𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 | 𝓫𝓲𝓻𝓭𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓪 𝓯𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻

MADELINE HAD NEVER THOUGHT IT would ever be possible, but somehow, she loved being a police officer ten million times more than imagining what it would be like. Even though she had been on the job for less than a week, she found every day just as exhilarating than the last. It was like she had a constant source of adrenaline pumping through her blood. It was intoxicating. Of course, there were sections that she enjoyed a little less than others, but she made it work. She had adopted the mindset that if you pretended to love something for long enough, you eventually would.

Studying was one of those things. Maddie usually loved diving headfirst into a textbook, but after staring at countless of them for the last year, she's – not something she would ever admit aloud – become a little less fond of them. Instead of it being something she enjoyed, it was more of a necessity. And if she wanted to graduate from the FTO program, it was a necessity.

Helping other people learn was something she had realised in her teenage years was one of the methods that helped her learn best. By verbally recalling all the information aloud, it helped her memorise what she needed to know for, well, forever. Lucy Chen was one of the rookies that needed to brush up on the California Penal Codes. So since seven-thirty in the morning, the two women had been sat at the coffee van outside the precinct with papers spread across the metal table.

Ever since his freeze up in the field a few days earlier, Jackson hadn't been able to sleep. He had been dreaming about this for just as long as her, and for it to about to be possibly snatched out from underneath him? Maddie understood completely why he was up running at five in the morning for two hours. She just wish she could do something more to help him. Lucy's advice had been to support him and be there if he needed her. Madeline had cursed – she knew that. What was the point of having a friend who majored in psychology if they didn't give decent advice? Lucy had laughed.

Maddie's pen is resting in-between her teeth, her eyes squinted in concentration as she tries to ignore what is supposed to be the melodic sound of birds chirping in the distance. Right now, she wants nothing more than to erase them all from the face of the Earth. "Oh, my God," she mutters in frustration. "Why can't I remember this?"

Lucy's eyes shine with amusement as she sets her coffee cup down. "You've practically memorised the entire manual," she reminds her best friend. "I think forgetting one is okay." Her brows raise when Maddie abruptly pushes her chair back to begin pacing around the table. "... Or not."

"It is so not okay," she stresses. Madeline ignores the numerous officers who are now staring at them whilst Lucy tries to reassure them with a smile. "What if it kills me?" Her hand flies to her mouth as she stops moving. "What if not remembering it kills someone else?"

Lucy tries not to laugh at how dramatic her friend has made the situation. "Do you want me to tell you?" she suggests. Maddie throws her hands with a groan and returns to her seat. "Two-Oh-Nine is kidnapping," she says, her eyes flicking down to the book. "Two-Oh-Nine A: A person who seizes confines, inveigles, entices, decoys, abducts, conceals, kidnaps, or carries away another person by any means whatsoever with intent to hold or detain, or who holds or detains, that person for random, reward or-"

"- to commit extortion or to exact from another person any money or valuable thing, or a person who aids or abets any such act, is guilty of a felony," Madeline grumbles. "I don't have a long enough breath to keep going." Lucy cracks a smile. "Jesus Christ, how can I be on the street when I can't remember goddamn kidnapping?"

She sighs and reaches across the table to gently pat Maddie's hand. "You gotta give yourself some credit," Lucy tells her, her tone of voice kind but firm. Maddie lifts her head slightly to look at her, her disappointed scowl softening ever so slightly as they lock eyes. "How many do I forget daily?"

Now it's Madeline's turn to smile. "I've given up counting," she admits.

A chuckle slips past Lucy's lips. "See?" she points out with a grin. "You're doing fine." She glances down to her phone, but when the screen lights up with the time, her body goes rigid with alarm. "Shit, we've got nine minutes till roll call."

Maddie's face falls. "The books," she exclaims. "The books, Chen!" Both women hurriedly pack away their study materials before pushing through the officers making their way through the lobby.

All but eight minutes later, they slip into large room with their hair tightly tied back and bodies clad in the navy uniform. Almost all the chairs are full, the most notable absence being Tim Bradford's. Even though he had finally been discarded from the hospital earlier this morning, he still had a while before he would be cleared for duty. Which meant that Lucy had walked into the room with a weight off her shoulders, no reason to feel uncomfortable or judged as she takes her seat beside her friends.

