23:24

Sunday, March 18, 2021

Today was an ordinary day for everyone in Paris, except for those currently working for the Préfecture de police de Paris (Paris Police Prefecture; PPP). All officers and shrinks were busy working extra long hours, that they hoped were paid for.

In the midst of the commotion, a slick black car pulls up a block or so away from the entrance of the Place Louis Lepine (Main PPP building in Paris), and out steps a woman in her mid twenties dressed in the usual garb for the Préfet de police (Prefect of Police; Chief Officer). She looked around a moment, her dark brown hair falling into her eyes as the wind blows gently.

Spring time in France was comfortable and quite the sight. It had rained the night before so the air was still heavy, and flower petals were stuck to the bottom of the woman's boots.

The car that dropped the woman off had left. With her was filled with her paperwork and important information on the case she was sent here for. The Prefect of Police wasn't sent out to work on a case if it wasn't significant or a large thorn in the government's side, although she would beg to differ on some occasions. Those were stories were for another time.

She made her way towards the Place Louis Lepine, briefcase-less and half asleep. Bee Kǽumeijer, as her co-workers all assumed was a nickname but infact was her birth name, made her way towards the building ahead of her. But with this being who it was, she didn't make it very far before the bird shop caught her attention. If you're going to make an entrance, make it a big one.

01:03

Monday, March 19, 2021

People were running about inside the Place Louis Lepine, trying to get everything in order before the Préfet de police arrived, which should be any moment. One officer walked quickly to the door, glancing down at his uniform to make sure it was clean, straightened, and borderline perfect. There could be nothing less for the Préfet de police, as she was the head of every officer in Paris and surrounding districts and could fire you just because your accent was funny or you had a single hair on the shoulder of your uniform.

He took a deep breath, and began to open the door, as nervous as could be for the station's guest. In his mind, every possible fault in his appearance ran rampant, and even worse, the conditions of the office itself worried him. The Judicial Officer took a sharp inhale to the thought and opened the door. Standing on the porch at the entrance of the building was a woman, standing at almost two meters (If you want to get exact she'd be 1.8 meters; or 5'9").

"Excuse me Madam, may I help you?" Judicial Officer Azrael Tolbert asked, looking over the woman's shoulder in search of the Préfet de police.

The woman stood in the doorway with a white dove on her shoulder, back straight and a calm expression.

"I honestly expected some more respect when in presence of the Préfet de police, but that can be worked on later."

The sudden words startled Azrael and he looked to the woman before him and the patches that adorned her uniform, clearly labeling her as the Préfet de police. He quickly fell into a salute as the woman grinned slightly and walked past him into the Place Louis Lepine's main chamber.

"I-I'm so sorry Madam, I-I had no clue. Forgive my ignorance… was your transport here exceptional?", he asked sheepishly.

Préfet Kǽumeijer sighed quietly and looked around the surprisingly quiet building before responding, "Don't be too rodomont (boastful) Judicial Officer…." She turned her head quickly to glance at his nametag ,"Tolbert? Not an odd name for an officer I suppose." The brunette turned her head back towards the organized and clean chamber, the dove on her shoulder shaking its wings out before settling back down.

"Officer Tolbert, mind telling me where everyone is at the moment?"

He took a few steps forwards after shutting the door and answered, "Currently at home or still working in their designated spaces Madam. If you'd like I can give you a tour of the facility."

Still looking around, as if scanning the room for a flaw, Bee absent-mindedly replied.

"I've worked in this building for years, I know where every single room is and twenty different routes to get to each single one. Thank you for the offer though."

The man, almost shocked, had found himself fairly embarrassed. There's nobody around, and yet he still feels like he's being laughed at with his effort to try and impress the Préfet de police. He moved on to asking what her business was here.

"You were expecting me clearly, or the building wouldn't be this flawless, and yet you didn't bother to find out my mouvement (business;plan)?" Bee walked forwards, towards the stairs to the second level. He realized how he must've looked and moved for a recovery or something,"Well, err… right."

She quickly escalated up the stairs and looked either way before turning and walking left. The officer behind her walked briskly as he followed her, still mentally scolding himself for failing to gather her intentions for visiting.

A check up round? No no no, those are during the winter. The only thing could be the Libero Flusso case that's been an issue up the ladder.

"Madam, may I ask if your attendance has been called due to the Libero Flusso case?" Azrael piped up from behind the Préfet, praying quietly he didn't disturb her.

"Now you're using your tête (Head; brain)! Do that more often and you'll remember to put your name tag on right-side up." She continued to walk down the hallway, looking into offices and labs as she passed them.

He pouted for a minute confused and offended, and quickly pulled out a small mirror he always carried with him and fixed the name tag.

"We've a number of investigators on the case… yet I wasn't expecting your arrival, how bad exactly is the situation? I've been following a separate case, unable to follow the one at hand."

"It's bad enough to send me out here. I've dealt with the gang before and that's the other main reason why they sent me and not another B rated investigator…. No offense." The Prefet turned

abruptly and faced the Judicial Officer, looking him up and down. "How about you lead me to the main investigation room and help me find the documents?"

"Yes, of course. Right this way- Oh and, none taken", In actuality it was very taken but he kept his composure nonetheless, leading her to the investigation room. It was a big and organized room in a way, like the room itself was a file. "I take it upon myself to keep this place nifty and clean", the officer proudly stated, smiling, like it was some kind of achievement.

Bee decided against being an ass to the Judicial Officer, and said nothing to his boasting. "How is it organized? Alphabetically? Chronologically? Dewey Decimal System?"

His eyes lit up to the questions. Finally, something he can properly answer! He'll actually do some right by her! He grinned, "Left wall is Alphabetical, the wall in front of us is Chronologically filed, and the one to our right-" Shit! He didn't know what the last system was, and had already left it organized as Alphabetical as well!

The senior officer noticed the quick look of panic on Azrael's face as he ended his sentence short and helped him out. "-Is also alphabetical I can see, as it would be impossible to have the Dewey Decimal System, designed for organizing books, organizing the files."

He once again puts his foot in his mouth, as his mouth as his burst of joy was quickly ended, but relieved it wasn't as bad as he expected it would.

"Thank you though for bringing me here. Feel free to dismiss everyone to go home, I can tell you all worked many unpaid hours to get the place as neat as it is." With that, Bee walked off towards the rows of files and boxes, with a certain destination in mind.

The still slightly flustered officer went to turn around before a thought came to mind. "Prefet Kæmeijer, do you mind if I inquire in where you will be sleeping tonight?"

The brunette stopped moving, as her hotel receipts were in her briefcase…that was still in the back seat of the car…

"Actually I'm glad you asked that Officer Tolbert. I uh, have had a miscommunication and long story short, do you have any Motel recommendations for the area?"

He thought for a minute, before realizing she actually didn't have a place to go! "Not to any discomfort of a sort, but would it be easier to just crash at my place? I mean it's really early and I live like right up the street…" The exhaustion was clear in his speech and looks.

The Prefet looked to the wall of files and quickly grabbed the box she was looking for before turning to face the Officer. She understood the time of day and how long everyone in the station had been working, so she let the casualty in his conversation and behavior slide. "Actually, uh, that would be very convenient, as long as I wouldn't be intruding on you and your partner."

Before he knew it his mouth moved, too tired to think twice he states that he lives alone, and takes a slight yawn, covering his face as he did so.

"Hella, lead the way then." Bee even surprised herself with the casualty of her speech, but she was also too exhausted to give much effort into it at the moment. The junior officer nodded and turned towards the exit of the room, making a bee-line for the only entrance into the building. The Prefet was close in follow.