Chapter Seven: Burning Edges
"This summer can suck it," Cailin remarked, sitting at the bar at Molly's one with Erin and Antonio, the only IU members she could convince to join her for more than a drink, after a particularly grueling week, but at least she had been cleared for duty and hadn't been kicked out of IU.
"Agreed," Erin and Antonio echoed, raising their glasses to hers.
"Can't wait for it to be over," Erin added. The summer had been long and bloody and they had worked non-stop after the homicide rate crept near all time highs.
And that was just trying to keep the Mayor happy, to say nothing of the Russian mobster they were trying to pin down who was trafficking in girls and the joint task force they were 'working' with the FBI. Which basically meant they were tasked with all the grunt work on digging up intel on some Eastern European syndicate that was skimming credit card info at bars and restaurants in the toniest areas of the city and using the proceeds to capture their own corner of the Vice market.
"Hey why don't you practice for your new gig and mix us up another round, Callahan," Antonio teased, shaking his empty glass.
Cailin was about to go undercover as a bartender in one of the target bars responsible for the majority of the skimming, thought to be the head honcho's den.
"Off the clock, 'Tonio, flag your sister down," she said, gesturing to Gabby at the other end of the bar where she was chatting with Joe and his new-old girlfriend, the very same Taylor that Cailin had thrown up on upon coming to in the hospital after she was shot.
That had been an awkward re-introduction the first time Cruz brought her in; but the woman seemed intelligent and funny and Joe Cruz was looking more and more like a teddy bear each passing moment he spent with her.
"Cally doesn't need any practice, trust me," Erin said, tossing her head back in laughter thinking about their last girls' night. Shay, Gabby and Katie Severide had joined the pair of detectives to compete with the boys' night that had left them all single for the evening. Cailin decided to work her way through a couple of chapters of the Joy of Cocktails and they all ended up three sheets to the wind and laughing uncontrollably while playing 'can you top this' with their worst dates ever.
"Girl, put those dimples away before you get every guy in here sniffing around us," Cally teased as Antonio moved down to get his sister's attention.
"We have badges and guns, I think we'll be okay," Erin quipped, but gave an ice-cold stare to the pair of bros who had started to make their way over as soon as Antonio vacated his stool. "Not gonna happen," she admonished, perking up as the door to Molly's opened and a trio of CFD Lieutenants walked in. As exasperated as she was at Kelly's antics and moodiness, she still couldn't help how she felt whenever she laid eyes on him.
"Great, now I'll never get a refill," Antonio remarked as his sister also zeroed in on the newest arrivals.
The change that came over all three guys as soon as they caught sight of the women was immediate, and each caught the same look in the other's eyes.
Severide gave a small snort, "Jesus! Whipped much? You, I'm not shocked at all," he said, lightly punching Casey's arm, "little more surprised at you, jarhead," he continued, cutting off as the other man's eyes narrowed. "Well I'm beat, and gotta see how much trouble I am with the good detective," he said moving toward where Erin Lindsay had secured a table for them.
Clarke could tell Severide's energy was still not back, not to mention his mood had been mercurial throughout the evening. He and Casey had exchanged a few looks over the other Lieutenant's head.
It didn't take long for Erin and Kelly to disappear from Molly's, barely even taking time to say goodbye, almost running over Shay as she was coming in with an unfamiliar woman.
"Someone must be feeling better," Cailin said under her breath, Clarke snickering beside her. "You get the scoop on this on any of your fishing trips?" she teased.
"The point of fishing is not talking, babe," he said, shaking his head with a smile.
Though to be honest, when he mentioned he was going fishing one night at Molly's and Shay asked to come along, he almost fell off his bar stool.
"Well it's not like you have to worry about me needing any pit stops," she replied, trying to make light of her now permanent colostomy bag.
Apparently Shay had grown up going fishing with her father, and had missed it since the old man stopped talking to her when she came out. Clarke was more than happy to bring her along and it become a habit, the pair even making plans to try to get a group up his cabin, assuming they could coordinate their various crazy schedules.
He enjoyed his friendship with Shay, and was glad to see her bringing someone in to Molly's. Despite what he had just said to Cailin, the other woman had admitted she was lonely, and was feeling more than a little lost since she knew her career as a PIC was over.
"I thought the point of fishing was day drinking," she shot back as she waved the pair over.
"Hey, guys," Shay said, coming up, her arm loosely entwined around the other woman's. "Guys, this is Ana. Ana, this is Jeff and Cailin, though you'll mostly hear them called Clarke and Cally, just like they won't call me Leslie."
Ana stuck out her hand, offering up a firm shake saying, "nice to meet you both. So what do you call Leslie?" she asked, looking slightly puzzled.
"Shay," the pair said in unison, leaving Shay rolling her eyes.
"You two might be spending too much time together," she teased before turning to Ana and explaining, "He's firefighter, she's a detective. We do the last name thing even off the clock. A lot. Besides it feels weird calling him Jeff…" she trailed off making a face, "what are we drinking?" she asked as Ana nuzzled up to her.
Cailin and Jeff exchanged a look, not wanting to intrude. "Actually, I think we are going to head out, got this UC thing to prep for," Cally said, raising her eyebrows are her friend. "But you two have a great night, even though I think you may have to be your own bartender." She gestured to where Gabby had come out from behind the bar and seemed to be having an intense conversation with her fiancée.
