Vendetta - Chapter 1

by spookycc

Summary: Robert Goren's testimony put his former captor, Gene Palmer, in jail - life without parole. But it "ain't over yet"...

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone you recognize. ;-p

Timeline: takes place a short time after Purgatory, but before Betrayal. Goren and Eames are partners again, but all is not well between them yet.

Thanks to my beta and best little sister, JudyG.

Authors notes: the 48th precinct is an actual precinct of NYPD - it's in a middle-to-lower class area of the Bronx. Rescue Three also services the Bronx area.

As many times as I've SEEN the courthouse on Law & Order (usually on The Mothership), I can't FIND it in the NYC government directory. EDIT: Thanks to Defender of Men, who sent me the address of the Court House, it's at 60 Centre St, NYC. Thanks, Defender! They're driving the short distance for the purposes of this story. They were too tired to hoof it.

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"Goren", Detective Robert Goren answered his cell phone as his partner drove them back to 1PP from a felony hearing at the New York County Courthouse.

Eames glanced over at him when he said nothing for a few moments.

"You're sure? OK, thanks." Goren closed his phone.

"Everything OK?" Eames asked.

Her partner was quiet for a bit longer, but by now she was used to that. It just meant his mouth hadn't caught up with his mind yet. And their words had been few and far between, lately.

Goren spoke as if no time had elapsed since her question. "Um, yeah... I think so... Have you - do you know an ex-cop named Sanderson? From over at the 4-8?"

Eames shook her head. "Nope. Why?"

"That call was supposedly from a friend of his, who heard I was looking for Donnie Carlson. He thinks he knows where he might be staying." Goren was still deep in thought, trying to determine if the clue was real. He'd chased dozens of supposed sightings of his nephew during his suspension, and none had panned out.

"Is it close by?"

Goren shook his head. "No, it's in the Bronx."

"You want to head that way, check it out?" Eames knew Goren wanted to chase down every single clue that might lead to Donnie, even though none of them had as yet led anywhere.

"Do you mind?" Goren's brain was already plotting a course to the general area of Donnie's possible location. He often did it more quickly and efficiently than the GPS unit in their SUV.

"No, it's fine. We're not due back at MCS til after lunch."

Goren gave Eames directions as they traversed the busy mid-day streets from Manhattan to the Bronx. As they got closer, he flipped on the GPS unit and entered the street address. He pointed out a boarded-up house on their right, and Eames pulled their SUV up to the curb.

"Doesn't look like anyone's lived here for some time," Eames tried to bring realism into play, but she knew Goren would want to search the building anyway. They walked up onto the porch, and Goren knocked on the door.

"Donnie!" he shouted at the plywood-covered windows. Not surprisingly, there was no answer. Goren sighed. Another dead end.

"We could try the back," Eames suggested. The two detectives walked down the rickety steps of the porch, and headed around the side of the house.

They didn't make it all the way around.

As they cleared the front corner of the house, a small explosion rocked the building, and threw both Goren and Eames to the ground.

"Eames!" Goren crawled to where his partner lay. "Are you ok?"

Eames shook her head to clear it, and instantly regretted it. "Yeah, I think so." She sat up and pulled out her cell to call the fire department.

Goren was on his feet by that time, his only injury a scratch on his temple. Suddenly he turned pale.

"What?" Eames was watching him.

"What if Donnie is in there?" Bobby started to take off toward the house, which was now fully engulfed in flames.

"No!" Eames scrambled to her feet and grabbed the sleeve of Goren's coat. It was the only thing that kept the man from running into the burning house. She grabbed Goren's arm and used all of her strength to pull him further out into the yard.


Goren was stammering, clearly distraught. "That could have been a meth lab! Donnie did - he was involved with a kid who sold drugs-"

"He didn't answer you, Bobby," Eames held tightly to his arm.


"He's a wanted man, he didn't know it was me!"

"Dammit, Bobby, wait for the fire department! You wouldn't last long enough to find anyone in there!" Eames fought for mental control, since he could easily overpower her physically.

The wail of a siren was a welcome sound to Eames' ears, as an FDNY engine rumbled up the street and stopped behind their SUV.

Goren ran to the firefighters as they jumped to connect their hoses to the hydrant. "There may be someone in there! It may be a meth lab!"

One of the firefighters nodded at their two rescue specialists, who donned air tanks and masks, and headed for the porch. The rest of the men played water hoses over the building from the tank on their truck. Soon their hoses were joined by the more powerful stream from the hydrant.


