Cynthia is at home with her best friend, Kayla. Who's moving out in the afternoon to her new apartment as she decided to move out of Cyn's place. That and because Rhonda, Cyn's mom is getting out tomorrow, she's letting her stay at her place until she can get her own.
She already talked with her old friends at this restaurant she used to work at and they'll rehire her, as well as overlook her records
For breakfast, she's having a Coconut Turmeric with currants, mango & hemp seeds. While Kayla has a Cherry Berry with chia & yogurt.
Here in Englewood, Cynthia often helps out those that are in trouble. While a lot of black people don't trust cops, some if not all respect and like her, and trust her. In return for helping some of her neighbours, they agree to tell Cyn on some things going down. As they all agree that they to help make Englewood a save place to live. Or at least try. Cynthia also makes it clear to any gang member that crosses paths with her. Should they pick fights with her, she'll lay their ass flat.
She's well liked, respected and in some cases, feared.
"Gurl, when I tell you this man is fine as hell, he's like a fantasy come true." Kayla expressed the about this man she just met two weeks ago.
"Yeah, and don't get mad, but I did a background check on him. He's solid enough." Kayla gives her that look. "Kay, when I tell you that you're my best friend, I'm always gonna have your back. When you fight, I fight, when you mad at a man, I'm mad the man."
Kayla smiles and chuckled. "Period. So, any man you dating, like..."
"Gurl, you know I ain't allowed to date within the department." Cynthia reminds her.
"Gurl, some rules, not all, are meant to be broken. And besides there must be some fine ass men you work with that you could give a go. What about Kevin? I've seen him around."
Cynthia shakes her head. "I love that man like he was my brother. But he out of my league, know what I'm saying?"
"Yeah, I guess I do. What about that Antonio Dawson? He got something going on." Kayla asked, as she met the guy via Cynthia herself.
"A: he's married. B: he has kids. And don't get me wrong, I love his kids, they cool as shit, but I ain't gonna replace their mom." Grant replied.
"What about this white dude you told me about? Adam?"
"Ruzek? He's engaged." Cyn replied. "And Jin? Not my type. But dude is a mad genius when it comes to tech."
"Ok, I guess that leaves the other white boy you showed me. The one with the brown hair and sexy green eyes."
Cyn almost choked on her food at the mention of of that description and it's a good thing she hid her reaction well. "Jay? I think someone else has eyes on him?"
"Who?" Kayla asked.
"Erin."
"Damn? Girl, you missing out!"
"Not really. You remember Fernando, right?" Cyn asked.
"Oh yeah! How's he?"
"He's fine. He works as a Doctor at Chicago Med." Cyn finished for her. "Who was with me over seas."
"Two soldiers dating. I'd never guess." Kayla being the teased as she is, continues. "Better not bring that man home when your mama move in here."
Cyn rolled her eyes. "Girl, I swear."
"Speaking of her, how is she?" Kayla asked, knowing how close Cynthia and her mom is.
"She's doing fine. Last we spoke. I'll admit I'm a little nervous." Cyn was being honest. She wonders who much time in prison has changed her mom.
Kayla comforts her. "Hey, your mama is tough as hell. Prison won't break her."
"I hope so." Cynthia replied before getting a text. "That's Hank, I gotta run." She gets up and is already armed with her gun and heads out.
Time Skip
Cynthia arrived around the same time as Erin and Jay. Just in time to also hear Adam not inviting Alvin to his engagement party, and not wanting him near his fiancé. Earning an eye roll from her.
"So does that mean you set a date?" Cyn asked Adam.
"Ah, today's the 21st, so 6 months today." Ruzek replied.
Jay groans. "Oh man, today's the 21st." Cyn almost shuddered at his voice. Almost sounding deep.
"Yeah, it usually follows the 20th." Erin added, before looking back at Jay. "What's up?"
"Nothing." Jay replied.
"All right, there are to unrelated wire investigations. Surveillance followed three of area central's. Top-ranking gang targets." Hank points to the map of the neighbourhood and this house. "To this house on carpenter. Narcotics hasn't gotten anywhere with it, so command staff wants intelligence on it. Roll out in five."
Everyone gets ready to roll out.
Time Skip
Grant was in the car with Lindsay and Halstead, keeping eyes on the house. And so far it's quite. Though Cyn will not say that out loud as she's but one of many that believe it. So she won't jinx it.
