Rules Of The Game

"What do you mean he was gone?" asked a perplexed Lt. Cotton..

"He was gone, his entire apartment completely empty....Not a trace of him anywhere...."I said ,shaking my head..

"It's almost as if he knew we were coming.."said Kylie...

"That's alright....Put a BOLO on for him.... We'll have guys at the Airports, Train and Bus Stations, Aquaport and Spaceport...We'll bottle this city up so tight...He won't be able to breathe...At least this case is down.."said Lt. Cotton...

"We put in a good days work guys...I'm going home...I'll see you in the morning..."I said.

"Let me go with you Nate?" asked my sister in law...Monique... "I've got to wash your wife's hair and re roll it tonight.."she said..

"You mean you're going to make her even more beautiful than she already is?" I said..

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwww you are sooo sweet..... She is such a lucky girl.."said Monique,hugging me..

We got in my flying car and headed home....

II-

At Home, I found Monica sitting alone..

"Hey Baby!" she said when I came in..

She kissed me for a long time.....

"You Okay?" I asked.

"Yes... I talked to my mother about the mysterious man in our photos..."said Monica.

"She knew him didn't she?" I asked.

"Yes...They were lovers once..Before she met my father...She knew he and Carl Jennings and another man, Mike Medley were pulling high line scores...The man, Caleb....wanted to marry her...She said she wouldn't marry him if he kept on putting down scores....She told him go straight or they were through...They broke up...She met my dad in the meanwhile....He was after them...They fell in love..My dad made cases on all three of them...Carl turned in States evidence...Mikey and Caleb took a fall...Mikey committed suicide rather than do all that time..Caleb took a twenty year fall...Now he's out and I fear he may have killed Silas and plans on killing Carl..."said Monica.

"Unless we get to Carl first and lock him up.."I said.

"I talked to Kylie...I heard he had left out of that apartment by the time you guys got there...I think he made me.."said Monica.

"That's alright...We got a Bolo out on him...He'll turn up...Oh yeah, your Sister is downstairs...She wants to wash your hair and re-roll it "I said.

Monica smiled...

She kissed me..

"I'll see you in awhile bae.." she said softly...

Monique was waiting for her...

"I was getting ready to call you....Guess who called me?" asked Monique..

"Mommy" said Monica.

"Dang, you and that mind reading thing..."said Monique...

"Hard to believe Mommy was like us once...Young, single, sexy...had boyfriends other than daddy.."said Monica.

''We are married sister....but yeah, we are sexy...We drive the men in our lives crazy..."laughed Monique.

"And a few others too!" laughed Monica..

"Yesss, how about that?" laughed Monique....




III-

A day later, Monica was out and about when she sensed someone behind her....It was him, Caleb...

She turned around, nearly startled..

He cautioned her...

"It's okay Little Lauren...You're in no danger here..."He said and smiled..."Lawd ,I don't know who is more like your mother...You or your sister...You both look just like her, both of you have that sexy walk just like your mother...Ummph,Ummph Ummph...Your husband is a very fortunate man..So is your father..." he said..

"My Father busted you....." said Monica softly...

"He did...He was doing his job....That's part of the game...but Carl Jennings...He broke the rules...He made a sweet deal for himself and Mikey and I took the fall....Mikey was up in age..He couldn't take all of that time...He killed himself...Me? I did the whole 20...20 years of my life...While Carl has been free...Lived in California...Was in Hawaii for awhile too....Never gave me a second thought...Dirty stinkin back stabbin rat."said Caleb..

"My dad married the woman you loved...You're not angry at him?" asked Monica..

"He was there...I wasn't...Rules of the Game...If I had listened to your mother...If I had walked away, She and I would be married...I might be your father today....but that was the bitter hand I was dealt..."said Caleb.

"You want to kill him don't you? Carl Jennings! you hate him!  You killed Silas didn't you?" she asked..

"I killed Silas to protect you....He made you for a cop...He told Carl who you were and who your sister is, He even told him where you two live....That's why Carl was gone when your husband and his partners got there.."said Caleb..

"I could arrest you."said Monica.

"But you won't..I know you're a mutant too...with telepathic powers....You know I'm telling you the truth and you know something else...You need me to help you catch him..You nor your husband and partners have no idea where he is...but I do...I've got his scent...I'm a mutant,just like you."said Caleb...

"I know..My Mother told me all about you and her..."said Monica..

Caleb smiled, thinking about Lauren Hall, Now Mrs. Lauren Talbert...

"I figured as much...I saw her here yesterday with you..She's still beautiful...She's a wife, a mother ....a lovely woman...I'm happy for her...She was and is a good woman...better than I ever deserved.."he said.

He walked away....

"Stay by your phone...I'll be in touch..." he said..

IV-

Hours later.....

Monica, Kylie, Lt. Cotton and I met outside of a tony housing development....

"I'll take the front door....with Nate..."said Monica..

I signaled the tactical squad police with us to follow me...

"Okay...Lou and I will take the back.."said Kylie,..

''We got him this time..."said Lieutenant Cotton..

They headed around the back...

Monica knocked on the front door...She didn't tell Kylie or Lt. Cotton about Caleb....She only told me...She told them she got a tip from an informant...Which was after all , the truth...

"Carl Jennings...POLICE!!! We have a warrant for your arrest....First Degree Murder...Open Up.."said Monica..

There was no answer..

I motioned for the Tactical squad to take the door...

They did...

A startled  Carl Jennings ran towards the back, only to run into Kylie ,Lt. Cotton and more Police..

"Times up Carlie...I told you I'd get you.."said Kylie..who read him his rights and handcuffed him..

"Get him the hell out of here...Book Him....Murder One!"said Lt. Cotton...

"We found your gun,your gloves and your slippers and sooo much more.."I said..

He ignored me, but he looked at Monica with white hot hatred..

"You're a cop...A gotdamn cop...You played me!" he snarled at her..

"Rules of the game babe."said Monica..

He stomped his foot in anger...

"How did you find me? HOW??" he asked.

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me.."said Monica, smiling...

Carl Jennings was hustled off and booked for murder.

Out of the side of my eye...I spotted Caleb, standing across the street, smiling...He nodded his head..

I nodded mine..

Monica looked at him and winked.

"Nice Wrap up huh?" I said..

"Indeed, now come here.."said Monica seductively..

Everybody had walked out...

"Oh yeah.....End of case kiss.."I said.. She was wearing a black sheer sundress that I could practically see through...

I took her in my arms....

We kissed passionately.......

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmph..." she moaned softly....She was trying to devour my lips..

"Yesssssssssssssssssss..." I moaned.I was trying to devour hers...

"Rules of the Game baby!" said Monica.

Caleb watched us and smiled....He walked into the Philadelphia afternoon foot traffic and vanished...

EPILOUGE-

Carl Jennings was convicted of First Degree Murder and sentenced to Life with No Parole...

Caleb got his revenge after all....

Monica never revealed that she knew Caleb had murdered Silas.....His murder remains unsolved...

Caleb gazed at Lauren Talbert..

one last time before he left the area...

"She is so beautiful....and so are her daughters...

 Monica

and Monique....

She really made some beautiful human beings...he mused as he wondered about what might have been.



FOR  L.