"Sir, you need to step away. If this was a meth lab, there could be further explosions." One of the firefighters, this one a match for Goren in size and stature, pushed him back toward their SUV. Eames was beside him the whole time, never fully trusting that Goren wouldn't try again to go inside. For a brilliant man, he pulled some bone-headed stunts when he let his heart think for him.

As the fire died down somewhat, the men with air tanks came back out the front door. They shook their heads at Goren as they strode through what was left of the front porch. "Nobody in there, all clear!" One of them yelled as he pulled his mask off. This would change the way they fought the fire, since there were no victims to rescue, and no other structures in danger.

Eames opened the SUV door, and Goren leaned against the passenger seat, defeated and dejected. She stood beside the door as he laid his head in his hands.

An EMS with the words "Rescue 3" emblazoned on its side pulled up behind the fire truck. It was standard procedure to send a rescue unit out with the engine and ladders, although they had been delayed by a call of their own.

"No one inside!" one of the firefighters yelled as the EMT's cleared the back of the Major Case SUV. One of them noticed Goren and Eames, and came to check on them.

"You two OK?"

Goren looked up as they approached, and they checked out the wound on his temple. "We can clean it up for you; it doesn't look like it needs stitches."

"I'm fine," Goren waved them away and leaned back against the seat.

After the fire was out, several firefighters went inside the building, now that they had more time, and one returned to the SUV with a small, charred box in his hand.

Goren looked at the box. "Incendiary device?"

"Yup".

"What set it off?" Goren asked.

"No way to tell yet," the firefighter explained. "Could have been remotely detonated, could have been triggered by something in or outside the house."

"Like stepping on the porch?" Eames asked sheepishly.


The firefighter nodded. "Could be. We won't know for sure until the CSU techs get through with it. You guys got anyone gunning for you?"

Eames shrugged her shoulders and Goren looked at the ground. "Just the usual suspects," she replied cryptically. She herded Goren the rest of the way into the SUV and closed the door, heading around to the driver's side.

She put the key in the ignition and looked over at her partner. "I'm sorry, Bobby. But I'm glad Donnie wasn't in there."

"He never was." Goren shook his head. "Someone wants us dead. Or, someone wants me dead, and you're just the innocent bystander again."

Eames shook her head, and shivered. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, she was worried for her partner. And a bit for herself, by association. It had been months since Palmer had been convicted, but Goren had told her of his quiet threat in the courtroom.

So much had happened since then. Goren and Eames had JUST started to relax a little, and they were getting along a bit better of late. They'd started to think that maybe Palmer's words were just that... until today.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Goren asked Eames.

"Yeah, just - a little shaken up."

Goren put on his seatbelt, as Palmer's words played in his mind. "This ain't over..."

end chapter 1

Ooh - I get to be the first to post my review. You already know that I love it. Your Goren and Eames are always 'right in character' for me and I can visualize it in my mind as I read. I can see Goren waving away the EMT who wants to bandage his head.

Excellent as always. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to beta - not that you needed any help.

So, is chapter 2 ready yet?

"This ain't over....." It ain't over for us, either! This was really good, Spook. I can't wait for the next chapter. So, do we need to bring in a couch and a supply of tacos and cheesecake?

Thanks, Bubba!



Thank you again, my Lil Sis beta, and NO chapter two isn't ready. But the end of chapter THREE is!



You can bring in a couch and food if you want to, I'm glad to have ya!

There MAY be another thread here tonight that y'all will wanna hang out on.

::flashymom enters, followed by Rey Curtis and Cyrus Lupo struggling with a very large, very comfy couch::

Over here against the wall, boys. Thanks! Grab yourselves a cold one out of the magic fridge in the kitchenette area and snag a section of this here couch. ::pats couch:: Spook's got another great Goren/Eames story ya'll might just want to check out. Ciaddict should be along shortly with her famous tacos.

Hey, Mikey! Just put that chair over here near the couch. Thanks. Beer's in the fridge. Same set up as the Haven and Sunset threads -- magic fridge, magic kitchen, tacos, cheesecake, and us!

Spook -- looks like we'll be hanging out here AND in the SH thread waiting for more chapters. Really good. Can't wait to read more. As long as you don't kill off or severely injure Bobby during all of this, Judy and Charli should be OK with it. I LOVE it, as usual!

You know I love it. I always love your work and Judy's work. I remember those words well. I can see Palmer saying them too. I wonder what he has up his sleeve for G/E. Can't wait for more.

I love that we have soooo many threads to hang out in up here.

Who has the NoRomo credit card? We can have sofas and endless supplies of food in several of the fic threads - and we do have the magic ATM

I can't wait to see where this is going myself. I think Palmer is very unpredictable and willing to do whatever he needs to get even with Bobby.

