Chance and Reason

Chapter Thirty-Eight

A/N: I know it's been a ridiculously long time since I updated this story, and I feel very bad about that. However, I'm back, and here's the next chapter. All the best to you all, and thank you for reading.

"Here" Lauren set down cups of coffee on the desk besides Doctor Halsey and Normani, "They're both double caffeine shots,"

"Thanks," Normani nodded, "I need it,"

"Shawn still sleeping then?" Lauren asked.

"Apparently so," chuckled Halsey, glancing over to a chair in the corner, where the police officer was slumped; jacket thrown over his chest as a makeshift blanket.

"I'll leave him be for a little while more then," smiled Lauren, "Let him nap,"

It was nearly three o'clock in the morning at the police headquarters. Lauren, Shawn, Normani, and Halsey had been working on plans to lay the trap for the gang members for several weeks. With it being such top-secret, (not to mention unofficial), police business, they could not risk working during usual office hours. Instead, they had taken to using Lauren's office a few times a week during the night.

Papers, plans, and maps were scattered across the desk, and Halsey and Normani were shifting through them. With the sensitive nature of the plot, they had restricted the passing of information about what they were doing to just the four of them. All were terrified that their plans might be leaked, which would ultimately result, not just in the loss of their lead on the gang, but also on the loss of their jobs.

Not even Head Office knew that there was a confirmed leak in the department, and they certainly had no idea that their officers were planning on exploiting this weakness in some risky scheme. It was deeply nerve-wracking for each one of them.

"I'm struggling to track of this all," Normani started, "This is the kind of job I'd have twenty people working on,"

"I know," Halsey responded empathetically, "It's not easy,"

The group of four were attempting to fit together a plan of attack, but with a lack of resources, lack of help, crushing time pressures, and stress, it was almost impossible to piece together a water tight trap in which to catch the gang members they had spent so long chasing after.

"We just need to lure them into one place," Lauren groaned, "Something to bring them all in, where we can just snap them all up,"

"Easier said than done," Normani grumbled, suppressing a yawn, "Everywhere I look, I find a hole in what we've already got,"

"I know," Halsey sighed, "One tiny flaw could prove that it's fake and it all unravels from there,"

"How are we going to find the balance between too much information, so that it looks forged, or too little, so that they don't pick up the trail and it doesn't work?" muttered Normani.

"I've had an idea," came a croak from the corner.

"Somebody's decided to join us, I see!" Lauren laughed, as Shawn blinked sleepily, and tossed his jacket onto the floor.

"Oh, shut it, Lauren," he shook his head, "Thanks to this wild scheme, I barely get any sleep at all these days. You should be pleased that I've managed to get at least four minutes of shut-eye today,"

"I'm sorry," she apologised, "Did you say you had an idea?"

"Yes," he said, clearing his throat, "Although I can't believe I'm suggesting it. I know you'll like it, but I think Mani and Halsey will probably hate it,"

Halsey raised her eyebrows, and Normani coughed nervously, but Lauren stared eagerly at him.

"Go on then!" she urged him, "What is it?"