She heard from Fernando that when someone used that word, the hospital was packed and got many patients. They were lucky that no one died that day. Hence why no one should use the "Q" Word.
It wasn't unti the trio (Grant, Lindsay and Halstead) noticed a man with long hair, wearing sunglasses and a yellow hoodie approaching. "Hold up, we got company." Erin radioed.
Cyn sees the man knocking for a moment and before the door could even open, the man takes out a gun. She shouts. "Gun!"
But then the guy in the hoodie is shot multiple times.
The team gets out of their car. With Ruzek and Olinsky being ahead of them.
Adam enters and before the big guy reloads, Adam shoots him. "Stay down!"
Cyn and Erin entered, bit side by side as they watch each other's back. "Police!" Once they scan the area, the see no one else and declared it. "Clear!"
Vought enters after checking guy in the yellow sweater. "Hoodie's dead."
As the two women and Dawson look around for anything, Erin finds a bullet. "In here!" Hank comes in and sees what Erin found. "Cop killers."
"That's... not all. Look at this." Cynthia shows them a small box she found in a black garbage bag.
Antonio looks and asked. "What do you got?" Cyn shows Dawson and takes and examines the box. "Insulin. Somebody a diabetic?" Grant shakes her head and dumps on all the other empty small boxes of Insulins. "Or not."
Erin frowns. "Is there a black market for this stuff?"
"None that I've heard of, but when you compare the bullets and these boxes, you can tell they can fit right in. A perfect place to hide these. Try it out, Antonio."
Dawson compares the size and he agrees. "Yeah, you're right. It is."
"Nice work." Hank told them.
Time Skip
"All right." Hank gets everyone's attention. "This is Edward Jelko, the deceased street-level dealer. This is Peter Thomas Banfill, the offender, currently baking in a coma over at county." Cyn looks over at Adam and she can tell he's still shaken at the fact that he shot someone and that he may die. "Jelko probably thought like we did, that Banfill was sitting on something big, went over there to rip him off."
Dawson gets up with the bullet Erin discovered, "These are M995s, Teflon-Tipped, Kevlar-Penetrating Rounds. Ballistics has 'em linked to several recent homicides."
Grant speaks after Dawson. "And we found 100 of these at the scene. It's for Type R Insulin, which is a Canadian designation."
Hank nods and adds. "And with any luck, our little surprise visit got the gun runners scrambling, which means they're gonna make mistakes, okay?" They all nod at their boss, save Antonio, who's looking at his phone. "Eyes open." Then Hank looks to the two women. "Erin, Cyn, come here a second, will you?"
The two looked at each other before nodding at Hank and following him to his office.
"Do you want the door closed?" Erin asked him.
"Assume I always want it close." Hank replied.
Cyn chuckled at his tough man attitude. "Oh, okay, tough guy." She closes the door and hears what Hank's got to say.
"Justin's getting early release. He's moved up to Friday night."
Cyn and Erin smiled at the good news. "That's great."
"For real." Cyn added after Erin.
"Well, he's asking if you two can be there. It's not a big deal if you two can't." Hank let's them know, understanding if they have other plans.
"Are you crazy? Of course it's a big deal. He's getting out." Cyn agreed. Seeing Justin out of prison will be great. However, even she wonders if the dude changed. But she's going to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, in her mind, he's her brother.
"Yeah." Hank nods.
Erin looks at him and can tell something is up with the old man. Cyn can see it and can understand why. "What? Why do you look like somebody pissed in your coffee?"
Hand responds. "Getting out is always harder then getting in."
Cyn sighs. "Hank, look. Justin's gonna need you around, alright? I mean the tough love thing, it-it didn't work. If it makes you feel better, I'll do my best to keep an eye on him."
Hank nods and is grateful. Cynthia and Justin were and still are close growing up. It was actually the son of Hank Voight that gave her the nickname, "Cyn." And although the girl tried keeping him out of trouble, he still gets in trouble and sometimes Cyn gets in the middle of it. "Do me a favor. Tell Antonio I'll be back in an hour, okay?"
"Sure." Both of them said.
He leaves and puts his leather jacket on and heads out to deal with a thing.
"My mom is getting out tomorrow at 4:00pm. So I should be there on time to drop her off and then I'll tag along with you to pick up Justin." Cyn let's her know.
"And where is she gonna live?" Erin asked, knowing that Cyn is dating a doctor who happens to be or used to be in her squad.
