Because Of You

Chapter 7

The 12th precinct has been in frantic chaos ever since Captain Beckett revealed one of their own was missing. With Sherman receiving further treatment at the hospital all anyone wants to do is bring Detective Ryan home safe. None wish to do this more so than Esposito. Ever since they returned he has been hard at work. No one has dared to approach him. They all value their lives too much!

"Espo we got something" Beckett calls out from the doorway.

The detective leaps up from his chair. In the tech room, Castle stands by Tory as she types away at her keyboard.

"Show him what you got, Tory" Kate tells her as she turns to face Esposito.

"Okay so I combed through the CCTV footage until I found when Detective Ryan and Sherman arrived. Just watch it and see what happens" Tory announces as she lets the video play.

Espo watches tensely through gritted teeth. In the video, Ryan makes his way down the side of the building. From the angle of the camera they can see the man waiting for Ryan at the corner. Esposito feels so helpless. When the man catches his partner off guard his heart drops. It seems Kevin handles himself well enough though, considering he's alone against multiple opponents, which terrifies Javier as much as it makes him silently proud of his best friend. Next Sherman arrives. The Hispanic detective wishes he'd have been the one have Kevin's back. Perhaps he would have done things differently. Maybe he would have spotted the attacker Sherman failed to spot in time.

As Ryan appears to fall into unconsciousness a black van appears out of nowhere. Even more men jump out of the back. Round after round they fire into the three attackers. These new perps then move in. One of them goes to Ryan and checks his pulse. Esposito sees the guy nod to his companions. It brings Esposito some comfort to know his partner is alive. The bullets were flying everywhere so his partner could have easily been hit by a stray bullet. From the looks of it he's bullet free. One of them picks Kevin up and flings him over their shoulder. The perp carries him over to their van. Tory stops the video. Using her mouse she zooms in on the van's license plate.

"I got the reg plate and I put out an APB on it before I showed you guys" Tory tells them, but directs it at Espo, knowing he needs to hear it the most.

"Thanks Tory" Esposito says as he makes his way to the door.

"Captain, I may have something" a detective declares as he stands in the doorway blocking Espo's path.

"What is it, Malone?" Beckett questions, hands on her hips.

"You know how Ryan's phone couldn't be found? It wasn't pinging off any cell phone towers and the GPS was turned off?" Malone asks them, even though out of everyone in the precinct, the people in front of him are the most informed on Ryan's case.

"Get to the point, Malone. I don't have time to waste. My partners missing" Esposito snaps at him. If Kevin were here he'd have the patience to deal with him. Unfortunately Espo doesn't have the luxury of his partner by his side or the same level of patience.

"Not anymore. I managed to find the phone's exact coordinates using this code I wro-" Malone starts to say.

"-you found him? Where is he?" Espo butts in. Malone will get one seriously big apology off him if he's found his partner for him.

"You're not going to like it" Malone informs them "The address is already in the system. It's Mick McConnell's house"

Everyone in the room gets a knot in their stomach. Fear strikes them all at their cores. It's a shocking revelation. They all know and fear that name for one reason or another.

"You mean Mick McConnell as in the Irish mobster? The most dangerous man in New York?!" Castle questions, but he already knows the answer.

Deep down he just wants someone to tell him that Ryan, a man he considers to be a part of his family, isn't in the same building as the head of the Irish mob. Sadly, no one will be able to tell him that unless they wish to lie to him.

"The very one Mr Castle" Malone replies with a sympathetic look.

"And Kevin's with him right now. We need to go get him - right now!" Esposito exclaims as the same uncontrollable fear he felt previously for his partner begins to take hold once more.

"We'll get him back Espo. I promised you that I would do everything I can. Now let me show you that I can keep my promises" Captain Beckett tells him before walking out of the room. Esposito, Castle and Malone follow her.

"We'll get him back, Espo" Rick whispers to Javier as they stand facing Kate.

"Damn right we will" he whispers back.

"Alright listen up!" Beckett calls out, getting the attention of all in the precinct "As you all know Detective Ryan has been taken. Now we know who has taken him. Most of you will know Mick McConnell. For those of you who don't know, he's the head of the Irish mob, and one very dangerous man. Detective Ryan's cell phone has pinged inside McConnell's house. Everyone grab your guns and vests. Every last one of us are heading over there to show this mob boss that he shouldn't mess with the NYPD and he certainly shouldn't take one of our own"

As soon as she finishes the precinct erupts into life again. Detectives race past to go grab their guns from their desks and put on a Kevlar vest. Esposito quickly straps on his Kevlar vest. The glock 17 he carries is already in its holster. Beckett stands next to him as they wait for the elevator to arrive at their floor.

"Nice speech, Captain" Esposito tells her, but he doesn't smile like he normally would. At the moment, smiling isn't an option. The detective fears he won't smile again until he has his partner back.

"We'll get him, Espo. McConnell has been getting away scott free for years. It's about time that all changed" Beckett mutters to him as she adjusts her Kevlar vest.

Kate knows a handful of detectives who all still have open cases with one thing in common - McConnell as the key suspect. Of course they've never been able to pin anything on him. No, he's far too astute for that. Even if he does get brought up on charges he has the best lawyers in New York. Every time he walks. It's extremely frustrating for all involved.

"You're damn right we will. There's no way he's getting away with this" Espo answers in determination as the elevator doors slide open.