Chapter 1-Know your Enemy
They say keep your friends close and your enemies even closer but how would one react if they didn't have an enemy or a friend. I for one have a lot of enemies and it is not only because I'm annoying. It's because I'm a cop, a homicide detective to be precise. I use to be one of the best detective in the world but for the past few years I haven't solved any cases but now I'm ready. Ready to take on the world baby!
"Mark! Mark! Mark!" shouted Dr. Potter.
Jane Potter as helpful as she was could be a real pain in the ass sometimes. This better be something good…
Rolling around I mumbled, "What happened?"
"You were talking in your sleep again," said Dr. Potter.
"Oh I see," I answered, "I'm going to go back to bed now."
I yanked the bed sheets up and dozed off again. Jane quickly took a few pillows and started hitting me with them.
"Get up you lazy bum!" when I didn't even stir, she sighed "Don't make me do this mark… alright you asked for it!"
She lifted the sheet of my legs and grabbed some leg hair and pulled; that got me up alright. She knew it was my first day back in the crime investigation department and she was making extra sure I wouldn't be late. As soon as she left the room I fell back on the bed.
So all the effort Dr. Jane Potter tried had gone to waste as I still didn't wake up. Soon after an hour I finally woke up, took a shower that was twenty minutes long, ate breakfast and watched my favorite soap opera which was one hour long. As I left, I kissed my daughter, summer goodbye and tried convincing Jane that I wasn't going to be late because there isn't usually much traffic on Saturday. Although, Jane wasn't really worried about the traffic, she knew I would get easily distracted by either a donut shop or a really hot chick. I could see it in her eyes; she was praying that I don't see any of those things while going to work but luckily I did…
It had been two hours since I left home. Dr. Potter was suppose to come late in the office that day but managed to come earlier then me. Boy was she angry.
"I cannot believe this Mark!" yelled Jane, "You were late and not just a little late. Very late! Three and a half hours late!"
"But…" I answered.
"No buts!" exclaimed she, "Every time I expect something from you, you end up being dumber than your six year old daughter!"
"Uhh she turned seven last month actually," I replied, amused.
"Do not try changing the subject Mark Tennyson!" she exclaimed, exasperated. Jane as sweet as she was sometimes could be easily annoying.
"Hey now that I'm here you can tell me what to do now." I said, sitting down on the chair opposite her desk.
"Oh I almost forget." She answered, "Well Mark as you know the rules of investigating a crime change every year."
"Yes of course," I said playing with the pen holder on her desk and almost breaking it.
"And you have been away from the department for over five years," she continued on ignoring me, "One of the new rules is that you do not solve a crime alone anymore."
"I'm sorry what?" I asked.
"Yes it is true." she said
"No, it isn't, I answered, "I read the newspaper everyday no matter how drunk sometimes and I haven't read any rule like that being announced for the past five years."
"Tell me Tennyson," she said with a smirk, "Did you read the newspaper today?"
"No, I was trying not to be late." I answered a bit nervously; this was not going the way I had thought.
Still smiling Dr. Jane Potter showed me the newspaper. As I went along the pages I found out that I was in a lot of trouble.
"Oh no! I cannot work with people," I whined, "You very well know how I am with working together. I like taking all the fame."
"That's why I am smiling so much today, thinking how is he going to do it," she said, "But since I'm a good person and a good boss, I have paired you up with detective Melinda Bennet."
"Ohhh she sounds slutty," I retorted still bummed, "Does she like fame and fortune?"
"Not as much as you do Tennyson," she said, "And she is not a slut! She is one of my best detectives ever."
"Even better than me?" I asked.
"Well I am your guardian and as representing your mother I should motivate you," she answered, "So…yes she is better than you."
"I can never understand you Potter," I said.
"With that cheeky attitude of yours Tennyson," she said, "You can never understand me or anyone for that matter."
"Very motivating doctor." I said, sarcastically.
"Yes I know," she said and smiled, "Oh I almost forgot. We have a meeting in half an hour and to make sure you're not going to be late. I brought an old friend of mines and yours, William."
"Did you say William?" I gasped.
"Yes." she laughed and walked away.
And there he was the big and enormous, giant William. He's about 250 pounds, won California's next top idiot. Basically the only reason William is allowed to work here is because he's able to carry large objects and that Dr. Potter has a secret crush on him.
"Hiya Mark!" said William in a very deep voice.
"Hi William…How is it going buddy, pal…amigo?" I uneasily said.
"It's going pretty okay….I guess," answered William.
Then it occurred to me that William hasn't changed at all. Even after seeing him after 5 years he's still the same old nut job he was before. According to an Indian king that everyone changes every year but William, was never an Indian.
