"What was the final tally?" Rita asked.

"One hundred honey badgers, one hundred MP5s and at last count 17 million dollars," Joe Slovak answered.

"At last count."

"They are on their fourth recount. Every time they count, the amount goes down."

"I want everyone strip searched before they leave that counting room."

"It's normal counting error, lieutenant. Captain Fancy says if the first couple of counts agree that it's a sign of a conspiracy."

"Make goddam sure no one is walking out with extra lunch money. And change the counters. Fresh eyes will help."

"Aye aye lieutenant."

"On your way then," Rita said in the worst British accent Joe had ever heard.

"No cheese, Grommet, no cheese," was Joe's reply, accompanied by a passable hand gesture, as he left Rita's office.

At the very least, he got a smile out of her.

Rita had never served with Arthur Fancy, but she had certainly heard of him. At one time, before cell phones, the internet or, possibly, internal combustion engines, Lieutenant Fancy had had her job, sitting at this very desk (probably, the NYPD being such tight fisted assholes with a buck). It was Slovak mentioning his name that reminded Rita that she had a message from Captain of Detectives Arthur Fancy, Purple Shield, Unit Citation, Commendation - Integrity.

"Lieutenant Rita Ortiz, returning a call from Captain Fancy," Rita said when the phone was picked up.

"Rita, thanks for calling back." The deep voice said.

"My pleasure, sir. What can I do for you?"

"We're putting a task force together to look at this string of vigilante raids. Who do you have working the ones in your precinct?"

"You mean in your precinct, right Cap?"

Some people claimed that you could not hear a smile on the phone. In Rita's opinion, those people were full of shit.

"Yeah, back in the day. It's passed through a few sets of very capable hands since then, and it's not breaking too much of a confidence to tell you that everyone who recently ran the 15th squad gave you two thumbs up when your name came up to take the helm."

It had been a while since Rita choked up to the point where she needed a minute, but the moment of silence was brief, and Captain Fancy seemed to understand, and allowed her the time.

"Joe Slovak and Ray Quinn have those cases."

"Christ, I can remember the two of them the day they both got their shields."

"So can I. I was a third grade here on their first day as detectives. I think they named a new color green after them."

"Where are they in the latest one?"

"One hundred honey badgers, one hundred MP5s and 17 million cash, more or less."

"More or less."

"There is some discussion regarding the vapor pressure of currency."

"Two hundred high end automatic weapons, and almost twenty million in case. Jesus."

"At this rate, it might be only fifteen million, and I might put in my papers and find a beach somewhere to lie on."

"If it gets down to ten million let me know and we can both lie on a beach."

"Aye aye, Captain."

"Get Slovak and Quinn over to the Chief of D's office."

"I'm on it."

"Later."

Rita hung up the phone and walked out of her office.

"Are Joe and Ray still out?" she asked John

"Yes."

"I need to talk to them as soon as they're back."

A task force. Great. Just Great.

Her two most senior detectives. She was going to need to ask the Bureau to send someone on temporary detachment to fill the seats.

Just fucking great.