S1 EP9

"Alright, listen up. This has the potential of being a very dangerous operation," Grey briefed. After putting Isabel on a wire the night before, they finally had a lead on a major drug distribution. "Vance is a heavy hitter. He has a well-armed crew. So he won't go down easy. Alright, watch each other's backs out there, and be careful."

The officers started filtering out of the briefing room, each heading the armoury.

"Boot," Tim called out; the rookie spun to her T.O. instantly, "Ask Mike for the Bradford Special."

The Bradford what?

"What's that?" Ollie asked, catching up to his steps.

"You'll see."

➤

"This is the Bradford special?" Ollie questioned as Tim handed her a rectangular piece of metal from the back of the trunk.

"Trauma plate for your vest. Little extra protection," Tim explained, realising the rookie was still staring at the metal piece sceptically. "Don't underestimate the Bradford special."

"No offence, but isn't it a bit... thin?"

"Officer Marshall."

Four patrol cars had pulled into the parking lot at Bronson Estates. Lopez, Jackson, Avery, Lucy and Bishop gathered towards the two remaining officers, who were sliding the metal plates under their uniforms.

"Is that the Bradford special?" Avery snickered, "Got any extra?"

Tim rolled his eyes before reaching into the equipment bag and pulling out the last piece, tossing it to the other officer. Avery caught the metal with a grin; he was about to slide it under his uniform when he saw Lucy gaping at it.

"You want it?" he asked.

"Do you think we really need it?" Lucy asked.

He raised a brow at her. "You know why they call this place the Bronson Estates?"

"'Cause a guy named Bronson built it?"

"No," Lopez chipped in, "Back when you were in short pants, there was a movie called 'Death Wish'. Starred Charles Bronson."

"Yeah. For a long time, responding to a call here meant that you had a death wish," Bishop added bleakly.

Jackson looked between the training officers. "But it's better now, right?"

"It's no longer the wild, wild west. Lots of low-income families live here," Lopez answered, "But it never hurts to be cautious."

Avery huffed when he stretched his hand towards his rookie, offering up the metal plate; Lucy gladly took the extra protection piece from his grip.

"Ugh, don't start sulking, Officer Morrison," Lopez deadpanned, and the younger T.O. returned her with an unamusing smile.

➤➤➤

The pairs of officers split up once they entered the building, with Bishop riding solo since John had yet to be cleared for duty. Tim and Ollie made it up to the third floor; the several doors they had knocked on so far had landed them with no issues.

But the place was definitely giving Ollie the creeps.

They came to the end of the hallway and took their stances again. Tim knocked on the door. "Gas company."

A very pregnant woman opened the door, but when she spotted the cops, she immediately tried to slam the door shut again. But Tim was quicker in stopping her, stepping into her apartment. "Cesiah Olivo. Just the woman we're looking for."

"Marcus isn't here," Cesiah informed helplessly.

"Yeah, we're gonna need to be sure," Tim cut her off.

The pair of police made their way into the apartment with their guns drawn. They each took a section of the place, shouting out clearances when they found no one else in the apartment.

"When's the last time you heard from Vance?" Tim demanded.

"Yesterday," Cesiah answered, "He was supposed to come over last night. He never showed up."

The two police officers exchanged a look before the rookie asked, "You know who he is? What he does for a living?" Cesiah nodded yes, which led Ollie to prompt further, "And you're okay with that?"

"No," Cesiah countered, "But I was pregnant by the time I found out. And he made me move in here so his guys can keep an eye on me. Make sure I don't go anywhere."

"So you're a prisoner."

"No," the woman interjected firmly, "But he had a son who died in a car accident. He needs to make sure nothing happens to our baby."

"You want out, we can get you out," Tim clarified.

"Only if I give him up," Cesiah scoffed, "Forget it."

"Cesiah, do you really want a guy like that taking care of your child? There's no guarantee that he'll keep you around after this baby is born," Ollie chipped in, taking the seat next to the pregnant woman, "You just have to call him and say you're feeling well, that you're worried about the baby."

"I-I can't."