"Well that is one benefit of ownership, and may be my new full time gig," Shay replied, ducking under the bar. "Get home safe, you two," she said waving the two off.
"How was Severide tonight?" Cailin asked when they got home, not knowing if she wanted the answer.
Clarke shrugged, "up and down. You know how it is, fine one second, raging the next."
"I know it is normal, but I wish he would talk to someone, he is so freaking stubborn!"
Clarke laughed, giving her a look. "Really, babe?" he teased.
"Yes, I know I am stubborn, but I knew when I needed a lifeline and even you, big bad Marine, knew when you were in over your head. I know Erin is trying, but I'm beginning to think she is close to the end of her rope." She pursed her lips and shook her head, looking up at him with wide and serious eyes. "I don't think I tell you enough how lucky I am to have you."
He shook his head, rubbing his thumb along her cheek before kissing her, "luck has nothing to do with it, Cally."
"You're okay with me doing this UC gig, right?" she asked, curling up in the corner of their sofa.
"You're mixing a few drinks and keeping a few drunks in line while gathering intel. You'll probably be safer there than you are out on the streets, Cal," he said, trying to reassure her. "Besides it'll give me time to study."
"I know, but basically it means I am working two jobs and with you back up on 25…" she trailed off, "wait a second, study? Does that mean what I think it means?" Cailin looked up at him expectantly.
He smirked, pulling the letter out of his back pocket, sliding it towards her, nodding. "Yep, looks like that new three year intensive program at UIC really was interested in my 'real world' experience."
Her eyes grew wide as she read the letter, filling with tears of excitement. "Oh Jeff, this is awesome! I knew they would have been stupid not to take you!" She flung her arms around his neck, straddling him and covering him with kisses.
"I got accepted to med school, babe, I didn't win the lottery," he said with a laugh.
Cailin turned serious at the statement, they had talked about how Jeff going back to school would change their finances but she also was just now realizing what else it meant. She pulled back looking at him. "So when are you putting in your notice?"
A sly smile spread across his face as he tucked her hair behind her ears. "So this shacking up with a Callahan thing really has its privileges."
"Even though I leave wet towels on the floor still?" she joked, wondering where he was going with this, sensing it had something to do with one of her brothers.
"Seems Connor knows some brass that agreed to let me stay on as a weekend relief Lieutenant. That'll keep me in some salary and benefits until midway through Year 2. Between that and my GI Bill, I might not put us in the poorhouse doing this."
Cailin yipped, straddling him again. "You aren't going to put us in the poorhouse, Jeff, you are following your dream!"
"How about I go follow some other dreams first, before my girlfriend leaves me to go be some fancy mixologist?" he replied, giving her a knowing look and scooping her up to make their way to the bedroom.
Chapter 8: Blue Flame
Cailin took the scraps of fabric the manager gave her with a look of distaste on her face. Despite having done recon on the bar, Olinsky and Ruzek had failed to tell her about the 'uniform'. It seemed like a classy enough place from the outside, so she was more than a little taken aback when she was handed the two bits of black fabric that looked like they had come straight out of a Las Vegas lounge. Voight wasn't hazing her was he? No wonder Erin had opted for the Russian Black Widow gig.
"Look, wear it or leave; plenty of other girls looking for jobs in the city, Caitlin" Zuzanna, the manager informed her, using her UC name.
"Says the woman getting to wear pants," Cally grumbled as she headed towards the employee bathroom to change. She changed, sending an angry text off to her team, wherever they were. It was too early in the intel for them to bother with outside surveillance, not to mention they were still down a tech person, hence why Cailin was there and going old school. Thanks a lot for the heads up on the uniform, guys. -C
She stepped out of the bathroom only to be greeted by Zuzanna looking her up and down, a slight frown on her face. The older woman reached, practically sexually assaulting Cally after tightening her corset to put 'the girls' more on display. "Better tips, I promise," she said, her breath reeking of booze and cigarette smoke.
"My drinks speak for themselves," Cally shot back.
Zuzanna snorted, "oh, you're one of those fancy mixologists, huh? No wonder Frank wanted me to hire you, he's been competing with that ridiculous speakeasy place down the street."
Cally knew Frank was Franciszek Kosowski, the head honcho who supposedly had ties to the Kielbasa Posse in Philly, moving from bookmaking, loansharking and card skimming to dealing in X and a variety of prescription medications. This had been lucrative enough that they were trying to move into dealing heavier things, which is how they got on the radar of other gangs in town; the increase in card skimming was what caught the attention of the Feds and IU. The problem was, nobody seemed to know what enterprise Frank had his sights truly set on, which is why they needed someone on the inside.
Cally kept busy for the night, slinging plenty of drinks to a fairly diverse clientele; hearing plenty, just none of it actually useful to the case. She forced herself to not break the hands of more than a couple of bro types; reminding herself she was on the job, not filling in at Molly's. She did well enough that Zuzanna disappeared for more than a few smoke breaks. The other, clearly gay, bartender, Stephan, kept to the other end of the bar.
She kept her eyes and ears peeled, taking careful note of every patron in the place, hoping that some of them would match the photos currently lining the boards up in IU and while there were plenty of Eastern Europeans milling about, none of them were on their watch list. Other than a few phone pics, she didn't get much other than her share of the tips at the end of the night.
