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Station 45 - home of Anderson Cleary, the youngest Chief in the history of Cascade. This man gave his all for the station. He brought it back from the brink of closure as a Captain. He remodeled the building, made sure that everything out of date was improved and replaced. However, the station soon came upon turmoil as it was torn in half by the actions of two men. Even after all the close calls he had gone through, nothing could take him away from his beloved station and job. That was until his life was taken in the performance of his duties. It left the station in shock of losing their leader and friend.
As they gave the highly decorated hero his final ride on the truck and laid him to rest, a new threat came to Station 45 and the two others in the city. A pyromaniac was about to make his mark on the city and give this station a new threat to face without their leader. This wasn't their only problem. The actions of two men a few weeks before Anderson's death left the station torn. Five crew members and a Captain was replaced and left a gap in the personnel. Now this burden rests upon the shoulders of a new Chief and old friend to Anderson - Gavin O'Leary.
Chris Walker Police Officer Officer First Class member is offline
When no one else cares, why should I?
Joined: Nov 2007 Posts: 192 Karma: 0
My Saving Grace « Thread Started on Sept 2, 2009, 3:07pm »
Chris was running hard, trying to escape those who were following him, but their footsteps kept drawing closer, no matter how fast he ran. He was dashing through back alleys and zig-zagging through the foot traffic on the sidewalks, and still they followed. He eventually quit glancing over his shoulder at them, the tall men in dark clothing who were as agile and athletic as he was. The one glance he'd taken had been enough to tell him that he needed to run as far as he could to get away. Trained eyes couldn't miss the dull blued metal that was held in their hands as they pursued him. If they wanted him dead, they'd have to catch him first.
He rounded a corner, breathing hard, and ran head-on into a familiar face. Rather, the ring was familiar. There was no mistaking the jewel-encrused D set in the bevel, especially when he'd been wearing one eerily similar until a couple short months ago. He knocked Chris to the cement, and he could hear the other footfalls approaching. 'Shit', he thought, and scrambled to his feet. The man clutched at Chris' jacket, and he left him with it still in his hands as he tore away from his followers.
Chris awoke, breathing hard. He'd been having these dreams for nearly a week now, and they usually ended with him bleeding in some dirty alley where no one was likely to find him for a little while. Tonight, he'd woken himself up before he'd been caught. If he was a superstitious person, he'd likely take that as an omen, but he wasn't, and was actually trying to forget all about the court date looming. Unfortunately his mind had been working overtime long after his body clocked off, and he couldn't forget that he was set to testify. He glanced at his watch and groaned. 3:00am. He was due in court in five hours, and he was scared.
Not that he would admit that to anyone. He was trying to keep his fears at bay to reassure Bel and Alex. They too understood the dangers associated with this case, and he didn't want to see either of them hurt. He'd grown protective of Bel, just as she had grown protective of him, and he'd even accepted the federal agent into the screwed up family-like group that they'd formed. They had to be a family now, because there was nothing stronger than family ties, and they needed to stick together now even more than ever. With any luck, it would all soon come to an end, and they could focus on rebuilding the city. God knew this trial was going to tear down quite a few walls in the city, and they were likely to be mopping up blood from the streets for some time to come. But, success meant getting rid of the top dog. That was big.
Rolling over onto his side, he pulled the covers up under his chin and tried to go back to sleep. In another three hours his alarm would go off, and he'd start getting ready. Until then, he wanted to try to get a few more hours sleep, considering rest had come hard for the past little while. Surprisingly enough, he managed to fall asleep again - into a deep sleep not fraught by the vivid dreams that had been haunting him. It seemed like only minutes had passed before he was shaken from his slumber and he forced himself out of bed. In the silence of the dawn, he could hear the stirrings of the others in the house. It was an important day, after all - he doubted they'd gotten much sleep either.
He pulled his clothes from the closet and laid them on the bed before heading and taking a shower. The hot water was working wonders to clear his head and wake him up. The only thing that could do a better job would be a cup of coffee, and that was coming up next. With any luck, the caffeine would calm his jitters a bit. He'd had that feeling in his stomach for a few days now, and couldn't shake it. He could hardly eat and wasn't sleeping well. It was that sinking feeling - like there was a ball of lead settling in your gut. The same one that usually preceeded something bad.