As Madeline drops down into the chair in the middle of Jackson and John, she glances back to the training officers to find an unfamiliar face sat in front of Talia, Angela, and Iris. He must be Bradford's temporary replacement. She turns back around and nudges her brother's side. "How was the run?" she asks him.

It takes Jackson a second to break out of the dazed-like state he's in, something Maddie had noticed was happening frequently as of lately. "Oh, good," he replies. Neither Lucy nor John are aware of what had happened the other day, so Maddie wouldn't make a big deal about asking how he's feeling in front of them. And for that, Jackson appreciated her more than she would know. A small smile appears on his face as he glances to his sister. "How was study?" He and John share a confused look when Lucy laughs. "What?"

"Nothing," Madeline says, her tone short and clipped. Lucy's eyes widen when she notices the woman's poisonous glare, and she straightens herself, silently promising that she wouldn't say anything. "Nothing happened."

Before either John or Jackson can press into the matter any further, something is tossed at Nolan's back. He spins around in surprise, but his face falls when he notices the bouquet of white roses now on the ground behind him. Lucy, Maddie, and Jackson all share an amused look as they recall the story from John's morning yesterday. "Oh, very funny, you guys," he calls out as the laughter subsides. "Of course, you know, this means now I have to throw them."

He blindly tosses the bouquet over his shoulder which lands at the back door, narrowly missing Sergeant Grey by a second. "All right, honeymoon's over," the man announces as he strides inside. He heads straight to the whiteboard, then writing three numbers. "Three, five, twenty-one. Officer Nolan, you care to guess what these numbers represent?"

John purses his lips for a moment as the sergeant turns around to face them. "Combination to your heart, sir?" he suggests hopefully. Laughter spread across the room.

Grey looks less than amused by the answer. The second Jackson meets the man's gaze, his grin vanishes in the speed of light. Maddie chuckles under her breath. "Three is the number of opportunities you had to disable Runaway Bride's car yesterday," Grey states, stepping closer to stop before Nolan. "Five vehicles were damaged because you failed to do so. And the last number. Officer Bishop."

Talia Bishop straightens herself in her chair. "Twenty-one thousand dollars in property damage the city has to pay," she answers begrudgingly. Any mistake Officer Nolan makes is a reflection on her as a training officer. This time, it's a twenty-one thousand dollar mistake.

Maddie winces at the number spoken aloud. "Correct," Grey calls out. "All in all, Officer Nolan's first pursuit reveals room for improvement."

"Yes, sir," Bishop replies.

"Onward," the sergeant continues. "Officer Chen is in need of a training officer until Tim Bradford is cleared for duty. Officer Scott Wrigley, you get the nod." Lucy glances over her shoulder to find the man who gives her a small smile and wave. "Officer West."

"Yes, sir," both siblings respond simultaneously.

Grey's eyes sparkle with amusement. "Officer Madeline West," he clarifies. Maddie grins as her brother rolls his eyes. "Care to enlighten me what Section Two-Oh-Nine outlines?" Her smile quickly slips away. Maddie's head snaps over to Lucy who looks back at her with confusion as to how their sergeant could possibly know what had happened not even fifteen minutes earlier. "The clock's ticking, Officer West."

"Penal Code Sections Two-Oh-Seven to Two-Ten cover kidnapping," Madeline replies monotonously. "Section Two-Oh-Nine outlines the felony crime of kidnapping for the motive to receive a ransom, reward or to commit another crime."

Sergeant Grey nods. "Nicely done," he praises. She breathes out a sigh of relief. "That's it, stay safe out there. Oh, Lopez, West, see the captain on the way out."

Madeline watches her brother suck in a sharp breath of alarm. "It'll be okay," she tells him quietly. "Listen to Lopez and do what she says, she'll know what to do."

Jackson quickly nods in agreement with her words. "Yeah," he says. "Yeah." She sighs as he hurries off to meet his training officer. She prays that Lopez will know what to do.

