Fan Fiction

Part I: Crockett's Return
Chapter 1 :: Chapter 2 :: Chapter 3 :: Chapter 4 :: Chapter 5 :: Chapter 6 :: Chapter 7 :: Chapter 8

Part II: New Beginnings
Chapter 9 :: Chapter 10 :: Chapter 11 :: Chapter 12 :: Chapter 13 :: Chapter 14 :: Chapter 15 :: Chapter 16

The roof of the warehouse offered a clear view across the waterway to the offshore islands that lay between Miami’s mainland and the open ocean. It was approaching 1:30 in the morning, but the air was still stuffy and dripping with humidity. There was a mugginess to the dark night that exuded the ominous feeling typical of the calm before a storm. In the far distance beyond the islands, faint flashes of lightning were barely visible on the horizon. Staring out into the blackness, Martin Castillo estimated it would be a while before the storm would arrive - time enough, hopefully, to finish their business here and be long gone.

Behind Castillo with his back against the wall of the rooftop utility room sat Stan Switek, patiently keeping an eye on his cell phone, watching for the telltale blinking light that would signal an incoming call. The sound was turned off to maintain silence in the still night. Beside him lay an half-empty box of doughnuts, and a thermos of coffee. Switek was used to waiting - years of working surveillance had taught him staying power on a stakeout and that no amount of worry would speed the process. The coffee in the thermos was still hot and the donuts still fresh. He offered some to Castillo, but the lieutenant turned the offer down. He was a patient man himself, but tonight he found it hard not to worry. There was still a voice inside his head telling him that all was not as it should be.

Along with Castillo and Switek, six members of Miami-Dade’s SWAT team were stationed along the roof’s edge. The rest of the sharpshooters were scattered strategically throughout the building and surrounding area, well-hidden but with an unobstructed view to the warehouse yard and boat landing. Lieutenant Parker, their leader, maintained his vantage point on the rooftop, ready to direct his team’s actions through his radio headset. Another dozen police officers were scattered about the building and the grounds, ready to take action when Castillo gave the word, and a squad of unmarked cars was parked nearby in case more back-up was needed.

Rico’s classic Cadillac Deville convertible pulled into the dimly-lit lot at the old warehouse. He parked the car close to the waterfront and got out to stretch his legs and ease the tensions brought on by the long wait. The back of his shirt inside the expensively tailored silk suit jacket was soaked with sweat.

He had been here earlier when they were setting up, but he scanned the area once more to get a good feel for the surroundings again. He knew that some twenty police officers were scattered around the area, but only one was visible. Glancing up at the rooftop, he could see the profile of Lieutenant Castillo. The lieutenant shook his head and shrugged his shoulders indicating that there was still no sign of the speedboat. For what seemed like the hundredth time, Tubbs checked the handguns in his shoulder and leg holsters, making sure they were loaded and ready for action if need be.

Just after 1:30 a.m. the light on Switek’s cell phone started to flash. He grabbed the phone and stood to answer it, at the same time signaling Castillo and Parker that something was finally happening. The stakeout crew at South Pointe Park had picked up the tracking signal from the Donzi. At the speed it was traveling, they estimated it would pass by their location in about or 20 or 25 minutes. A few minutes later the surveillance team on Key Biscayne called in to confirm the signal. Castillo signaled Rico that the boat was on its way and then he and Parker radioed their people with the news. It wouldn’t be long now before the action would at last be underway.

The reports to Switek came in on a regular basis now and finally he picked up the signal himself. The boat was moving at a good clip and nearing the south tip of the bar island that was home to the luxurious resort hotels along Miami Beach. The South Pointe surveillance team reported they could make out three men in the boat, but it was still too far away and traveling too fast to get a good look. The shortest route to the warehouse would take them through the Government Cut between South Pointe and Fisher Island, and then straight west between Fisher and Lummus Islands into Biscayne Bay. When the boat turned into the Cut, the surveillance team would be able to get a better view of the boat and its crew.

Standing over Switek’s shoulder, Castillo followed the blinking trace on the tracker mapping the speedboat’s route. The boat turned into the straight and was passing by the surveillance team at South Pointe. They called in to say that everything was as expected - the man at the helm looked like Crockett, Sanchez was standing at the co-pilot’s stanchion and a third man was seated in the back.

Castillo was still on edge. If everything was going as expected, then why did the uneasy feelings that had been plaguing him suddenly get worse. Crockett was only a few miles away now and soon they would be able to catch site of his boat themselves. So why had these gremlins cut loose in Castillo’s mind? Using techniques that he had first learned in the jungles of Viet Nam and Cambodia and perfected over his years heading up the vice unit in Miami, he concentrated his thoughts on the action at hand and what needed to be done. His anxiety seemed to ease but intensify all the same time.

