Beantown Interests

By Michael Weyer

Apologies for the delay, like many "PoI" fans, was rocked by the sudden murder of Carter on the show. Obviously, this story takes place before those events, all comments welcomed as ever.

Harold Finch would be the first to admit that he wasn't what one would call a "people person." While he may have improved a bit since starting his unique partnership with Reese and Shaw, he still felt more comfortable around computers than people. Thus, the arrival of a rather upset homicide detective and her equally aggravated partner was a challenge for his sensibilities.

"Who the hell are you?" Jane immediately barked as she burst into the main room of the penthouse suite of the Coronet. Finch was ready, standing in his usual tweed outfit, keeping himself calm. Maura was right behind Jane while Reese and Shaw shut the door behind them.

"Detective Rizzoli," Finch began in a calm voice. "I apologize for your recent ordeal. My name is Harold Finch." He motioned over Jane's shoulder. "You've already met my associates, Mr. Reese and Ms. Shaw."

"What is it you want?" It was easy for Jane to slip into interrogation mode, despite the circumstances.

"I would think that rather obvious, Detective," Finch said.

"Who do you work for?"

" We don't work for anyone, Detective. We're…you might say concerned citizens." Finch tired a reassuring smile but Jane seemed oblivious to it. "We received indications you and Dr. Isles were in danger and worked to prevent it."

"Oh….Well, thank you," Maura stated.

Finch nodded back to her. "While we are still ascertaining exactly why the Russian mob wants you both, I would suggest you stay here for the time being."

Jane angrily shook her head. "I'm not sitting around while someone is hunting us down. Especially with a bunch of people I don't know." She reached to her purse. "Let me call my captain, he can get the NYPD here and…"

"I would strongly advise against that, Detective," Finch cut her off. "Whoever is after you is obviously well connected and may be able to track your phone calls. For the moment, you are far better off letting us handle this. I assure you, we are well skilled at it."

Jane glared but Maura put a hand on her arm. "Jane…they did save our lives."

Jane looked to her and sighed. "Fine." She crossed her arms. "But we want to know just what is going on."

"I can understand that," Finch said. He limped to his laptop set up nearby. "This is tied in to the John Doe you were examining back in Boston, Dr. Isles." He tapped some keys to bring the information up. Maura moved to look over his shoulder, frowning deeply. "Wait…How did you get that information?"

"We have our ways," Finch intoned. "For some reason, the Russians want you both eliminated to cover up exactly how this person died. Which means, identifying just who he was is our first step."

"Any clues?" Jane asked as she came up behind him.

"Early crime scene reports are sketchy at best," Finch stated. "Sadly, it appears not everyone in the Boston P.D. takes their jobs as seriously as you do, Detective."

"Buttering me up is not helping," Jane snapped.

"I've always wondered about that," Maura intoned. "Why butter? I mean, jam would be as common a use and actually much tastier and…"

"Maura."

"Right, sorry."

Finch tapped a key and frowned. "Hmmm….It seems an FBI lock is placed upon the report."

"FBI?" Jane was confused. "The hell are they involved?"

"A very good question." Finch rose to his feet. "I'll need my main systems in order to properly break their encryption."

"Wait a minute, you're hacking the FBI?"

"Only the local server," Finch answered, making it sound like a common thing. "My main system is much better at getting such info."

There was a knock and Shaw held up her gun as she looked through the peephole of the door. She backed up to open it, allowing Carter to enter. "You're that officer from earlier!" Maura exclaimed.

"Looks like we're past the 'work in hiding' portion of this case," Carter noted as she saw the two women.

"Officer Carter aids us quite often," Finch explained. "I was about to contact you, Officer. I needed to know if you'd be able to help us gain more information on the activities of these Russians. You do have that unique information source to use."

"I can try," Carter said. She looked to Jane and Maura. "I know they may seem…unorthodox. But trust me, if you're in trouble, they're the best bet to get you out of it."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, Officer." Finch rose to his feet. "Mr. Reese, we should get to my main base to use the systems there. Ms. Shaw, you can stay and watch over Detective Rizzoli and Dr. Isles."

