May 2nd, 2020
30
Although she was sleeping underneath the white supremacist posters in the basement, and without Jay or Sophia by her side, Erin slept quite well. Alex had neither gotten a fever nor did his diarrhea made a reappearance during the night. He still woke up a few times, but as far as Erin could tell, he was content as soon as he realized where he was and with whom. Other than during the day last week, he was now seeking the comfort she offered. Every time he woke, he cuddled back into her side, and she let him. He was taller than Sophia, but still little enough to easily be taken into her arms. Other than when he woke, he hardly moved. Especially not as much as Sophia would do during a night.
At 6 am Erin's alarm went off. They had to get up early for the PCR-test and because Erin and Jay had to hit the road early to be at the protest in Bexley, which was just outside Columbus. Erin turned the alarm off and looked at the tired little boy by her side.
"Did you have a good night's sleep?" she asked.
She was surprised to see him reacting with a nod before he rubbed his eyes and yawned. It was probably the first time she saw that child that relaxed.
"How's your tummy?" She asked.
"Good," Alex whispered, but was obviously shocked by hearing his own voice.
Although Erin could have jumped out of joy to be able to listen to Alex's voice again, she didn't show any specific reaction, as had Dr. Charles had told her to for a case like this.
"Listen, Alex," she began instead. "There will be someone coming by shortly, who will put a long stick with a soft tip into your nose."
Alex got big eyes.
"You don't have to be afraid. It won't hurt!" Erin promised. „I just want to give you the heads up on what is coming." She touched the boy's hair carefully and looked at him smiling. Then her gaze turned a bit more serious. "It's very important that you don't tell anyone about this. I know you don't talk a lot, and that's fine, but in this case it's especially important not to tell anyone, not your granny, not your daddy, understood?"
The boy nodded. And then he did something surprising to Erin. He put his arms around her neck and hugged her. Erin held him tight.
They heard Sophia screaming upstairs.
"Guess, the others are up as well, already," Erin commented while she ended the cuddle. "Let's go upstairs, and see, what Sophia has to complain about, shall we?"
Alex nodded. "Bathroom!" he whispered and pointed towards the door leading to the downstairs bathroom.
"Yes, do you need to go there?" Erin asked.
The boy nodded. "Do you need my help?" She asked.
Alex nodded again looking a bit embarrassed.
Now they heard Sophia screaming for "Mommy!"
Erin quickly opened the bathroom door for Alex. Alex stood uncertain in front of the toilet.
„Hey," Erin encouraged him. „You can do that!"
She helped him to get on the toilet seat, and then told him, she'd be right back, because Sophia's screams became angrier. She also heard Jay trying to console her, but he didn't seem to be very successful.
She quickly went upstairs. „Hey, Babygirl!" she greeted Sophia. „Why are you in such a good mood?"
„Mommy!" Sophia said and ran towards her.
Erin scooped her up.
„See, I told you, Mommy's home!" Jay, who stood by the kitchen doorway, said.
„Mommy!" Sophia said in a complaining tone.
„Hey, I was just downstairs, Babygirl. How was your night?" Erin tried to talk with empathy to her daughter who still looked angry.
„Mommy!" she said again hugging her closely.
Erin hugged her back and communicated over her shoulder with Jay using her facial expressions.
„She was a bit upset, when she didn't find you in our bed this morning," Jay underestimated what had happened upstairs.
„Were you upset, Babygirl? Did you fear I might be gone?" she looked at Sophia and wiped her tears away. „Guess we should have told you, I was sleeping downstairs with Alex, shouldn't we?"
Sophia nodded. Erin held her close. „Everything is fine, Babygirl," she assured her and pressed a small kiss on her head. "Maybe, Daddy can help you get dressed upstairs?" she asked.
Sophia shook her head. "Mommy!" she demanded.
"Well, Mommy first has to help Alex downstairs. So, you either wait here, or get dressed with Daddy upstairs." Erin explained the alternatives to her daughter.
„Mommy!" Sophia demanded more forcefully.
„Sophia, we've got a guest downstairs," Erin explained in a stricter tone, "I first have to help him."
She sat Sophia down, signaling Jay to take over.
"Alex bad!" Sophia said angrily.
Erin turned around. "Hey! I don't want you to talk like that about Alex. He's a sweet little boy, and he's your friend. You love him!"
Sophia looked contemplating, but then nodded.
