Chapter 28: The Christmas Conspiracy - Part 2
POV: Kole Martinez
Wednesday brought Jessica's arrival with holiday excitement that immediately shifted tactical considerations from personal threat to civilian protection scenario. She appeared at his apartment door carrying presents and anticipation of romantic Christmas celebration, walking directly into danger she couldn't comprehend.
Jessica's here. Perfect timing for maximum psychological leverage.
Amateur mistake if this is random harassment. Professional strategy if it's coordinated psychological warfare.
"Surprise!" Jessica announced, settling into his space with casual intimacy that spoke to their relationship development. "Conference ended early, flights were cheap, and I couldn't resist Christmas in New York with my favorite detective."
Favorite detective who's being stalked by unknown professionals.
Civilian in proximity to active threat scenario.
Martinez processed the tactical implications while maintaining normal relationship dynamics. Jessica's presence exponentially increased stakes while potentially providing intelligence about surveillance scope and operational planning.
If they know about Jessica, they've been watching longer than just professional activities.
Personal life under surveillance. Complete intelligence picture.
The fourth package arrived at his apartment with precision timing that confirmed extensive surveillance of his personal routines. Delivered while Jessica was settling in, positioned where she would witness his reaction to its contents.
Deliberate civilian exposure. Psychological pressure through endangered associate.
Escalation from surveillance to direct threat.
Inside the package, Martinez found surveillance photographs that triggered immediate tactical response protocols. Images of Jessica at her school in Los Angeles, during previous NYC visits, entering his building the previous evening. Professional surveillance photography documenting her movements across multiple states and timeframes.
Cross-country surveillance. Organizational resources. Long-term intelligence operation.
They've been watching her for weeks. Maybe months.
The note was explicit in its threat assessment:
"You care about her. She's vulnerable. So are you."
Direct threat against civilian associate.
Classic leverage technique. Standard psychological warfare.
Jessica noticed his expression change, teaching instincts recognizing serious concern despite his attempts at casual demeanor.
"Kole? What's happening?"
What's happening? Professional intelligence operation targeting supernatural abilities through civilian leverage.
Time to activate squad protection protocols.
"We have a problem," Martinez said calmly, reaching for his phone while processing tactical options. "I need to make some calls."
Squad mobilization. Full resources. Time to test squad loyalty under pressure.
Jake's response was immediate and professional, competitive instincts channeling into protective determination when Martinez explained the surveillance pattern escalation.
"Someone's documenting your activities and now threatening Jessica?" Jake demanded with obvious fury. "That's stalking with criminal intent against NYPD personnel."
Criminal intent against NYPD personnel.
Jake claiming me as family worth protecting.
"I'm activating squad response. This is active threat against Nine-Nine associate."
Active threat assessment. Professional response to civilian endangerment.
Within sixty minutes, Martinez's apartment had transformed into tactical command center as the Nine-Nine deployed comprehensive protection protocols. Rosa established covert surveillance while Amy analyzed photographs for intelligence value and location data.
Squad mobilization for detective they've known six months.
Professional loyalty extending to civilian protection.
Terry coordinated security with characteristic efficiency, treating civilian safety as paramount concern while managing squad resources and communication protocols.
"Terry's not letting criminals threaten cops' families," Terry declared with protective authority. "Terry knows what happens when they target people we care about."
Family protection extending to personal relationships.
Squad treating Jessica as valued associate worthy of full resources.
Captain Holt authorized departmental assets with typical precision, recognizing serious threat despite incomplete intelligence about enemy capabilities.
"Detective Martinez," Holt announced with formal authority, "NYPD protects its personnel and their associates. We'll identify and apprehend whoever's responsible."
Official protection for personal relationship.
Departmental resources for civilian safety.
Jessica processed the security escalation with growing understanding of threat scope and professional response protocols.
"Someone's been following me?" she asked, reviewing surveillance photographs with obvious concern. "How long has this been happening?"
How long? Systematic surveillance extending across multiple states and timeframes.
Professional intelligence operation, not random harassment.
"We're going to find them," Martinez promised with quiet intensity. "This ends now."
Professional resolution of threat against people I care about.
Time to demonstrate why threatening my associates is strategically inadvisable.
The final package arrived at the precinct during afternoon shift with theatrical timing ensuring maximum squad visibility. Jake handled the delivery personally, protective instincts overriding procedural caution about unknown packages.
