Previously on Vice Cop, Hudson went undercover at a costume party in The Hamptons in hopes of discovering a notorious Madame's wild sex party and drug operation. Lexa an Detective Mason went to the party unaware that their hostess was really the wanted Madame. Hudson's Corvette was bombed and he was mildly wounded by a gun shot. In this chapter, Hudson and Lexa team up as undercover cops for the first time. If you wish to skip all the action and storyline, read SCENE TEN for a brief oral and anal sex scene between a villainous foreign couple staying at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

*

ONE Hudson was named after the Hudson River, his father's way of honoring New York and it was his belief that his son would become a New York City hero. Following in his father's footsteps, Hudson Banach only wished his father were alive to see that he had become a cop. Hudson carried a small black and white photo of his deceased father under his cap. He admired him, revering him as the soul of masculinity and strength. He had survived dark and dangerous times during Mafia-controlled Sicily and he had provided for his family upon immigrating to New York City. Since Hudson could remember, he had lived with family in Middle Village, Queens....

It was Hudson's birthday. He was twenty nine. It also happened to be the day before New Years Eve. He had hoped he'd spent a quiet, uneventful birthday but his mother, whom everyone called Mamma Banach, went all out and threw him a big Italian style banquet. Everyone showed up: Uncle Vitto and his wife came over from Miami, Professor Goldstein, other uncles and aunts from his father's side of the family and his younger siblings Alyssa and twenty year old Angelo. They made a big fuss over him, scattering confetti everywhere in the dining room, playing Frank Sinatra music and Italian folk songs that the family had always enjoyed. They feasted on Mamma Banach's terrific Italian gourmet meals.

Hudson smiled a lot and looked appreciative but deep down, he wished he could disappear right there and then. All his life, family had come first and though he adored his family, he was sharply aware that he was nearing thirty and he wanted to move out of the family home and into his own place. Lately, also, his loving family was getting on his nerves.

"Family, I have some good news," he said as everyone ate their dessert, "I found an apartment in Bensonhurst Brooklyn. The rent I can afford and Professor, I'll be able to get to your place in Park Slope much faster now I believe."

"Oh, that's wonderful, my boy," the Professor remarked.

"And now you tell us?" Mamma Banach said, "why wasn't I the first to know about this, you're own mother."

"Oh, Ma. I meant to tell you but I didn't get the chance and I thought now was the perfect time. So if anyone cares to take a look at my new place, I'll be there by the end of the week."

"Is this because you've found a live-in girlfriend?" smart-alecky Alyssa said, "is it that blind date you had some time ago with help from the Professor."

Hudson frowned at the veiled reference to Lexa.

"No. Not her. Not anyone. I will be living alone for the time being. I thought it was about time. I mean I am nearly thirty." "Well, if you want me to have grandchildren, you better hurry and find yourself a wife," said Mamma Banach, "you're my oldest and you haven't had kids. I'm not going to wait until Angelo has a family; I'm getting older by the minute."

Everyone chuckled.

"I don't think I want a wife, just a girlfriend," said Angelo. The problem is you're too picky, Hudson. Whatever happened to that Sonya Romandini, the girl you were head over heels for in high school?" said his brother Angelo.

"She was a nice girl," Mamma Banach exclaimed, "and an Italian. She was perfect for you but you had to louse it up somehow."

"I didn't louse it up, Ma," Hudson said, "she moved to LA to pursue her modeling career. She didn't think I was good enough for her just because I'm a cop."

He briefly remembered their night in Atlantic City not long ago but his mind returned to the present. He hated that everyone was being so nosy about his love life.

"You know what kind of girls love cops? Nurses," said Uncle Vitto, "my own Nancy here was a nurse for many years in Atlanta, isn't' that right, hun? Find yourself a good girl, Hudson. Look for nurses, teachers or a Church going Catholic."

"But only if she's Roman Catholic," Mamma Banach added.

"Or a nice Jewish girl," said the Professor who was himself Jewish.

"I don't think it's any of you guys' business who I choose," Hudson said.

"Hudson, that was very rude," his mother reprimanded him.

"Well, that's my news," Hudson said, as if to say he considered the conversation finished.

But it was far from over. The rest of the evening was a continuous flow of conversation. Everyone got to open their mouth.

"How's Miami, Mr. Vitto?" the Professor asked him, "I'd love to retire there myself some day but I don't think I can bring myself to leave New York City's fine arts scene."

"Well, you really gotta want to live there and if you can thrive in humid and hot weather, it's paradise," said Vitto.

"Mamma Banach, can you make some more coffee please?" Aunt Nacy said.

"When are you going to take me to see The New York Yankees, Hudson?" Angelo inquired

"Alyssa, don't play with your food. Have another cream pie, Professor," said Mamma.

"When's your next vacation, Hudson? You should come to Miami," Uncle Vitto said," we can go to the Gator Bowl seeing as you like football more than baseball."

"Did you see that new Madonna music video on MTV "Papa Don't Preach, Alyssa?" one of her cousins asked her.

"I don't care for that crazy gal," Nancy, Vitto's wife said, "she's giving American gals a really bad name."

"Oh, she's just an entertainer, Aunt Nancy; I'm sure in real life she's not that wild."

"Did you remember to tape Miami Vice, Hudson? I like that show, too," said Angelo.

"Yeah, I did, and also taped The A-Team and Magnum P.I."

"That Tom Selleck is a really good actor," said Aunt Nancy.

"Hudson, I've recently taken an interest in musicals," the Professor said, "would you like to come see CATS with me?"

"Hudson, I can hook you up with one of Nancy's single girlfriends. She's a secretary at my lawyer's offices. Her name's Samantha and she has legs from here to yaya and a great pair of boobs."

"Vitto, I don't want you talking like that in front of the children --"

"Children? What children? Alyssa is a teenager now, right and Angelo is over eighteen now. They hear this kind of language and worse in the movies. Speaking of movies, did anyone see Madonna's Desperately Seeking Susan? I'm telling you, that girl shouldn't act and should just stick to singing. Let's hope she gives up acting.

"Don't smoke in the house, Vitto. Now, everyone sit still. I'm going to see if the cake is ready. Hudson, you don't have to tell us what you're going to wish for."

I can tell you what I wish for, Hudson thought. I wish to find a wife and buy a house. I want a brand new car since my last one exploded.

As they blabbed on and on, "Finniculi Finnicula" played in the background from an LP near the kitchen. Hudson wanted to get up and leave, leave them chattering on because they had the energy to do it all night long but he grinned and bore it as best he could.

TWO

The Police Man's Ball was on again, this time on New Years' Eve which for the cops meant double the fun at one party. Hudson Banach was feeling blue. In all his years as a cop, he had never brought a date or girlfriend, whereas the other cops on the force brought their arm candy girlfriends or dates. The Ball was usually the same each year. There was modern dance music, good food, including haute cuisine and lobster prepared for them by skilled chefs, and there was plenty of wine and alcohol. The Ball was usually held in a ballroom at one of New York City's fine hotels. This year the party was to be held on a yacht anchored in the New York City Harbor.

Hudson was at the Professor's home in Brooklyn, dressed up in a well-tailored suit, only about half hour before the party began. The Professor made him some warm tea and they sat down by the roaring fire. The Professor had recently bought himself a cat, an orange-yellow whiskered mutt, and he was stroking it and petting it gently. He had an LP record playing and it was opera, soprano Maria Callas' hardcore voice blaring. Hudson finished his tea and bowed his head a bit.

"What's wrong, Hudson? "the Professor said to him, "is it because you're still single and you wanted to bring a girl to the Ball again?"

"Well, duh, Professor," he replied in a curt tone, "I really don't want to go but I'm going anyways just for a show and because I have nothing else to do."

