How I joined Jump Street
Chapter 5
Izzi walked down stairs to the locker room. It was empty and Izzi felt it was a good thing. She went to her locker and sat down on the bench in front of it. She pulled the keys from her pocket and used them to open her locker. She opened the door to the locker and began to pull out her shower items along with a towel and a change of clothes.
She then reached in again and pulled out a set of dog tags. There were two on the chain one of the dog tags belonged to her father Ramon Santana and the other was of Ramon's best friend and Izzi's Uncle Adam Fuller. They served in the war together and had been good friends ever since. They had both raised her after her parents were separated for two years when she was a young girl. They got back together but Izzi knew their marriage was never the same.
Adam was the reason she became a cop. She wanted to join the army like them but her father didn't want to do that. Izzi then suggested that she really wanted to be a cop and her father had no objections to it. But her mother on the other hand needed a lot of convincing. She placed them back around her neck. She had missed having them there. She closed the door to her locker and sighed.
She missed her father a lot and wished he was here right now to tell her what do or simply just hold her. But she wouldn't be able bring herself to tell him what happened to her. She wanted so badly to cry, to scream, yell, or even throw something but she didn't have the energy to do so. She simply wanted to go home.
Izzi started to take off her clothes and head over to the shower with her belongings in hand and her towel wrapped around her. She went to one of the showers and placed her things there except for the soap and a washcloth on a nearby bench so she could turn on the water. She turned on the shower and adjusted the water before taking off her towel. She got under the water and started to put soap on her washcloth. She gently washed her self being careful not to put any pressure on any bruises or any broken bones. She was sure that Alejandro had busted two of her ribs and it hurt so badly to breathe. Her whole body was sore. She really did want to go home but everywhere she touched hurt a lot and she knew she needed to see a doctor.
She sighed. Maybe she could kill to birds with one stone see a doctor and talk with Cooper. Warn him about what was coming. That is, once she found out what hospital he was in. They needed to talk. She didn't believe for a minute that he had a breakdown. He was hiding and she knew well why. She needed to warn him. Not because she was a good cop. It was simply he needed to know.
She sucked in a breath as her ribs started to throb. Alejandro did this to me! He beat me. Alejandro wanted to know where John Cooper had gone off to. I told him I didn't know. And he stated that John had stolen some money from him. I told Alejandro I did not know what John was doing and that I had nothing to do with his money. But because John worked for me I had to have known where he had gone. It again told him I didn't know he hit me in the ribs. I should have known better. I shouldn't have let my guard down.
She wanted badly to make the pain stop. Izzi stood still in the shower as the water beat down on her. She placed her left hand on the wall of the shower to steady herself. She stood like that for about 15 minutes then she reached out to shut the water off. She walked over to her towel and wrapped it around her and sat for a moment before putting on her clothes. Once dressed she put the clothes that she took off into the trash thinking for a moment that she should set them on fire but thought against it. Izzi took her shoes into the hand and walked back to her locker and saw Janette sitting there. She sat down next to her friend then hugged her. It wasn't a long hug like Izzi usually gave Janette it was quick. Izzi pulled away and stared at her locker.
"You got here fast." Izzi said.
"I heard you needed me."
Izzi places her shoes on the floor and she steps into them.
"I know that they were going to make me see you. I might as well get it over with." Izzi said.
"You ok Izzi?"
Izzi shook her head. Her long brown hair was now covering up her face. She takes her hairbrush and brushes her hair.
"No. I'm not."
Izzi just looks forward taking the brush away from her head.
"You want to talk about it?" Janette asked.
Izzi opens her locker.
"I feel like….i feel like….I don't know what I feel about this!" Izzi yelled.
Izzi covers her face with her hands.
"Do you want to give up? Quit?" She asked.
"I know what you are asking. My gun should be making its way to Captain Rosario now."
"Do you feel angry?" Janette asked.
