To: Subject: SUBMISSION OF FAN FICTION "A NEW KNIGHT" BY CESAR PEREZ Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1999 15:36:11 -0000 Date January 26 1999 From Cesar Perez Well I am going to post this before I lose my courage. This is my first attempt at fan fiction so please be kind. This story developed from my own imagination and was originally only going to be about twenty pages. However the words and images kept coming to me so I kept writing them down till they stopped. This is a story about darkness in two men's souls, as both men struggle to go into the light and the fear that comes with changing who and what you are. In this, of what I hope to be only the first in a series of stories mainly involves the character of Tracy Vetter and my own character of Matthew Travers although all the other characters do participate and have major roles as well. I always thought that with the exception of a few episodes the character of Tracy was pretty one dimensional, with this I hope to change that so that people can see that she is just like every one else. Someone who is searching for love, honor and respect for who she is and not because of who her parents are. WARNING: There are two very explicit love scenes in this story both of which I believe are important to the story. Two very courageous women showing two creatures of the night one vampire, and one spy that they are not alone, that there are those who do love them. There is also coarse language in this story as well. WARNING: In the story there are several medical conditions described, I do not know if they are possible, or even real. I just made them up, so doctor's don't jump on me for it, it is all in fun. WARNING: The beginning of this story is a bit sappy, but I had to figure out a way to bring Tracy back from the dead. Hey it worked on Dallas! MAJOR WARNING: Although I usually spell very well, my punctuation and grammar usually really stink. Be forewarned! Comments can be made to nlclark@idt.net, any criticisms and comments will be welcomed and accepted with gratitude. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Disclaimer: All characters of Forever Knight belong to James Parriot. Although only mentioned in the story the character of Michael and that of Section one belong to the USA network. All Touched by Angel characters belong I guess to CBS network. The title song lyrics from the movie "First Blood" is also the property of someone else as is the lyrics of the song "All By Myself" I am sorry that I do not know the names of either songwriter. No copyright infringement is intended in any way as this is done all in fun for fan fiction. "A NEW KNIGHT" BY CESAR PEREZ The man in black carefully looked around the corner to see if he had lost any of his pursuers, his heart still hammering in his chest as he tried to regain his wind. Wiping the sweat from his eyes he stared down the alley and saw the silhouettes of several men, at least three. No he hadn't lost them. "Damn-it" he muttered to himself cursing the situation that he now found himself in and especially cursing the man who put him in this position. He remembered his superiors exact words. Control sat at his desk calm and collected as per usual, his desk as always neat and orderly. He stared out the window as he began "Special Agent Craven, for a man of your expertise this is going to be a breeze." He had said then turned to face him "All you have to do is go into Toronto, Canada and turn this computer CD ROM diskette over to your contact." Matthew Craven sat back studying the computer disk he now held in his hand. "And that's it" he questioned "if this is so easy Control why send me. Especially since I now only have fourteen days left of active duty left before I retire." he had asked "retire" a word that he could still barely say he was still young only thirty years old, But that was the contract and he for one couldn't truly say that he would be sorry to say good bye to the Central Intelligence Agency. Control a middle-aged man, mild in appearance with soft brown eyes and a small paunch that was newly acquired since retiring from the field and taking the job as control. "That's precisely why I'm sending you Matt, we have to justify your existence for twelve more days. This job should just be a weekender, but you take four. I know how much you love desk work, but it won't kill you for your last week. Pocketing the diskette he stood to leave "Let's hope no eco-terrorists find out how much paper I waste making paper airplanes then" Craven joked. What Craven didn't know was that after the door was closed, Control picked up the phone and dialed a four digit number, indicating that it was someone in the building. Control waited impatiently tapping a mean tattoo on top of his desk. Finally someone on the other end picked up, Control wasted no time. "The Horseman is in the starting gate." He said and immediately hung up then stared at the door where his agent had just walked out of "I'm sorry Black Knight." Turning his mind back to the present Matt Craven studied his situation. Everything had gone as planned, he had arrived bright and early this morning and had one directly to his hotel and checked in. Making the first in a series of innocuous phone calls to a dummy number to ensure that both he and the merchandise were still intact he waited for the cover of night. To pass the time he had gone through his equipment ensuring that he had everything and was prepared for everything short of nuclear war. Turning to look in the mirror he studied his face, his chin was stubbly from the lack of shaving, his hair long and black. Craven was still toying with the idea of growing a beard after he was out of the service. Rubbing his face and feeling the whiskers he continued to study his own features. He was average he thought to himself, never realizing how sexy women really found him. He was tall at six feet and one half inch with eyes of dark brown almost black although you couldn't really tell since he wore dark designer sunglasses that hid his eyes. He was never without them morning, noon or night. In fact some speculated if in fact he even slept with them on, many often wondered why he always wore them, the consensus was that he was trying to look tough, macho like a man to be reckoned with. Matt let them believe what they wanted to believe, he didn't much care. Truth be told Matthew Craven cared for very little these days, he was aloof often not even paying attention to those around him. He wasn't close to anyone at the agency since they broke him out of prison, the experience behind those walls had changed him forever. An attractive, cold-blooded man the women thought and some found that even sexier even though Craven took no notice of them, others questioned his sexuality, perhaps he was gay. It wasn't that, in fact he had bedded more women than he could remember, but not one of them could ever touch his heart enough to make him care. He stared into the night when it had finally fallen and for the first time in his life he drew no comfort from it, he armed himself with what he thought would be necessary for tonight and left the hotel and got his rental car and drove down to the warehouse district. At this time of night it was completely deserted, arriving at the proper address he shut off the engine and adjusted his dark sunglasses and retrieved the picture of his contact. "Entien Navar" he read the name of his contact, a scruffy looking little man with rat eyes small dark and beady. Replacing the picture he got out of the car and activated the small bomb he had attached to the gas tank to destroy any evidence should the need arise. Then pulling out a medium sized automatic pistol from behind his back he checked one more time that it was loaded, then pulled the slide back to load a round into the chamber and returned the gun back to it's holster and checked the rest of his weapons to ensure that everything was out of sight. Turning he walked with an easy measured step opening his senses as far as they could reach in every direction, this action had saved his life more than once in prison. Remembering how the utter darkness had sharpened his senses to a razor's edge able to hear the guards a hundred yards away in the night. Walking up to an abandoned warehouse he went to the door and tried the handle, just like his superiors had told him the door was unlocked. Entering the long dark corridor Craven once again adjusted his sunglasses so that they sat snugly on his face even in this utter darkness, he walked silently down the hall stopping before several open doors and looking inside to ensure that they were empty. At the end of the hall he paused before another door this time he reached into his pocket and retrieved a key grabbing hold of the handle he found to his surprise that the lock turned easily in his hand. Immediately he let go of the handle and replaced the key into his pocket. "This door is supposed to be locked" he thought to himself his mind beginning to race "Could be that Navar had forgotten to lock the door behind him when he came in" reaching behind his back to his holster "Could be a thousand reasons why this door is unlocked" Pulling out his gun he took a small comfort in it's familiar feel "Yeah and maybe little gremlins felt sorry for me for having such a hard day and decided to save me the trouble and unlocked it for me" he thought grimly. Laying down on his back in front of the door, Craven reached up and turned the handle all the way and pushed the door opened then twisted over so that his shoulder was against the wall and he was afforded with partial cover. The door flew open and gunfire erupted spraying the hallway had Craven been standing he would immediately have been cut down, as it was he began to choke from the cloud of plaster that was now raining down upon him. From his prone position, Craven studied what he was up against. His mind ignoring the flying bullets he counted positions of fire. There were at least ten men in there maybe more, then Craven saw Navar he was at the far end of the warehouse strung up by his feet with his throat cut. Taking careful aim Craven opened fire with one hand while he reached for a stun grenade with the other. Craven heard one man cry out and the expulsion of breath from another indicating a chest wound. Pulling the pin from the grenade he tossed it into the room and turned and ran for his life. He had just reached the end of the corridor when the deafening explosion went off sending light and sound into the room effectively blinding and deafening anyone in the room. Hitting the door at a full run, Craven felt asphalt hitting his shins and heard automatic gunfire kicking all around him, dodging and weaving Craven kept moving never stopping till finally he turned the corner. Up ahead he saw several men standing by his rental car opening the car door. Hitting the deck and covering his head Craven waited and wasn't disappointed when he heard the explosion and the rush of flames that consumed his rental car. Craven couldn't help laughing "Guess I should have gotten the insurance" rising back to his feet he ran down another street and kept going for at least several blocks before turning into the alley he was now in. Looking around him he saw that there was no way out of the alley, he silently cursed himself for being so lax about studying the area properly before going in. He clung to the shadows and moved silently to where he saw a derelict car sitting. Getting behind it he paused to pull the empty clip out of his gun and put a fresh one in, when he heard it. WATER, running water looking around for what he hoped to find he wasn't disappointed when he finally saw a grilled man hole cover. Moving over to the grill he studied it carefully and noted to his displeasure that it was completely rusted, there was no way he was going to open this without a lot of noise. Looking up he saw that the three men were coming down the alley weapons ready scanning the darkness for him. Ducking and going back to the car Craven immediately went underneath it and tapped the gas tank and was relieved that it was not empty. Not much in it but enough for his purpose, reaching into another pocket he pulled out another of his small bombs and set it for thirty seconds he placed it over the gas tank and quickly he moved back to the grill and pulled with all of his strength not caring who heard. The screech of metal was horrendous as Craven with muscles straining pulled the grille up enough for him to squeeze through, he heard the heavy running foot steps coming from behind him and with one more pull the grille came up. Jumping in he painfully scraped skin as the grille quickly shut behind him Craven ignored the pain as he hit the floor running then he heard the muffled explosion from the car and the agonized screams of his pursuers. Adjusting his dark glasses again he slowed down and made his way through the maze of tunnels not caring where they led him as long as it was away from this. Nicholas Knight bent over the still form of his love Natalie. "I trust you" she had said "take only a little at a time" How could she know how strong the vampire actually was. How easy it is to lose control and surrender to the blood lust. Laquoix stood over his son with a spear in his hands "Damn you Nicholas" Nick heard as Laquoix bought the spear down on his exposed back Nick jumped as he heard the alarm clock on his bed stand go off. Reaching out he smashed the annoying alarm and stared about himself in confusion. Touching his forehead he felt himself sweating and looking down at the sheets he saw that they were covered in the blood that he had sweated. He was wracked with confusion and panic as they coursed through the ancient vampire while he struggled to find an explanation for what was happening to him, when he heard the door to his loft being opened. "Nick are you home" Dr. Natalie Lambert called from below Natalie alive! How could she be, reaching for his robe Nick quickly donned it and flew down the stairs and took Natalie into his arms. "Thank god it was all a dream, I didn't hurt you, I didn't hurt you" Nick repeated it over and over. If asked later he would swear that he had felt his cold still heart pounding in his chest. Natalie struggled in the vampires strong grip something was wrong, she could feel the sticky feeling of blood that vampires sweat instead of water "Nick are you all right your covered in blood, Nick your scaring me please tell me what is going on!" It took Nick about twenty minutes to calm down long enough for Natalie to get a glass of blood down and for his breathing to come back to normal. Nick finally calmed down long enough to tell Natalie of the daymare he had just had. As he spoke Natalie sat back and cursed herself for not realizing the position that she was putting the man she loved in when she made her ultimatum. The very real pain of what would happen if Nick couldn't control himself. Natalie hugged him for all she was worth. Tears fell unchecked from Natalie's cheeks, how could she cause him such pain "I'm sorry Nick I didn't stop to think what it would mean to you. I was selfish, can you ever forgive me" Relishing in her embrace Nick nodded "Oh Natalie, I could forgive you anything, and I swear to you I will do anything, try anything so that we can be together" They held each other silently a while longer, finally separating Natalie lifted Nick's face and tenderly kissed his lips. They sat in silence for a moment each consumed with their own thoughts, when it struck Natalie that Nick had said something about Tracy. Taking his hand again Natalie felt the cool skin "Nick, about the rest of your dream, Tracy didn't die, she's alive" Natalie told him "Alive, but?" Nick clearly remembered the crazed escapee from the previous night. Nick also remembered riding with Tracy to the hospital, didn't he? Or was he finally losing his mind? Natalie patted his hand trying to calm him down "It must have been a part of your nightmare, yes Tracy was shot but the bullet just grazed her skull. That is what I came to tell you, she was released this morning and she should be at her desk tonight. She was very lucky another eighth of an inch and she might not have survived" Nick sighed in relief "Thank god, I thought that she was dead" The phone on the table rang seeing that Nick was still in rough shape Natalie picked it up "Hello" listening for a moment she nodded "Yes captain he's right here" handing the phone to Nick "Captain Reese" she told him. Taking the phone "Yes captain?" listening Nick nodded several times and told Reese "I'll be there as soon as I can, I just have to grab a shower and get dressed. Give me the address again." as Nick motioned to Natalie to hand him pen and paper, scribbling down the address "Okay captain, I'll bring Natalie with me." and hung up the phone. Natalie smiled wickedly "You do realize the impression we just gave Joe Reese" Nick put down the pad "What do you mean Nat?" he asked innocently Brushing her long hair out of her eyes her smile widens, sometimes Nick could be so dense she thought "Reese calls your place and I answer the phone, you get on the phone and tell him that you'll be there as soon as you shower and dress" she told him lifting one eye brow meaningfully With a growing realization of the impression that he just gave his captain, Nick stammers "Nat, I'm sorry, I didn't realize, I mean" Natalie waved his concern away "Don't worry about it, I just wish it were true. Just watch your back at the office" she warned "What does that mean" he asked as he stood up preparing to go upstairs to get cleaned up. Natalie picked up Nick's glass and went to the kitchen to rinse it out "If I know the rest of my gender they are now going to be trying to pick you up like it was going out of style." Nick stopped halfway up the stairs "That's ridiculous Nat, most of the women at the office don't know I exist" "They will as soon as Reese tells someone about this and then that person tells someone and so no and so on." She told him knowingly "By the way where are you taking me?" she asked changing the subject. Going up the stairs to get a quick shower and clothes Nick called over his shoulder "Warehouse district, dead bodies all over the place, Reese said it was like a war zone over there." Pulling up to the crime scene both Nick and Natalie were taken aback. Lights blared in every direction, dozens of officers moved quickly and efficiently. Ambulances and coroners trucks stood at the ready to take the bodies away, as several photographers took pictures of the dead. "Reese wasn't kidding" Natalie said as she looked around at the carnage that surrounded her "We better hurry" Natalie grabbed her bag and hurried over to the first body and started on her mystical rites as Nick went into the fray looking for the Captain. He wasn't to hard to find, Reese a large black man in his forties was pointing in several directions barking orders to his officers to start searching the area. There by his side was Tracy Vetter alive and well a large bandage covering a portion of her blonde hair, turning she saw Nick and waved a bright smile on her face. Nick walked up to her and hugged her. "Tracy I can't tell you how glad I am that your here. Last night when I left, I" Nick couldn't find the words to express his feelings. Tracy nodded and smiled at her partner "It's okay Nick, I'm all right the doctor says in a few months I won't even have a scar, the bandage comes off tomorrow if the doctor likes what he sees" "All right reunion is over, in case you two haven't noticed we have a lot of bodies lying around. You two are detectives so go out and detect" Reese told them gruffly, but truth be told he was as happy as Knight is now when he saw Vetter walk into the office tonight. However he was not about to let it go noticed "Vetter, you take it easy, and if you get shot again I am going to personally kick the crap outta you" Tracy smiled again she knew what the Captain was trying to say "Thanks cap" and kissed him on the cheek and walked off with Knight, leaving a smiling Reese. "I think you just made his night" Nick told her as they walked towards the warehouse "It's good to know that he cares" feeling better knowing what good friends she really had Throwing his arm around the young woman's shoulder "He's not the only one Tracy, because the part that he doesn't kick I'm going to." Suddenly remembering his dream Nick also remembers the pain of a dying Tracy asking why he hadn't trusted her with his secret, Nick mulled it over for a minute. Tracy already knew about the existence of vampires, hadn't Vachon trusted her with it? Throwing caution to the wind, Nick leads her down to where the lights were the dimmest and the cops the fewest. "Nick the crime scene is that way" Tracy pointed trying to get back on course "I think we should start with the guys in the warehouse. There is one guy in there that was definitely tortured, Nick where are we going" She asked confused as Nick continued to lead her away from the crowds. "Just over here" Nick paused to ensure that the others were out of ear shot and to collect his thoughts, this part was never easy "Tracy there is something that I want to tell you, only one other person knows about this." Tracy shook her head, did Nick think that everyone in the station was completely blind to the way that Nick acted around Natalie "You mean about you and Natalie, I know all about it the captain told me." Nick sighed "It's not about that, I wish it were something that trivial. Its about Vachon and the others like him" he began Tracy felt the grip on her heart, Vachon was only dead a six months but the memory still bought her pain. Even though she could not fully remember that night she did remember burying him with her own hands. Now Nick knew something of the existence of vampires, she knew that she must protect that secret, it was the least that she could do for Vachon. Tracy turned to walk back towards the crime scene before Nick asked the wrong question that might bring the enforcers down around him and her "I don't know what your talking about Nick, come on lets get to work" Stopping her Nick took her hand into his "I let Schanke die without ever knowing the truth, even though I trusted him with my life. Last night you could have died and you did not know even though you do know about the existence of vampires" Tracy turned and faced Nick confusion on her face "Nick what are you saying?" Taking a deep breath he let it out "I was born Sir Nicholas deBarabant, and I was bought across in 1228" Nick's eyes turned a luminescent green Tracy sucked in her breath, she stumbled backwards "You're a vampire, like Vachon and he never told me." hurt and angry that neither Vachon or Nick had ever told her. "I wouldn't let him" Nick told her his eyes returning to normal and noting the expression that was on the young woman's face "I wasn't sure that I could trust you, last night I realized that I should have trusted you" A tear dropped from her eye, how hard this must have been for Nick to tell anyone. But it explained so much "Thank you Nick, thank you for trusting me and I won't betray that trust. The other person that knows is Natalie" Nick nodded "You love her don't you" it wasn't a question "Yes" Just like her and Vachon a love that never came to fruition. Hopefully with Nick and Nat it would be different. Deciding to play it like she had known all along and to show him that it did not change the way that she felt for him "Come on partner lets get to work" Tracy smiled and the two made there way back to the crime scene. As they made there way into the warehouse and looked around they could see scores of forensics teams moving around the area pulling bullets from the walls, taking pictures and dusting for prints. Making their way over to Natalie who was examining the body of a man hanging upside down with his throat cut a lake of blood laid below already congealed, at a glance Nick could tell he'd been dead for awhile and from the bruises on his face he knew that it wasn't an easy death. "Okay Mark you can go ahead and cut him down" Natalie called out to the officer "Just be sure to save the rope for forensics" she warned "You got it doc" the young rookie tried to smile turning to his grim task his pallor had a decided green color to it. Turning Nat made her way over to Nick and Tracy "This is a bad one Nick, we have three dead in here, another four outside by a blown up car and another three a few blocks from here by another blown up car." Smiling at Tracy Natalie gives the young woman hug "Oh and Tracy I glad to see you up and about" "What can you tell us Nat?" Nick asked getting them back on the track "Not much I'm afraid, about the bodies, but I do have some other ideas." turning to point at the body being cut down "He's been dead, I'd say about seven to ten hours. There's no I.D. on him or on any of the others, these others on the other hand have been dead less than two hours. The forensics people tell me that they have shell casings from at least ten guns in this room alone, but the weird thing is that they all face that side of the room where the door is. Another weird thing, you see that burned patch of concrete." Nick looked at the indicated spot walking over to it his vampire senses were hit with what smelled like phosphorus "Stun grenade?" Nick asked the forensics specialist who was getting samples the man nodded "That's not an everyday item especially around here." Nick finished Natalie motioned them to the open door "This is the way I see it Nick, someone walked into a trap." "What do you mean a trap?" Tracy asked stepping around the burned patched of concrete Natalie nodded as she reached the door "So far all of the evidence says that someone walked into this room, one person because all of twelve rounds found on that side of the warehouse are of the same kind of gun. You'll have to wait for ballistics to confirm it but I think I'm right. Now this person let's call him X gets to this door, for some reason he gets nervous about the door. Now we found hair samples on the ground here that suggest that someone was laying down here" Natalie pointed "now close the door" closing the door Natalie continues "Lets pretend I'm X, I walk to this door but something is not right but I don't know what so to play it safe I pull my gun" holding out her pen pretending it to be a gun Natalie lays on the ground "Now since I don't know what I'm facing, I lay down like this. I reach up" Natalie reaches up and grabs the door knob and turns it and then throws it open "I open the door, since it's dark you can't see me but you won't expect me down here from this position I roll over onto my stomach, bullets are flying everywhere but since I'm down here and partially protected by the wall I reach in and return fire. I know that I can't stay down here forever so I pull the stun grenade and toss it into the room and run like hell" Tracy shook her head "How can you be so sure that there was only one man here." Natalie got up brushing the dust from her pants "We found so far over a hundred rounds but nobody on this side of the room was hit there is no blood anywhere around here. If there was more than one especially in this narrow hallway someone would have gotten hit. Except for those couple of hairs we found there is nothing here except that you can see that there is plaster all around here except for this one patch right by the door." Natalie pointed to the one clean spot which was right where she had been laying. Nick looked skeptical "I don't know Nat the idea that one man did all this by himself is a little hard to swallow" Nick paused studying the scene and was unable to come up with another explanation "I'm not saying your wrong but why, I mean why so much fire power to kill one man, what was this a botched drug deal, a hit what?" Natalie shook her head "I don't know Nick but remember this. If I'm right and all of these people were sent to kill one man" Natalie motioned around her "He did all of this and they still didn't get him" Tracy shivered realizing that this time they were up against a professional "You said that they found some more bodies" "Yes about a dozen blocks over, I'm heading over there now. I'm not sure but somehow I don't think we are going to find your man among those victims either." "What makes you so sure, Nat?" A shiver passed through her "Because X is just too good at this" Matt Craven looked back over his shoulder for the millionth time. He was back up on the streets he'd spent an hour wandering through the sewers and was pretty sure that he wasn't followed but to be sure he backtracked, took taxis and buses to be sure. Four hours later he found a phone booth and entered. Dropping a quarter into the slot he dialed a fifteen digit number that he knew by heart and waited. "Olson's antiques" a female voice answered "The word is Katana" he said breathlessly "Wait one checking" the pause lasted a second "codename" "Black Knight" "Confirmed" the voice called back "I need to speak to control" Matt told the woman while scanning the deserted area again The pause lasted almost a minute while a voice analyzer made sure that the caller was who he said he was then a new voice broke in "Control what is it?" he asked impatiently Craven immediately got down to business "The mission is off the wire, I'm on an unsecured phone listen. Unfriendly's were waiting at the drop, the recipient was broken" Control sat up behind his desk "How bad was the breakage" Remembering the slit throat of Navar, Matt spoke "Unrepairable" "Are you sure?" "Positive, I still have the package" he felt the diskette in his pocket Matt heard a sigh of relief on the other end "Find a place, then tomorrow night at midnight go to the Toronto Train station main terminal on the south side entrance buy a newspaper pay with the package" "Understood" "Are you hot black knight?" the voice asked nervously Craven stared into the night "Cool as a cucumber" he said hanging up the phone and disappeared into the night. Nick Knight walked into the morgue and found Natalie leaning over a corpse talking into a tape recorder. Nick stared at her for a moment certain feelings were being awakened in him, all of them pleasant, but all dangerous to this woman. With a smile playing on his face he walked up behind her and pinched her butt. Natalie jumped as if scalded by hot water turning she saw who it was "Nick you scared the shit outta me" placing a hand over her chest she could feel her heart jumping "One of these days your going to give me a heart attack." "Sorry Nat, you just looked so pinchable" Nick said with an innocent smile Regaining her composure, she smiled seductively "I'll take that as a compliment, Where's Tracy?" "She's checking with narcotics to see if maybe they know anything about the Hunter's moon massacre at the warehouse." "Hunter's moon Massacre?" with a smile playing on her lips Nick nodded ruefully "That's what the press is calling it" Natalie laughed "I'm sure Reese is loving that" With a lopsided smile on his lips Nick took off his rain coat laying on the table "Oh he was just singing and dancing when I left" tapping his chin for a moment "I think the verse goes something like 'find the whacko or I'll brain you' something like that" "So he is cheerful" Nick looked down at the body "Find out anything" Natalie nodded "Like I thought the bullets that killed this man and the other John Doe were both fired from the same Sig Sauer P-229 .40 caliber pistol. This one died instantly with the shot to the head and the other with two rounds in the chest. His left lung was hit and it filled with blood so in essence he choked on his own blood" Nodding Nick moved around the table studying the body "I checked with ballistics and they confirm your one man theory." Nick stared at the body pensively trying to figure out what kind of man could do this "Does this remind you of something?" Nat asked Nick shook his head "Nothing, I've met all kind of killers. Some did it for sport, some for pleasure, others for survival like I think this man did. But none of them other than a vampire were ever as good as this. I mean not only did he shoot both of these men but he did it in the dark from fifty feet while they pumped hundreds of rounds around him. No this is a specialist, a professional" Nat shivered again "What about the bombs?" Nick snorted in disgust "That is another thing, apparently there is nothing left of them. X just made them big enough to blow a small hole in the gas tank and send a small ball of fire into the tank, he let the gas explosion do the work for him. The bomb techs want us to find him so that he can teach them how to make them that small so that they can blow locks without damaging the door. He's so good that they can't even tell what the bombs were made of." Natalie recognized the signs Nick was giving "What's wrong Nick?" Leaning back on the table Nick tried to find words for the feelings that this case were arousing "If this guy is in such trouble, why not come to us. Someone out there wants this guy dead in the worst way to send at least nine and probably a lot more after him. They have bullets from at least seventeen weapons. If this guy is still out there it's only a matter of time before some innocent bystander becomes the next victim" "You'll catch him Nick" Natalie tried to reassure him Disgustedly Nick slammed a fist into his hand "And what arrest him for self defense? No jury in the world is going to convict a guy for protecting himself against seventeen people trying to kill him, even if he did come out on top." Natalie took off her green scrubs and picked up her purse "Come on Nick take me to get something to eat. Let's get our minds off of this just for an hour okay?" It took some coaxing but Natalie got her wish "By the way how is Tracy feeling?" Nick held the coat for Natalie as she put it on "Great, no headaches nothing, the doctor removed the bandage this morning." Pausing for a moment Nick took a breath and continued "By the way I told her" he said nonchalantly "Told her what Nick?" Natalie put the bag on her shoulder and stopped "You mean you told her about yourself. Why Nick?" "The dream Natalie, when I saw her shot and dying she was more hurt by my not telling her than from the wounds" Natalie nodded remembering how she felt when Nick described how he held his partner while she lay dying "How did she take it?" Nick smiled "She is very happy about the trust that I have given her and has promised that she will never betray it." As they left Nick took one more look at the body on the slab. Shaking his head at Natalie he said "Hunter's Moon Massacre." He snorted "What?" Natalie asked staring at Nick's expression "I'm just wondering who is the hunter and who is the prey." Matt Craven entered the terminal building, even at this hour of the night there were a lot of people still around waiting for trains. Craven watched dispassionately as a young woman cried on the shoulder of a young marine not wanting him to go. Passing by them Craven headed towards the south side entrance his eyes roving from side to side judging and measuring all those around him, just in case they became a threat. Before finding a place for the night, he had come here the night before and memorized the lay out of the building then spent the rest of the night memorizing the streets and alleyways around the area. There would not be a repeat of last nights fiasco. Craven dressed in a long black coat and wearing a fedora adjusted his dark glasses as he slowly walked towards his destination scanning faces as he moved, weapons at the ready if needed. His only wish was that the place had been empty so that he would not have to worry about civilian casualties if something went wrong, and he hoped for their sakes that nothing would go wrong. As he approached the newsstand he saw the night man selling his magazines to people waiting for their trains and stopped immediately watching the young man that was selling his wares. This was a different man. Last night he struck up a conversation with the lonely vendor, a nice old duffer who was ex-C.I.A.. "So I guess you saw a lot of action being a spy and all" Matt had said in awe The old timer had laughed "Nah I worked in research not much action there. Mind you sometimes I was asked to pick up a package here and there, but that was a long time ago. Now I'm here five nights a week from eleven to seven, never been sick a day in my life" the old timer had knocked on wood. "I hope your all right old timer" Craven said to himself as he turned to walk away thinking "Why would they change the recipient, who better than an old man who was ex-agency and would be thrilled by the prospect of doing one last job for the agency." Looking over his shoulder Craven noted that a dozen large men and at least three women were now following him and picking up speed. Turning he started to walk faster when suddenly the first shot rang out. Dropping to one knee Craven rolled along the floor to a pillar standing up he pulled out his gun and chanced a look around his shield suddenly the entire pillar erupted with flying marble chips as the assassins unloaded their weapons into it. Everywhere people were down on the ground shielding their loved ones and trying desperately to make themselves unnoticed. One woman, the one who had been with the marine started to get up into the line of fire when Craven grabbed her and pulled her behind the safety of the pillar. "Stay down before you get yourself killed" he told the sobbing woman There were five women he noted now all brandishing automatic weapons. Reaching into his coat he pulled out his "hockey puck" a small black disk that was the same size and shape as a hockey puck. Looking at the young woman "Cover your ears and when I run away you stay down I'll lead them away do you understand." "Yes" the frightened woman told him putting her hands over her ears Pressing the button on the device he rolled it towards the assembled killers who saw what was coming their way and tried to get out of its way. The sonic boom was deafening to everyone except for Craven who had put on ear plugs. Turning from the pillar he saw that the "sonic boom" as he liked to call his little invention had done its work again. Those of the assassins that were closest to the explosion had blood coming from their ears from ruptured ear drums while the others were disoriented, these are the ones that Craven picked. Firing his gun precisely ten times he watched as he put two rounds in each of the five assassins he thought were the most dangerous and he watched as they went down. Rising to his feet he took off running down the terminal as the other assassins struggled to their feet to give chase. Craven dived out the doors of the terminal and out onto the street as more automatic fire came after him. He hit the street hard and rolled to avoid the shots, he saw a young black boy of eighteen who should have been home in bed, was instead standing in shock behind him another woman held the young boy around the throat and pulled a gun. Craven didn't even hesitate raising his gun he shot the woman leaving the boy standing slack jawed. Craven grabbed the boy and jumped over a parked car landing painfully on the other side rising up he reloaded his gun so he could have a full clip waiting for them. The doors burst open and five more would be killers came out. They never had a chance. After it was done Craven yelled at the boy "Get outta here" and pushed the boy away and ran in the opposite direction. Captain Reese slammed the phone down and rushed out of his office "Knight, Vetter our boy struck again" he yelled as he put his coat on. Nick and Tracy grabbed their coats "Where" Nick yelled "The metro train main station" Reese told them and then realized with a shock "My son is there seeing for my wife to go to her sister's. Come on lets move" he told them with renewed vigor, worried about his family The train station was in pandemonium as police and medical personnel tried to calm hysterical commuters. A beautiful dark haired young woman was being placed on a stretcher, Nick would have felt sorry for her if not for the fact that she was wearing an empty shoulder holster. Whatever had happened here this young woman was definitely a part of it. Crossing over to the paramedics Nick asked about her condition. The paramedic rubbed his jaw "Well she took a round in the shoulder but when she was thrown back by the impact she smashed her head into the hydrant over there" the man pointed As Nick looked at the hydrant he could see the blood and hairs still sticking on it, boy she had hit that thing really hard. "Is she going to make it?" he asked The paramedic shrugged "The shoulder wound doesn't look to bad, but with that head wound. I think her skull is cracked or damn near it. The doctor can tell you better than us, sorry detective but we gotta get her out of here." the paramedic told him anxious to be off. Nick nodded as he helped push the gurney into the ambulance "Tell security to post a guard on her, until I can get some men down there." "Will do" the paramedic called over his shoulder as he waved good bye." Turning Nick went inside where he found Reese and Tracy with a hysterical young woman trying to get some coherent answers from her. "They just pulled out machine guns and started shooting" the young woman named Phylis Carney cried wishing that her marine boyfriend was there with her. "Then this guy in black told me to stay put that he would lead them away and he did then there was this loud explosion Tracy tried to comfort the young woman "Did you get a look at him, I mean the man who shot these people" Phylis looked up and said nothing for a couple of heart beats "No" the woman lied to protect her savior "I had my head down with my hands over my ears and it happened so fast" Nick listened to the woman and heard her heartbeat soar way up "She's lying for the guy" he thought "She's protecting him" Reese stood by and listened to the woman with one ear while he searched the rest of the station for his son. "DAD!" a young voice called out "Danny!" Reese called back and ran to meet his son "Are you all right son" "Yeah dad, I'm okay. Thanks to the dark man." The tall youth told him still breathing hard "The darkman?" Reese asked in confusion "What do you mean son" The young man sat down on the bench with his father adrenaline still pumping hard in the youth it was hard to get him to sit still, Tracy and Nick came over to listen. "I had just seen mom off on her train and I was just outside the door when this woman grabbed me and put a gun to my head. She said if I moved she would kill me. I told her my money was in my wallet but she just laughed and said that she didn't want money she wanted a shield." "Dear god" Reese gasped hugging his son harder around the shoulder. Almost as if in awe Danny Reese continued "Then the doors burst open and the darkman came out. I could see that there were a bunch of guys chasing him all shooting not caring who they shot at. That's how I could tell that they weren't cops, cops wouldn't shoot indiscriminately like that. So anyway the darkman hits the concrete and rolls up on one knee and takes one look at me and the woman and shoots her down, BLAM, no hesitation. Then he grabs me and jumps over the hood of a car drops his clip and reloads and waits, telling me to stay down. Then a second later I hear machine gun fire and I can feel the car taking hits and the darkman drops them one shot a piece. I never saw anything like that then he grabs me and tells me to run before more of them show up so I did. Then I waited till the darkman was gone and so were the guys that were chasing him and came back to wait for you." Pausing the boy scratches his head "Dad there is one thing that is weird" "What's that son" Reese asked horrified at what his son had just told them "Well" Standing up Danny Reese pointed down the street "The easiest and fastest way for a get away is to run up main street just get lost in the crowd, but the darkman ran down Fulton street which is blocked up by construction why?" Nick answered the question for him, as he started to get a feel for the type of man that they were after. "There are no people on Fulton at this hour, while on main things are still going on with lots of people. He led them away from that" wondering why the man would do that. Tracy looked up from her notes "Danny why do you call him the darkman?" "That's how he was dressed" the boy shrugged "all in black, black hat, black jacket pants shirt he even had sunglasses on" "Could you see his face son?" Reese asked "No, it happened to fast, but I do have his finger prints" the boy said proudly "What!?" asked Knight amazed that the young man had kept his wits about him while everything was going on Reaching into his pocket Danny pulled out a wadded piece of tissue "I was real careful when I picked it up, the darkman didn't notice." unwrapping the tissue Danny held up a clip still loaded with rounds of ammunition. Taking it carefully Nick turned it over in his hands "Yup this is a clip from a Sig Sauer P- 229" "Get that to forensics and let's catch this creep" Reese announced Danny jumped up "Dad he saved my life!" "Son we can't have this guy shooting people down I'm sure that some of those dead inside were killed by him." Danny shook his head "Wanna bet dad, the darkman is too good" "Olson's antiques" the cheerful woman's voice announced "The word is Katana" "I'm sorry sir we don't carry Japanese weapons" the voice announced and hung up Slack jawed Matt Craven hung up the phone "I've been disowned" he whispered "Sir, Black Knight just tried to call in" "Did you do as instructed" Control asked into the phone "Yes sir" "That will be all Miss Reynolds" Control replaced the phone and turned to his guest "Our people missed again sir" Justin Wainright sat up pulling the giant cigar from his mouth "Damn-it, can't your people do anything right. He is just one man after all" Control sat up straight "He is one of the best sir, that is why we always gave him the suicide jobs and he always came back." Wainright stood to his full height of six foot five three hundred and fifty pounds "Black Knight can't be allowed to retire" Control shook his head in confusion staring at the man in front of him "Why not sir? He has done his duty, why not just let him fade out of sight?" he as confused "Yours is not to reason why, Control" Wainright wheezed "Yours is to eliminate Black Knight with extreme prejudice. Did you plant the phony bio for the Canadian police?" Control nodded and hoped to god that the cops could read beyond the printed word "Yes sir they just need to get his fingerprints or a photograph and they will set off all sorts of bells and whistles. They will shoot on sight and ask questions later." Wainright smiled "By that time it will be too late" Control had to ask again "But why sir, Black Knight is one of the most loyal agents we've ever had." Wainright pretended not to even hear and walked out of the room Control sat back at his desk and loosened his tie, fixing himself a quick drink he paused then held up his glass "Good luck Matt" he said then drank. "We got him" Tracy announced to Knight and the Captain as she walked into the captain's office. Putting a file in front of each man Tracy opened her own and read. "The prints we found on the clip belong to one, Matthew Sullivan Craven, age thirty years old. We even have a picture." Nick read over his copy of the file "Armed robbery, arson, blackmail, fraud, assault, assault with intent, five counts of aggravated rape, twelve counts of murder and suspected in another twenty. Broke out of Darkmoor Asylum for the criminally insane." Reese continued "Former CIA, former Army ranger, no wonder he is so good. This guy is a trained psycho" Tracy nodded "I just got off the phone with the central intelligence agency. Those men he killed at the warehouse and at the train station were their agents trying to take him back to prison. The woman that was injured is alive but in intensive care and in a coma. She won't be telling us anything until she comes out of it." Tracy shrugged apologetically Throwing the file down on his desk "Of course the agency didn't bother to tell us that one of their loonies was running around our neck of the woods." Reese yelled "Well the agency is asking for our cooperation now, they are sending two of their agents here to coordinate with us to stop this guy" Tracy finished Nick grunted throwing down his own file "I don't like this cap" "Don' t like what Nick?" Reese had come to respect the insights of his detective Nick struggled to try to get the right words to express his idea "It doesn't fit, it's too much. This guy does four years as an army ranger gets an honorable discharge, then gets a job with the agency and has an exemplary record, then suddenly in the last three years he loses it and has a record like this what did he do, commit a crime a day?" Nick slammed a hand on the file "The evidence from the warehouse all points to the fact that this guy Craven walked into a trap. Not to take him back to the asylum, instead they fire a total of 117 rounds of ammunition at him, what were those just warning shots?" Nick asked incredulously "Every witness at the train station all say that the first sign of trouble came from shots being fired by a large force toting machine guns now they turn out to be C.I.A agents. He pulls one woman out of the line of fire and tells her to keep down that he would lead them away from her also she's lying, that woman knew exactly what this guy Craven looked like and decided not to tell us. You heard Danny this guy saved his life, also, he even avoided crowded streets so no innocent bystanders get hurt, does that sound like some kind of lunatic to you." "No it doesn't" A voice called from behind them they all turned around and saw him "The dark man" Tracy said softly staring at the figure in black at the door The black knight smiled "Matthew Craven actually, and I am here to turn myself in" walking into Reese's office Craven pulled his gun and placed it on the desk. "It's not loaded" he said as he placed several clips on the table as well. Reaching into various pockets Craven unloaded his personal armory on to the desk. Then pulling out his I.D. he handed it to Reese. "If you will please note that this says that I am an active agent for the CIA." Crossing to a seat by Tracy he fell into it gratefully "Do you mind if I sit, I've had a hell of a night." Painfully Craven adjusted himself until he sat comfortably and smiled at Tracy. Reese stood up picking up the gun that the man had laid on the desk and made sure that it was indeed unloaded "Knight read him his rights and then let's find out what the hell is going on here" An hour later Natalie walked into the precinct with the autopsy reports. Finding that neither Nick or Tracy were around she went to see Reese who also wasn't in. "Where is everyone?" she called out looking from face to face One officer looked up "If your looking for detective Knight he's in interrogation room three" Nodding Natalie made her way over to the interrogation rooms and saw Reese standing by the one way glass. "Captain I have the autopsy reports, all the bad guys were killed by Sig Sauer rounds" she began then stopped. Reese held a finger to his lips. Natalie looked into the room and saw Nick and Tracy sitting with a man completely dressed in black. "Is that him?" Natalie asked her curiosity peaked, "so this is the man that is so dangerous" she thought to herself. "Yeah, he turned himself in about an hour ago" Reese explained as he continued to listen Natalie listened as Nick spoke "Your name is Matthew Craven" "Yes" "You were born on May the 27th 1969" "Yes" "You served in the U.S. army as a ranger" "No" "But you do work for the central intelligence agency" "Yes" "What are you doing in Canada" Tracy asked "I am on a mission" "What is that mission" Nick asked "I'm sorry but I cannot divulge that information" "Can you tell us what happened at the warehouse and at the train terminal" "I was supposed to meet a contact at both locations. However when I arrived at each location I was met by people carrying automatic weapons and they opened fire on me. I returned fire and then ran away, something is going on here that I don't understand." "What do you mean by that" Tracy asked Craven sighed in exasperation "Listen peaches in the last two days I've had to kill a lot of people and I have not one idea as to why. Something has gone wrong, I have been disowned by the agency, they put out a bogus report on me." Craven stopped short then slammed his hand on the table "Mother fucker, it's a round robin, they want me dead" "Who wants you dead, Mr. Craven" Tracy asked "Haven't you been listening peaches" Matt told her angrily Tracy winced "My name is detective Vetter not peaches" Craven stood up painfully "Whatever peaches, look I'll explain it slowly so that even you can understand it. You want an agent dead, so you send him out to do a bogus mission. They purposely tell you what a breeze the job is going to be so that you relax your guard. Then you walk into a room and bang they blow you full of holes fill your pockets with drugs and there you have it a drug deal gone bad." "Obviously you didn't lower your guard" Nick noted as he studied the young man who paced the room nervous and angry. Craven laughed and stopped pacing "With less than two weeks left on the job, would you take it easy detective or would you be extra careful. Anyway I always figure if they send you out to hunt rabbits be loaded up to fight tigers." "Why?" asked Tracy "Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it peaches" "Stop calling me peaches" Tracy snarled "Whatever, can I use a phone" Craven asked tiredly wanting only to lie down for awhile, his head beginning to throb. "Who are you going to call" Tracy asked staring at the man with an intense loathing. "The agency" Standing up Nick walked over to the door "I'll check with the Captain, can I get you anything?" "Yeah, a doctor" Matt shifted uncomfortably "Are you hurt?" Tracy asked not really caring "Yeah peaches" opening his jacket Tracy sees the blood "I caught a bullet at the train station" Nick nodded and hurried out to where Reese and Natalie were waiting. "Nat great your here could you take a look at his wound" Natalie nodded "Could you get someone to get my bag from my car?" "Sure I'll grab it and be right in" When Natalie went in Reese turned to Knight "What do you think" "I think he's scared, and doesn't like the feeling." Nick turned to look as Natalie introduced herself to Craven "I believe him Cap, like I said before I didn't like that bio the agency sent us." Reese nodded in agreement "Once you mentioned it, it did sound a bit much. So what do we do with Craven." he asked Nick had thought about it during interrogation "We handle it like we would any other material witness. Put him into protective custody till we find out what the hell is going on." "We'll learn more once those two agency people show up" Reese pointed out as they headed out towards the bull pen Nick nodded in agreement "what about the phone call" Nick asked Reese thought about it for a moment "Let him use it as long as we listen in on the conversation." Nick nodded and left to get Natalie's bag "Mr. Craven, I'm doctor Natalie Lambert" Natalie stared into the dark glasses and found herself completely intimidated. "Doctor" Matt nodded his expression never changing, it seemed to Natalie as if she was staring at one of her usual customers totally cold and lifeless, which made her even more nervous. Trying to regain control of the situation she decided to ignore everything else but the wound itself "I understand you've been injured, just so you know I am not a regular doctor. I'm the medical examiner but I will do what I can. Can you take off your coat and shirt. Matt nodded and stood painfully "I hope you are a medical examiner by choice and not because you couldn't keep your grades up." he told trying to hide his pain through jokes Removing his coat Natalie and Tracy watched as he painfully tried to get the shirt off they both gasped at the sight of his bruised and battered body. Large purple welts covered his arms and back and shoulders. Noting their reactions Matt shrugged "I've had a rough couple of days" he told them as Natalie began to inspect them also seeing the remains of several scars, this man had been through a lot. Nick reentered the room with the bag and also saw the bruises and the remains of several old scars that covered Craven's upper torso. Cleaning the wound and inspecting it "It's a through and through" Natalie commented "The bleeding has stopped which means there is no major damage to any vital organs. I'll just finish cleaning it out and give you something for the pain and stitch you up. You should be as good as new in a couple of days." Matt nodded having guessed as much "Good, no pain killers though" Tracy couldn't resist prodding the man a little to Nick's obvious displeasure "You a pain freak, Craven" Staring at Tracy dead panned he told her "Pain is a valuable lesson peaches, it teaches you to never make the same mistake again" Later Matt sat at Nicks desk and picked up the phone as did Tracy and Nick. Dialing the phone number Craven waited. "Olson's antiques" the voice announced confusing both detectives "The word is saber" he said suddenly gripping the receiver tighter "Wait one" the pause lasted a second "Code name" "Black Knight" Craven's voice dropped several degrees, Natalie shivered as she listened "Confirmed, Message" the voice asked "To Control, I told you two years ago what I would do to you if you ever betrayed me again. Obviously you thought I was kidding, you made a big mistake sending ME on a round robin. Because the hunted now becomes the hunter and when I get back to Washington you had better be on the other side of the world and dead. Then maybe just maybe you'll be safe from me." Craven finished hanging up the phone and turned to Nick "What now detective" he asked. Nick hung up the phone "Did you have to threaten this control" "Yes" Matt told him simply Tracy shook her head in disgust "What do we do with him?" "We put him into protective custody till we find out what is going on. We'll need a safe house" Craven nodded at the soundness of the plan "I know just the place, I've used it before and the agency doesn't know a thing about it. We have to make one stop first." "What for" asked Nick donning his jacket "I have to pick up a package" he said standing, nodding to Natalie "Thanks for the patch job doc. Let's go Peaches" "Stop calling me that" Tracy yelled at Craven's back "Whatever" he said completely ignoring her anger Getting into the car and getting directions from Craven the trio were off. Tracy looked back at Craven in the back seat. The man seemed to be asleep, his face was completely immobile and facing straight ahead. However the dark glasses prevented her from seeing his eyes to know if they were actually closed or not. "What kind of man are you?" Tracy thought to herself, seeing that he is an attractive man. In other circumstances, well who knows. "I'm the kind of man who does whatever it takes to get the job done, peaches" he told her still never moving from his position "What" Tracy asked completely surprised that her unasked question was answered Craven sat up straighter "That is what you were thinking isn't. I could tell by the way you were staring at me." Nick looked over his shoulder "Craven, back at the station when you were on the phone you said, 'I told you what would happen if you betrayed me again'. What did you mean, have they tried to kill you before." "No" sighing Craven lifts his sunglasses to rub the bridge of his nose "five years ago I was on a mission in Bulgaria. I was to find a terrorist and terminate him, before I could accomplish my mission I was found out. I spent the next three years in a Bulgarian prison, in solitary, later when the agency got me out I found out that not only was the job a bogus one, but that they knew for three years exactly where I was and did nothing." Tracy turned "Three years in solitary? How could you work for them again?" "Because I trusted Control." he said bitterly "Now I trust no one." Changing the subject "That black kid at the train station is he all right?" Nick nodded "Danny you mean, yeah he's fine. He's Reese's son, I think that's why your going to a safe house and not a cell." Craven nodded leaning back in his seat "Good, the kid has guts, he stood his ground while all the shooting was going on. I'm glad he made it." Stopping at the hooker district Craven starts looking around. "I hope your package is not one of them." Tracy looked uncomfortable watching as the ladies strutted their stuff, some of them barely dressed at all. Stepping out of the car Craven approached one of the girls, a young blonde beauty wearing tight spandex pants and a zebra jacket. The girl turned and spotted Craven and made her way over to him and started to whisper in his ear rubbing her body against his. Tracy watched disgusted till she noticed that the girl slipped something into his pocket. "Yo bitch" a man called out, making the girl jump as the man grabbed her arm and wrenched her away from Craven's side. "Where the hell is my money" the pimp yelled in her face Placidly Craven tapped the man on the shoulder "I was talking to the young lady, if you will please excuse us." The large black man turned to look at Craven "What you want some pussy, then pay me motherfucker" "Let the young lady go" Craven spoke softly. By this time all of the hookers were looking at the strangely dressed man who was actually defending a whore. Nick