"My boy, I really think you need a boost of confidence. Surely women love the man in the uniform. Isn't being a good cop enough? And you're very attractive."

"I don't make as much money as some women would prefer I make," he replied, remembering Sonya who had abandoned him in Atlantic City.

"Well, you're not going to be a millionaire on a cop's salary that much is true, but you know, money and social standing isn't everything. If every girl you meet is only interested in those things, then they don't prioritize good character. Look, you need to pull yourself together. Go to that ball, have a good time and if you want, I can look for another girl to go out with you on a blind date, seeing as Miss Lexa O'Neil and you didn't work things out."

"Don't mention her."

"She really is wonderful and I've gotten over my issue with her being a cop. I know that in my day such things were unheard of- women working any kind of job other than being mothers, but times have changed. Women are in the work force and making a difference in society."

"Yeah, but I don't want to be involved with a woman who is a cop, or any sort of authority figure. It's just not in my nature."

"Well, I won't argue with you. Go on now, have fun at the ball."

THREE Hudson made up his mind that he would indeed have fun, even despite the misery that was gnawing his insides on account of his seemingly endless bachelorhood. He was dressed up in a long-sleeved dress shirt, without a tie and open to the navel, and dark slacks.

He had always worn a full suit before or a tuxedo but this time around he felt he had no need to dress up. It wasn't as if any girl was going to notice him. The only girls at the Policeman's Ball were the other cop's girls and Lexa O'Neil, who, like him, had always gone to the ball without a date.

The urgent need for vice was calling him again, and before he arrived at the harbor where the boat was docked, he went to a bar downtown. He loathed going to bars and had only gone to a few, and never with the intention of picking up a girl. He had gone with his Uncle Vitto before he had married Nancy to play pool, smoke, drink and watch sports on the bar's television. He knew that drinking could be addictive and he had always avoided that particular vice. Being a cop, who constantly arrested drunken drivers, he knew he could not drink too much himself.

But tonight, he felt like drinking as much as he wanted and even more than he should. The bar was as crowded as could be expected on New Years' Eve. It was nine thirty in the evening, and already the atmosphere was heavy with the anticipation of New Year's typical celebratory madness. Men and women were chatting up a storm, as well as smoking in thick clouds, listening to music and dancing to it on the small dance floor. There were several bar tenders at work, and lots of girls eager for fun. A mock ball like the one on Time's Square hung over the ceiling and Hudson knew it was going to drop when it stroke midnight.

"Relax" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood was playing as Hudson took his seat and ordered himself a scotch. Nothing light for tonight, he thought. He figured he'd order more than on scotch on the rocks and then just a lot of beer. He looked around, his eyes surveying the girls. Only one girl was staring back at him, despite the fact that she appeared to be with a guy, who was putting his arm around her waist.

She was dressed in a denim jacket, a tight skirt and her hair was as high and puffy as the girls who appeared on the soap opera Dynasty, which his little sister Alyssa watched religiously, despite Mamma's objections to "soap operas" being smut. She had a naughty quality to her but that did not surprise him. Only the naughty girls seemed to be drawn to him, never the good ones.

She excused herself from her boyfriend or date and approached Hudson.

"Buy a lady a drink?" she said to him.

"What about your boyfriend over there?" Hudson said to her.

"He's not my boyfriend," she replied, but Hudson did not believe her.

This is a girl playing head games, thought Hudson. Well, maybe he could still have fun with this girl, maybe even take her to bed, if only to relieve his stress. He looked at her more closely now that she was directly in front of him. She was short, had nice boobs and legs. She looked to be twenty one, and obviously had been drinking herself to a stupor already.

"You don't need any more drinks," Hudson said to her.

"Ok, maybe I don't, but you sure do. You look so uptight and mysterious sitting alone here. So what are you, an FBI agent, with the CIA? I didn't know you guys partied."

"I like to party, babe," Hudson said, "in fact I'm going to one tonight. But you gotta be a cop to go."

"You're a cop?"

"That's right. But I'm off duty."

He said this with that naughty smile and look in his eye, letting her know that he was free for sex. The girl eyed him up and down, and she looked pleased with his handsome, muscular appearance. But the girl looked like she had something else in mind.

"I don't like cops," she said to him, "I'm always getting in trouble with the cops."

"Oh yeah? You do marijuana or cocaine?"

"I smoke pot. My friends do it a lot and hey, when in Rome --"

"Are you on something right now?"

"No I'm not. Hey, cop, I'd like to see you drink more than my boyfriend over there."

Hudson looked over at the guy who had been with her. He was drinking and looking over at them with an expressionless and bored face, as if he didn't care what his own girlfriend was doing. The girl brazenly put a hand on Hudson's thigh. She whispered something into his ear that made Hudson hot.

"You really think you're boyfriend won't mind?" Hudson said to her.

John Parr's "St. Elmo's Fire" which was a song Hudson really liked, played in the bar. The girl moved her hand up his thigh and stopped right over his crotch. Hudson got her hand and raised it to his lips, kissing her hand.

"He won't mind it if I gave you a lap dance right now. He likes it when other guys find me attractive and do things to me. We have an open relationship. I don't mind him being with other girls."

"Open relationship?"

"Join the twenty first century, cop. Yes, you know, kinda of like swingers except we're not married. When we do marry, we'll still be with other people whenever we want to."

"I see."

"So how about it?" she said, already lying on her back on the floor.

People were staring at the girl and wondered what was going on. Hudson finished his first drink and then ordered another one. It was beer. He then kneeled before the girl on the floor.

"Do it," she said as she lifted up her top to reveal her flat and sexy stomach and belly button.

Hudson poured the beer on her stomach and then leaned his head down to lick it off her. He did this slowly and she squirmed and smiled a bit, thoroughly enjoying it. The young guys closest to them burst into cheers, cat calls and applause.

"Lick it," they said, referring to a certain part of her anatomy.

But Hudson continued to lave her stomach and abdomen, slowly, sensually, with his hands on the waistband of her skirt, tugging at it but not pulling it down. More beer followed and the girl took off her top, showing off her breasts and rosy nipples. Hungrily, Hudson licked them, but only after having poured alcohol over them. His head was spinning. The entire bar was spinning in his eyes in a fast circular motion and he felt like he was on some kind of amusement park ride. He didn't care that he was doing something so lewd and shameless. No one seemed to care after a while and continued to party.

The boyfriend, who had been watching, finally came up to Hudson. He had a different look on his face now, one of annoyance.

"Ok, get off my girl," he said, but his tone was not angry, just casual.

Hudson knew that he should comply but he continued to lick the girl's breasts until he felt sated.

"Ok, that's enough," the guy said trying to pick up Hudson.

The guy was smaller in build than Hudson. Hudson looked down at him and then smiled. He was drunk. He burst into laughter and walked away, his eyes on the girl. She looked back at him.

"Hey," she shouted," if you really are a cop, I had fun but if you're not and you lied to me and you're one of those male strippers who go to bachelorette parties dressed up like a cop, I'll look you up."

"Don't count on it," Hudson said and left the bar.

FOUR

The yacht where the Policeman's Ball was being held was big enough for many guests on its deck. It looked like it was built only for parties at sea, in fact. It was docked by the harbor with the most grandiose view of Manhattan. The moon was full that night and glistened in white and silver over the waters. The Twin Towers were in sight not too far away and the many high rise buildings which were lit up as radiantly as night stars.

