J2 Fic: My Lovely Part 11/?
Title: My Lovely
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Rating: NC-17
Word count: 7,728
Warning/spoilers: explicit violence, sexual situations
Disclaimers: I own nothing, this is pure fiction from my crazy mind when you don’t get enough sleep. Please don’t sue and please don’t steal.
Summary: Haunted by the demons of his past, Jensen Ackles moved to the sleepy town of Prairie Hill, Texas hoping to finally escape to a quiet, peaceful life. He had earned it as shown by the numerous battle scars decorating his body. What he finds instead however will require all the training and experience he thought he had left behind him. As he deepens his involvement in the hunt for the monster that stalks residents of the quiet little town, he begins to realize…. he himself has become the prey.
As if fighting for his life isn’t enough of a complication, somehow he has gained the unwanted attention and wrath of the richest oil tycoon in Texas, Jared Padalecki.
Story has been beta’d by the phenomenal oldbatj. The beautiful banner is by 2blueshoes
Part 11
Interlude: The Promise
In his years as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Stephen was exposed to humanity’s most evil crimes. He’d seen the wicked depth and the greatest pain that humans could inflict on one another. He had believed he had become numb to all the devastation until the case of brutal child murderer, James Farrell, crossed his desk. The sadistic monster had raped and murdered four children before capturing the attention of their unit. He thought he could still handle cases involving children but he was proven wrong.
The investigation had brought back painful memories of the deadly case involving ten-year-old kidnap victim, Abby Lewis, a child he had sworn to bring home to her family but had ultimately failed her with deadly consequences. This was the case that almost destroyed his career and had led to his mental breakdown. Failing Abby had left psychological scars that he stills feel to this day. He has never been the same Agent he was before that day. Every time he failed a child victim, his mind brought him back to the moment when he had found Abby’s small body. He was still haunted by that failure. In his darkest moments he had even contemplated suicide. It had been during one of those moments, Jensen had found him.
“I should have figured it out sooner….if I had, that little boy wouldn’t have been taken. He’s dead because of me...” Stephen snarled, his hands curled into fists. Frustration and depression burned in his soul. Because of his stupidity, he had once again failed another child.
“It’s not your fault.” Jensen said gently, touching his shoulder.
“No! I should’ve known better! I knew what kind of victims Farrell targeted. I should have made the connection quicker. Now a kid is dead because of me.”
“That boy died because of Farrell, not because of you. No matter how much you want to blame yourself, this is not your fault.”
“A little boy is dead…”
“And we will mourn and remember him, Stephen. But I will not let you destroy yourself over his death.”
“Why the Hell not?! It’s what I deserve.”
“Because I need you. I can’t promise you that we will be able to save every single victim out there. But I what I can promise you is that we will find the monsters that we hunt and bring them to justice.”
“I don’t think that’s enough….” Stephen whispered brokenly, closing his weary eyes, allowing the tears to drip down his face.
“You have to let Abby go, Stephen. One day you will see her again and you can beg for her forgiveness. But right now you have a job to do.”
“You promise me we’ll get him?”
“I swear to you, Stephen. That we will get them all.”
+++++++
Doctor Kim Rhodes paused at the doorway, assessing the three occupants in the room. A blond-haired deputy stood near the window, pensively staring outside. But it was the Sheriff that drew her eyes. The dark-blond-haired man had his face buried in his hands. Based on the tension in his body, the slump of his shoulders, she concluded that he must be very close to the patient she had been working on for the last several hours.
While she was tirelessly working on Aldis Hodge attempting to repair the horrific damages done to his body, she had doubted he would survive the 5 hour surgery. The patient had flat-lined on her twice. After being resuscitated both times the man had stubbornly hung on and had somehow pulled through. He was still in critical condition. The next 24 hours were critical, and would determine if he would make a full recovery. He had needed two full, whole-blood transfusions to replace all he had lost even before the surgery. She expected him to need at least one more to help stabilize him further.
Despite her years of experience informing family members of bad news, this was the first time she found herself hesitating. Sitting next to the Sheriff was the notoriously powerful Jared Padalecki. She was surprised to see him sitting in a hospital waiting room. She wondered what his relationship was to Aldis Hodge. Aldis must be very close to the wealthy tycoon to have such a powerful man sitting and waiting for hours on end. But then again, perhaps the reason why Padalecki was waiting had nothing to do with Hodge but everything to do with the man he was sitting next to. The tycoon had his big arm wrapped around the Sheriff’s shoulders quite territorially.
“Are you here to tell us about Agent Hodge? Or are you just spying on us? For your sake it better be the former and not the latter.” Padalecki warned quietly, his hazel eyes full of hostility.
Kim was startled, flushed red with embarrassment. She hadn’t even noticed the man sensing her presence in the hallway. Quickly she stepped further into the room.
“Jared, stop being an Asshat. Forgive him, Doctor. He tends to act this way when he hasn’t eaten for a couple of hours. Do you have any news about Aldis? Is he alright?” The Sheriff inquired, his green eyes fastened intently on her.
“What a looker,” Kim muttered thoughtlessly to herself, immediately slapping her hand over her mouth.
