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I'm Your Shield	By : HobNobsAndTea Category: S through Z > Wallander (UK) > Wallander (UK) Views: 1069 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Neither I, nor any of the writers own any of the characters or story lines of this story. All rights belong to the writers and producers of "Wallander" . We recieve no money for writting this story, only the enjoyment of writing it

Chapter List
- 5
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- 7
            Parking outside you stare at the rundown house a moment before opening your door and getting out. Magnus checked his own piece before getting out of the car and walking around as the four of you walked up the steps. The other officers in the second car getting out as well and forming a perimeter so there were no nasty surprises.

            Wallander reached up knocking on the door. There was absolute silence for several moments as he looked back at you and Magnus. Then he knocked again. Maybe it was an old address and he had moved somewhere else. Maybe that’s why this place looked like it was ready to be condemned. It looked like this lead might have been a dead end and Wallander turned away. But before you could start back down the steps the sound of bolts being opened on the door stopped you. The door opened a crack. “Yes?”

            “Hello. I’m Detective Wallander with the Ystad Police. Are you Greger Elkor?” He asked.

            “What do you want?” He said in a short impatient tone.

            “We’re following leads in a current case, and we were wondering if you would be able to help us by answering a few questions, if possible.” There was a hesitation before the door opened more and the man finally appeared in the screen.

            “I don’t see much of anyone or anything out here.” He said. “I don’t know what I could . . . .” He stopped when his eyes fell on you and seemed to light up. He opened the screen door stepping out just starring at you, “Nikola? Niki?” He said in surprise.

            You smiled a little, “Hello Greg.” A bright smile swept his face as he stepped forward reaching out hugging you tight causing every single police officer, including Magnus’s hand fly to their weapon ready to pull them and use them. However you wrapped your arms around Greg hugging him back. He really was always quite nice to you, and before he was fired you considered him a friend.

            “Oh my God, Niki.” He steps back looking at you, “You’re all grown up! Who knew you would become even more beautiful then when I worked for your father.” It seemed like the fact his house was surrounded by police was completely forgotten and all of his attention was now focused on you. “What are you doing here? I thought you were going to school abroad once you graduated.”

            “I did. Then I came back and joined the academy.” You said simply. A look of surprise crossed his face.



            “The police academy?” He said in disbelief. “Really?” He half laughed, “You’re a police officer now? I never would have guessed that’s what you would end up as.”

            “Mr. Elkor,” Wallander said stepping somewhat between you and Greger, especially when he saw the look on Magnus’s face. He disarmed you in the car, but he didn’t realize that maybe he should have disarmed Martinsson as well. “Can we go inside? We have some questions we’d like to ask you.”

            “Yes, yes of course. I’m being rude.” He steps back opening the door before motioning for you to enter face. “Please come in.” You smile a little at him and go in first, Magnus immediately behind, and Wallander before Elkor followed in behind you.

            The inside of the house was the exact opposite of the outside. It looked very rich, new, and high scale. Very clean, very well looked after and maintained. Everything in its proper place and well ordered. The paint seemed fresh, everything washed and spotless. “Do you live here by yourself Mr. Elkor?” Wallander asks.

            “Yes. I don’t get visitors here much, you’ll have to excuse the state of the place. As you can imagine I wasn’t expecting company.” Magnus and Wallander glanced at each other at the statement. The man showed all the signs of an obsessive compulsive disorder. He smiles and offers you the most comfortable seat in the living room. You smile back and give a nod sitting down, before he offers Magnus and Wallander a seat on the adjoining couch.
            Greger looks like the cat that got the canary. You look carefully around the very sterile living room.
            "So Mr. Elkor, Dr. Rayner said you were an expert on Jack the Ripper when you were on his team."
            "I was. I am. Still an expert. Not on the team." Greger shoots you one of the fuck/murder looks when he thinks none of you are paying attention. But Magnus is.
            "We'd like you to consult on a case we're working on."
            "I'm not sure how much help I'll be."
            "Any help will be sufficient."
            Curt checks his phone and looks at Magnus. "Detective Martinsson, would you come with me for a moment?" He turns to Greger. "Would you excuse us?"
            You watch them leave the room before sliding over. "Greg, please. We need your help. My-my best friend's been taken." You clasp your hands tightly together.
            "Oh Niki." He lays a hand on both yours. "How can I help?"
            "Just answer all the questions from Wallander."
            "I'll do what I can." He tucks your hair behind your ear. "Can you answer one of mine?"
            "Sure."
            "Why didn't you ever write me back?"
            "What?" Blame mom.
            "I wrote you letters. For months. You never wrote back."
            "I never received any of them. Must have been mom. You know how controlling she was. She never approved of our friendship."
            Curt and Magnus both walk back in. Magnus's nostrils flare at the sight of Greg touching you.
            "Where were we?"
            "You were about to ask me some questions."
            "Oh right."
            The next ten minutes consisted of sterile questions designed to lower his guard. "Greg, may I use your restroom?"
            "Of course. It's just around the corner. You can't miss it."
            You stand and beeline for the bathroom. But you don't expect much. He's severe OCD. Nothing. No hair in his brush and his toothbrushes are in sealed packages. But you do notice that there are two distinct personalities in bathroom. One sink is orderly, the other is an average sink.
            You emerge from the bathroom as he's showing him the pictures. You watch his face almost imperceptibly change. His breath hitches slightly; his lips part. He opens and closes the hand on his thigh.
            You wait until the questions are finished. "Greg, I couldn't help but notice your stove. Is it a professional grade?"
            He laughs. "Why yes."
            "Oh can I see it?"
            "We're done here."
            "Then of course." Greg leads you into the kitchen. You seem to be impressed with the stove. As you look around, you notice the same two distinct personalities. "It wasn't my idea. My ex loved to cook." All three of you notice the heavy door obscured by cabinets.
            "We really must be going."
            "Good luck in finding your missing officer." Greg turns to you. "Will I be seeing you at the station tomorrow?"
            "No, Curt thinks the killer is picking his victims based on me. I'm in protective custody. I begged him to come when he told me he was going to consult you."
            "What a shame. And how scary for you."
            "It was good seeing you." You hug him, moving your hand up close to his hair. You pluck out a few hairs.
            "Ouch!"
            "Sorry. This old bracelet has ripped out more hair than a pair of teenage girls in a cat fight." The two of you share a laugh.
            You wait until your out of sight from the house before you give the hairs to Wallander. "He's lying to us. There are two people living in that house."
            "And what's with that door?"
            "You noticed it too?"
            "That was dangerous. You shouldn't have let him touch you."
            "I agree." Magnus takes your hand "He looked at you like he wanted to fuck you and murder you. He was aroused part of the time."
            "I'm dropping you at the safe house. I'll go run this DNA. With its pen location, it's impossible to place a car on the house. We'll just keep looking for Becky."

