"Hey Janko, ain't that your brother in-law?" Officer Addison gestures behind his partner.
Eddie follows his gaze. Addison's assumption is correct. Danny and his partner, Baez, are making a beeline straight towards them.
"Eddie, are you okay?" Danny asks, concern already carved into his face.
"Yeah I'm good" she answers rather quickly "Are you two here about what happened?"
"Yeah, we caught the case" Baez confirms with a friendly smile "Were you the first ones on the scene?"
"Yeah, me and my partner were" the newest member of the Reagan clan tells them "It was a real mess when we first got here. The patrol car was still on fire"
The detectives cast a quick glance over to the charred remains of a squad car. Both take it to heart. This is an attack on two of their own. Clearly, the NYPD has been singled out. You don't just blow up a patrol car unless you want to make a very direct threat to the NYPD.
Incensed, Danny shakes his head, turning back to his sister in-law "How are the officers?"
"A little shaken under the circumstances" she discloses, avoiding his worried stare.
"Thank God they decided to take their dinner break when they did" Addison comments to the detectives, gesturing to the diner opposite the squad car.
"Yeah no kidding" Baez remarks then turns to her partner "You reckon this is in retaliation to what happened to Lila Moore?"
Danny sighs "I don't know. Maybe"
"Doesn't it seem like too much of a coincidence, that on the day one of New York's most infamous serial bombers is killed, that a bomb blows up an NYPD patrol car?" Maria points out with a raised eyebrow.
"I think you're right" Eddie speaks up, gaining everyone's attention "Danny, that patrol car over there… it was supposed to be ours"
The detective's eyes widen, a flash of Reagan temper within them "You mean that burnt wreck of a patrol car over there was supposed to have you riding in it?"
The blonde cop merely nods in response. Lost for words. The explosion that very nearly killed two fellow officers was most likely meant for her.
"We changed cars last minute" Addison chips in on his partner's behalf.
"Why?" Baez queries, looking between the officers for an explanation.
Addison glances at Eddie with a sympathetic look "We swapped with Ramos and Clemente 'cause apparently he has a thing about the numbers twenty one and twenty four"
The detectives share a confused look. 21 and 24? Neither are numbers the majority of people would associate with bad luck. Fair enough if the car has 13 or even 666 on it. Those are known for having a high affinity with misfortune, but 21 and 24?
Eddie picks up on their confusion "That's what they said anyway. They probably just wanted to switch 'cause it's rumoured to be a better patrol car to ride in"
"Why'd you switch with them then?" Danny probes, more out of surprise than for investigative purposes.
Surprise most of all, because he knows the type of woman his kid brother married. She's not one to be taken for a fool. It's baffling why she didn't put up a fight over this vehicle change.
Eddie shrugs coyly "It was only rumoured to be a better patrol car, but it doesn't mean it was"
The two Reagans share a small smirk. Danny can see the little twinkle of mischief in her eyes. The one who appears to have been played has turned out to be the main player all along. What a woman!
/
A black Toyota Camry pulls up outside an apartment block. The engine turns off. Silence. No movement from the interior of the car. The minutes tick by and still no signs of life.
Inside, the young man sits in the driver's seat. Hands gripping the steering wheel. Knuckles almost as white as his face. The man appears off in his own little world.
Tap. Tap.
The young man jumps out of his skin. The disturbance pulling him back into a reality he wishes he weren't a part of. Someone is outside. Fingers that had previously tapped the car window now make a move for the door handle.
"Jacob Morris?" a man in a suit inquires, his face blocked from view by the roof of the car.
"Y-yeah?" Jacob verbalises cautiously.
The suited man leans down, flashing his badge "Detective Reagan, can you step out of the car for me please Mr Morris?"
Jacob manages to release his tight grip on the steering wheel. Shakily he climbs out. It's obvious to him what this is all about. Jacob glances nervously from Danny, to Maria, who is stood just beside her partner.
