MS - Rav's newest story

Personally I am sick of the cliche ideas of the band and their private lives. I thought it was about time I put my imagination to the test and did something for a change for me that was different.

 

If you're looking for a new take on the old family story forget it. This is not AATM part 2 or the like.

 

If it passes the admins and mods (thanks Jeezy for your help) this is what you're likely to get.

 

A while back during our stories Andrea and I had a similar idea about penning something with a mafia spin to the band. What she had in mind and what I have in mind are naturally different, but it hit me last night that I could incorporate LPF members pretty much anywhere I wanted now without the limitations that were imposed in the last story providing I have the permission and initiative to do so.

So far as I have penned this I have a few old pals in mind but as always I need permission.

Mel, Frib, Foxxy, Sarah, Andrea, please let me know if its okay to add you to this.

Remember this is NOT the LPF Family story so forget that stuff in the past as it doesn't fit in here.

If more want in, or someone wants out, (providing this gets passed and doesn't get locked) feel free to let me know.

 

I wont tell you what the plot of this is all about. It will come about in due time. As always if you like it say something and if you don't... read something else I guess.

So here it is. Cross fingers it doesn't get locked

 

 

Rob stood staring out across the street with an anxious frown. He paced. Above the heavy sky sat burdened with cloud. It was too hot outside for the heavy coat he wore still he tugged the collar up closer to his chin, attempting to hide his face from the rest of the world bustling about at a frenetic pace behind him.

He glimpsed at his wristwatch and hissed a sigh of irritation through his nose.

He was late. Rob hated tardiness.

Tugging the black baseball cap down lower over his brows Rob made his away across the street and lingered at some street side merchant. He pretended to scour through magazine covers with his dark eyes scanning his peripheral vision restlessly.

“Can I help you?” the old man asked him.

Key witness found dead in local park, the newspaper headline screamed in bold black lettering. The black and white photo of the woman lying prone amid the leaves and debris haunted him. Swallowing hard Rob flinched and swung his eyes away.

“No one can,” he muttered under his breath. With a lengthy stride he began walking away quickly.

Finding himself at the foot of a church he loitered, the look on his face betraying his desire to seek sanctuary inside despite his apparent unease. Impulsively Rob closed his eyes, wondering if his God would forgive him the trespass of entering a Christian house of prayer and stopped short as the image of the dead woman from the newspaper flashed before his closed eyes again.

“He can’t hear you you know,” a voice said just behind him.

The man’s tone laced with as much mockery as sincerity made Rob stop in his tracks and open his eyes guiltily as if he’d been suddenly caught out contemplating heresy.

“God,” the man explained. “He’s dead. Depending on who you listen to you killed him… You and all your people. Jews. I never quite got that. If he was your god why did you kill him? Seems rather hypocritical if you ask me.”

Turning his eyes Rob looked aside to the tall Asian American man now standing behind him facing in the opposite direction. Throwing his eyes down then back up again Rob stared ahead at the opened doors of the church like the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel beckoning salvation. The sound of the other man chuckling quietly to himself beneath the shadow of the surrounding high-rises made Rob’s flesh crawl.

“Rumour. It’s definitely a nasty thing you know. Can like ruin a man’s reputation. Can take away all sorts of things if he’s not careful-”

“He knows,” Rob muttered before he could stop himself.

Inside his coat pockets his fists clenched into tight balls of nervousness. He didn’t look up now, preferring to stare down at the shadows commingled on the church steps than face the man beside him with his broad shoulders stooped beneath the invisible weight of the coat and the rest of the world bearing down upon them.

“Knows what?”

“About the girl. That one in the news. That stripper - that was murdered-”

“Please,” the man dismissed with a lowly grunt. “Strippers die in this city all the time, what’s it to do with me-”

“Phoenix, he knows. I don’t know how but he does.”

“Then you know what you have to do.”

Rob looked aside at the man with his face an open mask of shock. The man clad head to foot like something straight out of rap artist video was still admiring the park with a distant smile pinching the corner of his full lips. Rob shook his head and faced the opposite direction. Everything inside of him was screaming alarm bells and it manifested itself in the way he suddenly fidgeted like a nervous child needing to be anywhere else at that moment than where he now stood.

“I can’t do that,” he argued, “he’s my partner-”

“He’s expendable-”

“Fuck that, I’ve been working with him for nearly ten years-”

“Everyone is expendable-”

“But he’s a cop, man, I can’t just like-”

Finding himself staring once more into deep, dark, almost black emotive eyes Rob fell silent, the words of protest snagged and choking him at the back of his throat. He had to look away, scuffing the dirty pavement with the toe of his sand shoe as a respite from the sheer tension that laced the discreet roadside conversation.

For a few moments neither one of them spoke letting the tension dissipate but not completely pass with the chaos of inner city traffic and skulking pedestrians rush by without much regard for the two of them standing at the foot of the church steps like distant strangers. Staring up at the heavy overcast sky the Asian American man sighed.

“You know what I love about this time of year?”

“What?” Rob muttered. He didn’t really care to hear the answer let alone continue the conversation, with his eyes darting fretfully in every direction like some wary ally cat waiting for someone, anyone to recognize him let alone catch a word of what they were discussing in such a very open and public arena.

“Everything’s changing,” the man said. “You can almost feel Christmas around the corner. It’s the time of year to be happy. Are you happy, Rob?”

Rob shrugged with his fists white-knuckled tight hidden inside his jacket.

“Yeah, I guess…”

“Word is I hear you have a reason to celebrate this year, like with your little Bourdon on the way, a little girl-”

Rob swung his eyes aside to glare at the man beside him, his mouth open but silent.

“How did you know about-?” he began to ask but finding the leering smirk and silent chuckle of his company too menacing to bear he sought refuge staring up at the church, uttering a pained wince that was far more corporeal than esoteric in nature. They had only visited the clinic two days ago. He hadn’t even found the time to tell his parents yet. How could anyone else possibly have-?

“This partner of yours, is he a family man?”

Feeling the guilt like a physical burden Rob closed his eyes and struggled to nod affirmatively.

“Will he roll or can I count on you to do what needs to be done-?”

“Please… I can’t. He’s my friend. He has a little baby daughter and- and a wife-”

“I told you before everyone’s expendable,” the man said matter-of-factly. He was smiling but it was so discreet to the passers by he could have been enjoying the unseasonably sultry weather taking a few moments out for himself in the cooling shade.

“Do what you have to and it will all go away soon enough, you’ll see. You just have to be a patient man, Rob… especially with a baby on the way. You still live over there in the valley there don’t you? Nice area. Nice safe place to raise a family… You’ll think about what I said. Give my regards to Joanna now won’t you?”

Rob nodded dolefully his jaw so tight no words were forthcoming now even if he had the will to speak them.

The message however was unmistakably clear.

Staring ahead he felt the man clap his shoulder before a moment, two passed and he stood alone again on the sidewalk staring off into space barely seeing a thing. There he remained struggling with his thoughts as the rest of the city passed him by without so much as a second glance, this tall man in the heavy coat and cap and stern countenance. Rob drew in a deep breath feeling it fill his lungs and leave them a moment later feeling sapped and drawn like his insides had been hollowed out. Amid the heat and the chaos he was just another lost face in a sea of hundreds, but to the keen observer he was perhaps the only man not obviously sweating despite the glare and the humidity and the weight of his coat bulking up his upper torso. A cold chill had set into Rob Bourdon’s bones that nothing was going to displace, as, with a heavy and condemned tread he bowed his head and wandered off in the opposite direction with the face of that dead woman still seared into his dull and listless stare.

It goes without saying that this is fiction and of course I don't know the band.

Getting the formalities out of the way

 

 

Family of three found dead. Crime spree continues.

Police found the body of a woman and child in what was left of a burnt out car early this morning in the… the body of a third person, believed to be male, was found with a gunshot wound to the back of his head nearby. Police speculate… Still no leads…

Huffing out a sigh Ravyn rubbed her brow in her hands and pushed herself away from the computer screen. Glancing at the clock she yawned. Outside the window the city sky was dark like the colour of spilt ink, the stars obscured beyond the haze of streetlights and traffic that even at such a pedestrian hour droned past with hypnotic rhythm.

