Bullets and Brainpower

Pilot VI

"When you're a jet, you're a jet all the way, from your first cigarette to your last dyin' day," Riff sings. Naturally, me and Barbara can't help but sing along. What? Just 'cause I'm a rough tough street kid does not mean I can't love musicals, and let me just say that West Side Story is the greatest ever.

"I can't believe you love musicals!" Barbara exclaims when the song ends. "I figured you'd like stuff like ACDC and Metallica." I laugh.

"Have you not seen half of my closet?" I ask her. "I do love stuff like that! I can have multiple interests, can't I?" She smiles.

"What's your favorite band?" I think about it.

"ACDC." She nods as the door opens and Jim walks in. I reach over to the coffee table and pause the movie.

"Hey, Jim," Barbara says. "You're home earlier than we thought." He nods as I look backwards over the back of the couch.

"Yeah," he says. "Got out a little sooner than I thought I would." I smile.

"Wanna watch the movie with us?" I ask. I may act a little clueless, but I'm not clueless enough to not notice how tired Jim looks. He looks at the TV and smiles.

"What're you watching?" I look at Barbara, then back at him.

"West Side Story." He tilts his head in confusion.

"You like musicals?" Barbara laughs as I sigh.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? Yes, for Christ's sake. I like musicals!" He laughs tiredly.

"I would love to," Jim says "but I think right now I really just wanna go on a walk, then go to bed." I nod as he walks over, kisses Barbara, kisses me on the head, and leaves again. I look at Barbara.

"Continue?" I ask. She smiles and nods as I press play.

~~~

Barbara's P.O.V.

I walk up the stairs to Jim's desk, hoping to see him sitting there working on a case, but I have no such luck.

"Detective Bullock?" I ask as I walk up. He looks up at me.

"Miss Kean," he says with a smile.

"James went for a walk last night," I say, "and he never came back. He and Cassie are supposed to go running later. She's really looking forward to it. Have you heard from him? I'm really worried about him."

"She's excited to go running?" he asks. I nod. "Weird kid. He's on a stake out. His phone probably ran out of juice is all." Do I believe it? While I really want to, I do not.

"Oh. Right, well, that's a relief," I say, lying through my teeth. "Thank you." He smiles.

"No problem."

Cassie's P.O.V.

I walk down the stairs from the platform above the room Jim is being held in. Honestly, it's kind of funny how he looks. I mean, come on, guys. He's hanging upside down in a row of dead pigs. How is that not hilarious?

Yeah, I knew about Jim getting kidnapped. I know everything Fish does. I even know they're planning on killing him. Sure, I don't exactly want to get thrown out of the streets again, but this plan was perfect until he showed up and messed with things. It's his own fault, really.

I walk over to Butch, who's standing by Jim, and he looks over at me, nodding in greeting. I nod back and look at Jim. He's just barely managing to stay conscious.