Izzi didn't answer the questions. Izzi did feel angry but more afraid then anything else. Did she want to give up? Maybe. She didn't know. She did feel like she failed in some way. She didn't bring Alejandro down. He wasn't going to pay for what he did. Izzi put her belongings into the locker and pulls out her badge.
"Izzi? How does this case make you feel?" Janette asked.
Izzi slams the door of her locker shut.
"It wasn't a case. It wasn't one at all!"
Izzi held her side. She slowly let out a shaky breath.
"Izzi…you're injured why aren't you at the hospital?"
"Everything happened so fast when the patrol car picked me up. I didn't even know I was being pulled today. I don't know what I would have done if I had to stay another day. Do you know where Cooper is? I would like to see him."
"He's at County. I can drive you there."
"Good cause I left my keys with D.B. so he could take care of the plants and things. Then while I'm there I can get my ribs checked."
"Izzi what happened to you?"
Izzi ran her thumb over the shield. Izzi for the moment considered just quitting right then and there. No one was going to fix this by saying that they were so sorry this happened. I almost died, not once, not twice, but seven times!
"A lot of things, Janette. A lot of bad things. I thought I was going to die Janette. I thought….Cooper went missing I thought….i…I was alone. I was afraid."
Janette pulled her friend into a hug.
"No one knew we were gone. Captain Bauhaus doing his investigations and didn't tell any one. We could have died and no one would have known. And from my understanding I was on sick leave."
Izzi looked around the locker room as Janette held her. Izzi thought for sure that she would be crying by now. Izzi felt like she should be crying like a baby but the tears wouldn't come. Frustrated that she was unsure what to feel she pulled out of the hug. She then stood up placing her badge in her pocket.
"Come on let's get going. I need to stop by Jump Street. I want to let my Uncle know I'm ok."
Janette looked up at Izzi she was surprised her sudden change in behavior. She was calm one moment and angry the next. She stood and they walked out of headquarters to Janette's car. Izzi got in on the passenger side. Izzi didn't say word on the ride to the hospital.
Once at the hospital Janette demanded that Izzi go get herself checked out first. Izzi agreed. The bruises she had were minor and her ribs were bandaged up and her right arm placed in a cast. Izzi was right she had fractured it. The doctors ran a number of tests but didn't feel the need to keep the officer. The doctors were able to give her some painkillers. Izzi was able to leave with Janette to see Cooper who was on a different floor then they were. They took the elevator up to the 9th floor. Janette and Izzi stopped at the nurse's station. A blonde nurse was at the desk when they walked up.
"Hello how may I help you?"
"Yes. We are looking for John Cooper's room."
"He's down the hall on your left. Room 914."
"Thank you."
They walked away and Izzi turned to Janette.
"I thought the Captain said he was admitted to the psych ward?"
"That's what I heard but this doesn't look like it does it?" Janette said back.
"Nope."
John Cooper was in his room strapped down to his bed. I guess I stand corrected, Izzi thought. John turned to the doorway.
"Santana!" He said.
They walked into the room.
"Hey Cooper."
"Who's your friend?" He asked.
"This is my friend Janette."
"They pull you from the case?"
"They had to. I had no backup. Apparently all my partners are in the hospital." She said.
As they got closer John tried to reach out towards Izzi. He couldn't touch her because of the restrains but that didn't stop Izzi from moving out of the way. She didn't want Cooper to touch her. Janette picked up on that right away.
"Are you alright?" He asked her.
"What do you think?" She asked. Her voice dripped venom.
"Where did you disappear to Cooper?" She asked.
"I couldn't take it anymore after what he did to you Santana!"
Izzi gave him a look that showed she didn't believe him.
"You are a terrible lair Cooper."
"What? Too much? But I am sorry for what he did to you."
"No you're not. You egged him on!"
"You think I knew he was going to act on it?" Cooper asked.
"You read the files on him, Alejandro is dangerous! You're supposed to be watching over me not throwing me to the lions!" Izzi said.
