--Neighborhood Block party--
"Should we be flattered that Sergeant Grey selected us to represent the department at this block party?" Nolan asked as we got to work setting up the block party.
"I think you're forgetting four key words: On our day off." Lucy snarked out at Nolan.
"I'll take it as a vote of confidence."
"This is some great swag. Did you get this from Grey?"
"Please the only thing we got from Grey was the pamphlets and even then it was on the briefing room table when I went for them "I said while adjusting the table cloth straightening it out.
"Yea, I think Officer Above and Beyond bought those himself." Lucy said ribbing at Jackson.
"Hey. I got a guy at Kinko's, okay?" Jackson said as he defended himself while he was sorting through the duffle he brought with him.
"All right, you guys make yourself useful and, uh, fill these up with water. I saw a hose in that side yard." Jackson said as he handed Nolan and Lucy a vase with flowers shooing them off to a hose on the side of a house.
While they were away Jackson and I finished setting up the table when Grey walked up. When Nolan and Lucy returned Grey spoke up holding up one of the pins.
"Nice pins."
"Thank you, sir." Jackson said while finishing with the table.
"This might be your only hope to lure those kids from LAFD."
"All due respect, sir, they have a fire engine. To a 6-year-old, that's crack." Nolan said to Grey helplessly stating facts.
"I am not gonna be shown up by some department that publishes shirtless calendars. Jackson, Chen, let's get in the game."
"Sorry, Sir I keeping my shirt on thank you very much." I said with gathering some of Jackson's buttons.
Grey looked over at me with a small laugh shaking his head. "No I mean with the buttons."
"Ah that makes more since, Sir. " I responded while he walked away with Jackson and Lucy to hopefully steal some hopefuls from the LAFD.
As Nolan looked after Lucy a kid walked up to our table. asking
"Hey. Hypothetically, if a neighborhood cat has been killed and the owners contact the authorities, will you investigate?"
"Hypothetically, yes if, hypothetically, we find it was done on purpose its a crime." I answered startling Nolan out of his trance. I grabbed buttons and pulled Nolan along "lets go stop that will only make the pain worse." I said walking with him up to the kids. Before I can say something I only counted 2 kids
"Hey, guys. Where is your third." Nolan asked
one of the kids held up a water gun shaking it. " He ran out of ammo."
Nolan and I look at each other before we start speed walking to the back when we cross over the fence thresh hold we see a boy facedown in the water.
Pushing Nolan " go get the firefighters I got a mask." I say before taking off to the pool jumping into the water before swimming over to the boy and pulling him out to the side and hopping out before ripping open my trauma bag on my hip that I was only approved for last shift. opening it up and started to give the boy CPR while I was doing that I heard a crowd rush to the back along with hearing the gurney rolling over as I looked up I see the firefighter landing beside me and before he could speak the boy started to cough up water. Handing him over to the firefighters for them to check him over the mother ran up to me and hugged me and thanked me before running to her son.
Grey came up to myside patting me on the shoulder. "Good Job you did good, you too Nolan."
--Mid-Wilshire station--
"All right, settle down. Settle down. Listen. Everyone knows what today is, and I just want to say that Team Bradford is gonna dominate once again." Tim said from the podium at the front of the room
"Yeah, not this year, Blondie." Lopez shouted out from her seat.
"You're going down, man. - Yeah!" Some of the other officer said from around the room.
"Dominate what?" Asked a puzzled Nolan
"The Roundup. Happens every year when the rookies are a month into the job. The T.O.s sponsor a competition for the most felony arrests in one shift." Jackson said
"Sounds like fun." Nolan responded before seeing the looks the three of us were throwing him. "What?"
"We were there when pub trivia almost got violent."
"I like a little healthy competition."
"Are you kidding? You're cutthroat and relentless. Which I respect." Jackson said to Nolan giving him a shout out.
"God I hope who ever I'm with doesn't care about this game I don't want to rush through today." I said with my head in my hand.