She yawned and stretched, her joints popped loudly in the large empty office space around her. What time was it? Shit, she’d missed dinner. Scouring through her desk that was littered with open folders, papers, and the usual interpersonal detritus of a personal life, Ravyn snatched up her cell phone to thumb in a quick message of apology to her sister. Would she still be awake? It was close to midnight. Blinking aside she beheld the framed photo of a young couple embracing inside it and smiled to herself warmly. She still found it hard to believe that her sister was going to be a mother in a few months; she should have been in bed by now resting. She’s probably still awake, waiting for Rob no doubt, she thought to herself. The tall man in the navy blue police uniform made Ravyn’s smile falter. Rolling her eyes aside she leant back in her chair and stretched, sending off her apologies and love in a quick text message before the image of the young couple in love lured her attentions back again.

“You still here?” a voice asked from across the room behind her.

Ravyn turned around in her seat, startled with a jump to see a tall well built barrel of a man crammed into a faded grey suit entering the doorway and making his way towards her.

“Don’t you have a home to go to, Harris?”

Ravyn scoffed and cupped her wrist atop her head wearily. She watched the man approach and drag over a chair to sink down on with a groan. The chair panicked beneath his imposing middle-aged spread.

“You know I don’t have a life outside of work,” she said sarcastically.

“Yeah, who does?”

The man chuckled and craned forward in his seat to read the article on her computer screen quickly.

“Still flogging a dead horse?”

“You know me, I get all the happy stories. That family found dead on the outskirts of town the other day; this police man and his wife and child. The cops say they were probably still alive while the car was burning. Imagine that.”

“Wow, you really are a barrel of laughs to hang with arent’cha sunshine?”

“So they say. So what you got there?” Ravyn asked motioning to the yellow manila folder clasped loosely in the man’s lap.

“I found that file you were asking about earlier. You know the one with the stripper that was found dead in the park last week. Had to pull a few strings at the precinct…”

“Why’s it so small?” Ravyn wondered as she took the folder to review the sheets inside. Frowning at the face of the woman staring back from the autopsy shot she frowned pensively.

“I knew her.”

“What?”

“Jammer Redfern. I knew her.”

“What, you work the streets too on your days off?”

“What days off?” Ravyn muttered letting the acerbic joke pass unheeded. Staring into the face of the woman, into her open dead eyes and the small black hole in her ashen forehead Ravyn chewed the inside of her lip and reigned her wandering thoughts in to turn to the next page.

“I met her at Uni. She wasn’t turning tricks at that point. I remember her marriage fell through and she stayed with me a little while trying to get her life back in order.”

“Glad to see that worked out so well then.”

“Vin-”

“What?” Vincent smiled back cynically. Acknowledging her reprimanding stare with a sigh he relaxed back into his seat a moment before he stood to the chair’s relief and strolled around her, assessing the papers strewn across her desk haphazardly.

“So, what’s the big interest in this dead friend of yours anyway? If you had a falling out-?”

“There was a rumour going around. People said she was in league with some big crime syndicate. You’ve heard of MS.”

“Sure. Man’s got his finger in every pie in or out of this city if you care to believe the hype.”

“And you don’t?”

Vincent scoffed and looked at her out of the corner of his eye as if she should have known better than to have asked.

“Come on Rave, one man controlling the whole city? Who does he think he is, John Gotti or something? Christ, anyone would think this is the 1950’s for Christ’s sake. It’s not.”

“I’m serious,” Ravyn urged. Dropping the file atop a stack of others she tapped a series of keys on her laptop before she opened a series of other windows to show her sceptical partner. “Look at this.”

Drug baron found dead. Gang warfare blamed.

Arms dealer falls victim to his own wares.

Territorial dispute claims ten lives.

“So?” Vince asked with a vague shrug.

Ravyn sighed. Bringing up the press photograph of Jammer’s murder to fit along side the others Ravyn blinked over her shoulder urging the big man to focus.

“I’m not seeing it.”

“They’re all connected.”

“And you think this MS is behind it all?”

“Look at it, Vincent! Look at the facts. Almost all the murders were done on high scale criminal cells. These people the cops had been trying to bring down for years-”

“And this MS just manages to waltz in from out of nowhere and do what the cops fail to do and what, they simply turn the other cheek? Come on Rave, speculation-”

“All these killings, they’re all done execution style-”

“This is New York, it’s expected-”

“But they’re made to look like accidents! Like- like the work of other organizations-”

“Where’s your proof, Rave? Come on, you just said this friend of yours, whatever her name was, this Jammer was supposed to be in on this? What would an operation like that, if it’s as powerful as you say, need someone like that for? She was a nobody.”

“She knew too much so they had her killed.”

“They?”

“The cops!”

“What? Wait a minute, are you suggesting…?”

“Read this,” Ravyn implored.

Hurriedly digging out a sheath of paper torn straight from a newspaper she shoved it at him brusquely, watching him scan it with impartial eyes and a sceptical frown before she began clicking buttons on her keyboard again to bring up another article of reference.

“‘A New York City Police officer was found dead this morning along with his wife and daughter in a car fire on the out skirts of the city,’” she read. With her finger she skipped ahead as Vincent watched on stoically. “Officer Phoenix Farrell, a decorated officer with over ten years experience in law enforcement was rumoured to have been linked with the involvement of prostitute Jammer Redfern, found dead this week, from what appeared to be a single gunshot wound to the head. There were claims from within the ranks of the department of corruption from high-level officials in regards to the Redfern case but Police as yet have refused to comment. Redfern, who was reported to be a one-time associate for the highly publicized crime king pin Mike Shinoda, known on the street simply as MS, was ironically the star witness to the crown case against him. It’s not known at this time whether Farrell’s murder is linked with the case but police say they are investigating the case, vowing to utilise the full resources of-’”

“So, what?” Vince asked blankly, cutting her off. He tossed the file in his hands aside, letting it drop atop the pile with a fluttering hush.

“You’re telling me this Farrell shot your friend then someone shot him, all over this MS case? If that were true wouldn’t the cops be out there scouring the streets for this MS? MS… sounds like some sort of venereal disease or something.”

Crossing to sink back down on his seat again Vincent perused the folder nearest to him with a lacklustre gaze. Beside him, Ravyn was struggling to get the words out as she ruffled through the pages, through the images on her screen with a succession of quick hurried clicks.

“Farrell was the fall guy,” she said aloud, “He was set up. Someone inside his department knew he was onto them they had to have. How else do you explain it; Jammer agrees to testify against MS on behalf of the police force but someone inside gets to her first to shut her up. If Farrell knew about this he would have been easy to get at. And why was he found dead out there on the edge of town? Either someone lured him out there or he was running. He was running scared-”

“Careful, Rave-” Vincent warned gravely.

“But why take out his entire family?” she wondered, the image of the charred skeletons of the woman and baby still strapped to her car seat causing a sickening lump to form in the back of her throat.

“If it’s just him they were after why set alight his wife and kid? Seems a bit extreme doesn’t it?”

“Extreme is a moot point for what this guy’s dictating,” Ravyn muttered.

Vince sat pondering the face of the Asian American man in the surveillance photo in front of him with the big eyes, heavy brow and almost goading smirk with an apathetic gaze.

“You’re a fan of his work I take it?”

Tossing the file away he leant forward nursing his head in his hands exhaustively. He sighed. The sound was muffled behind his bear-like paws but the tone of caution was evident enough.

“Why would they want her dead in the first place?” Ravyn asked more thinking aloud than awaiting any actual answers from the big man stirring uncomfortably in his crumpled suit beside her. “If she was really that important to them you’d think the police department would’ve done everything to keep this woman alive. One cop, even a corrupt one, taking the fall for this…seems too easy.”

“And why is it that no one else seems to have picked up on this story Rave?” Vincent murmured down at his shoes wearily. Lifting the cuff of his jacket to steal a glimpse of his wristwatch he groaned and rubbed the back of his big beefy neck to the protest of his joints and muscles. “If this story is so big, how come no one else is telling it?”

“Maybe they’re afraid to.”

“Maybe that’s because they know there’s nothing in it. It’s cut and dry. He did it. Case closed. There’s your corruption.”

“But, didn’t you-”

“It’s late Rave, okay? What time is it again? That’s right. It’s time for you to go home and get some rest. You’ve been staring at all this stuff so long you’re seeing things that aren’t there. This is my paper, okay, I know you’re one of my best most loyal, most dedicated writers, I get that, I do. But you need to cut it out, all this corruption crap you’re going on with. It’s over. Let it go. I pay you to write the facts not speculate on things with no proof.”

