literature

Bounty Duty Chp2

Deviation Actions

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Literature Text

Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action/Romance
Summary: Steph continues her investigations into ramirez with the help of Kane.
Disclaimer: Kane belongs to EA games and Stephanie, Ramirez and Joe Morelli belong to Janet Evanovich


Kane had managed to drive the car back to the office, despite the immense pain he was in. He parked up the car in a rush, not caring if he was in the parking space lines or not, opens the door and stumbles out, clutching his thigh in agony. Steph rushes over and helps him up, draping his arm around her shoulder and supporting him while he limped from the car park into the office, gathering some odd looks from Connie along the way.
“What happened to him?” Asked Connie.
“He got shot in the leg, I'm gonna patch it up for him.”
“Well shouldn't he be in hospital?”
“Kind of a touchy subject with him right now Connie”
Kane had managed to limp through to the back room and over to the leather chair by himself. He slung himself into the chair, wincing in agony as he slung his leg onto the desk in front of him and applied pressure to the wound, his hand soaked in his own blood. Steph looked at him concerned, noticing his complexion being ever so slightly more pale then earlier. He was going into shock and was losing blood quick, Steph turned to Connie alarmed.
“You get him to tell you why he wont go hospital quickly.....I don't want him passing out in here while we have clients passing in and out. It-”
“It won't look  good to the clients, I know Connie.....but what else can I do? He refuses medical treatment from the hospital.”
Connie peered through to the back room to see Kane slouched in the chair, looking half concious, pale and on the verge of hurling.
“Who does he trust when it comes to injuries?”
“I don't know........probably his own medical team back in Nod.”
“Oh no. We are not having half the Nod empire gallivanting in here and wrecking the joint just to patch him up.”
“Then YOU tell me what I'm supposed to do,”
Connie stared back at Steph blankly. There was nothing much they could do but patch him up and hope for the best, it was that or ring up Nod and get them to come fix him up. Steph sighed as she looked back at Kane drifting in and out of conciousness, he was losing blood fast and there was only one other option. Sternly Steph walked through to Kane and stood in front of him, hands on her hips and a cross look on her face. Kane looked at her, slightly docile , barely keeping his eyes open.
“Phone now!”
“Why.............you ring an ambulance...........and I'm gone.”
“You can barely keep awake, let alone run Kane.”
“Wanna..............test that out?”
“Look don't play games with me Kane....give me your phone so I can ring up your Nod boys and get them to sort you out.”
“Oh No......No way.......I'm not having lunatics running around-”
“CONNIE LOOK AT HIM!”
Connie looked over at Kane. He was barely awake and looked like he had been hit by a truck, his leg was bleeding badly and his trouser leg was soaked in his own blood. Kane weakly pulled his phone out from his trouser pocket and tossed it onto the table in front of him.
“Ring them...............but only get one medic out.............keep Connie happy.”
“Fuck Connie, if you need more then one medic you get more then one medic.”
“.....................Whatever.”
Steph picked up the phone and started to go through the contacts list, hoping the number she was looking for was obviously named but knowing Kane, things wasn't going to be that simple. There was no names under the letter N so looking for a contact named Nod was out of the question.
“Kane......what's the name I should be looking for?”
There was no response from Kane. Steph peered over the phone to see him slouched in the chair, eyes tightly shut and his body relaxed. A slight hint of worry ventured into the back of Steph's mind as she saw Kane in front of her lifeless, pale and not moving. Could it be possible to die from a gun shot wound to the leg? Surely not.....surely he was just out cold from the shock and nothing else. Concerned, Steph walked round to Kane and placed two fingers on his neck, praying for a pulse or for him to at least look at her and pretend to be unconscious. She gave it five seconds before she finally could feel his pulse, it was steady and a clear indication he was still alive. Steph breathed a sigh of relief and carried on going through the contacts on Kane's phone, if she could not find Nod's number then there was only one other number to look for.
“Who you calling?”
“An old friend.......he owes me a favour or two.”

