Guardian Angels, Part 2

Peter arrived back at the Precinct at 5:00, anxious to find Paul and Kermit. He was disappointed, though. Strenlich told him that the two men had left an hour earlier, but he didn't know where they had went. It seemed that no one else had seen the men either. Peter called Paul and Annie's house, but there was no answer. He tried Paul's car phone, but it was turned off. He sighed and leaned back in his chair. He started to thumb threw a file on his desk, but couldn't concentrate on it. He was irritated to think that his foster father had shut him out. "I've had enough," he said as he tossed the file back down. He decided that if Paul was going to take off with Kermit, Peter would just have to use his detective skills to find them. Of course, he didn't have a clue where to begin looking.

He signed out for the day and headed to his car. He pulled out onto the street and decided to head to Chandlers first, thinking that maybe Paul and Kermit had decided to stop off for a cold beer and talk about the past. He found his usual parking place in front (everyone seemed to know that he parked there, it was always free) and walked inside. He found Terry tending bar and had a seat on a stool.

Terry looked up from taking frosted mugs out of the freezer. "What will you have, Peter?"

"Light Beer." Peter pulled out of $5.00 bill from his wallet. "Hey, Terry, have you seen Paul here this afternoon."

"Nope, sure haven’t." Terry sat the beer down and made change from the $5.00. Peter started to gulp down the beer, anxious to find his father and Kermit, but before he could, Mary Margaret Skalaney walked in and plopped down on the stool next to him.

"Hey Peter, Where have you been all day?" She asked as Terry poured her a beer, too.

"Paul asked me to pick up a friend of his at the airport. We were supposed to have dinner tonight, but I can't find them. Have you seen Paul and another guy with dark hair and sunglasses?"

Skalaney shook her head, "No. But I was on surveillance duty with Katz this afternoon." She took a deep drink from the mug. "By the way, I think I owe you big for that. Strenlich said he was going to put you on it, but then he found out you were running an errand for the Captain." She grimaced, "He made me cover…my lucky day. God, that sucked. We had to sit in a room the size of closet that smelled like dead fish and wait for a drug deal that ended up never happening. I'm tellin' you Peter, I owe you and I'm not gonna forget it." She swallowed the last of her beer and held out the mug for a refill.

Peter wrinkled up his nose, "I thought I smelled something funny. Remind me to sit up wind from you next time."

Skalaney gave him her best glare, grabbing him playfully on the back of the neck, and whispering menacingly in his ear, "There's not going to be a next time, is there, Caine."

"I take it that's a rhetorical question?" Peter cringed and tried to pull away from his partner's grip.

"Let's put it this way, if there is a next time, you're sitting in that hole in the wall by yourself and I'm going to be the one to run the Captain's errands." She released her grip and chuckled, "That is, if you know what's good for you."

Terry walked over to the cops. "Phone call for you, Pete." He handed the handset to Peter and went back to serving customers at the other end of the bar.

"Peter Caine."

"Peter, it's me," Peter easily recognized his foster father's voice.

"Paul, where are you at? I came back to the station to grab a bite to eat with you and Kermit and you were gone."

"Peter, there's been a change of plans. We're not going to be able to go out. I need you to do me a favor, though."

Peter was going to joke about the number of favors his father was needing lately, but then decided against it. Paul's voice seemed a little too serious. "Sure."

"I want you to forget about talking to Kermit. If anyone asks you, you never saw him today."

"But, Paul, everyone knows I picked him up at the airport."

"No, only Strenlich knows, and I've already told him the same thing."

"Well, Skalaney knows too. She's sitting right here."

"Tell her to forget it too, okay?"

"Paul, what's going on. What kind of trouble is Kermit in?" Peter was growing extremely concerned about the safety of his father and Griffin.

"Peter, I can't talk about it. Just remember what I've said. You haven't seen him." There was a click on the other end of the line as Paul hung up without letting Peter respond again.

Somewhat shocked, and feeling dejected, Peter hung up.

"What was that all about?" Mary Margaret could see the concern on Peter's face.

"I'm not sure. Paul want's me to forget about going to the airport and picking up Paul's friend."

"Why? What's the big deal?" Skalaney was asking questions and expecting answers. But she could see that Peter was just as confused as she was.

"I don't know. There's something wrong." Peter finished his beer and stepped down from the stool. "I'm going back to the station. I'll see you in the morning." He started to walk away from his partner.

"Peter, what are you going to do?" Skalaney knew the answer before she asked the question. "Peter, Paul's going to kill you if you go nosing around in what ever it is he's involved in." Peter ignored her and walked out the door. "Ah, man," she groaned as she laid her money down on the bar to cover her tab, "I'm gonna regret this." She followed her partner out the door.

