Elusive As Smoke

Chapter Six:

December 30, 2007
San Francisco, California
10:18 AM


"Idiots!" Daniel Rich yelled at Brian and MAtt. Both men cringed at the venom in the SAC's voice. They had messed up big time. Of course it hadn't been their fault, at least, not completely.

"How were we supposed to know that man was Smoke?" Matt asked blandly, avoiding the SAC's eyes. His usual cheerful attitude was not present this morning. Not even optimistic Matt could make the situation seem better then it really was.

"How were you supposed to know?" Rich boomed, "Maybe you shoudl have enquired if he'd been talking on his cell phone, not just checking the time. You should have heard his voice, and-"

"What were we supposed to do?" Brian asked sarcastically, "Just go up to him and say, 'are you Smoke?' and then wait for his answer?" He sighed heavily. "If we opperated like that most of us would be dead."

Rich's face grew red, then purple as he tried to control his rage. Brian's may have been famous, but Rich's was legendary. Tiny children in Africa told horror stories about his rage in the school yard. The SAC had no answer to the question and looked as though we would like to punch a wall...or someone. "FIND HIM!" He yelled and pointed toward the door. Both men sighed and shuffled out of the office; both feeling incredibly stupid.

The night before they had entered the police station and seen a man put away his cell phone. Not thinking to stop and ask questions they had decended on the man and arrested him. Unfortunately, it had been the wrong man. The man they arrested had come to place bail on his brother who had gotten into a bar fight.

Once they had established that the man wasn't Smoke they had gone to the security cameras only to have more bad news.

Smoke had worked his magic on the security once again and according to them, no one entered or left the police station in a span of thrity minutes.Only one person had still been in the station during the time before the cameras stopped working till they started working again. An old man of about sixty who had come to the station to report that his dentures had been stolen. He didn't seem like a likely canidate for Smoke.

'Of course,' Brian had thought that night in bed, 'Why would Smoke hang around where we coudl find him? He probably knew we were coming before we even left.' He had tehn fallen into a restless sleep where he was haunted by his own stupidity.

The only good thing that had come out of the disastor that was last night, was the arrest of three members of the smuggling ring. They had been handling small diamonds, but it was still a great accomplishment for the local police. So far the men hadn't given them any solid information, but they would eventually. Hopefully.

***

January 4, 2008 9:00 PM Moonlight Seranade

Five days after the police station incident there was still no word from Smoke. MAtt and Brian were getting restless. They had decided they needed to get some information from those who knew what was going on in the criminal world. That had brought them here, to the sleeziest bar in San Francisco. The Moonlight Seranade.

Now here they both sat, listening, waiting, and watching for anyone who could be of use This was where they had first learned about how Smoke opperated where they had first experienced the awe these criminals had for Smoke. Almost every person in the bar had a criminal record. Only a select few didn't; it was them, you had to watch our for.

"Do you think Joe'll show tonight?" Matt asked quietly. His low voice was only a pretense, everyone in the bar would probably know what they were talking about by the time they left.

"I don't know, I sure hope so." Brian said. Joe Santorini was one of their best sources. He knew just about everything about everything in the world. His favorite topic, however, was Smoke. The man was positively obsessed with Smoke. Tonight they were hoping they gould glean some information from him and hopefully locate Smoke.

A cold blast of air signalled that the door was being opened. the moment it closed the bar became mysteriously quiet. Both men turned on their stools to see a beautiful blonde woman step out of a long over coat. Underneath, she wasn't wearing much.

Impossibly long tan legs grew out of the shortest mini-skirt Brian had ever seen. A white tube top encased a slim waist and a volumptuous ches. Long blond hair fell to the woman's hips. Her face and arms were as tan and sleek as her legs. Her face, however, was overly caked with makeup. Still, she was a looker.

The woman's eyes scanned the bar and when they fell upon Matt and Brian, she smiled. As she walked, her hops swayed seductively, every eye on her. She didn't seem to notice the attention, if she did she was good at hiding it. "Gary!" She called to the bar tenderas she came right in between the two men. "Get these law men another drink!"

"Right away, Dawn." Gary said. Moments later two lemon waters appeared on the bar in front of the men.

"How'd you know we were law men?" Matt asked, truly confused.

"Because of the smell!" Dawn said, her comment brought roars of laughter from the occupants of the bar. She turned and smiled at everyone and conversation resumed. She pulled an envelope from, Brian had no idea where. He didn't really think he wanted to know. "Which one of you is Brian Shields?" She asked looking from one man to the other.

Now that Brian could see her up close, he realized she wasn't all that pretty. Her nos was crooked and a little too large, her teeth just a little gapped, and she had brown non-descript black eyes. Her body was what dad comanded attention when she walked into the room.

"I am." Brian said holding out his hand. Dawn put the envelope into the open palm and smiled.

"A dark man told me to give it to you. He stayed in the shadows and said 'give this to the cop in the Moonlight. His name's Brian Shields.'" SHe seemed pleased to have delivered something to him. Brian smiled at her encouragingly. He wanted her to know that she was being a big help.

