Frank Donovan hurried down the stairs from his office, hoping that one of his team hadn’t left yet for the night.
“Jake?” he called.
“Over here!”
Frank followed his voice and saw Jake standing at the door, just about to leave. He sighed in relief, walking over to him. “Glad I caught you.”
“What’s up?” Jake asked.
Frank looked around, as if making sure no one could hear them. “Has Alex left?”
Jake nodded.
Frank hesitated, as if not sure how to say what was on his mind.
“Something wrong?” Jake asked, thinking it odd.
Frank shook his head. “Tomorrow is Alex’s birthday.”
Jake smiled. “Yeah. We wanted to throw her a surprise party, but she figured it out and told us no way. We would’ve told you if we planned anything…”
Frank nodded, knowing that they wouldn’t leave him out of their plans. “I wanted to buy her something, but I have no idea what.”
Jake thought for a minute.
“I was actually wondering if you would help me pick something out for her?” Frank asked. “You’ve known her a lot longer then I have…”
Jake looked at him, trying to hide a grin. Frank Donovan, asking for help? “Sure. Got nothing better to do.”
Frank looked immensely relieved. “Thanks. I’m not really sure what kind of things she likes…”
Jake laughed. “Yeah, Alex is a picky person. You wanna go now?”
Frank nodded. “We’ll take my car.”
Jake followed Frank to his sleek silver and black 2002 Volvo S80, and they got in it and left.
“Where am I going?” Frank asked.
“Burger King.”
“What?” Frank said, looking at him.
Jake laughed. “I’m starved.”
Frank smiled, shaking his head.
They went through the drive through, and when Frank handed Jake his bag, he said, “Drop anything on my car seat, and you’re a dead man.”
Jake laughed. “Make sure you kill me after I help you find Alex a present.”
Frank gave him a look.
“I won’t drop nothin’, don’t worry,” Jake said, eating a French Fry. “But you, on the other hand…”
“I never drop anything,” Frank said, trying to drive and eat his hold-the-mayo chicken sandwich. Just then, a handful of lettuce fell out of his sandwich.
Jake saw, and started to choke.
Frank started muttering as he tried to look at his seat and drive at the same time, while throwing a concerned look at Jake.
“ ‘I never drop anything’!” Jake quoted, half choking, half laughing, as Frank pulled into the breakdown lane.
Frank sighed as he put the car in park, picking the lettuce off his leg and the seat. He cringed at what he knew he would see on the leather, but, to his shock, there wasn’t a mark there. He turned on the dome light, thinking that the streetlight they were under wasn’t giving a good enough view, and saw that the lettuce had obviously not been sitting directly on the chicken, and so had no grease on it.
“What?” Jake said. “No grease mark?”
Frank sighed in relief. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing!”
“Wow,” said Jake. “Are you lucky. Good thing you don’t like mayo, either!”
Frank nodded, wrapping his sandwich a little better before pulling back into the traffic. “Where am I going now?”
“Humm,” Jake said, still chuckling. “The mall in Water Tower Place is the closest, we can try there first.”
“All right,” Frank said, throwing a glare at him as if to say, ‘stop laughing’.
When Frank turned into the mall a few minutes later, Jake asked, “How much you willing to spend?”
Frank shrugged. “I want to get her something nice. She did save my life a couple months ago…”
“Yeah,” Jake nodded. They’d been on a case where Frank had gotten grabbed as they searched a building for a smuggler turned murderer, not knowing about the man’s accomplices. If it hadn’t been for Alex’s skilled marksmanship, Frank would’ve been a goner for sure.*
“I know where to go!” Jake suddenly said. “The jewelry store.”
Frank parked as close to the mall door as possible. “I know that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but before we go in, what do you have in mind? I want to get her a present, not an engagement ring.”
Jake laughed. “Not everything is that expensive, don’t worry. She likes bracelets. Silver.”
Frank nodded. “Sounds good.”
They got out of the car and went inside, taking the elevator up to the ninth floor. When the doors opened, Frank spotted the H. Horwitz Co. sign, and they went in.
The place was huge. Frank had never been in that particular store before, and he couldn’t believe the number of bracelets to choose from, as he peered into the cases.
“May I help you?”
Frank looked up to see an older woman smiling at him. “I’m looking for a bracelet,” he said.
She laughed. “Well, you came to the right place.”
Frank smiled, and stood up straight.
“Who’s the lucky lady?”
“A coworker,” Frank said. “Her birthday is tomorrow.”
“Ah! What a sweet friend she has.”
