Musical Cop
Episode 3
Monday arrived and he was suiting up in the locker room, engaged in some small talk with Nolan who was more friendly than usual.
They headed to the briefing room, and he noticed a good amount of officers were present. Sergeant Grey was already waiting by the podium and then applause erupted as Tim Bradford finally showed up.
He saw the blue inflatable donut his T.O. placed on Bradford's seat, and Chen's T.O. took out a pen and stabbed the object, causing everyone to laugh at the prank.
"Alright, alright, settle down." Grey stopped clapping and walked around the room as he began his briefing. "Let's get to it. You ready Officer Nolan?"
It was just like in the academy, it was obvious Grey was picking on Nolan. "Because once again, we start with you."
"I'm flattered." Nolan replied.
"Don't be." Grey informed them of a current case. Bishop and Nolan were able to apprehend two members of a four-man crew that robbed a cash advance teller. Two had escaped, while the stolen bag of money was taken by a bystander on the train, busking for change.
He looked up from the information sheet handed to him by Chen when someone knocked on the door. Their police captain came in, wearing a salmon skirt and a dark suit. The floral blouse was a nice touch and showed a bit of her cleavage.
"What can we do for you captain?" Grey asked.
"Nothing much, I just want to welcome back Bradford and Routh. If both of you need anything, let me know."
"Yes, mam." They both replied simultaneously.
Captain Andersen provided more information about their plans to capture the remaining two bank robbers and connected their crew with previous incidents in the past few months.
Their first arrest came from responding to a silent alarm from a small grocery store. He followed behind Lopez and they observed a female figure in a blue outfit and mask, demanding the cashier to fill the bag with money. The suspect also had a gun in her hand.
He took out his weapon and remained on guard.
"7-adam-07, we have a 211 in progress in our location, requesting backup." Lopez spoke on the radio. "Let's wait for her when she gets out."
"Affirmative."
The woman in blue rushed out of the grocery and they quickly pointed their weapons at the suspect.
"Police! Drop your weapon!" Lopez yelled out.
The suspect was startled and immediately dropped her gun to the ground and ran down the street. He immediately ran in pursuit as he holstered his weapon and quickly caught up to the suspect with his longer strides. He quickly tackled her to the ground and removed the cuffs from his duty belt.
After cuffing the woman, he took off her mask, causing Lopez to look on in amazement as she observed the suspect's face.
"Sue Cliffords?" Lopez asked.
"You know her?" He asked as he pulled the suspect to her feet.
"She played ball for the Trojans. Best three-point shooter in the NCAA." Lopez replied.
"Nice to meet a fan." The suspect replied.
He listened as Lopez interrogated their suspect as he pushed her inside their shop, his hand guiding her head so she wouldn't hit the roof. The former athlete busted her knee and her career vanished in an instant.
"Do you have a plan B?" Lopez asked him.
"I'm thinking of applying for faculty for any institutions that have a spot if this doesn't work out." He admitted. "If that doesn't work, then I'll go to the music business, and compose and write songs for a living."
"Chen said you had a good voice when you're drunk," Lopez replied. "It's good to have a plan. Statistically one in three rookies washes out in their first year. My old boot washed out on his first day, so I think you'll do fine."
"The Jackson West washed out on his first day?" He asked. "He was leaps ahead of us in preparation in the academy."
"Just goes to show not everything can be learned in the classroom." Lopez answered.
"What about you, what's your Plan B?"
"Hello! This is officer Booty boot! Shout out to all the single ladies out there!" The radio blared out over the general frequency.
"What the hell was that?" Sue Cliffords asked from the back.
They returned quickly back to the station where Grey met with them as they processed their suspect.
"It's a tragedy. You can see it on her face when she blew out her knee. She knew her career was over." Grey shook his head as he checked their paperwork.
"She didn't have a Plan B." Lopez watched Sue Cliffords walk around her detention cell.
"You should always have a plan B starting now." Grey replied, staring at him.
"I have one sir, and a plan C." He replied.
"And what career is that, Officer Routh?" Grey asked.
"My boot here is a history buff. He plans to teach if things don't work out here. He's also a musician. He has a degree and everything. Heard it when he was speaking with the captain."
"Really?" Grey looked intrigued.
"He gave a short lecture on the history of the kitchen." Lopez replied. "The captain enjoyed it, and so did we."
"Let me get this straight." Grey folded his arms and looked at him with clear interest and amusement. "You gave the captain, a lecture about the history of the kitchen, and she didn't take offense?"
"The captain looked like she was looking forward to more, but she was too busy with her schedule." Lopez explained. "Boot here has a way with words. You should have been there sir."
"Do you think you can use that knowledge of yours and use it as a way to engage more with the community?" Grey asked.
He was surprised by the proposal, but the idea appealed to him. He didn't have much to do at the moment and nodded in agreement. "I could give a lecture on the relevance of the home and how they connect with how we live our lives today. We could have a trial period on weekends."
"Let's plan this then. Submit a proposal." Grey looked delighted. "I'm sure the captain would approve this."
