Six Senses

Last installment of this series ,
and my favorite. I took a lot of
liberty with Ted's past , as there's
so little about him in the manga.
I suppose the new side stories
will come along and make this all
obsolete. Anyway , it was fun to
write , and I hope fun to read .

Sorry to Dee lovers out there .I don't
hate him, honestly, I just think ...
well , you'll see.

This predates all the Drake/JJ stuff
I've written.

And lastly , this is Berkeley's part
in the staory. Who better to "Know"
about eveyone else, but him?

Moon



Berkeley Rose has a special gift , just don't call him
psychic. Intuitive is the word he prefers. Sounds enigmatic ,
like the man himself . It fits the austere front he projects ,
making him seem regally unapprochable .

Behind the designer frames that shield piercing blue eyes ,
however , gears move within a mind that sees all , processes
everything and discards little . It's this visionary intellect that has
placed him where he is today , the youngest police commisioner
at forty-five . He will be Mayor in ten years , Governor in fifteen .
For him it is not as simple as ambition . It's fact . The path that
lies before him has been crystal clear since he was seventeen .
He knows his life .

He also knows the paths of those in his immediate circle
just as well .

Drake Parker is a career cop , a blue-collar Catholic from a
family of cops . A born peace maker , classic middle child .
He'll live and die on the job , heart disease or emphysema unless
he gets that "Patch" he's always talking about . Like Berkeley ,
Drake will find love late in life , and if his relationship with his
partner continues to develope , it will be from an unlikely source.

There are no "ifs" here , you see . Berkeley knows .

He also knows enough to feel sorry for Parker ; a gifted
interrogator who'd be excellent at hostage negotiations .
The only things holding him back are a lack of confidence , no
education , and the need for a serious make-over .

Rose studies the man from behind his desk , gazing through
the glass front of his office wall . Parker is patiently listening to
a statement from a sobbing elderly woman . Rose would have
given up on her long ago and called in social work , but Parker's
method pays off .

He flashes his partner a grin as he hands him an address , then
straightens to grab his ratty overcoat . The movement causes him to
catch Berkeley's eye , he smiles and drags a hand through his shaggy
hair before his partner's chatter draws his gaze away . Together they exit ,
Parker taking the elderly woman's arm , and Rose looks thoughtfully
at his desk .

Educational Scholarship forms stare back at him . Each year , a deserving
officer is recommended through the Commmisioner's office . A task for
his secretary normally , but perhaps this year Berkeley will fill out the
forms himself . He pulls up Parkers file on his laptop and starts to read .

It is nearing three-fifteen when a knock on the door interrupts his
thoughts .

" Excuse me , sir , " JJ Adams leans in the entryway . " Second shift
has clocked in and report is complete . MaClean and O'Neil have gone
to brief the uniforms about the Bradley rape case suspect . Laytner
is in Interview Three with the assault suspect Drake and I brought in on
Mrs. Katz' tip this morning . I have uploaded the specifics on your e-mail
for review . "

Berkeley nods , processing the details of Adams end of shift report .
The man may be hyper , but he made an excellent shift charge officer
despite his age .

" Thank you , detecive . Dismissed . "

A quick smile . " Good night , sir , " and he's out the door to join
his partner , chattering excitedly about dinner plans as they walk out
together .

Berkeley shifts his attention from one man to the next . The partnering
of Drake Parker and JJ Adams seemed an unlikely alliance at best when
Warren Smith put them together almost two years ago . Perhaps Smith
was intuitive as well , for Adams and Parker have made an excellent match
of their abilities and personalities . Parker seemed to come out of his sleepy
eyed shell in the presence of the energetic younger man . Adams brought
out the listener in Drake as well , probably because he never seemed to shut up .

Except when he was holding a gun .

JJ Adams is simply the best sniper Berkeley has ever seen . A baby faced ,
blue eyed pretty boy who could pull a kill shot without batting an eye .
That , it seemed , was the least of his abilities .

Fastidious in every detail , from his cuff links to his crime reports , Berkeley
knew the man was wasted at his current post . By rights he should have been
promoted out of criminal investigations long ago . But Adams had too many
strikes against him : His looks , his open homosexuality , his money . The
powers that be didn't want a young upstart promoted to captain before he
was thirty . Making detective at twenty four was bad enough .