Frank smiled at the compliment. “It’s a hard decision,” he said, glancing down the loooong table.
“What kind of woman is she?” the woman asked.
Frank thought. “Well…”
“Depends on where she is at the time,” Jake spoke up, joining them.
“How do you mean?” the woman asked.
“We’re cops,” said Jake, not going into detail. “So she can be tough, but on the other hand can be emotional and…” he searched for a word that wouldn’t be considered chauvinistic. “Delicate.”
“Is she feminine?” the woman asked.
“Oh yeah, she ain’t no tomboy. Hey, actually, here’s her picture…” Jake said, taking out his wallet.
Frank looked up, from the counter. “You carry a picture of Alex in your wallet?”
“No,” said Jake. “I found it outside the nest yesterday and picked it up. Must’ve fallen out of her car or something.”
The picture showed Alex and Carlos Cortez. She was snuggled against him, smiling.
The woman saw the look Frank and Jake gave each other, and wondered what it meant. “She looks like a sweet woman.”
Jake nodded. “Yeah, she can be.”
Frank shook his head, hiding a grin. If Alex had been there to hear that, Jake would’ve regretted it.
“How about something like this,” the woman said; walking a few feet down the counter.
Frank and Jake followed her, looking at what she was pointing to.
“That’s nice,” said Jake.
“I agree. Can we see it?” Frank asked.
“Sure.”
The woman took it out, and handed it to Frank. “Over the sterling silver it has a rhodium finish, to prevent tarnish and give it the platinum look.”
Frank nodded, as he studied it. It was delicate looking, but not too thin, with diamond cut facets all over it. What amazed Frank is that it looked like it could be worn on a date, and to work. “I like it. What do you think?” he asked Jake.
“I think it’s perfect, actually.”
Frank nodded. Looking at the price tag, he saw that it was pretty costly, but seemed worth the price.
“I’m sure she’ll love it!” the employee said. “Look, it has a special clasp so that it can’t fall off.”
Frank smiled. “I’ll take it.” Getting out his wallet, he took out his American Express card and handed it to her.
The woman smiled and brought it to the cash register. After ringing it up, she placed it nicely in a gift box and wrapped it in pretty paper.
“You get good service in this place,” Jake commented.
Frank nodded, signing the credit card slip, and taking the bag and credit card from the smiling woman. “Thanks for your help,” he said.
“Anytime, young man! She’ll love it, I’m sure.”
Frank smiled. He and Jake said goodbye, and left.
“That wasn’t as hard as you thought, huh?” said Jake.
Frank shook his head. “It would’ve been very hard if I’d been by myself. Thanks, Jake.”
“No problem, boss.”
Just as they were about to step into the elevator, a loud voice suddenly rang through the mall.
“HELP! WE’VE BEEN ROBBED!”
Turning around, Frank and Jake nearly got trampled by two men who’d run out of the jewelry store, clutching bags.
Frank and Jake took off after them without a second thought, towards the stairs.
“Stop!” Frank yelled, as they followed the crooks down the stairway. “Federal agents!”
Without breaking his stride, one of the thieves threw something onto the steps behind him.
Frank was going down the steps too fast to stop suddenly, and heard the pings of diamonds land on the steps, without seeing the tiny objects. He slipped and grabbed onto the rail, but couldn’t stop himself from falling down a few of the steps.
“Jake!” he yelled, “Watch it!”
Jake was too close behind to stop fast enough, and didn’t see Frank until he turned the corner and accidentally kicked his boss in the head. He grabbed onto the rail, and had to propel himself over Frank to avoid falling on him and throwing them both down the stairs.
“Sorry!” he yelled, continuing to run after the thieves, knowing that Frank would kill him if he let them get away.
Frank didn’t allow himself the luxury of laying there giving in to his pain, and pulled himself up, forcing himself to run and ignore his body’s command to limp. He heard the door open at the bottom of the nine flights of stairs seconds before he reached it, and when he burst out, he saw Jake running, the thieves not far ahead of him.
The thought of Jake fighting the two large men by himself gave Frank a surge of adrenaline, and he ran as fast as he could, running around the side of a building, and coming face to face with one of the thieves.
