~Brianna~

"You're at least fifty percent insane."

"The rest is certified genius, so what's your point."

"You're literally striding into a crime scene like it's a runway."

"I'm a cop? It's my job?"

"You're a trainee. Your job is to get coffee, and smile and wave for the big boys."

"Dear Miss. I haven't left my desk since Christmas Eve," Brianna ducked under the yellow tape. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"It's locked up in a drawer called "trying not get fired". Something you could try once in a while. You know, to switch things up."

Anna shook her head in exasperation, on the other side of the yellow tape, hands on her hips.

"The Commander will be delighted to see me."

It was as Brianna said the words, stepping further into the club that she accidentally bumped into a broad shouldered man, his face stern and his lips drawn into a frown.

The Commander was decidedly not delighted to see her.

"Brianna," It took him some effort to keep his voice level. "Why are you here?"

"Beckett requested my assistance." She lied effortlessly.

The Commander pursed his lips.

She put on her best poker face, hoping he wouldn't call her out for naming the only person on his team that she knew personally.

"Beckett, come here for a moment."

Well, so much for hoping.

Ryan Beckett was stupidly tall, his posture stiff and professional, saluting when he saw the Commander. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, his clothes wrinkled and his brown hair messy, but he still managed to muster up a surprised smile when he saw Brianna.

His green eyes softened as they landed on hers.

And it was then that Brianna knew that this plan of hers was going to end badly.

"Yes, sir?" Beckett asked the Commander now.

"Did you request my daughter's assistance?"

He stilled for a moment and it was almost comical how rapidly his expressions changed. From shock, to fear, to a mix of resignation and fondness.

"Yes." He sighed. "Yes, I did."

All hail Beckett.

"And for what, might I ask?"

To get some documents from the precicnt. To deliver some evidence to the labs. To observe me doing actual police work.

To buy me a fucking doughnut.

Beckett could've said any of those things.

"Stuff." Was what he ended up saying.

Stuff.

"Stuff." The Commander repeated, his voice flat.

This was a new record, even for Beckett.

Brianna's ears flushed red with embarrassment and all she wanted to do was sink into a hole in the ground.

"Stuff like discussing this file with me," Brianna desperately tried to help, and pointed to the only thing on his person. "As part of my training."

"You want to discuss the Mayor's prostitutes with my daughter. As part of her training."

Beckett looked like he'd drop dead at any instant now.

"I came by to see you, father." Brianna tried next.

"Because you didn't just see me five hours ago?"

"It was important." She muttered, trying her best to look past him at the crime scene.

The Commander sighed, gently pushing her away by the shoulders.

"Mr. Beckett, would you be so kind as to take my daughter back home? I'm sorry to take you away from your work, but I'm going to be busy here for a while."

He lowered his voice so only Brianna could hear him.

"If I find you at my workplace one more time, you're off the force, young lady."

"But I just want to help -"

"And there'll be plenty of time for that, butterfly." He smiled. "Now listen to me and stay put."

"I have to head to Sector 1 for a funeral. Mr. Lyndon's wife died a couple of weeks ago and I have to be there. Formalities and all." He said now to Beckett. "Just keep an eye on her."

Beckett gave him another salute, his pallor slowly wearing off.

"Come on," He told her, his voice somewhere between warm and stern.

***

"So what's the verdict?"

It was the first question out of Brianna's mouth the minute they were alone in the car.

Beckett tapped his fingers in the steering wheel, keeping his eyes on the road, his lips curled up.

"How is it never 'Hey, Beckett, how you doing? Do you want to grab some dinner?' with you?"

There was a time when Beckett decided that dating the boss's daughter wouldn't be that bad of an idea.

An amiable break up later, Brianna knew that he was still in love with her and that she could never see him that way.

"I know you're fine, a little sex deprived but fine." She ignored his fake mortified expression. "And I don't do dinner anymore, something about a keto diet that I will probably ditch once I get bitchy enough. Anywho, how'd that murder go?"

He laughed at the abrupt change of topic.

"You know I shouldn't be discussing this with you."

"But I'm irresistibly convincing and you're going to do it anyway?"

Beckett shook his head with a smile.

"You thrive on this gruesome shit like it's candy. And besides I know you've done your digging, you know the outline."

She did.

Verita, madness, then murder.

It happened twice last week.

"But what do you think?" She asked him carefully.

Beckett might be stupid in love, but he was smart. It was that glint of intelligence in his eyes that drove her to him in the beginning.

He was quiet for a while.

"It's like it's purposeful, you know." He said, finally, sparing a glance at her. "Like it wasn't just an accident with the drugs. Like someone knew he'd be there last night. Like they're targeting the government for something."

Brianna pondered it for a while.

"I believe you've earned yourself a meal." She said, hoping she'd get more out of him if he stayed over.

***

The phone call came after a hearty brunch and an unhealthy discussion on how the mayor met his end from the feral eyed ones. The conversation had naturally strayed to the man who had a monopoly on the drugs in the Sector.

The man they only knew as the One. The Head of the First Family.

Brianna often wondered how he'd managed to evade the police for so long, how no one knew his identity.

She now wondered what he thought of the murders.

If it was all his plan or perhaps something greater than them all.

As Beckett stood up from the dining table, there was a faint ringing. He swiped on his wrist to pick up the call and a voice automatically came on into his ear through the chip implanted there.

He didn't say anything for a while, not even a hello.

When he was done, he'd turned to Brianna, his eyes wide.

"I don't know how to tell you this. I shouldn't have to tell you this." He murmured.

She looked up at him, feeling the first pang of fear in her gut.

He just looked so damn pale.

"Brianna, the Commander's been attacked."

***

Brianna: "Vote for my father."