It was six in the evening before Kane came back round again. He found himself placed on Steph's bed, his leg was sore and causing him aggro but at least it had time to stop bleeding and heal up a little bit while he was out for the count. Kane gingerly sat himself up and looked at the leg that was shot. He could see his trouser leg was cut off and a bandage was wrapped firmly round the wound that was inflicted on him, blood slightly staining the bandages but at least it wasn't soaking it, like earlier; Steph stepped out of her bathroom, fully dressed and rubbing her hair dry with a towel. Kane looked at her groggily, a slight smile appearing on his face as his brain ticked away at something witty to say.
“So you're awake then?” Asked Steph.
“Guess so......either that or I have died and gone to heaven”
“Oh you're defiantly back. Hows that leg feeling?”
“Sore and slightly exposed.”
Steph chuckled and sat down next to Kane on the bed, removing the towel from her head and exposing the crazy hair style she had created.
“Did you stick your finger in the plug socket again?”
“Oh ha ha Kane....no I washed it and I'm gonna comb it....problem is the comb is on your side, so you think you can reach over for me and grab it?”
Kane reached over and picked the comb up, passing it over to Steph and avoiding eye contact with her, he could see she was getting herself ready for something, possibly going out with a few friends or out on a date with that scum bag Morelli, which ever it was Kane was gonna ask her anyway.
“So where you going out tonight?”
“Me?”
“No.......Rex........who the hell do you think?”
“Oh..........no where special.”
Kane looked over at her, noticing she was hiding the truth from him, he removed his hat and placed it onto his foot, looking at her, hoping to find a way of getting her to answer but the more she avoided his gaze the less likely it was for her to answer.
“You're gonna see that ass Morelli.”
“It's one drink.”
“And we all know what happens after one drink, it leads to another and another till you eventually wake up the next morning in bed naked and watching him trying to make a quick getaway.”
“Jealous much?”
“I'm NOT jealous Steph....I just don't see the point in going out with a bloke who just uses you for his own general needs”
“Oh yeah? And what's that then Kane? I'm old enough to make my own decisions”
“Yeah.....but not wise enough. The guy fucks you about but you don't learn...you still go running back to him, you still get your heart broke and you'll still keep coming back to me for a shoulder to cry on and a person to whine to......well not this time.....I'm going home, my phones going off and if Morelli does what he usually does............I'll leave you to get over it yourself...because you can make your own decisions.”
Kane gingerly makes his way off the bed, Steph slightly hurt by what Kane had said to her, knowing he had some truth behind them cold words of his. Yes Morelli did mess her around and leave her hanging but she accepted that because she was used to it. Used to men treating her like trash and walking all over her, going behind her back with another woman or using her for the deed, she just accepted it and moved on. She sighed deeply and looked at Kane who was on the edge of the bed contemplating rather or not to try and stand up.
“Kane-”
“Hey i'm not changing my mind, fucked leg or not.........I'm going home”
He took one step forward and managed to collapse in a heap, liking it or not he was staying at Steph's for a while.
“Your leg can't sustain weight for a day.”
“I figured that out when I went hurtling to the floor”
“Your staying here for the night, Del got you a change of clothes and a new set of jeans for you.”
“Del? Why did Del come down?”
“Because you passed out before you gave me the name of your poxy base........I had no choice. Del was the only one strong enough and trained enough to get you out of the office, to my place and patched up.”
Del was an old Friend of Steph's, tall dark skinned and a chest like a washboard. He worked for Nod and managed to hook up Steph with Kane for a few assignments, helping out as much as he possibly could.
“You mean to say I was carried in here by a black guy built like a brick wall and with a robotic arm?”
“Yes why?”
“............Gotta be bad when you call Del in.......”
Kane heaved himself back up onto the bed, his wound seeping slightly from the fall. Steph sighed as she watched him struggle to get comfortable again, feeling guilty that she was going out and leaving him behind to struggle getting round the place on one leg. Messiah of Nod or not, he needed someone to help him get about and since there was no one else around, Steph was gonna have to help him.