            Greger waits until all the officers leave. He pushes the heavy door open and heads down the hallway, undressing as he goes.
            "Oh Becky, you get to live to see another day. It seems Nikola is still under protection and out of my reach."
            He grabs the rope that holds her wrists and loops it over a hook. Nikola's clothes are in tatters and covered in blood and other fluids. "We have time for a little more fun. If you hold out that long."
            You sat at the table in the kitchen your hands folded together. What if Becky had been in that house? You could have been standing just a few feet away from her. If she was still alive. You close your eyes and rest your head down against the table.

            Magnus came in carrying several bags with boxes of Chinese food. He took them out setting them on the table. He put a box of Teriyaki chicken and beef and broccoli next to you knowing they were your favorite, “Come on,” He says gently touching your shoulder, “You need to eat.”

            With a sigh you raise your head picking up some chopsticks and opening the box of chicken. Your mind was whirling around trying to remember everything from your fathers study. When Greg was part of it, he was like a Jack the Ripper encyclopedia. That was the one summer you weren’t sent away to camp, you spent it with your father and participated in the study. You really weren’t feeling hungry and put down the chopsticks sliding your hands into your pockets and leaning back against the chair. “We should go back, we should search everything in that house. Tear it apart if we have to.”

            “We can’t do that without a warrant. We’re working on getting it but you know that takes time.” Magnus said.

            “She doesn’t have time, Magnus! It’s already past the deadline and she could turn up at any mome . . .” You pause feeling something in your pocket and taking it out looking at it. This wasn’t yours, you’d never seen it before. You opened the piece of paper and read the note feeling your stomach turn.

            Seeing your reaction he moves closer, “What is that?” He questioned.

            “It’s from him. He must have slipped it into my pocket when I hugged him goodbye.” You say closing your eyes feeling your chest tighten. Magnus frowned and reached over taking it from you and reading:

            “It’s so good to see you again! This is my number, call me when you can. We have so much to catch up on, I want to know everything since we last saw each other. I look forward to hearing from you my dearest Mary J. K.” Then it was signed with several X’s and O’s.

            “What the hell?” He looked at you seeing how uncomfortable you were, “What is this? Who is Mary J. K.?”

            You close your eyes taking a breath, “It’s a game. When I spent the summer with my father and participated in his Jack the Ripper study, there were reenactments of what could have transpired before the murders. I played Mary Jane Kelly. Jack the Rippers last victim. There were no pictures of her when she was alive, just descriptions from people who knew her. I was chosen because I fit her description.” You covered your face with your hands and shook your head before looking at him, “It was just a play, we were actors, it’s was fun. For the rest of the time Greg worked on the study, he always called me Mary Kelly. He told me that even though I had some of the same characteristics of her, there was no way she could be as beautiful as I was.” Tears filled your eyes as you just stared straight forward, “It’s not so fun anymore.”

            “Jesus Christ.” Magnus said running his hand through his hair.

            “It’s him isn’t it.” You say swallowing the knot in your throat, “He has her, he has Becky.” You stand from the chair, “We have to go back, we have to get her, right now.” Walking over you jerk open a drawer pulling out a knife hoping up on the counter resting your foot against it as you start to try and saw through the ankle bracelet.

            Magnus instantly got up and hurried over stopping you, “You can’t do it that way, the alarm will sound as soon as it comes off your leg.” He warned gripping your hand holding the knife. “You can’t just go off half cocked this time, you have to think this through.”

            You took a breath shaking your head thinking. Your eyes moved over to the note he’d slipped you. “His number.” Your eyes lit up, “He gave me his number Magnus. I can get him out of the house. It will give you the chance to go in, find Becky and get her out.”

