The Good and the Bad

Not Like This

Chapter Twenty-Three

*~*~*~*

"I can't believe that you proposed to Zoya." Scout's voice was thick with disbelief as she sat in the passenger's seat of Cruz's truck before shift.

Both of their gazes were trained on the side mirrors, watching as Leon talked with some other guys down the street. Neither of them had been thrilled when the younger Cruz brother had agreed to go undercover for Voight with the Kings, but they understood why-- knowing he wanted to get justice for Yvette after she was taken off of life support.

"I thought you were giving up on her after she hooked up with Severide?" She pointed out, also remembering that that was the reason he had given up on trying to get the third room at Severide and Shay's place.

"I'm not talking about this right now," Cruz shook his head as he saw the other guys ride away on their bikes, leaving Leon standing on the sidewalk alone. "I'll be right back."

"Cruz!" A frown filled Scout's lips as she watched him climb out of the car. Her eyes remained locked on the mirror as he made his way over to Leon and started talking to him. Though her eyes narrowed when she spotted an older homeless-looking guy stumbling towards the pair.

Multiple swears fell from her lips when she saw the guy shove Cruz backwards. Her mind seemed to go on autopilot as she grabbed her gun out of her purse and jumped out of the car. Her eyes darted around, making sure no one was paying any attention to her as she speed walked towards her friend, keeping her gun close to her side.

"Hey!" She shouted as the guy shoved Cruz into a small alleyway. She quickened her pace, raising her gun at the back of the homeless man's head as soon as she turned the corner into the tight space. She didn't hesitate to press the barrel of the gun to the back of the man's head when she saw him pinning Cruz against the wall, an arm to his neck. "Let him go. Now."

"Detective Olinsky." The man's gruff voice was quiet. He didn't show a trace of fear as he glanced at the armed woman behind him. The corners of his lips giving the slightest twitch upwards at the sight of her familiar face. "You two can't be here."

"What, I can't walk down a public street?" Cruz asked as Scout slowly lowered her gun.

"Not here, not this street, not today." Olinsky told him.

"Well, I wouldn't even be here if your boy Voight knew how to work his voicemail." Cruz countered, shoving the detective away from him.

"Don't worry. Leon's in good hands," Olinsky promised both of them.

"Yeah, maybe we'd believe that if Voight wasn't a factor." Scout spoke sourly as she shoved her gun into the waistband of her jeans, hiding it under her jacket.

"Keltner?" Olinsky guessed as he eyed the woman, having already heard stories about her from most of his Intelligence colleagues.

"You let anything happen to Leon and you're toast." Scout warned him before she followed Cruz back towards the truck, both of them needing to make it to shift.

*~*~*~*

"Where's gung ho Joe?" Gaby asked when she made her way into the locker room, surprised not to see Chout anywhere in sight.

"I don't think he's coming back," Herrmann shrugged.

"But I will take that. Thank you very much," Scout grinned as she took the second cup of coffee from her friend. As she did so she gave a small nod behind her, causing the Dawson woman to shift her gaze.