---Beach---
We were walking on the beach on a morning run before our shift started. Walking next Lucy with Nolan next to her while we laughed at him from what I heard his previous shift was him chasing down some bank robbers then when they got the two they were chasing a random bystander had grabbed the money and run off with it.
"It's not funny." Nolan spoke up as we were laughing at him when he finished explaining it.
Lucy being the first to finish laughing "Yeah, sure it is. Just not to you."
"Honestly, who steals stolen money right in front of a cop?" Nolan groaned back
"How did you not expect this it is a bag of a lot of money and you were on a bus full of people that probably needed it in a city full of hopefuls and people chasing or chased their dreams. So I'm not surprised that someone picked it up." I spoke dropping my two cents
"Yeah, somebody stupid or desperate or both stupid and desperate." Lucy spoke up agreeing with what I had said adding her own opinion.
Before we can continue making fun of Nolan Jackson comes from behind us. "I thought we were here to run. There was only one of you that had an excuse of not running even when it's her day back from leave." He nodded at me
"Oh, yes, we are. We just need a little more warm-up than you do." Nolan shot back at Jackson as for why he and Lucy weren't running yet.
"You look great, though. Jackson. But he is right though Elena are you feeling okay to be running?" Lucy sassed Jackson before looking over at me asking how I felt.
"Sure, I am just as fine as when you asked me earlier this morning. I got shot but it only left a giant bruise on my chest and no other damage." I shot back as I felt Jackson and Nolan's gaze on me after hearing Lucy's question.
"Okay, you think you're cute Lucy, but the job's a marathon, and I'm not gonna be the one who falls by the wayside because I didn't train." Jackson spoke up before taking off to finish the run.
"Looking good! You're a beast!" Nolan yelled after Jackson as he took off before Lucy followed up with her response.
"We're right behind you!" Lucy yelled after Jackson before turning to Nolan. "He's right, though. Tim gets back today, and I feel like I should have prepared myself somehow for the abuse to come."
"You saved the guy's life. He's got to cut you some slack." Nolan spoke up.
"No, he won't he's here to train us so I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't change." I answered looking at Nolan before looking over at Lucy "He definitely looks like the type to get back to it right when the doctor clears him, but going off of that he will still feel it he is exerting him self so don't be surprised if it comes to most heavy movement he starts then passes it on to you disguised as boot work." speaking to Lucy.
Lucy looking worried before groaning at my response before looking over at Nolan. " Does Talia ever cut you slack, or Sergeant Grey?"
Realizing his question was kind of dumb answered back. "It's been good knowing you." as he patted Lucy on her back.
Before Lucy could respond to him she looked down at her watch. "Uh-huh. It's time to run, Officer Nolan. Let's go." before taking off with me leaving Nolan behind.
"Oh! Be right there. I'm just gonna stretch a little more." Nolan spoke up waving after us.
---Mid-Wilshire Station---
As Tim and I stood in Grey's office.
"So, how are both of you feeling?" He said as he stood up talking to both of us.
Tim spoke up first. "Good. Everything okay with my green slip?"
Grey answered as he waved off Tim's question. "Yeah. Yeah, you're both medically cleared to return to duty. Which means it's time for the "so you got shot" speech. I know only one of you were much worse then the other but I give it to officers wounded on the job, while this applies to both of you. Tim you were shot and required surgery. While you Alverez were shot the vest caught all of it but still required medical clearance from the doctors."
"Yes, sir." I nodded at him. While Tim groaned. "Lucky me."
"Yeah, lucky you. So, you came in this morning thinking everything goes back to normal now, you can just flip a switch, and the trauma you suffered will go away. It won't. But you're trying to muscle your way through. That's what I did. Trust me, it didn't go well." Grey said speaking from experience stunning both of us that Grey got shot.
"I didn't know you got shot." I spoke up with Tim nodding beside me.
" That's not surprising for you Alverez you are new here. My last year on patrol. Spent two weeks in the ICU. Rushed back thinking I could put it all behind me, but it doesn't work that way." Stunning Tim and I. With Tim speaking up. "I understand. I promise I'll- I'll take it slow."