Chris returned to his room wearing nothing but his towel wrapped around his waist, water dripping from his hair. The first thing he noticed was that someone had been in there - there was a Kevlar vest sitting on the bed next to the clothes he had chosen to wear. He figured that was Bel's handiwork and it made him smile as he got dressed. She obviously was planning for the worst too, and if she was thinking anywhere along the lines that he was, she would be thinking that the bullet proof vest was a conservative measure. Hopefully it wouldn't be put to the test. And, if it was, hopefully they weren't using hollowpoints.
« Last Edit: Sept 2, 2009, 9:02pm by Chris Walker »
Re: My Saving Grace « Reply #1 on Sept 5, 2009, 2:40am »
Bel hadn't slept for a couple of days prior to the court date. She was worried about Talvin's little mafia trying to pull something hard and fast. Chances were, nothing would happen until the day of the trial, but that still didn't mean a whole heck of a lot. Finally, somewhat listless but still hyperaware, she had collapsed on her boyfriend, fighting sleep with everything she had. Alex had more or less shoved a sleeping pill down her throat. She had passed out on the couch half an hour later just as an episode of Twilight Zone was finishing up. She didn't remember him carrying her to bed, but considering she had woken up there at five with him combing her hair with his fingers, she could only assume.
Fortunately, Alex had become a lot more receptive of Bel's family, especially since they had been frequently dropping in on the little threesome to make sure things were going alright. Once Talvin had been arrested, they came by more frequently, and Ivan and Micha were both in town with Maxim checking in weekly. The two boys had managed to work out their business so that they could manage and micromanage from Cascade without adding to the crime ratings of the city. Bel figured they were working a few things, but with her about to go up before court, she knew they wouldn't do much. Least of all do something someone might notice. If they were doing anything, they were doing it Italian style, too. She knew them well enough that she knew they would use this little disrupt in power to shift things in their favor.
For a long time, she just lay in bed, snuggled against Alex. The three would be in a great deal of danger today in court. Alex and Bel would be in the court room the entire time. Neither Alex nor Bel would be armed, but each would have three armed and uniformed officers with them at all times. As would Chris. That didn't include the Russians that would be around, both inside and outside of the court house. Not only was Bel one of them, it was a wonderful opportunity for the Russians to try and figure on a way of shoving out another family and stepping in. Normally, they wouldn't traverse on Draconi territory, but with so much break down starting at the top and working its way down instead of the opposite way of starting low and working up, this was the opportunity of a life time. It was also incredibly dangerous.
Hearing Chris in the shower, she finally scooted out of bed, shivering in the cold that hit her body. Stretching, she grabbed one of Alex's Kevlar vests from the closet they now shared and took it to Chris' room. Both she and Alex would have one as well. But, Chris would probably need it the most. Back in her own room, she pulled her Starkova 'S' from her jewelry box. It held the same idea as the 'S' that everyone else had, but this was personalized and more feminized than the jewelry her cousins had. It was a necklace form, not ring form, and was a Orobourous snake with two tiny rubied eyes encircling an intricate, gothic 'LS' held by an angel not unlike that angel so frequently seen protecting the dead. When people asked about it, she told them the letters were the beginning and then the end to the Latin phrase 'liberate te ex inferis' meaning 'save yourself from hell.' Honestly, it stood for 'Lucy Starkova,' but the phrase Bel had found had been so oddly fitting that she had adapted it to that. Her cousins approved at any rate. And, since it had been a gift from them less than a month ago to help give her some comfort that she was being well kept after she had a nervous breakdown in front of Ivan, Micha, and Alex and finished half a bottle of vodka to herself despite drinking so rarely she was drunk after the first two shots, she felt a measure of comfort that it was meant to offer.