Danny places his badge back on his hip "We need to talk"
"I-I know what you're going to say. Look, I did place that thing on the backseat of that cop car, but he told me it was just blood. There was a timer. It was supposed to go off and spray blood all over the car. I didn't know there was a bomb, alright? You have to believe me. I don't like you guys or what you stand for, but I didn't want anyone to get hurt o-or die" their young suspect blurts out, nerves getting the better of him.
"Who told you to put the bomb in the squad car?" Baez probes after sharing a knowing look with Danny.
"A guy" Jacob tells them.
"A guy? C'mon that's weak. Give us more than that" Danny urges as he places his hands on his hips to make himself look more authoritative "Describe him. What does he look like? Age, height, weight, skin colour, hair, tattoos, that kind of thing"
"Uh okay, a white guy. I'd guess late twenties to early thirties, maybe, at a push. Brown hair, brown eyes. I couldn't see any tattoos or anything like that. I don't know much more than that I swear. It's not as if we swapped details or anything like that. I mean I only met him the once, when he gave me the package and told me which squad car to put it in" Jacob divulges, eyes darting between the two detectives.
Both look intimidating. The young man doesn't know which one to look at. The man. The woman. Neither. The floor. Yes, the sidewalk seems like the best option.
"He told you which squad car to put the bomb in?" Baez probes, sharing a worried glance with her partner.
Jacob glances up at the female detective "Yeah, twenty one twenty four, he was very specific about that"
/
Danny throws his phone on to his desk. A frustrated groan soon follows. Baez approaches him with more caution than normal. It's clear he's annoyed. Those shoulders are tensed up and hunched in aggravation.
"You okay, Danny?" she asks in a kind voice as she sits down at her desk.
Danny sighs harshly "No, my kid brother is being stubborn"
"Seriously?" Baez feigns shock "A Reagan being stubborn? Who would've thought it?"
She receives a glare from her partner "Ha. Ha. Very funny Baez"
"So, why is he being so stubborn?" she questions, sensing a Reagan rant is imminent.
"Lila tried to blow him up then at her trial she threatened to finish the job" Danny loosens his tie as his face reddens "Jamie just doesn't listen to me. He's done this before. Remember that abusive son of a bitch? Price?"
"Yeah, he beat his girlfriend to death for talking to Jamie, right?" Baez responds.
"Yeah, then I warned Jamie not to go out on patrol, but did he listen to me? No, of course he didn't, because why would he listen to his more experienced older brother? No, that'd be too easy. Then his patrol car got Molotov cocktailed and he ended up with burns all over his arm" the elder Reagan pauses to take in a sharp inhale "It's happening all over again. I told him not to go out on patrol tonight, because of what happened with the patrol car, but he refused. It's like every time I tell him not to do something, for his own safety, he does the exact opposite!"
Baez folds her arms and leans on her desk "That's kid brothers for you"
"Yeah no kidding" Danny mumbles, placing his head in his hands.
"Y'know, maybe you should call him back and encourage him to go out on patrol tonight" she adds with a small smirk "Well, I mean, if he does the opposite of everything you say then it's worth a try"
Danny shakes his head. A hint of amusement hidden underneath the glare he shoots his partner. Part of him thinks she might be right. Truth is, Danny will try anything to keep his kid brother out of harm's way.
/
A patrol car pulls up outside a building - a storage facility to be exact.
Sergeant Reagan climbs out the driver's side of the patrol car and stares up at the building. Someone reported there were trespassers inside the building.
As far as he can see from the exterior, it all seems fairly quiet. That's not to say there aren't people hiding inside. Possibly squatters. Maybe even troublemakers. Either way, the experienced cop defers to his better judgement and requests extra units.
The radio response is quick, despite the lack of emergency. Jamie rolls his eyes fondly. Great. Just great. This has been happening all day! Every time he requests extra units, he gets a rapid response. Someone (he's willing to bet that someone shares his last name) has put a word in at the precinct.
All the cops out of the 29th know about Lila Moore. More importantly, they know of the potential threat to Jamie's life. In a show of true loyalty, the entire precinct has decided to take it upon themselves to back their sergeant up on the streets. At least more so than they usually would.
The sergeant walks over to the building. Back up should only be a minute or so behind him.
A minute or so too late...