The Argument
"Hey...uhm, Diaz, can I stay at your place?" Jake murmured to himself as he crossed the street. It was dark, and the night was as silent as a sleeping giant. "Amy and I had a fight, and I need someplace to stay – well, Amy owns the apartment, so—" he grumbled as his staggered sideways. He forgot how many beers he had taken earlier.
He doesn't really remember what they've been fighting about in the first place. Amy and he had a stable and awesome relationship and he just didn't know where he had gotten wrong – or maybe this time, it isn't his fault.
All he remembered were Amy throwing his favorite sneakers at his face, tears streaming down her beautiful and perfectly tan cheeks, as she screamed at him to go out.
He can't remember what he screamed back – but judging by the painful gaze he remembered Amy's brilliant eyes flashed back – he grimaced. He's a freaking detective for hell's sake – why can't he remember?
"Anyway, so uhm…where was I-?" Jake murmured as he tried to reenact his speech before calling Diaz. He knew he should call Boyle, as he's his best friend, but he isn't in the mood to be swayed by words and sympathetic poetry. Yes, Rosa by far is his best choice. At least, if he stayed at Diaz's apartment, she would just let him in and they wouldn't talk about anything.
Why was he on the streets again? It's dark. It's night. He should be back at his apartment—Amy's apartment.
Before he could take another step to cross the street, he heard a feminine voice called out.
"Jake!"
A stream of light.
Then darkness.
"Where's Jake?" Amy stormed in the Nine-Nine's office with only a few words. She was so pissed off. Everyone looked at her in equal alarm and worry as she fumingly speed-walks towards Boyle.
Boyle fidgeted in his chair before turning his frightened stare at Amy.
Amy was like a raging eagle ready to grit her pray into million pieces.
"What—" Boyle was cut off by Amy's question.
"Where the fuck is he?" Very seldom would one hear Amy – the brilliant, polite, and book-addicting female – swear.
"Who—is where now?" Boyle was sweating under Amy's gaze. His eyes roamed over everyone in the precinct. They're all staring at the two of them, like audiences watching over a theatrical drama.
"So help me god I will tear your mouth from your face—where is he?!" Amy smashed her hands on the table.
She doesn't care about the stupid argument – yes, it's pretty stupid actually. Amy doesn't really remember their argument word by word but she did remember throwing Jake's favorite sneaker at his face screaming –
"Get the fuck out of my house!"
"Fine! I don't wanna stay in your stupid apartment even!"
Wait. Was that really what he said?
She honestly can't remember.
"Where's Jake?" Both Amy and Boyle jumped in shock, Boyle even squeaked—but let's not go into details.
"That's what I've been asking!" As if Jake's name was a code word or something, Amy was back on her initial attitude.
Boyle was meant with a combination of Rosa and Amy's stern gaze.
"How would I know?!" Boyle squealed in fear. Honestly, Amy's gaze was enough to make him pee his pants but combine it with Rosa? Pack your things, Nicholage! We're going on a faraway trip where not even Rosa's eccentric boyfriend with a weird energy would find us!
Nah, that'll be impossible.
"And shouldn't he be in your apartment?" he asked, pointing a finger at Amy.
Amy frowned. "Yeah, he should be. But I throw him out."
"Oh my Boyle—why?" Boyle asked he could feel his scalps turning into white with stress.
Amy suddenly looked distressed. Her eyes roamed around the room. "We had a fight."
"About what?" Boyle pressed on.
Amy looked down in shame. "I…honestly, can't remember."
Meanwhile, Rosa was busy browsing her phone details. She stopped by a missed call around 2:45 AM. She showed it to Charles and Amy. "Here. I got a ring from Jake around 2:45 am."
Both Amy and Charles stared intently at Rosa's phone, unable to comprehend what to say next. Rosa looked at them, with her usual intense gaze. "Well? You think something happened to him?"
"Detective Diaz, Detective Boyle, Detective Santiago, why are you three littering in front of Boyle's table?" Captain Holt's voice roared above their silent chatter.
