The Devil in Disguises
Chapter Nine - Hard Decision
By Ayoe
ayoe.lang@get2net.dk

"ER" and all its characters belong to Warner Bros. No infringement of their copyright is intended. This story was written for the enjoyment of "ER" fans everywhere, and may be downloaded for your own pleasure. However this story may not be used, distributed or archived without the permission of the author.

Rated: NC17 - harsh language and sexual contents.

A HUGE thanks to my excellent editor Cathy Roberts...don't know what I should do without you!!!

Peter, Doug and Reggie were sitting by the dinnertable discussing the situation. Carol was asleep on the couch while John and Mark were searching the closets for blankets and pillows. They'd found some air mattresses in the linen closet. 

Mark took off his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes. "This is a mess."

John pulled out a blanket from the top shelf. "Yeah." He looked shortly at Mark. "I'm so scared, Mark." Mark turned his head, looking at John eyes as they were filling with tears. "I'm so scared he'll hurt her." John felt Mark's hand being placed comfortingly on his shoulder. "I love her so much."

"I know, Carter. I know. We'll get her back." Mark whispered.

John let Doug and Carol use his bed in the basement. Reggie and Benton settled for the air mattresses in the living room, with Mark sleeping on the couch. John slept alone in Kerry's bed. He could hear Doug and Reggie talk downstairs. Once in a while, Peter spoke, too.
He rolled over and buried his head in Kerry's pillow, smelling her perfume. He missed her so much. If that guy so much as curled a hair on her head he would....he could feel the pillow getting soaked from his tears under his head...he would kill that bastard.

John didn't get much sleep, but every time he woke he could hear voices downstairs and they calmed him a bit. He was glad he wasn't alone.

When it was almost six, he decided to get up. Obviously, Doug never got to the basement. John saw him snoring in the armchair in the living room when he walked down the stairs. Reggie was on his cell phone. Benton was in the kitchen, going through the fridge, and John walked over to him. 

"Morning."

"Oh, hey." Benton pulled his head out of the fridge and looked at him. "Carter, you look like Hell.

John gave a short laugh. "Thanks. Did you get any sleep?"

Peter bit down on a tomato. "I got a few hours. I don't need much sleep as you know."

"I know." John bent and searched the fridge, finding some salad in the back. "Want some?"

"Sure. Any meat in it?"

John laughed. "No. I know you that well, Peter."

Benton smiled. "I know...John."

"Hey guys." Mark stumbled into the kitchen.

"We should get more food," John realized.

"I'll go. Can I take a shower first?" Mark yawned.

"Sure. Just use the one upstairs. There's towels on the shelves."

Mark dragged himself upstairs. An hour later they were gathered around the dining room table.

"Okay. I've talked to some of my friends in the force. Guys I know - guys we can trust," Reggie said. "Robert called up Steven's files. This guy has a huge number of crimes in his pocket. He's been in and out of jail since 1978. He's done just about anything in the small department. Burglary, drug-dealing, car-theft...you name it. And he's been in 5 times for violent assault."

"Has he ever....killed anyone?" John asked in a nervous voice.

"Never killed anyone. He has a bad temper, but no intentions of actual homicide," Reggie informed.

John sighed in relief. "You think he has inside connections?"

Reggie shook his head, "I don't think so. When he was arrested 20 years ago I believe he made a couple of friends, but a few years after, he was arrested along with two officers. They were stealing drugs that had been confiscated, with Steven selling it on the streets. The officers made sure he never got arrested. We were given an anonymous tip from someone in the neighborhood and they got caught." Reggie looked through the files, "I don't think he'd have been arrested so many times after that if he'd had more friends on the inside."

"So, you think we should make this official?" John asked.

Reggie nodded, "Yeah, I do. I don't believe we have anything to worry about here."

John nodded, "Okay."

"This guy is constantly looking for some easy way to make money. He'll be easy to catch," Reggie added.

"Don't worry. Kerry will be in safe hands real soon." Carol gently squeezed John's hand.

"I hope so," John whispered.

Reggie guided John and Doug to his desk at the station. "Okay. We have to enter all of the information into the computer. I'll inform everyone about the situation right away. We'll keep quiet. We can't let him know you've contacted us, although I doubt he'll do anything if he knew." Reggie pointed them to some chairs. "I'll be right back." Then he went to the office in the corner. A few minutes later he came out with an older guy in a suit. Probably the inspector. Reggie waved them over.

"This is Dr. John Carter and Dr. Douglas Ross."

"Doug..." Doug shook the man's hand.

"John." John shook his hand as well.

"I'm Inspector Niels Dalton. Call me Dalton." He pointed them into his office. "Please sit down," he said, closing the door. They sat in the two chairs in front of the desk. "Okay!" Dalton said, sitting himself down behind the desk. "I'm glad you came. I know it's been a hard decision to make, but I assure you it's the right one." The man smiled. He was a tall man with a strong face. Traces of many years of hard mental work had scars on it, but the wrinkles around his eyes also showed he was able to laugh the horror he witnessed every single day. His clothes, water combed hair, blank shoes and his close shave also showed he liked detail and perfection. Traits John appreciated right now.

"So let's get started. "Dalton clapped his hands together.

Reggie found an officer to drive them home. "We'll have a meeting now - informing everyone. I'll call you in a short while. There'll be some guys over later to put a tap on your phone. To trace his call."

"Thank you, Reggie. Thank you so much. "John shook his hand.

"Any time, Carter."

Doug said goodbye as well and they followed the cop to their ride home.

"Carter!!!" Lucy threw her arms around his neck. "I was so worried about you. I didn't know what was going on!"

"Hey, hey. I'm okay, "John smiled, surprised to see his med student in his home.

"I filled her in," Carol explained.

"Thanks." John stroked Lucy's hair. She smiled in relief.

"Mark and Peter are back at work. I got Chuny to cover for me." Carol said. She gave Doug a kiss. "So, what happened?"

They sat down and John filled them in on what happened at the police station. 

Lucy handed him the next plate to dry off. Carol had gone to the grocer. "I didn't know you and Kerry were together."

"You'll learn to catch up on the gossip soon enough. Just hang around Doug, Haleh, Yosh...well, all the nurses really," he smiled.

"I'm glad I found out though. I was thinking about asking you out."

"Ya?!" John was surprised. He saw Lucy as a younger sister.  

"Yeah..." she laughed. "Guess I'm pretty desperate."

John looked at her, "Oh, well. Thank you so much!"

Lucy laughed, "No! I didn't mean..."

John laughed too, stopping her poor explanation, "But I don't know why you should be desperate. You don't seem like a girl who's having trouble getting a date."

"Just the right date."

"What about the guys in the dorm?"

"Ahhh...they're all so immature. Dale's asked me out though."

"Nooo!!!. Don't go there, Luce. He's a bad seed."

"Told you I was desperate!" They both laughed.

"Maybe I know someone." Carol dropped the bags on the table.

"Carol!" They turned around.

"I'll get that." She pushed John out of the kitchen. Time to have a girl talk.

Reggie came into the house followed by five officers, Dalton and a huge bunch of equiptment. They began setting up right away.

Dalton explained what was going to happen. "So when he calls, we'll start the trace the second you pick up the phone." 

John nodded, "Now all we have to do is wait.