Feeling Alex begin to get ready behind her, she pulled her hair into a smart looking ponytail. She didn't want to be too severe, but she didn't want to look like a ditz. So, she settled on femininely tomboyish and tossed on a pressed set of slacks and a light blue blouse and jacket to hide the lines the Kevlar would make. That settled, she headed to the kitchen for coffee, still playing with the token around her neck. Automatically, she prepared the coffe maker, now muscularly geared to scoop enough coffee for three people. By the time it finished, Chris was coming into the kitchen, and she gave him a half hearted smile. "You ready?" she asked him. Chris had been exhonerated from the charges brought against him by the suspicions of the police department and by Talvin himself. Someone else was in charge of IS, and Bel had checked-- no record of mafia alliance, even from what her cousins had been able to find.
Surprisingly, the DA had made only a half hearted attempt at a plea. Essentially, the offer was to plead guilty and spare people the pain of a trial. It was obviously not an honest attempt, but it had been offered simply because it had been requested by Talvin's attorney. Bel was relieved to know they had a solid case even without officer and agent testimony. And, since Chris's written statements backed up with evidence to prove them, if Chris became too freaked out, they would be able to get by without his testimony. However, with it, they had the case in the bag. The US Marshal service was already in play to get Chris out of Cascade and somewhere safe the moment either a) the trial was over or b) Bel was no longer able to offer him a safe haven. Of course, all the Feds thought the DEA was somehow involved in his protection. They were, but they were the front men. Hey, if it meant knocking the head of the Italian mafia off his feet for a little while, and possibly getting him a death sentence, it was well worth it to them. Granted, they didn't know it was another mafia protecting Chris from the Italians, but what they didn't know would save them in the long run.
Knowing Who You Are Is Half The Battle. But, It's One That I'm Winning.
Chris Walker Police Officer Officer First Class member is offline
When no one else cares, why should I?
Joined: Nov 2007 Posts: 192 Karma: 0
Re: My Saving Grace « Reply #2 on Sept 5, 2009, 8:05am »
Right now, Chris didn't doubt that there were officers sweeping the downtown, looking for anything out of the ordinary. He'd seen it once when he'd been assigned as one of the State Troopers that were to protect the Governor of Maine. They'd been out with the bomb dogs and had examined every possible angle long before the Governor passed through. Chris was considered 'kind of a big deal' at this point, and his testimony was important. Of course, they had it all on paper in case he was unable to testify, but he fully intended on taking the stand. He'd managed to live this long with the help of his friends, and he had to repay them. He wanted to give that much back to the city that needed it so badly. Chris wanted to be the one to hammer that final nail in Talvin's coffin home.
Chris was even tolerant of the Russians that had been stopping by. Not that they liked him any more than they had, but it seemed as though Bel had laid the ground rules and they were abiding by them. Not that they had much choice, he figured. Bel still wore the pants, even though she didn't want to be associated with them. It was actually becoming amusing to watch her argue with them - mostly because he knew that she would win. He wasn't stupid though - he knew why they were hanging around so much, and actually staying in the city. Chris just chose not to think about it.
There were so many variables to this little story the three of them were writing. It was like one of those books where you chose your own ending. Chris had chosen his when he'd agreed to take the stand and have his day in court. He just didn't want to drag Bel and Alex down with him. They were in too deep now, though, to change the ending. All they could do is hope to prevent something that was almost inevitable. He'd thought about this so much in the past week that he would actually be surprised if something didn't happen today, either in the courtroom or on the way there. Talvin had a lot of friends, and a lot of them had power, and Chris was the ultimate enemy at the moment. He'd been on the inside of the family one minute, and in a heartbeat he'd flipped to the good side. With his help, the Dracosi Family was going to fall. He just hoped that they would stay down.
Upstairs, Chris was trying to calm his mind, which was still working overtime, trying to cover all the angles in his head before he even stepped out the door. They would have an escort there, and he knew he'd be surrounded by uniformed officers the whole time, but that offered him little solace. If a Dracosi wanted him dead, odds were he'd end up on a slab at the morgue. That was how they rolled. It was nice to know that the charges that had been filed against him had disappeared, but he also knew that picking up the broken pieces of his life from where he'd left off would be impossible now. He'd have to leave Cascade if he wanted to live, and frankly, he wanted to keep breathing.