"All right, settle down. I heard that Alverez for that I'll give you to bishop at least someone will be a productive group today." Grey said as he walled into the room stopping at the front before walking to Tim "Don't think I didn't see you up in my spot, Bradford. So, I am aware that today is the day where our T.O. units compete for most arrests. Under no circumstance does the department endorse this. Meaning I don't want to hear about your points or strategy. Am I clear, Officer Bradford?"
"Yes, sir. This job isn't about winning. It's about good policing and teamwork." Tim said with a lot of false feeling behind.
As I met up with them at the kit room I heard Nolan asking about plans for the competition.
"So, slow and steady or shock and awe?"
"Neither. We're not playing."
"But Jackson said all the T.O.s compete."
"Well, he was misinformed."
"Officer Nolan, if you make it to T.O., then you can choose to play. But right now, the decision is mine. And we will not be participating. Is that clear?"
"Understood." She said as we finished checking over my gear before heading to our shop.
As we were leaving we got a call from dispatch.
"7-Adam-15, property damage. Washington at Carson. Multiple callers report man on scaffolding causing a 4-15. LAFD on scene."
"7-Adam-15, copies show us responding. "Bishop responded before Nolan pulled away heading to the address.
We pulled up to the scene seeing a man on top of the scaffolding. When we get out of the shop we hear one of the firefighters calling out to the man to come down.
"Is this a Banksy thing?" Nolan said as we looked up at the man on the scaffolding
"Don't care. It's a crime thing."
"So is there a reason we can't compete in The Roundup?"
""Because I said so" should be all the reason you need."
"If you're worried I can't be impartial because of Lucy, don't be. 'Cause that's over now."
"Really. How're you handling it? See a little blame in your eyes."
"No, ma'am. It's the right thing to do. And do not worry. It will not affect my work."
"Glad to hear that. I'm gonna go check in with the fire captain. Keep an eye on our vandal." Bishop said ending their argument before walking away I followed behind her to see what the fire chief is like she sees me but doesn't say anything.
After a few minutes of us waiting for the fire department to set up the crash pad I heard the yelling intensify, when I looked back over at our suspect I see Nolan up there with the man.
"Uh, Bishop it seems we will not be waiting that long." I said while tugging her uniform to get her attention as she was turning around Nolan and the man fell of the top of the scaffolding. When I saw that I took off running back into the alley with Bishop right behind me with a few other fire fighters behind us.
Hearing Bishop yell out Nolan's name behind me and when we get to Nolan we see some of the fire fighters that were already stationed around the crash pad start helping the two up and off the pad.
"Are you stupid or something Nolan because I remember Bishop telling you to just keep an eye on the suspect not go up the scaffolding and try to talk to the man." I yelled at him as I rolled the man over to cuff him.
After the EMS personal on scene cleared us to take the man we cuffed and frisked the man before placing him in the back of the shop. I sit in the front booting Nolan to the back for his stupid stunt he did today.
After we get back to the station to process and book the man Bishop finally speaks up.
"Officer Nolan, is there a reason you're walking with an OG lean?" She said getting a small giggle from me and causing Nolan's shoulders to slump just a bit before he answered.
"Oh, no. I just, uh - My right shoulder's just a little tingly."
"Huh. 'Cause I don't remember telling you to climb up there and remove the suspect. And you don't put yourself in a high-risk situation - without my say-so."
"Right. I just had a slight miscommunication with that firefighter."
"Is that right? Is that the same guy who asked me about a hot rookie named Lucy?"
"You too? God, that guy's a piece of work."
"Is that why you ignored proper protocol and climbed up there? Or was it the competition?"
When the two stepped out of the room I started to process the vandal we had arrested today removing his socks and shoes then using the metal detector to help find piercings on the man as I had started to finger print the man. Nolan and Bishop came back with Nolan looking a little glum and he helped me finish the paper work before we put him in the cells before turning in the arrest report before heading back out on patrol.
As we were driving around dispatch called out on the radio for us.
"7-Adam-15, we have a noise complaint at the Eaton Company Lofts, number 501."
"7-Adam-15, show us responding." Bishop said into the radio before Nolan shifted over and started to navigate to the Lofts.