Standing with a groan Vincent straightened his jacket to look down over the woman with something of a stern and decisive look upon his face. Whether it was the trick of the fluorescent light or the three-day’s growth of stubble that always seemed a permanent stain on his face, Vincent smiled at her sympathetically. Extending a hand down to help her from her seat he sighed. He glimpsed aside at the photo frame half buried upon her desk and wrestled a moment with the words that came out next.

“I know… things have been a bit… rough for you lately, what with the news of your sister’s baby and all.”

“I’m fine,” Ravyn smiled, the force of it making her grimace as she stepped aside to snatch up her bag and coat beneath the watchful gaze of her boss’s piercing brown eyes. He leant down holding himself on an outstretched arm atop the back of her chair pondering the place where she spent so many hours of the day with his considerate frown. “I’m happy for them both, really.”

“Even though he was once married to you?”

Ravyn flinched. That had come out of left field so suddenly she found herself caught with no words with which to speak. Vincent pulled himself upright, the silence of the empty office around them something of a menacing entity now as Ravyn looked up into his face and struggled to smile without the will to keep it there.

“That was a long time ago,” she struggled out. She cleared her throat.

Vincent snorted as was his bull-like demeanour.

“He obviously wasn’t one much for shopping around was he? Your sister-”

“I guess he wasn’t… I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said.

Bowing to his affable nod Ravyn sidestepped the chair and made her way out of the building, her head like her thoughts heavy and burdened.

 

Fuck that's sweet writing Ma. Yeah you can add me to it.

Makes me think of a song by Nightwish, it's called Wishmaster. I don't know why but it just does.

Keep up the good writing!

love always

Sarah

Thanks my gurl! I haven't quite figured out what your part in it will be but when I sort that part out will let you know. I need a few more people's permission before I can post anything more to this. Soon as I get their go-ahead I'll update.

Thanks for replying. Just made my day ^^

omg mum. this is sooo good. I love it!

 

really can't get enough of your writings....just love em to death!

I read the story and love it. I'm surprised that you remember that I had an idea similarly to this. I do want to let you know that you can use me as you please. That doesn't sound right, lol. Whatever. I don't mind you using me in this. Just want to ask thought am I going to have a thing for Mike like in the other one? Lol. Just kidding. Hope you can post more. Can't wait to read the rest.

I read the story and love it. I'm surprised that you remember that I had an idea similarly to this. I do want to let you know that you can use me as you please. That doesn't sound right, lol. Whatever. I don't mind you using me in this. Just want to ask thought am I going to have a thing for Mike like in the other one? Lol. Just kidding. Hope you can post more. Can't wait to read the rest.

 

Haha, thanks. Do you want to?

I already have a place for you in mind, it might be a surprise for you to read. We'll see as it progresses

Thanks for... well letting me use you! Haha. And as far as remembering the idea? Well... great minds think alike don't they? hehe And thanks for reading and replying. As always means the world to me. *hugs*

 

And Foxxy *hugs too*

Glad y'all are enjoying it so far. You make me blush honestly. Aww. And it's just the beginning. See how we go from here huh?

 

Still waiting for a few people's permission to update. They have been PMd. As soon as they give me all yay or all neigh I'll add more.

 

Thanks again for reading. More soon

I didn't understand one bit at first but now it makes sense...very cool plot

 

can't wait to see how the other characters fit into this

hella good idea. keep going with it or else I'll put you at sword point and make you update... jk. just kep it up. its really really really good. oh mum, will you be in my story as well?

Haha, thanks. Do you want to?

I already have a place for you in mind, it might be a surprise for you to read. We'll see as it progresses

Thanks for... well letting me use you! Haha. And as far as remembering the idea? Well... great minds think alike don't they? hehe And thanks for reading and replying. As always means the world to me. *hugs*

 

I was just joking about it, haha, but if it fits with what your going to do with me than I don't mind, but only if you can, haha.

 

Oh yeah, they do, hehe. And no problem for replying. *hugs back*

 

Can wait to see what you do with me, haha.

And Foxxy *hugs too*

Glad y'all are enjoying it so far. You make me blush honestly. Aww. And it's just the beginning. See how we go from here huh?

 

I can't wait to read what ya do with me. You have such a gift for words.

Fox - I'm going to reiterate what I said on AIM... I am the most loved child between you and me. We have clear proof is this as I made Ma's day by replying.

Wow thanks guys, haha I feel loved now! And pressure to deliver! Self-imposed I know but still... Stoked I have the old crew back on board for something completely different this time.

 

Fribs, I hope it makes sense now. I didn't want to go into too much detail right in the beginning. With a plot like this too much info right at the start will give the whole game away. Besides, in a story like this where I literally have so many characters in mind and all interwoven as they are in this, you need to build it up a little bit at a time using all these different perspectives, otherwise it's a clear cut case of one of those boring good versus evil things. I didn't want to pen something as simple as that.

Whether or not Mike is the bad guy or just a victim in a conspiracy himself remains to be seen.

But the rest of the characters, and the plot (I hope) will all fall into place as this develops. Hopefully it doesn't fall flat on it's face too early in the piece haha

 

Phe, threats aren't necessary... but welcome if you think it'll keep me motivated haha. It is one of those stories isnt it? You'll be in it very shortly. Check your PM and l'll fill you in on the details when you're online next. Coolies. And do you want to use me in sth of yours? Sure, no objections. I'm always up for reading about myself in someone's stories. Boosts the ego. Probably not the best thing but hell, makes me grin like an idiot none-the-less! So thanks!

 

Andrea, all I can do is laugh. If you knew where you fit into this story already you'd laugh too. You must be psychic! I cant tell you yet, I don't wanna give too much away too early. Are you linked to Mike? yes. In this story everything revolves around him in someway. Though Rob is arguably one of the main protagonists Mike is the key character that everyone can be associated with in some way... sort of like real life in that regards I'm guessing! haha Thanks as always.

 

Foxxy, don't panic. You're coming up soon. For everyone I had a specific role in mind, as much as I envisioned you all, it also needs to be stressed this isn't AATM and realism doesn't really apply here. You're all idealized versions of yourselves... call it an alternate reality in an alternate location/setting. Whether you're evil or not too remains a question to who you think is telling the truth and who's side you're on. Be patient. I'm penning this out while it's still fresh as fast as I can

 

Woody, what can I say? Call it sibling rivalry. A parent knows there's no such thing as playing favorites... haha

 

Thanks again guys. Much appreciated ^^

 

 

“Hey, how you holding up?”

“Mm, morning,” Rob grunted.

Feeling Joanna’s arms around his shoulders he forced her a tight but weary smile.

“You been up all night, babe? Why didn’t you wake me?”

“You looked like you needed your sleep,” he told her, clasping her hand and drawing it to his lips to kiss. She stood behind his chair in her crumpled bed clothes that were still warm from the mattress, nuzzling close to kiss her husband’s neck. Rob pouted staring off into the distance as she strolled around to stand beside him.

“Mm we missed you. What time did you get in?”

“What time is it now? I dunno, maybe a couple of hours ago.”

“And you’ve been sitting here alone in the dark the whole time by yourself? Aww my poor beloved…”

She was cuddling him again but Rob didn’t fight it, leaning into her impassioned embrace with a forlorn smile still etched across his lips.

“They’re working you too hard. You should ask for time off,” Joanna stated pulling away.

She reached down to pick up the coffee cup in front of him and sipped it with a bitter wince. It was cold and disgusting. She set it down again to cup his shaded face with her palm. He looked so tired these days, always so tired. Her smile dwindled at the thought that he should have been happier especially now with the little one on the way but couldn’t feel anything but love for the man that had stolen her heart, even if it had seemed like forever since he smiled at her and really meant it. The tragedies of the past week weighed heavily now upon his shoulders. With a devoted sigh she ran her hands down to give his long fingers a reassuring squeeze. Rob looked up at her from wherever he had been staring, smiling back at her in that halfhearted way as he always did. Leaning down Joanna rested her brow against his until their breaths commingled in the early morning air.

“It’s not your fault baby, what happened to Phe and Lindsay. You couldn’t save them. It’s not your fault. You did everything you could. You can’t save the world, okay? As much as you think you can.”

