"I want Chris," Cade said. "You gotta bring him to me."

"Cade, listen to me," Pride said, sitting down next to the man. "You aren't in any trouble."

"If I'm not in trouble why am I sitting in an interrogation room? Why didn't you take me into the conference room or you squad room. If I'm not a criminal, why are you treating me like one?"

"Because I need you separated from your brother for a while."

"I'm not gonna talk until he's here."

Pride looked at the window. "Sonja, come here."

A moment later the interrogation room door opened. "You want me to go get him, Pride?"

Pride nodded. "Just be prepared. He's gonna be quite angry that he wasn't told Cade was here."

"I got this," Sonja said and closed the door behind her.

"He's on his way, Cade," Pride said, moving to the other side of the table. "I wish you'd trust me."

"If I'm not in trouble that means he is."

"You let me handle him. He's my agent. He and I have some serious talking to do when this is over, but you don't need to worry."

"I told him I didn't think it was a good idea for him to be involved. He never listens to me.

"You have that problem, too?"

Cade cracked a smile. "The only one he usually listens to is mama and that's when she's threatening to give him a beating."

"I haven't had to use that tactic yet, but the thought has crossed my mind."

Sonja walked into the squad room. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," Chris replied. "Where is everyone?"

"Before I tell you I want you to remember, I'm just the messenger. This wasn't my call."

"What the hell are you talking about, Percy?"

"Pride had us bring Cade in through the courtyard so you wouldn't know he was here. Cade's asking for you and Pride sent me to get you."

Chris stood straight up. "And you went along with it?"

"I followed my orders."

"You're my partner! You're supposed to have my back!"

"And I do, LaSalle. Pride was very clear, though and I'm more afraid of him than I am of you." Sonja took a deep breath and let it out. "Can we go?"

Chris stowed his weapon in his desk drawer. "Yeah."

The pair walked out through the courtyard. Sonja stopped at the door to the observation room. "Hey, for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I know."

"We can talk about it when it's all over. We're good now, though. Right?"

"For now," Chris said, putting his hand on the door to the interrogation room. "For now."

As the door opened Cade rose from his chair. "It's about time, little brother."

The door shut. "Sorry, Cade," Chris said, eyeing Pride. "I didn't even know you were here yet."

Sonja stood on the other side of the two way mirror. "Is he really pissed with you?" Gregorio asked.

Sonja nodded. "I think he's angrier at Pride."

"Probably. I would be, too," Tammy replied. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine."

"No." Cade said. "I don't want to do anything to jeopardize your career, Chris."

"I've already jeopardized my own career, Cade," Chris said. "We need to continue this to keep you from going to prison."

"I'd rather go to prison than see you lose your job."

"You're always looking out for me, big brother. It's time for me to look out for you. I already told Pride everything and we're gonna see this through to the end. It'll all work out."

"We need your help, Cade," Pride said. "You should listen to Christopher. He knows what he's talking about."

"So, we just do what we did the other night. Drive?"

"Yeah," Chris replied. "Pride and the rest of my team will do the rest."

"It's dangerous," Pride said. "But we're not going to let anything happen to either of you."

"What about the rest of you? Isn't it dangerous for you?"

"Cade, Pride has been doing this since you were in diapers. He's still here, isn't he?"

Cade nodded. "Yeah, but what about your partner and that other agent?"

"Gregorio used to be with the FBI. She lives for danger. And Percy can take care of herself."

"You shouldn't have to protect your big brother," Cade said. "It should be the other way around."

"We'll have each other's back," Chris said. "Alright?"

Cade nodded and looked at Pride. "Don't you let anything happen to my little brother, Agent Pride."

"You have my word," Pride said. "Nothing is going to happen to either of you." Pride turned toward the window. "Percy, Gregorio."

The two female agents threw each other a worried look and walked out of the observation room into the interrogation room. "Are you done?" Percy asked.

"With Cade," Pride said. "Take him to the squad room and I'll be there in a few minutes."

Cade rose and followed Percy out the door. Chris sat down across from his boss at the table. "Why didn't you tell me Cade was here?"

"Because it was easier that way," Pride replied. "You and I need to talk."

"Obviously. I'm the only one left in here besides you."

"Drop the attitude, Christopher," Pride said, staring into the younger agent's eyes. "This is serious."

"I'm being as serious as I can be, King."

"Are you going to let me speak without being sarcastic and disrespectful?" Chris nodded. "I didn't hear you."

"Yes, sir."

"That's better. I need your head on straight to keep this from going south."

