Alpha Squad: Boot Camp

Chapter Eleven

Chapter ElevenIt was after ten o'clock when Adam and Felicity pulled up into a parking space a couple of blocks away from the police station. The town was quiet; the shops had closed hours ago. The only place that still showed signs of activity was a pub, halfway down the road from the station.

Years had passed since Adam's trouble-making younger days, but he felt ready. If they were going to solve the case, it simply had to be done.

Felicity looked nervous, how she was gripping the steering wheel so tightly with both her hands; it was endearing.

Don't worry, I know what I'm doing, Adam tried to reassure her.

She forced a smile. I just don't want you to get into trouble.

I won't. Trust me.

He leaned across and kissed her on the cheek. The change in her was instant; she took a deep breath and visibly relaxed.

"I'm so glad we're in this together now," she whispered.

Me too.

Adam scanned their surroundings. Unlike his old hunting grounds in East London, this place was so much quieter. That was a double-edged sword; he was less likely to be seen by random passers-by, but at the same time, if someone did spot him, it would rouse more suspicion. He had to rely on every one of his super-human talents, as well as certain learned skills, to pull this off.

Adam nodded at Felicity, his mate, the woman he'd never realized he was waiting for all his life, and exited the vehicle.

This was all for her.

He bridged the gap between Felicity's car and the police station in record time, sprinting around the back of the building and looking for the most sensible way in. There were some surveillance cameras, but they were spaced wide enough apart that he remained unseen by any of them as he located the power mains that fed the security system.

He wasn't a master criminal, far from it, so it was sheer luck that the system employed by the local police was sub-par and very easy to disable. It didn't even seem to have a phone connection to alert anyone of a breach, just a siren, which Adam managed to disconnect without issue.

Once he had identified the most logical way in, a ventilator window most likely belonging to the station's restrooms, Adam disabled the nearest camera with a well-aimed throw of a rock he found lying around on the ground. He used his Alpha Squad issue tactical knife to wedge the window out of its frame and carefully place it against the base of the wall.

Within the blink of an eye, he was inside.

Adam wasted no time; he headed straight for the conference room where the squad had been briefed on their first day and systematically took pictures of all the material he found pinned to the wall. Then he moved on to the workstations in the common area of the station. It took him a minute or two to identify Detective Nye's desk, which housed a big stack of dossiers relating to the various attacks.

It was a lot of material, written in small type, so there was little hope of it being photographed clearly in the dark, so he picked up everything and was about to leave, when he saw the copier in the corner. Best not to tip the police off to his presence here…

He waited impatiently for the copy machine to work its way through all the pages he deemed relevant. Funny, how such a normal sound could be so deafeningly loud when you were breaking and entering… Then, he stuffed the copies into a blank file he found, and put the originals back just how he had found them in Detective Nye's desk.

Within minutes, he backtracked his way to the window he'd entered from, climbed out of the building, and did his best to push the glass panel back into place.

With a bit of luck, they'd assume their broken camera had just failed on its own and nobody would be the wiser once they came in the next morning.

On the drive home, Felicity could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Maybe this was somewhat how Bonnie and Clyde had felt, like outlaws, whose criminal actions had somehow felt justified as well.

Before teaming up with Adam, wandering around a cordoned off crime scene at night had been the worst she'd ever done. Now she was an accessory in a break-in. One might say Adam was a bad influence, only it had been Felicity's idea to break into the police station in the first place.

Still, it was all for a good cause.

Now that they were back at Felicity's place, she felt more positive than ever. With the official files from the police station, Detective Nye's notes as well as the evidence both Adam and Felicity had found at the final crime scene, they would be so close to putting the puzzle that was the string of gruesome murders together.

Everything was falling into place, and it was just a matter of time before they'd succeed.

What a new feeling. What a relief. And it was all thanks to Adam.

She let herself fall back into the sofa and watched as Adam took off his coat. He was a beautiful man, with or without clothes on. Even that little crease between his eyebrows that appeared when he was really deep in thought did not detract. If anything, it was endearing.

He opened the big dossier files he'd taken from the station and sat down next to her.

"It's all got to be here. All the answers. I'm sure of it. We just have to put it together just right," he said.

Felicity smiled. She felt the same way. But now that they had joined forces, she felt a lot less pressure.

"What do you say we give it a rest, just for the rest of the night?" Felicity suggested, and fished the file out of Adam's hands, closed it, and placed it on the coffee table in front of them.

Adam glanced at her and smiled subtly. "What do you have in mind?"

Of course that was where his mind had gone. Again. She couldn't blame him; in fact, she felt the same. But there was something else she wanted from him first.

"In time," Felicity said. "First, I want to know you. Not just little glimpses or details. I want to know who you are, really. I can tell there's something on your mind that you're not telling me."

Adam didn't answer straight away. The crease on his forehead deepened.

"One of the guys on the team is my older brother," Adam began.

Felicity leaned against him, and sighed deeply when Adam lifted his arm and wrapped it around her. "Of course. The resemblance is striking."

He ran his fingertip up and down on her upper arm. It made her tickle, in more ways than one.