He spent half his lunch creating a rough outline for the content of his proposed lecture. The second half of their shift was unremarkable. He was listening to Lopez on how she got the idea to apply for the LAPD from a pamphlet when Grey called them for an emergency meeting in the bullpen.
He reached the office area and noticed several dozen police officers surrounding the captain, with a whiteboard behind her. Half the men were wearing tactical gear, and he knew they were from Metro, B platoon.
"Listen up." He had to admire how his neighbor was able to grab the attention of all the officers with her sheer presence alone. "We have the final location of the remaining two suspects."
She pointed to the two, a male and a female.
"The female suspect Severa did two tours as a door gunner in a Blackhawk. She's more dangerous than Bower, but don't underestimate him either. He left a lot of collateral damage in his wake."
The sergeant from Metro stepped forward and continued the briefing. He observed the map, and guessed their patrol group would be assigned for perimeter patrol. Grey gave additional instructions and they followed the convoy of swat units and stopped at their assigned area.
They split off in pairs, and he followed Lopez, keeping a wary eye out for movement. He soon heard gunfire and listened to the progress on the radio. B platoon was engaged in a gunfight, as the speaker on the radio asked for additional support and an airship. It sounded like there were more than two gunmen in the house.
"Stay sharp." Lopez whispered. They both ducked down as they heard gunfire, closer to their location and he realized it was the area that Nolan and Bishop decided to patrol on foot. Lopez decided to follow Bishop and by the time they arrived at the location, the suspects and their fellow officers were long gone.
"Let's get back to the shop." Lopez decided to monitor the situation inside their vehicle. It was a rapidly changing situation, and they both breathed a sigh of relief when they heard Bradford and Bishop had both detained their suspects.
The ride back to the station was more pleasant, as Lopez continued to share her plan B. She wanted to start a security firm, offering her services to companies.
"That's going to take a lot of capital." He observed.
"That's why I purchased my own house as soon as I could afford one." Lopez replied. "The rent in this city is insane. The only problem is I'm thinking of upgrading my property, but the quotes from the contractors are astronomical."
"Why don't you ask Nolan for advice?" He suggested. "He was a contractor and had his own business before he enrolled in the academy."
"That's not a bad idea." Lopez admitted. She parked the car in their designated spot and waited for him to finish checking the shop before locking it.
Chen was happy as she greeted him when they reached the main area. "Good work out there."
"Thanks, Jack. It took some creative thinking on my part, but I was glad I was able to pull it off. Brower was determined not to go down without a fight." Chen replied. "Why don't you join us for some drinks? Nolan said the beers in the bar where we're going are cheap."
"Just don't stay out until the early morning Chen. You have to report for duty tomorrow morning." They both turned to their captain who joined them.
"Captain." They both greeted her.
"It's getting late, so we should all get home and rest." Andersen suggested. "But before you go, here Routh. Just as I promised."
"Thank you, captain." He received the Dodgers ticket and carefully tucked it in his front pocket. "This is for you, as we agreed."
"It's finished?" Andersen looked surprised.
"I finished it during my break." He admitted with a small smile. They both watched as the captain hurried out the door to her car.
"What was that about?" Chen asked.
"She requested my creative skills." He patted the ticket inside his front pocket. "This is payment for that service."
"Uhuh." Chen gave him a strange look. "You're not going to elaborate, aren't you?"
"I'm afraid that's private." He smiled and continued to the locker room after Chen gave the address of the place they were going to go to.
He decided to take a shower in the apartment was better, since Grey and Bradford were having a heart-to-heart moment and hurried to remove his uniform and equipment so that he wouldn't attract their attention.
"This is nice." Nolan's idea was to drink in a bar near the beach. As the tables were full, they decided to bring their drinks and sat on the sand listening to the crashing waves.
"We jog here frequently during weekends." Nolan shared. "You should come join us."
"It was never the same since Jackson left." Chen added. "It would be nice to be a trio again."
"Are you sure I'm welcome? I don't want to step into Jackson's shoes."
"Don't think like that." Nolan slapped his shoulder. "Ouch. Are you wearing a suit of armor under your jacket?"
"Just my guns." He jokingly curled up his arm to show off. This caused Nolan to laugh while Chen hid her giggles with her hand.
"You were never like this in the academy." Chen admitted. "I wish you were this friendly and open back then. What happened?"
He reviewed his memories and realized he was mostly working on autopilot before his consciousness transferred to his new body. He tried to think of a suitable answer and realized the best answer was one closely aligned with the truth.
"I guess I found my purpose here in this world once I stepped into the Mid-Wilshire police station." He admitted. "I didn't have this much fun in Rampart, so this place must be special."
"I think so too." Nolan replied. He held out his beer can in front of him for a toast. "To new beginnings!"
"To new beginnings!" He and Chen tapped Nolan's beer can with theirs and they finished their own drinks.
He was glad he accepted Chen's invitation. Her question answered a lot of his worries about his past behavior. This was a new beginning and he would make the most of the life he had been given here. One problem remained that bothered him- he didn't know what the TV show The Rookie was all about.
The next morning there was a new interesting development. Grey decided to switch up their T.O.s with him being assigned to Bradford, Chen to Bishop, and Nolan to Lopez. But there was a catch. Grey wanted them to find out something personal about their T.O.s by the end of their next shift.
