Pearce Hudson: #1 My Italian Devil

25.Game over

"He left," Ross said, when I looked around for Jake.

I smiled lightly leaning against a box or crate.

"Go get him," Ross grinned back.

I started protesting.

"Shut up will you. I told you I'd look into the moving pieces. This me looking into moving pieces. Now please leave so I be can pretend to be your knight in shining armor and do you this solid."

I gave a quick peck on the cheek, "Thanks Jared."

I left taller leaving the warehouse, like a great burden had lifted from my shoulder. Of course it has, Dante would never expect this. Someone was finally going to testify against him. We stole his pawn. Without his queen, me, he didn't really have any other great defense. Checkmate, Dante Capaldi.

I knocked on Jake's door but he didn't answer. I had a key to his apartment but it'd seem like an invasion of privacy. What if he had a girl over? It wasn't like we were dating, so I couldn't really say anything. Plus I stood him up for a criminal.

Screw that.

His apartment was dark and appeared empty. I called out his name before realizing he wasn't home. It wasn't like you expected him to wait for you. Not expected, hoped.

He came up the stairs as I unlocked my apartment. "Jake."

He didn't let me finish, he was in front of me. He grabbed onto my arms gently but firmly.

"You run."
"What?"
"It's what you do. You run. When situations get tough. When its not in your control you run and hide. You did it when Dante left, when Paul yelled at you at the birthday and when I brought up Dante this afternoon. Dante let's you have that control, he doesn't take it with a grain of salt. But I'm not ganna let you do the more you run the faster I'll chase after you. I know we're on a case and you have a complicated relationship with Dante right now. And I'll fight for you, against him. I'll compete for you."

He released me. "Just don't run okay?"
"Don't let me," I whispered.

His lips came out of nowhere but I didn't complain. I kissed him back. We both did it wasn't one sided. Its wasn't alcohol, Jesscia or anything. It was just us. His kisses were gentler. It was unlike Dante's who would've pushed me against the wall and hungrily kissed me ready to rip of my clothes. Jake had a kindness in him. He pulled me closer to his chest and wrapped his hands around my waist. I ran my through his soft hair.

I broke apart to open my apartment door. Jake entered and slammed it shut behind me. I just needed it to be us, at least for tonight. Before I deal with the devil in the morning.

A throbbing sound from my night stand jolted me awake. I reached for the source, my phone as I felt something wrapped around my waist. Jake. He was pressed against my back, his head resting on my hair. I slowly inched from him and got out of bed.

"Derek it's 3 in the morning," I said in a hushed tone, in the bathroom trying not wake up Jake.
Derek groaned then spoke, "911. Get the team down to the warehouse."
"What happened?" I asked pulling on some pants.
"James happened just get down here and bring a medical kit."
"Alright hold on."

I got dressed hastily, this time I strapped on my holster and gun. Jake was still asleep and I didn't want to wake. He looked so peaceful but I had to. I leaned over him and shook his shoulder.

"Hey get up," I told him.
He groaned then opened his eyes. He tried to pull me towards but I stood my ground.
"Jones called me. 911. As much as I'd love to get back in bed with you. We have get dressed."

Ross's place was on the way so I offered to pick him up. Ross came out his apartment pulling on his jacket. I saw his glock on the side hip. "What happened? Did he say anything?"
"He told me to get the team together."
He concerned look turned into a mischievous grin, "So what happened between you and Jake?"
I grinned like a dumbass, "Nothing much."
"You two didn't hook up?"
"No."
"We ordered in some dinner, watched some TV and went to bed, clothed."
"So no sex?"
"No."
"Like nothing?"
"No!"
"That's so...weird. What if the sex isn't good? Would you stay with him?"
"Relationships aren't based on sex. Its based on love."
"Well we don't have the best track history for relationships."
"No we don't."

The warehouse was pitch black, not a single light was on. We three got out, excepting the others to have arrived but they hadn't. Ross and I had our guns in our hands, poised and finger ready on the trigger. Jake followed us a few feet behind us but I opted to leave him behind as Ross and I entered the warehouse. I told him to call Green, Crawford or Jessica if we didn't return in 5 minutes. He wasn't willing at first but then it came to him, he didn't know how to handle a gun and would be putting himself in danger rather than help us. Plus I wanted Jake away from danger.

The only source of light, the moon, pale in the night sky provided us with some visuals of the warehouse. One of the SUVs had a dent in the door. There was a broken crate on the floor, some signs of struggle. Ross and I stayed close. Over the years, Ross and I had gotten used to each others moves over the years, each knew the others next move, thought etc. As I moved along the side of the SUV, Ross was right behind me, like an extra shadow. He tapped on my shoulder and indicated he was taking the left with his fingers. I continued straight. The warehouse was completely silent except for the swish swish sounds coming from the river and the sound of material rustling, which I assumed came from Ross.

I approached the cage. It was empty. The door was swinging wide open. The lock was on the ground and so was the key. The door was dented in places. I turned on the flashlight on my phone and shone it around the cage area. There were signs of struggle. Papers scattered, broken wood, a carton of Chinese take-out strew all over the floor and smalls splotches of blood.

I felt Ross double tap my shoulder and I switched off my flashlight.

"James is gone," I reported.

"I haven't seen Derek yet. Should we call out?"

"Derek! Derek! It's Pearce and Jared! Call out so we can find you!"

"Derek!" Ross joined in.

"Der-" Ross put his fingers on my lips.

"Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

Then I heard it. It was a slight moan coming for a few feet away from us. We followed it. A desk had been overturned, pinned underneath it was Derek. Derek was a particularly strong guy. He could've pushed off the desk no problem. A sense of worry hit my heart.

"Derek!" I rushed to his side, there was some blood around his head.
He groaned again but spoke, "Its over."
"What's over?" Ross asked.
"Case. It just went down the drain."
"You're not making any sense anymore," I crouched down and examined his injuries.
"James he escaped. He was never going to testify. He was...he...that's it this case is done. It's burned."