Alright. Let's try some drama, jealousy, and intrigue. Hopefully I haven't disrupted the balance too thoroughly.

threeholepunch

New scene, Lassiter is passing by the conference room leafing through paperwork. He stops short and backs up to stare through window. His face lights up and he grins.

Lassiter: It happened. It finally happened.

McNab: What happened?

Lassiter: In all my dreaming, I never thought this day would come. I wonder who got to do it? Rodriguez maybe, he's always been a good cop.

McNab: Who did what?

Lassiter: And what were the charges? I mean, it's not as though there's a shortage of opportunity. Constant wasting of department resources... that's theft really. And I'm pretty sure he bugged my phone last week.

McNab: Detective Lassiter what are you talking about?

Lassiter: Justice, McNab. That's what I'm talking about.

Lassiter indicates through the conference room window where Shawn is sprawled out on the couch, wearing an orange jumpsuit.

McNab: (nervously) Sir, Shawn hasn't been arrested.

Lassiter: What?

McNab: Yeah, he just needed some dry clothes to wear. And Chief Vick told him he could nap on the couch until the rain stopped. We gave him some of your Aleve. I hope that's okay...

Lassiter: Go.

McNab: I'm sorry, sir?

Lassiter: Go now.

Buzz flees, passing Gus who is just coming into the station.

Gus: Juliet called. Where is he?

Lassiter points and Gus grumbles under his breath.

Gus: I'm not trying to be his baby-sitter. I do have a job. A real job. Where I get paid every week.

Vick enters.

Vick: Ah Mr. Guster, you're here. Good, I can tell you both at once. Finelli's body has been discovered. It washed up on the beach an hour ago. Forensics is having him relayed to the lab as we speak.

Gus: So we're too late?

Lassiter: It's worse than that Guster. If Panacia's men are the ones behind this, then we could have a full gang war on our hands.

Juliet approaches.

Juliet: And that's not all. We lost communication with our field agent six hours ago.

Vick: Do we think his cover was blown?

Juliet: Either that or he's in too deep to respond. When we last talked to him, Finelli's men weren't suspecting anything.

Juliet: I tried calling Jessica to go under, but she's not answering.

Vick: She's out this week. I think she has the flu.

Lassiter: (to Gus) Jessica is another old undercover agent. She used to work that beat before Wilson.

Gus: I know who Jessica is. Who do you think got Shawn sick?

Juliet looks stricken but no one seems to notice.

Lassiter: I can go. I know Finelli's men in and out.

Vick: And most of them know you. Lassiter you've really got to stop the drive-by visits to people you've arrested.

Lassiter: Just keeping them in line, Chief.

Juliet: I'll go. I've still got a good cover with the call-girl agency Finelli used.

Vick: Good. You can go get briefed with Wilson's old case files. Mr. Guster, if you could please wake Mr. Spencer. Any psychic vibrations would come in really handy about now.

Juliet: No.

Everyone turns to stare.

Juliet: I mean, I think we've got a handle on this one. We don't need him.

Lassiter: Do we ever?

Vick: Fine. O'Hara, just go get ready, Detective Lassiter will drop you off. Mr. Guster, you can take Mr. Spencer home when he wakes up.

threeholepunch

Later in the conference room Gus is sitting on a chair, inches from Shawn's face, staring intently. Shawn is still asleep and oblivious, he pulls a sports coat tightly around himself and rolls over. After a moment he opens his eyes and jumps when he sees Gus staring.

Shawn: Dude, you can't get that close to a sleeping man. I could have roundhouse kicked you in the face.

Gus: You were fast asleep.

Shawn: I was in a deep meditative state. My Qi needed a tune up.

Gus: You were snoring. And talking... something about Carrie and Mr. Big?

Shawn: Clearly I was referring to Kerry Collins, first draft for the Tennessee Titans in 1995. Mr. Big was his nickname.

Gus: No, it wasn't Shawn.

Shawn: Well it should have been. Have you seen that guy? 6'5", 250 pounds.

Gus: How do you know all that?

Shawn: I found an Old Sports illustrated in someone's desk.

Gus: Is that where you found that jacket?

Shawn: Plus cold medicine. Honestly, Gus, you should try looting more. You come up with some great stuff.

While Shawn talks, Gus is staring intently at the coat.

Gus: Shawn, this is a Canali.

Shawn: Is that anything like a cannoli? Because I could definitely eat again.

Gus: It's a clothing brand. This coat is worth over two thousand dollars. How can a cop afford a two thousand dollar sports jacket?

Shawn: Well I know one thing, I'm definitely asking for a raise.

Gus: We aren't even on salary, Shawn.

Shawn: Fine then, we need to get on salary. Where is Vick?

Gus: Probably tailing Juliet. She went undercover as an escort to Finelli's men.

Shawn: Doesn't Wilson usually do that?

Gus: He hasn't been answering his phone or checking in. They're worried his cover's been blown.

Shawn jumps from the couch and rushes to the door, a look of complete panic of his face.

Gus: What's wrong?

Shawn: He hasn't been uncovered, he's been compromised. He flipped on us, Gus. They must be paying him off.

Gus: How do you know that?

Shawn: It's Wilson's coat.

threeholepunch