            “Niki, . . . if he is the killer, all signs point to him in fact being the killer, that would be handing yourself over to him on a platter!” He said starring at you.

            “Not if I meet him in a public place. He doesn’t know we know, and is desperate to spend time with me. I could invite him to meet me at a coffee place to talk. We’d be surrounded by people he couldn’t do anything to hurt me.” You say quickly.

            “We need to bring the rest of the department in on this. Set it up properly. Have people, have agents and police around you. You can’t go in there by yourself, that’s foolish.” He said seriously.

            “If we bring the department in on this, he’s going to know what’s going on. He’s going to know there’s an operation. He won’t come, or he’ll flat out kill Becky to get rid of the evidence.” You hop off the counter and pick up the note, “Magnus, he’s handed us and opening, a chance to save Becky and we have to take it.”

            He sighs just looking into your eyes knowing you were probably right. Also knowing that if he didn’t agree to help and go with you, you were going to go on your own. “We should bring Curt in on this.”

            You close your eyes and sigh, “Magnus I need your help. If I go alone then it’s just going to be me in the house with him trying to find her. If you help me, you can search the house while I have him occupied.”

            “I understand that, and it’s a decent plan but we need more help. If two is better than one, then three is even better. Isn’t it?” He asks. “If we explain everything to Curt I think he will help. He and I can search the house, while you’re . . . .” He stops shaking his head, “You can’t do this. You can’t use yourself as bait like that.”

            “Magnus,” You say seriously looking into his eyes, “We need to bring her home. He has to be stopped. If it saves her life, I’ll risk it. Willingly. I promise you, I can handle Greg. He doesn’t know I know, and as long as I play stupid and keep up that illusion, I’ll have the upper hand.”

            He sighs looking at you. A public populated place was smart, but you would still be alone with no backup. But he knew you were right, the more people who knew the less likely you’d be able to pull this off. If Becky was found in his house, then he could be arrested immediately. It would even give them grounds to shoot him on sight if he seemed to be a threat. “Wallander?” He asks again.

            “Do you think he’ll keep it between the three of us? Is he going to understand why it has to stay quiet? Will he let us do this?” You question seriously.

            “It’s a risk, . . . . but I think it’s one we should take.” He says honestly.

            You take a breath and give a nod. If Magnus trusted him, then hopefully he would understand. “Hurry.”
            Curt sits on the edge of the bed. "The DNA will be back tomorrow."
            "She could be dead by then."
            He sighs exasperated. "You're sure she's in there. That he's the killer."
            "I'd bet my life on it."
            "That's what you're doing, Niki." Magnus cups your face. "I hate that you're doing this."
            "We don't have a choice."
            Curt pats his lap. "Give it here. We'll give you a 15 minute window then we'll head to Greg's." You place your foot in his lap. "I know I'm going to regret this."
            Greg pushes open the heavy door. The cell phone on the kitchen table rings. It's not a number he knows.
            "Hello?"
            "Greg, it's Niki."
            "Niki. I'm so happy you called."
            "Do you want to go get coffee or something?"
            "I thought you were in protective custody."
            "I can ditch them long enough for coffee."
            "That's great. How about the one by my house in an hour?"
            "Too long. They'll get suspicious. Can we meet now?"
            "Uh sure. Just let me- yea, 15 minutes?"
            "That's great. I'll see you there. And Greg, I missed you."
            He ends the call and hurries to shower off Becky's blood and get dressed.

            Magnus and Curt watch from the alley across from the lot Greger's house sits on. They watch his car leave and turn the block before darting across the street and the lot. "How are we getting in?"
            "Like this." Magnus rams his elbow through an accent window.
            "Dammit, Magnus, can we try not to break every law?"
            Magnus's gloved hand fumbles with the lock. "If anything happens to Becky, Nikola won't come back from it." They make a beeline for the heavy door.
            Curt pushes it open. "What the hell." They hurry down the hall. "Becky?"
            "Becky?" Magnus finds the torture room. "Fuck. Curt!" He rolls her over, checking for a pulse. "Call EMS."
            "This is Detective Curt Wallander. I have an officer down but I need you to come no lights no sirens."
            "Hang on, Becky."
            You sit in the coffee shop, fidgeting nervously. Greg notices.
            "Something wrong, Niki?"
            "Just nervous about ditching my security detail. I'm this weirdo's obsession and we're nowhere close to catching him."
            "You're safe with me, Mary Jane." He covers your hand and it takes all you have no to flinch away or try to break his wrist.
            You both look up as a couple units and an ambulance go by. Greg suddenly clamps down on your wrist. "Where's Magnus, Niki?"
            "He was sleeping. Greg, you're hurting me."
            "Not yet but I will." He shows you a syringe in his opposite hand. "Scream and jab you with this. Remember the bar?"
            You frown. "Are they at the house?" You don't answer which irritates him so he squeezes. "Answer me, Nikola. Are they at the house?"
            You grimace, feeling the bones of your wrist grate together. "Yes."
            He sighs. "I didn't get to finish with Rebecca. Pity. She lasted longer than the others. But you, you'll last. And last. And last. We'll see to that."
            "We? Who's we?"
            "Don't you worry that pretty little head. Now, we're just going to sit here and drink our coffee and wait for them to leave."
            "It's a crime scene, Greg. They'll be there for hours."
            "Then we'll go someplace else."
            "Greg, you're caught. We've got your DNA. And when they find Becky, they'll get a search warrant. We'll have you dead to rights."
            Greg stands up and jerks you up. Both chairs clatter to the floor. You wait for your opportunity to strike. You did not want that needle anywhere near you. He leads you to his car, not releasing his grip on your wrist. You spin around and drive the ball of your palm into his nose. He lets go of your wrist. You bring your fists up and jab him once, twice before he back hands you. You take the hit and roll your neck.
            "Is that the best you've got? Magnus hits me harder when we're fucking."
            "You shut your whore mouth!"
            "Make me, cock sucker." Greger roars and charges you, forgetting you knew hand to hand, leaving his body open. You kidney punch once, twice, thrice then drive your knee into his diaphragm. He falls the ground, gasping for breath.
            The coffee shop clerk comes out. "Everything alright?"
            "Go back inside. Call emergency services. Officer down!" You scream in sudden pain as Greger jabs the needle into your foot. You kick him in the face then the gut. All your rage bubbles out and you pounce on Greg, repeatedly punching his face until the drug begins to take effect. You drop your arms and scrabble back. The clerk comes out as you're trying to crawl away. "Police."
            "On their way."