"Captain Holt!" Amy was the first to react, her voice rising a tone higher. "Jake's missing!"
Holt looked unperturbed as always. He casually checked his watch – Kevin's gift last weekend for their anniversary. "It's still 10 minutes before 9 o'clock. He usually doesn't arrive this early. Even after you and he shared the same roof."
"That's true…" Amy added. But her roaming eyes proved that she isn't fully convinced. Maybe it's just her forgetting their stupid argument—urgh! Why can't she remember in the first place?!
"Morning everyone," Terry greeted as he pushed the little door to enter their precinct. Man, he felt so sore. His two little girls are too troublesome! But Terry still loves them too much. "Why are you all in front of Boyle's—"
"We think Jake's missing," Charles interrupted.
"Missing? I thought you and Jake went home together?" Terry turned to ask Amy.
"We did. But we had an argument, and it escalated, and I kicked Jake out," Amy answered.
"He rung me around 2:45 in the morning," Rosa added.
"And he isn't around yet—" Darn, Charles could really feel some of his hair turning white. Damn stress.
"As I've said before, he isn't known for being punctual, so I don't know why you are all worried," Holt said, walking towards his office. "But, if he doesn't arrive till lunchtime, we'll start…uhm, investigating."
"Thank you, sir." Amy released a slight air of relief. Maybe Jake just—overslept. Again. In whichever's place, he decided to sleep in. No big deal.
"Urgh. I hope this is not the ice cream truck incident again," she murmured to herself, quietly praying to whatever deity up there to hear her plea. God, she sincerely hoped it wasn't that case.
"Don't worry. He'll show up," Rosa added, assuring her friend.
Amy smiled at Rosa, and even if Rosa didn't smile back and merely nodded her head, she was still grateful. Rosa giving you encouraging words are still something.
"Yeah," Amy sighed as she walked over her table. Rosa nodded and did the same.
Charles' eyes trailed them for a second before going over to Holt's then down to Gina's—which is still empty.
"Seriously, where's Gina?" he asked to no one.
Lunchtime rolled in, and there's still no sign of Jake.
Amy started to freak out – well, she's long been freaking out, but it quickly escalated when her eyes landed on the numbers 1,2, and two 0, in that particular order.
She had called Jake's phone non-stop for the last three hours, and she knew Charles and the others did as well, albeit theirs were periodical, except Charles. But none of them can't reach his phone! Seriously, where is he?
"Have any of you seen Gina?" Holt asked as he stepped out of his office. He had tried to dial Jake's phone after the number hit nine o'clock, but he hadn't answered. So, he left it just as that and waited until it turned lunchtime before stepping out to check. He was so engrossed with his work (and a slight worry, just slightly, for Peralta) that he had failed to notice that his assistant had been missing.
As soon as Holt walked out of his office, Amy had jumped from her seat. "Sir! It's 12 o'clock and Jake's still not here!" Amy reported.
"I…noticed," Holt said as his eyes took a quick glance at Peralta's empty seat.
"And Gina hadn't checked in, sir," Terry answered from his desk.
"Hmm…Where is that woman?" Holt tapped his glasses on his jaw, contemplating.
"And Jake too! Right?" Amy quickly added.
"Are you sure he isn't just…oversleeping?" Holt inquired.
"I don't know…he doesn't…he answers. He knows me. He knows my anxiety would spike up when he doesn't answer his phone," Amy said, her body wiggling in a shy manner.
"Have you tried contacting Gina?" Holt asked.
"Actually, I did, sir. And she isn't answering as well," Charles inquired while walking towards them.
"Hmm, that is indeed strange. Too much to be a coincidence," Holt said, mulling something over his head. "Okay, Detective Santiago, Detective Boyle, check Gina's apartment and see if something's amiss. Maybe Jake crashed in there too," Holt commanded.
Both Charles and Amy nodded and prepared their things.
"Rosa, do you want to come?" Amy asked, passing by Rosa's desk.
