1x16: Greenlight

***

Zoe calls out from her position on the landing outside the briefing room. "Can I have your attention?"

"Let's go, Boots." Tim said grabbing the rookies from the briefing room.

All officers present come to stand in a group below the landing. "Everyone, gather up. All right, guys, listen up. Internal Affairs will be conducting random integrity tests this week." Zoe said.

"Reversals." Jackson said.

"That's right, Officer West." Jackson said.

"What's a reversal?" Nolan asked.

"Where cops go undercover to rat out other cops." Tim said.

"IA officers will be spending the week pretending to be criminals so they can analyze how we treat them." Zoe states.

"So, what Tim said." Angela and Hunter said in sync.

"Do you think this is a joke, Officer Lopez? Officer Bradford? Detective Lopez?" Zoe asked the three friends.

"No, ma'am." "No, ma'am." "No, ma'am." Hunter, Tim and Angela said at the same time.

"Good. 'Cause I take it very seriously. If you have to change your behavior because of these reversals, we have a problem. My officers do things the right way every day. Is that understood?" Zoe asked.

"Yes, ma'am." The officers said.

"Dismissed." Zoe said and returned to her office.

The officers all went off their own ways.

***

Tim and Lucy were at the kit room getting their gear for the day. "About two years ago, they took over a bank and masqueraded as robbers just to test our response time. They cleared the bank out first. Every teller and customer was a plant." Tim said to Lucy.

"That's dedicated." Lucy comments, taking the shotguns.

"No, it's a waste of time and resources, which is why I make it my mission to seek and destroy reversals." Tim said, zipping the warbags up.

***

"God, I hate these reversal things." Hunter said as she and Grant picked up their gear from the kit room.

"I remember when they took over a bank." Grant said.

"Oh god, Tim told me about that. He was less than impressed but he hates reversals." Hunter said.

"So do you." Grant points out.

***

Angela catches sight of Wesley and stops to talk to him. "Hey."

"Morning." Wesley said.

"Here to see a client?" Angela asked.

"Yeah." Wesley said.

"I won't keep you." Angela walks away with Jackson in tow.

***

A woman is shouting at the parking valet as the concierge and several guests look on.

"7-Adam-20, disturbance at the Altobello Hotel." Dispatch said.

"You're saying this is my fault?" The Valet asked.

"You're damn right it's your fault! Do you have any idea how much my car costs?" Astrid asked.

"Please, ma'am. If we could take this inside -" the concierge tried to say.

"What seems to be the problem here?" Hunter asked.

"Valet destroyed my car." Astrid said.

"That car?" Hunter and Grant go over to check the car.

"Yeah, look, the paint job. Right there." Astrid said.

"That scratch will buff right out." Hunter said.

"You're lying. She's lying!" Astrid yelled.

"This is a civil matter. Feel free to take photographs and send it in for an insurance claim." Grant suggested.

"You mean you're not gonna arrest him?" Astrid asked.

"There's no crime here, ma'am." Grant said.

"Oh, like hell there isn't," Astrid snaps and the turns to the valet. "I know you did it on purpose, too! 'Cause I caught you staring at my ass when I gave you the car." She said.

"I see nicer asses on the regular." The Valet snarked.

Astrid pulls a knife out of her bag and lunges at the Valet. Hunter takes hold of her and tries to get her to drop the knife. "No! Let go!" Astrid yelled.

"Drop that knife!" Hunter yelled.

Astrid's flimsy dress tears, exposing her bra on one side. "Oh! Oh! Let go of me!"

"Sorry about that. I didn't mean for that to happen." Hunter said as she handcuffed Astrid, while Grant tied the strap of Astrid's dress up.

"Yeah, right. You're a woman, you know how embarrassing that is having yourself exposed!" Astrid snapped at Hunter.

"Can't say that I do. Because I don't wear shitty flimsy dresses like that." Hunter comments pulling Astrid to the shop.

***

"I'm just saying, cops don't have the best reputation right now. And if these tests help the public trust us, isn't it worth it?" Lucy asked, adjusting her seatbelt.

"And how are we supposed to trust each other if our fellow officers are trying to trick us into screwing up?" Tim asked.

"I ask myself that every day." Lucy replied.

"That's different. I do it to make you a better cop, not betray you." Tim said.

They hear a car horn, then see a red Corvette swerve to pass a car stopped at a stop sign and speed down the street. The cops pull the Corvette over and Lucy gets out to talk to the driver, who rolls down his window, revealing that he's Mario Lopez. "You're, uh -"

"Yes. It's me." Mario said.