Padalecki narrowed his eyes, frowning at her. The Sheriff on the other hand, furrowed his eyebrows, not realizing that she had inadvertently complimented him. His obliviousness to his natural good looks made him even more attractive to her. Of course she knew when someone was taken. The angry scowl the powerful tycoon was shooting at her was enough of an indication that the Sheriff was spoken for.
“Forgive me… I’ve been on my feet for several hours working on your friend. My name is Doctor Kim Rhodes. And whom am I speaking with?”
“I’m Sheriff Jensen Ackles. I’m a good friend to Aldis. This is Jared Padalecki and standing by the window is my deputy, Chad Murray. Please can you tell me how Aldis is doing?”
“I’m sorry, Sheriff Ackles. We usually do not release private information to people outside the patient’s immediate family.”
“I am his family. I’m really all he has. Please tell me.” Jensen responded beseechingly.
Before Kim could answer, Jared interrupted her. The stone-cold threatening tone of voice he used had everyone’s attention, “If you don’t tell him everything he needs to know, I assure you that this hospital will be shut down within 24 hours and the only job you will be able to get will be flipping burgers. Stop playing with him and answer his damned questions.”
She gawked at the big man who had remained seated, his hand still rubbing Jensen’s shoulder comfortingly. Despite the tycoon’s harsh words to her, he continued to be gentle and supportive to the man in his arms. She had no doubt that this dangerous man would carry out his threat. The Padaleckis practically owned the state of Texas. Their influence was widespread throughout the deep South.
“Jared, stop threatening her. Listen, Doctor Rhodes, what happened to Aldis was obviously attempted murder. I’m currently investigating the case and need any information you can provide in order to proceed as quickly as possible to catch his assailant before he can do more damage. Now… does that satisfy your hospital rules and Hippocratic oath?” Jensen asked gently before he stood up and moved to stand directly in front of her.
Kim crossed her arms defensively over her chest. Her heart raced in fear when Padalecki had threatened her livelihood. She spent her whole life working on establishing her reputation as one of the top surgeons in Dallas. But to have it taken away because she was following hospital rules and being uncooperative to a powerful man was not something she could afford to do. Even though she longed to curse the tycoon, she knew that it would be career suicide. No one wanted Jared Padalecki as an enemy.
“Of course, Sheriff. The last thing I want is to obstruct your investigation. Mr. Hodge sustained several severe lacerating wounds on his torso, thighs and arms. He suffered massive blood loss on top of his injuries. Luckily none of his major organs were damaged. Since Mr. Hodge is also a paraplegic, we are extremely concerned about the development of possible blood clots. Currently he’s in the Recovery room but he will be moved to the Intensive Care Unit later where he will be monitored around the clock.”
“Has he regained consciousness yet?”
“No. However, we’re not expecting him to have any issues waking up since test confirmed there was no major trauma sustained by his skull or brain.”
“May I see him?”
“No visitors are ever allowed in the Recovery room.” When she saw Jensen slump his shoulders she felt compelled to add, “However he will be moved to the ICU once he regains consciousness. I will contact you immediately then. I’m really sorry for what happened to your friend. I hope you get the bastard that did this to him...” she added genuinely. There was just something about Sheriff Ackles that made a person want to go the extra mile. Even though she didn’t know the man personally, in the few minutes she’d spent time in his company, her gut told her that he was one of the last few good guys left in this world.
“Thank you, Doctor Rhodes. I know Aldis is in good hands.” Jensen replied with a sad smile.
The huge tycoon stood quietly behind him, looming like a protective, avenging angel waiting for Kim to make a wrong move. She nodded before hastily leaving the room.
As she headed for the Recovery Room, she wondered how a decent, small town Sheriff had gotten caught up with the dangerous tycoon. Even though their body language hinted at an intimate relationship, she had a suspicion that Jensen had no idea how truly dangerous his companion was. Kim had grown up in Dallas, hearing the whispered stories about Jared Padalecki. Even as a teenager Jared had a certain degree of notoriety but when his father and sister had died in a suspicious car accident, the man had become utterly ruthless and even more dangerous. It was rumored he showed no mercy even in business dealings and destroyed all his perceived enemies with lightning fast speed. Fear of Padalecki’s ire outweighed Kim’s desire to warn Jensen about the dangerous predator that was guarding his back.
“Good luck, Sheriff. You’re going to need it.” Kim muttered, ignoring the guilty pang of her conscience as she walked down the deserted hospital hallway.
+++++++
“Your friend will recover. I promise you he will have the best care available.” Jared spoke quietly to his obviously, guilt-ridden companion. “You will hunt down the monster that did this to him. This is not your fault, Lovely. I do not want you to blame yourself.” Jared urgently comforted his lover in his arms. But the man remained resistant.
“This is my fault, Jared! I brought Aldis here! I put him in danger. This is all on me and no one else. You need to get the Hell away from me before something horrible happens to you as well.” Jensen snarled, jerking out of Jared’s grasp.
“My son is many things, my dear, but a coward is not one of them.” Mrs. Elizabeth’s confident voice rang out in the large room. The elegant, older woman had wheeled herself into the waiting room, her sharp hazel eyes watching the two conflicting lovers.
