APOV
It was my second month on the force when half my department was called out on a major gang drug bust. Fuck I was so not ready for this! My brother Neil had somehow roped me into this and I am still trying to puzzle out how….he can be a crafty bastard when he wants to.
Static came over the radio then a familiar voice said "Hey Adam, hurry your butt up! We are gonna need all the help we can get on this one!"
Smiling to myself I picked up the radio "On my way…. Can't let you get all the credit Jeff, plus what if there is a scrawny little trickster… There is no way that your petite frame could handle let alone restrain a bundle of energy like that!" I teased back.
10 minutes later I found myself standing in the seediest part of downtown LA, outside a bar that looked like it should have fallen down a century ago. I held back a snort of laughter at the sight, as it was just so typical…
Stationed outside the back door… with 5 other officers…I inspected my surroundings and the potential get away routes. We had all of the sides covered… no one was going to get past us ithey ran out any of the doors. Glancing up though, a door on the roof caught my attention… nudging Jeff beside me I nodded my head in the direction of the unmarked door… a frown pulled quietly on his face. Quickly I gestured that I would go up and watch the top, to make sure no one jumped.
Quickly hauling my body up the old rusted latter, I could see that was barely attached to the building but I thought it would hold. I was 3 rungs from the top when I felt the entire latter give and start to fall… I leaped, using my arms to pull me upward and swinging my legs around, doing a handstand on the top rung of the latter before using my arms to push my body up and backwards so that I landed feet first on the roof.
I was seriously going to have to thank Sutan for all the dance lessons he had pulled me to in the last 2 years.
Steadying my adrenalin, I crouched down by the side of the door out of view, and listened for the team to start the raid. I didn't have to wait long, the front door getting smashed down made a LOT of noise… it must have been reinforced, and then people started streaming out in all directions on the ground… at my high vantage point they looked like well not ants. I was not that high… I was only 5 stories up, but that was high enough.
Watching the show…I started to think that maybe there was no reason for me to have come up here… everyone had been rounded up already and were packed into our red and blue flashing cars. Half the team went back in to collect the drugs…I thought about going through the door and joining them….When I heard the quick quiet patter of feet running up the stairs towards me.
TPOV
"Hey! Yo! TJ, you sure about this? No one has ever done something like this before, and I know that the cops have gotten wind of this little escapade…" A small fist connected powerfully with a nose which shattered under the force.
"Never…NEVER question my ways Dale! If I say this is how it's going to go down than, you had damn well not question me!" I hissed into Dale's ear, "Ohh, and that nose of yours will need plastic surgery if you want it to look like a nose ever again." I added with a sneer.
Dale just whimpered, and slunk out of the room carefully protecting his crushed nose. Fuck when was I ever going to get any respect around here? Drugs were my life; no Drugs are my only LOVE.
Half an hour later I had finally gotten everything set up the way I wanted it to be… There was no way someone was going to get out of this room with more than what they paid for. I had 4 men set up on the door 2 inside 2 out, the entire collection of different products were hidden behind bullet proof glass case… and I was the only one with a key.
People were skittish, getting in and out quickly… more worried about the potential raid than anything else, which was exactly why I let it slip to the police that there could be a major drug bust tonight at a certain downtown rundown theatre. With people jumpy, they are always looking over their shoulders and not paying attention to the fact that I might be skimping on them!
I knew the police would show up at some point…and I was ready. I have read their little handbook for these kind of situations… everyone forgets the roof in an old building. Old buildings are known for collapsing if too much weight is placed on the roof as the foundation is usually disintegrated, and the support beams are riddled with termites.
Then there is the question of how to get down. I had already inspected the ladder finding it unfit to use…but just in case I had taken out one of the anchoring screws and loosened the other. No one with a right mind would come looking for people on the roof… and if they did, well they just would not make it up here as that hopeless ladder would fall with the slightest breeze.
I heard the sirens as I was dolling out half the amount of heroin the guy had asked for…the silence in the room was like a tangible tightened wire… then everyone scattered.
For the brunt of the raid I hid in a supply closet, cops always expect you to run, so when you don't… they just pass you by. Once it quieted down I started toward the roof, but was ambushed myself by the second team… taking off I ran up the stairs, and burst out onto the roof, but my feet stuck at the threshold.
I stared at the uniformed clad man standing a few feet in front of me, and he stared back with the same shocked expression plastered onto his face. I could hear the footsteps of others on the stairs… I made a run for it!
APOV
I was so not ready when they young man got snagged on the threshold of the door…and from his face I could tell he was not expecting me either. We both heard the sharp tap of boots coming up the stairs, in an instant his expression changed to a stubborn determination and he ran forward throwing his shoulder into my chest as he barreled past me.