"License and registration?" Tim asked.

"Yes, sir. Uh I'm so sorry. I can't believe I did that. I-I've never run a stop sign before." Mario said.

"I watch you on the red carpet. Like, all the time." Lucy said.

"It's always nice to meet a fan. Uh, Officer, is there any way you could let me slide on this one, or just let me off with a with a stern warning? It's just that I'm really late right now, and I got a lot of people waiting for me on set." Mario said.

"You ran a stop sign. We could arrest you for it." Tim snarks.

"Arrest me? Come on. It's - It's a nice, quiet street. There's no harm done. You know, I could get you tickets to any big movie premiere you'd like, or is there a particular star you ever wanted to meet?" Mario asked.

"Okay, sir, bribery of a public officer is in violation of co-" Tim stops talking, having seen something across the street.

"What?" Lucy asked.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me." Tim walks over to a grey sedan parked at the curb. "Murphy."

Murphy winds down her window. "Officer Bradford."

"Nice touch, roping in a celebrity." Tim comments.

"Well, he had community service hours to work off." Murphy said.

"You thought we'd let him go 'cause he's famous?" Tim scoffed.

"Had I known it was you, I would've put a strung-out cop behind the wheel. I know you have a soft spot." Murphy smirked and wound her window up.

"Hey, excuse me, does that mean I can go?" Mario asked.

Tim turns away from Murphy and strides back to the Corvette. "Write him up. Reckless driving. Giving false information to a police officer. Disobedience to traffic signs. Unlawful act with a green air sticker. Driving with an obstructed view. Unnecessary use of horn. Failure to exercise caution when passing animals." Tim said walking back to the shop.

"Wha- Is he serious?!" Mario asked.

***

"She could be a reversal." Nolan suggested as he, Talia, Hunter and Grant watch Astrid get her mugshot taken.

"If she is, she'll report that I used  reasonable force given the threat. Plus, it's not my fault her tacky dress broke." Hunter replied.

"Nolan and I are going to do paperwork, pretty sure Lawrence has paperwork to catch up on." Talia said, she walks away, Nolan and Grant following as well.

"Thanks, you guys," Hunter said to the processing team. She grabbed Astrid's upper arm. "Right this way. Trust me, I did not mean to expose you like that but um maybe don't wear tacky dresses like that so they don't rip easily, so it's not my fault," Astrid glares at Hunter, which doesn't intimidate the cop in the way she was hoping. "The woman with the phone, I spoke to her. She was very reasonable. I watched her delete all the footage." Hunter adds.

"You have no idea who I am, do you?" Astrid asked.

"You're Astrid Heisserer. No priors, no outstanding warrants." Hunter said.

"What's your name?" Astrid asked.

"Hunter Lopez. Why?" Hunter narrowed her eyes at Astrid.

"Badge number." Astrid questioned.

"1859. If you want to lodge a complaint, that is your right." Hunter said reciting the thing that they'd been told to do if they pissed a civilian off.

"Oh, I'm gonna lodge something, believe me." Astrid glares at Hunter once again trying and failing to intimidate her as she escorts Astrid into a holding cell.

***

"7-Adam-19, 459 in progress, 117 Ayers." Dispatch said.

"Police! We're coming in!" Lucy yelled. The door is open; Tim and Lucy enter cautiously, moving through a plastic curtain into a dimly lit room full of tanks. "Mushrooms?" Lucy asked.

"Hallucinogens. This is a grow house. Careful - these places are usually booby trapped." Tim said. 

They find a man lying on the floor with his leg in a bear trap, he groans in pain. "Oh, my God." Lucy breathed.

"See? Booby trapped." Tim said.

"Please, just get this thing off of me." The man said.

"I-I don't think we should. He could've severed an artery. The paramedics will know what to do." Lucy states.

"No, no, no. We don't need to call anybody else. There's like half a million dollars' worth of mushrooms in here. We split it, you pretend you never saw me, everybody wins." The man said, shaking his head.

"Okay." Tim shrugged.

"What?!" Lucy asked in disbelief.

"Really?" The man asked.

"Yeah. But I want 60%. So, call Detective Murphy and ask her if that's okay with Internal Affairs." Tim states.

"Who?" The man asked.

"Wait, you think this is another reversal? Two in two hours?" Lucy asked.

"That's how they do it. They try and catch you when your guard is down." Tim said.

"What are you talking about?" The man asked.

"Look, I've got to say, this is impressive FX work. But we are in Hollywood, so, how'd you do it? Hmm? Metal plates? Peg leg?" Tim kneels to examine the man's leg, which is obviously badly damaged.