⋆。 ﾟ☾。 ⋆。 ﾟ✩。 ⋆

Despite only knowing Iris Delgado for five days and forty minutes, Maddie had decided that her training officer was one of her new favourite people. They were similar in many ways. They held no shame to give their honest opinion, sarcasm was well and truly present, the stony glares that would frighten even Tim Bradford, and the competitiveness that could possibly earn them places in the Olympics.

Iris had only known Madeline West for five days and forty-one minutes, but she had already changed her decision on who her all-time favourite rookie is. Her boot had a lot to work on, that was clear, but in a way the younger woman reminds her of herself. Maddie has the same drive for passion that she has always felt, the same level of boldness to go after what she wants.

The training officer's fingers drum against the leather of the steering wheel as their shop cruises to a stop at a traffic light. "You know," she begins thoughtfully. "If you just stop choosing to eat breakfast the second we get on shift, you might get somewhere in your career after all."

Maddie blinks as she draws her breakfast burrito down, slowly chewing her mouthful in a pointed manner to go against what has just been said. The rookie grins as Officer Delgado rolls her eyes. "Yes, ma'am," she replies. "Also, you're the one that chooses to let me do so. So, technically, the fate of my career is in your hands." Iris rolls her eyes once more.

"Seven-Adam-Eleven," dispatch announces. "Vehicle on fire, MacArthur Park, Code Three. Respond."

As Iris flicks on the sirens and runs through the red light at the intersection, Maddie grabs the radio. "Seven-Adam-Eleven, show us responding."

The fire is noticeable from at the very end of the street, smoke wafting up into the air from the flames licking away at the olive-green car. "Boot, what's protocol?" Delgado questions.

"LAFD has been called, but if we're the first responders we need to move any crowds or onlookers to a safe distance away from a possible explosion," Madeline replies quickly. "To extinguish, we approach from the corners of the car at forty-five or sixty-degree angles."

Iris curtly nods as their shop screeches to a stop. "Good. Let's go." As Madeline hurries to grab the fire extinguisher out the trunk, Iris moves toward the burning vehicle. "Step back from the flames," she calls out. Her gaze finds a woman beside a tree, eyes darting around anxiously and fingers twitching by her side, never once standing completely still. "Ma'am, did you do this?"

"Yeah," she confirms heatedly. Her dark, curly hair is matted and tangled, a few bruises across her exposed skin, and her clothes are stained by grass and sweat. "'Cause Fungus ripped me off."

"Who's Fungus?" Iris asks calmly. She looks over to the burning car to see Maddie extinguishing the flames with blasts of the powder.

"Fun Gus," the woman corrects. "My meth dealer."

Madeline steps up beside Officer Delgado, her brows furrowed as she looks at the suspect. "Why burn his car?" Iris questions.

"I gave him twenty for meth," she rifles through her jacket pocket to pull out the cash she had received, "and he only gave me ten bucks worth."

Maddie shakes her head. "Girl, that's not right," she says.

"I know! I work hard for my money."

Iris nods. "I bet you do," she assures. "So how about we find this Fungus and get you squared away with him?"

"Okay," she smiles. Her teeth are crooked and slowly rotting away from neglect and abuse. "Yeah." She hesitates for a second. "Only I don't know where he's at. The kid I stabbed said this was Fungus's car. I lit it up so he'd show."

Madeline and Iris share a brief look with one another as they focus on four of the words spoken. "You stabbed someone?" Maddie presses in concern.

"Yeah! Fungus's brother."

"Turn around," Delgado orders.

The suspect's eyes widen in shock. "What?" she exclaims.

"Place your hands on the tree," Maddie states firmly as she pulls on her pair of gloves. She turns the woman around despite her protests and locks the handcuffs around her wrists. However, as she lifts up the hoodie, she notices one of the pockets stained red. Maddie takes the blade out, the metal glinting in the sunlight as she holds it up, crimson coating it up to the hilt. "Got a knife."

Iris takes a step closer to the suspect, the importance to find the victim increasing by every second. "The kid you stabbed, is he still alive?"

"I don't know," she replies with a shrug, far too unbothered in the circumstance of potentially murdering someone.