Because his car had blown up in the Hamptons, Hudson had walked to the harbor. As it turned out, not even walking got the alcohol out of his system and he intended to drink even more at the Ball. He saw that many were already aboard partying and eating the gourmet meals at the buffet. Pretty girls in "prom" style gowns of many colors and shades walked about, socializing with each other or with their boyfriends. The guys were in fancy suits and tuxedoes. As he got on board, he looked up and noticed Lexa O'Neil, her elbows resting on the sides of the boat, with a far-off look in her eye and enjoying the night air. She looked absolutely gorgeous, like a vision, and the moonlight over her body gave her the illusion of mysterious and divine beauty. She was wearing the same blue sequin gown she had worn to The Hamptons.

"Do you remember when we met, that's the day I knew you were my pet. I wouldn't tell you how much I loved you. Come with me my love, to the Sea, the Sea of Love. I wouldn't tell you how much I loved you --"

As the Honeydripper's romantic song "Sea of Love" played on, Hudson felt miserable at heart. It seemed to be speaking of him, of Lexa, of that night he first met her sitting like a princess by a fireplace at the Professor's home. Damn her, he thought, she has to be here. He comforted himself with the fact she was alone again, much like he was, without a date. But then, as he walked onto the deck, he saw that Detective Mason Holmes, in a tux, drink in hand approached Lexa and gave her the drink. They smiled and conversed and were standing intimately close.

* * * *

Blondie's "Call Me" blared as the party continued. It was now approaching midnight. Hudson had been drinking every available alcoholic beverage at the party -- martinis, sex on the beach, wine, cocktails and more scotch. He was eating a hell of a lot too, which he never did. The guys on the force, used to eating heavily at parties, watched Hudson in amazement as he pigged out on the variety of dishes prepared by the Cuban Chef, who had prepared dinner parties at the Oscars in Hollywood the previous year. Lexa noticed that he was only acting strangely every time he looked over at her.
Lexa excused herself from the Detective and approached Hudson. He was talking loudly with a group of other cops and laughing, sharing jokes and anecdotes. Lexa noticed that no girl was present here and in fact it appeared as if they had been avoiding Hudson.

"Hey," one of the officer's girlfriends said to Lexa, arresting her walk, "don't go talk to him. He's being a real jerk tonight."

"Oh? What is Banach saying?"

"Oh you know how guys are when they're together," the girl replied, "but he's going too far. He's been upsetting the girls saying obscene things and acting like he's straight out of high school or something."

"Oh, don't worry. I'm sure I can calm him down."

"You know how he is around you, Lexie," she said, "you'll only provoke him."

Lexa did not pay the girl any mind and approached Hudson, who was in the middle of a circle formed by the officers.

"The Politics of Dancing" by Re-flex was playing in the background. The boat had begun to move a bit but slowly and it was still by the harbor. Hudson looked at Lexa, drinking down another scotch on the rocks. He grinned at her.

"Hey, look fellas, she forgot she's supposed to stay on the side of the ship where the girls are," Hudson said.

Subtle chuckles by only a few of the guys were heard but many looked serious as Lexa stared Hudson down. She looked damn good in her heels and the way she crossed her arms did too. Her hair was in a French twist, with a curl of her hair hanging on the side of her cheek.

"Hudson, what's your problem tonight?" she said to him, "why are you being such a big jerk?"

"Why whatever do you mean?" he said in a mock British tone, "I've been a perfect gentleman."

Some of the guys were laughing but trying to conceal it. Lexa furrowed her brow. Hudson finished his drink and in a sudden gesture, threw it on the deck, breaking the glass. Everyone stared.

"Gee I'm clumsy tonight" he said, laughing.

"You're drunk off your ass is what you are," Lexa said, "you're making a scene. Come on, I think you should leave before you start some trouble."

"Trouble? Scenes? I'm not the expert at making scenes, Lexa. Look at you, you've been making great scenes since you joined the force. Maybe you ought to go on patrol in that gown. That would make a great scene."

"This is one night where you're not going to insult me, Hudson."

"Oh, I'm so scared, what are you going to do?"

Detective Mason Holmes came over and many of the other officers, upon looking at him, left immediately. Detective Mason put a hand on Lexa's shoulder.

"Is there a problem here?" he said.

"Yes, Detective," Lexa said, "Deputy Banach is excessively intoxicated and must leave before he goes wild in here."

Hudson threw another glass on the deck.

"I'm not that drunk!" he said, "my hands are slippery."

"Mr. Banach, go on. Get out of here. You're giving the force a bad name."

This made Hudson growl under his breath and he stared at Mason Holmes with a look of masculine anger. Damn him, he thought, thinking he was better than him.

"Hey, Mason, you're the one giving the force a bad name," Hudson replied, "you've never seen one bit of action in the whole time you've worked with the Chief. Even the Chief's done a lot to the risk of his own life. All you do is investigate crimes in those sissy suits in a god damned office all day."

"You're a bastard, Banach," he said, his words were angry, and he stepped closer to him.

They were in each other's faces.

"You're a pussy," Hudson said to him.

"Muscle-headed brute cop asshole. You can't resolve anything without using language which you've already forced me to use or without using fists."

"You wanna fight that's fine with me," Hudson said, cock-ready for a physical altercation.

"No I'm not going to fight you, stupid," he said, "you're drunk and this is not the time or the place."

"Is two a.m. after the Ball at an alley in Brooklyn alright with you?"

"Look, you dick, I'm going to ask you to get out of here."

"You're the dick, Detective. Isn't that what they call detectives? Dicks?"

"Hudson, please get out of here," Lexa said her eyes somewhat disturbed.

It was as if watching him this way made her unhappy. Hudson cursed under his breath, grabbed another drink and got off the yacht and back into the city.

FIVE

Hudson had not gone far. He remained by the harbor looking at the other cops having fun and staring with some pain seeing Lexa with Detective Mason. Why he was feeling this way, he did not know. Lexa had a way of getting to him, no matter what she did. He had no right to feel she belonged to him; he had no claim over her. He was afraid of how she made him feel. No other girl, not even the more beautiful fully white girls he had known, had made him feel like she did. It was killing him to know that Detective Mason appeared to be not only her date but her boyfriend. As the party music continued and the yacht had sailed around the harbor several times, Hudson realized midnight was approaching in a few minutes.

He looked at his Rolex watch, the one watch he owned and he was proud he had been able to afford it, despite his cop salary. He loved to occasionally buy status symbols like these. And even that wasn't helping him attract a mate. What an ass he had made of himself tonight. Now Lexa would never even look at him. And he had begun to enjoy her looking at him.

Suddenly, as the clock stroke twelve, a bomb went off. It startled everyone, not just the cops on the yacht but the people walking about by the harbor and in Manhattan. Hudson had sobered up by walking about the harbor. He looked around. The yacht shook in the waters. Orange and crimson flames, crackling like fireworks rose higher and higher, the firelight casting the waters in hues of red. He got up on a rock to see that it was another yacht that had exploded. From aboard the yacht where the Policeman's Ball had been held, the music had stopped and worried voices could be heard. They evacuated the yacht at once.

He was able to see Detective Mason issuing orders. Hudson hated when he did that. It was not as if he was a Lieutenant or the Chief but it made sense that he would do something like that since both Chief Hiller and Lieutenant Dante were absent from the ball. A group of uniform cops were already coming in speedboats across the water. The Coast Guard was with them.

Hudson ran as fast as his feet could carry him. He found the other cops and Lexa was with them. Detective Mason was nowhere to be seen. Lexa looked at Hudson briefly but she turned her face away into the direction of the burning yacht. It had begun to sink into the waters. A rescue mission was already in operation, as cops and coast guards helped out people who had been aboard the yacht into safer ground.

"What's happened?" Hudson said to Lexa.

"I heard the Detective say it's an act of terrorists", she replied.

"My God," said Hudson, "terrorists? In New York City? I don't believe it. Let me at them."

"I don't think it's possible," Lexa said, "they got away."

