Breaking Protocol, page 18
The senator backhanded Alex across the cheekbone with the gun and she fell to the floor on her hands and knees. He grabbed her left arm, pushed his gun to her hand, and pulled the trigger. Everything happened so quickly, for a brief moment Alex thought that the gun had misfired, but then the fiery pain and smell of burning flesh and blood pierced through her momentary adrenaline rush.
“FUUUUUUUUCK!!!!! You sonofabitch!!!!! What the fuck?!?!” Alex was on her knees cradling her now holey left hand in her right like a baby. She drooled uncontrollably for several seconds and wretched involuntarily. Tears burned in her eyes behind her pinched lids. She took several deep breaths to clear her head until she could focus on something other than the agony that was her left hand.
Alex opened her eyes and stared at the senator. He had gone from looking like a very stately and distinguished human to a lizard. A walking, talking, lizard. To her, he looked like something that would snap off your hand for the cricket you were holding and not think twice about it. Her face felt tingly, almost like she was going to pass out, so she took a few deep breaths to try to calm herself and block out the pain.
Not good. Not good. What to do? Bluff… I gotta bluff… uhhh… uhhhh… Got it!
“Senator, I’m going to be really frank with you. I value my body parts, even if my egging on of Vince down there didn’t really prove that to you. I don’t want to be kicked, punched, or shot anymore than I already have been. So, lemme just break it down for you. Kara’s not in the panic room. She’s not even at the camp. We split up, I sent her away before you all got here.”
“Bullshit. You are just trying to save your own hide for another few moments before I poke more holes into it. Kara’s behind this wall, I know it! You wouldn’t have let her leave your sight, I read your psychological profile after speaking with the commissioner about our little run-in at the restaurant. Extreme sense of duty. Takes on more responsibility than most. Quick to defend the defenseless. Great qualities, but you’re lying out your ass right now.” He stalked menacingly toward Alex, gritting his teeth in a crazy smile.
“No, seriously, she’s not there.” She held up her left hand and looked at him piteously, “Why the hell would I lie to you now?”
Fuck! What else can I say? Point the gun anywhere else other than my head, please.
“Then open the fucking door. Push the magical button to prove that the panic room is empty,” he challenged.
Alex nodded, knowing she was defeated, but turned as if it was no big deal to push the button in the desk.
This is going to accomplish nothing… stall him. Distract him. Throw something at him!
“PUSH IT ALREADY!!” He shouted and fired off another shot into the floor causing Alex to jump again, “NOW!!”
Alex looked over her shoulder at the senator for brief moment, turned back towards the desk, and pushed the trigger to open the panic room door. She immediately cradled her left hand again and hoped he wouldn’t shoot her right, since that was the only one she had left to beat him with.
To their mutual surprise, the door slid open, revealing a completely empty room. Alex swung around to look at the senator, eyebrows pinched in confusion, mouth agape, right arm cradling the left.
“Well, what good are you to me now? Don’t worry, you’ll be seeing Kara soon enough.” The senator raised his gun and smiled wildly at her. Just as she began to lunge away from the certain onslaught of bullets – Alex saw movement behind him in the doorway to the master bedroom.
The bullet barked out of the gun and its impact threw her into the wall. Her eyes were wide with horror, shock, and disbelief as her body crumpled and slid slowly to the floor. A second, third, fourth, and fifth shot rang out – then there was nothing but the smell of blood and gun powder, and the faint sound of whispers and whimpers.
Give Me The Good Drugs
The woman with the clipboard was the first thing that Alex saw when she woke up. She looked to be about 45 years old, dark brown skin, thick glasses, and ruby red lipstick.
“Ah-haaaaaa… Well, now. ‘Bout time you decided to join the livin’,” she said in a honey-coated, southern accent.
“Wha-,” Alex started.
“Whatchu doin’ here? Guuuuurl, you got shot. And beat. And then shot again. Not necessarily in that order. You jes’ lucky to be alive,” she said, smiling and showing off extremely straight, white teeth.
“Kara?” Alex asked, suddenly remembering what the hell happened and trying to sit up.
