TITLE: The Bet Chapter 7

RATING: T or PG or whatever
BETAed by: Brynna
ARCHIVE: Anyone who would like. Drop me a line so I can visit.
SYNOPSIS: Logan and Barek make a wager.

COMMENTS: Inquiring minds want to know are they or aren't they.

Barek and Logan lagged behind to put some distance between Eames, her partner and themselves. Once the duo had rounded the corner and was out of sight, Mike started with, "Man, I never pegged Goren to be a tormentor." Barek couldn't help but snap her view from the hallway to his face. "He is just going to keep on taunting me, setting me up for a confrontation, then while I wait to be maimed or killed," He threw his hands out in a tumultuous expression. "He glibly blows it all off. I hate this."

"I told you to leave it alone, but no." Barek, exasperated, punched him in the arm. "Why the hell was this so important?"

"It's a guy thing." He could tell by that look she was not buying his reply. "Okay, okay. It's just a me thing. If I can't figure out the people in my current everyday work environment, how good am I going to be at figuring out preps?"

"You big lug." Barek shook her head in amusement. "Goren was trying to tell you to step back, and take it all in, slowly over time. You can't see the forest for the trees, because you are one of the trees." There is his stunned look again. "Mike, we are all cops, even more specific we are detectives. Our rules, work requirements, daily routines are almost interchangeable at a moments notice. Trying to decipher your fellow detective is like trying to figure out yourself. We carry preconceived notions of how are fellow officers are supposed to act, because we know it is how we are suppose to act. We don't have those prejudices in place when we try to figure out preps. You can read a suspect, because their rules aren't our rules."

"It's always worked in the past. Maybe I'm just losing my edge." Mike shoved his hands deep into his pockets, as if some answers lay there waiting to be pulled out.

"Mike, we are in the Major case squad. I'm not saying your previous law enforcement positions have been backwoods, but here is the best of the force. If you didn't have the drive and what it takes to give one-hundred-ten percent or more, the captain would never have let you in.

Mike was soaking this in, nodding his understanding.

"I was wrong, you were right..." they both said in unison.

"What? Barek there is no way they are a couple!"

"Hello, did you see that kiss? I thought the Captain was going stroke out right then. You were in the room with them; you should have static cling from the electricity they gave off! And getting slammed into the wall, you hit a nerve there. What the hell was that about?"

"That is part of why I'm sure it's an act," Mike folded his arms across his chest. "They are not a couple."

"Well, since we have now switched sides on the issue, does that cancel out our bets?"

"No, no, look, we still have time to gather more info, right? Captain has got to be tied up with all that stuff for at least the rest of today. You said we are with the best of the NYPD's best, so lets do our best. There is only one right answer and I say we can find it before the captain cans us."

"See, that's what I'm talking about, Mike! Detectives first, reprimanded unemployed civil servants second."

Mike rolled his eyes at her sarcasm. He smiled big as an idea formed. "I'm sure there is plenty of stories and gossip to unearth from this squad." He seemed almost giddy when he called out "Time is wasting!" as he disappeared down the hallway.

Carolyn nodded to herself. Yep, Mike you go with that Shotgun approach. Me, I'm going straight to the source. As Goren said, 'The last person didn't ask, they just stated their mind on the subject, and that was that.' The confidant detective casually strolled toward the squad room.