Note: BIS - Bureau of Investigative Services (Consists of the Homicide Unit, Drug Control Unit, Family Justice Center and Forensic Science Division)

JST - Job Standard Test (Physical test one takes to get into the NYPD academy).

Chapter 25 – Between badges and guns

A few days later Flack picked up the phone and called his girlfriend.

'Yes?' she asked on the other side of the phone.

'It's me,' his voice was tired.

'Talk to me, Donny. What's bothering you?'

'Remember what happened to Ruben Sandoval, Danny's neighbor?'

'Yes. I talked to Danny, see if he needed anything but he said he was okay. Guess he was tired of people saying that.'

'Well, today Ruben's mom stole Messer's gun and wanted to shoot the guy responsible for the kid's death.'

'Oh, and what happened?' Lily was concerned, Danny was probably in trouble.

'So I went on a wild search for Messer, then on a wild search for that guy Ollie Barnes and we finally found Mrs. Sandoval,' he sighed. 'No casualties, thank God. Ruben's mom was walked through the system, she'll be out soon and Danny's feeling guilty but nothing will happen to him.'

'Good to know. You're a great friend, you know that?'

'What does that have to do with anything?'

'You went on two wild searches for your friend and made things easy for Mrs. Sandoval all on your afternoon off; if that's not being a good friend I don't know what is …'

'Wish Danny would see it like that, he thinks I'm meddling.'

'I think he knows, he was just upset at the time.'

'Yeah, thanks. You always know how to make me feel better,' he was a bit relieved.

'Anyway I can help, honey.'

'Keep talking to me, will ya?'

'What about?'

'Anything, something,' he pleaded.

'Well, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately,' she started shyly.

'What about?' he chuckled after quoting her.

'Boston and being a cop.'

'Oh.'

'I've been replaying something Stella told me over and over again on my mind; how I needed to get back on the force, how I could still do the job,' her tone was soft and she chose her words carefully, knowing what his reaction would be.

'So what, you're going back to Boston?' his voice rose a few decibels.

'No, my life's here now. But I was thinking about joining the NYPD,' she braced herself for his outburst.

'You've gotta be kidding me! It's not enough to see me struggle with the job everyday, huh? Don't know if you were good but now? There's no way you'll get in. You're out of training, haven't been a cop for years …' Flack was nearly screaming.

'FYI, darling, I've been physically fit ever since the Dusby incident and I still remember procedures. Not to mention criminal laws are fresh on my mind,' she tried to keep her tone cool.

'Well, foot patrol in a small neighborhood's not the same as being on patrol in New York. More people, more perps, more danger,' he explained.

'Just so you know, after finishing the Vice assignment I was going to get into the BIS either as a C.S.I. or as a Homicide detective. But life had other plans for me,' she wasn't angry anymore, just sad.

'I'm sorry. What I'm trying to say is, you really think you're ready for this? 'Cause the job's tough,' he lowered his voice.

'It's not a whim, I … need to do this.'

'Why leave the comfort of your office, huh? Especially now that you're a founding partner, earning a lot of money, being your own boss. On the NYPD and on the streets you're no one. Gotta prove yourself constantly and make a name for yourself. You've already got that practising law,' he tried to reason with her.

'And being a lawyer's great but there's a void it can't fill. Like a piece of me that's missing unless I'm on the streets with a badge. You should know that feeling better than anybody.'

'I do, I do,' he sighed. 'This is really dangerous, Lily. You sure you want to risk your life every day?'

'I'm sure I want to be out there … fixing things before it's too late, helping you.'

'Sometimes it doesn't turn out that way. Promise me you'll give it a second thought,' he pleaded.

'I will. That doesn't mean I'll change my mind, though.'

'Fair enough,' Flack sighed, relieved. At least there was a chance she'd decide it wasn't what she wanted, right? He still had some time to talk her out of it and that would be enough for now.

He couldn't help thinking that she'd lost it completely. Leaving your safe job to become a cop was masochistic, to say the least. He loved his job and if it was up to him, he'd never retire but this was different. This was his calling; the only thing he was good at. But her? She was an incredible lawyer and to risk that was insane. He understood – up to some point – her frustration, yet Flack thought she was making a mistake.

The following morning Lily was at the coffee shop she always went to during her break. Lost in thought, she ran her index finger around the lid of her cup. Everything was quiet, everyone minding their own business until two guys in a suspicious attitude entered the small coffee shop. Both men looked nervous and this made Lily uneasy; something wasn't right. So she stood, threw the empty cup away and walked towards them.

The taller man took a gun out of his waistband and told everyone to stay still. The other one ordered the cashier to put the money in a bag and give it to him.

Lily took two more steps towards the robbers and got close to them.

'Hey lady, told ya not to move!' the man pointed the gun at her.

'What you gonna do? Shoot me?' she laughed sardonically. 'Have you ever pulled the trigger?'

'I'll shoot ya!' he was getting agitated as he told his partner to take the money and leave.

Lily took advantage of his distraction to take the gun out of his hand and point it at him.

'Come here. Try to pull something and I shoot your partner,' she told the accomplice who was still near the register.

The now disarmed robber tried to reach for the weapon as his partner walked towards them but she cocked the gun and pointed it at his heart.

'Lie down, face to the floor, hands on your head,' Lily ordered and they obeyed.

They waited like that until the first responders got into the coffee shop.

'Ma'am, leave the gun on the floor and kick it in our direction,' instructed one of the cops.

Lily did as she was told and let the two officers take charge of the situation.

'Are you a cop, Ma'am?'

She shook her head.