and Tracy began to get out of the car. "I really don't need this now" Nick murmured "Listen motherfucker this bitch is my hoe" the man snarled pulling a switchblade knife. Craven struck. Slamming his hand in the pimps throat, as the man fell to his knees and gasped for air Craven knelt by him. Grabbing the man by the hair he picked up the fallen switchblade knife and placed it to the pimps throat hard enough to draw blood "That was just a warning, this young lady has my card and so do all of the girls in this district. If you hurt anyone of them, they will call and I will come back and kill you do you understand." The man on the ground wheezed as all of the women in the area applauded. "Say it" "I understand" the man gasped painfully through his mangled throat, it would take three days for the soreness to go away. "Good" Standing back up he turned to face the girl "Do you want to get out of this life" Craven asked the frightened girl. The girl nodded not exactly sure of whom she should be more frighten of. Reaching into his pocket Craven pulled out a card "Call this number tell them the man who wears sunglasses at night sent you. They will take care of you." Getting out a stack of cards he passed it to some of the other girls "If he hurts any of you call this number and leave a message, sooner or later I'll get it and him." then bowing to them "Good evening ladies." The frighten girl kissed Craven on the cheek "Thank you" "You did me a service, the least I could do is repay you for it" Craven told her handing her a wad of hundred dollar bills. Turning Craven walked back to the Cadillac and got back in as if nothing had happened. One of the older women came to the side of the car shaking her head. "Why?" she asked in confusion "Why would you risk your life for a whore?" Craven turned his head to look at her his face still immobile "We creatures of the night have to stick together. Good evening." Craven turned back and completely ignored his surroundings. As they drove off Tracy turned to him in wonder "Would you really come back and kill that guy." Craven said nothing continuing to stare into space and Tracy shivered because she knew the answer was yes. Reaching into his pocket Matt retrieved the diskette that he left with the girl and inspected it, and found that it had not been tampered with in any way. Smiling he put it back into his pocket. Fifteen minutes later they arrived at the second address that Craven had given them. "This is my building" Tracy told Craven surprised Craven actually looked surprised as well "Really, then I have a growing respect for you peaches. This building is perfect for a safehouse. There are nine separate exits and five more if you know where to look, it's centrally located in town. It also has surveillance cameras that I have tapped into and can monitor anyone coming or going from all nine exits. All of the doors are made of reinforced steel which makes them hard to open in a hurry without a key. And best of all I own it." "You own my building" Tracy asked staring at the man shocked "You mean I pay my rent to you?" "Well I own thirty-three and a third percent of it, not under my name of course." Craven explained "Technically speaking it belongs to the renaissance corporation, but a couple of friends and I are the corporation." Going inside the three make their way over to the elevators getting on Craven suddenly tenses up. With his vampire hearing Nick hears Craven's heart begin to beat faster and breathe a fraction quicker. "What's the matter Craven?" he asked worriedly Looking around the small elevator that barely held the three of them abreast "I spent three years in a box just like this. Let's just say that elevators bring back some bad memories for me." he said with a shiver, the first real emotion that they had ever seen from this enigmatic man. Tracy stared at the man and saw someone completely different from the man who came into the precinct just a couple of hours earlier. Unsure of what to say to the man Tracy decided on the obvious. "Do you always wear sunglasses" "Yes" Craven told her closing the subject The elevator stopped at the top floor and they stepped out. The top floor unlike the rest was split into three apartments that took up the entire floor. Cut pile carpeting stretched out before them. Tracy looked around obviously the three partners had spared no expense on their own apartments she decided. Moving to his right Craven pulled a key from his pocket as he approached the last door and unlocked it. "I don't get out here often" he admitted "Although I was thinking of moving out here permanently after I retired from the agency." Going inside Craven switched on the lights as he went. Nick nodded with approval at the furnishings, while not a whole lot of it, it was of very good quality and very expensive, the agency must pay well Nick thought. Craven went into open spaces which made the large apartment look cavernous leading them through the apartment and into another room which was done completely in white with white matting on the ground. Oriental weapons of all sorts were neatly arranged along the walls, some immediately recognizable to Nick others just nasty looking Craven motioned "My gym" pausing he took off his shoes. "Please remove your shoes before entering my dojo." As they went in Craven paused before a picture that hung on the wall depicting an old man with stern features. Craven bowed reverently before the picture and continued on to the back wall. "Where are we going Craven" Tracy asked tired of the games "To my safe house" Craven told her as he turned a pair of nunchucks that were bolted into the wall. Suddenly a door appeared where there was once only a wall. "Please step inside." he told the two surprised detectives This elevator was smaller than the other one but obviously it was meant only for Craven's personal use. Matt noted with amusement the reactions of the two detectives. "When we originally drew up the designs for this building the service elevators were going to be on this side." he explained "Then the architect pointed out that the cellar would have to be opened another fifty feet to allow for access which meant knocking down two walls that were already put up. Instead we decided to move the elevator bank to its present location, but the contractor had already built this elevator bank, he was quite put out. I wasn't, it was what I had purposely planned. After the building was finished I hired another set of contractors to build this elevator there are only two stops, the entrance from my apartment and into the sub basement it is separated from the rest of the basement by two walls of solid concrete blocks and it is completely sound proof." as the doors opened Craven finished "This is my fortress of solitude." Tracy giggled "What are you superman now" Craven chuckled "No, but like superman, I needed a place where no one could find me. Where I was free to be myself and not the man everyone expects me to be, cold and unfeeling. This is my true nature, and I hope that the two of you will respect that and not betray this confidence. You detective Knight and you peaches are the only two people other than myself that has ever been down here. Not even my partners who are closer to me than family have ever been here. "Why not" Tracy asked looking around the room that was bright and beautifully furnished in period pieces, paintings hung at different intervals in no particular order of style. He paused to think about it "Fear that they might not understand, fear of ridicule." Craven shook his head "God I must be losing it, I've never explained myself to anyone." Moving to a closed door Craven turns to them once again. "Feel free to go anywhere, there are more bedrooms down the hall and to the left. I'm going to try and get some sleep, so I can think straight. Oh there is no food down here, I wasn't expecting to come here but if you go upstairs I think there is some stuff in the fridge up there. Good night." Craven told them as he closed the door behind him. Tracy started towards the door "Craven there are a lot of questions that you still need to answer." Nick pulled his partner back "Let him get some rest Tracy, by the look of him he hasn't slept in a couple of days. Besides he was shot a few hours ago, there will be plenty of time, Peaches." Nick couldn't resist prodding his partner Tracy turned venomously on him and saw he was trying not to laugh out loud "If you call me that again I swear I'll steak you myself." then smiling herself "okay partner let's look around and get the lay out of this place." Moving around they noted many antiques, vases paintings and the like, Tracy picked up a vase and turned it in her hands. "This is beautiful." she said and replaced it back onto the pedestal Looking at it Nick nodded "Ming dynasty, if I am not mistaken." Continuing to look around Nick had to nod his approval "I like it, at least I won't have to worry about sunlight down here." Opening another door Tracy went in "What about food Nick." "I have some of Natalie's protein packets they'll do for awhile" Tracy shook her head "I meant for me I'm starving." She told him as she wandered into another room. Nick was looking at a painting on the wall and trying to decide if it was a real Klee or not when he heard Tracy calling him. Going into the room Nick saw that it was a library. Literally thousands of books were everywhere, on shelves, tables, chairs. Indeed anywhere there was a place to put a stack of books there were books. "Likes to read obviously" Picking up a book Nick glanced at the title "How to make a cabinet" Picking up another "How to sculpt wood, How to repair VCR's" Tracy was frowning as she went through book after book "Most of these are 'how to' books, what do you make of it Nick." Nick shook his head "I don't know, maybe he likes fixing things" Nick finished with a shrug Tracy put the books down "Nick, do you realize that we haven't seen one picture, not one of anybody. No mother or father, girlfriend nothing." Lifting a cover off of an easel that stood alone in the corner "That's not quite true, look at this Tracy, what do you make of this" Circling around Tracy looked at the picture. Painting actually, of a naked man cringing in the corner, his body marked and scarred by many battles, a circle of light surrounded him a broken sword laid at his feet, but it almost seemed that the shadows were moving in on him. Tracy was moved by it. "Loneliness, a man trying desperately to stay in the light of day while the shadows move in on him. It's beautiful, what is it called." "I don't know Tracy, it looks to me like Craven painted this one himself." Touching the paint "feels like its only a couple of months old. Tracy look at the mans back, the scars, they are in the same places that Craven has his. I think that this is a self portrait, this is how he sees himself." Nick shook his head "I wish Natalie was here so that she could look at this. She is very good at finding meaning in paintings. Actually it's quite frightening" he said as he replaced the tarp Tracy shrugged "So call her and tell her to come over, bring you some clothes and some food I'm starving." Tracy held out a hand when she saw Nick start to protest "Natalie has to look at his wounds anyway, she said so tonight" Nick looked around "We'll wait until Craven wakes up and put it up to him. "Seeing the exasperation on the young woman's face "He asked us to keep this place secret for him, we'll wait and ask him. You had better go upstairs if your hungry, then I suggest you get some rest, it's going to be a long day tomorrow." Pulling out his cell phone "I'll call the captain and let him know were all right" Nick opened the elevator door for Natalie into Craven's private sanctum. Getting Craven to allow the doctor to see him again was like pulling teeth but finally agreed. Nick held the packages as Natalie looked around. "Whew this guy has money and sure knows how to spend it" Natalie commented as she saw the obviously expensive antiques. Hearing the new voice Tracy came out of the library and rushed over to grab the rest of the supplies. "Thank god you bought some food. I'm starving" Tracy moaned looking through the bag, finding an apple she quickly munches on it. "Kitchen is this way" Tracy mouthed around the apple. As they stowed the groceries away Natalie bought out a dark green bottle and handed it to Nick "Not to much this is the only one I bought, and I bought you some more protein packets." Nick forced a smile on his face as he accepted the packets "Oh good, I was afraid you might have forgotten" opening the bottle Nick took a long swig then recorked the bottle feeling better. "Where's Craven" Natalie asked gathering her medical bag "In the shower" Tracy told her "Nick did you tell her about the painting?" "What painting?" Natalie asked as she put away the last of the groceries Moving over to the library again Nick lifts the tarp and lets Natalie take a look. Placing a hand over her heart "Oh, it's magnificent" Nick looked on as Natalie peered intently at the painting "What do you think Nat?" Natalie studied the painting intently, being sure that she didn't miss a brush stroke "A man who has fallen from grace, a strong man who has lost his way. This is a portrait of a man's soul, The man here represents a person's conscious the dark is the evil that is in us all. The man has spent his life fighting back the darkness and now he has fallen and it is consuming him. Rage, hatred, shame and alone. Who painted this?" "I did" they heard making them all jump. Turning they saw Craven standing there in pants and a loose fitting robe, and of course sunglasses. Moving by their side Craven studied the picture and spoke gently. "One day I looked into the mirror and this is what I saw. Do you like it?" he asked, to Nick it sounded almost like a plea for understanding. Natalie nodded vigorously "Oh yes it is beautiful, well that's not the right word. Powerful, yes that is a better word." Lifting it off the easel Craven made his way to the paints that sat in the corner. Lifting up a thin brush he quickly signed the painting. "It's yours" he said simply handing it to Natalie Natalie was shocked by the man's generosity "I couldn't accept it, I mean why would you give it away. You could sell this for quite a lot of money." Craven shrugged "You like it, and I owe you for taking care of my wounds." Looking at her new gift and wondering where to hang it in her apartment she asked "What do you call it." "The fall of the Black Knight" Natalie stared at him curiously "What is the story behind the picture then, you are the Black Knight. How did you fall." Craven shook his head "It's a long and tedious story, you wouldn't be interested in hearing it nor would I be to tell it." Moving over to a stool Craven sat and removed the robe "Could we get on with the examination." Tracy winced again seeing the purple welts that covered Craven's torso. Natalie noted the reaction. "Could you guys wait outside while I do this" Tracy and Nick nodded and turned and left the room Turning back to her patient Natalie touched the bruised portions of his body and Craven jumped slightly biting his lip. "This might hurt a little" Natalie told him as she pulled away the bloodied bandage to clean the wound and redress it Craven twitched "It did" Shaking her head "How do you stand the pain?" Natalie finally had to ask The dark lenses came up to her "I've felt worse, besides when you feel pain you know you're alive." Natalie suddenly felt sorry for a man who needed to feel pain just to know that he was alive. Shaking her head she got back to the matter at hand, the rest could wait "Just one more thing I have to check" Natalie told him reaching into the bag "Open your mouth, I want to see if your coming down with an infection" she told him as she peered down his throat and felt his glands. Without warning Natalie reached up and removed the sunglasses. Craven went berserk, swinging out violently he struck Natalie across the face. Hearing the commotion Nick flew into the room in the blink of an eye seeing Natalie on the floor bleeding and Craven swinging wildly he was on Craven in an instant and held him against the wall. Tracy knelt by Natalie who was trying to get up wiping the blood from her cut lip. Craven struggled in Nick's grasp with his eyes tightly shut. "My glasses, my glasses" Craven yelled over and over again "Nick let him go." Natalie told him rising and picking up the dark glasses "Now Nick can't you see, the light is hurting him." she said rushing back to Craven's side. Nick dropped Craven who immediately turned to face the wall covering his eyes with both hands slamming his head against the wall over and over again. Nick could hear the rapid almost frantic beating of Craven's heart. Natalie went over to Craven and put the glasses in his hands. Tracy was appalled how could the man hurt himself that way. Moving over to Nicks side who stood helpless. "What the hell was that all about?" Nick who stood in shock "I don't know Tracy" "Pills" Craven whispered as blood trickled from a cut his forehead "Cabinet in the bathroom." "I'll get them" Nick told Natalie and was gone in a flash and back just as quickly "I'm never going to get used to that" Tracy muttered Taking the bottle Natalie read the label "Thorozine, Matthew Craven take five when migraine is in effect." opening the bottle Natalie put the pills in Craven's hand. Quickly Craven swallowed the pills and sat back waiting for the pills to take affect. They all watched as Craven finally relaxed then succumbed to sleep. "Help me with him Nick" Natalie told him "Let's put him back into his bedroom, he's going to be out for a while with this much Thorozine in him." Tracy moaned "How long Natalie" she asked as Nick carried him back and put him in bed. "I don't know, but he just took enough Thorozine to drop an elephant. God the pain must be terrible" She whispered as she cleaned the small cut on Craven's forehead Nick couldn't stand it any longer "What the hell happened Natalie" Natalie shook her head "While I was giving him the physical I decided to take a look at his eyes just to be thorough. I didn't ask him if I could take them off I just reached up while he was distracted and pulled them off." Natalie shook her head at her own stupidity "I should have realized last night. Who wears sunglasses at night except a blind man or a man who can't look into the light." Bending down over Craven, Natalie examines the area around the eyes. "Here look at this" Moving by her side they both peer down at the area Natalie showed them "Surgical scars, very faint. Who ever did the surgery was very good. My guess is that some time ago Craven was in an accident which left him blind, not permanently. He needed surgery to regain his vision, now in some cases you have a one hundred percent recovery if you get immediate medical attention and surgery soon after. In this case I don't think he got medical attention and it was some time before he got surgery. "You mean he's blind or something" Tracy asked confused "No he probably has twenty-twenty vision, but the refractive part of his eye was damaged and so now light any kind of light will slam through and cause him excruciating pain, it's like what happens to you Nick when you come in contact with the sun. He probably didn't even mean to hit me, when I removed the sunglasses without warning it was like he was hit in the face by a million watt light bulb he swung out blindly. That's why he always wears the sunglasses. That's probably why the agency is retiring him what good is an agent who is day blind." Pulling out his cell phone Nick dials a number "Well were going to find out all we can about Mr. Craven. Hello Aristotle, Nick Knight" Pausing to listen Nick shakes his head "No I'm not ready to move on just yet, I need a favor. I need information that probably only you can get. It's from the CIA. Pausing he turns to the others "I think I made his day." Turning back to the phone "I need all the information that you can get on a man named Matthew Sullivan Craven code named Black Knight, Yes it is a coincidence. As soon as you possibly can. Thanks Aristotle I'll call you back tonight" Natalie picked up Craven's sunglasses and put them on and gasped. Taking them off she handed them to Nick "Try them on, it's incredible" Putting on the glasses Nick turns looking around "Turn off the lights" once they were off Nick continued to look around. "I can still see, night vision sunglasses. The light is very subdued though." "Craven probably sees fine in them, just enough light not to hurt him." Natalie told him "Let me see" Tracy said "Wow, now I can see how he survived the warehouse. He could see in the dark." "He probably already has incredible night vision since that is the only way he can see, I'll bet with an overcast night he can see perfectly well" looking down at Craven, Tracy brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes and replaced the sunglasses on his face. Going back into the library, Natalie idly picked through the books. A frown crossed her face as she saw all of the repair books, cook books and "How to" books. Tracy noticed the frown "Nick and I were wondering why he would have so many of these kinds of books. Not even a mystery among them so I could kill some time." Natalie shook her head "He's not reading these for pleasure." "What do you mean Nat?" Nick asked drawing on her sharp instincts into human nature Natalie was surprised that neither of the two detectives had seen it yet "Nick your dealing with a man that is only good at one thing, like you said he's a specialist. Now he's gong to be retired soon." Picking up the books at random "He's searching for something else to do, he'll try anything to get away from what he is now." "What a killer." Tracy asked only half joking, a man with Craven's skills could make a lot of money illegally. And already she knew that she didn't want to be the one that had to go out and catch him. Natalie shook her head "Lonely, nearly everyone of these careers deals with customer service in some form or another. I think he's been alone for a very long time and he is tired of it." Natalie moved over to the piano that sat in the opposite corner books stacked on top of it as well. Everything that she had seen so far pointed to one conclusion, Matthew Craven because of the nature of his work was a terribly lonely young man, driven in fact to build himself a sanctuary where he could hide from the people he worked for. Reaching out she pulled the sheet music and tried to make sense of it knowing that the music that a man plays is often a sign of how they are feeling at that particular moment. She had seen many times Nick play, when he was happy he played something upbeat to suit his mood. When he was depressed he would play sad music also to suit that particular mood, Natalie was pretty sure that Craven was the same. "Nick you play the piano, can you play this." she asked handing him the music "Sure why?" Nick asked sitting in front of the keys "Just testing a theory" Natalie told him Nick studied the music and began to play a haunting melody soft and sweet "That sounds very familiar" Tracy said aloud trying to remember the name of it "what's the name of it Nick" she finally asked him "There is none" Nick told her as he continued to play "But you are right it is familiar" Natalie knew that she was right "I know it, play it from the top Nick" As Nick started to play Natalie softly sang with it "When I was young I never needed anyone And making love was just for fun Those days are gone All by myself Don't want to be All by myself anymore" Aristotle sat in front of his computer typing away at the keys with a happy smile on his face. Breaking into the CIA computers, now that was a challenge worthy of his skills. The ancient vampire sat in his chair waiting for his modem to click on line. He had to admit that at times his job did tend to get boring, finding new homes for all the local vampires, coming up with backgrounds for them. It was rewarding work and also dangerous work if any mortal ever found out what he did down here, well he thought that's what the enforcers are for. Reaching out he retrieved his wine glass and drank and grimaced, I better go out tonight and get some human blood, this cow stuff is disgusting. Turning back to his computer he saw that everything was in readiness all of his computer viruses and phony trace signals were ready and in place for any watchdogs that were around in cyberspace. After thirty minutes of searching he finally tapped into the mainframe of the agency's computer he saw in delight all of the safe guards and complicated encryption codes that were in place. The ancient vampire grinned a toothy smile fangs extended. "Show me your jugular little lady" he said and began to type. Five hours later, with a smile still on his face, Aristotle finished erasing any signs of tampering in the agency mainframe when he noticed a video file that he'd almost passed over, slipping a blank CD ROM diskette he downloaded the video as well. As it downloaded he collected the pages that he had printed, Aristotle noted that there were well over a hundred pages of information. Picking up the first page he saw a picture of a woman holding a baby in her arms, confused he read the caption on the bottom. "Joyceln Travers and Matthew Travers a.k.a. Matthew Craven at six months" Mother and child Aristotle smiled, he had a soft spot for children. Their innocence their trusting natures brought him back to the time before he was bought across and the memory of his own children. The joy they had bought into his life, and the pain when they died. Shaking his head, no best not dwell. Picking up the second sheet Aristotle read. "Matthew Travers, born May 27th 1969 in Ontario General Hospital. Parents Joyceln and Matthew senior powerful political figures during the Vietnam war fought to allow draft dodgers from America to be allowed into Canada. Matthew Jr. kidnapped on June third 1971 just after his second birthday, massive search nationwide child never recovered. Matthew Craven appeared in New York City September 17th, 1973 aged four years old in front of St. Michael's church in Flushing, Queens. Turned over to Children's services same day, placed in several foster homes, with no memory of who he was only that his name was Matthew, was named after priest who found the young boy going through the trash looking for food." Aristotle shook his head, 'Poor boy' he thought and continued "Father Craven asked for permission to be foster parent to the orphaned boy and was denied. Placed in several homes over the next two years, Matthew Craven ran away from each. Bruises found on his body indicate child abuse, never proven. At age seven Matthew Craven placed with the Jone's family, cover name for project 'dream child'" Aristotle sat up reading the rest of the file. Skimming page after page he continued to read, anger mounting. "How could you do this to a child" he fumed slamming his fist through his computer screen. Regaining his composure, he picked up the phone and dialed Knight's number. "I have the information you requested" "I'll be there as soon as I can." Aristotle shook his head "Meet me at the Raven, I need a drink" As he hung up Aristotle hooked up another monitor to his computer and finished erasing his presence from the terminal. Gathering the papers he grabbed the video diskette and pocketed it as well. Tracy looked in on Craven once again, and came back into the library. "He seems fine to me, just sleeping it off." Natalie glanced at her watch "Where is Nick, he should have been back hours ago" "He'll be here" Tracy told her picking up a book 'How to remodel your kitchen' and finding her place Soon both women heard the tell tale sounds of the elevator descending. Tracy pulled her gun just in case it wasn't Knight. The doors opened and Nick entered the room, Tracy let out her breath and put her gun away. "Nick what took you so long" Natalie asked worriedly "Aristotle insisted on telling me how he broke into the agency computer" Nick sighed then opening a brief case he pulled out a thick sheaf of papers. "Bingo, Aristotle got every detail of Craven's life" Nick smiled and sat opening the file looking at the first picture Nick passed it over to Tracy who passed it over to Natalie. "Matthew Travers" Tracy frowned "I know that name he's a friend of my fathers, he is a judge now, and his wife is in congress, their daughter Nancy and I went to school together, she works for the crown prosecutors office." Reading the file Nick frowned as he read, passing the second page over to Tracy he continued to read the life story of a man. Tracy placed a hand over her mouth as she read page after page, soon getting up she left the room unable to take anymore. Nick looked after her with a worried expression on his face. "She'll be fine Nick, she just needs some time alone" Turning to the next page Natalie asked "Can this all be true?" Nick shook his head amazed at what Craven had actually done in his life "No wonder they want him dead, could you imagine what would happen if he were ever to tell this story. How many careers would be ruined, how many indictments would be handed down." Nick muttered then sat up as Tracy reentered the room eyes dry and emotions under control she sat back down and picked up from where she had left off. "Here it is" Nick slapped the page sitting up "What" Natalie asked leaning forward to look on "Bulgaria 1992, captured by Bulgarian secret police. After initial interview was taken to a doctor Stepovich and was tortured for seven weeks the results of which were negative, Black Knight never broke like we intended him to. Next according to sources placed in the prison Dr. Stepovich intentionally blinded him as revenge for not breaking and was placed in solitary confinement. For the next three years Agent Craven was exposed to daily torture and humiliation to break his will, survived intact for two years eight months until he finally broke and gave out the information that we sent him out to give them. Personal note, I warned Puppetmaster to tell Agent Craven the real purpose of the mission, that Craven would not give out national secrets. Puppet master's orders were to keep him there until he broke then go gain his release. Section one anti terrorist organization was given green light to go after him, Section one sent Black Knight's former pupil "Michael" with a recovery team with orders to obtain his release if unable to do so "Sanction" him, after obtaining his release agent Craven was taken to Balboa naval hospital where with surgery his eyesight was restored, and with rehabilitation was taught how to walk again. Personal note, Matthew has changed, he was never really a social person but was at least polite to those around him. Now Matthew strikes out at anyone who comes near him, his daily regime of exercise is unbelievable, no matter how much it hurts him he continues to push himself, I now know that he will never give up. He is determined to regain the honor that we forced him to give up. Was devastated to learn that Janine Reynolds had married during his absence and had taken his child to be raised by another man. Mrs.Desoto as she is now known visited Matthew in the hospital and informed him in no uncertain terms that he was to have no contact with either her or her child ever. Matthew has now fallen into a deep depression, and has been put on suicide watch. Puppet master wants to know when he will be ready for his next assignment." Nick finished and put down the last page "Bastards" was the only word Nick could come up with. Reaching into his pocket Nick pulled out the video CD "What's that?" Natalie asked Nick shrugged as he went over to the entertainment unit and turned on the DVD unit and slipped the disk inside. "Aristotle also found a video file, so he downloaded it as well." Pressing play they watched as the screen came to life. A man stood rigidly at one end of a large room as if waiting. Suddenly a door opened and a little boy entered the room, his hair was a dark black and his eyes brown and completely innocent. The boy went and stood in front of the man. The man reached for a bag and held it front of the boy. "Reach in and choose one. Only one." The boy did as he was told and reached into the bag, pulling out his hand he held something in it. "Show me." the man demanded The boy opened his hand and handed over the object which turned out to be a chess piece The man nodded "You are now the Black Knight, that is the only name that you will answer to." Confused the boy looked up "But my name is Matt." he said The man lashed out slapping the young boy hard across the face sending him halfway across the room "You are now the Black Knight, that is all you will answer to." he yelled Tracy covered her mouth tears streaming down her face as she watched a seven year old boy stand up "My name is Matt." he said defiantly They all watched as the man closed in on him and beat him unmercifully. Finally the man stopped before he killed the boy. Reaching down he grabbed him by the hair lifting his head up. "You are the Black Knight, that is the only name that you will answer to." turning the man left leaving the boy bloodied on the floor. The boy stirred lifting his own head, one eye swollen shut and his lip cut and bleeding "My name is Matt." he said and collapsed "Oh God" Tracy muttered Suddenly a voice overlay came on "Subject, Craven, Matthew Sullivan aged 7 first day of training. Subject codenamed Black Knight and all further entries will be made under that code name. Subject is proving to be stubborn and unyielding which is uncommon for one so young, normally I'd recommend to cancel him at once. However there is something about this boy that I like, so I will hold off on canceling him. The picture changed and they saw the same room, this time an old oriental man sitting on the floor." Tracy recognized him immediately "That's the man in the picture on the wall upstairs." she told them Nick stared at the old man "You're right." They watched as a boy of about eight or perhaps nine walked in and went directly to the old man and bowed and sat facing him. Matt was slightly older and a little bigger and they saw to their sadness that his eyes no longer held the innocence they once did. "Why do you come to me?" the old man asked The boy shrugged and said half heartedly "They told me to come so here I am." The old man cocked his head to one side "Do you know what it is that I am to teach you?" "No" the boy answered truthfully "I am to teach you to fight." he said A gleam entered the boys eyes "You'll teach me to fight?" "Yes" "Good" "Why are you so anxious to learn?" the old man asked The boy looked down at the ground "I'm tired of being beat up, if I learn to fight I can fight back." "That is a good reason." the old man agreed "Defending yourself is important" reaching over he lifted the boy's chin "I can teach you to defend yourself, but do you want to be great." he asked The Black Knight's eyes shined bright "Yes" he answered "I want to be great" The old man nodded smiling "And you will be, you have the light in your eyes and courage of heart, I can teach you everything but I cannot teach you or give you those two things. Come we begin." The old man stood and began to teach the boy martial arts Suddenly the voice overlay came on again "Subject Black Knight day 389 of training, has mastered seven languages already and even more dialects, has also proven himself to be a terrific marksman and can already spot a tail. Has now started on martial arts training with master Wu. I have purposely given Black Knight the best instructor we have because I can already tell that he is the one that will eventually lead the chessmen. I'm glad I held off canceling him. The video continued to show Matt at different phases of his life and showed how he grew and just how good he got in his training. They watched Matt as he fought to survive in an unmerciful situation, how he learned and grew strong. They watched as he found a friend as well as a teacher in the old man named master Wu. Finally they watched as he left from where ever he was trained and went to work. The picture changed one last time. The room was white and a cardiac monitor came into view. The camera panned down and they watched in horror the huddled figure of Matt Travers suffering terrible pain. Thin as a stick he appeared to be less than half the man than he was now weighing perhaps a 130 pounds, his eyes taped closed he was huddled into a small ball small sounds of whimpering could be heard as a nurse came in and gave him an injection to stop the pain. A different voice came on "Special agent Black Knight has been recovered from Bulgaria, his condition critical. The doctors give him less than twenty percent chance that he will ever be half the man he once was." abruptly the video stopped. They sat silently for awhile each digesting everything that they had just seen, until they heard movement from the other room. Nick scooped up the papers and replaced them into his briefcase and grabbed the video diskette. "We say nothing about this" he warned the two women Entering the room Craven held his head and looked around at the three solemn faces "Who died" he asked. Seeing Natalie's face Craven walked over to her, lifting her chin Craven stared at the cut lip. "Did I do that Dr. Lambert" he asked but in his heart he already knew the answer and cursed himself for hurting someone who had helped him. Grabbing his hand she held it gently in her own "It was my fault, I shouldn't have removed your glasses without asking" she tried to reassure him Turning away with a hurt expression on his face "I'm sorry doctor" "Like I said it was my fault, may I call you Matt" "Why" Craven looked confused "That's your name isn't" Natalie asked lightly in a tone of voice that reminded her of a time when she tried to coax her cat out from under her bed. "Yeah, sure call me Matt" turning to Knight "I was thinking, the package." "What about it." "Well what's on it, what am I carrying around" Pulling out the C.D. ROM diskette he twirled it in his hand. Nick stood up "Well there is only one way to find out. Do you have a computer?" As they sat around the computer Matt pulled up the files, and was suddenly slammed shut. "Password please" the computer intoned then showed a series of blank lines "Great" Matt muttered staring at the screen "Twelve digit access code" "Do you have any ideas what it could be?" Tracy asked staring over his shoulder Matt shrugged "Could be anything Peaches, numbers, a word, a group of words. This is going to take some time." Punching up another file Matt activated it and stood up. "This may take a while, this program will run through every possible number and word." "No other way to access the information, no back door" Nick asked frustrated "No, this disk is designed to self destruct the information if it is tampered with in any way. This is an agency program that's why it won't destroy the information." The group turned to leave when suddenly Matt paused "Wait a second" returning to the computer he disabled the encryption program and reactivated the files. Once again the files were slammed shut and a computer voice came on. "Password please" Matt typed out two words B L A C K _ K N I G H T "Password accepted, access granted" and the program engaged Suddenly two faces appeared on the screen "Control and the Brain, I should have known" Matt shook his head disgusted realizing that he'd just been suckered again. "Who" asked Tracy Pointing to one man and then the other "Control agent in charge of operations, and Brain agent in charge of intelligence. They wanted me to access this all the time." typing out a command the program started and Control came to life. "Good morning Black Knight, if you are watching this then you have realized that the mission you were sent on is a round robin, but it is much more than that." Brain continued "We have set up a discretionary account in the Toronto national bank for you, it contains five million dollars. Weather you decide to accept this assignment or not the money is yours so that you can disappear. This program will automatically shut down in thirty seconds you know the code access to reenter the program, do so only if you intend to accept the assignment otherwise destroy this diskette immediately." Control came back on line "All I can tell you now is that if you do not accept this assignment a lot of innocent people will die, perhaps hundreds of thousands" The computer shut down. "Access code Please" the computer intoned "You fucking bastards did it to me again." Matt whispered putting his head into his hands Nick put his hand on Matt's shoulder "What are you going to do" He asked afraid of the cryptic information given. Hundreds of thousands dead, Nick shivered at what that could possibly mean. Taking comfort in the hand on his shoulder Craven looked up "They knew the answer before they sent me here." Matthew typed O P E R A T I O N _ C H E S S M AN , _ F I N A L _S O L U T I O N suddenly control reappeared on the screen. "I knew you would do it, Brain will tell you the particulars" Control disappeared replaced by Brain. "Two months ago sixteen ounces of weapons grade plutonium was stolen from a research facility in Nevada." Everyone gasped "The six men and women who stole it were professional, but more to the point they were your men Black Knight. Identified at the scene were, the Black King, Black Queen, the Black Bishops and the Black Rooks. They used the plans you initiated in 'operation break in' you remember the details of that operation. I'm sorry to say that they took none of your recommendations seriously, the Chessmen broke in and stole the plutonium. They have gone renegade, under the command of the Puppet master, what role he plays in this is unknown. Control and I will deal with him. Last week in Los Alamos California, a nuclear trigger was stolen from the air force base there again by the chessmen. We have tracked their movements to Toronto, Canada. At first we suspected that they were going to sell the plutonium but now we believe that they have assembled a nuclear device and have now placed it somewhere in Toronto the purpose is for the upcoming peace summit. Second on the authority of the Puppet master, hit teams have been called in from all over the world and are now converging on Toronto their orders are to kill you on sight. We believe that the chessmen are in town to disrupt the peace conference by assassinating all of the primary chairmembers, slated to attend is the President of the United States, the prime minister of England, the premier of China, the president of France, and several delegates from the middle east. Also the Pope is to attend the opening ceremony to bless all of the participants of the conference. We believe that the chessmen will try to kill one or all of the above mentioned, failing that they will set off the nuclear device to ensure that all of them are dead. If this happens, I don't have to tell you what kind of chaos will follow or how many people will die. Your mission is to find the chessmen and sanction them also to find and deactivate the nuclear weapon. If you are as smart as I think you are, you have already gone to the authorities of Toronto, if not do so. You will need their help, give them whatever information you deem necessary but stop them. The conference is slated to begin the fifth of July" Brain disappeared replaced by control "Matt, I think we both know why the Puppet master chose you. The doctors say that you are psychopathic with suicidal tendencies, but I know better. I know you were hurt in Bulgaria, I know that we ripped away your honor and dignity. This is your chance to get even, show that fucking bastard who you really are. You are the best I've ever seen Black Knight, you've got more honor and guts than all the rest of the chessmen put together, stop them your our last hope." The screen went blank, removing the diskette from the drive Matt placed it into an ashtray, suddenly the disc began to smoke and melt away. "July fifth" Matt muttered "That's five days from now" "What do we do now?" Tracy asked Typing another command into his computer a series of file names appeared the printer began to whirl and pages began to spill out of the powerful laser jet printer. "We find them and kill them" Matthew said simply "I'm printing all of the essential information on all of the chessmen, call your captain and tell him we're on our way. I'll brief your men as to who you are dealing with and what courses of action we can take." Reese sat in shock as Nick and Tracy gave him a detailed report of what they had discovered. "This is unbelievable" Reaching for the phone "I have to call the commissioner, who will call out the national guard." "No" Matt told him "The only chance of getting the chessmen is to let them think that we are still in the dark. If you call attention to that peace conference and more security is assigned. They will blow up that bomb, and let me tell you sixteen ounces of weapons grade plutonium will cause a lot of death." "What kind of fall out can we expect, worse case" the captain asked "Two hundred fifty thousand dead on impact, another one hundred and fifty thousand within a year from radiation poisoning." Reese looked like someone had just jumped on his chest "Dear god, I've got call the commissioner in on this" "That's a good idea but we have to be careful, there is no telling who is involved in this." "Tracy" Tracy Vetter turned from her desk and stood up "Hi, daddy" Theodore Vetter a large bear of a man crossed over to his daughter and gave her a hug. Separating he put a hand through his thinning gray hair, he looked over his daughter. "As beautiful as ever, but your too skinny. When are you getting married and when am I going to be a grandfather." At his daughter's grimace, the elder Vetter grinned "Now that I have gotten all of my parental obligations out of the way, how are you doing" Tracy smiled "I'm doing okay daddy really, why are you here" she asked "Well, Reese called me and said it was a case of national importance. I'm dying to find out what it's all about." "Commissioner Vetter" Reese called as he extended a hand to his boss "Joe" shaking the offered hand "What's so important to get me out of bed" "Please come into my office" Reese led the way Tracy watched as her father sat down and Reese began to explain the situation. Nick came up from behind putting a hand on Tracy's shoulder making her jump. "God, Nick now I know why Natalie hates it when you do that" she said putting a hand over her heart Nick smiled "Sorry, What's up?" Pointing to the captains office "My father's in there with Reese. Where's Matt?" "He's in the conference room getting his material ready for the briefing. How do you think the commissioner is going to take it" "Knowing my father, not well" As if on cue the office door flew open slamming against the wall. Theodore Vetter no longer looked like a large teddy bear, now he resembled a hungry grizzly. Reese hot on his tail pointed to Knight and Vetter to accompany him. Vetter slammed through the conference room door yelling at the top of his lungs. "Who the hell do you think you are bringing this kind of trouble here" he demanded Craven looked non-pulsed, staring at the man for a moment he then turned away and continued taping photographs up on the wall and ignored him. "Daddy, Matt's here to help us" Tracy tried to reason with the man Crossing the room Vetter grabbed Craven and turned him to face the enraged police commissioner. "I asked you a question" In a cold voice that reminded Nick of Laquiox on a bad day Craven faced the commissioner "Touch me again old man and I'll cripple you" he warned icily Nick decided to stop this before it got going stepping between them Nick put some distance between them "Commissioner, this is going to get us nowhere. We need Agent Craven's help if we are going to defuse this situation before we have a lot of dead people around here." Motioning to a chair "Please commissioner, sit down and let's get the men in here so we can start." Breathing hard Vetter sat still glaring at Craven's back as he turned to finish what he was doing. Matt calmed his breathing, no sense in getting angry yet, he had to save it nurture it and release it at the proper moment. Staring at the pictures and the faces they represented saddened Matt more than he thought possible. True he never liked most of them, but they were family. They had shared laughter, tears, pain and blood, now they had turned and it was up to him to find them and stop them. The moment he had heard Brain laying out the mission he knew that this was just the thing the rest of the chessmen would get involved in. They were blind, and stupid, they would do as ordered no matter what. They would never question orders, after all orders from the puppetmaster was like Mose's coming down the mountain. Besides he had a pretty good idea what the Puppet master was after." Turning he saw that a group of detectives and uniform police officers were coming into the room. Clearing his throat he began. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please take your seats. In front of you, you will find a set of file folders. Do not, I repeat do not open them until I tell you." Waiting until they were all seated he noted that they were whispering among themselves and pointing at him. Craven waited till they were all seated and quiet and began again. "This is a dangerous assignment, I don't expect all of you to survive it. Any person not wishing to participate in this assignment is to leave right now, there will be no repercussions. Also any one who is a parent or is about to become a parent is also free to leave, You" Craven pointed to one woman who was obviously pregnant "Please leave now" The woman got up indignantly "I know my duty, I'm not afraid" Raising his voice above hers "And I will not be responsible for a dead pregnant woman, Get out now!" Craven yelled at the woman "I am not playing games here people, I don't expect to be alive in four days, and I am a professional. I do not have the time or patience to hand hold each of you. Decide now." The pregnant woman shocked by the anger of his words Slowly left the room. Two others stood up and left, one woman and one man. Leaving a total of twenty one people. Craven was about to begin again when Natalie Lambert walked in. "Sorry I'm late" she said and took a seat "Doctor, you are not a police officer. Please leave now." Nick looking at Natalie silently pleaded with her to leave. Natalie saw the look in his eye's, but she also knew in her heart that she had to be here." "I'm staying, Matt. There is nothing you can do or say that will make me leave." Matthew saw the determination in her eyes and nodded. "Very well" Turning to the others "My name is Matthew Craven I am an ex-employee of the Central intelligence agency. I say ex because as of six p.m. this evening I contacted them and resigned my post. Please open the top file in front of you, the information that I am about to give you is classified top secret. The top sheet that you are all looking at is a waiver form, basically it says that you will in no way shape or form discuss or disclose the information that I am about to impart ever. To do so will cause immediate dismissal and you will be arrested and tried for treason. If you understand sign the form and pass it forward now." Waiting for a moment Matt went around the room and collected all of the signed forms and placed them into his briefcase. "Now with your files open you should be looking at a picture of a building. This is the Norton Nuclear research facilities in Crystal Lake Nevada. In 1989 I was involved in a covert operation called "operation break in". The basics of the operation was to find out how good the security of this facility was, after two months of planning. Myself and my team hit the facility and made off with a dummy canister of plutonium. In my report that I turned over to the CIA I clearly dictated how I gained entrance into the facility and how I got the plutonium, I also told them what safeguards they should put in place so that it could never happen again. Unfortunately they didn't listen, two months ago using a plan I devised eight years ago my team without my knowledge broke into the facility. This time however they actually stole a canister of weapons grade plutonium." Pausing he noted their frighten reactions "The next picture is of another building, this building is a munitions depot in Los Alamos California air force base. Last week the same team broke into this facility and stole a nuclear trigger. This means that they have two of the major prerequisite parts to construct a nuclear bomb. Intelligence believes that they have taken it to the location on the next page of your file." Matt heard the intake of breath as the police looked at a detailed map of their own city. "This is only part of the problem, a major part but still only part. The reason for the theft of nuclear materials is for use as a back up." "Back up what does that mean?" One young rookie asked "The primary reason for this bomb is in the next file please open it." Opening his own file he saw another building "This is the Toronto convention center. Next week there will be a peace summit to discuss nuclear disarmament for the next millennium. Photographs of the people slated to attend are on the next several pages." Gasps and "oh my god" followed "Next, in the next six files you will find detailed information on the people behind me. They are Travis Kincade "the Black King", Elizabeth Shumacher "the Black Queen", Gerald Freeley "Black Deacon", Terrence Michaels, "Black Bishop", George Costanza "Black Castle" and Peter Munoz "Black Rook". Read the files carefully, I have listed their preferred weapons and where they hide them. If you locate them do not try to apprehend them by yourselves, contact me and I will be their to back you up. Do not take any chances and whatever you do don't try to arrest them. You are to shoot to kill." One of the older officers stood up "Hey were cops, not killers" Matt shrugged "I'll tell that to your wife at your funeral. These people would rather die than be arrested, and they will take as many of you as possible with them." he warned them Nick sat up "Does the agency have any idea why they want to do this?" "No, but I have a personal idea. Nick what happens when you kill a political leader." "Chaos, disorder, people panic" Nick told him from experience Matt nodded "Right, with this many leaders killed. People all over the world will panic, and we are going to have riots, business will close down, there will be looting on the streets. But most important of all is that the stock market will collapse. Imagine the Dow Jones going down a thousand points in one day. Stock prices will collapse as people will desperately try to get out. I believe that while those people will be selling, another group will be buying. No one will notice who because it's all happening to fast. Soon order will be restored, new leaders elected, and the market will start to rise again and those stocks that were bought at rock bottom prices will once again rise to their previous levels. Someone stands to make a lot of money by investing wisely." Nick shook his head "Do you really believe that there is someone out their willing to take so many lives just for money" "Nick you have to remember we are talking billions of dollars here not just a couple of hundred. The chessmen are involved for another reason. Like myself they are being forced to retire, they did not take the information as well as I did. I believe the only reason that they are involved in this is to prove to the agency that they are still needed." Tracy stared directly at Matt the entire time "Why didn't they ask you to join them, since you drew up the plans on how to steal the plutonium. You would be the obvious choice to have on the team." Matt nodded, liking Tracy more and more. She has brains and a cute butt "The last time I saw the entire team was six months ago. We were all called in to Langley and we were all informed that we were being retired. I was the only one that was truly happy by this announcement, besides they all have known me for a very long time. We have felt each others pain, and each others joys, basically we are family and being family they know that I would never agree to do this." "You admit that these people are like family to you, would you really kill them" Asked commissioner Vetter Sitting against the desk Matt rubs his eyes "They have broken my cardinal rule, they have to be stopped. I will do whatever is necessary to stop them, by whatever means. If it means I have to kill them then I will do so without hesitation." Natalie looked up from her file "What is your cardinal rule Matt" Looking over the entire group, Tracy could swear there was ice radiating from Matthew Craven "If you fuck with the innocent then you fuck with me and if you fuck with me I will seal your fate." As the officers and detectives left the conference room, Matt held Nick back a moment. "Nick, I made arrangements for the people who are storing my transportation to deliver it here. I told them to deliver it to you and that you would sign for it, do you mind." Nick smiled "Not at all, when are they delivering it?" "Should be anytime now, They said it would be here by nine and its five to now." Looking around to make sure that they were not over heard Matt lowered his voice. "I saw your face when the doc came in, I saw that you were not overly enthusiastic about it." Looking grim Nick turned and saw Natalie still going over the files that Matt had supplied. "No, I'm not. But it looks like I have very little to say about it." "Leave it to me." Matt nodded and went back to Natalie. "Hey doc" Looking up Natalie smiled "Please just call me Natalie" Matt smiled as he sat on top of the desk "Okay Natalie, your probably wondering why I let you stay. Believe me there is a reason, being that you are the medical examiner you get all of the bodies around here right, I mean you personally." With growing suspicion Natalie nodded "Good, the reason I need you is that I have the feeling that you are going to be very busy. Those bodies that I supplied you with." "What about them" "I need you to go over them again." he told her Natalie started to get up "If this is something that the two of you concocted to keep me out of this." Matt held up a hand "Natalie it isn't that, I need you to look for something. Sometimes agents put the names of their contacts on microfilm. This is in case something gets out of hand and they need help other than agency. Now sometimes they put it in a pill canister and swallow it, others have it surgically implanted underneath the skin, some even put it in a false tooth. I need to know if any of these guys had anything like this on them. We need every edge we can get." Reaching down his leg Matt pulls a small automatic from an ankle holster. "This is a walther PPK semi automatic pistol it holds eight shots, do you know how to use it?" he asked Natalie stared at the shiny automatic, and suddenly felt her throat closing up. What had she gotten herself into. "No, I don't" "It's very simple, this is the safety" Matt continued to explain the workings of the gun then passed it over to her with an extra clip. "Just in case someone else remembers to check the bodies. If anybody comes to you and says that I sent them or that Nick sent them. Shoot to kill then run like hell and come straight here. Got it?" Taking the gun and clip "Got it, shoot then run" Matt smiled as Natalie wondered where to put the pistol "Here, make sure the safety is on, then slip it into your waist band. Now go over the bodies with a fine tooth comb and let me know if you find anything." Natalie nodded and left the room. Nick let out a breath of relief. "Thanks for getting her out of the line of fire, but do you think it's smart to give her a gun" Matt shrugged "It lends an air of authenticity to the whole thing." "Micro film in the skin?" Nick asked as they left the room "Well it's not unheard of, I've done it myself once or twice. I wouldn't be surprised if she actually finds some. Now weather it will do us any good is another story. By the way what about those two men the agency is sending." Taking his seat at his desk Nick motions to the captain's office "Reese is sending them to the RCMP, who are going to take them and show them the sights. If they get suspicious then they have orders to place them under protective custody." Nick smiled at the thought of those two men sitting behind bars. Matt nodded and took a seat at the empty desk next to Tracy's and Nick's. Staring at the ceiling he tried to decide his next move. Picking up a pencil and a piece of paper he began to draw aimlessly. What would the chessmen be up to right now. Planning. While still drawing Matt turned to Nick "Is it possible to get the floor plans for the convention center now. I have this feeling that the chessmen are at this very moment sitting around setting up their plans. Also we'll need a seating arrangement and see what kinds of lines of fire are possible." Suddenly looking around Matt remarks "Where's Peaches? We have work to do." "Probably with her father saying good-bye. Can I ask you something?" Nick asked Matt looked up from his drawing "Shoot" Looking around to make sure no one was listening Nick turned back to Matt "Why do you call Tracy, Peaches" "Well normally I would have stopped by now but she makes such a fuss about it that I can't resist prodding her a little." Matt admitted "It's childish I know but she makes it