Scene 1 // Orrie's office


"What did I tell you?"
"Ok, ok, you were right, I was wrong....Hanson's a great officer,"
"And he'll get even better," I smiled, lighting a cigarette as Orrie watched Hanson exercising his heart out on the oval.
"I've never doubted you anyway, Chili, just don't let him get better than my little girl, ok?"
"Aw Dad, you sound so tacky when you say that," I laughed.
"That's what happens when you get old..."
"Yeah yeah, right," I grinned.
Orrie pressed the button on the intercom, "Gladys, can you call Hanson up here?"
"Sure, one moment,"
Five minutes later, a puffed out sweaty Hanson came out of the elevator. He was now fully recovered and good as new, no scarring, no bruises.
"You called me up sir?"
"Yes Hanson, take a seat here next to Chili,"
Taylor smiled my way and sat down, trying to control his breathing.
"I've noticed how well you're coming along since you were recovered back in March....I'm very proud of you for your progress, you're shaping up to be an excellent officer, yet still a trainee," Orrie said. 

Taylor laughed lightly in modesty, "Thank you Sir...I'm just glad the kidnappers were brought to justice,"

"Believe me, so am I. We're not going to let something like that happen ever again, we have to get our act together,"

Hanson nodded in agreement "So..." Orrie continued, "The reason I called you up here is to tell you've been promoted,"
Taylor's jaw dropped.
"You'll be working with Chili full time from now on, as partners. You'll be given assignments that I would like you both to work on. But remember Hanson, don't let your head get too big, and you will solve nothing unless you work together. Can I trust you?"
Taylor sat still and absolutely speechless, jaw still dropped. I nudged him in the arm.
"Oh, yeah, of course sir, you can trust me,"
Orrie laughed and nodded, sending Hanson and I out of the room, I winked at him as I shut the door.
"Not bad for a cadet," I slapped Taylor on the back once we got down the hallway.
"Yeah, I'll say...I never expected that," He said, grabbing the new pile of pages to be photo copied off a desk as we walked down to my office.
"Ok so, this is OUR office now. I'll get the movers to come in this afternoon and shift it around, move your desk in here too, or maybe get you a bigger one," I looked around the office, the three cream chin-high filing cabinets huddled in the corner, black steel book shelves along the walls, broken down projector and the trusty computer. This office was my second home, I always tried as hard as I could to make it homely and nice looking. It had been mine and only mine since Tom died.
"It's nice. I like it," Taylor smiled.
"Good. I'm glad..."
"You two, get in here. Now." Orrie's forceful voice came through the intercom, Taylor and I went back to his office.

"What's up?"
"New case. Darrel, give them the specifics," Over by the window stood my father's colleague, holding two manila folders.
"At 7am today, a 50 year old shop keeper was shot while setting up his store in Chinatown. Three gunshots to the lower back and another to the skull, he died immediately,"
I interrupted, "The O's?"
"No, Chili. It's someone else this time,"
All of a sudden I felt a twinge of fear. The O's were responsible for 80% of the crime in L.A, they came in all shapes, sizes and races: Asians, African Americans, Latinos, Rednecks and Europeans. The other 20% crimes committed by the minority, basically anyone who isn't a member of the O's.
Darrel continued, "Word on the street is another gang has started...Some members of The O's have broken away and joined, others have come from interstate. It's growing bigger by the minute, they are trying to prove their strength with random killings,"
"But why a little old man in Chinatown?" Taylor asked.
"These people could care less who they kill, by the sounds of it,"
"Ok..."
"We don't know very much about them, it seems as thought they're pretty top secret,"
"So that's where we come in?" I asked.
"Yes. We want you to investigate, find out as much as you can," Darrel sat down.
"How are we supposed to do that? If they're 'top secret', then how will it be easier for us?"
"You'll have to go undercover,"
"Are you fuckin kidding me?? We'll get killed before we ask a question," 
"You're the best agents for this job, Chili, I won't have any arguing. You'll find a way to fit in,"
"This is unbelievable.....Orrie, are you serious?"

