The Newcomers

by Ronnee

Warning: Original characters... not marysues either!

Notes: This idea came about because I personally feel that the Major Crimes dept is seriously understaffed. Have you ever noticed how much crime there is in Cascade? How much the guys have to scramble from fic to fic to save the city? Ever wondered how on earth the city can afford the overtime? Well, this is my solution to the problem. ;-) A whole new shift to keep an eye on the city while Jim, Blair, Rafe, Henri, Joel and Megan get to rest and play. Nope, I don't plan on these folks being anything more than a word here or there, a helping hand here or there... extras in the Bullpen when need. You know, the 'crowd' in the crowd scene. But first I figured I needed to introduce them to you. After all, it's rude not to introduce the new folks in the universe, or so I've been told.

Oh, yeah... everyone wondered about Blair's vengeance (Never Tick off the Guide) well, it's finally coming due... on the heads of the people who ticked him off. ;-) But we all know Blair plays nice.... most of the time.

Time setting: About halfway through season 3 (somewhere after Vendetta and before Breaking Ground)

THE NEWCOMERS

By Ronnee
####

Simon stared at the Chief of Police in shock. "I'm not sure what to say, sir."

"Hmph." The man grumbled back. "You have got to cut down on the overtime in your unit, Banks. The city can't afford it."

"If I tell my detectives to leave at the end of the day, we'll won't be able to keep up with the caseload." Simon defended his department. "Right now, Major Crimes has the best solve rate in the state."

"Yes, we know that." The Chief replied. "Ellison has the best solve rate in the country. And we want that to continue. It looks good for the PD."

"But, sir..." Simon wasn't sure what they wanted from him.

"We're doubling your staff, Banks." The mayor grinned at Simon's shocked look. "The federal government has given us the funding to 'expand our resources'. In fact, it seems they earmarked a lot of the funds to turn Major Crimes into a bigger department."

Simon swallowed, wondering who he was about to be stuck with. Everything sounded ominously final, as if between the Chief, the mayor and the Feds the new staff had already been chosen.

"We've got the files for you. You have your choice... twelve of Cascade's finest, smartest, and most able as well as ten transfers who meet the requirements." The chief placed a thick stack of files on the table. "These files give you everything you need to choose your new people. We've already had them screened by the staff psychologist and the federal consultant."

Simon fought to silence his mental groan as he opened the first file. The note on the top caught his attention. He knew that handwriting. The note was written in the language of academia, a language Simon was afraid he was becoming too familiar with. It carefully outlined all the good and bad points on the potential new detective. The final line was directly to him, 'this person has the best potential of the group' and signed with only the initials BS.

"How long do I have to choose the new detectives?" Simon found himself asking.

"If it's possible, we'd like to know by the end of the week, Captain Banks." The chief smiled at the dismay on Simon's face. "The feds chose Cascade as the starting place for their new police assistance funding and they chose Major Crimes as their first target. They came to us with everything ready to go, all we have to do is choose the new detectives. We chose some and they advised us that our choices were unacceptable and they presented us with this group. Then, they advised us that if the Major Crimes department wasn't augmented, we lose all of their special funding. We don't want to lose this opportunity."

Simon looked at the man carefully, the Chief wanted him to fail. They weren't happy with the rules the feds had placed on the department, so they were putting the whole thing on his shoulders. "I'll have the paperwork ready by Friday, sir."

####

"Sandburg, my office!" Simon growled at the observer as he stalked into the bullpen. He glared at Ellison as the detective began to stand. "This is a private conversation, Detective."

Blair looked over at Jim and shrugged, clearly bewildered by the angry captain. He quickly grabbed an object from his backpack and headed for the glass enclosed office.

"Sir?" Blair's voice was light, his smile not quite forced. He held out the object, offering it to the angry captain.

"What is it?" Simon was not amused by the small white plastic box.

Blair touched a button on the box. "A white noise generator. You said you wanted a private conversation, and if you don't trust Jim to keep his hearing turned down--"

"What do you know about these?" Simon pointed to the files on his desk, ignoring the little machine. Blair set it down, still switched on, and glanced at the files.

"Oh, great, the mayor finally stopped stalling."

"Sandburg?" Simon growled, his voice lowering ominously.

"Remember that mess we had last spring? The one that ended up with a dead rookie?" Blair's voice was ice cold and the look he threw at Simon made the bigger man sit down. "Well, I did my homework Simon. I found a federal grant for assisting local police departments. I sent in the paperwork. The grant is for the enlargement of overworked departments, specifically departments that are pushing their officers towards burnout. Dr. Keasler signed off on psych reviews for the whole department, including you, as being pushed too hard. Major Crimes was awarded the money ten months ago. The Chief and the Mayor put the money in the general kitty."

Blair began pacing, his voice hard, his hands making sharp movements. "When Jim nearly lost it to road rage, I called advised the feds that the money had never been handed over, the proposed expansion to Major Crimes never started... that's when the feds got really upset. It seems someone had been sending them detailed paperwork about the new staff the chief was going to transfer to Major Crimes. I looked at the files, Simon. Every undesirable member of the Cascade PD was being lined up for a chance at those positions. Well, my letter made the feds look at that paperwork again.

"The feds threatened to close down the PD... fraud, embezzling funds, a lot of stuff. The money was still sitting right in the kitty. I got hired by the Federal Grant Commission as a consultant to find the potential staff for the expansion. I looked for the best people I could find." Blair smiled, and Simon shivered. "I'm not letting any two-bit, burned-out, broken-down reject from another department work with my Sentinel, Simon. Hell, I wouldn't let anyone but the best work with my friends. I told you I'd protect Jim. I'm doing it the only way I can. If you can't get more people in the department so he can work a normal work week, I'll find a way. And I did."