We got there and we got out and found the elevator and started up to the correct floor. When the elevator binged we walked out to the offending door before we got to the door Bishop spoke up.
"We're gonna shut this down. No cowboy stuff. Understood?" Bishop said pointedly at Nolan as we walked to the door
"Yes, ma'am. You've been very clear."
"Really? Is that why you're on a group text about the score? You can't keep secrets from me, Officer Nolan. I thought we established that. So stop trying."
"Oh, Busted damn I knew I had probable cause to 'acquire' your phone" I laughed out before stomping my food before Nolan answered her looking over at me hearing talk realizing I was planning on taking his phone if continued to text the group chat.
"Yes, ma'am." Nolan said to Bishop before questioning me. "Elena how did you not know we were texting?"
I had my phone on but last shift I busted it and I'm in the process of replacing it after shift today. If I took it with us to all the calls I'm afraid of it exploding into tiny pieces." I said as we got to the door with Bishop knocking on the door.
"LAPD. Open up, Mr. Askari."
"Whoo. Uh, coming. Just give me a second."
When Mr. Askari didn't get to the door fast enough or turn down the music we heard Bishop started to bang on the door again. "Open up!"
"Ah. Can I help you?" He asked opening up the door with nothing but a robe and boxers on.
"We got a noise complaint. You've been playing loud music for hours." I said to Mr. Askari. After a minute he let us into his room.
As we walked into the room we saw he was not alone in seeing 3 scantily-clad women in the room with him dancing and enjoying them selves to the music.
"Hmm. Sorry. Just blowing off a little steam. My office is next door. I stay here when I work late. We were just having a little fun. No harm in that, right?"
"Depends on what kind of fun you're having. Uh, just give us a moment." Nolan said to Mr. Askari before turning to me and Bishop with his question. "I do believe he's paying these ladies."
"What's the point?"
"Well, shouldn't we arrest them for prostitution?"
"With what evidence? The only thing I see is 3 sexy women that he got really lucky with there is no evidence" I told him looking around.
After Nolan Bishop and I started to look around the rooms that had clear line of sight while Nolan was put in charge of collecting information from Mr. Askari.
"Hello. Officers, we have a gun." Nolan called out as he put on a glove and then picked it up. I gloved up then walked over to him taking it and cleared the weapon as Nolan and Bishop started to ask Mr. Askari questions.
"Do you have a permit for this weapon, sir?"
"A friend gave it to me."
Hearing this I looked up pulling a evidence bag from my side pocket and placing the cleared weapon into it. "I'll wait for you two in the hall so we can take him and this back to the station."
Before I left I heard Bishop and Nolan finish up. "Everybody get dressed. We're taking Peter for a ride." Bishop then asked Askari a question to see if she could get him to trip up and spill. "You all paid up with the girls?" But had no luck ask Mr. Askari kept quiet.
"Nice try." Nolan responded to Bishop question
"Almost had him."
"Yeah."
We got him and everyone out of the room before walking Askari back to the shop. Nolan patted him down checking his pockets then sat him in the back of the shop then as we finished collecting the women's information we headed back to the station.
--Mid-Wilshire station--
As we walked him into the processing room Mr. Askari started to talk to us.
"There must be some way we can work this out."
Getting us to raise an eye brow at him as Bishop questioned him. "Are you offering us a bribe?"
getting him to roll his eyes before saying something to defend himself "Everyone knows that cops are underpaid."
"Yeah, don't look at me. I don't pay rent, and I live right by the ocean." Nolan said when Mr. Askari looked over at him. When he didn't get what he was looking for he looked at me.
"Don't look at me I own my house and have an apartment building that I own." I shook my head at him making him groan.
"Mr. Askari, you're already facing one felony. You want to add to those charges?" Bishop cut in before he could look or ask Bishop his question he asked us.
"No. Let's just get this over with." He sighed before Nolan and I started processing him.
When another officer walked in. "Officer Bishop. Captain wants to see you in the bullpen."
"Finish processing him. I'll be back" She said before walking out of the room heading over to the Captain.
