FriscoDreams17

Jen Tanner looked extremely worried as she hung up the phone. Chuck wasn't answering his cell phone and there was no answer at home either. Casey noticed the distraught look on Jen's face and walked behind the bar to speak to her.   "Still no word from Chuck?"    Jen simply shook her head no. Something was wrong, Casey could feel it but she tried to remain positive for her friend's sake.    "I'm going to look for him."   She slipped on her jacket and placed her hand on Jen's shoulder.    "Don't worry...I'll find him."   She grabbed her purse and walked over to the table where Stephanie was sitting with Antwon.

Casey: Hey guys, Chuck Tanner left to run an errand hours ago and hasn't returned yet. He hasn't called to check in with Jen either and that has me a little worried.   I'm going to look for him so if anyone needs me, call me on my cell phone.

"Want me to come with you?" Twon stood up and started to pull on his jacket.

Casey:   No...that's not necessary, but thanks. I'm going to drive by their house and check a few of his hangouts so I shouldn't be gone long.

Antwon: Wait a minute. Before you leave, I've got to know. How'd it go with Harv?

She shrugged and shook her head. "Umm...not good.   I don't think that he wants to get involved with another Cortez."   Antwon gave her a rather puzzled look as she turned to leave.   "It's a long story.   Stephanie can fill you in on the details while I'm gone."

Stephanie:   You're armed, right?

Casey:   Always

*

Harvey had come to the conclusion that he wanted Casey in his life. It would take some time getting used to the fact that she was Evan's sister but he could handle it.   He walked quickly down the long hallway wanting to catch up with her before the band began another set. The jukebox was playing loudly and the words to the love song caught Harvey's attention.   "I promise to love you forever and take care of you for life.    Say you'll stay with me darlin' as my friend, my lover, my wife."    That was exactly what he wanted to tell Casey but couldn't.    He would have to settle for sharing a loving relationship with her without a permanent committment.

Harvey looked around the room but didn't see Casey anywhere. He noticed Antwon was sitting at a table with Casey's friend and walked over to them.   "Have you seen Cassandra?"    He was furious when Antwon and Stephanie told him what Casey was doing.   Baptiste was having her followed and she knew about it. Why would she do something so careless as leaving unchaperoned.

"That woman! She knows better than to leave here alone." He swiped his hand over his face in frustration and announced, "If she thinks that she's leaving alone, then she had better think again."   Harvey picked up his beret and told Antwon to call him if there was a problem.   He was mumbling to himself as he made his way to the exit,   "She's the most stubborn one woman...."

*

Casey was unlocking the door of the mustang when someone came up behind her and put a knife to her throat.   "You didn't think that I recognized you, did you?" Hector Gonzales asked. "How could I forget the cop who has been dogging me for a year. You must really want to put me away, Reed. Spending all this time trying to track me down.   Don't you have a social life?"

Casey tried to remain calm so that she could reason with him. "Come on Hector, do you really want to kill a cop? I didn't think that you were that stupid.   Use your head, man.   If I found you, then you know the SFPD knows where you are and what you're doing."

Gonzales:    "Shut up and walk"    He was forcing her towards a black sedan but she was fighting back. There was someone sitting inside of the car but she couldn't make out who it was.

Casey:   "And what if I don't come with you.   What are going to then then?"

Gonzales: "TC, show this cop what we have in the back seat."

The man opened the back door of the car and dragged another man out. It was Chuck Tanner. Casey could see that he had been beaten and that he was bleeding from a gash on his forehead. Putting her personal feelings aside, she tried to bargain with the two men who held her friend hostage.

Casey:   I'm the one you want, not him. Let him go, Hector. He hasn't done anything to you.

Gonzales tightened his grip on her and pushed the knife closer to her throat as he whispered, "He's a friend of yours and that makes him an enemy of mine.   Sorry that you won't be able to keep your date with Bastille tomorrow night, Reed.   Mario tried to warn that idiot about you but apparently he has a thing for you.   Well...all good things come to an end, don't they?   Now...MOVE!" He pushed Casey against the car door and TC grabbed her arm to pull her into the car.

*

Joe Dominguez sat in the surveilence van scanning the area on the monitors. He noticed the scuffle that was going on in front of the club and leaned in for a closer look.   "Damn it, that's Gonzales and he has Cassandra Reed.   Rachel, come with me. Cassidy, contact Harvey and Antwon. Tell them we need backup...now."

Cassidy patched through to Harvey and told him what was happening.   He motioned for Antwon to join him and then explained what was happening.   Antwon felt as though he had let his partner down.   "This is all my fault. I should have never let her leave by herself."     Harvey unsnapped the gun holster as he replied, "Coulda, shoulda, woulda, brother.   Can't worry about that now."

The men exited the building with their weapons drawn and carefully made their way down to the edge of the building where they saw Casey fighting to stay out of the car.

Harvey(yelling):   SFPD!    PUT YOU HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM. NOW!

Gonzales slipped the knife into his pocket before holding up his hands and turning to face Harvey.   "You wouldn't shoot an unarmed man, would you?   See...no gun!"

Harvey took aim and stared intently at Gonzales. "Just give me a reason."