His shove had more strength than I was expecting and I was knocked backwards a few steps. Quickly re-evaluating this scrappy kids (for he didn't look older than 18) strength, I spun around, ran 3 steps and launched myself at him. My arms wrapped around his waist as I rolled hitting the rough roof on my back, trying to protect his head.
My breath slammed out of my lungs and he took advantage of my lack of breath to bite my forearm hard! Squealing in pain I let him go… The Mother Fucker had drawn BLOOD! "Fuck!" I swore as blood gushed down my arm making my grip slippery.
The little fucker was at the edge of the roof, the rest of the team was standing around the door in complete shock as they watched me scramble to my feet. Suddenly I was immensely happy that my mother had blessed me with horrendously long legs as I booked it over to where the kid stood…I was a few feet away when I saw him gather himself and jump!
I reached the edge and ran right off…I could hear the collective gasp from the stupid shitheads who were supposed to be helping me as I flipped around head first, grasped his ankle and pulled/ climbed up his flailing body.
This time I was ready for the impact to leave me breathless. A police car broke our fall… not thinking about the fact that I no longer had any air in my lungs, I wrapped my legs around his lower body, and pinned his arms with my own as we rolled off onto the ground.
We were a tangle of struggling limbs when the other officers ran around the corner at the sound of the crash. I am a big guy tall and solid, but the kid was scrappy and flexible with quiet the fighting spirit! Finally I trumped him my rolling over onto my stomach and pinning him under my weight.
Really looking at him for the first time, I realized he was a head shorter than me and probably half my weight. I tried to ease up and let him breath, but as soon as I did he bit my arm again. "Fuck NO!" I growled at him as I incapacitated his lungs, with the pressure of all my body weight.
Then I felt arms pulling at me, and I realized the others were there and were trying to get me off him, so that this annoying kid could be safely restrained and put in the back seat of my car. It took 5 men to hold him down and get the cuffs on. Then I had to pull him into the car from the right side as 3 other officers pushed him from the left.
Once the doors were closed he seemed to settle down… "Adam, do you know who you just caught there?" Jeff asked with amazement dripping from his voice? I just shook my head. No I didn't.
TPOV
I ran for the edge where I knew the tree was… it was a long jump but if I did it just right I knew that I could make it into the branches and escape into the ally. For good measure I plowed into the guy's chest with my shoulder as I passed, hoping that he would fall and give me more time.
Unfortunately he hardly budged, I didn't get 2 feet away before I felt his strong arms wrap around my body…we were falling forward, I braced myself for the end, as if my head hit the roof it would kill me, but everything blurred and suddenly I felt the tell-tale huff of breath as air was pushed from the lungs under me.
I took advantage and bit down on his arm till I tasted blood, then I jumped up and bolted for the edge of the roof, stopping just long enough to calculate how far I needed to go to get to the tree branches. Although now those tree branches seemed like a really, really, long way away! For the first time I was frightened… the guy's footsteps were telling me that he was closing in… I had to jump, there was no other choice.
Falling… then a deathly tight grip caught my ankle and somehow wrapped itself around my body… with the extra weight I missed the branches by a mile… I was going to die! I closed my eyes and waited for the second time that day for death to pull me under. Surprise laced through my body when my fall was cushioned by another body, but I still managed to bite something.
A deep growl caused my body to vibrate as the man under me fought out "Fuck NO!" The voice that came with the words stilled my heart. This person had instilled fear into me that my father never could. I was lost in the moment and he was able to pin my arms and legs as we rolled and fell to the ground… turns out we had landed on a cop car…. Fuck a cop and his car had saved my life…what was the world coming to?
I struggled as much as I could against him, but he used his weight to roll me onto my back and pin me down… I faked not being able to breath and he let up a little, but managed to thwart my escape plan my laying all his weight on me… now I really couldn't breathe!
Then other cops were there and they wrestled me into handcuffs. I was quite proud of the fact that it took 5 men to get the cuffs on. Then when it came to the car, the guy was back pulling me in from the opposite side, and I just didn't have the strength to fight him off…but I still did a good amount of damage to the other cops who were trying to push me in.
When the doors were finally closed and locked, I resigned myself to the fact that I had been caught…but really, it was that horrible guy with monstrous legs, and a voice so filled with 'something' that really frightened me…
I sulked the entire way to the station…not interested in the conversation I could not hear. I was more focused on how the hell I had been caught by a single guy, and the fact that I was trapped in the back of said guys car, hands tightly bound together, and every few feet he would glace back at me in the rear view mirror, with these piercing blue questioning eyes.
APOV
"Seriously?" Jeff's voice pierced the silence in the car as we waited for our turn to leave the crime scene. "You really don't know who you have in your back seat?"
I huffed out a sigh "No. Jeff I really don't. I haven't been on the force that long you know… and this is my first real assignment as no one but me thinks that giving out parking tickets is a fun thing to do."
