The Change
by Katie
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein, with the exception of Bevin, belong to UPN, as does the
concept of Special Unit 2. Copyright infringement intended as homage only! Spoilers: No specific ones,
just for the series in general.
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The lights of the bars and clubs lit up the Chicago night like a Christmas tree. The streets were relatively
empty; the occasional headlights of a passing car shining on a solitary couple. Outside of the Nighttime
Partytime club, the brawny security guard stood alone, grateful to have the long lines of party-goers already
inside and gone.
Inside the club, Detective Kate Benson rubbed her forehead wearily, feeling a migraine begin to build. It
had been plaguing her all night. The walls began to close in around her. The crowd crushed her, and she
had trouble breathing. She had never felt so naseuous in her life.
Kate forced the naseua aside. She was on the job, she reminded herself fiercely; her headache would just
have to wait until later.
Her head, however, had other ideas. Her world went black, and spun out from beneath her feet. Her
partner's steadying arm on her elbow was the only thing that kept Kate from collapse.
"...okay, Kate?" The sound of Nick's concerned voice helped clear the fog from her mind, and she nodded.
"I'm fine," she said, a little irritibly. "Are you sure this is the right place? I haven't seen a sign of him all night."
"Maybe he got the flu," Nick suggested. "It is the season." He grinned as Kate rolled her eyes. "But yeah,
this is definately the place Carl told us about. I'd recognize the main dancer anywhere. " Kate snorted with
amused contempt, and Nick took the moment to give his partner a searching look. Something was bothering
her, but he had no idea what. He then continued speaking.
"It's getting late," he said. "I seriously doubt that Mr. Big, Bad, and Ugly is going to grace us with his
presence tonight, and I'm beat. Let's call it a night."
Kate didn't point out the fact that just five minutes before he was willing to stay up till the crack of dawn. The
thought of her apartment and the bottle of aspirin inside was just too appealing. She followed him silently
outside.
Nick's car was parked a couple blocks away from the club, and Nick kept a discreet eye on his partner as
they walked along. Still no sign of what was bothering her, and she was being unusually quiet. She'd been
that way all night, in fact.
As they passed a dark alley, piteous moaning broke the prior silence. Nick and Kate both stopped and
unholstered their guns. Nick grinned wolfishly.
"By the pricking in my thumbs, something Link-ish this way comes."
The two officers undid their safeties, and rushed into the alley. A tall, bear-like creature, the very Link they
had been looking for, was holding a man by his throat. The intended victim couldn't even gasp for breath,
and seemed to be on the verge of losing conciousness.
"Look, Kate!" Nick exclaimed. "It's Mr. Big, Bad, and Ugly!"
The Link dropped its intended prey to turn and face Nick; its victim darted away with astonishing speed.
"We were wondering where you went to," Nick continued. "We missed you at the club."
"I had other engagements." The beast's voice was deep, and just hoarse enough to come out as a low growl.
"I see," Nick said. "Well, I'm glad we found you, because you have a very pressing apointment." He raised
his gun. "How'd the Klignons put it? Oh yeah. 'Today is a good day to die'."
The Link growled and rushed at Nick, but it was too late. Nick quickly fired off four rounds, all of which hit the
beast straight in the chest. It fell to its knees, howling with pain.
Satisfied that the Link was out of commission, Nick turned to grin at his partner. Kate was propped up
against a wall, sobbing with pain.
"Holy sh**." The grin immediately vanished, and Nick rushed to her side. She was moaning incoherently, her
words sounding something like 'it hurts, it hurts'. Nick grabbed her shoulders after checking to make sure
they weren't hurt, and tried to calm her down. "Kate, Kate, listen to me! It's okay, it's okay. Where are you
hurt?"
Kate gasped for breath, unable to stop crying.
"It hurts!"
"Where?" Nick asked. "Where does it hurt?"
Kate managed to gesture around her chest area, around the same place where Nick had shot the Link. She
let out another moan, and Nick whirled around to see the Link trying to stand. He shot it, eliciting an agonized
scream from Kate, but this time the Link stayed down. Nick returned his attention to his injured partner, and
murmured comfortingly. As Kate eventually began to get her breathing under control, Nick pulled out his
cellphone to call the office.
"Found the Link, killed the Link," he said. "We need somebody to clean up the mess. And bring Sean with
you-we have a situation."
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