Rosa took her keys from her table and nodded. She turned towards Holt, silently asking for permission. Holt motioned her to do whatever she wants. Rosa nodded and send silent thanks in a form of a nod.
They arrived at Gina's apartment ten minutes later.
Amy was the first to arrive at Gina's door. She's been nothing but a jittering mess the whole ride. It was lucky for them both that Rosa was riding her beloved pet bicycle or else—Amy shuddered just thinking about it. Charles kept giving her worried looks the whole ride, though, and Amy doesn't like receiving sympathy from anyone – but Jake's missing…and oh god, he's still not answering his phone.
"Gina!" Amy yelled as her fist pounded against Gina's door. "Gina!" she yelled again.
"Gina!" Boyle yelled, knocking as well.
"Move, I'm kicking this door open," Rosa said, positioning her feet in a stance.
"Wait—" Amy stopped Rosa's kick just as the door opened.
"What is it? I don't buy cookies from strangers," Gina appeared at the doorway, her hair was a mess and her eyes could barely keep open. She was about to fall off when Charles caught her.
"Easy there sister," Charles took Gina on his shoulders and ease her back to the empty sofa. Amy and Rosa followed inside the apartment, scanning it to see anything amiss.
"Charles?" Gina was so soft it could pass on as a whisper. Her eyes were barely opened as she gazes at her visitors. Wait—are there three or six?
"Gina," Amy crouched down to Gina's level of sight. She shook her slightly. "Gina, are you okay?"
"A bit—tipsy? I don't know. I didn't drink that much last night," Gina replied, her right hand feeling her forehead. "I don't feel too hot—just, dizzy."
"Where were you last night Gina?" Rosa asked. "You stayed longer than the rest of us."
"Boyle, get me a warm—" Before Gina could even finish her request, Charles arrived with a glass of warm water. "Oh—thanks."
"Figured you could need it," Charles replied as he hovers near Gina.
"Oh—yeah, that's refreshing. Give me a few more seconds. I need to uh—clear my mind," she replied, closing her eyes for a minute.
"I never saw Gina like this. She's not a light drinker," Amy said as she pulled out her notebook to jot down some notes. So far, she found out nothing strange about Gina's apartment.
Rosa and Charles thought the same thing as they wandered around the empty apartment. Nothing seemed to be out of place. It still looked a bit messy and organized at the same time.
After Rosa and Charles finished their quick survey of the whole area, they returned to the living room to see Gina waking up to her short nap. Amy, who was hovering by the window, walked towards Gina as well.
"Oh wow, the earth's still slightly spinning, but much more stable now," Gina said, eyes clearing. "Am I making sense?" she asked the three occupants.
"Slightly. But why are you so drunk anyway?" Charles was the first to ask.
"I don't even know. I only had like a few drinks last night," she replied, mulling something over. Then her eyes landed on Amy.
"Why aren't you drunk?" she asked Amy, jabbing an accusing finger right at her chest.
Amy looked perplexed. "Drunk? Why would I be drunk?" she asked, disturbed by the very thought.
"Well you and Jake stayed there for like an hour longer," Gina said.
The three visitors gasped in shock, Charles being the loudest.
"I—I am?" Amy asked.
"Yes! We all went to the bar last night," Gina said, rolling her eyes. Seriously? Why is she even asking?
"I thought you and Jake were in your apartment," Rosa inquired, spilling some beans.
"Yes, that's what I thought—maybe we had the argument when we went back. Gina, do you remember what time we went to the bar?" Amy asked.
"Around…ten. We stayed there for like, 2 hours more before I had to go home and take a call," Gina shrugged.
"A call?" Charles asked.
"Urgh. Stop it, Boyle."
"Okay—okay, so we stayed there until midnight, and you said me and Jake stayed for a little longer right?" Amy asked.
"Yes, that's what I said," Gina replied.
"We had to check that bar. Where was it?" Rosa asked, already fishing her keys out of her pockets.
"The little place called Ace's Club—on the 22nd avenue, a few walks away from Amy's apartment," Gina said, flapping her hands up in the air.