After getting the location, the officers learn that their victim is in the park with them. They trek across the grass with urgency until Madeline lays eyes on the fence locking off the underpass in the distance. She pulls across the opening in the wire to let Delgado through with the suspect first, then follows behind.

The smell of mould is prominent in the air, trash bins overflowing with garbage and empty packets rolling around on the concrete. Graffiti covers every inch of the dark walls with multiple tents set up around the small area, but if there are inhabitants they don't come out.

"Where is he?" Officer Delgado questions impatiently, holding onto the suspect's arms to keep her from potentially doing something stupid. "I don't see him. Do you see him, Officer West?"

"No, ma'am."

"I don't know." She jerks her head to the left. "I stabbed him over there."

But as they inch closer, Maddie is the first one to spot the limp legs peeking out from behind the blue tent. "Delgado," she warns. She leaves her training officer to hurry over and crouch down beside the boy. His skin is a sickly pale, his head drooped on his chest. She knows he's dead even before she checks his pulse.

Iris closes her eyes for a second. "Alive?" she asks her rookie.

Maddie stands up after pressing her fingers to the boy's neck for a moment. "Skin's cool, no pulse," she answers.

"Don't feel bad for him! I'm the one who got ripped off."

Officer Delgado meets Madeline's eyes as she unhooks her radio. "This is Seven-Adam-Eleven, our call is now a One-Eight-Seven." Maddie's gaze drops back to the boy. He can't be more than eighteen. "Have Homicide respond to our location."

Upon returning to the station, Iris had let her rookie take control of processing their arrest. She wasn't surprised in the least when Madeline had done the entire procedure almost perfectly. Grey had taken one look at the report before accepting it, similar to how he had done with Jackson and Lucy. Of course, when it came to John, he had put on his glasses and thoroughly read each page, eventually finding a single simple error.

On their way to the break room, Jackson had filled his sister on the plan Officer Lopez had to 'fix him.' Angela had covered for him with Captain Anderson, explaining that he didn't have the opportunity to safely return fire with Selby on Tuesday. So her plan had been to take all of the high-risk calls to test how well her rookie did under immense pressure and violence.

Maddie had patted his back proudly when Jackson got to the part when he had singlehandedly taken down an overly muscled man high on PCP. But even though she was proud of him for the feat, she still worried that it wasn't the same. Preventing someone from attacking you while they're barely responsive isn't the same as getting shot at with an automatic weapon. 

"I feel like Goldilocks," Lucy confesses with a grimace. The four rookies are inside the break room as they debrief over their cups of coffee. Her experience with Officer Wrigley hadn't been great so far. "This training officer's too hard, this one's too soft."

Jackson shrugs. "I don't know, an afternoon of traffic stops sounds good right about now," he says with a small smile.

John's eyes have widened at the statement. "Who are you, and what have you done with Officer Extra Credit?" Jackson rolls his eyes. "And yes, that's what we called you back at the Academy."

"You wanna know what we called you?" Madeline asks. Jackson cracks a small smile whilst John winces in preparation for whatever blunt remark is going to come. "Fossil."

"There it is," Nolan mutters.

Lucy lets out a laugh as she takes a seat opposite John at the table. "Look, you were always the first to volunteer," she tells Jackson. Maddie raises her brows. "Okay, one of the first to volunteer, one half of the two most prepared rookies in the history of the LAPD."

Jackson shakes his head as he steps forward. "I'm still that guy," he replies, slightly defensive.

Officer Lopez appears in the doorway, her eyes moving across the group before settling on her rookie and making her presence known. "Officer West, time to go," she announces. Without sparing his sister and friends another glance, Jackson dumps his half-full coffee into the bin and hurries out after her.

"Is he okay?" Lucy asks, a frown etched onto her face. The question is directed more to her best friend instead of John.

Madeline clears her throat. "Yeah, he's fine," she answers. "Just having trouble sleeping." Both Lucy and John nod, neither taking note of the forced smile that appears on her face for a second. 

"I'm gonna check on him later," John says with a nod. Maddie's eyes narrow as Lucy gives him a soft smile. "What?"