            Magnus hears the officer down come over the radio as they're loading Becky into the ambulance. "Curt! It's Niki!"
            "Go, man! Go!"
            Magnus jumps into an unmarked and squalls tires. The car fishtails, kicking up gravel. "I'm coming, Nik. I'm coming!" He beats his fist on the steering wheel. Being only a few blocks away, he's the first on scene. The car screeches to a halt. Magnus jumps out, leaving the door open and the car running.
            "Nikola!" His heart stops. Greg is straddling you, a knife at your throat. The coffee shop clerk lays in a pool of blood that surrounds you both. "Don't do it, Greger!"
            "She's mine, you blonde pratt! My Mary Jane!" He touches your face. The drug has taken effect and you can't lift your arms. Magnus moves forward and draws his gun.
            "Greger, it's over. We've got Becky. Just let Nikola go."
            "She's mine. Mine!" He raises the knife and Magnus pulls the trigger. Greg's body spins as the bullet takes him in the shoulder. More units arrive and an ambulance.
            "Magnus?" He pulls you into his lap, paying no heed to the blood covering you and now him. The officers arrest Greger and accompany him to the ambulance. A second one arrives for you.
            "I'm here, baby. I'm here, Nik."
            "Did we get Becky?"
            "She's alive. Baby, did he hurt you?"
            "Drug..." Magnus sees the syringe sticking out of your foot. "Magnus. . . I know I never. . ."
            "Nik, just save your strength."
            "Shut up. . .big jerk. . .I love yo-" The drug finally pulls you under.
            With Becky taken to the hospital, the crime scene being secured at the house, another crime scene at the coffee house, and two ambulances on route to the hospital, resources were stretched incredibly thin. Considering the level of serial killer Greg had become, he was the high priority. Which is why Magnus was put in the Ambulance to escort him even though he was heavily sedated much to his protests and demands to go with Niki, but he had no say in the matter. Wallander was already at the hospital, the rest of the detectives distributed between both crime scenes. Having the killer in custody, Niki was considered to be out of danger.

            Martinsson headed down the hallway finding Wallander, as Niki hadn't arrived yet. “How is Becky? Is she conscious?”

            “They just brought her out of surgery a few minutes ago. She’s incredibly dehydrated, they’re pouring fluids into her, tending her wounds.” Wallander said. “He wasn’t planning on letting her go. If you and Niki hadn’t pressed this . . . .there’s no way he was letting her out of there alive.”

            “But, She will be alright won’t she? She’ll live?” Magnus questions.

            “I don’t know yet. The doctor hasn’t given me a full report on everything he’s found, what he’s had to repair, what her treatment was going to consist of. She was in critical condition when we brought her in. However, if she does wake up, she can give us a positive ID and this bastard’s life is over.” Wallander responded.

            Back at the main crime scene, the house, the rest of the detective team was beginning to comb through the evidence. His torture room was probably the most disturbing, at least that’s what they thought until they pushed open another door.

            “Oh my God.” As they looked around, they found thousands upon thousands of pictures. Of Nicki. Dating back to when she was in school. The year, month, and day of each picture taken. “This sadistic freak has been following her for most of her life.”

            “Here, these are the most recent ones.” The other detective came over looking at the pictures nearest the computer. “These were taken of her when she was in the hospital after the warehouse incident.”

            “These were taken in her apartment. Look here.” Even the screen saver on the computer were comprised of pictures taken of Niki. One of the detectives stepped closer and moved the mouse where several files were opened. Clicking the file a video opened and began playing, instantly embarrassing the detectives as they averted their eyes and quickly closed the file. It was a video of Magnus and Niki together DEEP in the throes of passion. “Jesus. I’m going to need bleach for my eyes now.”

            “We knew they were together, and this bastards been watching her every day since . . . .” The detective frowned and turned walking over to the wall where the pictures and time line began. “When was the year Greger started working for Niki’s father?”