so much fun." Placing a file back among the pile of other cases which were now on hold, Nick began to laugh "I figured it was something like that." Tracy and Theodore Vetter came out of Reese's office, with them followed the Captain and a woman of about forty with dusty blonde hair. Going straight to Craven the elder Vetter laid down the law. "Craven, we need to talk about you being on this case." Matt stood up looking confused "What do you mean commissioner?" Rubbing his jaw Vetter sat on the edge of the desk and continued "Since you no longer work for the agency and since you don't work for us, you cannot work on this case." "What are you talking about, without me you will never find the chessmen until it's too late." Matt fumed Nick also stood up "He's right commissioner, he has the kind of inside knowledge that we need to make this case." "I know" Vetter nodded grimly, then smiled "There is one way, if you were to accept a job with the metro PD then you could investigate." Matt began to laugh "Me, a cop, let's get serious commissioner. I realize that this puts you in an awkward position but, I'm not cop material." "Nonsense, you are very qualified to be a police officer. I have read your file Matt" This evoked strong emotions in Craven and in Tracy. Vetter looked confused then shook it off. "Dad, I told you not to say anything about that." Tracy looked embarrassed and apologetic to Nick, whose was giving Tracy a look that very much said "how could you" "I know Tracy but this situation is more important than appearances. Now Travers, because of your experience in intelligence, and the actual amount of experience. You will start with the rank of detective sergeant." Matt sat down looking straight ahead unable to look any of them in the eye. "How did you get my file, it's locked up in Langley I've only seen it once." Vetter shrugged "I don't really know or care how they got it but they did. Now I know your father and mother, and I know that they will be overjoyed at the thought of seeing you again." "NO!" Matt got up slamming the chair back startling all of them "Don't tell them, to them I have been dead for twenty eight years, let's leave it that way. Especially now, they are a weapon that can be used against me. I won't put their lives in danger or their careers." With a look of pleading Matt grabbed Vetter's jacket "Uncle Teddy, if you've really read my file. Then you know what kind of man I am, what I've done. If the press were ever to get a hold of that information they would destroy my parents careers." Smiling at the young man "It's been a long time since I've heard that" Then getting serious again "Matty, I heard you in there you don't expect to survive this thing. Now I've watched your parents live thorough hell for nearly thirty years wondering what happened to you, were you dead, alive, what? I've already called them Matty and I've told them what you did for a living and what the possible ramifications would be. They said that they would be right over. Now as for the job at hand I need to know will you take the job?" Matt knew that he'd been led to slaughter, there was no way out of it. He was the only one who might be able to out think the chessmen. Matt nodded his head. Rubbing his hands together Vetter got up "Good now go into Reese's office and get your picture taken, Tracy told me about your eyes and the photographer has special film in her camera. Turn out the lights and take your glasses off and let her take your picture, move it sergeant we don't have all night." Standing up Matt walked into Reese's office with the woman and closed the door. A moment later the lights went out. Nick turned to Tracy anger was easily discernible in his every move. Speaking very politely Nick turned to Tracy "Can I speak to you privately for a moment." Tracy nodded and went with Nick, leaving Reese and Vetter alone. Vetter got up and faced the captain. "What do you think Joe?" Reese pulled out a chair and sat letting out a sigh of relief "I think we just got our hands on a hell of a detective. Also I don't think I want to be Tracy right now." Nick paced back and forth in the interrogation room, his eyes going from blue to gold then back again. "How could you do it Tracy?" Nick asked as he paced back and forth Tracy stood her ground "Nick I had to tell them, my father was going to kick Matt out of here and off this case. The only way was to get Matt on the job, we need him Nick, you know it and I know it." she argued back vehemently Nick knew that she was right but she'd just gone about it the wrong way "We could have worked something out with your father. Special dispensation anything." Staying calm Tracy looked Nick straight in the eye "Nick, you read that file as well as I did. You know what those sons of bitches did to him, they tortured and beat him for three years and before that well I don't even want to go into that." she told him eyes blazing in rage Nick sighed seeing an anger in Tracy he had never seen before "'What's your point Tracy?" Tracy banged her fist on top of the table to punctuate each word "My point is, that wasn't supposed to be his life. He's not even American for Christ's sake, he is a Canadian citizen who was kidnapped from his country and forced to work for another country, beaten and brutalized by that country. Sent out to do god only knows what but you and I can guess, then when he's hurt they send out someone to get him. OH! but only if can get to him easily otherwise put a bullet in the back of his head." Stopping abruptly Tracy calmed down and caught her breath "Can you imagine what his life would have been like if none of this had happened to him." Turning away from Nick, Tracy sat against the table, in her minds eye she saw a young boy playing in the park, a teenager running for a touch down in a highschool game, a man walking up to a podium getting his college degree "If none of this had happened he would have had a normal life, like any other teenager. He and I would have grown up together, his sister was my best friend, his parents are the nicest people they were like another family to me growing up. I had the benefit of being helped by them and he doesn't even know them." Nick was moved by the words but not completely "But Tracy it should have been his decision not yours. Besides hearing it come from your father and not us, makes us look bad. How can he trust us now?" Hearing a knock on the door Reese poked his head in "His parents are here, but he won't come out of my office." Looking at Tracy meaningfully Nick turned and left the room. Making his way through the squad room Nick saw three people talking to the commissioner. It was easy to see that Matt got his looks from his mother, they had the same mouth and set of chin. Joyclen Travers a healthy looking fifty year old woman with dark black hair stood nearly nose to nose with her husband. Matt sr. a fifty one year old barrister with blonde hair mostly turned gray with a receding hair line stood with one arm around a young woman who must be Tracy's friend Nancy who looked exactly like a younger version of her mother except that she inherited her fathers blonde hair. All three were excited and nervous, waiting with baited breath for the appearance of their long lost son. Nick walked up to them and introduced himself. "It is good to meet you detective Knight. Tell me have you seen my son?" Joyceln Travers asked barely able to contain herself after so many years, her baby was alive. The nightmare was finally over. Nick nodded and was about to answer them when Tracy came out from the interrogation rooms and rushed over to her friends "Aunt Joyce, Nancy" Tracy came over and hugged them and began to talk to them in hushed tones. A patrol man came up behind Nick and spoke into his ear. Nodding Nick took the offered clipboard and signed his name and collected the keys. At the same moment the woman photographer came out from the back offices and went directly to commissioner Vetter. "Here you are sir, all done" the woman told him handing him a thick leather wallet "Knight, you know him better than us, go talk to him and get him out here. Give him this while your at it." Vetter told him handing Nick the wallet. Nick began to protest "Sir, I've only known him two days. That doesn't mean were friends or anything." Putting a hand on Nick's shoulder, Vetter led him away from the group "You know him better than any of us. Do what you can Knight." he pleaded Nick went over to the Captain's office after knocking and receiving no answer Nick let himself in. The lights were still out in the office but by using his vampire vision Nick saw that Matt was sitting in a chair staring at the wall, his glasses beside him. Nick went over to the light switch and waited. Matt didn't move he sat lost in thought remembering the past. Images of the men that he'd killed, the violence that he'd seen and inflicted. How could he meet them now, and did he really have a choice. He had heard Nick enter the room and he knew that his parents were outside the door, so close to him and yet such strangers to him as well. Could they understand him, did he actually want them to understand him, would they hate him when he had to the things that he had to, to stop the chessmen. How could they have gotten his file without setting off all of the security measures that the agency had in place and how could they get it so fast." Without turning Matt suddenly spoke "Why did you have to do it, Nick. I didn't want to see them, the only thing that I can bring them is pain." Nick crossed the room and sat in the chair next to Matt. "Tracy thought she was doing the right thing. The commissioner wanted you off the case because you no longer had any official standing with the agency. She had to do something, how could she explain never seeing you in action that you were actually qualified, but we had that file." "How did you get it?" Matt asked putting his glasses back on "I have a friend who is very good at getting hard to find information. Don't bother asking who because I won't tell you." Matt nodded "Fair enough, so what do I do now. There is no getting out of this unless I crawl out the window, and even then now that they know I am alive they will never let it drop." Out of curiosity Nick had to ask "How long have you known about your parents?" Pausing to think "About ten years now I guess" Looking at Nick "You want to know why I never bothered to get in touch, don't you." At Nick's nod he continued "It was easier that way for me, I do have a few enemies out there you know. I thought that if I stayed out of their lives it would keep them safe. If I kept out the way, the press would never bother them. Also if I stayed out of the way I would never wonder about what could have been. Now when the press finds out that Matthew Travers is alive they are going to go digging into my past, to find out where I have been for the last twenty eight years. When they find out, and they always do sooner or later, My mother won't be able to get elected as a cookie monitor for the PTA much less reelected to congress." Standing up Matt takes off the long leather trench coat and goes over to the light switch and turns them on. "Look at me Nick I'm not even dressed to meet them." Matt chuckles motioning to his plain white T-shirt and Levi's. "Aw, fuck it let's go" grabbing his jacket Matt reaches behind his back to make sure his gun was still there and that his other weapons were all out of sight. Nick stood up smiling as he watched Matt make sure that his hair was combed. Suddenly remembering he reached into his pocket. "Before I forget here." Taking the wallet and the keys, Matt quickly pocketed the keys and opened the wallet and saw the shiny new badge. Smiling he tucked one end into his waist band and let the badge hang out. Moving over to the door Matt took a few deep breaths adjusted his glasses one more time and opened the door. Stepping outside, Matt saw them immediately. A flood of repressed emotions gripped him and threatened to overwhelm him, and a sense of longing unlike he had ever felt before. Control he told himself, control is everything, taking a deep breath he saw them turn to look at him. Joyclen Travers saw him first, she saw the tall strong young man at the door who was desperately trying to hold himself back. "Matty" she said softly, at his nod, Joyceln Travers was over by him in an instant. Hugging her son for all she was worth. "Oh my baby" she said over and over again. Matt sr. walked over to his son and also threw his arms around him. "My son" he cried. Nancy stood alone hugging herself tears streaming down her face. So this was the brother she had never met, the one piece that was missing from making them a complete family. The one piece of their parents heart that was taken when they had taken him. Tracy wiped away the tears from her own face as she hugged her own father, who was smiling as he looked upon the scene. For his own part Nick looked with a little bemusement as he saw Matt looking startled by the attention, at first he was even reluctant to hug his parents, then he relaxed and gave in to his emotions. Matt looked up and saw that his sister was standing off by herself unsure if she should intrude on this moment. Holding out his one free hand Matt extended it to his sister, as she took the offered hand Matt smiled. "Hello Nancy" "Matt" she smiled and joined her parents in giving him a hug. As they pulled away from each other they continued to stare at one another unsure as to what to say. Until Joyceln noticed the blood on Matt's side. "My god your bleeding" She said moving to his side and trying to lift the shirt to see the wound. Looking down at his side he saw a small spot of blood standing out on his T-shirt "I'm okay mom, just a slight wound I got the other day. It's nothing" Caressing his mother's face Matt had to smile "It's just so good to see you again all of you, but I have to go now." Matt sr. wouldn't hear it "Matty, after all these years. We have so much to talk about, where have you been, why haven't you contacted us sooner?" Matt shook his head "Dad I would love to be able to sit down with all of you and talk till the sun comes up, but right now I can't. Teddy will explain everything to you, right now I have to get to work. The assignment I have right now is on a time limit, I've got only a couple of days to work this case out. If I don't a lot of innocent people are going to get hurt, but I promise. In four days, five at the most when this is all over we will have all the time in the world to talk." Nick listened on as Matt tried to explain to his parents and sister that he had to go when his phone rang. Picking up the instrument he put it up to his ear. "Knight" Slightly breathless Natalie came on the line "Nick, I need your help. I think someone is following me." Gripping the phone tighter Nick heard the plastic begin to crack "What's going on, where are you." "After I left the precinct, I was driving to the morgue when I saw a car behind me. After everything Matt said I figured that I shouldn't take any chances so I made a few turns and the car stayed with me. Nick it's been ten miles now and he is still behind me." Nick could hear the fear in her voice. "Are you calling from your car?" Nick asked feeling the vampire within begging to be released. "Yes, I'm just driving through china town" "Nat, listen drive to griffin park the southside entrance. I'll be there in five minutes" Fear gripping her heart "Please hurry Nick." Replacing the phone, Nick turned to leave and found Tracy standing in front of him. "What's wrong Nick?" she asked worriedly Impatient to be gone Nick lowered his voice "Someone is following Natalie's car, it may have nothing to do with this case, but." Nick let the statement unfinished Tracy turned "Let's go partner" Putting a restraining hand on her shoulder Nick stopped her "You stay with Matt, I'll go alone" seeing the look that Tracy was directing at him he continued in a soft voice "I'm not trying to protect you, I'll have to fly there Tracy, I'll get there faster alone." Tracy hated it but Nick was right, he would make it there faster alone. "Get going, I'll cover for you" she said, then noted that she was speaking to herself "I'm definitely never getting used to that." Turning she noted that Matt had been staring at them, then he turned to face his parents. "Mom, Dad I have to go, I promise that after this is done. We'll all go away somewhere, do you like the Bahamas, I own a small resort out there. We'll have a great time and we will have all the time in the world to talk about everything." Turning to Tracy "Let's go peaches, we have people to see." "Be careful Matty" His mother pleaded not wanting to lose her son again. "First, last and always, mom" he reassured her then turned and walked out with Tracy. Stepping outside and putting his jacket back on he asked where Nick had disappeared to. Lying to him would do no good Tracy decided "While you were talking to your parents, Natalie called." Matt looked worried "Something wrong" Tracy shrugged "I don't know, she said that someone was trailing her so Nick went to see what's up." Matt adjusted his collar to a comfortable position "It probably has nothing to do with the case, but I hope she's alright." "Nick will find out. Where are we going?" Leaving the building Matt scanned the streets "Were going to see an old acquaintance of mine. Name of Michael Anglo, he's a gunsmith. If the chessmen are going to hit the conference they are going to need some sophisticated hardware and Michael Angelo is the best in the country." spotting his ride he walked over to it and got on. Tracy stood stock still as she saw the beautiful and powerful looking motorcycle. Jet black with silver trimmings, she noted with bemusement that it was just like it's owner. Big, powerful, and intimidating. "Hop on" Matt told her as he started the powerful engine. The entire street seemed to reverberate from the sound of the engine. Getting on Tracy held on to Matt's back. "Hold on" Matt told her as they pealed into the night As soon as Nick was out of sight of the officers in the squad room he put on a burst of speed, and as soon he got outside he took to the air riding on the wind. It was a beautiful night, not to cold or to hot with just enough breeze. However Nick didn't notice any of it, Nick concentrated on getting to the park as quickly as possible. Moving over traffic he was barely a blur as he streaked past them and on to his destination. The only thing on his mind was that Natalie was in danger, he could almost swear that his heart was pounding only he knew better. It was the vampire, the blood lust was riding high and it begged for release. If Natalie was hurt the vampire would get his wish. Spotting the park Nick began to slow down and looked for a discreet place to land unnoticed. Landing softly behind a small stand of trees Nick scanned the area and using his vampiric senses reassured himself that at the moment he was indeed alone. Glancing at his watch Nick noticed that he was three minutes early, he smiled and walked to the gate entrance and waited for Natalie's arrival. Natalie hung up the phone and told herself to relax. Just five minutes and it would all be over, she told her heart that was going like a trip hammer. Scanning the streets ahead Natalie read the street signs, it wouldn't do to miss the turnoff towards the park. "Nick is probably already there" Natalie told herself aloud "He's there waiting for me to get there." Staring at her rearview mirror she noted that the car that had been following her was still there. Looking forward she saw the street sign that she was looking for and put on her direction light on. Making the right hand turn she looked back. Just as she knew would happen the dark sedan turned and followed her. "Hold on Natalie were almost there, just another mile and we'll be there." Scanning up ahead, Natalie tried in vain to see if Nick was actually there or not. Natalie jumped as she heard her cell phone ring, picking it up she activated it. "Nick is that you?" Nick heard the fear that came from the phone and his eyes began to glow red, who ever it was, was going to pay dearly for scaring her. "Yes Nat, it's me listen. I'm at the park when you get to the south side entrance pull over and park, get out of your car and go inside. I'll be waiting for you there, try to pretend that you have no idea that they are following you. I'll take care of the rest." "Okay Nick I'm coming up to the park now, do you see my car." "Better than that I can see you holding the phone, now relax Nat I will never allow anything to happen to you." Natalie began to cry "You promise?" "I promise, I love you Natalie." Nick told her feeling the words come from the bottom of his heart. "I love you too, Nick" Hanging up the phone Natalie began to pull over on the side of the road. Glancing back one last time she saw that the other car was also pulling over. Gathering up her courage Natalie killed the engine and stepped out of the car locking it up and without turning to look back she made her way over to the park entrance. Stepping through the gates Natalie felt a hand cover her mouth, it was cool to the touch. Repressing the urge to scream Natalie turned to look into Nick's blue eyes. Throwing her arms around Nick she held on for dear life as Nick picked her up and moved her to the cover of the trees and held her as he waited for whoever it was following her. Four teenage youths turned the corner and entered the park and began to scan the area. The leader a tall muscular youth with long greasy hair and an evil smile slapped one of his cohorts on the back. "Tonight's the night, Jeff" He smiled wider "All you gotta do is get the bitch and rape her and you'll be one of us." A nervous young man of about 18 buckled at the slap on the back "I don't know about this Ralph. Are you even sure she came in here, I don't see her. Maybe she got wise and ran away, yeah that's it she saw us following her and she ran away." Ralph started to snicker "Your afraid" turning to his friends he began to tease the frightened young man "Little Jeffy is scared of the bitch" The young man pushed away from Ralph and coming back to his senses "Your crazy Ralph, I don't even know why I came here with you. I don't want to do this, and what's more is I'm not going to do this. I don't even give a shit if I'm out of the fraternity, I am not a criminal, I am not a rapist. You can all go and screw yourselves." Turning the young man ran out of the park towards home, never realizing how lucky he really was. Scott another of the young men turned to their leader "Shit Ralph, what if he talks to someone about all of this." Pulling a large hunting knife from behind his jacket Ralph began to laugh "He won't talk, not if he's smart. Now come on before that bitch does get away, I want a piece of her ass." Eyes glowing red Nick stepped out from behind the trees. "You should have listened to your friends good advice, because now you belong to me." The young men screamed and turned to run but it was too late, Nick was on them before they could blink their eyes. From her vantage point Natalie could swear she could hear bones snapping, but wasn't sure because of all the yelling. She knew she couldn't allow Nick to kill these animals. Rushing out from behind the trees, she saw that Nick had one the leader she thought over his head and watched as Nick threw him ten feet face first into a tree. Natalie was horrified and fascinated at the same time, Nick was giving full release of the vampire for her protection. "Nick!" she yelled "That's enough, please, that's enough" she begged Nick dropped another of the boys and turned to face Natalie and she saw how quickly the glowing red eyes disappeared to be replaced by his usual blue ones. Stepping gingerly over the moaning boys Natalie reached Nick's side and threw her arms around him and began to cry. As gently as possible Nick began to levitate with Natalie in his arms, Natalie didn't even notice as they floated over the parks wall and set down by her car. Nick just held her in his arms and let her cry for as long as she wanted, he stood there just stroking her hair. A NEW KNIGHT Part two of six By Cesar Perez Matt and Tracy sped through the night flowing in and out of traffic. With tears flowing down her cheeks Tracy felt like letting out a whoop of pure joy. Tracy was thoroughly enjoying her ride with Matt, she felt free and alive as the wind swept her blonde hair back as she hugged Matt closer savoring for the moment holding a man again. For his own part Matt relished the feeling of freedom that his Harley gave him, the throaty roar of the engine that made people on the streets turn and look at him and Tracy tearing through the night and he especially liked the fact that Tracy was holding on to him tighter, it had been so long since he felt a woman's arms around him. With a start Matt realized that they had passed their destination twice without stopping. Shaking himself he wished that he could just turn his bike out onto the open highway and ride out of town with Tracy still on the back seat and ride till the road met the sky. Sighing at his foolish flight of fancy Matt turned the corner and went down the block, turning again at the corner they came to a stop in front of the Raven club. Running her fingers through her blonde hair Tracy began to laugh "God that was fun" Killing the engine Matt stepped off the bike and held out a hand for Tracy. Tracy took the warm hand into her own and looked for the first time at where they actually were. The raven club, hang out for the vampire community. This just keeps getting better and better, she thought to herself. In fact so caught up was she that she hadn't heard a word Matt had said to her. "I'm sorry Matt what was that?" she asked wondering why he all of a sudden looked nervous. Putting his keys into his pocket Matt repeated "I said if you liked that then one of these days when this is over, I'll take you out to the country and show you what she can really do, and maybe have a picnic." Tracy stared at the man, and decided that the idea wasn't without merit, he was afterall an attractive single man. "Sorry Vachon, but it's time to move on" she silently prayed. Then smiling at Matt "It's a date" she said and watched as Matt's grin turned into a full fledged smile. "Good, after this is all over then." Matt turned towards the door feeling much better Teasing Tracy moved closer to Matt "I thought that you didn't think that you were going to make it through this alive." Matt nodded "Well yes, but something's are worth surviving for" Turning serious for a moment he remembered that they were here for serious business "This is a pretty rough place, some of the patrons don't take kindly to cops." he warned her. Tracy nodded knowing the type of patrons that came to this place "I know I've been here before, we found a body here a few months back. Are you sure this Michael angelo is here." "I'm not positive" Matt admitted "But this is one of his favorite hang outs. If he's not here then there are a couple of other's that we can try." Checking to make sure that his gun was still in place Matt went to the door and held it for Tracy. The club as usual was jumping, glancing at her watch she noted that it was almost midnight, the height of the evening. Staying by Matt's side she saw that he was scanning the room his concentration complete on his task, she was sure that he wasn't missing a thing. Motioning for her to stay put he proceeded deeper into the club where he could see the rest of the patrons. Tracy began to look around and suddenly saw to her displeasure that the owner of the club was making his way towards her. The crowd seemed to part before Laquoix like mist as if they could sense that barring his way was not really a good way to stay healthy. Dressed completely in black Tracy noticed how white his pale skin stood out. In his hand he held a wineglass, its deep rich red color was just a shade to red to be wine, Tracy shuddered realizing that Laquoix must be one of the community. Approaching her Laquoix noted her reaction but said nothing, he knew that Vachon the young spanish vampire had entrusted her with their secret before he had died at Diva's hand. The memory of his evil daughter still bothered him greatly. He approached the young woman sipping at his drink he noted that with each step she became more uneasy, well whatever else you could say about her she was not stupid, there must be some purpose to this visit probably to do with one of his patrons. "Detective Vetter, isn't it." He asked her "How nice to see you again" Laquoix finished Tracy felt that he wasn't really all that thrilled and a shiver ran up and down her spine "Mr. Laquoix, how have you been." Bowing his head at her courtesy "I have been well thank you, and your partner detective Knight is well I trust." Nodding Tracy felt like she was being pumped for information "He's okay" she hedged wondering again if Nick did indeed know this vampire. Laquoix nodded "Good, then detective, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company" he asked getting down to business. Suddenly a voice from his past called out to him "Goddamn Lucien you still haven't changed a bit have you, you rotten bastard." the voice mocked him Tracy saw Laquoix face turn even whiter than usual. Several people stopped dancing, vampires probably, Tracy thought. They all were shocked to hear such words being spoken about Laquoix, he must have some kind of standing in the community. She made note to check with Nick later if in fact there was a later. Laquoix stood frozen in place for several seconds hearing the heartbeat behind him he knew the man was mortal, he then spoke "There is only one man alive that has the courage to call me a rotten bastard." Turning Laquoix saw a mortal standing before him, and at once he could tell that his friend had been through a lot since the last time they met. "Matthew" Laquoix actually smiled at his son a sense of relief came over him, all of his family members were still alive. "Lucien" Matt smiled back and gave the vampire a brief hug, which to everyone's surprise Laquoix actually returned "What the hell are you doing in Toronto?" Matt asked as they separated. With a dismissive wave of his hand he motioned around the club "I own the Raven, and what of you Matthew. Still off chasing terrorists for your central intelligence agency." he mocked his youngest son. Shaking his head Matt quickly did another scan of the area "Nope, actually I've quit, I just have one more thing to do and it's more for the people than the agency." Laquoix smiled sadly at the young boy, as he thought of him "You haven't changed either Matthew, you are still trying to be the hero, still searching for your moment of grace." Paris, France 1985 Laquoix stumbled down the alley clutching his side where the wooden shaft had pierced the skin. Cursing his own stupidity, not spotting the hunters before they struck was unforgivable. His excitement at finding out where Nicholas was now living was just to much. He was so looking forward to meeting up with his wayward son that he hadn't noticed the hunters till it was too late. The first bolt from the crossbow hit him in the shoulder, immediately pulling it out he hissed at his attackers baring his fangs and attacked them. He reached out grabbing the closest of his attackers and quickly ripped the head off him when the others pulled out their crosses and lit their torches forcing him back still hissing and spitting. The second bolt struck him in the chest just a hair's length from his heart staggering him and bringing him to his knees. Looking up he saw that they were trying to circle him, if they did that he was done for since he was to weak to fly. Using the last of his strength he turned and bolted from the hunters and made his way down the alley as fast as he could, which was still much faster than any mortal. He could hear their foot falls behind him without even using his vampiric hearing, so he knew that they were close. Laquoix knew that he would never live it down if the community knew how he had met his end how humiliating to be caught with his pants down. Worse yet how would Nicholas ever survive without his tutelage, no, he swore to himself that the hunters would not get him this night. Stumbling blindly Laquoix continued to run down the alley looking back he could make out the shadows of his pursuers when suddenly he stumbled into a young boy of eighteen and fell to the ground taking the boy with him. "Whoa, man what the hell happened to you" the boy asked in perfect english seeing the bolt in his chest. Laquoix looked up into the face of the young boy and then pushed away and tried to stand. When suddenly they were both surrounded by the hunters. One of the men raised a crossbow "Move away boy" the man said in French "Get away from one of Satan's disciples." The boy actually laughed at him looking around him seeing what he and his new acquaintance were up against and responded in kind "Buddy, what the hell are you talking about devils disciple." he turned to the wounded man saw the injured man's eyes turn gold and fangs drop. "Oh shit" the boy muttered and moved away wondering what the hell was going on here. Raising the crossbow the man intoned "For your crimes against humanity, I send you back to hell." Matt Travers watched the man raise the cross bow, then taking a look at what must be a vampire he came to a decision, he only hoped he was right. Suddenly the man felt his legs come out from underneath him as the boy executed an expert leg sweep. The bolt flying off harmlessly into the air. Helping Laquoix stand up "Sorry, but I can't let you kill a defenseless man" the boy told the hunters Laquoix stared at the young man "Could the boy be this foolish, he has seen what I am yet he still defends me." he thought One of the other hunters pulled out a long sword and pointed it at Matt "Leave now lad and you will not be harmed." He warned as the other four began to close in on him. Suddenly smiling the boy leaped into the air his foot whistling in the wind as he kicked the sword wielding hunter, Laquoix heard a satisfying thud as the man collapsed. He watched in fascination as the young boy took the hunters apart with little to no trouble at all. Finally the last of the hunters fell, he turned to Laquoix and he helped the vampire stand. The wooden bolt still in his chest, suddenly both of them heard running footsteps coming from far down the alley. "Looks like reinforcements are coming." The boy told him as he scanned the area "Suns going to be up in a few minutes as well." he said looking up Placing Laquoix against the wall the young boy moved over to a man hole cover and pried it open. His nose wrinkling at the smell that came out of it. Going back to Laquoix he helped him to the hole "Well it stinks and there are probably about a million rats down there carrying more diseases than I care to think about, but it's safer than being up here." he said as the running feet got louder, they didn't have much time. His curiosity peaked Laquoix had to ask "Why are you helping me boy? You have seen what I am." Grabbing a hold of Laquoix Matt helped him down the man hole. "Hey, it don't make no difference what you are." He told Laquoix shaking his head motioning to the unconscious hunters "No one has the right to take your life just because your different from them. Come on we don't have much time." helping Laquoix down the manhole he quickly followed and pulled the cover back on. The two men walked down the dark passageway of the sewer until they were far enough out of the way where hunters wouldn't find them. Finally sitting Laquoix stared down at the shaft still in his chest. "We'll go back up as soon as the sun is down" Matt told him "I am afraid that I will probably not last that long unless you remove this from my chest" Laquoix remarked pointing to the bolt. Moving over to his side the boy studied the bolt. Laquoix noted that it was not curiosity that made the boy look, but an investigation of the seriousness of the wound. Unusual for one so young, he thought. Matt had to agree "Your right, and if all the books and movies aren't completely full of crap. You'll need some blood right?" he said completely at ease The young man's complete calm intrigued Laquoix, so young and still wise beyond his years. If only Nicholas could see this young man, this is the way a vampire should behave. "What is your name boy." Laquoix asked as he shifted uncomfortably against the wall "Matt Craven, how about you old timer" Matt asked with a grin "I am Lucien Laquoix" bowing his head Nodding once more making his decision, in for a penny in for a pound "Well Lucien, I'll tell you what. I'll get this out and give you blood on two conditions." Laquoix nodded he was not in a position to argue, afterwards perhaps "I am listening, Matthew" Holding up a finger Matt continued "One, you don't kill me, and two you don't make me into one of you. Agreed" Matt held out a hand Laquoix would have laughed if it were not for the pain. He could ask for so much and he asks for only that "Agreed" he said "You have my word" he took the hand and shook on it Matt grabbed the wooden shaft "Get ready on the count of three, ONE" and Matt ripped the shaft from his chest. Laquoix stared at the bloodied shaft "What happened to three?" he asked dumbly staring at the gaping wound. Matt threw away the bloodied shaft "I didn't want you tensing up and tearing out muscle tissue or possibly having the shaft breaking off in your chest." he explained "If that had happened you would have been screwed Lucien." Lifting Laquoix off of the wall Matt presented his throat to the vampire "Is this going to hurt?" he asked nervously for the first time realizing what he was about to do and cursing himself for his stupidity. Well the hell with it he thought the worse that can happen is that he dies. With eyes golden and fangs dropped Laquoix smiled "Only for a second" he promised and bit down and began to feed As Laquoix felt the boy's body grow slack in his arms he stopped feeding. Feeling his strength return and his wounds close he listened for the boy's heart beat. Still strong, good he thought to himself. Standing he stretched as he felt Matt's blood course through him. Snippets of memory and emotions flowed with it, and Laquoix saw that this was no ordinary boy who had saved him. Coming to a decision Laquoix bent down over Matthew and lifted his body and flew down the dark sewers. Matt awoke in a soft bed, with a start he sat up in the dark room and felt his neck. There was a bandage covering it, no he had not dreamt it. Rising he moved over to a window and pulled the curtain aside and saw that the sun was still up and shining. Looking at his watch he saw that it had been two days since he had met Laquoix a real live or is it un-live vampire. Shrugging he stepped to the door and saw a light switch, turning it on he saw that the room was richly decorated in period pieces. Louie XVI chairs and bed with dark rich material spread around, above the mantle he saw a portrait of Laquoix also dressed in period costume. "Hell he was probably there" Matt muttered to himself crossing over to the door he tried it and the door opened silently as he let himself out he knew that at least he wasn't a prisoner. The house was immense he noted, as he walked down the passage passing many identical cooridors, like a medieval castle. Except that all of the windows had heavy drapes around them and that they were all tightly shut. Finding a grand staircase he stared at the immense chandelier that hung there. Coming down the stairs he saw a beautiful woman looking up at him curiously. Her long black raven hair flowed around her shoulders, in her hand she carried a wine glass, and even from this distance Matt could tell it was not wine. Quickly scanning the large room, he gauged the distance to the front door. Matt had no illusions if this woman was also a vampire then she was a hell of a lot stronger and faster than he was. Right away he knew that he'd never make to the door in time, so if you can't beat them, bide your time until you can. "I thought you guys slept during the day, well hell there goes another myth." Matt told the woman as he calmly walked down the stairs. Janette smiled even wider. It was like Laquoix had told her, the boy did not fear them, for a moment she considered trying to scare the young man but in the end decided against it. First she knew that Laquoix would be upset with her for frightening his guest and second she wasn't too sure that he would scare. There was something about his eyes, they belonged to an older man, this young boy has seen much Janette thought. "I am Janette" she said holding out a hand "I am Matthew" he said taking the hand and kissing it Janette laughed "You are a strange one Matthew" she told him in her rich accent "You kiss my hand as if you have done it everyday of your life. That is a very old custom and not in current practice." Slipping an arm through his she led him into the sitting room Taking seats Janette continued "You are in a house with two vampires and yet you are not afraid. Tell me why?" she asked curiously as she settled into the chair tucking her legs beneath her giving him her undivided attention. Matt considered it for a moment trying to find the right words "Because I am not a threat to you or your kind. Besides if you decided to kill me you would, mind you I would take you with me, but I still will be dead." Janette leaned back into the chair "My, but you do have a lot of confidence in your abilities." From the hall they both heard "Take him at his word Janette, believe me he is very well trained in the killing arts." Laquoix entered the room dressed in a smoking jacket and wine glass in hand "Isn't that true Matthew" he said with a knowing look For first time confusion was very evident in Matthew's eyes "How did you know?" Laquoix made his way over to his favorite overstuffed chair and made himself comfortable "I drank your blood, with it your life essence as it were." he explained "It showed me your life and for a little while I had your abilities. So I realize what you are capable of " Turning to Janette "He works for the C.I.A. my dear" Janette's eyes widened "Surely you are too young to be a spy" she said surprised knowing that Laquoix would not joke about such a matter. Laquoix laughed and shook a finger at her "No my dear not a spy, an assassin, he is codenamed the black knight. How charming a name and so very appropriate, he came to my aid as would any knight in shining armor." "An assassin, how old are you Matthew" Janette asked with compassion putting her cool hand over his warm one "Eighteen" Matthew admitted not knowing why he did so, just knowing that somehow it was right to do so "I have been an active agent for four years now." "Tell me your life story Matthew" she commanded settling in for long story Matt looked into Janette's green eyes and told her everything. He knew that he was violating every law that he held sacred, but somehow he needed someone to know even if it was a pair of vampires. As Matt spoke he felt as if an invisible burden was being lifted off of his shoulders. He told them everything talking through the night, taking a break only long enough to eat something and to use the bathroom. Soon he fell asleep his head resting on Janette's lap, the sense of trust that the young man gave her astonished the vampire. Janette lowered his head onto the couch and gently stroked his hair for a moment asleep he looked so vulnerable. Getting up she refilled her glass and stepped out on the verandah to try to let the cool night cool her anger. Laquoix followed her out and stared out at the city of lights. "How could these mortals do that to a child?" she asked sadly not understanding the mind of a person that could do this to another, especially a baby. Laquoix sipped from his glass "From their point of view, he and his brothers and sisters were perfect. They were children, and children learn so much more quickly than adults. Afterall Janette who would take them seriously, adults dismiss them from their minds as unwanted nuisances that must be tolerated. That is what they wanted they lower their guard and these children attack. I myself was surprised when I saw how easily he took apart the hunters." Looking at his daughter Laquoix sensed the change in her mood. Staring out at the city lights he had to agree "Yes he is a lot like Nicholas, is he not." Janette nodded "Very much like him, and yet so different. I do not think that our young friend in there has any trouble killing." Laquoix disagreed "Ah but he does mind, my dear. He just hides it better than Nicholas who wears it proudly like a banner. Matthew on the other hand while he abhors the killing comforts himself with the knowledge that he only kills the killers. That he protects the innocent, in another era he would probably have sat at the round table of Camelot with King Arthur Pendragon." he smiled at the image and thought, he could have replaced that fool Lancelot. Looking up at her master Janette smiled "You like this young one Laquoix" "I find him intriguing" he admitted "That is why I did not drain him that night." The evenings passed pleasantly, as Matt and his new found friends talked of everything and anything. Laquoix like a proud parent taught Matt skills that he had never shown anyone other than Nicholas and Janette to the point that Matthew even as a mortal could kill a vampire, he knew every vital point to strike and did so with remarkable speed, accuracy and strength. Meanwhile Janette took pleasure in teaching him the piano and of history and art, and they both taught the boy about dressing properly. Soon Matt went from T-shirt's and jeans to double breasted suits with silk shirts and ties. As time passed Janette soon realized that in Matthew she had found the son that she always yearned for the only part of her existence as a vampire that was lacking and felt that Matthew had found the parents that he'd lost. Matt for his own part taught them how to do the things he knew. It was unlikely that either of them would ever need to know how to build a bomb or use a gun, but if they did now they knew. Matt also introduced them into the computer age, and with patience even Laquoix became adept. Every so often Matthew would disappear for weeks on end, and Laquoix and Janette soon realized that he was on a new assignment for his employers and eventually they would see on the news or in the papers that some terrorists had been found dead, or that some plot had been foiled. Everytime he returned however there seemed to be less light in his eyes, but when he saw his friends his eyes would come back to life. For the first time in his life Matthew felt that there were people who cared about him and who would listen to him without comment or judgment. The three had even gone into business together, investing money in a small resort in the Bahamas that catered to both mortals and immortals, they built an apartment building together in Canada and even invested in a small computer company called Microhard that Matthew heard were doing some incredible things. Three years later as they sat discussing the French revolution Laquoix came to his decision and made his proposition. "Matthew, soon Janette and I have to leave Paris." he told his young friend Hurt and confused Matthew looked up at his father and asked why. He felt as if his only family was deserting him leaving him forever trapped in his darkness. Moving over to the window Laquoix stared at the city "We have been here nearly fifty years, people are starting to wonder. It is time to move on." he explained to his young son Janette continued where Laquoix left off seeing the pain in Matt's eyes "Join us Matthew, leave your old life behind and start a new one with us. We will go and meet with Nicola, and we four will enjoy ourselves" Matthew sat back finally realizing what they were saying "You mean become one of you?" He had never even entertained the thought but found that the thought was not repellent. Laquoix nodded "Yes, leave this mortal life and join us on our journey through eternity." Matt stood up quickly, there was still too much to be done. "I can't Lucien, not now at any rate. I will admit that your offer is very tempting, but I am not done yet." Laquoix turned and looked at his son, as he already thought of him "What is it that you search for Matthew." Laquoix asked lost for a reason as to why his generous offer of immortality would be refused when most people would jump at it. Matthew shrugged and struggled to come up with a word for it "A moment of grace perhaps." Unable to come up with a better word for it "Just one moment where everything comes out right, where the only ones that get hurt are the bad guys." Seeing the look in Laquoix's face "Perhaps it is just a dream, Lucien." Matt admitted but held his ground "But I will never forgive myself if I don't try, and besides this is not my final answer. Perhaps I will discover that you were right all along, all I ask for is the chance and the time to discover that for myself." Janette stood and came over to Matt "Take your time, Matthew, we have all the time in the world." Kissing him on the cheek she turned him around and gave him a push "We will keep in touch Matthew. You know our internet address, I promise you that we will never change it. When you have made up your mind we will come to you and bring you across, this is not good- bye. I swear it." A single red tear fell down her lovely cheek Matthew tenderly brushed it away kissing her cheek giving her a hug "Then till we meet again, Janette." turning to face Laquoix and with his voice beginning to crack and tears threatening to spill at any second "I will see you again you rotten bastard Lucien" Matt turned and hurried away before his courage fled him completely. "Why did you say that Janette, I could have convinced him." Laquoix fumed smashing a window. Janette was not frightened by him, she knew that Laquoix had come to care for Matthew as much as she did. "I know you could have Lucien, but in the end like Nicholas he would have hated you. This way when he does come across, there will be no second thoughts because he will have found his answer. Then he will come across willingly." Janette consoled him And they had kept their promise to one another, Matthew had written and called when he could and in turn Janette and Laquoix had written back. Then suddenly five years ago Matthew had stopped writing, at first Laquoix thought nothing of it. At times Matthew would not write for months especially when he was on a foolish mission, but then months turned into a year, then two. Finally Laquoix and Janette's biggest fear manifested itself, he was dead. Their young friend with so much courage had met his match and was unable to contact them before he died. Janette was devastated and for a long time kept to herself refusing even to see Laquoix, and Laquoix himself felt the pain that one feels when one loses a child. But now here he was after five years, Matthew was alive and well. Although extremely unkempt. "It is good to see you my friend, please come this way. We have much to discuss." Scanning the bar one more time Matt shook his head "I can't right now Lucien, I'm looking for someone." Curiosity peaked "Anyone I know perhaps." he asked Matt nodded "Maybe, he's a regular here. A man by the name of Michael angelo" Laquoix nodded with distaste "Yes I do know him, he insists on pinching the waitresses. I've had to talk to him about it but apparently he has a deathwish. He will be in later tonight, he usually comes in around three. Wait here" Laquoix left them and went to a group of young vampires and began to speak to them Tracy shivered "How do you know Laquoix?" "I met him years ago in Paris, he is my best friend." Matt told her simply When Laquoix returned "My friends here will inform us when Mr. Angelo arrives and will prevent him from leaving if necessary. Now come into my office we have much to discuss." Nick and Natalie walked into the precinct arm in arm passing a few officers on the way, who stopped and stared at the couple suddenly wondering if the rumors that they had heard were really true. Walking into the squad room they noticed the hurried activity, they were all busier than usual. Nick sat Natalie down in his chair. "Wait here Nat let me talk to the captain then I'll take you home" Walking up to the captains office, Reese noticed Nick's arrival and waved him in. "Nick, where the hell have you been. I've been calling you for the past hour." he asked impatiently "Sorry cap, but Natalie called there were some people following her" he explained Reese sat up "Is she all right?" "Yes, it turned out to be a group of kids trying to scare her." Nick lied "I thought with this current case that it might be someone else. I chased them off and came back here. What's up?" he asked as he stared back towards the hurried activity in the bull pen Reese leaned back in his chair "The RCMP lost the two agents, that were sent from Langley." he said disgustedly at their incompetence Shocked at the news "What! How did they manage to lose them." Reese shrugged his shoulders "Apparently they got suspicious, they went to use the men's room while our idiots sat eating dinner and made a getaway." "Where's Matt and Tracy" Nick asked worriedly "I don't know" Reese slammed his desk draw shut "They headed out of here right after you left, Travers said something about looking up an old contact, but that could be anyone. Now the RCMP men said that the two agents wanted to look in some of the local clubs before they lost them. Apparently they think Travers might be meeting someone in a club." Nick nodded "It makes sense cap, no one would notice a meeting happening in the middle of a club. But which one, if these guys got suspicious then Washington knows that we don't believe what's going on and they're going to double their efforts to stop Matt before he contacts us." Reese nodded in agreement "That's the way I read it too Nick, which means there are C.I.A. hit teams working the club district looking for him now. If they start a fire fight in the middle of a club a lot of innocent people are going to get hurt." Reese told him nervously, too many people could get hurt or killed Nick nodded again and tried to calm the captain down "Well at least we know that Matt will try to lead them away if possible, but with Tracy with him. She's not trained on how to deal with a hit team, none of us are. What are we going to do cap." Reese got up and grabbed a cup of coffee "Something that makes me want to puke." he told Nick filling his cup and going back and sitting down slamming the cup down spilling it all over his desk "We do nothing. I'm not going to deplete our man power searching in vain every club in this city. Instead we are going to wait, the moment we hear anything that sounds like Matt and Tracy we move with all of our assets." Nick knew that the plan was dangerous but he had to agree "I don't like it cap, but your right" Nick got up to leave "I'll be at my desk with Natalie" Laquoix listened patiently as Matthew told him what had happened over the last five years. Sadness filled Laquoix, his son still did not realize the futility of his actions, still he wanted to help these mortals. Tracy listened as well as Matt described in detail everything that he endured over the last few years till this moment. Her sadness was that no one had helped him, no one had cared about the pain he had endured they still wanted more then she realized that the agency that Matt worked for was like a vampire, sucking the life out of him. At least vampires do it quickly and get it over with, the way the agency did it was cruel and more inhuman than any vampire that she had ever met. "How is Janette?" Matt had asked changing the subject "She is well, she left here only a little over year ago. She felt she needed time alone to think and reflect. I think that you were part of that reason, she did not take it well when I told her you must be dead. Otherwise you would have contacted us long ago." Laquoix chastised his son. Matt knew what he had done was wrong "I didn't want to see either of you until I regained my honor. Perhaps it is a trivial reason to you Lucien, but it was all that I had left, I didn't want your pity, or your I told you so. I wanted you to remember me the way I was, not what I became." Laquoix nodded and stood up "I do not claim to understand your wishes Matthew, but I will respect them. I am going to attend to some club matters, why don't you make use of my computer while I am out." Before going outside Laquoix stopped "Remember Matthew my offer still stands as before." "Thank you Lucien, I do appreciate it but I'm still not ready." Laquoix nodded and left them alone. Tracy stared at Matt "What offer is that Matt?" "To bring me across like Nick" Matt told her distractedly as he stared at the computer, knowing that Laquoix wanted him to contact Janette. Tracy tried to pretend ignorance "What are you talking about Matt, bring you across where." Crossing over to the computer Matt turned it on and quickly logged onto the internet. Matt smiled as he began to type "Your a terrible liar peaches, I knew the moment I saw Nick who and what he was, and so do you." "How did you know" Tracy asked standing behind Matt as he typed an internet address. "Lucien is the one who bought Nick across." Matt explained "I saw a picture of them together and Janette told me who he was. I will admit it took everything I had to keep quiet, cause I didn't know if you knew. When I saw Nick disappear tonight at the station and your lack of reaction, I knew that he trusted you." Tracy smiled shaking her head and read over his shoulder as he typed. "My dearest Janette" he began "I am so very sorry that I have not contacted you sooner. Circumstances prevented me from contacting you for three years and shame for the last two. I am in Toronto now and have met with Lucien, who has pointed out to me there need be no shame between family. Also I have finally met Nicholas and we are working together, although I have not told him yet that I know of his unique abilities or of my friendship with you and Lucien. I hope this message finds you well and happy, and if you are ever in the Toronto area to please come to see me. I find that I miss my piano teacher very much. Love eternally Matthew." Tracy felt a little jealous, he had just asked her out on a date and now he was asking out another woman who happened to be a vampire. "You love her don't you" Tracy asked knowingly Smiling Matt nodded "Not the way you mean but yes I do love her. For many years Janette and Lucien were the only family I ever knew. As a matter of fact Tracy they own the other two thirds of your building." Matt finished with a smile and sent the e- mail. "Oh great, I'm paying rent to vampires" Tracy laughed, life was so strange she thought At that moment Lucien reentered the room a serious expression on his face "Matthew I think you should see this." he said pointing out into the club Crossing over to the door Matt muttered a curse "How did they find me?" "What's going on" Tracy asked going to the door as well then she saw them They all watched the men wearing suits comically trying to blend in at the raven "C.I.A. hit team, we've got to get out of here peaches." Matt told her Laquoix patted Matt on the shoulder "I will take care of this Matthew" Matt stopped him with a hand on his shoulder "No Lucien, the last thing that I want to do is to draw attention to the community. Stall them while Tracy and I make our get away. Here." Handing the keys over to Laquoix "If you can have someone meet us out back with the bike, I'll go and meet up with Nick." Matthew was right, the enforcers would take a dim view of dead federal agents, knowing that they would soon be followed by more agents "Good, he can be very helpful when he wants to be. When Michael Angelo shows up what should I do with him." "Drop him by the station, I'll take it from there. Is there a back way out?" Pulling out a remote from his pocket Laquoix presses a button and a trap door opens. "Follow this till the end go up the stairs you find. It will leave you about two blocks from here. Good luck Matthew, detective Vetter, I trust our secret is safe with you" Tracy nodded hearing the veiled threat in his voice, besides she would never hurt Nick "I will keep your secret Laquoix, you have my word." Laquoix nodded knowing that so far she had kept her word with regards to Vachon "Good enough now go, I will deal with our uninvited guests." Matt nodded and headed down the dark passage, reaching the bottom of the stairs he saw that there were no lights down here. It didn't really bother Matt since with his glasses he could see perfectly well down here, but the same was not true of Tracy. Tracy shivered "God, I can't see a thing down here. Where are we?" she asked nervously as she stretched out her arms trying to feel for a wall. "It's an escape tunnel" Matt explained "If hunters ever find the club, the vampires can get out this way. Using their night vision they can see perfectly down here, while the hunters will be at a disadvantage. Here take my hand, I can see just fine down here." Taking his hand, Tracy trusted him to lead her to safety. After about a minute of running Matt came to a halt. "Here's where we go up, peaches. Better get your gun ready just in case." Tracy could hear the slide click of Matt's gun, reaching into her holster she pulled her own gun and pulled the slide back loading the first round. "Ready" Matt asked Tracy took a series of deep