As Tim and I walked out of Grey's office we made our way into the briefing room before all the officers started to clap and pat both of us on the back welcoming us both back on duty. As I walked in I saw Tim pause before pulling out his picking up a inflatable orthopedic pillow from his seat laughing at him I see get to my seat I look down and see the exact same pillow but pink I groan before picking it up.
"I am keeping this who knows Tim might need it later." I spoke out getting a laugh from the other officers before Grey walks in laughing too seeing the pillow and hearing what I said before telling us to sit.
"All right, all right, all right. Settle down. Settle down. Let's get to it. You ready, Officer Nolan? 'Cause once again, we start with you."
"I'm flattered?"
"Don't be. Yesterday, a four-man crew disguised as zombies knocked over a cash advance near Pico and Robertson. So, Officers Bishop and Nolan were able to apprehend two of the criminals, while the other two escaped. Somehow, Officer Nolan managed to let a civilian steal ten grand in already stolen cash. Luckily, CCTV captured our thief. Still waiting on an I.D."
"Uh, he plays guitar, if that helps."
"Absolutely. 'Cause they always list special talents on your rap sheet." Grey shot back getting a laugh from the officers in the room before the Captain knocked stepping into the room.
"Captain. How can we help you?"
"First off, I wanted to welcome Tim Bradford and Elena Alverez back. If either of you need anything, you let me know."
"Yes, ma'am." Both Tim and I spoke at the same time.
"Secondly, we just got some new intel on our zombies. Turns out that they're responsible for a rash of armed robberies in the last six months, always disguised differently. Detectives want to get the two in custody to flip on their partners at large, but there is no guarantee, so don't stop hunting. Finally, we got a request for a civil standby. Turns out somebody's getting fired from a tech job. Supervisor's worried things may not go right."
"Babysitting a termination: a patrol officer's favorite assignment. So, who shall I bless with it?" Grey spoke up while rubbing his hand together while looking around the room. Before seeing Nolan raise his hand surprising Grey.
"Officer Nolan, are you volunteering?"
"Just embracing the inevitable, sir."
"Smart man. Get the address from Dispatch. Officer Alverez ride with Chen and Bradford today. That's it." Grey spoke up before dismissing all of us for the morning start.
We all walked out with Chen getting all three war bags and I grabbing the trauma bag with the shotguns before walking away from the kit room and to our shop.
--In the Shop--
After a while I heard Lucy who was sitting in the front as Tim. "You sure you don't want me to drive?"
"Why would I want that, Boot? You think I'd go back on duty before I'm 100 percent?"
"No, sir."
"Or do you think simply doing your job during a firefight means you get special treatment?"
"No, sir."
"You'll drive when you've earned it."
"Yes, sir. It's good to have you both back."
"Damn straight." Tim responded to Lucy.
After a while we got dispatched to a bank for possible man stuck see how we were closer we arrived to assess the situation before calling for fire or EMS.
As we walked up to the door the bank manager ran out to meet us half way.
"Oh, thank God you guys are here. He's trapped in there." the manager frantically spat out as he rushed us to the doors of the bank.
Lucy hearing the manager speak questioned him. "In where? The bank?"
"No. In the wall. Mike went inside to fix an ATM last night before we closed, and we forgot he was in there and left. The lock must have broke when he tried to come back out, and he's been inside all night. Pushed this note through the receipt slot when he heard us come in." The manager spoke up.
Hearing this I immediately turn around and go to the back of the shop to get the Halligan.
Tim seeing this questioned "What are you doing? "
"Just incase, Sir you never know."
When we get inside the area that had the ATMs Tim called for help on the radio. "Control, 7-Adam-19 requesting LAFD to 3301 Ditmer, for a guy trapped in a wall."
"Sir, we're gonna get you out of there. Sir, can you hear me?" Tim asked as he banged on the wall. Not long after Tim stopped talking we saw a slip of paper appear from a crack of the ATM. Tim grabbing it before showing us.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Lucy asked him but before he can respond I answered her.
