The next morning, Luca drives into work and is able to park in his favorite spot. However, Isa is not there. He goes up to tree and finds a piece of her shirt tied to the branch. Now worried, Luca takes a small walk around HQ, hoping to find her. He goes to turn the bend when Luca sees Isa sleeping on a park bench.
She is using a newspaper and what was left of the tank as a blanket. The temperature dropped considerably last night, now that November is peeking through. He watches her for a moment. Isa breathes in and shudders out, feet starting to turn blue. Luca sighs before shaking her awake
"Hey Isa?" He calls, still half asleep, Isa rolls over and falls off the bench. Her fall making a hard thump "you ok?"
"Yes sir!" She says automatically, standing, her head shaking both ways, looking for someone. Then Isa sees Luca "What? Yeah, I am ok"
"No blanket?" She shrugs "is this where you normally sleep?"
"No" she whispers "the door was locked"
"Why didn't you just knock? Was your mom and dad home?" Isa doesn't answer "come on" Luca takes Isa to the locker room. Knowing Chris won't mind, he takes out one of her old SWAT shirts from her locker.
"Here Isa, you can't go around without a shirt in November. It's getting too cold" Luca holds up the shirt
"Woah, a real one" she says, feeling the lettering of LAPD SWAT "I do not have money, Dom. You know that I do not accept favors"
"How about you borrow it then?" Luca asks, Isa gives him the look that means she doesn't know that word either "meaning you use the shirt until I need it again"
"Borrow it?" She asks, he nods. Seeming satisfied with the answer, Isa smiles "really?"
"Really" Luca says helping get it on her. It is big, but Isa tucks it in her shorts. The new look making her appear as a mini cop
"Thank you, Dom" she says excitedly "I like it, really like it. I like it more than I like it, is there a word stronger than like?"
"There is love" he answers, she gives him the look again "it's hard to describe, it's the feeling that you get when life is just amazing. Or that you couldn't feel happier. Or when you are with such amazing people, you don't want to leave them" Isa nods
"I love this shirt" she tries it out, the word not falling out of her mouth very well, but the message was well received "thank you!"
"Of course" Luca says. Isa looks at him with a shy smile. Then, with a new instinct, Isa hugs him, her arms barely going around. He hesitates for a second, surprised, but is more than happy to hug her back.
"Alright!" Hondo says in Command an hour later "Becky Morse is willing to reveal the name of the person who is financially backing this crew. For one thing-"
"Immunity?" Tan guesses, Hondo nods "are we taking it?"
"No" Hicks says "Becky has a track record of lying to the police and paying the right lawyers keeps her safe"
"However, I believe we can take another crack at her" Hondo states
"With what?" Tan asks "what is better than walking free?"
"I think in this situation, it is more about what is worse" Hondo answers
Becky is back in interrogation, this time with an appointed lawyer, due to her bank accounts being frozen
"Becky" Hondo says, coming in with Deacon "hoped you slept well"
"Can't do anything in this dump" She replies, the lawyer places a hand on her, signaling to let him do the talking.
He is in a black suit with matching black shoes. He has slick black hair with brown eyes. His face is a lighter tone, and his mouth is all business
"I am District Attorney Andrew Middleton" he says "do you mind if I record our conversation personally"
"Of course not" Deacon replies, Middleton nods. Now that the device is on, Hondo starts
"To speed this up Becky, we gave it a lot of thought about your proposal, and that just won't work"
"I believe that our deal is more than fair. My client is going to work with you, in exchange for immunization" Middleton reasons
"Fair is telling the clients that they can die from taking the pill" Hondo argues "a former client, and others have been brought to the hospital for treatment of the pill. All of them are willing to testify that they were not told about the risks. Becky knowingly allowed sellers to take in clients, without warning them of the risks"
"Not to mention that the drug is highly addictive, and is not approved by the FDA" Deacon adds "making it illegal to sell"
"The LAPD has taken all of this into consideration" Hondo summarizes "and has decided that for staying silent and not helping, Becky is susceptible to full responsibility and prosecution"
"You're making shit up!" Becky yells
"Please, Ms. Morse, they are just bluffing" Middleton says
"Not according the legal law and contract" Deacon says, tossing a packet of paper on to the table"if a person dies linked to the pill, Becky will be charged for assisted murder"
"You can't be serious" Becky shouts, the lawyer looks at the statement and sighs "they can't do that!"
