Chapter Text
The car ride down to the border was long, slow and tedious but it was one Buck had to do.
Jesus Christ.
Poor Eddie.
^^^^
TK left Jonah with Judd and Grace before he too set off for the drive down to the border detention center with Nancy.
It was beyond belief that this was the America they lived in, one that would whisk a Texas Ranger and a Fire fighter off the street in board daylight, shove them in a van and take them to a center near the border to process them.
^^^^
Two months earlier:
One minute Carlos had been searching a crime scene with Sam, he had been crouched near a scorched crate, examining scorch marks that didn't match the reported timeline, when the sharp crunch of boots on gravel made him look up.
Three figures were moving toward them, in all black jackets, helmets with guns and bullet proof vest marked I.C.E.
"Can we help you Officers?" Carlos asked politely but firmly, as they stepped into the active crime scene.
Carlos put out his hand, "I need you to stop right there, before you contaminate the crime scene we're working on."
Sam stepped forward, "What is I.C.E doing here, we didn't request you."
"Orders from the White House, we need to remove all scum with links to south of border."
Carlos actually felt dizzy for a moment as Sam's jaw dropped, “This is absurd. He’s a Texas Ranger. He’s a U.S. citizen.”
But the I.C.E agent already had the cuffs in his hands as he walked towards Carlos, "Carlos Reyes, you are being detained under section 404 of the immigration act."
"I can't let you arrest him." Sam protested, "He's a Texas Ranger for Christ Sake."
"He's not being arrested, he's being detained and if you interfere with an I.C.E agent then you may face criminal charges."
"It's okay Sam, this is a mistake, we'll get it sorted." Carlos said, as his hands were cuffed behind his back.
^^^^
Carlos was photographed, fingerprinted, stripped, searched, hose down and now wearing an humiliating orange jumpsuit was dumped into a cell
All around him were Americans, citizens, just like him, caught in the same mess. No explanations. No apologies. Simply detained because of the color of their skin.
He scanned the crowd until he spotted a familiar figure.
“Mateo!” Carlos called, pushing through the packed cell. “They arrested you too? When”
Mateo barely looked up. “Detained, not arrested Carlos, it's important to get the term correct” he corrected bitterly. “Not that it makes a damn difference. I wish Captain Strand could see this…"
A new voice cut in, Eddie Diaz, "I'm sorry, did you say Captain Strand, are you from the 126 in Austin?"
"Aye, I am." Mateo answered, "This is Ranger Reyes, he's married to a co-worker of mine."
"Eddie Diaz, I'm with the 118 in L.A, we actually worked with the 126 back when the Wildfires were threatening Texas, with uh, Marjan and TK, and uh, his father Owen Strand."
"No way man, TK is Carlos's husband." Mateo replied, eyes wide at the news.
Eddie offered a tight nod, "Any idea why we're all here."
"Well, I'm gonna say it's not good." Carlos said looking around, "And also, illegally, given we all have constitutional rights."
Mateo rolled his eyes, "You don't still believe in that worthless piece of paper, the White House has literally removed any part of it it doesn't like."
Eddie sighed, deep and soul crushing, "I should of listened to my parents and moved to Europe when we invaded Canada."
"Hey, at least the Democrat's took a knee during the first day." Mateo replied grimly.
"Reyes." A guard called out, "Reyes, Carlos Reyes, please step forward for processing."
Carlos shared a concerned look with the others. "What does processing mean?" Mateo asked worried.
"It'll be fine." Carlos lied, "It's probably paperwork."
"Nah man." Mateo pressed, "They did that shit when we arrived."
The guard called out again, "Reyes, Carlos Reyes, don't make me come find you, you won't like it."
Carlos looked at the other two men, "It's okay, I'll be fine and when I'm back I'll tell you what to expect."
Turning around, Carlos yelled out, "Here, coming."
"Move faster bitch, I don't have all day."