Illusive | Tim Bradford

nine •

Being in the briefing room on my day off didn't feel particularly ideal.

I didn't really have anything else to do today anyway but you know, could've been nice.

"Thank you for coming on in your day off. The Vice President is making an unscheduled visit to our city. So it's all hands on deck. Agent Danvers." Captain Anderson instructions before handing on to Danvers.

"Thank you, Captain. As always, the secret services appreciated the LAPD's assistance in clearing and securing the route. These are your operation plan manuals." Danvers instructions

I watch as Grey scolds West for checking his phone during the brief, in front of both Danvers and Anderson. Pretty risky of him, surely he had something reasonable going on. One would hope anyway.

"Most of you know the drill. For our rookies, today is going to be ugly. Everything we do to ensure the safety of Redwood will create gridlock. It's important to be patient and vigilant. That's all. You're dismissed." Anderson informed.

We all begin to move out of the room, Grey flagging down Bishop and Nolan as everyone left. I wonder what was in store for them.

As all the officers all lined up and waited our turn to collect equipment and supplies for the day, I was informed I'd be Officer Chen's Training Officer for the day. Whilst I hadn't gotten the entire go ahead, Bradford was out for the day due to his wife being in hospital and no one else was available.

"I don't get all the fuss. It seems like we're getting a day of overtime just to close roads and hang signs." Chen mentions.

"Pretty much, honestly." I agreed with a short laugh.

"We're literally creating traffic jams during rush hour on purpose." Lopez points out, laughing as well.

"We're going to piss plenty of people off today." I point out. I look to the quartermaster, "quadrant one." I ask.

"I mean, we deal with angry people every shift, but a day of over time means I can finally fix the air conditioning on my car." Chen mentions, a smile meeting her features.

I laugh lightly, "I know exactly what Bradford would say if he heard you say that."

"Air conditioning makes you soft." Both Lopez and I say at the exact same time.

"And he'd be serious about it too." West adds, causing all of us to nod in agreement.

We're handed a lot of gear. "Is that all for us?" Chen asks, her face revealing her partial shock.

"Yeah, extra road flares for the uptick in accidents and extra ticket books for the increase in well, idiots." I explain to her.

"Extra crime scene tape for blocking side walkers and cones for closing roads." Lopez continues.

"Okay okay I get it." Chen nods.

"Hats and bats. Tactical helmets and 42 inch batons for riot control, along with heavy duty bets incase things get ugly." I continue.

Lopez smiles as she picks up the tear gas launcher. "My favourite. The 40 millimeter tear gas launcher for when democracy gets real."

After loading up the shop and heading out to our task, Chen and I were on the street at a homeless camp. I hated kicking people who had no where else to live off of the street, it felt like it was as low as you could go. But it had to be done

"All right, listen up. Until tomorrow at 3:00 p.m, the stretch of Vine between Melrose and Franklin will be off limits. Sanitation services will be arriving in 20 minutes. You'll have until then to pack up. Rope off the block. Make sure everyone moves off." I speak out loud.

It had been a while since I'd done one of these events, but I remember them like they were yesterday.

I glance as Chen approaches a man sleeping in the sidewalk. She wakes up, informing him he's going to need to start packing up.

Suddenly, a fight breaks out nearby between two homeless women. One yells, "bitch those are my sneakers!" And then the second continues to attempt to tell the other one to leave.

Chen intervenes, attempting to seperate the twos. As Chen yells at them to stop, with no progress being made, I step in. "That's enough! Hey. That's enough." I raise my voice.

Chen has fallen to the ground wrestling one of the women. But Chen handcuffs her and hauls her to her feet.

I look to Chen's midsection, concern meeting with my features. "Chen." I call.

"What?" She asks, looking at me.

"Stop. Don't move." I instruct her.

She follows my gaze to just above her belt, where there is a dirty hypodermic and it is sticking out of her uniform.

"Chen. Chen. Chen." I repeat, she's not responding due to panic. Anyone could see that.

"I didn't see it. I mean, it was - it was on the ground, and -" she rambled anxiously.

"It's okay, Chen." I reassured, "but I need to pull the needle out." I tell her. I pull it out carefully, examining the tip and seeing it has blood on it.

"What's the procedure when an officer is exposed on duty?" I ask. I decide to take today as an attempt to prove to myself I could be a good training officer.

Chen freezes, unable to focus on my words. "What?" She asks.

"What do we do now?" I ask again, remain patient with her as I understand she's just been through something traumatic.

Chen inhales deeply, "collect the evidence. Bring the Officer and the item to the nearest hospital to test for infections and diseases that may have been transmitted." She answers.

"Wheres the nearest hospital?" I ask, placing the hypodermic into an evidence collection tin.

"Shaw memorial." She answers once again.

I turn to another cop, asking them to make sure another officer posts there until the Vice President passes through. Once the officer reassures me that they're capable, Chen and I head to the hospital.

As we walk into the hospital, Chen steps up to the intake desk. I stand beside her. "Hi. Um, I need to get my blood tested. I got stuck with a head hypodermic needle." She informs.

The nurse looks up, "if you could fill this out. Have a seat in the waiting room and we'll be right with you." He informs.

I furrow my eyebrows. "Sorry, I don't know if you're new or something. But an armed cop is not meant to sit with civilians. What if somebody where to attempt to grab her weapon?" I point out to the nurse, attempting to be as polite as possible.

"My apologies. Right this way." He speaks, leading us to an exam room. I wait in the hallway for Chen.

I enter the room once her exam is completed. Chen looks at me, nothing but pure worry covers her features. "Did you know HIV is three times more prevalent in the homeless community than the general population?" She asks.

"Chen. Cows kill more people a year than sharks." I point out, before questioning my own reassurance techniques. "The facts are whatever you make them out to be." I tell her.

"What- What if I get hep C from this needle, and one day I get shot, and someone's trying to stop the bleeding and they forget that, you know, they have a they have a cut on their hand? Or worse- a kid gets shot and I'm the one with the cut? And it's just-" she spirals, panicking.

I place my hand on her shoulder in attempts to reassure her, "Chen, then you'll be a cop with hep C and a cut. You signed up to put your life on the line. That means your health, too. Focusing on fear isn't gonna change the outcome. Lab results are gonna take hours." I tell her, attempting to comfort her.

After waiting for results for awhile in the hallway, my phone dings. "Greys calling me back to the station." I tell her.

"Okay. Should I come?" Chen asks.

"No you stay here. Wait for those results. I'll be back when I'm done." I tell her.

I get up, ready to leave. "Hale? Thank you." She thanks.

"No need to thank me Chen." I tell her, smiling at her before I head back to the station.