FicWad

They passed up Frank's new favorite floor with no major crises, mainly because Gerard did everything in his power to keep his friend away from the elevator doors. Knowing Frank, he would press the 'open door' button and jump.
When they did step off the elevator and onto the third floor, they received another shock. There was a glass wall separating the lab from the elevator entryway, and there was a woman standing next to it with clipboard in hand. Frank felt like running through the thing just to tick them off, but he thought better of it.
"Can I help you?" she asked as they warily approached.
"Yes, we're looking for Matt Bellamy's office, could you-" Gerard began.
"I'm sorry, but everyone entering the lab must follow our safety guidelines," she interrupted, handing him a sheet of paper. He gave it a once-over and showed it to Frank, whose eyes widened.
" 'Hair must be tied back at all times'? I'm sorry, but that's just not going to work," he said nervously. "We're not even going to be working in the lab, just walking through it."
"I'm sorry, but it's our lab's policy and must be strictly followed."
"It's alright, Stacy, they're with me," said a dark haired man who had come halfway through the door. He was wearing a white lab coat and spoke with no accent, something pleasantly surprising to the thoroughly frustrated investigators. Stacy gave an exaggerated sigh.
"Fine, you may enter," she said, waving them through. Gerard and Frank walked over to the man, following him through the door and into the lab.
"Thanks for that," said Frank in a relieved tone as they followed his relaxed pace. The man shrugged it off.
"Don't mention it. Always glad to help. Name's Tim, by the way. Tim McIlrath."
"Why don't you sound like everyone else around here?" Frank asked, trying to keep his voice low so he wouldn't sound insulting.
"I was born and raised in Chicago, and my team and I moved here after graduation. Except Zach. He's the special one," he added with a laugh. He stopped walking and motioned to the large door in front of him. The two investigators realized they haven't even had a chance to look around. "Well, here we are. If you ever need any help, let me know. I'll be working on the digital evidence floor." Frank's jaw dropped as the good-natured man walked away.
"That's just not fair."
"Let it go. You'll get to see the floor, I promise," said Gerard. He tentatively opened the door to the office and stepped inside with Frank close at hand.
"Ah, what a pleasant surprise," said Matt, not even looking up from his computer screen. "If I may ask, how did you two get up here so fast? I wouldn't have taken you as the speed-writing type." Frank could contain himself no longer.
"We don't have time for this. We did not fly halfway across the world to fill out paperwork and wait in line while you and your little friends sit around and drink tea. We came here to solve a crime and catch a murderer. If you're not going to help us, we can do it on our own." He folded his arms across his chest when he finished speaking and glared at Matt, while Gerard could only sit back and watch. As much as he disliked it when Frank lost his temper, the A/V analyst was exactly right. They had a job to do, and at the moment they weren't doing it. That did not sit well with the senior investigator.
Matt didn't even bat an eye.
"If you wish to use our lab for your purposes, you must adhere to the rules. I can't help it if we have standard procedures that must be followed in order to keep things running smoothly. I shudder to think of what kind of a mess you two must be stuck with." Gerard's left hand curled into a fist angrily. Now he had gone too far.
"Look at me, Bellamy," Gerard said in an angry, low voice as he approached the man's desk. The other investigator didn't respond. Frank stepped back when he saw the look on his friend's face. Sparks were about to fly, from what he could tell, and he didn't want to be a part of it. "I said look at me!" He slammed both hands flat on the desk, startling the other man. "You don't know what we've gone through just to be standing in your office at this second. My team has suffered more than you can possibly imagine getting to where we stand. At one point two of my officers were in the hospital, and one of them was my brother. You know what I did? I didn't sit in my office and get other people to do my dirty work. I worked night and day living off of espressos and trace leads until I found the guy responsible. You may have fifty-something people at your disposal. Your crime lab may be three times the size and quality of ours. You may have everything you think is important, Bellamy, but you have nowhere near the same heart as my team."
Frank's jaw was on the floor. Matt was studying Gerard's now-determined face with careful scrutiny, looking for any flaw he could exploit. He found nothing.
"You'll be working with McIlrath on this," he said slowly, handing Gerard several sheets of paper. The senior investigator groaned inwardly. He was quickly growing tired of seeing paper. "He's on the second floor." The senior investigator grabbed his partner and briskly left the office to return to the elevator. As they stood and waited for it to arrive, both were contemplating what Gerard had said.
"That was quite a speech, G," said Frank quietly, still in awe.
"I couldn't let him get away with that, Frank, and you know it. No one talks to my best friend that way, and especially not a member of our team. Anyway, I'll make it up to you," he added in a lighter tone as the elevator arrived. Frank punched one fist into the air.
"To the digital evidence floor we go!"