Fan Fiction

If anything, what kept them together was their brotherhood, more than the fight. The fight brought them together, that's true. When that was gone, they still had that connection, that love.

And THAT is the real victory......

Chapter 1 :: Chapter 2 :: Chapter 3 :: Chapter 4 :: Chapter 5 :: Chapter 6 :: Chapter 7 ::
Chapter 8 :: Chapter 9 :: Chapter 10 :: Chapter 11 :: Chapter 12 :: Chapter 13 :: Chapter 14 ::
Chapter 15 :: Chapter 16 :: Chapter 17 :: Chapter 18 :: Chapter 19 :: Chapter 20 :: Chapter 21

It was the sound Rico heard first.  Cars, at least two or three driving close together.  While he might have thought it was people leaving for work early in the morning, this didn't sound right somehow.  He glanced out the window and caught the gleam of headlights before they were switched off.  Really glad that all the front lights were out, Rico cautiously leaned out the door, keeping his head low.  At the end of the street, three black Broncos completely blocked the street.  Not enough streetlight to clearly make out much more than that.  A surge of adrenaline washed away all sleepiness.  Shit!

Men in dark suits piled out. He realized immediately that it must have taken them hours to get here going house to house from some point on their trail.  Now they had a matter of perhaps ten to twenty minutes at the outside.  He ran for the couch hissing loudly, "Sonny!"  The urgency in his voice somehow got through to Crockett's sleep clogged brain, and he came off the couch with a jerk. 
"Wha..?"
"Company.  They're starting at the end of the street.  Three Broncos, at least eight men.  What do we do?"

Sonny rubbed his face hard with both hands, at a complete loss for ideas.  He went to the hallway door and hesitated.  Finally tapped the door with his fingernails lightly.  Face creased in doubt.  Only seconds later the door opened and Chata emerged.  She seemed to know that he would not have tried to get her attention if it was not an emergency.  She shut the door carefully and faced him.  Sonny swallowed, his voice was soft and urgent.
"The Company, they're on the street going house to house.  We've got maybe 10 minutes."
Chata's eyes narrowed.
"They will have trouble passing the door.  Go.  Sit quietly and invite them to drink tea with us if they come in."
Tubb's eyes widened at Sonny, who shrugged and returned the look with eyebrows climbing up his forehead.
"Okay.  It beats a firefight in the living room."
Chata left in a swirl of skirts headed toward the kitchen.
Tubbs said cautiously,

"What do you think she's going to do?"

"I DON'T want to know.  What ever works is fine with me."

"Are we getting old Sonny?"

        "Naw, we're getting smart."

4:15 AM, Miami

Edward Reese had spent an uncomfortable night in a van with Benito Dietz listening to a large assortment of devices picking up encrypted cellphone traffic.  He'd gotten a few hours sleep at intervals.  Reese had always been able to sleep like a cat, anywhere, any time.  Benito only woke him when something worth knowing came up.  Menton was within a quarter mile of this search grid, and he was in contact with his personal muscle Armata.  The file Reese now had on Armata was interesting and the man might be a problem.  He knew the Company had been closing in for hours slowly.  Someone they had questioned at one house had seen two men matching Crocket and Tubbs description walking down the street.  He'd thought it was pretty funny to hear Smith's voice again after so many years.
"The blond?  Yeah, that's Crockett.  The black guy? Miami PD, name's Ding."
Well well well, Smith, I wonder if you know that Menton's on your trail as well.  This is gonna be a busy neighborhood tonight.

4:18 AM Miami

        Stan Switek and Arnie Sharpe were frantically trying to keep up with cellphone traffic. Some of it was hopelessly encrypted beyond their equipment.  But some of it was not, and there was a huge moving zone of traffic.  Marco was driving while they worked in the back.  He had returned to OCB and then gotten them out of bed and on the street with the new Bug van.  They still weren't completely sure what they were trying to do, but they were picking up enough information to make some sense of what was happening.  This new situation was maddening to Switek because he remembered hearing about the Voodoo Priestess, but could not recall her name to save his life, and therefore could not find her house and head for the area.  It took over an hour to find the area where Crockett and Tubbs had left the car, and after that they were stuck listening to phone traffic and working out the area being searched.  As long as they were only listening, they were invisible.  Stan was positive the Company also had people listening to all cell traffic in this area, and he did not want to give away the van or Rico's location unless it could not be avoided.  When Stan finally heard the description of two men seen walking a street, and realized the Company must be closing in, he decided it was time to call.

