Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 23:42:14 -0400 Reply-To: Virtual Fourth Season Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: Virtual Fourth Season Subject: V4S: Adam's Apple (11/22) To: FKFIC-L@psuvm.psu.edu Episode Number: Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season - Episode #12 Episode Title: "Adam's Apple" "Air" Date: May 18, 1997 Author: Beth A. Washington Part 11 of 22 This story is based on characters and situations created by James Parriott and Barney Cohen and owned by Sony/TriStar. No infringement is intended. Copyright 1997 Beth Washington -------------------------- ADAM'S APPLE Hours later, Adam awoke on his own. It was that dream again. The ambulance lights swirled in his head. Where was Billy? Graduation day had come and gone, and there was no Billy. He slowly sat up and flipped on a light, blinking with the sudden brightness. He checked his watch and saw that it was almost four in the morning. Frowning, he pushed aside the blanket and pulled himself to his feet from the thin mattress on the floor. "I don't know how my parents can get any rest on this thing," he mumbled to himself. With sleep still in his eyes and cobwebs thick in his brain, Adam made his way into the living room. He found Tudor pacing the room like a restless animal. He glanced at the empty chair next to the fireplace, then ambled stiffly into the kitchen. "Hmmm. No Nick," he mumbled as he proceeded to the refrigerator and pulled out one of the small bottles of orange juice. Uncapping the bottle, he tossed the cap onto the counter and took a long drink. The sleepy detective wandered back into the living room, and Tudor smiled a little at him. "I see you didn't sleep too well either on that oversized rice patty," Tudor joked. Adam smiled as he dragged his fingers through his black hair, pushing it away from his face. He glanced around the room again, then asked, "Where's Detective Knight?" Tudor frowned. "He spent an hour in the bathroom, then went for a walk," he said in such a way that Adam could tell the student was clearly irritated. Adam ignored the inclination to ask why Tudor was irritated and took a swig from the juice bottle. "I'm going to get something to eat first. I'll go see if I can find Nick after I'm done; that is, if he's not back by then. Want anything?" Seemingly annoyed further, Tudor spun around and plopped down on the couch, his back to Adam. Adam took that as a "no," and disappeared into the kitchen. **** The loft was dark and cold, but neither mattered to Nick. He didn't feel his best, and the flight to Toronto had taken more energy than it should have. He was starving, and he knew he had to have something. He sat at the table, staring at a crystal goblet full of one of Natalie's protein mixtures. The thick white liquid reminded him of paste, and the taste was just as bad. Actually drinking it was only marginally better than eating the French fry. His stomach screamed out to him, and a slight wave of dizziness moved the room around him. His senses were on overload, and he could smell the blood in the black refrigerator, inviting him to come and enjoy. Cow's blood. LaCroix would cringe at such a thought. But he had made a promise, a promise he meant to keep, especially now since Nat was actually being a little more than just civil to him. He got up from the table and found the photo album that he had mysteriously received around Christmas time. He put it down on the table and opened it, flipping to the second page. There was Natalie's picture, her smiling eyes looking back at him. He glanced at a couple of the other pictures and found the strength he needed from the history recorded in those pages, the history that he and Nat had created together. He picked up the goblet and sipped, grimaced, then took another, longer drink. He tried to pretend it was something else, something red, but his stomach wasn't fooled. It started to churn again. He looked back at the photo album and tried to hear Nat's voice telling him what he needed to do if he wanted to become mortal again. Instead of hearing Nat's voice, he heard the phone ring. Since he wasn't supposed to be home, he let the machine pick up, and to his surprise, he heard Reese's voice. "Knight, I hope all you did was turn off your cellular, because I can't get through," complained the captain after the sound of the beep. "And I hope you can check your messages remotely, or I'm doing all this talking for nothing." Nick nodded to himself, "I can, Captain." "I got some bad news. We had to let Aragopoulos go. We finally had to release Dr. Lambert's findings, and even though the findings don't prove anything beyond the shadow of a doubt, the lawyer pushed the point that the evidence suggested that his *client* didn't pull the trigger. Damn this whole thing! I really wanted to nail his butt to the cement wall in his cell, and I still hope we can. If you happen to see your partner and actually talk to him, tell him Aragopoulos is out, and probably dangerous." There was a pause, and Nick could hear the captain let out an exasperated sigh. "We need to prove Aragopoulos guilty, or find who the killer really is, and we need to do it fast." Reese paused again, "Damn, I hate talking to a machine." Nick heard the click as the captain hung up, and the machine stopped recording and reset itself for the next call. Realizing that he had spent enough time in his loft trying to "eat" something, he picked up the goblet and chugged. He put the glass down, wiped his mouth with his hand, and shivered, sticking his tongue in and out while making a yuk face. He grabbed his jacket, looked up to the skylight, and within seconds, he was on his way back to the cabin. **** Riding the air currents like a sheet of paper on a warm updraft, Nick hung in the air above the cabin, taking one last check around for anything unusual. Below, he watched Adam walking in the snow, following the tracks he had left before flying home. His partner was rapidly approaching the spot where the tracks ended abruptly, forcing Nick to cut his surveillance short and land quickly. Once on the ground, he rapidly made adjoining tracks, then started following his previous tracks back toward the cabin. Less than a minute later, he ran into Adam. "Hi," Nick greeted his partner. "I was just coming back to wake you up." "Well I'm already awake," Adam pointed out the obvious. "You've been out here a while. Aren't