Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Jane had many talents, but running was her specialty. She ran for fun, and she ran to keep in shape. Her races with Joe kept her on her toes, and she gained on the fast-moving killer as he weaved in between parked cars and people, heading down to the second level.
Then the first.
“Stop,” Jane yelled and nearly knocked down a security guard who shouted after her.
But she had no time to chat.
She chased the unsub out of the garage and down Tallman, through the traffic, turning several corners.
Barely dodging an oncoming car, she gained on him.
He darted away again, and she turned back onto Russell, barreling past an officer holding onto a man in cuffs.
He yelled at her to stop, but she couldn’t, focused on entering the underground garage into which her perp had vanished before the metal gate closed and locked her out.
She slid underneath, rolled back to her feet and continued.
She finally slowed, realizing Code Blue had nowhere to go.
He couldn’t access the closed elevator, which looked like it needed a code to enter.
He couldn’t exit through the now locked garage door they’d entered either. That also called for a code.
“I know you’re here,” she said between breaths. “Come on out. Talk to me.”
The killer could move. Granted, she’d seen him on video looking lean and limber, but his speed indicated fitness, and the shape of his jaw, what little she’d seen of his face, hinted at youth. Her age or close to it.
Shadows filled the dim garage. She peered into the darkness, listening hard.
She wasn’t surprised when he stepped into the open several feet in front of her, his back to the steel gate.
Outside, she noted flashing lights and heard police chatter. Good to help her keep this guy pinned but bad if anyone exited through the elevator to get to their car. She didn’t want him to be able to take a hostage or feel too pressured.
And she sure as hell hoped he didn’t have a weapon. In hindsight, she should have left his capture to the police. But Jane couldn’t have just let him go.
“Jane Cannon. I’m flattered.”
She blinked, not having expected he’d know her name. “You should be.”
He grinned. Square jaw, somewhat thin face, but she needed to see his cheekbones, his nose, the shape of his eyes and face. Caucasian male and what else?
“Who are you?”
“You call me Code Blue, don’t you?”
“You are eerily well-informed.”
He laughed, his voice moderately pitched, not too high or too deep. A siren blared behind him before turning off. “We don’t have much time to talk.”
“Why are you killing medical personnel?”
“That’s the right question.” He paused, tucking his hands in his pockets.
Wary, she watched him, again wishing she had her service weapon but oddly glad she didn’t. She had a feeling he wouldn’t have talked if she’d been waving around her gun.
“The corruption. It’s all around us.” He took a step in her direction. “They were supposed to help, but they didn’t.”
“What did they do?” she asked, her voice calm. Deliberately, she kept her shoulders slack, her body easy yet ready to move if needed.
He seemed the same, and they watched each other, looking for vulnerabilities.
“You’ll see. You’ll learn. Hopefully, not the hard way like I did. I only ever wanted to help, to heal. And then I saw what they really do. Conspiracies and cover-ups. Everyone thinks we’re crazy, but I’ve seen the guilty go free. And now they have to pay.”
“So the people you’ve killed? They were all guilty?”
He sighed. “Symbols, Jane. They’re symbols of a corrupt power. And they’re just the beginning.”
“Who are you?”
“Someone the world needs to stop the rot from spreading. I’m just a humble messenger.”
The words sounded rehearsed.
She cocked her head. “No. That’s not you. That’s someone else. Tell me the truth. I’m listening.”
“Get this thing open,” a cop yelled from outside, too loud to be ignored.
“I’m sorry. We’re out of time.”
To her surprise, Code Blue ran at her.
Most people would have frozen in surprise, acted too late to do anything.
Not Jane. Being thrown by larger, heavier, stronger opponents over the years had taught her to adapt quickly.
She rolled to the ground and hit him in the knees.
He tripped over her. Before he could get to his feet and escape, she twisted and wrapped him in a bear hug, her arm against his throat, her ankles locked around his lower body.
She trapped her wrist to tighten the arm bar against his neck, holding tight.
“Easy. I don’t want to hurt you,” she said, meaning it. She wanted answers, because she sensed his involvement in something larger than just killing medical personnel.
“I know,” he rasped. Then he shifted, and the fight was on.
They rolled around, but she didn’t let go. Her cheek took another smack as he headbutted her, but not hard enough to do real damage.
She had to keep hold of him until the police entered to take over. But the guy was like an eel, wriggling, nearly managing to break free.
Jane finally wrangled him until she sat astride his stomach with his arms pinned to either side of his head. A position she wouldn’t be able to maintain for long.
She got her first good look at him now his hood and hat had fallen off.
Late twenties, short, dark blond hair, light blue eyes, handsome features that would be remembered.
“Tell me your name.”
“My name is Justice, and everyone will pay until my will be done.” He grinned. “Catchy, huh?”
“Tell me,” she said again. “Who needs to pay? Not everyone. Who?”
The sound of the garage gate rising distracted her. Her weight and strength in this position wouldn’t be enough to keep him down. And they both knew it. “I can help,” Jane tried.
“You’re sincere, but you’re weak. The only thing people like them understand is violence. And blood.” He threw her off him.
To her surprise, he raced toward the police, howling for assistance.
“Officer, please! Help me. She’s been stalking me, and she has a weapon!”
“On the ground,” one of them shouted at Jane while the other cop dragged Code Blue out of the garage, the previously locked gate now fully opened. “I saw her chasing him.”
“I’m FBI. Don’t let him go!” she shouted, keeping her hands in the air while two pistols remained centered on her. “I’m complying, and I’m unarmed.”
“Facedown, on the ground,” the closest one ordered.
She had seen too much pavement up close lately. “I will. Please. Keep a hold of him. He’s killed six people already.” Jane had a bad feeling they’d already lost him.
“Hey! Get back here,” the farthest cop shouted.
And just like that, he was gone.
She groaned while one of them reached for her hands to cuff them behind her back. “Go after him! Don’t let him go!”
But it was too late. Code Blue was in the wind.