⋆° დ ༄ RISKY BUSINESS
chapter fifteen. a beautiful friendship.

Maxine walks onto the unit and Jay says, "hey. Good morning"

Bishop takes her coat off, putting it on the back of her chair and says, "yeah"

Adam walks over to his best friend, sitting on the edge of her desk and says, "hey, I called you a bunch of times last night."

"Oh. Sorry. I was...caught up with something"

Adam looks over at Jay and Mickey then back at the brunette and says, "anything you wanna tell me?"

"Uh, nope"

Atwater walks onto the unit, being the newest member of the team and Adam says, "Atwater hey"

"Hey"

"Take Sumners desk"

Kevin goes to put his jacket on the back of the chair and Jay says, "what up, man?"

"What up, bro?"

"Don't get used to it, though." Adam says, taking a sip of his coffee, "we don't seem to stay in them for very long"

"How's Burgess taking it?" Al asks.

"Taking what?"

"Well, you getting promoted up here when perhaps, she deserves it a little bit more?"

"Oh, that. Well, she's been assigned a new partner."

"There he is" Mickey says, as Antonio walks onto the unit.

"Hey, man. What the hell are you doing back so soon, man?" Al asks.

"Oh god. You sound like my wife" he says.

"Listen, we got you a little welcome back, slash, glad you're not dead gift" Jay says, getting up from his desk.

"Don't say we didn't ever do anything for you" Adam says, walking back in from the hall with a walker.

"Oh! That's hilarious" Antonio laughs. Adam points to Jay and says, "his idea"

"Oh yeah?"

"You wanna go?" Jay asks, as they pretend to fight. Al looks around and says, "it was my idea"

"Alright. We're rolling out" Hank says, leaving his office, "five minutes. We just caught a heater" then he goes in for a handshake with Dawson, "glad you're back, bro"

"Thanks"

"Hey, do me a favor, just work the desk for a few days. I don't want you dropping on me"

"No, I'm fine. I'm suiting up"

"Antonio. I'm not gonna argue with you about this."

"Alright"

🪩🪩🪩

As the team investigates at a construction site, Mickey says, "they had a plan. They took out all the security cameras in the area. Jin checked the pods. There's nothing there."

"They're missing a 100 pounds of aluminized water gel explosives." Adam says, walking over to the team.

"Water gels?" Atwater says.

"It's for mining and tunneling. Companies use it for blasting bedrock" Al says.

"Yeah. That's a lot of explosives. Like take down a building big. We've had enough of that around here." Hank says.

"We're also missing a security guard, boss" Adam says as Maxine and Erin look anything but in this universe.

"Alright, I want a list of all the demo company employees, and whoever signed for the materials here. Anyone who knew water gel explosives were gonna be on site."

"Over here!" A guy yells towards the intelligence team.

"What's this?" Hank asks, as they all walk towards the man. Mickey stops Maxine and says, "you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine" Maxine says, stuffing her hands into her pockets.

The construction worker brings them behind a dumpster where the missing security guard was shot dead.

"Alright, anyone who's been here in the last month, I want their name" Hank says before walking away.

🪩🪩🪩

"Hey, O. Your wife called" Antonio says, handing Olinsky a piece of paper, "wants to know about dinner. Ruzek" then he tears out another piece of paper to hand the officer, "your fridge is being delivered on Thursday"

"Ah, finally" Adam smiles, going to his desk, "between 9 and 12 or 3 and 6, did they say?" And Antonio gives him a look, "never mind"

"Hey Sarg. Why don't we have a civilian aide up here taking calls? It's in the budget"

"It's all about who you can trust, Antonio. What do you got?" Hank asks.

"I'm waiting on a list of employees from that construction site. So far no ones popped. Now you said they didn't get any blasting caps or detonation cords?"

"No"

"You're gonna need those"

"Alright. Det cords and caps, that's our angle for now"

"I got a CI I can talk to about that" Jay says.

"Alright" he says, pointing to Mickey to go with him. Kevin gets up from his desk and says, "Hey Sarg?"

"Yeah"

"I grew up in Harvey right near the construction site. It's two eights territory. Nothing goes down there without their permission. I know a guy. I think I can lean on him a little bit, see what he knows."

"Olinsky. Go with him"

"Actually, I think I'm gonna do this by myself, O" Atwater says, going back to his desk.

"Oh, hey everyone. Atwater's been in the unit two minutes and already he's put himself in charge" Al says standing up and everyone claps.

"Congrats, bud. I knew you were management material" Jay says.