That would be.......ME!

Dont'cha just love that when it happens?
Great beginning... Which ever chapter gets posted first, whether it's 2, 3 or 27 - I'm ready to read!

Thanks for the feedback, food and furniture, flashymom! I promise I won't kill or severely injure Bobby.



Palmer is a sleazy guy. He's almost as creepy as your Charlie.



You'll know before anyone else, lil Sis, since you're my beta.



Yay! ATM card! WHat's our credit limit, TCIF? Can I buy Judy a purple Porsche with it?



Thanks, Kat! I'm glad you liked it!

Sure, since I pay the bill with some of the tie-clip gold that chimera gave me a while back! Of course, I don't know where you're going to put a Porsche on the ship. . .

Semantics. We'll find a place.

::rubs hands together:: Oooh, a Porsche, for me? I can't wait.

::looks around:: Anything else to read? I'm waiting for more.

I believe some of us are saying the same thing in the Haven thread

There's LOTS of other fanfic here, Lil Sis. But wouldn't you rather be writing?



I believe you're right, TCIF.

Now you know why I am feeling a little (ok a lot) overwhelmed. I will never get caught up at this rate. ::shrugs shoulders and shakes head::

I'm trying TCIF - I'm trying.



I'm trying, spook - I'm trying.



I need to make a list of what I've been reading just so I can find it when I have time to continue -

BTW - I think there might be something to read here a little later tonight

Ahh she told me she got a little help but I didn't realize she was flowing this well. Ok thanks. ::makes list of fics to read here and at FF::

My email is overflowing of writers updates. This overtime needs to go away.

AND THIS JUST IN...... After talking with spook, chapter 2 will be posted this weekend. I jumped the gun because I was sooo excited.

Stay tuned, folks - it's going to be worth the wait.

Thanks. She told me too. Hey gives me time maybe to catch up.

Yay! OK, guys, just bring 'em in here. That's right, set them right there on the table. Good! That supply of tacos and cheesecake ought to get us through the weekend.

Great first chapter! I look forward to more.

I'm bringing pillows. All this sitting on the edge of my seat has made my butt sore! AND, to top it all off, I just fell off on the floor over in another thread, so I GIVE UP!!!!! I'm now officially a "floor sitter" full time!

I wish I had as much faith in this chapter as you do, Lil Sis. After I LOST everything I added today, I typed it all again, as closely as I could remember... didn't "feel" as good tho. It's in the capable hands of my beta, Lil Sis.



Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... Tacos. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

</Homer Simpson voice>



Thanks Defender! And thanks for the street address of the Court House!



I've spent a lotta time on the floor, flashy! With all these pillows, it ain't that bad.

It's back in your court, sis. Trust me - it's grrrreeeaaaat. (Tony the Tiger voice!)

Vendetta Chapter Two

by spookycc

Summary: Robert Goren's testimony put his former captor, Gene Palmer, in jail - life without parole. But it "ain't over yet"...

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone you recognize. ;-p

Timeline: takes place a short time after Purgatory, but before Betrayal. Goren and Eames are partners again, but all is not well between them yet.

THANK YOU to my little SIsJ for giving me the idea to kick this chapter off. And, as always, for the beta! You rock!

Author's Note: Do you KNOW how hard it is to have convicts speaking without dropping the F-word? I did it!

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Gene Palmer sat in his usual spot in the Yard. Other cons used the time for exercise, but Palmer used the time for plotting his future. Escape? Perhaps...

Today, he was awaiting news of a different sort. He knew a man who knew a man.... who should have already taken care of the cop who'd sent him here - twice.

A slovenly inmate shuffled over to where Palmer sat. He looked like he'd rather be anywhere else, rather than where he was. Well, hell, so did everyone in here, but he looked especially so.

Palmer looked up. He couldn't meet the man's eyes because the other convict was staring at the ground. Finally, the man looked up enough to meet Palmer's gaze.

"Well?" Palmer was straight to the point. "Knox?"

"I, uh..." the con rocked from one foot to the other. "It didn't happen, man..."

"WHAT?!" Palmer was on his feet in an instant, and he grabbed Larry Knox by the front of his shirt. He lowered his voice. "What the hell happened?!?

The guards ignored the minor skirmish. If Palmer was serious about hurting the guy, Knox would be dead by now. Not that they'd care. Just one less to look after...

Palmer released Knox, and the smaller man relaxed. The worst was over. Palmer wouldn't shoot the messenger. He needed him.

"Taggart set the bomb just like you had me tell him. He said he parked the next block over, and saw the house blow."

