Chapter Text
“Now get out of here before I start crying and ruin my makeup.”
“Yes ma’am. Um, did you need anything else?”
“Yes, actually.” Angela turns around to look at Jackson. “I need to pee, can you go get someone to help me?”
“Sure!” Jackson replies. “Do you want Patrice?”
“Hell no! I don’t need my mother-in-law helping me pee! Find Nyla, or better yet Lucy!” Angela says, turning back towards the mirror. “It’ll give me a chance to check in with her after her op, since I haven’t seen her yet.”
Jackson just nods his head, laughing slightly. “Alright Lopez, although I think the pregnancy hormones are making you sentimental.”
“Don’t make me shoot you, boot.” Angela says, a playful glare on her face.
“Got it, Ma’am,” Jackson says with a mock salute. “I’ll go find her and send her in while I find Tamara and get your bouquet from her.”
Angela smiles at him. “Thank you Jackson. For everything.”
Jackson returns the smile before walking out of the room. Angela looks at herself in the mirror, admiring how her dress fits, perfectly accentuating her baby bump. Having the wedding this close to the end of her pregnancy wasn’t ideal, but she couldn’t be more grateful to Tim for helping her choose the perfect dress and assisting Patrice, Tamara, and Silas in fixing up the venue.
A soft knock interrupts Angela’s thoughts. At her “Come in,” the door opens, and Lucy steps inside, wearing a long green wrap dress that hugs her figure in all the right places while still flowing freely. Angela meets Lucy’s gaze through the mirror. Lucy lets out a soft gasp and tears spring to her eyes.
“Oh, Angela. You look so beautiful,” Lucy says softly as she crosses the room. “Wesley isn’t going to know what hit him.”
“You’re too sweet, Lucy. Thank you,” Angela says, turning to face the younger woman. “Now, will you help me pee while telling me about your undercover assignment?”
Lucy laughs and nods her head, crossing the room to help Angela. The women chat as Lucy helps Angela with her dress. Once they’re back in the sitting area of the room, Angela sinks down onto the couch.
“You look amazing, Lucy. And you covered that bruise on your lip really well,” Angela says smiling at Lucy as she gets them both a glass of sparkling cider from the table by the window.
“Thanks, Angela,” Lucy says, happily. “And trust me, it was a bitch to cover this morning. Although, it looks better than it did last night.”
“You sleep with an icepack like Tim taught you?” Angela asks, snagging a piece of fruit from the plate on the table beside her.
Lucy nods before settling down on the couch beside Angela. “Yeah, when he left the station last night he basically ordered me to do that and take meds.”
Angela tosses her head back and laughs, one hand cradling her belly. “Sounds like Tim.”
“How long do you think it’s going to take him to remember I’m not his boot anymore?” Lucy asks.
Angela lets out a loud laugh before shaking her head. “It’s going to be a while.”
Lucy just sighs before reaching out to touch Angela’s belly. She stops a few inches away and looks at Angela.
Angela reaches over and grabs her hand, guiding it to where the baby is kicking. The women smile at each other and Angela lets out a happy sigh. Lucy smiles at her.
“You look so happy, Angela.”
Angela smiles brightly and opens her mouth to say something but stops when a sound catches her attention. Lucy freezes as well, not sure what she’s heard, but sensing something off.
Just as Lucy goes to stand up, the door flies open. Lucy shoots to her feet, standing in front of Angela as two men double her size, wearing masks, push their way into the room. Both held guns up, and even though Lucy’s hand automatically shifted to her hip she realized how empty it was, missing the weight of her utility belt and duty weapon.
Angela stands up behind Lucy and her face sets into a scowl. Lucy feels Angela’s hand landing on her wrist.
“Who the fuck are you idiots?” Angela says, anger seeping out, despite the fact Lucy could feel a slight tremor in Angela’s grip.
Neither of the two goons standing in front of them said anything but stepped to the side a minute later making way for a woman with dark hair and a menacing smile to enter the room.
“Hola, Angela. Señora de la Cruz sends her regards,” the woman drawls.
“Abril,” Angela breathes out.
Lucy tosses a look over her shoulder, first at Angela and then for her handbag where her smaller off duty piece was stuffed inside. Spotting on the table across the room, Lucy turns her attention back to the people in front of her, trying to calculate if she could get to weapon in a reasonable amount of time without Angela getting hurt.
“Si, hermana,” Abril says in a mocking tone. “Señora de la Cruz sent me to get you. Now, come quietly or I’ll put a bullet in this one’s head and drag you out of here. And oh, how I’d hate to get blood all over that pretty face.” Abril says, tossing a wink at Lucy.