“Sit ya’ass down!” the woman ordered. “Jes’ gimme a minute and I’ll let everyone know you’re awake.”
Alex nodded slightly, though the movement sent pain shooting through every nerve ending. She waited as patiently as she could while the woman studied the flashing screens. She counted the seconds ticking by on the wall clock across the room as she waited for this woman’s ‘minute’ to be over.
Then Alex started to go over what she had just lived through. The screaming. The punching. The jugular piercing. The shooting. Alex looked down at her left hand and groaned. Simultaneously, she realized she couldn’t see out of her left eye, it was swollen shut.
“Uhhh, not to be the vainest person in the world, but do you think I could trouble you for a mirror at some point?” Alex said with a strange mumbliness to her voice.
“Oh honey, ain’t nobody need to see one’ssef in this condition. Trust me,” she said, with a bluntness that didn’t boost Alex’s spirits. “Also, you need to remain calm, you’ve had two surgeries and all this talkin’ is jes’ gonna hurt the healing process to your face.”
“My face?” Her face did feel weirdly fat. She remembered getting wacked in it a few times, but it didn’t feel too bad.
“Yeah baby, dat bad azz muthafucken senator done cracked yo’ cheekbone, and done shot up yo’ hand and yo’ shoulder. Hell, when you came in, we thought he done shot yo’ face off – you was covered in so much blood. Course, come to find out it ain’t yo’ blood. Lucky fo’ you, we had Dr. Bennett on last night, he was werkin’ the ER. He is a stellar plastic surgeon – he got yo’ face all tidied up nice. Though, yo’ hand is gonna be fecked up fo’ some time. Mmmmhmmmm.”
“Sorry, who are you?” Alex mumbled.
“Oh, sheeeeet, gurl, I’m yo’ personal nurse, jes’ call me Minnie. Mizz Yazzie made all the arrangements. You also got yo’self a private room.”
Mizz Yazzie. Kara. Kara is okay. What the fuck is going on?
“Minnie, are we in New Hampshire or New Orleans?”
“Did you git hit in the head that hard? We in New Hampshire, but I’m from Shreveport, good ear!” Minnie gave her another bright and wide smile and then excused herself from the room, promising to bring back the doctor.
Five minutes later, the doctor was poking and prodding Alex gently. The doctor asked the nurse to up the dosage of pain medication immediately. Once the drug was administered, Alex couldn’t remain focused. She saw a few faceless shapes float in and out of her room. The last thing she remembered saying before falling asleep was, “Damn, these are some good ass drugs.”
Finally – It Has Happened To Me
When Alex woke up from her drug-induced slumber, she was pleasantly surprised. In the chair next to her bed was her partner, Bret. He had his injured leg up on one visitor’s chair and was slumped into the other watching some nature show.
When he realized that Alex had woken up, he smiled widely and said, “About time you came to, been here bored outta my mind waiting on you!” He clicked the television off and straightened up a bit.
“You’re outta the hospital, already?!” Alex cried out.
“That’s right, health insurance these days. Apparently, only one half of our partnership can be in the hospital at a time,” he joked with a wink. “Plus, I’m pretty sure those nurses were sick and tired of helping me to the bathroom, I’m not the easiest of patients.”
“I can’t imagine,” Alex said, winking back, though it’s effect was lost on Bret because Alex’s other eye was still swollen shut. “Where’s Kara?”
Bret shifted in his chair slightly, “I spoke with the captain,” he started.
That low life sonofabitch isn’t in jail?!?!?!?!
“Now, before you get yourself into a tizzy – and judging by the color of your neck, you’re three quarters of the way there – he’s not dirty. And he told me what you said to him,” Bret laughed. “In fact, he called me maybe two minutes after getting reamed out by you to give me an update on your situation. FYI – the man did call the FBI. That motherfuckin’ dirty agent, Trent, was the one that took the call and as soon as he heard that the senator was involved, he sent a group of men to that shithole you and Kara were staying in.” Bret continued, “I still can’t believe you took her there. What the hell?! Couldn’t think of a nicer place?”
