Fearless Leader (Juxtapose City) Read Free Page A

briefing that she wasn't a high profile victim. Just an ordinary, if somewhat attractive woman caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. So why did this case require Dickerson to be here personally?
    Black left Jake frowning at their potential new recruit and returned to the living room. McCahill's agents were busy rummaging through the apartment. The cleanup crew -- site investigators and representatives from the medical examiner's office -- wouldn't be called. Black didn't bat an eye as he watched the scene and its evidence being disturbed. This would be just another mission that would quietly disappear beneath the rug.
    He leaned back against a wall, crossing his arms and watching the men work. Some occasionally sent him suspicious, uneasy glances, which he returned dispassionately. He was used to it. Since being given command of JC2 Black had fallen prey to the hungry bite of the police department’s rumor-mill. Not that he ever listened or cared what anyone said of him behind his back but he was aware of it. He paid too much attention to the things that went on around him to be ignorant of his notoriety.
    His ears picked up the sound of heavy tread outside in the hallway. He recognized it immediately. McCahill's men were alert as well, all eyes turning to the doorway and to the bulky man who filled it.
    Captain Dickerson. The closest thing to a father that Black had ever known.
    "Captain," he murmured, inclining his head slightly.
    The older man smirked slightly at the show of respect. "How are you, Black? Don't see you much at the station these days."
    Black was supposed to check-in weekly with Dickerson but had favored connecting to the captain's computer, instead. He would never admit it to the older man but the less he interacted with Dickerson, the better. He saw him enough as it was. Besides, everything Black needed to know about JC2's missions, past and present, could be found via computer. He didn't see the need for frequent face-to-face meetings.
    "Been occupied," he replied, unapologetic. "McCahill says you're conducting an on-scene interrogation tonight?"
    The captain chuckled, wiping a hand across his head. Beads of moisture had gathered on the thinning threads of gray-brown hair which Black suspected was due to a return of the rain that had abated last night. Dickerson's dark blue eyes, set within a strong face that had nevertheless succumbed to time and gravity, were amused as they regarded Black.
    "Always so damned eager to get to the chase, eh, lieutenant?"
    If they weren't in the company of R&R Black might have smiled. "Just curious, sir. Not a normal occurrence. I had expected to meet you back at the station to discuss the transfer of Sergeant Sola."
    "Which, excuse me for saying, sir, is total bullshit!" McCahill said in a hissed undertone. "Sergeant Sola is my man. He's been with R&R for over a year. He's an integral part of my team. Losing him would be a huge blow to us."
    Dickerson raised a hand impatiently, apparently familiar with the other man's arguments. "Can it, McCahill. We've been over this already and I'm done with it. You can cull another member from one of the other teams. JC2 needs him and that's final."
    "Fuckin' bullshit," McCahill mumbled again as he stalked away.
    Black waited for him to leave before turning once more to the Captain. "Why are you here? I'd planned on doing this at the station. Not in front of McCahill's team."
    Dickerson's eyes panned over the men of R&R, knowledgeable eyes cataloging their movements. "Sundhill is there," he said, nodding a greeting to one of the men. "Thought you'd prefer to avoid his interference."
    Black frowned at the mention of JC1's team leader. Few people unnerved Black as much as the charismatic leader of their rival team. Still, Sundhill's presence at the station wasn't enough to make Black go out of his way to avoid the place. That would be conceding defeat of a sorts.
    Dickerson seemed to understand this. "It's my business I don't want