"See, I told you, better tips. Get you a push-up and they'll be even better," Zuzanna remarked handing her a stack of folded bills.
She forced herself to not roll her eyes or grimace, tightening her jaw as she said, "I'll keep that in mind."
The other woman looked like she was about to say something more, but then a figure appeared in the hallway leading to the back office, beckoning her. "You can go, see you next shift," she said, all but shooing Cally away.
"Sure, I just need to get my stuff," she remarked, wanting a closer look at the figure in the shadows, it didn't look like Kosowski, but the man was definitely related. She moved toward the employee lockers, but Zuzanna caught her arm.
"Wait here," she demanded, quickly retrieving the clothing Cally arrived in, shoving it and her purse at her. "Get home safe," she said, staring Cally down. Stephan had already hightailed it out of the bar the second he got his tips.
Cailin forced a sunny smile, "totes, later," she sing-songed, forcing herself to walk out at a casual pace and not look over her shoulder.
Her phone was already buzzing, Voight calling to check in on her as soon as she turned the corner. "Didn't think you had eyes on the bar yet, sir," she said as soon as she was out of earshot.
"I don't, Callahan. GPS on the phone said you were on the move. You get anything?"
She made a face, of course the phone he gave her was tracking her every movement. Part of her was glad for the safety net, especially as she quickly made her way down the dark block toward transit, debating trying to flag down a cab. The other part of her was completely creeped out that Voight knew her every move. "Kicked out when some mug I'm betting is Kosowski's cousin showed up after closing. This is going to take some finessing," she explained.
Voight made a noise, not quite disappointment, but definitely frustration. HQ was breathing down his neck, nothing new, but he was hoping for something quick with this one since it involved the Feds, and he hated playing nice with the suits.
"I'm good, not a miracle worker, Voight," Cally said with a slight growl.
"It ain't you, sunshine, I just don't like the Feds in my sandbox. Briefing at ten hundred. Sit tight, would you?"
"Fine, see you then," she replied before knitting her brow, "wait, sit ti-" she started to ask before realizing he had already hung up. Her question answered when Halstead pulled up next to the curb.
"You just gonna stand there or are you going to get in?" he snapped through the rolled down window, looking less than pleased to be there.
"I didn't ask for a chauffeur," she said, wrenching open the door and glaring at him.
He smirked at her, "nice outfit, now get in, Callahan."
She flushed, mumbling about it being a uniform as she slid in and slammed the door shut. Luckily the streets were dead that late on a weekday night and Jay had her back at Clarke's in record time. "Sorry to ruin your night," she said as he pulled up to the building.
"It was a bad date anyway, probably saved me from doing something I would regret," he said, shaking his head and laughing.
"How's the Mikhailov case going?" she asked.
Jay's entire demeanor changed, his face going blank, his jaw tightening. "Slow," was all he said.
"No wonder Voight sounded too pissed, betting Erin is too. At least you both get to be full clothed," she remarked, slightly self-deprecating.
Jay just nodded, not knowing if he should say anything about Lindsay and her impending breakup with her fireman. He knew the two women were close but with them working separate cases, he wasn't sure they had a chance to talk since Severide had stood Erin up for what may have been the last time.
"Alright then, thanks for the ride. Really though, I'll make sure Voight knows that Goldilocks can make it home without getting eaten by a bear. See you in the morning."
She let herself in, trying to be beyond quiet as the clock crept toward 3 a.m. as Jeff had classes all day tomorrow. Today, Cally corrected herself. She stopped short as she entered the bedroom, the lamp on his bedside table on, Clarke deep in a textbook.
"Please tell me you weren't waiting up for me, cowboy," she said softly from the doorway.
He looked up, smiling as he marked his place in the book. "Nah, fell out for a while but-" he broke off, taking in her appearance, "um, you weren't wearing that when you left, were you?" Clarke hoped his tone was light as he took in the tight black corset and practically non-existent skirt. It wasn't that Cally didn't look damn sexy in it, it was that she did. And it was 3am and he had to be up in a few hours and how many guys had tried to put their mitts on his girl...
"Don't even start. Better than Hooter's, I suppose. Apparently it is the uniform," she replied, using air quotes around the last word. "I hate this case already. Nothing like working two jobs for the price of one, I doubt I'm allowed to keep the tips," she said, moving around to his side of the bed, sitting on the edge next to him. "Now can you help me get out of this thing, I don't think I've taken a full breath in like ten hours."
"Pretty sure I would do anything you ask right now, babe," he said, reaching for the ribbon lacing the corset together.
"Very. Funny." She felt the fabric give way, letting out a groan before taking in a greedy lungful of air. He couldn't help but laugh as he teased, "thought we talked about you making those kind of noises when I'm not responsible for them, Callahan." He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her fully up on the bed on top of him. "Do I even want to know how many guys you had to beat off of you tonight?" he asked in between kisses.
"You string one bro up in a tree, the rest tend to stay away. They're like crows," she said, moving out of his arms with a glimmer in her eye, "don't tell me you are jealous, Jeff."
"I don't know if I'd call it jealousy, Cal. It's just I've barely seen you the past week and when I do see you, you are wearing practically nothing and it isn't because you've been with me all night," Clarke admitted as she slipped out of the scraps she was barely wearing and into one of his well-worn tees she had commandeered as a nightshirt.