He immediately knew right away that this was a test of integrity and camaraderie among the officers. The reward of a day off for the winner and cavity search duty for the loser only confirmed his suspicions.
"So what's it like to ride with Lopez?" Nolan asked him as they prepared their war bags and equipment.
"Let's just say, it will be an experience." He replied and finished his documentation. "Bradford would push me hard, wouldn't he?"
"No. You? You're the super rookie." Chen answered. She looked the most stressed among the three of them. "You'll be fine."
"Unless, he would try to tear you down and make sure it's not getting into your head." Nolan suggested.
"Thanks for the advice." He replied and carried his war bags to Bradford's shop where he was waiting. His temporary T.O. was talking with Bishop and Lopez and he decided to start the routine inspection of their shop.
"I see you've trained him well." He heard Bradford speak with Lopez.
"Can I just have him back please?" Lopez complained. "We're already in sync, shifts run faster and smoother with my boot."
"You need to learn to share, Lopez." Bradford smirked and hopped into the driver's seat. He quickly followed and buckled up. "I want to see if he lives up to the stories."
"Just don't complain to me if you get frustrated." Lopez replied.
"I definitely won't." Bradford quickly replied.
"Please, you hate losing and being proven you're wrong." Bishop added.
"It's going to be an exciting day." Tim Bradford declared as they started their patrol. "I was glad when Grey paired us up."
"You are?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah. It's going to be a privilege to see the super rookie everyone's-" Their vehicle immediately stopped, forcing him to grab into the side handles.
"I've been shot! Where are we boot?" Bradford yelled. "I'm bleeding to death! You have to call for help! Where. Are. You?"
"North Mansfield." He replied immediately. "Cross street Beverly Boulevard."
"Where's the nearest medical facility?" Bradford demanded.
"There's one on Third Street." He answered. "Seven blocks from our current heading."
Bradford turned back to the road and resumed driving. "You're no fun."
They continued driving and approached a vacant lot near the edge of their patrol area. "Had us attached to a raid. I was injured so I was not able to see those vaunted marksmanship skills of yours."
They approached an unmarked maroon car where four men in civilian clothing waited. The four men left the vehicle, with the driver wearing a yellow hoodie smiling as he clasped hands with Bradford.
"Detective Singh."
"Bradford. When are you going to make the jump out of patrol? You're too good to be there."
"Never, I work for a living." Bradford replied.
"Who is this?" Singh asked Bradford as the detective nodded his head in his direction.
"It's the super rookie. The one that made that double headshot." Bradford answered.
"You're that guy? I thought they were exaggerating." Singh replied as he offered his hand in welcome.
"I was just glad no one else got hurt." He shook the man's hand.
"You ready to mix it up?" Singh asked.
"Yes sir."
"Good." Singh turned to Bradford and started his briefing. "We got a known gunrunner two blocks up. We could pin at least three murder weapons on him. We're going to put eyeballs on his place, make sure he's home then we go in hot."
"Let's see that shooting boot." Bradford slapped him on the shoulder and got back into the shop.
They quickly received confirmation that their suspect was in the address and moved out in formation.
"Be on your toes boot. These guys are armed for war." Bradford warned. He followed his T.O., weapon drawn as they headed to the fence while the rest of the team would push straight in. They ignored the dog barking and continued to circle around until they reached the back of the property.
The raid started and bullets started to fly, punching holes in the wooden fence.
"Let's go boot!" Bradford aimed at a suitable location and provided covering fire. He quickly followed and started discharging his own weapon. The raid was well planned, their location allowed for the assault team to fire without worrying about hitting them.
The suspect and his gang returned fire, but they were surprised at the bullets he and Bradford shot from their position. The gang was caught between two firing arcs, and he managed to hit one active shooter on the back. Bradford did the same with another shooter, and the rest of the gang quickly surrendered when they saw some of their men bleeding on the ground screaming in pain.
It was over in moments, and Bradford yelled out for a clear signal, indicating he saw no threats in the yard. Reinforcements rushed in, and started to provide first aid to the gang members who were incapacitated.
"Clear!" He heard Singh yell out and saw him step into the backyard.
"Two down inside." Singh stated. "You guys okay?"
"Yeah. We both tagged a shooter when you breached." Bradford replied. "They were drinking beers in the backyard and were surprised by our ambush."
"Good work. Looking forward to working with the two of you again with how smooth this operation turned out.." Detective Singh added. "I owe the two of you a beer. Come by on Friday and we'll swap stories."
Ambulances started to arrive and he followed Bradford back to the front of the house.
"Nice work out there boot. I'm glad you were not instantly aiming for the head. I thought it might have gotten to you." Bradford replied.
"I don't aim to kill unless there's no other way sir." He replied. "It's always center mass, just as we were trained to."
"That's good." Bradford started to head back to their parked shop two blocks down the street. "C'mon. I'll show you where Singh and his guys eat. They have the best kebabs in the city."
The next day, Nolan and Lopez were able to extract crucial information from a convict who tried to escape from the courthouse. He shared time-sensitive information about a drug deal going down this afternoon in a parking lot. It was supposed to be a large shipment of cocaine, and the captain designated it as a priority. They barely had an hour to prepare.