"Wait. Wait. What are you doing? What are you doing?!" The man yelled in fear.

"Calling your bluff."  gets the trap open, freeing the man's leg, which bleeds even more copiously. Obviously an actual injury. The man screamed in pain and passes out because of the pain.

"7-Adam-19, we need an RA to 117 Ayers. 30-year-old male, severe trauma to left leg." Lucy said into her radio before kneeling down and grabbing towels, she looked up at Tim who looked confused.

***

"You're lucky his leg's gonna be okay." Lucy said as she and Tim walked into the hallway outside the breakroom.

"If Murphy hadn't gotten in my head, that never would've happened. Blame the reversals, not me." Tim states.

"What happened between you two? Did she investigate you or something?" Lucy asked.

"Indirectly." Tim answered.

"Is it Isabel?" Lucy asked.

"Look, Murphy was her investigating officer." Tim said.

"Okay, but you're not Isabel, so what's her beef with you?" Lucy asked.

"Not your concern. Start the paperwork." Tim said before walking off.

***

Angela catches up with Wesley. "Hey. Hold up. Can we talk?" Angela asked.

"Okay." Wesley said.

"I need to explain something. My dad left when I was a kid. And my mom never really got past it. There was no one stable growing up in my life, so I guess what I'm trying to say is, I think that's the reason why I-I I went through your phone." Angela tried to explain.

"Hunter said that as well, you both sound like my clients." Wesley states.

"What?" Angela asked.

"Everybody's dad bailed. No one's mom was perfect. Doesn't change what you did." Wesley said.

"No, I know, but -" Angela tried to say.

"You're a grown woman, so having a bad childhood isn't a valid excuse anymore. Look, I wish I could trust you again, but I don't see how I can. I'm sorry." Wesley walks out the door, leaving Angela staring after him.

***

The TOs, Grant, Hunter and Daisy who'd been invited by Hunter so that their friends could grill Daisy about whether or not she's good enough for Grant in their opinions after that they all approved her and the conversation flowed to Tim. "I can believe you. The man passed out, also you were just proving Murphy's point." Hunter said.

"Yeah, I know but she got in my head." Tim states.

"That doesn't excuse the fact that you were gonna prove her point. You're lucky his legs gonna be okay." Hunter comments.

"Hey, you're the one who tore a dress open." Tim argued.

"Not my fault she was wearing a tacky dress," Hunter turned to Daisy. "Let me give you context. Grant and I responded to a disturbance at a hotel and long story short, I had to restrain this woman stopping her from stabbing a valet and her shitty dress broke exposing her bra and breasts." Hunter states.

Daisy winced. "Ooh, she wouldn't've been to happy."

"No, she tried intimidating me by glaring." Hunter said.

Tim scoffed. "Nothing intimidates you. Not since before we were deployed."

"Tim and Hunter were in the army together, so they've known each other for eighteen years." Grant explained to Daisy.

"Ah, well that makes sense. You two do seem like people who'd join the army." Daisy said looking between Hunter and Tim.

"Hey, how's the adoption process of Lexi going?" Angela asked, changing the subject.

Daisy looked up at her 6'2" boyfriend with a serious expression. "You're telling me they're not dating but they're adopting?" She asked.

"Yeah, so Lexi's a sixteen year old that Hunter and Tim met four years ago after they found her sleeping in a ditch. After taking her to the station, they found out her parents were dead, now these two being the way they don't do things by half, so they fostered Lexi together, even though they aren't dating." Angela said.

"Yeah, these two are attached at the hip, so to them fostering Lexi as just friends worked and it certainly did because they were made her legal guardians six months after fostering her and now she's sixteen and they're in the process of adopting her." Talia said.

Hunter and Tim shared a look as Daisy stared at them in disbelief. "Okay, I've had enough of you guys grilling Tim and I about not dating and yet adopting a child." Hunter said slightly amused. "So, I'm gonna go, we've got a whole other day of reversals tomorrow." Hunter added.

"Alright." "See you tomorrow." "Nice seeing you again." "Have a good night." "Eh, you're coming over for breakfast anyway." Was what, Tim, Grant, Angela, Talia and Daisy had said to her as she left and she was indeed going to Angela's for breakfast tomorrow for some reason, Angela had invited her over before they went for drinks.

***

Hunter unlocked her car, she passes a man seemingly watching her but she ignored that. When he gets to her Toyota Yaris from 2018, she shuts the door, then notices a man opening the door of a truck nearby. The man pulls out an automatic weapon and starts firing on Hunter's car; Hunter dives out the passenger door and into cover as his truck is riddled with bullet holes.