you cold?" he asked. "A little," Nick admitted, "but the cold doesn't really bother me too much. I like the fresh air." Adam shrugged and started walking back toward the cabin. "I have to get back. I think Sid's roommate knows a lot more that can really help this case. I'm pretending to be on drugs, and I discovered that Remi has connections...." "Connections that might lead to Aragopoulos," Nick added, following in Adam's footsteps as he walked. "Yup!" Adam confirmed his thinking. "So what are you planning to do next?" Nick asked. "I already have Remi trying to get me some drugs, and I need to check out Remi further, along with his acquaintances," Adam explained briefly. "That's a pretty dangerous situation you've gotten yourself into," observed Nick. Adam shrugged. "It's the only way I could think of getting in with people who might know and deal with Aragopoulos." "I just hope you've left yourself a way to call in backup if you need it." Adam didn't say anything but kept walking. "Adam?" Nick queried. "You are wearing the wire Reese ordered you to wear, right?" "Uh, sure," Adam stuttered, "it's right here." He patted his pocket. Nick wasn't positive, but he got the feeling that Adam had lied about the wire. Adam's heart rate was already up from the walk in the snow, so he couldn't tell from that. "I think we should call Reese and let him know what's going on," Nick suggested as he pulled out his cellular phone. After a quick glance, Nick noticed that he had turned the phone off. He switched it on and dialed his home number. "I'm going to check my machine first," he told Adam. "You're gonna what?" snapped his partner, spinning around to address Nick face to face. "Aren't there more important things going on here than checking your personal calls?" "I was expecting a call concerning a possible lead," explained Nick as he dialed his home number and listened for the machine to pick up. "Sure," Adam responded, his tone sarcastic. "Who are you..." Nick interrupted the other detective by bringing his hand up in a stop motion. Nick pretended to listen to his messages, hit a couple of buttons, then handed Adam the phone. The expression on Adam's face changed from anger to surprise, then to seriousness as he listened to Reese's message. When the message finished, he handed the phone back to Nick, who ended the call. Nick could tell the wheels were turning in Adam's mind from the look on his face. This was clearly something that demanded action and some thought. "I know how much the captain wants this guy Aragopoulos in jail," Adam started out, "but what if...what if Aragopoulos really didn't pull the trigger? He's gonna be mad...real mad at the person who did." "Not to mention the person who gave the police the videotape that got him arrested in the first place," added Nick, following Adam's train of thought. Adam turned to continue walking back to the cabin, then stopped and turned back around to look at Nick. There was something resting on the edge of his tongue, just waiting to be said. "I have to get back to the university, and I have to go now!" Adam blurted out. "Be sure to keep a really close eye on our guest." He turned and started to run back to the cabin. "Adam, wait!" yelled Nick after him, running to catch up, "Do you suspect Tudor?" Adam stopped and explained as quickly as he could. "Not only will Aragopoulos want our little friend's head on a platter for giving that tape to the cops, but he'll want to kill Tudor for framing him." He turned and ran. Nick stopped, realizing exactly what his partner had just said. "He doesn't have any proof of that," he said out loud to himself, but he also had the feeling that his partner had every intention of finding some. He hurried back to the cabin and arrived at the door just as Adam's car pulled away, the light from the headlights quickly fading into the darkness. (to be continued ...) -------------------------------------------- For more information or to participate in the Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season, write to V4S@fkfanfic.com. Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 23:42:25 -0400 Reply-To: Virtual Fourth Season Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: Virtual Fourth Season Subject: V4S: Adam's Apple (12/22) To: FKFIC-L@psuvm.psu.edu Episode Number: Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season - Episode #12 Episode Title: "Adam's Apple" "Air" Date: May 18, 1997 Author: Beth A. Washington Part 12 of 22 This story is based on characters and situations created by James Parriott and Barney Cohen and owned by Sony/TriStar. No infringement is intended. Copyright 1997 Beth Washington -------------------------- ADAM'S APPLE Remi wasn't in the room they shared when Adam walked in. Throwing his knapsack on his bed, he paused a moment, then turned and left the room, leaving the door open. He went to the next door down, which was open a little; rock music came pouring through. He hesitated before knocking, then tapped lightly on the door frame instead to avoid opening the door any further. When there was no response, he pushed the door open and peeked his head in. "Hello?" he ventured. "Anyone here?" "Hi! Over here," came a male voice from behind a pile of books on a desk. "I dropped my pen." The young student stood up and smiled at the visitor. Adam gave him a short wave in greeting. "Adam, isn't it?" the student asked. "Hai...um, yes," answered Adam, stuttering a little and laying on the accent. "You know where Remi be?" he asked. The kid shook his head. "Sorry. Haven't seen him all afternoon." "Thanks," was all Adam said has he left the room for his own. Once again inside his own room, Adam sat down on his bed and looked at Remi's locked drawer. There was a substantial amount of evidence in that drawer, and Remi was going to spend some time in the slammer. But not just yet. Adam needed him to figure out who killed Sid Corso. Remembering Billy, he firmly decided that no one else was going to die because of drugs. Not on his beat. He roused from his thoughts, sensing a presence in the doorway. He looked up, half expecting to see Remi, but instead, he saw a young woman. A slight look of surprise and curiosity crossed the detective's face as she smiled back at him. "I don't know why I'm here," she started. "Habit, I guess." She rolled her eyes upward, then looked back at Adam's puzzled face. "I used to come here all the time