Naked Dragon (14 page)

131

Naked Dragon

by G.A. Hauser

"Holy fuck!" He knew he'd been shot, but he hadn't heard the blast. He pulled out his gun and crouched down, then touched his shoulder and found blood. "Damn you!" He switched his gun in his left hand and depressed the microphone on his lapel with his right. "X-ray 440!"

The dispatcher repeated his call sign, "X-Ray 440, go ahead."

"I've been shot. I'm at the pay lot right across from China Gate."

* * * *

Dave couldn't believe what he was hearing. Lightning fast he grabbed the microphone. "Two-George-three en route," he said calmly, but he wanted to scream it. He flipped on his lights and sirens and made the corners on two wheels.

* * * *

Robbie got back on the air quickly before the chaos of units volunteering clogged it up. "I don't know where the bullets came from. Use caution! I repeat! Use caution!" The radio traffic went crazy with units offering to help, then sirens came from every direction. South radio had been informed and the entire Rainier Valley responded. Finally a lieutenant's voice was heard over the air and he slowed everyone down.

"Stay clear of the area, I repeat stay clear. Radio, have fire stand by until it's safe to enter the area."

"Copy," the dispatcher confirmed he understood, then he asked Agent Taylor for more information about how close the cops should get.

132

Naked Dragon

by G.A. Hauser

Robbie moved slowly along the tarmac, edging out of the lot, hiding between cars until he could find a road sign. "I'm moving eastbound out of the parking lot. When I get to a street sign, I'll advise. Until then, keep a wide perimeter."

* * * *

Dave knew Robbie wasn't injured too badly because his voice was calm. Keep back? No way. He blasted right through the safety zone to his location. The minute he arrived at the pay lot, he shut his sirens and jumped out of the car. He never let the dispatcher know he was there for fear of the repercussions of his actions. "Robbie!" he shouted, looking around the large lot for him.

"Dave?"

The minute he heard his voice he lowered down and crawled between cars to where he was crouching.

"Get down!" Robbie shouted to him, waving.

Keeping low, Dave hurried over to him and could see the stain of blood from his shoulder wound seeping through his jacket. "We have to get you to a hospital. Oh, Christ, Robbie, what the hell happened?"

"It's not that bad. I can still move my arm. Don't worry."

Then he nodded to an apartment building and said, "It must have come at me from that direction. I was looking around at the cars. I thought one looked like a good candidate, then I got hit."

They paused as someone's call sign was broadcasted over the air. Agent Skinner was asking for Robbie's location.

133

Naked Dragon

by G.A. Hauser

"Where the fuck is that asshole?" Robbie grabbed his radio microphone. "I'm on the east side of the pay lot across from the shop you entered." Then he said to Dave, "The idiot went in for a coffee and now I bet he's oblivious to what's going on out here." They both raised up cautiously to look for him.

There was Agent Skinner, cup in hand, casually glancing around the car parking lot without any clue there had been shots fired.

"I knew it!" Robbie growled. He shouted, "Frank, you moron! Get down!"

Instantly Frank threw his cup aside and ducked into the cars to make his way over to them under cover. When he was kneeling beside them he said, "What the heck's going on?

Jesus, Taylor! You're bleeding! Where's the suspect shooting from?"

"Up there somewhere. He's most likely long gone, Frank.

But, I just didn't want to take any chances with the cops."

Dave averted Agent Skinner's eyes shyly as Agent Skinner checked out the contact he was making with Robbie. Dave had been holding onto Robbie's arm since he found the blood on it.

"Let's get you out of here." Agent Skinner went for his radio, then Dave said, "My car's right at the end of this row.

Just get him to it and I'll take him to the hospital. It's very close by."

The dispatcher's voice came over the silent air again. "Any update, X-ray 440? Is it safe to send in fire?"

134

Naked Dragon

by G.A. Hauser

Agent Skinner stood up boldly and with his gun pointed upwards, he scanned each window and door he could see.

"Send them in. I don't think he's there any longer," he said.

Dave keyed his microphone and informed the dispatcher,

"Send fire in, radio."

"Copy, fire's en route to the location of..."