“I’m not calling Jared a coward. I just think its best for him to stay away from me. At least until I catch this killer.”
“I will never leave you!” Jared snarled, grabbing Jensen’s arms, his hazel eyes full of anger and hurt.
“I’m doing this for your own good, Jared!” the green-eyed lawman insisted.
“How could leaving you be for my own good? I cannot rest at night without feeling you in my arms. You are mine. I will kill anyone that dares to take you away from me!” Jared proclaimed possessively.
Jensen couldn’t help but feel the shiver of excitement and gratitude at the big man’s words. But he would be damned if he allowed Jared or anyone else that he cared about to become endangered because of him. Aldis was already paying the price and as a consequence, fighting for his life. Jensen didn’t know how he would cope if something were to happen to Jared.
The lawman narrowed his eyes, “If I have to lock you up to keep you away from me, I will. Do not test the lengths I will go to in order to keep you safe.”
“You really want to challenge me, Lovely? You have no idea what I am capable of.” Jared warned quietly. But before Jensen could respond, Mrs. Elizabeth once again interjected.
“Boys…stop it. There will be no more fighting. We are a family and we need to stick together.”
“Mom…”
“Mrs. Elizabeth…”
“Enough. Jared, please leave. I need to speak to Jensen alone.”
“No. I’m not leaving him alone,” Jared replied adamantly.
Elizabeth raised her right eyebrow at Jared’s tone. “Do you think I’ll going to steal him away?”
“I don’t want anything to happen to him.”
“And you think controlling his every movement will keep him safer?”
“It’s not a question of controlling Jensen. As if anyone could...” the tall man snorted in disbelief at the idea. “It’s a question of someone coming after Jensen. If that’s the case, they will need to get through me first before getting anywhere near him.”
“You are willing to sacrifice your life so quickly for him? Does he mean that much to you?”
Jared looked directly at Jensen, without any hesitation in his voice, replied, “Yes.”
“Idiot…” Jensen muttered, his face flushing deep red. He looked away, unable to meet Jared’s intense stare. He felt the big man’s hands on his cheeks, tilting his face upward until green eyes clashed with hazel ones.
“If I have to chain you to my side, then I will.”
“You are sounding like a stalker.”
“When it comes to you, I admit I’m becoming one.”
“Freak.”
“Yes…but I’m your freak….” Jared teased before bending down to crush his lips against Jensen’s, his big muscular arms wrapping securely around Sheriff’s body. Jensen closed his eyes and relaxed into the embrace, allowing himself a brief moment to be comforted before concentrating at the task at hand.
After endless minutes, Jensen gently tugged himself away from Jared’s addictive kiss. However the big man still had his arms wrapped around Jensen’s body, nuzzling his neck.
“You planning to let go anytime soon?” Jensen goaded. He noticed the entire time they had been in the hospital that Jared had constantly been touching him, as if reassuring himself of the older man’s presence.
“No.” Jared replied before his lips returned to Jensen’s neck. The Sheriff rolled his eyes, an unwilling grin spreading across his tired, handsome face. The desperate fear he felt for Aldis was slowly dissipating leaving him able to focus once more.
“Chad, I need you to stay here in case Hodge wakes up. Once he does, I want you to stay with him. Don’t let him out of your sight.”
“You can count on me, Sheriff.” Chad answered, straightening his stance. Earlier when Jensen had the hunch that something might have happened to Aldis, he had ordered Chad to remain at the storage unit in order to secure the area until the Dallas CSI team arrived. The entire time Chad stayed in the unit, he was constantly thinking about Aldis. He knew he shouldn’t have left the stubborn man alone, unprotected. But Hodge was fiercely independent. Despite his disability, Hodge refused any form of help. He was highly intelligent, extremely grumpy in the mornings, and constantly ragged on Chad. But he also made the blonde-haired man laugh with his rapid, quick wit and sarcastic, yet endearing, sense of humor. The deputy had grown very fond of the surly federal agent.
Chad also knew that if he had pushed to remain with Aldis instead of going off with Jensen, it would have caused a major argument. An argument he had known he wouldn’t win. Not many people won arguments against Hodge. But despite knowing this, guilt and fear ate away at him. His Aldis was now badly injured, fighting for his life while Murray remained helpless, unable to help a man he considered a good friend.
Chad had finally been able to leave the storage unit when Dallas CSI came to process the scene. He had immediately rushed to the hospital, not knowing what he would find. He’d been devastated when he heard the horrific details of Hodge’s injuries, praying to God that the federal agent would pull through. Even though he’d only known Aldis for a few months, he couldn’t picture the man dying. He could only pray that Hodge was too stubborn to succumb to his injuries.
Murray watched as Jensen pulled out his cell phone. The man quickly dialed a number before speaking into the mouthpiece, ignoring how Padalecki was practically glued to his side.
“Kane, it’s me. Hodge came out of surgery already. He’s still in critical condition and hasn’t woken up yet from the anesthesia. The doctors seem certain he will regain consciousness, but are very concerned with potential blood clots popping up. He’s going to be moved to the ICU later so he can be monitored 24/7. He won’t be out the woods for quite a while yet.”
