"Did you hear that?" Lark asked, as she moved to the window of the diner.
"Yeah," Sly said, moving to stand beside her. "What is it?"
"Ssh! Be quiet!" Lizzie said, holding herself still as she listened intently.
"It's a siren," Emily said quietly. Her eyes rested on Jordan's worried brown eyes as he agreed with her. "Yeah, it is, but I don't think it's just one."
Dawn's eyes widened as she sat quietly and listened to her friends' voices. They sounded distant to her as a zillion images of Lucky's, Tommy's and maybe Nikolas's mangled bodies came to her mind. She *had* to go to them, she decided. She had to make sure they were all right. She'd never forgive herself if they weren't. With her mind made up, she grabbed her purse and ran for the door.
Sly saw her movement from the corner of his eye and reached the door before she did. Blocking her path, he asked, "What are you doing?"
"Sly, I don't have time for this. Move!" she said, glaring at him.
Lizzie moved to stand next to her and said, "Yeah, Sly, get out of the way."
"No can do," he said, shaking his head.
"Oh, yes you can!" Dawn said, as she stomped on his foot. When he yelped in pain, she and Lizzie ran out of the restaurant.
"Jordan, go after them," Sly said as he limped to his chair.
"You guys," Jordan said, looking at Emily and then Lark," stay here. I'll be right back."
Emily and Lark nodded as Jordan turned to leave.
Nikolas left the crime scene in a state of shock. Someone had been murdered. Right there. In that alley. Nikolas saw the body bag as the paramedics wheeled the gurney into the ambulance, and he was floored. The memories of Katherine Bell's fall and death came rushing back and he almost staggered as he made his way back to Kelley's.
"Nikky? Nikky!!" Dawn almost screamed as she flung herself into his arms. His arms folded around her with more force than he had ever used and she knew immediately that something was wrong. Carefully, she eased herself out of his arms and asked, "What's wrong? Where are they?"
"Where are Lucky and Tommy?" Lizzie asked as she reached them. Dawn had spotted Nikolas and had taken off, leaving Lizzie to follow behind her.
"What's going on?" Jordan asked as he followed Lizzie. He saw the apprehensive looks on the two young women's faces and then he looked at Nikolas. The shattered eyes which stared back at him frightened him a little and he took a step back. "You didn't find them?" he asked, his quiet voice seemed loud in the silence.
Jordan's question shook Nikolas to the present. Pulling Dawn back into the protective circle of his arms, Nikolas looked accusingly at Jordan as he said, "I asked you to watch her! What is she doing out here?!"
"I did! She ran out-"
"You and Sly weren't supposed to let her run out!"
"You know how she is! What were we supposed to do? Tie her to a chair? I looked out for her. We both *did*! She's okay, right?" Jordan said, using a softer tone as he said his last sentence. He knew that Nikolas was scared. He could see it in his eyes and the way he held Dawn. But, what he didn't know, was why. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know or even if he was ready to find out.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Dawn said, her hand soft against Nikolas' cheek as she turned his face to look at her. "See. There's nothing wrong with me."
"She's fine, Nikolas!" Lizzie said, her patience having evaporated. "Now, where are they? Were they involved with those cops with the sirens and stuff?"
"Yeah," Nikolas replied, nodding his head. "They were in that alley. Someone was killed there."
"Oh, my God!" Lizzie cried, tears sprang to her eyes as she clutched her throat. She stumbled and Jordan placed his arm around her shoulders to steady her. She stiffened at his touch, but when she saw his concerned eyes staring back at her, she allowed herself to lean on him for support. "Which one? Lucky or Tommy?"
"Neither," Nikolas replied. Nikolas' arms tightened around Dawn as she buried her face in his neck and breathed a sigh of relief.
"So, why aren't they with you? Aren't they coming?" Jordan asked, patting Lizzie's shoulder to offer her as much comfort as he could.
"No, they're not. The police took them in. I tried to talk to them, but I couldn't get near them."
"We need to go to the police station. Neither of them should be there alo-"
"DAWN!!" called two voices. One voice was distinctly feminine while the other one was masculine.
"Is that Uncle?"