“Look........I'll call the date off and stay with you.”
“No......You go out......I'll be fine, if something happens, ring me.”
“But you said-”
“Forget what I said.....what sort of a friend would I be, if I was to just....ignore you over one guy. Go out, enjoy yourself....and don't worry about me. If I need to get up I'll use that baseball bat you store under your bed.”
“How did-”
“Ah I peeked while I laid on the floor. Still scared of the bogeyman?”
“Shut up Kane!”
“Ah well if you are......remember. The reason why the bogey man is under your bed, is because he's hiding from me.”
Steph smiled at Kane and shook her fringe from her eyes. Kane just sighed and draped an arm around her shoulders, letting her know he still cared for her even if she was making a silly mistake with Morelli.
“What happened to all that stuff I took from Ramirez's office?”
“Del took the CCTV footage, but we still have everything else to go through.”
“Good....give us summat to do tomorrow since I cant go anywhere for a while.”
“You can still get spies in right?”
“Yeah.............don't worry I'll sort it out tomorrow. What time you gotta meet Joe?”
“In half an hour”
Kane removed his arm from Steph and put it in his pocket, rummaging round for something before pulling out a set of car keys with a bottle opener attached to them.
“Here.........take my car.”
“Kane-”
“Don't argue just take it..........I owe you one and right now this is the only way of paying you back.....Just don't park it where it can get nicked or damaged....and don't for the love of god do THAT in the back of my car.”
“Oh yeah and how would you know if I did?”
“I would know....okay....my car talks to me..and it would tell me if you did.”
Steph chuckled, taking the keys off Kane and kissing him on the cheek, leaving Kane slightly shell shocked.
“What was that for?”
“Just saying thanks.”

Midnight had come around, the lights were out as Kane sat in the darkness watching the telly, baseball bat by his side, shirt off and leg raised on a foot stool. The latch on the door went off, Kane quickly cocked his head to see Steph slowly walk in, the light from the corridor coming through the gap. Steph quickly closed the door and placed Kane's car keys on the side panel next to the door.
“Hey.........how did it go?”
Steph looked over at him and then quickly ran into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Kane looked on bewildered.
“Steph?”
Kane quickly grabbed the bat and hauled himself onto his feet. He could hear sobbing coming from the bathroom and he slowly limped over to the bathroom and gently tapped on the door.
“Steph...............come on what's happened?”
“Go away Kane.........it's nothing okay? Its fucking nothing.”
“Yeah really sounds like nothing.........come on talk to me.”
“No...............go to hell.”
“I can't, I'm not dead yet and I haven't sold my soul to the devil. Sorry Steph.”
“Just leave me alone........PLEASE!”
“NO!....Look you can scream and tell me to get lost all you want...but I won't go away.....real friends don't walk away from one another.”
The sobbing began to increase, Kane sighed and slowly and gingerly sat down on the floor in front of the bathroom door, listening to Steph sob, trying to figure out what may have happened, what could have gone wrong and what turned her into the mess she was in now. He waited till Steph had calmed down slightly before he started asking questions, he knew Morelli was mixed in the concoction some how but he needed to know how or why he got mixed in.
“Did he stand you up again?”
“No..........h-he was on time........took me out for dinner.”
“Nice meal was it?”
“Yeah..............he paid, I drove him home.....that was the deal. So I did.......we had coffee and then....w-we...........we.....”
The tears started flowing again, Kane had curled his upper lip in anger hoping Steph wasn't going to tell him that Morelli took her upstairs and raped her but if Morelli did...it was a sure fact that he would be dead by dawn, Kane had his ways with dealing with these problems, as grizzly or as gruesome they maybe, it was guaranteed that person would not come back and do it again.
“Steph.........please tell me what happened..........I'm not mad at you I  swear.”
“No.........but You'll say I told you so when I tell you.”
“ I wont say I told you so either..........come on Steph trust me.....Please just tell me what happened, I can help or at least try to.........”
