case. However, I can assign it to the task force. It's the only way I can allow you to be anywhere near it." He held up a stopping hand before Aidan had a chance to interrupt him. "But you are not working it. You are there, you get your info real-time, and you can even offer suggestions and review the case. But that's it. Detective Reyes is lead since it's his specialty. That's my condition. Accept or decline?"
At this point, he'd be willing to agree to anything just to have some involvement in the case. "Accept. But, I have a…request."
Harry nodded, encouraging him to continue.
" I talk to Jessie about this guy. I'm not going to subject him to any Reyes bullshit during his recovery. I don't want Jessie under the team's scrutiny until I get a take on their position."
"There's no position to take. This is another case they're going to work."
Aidan raised an eyebrow. "Do you really believe that?"
The captain sighed and ran his hand down his face. "Fine. You're going to give me an ulcer with all this shit."
They exited the captain's office and silently walked down the corridor to the task force's secure area. After a thumbprint identification and passcode, they entered the gated area and walked down the hallway to the small conference room where the team members met and were probably already a few minutes into the weekly recap meeting.
"Morning. You guys are now on the Vega case."
No one commented other than Manny's groan.
"Is there a problem, Detective Reyes?" the captain immediately asked.
Aidan hid a smile. Just one of the reasons he liked his captain. He didn't take shit from people and rarely ever backed down.
"No, sir," Manny forced through a tight grin.
"I didn't think so. As you were," Harry said before exiting the private room and closing the door behind him.
"Now where were we," Manny said before resuming the weekly recap of cases and lead progress.
Aidan walked over and pulled out the chair next to Sunny.
"How's Vega doing?" she said, bumping his shoulder.
"Hanging in there. Pushing himself too much sometimes. He's stubborn."
"He's obviously been around you too long," she said with a teasing grin.
Aidan scoffed. He peered up at Manny, pointing to one of the three large bulletin boards with papers, photos, and notes haphazardly pinned and taped. The boards were constantly updated and discussed so everyone could cross-contribute with a fresh perspective when an epiphany hit. They split the cases up within the team and reported updates and leads, either real-time if critical, or during the weekly benchmark meetings. They reviewed the leads and planned the next steps, delegating responsibilities along the way.
He humored Manny and his need to lead; after all, everyone had their quirks in the group and most preferred to not have the spotlight shone on them for the dog and pony show. But Manny, that man loved to be the central focus. He was the mouthpiece. Sure, he was a great detective as well, but it was tough to see past that aura of superiority he loved to flaunt. He worked with the Special Victims Bureau. Regardless of all the arrogance that surrounded him and his craptastic attitude, Aidan did respect the jerk. It took a special type of personality to handle so many assault-related cases and stay sane without hitting the bottle as so many others had in that position.
Every now and then, Travis would jump in with a question or comment about one of the updates. Travis Keller came to the team from the Organized Crime Section. Aidan had known Travis for a while before actually working with him, tackling some of Cam's related cases in his division. He was a by-the-book type. That book had one line in it— get the bad guy, one way or another . Period. End of story. He wasn't a dirty cop by any means and his clean-cut boyish looks often fooled everyone, but the guy must have taken a crash course at the whatever-means-necessary school of thought while acing the cover-your-ass workshop. He was
At this point, he'd be willing to agree to anything just to have some involvement in the case. "Accept. But, I have a…request."
Harry nodded, encouraging him to continue.
" I talk to Jessie about this guy. I'm not going to subject him to any Reyes bullshit during his recovery. I don't want Jessie under the team's scrutiny until I get a take on their position."
"There's no position to take. This is another case they're going to work."
Aidan raised an eyebrow. "Do you really believe that?"
The captain sighed and ran his hand down his face. "Fine. You're going to give me an ulcer with all this shit."
They exited the captain's office and silently walked down the corridor to the task force's secure area. After a thumbprint identification and passcode, they entered the gated area and walked down the hallway to the small conference room where the team members met and were probably already a few minutes into the weekly recap meeting.
"Morning. You guys are now on the Vega case."
No one commented other than Manny's groan.
"Is there a problem, Detective Reyes?" the captain immediately asked.
Aidan hid a smile. Just one of the reasons he liked his captain. He didn't take shit from people and rarely ever backed down.
"No, sir," Manny forced through a tight grin.
"I didn't think so. As you were," Harry said before exiting the private room and closing the door behind him.
"Now where were we," Manny said before resuming the weekly recap of cases and lead progress.
Aidan walked over and pulled out the chair next to Sunny.
"How's Vega doing?" she said, bumping his shoulder.
"Hanging in there. Pushing himself too much sometimes. He's stubborn."
"He's obviously been around you too long," she said with a teasing grin.
Aidan scoffed. He peered up at Manny, pointing to one of the three large bulletin boards with papers, photos, and notes haphazardly pinned and taped. The boards were constantly updated and discussed so everyone could cross-contribute with a fresh perspective when an epiphany hit. They split the cases up within the team and reported updates and leads, either real-time if critical, or during the weekly benchmark meetings. They reviewed the leads and planned the next steps, delegating responsibilities along the way.
He humored Manny and his need to lead; after all, everyone had their quirks in the group and most preferred to not have the spotlight shone on them for the dog and pony show. But Manny, that man loved to be the central focus. He was the mouthpiece. Sure, he was a great detective as well, but it was tough to see past that aura of superiority he loved to flaunt. He worked with the Special Victims Bureau. Regardless of all the arrogance that surrounded him and his craptastic attitude, Aidan did respect the jerk. It took a special type of personality to handle so many assault-related cases and stay sane without hitting the bottle as so many others had in that position.
Every now and then, Travis would jump in with a question or comment about one of the updates. Travis Keller came to the team from the Organized Crime Section. Aidan had known Travis for a while before actually working with him, tackling some of Cam's related cases in his division. He was a by-the-book type. That book had one line in it— get the bad guy, one way or another . Period. End of story. He wasn't a dirty cop by any means and his clean-cut boyish looks often fooled everyone, but the guy must have taken a crash course at the whatever-means-necessary school of thought while acing the cover-your-ass workshop. He was
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