this is 2 days later so no baby sitting chapter.
"Two firearms for two gift cards. Thanks for making our streets a little safer." west said giving a lady a give card in return for a gun.
"So, we're just gonna destroy these? What if one was used in a crime?" Lucy asks.
"Hey, "no questions asked" means just that. And it's the best way to get people to turn in their unregistered weapons." i said.
"That and the $100 gift cards." Nolan says then, looking up seeing an older lady struggling with a suitcase. "Oh. Hang on a second. Sorry. Let me help you with those." he rush's over and help her.
"Oh. Thank you,....Officer Nolan." she said.
"Yeah. And you are?" he said.
"I'm Alma."
"Nice to meet you. are all these yours?" he asked as he began to drag her suitcase over, her following pursuit.
"Oh, no, no. They - They were my father's. He was a paratrooper back in World War II. And when he came back from the war, he brought all this with him. I've been carrying it with me since he passed in '74." she said.
Nolan unwraps a rifle wrapped in a towel and examines it.
"Oh, Alma this is in good condition. You could get real money for this." he said.
"Oh, no. I wouldn't know where to start. Besides, I'm moving in with my son's family. I don't want these around my grandkids."
"Well, we are here to help." Nolan unwraps a pair of pistols.
"Oh, those were his pistols. He brought them from Germany to San Francisco. And that one there is Ginny." She gestures toward a square, flat device that's been unveiled in Nolan's hand.
"Alma, is that a land mine?" he asks.
"Yes, a claymore, I think. From his time in Vietnam." she said.
west picked up the phone. "Uh, can we get a bomb squad to the front lobby? Now."
i walked slowly around to the front of the reception area.
"Well, I'm so glad you brought this in, because these are extremely unstable. Tell you what. I'm gonna stay here to dispose of this. Officer Salvatore is gonna get you to a safe distance, and then we'll get you those gift cards we talked about."
"Oh, uh, what about the ones in my trunk?"
Just then there's an explosion out in the parking lot, rattling the room and the people in it.
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i was making some coffee, leaning against my counter when my phone buzzed. "mandatory emergency callback of all patrol." the text read.
i sighed and ran in the stairs. "fucking job."
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"Thank you for coming in on 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 spoke from Greys podium.
"Thank you, Captain. As always, the Secret Service appreciates the LAPD's assistance in clearing and securing "Redwood's" route. These are your Operation Plan Manuals." Agent Danvers spoke.
then, wests cell buzzes and he looks down at it.
"Each officer's name has been listed under a specific quadrant and zone, along with your responsibilities. Your watch commander will liaison with me throughout the day as issues arise." she said as people began to pass out papers.
wests cell buzzes again.
"I'm sorry. Officer West. Is there something you want to share with the group?" Grey spoke.
"Um, no, sir. Uh I'm sorry. I just, uh I had plans I needed to cancel." he said.
"So did everyone here, yet they're paying attention." Grey said
"Yes, sir."
"These assignments are your sole priority today. You will not field calls from dispatch. Let the day shift deal with that. Captain?"
"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."
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The officers are lined up waiting their turn to collect equipment and supplies for the day.
"I don't get all the fuss. It seems like we're getting a day of overtime just to close roads and hang signs." i say.
"That's like saying being drawn and quartered is fun time with horses." Tim said.
"We're literally creating traffic jams during rush hour on purpose." Lopez said.
"Everything we do today is gonna piss someone off. " he turned to the quartermaster. "Quadrant One."
"Quadrant Two." Lopez spoke from behind us.
"I mean, we deal with angry people every shift, but a day of OT means I can finally fix the air conditioning on my car"
west laughs. i glance over at Tim and he's giving he the Tim look.
"What?"
"Air-conditioning makes you soft. You gotta get comfortable with being uncomfortable. That's the job."
"Is he serious?" west asked.
"As a heart attack, Boot. Which I gotta say you almost gave the watch commander back there." Tim said.
"Seriously, playing with your phone during a briefing is a cardinal sin." Lopez said.
"I-I lost focus." west stuttered.
"I only hope you were canceling something important, because Grey won't forget that for a while." she said.
"Just, uh, breakfast with my mom."
then, the quartermaster hands us a TON of gear.
"Is that all for us?" i ask.
"Yep. Extra road flares for the uptick in accidents. Extra ticket books for the increase in idiots."
"Extra crime-scene tape for blocking sidewalks. And cones for closing roads." Lopez said.
"Okay, okay, I get it." i said.
"Oh, we're not done yet. Hats and bats. Tactical helmets and 42-inch batons for riot control, along with heavy-duty vests if things get ugly." Tim said.
