A.N.- In the this chapter I'll be switching Point of Views (POV). You'll also learn more of Nick's story so this should answer any question you had of him. I'll only have a two POV switches, so please tell me what you think. The POV will change after the line.

6

STAKE-OUT GONE BAD

Later, I found myself in the interrogation room. Done with my interrogation of Jimmy, I slammed my fist on the metal table.

"Jimmy this had better check out," I told him, threateningly.

"Stop busting my balls, man!" He yelled, franticly. "I'm being straight with you."

"That's a good boy," I commented.

The door opened I looked up to see the Chief, and Rosie walk in. Rosie had a thick bandage on her arm I noticed. From that cold look on her face I had a feeling she was mad at me (I couldn't blame her, getting shot at is a bitch) but I had to, at least, try to get on her good side. She was after all the only person, besides the Chief, that I knew in the EOD.

"Hey Rosie," I said. "Say hello to the poster child against in-breeding, Jimmy Fu."

"And I suppose that makes you the poster child for anger management," Rosie said angrily.

Forget what I said about her being mad. She was just plan pissed off. You'd think she'd mellow out a little. But I could tell that wasn't going to happen for awhile.

"Nick was just doing his job Rosie," the Chief said, annoyed. "Get on with it."

Rosie just snorted and turned away

Yep, still charming, I thought sarcastically annoyed.

"What have you found out?" Asked the Chief.

"Ancient Wu's Triad is behind this. Jimmy was hired by Wu's enforcer Big Chong," I told her.

The Chief nodded. She knew I had reasons for believing the rumors about Ancient Wu, a Triad ringleader. Once you work in Homicide you start to believe that anything's possible.

"I hate to break it to you Kang," Rosie spoke up in a sassy tone. "But Ancient Wu is one of those 'Urban Legends'. A ghost story."

At this point I was really tired of this bullshit from Rosie, it was getting old really fast.

I put my hand on my hips and said to her in a warning tone, "Oh, Ya think so, huh?"

Rosie glared at me. I glared right on back.

"Enough you two," The Chief groaned, even more annoyed the last time. "Besides, Rosie, Nick's not gonna chase some pipe dream. He's gonna get Chong. Right?"

"You bet," I said agreeing with her. Besides I'd go after Wu later, after I learn enough Intel. "Jimmy was kind enough to share the Big Man's address with me."

Jimmy said a few words in Chinese. You didn't need a translator to tell you what they where.

" 'Kind enough' my ass!" Jimmy angrily yelled at me in English. "When my lawyer hears about this!"

"SHUT-UP!" All three of us yelled at him.

He looked at us, still angry but quieted now.

I walked past Rosie to the door. Apparently, she knew where I was heading. Rosie turned to the Chief.

"Chief," Rosie said. "You're not going to let Kang screw up our only lead, are you?"

"Nick," the Chief said softly.

I turned to her before I went out the door. She wasn't going to side with Rosie on this, was she? If she was, my job here would really suck. I looked to her unsure of what she would do.

The Chief gave a sigh.

"Don't make me regret this."

Rosie turned away. She started muttering words in Spanish out of frustration.

She also muttered the words, "I can't believe this."

I smiled at the Chief, saluted and pointed at her before I closed the door to the room on my way out.

-

It was several blocks later I found myself not far from the address that Jimmy gave me. Luckily, I could see Chong's limo hadn't left yet.

Now all I had to do was wait.

My name is Rosie Velasquiez, and at this point being and EOD agent sort of, what some of my former home-girls would put it, sucks.

With my history as a gangbanger and being a bad-ass homegirl, you'd think that my life was going great. I've come clean completely, I've joined the police force. And now I'm in the EOD, the most respected branch of law enforcement this side of LA. Already the Chief feels like familiy, as well as George, the cop who now worked in the targeting range that also helped me get into this department.

But no. He had to show up.

His name is Nick Kang. A complete nutcase that desperately needs anger management classes more than anyone I know. And, being a former gangbanger that's sayin' something.

It was because of Kang I was working a freaking desk job when I know for a fact that I'd be better on the field.

I was, once, one of the toughest cholas en el condado de Los Angeles. And now look at me.

I sat there on the computer, trying not to pound at the keyboard, angrily thinking this when a sudden voice broke my concentration.

"Hey Rosie," spoke a familiar voice.

I turned to see George himself. My mood went up, but only a little.

"Hey why the long face, kiddo?" He asked, concerned. "Letmme guess."

George paused and then, suddenly, smiled.

"Got yourself a new partner, huh?"

I turned to him. I could tell at that moment he must have recommended me as Kang's partner from that smile. Besides, how else would he know?

Like I said before, George had become like family and I decide to tell him how I really felt.

"I don't mean any disrespect," I said, keeping in mind that he's known Nick probably since before I started gang banging. "But, of all the agents you could recommend me as a partner to, why Nick? Él es loco. He's nut's."

"But he gets the job done Rosie," George said pulled up a chair next to my desk. "Sure he can be a little…uh, rough around the edges. But growing an orphan would screw with anybody's head."