"Yeah, I called him," she said. Dawn leaned away from Nikolas as she called out, "I'm over here!! Nikolas, too!"
Stefan and Carrie rounded the corner in record speed. Their eyes took in the anxious faces of the four teenagers and their parental instincts took over.
"What's happened?" Stefan asked as he moved to stand before Nikolas and Dawn. Carrie moved to stand next to her daughter and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Lucky and Tommy were taken to the police station," Nikolas said. "Someone was killed in the alley. They were there, but I don't know anything else."
"Oh, no! Were they hurt?" Carrie asked.
"I don't think so. I wasn't allowed to talk to them. I don't think they even saw me."
"I can't talk about this any more! I'm going down there," Lizzie said, moving away from Jordan.
"Can't talk about what?" Sly asked, walking with a slight limp. Emily and Lark were beside him and they were surprised to see so many somber faces.
"Lucky and Tommy are at the police station."
Sly mumbled an expletive. Running his hand over his face, he said, "Let's go."
"No, I'll see to this," Stefan replied. "Nikolas, you and Dawn should go back to Wyndemere and wait for me there."
"I should be with them," Nikolas said.
"Your place is with your wife and making certain that her needs are met. Besides, neither of you seem to be in a position to face the absurdity of the Port Charles Police Department. I will see to Lucky's and Tommy's needs," Stefan said, his tone told them that he would not take no for an answer.
"Okay," Nikolas nodded. "We'll go home. Carrie, are you coming with us?"
"No. I'll come by later. I'm going with Stefan to see if I can help. Lizzie, you're welcome to come with us, I'm sure."
Stefan nodded his acceptance and Lizzie said, "Thank you, Mrs. Jensen."
"What about us?" Sly asked, the concern he felt for his cousin in his voice and mirrored in his eyes.
"You and Jordan should take the young ladies home. We'll call you and let you both know what's going on later," Carrie replied.
"I hate this, man," Tommy said as he paced back in forth in his cell.
Lucky watched his friend and knew that there were no words which could soothe him. "Maybe you should just sit down and relax..." Lucky suggested, knowing his words fell on deaf ears.
"I can't," Tommy said, shaking his head. "I can't sit down and I for damned sure can't relax. How much longer? I don't think I can take this for much longer. It's bringing back so much...stuff!"
"I know, Tommy, but there's nothing we can do. We gotta wait it out. It shouldn't be much longer, you know?" Lucky said.
"But we didn't even do anything!" Tommy said, exasperated. "Why won't they listen to us?"
"Because they're cops. Cops never listen, man. That's who they are."
"But, they *have* to listen! Lucky, if my mom finds out about this... She can *not* find out," Tommy said. His pacing paused as he drew in a long breath.
"Well, if it's any consolation, I don't think the PCPD are stupid enough to bother her at the hospital. I'm pretty sure she won't know, okay?" Lucky reassured him.
"I hope so," Tommy said as he began to pace again.
The cell was silent as they each became consumed with their own thoughts. Their experience in the alley would live with them forever of that they were certain. In seconds, they went from questioning a guy about his intentions towards Dawn to defending their lives against a group of guys. All of whom mysteriously disappeared just before the police arrived. Amazing.
"I think we were set up," Lucky voiced his thoughts in the quiet room.
"What do you mean? What's 'set up'?"
"It means we were...um...tricked to follow that guy, or maybe find him. Once we found him, those bozos showed up and finished him off. I figure he did something that pissed them off, and now, they're trying to pin it on us."
"Is that why you said we shouldn't say much?" Tommy asked.
"Not really. I just learned a long time ago that you don't trust cops. Besides, no matter what we said, they'd just find a way to use it against us."
"Taggert seems pretty cool. I spoke with him before. Alex is great," Tommy said.
"Yeah, Taggert was great with Elizabeth and Alex isn't so bad either, but neither of them are here right now. We'll just have to sit it out."
"Yeah, but for how long?" Tommy asked, as he moved to sit on the bed across from where Lucky sat. Maybe if he concentrated on one spot or on the ceiling, he wouldn't notice the walls closing in around him. And, maybe the memories of how and where he spent the last few years of his life wouldn't come back to torment him. Maybe.