'We need you to come with us,' told her one of the cops who had arrived as backup and proceeded to cuff her.

'Why are you cuffing me? I wasn't the one trying to rob this place!'

'You were pointing a gun to two men when first responders got to the scene. Until we clear you, we have to treat you like a suspect, ma'am,' he guided her to the back of a police car.

'You've got no probable cause to detain me. I'll give you a statement and answer all your questions; the cuffs are unnecessary,' Lily tried to remain calm.

'It's just procedure.'

'I want to make a call,' she stated.

'When we get to the precinct.'

'No, now. You going to violate that right too?'

One of the cops gave her cell phone after dialing the number she wanted to call.

'Don, I've got a question about procedure in the NYPD,' she gave the cops a pointed look even though they couldn't see her. 'Say, if I was to stop a robbery in progress, would it be reason to get arrested?'

'Yeah, I'm on a patrol car on the way to the 10th Precinct … cuffed,' she gulped. 'You sure? Don't you have a case? … I'd appreciate it, thanks.'

Two minutes later they got to their destination and she was taken to an interrogation room.

'What happened, Lily?' Flack stormed into the room and sat in front of her.

'You aren't supposed to be here, they haven't interrogated me yet.'

'Professional courtesy. I have five minutes, so?' he was anxious.

'I was having coffee like I do any normal day and two guys come in, trying to rob the coffee shop. I disarmed the one who had the gun and subdued them until the police came. Now, I don't know why, but they're treating me like a suspect,' she was distressed.

'Witness statements are gonna match yours?'

'That's what I did, that's what happened.'

'Okay, let me see what I can do,' he stood up and squeezed her hand before leaving the room.

An hour later, after she'd signed a statement Lily was free to go. Flack was waiting for her outside of the interrogation room.

'Sorry for making you come, clearly there was a misunderstanding,' she apologized with her eyes fixed on the floor.

'It's okay. I'll take you home, c'mon,' he put his hand on the small of her back, intending to guide her out of the building when Sergeant Lucas called her name.

Lily walked towards him and sat down as he told her to.

'I apologize Ms. Stewart for any inconvenience.'

'No problem Sergeant.'

'It took some time to get your records. I didn't know you were the female cop who got hurt in Boston some years ago.'

She stiffened but didn't say a word.

'My friend was your sergeant, Sergeant Rodriguez and he told me about it. Said you transferred to the NYPD.'

'I only worked in Legal Aid while in New York, I was never on the streets,' she debated with herself and continued speaking. 'But I'd like to.'

'You'd like to work in the NYPD again?' he asked surprised.

'Yes, sir.'

'Aren't you a lawyer?'

'Yes, but it's getting frustrating and I want to wear a badge again.'

'So you want to go to the Academy?'

'I was hoping I didn't have to. I've got prior experience in Law Enforcement, I've got knowledge of criminal laws and I'm physically fit. Not to mention I still fulfill the age requirement.'

'You'd still have to pass a test, it's a very demanding job.'

'I know, sir but I want to do it.'

'You want a desk job, beat, patrol … ?'

'Patrol.'

'That what you did in Boston?'

'Yes, sir. Although sometimes I covered other officers beats.'

'Sergeant Rodriguez said you were good and we are currently understaffed … This is what we'll do: you'll take a JST and a written test. If you pass it you start on patrol with a training officer, like any other rookie, okay?'

'Thank you, sir. I appreciate it.'

'So come next week for the tests.'

Lily nodded and they shook hands before she went to where Flack was waiting.

'What was all that about?' he was curious.

'Nothing, the usual 'we're very sorry for any inconvenience' speech,' she dismissed it with a wave of her hand.

'It was rather long.'

'You know how it is, cops hate having to deal with lawyers. They're afraid of being sued and all …'

'Right,' he wasn't very convinced but believed her anyway.

'Aren't you going to lecture me?' she asked.

'Why? 'Cause you risked your life and everyone else's trying to disarm the perps? 'Cause you threatened to shoot them?' he was clearly upset.

She nodded.

'I'm not gonna waste my breath,' he shook his head. 'What you did was careless, stupid and dangerous and we both know it.'

'I wasn't thinking clearly, it was an impulse. Sorry.'

'Everything turned out okay, let's leave it at that.'

'Fair enough.'

The couple got into his car and spent the trip to Lily's place in silence.

'Thanks for coming and helping me, I appreciate it,' she smiled sincerely.

'It was the least I could do, you're my girlfriend,' Flack sat on the couch.

'Then I should thank you properly.'

Lily straddled him and they kissed hungrily, wanting to forget the last couple of hours from hell. The kiss deepened and quickly evolved. Some minutes later they were putting on their clothes again, much more relaxed.

'If that's how you're gonna thank me, I should help you more often,' said Flack as he pressed her against his chest.

'That would be an abuse on my part,' she smiled.

'How come?'

'Not only do you help me, I get to enjoy your reward too.'

'Not complaining,' he grinned.

'Of course not,' she snuggled closer to him and ran her hand up and down his chest a few times. 'You're so comfy!'

'I'll start hitting the gym more often,' he answered humorously.

'Don't, you're perfect this way. What I meant is that I like cuddling with you.'

'Yeah, you're comfy too.'

'I'll cut down the amount of chocolate I ingest.'

'That's not what I meant, you're not fat,' he chuckled. 'I like your … soft shapes.'

'Is that an euphemism for breasts?'

'And ass,' he cupped said body part of hers to make a point.

'Will you ever stop thinking about sex all the time?' she rolled her eyes.

'Not while we're together.'

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