"Okay. All right, I'm gonna need your shoes and your socks." Nolan said as we were pulling off his dress shoes.
While we were checking for jewelry I look over at Bishop and the Captain seeing them talk to a very dressy looking dude on the other side of the glass.
"Wonder who that it to nice looking to be a detective or other cop." I spoke up while looking at him.
When I spoke up I caused Mr. Askari to look up while he was talking to Nolan "There. I know that look. I mean, I've never been caught in a room full of hookers with a gun before, but I can clearly see you're not looking forward to the phone call to your wife"
"My wife's the least of my problems."
"What does that mean?"
"News travels quick in my line of work."
"And what line of work is that?"
"Banking." After a minute I see Mr. Askari whip his head up to do a double take at the man I was talking about.
"You clearly know who that is who is he." I asked him.
"Yeah. He's the lawyer. I mean, my lawyer."
As I was watching them talk Nolan started to finger print the Mr. Askari. When Bishop entered before holding up a paper. "You can stop printing him. Suspect's attorney has provided a permit for the weapon."
"He has?" Mr. Askari said very confused
Nolan hearing the questioning tone he had asking Mr. Askari "Is that a problem? Do you not want to go?"
"No. I mean yes, yes."
"Can you take him to his lawyer?" Bishop asked looking at the officer that was imputing the information into the computer.
"I don't get it. If he had a permit for the gun, why not just tell us back at the apartment?" Nolan asked after the officer walked Mr. Askari out.
"I doubt he had one an hour ago." Bishop said answering Nolan's question.
"Can you get a permit that fast?"
I looked at the Captain as she entered speaking up. "Sure you can if you have the right contacts with people that work in the right places you can get almost anything, but with what I suspect that Mr. Askari is a banker for a strong under ground power."
Captain Anderson nodded. "Correct, but when it's a fancy lawyer that shows up with said same-day permit, there's usually a link to organized crime." Then looked at Bishop. "You had the "big fish, little fish" conversation yet?
"No."
"Only big fish, little fish I'm familiar with are Dr. Seuss-related." Nolan said before the Captain continued to explain to him.
"This is not that. There is a hierarchy on the street, just like there is in here. Patrol are the foot soldiers."
"Little fish." Bishop helped explain
"Dealing with the other guy's foot soldiers. The bigger their fish, the higher up the ladder you have to go. Mr. Askari is clearly connected to a big fish who has the juice to get that kind of permit."
"While we poke around go eat if we get anything on it I contact you three." The captain said shooing us out.
I spoke up while walking out with the Nolan and Bishop. "Nice timing I was starting to get hungry."
--Food Trucks--
We met up with Lucy and Jackson after getting some food we sat down at one of the big tables while Nolan was trying to convince the other two that the drug bust counted for more.
"I just don't think septuagenarians should even count. I don't know why we're arguing about it."
"'Cause you're a bad loser. A felony drug bust is a felony drug bust."
"Yes, he's an idiot that almost broke his neck when he fell off the scaffolding for our only arrest."
"He does this with Monopoly. Changes the rules mid-game."
"When did we play Monopoly?"
"That time you were out with your parents, I think."
"You weren't there. It was, um –" When I heard this I choked on my drink realizing that they almost outed them selves that they were dating.
"No. When was this?"
Before anyone could answer Jackson's question Lopez walked up to us. "Time to go, Boot."
After he walked away from us Lucy noticed Nolan favoring his shoulder. "You okay?"
"Fine. I'm just focusing on the job."
"I meant your arm. You're clearly in pain."
"No. If I was in pain, could I do this?"
"That firefighter, Antonio, said you did a high dive."
"When did you talk to Antonio?" Clearly surprised by what Lucy said.
"He called."
"That was fast."
"Is that a problem?"
"Not at all. No. We're moving on, right?"
"Yeah. Right."
"You guys are stupid." I said standing up to throw my trash away when I saw Bishop walking to us with Tim. Then walk over and join Bishop walking to the shop with Nolan following shortly after throwing his trash away.