"Oh, no that's not what I was trying to say." Kevin says.

"What were you saying?" Al questions.

"It's just..."

"You're worried about your white cop partner blowing the deal"

"Yeah"

"Maybe after 20 years working undercover, I know how not to get made. Anywhere in the city" Al says then walks past him.

"My bad"

🪩🪩🪩

Jay and Mickey sit in their covert car, trying to stay warm from the cold chicago weather when Jay speaks up, "she's being weird, right? Like not herself"

"Who, Max?"

"Yeah"

"Oh yeah"

Then the door opens and someone gets in, shivering and warming his hands together. "It's cold. What's up Halstead. Yo, Mick, didn't even recognize you for a second. Your hair got longer"

"Not that much longer since the rangers"

"Yeah well, I don't like it"

Mickey rolls his eyes and says, "shut up mouse"

"Hey listen. Can you tell us anything about this construction site robbery in Harvey?" Jay asks.

"Might be tapped in on that" mouse says, stuffing fries into his mouth, "my ears man. They get so waxy these days"

"Oh yeah. His ears. Get so waxy these days" Jay mocks handing him some money that he and Mickey put together. Mouse grabs it and smiles, "yeah. Ding ding. Clear as a bell just like that"

"Always just like that" Mickey says.

"There's lots of talk. There is a new player in town. He's Uh, looking for some bangers. I'm kind of serving as a consultant"

"Can you get us a meeting. Tell them we're offering blasting caps and det cord" Jay says.

"What, straight up?"

"Yeah. Straight up. All you're doing is organizing a meet"

"Alright. Drive forward. Erie and Sedgwick. I'll set it up"

🪩🪩🪩

Maxine sits at her desk, doing some paperwork. Twisting her pen around her fingers. Hank stares at her from his office, knowing something is wrong.

He's only ever seen that look on her face, twice since knowing her. Both times, not good.

After Mickey and Jay get back from meeting his CI Mouse, who helps them with a meet that went bad, finding out it was Charlie. Mickey brings Erin down to the roll up and says, "Charlie Pugliese, or however you say his frigging name, you know what he's into?"

"why?"

"I just had a CI sit me down in front of him. He's involved in the construction site hit." Mickey says, making Erin sigh, "what do you need here, Erin?"

"I can handle it"

"Really? How? When? Voight's upstairs. He's waiting for an update."

"Just stall. I just need to move a couple things around"

"What does this guy have on you?"

"It's bad"

Mickey goes to sit on the edge of the table and says, "what's Voight always say? Tell him the truth so he can lie for you."

Erin shakes her head and says, "no. If I tell the truth on this one, I'm done. Do you understand?"

"There's a dead security guard that they left behind a dumpster. Like a bag of trash"

~~~

Antonio walks onto the unit with Nadia, who runs over to Erin and pulls her into a hug, then Maxine.

"Hey, Nadia" Maxine smiles. Erin turns to Antonio and says, "thank you"

After getting some coffee, Nadia says, "so the next step would be finding a job. A real job. One that I'm proud of"

"You have any leads?" Maxine asks.

"Well, nothing in stone but, uh, there's this woman that helps out at the clinic. She said she'd introduce me to her daughter who runs some sort of clothing store or something. I don't know. I, uh, I need to work on that one."

"It's all good. Listen, Nadia, don't break my heart again." Erin says.

"I won't. I promise"

Erin watches Hank walk by and she gets up and leaves. Maxine puts her hand over Nadia's and says, "How was rehab?"

Nadia sighs and says, "it was tough, but . . . I made it"

"Yes you did. Erin and I are proud of you"

~~~

Adam watches as his best friend walks into the locker room and he follows in suit and closes the door behind him.

"So, you're gonna tell me what the hells going on with you?"

Maxine opens her locker and says, "excuse me?"

"You're not acting like yourself"

"And you would know right?"

