Chapter 22 (In the Precinct Van)

"Grace is going to be joining us later since she just went home so that means we're going to be the ones doing the combing" Orlando said

They were standing in front of the precinct leaning against the precinct vans trying to think of ways to get Diego to the court house with Keres attacking them

"Combing?" Nikolay asked

"He means patrolling the area" Ian said

"Even I know that" Perry said

"So, what exactly is our job here?" James asked

"We'll be on the look out for Keres" Mrs. Peters said

"The only way she'd ever be able to get her hands on Diego is if she comes here because the courthouse would be heavily guarded. She can't enter" she explained

"Ah! Did you bring the prescription?" Nikolay asked

"Yes" Mrs. Peters said handing a box to him

"When Grace comes make sure to give it to her and tell her to overdose" she added

"Why Grace?" Ian asked

"I was going to ask why overdose?" Nikolay said

"Because Grace is the only one who can get close to Keres to at least try to inject her and we have to overdose the prescription because we want her knocked out for long" she said

"This will all be easy if Maeve shows up here herself" James said

"Give me one of those" Orlando said pointing at the other box Mrs. Peters was holding

"Why?" She asked

"In case our plan fails I have an alternative" he took it from her and walked into the precinct

"I just hope this goes well" Nikolay said firmly gripping to the box

Just then a car pulled up and the members of Black Cat alighted from the car

"We have back up too, don't worry" Mrs. Peters said

"Who are they?" Nikolay asked whispering to Ian

"Mercenaries" Ian whispered back

"Give us the break down" Silas said

"When you see Keres, take her down!" Mrs. Peters said

"Yes Boss" they said

"Who are all these kids?" Hurricane asked pointing to Nikolay and Perry

"I'm not a kid" Perry said angrily

"I was able to outsmart a Cop" Orlando walked out without the box he went in with

"This Cop" Perry added pointing at him

"Easy, easy" Hurricane said holding his hands up

"Grace just sent a message, she will be coming a little late because of the storm in Pero Village" Orlando said holding his phone up

"Okay, let's begin"

"Let's go check if Ian would still be in the church" Legend said as she and Ray got down from the taxi

"Right, he's easier to talk to than Nikolay" Ray said

As they made to open the gate of the church Keres stepped out holding a long bag in her hand. She looked all business.

"Huh?" Legend said surprised to see Keres standing at the gate. Keres pushed them aside and made to walk out

"Sally!" Ray called

She turned around and stared at him

"We heard you left the country" he said

"Then she left" Keres said

"But you're here standing in front of me" Legend said getting in front of Ray

"Did you hear what happened to the Priest? I'm sorry about that" Legend said holding her hand

"Sorry? Why would you be?" Keres asked

"He's at peace now so there's no need for you to be sorry" she said. She turned around to walk away but stopped abruptly

"I don't really have the time now but I have to do this" she turned around and hit Legend across the face

"Too long" she said and walked to her bike and rode away

"Oh my God, are you okay?" Ray asked holding Legend

"What did I do wrong?" Legend asked crying

"Are you seriously asking that?" Ray asked

"I was mean to her, yes. But I apologized, didn't I?" She asked

"When has Sally ever accepted an apology?"

"But why did she get back?"

Claudia was getting all tensed again. Nikolay wasn't home and Diego's trial was going to happen by morning. She paced about the house and looked out of the window at several occasions

"When will your brother come home?" Claudia asked staring outside the window

"Mom, don't worry he said he'll be back a little late" Stellar said changing the television channel

"A little late?"

"Look, it's already 11.55pm" Claudia complained

"Really, when did it get so late? How time flies" Stellar said nonchalantly

"Stellar!" Claudia yelled

"Okay, I'll call him again" Stellar said and pretended to dial Nikolay's number

"Hmm, not reachable" she said

"Where is this boy?" Claudia said turning back to face the window

Stellar looked at the text message Nikolay had sent her five hours ago

I might not be able to come home today, make sure Mom doesn't get worried. Take care

"Where are you Nikolay?"

Well, Nikolay was with his Father at the Precinct having a Father-Son conversation.

"Son" Diego said as Nikolay sat in front of him in the visitation room

"Don't call me that" Nikolay said angrily

"I came to tell you that Grace has handed the USB key to the investigators and they'll be using it's contents against you in court" he said

"How're your Mom and sister holding up?" Diego asked

"After you left us with huge problems and debts?" Nikolay asked

"They're doing great" he said

"I deserve everything you throw at me" Diego said with his head down

"Yeah right. Like if you are given a chance to kill Keres and cover up everything you have done to get your position back you wouldn't grab it" Nikolay said and Diego's head shot up

"So you really would" Nikolay said irritated

"Look son, in case anything happens to me, I have a secret bank account with loads of money in it. Use it to cater for your Mom and sister" Diego said

"Loads of money that probably doesn't belong to us in the first place!" Nikolay shouted

"If ever I get my hands on them I'm going to give it back to the rightful owner" he added

"Money corrupts son. Once you have it in your hands you won't want to let go of it" Diego said

"Then do you think I who has seen what this money cost my family will get corrupted by it?" Nikolay asked

"Hell no! I never appreciated you and your money in the first place" he added and walked away

Keres sat in the well furnished room smoking a cigarette and taking a sip from the whiskey bottle in her hand. A dirty behavior it was but she found it fun and relaxing. She stood up and dropped the bottle on the desk and picked up a binoculars and looked outside the window through it. She could see Orlando and the others patrolling the area looking all serious. Getting an apartment close to the Precinct was very expensive but it was worth it. She could easily see what ever it was Orlando and the others were doing.

