When Cole pulled into the station, he got out of the car and walking around he picked Miranda up and carried her inside. She looked up at him sleepily. "Go back to sleep. I'll just put you on the couch in the break room and tell everyone to leave you alone for a bit."
"Thanks, Cole," she yawned.
He nodded and walking inside with her, he did as he said he would, then finding a blanket he covered her up, kissed her softly, then left the room, after shutting off the light. She was already asleep again.
"The detective is sleeping in there, do not disturb her," he warned the officers. They nodded at him and went back to their work.
It didn't seem too much longer when she was being shaken awake. She opened her eyes to see Tyler grinning down at her. "Hey sleepyhead, it's dawn, ready to go bust a chop shop?"
"Sure," she said, sitting up and stretching, "I must have been exhausted, I slept on a vinyl couch."
He laughed and helped her up. "Want to change? I brought you some clothes," he told her.
"Thanks, Tyler. Where is Cole?"
"Chief sent him home to get some sleep. I had a good few hours so I am good to go."
"Good," she yawned and got up as he handed her the clothes. The two of them walked out into the precinct. The precinct was packed. Several men and women stood around, talking. They all looked her way when she wandered out. Chuck started to clap when he saw her, and then he was joined by everyone else until there was thunderous applause. Chief Stratton appeared by her side then. "Agents, and officers, I would like you to meet Detective Miranda Dylan," he grinned.
Everyone clapped again.
"Hey Miranda, will you come work with me?" an officer asked, "you could arrest me anytime," he grinned.
Everyone laughed at the man. Miranda only shook her head at the comment.
"Will you marry me, detective?" Chuck asked her.
"Sorry, already taken," she smiled at him.
"By who, him?" an officer asked, nodding at Tyler.
"No, he's more handsome," Miranda grinned.
"Ouch, that hurt," Tyler said, amid laughter.
"I'm going to go and change," she said, looking at him. "Give me a few and then we can get to work."
He nodded and watched her head away.
The Chief patted him on the shoulder. "You have my sympathies."
"For what?"
"Loving a woman whose heart is already taken."
"Yeah, I know. Cole is obsessed with her."
The Chief chuckled. "Yes, he is. He told me that he felt like an ass after finding out he shot his own girlfriend. He still feels guilty over that one."
"Yeah, so he said," Tyler chuckled. "And I am sure down the road when he is making her feel guilty about something, she'll bring that up to shut him up."
Both men laughed at that one.
Miranda walked up to them a couple of minutes later in jeans and a t-shirt.
"Okay, good to go. You ready Tyler?"
He nodded.
"We are doing this my way though. I go in first, then you follow with backup."
"No, that is too dangerous."
"No, Bo will be there, I can talk him into giving up. He will be suspicious if I come in with you. I don't want him or the others running."
"Are you sure it's safe?" Tyler asked worriedly.
"Positive," she assured him and started to head to the door when she stopped and grinned.
Joe, her partner from back home was headed her way. He stopped, picked her up, swung her around and planted a kiss on her cheek. Miranda laughed as he set her down.
"Joe, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"I couldn't let you have all the fun. Chief Johnson called Chief Stratton last night, we couldn't get here in time to join in on the bust, but I heard you are going on the car chop shop bust this morning, so I want to come."
"Is our chief here?"
"No, he couldn't make it, that's why he sent me," he grinned, "I thought I would surprise you."
"That you did Joe, but why did you kiss me?" she asked, slugging his arm.
"Because I missed you," he grinned.
"Whatever, I thought you would enjoy having me gone."
"No way, I missed my partner."
"You are her partner?" Tyler asked, eyeing Joe.
"Yeah, what's it to you?" he countered.
Miranda grinned, "Knock it off you two. Joe this is Tyler he is with the FBI, he helped me bring down those guys last night, Tyler this is Joe, my partner in crime," she grinned.
Joe shook his hand. "Nice to meet you," he said.
"You too," he acknowledged.
"Are we going yet?" Miranda asked impatiently.