"It's one call," Tim spoke, picking up the phone on the table and holding it up to her, "We get him out of your life for good, make sure you and the baby are safe."

Cesiah scoffed at his desperation. "You promise?" she mocked.

"He hurt someone I care about," Tim stated clearly, "He's going away forever."

The woman examined the officer's determined look, ultimately giving in and taking the phone from him. She dialled Vance's number, holding the phone up to her ear. Tim and Ollie watched carefully when Vance picked up the phone; after a few exchanges of words, they were convinced that he would be heading there.

"He's coming over," Cesiah muttered when the caller hung up.

Ollie looked over to her T.O. "Now what?"

"We stay put," Tim replied, peering over to the door, "And stay cautious. People like Vance won't go down without a fight."

However, barely minutes later, they heard a series of gunshots coming from the level below them. Tim picked out his radio while stalking over to the door, eyeing through the peephole but finding no people yet.

"7-Adam-19. Shots fired at Bronson Estates," he declared, yet receiving nothing but the hissing static for the next few seconds, "Control, respond."

"Marcus has a frequency jammer in the basement," Cesiah notified from the couch. "One of his guys brought it back from Iraq."

Ollie pulled her phone out from her back pocket, checking for a signal but found none. She shook her head at Tim, and the latter rolled his eyes at their declining situation. As more shots were fired in the building, the rookie turned to him. "We can't stay here with a pregnant woman, can we?"

"No," Tim confirmed, "We gotta get out of here."

As the two officers glanced back at Cesiah, she hurriedly got up from the couch, having to overhear their discussion. She marched into the room adjacent to the living hall; Ollie followed suit, finding the woman hastily grabbing clothes and other items and shoving them into a to-go bag.

Tim walked into the room after a moment, his face ridiculed and impatient. "We don't have time for packing. We gotta go."

"She's pregnant," Ollie deadpanned.

"Yeah, I can see that."

"I need things for the baby," Cesiah howled out, her voice panicky, "I can't leave here without them."

"It's okay. We're gonna get you to a safe place," Ollie assured her as the T.O. rolled his eyes and returned to guard the door, "When are you due?"

"A week ago."

Oh, no.

➤➤➤

"Give me your body cam," Tim requested after realising that the men on the other side of the door had blocked the peephole. Ollie twisted her camera off her chest, handing it over to him while she taped the camera securely around his extended baton. "There's a body-cam app on your city-issued phone. Open it."

Tim held the makeshift camera pole at the window above the door while Ollie turned on their camera footage on her phone, holding it close between them. She furrowed her brows when she spotted two men with axes, taking their position to barge. "They're coming in," she informed.

"Help me barricade the door," Tim stated urgently.

"Shouldn't we move Cesiah out of the literal line of fire?"

"We don't—"

"Ollie," Cesiah strained out, gaining both the officers' attentions, "My water just broke."

The rookie glanced back at her T.O. while the pregnant woman sank back onto the couch in pain. "Tim?"

"Barricade," he repeated, crouching down to remove his backup piece around his ankle, "If they break through the door, we're gonna get overrun. So, we gotta get to them first."

Ollie held her phone in front of him as he aimed against the front door, crouched down, with two handguns drawn out. Tim watched the footage closely, his fingers resting against the triggers. The moment he saw the men in the hallway making their move to the door, he quickly fired a row of shots through the door. One of the men outside caught a bullet, and the men on the other side started to return fire.

The officers ducked to the floor at once with their ears covered. Cesiah was screaming from the couch.

The return fire did not last long, though. They heard a muffled voice barking orders on the other side of the door; they assumed that it was Vance stopping his men from possibly hitting Cesiah in the process.

Tim was on his feet again after the shots died off; Ollie followed suit. "Now do we move Cesiah out of the line of fire?"

"No. Vance had ordered his guys to stop the shooting. He won't risk getting her hit, and he sure as hell isn't going to leave without the baby," Tim still studying the body-cam footage as he analysed. "Looks like we're clear for now."

Cesiah whined out again. "I need to go to the hospital. The baby's coming."

