Breaking Protocol, page 13
“Seriously? Did you just refer to yourself as a professional? A professional what exactly? The only professionals that I’m aware of in the sex industry are prostitutes or porn stars, and quite frankly, judging by some of the pics you sent – you might be working your way into porn.” That comment elicited a violent intake of breath and a death glare from Mandi. “Look, we’re getting off topic… Don’t you remember us together? We actually hated one another.”
“Yeah but the sex…” she started.
“…The sex is not everything,” Alex cut her off. “And while sex is entertaining, I’d much rather have it with someone I actually care for… and I know that deep down, you do too.”
“Again. FUUUUUCK YOU ALEX. I’ll see you when you’re done with your new toy.”
“Again. You have all the toys in the world in your little gadget chest – go nuts with them,” Alex said, immediately regretting it.
Mandi’s lower lip quivered, tears formed in her eyes, and turned on her heel, stomping back toward the store.
Okay… Now I’m a complete asshole. Why did I say that?
Alex looked towards the car, expecting to see Kara in it. Instead, Kara was leaning against the car, arms crossed, and had clearly overheard that entire interaction.
Greeeeaaaat…
As Alex pulled the car out of the parking lot, Kara remained silent but was completely turned towards her in the vehicle, waiting for an explanation.
“Look, I’m sure that you would looooove an explanation of what just happened, but I really… I don’t have one,” Alex said, not turning to look at Kara. “Mandi is a crazed ex who I happen to accidentally have a one night thing with a week or so ago.”
Alex stole a look at Kara who did not look amused.
“And by that, I mean, I was drunk… we used to have a relationship… Somehow I made it back to her place… and I’m pretty sure we had sex.”
“You’re pretty sure? But you’re not certain?”
“When I said I was drunk, I mean, I woke up freaked out because I didn’t remember making my way back to her house. I did wake up without any clothes on, but it wasn’t like I went out of my way to be with her. We have been broken up for more than a year.”
Kara let out a sigh, held up her hands and said, “Okay.” Then she asked, “Where are we going to stay the night?”
Hot and cold, cold and hot… I’m still in trouble.
“I thought we’d stay at a hotel where they accept cash without a credit card for deposit – just in case our well-connected friend has anyone checking on our cards for our location.”
“Are the sheets going to be clean?” Kara mused.
“About as clean as they were at the last hotel.”
“Oh goody.”
Not a Creature Was Stirring
Fifteen minutes later Alex and Kara had checked into yet another seedy motel.
“This motel is definitely NOT as nice as the last one in West-Bumfuck. How do you even know about this place?” Kara asked uncovering the beds to make sure there were no stains or bugs.
“Uhhh…” Alex rubbed the back of her neck, “Honestly? There was a murder-suicide here.” Kara’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. Alex patted the air between them. “Calm down. It was a spat between a married couple, it’s not like someone broke in and started killing everyone.” Kara eyed Alex skeptically, so she added, “Besides, we are on the second floor, the motel is practically empty, and I’m going to be in alert mode all night for cars pulling into the lot.”
“I have a feeling neither one of us is going to get a lot of sleep tonight,” Kara said warily.
“Why don’t you go grab a shower – I checked it, the towels are clean and if you don’t look at the drain…it seems pretty clean. I’ll keep watch out here, but I don’t think anyone knows where we are.”
Kara stared at Alex for a minute, her dark eyes unreadable.
She hates me. I know it… fucking Mandi.
Kara walked over to Alex, gave her a twenty second hug and a kiss on the cheek and said, “Stop worrying that I hate you or that I’m mad… or whatever. You’re better than that… and I think you know I’m above that kind of petty emotion.”
Alex squeezed her back and then let go of her quickly, “Go on... it’s really late and tomorrow is going to be another hellish day.”
After both had taken showers, Alex chose the bed closest to the window so she could hear when cars pulled into the lot.
“Seriously? You’re going to sleep all the way over there?” Kara asked eyebrows raised.
Alex looked wide-eyed at Kara. “Well, I need to be able to hear the cars pull into the lot. Also, you distract the shit outta me, how am I supposed to concentrate on noises outside when sexy, barely clothed Kara is in bed next to me?”
Kara squinted at Alex, screwed up her mouth as if mulling over Alex’s explanation. After a moment she replied, “So, what you’re saying is that I’m so distracting that you would be unable to properly protect us if I were to slip into the bed next to you?”
Alex swallowed hard. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying.”
“Oh detective, but I would feel so much safer if I was sleeping next to you. The heat from your body makes me feel calm, and the steadiness of your breathing covers me with a blanket of safety. So, I’m going to make life hard on you,” Kara said slipping out of her bed and wiggling into Alex’s.
Oh, I’m going to make life hard on you too then…
Alex pulled Kara in close. They were eye to eye, nose to nose, breast to breast, pelvis to pelvis. Alex looked deeply into Kara’s eyes, kissed her on the tip of her nose, and said, “Well, goodnight then.” And with that, flipped over and turned the lights off.
Kara laughed heartily and threw her arm around Alex’s waist.
“Seems perfectly perfect to me,” Kara whispered into Alex’s ear.