Peter was already in his car with the engine running when Skalaney pounded on the passenger side window. Peter unlocked the door and she climbed in. "You shouldn't be here," Peter said to the woman.

"I shouldn't be here…what about you? You don't seem to realize that Paul is going to blow a gasket when he finds out you didn't follow his orders."

"Hey, I'm going to follow his orders. If anyone asks me if I've seen Kermit Griffin today, I will say 'no', that's all Paul told me to do." Peter looked at Mary Margaret with complete innocence.

"You know as well as I do that Paul does not want you doing any snooping around."

"I know no such thing. If he didn't want me digging he should have said so." Peter gunned the engine and shot out of the parking space. Within minutes he had pulled back into the precinct parking lot. The partners left his car and went back inside the building.

Peter plopped down at his desk and turned on the computer terminal. Before he could enter his access code, Strenlich came over and tossed a sheet of paper, face down, on his desk. "Take a look at this."

Peter turned the paper over. Skalaney looked over his shoulder. Peter frowned, "Damn it. What has Paul gotten himself into."

Skalaney didn't know exactly what had been going on that afternoon, but she was starting to piece things together. Peter held a FBI alert in his hands. The picture was of a man with dark hair and sunglasses. The suspect was wanted for the murder of an industrialist. The suspect's name was Kermit Griffin."

Peter looked at Strenlich. Before he could say anything the Chief stopped him, "Peter, I know what you're going to say, but no…I'm not going to let you go find Paul. He left explicit instructions that we were all to forget what we saw this afternoon, especially you. I want you to go home. I do not want to see you here until your shift starts tomorrow morning. Furthermore, I intend to call you several times tonight. You better make sure you are at home to answer the phone or I'll have your butt in a sling, do you understand me."

Peter looked defiantly at his boss. He started to verbalize a protest, but Skalaney slapped him on the back of the shoulder. She spoke for him, "He understands."

"Good. Skalaney, I want you to make sure he goes home."

"Oh come on, Chief, I don't need a baby-sitter." Peter couldn't help the protest this time.

"Yes, you do. You and I both know that you want to run off and find Paul. That's NOT going to happen tonight. Have I made my self clear?"

"Yes sir," Peter said in defeat.

"Then get out of here, Detectives. By my watch, your shifts were over almost two hours ago." Strenlich walked away without further comment.

Skalaney grabbed a reluctant Peter by the upper arm and pulled him towards the exit. "Let's go, hot shot. I have to take you home and tuck you in."

Peter made a face, "Oh, pleez."

"Hey, it's a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it." It was Skalaney's turn for her best look of innocence.

"Yeah, but that 'someone' doesn't have to enjoy it so much."

The Ancient had taken Paul and Kermit to the building that had housed Sing Ling since he was a small child. The decorations had been removed, the room returned to stark brown and yellow colors.

Kermit and Paul entered the building cautiously. Mercenary instincts never die, Paul thought. He listened for any sound which might indicate an intruder, but there was nothing.

As if reading his mind, Lo Si said to the men, "We are alone here. You will be safe. You are welcome to stay as long as you wish."

"Thank you," Kermit was at a loss of what else he should say to the old man.

"I will leave you. Here is a key to the building." Lo Si handed the key to the mercenary and turned to leave. Suddenly, he stopped and turned to the Captain, a worried look entering his brown eyes. "You must find young Peter."

Paul's heart dropped into his stomach, "Why?…What's wrong?"

"Peter is in not safe."

"Yes he is. I was just talking to him on the phone. He's fine." Paul made the statements but knew he was trying to convince himself more than the Ancient.

"He is not safe. He is in danger. I know this." Lo Si firmly grabbed the Captain's arm. Paul instinctively pulled away, but was held in his iron grip.

Paul pulled out his cell phone and dialed Chandler's bar. Terry answered. "Terry, this Blaisdell, I need to talk to Peter."

"I'm sorry, Captain, but he left about a half hour ago."

"Do you know where he went?"

"No, but he left with Skalaney."

"Okay, thanks. If you see him, tell him to call me on my cell phone ASAP." Blaisdell pushed the end button on the phone and dialed the precinct. Sgt. Broderick answered. "Is Peter there?"

"No Sir," Broderick answered dutifully. "The Chief sent him home a few minutes ago. Told Skalaney to make sure he stayed there. Not sure what that was all about."

"Is the Chief still there?"

"Yeah, he's just getting ready to call it a day."

"Put him on," Blaisdell ordered.

Within seconds, Frank answered, "Paul, where are you?"

"Never mind me, where's Peter?"

"I sent him home with Skalaney. He wanted to try to find you, but I think I put an end to that attempt. By the way, your friend is wanted by the FBI for murder…but I think you already knew that, huh." The Chief waited for an answer from Paul

"Frank, there's a lot more going on here than I'm at liberty to say. I need you to find Peter for me. When you do, call me and tell me where he is. I want you to put a guard on him."

