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shoots_kneecaps344. Have you ever sold out?
Fear grips him as he stalks from the bar. He's running out of options fast, and that means little baby Leila is running out of time.
He returns to the Library and Finch and fills him in on the parts that weren't graphically evident over the earwig's transmissions, and for a long moment they both study the board. It's easy to imagine the gears turning in Finch's mind, frantically trying to come up with a solution, but he knows there's really nothing else they can do. Once someone disappears the way the kidnapper did, only those in the know could ever begin to have an idea of where to start looking.
And that's the problem. Somewhere in the back of his mind he's known it would turn out to be their only option, ever since flattening everyone at the bar and still going away empty-handed. The cops will never be able to find out in time -- by the time they go through layers of red tape and informants, Leila will be long gone.
No, it really is their only option. And he means it when he says he'll do whatever he has to to keep Leila safe.
Finch doesn't want him to do it, and he can't quite meet the man's eyes when he waits for the call to be answered. And then that familiar voice is in his ear, curiosity and a definite hint of amusement in the simple greeting, "Hello, John..."
He knows the only way to get a face-to-face meeting is to make it as appealing as possible -- to make himself as appealing as possible. When he drops his voice lower and says, "I need to see you..." he can feel Finch's eyes on him; wonders if the disapproval is of his decision, or of his methods. Or is there something else in that look? It's gone before he can really analyze it, and then he's paying more attention to the instructions Elias gives him, not missing the added note of eagerness in the man's voice...
* * *
In a way, he's glad that Elias has him brought to the riverside and has his muscle stay. 'Whatever he has to' means whatever he has to, but it's easier -- less damning -- to be able to appeal to his sense of honour than any alternative means a private meeting may have required.
He gets the information he needs; even gets a lift part of the way there. Scarface tells him Elias has a 'soft spot' for him, but he's not really sure that's the description he'd use for it.
But he manages to interrupt the hand-off and get Leila back, relief flooding him as he contacts Finch to let him know he's on the way. And of course that's when the consequences of making a deal with the devil come back to bite him on the ass.
Scarface tells him it's a change of plans, but deep down he's sure Elias planned this from the get-go. Elias still knows how to play him like a virtuoso; knows his weaknesses and how to exploit every single one of them. When he's cuffed to the bar inside the refrigerated truck, there's still a part of him that believes the apologetic look on Elias' face. But Elias still locks him and little baby Leila in the truck and leaves it running, the temperature falling alarmingly fast. He has the means to stop it -- all he has to do is give Elias the information he wants to know. All he has to do is betray someone under police protection.
All he has to do is sell out.
He fights, instead. Wraps his cuffed hands around the bar and starts pulling with all his might, trying to break it free, to work the bolts loose, anything to be able to get across the truck and get Leila off the cold metal. For a while, the activity even serves to keep him warm. But as the temperature continues to drop the bar remains intact and the sweat he worked up now works against him, chilling him in the freezing air. And Leila is getting quieter and quieter...
His wrists are bloody and the cold makes the pain worse, but he just can't stop fighting. He finally breaks the bar loose and scoops Leila up in his arms to hold her close against him. But it's below freezing now, and the hypothermia that wracks him with uncontrollable shivers makes his own body heat too low to help her much at all.
He knows he can put her down again and try to break free, but with his hands cuffed it will be too awkward and take too long, and she'll be gone before he ever gets them out.
He looks at the baby monitor again, hopelessness wrapping around his heart and squeezing. 'Whatever he has to' means whatever he has to...
Selling out and giving up the location of an old crime boss is worth it to save the life of an innocent baby... At least that's what he tells himself as he gives Elias the information he wants. It's just one more mark against his soul, after all. And there are so many already -- what's one more?
---------------
Muse: John Reese
Fandom: Person of Interest
Word count: 877 per WordPerfect
Crossposted to LJ at "theatrical_muse"
Fear grips him as he stalks from the bar. He's running out of options fast, and that means little baby Leila is running out of time.
He returns to the Library and Finch and fills him in on the parts that weren't graphically evident over the earwig's transmissions, and for a long moment they both study the board. It's easy to imagine the gears turning in Finch's mind, frantically trying to come up with a solution, but he knows there's really nothing else they can do. Once someone disappears the way the kidnapper did, only those in the know could ever begin to have an idea of where to start looking.
And that's the problem. Somewhere in the back of his mind he's known it would turn out to be their only option, ever since flattening everyone at the bar and still going away empty-handed. The cops will never be able to find out in time -- by the time they go through layers of red tape and informants, Leila will be long gone.
No, it really is their only option. And he means it when he says he'll do whatever he has to to keep Leila safe.
Finch doesn't want him to do it, and he can't quite meet the man's eyes when he waits for the call to be answered. And then that familiar voice is in his ear, curiosity and a definite hint of amusement in the simple greeting, "Hello, John..."
He knows the only way to get a face-to-face meeting is to make it as appealing as possible -- to make himself as appealing as possible. When he drops his voice lower and says, "I need to see you..." he can feel Finch's eyes on him; wonders if the disapproval is of his decision, or of his methods. Or is there something else in that look? It's gone before he can really analyze it, and then he's paying more attention to the instructions Elias gives him, not missing the added note of eagerness in the man's voice...
In a way, he's glad that Elias has him brought to the riverside and has his muscle stay. 'Whatever he has to' means whatever he has to, but it's easier -- less damning -- to be able to appeal to his sense of honour than any alternative means a private meeting may have required.
He gets the information he needs; even gets a lift part of the way there. Scarface tells him Elias has a 'soft spot' for him, but he's not really sure that's the description he'd use for it.
But he manages to interrupt the hand-off and get Leila back, relief flooding him as he contacts Finch to let him know he's on the way. And of course that's when the consequences of making a deal with the devil come back to bite him on the ass.
Scarface tells him it's a change of plans, but deep down he's sure Elias planned this from the get-go. Elias still knows how to play him like a virtuoso; knows his weaknesses and how to exploit every single one of them. When he's cuffed to the bar inside the refrigerated truck, there's still a part of him that believes the apologetic look on Elias' face. But Elias still locks him and little baby Leila in the truck and leaves it running, the temperature falling alarmingly fast. He has the means to stop it -- all he has to do is give Elias the information he wants to know. All he has to do is betray someone under police protection.
All he has to do is sell out.
He fights, instead. Wraps his cuffed hands around the bar and starts pulling with all his might, trying to break it free, to work the bolts loose, anything to be able to get across the truck and get Leila off the cold metal. For a while, the activity even serves to keep him warm. But as the temperature continues to drop the bar remains intact and the sweat he worked up now works against him, chilling him in the freezing air. And Leila is getting quieter and quieter...
His wrists are bloody and the cold makes the pain worse, but he just can't stop fighting. He finally breaks the bar loose and scoops Leila up in his arms to hold her close against him. But it's below freezing now, and the hypothermia that wracks him with uncontrollable shivers makes his own body heat too low to help her much at all.
He knows he can put her down again and try to break free, but with his hands cuffed it will be too awkward and take too long, and she'll be gone before he ever gets them out.
He looks at the baby monitor again, hopelessness wrapping around his heart and squeezing. 'Whatever he has to' means whatever he has to...
Selling out and giving up the location of an old crime boss is worth it to save the life of an innocent baby... At least that's what he tells himself as he gives Elias the information he wants. It's just one more mark against his soul, after all. And there are so many already -- what's one more?
---------------
Muse: John Reese
Fandom: Person of Interest
Word count: 877 per WordPerfect
Crossposted to LJ at "theatrical_muse"
