Chapter 36

"My God! Is he saying what I think he's saying?"

"If we're going to act, we have to act now."

"It's too risky."

"The president is up there with a gun to his head."

"He's asking us to do that to Air Force One?"

"He's not asking! Your Commander-in-Chief has issued a direct order! Do it!"

Faith was looking at the television then something caught her eye and she went back to folding the baby clothes that were spread around the living room. Her baby shower was a success; they had received a lot of gifts from friend and family members. She just needed to go through all the things that she was going to keep. Bosco was down at the gym with a bunch of the guys from work playing for the Camelot Cup. Faith thought it was the dumbest thing and refused to go in support of an old trophy. She was happily in her eighth month of her pregnancy and glowing. She was out of the morning sickness stage finally but in a major cleaning phase. Every chance she got she was cleaning up something. It was driving her bosses at work crazy though because she would be cleaning up around them.

A knock on the front door startled Faith; she wasn't totally comfortable with answering doors yet so she slowly inched her way to the door with a protective hand over her stomach. "Who is it?!" She called.

"Mikey!"

She hurried to the door and opened it to her brother in law. He was holding a plastic bag and had black marks all over his face and clothes. "Oh my gosh Mikey what happened to you?" She asked as he walked into the condo.

"Well," he said and coughed. "There was a fire at my apartment complex and of course mine was destroyed." He said in a sarcastic voice and shook his head.

"What?!" She said and looked at him with widened eyes. Faith ushered him to the kitchen so he wouldn't ruin her carpet. She helped him take his jacket off and she looked at it with a disgusted stare then tossed it in the laundry room. Faith pulled out a chair and patted it then sat across from him at the kitchen table. "So tell me what happened."

He let out a sigh as he sat down. "Well I was in my apartment, minding my own business and I smell smoke and the apartment below me is up in flames so I get the hell out of there before I go up in smoke!" He shook his head. "This happened like... five hours ago. I had to stay there and answer like, a thousand questions from the damn fire marshal, the cops and anyone else who wanted me to stay there." He ran his hands through his hair. "I don't know what the hell I'm gonna do now." He looked up at Faith who had a concerned look on her face. "I'm homeless."

"Mikey I'm so sorry." She said and rubbed his arm. "You're not homeless though. You're staying here tonight."

"Thanks." He said and squeezed her hand. "I was gonna go to my mom's but she's out of town with her new boyfriend so I thought I'd see if you guys were home."

"No it's totally fine Mikey."

He grinned and looked down at his hands then stood up. "Where is Mo anyway?" He asked as he started washing his hands.

"Playing basketball with a couple of guys at work." She answered and stood up also. "All right I don't mean to be so OCD but do you wanna go take a shower and get out of those clothes?" They both looked down at the ground. "You're getting soot all over my floor." She added and smiled.

"Oh yeah sorry." He said and slipped his shoes off. "Can I borrow some of Mo's clothes?"

"Yeah I'll get them for you. Just go ahead to the kids shower."

"Thanks Faith," he said as he walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

About ten minutes later, Mikey came out of the bathroom with a pair of Bosco's sweats on with a white t-shirt. Faith was back on the floor folding Ellie's clothes and separating them. He sat on the couch and looked at what she was watching. Faith glanced over at Mikey and was surprised to see that both of his arms were covered in tattoos. She had never seen him with his shirt off or a short sleeved shirt. She couldn't help but stare and Mikey caught her stares then looked down at his own arms.

"Don't worry they don't mean anything illegal." He said and rubbed his arms.

Faith shook her head and looked at him. "Sorry I don't mean to stare but I've never seen them."

"Oh," he again looked down at himself. "They're not bad like I said. They all have a meaning through all the journeys in my life. The ropes that are in knots signify the struggles I went through with hanging with the wrong crowd." He switched arms and Faith walked over to the couch and sat next to him. "The roses are obviously for my mom. She's done so much for me and I appreciate her a lot for that cause I know I screwed up a lot." He turned and showed her the back of his arm. "The number eleven is for Mo; everything that happened on nine eleven still affects him and I know he almost made a huge sacrifice."

"Wow," was all Faith said.

Bosco unlocked the door and pushed it open with a smile on his face. He looked in the living room and the smile slowly faded when he saw his wife touching Mikey, who seemed to be flexing his muscles. "What the fuck are you doing?!" He shouted.

Faith looked up at her husband oddly when he cursed at her. "Hey Mo," Mikey said as he stood to his feet and glanced down at his sister in law.

"What are you doing here Mike?" Bosco asked as he entered the living room and tossed his duffel bag on the floor next to the couch. He looked at his wife and put his hands on his hips.

"Long night," he said and ran his hand over his face. "Uhh… Long story short, my apartment got burned down. Ma's in DC with her boyfriend and I didn't know where else to go."

"Why'd you come here?"

"Bosco," Faith said and looked at her husband with an irritated stare. "He doesn't have anywhere to go. He needs us."

