Tracking the bird.
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"Judd, if this is, if this is really it."
Blood.
Coming through the tactical vest and red holes popping up along his right leg.
He's bleeding.
Because of me.
"Don't talk like that man. You're making it back home, it's just a graze. A scratch."
His eyes flutter and fall shut.
The color in his face has drained away probably pooling out around us.
So much blood.
Smack!
"Hey keep your fucking eyes open you hear me! Where's the goddamn medic?! We need a medic!"
I scream for help but it's barely a whisper over the gunshots and sounds of our shootout.
The sun shining and the birds flying about like it's just a day out on the beach.
We may be surrounded by sand but this is no God damn beach.
"Eden." He wrasps.
Deaths raddle.
"You'll see her again! Keep your eyes open. Keep you fucking eyes open look at me. I got you."
I can see his eyes fading.
The shadow of the reaper falling over us.
"Save her." His words hit hard.
I know what it means.
I know what this means to him.
"No, you'll save her. You'll go back home and get the house in the middle of nowhere like you want. A shop in the back so she can do all her weird shit you're always talking about. Stay with me. Stay with me bubbles! So you can go back to her. Eden needs you!"
I shake him, pulling him by the straps, a slap to the face, nothing.
His eyes set off in the distance.
Unfocused and unfazed.
"Medic!"
"I need a fucking medic! Now!"
.
.
Two years later.
.
.
"Good job, and here's your pay out on Sanchez and Morris." Chris hands over my manila envelope and and a stack of files for me to choose from.
The office is full today, jail jumpers and bail runners being brought in left and right.
The cage at the back is as full as I've ever seen it.
"Who to next Sarge?" Rookie looks my way with wide eyes, eager.
Far to eager.
Like a kid wanting to got to Disneyland.
Being Chris's son you would think he would have become numb to this shit.
Being raised in it.
"Don't know."
Leave me the fuck alone kid.
"How about you let him pick, you know since you're so busy."
Lolly throws rookie a bone, earning a grunt of disapproval at the idea.
She's always pushing for me to take him under my wing.
"Oh come on, he wants to help and you need the help." She pushs.
I don't want a partner.
How many fucking times have I said it?
The door opens with a jingle, the bell above racking along the door to annoy me.
Arron coming in with a limp and a stint taped to his nose.
His eyes already swelling with purple bags hanging underneath.
"Oh my god what happened? I thought it was an easy case?!"
Lolly runs from behind the front desk to this idiots side, taking him in and kissing his cheek.
I'm surprised he hasn't been shot.
Fucking. Idiot.
He's always getting hurt that's why he got demoted to the "easy" cases.
"It was! A sixteen years old girl kicked my ass! She was all sweet and innocent and I felt bad for her, she was shaking and crying about the cuffs. I took them off her, and she did this!"
I snort at his retelling.
Smart kid.
Good punch too.
"Thinks somethings funny Judd? How about you go after one of the children of the corn?!"
Pulling the warrant out of his back pocket he shoves the paper on my desk.
I keep my hard stare, glaring and cutting until he backs up like the weakling he is.
The red fades as quickly as he gets it, dumb ass hot head will get whole lot more then a broke noes if he trys to challenge me.
Only when he puts his hands up in surrender do I realign my sight to get a look at this girl.
Eden.
My legs drop from the desk, I snatch the paper and stand up with a push off of my chair.
"What do you have on her?" I growl.
Two fucking years and I've followed a thousand dead ends.
Now she's ca lose.
She won't get away this time.
"Not much, works at The Rooster, as a waitress and club EL. Lost her on Fairfax and Smith. Maybe and hour ago. She was in waitress uniform."
I strap in, pulling everything together so I can hunt this little bird down.
She's been flying the nest so much I haven't got a lead on her in nearly six months.
"Take the rookie. He may be helpful. She's a runner." Chris pushs him from the seat, dumping him infront of me.
With wide eyes he stares up, pleading for me to take him along.
If anything I could use him to distract her.
"Hurry the fuck up."
.
.
.
Two nights later.
The music jumps.
Thumping.
Pumping.
I hate the goddamn club scene.
The loud terrible music, the drunk assholes, the stupid bitchs and the over priced drink.
"I saw her go in through the back door, her hair is different now. Blonde and short. but I'm sure it was her. I bumped into her and told her I was sorry, I acted like I was drunk just like you said."
Blonde and short.
Trying to camouflage yourself little bird?
"Oh and her name tag said Tessa."
I nodd, stuffing my cigarette out and readying myself for this.
Two years in the making.
A promise is a promise.
"You know the plan?"
Rookie's face lights up, like Christmas came early.
His hair styled like a hipster douche, clothes to match.
"Yes Sir! I will get her out the back door, where you'll be waiting and cuff her as soon as we walk out."
I nodd.
Let's get this started.
.
.
This is taking to long.
It's been two hours.
What the fuck is he doing?
Hating the idea of going in through the front I make a note to bitch slap the rookie when I see him.
Taking the button up out the back I throw it on the cover the belt of my handy dandy equipment to bring her in.
A walk around the club I pass the crowded line and flash my badge at the beefed up security detail in front.
I stroll in, scanning the place.
Short blonde going by Tessa.
She likes to hide, so I will make her come to me.
I wade through the dancefloor, the lights flashing and strobing.
Already giving me a headache.
Making my way to the bar I flash a wad of cash and ask for a sexy blonde to bring me my drinks.
The guy looks me over with a frown.