Shortly after we left the food truck area the Captain called us back to the station
When we got there we made our way to the Captain's office, but before we got there the Captain met us at the top of the stairs and started telling us why we were called back.
"I know who the banker's big fish is. Viggo Petrov. High-ranking member of the Odessa Mafia." she started to explain as we walked back down the stairs to the bullpen.
"The Russian mob?" Nolan asked surprised
"They're responsible for heroin, money laundering, prostitution."
"How does Peter connect?" Bishop asked when we got to the bottom of the stairs and stopped as the the Captain continued talking about the mob.
"Well he said he was a banker he probably handles the money via money laundering." I spoke up with what I thought his connection was to the mob.
"Right, DEA suspects that he's Petrov's money launderer."
"Explains why they sent the lawyer so quickly. Petrov can't risk Peter getting chatty - when faced with jail time." Bishop said after realizing why the lawyer showed up so fast earlier.
"Mm-hmm. DEA was actually pissed that we let him go so quickly. They thought I should be holding on to him for the full 24 hours the law allows. I told him I don't do business that way."
"How'd that go over?" Nolan asked while I laughed a little already imagining the conversation she had with who ever called.
"As well as you can imagine."
After she finished We split from the Captain and headed back to the shop.
We got a ticket out for a person speeding and a fix it ticket for a lady with a broken tail light. Before we could start looking for another person Dispatch called for us over the radio.
"7-Adam-15, mother and child causing a disturbance at Southland Sanctuary Shelter. 69302 Western."
"7-Adam-15, show us responding" Bishop said as I accelerated to the shelter.
--Southland Sanctuary Shelter--
When we got to the front door of the shelter we heard a woman yelling. When we got in we saw a woman with her child standing in front of a man who looked like the manager.
"It's not right! Where the hell are we supposed to go?!" the woman yelled at manager
"Ma'am, I'm gonna need you to calm down a bit." The manager responded before Bishop started to speak up to the woman.
"Ma'am, what's going on?"
"We need beds. We slept on the street last night, but it's not safe."
"I'm sorry. I wish we could help, but we have no empty beds. And state law prohibits us from accepting any more people." The manager said to both the woman and Bishop.
Nolan crouched down to the boys eye level before speaking. "Hi, there, little guy. I'm John. You look cold. Are you feeling cold?" Nolan asked getting a nod from the boy before standing up and walking away. "Okay. Hang on a second. I'll be right back."
"Did you tell her about other shelters in the area?" Bishop asked the manager
"Yes, but they've already been turned away at the ones nearby." the manager said a little guilty.
Nolan showed back up with a blanket he grabbed from the car. "All right. Here you go. This'll help a little. That'll warm you up. You can keep that."
the woman looking at Nolan before thanking him. "Thanks."
Bishop pulled us aside "Officer Nolan, a word?" when we reached far enough away with a slightly sad look. "They can't sleep in the lobby. We're gonna have to escort them out."
"That's not right. We can't just kick them out." Nolan said a little down.
"Yeah, well, unfortunately, this city has 60,000 homeless. We can't find beds for all of them."
"No, but we can find beds for these two."
"Even if it takes the rest of our shift and you lose the competition?"
"Well, we're not playing. Remember?" I spoke up to both of them
We walked back up to the mannager and the woman. "Okay." Bishop asked the manager. "Can you give us a list of all the city shelters? We're gonna start making some calls."
"Okay" The manager looked very relieved when we said that we would start looking for the woman making calls.
When we got off the calls with the last shelters with discovering that there were no beds open tonight.
"Yeah, no, thank you for double-checking." Bishop said before hanging up.
"No, I get it. Yes. Thank you." Nolan followed up with is call befor hanging up.
"I see thank you for checking at least." I sighed before hanging up my phone.
"Those are the last ones." Bishop said to both of us as we put our phones away.
"What about taking them out of the city? We could give them a ride." Nolan asked hopefully as we walked up to the woman and her son.
"No, we can't. Sadly, there's there's nothing more we can do." Bishop responded to Nolan before looking at the woman apologizing. "I'm sorry, but we, uh we couldn't find you a place to sleep tonight."
