GCPD: Cash Grab - PART 1
Written by: Jake Beninato
In the Gotham City Police Department's headquarters, the Major Case Unit run by Sergeant Harvey Bullock is at their squad room the "bull pen" it's called by many. Mostly because of Bullock, a veteran from Vice it's no secret he enjoys the occasional police-brutality. There's even jokes about what would Internal Affairs do if they find any hard evidence of this.
Despite this, Bullock and his Major Case Unit are in charge of the city's most important cases including some Supervillain cases. All major drug/gun/sex trafficking, extortion, high-profile murders and kidnappings go to them.
Eventually, Bullock is in his office talking to Commissioner James Gordon.
Gordon: Harvey, Internal Affairs and Community Relations are going to shut you down if you keep this up.
Bullock: Keep what up?
Gordon: You know what. The brutality...
Bullock: Aw common Jimbo don't give me that, you know what needs to be done to these scumbags!
Gordon: I do know, but the fact you've gotten into numerous gunfights in the last two months with the unit already being bashed for recklessness doesn't help. I'm just saying Harvey, just try not to stir up too much crap.
Bullock: Yeah I got it Jimbo. See ya soon man, hey you up for drinks at The Blue Bar on Friday? My treat.
Gordon: I'll see. Anyways, I got to talk to you later Harvey bye.
Gordon hangs up. It's been a long time since Bullock became the head of the MCU. Bullock being Gordon's best friend in the police business is often given some leeway to police brutality and recklessness charges but to cool things down Bullock has to keep a tight clean-cut attitude for a while.
But at that time Detective Jon Merkel come in with the Unit's brunch meal of bagels, donuts, scones and coffee. Bullock quickly gets out of his office and into the Bull Pen for this.
Bullock (yelling, annoyed): It's about frigging time!
Merkel (annoyed): Hey give me a break the line was...
Crispus Allen (calm): He's just being normal Bullock, Merkel. Anyways, you got my decaf?
Detective Crispus Allen, Merkel's partner, he's been in the MCU for the last two-to-three years under Bullock. Those two-on-going-three years being the years where he and Bullock have argued throughout. Though Allen still prefers this to his 10-year bid in Gangs.
Merkel (annoyed): Yeah I got it, here. (Passes it to Allen): Still don't know how you can drink that stuff.
Allen (cynical but calm): Like this (drinks the decaf).
Merkel: Anyways...yeah here boss your jelly filled donuts, coffee and just how you like it.
Merkel passes a box of donuts and an extra-large cup of coffee to Bullock who takes it.
Merkel: Oh Stacy, Montoya here's your stuff too.
Merkel then passes off a scone and coffee to Detective Renee Montoya, the second most experienced cop in the MCU along with a bagel with cream-cheese and a chocolate milk to the unit's secretary Stacy. They both say thanks and get to their desks.
As Merkel sits in his chair he plants down a bag with a bagel with cream-cheese and a nice coffee, Stacy's phone rings.
Stacy: Yes Sergeant...alright what address again? Okay...corner of O'Neil and Adams got it! Thank you Sergeant Kitch. There's a murder on the corner of O'Neil and Adams, someone was found dead in a taxi cab.
Bullock (annoyed): And whenever happens to a freaking taxi cab in this city it has to be dropped on us. Alright everyone common!
Bullock grabs his blue fedora and trench coat putting it on as he grabs his Smith and Wesson Model 19, a weapon that's not used by the GCPD much too often nowadays but because Bullock's position gives him some liberties and him using a 19 is one of them. Besides, he keeps a 44. Magnum on his ankle holster anyways.
The rest of the unit also gets ready with Bullock and Montoya taking one car to the scene while Allen and Merkel take the other.
They drive to the scene where the Sergeant in-charge, Kitch tells them the situation.
Sgt. Kitch: The victim is Marcus Greenberg, 43. He was found dead in the cab with a gunshot wound to his lower chest. The cabbie Alexander Kovacs, 54, claims the guy flagged him down and tried to tell him to go to the hospital, but he died before he could. Kovacs is over there.
Bullock: Thanks (turns to Allen and Merkel): Allen get his statement, Merkel look up the victim. Me and Renee will check out the body.
Bullock and Renee walk over to the coroner whose checking out the body. Dr. John St. Thomas turns to them.
Dr. St. Thomas: Hey Harv, Renee you got this case?
Bullock: Seeing as how the cabbies whine and threaten to protest whenever crap happens to them, we have to make sure nothing does.
Renee (sarcastically): Sorry if Harvey sounds angry Doc, he's just mad because he didn't have his donuts.
Dr. St. Thomas (sarcastically): Were they jelly-filled?
Renee (sarcastically): No, because then he'd go on a shooting spree.
Bullock (annoyed): Ey! Can we focus on the body please? So anything you can tell us?
Dr. St. Thomas: He seems to have been shot with a pretty small gun. Not a big entry wound.
Bullock: Alright thanks Doc.
Dr. St. Thomas: No problem happy to do it Harv. You need all the help you can after your jelly-filled donuts died.
As Bullock quips a dirty eye at St. Thomas, Renee laughs. They walk over to Merkel who comes up to them after quickly looking up Marcus Greenberg on the database.
Bullock: Find anything?
Merkel: Yeah, Greenberg was arrested when he was 25 for Fraud, 27 Illegal Possession of a Handgun, 32 Possession of Stolen Property, 33
Possession of Stolen Property with Intent to distribute and finally 38 for Money Laundering. He lives over at the West Side with his wife Rebecca. Oh and he was only convicted for the handgun possession and the property charges.
Renee: Money laundering? A lot of mobsters and dealers get money launderers to take care of their profits. Does it say who he worked for?
Merkel: Let me call Stacy.
As Merkel calls Stacy, Bullock and Renee see Allen coming up to them.
Allen: Kovacs got nothing. Just says the vic flagged him, try to tell him to go to the hospital, but he died out.
Bullock: Alright, Merkel find out who he worked for quick. Me and Renee are going to...
Bullock notices a Gotham News van coming up with Vicky Vale coming out.
Bullock (disappointed): Shit!
Vicky Vale and Harvey Bullock have a very odd relationship. She has reported on Bullock twice for brutality while Bullock made her look like a fool during an interview relating to a bomber case during which Bullock made himself out to be the hero of the story and Vicki Vale an idiot for accusing him.
Bullock: Ugh...second thought, Merkel find the info then meet me at the precinct. Renee, Allen, you two meet Greenberg's wife. I have to deal with this. Ugh.
...
While driving to the Greenberg's apartment Allen and Montoya get into a conversation.
Allen (curious): How the hell can you deal with him?
Montoya (curious): Him who?
Allen (serious): Bullock.
Montoya: He's not that bad.
Allen (curious, surprised): Not that bad? Last month he led a raid on a Jokerz house where the Bat had to come in to stop him or one of the SWAT guys with him from killing any of them.
Montoya (slightly defensive): Those Jokerz guys were wanted for murder, arson, rape, assault, attempted murder, carjack...
Allen: Still. All he is, is a gun-happy punk who likes to use a badge to beat up people.
Montoya: Most of those people are animals.
Allen: Animals who have rights, and if any cop uses that as a way to get information or confessions is wrong.
Montoya: Then how come you don't..
TBC...