No Reward Without Risk | Chicago P.D

The Beginning of it All

FOUR HOURS EARLIER

"Alright, that'll be eight grand," I say boredly while the man's eyes pop out in a hilarious fashion.

"Eight grand?!"

"Yep. This is quality stuff, completely pure, and I'm not running a grocery store."

He rolls his eyes, and fishes out a wad of cash from his pocket that I know is there. Buyers always have extra money on them—at this point I know all their secrets. They're all the same.

My name is Erin Lindsay, and deal drugs, to put it one way. I buy nose spray from local pharmacies and I lace them with cocaine, then rip the brand names off. It's a quite unknown method, but it works, and it's subtle. I haven't been caught yet, so I decide that I can definitely count that as a win.

"Thanks so much," I drawl sarcastically after he hands over the bills. "I totally look forward to doing business with you."

"Yeah, yeah, just give me the dope," the guy mutters. I nod and pull out a small, cardboard with 20 bottles of nose spray from behind the counter, double checking to make sure that it's filled with the right amount.

"Use it sparingly."

I puff some smoke from my cigarette into his face as he turns around. He gags, and practically runs out of the stoe I smirk, letting the cigarette dangle loosely in between my lips.

"Erin, baby!" I hear Bunny call out from the back. I roll my eyes and drop the wad of ignited tobacco on the ground, crushing the bits of searing paper under the heel of my boot. I stroll to the storage room and I see my mother rearranging boxes on the shelves.

"Mom, what do you need?"

She turns around noticing me for the first time. "Erin! We have some buyers on the other side of the city. Go with Nadia and find your way there, and here's the address," Bunny hands me a slip of paper.

I snort when I read the street name written in red ink.
"No kidding, we'll probably stay there overnight, we can't be back before dark," knowing that Bunny's number one rule for her employees is to be off the streets before dark, because that's when the animals come out. Gangs and drug lords—more dangerous drug dealers than us. That's also when a lot of busts are made by undercover cops.

Our product is known in this neighborhood, and its popularity is well-deserved. We worked hard for this fame. Well-deserved indeed.

"Alright," I agree. "Give me some money for the bus fare and motel."

Bunny eyes me suspiciously and I throw my hands up in the air. "For goodness sake, I'm your daughter! I'm not going to spend it on anything unnecessary, and you know that! I'm your most loyal seller."

"Fine," she gives up, and bends over the metal safe where all of our money is kept in. Only Bunny knows the code, which doesn't strike me as particularly handy, especially in our line of work. She could be killed any second, and all our savings would be gone. Just a few numbers away—right in front of my nose—yet unreachable.

A woman with wavy, brown hair comes into the storage room, waving at me. "Hey, Erin, you ready?"

I nod smiling at my closest friend, "Definitely."

Bunny hands me a couple of one-hundred-dollar-bills and waves me off. "Out you go, you're meeting this buyer at six."

I nod and pull on my red leather jacket, taking the duffel bag Bunny packed the boxes in. "See you tomorrow."

"I will see you tomorrow darling, I love you!" Bunny calls out as I step out of out of the shop—which is basically an expanse with a separator carved out of the empty, brick walls of an alleyway. I roll my eyes, not bothering to answer her, because she doesn't love me, and I don't love her, and she knows that. The feelings towards each other are twisted, but mutual.

Nadia and I go to the bus station, keeping our heads low. Not too low as to attract any suspicion, but low enough that no cameras can recognize us.

We step on bus 445 to the neighborhood Bunny directed us to. I search the address on my burner phone and see that it will be a ten-minute walk from the bus station we'll be arriving at soon. I also book a motel ten minutes away from where the deal will be taking place.

After about forty minutes, the bus reaches Maywalk and we step out, heading to the corner on Elware, where we'll be making the trade. I shoulder the duffel bag more tightly as we approach the dark alleyway, gripping Nadia's arm. It's a dark place, and sure enough, we get an arm clamped around out heads and are dragged into a warehouse. Nadia lets out a small gasp, but I hold onto her hand and the bag with all my might.

The men that grabbed us try to take the bag but I shake my head at them. "Nuh-uh, I want to see the bank notes. We're fair here."

They glare at us, trying to intimidate us, but I hold my ground. "Whatever," the taller man mutters, motioning for the other guy to stand down.

"Pat them down," the alpha orders, and the other man complies. He begins with Nadia first, and she shifts uncomfortably, but holds her mouth closed. I, on the other hand, do not, when his hand lingers a bit too long on my butt. I smack it away, saying, "We're clean, alright?"

He look outraged puts a gun to my head. "You do not decide that. I do. This is my territory—my rules."

I feel my insides vibrate in fear, but I hold my ground, letting my hand creep closer, and closer to my the back of my waistband where a ceramic knife sits, and once I hear the safety of his gun click, I fumble around, trying to grasp the blade, but I don't get the chance to, because the taller guy punches his accomplice, leaving me shocked. He then smiles at us, and I can't make out whether it's real or not. "I'm ever so sorry about Phil—he's always been a bit of a wild card."

Aren't we all? I think to myself. Nevertheless, I smile and nod along smoothly. "Of course, everything's all right."

"So, the deal's still on?"

"Yes. But I don't want to see Phil ever again," I smirk slightly in his direction.

"Of course—you will never catch a glimpse of him."

Nadia nods along, and demands the cash.

"I want to test your product first. Make sure it's really legit," the man demands.

I roll my eyes, "Go ahead, but I'll tell you right now—like I said earlier—we play fair. We wouldn't come here for your money and give you anything less than our best."

He gestures towards the bag. "May I?"

I nod and take out a box, handing it over to him. He carefully pries it open and takes out a bottle with nose spray. He puts the nozzle in his nostril and squeezes down, and I hear the spraying while he snorts it in. After a few moments he smiles, clearly intoxicated. "Amazing."

I see Nadia grin as he hands her the dark blue bag filled with cash. I see no reason to count it, because I honestly couldn't care less whether he gave us sixteen grand, or six grand.

He sticks out his hand to me and I shake it firmly—as does Nadia—from what I can see by the look on his face.

I sling the bag over my shoulder cocking my head towards the door. "See you," I tell the buyer.

He nods, "Definitely."

Nadia and I walk out of the warehouse as inconspicuously as possible, heading to out booked motel for the night.

"Say Erin, how about we go out?" Nadia suggests. "Drop off the cash at the rented place and find some local bar? We just had a near-death experience (I snort at that, I highly doubt that they guy was going to actually shoot, he was just trying to intimadate us) so let's go! Let loose."

Are you kidding me?! The whole reason we're spending the night here is because Bunny doesn't want us out at near-midnight during work hours. Now you're suggesting going to a pub?! I think.

"Let's go," I reply.