"And my personal favorite, the 40-millimeter tear-gas launcher for when democracy gets real." Lopez said.
"But, hey, at least you'll be able to ride in comfort." Tim said.
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"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." Tim spoke loudly, making sure the people around us could hear.
i then approach a man sleeping on the sidewalk.
"Sir? Sir? Sorry to wake you, but I'm gonna need you to start packing up, all right?" i say and he give a slight nod and starts packing up.
Nearby, a fight breaks out between two women.
"Bitch, those are my sneakers!" one screams.
"Get out!" the other screams.
i sigh and intervene, trying to separate them.
"break it up or go to jail!" i yell as i push them apart.
"That's enough! Hey. That's enough." Tim yells and try's to intervene as i had fallen to the ground wrestling one of the women. as Tim gets the other women, i handcuff the second and haul her to her feet.
"Ow. Ow." the women speaks.
"Hands behind your back. Don't move. All right. Stand up. Here we go."
"Salvatore." Tim speaks.
"What?" i ask.
"Stop. Don't move." he says.
i follow his gaze to just above my belt, where a dirty hypodermic is sticking out of her uniform.
Salvatore?...Salvatore?" i look up seeing Tim taking a few steps closer.
"I didn't see it. I mean, it was - it was on the ground, and -" i say.
"It's okay, but I need to pull the needle out."
i nod. he walks over to me fully and crouch's down. He pulls it out carefully and notes that the tip has blood on it.
then, he stood up and i heard him mumble something.
"What?" i ask.
"Focus. What do we do now?" he says.
"Um- "Collect the evidence. Bring the officer and the item to the nearest hospital to test for infections and diseases that may have been transmitted.""
"And where's the nearest hospital?" he asks.
"Shaw Memorial."
he turns to another cop "Make sure an officer posts up here until Veep passes through."
the other officer agrees.
he turns back to me. "Come on. Let's go."
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once we got to the hospital, i jump out the shop and run into the hospital. once inside i step up to the intake desk.
"Hi. Um, I need to get my blood tested. I got stuck with a used hypodermic needle." i say.
"Oh. Uh, yeah, one sec. Um, where did that..." he hands me a form. "If you could fill this out. Have a seat in the waiting room, and we'll be right with you."
"You must be new, because no experienced nurse lets an armed cop sit with civilians. What do you think happens if somebody attempts to grab her weapon?" Tim speaks.
the guy, Gino, his tag reads, stutters.
"The hospital protocol dictates that an armed officer be seen immediately. So set her up in a room right now and find a doctor."
"Yes, sir. Right this way." he immediately stands up and starts leading us to a room.
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i stood leaning against the chair in the room i was put in, looking through a web page of things that could most likely happen. then, Tim snatch's my phone from me.
"Falling down the WebMD rabbit hole isn't gonna change your results." he says
"HIV is three times more prevalent in the homeless community than it is in the general population. Hepatitis is five times more prevalent" i say before he cuts me off.
"And cows kill more people a year than sharks. The facts are whatever you make them."
"What- What if I get hep C from this needle, and one day I get shot, and you're trying to stop the bleeding and you forget that, you know, you have a you have a cut on your hand? Or worse- a kid gets shot and I'm the one with the cut? And it's just -"
"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. Do you want to hang out in the worst-case-scenario panic room, or you want to get back to work? Get that air-conditioning fixed?" he says.
"I thought air-conditioning made me soft." i say.
"Well, it does, but I can't solve all your problems today. Go splash some water on your face. Let's get back out there." he says holding my phone out.
i nod "Okay."
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as i was splashing water on my face, reassuring myself i would be ok a women walked out of the stall behind me.
we exchanged a smile. "sorry i didn't realize anyone else was in here." she said as she turned on the sink and began to wash her hands.
before i could say anything i notice her tearing up. i glance at the paper towel holder beside me and grab on handing it to her.
"thanks.." she cried softly. "im sorry. it's just...my brother he was...he was in a car accident." she says.
"im sorry. is he gonna be ok?" i ask.
he shakes her head "no." she says then walks out. as I'm looking in the mirror i notice something. i walk towards the stall she was in and there's a opened bottle of bleach on the floor with a red needle cap beside it.
i walk out the bathroom and see her walking towards a room. i follow, careful not the get noticed. i peak through the door and i notice A man is lying in a bed, injured and obviously on life support. a women is reaching to inject him with something in a syringe.
"Hey! What are you doing?" i walk into the room.
"This is what he wants." she cries.
"Stop." i reach of my teaser and radio for Tim.