"Olinsky and Ruzek failed to mention the lack of dress code, promise," she said, sliding in next to him, snuggling up to his side.
He looked down at her, his lips in a straight line. "Good to know. How did you get home without having to shoot anybody?" he commented.
"Voight sent Halstead to pick me up, he was super excited to drive Miss Daisy, let me tell you," she retorted. Clarke looked slightly taken aback; he was surprised Voight actually cared enough about any member of his team to worry about them getting home. The man moved up a fraction of a percentage point in his book. A tiny fraction.
Cailin studied him carefully, taking in his look of surprise and then the far off look he got in his eyes. She propped herself up on her elbow, poking him gently. "You really are okay with me going undercover, right, you get that is a big part of my being up in IU?"
Cally held her breath waiting for his answer. She had spent most of her career as a cop going undercover, it wasn't just her master's thesis, and it was how she climbed through the ranks so fast. Except ever since Doyle, since returning home, since Jeff had known her, she hadn't been under…except for that day he and Severide rescued her from that bathroom.
But she wasn't just thinking about that, she was also thinking about Antonio and Laura, recalling one of the first times she had really bonded with Gabby, talking about how strong her brother's marriage must be and now look at them. She and Jeff were only barely living together, and what if he said he wasn't okay with it? Clarke looked down at her, seeing the storm clouds pass over her eyes as she asked the weighted question. He hadn't fully figured out how he felt about her going undercover or working with IU. Strangely, he was somewhat more comfortable with her up in IU, the smaller team more close-knit, fiercely protective, and elite. In some ways, they were like the Marines.
He cleared his throat, "you need to do what you need to do, Cally, I get that. Better you be risking your ass with them watching your six than the numskulls you used to work with."
"I'm not sure that answers my question, babe, but it is beyond late and I have things I would much rather do than debate you," she said, giving him that little mischievous smile that made his heart immediately speed up and his blood pressure rise.
"You sure you don't need to go to sleep?" he teased, even as he was reclaiming his t-shirt.
"You sure you don't need to, Mr. Med Student?"
"Let's just call it studying for Anatomy…"
Chapter 9: The Big Smoke
It took more shifts than she would have liked before Zuzanna approached her, holding on to the bills she was handing Cailin. "You make good drinks, have nice face, people talk to you," she said, studying the other woman carefully. "You want to make more money?"
"I bought the push-up, didn't I?" Cailin replied, though the push-up bra actually concealed a wire, thanks to the new IT guy's clever tinkering. She bit her cheek to keep from smiling, knowing this may be their first break.
"Follow me," Zuzanna said, striding off with a purpose toward the back hallway. She paused in front of a door near the end of the hallway, punching in a code on the keypad, not thinking Cally was enough of a threat to bother trying to conceal what it was.
Apparently her dumb blonde act had worked, Cally thought, though she hated how easily it did. The older woman opened the door, it revealing a staircase that led to a basement, one that had come up on the building plans but the door for it wasn't where it was supposed to be in the storage room Cally had scoped out.
Storage racks filled the basement, plastic tubs, metal cages and wooden crates lining the shelves; speaking to the import and export of plenty of illegal items, from guns to animals to drugs and who knew what else. There also was what appeared to be half an electronics store, and possibly a server farm along one wall.
Cally kept her focus on Zuzanna, not turning her head, but still taking in everything in her periphery. Zuzanna knocked a pattern on another metal door, waiting for a buzz, as it was remotely unlocked. She gestured for Cally to wait, holding up a finger. Cally halted as Zuzanna entered the other room, taking the opportunity to surreptitiously get a few phone pics. "Come, meet Frank," Zuzanna said as she opened the door a few moments later. Cally nodded, adjusting her corset, getting a nod of approval from Zuzanna, even if all she was doing was adjusting the listening device.
"Ah, new girl, come in, come in," Franciszek Kosowski beckoned from behind his gleaming mahogany desk.
Cailin entered, trying to look nervous, though the tugging down of her skirt was not an act as the large man with the potato-shaped head leered at her. She forced herself to not glare at him; looking instead up through her eyelashes, shyly even as she took in the room around her, noticing a doorway behind him with another electronic keypad and a hulk of a man sitting in a chair in the corner behind her, clearly carrying. Zuzanna leaned against the doorway, blocking her exit while casually smoking a cigarette. Cailin tried to ignore the pounding of her heartbeat, her mouth going dry as her stomach flip-flopped. She could do this, she wasn't about to be made, and she hadn't even done anything yet. This was not New York; she was a good cop…she kept repeating to this to herself, barely realizing Frank had started speaking to her.
"But really a, what do they call it, victimless crime. Banks refund money, write off losses, no big, you get $100 a good card," he was saying.
Cally realized he was explaining card skimming, justifying the crime. "What if I get caught?" she said, finally looking at him, making her eyes as big and worried as she could. Which given twitchy trigger finger behind her, wasn't that difficult.
Frank just laughed, the light from overhead bouncing off his shiny, bald, head, his overly whitened, pointy teeth also glinting in the light. Cally wondered if that is how the bar got its name of 'Krokodile'. "Give them that look and lean forward a little and you don't have anything to worry about. Just make sure you leave lady's cards to Stephen and you'll be fine."
Zuzanna laughed from the doorway, cut off only by her hacking smoker's cough. She cleared her throat saying, "I've been watching her, Frank, like a little kitty-cat, this one; purring one second, claws when needed, she'll do well."