            “Uh . . . ’94? She was in 8th I think?”

            “Look.” The other detective stood and walked over, “This time line, and these pictures start in ’89.”

            “4-5 years before Greger even met her. She was still in primary school.” Suddenly the printer came on and started printing. The detectives both pulled their weapons pointing at the machine, realizing they were a bit jumpy. They walked over waiting for it to finish. When it did, one picked up the paper and turned it over. Their eyes went wide. “Oh Christ.”

            The picture was taken of Niki and Greger at the coffee shop. A second picture finished printing and was taken of the standoff between Magnus, Greger with his weapon in hand, and Niki on the floor beneath him. Instantly one detective dialed the phone getting a hold of Wallander, “Curt. We have a problem.”

            A third and final picture finished printing and everything seemed to stop. It was a picture of Niki, on the gurney she’d been placed on when put on the ambulance in restraints, but not inside the ambulance. “There’s a second killer.”

            Magnus and Wallander bailed out of the car having been searching for the ambulance that Niki had been in, until there was a report of an ambulance parked in the back alley of a strip mall. Taking out their weapons, several other cop cars parking up beside theirs as they got out pulling their weapons. They surrounded the vehicle, and Wallander gave the okay as Magnus pulled open the back door. They stopped finding the two paramedics and officer sent to escort her to the hospital thrown in the back of the van. No sign of Niki. Magnus hopped inside and checked their pulses. “They’re alive.” He says before bailing out of the back of it. He hurried around the ambulance not finding any sign of her.

            “Christ.” Magnus said feeling like he was falling as he ran his hand through his hair not knowing where to begin looking. How could they have missed something like this?
            “Neither the paramedics, nor the escorting officer remember anything.” Magnus said tossing the statements down on the desk before the chief and Wallander. “The only thing we found was an indication that there was a van there, which is how he got Niki and the gurney out of there after subduing the others.” He says with a frustrated sigh his hands on his hips. He was trying to keep it together but on the inside, every fiber of his being was screaming, shrieking, roaring for answers.

            “We’ve released her picture and name to the media, she’s listed as a missing person, an officer down. Everyone, is looking for her.” The Chief reassured him.

            “If this was a team, and Niki was the goal all along . . .” Magnus began to say but Wallander stopped him.

            “No. I don’t think they were a team. I think Greger was just a puppet. Not a very smart or bright puppet, but . . . I don’t think he was the one calling the shots.” Wallander said. “He was apparently the brawn of the two, but . . . . the brains belonged to someone else.”

            “But Greger did this. Greger committed the murders. He practically gloated and confessed to it gleefully to everyone who would listen. At the crime scene, in the ambulance, at the hospital. They finally had to sedate him just to shut him up. He had the motive, he had the experience, and most of all . . . he wanted Niki.” Magnus said.

            “Yeah? But who set them up? Who help retrieved the girls? Someone has managed to help him, perhaps even teach him, to keep hidden this long. This many murders and it wasn’t before Niki identified her friend Alice as a victim?” Wallander shook his head, “For someone to be so careful, so organized, so meticulous, so attentive, down to the very last smallest detail? Greger took and tortured those girls, he was a perverted, disgusting, insane, degenerate, sadist.” He said with a sigh shaking his head, “This. This other guy? Is something much different. Much more dangerous. He encouraged, guided, helped Greger to choose these women, then he turned him loose and simply watched. Studied, waited, took pictures, all the while learning more and more. “Whoever this guy is, he just pulled our time line back to 5 years before Greger even comes into the picture. By the time she spent the summer with her father and his study . . . . she’d already had a secret admirer.”

            Magnus grit his teeth shaking his head and pacing. All of the evidence had been brought back to the station, including all the pictures that had been found, the computer itself, and the files on it. There was a substantial amount of photo, audio, and video of Niki and Magnus. To limit embarrassment, the content was restricted to only the Chief, Wallander, and Magnus if he was needed to minimize the obvious embarrassment.

            Niki’s eyes opened slowly feeling nauseous and groggy. You took a breath and tried to lift your head but you simply didn’t have the strength. “Magnus?” You breathed hardly able to take in enough air to say the word. Suddenly a hand came had across your face knocking your already sore neck to the side.

            “You are not allowed to say that name. Never again.” He warned. You turn your head looking at the one standing over you. He had a bowl of hot soapy water, and had removed your blood soaked clothes having been hard at work washing you clean.

            You took a breath swallowing the lump in your throat, your mouth was so painfully dry. He paused what he was doing and walked over to you, taking a box of juice and sticking a straw in it before pressing it against your lips. You look at him suspiciously. “Go on.” He encouraged. You look at him suspiciously before your lips wrapped around the straw and you began to slowly drink, You were far thirstier then you’d realized and you started to drink a bit faster and deeper. “Careful now. You don’t want to make yourself sick.” He took the box of juice away setting it aside before going back to work on cleaning you up.

            “You helped Greger.” You said trying to keep your eyes open.

            “That’s how things were, in his mind, yes.” He answered.

            “His mind.” You were fighting harder now to keep your eyes opened. “So, you were going to help him take me at the end of his murdering spree. Torture me to death, like you did to those other girls.”