Chris got dressed, and headed downstairs with his suit jacket slung over one arm. The vest he was wearing wouldn't be so obvious when he put the jacket on, but anyone with half a brain would expect him to be wearing one. It actually felt weird to be wearing one again, given that he hadn't worn one since he'd been wearing his badge, and a lot of time had passed since then. He headed down to the kitchen, the smell of the freshly brewed coffee luring him in. He returned Bel's smile as he brushed by her to get a mug, pouring himself a steaming cup of the joe. Accustomed to the scalding liquid, he took a sip almost immediately, catching Bel's question. "No", he said rather flatly. There simply was no preparing yourself for this kind of thing, either physically or mentally.
"I wish I was, but I probably never will be", he told her as he took another sip. He just wanted this to be over already, and he was hoping that the trial wouldn't be drawn out like a lot of them tended to be. The case was essentially cut and dry - but that wouldn't stop Talvin's lawyer from arguing every little bit of evidence they brought forward. Being as dedicated to bringing the head of the Family down as Bel and Alex were was helping him be confident enough for cross, but he didn't doubt that the defense attorney would do his best to chew him up when he had him on stand. That wasn't the biggest of his worries though, and he knew Bel was thinking the exact same thing he was.
"What about you?", he asked, leaning on the counter and looking at her with an appraising eye. Stress, of this magnitude was bad for her health, as he'd already discovered. Their lives would change forever, starting today. The change, he hoped, would be for the better, and not for the worst. Cascade, however, wasn't exactly known for being a bright spot of sunshine and happiness, and it was hard to be optimistic.
Re: My Saving Grace « Reply #3 on Sept 5, 2009, 3:33pm »
Bel swallowed her coffee, drinking it black this morning instead of all sugared up. She just needed a straight shot of cafeine right now to get her through the day. Her immune system was weak, but mostly because she neglected herself when dealing with a difficult case. She simply forgot that she needed nurishment. However, she bounced back rather quickly, her body accustomed to healing itself. Some of it was her diebeties. Most of it was residual effects from being the mafia's lowest of the low bitch since her mother, a daughter of the mafia though still very low on the totem pole, had died when she was young. Her 'Uncle,' though anything but by blood, hadn't had children. When he had died, since she had been the closest thing, he had basically left her the Starkova mafia, the top Russian mafia in a lot of States, though they predominantly based out of New York.
That having been said, Alex had been her savior through all this, reminding her to eat regularly and eat healthy so her blood sugar didn't wind up out of wack. She hadn't liked it, but he had been insistent on sleeping pills when she was awake too long. Her general insomnia had increased exponentially. All of theirs had. The case had landed her in the hospital once, and he saw to it that she didn't end up there again. She had been Chris's rock. Alex had been hers. Chuckling, she set her mug down. "I'm ready to get this over with," she said, "but ready to walk through those court house doors and actually do this? It seems so unreal."
She shook her head. She felt like a hypocrite assisting in putting Talvin behind bars when she probably should be in the sam place herself. That, more than the stress of having her life threatened and the lives of both Alex and Chris, caused the majority of her stress, though she couldn't exactly confide that in anyone. The many cases she had helped bring in didn't excuse in her mind, the crimes she allowed to continue. She didn't fear her family if she turned them in. She feared herself. Her ability to distance herself from the personalization of what her cousins did-- the narcotics, the people, the individual victims-- disgusted her, and she didn't think she could ever face it. If no one knew, she could pretend it didn't exist. But that still left the raging question in her head of whether she was mostly good for being a cop fighting on that side of the law or if she was mostly corrupt for not taking action when both law and morality said she should. With a sigh, she shook her head again as if to clear her thoughts.
"You're gunna feel a little like the president today," she reminded him, "five vehicles. Alex and I will be armed and with you in which ever sedan they decide you get to go in." All the cars were different colors. All would have someone 'secretly' placed into a car. Four of the someone's would be federal agents who had worked the Dracosi case sometimes seventy two plus hours straight. Each car would take a different route to the courthouse. None of the police officers at the PD knew about the plan. Too many worked for Talvin for their tastes. Still, Bel didn't think that the house wasn't being watched. Someone would likely try something. After all, no one took too kindly to having their familial leader brought down.
