New Faces In The Precinct

Participants:

cassidy_icon.gif elisabeth_icon.gif

Scene Title New Faces In The Precinct
Synopsis Liz brings extra coffee and meets the new girl in school!
Date April 8, 2009

NYPD HQ


The bustling precinct is just as insane as it always is. Elisabeth Harrison heads through the squad room wearing plainclothes today — she's wearing jeans and a long-sleeved scoop-necked T-shirt with her holster clipped to the back of her pants and her badge on the front. Yeah, yeah, she probably ought to dress better, but you know what? It amuses her to buck the system in this one small way. She's carrying a cup of coffee in each hand, and her blue eyes are wary on the people in her path. Not unfriendly wary, just watchful. "Evo" and "tattletale" labels have given the guys who don't like her much a lot of ammunition and a good target for their annoyance lately. She'd planned on dropping the spare coffee on Terry Collins's desk, but apparently he hasn't made it in yet.

There is small box of things sitting on a empty desk, and a small woman with it. However, Cassidy isn't packing up, in fact she is pulling items out of the box and tucking them into various drawers. She glances across the desk to a technician installing an computer that is probably out of date like most electronics in a police station. "You gonna be much longer?" She asks, her tone flat. "I mean. I know they pay you by the hour, but seriously how long does it take to plug in some cables." The techie only gives a shrug and keeps on taking his time. She leans over the desk and points at something on the back of case. "Goes there genius. And that one…" She points at another cable. "Goes right there.. you know. Just in case you wanted to stare blankly at that one too." This gets her a mild look of annoyance. She straightens and holds up her hands. "Hey.. just trying to help." Movement drags her attention from her target and she watch the woman as she passes by the desk. "Mornin'" she sys politely, but no smile goes with it.

Catching the exchange between the two people, Liz turns and glances to see the new detective unpacking. And then she smirks faintly, walks over, and offers the redhead the extra cup of coffee in her hands. It's a mocha latte because that's what Liz herself was drinking when she ordered. "Here… you look like you could use this," she offers easily. She leans down and peers under there. "Burns, damn, man… stop giving the new girl shit and plug her shit in, willya?" There's another grumble from under the desk that sounds more than a little disgruntled — in point of fact the computers are actually not as old as one might think. Only four of five years out of date instead of 10! She looks back at the woman and offers her hand. "Liz Harrison. Welcome to the precinct," she says.

"Detective Cassidy O'Shea.. And thanks.. I'm finally getting to settle in." She sounds a bit bitter, even as she takes the coffee in one hand and grasps the offered one with her other. She gives the hand a firm grasp before taking her hand back. There are probably rumors circulating around her name, about testing positive to being evolved and her saying she had no idea. The fact she was almost fired for claiming she didn't know. "Transfered in from New Orleans." She eyes the woman and adds with a touch of amusement. "Though I imagine I wasn't the target recipient, thanks I feel like I need it."

"His loss," Elisabeth replies mildly. The name's made the rounds, though to be quite frank, these days? It's far too likely that there are a bunch of people out there who haven't a clue about their status. Some powers are so subtle as to be indistinguishable. So whatever she may have heard, it appears to not be causing her a hint of uncomfortability. "I should say welcome to New York, then," she offers with a smile. "They got you partnered up yet? I'm sure I'll get a huge amount of information through the grapevine, but I'd rather firsthand info," she adds.

Cassidy purses her lips and gives a slow shake of her head. "Not yet, I imagine it can't be too much longer." She takes a careful test sip before setting it down so that she can pull out a pair of photographs. One is older of a younger man, in uniform, standing in front of an NOPD cruiser. There is no missing the same red hair that Cassidy has herself. This is set with reverence on the deck, before being joined by the other. This one is of an older woman, who bears a resemblance to the detective. "Kinda curious myself. After my last partner.. hopefully it'll be someone who is at least closer to my age and doesn't think the BeeGee's rocked."

That makes Elisabeth laugh, though she covers her mouth when she does it because she had a mouthful of coffee when that got said — almost sprayed O'Shea! After she swallows it, she chuckles out loud. "Damn, that's gotta suck." She shrugs a bit. "There's a pretty decent mix of young guys and older ones… you'd be better off hoping they pair you with someone who's …." She trails off and glances around. The few guys in the squad room seem to be minding their own business, but … they hardly ever do. They're worse than old ladies. "Well… not anti. You know?" She looks back at Cassidy, now very serious. "We're having some problems around here, so… you run into any of them, you tell your captain or come see me or Kay Damaris pretty damn fast, okay?" she says in a very low tone.

Cassidy gets a pained look, even though she's heard the rumors, it doesn't stop her from hoping not everyone hears it. "Anti… yeah. True." She frowns a bit and pulls out framed picture of her and several older guys, but this gets tucked into a drawer. "I'm pretty sure I can handle the minor stuff. Just really wish I had something to show for all the freakin' name calling and rude comments." She shakes her head and pulls the now empty box off her desk and drops it on the floor. "It's a pain in the ass. People need to learn to get a different hobby."

There's a snicker. "C'mon… as if there is any other hobby in a precinct," Elisabeth replies mildly. She shrugs. "Some days are better than others, but … seriously. You have any serious issues, you come see me or Kay, okay? We're both usually in the SCOUT squad room if we're on the premises." She's not looking to scare the other woman, just make her aware to keep her guard up some. "So tell me what brings you here from the Deep South? That seems like a big switch."