The sniffling stopped, footsteps were heard shuffling to the door followed by the sound of a lock being unbolted, Kane looked round to see Steph standing in the doorway, her face stained with tears, her eyes puffy from all the crying.
“You promise Kane?”
“I promise.....hand on heart.”
Steph sat down beside Kane and rested her head on his shoulder, looking up into his warm brown eyes.
“Please...........don't be mad.”
“I won't..........just tell me what happened.............please Steph.”
Steph took a deep breath in.”
“.............we went back to his place and got intimate........it lasted about an hour but instead of snuggling up afterwards like normal couples.........he just told me to leave.......like I was some cheap hooker.......no kiss goodbye.....nothing just........that was amazing now get out.”
Kane sighed, biting back the words ' I told you so', he quickly pulled Steph into his chest and hugged her tightly while she cried onto his chest. He gently rocked her from side to side and rubbed her back softly, trying to calm her down and let her know he was around if she needed him. If it was one thing Kane hated, it was this, seeing someone he cared for reduced down to a sniffling wreck because of one person, one person who liked to pull on the heart strings and put the other through hell and back. Kane could feel his rage building but he couldn't do anything, he couldn't just grab his jacket and go hunt Morelli down even though it was a thought he was mulling over in his head, he couldn't do it, not while Steph needed him and if she was going to spend all night crying her eyes out on him, so be it. Its more then what Morelli would do for her.
“ I know what will cheer you up”
Steph looked up slightly from Kane's chest, her eyes watery and puffy as the tears trickled down her face; a slight smile was upon Kane's face as he loosened his hug on Steph.
“I kinda fell off the chair while I was reaching for the TV remote”
“Is that it?”
“Well no.........cause the channel I was watching.........kinda went wrong.....”
“Kinda went wrong?”
“Eeh god.....how do I put this so it doesn't sound like I done it deliberate....I was watching the bravo channel-”
“Say no more.....I know what happens on Bravo after eleven”
“I swear to god.....if I did not fall off that chair I would have changed channels so damn quick.”
A soft chuckle escaped Steph's lips as she snuggled up into Kane's chest pulling his arm around her shoulders, keeping her warm and safe.
“So what did you watch after that.......accident?”
“Crank..........and at the worse possible time, I swear to god your neighbours must have thought there was some....orgy going on in here.”
“Wouldn't be much of an orgy if the person who organised it has a fucked up leg.”
“...............Yeah good point.”
Steph smiled. Typical of Kane, he could make something bad turn into something you could laugh about, hell Steph could have gotten ran over today yet Kane would still find a way to bring a smile upon her face and have a chuckle escape from her lips; Steph just smiled happily to herself and closed her eyes while Kane went on about how one program was about freaky injuries and how some of them made him laugh, never mind the sheer agony the patient was in or the distress they endured, if it got a laugh out of Kane it was quality programming. Steph could feel herself slipping to sleep as she curled up in Kane's warm arms, listening to his steady heartbeat.
“Hey you want a cup of tea Steph?”
There was no response, Kane looked down at Steph who was fast asleep in his arms. Kane sighed and gently picked Steph up in his arms, trying so hard not to wake her as he limped over to the bed. He gently places her down and covers her with the bed sheet, watching as she stirs slightly in her sleep.
“Sleep easy Steph”
As Kane started to make his way to the couch, he felt Steph grab his hand, causing him to turn around and look at her; her eyes were half open and her fringe brushed back to one side, a slight smile was on her face as she looked up at Kane, watching the light from the Television flicker against his skin.
“Where you going?”
“I was going to sleep on the couch.....you know.....I'm the guest so I should-”
“No Kane, your leg is damaged and you need a proper bed to sleep on....not some mouldy old couch”
“I wouldn't say it was mouldy Steph, besides I can manage.”
“Kane please..........you can keep me company too....come on...even you wouldn't refuse keeping me company in bed.”
“..................Al right you win.......but I'm just gonna hug you.....nothing else.”
Steph smiled as Kane limped his way round to the other side of the bed, gingerly laying down and wrapping an arm around Steph, who in turn curled up next to him, laying on his chest and falling asleep, Kane slowly dozing off with her.