Six

Hudson was called into the Chief's office.

He walked into the office after his duties in the morning. He had issued tickets for traffic violations, speeding and the like; which bored him immensely, arrested some shoplifters and done some patrol since a little before 7 in the morning.

"Sit down, Banach," Chief Barry Hiller said to him.

Hudson sat down. The Chief was walking about watering the fresh green potted plants, which had grown to be quite showy, with a pitcher.

He was walking about with a contented look in his face, as if he had been singing. Hudson repressed his urge to laugh. He always noticed that the Chief was engaged in some kind of quirky thing for him to do like eat candy or watering plants. It was so unlike a tough police chief to do.

Hudson sat down and they looked at each other in a moment of silence. The Chief was smiling from ear.

"Congratulations, Hudson," he said to him, "you have proven yourself just like I figured you would."

"About The Hamptons?" Hudson said.

"Of course, what else? So here's the thing. I know you have done terrific job as a uniform cop and you obviously don't want to fully give it up -"

"Well, I want to do what I can, Chief -"

"You're a damn good cop, Hudson. But I figure it's time for you to do something different."

Oh, thank you God, thought Hudson.

"What do you have in mind, Chief?"

"Well, we need a man like you to do undercover jobs. You did such a wonderful job in The Hamptons and we caught the notorious Madame we had been looking for, all thanks to you. It was such an odd coincidence that Detective Mason Holmes and Miss O'Neil were in that same party as guests."

"Didn't either the Detective or Lexa explain it to you?

"Yes. They said that Mrs. Clementine Gibson had been fooling Mason every time he showed up at her parties. I mean, wow, what a bitch."

Hudson repressed his laughter at the Chief's sudden outburst. He had never heard him use that kind of language and he found it amusing. The Chief continued to water his plants and he was whistling to the tune of "Moon River". When he put the pitcher down, he once again focused his attention on Hudson.

"Let's get to the serious matter at hand. By now you are aware that there are terrorists lurking in New York City, correct? I wasn't there at the Policeman's Ball when it happened."

"What exactly happened, Chief?"

"A group of foreign-born terrorists set off a bomb on a yacht in the harbor. It belonged to a wealthy architect who had been celebrating New Years Eve with his Wall Street type friends."

"Do we know who these terrorists are?"

"No. The guests only caught brief glimpses of them. There were three -- two men and a woman, Middle Eastern looking. It's big national news. There's lots of speculation as well. Because they blew up a yacht, it could be some personal vendetta against the owner. Then again maybe it was just a random act of terrorism to scare New Yorkers. Detective Mason Holmes and his CIA contacts are working on this."

"Is Miss O'Neil working on this?"

"You mention her often, Banach," the Chief observed, "well, yes, as a matter of fact. And this is where you come in."

"Me? What do I have to do with Lexa's work?"

"You are a damn good cop, Hudson. But you know you're not the only one. I have two star cops here. Miss Lexa O'Neil has proven to be a terrific asset. She's done various undercover jobs already and she's been the vice squad since she went to Miami."

Hudson could not believe it. Now he was going to team him up with Lexa and that was something he wished to avoid.

"Isn't Lexa working exclusively with Detective Mason Holmes and his cases?"

"Yes, but she has taken a bigger interest in our own department. She's very loyal to New York City as you are. You both grew up here. Where are you from Hudson?"

"From Queens but I'm moving to Brooklyn."

"Miss O'Neil grew up in Queens. You have both been very good cops here and we wish to challenge you. You both have what it takes. In order to see if you'd make a good team; I'm going to have you first do a very important mission."

Hudson sighed inside himself. Lexa would once again get into the picture. She had been appearing in his dreams ever since he saw her in her sexy sequin gown in The Hamptons and as always, he would dream of having sex with her. Lately, he was dreaming of tender and slow intimate lovemaking with her, as if they were married. He'd wake up and he'd avoid Lexa at work as best he could.

"Chief, this is the first time I think I've ever said no to you," Hudson said, "I'd rather you pair me up with anyone else but not Miss O'Neil."

"Come now, Hudson. You're not jealous of her success are you? Have you had an issue with her being the only skirt on the force? Can't you see that Miss O'Neil is the way she is because she's the only girl here. She has had to prove she's as good as any guy cop here."

"I have nothing against Miss O'Neil. I don't want to get into it right now. We just don't get along is all."

The Chief sat down by his desk and scrutinized Hudson in silence, as if wondering about his feelings for her.

"You can't weasel you're way out of this, Hudson. Take it or leave it. Do you want to be a vice cop or not? If you don't wish to work with Miss O'Neil then I'll find someone else."

"Ok, Chief. I'll do it."

"Good. Here's the scoop. We have reports that there have been suspicious activities around Fifth Avenue where the Empire State Building is located and also in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel."

"What kind of activity?"

"The strange foreigners again, roaming about, blending in with the wealthy folks who frequent the hotel. They have been spotted around that area only.

"This sounds like something the FBI or CIA ought to be looking into, Chief, or the bomb squad."

"Well, we're working with them. I have another detective on the case but we need undercover cops to stake out the area and see if anything looks suspicious. If you are sure that these men are actually terrorists, you can make the arrest and that would be enough to keep you in the vice squad or any other position of your choice."

Hudson could not believe his ears. This was the opportunity he was looking for.

"These reports are unbelievable, just like the Hamptons. Would they actually blow up a building in New York?"

"Hudson, don't be naive. Of course they would. These foreign devils are barbaric, and they envy American power. So listen up. I want you and Miss O'Neil to stake out the area. Miss O'Neil will work on spying in the Waldorf Astoria and you will do your own job in front of the Empire State Building. You will need to keep in touch with Miss O'Neil on your device."

"Ok, Chief."

"You will both be armed with holster guns and you will dress in plainclothes. Nothing fancy. Maybe just in business wear. You have clean dressy shirts and slacks of course. Miss O'Neil will be in some sort of business outfit."

Hudson closed his eyes. He could already see Lexa in some cute tight skirt, blouse and cocoa-colored stockings. She would look hot no matter what she wore. O, how he would have to fight against how she made him feel. Hudson knew he would have to ignore these sensations or Lexa would cost him the coveted vice cop position.

"Ok, Chief, I'm your man."

SEVEN

Lexa O'Neil did in fact wear a sexy business wear. Despite the conservative aura surrounding her what with her severe hairdo and widow's peak above her forehead and reading glasses, she had on a tight brown skirt, creamy beige blouse opened above her navel, stockings and heels. She looked like Superman's love interest Lois Lane, a lot like a journalist. She had a small communication device in her pocket which she reached for as she walked around the Wall Street area for the fourth time that late morning.

"Hudson," she said to him, "no sign of them. What did the Chief say they look like?"

From the other end, Hudson was in his business suit and standing by the Empire State Building. To make it look like he was not undercover, he posed as a business man about to have lunch. He was standing by a hot dog stand and the man selling the hot dogs stared at him wondering when he would actually buy a hot dog.

"Chief said they are from the Middle East and Arabic looking, even the girl," Hudson responded, "they should even be dressed as the rest of the folks over in Wall Street. How long have you been there now?"

"About four hours now since earlier in the morning, aren't you tired?"

"Oh, hell yeah and hungry. I'm really tempted to buy some hot dogs."

"Hudson, this is off subject but just what was going on with you at the Policeman's Ball?"

"I didn't mean to- offend you or anyone. I was drunk. I was at a bar before I went to the ball."

"You should never do something like that."

After a moment of silence, they walked about trying to look casual and not like a pair of spies who were communicating with each other. It was working like magic. No one up and about on Fifth Avenue, whether they were shopping at Saks or walking in and out of both the Empire State Building or the Waldorf seemed to take notice of Lexa or Hudson. Then again, thought Hudson to himself, it was New York City and no one seemed to notice anything.