"I'm not your baby sitter little girl!"
Izzi spoke through her teeth.
"I didn't ask you to be my babysitter. I needed you to be a cop. You ran away and left me alone with Alejandro!"
"Santana, if you were over your head then you shouldn't have been on this case." Cooper shot back.
"You told Alejandro to do that to me and you just watched! You didn't even help. You didn't even try to stop him as he was raping me! I fought when he…hurt you. I stopped him when he was hurting you. But you….but you watched!"
Janette gasps but the two kept talking. Janette sat down in the nearest chair.
"I know! I don't know what came over me. I was still mad that you got that lead. You found how Alejandro was getting the drugs and you were going to meet with one of his bosses. You want to be a super cop and make me and Anderson look bad."
"If you got off of your asses you would have had it! I wanted to close the case before we all got killed. I wasn't looking to make anyone look bad you were doing that all on your own!"
"Hey, hey we had this case under control!"
"Really? At what point did you have this case under control? Was it when Alejandro shot one of his dealers in front of us, or was when Alejandro' bodyguard put a gun to my head, or was it when Alejandro was beating me half to death and you didn't do anything to stop it, or was it when Alejandro assaulted Anderson and you were nowhere to be found, or was it when the Captain told me to stay and work the case after I told him that you were gone and Anderson was in the hospital, or was it when Alejandro repeatedly raped me, or was it when Alejandro was violating you is that when you had the case under control? Nothing….NOTHING about this case was under control John!"
"Then you should have stayed home Izzi. Let the big boys play cops and robbers."
"Yeah, well Cooper I make a better cop then you and Anderson combined. I didn't run away and fought when I needed to. I didn't let petty prejudices blind me into not helping my follow officer when he was in trouble. By the way Captain Bauhaus was removed from duty after the Brass found out that he was conducting this case without their knowledge. I know you're using this place to hide."
Cooper looked to Janette.
"So what if I am?"
Izzi shrugged her shoulders.
"That's your business. You want to hide, fine go hide. But I know what you did on this case and I know what you didn't do. And if Lopez' people find out that you are here they'll kill you."
"You think I'm worried about him?" He asked.
"Why else would you be here? You know the department can't help you without you telling what you've really been doing."
"See Santana you know too damn much. I also know you have trouble keeping your trap shut and haven't learned to look the other way yet. Why do you think I told Lopez what I told him to do?"
"How do you sleep at night Cooper?" Izzi asked him.
"I sleep very well Santana. They give me the good drugs here."
Izzi rolls her eyes.
"I enjoyed what he did you. Maybe it will bring you down a peg." Cooper said to her.
Izzi turns and walks out of the room.
"You're sick!" Janette said before following Izzi out.
"That's why I'm here darling."
Izzi walked down the hallway towards the elevator and pressed the button. Janette had to run to catch up with her.
"Izzi?" Janette calls after her.
"¡El hijo de una perra! Stupid! Just stupid! I never should have bothered coming to see him, the jerk! ¡Espero que queme en el infierno!"
The elevator doors open Izzi steps inside. Janette breaks into a run and gets into the elevator before the doors can close. Izzi looked down at her shoes.
"Izzi?"
"If you are going to ask if I am alright the answer is no." Izzi said to Janette.
"Izzi?"
"If you are going to ask if it's true what was said there then the answer is yes it is."
"Izzi?"
"If you are going to ask why I didn't punch him the fuck out the answer is it wouldn't be fair with him being tied down like that." Izzi says.
Janette was concerned. She had never seen Izzi joke in this manner before.
"Izzi?"
Izzi doesn't answer. Janette presses the button for the lobby.
"Izzi."
"What?" She asked with a lot of attitude behind it.
"Izzi…what Cooper said to…."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"But if he did that to you, you can bring him up on charges."
"I said ¡Yo no quiero hablar de ello! ¡Comprende?1 Can we go to Jump Street now please?" Izzi asks.