Final message. Direct contact. Confrontation phase.
Inside, they found USB drive containing video message that escalated harassment to explicit threat and demanded immediate response. Professional recording showing masked figure in nondescript location, electronically distorted voice preventing identification.
Professional operational security. Technology resources. Organizational backing.
Not amateur stalker. Professional intelligence operation.
"Detective Martinez," the distorted voice began with casual familiarity. "Or should I say, the man who isn't Detective Martinez?"
Direct reference to identity questions.
They know about background inconsistencies.
How much do they actually understand?
"I know what you are. I know what you can do. Your photographic memory, lie detection, combat adaptation—impressive abilities for someone with your documented background."
Complete knowledge of all three supernatural abilities.
Technical terminology suggesting scientific understanding.
Professional analysis of impossible capabilities.
The masked figure continued with calculated precision, each word designed for maximum psychological impact while the squad listened with growing alarm.
"Meet me alone, Christmas Eve, midnight, Brooklyn Bridge Park. Come alone, or everyone learns the truth about Detective Kole Martinez."
Christmas Eve deadline. Public location. Isolation demand.
Threat to expose secrets that would complicate squad relationships.
The video concluded with coordinates and final warning that crystallized tactical situation into binary choice between revelation and confrontation.
Expose background complications or face professional threat alone.
Protect operational security or risk squad safety.
Jake's expression mixed fury with frustrated confusion, detective instincts recognizing serious threat while lacking context to understand its scope.
"What truth?" Jake demanded with protective anger. "What's he talking about, Martinez?"
What truth?
Background inconsistencies that would require explanation.
Powers that would sound impossible.
Identity questions that complicate everything.
The squad surrounded him with expressions mixing protective determination and professional curiosity—family preparing to defend him regardless of what defense might require.
They're willing to protect me without complete information.
Professional loyalty transcending individual secrets.
Time to decide how much truth serves tactical purposes.
Amy analyzed available evidence with systematic precision while recognizing intelligence gaps that suggested larger operational picture.
"Systematic surveillance, professional equipment, detailed operational knowledge," she listed with obvious concern. "This represents coordinated intelligence operation with significant resources."
Coordinated intelligence operation targeting supernatural capabilities.
Professional threat requiring professional response.
Rosa's tactical assessment was direct and strategically sound.
"Someone with serious backing wants something from you," she observed with calm authority. "Question is whether we negotiate or eliminate the threat."
Eliminate the threat.
Rosa's first instinct is protective violence against anyone threatening squad members.
Terry's protective instincts extended to both Martinez and Jessica with characteristic warmth despite operational complexity.
"Terry's not letting anyone hurt Terry's people," he declared with quiet determination. "Terry doesn't need complete explanations to provide backup."
Terry doesn't need complete explanations to provide backup.
Professional loyalty without demanding complete revelation.
Captain Holt processed threat implications with tactical precision while maintaining operational security principles.
"Detective Martinez," Holt said with careful formality, "share whatever intelligence might help us assess this threat accurately."
Share whatever intelligence helps tactical assessment.
Professional request for operational information without demanding personal revelation.
Martinez calculated response options with enhanced clarity. Squad loyalty established, professional backup available, civilian protection activated. Unknown threat with superior intelligence position but demonstrated willingness to negotiate rather than eliminate.
They want something from me. Information, cooperation, recruitment.
Otherwise they would have acted directly rather than attempting psychological leverage.
"I can't share specifics about background investigations," he said carefully, maintaining operational security while providing tactical guidance. "But this is professional intelligence gathering, not random harassment."
Professional intelligence gathering targeting enhanced capabilities.
Someone wants to understand how the powers work.
Question is whether they represent opportunity or threat.
"Then we handle it professionally," Jake said with characteristic loyalty. "Family backs family, no explanations required."
Family backs family.
Squad loyalty transcending individual mysteries.
Professional support without demanding complete revelation.
Three days until Christmas Eve deadline. Three days to gather intelligence about unknown threat and determine optimal response strategy. Three days to decide whether negotiation or confrontation served tactical purposes.
Christmas Eve. Midnight. Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Time to discover whether this represents recruitment opportunity or elimination scenario.
Either way, it ends with professional resolution of threat to people I care about.
And whoever's been documenting my capabilities is about to learn that observation and engagement represent entirely different tactical challenges.
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