Zara and Tim stood next to each other as a entry ram was slammed onto the table plate in front of them.

"You know the specs of this equipment, officer bra-brown?" he grabs the thing with ease as he holds it tightly.

"That's a blackhawk dynamic entry special op ram." She answers and he holds the thing out, waiting for her to take it.

She almost drops the thing onto the ground as she realises how heavy it actually was. "How much does it weigh?"

"60 pounds, sir."

"Hold it tight. You'll be the breacher. You'll buy a round for every swing it takes to knock that door down."

She fakely smiled at him and when he turned around she rolled her eyes having the urge to show him a middle finger but she remembers that she's holding the ram.

<<<<>>>>

The group had approached the house, waiting behind a corner for the signal from ortiz. "Officer West, you do the 844. Stand by to initiate." The sergeant tells Jackson who nods his head.

"Ortiz is in." Wade had been listening into the conversation, when he heard the signal he let the others know.

"That's the signal. Initiate."

A hand had been put onto Zara's shoulder, and she them put her hand on Tim's shoulder, letting him know to start.

Zara picked the heavy ram up and jogged after her T.O. They passed some sketchy men who had carried bags but Zara didn't really think much of it and neither did Lucy.

Jackson knocked onto the door. "Police! Open the door! We have a search warrant." He yelled and stepped back.

Zara then swung the ram and the door opened on the first swing.

<<<<>>>>

The raid went successful, suspects were caught and now sat in the living room of the house.

"Rookies.. special assignment. Follow me."

The four boots followed after the sergeant who walked them into a nearby room. "Sorry- Here's what happens now. You see, the money counters and the videographer are on their way. In the meantime, your four get to watch the money. Two people with it at all times. No selfies. Enjoy." At the end he pointed at them before walking back to the others.

It was silent as everyone was staring at the table full of money. "Where does all this money go?" Lucy asks carefully her eyes stuck onto the cash.

"Cash seized during drug raids goes back to Narcotics, where its used again for undercover ops." Jackson explains to his three friends.

"That's more money than i've ever seen in one place." Nolan mumbles.

"Can you imagine? I'd buy a car- no, a helicopter. And learn to fly it so i could avoid all the traffic." Lucy grinned as Zara chuckled.

"That's good."

"Yeah, the first big purchase is always tricky, right? The barber in Foxburg? He won the lottery. Bought a big, fancy boat. Ran it aground in Freesport, coked to the gills. i don't think a boat is a good idea."

"What about you? what would you spend it on?" Zara turned to Jackson asking him but all he did was shake his head.

"I'm not playing that game. This is drug money." He answered his eyes on the money.

"Come on. We're just talking. A million dollars lands on your doorstep. What do you do? Go. And don't say you'd set aside 30% for taxes." Nolan prompted, leaning forward with curiosity. Jackson sighed, glancing briefly at his friends before answering.

"Um.. a new car, i guess. Um, or maybe a trip. Been wanting to do a little travelling." He answered unbuckling his helmet.

"Let me guess. You'd visit police departments all around the world. Learn their techniques." Lucy teased and he looked offended and immediately denied. "No."

The other three rookies exchanged looks and Nolan nodded.

Ever since that the room was silent, the four had sat down on a chair almost falling asleep. It felt like time wasn't passing at all.

"I'd pay all of Henry's tuition with the money. Just so he didn't have those students loans hanging over his head." Nolan spoke up.

"Yeah, they're no fun. I'll be paying mine off until i'm 60." Lucy announced and Zara nodded agreeing in silence.

"Yeah, well, with this money you could pay them all off and still rent an amazing place by the ocean. Meanwhile i couldn't afford to buy the room in the house im living in."

"Bet it would've gotten you something nice back in Foxburg, though." Jackson grinned and Nolan hummed.

"Biggest house in town and then some. Still can't get used to the cost of living in Los Angeles. it's like you have to add an extra zero to everything."

"You know, i've never really thought about money growing up. We always just had enough, you know?"

"Yeah. That's what i thought until my parents went bankrupt when i was nine. It took a couple of really bad years before we got back up on our feet." Lucy explained how her situation was.

Zara had grown so tired, all she could be doing was think, think and think. About her older brother David, her older sister Josefina and her mother Camila.

David was the douchebag sibling, Josefina wasn't really different from him, the only difference was their gender and age.

