by Erin R Flynn
“Thanks, Thomas, that would have bugged me,” he admitted.
“I know, sir,” I promised. We headed back to the hangar, and now that we’d added my bosses to the trip, I didn’t want to freak out again. Dain seemed to understand as I fell to the back of the group. He handed me the potion and gave me a worried look, but I downed it before I had a chance to freak out again.
I hoped he was able to catch me with the rash decision.
I woke when we landed, Dain in that same spot. I nodded I was okay, answering his unasked question.
“You’re sure?” he whispered quietly.
“Yes, but I’d like not to travel for a while still,” I admitted. “I need more time to not risk doing more damage. I’ve been working damn hard to handle what I should in a healthy way, and I feel fragile now.”
“I’m sorry, Thomas,” the president apologized, his eyes full of concern. “Really, I am. I didn’t—”
“I know, Mr. President,” I forgave, not wanting to hash it out. “It was worth it. I’m glad we did this. I just—it’s not the time to push again.”
“I’ll make sure Monroe knows that he goes if you’re called out of state and it’s not a drivable distance,” Galvin muttered, shaking his head when I went to argue. “We can even see how shaken and upset you are, and I can’t smell it. You’re pale and sweating. You barely took any time off to recover.”
I frowned. “I wasn’t injured in the line of duty. I was gone for months and abandoned my post.”
“You—you didn’t abandon anything, Sera,” Dain said firmly, his tone ice cold. “You were abducted and while you were working a case, so even if it’s because of what and who you were, it was work. It wasn’t your apartment, and they did it while you were gone for work. Tried to once before. You still get a pass and legally whatever recovery time you need, okay?”
“Okay, thanks,” I muttered, feeling like an idiot that I kept basically apologizing for being abducted. It was a strange situation and horrible position to be in. People had suffered because of me; not having made the choice in that didn’t negate their pain.
If that made sense.
I was glad when Galvin and the president left with their gifts, all of us sighing when they took off.
Fuck a duck. At least that was over.
11
Originally we had chosen Palwaukee Airport for the planes I’d gotten because the price of parking and using O’Hare was a joke, plus it was closer to the house and it wasn’t just any landing strip that made me nervous for security. It was still the best choice even when I now lived in the city and was always super easy and awesome to deal with.
Especially when my pilot was normally on my security. I wanted to always kiss Apollo for that, and from the looks he was giving me as he said he was staying one more night, he expected that.
We were heading south on 90, just having passed Irving Park, when I heard the distinct sound of gunshots. “Pull over. Now.”
Carter didn’t hesitate, navigating us quickly but safely, as I rolled down the window to hear better. The second the horns honking at us died down, I was able to hear it again, my door open the instant the SUV came to a stop.
“Call it in to dispatch,” I ordered as I took off, badge already around my neck as I pulled my gun, glad I’d insisted some of us were able to carry while with the president. I grabbed the barrier and jumped over, landing easily a few feet down on the sloping terrain. I reached the street running along the highway and under the elevated train tracks before most could blink, locked on the sound.
Two blocks over I found what I was hunting, watching as someone hid what looked like a sawed off shotgun against himself as he headed for a waiting SUV. There was someone lying dead not far from there and another injured, but I couldn’t help them as a wolf, I shouldn’t, and Carter would have called it in.
But I’d be damned if I was letting that fucker get away.
The SUV came speeding towards me, and I held up my badge so they could clearly see it, knowing they wouldn’t though. I slid my gun into my holster and stood my ground, not sure if they really had the balls to run over someone in law enforcement. Right now, he was just the driver and someone else had done the shooting, but if he ran me over, he was in a whole world of trouble.
Apparently he didn’t realize that as he gunned the engine. I heard someone shout my name over it, feeling Carter heading for me and probably to knock me out of the way. I didn’t want that, instead running towards the SUV and jumping when I needed to so I landed on the top of the SUV. I shifted my hand to claws and dug it into the roof to stay on it, wincing at how the metal bit into my skin.
