Chapter Text
It's Day One of being an actual, real rookie, and Lucy is beyond excited.
She's willing to admit that her intentions when joining the Academy were less than stellar. Her parents were obsessive over two things: their daughter's life, and their hatred for the police force.
So, naturally, her necessary act of rebellion after years of keeping up the facade of a perfect daughter came in the form of joining the police force herself. But after months at the Academy, her motivations had shifter from sheer spite to pursuing the sense of purpose Academy work has granted her.
For the first time, she knew what she wanted to do with herself, beyond her parents' expecations. She had a career to focus on, starting today.
And she's excited.
"Hey," she greets, taking her seat (her seat!) in the front of the roll-call room.
"Hey yourself," Nolan says. He's a part of their trio- her, Nolan and Jackson- and had had actual pure intentions when he'd joined up.
"I know they'll give me a hard time for my age," he'd said. "But this isn't a midlife crisis, I know it. I knew it there, at the bank. This is potential, and I'm going to explore it."
Admirable, really.
Jackson's a different case entirely. He'd been trained for this since, like, being born. His father is a cop, and an extremely respected one at that, and his whole life had been spent aspiring for this moment.
Front-row. Rookie seat. A chance to prove themselves. A new beginning.
With a start like theirs, none of them could really predict what was coming.
Her T.O is an officer named Talia Bishop. She's firm but not unkind, with a stare that penetrates deep into your soul. Lucy admittedly felt a little unnerved by her, but the first day goes by without a hitch, and she has high hopes of winning her T.O's favour.
Jackson, too, had only good things to report about his T.O, Angela Lopez. According to him, she was witty, smart and frankly dangerous– at the right times. All in all, not a bad mix.
It's Nolan who has hit another obstacle in the form of his T.O. Nyla Harper, former UC, having chosen to do T.O work for reasons noone seemed to know. She was harsh, Nolan reported, and utterly pessimistic. Lucy personally thinks that Nolan could use a little pessimism to balance himself out, but she doesn't say so.
Beyond that, though, none of them have much to complain about. Their first day went by as smoothly as could be expected. As long as things stay this way, Lucy thinks, I've got this.
She isn't nearly so lucky.
She could admit that a part of her had expected the other shoe to drop. Had braced for it, really.
Still, when it happens, it's still a surprise.
It's Sergeant Grey who breaks their little bubble of ease during roll-call.
"As of today," he says. "Officer Smitty will no longer be in charge of the assets' nutrition. That role will be assigned to our three rookies and their T.O's, alternating every week. We'll start this week with Officers Chen and Bishop, then Nolan and Harper, and West and Lopez. Is that clear?"
They agree, of course, but Lucy shares troubled looks with her friends. Had she heard that right?
The assets' nutrition.
What could that mean? Were the assets police dogs? Why call them that?
There was no mention of the role she'd just been assigned in the Academy, and she couldn't help the quizzical glances she sent Talia's way.
Her confusion increases when they stop at– her brow furrows– a cafetaria.
Talia raises an eyebrow at her as she gets a plate of food, before heading to a part of the station Lucy hasn't yet visited.
They step into a hall with three cells, where she stops short. There's an officer standing guard, who lets Talia pass easily and sends Lucy an amused glance.
There are people in the cells. Three men.
The assets' nutrition, Sergeant Grey had said.
She watches Talia take the keys from the guarding officer and unlock each cell, placing the plate inside before locking it again. Quick, methodical, unbothered.
And unnatural, Lucy thinks.
"Come on, Boot," Talia says. "From tomorrow, you're doing this alone."
It embarrases her how long she took to ask, but eventually she gathers up the courage and speaks.
"Who were they?"
Her T.O sends a bemused look her way. "What?"
"The...um...the three guys? What did Sarge call them...assets?"
Talia sighs.
"The assets are recruited under government orders. They undergo vigorous training and are used as a last-resort in high stake emergencies. Every station has them."
That...explains a little. But..
"Why were they in cells? Shouldn't they have proper rooms or...why do they have to stay at the station?"
"It's standard procedure," Talia says flatly. "Don't overthink it."
Lucy opens her mouth to respond, but dispatch interrupts them.
"7-Adam-19, we have a Domestive Violence complaint at..."
She tells Jackson and Nolan at the bar that night, as they order another round of drinks.
"It feels wrong," she says.
"It sounds wrong," Nolan says. "But if they're there on their own accord...How come you've never heard of this, Jackson?"
Jackson shrugs. "Guess Dad hasn't told me everything," he says quietly.
The unease persists, impossible to ignore yet too vague to understand.