"Why?" Frank was now clearly confused. There had been no mention of a threat to the brash detective in their previous conversation.

"Just do as I say, please. I'll explain later. Just find him and keep him under wraps for me." Paul hung up and looked at his companions.

"Okay, Peter is heading home with Skalaney. What do you think is going to happen to him?" Paul had to know what the Ancient suspected.

"I do not know for sure, but I do know that the people who have tried to frame you, Mr. Griffin, will harm Peter."

"They're going to use him to get to me, aren't they?" Kermit knew the answer before the question was asked. "That's it Paul. I'm turning myself in. At least then, there will be no harm to Peter or to anyone else."

"No, Kermit. Let's not be hasty. Nothing has happened to anyone. Peter is okay and I've got a guard on him. Let me do some digging and find out what's going on." Paul put his hand on Griffin's shoulder. Kermit normally glared at anyone making physical contact with him…but not Paul. He needed the comfort that only Paul could provide right now.

"Okay…I'll stay here, for now. But I'm warning you Paul…if anything happens to Peter or you…or anyone else because of me, I'll never forgive myself." Kermit turned and walked towards a small table and chair that had been set up in the living quarters.

Peter had taken Skalaney back to her car, which was still parked in the side alley next to Chandlers. He made sure that she was safe inside her car and then proceeded down the alley. She followed. Despite Peter's repeated protests and pleas, his partner had insisted on following him to his apartment and making sure he didn't leave. Peter had to fight the overwhelming urge to punch the accelerator of the Corvette and lose her in traffic.

He had to find a way to get away from his babysitter and find Paul. He knew that Paul was in trouble and there was no way he was going to let his father take it on by himself. He pulled onto the by-pass entrance ramp and began speeding up to merge into the highway traffic. Mary Margaret's sedan was having trouble keeping up. Peter smiled to himself, internally gloating. "Serves you right," he thought to himself. He had already out-distanced himself from his partner by about a mile. He looked down at the speedometer and saw that he had exceeded the speed limit in his haste. He let up on the accelerator and watched the needle drop back down to a couple of notches over the limit.

A car had pulled up behind him, very close, the headlights blinding him. He lowered his rear view mirror. "You are picking the wrong day to screw with me, buddy," Peter growled. He let up on the accelerator even more, figuring the car would decide to pass.

Predictably, the car pulled out. But unpredictably, when the car was even to him he looked over and saw he was staring into the wrong end of an Uzi. The passenger of the car had rolled down the window and was yelling. The car was easing over into Peter's lane of traffic. Peter floored the accelerator and the Corvette shot forward. The threatening car also accelerated. Peter was faster, but he didn't count on the gunfire. Sparks flew from the Uzi and pounded into the side of the sports car."

"Damn it," Peter yelled out of fear and anger. He slammed on the brakes and the other car shot forward ahead of him. What he hadn't counted on, however, was that one of the bullets pierced the driver's side front tire as the assailants shot by. The Corvette entered into an uncontrolled spin towards the embankment on the side of the road. Peter fought to steer into the spin, but couldn't maintain control. The car shot over the side and rolled. The last thing Peter saw was the blur of brake lights from the sedan.

Mary Margaret was furious with Peter for having purposely tried to lose her with the speed of his car. "Peter Caine, just for once I wish you would quit acting like a 16 year old and start acting like an adult."

She had floored her car in a vain attempt to keep up with her partner. She noticed that she was making some headway and decided that maybe Peter was exercising restraint, "Yeah, right…that'd be the day," she chuckled to herself.

From out of no where, a sedan passed her and pulled in between Peter's Corvette and her car. The sedan was approaching Peter's car quickly. Mary Margaret estimated that the jerk was going at least 85 mph. She grabbed her radio, "Baker 19 to Dispatch."

"Go ahead" the calm voice answered.

"I'm heading west on I-420. I need a black and white to pick up a dark blue Buick Park Avenue, license plate number Baker Charlie Adam 245. Excessive speed and reckless driving. The suspect has just past mile marker…uh…64. Estimated rate of speed is…85-90 miles an hour."

"10-4, Baker 19. Officers in pursuit."

Mary Margaret dropped the radio handset beside her and was suddenly surprised that the car had slowed up and not passed Peter's car. Then she saw flashes of light from the passenger side of the suspect vehicle. "Oh my God...Peter!" She yelled, in a useless attempt to warn her partner.

She saw Peter slam on his brake lights. He was trying to lose the Park Avenue. It slammed on its brakes though. Suddenly, Peter's car spun out of control and over the embankment. Mary Margaret couldn't hold back her scream, "PETER…NO!"

