Mike thought again.
“Yep…you will be on the gone missing list very soon….very very soon.” The guy laughed a foul dirty laugh that made the knot twist tighter in Mike’s stomach, the sweat bead on his brow, and with each shuffled step the world go a little more out of focus. How could he have been so stupid? He knew better than to give chase on his own. He should have broken up the little romantic interlude and dragged the dumb ass rookie out here with him. All the thoughts of what he should have done swam in Mikes head.
“Stop. “ The guy ordered. “Put your hands behind your head and get down on your fucking knees.”
Mikes heart quickened, his breathing shallow, as he laced his hands behind his head and knelt down on the cold pavement.