As he rattled off the address, the patrol cars resumed their approach and flew in with revving engines to their location.

With a circle of patrol cars around them, Robbie finally holstered his gun and began taking off his jacket so he could look at his arm. Dave helped him remove it gingerly, hating the sound of his intake of breath from the pain.

Sgt. Wilson stood over Dave as he crouched near Robbie and asked him, "When the hell did you arrive? I thought we had containment?"

"Uh, I just got here. Look, sarge, I can go with Agent Taylor to Harborview." Just as he said it, the firemen came racing over with their kits.

"We're setting up a perimeter and going door to door to all the apartment houses. SWAT and K9 has been called out. You want primary?"

Dave rubbed his face in agony. He knew he should take it, but all he wanted to do was accompany Robbie to Harborview. When he looked over at his lover, Robbie had three fire fighters attending him, one taking his pressure, one wrapping his arm, and another bagging his clothing.

And as if Sgt. Wilson could read his distress, he whispered,

"Go to the hospital to escort him. I'll get someone else to do it."

135

Naked Dragon

by G.A. Hauser

Officer Kurosawa overheard and offered, "I can write it up, sarge."

Sgt. Wilson nodded, then advised the dispatcher that two-George-one was primary on the scene.

"Thanks, Lisa," Dave whispered, wondering how it looked to her. Was it that strange to want to help out a wounded agent?

"No problem."

Before they took him to the hospital, Robbie shouted,

"Wait! That car. I want that car impounded."

"Which car?" Sgt. Wilson looked over the expanse of hot shining hoods and roofs.

Standing up, taking a good look around first as if he expected another bullet, Robbie then walked over to it. As he moved away from him, Dave stared at his naked back.

Everything had been stripped from his top half and a bandage was wrapped around his arm, still seeping blood. Appearing slightly paranoid, Robbie kept looking around him nervously as he walked to the car.

* * * *

Agent Skinner had hold of Robbie's gun and holster and carried it to Agent Green who had pulled up to the scene in their sedan. "He thinks he found the car. That's why he got the pot shot taken at him."

"How the hell does he know it's the guy's car?"

"Who knows? He's been right so far. I believe him." He placed the gun and holster in the sedan.

"Is he all right?"

136

Naked Dragon

by G.A. Hauser

"Yeah. Just winged. They're taking him to the hospital to check him out."

"That black cop going?"

"Yeah. He was already there when I found Taylor. He must have come straight there even though they were warning everyone to stay away."

"That's love for you," Agent Green smirked.

"More like lust." Agent Skinner shook his head.

* * * *

Dave was sure he recognized that car. He paused and stared at the back tail lights. The right one was broken. "I don't believe it."

"What?" Robbie rubbed at his sore arm gently.

"I pulled that car over a couple of days ago."

"You did?"

"Yeah. It came back with a report of sale. And the driver had an out of state license with a clear record, if I remember right. I cleared it quickly because we had just gotten the call of another homicide. I didn't think twice about it."

"You remember what the driver looked like? You still have his name?"

"I can't really remember his face. But his name should be on the call. I'll find it." He touched Robbie's arm gently. "Go to the damn hospital."

"You coming with me?"

"Yes."

137

Naked Dragon

by G.A. Hauser

Robbie nodded, then they filed out of the rows of cars.

Robbie approached Sgt. Wilson and said, "That one. I want it taken to the evidence room."

"No problem." Sgt. Wilson waved over another cop who was just standing around. "Get an impound started."

"Right," Officer Sanchez nodded.

"Let me drive you," Dave whispered. "Come on."

"You sure? It's all a little overt, don't you think?" Robbie smiled wryly at him.

"Shut up and get in my car." Dave opened it for him, then walked over to the firemen and asked for Robbie's clothing.

He was handed a bag and given a sly smile.

He ignored it and wondered if it did indeed seem unusual to help out someone from another agency that was injured.

Did he care?

Once he cleared out the passenger seat of his kit and stowed it into the back seat, he waited until Robbie climbed in, then closed the door for him. When Dave was behind the driver's seat of his car, he noticed all the staring eyes of the cops and fire crew around them.

