Agent Wayne took off his sunglasses as he spoke. "Well, to be honest, detectives, I'm not really sure where to begin with this, but what I'm about to tell you cannot leave this room. It stays between everyone in here. Understood?" Agent Wayne said with a frown.
Decker responded with a sarcastic remark, "Listen up, you fake-ass Horatio Caine, either you tell us or don't – we have places to go, people to save, and bad guys to arrest." He said with mild annoyance.
"Okay, fine. I'll tell you. Me and my partner, Special Agent Angela Williams, have been following a secret organization known as The Core. It operates in the underworld. We don't know who's in it, but it consists of assassins, hackers, mercenaries – you get it. We've been tracking them for a while, but we've come up empty-handed. We believe Michael Griffin from the auto shop slaughter case is connected to this group somehow. But we don't know how – what we do know is that this is their MO," Agent Wayne said with a frown.
"Okay, that tells us nothing at all. What the hell do you expect us to do with that information?" Alvin asked, his eyebrows raised.
"Alvin's right. This is a serious case. You should move this up to the Major Crimes unit. We're just plainclothes detectives," Decker said.
"We don't expect you guys to do much. We just need you to assist us. We believe there's a contact for The Core here in Draco's Ville. We just need you to help us locate who that is," Agent Williams said, fixing her hair behind her ear.
For a moment, Alvin was smitten with her beauty. But then he narrowed his eyes. "Nice try, Miss Honey Pot, but that is not going to work on me. I'm not going up against the underworld. Hell no."
Agent Williams's eyes locked onto Alvin's, her gaze steady. "I assure you, Detective, our request is not taken lightly. We have reason to believe that The Core has infiltrated various levels of law enforcement and other organizations. Your...unique skills and knowledge of the area might be exactly what we need to find this contact."
She paused, her voice taking on a slightly sharper tone. "And I'd appreciate it if you could refrain from calling me 'Miss Honey Pot' in the future. Agent Williams will suffice."
Agent Wayne cleared his throat. "I have a suggestion, Detectives. How about we help you catch the ones who killed David Wright?"
Captain Larcon spoke up, "Sergeant Hanson, you can return to your office."
Sergeant Hanson nodded and did as he was told, exiting the room quietly. The door closed behind him, leaving Alvin, Decker, Agent Wayne, and Agent Williams alone in the room. The tension was palpable.
Captain Larcon then turned to face Agent Wayne. "My detectives are willing to help you in any way possible," he said with a small smile.
Alvin and Decker tried to intervene, but Captain Larcon shot them both a stern glare, silencing them instantly. The room fell quiet
Agent Wayne and Agent Williams exchanging a brief, knowing look before Agent Wayne spoke up.
"Thank you, Captain. We appreciate your cooperation."
Captain Larcon's voice was firm and dismissive. "If that's all, you can all get out of my office now." His tone brooked no argument, and Alvin and Decker exchanged a glance before standing up to leave. Agent Wayne and Agent Williams followed suit, their faces neutral.
"So, where do we begin in this investigation? Do we have any leads or suspects?" Agent Wayne asked with a smile.
"Yes, we have five suspects. What we need to do now is track them down and find them," Decker responded.
"If you look at my computer, you'll see the case files there," Alvin said with a sigh.
Agent Williams and Agent Wayne walked over to the computer and looked at the suspect files.
"What the heck? These guys are all ex-military. How is this possible? Their criminal records are this long," Agent Wayne said with a frown.
"We already put out an APB on them, and we have it running through all the cameras. Security can get a spot on their faces anywhere in the country. All we have to do right now is wait for a hit," Decker said with a sigh.
"What time is it?" Alvin asked.
Decker glanced at his watch. "12:45."
"Okay, then it's lunchtime," Alvin said with a smile.
Decker nodded in agreement. "I didn't even know it was so late."
"Detectives, are you seriously going to lunch in the middle of a case?" Agent Wayne asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course we are," Alvin replied, unfazed. "We can't work on a case on empty stomachs, Agent Wayne."
"Are you guys coming along with us?" Decker asked, his tone a mix of confusion and curiosity.
Reluctantly, Special Agent Williams and Special Agent Wayne nodded, then followed Alvin and Decker out of the office.