            He smiled a bit, “Oh my dearest Niki. I may have showed him how, but all of that was his doing. You’ve been by only guiding light since the moment I first saw you.” He turned leaning closer looking down into your eyes, “I was never going to let that pig lay a finger on you. My beautiful Angel.” His fingers smoothed through your hair and you tried to turn your head away but it was hard to move at all. “Despite what he imagined . . . . in that, warped, dysfunctional, limited capacity brain of his, you were never his. You were mine. Greger was just an amusing project along the way. Teaching and grooming someone whose sanity was hanging on by just a loose thread, see how fair they’ll go. Whereas I just watched you, he couldn’t wait. He had to find girls who were like you, close to you, shared space, or memories, or experiences with you, and have them take your place for a while. Until he was done with them of course. Then that one was discarded and he would find another. Fancied himself to be a disciple of Jack-The-Ripper. It was all very amusing. Very enlightening. But I’m afraid that when the day arrived that you were brought to me, his usefulness would have come to an end. I would never let a pig like that anywhere near my perfect beauty.” He says smoothing his fingers through your soft hair once again.

            Reaching over he picked up a syringe and cleaned a spot with a cotton ball and alcohol on your arm, before pressing the large needle into your flesh. You winched finding it incredibly painful. Slowly he injected you with a thick substance that hurt and burned as it rushed through your veins. It was almost unbareable and you whipered slightly.

            “What are you doing?” You say quickly, “I’m cooperating . . . what have you done to me?”

            “Niki, I know you better then I know yourself. The moment I give you even the slightest amount of control back, you’ll attack me, or try to escape, or both. But I’m afraid that no one is going to find us down here. So, it grieves me to have to tell you, since your body belongs to me, I’m going to retain complete control of it. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you very well.” He says seriously. Your eyes start to flutter back and close as your head falls back to the bed.

            He smiles a bit stroking your hair with his hand. “Oh Niki. It’s felt like forever waiting for this day.” Leaning down he places a kiss to your lips, running his tongue over your lips before kissing again. He looks down at you, “My beautiful goddess. I’ll give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of.” His hand rested on her chest and then slowly moved down over her bare breast, moving lower to her abdomen then slipping between her thighs. His fingers touched and explored her warm sex a moment before pulling her legs closed and pulling a cover over them, “Don’t worry. I have something special planned for when I make love to you, princess.” He says with a grin of excited anticipation.

            Pulling off the restraints now that she was completely under, he picked her up from the gurney and carried her into the room at the end of the hall. A fresh hot bath had been run and he gently slipped her into the warm water and began to bathe her unconscious body.
            The clerk, Greger's accomplice, dons scrubs. He poses as an orderly to get past the officers into his room.
            "What do you want me to do?"
            "What I asked you to do should I get caught."
            The clerk's bottom lip quivers. "I hate you."
            "I know. But you'll survive."
            "I have no home. It's a fucking crime scene. And now you're asking me to do this."
            "I know. But we knew this day might come." The clerk runs his hand over the back of Greger's hand.
            "You mean everything to me."
            "I know." The clerk uses the blade in his hand to cut Greger's secured wrists. "Walk up the street not across. Now go."
            The clerk manages to get to the stairwell before he collapses into sobs. He knew Greger didn't care about him the way he wanted him to, but it didn't hurt any less.
            Magnus looks up from his desk at the shouting in the lobby. Several officers run in the direction. He glances at Wallander.
            "Max, just put the knife down."
            "Detective Martinsson. I'll only talk to him. That's if he wants to see Nikola alive."
            Curt grabs Magnus's arm. "We have to do this by the book."
            Magnus takes the cuffs and walks up to Max. "What am I arresting you for, Max?"
            "Murder. And accessory to commit murder. Kidnapping."
            Magnus handcuffs him and leads him to an interrogation room. "Those are serious charges."
            "Of which I am guilty. I helped Greger kidnap his victims. I helped him keep them alive so he could torture and rape them. I helped him dispose of the bodies as well."
            "Are you waiving your right to counsel?"
            "Yes. I wish to confess everything I did as well as everything I witnessed Greger do."

