You are MINE (closed)

[susurrus]

Greg nodded, then went to the phone and called the station. The cop on the other end asked if he knew what hour it was and how the hell was he going to get a detail together until morning. Greg told him he didn't care how it happened, but it needed to be done, the people were in imminent danger.

It took another twenty minutes of convincing, but eventually there was capitulation on the other end of the phone.

Meanwhile, Lance and Gabriella had started the search for more cameras.

"There should be two cops out here to keep an eye on the Dozonsky's within the hour," he told Gabriella, who was on a chair, pulling down yet another camera from.the living room.

"Lance, can you check the hallway, the stairwell and maybe even the parking area? I'd bet they bugged more than just the apartment."

Lance had been in the bathroom. He found just one more cam in there, but even he wondered, 'Who the hell points a camera at the fucking toilet?'

When Greg made the suggestion to do a more thorough search outside the apartment proper, he nodded, then headed out to do just that.

Outside, the cams were tougher to spot, and higher up on the wall. More than a kitchen chair was going to be necessary to get rid of them.

Remembering he had a can of spray paint in his jeep, he ran down to get it. When he returned, he got a chair from Gabriella's, pointed the spray can at the camera - a good two feet or so above his reach - and gave the cam a shot. It took two tries, but the camera was all but disabled by black paint.

He then searched and found two more, giving them the same treatment. Another overlooked the stairwell, one more on the entry door on the inside, and it took some looking in the dark, but he even discovered one over the entry door outside.

He wasn't sure how it was going to be possible to see the damn tiny things in the parking area, but figured the main points had been found, so he headed back up to see how the others had done...

 

[Asa]

Gabriella was resisting every urge to call Alexi and the others as they finished the apartment. After a thought she had been very careful as to not touch them directly wondering if fingerprints could be gotten from them

These are so small gloves would not have probably been worn to place them. So should you run them to precinct to test for fingerprints?

Holding out a little Ziploc bag she had knocked some into.

 

[susurrus]

Greg had discovered a couple cameras when Gabriella held out a plastic bag with a couple inside. "Think you could get some prints off these?"

Taking the bag, he said, "Only one way to find out. There won't be anybody in the lab at this hour. I'll drop them off in the morning." Stepping up to her, he wrapped his arms around her, and discovered she was tense as could be. "I'm so sorry about this. I had no idea, or when this could have happened. There had to have been some kind of bullshit story they told, to get someone to let them in. While I'm taking these in to work, maybe in the morning you can ask and find out who came, when, and the story they gave."

About this time, there was a light knock on the door. It was doubtful it was anybody but Lance, so Greg left Gabriella where she stood and let him in. Indeed, Lance stood in the doorway with a spray can in his hand.

"Little fuckers were too high on the wall to reach without a proper ladder, so I improvised," he said, holding up the can.

Greg showed him the bag with the cams in it. "Gabriella wants me to check these for fingerprints. It's unlikely Vince was here in person, but you never know."

"I know it's late," Lance started, "but you want to head to your place and see if you were bugged, too?

"I was going to say no, but I'm kind of thinking we should go there, even if it is, because chances are good, somebody just saw us pull their little spies off the wall, so they know we're on to them. If there are prints on these damn things, there are more than likely prints all over anything there might be at my place.

"Sorry, babe, but I gotta go. I want to keep them from stripping my place if it's been rigged out the way yours was. The more evidence we can collect, the better."

Almost as an afterthought, he added, "You can come along if you want."

 

[Asa]

She nodded.

Yeah... Let's get dressed and go. And trust me if anyone asked the old couple to let them in here they would have told me. Remember he had the codes to the door at the precinct according to the security footage.

She was angry... Scared... And pondering calling this late and unleashing hell with the only rule being hurt Greg and die.

 

[susurrus]

Greg followed Gabriella into the bedroom and changed, leaving Lance to wait. After a couple minutes, they were ready to go.