when my boyfriend, Sid, lived here." There was a tug in her voice as she said the word "boyfriend". A light went on in Adam's head, and he tried to hide his recognition as he remembered Nick telling him about the girlfriend at the beginning of the case. He nodded his head vaguely, as if he had heard a rumor to that effect. "My name Adam Ishikawa," the detective introduced himself. "I just start school here." He stood up and gestured for her to come in. "Thanks," she said as she entered the room. "Nice to meet you, Adam Ishikawa." A grin spread across her lips as she repeated his full name, imitating his accent a little. "I'm Rebecca Dixon, but my friends call me Becca." Adam pulled out his desk chair for her to sit on, and she seemed impressed with his hospitality. A moment of awkward silence passed. Adam decided this was an opportunity to learn something, but he had to be sure he was careful how he approached her. "I hear about Sid," he started cautiously. "I sorry for you." He cringed when he realized how stupid that sounded, but when he looked to see her response, she seemed touched by his words and his sincerity. Becca started to cry a little bit, and Adam offered her his handkerchief. She smiled and thanked him as she took it and dried her eyes. "I'm sorry," Becca sniffled. "I miss him. I thought if I came here, I might...oh, I don't know what I thought." Adam only listened, hoping she would open up. He was pleased when she kept talking. He knew she was going to tell him something he wanted to hear, but he also knew that this woman was hurting inside, and talking about it could only help. He was glad that he was there for her, even if he was a stranger to her. "He wasn't the best kid in town, and my mother never liked him very much, but...I don't know...I liked him," Becca admitted. "He made me laugh. He always had something funny to say." She looked at Adam, and he only nodded appreciatively, allowing her to continue at her own pace. She took a deep breath and continued, her hands fidgeting with the white handkerchief. "I don't know what happened. Before we came to college, he was only concerned with getting a good education so he would be able to get a good job and never want for anything for the rest of his life. We had plans to get...married after graduation, buy a little...house somewhere...and...raise some...children." She started to cry again. Adam stood up and walked over to her. He gently pushed her head onto his shoulder and gave her a gentle hug of support. After about of minute of sobbing, he asked, "You OK?" She nodded and pushed away a little, drying her tears with the handkerchief. "I'm sorry... I..." "No sorry," Adam interrupted. "OK. You sad. Cry make you better." Adam was beginning to tire of sounding like an idiot by using broken English. This undercover thing had its down points, especially when annoying things were picked as part of a disguise. He wanted to talk to her, normally, and let her know that it was OK to cry, and that he was here to listen to anything she wanted to say. "Talk good when heart heavy," he added, hoping she would continue. She nodded slightly, sniffled a little, then pulled away from Adam's supportive arms. She glanced around the room, stood up and checked the hallway outside, then closed the door before she sat back down. "He changed sometime during our second semester here. He started hanging out with Remi and the bad crowd he hangs out with. Sid's plans changed. All of a sudden, his education wasn't as important to him. He had new plans. He said we could have everything we wanted, and sooner." She looked Adam straight in the eyes. "He frightened me." "Why you stay wit him?" Adam asked, completely intrigued with her story. Becca shrugged. "I loved him." Adam raised an eyebrow. Isn't love the answer to all. You put up with mounds of crap because you love a person. Then he thought of his argument with Kelly over the invitations. It was the same thing, almost. Kelly. Her name sent a jolt of reality through his brain. The last time he had talked to her, he had walked out on her after the invitation incident. She was probably worried about him, and he mentally kicked himself for not calling her sooner, not only to let her know where he was and that he was safe, but also to say he was sorry for the way he acted the last time they were together. "Anyway, I'm afraid Sid is dead because of something he was involved with...," Becca stated, her voice trembling a little with nerves. "Something Remi got him involved with." *So Remi is the key,* thought Adam to himself. "Oh Adam...he's dead...and I don't know what to do," she said as the tears started to flow again. The detective got up and offered her his arms again, and she fell into his warm grasp. As she cried, Adam decided it was time to get out of the room before Remi came back and saw Becca there. "You go get coffee wit me?" he asked, "Go for walk?" She pulled away and wiped away the tears again. "No, thank you. I really should be going," she said as she stood up. "I here anytime you want talk," offered Adam, "or shoulder for cry on." She smiled. "Thanks." She hesitated a moment, then continued, "Thank you for listening. You seem like a really nice guy, Adam Ishikawa." Adam blushed a little. What would Kelly think? He banished the thought. This was work. "He is a nice guy," came Remi's voice from the now open door. He smiled broadly as Adam and Becca both turned to look at him. "Remi," Becca said, distaste laced into her tone of voice. "Becca," he responded. "Sid's grave isn't even cold yet, and I see you're already moving in on his replacement." Remi's smile was almost evil, yet mischievous in its appearance. Shock registered in Becca's expression, quickly changing to anger. Without a second glance, she stomped out of the room, pushing Remi aside roughly to get through the door. As Adam sat back down on his bed, contemplating what Remi meant when he said "replacement", Remi closed the door and chuckled a little to himself. Remi took off his jean jacket and threw it on his desk, then sat down on his bed, opposite Adam. "She's never liked me," Remi told Adam as a matter of fact. When Adam looked at him, he only shrugged indicating that he didn't know why. "Hey, I got something for you," he announced with a little excitement in his voice. Adam watched as his roommate pulled a small bottle out of the pocket in his slate-blue sweatshirt. "It took me a