Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

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francis
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Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

Post by francis »

Disclaimer: This characters and events aren't mine, but I like to play with them for fun.

link to chapter 10: viewtopic.php?f=75&t=549
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Mick was leaning against his bottle green convertible when I reached the safe house. He looked comfortable and confident in his dark clothes, but his demeanor was tense. He waited until I was close and then bounced upright to visit the crime scene with me, his only greeting a terse nod. The officer at the door asked me who he was.
I bellowed, „That's none of your concern," then smiled sheepishly.
I was stressed out and couldn't contain my frustration, but I wasn't normally one to take it out on the beat cops.

We climbed the stairs and reached the ruined door to the apartment. Mick stopped, looked at the door intently, closed his eyes briefly and sniffed. He sniffed! Then he ran his index finger across the spyhole and took another sniff.

He entered the apartment, taking in the plastic markers, the blood stains, the bullet shells and the overturned furniture with a hard stare and total concentration. He seemed to forget everyone in the room and use all of his senses to gather information.

He looked at the blood stains as if trying to figure something out. I explained that two cops had been shot. Officer Novak, having lost two colleagues, quipped something sarcastic about the graveyard shift. St. John put her in her place, „Probably wouldn't use that term today, if I was you."

I didn't have to wonder why he had so few friends. If looks could kill he would have been dead where he stood. Novak was curious about Mick, but I didn't answer her questions. I couldn't trust anybody at this point. And I didn't want anything to disturb Mick's concentration now.

He said it was only one shooter as if he was absolutely sure, not just guessing like we all were at that point. His comment about the smoke-bomb was convincing, though.

What bugged me was that he was so sure that the blood wasn't Leni's. He actually said, „There's no oestrogen." What was he, a human police dog? Again, he said it with assurance and determination, as if it was the most logical thing to say.

I commented on his interesting way of working and on what Beth told me about him. He didn't answer, didn't look at me, just retraced Leni's steps. I wondered how he picked up on things from so little evidence.

We were now at the back stairs where Leni was told to escape if there was trouble. Mick said she didn't, because there were bullets flying. It seemed like he was proud of his assessment of the situation. It was as if he was psychic, as if he saw the scene before his very eyes. He was the epitome of composure and concentration.

Instead of following her steps downstairs, he went upstairs to the closed window of the hallway that led to the fire escape. He told me she went out the window and cut herself on the way out.

There was no evidence marker. The CSI team hadn't checked here. How did he even see the small droplet of blood that I could hardly make out now that I knew it was there?

Mick opened the window and climbed out. An officer came with a question and distracted me for a moment. But I could hear Mick kicking the ladder loose and it rattled to the ground. I wondered how Leni had managed to get the rusty thing down and if the attacker had heard her. A moment later I looked out and Mick was flying down. Really, he wasn't using the ladder at all, but flew down, landing gently as if nothing unusual had happened. I got an eerie
feeling that I had been privy to something big. And secret. When Mick looked up I drew my head back so he wouldn't know I had seen him.

It took me a bit longer to get down, as I used the stairs. I decided to keep silent about what I had just seen; I needed to think about it a bit longer.

From what I had seen Mick was very capable of finding someone. I was glad Beth got him to help. When I met her outside she was in reporter mode, immediately asking questions. I reminded her that she would get all the facts, but not yet. To describe her as unimpressed would be an understatement.

Mick interrupted us before Beth could persuade me to give up anything I would regret later. He told me that the trail ended where a big car was parked. He got that from tire marks. I was sure it was Officer Colden's truck, and hurried to get a warrant to find it. Neither Mick nor Beth were exactly happy with that, they were both impatient to find Leni. But for now
I had to play by the rules. If they found another way, I didn't want to know. So I asked them to keep me informed and left, sure that they would use other means to find the truck. Beth was already working on it, phone in hand.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At the office I asked for a warrant first, then I dictated a record of all the facts for future reference.

Kevin came in, looking as dishevelled as I felt.

„What a day, huh?" he quipped. „Do they have a trace yet?"

„Leni got away with Officer Colden's truck, but we haven't found it yet. Did you get anything from the coroner or the CSI team?"

„Nothing helpful yet. Bullets are nothing special, no records on the gun, assassin left no traces, no footprints. Maybe some of the blood is his, but I doubt it. There's nothing yet to help find Leni."