I’d heal.
They were shouting for the guy to shoot me off, but apparently he wasn’t the best at reloading under pressure. I reached over and broke the driver’s window, yelling to pull over.
They didn’t. Someone else had a gun and started shooting through the roof, completely missing me but pissing me off. I shifted my other hand and reached over, ripping off the door.
“Pull over or you’re next,” I shouted, my voice sounding more wolf than person right then. I broke the windshield when they didn’t and then moved around so they didn’t know where I was. They started shooting again as I switched hands to hold on, grabbing the roof rack this time. I ripped off the passenger’s door before changing my hands back so I didn’t accidently infect anyone.
Then I leaned down and smacked his gun away when he pointed it at me. He grabbed his arm and bellowed in pain, losing his balance when he bent over since he wasn’t wearing his seatbelt. He tumbled out of the SUV, and I lost my patience, pulling my gun and shooting out the tires on the right side before they could even react.
They blew, and the driver lost control, the SUV about to crash… And I was on the roof. Whoops.
I pushed off the side of the SUV when it started to spin out and flipped myself out of range. I landed hard and rolled to my feet, weapon still in hand as they crashed into a tree, the driver propelled half out from the airbag and no door there to keep him in. He was at a weird angle, and I’d guess his legs were pinned, as he was clearly unconscious from the way he was half hanging out and not moving.
“Don’t move,” I warned the other two in the back as they tried to get out. “You’re under arrest.”
“Bitch, you crazy,” one screamed, the sawed off shotgun falling out the door when he opened it. He gave a bellow of pain, and I realized he hadn’t been trying to throw down his weapon but attempting to shoot me, but his arm was broken and it didn’t work.
“I’m crazy? You tried to plow over a fed while fleeing the murder you just committed. Yeah, I’m the crazy one here,” I about snarled, moving into a better position so I could see them both.
“You are,” Carter hissed under his breath as he joined me, his gun out as well. “You could have been killed.”
“I don’t even have a scratch on me,” I growled. Granted, the ones on my hand from cutting through the roof had healed, but really, I was completely fine.
“Get out, on the ground, and if you reach for anything, I will shoot you,” Carter told the guy on the other side.
I moved and kicked the shotgun away as the guy with the broken arm managed to get out but then slid down against the SUV, holding his broken arm to him. “You’re under arrest for murder.”
“You can’t touch me, bitch,” he spat out. “No one will talk.”
“Asshole, I will. I saw you fleeing and with the gun,” I snapped.
“No one’s stupid enough to testify against any of us.”
I smirked at him as the sirens approached. “You are not even remotely the scariest fucker I’ve come across, and you might want to check the repercussions of coming after me. You try for an Alpha or any of their family, and all you’ll get is dead.” I shrugged. “Fine by me.”
He gave me a look like he wasn’t sure he should believe me or not. Yeah, law enforcement wasn’t known for lying about the laws or rules, but I wasn’t su
re his tiny brain could handle logic with how much pain he seemed to be in. He had to have a tiny brain to commit murder in such an open way and assume no one would talk.
“He shot three, and they’re dead,” Axel told me as he joined us. “CPD is already there. I told them you had the shooter over here, and they called in backup. The guy who fell out is being watched by Orson where he landed.”
“Got it.”
He let out a slow breath before speaking at a level the humans couldn’t hear. “You going to get in trouble for this one?”
“Probably, but I shouldn’t. I heard shots and responded.” I shrugged. “It could have been a supe. I’m also not allowed to ignore crimes. I’ll turn this over just as I did anything else I did when I was regular FBI.”
“Glad you weren’t hurt.”
“Nope. How bad was the damage?”
“He clipped one parked car coming around the corner, and now this tree.”
“Get back inside,” I shouted to some people a few houses down who were gathered on the porch. “We’re not secured.” Axel moved to do that, but I called him off. “Pat down only, no moving anyone. We need the EMTs for that or they slap us with lawsuits.”