"Guess, someone is a little jealous," Jay commented while he picked Sophia up and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Let's get dressed, Soph. Let's see who's faster back in the kitchen all dressed. Mommy and Alex, or me and you, shall we?"
Sophia nodded. "We!" she said excitedly.
"Okay, then we better run!" Jay said running upstairs with Sophia in his arms.
Erin heard the girl shrieking in joy. She shook her head smiling about the mood swings of her two-year-old and went downstairs again.
Erin was still busy helping Alex get dressed, when she heard Sophia and Jay calling from upstairs: "We won!"
She had avoided to stress the boy too much, although he seemed much better than the days before, physically, and emotionally.
"Oh, no!" Erin shouted back. "But we're almost ready!" She turned to Alex: "Aren't we?"
The boy smiled shyly, while she helped him in his shirt.
"Are you ready to go upstairs? Sophia is waiting for you!"
Alex nodded, and then put his arms around Erin's neck and hugged her again. Once again, she hadn't anticipated his actions and was a bit surprised but hugged him back.
"Are you good to walk by yourself, or do you want to be carried?" she asked him after she let go a bit.
The boy didn't answer in words but held her even tighter. "So, carrying it is, I guess!" She said getting up with him.
Sophia ran towards them as soon as Erin was out of the door leading to the basement. Erin carefully let Alex down and opened her arms for Sophia.
"We won!" Sophia said happy.
"I see that," Erin replied. "But I think, we're a close second. Don't you agree, Alex?" she turned towards the boy.
Alex showed no reaction.
Erin could have screamed in frustration. Maybe she shouldn't have let him down that quickly. She turned to her daughter. "Let's go into the kitchen, shall we?"
Sophia nodded. "Daddy makes pancakes," she said delightedly.
"Does he?" Erin asked the obvious because it was clearly smelling like pancakes. She turned back to Alex to see if he would follow. He didn't move. "Hey, Alex, do you like pancakes?" she asked the boy.
He slowly nodded.
At least a reaction
"Come on, then," Erin said offering him her hand. He thankfully took it and they both followed Sophia in the kitchen, where Jay was baking pancakes wearing a face mask.
He turned around when they entered. "Oh no!" He said looking at Erin. "You didn't only loose, you're still not dressed?"
"Well, it wasn't really a fair competition. All my stuff is still upstairs. We never had a fair chance!" She complained.
"You're bad looser, Lindsay!" he said mockingly. "Go upstairs then. I got this!"
Erin looked around at the kitchen, the kids, and the door leading to the backyard that was open. „Sure?" she asked.
„Yes, the kids can help me set the table outside, and you go and wash up!"
Erin looked critically at the two small kids. She doubted Sophia was a help setting the table yet. Alex was a bit taller, but he hardly reacted to anything said to him. As she had to get dressed, however, she just shrugged, told the kids she was going upstairs and did just that.
When Erin came back downstairs, the table on the porch outside was indeed set. As it was still cold outside, everyone was wearing a jacket.
„Great idea!" Erin commented.
„Alex, is the best waiter ever!" Jay explained.
The boy smiled shyly.
„Did you set the table all by yourself, Alex?" Erin asked.
„Sophia help!" Sophia said smiling.
„You did, did you?" Erin said sitting down next to her daughter.
„Alex more," Sophia admitted. „Alex's bigger!"
„Yes, Babygirl, Alex is taller than you. Just like your daddy is taller than me. But you know what? It has some advantages to be a bit smaller: You can let the guys do all the work," Erin said winking at Jay. "Thanks for being such a great househusband this morning," she said throwing him a kiss.
"Pleasure!" he replied with a sweet half ironic smile. "Though I thought we raise our daughter to become an independent woman who can do everything she wants when she's grown up."
"She can, but maybe she decides not to want to set the table," Erin presumed.
"Don't give her ideas, Erin," Jay said warningly. "She already knows quite well how to get what she wants, if she learns chores are optional ... we might have some fun 16 years ahead of us."
Erin nodded smiling. "You're right!" She turned to Sophia. "Sometimes it's good to let the guys do the work, but it is also important to know, you could do it without them. Because we are strong women, aren't we?"
Sophia flexed her right biceps under her jacket and pointed to it with her other index finger. "Strong gals," she said.
Jay and Erin both had to suppress a laugh. "Where did she get that from?" Jay asked amused.
"Su does that sometimes after our sparring sessions. She must have picked it up," Erin explained amused as well.
