Chapter 74
"Bye my princess. Be a good girl today, all right." Alex greeted her daughter as she's on her way out the door. "See you later." Ryan kissed her goodbye, watching her pull out of the driveway and driving down the road before he closed the door.
Caleb texted the three of them asking them to come over before work so they can talk. For his sake he better hope Nimah and Natalie have calmed down enough so they won't kill him on upon entry. Alex stopped outside their apartment and waited for the other two to arrive so they can walk up together.
"Why'd we have to be here?" Nimah asks as they walk up the steps.
"So he can apologize in person I hope." Natalie said still getting mad whenever she thinks about the previous day. "Well, we're about to find out." Alex answered as she knocked on the door.
"Hi, please come in." Caleb greeted uncomfortable as he opened the door so they can enter the apartment. "Let's cut to the chase and tell us why we're here." Nimah said standing near the wall close to the door. "Okay." He sighed. "I'm sorry for my behavior yesterday. It was unnecessary and uncalled for. I had no right talking to you guys like that." He apologized making eye contact with all three of them one by one. "And I know it's not much but I figured I'd make you all breakfast, or I bought it at least, hoping it would be a start." He motioned towards the kitchen counter where there were two boxes one with doughnuts and another with pretzels.
"Food is a start." Nimah smiled patting him on the back walking towards the bedroom to see what Shelby is doing. The other two following her smiling at Caleb, Alex ruffling his hair as she walks past him.
"Shelby Haas, what are you doing?" Natalie asked seeing the blonde busy sorting laundry. "Put that away and get your ass back in bed." Nimah ordered. "I'm bored out of my mind, it's only been one day and I can't keep laying around doing nothing." Shelby whined moving towards the bed. "It's called bedrest or couch rest or whatever rest you wanna call it for a reason." Alex laughed motioning for her to get under the covers. "Did you have breakfast yet?" Nimah asked and the blonde shook her head. "Okay, there's food downstairs you stay put, we'll bring it up and eat in bed with you before we have to get going." Nimah answered making a statement that the conversation about her wanting to do laundry is a thing of the past and that she'll have to stay in bed doing as little as she possibly could.
They all made their way up carrying the breakfast and three cups of coffee, a glass of orange juice for Shelby. Sitting cross legged on the bed talking about sweet nothings and just enjoying their girl time at 7AM in the morning.
"All right people, I'd like to finish up this cocaine business we've been having going on for the past couple of days. " Maranda started. "I've been shaking some trees and we have to get going and finish it up by today. So, everyone out on the streets and get the latest information you can get so we can start nailing down Adrian Phillips and hos gang." She concluded looking over the group of agents slowly.
"One of the guys emailed me this morning saying they have more coming in in 48 hours." Alex started. "They haven't said anything to incriminate Phillips yet, but apparently they have a shipment coming in, that's approximately one thousand keys." She answered looking down at the email she printed out shortly before the meeting.
"Do they have any record of how they did it to find out these information?" Matthew asks. "They tapped phones but were hesitant to give me the names since they were afraid of blowing their cover." She stated also a bit upset that Mark wouldn't give it sine it would've made this whole thing so much easier.
"Okay, we'll look into that. In the meantime be on standby so we ca get cracking as soon as we know more." Maranda said thinking everyone would leave the boardroom and head back into their offices where they worked, but to her surprise everyone stayed at the table, cracking open notebooks and laptops and started figuring out a way forward, making her smile as she looks at the enthusiasm of her crew.
"I got something, DEA said shipment's coming in 48 hours but they were wrong that's a cover up. The shipment already made its way to a stash house downtown." Liam said after being on the phone for an hour with his CI and several other sources to confirm what's been going on.
"Where?" Natalie asks sitting up and listening more intently.
"A church on the outskirts of town. Or more like a mission, but it's the perfect cover, since he guy who runs it has a long history of drug trials before he found his faith and higher power.
"What if there are people there? Maybe we should wait till tonight." Ryan said not wanting to interrupt a service that might be on going.
"The stuff will be gone by then, we got a two hour window." Liam answered the agent.
"Okay, so the sooner we get that shipment the sooner we can get Adrian Phillips behind bars. Gear up people." Maranda dismissed and everyone headed out.
Everyone geared up and headed into the van driving to the outskirts of town towards the building. They all spread out at different entry points waiting for Liam to give the go ahead. "There's a service going on." Ryan said as he looked through the window in front. "Could be part of the cover up, we're moving." Liam said signaling for everyone to get ready. He counted them down and they entered the building. About thirty people were sitting on chairs with a familiar face who Liam busted a few years ago standing in front of the people, Wesley Wells.
