Schism

Chapter 15 part 2

"I said shut up and get breakfast.  Now."  Meyers dug a twenty out of his wallet and slapped it into Dieterly's palm.  "And don't get any of that strawberry cream cheese crap.  That was disgusting."

Bryan watched Dieterly turn to him, eyebrows raised.  He waited for more questions.  They'd been grilling him since he came in the door, mostly the rookies Dieterly and Hicks tag teaming him with questions about how the perp could dodge bullets and the fighting moves Bryan had seen last night.  They had nearly drooled when he told them how William had tripped one attacker by throwing a bat at his legs.

But how William had moved, how effortlessly he had fought, he couldn't tell any of them that.  Not that they'd really believe it.  He had been tempted for a moment to play it up for the rookies, to tell them what the man could do, and let them take it as a joke.  But it was safer to stick with the lies he had been forced to tell the night before.

After giving his statement last night to Cray and Rios, who had both been exhausted, Bryan had spent most of the night digging through his files on William.  But, he still hadn't been able to figure out what was going on.  Gotta get the bad guy.  William had said it like he'd heard Bryan think it.  And the way he had fought; Bryan wouldn't have imagined it possible to move that fast or smoothly.  He had seemed to know what attacks were coming.  Not even the rookies would believe it if he told them.

He saw that Dieterly was still staring.  "What?"

"What flavor?" the rookie asked.

"Bagel?  Uh..."  The grilling from the rookies had left his mind spinning, trying to keep up with their leaps in logic and topic.  Also, he was more than a little off guard by the simple inclusion in the morning gathering and breakfast run.  Meyers had tried to include him right after Claire and the baby had died, but Bryan's focus on work had ended that.  It had been years since anyone had asked him what flavor bagel he wanted.

His first inclination was garlic, but it slipped into his mind that he might meet with Jessica later that day.  Was her sense of smell more acute, or did she simply pay more attention to it?  "Cinnamon Raisin."  He pulled out his wallet and Dieterly stopped him.

"I've got it," Dieterly said.

Meyers raised an eyebrow.  "You've got it?  Give me back my twenty."  He put his hand out.

Dieterly took a step back to the door, waved a finger at Meyers.  "He's got it."

Bryan tipped his wallet to Meyers.  "Thanks."

Before Meyers could respond, Hicks pounced on the pause.  "How many guys did he take down?"

Meyers grabbed the other rookie and pushed him after Dieterly.  "Go.  Make sure he doesn't screw up the order.  Plain cream cheese only."  Hicks hurried to the door, had to sidestep Cray and Rios as they dragged themselves into the squad room.

Bryan heard the rookies talking about William until the door shut behind them.  He turned back to Meyers.  The two stood for a moment, soaked up the quiet.  "Thanks for that too."

"I weep for the future of our police department," Meyers said.  The two of them watched Cray and Rios attack the coffee pot.  "You guys look good."

Bryan watched Rios focus on pouring sugar, while Cray spared a second to glare at Meyers.  "Shove it."

Rios didn't turn away from his work.  He took small sips and adjusted the ingredients, alternating sugar and milk.  "Two scenes, plus the stupid ramp.  Took all night to mark them, get the statements from the survivors and witnesses."  He sipped.  "Thank god for this.  I'm sick of that hospital coffee.  Nasty."