New Fic - Sins Of The Father
And now Chapter Three
Peter wanted to hit something, he had become very close to his cousin in the short time they’d known one another. They shared a similar sense of humour; both had parental issues though completely different issues and Peter just enjoyed talking with her. He’d instantly put her into the same category as his foster sisters - people he’d protect with his life.
Peter knew he had to stay calm, but he was finding it increasingly difficult as he couldn’t do anything to help Melissa until Nickie could tell them what they needed to know.
Nickie sat scanning over his old diaries, the ones the therapist he was made to see after being rescued from Tames had forced him to write, trying to find something, some clue to where Tames was, to where they were holding Melissa but so far there seemed to be nothing. Peter jumped as Nickie hurled the book against the wall.
“I can’t find anything,” he spat frustrated, “I don’t remember enough about the place to think of a similar location and these stupid things are useless.”
Caine moved to the younger man and rested his hand on Nickie’s shoulder, “You need to calm yourself. I know how hard this is, Melissa is our family and we care about her too. Let me help you, I can place you under hypnosis and we can search together.”
Nickie stared at Caine, “I don’t...I can’t...” he stopped and looked over at Peter who was practically bouncing; he sighed and nodded, “If it’s the only way then sure.”
Caine motioned the young man to sit down and waved the other two out of room, taking a seat across from Nickie he started to place the younger man into a hypnotic state.
Caine gently talked Nickie through his memories, listening sadly as the young man spoke of the compound he’d been forced to live in as a child. Suddenly Nickie snapped out of the hypnosis.
“Did you recall something?” Caine asked.
Nickie shook his head, “Only that I hated that place. Can I get a few minutes alone?”
Caine nodded, “I will be outside if you need to talk.”
As Caine left the room he didn’t see Nickie grab his jacket before sneaking away down the fire escape.
Peter turned as his father left the room, “Well?”
“He is finding it difficult to think of this time in his life,” Caine reminded his son, “I feel he is blocking the memories that could help us.”
“Then we have to keep trying,” Kermit spoke up from his spot in the corner, “If Nickie can’t think of where they are then I say we look back over the original case and find them that way.”
Peter nodded, “I’ll go tell Nickie, perhaps looking at that might help him.”
Caine clapped his son’s arm as he went into the other room before he turned to Kermit, his eyes were hidden behind his glasses but Caine could see the anger he felt at letting them take Melissa.
“It was not your fault,” Caine assured him.
“Still feels like it,” Kermit said shortly, “I should have been more careful, should have been on alert.”
Caine knew the only person who could assure Kermit that it was not his fault was the one they were searching for.
“Dammit,” Peter’s annoyed cry came through the apartment.
“Peter?” Kermit called, “What’s wrong?”
Peter appeared anger on his face, “Nickie’s gone.”
“Gone?”
“He must have used the fire escape,” Peter frowned, “He remembered where they are and he’s gone after them himself. He’s going to get himself killed.”
Caine frowned and rested his hand on his son’s shoulder, “We must continue with our original plan, Peter. Go with Kermit to the station and find out where Nickie went.”
Peter nodded, his eyes filled with worry for his friend and his cousin. Caine touched Peter’s face and looked deep into his son’s eyes giving him strength, reminding him that they would find Melissa and Nickie.
With a deep breath Peter clasped his father’s hand and left the apartment with Kermit in tow.
The 101st was buzzing with activity as Peter and Kermit slid inside, they managed to avoid talking to anyone as they headed to Kermit’s office and shut the door. Kermit quickly booted up his computer and started going through the information he and Melissa had found earlier that day.
They both jumped as the door opened and an annoyed Karen Simms walked in.
“Detective Griffin,” she stated coldly making Kermit wince, “Would you like to tell me where you’ve been when you were supposed to be here helping us track down a child killer? And why are you here, Peter considering we haven’t asked for your assistance in any cases recently?”
The two men swapped glances as they faced the woman who was standing with her arms folded across her chest, she held both of them in a sharp gaze.
“We have a lead on the guy that killed the kids,” Kermit finally spoke up.
“And you, Detective Caine?”
Peter sighed, “Captain...” he hesitated knowing that if it was Paul standing before him he’d have instantly confessed what was happening but he wasn’t sure what Captain Simms reaction would be. He looked at her and saw steel in her eyes but he also knew that she trusted him so he took the chance, “The man who killed the kids is the same one who ran a cult years ago that Nickie Elder was taken to by his parents. Tames now has my cousin Melissa and more than likely Nickie in his grasp by now, we’re trying to find where he is.”
Karen stayed silent for several moments as she digested the information she’d just been given, finally she nodded, “Do you need back-up with you?”
“Only if they stay back until we call them,” Kermit replied, “We don’t know what we’ll be heading into.”
“Alright,” Karen told them, “As soon as you find anything let me know.”
She rested her hand on Kermit’s shoulder for a second before leaving them alone again. Peter let out a long sigh turning back to the computer screen.
*********************************************
Melissa stared at the man standing in front of her still not believing her eyes.