Ollie hurried over to the woman on the couch. "I'm sorry, but that's really, really not possible right now," she explained, helping the woman to lie down.

"So, what?" Cesiah snapped in agony, "You're gonna deliver my baby?"

"I..." Ollie took a few towels from a drawer and placed them under her spread legs, realising that Cesiah was already crowning. "I guess I am."

➤➤➤

After what felt like forever of screaming and panting from Cesiah and an attempt to comfort her by Ollie, the baby came, and the officer smiled softly as she wrapped the newborn with a clean towel. "It's a girl," Ollie enlightened, handing the baby to her mother.

"Good job, Boot," Tim voiced out; Ollie glanced over to him with a proud smirk but quickly noticed the worried look on his face. She got up and walked over to him, peeking at the body-cam footage on the phone. "Something's not right," he pointed out.

The rookie's eyes flickered up to him. "Has it been this quiet for the past—"

"Look out!"

The bullet came just as fast as the men emerged from the collision in the next room, hitting Ollie square in the chest. The momentum sent her falling backwards, hitting her back and head on the wall as she crashed onto the floor.

It took her an instant to register her surroundings again, coughing at the jarring impact saved by the metal plate at her chest— Bradford special.

She climbed up to her feet again when she noticed several gunmen had Tim strangled and hit, the officer sending a few kicks and punches of his own. Vance was on the couch, trying to rip the baby off Cesiah, but the mother was giving back an intense battle for her daughter.

"Hey, Vance!" Ollie yelled through the havoc, pointing her gun at the man by the couch.

Vance scurried off at once.

With one man less in their mess, Ollie moved towards the brawl in the living room, stepping sharply at the back of a larger man's knee, causing him to fall at the crunch. Tim took on the other guy while Ollie stayed on this one.

The man was swaying slightly when he managed to stand up again, wincing at his knee. Ollie stared back at him; this guy was about twice her size, and she had to be smart about her play.

It did not surprise her when the man lunged towards her torso, ramming her to the wall behind. But she responded with a few tackles of her own, elbowing his neck before booting his chest when he stumbled backwards after the first blow.

Before he could come at her again, she tazed him, sending the large man to the floor.

➤➤➤

Ollie hacked out a cough as she unbuttoned the top of her navy uniform, extracting the trauma plate from under it. The metal piece had caught a bullet right in the middle of it, saving her from getting killed. "So, what do I do with this?" she asked, waving it at her T.O.

"Evidence may want the bullet," Tim eyed the metal plate, "But after that, keep it."

"Keep it?"

"A proof that Bradford special saved your life."

Ollie scowled at him, rolling her eyes as she headed towards Cesiah, who was getting wheeled out of the building on the gurney.

"Hey, they're gonna take you to the hospital, make sure you—" she coughed, "—you and the baby are okay."

"Then what happens?" Cesiah asked, clutching her daughter protectively.

"Whatever you want," Ollie answered with a smile. "You're free now. You both are."

"Hey, Ollie," Cesiah called out again just as the paramedics were going to move her into the ambulance; the officer looked at her attentively. The woman lowered her head to her daughter with a smile, finally feeling at ease. "I'm naming her Liv," Cesiah announced, "after you, the officer who made sure we were safe, and... freed me from him."

Ollie's eyes widened at the announcement, gaping at the newborn in awe. "Wow, Cesiah, that's... Wow. I'll come by and check on you later... Thank you."

"No. Thank you."

Ollie waved at Cesiah as the paramedics shut the ambulance door, moving to transport the mother and the newborn to the hospital. A few officers strolled over to her as the ambulance drove off; Lucy slung her arm over her shoulder.

"You're awfully smiley for someone who literally just got shot at," Jackson commented.

Ollie glanced over to her rookie friends with a smug grin. "Cesiah named her daughter — who I delivered — after me. I'd say that's smiley-worthy," she shared the news, earning surprised and happy looks from the others.

"Ollie, that's amazing!" Lucy gasped.

"It is great," John agreed.

"Feel good?" Lucy nudged her.