It was five in the morning before Kane started stirring from his sleep, wincing slightly as the pain in his leg slowly re-surfaced. He looked over at Steph, she was still fast asleep on his chest, arm wrapped round his stomach loosely and softly purring in her sleep, she looked relaxed even though her face was still stained slightly by the tears she had shed earlier. Kane sighed slightly as he watched her sleep, he didn't want to wake her so he could go get some painkillers for his leg but the throbbing was increasing and the soreness of the wound started to irritate making Kane growl lowly in agony. He began to clench his fist hoping the pain would subside slightly, just enough so he wouldn't have to get up and wake Steph but he was asking too much. He was wide awake which meant his senses were alert and making him know there is a hole in his leg where there shouldn't be a hole.
“Kane.....................You okay? I heard you growling.”
“Yeah.......Just in a bit of pain that's all.....don't worry you go back to sleep......I'll just go get some painkillers for it.”
“Could make me a cup of tea if you want?”
“Yeah.....I'll warn you I may chuck it everywhere....cause of this leg.”
Steph chuckled slightly as Kane walked off to the kitchen, flicking on the light so he could see where everything was and so he wouldn't trip, slip or fall over anything and making his pain worse. Steph stretched out and rubbed her eyes, she rolled over to the side to see her alarm clock. It was quarter past five in the morning not a time Steph was used to waking up to but this was called for, it gave her an early start on the Ramirez case before she had to open up the office. She had phone contacts to go through, diary's to read through, there was so much to do she didn't know where to start until she caught a glimpse of Kane hobbling around in the kitchen and that was when she remembered about the bullet Kane told her to pick up. Steph quickly sat up and put her hand in her pockets, looking for the stray bullet she picked up.
“Ah...........got you.”
She pulled out the bullet from her pocket and studied it, trying to find anything about it that may point to Ramirez . Markings, scratches, coloured tips, anything was a clue, even the casing was a clue to who may have used it but Steph was a novice at this sort of thing, she can't handle a gun let alone read the identity of a bullet; Kane limped into the room with Steph's Tea noticing she had the bed side light on and was studying the bullet Kane pulled out of his leg yesterday, agonising it may have been.
“Why you looking at that for?”
“Clues...but I'm no good at bullets.”
Kane placed the tea down on Steph's bedside table and held out his hand, Steph handed over the bullet and Kane studied it, looking at the tip and casing, looking for anything distinguishing that may point to the member being related to a gang or something like that.
“Ah......Standard nine millimetre round, was gonna say it was armour piercing but if it was it would have gone through my leg....not sit in it.”
“Anything else”
“Well......on the base of the round its got some sort of letter scratched into it......I think it maybe a C and the tips are silver......why silver I don't know....its not like they are hunting werewolves but it does show that whoever purchases these bullets has got a lot of cash to flash.”
“So it could be Ramirez related?”
“Could be...I'm guessing the guy who was opening up the gym knows Ramirez....someone we could grab and question.”
“I don't like how you said grab.”
“The guy shot me.......and I'm sure as hell not gonna be diplomatic about speaking to him like a gentleman”
Steph sighed and reached over to pick up her tea, she didn't like the idea of Kane going around taking people as hostages so they could speak about Ramirez, but if it was gonna get her man then she was just gonna have to respect Kane's ways for now. Steph took a sip of her tea and caught Kane looking at her grinning and with his arms folded across his chest.
“What?”
“I knew you having a man about the place would make you have a good start to the day.”
“Oh.................Kane................Shut up.”
“Aww.....you don't mean that. I know deep down inside you love me.”
“You can keep dreaming........self proclaimed messiah of nod”
“Yeah and don't that title sound damn sexy?”
Kane chuckled and started to walk away, oblivious to Steph picking up a pillow and launching it at him, hitting him round the back of the skull and knocking him off balance.
“Dodge that one Messiah.”
“ Hey.......unfair.....that's classed as discriminating a cripple.”