He and Bradford were assigned to the northern entrance, while Bishop and Lopez were each assigned to the other two exits. Grey would provide intelligence in an unmarked vehicle, pretending to be pulled over by Nolan in a specific spot to allow him a better vantage point to scope out their suspects.
"We take them out, hard and fast. Just like yesterday." Bradford advised him.
"Yes sir."
The situation completely deteriorated when the drug deal started. They all moved in at once, although the driver of the red car was able to get past Chen by running over a sign on the sidewalk.
The suspected men in a Dodge pick-up truck that Grey spotted started to rain fire on their position, forcing him and Bradford to jump out of their shop.
"You take the right, I'll move along the left!" Bradford called out and he nodded and proceeded to find cover along the row of parked cars. His temporary T.O. had fewer cars to use as cover and saw him pinned down by two shooters.
He ducked down as a spray of bullets hit his cover and moved to another location. Nolan and Bishop came in for support, diverting the second shooter's attention. He quickly moved along the ground and saw the first shooter trying to outflank Bradford ahead of him, spraying bullets from his semi-automatic weapon. He lunged and bashed the man's head on a car window, knocking him unconscious.
This allowed Bradford to move up and tazed the driver and he quickly secured his suspect in handcuffs. Just as the situation escalated, it also died down that quickly. Bradford had incapacitated the driver while Nolan pulled the second shooter's feet from under him, knocking him out as well.
"Everyone all right?" Lopez asked.
"Peachy." Bradford replied, standing up and dusting off his uniform and the shards of glass from his hair.
They waited as backup arrived and soon heard news that Bishop and Chen were able to detain the suspect in the red car.
"Good job all of you." Sergeant Grey said as he finished relaying information about their situation on the radio. "Since all three of your rookies performed above expectations, I decided that there will be no punishment for the challenge I set yesterday."
Back at the station, they were all standing in a line in front of Grey in the briefing room, while their T.O.s sat on the chairs behind them eating sandwiches. The captain was leaning on the doorframe, listening in on the meeting.
"So since there will be no punishment, I'll start with Chen. Time to come clean. What did you learn about your T.O.?" Grey began.
"I'm sorry sir I was unable to gain any insight on Officer Bishop." Chen replied.
"That's disappointing. How about you, Officer Nolan?"
"I failed in my assignment too, Sergeant."
"Alright. Alright." He noticed Grey give a quick glance at the training officers behind them.
"What about you, Officer Routh? Any insights on Officer Bradford?"
Since they were just having fun now, and the purpose of the challenge was proven in the operation an hour ago, he decided to play.
"I do Sergeant." He replied. He ignored the sounds of laughter behind him and remained standing at attention. From the corner of his vision he saw the captain covering her mouth to hide her smile.
"Really, what did you discover about Officer Bradford?" Grey leaned forward in interest.
"He's a sore loser, Sergeant." He answered truthfully. The muffled laughter increased and he even heard snorts of amusement from Lopez and Bishop.
"Would you agree with his insight, Officer Bradford?" Grey asked. The man looked to be barely maintaining his composure.
"I…. I'm just motivated to win, Sergeant." Bradford replied.
"I guess you're the winner." Grey stepped back and smiled. "You and your T.O. will get a day off on Monday."
"Thank you sir."
"Sir, technically, I'm still his T.O. until he returns for the next briefing." Bradford spoke out. "That means I win that day off."
"What? No!" Lopez answered.
"Technically, what Bradford said is correct." Their captain joined in on the fun. Lopez groaned in defeat and he felt Bradford slap him hard on the back.
"Let's go boot." Bradford led him to the locker room as they were dismissed. "I want to take a closer look at your bike. Is it modified?"
"All stock sir."
"Mind if I take it for a spin around the parking lot?" Bradford asked.
"Uhmm sure sir."
"Good, I haven't tried a wheelie in years."
It was the first time their training officers joined them for a night out, and permitted them to call them by their first names when they were not on duty. He guessed they had broken an unspoken barrier and reached a new stage in their training.
They arrived at a music bar, where he saw a few other fellow officers enjoying their Friday night. Chen immediately dragged Nolan to the stage to sing her favorite songs where a live band accompanied them and he tapped his fingers to the beat of the song on the table, appreciating Lucy's musical talent.
"So Jack, do you think you'll grace us with a song?" Angela Lopez asked.
"I think I'll need a few more beers for that." He wasn't resistant to the idea and he might as well test the traits he gained in his reincarnation.
"If you sing a song, I'll buy a round of beer for everyone on the table." Angela offered.
"And if you sing a second song, I'll do the same." Talia Bishop added.
"But it has to be a song I've never heard of before." Angela gave him an eager smile. "You told me that was your Plan C right? I want to see a glimpse of that."
"What's plan B?" Tim asked.
"History professor and we already heard one of his lectures." Talia replied.
"Alright fine. Anyone have a pen?" He asked and finished his beer.