“Thank fucking God he made it through surgery. We’re all lucky that cranky bastard is too damned stubborn to give up. We should be heading your way soon, boss,” Chris replied, closing his eyes in relief.
“Have you finished processing the scene at Sheriff’s office yet?” Jensen inquired.
“We’re done. I know Amell wants to go through it one more time but we should have everything wrapped up within the hour.”
“Good. I want you to take the helicopter.”
“What? I’m not getting into that death trap again...especially with that Russian lunatic!”
“I don’t want you or Amell driving. You’re liable to speed and get into a wreck. Take the ‘copter and you’ll be here in less than an hour opposed to a 2-3 hour car ride.”
“Fine. I’ll see you soon.”
“You might not see me when you get here. I plan to go back to the storage unit.”
“What the fuck for?! I thought Dallas CSI already processed that scene?”
“They have. But I want to go over it myself to make sure they haven’t missed anything.”
“Who’s going to watch over Aldis?”
“Chad will.”
“You plan to go to the storage unit by yourself? Are you fucking insane?! Aldis was by himself when he got attacked!”
“I won’t be by myself. I’ll have Jared and an army of bodyguards following us. I’ll be fine.”
“You’re honestly going to let a civilian follow you onto a crime scene?”
“No, he’ll be right outside the storage unit. We’re short on people and I need to get to the storage unit ASAP. The longer I wait, the greater the chance that a critical piece of evidence gets lost.”
“Then at least wait for me... Two pairs of eyes are better than one... you know that. I’ll be there in less than an hour.”
“If Stephen is processing the scene, then you won’t be done for another 3 hours. Amell is very thorough.”
“Then I’ll fly out by myself.”
“No, stay with Stephen. Don’t make him come here alone. He doesn’t do well in hospitals. I want you to fly out together. Don’t worry about me, Chris, I’ll be fine.”
“Jensen….”
“You have your orders, Kane.”
“Just be careful, Jensen.”
“I always am.” Jensen replied before disconnecting the phone call.
“You really think Agent Kane will be alright with you going to the storage unit by yourself?” Chad asked, his eyes troubled and full of worry for his boss.
“No. But like I told him, we’re short on people. I’ll use Jared and his bodyguards as my backup. His bodyguards have military backgrounds so I know they can handle themselves. Although technically the crime scene has been released, I’ll still have Jared and his guards stand outside the area.”
“I still don’t like the idea of you going off on your own, Sir. Even with Padalecki and his men accompanying you...” Chad protested.
“Then… we’re even… since I don’t like the idea of leaving you here by yourself waiting for Aldis to wake up. The waiting can be brutal, especially when it’s someone you care about. Will you be okay by yourself?” Jensen asked.
“He won’t be by himself, Jensen. I’ll wait with him. I know Aldis as well. It breaks my heart knowing that some monster did this to him,” Mrs. Padalecki offered quietly.
“You don’t have to wait with me, Ma’am. I’ll be alright by myself!” Chad insisted.
“Are you telling me what I can and cannot do?” Mrs. Elizabeth asked, raising her right eyebrow. The blonde deputy visibly gulped.
“No, Ma’am…” He sputtered.
“Good. Now you boys go off and do your thing. I’ll stay behind with Chad. We’ll let you know if anything changes.”
“Don’t argue with her.” Jared advised the Sheriff when he saw the determined expression on Jensen’s face. But the older man refused to listen to his words.
“Mrs. Elizabeth, it might be several hours until Hodge wakes up. That’s a long time to be waiting in bleak hospital conditions. Maybe you should go home and we can update you on Aldis’s condition.”
“Are you calling me old and decrepit?” Elizabeth accused, her eyes narrowed.
“Of course not!” Jensen backpedaled.
“Then you must not trust me to watch out for your friend!” She accused him.
“That’s not what I meant….I… um…” Jensen sputtered. He knew that he had shot himself in the foot. He had a flashback of when he had first met Mrs. Elizabeth. She had been able to turn DJ Qualls, a healthy six feet man into a six-inch boy.
“I told you not to argue with her.” Jared taunted.
“Shut up, Jared! You are so not helping.” Jensen hissed.
“Do you think I’m incapable because I’m in a wheelchair?”
“No, Mrs. Elizabeth. I told you before that you are one of the strongest women I’ve ever known. And I meant it. I just don’t want you to exhaust yourself waiting in the hospital for Aldis to wake up.”
“Stop talking…. you’re only digging yourself into a deeper hole! Don’t forget, she cooks for us. You don’t want her to ban you from dinner!” Jared whispered. Chad nodded his agreement from nearby, careful to stay out of the line of fire.
Jensen knew when to throw in the towel. His Mama didn’t raise any fools. Since he loved Mrs. Elizabeth’s cooking and didn’t want to anger her anymore, he quickly conceded to her wishes. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Elizabeth. You are exactly right.”
“Then off you go… unless there are any other objections?” Mrs. Elizabeth asked, her tone dripping with warning.