I'm sure thinking I'm some douchebag with daddy's money to grab on the pretty girl's.
That's exactly what I want him to think.
The bartender obliges when I give him a hundred to make it happen.
The only booth with good range from the door to bar has a group of six drunk sluts already in it.
I need that booth.
When Eden comes out I have to get her to my truck and out of here fast.
She likes to run, I can't give her any room to make that play.
I pull out more money, flashing them a smile before I go over and pretend to be interested.
Club sluts are all the same.
Dumb as fuck as well as slutty.
"Hello ladies, mind if I buy tonight's drinks?" I flash my panty dropper grin and have them eating out the palm of my hand.
"Yassss Daddy!" They start giggling and clucking like a gaggle of hens.
"Mind if I keep you company while I wait for mine?"
All six scooting in to make room for me, the drunk bitch to right asks me my name.
Knowing these types all to well, I lie.
"Christian, what about you?"
The table busts out with more drunken laughter, a few calling me to them by Mr. Grey like I knew they would.
I knew they would eat it up.
"Scotch on the rocks for tall dark and handsome?" The drink sits infront me.
Let's see how this goes.
Two years and finally I get you.
"Thanks, Tessa. What's a girl like you doing working in a place like this?"
Distraction.
My cuffs opening and ready to take her.
"How else am I supposed to meet handsome guy's like you?"
She flirts back, her hand on the table to let her lean against it so I can check the rest of her out.
She knows what works best doesn't she?
Her honey brown eyes twinkle with mischief, the playful smirk that glosses her lips makes me want to throw her over my knee and spank the day lights out of her for even trying some shit like this.
"I could think of a few."
I lean in, acting like she wants.
What's expected while I arrange for me to make my move and take her down.
"Like highschool."
The sexy smirk on her face falls along with the pink tint in her cheeks.
The silver metal bracelet's her wrists, before she can fight me or make a run for it I have her other wrist finished with the matching bracelet.
"Get off me!" She thrash's but I don't let go.
I'm out of the booth, the drunk girls forgotten about and have her pinned to the table.
"Now, be a good girl Eden."
I throw her over my shoulder with one arm, the other bringing my scotch to my lips and downing the contents.
Two hundred dollars for a shot of watered down cheap liquor, I'm atleast drinking it.
"Let me down! Help I'm being kidnapped!"
The girls behind me gasp and one gets up to do whatever she thinks will help.
"Carful now Ladies, I'm a bounty hunter and she's under arrest not getting kidnapped."
I flip the bottom hem of my shirt up to show the badge fastened to my belt loop.
All of the girls watch on not moving a muscle to try anything else.
"It's fake! Help me!"
She wiggles and trys to get free but my hold on her is solid.
Tossing her over my shoulder I hold her in place so she doesn't fall.
"Eden calm down. Your brother sent me."
She stops kicking.
Out of the club and back at my car she moves effortlessly into the seat.
When I bend over her to buckle her in she bites the fuck out of my shoulder and kicks me in the balls.
"Uhhhh." I groan and slid down to the floor boards.
She keeps kicking until I'm hunched into a ball and goes to escape.
She manges to get out but I catch her ankle and sweep her legs out from under her making her crash on the hard black top.
"Stop FUCKING fighting me!" I crawl over her, jerking her wrists up making her cry out in pain.
"Screw you! Get off me!" She kicks her legs but with the slightest bit of pressure she stops from the pain I'm inflicting.
"Listen closely kid, I am here to help you."
She laughs.
"Sure, like everyone else right? Fuck you. You're a lying piece of shit!"
The mouth on this girl.
"I'm NOT lying. Your brother rea-"
"The DEAD can't say a motherfucking thing! Get off me!"
Realizing she isn't going to believe me with out proof I hold her wrist in so I can keep her here.
Turning her to the truck I push her against it and spread the back of her legs with my knee so I can make her shift into me.
Keeping her off her feet and unbalanced might make her easier to deal with.
"We served together. I have proof."
Pushing her back and making her lay against my chest in a uncomfortable bend so I can pull my dog tags out, one with his inscription.
"See?" I dangle it infront of her face.
Her hateful look flicks to the tag's.
I can see the flash go off behind her eyes.
The mask she pulls back over.
"You could have stole it for all I know."
If she wasn't being my pain the ass right now I'd say she was doing good.
"What the hell do you want from me?"
She growls, seething with anger.
I can feel her trembling.
"I don't want anything from you. He asked me to take care of you. So here I am."
I kick her legs out and make her fall back in my arms scooping her up and throwing her into the truck.
"Taking care of you." I climb in behind her, holding her down while I buckle her in.
"I don't need to be taken care of. Nor do I believe Emmett sent some jackass two years after he died to do a damn thing for me. Thanks but no thanks. Especially not by some stranger, soldier or not, hard pass."
She sneers, sassing me from her side of the truck.
Taking the general anesthetic, I keep talking while filling my syringe.
"For one, it's sergeant, two, I have his last will and testament. I'll show it to you. Three, I have been looking for you for two years and four, you don't have a choice so shut the fuck up and get over it."
She growls.
Like a wild animal.
"You're not turning me in? Mr. bounty hunter?"
"I fucking wish." I snapp back.
Eyeing the needle and pushing the air bubbles out.
"Now, go the fuck to sleep so I can figure some shit out."
Her eyes widen in horror but I have her pinned already and the wiggle she trys to throw my way does nothing.
The needle goes in, her scream doesn't make it out of her throat before she's out like a light.
A promise is a promise.
