"Bradford, Chen. Hang back."
Lucy glanced back at Tim as he made his way to the front of the room.
"Yes, sir?" he questioned, coming to stand in front of Seargent Grey.
"I have a special assignment for you two. A little UC work. Good for a rookie to experience."
Lucy threw a concerned glance toward Tim, surprised Grey would ask this of him after Isabel. She spoke up quickly, "Sir, with all due respect, I'd be happy to take on this assignment with Lopez or Harper."
Tim's glare cut through her, though she didn't turn to face him.
"I think what my boot meant to say was 'yes, sir'."
Grey glanced between the two of them, aware that Lucy was valiantly trying to protect her TO. He was impressed by her courage, yet aware he couldn't have a TO who was afraid of going undercover. He had already deemed this assignment as the lowest of the low, risk-wise.
"Good. You are meeting with Detective Houser upstairs in 5 minutes. I expect that the department will be well-represented by you two. Dismissed."
With a nod, Tim turned on his heel and strode toward the door. Lucy was hot on his heels, her mind churning out thoughts quicker than she could speak them.
"Tim, what are you doing? You hate UC work and why do you think I will be able to do this? I've never done UC work and I'll probably mess the whole thing up. This is going to be a disaster."
Lucy was basically speaking to herself at this point, though her words were directed at the back of Tim's head as he headed toward the stairs. She let out a frustrated huff when he didn't respond and tried to swallow her nerves. This was not going to end well.
Tim was reeling as he made his way steadily up the stairs. He forced his body into calm-soldier-mode and tried to drown out Lucy's nervous rambling. He couldn't believe Grey would put him them in this position. With Isabel's history and Lucy's fairly recent kidnapping, it all felt like a test. His sweaty palm reached out to open the briefing room door as he automatically held it open for Lucy to pass through. Chivalry was ingrained within him.
To her credit, she didn't break stride as she made her way toward the only table in the room and slumped into a chair. Tim couldn't sit. He paced the length of the small room, shooting subtle glances toward his boot. He had made a silent vow as he pulled her limp body from the ground months ago. He would protect her with his life as long as he was able. This assignment had better not put that to the test.
After a few minutes of tense silence, Detective Houser entered the room wearing a wide grin.
"Bradford! Great to see you again, man. How you been?"
Tim flinched slightly as the detective's voice boomed in the small room. He had been wondering why the name Houser sounded familiar and now he knew. This asshole was part of Isabel's assignment. Goddamnit. He pasted on a fake smile, which Lucy immediately picked up on. She stood up quickly beside him, standing closer than usual. Some sort of primal protective instinct, she would later justify to herself.
Tim spoke stiffly, "Houser. Long time no see. What do we owe your presence?"
"Just a little UC work, in and out. Grey recommended you and your rookie for the job."
"Any particular reason why?" Tim forced himself to breathe normally, though Houser's mere presence was making him realize how not over Isabel's assignment he was.
"A high end business in the hills is luring naive couples into their drug ring and putting them at risk by having the couples unknowingly transfer product for them. There also seems to be some forceful persuasion should a woman disagree with their transfer plan, if you catch my drift. We'd like to get an inside view on this before we go public."
Lucy raised her eyebrows, "Couples? Forceful persuasion?"
Tim's body had gone rigid as Houser was speaking and he forced words out through clenched teeth, "absolutely not."
Houser glanced from Lucy to Tim, confusion evident on his face, "This is the assignment. Do I need to request a new team from Grey? I assumed you both were willing to go UC?"
Lucy pulled her eyes away from Tim's tense stance to look Houser in the eye, "We can do it. Right, Officer Bradford?"
Shifting her gaze back to Tim's, she was now aware that his hesitance came mostly for her sake and not his own. She would prove to him that she could do this. She would prove it to herself.
He noted the formal way she said his name and locked his eyes on hers. He searched for any ounce of fear from her, but only found confidence. A small grin pulled at the corner of his mouth as he held her gaze while addressing Houser, "Okay, we're in."
Lucy gave him a small smile in return and immediately his vow to protect her life with his was solidified beyond his own comprehension.
This was going to be a disaster.