"I still don't think Cade needs to be there. I can just say he got sick or something."

"That would raise too much suspicion. I need you to focus, Christopher. I am having Percy get Cade set with a com."

"That's too risky."

"And how else do you want me to play this. I can't send either of you in blind. I need to know where you are and who you are with."

"We did it by ourselves the other night. Why not just take us down with the others?"

"That's exactly what I plan to do, but I need to know the right time to move in."

"Cade's never had a com before. He may talk when it's not necessary."

"You don't give your brother enough credit."

"I just don't want to be the reason he gets hurt, or worse."

"Your team will be there to back you up. Don't you trust that?"

Chris nodded. "More than anything in the world."

"When this is over, you and I are going to have a long talk."

"I don't need any more lectures, King."

"I wasn't planning on giving you a lecture," Pride replied. "I'm well beyond the simple lecture."

"I'll be looking forward to it," Chris said, flashing a smile and rising from the table. "How about we go get this over with?"

"I agree."

**Early the next morning***

Chris shut the door of his truck and put his seatbelt on. "You okay, Cade?"

"Just fine, baby brother. You and I make a hell of a team, don't we."

"Yeah, well let's not make a habit of it."

"No. I've had enough crime fighting for a while."

"And the next time you find a 'job' that pays you better than the one you already have, you come to me first before you take it."

"I will, Chris. I promise." Chris put the truck in reverse and backed out of the lot. "So how much trouble are you in?"

"I don't know yet," Chris replied. "I know Pride's somewhere between spitting nails and kicking my ass into next week."

"At least he got my charges dropped."

Chris nodded. "Yeah, but at what cost?"

"I told him not to go too hard on you. You were just protecting me."

"He knows that, Cade. Believe me."

"You wanna go get a bite to eat or something?"

"No," Chris said. "All I want is a hot shower and a nice warm bed. I gotta be back at the office at 0800."

"No rest for the weary, huh?"

"No. It's my job, Cade."

"Yeah. I have the day off."

"So you get to stick around the house."

"Sure."

"Cade, promise me you'll stay at the house and not go anywhere."

"I'll go stir crazy and home, Chris."

"Yeah, but you'll be safe."

A few minutes later Chris pulled the truck into the driveway. Cade exited the vehicle. "I promise I'll stay out of trouble."

"Good, because I'm not sure I can take bailing you out again."

"And you'll call me when you and Pride have your talk?"

"Yeah."

***0800***

"I want you two to make yourself scarce," Pride said "But be reachable just in case."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Gregorio said. "What do you say we go get some coffee, Percy? My treat."

"Not going to argue with that," Percy said. "Pride."

"Yeah."

"Don't kill him before the rest of us get a crack at him, huh?"

"I'll try to leave something for you, Percy." Pride watched as the two agents left. He sat down at his desk and pretended to work on his computer. He looked up when he heard footsteps. "You're late."

"I didn't hear my alarm. I got here as fast as I could. I sent you a text."

"I know," Pride said. "Let's go upstairs."

"I just saw Sonja and Gregorio leaving. We're alone."

"Christopher, aren't you in enough trouble as it is?"

Chris walked toward the stairs. "I don't know."

"Well, you are. Let's go."

Chris sat down at the table. Pride sat down across from him. "Did you tell the director what really happened?"

"No, not yet."

"Are you going to tell him?"

"I haven't decided that yet. How is Cade?"

"He was sleeping when I left," Chris replied. "He finally fell asleep around 3AM because he was worried about what you were going to do to me."

Pride stood up and started pacing the room. "I honestly don't know what to do, Chris. Things could have gone a lot differently and this could have turned out much worse."

"But it didn't. Everyone is okay. It was bad judgment."

"I'm not going to disagree with you. You know what I saw yesterday, Chris? I saw a rookie vice cop making excuses for his actions again. I saw someone who blamed other people and put others lives in danger with no regard for the rules or consequences. I saw the Christopher I knew ten years ago rearing his head again."

"King."

"I'm not finished."

"I went to bat for you when you were down back then, Chris. I went to bat for you yesterday. I put both our careers at risk."

"There's one big difference between yesterday and ten years ago, King."

"What?"

"I didn't make excuses. I came to you and told you."

"After you lied and tried to handle it on your own. That's what got you in so much trouble with Vice. Not the case itself, but not sharing information vital to the case and letting your team back you up. If you had come to me when this started I could have helped. I could have kept Cade from facing charges."

"But he's not, thanks to you."

