The only sound filling the interior of the car was the soft purr from the V8 engine under the hood. Not that Gil minded the silence. It gave him a chance to process everything that happened and formulate what their next move should be.

Not that he had any idea what move they could make. That Nicholas Endicott had been one step ahead of them the whole time was an understatement. How far his reach went, how many pockets his money lined, what agencies he controlled remained a complete and total mystery.

His only hope for finding out who Endicott had on his payroll down at 1PP was Hoyt Brannigan. Gil trusted he'd find out before word came down to arrest Bright and formally charge him with the murder of Eddie Smith.

Gil pulled to a stop behind the SVU with the kid in it. He told himself he chose to follow JT back to the precinct over taking his usual way because it allowed him to keep an eye on Batman and Robin.

Spying Bright glancing over his shoulder through the back glass, face lined with worry, and eyes blown wide convinced him he followed JT simply so the kid wouldn't have a full-on panic attack.

Separating the two hadn't been intended as a punishment. Well, he amended as the woman beside him fidgeted in a manner similar to Bright. I hadn't intended it to punish them.

Not that they didn't deserve it after what all they pulled.

Finding out Bright was at Sterling's building at the time the man was shot frayed Gil's already frazzled nerves to the point of snapping. He hadn't believed for one minute that the kid was responsible for Sterling's murder.

No, he put the blame for Everett Sterling's death on Everett Sterling and the man he worked for: Nicholas Endicott.

Gil's jaw clenched as the number of bodies connected to Endicott rolled through his mind.

Eve Blanchard, Eddie Smith, now Everett Sterling.

Three people who threatened Endicott's empire.

All dead because of one man's ambitions.

His vendetta with another thorn in Gil's foot: Martin Whitly.

Part of Gil, one he kept hidden from everyone wished Eddie had been successful at killing Bright's father. Much as losing Martin would devastate the kid, it'd also help him to finally break free of his hold.

Ten years, Gil realized, fingers clamping the steering wheel. Ten years he was away from Martin. Away from his control. His manipulation.

Then Malcolm got fired from the FBI. Something Sorcha believed Endicott had a hand in. Maybe after a desperate call by Martin Whitly to help him get his son back in exchange for his continued silence about Endicott's underground business.

Gil didn't know.

Maybe now was a good time to find out.

Sorcha again fidgeted in her seat. From the corner of his eye he saw her hand go to her left wrist. To where the charm bracelet she used to wear would be. Gil secretively had hoped Bright would return it.

The love it represented, the memories, were all things the two needed at that moment. For them, as much as those around them. A menace circled them, taunted them at their every move, threatened them with every breath. Having that small bit of light kept that darkness at bay.

For now, he amended as he turned at the light. Sorcha sighed softly before turning towards him.

"Gil..."

"Anything you say had better start with an explanation about why you and Bright were at Sterling's office."

She turned back in her seat with a small harrumph.

"You know the answer to that."

"I'd still like to hear it."

Instead if answering, as Bright would have, Sorcha said, "I think I know where Turner hid dad's files."

"You think you..." Gil shot a look at her from the corner of his eye. "Where?"

"Your office."

"My office?" His eyebrows winged up. "Don't you think I'd have noticed something like a huge stack of files suddenly appearing in my office?"

"Not if he hid them somewhere you wouldn't think to look."

"Such as?"

"The couch, behind the file cabinets, in one of the boxes stacked behind your desk."

Gil considered that as he braked at a stop sign. Ian Turner had been in the precinct a few days before his murder to speak with a couple of his other detectives about an ongoing investigation. He remembered he had a file box with him. It was possible, he realized, hope burning a hole in his gut, that box contained the files he and Ian Corbin put together on Nicholas Endicott and Martin Whitly.

"Why would he leave them in my office?" That was the part that Gil couldn't figure out. "What purpose does leaving them there serve?"

"Why do you think he left them in your office? Because you're dad. You have been since you answered what was thought to be a prank call twenty years ago." Her lips curved at the corners. "You stepped up to be dad when Dad couldn't be dad."

Gil softened, as he always did when it came to his frequently troublesome brood. Just because he did, didn't mean he let her off the hook. Batman aided and abetted Robin. Something he couldn't allow.