"Ladies and gentleman this is a raid, stay in your seats and we'll get this done with as quickly as possible. Liam answered as his crew pointed guns at the entrances inside in case someone suspicious came out there. "What's the meaning of this? You got no business being in here." Wesley answered calmly walking up to Liam. Dressed in all black with a long silver chain around his neck with the emblem of a cross hanging from it. "Look man, I'm clean, I've changed so why don't you get out of here and let us get back to business." Wesley answered pointing towards the door. Liam pushed him down holding his arm behind his back slowly increasing the pressure. "Where is it?" Liam asked but the msn kept shaking his head. "Here are no drugs I'm honest man." Wesley tried again. "Take this place apart!" Liam ordered his agents who got to work.
Throwing out books from the book cases and checking their insides for something hidden beneath the pages. "Sit down everyone and stay calm. We'll get this over with soon." Matthew tried to calm the people down who is now crying not sure what's happening.
"The other rooms are clear but there's a locked storage room in the back." Natalie said when she got back from her search. "The keys are under the rug." Wesley pointed to the front where he stood a few minutes ago. Liam nodded in Natalie's direction and she walked over to retrieve it. Liam escorted Wesley out to the door and into the storage room where they stood.
Food packages piled high bags of rice and beans on a rack the other had loafs of bread, canned items and some milk. Liam took out a pocket knife and slit two of the bags open throwing out their contents. "I'm telling you man I'm clean here's nothing." Wesley started again. "We distribute them around the neighborhood once a week." He answered honestly looking into Lima's eyes. "I think this guy is telling the truth O'Conner." Ryan whispered walking closer to his superior. Liam nodded and let go of Wesley and walked back towards where the people sat and apologized for the inconvenience they have caused.
Frustrated he walks out of there, slamming his fist against the walls. "I'm coming with you." Ryan said as they walked out. "No you're not." Liam answered not looking back and continued to walk. "If your CI gave you bad intel it means you could be compromised, and you could be going right into an ambush." Ryan negotiate with his superior, who was reluctant at first but agreed that he could go with him in case something went wrong. "Everyone head back, we're starting from scratch." Liam ordered and the rest got into the van while he and Ryan got into his car and drove towards his informant's house.
Justin was laying on the couch watching TV when the door flew open jumping up putting his hands up. "You said you weren't gonna bring nobody." He said looking at Ryan. "Seems like we all lie, since you said the drugs were at the church and turns out it wasn't." Liam answered raising his voice. "You and Phillips set me up didn't you, trying to make me look like a fool." Liam whispered getting up looking Justin directly in the eye.
"Phillips, said half were headed there and the others he'll deliver himself." Justin said and Liam punched him in the stomach. "Liam stop, Phillips will take care of this guy. Maybe he was trying to smoke out his rat, seeing who dropped the dime." Ryan told Liam. "I guarantee you Justin, Phillip's men are out there looking to kill you. You're living on borrowed time." Liam told the younger man. "Wait, you can't leave me here, you gotta help me." Justin pleaded. "You're no use to me anymore, you didn't have my back when I though you did so now you'll have to fight your own battled." Liam snarled and walked towards the door.
"What if I now something?" Justin asked walking back to the two men. Ryan and Liam shared a look amd paused in the doorway, turning around to hear him out. "Usually when something's about to go down, an arrest or a drug bust Adrian warns us. He sent a text check my phone if you don't believe me." Justin said showing them the text. "I gotta take this as evidence, we'll get it back to you once we're done." Liam said and Justin nodded.
Back at the office everyone had to tiptoe around Liam and Maranda since he was mad at his informant for not giving them what they're looking for and Maranda was mad at Liam for wasting time that could've been used to do thorough searching on this whole deal. "That was something else." Alex said falling down into her seat. "You can say that again." Simon commented. "You know you haven't bought me coffee in a while Simon." Alex pushed turning towards him a small smile on her face. "Maybe because I don't have money, Alex." Simon replied knowing what she's hunting at. If Alex asks you for something it's not just for her you have to cater to the squad as well. "Neither do I, that's why I'm asking you for it! Simon, my dear close personal friend, I have a daughter whose baby things is really expensive and a house we have to pay every month and a car I have to pay every month not to mention the debt of buying baby clothes on accounts and electricity and water. Do I need to continue?" Alex asked sighing. "You're such a drama queen, and I'm doing this because I love your daughter and her mother is manipulative." He answered getting up and walking out. "Anything the two of you want?" He asked Nimah and Natalie. "I thought you'd never ask." Natalie smiled looking up at him.