Kissing his forehead she pulled away receiving his nod of acknowledgment in place of a thank you or any other verbal response. He didn’t talk much to her either anymore she pouted to herself, but reasoned that with everything that had happened as of late it was to be expected.

“You had anything to eat? I can make you breakfast if you’re hungry-?”

“No. Thanks. Maybe later.”

“Well I am going to grab something. If I don’t little miss here is going to throw another one of her little tantrums,” Joanna smiled, gently stroking her stomach that was still too early to have formed much beyond her normal healthy pooch. “I don’t know where she gets her temper from, but I’m pretty sure it’s not me. No one in my family goes that psycho for food.”

“Are you kidding me?” Rob muttered around the rim of his coffee cup. “Your sister’s ass could have it’s own postcode.”

Joanna frowned but the mischievous look he was giving her as he set down his mug made her cheeks rosy. She tried to look insulted but didn’t pull it together so well, her reprimanding frown and toothy grin in direct conflict causing her to let out a small, amused chuckle.

“You stop that,” she chided as Rob smirked back at her in his usual sarcastic way. “Play nice mister or I’ll have to take all your toys away.”

“Don’t have much time for that either,” he muttered with a grunt and slowly pushed himself up onto his feet. “Getting my new partner assigned to me today.”

“Any good?”

“I dunno. Some… kid straight out of the academy. His father’s some big shot executive or something. Comes from good stock, from what I’ve been told. We’ll see.”

“That’s good,” Joanna nodded trying to pep up a still highly emotive topic of conversation.

Watching him approach she craned up to meet his light kiss with a smile before she watched him leave the dining room and enter the kitchen with his slow laborious tread. He was so tall he filled the doorway, making Joanna wonder impulsively for the moment if their unborn was likely to inherit his height and build or her stereotypically beautiful Mediterranean features.

“Speaking of stock, are we going to be lucky enough to have you home again tonight for our special Sunday dinner. I’m making a roast.”

Rob grunted. Though he appreciated his wife’s attempts at domesticity he wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of her cooking, preferring to stay silent than risk offending her if he opened his mouth beyond the rueful smile that he was now wearing.

“Ravyn’s coming over for it.”

His small smile died into a flat grimace at the mention of the other woman’s name.

“I thought she was here last night?” he whined.

“No, I invited her but she didn’t show up. Sent me a message at some ungodly hour this morning apologizing, said she was still at work.”

“That’s where I should be heading.”

“What, to see my sister or anywhere besides being here with me and our daughter?” Joanna prompted against his tee-shirt.

Rob frowned down at her with a lowly snort.

“You know better than to ask.”

“What? I’m just saying, for all your insults of the woman you sound just like her sometimes you know-”

“I don’t hate her I just… It’s awkward sometimes you know? Like, we were married for three and whatever years. Don’t you just… find it a little… I dunno… weird?”

“Why would I? She was your past Rob, I’m your present now. What happened then stays there I say. Besides, she’s family.”

“She’s a pain in the ass is what. I mean she’s here all the time. She needs to get a life or something- Stop bugging us.”

“She’s not hurting anyone, and I don’t know about you but sometimes I could really do with the company. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but we haven’t been in the same room at the same time very much again lately. I miss you. We miss you. I don’t want our little daughter growing up not knowing you, Rob.”

Rob sighed, the twitch to his lips meant to come off as something of a reassuring smile. With their arms around each other they kissed. The fears that had always lain dormant behind her expressive brown eyes shimmered again, making him look down rather than have to face the truth he saw in them.

“I’m worried about you. Especially after what happened to Phe and Lindsay, Rob. What happens if someone comes after us next? What about our daughter?”

Nursing his wife’s small stomach lightly Rob pouted with dubious resignation.

“They won’t.”

“But how can you say that? You go out there every night and you face bullets from all these madmen that are supposed to be running the city and you want me to just-”

“We’ve got nothing to worry about, okay? Trust me. I’m taking care of this family. I am. But now… I have to go,” Rob said.

Kissing her temple he stood upright and began to walk away from her, leaving her standing alone in the middle of the kitchen making sounds of frustration in her throat that didn’t quite graduate to words.

She stood by not long afterwards after he had showered and changed into his uniform and strode back through with his usual look of focus and determination etched upon his face. Filling his pockets with what he needed he took out his pistol to check, thumb, and return to its holster at his hip securely. Joanna looked ready to burst into tears right there watching him with her arms wrapped around her stomach defensively.

“Will you at least be home in time for dinner?” she asked him. “Rob?”

“We’ll see,” he said, as he bestowed a parting kiss on her head before he made his way out the door.

“What time do you think you’ll be home?”

“I don’t know, alright? I’ll - I’ll call you.”

“Rob?”

“What Joanna?”

Standing in the front door looking out at the blue sky and the rolling green lawns and the quiet street that made up their private little universe Joanna clasped to the neck of her night shirt fretfully, struggling on words she wanted to say that had so many times been said before this but all to lesser or no avail.

Meekly she smiled.

“Take care of yourself won’t you? Please?” she begged him.

With his lips pursed and his frown stern Rob huffed out a sigh to nod and glance down at the ground gravely.

“I’ll see you tonight,” he told her.

Climbing into his car he started the engine, reversed out of the drive and without so much as a parting wave he pulled away.

 

 

Some of you may laugh but you're gonna start seeing some other people in this too now that are neither LP band members or LPF members, just to be clear. We've already seen one in the second chappie, I wonder how many of you guessed just who that might be? You'll find out eventually. There's another one here. For the sake of giving things away I wont tell you who they are, and if you don't know them even better. This is a work of fiction after all. But just so you know how I imagine it in my head with LPF members, Linkin Park, and now TV and movie stars, this promises to be something of a real epic drama! haha Oh the humanity! 8P

 

And yes, Frib's you're up. As I mentioned don't sweat the details. I made you up as much as I used the parts of your character to suit my means. Hope you don't laugh so hard you miss some of the dialogue

 

Oh yeah and I think I have to say this. More formalities. From here on in it's all potty-mouth (foul language) depravity (graphic detail? Well, I wish!), and completely tasteless humor (self-explanatory) with a smattering of nudity (R rating? We'll see!) for the hell of it. Can't all be sunshine, lollipops and rainbows with the supposed underground mafia can it? LMFAO

Enjoy!

 

 

“Rob Bourdon, Kris Friðbjörn.”

“Hi.”

“Hey... wow... that’s a mouthful.”

Shaking hands the two men stepped back into their respective places in the small office, Rob leaning against the filing cabinet with his arms folded across his chest lazily with the rookie sinking back into his seat on this side of the captain’s cluttered desk.

“Oh yeah,” the young man blushed. “My parents are Icelandic. We immigrated here a few years ago when I was in grade school. Uh... you can call me Kris, or Frib, most people don’t know how to pronounce my surname as it is so...”

“Yeah,” Rob said indifferently. Blinking up he stared at his captain pointedly.

Captain Goren smiled back with a small chuckle. Such gestures weren't natural to the captain’s rugged face as he swept it away with the palm of his hand to take residence against the edge of his desk. Positioned tactically between the two officers with a strange look on his face Goren sat back waiting impatiently for the pleasantries to be discarded. Outside the glass walls the muffled thrum and chaos of his precinct was distractingly busy for a Sunday morning.

“Fribs here comes highly recommended. Scored highest in his exams out of the whole field. Best record we’ve seen come out of that shit hole this whole year, isn’t that right junior?”

Frib looked up into the captain’s strange countenance with an awkward frown. The captain seemed to leer at him. Frib supposed it was meant to be a smile despite the piercing frown and smiled back accordingly.

“I- I guess so sir.”

“He’s the pick of the litter, Bourdon. Got him special just for you. Call it an early Christmas present. Try not break it too soon, okay? The higher-ups will use my nuts for golf practice.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” Goren said, fast to recompose himself after his brief chuckle of perversity. He roughly cleared his throat. “After Farrell... well... It was the best I could do on short notice...”

Rob smirked ruefully as the two men locked eyes across the room. To the youngest member in attendance it almost seemed like a father and son moment despite the obvious discrepancies of that scenario. Clearing his throat to pierce that reflective moment he refocused their attentions with a nervous smile.

“I just wanted to say how much I really appreciate this, I mean, I’ve been looking forward to this so much... I was actually a little intimidated when your captain told me I’d be joining your... your team.”