"The meeting is now in session at room 402," announced the announcer.
"Well we better get going…," I said.
"Where?" William asked.
"Didn't you hear the announcement?" I asked, "We have to go to room 402!"
"You hear voices too?" he asked.
"Walk with me William…" I said.
"Umm okay," he followed, "You know I'm going to ask Dr. Potter about making a medicine about this."
"But she isn't that type of doc…" I said, "Lets walk quietly William."
Thank God he did or I would have killed myself or him (Dr. Potter wouldn't have been happy right about now). Room 402 was quite far from Dr. Potter's office. I was about to ask William for a shortcut but thank God I didn't or that would've started him up again. After a few seconds I managed to find the room. As I entered the room I could see Jane staring at me with anger and exasperation. Room 402 was an auditorium. It wasn't a really big one but it was enough for a group of detectives to discuss new methods of capturing criminals. There I could see all my old friends. Unlike Bobo here they actually looked like there lives had changed for the past five years. Dr. Jane was at some sort of desk on a stage. Probably was giving some speech before I interrupted. I knew most of the detectives at the meeting; actually all of them except Melinda Bennet, who I was very keen to meet as she was going to be my partner. However, she was no where to be seen in that meeting.
"If you're done observing the auditorium I would really like to get back to my speech Tennyson." Dr. Potter cunningly said.
"Oh don't mind me Dr. Potter," I answered, "I was just wondering what an auditorium was doing at a detective agency."
"Uhh!" she sighed, "Tennyson you and your silly questions make me wonder why I know you."
"Hey at least now you have something to think about." I answered.
"Sit down Tennyson!" yelled Jane.
And then the boring speech began. I knew Potter was just loving it; boring all of us to death. She purposely made me sit at the back so that I won't be a distraction. As I'm rolling my eyes at every sentence Potter speaks, a young but attractive mistress enters the auditorium.
"Oh look whose here" says Jane, "It's the lovely Detective Melinda and as always she makes a dramatic entrance."
"She comes late it's a dramatic entrance and I come late it's a problem."
A few people sniggered. Dr. Potter and Melinda ignored my comments. She walked in head up, brunette curls cascading down the shoulders; A vision in pink. And guess where she sits? Right next to me, which is weird because I'm sitting way at the back; maybe she knows we are partners. Melinda was quite interested in the speech which was seen by her facial expressions. It also proved that she's a workaholic for sure. Definitely not my type! I figured I should be nice to her because I will be spending a lot of time with her.
"Hi," I said trying to break the ice.
"Uh hi," Melinda replied obviously not interested and quickly turned back to Jane to listen to her speech.
"Do you make a lot of dramatic appearances similar to this one?" I asked.
"Umm yea," she replied.
"So whats up?" I humbly ask.
"I'm sorry do I know you from somewhere?" she asked.
"Well you should!" I answered.
"But I don't!" she exclaimed, "Who are you?"
"I'm Mark Tennyson." I said.
"Mark, mark, mark," she quietly thinks in her head, "Oh you're one of the members of Excalibur project."
"That's right!" I happily said; knowing the fact that she knows who I am.
"You're also the guy who lost his job because you were a drug addict," she said staring ahead.
"That my friend was five years ago," I replied.
"Really?" she said, "Dr. Potter told me you got out of rehab last week."
"She did, did she," I said.
While detective Melinda and I were actually having conversation, little old miss snitchapuss walks in. Still smiling like she's never smiled before, as she knew Melinda had already known about my drug addiction.
"Ah Melinda and Mark," she said, "I see you started talking to each other."
Since when does she call me mark I thought.
"Oh we were just talking about drugs," said I forcefully.
"Really?" she said," Well drugs are quite a common topic between detectives."
"Is it?" I said, "You are quite well known with detective conversations…and their secrets Dr. Potter."
"Yes, yes," she said, "Now the main reason why I came to you both was that I am reading out the detective pairing list and I would like both of you to come join all of us."
"Oh yes of course," Melinda said, "Come Mr. Tennyson."
We all walked together then surrounded Dr. Potter. The detectives were all tensed about the list but I wasn't and judging by Ms. Bennet's facial expressions; she wasn't either. I already knew which detective I'm being paired with. Dr. Potter as always had to bore her detectives to death so that they don't get too traumatized after hearing the results. It was a pretty sneaking trick but once you know how it works it gets pretty boring. She then started explaining the rules of our detective agency. The rules are simple to understand. They are:
You have to have a partner detective.
If you're regarded as a suspect your case will be given to another detective.
She's retiring….wait…WHAT?
"Yes, I know all of you are shocked to hear this but I have gotten old now and I haven't done many things in life…like getting married," she said, "I also exceeded the age limit to this job so yes I am retiring."