while to get it. A cop pulled me in for questioning, asking all about my previous roommate. I thought they knew about my little operation. Boy, was I relieved when they started asking about Sid." Remi offered the bottle to Adam. The detective's sweat machine turned on. He was really making a drug deal. What would Jim Phelps do in a situation like this? He'd be cool, collected, and continue acting out his part with full confidence in his ability to do the job. Adam had every confidence in Jim Phelps' ability, but right now he wasn't so sure about his own. A nervous hand reached out and took the bottle, and another nervous hand fumbled with the lid trying to remove it. With the lid finally off, Adam inspected the contents. He counted five red pills of high grade Speed. Puzzlement slowly crept into his expression. "Only five," he stated, showing the contents of the bottle to Remi as if he didn't know what it contained. "Not enough. Won't last. Need more," Adam insisted. "That's all I could get my hands on right now," came Remi's excuse. "I haven't seen my regular supplier in a few days, and I don't want to get involved with the Big Man. He's nothing but trouble." "Need more!" Adam demanded, eyes glaring as if he were desperate. "I'll try to find my supplier. Calm down," said Remi, a little shocked to see such a reaction from his quiet roommate. "That's it for now. Take it or leave it. Fifty bucks." Adam reluctantly backed down, placing the lid back on the small bottle and nodding. He got up, put the bottle into his knapsack, pulling some money out of the front pocket, and handed it to his roommate. Grumbling about going to the library to study, he grabbed his knapsack and left the room. (to be continued ...) -------------------------------------------- For more information or to participate in the Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season, write to V4S@fkfanfic.com. Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 23:42:32 -0400 Reply-To: Virtual Fourth Season Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: Virtual Fourth Season Subject: V4S: Adam's Apple (13/22) To: FKFIC-L@psuvm.psu.edu Episode Number: Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season - Episode #12 Episode Title: "Adam's Apple" "Air" Date: May 18, 1997 Author: Beth A. Washington Part 13 of 22 This story is based on characters and situations created by James Parriott and Barney Cohen and owned by Sony/TriStar. No infringement is intended. Copyright 1997 Beth Washington -------------------------- ADAM'S APPLE Nick walked quickly back to the cabin and greeted Sheridan just outside the front door. "Evenin', Detective," the officer nodded towards Nick. "Our guest wanted to go for a walk, but I told him he had to wait until you returned." "That was the right decision," Nick approved. "It seems our little friend might not be all that he appears to be -- or maybe I should say he is more than he appears to be." Sheridan raised an eyebrow in question. "Let's just say that Adam's working on finding some evidence," Nick offered as a vague explanation, just in case the student they were baby-sitting was listening in. "Well, I'd better go in and see what he can complain about now." Nick made a wry face as Sheridan laughed. "Wanna trade places?" the detective jokingly asked. Sheridan shook his head as he laughed a little harder. "I didn't think so," Nick mumbled in a resigned voice. He looked to the eastern sky and saw the first signs of dawn as the horizon was turning from black to a medium shade of blue. He took a deep breath and entered the cabin. Tudor paced the room. He turned to face Nick when the detective entered. "It's about time you came back," he griped. "I didn't know you were timing me," Nick said sarcastically. "Shall I ask your permission the next time I want to leave?" Tudor growled. He started pacing again in front of the windows. Nick took off his jacket and threw it on the chair next to the door. A slight wave of dizziness swept through his head as he moved over to the chair by the fire. He quickly sat down, hoping Tudor didn't notice. The student suddenly turned and looked at Nick. "How long do I have to stay here? Didn't they catch that drug guy already?" Nick slowly looked up into Tudor's angry eyes. "Yes, they caught him, and they let him go." Nick focused his vampire hearing on Tudor's heart and heard it jump into high gear. "They what?" Tudor screeched. "Why'd they do that? He killed that kid." Nick took his time answering, sounding calm and self-confident. "There is some new evidence that suggests otherwise." Nick checked his fingernails in an effort to look aloof and unconcerned. He could hear Tudor's heart, sounding like it was trying to pound its way out of the student's chest. Tudor turned away and looked out the windows. He stopped his restless pacing and simply stood there, probably counting his options. Nick smiled a little. "Now that Aragopoulos is out of jail, he's probably angry with whoever gave the police that tape, and he will most likely want to find this person." Nick started to absently pick lint off of his black pants. Sweat broke out on Tudor's forehead as he nervously scanned the room. He looked at Nick as the detective continued speaking. "So, unless you want to take your chances out there on the streets with a man who has a lawn mower with your name on the blades, I suspect you'll be wanting to stay here where it's safe." Nick looked up to see if Tudor was listening, and was pleased to see he had the student's undivided attention. Tudor's heart was beating so fast that if it had gone any faster, Nick wouldn't have been able to tell one beat from the next. Tudor let out a sigh of resignation and started pacing again, threatening to wear out the wooden floor with his feet. **** A light fog swirled around in the early morning light, the tiny water droplets illuminated by the lights on the roof corners, colored by the soft pinks and purples of the brightening sky. The grass beaded with the moisture, glistening like stars fallen to the earth. Adam exited the residence hall and stopped for a second to check his watch. He hadn't realized that dawn was so close, and he took a moment to consider where he was going. It was still early enough that most everyone was still sleeping, and only now and then did a solitary soul walk by. He could hear the city traffic moving in the distance. He made up his mind when he heard