Angela and Grant run over to her, Grant having sent Daisy home after hearing shots were fired at Hunter, he didn't want Daisy exposed to danger. Angela hugs her sister tightly. "Oh, thank god you're alive." She sighed.

"So, they canvassed the area. No one saw the shooter." Grant said.

"He fired a couple hundred rounds." Hunter said, as Angela once again stands beside Hunter.

"Yeah, no one's admitting they saw him." Grant said.

"Yeah, patrol found the car he escaped in. It was reported stolen this afternoon. SID is all over it." Angela added.

Other officers are processing the scene, when Tim and Talia come walking over. "Okay, who'd you piss off?" Talia asked.

"Clearly someone with access to heavy weaponry." Tim answered.

"Shut up." Hunter snarked playfully.

Zoe, Grey and the rookies all come over. "According to intelligence, you've been greenlit by Southern Front." Zoe said.

"Shit." Hunter muttered.

"How'd Hunter get greenlit before me? I gotta step up my game." Tim comments.

Hunter, Angela and Talia all turned to Tim with raised eyebrows. "It's not a badge of honour." Talia states.

"Greenlit?" Nolan asked.

"It means they put a hit on Detective Lopez, here." Zoe explained.

"Normally, gangs don't target cops; more trouble than it's worth. Unless a cop disrespects a gang member, then all bets are off." Grey adds.

"You arrested a woman today. Astrid Heisserer." Zoe said.

"Her dress broke. I embarrassed her as I was stopping her from stabbing a valet. I thought she was IA." Hunter said.

"She's not. She's the baby mama of the leader of Southern Front, one of the most violent criminal enterprises in the country." Zoe states.

"Oh great." Hunter said shaking her head.

"And because of how you treated her, he authorized everyone in the gang to kill you." Grey said.

"What about Grant?" Tim asked.

"Yeah, what about me?" Grant asked.

"Lopez is the one who put hands on her. She's the one they're after." Zoe said.

"How many Southern Front members are there?" Lucy asked.

"In the greater Los Angeles area? Several thousand." Zoe said.

"And protecting you will be our number-one priority." Grey added as well.

"Step one is to get you off the streets." Zoe said.

"Uh, I live at an apartment with Grant." Hunter said.

"She can stay with me." Tim said.

"What about Lexi?" Talia asked.

"She's basically my niece at this point. She can stay with me. I'll explain it to her." Angela said.

"Come with me, Lopez, you too Bradford if she's staying with you. I'm gonna escort you two home." Zoe said.

***

Hunter and Tim are standing in Tim's backyard, well, Hunter's dangling her feet into Tim's pool while he's sitting on the deck, seeing as he has an above ground pool meaning the deck was there to assist with entering and exiting the pool.

Zoe comes over to the two of them and joined them on the deck, or at least stands on the steps leading up to it. "K9 unit already swept the property. The DA approved a VARDA alarm. It bypasses 911, sends a red alert to all the cops in the area." Zoe explained.

"I've heard about that." Hunter states. "I'm still coming into work, if you don't mind." She adds.

"Well, I maintain a perspective that we tell criminals what to do, not the other way around." Zoe said.

"No matter the consequences." Hunter adds.

"Exactly." Zoe agrees.

"All set, Captain." One of the cops said.

"Okay. It seems the system is up and armed. We have a unit parked out front. Try to get some sleep." Zoe said.

"Don't see that happening." Hunter states.

"No." Zoe agreed.

"Thank you." Tim and Hunter said.

"Have a good night." Zoe said.

Grant and Talia walk up to the front door, passing Zoe on the way, they talk for a bit and then the two of them walked out to Tim's backyard. 

"Lawrence and Bishop reporting for duty." Talia said.

"Guys, this is very unnecessary." Hunter said, not moving from her place at the pool.

"You'd do the same for us," Grant nods in agreement as Talia steps onto the pool deck and sits beside Hunter, rolling up her pant legs and and taking her shoes and socks off before placing her feet in Tim's pool. "And besides, I'm just here to dip my feet into Tim's pool." Hunter, Grant and Tim all laughed at that.

Early the next morning, they're all still sitting outside but, they've each moved to the pool chairs, which had cushions on, Hunter had moved her close to Tim so that way she could feel safe and secure while she slept. The four of them woke up, Tim and Hunter at 5 AM and Grant and Talia woke up at 7 AM and joined Tim and Hunter in the kitchen.

