You are MINE (closed)

[Asa]

Gabriella went through her night growing more suspicious of Lance as the night dragged on and her order lost was racking up more and more.

Braddock got back to her "no idea. Could he be a loose end?"

She showed the reply to Greg a wondering brow raised at his thoughts on the comment.

 

[susurrus]

Gabriella showed Greg the short conversation between her and Braddock in relation to Lance's mysterious absence at the bar and whether there might be a nefarious reason for it.

"I don't know about this. Lance is a fucking asshole, but I really don't think he's in bed with Vince. I can't explain why he isn't here, but I have a hard time believing the worst. Surprising for a cop, I know."

 

[Asa]

She made it through the rest of her shift.

Greg you know Lance where else would he go? Might want to go hunt for him in case the text is right. I will meet you at my place.

She had made her order list and got the kitchen order list and stabbed a knife through them into his office door on her way out to her car.

 

[susurrus]

Greg nodded at Gabriella's suggestion he go look up Lance. Braddock was doing whatever Braddock was doing, and so apparently couldn't be bothered. Besides, Greg realized he wasn't really doing anything but wasting time, so he might as well make himself useful.

Heading for Lance's, he wondered just what the hell what might have happened with Lance, or where he might have gone. It was definitely not like Lance not to be at the bar during business hours. Hell, it wasn't like him not to get his cock sucked or fucking one of the waitresses for that long.

Lance was no angel. He'd admitted that himself, but given everything Greg had learned of the guy over the last few years, especially given his behavior since all this "Gabriella's backstory" bullshit had started, he couldn't see that Lance was working for the "other" guys. As ever, he knew Lance was working for Lance, and whether that meant he was for or against what Greg and Gabriella were working toward, he couldn't be exactly sure. However, as Greg had observed, Lance was very possessive of his girls, and that one lapse aside, Greg had a hard time believing Lance had thrown in with the likes of Vince. Hell, Vince was everything Lance was trying to put behind him, given his history. Still, he always let that little hint of doubt linger...

Lance's Jeep was still parked. It didn't look like it'd moved all day. The door to Lance's place was unlocked, a further oddity.

Inside, it looked like a war had been fought. It seemed that not a single piece of furniture stood where started, and practically everything looked to be smashed.

It wasn't until he got around the back of the upturned couch that Greg found the blood. A chill of horror pulsed through him and he called out, "Lance! You here?"

From down the hallway, he heard a moan.

Racing toward the sound, Greg noticed more blood, both drops and smears, along the way.

He found Lance in the bathroom. The floor was soaked, and Lance lay sprawled in the tub. One leg lay over the side, bent at an odd angle, and red-tinged water sloshed out over the side when Lance tried to turn toward Greg.

"Lance!, what the hell happened?" He ran over and knelt by the side of the tub, ignoring all the water on the floor.

It took several seconds for Lance to realize Greg was there. "Greg? 'Zat you?" he mumbled through a split lip. "Fucker jumped me. Musta got in sometime during the night. Had my fucking bat. Tore up my goddamn place, the sonovabitch." He smiled, though he winced as it pulled at the crack in his lip. "Gave as good as I got, though. Blood out there ain't all mine.

"Bastard had the tub all filled already. Prob'ly though he was gonna brain me then drown me. Fucked up my leg. Shit, is that bone? Fuck."

Lance then laid his head back, making more blood stained water slosh. "Probably thinks he was trying to send me a message. Fuck 'em. Whether Vince or Dallis or some other goddamn motherfucker, all they done is pissed me off."

Greg shushed him. "Just calm down. We'll get you to a hospital and get you taken care of. That leg looks bad, but judging by the state of this place and you, there's probably more to it than just that."

Lance groaned. "Fuck. Don't wanna ride in no damn ambulance. Shit. Get ridda this goddamn water. My balls probably look like a couplea shriveled up raisins by now."

Greg reached in and opened the drain, then got on the phone. First he called the ambulance, giving dispatch his badge number so they wouldn't send another cop. When he had the medics on the way, he gave Gabriella a call and let her know what he'd found, then told her he'd be riding to the hospital and where to find them.

 

[Asa]

Got it. I've closed up the bar everyone is on their way home. Braddock has left a well wrapped gift in the back of a squad car for the cop grabbing breakfast. Nothing to do with our issue he just heard them talking about the guy and troubles he had caused and he happened to know about him so a freebie for the cops instead of another corpse. I am headed home I am exhausted for once Braddock will be heading in soon to the area so no worries. Help Lance see you later.

With that she locked the bar and walked to her car ready to call it a night.

