Episode 3: Return and Renewal

Ingrid was packing her bag for school, thinking about what was going to go on. Should she text Fillmore to sort things out? It might work, that was the problem. She would feel awful if it didn't, but great if it did. It was very important to her to clear things up, and she was pretty sure things would get better eventually, but she wanted it to get better now.

She got out her phone, her hand trembling, and opened the messaging section. She then sat on the table and put the phone down and massaged her temples, thinking. She remembered how Fillmore had rescued her, and now it was her turn to rescue Fillmore, from himself.

She grabbed her phone and typed:

"Hello Fillmore, wanna walk to school today."

She sent it before she could go against her thought, waiting for the reply.

[X]

Fillmore pushed his way through his door, it was warm today. He was thinking about the case, and about their motive. There were many reasons for a criminal gang, revenge (they had already targeted Fillmore), money and just downright control. His phone vibrated in his pocket.

It was Ingrid, "Hello Fillmore, wanna walk to school today?" Fillmore shook his head slightly; he really did not know what to do.

"Yeah, sure," he replied. He smiled slightly, maybe things were looking up. He knew he couldn't be as close as before with Ingrid, but maybe he could be friends with her. He opened the door and walked out of the house.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, he picked it up and checked the message. "By the usual sign," it read. He texted, yeah, back as a reply.

He texted Edward next, letting him know that he was walking with Ingrid, and couldn't walk with him. Edward realised what was going on and said, ok. Fillmore walked slowly, thinking about what he should do.

He saw Ingrid at the sign, sitting on it and swaying her feet beneath it. She looked up at him, "Hey Fillmore," she said.

"Hey Ingrid," he said and walked up to her and gestured to school. She nodded and followed her.

"How've you been Ingrid?" asked Fillmore, trying to put the memories out of his mind, walking with Ingrid was like a dream come true, and he realised how much he had missed her.

Ingrid felt great as well. "I have been good, Fillmore," she replied. "I've been building my robot again. It's looking good." She smiled.

"I'll have to see it sometime," Fillmore said, with a smile. Even though they both really wanted to be friends again, it was definitely awkward. "I have been playing on MW2 for far to long in my bedroom." He laughed and Ingrid did the same.

There conversation went back to the safety patrol after a while, and started talking about the old days. "Remember that time we rescued the Satty 9's?" Ingrid said.

Fillmore hummed. "That's the time you almost let a perp go," Fillmore joked. "Aint that right Ingrid?"

Ingrid shook her head. "Fillmore," she replied, "I only let him go for a moment, we have been over this."

Their minds turned to the current case. "We have got to get this case Ingrid," Fillmore said. "This is the longest we have been without solving one."

"Yeah," Ingrid agreed. She knew why they hadn't solved it yet and Fillmore did too. Their fall out had meant that they were off the game, the really needed each other. Edward didn't help, manipulating things for his own benefit, though they didn't mind. Ingrid and Fillmore were outsiders and so was Edward and outsiders are supposed to join together.

Fillmore saw Joseph, who was waiting for the two of them on a wall by school. He waved at them and smiled to himself. I can't believe it was that easy, he thought. He jumped off the wall and walked over to the two of them. "Fillmore, Ingrid," he said, hugging Ingrid and taking her hand. "So, are you two getting along now?"

Ingrid nudged Joseph in the ribs, "Don't spoil it," she whispered and smiled up at him.

Ingrid, Fillmore and Joseph walked up to H.Q. Fillmore still felt awful when he saw Ingrid and Joseph together, but for the good of the friendship he was willing to ignore it, but it was hard. Thoughts of Ingrid not trusting him enter his mind; however, he forced them down with brutal intent.

Vallejo and Karen were in the room. When Ingrid and Fillmore walked in together they smiled broadly, but knocked it off their face and went about their business. Vallejo called Fillmore and Ingrid back into his room.

"So," Vallejo began. "Is everything back together with you two?" They nodded, slightly, as they were not sure. "Sorry guys, but your work has been slack recently, I want everything back to the way it used to be. Folsom has been on my back almost non stop since Anza's attack. I want all effort concentrated on this case, follow every lead, even go to old friends, crooks. Fillmore, pull up some people that you used to know."

Fillmore nodded. "Got it Vallejo."

"We are on it," Ingrid finished. Smiling with her eyes turned slightly to Fillmore. Life was fantastic for her at the moment; she had Joseph, her dream guy, and her best friend Fillmore by her side.

The door burst open, and in limped Edward. He looked across to Ingrid and Fillmore. "Good, you two are friends again," he said. "Are you going to stop behaving like little girls now?"

Vallejo smirked but covered it with his hand. He agreed with Edward, though he would never say it. This was one of the appeals of Edward, he knew what you were thinking and voiced opinions without any fears. "I have just told them about the case," Vallejo said to Edward. "We need leads, Edward."

"Ok," Edward said. "I'll get some information."

Edward left the room. Vallejo shook his head. "That guy is his own boss," Vallejo said. He then looked across to Fillmore and Ingrid. "Go on then, get a move on."

Fillmore and Ingrid walked out of the room. Edward had his laptop on his lap and his feet up on the table. Karen looked back at him and laughed. "Hey guys," she said and smiled when she saw Ingrid and Fillmore together but kept silent about it, under Vallejo's orders. She stood up, "Anyone want a coffee?"

Ingrid walked over to sit with Joseph at his desk. "Me please, Karen," Ingrid said. "Black coffee, two sugars."

"Coco for me please," Fillmore said. "Two sugars and two marshmallows, please."

"Tea for me," Edward said, portraying the English stereotype. "Milk and five sugars." Edward liked sugar, and always had a lot.

Karen nodded. Danny walked in. "Hey guys," he said. "Guess what, I started karate."

"Good on you Danny," Karen said sarcastically. "Its drink run and you are helping me. Come on." Danny sighed, but agreed.

Fillmore laughed, everyone ordered Danny around.

[X]

After ten minutes Karen came back with drinks. After setting the drinks down Danny walked back to the door. "What's this?" he said, bending down to pick something up. "What the hell?"

"What is it Danny?" Fillmore asked, getting up and walking over. It was a letter, written in black ink. Fillmore's eye widened.

"Fillmore?" Ingrid said loudly.

Fillmore read the note out:

"Be warned. Anza was only the beginning, you will all be next. So you take us seriously, have a little present. XXX"

The most horrific part of this was that there was a large clump of hair attached to the letter by tape. "Anza," Fillmore said. "I think this is your hair." Joseph got up and came over, his eyes, too, widened as he looked at what seemed to be his hair.

"I'll take it to the lab," Karen said.

Andy walked through the door. "Hello guys," he said, putting his coat on the hanging. He saw everyone's worried faces. "What is it?"

Vallejo opened his door. "Is something going on?" he shouted and he too saw everyones faces. "What?"

Fillmore and Ingrid explained what was going on. Edward's head was resting on his hands, thinking. "This is a full blown attack on the safety patrol," he explained and everyone turned to him. "This is a control plea, they are warning us, trying to scare us to get some to quit the force. I can assure you all, Joseph was the first in a long line of coming attacks on all of us."

Some of the others in the room shifted uncomfortable, worried about the future. Some were even considering leaving; Fillmore could hear them saying it. A shadow appeared at the door. Everyone got ready, this might be an attack.

A familiar face walked in. "Frank?" Vallejo said.

End of Chapter 3

Sorry it was a short one, I have writers block. More will be up soon. So review like normal. Thanks.