Shaw didn't seem happy but then it was hard to tell with her. She simply shrugged as Finch and Reese headed to the door. "Feel free to order room service," Finch spoke over his shoulder. "It will be complimentary, I assure you."

The three left as Jane and Maura looked to Shaw. The woman stared before heading to a window. "I'll take a steak. Rare."

Maura stared at her, then at Jane. "This is not exactly the break I was hoping for here."

Jane rubbed her temples as she moved to find herself a stiff drink.

The trip to the out-of-the-way warehouse wasn't far for Carter, she'd taken it several times before. The suited men outside simply nodded as she made her way out of her car and to the steps leading below. The main room of the underground chamber was almost entirely empty save for a large table set under a light. Sitting there, chewing in a lovely roasted duck and sipping from a glass of wine was Carl Elias. He hardly looked like one of the most feared mob bosses in the state, a quiet and unassuming man with a balding head and glasses but Carter knew he was truly a brilliant manipulator who still had major pull with crime gangs.

"Officer," he said with a smile. "Always a pleasure." He motioned for her to sit, Carter adjusting to the chair opposite him. "Checking up on me?"

"Making sure you're not trying to do anything on your own," Carter said. "HR is still hunting you."

"I'm fully aware," Elias said as he chewed on his food. "But don't worry, Officer, I know it's best to lick my wounds a bit before I strike." He looked up to her. "But you didn't want to talk about that, did you?"

Carter pushed forward photos of Rizzoli and Isles. "These two have been targeted by a Russian gang. Jane Rizzoli, Boston cop and…"

"Dr. Maura Isles," Elias mused as he lifted up her photo.

Carter frowned. "You know her?"

"I know her father," Elias corrected. "Paddy Doyle. Old-school to the extreme, a bit too rough for my tastes but still a power to contend with."

"Well, looks like they stumbled on a case in Boston, tied in to dirty cops there." Carter pushed some other photos forward showing the bodies of the dead Russians who had attempted the garage kidnapping. "Any ideas who they might be working for?"

Elias sipped his wine as he looked the photos of the bloodied corpses one-by-one. He paused at one and looked closer. "I think your case might be more complicated than you think, Officer."

"How so?"

Elias held up a photo and pointed to a tattoo on the man's neck. "This mark belongs to a group that's a bit too brutal for most of the U.S.-set Russian gangs.

Carter raised an eyebrow. "Too brutal for Russian gangsters?"

"Ever hear of Spetnaz, Officer? Russian black-ops soldiers, they're often referred to as the Soviet Delta Force but the truth is that they would eat a Green Beret for breakfast and complain about the taste." He carefully cut at his duck and chewed on a piece. "While some of them have gone to the Mafia, others are deemed far too vicious for even the bosses to control. They thus hire themselves out as mercenaries to whoever can pay best and use their skills to the utmost."

Carter frowned deeply. "And you think that's happening here?"

Elias nodded as he pointed at a photo. "They killed themselves?" At Carter's nod, Elias smiled thinly. "Yes, that's too much for a gangster but for these men, death before dishonor is a soldier's life. Which means you have to find out who is the one truly calling the shots."

"Don't suppose you have any hints?"

"I'm sure Harold will be able to find something," Elias remarked as he held up a bottle. "So…Chardonnay?"

"I'm on duty."

"Life is fleeting, Officer. I'd advise using what time you have."

"Keep it in mind." Carter rose to walk to the exit, getting her cell phone out to dial fast. "Finch? I think we may have a bigger issue on hand than you believe."

As an experienced detective, Jane had learned some time ago to gauge a person shortly upon meeting them. But Shaw was something hard to figure out. The woman's expression had barely changed an iota since sitting with the two women, her eyes always about as if prepared for trouble. She held herself stiff like a soldier but even more intense than those Jane had known. This woman was a killer, Jane knew that but somehow, she wasn't that afraid. She was, however, more than a bit aggravated at how Maura couldn't see such an obvious disdain for small talk around.

"So, do you work for…Mr. Finch long?"

