The Network

Chapter Twelve

"Ike, ease up man," Lucas chuckled, handing him a beer. "Dad and Evan should be here in ten minutes."

"How can I ease up? After what happened-."

"Feeling guilty won't do anything," Lucas grabbed his shoulder. "I'm still here. You covered me. You did what you were suppose to do."

"Then why am I more scared of the old man than I am of Sousa?"

"Because he is our old man," Lucas took a drink, resting the bottle between his hands. "I won't let him rant you out."

"I just don't get why he gets me the most," Ike muttered, shaking his head.

"You're his favorite," Lucas winked before stepping away from the bar and for their usual booth. Ike laughed sarcastically, tucking one hand into his leather jacket. That was a lie and he both knew it. "What? I mean it."
"I am not Dad's favorite. You are."
"Are you getting jealous of me? I'm touched." Ike said nothing, reading the label of the bottle.

"Ike, oh come on man. He does like you. He's just hard on you because he knows you can become a great cop. It's just his way of encouraging you."

"What a heck of a job."

"It was the same thing with me when I first started. Trust me."

"You aren't lying?"

"When do I lie," Lucas cocked his head slightly. Ike had to give him that. Lucas had never been the liar. If anything had gone wrong between the three or they did something, Lucas was always the first one to tell the truth. Evan sure did seem to follow in his footsteps growing up.

"Boys," Chris smiled as the four men finally got to sit. "Ike-."

"Dad," Ike groaned.

"You did fine," Chris smirked, grabbing his shoulder. "I'm proud of you."

Ike straightened up, staring at his father in disbelief. Was he being honest? Did his dad just say he was proud of him?

"You watched out for Luke like a true cop was suppose to," Chris admitted, leaning back into the wooden booth. "Even if Lucas did cover for you. Don't give me that look Lucas, like if I don't know my sons."

Evan felt a smirk, glancing over at his two older brothers.

"Chief wanted congratulate us for our bust," Evan spoke up. "Says that drinks and meals are on him for the rest of the week."

"I'll take that," Lucas chuckled.

"But there is one thing," Chris slowed down the excitement. "There weren't just three people in that group. There was four. One who we didn't catch. Sousa told us to keep a look out for him because for all we know, he could have gotten a look at us but decided not to act right then and there."

Ike felt a stare coming from Lucas. Someone hadn't done their job right and it kept coming back to bite him.

"Description," Lucas asked.

"Uh African-American. Five foot eleven 220 pounds, brown eyes, no hair. Distinctive mole on his left cheek," Evan nodded. "I found the photograph once I got back to the Precinct to process the other three."

"So watch our backs. Got it," Ike nodded. "You got my back?"

Lucas pushed Ike forward, staring at his back.

"That back? Heck no." The guys laughed at Ike who simply shook his head, unamused. The pain of being the middle sibling.

"Thank you sweetheart," Elisa smiled as Aubrey helped her set down the food on the table. "But you go sit down."