April 1987

"New assignments, listen up," Jenko announced to us. We all gathered around the table as he handed out files to each of us. "Hanson, you're going to Kennedy High because we have word that it's a student who has been giving the fake ID's to students. I want you to see who it is and put an end to it."

There had been a wave of minors getting caught with fake IDs around town, and after attempting to get sketchy businesses to sell us fake IDs, we ultimately figured out that it is probably a student who is making them out of the back of their car.

"Okey-dokey." Tom nodded softly as he grabbed the file from Jenko's hands. He looked up at Jenko and asked, "would it seem suspicious if I go alone?"

"What do you suggest?" Jenko asked, looking at Tom from across the table.

"I could bring someone with me," Tom said.

"Like Penhall?" Jenko asked, gesturing to Doug who wasn't paying any attention.

"I was thinking either Gregg or Hoffs," Tom said. I shot my head up and raised my eyebrows after hearing my name. "A girl really could throw them off the scent."

"That ain't a bad idea, newbie," Jenko said. He scratched his jaw in thought.

"Well, I can't, I'm still caught up in the case over at Jackson," Judy said, tapping her pencil on the table rhythmically.

"You can have Gregg for one day." Jenko held up one finger. "Tomorrow, she needs to be at Garfield High."

"What's going on at Garfield?" I asked.

"There's been a series of beatings around the school grounds, I need you to figure out who it is."

"Who are the targets?"

Jenko was about to open his mouth to answer but then he stopped himself and instead said, "you'll figure it out tomorrow. Today, I need you focused on this case with Hanson. You two worked well together last time, I assume that you'll be in and out quickly."

I did not get a say if I wanted to do this assignment, because fake IDs are usually a one man operation but two was not unheard of, especially since Tom is still new. I asked, "who am I today then?"

"You... will be... Mickey Rooney. You have a bad attitude and you like to break the law. Good? Good." Jenko stood up from the table and started walking to the water cooler.

"I have some thoughts about that name," I said as I got up to follow him.

"It's better than Mouse," Jenko said over his shoulder. "No one is going to get it."

"I'd pick her out as a cop right away," Doug said, tossing a peanut in the air and catching it in his mouth.

"Me too," Ioki said.

Tom scratched his chin. "I think my six year old cousin could too."

"Fine, fine—" Jenko turned around and threw his hands up in the air "—pick your own. Don't go off your backstory though. Understood?"

"Aye aye, Cap," I said.

I grabbed my backpack and my jacket from my desk. Usually Jenko gives us fake proof with our fake name, but he must have skipped that for this assignment. I put my badge in my pocket, I know I'll need it. I happened to glance up at Tom through my eyelashes, and I noticed he was doing the same. He was gathering some papers from his desk. I quickly looked back down and hid my emerging smile. I made it to the door first, and I held it open for him. We trotted down the metal staircase together, and I could hear his heavy footsteps behind me. Once we reached the pavement, I began wandering through the parking lot to try to find his car.

I have been in Tom's car just once before, but I usually see it when we get to work at the same time, or if we leave at the same time. It's a nice, two-door, old-school metallic blue Mustang. The hood is low and flat, sometimes when I come into work I'll see Tom sitting on the hood of his car drinking a coffee or looking over paperwork.

"Mick, over here," Tom called out.

I spun around on my heels and followed his voice. I had to walk around Judy's little green convertible but Tom opened the passenger door for me.

"Thank you." I smiled politely.

He smiled back. "No problem."

Tom closed the door and walked around his car to the drivers seat while I got situated. It's just as nice on the inside as it is on the outside. He keeps it really clean. It was free from papers, wrappers, and crumbs. Even the outside looked like he recently waxed it.

Tom got into his seat and he started the car. He put it into first gear, and slowly rolled out of the parking lot. I turned the radio up a little, just to fill the silence.

As we drove down the little side street, I commented on his car. "I like your wheels."

"Thanks. It was my pops," Tom said as he chewed his gum and pulled onto the main road.

I watched him for a bit as he drove the stick shift and I decided to say, "you know, I've never driven a stick before."

"Never?" His dark eyebrow shot up.

I shook my head. "No. I'm spoiled, I have an automatic."