“Are you not going to say hello?” Damon Caine asked his daughter.
Melissa knew her mouth was open but she was having difficulty forming rational thought, finally she swallowed, “What are you doing here?”
He reached out and gently pushed a strand of dark hair away from her face, “I was hoping for something other than that, possibly a hug.”
“A hug?” Melissa snapped incredulously, “What the hell...you killed my mother and you want a hug?”
Damon dropped his head for moment, “There is a great deal you don’t know, Mel.”
“Don’t call me that,” Melissa snarled at him, “That little girl died the same day as her mother.”
“I didn’t kill your mother,” Damon told her, “I know you think I did but so much more happened that night than you know. I loved your mother and I love you, Melissa.”
“Then let me out of here,” Melissa said.
Damon shook his head, “Impossible.”
“Why?” Melissa demanded angrily, “Are you afraid of this guy Tames or are you just lying to me?”
“There is a great deal going on I can’t tell you, child,” Damon replied sadly, “A great deal I wish I could explain, a great deal I wish I hadn’t done but you have to trust that I’m only trying to protect you.”
“I have no reason to trust you,” Melissa told him coldly.
Damon shrugged, “Maybe but right now you have no other choice.”
He turned as a man came running through the door, “Tames wants to see you.”
“I’ll be back soon,” Damon told his daughter after shooting the man a dark look at the interruption.
“Tames wants her there too,” the man swallowed hard at the look he received from the elder Caine.
Damon frowned and touched Melissa’s shoulder moving her forward, “Stay with me and say nothing.”
Melissa walked forward feeling her father’s hand resting on her shoulder; she tried to repress the shudder that went through her as they reached a large room where a group of thirty people or so were standing in a circle. They were a mixture of men and women in almost equal proportions each holding a familiar looking statue but there were no children that Melissa could see.
“Caine,” the man in the centre said, Melissa remembered him from the park when she’d first met Nickie, “I apologise for interrupting your reunion but I have a reunion of my own that you need to witness.”
Melissa gasped as two men dragged a third into the centre of the circle, “Nickie?”
Damon’s hand clamped down on her shoulder keeping her beside him as she tried to move to him, “Stay silent.”
Melissa watched as Tames walked to the shaken man who was being held, Nickie glanced over at her an apology in his blue eyes.
“Nicholas,” Tames said as he walked forward, “I was surprised to hear you’d come to me but I knew you’d come to your senses sooner or later.”
“I came so you would let Melissa go,” Nickie replied, the shake in his voice betrayed how afraid he was, “So let her go.”
Tames laughed sending a shiver along Melissa’s spine, “Your lady friend is not going anywhere. Now, Nicholas it is time for you to take your place amongst your brethren.”
“No.”
Tames frowned, “I give you one more chance, Nicholas. Join me.”
Nickie glanced over to Melissa who saw the fear filling his eyes, she tried to move but Damon held her back.
“I’d rather die,” Nickie stated, swallowing hard as he knew exactly what was going to happen next.
Tames produced a knife and moved towards Nickie, Melissa twisted and managed to get out of her father’s grip. She ran to Nickie just as Tames was about to strike.
“Move,” Tames told her as Melissa grabbed Nickie’s arms placing herself in front of him.
Melissa shook her head, “No.”
“Melissa,” her father said aloud before she heard him in her head, “Tames will kill you too.”
“You said you’d protect me,” she shot back hoping he could hear her thoughts too, “Protect me now because I’m not letting him kill Nickie.”
“Tames,” Damon spoke aloud, “If you touch her - our bargain is off.”
Tames turned to him, “Then make her move.”
Damon looked over at his daughter and saw the determined look in her eyes, he smiled, “I’m unable to do that. Perhaps a little time will allow your child some clarity so he will join you once more.”
Tames considered this, he looked at Nickie who was trying to move Melissa and nodded, “Place them in a cell together.”
As Melissa was grabbed out of the room she turned to her father and stared at him until she couldn’t see him anymore.
Melissa paced the cell as Nickie sat dejectedly on the bed.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Nickie said softly, “Tames will still kill us, he wouldn’t have hurt you if you hadn’t stopped him.”
“So I should have let him kill you?” Melissa asked incredulously.
Nickie nodded, “I don’t know how you got that other guy to stop him but it won’t last long. Tames will probably kill him then come for us.”
“Hey,” Melissa sat at his side, “I took the chance because I didn’t want you to get hurt, besides it meant I could see if I could trust him.”
“Trust who?”
Melissa gave a slight shrug, “My father.”
“What?”
“I know,” she replied annoyed, “He’s working with Tames but he made a point of talking to me, of trying to get me to trust him and I don’t know, Nickie but I want to.”
Nickie frowned, “I thought you hated him?”
“I did, I do,” she let out an annoyed sigh, “It’s complicated.”
“You’re being naive,” Nickie told her.
“Maybe I am,” she conceded, “But it’s hard not to want to trust him.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes before Melissa started pacing again.
“So,” she said, “They should be here soon, right?”