Simon nodded and decided that he needed to let go of the anger he'd felt upon discovering he'd been outmaneuvered. Instead he needed to work with the seething guide who was still pacing angrily in front of the desk. "All right, Sandburg, who are the best of the group?"

Blair turned abruptly, his eyes wide, fists clenched and ready to defend himself. "Sir?"

"Next time you sign the department up for something, you tell me about it. Now, we have work to do... the mayor wants my choice in two days."

"That's easy, Simon. The best are..." Blair quickly pulled out six folders and handed them to Simon, "these five."

"Go on and get out of here, take Jim to lunch." Simon grinned and clamped his hand down on the white noise maker as Blair reached for it. "This is my new toy. Call it payment for the aggravation of the morning."

"Simon, that thing is not a cheap toy." Blair protested.

"I know that. And Sandburg, until the new detectives are official," Simon opened a folder as he spoke.

"Yeah, I know, not a word."

####

"All right, gentlemen." Simon spoke up to catch his detective's attention. "The federal government has decided it likes Major Crimes. We're in the process of getting new detectives thanks to their generosity." The detectives looked around, glancing at each other as if wondering what was happening. "The first new detective, is already here. Detective Rafe is no longer just a temporary transfer. He's been released from the S.W.A.T. group and is permanently a member of Major Crimes."

"That's great!"

"Congratulations, Rafe!"

Simon waited patiently for the uproar to die down. "The other new detectives will be arriving in the next couple of weeks. I want all of you to welcome them. They are going to double our manpower, which means less overtime and more rest for you. Major Crimes will be available twenty-four hours a day, two full shifts and a pair of detectives covering the eleven to seven shift."

"What does this mean to us?" Jim asked quietly. "Are we going to be partnered with the new people?"

"Not really." Simon explained. "The new people will be paired together, but I expect all of you to help them get used to Major Crimes and our way of doing things. All of them know that Sandburg works exclusively with Ellison, but that he can be asked to consult in the bullpen on any case. Otherwise, I want it to be on a case by case basis as to who goes with which new detective."

Jim nodded, satisfied that he wasn't getting a new partner and Blair wasn't going to be dragged along on any cases without him.

"Keep an eye out, the first of the new faces will be arriving later today."

####

Jim Ellison looked up as the doors to the bullpen opened. He let his eyes focus on the young man entering the area. Young, maybe late twenties, tall, well dressed but not expensive tastes, nervous - a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, but not frightened. Familiar face... light brown eyes, black hair, friendly smile... Jim categorized the man quickly, not even noticing as his senses dialed up instinctively to help him recognize the man. Suddenly it clicked and he grinned.

"Long time no see, Rookie."

"I told you I'd make it," the man grinned back and quickly crossed the room to Jim's desk. "I promised you I'd become a detective and work for the good guys."

"You're the new detective?" Jim couldn't fight the surprise in his voice. He remembered the gangly, long legged youth who had sworn he would make detective and become one of Cascade's best. At the time, Jim had only nodded, accepting the boy's vow with a grain of salt. When he'd received the young man's graduation announcement he'd gone to the event and watched him accept his badge, surprising them both with the pride he'd felt.

In response to the words, the younger man pulled out a thin black wallet and proudly showed off his gold shield. "Looks good, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does. I'm proud of you, kid." Jim couldn't help smiling at the happy young man. "How long have you been back in Central?"

"Two months." The newcomer grinned at the raised eyebrow. "I've convinced the rest of the family to move to Cascade. Everywhere you turn, we'll be there, man."

"That's great, Lance." Jim shook his head at the memory of Lance's family. The only real family man in his Special Forces Unit, Lance's father had dragged the rest of the team home every chance he got. He'd been Uncle Jim to the half-wild bunch and he'd been as proud of them as his friend. When he'd returned from the disastrous mission in Peru, the family had quietly welcomed him back, begged him to stay in touch, and let him go when he'd felt the need to run. "How's your mom?"

"Hard to please as ever." Lance shrugged. "She loves us to death and expects us to be perfect as always."

He fought a laugh, "sounds just like her."

"Now that I'm working at Central, she says I'll have to drag you home for a good dinner." He frowned at the older man. "She said your letters are too vague for her to know if you're okay. And when she gets a look at you... well, I plan on hiding."

Jim shrugged. "It's been a hard couple of months."

"I read about your partner. Is he doing okay?" Lance gestured at the empty chair beside Jim's.

"Yeah, he's fine. Teaching over at Rainier." Jim glanced down at the papers on his desk. "So, when do you have to meet with Simon?"

"Simon?"

"Captain Banks."

"Oh, well, I'm supposed to be here at 1 o'clock. I just came in early to see if you were around." Lance grinned sheepishly. "I mean, I hadn't told you I was being transferred and I wanted to be the one to break the news to you."

Jim nodded. "Let me introduce you to the rest of the guys."

finished for now...

okay, now for the fun part...
Major Crimes needs 4 more detectives
(Rafe was already part of the department, so he doesn't count as one of the 5 new guys)
So, I need four more people to introduce to the bullpen...
any takers?
The new detectives won't get killed off in any fic, but they may very well get nabbed by Brackett or Krycek or Kincaid ...
just so that the rest of the team can find them.
Or they might just get mentioned in passing.
Nope, I plan on absolutely no fics starring the new guys,
just passing mentions etc.