Camila was.. something.

Her father Chris hadn't really been there, drinking beer and not giving a shit about anything happening around him.

He was physically there but emotionally? he had been long gone. None of the siblings really cared about him being emotionally absent he was just there leaving them alone.

Zara thought that she was the only sane one in the family.

But that seemed biased the more she thought about it.

Well.. if you have a emotionally absent dad, a abusive mom, two older siblings who hate you to the bones, you cant come out totally normal.

Zara got out the second she was legally allowed to, then filled the restraining order against her mother due to her being abusive and actually succeeding in a courtroom.

Sergeant Grey was there through it all.

After she had left the house of hell, she didn't really have much cash because of her mother taking it from her for necessities or a payment for Camila raising her.

Wade and Luna took her in, and as an exchange she used to sometimes baby sit their daughter Dominique.

She was so thankful.

He had inspired her to join the force, to help people and she was now there, helping where she could but some how she felt that it wasn't enough.

She could do more.

She knew that.

Zara was ripped out of her trance when she heard a vehicle approaching. She and the other three rookies got up and put their helmets on.

They saw two people come into the room, one with camera equipment. "Alright. Officer's Graser and Williams arriving on the scene. 1:17 a.m. relieving three uniformed officers. What are your names?" The woman spoke into a small recording device.

"Nolan, Chen, Brown and West." Nolan replied pointing to each one when he mentioned their names. "Anyone else that's come in or out?" She asked and everyone shook their head.

"No, ma'am." Lucy answered.

"Great. Hit the road, we got it from here." She told them and the rookies began walking towards the door.

"You coming?" Zara turns around when she sees Lucy standing next to the money. "We might never see this much money again."

"If there's ever another raid and they need someone to sit and wait until the wee hours, i have a feeling it will be us."

Lucy nodded and then all of them left the house full of money.

<<<<>>>>

Zara opened the apartment door, her tired expression changing into a confused one when she saw Ryan and Tim standing in their uniforms.

"What on earth?" she mumbled before she rubbed her eyes to make sure they were real.

"The captain sends us, she needs you and chen." Tim explains and the next moment Lucy appears behind Zara.

"Why?" Chen asks as she looks over at her T.O.
"She didn't say." he answers her.

"Give us minute." Zara says leaving no time for them to answer before she shut the door.

<<<<>>>>

Talia and Nolan walk into the room, later than the other three boots and their respective T.O.

"What's going on?" The woman asks as she approaches her friends. "They told us to gather out Boots, same as you." Tim answers her and before any more questions could come up the Sergeant and the Captain entered the roll call room.

"We have a situation. Money counters are telling us that we're missing $250.000." The captain announced. "And you four were the only ones left with the money."

The four rookies looked around, shocked and way to stunned to respond.

<<<<>>>>

"Well, the money counters must've made a mistake." Nolan was the first to speak up after the silence, the room was filled with tension, each and every boot felt the stares of the T.O.s behind them.

"There's a video of them entering the garage and relieving you. And then they counted the money and got $750.000, and not a million." The sergeant explained to them.

"Let me remind you, an officer was recently convicted of third-degree official misconduct for taking $70 from a crime scene. He's serving two years behind bars. What do you think would happen to a cop who steals a quarter-million dollars?"

"But we didn't take it." Jackson responded motioning around with his hands.

"Uh, maybe the assumption was wrong. Maybe it was always $750.000." Lucy questioned and the Captain shook her head. "That's not what the intel shows. Guy's on the wire saying its a million."

"Okay, well, we can all vouch for each other. I mean-" Lucy attempted but Wade interrupted her. "Not good enough. The only thing that will clear you is passing a polygraph."

"Now, i can't, by law, make you take one. It would have to be strictly voluntary." The captain added on to the words from Sergeant Grey.

"What if we decline?" Jackson asked nervously.

"It's grounds for suspension, pending an investigation, and possibly could lead to your termination."

"Well, that's.. not much of a choice, but.. Yeah, we'll do it." Nolan looked at the others seeing all of them nod before he finished his sentence.

"Okay. Let's go." She began walking away leaving the four in shock because they thought they would be doing it later. "What, now?"

"Now."

They all got up, pushing the chairs in before going after the captain. Sergeant Grey following a few moments after.