 

[susurrus]

Greg responded, "That all sounds fine.

"If I can ask you a favor, and you might think it sounds odd, coming from me, but you think you can send one of your other brothers to look out for Lance while he's in the hospital? I have a feeling he's going to be laid up for a few days, and whoever worked him over might try to take advantage, or attempt to finish the job. He may be a bastard, but after this, I think it'll be a pretty good bet who's side he's going to fight for.

"I'll flash my badge and make up a story. For all the hospital staff will know, whoever you send will be a plainclothesman. I'll pass on information as I get it.

"You go do what you're going to do. I'm going to call 911."

He then disconnected the call and summoned the ambulance. He told the dispatcher he was a cop, and not to send a squad to the scene. When the medics arrived, Lance hadn't deteriorated, but neither had he improved. Still, he had enough energy to protest: "I don't need no fucking ambulance. Just get me to bed and I'll be fine after some shut-eye. Just bandage up my leg and get out of my house." That was as much energy as he had, though, because, he didn't put up any kind of physical fight.

Greg followed the ambulance, took care of the hospital's paperwork, and when asked, told them how he'd found him. He didn't insinuate that he had any idea why Lance would have been assaulted in such a manner, but fabricated a story that he must have pissed off some guy who decided to hold a grudge. It wasn't a lie, but neither was it the whole truth.

He stayed until Lance was admitted. He then relayed the information to Gabriella, and told the hospital folks he was going to send over a plain clothes guy to make sure whoever had beat Lance up didn't come to get him while he was laid up. Until that time, Greg was going to stay there with his friend.

While Greg sat there in the hospital room with Lance, he really wished he was alone with Gabriella, however, he had a feeling Lance was just the start...

 

[Asa]

Gabriella called Braddock to have him call in one of the others and inform them that they are a plain clothes cop and will be doing boring duty guarding Lance at the hospital. Braddock snorted but made the call then informed Greg via text on their trio of phones that Ram was on his way. After that he went back to patrolling with even more eye for details on everything.

Gabriella finished closing the bar and headed for home.

 

[susurrus]

Greg hadn't liked having asked Gabriella to call in another of her brothers, but given the circumstances, he didn't feel like leaving Lance to fend for himself while convalescing was a good idea.

He figured it would be a few hours before Ram showed, but he had no intention of leaving Lance alone in the meantime.

While he sat there beside Lance's bed, he reminisced back to such a short time ago, where he and Gabriella had had such a leisurely, care-free session together. He hoped after all this was over, they'd be able to have a lot more of those. Yeah, there'd be the usual cop shit, but at least there wouldn't be anybody out there specifically targeting one of them - at least, that he knew of, anyhow.

Just like he hated leaving Lance alone, he wished he was there to look after Gabriella. Yes, she was extremely capable, but so was Lance. The only thing she had going for her was: there was a very good chance that the people after her were under orders not to harm her. Lance, obviously, was under no such protection, and Greg was sure it was unlikely there were any restrictions on what could be done to him, as well.

Listening to the beeps and low hums that accompany stays in hospital rooms, Greg let himself nod off for a little bit, taking the chance that no one would try anything with him sitting there next to the bed...

 

[Asa]

After a couple of hours Ram arrived.

Greg.

The normally booming voice spoke attempting to speak softly to not wake the patient.

-------------

Gabriella's car made it home but where was she?
She had pulled into the little parking basement but never made it up to her apartment suddenly feeling herself lose consciousness after she got out of her car and started towards the door.

 

[susurrus]

Greg shook hands with Gabriella's brother when he finally arrived. He then filled him in on what was going on. He assured him Lance wouldn't want a bodyguard, but shouldn't be in any condition to put up much of a fight. Last, he told Ram to make sure the legitimate hospital staff to do their jobs, but not to trust anyone but him, Gabriella and Braddock aside from that. So, no other visitors, and keep a wary eye on anyone wanting to give Lance anything.

Trusting that Lance as now safe, Greg headed back to meet with Gabriella. When he reached her place, he scooped her up and held her close.

 

[Asa]

It was a warning to her... He could get to her at work as well. But why had he not taken advantage... More head games from Vince.

She eventually woke up not remembering how or when she got home.

Greg... What happened? Last thing I remember was... My usual shot of bourbon before I leave and... Now this... What happened?

 

[susurrus]

This bit with Gabriella losing her recollection of part of the evening was worrisome. That nothing obvious had happened was a minor relief, but what might have happened that none of them were aware of?

Greg got on his phone and filled in Braddock. He then let Ram know she'd turned up, but with no knowledge of what may have happened.