"Okay, that's enough. Rest, Gina, thanks for the information," Charles said, giving Gina the pillow he fetched earlier.
"What do you need the information for?" she asked, tilting her head.
"We presumed that Jake's missing. He wasn't in the apartment last night and he hadn't arrived in the precinct. And he's not answering his phone," Amy listed.
"Why wouldn't he be at your apartment?" Gina asked, not following Amy's line of logic.
"She kicked him out last night," Rosa said.
"Kicked him out? Why?"
"I honestly can't remember," Amy confessed, eyes darting across the room, again.
Gina fell down the sofa. "Urgh. All this mess is making my headache," she complained as she massages her head. "Make sure you find him, maybe he's wandering off, sleeping on some street chairs."
Amy nodded. "We will. Goodbye, Gina."
She and the other two started to walk towards the door. Gina waved them off.
"Yeah, yeah, bye."
The door closed and Gina was swallowed by silence.
What could Jake and Amy be arguing about?
The bar was oddly empty when they arrived. Only one female was present on the bar, wiping out some table on the room.
Amy approached her. "Good morning." She took a quick glance at the name tag. "Jane," and quickly added a name.
Jane was startled. She almost topped the table over in an attempt to move away.
"Hey, it's alright," Amy tried to stabilize her but she moved further away. She was shivering, eyes wide as if a frightened animal.
"I don't know anything!" she whispered, clenching her fist near her chest.
Rosa immediately drew out her gun and pointed it right at her. "Hands in the air!"
She stumbled a few steps back and raised her hand. Boyle immediately went behind her to cuff her.
"Wait! What are you arresting her?!" Amy asked, looking between Boyle and Diaz in panic.
"She knew something," Rosa said, not withdrawing the gun back.
"That's not a ground for arrest!" Amy tried to protest between the commotion.
Rosa ignored her and walked towards Jane who was wiggling between Charles' grip. "Tell me, have you seen this man last night?"
Jane grimaced and averted her gaze. She tried to excuse a few more times before Rosa held her jaw in place to force her eyes to stare at her.
"Have you seen this man, last night?" Rosa asked again, her voice deeper and eyes conveying promised torture if Jane refused to speak the words she wanted to hear.
Jane paused before whispering, "I saw him yes, with her," she nudged towards the direction of Amy. "But please, not here," she pleaded with her eyes.
Rosa nodded and pulled her, Boyle and Santiago trailing behind. "Wait!"
Rosa placed Jane at the back of Amy's car and Charles immediately took the passenger seat. She was about to start her bike when Amy stopped her.
"What?" Rosa asked.
"We're treating her like a perp. She isn't," Amy said.
"We'll see about that," Rosa started her bike and drove away.
"Amy!" Charles' called away, motioning for her to come. Amy nodded and they followed Rosa's lead.
Back to the precinct.
"Santiago, Boyle, Diaz…and?" Holt greeted them, motioning for the woman Rosa was dragging towards the interrogation room.
"Jane Downs," Jane introduced. She was willingly cooperating with the police, why is she still in handcuffs?
"Oh," Holt managed to say before standing in front of Amy to ask. "Is this a lead?"
"Yes," Amy replied. "She was hiding something and asked for us to not let the conversation go on back at the bar. Detective Diaz felt like there's something more to that statement."
Holt paused, noticing Amy's use of formality. He chose to ignore it, maybe it's just Amy stressing out. At passing, he actually noticed some of Boyle's hair turning white and Rosa knuckling her knife at her left hand. "And Gina?"
"She's back at her apartment, nursing a massive hangover. She told us we were at the bar with her last night," Amy said.
"She told us?" Holt asked to clarify.
Amy's roamed again. "Yeah, I—can't remember."
"Those this happens when you're drunk? You can't remember?" Holt asked.
Amy shook her head.
"Was this the only part you can't remember?" he added.
"The argument. I still can't remember what Jake and I were arguing about. Or where we're arguing. Gina left us at the bar around midnight," she said.
