Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Six



Eli's P.O.V.





The Cap doesn't even wait for me to sit before he gets straight to it.



"The Feds are transporting Ivankov tomorrow. The agent heading up the transfer will let you on the detail, but I need to give him confirmation in the next hour."



"I want to be on it. I want to make sure he gets on that plane. I might not be able to make sure he gets punished, but I can make sure he gets out of this country."



"I'll give him a call. It's Special Agent McGuire leading the transfer. Just so you know, the Russians have allowed the release of two American prisoners in exchange for Ivankov."



"I should be pleased they're coming home, but I want Ivankov to be punished for his crimes. I can't make sure that happens if he's in Russia."



"I understand that, but we don't get a say in this. Sometimes you just get a raw deal. Have you told Dani?"



"No, and I don' t think I will just yet. She's been different; better; and I don't want to ruin that. I will tell her, but not right now. Can Ash be on the detail too? I want someone who knows me and I know will have my back if things should go sideways."



"I'll check with McGuire. Run training this morning. Has the doc cleared you for full duty?"



I shake my head, "Not yet. He says another few weeks until I can be completely in the field. He says I can do everything except high contact situations. I've been doing physio though."



"Will you be safe on the detail tomorrow?"



"Yeah. It's just a routine transfer, right?"



"That's the plan. There is no communication regarding this. Everything is in the dark because they don't want to risk anyone finding out. I called in a favor."



"Thanks Cap. I'll be good to go, especially if Scott is there."



"Ok. Get through some training and then you have to clear the theatre for a concert this afternoon."



"Roger. I'll get to it then."



I run training with the guys and I'm able to pretty much get through the whole session. My times are slower than they were before I got shot, but that isn't surprising. As soon as I get the chance, I rip my tactical gear off. My shoulder is aching real bad right now. It's probably a combination of the weight of the gear and the physical exertion. I rotate my arm and try to ease the pain, but that movement isn't particularly helpful.



Ash notices my discomfort, "Hey, everything ok?"



"Just an ache. It's not fully back to normal yet. Give it another couple of weeks and I'll be back to throwing you a beat down..."



He chuckles, "Yeah, right. I've been working hard to get ahead of you. Your pops and I have had numerous sessions since you've been out of commission. Good luck, Ramirez."



"Once I get the all clear, I'll be back to normal in no time. Just you wait."



I glance at the time and realize Toby should be here any minute. I ask Simon to send the stats through to Dani and I rush back to our floor. I meet Toby at the door and he greets me warmly.



"Hey Lieutenant. How's it going?"



"Good, thanks. You?"



"Not bad. I'm going to miss this guy though. He's been a good companion."



"I'm sure. You're not going to back out, are you? Dani is so excited to have Scar and I don't want her to be disappointed."



"No sir, I won't back out. I can't have him and the new one."



I send him a smile, "I had to check. How old is the new one?"



"Almost a year. He's been through standard training, which I played a big part in. I've just got to get him on the job training now."



"That's cool. It sounds like a good job to have."



"Very. I love my job so I don't really see it as work..."



We're now at Dani's desk and I'm almost sure I hear a tiny squeal of excitement leave her mouth. I chuckle at her and Toby actually looks pleased to see such a reaction.



He quietly says to me, "Now I know he really will be loved. There's no way that reaction is faked in the slightest."

I smile, "Honestly, you have no idea how excited she's been. She could hardly sleep last night."



He chuckles and turns to Dani, "Morning ma'am. I have a special delivery for you."



She smiles, "A very special delivery."



She says something in Dutch and Scar turns his head to one side, like he's listening intently to her.



"I'm not going to prolong this for Scar, or me. I said my goodbyes earlier and I gave him a run before coming up here. We haven't been separated for any length of time, so he'll probably need some time to adjust. Just be patient with him. He can go anywhere with you. He's allowed to go in stores and pretty much anywhere else you can think of. He's a working dog, so they can't deny him access. He's still in service, just not active service. But you're not cleared to chase, attack or make an arrest with him. The Lieutenant can make an arrest, but not with Scar's assistance. I'll leave my cell number so you can call if you guys have any questions. I'd like to see him again, if that's ok?"



Both Dani and myself nod and he continues, "I'll give him some time to settle first, so it doesn't upset him. Once he has settled, then maybe you can let me know when I can see him."



Dani replies, "Of course, sir. Thank you so much for trusting us with him. I promise we'll take good care of him."



"I know you will, ma'am. I have every faith in you."



He stretches over Dani's desk and tries to hand her Scar's leash, but Dani simply stares at his hand. I know exactly what she's thinking. She's worried about the closeness of Toby's hand and that he might touch her. Because she's so comfortable with me, sometimes I forget that she isn't like that with everyone else. She definitely has made progress, but she's not so trusting with other people.