voices several feet away in the fog. One of them was Becca's. After a moment, he found her dark figure in the fog, standing with another. He did not know who was with her, only that it was a man. The detective stepped back into the shadow of the building and watched the exchange. Their voices were low, and Adam couldn't tell what they were saying. They were standing fairly close to each other, and the man was gesturing as he spoke. It was only a few moments before their conversation grew heated and loud enough for the watching detective to hear. "What do you want from me?" Becca yelled. The man's response was still too low for Adam to understand. Becca turned away from the man. "I don't owe you anything. I'm outta here." She tried to walk away, but the man grabbed her arm and roughly turned her to face him. Becca yelped with pain. "Let go of me!" "Not until I get what I came for," the man's voice growled, loud enough for the detective's ears to hear. The voice sounded familiar. Becca struggled, trying to get away. "Let! Go! Of! Me!" she yelled. The man held her tight with one hand, and started to reach into his pocket with the other, possibly for a gun. That was Adam's cue to move. A second later he was running across the damp grass, shouting, "Becca! Wait!" Both turned to look at the figure running towards them. As Adam got closer, he could tell that Becca was glad to see him. The man released his grip on her and backed away, hiding his face from Adam. By the time Adam reached the spot, the man was gone, and Becca greeted him with a big smile and a hug. "Thanks," she said, relief clearly reflected in her face. Looking her over, Adam asked, "You OK?" She nodded. "I could go for a coffee right about now, though," she suggested, smiling as Adam realized that she was taking him up on his offer. He held his arm out to her; she gladly accepted it, and the two walked off towards a nearby cafe. **** Outside, a pink neon sign blinked "Open 24 Hours." The fluorescent bulbs inside illuminated the cafe counter and the handful of booths that were next to the windows. The counter waitress stood talking to the cook through the rectangular opening between the kitchen and the counter area. Sitting at a booth at the end of the counter, beyond the last window, were Adam and Becca. Adam took a sip from the large glass of Coke placed in front of him, and Becca wrapped her hands around her coffee to keep them warm. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come by when you did," Becca confessed. "That's twice you've saved me." "Twice?" Adam asked. "Once from my own sorrow over Sid's death, and just now, from that goon," she explained, her eyes looking deep into her cup of coffee as if she could read her fortune there. "He going to hurt you," Adam stated, as if anyone would have done the same thing. "Yes, I'm afraid he would have," admitted Becca. "He is looking for some stuff the Big Man delivered to Sid for him, but Sid apparently didn't deliver it. So now he wants his money back for the missing stuff." Adam looked curious. "What stuff?" She shook her head. "I'm not sure," she started, then seeing Adam's sincere expression and innocent-looking face, she corrected herself. "No, that's not true. I do know." She hesitated. "It OK. You tell me," Adam reassured her, hoping he sounded sincere enough with the stupid accent. She took a sip from her coffee and then a deep breath. "Sid bought drugs from the Big Man for him, only according to this guy, Sid took delivery of the drugs, but never paid the Big Man. Sid had dealt with the Big Man before, and I guess his credit was good." She chuckled a moment. "I suppose his good credit record with the Big Man wouldn't have done him any good applying for a mortgage." Adam smiled. He was glad she was able to find humor in all of this. She continued, "Sid sometimes bought his stuff from another dealer, someone Remi hooked him up with, but that guy wouldn't sell anything without cash in hand. Sid rarely had any cash, so he did most of his dealing with the Big Man." "Who Big Man?" asked Adam. "I don't know his real name, but the night Sid died, he had come demanding payment," Becca answered. She took another sip from her coffee. "And the man tonight?" Becca hesitated and stuttered. "I shouldn't be telling you all this," she started, "but for some reason, I feel like I can talk to you." She reached out and touched his hand. "But I can't tell you that." Adam blushed, and she smiled when she saw the redness in his cheeks. "I really should get going. Thanks for the coffee...and thanks for listening." "I walk you home?" Adam offered, his eyes hopeful. "No, thanks, but you've done enough already." Becca stood up and slipped the straps of her bag over her shoulder. "See ya 'round," she said as she slipped out of the booth and left the restaurant. Adam quickly paid the bill and followed her anyway, making sure she got home safely. As he watched her from the shadows as she entered her residence, he remembered the rubbing he made from Principal Whittier's desk calendar. He pulled it out of his pocket and read the date and time there. The date was today's date; the time was a little over an hour ago; and the place, Becca's residence. (to be continued ...) -------------------------------------------- For more information or to participate in the Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season, write to V4S@fkfanfic.com. Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 23:42:47 -0400 Reply-To: Virtual Fourth Season Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: Virtual Fourth Season Subject: V4S: Adam's Apple (14/22) To: FKFIC-L@psuvm.psu.edu Episode Number: Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season - Episode #12 Episode Title: "Adam's Apple" "Air" Date: May 18, 1997 Author: Beth A. Washington Part 14 of 22 This story is based on characters and situations created by James Parriott and Barney Cohen and owned by Sony/TriStar. No infringement is intended. Copyright 1997 Beth Washington -------------------------- ADAM'S APPLE Inside the precinct, Adam found the captain in his office finishing up the night's paperwork before heading home. "You're here late," commented Adam. "Yeah, tell me about it," sighed the captain. "I tried to put a tail on Aragopoulos when he left here...." The captain hesitated. "And?" Adam prodded. The frown on Reese's face deepened. "He managed to lose it within the space