"How pathetic" she said hitting the butt of the cigarette on the ash tray

"Even more pathetic" she said in remembrance of what Grace said

She looked at the time. It was 3.00am

"Should I get ready?"

"Visiting hours are way past over" the night guard told Lucia

"I know but by morning the person I want to see would have already been dead" she lied

"What?" The guard asked

"Please, let me see this person for the last time" she pleaded

"Okay, go in and talk to the warden" he said opening the gate for her

"Thank you so much" she said and rushed inside

After speaking to the warden with so much sugarcoated words and squeezing some notes into his hands he let her see Hunter. He was surprised again to see her that late at night

"What are you doing here by this time?" He asked sitting down

"When the warden called me out I thought it was time to go to court" he added

"Sorry, I should have come earlier but they were so many customers and James and Perry had gone with the others to the precinct so I had to handle everything on my own at the shop" she said dropping a bag on the table

"You really should hire someone" he said

"What's this?" He asked pointing to the bag

"Open it" she said

"Now I'm scared" he said coughing slightly

He opened the bag and took out a flask containing her signature chicken soup

"Lucia..." He said laughing

"I have a chicken restaurant, you didn't expect me to use fish right?" She asked

"It looks like you put a whole chicken in here" he said smiling

"Well, we need to get you all the energy we can for the morning"

"You have to go there and stand up tall" she said

"Have you ever heard of a criminal standing tall in court?" He asked

"Except you aren't a criminal. You are taking the blame for Keres" she said

"Shhh...., Don't let someone hear you" he said

"What are their plans to stop Keres from hurting more people?" He asked

"You should ask Perry and James that but I'm sure they would be trying their best possible" she answered

"I really need the strength. Let's dig in!"

North Valley Precinct. 9.30am....

She walked up to a Police officer smoking behind the precinct walls and before he knew what she was doing she had knocked him out and took off his uniform. Keres dressed in the Police uniform walked briskly like a man towards the Precinct Van that was expected to convey Diego to the courthouse. She saluted the other officer in front of the Van and made to walk in

"Wait!" The officer called halting her

"What's that bag for?" He asked

She touched the voice modifier on her throat and spoke

"A guitar for my son. Would be going home after we're done" she said sounding like a man

"That's nice" the officer said letting her go

She got into the Van and opened the bag bringing out a semi automatic assault rifle. She loaded the weapon and had everything set from that time till Diego was brought out. She watched from the Van how Orlando and the others were telling him what she thought were probably their plans which Grace had already spilled.

After a few minutes they were done and Diego was huddled into the Van. He sat in front of her while the other officers got in.

11.00am, the journey began

Keres turned around frequently to find Orlando following the Van from behind. Keres took out a small food bag with air in it and burst it causing a loud noise. The other officer and Diego turned towards her direction in surprise

"Ah, my bad. I farted" she said with her head still down, face covered with the cap

"Dude, you are unbelievable" the officer said

"What's that?" The driver asked

"Oh, officer Ron just farted" he answered

"The smell would soon get to you guys, brace yourselves" she said

"Hahaha" they laughed. Diego too joined in the laughter. Since he was going to be convicted anyway it was better to smile while he could. People don't smile in jail, do they?

"Oh, there's an air fresher here, let me use it" she said taking out a sleep spray

She sprayed it around the van and blocked her nose with a tissue and began to breath with her mouth

"The smell's nice" the officer said

Keres turned around again and Orlando was not following them again

"We must be in Frederick Estate now" she thought

Soon, the officer and Diego had all fallen in deep sleep. She pinched their cheeks to check if they would wake up but they went on snoring. Satisfied, she opened the windows to let the smell go away then took out the tissue from her nostrils and collected a gun and the key to the drivers section from the sleeping officer

"Hey" she said placing the cold steel gun on the driver's head

"Stop the car" she said

The driver tried to reach for his gun but she stopped him

"I won't do that if I were you because you see, your colleague is currently sleeping" she said

"I would have also made you sleep but I didn't want us getting into an accident" she said

"So, stop the car and you won't get hurt. You're not the one I'm after" she said

The driver pulled over by the side of the road greatly frightened

"Drop your gun on the dashboard" she ordered. He did so and raised his hands up in surrender

"Now, get down" she said

He opened the door and came down from the car

"Go get your partner and get the hell out of here" she instructed

"Yes" he said and walked around to the other door and took out the other officer

"Thank you"