Hey Everyone! Sorry It's been so long. I'm going to try and update more regularly so that they're aren't these long gaps in between posts. Special shout out to the legendary LynGuerra for the constant support and inspiration. My sure you check out her fanfic "Everybody Wants to Rule the World". As always, I own nothing so please don't sue me. Blah blah blah…
Brooks stood there surround by gangbangers dressed in purple with their weapons drawn. She carefully glanced around looking for a possible escape route, but there wasn't one. She stole a glance at Douglas and Williams, who both looked seemed to be paralyzed by shock. Even if she somehow found a way to escape and miraculously avoid a tidal wave of gunfire, she knew there was no way she could save herself and her fellow undercover officers.
As though she could read her mind, Mei spoke again "I picked this place with the strategic reasoning that it's isolated while offering my crew the perfect vantage points for gunning you down. Not to mention there's no potential escape routes."
"You clearly planned ahead." Brooks acknowledged "So I suggest you take your victory and allow us to leave unharmed. Rest assured that if you harm any member of law enforcement you'll…"
The rest of her words were suddenly drowned out from the laughter that erupted for their armed captors. A few even begun to have tears stream down their faces. After the laughter subsided, Mei addressed Brooks once more.
"I can't believe you expect me to just let the three of you walk out of here like nothing happened." Mei remarked "Seeing as how everyone here is already looking at a life sentence or death row for our recent activities…..adding three dead cops to the body count isn't going to make or break any case brought against us."
"So is this the part where you ask us to beg for a quick and painless death?" Brooks asked defiantly "Cause if so, you're going to be disappointed."
Mei rolled her eyes "You sound like you've seen too many action movies. We could have killed you three anytime we wanted. And you also know that the Saints don't do 'quick and painless' for people who make enemies of the Saints."
"Then what are your planning to do with us?" Brooks asked defiantly
"Well…I was just going to butcher the three of you and leave your bodies on display for 'Chief Bradshaw' and the rest of Stilwater PD clowns to find." Mei explained coldly "But then I thought to myself that doing that would be a waste of potential resources."
Brooks watched as the leader of the Saints made her way from the catwalk and started to descend the stairs. She was wearing a black and purple plaid mini-skirt with a button-up white shirt with a black leather jacket. In that moment, she felt a cold chill running down her spine as the Saints leader gave them a smile so devoid of emotion, it would cause even the toughest cops on the force to rethink approaching her. Without realizing it, more Saints had entered the warehouse behind them from the same entrance they came in from. Like the Saints that were present in the warehouse, all of them were armed with pistols, rifles, and shotguns. Brooks, Douglas, and Williams were then surrounded and forced to their knees and with their hands cuffed behind their backs. Brooks recognized some of them as from old wanted photos from the station. As the Saints leader reached the bottom of the stairs, they watched as the other members stepped back and made a path for her. Finally, she stood in front of the three officers and a took a moment to look each of them in the eyes before she spoke again.
"I bet when you three came here tonight, you never expected the type of scenario. I bet Bradshaw made it seem like such as easy task too." Mei commented "It must be an interesting change of pace for the officer to be on their knees in handcuffs with a gangbanger standing over you talking a lot of shit."
Some of the other Saints started snickering and laughing at this remark. Others were fondling their weapons mischievously, hoping that that their boss would give the order to execute them. Mei waited a moment for the laughter to subside before continuing.
"But honestly, I'm surprised…and a lit bit disappointed in Troy. He was barely able to keep his own undercover work with the gang together. If Troy hadn't been Julius' right-hand man, he wouldn't have gotten a pass on all his blatantly suspicious behavior. And apparently, we're considered such idiots that despite everything that happened, that Troy thought he could just send some undercover cops into the Saints and lighting would magically strike twice! Needless to say….the three of you " Mei commented venomously as she pulled out a large bowie knife from her jacket. "I'm pretty sure that the mutilated body of recently departed undercover cop should get the point across. The real question is who's leaving this warehouse with a warning…..and which person is leaving here as a corpse?"