"Any news on the deal?" Simon asks Ryan when he bumped into him at the cafeteria. "Nope, we're all still waiting for Liam to decide what the next step is." Ryan answered looking at the three cups of coffee and chocolates in Simon's hand. "Your wife and her friends." He said answering is unasked question. "I should've known about that package deal." Ryan smiled waling back after he got his things.
"Philips have been putting soldier in place in case something goes South, but he still we still don't know where his things are headed. And without a location we might as well stop trying." Ryan told Liam when he entered the office. "I found something, again. But I think it's worth another shot." Liam answered.
"Warren said our guys are communicating again." Caleb announced proudly. "What are they saying?" Simon asks. "They're not saying anything, they're singing this time, listen to this." He said opening up the email he got and everyone moved over to his desk. He sent me this it's a song that I have no idea what it means but they keep playing it over and over again. "What does that mean, tiburon?" Alex asks since that's about the only word that's being repeated a lot in the song. "It means shark." Natalie answered. "Maybe it's a boat? We busted their truck so now their moving their shipment by sea?" Nimah asked but no one in the room knew for certain.
"Hold on, they're playing the song twice and stopping it at a different place each time." Ryan noticed looking at the numbers that indicates the length of the song. "Its' a sequence." He said. "Maybe it's boat registration numbers." Simon said. "No it's too may numbers, what if it's coordinates?" Alex asked and Caleb typed it up.
"Drop the mic! That's our location." He announced pleased with himself for finally finding a way out of their maze. "Okay people so we're at it again. Let's see what this one hold for us." Liam said as they all started gearing up once again like they did a few hours ago when they went to the missionary building.
"We're expecting at least a dozen heavily armed men that Phillips has put out to patrol this side to guard the shipment, we need to be on out A-Game people." Liam said once they reached the yard and everyone hopped off.
"They've spotted us be careful." Liam said when one of the guys came in sight and started shooting. They ran through the yard, hiding behind any structure they could find. "I count six." Simon said from behind a pile of stacked boxes. "There four more on the boat that we know about." Caleb answered. "Take them out if we have to." Liam radioed back to them.
Alex ran past a bunch of boxes and messed up repair boats and came across a submarine lingering in the water. Not sure if she should take the chance and head inside to see what's in it. A rush of fear and adrenaline running through her body at the same time, and she decided to go for it. Since she didn't spot any snipers in that direction. Someone's bullet went astray and it hit a boat in the water that caught fire as Alex ran to it. The flames drawing attention of the rest of their teams.
"Alex don't! Wait for back up!" Ryan yelled after her but it was too late she ran towards the submarine already. "Damnit. Caleb, Simon, we're gonna need some cover." Ryan said and the two of them started shooting at any object they saw to draw the attention of the remaining snipers as the Ryan, Liam and Nimah ran in the direction Alex disappeared.
Pointing her weapon around in the submarine making sure there was no else left there she started walking down the length of it. Water was streaming down the tanks as they were trying to sink it. She started closing the tanks but stopped once a shadow appeared in the entry way. She and Ryan both pointed their guns at each other thinking it was one of the snipers but let it fall once they realized it wasn't. Liam and Nimah followed soon after. Helping her close the tanks inside.
Liam lifted a lid on the floor and saw the white substance packaged and closed neatly, ready for take off. "I'll be damned." He said as he looks at it and the amount that there is. Alex wiping some of the hair that came loose out of her bun from her forehead along with some sweat. Ryan shared a look with her that she knew wasn't good but at least for now they got what they wanted and were happy.
They headed back up letting the others know what they've found and that they have more than enough evidence to lock Adrian Phillips away now. "Nice work Parrish." Liam congratulated her patting her on the shoulder. Alex smiled and nodded her head walking back to the van.
At the office they wrapped the last bit of paperwork up before calling it a day and heading back in their different directions. Alex walking up the stairs towards her husband's office when he didn't come down after half an hour, knocking on the door softly before allowing herself to enter. "You ready to go?" She asked peeking her head around the door. "Yeah." He nodded getting up grabbing his things. "You know what you did out there today was wrong right? And that you never go anywhere without back up?" Ryan asked not trying to accuse her of anything but trying to remind her of everything that could go wrong when she pulls that stunt again.
She didn't say anything she sighed and nodded her head looking up at him. "I'm sorry." She said softly. He pulled her in closer and kissed her head. He knows how passionate she is about her job but at times she needs to realize that there are rules in place to protect her from the dangers that their job holds from time to time.
Case finally concluded. Thank you for reading.