"We are sorry we couldn't help you more." I told the mother as we made it outside the shelter.
"I'm so sorry." Nolan said with disappointment in his voice.
"Thank you for trying." The woman sighed out to us.
"This is why I don't play. 'Cause it's not a game." Bishop spoke up as the woman and son walked away from us.
We got back into the shop and waited for the next call.
I sat in the back while Nolan was in the driver seat and Bishop was in the passenger seat.
"I'm sorry." Nolan suddenly apologized to Bishop
"Go on."
"I did blame you for Lucy, even though I know you were looking out for her. And then you barred me from the competition, and I - Well, let's just say it has not been my finest day on the job."
"We're not robots, Officer Nolan. We all have bad days. But our bad days pale in comparison to the people we meet. They need us at our best."
"You ever struggle with that?"
"Every day. I just don't show it."
While they were talking they got interrupted by dispatch calling us.
"7-Adam-15, homeowner called about a possible intruder. 71 Holmby Avenue."
"7-Adam-15, copy." Bishop called out over the radio
"Huh" Nolan said sounding surprised
"What?" I asked him
"Our banker, Peter Askari - he's the homeowner."
But before we could start responding to the call dispatch called back. "7-Adam-15, be advised. That call was just canceled. Homeowner reporting it was a raccoon."
"7-Adam-15, copy." Bishop responded back
"That's not weird at all that someone that we nabbed earlier called in this evening for a possible intruder." I spoke after Bishop put the radio down.
"Yeah, You buying that?" Nolan said while looking at Bishop.
"What?"
"Like Elena said. Our mob banker, who was clearly freaked out over being arrested, calls 911 about an intruder the same night. I'm just saying, what if it wasn't a raccoon?" Nolan spoke up agreeing with me.
"You think he called again under duress?" she asked up
"I mean it won't hurt to look." I spoke up from the back while buckling up
"I think it's worth taking a look too."
"Big fish, little fish, Officer Nolan."
"If it turns out to be something, we'll call in the big fish. Which is who again, exactly?" Nolan asked Bishop
"SWAT"
They shared looks before Bishop nodded her head saying drive while she radioed dispatch.
"Control show us responding to 71 Holmby Avenue for the false alarm."
As Nolan turned the shop on and drove to the address.
As we pull up to the house Nolan spoke up.
"Seems quiet."
After a minute Lucy and Tim cruised up next to us. "Heard you attached to a false alarm. Figured something big might be up."
Bishop rolling her eyes before looking over at Tim and responding to him. "How'd you hear that? Did you bribe dispatch again?"
"Again" Lucy asked
"I just thought you might need some backup. Unless you're too focused on getting all the points for yourself."
"We're not playing." I spoke up to Tim
"Well, then, you won't mind us tagging along." He responded to us causing us to shake our head.
He said before we started to walk to the open area behind the house.
When we got to the court yard we see a woman laying on the ground
"I got a body. "I said as we approach I kneel down next to the fountain and illuminated the lady with my flash light seeing her throat. "They slit her throat." I said pausing before standing back up.
"7-Adam-15, requesting SWAT for a hostage situation, one dead, Code 3."
We then started to approach. We stopped when we heard a woman screaming from inside the house, then heard Askari yelling. When we peak through the windows we saw a woman and two men beating Askari and who I assumed was his wife on the sofa.
"No, no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no!"
"Guys, we can't wait. If they've already killed one, they can kill the banker and his wife at any moment. We need to go in now." Tim said.
"So, what, we go in stealth?" Lucy asked.
"Yeah. Upstairs or downstairs?"
"We'll take upstairs." Tim said before him and Lucy started to scale the balcony.
We headed back to a side door and tested it before entering the house into a hallway as we continued forward through the hallway we heard a woman and askari yelling.
" 'I don't know. I don't know.' Stop lying!" A Russian woman yelled out sounding like she was mocking Askari. Before we heard more skin to skin contact sounding like punches.
Then we heard Askari begging. "Stop! Stop, please! No." Before we heard another woman begging the intruders to stop.
"No! - Wait." Then we heard more impacts. Then we heard Askari.