“Got it.”
“You’re dead, bitch,” the shooter seethed. “You’re all fucking dead.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard that so many times over my centuries that I’ll just add it to the list,” Axel grumbled as he patted down the driver. “All weapons?”
“Yup, gloves and bags,” I said, glad when Eugene came jogging over with the kit I always had in the SUV. “Much more fun and we’ll need to restock that thing.”
“Yeah, fun,” Carter drawled.
I smirked at him. “You forget, I’ve always wanted to catch bad guys. I went undercover when others thought it was too dangerous. This is my favorite kind of fun.” I winked at the shooter. “And I’m very good at it, so you might want to check with some of the Bratva and Triad I busted in New York that thought they were so untouchable and I would be dead. I’m not. They’re in cages. Good times.”
CPD started showing up, and a very pissed off guy stormed over to me. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing getting involved outside your jurisdiction, Thomas?”
I gave him a bored look. “And you are?”
“Detective Vang, gang unit.”
“Don’t you outrank him then?” Carter asked, giving the guy a withering look.
“I do,” I confirmed, annoyed the asshole was laying into me before we were even done securing the scene. “Sometimes CPD forget this isn’t the Wild West and they don’t really own this damn town.”
“You better explain yourself, Thomas, or—”
“Or what?” I snarled. “It’s Chief Thomas to you, and shut up until the EMTs at least get here.”
“They’re all clear,” Axel announced, Carter and I putting our guns away.
“I have every right to know why you’re stepping over your jurisdiction.”
I spun around and got in the guy’s face so fast, he gasped at how I could move. “What the fuck is your problem? We caught a murderer. I heard the shots and acted. I didn’t know they were humans. Do I need to get in your shit about not helping supes if you witness it? Is that it? Do you just ignore too much? You forget your oath?” I flinched as I heard his heart flutter. “Great.”
“He’s dirty,” Carter said at a level the humans couldn’t hear. I nodded, that being my guess as well. It could have been he’d ignored one thing, but I doubted it with how hard he was coming at me. Awesome. Seriously, just fucking awesome.
I couldn’t even get a win when I caught them red handed like this.
The guy kept coming at me, and I finally lost my cool, snarling at him to back off and I would talk to someone in homicide, as it was their case. Carter did better, called in to dispatch, and made the request for a commanding officer and someone from homicide.
“Our guys are holding the other scenes and keeping anyone out from ruining anything,” he told me, understanding my main concern, as I’d already been running interference with Vang so he didn’t touch anything. He wanted the guns for one, and that made no sense when they had been used in a homicide.
And how the fuck did he just know these guys were all gang members? Either he was racially profiling, or he knew these players, and then I had questions about how he’d gotten on the scene so fast, as he wouldn’t have been the one to call.
Relief filled me when I caught sight of Lt. Michaels approaching. I’d met him last year when there had been a situation with one of Simone’s panthers being harassed by a neighbor. He’d really stepped in and helped out when the guy had been not only sexist but had refused to listen to what I was saying because I was a “cracker.”
“Chief Thomas, nice to see you,” he greeted, extending his hand.
“You too, Lt. Michaels, though I’m surprised,” I admitted as we shook.
“We’re in my district, and I’m watch commander tonight,” he explained.
I nodded, right, we were close to where that had all gone down. I wasn’t completely sure of the district lines, but he wasn’t lying. “Sorry you got called in, but we’ve had some problems.”
“I’d say that, Thomas,” Vang snapped. “You’re way over the line here. This isn’t your jurisdiction!”
“No, you are,” Michaels threw right back. “She’s Chief Thomas, and show the respect she deserves. No one else is making us look bad to the FBI with that crap, and that’s directly from the chief of police.” He waited until Vang nodded before looking back to me. “Catch me up.” He waved someone else over. “This is Detective Soriano, homicide.”