"So are you and Detective Mason Holmes a couple now?" Hudson asked, seizing the opportunity to find out.

"It's not something I can talk about right now, Hudson," she said, "but yes, we are. We've been dating ever since the costume party in The Hamptons."

"I figured."

"It's not any of your business, Hudson."

"Alright, alright. Don't get your panties in a bunch. I was just asking, geesh."

Silence and static.

Hudson, unable to resist, purchased a hot dog and began to devour it quickly. He loved New York City hot dogs and he knew that no other hot dog in America was like it. He had always enjoyed hot dogs, especially at football games or baseball games with his Uncle Vitto.

"Hudson, are you still there? I see something," said Lexa in an excited tone of voice.

"Alright, calm down. What do you see?"

"Two men, dressed in grey business suits with briefcases and a woman is with them. I think it's them. No other person is walking in a trio like them."

"Are they Middle Eastern?"

"Sure are. The girl has a pretty mean looking face. I'm going to follow them. They're going out of Wall Street and getting in a cab."

"Ok, you follow them Lexie and call me back when you can."

Hudson continued to devour his hot dog.

EIGHT

Lexa, having grown up in New York City, and being a beautiful lady, knew just how to get a taxi. She simply whistled loudly for it and waved in the air. A yellow taxi cab stopped in front of her by the street and Lexa got in. The man looked at Lexa from the mirror above his steering wheel and peeked at Lexa's thighs as she sat down in the back seat. Lexa smoothed her hair which had been windswept.

"Where to, gorgeous?" he said in a typical Bronx cabbie accent.

"Follow that other taxi cab, and step on it," she said with urgency in her voice.

"You got it doll face."

He pushed down on the speed pedal and was in pursuit of the taxi containing the three suspicious Arabs. Lexa tried not to look like she was in a somewhat excited state. She knew that it was a dangerous undercover mission and if these three were really terrorist, her own life was in danger. Still, she was beginning to feel that high that only this kind of action could give her. Deep down, she knew that Hudson felt the same way. It was the unspoken bond between them, their love of thrills like these.

"I hope you don't mind my saying this but you're fucking gorgeous," he said, "what are you a lawyer? Journalist?"

"Journalist," Lexa lied, already accustomed to lying while undercover, "and I'm in a hurry. You see in that taxi we're following are three VIP's I'm interviewing. They didn't tell me where they were headed."

"Well it looks like they're headed for the Waldorf," the cab driver said.

"Just keep driving," Lexa said.

"Whoa, must be some interview."

"Yes, it's very important and I'm in a hurry."

"So are you married? I don't see a ring."

"No, not married; just dating someone."

He was aware that she didn't want to talk but Lexa could already tell this annoying cab driver wanted to make conversation. In addition to that, he looked at her like she was a piece of meat ready for him to devour. She turned her face to the window.

"So what's your name, toots," the cabbie went on.

O, good God, thought Lexa, how to make him shut up?

"I'm Stephanie," she said, "are we nearly there?"

"Yeah, sweetheart. So listen, I hope you don't mind my being so nosy but you look very familiar to me. Have we met before?"

"No I'm sure we haven't."

"I could swear I've seen you somewhere. I can't put my finger on it. It's like you've been everywhere in the city."
O dear Lord, thought Lexa, what if he recognized her as a cop he had seen on patrol or on the beat. She was aware she had also gained some notoriety for her appearances on TV news, like the time she had an interview with the Mayor of New York City.

"Well as a journalist, I'm everywhere, that's true," Lexa continued, "but please hurry, I don't want to be late for the interview."

"So who are these folks you're interviewing?"

"It's none of your business."

"Geesh, sorry. A guy can't be friendly in New York City? I'm just making conversation here."

"I don't care to make conversation with you."

"You think you're all that because you're a Manhattan broad right? You think I'm some loser from the Bronx with only a high school education whereas you, you're hot Harvard stuff."

"You are taking things completely out of context. I told you I'm not going to make conversation because I don't feel like it."

"Alright, don't worry about it. Here we go. This is the place. Are you getting off or are you coming home with me?"

"Fuck off."

Lexa's nerves were shot. In her utter annoyance at the cab driver's questions, she paid him and gave him the finger. She felt like a New York City girl every time she did that though she tried to avoid doing things like that as best she could. The cab driver rolled away back to the street and she stood by the entrance of the hotel long enough to see the three Arabs coming out of their own cab. She looked at them closely. They had an expression of cold hauteur about them, and arrogance. Everywhere they looked, they regarded what they saw with silent hatred. They had to be terrorists, she thought, secretly despising the American way of life. They were in Manhattan, close to what they must have viewed as the seat of capitalism - Wall Street and the World Trade Center. Lexa called Hudson on her device.

Hudson had finished hot dog and was finishing a soda when he picked up his device.

"Yo, Lexie, what's going on?" he said to her.

"These guys are definitely the terrorists. They have such an evil gleam in their eye and yet they can easily pass for white Wall Street folks. The girl, especially, looks very white."

"Yeah, I've seen some Middle Eastern looking girls like that who look very white. It's very odd. They're beautiful women, too."

"This is definitely not the time or place to talk about pretty women, Hudson," she said.

"Sorry babe. Ok, so where are they?"

"They're entering the Waldorf Astoria Hotel."

"You'll have to check in too, Lexie. It's part of your job. Try to keep track of them while you're there. Don't lose this device like you told me you did in Atlantic City."

"I didn't lose it. The damned serial killer with the hook threw it away from me once he realized I was a cop."

"Just don't let anything happen to it so we can keep in touch. Be careful Lexie. I'd hate to see --"

"Yes?"

"I'd hate to see one of my fellow officers hurt."

She smiled. That was the nicest thing he had ever said to her.

"Likewise," she said,"though you're right. I'm in more danger right now than you are. Ok, I'm out.

NINE

The Waldorf was elegant and sedately beautiful, impressing Lexa with its luxurious décor from marble floors to pillars, chandeliers and antique looking furniture. And that was just the lobby. She figured the rooms were expensive and equally as lovely. She had not counted on these folks going to such an upscale hotel. She did not have the money to stay in a place like this on her own salary. It was crowded inside. The guests of the hotel were still in town for the New Years celebration that had just ended. Many were checking out already.

Lexa looked as the terrorists checked into the hotel. She hated to have to do this but she figured she'd have to pay to stay in this place, even though it would be quite the expense. After the Arabs had gone and went up an elevator with their briefcases and luggage, she waited in line to check in.

She realized that she looked like she was only going to stay for one night and she hoped that would be long enough........

She paid for one night and insisted on having the room next to the three "Middle Eastern folks" whom she lied about saying they were friends. The front desk believed her and she had a room next to their on the third floor. Lexa O'Neil took a good look at the room. Never in her life would she have believed she'd be in such a nice hotel. She had once been to the Plaza with her mother but that had been years ago when she was a little girl.

Now, she was a grown woman and making money the hard way, working as a cop. Her mother did not know about the undercover work she did and Lexa never bothered to tell her for fear that she might give her a heart attack or cause for concern. She just said she was a uniform cop and that she was strong enough to handle it.

Lexa ordered tea brought up to her room and she sipped it while trying to overhear what the Arabs next door were saying. She put her head against the wall to hear more closely.

"Adil," said a strong masculine foreign voice, "don't touch that remote control. There is noothing but filth on American television. Besides, we can't lose focus."

"When do we strike?" said the female voice, with a cold edge to her voice.

"That's what I was going to say next, Sadira. We will detonate the bomb on the Empire State Building tomorrow at noon."

"Perfect time for it," said the other man," the time has come for us to do God's work and bring down the Great Satan."