Alex shot him a glare with her good eye and he patted at the air around his chair, letting out a cackle of laughter.
“Fuuuuuuuck! I said some pretty heinous shit to him.”
“Yeah, but don’t worry, you still have your job. In fact, before I came to visit you, the captain told me that he is actively advocating for you to receive some sorta medal or something. I think it’s total horseshit though. You get your panties in a twist over some lady and get a medal for it?” Bret teased.
“Bret, if you don’t tell me where Kara is I’m going to beat you with my IV pole,” Alex promised him.
“I’m getting to it, just remain calm.”
“Well, man, get there quicker.”
“Kara is in police custody,” Bret said expressionlessly.
“Wha–” Alex started.
“Just lemme explain. You texted me. I called 911. You also called 911. Good thinking on leaving that phone line open the way you did. It’s definitely going to help,” Alex raised her eyebrow and her eye widened.
“Keep calm, my friend. So, police vehicles and other emergency personnel were dispatched when I called, but they didn’t make it there in time to ‘save the day’,” he explained. “When they arrived, you were lying bleeding on the floor, the senator had been shot to death, and only Kara remained unscathed.” Alex must have looked mystified because he continued with, “Yeah, so the thing is, is that Kara shot the senator. Many times. In the back.”
“Daaaaaamn. I thought that the police had shown up. So, she’s in custody? Where is she being held? Why is she being held? Has she been charged with anything? They have all the evidence, why are they holding her?”
“Shit Alex, that was a lotta questions. Let’s take it from a third party perspective – she shot a sitting senator. In the back. Multiple times. No matter what, there has to be an investigation.” Seeing that Alex was about to protest and interrupt, he held up his hand and shook his head, “Nope. Don’t even. Just listen for a minute. The evidence is going to support everything that happened. Christ, you got him on the 911 recording threatening your life and limbs. Plus, his gun is going to have plugged you in the hand and the shoulder, and with the recording – there’s no way she’s getting charged. The senator is going to be held accountable for being a sociopathic murderer and Kara is going to be a hero for saving the life of a cop. You just gotta give it more than 24 hours.”
“Has it only been 24 hours?!” Alex asked in disbelief.
“Hell yeah, I’d barely been released from the hospital and you go and get yourself all shot up and shit. Then I had to sit in a car with this bum leg while Carla drove up here. Do you have any idea what it’s like riding with that woman? She is a terror behind the wheel!”
“If you think your wife is a bad driver, try sitting in the passenger seat while you’re behind the wheel. One of these days I’m going to have a passenger brake installed,” Alex joked.
Bret laughed. He waited a few beats and said with less humor, “I’m glad you made it.”
Alex understood the seriousness of his tone, but wanted to keep it light. She gave him a side-eye and said, “Yeah, but mostly because you don’t want to be partnered up with Holder, right?”
“How well you know me,” Bret said with a wink. “The captain has actually sent me up here to come check on you, but to also act as a BPD liaison. I get to show these country bumpkins what real policing is about.”
“Ha! Just show them a picture of your desk,” Alex suggested.
For the rest of the day, Bret stayed with Alex. Carla came in at one point to bring everyone lunch and visit. The visitors helped Alex remain calm, but the entire time she couldn’t help thinking of Kara being held in a cell or being questioned in an interrogation room.
Right before Bret and Carla left, Alex asked him for a favor, “Can you tell Kara…” Alex started but couldn’t think of the words she wanted to use.
“Yeah, partner, I’ll tell her,” answered Bret without needing to hear what she wanted him to say. “You got it bad,” he joked.
Alex just stared up at him and said, “Yeah, yeah I do.”
Bret shook his fist in the air and mock shouted to the gods, “Finally!”
This Just In
“Hey Minnie, what day is it and have you heard from Kara?” Alex asked her nurse, who had been avoiding the Kara subject every time Alex woke up.
“Shush now. What I say about keepin’ yo’ trap shut for yo’ face healin’?” Minnie smiled at her and shuffled out of the hospital room.
