The hotdog stand sizzled a few feet away, grease popping like nothing dangerous had ever existed in the world.
Elle looked at him. "So what's the plan?"
Ray opened the door and stepped out like this was any other lunch stop. "There's no plan."
Elle asked as she stepped out. "Improv like old times?"
He shut the door and straightened, scanning the street once, casual. "Yep! We act normal, buy two hot dogs, eat and then take a short walk and talk about something boring like the healthcare system, bad coffee, and how the city smells in summer."
She stared at him. "And the van?"
"We'll just happen to walk past it and go to that flower shop," Ray said. "I'll brush against the back panel and place a bug. Takes less than a second and then I'll buy a flower before walking back to the cruiser."
Elle raised an eyebrow. "You're carrying a bug."
Ray looked at her. "I always carry a bug."
She chuckled. "Of course you do."
They walked up to the stand. The vendor barely looked at them, too busy flipping sausages and arguing with a customer about mustard versus onions. Ray ordered two hot dogs, mustard for him and ketchup for Elle, and paid in cash. He handed one to Elle like this was the most normal thing in the world.
"You remembered?" She asked with a smile.
"Photographic memory, remember?" He tapped the side of his head.
They stood there eating like any other cops. Ray kept his eyes forward, using reflections in the nearby window to track the street. The minivan was still there, parked half a block down, engine off, windows tinted dark.
Elle took a bite and chewed slowly. "Who do you think is following us?"
Ray replied after thinking a bit. "No idea."
They finished eating and tossed the wrappers into a trash can. Ray wiped his hands on a napkin and nodded down the sidewalk. "Let's walk."
They moved at an unhurried pace, side by side, their conversation intentionally dull.
"So," Elle said, pitching her voice casually. "You ever think about going back into the field?"
"Sometimes," Ray replied. "Then I remember it's too much work and I've become too lazy to work in the field. I'm perfectly happy where I am right now."
She chuckled. "You lazy?"
"Yeah, I think I've gained a few pounds over the last few months," He replied.
They walked closer to the minivan without looking at it. Ray changed his direction slightly, just enough to be within arm's reach. As they passed, he stumbled a bit, as if his boot tripped on nothing. He placed his hand on the rear panel to keep his balance.
The action was smooth and practiced. He pressed two fingers on the panel. A soft click sounded that nobody else heard. The bug was in place.
Ray straightened immediately. "You good?" Elle asked, playing along.
"Yeah," he said. "Old injury."
They kept walking, never looking back. They went to the flower shop, bought a bundle of roses, and made their way back toward the cruiser while chatting.
Once inside the car, Ray started the engine and pulled away from the curb like nothing had happened. He took out his personal phone and tapped the password. Then he brought up the audio feed through a secure channel.
At first, there was nothing but static. Then voices came through, slightly distorted by the van's interior.
A man's voice crackled through the speaker, irritated. "You sure this is the guy?"
Another voice replied, calmer. "Yeah. It's him. Keep following."
Ray kept his eyes on the road. "Now we drive our route and let them talk... Just another Tuesday."
Elle settled back in her seat and kept an eye on the side mirror. "Here they come. So, are we going to stop them lawfully or..."
Ray gave a side nod. "We'll see..."
...
Inside the minivan, a man scoffed.
"A million each," he said, disbelief thick in his voice. "One. Million. Dollars. To tail two cops. You know what I would have done this for?"
There was a rustle, the sound of someone shifting in their seat. The second man answered, calmer, almost bored. "Let me guess. Five grand."
"Five would have been generous," the first guy snapped. "This is nothing. We are literally driving, eating gas station sandwiches, and watching two uniforms buy hot dogs. A million dollars for this is insane."
The other man snorted. "You are thinking about it wrong."
"Oh yeah?" the first said. "Enlighten me."
"You do not pay that kind of money for the work," the second replied. "You pay that kind of money for the target."
There was a brief silence in the feed, broken by the hum of the engine.
"You saying these two are special?" the first man asked. "Because they look like regular NYPD to me."
The second man exhaled slowly. "The woman is just backup. The guy though. Raymond White. That name alone is why the boss opened his wallet. You think anyone throws around seven figures without a reason?"
The first man gave a short, uneasy laugh. "So what is he then? Military? Black ops? Some off-the-books government boogeyman?"
"No idea," the second admitted. "All I know is everyone who messed with him is either dead or disappeared. And the boss does not like surprises."
In the cruiser, Elle's eyes flicked to Ray, then back to the road ahead. She did not speak.
The minivan conversation picked up again after a few seconds.
"Still," the first man said, quieter now. "A million is a lot of money. Makes you wonder what kind of mess this guy walks around with."
"That is exactly the point," the second replied. "If the boss is nervous, we should be too."
A few minutes passed. The sound of turn signals. Tires on asphalt. Someone cracked open a drink. Then the first man spoke again, his tone shifting, curiosity creeping in. "So… when are you going to introduce me to the big guy?"
There was a pause. Longer this time.
"You sure you want that?" the second man asked.
The first chuckled. "Why not? He sounds like a legend. Anyone who pays a million to tail a cop has to be interesting."
The second man laughed once, humorless. "You are lucky you have not met him."
"Oh yeah?" the first said. "Why is that?"
"You know why they call him?"
Silence filled the feed.
"…No," the first man finally said.
The second man's voice dropped. "He goes by the name of Skinner in the underworld. Because he skins people alive. For fun."
In the cruiser, Ray's grip tightened on the steering wheel.
"So yeah," the second man continued. "You still want to meet him? I can arrange it."
A sharp inhale came through the speaker. "You are kidding, right? Skinner? That lunatic? I thought that was just a rumor."
"Nope," the second man replied. "Very real. And he's very interested in Raymond White."
Ray pulled the cruiser to the side of the road so smoothly it almost looked routine. The engine idled. His face was tight now, anger simmering just under the surface. Too many thoughts ran through his head. He could remember Alicia's face and hear her screams when that fucker killed her very clearly because of his photographic memory. And right now, Ray was trying his best to control his emotions.
Elle turned toward him instantly and grabbed his arm. "Ray. Do not do anything stupid. If this is the same guy, then we should call in the BAU."
Ray pushed her hand away. His voice stayed controlled. "Finally."
Elle's eyes widened as she noticed that cold grin on Ray's face. "Don't tell me...! This patrol cop thing... You..."
He stared out through the windshield. "We cannot spook them. If we push now, he will disappear again. I am not letting that happen." He turned toward her. "Do not call the BAU. I'll handle it. But if you do bring them in, then I'll be forced to make some hard choices that I don't want to."
"You know very well you alone can't find him," She said.
"You see, ever since BAU got my sister killed because of big egos, I've kept myself busy. And over time, I've gathered enough evidence to put every single BAU member behind bars and ruin their entire lives. But if you even make a call or alert them even a bit, then I'll go one step over that whole 'behind the bars and ruin their lives'. I'll simply make a call and every single BAU agent will get into an accident at the same time, and they might die, or I can turn them into foreign spies and then personally kill them," Ray said with a cold and emotionless stare.
"What are you...?!' Elle was stunned.
"What's up with that expression?" Ray asked. "Don't be a hypocrite now, Elle. You killed Lee for you self satisfaction or revenge or whatever you call it. And I'm gonna kill Skinner and his men in the most painful way possible for revenge, then I'm gonna grab a cold beer and chill by the pool..."
He started the car and started to drive again.
"I won't show mercy to you just because you were my ex-fiancé. So, stay out of my way."
---
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