"Good work, Zu-zu," he said, giving her a smarmy wink. "Ivan, take her somewhere nice tomorrow night," he said, to the bodyguard in the chair.
Ivan grunted, Cailin used it as an opportunity to turn slightly, getting her first head-on look at the man. She was pretty sure he was the one she had seen her first shift at the bar. "Whatever you say, cousin," he mumbled, looking less than pleased at the request.
Cally realized Frank was staring at her again. "You have boyfriend, Cat-lin?" She just nodded, forcing herself to breath and swallow the bile rising in her throat. "Of course. But here, when working, you don't. He doesn't come by, doesn't call. Rozumiesz?" She got his meaning, nodding her understanding. "Good. You come early before next shift, Zu-zu will show you how to work machine. Now, you go." He waved her off, jutting his chin toward Zuzanna.
"Come," she ordered, Cally quickly following after, emerging on street level by way of a well-concealed door on the side of the building, one that was not on the blueprints.
She practically ran away from the building toward the blue line, wishing she hadn't begged off Voight's taxi service. She froze when she heard the sound of a car engine approaching behind her, hating her reaction, and feeling incredibly vulnerable. She was over Nansenko; it had been over two years ago. She clutched her phone as she turned around, wishing it were her gun as the car slowed to a stop. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw the woman behind the wheel.
"Erin," she breathed out, getting in. "What are you doing here?"
"Hank had a feeling you might be making some headway. Sent me as soon as you activated those," the other woman replied with a smirk, gesturing to Cally's cleavage, still slightly heaving as she fought to get her heart rate and breath back to normal.
"Shut up, Lindsay," Cailin muttered, before continuing, "but it's the middle of the night and aren't you working the other case? Great, now Severide's gonna be pissed at me."
"I am acutely aware of what time it is," Erin said, gesturing to her pajama pants and sweatshirt. "Severide isn't going to be pissed at you, Callahan, we broke up."
Cailin's jaw dropped open. "Hold up, you and Severide what?" she exclaimed. "How much have a missed being a stinking jigger jockey?" She sighed, feeling the weight of going undercover like she hadn't in the past. In the before it had been easy, her job had been her whole life. She wasn't missing major life events in the lives of people she cared about.
"I got tired of being the girl in the restaurant waiting for him to get his head out of his ass. It happens. We'll both be fine. He's actually up on some lake with your fireman and Shay. When is the last time you spoke to your boy, Cal?"
Erin's comment cut to the quick. She and Clarke has been worse than ships passing in the night. She usually got off so late it was early and he was often already up gone, or if she got home 'early' he was dead asleep surrounded by textbooks, highlighters and flashcards. He had been pretty good about hiding his annoyance at her constantly working, but she did now recall a vague discussion in predawn hours about him heading up to his cabin so Severide and Shay could lick their wounds.
"Well it still sucks, Er, I'm sorry." She shook her head, feeling foggy and out of it. She had been running for a couple of weeks on no sleep and it had taken everything in her to not have a full blown panic attack in that room with Frank.
"It's fine, Cal, we weren't attached at the hip," Erin said with something between a grin and a grimace.
Cailin studied her friend carefully as she pulled up to the curb, an inkling that many things were brewing behind the detective's pretty hazel eyes. "Well I am here for you, even though I'm well…" she gestured at her uniform.
Erin let out a small bark of laughter, "better you than me on that one. See you at the briefing in too few, Callahan."
"Ain't that the truth? Good night, Lindsay," Cally replied as she slid out of the car.
"Oh stop acting like a big baby," Shay admonished, wrapping the bandage around Severide's swelling ankle.
"What are you smirking at, Clarke?" Severide growled, slit eyes glaring at his former squad man.
Clarke shrugged, "I'm just saying, you pull all this hotshot crap at work, jumping out of windows, off ladders, into who knows what and are 'I'm all good, I'm all good' and you manage to slip on a dock getting into a boat and do this?" He gestured at the other man, lying supine on the ratty couch in the cabin.
"If either of you breathe one word about this to anybody back home, I swear to you…" Severide warned giving them a look that said it wasn't an empty threat. "Not even to Callahan, especially not Callahan; she'd tell Casey in a freaking heartbeat and then I would definitely never hear the end of it."
Shay and Clarke caught each other's eyes and burst out laughing. "That's it, get the hell out of here, both of you. I hope not a single damn fish bites all day!" Severide roared, adjusting the ice pack and waving them off.
"It's good to get away, I needed this," Shay remarked in the boat a while later. Clarke just nodded, thinking Severide's curse seemed to be coming true.
She made a face at him, hoping he would latch on to her statement. The problem with having a stoic Marine as a lesbro was that he didn't really force her to open up. Even when she was practically begging him to make her do so.
"Other than you've been dealing with the building explosion, your best friend being paralyzed, having a career ending injury yourself, Gabby moving up to my house in Roger's Park and getting engaged, neither Severide or I having as much time as we used to for you and Devon hightailing it out of town once things got rough?" He shot her a look, "did I miss anything?"
"Screw you, Clarke," Shay said, frowning at him before breaking into a smile. "You really do know me!" She tried to punch him playfully on the shoulder, almost capsizing the small wooden boat they were in. "Whoa, Nelly!" she exclaimed, sitting back down.
Clarke just shook his head, a small smile on his face.