4:20 AM, Miami

Rico nearly jumped out of his skin when his cellphone rang.  He took it out and looked at it unhappily for a second before answering carefully.
"Yes?"
        "Hi, Company's coming."
        Rico knew Switek's voice even mixed with static, and did not question how Stan knew what was going on.  The phone clicked off with no reply.  Stan knew better then to hang on waiting to be traced.  Sonny looked at him with raised eyebrows
        "Switek, he's out there somewhere with the van.  He knows
the Companys coming."
        Sonny made a face, "Too bad he can't pick us up from the back door."    
They heard odd faint sounds like sticks breaking and sand falling on paper.  There was a sudden odd wave of odor like perfume mixed with cooking spices.  It stopped almost as soon as they were able to identify the noises.  A kettle whistled, moments later Chata brought out a fresh pot of tea and set it on the table with cups.  She waved a hand at Tubbs, "You. Stay here with me.  Sonny, you must take Martin away.  I cannot keep them out forever."  She dangled a set of Ferrari car keys before him.  "Take these."  Saw the quick doubt in Crockett's eyes and smiled, "The owner will not mind.  Come."  Sonny rose, took the keys and followed her back to the white room. 
     When they entered, Castillo seemed to be asleep on one of the thick pads, he looked like a discarded broken toy.  Chata knelt by Castillo.  She spoke softly in a voice that had the quality of one shouting into the wilderness.  "Martin.  You must travel for a while.  You will return here to sleep again."  He moved, slowly, shakily as someone not sure their leggs will allow them to walk.  Between the two of them, they guided the older man to the kitchen and stood near the back door. 
Chata spoke quickly as one who expects to be obeyed.
"Walk straight out the door, the path goes between houses.  The car is near the end."  Sonny looked at her wide eyed for a second.  "Bring him back before noon.  He will not be finished until near sunset."  Castillo was slumped against the wall, eyes shut tight.
        "Com'on Marty.  He put Castillo's arm around his shoulder and eased him through the door into the darkness.  For a few moments he was blind and kept to the path by feel alone.  Then his eyes adjusted and he tried to hurry.  The older man's footsteps were hesitant, barely keeping up with Crockett.  It was a strange path, unexpected in a neighborhood like this, gleams of street light suggested he was near the end, and then he realized a tiny parking lot existed there.  The Black Testerossa was easy to find, even in the dark.  It was a dark echo from his past.  The top was down, he settled Marty in the passenger seat, buckled him in.  The car started with a purr.  Sonny turned on the parking lights only, wanting to ease out of the area with as little fuss as possible.  He wasn't sure how many of the streets the Agency people might be watching.  He wasn't sure where he should go, he didn't want to let anyone get Castillo.  Okay, this'll be just one long drive tonight, I'll call her to see if things are clear to come back in a few hours.  Sonny put the car in gear and slowly moved out of the neighborhood, he was pretty sure this street was not yet under surveillance.  He drove off into the night.

        Menton had paid out heavily to keep track of Smith's crew as much as possible.  The money he'd paid to try and keep track of Castillo's crew seemed wasted so far.  Most of them were so spread out it made no sense, or they stayed in the Gold Coast Building.  When he learned Smith's people were closing in on a house where Castillo was supposed to be hiding, he called Armata immediately.  The man loved a hunt and right now he was circling the perimeter.  Menton waited impatiently, if Castillo got out of the house he had to go on foot or in a car.  Menton was betting Castillo would try to clear the area before the Company boys opened the door.  His line beeped again. 

"Two men in a car, one Hispanic, one blond Caucasian.  Hispanic fits the picture. Are they the ones you want?
Menton replied so fast he sputtered, "Follow them, don't lose them.  I need the Hispanic alive! Kill the blond if you want to."

4:33 AM

Jose Armata's smile was predatory.  This was why he had always enjoyed working for Menton.  Armata drove a Javelin, refinished in steel gray.  He loved it's shark-like front grill and the sheer power of the overbuilt engine.  First gear wound out at nearly 70 MPH.  He'd burned out 6 clutches, and did not regret even one of them.  He had no doubts about catching the other car.  One of the tricks installed on this car was small dim secondary headlights.  They had fooled plenty of people after dark into thinking he was too far away to matter.  Now he worked to keep within sight of the sleek low slung convertible.

4:34 AM Miami

        The air was soft and felt good right now.  Not the overheated steambath it would become later in the day.  The stiff breeze in the convertible felt refreshing after the close spicy scent of Chata's house.  Sonny handled the unknown Testarossa gently, trying to feel out all the cars idiosycracies as quickly as possible.  Their lives might depend on it.  It felt almost exactly the same as the white Testarossa to his hands and feet.  Smooth as hot butter in the gears, responsive as a live wire in the steering.