"Kill her!" Douglas cried out from her left "She's the one you want. She's the best detective on the force! Killing Brooks will make your lives easier down the road."
"It's true. You definitely want her." Williams chimed in "Plus…some of guys might want to…have some fun before you decide to kill her."
Brooks took subtle, deep breaths while not breaking eye contact with the Archangel. She had expected Douglas or Williams might turn on the other two…..but she never thought they would both serve her to the Saints in such a fashion. And having Williams who had worked the sex crimes division would now suggest that not only kill her…but gangrape her first…was nothing short of disgusting.
"You know what? I would like to thank you gentlemen for making this a little easier." The Archangel declared cheerfully "I'm not going to kill Officer Brooks. I like the look in her eyes…not to mention that I don't like cowards who sell out their own! You never…EVER…give up your homies. I also don't appreciate hypocritical assholes implying that my crew goes around gangraping random people. So, tell Officer Brooks…which one of these two-face bastards are going back to your Chief in a body bag?"
Brooks could hear both Douglas whimpering while Williams made whispered and almost incoherent pleas for his life. Despite their sniveling, she never stopped staring down the Archangel. In her mind, there was only one possible answer to give.
"It would seem that worthless colleagues have already decided to give me up. And unlike them…I won't offer someone else up in the hopes of saving my own skin. The same way I'm sure you would never give up Johnny Gat or anybody else in your crew. So I guess I'm a dead woman." She replied calmly "I do however have a last request if that's alright with you."
"And what would that last request be?" she asked "For the clichéd 'quick and painless' death that everybody's always asking for?"
"No. I just want you to make sure these two traitorous bastards watch everything that's done to me. I want to haunt their nightmares with whatever violent and sadistic things you have planned and to know that their responsible for what happened. Of course, maybe watching me being tortured, raped and eventually executed won't truly have any real effect on their consciences. Seeing as how they didn't have any problem offering me as sacrificial lamb to save their own worthless asses." Brooks declared "So let's get this over with."
Brooks suddenly felt a strange calm wash over her. She had made peace with the fact that she wasn't walking out of this warehouse alive. As her mind began to wander, she started to think about the story Douglas and Williams would relay to the rest of the SPD. Obviously, they couldn't tell the other officers that they handed her over the Saints in order to save themselves. Would they say that she sacrificed herself in order to save them….or would they make her into a coward who tried to sell them out in order to save herself, only to become the latest victim of the Archangel of Saints Row? The Saints in the warehouse were all looking at their leader, waiting to see what fate the Archangel had planned for her.
"So, you're really going to allow yourself to be killed in place of these two spineless chumps?" The Saints leader asked curiously "Even though I'm offering you a chance to walk away from this warehouse with your life?"
Brooks glared at her defiantly "If I was the sort of person that would betray someone…..then I truly deserve whatever terrible death you have planned for me."
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye Brooks saw a black bag being thrown of Douglas' head. Mere seconds later her vision was also obscured when a similar black bag was thrown over her head. And although she couldn't see it, Brooks assumed the same thing had happened to Williams as well. She could feel people pulling her arms and dragging her back outside. Brooks then felt herself being thrown into the back of a van as she heard footsteps of other people climbing into the back.