Jensen shook his head in defeat, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He glanced over at his deputy, wanting to get silent confirmation that Chad was on board with Mrs. Elizabeth staying with him. The blonde gave him a quick smile. He felt somewhat better, leaving Chad with someone for company. Even though Chad had grown in his position as a deputy, he was still relatively green to the job. Having a fellow officer severely injured was taking an emotional toll on the young man. By Mrs. Elizabeth staying with him, Jensen knew that Chad could rely on her as his emotional anchor in his boss’s absence.
Jensen walked over to Mrs. Elizabeth and gave her a quick hug. “Thank you,” he murmured to her before slipping out of the room.
“Thanks, Mama. Jensen can be really stubborn sometimes.” Jared replied, leaving a quick peck on Elizabeth’s right cheek.
“But not as stubborn as you… right? But you’re welcome, son. Now go keep our boy safe for us.” His mother gently ordered him. He gave her another quick smile before dashing off, chasing after his lover.
“Be safe, boys.” She prayed quietly.
+++++++
“Fuck!” Chris exclaimed, causing Amell to jerk to his feet in surprise. He’d been kneeling down at the base of the wall, examining blood spatter in the Prairie Hill Sheriff’s Office. Due to the lateness of the hour, the only two occupants left were Kane and himself. The Granville CSI unit had left two hours before.
“What’s wrong?” Amell blurted fearing more bad news about Aldis as he swiftly moved toward the other agent.
“Jensen wants to go the storage unit by himself. He’s leaving Chad at the hospital to guard Aldis.”
“He’s going alone to that storage unit?!”
“Well… not exactly…Padalecki and a few of his bodyguards will be following Jensen.”
“Let me guess, you’re not okay with that?”
“You trust a bunch of unknown bodyguards with Jensen’s well-being?”
“Those guards are better armed than we are, Chris. You’ve seen the arsenal they carried on themselves. Padalecki is paranoid about his safety. And he’s ten times worse when it comes to Jensen. Nothing is going to happen to Jensen on his watch.”
“I still don’t trust him.” Chris snarled, his hands tightening into fists. He still had nightmares of Padalecki choking him to death.
“I don’t either. But I do trust that he is one possessive bastard. Since he seems to consider Jensen as his own personal property, he’s not going to let anyone else touch him.”
“It doesn’t feel right…”
“So when are you leaving?”
Chris gave him a surprised smile. “You think I should go?”
“Hell yeah! I don’t trust anyone watching Jensen’s back but one of us, especially now with what happened to Aldis. You better get to Dallas ASAP.”
“But what about you?” Chris asked delicately. He didn’t want to point out Stephen’s deep anxiety for hospitals.
“I’ll be alright. I just need to go through the crime scene one more time, just to make sure that we didn’t miss anything. Then I’ll hop on the helicopter. Just remember to have Misha come back and get me.”
“You think I’m using the helicopter? I’m not getting into that deathtrap again! Not with that crazy-ass Russian bastard at the controls.”
“Yes, you will. For Jensen you’ll do it. Even if you end up pissing in your pants from fright due to Misha’s flying you’ll still do it.”
“Ahhh shit… you’re right. Jensen’s gonna’ owe me big time for this one...” Chris grumbled.
Stephen gave him a stern, pointed look before glancing at the door. Kane knew it was his friend’s not-so-subtle signal for him to leave.
“Fine….I’m leaving now. But if I die in a fiery helicopter crash, I’m coming back to haunt your ass!” Kane declared, making his way toward the door. Before stepping through the doorway, he twisted around intending to give one more insult to Stephen. But he paused when he saw that his friend had already returned to his previous crouched position by the wall, already lost in his examination of the blood splatter.
He was suddenly struck with an ominous feeling. Maybe he should wait until Amell was done and they could fly out together. But he quickly discarded the notion. Jensen needed him. Stephen would be fine by himself for a couple of hours, unlike the wheelchair-bound Hodge, Chris knew Amell had some serious fighting skills and was a crack shot. He glanced with confidence at Stephen’s 9mm lying on the nearby desktop. Without another word, he walked out into the night, steeling himself for another hellish ride with the Russian pilot.
“What am I missing? Fuck…what is it?” Stephen muttered to himself, staring at the blood splatter patterns. He had looked through the area numerous times, trying to dispel the feeling that he was missing a vital piece of evidence. He was determined to stay however long it took to figure out the missing piece of the puzzle. His friend was fighting for his life. He also knew Jensen was in great danger as well, despite the Sheriff’s denial. Stephen couldn’t shake the feeling that they were all running out of time.
+++++++
“Morgan,” Jeff answered the cell phone. It had been ringing nonstop for the past ten minutes. He had ignored the calls, in favor of watching over Mrs. Elizabeth and the blond-haired deputy. Even though they sat in the Dallas Memorial Hospital waiting room, Jeff was still a bodyguard on high alert. He didn’t want anything to happen to either of them. Not on his watch.
“I got some long awaited news for you, Doll face.” Mark Sheppard purred through the ear piece.
“Sheppard, I don’t have time for your nonsense. I’m guarding Mrs. Padalecki right now. There was another brutal attack.”
