Episode 33 Fallout (part 3/3) (Patreon)

Lucy Chen

“This is stupid.” She muttered under her breath. She expected a normal shift today, but instead, she had been run ragged the whole morning by Tim. She organized case files in the dusty records room, helped sort the armory, and even cleaned the shop from top to bottom.

Her T.O. even handed her a portable vacuum and stated that he wanted the shop to smell like a brand new car. She wasn’t alone in her suffering, John was treated the same by Nyla Harper, but her fellow rookie fared better than her. He even knew the technique for cleaning the shop’s interior and generously shared his own cleaning spray.

“What next, car tune-up?” She joked. Why was John making that zip motion with his mouth and finger? Did that mean…

“Good idea, Officer Chen.” Tim Bradford crossed his arms. Fuck. She didn’t realize he was standing right behind her. “Take the shop to the motor pool and give it a good oil change. Why don’t you have the coolant, brake fluid, and the transmission fluid replaced?”

“You too, Officer Nolan.” Nyla Harper added. “It better be done before lunch! I want my Shop smelling like roses!”

John was faster, and was already moving his T.O.’s shop down the ramp. She, however, still had the floor mats just outside of the vehicle since she had just vacuumed them and used the nice smelling disinfectant spray John gave her. Tim was no help as he continued to pressure her to move faster.

“Do you remember what I said, boot?” Tim asked once she was able to start the car.

“Oil, transmission, brake fluid…” She absently recited her T.O.’s instructions.

“Radiator and Blinker fluid.” The hard ass finished for her.

“Thanks.” She glared at him, but as usual, it had no effect. The tall, hunky man was practically impervious to her powers. An hour later, and she was blushing with embarrassment. She was laughed at by the chief mechanic and the other officers in the garage. Tim had managed to trick her again! Blinker Fluid! How could she have fallen for such a lame joke?

After lunch, she thought they would go out on patrol. She was proud of her work, the shop smelled brand new, and she was sure it was the cleanest it had ever been. But her T.O. brought her to a park, and she realized she was in another one of his Tim Tests.

 “Stop pouting.”

“I’m not pouting.” She replied as they made their way to the small park. “I thought we would go out on patrol. What are we doing here?”

“You thought it was going to get easy after you passed the exam, but you’re wrong.” Tim followed her up to the shaded spot under the tree.

“Awesome.” She rolled her eyes.

“What was that?”

“If recent events had taught us anything, it would be to remain ever vigilant. You probably think you know everything about policing, but you don’t.” Tim stepped closer and crossed his arms. “For example, what’s the most important thing you need on the street?”

“Is this a trick question?” She asked. The answer was too obvious, but Tim only shrugged at her question.

“Okay, the easy answer is my gun, but I know that’s not right.” She answered. “So… my mind? No, that’s too esoteric for you.”

“Are you through not answering my question?” Tim asked. He looked serious, and she frowned, wondering where this was going. It was clear her T.O. was not in the mood for banter at the moment.

“My judgment?” That was her best guess. “Yep, my judgment.”

“Your eyes.” Tim pointed at her face. “Cop eyes stop crime and save lives. Did you start on explosive devices at the academy?”

“Yeah. Everyone did… a little.” She answered in confusion. Where was Tim going with this?

“Good.” Her T.O. nodded in approval. “I hope you paid attention, because I had a buddy from bomb squad mock up an I.E.D. and hide it somewhere in this park.”

Wait, what? She wasn’t ready for that!

“You’ve got ten minutes to find it, or I’ll add the duty hat to your standard uniform.” Tim warned. “Go!”

Not the duty hat! She’d be laughed at by everyone! No one wears that anymore aside from formal events! It was uncomfortable too, and her hair always ended up in a mess whenever she wore one!

She quickly looked around. Cop eyes. She spotted an unattended bag on a picnic table and started to move towards it, but a man arrived, sweaty and pulled out a bottle of water from the bag. Not that one then.