Lucy rolls her eyes and steps more fully in front of Angela. “Don’t even think about touching us. Get the hell out of here before we call for backup.”
“Oh, mija. It’s so cute you think backup will get here in time to help you,” Abril sneers.
Abril studies Lucy for a minute before her eyes narrow, her smile spread to be even more malicious and sinister looking.
“Oh,” Abril says, taking a step forward, aiming her gun directly at Lucy’s forehead. “I recognize you, you’re the puta that got la Señora arrested.”
Angela reaches around Lucy and tries to put herself in front of the younger woman but Lucy refuses to budge.
Lucy stands up straighter and glares back at Abril. “I am, and what are you going to do about it?”
“Hmm, very brave for someone who has no backup. Just standing there,” Abril says, giving a long, leering look up and down Lucy’s body, “in your pretty dress…unprepared…useless.”
Lucy’s eyes narrow and she takes a step further forward, again keeping her body between Angela and the rest of the room. “How about you take me to La Fiera and leave Angela alone.”
“Oh, no chance, mi pequeña mentirosa valiente. ¡Agarrarlas!” Abril says.
The two men rush forward, one tackling Lucy immediately while the other grabs Angela by her shoulders and covers her mouth with his hand. Angela thrashes until the man pulls out a knife, pressing it hard against her belly making her freeze immediately.
Lucy wrestles with the man on top of her, using the leverage of her hips to try and push the man off of her. The man draws a fist back and punches her hard in the face, making her vision blur slightly before he shoves a knee into her stomach, forcing the breath out of her. shoving a rag in her mouth and rolling her over on her stomach and zip typing her hands behind her back.
Lucy rolls onto her back, blinking as she tries to clear her vision. A shadow crosses her face and it takes Lucy a few more blinks before her eyes focus enough to see Abril standing over her.
“Oh, qué tan bonita. I think I will have fun with you.” Abril says, running a finger under Lucy’s lip, gathering the blood pooling there. Lucy stares as the woman brings her finger to her mouth, sucking the blood off of it before something covers her nose and mouth. Lucy struggles but a sickly sweet smell makes it difficult for her to focus on fighting back. Slowly, the world slips out of focus.
“Lucy,” Angela says, her voice the last thing Lucy hears. Angela watches Lucy’s eyes slip closed, the cloth covered in what she can only assume is chloroform pulled away.
“Oh, don’t worry, Angela,” Abril says, stepping across the room to run her hand across Angela’s belly before pulling her arms in front of her and zip tying them together. “She’s going with you.”
Tamara walks down the hallway toward the bridal suite, humming softly, the delicate bouquet of calla lilies and orchids cradled in her arms. Jackson had been on his way to deliver the bouquet when Patrice stopped him, saying Tim needed his help with a last-minute seating issue. Tamara had happily volunteered to help instead. Being part of the wedding preparations with Silas and Patrice was fun, and once again, she felt grateful for trusting Lucy.
Turning the corner, Tamara notices the door to the bridal suite partially open. Her instincts from living on the streets kick in as she cautiously approaches the room. Pushing the door open fully, her breath catches in her throat.
Inside the room where Angela and Lucy should be laughing and talking, the room is in a state of chaos. Pieces of glass litter the floor and perfume bottles are smashed into the carpet. In the middle of the floor, surrounded by the petals of a destroyed marigold, is the bracelet La Fiera gave Angela. Without another thought, Tamara turns and bolts down the hall, looking for the only other person she fully trusted.
Out in the courtyard, Grey’s phone rings. He excuses himself from his conversation with Tim, Jackson, and Nolan to answer. The men continue their conversation for a minute until Tim hears something in Grey’s tone. He turns, prompting the other two men to turn and look at the sergeant as well. They all see Grey’s expression hardens, his shoulders tensing under his suit coat. He ends the call and rejoins the group, the relaxed stance from a few minutes before gone.
“Everything okay, Sarge?” Tim asks, eyeing the man cautiously as his expression gets more solemn.
“Malos Dorados just hit the prison transport. They freed La Fiera,” Grey announces solemnly.
Before any of the men can respond, they hear a commotion across the courtyard.
“TIM!” Tamara shouts, running as fast as she can, barefoot, having abandoned her shoes at the doors to the dressing room.
Tim turns and sees Tamara running towards him. He barely has time to react before he’s catching her as she practically throws herself at him, her whole body shaking.
“They’re… They’re gone!” Tamara’s words tumble out between gasps, tears threatening to spill. “The room is destroyed. I… I didn’t touch anything, but they’re gone!”
“Whoa, slow down Tamara,” Tim says, rubbing her back gently in hopes it calms her down enough to speak. “What happened? Who’s gone?”
“Lucy and Angela. They’re…They’re gone.”