Chapter 58
At home Ryan carried Phoebe inside and Alex followed behind them, kicking the door closed with her foot. She put everything down on the kitchen counter and flopped down on the couch sighing. Ryan was still on a mission asking Phoebe how her fist day at day care was. She wasn't much of a talker at one month old but Ryan is convinced she'll come around eventually. In her mind she was going through what's in the fridge and what she could cook for dinner, there wasn't much to get by on since they haven't gone grocery shopping since Phoebe's birth. There just hasn't been time yet. Alex got up from the couch checking up on Ryan and Phoebe who disappeared in the bedroom, Ryan busy bathing her the TV playing in the background softly. Alex didn't want to interrupt their moment so she lingered in the doorway out of sight and peeked into the room.
Ryan kept her in the water longer than necessary, because she always cried whenever they took her out. He held her steady while talking to her and she watched him intently. "You know mommy almost cried whole day today. Since we dropped you off until we came to fetch you." He said just as Alex entered. "Don't listen to daddy Phoebe he's lying. I bet you he was the one crying locked away in his office where no one could see." Alex approached the bed smiling and shaking her head at him. "I'm not lying munchkin she cried." He whispered as he lifted Phoebe out of the baby bath and wrapped her in a towel, out of the three of them she was the one crying now since bath time ended. "Hey hey, it's okay you can't stay in the bath all night Pheebs." Ryan smiled kissing her continuously waiting until it subsided. Alex threw the water out and put the bath away before appearing in the room again. Ryan was just about to put some baby lotion on her when his phone rang and Alex took over, getting her dressed in a black and white onesie with baby panda written on the front. Her hair started to grow quickly now since she has a lot more hair than she did when she was born. Initially they thought it would be straight dark brown hair, but it turned into a bunch of dark brown curls which Alex loved. After nursing and burping her her eyes fluttered closed. "Seems like you really had a tough day behind you, bub." Alex smiled running her fingers through her daughter's curls, before putting her down in her crib. Heading back towards the kitchen.
She found Ryan at the table in the dining room still talking on the phone. It seemed serious and she sort of felt like an intruder for being busy in the kitchen while he is on the phone. She went through the freezer and decided on shepherd's pie with vegetables and potato wedges with some fried chicken. "This is the weirdest combination ever Alexandra." She whispered to herself as she got busy preparing the food. Ryan's phone call ended with a sigh and him staring at his phone for several minutes, before getting up and walking over to her. She stopped peeling potatoes when he came over and took a seat at the kitchen counter. Something seemed off, but she won't push him to talk about it if he doesn't want to. "You need some help?" He asked getting of the chair walking towards her and she handed him the potato peeler busying herself with the shepherd's pie.
That night in bed Ryan laid awake not sure if Alex was asleep just yet. "Hey, you sleeping?" He asked looking over her back. "No why?" She turned around on her side facing him. "That phone call I got earlier, it was my dad. Again. " He said and Alex waited for him to continue. "he wants to see Phoebe." Ryan said looking at her. "And? What did you say?" She questioned not knowing what to expect. "What do you think I said, Alex. There's no way I'm going to allow that." He said having a hard time keeping his voice down. "Ryan, I know the two of you don't have the best relationship, but do you really think that's fair? She is his grandchild." Alex tried to rationalize the situation not even sure it will go down smoothly. "That's still not a good enough reason. Am I being an ass for not allowing it?" He asked after some silence between them. "Look, I don't want you to do something you're not comfortable with. If one day you feel different about it, you can ask him to come over and he can see her here. I'll go somewhere so you two can be alone." She prompted. "I might just shoot him if we're left alone." He laughed and Alex slapped him on the shoulder lightly. "I don't have a problem with it if he wants to see her. I wish I could call mine and tell him to come visit her." She whispered the last part, which made Ryan feel guilty for going off like that when his dad is still around although not in the form he would've wanted him to be. He reached over to her and pulled her closer to him as they drifted to sleep.