-xxx-
Brooks laid on floor as she felt the vehicle speed away from the warehouse. Nobody uttered a word as they drove to their final destination, which Brooks could only assume was some secluded place to execute her. Brooks suddenly found her brain working in overdrive trying to figure out her current situation. "Why drive to some secluded place just to execute me? They could have killed me back at that warehouse just as easily." Brooks thought to herself "And why are they worrying about dumping my corpse after they me? After display they made of Warden O' Riley, I doubt anyone is going to raise a fuss over me." Brooks' thoughts were interrupted as the van finally came to a screeching stop. She then heard footsteps shuffling around and the van's back door swing open. She felt hands pull her out the van and stand her up. The black bag was pulled from head, she blinked rapidly as she tried to readjust her eyes to the light. Brooks looked around and knew instantly she was in the renovated church on Saints Row. Though she hadn't been to the area since Ultor revitalized it, she knew that the Saints former HQ had been turned into a tourist attraction. As Brooks looked around, she noticed the only person in the church was the Saints leader. Suddenly, she felt the handcuffs being removed from her wrists. As she swung around to glance at her captors, Brooks recognized them instantly from old case files. The man to her left with light skin, green eyes, and a blonde mohawk was known and Joey-D, the other person who had been to her right was another Caucasian with hazel eyes and along brown ponytail tied back with purple rubber bands was known as Rodney the Razor. Both had been incarcerated until the recent breakout at Stilwater Penitentiary. Even more interesting, she remembered that during his Troy Bradshaw's time undercover, both of these men had been a part of his crew and had taken orders directly from him. Brooks laughed in spite of herself at the fact that following Bradshaw's order has put all three of them in bad situations.
Joey D pointed towards where their Boss was sitting "I wouldn't keep her waiting if I were you."
Casting one last look at both men, Brooks cautiously made her way over to the front pew in the middle row where the Saints leader was sitting. As she took her seat, the woman next to her made only a slight head nod without even glancing in her direction to acknowledge her presence.
"Let attempt the introductions again with some actual honesty." The Saints leader extended her hand "I'm the leader of the Saints; a.k.a the Archangel of Saints Row, a.k.a the Boss. You can call me Mei."
"Danille Brooks, SPD Vice Squad." Brooks shook her hand "Of course since you're going to kill me, it would seem you already knew who I was."
Mei laughed "Don't be coy Ms. Brooks. I think you already realized that we could've killed you whenever we wanted to."
"Then why am here exactly?" she asked
"It's quite simple." Mei replied bluntly "I want you to join the Three Street Saints."
Brooks was in shock "Why? You know I'm a cop! What reason could you possibly have to ask me to join? And more importantly, what makes you think I would say yes?"
Mei reached into her jacket and pulled out an mp3 player with earbud headphones and slid it next to Brooks. She then returned to looking straight forward at the altar. Brooks wasn't sure what game Mei was playing but decided to go along with it anyway for the time being. She turned on the mp3 player only to find one audio file on the device. She clicked on it was surprised when she heard not music….but the voices of Chief Bradshaw and Perkins come over the earbuds.
"Thanks for meeting with me outside of the station Chief."
"Well since you were about to cause an incident in the middle of the Prescient, you didn't exactly leave me with many options, did you? So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"Where the hell is Brooks? One minute she helping me piece together the prison break case…..the next she gone!"
"Brooks been assigned to special assignment to go undercover with Williams and Douglas to infiltrate the Saints."
"Chief…you can't be serious!"
"I'm afraid I am. This came directly from the Mayor's office so I can't refuse the request."
"There's a difference between clearing up a parking ticket and sending three officers in the lion's den. Based on the files of some of these bangers, they're going to be hard to infiltrate. And after you pulled the rug from under them after they thought they had full control of the criminal element in Stilwater, they're going to be extra careful about selecting their recruits."
"I'm aware of that and weighed our options. If they manage to infiltrate the gang, then we can simply use the Saints to take down the rival crews, then remove them from the equation like we did before."
"And what happens if the Saints are smatter this time out, or somebody makes them as being cops?"
"Then I'll have to live with the fact that I sent three officers to their deaths. Sadly, it's a win-win situation either way."
"Chief! You can't be serious! How are three dead officers a 'win-win situation' for anyone?"
"If they're successful with infiltrating the Saints, then we can clean up Stilwater again. If these officers should meet an untimely end….whether at the hands of the Saints or another rival gang….then we can derail any public support for the Saints. There are still many people who believe that one gang running things is better than multiple gangs shooting it out for control. And after that debacle with Warden O' Riley, they've gained a lot of publicity. Some of which isn't necessarily negative towards them."
"Got it. Anything else I should know?"