Finally it was our turn. I had no clue why Jeff was making such a fuss… Glancing in the mirror I watched as the kid in the back squirmed around trying to find a more comfortable position. I didn't blame him; I had been in my own fair share of backseats with bullet proof glass separating me from the men in front with to tight handcuffs.
Jeff prattled along at me the entire way back to the station which was a good 20 minutes away. I just ignored him and concentrated on driving… but questions were swarming my brain and I kept steeling glances at the kid in the back.
The station was in an uproar when we got there…apparently word of my captured kid had hit the radios, as every cop in our district was gathered in the front hall and spilling into the parking lot. I got out of the car and started to head around to let the kid out… but I was swamped by people, and herded into the main interrogation room which had been set up with a laptop, projector, height chart, camera, and a finger print scanner.
Loud jeering reached my ears as the kid passed into the building and was corralled into the interrogation room, where he was roughly pushed into a hard metal chair, hands chained to the table, feet to the lug bolts holding the chair in place. I was sitting in a corner, as the chief would be handing the actual booking and questioning, but when the kid looked up and met my gaze all I saw was pure hatred in his eyes and it all was directed at me.
A cold shiver painfully inched down my spine…I had never known the wild hate, never been exposed to it before, I had thought I knew every kind of hatred, as at some point in my life I had managed to piss everyone I've ever known off. But this boiling rage coming from the small kid was completely alien and I had no idea how to handle it without getting burned.
The chief came into the room cutting off my view of the kid. Once he started to question him I zoned out… I didn't know why I had to sit here… it wasn't like I was helping at all, but the one thing I gleaned before I was completely lost to my thoughts was that the kid, was actually not a kid, but a barely legal 21year old adult.
Yelling brought me back to my senses. The kid, no adult, was slumped in the chair having a full body seizure and everyone was running around with their heads cut off. I rushed over, pulled an eye lid open, and a blood shot red eye stared unknowingly back. "Get me a needle, 10cc syringe and a bottle of liquid heroin. NOW" I roared. Two pairs of franticly shocked eyes met my steely gaze before dashing off to get what I needed.
TPOV
The station was even worse than I expected…every cop in LA must have shown up. The guy was swept away, which was fine with me… I'd rather not ever see him again… but as the jeering started my anger flared. Being slammed into the hard chair did nothing to help my ever decreasing mood.
Then I spotted the guy sitting calmly in the corner…his long legs stretched out in front, he had to be at least 6ft tall. I watched him through squinted eyes, as he picked aimlessly at his fingers the calm attitude was really getting on my nerves… when he finally looked up at me my hatred spiked and I wanted to taste his blood again.
But my death glare was interrupted by a man who obviously believed he was the cream of the milk. He introduced himself as Mark, Chief of the 29th district complete with an asshole like smile and self-important shrug which accentuated his .22 caliber proudly holstered on his belt.
I just rolled my eyes and settled in for the inevitably long torture of questions. Most of the time I just answered his questions with yes or no, which really pissed him off much to my satisfaction. Every few questions I would steel glances at the man in the corner, he seemed totally out of it… his mind was no longer in this room with us.
After about the 50th question my head started to pound. Before the raid I had spiked myself with a large dose of heroin which was my safety net… if I did not get more heroin into my system in less than 8 hours I would die from the withdrawal.
The fucker of a chief decided that the 51st question would be the best time to repeat the questions all over again. My head was feeling like a battering ram was slamming into it. At the 62nd question my vision started to swim and darkness was closing in. when the 70th question came around I was perpetually blind and my hearing was slipping. I could no longer understand what words were, and I was losing control of my limbs which were starting to twitch.
Finally I fell totally unconscious…and was left to die as my body shut down from lack of the drug it had become dependent on.
I drifted into the darkness letting my mind slip from my body…but pain flared setting every nerve in my body on fire. My muscles were not listening to me… I could not open my eyes or flail like I wanted to. I was trapped in a burning body… but then a different kind of pain registered in my cheek…I had been slapped!
Slowly I opened my eyes and was met with blindingly blue eyes enflamed with anger. The guy was crouching in front of me one hand on my upper arm slowly releasing its pressure while his other hand held a syringe with a needle poking into my arm, a bottle of liquid heroin hanging from his mouth.
Shock flittered across my face… "Why, why didn't you just let me die!" I screamed at him over and over again… as officers streamed into the room pulling me from the chair and holding me down on the floor so I couldn't hurt myself. "WHY?" I choked out as tears started flowing.
APOV
After the two of them went scrambling off, I got a better grip on the 21year old and tried to keep his head from slamming into the back/side of the chair. Mark finally came to his senses and tried to pin the seizing limbs. "NO don't do that! With this type of full body seizure you will only hurt him more by holding him down, I am only loosely keeping his head steady so that his neck does not break." I told my superior.