"Hypoxia, Lucy the man is running out of breathable air." Knocking on the wall I told the man trapped "Sir I need to to get low so I can open a hole in the wall." Before I started to swing I looked at the manager "Sir how big is the space behind the ATMs"
"Oh, I don't know. It's pretty cramped in there. About five feet."
I started to swing at the wall before a small hole before handing it off to Tim feeling a small pull of pain from my chest. As he started to swing it he grimaced before stopping.
"Why am I doing this? Boot, get in there." He spoke up handing the Halligan off to Lucy to get her to finish punching the hole big enough for the mans face. When it was big enough she stopped and started to pull on the dry wall. "Sir, are you all right?" She called out into the hole we made before long the mans face appeared gasping for air.
As we waited for fire to get here we started to get a report compiled about the incident and the action we took to temporarily solve the issue while we waited. After 3ish minutes the fire department showed up and started to cut the man out of the wall allowing us to finish up and leave the scene.
After a short while of driving we were sent to a store that was robbed. When we arrived we go down and started talking to the employees and manager/owner that found it as Lucy and I wrote the report Tim spoke up. " Call your insurance company about your property. We'll file the report, but the fact is, most cold burglaries stay cold. You think of anything else, my number's right there."
As we handed off the paperwork Lucy spoke up.
"Hey, I'm just gonna hit the restroom." making me realize I have to go too.
"Me too Lucy lets go take turns." I said following her into the women's restroom
"Make it fast, Boot." Tim spoke up behind us.
We got into the bathroom as Lucy checked all the stalls before stepping into the handicap stall. I stepped into the stall with her before she could speak up I cut her off.
"As weird as this is it is not a safe restroom we will have to take turns go first I will watch your stuff." grabbing her duty belt she just took off before turning to face away from her looking to the door.
Lucy stunned at my answer before continuing to use the restroom." Thank you I guess? I didn't know you swung the other way."
"As cute as you are, I see you more as a sister than anything else so. So sorry Lu not interested in you past a sibling relationship."
She laughing at my joke as we traded places " Damn I was hoping for a chance."
Laughing at her as we finished up. "Lets not get use to this one time thing next time lets find a floor to ceiling restroom." I told her stepping out of the restroom back to the shop Tim was waiting by the shop before we can greet him his phone rang.
"Bradford. When? I-I'll be right there." He answered then stumbled out as the call progressed before hanging up. Looking up at us. "Get in." He said before rushing over to the driver side.
"Where we going?" Lucy asked
"Emergency room." he said before we looked at each other and hopped into the shop as he started it and took off.
After a short while and asking questions he won't answer, we arrived at the hospital we jumped out of the car as he ran to the emergency department.
"You two stay here." He said to us before getting to the desk asking the nurse there.
"Yeah, I'm looking for my wife, Isabel Bradford." But before the nurse could answer a woman came out of the treatment room off to the side which I could only assume was Isabel as it had caused Tim stepped away from the desk. When the woman saw him.
She groaned. "Ugh."
Tim calling "Isabel" but before he could ask her how she is she cut him off.
"I'm fine, all right? They shouldn't have called you." she said as she started to walk away from him to the door.
Tim stopped her before they got too far. "Where the hell are you going? You just O.D.'d."
"'m fine. They can't hold me. Let go." she started to pull away from him before he pulled her into a side room cutting the rest of the conversation off from us. after a few minutes she walked out. As we started to walk into the room we saw Tim punch a hole into the wall. I grabbed his hand and looked it over as I was doing that Lucy started to ask him questions.
"Are you okay?" before he pulled away from me not answering Lucy walked out of the doors to the hospital with us trailing behind him. We got to the shop as he started to drive. After a while the situation in the car go really awkward, but before Lucy or I could try and break the ice Dispatch called out.
"7-Adam-19, report of a biker gang, drunk and disorderly at The Hard Road bar."
"7-Adam-19 show us responding." Tim grabbed the radio and spoke before Lucy or me could respond.