Berkeley , of course , knew where Adam's path truely lay . He also
knew a good thing when he saw it . Adams would get his promotion ,
all right . Right alongside Berkeley when he moved on .

Berkeley intended to take Adams with him wherever he went . The
man was sharp , and moldable , and was a superior's dream : he did
what he was told . Thankfully , he had no political aspirations of his own .
He would make a hell of a second in command .

He was easy on the eyes , too , but that's not where either of their
paths lay , however inviting a diversion might have been .

Convincing Adams to leave his partner behind might be impossible ,
though . The younger man seemed quite attatched to Parker ,
especially now that Laytner was officially off the market . Well , if they
were a package deal , so be it . With a little polish , Parker could prove
usefull on Berkeley's path as well .

It is near four thirty when MaClean and O'Neil return . The two detectives
are absorbed in a discussion of their own and are unaware of their
superiors gaze . O'Neil is trying to make a point , MaClean looks
thoughtful , considering , and turns to his computer to further investigate .

Berkeley watches O'Neil watch MaClean silently . The red haired man's
gaze roams over the other mans beautiful face , his lean form and elegant
hands . Not like a man in love , or even in lust . Just studying , cataloging .

Then he looks up , into Berkeley's eyes , catching him . Berkeley holds
his gaze a moment longer , then drops his eyes . O'Neil is watching him now ,
of that he is sure . He's felt those pale green eyes on him before . When he
looks back , O'Neil has mercifully seated himself and is engaged in a web
search of his own .

Ted O'Neil was known to Berkeley before he took the post of commisioner .
He's Paul O'Neil's son , a name from Berkeley's path long ago . Ted was
on that path too ; it unnerves berkeley to see how his life has remained
intertwined with this man's for so long . It is a part of their past he would
never wish repeated again .

Paul O'Neil was a jovial Irish cop on Long Island twenty four years ago .
His specialty was racketeering , the Giovanni Crime Family of the
1970's his personal project . As a detective , he was responsible for the
incarceration of many a family member over a fifteen year period .

All good things must end , they say .

He was not , to his credit , an easy man to kill . The third , and final attempt
occured in the middle of a sunny afternoon , in broad daylight in front of
his house . A black sedan , three armed men , and the sounds of
automatic weapons fire rent the air . O'Neil's blood stained the
asphalt as the gunmen quietly reentered the car and drove away , leaving
his screaming widow to tear open the front door , and rush to her husband's
side .

Berkeley Rose was a twenty one year old rookie when he arrived on the chaotic
scene . With his veteran partner he was assigned crowd controll . No one
past the yellow tape , press questions to the captain , keep moving , please .
To the young Berkeley , the crime scene looked like a still from a bad mafia
explotation film . A gory mess , a suburban street in broad daylight filled
with gawkers , and no witnesses .

Or so it seemed .

Movement in the shrubbery near the victim's house caught Berkeley's eye .
He drew his side arm and sighted in as adrenalie kicked through his veins .
He found himself looking down at two huge , pale green eyes , set in a face
scattered liberally with freckles . A mop of flaming red hair crowned the
boy's head as he peeked into view . He stepped to within three feet of
Berkeley's boots , and looked up into his face .

Rose quickly reholstered his gun .

" Did those bad men kill my daddy ? " the boy asked quietly .

Oh , Jesus . Berkeley thought back to his classes at the academy . When
dealing with children , get on their level . Gain their trust . He knelt , and
tried to look less intimidating .

" Yes , son , " he answered , his voice not nearly as steady as the child
before him . The boy was staring past his shoulder to the white sheet
stained with blood that draped his father's body .

" I hid . Daddy said to . "

"You did a good job , big guy , " Berkeley said , wincing at how stupid he sounded .
His heart was hammering in his chest . Potential witness ; too young to
testify ? How old was this kid , anyway , and how much had he seen ?

Everything , it soon became apparent .Young Teddy O'Neil , just six
years old , had been outside waiting for his daddy to come home .
He wanted to show him he'd learned to ride his two wheeler that
day , and not with any help from mommy or his big sisters , either .

