The Bet: Chapter Nine
ARCHIVE: Anyone who would like. Drop me a line so I can visit.
SYNOPSIS: Logan and Barek make a wager.
COMMENTS: Inquiring minds want to know are they or aren't they.
BETA'd by Linda aka brynnamorgan
Barek looks out the window at the late afternoon light of the New York skyline. She wraps up a recap of this morning's events that have her talking to the one person she believes will have the answer to her partner Mike Logan's obsessive question.
"And since the captain is occupied right now, we thought we would finish this wager, before we hit the unemployment line in the morning."
"Wow." The younger detective leans back into the wall and crosses her arms. "I think your jobs are secure. But Deakins is sure to roll up a paper and smack you on the nose." She seems to still be measuring up Barek's reasons for seeking her out. "I would have loved to have seen some of that interrogation action."
"Like the Kiss?"
"Naw, but the Mikey Slam would have been amazing." Both of them can't help but smile.
"Tenderizing for some Alex ass kicking?" They both nod in agreement with that description.
"So, why me? What convinced you I was the one with the answers?"
"Something Goren said and the fact that you came in at an odd break and saw a temporary partnership through with minor friction. I felt you would know, Bishop."
"It took a bit to find a functioning rhythm to working with Goren." Bishop pushes herself away from the wall, with head down; she begins a slow short pacing arc in the hallway as she speaks. "I felt like a three year old trying to solve a Rubik's Cube in ten minutes. From our first assignment I could see he was wound up and frustrated." She looks up at Carolyn and adds, "As soon as I realized the answer was Eames' absence, I stepped back and thought out the ties these two have. Then I knew all I needed was to assure Bobby everything would work out, I would follow him as best I could, and remind him that ours was a very temporary partnership. He was still disheartened, but we were good. I felt bad for Goren as he is… he is different." She slightly shakes her head, "Without Alex to complete the dynamic they have, he was one maze turn shy of being totally lost."
"I think I know why Deakins assigned you to Goren. You seem like you can hold your own, while being a bit flexible. You've got spunk and you stand your ground well."
Bishop shrugs her shoulders "I always thought it was because I had the least seniority and was a sacrificial goat of sorts."
"So, Lynn, where do you stand? Are they…?"
"Publicly, they are the best of NYPD's detective teams. I would never state anything else. Privately, it's no bodies business; if they are together I'm good with it." Lynn pauses to look about the deserted hallway they are in, then says, "But if they aren't involved I should turn in my detective badge."
"Why so loyal?"
Lynn reaches in her pocket to pull out an object and shows it to Barek.
Carolyn doesn't understand the significance of this "Matchbook?"
"Yeah, just a plain old everyday matchbook. One of my most valued possessions. It was a gift from Bobby, and, well from Alex, too. But that's another story"
Before she can ask about the matchbook story Barek's phone chimes. After reading the text message she flips the phone closed. "Captain's office in fifteen minutes."
Bishop calls out, "See you around detective."
"I hope so," Barek replies. She sees Logan leaning on his desk as she crosses the bullpen to join him.
Mike looks at his wrist "Five minutes and counting, is it me or does the room seem tense?"
She sighs and crosses her arms "It's you."
Deakins appears in his doorway "Logan, Barek, in my office now!" The captain turns back into his room. Logan taps his watch. Barek responses "Your watch isn't slow, It's not like the movies" they both walk toward their meeting "Bombs, especially big bombs, always go off ahead of time." Logan muses on what a great partner he has.
"Sit" That wasn't a recommendation, that was an order. As the two detectives sink into chairs, never taking their eyes off of the captain, they observe him closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.
"I pride myself on knowing people." Deakins moves from the back of his desk to the front were he leans back with arms crossed.
"I thought I knew you Mike, I thought you wanted to be and could be a team player. You would be a fine addition to this squad, even upping our status quo. Instead," Uh-oh the volume is upping and veins are popping out "You decide to do your own internal investigation of my top two C.I. detectives. Why? Boredom?"
Mike shakes his head no.
"What then, something earthier like blackmail?"
Logan still shaking his head is trying to formulate a response of any kind but just can't seem to put it together fast enough.
"What you failed to take into account is rumors and other nasty fall out caused by you poking around might cost them a demotion or badge revocation?"
"I- I don't, didn't want to cause any trouble. I tried to stay under the radar. I just want to know the dynamics around here."
Deakins shakes his head at him. "I will not, and cannot lose my top two people. Mike. Dammit! Curiosity killed the cat."
Barek replies, "But satisfaction brought him back."
Deakins shakes a warning finger at her.
"Sir, no disrespect, but Mike doesn't get any satisfaction on this one, as he found answers that totally negate his suspicions"
"How so, Barek?"
"Well, they are your best sir. That act of theirs is bullet proof. I-we both can state nothing is going on other than you have two ace detectives."
Mike finds his voice. "Carolyn what are you talking about?"
"Mike, remember what you asked me to do? It was to profile their team work. Captain when you came in to the observation room, I was there to see if I could find any glitches in their act. I knew they would be on, acting for Mike and even with me knowing that, it was tough and it was subtle, but I would stake my reputation on it being just an act." Barek shoots a look at Logan. "And so would Mike, Captain." Please, Logan let this get swept under the rug, right here, right now.
The little bell in Mike's head rings and he says, "Oh. Definitely just a normal, above par partnership. Nothing hinky at all, Captain."
"Are you sure?" The Captain was thinking about what he had witnessed. "I was pretty convinced something was going on."
Bishop was looking at the closed blinds on Deakins office when Eames returned to the squad room and said, "Logan and Barek?"
"Yup." Bishop turned her gaze to Alex. "So, Goren tried to show Logan the ropes and all Logan got was rope burns?"
"That's pretty much it," Alex replies, nodding with raised eyebrows.
"Well, if Barek can keep him grounded he'll fit right in." They both grin.
Logan and Barek emerge from the captain's office. Mike heads for coffee and Barek takes refuge at her desk.
"Guess who's next?" fades in the air, while Eames leaves Bishop to collect Goren from across the bullpen.
"Eames, Get your partner and get in here!" Deakins glares around the room, and all eyes and hands suddenly find busy work to do. The squad knows that their captain is a man with great patience that rules with a calm hand. But, on those rare occasions, when an extreme situation really gets him riled, it's best to look very busy and stay very low.
Bishop heads over to Barek's desk. "How did it go? Still employed?"
"Yeah" Barek shakes her head. "I hope I convinced the Captain that my partner and I were on the same page and discovered that there wasn't any evidence to suggest they were breaking any rules." Looking around the room, she continues with, "Is it just me, Bishop, or does it seem tense in here?"
Bishop agrees. "When the top dogs look like they are in for a smack down, the rest of the crew are reminded it could happen to them as well. So you and your partner's official stance is what?"
"Straight from your play book, Bishop. Publicly, they are the best of NYPD's detective teams. And that's all. But the captain seemed okay with the kiss and all he heard. He said he wasn't sure he could dismiss this without some explanations and some convincing from Goren and Eames."
The loud thump makes them both look to the captain's now shut door.
TBC...