Waking up the next morning they did their usual routine and got Phoebe dressed and bathed, making it out the door a few minutes later than usual. Dropping her off at day care and headed to the office.
Ryan was still on the steps of the building when Matthew came out and told him they have to go now. Ryan had to make a run upstairs to his office to but down his briefcase and came back down, to meet Matthew in the car as they drove off to meet the infamous Jay-Jay.
Ryan was staring out the window as they drove when Let's stay together came on the radio, having Matthew singing it at the top of his lungs. Matthew was a tall well build black guy. Bulging muscles and had a little sheep beard going. Ryan always enjoyed being out on the road with him, he always had a story to tell about some place he visited in the hood when he was younger, and something always went down. He also always asked questions about music that no one could answer. According to him the new generation will never have a full appreciation for music like they had in the 80s.
"Aaaahhh man why don't they make music like that anymore man?" Matthew asked looking over at Ryan. "I don't know man but I thought all black people could sing." Ryan laughed having Matthew shaking his head. "Have you forgotten the two rules I have in my car? One don't change the radio cannel and two, don't talk about my singing." Matthew commented. "My bad, your ride your rules." Ryan put his hands up in surrender. "Look at this, reminds me of where I grew up at, man. Same shit different toilet. See that soul spot over there on the corner? They had the same spot just like that in my joint called The Rib Shack." Matthew pointed to the shop on the corner where they stopped at a red traffic light. "Every afternoon after school I'd go there just to see this girl named Kerri. Kerri. Kerri. Now she had one incredible booty my man." Matthew said passionately as they drove when the light turned green. "All right, seems like a nice one." Ryan laughed waiting for his friend to continue. "Yeah see, you would love her, unfortunately you're married and have a kid so that book closed for you. But I used to go there every afternoon and order mac n cheese to you know, see that booty." Matthew trailed the outline of Kerr's body with his hands so Ryan could somehow form a mental picture. "Mmmmnn, I get it. Did you guys ever hook up?" Ryan asked. "I was only 15 man but I had it bad for this girl. I was still whipping up the courage to talk to her when some fools broke into the spot and robbed the place. Shot in and left her for deal. All for a couple of hundred bucks." Matthew concluded. "Rest in peace Kerri." Ryan said, but Matthew shook his head. "No don't rest in peace you better be shaking that booty Kerri!" Matthew yelled out the window as they took the right turn into the street where Jay-Jay lived. Both of them laughing as they got out of the car.
Loud music were playing and people were sitting on the corner. Matthew spotted Jay-Jay standing at the gate and when he saw him he tried to make a run for it. "Come on now Jay-Jay you know you can't make it around the block without catching a heart attack." Matthew said as he walked over to him. "I can run, Matt." Jay – Jay said. He was a short round guy 22 years old and out on probation. "Yeah and do what? Set all the cars alarms off in the neighborhood? Look at you man, eve your clothes got stretch marks." Matthew said looking at Jay-Jay leaning against the gate. "Why you gotta be some mean man? The po-po even see me out here with these guys I'm going back into the slammer man. "Hey, nobody saw you all right. We gotta talk." Ryan said and Jay-Jay showed them inside his home.