Lexa could not believe her ears. Their wicked intentions couldn't have been expressed more clearly. She immediately called Hudson to let him know.

* * * *

Sadira and Omar were lovers and they had been terrorists since the mid 70's, having begun doing this type of crime against humanity in Israel, Egypt and their own native Iran. They were not anything that made spectacular headlines, as they worked independently and not for any major terrorist organization. They were trained by other terrorists and they formed their own trio, hoping to gather a following. They considered themselves Muslim but they were of a radical and apostate branch, one that was very rare and unheard of.

Their actions were not triggered by religious fervor but their own deep-seated hatred against Western civilization which they saw was evil. Adil was Omar's brother and he had also followed in the same path. They had both been in the United States since the beginning of the 80's and had seen enough traveling from California, Texas, Florida and then up to New York to believe that Americans were nothing but lazy, egocentric, capitalistic pigs who also flexed their muscle as world police, like a sort of empire without calling it an empire.

Sadira was slowly undressing by a dim lamplight in the hotel room while Omar, fully nude was watching her. Adil had fallen asleep on the couch. He tended to sleep heavily and he was completely unaware of what was going on in the room. Since they had been teenagers, Sadira and Omar had been lovers. Adil, who was Omar's brother, had always been jealous of their relationship. Sadira had slept with Adil only once out of pity but she regarded Omar, the leader, to be the perfect model of manhood.

TEN

As Sadira disrobed, she watched her reflection in the mirror. Being unaccustomed to doing this, she was fascinated by the whole thing. It was as if she was seeing her own naked body for the first time. She found it very amusing and kept a smile on her face. She had a beautiful curvaceous body- great legs, ass and breasts - and she had been a proud virgin for a long time, even denying Omar the pleasure of taking her maidenhood until they both turned twenty.

Since then, she had always enjoyed sex with Omar, which was nothing but brief couplings on a bed or on the floor. They had made love in every hotel room they had stayed during their travels across America. Whenever they remained in one particular state, and rented a small home, they had lived as a couple despite being unmarried. They had never married in Iran and they did not wish to marry in America, fearing that they would consequently become American themselves in doing so.

Omar was himself enjoying Sadira undress. She had stripped naked and her black, dull dress and blouse were in a pile on the floor along with her underwear. She continued to gaze into the mirror as if mesmerized, and she began to touch her own flesh. She was now aware that Omar was watching her for she could see him from the mirror glass. Shamelessly, she proceeded to arouse herself through touch. Her hands caressed her own shoulders as if giving herself a massage. She kept her eyes open, entranced by what she was doing. She knew that if she did this sort of thing back in Iran she would have been severely punished. Omar knew it too, but since they were not in Iran, and they were spending the night in the Waldorf Astoria in New York, far from prying and judgmental eyes, they felt free to indulge in perversion.

Sadira's hands moved down her neck and navel and downward to her breasts. She had plump breasts, with rosy and big nipples. Sadira was one of those Middle Eastern women who looked Anglo, and her body was creamy and white, another reason which many men back in Iran lusted after her. Omar was now beginning to feel a tightening in his crotch and he grunted softly as Sadira continued to masturbate. Her nipples were now pebble-hard and she moved her hands ever downward.

Her playful fingers slipped into her belly button, and she giggled as if she was tickling herself, but she was discreet not to make too much noise. Closing her eyes, she rested her own hands over her pussy. It was a small, tight, hairy pussy that was now pink with arousal. She kneaded her pussy like dough, rubbing slowly and sensually, rocking her hips on the chair. She was now moaning, softly and seductively, a cry for sex. She hadn't had sex with Omar since they had been in Boston, sometime before they came to New York City.

Omar's cock was getting hard. He had already undressed for the night but had been waiting for Sadira to finish dressing and go to bed. They would have just fallen sleep without making love but because Sadira had lingered undressing and was now masturbating, it was clear that she wanted to make passionate love. She closed her eyes and fingered her own pussy, inserting two fingers deeply into her pussy, shoving them in hard into her own moistness. She moaned and writhed on the chair, throwing her head back, lost in her pleasure.

After she reached climax, she tried to steady her breathing. She turned around to see Omar. She loved him. He was considered quite the handsome man in Iran, almost princely. He had a strong body, huge chest and arms, sturdy legs and glossy dark hair. Since being in America, he had taken to shave off his once heavy beard and body hair. His dark brown body looked like that of a Hindu. He had once told Sadira that he was descended of royalty. Perhaps more than his body, Sadira was drawn to his ideals and his mind. He was his own man and followed no one, not any Shah, not even Saddam Hussein who had taken over their own country and gathered followers.

"I'm sorry, Omar," she said to him, "my need for lovemaking is huge tonight. I crave you. I want your kisses and tongue on my body. I need your cock. I need you inside of me in a slow manner."

She thought that by saying this, the first time she ever expressed herself as fully as she could, he'd understand her need for more intimacy and not sexual violence.

Fully erect and stroking his cock slowly, Omar let her know that he was not after the same thing.

"Come here, Sadira, suck my cock," he commanded.

Sadira was used to taking orders from him and she knew that even if this was all he wanted for tonight, she'd have to live with it. She had been trained to be submissive to a man.

With Omar, it was always the same. He was the Shah, and he was in charge. He had loved other women, even after declaring his love for Sadira but she could not express her feelings of anger or disgust at his faithlessness. She was a concubine in his unofficial harem. She was just glad he had no sexual preference for white American women. Still, she wished Omar could make real love to her and pay attention to her own needs. The only thing she envied about the American women she saw around her was their ability to get what they wanted from men. She took a deep breath and approached Omar.

Instantly, she was on her knees, crouching on the floor while Omar sat in bed. She took his cock into her hands, caressing and stroking the shaft to make it even harder. Omar let out a groan and as soon as she began to take his cock into her mouth, he was overly excited. It was a problem for him -- he ejaculated too quickly. But tonight, Sadira knew how to keep it hard. She continued to suck his cock, deeply, slowly, hungrily while he threw his head back and moaned and grunted at the bombardment of pleasure.

His cries awoke Lexa who was asleep in the next room. She was disoriented at first and had forgotten she had payed for a room at the Waldorf. Upon remembering what she did, she felt a little discomfort. The room was very expensive and the whole thing bothered her because she had payed with her own money. Being a cop, all that mattered was doing her duty and paying the bills. She had no time for luxuries. She remembered that the terrorists were in the next room and she was now aware that they were making love. She shuddered at the thought, remembering how there were two men and one lady. They could be having a threesome.

As Sadira continued to suck Omar's well-endowed cock, he felt nearly ready to release his cum. He grabbed her hair fiercely and fucked her mouth with his cock, slamming it down her throat. His cries woke his brother Adil who had been sleeping on a chair. He looked at them and caught Omar's gaze.

"Avert your eyes, brother," Omar said to him.

Used to following orders from his brother who was the leader, he shut his eyes tight and tried to go back to sleep. Omar's cock erupted with cum, which Sadira swallowed. She did this slowly, as if taking pleasure in it, but she hoped that afterward Omar would make slow, lingering love to her and return the favor by giving her oral too.

There followed a moment of silence as Omar's breathing slowed down. He was still moaning and he stroked his cock to make it hard again. They still had the rest of the night ahead of them. Sadira looked behind her to the bed. Roaring like a wild animal, Omar threw himself on her from behind and had her in an arm lock. She felt hurt by his fierce hold and trie to struggle.

"You're hurting me," she said to him.

"Shut up. I'm going to fuck you in the ass."

"No, please," she protested.

Savagely, he threw her on to the bed where she sprawled herself on her stomach, not out of a need for it but by automatic reaction. She was still trying to break free, as if she intended to run out of the hotel room.