My father nodded solemnly. I shook my head in disgust, "I'll make sure someone delivers our funeral expenses to you, sir. Have a nice day. Come on Taylor," I glanced at my dad and stomped out of the room.
"Chili, don't worry. Chili," Taylor called and stopped me from taking off into the elevator, "Don't worry, we can get around my Swedish good looks,"
I cracked up laughing, despite the royal bad mood I was in.
"I dunno about you, but I have never seen a gang member with blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin and better features than me,"
It was Taylor's turn to laugh, "But we can get around that, and you better not be implying that I have GIRLISH good looks,"
"How can we get around that my friend? And no, you don't look like a girl,"
"Well, I can dress like them, dye my hair and hey presto! And I never said I LOOKED like a girl, just that I have girlish features,"
"Ya know, that might just work...We can always try. And I'm really glad you've grown up enough to admit that you have girlish features," I smiled, patting him on the back and walking away.
"Quiet you! I'm very rugged and manly," He said as he flexed his muscles, "Where are you going?"
"To see Charlie," I looked back at him briefly.
"Ohhhhhhh.....................Who's Charlie?"
"He works in the undercover unit, dumbass,"
"Riiiight riiiight, I get it........Why?"

"Ugh...he's gonna tell us how to go undercover and not get killed,"

"I get the feeling I'm being patronized..."


Scene 2 // The office

I'd finally coaxed myself out of bed and ended up in the office by 11, but not without a huge cup of coffee. The movers had already been and gone, probably while I was still fast asleep at home, so the office had been turned upside down. The filing cabinets were now placed neatly along the back wall in easy reach of both the desks, the black bookshelves had been replaced with smaller metal ones. At the front of the room sat two couches, a stereo in the corner and a small colour television.
"I hate to say it, but this place looks really cool," I took off my sunglasses and placed the coffee on a coaster, switching the computer on. Taylor turned around from his e-mail account, gave the room a quick once over and nodded enthusiastically.
"Ya know, I totally agree with you. Especially the little living room set up I've got going over there," He laughed.
"So you're the one responsible for this," I popped a Michael Jackson CD in the stereo, much to Hanson's dismay, and collapsed onto the couch, "I've got tons of lava lamps at home, I'll bring a couple in,"
"Awesome...I've got this huge mother of a Black Crowes poster, that'll go up....there!" He pointed to the blank spot beside his desk.
"Cool! I can bring in my Dr Martens poster too..."
"We're gonna have the coolest office,"
"Totally," I laughed, but was interrupted by the intercom. Orrie's voice came through, "Talk to me Dad,"
"Chili, I need to know if you and Hanson are in on this job, give me a yes or a no,"
"Uhm..." I looked over at Taylor who looked indecisive, "Can you give us until this afternoon?"
Silence.
"Come on Orrie. This is a big ask, sending the little Swedish boy into a gang full of inmate look-alikes, we need time to process,"
"However strangely you word it, you always seem to be right. Be in here at 5pm with your answer, and I mean it,"
"Thankyouuuuu,"
I clicked the 'talk' button on the intercom and looked over at Hanson, squirming like a nervous husband awaiting the birth of his first child.
"Calm down dude, we'll have an answer by 5,"
"Are you SURE?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Hey I bought those clothes for you," I fished the plastic bag out of my handbag and threw it to Taylor.

"Clothes for what?"

"You know...you said you were gonna find some clothes so you'd 'fit in'...Anyway, I figured since you're a guy that you'd have no idea what to buy or where to buy it,"

"That's true, thanks!"

"No problem,"

He smiled nervously and disappeared into the bathroom that fanned off our office to change.
He emerged 10 minutes later.
"You're a dork," I got up and walked towards him, "You don't wear it like that."
He had half of the outfit right, but he looked like a pretty boy, still.
"Well what am I doing wrong?"
"You've got the right shoes, and the jeans are baggy enough," I dashed into the bathroom and grabbed his black shiny leather belt, "Put the belt on and pull your pants down like this so you can see your boxers,"
"Hey!" Taylor flinched in embarrassment and tried to pull his pants up.
"No dumbass, they HAVE to be like that, you can't walk around lookin like a pansy," I looked him up and down, deciding the dark red wife beater was a good choice, "Dude, put this around your wrist,"
I took the red bandana from his back pocket and tied it around his right wrist.
I placed a black NY hat perfectly on his head, and linked a wallet chain to his jeans, putting the end of it in his pocket. I have to admit, he looked......hot.
"What YOU lookin at?" He blinked his baby blue eyes in amusement.
"N-nothing, you gangsta,"
Taylor laughed and tried a little hip hop dancing, "What can my name be?"
"Oh yeah.....A name....How about....Wolf?"
"That's cool, I like it. Are you gonna change yours? Won't everyone on the streets know who you are?"
"Nah, a lot of the work I do is kept pretty secret, they won't know me,"
"We're gonna get ourselves into a lot of shit, aren't we..."
Taylor was more street wise than I thought. He too could see the shit waiting to drop off the fan.
"Yes..."