Alex stayed awake, listening to the sounds of the motel, the deepness of Kara’s breathing, and the faint sound of the freeway nearby.
Not a creature was stirring… Not even a mouse… But maybe a cockroach.
Beer For Breakfast?
Morning came too quickly for Alex. She had stayed up half the night listening for anything that went bump in the night, and then when she did finally fall asleep she woke at the smallest sound or change in air pressure. As expected, no one else had checked into the crap motel they were staying in. It was just them and three other cars all night.
Alex propped herself into a slightly slumped sitting position against the wall where the headboard of the bed should be and looked down at Kara.
Man, what a fucked up week. There’s the Mandi thing… then Kara… then poor Bret… and that fucking Dick-Dick. Now we have to confront the Dick-Dick issue and I have to convince my homophobic captain that I am not a complete fuckup. Is it wrong to crave a beer for breakfast?
Alex chuckled to herself, and Kara turned over, squinted at Alex out of one eye and said, “What’s so funny?”
“I was just wondering how much shit people have to go through in order for them to feel like they should take up alcoholism as a coping mechanism… and wondering if we’d officially made it to that level of fucked.” Alex smiled at Kara who stretched languidly. “Of course, life isn’t all that bad, I did meet you.” Alex said, petting Kara with her eyes.
“Now-now detective, you are supposed to get into full cop mode today… looking at me like that will only bring you trouble.”
“Yeah, but I like your kind of trouble”
“Oh, really? You’re going to have to be more specific…” Kara reached up and pulled Alex down toward her.
“I think if I get too specific… I’ll be breaking that whole integrity clause that I assigned myself to last night.” Alex said looking Kara up and down and allowing her hand to follow her eyes.
Kara sucked in her breath hard as Alex’s hand gently passed over her middle. “See, now you make any other noises like that and integrity and self-awareness just go out the window.”
“Well, then… you better keep your integrity soaked hands off me until you’re ready to do something about this situation that we’ve found ourselves in,” Kara said with an eyebrow raised.
“Hey now, I wasn’t the one that crawled into your bed.”
“No, but you were the one that just made me all hot and bothered by barely touching me.”
Alex growled and jumped off the bed. “You’re right. I’m going to take a quick shower and head over to the station. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to come with me – you know, extenuating circumstances and all that. But I also don’t feel good about leaving you here.” Alex rubbed her hand over her hair in frustration.
Kara smiled at her. “What?” Alex asked.
“You do that when you’re frustrated… rub at your head and scruff up your hair… I find it, amusing. It’s almost like you’re trying to rub an answer out of your head,” Kara teased Alex who smiled at her.
“Well, maybe I am…”
“I’ll be fine. I won’t leave this room. I mean, no one even knows we’re in town. And even if they did, no one would expect me to be staying in a place like this.”
“Yeah… but they’re gonna know I’m in town when I walk into the precinct.”
“Right, but who would think that we would spend a night in this lovely establishment?”
“That’s true.” Alex put her hands on her hips and stared hard at Kara, “Have you ever fired a gun before?”
Kara shook her head no. Alex stalked back across the room to the window and opened the drawer next to the bed.
“Well, let’s give you a crash course. I’m going to leave you with my back-up gun and if anyone tries to come in here that isn’t me, I want you to shoot ‘em.”
After showing Kara the basics of readying and firing the gun, she hopped in the shower, grabbed some coffee and was on her way to the station.
This is going to be a clusterfuck… I can feel it already.
Wish In One Hand
Alex knocked on the door of the captain’s office thinking about how they had left things. She had gotten her ass severely chewed and was technically on leave without pay.
Fuck me – I hope I don’t lose my job over this… I should’ve reported everything that happened. The captain is going to CHEW. MY. ASS….
“Come in,” she heard through the door.
Alex entered the room to find the captain watching a his television screen, back mostly turned toward the door. “Gentry,” Captain Delaney said thinking he was speaking to another officer, “I want you to see if we can get our techies to make this guy’s face more well-defined, the whole thing is too pixelated for us to send out....” The captain stopped talking mid-sentence as he turned to see Alex standing in front of his desk. “Well, this is unexpected,” he said sourly.
“Yeah, I’m aware I’m not really supposed to be here right now…” Alex started with her hands held in the air.
“That’s right. You’re on leave. Without pay. When my ass gets chewed, yours gets chewed and spat out…” The captain stopped talking after seeing that she clearly didn’t come to fight. “So, what the fuck are you doing here Connolly?”
“Well, Cap… I’ve got some news.”
“Good or bad? We’re chock full of bad at the moment.” The captain tossed a toothpick into his mouth, flipped it into the left side of his mouth, and started chewing on it
“Sir, this is worse than whatever else you’ve got going right now…this is hemorrhoid inducing news.”
Delaney’s chewing increased in speed and then he ripped his toothpick out of his mouth and pointed it at Alex, “Spill it,” he demanded. “Spit it out. I’ll give you 2 minutes and if it seems less ugly than the crap we’ve already got, I’m going to ignore it and fire you for disobeying my orders.”