"It has been rough lately, with you guys all happy and in love and stuff. Not to mention Gabby and her stupid wedding binder…" Shay trailed off, making a most disgusted face.
Clarke studied her, trying to figure how much was disgust and how much was jealousy or loneliness, when Shay let out a sigh.
"I'm lonely, Clarke," she admitted. "I told you about Clarice, right?"
"After too many tequila shots, yes, you told me all about her. She sounded like a real winner," he smirked. "Don't make me bring up the L word, Clarke."
He raised his eyebrows, "lesbian? Apparently she wasn't." He knew she was about to bring up Lisa, but he wasn't willing to go there, not with what was weighing on his own mind this trip.
"What I don't think I told you was that after that I wanted to have a baby." She let the statement lie there; searching for any reaction from her friend, and, of course, not getting one. "Kelly was all set to donate his swimmers until stupid Renee showed back up with a bun in her oven." She shook her head, her ponytail whipping around angrily, "which wasn't even his."
Clarke remained stone faced, he had heard bits and pieces of this saga during his time at 51, but had tried to keep his head down and nose clean, like usual.
"Anyway, maybe I've been thinking about it again, since that day…I know I still want a kid, but you don't know how awful it was trying to find a donor the first time around…" She looked incredibly dejected.
"I can only imagine. Though given some of the women I've seen you bring around, I am surprised your standards are that high, Shay," Clarke teased.
Shay scowled at him, "as bed mates, not to father my child, Clarke!" She paused, looking at him appraisingly.
Clarke stiffened, somehow knowing what was about to happen, but not knowing how to stop it.
"What about your swimmers?"
"What about them, Shay?" he asked, suddenly entranced with the shoreline on the other side of the lake.
"I mean if you aren't using them…" she trailed off.
Clarke shook his head, closing his eyes and debating tipping the boat over on purpose. "Who said I ain't using them?"
Shay let out a yelp before dropping her voice to a whisper, not that anyone was around. "Are you telling me Cally's pregnant?"
"No, she's not pregnant," he said, finally making eye contact, "but that doesn't mean I'm not using my 'swimmers' eventually, Shay," he finished using air quotes.
"Maybe she wouldn't mind," she pressed, though his glare told her otherwise. "Well it doesn't hurt to ask, it's not like you two are married." She caught the slightest twitch in his eyebrow. "Jeffrey Clarke, spill, now."
He studied her for a long beat. "I may have considered asking Cailin to marry me. We've talked about it, shortly before Boden's wedding actually."
"Uh-huh. I know you, Clarke, and you don't just considering things. So tell me, what's the plan? Is it better than Casey's right? I still got the number of that hot air balloon guy."
Clarke rubbed his forehead, already regretting this conversation. He was telling the truth, he had considered it. But Shay was right, he had done far more than consider it; already knew the ring and the day he wanted to ask. Except part of him was still a little worried she might say no.
"You're right, Cally isn't really a hot air balloon kind of girl," Shay said, tapping her finger on her chin, "something more low key, like you could drop a ring in her drink at Molly's. But then she might choke on it. You could show up at the precinct but Voight would probably ruin it for you. If you need me to go ring shopping, or find out her ring size, I'm really good at that, you can ask Gabby."
Clarke finally let out a laugh, "I'm all good, Shay. Got the ring, got it sized, even know when I want to do it…just gotta figure out how." He paused, "since apparently this is the trip of secrets, not a word of this to anyone. Not even Severide," he stared at her, warningly.
"Hold up, you already have the ring and know when and you are just now telling me about this?" Shay mocked being wounded. "I thought we were buds, Clarke!"
"Well it didn't seem like the thing to talk about while Severide was moaning about getting dumped. I'm telling you now, aren't I?"
She tried to glare at him, but her excitement got the better of her. "Fine, just do a better job than Casey did, would ya?"
Chapter 10: Quest for Fire
"It's swiping a few credit cards through a reader, Voight, I think I can handle it," Cailin snapped during the briefing meeting. All of IU was acting strangely, she had hoped getting further in with Zuzanna and Frank would have put them in better moods. At least Atwater and Halstead had taken off to meet with a CI, which would hopefully lead to taking out a couple of key Disciple members. Did Erin and Voight just exchange a look? Why were Olinski and Ruzek refusing to make eye contact?
"Just stay out of the damn basement, Callahan," Voight ordered.
She leveled a stare at him, "I'll do what I need to do to get the intel we need. Last time I checked this was the Intelligence Unit, right?
A vein began to throb in Voight's head, he started to turn red, opening his mouth, but Erin laid a hand on his arm before speaking. "You don't have backup, Cally, and it isn't like you can really hide a piece in that uniform. Just skim the cards, take some pics and keep your nose clean. Save the cowboying for Clarke, would ya?" Her hazel eyes caught on Cally's blue ones, warning her to stand down.
Cally took in the expression on her friend's face, debating seeing how much further she could push; but Erin knew Voight better than anyone, and her eyes were saying 'chill'. "Fine, nose clean, got it." She turned to the pair of men, trying to pretend they were sitting casually at their desks. "I'm guess you two will be stopping by as marks?" she asked, somewhat petulantly. They once again avoided her gaze, busying themselves with files and the computer. "Alright then, since this has been such a productive meeting and apparently I'm not allowed to know anything about your other case, I'm going to go maybe catch more than three hours of sleep, if that's cool with you," she said, giving Voight a look.