She looked around the immediate area and noticed that there were only a few civilians in the park today. The ice cream vendor looked normal, and with the afternoon sun, a few customers were lining up to get some refreshing dessert.

People were lying on blankets on the grass, enjoying the sun as they chatted with each other. She couldn’t see anything. She looked back at Tim, but her T.O. only glanced at his watch to tell her time was running out.

Cop eyes. She took a deep breath and spotted the garbage bin, and ran towards it. She breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted the mock-up I.E.D. It looked elaborate with blinking lights and wires.

“I found it!” She turned to Tim. Take that! No duty hat for her!

Tim didn’t move from the shade under the tree and pointed at his ear. She rolled her eyes at his childish actions. This was to be expected from her T.O., and pulled out her radio so that he could hear her clearly.

“I found….”

POOOF!

She coughed as the mock-up bomb exploded in front of her, and all she could see was white.  She looked down and realized she was covered from head to chest in what appeared to be flour. Just great. Fuck Tim.

She could see people in the park were pointing at her laughing. If she wasn’t covered in white powder like a mine, she was sure they could see the blush on her face.

“And you’re dead.” Tim started walking closer to her. “Because radio frequency energy can trigger a bomb. Are you going to forget that lesson, boot?”

“No.” She coughed. She could hear more laughter.

“Good.” Tim replied. “Go get cleaned up.”

She could see that the men with ice cream cones in their hands were taking photos as she made her slow walk of shame back to the shop. She thought this couldn’t get any worse, but it did when she heard another voice.

“Nice look, Lucy.” She wanted the earth to swallow him. What was Jack doing here?

“Don’t.” She warned him with a glare, but Jack’s grin only grew. “Why are you here?”

“Who do you think brought the mock-up I.E.D. from Metro?” Jack also used the opportunity to take a photo of her. Fan-fucking-tastic.

“Thank Calvin Ellis for me, Routh,” Tim called out.

“He said you owe him some Dodgers tickets. Here.” Jack handed her a small pack of wet wipes from his duty belt. “You look like you need this more than I do.”

She was in a foul mood when she arrived back at the station, but her temper eased up after a nice, relaxing shower. She met up with John, who also looked miserable.

“What did Harper do to you?” She asked.

“Horrible things.” John shivered. “And it involved some crack addicts and a sewer. You?”

“Tim tricked me into detonating a mock-up I.E.D. full of flour.” She revealed. “Let’s go to the break room. I need some snacks.”

She thought her remaining last hour would be more relaxing by just hanging out at the station, when she heard over the intercom that she and John needed to report to the bullpen, asap.

They quickly headed to the central area of the station, and when they turned a corner, they were greeted by a round of applause from all the police officers waiting there. There was even a large banner hanging high up by the stairs with the words Congratulations. Grace was there, clapping along with Tamara. Both wore beaming at the two of them.

“What’s this?” John was the first to snap out of the shock.

“Congratulations on completing the Field Training Program.” The Captain stepped forward. She had a pretty smile on her face, enhancing her features.

“This is the end of your time as rookies.” Sergeant Grey stated. She saw the proud look on the man’s face and smiled in return.

“You did good, Officer Chen.” Tim added.

“You too, Officer Nolan.” Nyla Harper smiled.

“You have consistently performed to the standards set by this Division.” The Captain continued speaking. “I am proud to say you are both officially P2.”

 Cheers and applause erupted once more. The crowd of officers parted, revealing a table overflowing with pizza, various sandwiches, and various fruit beverages. She thought this was the worst day ever, but it turned out to be the exact opposite. Today was awesome! She didn't even mind all the hazing, she was a P2!

“You knew about this.” She glared at Tim.

“It was the last day that I could officially bully you.” Her former T.O. replied. She could still not get used to that fact. "I know you'll do great, Officer Chen. Don't hesitate to ask for my help if you run into trouble. I'll always have your back."

That was the sweetest thing she had ever heard from Tim. She averted her gaze to hide the blush on her cheeks. Stupid crush!