She shakes her head. "You're a good guy, is all."

Officer West watches them stare at each other for a few moments. It's like they've completely forgotten she's in the room with them. "I'm a good person, too," she chimes in.

John's head snaps over to her, an amused smile already on his lips. "You're a great person," he corrects with a chuckle.

"Oh, I know."

⋆。 ﾟ☾。 ⋆。 ﾟ✩。 ⋆

The following morning, Madeline is feeling slightly more reassured with her brother. Instead of skipping the early morning run for study, she had joined him along the beach for an hour then watched the sunset together. Observing the colours bleed across the sky was therapeutic. For thirty minutes, it made all of their problems fade away.

After diving in headfirst to multiple violent encounters in yesterday's shift, Jackson had appeared more confident with himself. And because he was more confident, Maddie felt so too. She still knew that there was going to be work left, actual work involving firing a weapon, but it's better than it had been three days ago.

After a chaotic shift yesterday, Jackson had walked into the station telling his sister that he was hoping for things to be a little more relaxed. Even before Maddie had learnt about everything that had happened to John's shop yesterday, she knew that today was going to be the opposite.

Madeline stares at the sheet of paper in her hands. The bright smile of Emma Vasquez makes her feel a little sick to her stomach. The photograph version of Emma has no idea whatsoever of what she's facing right now, the horrors lurking down in the dark basement that will forever taint her with nightmares.

It's just as well she had brushed up on the penal codes. In the early hours of yesterday afternoon, Nolan and Bishop had crashed straight into a missing person's case. The girl that they had found turned out to have been kidnapped, claiming that there was another woman she had left in her escape, Emma.

The roll call room is completely full, so full that officers have lined up before the walls due to the limited seating. Captain Zoe Anderson is also in attendance of the briefing. Anderson is the type of person that gives off an energy that makes you immediately realise she's not to be fucked with. Her unnaturally straight hair sits just about her collarbones, and despite wearing normal clothing it's clear that by the way she carries herself she's someone important.

"Her name is Emma Vasquez," Sergeant Grey announces. The TV has a copy of the record they're all holding in their hands. "Reported missing three weeks ago. Detectives think she's the one that Christine left behind."

"I've approved extra shifts and O.T. until we find this girl," Anderson informs the room.

"Everyone canvasses between calls," Grey states. "Anything else?"

"Yes, one more thing," the captain replies. "Officer Nolan." Maddie presses her lips together – she has a good guess that whatever is about to be said isn't going to be something John likes. "The motor pool is considering taking out a hit on you for all the damage you've caused to their vehicles. I talked them into," she glances to Grey who doesn't bother hiding his smile, "uh, a different solution."

Whispers and words tinged with curiosity spread across the large group of patrol officers who file out of the room and follow the captain as she leads them out to the garage. The second Maddie spots the rundown shop that looks like it's on its very last legs, she lets out a loud laugh. She bites onto her tongue when Captain Anderson glances to her in amusement.

As the keys are handed to her rookie, Talia Bishop stares at the car in horror. "I'm never gonna live this down," she says, a deep scowl on her face as she pushes past Nolan.

Lucy covers her mouth as another giggle slips past her lips. "That is incredible," she proclaims.

The group finally disperses as everyone gets on with their day and Maddie shrugs. "I'm just glad he's finally getting a consequence for totalling however many shops in the first week," she says. Jackson chuckles and she smiles; she's glad she's managed to make him laugh. 

The first thing Iris Delgado had suggested was to go to the hospital themselves and talk to Christine. Maybe it paid off having detective in front of your name as well. This way, they could freely question the victim without any added grief from the assigned detectives who Nolan had adamantly said were dicks. Iris had later confirmed that statement.

On the drive over, the two officers had gone over the proper procedure to question someone in such a physical and psychological state like Christine. They couldn't talk to her like a normal suspect, she had just been through a trauma that would affect her for multiple lifetimes. They couldn't press her. Everything had to be done at a slow pace to make sure she was comfortable.