Quickly ducking from a fist aimed at his face, he threw a punch at the man’s stomach, and was rewarded with a laugh from the rock solid beast. Great, he thought. We get a couple of 250 pound body builders…
Frank suddenly saw stars when the man’s fist connected this time, but instead of falling to the ground, Frank grabbed onto the man’s tree-trunk sized arm, and tried to kick his legs out from under him. He only succeeded in kicking the guy’s leg, who was too heavy for Frank’s ploy to have an effect. Realizing it wouldn’t work, Frank quickly jumped back before the man had a chance to retaliate. Quickly glancing towards Jake, he saw that he was managing to hold his own against a man much bigger then him, but not as big as the one Frank was fighting.
When Frank glanced away, the monster lunged forward, slamming into Frank and knocking him flat on his back, his head smacking against the concrete and the breath knocked out of him. Frank tried to fling him off, but the man was simply too heavy, and Frank quickly found his throat being squeezed.
The thief started slamming Frank’s head into the ground, while he squeezed his throat so hard Frank couldn’t take even a small breath. Trying not to panic at his apparently imminent death, Frank remembered his gun and reached for it, trying to pry it out from its holster, which the thief was crushing. The crook obviously felt it, for he shifted his weight so Frank could pull it out, and then he grabbed Frank’s wrist before Frank had the chance to use the weapon. With his other hand still around Frank’s throat, he pushed Frank’s arm down, and whacked him in the head with his own gun.
Frank’s lungs started to burn with the need to draw a breath, and his vision changed from seeing stars to turning as black as the surrounding night, but he fought it, knowing that if he lost consciousness—or died—then Jake would no doubt be killed too.
The man raised Frank’s arm and whacked him across the face with the gun again, but before he was able to do it a third time, Frank let go of the gun, trying to toss it. He succeeded, for he heard it clatter away, and it appeared that the thief watched where it landed, for his grip on Frank’s throat relaxed and Frank was able to reach a hand up and jab the man in his adams apple.
The thief gasped and let go of Frank, now reaching for his own throat, and Frank somehow managed to push him away enough to get out from under him. Gasping for air, Frank didn’t even have the strength to stand, nevermind finish the man off. He saw the crook starting to move, and by nothing short of a miracle managed to struggle to his feet, and kicked the man in the head, thankfully hard enough to knock him out.
The kick nearly sent Frank off balance, but he remembered Jake, and turned around. What he saw shocked him.
Jake was still standing. He and the other thief were struggling for his gun, and the thief was winning.
Frank ran over to intervene, but the thief heard him coming. Thanks to Frank’s dulled senses, he didn’t expect it when the man turned and punch him in the stomach.
Frank’s breath was knocked into next Tuesday, and he dropped like a rock, not seeing Jake grab the gun and smash the thief in the head, knocking him out.
“Frank! Come on, wake up!”
Frank felt himself being shaken, and realized that he must’ve lost consciousness momentarily. “Jake?” he tried to say, through his painful gasps.
He heard a laugh, and Jake’s voice say, “Yeah. I can’t believe we beat those guys. Thanks for the distraction I needed to get my gun back from that jerk.”
Frank half-smiled at that, but it hurt too much to talk, so instead of answering, he concentrated on breathing.
Suddenly they heard running footsteps, and two shadows came running behind the building.
“FEDERAL AGENTS!” they heard.
“Alex?” Frank croaked.
“Frank! Jake!”
Frank closed his eyes in relief at being found, knowing that neither he nor Jake could probably walk very far at the moment. He felt someone rummage through his jacket, and realized that Jake was trying to stuff Alex’s gift out of sight. I hope it’s still in one piece…
“Geez, guys! What are you doing here?!” Monica asked.
“Getting beat the crap out of,” said Jake, tiredly. “I’d ask you the same thing, but this is a mall, and you are women, after all.”
Suddenly everything was quiet, until Frank heard Alex’s worried voice say. “I thought he was conscious!”
“He was a few minutes ago,” said Jake, sounding concerned.
“I’m awake,” Frank mumbled. He felt Alex’s hands on his face, using a handkerchief to wipe away the blood he knew was there.
“You definitely need to get to a hospital,” she told him. “You just lost consciousness! For the second time, according to Jake!”
“I’m fine,” he lied, opening his eyes. “Jake?”
“In better shape then you,” he heard Monica say.
“Come on, let’s get you two out of here,” said Alex, trying to pull Frank to his feet.
Frank tried to use what little strength he had remaining to get himself up, not wanting Alex to strain herself, but she managed to do it with less difficulty then he thought. Supporting him heavily, Alex turned to see Monica with a hand on Jake’s arm, who appeared able to walk under more of his own power then Frank could, and they ever so slowly started to go back in the direction of the mall.
“My gun,” Frank suddenly said.