Jay-Jay took a seat on the couch while Matthew opened the pack of sealed Doritos that laid on the table. "Oh Ryan did I tell you Jay-Jay here is my cousin?" Matthew asked as Ryan glanced at them. "I figured they wouldn't let us come if they knew we were related but I'm sure he'll be of help." Matthew placed his feet on the coffee table while Ryan searched through some things. "This is stale man." Matthew said but continued to eat anyway. "What is he doing man? For real?" Jay-Jay asked as Ryan searched through his things. Ryan went over to the computer and plugged a device in. "Woah, what are you doing man?" Jay-Jay asked nervously. "It's a new toy courtesy of our friends in national security. Called the cloud tracker. Let's us see anything everyone does on their computer." Ryan answered as the data loaded onto the device. "Woah woah woah hey hey hey wait. That's an invasion of privacy man." Jay-Jay said getting up from the couch walking over to Ryan. After everything was done Ryan unplugged the device they were just about to leave when they saw a packet of CCF hidden in the side of the couch. Ryan knelt down and pulled it out. "Yo, y'all can't arrest me for that. It ain't even mine." Jay-Jay said sitting back down on the couch folding his arms. "Just tell us what you know and we'll leave you alone." Matthew said finishing the Doritos. "When is the deal going through and where?" Ryan asked sitting on the coffee table looking at him. "Look, all I know is that it's slipped through the port and that it's heading north right now. The deal's going down anytime between 4 and 5PM I don't know where. One of the guys is named Aidan Fuller." Jay-Jay said looking at the two men in suits. "Nice meeting you." Ryan said on the way out and Matthew slapped Jay-Jay on the shoulder, taking another packet of Doritos offering it to Ryan which he gladly accepted. Once they got in the car they sat there in silence. "That was illegal wasn't it?" Matthew asked looking over to Ryan. He didn't say anything just nodded his head. "But no one has to know that we were here, as long as we stop this deal before it does down." Ryan said offering him some of the Doritos as they drove off.
"All right, all the information we have at this stage leads us to a shipment going down north in a few hours. We need to find out where and when so we can stop it. We need to get Aidan Fuller he is the main guy for this operation. There is an old horse racing track where they store it" Maranda informed the agents. "The other cases we're working on will have to take a back seat for now, just until we get through this one. Ryan, Matthew my office please." Maranda excused herself from the meeting and Ryan and Matthew shared a look. This can go one of two ways and they're both paranoid that that she found out that Matthew and their OG informant are related. But alas it was none of that she just wanted to know what they found out and how they are going to do this bust.
They found the information they needed and placed everything together. Turns out that Jay-Jay's computer held some valuable things on that could help them stop the deal. The details appeared on the screen in the boardroom and everyone took down notes that they thought would be useful. After a while of some brainstorming they finally came to a decision on a plan once they are at the site. Some of the other CI's confirmed that they're using the storage facility down at the horse tack, and that they're headed that way to store their CCF.
Everyone suit up and got into the vans ready to take these guys down.
Alex and Natalie were at the highest point of the building. Laying in their stomachs on a hidden roof top so they could see when these guys would enter. AK47's pointed towards their marked targets. "All right everyone, let it be known do not shoot to kill unless you have to. " Maranda announced when she saw their vehicles come through the entrance and they were hiding in the back. "Alex, Natalie what do you have?" Liam asked when the cars came to a halt. "In position. Clear view." Natalie said. "They're making the trade we don't have much time." Alex informed over her radio.
There were four black SUV's. Two of them stacked with the California Corn Flakes while the other two had the money in them as payment for the trade. They guys threw keys back and forth to each other of the different vehicles.
"There's about a dozen men in total, heavily armed fully automatic weapons." Alex said once again.
"All right, I want two stinger squad's six men a piece. Simultaneous breach. I will lead Alpha through the main entrance" Liam explained to the agents. "Don't take the front. If these guys have any military experience which I think some of them has, they know how to heavy stack their soft entry points. You could be walking into a hailstorm of bullets if that thing goes off." Ryan explained to his superior. "All right, Alpha we'll take the side then. Natalie Alex sign on the boss?" Liam enquired as they slowly made their way towards the gate. "Brown suede jacket, blue jeans." Natalie said.
Liam gave the command and they all spread out in their hiding spots waiting to take these guys down. Natalie fired the first shot at Aidan and intentionally hit the SUV with the cocaine popping its front tire. They all looked around trying to figure out where the shots came from. They were soon swamped with officers all around them, but they still had difficulty capturing the men. They run up towards the vehicles ducking behind some of them while shooting at the guys. Caleb shot one in the leg and Shelby hit another in the upper arm. From the rooftop Alex and Natalie made sure at least two tires on the vehicles are popped so they won't try to drive off. Ryan was standing at the side of one SUV when Fuller snuck up behind him and held a gun to his head while having his arm around Ryan's throat choking him.
