Eames pulled the SUV into 1PP where she contacted her captain and her union rep. She had compartmentalized the earlier events enough to handle her professional obligations. Her hands were no longer shaking, protocol was like breathing she already new the steps moving forward but what she didn't know was what to come after the shooting. This was complicated. A kid had been shot. He had been unarmed. Even if protocol deems it a good shoot, Eames knew in her belly that it wasn't and that made her sick to her stomach.
Goren surrendered Eames' weapon to IAB where they would do an investigation into the shoot. Then, there was a debrief to the captain and Chief of Ds where it was determined that they would be getting escorts home as the protest evolved into a full blown riot asking for their heads.
Eames was exhausted by the time she got home. Content to take off her mask and shed her stiff clothes, Eames stripped and put on comfy clothes. She had a headache from all the back and forth but she knew they had to do their job. That poor kid. She was certain it would haunt her for the rest of her career. The world was so divided and there were many injustices. But, she had always had her shield and because of this, her support of the cause was not weighted. Instead, it seemed like she turned her back on the badge. It looked like culpability and the NYPD couldn't have that. So, instead she had to keep her mouth shut. She hated this part of the job.
Goren came home frustrated. Eames was a good cop. The best. How could they question her judgment? Mine, yeah that came with the territory. But, Eames, she's been exemplary. All her shoots good. What gives them the right to pin this disaster on her? He was uneasy and meant he couldn't sit still. He was wracking his brain to think of anything that could exonerate them and or make the Brass see the whole picture. However, a better patsy couldn't be found outside of him. His record of write ups of skirting the protocols did not help their case.
Eventually, he gave into ….and called Eames.
"Can't sleep either? " Eames smiles as she tries to find the comfort between partners.
"I've just been thinking."
"and what you come up with."
"Nothing that exonerates us.
"I just want this nightmare to end. All this chaos and we get railroaded."
"You know why…it's the crazy thing you know how I loathe that it follows me everywhere."
"But you didn't even fire a shot. They can't loop you into this too."
"They think I am covering for you and I was in the crowd when it turned. They need fall guys and I have a feeling Dunne and all others involved are going to keep their mouths shut."
"So what now?"
"Hope it blows over?"
"Yeah that's unlikely.
"Yeah. I refuse to stand by while they drag you through the mud. Besides there's still our investigation."
"Like hell they will let us finish it. We're both in the pen, no guns and badges mean we are off the case until this is over."
"Like that's stopped me before."
"And it's not like I can stop you. You've already made up your mind."
Goren nodded on his end, forgetting that he was on a phonecard but Eames already knew the answer.
"Where do we start?" Eames asked.
"We?"
"Like I am leaving you to do this yourself with your propensity for getting into trouble besides I need to see this through. My reputation is on the line now."
"The recording. It was transmitting and maybe we can pick up something off of it. Any lead is as good as we are going to get."
"It's a start. If we are going to get out of this, we need to find the person responsible that triggered everything."
"Tomorrow. You need to rest. Clear heads prevail."
"And you are going to sleep?"
"Unlikely but you should. I will loop you in if I find anything. Take care of yourself, Alex."
"Fine. I am exhausted anyway. And you're right. Just don't go getting a big head for it."
"Me never. Goodnight Alex."
"Goodnight Bobby."
Eames let the comfort of her partner wash over herself as she made some tea. She sipped slowly wondering how they were going to escape this mess. The warm liquid relaxed her body and she yawned rubbing her eyes. Maybe I should get some sleep. But, she knew sleep would be evasive mostly because there was a cluster of unsolved pieces that directly effected her outcome as an officer. She doubted they would be fired because their numbers and solves were among the highest of their peers but she knew they could drag this out.
She got into bed drawing the covers over herself and set her alarm. She figured she'd try and sleep and always hope that sheer exhaustion would win out. But every time she closed her eyes, an overwhelming though refused to leave her head. They needed fall guys and there we were.