"Hmm. Amy did you consider—" Before Holt was finished, Boyle arrived, looking disheveled, eyes wild.
"Amy, you need to come," he took off towards the interrogation room.
Amy nodded and strolled towards him. Holt, trailing behind.
Rosa was hovering the table when they arrived, her eyes were glaring towards Jane while Jane was fidgeting in her seat, her hands cuffed in the middle of the table.
"Yes – I saw the man around ten enter with her," Jane said, pointing towards Amy. "They're with another lady—"
"Gina." Amy interrupted, she's tired of hearing the word lady.
"Okay, well..uhm—"
"When did you say this Gina left?" Rosa pressed on.
"Around…an hour past 12," Jane said.
"I thought Gina said she left around 12?" Holt asked.
"Well, that's what she said!" Amy replied, voice higher than her usual pitch.
Holt turned to Charles who merely nodded.
"Well, how can you remember? You're all drugged last night," Jane murmured to low for them to hear. But Rosa did.
"You spiked their drinks?!" she yelled, slamming her hand on the table. She knew her gut is telling her something.
Amy and Charles gasped. 'Drugged?' Amy thought as she clenched and unclenched her fist. Is that the reason she can't remember?
Holt nodded. It's what he suspected earlier.
"I didn't want to! He said—"
"He-! Who is he?" Rosa asked her face itching closer towards Jane.
Jane paused.
"Jane, can you give us a name?" Amy asked, walking towards Jane. Her face was soft and mellow. Jane looked so much like a frightened child, she doesn't want her to close and zip all the information inside her. It's almost three o'clock, they needed this information asap.
"Diego Bartlett," Jane murmured.
Amy nodded. "Thank you."
Rosa was at the door in an instant. Boyle followed her. Holt and Amy stayed behind.
"What was your relation with him?" he asked, taking a seat in front of her.
"We're—acquaintances," Jane said. "He's about to—he's about to go back at the bar, today to leave some—um, drugs back at the bar. He does his shading at the back. I can't stop him—he's always, always with a gun. And a few others."
"What happened at the bar, when Gina left?" Amy asked. "Am I and the man started arguing?"
"Yes."
Amy sighed. "What—what are we arguing about?"
"I can't entirely hear. B-but when I passed your table once, I heard something about apartments," Jane said.
Amy looked away.
"Did they leave?" Holt asked.
"Yes, around…two, I think?" Jane said.
"So we left," Amy murmured.
"Yeah, but the man went back to get his keys he forgot at the table," Jane said.
Amy nodded, sucking up the information.
"Look, can I—can I stay here for a while?" Jane asked. "I don't want to see him, back—you know."
Holt and Amy nodded in unison. "You can stay in the break room," Holt added as he un-cuffed Jane.
Jane nodded her thanks.
Without much thinking about it, Amy took her phone out of her pockets and lightened up the screen. Her wallpaper was that of she and Jake on their first date. She liked him since then but hid it under the guise of hate and disgust. She missed him. She missed him so much.
The door suddenly opened. Rosa and Charles strolled in. Rosa was crying one thin folder that contains roughly three to five sheets of paper. She dropped it on the table. "This is all the files we could dig up from Diego Barlette."
"He's only arrested due to a mob incident, but he bailed and was never arrested again," Boyle added.
Amy and Holt went through over the file while Rosa and Boyle hovered behind.
"What else can you tell us about this guy?" Holt asked, turning towards Jane.
"I—I don't really know him that much. He merely uses the bar for trading, I don't know which," Jane replied before closing up in herself again.
Holt and Rosa stared at her for a minute longer before turning to Amy who was still busy searching through the files.
"Have you checked the database?" Holt asked.
"Yes, nothing shady except for the fact that he's a known member of a gang called Partem," Boyle said.
"And?" Holt asked, pressing for more information.
"Nothing. There's no case connected to that gang," Rosa answered.
"Then why the hell is he targeting Jake?" Holt didn't even notice that his voice had raised.
The room remained silent.