I sent him out and turned my chair towards the window, trying to collect my thoughts about Mick. Something was off about him, the sniffing, the conclusions he reached despite almost no evidence, the two-storey jump. Had Beth maybe seen some of that before?

Was this the secret he shared with Beth? And should I tell her that I suspected something wasn't right with Mick? If she knew, she would probably deny it. If she didn't know, she wouldn't believe a word. I would have to keep quiet, but I would definitely keep an eye on him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I had my hands full with the search for Leni, but when Carl came over to give me a report on where they were with their investigations, I took the opportunity to ask him about Mick.

„By the way, Beth and Mick St. John are trying to help with this case."
He looked up with a solemn expression. „I heard about that from Detective Novak. Are you sure this is the right thing to do?"

„I know that I can trust Beth, and St. John has been very helpful already. He found out how Leni left the house and that she took Colden's truck to get away. I'm not really impressed by the fact that your team missed that the truck was gone."

Carl pursed his lips and tried to defend his guys. „It was dark when we got there, and no-one knew what type of car Colden had."

„Well, you would have found it sooner or later, but Mick found it sooner. Have you worked with him before?"

Carl took a seat. „Listen, this guy is seriously creepy, in a way, but he has helped us out in lots of cases. He doesn't reveal his methods, but he finds missing people and catches some really bad guys on a regular basis. His track record is impressive. You know about the blood cult at the University and about Spaulding already, Beth was involved. It seems that
since the two of them are working together, she gets all those creepy horror stories. Good for her career, but I worry about her safety."

„Tell me something I don't know. She trusts Mick with her life, and up to now she was right about him. Still, you say he's creepy. In what way?"

Carl leaned forward. „Just the way he keeps his methods secret. He gets the bad guys before we even know that there's a case. And then there are the cases where the bad guy just vanishes into dust. Like that Dr. Pollock last week. Mick either lets them go or he has some kind of vigilante justice going that we just can't prove."

I was stunned. „You think he kills them himself and hides the evidence? Like some kind of Batman?"

„Sounds childish the way you say it, but I'm just not sure what to make of him."

„Okay. Whenever you find something odd in relation to Mick St. John, tell me. I will open a file to collect what we know. Whatever it is, in case something really bad happens, I want to be prepared."

Carl stood up. „Just don't hurt Beth. She believes in him."

I wasn't stupid. „Of course. I'll keep this from her, for now."

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An hour later Beth called.

„Josh, listen, we found out where Leni went. We found Colden's car in Dalton Street, she went to Jack Toland's house to clean up and get a weapon. The police seal at his door was broken. Did you know they were in love with each other? Didn't the police check here for her?"


I could have slapped myself. Why hadn't I thought of that, knowing that they were involved?

„Is she there?"

„No, she left again. Mick is going after her alone, as she's scared and armed. He has a lead, but I better not tell you until he finds her. Your phone might still be tagged, right?"

That was what I was afraid of. „What will you do now?"

„I'll be with you in an hour, so we can talk. Any clues on your side?"

„None, yet. Oh, and this is totally off the record, but I'm glad you found Colden's car, and I don't need to know how."

I could feel her smirk through the phone. „You're welcome."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Beth relaxed on the sofa in my office. She seemed totally at ease, glowing with pride that she managed to find Leni when I hadn't. I was pacing, waiting for the pieces of the puzzle to fall into place.

„Why haven't we heard from St. John yet?" I asked no-one in particular.

„Mick seems pretty confident he can get the jump on her." Beth answered.

„Seems like he can get the jump on just about anyone." I snapped.

Beth looked up, she picked up on my apprehension. I wasn't sure it was a smart move to start this conversation now, but I was rescued by Kevin coming in with new evidence, and jokingly hitting on Beth.

Kevin brought news that Officer Colden had called a phone registered to Fayed just before the raid. Beth and I were both stumped. Had he called his murderer? Kevin seemed convinced that the leak was plugged now. He was talking about the body count as if it was a joke, but this was way too serious for that. I immediately called the judge to get a warrant to find
out who Colden called. It was noon already and we still hadn't got Leni back.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As soon as I had the warrant, I was on my way to Fayed. Beth came along, but stayed outside.

While we waited for the doorman to inform Fayed about the warrant, she got a call from Mick. He told me that Leni was with him in Victorville and was ready to come back to L.A. I assured him I would send someone from Victorville PD within an hour. He wanted to do this alone, but I felt like they weren't safe unless they had police protection. So I sent Kevin to
notify someone in Victorville.