Felicity closed her eyes and tried to really listen.

"He's always looked out for me, even when I did my best to push him away. I'm sure he's pretty unhappy about me getting kicked off the squad."

Felicity turned and looked up at him. As an only child, she couldn't imagine how he must feel.

"You think you let him down?" she asked.

Adam shrugged. "I dunno. I mean, we don't talk. Not like you and I are doing now."

"Well, obviously. We're mates. You're brothers. It's different."

He nodded. "Yeah, it is different, isn't it? And the thing is, he ought to understand what happened here. He found his mate not so long ago. He should know how it feels to be torn between professional responsibilities and this… This deeper, more intimate thing."

Felicity pressed her lips together. She felt for him. He'd lost his position in the squad over her. And helping her with this investigation carried certain risks beyond that also. Breaking into the police station meant they had crossed the lines of legality now too.

"I'm sorry," Felicity whispered.

"What? No! That's not what I meant!"

"I know; I'm in your head, remember? But I still am sorry."

Adam's hold on her tightened. It felt good being this close to him again.

Memories of their first kiss flooded her mind again. Imagery of their lovemaking followed immediately after.

She turned slightly to face him again. They were in perfect sync; there he was already, looking at her. Waiting. His lips were slightly parted, as were hers.

She wanted him again. To feel the ultimate bond.

They were so close. Each breath of his caressed her lips.

Felicity closed her eyes and waited.

But the kiss never happened.

Instead, a loud bang on the door ruined the mood. Followed by the very last phrase either one of them wanted to hear right now.

"Open up! Police!"

Shit. Adam's thoughts started to race. I'm pretty sure nobody saw me; why the hell are they here now?

It's that horrible detective, I recognize his voice, Felicity thought.

Adam got up to answer the door, but Felicity grabbed his arm at the very last moment.

No, this is my house. I should do it.

It would be too easy to freak out now. To assume that their fact-finding mission into the police station had been discovered somehow. But what if it was just a coincidence? They had to play it cool until they knew what this was really about.

"Just a second, please!" Felicity called out.

Felicity piled all the files they'd stolen into Adam's arms and herded him toward the back of the house. Stay out of view. I'll handle it. We don't need him finding us here together.

Adam hesitated for a moment, but then he did as told.

Only then did Felicity open the front door.

It was Detective Nye sporting one of his sinister grins.

"Felicity Weir, I have a warrant for your arrest."

Felicity took a step back in shock. They were here just for her? Perhaps it wasn't related to the break-in at all, then.

"What on earth for?" she stammered.

Please! Stay out of sight or they'll get you too! she thought.

I'll get you out. I promise, Adam responded.

Detective Nye held up a sheet of paper.

"Four counts of animal cruelty, tampering with evidence, obstruction, and… murder!"

Felicity had no words.

So they were going to pin all of this on her. After Adam and she had tried so hard and come so close to discovering the truth. Unbelievable.

"You're not serious! Next you'll tell me I set the fire at the shifter camp also."

"We can't prove that," Nye countered. "Yet."

"That doesn't even make any sense."

"I'm sure you'll explain how it all fits together back at the station during your interrogation."

"I don't believe it," Felicity mumbled, as Detective Nye grabbed her by the wrists and secured her in cuffs. Then he patted her down, taking his own sweet time. As if she needed any weapon if she really wanted to hurt the man. It would take just one focused shift on her part and her instincts would do the rest.

If he hurts you, I'll kill him! Adam's thoughts entered her mind from across the house. Their connection was intensifying; earlier, she wouldn't have been able to hear him from more than a couple of feet away.

Please, Adam. Stay back! Felicity thought. If he saw this guy with his hands all over her, who knew what might happen. He'd get arrested too, and for good reason. At least one of them should be out to continue the investigation to clear her name. The Sevenoaks police department couldn't be trusted with the task, clearly.

They couldn't even look beyond their own prejudices, it seemed.

Who the hell had signed off on her arrest anyway? Based on what evidence? Adam had gathered all he could from the station and at first glance, nothing seemed to point at her. It didn't make any sense.

She could do nothing but shake her head as the detective pushed her through her front door and down to the pavement, where a police car waited, flashing lights and all.

"Mind your head," Detective Nye spoke in a low growl, as he shoved her into the backseat.

It was surreal, being driven through the town where she had lived all her life in the back of a police car. In cuffs, no less. If her parents could see her now, they'd die of embarrassment. She'd get through this, with Adam's help. She hadn't even done anything, well, except driving the getaway car after the police station break-in.

Sooner or later, the police had to see that too. Unless…

No, that was too devious. She stared at the two men in the front cab of the car. One in uniform; she had never seen him before. And the other was Detective Nye…

Surely the cops in this town weren't so crooked that they'd pin this on her with false evidence?

Felicity took a deep breath. She'd get to the station and demand legal representation. And then, this whole mess would have to work itself out somehow. Plus, there was always Adam, who wouldn't rest until she was in the clear. She wasn't on her own anymore. Everything would be okay…

Right?