Madeline doesn't think she's ever seen someone so fragile before. Propped up in a bed with the blankets up to her neck, Christine stares into the open space in front of her with tears welled up in her eyes. The vase of flowers beside her is the only form of colour in the room. "He grabbed me in the garage," she says quietly. Her voice wobbles as she tries not to break down in front of the officers. "Must've snuck in after I pulled inside."

When Maddie locks eyes with her, she gives her a small nod. "Hey, take your time, it's okay," she assures.

Christine swallows. "I never saw him," she confesses. Another tear runs down her cheek. "Just felt a needle go in my neck, and then everything went black."

"Do you remember anything about the house?" Iris asks the girl gently.

She closes her eyes for a moment. "He kept me in the basement with Emma... wore a mask when he came to see us. I don't think it was because he was gonna let us go." Maddie inhales a deep breath. "I think he liked it."

"Is there anything else you can remember?" Officer Delgado questions, hesitant to push their victim any further. "Anything that can help us find this place?"

"It sounds crazy, but I-I heard a voice saying 'wait' over and over, day and night," she answers.  Madeline's eyes widen as she glances to her training officer. "Emma couldn't hear it, but I could swear it was there."

"It's not crazy," Maddie tells her. "You're not crazy. Actually, I think that might be what's going to help us find her." Iris's eyes squint as she looks to the rookie, not understanding her sudden surge of confidence or reason to give Christine false hope. "Do you need anything else? Anything we can get you before we go?"

Tears stain the young woman's cheeks as her gaze meets Madeline's. "The last three weeks of my life back," her voice cracks.

As the pair of officers walk out the room, they're almost immediately met with the leading detectives on the case. Whilst Maddie doesn't react, Iris gives them a curt nod before glancing to her rookie. "Wanna tell me what that was about, Boot?" 

"I know what the voice is," Maddie says. "They're called accessible pedestrian signals: they basically communicate information about if it's safe to walk or not at intersections."

Delgado nods. "Yeah, right, I think I've heard of those. For the visually impaired."

Once they get back to the shop, the search grid is opened up on the computer. It's quickly learnt that there's only one signal they need to be checking. The street that they pull up on looks normal enough. And that's what is so terrifying. Something that appears so mundane is what holds the worst parts of the world.

"Okay, Boot, where's our kidnapper?"

Maddie's eyes flick out the windshield as she surveys the nearby houses. The most obvious choice would be the one opposite to their shop, the property covered with plants and trees that hide a rundown home. "We can't speculate," she answers. "We need to talk to the neighbours and find some facts."

Iris dips her head with a small smile. "You're learning after all," she remarks. Her eyes glance to the rear-view mirror where she spots a security guard walking up to his house. "Go check out this guy behind us."

Her brows raise in surprise. "On my own?" Madeline asks.

The training officer shrugs. "Unless you don't think you're capable enough of asking someone a few questions." She chuckles as Maddie scrambles out the car. "Seven-Adam-Eleven, show us Code Six and out of our vehicle. Thirty-Seventeen Bailey Avenue."

As Maddie approaches the house, the robotic voice of the signal is heard in the background. Walk, Walk, Walk. She understands why Christine thought she sounded crazy. As she walks up the staircase, Officer Delgado lingers behind on the pathway turning around to get a glimpse of the 'jungle' house.

After rapping her knuckles on the front door, Maddie steps back as it opens. "Good morning, sir," she greets.

He places a hand on his hip and nods to her. "Morning. How can I help you?"

"I'm just wondering if you've seen anything in the area that you might call unusual? We've had a tip that there might be some suspicious activity around. Know your neighbours well?"

The blonde-haired man nods his head to the home across the road. "Well, he doesn't get out much," he says. "Uh, kind of keeps to himself. It's not suspicious but if anyone's doing something shady..."

"Of course." Maddie holds up the information posters that had been handed out at roll call. "And what about these two girls? Have you seen them around?"

"No," he replies with a frown. "Uh, are- are they okay?"

While Madeline is taking note of his tense body language and the slight hesitation in his voice, Iris has walked over to his car. The second she gets a glimpse at the rubber mask on the backseat, her eyes widen. "West," she yells in warning.

And that's when he spins around. Maddie jumps out the way just in time to avoid being hit by the firing shotgun. "Oh, fuck me," she hisses.