Lucy looking at Tim before asking him. "Are you okay to do this? We can ask for another unit to be assigned." we drove a short distance seeing as we were literally right around the corner.
I spoke into the radio "7-Adam-19 show us code 6 on location."
"No. I'm fine." Tim said gruffly as he as we looked at the bar. Looking at us he asked. "How do you identify a motorcycle club, Boot?"
Lucy responded first. "Uh, the three rockers on the back of their jackets they show gang name, logo, and state of origin."
I looked at their back as she was explaining it to Tim and right when she gave her answer. I spoke up. "'Dead Bastards MC. but from what I see some of them don't have their top rocker."
Nodding to me Tim continued where I stopped. "And which one of these guys is the most dangerous? See them? Those are prospects. They haven't earned their top rocker yet, and there's only one way to get it - commit a felony in view of another gang member, which means what?"
"Somebody's gonna fight us when we get out of this car." Lucy spoke up causing me to groan.
"Exactly." Tim spoke up like that's exactly what he wanted to happen right now.
"Shouldn't we call for backup, then?" Lucy spoke up as he started to step out.
"Where's the fun in that?" He said as he stepped out and up to the bikers as one of them threw a bottle at his feet causing him to stop.
"7-Adam-19 requesting additional units to our location." I called into the radio. After I finished Tim looked back at me with a small glare when I made it to his side
"You all heard you probably have 4 to 5 minutes before back up gets here. So who needs a felony?" He said as he started to look around. then continuing. " What it's who ever wants to fight I won't even book anyone that wins before back up gets here or report anyone that leaves." before he could finish the biker group pushes 2 people to us calling out their name. "Jordan Adam you got this." As the two approached. Lucy started to back up with her hand on her holster causing them to keep an eye on her before looking at us.
They started by throwing a bottle at Tim before the other ran at me tackling me to the ground as I started to swing at him trying to push him off. he landed a good hit on my ribs causing me to flinch in pain, but as he winded-up to hit me again I got my feet under his chest and shoved him off before knocking him out with a quick punch to the face. As I rolled him over I looked over at Tim who looked a little worse for wear but managed to knock his man down too. As the fight ended the bikers groaned
"Let him go! Yeah, pig. Let's go. Come on, man! It was a fair fight!" they started to leave.
"7-Adam-19, type change this event to a felony assault, two in custody cancel back-up. Requesting an additional unit for transport assistance back to station." Tim called out.
I looked at him before growling at him. "If you want to get your self killed don't involve me or Lucy next time. That was very stupid."
As we waited for the transport we patted and frisked the two men before sitting them in the back of the shop and started on the report for the call. Before dropping into the passenger seat nursing my ribs I heard Lucy questioning Tim.
"What the hell was that?"
"Patrol work, Boot. You planning on saying otherwise?"
I looked up at him before Lucy could respond "This time no, sir but if you do it again I won't."
as we finished that conversation the back up unit we called for showed up we loaded the two men in the back before following it back to the station to finish the arrest report.
---MID-WILSHIRE STATION---
As we pulled up I see Nolan booking a kid who I am assuming was the one that called out over the radio about officer PootyPoot.
As I started to walk Adam through the process of booking I hear Lucy ask to talk to Nolan asking to speak to him. When I finished and put my arrestee into a cell I started on the one Tim passed off to Lucy finishing him as she came out of the room her and Nolan. With her looking nervous I walked up to her. "What's got you all nervous?" I asked surprising her causing her to jump.
"It's Tim I'm worried about him it feels like he trying to prove him self with us running into his wife doesn't help him. "
I pause before looking at her. "He's not trying to prove himself as much as you think sure this morning with the bank yeah that maybe. But he's more angry at the fact that he can't help as much as he wants too with Isabel. Talking to him will make him upset. But it is something we need to do we can't have him doing this again I don't want to call in for RA when it doesn't swing his way." Lucy paused for a minute before nodding looking less nervous then before.
--in the patrol car--
We pull up to a a residential area before parking on the curb and calling as he gets out.