"He's still not answering his phone," Amy whispered, still trying to ring up Jake's phone. It just kept on ringing and ringing.
"Have you tried tracing that?" Holt asked, pointing at Amy's phone.
"Mine?" Amy asked, head tilting in confusion. "Why would I—" before she could even finish her thought process, Rosa was out the door. The other occupants stared at her vacant position.
Then just as if stricken by a lightning strike, Amy stood up from her seat and rushed towards Rosa's desk, Charles not far behind.
"Tracer! We need a tracer!" Amy yelled as she took a quick glance at Rosa's hovering line of codes before walking towards her desk and did the same. Charles was at Rosa's side, quietly providing support.
It was two agonizing minutes before a red dot appeared on Rosa's desk.
Just as Rosa screamed—"Got him!"
"I'm back-!" Gina's voice resounded through the precinct.
"Urgh, why did I even bother coming back?" Gina complained as she swayed slightly towards her desk.
"Yes, why did you?" Terry asked as he handed her the hot tea he prepared for himself.
Gina took a quick glance at Amy who was jotting something down to her notes before nodding towards Rosa. "I don't know."
Terry followed her gaze and saw the three detectives rushing off towards the elevator. "Santiago!"
"We found him, sir!" Amy yelled just as she arrived before the elevator. "We're gonna arrest him."
"Contact us immediately when you find him," Terry yelled just as the Amy, Charles, and Rosa entered the elevator.
"Yes, sir!" Amy yelled back.
And the elevator closes.
'We're coming Jake!'
Amy could feel dread hugged her as her car came close to their destination.
It was an abandoned warehouse – because criminals are unoriginal like that – not too large, just a small compartment that could fit two cars in width and five more in height.
Amy and Charles got out of the car, their gears in-tact. Rosa was already waiting for them by the door. As soon as they apprehended the criminal, Charles would call the ambulance, which was parked somewhere nearby.
Rosa pick locked the warehouse and they strolled quietly inside.
Amy swallowed the lump in her throat. Her mind had imagined tragic scenarios nonstop as they traveled towards here – it's the main reason why she wasn't able to fully concentrate on her driving and almost drove the car by the sideway in an accident. Good thing there weren't any side walkers or they would've been delayed.
As soon as they the main floor, there are two things that Amy noticed: one, Jake was tied on a chair, his body was covered with dried blood and judging bumbling of his head, he was also suffering a concussion, and two, Rosa just shot the criminal.
Amy dismissed the later observation and quickly kneeled before Jake. She took his head by her hand and tried to keep him awake. "Jake, Jake. Can you hear me?" she asked in a gentle tone.
Jake could barely keep his eyes open. He stared at Amy – was it really her? "A-amy?" his voice was hoarse – probably from screaming.
"Yes, I'm here Jake. Stay awake. Boyle!" Amy looked back and saw Charles already being escorted by the paramedics.
Amy doesn't want to let go of Jake but she knew she couldn't do anything by this point. She watched helplessly as the paramedics took Jake to the ambulance. She started to run towards the ambulance.
"Amy!" she heard Boyle yelled.
Amy took a quick glance back to see another set of paramedics strapping in the criminal, while Rosa stood before it, looking at it with venom. She also noticed Boyle running towards her. "Where are you going?" he asked.
"I'm riding with Jake," Amy threw her keys at Boyle.
Boyle nodded, of which Amy returned as thanks.
Upon sitting in the ambulance, Amy took Jake's hands. She could feel her tears slowly dripping down her cheeks. She felt so relieved and very worried at the same time. She doesn't know if she should smile out of happiness or cry out of helplessness.
Amy brushed some of Jake's hair back, desperately ignoring the stains of blood that caught on her hands.
"It's gonna be okay, Jake. It's gonna be okay."
She doesn't know if she's assuring Jake, or herself.
This is a part of a SERIES. So check out for more - I'll try to upload the next part next week! :) Kudos to everyone! Leave a review. This is my first case fic and I wanna know if I did well, or nah. Thanks! :D