Rob stood staring at the younger man with his gaze unwavering and unreadable, his arms remaining stoically folded across his chest the entire time.

“Thanks,” he muttered and didn't seem to mean it.

“You’re last partner, officer Farrell... I was sorry to hear about what happened to him and- and his family.”

“Yeah… Me too.” Rob murmured at his feet and swallowed loudly. He looked up then to his captain. “So now what?”

“Now… what do you think? You house train him. Get him out and show him the yard. Don’t need him pissing all in my office; I have enough stray bastards to keep a leash on as it is. Start here.”

Goren got up and sunk down behind his desk tossing a folder at Rob with a weary groan and a sigh. Snatching it up Rob’s inherent frown darkened notably.

“What is this, a joke?”

“Does it look like it?” Goren asked simply. He was a heavyset man, as much beef as brawn, six foot tall and three feet across, with an imposing face and a quirky nature that wavered uncomfortably from moment to moment between his witty repartee, his dry humour and his infamously scathing sometimes vicious outbursts.

“You think I have nothing better to do with my time than sit here thinking up ways to make you laugh? Get the hell out of here and take the greenhorn with you. And Rob?”

“Yeah Cap?”

“Take it easy out there huh?” Goren said. “The last thing I need is to see another one of my men out there on the six o’clock news.”

Lingering at the doorway with his pensive frown Rob nodded agreeably.

“Okay.”

“Get out of here.”

“So where are we headed?” Frib asked conversationally.

Beside him Rob continued to stare at the road, as he had been doing since they had left the precinct, shifting his focus only to change lanes and gears as the squad car wound its way through the gritty urban streets of downtown New York.

For a while the prevailing silence was the only answer he received, listening to the thrum of the engine and the warbling of the two-way with his anxious smile and his guiltily downcast eyes.

Frib sighed, propping his jaw on his fist as he stared out the window at the city smearing by in its dark tarnished glory.

“Look, I know the last thing you wanted right now is some kid on your case, especially after what happened to… you know… But I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate this opportunity. I mean, I read your case file about that bust you and officer Farrell did all those years ago. Man, that was amazing. Bringing down a major drug dealer like Bennington, it’s like practically folklore back at the academy. I bet you-”

“Stop.”

“What?”

“Stop,” Rob repeated, blinking aside at him.

Despite the close quarters his expression remained unchanged and unreadable as Frib fell silent. The cabin continued to rock them about as it traversed the highway and turned right into some inner city block choked with ugly brick buildings and robbed of greenery and natural sunlight. An air of anticipation came and went as the young officer sat awaiting an explanation from his partner with no hint of it coming. Pouting at his lap he berated himself silently. When he got nervous he sometimes spoke too much, which was so unlike his usually reserved and observantly quiet nature. He had planned to project a better impression already by this time, but it seemed now amid the silence and the lack of incitement from his peer that the young rookie had failed his first real test miserably.

“You don’t need to do that,” Rob said at last, his voice always so low and distant it came off as something like a bored monotone regardless the situation Frib noticed. He waited further before elaborating, at ease to draw everything out, unhurried, focussed, mentally composed in ways that the young officer wished in the back of his mind to someday aspire to.

“You already have the job. You don’t need to go on… kissing my ass. I have a wife to do that. If it’s all the same to you.”

It took Frib a moment, and a small sideways glance, before he realised that his older, arguably wiser, far more experienced counterpart had just shared a joke with him. Feeling relief wash over him Frib smiled, glad to see that Rob, despite his usual brooding demeanour was actually smirking back at him too.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay. It happens,” Rob said aloud distantly. He still smiled but it was fading fast to leave the pensive pout again in its place. “I was like you once too. We all started somewhere…”

“So… did you always want to be a cop?”

“No. You?”

“No,” Frib smiled. He had no way of knowing now whether Rob were still toying with him without any physical indicators either way or was being painfully sincere. Feeling the silence coming back again he let it, opting to stare out the window at the early-commuting traffic with a distant smile lingering upon his face.

Eventually curiosity got the better of him.

“So can I ask you a question?”

“Haven’t you already?”

“All those years ago… The Bennington bust. What happened? What was it like?”

Rob sighed. He was looking out the windscreen and window nearest to him with trained scrutiny. He thought a long time before he made any attempt to answer.

“What do you know about it?”

“Well… just what I heard in the news. That you and officer Farrell-”

“Do you believe everything you read?”

“No.”

Rob sighed through his nose heavily. He pouted as he stared ahead and avoided making eye contact with himself in the rear-view mirror.

“We got some good Intel… That’s all it was. Forget whatever you read or heard about it. Fuckin’ media circus,” he grumbled under his breath with disdain. Frowning aside to see if his vague answer had been enough to satisfy the younger man’s curiosities he rolled his eyes aside and pouted. Again he thought carefully before he answered.

“Have you ever found yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time?”

“Of course. I’m sure everyone has-”

“Ever been shot at?”

“In training, sure.”

“I meant for real. Real life. Like, life or death?”

“No.”

“So you don’t know what that feels like?”

“No.”

“Do you want to?”

“Uh… not particularly, no… I guess. It’s part of the job-”

Pulling the car over to idle against the curb Rob leant against the steering wheel to look at his new partner seriously.

“Let me tell you something. Like, a piece of advice. Don’t… ask so many questions okay? Trust me. You’re better off… watching. Don’t get involved. Don’t ask questions. If you want what you see in the movies go join the military. This is real life down here, Frib. And in real life people don’t take too kindly to being asked too many questions… is any of this sinking in?”

Frib blinked back cautiously. He nodded. Aside from the fact it was the most he had ever heard his new partner say in one sitting, something about his tone or the pained look on his face or the way Rob kept looking around like was afraid of being overheard made the tension in that squad car rise to epic proportions and snuff out further attempts at humour.

Looking down at his hand draped over the steering wheel, Rob stroked the silver band on his finger and cleared his throat uncomfortably.

“You believe in fate Kris?” he asked eventually.

The young officer shrugged. “Uh… depends on the circumstance.”

Shutting off the engine Rob snorted to himself.

“Wait a while,” he muttered.

Unclipping his seat belt he climbed out of the car, closing the door with a firm thump behind him. Climbing out Frib joined him tentatively on the sidewalk.

“Where are we?” he asked scanning his new surroundings with residual tension gnawing away at his usually composed tone. He was wary of speaking now, mentally processing the information he had been given, but impelled to do so by basic curiosity.

In front of them across the street a big dull building sat hulking in the shadows. A hybrid between an industrial warehouse and some sort of club, Fribby stared up at it, at the large red letters F and M emblazoned on the building’s faded white façade with his brow burrowed curiously. An empty car park flanked the left of it, some kind of industrial dumping ground to the right. It stood out amid the eyesores that otherwise occupied the claustrophobic city street. It looked closed but it was hard to tell. Even at this relative early hour of the morning where the sun hadn’t even begun to illuminate the city’s congested heart, other businesses that dotted it on all sides didn’t look to have woken from slumber yet either. Peering at his partner, Frib watched Rob scan both sides of him before he began making his way towards it. With a hurried tread Frib stepped in along side.

“What is this place?” he wondered to himself. Studying everything with a wary eye he looked up, reading the sign beneath the red letters with an awed tone of voice. “Fort Minor… I’ve heard of this place. This is that club owned by that guy, the one in the news, that Mike something-or-other. MS. What are we doing here?”

“Making some inquiries,” Rob muttered matter-of-factly.

Crossing up on to the other side of the street they were met at the door by the low thump of music. Lingering briefly, Rob nodded aside towards the car park and motioned Frib towards it. Frib nodded. He had barely taken two steps when the heavy door to the club opened and a man stepped out, toting some kind of bag in his fist.

“Ah. Officer Bourdon,” he greeted with a disarmingly affable smile. “To what do I owe the pleasure? Wait, is it business or pleasure? I know it’s early and we’re not set up yet but I’d be willing to give you a great discount if you’re interested in sticking around a while?”

“Pass,” Rob stated stubbornly.

Mike chuckled in amusement. To Fribby’s studious gaze, the tall half-Japanese half-America man standing before him wasn’t quite what he had been expecting, despite the coverage he had seen in recent months being plastered all over the media. He certainly didn’t look like some insidious crime boss that the papers toted him as, looking eerily more like someone he would pass in the street in his casual black jeans and loose-fitting sweater and not even give a second glance to.

