Chapter six

The black-haired woman was in a hurry to get to work and ignored Platt's greeting as she briskly placed her hand on the illuminated handprint. Soifon swiftly ascended the stairs and promptly approached her desk, paying no mind to her colleagues who appeared to be looking at her.

Placing her bag and coat over the chair, she was occupied with organizing her desk to the extent that Erin's inquiry went unnoticed. Suddenly, she felt a hand resting on her shoulder, causing her entire back to tense. She turned her head and saw that Erin had approached her and placed a hand on her, but swiftly retracted it upon seeing the expression on her face.

"Easy Soifon, it is only me." Erin spoke softly. Soifon allowed herself to regain composure. After a brief period of silence, Soifon looked towards her colleagues and noticed their shocked reactions upon seeing the bruise on her face. She bit her lip upon hearing Erin's inquiry about what had occurred. Additionally, Voight approached them, his dark eyes exhibiting suspicion towards her.

Flinching when Voight extended his hand towards her face, Soifon was startled. Inquiring about the reason for her reaction, he swiftly withdrew his hand when she flinched away. She denied any significance, averting her gaze from his scrutinizing eyes. Antonio's voice pierced the silence as he approached her cautiously, asserting that her response was insignificant. The unease in her gut returned, causing her to bite her lip.

Hearing a gentle exhale emanating from Erin, who placed her hand soothingly on top of hers, she proposed, ''Let's return to the break room and allow me to examine that bruise.'' She implored as she observed the expression in her friend's blue eyes, retracting her hand from the brunette. ''It can be postponed. Don't we still have a case to conclude? Besides, it was merely a result of slipping in the shower,'' the raven-haired woman responded, her glare fixed upon the group.

Perceiving Voight's sigh and concurring nod, it was evident that he would not coerce the young woman into telling them the truth, acknowledging her fabrication regarding the cause of the bruise.

''Very well, Soifon and Erin, why don't the two of you proceed to prepare things at the bar while the rest of us arrange ourselves,'' Voight stated, instructing everyone on their respective tasks. ''Ashley, Antonio, I suggest you proceed to the hotel, just in case Becca happens to be there instead.'' The second-in-command affirmed his understanding.

After reviewing the plan, Soifon and Erin departed from the bullpen and stepped into the chilly atmosphere. A hush embraced the two individuals until they reached the brunette's vehicle. Soifon gracefully entered the passenger seat and secured her seatbelt, while Erin followed suit.

Departing from the premises of the police station, Erin proceeded towards the bar, briefly diverting her gaze towards the brunette individual whose green eyes were attentively fixed on the road. A profound sense of regret overshadowed the raven-haired woman as she emitted a sigh and prepared to articulate an apology to the aforementioned individual, recognizing her own lapse in composure.

"Soi, I would like to offer my sincerest apologies for last night," Erin said, taking the initiative to speak. As they drove to the bar, there was no rush as it was still early in the morning. "I realize that I should have waited for a more suitable moment to inquire about your whereabouts when you were in a more composed state." When the car came to a stop at a red light, Erin redirected her gaze towards Soifon, and couldn't help but release a sigh of relief upon seeing a faint smile grace her friend's face.

"It is acceptable, Erin. I should not have overreacted. You caught me by surprise," Soifon explained with a slight sigh. As she turned her blue gaze towards the window, she contemplated whether to share with Erin what had transpired the previous night. It was not a matter of distrust towards her friend; in fact, despite being apart for so many years, she still had full confidence in Erin. Soifon acknowledged that she should have heeded Erin's advice regarding Ace. It was her own mistake that resulted in her falling into the clutches of the merciless man she had once thought of as her lover.

"I deeply apologize for leaving abruptly as I did. Perhaps we can arrange another outing in the future and make another attempt at it," Soifon expressed, redirecting her attention towards Erin, with genuine concern for her well-being as well as that of their colleagues. Erin responded with a smile, assuring her, "There is no need to worry. I am fine," while parking her vehicle in the bar's parking lot. "I would also be delighted to go out again," she added.

Prior to opening the car door, Erin directed her gaze towards her friend and inquired, ''Could you kindly enlighten me on what transpired that resulted in such damage to your face? Was it a consequence of someone inflicting harm upon you?'' Her concerned tone reflected her knowledge about Soifon's relationship with her adoptive parents and brother, causing her to speculate if Soifon had encountered them upon returning home.