Instead , he'd witnessed his father's massacre

From his seat at the kitchen table , feet dangling toward the lineoleum ,
Teddy described in perfect detail the new model chrysler that had
pulled next to his father's car . The way one of the hit men wore his
white polo shirt tucked into his pants . The color of the guns they carried ,
and the sounds they made when they were fired .

In the end , the eye witness testimony of a little boy sent nine men
to prison . Three for preforming the hit . One for driving the car . Another
five for masterminding the attack . O'Neil's widow , his son and teenaged
daughters, were relocated . Berkeley attended Paul O'neil's funeral
in dress blues , and stood next to Teddy . Who held his hand .

Berkeley thinks about the man who now sits across the way in the adjoining
office . He's certain O'Neil remembers him from that day , though neither
has ever spoken of it . Just as certain, he knows O'Neil's path will
repeat his fathers' , in near horrific detail .

He will survive, but it will be the impetus that drives him from the field
work he so loves . He'll transfer to a more stable field , a teaching post
at the academy , perhaps . One thing is certain : Ted O'Neil will make
sure he's around to watch the son he is yet to have , grow up.

Berkeley has completed the scholarship forms and leaves them
on his desk . He'll discuss the matter with Parker in a few days ,
after making sure Adams "accidentaly" sees them . Let the idea
come from Adams first . Parker might not be so quick to say no
if it comes from him.

Berkeley settles back to indulge in one of his favorite pastimes :
Ryo watching . He sighs , regret tinging his thoughts yet again .
Beautiful Ryo , the one that got away . You never had him to begin
with , the practical part of his mind instantly chides .

Oh , but if he had...

There was no part for Ryo on Berkeley's path , but he would have
gladdly forsaken everything had there been. For a foolish moment
he forgot that romantic love was for the young . Security was for the old .
And Berkeley knew where he fell in that equation .Diana would give him
security , and an electable public image . And it wasn't as if he didn't
love her , in his own way , as well .

But while his path is plain , Ryo's is even plainer , and it's his lingereing
feelings for the other man that threaten to break Berkeley's heart .
Ryo's will be a repeating patteren of love , and loss his entire life.. That he
should become so adept at the role of survivor makes Berkeley want to
scream at the injustice of it all .

But that's what Ryo has done before , at the tender age of eighteen when
the life he knew was ripped away from him with his parent's tragic deaths .
Now he is a parent himself , and will carry on for the sake of his son .
But he will ultimately do it alone .

For Ryo's path is intertwined with that of Dee Laytner . The man who has
joined O'Neil and MaClean in their office , causing Ryo's whole
demeanor to change . Even O'Neil beams in the presence of Laytner's
infectious energy.

Ryo positively glows . Berkeley has seen this kind of love before , only
a few times in his life . He knows he will never experience it for himself .

Laytner looks up quickly , and Berkeley is caught staring again . He wonders
for an instant what the expression on his own face must look like . For Laytner's
is a challenge . Quit looking . He's mine .

Berkeley smiles slightly and nods his head in acquiesance . You've won . He
drops his eyes , and begins to pack his briefcase for the night . He can barely
look at Laytner these days , for every time he does, he sees the same thing .

Dee Laytner will not live to see another ten years . Reckless by nature , he
has "Killed in the Line of Duty" written all over him . Laytner knows he was
never supposed to leave that alley thirty years ago . Each day since has been
a gift , one that he has opened and played with like a giddy child ever since.

Berkeley marvels at Laytner privately . Considering his upbringing , it's
a miracle he is where he is today , on the right side of the law instead
of the wrong . His sexual exploits alone should have killed him off long ago .
He's like a wild animal someone captured , and tried to domesticate .
They either die in captivity , or turn on their masters' in the end .

Berkeley spares a last glance for the trio in the office . O'Neil is feigning disgust
at Laytner's attempts to nuzzle MaClean's neck . Ryo laughs , and
swats his lover away .

Berkeley will take care of Ryo , too , when the time comes . Like Adams ,
he has plans for Ryo ; to give him a place on his staff as he moves up the
political chain of command . Ryo , and his son , will want for nothing .
Laytner has made him promise as much , should anything happen
to him .

Berkeley dims his computer screen , locks his desk , and closes
his office door . Let the calm remain another day , he thinks . It is the
closest thing to a prayer a man who stopped beleving in God a long time
ago , can muster .For now , all paths fade as he choses the simplest one for
him . The path home.