A few minutes later Beth found out that the phone belonged to Fayed's daughter, Mara. It was kind of awkward for me, because Fayed played cool and now my whole plan to intimidate him was crumbling.

But worse was the notion that if Colden wasn't the leak, there was still someone else. And someone might know about Victorville, so Leni and Mick were in danger again. There was nothing I could do for now, except for asking Beth to call Mick. She told me the call didn't go through. Why did that always happen at the worst moment?

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Back in the office a call came in that Mick and Leni had stolen a cop car and were nuked on the highway. Seemed like Fayed had gotten wind of their position and had sent heavy weaponry to take them out. The police were there within minutes, but the wreck was so hot no-one could go near.

When I told Beth about it she was shocked. She turned around, frozen, fighting back her tears. I wanted to take her in my arms, but she didn't react. „You're okay?" I asked.

She fumed, tears in her eyes. „You got a big problem. Mick didn't talk to anybody but you and I."

„You're suggesting that I'm the leak?" I was appalled.

„I'm saying that someone on your team is responsible, and you should find out who."

She turned and left. I was at a loss what to do.

This was something that left me with as much anger and frustration and grief as her. I had no case, I had no witness, I still had a leak that I was responsible for, and now another two people had been killed without evidence.

Why didn't she come to me for comfort, or share my disappointment? Why did she accuse me and then leave?

On the other hand, I had to admit that she had a point. I had pulled Mick into this case without making sure that he would be safe, that the traitor couldn't find out where he went. I had talked about Victorville loud and clear at Fayed's door, so that either his bodyguards or my own people could overhear. And I still had no clue.

What could I do now? Nothing but wait it out. I wouldn't decide anything until I had more facts and some time to think. Talking was what brought this mess about. I couldn't trust anyone any more.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A couple of hours later Beth called to tell me that Mick and Leni were alive and in some rundown motel in the desert. Her voice was still shocked, but relieved.

„Beth, that's great news. I will not trust this information to anybody until I know who the leak is. Can you tell them to stay there until I have solved this here and can safely tell Victorville PD to pick them up tomorrow?"

„Josh, that's not practical. I'll just pick them up myself."

„You're not safe, Beth. What if Fayed sends another assassin, or helicopter?"

„And he couldn't just send them to the motel now? There's a chance that Fayed knows they are alive."

She had a point.

„Especially so, if that's the case. I want you to stay away from them. Just call them and tell them to stay put."

She argued. „I appreciate that you worry about my safety, but I need to make sure they are okay."

I wanted to talk her out of going to Mick, but she was all set. She was talking fast, as if she was trying to get off the phone. And before I could raise any more arguments, she ended the call. I was sure she was already on her way.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I needed to make a move now. My main suspects for the leak were Kevin and Novak. She had just changed shifts with Colden the evening of the raid, and Kevin had been closest to me when I talked to Beth about Victorville; so either of them could be the one who leaked the info to Fayed.

I was hungry anyway and wanted to appear relaxed, so I warmed a box of Chinese in the microwave and called them both in.

I told them that Mick and Leni were safe. Kevin stayed cool; Kim looked at us in open happiness. „That's great." She was curious about what happened, but I couldn't tell them anything. I told her I didn't know myself.

I revealed that Victorville P.D. would get instructions to get them first thing tomorrow. I didn't tell them where they could find Leni, so they would still be safe whatever one of my two suspects leaked.

Both left my office. Then I followed Kevin, Bart followed Novak. I wasn't really expecting Kevin to do something like this, but I couldn't imagine Novak to be a traitor, either.

So, it was really a punch in the gut when Kevin sat down in his cubicle, pulled out his cellphone and told someone, „Victorville PD, 0600 tomorrow."

He had the nerve to try excuses. I didn't even listen. I was so angry I just punched him. That we were friends made it so much worse.

As soon as Kevin was arrested and taken away I apologized to Kim for suspecting her. She took it without fuss. „You did what you had to do. I would have done the same. Now let's get them home safe."

I called Beth, but didn't get through. Where was she? I really hoped she hadn't gone after Mick; there was still the possibility that Fayed's people found them, especially after Kevin's phone call. There was only so much shelter in a certain radius around the accident site.

On the spur of the moment I called Carl and told him and Novak to drive out and get Leni back. If I could reasonably have left my office, I would have gone, too. I would leave Victorville PD out of this. That way, I could make sure that Beth would be safe.