"They can" The man says tiredly "there is more evidence against you then I was made aware of you. Ms. Morse, this why you need to tell me everything"
"We have a new deal, if you tell us the name, and it proves to be actually worth our while" Hondo says "the LAPD will give a better side to your story, and help reduce the sentence"
"No!" She shouts "I am not taking it!"
"It is best that you do, Ms. Morse" Middleton says
"What do you know, you're just a rinky dink city lawyer" Becky shouts at him
"Becky" Deacon says "looking at the bank statements, you lived way beyond your means, you are bankrupt. So even your account wasn't frozen, there is no money. When you can not afford a lawyer, the city appoints one to you"
"Bullshit" Becky shouts
"Where are your so called friends?" Hondo asks "the ones that were going to take care of you?" She sighs
"Ms. Morse, I urge you to take the deal. The LAPD's statement can be very powerful in court" Middle says, Becky groans
"Fine, name is Jeremiah Gains" she replies, her face pissed, the two nod and leave the room
Back in Command, the team is able to find an address with ease, they are driving to the place when Luca recognizes the place
"45, Milson Drive? Isn't this in the Brentwood section?" Luca asks
"Yeah, but you knew that" Tan says, he nods
"That is where Mitchel lives" Deacon answers for Luca "and his friends"
"I doubt we are going to scoop up his folks" Hondo jokes as they load into Black Betty
"I know, but if it was, then maybe he would leave her alone" Luca says, starting to drive
"You've gotten very attached to her Luca" Street notes
"Well I care about her" he answers
"No, it's more than that" Street says "Buck was like that with me. Even if I was in the system, he always found time to bring me places. Brought me bowling, to the movies, places to eat, the store to get things for me, and a lot more. He was the reason I didn't run, that's you Luca, for Isa"
"We are here" Luca calls, ignoring Street, even if part of him agrees with the guy. The team enters the house and do not find Jeremiah
"Great, think she is lying again?" Chris asks
"If she is, then straight to jail" Hondo says, they hear the front door open again
"Why the hell is the lock off? I guess I'll need to fix that" Jeremiah says coming through the door.
Jeremiah is about 6"2' with an African American background. His hair is shaved and his face is free of hair. His eyes appear almost black from the darkness of the brown hue. Wearing a grey long sleeved shirt and blue jeans with black sneakers, Jeremiah carries groceries
"Mr. Gains, we got some questions for you" Hondo says. Jeremiah sees the team, drops the bags, and runs. The team starts the chase, he runs down the street which causes a commotion among the neighbors
"Stop!" Street yells, but of course he continues to run. Street is able to catch up and push the guy to the ground "Jeremiah Gains, you are under arrest"
"Hey look!" Yells Mitchel, Street looks up "it's the Freak's new friends!" The team catches up to Street and help get Jeremiah up. Once they load him into a patrol car, a crowd of schoolchildren and the council come over to see the commotion. They stand on the side walk
"The Freak's freak ass friends!" Mitchel yells
"That's the kid, isn't it?" Street asks, Luca nods. Now the group of kids start the chant
"Isaac the Idiot! His dad the ass! His mom the corpse! Where you find Issac, you find the freak show!" They chant repeatedly, voices merging into a roar from a choir "Isaac the Idiot! His dad the ass! His mom the corpse! Where you find Issac, you find the freak show!"
"Is it me or did they change one of those lines?" Deacon whispers, as they stand there for a moment
"I can't tell" Luca replies
"Let's go" Hondo says firmly, the team grudgingly leaves the scene. Even as Luca drives away, the chant can still be heard as the kid run to keep up with the vehicle
"Well, well, well Jeremiah" Hondo says, coming into interrogation with Street. Jeremiah looks at them "you have a very good sum under your belt. Stock must be going well"
"Not really" he replies "it is my business that is making the world for me. Tires, the best of the best"
"I see" Street says "so you're into selling goods?"
"Very, it's risky, but it is so rewarding" the man says proudly
"What else do you put your money behind?" Hondo asks, reaching the point "maybe some pills bottles?"
