Perfect Storm

Chapter 22 - Suspicious Minds: Part 3

"Alright Meadows, we've got audio and visual. Any sign of Rabbani yet?"

Cordona, Hank and one of the CTU detectives were crammed into the back of a surveillance van, three pairs of eyes glued to the screen that displayed the footage from Kate's button camera.

"Negative. Nothing yet."

"Ok. Stay alert everyone. We know this guy's a slippery fuck."

Taking his finger off of the transmit button, Cordona propped his elbows on his knees and settled down to wait for Rabbani to arrive. Hank was seated as far away from him as he could get whilst still having a good line of sight at the screen, not wanting to be within touching distance of the asshole that broke Kate's heart and got her shot.

"So, how long have you and Kate been..."

Hank levelled Jake with a withering look that very clearly said 'are we really going to do this now?' but evidently Cordona didn't get the hint as he continued talking.

"You know, I didn't expect her to move on so fast...we were together a long time."

He wasn't going to do this now, not whilst she was out there risking her life to solve this case. She should be at the hospital with her brother but instead she was unarmed, sitting in the middle of Bryant Park waiting for a known terrorist and here Cordona was trying to start another dick-measuring contest.

Cordona let out a light, humourless laugh, at Hank's silence, his eyes glinting in the dim light as he looked Hank up and down.

"You don't really seem her type either, Voight."

Hank didn't dignify his statement with a response, instead he was focusing his energy on not grabbing this little fucker by the throat and squeezing the very life out of him.

"Who would have thought Kate Meadows would shack up with an old-timer like you, huh?"

Hank had heard enough.

"Are we going to have a problem, Cordona?"

His voice was cold and dangerous but Cordona merely smirked in response, gleeful that he had evidently poked a sore spot. He had absolutely no idea who he was dealing with.

"Ahh, what's the matter Voight? You worried about our girl, is that it?"

He was, he was absolutely terrified. In Chicago, it was his rules. His unit. His city. Hank absolutely hated the thought of Kate being out there without the backup he was used to giving her. But Kate was a first-class detective. In fact, she was probably the best he'd ever seen, even better than he himself was at her age.

'Hell, she's probably better than you are now.'

The mixed emotions battling in his chest said more about him than it did about her capabilities but, before Hank could respond, they were interrupted by Kate's voice as she notified them of Rabbani's arrival.

"I've got eyes on Rabbani. Approaching from the north-east side, grey jacket."

Within a few moments, Rabbani dropped into the seat opposite Kate and the two began talking.

"Yasin. It's been a minute. How's things?"

The young man gave her a genuine, albeit small smile and nodded his head.

"Yeah, it has. What brings you back to New York, Eva?"

"I think you know the answer to that already."

She gave him a sultry smirk, eyes lidded as she looked him up and down. Kate had been undercover as Eva Munez, the daughter of a now-deceased Government Aide who had been killed by American police officers during an assignment in Iran. She portrayed a young woman who had become disillusioned with her country and turned to ISIS as a result, playing right into the hands of Rabbani who had become an avid follower of Osama Bin Laden because of his own personal tragedy when his entire family was killed in an American drone attack in Yemen. As far as he was concerned, the two were kindred spirits, out to seek justice for their loved ones.