Robbie said quietly, "Were you ready for this, David?"

"I don't care. All I care about is you." He put the car in drive and headed down Boren Avenue to the hospital emergency entrance. Parking, helping Robbie out of the car, Dave carried his clothing with him, then noticed the dark sedan pulling up behind his patrol car. Agent Green and Agent Skinner stepped out and followed at a distance behind them.

Robbie was led to a room immediately where they tended his wound and re-bandaged it. Dave stood by patiently, still 138

Naked Dragon

by G.A. Hauser

holding the bag of Robbie's bloody clothing. When Dave felt someone near him, he looked down at Agent Skinner's pointy nose. "We've got it from here, Harris."

Pausing, Dave tried to decide if he would allow them to push him away or not. Finally he said, "It's okay. I don't mind."

"We're going to take him back to the apartment after this.

You need to stay on duty."

The nastiness began to come through the seemingly meaningless words. Dave knew Agent Skinner was right, but he hated the idea he couldn't spend the rest of the afternoon with him. "I'll just hang out until he's ready to be checked out."

"They'll need you at the next crime scene," Agent Skinner sighed, "You know there will be one."

"Hey, man, I get it. Just give me a minute, all right?" Dave snapped, growing upset with the pushing.

As if he'd been listening the whole time, Robbie shouted,

"Be careful Frank, he's big enough to squash you like a bug."

"Shut up and let the doctors finish," Agent Skinner snarled.

That made Dave chuckle.

It didn't take long for Robbie to have a fresh bandage applied to his arm. When he was finished he walked back to where Dave was standing and reached out for his clothing.

Dave opened the bag and handed him the shirt. The right sleeve was bright red. "You can't put that on," Dave said.

"Shit." Robbie looked down at the flimsy hospital gown.

"Looks like I'm stuck with this until I get home and get a new suit on."

139

Naked Dragon

by G.A. Hauser

"You can stay there. You don't have to come back out after that." Agent Green handed him his holster and gun.

"No. I just need to get a change of clothing," Robbie said as he took his things.

"We'll drop you off at home and you can take the night off," Agent Skinner enunciated as if Robbie was hard of hearing.

Before Robbie could answer and begin a shouting match in the hall of the hospital, Dave interrupted and said, "I'll take him. You guys just get back out there."

"Oh? Since when are you the new SAC?" Agent Skinner said.

Since Dave had no clue what that was, he replied, "I just thought it would stop the arguments, that's all."

"Fine." Agent Skinner waved to Agent Green and he followed Agent Skinner out of the hospital without a word.

"Do they hate you or what?" Dave said as he watched them go.

"Never mind. Get me home. I want you to look up that call and get me a name."

"Right. Let's go."

* * * *

His shoulder throbbing, a few aspirins in him to help the pain, Robbie walked into the east precinct behind Dave and scanned the write-up room and the officers lingering in it curiously. Dave sat down at a computer and brought up a list of all the calls he'd been on that last Monday. The traffic stop 140

Naked Dragon

by G.A. Hauser

was logged on it with the name and the license plate information they needed.

"Here it is," Dave said as he hit the print button. "Bob T.

Stalker."

"You're joking. That's not his real name. Where's the address?" Robbie leaned over his shoulder to read the screen.

"It says 100 Ramrod Street, Boise, Idaho."

"Useless crap." Robbie sighed in disappointment.

"All made up?"

"Ramrod Street? Come on." Robbie rubbed his wounded shoulder lightly to relieve the sensation of throbbing.

"What about the car? They have to find something."

"It's a mess inside. And my guess is they'll never find anything useful in it. Dead end after dead end."

"Well, we got his car. He can't go too far." Dave closed down the screen and went to the printer to pick up the paperwork. He handed it to Robbie, then paused to listen.

They heard the dispatcher calling for a supervisor to go to a 'suspicious circumstances' call. Both Dave and Robbie cringed.

"Take it," Robbie nodded to Dave to answer the call.

Dave nodded and clicked his mike telling the dispatcher he would meet Sgt. Wilson there. He was acknowledged.