“Fine, but I need your computer. And I’m not going to talk at all, I’m only going to play an audio clip and then I’ll show you an article.” Alex pulled out one of the new USBs that she and Kara had purchased.
The captain popped his toothpick back into his mouth, looking very unimpressed, and pointed at his computer. “Go for it, Ace.”
Fucking homophobic prick. I’d like to take that toothpick and shove it up your left nostril.
The captain impatiently chewed on his toothpick, grunted, and drummed his fingers as Alex fiddled with the laptop. She got the USB inserted, the volume up, and then hit the play button on the first audio clip she and Kara had listened to.
Ten seconds into the audio the drumming, chewing, and snarking had ceased. The captain seemed to have stopped breathing. And when the audio finished playing he pulled the toothpick from his mouth.
“Okay, what the fuck did I just listen to and where did you get it?”
“Sir, that was Mr. Yazzie, the victim from my most recent case, and Senator Dick Johnson discussing how they were going to screw over our state by faking environmental reports and then fuck over the country by doing the same thing once Johnson gets elected.” Alex explained, “Not to mention, the payoffs, the fact that Yazzie is now dead, AND then there’s also this…”
Alex clicked a few buttons and opened the newspaper screenshot about the Scientech employee who recently committed suicide and pointed the computer back at the captain so that he could read through the article.
“Goddamnit,” the captain rolled his eyes into the back of his head and threw his hands up in the air. “Well, you’ve really done it now. You have officially brought down the worst shitstorm I’ve seen in years.”
“Yes sir, I’m aware. I’m also aware that Yazzie made these audio recordings, took screenshots of everything, and then ended up in the morgue. Not to mention the fact that a couple of Johnson’s goons have been chasing Kara Yazzie around the city trying to get this USB back before she figured out that the Environmental Impact Statements were total horseshit. AND I think Mr. Yazzie may have been blackmailing the senator with these audio clips. Of course, there’s no way to be sure without getting a subpoena for his email and phone records both at his home and office. Plus, having a peek at any recent bank transfers would be useful as well.”
The blood that had been in the captains face had drained out and he looked pale and sweaty.
Yep… this is the ultimate shitstorm… but you are going to do the right thing… and we are going to take down the Dick-Dick. Buckle Up Cap’!
“I would also like to go on record regarding an attack that happened a few nights ago. Senator Johnson had a few guys jump me and Kara in a parking garage.”
The captain’s head refilled with blood, his face turned a violent red, almost purple color. “What?!”
“Well, she brought me some evidence about these environmental reports, telling me that they seemed fishy since they were too perfect and we were jumped in a parking garage. I know, it wasn’t a good idea NOT to report it. But I’m reporting it now. Also, Kara’s apartment has been completely torn apart, most likely by the same men. They attempted to take us out in the apartment building…”
Delaney’s eyeballs filled with rage, “YOU… FUCKING… WHY DIDN’T YOU REPORT THIS?!”
“SIR! I tried to report this!!” Alex yelled back. “You called me and before I was able to tell you what was going on you chewed my ass … up one side and down the other… and then threatened to fire me! I figured the only way to get your attention was to bring you tangible evidence.”
Alex pulled out the USB drive from the laptop and slapped it on the center of his desk.
“Well, there you go. It’s practically giftwrapped.”
The captain stood up, leaned towards Alex, put both his palms on the desk and roared, “Watch how you speak to your superior officer, Ace! You’ve fucked up so much…. I don’t even know what to do with this information.”
Alex took a deep breath and said more calmly, “I’ve fucked up… True – I have. But we can’t just sit on the sidelines on this one. We’re talking fraud, murder, fraud again, and murder again! Not to mention attempted murder, battery, and breaking and entering. This guy sounds and acts like a fucking mob boss and no one has done DICK to Dick. So what are we going to do about it?” Alex had matched her boss’s body language – she was leaning on his desk, practically panting in an effort to remain civil.
Alex pushed off the desk, put her hands up in the air, and said more calmly, “Let’s do something. This is a career maker for you – let’s open the floodgates of fuckery and bury this asshole.”
The captain slumped back in his chair and chewed thoughtfully on his toothpick, rolling it from one corner of his mouth to the other. “Fuck.”
Oh yeah, you’re just seeing it now. The unbelievable fuckfest of it all and then the accolades that will inevitably follow…
He rubbed his face as if trying to wake himself up from a horrible nightmare only to look around and see that Alex was still standing before him. He let out a long breath of air, squeezed his eyes shut, and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“FUUUUUUUUCK,” He moaned. “This is going to be a total shitshow. The commissioner goes golfing with this guy weekly for fuck’s sake. I’ve even been to a few of his events. Why the fuck did this have to land on me?”
Alex took a seat in one of the chairs opposite his desk, “Yeah, I’ve been trying to figure out how we make sure this doesn’t come back to bite us in the ass.”
“Well, that’s why you’re only a detective and I’m your boss. WE are going to do what the FBI tells us to do on this. Quite frankly, I don’t really wanna touch this damn thing with a ten foot pole. Being the enemy of one of the most powerful men in the country, let alone our state, isn’t exactly on my to-do list.”
“You think the FBI is the way to go?” Alex asked, running the FBI scenario in her head.