And Bret thought he was a lousy patient. I have no patience for being a patient. I want my freedom – give me my freedom!
Alex decided to give thinking and talking a rest since she clearly wasn’t going to get anywhere with Minnie and judging by the drugs she was on, she wasn’t going anywhere, anytime soon.
She flicked the television on and switched it over to her preferred news channel. She wanted to see what was being said about the newly retired senator.
And this just in…
****** BREAKING NEWS ******
The bushy-haired anchor started talking split screen to a slightly less bushy-haired reporter.
“Reporter on the scene Dewey Meadows has just learned that the heiress and new head of Symbio-Labs, Kara Yazzie, has been released from New Hampshire police custody. No charges being filed.”
“That’s right Karen, we haven’t heard anything from Mizz Yazzie yet, but we are expecting to hear from her legal representation momentarily.”
A dapper, bald man came on the television. He was standing in front of a podium covered in microphones.
“I’m Mizz Yazzie’s attorney. She has undergone questioning by the police, the FBI, and the DA’s office. We are also expecting her to be called to testify in front of the State Congress on a related matter in the near future. At this time, Mizz Yazzie would like to make a statement.”
The dapper lawyer left the podium to make room for…
KARA!
Alex opened her one good eye as widely as she could, determined not to miss a single moment that Kara was at that the podium.
“Good Afternoon. I want to thank you all for showing your support. My family has been through a serious ordeal over the last two weeks. And without the support of this city, the police department, and the FBI, we wouldn’t have faired as well as we have. I would like to add a special thank you to Detective Alex Connolly. I owe my life to her heroics, and hope that she recovers quickly from the injuries sustained in this week’s insanity.”
Kara wiped away tears that had fallen onto her cheek and continued.
“At this time, I am going to request that the members of the press respect my family’s privacy as this is a time of grieving, reflection, and recovery.
Thank you for your support and understanding.”
A cacophony of questions were shouted at Kara as she stepped down from the podium and out of the camera shot. Alex shut the television off and sat in silence for a few minutes playing that scene over and over in her head.
Did they call her an heiress? And the head of Symbio-Labs?
Seriously, that’s what you’re going to focus on?
Shut up.
She said my name… That makes me feel all tingly.
Yeah… me too.
“Jeeeeezuz, now I’m having a conversation with myself in my head without a mirror. I need to get out of here. I need some sort of entertainment.” Alex depressed the red button connected to her bed, thinking it was the call button; however, the pain medication pump made its mechanical, dosing noise.
Fuuuuuck – wrong button… I want my phone. I want to call Kara. I need… .
Alex’s last thoughts before slipping into a drug induced sleep were of Kara.
Kara Cometh
Alex woke from her drug induced nap to a warm feeling in her right hand. She cracked open her good eye and saw that her hand was being covered by Kara’s.
Alex smiled widely as Kara came into focus, causing her lip to crack. She winced in pain from the crack as well as the busted cheekbone.
“Now, Minnie has been telling me what a good patient you’ve been, don’t go screwing all that healing up just on my account,” Kara winked at Alex and smiled at Minnie who was sitting in the other visitor’s chair.
“You came. You’re here. You’re in one piece!” Alex said enthusiastically.
Kara dabbed cotton on Alex’s split lip and kissed her right cheekbone. “Yes, I’m here and in one piece, because of you,” she said, squeezing Alex’s good hand.
“What the hell happened? I locked you in the panic room and then the freaking door opened. Why were you in police custody so long? Bret told me it was you who shot the senator, how the hell did that happen? And why hasn’t anyone come to question me about the whole thing?” Alex spat her questions out in rapid succession.
Kara patted the air around Alex’s bed, “Okay, calm down. I’m going to tell you everything and anything you want to know. But you need to be calm and you can’t yell…”
“Dat’s right, I’ll sedate yo’ azz,” Minnie said, getting up from her chair. “Now I’m gonna give y’all your privacy, but I hear any yellin’ I’m comin’ back in for some sedatin’.” Minnie nodded at Kara and left the room, shutting the door behind her.