"Speaking of Su, she should be here shortly, so we should say grace and start eating!" Jay said.
Erin nodded and folded her hands.
Su arrived 15 minutes later with four test kits. She'd gotten a short instruction herself how to use them. It took some time again to convince Sophia not to turn her head, every time the swap came closer, but in the end, Su managed, with the promise of ice cream later in the day. Alex looked a bit afraid when the long stick was entered in his nose, but he didn't protest.
"We'll get tested every week now," Su let them know. „It's a new health care protocol for people working in law enforcement in Ohio. Enforced by the lady you're protesting later today."
"Great, does that mean I get to be tested twice?" Jay asked. "One time here, and one time at the jail?"
Su shrugged. "Probably."
"Can't wait!" Jay commented dryly.
"You almost like this as much as your daughter, don't you?" Su asked amused.
"You have no idea!" Jay said scraping his nose through the mask he was wearing.
"Jay, don't touch your face, please!" Erin demanded.
„It's itchy!" Jay protested.
"You're worse than the kids!" Erin said with played annoyance.
"So, I get the test to the lab, and then I'm back, that you can hit the road," Su waved her goodbye to the kids.
When Su had returned, some of the Sons of Mercy arrived to load their billboards into Jay's trunk. Mouse was with them, as he wanted to ride with the other members using Jay's bike. Jay and Erin were to go together in their car with the „equipment" for the protest. It would take them two hours to get there.
„How's Marge doing?" Erin asked when Johnny arrived.
The man shrugged. „Complaining of a headache. Takes the day off today. Alex inside?"
„In the backyard," Erin answered.
„Could your Chingk take him for the day?" Johnny asked.
„Su can sure do that," Erin answered while she tried to stay calm, although he used a racial slur and didn't even ask how his son was doing. „She's taking care of Sophia anyways."
„Maybe I should get one of those Chingks as well, what do you think, Greg?" Johnny turned to Mouse, who tried the best to play along.
„Is your new job paying that good now?" he asked.
You could see, Johnny was getting angry. "What are you implying, man?" he hissed while he came closer to Mouse.
"Hey, man!" Jay exclaimed. "He was kidding, man!"
Johnny kept staring at Mouse from a truly short distance.
"Yeah, man! Just a stupid remark," Mouse defended himself.
"Hey, man, save your energy for that doctor's woman!" Jay reminded Johnny of their goal of the day.
That brought Johnny back. He took a step back and turned to Jay. "Yeah, you're right. That woman makes foreign people swap my nose now, can you believe that?" he asked them.
"You as well?" Jay asked with some sympathy in his voice. "I thought it only hit us state employed 'essential workers'" He tried to put at much irony in the words 'essential workers' as possible.
Johnny shrugged. "My boss said it was mandatory, otherwise they would close down the plant. But I haven't been tested yet, have you?"
Jay almost nodded, but realized in time, that the swaps he had had so far were all for the FBI not for the jail. "We should get our first swap on Monday," he remembered just in time.
"It's ridiculous considering that there are close to no cases in Mercer. I'm pretty sure, that's because we don't do tests that the government then labels wrongly," Johnny explained.
Stan joined the conversation. "My mom says they are doing those tests to collect our DNA, so that they can use the samples for the fake vaccine-tests, that are coming. So that in the end they have the perfect drug for each and every one of us to control our minds."
"Yeah, I read something like that as well," Erin said in a serious tone. She turned to Jay. "Are you sure, you have to do them?"
"I don't really see a way around it, Honey, without risking my job," he said sighting.
Erin sighted as well. "I just hate for them to collect your DNA and do god knows what with it!"
"I won't let them vaccinate me, okay, Honey?" Jay fake promised.
"You better not!" She said putting a hand on his torso. "Sophia and I, we need you!"
He pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry, Honey, I'll always be there for you!"
"If you don't stop calling me Honey, we might rethink that," Erin whispered only for him to hear.
Jay had to suppress a chuckle. "I think, it's about time we say goodbye to the kids, Honey!" He said out loud. He ended their embrace and looked at Johnny. "Do you want to say goodbye to Alex?"
Johnny hesitated. "No, I'm good."
Jay could feel the anger radiating from Erin who still stood close. He carefully touched the small of her back to calm her. He nodded towards Johnny. "Whatever you say man!" before he let Erin around the house to say goodbye to the kids.
"I can't believe he won't even say goodbye to him!" Erin hissed as soon as they were out of ear shot of the others. "He didn't even ask, if he was better!"