Nickie dropped his eyes and Melissa felt anger rise in her.
“You did tell Peter and my uncle where you were going, didn’t you?” Melissa demanded.
“I didn’t want anyone else getting hurt because of me,” Nickie told her, “They said they’d release you if I came.”
“Now who’s being naive?” Melissa snapped at him, she dropped to sit on the bed, “You owe me so big for all of this.”
“Fine,” Nickie snapped back, “If we get out of this I’ll take you for dinner.”
“Fancy restaurant,” she smiled slightly, “And you have a deal.”
Nickie smiled, not believing for a minute that if they actually got out of here she’d hold him to that promise.
*********************************************
Peter sighed in relief as Kermit finally found a possible lair where Tames could be. He felt the way he did before he’d met his father again, the energy that made him want to go in several directions at once. Taking a deep breath Peter managed to centre himself, he needed to remain focussed to help Melissa and Nickie.
“Let’s go,” Kermit said, he poked his head back into the office, “The Captain will have backup ready for it as soon as we need them.”
Peter nodded.
“You okay, Pete?”
“I am. I just need a few minutes,” Peter sighed, “Kermit, all Melissa wants is to have her life back and now this. She came here so we could protect her, Kermit. I was meant to protect her.”
Kermit rested his hand on his surrogate younger brother’s shoulder, “We’ll find them and they’ll be fine. Got it?”
“Got it,” Peter smiled slightly.
Kermit nodded, “Then let’s go get Caine and ride to the rescue.”
*********************************************
“What is going on?” Melissa demanded as her father walked into the room they were being held in, “And if you tell me you can’t say I will scream.”
Damon frowned, “Things are complicated, Mel.”
“Don’t call me that,” she snapped.
“I need you to trust me a little longer,” Damon told her.
Melissa let out a snort of laughter, “I don’t trust you now. So give me a reason to.”
Nickie moved to her side, “Melissa, maybe...”
She held up her hand and stopped him midsentence as her eyes locked with her father’s, Damon looked away first.
“What do you want to know?” Damon asked.
“Why are you working with the two men who ruined my life?” Melissa asked, unshed tears filling her eyes.
Damon made a move to comfort his daughter but she kept back, moving closer to Nickie who wasn’t too sure standing there was a good thing considering what he knew about Melissa’s father.
“I didn’t know who they were,” he told her, “Now I do, they will pay.”
“When?”
“When it’s time,” Damon replied.
Melissa let out an annoyed sigh, “You’re as cryptic as your brother, you know that?”
Nickie winced at the dark look that covered Damon’s face.
“I am nothing like him,” Damon snarled.
“You’re right,” Melissa replied just as darkly, “I trust him.”
Damon turned to leave and Melissa let out a harsh laugh, “Typical.”
“I’m trying to protect you,” Damon turned back to her.
“Fine,” Melissa said, “Just don’t treat me like an idiot.”
Damon stepped towards her again and rested his hand on her shoulder, “I know you’re not an idiot, Melissa. You have a PhD - I was so proud when you graduated.”
“You were there?” Melissa asked suspiciously.
“I’ve not been the father I should have been because of who I am,” he apologised, “But I have watched from afar to protect you from the same people who killed your mother.”
Melissa swallowed, “Okay, tell me what your plan is.”
Damon explained what his plan had been as Nickie and Melissa stared at him.
“Wow,” Melissa murmured, “You really are a bastard.”
Damon frowned at his daughter.
“No,” she shook her head, “Your basic plan was to use the poor kidnapped girl to force Nickie to go through with this insane ritual. But when you saw it was me you didn’t care if he died because you knew you could use me instead.”
“If you had been the one to take the final place I could have stopped the ritual using the bond we have,” Damon finished for her, “Then you protected Nickie, it threw my plans out.”
“Wow, what a shame,” Melissa shot back.
Nickie watched the back and forward between father and daughter wanting to say something but not sure he would even be heard as they bickered.
“What about the two guys who attacked me and abducted Peter last year?” Melissa asked, “What’s their stake in all of this?”
“They are the descendants of someone who believe my grandfather stole their destined power,” Damon shrugged, “Tames is using them for grunt work. I only found out what they did to you when they brought you here.”
“Okay, what is this ritual for?” Melissa asked.
“Tames wants power,” Damon replied, “If he manages to complete this ritual then he will gain the power over life and death. He could destroy the world.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t that sort of what you wanted to do?” Melissa asked.
“Since you ruined my original plan,” Damon told her, ignoring the sarcastic commentary, “We need another.”
“Nickie, you need to agree to do this ritual,” Melissa said despite wanting to ask her father how ‘he’ had become ‘we’.
“What?” Nickie demanded, panic rising in his eyes, “Melissa, I can’t, I won’t help Tames. Why do you think I tried to run away from it?”
“I don’t care,” she told him, “You want to live? You want both of us to get out of this alive? Then you have to do this,” she took his hand making him look into her eyes, “It’s the only way, Nickie. It’s the only way we’re going to survive this.”
Part Two
Part Four