"I'm going in today. I might as well. It doesn't matter where I am, they'll still come after me." Hunter said.

"So, you're decision is to go to work and do your job anyway, knowing the risks?" Talia asked curiously.

"Yep. It's not the first time I've been shot at doing this job." Hunter said.

"It's the first time you've been greenlit." Grant comments.

"Meh, I'll ride by myself, to make sure you don't get injured." Hunter said, Grant opened his mouth to argue. "Nope, decision made."

"I'm not even gonna argue, you're far too stubborn." Grant said.

Hunter frowned. "Hey." Talia and Tim just laughed at that.

***

Hunter was seated beside Tim and Angela, while Grey was up front with Zoe. "All right. Everyone, settle down. Captain." Grey said, moving to the side.

"Thank you for coming in, most of you on your day off. Till this is resolved, all overtime limits have been lifted." Zoe said.

"As you may know, Southern Front originated as a white supremacist prison gang about 15 years ago. Since then, they have branched out in a big way." Grey states.

"Drugs, prostitution, extortion. But what sets them apart is their access to military weapons." Zoe said.

Grey turns to the computer screen that had information of the leader of Southern Front. "Their leader, the so-called "King Midas," is currently serving three consecutive life sentences. His son, Cole, he controls the day-to-day operations on the street. But make no mistake, his father is pulling the strings." Grey warned.

"Lifting the greenlight would be a huge loss of face for Cole, so he's not gonna do it willingly." Zoe states.

"So, we gotta make this a business decision. We put a big enough hurt on their operation, they'll lift the greenlight." Grey adds.

"Yesterday, Southern Front tried to kill one of our own," Zoe was looking straight at Hunter, while the other cops looked at her, applauding her for coming in when she was in danger, Angela nodded to her sister. "Today, we hit back."

***

Hunter was talking to Tim while packing the shop. "You sure you're good riding by yourself?" Tim asked.

"I will be fine-" Hunter paused when Zoe walked in, wearing a bullet proof vest and the uniform, her hair tied into a bun. "Captain?" Tim and Hunter asked simultaneously.

"You're riding with me today, Detective Lopez," Hunter opened her mouth to argue but Zoe held a hand up to make sure she stayed silent. "You're a former member of the United States Army, you've been shot at with intent to kill during your deployments from the age of 18, so that's why you're coping so well. But you will be staying as far away from the Southern Front as possible." Zoe said.

"Yes, Ma'am," Hunter replied, Tim nodded to her and the Captain before walking out. Hunter handed Zoe the keys. "You drive."

Hunter joined Zoe in the shop and the two started driving. "How exactly are we hurting Midas' operation?" Hunter asked.

"By attacking Southern Front where they make all their money: the three Ts. Drug trafficking. Weapons trafficking. And sex trafficking." Zoe said.

***

Tim and Lucy bring a man into Holding, which is already busy. "I'll handle processing. You get started on the asset paperwork." Tim said.

"I still don't see how confiscating 20 gallons of lube is gonna get the gang to back off Lopez." Lucy comments.

"Asset forfeiture is where we do the most damage today. Law says we can seize everything and anything connected to their illegal operation. Vehicles, merchandise, even the massage parlor." Tim states.

"Well, so, why didn't we hit it last week? Vice knew that Southern Front owned that shop." Lucy said.

"'Cause it's whack-a-mole. You take out one criminal enterprise, another one takes its place. Usually not a good use of our time. But today, that's exactly what we want. Make sure Southern Front's scared one of their competitors is about to move in, a -" Tim pauses when he once again he spots someone in the bullpen and strides out to confront Murphy. "You gotta be kidding me. What the hell are you doing here?" He asked.

"My job. Making sure cops don't break the law." Murphy said.

"One of our officers was greenlit. Came within seconds of being killed." Tim snapped at her.

"When do you think that a cop's most likely to cross a line? When they're scared, angry, and want revenge. They might, I don't know, yell at a detective. How about I write you up for conduct unbecoming an officer?" Murphy asked.

"Knock yourself out. This is about Isabel, and you know it." Tim said.

"You know, it is about Isabel. It's about the fact that you covered for her for months." Murphy said.

"That's not true." Tim said defensively.

"Oh, please. Any cop can tell an addict 10 miles out. You knew she was using, and you let her come to work every day with a loaded gun. You had an obligation to report her, and you didn't." Murphy states to him.

"Okay, that's a lie. But I'd expect nothing less from a cop like you." Tim scoffed.