"Yes. While Brooks, Douglas, and Williams are undercover you will operate as their handler. All check-ins will be conducted with Brooks only. It'll be easier for security purposes and will minimize any potential exposure. You're also to assess their emotional state."
"I'm not a shrink Bradshaw."
"No But you're good at reading people. If it seems like any of them might be under too much strain or becoming sympathetic to the Saints, inform me immediately."
"And what if someone starts to question what they're doing? It's not like we're going to put a hit on them. Right?"
"…."
"Chief?"
"….."
"Chief…..are you really considering…"
"Officially I can't authorize something like that which violates a long list of federal and state laws."
"And…unofficially?"
"Better to have dead undercover cops than cops-turned-Saints running around un-checked. They're a danger to our department and this city. This comes from the top….unofficially of course. So you better be ready to do what must be done."
"…..understood sir."
"Hey, Chief?"
"Yeah Perkins?"
"I really hope you know what you're doing."
"Me too Perkins. Me too."
Brooks pulled out the earbuds and wrapped them around the mp3 player before resting it down on the pew and sliding it back to the Saints leader. She too then clasped her hands together and begun to stare straight ahead to the altar. For the first then that evening Brooks felt her body shaking uncontrollably due to rage rather than fear. The fact that Bradshaw was willing to sacrifice three loyal officers in a such a manner was already disgusting. But coming to the decision that herself, Williams and Douglas should be killed at the first sign of doubt was truly unbelievable. And then Perkins' response to the whole situation was even more troubling. Did it mean nothing that they were partners for the last four years? After all that time, could it really be that easy to simply go along with what amounted to sanctioned execution of someone who supposed to be a friend. There were a million thoughts going through her head. After another five minutes that felt like an eternity, Brooks finally spoke.
"How do I know this is real?" She asked " You could've had someone put this together in some sort of attempt to make me betray my oath and everything I stand for."
Mei leaned back in pew, keep her eyes forward "I think you already know that this isn't a trick. They're no reason to go through all that additional trouble. But if you got concerns, you can always have that tape verified."
Brooks gave her a quick side-glance "Where did you get the recording?"
"You three musketeers decided to try and infiltrate us, we decided to start following some of your fellow officers. We even planted listening devices in a few places you and your fellow officers visit on a regular basis." She replied matter-of-factly "And even though I knew Bradshaw to be a two-faced asshole, I never thought I would hear him saying things he said."
"Then why not make this public then?" Brooks asked defiantly "You could destroy Bradshaw career with what's on this recording."
"I have no interest in destroying his career …at least not in this way." Mei replied bluntly "Besides, you heard what he said. He's got Mayoral approval to put the three of you down. Meaning that Mayor Hughes will step in should any news station try to run this story. Even if some local news channel had the balls, they could just deny everything or say the tape was a really good forgery."
"And what's to stop me from thinking the same?" she asked tensely
"Because the fact that you're still sitting here means that you realize it's this is real." Mei finally turned to look at her "That someone who's primary job was to try and keep you out of harm's way decided that you were expendable. That the motherfucker who should have your back choose to stab you in it. You need to face the reality of your situation Detective Brooks: Your fearless leader tried to martyr you and two other officers on the off chance it could hurt his enemies."
Brooks finally managed to stop shaking but felt tear starts to run down her face. The realization was finally setting in that there was no one amongst the SPD she could absolutely trust. In the span of a few hours, she had heard her fellow officers offer her up to be raped and make plans to murder her. Suddenly, a folded purple handkerchief appeared below her face. She glanced over to see the violent gangbanger with a gentle expression on her face. Reluctantly, she accepted it and began drying her eyes. After another moment of silence, Brooks finally gathered herself enough to speak again.
"Why would you want me in your gang?" she asked quietly "You know I'm a cop! And assuming your offer is actually real, I doubt people like Gat would want me to join. What's to stop someone from slitting my throat or shooting me in the back when I least expect it?"