"With me. Duh. And it's only temporarily. I found my mom's cousin a month ago. He's like in his forties (younger cousin, moms older) and he's a coming in four months and then I officially will have the house to myself."
Time Skip
"Hey!" Cyn called out Antonio when he came in after talking to his CI. "I found the source of the insulin. A company near Toronto named "Markham Medical Supply," their sales rep makes a run here and every other Thursday. And he left at 5:00 this morning."
"I'm guessing they have tracking numbers on all their products?" He asked her.
"Yep."
"All right, get those tracking numbers, locate him on GP, and-" Cyn tilted her head and Antonio smiles at her, "you already did that."
"Yep, Atwater and Burgess are en route tracking the signal as we speak."
"Nice." The two did a fist bump, with Dawson doing one of those explosive open hands and Grant laughing at him.
As she goes and leaves, she bumps into Jay. "Woah, sorry there, Ranger Boy."
She walks off. Hiding her face as she hides a blush, remembering the talk she and her best friend had in regards to him. 'Damn, Kayla, why'd you have to mention him in are conversation?'
She hears Adam calling out to her. "Hey, Grant." Cyn looks up at Ruzek. "Any word on Banfill?"
"He's still in the ICU. Don't worry, Dr, Garcia will let me know when he wakes up. But hey, you seen the Counsellor yet?" She asked, wondering if his head is still in the game.
"Yeah, this afternoon. You know, I'm gonna send out a memo so people can stop asking me."
Cyn frowns and darts her eyes down and up at him. "The fuck? Who do you think you're talking to, huh? You got 10 minutes on this job. Watch yourself."
Ruzek sees the mistake in his tone, hearing about Grant from the other trainees. So he backs down. Jay back there is impressed. Normally he would come to back her up, but it looks like Cyn can handle her self.
"It's - a lot of people have been asking me."
"That's because some of us care about your mental state, and how you're feeling, dude. Remember that the next time somebody asks you." As she walks past him, Grant stops and looks back him. "And next time roll with that, Ruzek, rather then going off like that, you fill me?"
"No, you're right. You're right. My bad."
Time Skip
Atwater and Burgess radioed the team in and Lindsay, Halstead and Grant arrived with Alvin. They found their smuggler.
Dead.
Shot multiple times.
Erin examines the body. "This is definitely our sales rep. George Wilenko, 41. He's been with Markham Medical for 17 years, no record, fully bonded, has borders clearance. This guy's not your typical smuggler."
Cyn looks around the car and Al noticed something and asked Grant. "You notice the cup?"
Cyn picks it up with her glove hands on and noticed it too. "Lipstick on the lid."
Time Skip
While Cyn is at his desk when Jay and Erin are questioning the victim's wife. She knows that she was a tad bit harsh on Ruzek and all, but she's trying to get him to understand that shooting someone for the first time could get people to react differently. And that talking to someone helps. There's no doubt though that Alvin will have his hands full with him. But she also has faith in Ruzek. That he'll learn to be the best cop.
She also heard from Antonio that the armoury in the Canadian Army was robbed. 3,000 rounds of ammo, and 50 C7s were stolen.
Grant hopes that she and her team can recover those quick. Knowing full well the dangers of having those on the streets.
She also listening on the wife and while the tears do seem genuine enough, she can't help but think she's half telling them the truth.
So Grant stayed behind and went to Jin to confirm her story and of course the widow lied to them. Not that she was surprised. So she calls Erin and fills her in. "Hey, our widow is lying. Her cell phone provider said she was never at Bloomingdale's. She spent the afternoon up in Edgewaters."
Cyn can hear Erin sigh over the phone. "Great. Thanks."
Time Skip
Cynthia arrived in the interrogation room along with Erin and Jay, all three of them looking at her, knowing that she lied.
"We're gonna get real honest real quick." Erin then pulls out the photos of the deceased/victims. "Do you recognize these men?"
The women looks away in disgust. "Oh god."
"Yeah, neither can we." Erin continued. "His face was shot off by the bullets you and your husband brought into Chicago."
"Why are you doing this?"
Cynthia shakes her head at that question. "Girl, ain't it obvious?' "Because you lied to us. You weren't browsing Bloomingdale's. You were in Edgewater."
That's when Jay comes in. "You and your husband had a nice run, right? You start off with something simple like X or Kush, and you got greedy, and you upgraded to Gun-Running."