"I think, we should get Alex to the front anyways. If he is positive, and we put Johnny in jail for a few weeks, he should have at last have the chance to say goodbye. It might not be easy for the boy, if his father was just to vanish," Jay remarked. "He just lost his mom; his grandma is sick."
Erin stopped and looked at Jay. "Johnny doesn't even care about the boy, and Alex won't talk anyways."
"We should at least give him the chance to say goodbye," Jay repeated his idea.
"You just gave Johnny the chance. He said, he's good!" Erin reminded him.
"Not Johnny, the Boy!" Jay clarified. "Did you even listen to what I said?"
"Sorry, yes," Erin apologized. "Though, I'm not that sure, it'll be good for Alex. But maybe I don't see as clearly concerning that boy as you do. After reading Brianna's letter, I just want Alex as far away from Johnny as possible," she admitted.
"Me too, believe me," Jay said taking her hand and looking at her. "And part of me wishes the boy is positive so we can go on with arresting Johnny ASAP, but that doesn't make him less his father. Even if he's a bad one, the boy deserves to say goodbye to him. He needs to see, that we're not keeping him from his Dad. That's important for the long run!"
Erin stopped short looking at Jay. Then she smiled. "You want to keep him as well," she realized.
Jay smiled back. "Of course, I do!" He touched her face looking at her. "But I want to do it the right way, without causing more unnecessary pain and trauma for him."
"I love you, Jay Halstead!" Erin said before she couldn't help kissing him.
He kissed her back. "Shouldn't we have waited for our test results to be back, before we do that?" He asked afterwards.
Erin turned red. "Shit! You're right!" she admitted ashamed. "Don't be that perfect that I can't help myself!" She said with played accusations.
"Well, I can't help myself from being perfect," Jay said cockily.
"You wish!" Erin
The kids immediately looked up from the sandcastle they were building, when Erin and Jay came around the house into the backyard.
Sophia ran towards them. "Look!" she said proudly pointing at their castle.
"Wow, you build that in the short time we were outside?" Jay asked impressed.
Sophia nodded proudly.
"Good job!" Jay looked appreciative at the two kids. "You helped as well, Alex?" he asked turning to the boy in the hope he would maybe talk.
All he got was a shy smile though.
"At least a reaction!" Erin whispered in his ear.
Jay nodded.
"Hey guys, Daddy and I are leaving now! We just wanted to say goodbye. Su will be with you during the day," she nodded towards the porch, from where Su was watching the kids, while she also used her phone to work. "We'll be back tonight, okay?"
"Kay!" Sophia answered going back to their sandcastle.
Alex was about to follow, but Jay asked him back: "Hey Alex, your Daddy is outside," he began while the boy's eyes widened. "Maybe you want to come with us, to say goodbye? He's joining us today."
Alex looked to Erin. She nodded encouragingly, although she still wasn't a 100% certain, the boy should be forced to see his father. She offered him her hand.
Alex hesitated. He looked to Sophia who was back at the sandcastle, and then back to Erin again. She nodded encouragingly again. "Come on, Alex! I'll be by your side the whole time."
Slowly, Alex came closer. He looked up to her when he took her hand.
"I got your back, Alex, don't worry!" Erin said smiling at him.
Now that she saw that Alex was on her mother's hand, Sophia got up as well. "Sophia come!" she said.
"Alex is just saying goodbye to his Daddy," Jay explained to her.
"Sophia come!" his daughter demanded.
Jay exchanged a glance with Erin, who shrugged. Then Jay offered his hand to Sophia, who immediately was by his side and took it.
When the four of them came round the house again, Johnny was all gone.
"Where's Johnny?" Jay asked.
"Said, he had to run an errand. He's meeting us on the road, he said," Stan explained.
Jay couldn't decipher the look on Alex's face. Was he disappointed or relieved? He could however make out Erin's expression.
She was angry and felt for the boy. She bent down to him. „Hey Alex, your father is gone already, so the two of you can go on building the greatest sandcastle there is. I'll ask Su to send us some pictures. Wouldn't that be great?"
Alex didn't react, but Sophia said „Yeah!" She came over to Alex and took his hand. „Come!" she asked him and pointed to the way that led to the backyard.
„Not so fast, young Lady," Jay interrupted. "Maybe you want to say goodbye to us, before we leave?"
Sophia looked up at her Daddy, and then towards her Mommy. "Bye!" she said trying to get Alex to join her again.