Joe, Rachel and Cassidy had moved closer to the car and had it covered from the front. Antwon, Ronnie and Harrow had moved to cover the back. Oscar, Toby, Brooks and Christine had joined Harvey and blocked any way of escape.

Harvey: "I'd take a good look around if I were you, man. You're surrounded and there's no way out. Why don't you give it up"

Casey had managed to open the backdoor of the car and pushed Chuck out. Joe helped him up and escorted him to the van before rejoining the other officers.   TC lay his gun on the roof of the car and put his hands on his head as Ronnie moved up to take him into custody.   Casey climbed out of the backseat of the car and slowly walked towards Hector Gonzales. Maybe she could talk him into surrendering as well.

She stopped a few feet from the man, not wanting to get too close.   "You might as well give up Hector. You don't have a prayer."    He began to walk towards Casey despite warnings from the other officers.   Harvey had a bad feeling with Gonzales standing so close to Casey. "THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING, GONZALES.   BACK AWAY FROM INSPECTOR REED AND GET ON YOUR KNEES!"

Harvey's warning went unheeded. The man continued to approach Casey but she didn't back away from him.   When he was just a few inches from her, he leaned in and gave her a wry smile "You're wrong cop. You're the one without a prayer."    Ronnie saw the weapon in Gonzales' hand and yelled a warning hoping that it wasn't too late. "KNIFE!   HE'S GOT A KNIFE."

Casey saw the blade of the knife coming towards her and tried to move. She felt a piercing pain and gasped as she looked up into Hector's evil smiling face.   Harvey watched in horror as Gonzales roughly pushed Casey away causing her to hit her head against the brick building before slidding to the ground.   "NO!!" Harvey heard himself yell as he fired and hit Gonzales in the shoulder. Ronnie and Joe subdued Hector and handcuffed him while Antwon picked up the knife and bagged it for evidence.   Harvey ran to where Casey lay, not moving. He fell to his knees and felt for a pulse. She alive, he thought as he gently turned her over to place his jacket under her head.   It was then that he saw the blood.   "Someone call 911...she's been stabbed."    He took his handkerchief and began to apply pressure to the area trying to slow the bleeding.   Rachel had retrieved a blanket from the van and brought it over to cover Casey before checking for any other injuries. She noticed the swelling just above Casey's left ear and made a mental note to inform the paramedics about it. She was conscious but Rachel didn't like the way she was responding to questions.   Harvey was trying desperately to control the bleeding. Rachel offered to take over applying pressure to the wound but he refused. His hand was beginning to cramp but he wasn't giving in to the pain.

Harvey:   Take it easy, baby.   Help is on the way.

Casey heard his voice but it sounded so distant. She felt as though she were slowly decending into a endless tunnel.    She tried to focus on his face but her vision was blurred. "Harvey?"   She managed to weakly call his name before losing consciousness.

"NO...CASSANDRA?   COME ON, STAY WITH ME." Harvey was yelling frantically as help arrived. "SHE'S OVER HERE, SCOTT."

The medical team arrived and moved quickly to treat Casey's injuries.   Scott Jordan knew Harvey from the first aid classes that he had taught at the SIU.   He saw that Harvey was performing the correct technique but noticed that he was visibly upset.

Scott:   "I'll take over now, Inspector Leek.

Harvey:   She's bleeding, Scott. I have to stop the bleeding.

Scott:   Inspector, you have to give us room to work. I have to check to see how badly she's hurt.   I'll take care of her but you have to let her go and let me do my job.

Harvey reluctantly gave in to Scott's request and moved away from Casey. He stood back and listened as Scott and his partner talked about blood pressure and pulse rates but their words didn't register with his mind. He could only think that this whole situation could have been avoided if only he hadn't pushed her away.   Antwon and Stephanie walked over to him and offered their support. "It's going to be alright, Harv. Try not to worry." Antwon placed his arm around Harvey's shoulder as he tried to reassure his partner. Harvey stood as if in shock, watching the medical team work and whispering, "she's alright...she'll be fine."

*

Even though his wound was not serious, Gonzales was screaming about the pain that he was in and how Harvey would pay for shooting him.   "Do you hear me, cop. You won't get away with this, I have rights".   Gonzales had been warned several times to keep quiet but he insisted on yelling harrassing remarks. "Maybe we'll get lucky and she'll die on the way to the hospital." Harvey had been standing with the others watching as Casey was loaded into the ambulance for transport.   He was worried about Casey and hearing the taunting words pushed him over the edge. Walking over to Gonzales, he grabbed him and threw him against the squad car.

"I should have taken you out when I had the chance."   Antwon grabbed Harvey and pulled him off of the man. "He's not worth it, Harv. Let him go, man."    Harvey let him go and turned to Officer Ronnie.   " Follow this lowlife to the hospital for treatment and then take him to the SIU. Book him for kidnapping, first degree assault, attempted murder of a police officer and anything else that might come to mind."    Before turning him over to Ronnie, Harvey pulled Gonzales up by the collar of his shirt and looked him straight in the eye.   "And you had better hope that nothing happens to that lady.   Because if she dies, I'm coming after you and believe me, you won't be walking away this time."

                                                                        * * *