Lucy comes up to defuse the situation. "Uh, hey, I need you to come check something for me. I want to make sure I'm doing it by the book. Okay? So, come on."

Tim starts walking away and heads to the holding cell. "Hey, you know what? If I were you, I'd ask for another T.O." Murphy said to Lucy.

"Yeah, well, you're not me. Ma'am." Lucy replied.

***

"7-Adam-20, possible 459 in progress, 1936 Kristol Lane." Dispatch said.

"7-Adam-20, show us responding," Hunter said into the radio and looks at Zoe. "I hate this. Feels like everyone's fighting my battle for me. And I hate that." Hunter states.

"City still needs policing." Zoe replied.

Glancing in the rear view, she notices a van following them and another coming up to flank their vehicle. The driver and passenger pace beside them for a few moments, glaring at the cops. Zoe surreptitiously unholsters her gun and Hunter does the same, but then the vans pull away and drop back, turning down a side street.

"Ah, that was exhilarating." Hunter said.

"You're a woman after my own heart, Detective." Zoe comments, glancing over at Hunter.

"When I was first stationed in Afghanistan with Tim, it was our first deployment. I used to get these headaches. Took me a few days to realize it was 'cause my eyes kept darting around, looking for trouble." Hunter said, reminiscing about her time during her deployments.

"I was the same when I was first stationed in Baghdad, I was always looking for trouble. It's a self defence mechanism." Zoe said.

"7-Adam-20, go to channel 2 for Sergeant Grey." Dispatch said.

"Copy. Andersen." Zoe said into the radio.

"It worked. Midas forced Cole to lift the greenlight." Grey said.

"I guess you are back to being just a Detective." Zoe said looking over at Hunter.

"Thank God." Hunter breathed.

"Thank you, Sergeant." Zoe said.

"My pleasure." Grey replied.

"So, does that mean this little "Odd Couple" partnership is over? Cause I hope not." Hunter said.

"Hell no! We got a burglary call to take," Zoe picked up the radio. "7-Adam-20, show us Code 6 on the burglary call." She said.

***

Zoe and Hunter approach the house, drawing their weapons when they see that the front door is open. "Be advised, we have an open door. Going in to clear," Zoe said into the radio.

She and Hunter move from room to room; Hunter finds a boombox playing loud classical music and turns it off. They're coming back into the front room when Zoe hears a click and a thud. "Lopez! Cover -" A flash-bang goes off, blinding and deafening Hunter, and then someone hits him with an electrical prod.

***

When Hunter regains consciousness, she finds herself chained to a chair with her own handcuffs. She and the captain are seated at the edge of a swimming pool with their backs to it. Zoe appears to be unconscious and restrained in the same way.

"Hey, there!" Cole Midas pokes Hunter with a live electrical prod. Even Hunter can't contain a scream of pain. "Look who's awake. Packs quite a kick, doesn't it? It's got four times the voltage as LAPD uses. Could probably cook the eyeball right out of your skull." He said.

"Okay, look, look, I did not intend to disrespect Astrid, okay? Or you, okay? And I would be happy to apologize." Hunter said, trying to get her and Zoe out of this ambush.

"Too late for that now. Only way this ends is with you dead." Cole said.

Zoe stirs and looks up at Cole. "Yeah, I, uh - I'd heard that you were dumb, but it is shocking to see it in person." She said.

"Dumb?" Cole asked.

"Dumb." Zoe confirms.

"Who lured you into an ambush with a false surrender?" Cole asked.

"Does your father know that it was false? Huh, junior? I can't imagine that revelation's gonna go too well, huh?" Zoe's facing down Cole with all the attitude that's in her.

"I think it'll go fine." Cole said.

"Oh, he's dumber than I thought. What's my rank?" Zoe asked.

"What?" Cole asked.

"What is my rank? Come on, you're the leader of the sixth-largest gang in all of California. Surely you can tell from my uniform what rank I am." Zoe said.

"Who the hell cares?" Cole asked.

"You're going to. See, it's one thing to put a hit out on a Detective," Zoe looks at Hunter. "No offense." She said.

"None taken." Hunter replied.

"But two bars? Oh, for crying out loud. And a badge that says "Captain"? You've just crossed a line that anybody with half a brain would run screaming from. A line that even your father might whack you for crossing. Understood? So, let me tell you how this is gonna go. You and your little goonies are gonna -" Cole applies the prod to her and she yells in pain.

"Hey! Cole! No! Hurt me! Right? I'm the one you wanna hurt, right? Killing me, that's trouble you can handle, okay? But not her. You need to let her go." Hunter said.