As I waited for the heroin, I was amazed my how the department instantly fell to pieces in a medical emergency, and how they unquestionably followed my orders…even Mark my chief and very much superior, was listening to what I was saying.
My thoughts were interrupted when the two guys crashed back into the room …slowly I shifted my position, kneeling instead of standing in front of the patient. Then I asked for the syringe and needle… they were both still thankfully in their protective sleeves. Having one pair of uncovered hands was bad enough… keeping things sterile is important.
I ripped open the syringe careful not to touch the end, then carefully opened the end of the needle and attached it to the syringe keeping the pointed end capped. Then I took the bottle of heroin, reading the potency level and guess calculating out how much to give the stupid fuck who had decided to kill himself.
Quickly shook the bottle, uncapped the needle and drew up a full 10cc's then I grabbed his right upper arm wrapping my hand entirely around his bicep cutting of the circulation. Flicking the vein with the syringe it surged to the surface and I carefully inserted the needle injecting the drug into his system.
I waited for the seizing to stop but it didn't… his body was not responding… Quickly I pulled another 10cc's. Damn this kid is hard core! The purity of the heroin was around 75% -80% and if 20cc's didn't stop this than he would die. Slowly I injected the second dose pushing 1 cc at a time waiting for some response… I had 5cc's left in the syringe when his seizure started to calm down.
"Someone slap him, his system needs to reboot, and the difference in pain will help pull him from the edge." I barked out. Mark gave the 21yr old a good hard slap that left his hand print on chalky skin.
Slowly his eyes opened as I pushed the last cc into his system. I was beyond rage when his confused unfocused eyes met my gaze. I had seen this happen way to many times to count, and I had thought that I was done with it; apparently my past had found a way to haunt me.
Then as usual the half dead shit freaked out about how he was supposed to die. At that point I just walked away…not needing all the questions about how I knew exactly what to do, to save his life… only the Chief was aware of my own blotchy scares in the crooks of my elbows. There was a reason why I always wore long sleeves even in the blistering summer LA heat.
TPOV
Once the tears stopped I became so violent that the officers could no longer hold me down. But after surviving three brink of death experiences in 4 ½ hours, I felt I had the RIGHT to be fucking pissed!
The officers called for reinforcements when I managed to escape their grasp the 2nd time and managed to make it all the way to the front doors before I was hauled backward by two burly guys. Both of who clearly spent more time in the gym than was healthy. "Where is Adam when you need him?" Some little punk swore out as I managed to connect with his sweet spot and sent him doubling over.
"Just throw him in a cell and wait for Adam to get back he's the only one who knows how this kid thinks." The same punk huffed out. Kicking, elbowing, and biting I fought with all my strength. The 7 pigs who were trying to keep me from escaping could hardly hold onto my squirming body as they half carried me to the hallway of cells.
The jangle of keys in the lock sealed my doom, as I raged against the steel bars. A few hours much have gone by before I finally calmed down enough to ask for my phone call. Which my captors flat out refused, not like I really had anyone to call anyway…but it was one of my rights that I wanted to act upon jus to remind them that I was still a person and needed to be respected.
They did thankfully grant my wish for water… my throat was raw and throbbing from all the abuse I had put it through…the silence pressed in around me and my thoughts took over. My first thought was, who the fuck was that long legged bastard who captured me and to top it off knew enough about heroin to save my life. That question made my head pound, so I started easier… making a list and then worrying over its consequences.
Petty theft, vandalism, DUI, forgery, grand theft auto, possession/dealing of illegal drugs, unregistered concealed weapon, premeditated murder, etc. The list went on… and the worst part was that in each case multiple convictions could be placed on top. That all added up to at least 3 life sentences, and I was only barely 21, most convicted felons only scratched the surface of my past deeds in their entire lives.
I am on the road to hell, like a train without breaks…full steam ahead! I did not want to be saved, I had no tolerance for others pity, and was determined that I would lead my own screwed up life and no one was going to get in my way.
With that thought, exhaustion pulled me under into a wonderful dreamless sleep. Even the brick hard mattress on the floor and my shitty insomnia could not stop my body from shutting down and healing.
I must have slept for hours, as when I woke up my body was starting to go back into shock from lack of heroin. "Hey you…" I yelled down the hallway to the officer standing guard… "If you want me to live long enough to convict, I need lots of coffee and another shot of heroin!"
APOV
I pushed open the front doors of the station walking down the steps as I took a deep breath trying to control the uneasy feeling in my gut. Watching the 21 year old thrash hysterically on the floor, after I had calmly injected him with an illegal very addictive substance was just too close for comfort with my past.
