Chapter 43

"Ok, tell me what the hell is going on?" Downs said to his boss on the phone, as he and some of the other agents at the airport waited for the last two to arrive and be placed on the plane.

Downs still couldn't believe how many people where being taken out.

"One of our people got a lucky break. You remember that I said that we only got the top half of the cars from your cameras? Well, here's the deal. A block south is an intersection with video into the police station! Those cars were a bit anxious to get away, and one of them ran the red. We got a positive ID and license number that time."

"That's good, but doesn't explain the rush to get everyone out of town."

Downs saw two motorcycle cops, with sirens and lights on, escorting an ambulance down the street and toward the airport.

"You wanted people to know we were taking them away, didn't you? Who the hell is behind this?"

"We have some possible leads. Two are very well connected. We need a bit more information to nail this down. If you can get something positive from the Bartenellis, this thing could turn fast."

"So, I'm staying," Downs said more as a confirmation than anything else.

"Yes. You and the Bartenellis will stay and get those printouts you told me about. Then you three are flying out, as well. The new team that flew in is high profile. There's another six that just arrived, and they are undercover. I half expect the Bartenellis houses to be targeted, and soon. So get over there fast, while they still have a house."

"I'm on my way, then," Downs said, none to pleased.

After hanging up, Downs went over to the ambulance. It was the first time he'd seen Agent Barnes. Downs had seen a lot of troubling things in his life, but the sight of her made his jaw harden.

He reached out and touched her arm. She turned and looked at him, then attempted a smile.

"Sir, we need to move her."

"I have to stay, but I'll be seeing you soon," Downs said to Barnes.

He watched her being loaded into the plane, then turned when he heard a noise. It surprised him to think that he had missed another in the ambulance and that his senses had been dulled. It could be a costly mistake.

Jessica was looking at him and once he realized it was her, he smiled.

"How long has it been?" she asked him.

Not having a clue as to what she was alluding to, he asked for clarification.

"You're in love with her. How long?" Jessica replied.

Downs swallowed hard.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"Wondered about it for a while, but the way you just looked at her. It's the way I remember John looking at me."

Jessica looked down and Downs caught her last words, 'remember looking, ' as in past tense.

"Jessica," he said, "are you worried that he's going to feel differently about you?"

"I ... I don't know."

"I do know. His heart belongs to you. I've seen it in the way he talks about you. No one stops that."

"But he..."

"What?"

"He pushed me out. Told me to go."

"In the fire?"

"Yeah."

"Jessica, I understand you'll be talking to Ken. He's good and can make you understand some of your feelings. Times like this can sometimes make you think things that seem so real to you, but they're just not. John isn't going to understand that you feel this way. He's going to want to be with you. If he could walk, he would get to you now, I know that for sure. Did you hear what happened?"

Jessica shook her head.

"They had to recast his one leg and the other leg has a cast on it, too. It got broken when they pulled him out. I think he's upset, because he doesn't think he can stay with you any longer."

Jessica looked up, into the eyes of Downs.

"He said that?"

"Jessica, you may not realize this, but if he hadn't sent you out, he, and maybe you too, would have died. It is very fortunate that they only had to rescue one person, and not three."

"Are you telling me that to try and make me feel better about what happened?"

"I'm telling you the truth."

The two from the ambulance were walking back and they had no more time to talk privately.

"Jessica, talk to him. It is the best thing you could do."

She gave a soft nod to him and then was helped out of the ambulance and into a wheel chair. Downs watched briefly and then turned to walk to his car.

To say that Antonio and his brother were upset would have been a gross understatement.

"What are you going to do to protect my house?" Antonio asked Downs.

"There are agents watching. It is about the best we can do at the moment. We've got some positive IDs on some of the people in the cars that shot up and then torched the house your daughter was in. You said you had some printouts. Antonio, we need some good evidence. If we can get a foothold, then we can go after them. You know how this works."

Antonio looked at his brother, as if confirming once again, then back to Downs.

"We've talked. You know some of the family connections we have. That was our father. The reason he moved here was to get away from all of that. It was a ploy he used, 'to branch out, ' that allowed his move to happen. This isn't an area for that sort of business. Our father was a good business man, though." Antonio smiled, "It also helps when people think you have connections at times. Definitely helps at contract times. Now my brother and I have five successful businesses. We can't do much more than what we have already. It's time consuming to make sure no one is trying to steal our businesses from us.