I take Scar's leash and thank Toby. He looks puzzled, but then some form of recognition flashes in his eyes. I'm sure he's heard the stories. Our precinct knows she was attacked in her house, so there must be talk going around. I choose to ignore that and hope that Dani doesn't pick up on it.



Toby bends down, gives Scar a kiss on the head and a quick scratch before he shoots us a goodbye and he's gone. Well, he wasn't kidding about not prolonging the goodbyes. That must be pretty tough though. I've never had a dog, but I know the handlers in the Army had such a strong bond with their dogs. Toby has had Scar for seven years and they've obviously been through a lot together. Having to say goodbye after that must be so tough.



I see a sadness in Dani's eyes and she whispers, "I feel sad for him. I wouldn't like to say goodbye."



"I know. It must be hard, but he knows it's the best thing for Scar."



I hand her the leash and she starts talking to Scar in Dutch. I have no idea what she's saying, but I hear Toby's name. Scar is looking between Dani and the door that Toby left through. He's whining but he hasn't moved from the spot that Toby left him on.



Dani says a one word command and Scar walks to her. I really need to learn those commands. The dog is still glancing at the door but he is listening to what Dani is saying to him. She keeps up a stream of Dutch going, in a one sided conversation with him. She's very chatty and seeing that makes me smile. I think this dog is going to be good for her. He's certainly going to make me feel a lot better, knowing Dani will have protection if I'm not with her.



We get through the rest of the day, and Scar sits at Dani's feet the whole time. He's very quiet, but I guess that's to be expected. Even though he's been a working dog, and been in all kinds of situations, he still must find the change confusing. It's not like we can explain it to him. We take him for a walk after we get home and he happily inspects our house. He eats his dinner greedily and Dani's smile is wider than I've ever seen it. He really likes the raw food; I never would have even thought about it.



Seeing Dani so happy makes me content. When we go to bed, Scar seems to linger in the doorway; almost like he's unsure what to do. He's pretty much followed Dani the whole time since we've been home. Once we're settled in bed, Dani asks, "Can he join us?"



"Sure."



She calls Scar and pats the bed. He walks to the edge of the bed and then hesitates. He's probably never been allowed on the bed and I voice this to Dani.



"No, probably not. But he's retired. Surely he should be allowed some luxuries now, right?'



"I should think so. He's served this city well and he should be rewarded for that."



She says something to Scar and then he carefully jumps onto the bed. He settles on the other side of Dani, snuggled right against her. She rests her hand on him, places a kiss on my chest and then lays quietly. There have been so many changes in Dani over the last few weeks. It's almost like something has changed inside of her. I know Sam gave her a stronger dose of medication, so maybe that is allowing her to make more progress and show how much she does trust me. I'm not stupid enough to think she's forgetting all of her fears and will never have any setbacks, but I do believe she loves me and trusts me as much as she can.







Scar is a little more settled the next morning. Dani actually had a pretty good night and her nightmares weren't too bad. I don't know if that was because she felt more protected, but I'm pleased that she had a better night.



Scar barks when Ash rings the doorbell, which makes both Dani and I jump. We definitely weren't expecting that and it makes us chuckle. We're going to have to get used to that. I ride shot gun in the car so Dani and Scar can have the back. I can't wait until I have the all clear to drive again. It'll make things much easier.



We're thrown in to work as soon as we step on to our floor and the Cap calls Ash and I to the side to tell us the transfer is taking place at 1am. That's smart thinking and something I would do. It will be easier to monitor the route and the surroundings in the middle of the night. It'll be easier to determine if something is wrong and we'll be able to plan better should something unexpected take place. I tell the Cap I want the route so I can memorize it and check for areas that are most likely to conceal a trap or a problem.



I don't believe anyone is out to kill Ivankov, but I do think his men that escaped us would be willing to try and help him escape before this transfer can take place. The best time for them to do that, would be on route to the airplane. We just have to ensure that no one gets him before the trade takes place.



My cell rings around lunch time and Sam's number flashes on the screen. I frown. I'm not expecting a call from her. I move away from the guys and pick up.



"Hey Sam. Is everything ok?"



"Oh, yes. I just wondered if you'd spoken to your brother recently."



"Not in the last few days. Why?"



"Well, the District Attorney's office have been working with some girls that were found in some pretty dire situations. He's asked me if I would work with them to help aid their recovery. I was wondering if you knew anything about it?"



"He asked me if our department had worked with any good shrinks, so I told him that we'd had some good results with you. Obviously I didn't give him the details, but I suggested you for anything they needed. He didn't say what it was for though. I hope you're ok with that?"



"Of course. More than ok. The fact that you've recommended me means that you're pleased with how Dani is doing. How is she, by the way?"



"Well, actually. She's making some great progress. I'm sure she'll tell you about it tonight. Something has changed over the last few weeks."