Adam leans on the surrounding lockers and says, "yeah, I would like to think so"

"Leave it alone, Adam. It's none of your business"

"It is my business. You're my best friend. My family. And when somethings wrong, I try and help"

Maxine rolls her eyes and says, "well don't" then she opens the door and walks away.

~~~

"Kevin Red Radner" Antonio says, taping his picture onto the board, "he's wanted in New York, Indiana and Illinois for murder, armed robbery and trafficking."

"Drugs or.." Mickey asks.

"Girls. Beat a rape charge too".

"We like him for pulling the strings on that construction site robbery. He's in the wind, but he's had a lot of prior dealings with this guy" Hank says, taping a photo onto the board, "Charlie Pugliese." making Mickey look at Erin, "we have every reason to believe Pugliese was part of Reds crew. A tip from a CI came in, said Pugliese is planning on using the explosives stolen from the site, to knock off this jewelry exchange on north Lawndale. We're moving out"

🪩🪩🪩

As the intelligence team moves in on the jewelry exchange, they race out of their cars with their guns drawn, putting Charlie and two other guys in cuffs.

"Anything in the trunk that could hurt me?" Al asks, shoving Charlie against the car.

"No"

"I don't hear you"

"No!"

Al opens the trunk and says, "explosives in the car"

"I'd like to report a murder from October 12th 2002" Charlie shouts, "Victims name was Ricky Sandoval. I have all the information. Who killed him and who helped get rid of the body"

"Put him in the car" Hank says, as Mickey walks past Max, who had an arm wrapped around Erin for comfort, who are completely focused on the male in front of them. As Al goes to put Charlie into the car, Voight turns towards Erin and nods his head.

🪩🪩🪩

Hank walks into the viewing room where Jay, Maxine, Erin and Mickey are and asks, "anything from the other two?"

"Lawyered up" Jay says.

"Alright, everybody clear out."

"Hang on. I want to talk to him first" Erin says, handing Voight her gun, "then you can do whatever you want" then she opens the door and heads to the interrogation room.

~~~

After Erin talks with Charlie, and who does give them something. They spend all night at their desks figuring out what he said and working on paperwork.

"B.Y? I've never heard of it before. I don't think anyone has" Adam says.

"Hey, you know, at my old job, sometimes we'd get called to this area behind the stockyards." Nadia says and everyone stares at her, "um, guys liked to park there cause it was quite at night. Back of the yards was B.Y."

Everyone then looks at Voight who says, "let's go"

🪩🪩🪩

After Red and his guys start shooting at the team, they see the white van driving away and Mickey and Erin chase after them. As they race down the streets of Chicago, Erin shoots at one of the tires making the van drive over a car, flipping over.

As the duo get out of their car, guns drawn, Erin says, "I can't clear"

"Cover me" Mickey says, as Erin goes around the van, "don't move! Show me your hands!" He yells at the guy, "gun! He's got a gun!" Then Mickey starts hitting the man in the face over with his gun.

Then once the man is disarmed he looks over to see the other suspect pointing a gun at him then a gunshot was heard and he falls to the ground. Mickey looks up at his partner and nods.

🪩🪩🪩

Erin leaves Voight's office and Mickey says, "squared away?"

Erin sighs and says, "yeah" as she goes to grab her coat, "paperwork up the ying yang, but I'm toast for today," then she walks closer to her partner and says, "thank you, for everything."

"That's why you have back up"

Erin smiles and says, "Yeah, I guess so"

"And thanks for not letting me get shot"

"That's why you have a backup" Erin says, putting her fist forward for a fist bump. Mickey smiles, giving her a fist bump and says, "right"

🪩🪩🪩

Maxine stops in front of her apartment building from taking another run. Another 2 miles she didn't know she ran when she spots a familiar figure getting out of their car.

"What are you doing here?"

"Just checking up on you" he says.

"Why?" She asks, taking out her headphones.

"Because for the last week. You haven't been yourself. And before you say, how would you know. I talked to Adam"

"Willingly?"

"Yeah. We're worried Max"

"Well, don't be"

"Does it have something to do with this Joey person?"

Maxine froze in her spot, "no"

"Max—"

"No, you listen to me. We're not together anymore. We're not friends. So there's no need for you to have any concern about me. We're co workers and that's it" Maxine snaps then opens the front door to walk in.

~~~

Max walks into her apartment, closing the door behind her when she sees Joey leaving the bathroom and he says, "hey. Everything okay?"

"Yeah. Just tired." She says, taking off her sneakers, "I think I'm gonna take a hot shower and a well deserved nap" then she walks into the bathroom and shuts the door.

~~~

Later that night, while Max and Joey were watching a movie. Maxine's back up against Joeys chest, who was playing with her hair, when there was a knock.

Max groans and gets up to answer it to find Hank on the other side, "Hey Hank" she says very surprised, "what's going on?" then she steps outside, closing the door behind her.

"Did you know Joey Masters was back in town?"

authors note;

god, I sure love writing cliffhangers but they are evil 😈
that's a wrap for season 1 🥺
can't wait for season 2 👀😈🤨