An Itch to Scratch

Chapter One: Old Ties Are Hard to Break

 Irina was already having a hell of a week.

She'd made five arrests, wrapped up four cases, been shot at three times, and was nursing a potentially torn rotator cuff.

It was only Wednesday.

Now, she and her sergeant, McClanan, were meeting with Los Angeles SWAT team to discuss a case they were working on. At first Irina was confused, but as soon as Mikel's name came into play, she felt like she knew all the details before they were even delivered to her.

Mikel Schwetz and Irina had grown up in the same neighborhood, her family's apartment building two doors down from his. He and his family lived above a restaurant owned by the mob. She lived in a resident building (also owned by the mob). Both of them were the first born of their families in the United States and both of their fathers worked within the mob, though Irina recalled she having the better father. The one who didn't beat on his wife and children after coming home from beating up someone else who wronged the mafia. Mikel and her had went to school together, did homework together, got in a reasonable amount of trouble together. However, after high school graduation, she hadn't heard from him. It was expected he would join the mob, while she joined the police academy at eighteen in order to get out of organized crime.

Her family had been less than pleased.

"We're here," McClanan said as the car came to a stop in the underground garage.

Irina and McClanan climbed out and the driver went to the park the car. Neither of them said anything as they were escorted further into SWAT's headquarters. Irina marveled silently, discreetly, at the high end technology around her.

She glanced at McClanan. He'd been on edge since she first walked into his office to hear about Mikel. He was an older man, just over fifty with short, grey hair she knew used to be red. He was tall, broad shouldered, and still kept himself in excellent physical shape. She and him would often spare against each other and while Irina was by no means lacking upper body strength, he was a hard opponent to take down. It was like wrestling with an oak tree.

They entered the briefing room, met by six SWAT members, Captain Jessica Cortez, and Commander Robert Hicks. Irina had done her research on the SWAT team the evening before, wanting to know what (and who) she was dealing with. Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson Jr was the recently appointed team leader, having surpassed David "Deacon" Kay, a man who easily surpassed him in seniority with over a decade on the team. There was the single female member Christina Alonso, as well as Victor Tan, Dominic Luca, and Jim Street. They were a motley crew of individuals, but they did their job well.

"Team, this is Sargent McClanan and Detective Irina Nikolaev of Precinct 15," Hicks gestured to them respectfully. They were met with nods of welcome. McClanan and Irina mirrored the motion.

"Sarg said I was needed to speak to Mikel," Irina said.

Hicks nodded. "We've been trying to make a deal with him in order to get within the Russian mafia, who are holding several individuals hostage."

"I heard," Irina said. "Specifically Lieutenant Stark, Sargent Brozik, and the mayor's daughter." When eyebrows shot up at her statement, she added, "I did my research."

The situation was odd, with a random group of hostages from multiple public service positions throughout the city. There was no ransom asked for, no further statements from the hostage holders. It left police officials. While the masterminds behind it were obviously of Russian loyalty, there was little else to go. Irina had been asked to advice on the case and no doubt she was here for similar reasons specific to SWAT's handling of hostages.