Pride stopped and put his hands on the table in front of Chris. He stared into the young agents eyes. "I think maybe you'd better go home for a couple days."

"You're suspending me, King?"

Pride nodded. "Let's just say you're on vacation until I can sort some things out."

"So you are going to tell the director?"

"I can't lie to him, Chris. I can leave out the part where you went under-cover without permission or back-up, but he's gonna want to know why Cade was involved."

"So let me tell him."

"That's not your job."

"Then just what is my job, King? I thought we were a team. A family."

"We are."

"And families are supposed to back each other up. Stand up for each other. You taught me that, King. You taught me how to be part of a family."

"You just got through telling me that you want me to take responsibility for my own actions. Now you want to take it for me?"

"If you tell him it will get you suspended."

"That's what you wanted to do with me anyway. Wasn't it?"

"The thought crossed my mind, but the director will be much harder on you than I would."

"So suspend me instead of sending me on vacation. That way, when he asks you can tell him you've already taken care of the matter. He trusts you, doesn't he?"

Pride nodded. "Yeah." Pride stood up. "Stay here. I'll go get the paperwork done."

**Thirty minutes later***

Percy's phone buzzed. She fished it out of her back pocket. "Pride. He needs us back at the office."

"We have a case?" Gregorio asked.

"Doesn't say. We don't want to keep him waiting though."

When Gregorio and Percy arrived in the squad room, Chris was packing his back-pack. "King!" He called. "The girls are back!"

Pride came in from the kitchen. "Good. Before Chris leave I need to have a talk with all of you."

"Did we do something wrong?" Percy asked.

"No," Pride replied, "But I need to make sure from now on, we're all on the same page."

Percy sat down on the edge of Chris' desk. Gregorio sat down at her own desk. "We're listening."

"Recent events have lead me to remind all of you that no matter what you may be facing, we're a team. Although I may not be happy with your actions at the time," Pride paused and glanced at Chris. "I don't appreciate you lying to me and having to clean up a mess later." Pride looked around the room. "That being said, the next one of you who decides to hide something from me or take matters into their own hands, no matter what the circumstances, will be suspended for a week and could possibly lose their badge all together. Am I clear?" The three agents nodded. "And furthermore, if I find out that any of you are covering for each other, you'll meet the same fate."

"What happens now?" Percy asked, looking first at LaSalle and then back at Pride.

Pride sat down at his desk. "Christopher has been suspended for a week. During that time, neither of you is to have any communication with him."

"C'mon, King!"

"Christopher, we already talked about this."

"Yeah, but I thought it was just about work stuff."

"If you talk to either of them, it's going to lead to work stuff. Just so we don't have to go through this again I'm saying no communication for the week." Pride explained. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir." Chris stood up and grabbed his backpack. He put his weapon and badge on Pride's desk. "Does that mean I can't call you, either?"

"Only if you need me, Christopher. I'll probably check on you later in the week. Be careful."

"Yeah. I will, King." Chris walked toward the door. "See you all in a week."

After Chris was out of ear-shot, Percy stood up. "Is it me or is he a little too calm about being suspended?"

"Yeah, I agree," Gregorio said. "What's up, Pride?"

"Nothing's up."

"I don't buy it," Percy said. "LaSalle's been your go to agent for five year now and you suspend him?"

"I didn't have a choice. The director will be expecting me to do something."

"Yeah, but a whole week?" Gregorio asked. "That's a lot, even for you."

"I tried to just send him on vacation and let me handle the director, but he insisted that he take the fall."

"So your boy is taking responsibility for his actions," Percy said. "Isn't that a good thing?"

Pride nodded. "I guess it is." He rose from his desk. "I've got to go call the director. You two watch the phones and come get me if we get a case."

Pride walked upstairs to the conference room. Percy sat down at her desk. "What do you think, Gregorio?"

"About what?"

"LaSalle being suspended. I've been here three years and never once has he suspended him. He's made a lot of noise and threatened to send him home, but it never happened."

"Maybe it happened just like Pride said. He didn't want to and LaSalle insisted."

"A suspension goes on his permanent record. It never comes off. Why would he want that?"

"Maybe LaSalle figured if he fell on his sword, Pride wouldn't have to. Those two do have a unique relationship. Kind of a father-son thing."

"That's my point. Something else is up and we're going to figure out what it is."

"What's with this 'we' stuff? You heard Pride. He was serious when he told us to leave LaSalle alone."

"Who said anything about LaSalle?"

TBC in the next story- Perfect Storm