Altruism | Part Two : Care

Episode Eighteen

"We're skipping roll call today. Grey's got us on special assignment." Harper says, grabbing Ana's arm as she walks to roll call.

"Cool" Ana replies, softly, following after Harper.

"Negative. We will be escorting some juvenile felons through a Scared Straight program at Cal Correctional." Harper explains.

"oh, I could see why you wouldn't want to do that" Ana realizes, softly.

"Yep. I've been to these things before. It's a lot of chaos and noise -- and the jury's still out as to whether it actually makes a difference." Harper replies.

"if it helps someone, then it is making a difference, right?" Ana asks, softly.

"Your optimism makes me nauseous" Harper dead pans, a cue to Ana to shut up, which Ana does very quickly.

[Timeskip]

"All right, line up. Against the van. Marco Leland -- assault and battery. Tyson Renner — Hey, unh-unh. Up. Off the van. Stand up straight. Tyson Renner -- vandalism. Fletcher Perry -- auto --" Harper starts.

"Auto theft. That turn you on, baby?" Fletcher flirts.

"Nothing like getting hit on by a 12-year-old delinquent to get your day started." Harper sighs.

"Hey, yo, I'm 15." Fletcher corrects.

"Doesn't make it better, um, what about you?" Ana asks, softly, but the kid just ignores her.

"Hector Duran, 17. Spent three months in juvie for theft and drug possession." Harper comments.

"Okay. I'm Officer Cabrera. This is Detective Harper. Together, we're gonna be taking a little field trip down to the California Correctional Facility. For those of you who complete today's program, the rest of your sentences will be commuted." Ana explains, softly.

"But this is your last chance. Get busted again, and the prison we are going to will become your new home." Harper warns.

"Fine by me." Hector shrugs.

"have you been there?" Ana asks, softly.

"Hell yeah. My brother's doing a bit up there." Hector replies.

"Not something to be proud of." Harper scolds

"let's just get in the van" Ana decides, softly.

Ana is very quickly realizing why Harper didn't want to do this.

[Timeskip]

"Why does motor pool always give us vehicles with no gas?" Harper sighs.

"no idea" Ana says, softly.

"Who needs the restroom? Come on." Harper says, opening the doors to the van.

One of the boys comes up and hands Ana a bag of chips.

"um, you want me to buy you these?" Ana asks, softly, confused.

"Ooh, can I get a beer?" Fletcher asks.

"You two, over there. Now! You, over here. What are you doing?" Harper calls, having Ana walk over.

"they wanted me to buy them snacks" Ana explains, softly.

"They're not Boy Scouts. They're criminals." Harper says.

"W-well, you never know what these kids have been through" Ana defends, softly. "they just need some kindness-" Ana stops herself, seeing Hector holding Fletcher to the side of the van.

"You were saying?" Harper asks.

"Hector, let him go" Ana calls, running over.

"Nah, I'm not adding time to my sentence because this fool decided to boost his street cred by stealing a police ride." Hector replies.