A/N: Rewatching some Blue Bloods. Random idea. Frank Reagan isn't quite so law and order as he makes himself out to be. S03E04

Luis Esperanza was sitting in handcuffs in the 54th precinct of the New York Police Department. He was pissed off because he had been picked up in a random stop and frisk action by a cop.

It wasn't that he was upset that he had been arrested – such was a part of the life. He knew that selling drugs sometimes meant that you paid a price for it. He was actually a very low man on the totem pole – strictly small time. But he was loyal and he wouldn't rat out anyone. He was quite prepared to do the few months he had due for the small amount of heroin that had been found in his pocket, or even be sent back to work at home. It could have been more but it was the first time he was caught and all of that.

No, what pissed him off was that he was working on something important. Word had come down: The cara de pija that had taken over his country was in town getting his heart operated on. But Esperanza knew what every other one of his countrymen knew: Valverde had no heart.

Fireworks had been ordered – but they had missed. No one knew where the man could be found. He had been gathering information to send up the chain when that cabrớn saw him and scooped him up. And now he was sitting on a bench doing nothing when the puta madre was walking around free, being catered to by the American government.

There were reasons why his people had no faith in the Americans to help them out despite their plight.

And not only had he been scooped up but somehow he had been put aside and ignored. He wasn't even being put in a cell but instead had to sit there uncomfortably.

A sound startled him from his thoughts. His eyes widened as a man walked down the corridor. This man was obviously important – he had people who walked with him. And the cops all snapped to attention when they saw him.

The one who ran things here (from what he could see) appeared. "Commissioner Reagan." Luis carefully looked away and made himself as unnoticeable as possible. This man was known. He was newly arrived here but he had heard: This man was no ally to the people he worked for. And this one was no maricón – he wasn't someone you fucked with.

The powerful man walked into the office about ten feet down from the bench he was sitting on, the man who had addressed him followed. The two men with him stood outside the door. Through the side of his eyes, he noticed something strange: The door was not closed fully. And the voices wafted down – he listened very carefully.

"Sergeant. I wanted to thank you for providing people for this security on this Valverde mess."

"It's fine, Sir. They weren't happy being pulled because they were on another case, but Detective Reagan still got the true perp on that one too." There was a pause. "You wouldn't believe what he said when I told him he was being pulled for the Valverde detail."

"I know my son. I can imagine what he would say. Luckily, the mess is going away real soon."

"I thought he would in the hospital for a while – he did just get surgery."

"Well, between you me and the wall – I didn't want that bastard in my city any more than the rest of you did. I had police chiefs and assistant commissioners talking about escorting him on a tour of the firing range so that our people could have live target practice."

Luis' eyes widened. This was not what he had been expecting to hear. He stole a glance and saw the men outside the door were watching the room carefully for a threat – and he was being ignored. He was very nervous.

"Can you blame them? I mean …."

"I know. But we don't get to pick who we protect. I even had Erin looking for any laws we could use to arrest him while he was here – she looked back 150 years worth of laws and couldn't find anything."

"And if an Assistant DA who is also your daughter couldn't find anything – there was nothing to be found."

"Yes. But I talked with his doctors. They can do the recovery meetings over the phone. I just got back from the hospital from informing Valverde that I was only ordered to get him safely in to get the operation. No one said anything about getting him out."

"Umm. Sir? Isn't that implied?"

"I'm going by the letter of my agreement. Now I can't let him be killed here. But if someone were to get him as he landed back in his country, I wouldn't shed any tears."

"He can't go back right now – they've got people rioting in the street, calling for his head."

"I know. He told me that when he was protesting me kicking him out. Not my problem. Besides – he's got secret landing sites he can use. I think he'll probably use the one that doubles as a secret cartel landing field in the woods twelve miles west of his 'Presidential Palace' – no one will expect him to use the same place as the criminals. He'll be able to sneak in. Twenty hours from now you'd be able to see it on satellite as the plane lands. I'd put money on it."

"If you say so, Sir. Maybe he'll go somewhere else?"

"No. He's got no one who'll back him up. The only reason State had to let him in the country was because he does put a crimp in cartel operations. But they don't really like him any more than we do. Personally, I think of the women and children who died when he ordered his people to open fire on the crowds and then to refuse to allow them into the hospitals. As far as I'm concerned, he's worse. Now I'm not going to help the cartel and as far as I'm concerned our people go full press to take them down when they show up here. But I wouldn't cry if they somehow got Valverde. I wouldn't shed one tear."

"I'm with you, boss. I don't know a cop in the city who would disagree."

"Anyway – I wanted to stop by and give my thanks."

"You got it, Sir. I'll pass the word along."

"Carry on."

Luis carefully looked down and away as the door opened and the man walked out. Unable to stop himself, he glanced up and into the eyes of the man who walked out of the office. And in that moment he knew. Even as he stared again at the floor, his heart raced.

After the man walked out, Luis was once again interrupted. The man who had arrested him looked irritated. "I can't believe this but I have to let you go with a desk appearance ticket. We're too busy dealing with more important things. But if you don't show up and pay your fine, you'll have a warrant out. And then you'll get deported. You get what I'm saying?"

Luis nodded. "Yes."

"Anyway, now I have to process you out."

Luis felt both fear and excitement as he was sent out of the building an hour later. He had to get word to those who were asking. And he had to do it now.

Two days later, Frank Reagan was reading the reports from what came over the wire. It hadn't hit the papers yet but the State Department was alerting law enforcement that Cartel foot soldiers had taken out President Valverde as he tried to slip back into his country.

Frank Reagan hid the large smile which he wanted to show at that. It wasn't right to feel joy at a violent death. He would have to ensure he took time for confession this week with the good father down at the church for his uncharitable thoughts.