"Do you remember what the man looke like?" Brian asked softly, gently. Dawn's faced scrunched up as she tried to remember. "Did you see his face? Any part of him?" He proded.

In her annoying high pitched voice she said, "He stayed in the shadows. At first I was frightened becuase he knew my name but then he told me what to do. When I saw his shape in the dark, I thought of the horror stories. You know, the one's where the man lures the woman into a dark alley, or just forces her and..."Dawn swallowed hard a frightened expression on her face. She quickly brought it under control, not wanting to seem weak in the cop's eyes. "I was so scared."

"Alright," Brian said smiling encouragingly, "Is that all you can remember?" At her nod he smiled again. "You've been a big help, thank you." After these kind words Dawn turned and sashayed to the back of the bar where it loudest.

Soon after recieving the letter, Matt and Brian left the bar. They had the information they needed and there was no reason for them to stay and draw more attention to themselves. With an elated feeling, both men headed toward the FBI offices. It may have been late but they needed the computers so they could run the fingerprints from the letter. It was a long shot that Smoke had messed up and left a trail. Still they had to try.

Agent Shields,

Once again I find I am dissapointed in you. I gave you ample opportunity to find me and yet you passed right over me. It seems you are only concerned with the obvious person. Honing in on the most likely canidate is not the smartest idea.

The old man that you and everyone else assumed was 'fragile,' very well could have been me. You also failed to question all of the people in the station to find out who was talking on their cell phone. You wouldn't have found me anyway, but it would have been a good move. Maybe you and your partner, Matt Stewart, should go back to the academy and brush up on your tactics. Now agent, the information I'm about to give you is crucial to your investigation. You won't be able to bag everyone in the opperation, but you will capture some of the bigwigs.

Tomorrow night at 12:00 sharp Diego is going to personally accomany the gems to their future owner. This is going to be a big bust. Underneath the Golden Gate Bridge, Her Majesty will be carrying them. Hvae agents on both sides because I'm not sure which side of the bridge the trade will happen on. Don't screw this up, Shields. This entire opperation rests on your shoulders. Once again, don't screw this up.

I'll be nearby, watching your every move. I'll know personally what happens.

Smoke

"Who's this 'Diego'?" Matt asked.

"He's running the opperation, or close to it." Brian answered. "It looks like whe're going to be catching more then just some smugglers tonight." Brian spoke with enthusiasm.

***

Golden Gate Bridge 11:56 PM December 31, 2007

"I can't believe this is how I'm spending New Years Eve." Matt said as he and Brian crouched by the water, waiting for Her Majesty.

"Hey if it means we can catch these guys I'd give up every holiday. Not only are they smugglers, but murderers." These words from Brian quicky shut Matt up.

Only three more minutes, Brian thought after a while as he glanced at his watch. A bird cawed to his left, Brian looked to see Sidney Rhett signaling him to move from his current position. He shook his head like any other stubborn male with a giant ego. Sidney once again signaled saying it was urgent, and Brian ignored her.

Then Her Majesty pulled up by the shore.

Brian was elated that they had chosen the right side of the bridge. Five men disembarked from the boat and looked expectantly toward the road. Two more men came out of the shadows right toward Brian and Matt. Now they saw why Sidney had been signaling for them to move. The men were going to walk right into them if they didn't move quickly and quietly. Both men did so trying to avoid stepping in the small puddles and disturbing the rocks on the bank.

"Diego!" One of the men coming down the bank called. "You got it?"

"Yeah, and be quiet. I heard rumors that Smoke's pissed that we're doing this. Maybe he'll come down on us. I really don't want that problem." The man who spoke was at least a head taller then the other four men, his shoulders less broad, and his voice like a sharp blade slicing through the chilly night air.

"If Smoke comes well just take him and expose him to the whole world." The taller of the two men said.

"Yeah, like you'd be able to keep Smoke in check." Diego said. The other four men with him stayed silent.

"Just give me the goods and I'll give you the money." The taller one said. It was easy to see who was in charge here.

The moment the gems showed the bird cawed again, signaling the time to move. Lights turned on around them and ten FBI agents stood with their guns drawn. "Drop the gems and put your hands in the air!" Brian called to the men.

Instead of following orders one of the men next to Diego lifted his gun and pointed it at Brian. As the sound reverberated around them, a body ran into his, pushing him to the ground. Instead of the bullet penetrating his skull, it imbedded itself into a figure dressed all in black. The figure fell to the ground, it's head glancing off a large boulder. Shots were ringing out all around him, but Brian was only concerned with the person who had taken a bullet for him.

It was over just as soon as it had started. The men were only injured and ambulances were called. They had accomplished their goal, the men were going to be behind bars soon and their capture would hopefully soon lead to the capture of more men involved. Brian knelt next to the man he instictively knew was Smoke.

The bullet had gone into his shoulder and come out shattering the shoulder blade. Matt came over and noticed Brian's desperate expression. "How bad is it?" He asked.

"It's a through and through. I think he'll be alright." I hope he'll be alright, Brian corrected himself, "I need to check his color, but I can't take away the pressure. Pull off his hood please." Matt noded and pulled off the ski mask.

What was underneath the mask was not what anyone had anticipated...