After yet another call went to Jeff's voicemail, she gave up; deciding she didn't want to be the nagging girlfriend, and decided to actually try to catch up on sleep. She hoped he was having a good time with Shay and Severide up at the lake, they all more than needed it. She made a mental note to check in with both Gabby and Matt before she fell into a deep sleep, though it was plagued with restless dreams falling barely short of nightmares.
Cailin arrived early to her next shift at the Krok, Zuzanna eagerly waiting to show her who to use the card skimmers.
"Frank, he liked you. That's a good thing. Other girl who worked here before you, she didn't know her place." She thought better of asking what happened to the girl before her, instead just pasting on a big smile and saying, "he seemed cool, and hey, money is money, right?"
Zuzanna just laughed, gesturing with her cigarette. "That is what I like to say."
She was most of the way through her shift when Halstead came slinking through the door, looking none too happy to be there. Cailin put on a show, Zuzanna close by. "Looks like you could use a drink, what's your poison, sweetie?" she said with a wink. It was enough to get Zuzanna to appraise Jay and give her a knowing nod and walk away. It had been her signal for whose card to swipe throughout the evening.
"Sweetie?" Jay remarked as soon as the bar manager moved away. "What are you, 80?"
"Bite me, Jay," Cally muttered under her breath, wiping at an invisible spot in front of him.
"I'll take a beer," he paused, "and a water."
Cally rolled her eyes, turning and reaching for a top shelf scotch and then pulling out an expensive bottle of water. "Big spenders get skimmed," she said in a low voice before saying, "that should make your night better, do you want me to start a tab?" Jay nodded, handing a card over. With both Zuzanna and Stephan out from behind the bar and it oddly quiet, she leaned toward Jay and said, "did this interrupt another date? Because you really do look like someone pissed in your cornflakes, Jay."
He took a drink of the scotch, having mostly ignored the water. "Nah, just sick of hearing Erin talk about how maybe she shouldn't have dumped her fireboy while staking out Mykola."
"You aren't jealous, are you, blue eyes?" Cally teased before saying, "who is Mykola?" She was trying to figure out why her gut twisted at hearing the name, her brain coming up blank.
Jay shrugged, "Erin is a big girl, she can sleep with whoever she wants. He's the boss of that Russian chick we've been tracking, the handsy one," he said with a shudder.
Cally pulled a rack of glasses from the dishwasher, putting them up as she said, "dipping your pen in the company ink can get real messy, real quick. Trust me on that, Jay."
He drained his glass, giving her a long look. There was something serious enough in her expression that he didn't argue. It was almost enough for him to spill the beans on Mykola, but Erin had threatened to relieve him of his testicles if he did so. He couldn't believe she and Voight thought they could keep the New York connection from Cailin. She was smart and relentless, not to mention a damn good detective. If she hadn't been so focused on this case and proving she was fine back out in the field, the jig would have already been up. He was about to say something when the other bartender came back in, reeking of cigarette smoke.
"Kinda dead tonight, huh?" Cally remarked, looking around.
"Yeah, actually think I'm going to head out since I don't think I am going to get any more," Stephen gestured to the scanner below the bar, "customers tonight," he finished. He took off, which kept Cally busy for the next while, Jay not moving from his spot, nursing his second drink.
Zuzanna appeared at her side saying, "Frank is entertaining some people downstairs, I am needed there. You alright here?"
Cailin nodded, taking it as a good sign she was being left alone while still wondering just what kind of entertaining Frank was doing downstairs. She forced herself to not look at Jay. "I'll be fine. Go, before Frank gets restless."
Zuzanna didn't reappear, leaving Cally to close up on her own. She caught sight of Ivan guarding the door to the downstairs, the way he was standing, hand itching toward the gun he had inside his sport coat made Cally's skin crawl. Something big was going on downstairs. She hustled Jay out of the bar, passing her key off to him as she said, "saddle up, get the team here, now. I'm going to see what I can find out downstairs. Once they are on their way, let yourself back in."
"Voight said to stay out of the basement, Callahan," Jay warned, not liking her rushing in.
"I know you like to follow orders, soldier, but I'm not missing out on an op because Voight said so. Back me up or don't, but I'm going down there," Cailin said, looking at him impatiently, wondering if they had sparked Ivan's attention yet.
He knew she wasn't letting up, bending down and removing his backup piece from his ankle holster. "Try to find somewhere to stick this at least," he said, handing her the .22.
She took it, grumbling about sticking it, tucking it into the back of her corset. "Surprised you could fit that in those skinny jeans, Halstead. See you soon."
"Be smart, Callahan," he said with a small salute before jogging off.
"Man giving you trouble, Cat-lin?" Ivan asked, stepping out of the shadows when she walked back in.
Cailin smiled and shook her head, "nothing I can't handle, just was getting a little overly friendly, I told him to not bother coming back; we already got everything we needed from him anyway," she ended with a wink. "Do you think Zuzanna needs any help?" she asked, twirling a lock of hair around her finger, forcing the disgust down as she batted her eyelashes at him.
Ivan stared at her, looking more into her cleavage than her eyes, a salacious grin spreading across his face. "I'm sure Frank wouldn't mind an extra set of…hands," he said, giving Cally a wink of his own, punching in the code on the keypad and swinging the door open.