"Do you think I'm dumb, too?" Cole asked.

"No." Hunter answered

Cole kicks Zoe's chair and she pitches backward into the pool. "No! No! No!" Hunter starts fighting the handcuffs. "No!"

"If the line's already been crossed, then there's no going back. Which means neither of you are walking out of here. As long as your bodies never turn up, the murder can't be pinned on me." Cole states.

"No, you're wrong." Hunter said.

Unbeknownst to all of them Zoe's underwater struggling against the handcuffs.

"And Southern Front'll weather the storm." Cole adds.

"It's gonna be so much worse. You need to get her out of there now. Hey, listen. What about this? What if I - What if I made a video? I'll apologize to Astrid. You just have to let her up." Hunter bargained.

"I already told you that it's not gonna work, man. It's done." Cole said.

"Hey, think about it. Me, like this, you standing over me? Come on, she'll eat it up. You'll get laid for weeks." Hunter said, praying that it worked.

"Okay, yeah." Cole agreed.

"Okay. Just get her out first. Right now." Hunter said, hating how desperate she sounded but she needed to save Zoe's life.

"No, you got to make the video first. Come on," one of Cole's henchmen gets out his cell to record the video. "Yeah, here. You recording?" The henchmen nods. "Hey, baby girl, this is for you!" Cole moves out the way.

The camera falls on Hunter, who's hiding her annoyance at making the stupid video. "Astrid, I apologize. I shouldn't've torn you dress. You deserved more respect than that. I am sorry," Hunter turns to Cole. "Can we please let her up now?" She asked.

"Nah, you got to do it again. You got to put some feeling into it. I didn't believe that." Cole said.

"Come on, dude!" Hunter yelled.

"I didn't believe you! Do it again!" Cole yelled.

"No!" Hunter yelled back.

Underwater, Zoe manages to break her thumb in order to slip out of the cuffs.

"Do another take right now! Say it with feeling!" Cole yelled.

One of the henchmen is suddenly yanked into the pool and we hear a shot go off under the surface. After a moment, Zoe emerges, clinging to the side of the pool and firing at Cole and his men. They return fire; she brings down three of them before they start running, knocking Hunter and her chair over on the patio. Cole takes one last shot before running away, which hits the captain in the neck. Zoe looks stunned, touches her neck, looks at her bloody hand, and then looks at Hunter as if she can't believe what's happening. Hunter fights the chains as she tries to get to her, but she sinks back into the pool.

"No! No! Cap -" Hunter breaks free at last, snapping the chair leg and getting rid of her cuffs before diving into the pool. Zoe has drifted to the bottom; she seizes her, rolls her up onto the patio and starts CPR. "Come on!" Hunter's voice broke. "Come on. Come on. Oh, come on, come on!" Zoe's eyes are open, but she is unresponsive and Hunter can't find a pulse.

***

Hunter's sitting on the ground beside the pool with Zoe's head in his lap when the rest of the squad arrives, having heard their sirens. They come running into the yard and are stopped by the sight of their captain's body. 

Tim moves forwards slowly, signaling to Grey that he should wait, Grey nods, knowing that Tim knows Hunter the best, Tim crouches down beside Hunter and placed a hand on her shoulder, Hunter looked at him with tears in her eyes. "It was Cole." Her voice was shaky and broke.

Grey approaches and Tim looks at him. "Cole did this." He said. Grey nods and moves away.

Tim stands up and holds a hand out and helps Hunter stand up. As much as she wants to hug him, she can't right now. She knows she will completely fall apart if she does. Tim removes Hunter's went department provided jacket and places his around her.

***

Zoe's body, covered with a flag, is rolled out to the Coroner's van on a gurney. The walkway is lined with cops. Officers! Order, arms," The officers salute as their captain passes. Hunter walks slowly behind the gurney, still wearing Tim's jacket that he lent her. "Execution, arms."

The officers stand down; Hunter goes to stand by the gurney, looking down at the still form under the flag. "I'm so sorry." She snaps to salute as Zoe's body is placed in the van and the doors are closed.

***

The squad are affixing black ribbons to their badges in memory of their captain; Tim sees that Hunter's hands are shaking too much and looks at her, she gives a slight nod of her head and helps her with her ribbon. "Thanks." She said.

Grey was staring out the window of the briefing room. "There'll be time for grief later. We have a job to finish. Midas gave up his son," Grey moves to the front of the room. "We know where he's headed. Look, I know what's in your hearts. What you want to do more than anything. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want it, too. Word is you kill a cop, you never see the inside of a cell. But that's that's not what Captain Andersen would want. Killing this loser won't honor her memory. Doing our jobs will. And we owe it to her to do it the right way. Agreed? All right, let's go." He said.