"Guess, she found another man in her life, Halstead!" Stan said amused, before Jay could get out his protest.
"Come on, we bring you back to the garden, and say our goodbyes there, okay?" Erin suggested as Alex still wasn't moving from her hand.
Sophia nodded.
The adults quickly said their goodbyes to the remaining Sons of Mercy who then left with a loud roar of their bikes. Then they brought the children back to the backyard, where they hugged them goodbye properly. Or at least Erin hugged both of them. Jay still kept his distance from Alex, because he might be contagious and because the boy clearly hadn't warmed up to him as he had to Erin. When Erin ended her embrace with Alex, Sophia came for a second hug.
"I think, Sophia is a bit jealous of Alex," Erin thought out loudly in the car.
Jay chuckled. "A bit? Try a lot. But the attention and closeness you show towards the boy, I mean I could get jealous!"
"Do you think it's too much?" Erin asked.
"For the boy? No! You can see, he needs and likes it, for Sophia, who feared losing her Mommy just a few weeks ago, yes," Jay replied while he looked down the road.
Erin sighted. "Poor, Babygirl! Maybe I should take her with me, if I am to take care of Marge and quarantine with Alex over there."
"Or not. I think Sophia and I could still do with some bonding time," Jay chipped in.
"Okay," Erin was surprised by Jay's bluntness. „But you're working during the day. And then she'll bond with Su," Erin replied.
At that their phones beeped. Erin looked at it. "As we thought: Alex tested positive." She sighted again. "But we're all still negative. Su as well. Hope she won't catch it today."
"She knows how to protect herself, wearing a mask, keeping her distance, cleaning her hands and everything Alex touches regularly," Jay remarked.
"That's not that easy with little kids," Erin replied thoughtfully. Then she took her phone to call Su and the kids. She wanted to explain to the kids, that they needed to wear face masks themselves today. But when Su picked up the Video-Call she saw that they already were wearing those. Su seemed to have made them color some surgical masks that fitted children.
"No need to check up on me, partner!" Su said amused, when she realized, why Erin had called.
"See, Sophia will be fine with Su during the day," Jay said when Erin had hung up.
"Hope so!" She replied. "So, you want more alone time with her. Is that it?" She asked.
Jay nodded. "Is that selfish?" he asked back. "I know I am working and will probably be at the Sons meeting in the evening, but if you're not there, I at least like for Sophia to stay."
Erin didn't know what to say.
"Okay, maybe that sounded a bit cheesy, but I don't know," Jay was looking for the right words. "I think maybe with her clinging that much to you lately, I ..." He sighted. "Damn, it's hard this talking honestly about feelings, what Dr. Charles always advises." He grinned a boyish grin at her.
She nodded. "Yeah, it is," she agreed smiling. "Did you feel left out?" Erin asked.
"Sort of," Jay admitted. "But maybe more... insecure?"
"Insecure? Jay Halstead?" Erin began to laugh. "That's a new one!"
"Very funny!" Jay commented dryly. "Insecure about Sophia. I mean the two of you. You have such a close bond. When I first came to New York, I didn't even see that. I mean you were sick, and she easily got attached to me. But now..."
"Jay! You're great with her! She loves you! She adores you!" Erin intersected. "She was clingy because she thought she would lose me, not because she loves me more."
"She does" Jay assured her. "I know she loves me as well, but I see the closeness between the two of you, and I'm just not there yet with her." He shrugged.
Erin put her hand on his. "You are. But if you need some days alone with her, to see that yourself, I go to Marge's place on my own. Or maybe you just bring her around when you're working and take her after work. I think, if she already had the virus, she can't transmit it. But better ask Will."
"So, we are doing the coparenting thing after all!" Jay said only half-jokingly after a while.
"Well, maybe it'll show us what we would be expecting. And if Sophia's fine with spending time separately with us."
"But we're not doing that for real anymore, are we?" Jay asked to make sure.
"Well, maybe we have to for a while, till we figured everything out, that is. Which city, who takes a new job, who gets a new job? We probably both can't walk out of our jobs just like that, we both got some notice period, don't we?" Erin asked.
"Well, you were able to leave quite suddenly once before," he interjected.
"I was suspended," Erin reminded him.
"Can you get suspended again?" he asked winking at her.
"I'm not leaving the task force till the election! I told you that before!" She sounded angry all of a sudden so much so, that he looked worried at her.
