Chapter 17: The Conference Romance - Part 2
POV: Kole Martinez
The precinct at midnight hummed with fluorescent urgency, transformed from daytime bureaucracy into late-night war room. Cold coffee accumulated in paper cups while the robbery case spread across multiple desks like a complex puzzle demanding immediate solution. The Nine-Nine operated on crisis energy—every detective focused, every resource deployed, the particular intensity that came when professional criminals made the mistake of targeting Brooklyn.
Multiple locations hit simultaneously. Coordinated timing. Professional crew.
Kole's photographic memory processed evidence with mechanical precision, cross-referencing security footage from three different crime scenes while his enhanced perception identified patterns that might take normal investigators days to recognize.
Same crew, different approaches. They're adapting tactics to specific targets.
The first robbery targeted a jewelry store—quick smash-and-grab, minimal exposure time, specific items taken rather than random theft. Security footage showed three men in coordinated movements, each with designated responsibilities.
Military precision. These aren't street criminals.
The second hit was an electronics boutique—more complex operation requiring technical knowledge about alarm systems and inventory locations. Different crew members, but similar coordination and timing.
Inside information. Someone's providing details about security systems and shift schedules.
The third robbery struck a high-end watch dealer—surgical precision, custom timing that avoided both security patrols and peak customer traffic. No wasted movement, no unnecessary violence, exactly the kind of professional operation that required extensive surveillance and planning.
Pattern: upscale targets, minimal police response time, specific knowledge of security vulnerabilities.
Jake paced between evidence boards, his competitive energy channeled into investigative intensity.
"Three crews, three locations, same two-hour window," he announced to the bullpen. "Either we're dealing with the most organized criminals in Brooklyn, or someone's coordinating multiple teams."
Amy consulted her laptop, fingers flying across keys as she compiled witness statements and timeline analysis.
"Coordinated is correct. The timing suggests central command structure rather than independent operations."
Rosa emerged from an interrogation room, shaking her head with frustrated efficiency.
"Jewelry store witness is lying about something, but not about the robbery itself. He saw more than he's admitting."
Lie detection confirms Rosa's assessment. The witness knows something about the crew's operational methods.
Kole's abilities worked in concert as he processed the investigation. His photographic memory absorbed every piece of evidence, his lie detection identified deception in witness statements, and his combat adaptation analyzed body language in surveillance footage to predict criminal behavior patterns.
The electronics store witness has construction calluses despite claiming retail work. The watch dealer victim recognized one of the robbers but won't admit it. The jewelry store owner is hiding financial problems that might provide motive for insurance fraud.
Within two hours, Kole had assembled the case like puzzle pieces fitting into inevitable conclusion.
"Inside job," he announced to the assembled squad. "Multiple inside jobs, actually. Each business had someone providing security information and timing details."
But I can't explain how I know this without revealing impossible observational capabilities.
"Walk us through it," Holt commanded from his office doorway, drawn by the promise of case resolution.
Kole pointed to evidence boards where he'd arranged photographs and timelines with systematic precision.
"Three different businesses, three different security companies, but look at the robbery techniques—each crew knew exactly when guards would be absent, which cameras had blind spots, where the most valuable inventory was stored."
Information that requires either extensive surveillance or direct access to security protocols.
"The electronics store hit happened during a shift change that wasn't publicly scheduled. The jewelry store robbery occurred during a fifteen-minute window when their alarm system was being serviced. The watch dealer was targeted during their weekly inventory transfer."
Timing that suggests coordination between criminals and business employees.
Jake studied the evidence with growing excitement.
"You're saying each business had someone on the inside feeding information to the robbery crews."
"I'm saying the pattern suggests coordinated insider assistance across multiple targets."
Amy looked up from her computer with the expression of someone whose analytical mind had just connected crucial dots.
"If you're correct, we're looking at organized crime with tentacles throughout Brooklyn's upscale retail sector."