"We're a lot of things Brooks….killers….psychopaths….degenerate's…but we're loyal to each other. " Mei replied simply "Saints don't plot against each other, we don't betray each other, and we certainly don't make arrangements to kill each other. Despite all the reports about me you've read courtesy of Troy Bradshaw…you won't find a single one that has me doing anything disloyal to my crew. Same can be said for Gat, Joey D, and the other Saints you've got files on. We're certainly not perfect. But we always have each other's backs."
Brooks to a deep breath "What happens if I refuse?"
"You can leave and go about your business." She replied flatly
"Seriously?" Brooks raised an eyebrow at her "You honestly expect me to believe that?"
Mei shrugged "Had you committed an act that resulting in something happening to the people I see as family, it would be a different story. But I believe we both know I have no intention of harming you. Should you decide to capture you kill me…..then we'll see what happens, won't we?"
Brooks sat there for a moment thinking over the evening's events and weighing her options. She knew that there was no possibility of going back to SPD. She had been betrayed by people who had taken the same oath to protect and serve. They had even decided to dispose of her should she prove to be a liability.
"To hell with the Williams, Douglas, Perkins, Troy, and the whole fucking SPD!" she thought to herself "Those fuckers want to stab me in back…then I'll use the same damn knife to slit their throats."
"I want in. I want to become a Saint." Brooks said finally "What do I have to do? I guessing there's going to be more to it than be canonized?"
"You're very astute soon-to-be-former-detective Brooks." Mei smiled at her "You're going to have to put in some major work. This ensures the crew of your resolve and should satisfy any concerns that might arise due to your police background."
In spite of herself, Brook smiled "What do you need me to do?"
"First, take a day or two to gather your thoughts. I don't want you felling like we're trying to manipulate you." Mei handed her a burner phone "We'll contact you once we feel you're ready. You can give us your decision then about whether you're prepared to take the next step to becoming a Saint."
After she accepted the phone, Brooks slowly got up from the pew and began walking towards to the exit. As she neared the Saints guarding the exit, Mei called out to her.
"Don't you want to know what going to happen to your cop buddies?" she asked coyly
Brooks turned back and gave a cold reply "The minute they tried to stab me in back, they stopped being my buddies. Whatever happens to them now isn't my fucking problem."
"Well said." Mei laughed "We'll be in touch."
As Brooks exited the Church, Joey D and Rodney both approached Mei with worried expressions on their faces.
"Boss, are you sure about this? Is letting her go really worth the risk?" Rodney asked
Joey D nodded in agreement "Gat's suggestion of leaving all three of them dead on Mayor Hughes front door is starting to seem like a better idea. What's to stop her from going to Troy about everything that happened tonight?"
Mei smiled "It's a risk, but a calculated risk that will make locking the down Stilwater again even easier. Besides you saw the look in her eyes! All those guns trained on her and she didn't flinch. Even when her 'fellow officers' turned on her, she didn't try to trade their lives for her own. You have someone that loyal on your side and the possibilities are endless. And a person that loyal would never betray you….unless you decide to leave them high and dry. In which case they're going to find someone more worthy of their trust."
"Alright. I trust you Boss. " replied Joey D, holding his hands up in mock defeat "If you think this shit's worth the risk, I've got your back no matter what happens." "
"Me too Boss." Rodney conceded "Let's hope this Machiavellian scheme of yours pays off."
"Don't worry. After being played by her partners and Troy, she's going to be more than willing to join us."
"Still….can't believe Troy would setup his own people like that." Joey D remarked quietly
"That's straight up bullshit." Rodney agreed "It's one thing turning us the Saints cause you're a cop. But setting up your own people to be killed? That's some cold blooded shit."
Rodeny smiled "That's why I'm glad we got someone watching our backs who would never pull that shit."
Mei walked over and wrapped an arm around each of them "Thanks for trusting me. Now let's hit up Freckle Bitches."
"Sounds good to me." Joey D replied "By the way, what are we going to do with the other two cops?"
"Cassie's taking them on a little field trip." She smiled broadly looking up and the cloudy night sky "And let's just say that we're about to become the least of Troy Bradshaw's problems."