<<<<>>>>

"Let's begin with a few control questions. Answer with a simple yes or no. Is your name Zara Brown?" The sergeant asked after they had all sat down and Zara was attached to the lie detector test.

"Yes."

"Do you live at 7214 and 1/2 Alvarado Street, apartment F?" He continued as he wrote her answers onto the paper in front of him.

"Yes."

"Are your eyes brown?"

"Yes."

The questions about Zara seemed to stop as now the questions were about the reason why she was sat here, the missing cash.

"Did you witness anyone taking the money?"

"No."

The man who sat at the laptop, showing if she was lying or not nodded, confirming her words.

"Were you ever alone with the money?"

"No."

The man nodded again when the captain glanced at him.

"Have you ever lied to protect another officer?"

Zara knew exactly what the answer to that was, yes, she had. If she said that it would maybe come off the wrong way and she would be getting asked about that, but if she lied then it would make her look even worse.

"Yes."

The captain and the Sergeant stared at her for her honesty for a couple seconds before continuing.

"Regarding the missing money?" Now the captain spoke up and Zara shook her head. "No, ma'am."

The man confirmed her words once again.

<<<<>>>>

"Why did you tell them about crème brûlée?" Lucy asked after she had heard how Jacksons interrogation went.

"I don't know. It came up naturally." He replied frantically and Nolan looks at him confused. "They were yes or no questions. How does crème brûlée come up naturally?" He asked him and Zara agreed by nodding her head but being way to tired to actually speak up.

"Boots, you've all passed your polygraphs." The sergeant announced as he and the captain came into the room the four young people were in.

"But this is far from over. Go home. Detectives will contact you soon about follow-up interviews. We got to find out what happened to that money before you hit the street again."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you." Jackson responded being polite as always. "Hey, you know what i like to do after i've been suspected of a felony?" Nolan asks the other three boots.

"Uh, drink?"

"Damn straight. I got a stocked fridge. Anyone want to join?" Nolan asked once again and the offer seemed good but Zara had to search for a new apartment with Lucy.

"I'm down." Jackson answered and then turned his head towards the two brunettes. "Lucy? Zara?"

"Yeah, it's barely lunch, and i should make use of the time off and go apartment hunting." Lucy replied and Zara nodded, agreeing with her best friend.

"You okay?"

"Why would i be?" With that Chen and Brown left the room.

<<<<>>>>

"Hey Lucy, you're on with me and Jackson." Nolans voice was heard through Lucy's phone.

"You know, if they don't find the money, we're screwed." Lucy began, her and Zara were on their way to look at an apartment driving in the damaged car.

"We were just talking about that. I keep going over it in my mind. The only thing i can think of is that money was gone long before we ever got to the garage." Nolan was talking but neither of the two seemed to listen as they saw a car behind them.

"What the hell is this guy doing?" Zara muttered as she turned around in her seat.

"Wait, what?" Nolan asked as he heard what Zara had just said. "This black SUV- he's riding our ass."

The next moment he crashed into them causing Zara to groan as her head hit the not so soft seat.

Ouch.

"He just hit me!" He looks like he's trying to run us off the road!"

"Where are you?" John asked Lucy, who had been driving a whole lot faster now.

"Uh, driving south on griffith park drive. I just passed mineral wells trail." She answered as she looked back, seeing him behind them.

The tires of the rusty car screeched as a car came out of nowhere in front of them. Zara grabbed her phone and texted the person who hadn't left her mind ever since they met.

Bradford

griffith park drive, mineral wells trail

Zara didn't have time to explain anything because the next moment her and Chen jumped out of the car with their guns raised.

Both of them shot at the cars before taking a run towards the woods. For a moment they hid behind a rock, shooting at the black SUV before rushing off.

They heard indistinct shouting behind them as they jogged up the hill. Zara's head felt like it would explode any given moment and she would've and could've called someone but she forgot her phone in the car and Lucy's was destroyed.

Lucy and Zara ran through the woods having just a small head start. "Fighting won't help, Lu. We're outnumbered and outgunned, we have to hide." Zara muttered as she also hid behind a tree just like Lucy did.

The two knew that they didn't have enough bullets when they looked. "Two left. How many?" Lucy mumbled back and Zara rolled her eyes as she realised that the brunette wouldn't listen to her about finding a good hiding spot and then running back to the car.

"Two."