“You caught me,” Mike grinned. “Was just taking out the trash. It’s not a crime yet, is it?” He laughed again. It almost came across like a challenge.

Suddenly Frib found himself being scrutinized, feeling strangely vulnerable as Mike looked at him from toe to crown before he strode away to round a corner and enter the car park heading for some industrial bin before tossing the bag inside with a grunt. Dusting his hands on his thighs he wandered back casually, his swagger belonging to a man in no great hurry or fear in any regards despite his much-publicized stranglehold of the city.

“So what seems to be the problem today, officers? You know the court case against me isn’t due for another few weeks yet. I can still get you for harassment you know.”

“This isn’t to do with that-”

“No - I bet it’s not,” Mike muttered. “So who’s this? They assigned you a new partner already? Don’t waste any time do they? I was sorry to hear about your old partner on the news, Phoenix Farrell. One of the city’s finest. Fucking tragic that, and the little baby too. What kind of a monster could do such a thing, and to one of your own, no less?”

“Yeah,” Rob cleared his throat quietly.

Huffing out a sigh he directed pleasantries between the two men before he instructed Frib to fetch the folder Goren had given them from the back seat of the squad car. Frowning dubiously Frib nodded and hurried off and returned a few minutes later to hand it over, not relieved in the slightest that he had left his partner alone here with the infamous organized crime lord that looked so unlike what a stereotypically bad guy from the movies was supposed to it was almost laughable. But Frib remained stone-faced and unyielding, watching as Rob withdrew a page and offered it to Mike, who studied it with vested concentration.

“Did you want to come inside? I have to get my glasses. Fucking contacts. Like lost them in the clean up. Place got a little crazy last night on account of all the bad press I’ve been getting lately. Curiosity brings in the masses but makes for great business…” Mike winked, thumbing over his shoulder by way of invitation.

With a shrug Rob relented as Mike held open the door. Inside through the opened doorway of Mike’s club rap music thumped away resounding throughout like an angry heartbeat. The interior was dim but was lit well enough by the many and varied swinging lights and the mirror-ball still in rotation, decorating the tables and chairs, the empty bar, and the stage with hundreds of shifting tiny white stars. A woman, clad in nothing more than a thong bikini pant and heels, strode past picking up clothes and detritus that littered the club’s floor. Frib’s brows rose, his eyes momentarily locked on to the sight of her breasts exposed in full view before Mike’s retreating tread blocked his field of vision and the young man dropped his eyes to the sidewalk embarrassedly.

“You want to go wait in the car?” Rob asked, more suggested, in his ever-soulless tone. “This will only take a few minutes.”

Frowning in consternation but with no real reason to dispute the order Frib nodded and made his way back across the road to wait with his arms folded across his chest huffily. He waited. A few moments later Rob reappeared and shaking Mike’s hand the two of them parted, and Rob made his way back to the car with the folder still in his fist.

Mike remained out on the sidewalk watching. Frib frowned. Even across the street that was eerily empty for the most part of traffic he could feel as well as see Mike’s dark eyes boring into him with studious intent. Shaking his head he looked up watching the first rays of sunlight oozing down the highest peaks of the urban jungle around him as Rob climbed in to his seat beside him.

“He’s not what I imagined him to be,” Frib said eventually.

Tossing the folder aside Rob started the engine. Together they watched Mike offer them a wave and a smile and retreat back inside the sanctuary of his club. Rob sighed and looked out at the street slowly coming to life around them.

“No one ever is,” he said.

Kicking the car into gear he swung the wheel and pulled back out into traffic, driving the rest of the way in silence.

 

I'm going to have to get use to the long readings again, haha, not that I'm complaining or anything, it been a while, haha. I'm really loving it so far. Frib a cop? Hmm. Hope Rob doesn't corrupt him, haha. Can't wait for more to come.

My sis, this is the first official story (and by official I mean that you posted it here) where I am actually married to Rob! Wowness! I told you even the first time I read this, when it made a lot less sense that it does now that you are the greatest! Your way of writing makes even the most unappealing topic (like police stories are for me) interesting! And imagining Fribs as a cop...I can do nothing but awwww But back to you, if that's not pure talent then what is it? It's one of the most professional, awesome, coherent pieces of writing I have come across in my reading days. Congrats my sweet keep it up <3 *hugs*

I love the story...

 

good to see something different

Thanks guys, seriously sis you make me blush :o I don't know what to say to that! What can I say except thanks? Aww (hugs)

 

Yes Andrea long posts again. At this point I am striking while the iron is hot so to speak and getting out as much of it as fast as I can. When I start struggling to pull a post together then I know I'll be in trouble, creatively. So far I am really into the vibe of this. Whether or not anyone else is or stays on board the whole ride remains to be seen. But a HUGE thanks for reviewing. You've always been pretty consistent so for that I thank you. Always a huge boost to be appreciated by your peers ^^

 

And a huge thanks to you too Jeezy! Stoked you like it!!

 

I have about 20 more pages to post but am waiting on feedback from another member before I update. Hopefully won't be much longer, wait and see

 

Thanks again guys. More soon... I hope!

Damnit I'm sorry. Sorry for the double post and sorry for being so impatient! Haha

I know I said I was gonna wait but I can't... Have too much to say goshdarnit!

 

Apologies in advance if this hits a raw nerve. Say the word if you want me to delete this or sth. Will do it in a heartbeat

 

Now - more as promised.

 

 

Mel sat staring at the book in her hands struggling hard to focus. The glare stung her eyes and the noise of students making their way across campus made it harder for her to concentrate. She scoffed to herself in frustration. Poking the speakers of her iPod in to her ears she switched on some music, hoping the din would block out all other sounds. Finding a pair of black chunky skate shoes on the grass in front of her Mel groaned and slammed her book to a close with a grumble. Swinging her head up she began to protest the unwelcomed intrusion.

“Look, I don’t care who you are or what you want I don’t have time to just-”

She stopped. She frowned. The sight of a man standing in front of her behind the big black glasses and the LA baseball cap made her argument die prematurely in place of confusion.

“Who are you?”

The man smiled. His whole face just lit up unobtrusively. Poking her glasses further up the bridge of her nose Mel’s frown deepened as she studied him. He was tall and part Asian, that much she could tell immediately, but not able to recognise him at all despite his casual skater tee and low riding pants that was all too prevalent in this day and age. He could have been one of the other students she thought to herself, but seeing the wrinkles that gathered in the corners of his dark eyes when he revealed them suddenly snapped that thought away. She didn’t recognise this tall strange man at all but the way he stood staring at her made something inside of her flinch with the notion that he seemed to know her.

“If you’re lost you can go find someone else,” she said, hoping her impassive tone would make him think twice before instigating any kind of conversation with her. “I’m busy. My paper’s due in like three hours and I haven’t even-”

“You’re Melissa right?”

Mel blinked back dumbly.

“First year art student. Trained in martial arts. Eldest of five. Your parents live in Pennsylvania but you never got along with your stepmother. You were raised by your grandmother up in-”

“How the hell do you know that?” Mel blurted. She paused. “Did my boyfriend Shawg put you up to this?” she wondered dubiously a moment later.

The man smiled down at her. His demeanour barely shifted at all as Mel sat there staring, mentally processing just who of her impulsive friends were likely to pull a stunt like this purely for shits and giggles. But as the seconds ticked down and the man continued to smile at her with his dark eyes and his air of authority Mel felt the instinctive urge to get to her feet, clutching her book to her chest defensively.

“Who the hell are you?” she hissed.

The man didn’t flinch, he didn’t take a step back, watching her stand so close they were like lovers fighting, before Mel snorted out a sound of discomfort and disdain and shaking her head shouldered her way past him.

“I came to talk to you-”

“I’m flattered. I’m also taken. Go hit on someone else and leave me-”

“Someone you know is in danger,” the man said.

Immediately Mel’s step faltered a few feet away along the grassy quad. She turned around.

“What did you say-?”

“There’s a man who lives at this address,” the man said, fishing a small piece of paper out of his back pocket. He held it up showing her the hand writing scrawled in neat legible handwriting on the back of it. “He’s the one you’re looking for. Works nights at some Pizza Parlour down on the strip. Of a day you’ll find him in his apartment. He lives alone, so you won’t have any trouble-”

“You said a friend of mine was in trouble, who is it?”