"Pills? Nah man, I am into cars, not pills"
"Come on, Jeremiah" Hondo says in a sarcastic tone "maybe it just slipped you mind. Some call it the Sleeping Beauty Pill, used to help people get some shut eye"
"Not ringing any bells?" Street asks, Jeremiah shakes his head. Street then pulls out the photo of the rose caps. From his pocket, he also brings out a baggie of the pills "how about now?" Jeremiah looks carefully at the symbol. Then it hits him
"Oh, OH!" He says look at them "this... this wasn't me. I swear"
"A little birdie told us otherwise" Hondo says. Jeremiah then asks
"It was Becky, wasn't it? Can't listen to her. She had it out for me ever since I caught her selling the pills to minors" now Street and Hondo look at each other
"Go on" Hondo says
"My kids, good kids who work hard, they are at UCLA. My daughter, Sandra, is studying law and Mathew is studying to be a doctor" Jeremiah explains "One day, Sandra came to me concerned, told me that there is a shady ass lady selling pills in the park. So I looked into it and I caught her red handed selling those things to children, CHILDREN! And look, I know nothing about medical things and laws, but minors shouldn't be buying pills. Sandra called the pills, the rose, but your name makes more sense"
"So you confronted her?" Street asks
"Yeah, Sandra and I talked to her and said if she ever sold them in this park again, the cops will get involved. All she said was that I made a huge mistake trying to soil her business" the two nod.
"Becky Morse" Hicks now says, Becky and Middleton back in interrogation "you gave cops faulty evidence, do you know what that means?"
"Why don't you tell us" Middleton answers
"Mr. Gains has shown us reasonable evidence that makes him no longer under suspicion. Now, Becky, you are going to jail until trial"
"No! You bitch ass cop! You good for nothing!" Becky shouts, about to stand, but Middleton sits her back down with his hand on her shoulder
"There must be some sort of trade we can't make here" he reasons "Ms. Morse I'm sure has something that could be found useful"
"Maybe she does, but now Becky compromised her credibility" Hicks says "LAPD will no longer have use for her Intel"
"Who do you think you are?" Becky asks snakily
"Ms. Morse" Middleton warns "I would choose your words carefully"
"What is he going to do? Think you are the chief or Sargent? You are probably just some rinky dink officers that pull kids over for playing music too loud!" She shouts
"I'm Commander Hicks, I am in charge of SWAT and LAPD as a whole" he answers calmly "sleep well Ms. Morse, you'll be spending a long time in LAPD custody" Becky sits down fuming, her eyes glare at Hicks as he leaves the room
In Command, Hicks goes to the team
"Alright, go home. All of you, there is nothing we can do tonight" He dismisses
"Are you sure?" Luca asks "there is no way of finding anything out from her?"
"Nothing that we won't have to take with a large grain of salt" Hicks answers "until we find something new, this case is stalled. So take the night, and get good sleep" the team nods "maybe tomorrow will be the day, the day that they make a mistake!" He calls
Grabbing all their gear, the team exits HQ to see Isa watching them. They come closer and look up. Isa looks down at them as she did yesterday, a smile behind her lips. Chris then notices Isa's new shirt. It is a bit dirtier than this morning, but still appears new
"Is that my shirt?" Chris asks, laughing while smiling
"Maybe" Luca says "she is borrowing it, right Isa?" She nods shyly
"Well it looks good on you" Street says "you look like one of us"
"Much more fashionable" Tan jokes
"I agree" Isa says, she climbs down from the tree, but not before grabbing a brown paper bag that laid on the branch, resting on the trunk. Once on the ground, she takes out an orange from her bag
"Here, I have six. They are from Mr. Forum, the orange farmer from the other day. As a thank you for everything you have done for me" she says holding it up
"Thank you Isa, but you don't have to do that" Luca says
"I never leave an act of kindness left unthanked"
"It was our pleasure Isa" Street says "but you earned them, why don't you eat them"
"I have no use for them" she answers "they will go bad soon, and that is wasteful" Isa presents one to Luca, who takes it to be polite. One by one, Isa gives the team each an orange
"Thanks Isa" Hondo says "these look great" he ruffles her short hair, making Isa giggle, her first one
"Thank you, sir" she replies "fresh for Florida Mr. Forum says"
"I'll have to agree" Deacon says, chuckling, remembering the juice
"How was work?" Isa asks
"Just another day at SWAT" Tan says
"Do you face a lot of bad people?" Isa asks, they nod "are you ever scared?"