As they walked, Agent Williams whispered to Agent Wayne, "You think this is a good idea?"
Agent Wayne's response was low and cautious. "Not sure, but let's keep our eyes open."
As they walked, Alvin and Decker led Agent Wayne and Agent Williams to The Roaring Lion Cafe, the sounds of lively music and chatter growing louder with each step.
The sign above the door featured a cartoon lion's head with a wide grin, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods wafted out onto the sidewalk.
Alvin pushed open the door, gesturing for the agents to precede him. "After you, Agents. Best burgers in town."
As they entered the cafe, the warm atmosphere enveloped them, and the scent of juicy burgers and crispy fries filled the air. Alvin and Decker slid into a booth, with Agent Wayne and Agent Williams following suit.
The waitress, a friendly woman with a bright smile, greeted them. "Hey, guys! The usual?"
Decker nodded. "I'll have the falafel, grilled cheese sandwich, and fries, please. And a Sprite."
Alvin chimed in, "And I'll have the grilled fish, fries, a side salad, and a large Coke."
Lisa laughed. "Coming right up. And for you two?" she asked, nodding towards Agent Wayne and Agent Williams.
Agent Wayne smiled. "I'll have a burger, medium rare, and a coffee."
Agent Williams ordered, "I'll have the BBQ wings, fries, and a glass of iced tea, please."
Alvin raised an eyebrow. "No salad?" he teased Agent Williams.
Agent Williams smiled sweetly. "Oh, I ordered a salad... of chicken wings."
Decker chuckled. "Guess we know who the real winner is."
As they waited for their food, the conversation turned casual, with Alvin and Decker teasing each other about their culinary preferences. Agent Wayne and Agent Williams exchanged a look, their expressions a mix of amusement and wariness.
Their food arrived, and they dug in, savoring the flavors.
"This is good," Agent Wayne said, his tone slightly more relaxed.
Decker grinned. "Told you. Best food in town."
As they ate, the conversation flowed easily, with Alvin and Decker regaling the agents with stories of their previous cases. Agent Williams laughed at Decker's antics, while Agent Wayne listened intently, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
Alvin leaned back in his seat, a satisfied smile on his face. "You know, this is exactly what we needed. A break from the chaos."
Decker nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and good food too."
Agent Williams wiped her hands on a napkin. "I have to agree. This BBQ sauce is amazing."
Agent Wayne nodded. "Definitely one of the best I've had."
The group continued eating, enjoying each other's company, and for a brief moment, the case and its complexities were forgotten.
As they finished their meals, Lisa returned to clear their plates. "Dessert anyone?"
Alvin's eyes lit up. "You know it! Bring on the cheesecake."
Decker chuckled. "Alvin's got a sweet tooth."
Decker smiled. " I believe Agent Wayne might may need a other cup of coffee to go with that cheesecake."
Agent Wayne raised an eyebrow. "How did you know?"
Decker grinned. "It's written all over your face. Coffee is the lifeblood of the FBI."
Agent Wayne chuckled, shaking his head. "You guys are something else."
Lisa returned with the cheesecake and a fresh cup of coffee for Agent Wayne. "Here you go, hon. Enjoy!"
Alvin dug into the cheesecake, closing his eyes in bliss. "Mmm...this is heavenly."
Decker laughed. "You're such a connoisseur, Alvin."
Agent Williams smiled, watching the exchange. "I think we're in good hands with these two."
"Ah Shit, I just thought of something, Alvin," Decker said. "We need to go back to Madam Jiggle tits." He continued.
"Why do we need to go back there?" "Did you think of something?" Alvin asked.
"Yeah, it just dawned on me," Decker replied enthusiastically. "Let's take the pictures of the suspects to Madam Jiggle tits. She can tell us if any of them were in her establishment last night."
"Alright, let's do it," Alvin said.
"Hey, wait, what are you guys talking about?" Agent Williams asked, her eyes narrowing in confusion.
"Who are you guys talking about?" Agent Wayne asked, confused.
"No time to explain. We need to head back and get copies of the suspects' faces," Decker replied.
"As they headed back to the station, they needed to get photos. Upon returning, they headed straight to the IT department. After grabbing photos of the suspects, they headed to Madame Jiggle's establishment, hoping to get a lead on the suspects' identities."