Sorry this took longer than I anticipated :( Kind of wrote myself into a hole regarding the case side of the story. But I've fixed it now I'm pretty sure and am excited see it unravel slowly. Also I hope there aren't to many grammatical or spelling errors as I'm super tired but just really want to put it up tonight! So I hope people are still following the story and enjoying :) Don't forget to leave me any of your thoughts in a review!

Chapter 9

... Peperoni Pizza ...

The next morning Doug was woken up from a heavy sleep by his alarm. He rolled over in his bed bargaining with the universe to make it not 7:30am but maybe 7:23am so he would be able to have a few more minutes of blackness. After he realised his attempts were ridiculous and that if he didn't get up soon he would most likely be late, he rolled off his bed ungracefully. He stumbled out into his lounge room to see Tom still sleeping peacefully on his couch. Peacefully wasn't really the best way to put it, Tom's state was better likened to someone who had been knocked out cold in a bar fight. He was scarily still and his slight frame looked as if it was placing great strain on the couches padding.

Doug smiled and decided he would let him sleep in a little considering how wrecked he looked yesterday. He left the lounge room and went about his morning routine. He started by waking Clavo and getting him into the shower, he was reluctant as always but became immediately more animated when he saw Tommy was over. After Clavo was done Doug showered also. Not wanting to use all the hot water, he cut short the only time in his day he got to his enjoy own company and embrace the marvellous silence that was only occasionally interrupted by his private thoughts. He dressed and walked out to the kitchen to prepare some cereal only to be surprised by the delightful smell of bacon and eggs.

"You told me Tommy couldn't cook," remarked Clavo innocently, as he eagerly cut up his breakfast.

"Well jury is still out, little man. He could poison us yet," Doug said playfully, hoping to get a bite out of Hanson seeing as he was in such a good mood.

"I'd watch it if I were you, I'm good at burning things when I get distracted," he said amused, unable to feign a hostile glare. Hanson knew the best way to avoid any talk of yesterday was to be in a good mood. Penhall would likely then leave any serious talk that had the potential to darken Hanson's mood for a later date. And beside he felt terrible about the way he had treated his friend over the last week and wanted to make it up to him. This morning Tom felt genuinely cheerful anyway so he didn't even have to pretend.

"And besides I'm loads better than you! You're culinary expertise starts and ends with ordering pizza over the phone," he teased pointing at the fridge which Doug knew was full of left over Chinese takeaway.

"Clavo loves Chinese and pizza, don't ya," Doug said patting him on the back jovially. "And you never complain when I bring leftovers to work!" he said becoming defensive.

"I'm just teasing, don't sweat it Penhall," he said playfully as he whipped into his hands the tea towel that was sitting on his shoulder and dried the imaginary beads of sweat of his friends forehead.

"Alright then next time me and Clavo have pepperoni pizza you can forget about me bringing you some!".

"Pep…Pepperoni?" Tom faltered looking distraught.

"That's harsh papa!" Clavo interrupted looking more distraught than Tom. Both the men laughed childishly.

As Penhall embraced Clavo in one of his bear hugs lifting him from the hair onto the floor, Tom quickly took the eggs of the heat as he realised in a panic he had in fact burned them. He tried to cover it up but Clavo and Doug were already laughing at him as he burnt his fingers trying to save the bacon from a similar fate.

"Oh shut up!" he returned lamely, in a more pleasant tone than he was aiming for. A smile evident in his voice.

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They were on the final stretch of their journey to school after dropping Clavo at day care and stopping by Jump Street. Both of them were avoiding the elephant in the room and as usual they ended up discussing their case.

"I bet you $100 the guy we are after, is the one who picks up the cocaine were we hid it in the tire," Tom said confidently.

"What makes you say that?" Doug said not convinced but also not so sure Hanson was wrong that he wanted to risk $100.

"I just think it's curious that such extreme procedures have been put in place to keep this guy's identity a secret, it is like he wants as few people to know who he is as possible,"

"Or she Hanson, let's not be sexist! Women can be scumbags too, if they so desire," Tom chuckled as he rolled his eyes and continued explaining his thought process.

"The guy I met with the other day doesn't even know who he is working for. He just supplies these dumb kids with his product. Who they pick because they are young, scared and will obediently do as there told and dump the crack, no questions asked,"

"Meaning he doesn't have to meet with anybody who would likely rollover on him in a second if they needed to save their own skin," Doug followed on. Both the men were now smiling at their brilliant deductive skills.

"Exactly, and it's just there ready for him to pick up,"

"Easy as ordering take away pizza," Doug said to himself shaking his head in awe and disgust simultaneously.

"Then he is free to distribute it as he pleases. Probably using a similar 'production line' type set up. I bet he has hundreds of kids at hundreds of schools running coke for him,"

"But what I don't get if he is such a big time dealer, why doesn't he just buy in bulk, you know cut out all his middle men? Go straight to the source?" Tom himself had been contemplating the same thing. "It seems like a lot more effort this way,"

"I suppose he does it because this way if he is linked to one of his little operations he will only do time for that one crime. So we can't prove that he is connected to hundreds of other

"It's a perfect set up," Doug stated replying to Tom's silence.

"It's disgusting Doug, while he sits on his ass getting rich he ruins how many kid's lives? Would that even occur to him? I don't get how he could live with himself knowing that?" Tom said becoming upset suddenly.

"People like that Tom, they know exactly what they're doing but they don't care. They make calculated business decisions and to them their own wealth far outweighs anyone else's wellbeing,"

"I know," he says slightly defeated.

"Remember though these kids aren't completely innocent. They willingly participate in an illegal activity," Penhall said as if he was reciting something he had told himself over and over trying to convince himself it was true.

"I just don't think that a foolish decision at such a young age should ruin the rest of their lives,"

"Sometimes getting caught and facing their punishment is the best thing for them," with that comment Tom shot Doug a look that showed how untrue he thought that to be. Doug had a hard time disagreeing also. But he was once again amazed at his partners amazing ability to empathise so deeply with their suspects. An relaxed silence descended upon the partners as they both became lost in their own thoughts. The silence was broken when they pulled into the school parking lot.

"Stop thinking Doug, you're going to blow our cover!" Doug turned to Tom utterly confused.

"You look far too understanding and wise," Tom continued prompting a laugh from his partner.

"What about you, looks like you were about to discover the way to solve world hunger,"

"That's ok though I'm allowed to look mysterious and distracted, I carry a gun remember. People are scared of me no matter how I look."

Penhall rolled his eyes as Hanson pushed him playfully out of the car. The pair walked into the school their reluctance evident not only in their expressions but in the speed of their walk. They knew they had a long day of boring classes ahead before they would get to do any real police work. They looked at each other, both silently hoping that by the end of today they will have made some real ground on their case.