Musical tones sounded from Castillo’s cell phone cuttting the silence of still night air like a knife and startling him momentarily. His first thought was how stupid he was for not turning the damned ringer off. The second was who could be calling at this time of the night. Should he answer it or not? He took the phone out of his pocket and flipped open the cover.

“Castillo,” he said in a subdued, suspicious voice.

He didn’t recognize the man’s voice on the other end, but his words staggered the lieutenant. Before he could ask any questions, the voice on the other end cut out. He grabbed the radio from Switek and called South Pointe. They were already packing up and getting ready to head back to the mainland.

“Are you sure Crockett was in that boat?” he demanded.

“Yeah,” the voice on the other end replied. “They were on the other side of the Cut and moving fast, but we got a clear view of him through the night glasses and the guy driving looked just like Crockett.”

Sonny Crockett had been right. The ride in the speedboat was uncomfortable and for more reasons that one. His arms ached from being held forcibly in an awkward position behind his back, his hands were almost numb from being bound so tightly and his writs were rubbed raw and bleeding from the nylon strap. But even worse was that having his arms bound, he could not steady himself properly in the rear of the boat. The ocean was relatively calm but the craft still bounced on the small swells as it sped along. It was a constant strain trying to compensate for the jostling without the use of his arms to steady his balance.

But his physical discomfort went almost unnoticed. It was what was going on in his mind that caused him the most distress. Standing at the co-pilot’s stanchion was the man who threatened not only himself, but even worse - Jessica. How did he find out about her? How much did he know? What was he planning?

As he sat there staring at Sanchez’ back, he recalled Jessica’s story of what had happened in Colombia and the smugness in the man’s voice when he spoke of the ‘entertainment’ he had planned for tonight. It made his skin crawl thinking about it, and he could feel the urge to kill creeping into his mind, not unlike the feeling that overcame him when he had faced a mocking, self-confident Hackman years ago, just before he had pulled the trigger, sending a fatal bullet into the devil’s heart.

Amidst the swirl of thoughts filling his mind was the conversation he had with Rico on the rooftop deck after Marty had told him that Sanchez had a hit out on Jessica.

He had been surprised not only with Rico’s words, but also with the determination in his own reply:

And he remembered Rico’s answer.

He had been struck by Rico’s confidence in him, wondering how Rico could be so sure, when he himself wasn’t, unsure whether he could live up to the confidence his friend had expressed in him. Was this one of those times he wondered, a time when he should let the Burnett side of him take over? As he sat there staring, faced with exactly that decision, he knew he had been right - never again could he let Burnett dictate his actions. He had fought his way back from that nightmare and he wasn’t about to let himself slide back into it. No matter what happened Sonny Crockett had to and would stay in charge tonight.

The lights of the city had been clearly visible for a while now. Behind him he felt more than saw the flashes of lightning far off to the northeast. He had lost track of the time, but he knew that it would be a while before the storm would hit. As they neared the passageway that led into the intracoastal waterway the boat slowed to an idle. Sanchez pulled out a cell phone and made two calls. After he pocketed the phone again, the boat picked up its pace again and turned into the strip of water that would take them past South Pointe. Whatever Sanchez had planned for this evening, he had planned it well. Sonny knew the surveillance team had most likely left already, believing that he had already passed by. He wondered where was Sanchez taking him. He had a horrible feeling he knew the answer but he prayed he was wrong.

Crockett’s worst fears were realized when the speedboat made a sharp correction to starboard on the inland side of the point and headed northward past the Miami Beach Marina towards the McArthur Causeway. There was virtually no traffic on the waterway at this time of night as they sped on under the roadway and past the mansions on Star Island. The Sunset Islands where Jess was supposed to be hidden away were only a few miles up the waterway. How did the bastard find out that she was alive and where she was?

Keep your head Crockett. There’s gotta be a way out of this.

He was fighting the fear that was threatening to take over his mind, trying to stay positive. Somehow he had to get them out of whatever Sanchez had in mind - but could he?

Tiger had been playing with Jack for about half an hour, throwing sticks into the water for him to fetch. The dog could play this game forever, but she was beginning to suspect that something wasn’t quite right. It seemed a long time for the officer to leave his post unguarded - surely he should have been back by now. She decided to head back to the house and let Gina know what was going on.

On the way her suspicions grew. If something was wrong at the front gate, then something could be wrong at the house too. She stayed hidden, keeping to the darkness and the cover of the bushes and trees as she approached. The blinds on the patio doors that lead from the kitchen were open, casting light onto the large covered deck. She sneaked closer until she had a clear view inside. Jessica was sitting at the table, her hands bound in front of her and three men all with guns were standing around. Gina was nowhere to be seen. Tiger felt the pocket of her jeans where she kept her small switchblade hidden. It was there as always, safely tucked away.