"7-Adam-19, show us Code 6, Florence and Central Avenue." looking at Lucy and me. "Stay here."
Watching her contemplating for a minute before getting out with me shortly behind her.
As I got to the back I heard the conversation she had with Tim.
"You deaf, Boot? I said stay in the car." Seeing me "You too I told you both to wait in the car."
Raising my hands. "I am only here to support Lucy in this." He shook his head before refocusing on Lucy.
"You're not helping her. You're enabling her."
"You know this because you're some shrink's kid? She's gonna shoot up, okay? That's the reality. This will save her life."
"Addiction doesn't just destroy the addict. It destroys the family, too."
"Who the hell are you to tell me this?"
Cutting Lucy off I sternly spoke to Tim. "We, are your rookie." waving my hand between me and Lucy " And we need you to train us, not put us in danger because you can't handle losing your wife. Look, at least let us go up. If you do, it'll just confirm your worst fears. Do you really want to see how she's living, or who she's living with?"
He paused for a minute before slamming the trunk and handing the Narcan to Lucy tiredly speaking to us. " Paramedics said it's apartment 510."
I nod at Lucy and follow behind her looking for 510. I knock when we get to the door. after waiting for a minute we see Isabel answer the door. When she saw it was us she quickly closed the door but before she could completely close the door Lucy stuck her boot in and stopped the door before talking. "Isabel, just - Wait. Wait."
"Go away. Y-You can't come in without a warrant."
"My name is Officer Lucy Chen this is Officer Elena Alverez. Tim Bradford's our T.O. He's downstairs. If you don't give me five minutes, he's gonna come up here and break this door down."
That stopped Isabel she paused for a minute and then opened the door letting us in.
"So, what do you want?" she asked gruffly after a short walk into the room.
"Do you know your husband was shot recently? We got ambushed. He took a bullet while returning fire."
"That's what you're doing here? 'Cause he seems fine."
Lucy pauses and then hands over the Narcan that Tim had handed her while talking. "Um, it's Narcan. It won't get you clean, just reverse the effects of an O.D."
"I know what Narcan is. Spent a decade bringing junkies back from the dead with it." Isabel spoke surprising us causing Lucy to follow up with some questions.
"You were a nurse?"
"No. A cop. Narcotics. He didn't tell you?"
"I - That's good." Hearing Lucy caused Isabel to stutter before quickly fixing her tone.
"So, you guys were on the force together?" I asked
"Different divisions. I, uh I worked out of the 77th, volunteered for undercover as soon as I could. Tim was happy on patrol, so we synched our shifts as best we could. It was perfect - till it wasn't." she started when she looked over at me after a short minute she started to push us out of the room back out the front door. When she pushed us out pausing before closing the door.
"Hey, um, he really got shot?" she asked Lucy.
"Yeah. Yeah. It was scary."
"Don't let him come back here. There's no future here." Isabel breathed for a moment before speaking then closing the door.
We pause for a bit looking at each other before walking back to the shop seeing Tim brooding in the driver seat. When we got to the car we stopped for a minute before sitting down.
"She was a cop." Lucy stated more as a fact then a question.
After a minute Tim responded to us. "I-I, uh, thought she was having an affair. Staying out late, making excuses. I didn't realize it was the drugs until the hook was in deep."
Leaning forward after a minute of silence I spoke "Her apartment is pretty decent."
He looked between me a Lucy before thanking us. A minute passed before he started the car and started to pull away clearing us from the area with dispatch.
--in the shop--
We were heading to the perimeter for the raid swat was performing tonight as Grey had called Tim to have us go and support the perimeter by staging with the others. As we were approaching we heard Bishop over the radio.
"7-Adam-15 in pursuit of armed robbery suspects, heading south towards Franklin"
"7-Adam-15, what street are suspects on?"
"They're not on a street. They're running down the side of the canyon."
"Control, suspects are down on the flats, heading for Western. Where's that backup?"
"7-Adam-19, we're inbound to assist." Tim spoke into the radio as Lucy flipped on the sirens and lights.