"West," Iris yells again.

She glances down to her TO. "I'm going in," Maddie calls back. "Call for backup!"

Iris grits her teeth together as her rookie unholsters her gun and steps inside the home. The door slams behind her and Maddie releases a controlled breath out through her nose. She clears the front rooms of the house, listening out for the creak of a floorboard shifting under someone's foot. She just isn't aware that the front door has locked behind her, forcing Delgado to stay outside.

"Seven-Adam-Eleven," Iris's voice rings out through the radio. "Requesting backup. Shots fired, Two-Three-Eleven Bailey Avenue. Code Three."

Maddie's gun refuses to waver in the air as she turns down the hallway. She's so focused that she misses Lucy and Nolan responding to the call. "Come on," she mutters hopefully. Boy does she want to punch someone today.

The final room she checks is also empty, but she notices a second door. Her breath catches in her throat as she cautiously turns the handle, immediately tensing in anticipation for what might be inside. It's a closet, however, the back wall turns out to be a sliding compartment, revealing an opening that leads down to what must be the basement.

The second she swings open the basement door, the shotgun fires. Maddie flings herself back, pressing herself up against the closet door and out of range from the bullets. Once she hears the suspect reload, she leans around and quickly fires downstairs.

Then, suddenly, everything falls quiet. The only sound is her heavy boots treading down the stairs as she takes out her flashlight and slowly makes her way down to the basement. With her heart hammering away in her ribcage, Madeline cautiously glances around the work benches and shelving. He's gone.

There's one final door made from concrete and with a more detailed lock. She inhales a deep breath as her hand latches around the door before swinging it open. "Emma?" she calls out, her voice ringing through the small space.

Inside, illuminated by the small lamp on the floor and the tiny window, is a young woman with her wrists shackled to the wall. Quiet sobs leave her lips as she struggles against the chains.

"It's okay, I'm with the LAPD, you're okay." Maddie holsters her gun and hurries over to her, her heart sinking as she takes in the state of the girl. "My name is Officer West," she says gently. "You're okay, Emma, you're safe."

As she gently grabs onto the chain to try and release them, Emma's eyes widen in terror. "Look out!" Her scream rings through Maddie's ears as she realises what's happening too late. Something hits the back of her head and black spots immediately coat her vision as she falls unconscious.

When she opens her eyes, she doesn't know how long it's been. But considering she's still alive, she gathers it can't have been more than a few seconds. Maddie hears Emma's terrified whimpers as she pushes herself up, wincing slightly at the sharp pain that appears at her skull. 

Her hazy vision catches the glint of the shotgun in the light and she quickly realises that the firearm is now pointed straight at her. Madeline's brows furrow ever so slightly as glass suddenly shatters above them and a giant boom sends dust and debris falling down around from the ceiling. As the suspect rushes out, Maddie heaves herself up to stand.

A tear falls down Emma's cheek as she realises that she's going to be alone. "No, don't leave me, please!"

Maddie glances back to the girl with a small smile. "By the time you finish singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, I'll be back," she reassures. Her gun and flashlight are gripped in her hands as she raises them once more to exit the room. Her head snaps to the side when she hears something creak, but a long sigh of relief leaves her lips when she spots Lucy and Wrigley. "Oh, it's about fucking time."

Lucy's eyes widen as she rushes over to her, concern prominent as she catches sight of the blood staining her friend's fingertips. "Whoa, are you okay?" she asks worriedly.

Maddie waves a hand in dismissal. "'m fine," she breathes. "This asshole's on the move. I need someone to stay with Emma."

"I'll do it," Officer Wrigley nods. 

She glances back into the room. "Emma, this is Officer Wrigley, he's going to stay with you." Once the girl gives her a shaky nod, it takes no time for the two rookies to manoeuvre their way across the room to the open window and climb out of the basement.

As soon as they're outside, they're met with Nolan and Bishop. "That way," John yells as he points down the street.

The four officers take off in pursuit, realising they're headed straight for the nearby cemetery. "Suspect heading east on foot into Rosedale Cemetery," Iris announces from the shop. "Send backup and airship."