"Stop moving, stop moving," he shouted, "I'm going to fuck you in the ass and I don't care if you like it or not."

His already hard cock begam to slip into her asshole. He shoved it inside roughly, grunting loudly as he did so and keeping his arms around her neck. He pounded into her ass furiously, quickly, bent on achieving his orgasm in no time. His hard thrusts made her scream out more in pain than pleasure. The bed shook as if there was an earthquake. He pulled her hair and she screamed out for mercy.

"Shut up, you whore, you'll wake up Adil."

His hips smacked against her ass as he continued to fuck her in the ass, keeping her quiet by covering her mouth with his hand. After a while, he shoved her face over a pillow which she screamed into. To add to her torture, he didn't seem to be ready to cum like she thought he would.

In the adjacent room, Lexa could hear the intensity of the sex and put two pillows over her ears. Would these damned terrorists never stop fucking? It would be dawn before long and she knew she was in great need of sleep if she was to catch these two tomorow.

Finally, Omar reached his orgasm and he ejaculated like a fountain over her ass and legs, belting out a hefty scream. He lay on top of her, spent. After a moment of pause and relaxation, they went to bed. Omar fell asleep almost immdediately but Sadira kept her eyes open, eyes that were wet with tears.

ELEVEN

Lexa was on the phone in her hotel room, communicating with Chief Barry Hiller. She had finished taking a shower and was in a towel. The morning sunlight streamed through the window, whose drapes were now open. She had money to spend on a standard room only, and even that had cost much. Above her Queen size bed was an elegant, small chandelier, looking like something out of a French mansion from the 19th century. The heavy phone she was using was antique-looking, its body coated with a pastel pink patina and the receiver in gold. It had a circular dial like from the 1930's that required the caller to insert the finger on the little holes to dial numbers. Lexa had ordered breakfast from room service and ate quickly, knowing she had much to do that day.

"Hello, Chief, this is Lexa O'Neil," she said to him, "I'm at the Waldorf Astoria -- "

"The Waldorf Astoria?" the Chief said in completely surprise," what on earth are you doing there, Miss O'Neil?"

"I didn't want to do it but I was compelled to on account of the terrorists," she replied, "they are three of them. Two brothers, Omar and Adil and a woman, Sadira. Their leader is the one called Omar."

"They stayed at the Waldorf last night?"

"Yes. I'm in the adjacent room. I overheard them talk about their plan to blow up the Empire State Building."

"I knew it! I've been hearing rumors that one day someone would want to do that," the Chief said.

From her end of the receiver, Lexa could hear that he was chewing gum. Lexa considered the Chief to be competent, but odd. He was always doing something that was very unlike her image of a powerful chief of police, like chewing gum or eating candy or watering flowers. She wondered if he was a closeted homosexual. There was no evidence for this but many other cops on the force thought he was unusual too.

"Alright, where is Banach? Did he....did he spend the night with you at the hotel? Let me talk to him."

Lexa froze. Why would he think that she wondered.

"No, he didn't spend the night with me. There is nothing between us, Chief," she said flatly, "I think he's an arrogant sexist macho and not my type in the least. As for his whereabouts, I don't know. He was doing surveillance by the Empire State Building yesterday all day. I was doing the same by Wall Street but then these terrorists took a taxi from there and came to the Waldorf. They are plotting to detonate a bomb on the Empie State Building at noon today."

"We must act quickly. If you can reach Banach, tell him that the next step is for you to go to the Empire State Building yourselves and catch those damned terrorists before they even get the chance to blow up anything."

"Alright, Chief," Lexa responded, "I'll alert Hudson and we'll keep in touch in case we need more men."

"You'll always need more cops," said the Chief," this is a big mission. I'll talk to the Bomb Squad and our FBI connections. Good luck, Miss O'Neil."

She hung up the phone. She braced herself. She knew that it was going to be a dangerous day. She dressed in the same "journalist" type of conservative wear, which she felt made her look a lot like Barbara Walters, and walked slowly to the front door. She opened it slightly but not fully, trying to see if the terrorists had already left their room.

At that moment, the terrorists exited the room. It was about nine in the morning, so they had overslept. She made sure they didn't see her by hiding behind the door which was open just a crack. They were dressed in yesterday's clothes again -- the Wall Street suits, and the girl in a conservative business suit much like Lea's own. They had stern faces and kept quiet, whispering everything they said.
Lexa could only make out certain words... "Empire State Building...make sure we don't look suspicious...everything is ready.. firearms...FBI guys and cops...be careful...this isn't like back home..."

She figured they were discussing the importance of their terrorist mission and that because they weren't in a lawless city in the Middle East, and it was New York City, the most beloved American city, they would have to handle this with delicacy so as not to get the attention of those who would stop them. Lexa observed as they walked down the hall and on to the elevators. She followed them, trying not to look too suspicious herself. As she approached the elevator and waited for the next one, she called Hudson.

TWELVE

Hudson had stayed in another hotel. He was on his way back to the Empire State Building in a rental car when he received Lexa's call. He was also wearing the same clothes as the day before, his own business suit and because he had also overslept, he was now eating his fast food breakfast from MacDonald's.

"Hudson, I'm on my way to the Empire State Building where the terrorists intend to detonate a bomb at noon," Lexa said matter-of-factly.

"Whoa, what? How do you know this?" Hudson said in disbelief.

"I overheard them at the Waldorf last night. I've already called the Chief. We have to move quickly. We can't lose a minute. They want to blow up the Empire State Building with a powerful bomb at noon and we're not going to wait to get them an hour before! We have to get them as soon as possible."

"I don't think our guns will be enough to stop three terrorists."

"I know. That's why Chief called the FBI and he's going to send us back-up."

"Good. Alright, I'll meet you in front of the building in a bit."

* * * *

Omar, Sadira and Adil looked at their synchronized watches. It was ten o'clock now. They had hidden themselves in the Empire State Building after slitting the throats of two personnel in order to reach access to a backroom situated in a higher floor. Their bomb was small but powerful. They had blown up an entire hotel in Egypt and one in Canada. They were aware that this was the tallest building in the city, and it was really absurd to think that they would be able to make it collapse into pieces. This was the most famous building in America and they were doing something that, should they get caught, would land them in prison for the rest of their life or get them executed. Lots of people were in the building that day, the majority observing the view of the city from the highest stance.

"Listen to me, Sadira," Omar told her, "if they try to catch us, we must fight. We must fight these American devils and escape once again. Our war against the corrupted West will continue and if we die, it will be by our own hand and not by the enemy."

They set up the bomb in a slow process and waited... Lexa O'Neil and Hudson Banach arrived at the Empire State Building and with them were the Bomb Squad and seemingly the entire New York Police Department. They alerted everyone inside of the terrorists lurking somewhere in the building and that a bomb was being planted inside. The evacuation of the building was quick and they were ordered to leave the area and leave it to them to handle it. The air was thick with suspense and grave danger. Coincidentally, the sun had not come out that day and the weather was bleak and the skies grey. It was now turning eleven, and the attempt to stop the bomb from detonating was on.

Searching for the hidden terrorists was difficult. Not many knew the building except for the famous exterior and only a small handful knew of its design. Lexa and Hudson were standing outside the building with a group of cops when Detective Mason Holmes appeared. He embraced and kissed Lexa in full view of the other officers -- and Hudson. He didn't like the scene and turned his face away with a stern face.

"Miss O'Neil, Chief Hiller told me all about how you overheard their plot at the Waldorf," he said to her, his arms still around her, "the city owes you much for this valuable information."

"Were you involved in this case, Detective?" Lexa asked him.