He followed after her, as Cally had hoped, making it easier for Jay to slip back in unnoticed. She just hoped he wouldn't take too long. Despite wanting to prove herself to Voight and get a win for IU, she knew she was acting hastily. It was something she had done plenty of times before in New York, but things were different now. She didn't have Doyle knowing her every move before she even made it.
No, she had Clarke, waiting at home for her. Something she wouldn't trade for the world. She could practically hear him telling her to watch her six, knowing she was doing anything but. Cailin stumbled slightly on a step as guilt washed over her.
"Careful," Ivan said, wrapping a meaty paw around her upper arm.
Cailin shivered at his touch as she made her way down the last couple of stairs. She took in every detail of the scene before her. It seemed like a hybrid between a guy's poker night and a high-end silent auction. Women and men in designer duds, though all of them looking like Euro-trash were milling about the basement, or seated at tables playing cards. Wares were displayed on the racks, ranging from jewelry and handbags to electronics to bottles of pills to guns; tablets next to them displaying the current bids. She turned the corner, half expecting to see a string quarter playing, as it almost looked like some bizarre high-end gala. Except bizarre was the only part of that supposition was true, cages containing exotic and endangered live animals lining the wall.
"Such interesting creatures, aren't they?" Frank said, catching sight of her, pointing to a lemur, "like man, but not," he said, feeding it a slice of fruit. "How nice of you to join us," he said, studying her carefully.
She gave a small shrug, "Zuzanna said she was helping you and didn't come back up, just wanted to see if she needed help. Ivan let me down." She kept his gaze, adding, "I got a few cards, but I left the machine upstairs. Do you want me to get it?"
Frank waved her off, "it is fine, good work, Cat. I'll pay you later, but for now, join me for a drink, I'll even make it," he said with a bark of laughter.
She followed after him to where the bar area was set up, Zuzanna half-working, more flirting. The older woman gave her a sly smile, "I'm glad you came down. Did you make friends with Mr. Scotch?" She waggled her eyebrows and made a swiping motion.
"Of course," Cally laughed, hoping it did sound as brittle to them. They spent a few minutes making small talk, though much of it was in Polish, which Cailin didn't understand a word of.
Finally Frank paused at said, "Zu-zu, make me and Cat-lin something delicious, would you?"
Zuzanna narrowed her eyes at Cailin for a brief moment, before smiling and saying, "of course, Frank, for you, anything."
"No need to make me anything, I'll just have wine," Cailin said, gesturing to the sealed bottle next to Zuzanna, deftly moving in to open it herself.
"Please, Cat-lin, stop working, look around, tell Frank is there is anything you like, we might be able to work out a deal," he said, giving her a look.
Cailin forced herself to not retch, pouring a glass of wine and taking the opportunity to look around, hoping Jay was able to gather the team quickly.
There was a plethora of illegal doings happening in the room that they could pin on Frank, far beyond the scope of what the FBI even knew about. Not that they had done a damn thing other than bug Voight and Brass about updates, letting IU gather intelligence, probably waiting to scoop the case from under them. If they moved tonight, for once CPD might get all the glory. At least at first, but by the looks of it ATF, F&W, UCSIS, the FBI and who knows what other alphabet soup would be called in.
She gathered quite a few looks from the guests of Frank's bizarro soiree. Still clad in her uniform, she was wearing far less than every non-working girl there. Whether escorting by choice or employment, the women all gave her a chilly reception. She wondered if she was more likely to pull the revolver for one of them or Frank. The cold metal against her back was oddly reassuring, even if she knew she wouldn't be able to get to it easily. She hoped the gadget Mouse had rigged up was transmitting, and even more hoped someone was listening. Her heart rate sped up as she realized a card table, the dealer's back to the door, blocked the cellar service exit.
Frank's office door was open, turned into an impromptu cigar smoking room, but the door behind it was still locked. They still hadn't been able to figure out what was back there based on building blueprints. There were far too many people crammed down here and the chaos that was sure to ensue once IU bust in would probably result in someone get trampled, to say nothing of what might get released if any of those cages got knocked over. Luckily none of the guns on display seemed to be loaded, ammo in a separate section, though not far enough away for Cally's comfort.
She tried to ignore her pounding heart, her mouth going dry. Maybe she should just try to get some pictures, enough of the women were taking stupid selfies, what were a few more? Between that, the recordings, her statements and the swiped card planted from Jay were more than enough to put away Franciszek Kosowski and his burgeoning syndicate. Now how to call things off before IU busted in and caused a stampede?
Cailin didn't get a chance to figure it out, a bear of a man charging out from Frank's office, having first exited from the secret room behind the desk. He looked like Steven Seagal and The Rock had a little brother, except that little brother was on steroids, loved black leather and was clearly packing. He paused by Frank, saying a word that even Cally could figure out. "Intruz." Intruder, Jay had probably let himself back in. She went to reach for the revolver, trying to snake her hand up her corset but was stopped by Zuzanna's hand, surprisingly strong for such a slight woman, locking around her forearm.
"You should go, now," Zuzanna said, leading her toward the card table and the service cellar.
"Wait," Ivan said from the stairs, causing both women to turn along with half the room. Standing halfway down the stairs were Ivan and the bear man, Jay tucked between them; it was then Cally noticed Ivan was clutching a gun with a silencer.