Nick was an orphan?

"Come on. Everyone's had it tough," I said lightly. "So what?"

"Naw," George said shaking his head. "Not like Nick."

I looked at him. I admit it, I was curious about what Nick came from. What really made him become a loose canon in the first place, anyway?

"What happened?" I asked

"Well, first his mother died. She was a dear soul." George said, he paused and continued "Then his father, Henry, got fingered in a drug trafficking scandal, and simply disappeared."

Suddenly this started to sound familiar. Like one of the stories one of the I had heard about when I was in one of the few Latino gangs.

"I've heard of this. His father was Henry Wilson, right?" I asked.

George nodded.

I shook my head. It all didn't surprise me now why Nick was crazy.

"No wonder. Trouble must run in the family."

"Trouble?" George said, cocking and eyebrow at the word. He shook his head. "Henry was the best cop this city's ever had. And a dear friend of mine to boot."

I turned to him

"Internal Affair's said the Henry skipped town. But I never believed it. Not even for a second, Nick didn't either." George said. He looked to me. "You will never know how heartbroken Nick was after his father vanished. They where really close."

I admit it I felt a little sympathy for Nick. It hurt to lose a loved one. I should know, I had it happen more than once. But being a kid when it happened…

"Well it had to be rough on a kid, I'll give you that but-"

Suddenly my telephone started to ring. I pressed the SPEAKER button.

"Hey, Number 2," said Nick's voice. "I'm on Chong like wet on rice."

At once, my sympathy for Nick vanished as quickly as it came. Anger blazed inside me.

"I'm not your goddamn sidekick, Kang!" I snapped.

In the corner of my eye, I could see George give me one of those looks, it was then I remembered what we had talked about before. I bit my lower lip.

Let it slide, I told myself. Just let it slide, for now anyway, give him hell later.

"Just don't shoot yourself in the foot, okay. I've got enough paper-work from your last mess as it is," I said in a more calmer tone.

Before Nick could go on, I hung up. George looked at me.

"Now that wasn't too hard, was it?" George asked curiously.

I looked and pointed at him.

"Don't push it," I said in a warning tone.

Yet I smiled and winked at him. George smiled back before turning away.

It was then I decided that I'd try be more accepting of Nick. But that still didn't mean I had to like him.

I hid in a doorway of a apartment building as Big Chong's white limo passed by.

Nothing like keeping a low profile, I thought as I went to my Cadillac.

I got in the driver's seat thinking, Now let's just see where you're heading.

-

I followed Chong's limo to a giant financial bank. The words above it read in bold professional letters: CYPRUS HOLDINGS. Quickly, I pulled out my binoculars from the glove compartment.

Through the eyes of the binoculars I could see thatBig Chong lived up to his name. He was fat Chinese man with a small head and eye patch over his right eye. His suit was a deep purple over night black. In his hands where two giant silver suitcases, that he barley seemed to carry up the staircase.

Look at all that loot, I thought. He should of rented an SUV.

I pulled out my cell phone and hit speed dial to Rosie's desk (Chief gave me the number awhile ago).

"Hey Rosie," I said. "Nick here. Can you do a crosscheck on Cyprus Holdings?"

I paused as I glanced at my rearview window. A white Mercedes had just did a complete 90 degreeangle. So it turned to face my car.

"Hold on a second," I said I turned to see what was going on

I turned around to see two of the rider's pop put of the sunroof pulling out Uzi's!

"Aw Shit!" I yelled. "It's Dim Sum time!"

"Nick? What?" Rosie started. Confused at what I had said.

The passenger with the Uzi started to fire at my car.

"Uh, Rosie," I said shifting gears and trying to dodge bullets. "Call ya later."

I hung up and hit the gas, my Cadillac took off like a shot. The car was hot on my ass. I yanked the steering wheel to the left. Pulling a forward switchblade facing the Mercedes. I pulled one of my Desert Eagles and fired a few shots.

Unfortunately, so did they (guess these guys weren't as stupid as they looked). Bullets hit my windshield, my dashboard, and my car hood. I pulled a backwards switchblade to face forwards again. I fell back a little.

Come on Nick! Think!

It was then I got an idea. I fell back until I was along side the car

Quickly I yanked my steering wheel bashing into the Mercedes' side. I pulled out my one of my Desert Eagles and fired.

Come ON Damn it!

I pulled back. Quickly I shot a few bullets at the gas tank.

It worked!

The car blew up in a fiery explosion.

I grabbed my Speaker on my police radio.

"Calling all units," I said. "I need a clean up on Fairfax Boulevard."

There was a series of clicking and a voice said, "Is this the new EOD agent, Kang?"

"10-4."

There was a sigh.

"All right, We'll get you one soon."

It was then I remembered, too late.

Big Chong's limo!

CRAP!

I turned the car around muttering, "Aw Shit, aw shit, aw shit." Under my breath. I hit on the gas as Idrove to Cyprus Holdings.

I made but (just my luck), Big Chong's limo was gone.

Damn it.