That does finally get a small chuckle from Cassidy. "Okay.. true. There isn't too many other hobbies." She glances at Elisabeth with a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "If I said, 'escaping lies and deception' would you believe me?" She picks up the mocha and takes a drink, and shakes her head. "Either way I think it was more. Being tired of being babysat, when I am a grown woman." She tugs open the drawer and plls ot the photo of her standing with six older guys. Closer inspection would show it's her academy gradation photo. She turns it so that the other woman can see if. "Those are the men that took my dad's place. All worked with my dad before he was killed." There isn't even a touch of sadness as she says that. " I think all of them but one was my partner at some point or another." She taps her finger over one rather gruff individual. "He was the one that thought the BeeGees were 'All that and a bag of potato chips.'" She eyes the picture. "Tortured me with it for hours trying to get me to.. See the light."

Now Elisabeth snorts indelicately at the other woman. "Escapin' what? By coming here and being a cop? Those are .. like mutually exclusive activities. You do know that, right?" She listens, though and she looks at the group of men in the photo. "Damn… that's gotta be the hardest thing ever. Being partners with the guys who're hellbent on looking out for you." There's a level of facetiousness, but also some seriousness. There's unit cohesion and there's going a bit too far. Sounds like this was the latter. "Sucks to have to fight over the damn radio, too," she grins. There's no pity in her tone or her attitude, just honest sympathy for the apparently long-ago loss and the fact that the woman clearly misses the men in that picture. "I have to say, I figure their loss is definitely our gain, O'Shea. For whatever that might be worth."

Cassidy arches a brow and shrugs motioning to the picture. "Well, considering who was in the middle of the lies and deceit?" There is a disappointment and bitterness coloring the womans voices as she continues. "Can't prove it though, and couldn't stay. Damn blue shield you know?" She sets the picture back in the drawer and shuts it away. Out of sight, out of mind. "It was a whole complicated mess. I look forward to leaving behind me." She gives Elisabeth a genuine smile at the compliment. "Thanks. Though I'd wait with that till I been here a while. But I do appreciate it just the same."

Oh shit…. ouch. When Cassidy elaborates, in general terms, on what happened back there, Liz flinches. "Yeah… fuckin' thin blue line." She shrugs a bit. "Well, I figured I'd offer a welcome before the rest had the chance to make it their business to tell you I'm a rat and whatever the hell else they're gonna say," she admits mildly. "I turned in a couple guys for going above and beyond in their zealous pursuit of letting me know how much they hate Evolved cops and me personally in the stairwell." Hence her warning to Cassidy. But she shrugs. "But this too shall pass, right? And since I'm sure we'll run into each other now and again — the women's locker room just flat isn't that big and all," the blonde says with a grin, "I'll look forward to seeing who they've got you partnered with."

Cassidy's brows lift a bit. "A rat, huh?" She leans back as if looking for something behind the other woman. "I don't see a tail. I think I'll reserve my judgment for getting to know you before listening to the rest of them." She quirks her lips into a half smile. "But I am glad to see someone else who isn't afraid to put it on the line for what's right." She glances around the precinct and sighs. "Yeah, I'm hoping they don't string me out too long with finding me a partner." She gives a little roll of her eyes. "Maybe their having a hard time finding someone that isn't Anti-Evo."

"Pfft," Liz hisses and sips her coffee. "There are plenty of guys in the precinct who are if not pro-Evo, at least indifferent. Long as you do your job and don't act like a diva, that is." She grins a bit. Most of the known Evo cops are on the SCOUT squad, and that's sort of bad because…. well, we sort of do act lke the divas." She rolls her eyes, grinning. "Not in person, but the hierarchy sort of makes us like SVU — any case involving Evo, all the squads are told to call us in because of the potential for threat to the 'normal' folks," she says. The air quotes are clearly heard in her voice. "Half the time they don't even need us, and I personally stand back unless they do. But a lot of 'em still sorta resent it." She shrugs. "Things were starting to level off before that big riot a couple weeks ago. Now we got guys all hyperactive and pissed over the whole cops-shooting-civilians thing and shit. It's a mess."

"Divas?" Cassidy sounds highly amused at that term. "Well, luckily a diva I am not." She shakes her head. "Guess I'll get use to being one of 'them'." The mention of the riot gets a small frown. "Cops are always the bad guys, till somebody needs them. And even when yo do what needs to be done, they still find a way to make you look at fault."

There's a bit of a shrug. "Let's just say that some of the bad press is not undeserved," Elisabeth admits quietly. "Some things got out of hand, and certain people got out of hand. But for the most part, O'Shea…. like any other cop shop in the country, we're mostly good people out to protect and serve." She smiles a bit. "I hope that you find you like it here. It's a good place to be, in spite of the what I hope are transitory problems."

"Oh I don't doubt it. And I am looking forward to working here." Cassidy says honestly. "I think the change in scenery will do wonders for me." She fishes a lack cellphone out of her pocket and checks the time. "Speaking of transitions.. I have an appointment to keep with the human resources." She lifts her arms as if cheering, even though her expression says she'd rather be doing something else. "Yay Paperwork." She drops the cellphone back in her pocket and bends down to pick up the empty box. "Well, I'm feeling pretty certain that this won't be the last time I see you." She offers her free hand to the woman. "Nice was nice to meet you and I'll be seeing you around."

Liz laughs. "Gotta love HR," she agrees, and she takes Cassidy's hand. "Most likely not. See you around, O'Shea." And then she heads off to her own squad room while Cassidy deals with the horrible Human Resources paperwork.


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