He then had a thought.

"Babe, was there anybody at Lance's tonight you didn't know? Did you use the bottle you usually get your after shift drink from for any other customers? If you were the only one who had anything from that bottle, any doctoring had to have happened before you got in. If you served anyone else from that bottle, if it was tampered with, then they'd more than likely have had a similar reaction.

"Hell, I'm just grasping at anything to try to come up with leads. I want to head back to Lance's and check his cams. They probably know he has a few, but I bet they don't know just how much coverage he has there. If somebody fucked with your bottle, there's probably a shot of the culprit in Lance's cam feed.

"And if the booze was normal, then they got to you some other way. Did Braddock get this place bugged? Do you think there are any cameras in the parking area?"

 

[Asa]

Yeah... We can go back to Lance's. I don't think anyone else was served from the bottle. I...

She reached up feeling that bump forming on her head from her collapsing in the garage.

Yeah let's go check blood work too see if they can find anything.

 

[susurrus]

Greg saw Gabriella waver a bit as she felt the bump she'd received from her fall, so he quickly wrapped an arm around her, saying, "Let's grab that bottle and get you to the hospital. If the booze was doctored, they should be able to identify what's in it and compare that to what might be left in your blood. If it's the same, we can rule out the notion that you just fainted."

Without giving her a choice, Greg picked Gabriella up and carried her to his car. Placing her in the passenger seat, he had an idea, popped the hood, then got on the ground and looked at the undercarriage for anything suspicious. He was expendable in the eyes of their opponents. Of that, he had no illusions. Gabriella was the only one Vince wanted. Greg, her brothers, even Lance, were just barriers to him getting what he really wanted.

Satisfied there were no booby traps, he climbed in and did a quick inspection of the interior. Finally, he shoved the key in the ignition and they were off.

 

[Asa]

She did not argue she was not liking how she felt and wanted to make sure everything was alright. She let them back into the bar to get the bottle and locked back up agreeing to take it to the hospital.

I will go check on Lance... and see... Ram...

Once more she wavered and almost passed out again. A nurse lunged to catch her.

No ma'am you are going to be admitted to the ER now! So get into the wheel chair so there won't be any tumbles and lets go now

 

[susurrus]

Greg followed Gabriella into the bar far enough that he could watch both her and the car. It only took a couple minutes and they were back on their way.

Once inside the hospital, Gabriella mumbled something about seeing Lance and Ram, but only barely got her statement out before nearly collapsing. Within moments, she was in a wheelchair and paperwork was being filled out for an ER visit.

Greg explained there was a suspicion that there may have been something in the liquor she'd drunk an hour or so earlier, and that they'd come primarily to have both the contents of the bottle and Gabriella's blood compared for some manner of foreign substance.

Fortunately, there were no questions regarding their relationship, and the overnight staff let him follow. It was a good thing, too, because he wasn't about to let her out of his sight, if he had anything to say about it.

Blood was drawn, and the bottle taken for analysis. Once they were alone, Greg took Gabriella's hand. "We'll figure this shit out. Vince is not smarter than we are. He just has the advantage that we don't have any idea what he's up to. We do know his ultimate goal, though, and as long as we have you, we have a chance."

 

[Asa]

Gabriella just smiled to him curious what could be having this affect on her and getting highly annoyed with it.

A nurse walked into the room and smiled to them.

The officer you have here for the other patient has asked if she should be moved to the same room so you both could guard both of them. Something about someone else for Lance to complain to before he is tempted to break his jaw to shut him up.

Gabriella just smirked at the words she could clearly picture Ram saying.

 

[susurrus]

Greg wasn't sure he was ready to put up with a convalescing Lance.

"Tell the other officer that he doesn't have to stay there in the room with him. When no one else is in the room, he can sit or stand outside in the hall."

 

[Asa]

The nurse nodded and left. Gabriella waited until she was gone to laugh.

Ram would do it too. And him leaving the room is best if the conversation were to turn to me no telling what Ram would tell him about our past. Just to annoy him.

 

[susurrus]

Greg smiled uneasily. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear about the things Ram could tell about Gabriella and him. It'd sure make Lance jealous as hell, though. To Lance, it would seem like she'd given herself to practically everybody she knew, except him. She was right, it would really set his teeth on edge.

"You want to go see them? I definitely don't want you to share a room, but if I can get permission to take you down there? I know you haven't seen Ram since he got here."

 

[Asa]

She nodded.

Yeah... Though why not on the sharing a hospital room afraid Lance might take advantage?

She was trying to play a little with Greg and make a joke.