Looking up at him, she held her cup close to her chest, feeling the warmth of it radiate even through her vest. "Do you have any questions?" she asked. She would be carrying her police radio to listen to that airwave traffic, but also a radio to communicate with the other drivers should there be an emergency. The hope was nothing would happen. The reality was that something likely would. There would be five agents in the car including Alex and Bel with Chris. Bel thought it unlikely that she or Alex would be prime targets. They had done a lot less to piss off Talvin than Chris had, and, most likely, Talvin was blaming it all on Chris. Not that she blamed the man, but that didn't make it okay to whack him mafia style. After this, though, she realized that she would probably never see Chris again once the whole thing was over. It made her kind of sad, though the man would be safer elsewhere. At least, for the next several years. The Marshals would never allow for him to contact someone from Cascade, or anyone from his past for that matter. She knew the Marshals were hoping for an attack because staging an attack was always more difficult. Still, they could make it seem like he had been killed so easily that no one would even question it. It was what they did, and they were damn good at it.
Knowing Who You Are Is Half The Battle. But, It's One That I'm Winning.
Chris Walker Police Officer Officer First Class member is offline
When no one else cares, why should I?
Joined: Nov 2007 Posts: 192 Karma: 0
Re: My Saving Grace « Reply #4 on Sept 7, 2009, 3:09pm »
Without Bel, Chris would have been long since dead. His body wouldn't have likely been found either. Not only had she been his rock throughout all of this, she'd harbored him, putting her own career on the line, and now she had him lined up to help take down a criminal mastermind, so to say. Talvin had pulled the wool over many peoples eyes, and that many more decided to simply look the other way. Having him working in IA just set the perfect scene, where he could keep those officers affiliated with the family on the streets. And, on the flip side, he could eliminate those who knew too much - like Chris. Chris didn't doubt that it had been Talvin that had dropped his name when the Marin case came up.
He sipped on his coffee, not feeling entirely confident at this point. "I'm ready to get this over with too", he sighed, his shoulders sinking a bit. If he could make it through this mess unscathed, he'd be surprised, but he could always hope. He wasn't exactly exuding confidence either, but he was trying to remain strong. He knew he didn't have to tell Bel what he was thinking about, but his hopes were that if he just didn't mention it, that everything would be fine. In reality, this whole thing did feel surreal. In just a few short months, they'd managed to build a rock solid case against the Dracosi leader, and they were now going to bring him up on the charges. Chris was confident of their odds of coming out on top in the case, even without his testimony, in case something were to happen. Talvin was screwed, and was likely to go away for a long time.
Chris felt a bit like a hypocrite too, just like Bel, but from a different side. She was in deep with the Russians, even if she wanted to deny it. Chris, on the other hand, had been in deep alongside Talvin. Talvino Dracosi the mafia head - or Talvin Drake the cop - either or - had been a friend to Chris when he'd needed a friend the most. He couldn't count the times he'd turned to Talvin for help, seeking advice from him when he'd felt the heat from Sergeant Chase, and again listening to his advice when he was laid up in the hospital after being shot. Talvin had been there when no one else was, falsely luring him into the family that he'd never escape from.
'A president that's gonna be assassinated', he thought, but didn't voice. Bel knew it - that's why Chris had found a vest set out for him as a precaution. You couldn't be too careful when you were playing with fire, which essentially they were. He'd learned a long time ago that when you played with fire, you were going to get burned. All he could hope was that they were able to extinguish this fire before he ended up on the receiving end. He couldn't blame those loyal to the Family for wanting him dead. After all, if he were still loyal to Talvin, he'd do anything in his power to protect him. He didn't doubt that those left who were fiercely loyal would try something. In fact, he was convinced the Marshals were counting on it.
He shook his head before taking another sip of coffee. Clearing his throat, he spoke. "No, no questions". He just wanted to put this whole mess behind him, even though that meant putting his whole life behind him as well. That was the part he wasn't looking forward too so much. He'd have to leave Bel behind, and he felt as though he owed her so much - a huge favor that he'd never be able to repay. Inside his jacket, there was a letter with Bel's name on it. If things went smoothly, he'd destroy it. If something happened, he'd do his best to make sure it found her hands. That was his way of being prepared, and he truly hoped she'd never have to read it. Taking a long pull from the half-empty mug in his hands, he stared at the floor. The caffeine was waking him up, but doing a poor job of easing his nerves.
||Life is nothing but a competition to be the criminal rather than the victim||
Alastair Camden Special Agent Drug Enforcement Administration member is offline
They don't pay me enough to put up with you.
Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 24 Karma: 0
Re: My Saving Grace « Reply #5 on Sept 8, 2009, 12:50pm »
Alex had barely slept throughout the night despite giving Bel one of the sleeping pills her doctor had perscribed to her. While he had grown to tolerate the mafia family Bel had, he still wasn't sure he trusted them. He knew they wouldn't let anything happen to Bel. She was family. They wouldn't let anything happen to Chris. He was a big tool in the power play. And, he wasn't even really worried about his own safety. He was pretty sure that's what Bel had been yelling about a couple weeks back when Ivan had gone off on Alex. It was all in Russian, though, so Alex stood by pretty stupidly. He knew German fluently enough that he understood she was threatening... what had it been, oh, yes, his balls and something about a frying pan. Alex could only imagine, but he wouldn't put anything past Bel. She not only had the guts, she had the resources and the smarts to do just about anything. Unfortunately, he also more than liked her which was getting him into a rough spot. Oddly, though, he didn't mind.
He had rolled out of bed shortly after Bel rose, waiting until she had showered before disappearing to take one of his own so she could dress in peace. That was something he had noticed she preferred, and he left her to it. He had dressed quickly, but been slow heading down the stairs since he needed to make a few phone calls. Finishing up, he joined the little crew downstairs, pouring himself a cup of strong, black joe. God, he needed it. "The guys should be here in a moment," he said, referring to the decoy agents, "feel like the president?" Shit, he felt like he was on president detail again. What a nightmare. This, though, was gunna be worse. He could feel it in his bones, and if not today, then closer to the end of the trial. After all, this shit was going to be dragged out for at least three months. Longer if the judge let the defense attorney have his way.
Moving to stand behind Bel, Alex put his coffee mug down and absently massaged her neck. It was just a habit for him to do now. It helped both his stress and hers. He had offered Chris to work out some of his knots, but the offer hadn't yet been taken up. Alex just figured it was a comfort level thing, but his friend was a massage therapist, and he had taught Alex a few things. Now, it was simply a waiting game. There was nothing more to it. It kind of irked him that there was nothing more they could do at this point in time.
Re: My Saving Grace « Reply #6 on Sept 11, 2009, 10:35pm »
Bel nodded, hugging her mug to her. This just wasn't right. Not only could she feel the shift in the air like weights on a scale, there was just something so very off about the whole thing. It was as if, assuming they existed in the televised world, this would be a major turning point in the plot. Maybe it was just because this was so huge in their lives. Not everyone brought down a mafia head. But, seeing Talvin so easily taken down by someones with insider information made her worry about herself. Those who knew she was Lucy would never breathe a word, and her files were so sealed up, even Alex had had a difficult time getting to them, even just the PG things. However, she was still the clan head, despite not being active in her duties. It was why they were alive now. The feds were good, but not nearly as good as blood thirsty men with a mind to kill anyone they pleased. That was the life of a criminals. Laws did not apply. They didn't have to see weapons, to feel threatened. No, her family took people out that they simply did not want there. And, in some ways, so did Bel. She was a hypocrite. But, more than that, she was extremely vulnerable, and it had taken the beheading, however temporary, of the Dracosi family in order for her to see that. And, to be fair, it was not difficult to run things from within a prison cell. The Bloods and the Crypts did that, and they were not nearly as extensive as the Mafia or the Bratva. Bel's 'uncle' had run the Bratva from inside Rikers in isolation. How, she never could figure out, but he had made it seem easy. And, the worst of it was, it was probably very easy. Which meant, they were separating the head from the body, but not debilitating it.