Tamara reached her side and she quickly hugged the younger woman. She noticed that the girl was still stealing looks at Jack, who was standing by the snacks table, busy filling his plate with pizza.

“How did you get here?” She asked.

“Sugar, I mean, Jack picked me up.” Tamara replied. She could tell her roommate enjoyed the experience, judging by the bright smile on her face. “He told me about the surprise party for your promotion.”

 She mingled with her fellow officers and took lots of photos. The last one, with the three of them with her in the middle, was the most memorable. She could remember the nights Jack and John reviewed with her for the exams. She couldn’t be prouder to call these two her friends.

Zoe Andersen Routh

She watched as her husband took photos with his fellow rookies while John’s wife took photos of the trio. Her other officers chatted freely, enjoying the snacks on the table. This was her second year to witness graduates of the field training program.

Last year, Chief Williams had gathered all the qualified rookies and had a fancy celebration with an elaborate ceremony at Central HQ. This year, with her strained relationship with the current chief, she decided to do something different.

She preferred this celebration more. It was more intimate and more meaningful for everyone involved.

“This was a good idea, Captain.” Grey arrived beside her with two plates with a pizza slice each. Her sergeant offered one of the plates, and she quickly accepted it. “Maybe we could do this from now on.”

“I hope so.” She replied. She smiled as Tim produced three shirts, with the mugs of her three rookies printed at the front and the words Mid-Wilshire three written at the bottom.

“They’re the best batch of rookies I’ve ever had the pleasure of teaching.” Grey shared. “Let’s hope the next batch will be the same. Do you already have their files?”

“I just reviewed them this morning.” It was an interesting group.

The most notable was Katie Barnes, former military, 82nd airborne. Her combat record was impressive, and she saw heavy action in Fallujah. She was also a possible candidate for the new Metro program, but she had to be trained first to be a regular cop.

She knew Bradford would be perfect for her, but she had just received a request from the senior T.O. for a private meeting. She had an idea what Tim wanted, based on what her husband had shared with her.

With the simple party in full swing, she made eye contact with Bradford and, with a slight nod of her head in the direction of her office, she left the party.

It only took Bradford a minute to get to her office.

“You want to transfer to Metro.” She started the meeting right away.

“Yes, Captain.” Bradford replied.

“I won’t ask why.” She placed Barnes’s open folder on her desk, right in front of Tim so he could read it easily. “Take a look at this.”

“You want me to train her.”

“That’s right.” She nodded.

“But about my transfer…”

“I want to enroll you in the new Metro program that Jack participated in.” She shared. “Jack always believed you and Lopez were the best candidates for it.”

“But what about my schedule?” Tim asked.

“Same with Jack when he first started.” She answered. “If you join now, you’ll have enough time to qualify for Metro, and by the time Barnes and the other rookie get here, you’ll be ready to train her to be a civilian cop. You know how difficult it is to transition from active duty, where you always watch out for threats at every corner.”

“You’ll be her primary field training officer, and when you’re busy with Metro, I’ll have the others rotate.” She added. “What do you think?”

“It’s a good idea on paper, but may I request one thing?” Tim asked. Intrigued, she nodded. “Have Jack partner up with her when I’m busy.”

That was actually a good idea. Jack was very observant and insightful, and with his unique background, she believed her husband would work well with Barnes. “I’ll consider it. Send your paperwork tomorrow so we can get the process rolling. I’ll call Captain Cortez later, but I’m confident you will pass the evaluations.”

Her senior T.O. smiled at her show of faith in his abilities. “Dismissed, Bradford. Have Jack come up here.”

She needed to talk to her husband about the schedule of their upcoming trip this Christmas season.

Maxima Zorreguieta Cerutti

It was a pity that she had to fly to New York after spending a few days in Los Angeles. The highlight in this leg of the trip was no doubt the young man who served as one of her security detail and coordinated their movements with the other LAPD officers.