Organized crime that's been operating under police radar through careful coordination and insider assistance.
The squad watched Kole work with mixture of awe and unease, processing the speed and accuracy of his analysis while wondering how someone developed such exceptional investigative capabilities.
They're impressed but suspicious. My abilities are too obvious to hide completely.
At 2 AM, as the investigation shifted into evidence compilation and arrest warrant preparation, Jessica Day appeared in the precinct lobby carrying bags from an all-night diner.
She came. Despite the ruined date, despite the late hour, she actually came.
"I brought food," Jessica announced to the bullpen with slight uncertainty about whether civilian visits were appropriate during active investigations. "Teachers know about late-night work marathons too."
Teachers know about late-night work marathons. Of course she understands.
The gesture caught everyone off-guard. Jake's immediate suspicion—"girlfriend or spy?"—mixed with Terry's protective concern about civilians in active crime scenes. Rosa's approving nod suggested respect for someone with enough courage to enter a police station at 2 AM, while Amy's analytical mind immediately flagged protocol violations.
Everyone's processing Jessica's presence through their own filters.
"Martinez," Terry said carefully, "Terry appreciates the gesture, but this is an active investigation with potential security implications."
"She's fine," Kole said quickly, his lie detection confirming Jessica's motivations were exactly what they appeared to be. "She's just being supportive."
Genuinely supportive. No manipulation, no ulterior motives, just someone who cares enough to bring food to overworked cops.
Jessica distributed sandwiches and coffee with efficient grace, somehow navigating precinct dynamics without disrupting the investigation's momentum. Her presence transformed the late-night work session into something more humane and sustainable.
She makes everything better just by being here.
While the squad ate, Jessica observed the evidence boards with natural curiosity rather than inappropriate nosiness.
"The witness from the electronics store robbery," she said casually, pointing to a photograph, "his statement says he was restocking shelves, but his hands look like he does construction work. Seemed odd."
She caught it. The detail I noticed but hadn't mentioned yet.
Kole's heart stopped as Jessica's observation hit the investigation like lightning. Amy immediately pulled up the witness file, fingers flying across keyboard while her analytical mind processed this new information.
"Construction background," Amy confirmed within minutes. "Miguel Santos, currently employed by Riverside Electronics but previously worked for Torres Construction Company."
Torres Construction. The same company that installed security systems in all three targeted businesses.
"Holy shit," Jake breathed, understanding immediately. "She just broke the case."
Jessica's natural observational skills just solved what we've been working on for hours.
Rosa looked at Jessica with newfound respect.
"You've got good eyes, teacher."
Jessica flushed with pleasure at the compliment, clearly unprepared for the significance of her casual observation.
"I just notice things about people. Occupational hazard of working with kids who try to hide injuries or problems."
She notices things about people. Just like I do, but without supernatural enhancement.
Jake stared at Kole with expression mixing admiration and deep unease.
"She's like civilian version of you," he said, not sure whether it was compliment or accusation. "Same observational skills, same attention to detail."
Same observational skills. If only he knew how terrifyingly accurate that comparison is.
The Torres Construction connection led to swift arrest warrants and coordinated raids that netted the entire criminal network by dawn. Three robbery crews, four inside conspirators, and one construction company owner who'd been selling security information to finance gambling debts.
Case closed through combination of supernatural analysis and natural human observation.
As the squad processed arrests and completed paperwork, Jessica prepared to leave with promises of lunch plans later that morning.
"Thank you," Kole said as she gathered her things, meaning it more than she could possibly understand.
"For what? Bringing sandwiches?"
"For understanding. For being here. For caring enough to show up."
For accidentally solving the case through pure human intuition.
Jessica smiled with warmth that made his chest tight.
"See you in a few hours?"
"Definitely."
Jake watched Kole watch Jessica leave, his expression mixing concern with something approaching sympathy.
"You're in trouble, Martinez," he said quietly.
Yes. I'm in serious trouble.
And not just with Jessica.
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