        Sonny had a plan in mind, really simple.  Drive to Hialeah, then East to the Atlantic, then South from Bal Harbor through Surfside and Miami beach, then West again through Miami proper, with detours through Coconut Grove and Coral Gables to kill more time.

        It never had a chance.  Within ten minutes he had a creepy feeling.  The hair on the back of his neck literally stood up.  He checked the mirrors and saw lights, they seemed dim and distant.  He wanted to put on speed and gain some distance from the house and Company search area.  He hit a great stretch of yellow blinking lights and picked up speed.


Sonny was focused so tightly everything else fell away, the car was an extension of his body.  Every nerve extended into the controls and the flying scenery.  He wanted to just find a place where he could put on speed and loose the Javelin, at this time of the morning he prayed for empty streets and the blinking yellow lights he remembered.  The Javelin was pulling closer, they were speeding under yellow lights blinking along an empty stretch when Sonny heard the sound and flicked an eye to the mirror in time to see a muzzle flash. 

SHIT !

"Get Down!"  Sonny yelled, sliding down as he said it.  A flick of the eye told him Castillo was already slumped deeply into the seat.  Gear shift, lurch sideways, he sent the Ferrari into a skidding turn and floored it.  Not before a bullet hole went through the windshield.  Time slowed for Sonny as he worked to lose the car behind them.  The Testarossa had incredible pickup but somehow the other car kept catching up.  The chase car roared, he could hear it muscle up until it was suddenly visible under a flick of streetlight.  Javelin, pure muscle car.  The same second he caught that, also saw another muzzle flash.  He felt the air superheat past his neck and saw the windshield star in front of him.  Time slowed, he knew parts of Miami like his own skin.  Shift, floor it, shift, skid turn.  Faster.
What he planned was insane

Wheels screamed on the corners behind him.  High speed corner, miss an unsuspecting car by inches.  Scare the piss out of two other drivers as he passed between cars waiting at a light and went the wrong way up a one-way street.  He didn't even have time to be terrified at the crazy chances he was taking.  Crockett knew this area, knew it like his own skin.  Please God there had been no changes, he knew what was hidden behind these buildings in the predawn time of the day.  Eye flick, Javelin catching up.  Eye flick, Castillo was still slumped way down in the seat.  Good.
Get ready Crockett, you don't know this car, it's not the same.  Just let it be close enough.  Eye flick, Castillo's head was below the head rest.  Go for it.  Crockett took the next turn hard and skidding, reversed on the next.  The roar was getting close behind them, a train breathing down his neck.  Turn again, floor it.  He saw what he'd expected, and quite horribly close.  Crockett dropped in the seat as low as he could.  He was braking, but nowhere near enough to avoid hitting anything.  The Testarossa passed under a tractor trailer with a shattering explosion of windshield glass, as the top of the frame hit the trailer bottom and warped.  The second trailer was a few inches higher and the car was well past when he heard the explosive sound of the Javelin being torn apart.  Sonny didn't stop or look back.  Let somebody else pick up the pieces.  Broken glass covered the front seat, filled his hair.  Enough of the ruined windshield was left to deflect a little of the wind.  Sonny drove
Cautiously now. Keeping to side streets and underlit areas.
Finally he pulled into a deeply shadowed area and stopped with the lights off.  He was sweating and chilled.  It had been a thrill ride, and he hoped to God it was over.  He ran a hand through his hair and shook some of the glass out carefully.  It seemed as if he hadn't breathed in hours and he yawned hugely, letting out a deep breath.  His watch said 4:20.  It was still pitch dark, give it another hour before calling Chata's house.  He turned to check on Castillo, the seat was empty.  Sonny gaped in disbelief, "What?!"  Swiveled his head around staring into the deep shadows.  Nothing.  His mouth opened and shut twice before he shouted, "I don't believe this!"  he yelled in frustration, "I don't believe this!"
Sonny touched the seat, it was only faintly warm.  For a moment he doubted his own sanity.  It was as if the whole night was a bad dream.   He needed to get Tubbs.  Sonny started looking for payphone.

Chapter 1 :: Chapter 2 :: Chapter 3 :: Chapter 4 :: Chapter 5 :: Chapter 6 :: Chapter 7 ::
Chapter 8 :: Chapter 9 :: Chapter 10 :: Chapter 11 :: Chapter 12 :: Chapter 13 :: Chapter 14 ::
Chapter 15 :: Chapter 16 :: Chapter 17 :: Chapter 18 :: Chapter 19 :: Chapter 20 :: Chapter 21