"So why are we having THIS discussion, instead of the one I WANNA have?"

"They weren't on the porch anymore, when the house blew. It just knocked the wind outta them."

"Damn!" Palmer brought a fist down on the table. "How could he screw up a simple plan like that?"

"Not his fault, boss. The timing was off."

"I don't want excuses!" Palmer hissed. "I want Goren dead. I want him dead YESTERDAY, not tomorrow!"

"OK, it's ok. I got another guy lined up. But they're gonna be wary now, harder to trick."

"No sh##, Sherlock." Palmer paced back and forth. "We'll have to make the next time look like a crime in progress. They'd never ignore a potential victim. Suckers."

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Eames glanced over at her partner, even as she maneuvered their SUV through midtown Manhattan traffic. She was oblivious to the honking, the bustle, the arms of cabbies gesturing to each other as they cut one another off and were cut off in turn.

She and Goren were functioning together as a team again, at the very least. But when they weren't fully involved in a crime scene, there were awkward gaps of time that were hard to fill. Like right now.
It didn't help that the prints on the explosive device had been traced to a former inmate at Riker's. He probably had made direct or indirect contact with Palmer. The fact that the criminal still reached out to them from inside the prison was unsettling, and kept the partners on edge.

The interminable silence was broken when Goren sat up straight and pointed out his window. "Eames! Robbery in progress!"

Protocol was to call a blue and white. But they were here. By the time a squad car could arrive, the robbery would be over, and people could be hurt. Eames called for backup as she swung the SUV to the far right lane and double-parked outside the bodega where she could see the stand-off taking place. You couldn't blame the store owners for wanting to protect their merchandise, but no product was worth their lives.

Goren was out before she had the vehicle in 'park', and he hustled behind the car parked at the curb. She ran around her side of the vehicle and approached around the front of the parked car.

"Police! Freeze!" Goren had his gun levelled at the would-be robber, and the man stopped in his tracks.

"Put your gun down, and let us see your hands!" Eames yelled.

The man actually obeyed them, although he moved with an exaggerated slowness that suggested a dull mentality. He laid his gun on the ground, and raised his hands. The merchandise he was stealing was stuffed in his pockets.

Eames crossed in front of the man and leaned down to pick up his weapon. In that second, a shot rang out on the street. Someone hit the ground nearby.

"Gun!" She shouted. "Everybody down!"

The panicked pedestrians obeyed her instantly, so it took a moment for Eames to realize who'd been hit.

But while the rest of the people craned their heads to see what was happening, one man lay motionless. Her partner.

Eames' eyes scanned all the windows in the adjoining buildings, and people began to get up, since there had been no further shots fired.

She quickly cuffed the would-be burglar, and sat him unceremoniously on his butt at the curb, leaving the shopkeeper to keep an eye on him. Then she turned her attention to Goren.

Eames made her way through the onlookers to her partner, who still lay face down, where he had fallen. She pulled out her cell, called in a 1013, and asked for a bus.

She knelt beside Goren, her heart in her throat. She could see one entry wound in the back of his trench coat. She reached two fingers around to check for a pulse, and heaved a sigh of relief when she felt it, strong and steady.

Eames gently rolled Goren over, and saw what looked like an exit wound in his right shoulder. There was a lot of blood. She laid a hand on the apparent exit wound and applied steady pressure, to help staunch the blood flow. She wasn't sure why he was still non-responsive, unless he'd hit his head when he fell....

As if to answer her, Goren opened his eyes slowly. He raised his left index finger to his lips and motioned slowly for her to lean closer.

"Is he gone?" he asked, in a husky whisper that betrayed his pain more than his eyes did.

Eames glanced back in the direction she had already calculated the bullet came from. She could see no one in the buildings across the street.

"I think so; I can't tell for sure."

Goren nodded, then grimaced.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, he just winged me." Goren replied.

"Then why did you-"

"Stay down? I wanted him to think he'd succeeded in taking me out." His breath caught in his throat. "Didn't want to risk him hitting any of the bystanders if he knew I wasn't.... gone."

Eames' initial anger was instantly replaced by an often-felt sense of wonder at how quickly this man's mind worked - even when he was injured.

Their next words were drowned out by the howl of an EMS' siren. It pulled in behind their SUV and two EMT's jumped out and hurried over to where Goren lay.

Goren sat up slowly, cradling his right arm with his left. Any sane shooter would be long gone by now.

"I'm fine," he groused as they took off his coat and jacket. "And that was my favorite blue shirt." The EMT's popped the buttons and took that off as well, gently pulling the fabric away from the wound.