breaths "About as ready as I'll ever be" "What's the matter peaches, want to live forever" Tracy smiled into the darkness "Well past tonight at any rate. Let's get this over with." Moving up the stairs they came to a door. Matt opened it and saw that they were in an alley. Moving out cautiously into the open Matt saw a young woman standing by his motorcycle. The woman motioned for them to hurry, Matt and Tracy made it over to her quickly. The young woman spoke "Laquoix says to be careful, there are hit teams all over the area. He has people watching to make sure you get out of here. He says good hunting." Finishing her message the woman launched herself into the night. Getting on his bike Matt started the engine, for the first time he cursed the throaty roar. Tracy settled herself behind him and continued to hold on to her gun. Putting gas to it Matt and Tracy rocketed out of the alley and down the streets. Taking every ditch and turn and using every trick that he had ever learned to lose a pursuer Matt slowed just outside of town and pulled over on the side of the highway. "Why are we stopping here?" Asked Tracy motioning around the deserted area Matt stooped and began to search his bike "I want to make sure that were not carrying a tracker, I don't want to lead these guys to the station." Going over every inch of the bike Matt finally stopped by the exhaust pipe. "Here we are" he announced as he pulled the small tracking device from the bike. Tracy shook her head "They know what kind of bike is yours?" Matt shrugged "Not all of them, just one or two. After tonight though they will all know." Scanning the area Matt saw that traffic had gotten a lot heavier since they pulled over. Choosing a big semi truck, Matt pulled back and let the tracker fly. The small magnet hooked onto the semi's rig and kept going. Smiling Matt got back on the bike as did Tracy "That should keep them busy for awhile." Starting the bike Matt suddenly felt the asphalt kicking up around him. Releasing the clutch Matt took off. "Peaches, we got company" he yelled as he spotted the two cars with automatic weapons. Gaining speed he began to try and ditch them, but they stubbornly stuck to his rear and the shots were beginning to get a lot closer. Nervously Tracy glanced behind picking out two cars that were now hell bent on following them "So I noticed, we got two cars behind us." She ducked as she heard the machine gun fire and cringed when she saw how close the bullets were coming to them. Studying the situation Matt decided that the best defense is a good offense "Tracy get ready, I'm going to spin around and go between the cars. You take the one on the left, and I'll take the one on the right." Matt yelled over his shoulder "Do it" Tracy yelled into his ear No sooner were the words out of her mouth than she felt the whole world suddenly spin around. Then she saw that they were heading directly at the two cars and that they were still shooting. Putting her gun into her left hand, Tracy began to shoot as fast as she could pull the trigger as Matt did the same to the other car. Suddenly the car that Tracy had been shooting at exploded into flames and swerve into a ditch as the other came to a complete stop. Matt bought the bike to a stop and got off reloading his gun as he walked back to the stopped car. Tracy watched as the other car exploded lighting up the night sky, turning to see what Matt was doing. She saw that he was cautiously going to the window when suddenly a muzzle of a gun came out and began to shoot. Matt went down immediately and returned fire point blank into the car, then pulling out a grenade he pulled the pin and threw it into the car. Getting to his feet he ran as fast as he could when suddenly that car also exploded, and Matt was thrown about ten feet landing hard onto the ground. Tracy yelled his name and ran to his side, when she got close enough to see that he was struggling to get up, she began to breath again. Reaching him she bent down and helped him up. "Are you crazy" Tracy yelled at him amazed that he could do something so insane "That was the stupidest thing that I have ever seen a grown man do. Do you realize that you could have been killed." "I didn't have much choice Tracy, it was either that or let him take pot shots at me." Matt told her wiping blood out of a cut on his forehead. Taking a close look at the cut Tracy shook her head "I don't think you'll need stitches but we better find out. Let's get out of here before anymore of them show up" As they made their way back towards the motorcycle Tracy remarked "You know that's the first time since we met that you called me anything other than Peaches." Matt looked shocked "I'm sorry, I'll never let that happen again Peaches" Tracy moaned "I should have kept my mouth shut." Matt just smiled as they drove out from the scene of carnage. As they drove back into town Matt spotted a convenience store and pulled in. "Better call Reese and tell him what's going on." Matt told her Tracy nodded and made her way to the phone. Matt watched as she talked on the phone and then hung up. He watched as she began to tremble and slowly sink to her knees. Matt jumped off of the bike and ran to her side as others began to approach her, he waved them away and got down on one knee. As Matt lifted her chin he saw that she was crying and immediately he understood. The adrenaline had worn off, now Tracy was beginning to realize exactly what she had done. Unsure as to what to do Matt just reached around her and gathered her into his arms and just let her cry. Softly he whispered into her ear "It's all right Tracy, it's done and your alive." "Those men" Tracy cried as she clung to Matt "I killed those men" Matt cringed as he felt her grab at the wound at his side, but ignored the pain. "They were trying to kill us Tracy." he told her "They would have killed us, if they had succeeded, in five days they would have won. God only knows how many dead there would have been then. Tracy do you like Star Trek?" Tracy looked up at him as if he had just lost his mind "What?!" she asked wondering where the hell that question came from. "Well in one of the movies, the second one I think. Spock is dying and Kirk is watching his best friend die and he can't do anything to help his buddy. Spock looks at him and says 'The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few, or the one.' do you understand Tracy. While those few died, it makes it possible for us to save thousands, we can't let their sacrifice be for nothing." Suddenly Tracy began to laugh "That is the stupidest thing that I have ever heard, help me up." Matt smiled as he helped her up "Well it got you to laugh didn't it" he told her stroking her face wiping away her tears. Tracy smiled at the look of kindness in his face and realized how much more animate Matt had become since he had met her and Nick "I guess it did, let's get out of here" Parking his bike out of sight behind the precinct Matt and Tracy made their way into the station. As they entered they saw the frantic activity of the officers on duty. Nick spotted them first and made his way over. "Are you two all right, when we got your call Tracy the line went dead. We have men out looking everywhere for you." he asked worriedly Matt shrugged it off "We just got disconnected" he told them, then saw Tracy mouth a silent thank you, not wanting it out that she had broken down like a little girl. Reese made his way through the crowd "Into my office, I want to know exactly what happened." he yelled at them, secretly relieved that they were both safe. As they headed for his office Matt looked around "Is Natalie around?" "Right behind you" Natalie shook her head ruefully "And yes I have my bag. You know Matt if I go into private practice, you could make me a rich woman." Closing the door Matt shrugged out of his jacket, and everyone noted that the wound at his side had reopened with the amount of blood on his shirt. Taking it off he winced as Natalie doctored the wound and closed it again and bandaged it up as they spoke. Matt explained everything that had happened and told them that a friend had helped them out of the club before any shooting could start. "What club did they find you in." Reese asked Eyeing Nick, Tracy answered "The Raven, apparently Matt and the owner are good friends" "Oww" Matt yelped "Sorry" Natalie apologized as she heard Matt and Laquoix described as good friends Nick stared hard at Matt who stared back and simply nodded. "He knows what I am" Nick thought to himself "What kind of relationship could Laquoix possibly have with Matt." Nick shuddered to think. "Does anyone have a shirt I can borrow." Matt asked throwing the blood soaked one into the trash. Reese walked over to a file cabinet and opened it looking through a stack of shirts he pulled one out. "Here this one should be your size. Put it on so the women in the squad room can go back to work." Matt turned and saw that the window of the office was full of women who were all staring at his well muscled body. Standing he bowed to the ladies and tried to put the shirt on. Tracy stood up and lowered the blinds. Aww and spoil sport could be heard through the window. Natalie hid a smile as she saw Tracy's reaction to the other women staring at Matt's body. Now that most of the black and blue portions of his body were gone, Natalie could see the hard defined muscles that covered his body and was duly impressed. Matt had worked hard to get that kind of body and she knew from experience how hard it must be to keep it. Helping Matt put on the black T-shirt she saw that POLICE was stenciled on the back. Looking down the front of the shirt Matt moaned "This kind of gives me away captain" "It'll do you till you can go home and change." Getting back to business "So what happened on the highway." Matt described what had happened and how he and Tracy had dispatched the two cars that were trying to kill them. As Natalie worked on the cut on his forehead, finishing she put a couple of butterfly stitches on it and then put a large bandage over it. "The two of you could have been killed pulling a nit wit plan like that" Nick told them worried for his two young friends. Matt smiled patiently at him "It was a sound tactical move. When you can't run away, do what they least expect. Turn around and attack." The door to Reese's office opened and a slack jawed woman entered. "Fuentes, I told you I didn't want to be disturbed" Still staring out into the squad room "I'm sorry cap but I think you will want to see this." Walking over to the door Reese looked out "What the hell?" and left the room The others got up as well and went out into the squadroom to see what was up. What was up was Laquoix standing in the center of the room, with a man tied and gagged at his feet. Matt went forward "Lucien" he hugged the man Nick's jaw dropped as he saw Laquoix's expression, and the fact that he returned the hug. Not to mention that the man on the floor was a vampire. He must be pretty scared of Laquoix since he didn't dare break out of the ropes that bound him, not that Nick could blame him. "I see that you found my friend." Matt motioned by kicking the man on the ground in the chest registering a grunt his eyes blazing with unconcealed hatred. Laquoix nodded "Yes Matthew, however he was a bit reluctant to accept your invitation. I believe he said something about you ripping out his intestines and decorating your apartment with them if you were ever to meet again. Really Matthew I expected better from you." Laquoix chastised lightly Matt shrugged "well I was pretty angry at the time" leaning down over the gagged man "Hi Micky, long time no see." straightening Matt held out his hand "Thank you Lucien" Laquoix waved it off "Not at all Matthew, anytime." as he turned to leave Laquoix paused "One last thing Matthew, you must really do something about your wardrobe. I thought I taught you better." Matt smiled at his friend "You also told me something about not playing in the dirt with them" Laquoix nodded "So I did, Good evening to you then. Detective Knight" He nodded once again amused at Nicholas's dumbfounded expression "Detective Vetter" "Good night Mr. Laquoix" Tracy said nervously as Laquoix disappeared into the night Nick went over to Matt who was staring after Laquoix "I think you and I need to have a talk." "Later" Matt agreed "Let me deal with this" he motioned by kicking the tied up man in the chest again registering another grunt of pain. "Then we'll go to my place so that I can change and get something to eat." Bending down he grabbed the man by the ropes and picked him up one handed "Come on Micky we need to talk." Shaking his head Reese went to Nick "I don't think he realizes he's a cop yet, go with him and make sure he doesn't hurt the guy to bad." Motioning to Tracy they both followed Matt back to the interrogation rooms. Natalie snuck behind them to watch through the glass. Matt released the gag and watched dispassionately as Michael angelo spit out the rag. "Black Knight are you out of your freaking mind, do you realize what I could do to you if choose." Michael angelo told him shrugging and breaking free of the ropes "If it were anyone but Laquoix who had tied me up I would have killed him." "Shut up" Matt told him Eyes turning gold Michael Angelo advanced on Matt "I think it's time I taught you a lesson boy." Before Nick could move to protect Matt. Michael Angelo was on him. Suddenly Michael Angelo was sent flying through the air and Matt flipped back onto his feet. Pulling out a knife he sent it flying and impaled Michael Angelo to the wall. The vampire hissed in pain and anger. Tracy was transfixed as was Nick, he is so good at this. "Laquoix's doing" Nick realized with a start, he had taught Matt how to fight vampires. Laquoix must really like Matt if he did that. Moving up to the vampire, Matt leaned close and whispered into his ear his voice cold and menacing "You have nothing to teach me that I do not already know Micky" Pulling out another knife he put it to the vampires throat. "I was taught how to fight your kind, do you know that with a flick of my wrist I could take your head. I don't want that and you don't want that. Besides all I want is some information, that's all." Reaching out he pulled the knife from Michael angelo's stomach, then reaching into his jacket he pulled out a small flask that he always kept for emergencies since meeting Laquoix. "Drink" he told Michael angelo Taking the flask he sniffed it carefully then smiled and drank emptying the flask. Handing it back over to Matt he smiled his demeanor completely changed "Information, why didn't you say so Blackie. Sorry about giving you a rough time, you won't tell Laquoix will you. I mean he said if I did anything to you, well it's best not to dwell" He finished with a shudder Matt nodded "I understand Micky, are you still making weapons" Michael angelo smiled "Do fish swim, what you want something special" he asked smelling a profit coming his way Matt sat on the edge of the table wiping his knife clean and putting it away "No, I need to know if you have seen the rest of the guys lately." Shaking his head "Nope the only one I've seen lately is Queenie. That was about two weeks ago, she bought a bunch of stuff from me and left. She was so amusing, posturing and strutting talking about how she was going to get even with the agency. She looked so cute, why she even threatened to kill me. I almost broke down laughing." Matt laughed as well "I can imagine, so micky what did she buy off of you." "Well she bought about a dozen of the Sig's, you still got yours?" he asked Patting his side Matt nodded Michaelangelo sat on the other side of the table "Hey stop by sometime, I got a bunch of silencers for it an some specially designed laser sights." "I'll do that, what else did Queenie buy?" "She bought half a dozen of my sniper specials, some kevlar hunting knives about two thousand standard rounds for the Sig's and about two hundred Glaser rounds and two thousand rounds for my specials." the vampire smiled then suddenly stood up "I got something right now for you that you won't be able to pass up." Taking off his jacket Matt saw that Michael Angelo was wearing a standard shoulder rig but it had no holster for a pistol. Then turning Matt saw a stainless steel shot gun. Reaching for it the vampire suddenly turned and pulled it faster than the eye could follow. The barrel rested against Matt's chest, Tracy pulled her gun and Nick's eyes went golden. Michael didn't even notice as he turned the shotgun and handed it to Matt. "Stainless steel polished, holds nine flechette rounds semi automatic then flip the switch and it's full auto shoots all nine rounds in two seconds, you don't have to pump it. Press a little on the trigger." As Matt did so a thin red beam shot out hitting square on Michael angelo's chest. Turning the weapon in different directions. Matt was impressed by the weight. "Did you make this from scratch Micky" At his nod Matt continued "You are a warped evil genius. This is beautiful! How much?" he asked as he sighted the weapon on an imaginary target Rubbing his chin Michael thought about a price "Well seeing that it is you, and since you are friends with Laquoix. I think three grand ought to do it, I'll throw in the holster of course. And I'll throw in four boxes of shells." Reaching into his deep pockets Michael angelo pulled four boxes of flechette rounds as if by magic. Counting out the money, Matt passed it over to the gunsmith. "How does she shoot?" Matt asked as he slipped on the holster Michael angelo smiled "Like a dream, I kinda hate to sell her she's one of the best close quarter weapons I've ever made. She was my personal piece, but I've been working on this other one that well, you'll just have to come by and see it." he told Matt as he pocketed the money without counting it he turned to leave then stopped. "Hey Blackie, does this mean that your going after the rest of them." "Only if they force me too." Michael Angelo didn't think the odds were to good "Well good luck, your going to need it." the vampire told him and walked out. Matt waved good bye and put the rest of his money away. "You always carry that kind of cash" Tracy asked astounded at the roll of bills that Matt had just put away. Matt shrugged "It's habit, you never know when you might be cut off from support so it's best to have a ready stash." As Natalie entered the room "How did you do that to a vampire?" Matt smiled "Laquoix taught me a few tricks" Janette Dubois as she was now known, entered her apartment in the building she partly owned and switched on the lights. The rooms reflected their mistress, chic and expensive, crossing over to the kitchen she opened the refrigerator and pulled out a dark green bottle. Getting a wine glass she filled it and quickly drained it, refilling it she took it and the bottle out into her drawing room. Oak paneling and large fireplace dominated most of the room, book shelves on three sides also showed the eclectic reading habits of the owner of the room. Near the picture windows sat a grand piano, smiling she moved over to it and lifted the cover exposing the keys. "After teaching all day I should be tired of you, old friend, but I find you such a comfort these days." After John had died and little Richard went to live with his aunt in Calgary, Janette found that her life was empty. She could have turned to Laquoix or Nicholas they both would have understood but life was such a trial when they were both together these days. Janette refused to referee their sparring matches anymore. No if only John were still alive, Janette had forgotten what it was like to be mortal, and just for a little while John had given that gift to her once again. She now realized why Nicholas searched for it so hard, who knows perhaps one day he will get his wish. He could settle down with his Natalie and raise a family, lots of little fat children running around causing mischief. Janette laughed a deep throated laugh at the thought of Nicholas running around chasing his children. Looking on top of her piano she gently caressed the photo of Nicholas with her and Laquoix in happier days, 1854 if I am not mistaken she thought to herself. Then as always when she looked at that picture her eyes would wander to the next one. Taken in Paris by the Eiffel tower Laquoix, herself and Matthew. "Oh Matthew, how I miss you" she said aloud to the empty room "Your sarcastic humor that could drive Laquoix up the wall, but he knew as I did that there was true respect between you." Standing Janette went over to her computer and checked to see if she had any mail. Scanning the usual trash she came upon one with the return address listed as the Raven. Laquoix she thought fondly. "I really should drop by and tell you that I am back in town. Nicholas as well, oh won't he be surprised to learn that I am now a teacher of music at the university." Janette smiled as she remembered as Nicholas spoke about being a teacher and how much joy it had bought him. So when Aristotle had asked her what she would be this time around she said a teacher. The credentials that Aristotle had obtained for her were good enough to get her an immediate job as professor of Classical music as well as piano teacher, night school of course. She was now on the job nearly a month and she loved it. Janette never realized what teachers really do besides teach their subjects. She had at least five girls that always had boy troubles and wished her to give them advice, well after a thousand years she could give them some hints. The boys had just voted her the most beautiful professor on campus, if they only knew. Opening the e-mail Janette began to read. "My dearest Janette" as she continued to read the short message a single red tear dropped down her cheek. Janette stood up shaking her fist at the heavens "I knew it, I knew that you would not be so easy. Couldn't contact me for three years, what could have been so important." Janette flew from the room, grabbing her keys on the way she suddenly stood outside Matthew's apartment. Knocking on the door she received no answer, without hesitation she opened the door and went in. Quickly searching the rooms she saw that the beds had not been slept in, the clothes still hung in the closets just as she had placed them. Moving over to the kitchen she opened the refrigerator and saw that there was food in there. Reaching for a milk container she saw that it was due to expire next week. Closing the door and leaning against it "Oh thank you god he is still alive. But for what you did to me for five years Matthew you will pay. After I fix you your favorite meal" pulling out the necessary ingredients for chicken franceis, Janette began to cook. In the last thousand years she had only cooked for two men, John and Matthew. Both of them said that they found her chicken to be her best dish. She never bothered to mention that it was the only thing she knew how to cook. Opening the wine rack Janette picked out a nice white wine and put it to chill. Matthew should be home soon then we will sit, he will eat and drink wine, then I will break every bone in his mortal body for putting me through hell. Smiling she returned to cooking humming a happy tune. Janette heard the lock being turned in the door. Smiling she took off her apron and straightened her hair, opening the kitchen door she saw three people pointing guns at her. Nicholas, Matthew and a young woman that she did not know. "Well Matthew, Nichola after all of this time this is how you greet me." Janette smiled "Janette" Nick and Matt said in unison Dropping his gun to the floor Matt went to Janette and threw his arms around her. Janette could swear that she felt her cold heart warm at his touch. Throwing her arms around him Janette squeezed. Suddenly Matt began to cough "Janette, I can't breathe" he wheezed Letting him go she stepped back and smiled, then grabbing him by the collar she flung him across the room. "That is for letting me think that you had been killed" Janette said getting ready to do it again Shaking his head Nick ran to Matt's side "Janette he's wounded" Inhaling deeply Janette could smell fresh blood in the air. Rushing to his side Janette leaned over him. "Oh Matthew, I am so sorry. I didn't realize." Tracy put her gun away shaking her head wondering why it seemed that she was meeting more vampires than mortals these days and called for Natalie to come in. Natalie entered the room and saw who was standing by Nick and Matt and stiffened. Janette turned and saw Natalie by the door. "Natalie, it is good to see you again." Janette rose and crossed the room and kissed her on both cheeks "It has been some time since we have seen one another." "It is nice to see you Janette." Natalie said with some stiffness Janette suddenly realized Natalie's fear and put it to rest, leaning close so she could not be overheard by the others she told her "Do not worry Natalie, I am not here for Nichola. I do realize that his heart now belongs to you, I will not interfere with that." Janette told her "I too once loved a mortal, and I know that it is possible for you and him." Natalie smiled a genuine smile this time, she knew that Janette would not lie about this "Then it is good to see you" seeing Tracy standing by herself Natalie presented her "Janette this is Tracy Vetter." Janette smiled and held out a hand "A pleasure to meet you Ms. Vetter" "Please just Tracy" she said taking the cool hand and shaking it Nick helped Matt stand up "Hi Janette, I hope your not planning to do this all night." Matt said adjusting his glasses. Janette froze and stared at him "What has happened to you Matthew, I see you much changed. Will you not even remove your dark glasses and let me look into your eyes." Matt turned from her and mumbled "I've got to change, I'll be right back" moving towards his bedroom. As Nick approached her he gave Janette a brief hug. "How long have you been in town." "About a month now, Nichola what has happened to Matthew?" she asked worriedly "I think it best that you hear it from him, Janette." Nick told her Janette left them and went to Matthew's room and without warning opened the door. Janette gasped as she saw the scars that now covered his body. Matt said nothing as he put on a clean shirt, buttoning it up he tucked it into his pants. "Tell me Matthew." Janette commanded just as she had done so many years before This time Matt didn't answer instead he left the room and went back into the living room, Janette right on his heels. "I will not leave you alone until you tell me what happened to you. For five years I thought you were dead, now I find you alive and you will not tell me anything." she warned him Moving over to the bay windows Matt stared into the night trying to draw comfort from it. Taking a deep breath he began. "Just after I wrote you and Lucien that last time, I was given an assignment. I was to go to Bulgaria and sanction a French terrorist Jean Luc Messier. I tracked him for two weeks getting to know his habits and his tastes, trying to find the optimum moment to sanction him. A time when there would be no collateral damage." "Collateral damage?" asked Natalie confused Matt nodded "No innocent bystanders, I'm the only chessman who ever cared about there not being any civilian dead. They call it 'acceptable breakage' I call it murder and I won't be a party to that. Anyway, one night I was following him when I was stopped by the Bulgarian secret police and asked for my papers. I handed them over and the next thing I knew someone was hitting me over the head. When I woke up I was strapped down in a chair, naked and these guards were asking me about the names of agents we had in place in Bulgaria. I knew if I gave out those names, fellow agents would be killed, so I refused. After a couple of days of them beating me they finally figured that I wouldn't tell them anything. That's when they called in Ivan Stepovich, a doctor of medicine they called him. Shit he would have made Mengele proud." moving to a box on the table Matt opened it and pulled out a cigarette and lit it lost in his memories, his voice took on a monotone tinge as if he were standing there describing something that happened to someone else. "The first thing he did was take me to a special freezer he had set up. There was a vat full of ice water, he showed me the thermometer it read twelve degrees below zero. Over it they had a chair suspended by a chain, they ripped my clothes off and strapped me into it and put me over the water. Then I noticed that they had moved heating lamps, big ones all around me and turned them on. The temperature began to rise. Again Stepovich showed me the temperature, a hundred and seventeen degrees. Moving back he asked me the names of our agents, he left me there until it felt like my skin was going to burst into flames. Then he dropped me into the tank." Janette gasped putting a hand over her mouth Laughing bitterly Matt continued "Let me tell you the pain was exquisite, it felt like they were putting needles into every square inch of my body. After about a minute I guess it was, they pulled me out, by then my lips had turned blue and I could barely feel the rest of my body. The lamps took care of that quick, then he waited till my skin was burning then he asked me again and again he dropped me into the tank. That little trick lasted for about twenty minutes before I passed out, then we went for electricity, diodes attached to my testicles and armpits. Then back to the tank, then more electricity. This went on for seven weeks, with the odd whipping thrown in. By the end of it I was a babbling idiot, I couldn't even tell him my own name by that point. Stepovich was very upset though, it seems that no one had ever survived to that point and I did so without him ever hearing me scream. Tracy had already heard him tell the story to Laquoix and he had merely nodded at this point just as did Janette. "Matt what's the point of not screaming?" she asked He turned to her, his face completely immobile and Tracy knew that she was looking at the face of death "I wouldn't give that son of a bitch the satisfaction of hearing my pain. So one night they came into my cell and pulled me out and took me to his office. They strapped me down again, but this time he didn't ask me anything, he just took out a white hot needle and stuck it around my eye ball and into the socket then the other one. After that they put me in a hole and left me there for a few weeks, I was completely blind in a room that I couldn't even stretch out in. My body was in agony, my head felt like it was on fire and I was losing my mind. I don't know how long I was left there a couple of days maybe weeks I do remember that I hadn't eaten in several weeks. One day a guard bought me some food, I couldn't tell what it was at first. Then I realized it was a dead rat." Tracy felt nauseous again just like when he had told Laquoix, she saw that Janette was crying red tears streaking her lovely face and that Natalie was holding on to Nick very tightly. Taking a deep drag he stared at the stars "I never knew that I could be that hungry, but I was. So I ate it, they had even given me a glass of water. Pretty soon I was able to keep track of the passing time, not accurately of course. When I heard four guard changes that meant one day, according to that clock they fed me once a week and one glass of water every day. Just enough to keep me alive, every couple of days Stepovich and his boys would come for me and interrogate me some more. That was my life for three years until finally I broke. It wasn't enough for Stepovich that I told him what he wanted to know, he made me crawl on my stomach to him and made me lick his boots." Crushing out the cigarette, they could all feel the anger that radiated in him also the shame that he had actually done it to survive. As if it somehow made him less than a man. Taking another deep breath he continued "Two days later a C.I.A. team came and got me out, when I got to Washington and into the hospital I weighed one hundred and thirty pounds I weighed two hundred and twelve when I went in. I couldn't even stand on my own feet, I had to be carried or wheeled to the showers, I had to be helped to go to the bathroom, I can't describe how humiliating that was for me. I was constantly on drugs because the pain never stopped, day and night it was with me, reminding me of my failure, of my cowardice. Then Control came to see me, I told him that I had broken and that I expected to be tried for treason for my crime. Instead he told me that I was being awarded the congressional medal of honor, I asked why, I had broken agents were probably dead because of me, that's when he told me. The reason I had been sent, was to purposely give out bogus information." Turning to the group he shook with anger remembering the conversation "I was purposely given false contact names people who were loyal to Bulgarian interests they felt that the longer I held out the more they would believe the information was true. They had made me give up my dignity, my honor every ounce of my self respect for nothing." He yelled smashing his fist into the wall putting a hole through it. Breathing hard he regained control as Janette came up from behind and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, she remembered what a proud man he was. Still trembling he put his head on the wall. "The worst part of it was when I saw my friend Michael." He told them "I trained Michael personally, and he was by far my best student. So when he came to see me I asked him how he got me out with so little trouble. Well it turns out that Stepovich had been transferred back to Moscow for his stunning coup of breaking one of the Chessmen. The remaining guards didn't know who I was so they pretty much left me alone. Two days after Stepovich left Michael bought my freedom from the guards. I've always wondered what kind of price you could put on a person's life, wondered how much someone is worth." Shaking his head he laughed as if he were insane "Well I know how much my life is worth." He told them "My life is worth exactly $61.17, that is how much the agency spent to recover me sixty bucks to buy a case of vodka three cartons of american cigarettes and two cheap ten dollar whores. Sixty one dollars and seventeen cents." Matt shook his head. With his head still on the wall Matt continued "Then that very same day Janine came to see me, I wrote to you about her." "I remember, Matthew" Janette said in a choked voice "She told me that she had, had our child, but that she had married someone else. That I was never to see her or our child ever again, she called me an animal. That night I tried to kill myself." Chuckling softly to himself Matt continued "You know I have killed a lot of men in my life, and I have never failed except for that one time. A couple of days later after I was out of danger, they took me to surgery and were able to restore my vision. Except for the fact that I could no longer look at any bright lights I was fine, except that every bone in my body was screaming out in pain. After they removed the bandages I was determined to kill my self to end my pain, I figured that now that I could see again I could do the job right." Pausing he turned to Janette and the others "This part I have never told anyone, anyone for fear they might put me in the nut house. I had gotten hold of a hypodermic needle, I thought if I sent an air bubble into my vein it would kill me. As I laid there in pain I tried to do it, but something in me refused to go out that way then as I put the hypo down, I saw three people standing over my bed, two women and a man, the door had never opened they were just suddenly there. The one that spoke first had this Irish accent and had long dark brown hair she looked at me and said. Suddenly Matt's mind drifted back to that night. "Hello Matthew, my name is Monica and this is Tess and Andrew." "What do you want?" Matt spat at them "How the hell did you get in here." Monica ignored the anger, she could feel his pain almost as if it were her own "I want you to live." she had said gently "God want's you to live" Matt had laughed bitterly "There is no god, if there was. Why did he let this happen to me, why has pain followed me all of my life." he squirmed trying in vain to find a position that he would be comfortable in. The large black woman spoke gently to him like she were speaking to a small child "I don't know baby, but god has his reasons." she tried to reassure him. Matt sat back crying, in anger and in pain also ashamed that these three people had seen him trying to kill himself, the last act of a coward. "He hates me that's what it is, but I always believed. I had too, it was all I had left now thanks to that bastard Stepovich I've even lost my faith." Andrew spoke next "You haven't lost it, it's just buried deep down inside. You just have to look there and you'll find it, faith is not something that can be taken away or lost, just misplaced for the moment." Matt sighed in resignation "I'm too tired to try, I've been fighting and killing my whole life. I don't want it anymore, just let me die and find some peace." Monica sat by the bed "God does love you, he has seen all that you have done, but he has also seen your heart. You cannot hide it from god, he saw and felt your pain and he sent us." Suddenly all three had begun to glow with an ethereal light. "My eyes must be going screwy again" he muttered as he blinked and rubbed his eyes Tess smiled and grabbed both his hands laying them at his side "No they haven't baby, we're angels sent by god to tell you that he loves you. That he still needs you here. You have suffered a lot of pain in your life, but you continued to have faith till now. God watched you kill those people but he also saw the lives you saved because you did what you did. He also watched as you cried alone in church and begged for it all to end, for the madness to stop." "Will it ever end?" Matt asked Monica shook her head "I am just an angel, not god. He gave all his children free will, they must choose their own paths. You have been given a difficult role to play, you are a soldier who holds back the evil, you must fight injustice. That is what you are, you cannot change that. What you must believe is that god has a reason for what he does, he has a reason for choosing you to be his soldier. I cannot promise that it will ever be easy, I wish that I could." Andrew sat on the otherside of the bed "Take comfort in the fact that for every life you took, lives were saved perhaps hundreds of innocent people are alive because of what you are." Smiling down on the injured man he continued "I am an angel of death Matthew." Jokingly Matthew patted Andrews arm "I must keep you pretty busy" Andrew shook his head "Not really, all of the men you have killed have gone to another place. I take people only to heaven that is why I am here, if you had killed yourself I would have taken you there." Monica took his hand and suddenly it began to glow and the pain that was his existence suddenly vanished. "God loves you Matthew, how will you return that love." she asked looking deep into his face through the dark glasses into his eyes. Monica saw the courage and strength returning into them. Matt handed the syringe over to Monica "By being strong, and keeping my faith. I love him too you know." "God knows that baby, and whatever happens keep that faith and know that god will always love you." "I will Tess." Matt promised falling asleep Suddenly back in the present Matt looked at his friends who were staring at him not sure if he was sane or not. Holding his hands up he told them in protest for his sanity. "I don't know if was real or a dream or a hallucination, or just wishful thinking. I just knew that I couldn't go through with it. I became determined to become better that I ever was, to regain my honor, my courage. That was two years ago, after that I started trying to live again to get well it took me a year and a half of hard work of humiliations that I will never tell anyone about, the sacrifices I made to become whole again. That's why I couldn't call you Janette, do you think I wanted you to see me like that. To know how I had failed you, Lucien, myself." "Oh Matthew, you could never fail me." Janette told him moving to his side and holding him. The warehouse district was deserted, but not completely. Two men moved through the shadows as if born to them, their easy grace belied their uneasy hearts. They had to be careful, more careful than they had ever been in their careers. Difficult but not impossible, nothing was impossible for the Chessmen. Moving to a locked door the man in the lead opened it with a key and entered quickly followed by his companion. This was the last time that they had to come down to this area, they just needed to collect their insurance policy and sanction the policy holder. Both men quickly fanned out and searched the stacks surrounding a white tented area in the center of the warehouse, it never hurt to be extra careful. Making sure that there were no nasty surprises in store for them or their team the two men made their way over to the tent. Upon reaching it one of the men, a giant who stood six foot nine inches in his barefeet and was barrel chested, powerful arms completed the package. He was blonde almost Nordic looking to the world he did not exist but to a select few he was the Black Castle. At his side was almost a contradiction to the large man, for he was average, average height, weight, and face. No one would ever think twice of this man, with mousy brown straight hair and puppydog eyes to match. Few people were ever allowed to mistake him twice he made sure of that he was the Black Deacon. Castle pulled open the curtain for the giant tent and motioned for Deacon to precede him. Deacon entered the room and quickly did a visual scan of the area then turned and nodded to his large companion who moved quickly and gracefully for one his size. "Doctor?" Deacon called out pleasantly A head poked up from behind a computer screen. A young grad student of nuclear science pushed back his glasses and stared at the two men. "You guys are early, did you bring my money?" the young man asked getting down to business "First we want to see what we are buying. If everything is satisfactory, we will make a call and your money will be delivered to you as promised." Deacon told him nicely Motioning to a tarp that sat on a table the young man smiled. "Well there it is, I just finished it about an hour ago. I was running a couple of computer simulations to see what kind of yield is possible." Rubbing his hands together the young scientist continued "I can't wait to see the faces of all those politicians who say that it is impossible to construct a nuclear bomb outside of a laboratory. Maybe after this little demonstration they will finally put more stringent laws about nuclear materials." Deacon nodded in appreciation as he looked over the device with a critical eye. "Yeah they sure will be surprised all right. Is the timer preset as we requested." "Sure is twenty four hours is set. All you would have to do to activate it is turn the key." Deacon nodded accepting the key from the young scientist. "And it is impossible to disassemble and deactivate." "Well that wasn't possible" he shrugged, then seeing the two faces that stared at him he quickly added "I mean nothing is full proof. I will put this up against anyone though, I've tried to think of every possible way of getting to the inner workings and have rigged counter measures for each. Only I would be able to tell how to get to the workings, but I will be in Tahiti watching all of this on CNN." He laughed As did Deacon till he pulled out his gun and put a bullet in the young fool's head. Castle turned and pulled out a radio. "King to Deacon four, all is clear" Castle said uneasily, this wasn't the way it was supposed to happen. "Check, coming in" a voice replied Deacon moved the body away from the center of the room. As Castle ran to the large doors and opened them and a waiting van drove right in. Pausing for at least the millionth time since agreeing to do this idiotic plan. Scaring the crap out of the president was not a way to ingratiate yourself with the man. There were other ways that they could still prove their worth without resorting to this insanity. Castle shook his head three and a half years ago he wouldn't have given it a second thought but now. Ever since they had caught Knight and he had disappeared Castle had sat down and examined his life. There was nothing, no life whatsoever, he was an assassin and that was it. Inexplicably he found that sad to have nothing when he found to his surprise that he did want something. Some meaning for his life that he had done some good. Laughing to himself he thought of Matt who always wanted to do it another way to find a way of doing their jobs without collateral damage, hell maybe knight was right afterall. Not too long after a particularly bad assignment he had wandered through Washington aimlessly. Choosing a seat on the steps of the Lincoln memorial he sat pondering what the hell he was doing, that was the night he had met Rachael. She had walked up and sat a small distance away from him, he could tell immediately that she was armed and he stiffened to be ready just in case. Soon she had turned and had seen him sitting there and for no apparent reason started a conversation with him. Soon the two were sitting together laughing telling stories and each found out to their surprise that they both worked for the agency although they were both reluctant to say exactly what they did. It had started so innocently a new friendship being formed between two lonely people, perhaps it had been inevitable that they had become lovers as well. For Castle at least it was a way to work off the frustration of his job and life, "She's nothing to me" he told himself "I'll dump her at the end of the month". Then one month turned into two then three then six then they had celebrated their first year anniversary in Hawaii and their second in Paris and their third in the Bahamas. Slowly Castle realized that he was in love with the small dark haired beauty. But he kept it to himself, he would tell nobody about her. If they knew then she could be used as a weapon against him. Then the news came that Knight was alive and in the hospital, he had gone to see him there that first night and found him asleep. He was so gaunt and haggard that it had hurt the big man to even watch him, he had left without waking him and never returned. When they first told him that the chessmen were going to be retired he had silently let out a sigh of relief, now if only Rachael would quit they could live out their dreams of moving to Oregon and opening up a little book store and live the good life, no more running, no more assignments, no more people to sanction. But no, Queen had other plans and he had foolishly agreed to help her. He told Rachael just one last job and they would be off together, but now he realized there would be no going back. This was one of those assignments that the only possible outcome was either death or imprisonment. Pulling up next to the tent, The Black King jumped out of the van. Standing at six, two, two hundred pounds with sandy hair and blue eyes, he ran into the tent. "Status" he announced in a cold voice "Insurance policy is complete, and the policy holder has been sanctioned" Deacon replied without a trace of a smile. Moving over to the device King checked it out for himself. After he was assured he motioned for Castle to grab one end while he grabbed the other. "Deacon open the side door for us, let's get this into the rig as gently as possible Castle." The large man merely grunted as he lifted his end into the specially constructed safety rig. After King placed his end in Castle locked it into position to ensure that it did not bounce around. King turned to Deacon "Set the charges I don't want anything in this place left after we leave." Deacon nodded and picked up a bag from the front seat of the van, and ran back into the Tent. A few minutes later Deacon came out with a satisfied grin on his face. "All set King, let's get moving." The three were two blocks away when they heard the explosion. With a satisfied sigh for a job well done, King headed home. Upon reaching their rented home they pulled the van into the garage, once again Castle and King carried the bomb into the house and placed it into another mount and strapped it in. Slapping the large man on the arm King smiled and went in to find the Queen. Going into the living room, King saw Bishop and Rook going over the weapons again to make sure that they were still performing well after that afternoon's practice session. Continuing on into the master bedroom he saw Queen sitting on the bed with the phone propped on her shoulder. Queen a dark haired woman with the looks of a high fashion model was the leader of the Chessmen and as such rated the master bedroom. "Hold on he just came in." Covering the phone with one hand "How did it go?" King smiled "Smooth as silk, he had no idea until it was too late. The policy is in the harness ready to go." Returning to the phone "Everything is set, we just have to wait for the proper moment and then we strike." Pausing to listen, Queen suddenly got angry "What the hell do you mean you sent him" Pause "Okay not you then, why didn't you put a leash on Control. You know you guys are really stupid" Pause "Are you really surprised that it didn't work, you just make sure that one of your teams silences him. He could blow everything" She told the voice and slammed the phone. Worry etched the beautiful womans face as she leaned back in bed "Control sent Knight here." King approached the bed "Knight? What for, as if we didn't have enough problems." Queen shook her head "They sent him on a round robin and they were surprised when they didn't get him. They got two dozen hit teams searching for him now. He's alone, and he has no place to hide and no one to help him. He won't be a problem for us." King wasn't so sure "Are you certain, he is one of us afterall" Queen angrily slammed her fist into the bed "He was never one of us, he doesn't have what it takes inside to do whatever needs to be done. He's always worried about no one getting hurt, besides since Bulgaria, he's damaged goods. We won't have a problem on that end. How's the rest of the plan going." King nodded accepting her word for Knight "Everything is on the wire and running like a swiss watch." "Good, in a few days they are going to see that it was a big mistake ever to fire us." Queen promised They sat around the table, Natalie, Tracy and Matt were the only ones that were eating. Natalie was surprised that not only was it very good, but that Janette had actually cooked the entire meal herself. "Oh come Natalie, after all I was mortal once." Janette joked Nick's cell phone went off, reaching into his pocket he pulled it out. "Knight" he said the others watched his expression change "Right captain we'll be right there." Hanging up the phone Nick turned to Matt who was looking at him expectantly. "A warehouse just blew up down town. The first cops on the scene recovered some partially burned papers about nuclear bombs." Matt nodded standing up "That's what we've been waiting for, there's probably a body there somewhere. That will be our bomb maker, let's just hope that there is something left behind to give us a hint of where the chessmen might be." putting his jacket on he smiled at Janette. "Thanks for dinner, Janette I'll see you soon." he promised "Be careful Matthew" Matt promised that he would, going into a closet he grabbed an attach‚ case quickly opening it and checking it's contents he closed the case. Then he and the others left for the scene of the bombing. The group drove in silence, each one lost in their own thoughts of what to expect from the next couple of days. Reaching the warehouse they saw that the fire was out and that police personnel were about to enter the building. Reese spotted them and came over. Looking extremely glum Reese pulled them to the side "We found a body, no I.D. on him as yet." Natalie grabbed her bag "I'll see what I can find" she told them and went to look at the body. "Captain, keep all of the officers out of the building till after I check it out." Matt told him as he laid his suitcase on top of the car and opened it up "Why?" Pointing to the wreck of a building he explained as he pulled something out of the case and slammed it shut again "This looks like the work of Deacon, sometimes he likes to plant secondary bombs that go off sometime later when there are investigators in there, here." Matt handed Reese a ear piece with a small device attached to it "I'll go in and check it out, you'll be able to hear me with this I'll keep in constant contact with you. If I don't find anything I'll call in the troops to start an evidence search." "What do we do?" Asked Tracy Pointing to the west side of the docks which were the darkest "They probably came from that direction by foot. They wouldn't chance a car or van in here until they were sure of the area. Check it out down there, maybe we'll get lucky and they dropped something." Nick nodded then he and Tracy made their way towards the dark streets. Picking up his attach‚ case he made his way to the entrance. As Matt entered the complete darkness inside, he readjusted his dark glasses. Silently thanking the boys in Langley who were able to come up with the special lenses that allowed him to see perfectly in the dark. Carefully making his way through the warehouse his senses were assaulted by the smoke and smell of burnt flesh. Checking every few feet for trip wires or motion sensors he made his way to a series of what used to be large boxes. "I'm inside, nothing so far." he whispered as he continued to scan the area inch by inch "I read you, just be careful" Reese warned him Matt smiled "Always" Matt continued to search the boxes, he never noticed the three women and one man who were watching his progress with some interest. "Well Miss Wings, do you recognize him?" Tess asked as she sat on a box that somehow escaped the blast Monica studied the man searching the boxes and shook her hair, and with an Irish accent answered "No, he doesn't look familiar to me, Tess, why?" Tess smiled at her young prot‚g‚ "Look closer and think back to a man much thinner, dangerously thin and a certain night at the..." "Hospital" Monica suddenly remembered "Is that Matthew?" At Test's nod Monica continued "My, he has gotten better. He's gained some much needed weight." she said happy that Matthew had indeed regained his health "Yes honey, in fact he is in better shape now than he was before he went to prison." "Prison?" asked Celeste, the newest angel. Turning to Tess who was her supervisor she asked "Is that why we are here, to prevent him from going back to prison?" Tess shook her head and turned to the beautiful young blonde angel "We are here to try to prevent a catastrophe, the group of people that Matthew used to work with have constructed a nuclear bomb. If they succeed in their plans, hundreds of thousands will die here and many more will die world wide as a result." Andrew spoke for the first time "That's why a lot of angels of death are here, waiting to see if they are going to be needed." Gesturing towards Matthew he continued "There's a small bomb in the next box, if he doesn't see it or disarm it properly I'll be here to take him home." Tess crossed her fingers "If that happens baby, a whole lot of innocent people are going to die." Monica nodded "So our assignment is to help Matthew stop this from happening" "In part" Tess told them "Celeste is to help Matthew come to terms that he may have to kill his friends to stop this. You Miss Wings have another assignment." "Another assignment?" Monica asked confused "What assignment?" Tess held up a finger "All in god's own time baby, first let's see if Matthew completes this part." "He's found it" Andrew let out a sigh of relief, even though he loved his job as angel of death. To be able to bring people to heaven was one of the joys of his existence. However he had no desire to see the deaths of so many innocents. Matt saw the device and began to check it out, seeing that there were no motion sensors or any tripwires he gently lifted the bomb out of the box and put it on top of it. "I found one" he whispered "I'm going to try to disarm, have everyone pull back a hundred feet. The guy who made this made it really powerful." "Understood, do you want any assistance to disarm it." Reese asked as he motioned his people back "Nope, I got it. It's on a timer." Matt told him as he wiped his hands on his jacket "How long till it blows" "Four minutes twenty seconds...now." Matt opened his attach‚ case and took out a set of magnification glasses that fit over his sunglasses. Searching every square millimeter of the device he made sure that there would be no nasty surprises. Obviously Deacon never expected this device to be found in time so he just made it straight forward. Matt pulled out his laser torch, which ate through the plastic coating to expose bare wires. He then pulled out an Ohms meter and quickly checked the voltage. Checking the timer he saw that he was down to three minutes thirty seconds, finally he found the right wire and picked up his wire cutters. "I've got the sequence, I hope. Cutting the first wire now." Matt told them and quickly snipped the wire. Then moving to the second wire he cut it then the third and fourth. Letting out a sigh of relief he looked at the stopped timer. One minute, forty seconds. "That's got it, it's safe. I'm going to check for more devices." Outside Reese let out a sigh of relief according to his watch Matt had less than two minutes left on that one. Leaving the bomb where it laid Matt continued to search the rest of the warehouse till he was sure that there were no more bombs. Returning to the disarmed bomb he packed up his things and closed the case. Picking up the bomb he announced. "All clear, I'm coming out have the bomb squad ready for a delivery." Matt could hear the sigh of relief from Reese and heard "Good, the bomb squad is ready for the device. Is it all right to send the people in?" "Yeah, I've already checked the rest of the warehouse for more surprises. Were going to need some portable lights in here, it's pretty dark. I recommend that you send those in first so nobody disturbs the crime scene." Reese laughed "You sound like a cop already." Exiting the ware house Matt shook his head "Well the work I did was sort of cop work, I searched for and found people. I had to build a case against them, actually the only difference is that then I couldn't just arrest them." Carefully handing the device to the bomb squad, they put it in a special lead lined container. Quickly making their way to the truck to get the device to the station so that they could complete disarmament. Tess and Monica stood just behind Natalie as she studied the body. "This is your assignment." Monica studied the beautiful young woman bent over the remains of a dead body. "What is she doing?" she asked with a grimace Tess circled around Natalie to see her face "Her name is Natalie Lambent, she is the medical examiner for the metro police department." "So what is the assignment." Monica asked "Young Natalie here is in love with a very dark man, a vampire." Monica was taken aback "Vampires are evil aren't they" Tess smiled and patted Monica on the hand chiding her "Not all, that's like saying every mortal is good. Like everyone else they are good and bad. This particular vampire is named Nicholas Knight, here he comes now." Monica studied the man, he did not look evil. In fact he was very handsome, Monica studied the two of them together. Nicholas was very gentle with Natalie and could see that he too was in love with her. "He seems to love her as well." Monica pointed out Tess nodded "Yes he is, a couple of days ago another young woman a friend of Natalie's committed suicide. She was a very lonely woman who did not see that there were other alternatives, when she died she left a diary for Natalie. In it she describes her lonely life without love, when Natalie read it she saw that it closely resembled her life. After all she is in love with a man who can never completely show that love because of what he is. In the end she made an ultimatum, to either bring her across and make her a vampire herself. Or to try something very dangerous." "What" "A vampire can make love to a mortal, however it requires that the vampire drink some of her blood. If the vampire takes too much then she will die. That is his greatest fear, that he hurt the woman he loves. They have tried many different cures to try to make him mortal again so that they can spend the rest of their lives together. Each time it has met with failure. Natalie is losing hope that she will ever find a cure in her lifetime, she is finding it more and more difficult to hold on to her objectivity. Your assignment is to help her to continue to try to find a cure for Nick's ailment, to give her back some hope. My assignment is to help him, his fears are paralyzing him. He may decide that the easiest way to keep her safe is to leave her which will break both of their hearts. Also he has to be shown that god has noticed his actions, and has seen into this vampires cold heart and soul. To show him that he is not beyond redemption." Natalie stood up over the body as Nick approached her. "Well he was shot once in the head, before the explosion. I'd say that whoever did it wanted the explosion to