He only spent a few days with her and her daughters, but he had made a strong impression on her family. Officer Jack Routh seemed to have also caught the attention of the Countess of Wessex, and even requested to join her in her penthouse suite as she entertained the young officer.

He was a delight to speak with, easily switching languages and familiar with the current geopolitics and history. He was excellent in his Spanish, her native tongue. She remembered one particular moment, as she invited Routh for a chat. Her schedule had unexpectedly cleared up after another delegate she was supposed to meet suffered food poisoning.

She was a lover of music and donated to numerous charities and supported struggling musicians. To her delight, Jack Routh shared her passion.

“What musical did you wish had reached Broadway?” She asked.

“Definitely the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Ma’am.” Routh answered politely.

“Hmmm, I agree with you on that.” She replied. “I believe it could have reached the same popularity as Les Misérables. Are you familiar with the piano?”

She had only seen a few videos of him singing modern songs with a guitar, but her daughter claimed he was even better with the piano. She wanted to see that for herself.

“It’s the musical instrument I’m most proficient with.” Routh replied and headed to the grand piano without hesitation. “Do you want me to play you your favorite piece, Ma’am?”

“How about you surprise me?” She suggested. She had heard enough Bach, Mozart, van Beethoven, and even Dvorak to last a lifetime. “Something new, but in the classical form. Something that will take me somewhere, on a journey.”

“As you wish,” Routh replied and immediately started playing.

The notes were light at first, and then deeper notes countered that. The tempo picked up, and suddenly she felt like she was taken on a journey. The music was unfamiliar, but undeniably beautiful. She wondered who the composer was.

The music ebbed and flowed, reaching high notes, and she heard the lightest of notes, like twinkling stars in the background of the general flow. She was on a ship, traveling to the unknown, with only the stars as her guide. It was marvelous. She wished it were performed with the accompaniment of a full orchestra.

The music ended too quickly for her liking, but she stood up and applauded Jack Routh’s performance.

“Magnificent!” She smiled. “Who composed that?”

Jack Routh smiled and sat back down after she settled back on the couch. “It was composed in 1995 by Jerry Goldsmith for a Science fiction TV show called Star Trek Voyager.”

“Truly?” She hid a smile. Her husband was the one who enjoyed those, not hers. She glanced at her aide and nodded in approval when she noticed he had recorded her guest’s impromptu performance.

She spent the rest of the allotted time discussing the logistics of the Olympics with Jack, and why nearly every city rejected the opportunity to host such a prestigious event.

Her phone rang and she woke up from her reminiscing. It was Alex, and she eagerly answered the call.

“Did you see the performance?” She smiled.

“I did.” Her husband nodded. “I didn’t realize he was also a Trekkie. When I watched him playing, I had a strange sense of déjà vu.”

“With his resemblance to your uncle?” She asked.

“Yes.” Alex’s features became serious. “It’s uncanny. I still have memories of him when he played the piano. They moved almost exactly the same, in sync with the music.”

“Alex…”

“Love, how old is this Jack Routh?” Her husband asked.

“I’m not sure… mid twenties perhaps, even younger.” She replied. Why was her husband asking these questions? She had never seen him so serious before.

“I see.” Alex replied. “I’ll call in an hour when the girls are awake. I need to make some calls.”

“What is this about?” She asked.

“I just need to make sure, love.” Alex replied. “I love you.”

“I love you.” She answered. The call ended soon after that.

Did her husband think Jack Routh was some sort of lost relative? But that was impossible. Claus had died in a tragic accident with his wife, Ella of the Mountbatten family, and their young son in a car accident a few decades back. It was a pity that Claus had a falling out with his family since they disapproved of his choice to marry so young.

According to Alex, his uncle was always a rebel and chafed at the rigid schedules and restrictions imposed on him. He had cut off contact and eloped with his wife, and started a new life in America, until the family met a tragic end.

That was impossible, and yet, she could not deny the striking similarities.

This trip had become much more intriguing.