“I heard. But you’re going to want to hear this piece of news. It will make your day oh-so-much brighter, Snookums.”
“What is it?” Jeff growled, annoyed by the man’s flippant attitude.
“The little rat finally stuck his head out for more cheese.”
“Fuck….” Jeff whispered, momentarily closing his eyes. His heart began pounding rapidly in his chest, adrenaline spiking throughout his body.
“You don’t seem too happy to hear the news, my Love. Why is that? Afraid how the big boss will take it? Or afraid of what he will order you to do?”
“Goodbye, Sheppard.” Jeff gritted out.
“What…no ‘thank you’? No ‘how do I show you my appreciation’ for stalking someone for years? People these days…so rude!” Sheppard groused mockingly.
“I’ll buy you more flour for your damned bakery!” Jeff snapped.
“Ohhh… so does that mean you will be stopping by sometime soon? I just knew you couldn’t stay away from me, my Pet.” Sheppard crowed gleefully before Morgan disconnected the phone call in disgust. He could still hear Mark’s ringing laughter in his ears. The damned Brit was infuriating to work with but he had far too many useful skills and connections to be replaced by a lesser annoying bastard.
Jeff dragged a hand over his worried face, his mind racing with Sheppard’s news. It was the worst possible timing. His cell suddenly beeped, alerting him to a received text message. He quickly checked the message from Sheppard. Contained in the little message board was a simple address. He knew he couldn’t avoid it any longer. It was time to call Jared.
+++++++
“I want to make this totally clear… Do. Not. Cross. The. Yellow. Tape.” Jensen ordered the tycoon and the five bodyguards that had accompanied him to the storage unit area.
“Why the hell does it matter? The area has already been processed by the crime unit experts. It’s not like our presence will contaminate the crime scene any further...” a dark-haired bodyguard challenged the Sheriff’s order, as the guard moved threateningly close to the bright yellow plastic strips.
“You’re fired. Get out of here.” Jensen snapped.
“You can’t fire me!” The belligerent bodyguard protested.
“Yes, he can. You are dismissed Reynolds. You will be given a two weeks’ severance package along with pay through today for your service. Any more arguments and I’ll make sure you are blacklisted from any future security job within the United States. Never disrespect Jensen again or you will regret your mistake every single day of your miserable life. ” Jared stated coldly.
“I’m sorry, Sir….” Reynolds immediately tried begging the stone-faced Jared Padalecki, but the tycoon remained silent. His dark scowl was full of promised retribution. The man slumped his shoulders in defeat and vacated the premises quietly, leaving behind four other silent bodyguards that watched Jensen warily. They all realized during the confrontation that Jensen was not only someone that needed to be protected but also someone that they needed to respect and listen to. The Sheriff was clearly important to their dangerous and unpredictable employer.
Jensen pulled out a pair of disposable booties and a couple of plastic gloves from the evidence kit he was carrying. He bent down and pulled the booties on over the foot of each of his boots before slipping on the pair of gloves.
“I can feel your eyes on my ass. Quit it.” Jensen hissed quietly at Jared. He turned around and caught the big man ogling his behind.
“When you bent down, you were practically begging me to stare at your luscious bottom.” Jared teased.
Jensen glared at him before relenting. “You need to stay out here as well. I don’t want to turn around and see you in my crime scene.”
“Of course, Lovely. I won’t interfere when you’re doing your job. Besides, based on the boundary of this tape, I can still see and hear you while you’re in the storage unit.”
Jensen rolled his eyes. “Thanks for backing me up with Reynolds. I don’t tolerant fools contaminating my crime scene. I know I was overstepping my boundaries though …by firing one of your hired bodyguards.”
“Anyone that disrespects you deserves to be fired and probably also blacklisted.”
“You were serious about that threat?”
“Of course. You are very important to me.”
Jensen flushed beet red at Jared’s words. “I gotta’ go. Keep out of trouble.” He muttered, still unable to meet his lover’s eyes. He was surprised when he felt Jared’s lips brush his forehead. The sly man had quickly slipped a peck on his face.
“For luck,” Jared replied cheekily.
“Freak,” Jensen murmured, reaching down and lifting the yellow tape in order to pass through it. Once he stepped onto the crime scene, his entire zone of attention was focused on the storage unit.
Jared watched his lover walking confidently into the unit. Even though the powerful tycoon presented a calm demeanor, inside his gut twisted with worry and fear for his Lovely. Despite being ten feet away from where Jensen was currently investigating, he still feared that someone would swoop in and try to steal his lover away from him. He curled his hands into fists trying to contain his frustration. Anyone else, he would have ordered them to stay by his side. But Jensen was special. He was stubborn, loyal, and trustworthy. Jared realized that if he continued to act like his typical domineering cave-man self, it would only drive Jensen further away from him. Therefore he was forcing himself to make allowances and temper his behavior for his ‘Lovely’.
The phone in his pocket began to vibrate again. He had been ignoring it, as he continued to watch Jensen. His men were patrolling the perimeter, making sure that no one else could sneak up on them. But the constant vibrations were getting on his nerves.
