Rookie Resolve

Chapter 15

As the rookies sat in the front row of the briefing room, and Grey, unsurprisingly, chewed out Nolan, Captain Anderson stepped into the room, donning a patrol uniform.

"With all the paperwork captains do, I feel like I've lost touch with what being a cop is really about. People, and not just the citizens we serve and protect, but every single one of you in this room. So to that, I've decided that Sergeant Grey and I will ride patrol today." Andersen explained to the group.

"Together?" Bradford asked.

"No, we're each gonna ride with a rookie and their respective T.O.s will pair up."

"Ma'am, I would be honoured if you'd ride with me." Jackson raised his hand, to which Ember whispered, 'kissass,' earning herself a subtle nudge from Jackson.

"That's sweet, Officer West, but I'll be riding with Officer Ross." Ember was surprised, but flattered, and beamed brightly at the captain.

Nolan, seeing a chance, quickly raised his hand, "Sergeant Grey, I'd be honoured if you rode with Officer West."

"That's cute, Officer Nolan, but you know my heart belongs to you." Grey clearly sees through Nolan's ploy.

As everyone was dismissed, the T.O.s held back Ember

"Lot of weight on your shoulder, Boot." Bradford said, crossing his arms.

"Why? Cause I'm riding with the captain?"

"It's a huge responsibility, you shouldn't take it lightly." Reed explained to her.

"If anything happened to her - I don't even know how to finish that sentence." Bishop felt sorry for the rookie.

"I'll finish it. Anderson gets a scratch; you'll be working at the motor pool in Sylmar till you die of carbon monoxide poisoning."

"And leave you all alone?" I could never." Ember faked concern over her T.O, "Have a little faith in me, it's like you don't even know me."

"It's because I know you, I'm certain something will go wrong."

"You wanna bet?" Ember challenged him.

"This isn't a game, Boot."

"You're just afraid I'll do another favour from you."

Bradford owes you a favour?" Reed was getting interested in the two's conversation.

"Oh yeah. Timothy over her," Ember pointed at him, gaining herself a deadly glare, "got jealous during Round-up, and tried to search up Mordecai, a friend of mine, so I made him a deal. I'd tell him everything about Cai and I's friendship, if he did me a favour of my choosing, at any time." Ember smugly told the others.

"Oh juicy." Bishop and Reed laughed at their friend. Bradford, getting pissed with the whole situation, turned his attention back to his boot.

"Fine, what are the terms?"

Ember was pleased at how easily baited the man was, "If Andersen does not get hurt in the first half of the shift, I don't have to tell you anything about my personal life, including Cai, but you'll still owe me a favour. However, if she does unfortunately get as much as a scratch on her, I will answer three personal questions privately," Ember eye balled the other T.O, who whined at this, "and I will drop the favour. Do we have a deal?" She wears the same eager smirk she had like the night of the Round-up, putting Bradford slightly on edge, but he'd be damned if he backed down from a done-deal. He held out his hand, and Ember firmly grabbed it.

"Deal."

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Ember wanted to burn the entire place down. Well, a bit of an exaggeration, but so long as her T.O was in the building at the time of it burning, she would be content. Making her load up their shop, on top of getting the gear for the captain's and her own shop, Ember was struggling under the weight of everything. Luckily, Andersen came along and saw her.