Everyone walked out, Hunter sticking by Tim's side like she always does when she goes through something traumatic and so Lucy ends up riding with Grant in Hunter and his shop.

***

The police are lined up behind their shops, ready to intercept Cole. Each person has a gun trained on him. "I can't help but think this is all my fault. I know she died by doing her job the only way she knew how. But surely there's something I could've done to prevent this."

"Hunter," Grant said sternly, because sometimes the raven needed a cold had dose of reality. "This isn't your fault. Like you said, the Captain died because she did her job the only way she knew how. You think of it any other way you diminish her."

Hunter looks her partner in his eyes and nods. "Thanks. I needed that."

"Look, you need to know that no matter what happens next, whether we arrest this guy or we kill him, it won't make things better." Tim said looking at Lucy.

"I know that." Lucy replied.

"No. You only think you do." Tim states.

"Please don't tell me to "use it" - the grief or the anger - to make myself a better cop. I can't handle that right now." Lucy said.

"I wasn't going to. Okay? Grief is grief. It's It's a hole that can't be filled, but over time, it'll shrink enough so that you won't fall in every time you take a step. But trust me, if there's one thing you can use to make yourself a better cop, it'll be her life, not her death." Tim said.

"One minute." Grey warned.

"Think this guy'll go down without a fight?" Jackson asked Angela.

"I hope not," Angela cellphone buzzes and she answers it. "Hello?" She asked.

"Hey. I heard what happened. I'm so sorry." Wesley said.

"Thanks. I-I really can't talk right now." Angela replied.

"I said a bunch of things earlier. They don't really matter right now. I want to be here for you." Wesley said sympathetically.

"I want that, too." Angela said.

"20 seconds out. Get ready." Grey once again warned.

"Okay, I gotta go, maybe shoot a guy. Call you later." Angela said.

"What - ?" Wesley didn't get a chance to finish his question as Angela hung up and put her phone away.

Cole's car rolls to a stop several yards from the police line. Grey speaks through a megaphone. "Cole Midas, you are surrounded by the LAPD. Step out of the vehicle with your hands in the air."

"I've got a clean shot, Sarge!" Angela yelled.

"Get out of the damn car now!" Grey yelled.

"Okay! I'm getting out! Don't shoot!" Cole gets out and puts his hands in the air.

"Detective Lopez, go arrest that man." Grey ordered.

"It shouldn't be her." Talia said.

"No, it needs to be." Grey said in response.

Hunter walks up to Cole with fury in her eyes. "Hands on your head. Interlace your fingers. Eyes front. Don't move. Other hand," Hunter clicks her handcuffs. "Over here." She said hauling him over to a car.

"Ugh!" Cole grunts as Hunter places him down on the hood.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law." Hunter said, telling Cole his rights.

"Come on! We both know I won't live to stand trial." Cole said as Hunter hauled him over to her fellow cops.

"Yes, you will. Because the woman you killed taught us it's not our job to punish you. Just to see to it that you are." Hunter walks Cole over to the shop and puts him in the back.

"You coming?" Grey nods.

Hunter shakes her head, Grey nods and Hunter goes to join Tim and Lucy. When Tim sees Murphy standing in the road and walks over to confront her. "Wh - No, don't -" Lucy tried to say.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Captain's dead, and you're out here spying on us?" Tim asked.

"Your watch commander called. Said his people were gonna do this right, wanted to make sure that we saw it. Sorry about your captain. I liked her. I also trashed the "conduct unbecoming" charge, so - You were right, that was bush league." Murphy states.

"Good," Murphy goes to leave and Tim lingers, glancing back at Hunter, who was watching him carefully, she nods. "Wait," Murphy turned back around. "Look, I'm only I'm only saying this because Andersen would want me to. But you were right, too. I knew Isabel was using in the end, and I didn't say anything because I was trying to help her. She was my wife." Tim said.

"How's she doing?" Murphy asked.

"Better. She's clean." Tim replied.

"I'm glad." Murphy said before walking off.

Tim returns to the shop, where Hunter is waiting, Grant and Lucy having gone a few seconds before. "Is everything okay?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah, for now. All right, back to work." Tim and Hunter go to Tim's shop and they drive to the station, Hunter knows that she'll watch as Cole's processed and put in a cell where he'll join his father in prison.

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I really enjoyed this episode. I miss Zoe Andersen though, she was one of the best characters.