I hear a smile in her voice when she speaks next, "That was my hope. I'm glad she's doing well. I'll remember to ask her about it. Will you be with her?"



"Yes ma'am, I will be."



"Good. Eli?"



"Yeah?"



"These girls; they're Russian. Does it have anything to do with the case Dani was trying to help you with?"



I let out a deep sigh, "Probably ma'am, but I can't say any more than that. I'm sure Tyler's office will be able to give you the information you need. I can't authorize that though."



"I understand. I know to juggle the times so they don't overlap near Dani's times. I don't want to upset her or ruin all the progress we've made."



I'm shocked that she'd even think about that. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised; it is her job to make sure her clients are taken care of.



"Thanks Sam. I appreciate that."



A new face appears on our floor, so I tell Sam I have to go and I finish our call. I get to Dani's desk just as the man is introducing himself.



"Good afternoon. I'm Special Agent Alex McGuire with the FBI. I'm looking for Captain Michaels or Lieutenant Ramirez. Are they around?"



Dani looks shocked, but I can't tell if that's because there's someone new in front of her desk or because it's the FBI.



She controls her shock and panic extremely well as she asks, "Is the Captain expecting you, sir?"



"I told him I'd be here at some point today, so he knows I'll pop in. He just doesn't know what time."



"Yes sir. I'll let him know you're here."



She buzzes through to the Cap, and while she's doing that, I approach her desk. I see Dani's body language physically relax when she spots me.



I extend my hand and say, "I'm Lieutenant Ramirez. How can I help, sir?"



"Is there somewhere private we can talk?"



The Cap steps out into the walkway and clears his throat, "We can talk in my office."



McGuire is all business as soon as the Cap's office door is shut.



"Right, I'm going to get straight to it. I've asked around about you, Ramirez. No offense, but this is an extremely sensitive transfer and I have to make sure everything runs smoothly."



"No offense taken. I'd be offended if you didn't check me out. What about my two men, Scott and Palmer?"



"Yep, I checked them out too. You're all clear. I only heard good things about the three of you. I know Palmer isn't a cop, so I'm not really sure why you requested him to be on the transfer. That's the main reason for my visit. I need to clear that up."



"I don't ned him on the transfer detail. I need him to be cleared to know the route. I need him to check everything out, to make sure nothing goes wrong. We know what these guys are capable of better than most, and I need to know that this guy gets on that plane. I need to know he gets to Russia to be punished. I want Arrow to run surveillance. That's what he's good at and if he can't get us to the runway safely, then no one can. Are you happy for him to do that?"



"Arrow?"



"Sorry, Palmer. No one really calls him Palmer; just Arrow."



"Ok. Obviously, I'll have my own men on the route as well. I can't trust this whole transfer to someone I don't even know; even if I've only heard good things about him."



"Understood.Do you have multiple routes figured out? I'm thinking we'll need at least three different routes, in case things go sideways."



"I've got two routes. You think you can find a third?"



"Sure thing. Can I get Arrow and Scott in here to help?"



He nods, so I call Scott in and text Arrow to get to the precinct ASAP. He doesn't fail to deliver, because he's knocking on the Cap's door within fifteen minutes. That guy is something else.



I introduce McGuire to Ash and Arrow, and we get down to business.



Arrow thinks for a minute or two and then says, "I can get another route. Actually, I can have two extra routes if you want. LT? You got a map? I'll show you on there."



We clear up all the details, and we agree to meet McGuire and his team at the Federal Detention Facility at midnight. Once we're finished, Arrow excuses himself to get working on surveillance for all of the routes. No one asks how he's going to do that, but he wouldn't tell anyone, even if they did.



Once McGuire has left, I finish up with Cap and then go to check in with Dani. She's talking to Scar when I approach and I smile at the bond she's already formed with the dog. She's super attached to him, even after two days. Scar is watching Dani intently and I swear he's listening to her every word. I can't understand any of it, but I'm sure he does.



I clear my throat, "Dani?"



Her cheeks splatter with pink, probably at being caught chatting to the dog, "Oh! Sorry. Is everything ok, Eli?"



I smile at her. She's too cute when she's flustered.



"Yeah, everything is fine. I was going to ask you the same question. You two doing ok?"



"Yes sir. We were just talking about going to Sam's tonight... Well, I was talking, obviously. He was just listening..."



I chuckle at the little ramble and she shoots me a small smile in return.



"I have to work tonight. The Feds need me on a prison transfer."



"Oh. Ok."



"I'll still take you to Sam's and I'll have dinner at home. I need to leave at 11:30. Do you want to stay with my parents? I can pick you up on my way back home."



She thinks about it for a little while. She shows just how much she's changed over the last few months, when she answers.