The EMT's smiled. It was a nice break to have a non-life-threatening injury for a change. "You were lucky," one of them told Goren.

"Funny - I don't FEEL lucky." Goren frowned, hurting, as they cleaned the wound.

"No bullet - just a nasty graze." They bandaged his shoulder and told him to call his regular physician if he needed any pain meds. Goren shook his head. He didn't like pain meds, they made his mind fuzzy. He thanked the EMT's for their attention, and they headed back to the ambulance.

An NYPD blue and white pulled in front of their SUV. The shopkeeper was glad to turn over his looter, until he learned that the items in the man's pockets would be seized as evidence...

"Well need to talk to that would-be 'robber'," Goren told Eames. "Someone paid him to fake a heist. Someone who knew we'd be in the area..."

Eames nodded. "We'll catch up with him in holding."

What remained unspoken was their shared knowledge that Palmer had targeted Goren from inside prison once more. And neither detective thought he'd give up, once he found out he had failed again...

end chapter two

::looks around:: I get to be first again -

I love seeing this from Palmer's perspective. He is such a sick puppy and is only living now for revenge against Goren. I think Goren is right on mark. Especially that he didn't want any innocent bystanders to get hurt at his expense.

Excellent chapter - can't wait for the next chapter. Keep up them coming!!!

Thanks, Lil Sis! And thanks again for getting this chapter rolling!

Oh boy, another good one Spook! I'm glad you didn't leave Bobby hanging onto life by a thread in the hospital. Don't know how many more of those cliffhangers I can take! But I am on the edge of my seat wondering how Palmer is going to strike next. Please, may I have more?

I merely offered a suggestion is all - you're the one who turned into something exciting. Thank YOU for letting me be a part of it.

Thanks, ciaddict! I actually had a cliffhanger worked in here, but I didn't wanna hospitalize poor Bobby again. I seem to do it too often.

I woulda been first or maybe 2nd if I hadn't lost my computer and needed daughter persons laptop. I was right in the middle of the chapter when I lost it. Sound familiar, Spook. I know not funny but ironic.

I loved this chapter. Palmer is really trying to get Goren killed. I hope he does not succeed. I hope all his guys fail. I see an escape coming but that's just an opinion. Cannot wait for more.

That boy must have a strong constitution the way he ends up in the hospital in so many fanfics. He must eat his Wheaties--as well as get information on ancient Chinese writing off the box!

Great Chapter. I'm really looking forward to more.


I'm so guilty of this - I'm just finishing up another story where I have poor Bobby in hospital yet again.... I can't help it. I don't know why. Dramatic license, I guess. LOL

::singing::
You always hurt the one you love........

Maybe b/c we all secretly want to nurse him back to health. Not to mention that an injured Bobby is usally wearing a hospital robe, or less.....

I really like this chapter Spook! Please continue.

I agree with Judy. It's great to see in Palmer's head. Poor Bobby. I could see it all in my head. Great job!

Thanks, cifan! Hmmmmm.. an escape you say?

::takes notes::



Ya know if the writers would give us a hospital scene now and then, maye we wouldn't all have to write them.



I love the character interaction when one is injured. We'd have more shippers here if Goren got hurt as often as Stabler does on SVU.



I LOVE nursing Bobby back to health even if it's only in my head. Thanks, flashymom!



Thanks, Defender! Judy suggested I go back to Palmer when I didn't have any ideas for this chapter, and between the two of them, here we are.

Ok I broke my rule of reading another fan fic, I didn't want to get tied up in too many, cause I was afraid I might get too confused and forget which ones I am reading, but I am sooo glad I did, I will have to look for the original, cause I am not sure If I read that one, I am old and my memory isn't that good, lol. But I think I did, but whats good about this one, even if you didn't you can still enjoy it. Keep it comeing spook.

I gave you an idea. I keep doing that to other writers but can't seem to get anything for my own story. Glad I could help you out some.

Thanks, Jryan! I'm glad you liked it!



I'll let you know if I use your idea. Do you charge a royalty fee?

Nope no royalty fee. Just friendship.

Well you already have that.

Well then I don't need anything more. I like to help.

Between yours and Judy's help, my chapter 3 should be up tomorrow or maybe Wednesday/Thursday.

Thanks, spook! I'll be watching for it.

And it's very, very good.

I didn't get to work on it tonight at all... Hadda work late and was sleeeeeepy when I got home.



You flatter me, Lil Sis.

Great job, spook! I think I've read all of Remember Me, so it's nice to the sequel. I also like that you're so helpful in other people's fics, you are very kind.