Tim gave his and he wrote down a series of chords to show to the band. Several musical artists and songs didn't exist in this world and he decided to introduce them. He wasn't planning to take credit for them anyway. He just wanted the music that existed in his old life to exist here as well, and it would help him feel that this world was his new home.
He waited for a few more minutes as Chen and Nolan finally finished their number.
"That was a blast!" Lucy declared after she finished drinking a glass of water.
"That's the last time you will pull me to the stage." John Nolan complained.
"Relax, you weren't that bad." Angela replied. "Besides, Jack here will perform for us."
"No way!" Lucy exclaimed. "Go! What are you waiting for, the stage is empty!"
"Jack's singing?" John looked surprised.
"Yeah, now go!" Angela playfully pushed him towards the stage while the rest of their table cheered.
He reached the stage and greeted the guitarist, bassist, pianist, and drummer who were taking a break after Lucy's performance.
"Hi, mind if I sing a song with your band?" He asked.
"Sure." The guitarist replied with a friendly smile.
"I'm afraid it's a new composition." He handed out the written chords on the tissue paper. "It's a simple repeating pattern, and I'll have to borrow the piano."
"Be my guest." The female pianist moved aside and even prepared the microphone to match his height.
"Watch out for the cues." He explained to the drummer, but it's mostly a steady rhythm, nothing complex."
"Alright, I'll give it a try." The drummer replied.
He moved to the keyboards and the lights on the stage prevented him from seeing the people at the back where his table was located. He tapped the microphone amidst whistles and cheers as the crowd realized there would be another performance.
"Hi, this song is called Payphone."
[Maroon 5 – Payphone]
Zoe Andersen
"What do we have here? A get together?" She asked as she approached a table filled with her officers.
She decided to accept a Friday night out invitation from her two friends, but they bailed out at the last minute due to an emergency. She was tempted to just go home when she a table at the back filled with the rookies and their training officers.
One person was missing though, to her slight disappointment. She didn't realize the music bar was so popular with her officers and decided to join their table to salvage her Friday night.
"Mam!"
"Captain!"
"Relax." She replied as she sat on an empty seat beside Angela Lopez. "I'm here to unwind, the same reason you're all here. Unfortunately my friends didn't show up and I was planning to go home until I saw your group. Mind if I join your table?"
"Not at all Captain." Lopez replied with a smile. "You just arrived just in time."
"In time for what?" She asked.
"Hi, this song is called Payphone."
She looked at the stage and her eyes widened in surprise. Jack Routh was on stage, and he was preparing to sing a song.
"How did this happen?" She asked as she sat up, happy she had a clear line of sight to the famous super rookie of her division.
"You could thank me later, mam." Angela said proudly.
"She bribed him with a free round of drinks on the table every time he sings." Bradford explained.
"That's genius." She remarked.
I'm at a payphone, trying to call home
All of my change, I spent on you
"Whoa." She heard a gasp and noticed the crowd focus on Jack's surprising vocals. The noise from the bar lowered as conversations stopped and focused on the new singer on stage.
Where have the times gone?
Baby, it's all wrong
Where are the plans we made for two?
He started playing a melody on the piano, accompanying his vocals. She noticed the musicians around him were surprised, standing still and not playing their instruments.
Yeah, I, I know it's hard to remember
The people we used to be
It's even harder to picture
That you're not here next to me
You say it's too late to make it
But is it too late to try?
And in our time that you wasted
All of our bridges burned down
The drummer started playing a beat on the snare and the guitarist and bassist joined in quickly.
I've wasted my nights
You turned out the lights
Now I'm paralyzed
Still stuck in that time when we called it love
But even the sun sets in paradise
"He's amazing." She whispered.
"Yeah" Angela replied nodded.
"Oh my god! He's so good." Lucy Chen gasped.
I'm at a payphone, trying to call home
All of my change I spent on you
Where have the times gone?
Baby, it's all wrong
Where are the plans we made for two?
The entire bar was silent, as even the servers focused on Jack's performance. She heard a commotion behind her and saw more people trying to enter the music bar all at the same time. They had probably heard Jack singing and wanted to see for themselves.
If happy ever after did exist
I would still be holding you like this
All those fairytales are full of shit
One more fucking love song, I'll be sick, oh
Jack resumed playing the now familiar melody and she felt her heart beat faster as she saw him under the stage lights, sweat glittering on his forehead and face. He really was too much.
She saw Tim was staring at his drink, looking torn and she instantly knew he connected to the song and its lyrics, just as she did.
You turned your back on tomorrow
'Cause you forgot yesterday
I gave you my love to borrow
But you just gave it away
She held back tears as she remembered the horrible time she experienced with her former husband. She quickly rubbed her eyes and continued listening to the song.
The other musicians were getting more familiar with songs structure, and it only added to the appeal of Jack's performance.
You can't expect me to be fine
I don't expect you to care
I know I said it before
But all of our bridges burned down
I've wasted my nights
You turned out the lights
Now I'm paralyzed
Still stuck in that time when we called it love
But even the sun sets in paradise
"Is.. Is anyone recording this?" Lucy asked. She noticed the rookie's eyes were wet. She was obviously crying.
"Since the beginning." Talia replied with a smile.
She made a mental note to ask for a copy from Bishop.