The men looked at her and laughed, "Yes your highness," Joe grinned, bowing to her and waving his hand in front of him, "after you," he said.
Miranda walked by him and punched him in the arm. "Hey, what was that for?" he complained, following her.
"You know what that was for," she told him and walked outside.
"I get to drive this time," she said looking at Tyler, "and you guys will follow at a very discreet distance." She tapped her earrings, "You will be listening?"
He nodded.
"Good, I will let you know when to come in."
He nodded, handed her the keys to the Viper, and then he and Joe went to a dark blue sedan and got in.
Miranda grinned, hopped into the car, and sped out of the parking lot.
Joe looked at Tyler who only grinned.
Miranda laughed as she sped down the road. It felt good to drive a fast car, and it was a very nice car, she just hoped she would be able to keep it.
It seemed only moments later that she was pulling up across the street from the chop shop. She ran across the street and walked into the office. Bo was there going over some work.
He looked up as she walked in, "Hey Lara, that your ride? Or did you want me to take it."
"That is my ride Bo, Tyrone gave it to me," she grinned at him.
"So that was why he wanted it," he smiled at her. "So why are you here?" he asked.
"I came to see if you needed some help," she said.
"Nope, not today," he told her, "Why did you and Tyrone have a fight or something?"
"Actually Bo, Tyrone was shot last night."
"What?" he yelled, "What happened?"
"He was shot in a drug deal gone bad, a cop shot him."
"How did the cops find out? They weren't supposed to know."
"It was an inside job. One of Tyrone's people was actually a cop."
"What? Tell me who, I will go kill them now," he growled.
"You really want to know?" she asked.
"Yes," he growled.
"Okay, but you asked for it," she grinned, and leaning over the desk she whispered, "It was me."
He paled. "You?"
"Yep," she said, whipping out her gun and badge that was tucked under her shirt. "Surprise Bo, I am a cop."
He lunged for her then, but she sidestepped him. "Tyler and Joe you can come in," she said, as she grabbed Bo's hands and handcuffed him. He struggled, swearing at her. The door slammed open then and Tyler, Joe, Chad, and Chuck came running in while the other officers ran into the shop to arrest the others.
"Sorry Bo, but I have to read you your rights," Miranda smirked, and did so, while he was still cussing her. She hauled him to his feet and handed him over to Chad, who led him outside.
"Think we got a good case against him?" Tyler asked her.
"Yes, I am sure your guys can find plenty of evidence," she replied.
"Good," she said, then she went to Bo's desk and searched the drawers.
"Find anything?" Joe asked, walking in.
"Oh yes," she said, unloading a whole stack of money onto the desk, she then pulled out files of each car that had been stolen.
"Nice," Joe grinned, looking at the growing pile.
"Yep," she grinned.
He produced evidence bags then, and everything was loaded into them.
After everything was loaded they headed outside, Bo was being taken away with other men in the cop cars, Bo was yelling obscenities at her in the back seat as he saw her. She ignored him as they drove away with him, and she headed into the garage where evidence was being gathered.
She smiled when she saw the mayor's car she had stolen being loaded onto a tow truck. It was now dark green with a tail fin and tinted windows. "Wait until the mayor sees his car," she laughed.
Tyler busted out laughing also. "That was the mayor's car?"
"The one and only."
"Wow, yeah, he is going to love that one," he chuckled.
"Yeah, I am sure," she said, as she watched tow trucks pulling in to start taking the cars to the impound yard at the precinct. Once they were cleared, they would be sent back to their owners. Miranda wondered how many people would be pleased with the way their cars looked, and how many would be seriously ticked off.
She sighed tiredly as the last car left the lot, and the officers started collecting what evidence there was. It would take them the whole day to finish, but Miranda was too exhausted to even want to stay. She was ready to collapse on her feet. Even after a few hours of sleep, she was still tired.
Miranda looked at Joe. "Hey, will you take me back to the precinct? I am exhausted, but I need to make sure that it's okay for me to go back to the hotel and rest."