His eyes seemed to brighten a bit and he offered to teach me. He genuinely seemed excited about it.

"Yeah?" I smiled. "When?"

"I'm free."

"If we get this bust before school is out, I'll throw in dinner too."

Tom chuckled, "you drive a hard bargain. Let's do it."

I leaned back into my seat and looked out the window. We were driving past the parking lot of the school and lo and behold, a sketchy looking kid was making fake IDs out the back of his trunk. School hadn't even started yet. Kids and teachers were still walking around the parking lot, completely oblivious to it.

I sighed and looked over at Tom as he pulled into the parking lot. I said, "looks like that dinner might turn into lunch."

Tom nodded. He kept his eyes on the car as he slowly pulled into a nearby parking space. He asked, "think he might be selling drugs in there too?"

I shrugged. "Maybe. I wouldn't be surprised."

"I wish we had a K9 at the chapel. He could come with us and sniff them out," Tom stated.

I smiled softly and said, "we used to."

"We did?" He asked.

"Yeah. Pacino. He's a German Shepard, and he was Jenko's dog. Sweetest boy. He worked with Jenko on suspect apprehension when they were on the force but he moved with Jenko over to Jump Street. He would usually bring him to high schools and he would sniff backpacks and lockers for drugs," I told Tom.

"What happened to him?" Tom asked.

"He got shot in the leg shortly after I started at Jump Street so he had to retire. He has made a really good recovery since then. He might limp a little but he's strong. He still bites like a crocodile and doesn't let go."

"Does he just hangout with Jenko now?"

"No, I adopted him so he gets to hang out with me," I stated.

"That's nice, you got a guard dog," Tom said with a smile.

I nodded, smiling at the thought of Pacino. I love that dog, he makes me so incredibly happy. "Yeah. I've seen that dog smash through car windows. But he's the sweetest, I promise."

Tom laughed, "I believe it."

Tom and I waited for the right moment before we got out of the car. I sighed and asked, "ready to make a bust, TJ Hooker?"

"What?" He sounded a little caught off guard with the nickname. He chuckled and said, "yeah."

Tom and I got out of the car and headed to the truck. A couple kids scurried off with their new fakes, excited and giddy. I memorized their outfits and their faces so Tom and I could confiscate them later.

"Hey, who are youse?" The kid asked, quickly shutting his trunk.

"We heard we are supposed to come over here to get a fake," Tom said and he shoved his fists in the pockets of his coat. "That true?"

"Depends." The kid puffed up his chest to appear more intimidating. "Who are you?"

"I'm Tommy Martin and this is my kid sister Mickey," Tom said and I gave the kid a wave and a sweet smile. Tom continued, "we just moved."

"From where?" The kid asked, smiling back at me.

"Canada," I joined. "The drinking age over there is eighteen."

"Makes sense." The kid nodded. "But I don't sell to just anybody."

"Name your price," Tom said.

The kid sighed and said, "I would say $100 each but since youse is new, it's $50 each. $25 if I get a date with your sister."

Ew.

"That ain't bad," Tom said and reached into his pocket to grab his wallet.

I kept talking to the kid and asked, "where's the best place to sneak away with these cards?"

"The Pineapple Express," the kid said as he flung his hand out in the direction of the bar. "On the other side of town. They rarely card, but they look the other way with these."

"How many of these have you sold?" Tom asked while handing him the money. He handed him enough to tell me that he was not going to pimp me out for a cheaper price.

"Including you two? That makes pretty much every junior and senior in the school," he stated proudly.

"Not the sophomores or freshmen?" Tom asked.

"They look too young. They'd be caught in a heartbeat. And they are so young, I'd get ratted out."

The kid asked us for our names and information that he needed to make these fake IDs. He made them with some machine he had in his trunk, and they printed out laminated. As soon as he handed them to us, he said, "pleasure doing business with you."

"It certainly was a pleasure," I said as Tom and I reached into our pocket at the same time and flashed him our badges.

Tom arrested him while I walked through the school to find all the kids we saw earlier, and more. I had to give them a stern talking to and a slap on the wrist, and I didn't get back to the car until I had a stack of the fake proof in my hands.