Turn Back Time

Chapter 11 - Beautiful Disaster

"You sure this is a good idea?"

Before Kate could provide an answer to Jay's uneasy, and admittedly very valid question, they both winced in unison as the two sparring police officers tumbled aggressively to the padded mat with a loud thwack and a muffled grunt of pain, neither of them prepared to release the vice-like grip they had on the other.

"Nope."

"Then why are we here?" He asked after a beat, inquisitive green eyes leaving the grappling rookies in favour of scanning Kate's face, his brow pinched in confusion.

"Because I think it's our best shot at keeping Anna safe."

Neither she nor Hank had gotten much sleep the night they had returned home to find Anna waiting in their back yard but, after a short discussion with the unit the next morning, they all agreed that utilising Anna to infiltrate Los Temidos was their most efficient course of action. But one thing Hank had been adamant about was not sending her in alone and, despite Anna's firm refusal for help, for him it was a non-negotiable condition of their handler/ informant relationship.

"Voight's been pretty cagey about the whole thing." Jay commented lightly, eyes drifting back towards the mats where one of the police officers had the other in some kind of submission hold, both of them sweaty and gasping for breath.

"Honestly Jay, I think he looks at her and sees flashes of Justin." Kate said with a quiet sigh, folding her arms across her chest.

While she hadn't met her step-son, she had heard enough from both Erin and Hank to know that Anna's nonchalant, misguided arrogance was very reminiscent of a young Justin Voight and naturally the startling similarities had her husband on edge.

"You worried about him?"

Kate huffed out short, barely perceptible laugh.

"I'm always worried about him."

She glanced up at Jay who hiked a shoulder and dipped his head in understanding, his mind immediately drifting to Hailey but a pained cry startled them both into turning their attention back to the mat where the two police officers were both still locked in battle.

"Hey, let him up, you're gonna gouge his damn eye out." Kate called, her warning going unheeded but the momentary lapse in concentration gave Dante Torres the opportunity to wriggle out of the punishing submission hold and drive a series of sharp elbows into his opponent's ribs before rolling swiftly to his feet, breathing heavily as he glanced between Kate and the grounded officer.

"It's anything goes Tuesday." He said by way of explanation, the corner of his mouth tugging upwards into a wry smile.

"Duly noted." Kate replied with a laugh. "Think you can spare a minute?"

Enticing Dante Torres into the Intelligence Unit was the easiest conversation Kate had ever had to have, the young rookie eager to get some hands-on experience despite the assignment being particularly high risk. When they arrived back at the district with Torres in tow, Kate introduced him to the rest of the unit before he was swiftly summoned into Hank's office, the door closing behind him with a quiet click. She leaned her weight against a nearby desk and watched apprehensively through the glass for a few moments, taking note of how Dante stood stiffly with both hands clasped behind his back, spine rigid as Hank considered him carefully from where he was casually reclined in his chair.

"This what you look like when you drop Alexis at daycare? Nose pressed up against the glass looking all nervous and forlorn?"

Kate's mouth quirked up into a grin as she felt Trudy come to a stop at her side, both of them now watching Torres and Hank exchange words through the horizontal gaps in the blinds. Ever since she had suggested Torres as an ally for Anna, an anxious knot had formed in her chest as she agonised over whether or not he was just too inexperienced for a case like this. He had never been in a situation where he needed to rely on instinct alone to get out alive. Hell, she wasn't even sure if he had any instincts yet. The only thing she knew for sure is that he had held enough C4 in his hands to level a five-block radius and he had handled himself like a seasoned pro.