“Oh go boo hoo somewhere else....I'm going back to sleep.”
“Ain't you got an office to open up?”
“........................You had to ruin it didn't you?”

The morning was clear, which made a change from yesterdays fog. It was still dark from the winter gloom, still hazardous to walk the streets by yourself unless you was incredibly stupid or you had to do it for a reason. Steph had to do it for a reason and to make matters worse, she hated the clear mornings in winter, you were more visible to anyone lurking about wanting to nick your gear or put you in hospital. Steph parked up her Buick in her usual spot, a few spaces away from the office and near the safe glow of the orange street lamp across the road. She fumbled around in her pockets for the keys to the office, the cold nipping at her fingers, making the task more difficult then usual even worse when your mobile starts going off at the same time.
“Hang on, hang on....don't hang up.”
Steph fumbled about before pulling out the keys then reaching for her phone and flicking it open.
“Hello?”
“Didn't check the caller I.D did we?”
“No Kane.......I was busy trying to get the keys out to open the office up, what do you want anyway? I thought you was asleep when I left?”
“Ah........You thought.......but I wasn't......I was pretending”
Steph had managed to shuffle to the door while Kane chatted away into her ear, she scrabbled at the lock, trying to get the key in the right way and turning it right before she heard a click that meant she was in.
“Steph you still there?”
“Yeah sorry was opening up the office......you were saying?”
“Have you got a laptop in this place you call home?”
“Do I look like I'm made of money?”
“No......Don't worry about it...I'll just go down to my car and get mine out.”
“So why the hell did you ask me in the first place?”
“...........Err.............Got shot in the leg yesterday.”
“Oh yeah......Anyway what are you up to....why do you need a laptop for?”
“Ah........All will be revealed when I get mine sorted out.......I'll speak later.....Oh and Steph.....make sure you're not being followed. After our adventure yesterday my guess is that they are probably scoping the place out.”
“Kane I ha-
“I don't care, I'm concerned and I'm just making sure you heed my advice, I don't want to have to come down there, fight six heavy built men, knock them out and free you.”
“Oh you are so romantic Kane”
“Yeah and you can't get enough of me.”
“Don't start or you know what I will do.”
“Hopefully come round-”
Steph hung up on Kane giggling to herself, if it was one thing she enjoyed about working with Kane, it was the fact they knew how to wind the other up, not in a harsh way more of a playful way just to keep morale up on the difficult hunts, especially this one and Kane had already sustained an injury on the first day which made Steph think about what depth of water she was jumping into and judging by yesterdays actions, it was deep water.
The office was cold, there was no smell of fresh coffee like yesterday and no sign of life. Good signs if you are expecting unwanted visitors to just jump out at any moment. Steph sighed slightly as she slowly manoeuvred round in the dark, hunting down the light switch. She hoped to have Kane with her this morning but due to his injury she knew she was going to have to make due on her own for now, she had her gun with her and her phone in case something did happen to her but it wasn't the same. Steph flicked on the light and then went into the back room to flick on the heating; Steph shuffled back into the main office and flicked on the computer, while she waited for it to boot up she pulled out one of the books Kane managed to acquire from the gym. It was the Gym log book, it had a list of names down one side, dates along the top of the page and a grid system with individual blocks that either had ticks or circles in them, the ticks to show they were present and the circles to show absence. She ran her finger down the list to Ramirez's name and then across, trying to find the date when he stopped appearing, something she could take to the police and enquire about, since the last known crime committed by Ramirez was suspected murder, which was two weeks ago now. Steph continued through the log book, checking his name against the dates, all of which, so far he was present for. A frown came onto Steph's face as a thought entered her mind. It was possible Ramirez could have gotten someone to tick his name off he didn't appear because of prior arrangements, which could help with a water tight allaby for Ramirez.
The office phone started to ring, Steph raised a brow, as far as she knew Kane didn't know the office number and nobody rang the office at the stupid time of seven, everyone in Trenton knew they were not open for business till eight.
“Connie?” Muttered Steph.
