<span style="color: #FF80FF"> <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;"><div style="text-align: center;">Lea Stevens</div></span></span> </span><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><a class="postlink" href="http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn24/SociallyToxicBeauty/036e0d3a-b28c-47ec-b858-0eaea6c67e4d.jpg">[ img ]</a></div><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;"><span style="color: #FF80FF"><div style="text-align: center;">"Jazz"</div></span></span></span><br/><br/>Lea couldn't stand the expressions coming across Carlos' face, she couldn't handle the clear pain and fury that he displayed. Lea had just finished dressing as Carlos put the stranger on speaker phone, allowing her to hear the entire conversation. He spoke of Carlos' file and how Maria had been covering for him for a while, it seemed. Lea had done her own share of covering for Carlos, but she wondered just how much was hidden away in his file that she didn't know about.<br/><br/>Ralph or Ray, or whoever he really was, was saying that the three of them knew each other, he had access to their files, and he could recall where they had first met. She tried to think of who it could be, though it was clear it was someone who was related to the precinct--but who had that sort of access to the files? The people she knew who could access them directly did not sound like the man on the phone nor did they look like him. He would have to be someone those people trusted or he had slid past them somehow.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF8000"><span style="font-style: italic">"...if you remember where we have met and if you arrive there alone with Lea, we make a deal. You get Maria and I take Lea....come on, she is a drug-wreck, a worthless prostitute..."</span></span>Lea's heart stilled in her chest as the man forced two narrow options onto Carlos' shoulders. She took a breath, holding it for a moment as the line went dead, then suddenly she sprung into action. She rushed out of the kitchen to get her shoes on, then went to her room and rummaged around her side table next to her bed. She found her switch blade and hid it on her person, then went for the newly acquired gun, checking it over and safely hiding it on her person as well.<br/><br/>She returned to Carlos,<span style="color: #FF80FF"> "First thing is to find out who last went into the records. There isn't much of a chance he got through unnoticed unless he fiddled with the security systems, and even if he did that--at least it's a start. We know where he was, now we just have to find the trail. After that, we catch up with him..."</span>she trailed off, unwilling to speak about the man's ultimatum.<br/><br/>She didn't know if Carlos was considering the trade, but she didn't want to give him the chance to make a decision. She would make the decision herself--and she planned to give up herself for Maria's safety. She felt she had somewhat of a fighting chance compared to the others. She, after all, had been trained in self defense.<span style="color: #FF80FF">"Come on, Carlos, we don't have much time to work with here,"</span>she said gently as she reached out for his clenched hand.