The next day Deacon walks in and sees Chris already there working on a computer.
"Morning Chris" Deacon greets, she doesn't answer "You good?" Chris isn't listen, so Deacon clears his throat, she looks up
"Oh hey Deac" she says
"What happened to your eye?" Deacon asks, examining it. Chris' eye is open but it is black
"Last night" she says dismissively, then their phones buzz
Hostage situation: Gas Station
The team gears up and gets on to Black Betty and it's the first time the rest of the group has seen Chris
"Any plans after shift?" Hondo asks
"Nope" Luca says
"Annie wants to go to the movies" Deacon says
"Nothing" Street says
"Same here" Tan answers, Chris isn't paying attention
"Earth to Chris?" Street asks, she looks up "woah!"
"What?" She asks, Deacon points to his eye "oh, that is from last night, no big deal"
"What happened?" Hondo asks
"Chris whipped some pervert ass" Luca says laughing
"You could say that again" she answers smiling, the team enters the gas station and start to search the place. They enter the bathroom and see a girl. A suspect stands over her with a gun. The girl looks at the team, she could be no more than 10. She looks just like Chris, and looks like she has been abused
"Metro SWAT" Hondo calls "release the girl"
"She is my living" the suspect snarls "leave or I'll shoot her!" the groups backs up
"Luca flash bangs. Chris get the suspect, Tan get the girl" Hondo commands, Luca throws flash bangs into the room. Chris goes in and tackles him while Tan gets the girl out. After everything is under control, the team reconvenes at the entrance.
"Nice work" Deacon says
"You think the girl is part of trafficking ring?" Street asks "it'd go with the whole 'my living' thing"
"Wouldn't surprise me" Hondo says "I checked the security footage. There was another girl and suspect"
"You are kidding" Street says, Hondo shakes his head
"Meaning we have another suspect and another hostage" Deacon says
"We need to find her" he says. At HQ, the girl is asked a lot of questions, but refuses to answer any of them
"What are supposed to do?" Luca asks coming out after trying to talk to her
"We need her to start talking" Street says
"Alright maybe we try to talk about something happy? Like a good memory?" Luca thinks out loud
"Let's try it" Street says "nothing to lose" and the two leave
"She won't talk to us" Deacon says "most of the abused don't"
"She doesn't want to hurt anyone involved" Chris explains
"And we are trying to help her friend" Deacon answers shortly
"Agreed" Chris says, looking at him "I know"
"It wasn't directed at you" he replies quickly
"Something tells me otherwise" she says quietly
"I just don't get why she doesn't want the person who did this behind bars" Deacon says "how she sits there allowing these people to abuse her friend and others"
"She's living in guilt, that she was spared" Chris says looking at the ground "survivor's guilt"
"What?" Deacon asks
"Nothing" she replies, for the rest of day, the team tries to get the girl to talk, but she won't budge. After Chris is in the locker room when Deacon enters
"Hey Chris?" Deacon asks, she looks up "are we good? I'm sensing some tension"
"We are good" Chris lies
"Come on Chris" he says "we both know that isn't true"
"I don't understand how you don't get what she is going through" she says
"No I don't understand. Do you?" He asks
"I do" she says look at her locker
"We are trying to help" Deacon argues
"I know, but does she?" Chris asks, Deacon leaves the room, unsure what to say. Chris is walking around HQ and she can hear the girl singing in Spanish. Hearing her pulls at Chris' heart strings. After a few minutes of debate, Chris goes to Hicks' office
"Alonso?" Hicks asks seeing her "what are you doing here?"
"I want to talk to the girl" Chris says "I think I can get her to talk"
"Why didn't you earlier?" Hicks asks
"It's complicated, but to shorten it, I didn't want my team there" Chris says
"Is there something I should know?" Hicks asks
"No sir"
"Alright go ahead, but you better explain later" Chris enters interrogation and the girl is watching her.
"Want something to eat?" Chris asks revealing a plate full of food
"Umm" the girl says unsure
"There's nothing in it" Chris replies, putting the food in front of her "I'm Chris"
"That's a nice name" she says taking a bite "está rico, gracias"
"De nada" Chris says "you know, we are alike"
"How so?" She asks, eating
"We both know what it is like to not own our bodies" Chris says
"What do you mean?" She asks
"When I was 13, I was walking home from school and this van parked on the side of the road" Chris says "they took me to this shack. I was abused, I was drugged, and I was raped"
"Just like me" the girl whispers "how did it end?"
"I was there for 2 weeks maybe" Chris says "I never really knew. For a while I thought it was just for a day maybe 2, but when I finally told my family, they said it was 2 weeks maybe more. It was just a blur for all of us"
"Did you black out?" She asks
"Yes" Chris says, tears forming in her eyes as she thinks back "Eventually I was too bruised to be of use and they threw me out on to the street. I ran and never looked back"
"Did you ever find them"
"No" Chris answers firmly "I probably could've, but I stayed silent. Who knows, maybe they're still doing it"
"That's awful" she says
"How long were you with those men?" Chris asks
"Not long" she says "a week, maybe two"
"How about your friend?" Chris asks
"Her too, we were just waiting for the bus" she says, starting to cry
"Hey it's ok" Chris says giving her a hug, the girl leans in "I want to help you, but I can't do that unless you help. Do you know anything about where you guys were?"
"There was a lot of elderly people there" she says "and we were five minutes away from that gas station. That's all I can think of"
"Thanks" Chris says looking at her "Don't blame yourself for your friend, ok? She is probably just as worried about you as you are"
"You think?" She asks "I didn't do enough"
"You did amazing, you did what I never did, that is bravery. You did your part, now it's my turn" she starts to get up when the girl takes her hand
"My name is Isla" she says "my friend is Olivia, but she goes by Liv"
"Alright Isla" Chris says "I'm going to try my best to get Liv back with you. Sleep good ok?"
Working on her own, Chris is looking at the security cams. She watches the suspect leave with Liv. Chris zooms in, though blurry, she knows it is the man from the bar. Chris' memories flood her mind, feeling torn, she knows it's time to go to Hicks.
"Commander?" She asks
"Alonso" Hicks says "I heard you got her to talk, great work"
"Thank you sir" she say, looking down
"Something wrong?" He asks
"Well" Chris says "I think I know who the suspect is"
"Ok great" Hicks says, still sensing something wrong "keep going"
"I think I can find him" Chris says "but I don't want my team to know"
"Why not?" Hicks asks
"It's complicated" she says her face going red
"You can tell me Chris" Hicks says, she takes a deep breath
"Off the record, at 13, I was abused by a group of men" Chris says, looking down "I never knew exactly who they were, except one. He was the leader and I remember him vividly. I think he is now after Isla and Liv"
"Alonso" Hicks says, putting a hand on his head "I don't know what to say"
"I didn't tell anyone, but my family and now Isla" Chris explains "I don't want my team to know. I know they will see and treat me differently. I see them everyday and I go into the field with them, and I can't live like that, like a victim" Chris says "I'll help in the case, but I don't want them to know what happened to me, if I'm right"
"Ok Chris" Hicks says, she turns to leave "I get what you mean. I wouldn't want that either" he calls back
"Thank you" she says "for understanding"