The Loud House - Wild Card

Chapter 2 - On Duty

Lynn made her way to the bullpen after arriving at the station. They would be having their morning briefing soon, and Sgt. Bentley made anyone who was late pull extra duty. Lynn sat down next to her partner, George Ramos. He was an older man, about 45, and was a 15-year veteran of the force. She was assigned to him after joining the force, and he immediately had taken her under his wing, showing her how to work the beat. She viewed him as a mentor and a confidant, and came to rely on his calm and collected demeanor. Unlike herself, he was very hard to frazzle, and was able to approach most situations with a calm that would rival most buddhist monks. He was often quick to bring her back to reality whenever she lost her temper, and was able to coach her through the most difficult parts of the job.

Sgt. Bentley entered the bullpen, rapping on the table to silence the chatting around him. "All right, shut up," he said unceremoniously. "Before you start your tours, I wanted to go over an update in a case our detectives have been working on, and how you factor into them." He turned on a projector, showing an image of a young man, around the age of 25, wearing an expensive suit, surrounded by burly-looking strongmen.

"This is Salvatore Bianchi," said Bentley. "To the public, he is a well-known businessman and philanthropist out of Detroit. However, he is thought to be the head of one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in America. He has recently taken up residence in Royal Woods, for reasons we do not understand. However, we believe that he is connected to a recent uptick in crime." The slide changed to Bianchi standing outside a large building, with dozens of young children of varying ages posing for a picture.

"Among his many charitable contributions, this is the one that has drawn the most attention," said Bentley. "His home for wayward children has made him famous in the altruistic community. However, we believe that this is all a front as a means to draw new talent into the criminal organization. Many of these children have prior records, and have been caught in legally compromising situations: theft, assault and battery, vandalism, even grand larceny. We believe that this is part of some initiation process before bringing them into the real business."

"Why haven't we moved against him?" Asked one of the Officers.

"The man is Teflon," Said Bentley. "No charge thrown at him sticks. However, this has made him cocky. He thinks himself untouchable, but we think that these kids are the key to getting what we need on him. If we can flip just one of them, we might have a shot."

"Sarge," Said Lynn, raising her hand.

"What is it Loud?"

"So if we manage to flip one of these kids, then what?" Asked Lynn. "If we take this guy down, what happens to these kids?"

"Some of them with records may spend time in Juvenile hall," Said Bentley. "Others will probably be sent to foster homes throughout the city."

"With respect, Sarge, isn't that what got them here in the first place?" Asked Lynn.

"I don't make the rules, Loud," Said Bentley curtly. "That's up to Child Services. Now if there are no more questions, you all have your assignments. Dismissed."

Lynn stood and straightened her belt as the officers around her began to pile out. As she began to walk towards the bullpen door, she was knocked slightly sideways as someone bumped into her.

"Nice question, Loud," Said Conners, one of the officers. "You feelin' sympathetic for criminals now?"

"Shut your hole, Conners," Snapped Lynn.

Conners snickered and walked off, leaving Lynn seething. As she felt a gentle hand placed on her shoulder, she turned to see George shaking his head. "Not worth the trip to IA, Loud," he said.

"I know," Said Lynn, running her fingers through her hair in frustration. Lynn knew that if she started a fight she'd be immediately suspended and chewed out by Internal Affairs. That was the last thing she needed. "But he better watch it, or one of these days it will be. Come on, let's go."

Lynn and George were silent as they drove in their police cruiser. She looked out the window, watching civilians as they walked to work, and shop owners as they shoveled snow. It was mid-December, and everyone was getting ready for the Christmas season. Lynn didn't really celebrate holidays anymore. She would show up at family gatherings for appearance sake, but because a good portion of her family was missing every year, with Lisa, Luan and Lucy leaving the state, and ever since Lincoln's passing, it just wasn't the same as it used to be.

Lynn was still stewing on Conners' comment. She didn't have sympathy for scum like Bianchi, but she did for those kids he took in. He's manipulated the system and the poor souls the system was designed to protect were now paying the price. He had enough money to throw at his problems and continuously get away with his crimes, while many of those kids would take the fall for carrying out his orders. It wasn't like those kids had much other choice. He held their lives in his hands. Lynn joined the force to help kids like that, kids like her brother, but often the legal system was filled with so many traps and red tape that it was easy to get lost and ensnared in it like a fly in a spider's web. Her partner said that it was part of the job of being a cop, and despite our best efforts, cops can't save everyone.

But Lynn refused to believe that.

"I'm starved," Said George. "Meatball subs?"

"I could eat," Said Lynn.

As they began to pull into their favorite sub shop, the dispatch radio went off. "Calling all available units," the radio blasted. "We have a shootout at Royal Woods National Bank, repeat, we have a shootout at Royal Woods National bank."

Lynn and George looked at each other in surprise. Lynn was trying to determine if she had misheard. Although dramas on television loved romanticizing the bank robbery, the truth was that because of modern security and technology, most criminals wouldn't be stupid enough to attempt to rob a bank. Even if they managed to get out with the money, it was standard procedure for banks to plant a paint bomb inside a wad of bills, which would usually explode sometime after the perpetrators had left, covering the money in paint, rendering it useless. What's more, with the rise of mobile devices and social media, hiding from the police became less possible with each passing year.

This meant there were only two possibilities: either the perpetrators were as stupid as they thought, or whoever was doing this was trying to send a message.

"Officers Ramos and Loud responding," Said George into the radio, flipping on the emergency lights. "Are you ready to live dangerously, Loud?"

"No," said Lynn. "But let's go anyway."