"No, sir. I think we'll be ok at home. I've got Scar and the devil man in prison now. He can't send anyone to get me. I'll be ok."



"As long as you're sure, then I'm ok with that. I know Scar will keep you safe."



"He sure will. Won't you, buddy? You're not usually on prison transfers, are you?"



"I have been in the past. It's mostly been for people I've helped to arrest, so we're the ones they call to help with the transfer. It shouldn't be a long process. I just have to make sure the prisoner is handed over and then I'm out of there."



She nods, "You need me to do anything to help?"



I kiss the top of her head as I speak, "Nope, we've got it covered. You can sit this one out, sweetheart."



Inside, I'm cringing at omitting some of the facts. I consider it lying to her, but it's for Dani's good at the moment. She doesn't need to know the details until Ivankov is out of this country and far away from her. When I know he can't possibly hurt her anymore, then I'll tell her everything. Until then, I just have to make sure she doesn't figure it out. She's far too clever and she has a way of working these kind of things out.



"Ok. Just be careful, Eli."



"Always,sweetheart. Always."



She shoots me a genuine smile this time and it takes my breath away momentarily. That's a smile I rarely see and I cherish every time she allows it to show through.



I squeeze her shoulders a little and whisper in Russian, "You're so beautiful, baby."



She blushes and I know she wants to protest my statement, but she simply bites her lip; literally. That is doing absolutely nothing to help the situation right now. She's just bringing more attention to her lips, that I want to kiss so badly.



As I'm staring at Dani, my gaze flitting between her eyes and her lips, somewhere in the back of my mind I hear someone coughing; like they're trying to grab our attention. I stand quickly and Dani pushes her chair back, away from her desk, before heading for the bathroom. She looks extremely flustered and I briefly wonder if I've made her uncomfortable.



Ash's chuckle breaks my trail of thought and he mutters, "Dude, you should be glad it's only me here. That looked rather intense just now."



He has no idea, trust me.



"LT, you can't be doing stuff like that at work, man. If anyone else sees that? You're going to have trouble."



I sigh, "I know, I know."



"Look, you know I'm all for this thing you have going on, but you have to be more careful here. I'm not sure Dani will be comfortable if things get any more heated in the precinct. That being said, she's been different the last few days."



He's right. I know he is. I'm sure Dani will panic if we get caught by someone at work. It's not like we're doing anything wrong, but I know how conservative she is. I completely understand why she is that way, but I need to be a bit more careful at work. She's just so incredibly beautiful and sometimes I get caught up in the moment.



Dani returns a few minutes later, looking more put together. I shoot her an apologetic smile and whisper, "Sorry. I got carried away. You ok?"



She smiles at me and I can see a flush across her cheeks again.



She manages to reply, "Yes. Just... Not used to that feeling..."



"Yeah, it had me a little bit there as well."



Her eyebrows shoot up in shock, "Really?"



"Totally. That was intense."



She simply nods and Ash clears his throat again before saying, "Feeling a little left out here, guys. Can you speak in a language I can understand, please?"



Dani's quick to quip, "You want me to teach you another language?"



Ash chuckles, "I'm just about comfortable in the two I do speak. Please don't give my brain anything else to deal with..."



"Fuse, I thought your brain was bigger than everyone else's..."



"Someone shattered my belief in that. She enlightened me that adult brains are pretty much the same size."



Dani's eyes widen, "Sorry about that. I can't help that it's true though."



"Yeah, yeah. I just have to learn to accept that I'm an average person again..."



Dani frowns, "You're not average. You're special. You, Arrow and Eli are all special people."



Ash gives Dani a full smile and he sincerely says, "Coming from you, Dani, that really is something special. Thank you."



Dani looks uncomfortable with the way this conversation is going and I'm sure Ash notices that, because he quickly changes the subject, "You guys ready to go? We should get out of here before we get called back to do something else."



Both Dani and I nod and get our things ready.



"You guys going to Sam's tonight?"



I answer so Dani doesn't have to, "Yeah. You ok with taking us there?"



"Sure thing. I might leave you there and come back to pick you up, if that's ok? I want to go and see my mom quickly."



"No problem."





Sam looks shocked when she sees Scar, but she has no problem with him being in the session. It's not like she has much choice in the matter though. Dani won't let Scar out of her sight and I don't think the dog would leave her side, even if she did.



The session pretty much runs as normal and then she asks me to leave again. I'm even less reluctant to fight this mini sessions the two of them have, because Dani has been so very different recently. Our relationship is making some real progress and the combination of everything we're doing is working. I'm not going to allow anything to mess that up, especially not my slightly jealous, overprotective side, which wants to know exactly what happens in these moments.



I will let them have their privacy, because Dani needs that and our relationship needs that. I grab a cup of coffee in the reception roomand wait for Dani to finish.