Jack Stratton: Jacks Are Wild Part 37

"Did you get a look at the car or the driver?"

The older man shook his head. "I was back in the office."

The teenager shrugged.

"How could you not see it?" the old man growled. "You got your face stuffed into that stupid phone. I don't pay you to sit on your a.s.s and play games. You were supposed to be watching the gate."

The teenager's shoulders slumped a bit. "I wasn't on my phone."

"Then why was your phone in your hand?"

The teenager blanched. "I...I was...I had it out because..."

Jack put his hand on the window. "So, your cameras aren't working, and neither of you got a look at the car or the driver?"

They nodded.

"How did they pay?"

"They didn't," the old man grumbled. "The gate's busted, so Junior here is supposed to be watching it OUTSIDE."

"I got cold. I came in for like a minute." The teenager shrugged.

Jack stormed back to the car and pulled out by the broken gate. He glared at the red and white pole pointed toward the ceiling.

"Who was that guy?" Jennifer leaned forward and scanned the street.

"You're asking the wrong question." Jack turned left and headed for his apartment. "You should be asking why did he come for you?"

"What? I thought he was after..." Her voice trailed off, and she swallowed.

Jack shook his head. "He didn't know you would offer me a ride home. He was waiting for you."

"Why? That makes no sense."

Jack turned right and stopped at a light. When it turned green, he took a left.

"Where are we going?"

Jack adjusted the rearview mirror. "Right now I don't think it would be a good idea for you to go back to your hotel."

"They're after me?" Jennifer sat up in her seat.

"Just...I need to get some things from my apartment, and we'll go someplace."

"Hold on. I don't answer to you. You answer to me."

Jack pulled over to the curb and turned to stare at her. "You want to be on your own? Fine. You're on your own." She scowled. "No offense, but I don't know how you got out of the Academy."

"I'm perfectly capable-"

"This isn't a game, and it's not pushing reports. Quiet down for a couple minutes and let me think, or get out."

Jennifer turned to face him and winced.

"Besides," Jack continued, "you wouldn't get far on that ankle."

"It's my car."

Jack raised an eyebrow.

"You wouldn't just leave me on the side of the road?" She leaned away from him.

Jack smirked and pulled back out. "Theoretically, no." His apartment was only a couple minutes away, and they rode in silence. He parked in the back and ran around to the pa.s.senger door.

As Jennifer got out, she made a face. "I can walk." She held up a hand.

Jack stepped out of the way and swung his arm in a wide arc. "After you."

Jennifer took four halting steps and stopped. She grimaced slightly, and her eyes fluttered. "I just need to ice it." She exhaled.

"Okay." Jack folded his arms and waited.

She looked back at him, glared, took two more steps, and then put all of her weight on her left leg.

Jennifer closed her eyes and exhaled. "Can you help me inside?"

He held up his hands close to his body. "I can give you a shoulder to lean on, and we can awkwardly lurch up a couple flights of stairs like some weird three-legged race, or you can suck up your pride and let me carry you."

"Carry me? Like a baby?"

"No." Jack shook his head.

Don't smile. Don't smile.

He smiled.

"You male chauvinist p-"

"Hey, it has nothing to do with you being a girl."

"If I was a guy would you carry me?" She crossed her arms and wobbled on her one leg.

"I'd do a fireman's carry if you were a guy. So yeah, there would be a difference. You decide. I carry you like a baby or a.s.s in the air over my shoulder, your pick."

The color rose in her cheeks as she weighed her options.

"Fine."

Jack debated asking her choice, but instead just scooped her up in his arms and headed for the door. Jennifer put one arm around his shoulder, and Jack tried not to smile as she looked everywhere but at him.

"Are you going to be okay carrying me all the way to the third floor?" she asked as her neck flushed.

"I'm fine." Jack turned sideways as he navigated the stairwell. "It's only two."

Jennifer huffed and bit her lip.

When Jack reached his door, he used his foot to bang on it.

Jennifer held up a hand. "I could have knocked."

"Next time." Jack grinned.

Kiku opened the door and took a step back. Her look of surprise quickly changed to anger, her wolf-like features accentuated as her face muscles tensed.

As Jack strode through the door, Replacement looked over her shoulder and almost fell out of the computer chair as she got up.

"Who's she?"

"Jennifer Rivers, FBI." Jack carried her to the couch. "Jennifer, this is Alice and..." He glanced at Kiku, whose face had now relaxed into a neutral mask. He hesitated to say Kiku's name.

"I am Kiku." She nodded her head as she introduced herself.

"What happened?" Replacement asked.

Jack set Jennifer down on the couch and stood up.

"She sprained her ankle. At least I hope it's a sprain."

Replacement headed for the kitchen.

Jennifer grimaced and adjusted herself on the couch. "It's not that bad."

Jack hurried over to Replacement at the freezer.

"Where's Ilario?" he whispered.

"We dropped him off at the Colonial Motel. He was upset but okay." Replacement scooped ice into the bag. "What happened to you?"

"Don't ask."

"Why did you bring her here, Officer?" Kiku moved over to the window and peered out into the darkened street below.

"Someone tried to ambush her."

Replacement slammed the freezer and spun around with a bag of ice in her hand. "Where?" She glared at Jack.

"They were waiting for me at my car." Jennifer put her face in her hands.

"Why would the Mancinis come after her?" Kiku directed the question to Jack.

Jack shook his head. "It wasn't the Mancinis."

Kiku's lips pressed together, and he noticed her weight shift to her back leg.

Replacement walked around the counter the long way and moved to stand beside Jack.

Jennifer sat up on the couch and looked at Kiku.

Jack lifted his hands waist high. "Everyone settle down."

"Were they j.a.panese or Korean?" The muscles in Kiku's neck stood out.

"He matched the description of the man who took Marisa." Jack kept his hands up.

"Asian." Kiku didn't ask; it was a statement.

All eyes were on Jack as he nodded.

"Before you draw on me," Jack's mouth curled into a smirk, "I know you and the Yakuza didn't have anything to do with it."

"How do you know that?" Replacement's hands thrust straight out in front of her.

Kiku didn't relax.

"I'll explain everything, but we need to get out of here."

"What?" all three women asked.

"The guy was waiting for Jennifer. The drop must be getting close, and I need to get you someplace safe." He looked at Replacement and swallowed, seeing the disapproving look on her face. "So, you can...keep an eye on Jennifer." He pointed back at Jennifer, who sat up and scowled. "Because...of your ankle." Jack waved his hand.

"If you think I'm going to just sit on-" Replacement began, but Jack cut her off.

"No. You're the most important piece of this. I need you to grab your stuff. Bring your laptop and grab the GPS device."

Kiku walked over to the window, and Jennifer patted the pockets of her jacket.

"c.r.a.p, I lost my phone." She pulled off her jacket and sat up.

"Great." Jack shook his head. "Kiku, grab your bag."

Kiku looked up at him and frowned. "Now would be a good time to explain I don't just follow orders, Officer."

Jack heard the door in the apartment above them smash open. He froze and held up his hand.

All four of them looked toward the ceiling.

"Wha-" Jennifer started to say, but Jack held his finger to his mouth and motioned with his other hand.