I don't own them and never will. Thanks, Mr. Wolf.
It was Friday afternoon and for a change, things were quiet in the Major Case squad room. Mike Logan sat with his feet propped up on his desk, throwing wadded up paper at the trash can. Carolyn Barek was finishing paperwork, glancing up every once in a while to see if he was still making a mess on the floor. "I hope you realize you are going to clean up that mess."
He grinned at her. "Of course."
In another part of the squad room, Alex Eames and her partner, Bobby Goren, were also finishing paperwork. Eames, like Barek, kept looking up at her partner. He was engrossed in the paperwork, which wasn't like him at all. He had been edgy all day, and she had no idea why. Well, if he wasn't going to say anything, she was just going to let him be. It was hard work trying to drag information from him that he was not inclined to give up, and she was tired.
Deakins opened the door to his office and looked out across the room. He watched his two best teams of detectives for a minute before he said, "Logan, Barek, Eames and Goren, get in here."
The four detectives looked at one another, and Barek smacked her partner. "What the hell did you do now?"
"Nothing! I swear!"
"You will be swearing if we get another grunt job because you're an idiot."
They headed toward Deakins' office, each going over in their minds what they could have done to piss off the captain, each coming up empty. The men stood back, letting the women sit down. Goren leaned back against the wall as was his habit. Logan wondered how the big detective could look so calm when it was obvious Deakins wasn't happy.
"I just got a call from the commissioner. Guess what?" No answer…just four confused looks. "It's that time of year again. Last year…and the year before…well, you get the picture, I have taken this responsibility on myself. Well, this year, they want four representatives from Major Case, and frankly, I don't want to go this year. So the four of you are going to do it. And I fully expect good and proper representation or I will have your asses. Any questions?"
"Yeah," Logan said. "Just what did you volunteer us to do?"
"You are all going to the Commissioner's Ball." Four groans. "Not a word. This is not optional. I'll have the invitations for you within the hour; the ball is tomorrow night. Stop by before you take off and I'll give you your invites. Now go finish what you were doing."
Logan kicked his chair before he dropped into it. Barek looked at him. "What? Did you have a date tomorrow night?"
"Well, I do now."
"This is not a date, Logan!"
"Let's see…I have to wear a tuxedo, and you have to wear a fancy dress, and we are both going to the same place together for a stellar night of dinner and dancing…what would you call it? Sound like a date to you, Goren?"
"Don't drag me into this, Logan. You're on your own."
Barek grinned. "At least one of you has some sense."
Eames laughed. "I wouldn't wager too heavily on that, Barek."
"Hey…" Goren protested.
"Finish your paperwork, Bobby."