He finally picked up the phone and snarled, “This better be damned important.”
“Sir…it’s Jeff…Morgan.”
“Did something happen to my mother?” Jared barked.
“No, sir. She’s fine.”
“Is it Hodge? Is there an issue at the hospital?”
“No issues, Sir. Everyone is accounted for. Agent Hodge still has not awakened from his operation.”
“Then why you are you calling me, Morgan?”
“I…just received word that there was activity on Mark Pellegrino’s bank account.” Morgan sputtered nervously, anxious about his boss’s reaction. Mark Pellegrino was responsible for all the pain experienced by the Padaleckis. He was also the reason Jared had transformed himself into one of the most ruthless and feared men in Texas.
The tycoon remained silent, which caused even more apprehension within Jeff. Without seeing Jared’s face, he couldn’t gauge the man’s reaction to the news. He only hoped Jared recognized that Jeff was only the messenger and had no control over the ill-timing of this important news. He could only hope Jared adhered to the old adage….Don’t shoot the messenger.
Quickly he added “I also received an address where I assume he accessed his bank account from. I know how much you wanted to face him personally so I thought you would want to know right away. What do you want to do now….?”
+++++++
Jensen stood directly in the middle of the room, taking pictures of the walls of the storage unit with his cell phone. He knew that the Dallas CSI had most likely taken many pictures already but he wanted to generate his own in case they had missed something. He wanted to make sure that he captured all the photographs that covered the walls of the storage unit. At first it had unnerved him, seeing so many pictures of himself plastered on the walls. But then he had neatly locked away his emotions, allowing him to objectively view the pictures as key evidence.
He knew why he had wanted to return to the storage unit. When his horrific moment of clarity about Aldis had surfaced, he had immediately left the unit, not completing his full assessment of the scene. He knew there was more to investigate. In each of his previous encounters with the killer he was hunting, the murderer always left him a personal message. Yet the only item the elusive killer left for him this time was a freshly cut green orchid on a stool.
Serial killers were creatures of habit. Once they have established a ritual, they stick with it. For this killer not to leave a message would be a break from his ritual. As a result, Jensen started to comb the area, seeking clues that would lead him to the note meant only for him. He knew it was here lurking cleverly. It had to be here.
After a fruitless search and coming up with nothing, Jensen glared at the walls in frustration.
“Where’s your fucking note, you damned bastard!” Jensen muttered. The Sheriff narrowed his eyes, studying the positions of the photographs taped to the walls. On one of the walls, the pictures were placed in an almost sloppy, overlapping manner, in comparison to the other walls where the pictures were neatly spread out and aligned to each other. This surface stood apart with photographs stuck on top of other photographs.
“Motherfucker…it was in front of me the whole damned time.” Jensen said quietly before he rapidly began taking down the pictures on the wall. As each photograph was removed, it revealed a frightful piece of the crimson colored message that was written on the wall. Jensen had a hunch that the red substance used for the wording was actually blood from one of the killer’s victims. He hoped that it was not from a new victim yet to be discovered.
As Jensen removed the final picture from the wall, he stepped back and read the message that had been left for him.
HIS LIFE WAS MY LAST GIFT TO YOU UNTIL WE MEET. SOON WE WILL BE TOGETHER AGAIN, MY JENSEN.
+++++++
Stephen stared at the notes he had taken when he’d interviewed one of the bodyguards that had been with Jensen when they’d found the tortured and heavily bleeding Aldis suspended from the ceiling. The man had remained in Prairie Hill while Jensen, Jared and the rest of the bodyguards were flown to Dallas Memorial Hospital with Aldis.
“….I’m not a religious man…but the way his body was positioned….it was like an upside down crucifixion. Why would that twisted fucker do that…?”
In Stephen’s mind the killer they were chasing is the Angel Killer. No matter how much Jensen denied the connection, Amell believed they were chasing after the same monster that had kidnapped and tortured Jensen for all those weeks.
“The Angel Killer’s victims’ bodies were all found exactly 40 days after they were kidnapped. Why is 40 days a significant number? Why does that sound so damned familiar?” Stephen muttered under his breath. A hazy childhood memory of Sunday school suddenly came back to him. Closing his eyes he mentally scraped away the cobwebs from old childhood memories. Mentally humming a childhood Sunday school hymn he waited for the memory to refresh itself.
“40 days…? 40 days…. It was after Jesus Christ was resurrected…. he had stayed on earth for 40 days before his ascension. Upside-down crucifixion…. all religious connotations….does this all mean something….?” Amell pondered, knowing that he was on the edge of something that might finally give them a clue as to who the Angel Killer really was.
He needed to review their old notes on the infamous serial killer. He rushed to Kane’s desk, pulling open the lower file-keeper drawers to look for their folders. He knew the long-haired man had pulled their notes from archives when he’d gone to Los Angeles. Despite frantically searching the desk drawers and cabinets, Amell couldn’t find any of their files.
“Shit…were they stolen?!” He exclaimed, frustration roaring inside his head. He felt so close to discovering the truth yet was unable to put the pieces together because he was still missing key evidence. He collapsed into the office chair, rubbing his face, trying to dispel the rising panic and irritation. He needed to stay calm and focus. His eyes darted around the office.