Looking around, Monica spotted and retrieved it, just as Chicago PD came running towards them.
“You’re a little late,” Alex said, gesturing behind herself as the policemen ran towards the unconscious crooks. They heard the cops’ shocked reactions to the men’s size as they walked away.
********************
Frank and Jake begged Alex and Monica not to take them to a hospital, and against their better judgment, they gave in, bringing them to the safety of the Nest instead.
Frank tried not to wince as Alex held a peroxide-soaked towel to the right side of his head and face, where he had numerous cuts from the multiple pistol-whips. He heard Monica whisper something to Jake, and unfortunately for her, he heard the words.
“How did you get off easier then Frank?”
“I heard that,” Frank said.
Monica shot him an apologetic look. “I mean—”
“I know what you mean,” said Frank, pushing at Alex’s arm so she would remove the towel.
“Height advantage,” said Jake, sitting up on a cot, Frank lying on the couch. “Or rather, lack of it.”
Monica laughed.
“His shorter height helped him get out of the monster’s way easier,” Frank mumbled, trying to talk without moving his mouth too much.
“Shh,” Alex said, seeing that it hurt him to talk. She finally removed the towel, and looked him over. “Where else does it hurt?” she asked.
Where doesn’t it hurt? Frank thought.
“How’s your wrist?” she asked worriedly, gently picking it up. Frank had broken it during a case a couple months ago, and she was afraid that the fight had done it more damage.**
“It’s fine,” he lied, sleepily.
“Stay awake Frank, I’ll bet 50 bucks you have a concussion,” Alex said, giving him a shake.
Frank opened his eyes, with a sigh. “What time is it?” he suddenly asked.
Alex looked at her watch. “10:30.”
Close enough, Frank thought.
“What are you doing?” Alex asked, when he tried to sit up.
“No,” Frank said, when she tried to push him back down. “Alex…”
At the tone of his voice, Alex stopped, and helped him sit up instead.
Frank tried not to wince at the pain in his stomach muscles. That thief’s hand must be made of brick, he thought.
Alex and Monica watched him, puzzled, as Frank reached for his jacket hanging over the couch arm. Jake knew what he was doing, and smiled, saying nothing.
“We never answered your question, about why we were at the mall,” Frank said, taking out a bag. He reached into it, and pulled out a box. “Happy Birthday, Alex.”
Alex’s face split into a wide grin, and she took the box, opening it quickly. “Oooh!” she gasped, taking the bracelet out, and holding it up.
“Wow!” said Monica, impressed.
“It’s beautiful, Frank!” Alex said, quickly putting it on her wrist. “I love it, but you didn’t have to spend so much!”
Frank smiled as she opened it, and tried to keep the smile there, even though it hurt. “You deserve it. You saved my life a few cases ago; you’ve saved my neck more then once, to be honest,” he said, remembering back to when she’d shot Rafael Ortega, who’d been about to shoot Frank in the back.***
Alex smiled at him. “Hey, it’s my job,” she said, with a wink.
Frank smiled bigger, and his eyes widened in surprise when Alex suddenly hugged him.
“Thanks,” she said. “It’s the most beautiful bracelet I have.”
Frank patted her on the back, trying not to gasp in pain from her hold on him, and she quickly pulled away, as if suddenly realizing she was hurting him.
After smiling at him one more time, she looked at Jake.
“What?” Jake asked, when he realized everyone was staring at him.
“Didn’t you buy her something too?” Monica asked.
“Yeah, last week! It’s at home.”
Alex groaned. “You mean I have to wait till tomorrow to get it?”
“Yup,” Jake said, with a shrug. “Oh well.”
Everyone laughed, as Alex stuck her tongue out at him.
********************
The next morning, Cody whistled as he walked up the steps to the HQ door. Walking in, he was surprised when he was greeted with complete silence.
“Hello?” he said, walking further into the nest. He thought he heard snoring, and followed it, stopping dead at what he saw.
Frank was asleep on the couch, looking like he got run over by a runaway truck; cuts and bruises all over his face and forehead, including a nasty black eye. There were also bruises around his neck, as if someone had tried to strangle him.
Walking closer, concerned, he stopped when he saw Jake asleep on a nearby cot; the source of the snoring. He had a few bruises too, but nothing even close to the damage on Frank. When he saw Alex and Monica also asleep on cots, his confusion grew.
“Oh man,” he said. “What the heck did I miss?”
* New story in the works!
**‘Through Another’s Eyes’ Mummy/UC crossover
*** UC episode, “Of Fathers and Sons”.