Chris replaced the rag in the gun cleaning kit and closed it. Picking it up he started walking toward the stairs. "You got any more mundane tasks for me to complete?"

Pride looked up from his computer. "You think I'm giving you grunt work?"

"Cleaning rifles and guns? Filing paperwork? Making needless phone calls? What would you call it?"

"Necessary."

LaSalle put the gun cleaning kit on his desk. "I know you're still angry with me."

"Why would I have reason to be angry with you, Christopher?"

"Lieutenant Murray?" Pride looked up from his computer again. "I saw the look you gave me in the interrogation room when you came in."

"Yeah, and we already discussed it."

"But you have more to say."

"I have a lot more to say but I'm not ready to say it yet."

"What do I have to do to make you ready to say it? I don't like being on your bad side. It makes me really uncomfortable. Like a little kid who is waiting to be punished."

Pride stood up. "I'm not sure we should do this now."

"What are you afraid of?"

"You really want to know?" Chris nodded subtly. "I'm afraid I'll say something I'll regret. Our relationship is unique and I would rather not interrupt that at this time."

"I've been waiting for two days for you to say something and that's all I'm going to get?"

"Christopher."

"No, King. Our relationship will survive. We'll still be friends even if you chew me out."

"You were expecting me to chew you out?"

"That's what you usually do when I screw up."

"All right. Let's start with this. You broke protocol. You lied to your partner and you lied to me."

"When did I lie to you?"

"You stood right there in that kitchen and told Percy that you didn't have time to call out. The truth is, you couldn't because you had a gun pointed at you. Are you forgetting that I was in the room?"

"I didn't really lie. I just left that detail out."

"A lie of omission is still a lie, Christopher and it was a detail that you should have shared." Pride stepped a little closer to the young agent. "And about breaking protocol."

"You're talking to me about protocol?"

"Son, I don't answer to you, but you do answer to me. You know the procedures."

"It wasn't a big deal."

"What makes you think it wasn't a 'big deal'?"

"I guess it's my perspective of the whole thing. Nothing happened so I didn't think I needed to say anything."

"Something did happen. And don't tell me about taking risks. That excuse won't work. Agents involved in a shooting have to go through psychiatric evaluation to return to duty."

"But there wasn't a shooting!"

"But there just as easily could have been. You recognized Hanson the minute we arrived at the Baptiste's crypt. Why didn't you say something then?"

"I wasn't sure it was him."

"So you break away the minute we discover an active crime scene to chase and tackle him. You had no back-up."

"You and Brody and Percy were right there."

"Who's giving this little lecture? You have a comeback for everything I say. You asked me to tell you what was on my mind. Last time I checked, I'm the boss and you're the agent."

"Sorry. I'll shut up now."

"This is the last thing I'm going to say. From now on, you tell the truth, even if it hurts your pride. You follow the rules around here and we shouldn't have any need for me to chew you out. That's not saying I won't if I need to. It's saying doing as your told will prevent it in the future. Are we clear?"

Chris nodded. "Yes, sir. We're clear."

"There's one more thing I need you to do."

"Percy?"

"She's your partner, Chris and your friend. You need to make things right. I'm not sure how much longer I can take the silence between you two."

"Any idea where she is?"

"No, but you have her number. You call her and talk. If she hangs up, keep trying."

"I will." Chris picked up the gun cleaning kit. "I'm gonna go take this upstairs, unless I need it for something else."

"No, you can put it away." Chris headed toward the stairs. "You and I are good now, aren't we, Christopher?"

"Yes, sir. We're good."