of an hour." "Oh," was all Adam could think to say. A moment of silence passed. Reese looked at the silent detective. "So, did you come here to say something or to just stand there with your mouth open catching flies?" "Um...yes...um no, I...," Adam stammered. "I came here to ask you something and to fill you in." Reese looked at him with an expression that said to hurry up and get it over with. "An update would be nice." Adam took a breath. "Have you ever heard of the Big Man?" he asked. Reese's eyebrows shot up, then he nodded. "Yes, he's Dimitri Aragopoulos. He gave himself the name, or at least that's the rumor, because he wanted people to know that he's at the top of his business." Reese stopped and smiled before he continued. "Most people remember the name because of his physical size. He's never been one to say no to a plate of baklava." Adam half smiled at Reese's comments. The captain seemed to know a great deal more about Aragopoulos than anyone else on the case. He had a personal file on the man, he knew how he got the name "Big Man", and he knew the man's eating habits. "Have you found the link we need to send that man's butt to prison for life?" Reese asked hopefully. "Maybe," Adam said. "He sold Sid Corso some drugs on credit, drugs Corso was supposed to deliver to someone else, and he was coming around to collect the night Corso was shot." "So we have a motive," concluded Reese with a grin. "But no physical evidence," added Adam, then after a moment's thought he continued. "Besides, why would he kill someone who owed him money? You can't get money from a dead man." Reese growled, "True. However, men like Aragopoulos like to make examples out of people who don't follow his rules." "I believe the answer to this whole thing lies with Corso's roommate, the man Corso was supposed to deliver to, and a second drug dealer, one who does a cash-only business," Adam explained further. "I've been talking to Corso's girlfriend, and she...well...trusts me." Reese gave Adam a sidelong glance, then looked at him full on. If only Nick would trust you, he thought to himself. Well, he doesn't have a choice this time. "So what are your plans?" Reese inquired. "I need to go back to the university and try to get more information out of Remi." "Do you think he did it?" "No. I have another suspect in mind," Adam answered vaguely. With a little annoyance in his voice, Reese asked, "And who might that be?" Adam hesitated and Reese blew out a sigh. "Never mind," the captain interrupted any answer Adam might have given him. "We can keep track of what happens with the wire you're wearing." Adam bit his lower lip and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Reese knew that look. Anger crept into the captain's expression. "You're not wearing a wire, are you?" the captain growled in a low voice. Adam shook his head. "I had it turned off?" he offered timidly as an explanation, fear reflected in his eyes. He knew after he said it that the captain did not believe him. The look on Reese's face confirmed it. "Do you remember what I said to you when you first started working here?" he bellowed. He didn't wait for Adam to respond. "I know you think you're some kinda hot shot, and that you have some problem with following orders, but you are not going to do it on my watch." "Yes, sir," Adam mumbled, looking down at his shoes. "Don't you, 'yes sir' me. I had second thoughts about you when you transferred in, but I was short-handed, so I took what I could get. And you had been doing fine up until now," Reese continued yelling. The activity outside in the bullpen had pretty much come to a stop as Reese continued his speech. "I oughta bust you down to traffic. What were you thinking? You were not only endangering your own life, but the lives of those around you." Reese stopped with a huff and looked at the papers on his desk. Adam looked at the captain, worried. "Sir, you wouldn't...I mean...." Reese's eyes, burning with anger, seemed to bore holes into the detective's forehead. "Oh wouldn't I?" he asked with venom in his voice. "You disobeyed direct orders, and I didn't give you those orders for my health. It was this kinda stunt that got you transferred in the first place." Adam just stood there, looking fairly pathetic. Reese let him sweat it a bit before he spoke further. "Well I have a problem, though," he said in a normal tone of voice. "There is a murderer on the loose, it's daytime, and the only other homicide detective I have free, other than yourself, is allergic to the sunshine." Reese let out a sigh of resignation. Adam looked up hopefully. "This is your last warning, Detective," Reese warned, seeing Adam's face light up at being addressed as "Detective". He added with a completely sober expression, "Don't think I won't bust you down to traffic if you pull this kind of stunt again." "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir!" Adam said eagerly. "I will get myself fitted with a wire before I continue the investigation." "Just find the killer," Reese grumbled as Adam left his office. Adam closed the door behind him as he left the captain's office and wiped a layer of sweat off his brow. That was close. He went over to the evidence room and asked the clerk there for two plastic evidence bags. He took the bottle of Speed he had gotten from Remi and dumped four of the five pills into one bag, and the three he had from before into the second. He labeled the bags and handed them back to the clerk. "Now, off to get a wire," Adam said to himself as he headed down to the surveillance department. (to be continued ...) -------------------------------------------- For more information or to participate in the Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season, write to V4S@fkfanfic.com. Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 23:42:53 -0400 Reply-To: Virtual Fourth Season Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: Virtual Fourth Season Subject: V4S: Adam's Apple (15/22) To: FKFIC-L@psuvm.psu.edu Episode Number: Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season - Episode #12 Episode Title: "Adam's Apple" "Air" Date: May 18, 1997 Author: Beth A. Washington Part 15 of 22 This story is based on characters and situations created by James Parriott and Barney Cohen and owned by Sony/TriStar. No infringement is intended. Copyright 1997 Beth Washington -------------------------- ADAM'S APPLE Nick was wishing he could sleep a little when the cellular phone in his pocket rang. Tudor looked up from where he was sitting on the couch and watched as the detective answered the phone. "Knight," Nick said, holding the small black phone to his ear. He recognized the captain's voice on the other end. As the detective listened to Reese fill him in on Adam's new findings and plans, his eyes never left the nervous student. "Adam says you guys have a suspect in mind," came the captain's voice over the receiver. "Uh-huh," was all Nick said. "Do you know who?" inquired the captain. "Yes," replied Nick, still looking at Tudor. There was a moment of silence, then Reese slowly asked, "You suspect our eyewitness, and you can't talk because he's sitting right there." "Uh-huh," Nick answered, glad that the captain had figured it out. "Well I hope you guys have some convincing evidence," Reese uttered in a tone of voice that said they had better. "We're working on it, Cap," assured Nick, and he heard the click as the captain hung up. He tucked the phone carefully back into his pocket and watched as Tudor followed his every move. "Who was that?" barked Tudor. "The captain," answered Nick as if nothing important had been said. "Well what did he say?" the student asked with impatience, rising up a little off the couch with his hands pushing on the cushions. "Oh, nothing much," Nick said in a sort of sing-song voice. "Just that we might have a lead." At that moment a tree branch outside swayed with a gust of wind and banged loudly on the side of the cabin. Tudor nearly jumped out of his skin, completely startled by the noise. He was on his feet and looking out the window in seconds, careful to only spread the curtains enough for him to see. He then stalked around the cabin, checking all the windows and doors. As Tudor nervously settled back down on the couch, Nick said smoothly, "It was only the tree outside." "Maybe, maybe not," responded Tudor, who turned his attention back to the detective. "So has your partner found more evidence that points to Aragopoulos?" the student asked, determined, it seemed, to receive the answers he wasn't getting. Nick got up from his chair and very carefully placed another log on the fire, holding the log with a long pair of fireplace tongs and extending his arms as far as he could reach. When he turned back and looked at Tudor, the student seemed both puzzled and amused at Nick's unique way of tending the fire. "Allergic to fire too?" asked Tudor, jokingly. Nick smiled weakly. "I just don't like the heat." "Ah, right," responded Tudor. "So that's why you sit in the chair to the fireplace. I understand. Not!" Tudor sighed. "Now, about Aragopoulos." "We know he's involved," answered Nick, relieved that Tudor was going to let the fire incident drop. He wondered if it wasn't a good time to spend more time in the bathroom. Frustrated by the detective's vague answer, Tudor asked another question. "Has he found out anything that proves that Sid had any dealings with Aragopoulos?" Nick leaned his back against the side of the stone fireplace and brushed a small spot of soot off of his hands. "A little," he answered. Another tree branch brushed up against the window, and Tudor swung around to look. He swung back and approached Nick. "Look, Knight, I have a right to know what's going on, and I demand that you tell me." Nick's expression changed from nonchalance to the beginnings of anger. The little game he was playing with Tudor was no longer any fun and now only served to remind him that baby-sitting duty was not the reason he had become a homicide detective. "Just because you are an eyewitness to a murder does mean I have to tell you anything. I am here to make sure you are safe, keep you apprised of the situation." Tudor took a few steps back. "Safe? I'm not safe! The Big Man could find me here if he wanted to," Tudor explained with fear in his voice. "He could find me here and kill me just as easily as he killed Sid in the middle of a college campus." Nick made a note of the fact the Tudor referred to Aragopoulos as the Big Man. Interesting that he would know that name. Tudor started to pace again. "I need to get outta here, outta Toronto. I'm a dead man. I'm not safe." Tudor bolted for the door, and Nick cut him off. The student looked amazed to see Nick in front of him, then grabbed the detective's sleeves. "You have to let me go. I can't stay here any longer. He's gonna find me and kill me. He'll kill all of us." Nick could see real terror in Tudor's eyes, sweat pouring from his face. Nick locked his eyes with Tudor's and reached out for his heartbeat. It took Nick a second and a bit of concentration to hear it. He let it grow a little stronger before he attempted to calm Tudor. "You are perfectly safe here. There is no way Aragopoulos could know you are here," Nick said soothingly with what little strength he could muster. For a second, Tudor seemed to be listening, then shook his head and stepped away from Nick, the terror in his eyes now directed at the detective. >>>----------> Marcus and Nicholas helped the four men on the porch inside and into the room with the other patients. Nicholas called upstairs to the farmer. "Talbot, would you be able to come down here, please? There is a soldier with horses outside that could use your assistance." "Be right down, Monsieur," came the farmer's voice from the top of the stairs. Moments later, Talbot exited the farmhouse and helped the soldier take the horses to the stable. Nicholas made his way to the supplies and pulled out several bundles of the ripped cloth, as well as a single basin full of brandy. He walked over to two of the men who seemed to be injured worse than the rest and set the basin down on the floor between them. He handed Marcus some of the bandages, and the two of them set to work cleaning the soldiers' wounds. As Nick worked, he noticed that although the uniforms on these men were Allied uniforms, badly torn and dirty, they didn't seem to fit very well. "You gentlemen have seen a bit of action. Where is the fighting now?" asked Marcus. The man who spoke to Nicholas at the door answered. "We came around from the south, near La-Haie, and we were ambushed." "The French have moved in that close?" inquired Nicholas. The man eyed Nicholas with scrutiny. "Wei." He shifted where he stood, and the two men having their wounds cleaned stirred as well. Eyes darted from one to the other