If there were cameras in the parking lot, whoever was watching would know they were leaving, but Greg understood the difficulty of tracking down any possible surveillance in this big an area.

At his place, on the way to his apartment, he looked in every corner, every possible location one of the tiny cameras could be hidden. He couldn't see anything but that didn't mean there was nothing there.

His door was still locked, as it should have been, and nothing looked out of place in the hallway.

Lance had brought his bat when he got out of his jeep. Greg hoped it wouldn't be needed. Still, he brought out his gun and unlocked the door slowly and quietly. While it was unlikely there was anyone inside, the way things were going, better to err on the side of caution.

Pushing the door open slowly, Greg was first inside. He quickly checked every room before giving the sign for the others to enter.

He almost said, "If there's anybody here, they're hiding," but he knew Gabriella was both frightened and mightily pissed off, and saying something like that wouldn't help.

"Let's give a look for cams, eh?" he said, hoping like hell they'd managed to miss his place...

 

[Asa]

She took off looking for cameras intently. Hoping she wouldn't find any but she would also not put anything past Vince.

Yeah... Get hunting

 

[susurrus]

Greg was beginning to think Vince or whoever had bugged Gabriella's place had managed to skip his.

Then, he saw it. Fuck. They'd been a little more careful placing the cams here. Then again, there was a little more pattern to the walls than at Gabriella's, so the tiny things were easier to hide.

"They're here," he called out to the others.
"They're just hidden better."

 

[Asa]

She handed him a few from the bedroom.

I know.

 

[susurrus]

Greg took the cams from Gabriella. "Shit. This is getting fucking nuts. I can have guys come through - ones whose job it is to find and neutralize such things - both your place and here and clean them up, but not till morning. Well, not till after daylight, I mean. I don't know about you, but I'm getting to where I need to get some sleep."

Lance jumped in. "You can come to my place if you want. Either that, or there's room for you on the couch in my office. Just barely, but at this point I don't think you can be too picky. That is, unless you like some fucking pervert watching your every move, even when you're on the toilet."

 

[Asa]

She looked to Greg to see where he would agree to unsure she was impressed with either option.

What do you think?

 

[susurrus]

Greg looked at Gabriella, then the clock, and groaned. "Shit. I have to go to work in a few hours. I'm not sure either Gabriella or I will sleep worth a damn tonight, no matter where we are. Regardless, there's a little hotel a few blocks over. It isn't the Hilton, but it's a reasonable bet there are no cameras in the rooms. No offense, Lance, but I think we'll see about a room there for the rest of the night."

 

[Asa]

Yeah... That's good let's go.

That side of her... That fear that Vince could always bring out no matter how cold cruel and heartless and ruthless she had become... She just needed to be close to Greg and feel safe.

 

[susurrus]

Lance shrugged. "Suit yourself. Just trying to be neighborly, y'know.? I get it, though. I'll clear out, then. Hope your guys can get stuff all sorted out."

Greg stepped up and grabbed Lance's hand. "Hey, thank you. Honestly. I... we really appreciate you letting us know about those cameras."

"It's no problem, man," Lance replied. "While the subject matter was right up my alley, I'd rather participate than watch. Besides, I knew how you'd react when you knew. And I was right, cause here we are at a bitch of a time of day, on the hunt for surveillance shit.

"Get the fuck out of here and get some sleep. It'll all be here when you wake up."

Grwg took Gabriella's hand and started toward the door. Lance stopped them. To Gabriella, he said, "I'm willing to try whatever it is you think I need to learn. I can't say I'll like it, and I'm pretty sure that's your idea. I won't guarantee I won't buck you all the way, but I'll let you take your best shot."

There was defiance in his capitulation, he heard it and he knew she did, too. However, it was the only way he'd get any attention from this woman, and since she'd hung her star on Greg, he'd do what he had to.

 

[Asa]

She just studied Lance's expression for a moment.