Magnus clears his throat and clenches his fist. "Are you the one that took the pictures? And the video?"
            "No. And I have very limited knowledge of who did. Greg would receive phone calls from him. I was never there when he was. It was like he was having an affair."
            "Were you?"
            "No. Not for my lack of trying. Greg didn't care for me in that way. He was focused on Niki and her substitutes. I helped him because I loved him but he didn't love me."
            Curt opens the door. "Magnus."
            Magnus stands and exits the room. "What's up?"
            "Greger Elkor is dead. His wrists were slit. While he was restrained."
            "Max did it." Curt nods.
            "Very likely. That's probably the blood on his hands."
            "Just fucking great. Our only link to the photographer is gone." Magnus hits his breaking point. The body wrenching sobs double him over and he collapses to the floor.
            Wallander kneels down beside him. "We'll find her, Magnus."
            "We have to, Curt."
            The both of you look up at the flurry of activity at the end of the hall. Minister Rayne moves like a force of nature down the hall. Curt stands. "How could you let this happen? I'm holding you responsible of anything happens to her!"
            "Minister Rayne, we're doing everything we can to find her."
            Magnus looks away from her, wiping his eyes. He sniffs and composes himself. "Minister Rayne, we have two of the three suspects in custody. One is deceased. The other is in interrogation. We're trying to get all the information we can out of him."
            "You are?"
            "Detective Magnus Martinsson."
            "You're the one involved with my daughter."
            "Yes, ma'am."
            "I knew Niki had good taste in there somewhere."
            "Aneta. Let's go back to the hotel."
            Wallander notices the man that wasn't there the last time. "And you are?"
            "Travis Rhett, a friend of the family. When I saw Nikola's picture on the news, I reached out to Aneta and Karl."
            "Is Dr. Rayner in town?"
            "My husband will be in in the morning. My son is trying to get a flight out of London. Now, if you'll excuse me." Curt noticed the wait Mr. Rhett's eyes lit up at Aneta's pain. He also caught the hateful glare at Magnus as Mr. Rhett put his arm around Minister Rayne's shoulder and escorted her out.
            "Magnus, take Max's statement. I've got a couple calls to make." Curt waits until Magnus goes back into the interrogation room. He walks over to one of the rookie detectives. "I need a background on a Travis Rhett. And I need it yesterday."
            Your eyes open slowly feeling very groggy and weak. Your eyes moved slowly from left to right as you breathe slowly. You’re laid out in the middle of a huge, plush bed, dressed in a tight fitting sleeveless black dress, low cut in the front, a long slit up the side. Your head turns seeing candles lit all around you.

            Somewhere you conjure up the strength to roll onto your side reaching over and gripping the edge of the bed pulling yourself over and then slowly pushing yourself to sit up. You felt something on your feet and look down to see you were in fitted black high heels with a strap around the ankle. Reaching down you touch the strap as if to pull it off but your hand misses your own leg completely.

            “Oh God.” You say resting your hand to your head as you put your feet down on the floor and take a deep breath reaching over and placing your hands on the oak nightstand pushing yourself to your feet. Getting your balance, your hands move to the wall as you move along it looking for the door. You feel your hand move over something and open your eyes to find yourself starring into your own face in a mirror.

            Closing your eyes tight a moment you open them again getting sight of yourself. Your hair was done beautifully with silver decorations, and your make-up was perfect. A silver chain with a diamond pendant around your neck and matching dangling earrings. “What the hell.” You say hardly recognizing yourself.

            Everything was so incredibly fuzzy and it was hard to keep your balance. You continued to move along the wall finding a door handle and slowly turned it. You looked out trying to see if anyone was around, everything was still moving and spinning around you. Carefully opening the door you slip out, your hand still against the wall so you don’t fall.

            Taking a breath you lean against the wall feeling like you just want to lie down and sleep. But you couldn’t, you had to get out of here. Wherever here was. “Magnus.” You whisper covering your face with your hand. You start to walk further not recognizing anything around you but seeing it was very rich, very expensive, very high scale.

            Suddenly you were swept up off your feet into someone’s arms making you feel ill and losing all sense of balance or baring. “Sorry my beautiful treasure. Not everything is ready yet. Soon.” He said turning and taking you back in the room you’d left. He walked over lying you back down on the bed.

            “Let me . . . go.” You breathe.

            He takes out a syringe and a bottle filling it with a large dose of sedative. “I apologize, it’s my fault for not giving you your medication on time.” He put the bottle aside and took a alcohol swab cleaning your shoulder before injecting you with the painful substance. You struggle patheticly.

            “No!” You cry out. He just catches your hand and gently rests it down to your middle waiting for the drug to take effect.

            “You’re so beautiful Niki.” He says touching your face. “I’ve watched you from a distance for so long. Finally we can be together.” Your eyes start to flutter closed and he smiles leaning down and breathing in your scent cupping your face in his hands just admiring how lovely you were like this. Hair done perfectly, the perfect color and amount of make up to bring out your natural beauty, you were so completely captivating to his eyes. Leaning down he tastes your lips once and then again before looking at you. “Soon my love.”

            Taking out a second bottle he administers another injection, a powerful muscle relaxant. He knew if he let you regain control of your motor functions, you were fully capable of defending yourself and fighting back. He couldn’t allow you your strength. No, you belonged to him now. He’d care for you, tend to your needs.

            He smiles and takes out a camera snapping several pictures of you like this. Like a sleeping angel.

            Magnus sat at the station with Curt having the results of the background on Travis Rhett. “From what Niki has told me about her family background he seems like the type that would be associated with the family. He has no work history whatsoever, he’s independently wealthy, probably an heir to a family fortune. We can’t find any sort of address for him, but that isn’t unusual for his type. He probably lives from hotel to hotel, travels where he pleases as he pleases.” Magnus said with a sigh not understanding why this was important when they should be looking for Niki and the maniac that has her. “He stays with the Rayne’s on occasion during holidays and such. Other than that there isn’t very much information to be had on him. Apparently he’s a very private person who keeps himself to himself.”

            “I know you’re upset and anxious about this Magnus, we all are. Greger was just a puppet. This other man, the one who has her now is a whole different breed of psychosis. Greger’s obsession with Niki was an extension of this mans, and small in comparison. He taught him, encouraged him, just to see what he would do. How far it would go. Simply for the sake of his own amusement.” Curt shook his head, “What Greger did to those girls was . . . unspeakable, horrible, and completely depraved . . . . I don’t think he would have been allowed to touch Niki. Greger thought she ‘belonged to him’, when in fact she’d already been claimed by someone else. Someone much smarter, someone much more . . . delusional. Who wants total control over Niki.”