Cynthia adds her last cents in. "You got George killed, which makes you an accessory to his murder."
Finally Erin chimes in. "So we're gonna try this again? Only this time the truth."
After a second or two, she told them what she really knows. "I was visiting a friend. An ex-boyfriend."
Jay rolls his eyes and sighs, clearly not buying into her words. "If you're gonna lie, put some effort into it for me."
But the women insist. "Call him. He'll tell you."
Cyn glanced at Jay and nods slightly before the guy gives her a pin and a paper from his note book. "Name. Number." She writes it down and Grant follows Halstead out. "You believe her?"
"She didn't look away or anything and she's a terrible liar. So let's find out." Cyn replied. If she asked her question earlier, she would have known that she would be lying. But still, she had to be sure by looking up her phone location.
Time Skip
Erin pulls out the file on this other guy. "Michael Ganz, loved in East Garfield Park, has a record: Robbery, Possession. Runs with a small crew."
Jay got off the phone. "Claire's ex-boyfriend checks out right down to the 500 bucks."
Jin comes in. "Got a king on Ganz's phone, pulled all the numbers he's called in the last 24 hours."
Cyn applauded Jin. "Employee Of The Week, Jim. Right there, my man."
Jin almost blushed, and points something Hank smirked about. "All the calls were to the same numbers, a cell phone registered to a Lucky M Pawn And Loan in Gage Park."
That's when Alvin said. "Lucky M. I know that Ding-Dong."
"Mind if I tag along, Al?" Cyn asked, as she hadn't ridden with him in awhile.
"Sure. We'll talk to him together." As Cyn leaves to get ready, she over hears Hank wanting him for something off books. She doesn't have to ask. She already knows. On her way to work, Hank told her about this kid they brought in for info on Pulpo.
He's going to get him out of the gang. But Cyn knows these gangs don't let the young kids go that easy. But knowing Hank, they'd be wise to let him go.
Time Skip
"You know your mom helped us put away a couple gangs. And violent criminals."
Cyn nodded. Indeed, her mom helped put away some bad people. From gangs to even killers. Rhonda saw first hand on what happened if someone gets caught in a cross fire between other rival gangs or tries to leave. She was willing to help out the cops, even though she still didn't trust them at that time, give the history between black people at the police. But Hank and Alvin managed to earn Rhonda's trusts.
"She's going to live with me for now. Her cousin is moving here. So it's only temporary."
Once they arrived, the enter the Pawn Shop together. "Mr. Milner."
"Alvin. Who's this?" He eyes Cynthia.
"Cynthia Grant. And..." she shrugged, thinking that half the stuff people pawned to this shop is decent, "nice stuff."
"Thanks."
"So how's the usury business?"
The guy was a bit nervous. And Cyn is all too aware that just like Hank, Al can be just as ruthless when it comes to certain things and that's getting info.
"I don't run bay kind of operation." Mr. Milner tells them.
"Good for you, um, guns coming from Canada." Al brings up.
"You wouldn't happen to know something like that, would you?" Cyn asked.
The guy was nervous enough with Alvin. But Cynthia proves that even her death glare is enough to send shivers down Mr Milner's spine.
"I just introduce people."
Alvin chuckled at this guy's foolishness. "Wha-wha- what does that mean?"
"Nothin'. I'm just telling you, you know?"
Cyn smirks and looks at Alvin. Even he sees through this man. "No. I don't know."
Mr. Milner is clearly hiding something and Cynthia was about to ask when he cut him off. "I don't know anything about Canadian Guns."
Cyn rose a single brow, crossed arms. "Then, why did you say "just introduce people"? It seems rather odd if you ask me."
"I mean, no offence, but... aside from you, he makes me nervous." He directed that Alvin,
"Why huh?" Alvin asked.
"Why?"
"Yeah."
Mr. Milner then asked. "How about the last time you were in my shop, huh?" Cyn once again looks at Alvin and raises a brow in what he meant by that. "You took a nine iron to my jewelry case."
"Oh." Cyn nodded, understanding, but she wasn't really bothered by that. At least not that much. She just thought Al hurt the guy.
"That's was here?" Alvin asked, clearly acting like he had no recollection of that item being in this shop.
"Alvin. I don't know anything, okay?"
Cynthia studies his facial expression and once the owner looks at her, she can clearly see that he's lying. So she relays something to Alvin.
Though, not in English.