Unconsciously I began rubbing my arms where my own scars provided proof of my disturbing memories. After my little show today I knew people would have questions… I just was not ready to handle them. Unfortunately Chief Mark had noticed my escape and followed me to my car.
"Hey, you shouldn't drive right now…why don't we walk the few blocks to Starbucks, and get you a hot drink?" Mark suggested. I had hoped I could stave off the questions longer than this, but at least he already knew my story… shrugging I accepted and quickly removed my hands from my hidden scars and stuffed them into my pockets.
The walk was quiet…both of us lost in the events of the day. At the counter I ordered a Tazo Vanilla Rooibos Tea Latte then went to find a table while the Chief ordered a black coffee. With our drinks in hand, seated in a back corner of the shop chief cleared his throat. "What you did today…" he seemed to be struggling with what he wanted to say so I just sipped at my tea and waited.
"What you did today…well honestly I have no idea what you did today, but somehow you managed to catch a flaw in our planning, take down one of the most notorious underage…well now of age, criminal that LA has seen in 25 years, recognize a withdrawal, know what drug was used and safe a life."
I had no idea where this conversation was going nor what to say so I just kept my mouth shut. The chief must have seen my discomfort and added "Adam, I am not criticizing you… it's a compliment! You did an amazing job today! You took charge of a very precarious situation and saved this department from scandal and an internal implosion." Mark clarified.
I was just shocked. Then as the tea settled my nerves a wall of exhaustion crashed around me. Suddenly my shoulder was being shaken and Marks voice pulled me back "Hey…Hey Adam, go home before you fall asleep in your chair."
Half an hour later I crashed onto my bed, it was only 3pm but I was beat and sleep gladly snuggled around me. Groaning I slapped the buzzing alarm clock that said it was 6am…time to face the light of day.
On my way to work I decided to stop and grab another one of those teas… to help keep me calm. At the counter I ordered my drink, and when the woman asked if that would be all I decided that it wasn't… I also ordered two black coffees with extra kick. If I remembered correctly…that kid would need all the extra help a good coffee could give, along with more of that damn heroin…. He was probably in dire need of it by now, as no one else would have thought to give him more or was smart enough to not kill him with the dose. This was going to be a VERY long day!
TPOV
"Hey! What would your supervisor say if he came in here in like 3 hours and found me dead on the cold floor of my cell on your watch?" I yelled down the hallway… I had a seriously pounding headache but one that could be easily fixed with some caffeine, but the shaking in my limbs would not be fixed so easily. "Fuck…you assholes, it's called innocent until proven guilty right? Well nothings been proven! If I die here… my death will be on your hands!" I accused raging against the bars that held me captive.
"Quit your yammering and go to sleep!" one of the guards yelled back…. "No one is going to be here for another 2 hours its only 6am. You said 3 hours…well then you'll be fine so fuck off!"
I was losing strength by the minute the only thing keeping me standing was my grip on the bars, but my hold was waning… slowly I fell to the floor and curled into a ball. Minutes went by in complete stillness, but then I heard 2 surprised voices in the main room. I really didn't give a shit about what happened any more.
"Great! Fucking amazing! This is preposterous! Who would have surmised that I would keel over from lack of heroin when I could get my hands on the best shit out there…?" I hadn't meant to say it out loud and there was no one around to hear me so the response made me jump.
"Well you definitely have more of a vocabulary than I thought you would! I'm impressed! So by the look of you I'm guessing that you need your "medicine" and maybe a good pick-me-up?"
On the first word I closed my eyes… I knew this voice….that bitch longshanks was back, and by the smell he had brought a tantalizingly good smelling coffee that could have only come from a Starbucks.
"Arrogant bastard!" I cursed out. The laugh that followed rattled me to my core. It was not a laugh of arrogance, fear, or anything else that I was expecting… it was a real heartfelt laugh.
"Do you want the coffee or not? If not…then more for me!" I looked up just in time to see him take a long swig of the burning hot liquid… steam pouring out of his mouth as he took the cup away from his lips. "Wow that is the best black coffee I've had in a very long time!"
"Just give it to me! I cried out lunging for the second cup that was profited through the bars. Seizing the cup I practically inhaled the entire thing in 2 monstrous gulps. It was gone way to fast… I eyed the other cup in his hand, longing clearly written across my face.
He must have seen my eyes fix on the second cup because it also found its way into my hands. I took a slower sip this time trying to memorize the taste… but this one had a slightly different taste… like spiced peaches…. I sniffed at the rim, realizing that this one was the cup he had drunk from. I scowled but finished it off none the less. Coffee was Coffee!
"Now give me your arm! Coffee may help your mood but this stuff is the only thing that's going to keep you alive. Unfortunately…" The last word was tacked on like he was really upset by the heroin.