We will see what happens... Informing us of this has gained you reward... Perhaps tomorrow for now I am going to sleep

Turning she nodded to Greg.

Let's go

 

[susurrus]

Lance let Gabriella examine him after his offer. He had some basics as to what she intended for him, but for the most part he figured she had some frustrated aggression to get out, that even a rough fuck wasn't going to satisfy. He recognized the rage behind the fear. He'd seen it before. To a certain extent, he'd felt it before. There were times where the only way to gain satisfaction from being wound like a spring was to lash out in a violent fashion. It was a pretty good bet she wasn't going to turn thst fury on Greg. Lance knew she didn't like him already, so in lieu of any other thugs to eviscerate, he'd made the offer. He could take it..

He made no further comment as Greg gave him an odd look. As Greg locked up, Lance stood silently by, bat held loosely in his right hand.

Greg wasn't sure what Lance was about. He'd been told Gabriella's intention for him, and here he was, volunteering for whatever she intended to dish out. He wondered if even Lance woukd be able to withstand her, especially with everything she'd gone through lately. Greg could feel how on edge she was, how cornered she was feeling. There was a paranoia about her lately that she was hiding very well, but they'd been together long enough, he could read her body language fairly easily. With her, that paranoia was going to unleash itself at some point as a lash-back, because he knew she hated, HATED feeling cornered like this.

In the parking lot, Greg thanked Lance for cluing them.in on the cameras, particularly when he could have just kept his mouth shut and enjoyed the show.

Lance stayed tight-lipped. Somebody was trying to drag him into something. Yeah, his past wasn't spotless, but why the fuck show him that Gabriella's place was bugged? He hated not knowing whose head to bust.

He watched as Greg loaded Gabriella in the car, then gave a chin thrust to Greg's wave as they departed.

He stood there for another minute or so, trying to work out why all this shit was happening now, and after so long, but he knew he wasn't going to work it out at this hour, so he threw his bat in the jeep and headed for home, to catch whatever sleep he could...

***

The night clerk at the hotel seemed peeved to be bothered at such an hour. He'd probably been in the back, asleep, when the bell went off to tell him there were customers.

Greg was too damn tired to react to the clerk's obvious displeasure. He just wanted his key card so he could hopefully get some sleep.

 

[Asa]

Gabriella looked the desk clerk in the eyes. Barely veiling her irate mood.

Here is 300... We will be given a room... Now. No attitude no bs and if ANYONE comes here looking for us you will inform us immediately. Is that clear.

Her tone calm and cold as the grave her eyes just as cold and unfeeling as if challenging this person to cross her.

 

[susurrus]

The clerk's eyes went wide when Gabriella gave him her orders, but he said nothing. If this guy wanted to fuck such a hellcat at this hour, more power to him. This wasn't necessarily that kind of place, but when you're in the inkeeping business, you get all sorts...

Greg took the keys, grabbed Gabriella's hand and headed for their room. Inside, he flopped on the bed.

"Jesus, what a night," he mumbled into the comforter.

 

[Asa]

She sat down staring at her phone. It would be so easy to make that call right now. Hell even easier to get the rest of her personal weapons and go hunting herself. Tearing her eyes from her phone she looked to the bed.

Go to sleep you have work tomorrow.

While she wanted more at the moment she k ew he needed sleep. He had to get that stuff turned in to the lab and deal with his work. Not waking Alexi would mean she had more control over whoever got sent as well.

 

[susurrus]

Greg only barely heard Gabriella tell him to get some sleep. Next thing he knew, he was waking up, not really awake, but well aware he needed to get to work.

He sat up and found Gabriella sitting in the single chair in the room, phone clutched in her hand as if she was trying to decide whether or not to call.

He glanced at the clock, saw that it'd be necessary to get on his way in just under an hour.

"Been up the whole time?" he asked.

 

[Asa]

Yep...