They had spent several hours searching for hidden cameras and listening devices, expecting to find the same ones that were hidden in Jensen’s home. Surprisingly none of the electronics were found. This indicated that the killer must had broken back into their office to remove the devices prior to Jensen visiting the storage unit. This stuck a chord of fear in Stephen. For the killer had anticipated their move, which was an indication, that the murderer was still operating several steps ahead of them.
On the edge of spiraling into despair, he suddenly had an epiphany as he recalled that Kane never left his valuable notes in the office. He always had a fear that they would somehow be stolen or compromised. Instead the federal agent tended to hide his files in the trunk of his car. Stephen never understood why Chris did this, since he would be screwed if someone stole his car. But for once, Stephen was grateful for Kane’s eccentricities.
Amell snatched Chris’s car keys from where they were lying on his desktop before dashing out into the dark parking lot located next to the building. The full moon shone brightly over his shoulder casting a shadow as he made his way toward his friend’s car. He hadn’t realized how much time had passed since Chris had left him. He had become so wrapped up in studying and reassessing the crime scene that at least an hour had slipped by without his noticing.
Stephen circled round to the rear of the shiny black Dodge Charger and slotted the key in the lock. In the center of the spacious trunk sat six boxes full of files and notes. Amell was too excited to drag the boxes back into the office. Instead, he planted himself on the lower lip of the trunk opening, his legs dangling over the big bumper. Using the fairly bright trunk-light for overall illumination and his Smart phone for an actual reading light, he began digging through the containers, searching for one particular file.
“Got it!” Stephen exclaimed in triumph after poking through the boxes for fifteen minutes. He opened the file and began to read, absorbing the information.
“Oh. My. God!” He whispered aloud, finally making the connection. But in that same exact moment, he became aware that he was no longer alone in the deserted parking lot. As his hand moved towards his underarm holster he also realized that he had left his sidearm back in the office.
Despite being weaponless, Stephen twisted around, confronting the monster head on.
“I always knew that you would be the first one to figure it all out.” The red-eyed Angel Killer said to the trembling federal agent.
“Jensen…” Stephen uttered, no longer afraid for himself but for his friend. He saw the obsessive madness in the killer’s gleaming eyes.
BANG, BANG, BANG
“You failed Jensen before... And you will fail him again when you die... Goodbye Special Agent Amell.” The monster sneered viciously before walking away, his steps echoing through the dead silent night.
Stephen glanced down at his chest, suddenly feeling hot and cold all at once. Blood soaked the front of his white dress shirt, wet and shining in the moonlight as he collapsed clumsily onto the cement parking lot. On the inside it felt like his entire torso was on fire. It felt like his chest was being crushed, suffocated beneath a heavy weight he gasped again and again, trying desperately to suck in enough air to re-inflate his lungs but nothing happened.
He closed his eyes against the excruciating pain. He was dying…he knew it. The bloody foam frothing at the corners of his mouth told him the bullets had pierced through his lungs. He struggled to stay conscious. He knew that once he closed his eyes, he would never wake again. He needed to somehow warn Jensen. But he was so weak….so very terribly cold and feeling weaker as each moment passed. Bitter shame and guilt filled him once last time. The monster was right… he had failed Jensen …again.
“Stevie…don’t listen to him. Monsters lie all the time.” A sweet little girl’s voice whispered in his ear.
“You are not weak. But you are losing a lot of blood. You need to send Jensen a message.” The little girl continued.
How? He thought. But as quickly as he asked the question he realized the answer. He made one last gasping attempt to breathe just enough to power his body a few more precious moments as he struggled to curl his finger. He had to leave Jensen a message… something only he would see and understand. He didn’t want to risk the Angel Killer coming back and discovering it and then destroying his clue. Therefore it had to be subtle enough that only Jensen would find it. The only question that remained was if he had enough strength left in his body.
“Time to go.”
“I can’t....I need to give this message to Jensen…he needs to know who the monster is.”
“Don’t worry about him, Stevie.”
“But the monster…”
“Jensen will get him. Because he promised you…remember? Come it’s time to go. Give me your hand, Stevie.”
“Abby…”
“Time to let go.”
+++++++
Author’s Note 1: I really want to thank my amazing beta, oldbatj. She is a wonderful person who constantly amazed me. When I was creating Mrs. Elizabeth, I wanted her to be a strong, sassy, smart, wise cracking elegant woman. She had class, good looks, and a core of strength that could not be broken, no matter what life threw at her. So the person I drew inspiration for this character was my good friend oldbatj. She is my personal Mrs. Elizabeth!! Thank you so much my dear you truly are a marvelous friend!
Author’s Note 2: When I wrote the bodyguard “Reynolds”, I was thinking that this character looked like “Ryan Reynolds”.
Author’s Note 3: I know a lot has happened and there were a lot of clues. The question remains…have you figure it out yet like Amell? Or do you want to know more??? If so, comment. For me comments only inspire me to write faster…so comment away!!!!! :-p