"sì, sta mentendo (yeah, he's lying.)"
Let's just say Cynthia knows Alvin speaks Italian. Causing the old detective to smirk.
"buono a sapersi. aspettami fuori. (good to know. wait outside for me.)" Cyn nods and heads to the car, knowing Alvin is likely going to do something bad. Nothing gruesome.
"Let me, uh- let me see that." He points to that chainsaw. "Right there, right there. Right- right over there," the owner looks back to see it, "yeah."
Time Skip
Cynthia gets a call from Kayla. "Hey, KJ."
"Hey, girl, so I was just about to leave the house of my boo, when I saw sexy green eyes."
Cynthia frowns. "Who?"
"Gurl! Jay Halstead!"
"Oh. What about him?"
"Oh we didn't talk. But I did heard him yelling at this creepy skinny looking dude name... Lonnie, I think his name was."
"Really? Why?" Cyn asked, wondering why Halstead was yelling at some dude.
"I don't know. But he did called him a "Sick Ass Son" which tells me this kid did something bad. Just thought I should let you know, you know?"
Cynthia sighs. "Yeah I know. Thanks KJ. I'll talk to him. You in your new place?"
"Yeah, I am."
"Ok, cool. See you in a bit. Bye." She hangs up and puts the phone in her pocket. She's wondering what Jay has against the kid.
Her thoughts are interrupted when Alvin leaves the store and she crosses her arms. "So?"
"He set up a buy with a Ganz tomorrow, 2:00pm."
"All right. Let's roll." Cyn told him.
Time Skip
Cynthia is at home, on the phone with her mom's cousin. Chadwick. "Thanks for coming here, Chad."
"No problem. Besides, I owe Rhonda for helping me out." Chad replied. "She's gonna be thankful for you're doing for her. Providing a place for her to stay and all."
"After what she did for me, I say I owe her a lot more."
A long pause before. "Honey, I know what your mama did was kinda wrong. But then again, if you were my daughter and if someone like you're old man did what he did to you when you were young, you bet I would go to prison for you."
"Hopefully she won't do that again. I don't think I can take her going back there again."
"Well, I already spoke to the people over there and I should be there in four weeks actually."
Cynthia was surprised.
"For real?"
"Yeah. Got me a house everything." Chad replied.
"Ok then. I'll see you soon. Bye." She hangs up and she sets her phone in her pocket. Playing "Banggaz - Run Up Get Dun Up, If We Beefing, I Got You".
She swears every time she listens to this song, she feels the needs to fight or hit something.
Fernando did warn her not to listen to songs that make you aggressive. Or fight.
Then she proceeded to work out. She would have worked out with Antonio, but this time, she wants to work out alone. For something else is on her mind.
Suffice it to say, something about what Chad said about her... father triggered something in her and all she wants to do right now is hit her punching bag.
Time Skip
Cyn arrived and managed to catch up with Jay. "Hey."
"Hey." Jay said hi to her. "What's up?"
"You tell me. My best friend, KJ, saw you yesterday yelling at some skinny kid. Saying "Sick Ass Son." You mind telling what's that about?"
Jay didn't want to get into it. At least not yet with Cyn. "Next time. I'll explain."
"Okay, bro. You know you can tell me anything, right?" He nods. "Okay, let's head on in."
Time Skip
The others are suit up and loaded up their guns. Cyn had text KJ if she can pick up her mom, as she knows it will be a long shift. She agreed, with her best friend assuring her that Rhonda will understand. "Let's keep our heads down. Assume Mike is packing heavy stuff."
"Got it." Cyn replied to Antonio.
After Hank comes in let's Al know that Christmas is the take down word, Lindsay arrives and meets up with Grant and Vought. "Hey. Reservation's all set at Carmine's for when he's out. They have us the back room, so who do you want me to invite?"
Hank replied. "Oh, let's keep it small, just the four of us."
"Yeah?" Grant asked, cause knowing Justin, he'll want to hang out with his buddies. She's met some of them. Some are a tad bit alright, though the others are shady to her.
"I don't think he should be around his old friends just yet."
Both women nodded. "Cool."
"Okay." Erin said after Cyn.
Time Skip
Once they were in the van, they waited for Alvin to get in the car with Ganz. At first they lost audio with Al, which would have worried Cyn had they not got it back. And they were able to trace his signal.
And they overheard Al said this. "It's just like Christmas Morning."
On the other side, Cyn grinned. "Game on."