"Wait, wait, wait. No. What? No, no! You have to believe me! Wait. Wait! Wait! –"
We stopped out of sight in the hallway pausing waiting for Lucy and Tim.
Nolan seeing all of this then whispered. "We've got to get in there. "
"We will. We just need Tim and Lucy to get into place." Bishop responded
after a second we heard something from upstairs assuming it was Tim or Lucy. Apparently we were not the only ones that heard it as the woman.
"Is somebody else in the house?" the woman asked
"I checked it." one of the men said
"Go check again." the women sending the men away to check. When we saw this we split up Nolan and I staged in to different areas of the kitchen and waited for one of the people while Bishop ran back to the shop to grab the bean bag gun.
As we waited I turned on the garbage disposal attracting one of the men into the kitchen when the man stepped in Nolan tased him then pushed him down I approached and handcuffed the man while Nolan stood look out. I then heard a gun shot from upstairs then a thud and then two shots from the beanbag shotgun from the foyer.
Then heard Bishop yell out. "Clear!" followed by Tim and then Nolan yelling out after looking back at me.
I run over to the Askari and his wife to while pulling on gloves looking over both of them after untying them. while Tim Lucy and Nolan checked over the ones we cuffed Bishop called in
"7-Adam-15 show us Code 4 needing RA on site for victim."
I was looking over Askari and his wife while waiting after 5 minutes the RA show up and take both to the hospital while we take the other 3 back to the station and book them.
--Mid-Wilshire locker rooms--
As I was showering I over heard Lopez and Bishop talking about the points.
"Okay, how do we split up the points?" Lopez asked.
"I told you." Bishop responded
"I know, I know. You're not playing. But we need to figure out how to split them up right."
"It's not tricky, just give him more."
I peaked over the dividing wall for the showers." Sounds like yall are letting Tim win on purpose."
"Wait, uh, are you guys trying to rig it so Tim wins?" Lucy follows up with a question.
"Why would we do that?" Bishop denying our words.
"I don't know. This competition is clearly an emotional thing for him. I just –" Lucy responded
"It's personal. From when he was a rookie." Lopez responded cutting off Lucy.
"Oh. Is it Isabel? we met her once. I know that they were rookies together before they got married." I said while i was drying off while heading to my locker.
"Yeah. Yeah, and they loved The Roundup. They had an epic competition." Bishop said agreeing with me.
"Do you really think holding on to this is what he needs? Maybe it's better for him to lose." Lucy spoke up after analyzing the situation.
"This contest is the one day a year he feels connected to her. Do you really want to take that away?" Lopez spoke up after hearing Lucy looking at her.
Lucy looked down contemplating before shaking her head.
After we finished dressing we all headed out to the food trucks meeting up with all the other officers.
"After some complicated math." Lopez said pulling everyone's attention to her. we started a drumroll before she announced "The winner is Bradford and Chen! Which means their drinks are also free."
As everyone congratulated Tim and Lucy Lopez walked after Jackson who sulked off to a food truck with me following behind her.
"Hey. When's the last time you lost something?" Lopez asked Jackson. Confusing him.
"What?"
"You broke all your dad's records at the Academy. You were the first in your class. When's the last time you lost at a competition?"
"At the Academy to her" He motioned to me as I approached them.
"Sounds exhausting." I said when I got to them.
"Yeah. It is, okay? Look, I just need to prove that I belong here, that I didn't just inherit this spot, that I earned it." Jackson said to both of us.
"Can I give you some advice?" Lopez said while Jackson stepped closer to us with a drink he got.
"Sure."
"Nobody cares how you got here if you can do the job. So give yourself a break every now and then." Lopez said before walking away to rejoin Bishop and other cops.
I nodded my head. "I was like that when I first joined the military trying to prove that me, a woman, could do the same job they could. But at the end of the day they didn't care how well I did at boot camp or during training they cared that I had there back that I was competent enough to perform as a the medic pulling them back from death when it was my time to do my job. That's when I learned that that's all they cared about." After I finished my piece I finished my piece before heading home.