"Sure. When you are ready to talk I'm here."
"I know."
Izzi sighed and closed her eyes.
"I'm so tired Janette."
"Do you want me to drop you off at home first?" Janette asked.
Izzi shook her head. Izzi knew Janette didn't understand.
"No. I want to make sure Uncle Adam knows that I'm ok. And I need to see D.B." Izzi said.
"Ok we'll go there. Are you hungry? Do you want to stop to get something to eat?" Janette asked.
"I'm not really hungry."
"Izzi you have to eat something. When was your last meal?"
"I-I don't know earlier today. This-this morning I think."
"Izzi it's the afternoon. You have to eat something."
"I don't want anything I just want to go to the Chapel."
"Izzi…"
"Janette I am not a child! I don't want anything to eat!" Izzi snapped. She then sighed.
Izzi then inhaled then exhaled.
"I can't keep it down. Can we just go please?"
"Sure. Sure. Come on."
They reached the lobby and Izzi is the first one out of the elevator. Izzi darted out of the building so fast that Janette had to run to keep up with her.
"Izzi slow down. The Chapel isn't going anywhere." Janette told her.
Izzi stopped walking then turned to Janette.
"I…I know that. It's not that. It's not that I'm in a hurry…."
Izzi then turned away from Janette and started walking to the car again. Janette followed. As Izzi talked she used her hands to talk.
"It's not….i…..why?...this….this has got to be a nightmare. I was there over 2 months. Two months Janette!" Izzi said.
Janette saw how confused Izzi was. Izzi was trying to express what had happened to her but she just couldn't find the right words. She could tell that Izzi was frustrated and angry. She could tell Izzi wanted to get something off her chest. She still couldn't see what Carlos saw. Izzi didn't seem like she would take her life. She was just an emotional wreck.
"Two months of having to deal with that and acting as if it doesn't bother me. The comments."
"What did they say to you, Anderson and Cooper?"
"I don't belong on the force because I'm a girl. I don't be long on the force because I am a dark skinned Spanish girl. My place is in the kitchen. I'm trying to steal their jobs. (Gasps) Their jobs, the ones they didn't do. They watched me…they watched…."
Izzi choked back tears.
"They did nothing!"
Izzi felt the tears roll down her face. Janette walked over to Izzi to hug her but Izzi took a step back.
"I'm fine! Don't touch me please!" Izzi said.
Janette nodded she understood. Izzi sighed.
"I'm sorry." Izzi said.
"You have nothing to be sorry about."
Janette turned and unlocked the door and waited for Izzi to come around to the other side of the car to the passenger side. When Izzi didn't Janette turned to see Izzi standing away from the car holding herself.
"Izzi?"
Janette came closer to Izzi and without touching Izzi she directed her to the car. Izzi got into the car. Janette closed the door then came around to the driver's side and got in. She started the car. She drove off heading towards the Chapel.
"Izzi did Cooper assault you?" Janette asked.
Izzi turned away looking out the window.
"Izzi you know you can tell me anything right?"
"That sounds like something my parents would say." Izzi said.
"I can help."
"Yeah I know." Izzi said looking out of the window.
"I'm so sorry that this happened to you Izzi. They had no right to act that way towards you. They should have stepped in and acted like cops like they swore to be. They shouldn't have endangered you the way they did. And Cooper is a jerk!"
Izzi just looked out of the window as Janette talked. Janette figured Izzi was just tuning her out she had said anything.
"They did more then endanger me. It's not fair. None of this should have happened." Izzi said.
Izzi wiped her face of the tears that were falling before crossing her arms over her chest.
"Did they hurt you, Izzi?" Janette asked again.
Izzi didn't respond. Janette sighed. She would have to take that as a yes until Izzi said otherwise.
"You're right it isn't fair and this shouldn't have happened. But I promise you Cooper is going to pay for his part in this."
"Anderson is already paying for his." Izzi said.
1 I don't want to talk about it! Understand?