"Sure, where's Tyler? Better check with him."
"I'm right here, and I heard," Tyler said, walking over to them. He looked exhausted himself. "Go ahead Miranda, I think everything's covered here. I'll see you later, okay? And good work, again," he smiled at her.
"Thanks, Tyler," she yawned and walked to the Viper.
"I'm driving," Joe said and climbed in. She only nodded and handed him the keys. He pulled out and they headed to the precinct.
The chief saw them when they walked in and said, "Hey, breakfast is in the lounge if you two are hungry."
"Starving," Joe said, then taking Miranda's hand, he led her into the lounge and giving her a plate they loaded up with breakfast food.
Miranda was so tired, it was all she could do to keep her eyes open and to eat.
"So, what are you going to do with all that money the drug lord gave you?" Chad said, sitting down by them.
She looked at him. "You do know it is evidence, right?"
"Yes," he chuckled. "But can you imagine what half a million would buy?"
Joe choked on his food. "A half-million?"
Miranda nodded. "Yes. I got the cut from the last fake drug deal."
Joe whistled. "Where is that money?"
"In an account, why?"
"Wow, that is crazy."
"That's not all he offered me though or Tomori."
"Oh, and what was that?" Joe asked, intrigued.
"Let's see, I would own the car, a house, make $250k a week, need I go on?"
Joe whistled again. "That's crazy. That was from which drug lord?"
"From both. They were nuts."
"Apparently," Joe said.
"You should have heard them fight over her last night," Tyler said, walking in and grabbing a plate of food. "Tomori was actually telling Tyrone that he would have bought Miranda a bigger ring," he laughed.
"Seriously?" Joe grinned at his partner.
"Will you knock it off you two? I am getting embarrassed," she told the agents.
"It gets even better," Tyler grinned. "I was just told that the President was thinking of giving you a medal of valor."
"Wow," Miranda breathed. "I didn't think I was that good."
"You did an excellent job young lady," the chief spoke up. "What you did the last few days was above the call of duty. I am truly impressed by what you have done."
"That is not why I took them down sir, I shot them to save my life."
"I know, I saw that, and I am glad you did, but you are still a hero."
She shook her head. "No, please don't call me that. I am not one, I had a whole lot of help."
"Whatever," Tyler chuckled.
"You're my hero," Miranda heard from behind her, then felt a kiss on her cheek. She looked up to see Cole smiling at her. "Thanks, Cole."
"You look exhausted," he then said.
"I am," she yawned.
"Why don't I run you back to the hotel so you can get some sleep, is that okay chief?" he asked him.
The chief nodded. "Of course, go ahead Miranda, call this afternoon and I will update you."
"Thanks, Chief," she said tiredly.
Cole helped her up. Miranda looked at Joe. "Where are you staying by the way?"
"The same hotel you are, but I'll have Tyler bring me back later."
"Okay," she said, and nodding at Cole, they headed out the door.
"Who is that?" Cole asked, a bit of jealousy in his voice.
"My partner from back home. My chief sent him here thinking I needed help."
Cole chuckled as he tucked Miranda into the Viper. "Yeah, like you needed any.
She just smiled tiredly. "I needed help."
"Whatever, detective," he chuckled, and then climbed into the car and pulled out. "Wow, this drives nice."
"I know," she said, closing her eyes. Within moments she was asleep.
She felt herself being carried a few minutes later. She opened her eyes to see Cole carrying her into the hotel. He smiled at her. "You fell asleep in the car."
"Yeah," she sighed, leaning her head against his chest.
"I'll let you sleep. I need to get some work done. I'll take your car then bring it back later, okay?"
"That's fine," she assured him as she handed over the keycard to her room. He opened it without dropping her and then carried her in, laid her onto the bed, took off her shoes, tucked her in and then kissed her. "Get some sleep, I'll see you later."
"Thanks, Cole," she whispered.
"No problem," he smiled and headed out the door.
She was back to sleep in moments, just glad that everything was over.