cover any signs of murder. I'll have to take him back to the office to give you more information and try to identify him." She motioned for the waiting men to put him in the truck to take him to the morgue. Nick nodded at the information and noted her haggard appearance. "Are you all right Nat, you look tired." Natalie shook it off "I'll be okay, it's just been one Helena night already and its barely past midnight." Nick went around behind her and began to rub her shoulders. Natalie melted at his gentle ministrations. "Oh that feels so good." closing her eyes she felt herself begin to drift away Leaning close to her ear Nick whispered "After your done with you exam, I want you to go home and get into a hot tub of water and relax. Take the rest of the night off and get some sleep, tomorrow is another day." Natalie moaned softly "I wish I could but I still have to finish up the other bodies which I haven't even gotten started on. However I do promise that I will leave early and get some rest." "Promise" Nick smiled at her Natalie smiled back "Yes promise Nick, now you had better get inside before I never let you go. Where did you ever learn to give a massage." "Playboy channel on cable" Nick admitted releasing Natalie reluctantly Natalie turned back with a surprised look on her face "Well detective, we are going to have to discuss your television watching habits." Back inside the warehouse the forensics team had set up large halogen lights and completely illuminated the interior. Scores of men moved over every square inch of the warehouse. Reese stood to one side with Matt and Tracy overlooking the operations. "Excuse me, I was told that I could find Captain Reese here?" They all turned to see a beautiful young blonde woman dressed in a silk shirt and pants smiling at them. "I'm Reese, how can I help you." Reese smiled at the woman "I'm inspector Celeste Angel from the R.C.M.P, I have been sent to lend assistance to a sergeant Travers." "I'm Travers" Matt told her "lend assistance to what?" Celeste smiled at the tall handsome man "I have been fully briefed as to what the situation is, the home office believes that I can be of some use. Therefore I have been temporarily been reassigned to metro." Tracy saw the way this Celeste was smiling at Matt and decided that she didn't like the help that the R.C.M.P was providing. Why couldn't they send some old fat inspector, instead of this admittedly beautiful woman. Matt looked the woman up and down and decided that she would be of no use to him. Turning he walked away from her. "Tracy let's go see if they've found anything." Moving away Tracy looked behind at the confused face of inspector Angel "Why don't you want her around Matt." Matt pointed at her "Look at her, she has soft hands, she has no gun. I told you and the others before I will not be responsible for the deaths of anyone." Tracy bristled "Is it because she is a woman." Matt gave her an exasperated look "You are also a woman Tracy, I did happen to notice that at first glance. At least with you I know that you can take care of yourself." "I can also take care of myself" Celeste told them from right behind them making Tracy jump "God you scared me, don't do that again" "I'm sorry, my name is Celeste" The young woman smiled again holding out her hand to Tracy Shaking the offered hand "Tracy Vetter, you already know one of my partners Matt Travers" elbowing him in the stomach Matt finally also shook hands with her. "I'm pleased to know you both." the young angel smiled Natalie entered the morgue and went directly to her desk to get ready for the autopsy when she saw a woman sitting at her desk. Her red head was bent down reading a report when she suddenly looked up and smiled. "Hello" Spoke a lilting Irish accent "My name is Monica, I am waiting for Dr. Lambent" Natalie nodded shucking her jacket "I'm Natalie Lambent" Monica stood vacating her seat and held out a hand "I am pleased to meet you doctor, I am your new assistant." Surprised Natalie asked "What happened to Grace, my regular assistant?" "She had an emergency come up, her father is ill. So she went home to stay with him for a while." Monica told her taking the discarded jacket and hanging it up neatly Suddenly worried for her friend "I hope everything is all right." Monica nodded with self assurance "He will be fine, personally I just think that he misses his daughter and wants to see her." "Okay, Monica, how much experience do you have" Natalie asked preparing her tray table Monica moved over to the opposite side and prepared the table to receive it's next occupant. "Some, I haven't been doing this very long" she admitted "I hope that I will learn a lot from you doctor." "Please just call me Natalie" Monica smiled brightly rubbing her hands together "Okay Natalie, what's first" Natalie smiled at the other womans enthusiasm "Well we have a victim coming in, he should be in any minute. He was found earlier this evening at the warehouse explosion. First we do the autopsy then we have another eighteen bodies we have to look at." "So many?!" Monica asked startled Natalie nodded ruefully "Yes, it's been a busy couple of days, but with those other bodies I already did the autopsy we just have to give them a quick once over." the doors opened as two burly men wheeling a stretcher in deposited the nights work with them and left. "Oh well lets get started shall we." Natalie announced slipping on surgical gloves and pulling back the sheet. Monica once again saw the burned face of what was once a young man. Shaking her head sadly "It is difficult to see one so young end up this way, what happened to him." Picking up her recorder and making sure that it had a new tape in it. "There was an explosion at a warehouse tonight, this body was found in the rubble. He also has a bullet wound in his head." Monica nodded in understanding "Meaning that he was shot first, and the explosion was an attempt to cover up the crime." Natalie smiled "You catch on quick, how long did you say you were doing this." "Not long, but I had very good teachers." Celeste walked through the police precinct, amazed at the swiftness of how the officers moved trying to solve their cases. Nothing was trivial, every fact was searched out in the pursuit of justice. She had never given much thought of the people that dedicated their lives in this pursuit, but found that she respected them greatly. She saw that Tracy was sitting at her desk working on some paperwork that had piled up on her. Walking over to her she sat down in the empty desk and watched fascinated. Tracy looked up and saw the young woman staring at her, obviously she had nothing to do as yet and was bored. "What are you doing?" asked Celeste full of curious innocence Tracy looked up and explained "I'm writing up a report of an incident that happened earlier tonight. Sergeant Travers and I were attacked by a group of men with automatic weapons. We killed them." Celeste saw the pain in the eyes of the young woman "That must have been difficult, taking those lives." Tracy nodded typing on her computer "It's never easy" Celeste looked around "Where is sergeant Travers?" "I think he's in the briefing room going over some reports that were bought in earlier. You know stolen car reports, strange incidents, anything that might give us a lead as to where to go next." Celeste got up "I think I'll go see him, I want to hear first hand what we are dealing with. If you will excuse me." Moving over to a closed door Celeste silently went in. Looking around the room she saw that Matt was sitting with his back to her staring at the pictures of his friends, talking to them. Matt took a drag off of his cigarette and spoke "Why can't you guy's just let it go, it's over. You should be jumping up and down for joy like I was, they gave us the perfect out. But no, you are addicted to it aren't you, the killing the intrigue. Now I have to be the one to stop you, and I don't know if I have the guts to drop the hammer on you guys. We were friends once, even if we didn't agree on most things, you knew that I would always be there to back you up. Now you go and pull this stupid stunt. Don't you realize how many people are going to die, don't you care. Or has the agency warped you so much that you just don't give a shit." "I didn't realize that you knew them" Celeste said slowly Matt jumped and spun around, embarrassed that he had been caught voicing his fears. "Yeah, I do know them" he said sitting in a chair and opening a folder pretending to find it interesting Celeste crossed the room and studied the pictures along the wall, all of the pictures represented young people. People who should be starting families, raising children, not planning to destroy a city. "I didn't realize that they were so young, just like you." she started tentatively "They're exactly like me" Matt said rubbing his temples feeling the headache starting to settle in. Celeste shook her head "No, nothing like you, except for their youth. If they were exactly like you they would never had done this. If you were like them you would be with them now helping to plan this thing. Still it must be difficult, to be sent to try to stop your colleagues" Turning to face Matt who by now was staring back at her "I think that you are right though, something evil has taken their hearts. And sometimes no matter how difficult it is you must cut off a hand to save the arm and the body." Matt looked at the pictures and nodded "I know, but you know what really frightens me" "No, what?" Fingering the pictures "There but for the grace of God go I." Celeste smiled "That is very well put" Turning she picked up a file from among the stack and opened it. "Matt didn't you say that they needed a large van to take the device away." "Yeah, but they wouldn't be stupid enough to steal one off the street." Passing the file over to Matt "How about one from a car dealership. This says that the only reason that the theft was noticed was the owner is going through a divorce and the lawyers were there to take stock of the inventory." Reading the file Matt nodded "It's possible, car dealerships usually only take inventory once a month. Since this is the beginning of the month the inventory should already be done. No one would notice one van missing from the entire dealership for weeks." Crossing over to the door Matt went out into the squad room, and headed straight for Nick and Tracy. "I think we caught a break. Look at this" Handing the file to Nick he explained his idea "It's worth putting out a special notice out on it." Nick admitted "I'm going down to the dealership and check it out" Matt announced "You know see if anybody remembers seeing any of the chessmen around lately. Also I was thinking it would be risky renting any apartments right now, I think that the men should concentrate on houses. Preferably large houses with fences surrounding the property or perhaps cabins in the woods. They might have even bought it, it would be a couple. They would pose as man and wife and buy it or rent it." "I'll get on that" Nick told him "Tracy you better go with Matt and check out the dealership." Matt nodded and helped Tracy on with her jacket "Oh Celeste was the one who came up with the dealership idea. It may be a good idea to pass the rest of the files to her, who knows maybe she can come up with an address for us as well." Tracy smiled at Matt "So she's proving useful after all" Matt shrugged in defeat "Hey I've been wrong before, and I will be wrong again. Let's go" Matt and Tracy entered the car dealership, looking around they saw that the majority of the cars in the place were family cars. All large vans, and four wheel drives that were so popular with the new generation X'ers. They looked around for sales people but they were all occupied with people who were interested in buying cars. Matt wandered around a bit looking at one car then the next looking at sticker prices waiting for the inevitable. "What is this place doing open so late, and why are so many people here?" Tracy asked him Matt shrugged "Probably some sort of clearance sale to make room for the new models, I read somewhere that the 2000's are going to be out soon." A salesman spotted the two and moved right over to them. His easy smile lit up the room and he was raring to make a sale, only two more and the lawyers fees would be paid off. "Welcome folks to the Lampoon showroom madness clearance sale, my name is Monty Lampoon." Smiling at Tracy he continued "Well what are we looking for this evening, a second car for the Mrs.'s perhaps. Or maybe the stork has delivered some wonderful news and your looking for a family car." Tracy blushed beet red "We're not married, and were not here for a car" Pulling out her badge she showed it to the salesman "I'm detective Vetter and this is sergeant Travers and were here about the stolen van that was reported." The salesman lost his smile for a moment as he looked around to make sure that none of the other patrons had heard. "Sure, please come this way." he told them leading them away from the customers Showing them into the back office Lampoon motioned for the two officers to take seats. Pulling out a handkerchief he wiped his balding head while he poured himself a large tumbler of whiskey. "Would you care for some officers, or is it not allowed" The salesman's smile returned Looking at Matt he simply shrugged and Tracy took that as her cue to take control. "No thank you Mr. Lampoon" "Monty, Please everyone calls me Monty" Matt sat up straighter and smiled "That's where I've seen you before, Mad Monty the car Magnate. Late night TV open twenty three and a half hours a day." Monty smiled, the commercials were paying off "Well I do need some sleep." he chuckled "I don't understand, I gave my report to some other officers this afternoon. Don't tell me you found the van already." he asked hopefully Tracy shook her head "No sir, we are doing a follow up. We have reason to believe that the van may have been used in the commission of a crime." Monty lost his smile "Shit, that's just terrific. I wonder how much business this is going to cost me." Matt took over "Monty, in your report you say that today's inventory was taken for your divorce settlement. However you guys do a monthly inventory don't you?" Lampoon nodded taking a sip of his drink "Yeah, we do one at the end of every month. The insurance company demands a strict accounting of every car on the lot. Hell now my premiums are going to go through the roof as well. You know when it rains shit it turns to diarrhea." Matt adjusted his glasses "As pretty a picture that is, I think that I can help you." Monty leaned forward as Matt held up a hand "But, I'm going to need your help" Taking out a set of pictures of mens and womens faces he handed them to Monty. "Do you recognize any of those faces?" Monty slowly went through the pictures, stopping at one he studied the face closely. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a pair of glasses. "Yeah this one" he told them handing over the picture to Matt "He came in looking for a family car." Taking the picture Matt looked at it nodding he pocketed it and took the other pictures back as well. Then pulling out his check book he set it on his desk. "How much was the van." Quoting the price from memory, the salesman was surprised when Matt handed the man a check for that price. "I'm buying the van, put it in the name of John Smith." Pulling a card out of his pocket he handed it over to Monty. "Mail the registration and title to this address." Monty took the card and nodded dumbly "Sergeant why are you doing this, do you know that guy is he your brother or something." "No, but as I said I want a favor in return. I want you to take an inventory of your stock twice a day for the next couple of nights. If you find any more cars or vans missing I want you to contact me directly. This is very important, you could be helping us bring down a very big drug ring. If successful, you are going to get a lot of free publicity out of this and you're going to be selling your cars like hot cakes. Tell no one, and I mean no one what your doing. We don't want to tip our hand." Taking out another card he handed that one over as well "This is my cell phone number, call me anytime day or night the moment you find a vehicle missing." Taking the offered card Monty smiled nervously "You're sure that this is legal, I mean I don't want any trouble I run a clean business." Matt smiled "You're going to be a hero Monty, trust me nothing is going to happen to you. Just business as usual for the next couple of days." Standing up they left, leaving Monty sitting in his office smiling murmuring to himself "Monty the hero." Tracy walked ahead of Matt, her anger mounting. Matt tried to catch up but one look at Tracy's eyes convinced him it would be more prudent to bring up the rear. One tired looking man saw it and nodded with commiseration. "I know how you feel buddy" he told him as he passed by "Ralph, will you come over here and look at this car and tell me what you think" His wife yelled at him. Outside Tracy stood by the car waiting, as soon as Matt got outside, she let him have it. "What the hell was that all about Travers." "Now its Travers, Tracy" Matt asked sadly Tracy ignored the remark "You just covered up a major piece of evidence that could have been used at the trial." Looking around Matt tried to shush her "Can we talk about this on the way." he said to her getting into the passenger seat. "Oh you bet we're going to talk about this." Tracy fumed as she got into the drivers seat and faced Matt. Matt had to smile, Tracy was so beautiful when she was mad. "Listen Tracy, what I just did back there was save time. Do you actually think that there is ever going to be a trial over this." Holding up a hand at her as she tried to argue, he tried to explain "If and I say If the chessmen survive this, they are going to disappear, the American government will make sure of that." Again Matt held up a hand at Tracy's protest "Can you imagine what would happen if it came to light what the Americans did in setting up this assassination squad. How many governments would begin to wonder how many of their dead officials could be blamed on the U.S.. Besides do you think that all of these government officials are going to want their governments to know how close they came to being assassinated. How many crackpots are going to come pouring out of the wood works to take their shot at the limelight. No Tracy this is going to go down as 'It never happened'. Because that is the way they are going to want it. Not just the Americans, everyone involved is going to deny that it ever happened." Tracy sat back in the seat "That's not right, the people have a right to know" Matt nodded "Eventually in a few years, it will all come out. It always does, but not now, I've seen this before Tracy. Do you remember the incident a couple of years ago with the Russian missile sub off the coast of Canada." Tracy was shocked "No, I never heard anything about it" Matt nodded making his point "Exactly, no Canadian citizens are aware of how close Armageddon was to their door step for a stupid misunderstanding that escalated into something else. Hopefully no one will find out until everything is long in the past." "I have to tell you Matt that I don't like it much." Matt nodded his lips set in a thin line as he spoke "Now you know why I wanted out so much. Too many secrets, I don't want to live like that ever again. I hate secrets." Natalie finished her report and covered the body to be put back into the freezer. Snapping off her gloves she smiled at Monica. "Can I tempt you with a cup of coffee." Natalie asked reaching for her cup Monica smile "My weakness, yes I would love some." Natalie disappeared and went for the coffee while Monica sat down. Reaching out Monica grabbed the file that she was reading earlier and opened it once again and continued reading. Natalie came back with two cups and handed one to Monica and took her own seat. "After we finish this we better start of the other bodies." Monica nodded continuing to read the file. Natalie's curiosity got the better of her and she had to ask what Monica was reading. "Oh, I hope you don't mind. It was open on your desk when I came in so I read it. A case file of a man suffering from a sun allergy, and some experiments being conducted to try to cure him of it." Natalie stiffened and grabbed the file, skimming it she saw that it was Nick's file. Cursing silently to herself. "How could have I left this out" she chastised herself "Well at least this one doesn't mention anything about vampires." she thought "I'm sorry did I do something wrong" Monica asked surprised at Natalie's reaction Realizing what she had just done Natalie tried to play it off. "No I'm sorry, it's just that this it the file of a good friend. These are some experiments that I conducted to try to cure him of his allergy. It's very personal." Monica smiled "I understand Natalie, so this friend is a he. Is there something special between you." she smiled knowingly Natalie blushed and nodded "It's a little complicated, his world is so different from mine. I want there to be more, but right now were at a stalemate." Monica patted Natalie's hand "Perhaps you are at the crossroads. Wondering which path is the correct one to take. Do you continue to try or do you give up and go down another path and try to find happiness elsewhere. It is difficult." Natalie sat back putting her feet up "Sometimes I wish I could join him in his world, but he would never allow it." "Perhaps he is afraid that what he loves about you will disappear in his world." Natalie nodded "Maybe you are right, but what is the alternative." Monica shrugged "Perhaps you just have to continue on the path you have chosen. Keeping the hope and faith alive that one day you will find that cure. You just have to decide if he is worth it." Natalie smiled at her new friend amazed at the young woman's insight "You are a very smart person." Monica laughed "Like I said I had very good teachers." Natalie moaned "I think it's time that we got started on the rest of those bodies." Nick sat at his desk going over the reports that the other investigative teams had compiled. Trying to find that one thread that would lead him to the people that were trying to destroy his city. Reese came out of his office with a large black woman her hair black with a silver streak in it put up in a severe bun. Moving away from Reese she made her way over to the interrogation rooms while Reese went over to Nick. "Nick, I got some bad news. Internal affairs wants to talk to you." putting down the file, Nick looked up confused "What for?" "I don't know, they want some back ground information on Schanke." "Schanke?" Now Nick was really confused "Cap, he's dead what can they possibly want to know." Reese shrugged "The way I read it, they think that maybe he was dirty. Now don't get bent out of shape Nick, we both know that it's ridiculous. Schanke was as good as they come, just go back there tell them what you know and be done with it." Anger boiling Nick got up and went towards the interrogation rooms. Schanke dirty, well he would sure as hell straighten things out fast. Opening the door he went in, the woman was sitting facing the one way mirror waiting for Nick to come in. "Detective Knight, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. Please sit down I wish to talk to you for a quick moment." Nick sat down and decided to wait, the last thing he wanted to do was make a bad situation worse. He would wait and then rip apart any false evidence that internal affairs might have. Tess leaned forward and closed the file she had been reading and put it aside "First I would like to say that this does not have to do with Detective Schanke. I used that to get you in here, I know he was a good man." "Then why do you want to see me, I do have a lot of work to do." Nick asked more confused than ever. Tess nodded "I know this will only take a moment. Now I know that you are a vampire, before you try to deny it please hear me out. I've been trying to figure out a way to talk to you and finally I decided that the best way to do it was straight out. My name is Tess and I am an angel sent to you by God." Tess began to glow with an ethereal light Nick sat back in shock, this is not possible he thought trying to deny the evidence right before his eyes. "Angels don't exist" he said lamely Tess smiled "Neither do vampires Nick, now listen. I have been sent to you by God to tell you that he has been watching you. He wants you to know that he loves you Nick." "How can God love a thing of evil" Nick demanded to know "If what you say is true, then he knows what I am and what I have done." Tess nodded a smile of patience on her lips "Of course he does baby, and he also knows what you have done to try to redeem your soul. He wants you to know that redemption is not impossible, he has tried to show you by giving you one of his greatest gifts." "Gift?" Nick asked hoping that this was all true, that maybe there was hope for him "I haven't received any gift." Tess shook her head "It is not one that you can touch Nick, you can only feel it. Love, Nick he has given you love. That love is in Natalie, and the love that you have for her. You can love her you know, you just have to have faith." Nick slumped in his chair "I can't trust myself, I may hurt her." Tess shook her head trying to make him understand "Don't trust yourself, trust in God, Nick. He will show you the way, all you have to do is trust him." "I'm afraid" he whispered Tess smiled at the ancient vampire "That's why he sent me baby, to let you know that he hasn't forgotten you. Just have faith in him and have faith in your love for Natalie to see you through." Red tears flowed down Nicks cheeks "I am not irredeemable" Tess stood and walked around the table and put her arms around the ancient vampire and let him weep. "No you are not, God loves you, Nicholas De barabant" Andrew stood silently in the corner of the room watching, and waiting. The chessmen were all assembled around the table going over the plans again, making sure that they had covered every possible scenario. After all they had the advantage, no one knew what they were up to. Not even Matt could possibly know what was going on or even where they were. He was too busy running from the hit squads. The thought bought a smile to the black Queens face, she had always hated the knight's weakness. His 'there must be another way', well damnit she knew that there was no other way to finish this business. To show the world what the chessmen were all about. "She is mad" Andrew sadly shook his head "She really believes that this is the only way that she can prove her worth." Walking up to the woman Andrew stood directly in front of her studying her face looking for something that could be reasoned with. Finally shaking his head he moved away "I'm sorry" he mumbled and walked away into the night The black Queen shivered, she felt as if someone had just walked over her grave. Nick came out of the interrogation room feeling better than he had in seven hundred years. To know that god had not forsaken him, that god actually loved him was like feeling his cold still heart begin to beat again. Checking the time he saw that there was not much time until sunrise he decided to call it a night. Walking out into the dark streets he went over to his cadillac and got in, looking heaven ward for the moment he again smiled. "Thank you god for telling me that I was on the right path all the time." Matt sat in the car and fidgeting, he was bored. There wasn't much he could do until the reports from the officers started coming in. "Mind if I turn on the radio?" he asked Tracy shrugged her shoulders "Go ahead" Spinning the dial Matt channel surfed until he heard a familiar voice. "Good evening children of the night, it is the nightcrawler again. I wish to speak to you tonight about heroes. What is that peculiar thing that drives some of us to try to help others, to save them from the situations that they get themselves into. Those men and women who risk their own lives to save others. To search in vain for that moment of grace as some call it." Matt froze as he listened to his friend talk about not just him but about anyone who was willing to risk it all for what they believed was right. Sometimes he just couldn't understand Laquoix, then again he must baffle Laquoix the same way. "God you're just like Nick, he always listens to him as well" Tracy shivered "That man gives me the willies." Turning off the radio, Matt smiled "Okay I'll turn it off, but you know Laquoix is not as bad as he seems. If he is your friend he'll come through for you when the chips are down. Let me tell you, you could have a lot worse back up than him." Looking at his watch he sighed, they had accomplished so little tonight "It's late, we had better get some rest. Are you hungry?" Tracy laughed "I'm starving, I thought that you might never eat." "You should have told me earlier, let's go to china town I know a place down there that's open real late and the food is terrific." Tracy turned her head to look at Matt "You don't own this place do you." "No, but an old friend of mine does. Yes Tracy he is mortal, you know not all of my friends are vampires." he laughed A young chinese couple stood by the register of the small chinese restaurant, and as Matt and Tracy entered the man's eyes opened wide. "Matt" he said in perfect english "Sammy, how are you, Jenny you are looking as lovely as ever and pregnant too. Congratulations." he said throwing his arms around the man Sammy Chung threw his arms around the Matt then stepped back "Hell man you are looking great." Jenny Chung smiled as she struggled to get out of her chair and waddled her way to Matt. "Matt it's been too long, how have you been." "So so... but I see you guys have been busy, when's the baby due" Sammy sighed happily "Next month, who's your friend." Matt turned and bought Tracy forward "I'm sorry Sammy and Jenny Chung this is Tracy Vetter" "Pleased to meet you both" Tracy smiled shaking hands with both of them "It's our pleasure, please come in and have a seat. I'll get you a couple of menus." Sam told them going to get water and the menus. Jenny looked at Matt "Aren't you even going to take your sunglasses off Matt. Or are you going for that cool look." she asked smiling with one hand on her stomach Adjusting the glasses self consciously "I have a slight problem with them Jenny, the doctor told me that for the time being I have to wear them at all times. It's a pain in the ass let me tell you, the strange stares that I draw nowadays are a little disconcerting." Other customers began to drift in, late night partiers who wanted something to eat before going home to sleep. "I have to get back to work Matt, but Sam and I are off on the weekends. You had better call us before you leave town." she warned him "I promise that I will" Sammy dropped the menus on the table and made his apologies for not being able to sit and talk, made his way over to his wife to help with the customers. "They seem like nice people" Tracy nodded opening the menu Matt smiled at his friends "They are, you'd never guess that they used to be agents" Tracy lowered the menu and stared at Matt "They used to work for the C.I.A.!" then turning to look at the happy couple. Matt shook his head "No, no they used to work for the chinese, until they decided that they loved each other more than their work. I helped get them out of Beijing and resettle over here. They used to be one hell of an undercover team." Staring at Jenny's swollen abdomen Tracy giggled "Looks like they still are." Following her line of sight Matt chuckled "Yeah I think maybe you're right" Placing their orders, the two sat back and talked. They talked about everything, art, books, music. Soon Tracy discovered that there was so much more to him than it first appeared. They laughed through the appetizers, and talked animatedly during the main course, and held hands during the after dinner coffee both declining dessert. Matt was reluctant to move, he didn't want to disturb this moment for anything. For the first time in a very long time he felt alive, this beautiful woman was bringing up emotions in him that he thought were long dead. He wanted this night to last forever. Tracy also hated the idea of getting up and leaving here, this place where Matt had dropped all of his defenses and had shown her what was inside of him. She marveled at his strength, his will to get past all of the ugliness that was behind him. For the first time she had heard him laugh, laugh at the joy of living, forgetting for the moment that he was being hunted by men and women who wanted him dead. Forgetting that he himself was hunting down former friends. After a lifetime of pain he deserved this happiness, they deserved it. Suddenly Tracy made a decision, a thought entered her head and her heart and for perhaps the first time both organs who so often ran contrary to each other, both agreed on the same thing and to hell with the consequences. Standing up she motioned for Matt to stay seated. "I'll be right back, I just have to run next door for a second. Order me another cup of coffee if you don't mind staying another few minutes." "I'll wait as long as you want" Matt told her Tracy smiled wistfully "You know I would've given a lot to have been able to look into your eyes right when you said that." Matt smiled looking down at the table "So would I" "I'll be back in a second." Walking out of the restaurant, Tracy turned to her right and walked down a few doors to where she had seen a twenty four hour drug store. Going inside she quickly looked up and down the aisles. "Can I help you Miss." An elderly chinese man came up behind her Tracy nodded "Yes, where do you keep your condoms" she asked The old man smiled and pointed to the last aisle, snickering to himself as if in the midst of a private joke. Tracy blushed furiously, walking over to the section she saw that the entire wall was completely covered in condoms. God who knew there was such a variety. "Well it has been a while Tracy" she told herself "Ribbed, lambskin, thick, thin, neon, flavored, spermicide, non spermicide, sizes too, small, medium, magnum, and oh momma! she shook her head at the variety and thought ruefully. "I can just see a guy coming in here and buying the small" she chuckled "I wonder if it comes with a magnifying glass." Thinking about some of the men in her past, not that there were all that many. Most of them probably would have bought the magnum and tied a knot in it to conceal their short coming. Picking a package she then saw that it came in different quantities as well, twelve, twenty four and economy pack. Choosing one of the larger boxes she smiled to herself. "I hope you are not tired, cause I sure as hell am not." walking to the cash register she paid for her purchase and walked out putting her package in the back seat of the car before going back to the restaurant. Matt stood up and held Tracy's chair for her as she sat "I thought that I might have to send out a search party for you. I think your coffee is cold, I'll order you another." Smiling nervously Tracy shook her head "That's all right, I'm all coffee'd out anyway. Let's get going." the thought of wether or not she was doing the right thing entered her mind, and she quickly banished that thought. Matt nodded and went to the register to say good bye to his friends. Pulling out his money the couple protested. "No way Matt, dinner is on us tonight." Jenny told him flatly leaving no room for argument Peeling off a couple of hundreds he put them on the table. "For the baby then, pick out some giant teddy bear or something for the rug rat to play with." Getting back into the car they decided to head home. Driving back to their apartments, Matt smiled as the building loomed up before them. "You know I'm really starting to think of this place as home." Getting out of the car and reaching for her package in the backseat "That's good, everyone needs a place to call home." As they got into the elevator Matt immediately pressed the button for the top floor, pausing as the doors closed. "What floor are you on Tracy?" Suddenly nervous about what she was about to do Tracy tried to smile "Oh I think I'll ride with you to the top, I want to make sure that no one has found out about this place" Matt protested "That's really not necessary Tracy, it's late and you must be tired." Turning to face Matt she stepped up very close to him grabbing the back of his head and bringing it down to her level and kissed him. Matt stood dumbfounded for a moment surprised by her forwardness, then letting his desire lead the way he brought his arms around her as well. Tracy traced his bottom lip with her tongue letting him know that she wanted entrance into his mouth, as he opened it he felt her tongue slip in and began to wrestle with his. Then slipping his tongue into her mouth he caressed the walls of her mouth with it. Tracy sighed as she felt his tongue enter her mouth, she could hear a growl forming in the back of her throat demanding more. A carnal desire that she had never felt before demanded that she take more now. Slipping her hands underneath his jacket she began to run her hands up and down his muscular chest. A shot of desire flooded her as she felt the hard muscles of his chest tighten as she continued to rub his chest. Matt continued to rub her back and soon one hand began to slowly fall down to the small of her back then over the cutest butt he had ever seen. Relishing the firmness that he found there. Suddenly the elevator stopped and the buzzer went off as the doors opened. Tracy took his hand and quickly led him down the hallway, Matt fumbled with the keys as he tried to find the right one. "Damn it I feel like a pubescent kid" he muttered as he quickly tried to find the right key and get inside. Taking the keys out of his hands Tracy quickly found the right one and opened the door. Once it was closed behind them, they were at it again, kissing and fondling each other as Matt leaned her against the door. Breaking the kiss Tracy pointed to the bedroom, lifting her up Matt carried her into the bedroom closing the door with a foot Matt placed Tracy gently on the bed. Standing up he went over to the windows and shut them up tight, then turned and hit the dimmer switch so just a hint of light could enter the room. Walking up to the bed he kneeled before Tracy, raising his eyes towards her, he took off his sunglasses and stared into her eyes. Tracy felt her knees go weak as she finally looked into his eyes and saw the desire that was in them, the depth of his dark brown eyes burned into her soul. Gently he stood her up and while still on his knees he pulled out the shirt that was neatly tucked into her jeans, then he slowly started to unbutton them from the bottom up. Matt wanted to go slow, he wanted this to be a night that they would both remember for the rest of their lives. When the shirt was completely unbuttoned he tugged it away from her shoulders leaving her standing in her bra. Leaning in he began to kiss and lick her flat stomach drawing a gasp of pleasure from Tracy who grabbed him by the hair holding him in position. Reaching up behind her back Matt unclasped her bra and let it drop. Tracy's breasts stood out proudly her nipples erect from the sensations that Matt was eliciting from her. Raising higher he took first one nipple then the other gently biting them with his teeth, finally capturing one nipple in his teeth he began to run his tongue over it and around it. Tracy's knees began to buckle from the ecstasy but Matt's strong arms held her in place. Next Matt reached in front and loosened her belt and took her gun and laid it on the nightstand then he removed her handcuffs and placed them by the gun. Unsnapping the jeans he deftly lowered the zipper and lowered her pants to the floor, stepping out of her jeans she felt as Matt ran his hands up and down her thighs and over her ass. Taking hold of her panties he dropped those as well, Tracy leaned on his shoulders as she stepped out of those as well. Now standing before him completely naked she could feel her woman's juices begin to flow with desire. Reaching up Matt cupped her vagina amazed at the heat generating from her, lowering his head a bit he began to kiss all around her neatly trimmed vagina. A deep throated moan escaped her lips as she spread her legs wider giving Matt easier access. She felt his tongue as he began to lick her inner thighs, not being able to stand a moment longer she sat on the edge of the bed and laid back as Matt continued to kiss and lick her inner thighs going higher and higher until she felt his tongue caress her vagina. Licking her then suddenly going inside her. Matt felt her hips jump at the contact and held her thighs in place, savoring the musk taste of her until she began to tremble and felt her hands grabbing his hair forcing his tongue as deep as it would go as she moaned and thrashed in the bed until finally Tracy let out a yell that coupled with her climax. Matt stood back and let her catch her breath, standing up he saw her contented face and was suddenly happy that he had been able to bring her some pleasure. Tracy opened her eyes and saw Matt standing over her getting up from the bed she came to him and tenderly kissed his lips tasting her own juices at the same time, but she was beyond caring. Tracy began the same ritual on him that he had used on her, as she removed the shirt she saw the scars that covered his body. Silent tears ran down her face at the pain that each one must have invoked. "Tracy" Matt asked startled by her tears Tracy shook her head "So much pain" she whispered and then began to kiss each and every scar hoping and praying that she could kiss all the pain away. Dropping her hands to his pants she saw that his erection was straining the thin material of his slacks. Removing his gun she placed it on the table by her own then dropped his pants and underwear at the same time. His erection stood proudly away from his body, taking it into her hands she felt it throb. "Oh momma" she murmured now understanding the label on the box. Licking it and kissing it she heard the moans of pleasure that her ministrations were having on him. Tracy wanted to satisfy him orally just as he did for her but the need to have him now over rode any other desire, besides she thought, we have all night. Reaching for her purse she pulled out the package she had bought earlier and opened it up. Removing one of the condoms she broke the seal and placed the condom into her mouth. "Well there's more than one way to put one of these on" she thought Matt shivered as he felt her swallowing him whole, as she pulled away he looked down at her smiling face and his penis which now had a condom on it. Tracy turned him around and pushed him onto the bed, straddling his thighs she slowly lowered herself onto his length, biting her bottom lip as she felt herself being filled to the brim. As she hit the bottom she opened her eyes long enough to see the look complete ecstasy on his face. Slowly at first she began to move her body up and down, picking up the pace as her desires were becoming more and more urgent. Suddenly she felt Matt's hands on her hips and felt herself being flipped onto her back as Matt took position on top of her and was able from this position to go even deeper into her. Tracy began to moan and whimper as she felt the beginnings of another orgasm, yelling his name over and over again she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck as she wrapped her legs around his back, biting into his shoulder. Finally she felt her orgasm hit like a wave slamming onto the shore, but still he would not stop, Matt continued to go faster and faster and Tracy felt another orgasm coming, but this one was different from anything she had ever felt before. More intense, more powerful, then wave after wave of pleasure hit her, and for several minutes she felt orgasm after orgasm hit her, then she felt Matt's body tense up and she knew that he had achieved his own orgasms. Matt collapsed on top of Tracy and was over joyed as he felt her arms go around his neck. Tracy smiled completely satisfied, Matt had given her something that no other man had ever been able to give her, Tracy had heard from a girl friend of hers what it felt like to have a multiple orgasm. Her friends description of it, was no where near the reality A NEW KNIGHT Part three of six By Cesar Perez Detective Scarpeta scratched the name off of his list angrily. "That's fifteen down and another dozen to go." his partner Amelia Shore sighed with frustration over their lack of progress "Damn it we're wasting our time on this shit detail" he fumed hating this assignment Detective Shore looked at her partner with patience straining "It isn't a waste of time Dan, we have to find these guys. God I don't want to imagine what would happen if that bomb were to go off here." she shivered at the very thought Dan Scarpeta pushed a hand through his thinning hair "I know Amelia" then blowing out violently he continued "It's just that snot nosed punk, I mean can you believe it he out ranks the both of us. He's not a cop, hell a couple of days ago we were looking to bust him for all of those bodies at the warehouse and the train station." Pulling away from the curb Amelia nods "Dan, I know, but look at it this way. If they had killed Travers, we wouldn't know a damn thing about what is going on now. I know you don't like him but." Scarpeta cut her off "Did you see the way that punk talked to me. Like I was some snot nosed rookie. I've been on the job nearly twenty years, and now I have to take orders from a guy whose been on the force two days." Looking at his partner he saw the look of consternation on her face. "I know Amelia, I know, do the job and forget the rest. It just sucks when they tell you to eat shit and like it." he mumbled Shore leaned back in the seat and read the next name on the list. "Come on let's get back to it. The next address is 1515 Oakdale drive, the owners are a Mr. and Mrs. Peter Langdon. Scarpeta whistled "Oakdale, pretty ritzy neighborhood take a left at the corner" he told her staring at the tree lined street "We'll be there in fifteen minutes." The two detectives pulled up in front of the large house and got out of the car. Shore looked around the grounds and saw the tall hedges that covered the sides of the house, so that nosy neighbors couldn't see in. The lawn was neatly trimmed and the smaller hedges by the house were cut into designs of rabbits. "Nice place" she told her partner who merely nodded "I'll never be able to afford a place like this." he muttered "That makes two of us partner, come on let's get this over with." They walked up the drive and went to the large oak double doors and rang the bell and waited. A minute passed and a beautiful young woman answered the door. Her blue eyes contrasted with her long black hair. Immediately both detectives froze for a second, Elizabeth Shumaker, "the black Queen". Regaining control over themselves quickly they went directly into their rehearsed roles. Pulling out her badge Shore showed it to the young woman "Mrs. Langdon? I am detective Shore and this is detective Scarpeta from Metro P.D." The black Queen's eyes never lost their look of innocence "Is there something wrong officers" Placing a hand over her heart "Oh god it's not Peter is it, he hasn't been in an accident or anything has he?" Scarpeta put a hand up trying to calm the hysterical woman. Could this possibly be the woman they were looking for. If so she was the best actress that he had ever seen. "No maam, nothing like that, as far as we know your husband is fine." he reassured her Queen let out a sigh of relief "Oh thank goodness" Detective Shore pulled out a picture of a small child, her own daughter actually and held it up for "Mrs. Langdon" to see "We are canvassing the area Mrs. Langdon. We have a missing child in the area and were wondering if you have seen this little girl around here." Queen took the picture letting out a small breath, the last thing they needed right now were cops knocking on the door. Studying the picture she began to shake her head regretfully. "I'm sorry, but I've never seen this girl before. My husband and I just moved in a little over a week ago and we still haven't met most of our neighbors. I'm sorry I can't help." Taking the picture back Shore put it back into her pocket "That's okay Mrs. Langdon, we'll find her." Taking out one of her business cards she handed it over "If you should happen to see her please, give us a call right away. Sorry to have disturbed you have a good evening" Taking the card and holding it to her breast "It was no trouble at all officers, if I see the girl, ah what is her name by the way. Lord I must be more tired than I thought, I never even asked the child's name." "Laura, Laura Vetter" Detective Shore told her, hoping Tracy wouldn't mind. Queen nodded "Well if I see Laura I will call you immediately." she promised The two detectives bid their farewells and turned and walked away. The moment they turned, Queens mouth fell into a frown as she closed the door and immediately threw the card away making her way back to the living room. Scarpeta made his way over to the drivers seat and started the car as Shore got in. They pulled away from the driveway and headed around the corner. As soon as they were out of sight of the house he pulled over and stopped and looked over to his partner. "If that's not her, I'll eat my shorts." he told her excitedly Reaching for the hand mike "Oh it's her alright" Shore agreed Suddenly Amelia felt her partners hand over hers "What the hell Dan, come on we have to call it in." she said looking at him and not liking the look in his eyes. "Come on Amelia, she's alone. We can take her." he urged Shaking her head violently "Hell no, first of all we 'don't know' a damn thing. She said she was alone" Shore argued "For all we know there was a gun on us the whole time." Reaching for the mike again "I'm calling for back up" Scarpeta turned the radio off "Look Amelia, this is our chance. We do this right we'll be heroes, hell the movie rights will let us retire in style." Amelia Shore turned in her seat facing her partner "You don't fool me Dan, you just want to show up Travers, show him how much a bigger man you are. It's stupid, Travers warned us not to try and take them ourselves." She told him accusingly Snorting in disgust he continued "He just said that so that he can be here and prove what a big man he is. We don't need him Amelia, you are a hundred times a better cop than he will ever be." Neither of the arguing detectives noticed the man sitting in the back seat of the car. Andrew sat silently in the back shaking his head. The man was indeed foolish, Matthew had warned them that these people were dangerous. Staring at both officers he watched them argue. "Come on Amelia this is our big chance, think of the glory, the medals, the promotions. With the promotion will come more money, you can move out of that rat hole you call home and get yourself a nice place to live." Amelia was hurt "Dan you son of a bitch, you know what it was like when Michael died. The cancer ate through him and our savings, we had to sell the house, everything." Scarpeta was immediately sorry he had said it "I'm sorry Amelia, I know it's been rough. Why you don't let me help you out a little" Amelia's eyes flashed in anger "I don't take charity from anybody, not even you. Laura and I will be fine in a few months after the bills are paid off. Then we'll find a new place to live." Smoothly Scarpeta went in for the kill "This could be a chance to do it quicker. Come on you know as well as I do that this is the type of case that will send our careers through the stratosphere." Reluctantly Amelia Shore's hand fell from the mike. Scarpeta smiled he knew he had won the argument. Slipping out his gun he checked to make sure that it was loaded and ready as his partner did the same. They both looked up and nodded to each other and stepped out of the car. Crouching down they made their way back to the house they had just left. Slipping through the hedges they slowly crept in the shadows making their way closer to the house, neither of them noticed the small box on the ground hidden by the overhanging hedges. A small green light suddenly silently turned red and began to flash a warning. Inside the house a small buzzer sounded and the black Rook looked up from his book. "Perimeter breach" he announced jumping to his feet and reaching for his gun that laid on the table. Giving the barrel a quick twist he ensured that the silencer was in place and ready for action. Queen and King ran into the room both with guns at the ready. "Where?" Queen asked impatiently "Southeast quadrant." Rook told them "Do you have them on camera" asked king going over to Deacon "Gott'em" he announced "It's those two cops that were at the front door." "Shit, I knew their story was bullshit." Queen cursed "Well we have no choice, Rook get the van ready. King you and Deacon take them out, put them into the van and drop them across town somewhere." Castle looked at Queen horrified at what she was saying "The cops are on to us, we should abort." He tried already knowing what the answer was going to be. "We are not aborting shit" Queen practically screamed "We go on as before, Castle and I will get us ready to move out of here and into our secondary position. By the time they get back from dumping the bodies we'll be ready to move out." Castle stood tall and righteous "Hey, we don't kill cops. That's bad for us and the mission, the cops will stop at nothing to try and find us there's nothing that they hate more than a cop killer." he argued, and realized that this was getting worse and worse by the minute. It was then that he decided that he had to find out what was really going on here. If Queen and the others were ready to start wasting cops then there is something going on here beyond what he'd signed up for. Queen nodded "Maybe you are right, but we have to keep them out of sight for a few days." She paused for a moment trying to think "Okay we take them to the warehouse we rented, that freezer room we lock them inside. Leave them with some food and water and get them later. Okay Castle?" Still not liking it Castle relented "Yeah, that'll do" he mumbled and walked from the room "You do it, I want no part of this. Bopping women on the head is not my style." After he was gone Queen turned to King "Kill them and dump them" King smiled and slapped Deacon on the back "Let's do it" Tracy shifted in bed, she heard a persistent faint ringing, starting then stopping only to start again after a few moments. Slowly opening her eyes she saw that it was the telephone ringing then stop, turning her head she saw that Matt was still asleep holding her a small sexy smile on his lips. Tracy took a deep breath, god he looked beautiful when he slept, like a little boy holding his teddy bear, and she was the teddy bear. In fact the only thing missing to make it picture perfect was that he wasn't sucking on his thumb. The telephone started to shrill again and reluctantly Tracy reached for it when she saw Matt begin to shift as if about to wake up. Picking up the phone Tracy whispered into it. "Hello" "Tracy?" A voice called back confused "Yeah, who is this?" Tracy asked wanting nothing more than to hang up and cuddle back into Matt's chest, and maybe if she played her cards right... The voice interrupted her fantasy "It's me Natalie, I need to speak to Matt is he there." Tracy looked back down at Matt's sleeping form "Yes he is, is it important Nat cause I really don't want to wake him up." She said biting her lip, realizing how that just sounded. Natalie suppressed a giggle that found it's way into her throat "No, I guess it can wait till later. When Matt wakes up tell him I found what he wanted me to look for, but it doesn't make any sense. Anyway I'll let you get back to whatever you're doing, call me later I'll be home until five." Rubbing her eyes Tracy nodded "What time is it now?" "A little after the noon hour" If she doesn't even know what time it is, Oh I have got to get some details soon. Nat thought "Okay, I'll give Matt the message, bye." she said hanging up the phone. Staring back down at Matt's sleeping form she decided that she might as well get up and get cleaned up. Extricating herself from his arms without waking him up was not easy, but she finally managed to do it. Looking around for something to wear she walked over to the closet and turned on the light being sure to close the door behind her. The last thing that she wanted to do was to blind him the minute he woke up. Tracy looked in awe at the amount of suits that Matt had in his closet, each neatly hung in dry cleaning bags. Reaching up she saw one with a dry cleaning claim check on it, it read Janette Dubois. Smiling she reevaluated her opinion of Janette, she obviously loved Matt dearly to have his dry cleaning done every month according to the ticket. Janette had them cleaned so that when Matt came home he would have clean clothes, it was touching in a way. Opening a drawer she saw a bunch of T-shirts neatly folded inside, pulling them out one at a time she read the funny sayings on them getting an idea of the sense of humor Matt had. Tracy refolded the shirts and picked out her personal favorite one to wear, it had Marvin the Martian on the front holding an acme disintergrator gun saying "You're making me very angry". Opening another drawer she found it filled with underwear of all kinds, regular b.v.d's, some sexy bikini underwear and some practical boxer shorts. Reaching in she found a pair of black silk boxers and held them to her waist. Well they'll be loose but the idea of wearing his underwear sent a shiver of excitement through her. Closing the drawer she switched out the light and padded out quietly from the closet, making sure that Matt was still asleep she picked up her discarded jeans and went into the bathroom and closed the door. Turning on the lights she looked around. "Wow" she said aloud taking in the large master bathroom, the sunken tub with jacuzzi, two sinks side by side, toilet and bidet, a beautiful vanity stand and a shower that looked big enough to house the N.Y. Jets inside with room to spare. Opening the glass doors she reached in and turned on the water, five shower heads from different locations went off sending hot water in every direction. Adjusting it to the proper temperature Tracy got in and was suddenly in paradise as water hit her body making her skin tingle. Reaching for a bottle of shampoo she saw that it was an expensive salon brand that she had heard of but had never used. Rubbing it into her hair she could smell the fresh jasmine scent of it, closing her eyes as she rubbed it into her hair and began to think of the erotic night that she had spent with Matt. It had surprised her to find a gentle caring lover who knew exactly where to touch her to excite her as no man had ever done before. After their initial love making they both awoke again in the middle of the night just to start again. So caught up in her memories she never noticed when the lights suddenly dimmed. Tracy was just enjoying herself when she felt a sudden cold draft that made her shiver, then suddenly there were a pair of arms going around her waist. Matt nuzzled her neck and kissed her earlobe soap and all. "Good morning Tracy" Matt whispered huskily into her ear as he began to nibble it Tracy shivered as she felt his hands begin to explore her body again Tracy panted feeling herself get aroused again "Good morning yourself. Oh god that feels good" pushing Matt away she turned towards the nearest shower head "Wait a second and let me get this shampoo out of my hair." Rubbing her scalp under the nozzle she got the remaining shampoo out of her hair and eyes. Turning around she saw Matt with a lustful smile on his face lathering up his hands with soap. Looking down she saw his state of arousal and sighed. "God your insatiable, three times last night and now again first thing in the morning." With a smile pulling at his lips he returned her gaze "I could stop if you would like" Tracy pushed Matt against the wall covering his body with her own feeling his erection poking her hard in the stomach. "Don't you dare" she told him covering his mouth with her own Later as they sat enjoying a leisurely breakfast they talked about what had happened the night before and how it would change their relationship. Neither had any regrets as to what had happened, but what of the future, and in point of fact neither kidded themselves as they wondered would their be a future. Matt was the first to take the initiative by taking Tracy's small hand into his own he stared at it "I really don't know what will happen tomorrow Tracy. I do know that I don't want this to end, I don't want it to be just a one night stand." Taking a breath he continued and dropped his eyes to the table "You have to understand Tracy, when it comes to relationships, I have no luck whatsoever." Tracy was taken aback. When she had first met him, Matt seemed to her so cold a aloof that she figured that if she ever had sex with the man, he would just consider her another conquest. She never would have pictured Matt Travers as the sensitive one, someone who was completely vulnerable. Reaching out Tracy cupped his chin and forced his face up to meet hers. Even with his glasses on she could tell that he was afraid, that like that other woman, he thought that she would leave him, and cause him yet more pain. Tracy knew that she could never do that, she could never hurt this man. She loved him, and that realization hit her like a bucket of ice water. Hesitantly she dropped her hand on top of his "Maybe, your luck is about to change" she told him not ready to admit her true feelings. "God you're beautiful" Matt told her the words coming from the bottom of his heart "now will I see you tonight." Blushing Tracy nodded "Yes, afterall I'm still wearing your underwear." Stroking her hair he smiled "They never looked that good on me anyway." Tracy returned his smile then suddenly remembered "Oh I almost forgot, Natalie called this morning, she said that she had found what you were looking for, but that it didn't make any sense. Do you know what that means?" Matt nodded getting up and going for the phone "Yeah, it might be nothing but we better check it out anyway. Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Slightly miffed Tracy got up and put the dishes in the sink "Well I was going to but if you remember it was you who distracted me in the shower." "Me" Matt said in all innocence "It was you who instigated the entire event." "What?!" Tracy turned from the sink "It was you who came into the shower in the first place" "I never" Matt told her barely able to keep the grin from his face then ducked quickly as the dishrag flew over his head. Regaining his composure he asked Tracy if she knew the number. Dialing the number he waited until Natalie's sleep filled voice answered "Hello Natalie, it's Matt. I understand that you found something in the stiffs." "Yeah" Natalie answered as she sat up in bed checking her clock "I found a small micro dot in the tooth of one of the bodies, Jane Doe three if I remember correctly. It's just a bunch of numbers, I don't know if it means anything but I thought that you should know." Matt nodded into the phone "Okay, bring it over when you can." "I can be there in an hour" she told him getting out of bed, already anxious to talk to Tracy and find out how good last night was for her. "That'd be great" Matt told her innocently "I'll get my equipment set up here. I'll brew up some fresh coffee for you and have some food ready for you when you get here." Natalie's stomach growled "That sounds great, I'll see you soon. Oh by the way is Tracy still there?" she asked curiously "Yeah she's here, you want to talk to her." He offered "No, no that's okay, I'll talk to her when I get there. Bye." "She wants the dirt on you" Tracy told Matt with a smile on her lips as he hung up the phone "Really, what could be so interesting about me" Matt asked as he helped clean the table and put some more coffee to brew. Tracy stared at him, he truly had no idea what kind of effect he had on women. He is one in a million Tracy thought. "I'm going to get dressed" Matt said after he finished with the dishes Tracy called out to him "Put on the suit I laid out on the bed, with the tie and shirt I picked out for you." Pausing at the door to the bedroom he turned and faced Tracy "And why pray tell?" Blushing pink Tracy turned and folded the dish towel and re-hung it "I think that you would look sexy as hell in that outfit. Besides I want to see what you look like in a suit, see if you are presentable in public." Shaking his head "Women" he thought "always want to pick out your clothes for you. Dress you up like some Ken doll." then smiling "Admit it, Matt you love the idea." Pulling on his long hair that was still a tangle he looked into the mirror. The stubble on his face was starting to fill into the beard. Turning his head from side to side he decided that he didn't like it, and damn it the long hair looked terrible as well. Smiling to himself he decided that he would go whole hog. Picking up the telephone he called a number and spoke into it quietly so that Tracy couldn't hear. Ten minutes later Tracy was wondering what was keeping Matt, when he came out of the bedroom still unchanged. "I thought that you were going to get dressed." "I am, but I need a favor from you. Do you have any LCD "A" batteries?" he asked holding up a small computer data pad "Yeah I have some downstairs in my apartment." "Could you get them please." Quirking an eyebrow "Is it that important?" she asked Holding out the small pad "The power is low already, if it shuts down before I put in new ones in. All of the information on here will crash." Putting down her coffee cup "Okay, I'll go. It'll give me a chance to change anyway." Smirking Matt asked "Does this mean I get my underwear back?" pulling her close to him A slow sexy smile appeared on Tracy's face "They are very comfortable, so the answer for now is no. If you want them back you'll have to take them back." she said with a smile stepping back "I guess I can wait till later, it won't be easy but I will try to restrain myself." "You do that" she told him planting a quick peck on his lips and running out as she dodged his reaching arms "I was right you are insatiable" she laughed as she ran to the door and pausing she turned back "And don't you dare change." After she was gone Matt paced restlessly, was this a good idea. What if she liked the hair and beard, no admit it Matt, it's not you. "To thine own self be true" he quoted Matt heard the front doorbell ringing moving over to it he looked at the monitor by the door and saw the hair dresser standing there. Opening the door Matt smiled "Hello Enrique" The young man on the other side almost fainted, then quickly came in "My god, que te paso." he asked in spanish "Tu pelo esta horrible, la barba, well no fear Enrique is here" he said with a wiggle of his hips and a snap of his fingers "Bueno amigo, camine" Matt told him in spanish "Let's take care of this fast" Putting a hand on his hip Enrique puffed out his lower lip "Well muchacho, I am good but I am not fast" "There's an extra hundred if you can get it done in twenty minutes." Quickly smiling and taking Matt by the hand "Enrique is the wind" Tracy breezed into her apartment happier than she had in a long time. Pausing by the her stereo she turned it on and put on some upbeat swing music that was beginning to be so popular again. She began to undress and continued to dance with the music, twirling and singing she poured through her closet looking for something that would catch Matt's eye. When suddenly she bumped into her bureau and knocked her cosmetics tray off the counter. Tracy stopped dancing as she saw her things fall everywhere as they hit the ground. Then smiling she refused to let anything ruin this day for her, stooping down she began to gather her things and put them back into the tray. As she finished she put the tray back on top of her bureau when she saw the framed picture that sat upon it. Tracy picked it up and stared at it for a moment. The picture wasn't that old, it had been taken about six months before at the fair grounds. She stood holding a giant stuffed bear in one arm and in the other arm she held onto Vachon. They were both laughing standing in front of the ferris wheel and she remembered what a good time she had, had that night. Smiling Tracy put the picture back on the bureau and turned to finish getting dressed when she noticed the picture again and for a split second she saw Matt where Vachon had stood. Tracy picked up the picture again and saw Vachon's smiling face again, when it hit her that Matt and Vachon looked somewhat alike. Matt was taller and much broader than Vachon had been, but they both had a dark look about them. Their features were different but they both had long hair and both needed a shave. Suddenly Tracy didn't feel like dancing anymore, she felt sick to her stomach. Slamming the picture back onto the bureau she quickly finished getting dressed and left her apartment with the batteries in hand and went to the elevator and pressed the button. Waiting for a moment the doors opened and Natalie was inside. "Hi Nat, how are you?" Tracy tried to brighten back up "Forget about me, how are you. You're positively glowing." Natalie laughed Blushing Tracy pressed the button again "I don't know what you are talking about." Natalie wasn't having any of that "Come on Tracy give me some details. I mean did you sleep with him or not." Blushing even harder Tracy nodded "Well was it good." "It was great" Tracy admitted, then turning to the elevator panel she hit the stop button. Surprised Natalie then saw that Tracy was crying. "Tracy what's wrong" she asked, her eyes opened wide "Did he hurt you, did he force himself on you." Wiping the tears away in frustration "No, it's nothing like that. In fact it was me who did the forcing. Everything was going great today, and I was happier than I ever thought possible." "But" Natalie prompted when Tracy hedged Sighing Tracy continued "Matt asked me to get him some batteries for his pocket computer, when I went to change I saw a picture of Vachon and me taken at the ferris wheel and it hit me. Matt looks something like Vachon, the hair and the beard." "And you think that you slept with Matt because of that." Natalie finished seeing where Tracy's mind was leading her. Tracy nodded her head tears beginning to fall again "That is not fair to Matt, last night he showed me who he really is. Not the persona he puts out, cold, ruthless, get the job done at any cost, but the real him. A man who can laugh, make jokes and make me laugh. We talked last night about everything, art, books, music, movies everything. Did you know that he cried when he saw 'Little Women'." Natalie was taken aback "He admitted that, god I've never seen a man admit that he cried at a 'chick flick' as they like to call it." Tracy nodded "He hates action movies, and horror movies, he actually likes love stories and comedies. One of his favorites is 'Sleepless in Seattle'. The man opened up to me, and I think that I had sex with him for the wrong reasons." she said miserably Natalie put a reassuring hand on the young woman's shoulders "Well there is one easy way to tell." "What?" Tracy asked wiping her eyes "Did you call out Matt or Vachon last night?" Natalie asked simply Tracy's eyes opened wide "Oh that would have been terrific, I could just see Matt's face if I had called out Vachon's name in bed" Natalie smiled proving her point "So you didn't, you called out Matt's name. Vachon never even entered the picture. You have nothing to feel bad about, you knew exactly what you were doing and who you were doing it with." Tracy stared at her friend and realized that Natalie was right, at no point during the previous night had she even thought of Vachon only of Matt. Throwing her arms around her friend "Thanks Nat, I just needed to hear that from someone else. I wouldn't have been able to stand it if I had hurt Matt, he's been hurt enough already. That bitch, if I ever meet up with her..." Not wanting to know what Tracy would do Natalie reached into her purse for a packet of tissues and her visine bottle. "Here wipe your eyes, fix your face, and put in some drops to get the red out. The last thing you need right now is to explain to Matt why you have been crying." Natalie realized to her surprise that she was talking to a woman in love. Doing as she was told Tracy fixed her makeup and dried her eyes. Starting up the elevator again they waited for the doors to open. When they did they saw the most loudly dressed man they had ever seen standing in front of them with his hands on his hips. "Hey, chicas what took you so long. Enrique has been waiting for five minutes already." Reaching out he grabbed Natalie's hair "Ay, chica que pelo que tu tienes, your hair is terrific." Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a card "Give me a call when you want to cut it." he said then pressed the button and both women watched with eyes wide as he began to sing 'hallelujah it's raining men' as the doors closed. "Who the hell was that?" Tracy asked the shocked expression never leaving her face Reading the card "Enrique, of Enrique's house of wonder hair salon." Natalie told her with the same look on her face. Shaking their heads they went to the door opening it they saw the living room empty. "Matt, I'm back and I bought Natalie with me" Tracy called out "Be right out, I'm just tying my tie." a voice called back from the bedroom "Tie?" Natalie asked curiously "He has alot of really nice suits, so I asked him to wear one." Tracy shrugged "Want some coffee?" "I'd kill for some caffeine" Natalie admitted "Oh wow" Tracy turned to see what was up and saw Natalie sitting with her mouth open. Following Nat's gaze Tracy turned to see Matt standing uncertainly by the door wearing the suit she had picked out. The beard was gone and his hair was cut short and the suit was cut perfectly to his body and looking like a model from a G.Q. magazine, his dark look was now softened and he looked less intimidating and about five years younger. Seeing the faces of the two women not saying anything, Matt figured he looked stupid. He turned to go back inside and change when he heard Tracy. "Matt, you look incredible." She said truthfully never realizing what a good looking man Matt really was. Turning back he looked down at the suit "You think so?" he said still unsure "Oh yes Matt, you look great. Especially without the beard and the hair, you look younger now." Natalie agreed, well she thought he sure looks nothing like Vachon now. Running his fingers through the short hair "I wasn't sure that you were going to like it, but this is me. I wear the other stuff only on weekends, the hair and the beard were an experiment. I like it better this way." he told them Tracy made her way over to Matt and put her arms around him "So do I, now you look very presentable." she told him kissing him "Ahem" Natalie coughed, breaking the lovers apart "I hate to break up this beautiful scene, but I was promised breakfast and I am starving." Laughing Matt entered the kitchen, both Natalie and Tracy were shocked. Matt Travers laughing, if you'd had asked either of the two women forty-eight hours earlier they would have said that it was impossible "I'll cook you up some eggs and toast, fruit" Recovering quickly throwing a knowing look at Natalie "Oh no you don't" Tracy announced "Not dressed like that you are not, grease stains are hell to get out of this material." Putting both hands up he backed away from the stove "Okay, whatever you say. Do you have the batteries?" he asked "Yes there on the counter over there." Tracy pointed Loading it up the pocket computer he slipped it into his breast pocket. Turning to Natalie he saw her smile. "Armani?" she asked feeling the material Matt nodded "Yes, I bought these awhile ago. I'm surprised that they still fit, the pants are a little loose but otherwise." Matt shrugged "Do you have the microdot?" Natalie nodded and reached into her purse, drawing out a small plastic bag she handed it to Matt. Taking the bag Matt saw the small piece of celluloid in one corner placing it into his pocket he frowned. "Damn, I don't have the right equipment here to read this kind of film. We will have to go to the station to see what's on it, it was numbers you said." Picking up a fork as Tracy put a plate of eggs and sausages in front of her Natalie nodded "Yes, just a series of numbers. Could it be important?" she asked as she speared a piece of sausage. Matt shrugged "To tell you the truth I really don't know. It could be anything, a code of some kind, or a bank account with undisclosed funds. Anything really, I'll know more after I see it. How long till the sun goes down?" Matt asked Natalie checked her watch "About an hour." "Good, I really don't like going out when the sun is up." Fingering his sunglasses he continued "The glasses are good, but still too long in daylight and I get a vicious headache." "Does it bother you much, not being able to see the sun" Natalie asked curiously Matt shrugged "What bothers me most is that it is a weakness that can be exploited. If someone knows about it, they can really make my life hell." "Do any of the chessmen know about it" Tracy asked suddenly worried "Nope, none of those bastards even came to see me in the hospital." Matt told them, surprising both women about how much that fact really bothered him "They don't know about it, I asked Control to keep that fact out of my medical jacket." Nick awoke feeling refreshed and hungry, tying his robe he made his way downstairs for some "breakfast". Looking out the window he saw that the sun had descended not to long ago. Padding into the kitchen he opened the refrigerator and pulled out a green wine bottle. Opening it he smelled the blood and the vampire within rolled with hunger, lifting the bottle to his lips he drank deeply. Feeling the vampire grow strong within, he put the cork back into the bottle and carried it into the living room to check his messages. Nothing of importance there. His senses jumped suddenly and he knew that he was no longer alone. Stretching his senses he felt the presence of another, another of his kind. Turning he saw Laquoix standing by his couch, the tall vampire nodded his head. "Nicholas, how have you been." he asked politely Nick nodded "I have been well, and yourself" he asked curious at the visit Laquoix circled around the couch and sat "I must admit that I am feeling much better these days, since the return of my dear friend Matthew." Laquoix teased knowing that Nick was aching to find out about the relationship Nick circled the couch to face his mentor "How is it that you know him at all." "Quid pro quo" Laquoix stated simply a thin smile on his lips. He knew that curiosity was burning in Nicholas, so he had to torture him just a little. To keep in practice so to speak. "What is it you want Laquoix?" Nick asked suspiciously, he knew that with Laquoix you just never knew Laquoix sat back steepeling his fingers infront of him "Simply what it is that Matthew is working on at the moment. Also why several C.I.A. hit teams have been going around to all the clubs trying to find him." Nick nodded it seemed a fair trade, besides he was dying to know the truth of the relationship between Matthew and Laquoix. "You first Laquoix" Laquoix nodded and sat back and told Nicholas about the alley twelve years earlier and just how he met Matthew. Nick watch in awe as he saw Laquoix's face light up as he spoke of his friend, the things he was able to teach him. Also surprisingly enough the things that Laquoix had learned from the mortal. "He was such a slovenly young man. He had no fashion sense whatsoever, I had to take him under my wing and with Janette's help we turned a sow's ear into a silk purse." Nick smiled Laquoix obviously likes Matt "You did more than that, you taught him how to defend himself against us." Laquoix shrugged "It was the least I could do, he taught me some tricks on how to spot potential hunters without using my natural abilities. He showed me how some mortals can disguise their feelings and betray no sign that a vampire can detect and still attack us. It was quite informative to say the least and it came in handy a couple of times" Laquoix admitted, then sitting forward in the seat "Now your turn Nicholas, quid pro quo" Nick sat back and told Laquoix all that he knew and suspected he knew. Laquoix sat completely still, the only outward sign that he was listening was the occasional nod of his head. When Nick was finished Laquoix nodded. "Is there any danger to the community?" Nick shrugged "I honestly don't know Laquoix. I mean what kind of effect will a nuclear explosion have on us. On initial impact, I do see some of us dying, there will be alot of fire, and you know as well as I what fire can do to us" Laquoix shivered, yes he did indeed "After that" Nick continued "I don't know what the radiation will do to our kind. Will it kill us, will it make us sick and will recover later, or will we simply walk away unscathed." Laquoix nodded "I will have to discuss this with the enforcers, they may want to evacuate us from here. If the inevitable should happen, what of Matthew what does he think." Nick drank some more then placed the bottle on the table "Well he's trying his best, but he wasn't given a whole hell of a lot to help him. He's trying different things now to try and find out where they are hiding. Other than that the only thing that we can do is try to figure out how they are going to hit the convention center and stop them there before they can use that bomb." "I will do some of my own inquiries into this matter." Laquoix announced standing and getting ready to depart "I do have some sources that I can utilize, and yes Nicholas I will inform you before I do anything. The last thing I want is a nuclear device going off here, with so many of the community here." Turning to leave Laquoix stopped "Nicholas, if Matthew should fall, ask him if he would like to be bought across." Nicholas stood suddenly very angry "I will not bring him across Laquoix." he stated infatically. Laquoix stared hard at Nicholas "Let it be his decision not yours, if he decides no" he paused for a moment and for the first time he showed Nick his true feelings "If he decides no, then let him feel no pain Nicholas. Kill him quickly, he has had enough pain." turning Laquoix was gone into the night Nick stared after his mentor and tormentor "Perhaps there is still something human in you after all old friend." Nick smiled and headed for the shower. Nick parked his cadilliac in the parking lot and headed inside. Like the night before the activity was hectic, time was running out and they were still no closer to finding and stopping the chessmen. Heading for his desk he saw that Natalie was already there reading some reports that had come in. Natalie looked up as she saw the shadow reach across the page and smiled "Hi Nick" "Hello Nat, what are you reading with so much interest." Nick asked sitting next to her Handing over the file Nat sighed "It's the final autopsy of the six men in those two cars that chased Matt and Tracy. Nothing to it really, it happened just like they said it did. Two died of gunshot wounds and the rest were either blown apart or burned to death." Quickly scanning the pages Nick nodded and put the file down "Are either Matt or Tracy in yet? We have a lot of planning to do." "We've been here for over an hour, Matt is with Reese and Tracy is trying to track down a transparency machine. I found a microdot on one of the corpses that Matt asked me to check. He didn't have the right equipment at home so we figured we could find one here." "Anything interesting on the microdot?" he asked curiously Natalie shook her head "Just a bunch of numbers, Matt wants to check it out before moving on." she told him smothering a grin, thinking back to her school days. I know a secret that you don't. Nick stared at her, something was up. Natalie wasn't telling him everything, which is very much unlike her. "What is it Nat, what are you holding back?" Nick asked his curiosity peaked as he watched Natalie trying to keep from smiling, Nick knew that she wanted to tell but she needed just a little encouragement to spill it. Natalie looked up her face a picture of innocence "Me, why whatever could you mean detective." "You are going to make me beg, aren't you" Nick sighed Giggling Nat patted his knee "Detective, begging is so out of character for you" "Come on Nat spill it before I put the whammy on you" Nick teased With a sigh of resignation Natalie told him "Well if you are going to force me into telling a secret well." Natalie bent over cupping a hand over her mouth and whispered into Nick's ear. Nick's eyes flew open. "Him, her, are you making this up?" he asked amazed "They could barely tolerate each other just two days ago." Shaking her head "Honest injun, it took me by surprise as well. I know that they haven't known each other long, but they look happy." Nick rubbed his chin "I don't know Nat, this could be one of those 'the world is coming to an end' type of thing. Remember the meteor?" Natalie would never forget it, those scientists who had lied and had announced to the world that the earth was going to be hit by a giant meteor. A lot of people, including herself had panicked and had behaved in ways that were completely out of character. They were eventually proven to be frauds, but the aftermath was still present with the increase of births by thirty percent over the next nine months. "I hope not Nick" she said worriedly "At least on Tracy's part it is love that she is feeling, she loves him. With Matt, well I just don't know him well enough to judge it. Afterall the agency did train him to be a professional liar, he could conceivably be stringing her along." she added feeling guilty of these thoughts Nick patted her shoulder "Tracy is a big girl, and I am sure that she is a good judge of the men that she becomes intimate with. I'm sure that everything will come out for the best." "What'll come out for the best?" They both turned and saw Tracy wheeling a small machine towards them. Giving each other a quick glance they silently communicated that they would not tell Tracy what was really on their minds. "This case" Nick told her "I was just telling Natalie that it would all turn out just fine." "Oh, of course everything will be fine." Tracy shrugged hoping she was right "Tracy" Tracy turned and saw Joyclen Travers walk in with her father. Tracy made her way over to them and gave each of them a hug. "Hi, what are you guys doing here?" Theodore Vetter put an arm around his daughter "I had to tell Joyce what was going on, I mean we couldn't keep it from the government. They are letting us handle it because we have Matt. We're here to get the latest word of the progress to date." With a longing look in her eyes Joyceln Travers looked around "Where is Matt?" she asked "He's with Captain Reese right now" Nick told her pointing to the closed door The words were barely out of his mouth when Reese's door slammed open and Matt walked out of the room. His posture and bearing clearly told all of the officers in the room that he was extremely angry. Without saying a word to anyone he strode across the room, cops moved quickly out of his way as he stalked into the conference room slamming the door behind him. Reese wearily walked out of his office and stood at the door, he looked older and tired. Everyone was looking at him wondering what had happened to make Matt so angry. Tracy wanted nothing more than to run into the conference room and ease his anger. Reese waited until everyone was silent then he spoke. "Detectives Daniel Scarpeta and Amelia Shore, were killed last night." A hush descended around the office, all of the officers stopped whatever they were doing and with startled expressions turned to look at Reese "The bodies were found an hour ago by the docks, in each of their pockets were found a chess piece. A black king and a black bishop" Taking a deep breath he continued "We have to inform their families as soon as possible." Everyone sat in shock, two of their own dead. Some officers frowned dropping their heads others wept openly and were comforted by fellow officers. Suddenly a loud crash sounded from the closed doors of the conference room. Officers snapped back to attention as they rushed over to the door. "It's locked" Yelled a young rookie who had reached the door first "Move" Nick told him as he bought up his foot to kick in the door as another loud crash sounded. Tracy felt her heart leap into her throat, oh god what could he be doing to himself. Nick kicked the door open so hard that the door flew off of it's hinges. A few officers rushed in, then stood back by the doors seeing the destruction before them. Matt paced back and forth like a crazed rampaging beast. All around him papers and desks laid in various states of destruction. Suddenly Matt picked up another chair and threw it against the wall screaming at the top of his lungs. "I warned them" he yelled "why didn't they listen" he yelled punching a hole in the wall Everyone stood well back, repulsed and fascinated by this display of pure rage. Matt continued to move from one side of the room to the other destroying anything that stood in his way. Finally turning to the back wall he saw the pictures of the chessmen that he had tacked up two days earlier. Picking up another chair he flung it at the pictures "You're dead, I'm going to rip out your fucking hearts" Moving over to the pictures he began pounding on the walls "Your dead, your dead" he said over and over again until he was exhausted and he fell to his knees and began to cry. "It's not my fault" he cried "I warned them, I warned them" Reaching to his side he pulled his gun. "NO!" Tracy yelled running into the room falling to her knees by Matt's side "Don't do this Matt, it's not your fault. You didn't kill them, they did" she told him pointing to the pictures. Matt thumbed the safety release off of his gun, it was now ready to shoot. With tears falling from her own eyes she continued to plead with Matt. "Put the gun away Matt, please for me, put it away." Looking up at the pictures Matt knew she was right, he was angry at the wrong people. It really wasn't his fault, he wasn't even there. They should have listened to him, they should have believed that he was telling them the truth. Still the anger inside begged for release, to punish the ones who were responsible. Quickly raising his gun Matt pulled the trigger exactly six times, then dropping the gun he buried his face on Tracy's shoulder and cried. Nick and Natalie stared at Matt and Tracy then looking up they looked at the pictures. Each one now had a hole in it, dead center in the forehead. They both understood what Matt was telling them all, no matter what the chessmen were dead, there would be no mercy from him, no escape. He would grieve now then he would hunt them down relentlessly and kill each and everyone of them. Joyceln Travers covered her mouth with her hand and watched as her son destroyed everything in the room. She was appalled and frightened by the rage that she saw. She watched as he pulled his gun and as Tracy tried to comfort him. When it was over she quickly turned and left the room, feeling like she was about to be sick. Suddenly Theodore Vetter was by her side holding her up. "It's okay Joyce, he's just upset." he tried to reassure her, but he had misunderstood Pointing to the door she wept openly "That is not my son." she cried Confused Theodore Vetter tried to calm her "What are you talking about, of course that is Matt. Do you think that I would have called you if I wasn't sure." He told her "That thing in there is not my Matty, my Matty was a ray of sunshine. He wouldn't hurt a fly, he is insane" she screamed pointing to the door hysterically "That in there is a" Theodore Vetter saw Matt and Tracy now standing by the door, a look of pain descending down on Matt, his expression held him and seemed to say "I told you so". Shaking Joyceln violently, she finally saw that Matt was staring at her, the expression of pain on his face was too much for her. "Matt" she whispered hoarsely immediately sorry she had said what she said wanting nothing more than to comfort her hurt son. "Say it Mother" he told her releasing his hold on Tracy and walked into the room. Officers once again moving out of his way, Nick, Natalie and Tracy stood to one side afraid for him. "Matt" Joyceln repeated "I'm sorry" Who was he fooling, Matt thought to himself. Like he deserved happiness after all that he had done. How could Tracy ever care for such a man as himself, even his own mother hated him. "Say it Mother" he repeated "You were going to say animal weren't you. That is all I am to you, just a fucking animal." Tracy watched in horror as the mask that he had worn the first time they had met suddenly fell in place once more. This was not Matt, not her Matt, not the man she loved, this is the man who doesn't care weather he lives or dies. This is the man Matt saw in the mirror when he had painted that self portrait. "Well maybe you're right, maybe that is all that I am, all that is left." he told her icily "Don't worry mother, after this is over, if I survive that is. I will disappear so that you won't have to look at the animal anymore." "Matt please" his mother pleaded fresh tears falling Matt was unaffected by the tears "Please what mother, please don't be an animal. I'm afraid that is all that is left now. You beat a dog long enough he becomes wild, you beat a man that way don't be surprised when you find the same thing." Turning he grabbed his jacket, reaching into his pocket he pulled out the badge and dropped it on the desk and turned to leave. Tracy rushed over to him "Don't go Matt, please" putting an arm on his shoulder. Tracy was shocked as he pulled away from her as if he had been scalded. "What about us" Tracy whispered to him so no one could hear. "What about us?" he said coldly "It was fun Peaches, but I gotta go." Tracy covered her mouth and ran from the room, for a moment Matt's steps faltered. He wanted to go after her, beg her forgiveness. Then an invisible iron hand fell. "You don't deserve her, let her go now before you really hurt her." Turning once again he heard Reese call out. "Where are you going Travers?" Without slowing he continued to the doors "I got places to go and people to kill. And the name is Craven, Matt Craven." he told them leaving "What have I done" Joyceln Travers fell into a chair burying her head into her hands Suddenly she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders looking up she saw a young blonde woman standing before her. Sympathy in her every touch and gesture, Celeste sat by the grieving woman. "Matthew is just upset, it was just too much too soon. When he calms down, he will call you." Celeste told the woman Looking up at the young woman Joyceln grabbed her sleeve "Did they really beat him?" she asked Celeste's eyes dropped "Yes, some men beat him and tortured him for a very long time" pulling out a file she handed it to the grieving mother. "Read this, then you will understand your son, understand his pain." Natalie rushed from room to room, looking for Tracy. Their voices had been to low for her to overhear, but Tracy's reaction was enough. Matt had said something that had really hurt her. He was like a wounded beast, Matt was striking out at anyone who came near. In his present condition he was definitely suicidal. Nick was looking for him now to try to talk some sense to him, to bring him some peace. But right now Tracy had to be found, Tracy's pain was just as real as Matt's. Poking her head into the women's locker room Natalie turned to leave when she heard a choked sob. Going inside Natalie began to search for Tracy, finally Natalie found her. Huddled in a corner in the back of the locker room crying her eyes out. Natalie kneeled down on the floor by Tracy and gathered her into her arms. "It's okay Tracy, everything will be okay." Tracy felt as if her heart had been torn out "I asked him what about us" Tracy sobbed "And he said Well what about us, it was fun peaches but I gotta go." she said bitterly "I meant nothing to him, I was just an easy lay" Natalie grabbed her by the shoulders shaking the young woman violently "Don't you ever say that, he loves you Tracy. What happened out there was just a reaction. Just like when I pulled off his sunglasses, he swung out blindly at anyone who came near. You just happened to be there" She tried to reassure Tracy Suddenly another woman appeared in the room with them. Natalie looked up and saw Monica smiling down at her. "Monica, what are you doing here." Natalie asked as Tracy looked up at the woman "I am here to help" Monica told the two women and suddenly began to glow Seeing their reactions Monica tried to reassure them "Don't be frightened" "Who are you, what are you?" Natalie asked startled and frightened of what she saw as was Tracy who immediately stopped crying and stared slack jawed at Monica "I am an angel sent to you by god" Monica told them "Matthew is in terrible danger, his inner demons are rising in him again. I am afraid that he might do something terrible to himself." "Can't you stop him" Tracy asked sitting up hoping that she was telling the truth maybe this is the person who could end Matt's pain forever. Monica shook her head sadly "I cannot interfere, God gave all of his children free will. You can stop him Tracy, he is convinced that he is unworthy of love. He struck out at you for fear that like his mother, you would hate him as well. Right now he is in terrible pain, just like the first night that I met him in the hospital." Tracy stood up wiping her tears "You, you are the angel that came to him that night" Monica nodded "Yes, myself, Tess and Andrew. Tess and I went that night to tell him that god still loves him, still needs him here. He was in such pain, I had never felt so much pain before, it felt as though it were my own pain. Then there was Andrew, well Andrew is the angel of death, he was there that night to take Matthew to heaven if he had killed himself. He is with Matthew right now, waiting and watching to see what Matthew will do." "Where is he" Tracy begged the angel "You know where he is, a place where no one can harm him. A place where he is free to be himself" Monica told her Tracy did know where and without another word she ran from the room. Monica turned to Natalie who was still staring at her. "Why are you helping us?" Natalie asked Monica smiled gently at her "That is my job Natalie, but you are my real assignment. I gained permission to help Tracy as well, but you are still my assignment." "Me?" Natalie asked suddenly afraid and happy at the same time Monica nodded and patted the seat next to her, as Natalie sat Monica continued "You prayed to God to help you, to help you and Nicholas. God heard and sent me, he loves you Natalie" Monica told Natalie taking her hand "He has seen your goodness, and he has seen you're love for a vampire." "I thought vampires were considered evil an abomination in the eyes of the lord." Monica shook her head softly patting Natalie's hand "No creature that God has given life to is an abomination. Like anyone else vampires are both good and evil, and he has seen the good in Nicholas. God has seen the struggle to regain his soul, to regain mortality. God wants you to know that Nicholas is not beyond redemption, and perhaps with your help and love he may yet regain mortality, and win back his soul." "There is hope then" Natalie said tears in her eyes "Yes there is hope." Monica told her Tracy ran down the hall to the elevator pressing the button frantically. "God please let me be in time" she prayed Finally the elevator doors opened and Tracy jumped in and pressed the button. Grateful that she was alone, Tracy quickly checked her pockets to make sure that she had her keys for the car. The doors dinged and opened and Tracy stepped out, but instead of being in the lobby of headquarters Tracy stepped out into Matt's cellar hideout. Tracy didn't waste time wondering how, she just thanked God for his help. Tracy began to look around when she spotted a man dressed in tan clothes standing by the doors to the library. He was handsome with long blonde hair all of one length, the expression on his face turned from a solemn one to one of hope. "Andrew?" Tracy whispered staring at the angel of death Smiling Andrew nodded "Yes, I'm glad you're here" Pointing to the closed door "Matt's inside" Taking a deep breath Tracy opened the door and heard a piano being played. Stepping inside Tracy saw Matt sitting with his back to her playing the piano, his gun sitting on top of it. Tracy listened for a moment to the melancholy tune being played and was surprised to hear Matt begin to softly sing. It's a long road when you're on your own and it hurts when they tear your dreams apart When every new town just seems to bring you down Trying to find peace of mind can break your heart It's a real war right outside your front door I tell ya out where they'll get ya you sure can use a friend Where the road ends thats the place for me where I'm me in my own space where I'm free that's the place I long to be But the road is longing each step is only the beginning no breaks just heartaches oh man is anybody winning It's a long road and it's hard as hell Tell me what do you do to survive When they draw first blood that's just the start of things day and night you gotta fight to keep alive It's a real war right outside your front door I tell ya out where they'll kill ya you sure can use a friend Where the road ends thats the place for me where I'm me in my own space where I'm free that's the place I long to be Cause the road is longing each step is only the beginning no breaks just heart aches oh man is anybody winning It's a long road It's a long road Tracy wiped the tears from her eyes and walked to Matt as he finished the song. Putting her hand on his shoulder she sat on the piano bench with him. "I'm here Matt" she whispered gently kissing him on the cheek "I'll be your friend" she promised. Without turning from the keys "I don't deserve you, I'm just an animal." He told her slowly Stroking his hair Tracy whispered "Shh, you do deserve me, and you are just a man the man that I happen to love." She admitted to him knowing that there was no going back now. Shocked Matt turned to face Tracy "How can you love me, haven't you seen what I am yet." He asked not being able to believe that she could actually care for a man like him. Tracy nodded seeing the pain etched in his face "You are a man, a man who has been hurt, and I do love you. I love everything about you, the good and the bad." Tracy grabbed his face between her hands "I love you Matthew Sullivan Travers, I let you chase me away once. That will never happen again." she vowed Tears fell down Matt's face "I'm so sorry for what I said to you earlier. I love you Tracy, from the moment I first saw you, I knew that my life was going to change and that you were going to be the most important part of it." Hugging her fiercely Matt held on for dear life, Tracy threw her arms around his neck. "You are stuck with me Matt" she whispered into his ear By the door Andrew smiled and turned and walked away. He wasn't needed here. Back at the station Natalie managed to calm down Joyceln Travers and finally got her to agree to go home. Reese was on the warpath, he had men covering the crime scene but still now he had a loose cannon on the deck with no way to lash him down. Especially now when they needed Matt the most he had gone off of the deep end. Still apart of him was sorry for Matt Travers, he had read the file that Tracy had supplied him with. No man should ever have to go through what this man had. Never ending waves of pain and disappointment with no end in sight. Reese sat heavily in his chair, Travers would come back, he wouldn't leave them in this kind of lurch. He would calm down, and gather his wits about him and he would go on with the job. At least Reese hoped he would. Nick walked back into the precinct, spotting Natalie he immediately went over to her. "Okay, now why did you want me to come back?" Nick asked angrily Natalie reached out and took Nick's hand "Let Tracy deal with Matt, she is the only one that has a chance with him." Nick sat down, he knew that Natalie was right. It didn't mean however that he had to like it, or the situation that it put the entire case in. Time passed slowly, and Nick without anything better to do just sat there reading the reports filed by the case workers for Scarpeta and Shore. Slamming the files down Nick grunted. "Nothing, not a damn thing. There is no physical evidence at the crime scene, there is no trace of what they were working on. What the hell were they doing at the docks anyway?" Looking over to Natalie who was reading the autopsy reports that had been conducted by one of her assistants. "Well, they both died of gunshot wounds. Both detectives shot twice in the head at close range and died where they fell. It was instant and they didn't feel a thing, for whatever that's worth. We will have to wait till morning for a toxicology report." Looking up Natalie grabbed Nicks wrist and pointed to the door. Matt walked in dressed in regular levi jeans and polo shirt wearing a long black leather trench coat. Matt held his head high as officers all stared at him as he entered the room. Pausing when he reached the center of the room he stopped and looked around seeing everyone come to a stop and were staring at him. Taking a deep breath Matt began "I want to apologize to everyone here for my earlier outburst. It was stupid and childish and completely unprofessional. I hope that you can forgive me." The silence lasted for thirty seconds as Matt stood waiting. As he began to move towards his desk by Nick, one of the officers came up to him. "Sergeant, you ain't got any reason to apologize. All you did was physically do what everyone of us wants to do when one of our own dies." Smiling the rookie handed Matt several files. "The autopsies and crime scene reports sarge." "Thanks" Matt said not trusting his voice to say more Another officer a young woman came up to him with a coffee cup in hand "Here you go sarge, is black alright?" "Fine, thank you" Reese hid his smile as he walked out of his office "Well Travers it's about time you showed up. You and I are going to have to talk about these long lunches of yours." Matt smiled "It'll never happen again captain, I promise" A dozen workmen came into the precinct carrying all sorts of equipment with them. The biggest of them stood by the counter and called out "Which one of you is Travers?" Matt turned "Right here, good you guys got here quick. The room is right in there, now I want it just like we discussed. And there's a big bonus if you can get it done tonight" The workman nodded "You're the boss, lets go boys" he told the others who went into the conference room. "It had better be a really big bonus" he said before he entered "What was that" Reese asked as he watched the workmen enter the room. Motioning to the room, Matt continued to his desk "I broke it up, so I will pay to have it repaired and remodeled" "Remodeled?" Reese asked suspiciously Smiling Matt went over to his desk "Trust me you'll love it" Sitting down he nodded to Nick and Natalie as they both smiled silently at him. Nick reached into his pocket and pulled out a wallet. "I think you dropped this" he said throwing it across the desk Catching it Matt saw his badge and for the first time since getting it felt like he was finally coming home. "Thanks Nick, I'll be more careful with it in the future." He promised Opening the first file he began to read. Natalie glanced over his shoulder and asked about Tracy. "She told me to come ahead, she wanted to change clothes." As Matt put the file down he reached for the phone. "Natalie what's the phone number to the morgue" Natalie gave him the number and as he dialed she asked "What is it did they miss something?" Matt shrugged unsure "Maybe, I just want them to check something" Waiting for a moment he got the line "Hello, yes this is detective Travers Metro homicide, I'm looking for the pathologist who did the work up on the two detectives found by the docks. Okay I'll hold on." Matt frowned as he began to listen on the line "God I hate this music" he said motioning to the phone "Couldn't you guys get something a little hipper than shadow dancing." he asked Natalie "Like what?" she asked with a smile Matt considered for a moment "Oh I don't know, some Ramones, some Kiss or AC/DC, Rolling Stones. You know something from our generation." he smiled at Natalie then sat up "Dr. Stone, yes this is Matt Travers. I just read your autopsy reports on the two victims, first rate work by the way. Fast and completely accurate. No doctor I just like to commend really fine work, there is just one thing I would like you to check out for me. This is so small that I sure that you didn't even notice it, no, no doctor I am not saying you are incompetent. This is something that you wouldn't look for ordinarily. Yes now are you near the victims, good what I want you to do check the back of their heads. Are you there yet, good at the base of the neck where the hair line ends, I want you to look for a small needle mark, it will be a tiny pin prick. It's there! On both victims, okay doctor, next get on to the toxicology department and have them look for scopolamine and mucopolysacarides. Yes that's what I said, tell them to look for that first. Then contact forensics and tell them to get all of their personal effects to me here at the precinct at once. Thank you doctor" "Mucopolywhat" Nick asked trying to get his tongue around the word "Mucopolysacarides, it's a concentrate taken from shell fish. Mostly used for arthritis victims when mixed with scopolamine and a couple of other things that I really don't know what they are. It paralyzes the victim they remain conscience the entire time but are unable to move or call out." Matt explained to them as he continued to look at the pictures of the crime scene. Natalie shivered "God that's horrible, so your victim stares you in the eye while you stand over him and watches you kill him unable to do a thing about it." Matt nodded "That's about it, Deacon really likes to use that stuff. It excites him I guess." Matt shrugged Nick looked over at Matt "Have you ever used it?" Matt shook his head "No, I take no pleasure in killing. I do have one vial of the stuff, I got it from Deacon the last time he was in Washington. I'm saving it." "For what?" Nick asked Matt put the file down and looked Nick in the eye "For when I meet up with Dr. Stepovich. He and I have some unfinished business to discuss. I don't like leaving loose ends." he said coldly and unmercifully. Both Nick and Natalie now understood that Matt Travers was not the forgiving type, and neither of them wanted to be around if and when the mysterious Dr. Stepovich ever showed his face. Reaching over to another file he pulled it out and extracted a sheet from it. Then grabbing color push pins he got up and went over to the map of the city. As one of the officers passed by Matt stopped him. "Do me a favor, find out what time Scarpeta and Shore came on duty last night." "You got it sarge" the officer nodded Tracy walked into the precinct newly changed and refreshed, with a slight glow on her face. After they had made up after their little fight they had really made up. Glancing at Matt's back as he stood by the map, she walked over to her desk and put her things away. "Hi, guys what's Matt up to." Tracy asked "We have no idea" Natalie told her with a shrug "Hey Sarge" the officer called turning Matt caught his eye "They came on shift at seven last night." "Thanks" Holding up the piece of paper he read the first name on it. Returning to the map he looked up the street, finding the location he put a pin in it. Then going to the next name he repeated the process and continued to do it until he ran out of names. Sitting back he studied his handiwork. "Natalie, what was the time of death listed as." Matt called out loud Picking up the file Natalie found the right page "Between ten and one in the morning" Nodding Matt went to the board again. "Okay I think I got it." he announced Nick and Tracy went over to the map and looked over Matt's shoulder. "What do you got?" Nick asked as he studied Matt's handiwork on the board "If they stuck to the list that I gave them last night, then this is the route that they followed." Matt motioned to the board "Now they came on duty at seven last night, say they stuck around here for half an hour getting their things ready for the night. That would mean judging from the distance from here to the first house that they got there at about ten to eight. Give them five minutes with the occupants of the house to cross them off and ten minutes to get to the next house and five minutes with them it brings us to eight oh five. Matt continued down the list until he came to ten o'clock. Now here is where we start paying attention, the next address is 1078 Albatross lane. Anyone know the area?" Other officers had gathered around them as Matt had gone through the list methodically and logically. A patrol woman nodded "Yeah that was my first beat when I got on the job." "What are the houses like there." Matt asked "Small middle income houses, mostly two or three bedrooms. Small backyards and even smaller front yards." Matt scratched the name off "No good, the chessmen need privacy. Next is 1515 Oakdale drive, anyone?" Nick nodded "Yeah, pretty expensive neighborhood and exclusive. Large properties depending on the houses some even have gates around them." Matt smiled "That's the kind of neighborhood we want. Now they were found on the docks here. If they were found on the Oakdale property and stunned there and then transported to the docks which is across town. Give them an hour to get there that brings us to eleven to eleven thirty. Perfect it is in the time frame." Handing the list to Nick "Any other possibles" Nick scanned the list there were eleven more "Well the last one is pretty good, but the others I'd say no." Clapping his hands together he got everyone's attention Matt smiled at them "Okay everyone into body armor, load up, I want automatic weapons issued, night vision binoculars, the works. Come on people move." Officers scattered to gather their riot gear and special weapons issued as Reese clapped Matt on the back. "Good work son." He said impressed by the young man. Matt held up a hand "Don't thank me yet, I don't think they're there anymore. But hell if I'm going over there without back up." he told Reese "If I were Queen, the minute I found out my safehouse has been compromised, I'd abandon and fall back to my secondary." He pointed out reasonably "Now if we are real lucky, they didn't have much time to move everything. Something got overlooked and maybe that will lead us to them." Matt called for the small convoy of police cars to come to a stop two blocks from the house that they were looking for. Pulling out a set of binoculars he peered at the house. "Damn, the hedges won't let me see in." Moving over to a telephone pole "Nick give me a boost will ya." Bracing his back against the pole for effect of the others Matt jumped lightly grabbing the bottom most rung and quickly scrambling up the pole. Reaching the top Matt wrapped an arm around the pole and used the other to steady the binoculars. Whispering softly into his head set so that the others could hear him. "It's approximately twenty five feet from the hedges to the front doors. The house is competely dark, it looks abandoned. Our best bet is to hit it from the sides it's only about ten feet to the house from there. There are cameras over the front door and on each corner of the house that I can see. That means that there are probably more on the sides and the back of the house, which means there is probably a passive alarm set on the grounds. Look out I'm coming down." Scrambling down the pole he faced the other officers. "Before going in you have to look through the hedges for small boxes probably about a foot long and six inches high. That's the alarm, a small laser connects it to the other boxes. You break the beam you set off the alarm, make sure that you step well over them." Looking at all of the officers he made sure that they all understood. Then looking at his watch he read the time. "Now lets get our times straight" they all lifted their watches and got set to adjust the time. "It is exactly 9:02, snick" he told them adjusting his own watch. "Everyone fans out to the position that was given to you" he told them "At exactly 9:20 we hit it. That means we have eighteen minutes to find those boxes and get into position, remember take it slow. Check out all the windows before opening them, we are dealing with explosives experts here. Look for wires small laser housings on the windows, if you find any don't open the window, get on the wire and warn everyone else. Let's be careful here, remember if any of you get killed tonight, I will kick your asses." He joked with a smile and watched their faces they were tough and ready "One last thing" he told them "It's kind of a tradition that I have before going into something like this. It's an ancient Egyptian proverb `May God protect you from harm in all the dark places that you must walk alone." nodding to them they quietly made their way to their assigned positions all except for inspector Angel who seemed really scared out of her wits. The weapon in her hands looked out of place somehow, as if she had never held one in her hands before. The slight trembling he saw was becoming stronger by the second. Smiling reassuringly "Inspector Angel, you stay by me okay?" Celeste tried to smile "Okay detective, I'm just a little scared that's all" Opening his eyes wide Matt quipped "Only a little, well you're doing better than me cause I'm scared shitless. Just remember fear is a tool, don't let it paralyze you. Use it, fear sharpens your senses to their absolute peak. Just keep your eyes and ears open and stay by my side and we will all get through this just fine." Celeste nodded gratefully "Okay Matt, I'll just think glue" "That's the spirit, let's get into position." Nick and Tracy moved silently along the hedges, Nick could see the others moving into position as well. They were all dressed in black except for the white lettering of police stenciled across their chests. When they got to their position Tracy let out a breath of air and whispered to Nick. "Do you see anything Nick?" Using his vampire's night vision Nick saw everything scanning the undergrowth he nodded "Yes one of those boxes that Matt warned us about." pointing to it "About five feet in front of us to the right." "Okay I see it" looking at her watch Tracy whispered back "Two minutes" The two minutes ticked away agonizingly slow, it seemed as though an entire millennium had passed within those two minutes. Finally time was up and Nick and Tracy made their way through the hedges. Carefully they both stepped over the box as did the others as they made their way to the house. Suddenly they all heard Matt's excited whisper. "Everyone stop don't move" "Why, were in the open like this sitting ducks" came a hoarse frightened whisper "The lawn is mined, I say again the lawn is mined. Proceed with extreme care, look for freshly turned soil and step over them." "I got one in front of me" Tracy said in horror looking down at her feet just inches from where she stood. Panic rushed through Matt, he forced down the impulse to go to her. He couldn't give away their position. "Take two steps to your right and go around it Tracy" he told her "I have inspector Angel standing on one, I'll get back to you." Turning to face the frightened Celeste he smiled "Just relax as long as you are standing on it you are perfectly safe." He tried to reassure her. Fear and panic gripped the young angel as she stood completely still "Maybe I should just run" she suggested hopefully "No" Matt said more harshly than he intended shocking the already scared Celeste "No" he told her gently "The moment you step off of it, it blows. I'll disarm it just don't move." Pulling out a knife Matt adjusted his glasses and peered down at the mine. A bouncing Betty he thought to himself. He should have thought of this possibility but hadn't. Carefully Matt began to dig around the mine sweat pouring off of his forehead. "How you doing Celeste?" he asked to keep her mind off of the mine "I've been better" Celeste admitted "You know after this I'll accept any assignment they offer me without a complaint. I had to ask for something challenging. Now I hope my next assignment is to find a lost dog or something." Matt chuckled as he dug deeper looking for the works of the mine "Well at least this assignment isn't boring." Suddenly the lights in the house turned on and the lights on the grounds lit up. "They're inside" Matt told her "Since there is no shooting I guess the place is empty" "Oh goody" Celeste remarked "How is it coming down there" "Just another minute or two" Matt promised The front door opened and Nick and Tracy appeared at the door "How's it going Matt" he heard in his earpiece "Great Nick, listen I need a fork out here. Could you find me one please?" Not really understanding Nick nodded "I'll find one" "Good, anybody in there" "No" Tracy answered "It's empty the others are looking for evidence now" "Tell them to be careful" Matt warned "there's no telling what other nasty surprises there are. Oh and call in the bomb squad, we have to dig up the rest of these mines." "I'm on it" Tracy turned and pulled out a radio as Nick came outside with the fork Careful to avoid the freshly turned soil Nick made his way over to Matt and Celeste "How you doing Inspector?" Nick asked and thought to himself "She's paler than I am" With her knees still shaking she told him "I'll feel alot better when I can move my foot." "Nick break off one of the fork tines. I have to slip it into the hole here before I cut the wires." Breaking one off he handed the small piece of metal to Matt who carefully inserted it into the hole. Pulling out leatherman multi tool Matt quickly cut the wires. Letting out a sigh of relief he sat up and wiped his brow. "Okay Celeste you can move your foot now it's safe." Removing her foot Celeste quickly gave thanks and several prayers to God. Then quickly hugged Matt and then released him. "Celeste could you bring up one of the vans please." Matt asked seeing that the young woman was about to completely lose composure. Grateful to be able to leave the scene Celeste quickly complied, literally running away from the area and towards the parked vans. "She seems to be grateful to get far away from here" Nick motioned to the quickly