She picked up the phone.
“Hello-”
“Stephanie......Nice to hear you're voice again.”
Steph froze. She knew that voice, the silky deep voice that oozed fear into the back of her mind, some women would love it but not Steph. That voice spelled out danger, told her to slam the phone down, lock the doors and wait till someone she knew would turn up but at the same time she wanted answers and fast. She gulped hard and frowned slightly.
“Ramirez. Turning yourself in?”
“No....far from it, the champ is giving you and your friend a warning.”
“Friend? Oh come on you know me Ramirez...most of the time I work alone.”
“Don't LIE! Tall guy, wore a hat, long black jacket and was shot in the leg”
“How did you-”
“NO MORE QUESTIONS! You and your friend had better start watching your backs because you are messing with the champ and the champ always wins. I will Kill your friend ands you'll be........specials lets say.”
Ramirez chuckled down the phone, a chuckle only an evil clown could produce, send shivers down your spine. Steph quickly slammed the phone down and went around locking the place down just in case Ramirez would send his cronies round to get her but that thought made Steph's heart stop for a second. Kane. Ramirez knew where Steph lived, he knew Kane was shot in the leg and if he was smart enough to put two and two together; Steph quickly picked up her mobile and dialled Kane's number, the thought thumping in the back of her mind. What if they got to him before she could warn him? What if Kane had forgotten his phone while he was out getting his laptop? The phone ringed, Steph praying for Kane to quickly pick up so she could rule out the though but it wasn't going to be, the phone kept on ringing and Steph bit her lip concerned.
“Oh god.....please Kane pick up.....please pick up.........................Please”
The phone was answered and there was a slight pause before Kane finally spoke.
“Steph?”
“Oh thank god......you okay?”
“Yeah.........I'm fine....I was just making coffee......which was why I took along time in answering”
“So.................You're safe then?”
“Yeah I guess so...............Are you all right Steph?”
“Err.........Yeah........Yeah I'm fine Just err.......you know making sure you are okay.”
“Ain't like you to be concerned all of a sudden. Sure you are okay?”
“Look, I'm fine. I'm coming back as soon as Connie gets in anyway; and we can do our search at mine if you like?”
“Err.................Yeah.........and perhaps when you get back you can tell me what the fuck is going on?”
“Kane I've told you-”
“Someone's scared you, I can hear it in your Voice Steph, it's shaky, nervous. I only hear that voice in rookie soldiers on their first field mission. Who has scared you?”
“Look Kane promise me you'll lock the place up before I get back.”
“Steph-”
“PROMISE me!”
“Okay I promise.”
Steph hung up, hoping Kane would take her promise seriously. She waited half an hour before Connie showed up at the office, quickly unlocking the place and letting her in, Connie looking at her slightly concerned.
“Girl you okay?”
“I gotta get home Connie, some thing's come up.”
“Is Kane okay?”
“No............No he.......fell out of bed during the night and he's in agony.......I'm just gonna go back and make sure he's okay.”
“Okay..........come back when he's okay lets say.”
“Yeah........oh someone rang us but I missed them, could you get the number down for me?”
“Sure...look you better go....I'll see you later hopefully?”
“Yeah..........Yeah...........See you later Connie, no doubt I'll be back later for some stuff.....I don't know yet.”
Connie just politely smiled as Steph hurried out the door to her Buick. She scrambled around In her pockets for her car keys, ignoring the bitter cold and the fact It was dark, she just wanted to get back and make sure Kane was okay. Last things she wanted right now was the thought of finding him dead in her apartment and her concious playing on it for years to come. Steph shook the thought off as she started up her car; if Ramirez was serious she knows he would act fast and there would only be minutes that determines the fate of what was to happen, time she could not afford to loose right now. Picking up on a few moves she watched Kane do yesterday, Steph floored her Buick out of the parking lot and rushed back to her apartment.