“Go to that place, find him. He’ll have all the answers-”

“No, fuck that, I want to hear them from you,” Mel snapped, ignoring his attempt to hand her the card with an indignant huff.

She glared at the stranger like she was sizing up an opponent. He was not that much taller than her, six foot, maybe a fraction above it, looking non-threatening and normal in every other respect. Nothing about him stood out as far as she could see, except maybe his ears with his dark hair cropped short like it was beneath the cap. He wasn’t gorgeous and he wasn’t expressly evil. He wasn’t anything to her rational mind but still something inside of her didn’t feel quite right either. Maybe it was the way he just kept staring at her, studying her, staring straight into her eyes in the most intrusive of ways. Melissa struggled to hold them but couldn’t, staring off instead at the ambling old brownstone that framed the college grounds with a bitter grimace wrestling upon her lips.

“All you need to know you’ll find there. If you want to help your friend you will.”

“Why should I believe you? I don’t even know you. For all I know you could be some crazy psycho setting me up for-”

“I know what he did to you,” the man said, his voice for the first time lowered discreetly. “To your family. Your mother.”

A cold hard fist squeezed Melissa’s insides and rent the wind from her lungs. Her nerves sparked suddenly. Like a flash those few words brought a rush, a surge of memories kept safely locked away for all these years came flooding back, emotions they triggered to break loose, to choke her, to suffocate her, to strangle the air from her lungs, her chest so tight-

The sound of the cars colliding, piercing screams, the blood, oh my god so much blood, and mom-

“He needs to pay for what he did.”

Melissa shook her head, as much clearing her eyes of the threat of tears as it was a gesture to recompose herself. She sniffed and stood tall unable to face him with her steely resolve shattered despite the lethal frown that now capped her face. When the silence passed unheeded she cleared her throat and shook her head again, forcing herself to speak despite the sudden tightness that had taken hold in her throat.

“I don’t do that anymore… What you’re asking me to do. I can’t-”

“Word on the street is you’re one of the best. There’s no one else I know who can do it.”

“But I can’t,” she pleaded.

Alarmed by the sudden onset of vulnerability that had crept into her voice Mel cleared her throat and stepped back, putting as much physical distance between them as much as she was distancing herself from her dark past allegorically.

The man’s dark eyes, like black pearls beneath the shade of the cap’s brim beheld hers with a sickeningly sympathetic gaze. Mel shook her head again, the weight of the book in her arms now suddenly heavy as she pressed it against her chest so tight she had to force herself to breathe. Showing the first real trace of disappointment on his face the man conceded with a tight-lipped nod before he returned the glasses to his eyes, shrugged, and gesturing her a silent goodbye began to walk away with an apology for wasting her time. Mel went to speak but the only sound that passed her lips was something akin to a strangled whisper. She watched as the man stooped to lay the card down on the empty bench where she had been sitting before he glimpsed over his shoulder at her, then at the rest of the sunny courtyard with an appreciative gaze, before he turned his back and with fists in his hip pockets began to stroll away.

“Wait,” she urged.

A million and one thoughts were racing in her head, confusing her, burdening her, and she shirked them all aside like she knew she had to, that the years of training had taught her to. But feeling the guilt for the time passed where she had lapsed into apathy swamp her, her defensive stance that was ordinarily meant to come off more untouchable seemed more like an act of bravery in spite of her company’s claims to her earlier merits. When she looked back up into his face again peering back over his shoulder Mel felt her insides tumbling with the promise and the burden of the task she knew he was asking of her. It had only been a few years but so much had changed since and she had been a dumb punk ass kid then without much care or conscience. Now she had so much more to lose if she-

“Are you sure? I mean, how can you be sure this is the same man who… who-?”

How does he know all this? Why is he telling me? What does he want? How can I trust him? Can I even-?

“He got away with it first time around. It’s only a matter of time before he does it again. You know it. I know it. You can make certain it doesn’t happen to anyone else ever again.”

“Why are you telling me this? Surely if it is him- the cops- can’t they-?”

The man huffed out a you-should-know-better sound. In a few curt strides he was back in front of her, his affable face a mask of moral indignation cut off once more behind those black almost comically big sunglasses.

“Their incompetence let him out in the first place,” he snapped into her face discreetly. “Technicality my ass. He screwed you over when he got into that car drunk and he’s been doing it ever since, cause he gets to live on this earth while she doesn’t; your mother, the woman never hurt anyone. He took her from you and it’s not right. It’s not fair. The law’s on his side. You know you can’t rely on anyone else to stop him… but you can. You have the training. You could do it… But I can’t force you. In the end I know when it comes down to it you’ll do what you have to do… For the sake of everyone you care about… and for those you don’t.”

Mel nodded. She bit her lip, the music still blasting away hanging on loose cords around her neck suddenly seemed too loud, annoying, distorting sound as she watched him start to walk away again without turning back.

“At least, tell me who you are. Why did you-?”

“My name’s Mike. If you want your answers I’ve given you the place to start. Anything else you want to know… you’ll find out in due time… Maybe I’ll see you round some time.”

“Maybe,” Mel murmured. “Thanks.”

Relief however didn’t wash over her with his absence but appeared to manifest, culminating around that small white card that she took up in her hand to study carefully. It was a business card for some club in the heart of the city somewhere. Fort Minor, it read. Melissa pondered the printed lettering as she gnawed at her lip, not recognising the street address. She scoffed and turned it over not giving the words so much as a second thought. Her heart at that moment was beating a restless rhythm of one on the path of a righteous endeavour. There, like the writing of gospel itself, the handwritten address she had caught a glimpse of moments ago glared back at her accusingly.

There he is, she thought to herself sinisterly. Despite the heat and the cool spattering of shade from nearby trees above she felt her insides sink with a raw and primal anger. Five years and a lifetime of shit and heartache later, I finally know where you’re hiding you bastard. You took my family away from me. I hope you’re ready to face what’s coming to you. This time you’re going to pay for what you’ve done. You won’t get away with it this time.

Looking around Mel slid the card into her pocket decisively. She had been waiting for so long, even with the nagging voice of logic and doubt chewing away her inner ear, Mel knew in her heart that she had to go find out for herself and get answers if not closure even if this did turn out to be some sick fucking joke from one of her many sick and depraved so-called friends. She wouldn’t be able to rest, to live with herself, until she satisfied her curiosities. The mere possibility that her mother’s killer had just been delivered into her lap out of the blue felt like karma had finally fallen to her side for once. She didn’t need to know anything more about the man, this Mike who had delivered it, it was just enough to know for now that he had.

Ours was not to question why, ours was but to do or die.

Like a good soldier Mel hefted her book up under her arm and made her way out of the campus, all compulsion for the paper yet to be written now lost to something else, something more primal as she embraced the darkened heart she had denied so long with a skewed smile and her dark eyes smouldering upon her face.

Justice, though five long years in coming, would finally be hers tonight.

 

“Knock, knock?”

“Door’s open. You can come in.”

Joanna smiled as discarded her folding and wove her way through the living room towards the front door. She greeted her sister just as she was closing the door securely behind her. The two women embraced and parted a moment later remaining briefly in each other’s arms.

“Aww how are you? Where have you been the last few days? I’ve been worried sick.”

“You know me, just working.”

“Oh please,” Joanna quipped, flicking her hand dismissively. “You sound so much like Rob these days I’m starting to go mad just thinking about it. Want a drink or something?”

“Coffee, please. Strong. So strong you’d be able to stand a spoon up in it.”

Joanna s******ed.

“Yeah, you look like you need it.”

“Thanks.”

Following her sister further in through the house to the kitchen to prepare the necessities, Ravyn smirked. “Is that your way of telling me that I look like shit?”

“No, but you do look tired. Been getting enough sleep have you?”

The sound of the spoon chiming against the mugs a few minutes later rang amid the sleepy serenity of the kitchen. The sun was out, as it always was of late, struggling through periods of heavy cloud and biting winds that signified a change of season fast approaching. Inside the next room the television was playing. The news was on, or maybe it was a talk show, the sound of conversation lulled some false of life amid an otherwise still and silent house. Passing a steaming mug to her sister who had settled at the kitchen table Joanna smiled back over the rim of her mug as Ravyn quietly thanked her.

“Sleep? What’s that?”

Blowing at the steam Ravyn sipped it and clasped it between her hands as if the hot sting alone would rouse more life into her by sheer contact.