retreating figure. "Yeah" Matt said while getting up "I don't think that she's cut out for this type of work. I don't know everytime I see her I keep thinking that she should be teaching nursery school" Nick smiled "I know what you mean, come on let's go inside and search this place." Celeste ran as fast as a human could, running from that field of death. There was a time not so long ago she would have disappeared from the scene entirely, but if she had done that Matt would have died. Rounding the corner Celeste saw that her friends were waiting for her by the parked vans. Seeing Tess, Celeste picked up speed and ran into Tess's outstretched arms. "It's okay baby girl" Tess soothed the scared angel gently stroking her golden hair "Everything is alright now, no body got hurt and you are fine." "I was so scared" Celeste cried on Tess's shoulder Putting a hand on her shoulder Andrew tried to comfort her as well "So were we when we saw what happened." "I think that you were very brave" Monica told her "It took a great deal of courage to just stand there." Celeste wiped away the tears "If I had moved or had disappeared then Matt would have been the one that was killed." "You did the right thing baby" Tess told her "And now it's over" "Okay anything so far?" Matt called out as he entered the house right behind Nick From the shakes of the heads of the officers in view Matt knew that there was nothing yet. But damn-it there must be something, some scrap of paper that they missed, that they left behind. "Let's go over this place with a fine tooth comb." Nick announced feeling the same way that Matt did. Matt walked through the first floor, opening his senses to try to feel the room as it once was. Wires trailed along the floor boards, video monitors Matt thought. Walking into the dining room he saw the long dinner table already set for dinner. Six places were set and a bottle of wine chilled in a bucket by the table head. The deep white carpets that covered the floor were already covered with the tracks of boots and shoes of the officers already on the premises, so there was no hope of anything useful turning up there. Looking around the house he saw that it was completely furnished. Queen must have bought it that way, she wouldn't waste the time in going shopping not this close to the hit day. Going into the sitting room Matt saw that it was furnished beautifully, a sofa love seat sat in front of a fire place. Taking a deep breath he smelled the lingering odor of a recent fire. Nick walked up behind Matt and put his hand on his shoulder. "Find something?" he asked "I don't know" he said in a far off voice "Take a whiff, my senses are good but yours are a thousand times better." Inhaling deeply Nick smelled the recent fire that had occupied the fireplace. Going over to it Nick stuck his hand over the fire. No mortal would have felt anything, but a vampire would instantly feel any residual heat from a fire. Standing up he dusted off his knees "I'd say that this fire went out no more than ten hours ago." Matt grabbed an officer "Tell forensics that I want all the ashes in the fireplace taken and analyzed. Maybe we'll get lucky and the guy finds something useful" Nick continued to scan the room letting his powerful vampire senses take over. Nick's eyes took in every square inch of the room, his sense of smell continued to do a circuit of all of the scents in the room. Moving along the book cases Nick smelled the dust that covered all of the books, obviously they were just for show no one had picked up one of these in a long time. Moving along he suddenly came to a dead stop, something was wrong with this picture. Stepping back to take in the entire bookcase Nick studied it carefully, going over every nook and cranny of it with his eyes. "There" he thought moving over to the bottom left corner of the book case. Running his fingers across the smooth surface he looked at his fingers. There was no dust there! Reaching for the first book he opened it and quickly scanned the pages looking for anything out of the ordinary. Dropping that book he went for the next repeating the process again and again until he hit paydirt on the second to last book on the shelf. "Bingo" he called out as he removed a set of photographs from inside the book.. Matt and Tracy hurried over to Nick's side as Nick scanned the first photo and then handed it over to Matt and Tracy. "That's Castle alright." Matt smiled grimly and he looked at the picture of the giant of a man standing with his arm around a petite dark haired woman who looked vaguely familiar. Then it hit Matt. "This is the woman who was holding Reese's kid, the one I shot." he said holding out the picture to Tracy who nodded "Yeah that's her, but what is she doing with Castle." Nick handed over the next picture "His girlfriend?" Matt took the picture that showed Castle kissing the same dark haired woman. Suddenly a pang of guilt went through Matt, his expression changed and handing Tracy the picture he turned and went over to the love seat and sat heavily into it. "Damn-it why did it have to be Castle's girlfriend. You know he's the only one of those bastards that I actually like. He's tough as nails but he was the only one of them that I trusted behind me. The only one who didn't think that looking for another way was such a bad idea, sure it took longer but in the long run it was worth it. He was the only one that I was going to try and take alive, now when he finds out that his girl is dead." Matt shrugged "He's going to come after me and only one of us is going to walk away." Rubbing his eyes Matt stared at his new friends and co-workers "You know sometimes life really sucks." Standing up he asked the others "Anybody find anything else." "Nothing detective" a young woman called out from the kitchen "All right people let's wrap this up and head for home. The forensics people are here, let's let them do their job without us underfoot." Glancing at one of the scientists who smiled his appreciation "Just let us know the minute you find anything, and I mean anything." Matt told him heading for the door. "Matt, that woman is still alive." Tracy told him as they headed towards the van's Surprise and relief filled him "Really, I thought I killed her. I didn't have time to check on her but there was alot of blood. What's her condition." Tracy reached for the door handle "Last I heard she was still unconscious from a severe head wound she got when she fell. The gunshot wound was not serious, she's listed in severe but stable condition." As they all got back into the vans which were now parked out front. Matt noticed that Celeste was feeling a lot better from her earlier encounter. "Feeling better" Matt asked politely "Much" Celeste sighed "I just needed a moment to gather my wits together. Did you find anything useful." "We don't know yet the forensics guys are still going over the place. But with us here we'll just be in the way." Tracy told her climbing into the van and sitting back. Matt was unusually silent during the ride back to the station. Several times Tracy tried to engage him in some light conversation, nothing serious or heavy. Just something to lighten the mood, but Matt didn't even hear her. He just sat back lost in thought staring sightlessly straight ahead. Tracy sat back hoping it was nothing serious, that this silence was not due to their lack of progress in the case so far. They now only had two more days to stop it from happening and they were no closer. Matt sat still thinking, tossing ideas back and forth in his own head, a plan was forming. A simple plan, but more often than not it's the simple ones that usually work. If you make a plan to complicated there are too many variables to many "what if's". No if you keep it simple you cut down your risk. Now this plan was dependent on Castle and his relationship with the woman, on how much the man loved her. As cruel as it was to think about it, Matt hoped that he had loved her a whole lot. True Tracy was not going to like this plan, in fact he expected to be sleeping on the couch tonight, and expected the arguing to last well into the morning, but he would make it up to her. If humanly possible that is. They entered the precinct in a melancholy silence. Natalie looked up and saw them enter. Relief flooded through her, in her mind she knew that Nick could not die in any normal fashion. But in her heart she was always worried that one day he just wouldn't get up after being shot or stabbed. Looking at their faces Natalie knew that it was a bust, true Matt had told them all that the place was probably deserted but still they had all hoped like hell that the chessmen were there and that they could get it all over with. Nick saw Natalie sitting at his desk and smiled. He had yet to tell her of his heavenly encounter with the angel, truth be told he thought that she might think him insane for it. After this is all over he had promised himself he would tell her, and he would trust in god with everything he was with all of the faith he could muster to show him the way. "Nothing?" Natalie asked "Nothing" Nick told her taking the seat next to her. Natalie turned to Matt who sat heavily in his chair "Matt the computer guy you called came in after those workmen left and is setting up the computer in the conference room like you asked. Also Michael Angelo came in with a few wooden cartons and he left with them. The furniture guys just bought in the stuff you ordered and set it up." Matt nodded "Good" standing he headed for the conference room "I'll be right back, I want to check this out." Tracy looked at the slight smile that played on Matt's face "Matt what are you doing?" "I'm making this place into the most advanced precinct in all of Canada that's all." Matt told her smiling "If I'm going to work here, I insist on the best, the best people which are already here" he said motioning to the officers around him "And on the best equipment money can buy. Besides the bill is going on my C.I.A. expense account." he said in a lower tone. "How can you do that, you quit remember." Tracy reminded him "Yeah I know, I had the guys back date the receipts a couple of days." Matt shrugged and went into the conference room. Laughing Nick and Tracy went back to their reports. Nick hated this case, never in his whole long life had he ever worked on a case like this. Before with Schanke and sometimes even with Tracy he took the lead, he broke the clues interviewed the witnesses. Now in this case he has no one to interview, no clues to work with and he had to depend on someone else to break the case. Even if it was Matt a man he was quickly coming to respect and hoping to be a good friend, Nick had never felt so helpless. Matt was the only one with the kind of mind to think like they do to try to guess their every move. Matt was right, sometimes life really does suck. A few minutes later Matt exited the room with a thick book in his hand and talking with a young man who looked like your classic computer geek down to pocket protector. Nick extended his hearing to listen to the conversation. "So how do you do it." asked the computer geek "Do what Simon?" Matt asked still studying the book Looking around Simon lowered his voice "Come on Matt we just walked out of the room and every woman's eye went straight to you, I don't even exist." Looking around Matt shrugged "I don't know Simon, I've never thought about it." Pausing to think Matt lowered his voice "Maybe it's because I'm indifferent to them." "What are you gay?" Simon asked startling people around them Blushing furiously Matt shook his head "No I'm not gay" he quickly told the man "Listen, don't try so hard. Make them come after you, be polite and be mysterious at the same time. Let them try to figure you out, I've found that a lot of women like a mystery. Also you gotta change buddy, I know you make good money doing what you do." Smiling smugly Simon nodded "I do alright" he admitted "Come here" Matt told him heading to his desk reaching it he opened his middle drawer and pulled out his pocket computer and punched in some commands retrieving some names, addresses and phone numbers he wrote them down for Simon. "This is my hair stylist, and my tailor, and my optomologist" he told him "Tell them that I sent you." Simon looked angry "Hey I don't want to be a carbon copy of you" then he added wistfully "I sure as hell don't have the body for that." "Look Simon, these guys are professionals at what they do. They will come up with the perfect look for you, and it won't be nothing like me. As for the body you gotta work on that yourself, no one can do it for you." Taking the paper he put it into his pocket "Okay I'll give it a try, now I have to be indifferent, polite and mysterious." "Yes, but you also have to be truthful. Women will see right through you if you're not and when they see that they can't run fast enough." "Did you get a lot of women this way." Simon asked Tracy suddenly looked up with interest "Yes Matt did it?" "I did okay" Matt mumbled not meeting Tracy's eye Nick and Natalie looked amused as they watched Matt squirm under Tracy's piercing gaze. Looking at each other they communicated silently, these two were going to be a constant source of entertainment. "Thanks Matt I'll take your advice" Simon told him waving to the others he turned and left "What was that all about Matt" Tracy asked Matt sighed "The guy asked me why the women all looked at me that's all." "And what did you tell him?" Natalie asked "I told him that I don't know, to tell you the truth I never really thought about it." Matt shrugged, Matt suddenly let out a tremendous yawn which he covered and standing up he stretched out his lean muscular body, muscles suddenly straining against his black T- shirt. Natalie noticed to her amusement that nearly every woman in the precinct immediately stopped what they were doing and watched nearly drooling at the sight of those muscles and the handsome face. Then she noted that Matt at no time looked at any of them, never noticed their stares. Sitting down Matt got behind his desk and started going through his files. "Do we have a picture of our mystery girl at the hospital?" he asked innocently Shrugging her shoulders Tracy gave up, hopefully he never would understand why women found him so attractive. He might just decide to play the field and leave me behind. Reaching into one of her own files she extracted a picture. "Here, this was taken at the hospital after she had been cleaned up a bit." Tracy told him handing him the picture. Taking it Matt studied the face and threw it on top of his desk. Matt shifted uncomfortably at his desk looking at the door every few minutes. Finally Nick couldn't stand it another moment and was about to tell him to stop when Matt suddenly stood up and grabbed the picture and headed for the door. Nick turned and watched as Matt made his way over to a beautiful young woman. Her face lit up when she saw Matt and as he approached she threw her arms around him and kissed him full on the lips. Tracy saw this and was getting really mad, first that Simon guy asking for dating tips and now this woman. Matt led the woman to a private corner and began to talk to the woman who pulled out a large pad and pen and started writing nodding her head and asking questions. Matt nodded and handed her the picture he had gotten from Tracy and continued talking. Then as one officer passed Matt pulled him over and spoke to him softly the officer nodded and made his way from desk to desk talking to people. Finally he made it over to Nick and Tracy. "Matt says team conference in ten minutes." turning he headed for the captains office Turning her attention back to the woman with Matt, Tracy began to get really upset. Sending someone to tell her that he wanted to talk to her. Oh Matt you have a lot to learn about relationships alright. The woman closed her pad and hugged Matt again then turned to leave. "That will be ready for tomorrow, won't it Susan." He asked one last time "Yeah Peter, I'll have to run and get it ready, we put the paper to rest in an hour and a half. Give me a call sometime we'll do lunch and each other." The woman smiled completely ignoring the fact that they were in a crowded room. Blushing furiously at the stares that he now drew "I told you I'm involved with someone." Matt reminded her throwing a nervous glance at Tracy who's eye's were boring a hole through him Susan smiled wickedly "She doesn't have to know." Natalie had to quickly throw her weight on top of Tracy who was trying to get out of her chair and go after the woman. "Let me go Natalie, doesn't have to know. I'll show her what I already know." Tracy fumed "Calm down Tracy" "God damn slut" Tracy muttered as she relaxed into her chair again and felt Natalie let go. Matt made his way over to Tracy "I'm sorry about that Tracy" he told her "Susan is just being Susan." "You went out with her?" Tracy asked in a more 'I can't believe it' tone of voice "Twice" Matt told her "I took her to dinner twice, nothing more. I use her as a conduit that's it. Hell Tracy she doesn't even know my real name, she thinks my name is Peter Munoz for Christ's sake." he whispered to her so that no one else could over hear. "A conduit?" "Yes she relays information through the press that I want accidentally released. That's all she is to me a conduit." Matt told her Reese came up to them "I hear you want a team meeting. Is it something important a break in the case?" "Yes, let's go, I'll tell everyone at the same time" Matt said standing up and heading for the conference room. The other officers also stood as they saw Matt and Reese heading for the room. Opening the door for Reese, Matt waved him through. "Damn" Reese said as he entered his redecorated conference room. As the others entered they all looked around in awe as they wandered around. The room had once been dank lifeless painted a dull gray with hard metal chair desk combinations like they had in high school. Now the walls had been replastered to cover the holes that Matt had put in them earlier and were painted a cheerful shade of pale yellow. Leather upholstered chairs with swivel desktops were artfully arranged in the room, in the back of the room however sat Matt's pride and joy. A large state of the art computer sat on a desk, Matt crossed to it and switched it on. It's powerful memory banks came on line as people found chairs and sat comfortably relishing the soft leather. "Hey Travers, any time you want to trash my office just let me know" Reese joked getting laughs from the other officers. "Just send a thank you card to the C.I.A. since they are paying for all of this." Matt told them "The agency must be some real nice guys" another officer quipped leaning back in the chair which reclined and a foot rest popped out. "I can get used to this" he mumbled "Oh you ain't seen nothing yet" Matt told them crossing in front of the room Matt raised his voice and held up a little microphone "Computer, combat ready room activate." "Authority access" a voice called back startling the officers "Travers, Matthew Sullivan, Sergeant." "Voice print match, activating combat ready room" Suddenly panels fell from all of the walls revealing maps of the city and newly put in strategy boards another wall fell away revealing a complete arsenal of weapons. All powerful and all ready to be used. Moving over to the wall rack Matt removed one of the weapons "I want to introduce you to your new best friend." holding up the small automatic "This is a modified H and K mack 20 they are brand new and modified. I have a friend in research and development and he got me these bad boys. These fire 10 mm rounds and are also capable of firing glazer rounds, safety rounds, tracer rounds and armor piercing rounds. Each clip holds fifty rounds, at full automatic you can discharge the entire clip in nine seconds. Each gun is also equipped with a built in laser sight and scope. The stock can be pulled back and it fits snugly against your shoulder. I've used this weapon before and let me tell you I can hit a target with this weapon dead on at over a thousand yards." Matt told them, some looked up at him and wondered what target he was aiming at but thought better of asking him "These are what the agency calls 'assassin specials', these are what the chessmen are armed with. After this briefing you are all to take one and take it down to the range and practice with it. Get used to the weight of it and the recoil everything, after you are done break the weapon down and clean and oil every piece. Treat this weapon as you would treat your wives or husbands boyfriends or girlfriends, because they just might save your life." Replacing the gun on the rack he pulled out a hockey puck. "These are a personal invention that I am going to share with the department. I gave a few of these to the captain this morning and the boys on the swat team are anxious to buy the plans from me. So maybe I can retire early and buy myself a Caribbean island." This bought more laughs, getting serious again he told them "I call this the 'sonic boom', some of you might have seen the after affects of this particular weapon, I used it to get away from the train station the other day. I won't get into specifics now about how it works, just be sure to put in your earplugs before you use this thing. The blast radius is about fifteen feet for full effect it will burst the ear drums of anyone standing there. To activate you press the small red button in the center of the disc. Do not throw it, I repeat do not throw it or it will not go off. This is a close quarters weapon, find your target and roll it across the floor, the moment it settles boom. There will be no explosion to speak of just a hell of a lot of noise, this is good for when you have to deal with hostages. They may be deaf for awhile but it's better than being dead." Handing it to Nick he smiled "Try it out on the range and you'll see what I mean. Remember before using it make sure you got your earplugs in tight." Moving over to another rack he pulled out a small headset rigged with an ear piece a wire mike and a small camera lens. "This is a light weight communications rig. The ear piece and mike are sensitive, you can whisper and you will be heard clearly at command central which is here. The camera lens also lets everyone see what the hell is going on. This way the captain will know exactly where you are and what you are seeing. The range of these is ten miles." Moving over to another rack he pulled out a vest different from the usual ones it was thicker yet they seemed to be more comfortable. "This is a kevlar combat vest, this thing is better than the standard issue vest. It can stop an armor piercing round and you cannot be stabbed with it on. Just remember these are good but it won't stop a bullet that hits you in the head." he warned them "This is the best stuff on the market and off of the market, and mostly highly illegal well at least the weapons are. I have gotten permission from the commissioner to use them in this case. They are going to keep an eye on it and maybe make them standard riot gear if they prove useful. Any questions?" he asked scanning the room "Remember people the only stupid question is the one that is left unasked." One young rookie stood up and faced Matt nervously "Sarge, you say that we gotta murder these people, not just arrest them." Gaining his courage he looked Matt in the eye "My question is why?" Matt saw that all eyes were on him now "I was wondering when someone was going to ask me that. I hoped that nobody would, but I was expecting it sooner or later." Nodding his head towards the young man he asked "Are you married?" "Engaged" the young man nodded "Okay" Matt sat back on the desk and began "The answer is that they will never stop." He told them "They will never give up, they will never surrender and they will fight to the death, and they will try an take you with them. That is the way it is for us." He finished. Staring at him shaking her head Fuentes looked up at him "You were really one of these guys weren't you." "Yes I was" he admitted "And I have done things that I am not proud of. I have had the unenviable task of sometimes choosing who lives and who dies, it's the nature of the work. We have been taught by bitter experience that to get the other guy you have to be just as ruthless as they are, you have to be able to sink to their level and below it. Why? Think of the consequences if we don't." he told them "Okay let's say that we don't stop them and the hit goes as plans, this is what will happen next. First thing forget the possibility of peace with the other nations, they will each blame the other. The Israeli's will blame one of the middle eastern nations that they are constantly at war with. The Russians will blame the americans as will the British. But let's stay with Israel for the moment, I don't know if you guys know this but there is a think tank in Washington that figures out what will happen if certain other things happen. For instance the moment that the hit goes through the Israelis will most likely blame Sudan and Iraq for the assassination of their leaders and will immediately launch an attack. Sudan not to stay still will launch nuclear missiles into Tel Aviv, which Israel will immediately retaliate with nuclear force. Iraq will immediately begin a chemical attack on Israel as well. Within seventeen hours of the first attack Sudan will launch bombers and commence the bombing of Israel. Iraq from the north will then send troops and tanks south into Israel as a blatant invasion. Israel will immediately counter attack. It is estimated that after three days of fighting, no one will have given or will have taken an inch, stalemate." Matt stared at the frightened expressions of the people sitting in the room who were in so way over their heads "During those three days the death toll is estimated to reach about 375 thousand split evenly among all three countries, parts of the middle east will no longer be inhabitable for at least 300 years. Within five years thousands of cases of cancer will begin to sprout out all over the region from nuclear fall out. Not to mention the chemical weapons that will be used, a good wind will spread that little beauty across thousands of miles into Europe, Asia, and America not to mention Canada. There are various other plans just like that one, but they all end the same way. Next we come to the financial part of it, when the news of the hit goes out people will begin to panic they will think that the world is coming to an end, they will start runs on banks to get their money out. Looting will begin on the streets and people will go insane. I estimate that it would take at least two days to calm people enough so that they will listen to reason. But in the mean time banks will have collapsed, law and order will have collapsed, the stock market will have collapsed. Billions of dollars will have been lost. Hospitals will be overrun with patients from all the violence on the streets, in the end the military will have to take over to restore control. Looters will be shot, innocent bystanders will be shot, and damage will run into the billions as well." Standing back up Matt begins to pace the room "I know that all this will happen, you know it will happen, but it won't matter to us because we will all be dead, just a bunch of ashes and Canada will suffer it's first nuclear winter. To stop this we have to kill six people who are willing to let this happen. I think that the trade off is good, six lives or six hundred thousand lives, you do the math and tell me what we should do." No one spoke, now finally they all realized what was at steak here, not just for the people here but the ramifications around the world. Putting the vest away Matt moved over to the computer and hit a button effectively ending the subject. Suddenly a large screen dropped down from the ceiling revealing a computer screen of a type that none of them had seen before. "Okay people down to business, just give me a second I have to hack into the city zoning computer." Punching up a menu screen Matt quickly jumped into the modem and dialed a number supplied by his trusty pocket computer and started to hack into the zoning computer system. A moment later he gained access to it and pulled up the hospital building specifications. "This is Toronto general hospital. Thanks to tonight's work we now know that one of the chessmen is involved in a relationship with a woman who is now hospitalized here." pressing another series of commands suddenly a light began to flash on the screen. "She is in room 613 in the i.c.u. wing of the hospital. Now I have leaked to the papers that an unidentified woman who was a victim of the fiasco at the train station is being held there I repeat a 'victim' to our knowledge she was just waiting for a train and was shot by the bad guys. I also supplied them with a picture of the woman with the quote 'if anyone recognizes this woman report it to phone number blah, blah, blah" "Won't that just load us down with phone calls." a woman asked "It's a dummy number, I really don't care who she is. The point is that Castle knows who she is, and the minute he finds out that not only is she in town but is injured. He is going to the hospital to see her. And we will be waiting." Matt smiled grimly "We will let him into the hospital, let him get into the room. Now I will be waiting in the room alone." "Alone?" Tracy asked sitting up staring at Matt wondering what the hell was on his mind. "Yes" he told her returning her gaze then continued "I don't want to risk him finding alot of cops waiting for him. He might freak and start shooting, I want to avoid that. Now of all of the chessmen, Castle is the only one that I would try this on. The others would say screw it and start shooting. Castle is different, first he won't risk his girlfriends life that way, second he will listen to me if I explain it right to him." pulling up another diagram of the floor in question he pointed "This is the floor where the woman is being held. You all are going to be split into five groups, one group in either side of the room. We will rig up an explosion ring, it will take down the wall and nothing else, that is the last resort." He warned them "Our primary is two groups waiting outside the door waiting to either arrest him or shoot him, the fifth team is going to clear the halls of any civilians so they won't be caught in any cross fire. After that it is up to Castle, I'll try to talk him out of it to take him alive but we have to be ready. Now I'm printing a copy of this for each of you plus every possible avenue of escape just in case he somehow gets out of the room. Questions?" he asked looking at Tracy's face he knew he was in for hell tonight. No one else moved. "Good, the story I planted will be in tomorrow's paper. Castle will wait for the cover of night but just in case we will be there first thing in the morning to finalize any plans and to move those patients from the rooms in the immediate vicinity. That's all, now grab these weapons and practice with them. We are using them tomorrow, I'll be down in a little while to see how you are getting along and to offer any advice if you need it." The officers got up and headed for the gun rack grabbing weapons, clips and ammunition heading out with a new sense of urgency. This was no longer a joking matter. Reese stood up and looked over the entire room and shook his head "Is the agency really paying for all of this?" Matt shrugged his shoulders "They said for me to get whatever I needed to break this case and stop them. They'll get over the initial shock and pay." Matt told him Smiling Reese walked out of the room "You were right I do love it, every other precinct captain is going to be fuming when they find out about this room." Tracy waited while everyone left sitting calmly just staring at Matt. Natalie was the last to leave unsure if she should stay. "Could you close the door Nat." Tracy said softly "You got it" Natalie told her mouthing a "Good luck" to Matt After the door was closed Tracy exploded out of her chair "Are you out of your fucking mind. This is the dumbest plan I have ever heard. Do you think I'm just going to let you commit suicide to prove some macho sense of pride." As she continued Matt sat back, "This is going to be a long night" he muttered to himself "Isn't love grand". "Are you listening to me!" Tracy fumed "Yes I am, but it won't change anything. This is the best way to get Castle, and you know it." Matt replied calmly "I told you in the beginning that this was dangerous Tracy, that hasn't changed. I never expected us to become involved but we did, but still I have to do my job. I have to stop these guys, and if it means that I have to die to save this city I will do so." Tracy sat down again taking deep breaths to calm herself "You want to die don't you?" Matt got out of his chair and sat by Tracy taking her hand in his. "There was a time when yes I did want to die, when I actually prayed for death to take me. That however is in the past, I don't want to die Tracy, but I'm not afraid of it either. That is a luxury that was taken from me long ago." "I'm afraid Matt, I don't want to lose you. I don't want to be alone anymore." Tracy told him exposing her greatest fears to him. "Just trust me Tracy, that is all that I ask." "I'll trust you, but I don't have to like it." Smiling Matt stood up and held out a hand to Tracy who took it "Come on let's get you down on the range and check you out on the weapons. Then let's go home." Much too early the next morning Matt and Tracy walked up the stairs and entered the Toronto general hospital. Matt carried two bags with him and went through the guard station after signing in. He and Tracy caught the elevator and rode it up to the sixth floor holding hands smiling and joking with one another. As they exited the elevator they walked down the hall towards the nurses station and separated when they saw a couple of officers dressed in hospital uniforms wandering around. Leaning over Matt whispered into Tracy's ear. "I think I'd like to see you in one of those sexy white nurses uniforms." Smiling wickedly Tracy asked "Why do you want to play doctor?" "That might be fun." he told her as the both laughed Getting to the nurses station Matt dropped the bags by his feet and pulled his badge. "Excuse me but I'd like to speak to a doctor Wylie please." Looking up the nurse smiled at them and nodded "Yes officers the doctor is expecting you. Just go down the hall, it's the third door on the left, the doctor's lounge." "Thank you" Tracy told the woman as Matt picked up the bags and proceeded down the hall. Pausing at the door Matt looked in and saw a fiftyish man sitting in a chair drinking coffee reading the paper. Matt smiled when he saw that his story had made the front page, and that the womans face covered about a quarter of it. Castle would have to be blind not to see it. "Doctor Wylie?" Matt asked Looking up the doctor pulled off his reading glasses and motioned for them to come in. Matt and Tracy entered the room and took seats opposite the large doctor. "You must be Detectives Travers and Vetter" he said as he placed two mugs by them and filled them with steaming coffee "I hope you like it hot and black, were out of milk and sugar." he told them apologetically "That's fine doctor" Tracy told him blowing into the hot cup grateful to have some caffeine this morning. "Hell I must look like death warmed over" Tracy thought to herself, then looking at Matt who looked extremely tired with dark circles visible underneath his glasses. They made quite a pair. "I spoke with your Captain Reese and I told him that we would cooperate but I don't like it." he told them plainly "Is there no other way you can capture this man." he asked "No doctor" Matt told him rubbing his eyes "This is the only way that we can think of to trap him with no way out. At no time will any of your patients be in danger if that is your concern." "That is only one of my concerns" the doctor admitted "The other is that the nurses and other doctors will be completely unaware of what is going on. Some of them could get hurt." Tracy put down her mug "No doctor, we are going to let him into the room. Then we will evacuate the halls so that no one but the police will be there." "It is also vital that the man that we want have no idea that he's being watched. If the others knew they might inadvertently give it all away. Then there would be trouble." Matt added trying to calm the doctors reasonable fears, and Matt truly hoped that no one gets hurt tonight. "What is the woman's condition by the way" Tracy asked Refilling his cup the doctor nodded "Much improved, she recovered consciousness last night. Her bullet wound is healed, she will need some therapy to build up the strength in her arm. There will be no permanent impairment there. Her catscans and MRI show no loss of brain function, so in short she is a healthy woman who just needs some time to recover." "Is she awake, I need to speak to her." Matt asked "She was awake as of ten minutes ago, I just left there after checking her vitals. Just don't tire her out with heavy questioning." "I won't doctor" Matt promised, then turning to Tracy "I have to go downstairs for a minute, I'll be right back." After Matt had left Tracy refilled her cup and accepted a doughnut from a plate that the doctor was holding. "How bad is his day blindness" the doctor asked curiously Startled Tracy looked at the man "How did you know about that?" Smiling the doctor responded "Little girl I have been doing this since long before you were born. Now there are only two reasons that a man wears dark glasses indoors in a room with no windows. One, he is trying to act cool and intimidating. Your partner needs no help from the glasses to look dangerous. Second, that there is some problem with his eyes. Now due to the fact that they are wrap around glasses they completely cover his eyes. Ergo he has a problem looking at the light." Tracy smiled at the wisdom of the older man "Well yes doctor, as a matter of fact he is extremely sensitive to light." Leaning forward Tracy checked over her shoulder to make sure they were alone. "Doctor is it dangerous to take five 50 milligrams of thorozine tablets." "Five!" the doctor exclaimed, rubbing his lower lip he answered "To take that much of a pain killer means that your body has become used to the drug. So much so that a smaller dosage doesn't kill the pain." Looking at Tracy he asked "Is that how much your partner has to take." "Yes" Tracy told him biting her lip "But it's more than that, I mean he doesn't take it all the time, in fact I've only seen him do it once when his glasses fell off and he was blinded. What really bothers me is that when I look at him sometimes I can tell that he is in pain. That he has a migraine happening right then and there." Doctor Wylie nodded "Like right now you mean" "You saw it too then" Tracy breathed a sigh of relief seeing that it wasn't her imagination The doctor nodded seeing the obvious worry in the young womans face "Yes, the way he leaned his head to one side, the way he rubbed the bridge of his nose. The dark circles under his eyes. You are worried that it might effect his work performance or is it more than just that?" Wylie asked with a small smile "It's more than that" Tracy admitted "Isn't there something that you could give him that would do the same thing." Wylie shook his head "No, thorozine is one of the last drugs that can be prescribed as a pain killer. Usually it is prescribed for mentally disturbed people, but at times it is used as a pain killer. This means that his regular doctor has exhausted all other types of pain killers and now is left with this." Wylie sat back trying to ease the worry from the young womans face "You see if you give him too much of another pain killer then you run the risk of addicting the patient. Which can happen rather easily unfortunately, it can also weaken other organs like the heart and kidneys. Soon even the thorozine is going to stop working and all he can do is live with the pain." The doctor shrugged sadly "Do you mind if I ask how it happened" he asked "I can't talk about that doctor, I'm sorry" Tracy told him rubbing her own temples "What happens when even thorozine won't stop the pain?" "All people have a threshold of pain they can endure." he told her "When you exceed that for too long, you degenerate as a human. A constant barrage of pain like that will in time drive even the sanest person insane. My guess is that if the pain doesn't stop in a year possibly two, three at the most he will have to be institutionalize for not only his own safety but for the safety of others. Now I'm not a head doctor but has he shown signs of suicidal tendencies?" "Yes" Tracy told him weakly "That is one of the first signs" he told her "As a doctor I took an oath 'first do no harm' but in some cases when the pain is too much and there is no end in sight. I'd say let him do it. To live in constant pain is not living at all, it is a slow and agonizing way to die." Standing up he shook his head "I'm sorry, I have other patients to see, if you will excuse me." Tracy sat in shock unable to move to think. Two maybe three years left before he was insane, it's starting even now. "Hey Tracy are you still in here?" Matt asked smiling holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Holding them up he told her "For our patient, I have to apologize to her for shooting her." "Why?" Tracy asked "After all she was trying to kill you." Matt shrugged "It wasn't personal on her part, it was her assignment. Besides it will make me feel better. I'm going to go talk to her." Looking closely Matt saw something was amiss "Is everything alright Tracy." "I'm fine Matt, you go on and talk to her. I have to run a quick errand and I'll be back in about an hour." she told him "Okay" kissing the top of her head "Oh I called Nick he said that he would be over as soon as the sun went down." Tracy watched with a breaking heart as he once again rubbed the bridge of his nose trying to ease some of the pain that must be excruciating. Suddenly Dr. Wylie entered the room with a frown on his face carrying a small device with electrodes coming from it. Looking up he suddenly smiled. "Oh good two victims for me to try this out on." he said "Sit down detective, I have to try to recalibrate this and it works much easier when I have two people to work with. It will only take a second." Matt faltered when he saw the electrodes, he didn't have fond memories of those damn things. "You're not planning to zap us are you?" he asked seriously Laughing Wylie shook his head, but at the same time learned that at some point in his life this man had been given electro-shock. He placed the electrodes on Tracy's head "No not at all this device measures brain activity that's all." after he was done hooking up Tracy he started the machine "That's it" he told them "Now the machine is recording and sending a signal down the hall to the receiver. We use this mostly for sleep apnea patients to measure REM sleep, to see how much deep sleep they are actually getting. One of my technicians was fooling around with it and screwed it all up." detaching it from Tracy he started to put it around Matt's head. When he was done he pressed a few buttons on the device and activated it. "You see no zaps whatsoever" After a few minutes Wylie turned the machine off and took off the electrodes. "That's it, thank you, you saved me alot of trouble." "No problem doc" Matt told him "I better go see our patient" he told them rising and leaving the room Suspicious Tracy turned on the doctor "What was that all about doctor?" "Well I thought you might like to have a professional opinion" Wylie said slyly "I didn't think your partner would like to submit to an examination. So I tricked him into one." he said proudly "That was the entire examination?" "Yes, this device does measure brain activity. More precisely it can tell us what kind of pain he is in and the level of the migraine. We have one of the best head doctors in the world at this hospital and I called her in for a consult. Come with me and lets see what she has to say." Tracy and Dr. Wylie walked down the hall passing police officers dressed as orderlies who nodded as she passed. Half way down the corridor Dr. Wylie stopped in front of a door and entered. Tracy saw a small woman in her forties sitting in front of some very hi-tech machines. Her long black hair was pulled into an attractive pony tail which made her seem younger than she really was. Her small hands worked the controls of the machines which were totally alien to her. "Dr. Samantha Yates, this is detective Tracy Vetter and vice versa" Dr. Wylie introduced them. Smiling the new doctor held out a hand "Just call me Yates everyone does." Turning to Wylie "Is this the patient?" "No, the patient is talking to someone at the moment. What were the results of the test." Shaking her head Yates looked troubled "Not good, he is registering in the mid seventies" "Seventies!" Wylie exclaimed "I was just talking to him, you would almost never know." Tracy didn't have any idea what they were talking about "What is it, how bad is it?" Yates sat back and tried to explain "When you get a headache, it can be registered on this device. I won't bore you with the technical names, basically a headache for normal people or rather I should say the average person tops the chart at thirty maybe thirty five. Most migraine sufferers hit anywhere from thirty six to sixty. Any more than that is a real danger level. Has he ever suffered more than he has right now?" "Yes" Tracy told them and described the incident when he had lost his glasses and the resulting self injury. Yates nodded and turned to her colleague "And you say that right now he is capable of handling a casual conversation." Wylie nodded "The average person would never know that he is in pain." Dr. Yates rubbed her hands excitedly "Wow, I'd really like to study him, there have been reports of people topping the charts at 120. Although I have never seen someone like that." Confused Tracy asked "Doctor what does that feel like, I mean" Tracy stopped "God I don't know what I mean" "Come over here" Yates told her leading her to another device which was basically like an old fashioned head gear like they used to use on the electric chair. "We use this device mostly on loved ones who are trying to understand why their spouses or children are often violent when they are in the midst of a migraine. Sit down." Sitting Tracy allowed the doctor to place the helmet over her head. "Ready?" she asked "Ready" Tracy replied, but nothing that she had ever felt had prepared her for this. It started with a dull far away pain which she associated with a mild head ache. Then slowly but surely the pain became more intense like she had felt when she had a really bad headache. Then it increased again, suddenly Tracy felt that to even keep her eyes open was too hard as the pain seemed to slam into her. Then it increased even more and Tracy felt like her head was about to explode, suddenly she began to cry under the pressure and the pain. Suddenly the pain diminished slowly until it was gone completely, only a dull throb remained as a reminder of what she had endured. Taking off the helmet she tossed it to one side and wiped her tears as doctor Wylie handed her two pills. "Take these to kill the rest of the headache." he told her Swallowing the pills she hoped that it would soon be gone altogether. Turning to face Yates who sat staring at her. "Is that what he is feeling" "No" Yates told her "I stopped when I saw you start to buckle. We topped you off at forty two, your partner is at seventy four." Tracy's jaw fell "you mean he is in nearly twice the pain." "Yes" she told Tracy simply "And he is still functioning normally, now there are two possibilities here. One he has an incredible threshold of pain. Or two, this is something that he was forced to endure. I read a book of medicine once that described the best ways to inflict pain on another human being." Draping one leg over the other Dr. Yates looked directly at Tracy "One chapter described in great detail how if you insert a thin white hot needle into the ocular cavity you can blind a man. However when the vision is later restored a side effect is that the refractive part of the eye can no longer stand any kind of light. And that resulting pain will drive the man insane. The book was written by Dr. Joseph Menglele." Seeing Tracy's reaction she nodded "This is what happened to your friend isn't." Matt knocked on the door to the room and waiting for a moment he heard a voice call out for him to enter. Opening the door he saw a young woman laying in bed, she was more beautiful than he remembered, except for the ugly bandage that covered her head. Turning in bed she saw who it was that entered, her eyes bulged and her mouth dropped and she began to tremble. Matt saw this "Don't be afraid, please don't be afraid." he told her "I'm not here to hurt you, I only want to talk." he told her as he crossed over to the chair by the bed "I bought these for you" he placed the flowers on the nightstand by her bed "I can't believe you are still alive." she said Matt nodded "I can understand that, I wanted to apologize for putting you here." "Why?" she asked suspiciously "Because of George" he told her watching her reaction Not moving an inch or batting an eye she responded "Who's George?" Placing his attach‚ case on his knees he opened it, reaching in he pulled out a set of pictures and handed them over to the woman. "I found these, Miss?" Taking the pictures she went through them "Rachel Myers" she told him with a sigh "Rachel, as I was saying George is a friend. I didn't like the feeling I got when I found those, I don't like to hurt friends." Suddenly sitting up she spat at him "Then why did you turn Black Knight, I heard about Bulgaria. That doesn't give you any excuse to turn." Shaking his head sadly Matt sighed "So that's what they used to turn the dogs loose on me." Staring at her he calmly told her "I never turned, it was an excuse to do a round robin on me. It seems that I have outlived my usefulness, they don't want me to retire." "Yeah right like I'm supposed to believe that one." Angrily Matt snapped back "You can believe me or not that is up to you. I am here because I need your help to save George's life." That got her "You are not good enough to take George, he is the best." she said proudly "I don't want to sanction him, I want to stop him from doing something evil." Rachel laughed derisively "George doesn't have an evil bone in his body." Removing the files from his brief case he closed it and put it on the floor "No he doesn't but Elizabeth Shumacher does. Do you know that name." "The Black Queen, what does she have to do with this." Rachel asked cautiously "Did Castle tell you that the Chessmen were being retired" "Yes, I'd never seen him so happy, I was going to quit also so we can do what we always dreamed." smiling to herself mostly she seemed to forget that Matt was there "We were going to go to Seattle and open up a small bookstore and coffee house. Live the good life, get married and have some children. Then..." she faltered "Then one day he told you that he had one more mission to complete" he finished for her Looking up at Matt "That's right he did, then I got the mission to sanction you. Tell me what the hell is going on." Handing over the file he told her "It seems that somehow Queen has suckered Castle into helping her with a stupid idea. I don't even think that Castle realizes what the real nature of his mission is." Rachel opened the file and began to read, scanning page after page "Oh my God" was all that she could say closing her eyes Tracy sat in the hospitals chapel, staring up at the cross she shook her head. "Hasn't he suffered enough" she asked God "Why does he have to go through this, why didn't he tell me." she sat as tears fell from her eyes "He didn't want you to know." Andrew told her from behind her Turning Tracy saw the angel of death sitting there holding out a handkerchief to her. "Why?" she asked taking it and wiping her eyes Andrew came around and sat by Tracy "I'm not sure, I think perhaps it's because he feels safe with you. He doesn't want to think about it while he is with you, all that matters is that for a little while there is some respite from the pain." "I hate you" Tracy told him Surprised Andrew asked why "Because I know that one day soon you are going to come for him. When you do it will kill me." "In time I will come for you too Tracy, to bring you home. All of gods children have to come home sooner or later, it is my job to see that you get there. When it is Matt's time just know that he will be free forever of pain and tears and that in time you will be there to join him." Tracy nodded, she knew that Andrew spoke the truth "I know that you are right, but I want to spend the rest of this life with him as well. Two or three years is not enough." Andrew shook his head trying to make her understand "It all depends what you do with that time Tracy. If you dwell on the fact that he may die sooner rather than later the time that you have left will be wasted. If instead you take as much enjoyment from this life as possible perhaps you will find that you can indeed live a lifetime in two or three years." Andrew told her taking her hand "And who says that it has to be two or three years, perhaps there will be a medical break through, perhaps there will be a miracle only God knows the answer of when he will call Matthew back home or any of his children for that matter." "Does prayer help Andrew" Tracy asked "I'm here aren't I" he answered Kneeling down before God, Tracy began to pray as she had never prayed before. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Matt asked Rachel looked up from the file to find Matt staring at her intently "Sure go ahead" Not really sure how to ask Matt decided that the direct approach was best "The boy at the train station." Rachel looked down at the files embarrassed, hurt "I was scared" she told him simply "There I was about to turn in my ID and they tell me I have one more job. To sanction one of the chessmen, I knew your rep, they even showed us some of your file to get an idea of what you were like." putting the file down next to her she studied Matt "Your profile reads like an agents worst nightmare. You have no set patterns, no preferred weapons, no friends to speak of, no family nothing in fact that can be used against you. I've heard George talk enough about you to realize that you are the only man in the world that he is afraid of, and George doesn't scare easy. And I had to be the one to sanction you." Then almost embarrassed she continued "Then I saw this kid, I figured if I grabbed him it would slow you down for just a second or two and in that time I could take you. But even then you just took one look and boom, you shot me. I couldn't believe it, not even a boy would slow you down." "I couldn't take that chance" he told her "I want to live Rachel, I want to grow old and die in bed with a lot of children and grand children and great grand children around me. I had to take that chance and if I had shot the boy, well then I would just have to live with it. But I would live." "The boy did he..." Rachel faltered "The boy's name is Danny Reese, he's my new bosses kid. And he wasn't hurt at all." "New boss, what about the agency?" she asked "I quit them" he told her matter of factly "I took a new job" he told her pulling out his badge he showed it to her. "You are a cop!" Rachel laughed at the idea of one of the almighty chessmen a cop? Never. Smiling to himself "Yes, it's strange, they were chasing me to arrest me and they end up giving me a job." Turning serious for a moment Rachel stares out the window "Are you going to kill George or arrest him." Looking at the floor "That's up to George, that's why I need your help. I have no desire to see him dead, but he has broken some very serious laws." "He's your friend" Rachel yelled at him Matt winced at the volume she used, damn he thought the migraine is riding high today, he thought. "I really have only one question to ask him about his 'crimes' and that will help decide if I will help him with the prosecutors or not." "What's that" "Two police officers were killed, I want to know if he was involved, I have to know. They both left behind families, one little girl is now an orphan because of the chessmen. It has to stop now before there are more people hurt." he told her rubbing his temple "Headache?" Rachel asked Smiling derisively Matt put his hand back in his lap "It's been worse" he told her "Will you help me." "Yes, I'll help you talk to George. I don't want him dead anymore than you do I love the big galloute." she said tiredly Getting up he headed for the door "I'll let you get some sleep, please don't try to get away. I have cops all over the place." "I won't try anything" she promised Leaving the room behind Matt painfully turned to try to find a room he could use. It had to be a private room with no windows. He needed to rest to try to stop some of the pain so that he could think straight. Suddenly his path was cut off by a small woman who sported a ponytail. "Can I help you?" she asked studying the man curiously "Yes, I am detective Travers Metro police. I need a room preferably an empty one with no windows that I can use for a little while." The woman nodded "I know just the place come with me." Leading him down the passage she opened the door to her workroom and led him inside. Yates was amazed it was just like Dr. Wylie had said. He was capable of holding a casual conversation with no sign of distress that a lay man would notice. Being that she was trained to look for the signs she could tell that he was in extreme agony and from the look of him his migraine has just taken a turn for the worse. He probably hasn't gotten much sleep, she thought knowing that it was a good way to aggravate a bad migraine by forcing the brain to work overtime without any rest. Looking around Matt saw the equipment that lined the room, spotting a couch at the corner of the room he headed for it thanking the doctor for her help. Stopping he saw a desk picking up a piece of paper and a marker he wrote a note turning back to the door and taped it up. Spotting one of his men he motioned him over and told him what was up. The officer nodded and promised to wake him to bang on the door if Castle showed up before he woke up. Turning to the doctor he smiled his thanks. "I hope this doesn't inconvenience you doctor, but I will need complete darkness." "No, not at all" she promised leaving him to his own devices Turning off all of the lights Matt took off the sunglasses and let his eyes adjust to the blackness. He knew that he would have to tell Tracy sooner or later about his eyes, about how even the light supplied by his sunglasses hurt him. How even the strongest of prescription drugs no longer worked on him. That the only thing that bought a brief end to the pain was to close himself off and surrender to the dark and how frightened he actually was of the darkness which seemed to eat at his very soul. Laying down on the couch he closed his eyes trying desperately to ignore the fear to conquer it before it conquered him. Suddenly he was back in Bulgaria, dirty, hungry, in pain and completely blind. He heard the door creak, and he thought absently that they needed to oil that hinge. Matt waited for what he knew was next, never really sure how the blow would be delivered only that it would fall sometime. His head snapped back as he felt the boot connect solidly with his chin sending him sprawling backwards. One part of his mind was grateful that at least this time it wasn't a kick to the balls. "Stand up" the voice ordered Matt struggled to stand, but he no longer had the strength to do it. A part of his mind told him to give up to give into them to stop this madness. Then the other part of his mind would kick in "NEVER" it seemed to say to him screaming in the back of his head echoing off the walls of his mind. But even that to Matt's horror was becoming weaker and weaker as time went along. Struggling to stand Matt made it to his knees before he collapsed, drawing laughter from the guards. And suddenly he wanted nothing more than to kill them to feel their blood in his hands, to rip their heads off. "Wait" the logical part of his mind told him "Wait for the opportune moment, then strike. Just have patience sooner or later they will make a fatal mistake and that is when you pounce." Unfortunately, they never did lower their guard. Not until he was so weak that he could barely crawl along the floor. Then their peals of laughter bought not resistance to him but the slimy feel of shame that he had fallen. The word "NEVER" that had once been so strong was nothing more than a strangled whisper by this point. Then he would hear the voice of the man he hated most in the world, the voice of Anton Stepovich. It also bought the shame of fear with it. Matt could taste it in the room whenever he was left alone with Stepovich. Finally after three years Matt could take no more crawling along on his stomach as best he could, for it had been a long time since he had stood on his own feet exactly how long Matt could no longer tell. The days just seemed to drag into the next, he wasn't even aware how long he had been here anymore. So Matt made his way over to Stepovich's side crawling inch by agonizing inch until he finally reached his side. Raising himself up on his elbows Matt began to kiss his shoes. The agony that the act made him feel was worse than any blow had ever hurt him. He choked back the bile that rose in his throat threatening to spill forth, but even when it did it just came as a few dry heaves. It had been so long since they had fed him that he had nothing in his stomach to vomit. Then slowly the dream seemed to change and now while Matt was on his stomach kissing Stepovich's feet Matt's hand went stealthily down his side and reached for the spoon that he had sharpened in his cell. "That's right Anton, just relax it will be over in a second now." Matt slowly told himself Reaching the spoon he carefully lifted it to his chest careful to cover it with his body, since he was unaware of exactly how many guards there were in the room or even where they were. The guards would kill him for this but he was beyond caring anymore, only the need for revenge was still with him as he raised himself higher on his elbows drawing on all of his remaining strength, then suddenly before he could attack he felt a light touch on his head stroking his hair. Looking up he realized with a start that he could see again he could see in the light without his glasses, and Tracy was there smiling stroking his face making all the pain disappear immediately. Smiling at her he held on to her tight feeling safe and secure. Anton Stepovich was no where to be found he was just a bad memory, Matt felt like a man awaking after a terrible dream. No there was no Dr. Stepovich here now, only Tracy was here now, making him feel whole again and like a man. Suddenly Matt shifted in his sleep a warm smile spread along his lips as his migraine lifted and disappeared. For now at least as Tracy made herself comfortable and continued to stroke his hair. "It's okay" she whispered seeing that he'd finally relaxed from his nightmare "I'm here and no one will hurt you." she promised A NEW KNIGHT Part four of six By Cesar Perez Nick paced the wooden floor boards in his loft angrily. He thought that he should be at the hospital with the others, the fact that he couldn't only served to make him angrier. The sun prevented that, that ball of gas up in the sky would fry him to cinders in moments. Sure he had, had cases which had necessitated that he go out during the day but even then the risks could be controlled with minimal exposure. Hell he had even spent an entire day in a church with Schanke outside keeping watch. Nick laughed aloud at the memory of his dead partner and friend, the look on his face when he saw Nick sitting in the confessional after spilling his guts to him was priceless and worth every moment he had spent there. Natalie had been sitting in silence watching Nick as he paced back and forth. She knew that the thought of their friends out there waiting for danger to come to them and not being able to do anything about it was driving him insane. Natalie watched worriedly until Nick suddenly stopped and laughed. Worried she stood up and went to his side. "Nick are you alright?" a frown creasing her features Nick nodded and sat on the couch bringing Natalie with him, holding her in his arms bring him as much comfort as it did her. "I was just thinking about Schanke, do you remember the 'Confessional murders'" he asked Natalie frowned trying to remember the case "You mean the guy who confessed his crimes to the priest and couldn't tell you who the guy was." "Yes" Nick nodded "I was just remembering when I was in the church, to get away from the giant crucifix and other religious symbols I hid in one of the confessionals." Settling herself more comfortably Nat yawned "You never told me that." Shrugging Nick told her "Well I promised Schanke I wouldn't tell a soul, but I don't think he'd mind now. You see after I left him he went back to the Raven to meet a woman." Natalie looked up surprised "You mean he was cheating on Myra?" she said with disbelief "No, no nothing like that." Nick reassured her "I think he was going through a mid life crisis or something and anyway he met this woman who he thought that she found him attractive when in actuality she wanted a mid night snack." "Your kidding right?" Natalie laughed at the very thought of Schanke with a vampire Nick laughed again remembering Janette's face when she had told him to keep Schanke away from the Raven "No, Janette told me that if she had shown up a minute later Schanke would have been drained. She warned him about not coming back, but you know Shanke. Anyway later that night while I was hiding in the confessional who should come in to confess his sins." "Schanke!" Natalie laughed Chuckling Nick nodded "He felt so guilty about going back to the Raven to try and cheat on Myra that he decided that the only way to feel better was to confess. You should have seen his face when he figured out it was me and not a priest that he was confessing to." They both laughed for several minutes remembering their friend Don Schanke, who could be at times trying to say the least but a good friend none the less. "I miss him" Nick admitted sobering up a little "Me too" Natalie told him stroking his hair "Tracy and Matt aren't Schanke, they are very good at their jobs. Just like Schanke was but they a lot of backup with them Nick." "I know" Nick told her wearily "I just hate feeling helpless, if anything should happen to them because I wasn't there." He couldn't finish "Matt said that nothing would probably happen till after sundown. Just have faith Nick that's all we can do." "Faith" Nick murmured remembering Tess's words to him Suddenly Nick bought Natalie closer to him and using his free hand lifted her chin till their eyes met. At that moment Natalie felt her insides melt at the raw desire she saw in Nick's eyes. Fear and doubt filled her but at the same time she felt a warm hand pushing them away from her conscious mind leaving behind only her own desires and needs. Nick leaned forward and kissed her, relishing her taste and her scent that was so uniquely Natalie. He could feel and hear her pulse begin to race as he deepened the kiss and could feel her tongue demanding entrance into his mouth which he readily allowed. Natalie felt for the first time as Nick touched her other than in friendship as he cupped her breast in his hand. Nick felt her nipple respond immediately getting hard under his fingers through the thin material of her blouse. He gently tweaked the nipple bringing a gasp of pleasure from her when suddenly he felt the vampire roil within him. The power of the vampire was stronger than he had felt it in a long time and he tried to push him back trying hard to not let him destroy this moment for either of them but he would not be denied. Pulling back Nick tried to catch his breath as Natalie sat back staring at his golden eyes burning into her. This time however she knew that this was right this is what they both wanted, and with god's love and with his faith their love would win the day. Nick watched in awe as Natalie removed her blouse and threw it down on to the ground and brushing her hair away exposing her delicate throat to him and leaned back into his embrace. Nick trembled with the desire to sink his fangs into the creamy soft white skin there. With a prayer to god that he hadn't said since his boyhood he leaned down and bared his fangs. Natalie stiffened as she felt his teeth bite down into her and thought she would faint when she realized that he was drinking HER blood. The thought that had once frightened her was now the most erotic thing that she had ever experienced forcing her body into an orgasm of pleasure unlike she had ever experienced before. Suddenly she began to feel light headed and her thinking became muddied, looking up she then saw Nick looking at her worried that he had hurt her. His blue eyes staring into her until she thought that she was drowning in them. "I love you Nick" she whispered the words that she had so longed to tell him With a sigh of relief Nick took her into his arms again "I love you too, Natalie" Kissing her again Nick reached behind her as he unclasped her bra and letting it fall away from her body. Nick stared at her gently swaying breasts as he took them into his hands feeling their firmness in his hands as he gently pushed her back down on the leather couch. Natalie bought up her hand and started to caress his arousal through his pants as he hissed with pleasure as she felt his stiff hardness and wanted it in her hands. Pushing him away Natalie ripped his shirt open buttons flying in every direction as she exposed his smooth chest and began to lick and kiss and bite his hardened nipples as he had done to her. While at the same time she reached down and undid his pants. Lowering the zipper carefully so as not to hurt him, peeling his pants and underwear off her eyes never left his penis as it stood proudly waiting for her and her alone. Leaning over him she licked his entire length paying careful attention to the crown. Nick leaned back as he felt the sensations that exploded through his body, and shivered as he felt her swallowing him. After a few minutes of this though he couldn't stand it a moment longer. Pulling her up he laid her on the couch and with one powerful jerk he ripped Natalie's jeans completely off of her body then grabbing her panties he tore them off as well. Staring down at her completely naked body he felt the desire ripping through him as he dropped to his knees in front of her and drove his face directly into her vagina. Natalie jumped as she felt his tongue and lips kissing and licking her in the most private of places, tears of joy fell from her face as she grabbed his head and forced him deeper into her. Natalie quickly lost count of how many orgasms swept through her as Nick continued to tease and lick her when he finally took her clitoris into his mouth sucking on it. Natalies hips bucked as she let out a primal yell of ecstasy, Nick smiled inwardly and felt more alive and happy than he had in centuries. Roughly Natalie pulled Nick up by the hair until their faces were millimeters apart. "I want you inside me NOW!" Natalie demanded with more passion than she had ever felt Nick kissed her roughly and deeply as he situated himself into a more comfortable position. He felt Natalie taking him in hand and moving him into the right position rubbing his penis against the lips of her vagina until he thought that he would go insane. She wanted him now, but he NEEDED her now. Then with one mighty push he entered her completely, he paused there for a moment relishing the heat and tightness that surrounded him. Natalie thought that she would go insane feeling him inside of her fulfilling every desire that she had ever had. Never again would she have to sit home alone with plastic toys and using her own hands and fingers to bring her pleasure. Now she had what she always desired, the man she had always desired. Any man that came after Nick would be a sad second compared to how this man made her feel. Suddenly Natalie felt him move in and out of her and all thoughts fled her mind and concentrated only on the present. To the pleasure that he was giving her now. Nick picked up the pace as he felt his own orgasm approaching bringing him closer and closer to a release that was so much more than physical. "Look at me Nick" Natalie demanded "I want to look into your eyes when you cum." Forcing up his gaze Nick stared into her tearstained face and into her lust filled eyes. But her eyes held so much more than just that, the love and understanding that he saw there as well were enough to bring him over the edge. His body stiffened one last time as he drove himself as deeply into her as he could. Finally when his body could take no more he collapsed on top of her and he felt her arms go around him holding him tightly as sobs racked her small body. Looking up he saw her tears. "I love you so much" she told him "No more than I love you Nat." he told her burying his face into her hair. Matt twitched in his sleep, dreamily opening his eyes he saw that Tracy was sitting on the couch his head on her lap. That's funny he thought, he didn't even remember her coming in or indeed him waking up enough to put his head on her lap. Not that he was complaining, god knows there were worse ways to wake up than having a beautiful woman stroking your hair. He smiled up at her and noted that his migraine had fallen to acceptable levels, although it never completely disappeared the headache was more like that associated with the mildest of headaches and compared to some he had experienced it was like almost no pain at all. Tracy looked down at him bending over as far as she could, Matt raised up and kissed her tenderly. "What a way to wake up." he said aloud after they had separated "Welcome back sleepy head, you've slept for quite a while." she smiled down to him Sitting up Matt checked his watch "Eight hours, god Tracy how could you let me sleep so long. I told Collins to wake me up in two hours." Tracy stood up stretching the muscles that had cramped up while she had guarded his sleep. "I told Collins not to disturb you" she told him "You needed the sleep Matt, I know that your migraine was killing you. How do you feel now." Standing up Matt stretched out his body and did an inventory check "Everything seems to be working, and the headache is almost non existent." he told her "Good" taking his hand Tracy forced him to look at her "Matt I want to know whenever you are in pain. Do you understand me, I don't want to have to guess about it to worry about it." "I didn't want you to worry about me Tracy." he admitted feeling silly about being caught. Tracy cupped his chin in both of her hands "Hey, were partners and not just on the job, if something is bothering you or you are in pain. I want to know, I have to know, to get you to rest. Or just to relax and take it easy." Matt put on his jacket and turned to wash up in the sink by the door. "I promise from now on I'll tell you everything." "So the glasses that the agency got you really don't help that much." Tracy asked Matt shrugged as he gargled with some mouth wash that was sitting on the counter. Spitting it out "They do help to a point, without them I couldn't see at all. But even with the subdued light eventually the migraine will start again, and no amount of painkillers will do the job except for the thorozine. Even that is going to fade in time, that's why I take it only in emergencies." "That's why when Natalie offered you the painkillers when you got shot you didn't take it." Matt nodded combing his hair "They wouldn't have done me any good. My body has built up a tolerance for it. The doctors said that given enough time off of all medication my body would return to normal that's why I try to avoid the drugs." putting the comb away Matt reholstered his gun after checking to make sure it was loaded and ready to go "Till that day comes along it's just grin and bear it." Reaching for his sunglasses Tracy beat him to them and put them on. "You are going to sit here for awhile longer" she told him With patience straining Matt closed in on her "Tracy, you can't protect me from this, I wish you could but you can't. Pain is a way of life for me now, I don't even remember what it was like to live without it. Now Tracy please let me do my job." Reluctantly Tracy took off the glasses and handed them to Matt. But instead of putting them on he sat back down on the couch motioning for Tracy to sit beside him. After she sat she saw that Matt was suddenly very nervous almost afraid to speak. "Tracy" he started tentatively "Yes" she prompted Taking a deep breath he began "In time I am going to degenerate into something sub human. The doctor's told me this, and I want you to know, you deserve to know." gaining his courage he continued "When that happens Tracy they are going to lock me up and strap me down. I've seen it done Tracy, to another of Stepovich's victims. He laid there screaming in madness and nothing would stop the pain. I don't want to end up like that." "What do you want of me?" Tracy asked afraid of the answer "When that time comes, get me a gun and leave the room." he told her "Promise me Tracy, promise me that you won't let me live my life in madness a crazed beast. Promise me that you will let me go with some dignity with whatever honor remains." Tracy nodded dumbly imagining the pain he would be under "I promise, and I promise that I'll be right behind you." "No!" Matt protested "No Tracy, I don't want that. I want you to live a long life a happy life. Find some man who can treat you the way that I would like to treat you. To make you happy give you children." Tracy shook her head "If I can't have that with you then I don't want it with someone else." Matt moaned "This is not what I want Tracy." "Then stop talking about it like it was going to happen tomorrow." Tracy snapped at him "Let's live it just one day at a time okay. And maybe that day will never come." "That would be nice" Matt admitted Standing up Tracy held out her hand "Let's go get something to eat I'm starving." Later Tracy and Matt sat in the doctor's lounge holding hands and talking about everything and anything. Tracy understood that Matt needed this, a piece of normalcy in an otherwise insane world. She was his center to keep him from the dark that threatened to consume him. Tracy adjusted Matt's sunglasses again they were so large that they slipped down her face a lot. But they found that they could sit in the dark and with Tracy wearing the special glasses they could both pretend that there was nothing strange going on. They heard a knock on the door, looking up Tracy took off the glasses "Just a second" she called out handing the glasses back to Matt who put them back on "Come in" he called out The door opened and Nick and Natalie walked in. "Hey Nick, I guess the sun's down" Matt said motioning to the chairs "Natalie the light switch is on your right, a little higher" Suddenly the lights went on and Tracy covered her eyes while they adjusted to the light. "What were you two doing sitting in the dark" Natalie snickered "We were just talking" Matt said blushing "Matt needs the complete darkness so that he can relax." Tracy told her "Complete darkness?" Natalie asked studying Matt Tracy looked at Matt as if to ask permission, Matt nodded. He knew that these people needed to know about this. Seeing his nod Tracy told them about the migraines and the resistance to all pain killers. She even told them of the test that Dr. Wylie had tricked Matt into taking. Which surprised Matt. "He did what?" Matt asked dumbfounded and not just a little angry "He knew that you were in pain, and I guess he saw that I wanted to know. So he put that scanner or whatever that thing is and took some readings." Matt shook his head "He should have asked me. So what were the readings, by my internal clock it was about a seventy on the meter." Tracy smiled "Close it was a seventy four." "Seventy four!" Natalie exclaimed "I don't remember much about it but danger level is fifty-five at seventy four you risk permanent damage." Matt shrugged "I've been clocked at a hundred and thirty" he admitted then added seriously "Let me warn you don't come near me when I have one of those. I tend to kill first and feel remorse later." "The doctor was amazed that you could hold a casual conversation while you were in such pain. And when they hooked me up to that machine." Matt's head snapped to Tracy "You let them strap a sympathy machine on you, why?" he asked "I wanted to know what it was you felt" Tracy told him without a trace of regret "I hit forty-two before they shut it off. I'll never forget the pain, why do you think I agreed to help you when the time comes. Do you think I want to see you in that kind of pain, I'll kill you myself before I let that happen to you." "When what time comes?" Nick asked sure that he wasn't going to like it Matt explained what was going to happen in time, and that Tracy had agreed to supply him with a means to escape that pain and madness. "I could bring you across" Nick told him surprising even himself Matt shook his head "Thank you Nick, but no. We are allotted a certain amount of life on this planet. I have been dealt a lousy hand but it's a hand that I gotta play till the end." then grabbing Nick's hand Matt pleaded with him "Lucien and Janette are to know nothing about this Nick. Lucien already offered me immortality, if he finds out about this he might just decide to stop asking and do it." Nick patted the hand "I spoke with him just yesterday, he will not force it upon you Matt." "Good" Matt said with some relief "I better go, I want to be in the room when Castle gets here." Getting up he headed for the door "I'll keep my mike on at all times so that you can hear everything. Remember nobody moves till I give the word, I want to take him alive if at all possible." After the door closed behind him Tracy, Nick and Natalie sat in silence. Each consumed with their own thoughts of how unfair life could be. Here was a man living under a death sentence, yet he thought nothing of it in fact he pushed it aside and focused on the job at hand. "You want some coffee Nat" Tracy asked refilling her own cup "Sure" Natalie held up a cup "Would you really kill him Tracy?" Tracy nodded with conviction "I'll kill him, then I'll kill myself" she told them. Quickly rising she left the room before they could say anything else. Natalie started to rise to go after her but Nick stopped her "It is her choice Natalie" Natalie was shocked to hear these words coming from Nick of all people "She is our friend Nick, she's talking about suicide we have to try to talk her out of it." Nick held her down "I would do the same Natalie" kissing her hand Nick came to his own decision "When you die Natalie if I am still this way don't go far. I'll only be one sunrise behind you, Matt was right we are only allotted a certain amount of time in this life. Mine will end when yours does." "Nick, I don't know..." Natalie stammered, he was offering his own life for her "We have a lot of time left to us yet Natalie. Let's not waste it on thinking about the end, let's think about the here and now." Matt knocked on the door and waited nodding to one of his men who was mopping the floors. "Come in Matt" a voice called out Entering the room Matt once again saw the young woman sitting in bed. This time however the large bandage that covered her head was gone and he could see her luxurious dark hair. "How did you know it was me?" he asked Smiling ruefully Rachel shrugged "You are the only one that bothers to knock, where have you been. I've been waiting for you to come back." "I was getting some rest" he admitted "Can I get you anything?" he asked "No, I'm fine" she pointed to a bag in the corner "You left that here earlier, I hope you don't mind but I looked through it. It has some very interesting things in it." "Really" Matt looked surprised "I didn't leave any bag in here. Some one must have come in here while you were asleep and left it." Rachel nodded with understanding "Well it isn't important I guess. What do we do now?" "We can talk until George gets here." he suggested "What do we talk about" "Well were in a hospital, let's talk about medical procedures and doctors. Did you know that there is a doctor in Nebraska by the name of Ian Sanders. He is one of the best plastic surgeons in the world. Now why do you suppose that such a man would hide himself in a place like Evanstown Nebraska when he could make millions in L.A." Rachel smiled making note of the name "Well maybe he's just a small town boy besides maybe he's not making millions but I bet the cost of living is cheaper there." "I guess you're right about that." Matt admitted "You know I hear they can do some incredible things with fingerprints as well." "I heard something about that, but they do that only in south America don't they?" Matt shook his head at her emphatically then answered the opposite "I think you are correct, in fact I think they only do that in Brazil. But imagine what would happen if they could do that in the states huh! Imagine all the criminals that could disappear without a trace. Although they would have to give up everything." "Not unless they thought ahead for such a possibility, you know new identities and all the rest." shrugging her shoulders she made it plain to Matt that she hadn't thought ahead for getting herself and Castle fake i.d.'s Matt nodded and said nothing then changed the subject "So do you think the Yankees have a shot at the series this year?" Confused Rachael shook her head "I really don't follow baseball that much" she admitted "But from what I read they have a shot." "You know there was a guy back in the thirties, his name is, I mean was Arron Greenacre. He came from D.C.. Now he was one of the greats, there was nothing he couldn't do" Smiling in complete understanding Rachel wiped a tear from her cheek and mouthed the word "Thank You" Then with a smile she asked "I know what we can talk about that we both know, cars. I don't know a man who doesn't know a thing or two about cars." "You know I still remember my first car, it was a old beat up VW van. You know like the ones from the sixties, it was still painted with peace signs on it and all of that. It wasn't very fast, but it was reliable and got you where ever you were going. I remember it was stolen from a parking lot, from the upper level no less. I asked the cop how the hell could someone drive away in such an outlandish van without noticing it. "Really what did the cop say?" "He said 'well son no one was paying much attention' what was your first car." Smiling broadly lost in her memories "My parents got me a 1975 trans am, you know the one. Just like Smoky and the Bandit, god I loved that car." Outside Nick and Tracy and Natalie sat by the transceiver listening to the conversation. Nick frowned, there was something about this conversation that was troublesome, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Shaking it off, and putting it down as nerves. Suddenly his radio crackled to life. "Suspect Black Castle spotted in main reception." a woman's voice called Picking up his radio Nick spoke into it "Do not follow just keep an eye on him from where you are and let me know what he is doing." "He's stopping at the flower stand and buying flowers." the pause lasted about a minute, Nick mentally calculated the time it would take to buy flowers. Hell it didn't take this long did it. "Subject moving towards the elevators, wait one just opened up and he's getting in. The doors are closed, wait a sec and let me see if it's going up or down." the silence only lasted a couple of seconds this time "It's going up, I say again, it's going up." Nick put down the radio and picked up the hand mike for the transceiver that was hooked to everyone on the floor. "Heads up people, our boy is on his way. Remember don't do anything to tip him off, let him get into the room with Travers. Teams one and two stand by, teams three and four move into position only after he enters the room. Team five when he goes in clear the hallways immediately do you copy." One by one they all checked in, including Matt. Now they only had to await the signal from the undercover man by the elevators. The elevator doors opened and Black Castle stepped out on the floor, his only thought to get to Rachel. Castle suddenly felt something run over his shoes, looking up he saw the frightened janitor who was stammering an apology. "I'm terribly sorry sir, I hope that I didn't ruin your shoes." The officer gave the code sentence that Matt had given him alerting everyone that their boy was on the floor Castle brushed it off "Don't worry about it, where's the nurses station." The man pointed and Castle nodded and headed for the station. Arriving he looked behind the counter where a pretty young blonde woman with a stethoscope around her neck looked up tiredly. "Can I help you sir?" Tracy asked trying to keep her calm feeling her heart hammer in her chest "Yes" Castle said softly "My name is Frank Castle I understand that you have a young woman who was bought here from that shoot out at the train station. I think it's my wife, I've been out of town on business for a couple of days and just got home to find a neighbor with today's paper in hand. Now it's a pretty bad picture but I think it's my wife." he finished lamely Tracy smiled prettily at him "Oh I hope she is, I hate calling patients Jane Doe. It's so impersonal." Pointing to the door directly opposite the station "She's right in there Mr. Castle, I'll show you in." Castle held up a hand "Please I don't want to take you away from your work, I'll just poke my head in for a minute if it is her then I'll stay if not I'll feel pretty foolish." "But relieved" Tracy pointed out "Very relieved" Castle admitted with feeling And suddenly Tracy need a hot shower, here she was lying to a man who thought that the woman he loved was in a coma. And she did nothing to relieve that anxiety only bolstered it. Taking firm resolve Tracy forced a smile on his face she gave him a thumbs up. "Good luck" she told him Castle stood in front of the door, taking a deep breath he went into the room. As the door closed behind him he saw Rachel sitting up in bed smiling at him tears in her eyes. With tears stinging his own eyes he blindly went over to the bed and took her in his arms. "God I thought you were in a coma or dead. The papers said..." He never finished "The papers said what I wanted them to say." Matt finished for him Castle spun around pulling his gun in the same motion, only to find Matt sitting in a chair with his own gun pointing at him. "Hello Black Knight" "Hello Black Castle" Matt looked down the barrel of his gun and centered it on it's target "Do we have to talk like this with guns George or can we can the dramatics and talk like friends." Eyeing him suspiciously George shrugged "That's up to you Matt, although I have to admit that it would make things easier." Matt understood "A show of faith then." turning the gun straight up Matt laid it on the dresser next to him still within reach "My gun is down how about you." George considered it for a moment he could take Matt easy now but Rachel reached out and grabbed his arm. "Please Georgie listen to him for me." Carefully George put down his own gun also within easy reach should he need it later. "Okay Matt you wanted to talk since you obviously went to so much trouble." Matt exploded at the man "What the fuck are you doing George, what kind of mess are you involved in. Queen and the others." George exploded "Don't talk to me about that bitch, I don't know what is going on Matt. I honestly don't, this was supposed to be a show up job. We broke into Norton Nuclear again and made off with another dummy canister of plutonium. Then we got hold of a trigger, got some grad student to make us a bomb. Then Deacon goes and kills the kid, that's when I knew something wasn't right. But what could I do, Deacon in front of me, King not to far behind me. But what clinched it was those two cops." Matt froze this was the moment of truth "What about those two cops. You know that you orphaned a kid with that job." "I had nothing to do with that!" George exploded "Queen said that we were going to take them, and lock them up. Leave them some food and water and in a couple of days after the job was done we'd call up the cops and tell them where they were." Sitting wearily on to a chair he held Rachel's hand drawing strength from it "Next thing I know I'm reading this mornings paper and find out Rachel is in here and that those two cops are dead. I started searching the place then, now when I signed on to do this job it was agreed that we would use live shells for practice and dummy rounds for the actual hit." Matt's eye's bugged out from his head "Dummy rounds, what the hell did she tell you." not quite able to believe that George was that gullible. George sighed at his own stupidity "I swear Matt I thought that this was a put up job. We were going to take the president hostage and show him the bomb. Then he would know that the chessmen were still needed to keep the peace." Matt shook his head "How could you fall for that George." George shook his head violently "Okay so I was stupid, but hell Matt I'm also scared." the big man admitted "You know what it's like, what else do we know besides this. I was afraid that I might not be able to hack it in a normal world, being able to go out during the day without worrying if someone is out there hunting you. After so many years of this, it's kind of hard to be normal, especially since we don't know what that word means." Matt nodded, he did understand, George was grasping at straws trying to hold on to the only life he knew. There was a time when he himself would have done the same. "You said that you searched the safe house, what did you find." "In a box marked dummy rounds, I found armor piercing rounds, for the assassin specials and glazer rounds for the handguns. I found shrapnel grenades in a box marked flash grenades. Shit Matt the hit is real, and all of the others know it. I was the only one stupid enough to fall for it." "Where's the safe house?" Matt asked "It won't help you now Matt" George told him giving him the address "They skipped, hell they chased me for three miles before I lost them. After I confronted Queen with the ammunition she admitted to me that the job was for real." Matt pulled out his file and threw it to George "It does get worse buddy, read that." Opening the file George began to read it then looking up at Matt with frightened eyes "That canister was real!" "Sixteen ounces worth of weapons grade plutonium" "Holy shit" George whispered and with eyes wide and hands trembling "I didn't know Matt I swear to you. You know that I would never have agreed to this." Shaking his head he read the file again "Queen has definitely gone loony tune." Matt looked at Rachel and nodded towards the bag, nodding with understanding she got out of bed silently and padded bare footed over to it. George was about to ask what was up when Matt cut him off. "I got some news for you too George, I quit the agency when they put me on the round robin. I went to the cops about this and offered to help them, they gave me a job." George started to laugh "You a cop, come on Matt." Pulling his badge and showing it to George "I'm serious George, now I have to take you in. I don't know what the charges will be, but I promise that I'll do whatever I can with the crown prosecutors office." Motioning to Rachel George saw that she was getting dressed and with one hand threw a bag at him. Catching it George looked into the bag, it was full of stacks of hundreds and fifty dollar bills he looked at Matt with understanding. "Well Matt whatever you can do for me will be greatly appreciated." he said holding up the bag nodding his thanks. "I'll do what I can" Standing up Matt put his gun away and headed for the door "Since you won't be seeing Rachel for a long time. I'll give you five minutes from the time I step outside." George closed the gap and threw his arms around Matt who hugged him back. "In case I don't have time to do it later thanks Matt." "Remember five minutes George, don't come up with any brilliant ideas about shooting your way out of here I got cops up and down the hall." He warned the big man "In fact hold on to your gun and when you come out of this room, turn yourself in. That will look a lot better." "You got it" Picking up the gun and hefting it the Black Castle looked at the Black Knight with a deep feeling of melancholy "You know I'm glad it's finally over, I just don't have it in me anymore." Nodding in understanding Matt smiled at his friend "Neither do I buddy" stepping outside Matt let the door close behind him and stared out at a bunch of guns all pointed his way. "Was it something I said" he asked and one by one the guns dropped Tracy and Nick came from around the counter, Nick was the first to speak. "Do you believe him?" he asked motioning towards the door Matt nodded confidently "Yes I do, it sounds like queen. And George is not the sharpest pencil in the box." Matt admitted about his friend. "But what is the plan for the hit" Tracy asked "He doesn't know, or he would have told me. He's scared, I saw it in his eyes" Matt said confidently "Queen thought that she could trick him into pulling the job. But she isn't stupid enough to tell him just in case something like this happened." Matt said wearily "You like him don't you?" Nick asked putting a hand on his shoulder "Yeah, I do. What kind of deal do you think we can pull for him." Matt asked hopefully "I honestly don't know" Nick admitted "If he's telling the truth he didn't know Scarpeta and Shore were going to be killed. And if he does turn himself in it will look good." "It was good of you to give him a few minutes with his girlfriend." Tracy told him Matt eyed her costume and nodded with approval making Tracy blush. "Don't worry I'll keep it" Tracy whispered Nick looked at his watch "Times up" he called out Matt walked to the door and knocked "George, time to go." silence, Matt knocked again louder "George come on it's time to go" Nothing again This time Matt pulled his gun and stood to the side of the door as Nick and Tracy got on the other side. The other officers raised their weapons again and sighted on the door. Matt kicked the door open and rolled inside the room with Nick and Tracy right behind him. Scanning the room they saw that it was completely empty. Crossing over to an open window Matt pulled up a rope ladder. "How the hell did he get this in here" Nick demanded to know Matt cursed himself aloud "Hell he probably had it wrapped around his body, just in case he had to make a quick get away." "Well we lost the girl too" Tracy moaned pointing to the empty bed, then pulling out a radio calling out to everyone to start an immediate search of the grounds, for whatever help that might be. "Shit" Nick cursed "Reese is going to go ballistic" "It was my mistake, I'll take the heat." Matt told them putting his gun away Tracy reached down onto the bed and lifted a gun from it "He left his gun" Matt took the gun from her unloading it "I guess where he's running he won't need it." turning back towards the window Matt looked out into the night. He could just make out the lights of a departing van turning onto the street and disappearing. A sly smile found it's way on to his lips. "Good bye Georgie" he whispered silently Later that evening Matt left Reese's office and turned to his desk where the others waited. Sitting down he looked at them. "I don't think I have much of an ass left after that." he admitted to them "Well you can't blame him too much, we did lose the only chessman that we were able to get our hands on." Natalie told him trying to cheer him up "What do we do now?" she asked "Now" Matt said getting to his feet again "I have to try and figure out how they are going to hit the convention center. That's our last option, since I don't think the others are going to turn themselves in." Picking up the phone he dialed a fifteen digit number from memory "And for that we are going to need some help." Motioning to them to pick up the phone as well to listen in. "Olson's antiques" "Excalibur" Matt said "Nature of the emergency" "Code name little boy blue" A startled gasp sounded on the other end of the phone "I'll connect you immediately" A few seconds went by then "Control, is this you Knight" "None other, I need your help" "Name it" "The convention center I need a schedule of events" "Can't find them huh, okay give me a fax number." Control ordered writing it down as Matt gave him the number and handing it to Brain who was waiting with baited breath "Fax the schedule of events to the Knight." Brain nodded and went to the fax machine in the corner of the room. Matt listened and then continued "How's things going with the puppet master" he asked Control's voice became a sarcastic sound of sorrow "Poor puppet master had a heart attack just this morning. You know the doctor warned him to loose weight and to stop smoking those foul cigars." Matt smiled "Damn shame, sorry to hear it." "Yeah oh well life must go on. Oh just so you know we called in the dogs so now you have an open playing field for the game. Good luck Matt." Matt hung up the phone "Damn shame" he repeated standing up "Anyone hungry, I'm starving" An officer came up to him "Matt, we just got a fax for you from Langley Virginia." he said impressed Taking it Matt studying the pages and tucked them into his pocket. "I know this great Mexican place not to far from here." he continued as if nothing had happened "We can study this and start to figure out the when." Natalie just sat there unable to believe that Matt could take the news so easily "Your boss just had a heart attack and you want to eat." she asked suspiciously Matt shrugged "I'm hungry, besides if he did die of a heart attack I'll be a monkey's uncle." "What do you mean by that" Natalie asked Matt as cryptic as ever just said "The agency gives great heart attacks. Let's go eat and get to work were down to the day after tomorrow now. We have to look over our options, plan our strategy and set the game in motion." "Game?" Natalie asked angrily "is that all this is to you, a game?" "Sure, what do you want it to be." Matt asked confused, didn't they understand? "This is life and death Matt, not just for us but for an entire city." Natalie said furiously Matt laughed, he didn't mean to but they didn't understand "It still is a game Natalie, high stakes but just a game. Think of it as chess, they make their move we counter. Then they have to study the board and come up with a counter to try to block off our advance. We on the other hand not only have to counter that but we have to try and figure their next possible moves and come up with a counter for each of them." Turning serious for a moment "Think of it as a game Natalie, otherwise you will lose your prospective, your edge. When that happens you start to play carefully, and in this game careful gets you dead or a padded cell." he warned her "Sometimes Matt I think you suffer from insanity." Natalie shook her head sadly Instead of feeling insulted Matt smiled "Plato said it best 'I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.' Believe me when I tell you this is the best way." Matt told her "Don't think about the people that can die, if you do you won't be able to concentrate on your objective. Which is to stop this before it starts." "And what if you lose the 'game'" Natalie asked Matt sat on the edge of the desk "Natalie I've been doing this for sixteen years as a field agent and another eight years of training. I've lost some and I won some, there is always a balance. I figure I lost the last one pretty bad, I'm due for some luck. But if I lose" Matt shrugged "it won't matter cause I'll be dead." Nick looked at his two friends who were so different from each other "But Matt you admit that you want to die." Matt shook his head "No Nick I don't want to die, I'm just not afraid of it is all. I've lived with death for so long that it has become my friend" "I just don't understand you Matt." Natalie admitted with a smile "But I do like you." "And I like you as well Natalie" Matt admitted "I don't expect you to understand Natalie, I hope to God that you never do fully understand. You haven't seen just how cruel this world can be, what kind of sick perversions there are out there. Sometimes you have to swim in crap to stop these bastards. I have done some horrific things in the name of god and country, things that would make you sick, things that make me sick. The only way to survive is to pretend that this is a game only this time there are no rules." Nick looked up skeptically "You play by rules, is everyone else that nice." Matt nodded emphatically "Sure, well not the terrorists of course, but other agents do." Matt wanted them to understand to understand him and others like him "Rule number one, you never involve family, what happens on the job even if it's to kill another agent you don't do it anywhere near them. Since you want the same courtesy, to kill a family member is taboo. Two what happens on the job stays on the job, if for instance I get outsmarted by a foreign agent. I don't go out of my way to track him down to get even, otherwise it will be all out war within intelligence agencies. Number three, it's a job it's nothing personal. The rules are simple and to the point." Matt's cell phone started to ring, reaching into his pocket he pulled it out and activated it. "Hello?" Matt listened on the phone and sat up "Of course I remember you Mr. Lampton." "Well the reason I'm calling detective is that I just finished my inventory like you asked and I'm short one van again." Monty said miserably Grabbing a pen and paper Matt started to write "Give me the make and model and year" Monty gave him the information "There's just one more thing, this was a van that I already sold the new owner is supposed to pick it up next week." "I'll try to get it back to you Mr. Lampton, but I can't guarantee anything." "No, that's not it, the guy who bought it wanted a lo-jack device installed." "You lo-jacked it, I love you Monty what's the frequency." writing it down Matt looked up at Tracy and gave her a thumbs up "I'll call you as soon as I hear anything Mr. Lampton, good bye" Hanging up the phone he turned to the others "That was the car dealership, there's another van missing." he told them "This van has a lo-jack on it, how do we trace it" he asked Nick. Picking up his phone he called down to auto theft "Hello this is detective Knight homicide, yes I need a lo-jack trace. Yes it's in connection to a homicide that we are working on, the frequency is..." Matt handed him the paper and Nick read it over the phone to the waiting officer. "My car number is 81 kilo, reach me there as soon as you have anything." Hanging up the phone he turned to Natalie "Tell Reese what's going on, come on guys let's go" Matt and Tracy hot on his trail "81 Kilo, 81 Kilo" the radio sounded Grabbing the handset Tracy bought it up "This is 81 Kilo go ahead" she told them feeling the rush of adrenaline starting to kick in. Looking at Matt as he sat in the back seat she found to her annoyance that he was completely calm and relaxed. "81 Kilo, lo-jack traced to Griffin square. It is parked at the moment, wait its on the move again, it must have been a red light. Heading north down Griffin square road." Matt sat forward "How far are we" Nick gunned the engine a little harder "About five minutes away" "He's turning right on Exeter" the radio squawked Spinning the wheel Nick aimed the caddie down an alley and speeded up even more "Good, that cuts the time in half" he told them as Tracy braced a foot on the dashboard her eyes tightly closed mumbling prayers half expecting to see the angel of death sitting in the back with Matt. Spinning back onto the street Nick let out a breath "We are now on Exeter" he told them "81 Kilo I have your position about two blocks from the van at this time." suddenly the voice changed on the radio "Nick, this is Reese what is your situation?" Tracy explained as quickly as she could, up ahead she could make out the tail lights of the van. "We are right on his tail Cap. How far away is back up" "Two minutes" Matt leaned forward motioning for the mike which Tracy handed over "That's too long captain, we are moving in now have back up as soon as possible." Reaching behind him Matt pulled out his modified shotgun and chambered a round as Tracy pulled out her own gun and jacked a round in place nodding to Nick. "Let's do it" she announced Matt smiled maniacally "Who would have guessed police work to be so much fun." Putting on the speed Nick pulled up parallel to the van then suddenly pulled in front about ten feet and slammed the brakes cutting the van off. The moment the car was stopped Tracy and Matt were out the doors. As Nick got out of the car he could hear the screeching of brakes as the car stopped within inches of the caddie. Matt immediately pumped two rounds into the tires flattening them as Tracy taking her cue from him did the same to the passenger side. Nick pulled his own gun and yelled into the van "Okay step out of the van with your hands high above your head." Nothing happened Nick tried again "This is your final warning step out of the van or we will open fire." "Don't shoot" an immature voice called out Nick lowered his gun as he saw a young man of about eighteen step out of the van his hands held high over his head. Matt pressed the barrel of the shotgun to the base of his head while pulling out his pistol and continuing to cover the van. "Tracy I got him covered check it out." "Right" Tracy moved to the passenger door and opened it. Gun first she peered into the van and saw that it was completely empty except for some hamburger wrappers on the floor. "It's empty." she called out holstering her gun moving around to where Matt still held the young man. "I'll call it in" Nick told them with a sigh going back to the car "Pat him down will you Tracy" Matt asked as he looked up and down the streets trying to spot another tail, there was none. Tracy did so removing several articles from him then pulling out her handcuffs she put them on the suspect while reading him his rights. Matt reholstered his weapons and pulled out his phone and called the dealership. "Hey Monty it's Travers, I found your van, yeah listen it's going to go to police impound also when you pick it up bring four tires with you the others are flat. No otherwise it's in perfect shape. Keep up the inventory though, thanks" Hanging up the phone he crossed over to Tracy who was separating the young mans belongings. "What's your name?" Matt asked the youth "Fuck you cop" the surly youth told him "No thanks you are not my type. Who is he?" he asked Tracy Reading the name from the wallet "He is Jeffery Collins, he has a thousand dollars on him" Tracy told him surprised "A naked picture of Jenny Mcarthy" Interested Matt looked over her shoulder "Really?" "Men" Tracy acted disgusted elbowing Matt in the stomach playfully "and two unused condoms" "No not Jeffery" Matt feigned surprise "So young and already carrying condoms" "They are unused and seem to have been here quite awhile" Tracy pointed to the crease they had made in the wallet." "Fuck you cunt." Matt's hand flew out and slapped the boy in the head "That is no way to talk to a lady, do it again boy and you might live to regret it." Getting down on one knee he asked "Where did a piece of shit like you get a thousand dollars from." Eyes blazing the youth spat "I busted open my piggy bank, just give me my phone call cop I want my lawyer." Two patrol cars pulled up at the scene and took the boy into custody "Take him back to the station and put him in an interrogation room. No one is to talk to him until I get there, he is to have contact with no one. No phone calls nothing understood?" Matt asked the officers "Got it sarge, but the captain." the officer asked worriedly, this was not procedure. "I'll deal with the captain" Matt reassured the officers "Also pull this winners jacket for me his name is Jeffery Collins" "You got it, come on watch your head" he told Jeffery as they put him in the car. Matt turned and smiled "Nick you know you have a great sense of timing" Confused Nick asked why. Pointing at the restaurant behind Nick "Pancho Villas mexican restaurant, these guys make an incredible black bean dish." he told Tracy as he headed for the door guiding her in pulling out his phone "Hello Nat, it's me Matt, what kind of mexican food do you like. Ask the captain if he wants anything as well." he told the phone as he walked into the restaurant. Later as they finished eating Matt sat back full pushing his plate away. "Boy that was good" he told them lighting a cigarette "It was" Natalie told him grimacing at the cigarette "You know that is not good for you." Matt nodded "I know, I am trying to quit I did have a three pack a day habit now I'm down to five a day, next month four and so on until no more a day." Reese smiled remembering his smoking days "Yeah but there is nothing like an after dinner cigarette. Or so I remember." Getting them back on track Reese asked "What are you going to do with that Collins kid" "I'm going to break him" Matt told them "He's working for the chessmen, stealing transportation for them. That's why he had so much money on him, you pay a street punk a grand then two more when he delivers." "What if he just decided to split with their money" Tracy asked "You really don't want to know" he told her, looking towards the interrogation room where Jeffery Collins was waiting he asked "are the interrogation rooms sound proof?" "No, why?" Reese asked knowing he wasn't going to like the answer Matt shrugged knowing that no matter what he said that these people would ultimately guess his real purpose "Well if I have to convince him it is easier to have privacy." "You mean torture" Reese finished for him Dark lenses came up to meet his eyes "What ever it takes, by whatever means necessary. I meant it when I said those words. I'll try talking first, but if that don't work. I am going to get very nasty and I will do what ever it takes to get him to spill his guts." crushing out his cigarette Matt rubs the bridge of his nose feeling the headache starting to settle in. "I won't damage him permanently." he said softly Natalie sat shocked "You talk about it like it was nothing, like it means nothing to you." Turning to leave the room Matt pauses "Like I told you Nat, sometimes you have to swim in crap to get the job done. I take no pleasure in it." Tracy stood up to join Matt who held her back "I don't want you to see this Tracy, there are something's in this life that should never be seen." Nodding Tracy sat back down, unsure of her own feelings. The man she loves is going into another room to beat a confession out of a boy. A boy who got involved with some very nasty people. What kind of man could do such a thing, could she love him if she knew? Matt paused outside the door to the interrogation room strict orders given that nobody was to interfere or interrupt him. They didn't like it, they knew what was about to happen, but time is running out and they were out of options. Each was secretly glad that they were not the one that had to do it. None were quite sure if they could do it. Matt knew that he could, in fact had done it before. It was one of many parts of the job that he really hated, that made him sick to his stomach. Taking a deep breath he opened the door and stepped in. "Hello Jeffery" he said softly as the door closed behind him, then the madness began. The first scream caught them all by surprise, it was high pitched and shrill. The second full of agony and despair punctuated by pleas of mercy. Natalie left the room unable to listen and do nothing, others sat staring in the direction of the interrogation rooms. Tracy sat facing her desktop wishing the screaming would stop, that the boy would just stop. Covering her ears with her hands she tried to think back to the times that Matt had held her and made love to her feeling his love wash over her. Nick sat in his chair thinking back to the times of the inquisitions and how the priests had tortured those they felt were in league with the devil and against the church. Reese was back in a prisoner of war camp in Vietnam waiting for it to be his turn with the interrogator. Abruptly the screaming stopped, an answer to all of their prayers. A moment later Matt with a face of stone entered the room his right fist covered in blood. Stopping by his desk he picked up the phone and dialed a number and waited. "Cutlass" he whispered into the phone so that no one could over hear his conversation "Black Knight" the pause lasted a moment "I need a house keeping team at metro police headquarters. No the package is broken but the damage is repairable, pick it up and patch it up. Tell him what happens to little boys who talk out of turn then take him home." hanging up the phone he left the room and went into the back of the station looking for somewhere to wash his hands. Somewhere away from the eyes that followed him. Finding the janitor's slop sink he turned on the water and started to rinse his hands underneath. "Did he tell you what you wanted to know?" Natalie asked behind him Matt jumped then calmed down grabbing the soap from the counter top "Yes, he did" Disgustedly Natalie watched as he washed the blood away "Was it worth it?" "I don't know yet" Matt paused then suddenly bent over retching into the sink. His body heaving disgusted with what had just happened with what he'd done. Natalie watched but did not move to help him only reaching for a towel waiting for him to finish throwing up. Rinsing out his mouth and washing his face Matt accepted the towel from Natalie and cleaned up the area. Natalie handed him a couple of breath mints and sat back. "The agency teach you how to do that?" Matt nodded "I was never comfortable with it but sometimes it is necessary." sitting down beside Natalie "Did you hurt him bad, should I go" Matt shook his head "I have an agency clean up team coming in ten minutes he will be gone. The room will be cleaned up and it will be like nothing ever happened. He's not too bad, I broke his nose and a couple of his fingers is all. He hasn't been taught how to resist so he broke easy." Looking up sadly Natalie asked "Is that supposed to make everything better, that he broke easy." "No" Matt shook his head "I wish it would though, I wish it would all just go away and leave me in peace." he told her tiredly wanting only to be left alone. Staring at his hands Matt continued "You know I often dream about what I would have been like if I hadn't been kidnapped. Just growing up like any normal kid, going to school playing hockey, football and baseball. Those things were denied to me by a twist of fate. Would I have grown up to be a lawyer like my father or maybe a politician like my mother. Or maybe I would have been an artist, I like to dream about being an artist. But that's all they are Natalie dreams. The reality is so different, while you were playing hide and seek, I was being taught search and destroy. While you were playing with dolls, I was being taught how to build and disarm bombs. Life is not fair Natalie, I never wanted this, it was thrust upon me." "You could have refused Matt" Matt shook his head "Back in the seventies it was different the agency was different, if I refused I would have been sanctioned. Just like Tommy." feeling the pain again of what had happened that night so long ago. "Who's that?" Natalie asked seeing that Matt was hurting "Tommy was the Black Squire, the other Knight like there is Castle and Rook, Deacon and Bishop. He thought like you do now, he thought that if he refused he would just be sent back to the orphanage. Puppet Master was the Control in those days he told Tommy to do as he was told or else. Tommy refused, two days later we buried him, he was twelve years old. I was selfish, I wanted to live, I wanted to go home to my mother and father. That was also denied to me. Sometimes especially at night when the demons come to me I wish that I had Tommy's courage and had ended it then." Putting a hand on his shoulder Natalie saw the little boy he once was and immediately hated the men who had done this to defenseless children "I'm sorry Matt, no one should have to live like that. I'm sorry you had to do this now." Tracy walked into the room then wiping her tears sitting beside Matt taking him into her arms. Natalie got up and left them alone turning the corner she heard Matt talking to Tracy. "Why are you with me Tracy, I'm a born loser, a psychopath with suicidal and homicidal tendencies." "Don't talk that way Matt. You are a good man a decent man who has had to do the jobs that others are incapable of. I read your file Matt and you have saved more people than you have hurt think of it that way." Matt nodded she was right he had done some good in the world and now was not the time to wallow in self pity there is work to be done. Regaining control over his emotions he stood up "Let's get going, the Collins kid was working for Rook. He was supposed to meet him at midnight at the plaza mall parking lot. It's eleven thirty now if we hurry we can take down Rook and whoever is with him." Walking down the hall Matt took a deep breath and walked into the bull pen. Staring around at the officers who were milling around going about their work. They each came to a stop when they saw Matt approaching wondering what was next. "Saddle up people, full weapons complement, vests and head sets. Be ready to move out in five minutes we are going after a Rook." he told them heading for the conference room. As the officers filed into the combat ready room to get their gear Matt called out for them all to hear. "Remember, Rook is a paranoid but he is not stupid, he is also a tricky son of a bitch. So don't go near him, take him from a distance. Rook will not come quietly or peacefully and talking to him will just waste time. He will be carrying an assassin special and probably a couple of grenades. His preferred weapon is a bowie hunting knife he carries it in his right boot, he can fight with it or throw it with a great deal of expertise. Do not take any unnecessary risks shoot first question later." Matt warned them all "Remember also he might not be alone and two chessmen are more dangerous than one especially when they are cornered. They will do whatever is necessary to survive." Pulling on his own head set he turned to the computer and switched it on. Typing several commands he lowered the monitor from the ceiling and activated it as w