APOV
Struggling out of Starbucks with 3 drinks in my hands was tough, but trying to get to my keys was almost impossible, they were buried in the tight back pocket of my black jeans. I was not require to come to work today so I was in my play cloths as the other officers called them. Finally giving up, after almost spilling both my steaming tea and one of the coffees down my front, swearing loudly I placed everything on the roof of the car, dug out the keys and got everything unlocked.
5 minutes later with all the drinks in a safe spill free place, I started back to work. For some reason I was just...unsettled. Thinking about my past and knowing that that kid was going through the same thing...just didn't sit right.
Traffic was light and before I knew it the car was parked out front of the station. Sitting there looking up at the intimidating building sent shivers down my spine. For the thousandth time I wondered how the fuck my brother had talked me into working here. It was now 15min after 6am… I was really early, but eh people were already asking questions….why not keep them on their toes? I really didn't want to be here, but I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach that if I waited than the blond would not last long. Careful not to burn myself I gathered up the hot cups and pulled my tall frame out of the car. Dragging my feet, back hunched, and head bowed, I managed to get through the front doors.
"Adam?" a surprised voice reached my ears. "I thought you had the day off man…why are you here? And yea you're a work-a-hollic but its barely 6:15!" Heaving a deep sigh my eyes found Jeff who had a smirk turning up the corner of his mouth.
"How's the boy?" I asked setting down the two coffee cups.
"That brat?" Well he would do better if he kept his mouth shut! The little shit decided to scream at us around 6am exclaiming he would die in 3 hours. That he was innocent and his death would be on our hands if we didn't go anything." Jeff hotly replied, but his expression quickly fell as he watched Adam's emotions flicker across his face.
The longer Adam listened the stronger his entire soul rebelled. What won out was a mixture of extreme anger and heartfelt concern. Were these people really so stupid? No not exactly… they just had no idea what they were dealing with and had decided that it was not their problem. Adam's entire body was shaking with rage and his normally electric blue eyes had hardened into cold penetrating diamonds. Reaching out his hand he growled "Give me the keys… NOW!" His voice was pitted low grating up this throat practically barking the last word.
Around the station Adam was known for his easy going personality and temperament. He had a bright energetic gaze and a comfortable presence. So this 180 flip of seething anger was not expected from the gentle giant. Jeff and his partner tripped over one another in their hast to get the keys into the waiting hand. Once the suddenly intimidating man stormed down the hall, both men fell into their chairs feeling like they had just faced death itself.
Trying not to run down the hall, sliding to a stop before the gates to the holding cells, Adam jammed the keys into the lock, slamming the door into the wall. Hearing its crash he finally realized just how riled up he had become. Taking a deep breath he ran his free hand through his dark hair. It was then that his brain started to work properly again, and a small voice finally broke through his mind.
"…Keel over from lack of heroin when I could get my hands on the best shit out there…?"
The voice was shaking in withdrawal, but the partial statement was a mixture of smug satisfaction and frustration. It was just enough to make a sly twitch at the corner of Adam's lips.
"Well you definitely have more of a brain than I was expecting…I'm impressed!" Adam called out as he walked over to the cell that the boy was held in. As he talked Adam studied the person before him… "So by the look of you I'm guessing that you need your 'Medicine' and maybe a good pick-me-up?" Adam's genuine smile returned in full when the young man responded.
"Arrogant bastard!"
Adam tried to hold it in but his joy full laugh burst past his tongue and danced through a few octaves as it echoed off the walls. Settling back down to his normal comfortable personality, Adam pulled one of the coffee cups from behind his back where he had been hiding them. "Do you want the coffee or not? If not…than more for me!" He proclaimed enthusiastically, taking a good sized sip so that he could hold it in his mouth letting the warmth trickle down his throat. "WOW! That is the BEST black coffee I've had in a long time!" Adam sighed out as the steam from the hot beverage coiled out of his lips.
Through this entire show Adam studied the pale human before him and was ready when the young man lunged forward crying out "Just give it to me already!" Adam willingly placed the second cup into impatient hands and watched as it was consumed entirely in 2 huge gulps. His eyebrow rose in surprise as he wondered how many addictions the person in front of him could have.
Vaguely noticing the brown eyes drilling holes into his hand that held the cup he drank from, he slipped the cup over, lost in how desperate the situation was. Fumbling slightly his now empty hands searched the pockets of his leather jacket until his fingers curled around a caped syringe and a small unmarked bottle. Guilt flared in his chest, but right now the life slipping away in front of his eyes was more important than his position on the force. "Now give me your arm! Coffee may help your mind but this stuff is the only thing that's going to keep your heart beating. Unfortunately…" Adam steeled himself and administered a dose of his own home made heroin.
TPOV
Trial
Apparently one guy who was barely 21years old, hardly awake with tremors running painfully through his body needed 4 escorts to get through the station and into the back of a police car. I was crammed in the middle of the back seat in-between two other officers, while the other two sat comfortably in the front seats.