"You're not trying to buy yours and Bright's butts out of trouble with flattery, now, are you?"

"No." Sorcha blinked those big brown eyes. Picture of innocence. Complete bullshit in Gil's books. "I'd never do something so underhanded and dirty as that."

"Right." Gil chuckled softly. "You're not manipulative like your partner."

"Nope, not at all."

"Mhm." And if he bought that he'd need to hand in his badge. "Explain what you were doing at Sterling's building."

"We were trying to get answers, Gil. Trying to prove Endicott's behind this frame-job."

"You're supposed to be keeping Bright out of trouble." Gil shot her a look, had the satisfaction of seeing her squirm in her seat. "Not helping him get into more."

"Yes, I know that." Sorcha blew out a breath ripe with the same exhaustion and frustration weighing heavy on him. "He's fighting for his life here, Gil. The first time that danger prone dope has ever done that."

"He could have been killed today." His fingers clenched the wheel, hard enough the knuckles bled white. "That bullet could have hit him."

"I agree with Malcolm in that the target was Sterling."

"Imagine that," he kidded. "I'd be more shocked if you didn't agree with him."

"I also think the shooter was Endicott."

Gil almost slammed on the brakes at that revelation. "What?" His tone was sharper than he intended so he softened it. "Are you sure?"

"Not one hundred percent, no." Sorcha's brow creased. "But I am eighty-five percent certain that the delivery man I saw exit the building right after Sterling was shot was Nicholas Endicott."

"We can get traffic cam footage from outside the building to see if it was him or not."

And if it was him who shot Sterling, Gil decided as he pulled into the space next to JT in the precinct parking lot, I will personally slap him in cuffs and haul his ass down here.

He exited the vehicle as Dani helped Bright from the SUV. His feet barely hit the pavement before he moved towards Sorcha. Dani holding his arm was all that kept him from going to her side. He stared at Sorcha, frustration and worry warring for dominance on his face.

"It's okay." Sorcha sent him a reassuring smile. "Trust me."

"No." Bright's brow furrowed. "This isn't okay." He turned then to Gil. "Sorcha is here because of me. This is my fault. All of this is—"

"Kid." Gil took Sorcha's arm and walked her towards the street. "You need to practice the ability to remain silent right about now."

Especially since Gil couldn't be sure who under his command wasn't working for Endicott. There were a number of detectives in his squad he inherited after Lieutenant Harrison retired.

Many had been on the force as long as him. A few, like Samson and Garret, longer. Some were like Thomas Gray. Men and women who found themselves with medical bills and tuition they couldn't afford to pay on their salaries.

"I have the ability to remain silent," Bright retorted indignantly. "I just am refusing to do so at this moment because I don't want Sorcha arrested."

"Your skinny ass can't keep your lips closed for longer than thirty seconds." JT led Bright towards the front steps of the police station. "Only time you're quiet is when you're knocked the hell out."

"I don't want Sorcha charged with anything."

"She's not being charged with anything at this point," Gil told him. "She's a person of interest in an ongoing homicide investigation."

Whatever Bright replied with was lost as people started to scream and race for cover. Gil frowned, unsure what happened until he spied a uniformed officer named Markinson stumble back, clutching at his right arm. Blood soaked through his shirt and stained his fingers. Instincts quickly kicked in and Gil yanked the confused officer to safety before shouting at JT and Dani.

"Shooter!" He pulled Sorcha down beside him. "Get down!"

JT instantly dropped down to one knee, pulling Bright down beside him.

"We need to get Bright and Mini-Bright inside the precinct!"

"Not with that shooter on any one of the roofs," Dani said as she crouched beside him. "They've got us pinned down."

Gil reached for Markinson's radio. They had only one option and it was the one he continually lectured Bright about: calling for backup.

Only, they'd actually wait for backup to arrive.

"Dispatch, we have a code 30 outside the 1-5," he began as another shot shattered a car window. "Shots fired. One officer injured. Need air assistance and a bus."

"Copy that," came crackling through the radio. "Air support has been notified and an ambulance is en route now."

Gil hoped they'd get there before anybody else was shot.

Or worse…

A/N: Hello, all! Hope this finds you well!

I just want to send a special thank you to Rookblonkorules for their lovely reviews!