Persisting with her inquiries, she questioned, 'Did Jack or Henry inflict harm upon you?' A hint of anger began to emerge in her voice. Erin blinked in surprise when her friend responded with laughter, evidently amused by the persistency of her questioning. In an attempt to emphasize her commitment to addressing the situation, the brunette issued a veiled threat, stating, ''I am only inquiring because, upon completing our investigation, I am prepared to confront them and impart a valuable lesson.''

The woman with raven hair placed her hand on Erin's shoulder and reassured her, 'please do not worry. Neither Jack nor Henry have harmed me; how could they if I have not encountered them yet? As I mentioned earlier, I slipped and fell out of the shower last night, with my foot getting caught in the shower curtain.'

Soifon couldn't help but feel grateful for her friend's support. Erin expressed her concern, asking, 'Are you certain? It seems unlikely that a fall would cause such extensive damage unless you landed quite forcefully. Is that the only area where you are injured?' Erin exited the car as Soifon removed her hand and followed suit, responding, "Yes, I am certain. I simply fell out of the shower. I do have a bruise on my side from the fall, but it is not as severe."

Erin observed her friend with skepticism when she heard that her friend had fallen out of a tub which she hadn't witnessed. Erin didn't perceive Soifon as a clumsy individual. Regardless, Erin shook her head and proceeded to close both her car door and Soifon's door. 'If you begin experiencing any discomfort, kindly inform me, and I will handle Becca on my own,' Erin responded calmly as she walked alongside Soifon towards the bar. 'Do not worry excessively. I will be fine. There is nothing I cannot handle,' she assured Soifon, glancing at her watch. As it was approximately twelve pm, they had approximately five hours to prepare.

Upon entering the bar, both women surveyed the premises. Erin inquired, 'Where should we establish our position?' Her eyes, colored in a shade of green, scoured the area for an available booth where they could sit and patiently await their target's arrival.

Soifon offered her suggestion, 'We should probably opt for a booth towards the rear to avoid attracting any undesired attention.' With that, she proceeded towards an unoccupied booth concealed in the shadows, and Erin followed suit. The brunette consulted her cellphone to check if any messages had been received from their team.

'Antonio and the rest are prepared. Before we proceed, should I approach Becca and communicate with her? Do you have any thoughts or suggestions?' Erin queried.

Soifon acknowledged Erin's suggestion with a nod, agreeing to approach Becca once she arrives. She proposed buying her a drink and initiating a casual conversation before gradually inquiring about her whereabouts. Erin responded with a small nod, expressing her approval. 'That doesn't sound too bad,' she replied, suggesting that they sit back and wait for Becca's arrival. Soifon observed as her friend stood up to fetch food and drinks for both of them.

While Erin was away getting food, Soifon kept a lookout for any signs of their suspect. She anticipated that Becca could potentially arrive earlier than expected. During this time, she heard her phone receive a message.

Soifon took out her phone to find that Jay had texted, 'Hey, any luck yet?' She responded with, 'Not yet.' Once she finished texting, she looked up from her phone just as Erin placed a tray of food and drinks in front of her.

Erin firmly instructed her, 'Here, eat.' There was no room for the younger woman to argue with her. Soifon playfully rolled her eyes and took a fry from the tray, placing it in her mouth. 'Jay texted, asking if we have had any luck yet,' she replied with her mouth still full. 'I told him not yet,' she added, earning a nod from Erin. 'It's not yet five o'clock,' the brunette pointed out.

Soifon inquired about the relationship between Erin and Jay, asking if they were a couple or if Voight interfered. Erin explained that she and Jay were involved a few months ago, but it wasn't a serious relationship.

She mentioned that Hank, who tends to get protective of her, initially had reservations but eventually realized Jay meant no harm. Erin chuckled and took a sip of her Coke while Soifon laughed as well.

Soifon expressed her support for Erin, stating that she would also be protective if anyone hurt her. Erin blushed and smiled, thanking Soifon and assuring her that she and Hank are there for her anytime she needs them.

( Please read and review, will the team catch Becca in the next chapter or will she out smart them?)