We shook hands, and I was glad I only had to say this once, impressed when they both pulled out notepads and took down what I was saying.
“We were on our way home from Palwaukee, having handled some FBI business, and I heard the shot right after we passed the Irving Park exit. To address Vang’s point that it’s not my jurisdiction, I didn’t know that. We don’t ignore crimes because they’re not ours, we hand them over.” I waited until they both nodded. “I ordered Carter to call it into dispatch and followed the sound.”
“And you could pinpoint it?” Soriano asked.
I didn’t take offense, as the echo from gunshots made them notoriously hard to place. “Yes, the second shot I heard while the window was down. I took off and witnessed a man hiding what looked like a sawed off shotgun—which is illegal to have—and running from at least two down and a lot of blood. He jumped in a waiting SUV, and I showed them my badge, told them to stop.
“They didn’t, choosing to run me over.” I shot Vang a nasty look. “Which so made all of this my business. I was well within my right to force them to stop, and I did. Most of the injuries were because they weren’t wearing their seatbelts, and I did shoot the tires. Once they crashed, we warned them we’d shoot, disarmed them, and now they’re being loaded.” I gestured behind them to the EMTs.
“Yeah, you stopped them alright,” Vang seethed. “You tore off the fucking doors.”
“So?” I drawled, giving him another bored look. “Still not my fault they weren’t wearing their belts. I could have shot the engine or the damn driver, as they were shooting at me. I went with the best option I had to not kill anyone. What is your problem? Seriously, what is your issue?”
“He’s always got several,” Michaels muttered under his breath, giving me a look like he knew I would hear him. I gave a slight nod I did.
“So how did he get here so fast when the call would have gone to homicide?” I asked, making sure they had the same worries I did.
“I called in shots fired and where and we were on the scene,” Carter explained.
“Ah, got it.” That made more sense, and I was thinking like he’d called it in at the end. But still I glanced over at Vang. “Well, it’s murder, so not your deal. Have a nice night.”
A few people chuckled at my antics, but Vang was not amused. “I’m with the gang un
it, so of course I would be involved.”
Soriano nodded but didn’t seem happy about it. I smiled at Soriano. “But you can request the FBI to stay on. We were the ones who caught them after all. We could easily bring them down to the regular FBI and interrogate them there.”
“I would love to, but that would start a lot of shit too,” he admitted after a moment. “Let me handle what I need to, and I’ll be by your office in the morning to get all the statements and who was where.”
“A few are trainers, so you’ll have to meet them there. Sorry, but we’re on a tight schedule.”
“No problem, Chief Thomas,” he agreed.
I glanced at an irate Vang before looking at Michaels. “Would you please let his superior know I want a word? The FBI has worked too well with the gang unit to put up with this sort of shit.”
Vang snorted. “Right, you illegally raid a gang house that is notorious for retaliating and you—”
“It wasn’t illegal,” I snapped. “We got the ruling it wasn’t, and more than that, I saw the drugs before I busted down the door.”
“Yeah, only you saw them. They’re already filing to challenge the ruling.”
“And how do you know that already?” Carter demanded, giving him a sneer. “You weren’t even there, and CPD wasn’t involved. How dirty are you, asshole?”
“Very apparently,” I warned Michaels and Soriano when Vang’s heart told me too much before he stormed off. “Seriously, what side are you on, Vang?”
“Fuck you, Thomas,” he called back. “I’m not letting some slut law breaker lecture me about being a cop.”
“What laws have I broken?” I demanded. “Name one and I’ll—”
“All of New York was completely illegal. Everyone knows it! That’s why all the cases have been getting thrown out and—”
“None of it was illegal, and none of the cases have been tossed,” I shot right back. “Your information is faulty, and I’d guess it’s because you’ve not been getting it from our side. The bosses lie to the pawns all the time that they can get them out of shit. They couldn’t this time. I just saw a bunch of them in prison.”