She headed back into the blackness to find a place where she could collect her thoughts and think of way to get Jessica out of this situation. The front gate was obviously under the control of whoever was inside the house. She had no idea whether the guy in the surveillance van parked out back here someplace was good or bad. The only way to get help would be to approach the house next door by water and hope the owners would believe her. She set off towards the water, sticking to the darkness at the edge of the property, Jack trotting on ahead carefree and happy.

She was about half-way there when an arm reached out and grabbed her from behind. Before she could call out, a hand reached round and covered her mouth and she felt herself being dragged back behind a clump of dense bushes.

“Keep your mouth shut or you’re dead,” a voice whispered into her ear from behind.

Stan could see the boat approaching now. It was still a speck in the distance even with night-vision binoculars, but it was on its way. He was surprised when Castillo’s phone sounded and even more so when the lieutenant grabbed his radio and called South Pointe to confirm that Crockett had been on board. And he had heard the response.

He took his eyes momentarily off the boat and looked his boss’s way. Why was he asking about Crockett? Castillo handed him back the radio, a look of concern on his face. In all the years he had worked for Castillo he could count on his fingers the number of times he had seen the lieutenant’s normally emotionless visage crack a worried look. What the hell was going on? He knew his boss well enough not to ask. Marty would tell him when he was ready to, and not before. Stan glanced back down at the tracker and was taken aback by what he saw.

“Holy shit!” he called out unable to contain his surprise. He grabbed the binoculars to confirm what the display was saying. The speedboat had taken a sudden sharp turn and was heading south away from them at full throttle.

“Lieutenant,” he started to call out, but Marty had already seen what was happening. He radioed the two officers in the speed boats tucked away on the river to get there right away. Rushing down the stairs from the roof, he told Parker and Switek that the voice on the phone had said that Crockett was not in the Donzi - that he was with Sanchez on the way to Sunset Island, and that if anyone wanted to see Crockett alive again they had better get there right away. Castillo didn’t have a clue who the man was, or how he got his cell phone number, but that inner voice that had been gnawing away at him told him to take the warning seriously.

The fact that the Donzi had just swerved off-course away from them added fuel to his very real suspicions that the voice had been telling the truth, but Marty wasn’t certain what to believe. The surveillance team was sure that Crockett was in the boat, but was that only because they saw what they expected to see? He had to decide and he had to decide quickly. By the time he reached the water, the police boats were pulling up to the landing. Leaving Stan and Driscoll with one of the police boats to follow the Donzi, he took Rico, Trudy and Cortillas with him in the other. Shoving the young officer at the helm aside, he took the controls himself and headed north at full speed to Sunset Island. Along the way he relayed what the voice on the other end of the phone had said. Maybe it was a ruse to draw them off but his instincts, honed over years of self-reflection, told him it wasn’t.

Rico’s heart was racing. The play had seemed to be going along so perfectly, everything according to plan, and then in a flash, all hell had broken loose. He didn’t take the time think about what had gone wrong. He just grabbed a radio and called dispatch to get as many units as they could to the safe house as quickly as possible.

Jessica could tell that the tall, older man with the balding head was in charge - the one who had wrenched her shoulder back and demanded to know if anyone else was there. He hadn’t spoken to her after her snarky reply - he only conversed in low tones with his men beyond her earshot. She had no idea who he was or what this was all about. He had said something about the CIA but if he was a federal agent, what was he doing here and why wasn’t he working with the police? She wondered where Tiger was and what had happened to the officers keeping watch outside. But her biggest worry was for Sonny. She hoped that this had nothing to do with him and the Sanchez deal, but the heaviness in her chest told her it did and she didn’t like that feeling at all.

The waiting seemed to go on forever and she lost track of the time. The tension was finally broken by the sound of a cell phone jingle. The tall, older man pulled his phone from his jacket and went outside to talk in private. When he returned he spoke to his men.

“They’re on their way.” He looked to the younger of his two men. “Go get Mike and bring the car to the dock.” Then he looked at Jessica and sneered. “Well pretty lady. It’ll soon be time to make a trade.”

He ordered the other man to untie her from the chair and bind her arms behind her back.

“Ow!” she cried out with pain at the rough handling. “Take it easy - you’re hurting me.”

Her pleas raised no sympathy in either man. Instead the older man grabbed her other arm and led her outside while talking to his henchman who followed them out the door. “If she tries anything grab her, but don’t kill her. She’s my ticket to Crockett and Sanchez wants her in one piece.”