Steph pulled into the parking lot of her apartment, Kane's car being the only car left in the lot; it made Steph breathe a slight sigh of relief but it wasn't a clear sign if he was okay or not. She quickly got out of her car, frantically locked it up and headed inside, sprinting up the stairs and down the corridors till she reached her apartment, she could see a light was on through the crack at the gap at the bottom of her door but there was no T.V on or music being played which concerned Steph slightly. She checked the door to see if Kane had left it unlocked but luckily he did take Steph's advice and lock up but then another thought came into her mind, what if they got in through the windows? She was high up but if Morelli managed it then one of them could have. This thought made Steph bang on the door like crazy, she didn't care if she caused a scene right now, she just needed to know if Kane was okay. She didn't call out his name in case he was okay, she didn't want him to know how scared she is or how much she cared for him deep down inside; she knew Kane could be a pain in the ass sometimes but what bloke wasn't? She loved being around him, loved talking to him, she adores the way he keeps an eye out for her and protecting her like a good friend would and she liked the way he could raise a smile from her lips. She was damned she was going to loose a good friend like him now, not now that she needed him the most.
The door to her apartment flew open but there was no one in the doorway, it was empty, the place was quiet and it raised alarm bells in Steph's head. She didn't want to call out who was there, instead she just slowly crept in vulnerable and unprotected, knowing she could have just handed herself onto a plate for Ramirez. She peered round the door in case some one was behind it, luckily there wasn't but she did spot the door quickly closing again, instinctively Steph quickly turned round and flailed her fists to whatever was behind her which unfortunately was Kane and the thing she was hitting was his chest.
“STEPH! IT'S ME!”
Steph stopped to the recognisable voice, authoritative and smooth yet was full of charm and sometimes resembled mischief but not on this occasion. Steph looked up from her fists and could see Kane staring down at her, his eyes questioning her actions towards him, arms firmly by his sides, hands unclenched.
“What are you doing?”
“Err.........sparring, you know......testing out my reactions.”
“You're hiding it from me.”
“Hiding what?”
“The Truth.”
Kane's Voice was stern as he looked at Steph, reading her body language, seeing the fear in her eyes before she realised it was him. He knew something was up and it shook her up bad but he needed to hear it come from Steph's lips and not his mind. Steph sighed knowing she couldn't hide it from him; she quickly wrapped her arms around him, clinging to his black shirt, something Kane was picking up on.
“Steph please.......who's done this? Who's scared you?”
Steph wouldn't answer, she just clung to Kane and started crying into his shirt, shivering at the very thought of Ramirez getting his grubby hands on her and killing Kane.
“Are you crying?”
“............No............No I'm not crying”
Steph's voice quivered as she heard Ramirez speaking in the back of her mind, remembering the phone call, remembering everything he had said to her. Kane frowned as Steph refused to bare her face, he gently took her face in her hand and forced her to look at him. He could see the fear in her eyes taking over, the tears rolling down her face as she looked up at him, slightly relieved he was there right now and not on the floor in the pool of his own blood. Kane gently wrapped one of his arms round her shoulders. Questions started to enter Kane's head, the main one being was Joe Morelli involved and if he was what did he do to her that made her into the sniffling mess before him. He took a deep breath in, knowing the question he was about to ask may seem insensitive to her right now.
“Was it Morelli?”
“Kane-”
“Yes or no was it Morelli Steph? Did he hurt you?”
“No...........It wasn't Morelli.”
“Then who was it Steph? Come on tell me.”
“What.........So you can run off.......and get them killed?”
“No Steph because unlike someone I know I actually treat women in the same way.....It was Morelli wasn't it?”
“ FOR GODS SAKES KANE IT WAS NOT MORELLI! MORELLI MAY SEEM LIKE A DICK TO YOU BUT HES NOT THE REASON FOR EVERYTIME I CRY!”
“THEN WHO WAS IT!?”
“ IT WAS RAMIREZ ALRIGHT!?”
2nd part to the bounty duty fictions
© 2008 - 2024 Adder24
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HarusameKitteh's avatar
Ramirez scares me... xD
and im gonna steal all your writing skills one day. :D
awesome work so far.