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link to chapter 12: viewtopic.php?f=75&t=1530&p=12532#p12532
Last edited by francis on Sat Mar 28, 2009 9:51 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

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Glad to see an update to this story! I like getting Josh's side of things. Can't wait to see where this goes. Thanks for the update!
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

Post by coco »

Another fabulous update francis :D
Josh's mind is all over the place at the moment. Mick has really gotten under his skin and it shows.
Now he wonders where Beth is ;)
Can't wait for more :)
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

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Thank you, kpyle and coco. You guys are fast readers! Thanks for commenting.
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

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:bump:
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

Post by allegrita »

Francis, this is the first chapter of this story I've seen. I love the way you filled in the blanks of "Fever" from Josh's point of view! Now I have to go read the rest... :)
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

Post by GuardianAngel »

I am SO sorry, francis, that it has taken me so long to actually post a comment. I read this at my leisure, savoring the walk down memory lane. I love how all the gaps are filled, the little nuances tweaked. You've given us inner dialogues and a richer sense of what each character experienced scene by scene. This is especially true with Josh. I like him and felt bad for the raw deal he got. How could he compete with the allure Mick has. Even so, I was a bit annoyed with him in 'Fever'. But not here, with your take on it. I really felt for him.

This is wonderful. Please, keep it coming. I can't wait for Coraline to arrive. :twisted:
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

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Thank you Allegrita!
GA, don't be sorry. I'm glad you like it. I'm annoyed with Josh, too, sometimes. Especially since his muse seems to have left for vacation. But the next chapter is in the works.
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

Post by mitzie »

I missed the boat somewhere! Didn't know you had updated this one!! :oops: I'm so happy to see this update!! Great update!!!! Seeing things from Josh's point of view I really feel bad for him. They made him look like such an ass on the show!

Can't wait for another update!!!! *scream* *scream* *scream* *thud* *thud* *notworthy*

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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

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allegrita wrote:Francis, this is the first chapter of this story I've seen. I love the way you filled in the blanks of "Fever" from Josh's point of view! Now I have to go read the rest... :)

Oh Alle, you are in for a treat with this story! As I made plain over at VLF when I posted to francis on chapter 1 of Twists, I did NOT like the Josh character. It had nothing to do with wanting Mick to get Beth, I just don't care for that actor and didn't care for the way they wrote, or he played, whatever, the character of Josh. But I sooo love this series, although I thought I wouldn't when I saw it was about Josh's POV... In fact I only began reading it 'cause I like francis's work and thought I'd give her a chapter or 2 to hook me in.

I was sucked in by chapter one! I love the way she fills in the blanks and makes Josh's rather boring character, interesting; how she gives him motivation for the sometimes kinda benign decisions he tended to make, and how she lets him make a few decisions behind the scenes, off canon, as it were, that make him a stronger guy.

So not only do I love the story, I am warming up to THIS Josh.

And francis, apologies for talking ABOUT you in your own thread, honey! Once I started out addressing to Alle, not a good enough writer to change the focus!!! :P
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

Post by lila »

Gah, francis, you stop right before the motel MickBeth scene! Why, God, why? This is so going on your blame thread... :lol:

On the other hand, though, beautiful work, francis. This update is fast-paced, intriguing, perfectly woven and gives an insight as to Josh's real knowledge of Mick, which contributes to creating a more interesting character than the show portrayed.

In short, I can't wait for an update!
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

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wpgrace wrote: And francis, apologies for talking ABOUT you in your own thread, honey! Once I started out addressing to Alle, not a good enough writer to change the focus!!! :P
With this kind of praise, you can talk about me anytime. Thank you for the glowing review!!! :oops: :D
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

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francis wrote:
wpgrace wrote: And francis, apologies for talking ABOUT you in your own thread, honey! Once I started out addressing to Alle, not a good enough writer to change the focus!!! :P
With this kind of praise, you can talk about me anytime. Thank you for the glowing review!!! :oops: :D

Well not to be a pest... but updating soon?
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

Post by Fleur de Lisa »

francis~~you know how much I adore your "twists." Another solid, nuanced, detail-rich update. You do a remarkable job of filling in all of the blanks. Anxious for more!
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Re: Twists of Fate - Chapter 11 (PG-13)

Post by francis »

Next one is in the making. Beta needs more time. Don't hurry her, she's a nice one. :D
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