"No" Deacon answers "because in the end, we will always have each other's back"
"Like a family should?" Isa asks, they nod.
The sun then hits Isa's face. Her eyes, once brown, create a white tint in the sunlight, getting progressively more white as the days marched on. Before the team notices, Isa shields her eyes, turning the white back to brown, she looks at the sun "time to leave"
"See you tomorrow?" Street asks
"Today is my focus. Tomorrow is a new day" Isa replies "thanks again"
"Goodbye" the team says, she turns to leave. She has just left the gate when they hear it
"Look everyone, it's Isaac the Idiot!" Mitchel shouts "and his freak ass friends"
"Isaac the Idiot! His dad the ass! His mom the corpse! Where you find Issac, you find the freak show!" The group yells laughing.
"You're right, that isn't the same one from earlier" Luca whispers "the part about her mom" The team looks at each other, all silently agreeing to let her try to handle it
"Hey Isaac!" Graham yells "ever tell them about the time you stole?!" Isa doesn't answer, continuing to walk away, marching up a hill
"How about the time you beat us up?!" Another boy asks
"Or the time when your pops ate your cat?!" Another yells
"I got it! How about when your mama killed herself in front of you?!" Unlike the other comments that didn't phase her, Isa stops and her face pales. The bullies feed into her reaction, beginning to surround her
"Word passes fast on the streets!" The boy say, all of them surrounding her
"Slit her wrists, blood ran like a river, I heard" Mitchel teases
"Saw the life drain out of her didn't you, Isaac!" Another one says, his hair is a light brown with green eyes. He is the youngest in the group, but that doesn't make him any less guilty
"Shut up, Jackson!" She yells, looking at them, her hands balling into fists
"Want to know why she did it?" Graham asks "because you're a good for nothing freak that deserves to die! You're mama was stupid to kill herself, if it was me, I'd of killed you instead!"
"You do not know anything about me!" Isa shouts, the first time getting upset "you did not know my mother!"
"I know that she mustn't have been a good one to think that raising you was a good idea!" Graham fires back
"My mama tells me that you're going to go out the same way as your mama!" Another boy teases
"Hey guys, what do you think her pops did to her after?" Mitchel asks "what did he do, Freak?!"
"Surprised you're still walking with the rumors on the streets!" Thomas shouts "surprised you even have a heart beat after he was done with you"
"Shut up!" She yells louder, the boys laugh louder, becoming less civilized and more wild
"I heard he served you up on the back!" Mitchel says, kicking her in the back which makes her stagger. Isa winces, the pain still fresh "bingo!" The boys laugh
"Isaac the Idiot! His dad the ass! His mom the corpse! Where you find Issac, you find the freak show!" They repeatedly chant as if they were a cult. Isa, thinking that it was ok to, punches a boy in the face. His hair is a blonde shade, with green eyes. He is a big boy, only joining the group in hopes of finding something fun to do
"What the hell! You ass!" He shouts, pretending to be hurt, even if Isa doesn't have enough muscle to do anything serious
"You are nothing but spoiled brats!" She shouts "do not pretend to be weak, George! All of you, leave me alone!"
"Look at this, the Freak can speak more than his caveman folks" Thomas jokes, the group gets more wild "you shouldn't have hurt us!"
"Messing with one of us is a death sentence" Jackson shouts
"Jackson is right. As head of the Council, I hereby sentence the Freak to death!" Michael yells, he tries to hit her, but Isa blocks it. Despite that, there are just too many of them
"Your pops kick you?!" George says, kicking her in the knees. Isa cries out as she plummets to the ground "bow down to us!"
"Did he slap you?!" Thomas yells, starting to kicks her, the new and powerful boots making Isa close her eyes "treat you like an animal!"