“Must be something only the rich and the famous get. The rest of us have to actually work for a living.”

“And how are things at The Times? Busy I’d imagine. Always enough going on in this city to keep all of you busy forever.”

“It’s alright,” Ravyn groaned around an obvious headache. “It’s just this story I’ve been working on lately. It’s driving me crazy. You know the one about Jammer and… what happened to Rob’s partner and all…”

“Phoenix. I thought they’d solved all that?” Joanna asked blankly as she set herself down at the table as well. “I wouldn’t think there’d be much to write about at all.”

“Well that’s just the thing sis, I seem to be the only one out there writing about it. I mean, Vince keeps telling me to drop it, it’s over you know, but I don’t think it is. It’s frustrating the hell out of me.”

“Did they end up catching the guys who murdered Phoenix and his family? They did didn’t they? I thought someone said they had someone in custody.”

“I’d doubt it,” Ravyn murmured around her mug disdainfully. “Not if this MS had something to do with it.”

“MS? You mean that guy on the news the other day?” Joanna cocked her brow and thought about it. “I don’t get it, what’s he supposed to have done that’s so terrible this guy? I thought he was just some… small time club owner or something… Wasn’t he in trouble for picking up some hooker that ended up dead or something?”

“If only.”

Nursing her face in her hands Ravyn shook her head with a groan. Peering over the top of her fingers she huffed out a deep breath and pulled herself upright in her chair. The wood creaked. Joanna waited.

“I don’t even know where to start.”

“Do I really want to know the whole story?”

“Probably not sis. I mean… the things this guy has supposed to have done… if you’d seen the pictures like I have you wouldn’t be sleeping much either.”

“Sounds like a charming guy.”

“You have no idea,” Ravyn warned.

Joanna smirked at her playfully.

“What?”

“You losing sleep over some guy. It’s about damn time.”

“I didn’t mean it in that kind of way,” Ravyn groaned, rolling her eyes at her sister’s sarcasm. Joanna’s smile broadened around the rim of her mug. “I meant research-”

“Uh hu.”

“It’s like I’m the only one who can see what’s going on here and no one wants to take me seriously. Vince keeps telling me I’m wasting my time, and his, and he keeps giving me all these other stories to write that are just… I mean, Jesus! Jammer dies and it’s like no one gives a shit that she was someone’s daughter, someone’s mother, she was a person you know? And this whole thing with Phoenix… I know the cops say they’re handling it sis but really I don’t think they are. They don’t care. It’s a smoke screen to hide the truth and that’s what. They think by putting all the blame on him and pushing it aside that people will forget about it. Everyone already pretty much has, except for me. Life goes on and everyone’s happy go lucky not giving two shits about finding out about the truth, about what really happened that night. Mike’s involved and I know he is. I just know if I dig deep enough I’ll find something.”

“Like what?”

“Something! Anything! Jesus sis, the man’s fucking dangerous and people are talking about him like he’s just another nobody on the street.”

Ravyn groaned again, sensing by Joanna’s compliant silence that she had long since lost her sister’s full attentions and was fighting an uphill battle to try and regain them. She covered her eyes, stifling a yawn, pushing out her mounting venom along with it. When she spoke again her tone was much quieter and almost apologetic as she went on to explain herself.

“This trial of his, this thing about him supposedly being linked to corruption within the police department, it won’t see the light of day sis. They won’t catch him because they don’t want to catch him. He just happens to be more proficient at their job then they are, that’s all. They’re just pissed about it. They’re not stopping to think that one man having that much power is just as bad if not worse than the hundreds they say he’s taking off the streets. Mark my words somehow, someone will stop it with another bullshit cover up and the man will get off scot-free. Makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about it…”

Joanna sat silent sipping her coffee and letting her gaze wander the room with her chin propped up on her fist considerately. Eventually she sighed.

“You know what I think? I think it’s time you got a boyfriend.”

Rolling her head back Ravyn covered her eyes again exasperatedly.

“I’m serious,” Joanna intoned. She reached out and nursed her sister’s forearm in a universal gesture of sympathy. “You spend all your time at work and you never get out of the house anymore. You haven’t been sleeping, and look at you my sweet, you look exhausted-”

“I’m fine.”

“But you haven’t been on a date since… well since before your divorce from Rob.”

Ravyn nodded with her lips pursed up into a bittersweet grimace. Thanks for reminding me, it said.

“I know I sound like I’m nagging but I’m just worried about you. All you do all day is sit in front of that computer of yours and write. It can’t be healthy. And it’s no solution to being on your own either. You keep working like this and you’re job will end up killing you. I mean it.”

“Thanks. But I’m fine, seriously.”

“All this talk about conspiracy and murder and all that, it can’t be good for you my sweet.” Joanna bit her lip and wrestled with her thoughts a moment. “Why don’t you stay here a couple of nights and just let go of all that stuff for a while? Take a few days off and relax. It’s been so long since we actually sat down and had a conversation together, and all you can talk about is this Mike guy. Sis, seriously… you’re starting to sound obsessed.”

“I’m not obsessed sis, I’m just… wary.”

“Well you need to start being aware of other things in your life too besides work. You’ll have a niece here soon enough that will want to get to know you too, you can’t be off chasing this… Mike forever. Let someone else deal with it for a while, please? The story’s not going anywhere, but I won’t be pregnant forever. Please, for us, for me? I need you too you know.”

Joanna sat nursing her stomach maternally with her face a strange mix of fear and determination. The look she was giving her sister only softened when Ravyn complied with a dubious nod. Leaning forward in her seat Ravyn leant a hand out to tentatively touch the warm blue material of Joanna’s Singlet top with a growing smile. Soon she was grinning.

“I still can’t believe there’s a little life growing inside there,” she whispered with awe.

Joanna’s face was radiant now as they shared that same excitable and exuberant expression, both with watery eyes and big unstoppable grins respectively dominating their faces.

“I know neither can I. It’s amazing isn’t it? We’re finally going to be parents.”

“Yeah.”

When Ravyn pulled back eventually an awkward silence had settled over the kitchen. The newscaster was the only one speaking amid the sleepy suburban silence. Ravyn’s eyes had wandered away to the photographs tacked to the refrigerator door and Joanna’s followed.

“How’s Rob taking it?”

“Good… yeah… he’s excited.”

“Excited?” Ravyn smirked back wryly. “We are talking about the same guy here right?”

Together they chuckled. The sound evaporated what had threatened to be a painfully awkward moment. Looking out the window, at the familiar yard with it’s green lawns and bare trees and the sun struggling to break through a cloud-choked sky Ravyn sighed, letting her shoulders sink with it. Somewhere outside birds were singing. Winter was coming. It was clear by the distant look on her face, made worse by her ashen complexion and bloodshot eyes that memories had descended upon her. Twisting the silver band on her finger Joanna drew in a deep breath and smiled. Though they had long since settled their grievances over Rob and Ravyn’s divorce the emotional scars still lingered, their pleasant smiles and words masking the guilt, pain and responsibility that went along with what had happened and for every possibility and hope now that would go unrealised because of it. Meeting her sister’s eyes she was relieved to find Ravyn smiling back too.

“Are you happy?” Joanna asked her.

Ravyn nodded. “Yeah,” she said. Despite the fact she looked physically spent she sincerely seemed to mean it.

Clasping her sister’s hand again Joanna gave it a gentle squeeze before she realised she was weeping. She apologized with a small chuckle and dabbed at the corners of her eyes.

“I’m sorry… must be these damn hormones,” she joked as she sniffled. “And I was so emotional before this baby…”

Ravyn nodded as if she understood but her red eyes were wandering away again back out the kitchen window. A wind had picked up and was shaking the branches of the trees outside, the silent dance of nature with an almost ominous rhythm. Across from her Joanna had set her mug down and mentioned something about an ultrasound picture she had forgotten to show her. She was up and out of the room in search of it before Ravyn could respond to her. Listening to her sister’s footsteps hurry away down the hall accompanied by the low drone of the television set, Ravyn sighed and drained the last of her mug rubbing at her eye socket with the heel of her fist brusquely. Laying a hand across her stomach she stifled a teary sigh of her own. Outside the branches shook like long bony fingers against the darkening sky. A feeling of trepidation nagged away at Ravyn’s subconscious. Something terrible was coming - she just didn’t know what it was yet.