The Park Avenue stopped about 100 feet ahead of where Peter had gone off the road. The driver of the car threw it into reverse and pulled it back so it would be even to where Peter had gone off the road. The passenger jumped out of the car, gun still in hand. He stood behind the sedan. Two other men left the back seat of the car and ran down the side of the embankment. Skalaney pulled up behind, keeping a respectful distance from the man with the Uzi. Another car pulled up behind her. An older man in a suit exited and yelled to her. "I'll call the police. Is that guy okay? I saw everything…that car just ran him off the road." The man started to walk up to Skalaney. She turned and yelled…"I am the police…get back into your car, sir…don't leave it until I tell you."

"Why…what's going on?" The man yelled back at her. A sudden burst of gunfire from the Park Avenue quieted his protest as he threw himself back into his car and ducked down beneath the dashboard. Skalaney similarly ducked behind the driver's side door as she pulled out her gun.

Other cars, not realizing what was going on, proceeded to pass the three cars. Skalaney hoped and prayed that no innocent bystanders would be hurt.

The man with the Uzi yelled at her, "Stay back. If you don't, we'll kill this guy."

While it was too dark to make out the face of the assailant, Skalaney was suddenly able to see that the other two men held a limp form between them…Peter. There was no movement from Peter…no protest or struggle. She felt sick to her stomach…he's dead, her mind screamed. No, she reasoned…they wouldn't be taking him if he were dead.

While the armed man held her back at a safe distance, the other two opened the back seat passenger door of the Park Avenue and pushed him inside. Skalaney gripped her gun tightly, realizing this was her only opportunity to stop the men. She fired at the back wheel of the Buick, knowing that it was one chance in a hundred that she'd be able to make the shot in the dark. The man with the Uzi returned fired. Skalaney dove for cover.

There was silence from the gun and then he yelled, "Tell Blaisdell that he can have his precious son back when we get Griffin. We'll be in touch." Then there was nothing. Skalaney peaked over the door and saw the Park Avenue was pulling away with her partner inside. She ran forward and attempted to shoot out the tires once again. Her shots impacted with the gravel on the shoulder. Before Skalaney could stop them, they had pulled into traffic. Skalaney ran back to her car and started the ignition, pulling out after the kidnappers. With her right hand she reached under her seat and pulled out her cherry flasher then she radioed back to Dispatch. "This is Baker 19, Detective Peter Caine has been kidnapped by the Blue Park Avenue, License plate number Baker Charlie Adam245. Westbound on I-420. I'm in pursuit. I need all available units."

"10-4," the voice answered calmly. The radio was silent for a few seconds, then, "Baker 19."

"Baker 19, go ahead."

"I'm patching through a call from Sgt. Broderick." Silence again. Then suddenly the gruff voice of the Sargent came over the radio, "Skalaney…What's going on out there."

"Sargent, Peter was run off the road. Four guys in a Park Avenue just kidnapped him. I think he's hurt. I'm trying not to lose them, but driving one handed is making it really difficult."

"Okay, Detective, black and whites are going to try to cut them off at exits 69, 71 and 74. Do you have them in sight?"

Yeah…I think so…the taillights are starting to blend in with traffic. They just passed Exit 69." She said, sounding more desperate than she would have liked. She pushed her car faster. At the next exit, Skalaney thought she saw the car she was chasing pull off.

"Skalaney…we just received a report from Charlie 24, the Park Avenue just passed them on Walnut. They're off the interstate and heading towards the warehouse district.

"Broderick, we have to stop them before they get into those buildings. It's a maze down there. We'll never find them if we lose them." She passed two cars and threw the steering wheel to the right to take the exit sharply.

She no longer could see the sedan or the police car that that was in pursuit. "Broderick…where are they?" There was only silence on the other end. "Broderick…" Skalaney repeated, frustrated at the lack of response. She continued to drive down Walnut, looking for some sign of the Park Avenue.

"Skalaney…Charlie 24 lost them in traffic." There was silence for a moment. "They're gone. No one has them in sight."

"Damn it!" Skalaney yelled at no one in particular.

"I'm sorry, Mary Margaret." Broderick said in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. "I want you to head back to where Peter was taken…maybe we can find some clues there. I'll meet you there myself."

"No…I want to keep looking. They're here somewhere."

"Detective…I'll have the police cruisers do it…get back to the scene…that's an order."

"BUT SARGENT, THEY HAVE PETER…" Mary Margaret yelled.

"That's an ORDER, Detective…" Sgt. Broderick's voice was firm.

Skalaney pulled over to the side of the road and stopped the car. She wrapped her arms around the steering wheel of the car and rested her forehead on top. "Peter…" her voice choked. Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes. She couldn't stop the flow.

End Part 2