After all said that, one of the two guys spotted Al's team. "Cops!"
The unit enter the warehouse, armed with assault rifles. "Police!"
A gun fight starts. With Grant covering for Halstead and Lindsay. They were able to return fire, with Grant managing to clip one of them in the shoulder before he starts getting away.
"Move!" Hank orders them and they follow.
Lindsay and Grant return fire, with the latter managing to clip the other guy in the shoulders. But then she also realized that Ganz, who was shooting at them, takes cover behind the same car as Al.
"Ruzek, follow me!" Cyn told him and he was gonna ask why, but stopped himself from doing so and followed her.
And just as Ganz had his gun pointed at him, Grant and Ruzek had their guns trained in him.
"Put the gun down!" Cyn demanded.
"We will drop you, I swear to god. Put it down." Adam added. Ready to drop him if he doesn't.
Ganz, with not other choices, drops the gun and points at Al accusingly, realizing that he's a cop.
"Get on the ground. Put your palms in the air. Get down." Ganz did what he did and Cyn handed Alvin the cuffs. "Al."
Cyn then radios Atwater and Burgess. "Burgess, Atwater, you got two white male offenders moving southwest of the building towards. Be advised they're injured to the shoulder, call EMS."
Time Skip
Cyn looked at the time. And it's 4:00pm. Only thirty minutes left before she her mom is picked up and drop her off at her house.
"You can go pick her up if you want." She turns to face Hank. "We'll finish up here."
"Kayla is going to pick her up. It's fine."
"Cyn, you're mom would want you to pick her up. Spend a title time with her before you go to pick up Justin and head to Carmine's."
Cyn didn't want to leave work yet, but she knows Hank's right. "Ok. See you then."
Time Skip (Flashback)
12 year old Cynthia was in the car with her mother. Heading towards a neighbourhood she's not familiar with. She wonders why they're not going home. And she doesn't know why she has a bag full of clothes. She didn't ask if she can sleep over at her friend's house and her mom didn't say much. And although she had a small smile on her face, it masked what she was really feeling.
They arrived, and Cyn doesn't recognized the house. But Rhonda does. She knows. The one who lives in that house is someone she's worked with. She is (was) an informant. To a police.
And she's been his informant for about 12 years now.
But what she's about to do is going to change things.
For better or for worse.
"Cynthia. I want you to know something. So listen." Her daughter nods and listens. "I'm sorry, baby. I've should have known something was off about him. From the very beginning." Glancing at the house, she continues. "You remember that cop from before?"
"Ummm, Hank Voight?" Cynthia answered.
"That's him. You're going to be staying with him."
"For how long, ma?" She asked, getting slightly confused.
"Don't worry about that, baby. Just know that everything is gonna be ok." Rhonda answered. Not really telling her daughter. The whole time they driving here was silent. She knew what was about to happen, what she was about to do. Did she have any doubts? Any thoughts?
Perhaps, but she didn't say a word.
She opens the car and hands a letter to her daughter. "Give this to him when he gets home. Don't open it. And make sure his wife doesn't open it. You tell her it's for him. You hear me?"
"I hear you, ma." She replied.
"Give your ma a hug." The two got out of the car and did it. Cynthia has a feeling that this is a goodbye.
Little did she know that it is. For now.
Rhonda kisses her daughter on the forehead and let's her knock on the door. It was a good thing she and Justin met in school and are friends. And she thank god that Camille has a good.
As Rhonda drives off, she had a look on her. And the emotions she was showing on the outside may seem somewhat calm. Neutral even. But deep inside, she's feeling something far worse.
Rage.
Time Skip (Flashback End)
Cynthia awaits outside the prison gates. Watching a women walk towards her.
Rhonda sees her daughter waiting for her. And after setting the box down and everything, the two women hugged each other.
"I miss you, ma." She said.
"I missed you too, baby." She replied. "Look at you. You beautiful. More then me."
"Don't say that, ma. You're just as beautiful."
"Though not as badass. No doubt all that military training made you all hard and shit."
Cyn smiled and replied. "I'm still your little girl."
"Big girl more like it." Rhonda noticed that badge. "You're police now?"
"Detective. Hank recruited me to be part of his Intelligence Unit." Cyn explained.
Instead of the disapproving look, Rhonda smiled at his daughter. "Good. I'm glad he's taken care of you. Raised you better. Now come on, let's drive out of here."