"Not officially," he said, his eyes now watching Hudson's occasional stiff glances, "I'm only a police detective and involve myself in homicide cases, drug trafficking and vice crimes, nothing as big as this. But I'm involved now."

"What do you know about the terrorists?"

"They are working independently. They are radical extremists. Religion has nothing to do with their goals. They only want to destroy many landmarks in hopes of crushing Western power. We have never come across anything like it. Didn't the Chief tell you what he wants you to do next?"

Lexa looked surprise. She had believed her work was done. All she had been told to do was to work undercover and do espionage on the terrorists. She read the Detective's eyes.

"O, my God, Chief wants me to go in there, doesn't he?" she said, "because I know how they look like having seen them up close."

"You're to lead a group of cops and FBI agents into the back room we believe they've been hiding all this time."

She looked pensive for a fleeting moment and she turned to steal a glance at Hudson who did not see her. He was talking to the Chief who was standing next to Lieutenant Isaiah Dante. The entire Fifth Avenue area had been evacuated and the cops and FBI agents were in a sort of quiet urban isolation, the Empire State Building looming darkly before them all.

"I won't go in there unless Deputy Hudson Banach comes with me," Lexa said.

"But, Miss O'Neil, he --"

"He is a wonderful undercover cop. We have already accomplished much. I...I would feel safer with him."

Mason studied Lexa's face. He read in her eyes a look of admiration for Hudson and he felt a stirring jealousy grow in him. Hudson was always involved with her one way or another, whether it was by the Chief's doing or her own. He knew that if Hudson did something heroic that day, she'd admire him even more, as would all New York.

"I don't see why I can't come with you, Miss O'Neil," Mason said to her.

"You're wanted here to answer questions," she pointed out, "please do as I say."

He was silent and then he nodded his head in the affirmative.

THIRTEEN

Hudson burst into the lobby of the Empire State Building armed with his best gun. At his side was Lexa O'Neil with her own gun. Behind them were FBI agents and the Bomb Squad. Everyone began to run as swiftly as their feet could carry them. They each took different elevators, making use of all of them, and began their search for the hidden terrorists. Floor to floor, room to room, they searched frantically, bursting open doors, behind walls and corners, in the bathrooms and in the many different chambers.

Outside, Detective Mason Holmes, Chief Barry Hiller and the rest of the cops were ready to spring into action if they were called for back-up. As anticipation grew, everyone grew restless. The Chief began to chew his favorite brand of gum and Mason began to smoke a cigarette.

"You think it was wise to let Banach in there?" Mason said to the Chief, "it wasn't that long ago that he was a rookie cop."

"What's your interest in Mr. Banach?" said the Chief, "he's far from being a klutz cop, Detective. He's our best guy and he'll do great, you'll see."

Back inside the building, Hudson and Lexa burst inside a room on a higher floor. They carefully sneaked inside, trying not to make any noise, slowing their pace. Their eyes darted everywhere. Not only were their eyes alert, but their ears, straining their hearing for any sudden noises. From behind drapes, Adil leapt over Hudson Banach. A physical fight followed and soon they were grappling on the floor. Adil attempted to get Hudson's gun. They grunted as they struggled against each other, and Lexa suddenly noticed that Omar and Sadira raced out of the room from their own hidden spot.

Hudson subdued Adil and another officer put the cuffs on him. He was taken away by an FBI agent who commenced his interrogation. Acting quickly, Hudson ran after Lexa and the others who were chasing Omar and Sadira. In their anger, Omar and Sadira fired at the officers and agents chasing them. They were carrying militaristic firearms and the shots instantly killed some of the officers. Two agents fell down dead.

"Christ, fuck," said the other officers.

Screams rose into the air as the firing continued. Hudson and Lexa were not injured and continued to chase Omar and Sadira themselves. Up a long flight of stairs they went, firing at one another. Lexa's lithe and fast-moving body was able to dodge the fire. Hudson was lucky he wasn't shot. The long stairway seemed to reach into the sky until finally they were all on the 86th Floor, where the Observation Deck stood.

"Cease firing now," Hudson commanded, his voice choked with feeling, "this all ends now. You're on the news as we speak. The NYPD is here and the FBI and there's no way out of this. Put the weapons down and put your hands over your heads."

Omar cursed in his native tongue and leapt on Hudson, while an equally crazed Sadira jumped on top of Lexa. They wrestled each other. It was a dangerous fight. They moved too closely to the edge of the building's sides. Below, the streets seemed small and the people and cars seemed like ants on the street. A panoramic view of the city lay before their eyes and it was breathtaking. Hudson and Lexa's blood raced. They had never done anything like this and doubted they'd live.

"Give me the weapon," Hudson repeated like a mantra, in his strongest, deepest, angriest voice, "give me the weapon now."

Fists flew. Hudson took some punches and blows but provided Omar with an equally heavy beating. The guns slipped from their hands. Lexa had subdued Sadira and taken her gun. She called the other cops on her device.

"We're at the Observation Deck of the building and I've got the woman," she said, "Deputy Banach is fighting off the leader."

Now Hudson and Omar were fighting over a rail and before long the predictable thing happened. One of them fell having reached the Tower. It was Omar.

"NO!!" cried Sadira, upon seeing him fall to his death from so high an elevation.

She was flooded with tears and hysteria. She struggled against Lexa's grip and slipped away, leaping to her death, joining the man she loved....

* * * *

Only Adil, last name Sharif, was arrested and sent to prison, a specialized prison on an island where only the most inhuman monsters were locked up. The events made headlines and it was all over the news. Lexa and Hudson were interviewed and asked about how they did their part to stop them. The next day, the Chief was glowing with pride and joy. In the morning briefing at the station, he praised Hudson and Lexa and officially hailed them as their most important cops. They were now able to do whatever they wished.

"If you want to become a detective, that's doable," said the Chief to Hudson, "but you need to be tested first, like all detectives in a lengthy program. If detective work isn't your thing, you can definately join the Vice Squad as a Sargeant like you've wanted.. You can still do undercover cop work and even bounty hunting but that too would require other tests to see if it suits you."

Hudson was beyond himself with pride and he weighed his options with careful consideration. He knew it was completely out of line and a bit ridiculous but he figured, since he was single and had no wife or kids and had more time --

"Chief, I'd like to be able to do any type of job you give me -- undercover work, bounty hunting, Vice Squad -"

"No cop has done as much as you, Banach," the Chief replied, "and truly it's never done before but you're an exception. Alright, I'm going to say yes. But remember, it won't always be med giving you these missions. You're going to be borrowed by the FBI or CIA or some other agency if they need you from now on. You are now in the big leagues, Hudson. Congratulations."

In another room at the station, Detective Mason and Lexa were kissing deeply. He held her in her arms in his office and they had drawn the blinds. She was in her cop uniform and he was in his suit. They had been dating for only a few weeks off and on. Their duties did not allow them much time to spend together.

"You're a star now, Lexa," he said to her, "and I'm just as proud of you as everyone in New York. But what I'd like is one special night out. I owe it to you."

"I don't think I'll have any free time soon," she said, "but we'll work on something."

In all their time together, they had only kissed and made out. They stared at one another with passive eyes. Outside Detective Mason Holmes' office, the sounds of the other cops coming in and out and the usual activities were heard. Sometimes it was some laughter, police jargon, questioning arrested folks which included hookers and criminals. Lexa and Mason walked out of the office hand in hand. Hudson was coming out of the Chief's office and stared at them as they kissed each other.

It bothered him to see them together.

"Oh, Banach," said Mason upon seeing him, "nice job the other day. I didn't think you had it in you."

"Well as you can see, I do," Hudson replied.

He walked out of the station and out into the sun where he sadly lit up a cigarette which he felt he needed badly.

To Be Continued...