            “You’ll excuse me Curt if I’m not comforted by any of that.” Magnus said standing from the table and walking to the window running his hand through his hair. “He’s had at least 20+ years to plan this, to prepare it . . . we were a mile behind him before the department was involved.”

            “He didn’t have to tell us that he had her.” Curt pointed out. “Why taunt us that way? He had her, he had what he wanted, he made himself known to us. He pointed out that he was the one really in control. We didn’t even know she was missing until he showed us he had her.”

            Magnus crossed his arms gritting his teeth. “He’s not taunting ‘us’, he’s taunting me.”

            Curt gave a nod having thought it as well. “He saw you in the place he wanted. Both he and Greger claimed her, but it’s you who has her.” Magnus shook his head. This was all so hard to take in. All the cases that he’d been on in the course of his career, he’d never been so deeply involved and part of one.

            “He’s going to punish her for it. For me.” Magnus said feeling a swell of anger deep inside at the thought. “We’ve got to find her.”

            Wallander stood from the table, “Becky’s awake. She’s aware and asking questions. I’m on my way to the hospital right now to find how what she can tell us.” He sighed, “She’s asked about Niki.”

            Magnus looked at Curt a moment before grabbing his jacket, “I’m coming with you.”
            The doctor came out to Magnus and Wallander who were waiting to see Becky, “They’re changing the dressings on her wounds, and then you can go in and see her.” Wallander gave a nod and the doctor left them alone in the waiting area.

            Magnus sighed and leaned against the wall not knowing what he was going to say to Becky. They’d had a somewhat turbulent relationship the three of you. But things had changed, significantly. Hopefully she saw something, heard something that would help them find you before it was too late.

            Wallander looked at Magnus seeing that his mind was completely occupied with worry about you. Magnus was ready to do something, to act at the chance to get you back, but there just had to be something to jump at. “What’s different about her?” Curt asked looking at him.

            “What?” Magnus said looking at him.

            “Your reputation isn’t unknown the majority of people you work with Magnus. From the stories, women have been nothing but an endurance game for you. How many could you seduce before they moved on or discovered your true nature.” Magnus sighed looking away wishing all of that was erased. To be honest he didn’t know how you ignored it all. People seemed more a gasp that he was in a committed relationship with you then the fact he managed to bed every new recruit last year in under a week. “So what’s different about Niki?” He asked again.

            Magnus sighed leaning his head back against the wall. “I don’t know.” He answered honestly. It fell silent for a moment before he spoke again, “The first time I saw her, she was eating lunch in the break room in the precinct. There were a few strains of hair that had come loose from her pony tail that fell across her forehead. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she was reading some reports, some alerts that had been issued in the station that day. So wide eyed and eager to get started.” He half smiled at his first memory of you. “Such a small . . . insignificant moment. It somehow managed to change me forever. I didn’t want to charm her, or seduce her. . . . I desperately wanted to tuck those stray strains of hair behind her ear.”

            Wallander half smiled seeing the look on Magnus’ face and the way he spoke about you. “It sounds like love.”

            “Is it?” Magnus said softly his eyes turned down. “I stayed away from her in the beginning. It was the first time I really started looking at myself. Enough to know that I had to stay away from her otherwise I would fall into my usual pattern of behavior with women. I didn’t want that. I never wanted to treat her like a conquest. Like a toy, or just another notch in the bed post. Then she started having trouble with finding her away in the department, becoming combative with everyone, and then what happened with Dax. I couldn’t just stay away, stand in the background anymore. She needed help or she was on the way out of the police force for good. I had to help her.”

            Curt took a breath and sighed not quite understanding the relationship between you and Magnus. He’d seen the videos in the evidence locker of you and Magnus. It was pertinent to the case and he didn’t have a choice. They had to be reviewed. It was a strange relationship between the two of you. You’d beat the shit out of each other, ravage each other like beasts, mate like wild animals, and then fall asleep content and happy in each other’s arms. Other times you were loving, caring, gentle, attentive, slow . . . what one would imagine lovers to be like. What could be said without a doubt was that there were leagues of passion between the two of you that came out in different ways. You were both a bit screwed up but seemed to understand each other and it brought you even closer still somehow. “I don’t think love makes sense to anyone.” He admitted. “When we ourselves do find love, it’s never what we imagined it to be like. It’s usually something much different . . . . but somehow much better at the same time.” Magnus definitely couldn’t argue with that. There was another long moment of silence before Curt decided to ease the tension a little, “When we do get her back and bring her home, the two of you should probably consider attempting not to leave visible marks on each other.”

            Magnus smiled a little when he said that knowing that your love life wasn’t as private as it was before. There was nothing to do about it now so bitching about it was pointless. “Could we at least avoid letting her family seeing into our private lives? From what she’s told me about her parents it might actually cause an international incident.” They both laughed slightly as a nurse came out to them.

            “Mrs. Wilson is asking for you. You can see her now.” Curt and Magnus looked at each other taking a breath before heading into Becky’s room.
(Continued -->)
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I'm Your Shield