---------------------
March 19th, 1997
---------------------

"Officers, let me be brief. I have a huge fucking problem," LAPD Chief Willie L. Williams had decided to be frank with the two officers he had called into his office. "Which means you have the same problem." 

The two stared back at him without comment. Officer Johnny Mack was impassive as ever, his slab ham of a face dominating the conversation without saying a word. Officer Patrick Chappel sat as he always did, one knee crossed over the other, hands together in his lap, a flicker of amusement in the deep blue eyes. Neither said anything in response. 

"We have a dead cop, a black cop, Kevin Gaines." He waited for a reaction but neither man even flinched. Mack had seen his fair share of dead black cops in the 7-7 and, well, Chappel had been killing black folk for God and Country long before he moved to LA. As if another did African-American was going to bother them. "Shooter was a white cop, Frank Lyga."

"Gaines has previously been investigated for possible gang affiliations and I think we might have more coming. Lyga has been a good cop and I want you two to work the streets and see what you can learn about Gaines operation, if any, outside of this agency. Questions?"

"Are we reporting to you?" Mack spoke, his voice a deep rumble that Williams might have found pleasant under different circumstances. 

"Yes, and to whatever task force we have set up. It's not on the books yet, obviously. Your names came up when I asked for some Gang Enforcement men."

Mack glanced at Chappel who returned the gaze and then nodded his head.

"And what discretion do we have?"

"Whatever it takes."

"Yes sir." Mack responded, a smile cracking the huge face to reveal teeth that were badly stained by tobacco use. "Anything we can find on Gaines. What about Lyga?"

Williams looked comfortable for a moment but then nodded. "Yes, him too."

"Right you are Chief. Anything else?"

"No, that'll be all."

The two officers stood and saluted, Mack with his typical sloppy police salute, Chappel with the whip crack sharpness of a former soldier. They quickly vanished from the room as Williams picked up the phone and dialed out for his secretary. 

"Emily, get me Detective Poole from Homicide [@Byrd Man], Medical Examiner Davenport [@Liv], and whoever you can get from the FBI Forensics that they will lend us [@MST3K 4ever]. Yes, I am sure they will want an agent involved, tell them to bring along whoever they damn well please [@Eviledd1984], this is a priority. I am going to need all the help we can get here so this doesn't look like some sort of cover up."

He swore as he placed the phone back on the cradle. A black cop shot by a white cop in LA. The media was going to have a field day. He had to do whatever it took to make the investigation as transparent as possible. With another curse he picked up the phone and dialed the mayor.