"Totally," Ollie chuckled. Lucy clapped her on the back happily, sending Ollie into a coughing fit.

The rookies stared at her concernedly. "I think that should get checked out," John commented.

"I agree."

"No. I'm fine," Ollie refused, "I did get shot at, remember?"

Jackson eyed her sternly. "Yeah... no— Officer Bradford!" he called out to the group of training officers close by, who all turned to his voice; Ollie had attempted to clap her hand over his mouth, but was quicker to speak. "Office Marshall is refusing to go to the hospital to get checked out!"

Tim's gaze immediately landed on her; she rolled her eyes with a string of muttered curses.

"I'm fine."

"Nuh-uh." Lucy clapped her back again, causing her to break into more coughs and wheezes.

"Hell's sake— Why would you— do that— again—" Ollie coughed between her words. When she finally gathered her breath again, she was met with Tim standing right before her, having to trudge over to the group of rookies, with his signature stern stare.

"Did you get hit?" he questioned.

"I mean, I got shot at, as you already know."

"Did you hit your head after that?" he asked again. "You should head to the hospital."

"Hey, I could talk to Captain Andersen again, get you the rest of your shift off," Avery chipped in from the side; Tim flashed him a glare while Bishop and Lopez snorted.

"Avery, leave my Boot away from your tardiness," Tim chipped back humourlessly as Avery gasped dramatically; the rookies snickered at his theatrics. Tim turned back to Ollie with his hands on his waist. "If you did hit your head, you need to get checked for a concussion."

Ollie mirrored his stance, staring him down in return. The group of officers watched them amusedly.

"You are really..." Tim eventually sighed in defeat, taking his radio out from his belt. "7-Adam-19. Show us en route to Shaw Memorial."

Ollie scoffed at his action as he holstered his radio again. "Did you just—"

"Yes. Now, come on, we're going. That's an order."

Alas, Ollie had no choice but to give in. Jacks, I hate you, she mouthed to the rookie, who waved back at her contently. Ollie followed her T.O. to their patrol car. "Respectfully, sir, I hate you."

"You don't. You hate hospitals," Tim corrected, getting into the driver's seat.

Ollie turned to him curiously. "Is that why you're driving me there instead of chucking me at the back of one of the many ambulances on scene?"

"Yes," Tim replied shortly, pulling away from the estate.

"Aw, that's sweet of you, Officer Bradford," Ollie mused as her T.O. rolled his eyes.

➤➤➤

Ollie sat idly on the hospital bed in one of the rooms, swinging her legs impatiently. She had already undergone a physical exam with one of the doctors and was now waiting for her CT scan results.

A knock on the hospital room door made her lift her head to it. The handle twisted open, and in peered an officer holding a bag of takeaway. Jackson frowned at the sight of her. "Uh, two questions. Why are you in a hospital gown? And how long have you been sitting there?"

"Had a CT scan, just in case. And better in here than in the hallways," Ollie responded dully, gesturing to the spot on the bed beside her for him to sit. "Now, please tell me," she eyed the paper bag closely, "that that is food."

"It is," Jackson grinned. Remember the sushi place we never got around to trying?" He reached into the bag and pulled out two packs of sushi rolls, handing the woman a set of chopsticks.

Ollie's eyes twinkled at the food. "Damn, Lopez let you get these for me?" she narrowed her eyes, "And drove you here?"

"It costed a very deadly glare. And I had to buy her a set, too," Jackson replied, "And she realised that the food is, in fact, good, so she's now still at the sushi place. I came on foot."

"Wow. My knight in shining armour," the woman mused, "Or, officer with sushi."

Jackson rolled his eyes with a light chuckle. "Where's Bradford?"

"Uh, somewhere," Ollie responded, picking up a piece of sushi fixedly. "Last I saw him was when I passed him my duty belt. Haven't seen him since," she elaborated, "Enough about him. I'm starving."

Jackson watched her anticipatingly as her face melted at the taste. "It's good, yeah?"

"Heavenly," Ollie nodded assuredly.

━━━━━

Firm believer that everything tastes better when you're hungry 🙋