"You're hideous..and SEXY!"

It had been over a week and Gabe had gotten no further contact from TJAM. Gabe wasn’t stupid enough to believe that this sudden decrease of threats had come strictly from his increased security. He knew that the infamous drug lords that comprised TJAM were probably just planning something larger. It’s not like they were in a huge rush to destroy Gabe and his budding empire. They had the force and knowledge of the territory to be able to take their time without worry.

Gabe remained calm though. Maybe he didn’t have the experience in this city, but back at his home – he had been king. No one was as cunning as he was, not even by a long shot. In fact, he moved out here solely to receive a bit more of a challenge. Life wasn’t as pleasurable for him if he wasn’t constantly competing to be the best.

He was actually slightly displeased by how long it had taken Trohman and McMahon to contact him. He had expected a warning on his first or second day in town, but yet he had waited months – months – to receive any word from them. Even though he deduced their low-level intelligence from the time they allowed him to grow stronger and familiarize himself with the area, he had to give them props for the flair they exhibited upon delivering their initial warning.

It would have been much more impressive if the message had appeared on the face of either Beckett or McCoy, but Gabe wasn’t dumb enough to hire more than one naïve employee, and David was that one – the obvious weak link. He wasn’t even sure why he had allowed him to join the… “family”. For some reason when he saw that kid on the streets, digging out of dumpsters for food, he felt the need to extend his arms to him. It was a momentary lack of judgment on his part, but he wasn’t about to go back on that now. He could train this kid. Bring him up as his protégée.

Gabe was mulling over this idea of bringing David up as his special project, with the intentions of handing him the business when he had had enough, as he walked down the street to his apartment complex.

            “Ah, and here’s where things begin to get interesting…” he mused to himself as he took in the sight of a police car parked on the curb in front of his home.

He felt his mouth contort into a simple smile as he began to walk towards the front door. As he approached the door though, it opened and the girl that he had met a week before was rushing toward him. She placed one of her frail hands on his forearm, and pulled him away from the door.

            “We’re going for a walk.” She informed him as she pulled him back down the steps.

Gabe slid his key back into his deep pant pocket, and began to walk after this mystery woman, whom he hadn’t seen since that night he saw her with a dog. “So mind telling me what your name is?” he asked her after a few minutes of silent walking had passed.

            “Mind telling me why two cops just broke into your apartment?” she retorted.

Gabe’s eyebrows rose as he tried to piece together this girl’s intentions. “I’m not sure,” Gabe replied. “I was just about to go up to my apartment, and I’m sure they would have told me when I asked them what was going on. Why’d you prevent me from doing that?”

            “Let’s just say I know that quite a few cops in these parts are crooked,” she responded, her eyes narrowing, but staying straight ahead. “And when I say ‘quite a few’ I really mean ‘every cop that I’ve met’. And you seem like a pretty good guy, so I didn’t want you to get dragged through whatever filth they’re trying to rummage up.”

Gabe smiled at this girl, knowing that she probably couldn’t see him since he was trailing a stride or two behind her. “Well I think I must return this favor with an expression of my utmost gratitude.” Gabe told her, in the most gentlemanly voice that he could procure.

The girl stopped walking, and turned to face him. “My name’s Michelle. Michelle Nolan.” She informed him as she extended a hand to him.

            “Gabriel Saporta.” He responded, as he briefly took her hand in his and shook it gently. “But you can call me Gabe…”

            “Pete, this is taking it too far.” Patrick stated, feeling sick to his stomach as he felt the cruiser slow down and eventually stop in front of a rather quaint apartment building in one of the better parts of town.

Pete sighed as he put the car into park. He knew that Patrick was absolutely correct, but he still had no intention of not following through with his orders. He told Patrick that he would get them out whenever he felt they were in the remotest danger, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to. He was too scared of what his current side-employers would do to him and his best friend if they every told them no.

            “We’re fine.” Pete stated as he exited the cruiser, and placed the keys in his pocket. “The guy’s place that we’re checking out is apparently a drug dealer as well, so he’s one of the bad guys. We’re still doing our job; this is just making it easier.”

            “Bull shit Pete!” Patrick shouted, as he got out of the car as well; slamming his door closed once he was out. “So now as long as any criminal tells us that someone is up to no good, we’re going to believe them? No questions asked?”

Pete lowered his gaze, not wanted to see the disappointed look on his best friend’s face. “No,” he answered truthfully. “But why else would… they be concerned with this guy if he wasn’t providing them with competition?”

            “I don’t know.” Patrick responded, seemingly calm now. “I guess that’s the only logical explanation for them to give a shit, but I still feel like we shouldn’t be doing this without having some reason to.”

            “He’d provide us with a reason later,” Pete assured him, even though he really wasn’t sure himself. “We’re just jumping the gun here. It’s what all cops do when they get inside information.”

            “Yea, but they turn their uncovered information in to the police chiefs,” Patrick replied. “Not to some other high class criminals.”

            “We might as well let the scum clear each other off the streets for us,” Pete told his partner. “This way we don’t have to get our hands dirty, and we only have to worry about…them, and not a million other groups.”

Patrick sighed and turned his head towards the apartment building in front of them, knowing he would never win this argument. “Let’s just get this done as quickly as possible.” He said simply.

            “Alright.” Pete agreed as he patted his friend on the upper arm comfortingly before they both began to walk up to the front door.

**So, hope ya liked it. Comments are mucho appreciated.**