"Not long," Shaw said in that flat tone of hers.

"I'm guessing not your standard job interview," Jane said.

"People I worked for set me up to die. He and Reese saved me, faked my death. Figured it'd be good to work with them a while."

Maura sipped at the wine with her meal. "Where did you grow up? I'm just curious, your ethnicity seems intriguing by your skin but…"

"Doesn't matter where I grew up," Shaw stated. "Parents died in a car wreck. I didn't. Tried being a doctor, didn't take. They said I lacked bedside manner."

"What a shock," Jane muttered. Shaw shot her an icy look but Jane just shrugged it off.

Of course, Maura had to keep pressing. "Well, that is interesting! Where did you go to school? Maybe our paths could have…"

Maura jumped as Shaw cocked her gun and stood up, marching off to the nearby windows to stare out them. Maura looked at her, then leaned toward Jane. "Quite obvious symptoms of alexithymia. She's unable to identify and describe emotions in her own self. Possibly touches of autism too, have you seen her show off any obsessive compulsive traits?"

"Aside from how she's made sure her gun is loaded and ready five times in the last ten minutes?"

"Yes, that is quite a sign, I do think that points more to…"

"Maura," Jane cut off. "The woman is disturbed, I get it. Frankly, I'd be inclined to arrest her but she and those weird friends of hers did save our lives so I'm going to let it go a bit right now. But I get the feeling that if you get on her bad side, she will shoot you and that is not a euphemism."

Maura frowned. "I'm sorry. It's just…this is a rough situation."

"I know, Maur." Jane rubbed her lover's hand. "I get it myself but we'll get through it."

"You two should get to the other room," Shaw stated as she walked up to them. "I'll keep watch out here…and…" She paused, blinking suddenly, her nose twitching. At the same moment, Jane suddenly realized how lethargic her body felt and her head dizzy. "Maura…"

Maura was blinking herself. "Gas…Think it might be…" She tried to rise up but fell back on the couch instead. Jane tried to move but her legs gave way under her, causing her to fall on the floor. Shaw had swiftly poured water from a bottle onto a towel to hold over her mouth and nose, her gun still steady and aimed at the door. Jane tried to crawl over but was unable to, slumping to the ground. She heard the door burst open and the crackle of electricity before the sound of another body hitting the floor. It was the last thing Jane heard before darkness claimed her.

Reese had changed from his hotel uniform to his usual dark suit, entering the main room of the apartment to see Finch at his computer desk. Reese patted Bear on the head before moving over to Finch. "What have we got?"

"Officer Carter indicated this might not be pure Russian mafia," Finch intoned. He was going over a program to show off the faces of the men Reese and Shaw had tangled with. "I'm running their faces through various criminal databases to try and find any matches, no luck so far."

"Maybe they're not criminals per se," Reese mused. "Try government databases. You'll probably get more hits there."

"I just may," Finch stated as he clicked on the keys. "We should also attempt to gain more information from Dr. Isles on her casework." He tapped a key. "Ms. Shaw, are you there?" There was a long silence as Finch frowned. "Ms. Shaw, do you hear me?"

Finch and Reese exchanged looks, knowing Shaw was too much a professional to leave Rizzoli and Isles by themselves. Finch tapped on his keyboard to bring up a window showing surveillance of the hotel suite to find it deserted. He began clicking through other cameras until one came to one of the lower level parking garages. There, a woman in a maid uniform was pushing a large laundry cart with a cover to a waiting truck, shoving it up the ramp and into the trailer. The woman raised up the ramp and then lowered the door. She hopped down, pausing to turn and look right at the camera. She smiled, lighting up her attractive face, undoing her maid cap to let her long brown hair cascade outward. She gave a light wave to the camera before climbing into the cab of the truck and began driving it forward.

"Shit."

"Shit indeed, Mr. Reese," Finch intoned. They both watched as the truck they now knew contained Shaw, Rizzoli and Isles was driven off by the twisted hacker they knew only as Root.

A good way to end this "act," hope not as long a delay for update as you can imagine the fun when Rizzles and Shoot collide. All comments welcomed.