She looked up and into his eyes. In that moment she was every bit of how she was with her uncle and brothers in Boston. That cold calculating lioness ready to attack or defend. A bottle of whiskey on the little table beside her. Standing she moved over to him kissing him softly. He was one of the few who she could always feel something for and be tender and loving with even when every fiber of her being was prepped for war.

Braddock will be the first arrival... If we need anyone else Bastien and Ram will swap with him. Alexi had the Mayor call the police commissioner... He knows there is a matter that requires a unique situations civilian "officers" presence. Braddock knows he answers to me and a lesser degree to you. He trusts you to help him not lose another sister.

 

[susurrus]

A shiver ran through Greg's body when his bleary eyes finally focused and saw the dead stare on Gabriella's face. He knew at that moment what had happened. He couldn't imagine the fear she felt, to have finally decided to make that call. Even without his protests, he knew that phone call was the last thing she wanted to make. He knew admitting she needed help, even against characters like the ones they'd come across recently, wasn't an easy one to make. She hid it behind, "I don't want to bother Alexi." What it really was, was: "I don't want to admit I need the help." It was a point he ackowledged, but one he wasn't going to shove in her face. Regardless, she was the toughest person he knew... and the prettiest.

She gave the rundown on the current plan, as he silently let her speak. Now that the call had been made, there was no sense in trying to change her mind. In fact, he wasn't sure she shouldn't have called sooner, even with him trying to convince her against it. He knew the limitations the police were bound to, and until there was a body laying on the ground somewhere, there wasn't a whole lot the police would be able to do.

Greg remembered Braddock. The wild card. Well, shit, maybe that's what this situation called for. He only hoped the others wouldn't be needed, or if they were, that they'd step aside and let due process take its course. Then again, due process never really worked so well for the types of people they were dealing with. Most of the time, they were just as dangerous inside as they were out. It wasn't a very cop-like attitude, but maybe, just maybe, due process for this kind of character entailed a bullet in the skull...

"Okay," Greg said after several beats. "I don't have to like it, but I understand.

"Underneath that stony exterior, how are you feeling?"

 

[Asa]

She sat down curling against him. She really didn't have the words. Vince terrified a part of her that no amount of drinking fighting or killing could eliminate. Fear is disgust that ran deeper than anything and yet was one thing she could hide so we'll still the same time.

You were the one that finally said call them remember... Last night... Had I called them then it would have been the whole damn army and Alexi. This way it's just Braddock crashing at my place predominantly unseen and me going about my life working with him and you and the bar.

 

[susurrus]

The way Gabriella curled up so tight against him without saying a word told Greg more than if she'd have gone on a huge, weepy rant. Greg couldn't remember telling her to call her family in, but a lot of the night before was something of a blur.

"In any event, the heavy muscle is on its way. Well, the heavier muscle, I guess," he said, giving her a squeeze. "I trust you when you say they'll be as discreet as possible. The ones I'm not so sure of are the guys they're coming for. Still, if this can get straightened out, it's best to get it over with, before it all spirals completely out of control."

For a few minutes, Greg just sat there with Gabriella and let her do what she did instead of crying. Finally, he told her, "I'm gonna have to clear out in a little bit. Mind taking a shower with me? I'm not really in the mood for sex right now, but some company would be appreciated."

 

[Asa]

She nodded to him and moved from the bed to strip for the shower.

Braddock is only to take care of Callis and his Ilk. Vince is mine to end unless it comes down to absolutely required help. Alexi thinks it would be best that way.

She added casually as she looked back to him walking into the bathroom.

 

[susurrus]

Greg laughed a little. "If Callis is a part of this, I'm sure Lance would want a shot at helping bring him down.

"And as for Vince, I might want to take a shot or two, myself, but after that, he's all yours."

He got up and started to undress. Gabriella was already nude. Her usual confidence was used up for the moment, and while she still looked stunning, her shoulders hunched a little and she seemed just a little smaller than usual.

Greg caught up to her and threw an arm around her waist. For the hard front she put on, she was still mighty soft...