Within the next few seconds a man appeared, looking for the girls. Lucy took the shot at him when he was in her eyesight, shooting him twice.

Right after shooting him the two were running again, deeper and deeper into the woods. Chen tripped and Brown helped her up before they continued to sprint.

A fence in front of them made them stop. The two were breathing heavily and when they wanted to go back from where they came from, they realised someone was already coming to them with the same way.

Four or five men appeared in front of them, guns raised into the air and pointed at them.

"Drop the gun." One of the men panted, making the two girls put them down onto the ground.

"What do you want?" Zara asked them, not letting her voice sound scared although she was fearing for her own life.

"The money you stole." He answered and Lucy frowned. "Wait. You're with La Eme?" She responded to him, asking her own question.

"And you're with the LAPD, Officer Lucy Chen and Officer Zara Brown, who live at 7214 and 1/2 Alvarado Street, apartment F."

"How do you know all that?" Zara questioned as she watched each and every one of them closely.

"Public records. Addresses, police reports. Damn near everything's on the net. So i already know that you two were guarding our money. And 250 G's went missing. And i know that you both are the cops that took it." He began talking and Zara pushed down the urge to roll her eyes.

"No. We-We didn't steal anything." Lucy tried to get them out of the situation but it didn't work.

"Please. We've seen your place. Ran your credit. You two need a serious cash infusion. So where's our money?" He chuckled and Zara wanted to smack that grin off of his face and she would've if there wouldn't have of been four guns pointed at her and at Lucy.

"She already told you, we don't have it." Zara now spoke up again. "Tough girl, huh? Well, everybody's tough at first, until they're not. Andres, cut them up a little." Now all of a sudden a man pulled out a knife, going over to Lucy who fought him off.

She grunted as another man pushed her onto the floor. "This isn't about the money, chica. A quarter million is a rounding error on our gas budget. This is about sending a message. You can't steal from us. Even if you carry a badge."

He cocked his gun and the next moment Lucy began talking after she looked at his familiar shoes.

"I saw you."

"What?" He asked not understanding what she was talking about.

"Outside the house, right before we raided it. You were wearing those boots and carrying that duffel bag with the red stripe. Somebody tipped you off about the raid. You took the money. You got in before we hit the place. You thought no one would notice."

Franco chuckled and the next second he shot the person closest to him who had been eying him ever since Lucys realisation. He then began shooting into the woods, trying to shoot one of his friends.

"Damn it! Aah"

Lucy swiped her foot under his, making him fall onto the ground, the two now fighting for the upper hand.

Zara grabbed her own gun from the ground and put it to his temple. "Drop it." She threatened

Lucy now swung at him and managed to switch their position, now straddling his back and throwing her hair back as she gasps for air.

Zara heard footsteps behind them and raised her gun, lowering it when she saw their friend Nolan.

"Nice." His breathing was heavy as he grinned at his ex-girlfriend.

"Do you have cuffs?" Lucy asked her voice desperate as she continued to pin the man down. "Yeah, last pair." He handed them to her and she cuffed him.

"What took you so long?"

Nolan didn't say anything as he looked to the path he had just run up.

<<<<>>>>

Zara was walking down the parking lot, into the direction of Lucy's car, the two had decided to meet there after they had been separately checked by a medic to ensure they weren't severely injured.

Suddenly, she felt someone pull her into a janitors room. Before she could scream, kick or punch, she saw Tim's face.

"Are you okay?" He immediately asked, seeing a small cut on her face. "Yeah." She cleared her throat, unsure of why she was here.

"What i did was a real dick move, and i'm sorry, i should've told you." He began but Zara cut him off, still feeling bitter about the entire situation.

"Yeah. you should've."

It was silent for a few moments, no one saying anything and no one moving from their spot, they had been staring at each other, wanting to know who would grow the balls to talk first.

"The reason to why i went to visit her, is because i wanted to give us a chance by handing her divorce papers."

Zara's jaw dropped and her entire brain just seemed to stop at this point. He did what? It seemed unbelievable, but she knew him.

He wouldn't lie about something like this.

"And im sorry for treating you like that, you don't deserve that."

Zara was still to stunned to talk but she did something crazy.

<<<<>>>>

new chapter!!!!!!!!

after like 2 months..

y'all will know what she did next chapter 🤫🤫

-nicole

3600 words