nervously. Marcus concentrated on his work and did not see the uneasiness that Nicholas sensed. He cleaned the wounds in front of him, then examined each with a scrutiny only a true doctor would have. The vampire admired the doctor and his dedication to his profession. He had only rarely met a doctor of Marcus' abilities, and he was considering sharing his secret with the man, in hopes that Marcus would accept the challenge that Nicholas presented. Suddenly there was a thud on the floor behind Nicholas, and he whirled around to see what had caused it. There lay the fourth soldier, unconscious. Nicholas moved over to check him out, and after a brief examination, discovered a severe head wound at the base of his skull. "Marcus...," Nicholas called. Marcus jumped up and moved over next to Nicholas, who showed him the man's injury. Marcus examined the man, checking his pulse for the nature of his blood, his breathing, his eyes and reflexes. He placed his hand over the wound and sighed. "There is internal bleeding, and the blood is probably pooling inside his head. I will need to perform surgery to stop the bleeding," explained Marcus. "You want to cut his head open?" the first soldier cut in, his hand on his sword hilt ready to draw. "You're going to kill him." Marcus looked up at the soldier who was speaking. "No. I know it can be done. It is risky, but if I don't do it, he will surely be dead by morning." The soldier looked skeptical and addressed Nicholas. "What do you think?" Nicholas shrugged. "He is a better doctor than I. If he says it can be done, I believe him." The soldier relaxed a little bit and released his grip from his sword. As the man's hand left the hilt, Nicholas caught a glimpse of a familiar crest: a French crest belonging to one of the nobles under Napoleon. He looked away quickly. "Help me move him over to one of the beds," Nicholas asked the first soldier, who quickly bent down to assist Nicholas. Gently the vampire lifted the man's upper half, carefully supporting his head and shoulders, while the first soldier (and apparent leader) supported the lower half. The two moved the unconscious man to one of the empty beds. Nicholas then handed him a brandy-dampened bandage and directed his hand to the man's wound. "Apply pressure here and hold it. It will lessen the bleeding." The man did as he was told, and Nicholas walked back over to Marcus who had moved to start preparing for surgery. "Wait, Marcus," Nick stopped him. They were only a couple of dozen feet from the closest soldier, so Nick whispered. "French." The doctor's eyes widened. "But their uniforms?" "Stolen." The expression on Marcus' face was one of disbelief. "How do you know?" "They don't fit. And the leader's sword. It's French." "He could have picked that up in battle." "Yes, but there are other things. Trust me." "What should we do? That man needs surgery. Should I let him die because he is French?" "He would gladly let you die if the roles were reversed. No, you must go for help." Then Nicholas raised his voice so everyone could hear. "I cannot assist you on this operation, Doctor. You need someone more skilled than I." Marcus tentatively suggested, "You could go to the Mont-St.-Jean farm and ask their doctor to come help us." Marcus glanced at the leader and noticed that he was listening. Nicholas thought about the situation he would leave the doctor in if he left for help. Marcus was a good man and an excellent doctor, but he knew nothing of war or of how to deal with enemy soldiers. Surely the French would sacrifice the one unconscious soldier in order to kill the proficient doctor and the recovering Allied soldiers. Nicholas knew that he did not have Marcus' skill as a doctor, but he also did not trust that Marcus could handle the enemy soldiers should they discover that he knew the truth about them. "No, you must go. I do not know how to explain this man's injuries, and I would not be able to make sure that I am bringing the right doctor." Nicholas wondered if Marcus was going to disagree with him. Marcus looked at Nicholas, his expression closely guarded, making it hard to see through to what he was thinking. "If you think it best," he answered. "I do," Nicholas responded, relieved. "I will have the farmer prepare a horse for you." Nicholas moved toward the front door. The leader cut him off. "No, you must stay here and help with the other men. I will send the officer outside to accompany the good doctor to the Mont-St.-Jean farm. There are French not far from here, and we wouldn't want the good doctor to be harmed on his mission of mercy, now would we?" Nicholas looked the leader in the eyes, felt the man's heartbeat, and sorely wished that he was alone with the man. "No," he answered. "We don't want anything to happen to him." Marcus smiled weakly. "I shall be glad of the protection," he lied. He walked toward the door and took one last glance back at Nicholas, worry clearly written across his brow. He exited the cabin and closed the door behind him. Nicholas wondered if he would ever see him again. <----------<<< Tudor's nervous voice broke into Nick's memories. "What are you trying to do to me?" the student said while backing further away from the detective. A slightly puzzled expression crossed Nick's face. What went wrong? It worked before, and Tudor was not a resister. "You're wrong, anyway," Tudor insisted. "It's not safe here, and what good has your partner done anyway?" Nick shook off his puzzled thoughts. "He's finding evidence that will lead us straight to the killer," Nick answered, beginning to feel relatively certain he could have done the job better and faster. It was Schanke's voice, sharp and clear in his memory, that reminded him of how he always dominated the cases that they were on together, and that it was about time he let Adam have a chance to run the show, even if it did take a little longer. "You already have the evidence you need. That tape I brought you says it all. You don't need to look any further," shouted the student. Nick sighed. "The tape was inconclusive," he simply stated. "We need something more solid." Tudor growled loudly and stormed toward one of the bedrooms, leaving Nick alone in the living room with his own thoughts. (to be continued ...) -------------------------------------------- For more information or to participate in the Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season, write to V4S@fkfanfic.com.