"Sure thing."
Time Skip
Rhonda is impressed with the house Cyn is living in. In the neighborhood, she and her grew up in. The house has three bedrooms, one bathroom and a nice kitchen. Nice TV, etc.
"Nice place you got here."
"Thanks." Cyn said to her mom. "Are you gonna invite some of your friends over?"
"Just five of them. I know you're going with Erin to pick up Hank's boy." Rhonda met Justin when he was just a little kid. She wonders what he looks like now. And she would have wondered what the kid did to be sentenced to prison, but Cyn already told her. "What time should you be back at?"
"Likely around ten or so." Cyn replied. "So your cousin will be here soon. So we better enjoy your time here while we can."
"I know. Besides, I figured I should be getting my own place soon."
"If you want, I can send $150.00 every month. Put it into a bank and the money you get from job, you should be able to get your own house within... maybe a year or two." Cyn speculated. "Anyways, I gotta pick up Erin. I'll see you tonight." She goes to hug her mom again. "It's good that you're mama."
"Me too baby. And I'm proud of the women you've become." Rhonda is indeed proud of her baby girl.
"I'll see you later."
Time Skip
Erin is picked up by Cyn, only to learn that Hank won't be there to greet him as he's taking care of something else. Which Grant assumes it has something to do with D'Anthony.
One of the things she loves about Voight is that he looks after the young boys. Those that want to leave the gang or find a new home. He does his best for them. But sometimes she wishes he came to see his son leave prison.
But she just sighs and continues to drive.
"You know Hank is going to need both of us to keep an eye on him, right?" Erin asked her foster sister.
"Yeah, I know." Cyn already knows this. "Man, I wonder how much he's changed."
"Probably not that much." Erin thought.
Either way, she can't wait to see him again.
Time Skip
The two waited outside of the prison gates for him late at night.
And there he was. He's different from the last time Cynthia saw him.
"FREEDOM!" Cyn and Erin laugh at their brother. Still that kid who's full of energy. "Gentlemen. It's been nice." He salutes the guard and turns to the two women he grew up with.
"Aye, what's happening?!" Cyn hugged Justin tightly, and he hugged back. With Justin lifting her off the ground. Those two missed each other so much. Those two are tight as a rope.
"Cyn. I'm so glad your back."
Erin knew how close those two are. Even when Cyn was going through... hard time, Justin was always there to get her on her feet.
"It's good to see you, Justin." Then he and Erin hugged it out too. "Aw, hi."
He steps back and sees the two women. "Damn, you two are looking good."
Those two laughed, with Erin playfully shoving him. "Get outta here. A goat would look good to you right now."
"Yeah, maybe. Is that your ride?" Justin asked Cyn.
"Sure is. Got it last year." Grant said it proudly.
"So where's my old man?"
Cyn and Erin shared a glance. Even the former isn't happy that Hank bailed to take care of D'Anthony. But at the same time, she understands why. But still.
"He's uhh, taking care of something right now. Know what I mean?" Cyn replied to his questions.
Justin smiled drop, but his face displayed disapproval and he wasn't surprised by that. "Why am I not surprised by that?"
'You know how your old man works.'
"Come on, he's working." Erin tried to ease the tension.
"Yeah, he's always working." He looks down and shakes his head. "Whatever, I don't care. I just wanted to see you two anyways."
"Well I hope you're hungry, because there's a hot meal-" she was cut off with Justin kissing Cynthia. And she pushed him away gently. "Woah, Justin. I love you, and you cute, but I love you like a brother. Not that way."
"Hey, I'm not that snot-nosed kid anymore."
Cyn tilted her head. "Yeah, sure, Casanova."
"I'll prove it to you, okay?" Cyn and Erin looked at each other and back at Justin before nodding. "Come on. Let's go." He wraps his arms around the two women.
"Before you ask, I'm driving, as long as you don't mind the music."
"Cyn, I know you enough that you'll pick the best music."
Cyn laughs. "Glad to know someone remembers the rules in my car." She eyes Erin.
"Just get in the car you two."
"Okay, you don't need to be like that." Cyn frowned and the three got into the car and drive off.
And of course the two loves to listen to Jeezy - Everything.
It's both of their favourite song to play. And they can rap to it.
Erin shakes her head, but she forms a small smile. She's glad to have Justin back. And seeing him and Cyn having the time of their lives makes her happy.
The three alone will always be there for each other.