"Don't defend me Faith; it's only gonna make him angrier." Mikey said as he glared at his brother. "He's never gonna get my past out of his life. He's always gonna think of me as his loser brother who used a few drugs and hung out with the wrong people."

"Don't give me that sad sob story." Bosco said with an irritated look on his face. "I didn't put that coke in your nose."

"I tried it once Mo!" Mikey shouted at his brother as he walked toward his bedroom.

Bosco turned to his brother with a mean look on his face. "One time is too much Michael!" He shouted back and started walking towards him. "You do know what that shit can do to you right? One time can be too much to fuck you up or even kill you! You think I like sitting up thinking about what my brother is doing and who he's with?!"

"Oh my God you're acting like I killed someone! Sorry I didn't hang out with cops and firefighters like you! I had real friends! Ok I like to smoke pot, so what?!"

"It's illegal dumbass!"

"Ok, come on." Faith said softly to her husband and put her hands on her hips.

"Whose side are you on?!"

"Neither! I'm on my side!"

"You're my wife!"

"I know that," she said holding up her hand. "He's also your brother. He's given up a lot because he wants a relationship with you." She said and stood between them. "Listen I know you can't forget a lot that he's done but you have to let it go. It's pushing you guys farther and farther apart. I know you want that relationship with your brother."

Bosco stared down at his wife then looked over at Mikey who was staring at him. "When was the last time you used?"

Mikey snorted and looked around. "Like... seven, eight months ago."

"Would you be willing to take a piss test?"

"Bos, really," Faith shook her head.

"If I take a piss test will you stop hounding me? Will you trust me to be in your house and around your family?"

Bosco shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest. "It would be easier for you to be around knowing that you're telling the truth."

"Then fine give me a place and time!"

Faith rolled her eyes and picked up the laundry basket of the baby's clothes and carried them up to the nursery. "Tomorrow just come to the precinct and you can do it there."

"Done."

Bosco nodded and sat on the loveseat and put his feet up on the table as he looked at the television. "So... what the hell happened at your apartments?"

Mikey snorted as he sat on the couch. "Some dumbass beat the shit out of his girlfriend and torched her."

"Oh shit," he chuckled as he flipped through the channels. "Did they arrest him?"

"Nah, he took off before the fire got out of hand."

"Damn that's a shit load of paperwork." He rubbed his head and they both stared at the television when he turned to Sports Center.

"Got a big day ladies and gentlemen," Moretti shouted as he walked in with a blue folded up paper in his hand.

Bosco was sitting at a long table with jeans and a white t-shirt on and his NYPD hat. Aiden was beside him in a similar outfit and they were staring at their boss as he discussed the raid that was about to go down on a group of men who were running their own funeral home by killing innocent people and transporting illegal drugs in their bodies all over New York. The detectives were there to stop it before it became a national thing and the feds took over.

The door opened behind Moretti and Bosco looked over as a Latin woman and a black man walked into the room. They both had chains around their necks and badges on those chains. "Lieutenant Moretti?" The woman said as she looked around the room.

"Cruz?"

"Sergeant Cruz." She said and shook his hand. "This is Officer Dade."

"How can we help you?"

"We're riding along with you on this."

Moretti and some of the guys in the room chuckled when they heard her demand. He looked over his shoulder at his detectives then back at the woman. "Listen here Cruz, we are detectives. We've got this under control. We don't need Anti-Crime following us around and getting in the way."

"Getting in the way?" She stepped closer to him and stared directly into his eyes. "I don't know who the hell you think you are but I don't get in anyone's way. I'm after the dope."

"We'll pass along what we think you guys can handle when we're all finished."

She grinned and glanced over at Bosco and Aiden who were standing out of their chairs. "Listen Lieutenant... I already talked to your boss and he thinks it's a brilliant idea that I assist you with this since we do about three to four raids a week." She slipped her thumbs through the loop holes on her jeans. "So... when are we leaving?"

He glared down at her then slowly turned to his detectives and rolled his eyes. "All right guys let's go do this. You all know the plan."

"What's the plan?" Cruz asked as Moretti walked past her. She turned and some of the detectives walked past her to follow their boss. Bosco was strapped his vest to his body and looked up as she walked towards him. "What's the plan?"

"You guys do three to four raids a week. You should already know how to do this." He said as he strapped his gun to his hip.

Cruz rolled her eyes and looked him up and down. "I didn't catch your name."

"That's because I never gave it to you."

"Well you can start now by giving it."

He stood up straight and glared down at her. "Boscorelli," she raised her eyebrow as they left the room. "What?"

"There desk Sergeant's name is Boscorelli."

"That would be my wife."

"You're married?"

"Yep," he answered quickly.

"Hmm," she said as they reached the first floor, "shame."

Bosco slowed down when he heard her then walked over to the front desk where Faith was standing with a scarf wrapped around her neck and sweats on. "You're working today?"

"No I told Mikey I would see if they had any info about the arsonist in his building." She answered as she flipped through a few papers. "So you excited about the raid?" She asked and he nodded with a small grin. "Be careful out there all right?"