I'm at a payphone, trying to call home
All of my change I spent on you
Where have the times gone?
Baby, it's all wrong
Where are the plans we made for two?
If happy ever after did exist
I would still be holding you like this
And all those fairytales are full shit
One more fucking love song, I'll be sick
Now, I'm at a payphone
Ooh, yeah, yeah
Now baby, don't hang up
So I can tell you what you need to know
I'm begging you, just please don't go
So I can tell you what you need to know
It was a bittersweet song, especially the lyrics at the end. She already knew what was wrong with her previous relationship, but still tried to find excuses, unable to bear the thought of being alone. Jack's amazing vocals drew her in.
I'm at a payphone, trying to call home
All of my change I spent on you
Where have the times gone?
Baby, it's all wrong
Where are the plans we made for two?
If happy ever after did exist
I would still be holding you like this
And all those fairytales are full shit
One more fucking love song, I'll be sick
Now, I'm at a payphone
There was a quiet pause at the entire bar for a few seconds before the entire establishment erupted in applause. The cheers continued as the musicians exchanged high fives with Jack, and even the female pianist hugged him.
He stepped off the stage and the applause continued, with many stopping Jack to introduce themselves or express their love for the song. Jack finally reached their table after a minute of navigating through the tables and the well-wishers.
"At least we know his Plan C will work." Angela stated.
"Does that deserve a round?" Jack asked once he reached their table. He sat down on the only empty chair beside her and realized he had not yet recognized her presence. Lucy looked like she was struggling not to jump at Routh and hug him, while John stared in amazement.
"You bet boot!" Angela signaled for a server. A girl quickly rushed forward, though her eyes constantly darted to Jack who was wiping away his sweat with a tissue. "A round of drinks for the table please."
"Right away." The waitress replied and quickly headed to the bar.
"The stage lights felt like I was in a sauna." Jack tugged at his collar, trying to let air cool down his chest.
"Here, you can have my water." She offered her glass and Jack nodded in thanks as he drank the contents within seconds.
"Thanks… wait." Jack looked surprised as he stared at her. "Captain?"
"I decided to crash your night out." She explained. "That was a good song."
"Thank you." He replied.
The server arrived with another staff, and they were all surprised when several appetizers joined the drinks that Angela ordered.
"Compliments of the management." The server replied with a smile.
"Remind me to kidnap you if we're planning to go to karaoke bars." Angela joked as she took a serving of the nachos drizzled in ground beef, peppers and cheese.
"You're already making a living Jack." Tim joined in as he started on the appetizers.
"Now you have to perform a second song." Talia commented. "We can't finish all of these without another round of drinks."
"Let me eat first, then let's see. I'm starving."
The table soon got used to her presence and they continued to drink and eat as other singers performed on the stage, using the Karaoke machine while the band took a break. None were as amazing as Jack's performance, and already a few customers from other tables were looking again at their table hoping he would sing.
"I don't want to sing again." Lucy denied John's suggestion to sing solo on stage. "Not after I listened to Jack's performance."
"You're actually a very good singer." Jack replied.
"Really?" Lucy asked.
"I told you." John Nolan answered. "You weren't called the karaoke queen at the academy for nothing."
"Can you make your next song a little more… happy?" She asked Jack once she noticed he was done eating. "I'd like to hear something I can dance to."
"I guess I have to, since it's the captain's orders." Jack replied, causing everyone on the table to laugh.
"You know what I mean." She crossed her arms and gave him her best mock glare.
"Yes mam. Anything for the captain." Jack stood up, causing her and her fellow officers to cheer once more. The other customers saw Jack heading back to the stage and joined in the cheering as well.
"Is he, like an actor? Or someone from a band?" A young woman from a nearby table tapped her shoulder to ask.
"No, this is more like his hobby." She replied.
"But that's such a waste! He's so talented and gorgeous!" The woman declared. "Can I have his name and number? It looks like you all know him from work."
"Sorry, but we value our privacy." She replied.
"He already has fan girls." Angela chuckled and leaned closer to her fellow T.O.'s ear, but her sharp hearing caught what Lopez whispered. "The E.C. effect is at full strength tonight, Talia."
She heard that term a few times before in the locker room, when she used the shower while the other women gossiped around her, unaware of her presence. She knew it was their collective nickname for Jack.
Jack continued to speak with the band, this time writing on a piece of paper as the band members crowded around him. She saw them nod in excitement while Jack appeared to be humming a tune and using his hand to indicate the timing. The female pianist was preparing her another microphone stand, and guessed she would serve as backup vocals.
The crowd started clapping in unison, impatient for Jack's performance. Finally Jack moved in front of the keyboards, now relocated at the front of the stage with his own mike adjusted for his height.
"This one is called Sugar, as requested by my boss Zoe."
[Maroon 5 – Sugar]
Jack pressed a few notes and started singing, but this time the drums joined in quickly with a quick beat.
She ignored the gazes from the people around her as Jack mentioned her name, though she was inwardly amused at his antics.
