Setting: Sam and Jules just broke up, Jules has resumed her duties on Team One, and Chris/Street is basically fresh out of Rocket Fuel with the slight change that Chris ended the relationship with Ty/Kira, but no one knows yet.
Chris wakes up to her phone going off. The team is on call today, and she really hopes they can stay active so she can keep out of her head. But when she swiped open the notification, she had to read the text twice.
With a frustrated sigh, she pushes back the covers and starts packing a bag to fly to Toronto, of all places, for a week or so. Hopefully, the briefing they were supposed to get beforehand included some reading material so she could stay busy on the plane.
To her dismay, she had to share a row with Street and Tan but managed to work it, so Tan sat between them. She could feel Street's glances going her way ever so often, but Chris just pushed her headphones in and focused on the case material.
One of LAPD's most wanted had reared his head in Toronto, and as one of the weirdest coincidences, both she and Street had worked that case at one point before joining SWAT. This was personal now. The drugs flooding Toronto were even more potent, and by now, the group surrounding their target had turned to human trafficking, too. Her stomach turns reading the two survivors' statements.
She turns the pages to the information that had been collected through the years in Long Beach, as well. Apparently, back in the day, Street had been undercover with those freaks. His connection had been through high-end cars. Go figure.
If all the information was correct, he got out with his cover intact. And Hondo had already indicated they wanted to use that fact. Even with everything that had happened in the last few days, Chris was still worried. What if that intel wasn't correct?
Chris shakes her head and refocuses. She turns back to the newest material the Canadian team had compiled and sent over.
Surveillance suggested the group was holed up in a warehouse complex—multiple exits and, as of yet, an unknown number of people inside. Not to mention, they had no clue about the weapons stockpile or anything else going on inside. So, they probably needed an in.
Street.
It didn't quite sit right with her that he, and in turn, their team, should take all of the risks in this operation. And so, she studied all the materials and tried to get a feel for the team they were about to meet on the ground.
She is so engrossed that Chris doesn't even notice time flying by until a flight attendant asks her to fold back the table to get ready for the final approach.
Chris quickly puts all the material away and catches a glance from Tan. "What?" she mouths with a shrug and then turns to face forward.
Down on the ground, the team grabs their bags and heads for the exit. "SRU sent someone to pick us up," Hondo explains while leading them out. "Luca, you will have to sit back and relax," he continues with a grin, and already Luca starts grumbling about never having not been in the driver's seat.
"Except when you hit innocent civilians," Tan jokes, and Luca glares at him. "Okay, I know you were innocent, but hey, relax. We're here to help, not be the chauffeurs."
Chris rolls her eyes. From the material she read, they were here to do the job. Not help, but she kept that to herself and tried not to judge their Canadian colleagues before the briefing.
As soon as they stepped out of the terminal, their eyes landed on a pair of black SUVs and two men wearing sunglasses. The older one steps forward and introduces himself as Ed Lane. "Sarge is waiting at SRU and is prepping the briefing with Jules," the younger one steps to Chris and pushes his sunglasses up. "Sam," he holds out his hand. Chris wants to roll her eyes.
"Chris," is her curt reply, and then she sidesteps him to join Deac, Hondo, and the man they know as Ed Lane. Leaving behind a chuckling Luca, Tan and Street, if she is hearing that right.
The ride to SRU is not that long, but it is very informative. When she jumps out of the car and turns to the second SUV, she can't help but grin. Luca had talked Sam into letting him drive.
Walking into the building, Chris quickly notices the locker room labeled Jules, and Tan has too. He bumps his shoulder into hers. "Seems like they are a bit more organized around here."
"Looks like it. But she still is alone going off the sign," Chris can't help but point out.
They get ushered into the conference room, and with a press of a few buttons, the wall panels close.
"Welcome to our humble abode," Greg Parker starts and quickly introduces the Canadian team. Chris smiles at Jules just before the sergeant announces. "Unfortunately, there has been a problem with securing your hotel rooms. We seem to be short a room,"
"No problem. Chris can stay with me," Jules announces, and Chris feels a bit awkward as all eyes land on her. "If it's not too much of a hassle. I mean I can share…" she mutters and glances down.
"Nope, come on. This is the easiest solution," Jules insists, and with a checking glance to Hondo, Chris accepts the offer.
This will be interesting. But maybe a good idea, and she might get more information on the case this way too.
"We will have to mix up teams a bit for our plan to work," Ed Lane now takes over the briefing. "Sam here has made contact as a weapons supplier, but unfortunately, his Spanish is subpar to listen into his business partners. Maybe, Alonso, you can tag along to his next outing?" Chris frowns at that. Not that smiling idiot. But with Deac sending her a look, she nods.
They trade a few more ideas and shelf the introduction of Street's undercover persona for another day. For now, they'd put their faith in Sam and Chris and getting them into the warehouse complex.
"Okay, head home or to your hotel, and we'll meet up for dinner to get some trust built between us," Parker announces and shakes hands with Hondo and Deac.
Chris grabs her bag and follows Jules to what is essentially her locker room.
"Can I ask you something?" Chris leans against the wall. "Yeah, shoot," Jules replies, pulling her top over her head. "Braddock. Is he a good cop?"
Chris can see the other woman freeze for a moment, and her stomach sinks. "Yeah, he wouldn't be here if he wasn't. Why do you ask?"
There is something in the tone Jules chose that still doesn't sit right with Chris, but she doesn't have the time to poke into it more as Jules seems ready to leave. "Just, I gotta go in with him."
"Listen, I trust Sam with my life. Get to know him tonight and tomorrow during prep, and you'll see for yourself." Jules says with conviction, and Chris nods.
The dinner with the two teams mixed up around the table is pretty fun, and Chris tries to give Sam Braddock the benefit of the doubt, but the man, with his broad smile and flirty attitude, just reminds her too much of the man she is currently trying to carve out of her heart.