"7-Adam-19 A to B, Tim I need you, room 113." i look back to the girl. "Hey. Hey. Look, just put down the needle, okay? You don't need to do this."
"Yes, I do. My brother wouldn't want this. He ran triathlons. Being stuck in bed, brain-dead, hooked up to machines forever, that's his idea of hell." she cries.
"Okay. Listen to me. Look, I know you're in pain, but this is not your decision to make." i say.
Tim steps in and quickly evaluates the situation. He draws his gun and speaks to the hospital personnel just outside the open door.
"Page a trauma surgeon and get an O.R. on standby. Incoming gunshot wound." i hear him say.
"Please. Please. Mike never had a chance to sign a DNR. He and my sister-in-law got married six months ago. She's his medical proxy, but she can't let him go. She doesn't see that she's hurting him." she says.
"And you think that injecting him with bleach is better? Listen, you have no right to decide if he lives or dies. What you're talking about is murder." i say.
"He's already dead." she says, her fingers pushing down ever so slightly.
"Hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey, put the needle down. Put it down. Hey. Look at me. Right here. Right here. Put the needle down, okay?" i step forward slowly.
"No." she says. she sticks the needle into the man's neck. i fire my taser and the women falls to the floor.
"Did she push the plunger?" Tim asks.
i pull the needle carefully out of the man's neck.
"No."
"Can't leave you alone for a minute." he says.
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"Grey's calling me back to the station." Tim said as we stood in the hallway.
"Okay. Should I come with you?" i ask.
"No. You stay here, wait for your results. I'll be back when I'm done." he says as he starts to walk away.
"Tim?" i call. he stops and turns around. "Thanks." i say.
"for what? doing my job?" he walks away.
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i was sat in the waiting area of the hospital when West is running beside a gurney as the medics roll someone towards an O.R.
"He went into shock a minute ago. Pulse is weak but steady." he says. "Hey, what are you doing here?" he walks towards me.
"I got stuck with a hypodermic needle this morning, so now I'm just I'm waiting." i say as i play with the collar of my shirt, trying not to break down.
"I, um I can wait with you." he says as he walks towards me, taking off his bulletproof vest leaving him in his white shirt.
"Thanks." i say.
"Yeah."
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"I've been here before. Waiting for news. Uh, before we started the Academy, my, uh, brother, Marshall, was diagnosed with diabetic nephropathy. It's a kidney disease." he says.
"I'm sorry. Is he okay?" i ask.
"Yeah. Now. But at the time, it looked like he needed a kidney transplant, and I was the only one in my family that was a match."
"That is a lot to carry."
"Man, I was not ready for it." he says.
"Mm-hmm." i hum.
"I'd been counting the days until I could start the Academy, and suddenly, I was facing the idea of putting it all on hold. I agonized over it. But Marshall said that he could wait. That it really wasn't that serious. So I took the out." he says.
"He was looking out for you." i say.
"He suffered acute renal failure two months after we started. He almost died."
"Whoa, why didn't you tell us?" i ask.
"I was ashamed. I mean, it was my fault. I - Luckily, the hospital found another donor and he got the transplant, but my mom still hasn't forgiven me." he says.
"Which is why missing brunch was such a big deal." i say.
"Yeah. And in her mind, I chose the job before family. Again."
"It's not the same. It's not. Deep down she knows it's true. Have you told her how heartbroken you are about all of this?" i say.
"She hasn't really given me the chance." he says.
"Well, then take it. Trust me, as unpleasant as it's gonna be, the waiting is so much worse." i say.
just then, a doctor enters with a clipboard.
"Officer salvatore?" she speaks.
"Yeah, that's - that's me." i stand up.
"I have the results of your test. So if you come with me, we can set you up in a room." she says.
"Uh, no. Sorry. No. Uh, can you just tell me, like, now?"
"Okay. So, your initial test came back negative for any viral infections, like HIV or hepatitis. But your blood work indicated the presence of a staph infection."
"What does that mean?" i ask.
"We need to get you started on intravenous antibiotics immediately. Some strains of staph are drug-resistant, so we'll monitor the wound for any abscesses or cellulitis. Okay?"
"Okay." i nod.
"Um, go. I'll, uh I'll call Tim. He'll be here for you when you come out." west said.
"Thank you for staying with me." i say and hug him.
"Of course."
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i was walking out the station, bag slung over my shoulder. i'm so glad i get to go home and sit on the couch with some wine and a good horror movie.
as i was walking out my phone buzzed. i don't bother looking at it and through my bag in the back.
what i seemed to miss, was the red ford truck pulling away as i got in my car.