I'm hurtin', baby, I'm broken down
I need your lovin', lovin', I need it now
When I'm without you, I'm somethin' weak
You got me beggin', beggin', I'm on my knees
The crowd immediately started clapping to the beat, and a few even stood up to move closer to the stage. She was amazed at the pitch his voice could reach and found herself tapping her foot to the beat unconsciously.
He looked like a genuine pop star as he effortlessly attracted attention with his panty dropping looks and amazing musical talent.
I don't wanna be needin' your love
I just wanna be deep in your love
And it's killin' me when you're away
Ooh, baby
'Cause I really don't care where you are
I just wanna be there where you are
And I gotta get one little taste
The crowd erupted in cheer at the start of the chorus as almost everyone in the room started jumping on the spot. More and more people rushed in front of the stage to dance, making the area crowded and she could only see the top half of Jack Routh.
Your sugar, yes, please
Won't you come and put it down on me?
I'm right here, 'cause I need
Little love, a little sympathy
Yeah, you show me good lovin', make it alright
Need a little sweetness in my life
Your sugar, yes, please
Won't you come and put it down on me?
"This is awesome!" Angela cheered as she danced on her feet. "Go Jack!"
Beside her Talia Bishop was dancing to the beat, her arms raised up and clearly enjoying the music.
"This is better!" Bradford yelled to the table. He was right. She liked this tone more.
Babe, my broken pieces, you pick them up
Don't leave me hangin', hangin', come give me some
When I'm without you, I'm so insecure
You are the one thing, one thing I'm livin' for
It looked like Jack took her request to heart. The music was fantastic, perfect for dancing and the lyrics were uplifting.
"Let's get closer!" Lucy suggested, and they all headed closer to the stage while the men stayed behind at their table. She could see better now amidst all the people jumping and screaming around her.
I don't wanna be needin' your love
I just wanna be deep in your love
And it's killin' me when you're away
Ooh, baby
'Cause I really don't care where you are
I just wanna be there where you are
And I gotta get one little taste
Sugar, yes, please
Won't you come and put it down on me?
I'm right here, 'cause I need
Little love, a little sympathy
Yeah, you show me good lovin', make it alright
Need a little sweetness in my life
Your sugar, yes, please (Your sugar, yes, please)
Won't you come and put it down on me?
She could feel the vibrations every time the chorus came as people started jumping again. She soon reached the area packed with people in front of the stage as Jack displayed his impressive vocal range.
Her heart skipped a beat as she locked gazes with Jack for one moment. She was astonished to see him wink at her and gave a playful smile. Naturally the girls around her screamed louder, thinking it was for them.
Did the rookie just flirt with her? She could barely hear herself think with all the screaming women around her.
"Wooo!!! Go Jack!!!" Lucy cheered as she somehow managed to get to the very front of the stage.
Yeah
I want that red velvet, I want that sugar sweet
Don't let nobody touch it unless that somebody's me
Jack took off the microphone from its stand and moved away from the keyboards to stand closer to the crowd, this time pointing at Lucy, Talia and Angela.
I gotta be a man, there ain't no other way
'Cause, girl, you're hotter than a Southern California day
And I wanna play no games, you don't gotta be afraid
Don't give me all that shy shit
No makeup on, that's my sugar!
He now interacted with the backup vocalist, both of them staring at each other while they playfully danced while singing.
Sugar, yes, please (Please)
Won't you come and put it down on me? (Down on me)
I'm right here, 'cause I need (I'm right here, 'cause I need)
Little love, a little sympathy
Yeah, you show me good lovin', make it alright
Need a little sweetness in my life (Yeah)
The crowd started singing along as Jack returned back to the keyboards and resumed playing while he sang.
Your sugar, yes, please (Your sugar, yes, please)
Won't you come and put it down on me? (Down on me)
Sugar, yes, please
Won't you come and put it down on me? (Down on me)
I'm right here, 'cause I need (I'm right here, 'cause I need)
Little love, a little sympathy
Yeah, you show me good lovin', make it alright
Need a little sweetness in my life
Your sugar, yes, please (Your sugar, yes, please)
Won't you come and put it down on me?
(Down on me, down on me, ooh)
"Thank you!" He shouted to the crowd and gave a bow, followed by the band as applause erupted from the crowd. The noise was louder this time and it was fortunate that the girls were at the front of the stage as Jack was nearly attacked by the other women when he stepped off.
She joined the group and they slowly made their way back to the table. It was a hard exercise in crowd control, as she found herself being at the front of their group, pushing people to the side to allow Jack and the rest of her subordinates to move forward.
"I think it's time to change venues" Tim suggested once they reached the table. The cheers didn't stop as poor Jack continued to be mobbed by new fans and admirers. His polo shirt was practically torn as people tried to get his attention.
Thankfully Bradford had the foresight to pay for their bill before the song ended and they were able to leave their table before they were overwhelmed.
"Why don't we head to the beach and cool off?" Angela suggested. She liked the idea, the temperature inside the music bar was stifling from the crowd of people packed into the venue.
They quickly rushed out, laughing as Jack had to dodge a few more insistent admirers at the entrance and hustled to the beach that was only a few blocks away.
"I must say, you girls would make for an excellent bouncer team for VIPs." Nolan remarked, earning him four pairs of glares while Tim and Jack laughed.