"The only thing he didn't do was kill you!" Jackson yells, causing a riot among them
"The runt is always meant to die!" Mitchel shouts, the boys jump on her, while Isa just covers her head. Watching for a mere second, the team realizes that the boys are going for the literal death sentence. As if they all read each other's minds, the team races over
"Stop this. Right now!" Hondo says firmly, pulling one off of her and placing him on the ground. The team follows his lead. Soon each boy is being held back by a team member. Mitchel being held back by both Chris and Tan
"Why are you helping the Freak?" Mitchel asks, trying to fight Chris and Tan, both easily overpowering the boy
"Go on home" Street states, not answering the question
"What are you going to do?" Graham asks roughly. He tries to run, but Deacon takes his shirt and pulls him back
"Don't think we won't find your names. I will personally tell your parents. Do they know what you spend your afternoons doing?" Deacon asks, voice stern and harsh, the boys go red. They turn to Mitchel "I wasn't asking him, I am asking each of you. Do your parents know what you are doing!" The boys, except Mitchel, shake their heads no
"That's what we thought" Hondo adds "go home and stop causing trouble, and we just might spare you from your parents"
"Mitch" Graham says harshly, fear in his eyes "we should go, I can't get into trouble again, my pops got real angry about my report card" Mitchel remains stubborn
"Mitch, my parents think we are fishing by the pond or playing video games" George says "they hear about this, I'll be grounded till the day I die"
"What about me? My pops is a lawyer! When he comes home to a cop banging on our door, I'm a goner" Thomas adds
"Should've thought about that before you came here" Luca says "go home and don't play on this street anymore. If we hear about your little group causing any trouble, straight to your parents. You hear?" The boy all nod, except Mitchel
"What are you going to do? My parents can sue your asses" he shouts, trying to scare the cops like he does to every other kid on the street
"Want to get in trouble with the law? Go to juvie where bigger boys will push you around?" Hondo asks
"For what?" Mitchel asks cockily "for beating up the Freak?"
"Think for a moment boys" Hondo says sternly "beating up a minor in the eyes of six SWAT officers, could be booked for harassment. And I doubt all of you have clean records" that makes the boys squirm, confirming Hondo's suspicions
"Mitch, I'm one step away from that" Graham says "if this goes on my record, I'm done! Done! Do you hear me?!"
"Mitchel!" The boys all shout "let's go!"
"No-" he starts to argue
"Go or be left behind" Jackson says in a final tone. The words snapping Mitchel out of his savage counterpart
"You wouldn't!" Mitchel shouts at them "I'm your leader"
"The leader that is going to bring you and all your friends to massive trouble" Tan adds.
Mitchel looks at the team, all them staring at him with pissed off faces. The intimidation makes him now look at his group. All the boys look at Mitchel, no longer seeing him as a leader. It is their eyes, telling him to agree or be disowned, that breaks his last resolve
"Fine" he whispers
"Go home, all of you, NOW!" Hondo says firmly, the boys nod and all say in various voices of agreement
"Yes... yes sir" then they sprint, running towards Brentwood. The team watches them go, still disgusted
"Aren't so brave when they are out numbered" Street says
"You can say that again" Tan adds
"Isa?" Luca calls out, the girl is stilling laying on the pavement, scared to move
"Hey, it's alright now, they're gone" Deacon says in his father-like tone. He crouches down and places a gentle hand on her. As a reaction, Isa freezes, shielding her face from the world
"It's ok now, Isa, you're safe with us" Chris says, Isa now looks at the group.
"They aren't going to bother you ever again, ok?" Street says "we will make sure of that" Isa sits up now, realizing that they are telling the truth. She slowly stands up and turns to look where the boys ran. Isa looks at the ground, embarrassed about the whole thing
"I am sorry" she says "I did not mean for you to get involved"
"Don't be sorry alright?" Luca says, lifting her chin up, Isa faces quivers, her eyes looks just below his eyes. Eyes scared, but show no sign of tears
"Look, Isa, do you have a place you need to go to?" Hondo asks, trying to distract Isa from her thoughts "we can bring you" she looks at Hondo
"I do, but He will not like me playing with cops" Isa answers
"Who is he?" Luca asks
"I have to go, I am already late" she says "He will know by now. He always does"
"Isa" Luca says "please, stay here" instead of answering, Isa breaks away from the group's circle. She runs as fast as her legs can carry her. The team watches her disappear into the woods. Silence falls upon them until Street answers Luca's question
"It is her father"