15 very uncomfortable minutes later I was roughly pushed through the doors of the old court house, and stuffed into a cold windowless room. It felt like forever before I was shown into the actual court room for my trial. They sat me down in a chair beside the judge's stand and chained my hands to the desk, and feet to the chairs legs.
The thought of the building catching fire with me chained in such a fashion, had an evil smirk crossing my face. If I burned to death here with no escape than my life would be so much simpler! The morose idea was pushed from my mind as people streamed into the room taking seats in the audience, followed by the jury.
Looking out at the people wishing for my incarceration, I recognized quite a few faces as apparently half the department had shown up. If someone didn't have to watch out for the district I would assume every officer in the department would have shown up to laugh and sneer in my face.
But there was one face that I did not see, not that I was actually specifically looking for him... NO…I mean come on! There is absolutely no reason what so ever for me to feel…I don't even know what! Placing my head in my hands I groaned to myself. Why the fuck did it bother me that he was not here?
"Fuck you longshanks!" I cursed out pulling on my bangs, that had grown long and wild. As soon as the words slipped from my mouth I realized that the room had fallen deathly quiet. Cautiously lifting my head just enough to peer through my blond fringe. I cringed at the sight that met my chocolate brown eyes.
The captain was standing right in front of me glaring down from his high horse. Apparently my voice had carried farther than I thought. The entire room was watching our confrontation. "You are in a COURT ROOM Mr. Ratliff, sitting in a very precarious seat! You would do well to remember that, and refrain from such vulgar language. And who is this Longshanks person?"
I hung my head in mock embarrassment, while inside I was seething! How could he call me out in such a way? The entire room already knew what I had let slip…but did they really need to hear the sneer and obvious attempt to undercut my intellect, by talking to me as if I was a disobedient child?! I only shrugged in answer to his question. There was no way that I would let anyone know I was disappointed with the fact that a certain person was missing from the room.
My brooding was interrupted when I realized that all the eyes in the room were following my every movement. I squirmed uncomfortably under all the attention. Most of the people were quiet clear with their dislike for me, and were clearly wishing for my death or a life sentence with all of the anger, death glares, and loathing, spewing from their every pore, while the rest were carefully schooling their expressions into blank masks. The feeling that I would drown under all the hate pushed in my direction caused me to splutter and seethe, quite sure that my crimes did not even remotely compare to the hell they put me in.
Fuck if I had killed someone, or committed a terrorist attack, or something then Hell Yea! But seriously…a few stolen cars, shop lifting, caring a concealed weapon, and dealing drugs. Fuck I even went out of my way make sure to only supply those of age even though I was mostly underage. Yea I had broken a few laws, gotten into a few scrapes…had some fun, faced down death…but mother fucker! I did not deserve all the crap that was and would be sent my way today.
Suddenly I felt the eyes leave me and looked up now that I was free from their vicious invading stares. But I still hid my face under my fringe, as I watched the doors swing open in a grand controlled manor and in swept a tall man who swiftly swept down the center isle and came to stand in front of his chair behind his podium, dais thing.
(What? I never thought I would need to know the specifics of a court room because I would never be in one, but apparently I was horridly wrong. Although I am still proud that I never actually learned any of this useless information, the law was never on your side no matter if you are innocent or not!)
Once the Judge was at his position of power in the room (with a bastard of a smirk gracing his features) everyone was commanded to rise. There was a lot of movement and shuffling as everyone hurried to stand and respectfully wait for the Judge to seat himself before returning to their seats. As I was still chained to my seat and no one came to release my hands, I could only sit and take pride in the fact that I was blatantly being disrespectful, but since there was nothing else I could do, no one had the right to bitch me out about it! (Haha I WIN!)
Amid my smug satisfaction I questioned the fact that everyone had not been told to rise before the Judge entered? (What! I do watch TV you know… I am not completely stupid! Fuck I was bound to pick up a few facts with all my sleepless nights!)
My musing was cut short as the trial quickly got underway. They stated all of my crimes, all the known places I had lived over the years. (I was greatly amused to find that they only had half of the places I had lived in. Apparently their Intel gathering techniques had some major flaws!) Sweeping right into how I was captured and arrested, up to the current point in time. But then they back tracked and started digging.
I had not noticed the balding man with a pinched mouth and overlarge glasses sitting in the crowd until he was asked to the stand. The FUCKERS had brought in my bloody middle school asshole of a psychologist. Shit I was in real trouble now! I knew they would badger me, but I was now where at all prepared to grudge up the past wounds that had ripped my soul to shreds.
The actions that this man would present to the gathered group were things that I had buried and hoped that no one else would find out about. He only knew because the fucking hospital had released my files thinking it best if someone helped me deal with the trauma.