Jessica’s hear sank. Her hopes that Sonny was safely back with Marty and Rico after having closed the net on the Colombian were dashed, her worst fears realized. Somehow he was embroiled in this fiasco and he was in trouble. The darkness of the sultry night only served to increase the anxiety mounting inside her. Her hands began to sweat and perspiration ran down her neck and back. She knew it was as much from fear for the man she loved as from the heat and humidity. She looked around wondering where Tiger and Back Jack might be, disheartened that she saw no sign of them, but encouraged at the same time that maybe they were safe. Maybe she had seen what was going on and had gone to get help. And she saw no sign of the surveillance van. Was Carlson part of this set-up or had he been immobilized too, or was he still at large, waiting for an opportunity to make a move?

They stopped about fifty feet from the water’s edge in the midst of a small copse of well-spaced trees. A black sedan with two men inside, one of them the other man from the house, drove slowly across the carefully manicured lawns and past them to the landing. The driver parked it facing the waterway and left the headlights on. The silence of the night was deafening - not even a leaf was rustling or a bird chirping in the still night air. Flashes of light could be seen in the distance off to the east. A storm was brewing, and even though it was still a ways away, the air was already starting to charge with electricity.

From far away, the roar of a speedboat engine could be heard coming in at a fast clip. Jessica felt her pulse quickening, her breathing speeding up. She took a few deep mouthfuls of air to calm herself down. When she tried pulling away the man only grasped her arm more tightly and with his other hand, grabbed her hair and yanked down hard forcing her head back over her shoulders.

“Try that again and Sanchez just might end up with damaged merchandize after all.”

As the boat neared, the driver blinked the car’s headlight three times and then three times again. He turned off the bright lights leaving on the parking lights to shine an eerie yellow glow out onto the water. The driver popped the trunk release before getting out, then walked around to the rear of the car and stood beside the open trunk. The other man, the one from the house, came over to take up his position near Jessica and his boss.

“Make sure she doesn’t try anything,” the older man ordered handing her over into the care of his two minions. He strolled slowly to the water’s edge to meet the boat that was nudging its way up to the landing. In the dimness of the parking lights, Jessica could barely make out Sonny sitting in the rear of the boat and Sanchez standing in the front. The relief of seeing Sonny alive and unharmed was short-lived before she felt her heart sink, knowing that his life was very much in danger.

Crockett called on his inner self and every bit of experience he had gained over the years to stay calm and keep an air of nonchalance about him. The adrenaline was pumping through his veins, keeping him on high alert but he was in full control waiting for any opportunity that might come along. The situation was bad, as bad any he had ever been in, but he refused to accept it was hopeless. Only a short few months ago he would have given in to the inevitable and accepted his fate, but after digging himself out of the pit of self-pity and despair he had fallen into for so many years, the one thing he had promised himself was to be true to himself, and being true to himself meant never giving up hope. It was one of the reasons why he had become a cop in the first place.

Sanchez stepped out of the boat and greeted the man standing onshore while his two men released the tether around Crockett’s leg. Then they pulled him to his feet and muscled him onto the landing, a gun trained on him the entire time. His legs had cramped up on the long uncomfortable ride but quickly steadied. The dim beams of the car’s parking lights shining in his eyes were enough to blind him to the darkness beyond but he could clearly make out the unforgettable features of the man standing in the light talking to Sanchez, the man who had nailed the coffin shut on his police career thirteen years before - Andrew Baker.

Son of a bitch! What was that bastard doing here?

Holding Crockett tightly in an iron grip Sanchez’ two men hustled him along the landing to where Baker and Sanchez were standing. Baker glared at him gloating.

“James Sonny Crockett,” he sneered. “It’s been a long time.”

Without warning, Baker hauled back and landed a hard punch into Crockett’s midriff catching him off-guard. Sonny doubled over in pain, the wind knocked out him momentarily. Pulling himself up straight, he caught his breath again. Baker leered at him and laughed sadistically.

“I owed you that one for a long time Crockett.”

Sanchez had enjoyed the diversion but it was time to complete the deal. He ordered one of his men to help Baker’s driver move the cocaine into the trunk of the car. Talking and laughing together, Sanchez and Baker headed into the darkness to the copse of trees where Jessica was held captive. Still in the tight grip by the bigger of the two men and with a gun pressed tightly into the small of his back, Crockett was shoved along behind them.

His heart skipped a beat when he saw her. Sonny and Jessica looked at each other, both helpless to do anything about the situation they were in, worried more for the other than for themselves. Whatever these men had in mind, he knew it could not bode well for either of them.

“Your property unscathed, just as we agreed,” Baker said.

“And yours,” Sanchez replied pointing to Crockett, but not taking his eyes off Jessica. Sonny could see the look of lustful anticipation in the man’s eyes. Oh God - This couldn’t be happening. The man was an animal, a butcher who killed and tortured for pleasure. He had raped her before and the sick feeling in Crockett’s his gut told him he was about to do the same thing again.