Alex came in, and she gave him the same half hearted, 'good morning' smile she had given Chris. She snorted a little when he made the comment about feeling like the president, but she had been on the same thought train as her men. Maybe feeling a little like Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, or Kennedy but with more warning than any of them had. At his touch, she tried to relax, but found it difficult. Not that it was odd, but she still settled into her chair a tiny bit more as he attempted to at least get her to calm down. He was a good guy, very solid, very stable, very everything she wasn't. Other than the fact that they were both intelligent law enforcement agents, and now that Bel had officially been placed on payroll-- the DEA was paying for her to work now, not the PD, for this case at least. After that, she might be kept on at a zero salary as an information specialist, but it really all depended on what Chase wanted. Ideally, she would love to transfer to the DEA permanently. But, the chances of that happening were pretty slim.
Bel flinched as Alex hit on a particularly painful knot. Instinctively, she grabbed his hand, her fingers squeezing tightly before she let his go. He hadn't tried to hurt her, and she had to keep those things in mind. It was difficult to adjust to, that a relationship didn't have to be controling or abusive. Derek had been an angel, but she just hadn't been ready. She questioned now whether or not she was, but she was letting her heart do the walking. For now, she had convinced herself she would cope with the pain when it walked her right over an emotional cliff. Not that she wasn't balanced precariously on one as it was.
With a sigh, she let Alex get back to work, so to speak, her hand resting absently on her own shoulder. "It's gunna be a long day. Chris, don't forget, if you even think anything, I mean anything is off, signal us, okay. The prosecutor knows the signal, too, and he'll stop everything until we figure out what's going on." The signal was fairly easy, but not something he was likely to do out of stress. If he saw something or felt threatened by someone in the small crowd inside the court room he was meant to adjust the microphone and rub his shoulder. On the way into the court room, if he felt too uncomfortable with something, he was supposed to grab Bel's hand, since she would be walking next to him, and squeeze hard. Bel had her own hand movements to give, but she would be connected to the other agents via ear piece and a shirt microphone clipped to her blouse. "The important thing is to get through this safely and in one piece." Or, at least, alive.
Knowing Who You Are Is Half The Battle. But, It's One That I'm Winning.
Chris Walker Police Officer Officer First Class member is offline
When no one else cares, why should I?
Joined: Nov 2007 Posts: 192 Karma: 0
Re: My Saving Grace « Reply #7 on Sept 12, 2009, 3:31pm »
Chris kept telling himself that this couldn't be real. Talvin couldn't fall this easily. After all, the man had been leading a double life for so long, and had evaded capture the whole time, that it all seemed too simple. There had to be something else to it. But, things had been going smoothly so far, much to his relief. With Bel and Alex's help, Chris had managed to live this long, and if they had anything to do about it, he'd make it through the trial unharmed. That, at least, was his hopes. Still, he could feel the tension in the air like the growing electricity before a thunderstorm. He didn't feel comfortable even leaving the house, let alone going downtown. There were a lot of vantage points, and he doubted that they could clear them all. There would be a lot of people there too. He wouldn't be able to breathe until this was all over and done with.
Then, Alex walked into the room and the atmosphere changed again. Though Chris tolerated the agent and had come to accept the man as part of his new, screwed up, complicated family structure, he was still on edge around him. Maybe it was an overprotective big brother thing, since Bel seemed a lot like a sister to him, and he wasn't ignorant to what was happening between the two of them. Still, Chris stiffened a little when Alex entered the kitchen. Chris leaned comfortably against the counter, trying to act calm and collected, though it was hard to do when so many negative thoughts were running through his head. The trick was to not let his mind run away on him. That would leave him in a sorry state.
He stared at the floor as Alex gave Bel a massage. He couldn't wait until the rest of them got there so they could get this little show on the road. The sooner he was sitting inside of that courtroom, the better. He felt that the biggest threat would be on the outside of the courthouse, and not on the inside, and he had voiced those concerns. They'd come up with subtle movements to tip off the agents that something was amok, and Chris was hoping that he wouldn't have to signal them. "You don't need to tell me twice - it's not like I'm gonna be letting my guard down", he told her. Then she spoke of making it through this mess safely, but there was no safe way through it. They'd thrown their safety net out of the window when Talvin had been arrested. "As long as we're all still breathing come the end of this - that's all that matters", he said quietly. Getting the verdict they wanted would just be gravy.
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