"Careful is my middle name."

"Actually careless is your middle name."

"I told you those days are over Faith." He reached over and rubbed her belly. "I got a little peanut that needs her daddy now." He glanced over when he saw Aiden motion for him. "All right I gotta head out." He leaned over and kissed her lips. "Love you."

"Love you, be safe."

"All right," he waved her off when he heard a few officers gush over her words. "Too bad most of your wives actually would want you to get hurt." He said with a small smirk on his face as he walked out of the precinct and to the Crown Vic that Aiden was sitting in putting a magazine clip in his belt. "You ready to roll?"

"I was born ready baby," Aiden replied and tapped Bosco's knuckles with his own.

Faith looked at her cell phone when she hung up the phone with Mikey. She looked at it then stuffed it in her pocket. She looked over at Jason as he walked up to the desk with a couple of folders in his hand. "I think I'm all done here." She said as she rubbed her stomach and looked at him. "This guy is laying low but he's not a pro so he'll resurface and we'll have to catch him."

"Is he hurt?"

"I'm not sure he hasn't shown up at any hospitals."

"No I mean Bosco's brother."

"Oh no he got out just in time thank God." She grabbed her purse and keys. "All right I'm out of here." She said and walked towards the doors.

"55-62 to Central we have an officer down! I repeat officer down! 10-13! 10-13!"

She stopped dead in her tracks when she heard the screeching voice come through the radio that was sitting in front of Jason on the front desk. Faith slowly turned around and looked at the radio then walked over to the desk and looked up at Jason as he picked the radio up.

"We need your location 55-62."

"Central we are on the corner of 45th and Jacksons! These sons of bitches ambushed us before we got inside! We're under heavy fire we need back up forthwith at our location now!" The voice on the other end of the radio screamed.

"55-Charlie responding!"

"55-Sergeant One responding to 10-13!" Jason answered and grabbed his jacket.

"Hey Jason I'm gonna ride with you!" Faith said.

"You're not on duty." He replied.

"I don't care. Bosco's out there. I wanna make sure he's all right." She said as he dug through her purse and produced her off duty gun. "Plus I got protection."

"You haven't been out on the field in months Faith! You're pregnant you don't belong out there!"

"Either you drive me or I take my car to the scene! It's up to you! I'm going otherwise!"

Jason stared at her then rolled his eyes and grabbed the keys to the RMP and ran outside. Most of the officer's that were inside the precinct at the time of the call were running to their squad cars and starting up their lights and sirens as they got in their vehicles. Faith slammed the door when she climbed into the Ford Explorer and Jason punched the gas pedal and they flew down the street. Faith looked down the intersections that he was approaching making sure they were clear so he didn't have to slow down.

Minutes later they pulled onto the street where the scene was taking place. It made Faith gasp out loud when she saw all the chaos that was going on. A lot of the uniformed officers from surrounding sectors had already arrived on the scene. Sully had his gun pressed to the back of a man's head and was screaming at him to turn on his stomach. The man had his hands up and had tears streaming down his dark skin begging the officer not to shoot him. Davis had his handcuffs on one man while he was kneeling on another. He was trying to calm his partner down from making a big mistake. Faith got out of the RMP once it stopped and she looked around at all the familiar faces. There were officers all over the place, most with prisoners in their hands and some had their guns drawn at the perpetrators.

"What's the 10-13?!" She shouted as she scanned her way through the crowds.

"Detective in the front of the line was shot!" One officer shouted back at her as he shoved one of the perps into the back of the van that most of the officers were putting the prisoners at.

Faith closed her eyes for a second and let out a sigh then headed towards the building. She saw some officer's crowding around something or someone but she didn't know what or who it was. She picked up her speed a little and ran towards the crowd then screamed when she saw who they all were leaning over.

"Oh my God," she pushed her way through the men and looked down at her husband who was lying in a pool of his own blood. His shirt was ripped open exposing his wound. He was breathing hard and coughing up blood. "Somebody do something!" She screamed and looked around at the circle of faces. "Why the fuck isn't anyone doing anything?!"

"Ambulance is on its way!"

"He's gonna die before they get here!" She said as she leaned over him. "Babe... Bosco look at me!" She said as she held his face and tried to calm him down but he was breathing hard and coughing. He had tears falling down the sides of his eyes and disappearing in his hairline. Faith was crying too as she cupped the back of his head with her hand. "Babe I need you to focus on me and calm down!" She grabbed his hand that was covered in blood and set it on top of her stomach. The blood began to seep through the white fabric and she felt the cold blood on her skin. "Do you feel that? Do you feel your baby? She needs you to calm down! You're making it worse!" Adam 55-3 pulled up the scene just as Bosco's breathing slowed and he completely closed his eyes. Faith looked up at Kim as she jumped out of the rig, she moved to the side of her husband as the paramedic cleaned over him and put her stethoscope up to his chest.

To Be Continued...