When we got closer we spotted the suspects pause in the middle of the street with us on one side and Nolan and Bishop on the other. But after a second of deliberation the suspects had split up running in two different directions.
"7-Adam-19, we'll take Bower, you take her." Lucy said over the radio as we peeled off after Bower.
When we finally caught up to Bower he had cornered himself behind a building that had 2 trucks backed up to it. as we got out Tim looked over at us.
"Flashlights on, Boot. Eyes right. I got the left side covered. Alverez cover the right side of the other truck."
Nodding at him we turned on our lights and with guns raised slowly approached the alley Bower was in. when we got close enough we Bower suddenly popped out from behind the left truck firing at me and Lucy first before flipping sides shooting at Tim. Right when he started shooting we ran to the front of trucks covering our sides when we got to our sides Tim pulled out his radio calling into to dispatch.
"7-Adam-19, shots fired at our location. Requesting backup and airship." Tim then started to look around the area seeing that its a dead end "The good news is he's trapped. If I go over this trailer, I'll come up on top of him."
Before he could start climb Lucy stopped him. "With all due respect, I should go."
"Forget it."
"Improvisation is a useful tool for a rookie to learn." They had a small back and forth as the suspect shot at us again.
"Good. All right. You passed tonight's test. Get your ass up there. Alverez go around your side and wait for the signal."
Shortly after he said that we split with Lucy going up while Tim waited for her to start while I rounded the truck I was behind keeping as hidden as I could be. when I got behind the rear tires I heard Lucy taking that as my cue I popped walking slowly to get closer to the wall out of Tim's line of fire. Yelling "Police! Drop your weapon! Do it now! Get down on your stomach!" as Tim did the same on the other side trailer. After Tim got Bower cuffed I pulled out my radio. "7-Adam-19, Code 4. One in custody, one outstanding." Then we walked him back to the car to take him back to the station.
--Mid-Wilshire Station --
When we got back and got Bower processed we went to the locker rooms.
When we got into the locker room and started to change Lucy paused for a second before talking.
"I haven't thanked you for earlier at in the restrooms where we took turns going to protect our self I didn't think about the restroom door height being an issue until we got in there and was about to hang up my duty belt then you spoke up taking it."
Looking over at her I paused for a second before speaking. "Its nothing we are in it together. I will always watch your back." before I walked away to the showers.
--Night time at the beach--
The 4 of us were sitting down on the sand sharing a cooler of beer. When Nolan spoke up directing a question at Jackson. "How's that Plan "B" coming?"
"Captain says I don't need one. But I was thinking it might not be a bad idea for me to find a hobby, something outside of the job I can look forward to."
Without missing a beat I looked him dead in the eye. "What about knitting I hear that is pretty fun or collecting things you find interesting." Shortly followed by Lucy.
"What about, uh, pole dancing?"
"Okay, clearly, I shouldn't have brought you into the circle of trust." He said looking right at Lucy then back at me "I don't it will take some time to decide." Getting the four of us to laugh.
Then Jackson looked at Nolan. "You know, you were, uh, pretty cavalier earlier about not making it as a cop. Is that how you really feel?"
After a couple of second pause Nolan responded to Jackson. "I'm seeing this thing through no matter what, no matter what obstacles are thrown in my way."
When Jackson hit us with a bit of statistics. "You know, one out of three rookies washes out during their first year. And there's three of us. Odds are, one of us isn't gonna make it."
Without missing a beat. "I guess another station's rookies might all washout, because I believe everyone here will be just fine."
then Nolan followed up. "Screw the odds. If I believed in odds, I wouldn't even be here."
Lucy finally spoke up. "You know what? We're all gonna make it because we're gonna have each other's backs no matter what. Deal?"
We all look at each other before clinking the cans together. After we empty the cans Jackson suddenly jumps up. "Okay, I'm going on a night run. Who's with me?"
"Me if I win you buy the next time we come out." I jumped up too and then took off running past Jackson when I glance back I see him running after slowly catching up to me with Nolan and Lucy leaning on each other still sitting on the beach.