Maddie ignores the warm feeling of blood trickling down her forehead as she picks up her pace to try and gain distance on the suspect. His shotgun is still in hand as he weaves through the graves, occasionally glancing over his shoulder. When he trips over his feet, she can't help but smile for a short second. "Stay down," she commands.

"Don't move," Lucy yells.

Of course, he moves. Just as they get closer to the driveway, Iris Delgado pulls up, sirens and lights flashing as she leaps out the shop with her gun in hand. She manages to cut him off, causing him to abruptly stop in front of her and raise his hands. "Freeze!"

But as he turns around, he's tackled to the ground. Maddie skids to a stop with wide eyes as she watches John begin punching the man's face. She had known he had been invested in the case since he had been the one to crash into Christine, but even though she's angry enough to take out her emotions, she would never take it out on the suspect. There's a fine line between detaining a suspect and police brutality.

"Nolan," Iris snaps. She rushes over and grabs his elbow, stopping him from going any further. "That's enough." It's like he snaps out of whatever daze he had been and looks up to the officer. "He's done." Lucy and Maddie share a glance. "Boot, hook him up."

But once Madeline meets John's eyes, she shakes her head. "No, I think Nolan gets this," she says. He gives her a grateful nod as he turns the suspect around and cuffs him.

⋆。 ﾟ☾。 ⋆。 ﾟ✩。 ⋆

It's the end of the shift when they're called in to the captain's office. Whilst Maddie had an idea of why Anderson wanted to talk to John, she wasn't as sure as to why herself. "Driving your shop into a house might not be the best way to keep up a good relationship with motor," are the words Zoe Anderson had said to Iris.

With wide eyes, Maddie glances to her TO in surprise. "Wait, that's what that huge crash was?" she questions in disbelief. "Damn."  

Whilst the captain has a small smile, Iris sighs. "Respectfully, ma'am," she addresses Anderson, "it was the only option I could think of to assist Officer West while being locked out of the house."

"I would have done the same," she admits. "I need a word with your rookie." Iris nods to her and gives Madeline a glance before walking out. Zoe takes a step closer to the young woman whose hands are clasped behind her back. "How are you doing, Officer West?"

Maddie clears her throat. "Good, ma'am," she replies. "I'm just glad we got Emma home safe."

Anderson studies her for a few moments, her eyes lingering on the bandage covering the cut on her forehead. "I hear it's you who made the connection between the pedestrian signals."

"Well, yes, but-"

"No buts, Officer West." She gives her an impressed nod. "You did a good job today. Be proud of yourself."

Maddie's lips twitch into a small smile. "Thank you, ma'am." As she leaves the office to let John inside, she feels another wave of confidence wash over her. This is just another reminder to herself that she can do this.

The shower in the locker room after a ten-hour shift is one of the best feelings one could experience. Having a fresh change of clothes after is better. Cold water? Even better. But Maddie would continue to claim that the best feeling in the entire world for her is to take out her hair. Lucy tended to agree.

With her bag slung over her shoulder, Madeline walks out into the hallway to see her brother talking with Officer Lopez up ahead. She hopes it's good. As Angela passes the rookie, she gives her a curt nod, something Maddie returns. She sticks her lollipop in her mouth as she stops beside Jackson, her brows raised in question. "Well?" she asks.

"Well, we're not good," he tells her. He holds a finger up as they start walking. "But she said we're getting there."

Maddie grins and throws an arm around his shoulders, taking out her lollipop for a short moment. "See, Officer West? It's all working out." He rolls his eyes. "Hey, did you hear I singlehandedly solved a kidnapping today?"

Jackson sighs. "I'm never gonna hear the end of this, am I?" he presumes correctly.

"What would make you think that?" she retorts with offence.

"Just every other moment I've ever shared with you in my entire life."

"Oh, so it's like this then."

"I'm picking dinner."

Madeline scoffs as he jogs ahead of her and out the double doors. "That's not fair," she yells after him. He spins around on his heels so he's facing her and shrugs. "Officer West, get back here!"

𝘪 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘩𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪'𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘭𝘢𝘻𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 😭