"I think someone is requesting extra cleaning duty." Talia replied. "Don't you think so captain?"
"It looks like it." She replied with a smile. "Are you volunteering for cleaning duty, officer Nolan?"
"No mam! I mean yes mam!" John immediately replied looking flustered.
"Relax boot."
They reached the beach a minute later, and the group enjoyed the refreshing breeze. Tim volunteered to look for bottled waters and sodas for them to drink and walked away, heading for a nearby store while the rest sat on benches at the edge of the beach.
"Those were amazing songs." Lucy remarked. "I enjoyed the lyrics, especially the second one."
"Both were great." Angela added. "They're like exact opposites of each other in the course of a relationship."
"I think you must have been heartbroken and madly in love at some point to be able to write those lyrics." Lucy observed. "Do you mind me if I ask Jack?"
"It's fine but unfortunately I didn't write those songs." He replied as he fiddled with his shirt. Several buttons were missing and he showed his forearms lined with scratches.
"They're too catchy to be unrecognized, but okay." Angela replied, giving a quick look to her, Talia, and Lucy.
If Jack didn't want to admit he wrote and composed those songs, they wouldn't insist on the subject.
"That must sting." She took Jack's arms and moved them closer to where she could see them better under the street light.
"Those women's nails are certainly sharp." Nolan observed the line of scratches on Jack's forearms.
"I'll take care of it when I get back home." Jack replied. "I'm more annoyed at my shirt. I just bought this."
"They were certainly enthusiastic." Angela looked at the ruined shirt and shook her head. "Yeah, that's beyond salvageable. Sorry."
Tim returned with a plastic bag full of bottled water and soda, and the drinks were passed around.
Lucy wanted to take off her shoes and run on the sand, but Tim discouraged her.
"I wouldn't do that. You wouldn't want to step on syringes or any other crap buried out there without proper protection."
"I see, thank you."
"Addicts also wander here at night." Talia added, pointing to a few figures walking down the beach. "You'll learn all about it if you earn the right to work the night shift."
That reminded her, they were about to have an exam about their knowledge of their rook book and once they passed that, they would start their night shift. It was a tough exam, since Grey has high standards and considered anything below 80 percent a failing grade.
If one of the rookies failed the exam, he or she would be held back, and retrained again, while the rookies that passed would move on ahead with a new stage of their training.
"I'm thinking of forming a study group this weekend." John suggested and looked at his fellow rookies. "Are you two on board?"
"Why not?" Lucy replied and turned to Jack. "How about you?"
"Sure, just tell me where to meet tomorrow." Jack replied.
It was a good idea for the rookies to form a study group, and she was happy with the attitude they showed. She was hopeful they would all finish their probation and succeed with what she had seen so far. As far as she was concerned, the rookies had their weakest link removed.
It was 8 pm, and they started heading back to their cars. Lucy and John left in their own cars, while Angela left with Tim and Talia, leaving her alone with Jack.
"Go ahead, I'll call for an Uber." She stared at her phone and started to book a ride. The entrance to the music bar had a long line, and more people were coming in.
"Captain, why don't you hitch a ride with me?" Jack offered. "You can use my helmet, and I promise to slow down."
"May I remind you of California law of 1992 Officer Routh?"
"We'll buy another one on the way." Jack pointed to a motorcycle shop further down the road. "It's where I purchased this bike."
"No wheelies." She warned him. She was glad she wore jeans this time and boots.
"Yes captain." Jack promised. He showed her where to put her feet and she wrapped her hands around his waist as they took off from the parking lot of the music bar.
It felt too fast for her, but she enjoyed the new sensation, she had never been on a big bike before. Jack had a pleasant scent, and she didn't mind wearing his helmet. He also had rock-hard abs to hold to.
Feeling excitement for the first time in years, she ignored the riding position where she basically had her ass out for everyone behind them to see.
A quick one-minute ride later she was accompanying him inside a motorcycle shop. Jack quickly purchased another helmet, with matching colors to Jack's bike and his own helmet. He also bought a motorcycle backpack that had straps to secure a helmet. She hopped back into the bike with him, with her wearing the backpack. She wondered how her friends would react when they saw her now.
Jack was a safe rider as they made their way to their apartment building, and she enjoyed the feeling as they moved and weaved around traffic smoothly.
"Hey girl! Introduce me to your man!" A group of three women in a convertible teased her when they were waiting for the light to change to green.
She was getting annoyed at their comments and ignored them and leaned closer to Jack.
Fifteen minutes later they had finally arrived at their building. She took off the helmet and handed it back to Jack.
"Thanks for the ride."
"You're welcome captain." He replied. She rolled her eyes and gave him a look.
"You're welcome, Zoe." Jack repeated.
"Better." She nodded and they both stepped off the elevator and headed to their doors.
She dropped to the couch and immediately opened her phone, and waited patiently as Talia Bishop posted two videos in a newly created group chat with Lopez. She played the first song and closed her eyes, listening to the lyrics and music composed by her neighbor. She couldn't believe a man with that talent and looks was living next door. She pressed her face on the throw pillow and let out a squeal.
She was officially a fan.