"You, okay?" he asked anxiously. She looked paler than when they had entered the car, he thought.
"A bit queasy!" Erin admitted. "Nothing serious. Maybe I got Alex's stomach bug."
"Alex has COVID!" Jay reminded her.
"Right!" Erin remembered. "Or there was something in your pancakes that didn't agree with me. Do you mind if I opened a window?"
"No," Jay quickly replied. "Go ahead!"
Erin opened the window, but because they were close to the Sons bike cavalcade, it was very loud, and the air smelled like petrol. Erin wrinkled her nose and immediately closed the window again. „Maybe I should be driving like old times!" She commented.
Jay smirked. "That's why you always wanted to drive yourself? Otherwise, you would get car sick?"
"Very funny!" Erin commented dryly. "No, I only started getting car sick when I was pregnant with Sophia. It was better for a while, though. Maybe it's back because of the medications or whatever else that virus did to me," Erin thought out loudly.
"Well, you'll be driving on the way back. If everything works according to plan."
"Hopefully!" Erin commented.
When they arrived at the protest side, they believed they were early, because other than the five other Sons of Mercy that had joined them on the road there was no one to be seen. About quarter of an hour later some members of the Brotherhood of Proudness were joining as well. All in all, they were about 20 protesters. So much less, than they had expected. Sammy and Erin were the only women. Due to the lack of manpower, Gary proposed a new tactic.
"Listen guys," he began. "We're much less than we had hoped for, but that just means we have to demand the end to this Covid-dictatorship even more forcefully. Those of you, who brought their gun, let's show them to her!" Some of the Brotherhood's members got their rifles out. "Let's not use them yet, but let her show that we might one day, if she decides to stay with her course of action."
"Yeah!" Everyone answered. And the ones who had a gun or a rifle showed them in the air proudly.
Jay approach Johnny. "As if I had known, man! See what I got here!" He said handing him his gun.
Johnny turned around and was surprised to see his unregistered gun. "Where did you?" he began, but then he remembered. "Oh, yeah! You took it from me, didn't you?" His face darkened.
"Only to save you from yourself!" Jay defended himself. "Sorry, I haven't gotten it back to you earlier. I just must have forgotten, after everything that happened."
Johnny studied him, but then nodded. "Thanks for giving it back to me," he then said while he took it.
They distributed the billboards between the few others who hadn't got a rifle with them. Then they went for the pavement in front of "the doctors lady's house".
In accordance with the very limited number of protesters, there were only two law enforcement officers present plus the private security guards of the "doctors lady". Despite the guns, the loud chanting and the offensive billboards, the protest stayed way to harmless, though, to make any cause for arrest. They needed a strategy to provoke at least Johnny a bit more.
"Where's the team?" Erin asked into her hidden bug.
"The director of health asked to hold it back!" The voice in her hidden earpiece replied. "She said it would look to hard and actually support the protesters agenda, if they showed too much police force in relation to the few protesters."
"They are carrying guns!" Erin hissed.
She looked at Jay and Mouse who both silently nodded, signaling they followed the conversation.
"But they are not using them," the voice in her earpiece replied.
"So, we're waiting for them to do so?" Erin asked unbelievable.
"Agent Lindsay, there are less than 20 protesters on the pavement, you are three trained officers, plus the security guards and the policemen. We all believe in your ability to secure the protest if necessary." The voice in her earpiece continued.
Erin sighted. "So, we shall blow our cover?" she asked nonbelieving.
"Not, if it is preventable. And the situation doesn't seem to call for it." The voice explained.
"You look dark!" Sammy said coming close to her. "Whom were you talking to?"
"Me?" Erin said pretending to be surprised. "To the Almighty, of course, to give us power. To enforce our protest, that that doctor lady at least recognizes it. Wouldn't you have expected a bigger bunch?"
Jay's expressions relaxed again when he saw Erin handling the situation. He was worried she would blow their cover just to see Johnny getting arrested. Her closeness to Alex might become a problem for the mission. He hoped the team had a plan B to extract Johnny, otherwise he was sure Erin would make true on her promise to go to his place without backup.
"Yeah, I heard some were held up," he heard Sammy explain. "And Gary wouldn't let Loreen go, because she's another bun in the oven." She continued sounding annoyed.
Jay was still glad, no children were brought here in the end, as Gary had originally planned. He was glad Sophia was with a trained agent as safe as could be expected in such a situation. And Alex, of course.