“You are still very beautiful Senorita Taylor. Do you still struggle - I hope so - it excites me when a woman fights back” His hands rubbed over her breasts, his lust growing at the thought of taking her again against her will. He grabbed hair and forcing her head back kissed her forcefully on the mouth.

There was no way she would let him do this to her again, not without feeling some pain himself. She bit him hard on the lip, drawing blood and kneed him in the groin. The pain was incredible, but it only excited Sanchez more. He pulled on her shirt, ripping it open, and then grabbed her breasts, and squeezed them hard until he saw pain in her eyes. Then he let his hands roam slowly over her chest paying special attention to the sensitive, still healing bullet scars.

“You know, it is a good thing that my men didn’t kill you that day, because now I can enjoy the pleasure of your body once again.” He pulled her head back again and kissed her mouth once more, this time positioning his mouth over hers so she couldn’t bite him again.

Uncontrollable rage was building inside Crockett, but knew he had to stay in control if he was to have any chance of freeing himself and stopping this monster! With a strength he didn’t realize he possessed he pulled out of the vice-like grip holding him and drove at Sanchez. But before he got to his target, the butt of Baker’s gun pounded into his back knocking him to the ground. He struggled to rise but was held down by the heavy weight of a foot on his neck.

“Not a smart move Crockett,” Baker sneered. kicking him in the side with the toe of his shoe.

When the two men who had been exchanging the shipment arrived Baker ordered them to pull Crockett to his feet and tie him to a nearby tree where he could have a clear view of Sanchez’ sadistic game. The ex-CIA agent had no intentions of letting Crockett try any more heroic moves. His hands still bound behind him, Crockett could do nothing to prevent the thick rope from being lashed around his chest. His breathing was heavy, his body drenched with sweat, but he hardly noticed any of it except for the perspiration running off his forehead stinging his eyes.

Sanchez’ laugh had an evil ring to it now, like a horrible dream, but there was no waking from this nightmare. Sonny struggled at his bonds and in his frustration, lost control momentarily and screamed at Sanchez.

“I’ll kill you , you bastard! If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll kill you!”

Sanchez turned around and laughed even harder. “I don’t think so Crockett. Just enjoy the entertainment for now. You’ll get your chance to be on center stage soon.” He turned his attention back to Jessica.

Sonny couldn’t bear to watch. His eyes glanced around searching desperately for some sign that help was on its way, but knowing that it wasn’t. His heart was racing, the sound of its beat ringing in his ears.

Oh God, this can’t be happening. This can’t be happening!

But it was.

All eyes were on Sanchez, the men cheering him on in his sick game. Baker stood in the background observing the goings-on silently. Let the Colombian have his sport first - it would be amusing watching Crockett suffer and squirm for a bit before he took his own long-awaited revenge on the man.

With everyone watching Sanchez, no one noticed the tiny small red circle of light that appeared on the side of Crockett’s head. The beam came from the bushes where the green surveillance van was hidden, the beam of a rifle’s laser sight, aimed right at the side of Crockett’s head.

And no one noticed the shadow of movement gliding from tree to tree, slowly, carefully approaching the place where Crockett was bound.

The laughter and the jeering continued and Crockett’s heart pounded even harder. He knew he was reaching the limits of his control when out of the darkness behind him, he thought he heard a familiar faint voice.

He thought he must be hallucinating, but then he heard Tiger’s voice again.

“I’m cutting you free dude, but you wait ‘til Baker drops and then you take that bastard Sanchez down.”

Tiger’s switchblade cut the thick rope around his chest and sliced through the nylon strap binding his arms behind his back. As stealthily as she had come, she slid back into the darkness. The sudden rush of blood into his hands was painful but the sensation passed quickly. More importantly, he was free at last. Tiger had told him to wait until Baker dropped - what was she talking about? What did she know that he didn’t? It seemed crazy but he listened to the inner voice inside him that told him to do as she had said. He would wait for Baker to drop or at least until Sanchez tried something again.

As soon as the bonds were gone and Tiger had disappeared again, the small red circle moved quickly to position itself in the middle of Baker’s forehead. The thunk of the bullet entering his skull was almost louder than the muffled explosion from the silenced rifle. Baker went down instantly and in the confusion, Sonny lunged at Sanchez, knocking him to the ground.

Another quiet explosion and a thunk and another man went down. The men who were still standing took off at a run when the second bullet hit, Sanchez’ men to the boat and Baker’s to the car. In the distance, the sound of a speedboat, could be heard fast approaching from the water, and the wail of police sirens could be heard coming from land.