All that had done was to keep the cursed actions burning at the front of my mind, causing me to develop insomnia, depression, and my addiction to heroin, along with all my crimes. Fat lot of good that man ever did me! If anything I would say he only made it fucking worse, making me relive it over and over again!
His first questions were simple. Like what's my name, birthday, did I remember him, etc. But then he just dived right in and asked the whammy…the question that was at the heart of all my issues.
"Were or weren't you raped at the age of 13 by both your aunt and father after which they proceeded to drugged you with a fatal dose of ecstasy in the hopes you would not remember?"
Just as the mother fucker that I really wanted to kill at the moment finished the question that filled me with long suppressed horror, the doors suddenly were thrown forcefully open, accompanied by a voice that was entirely too familiar shouting "Brad!"
Longshanks strode purposefully into the room with some other man following closely behind him. His eyes were glued to the judge with a fire burning in their depths. He was dressed in his uniform, but somehow it was more formal. His badge shining proudly over his chest, pants pressed until the creases were permanent, his shoulders held poised and proper.
It was like looking at an entirely different person, but what threw his image off was how he addressed the judge. "Brad!" he called out again, "Sorry I'm late… had to pick Sutan up and he was a right bastard this morning!" At this the man behind him huffed out annoyed, the crowd gave a very shocked gasp, while the judges mouth twitched before he got himself under control and responded.
"Adam! You are in my court room and have rudely interrupted a trial. Please contain yourself or I will have you removed! Do you understand?" The judge stated. But it was obvious that he was struggling to keep a straight face as Longshanks, no, Adam's face fell in mock embarrassment just as I had done earlier. But when he looked up he had a smile that could scare the dead plastered on his face.
The judge, Brad apparently, took the look in stride as if it did not affect him. I was impressed to say the least… the look had not been directed at me but I found myself trembling against the chair the links of chain clinking together. "Adam, please find a seat so that we can proceed and make sure that Sutan stays close." Brad ordered.
I looked up at him in time to see him smirk before opening his mouth again as Adam and Sutan found seats. Just as they were about to sit down Brad interjected "Ohh and Adam… you still have some glitter in your hair!"
Adam gracefully sat down in his seat then sent a glare at the Judge, and I swear if looks could kill Brad would be bleeding from his eyes right now and be dying a painfully slow death! But all he said in response was "Brad I do believe that just seconds ago you reminded me that we are indeed in a COURT ROOM and the proper conduct is needed. Also as I am not on trial, nor on the witness stand you have no right to comment on my appearance."
Shock rolled in waves through my body. I had never heard Adam's voice take on such a sharp edge before. He was in complete control, his presence filling the room, and his words made the temperature in the room drop immensely as every word was filled with a cold commanding air that could not be ignored. It was like I had been doused with a bucket of ice water that soaked my very soul.
My vision had tunneled down to only see Adam, the rest of the room a black blur; so I noticed the small almost unnoticeable gesture that was aimed at the judge as he pretended to fix the tie of his companion. Adam saw that I noticed his action and sent a joyful flashing smile in my direction. Seeing Adam flipping the Judge off, like it was noting and was something he did on a regular basis and that intoxicating smile brought my body back up to a normal warm temperature.
"Thank fuck!" I whispered out as my body slowly started to stop shaking with uncontrollable shivering. Suddenly the eyes of the Judge were on me, blatantly chuckling at my response. But he hid his amusement by repeating the question that was asked before Adam stormed in.
Hearing the question again sent another wave of fear shuddering through me. My eyes widened in panic as I knew I had to answer the question. They were digging into very distraught memories that I had suppressed quiet successfully, until they started picking through my past, like it was just an interesting story.
Fucking nosy bitches! I thought to myself. Why did they have to bring in the damn psychologist from my middle school? The question was presented again as though I had not heard it the first two times.
"Were or weren't you raped at the age of 13 by both your aunt and father after which they proceeded to drugged you with a fatal dose of ecstasy in the hopes you would not remember?" The psychologist asked.
A hush fell over the room…no one was expecting the question and now that everyone was back on task, they were all shocked that it was a legitimate question. Why I have no fucking idea…but the denial that filled the room was tangible and caused the memories and pain to explode out of the box I had hidden them in.
The quiet was broken as I fell apart into hysterics, clawing at any of my flesh that I could reach, inflicting long bloody gouges. Trying to get the current pain to a level that would overwhelm the memories, but it was not nearly enough! I felt like I was dying, my soul ripping apart along the somewhat healed scars back into its unrecognizable fragments.
My first scream ripped apart my vocal cords with its force, causing the rest of my screams to become only hoarse whispers. My mind closed in on itself…sinking into the pool of agonizing torcher. That's all there was… just a pain more unimaginable than death itself.