"So, what's the plan then?" He whispered into his own hidden bug.
"Just stay under!" The voice in his earpiece told him. He could almost feel the frustration radiating from Erin who stood a few feet away still talking to Sammy. Her angry expression at least matched the one of the other protesters. So that at least didn't raise any suspicion.
Jay had an idea. He went to Johnny.
"Hey man, do you think we could sneak out here, and have a look around the premises for later goals?" Jay asked him.
Johnny looked around and nodded. He passed his billboard to Gary and let him know, what they were about to do. They left through the back of the protest and went into the next street to go back to the house from the other side.
They reached the house from the back again. As Jay had expected there was a surveillance car parked, which Johnny of course did not make out. Jay nodded towards the back gate.
„Looks fancy," he commented.
"Yeah, that's what we pay for with our taxes," Johnny grunted.
They went closer. There was a large pool visible.
"Maybe we should put acid in the pool," Johnny mused.
"Well, in that case, we should first make sure, she uses the pool herself, or do you want to kill someone innocent by accident?" Jay asked.
"There are no innocent people, if they swim with that bitch," Johnny explained darkly.
"Yeah, but you want to kill her. She's our first priority, isn't she?" Jay asked.
Johnny nodded. Then he thought out loud differently though. "Maybe she'll be more cooperative if we first kill someone close to her," he said.
"You want to force her to change her politics?" Jay asked.
"Yeah, we poison the pool, and if someone else and not her gets hurt, we call her from a burner, and warn her, if she won't change her politics, the next one close to her will die," Johnny explained.
"I like your thinking!" Jay commented. "But how do we get in there, and how do we get a supplier for the acid?"
"We got containers full of acids at the paper mill, I am working at. As for how to get in, maybe we have to bribe the pool boy, or kill him, and one of ours is posing as one, or we just climb in there at night." Johnny looked up the high fence.
Jay followed his gaze. "Could be doable," he agreed.
At that they heard car doors slamming behind them. They turned around.
"Columbus PD, keep your hands where we can see them!" One of the non-uniformed officers told them. The other one Jay recognized from one of their Zoom Team meetings. It was Agent Belinda Wilson. She worked for the task force as long as Erin and came from New Orleans as far as he remembered.
Jay and Johnny both raised their hands.
"Let me do the talking," Jay whispered to Johnny.
Johnny nodded.
"Officers, you got this wrong, we were just admiring this fancy backyard," he said, but the officers ignored him. One began to search him, Belinda searched Johnny, who was obviously not amused by the fact, that he was searched by an African American woman. Surprisingly, he listened to Jay's advice, and didn't say a word.
Belinda found Johnny's gun immediately.
"Ah, look, why do you need a gun to admire a backyard?" Belinda asked.
"He's a registered gun owner!" Jay explained calmly. "He's allowed to carry a gun wherever he wants!"
"We'll see about that!" The other officer replied. "You both come back with us!"
"What for?" Jay asked. "For looking at a backyard?"
"That's not just any backyard. It's the backyard of the state's chief medical advisor, who's protested on the other side of this building. And you two sure look like you belong to that group of protesters up front!" The taller officer explained to him.
"So, we get arrested for our looks and for carrying a gun legally?" Jay asked with played annoyance.
„Don't be cocky with me, Mister!" Belinda said as she let him to the car. At least they didn't put cuffs on them.
At the station, the officers found out quickly about the unregistered gun of Johnny, because, of course, they already had known about it in advance. Johnny additionally refused to take a COVID test what let to him spending at least a night in isolation. How long they could hold him afterwards depended on the bail hearing, and if they would finally get him tested, and if that test were to be positive. For this night however, Erin would be good to spend the night at Marge's place.
As Johnny's arrest took longer than expected, the kids were already sleeping when Jay and Erin arrived back at their house in Mercer. Erin, nevertheless, didn't want to take any more risks and took the sleeping Alex back to Marge's place.
Marge was feverish and coughing, when they arrived, but her condition still seemed stable enough, so that Erin wouldn't wanna call an ambulance, which Marge would have refused anyhow. Marge was surprised to see Erin and Alex coming so late, and not seeing her son. When Erin tried to explain, what had happened, she realized that Marge's head was a bit overwhelmed by all the news, so she just told her Johnny had asked her to look after her, and they would talk in the morning.
"Such a good boy!" was the last Marge said, before Erin closed the door to her bedroom again.