Crockett jumped on Sanchez’ chest, pounding his fist three times in quick succession into the man’s jaw. The Colombian was out cold. He knew it was time to stop, but Rico’s words were running through his mind.

In his hate, Sonny could feel Burnett rising to the surface. He pulled back again to slam his fist into the man’s face again and pommel it until there was nothing left but a mass of pulp. But something stopped him. His own response to Rico’s words came back to him:

He dropped his fists and stood up. Grabbing Jessica, he held her in his arms grasping her in a tight embrace. As warm as it was, he could feel her shivering. Stepping back, he took off his T-shirt and pulled it gently over her head. He hugged her tightly again, thinking that he never wanted to let her go again and rocked her gently in his arms.

“It’s over darlin’,” he whispered softly into her ear. “It’s all over.”

The speed boat with Marty and Rico pulled up to the dock, its bright spotlight illuminating the grounds. At the same time, out of the darkness came Tiger and Black Jack. Trailing behind them was the man from the surveillance van. In the rush of everything that had happened, it hadn’t dawned on Sonny to think about who had fired the rifle shots. He had just reacted and taken advantage of the situation. Over Jessica’s shoulder he saw the man approaching. He dropped his arms and walked over to thank the man who had saved Jessica’s and his lives.

As he came into the light, Sonny recognized the face. The stunned look on his face gave way to a beaming smile. What this was all about and why he was here could wait. He rushed over to his former partner and grabbing his shoulders in a firm, friendly grip he stared at the man, a look of disbelief in his eyes.

“Scotty?” he said, almost choking on the words, “what the hell are you doing here?”

“Payback time, Sonny. I owed ya a big one pal.”

They wrapped their arms around each other’s shoulders and strolled over to light where Marty had taken charge of the clean-up operation.

“Marty,” Sonny said as they approached. “I’d like you to meet an old friend, Scott Wheeler. Scott - Lieutenant Martin Castillo. Miami Vice.”

Offering his hand, Scotty greeted the lieutenant. “I’ve heard a lot about you Castillo.”

“CIA. We’ve been after Baker for a while. Sorry we couldn’t let you in on this sooner, but he still had too many contacts. We couldn’t take the chance that he’d find out and get away again.”

CIA? What was Scotty doing working for the CIA, Sonny wondered, but that story could wait for another time. His thoughts were all about Jessica now and getting her away from all of this. Those thought were interrupted by a call from Rico on Marty’s radio. They had found Gina and the other officers still in a drug-induced sleep, but they seemed to be okay. The paramedics had were on their way though, just to be sure. The rest of Baker’s men were in custody and on their way to lock-up, and Sanchez’ men who had fled in the speedboat had been picked up on the waterway by a couple of police patrol boats. Rico also reported that Stan had called in to say that the men who had taken the Donzi had been picked up as well.

Hearing Rico's words, the floodgates holding back the all the worries and fears bottled up inside her gave way. Jessica grasped Sonny, the man she loved and had worried so much for, and the tears flowed freely. In the comfort of his arms she finally let herself believe that they were safe and the nightmare was really over.

It had been one helluva night Crockett was thinking, but now that the chaos was winding down and the adrenaline rush subsiding, he could start to put things into perspective and he realized just how much the night’s events meant in his life. His belief in himself had been put to the test and he had come through unscathed - Sonny Crockett was truly back. He had faced hell and survived, and he knew that a good part of the reason was the lady he held in his arms. His feelings for her, and hers for him had given him strength to face the fears and doubts and live through them, to remain true to the promise he had made himself when he sailed back to Miami. His life was here now, and Jessica was very much a part of it.

The wind suddenly picked up, the precursor to the storm front that was fast approaching. There was still some clean-up work to do here, but there was no reason for Jessica to stay any longer. She had been through enough for one night. Martin suggested that Sonny take her someplace away from here, back to the apartment or a hotel room if that were more comfortable. He could file his report in the morning.

“I want to go home,” Jessica said lifting her head from his shoulders and drying her tears.

“Anything you want Jess.” Sonny said pulling her into his body again.

As the first drops of rain started to fall, Castillo arranged for a car to drive them and Jack to the marina. The full blast of the storm hit just as they arrived and they dashed down the wharf. The two sailboats were still there, safely berthed side by side, riding on their moorings in the wind and rain. Jessica hopped aboard the Vitus II and Sonny quickly followed. He unlocked the hatch and they scurried inside to get out of the bad weather.

“Welcome home darlin’,” he said kissing her softly on the forehead and wrapping his arms around her. She returned the embrace and rested her head on his shoulder.

“I love you Sonny Crockett,” she whispered tenderly, and reached up to kiss him on the cheek. “It’s good to be home.”

Yes it was, he thought. It was good to be home.