From the rooftop Alex's breath got caught in her throat when she saw what was going on. "No no no no." She whispered. She tried to position her weapon so she could shoot the guy but it won't be possible she's going to hit Ryan in the process. And there was no one close to him who she could send over to help him. She tried getting Caleb on the radio but he was too far to run back. Natalie sensed what she wanted to do and stopped her in the process. "Don't do it." Natalie said eyeing her. "Can you think of anything else?" Alex asked sarcastic. She was about to get off the roof and go help him out but miraculously Liam appeared out of no where and hit Aidan Fuller to the ground pointing his weapon in his direction. The rest of his gang were all on the floor in handcuffs. Ryan staggered towards one of the vehicles hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. Alex breathed a sigh of relief and Natalie gave her a pat on the back.
They took the guys into custody for interrogation and confiscated the CCF they found on the premises. Once everything calmed down Alex and Natalie joined the rest of the team down on the ground. Ryan thanked O'Conner and Alex had to control herself to not rush over to him and hug him. She stood as far away from the rest and got in the vehicles driving back to the FBI headquarters. She still didn't talk to Ryan.
Once inside the building she didn't go into the conference room for the debriefing but ran up the stairs towards his office and waited for him there. The moment the door opened she got out of the chair and rushed into his embrace. Neither of them said anything they just stood there for a moment holding each other. Ryan was the first to let go. "Let's go home." He whispered and grabbed his keys of the desk and she went downstairs to get her bag and other belongings. She said goodbye to the few still left in the office wrapping up the last few things. Natalie giving her an extra long hug. "It's gonna be okay." Natalie whispered in her ear and she smiled nodding at her friend.
They got Phoebe at day care and once they were in the house they sat down on the couch neither of them wanting to take their eyes of their baby laying in her mother's arms. "That was scary." Alex finally said. "I know. If Liam hadn't shown up when he did I don't know what would've happened." Ryan said thinking back. "But he did. I'm just grateful that nothing bad happened." She said looking up at him. "That's the sort of thing that worries me the most." She looked up at him. "Both of us going to the same scene and being in danger, what if we're not always as lucky as you were today?" She asked looking up at him. "Hey, don't think like that." Ryan tried to calm her but she had a point. "But it's true, if the worst happened out there today I don't know what I'd do. I can't do this on my own Ryan, and I've told you that already." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to compose herself. "And you don't have to do it on your own, I'm still here. You're still here. That's all that matters." Ryan turned her face towards him so she could look him in the eye and see that he is going to be okay. She didn't say anything but nodded her head instead.
"I'll get dinner started." Alex said getting up handing Phoebe to her father. "No sweetheart, you don't have to I'm not hungry." Ryan said taking her hand pulling her back tote couch to have a seat next to him. Alex obeyed and sat back down. Neither of them were hungry and for some reason they didn't want to put Phoebe in her crib or on the play mat. So the three of them stayed on the couch watching cartoons. Phoebe falling in and out of sleep on Ryan's chest, his feet propped up on the coffee table and one arm is wrapped around his wife who curled up into his side. "Hey, how about we don't go to work tomorrow, and we drive down to see Phoebe's grandmothers for the weekend?" Ryan suggested to Alex. She looked up at him smiling. "That sounds like a plan. But will they allow both of us to take off?" She asked uncertain. "Yeah we take one day off, I'm sure they won't have a problem." Ryan said winking at her. "Well, all right then. I'll call them in the morning and arrange it." He said leaning over to capture her mouth. "Come on little miss, let's get you clean." Alex said when she saw Phoebe's eyes was open again. Halfway up the stairs towards the bedroom she heard Ryan on the phone with Liam, smiling to herself and being grateful for their little family get away they have planned, starting tomorrow.
Hey guys. This case doesn't feel like the others I've written so far. I was going to post this yesterday and I tried to re do it but couldn't think of any other alternative to substitute it with. But I feel like it's really poorly written. Hope you all are still doing well. If you have any suggestions let me know. Hope you. Enjoy. Lovies-S.