Erin couldn't help, but role her eyes. After that, she took a shower, and went for the bunk bed in Alexes room. She found a text from Jay on her phone there. "Johnny was tested. Results should be there by noon tomorrow," it said. And it continued less work related. "The bed still feels empty without you. I hope you'll be back by Friday :-)."
"Glad to hear that," she replied. "I fear to spend at least two weeks over here, but we'll see. Miss you too! Give Sophia a kiss when she wakes."
She put off her shoes and socks, and wanted to climb up the bunk bed, when she realized, Alex was awake again. He was crying. "Mommy!" he whimpered when he looked at her.
Erin crouched down to his level. "I'm sorry, Alex, your Mommy isn't here." She carefully touched his face and wiped away some of his tears.
The boy continued to cry out for his Mommy and shivered with his whole body. Erin took him onto her lap, where she cradled him like a little baby. It still took what felt like hours to Erin for the boy to calm down. At one point she told him that it was okay, to just cry it out. She wouldn't be leaving. After a while Alex was only sobbing loudly, but his calls for "Mommy" at least were back to a few whispers. Erin kissed his head. Then she remembered something. She wanted to get up to get something from her bag, but Alex held her tight.
"Hey Alex, I got something for you in my bag. It's from your Mommy!" she told him.
The boy looked surprised at her through his wet eyes.
"Shall I get it for you?" Erin asked.
Alex nodded carefully, and let go of her, still whimpering. He watched her as she got a small box out of her bag.
She handed him the box, and he carefully took it.
"You can open it," Erin encouraged him.
He carefully opened the box, and the ballerina came out. She turned around and a melody was heard.
Alex got big eyes and smiled.
„It's from your Mommy!" Erin told him again. „There's a note in there as well." She pointed at the tiny drawer where they had found the USB-Port. The note was still in there.
Alex opened the drawer carefully and took it out. He looked at his mother's handwriting and handed it to Erin.
„Shall I read it out loud to you?" she asked.
Alex nodded.
"For my boy, who'd loved to be a ballerina. Love, Mommy."
Alex smiled, still with tears in his eyes.
Erin would have loved to read out the longer letter to him, but there was too much information in there, Alex wasn't supposed to know yet. Like that she tells him, that he'll be fine staying with Erin, Jay, and Sophia. As long as they didn't know, if they could reach that end goal, they'd decided not to give him the letter, so that Alex wouldn't get his hopes up.
Meanwhile, Alex got the music box started again and showed an awe in his teary eyes. It was the first time Erin saw him smile like that since his mother's death.
"You really do like that, don't you?" Erin asked the obvious while she put an arm around the little boy's shoulder. He, in return, leaned into her, while he wouldn't stop watching the music box. They sat like that for a while. Every time the music stopped; Alex would immediately turn it on again.
"Granny asleep?" he asked after a while.
"Yes, your granny is asleep," Erin answered. "Do you want her to show her your music box?"
Alex immediately stiffened and shook his head. "Daddy won't like that!" He whispered.
"Daddy's not here!" Erin reminded him.
Alex nodded. "He'll be back!" He took the music box and appeared to be looking for a place to hide it.
Erin touched the box in his hands, and carefully put it back on his nightstand. "Your Daddy won't return this night, so your box is safe. If you want you can keep it at our place, if," she corrected herself quickly, "when he returns."
Alex still got the hint, however. „Daddy's not coming back?" He asked.
Erin didn't know what to say, so she decided to ask him instead: "Don't you want your Daddy to return?"
Alex nodded, and then shook his head. Tears were visible in his eyes again. Erin held him close. His whole body began to shake again while he was sobbing painfully. Erin cradled him again. After a while, his sobbing ebbed down and Erin realized, he was falling asleep. She put him down into his bed. After she put the covers on him, she caressed his hair, and got up to climb up to sleep at the upper bunk bed, but Alex reached for her. She sat down again. Alex's eyes were closed. He looked like he was sleeping but held her hand tightly. Erin carefully stroked his little fingers. The hand showed no reaction, neither did his face. Thus, Erin again tried to get up, but Alex again tightened the grip he had on her hand.
Erin was really tired. She heard Marge coughing, but other than that the house was quiet. She almost fell asleep herself.
"Alex, I'll just be in the bed above yours," she whispered.
He tightened his grip again.
Erin yawned, although she knew it would be uncomfortable for sure, she lay down next to Alex. The boy immediately snuggled into her.