Waking late the next morning, Sonny felt the comfortable warmth of Jessica’s body still nestled snuggly into his. He eased out of the bunk slowly so as not to disturb her much-needed sleep, dressed and headed to the galley to put on a pot of coffee. That would have to do for now as there was no food on board. He called the office to let Marty know that he and Jessica would be in later to give their statements and wrap up any paperwork that needed to be done.

After pouring a cup of the freshly-brewed coffee, Sonny went outside to sit on the deck and enjoy the morning air, clean and refreshing after the night’s downpour. He spied Gina coming down the dock with a couple of brown bags in her hands. Climbing on board, she handed over the bagels, muffins and fixin’s. She had brought them on spec, knowing that Jessica and Sonny could probably use something to eat. Glancing at Sonny’s hands as he took the bags, she noticed they were still swollen from the previous night’s harsh treatment and his wrists were raw and still oozing from where the nylon strap had chaffed and bitten into the flesh.

What’s the matter Crockett? You want those cuts to get infected?

“They’re fine Gina,” he replied in protest.

She laughed. “You’ll never change Crockett. You need a woman to take of you like you always did.”

“I have one,” he said with a smile on his face.

Gina smiled. He sure did. Jessica was the perfect match for Sonny.

She finally convinced him to go below with her. Opening the medicine chest, she smoothed antibiotic cream onto his wrists and bandaged them with gauze, much to his protest, but like always, he knew she was right. After Jess woke, they ate and then headed to the OCB. Sonny was glad that Gina was there to help Jessica through it all. He knew it would be rough on her today and for the next little while. It was one thing to have to go through the police routine, giving statements, identifying suspects, living through the nightmare again, but Jessica had more than that to deal with. She would have to face her friends and colleagues who thought she had died and deal with the trauma she had lived through, and try to get back into the normal routine of her life again.

Scotty Wheeler and Rico were at the office when they arrived. At last Sonny might get some of the answers he was seeking, the first one being - what the heck Scotty’s role was in all this. While Jessica went with Gina to give her story, he, Scotty and Rico walked to the café down the road to chat and go over old times.

Scotty explained that after he had been released from prison, the CIA had approached him to work undercover for them seeking out the company or foreign nationals involved in illegal activities. As a disgraced cop, known to have a hate on for his former colleagues, his cover was perfect. He had been working the Sanchez angle for a while now, keeping an eye on his activities, and watching out for anything that might be of interest to the CIA. When Baker showed up on the scene, it was icing on the cake. They had been trying to nab Baker for a while but he was too sly, always managing to slip away before they could get to him.

The Commissioner had been told what was going on, but no one else. It was an order from Tyler that put his name on the duty roster at the safe house. Baker had mastered the art of convincing people that he was still CIA and abusing their trust in the federal agency to get what ever he wanted. That’s how he found out about Jessica, by using his fake ID to get the information and pretending that it was matter of national security to keep his sources from revealing that they had talked to him. He was the one who had told Sanchez about Jessica. He was a snake and a dangerous one too. The CIA wanted him out of commission once and for all, cleansing was the CIA term for it. That was the one thing that Scotty hated about this job, taking care of problems like Baker.

“So what hole did you crawl out of last night?” Sonny asked. “I never saw you. I don’t guess Baker knew you were there either. And how in the world did you hook up with Tiger?”

“Tiger,” Scott replied, shaking his head. “Now that’s a good name for that one! I thought I was gonna need a rabies shot after she bit my hand. She’s got nerve - I gotta say that for her.”

He explained that he caught her wandering around the grounds. He had no idea who she was at the time, but he didn’t want any civilians getting hurt or messing up his plans. When she found out what was going on, she had wanted to her ‘buds‘ to come over and take care of Sanchez and Baker.

“She just wouldn’t give up. Gad - I had to tell her everything - too much it seems, but she probably saved your life because of it buddy boy. I just mentioned something about wishing you were free when I took out Baker and before I knew it she was gone, leaving that black monster tied up beside me. Hell, I didn’t know she was actually gonna do it.”

“No kidding,” Sonny said laughing. Tiger never ceased to amaze him. “I’m sure glad she’s on our side.”

“Another thing Scotto,” Sonny said in a puzzled voice. “Last night you said you owed me a big one. What was that all about? You don’t owe me a thing. If anything, it’s me who owes you.”

But he did owe Crockett, Scotty explained. In jail, once he gave up the self-pity and accepted the realities of his life, he realized that Sonny had done the only thing he could do by turning him in. In fact Sonny had saved him from destroying himself. And then there was the fact that the whole time he had been in jail feeling sorry for himself, Sonny had looked after his family. It was seeing the picture of Scott junior standing that finally made him realize just how much Sonny had done for him, and that he had to get his life back together again. He had vowed that somehow, someday, he would make it up to his friend.

There was one more puzzle Rico and Sonny needed the answer to - Fuente’s murder. Street talk had said that Sanchez’ partner was the one who had done him in. Scotty confirmed that it was indeed Baker who had Fuente killed. He was afraid that Fuente knew too much about his illegal operations and that the drug lord would rat on him to get some sort of deal. It wasn’t hard, Scotty explained - even prisoners have a loyalty to their country and will do what’s needed if they think it’s a matter of ‘national security’.

They finished their coffees and Scotty told them it was time for him to disappear into the anonymity of this CIA cover again. But his conscience was clear for the first time in nearly twenty years, and he felt good about himself. The next thing would be to work up the courage to face his family again.

Rico and Sonny stayed to talk a bit longer, but soon it was time for Rico to leave too. He had given his statement and would be back for the legal proceedings, but his life and his son resided in New York now. It was time for him to go home. He would be leaving on the evening plane.

“Say Tubbs, have you ever considered a job in southern law enforcement?” Sonny asked him jokingly as they got up to leave, remembering the first time he had asked it. Rico laughed, as he had laughed when Sonny had first asked him that question what seemed a lifetime ago. But this time he was heading back to New York.

“Don’t you think that one’s a little worn out by now Crockett?” Tubbs asked.

“Can’t blame a guy for trying can ya?” Sonny said patting him on the back. “Come on - let’s blow this pop stand.”

The two of them headed back to the OCB. Jessica was almost finished giving her statement and identifying the suspects. She was pretty shaken by the ordeal, but Gina had been with her the whole time. It would be Sonny’s turn next, but first she wanted to speak with him and Marty privately in the lieutenant’s office.

“Marty,” she began, “Jessica is going to need some time to get over all this.” Looking after victims was her specialty, and she was good at it. She talked about the very things that worried Sonny, things that Castillo himself had considered. Jessica still needed time to recover. The physical recovery was the easy part. It was the psychological healing that would be more difficult and take time. To people who didn’t know him, the lieutenant came across as an emotionless machine, but Gina knew him better than most. Under the stern exterior lay a man who cared deeply for people, especially for those he considered to be his friends.

“I know,” he said. “What do you have in mind?”

She looked over at Crockett. “A holiday away from here with someone she trusts and can see her through the next little while would be my choice.”

“Sounds reasonable. I’ll make it happen.”

“Whoa lady,” Sonny interjected. He wasn’t so sure he liked this idea. He had just got Jessica back and he wasn’t looking forward to her going away again. He wasn’t about to let Gina and Marty set this up without having a say in it. Just whom did Gina have in mind for this little sojourn, and what if Jessica didn’t want to go?

“What’s your problem Sonny?” Gina asked seeing the look of concern in his eyes. “You don’t want a couple of weeks off with Jessica?”

The look of surprise was almost comical.

“You know Crockett,” Gina said laughing, “sometimes you can be so dense. I guess that’s one of the things I always loved about you. Whom did you think I was talking about? - Stan?”

Crockett looked over at Marty who had lowered his face in an attempt to hide one of those very rare grins of his. Composing himself to his usual serious look he took command again.

“Finish all your paperwork on the case today, Crockett. You’re on two week leave starting tomorrow. I don’t want to see either of you two anywhere near this place. And if you get any arguments from Ms. Taylor, you can tell her that we’ll look after the Street Car for her until she gets back.”

He had made his decision and it was time to get back to back to work. Pulling some files out of his desk, he opened them and started reading.

Sonny was still trying to grasp everything that had just happened, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He followed Gina to the door, but before he went through it Marty lifted his head and added one last comment.

“If you need any more time, let me know.”

Sonny walked out of Castillo’s office with a feeling of excitement he had not known for a long time. For the first time in he couldn’t remember how long, he was at peace with himself and the world and truly looking forward to life. It was certainly the first time since that day on Salt Cay when Fuente’s men had taken him prisoner. No, it was a lot longer than that. It was since before he had left the force and Miami in disgust so many years before The last time he could remember feeling this way was when he was with Cait.

His passion for the job he loved renewed, knowing he was doing something to make the world a better place no matter how small his part in the great scheme of things, his friendships, his love for a very special lady who loved him in return - these were the important things in his life, the matters of the heart that gave him the will and the strength go on.

THE END

Part I: Crockett's Return
Chapter 1 :: Chapter 2 :: Chapter 3 :: Chapter 4 :: Chapter 5 :: Chapter 6 :: Chapter 7 :: Chapter 8

Part II: New Beginnings
Chapter 9 :: Chapter 10 :: Chapter 11 :: Chapter 12 :: Chapter 13 :: Chapter 14 :: Chapter 15 :: Chapter 16