"That is true but you can do all those other things like getting married and stuff by still being a detective," I said.
But even as I said it I actually looked at her; her face was wrinkled
And she was about his mother's age…
"You're not the only distracted detective Mark," she said, "Like you get distracted by well everything else other than your job, I get distracted by only my job."
"Wait!" I exclaimed, "Since when did you start calling me Mark?"
"I'm reading the list everyone." She ignored me and said.
The list was:
Melissa is going to be paired with Eric.
William is going to be paired with Kyle.
Catherine is going to be paired with Katrina.
And I am paired with of course Ms. Bennet.
"You're pairing me up with a drug addict!" Melinda whispered horrified to Dr. Potter.
"Oh no Mark is completely harmless," she assured.
"Did someone mention my beautiful name?" I asked.
"Yes I did Mark," said Dr. Potter.
"So Mr. Tennyson, looks we're paired together," Melinda said.
"Looks like we are Melinda," I said.
"Oh please call me Detective Bennet," she said.
"Why? Does saying Melinda turn you on when I say it?" I said.
"Excuse me, what did you just say?" she asked clearly offended.
"You know if you ask me nicer I'll say it again" I answered.
"Are you on drugs Mr. Tennyson?" she asked, obviously not impressed by my awesome sense of humor.
"Oh please call me Mark," I said.
"Let's talk about the cases I'm giving all of you before anyone gets hurts…" Jane said.
"Yes," Melinda said, through gritted teeth "Before anyone gets hurt."
"Katrina you and Cathy will go check out a dead body found in long island beach," Jane ordered.
"Yes ma'am," Cathy and Katrina said simultaneously.
"Ramirez and Melissa, someone put poison on the Jefferson's kid's birthday cake. Luckily, the kid survived but the cook who wanted to check the cake didn't," Jane said, "Find out who did it!"
"Kyle and William, I want you to get information on the explosion that took place in the Kipday junkyard," Jane said.
"What's our case Dr. Potter?" Melinda asked.
"Melinda your case is to get to know Mr. Tennyson and show him our office," Jane said.
"Good joke Dr. Potter now really what is our case?" laughed Melinda.
"I'm serious!" Jane said.
"You are?" the puzzled Melinda asked.
"Yes, I am," Jane said, "Mark hasn't seen our office for more than 5 years and plus unlike the others already knowing each other, you two know nothing about each other."
"I know he's a drug addict," she said, "Isn't that enough?"
"Do you know why he became a drug addict?" Jane asked.
"Dr. Potter, I am seriously not interested!" she said.
"Well become interested Melinda," she said, "Mark changed my life when I got to know him."
"I don't know how finding out why he was a drug addict, can change my life," she rolled her eyes and said.
"Where is Mark anyway?" asked Jane.
"He went to the bathroom," she said, "Oh look there he is."
"Go get him girl," said Jane at a completely uninterested Melinda.
"The facilities are excellent!" I exclaimed.
"Why did you become a drug addict?" Melinda suddenly asked.
"Wow do you ask every new person that question?" I asked.
"Just tell me why?" she asked.
"So is this how detectives start conversations these days? I have been away for five years you know so I don't know." I replied, dodging the question
"You can tell me you know…"she tried being consoling...she failed.
"I was depressed…" I answered.
"Ok let's go to the research lab," Melinda interrupts.
"Wait don't you want to know why I was depressed?" I asked.
"No, I am really not interested," she said, "The only reason I asked because I was ordered to by Dr. Potter."
As we walked further to the research lab, I was but wondering why Dr. Potter asked Melinda to ask me such personal questions. She usually gets angry when I talk about my personal life to others. The research lab was very far from 402 but it was smaller than what I expected. It was a dark room which had one bed; usually full of corpses at this time but I guess Dr. Potter must've said no because I was going to be here.
"Hi Giselle," said Melinda.
"Hey Melinda," said Giselle, "You're pretty early today."
"Oh I didn't get a case today." Melinda answered.
"Why? What happened?" Giselle asked.
"Potter says my case is to babysit Tennyson over there," Melinda said.
"She told you what!" I exclaimed.
"Finally the handsome man speaks," Giselle said in a very flirting manner.
"Eww Giselle!" Melinda said horrifically.
'Well I was waiting for my babysitter to introduce me." I said.
"Oh so you have manners now!" she replied.
"Not with you maybe but with Giselle who wouldn't," I answered.
"Fine!" she says, "This is Dr. Giselle Kwam. She helps us with all the medical research."
"I already know who she is," I said, "I just wanted to make you like a fool by calling you my babysitter."
"Oh Mark you haven't changed at all," laughed Giselle.
"Giselle how do you know Mr. Tennyson and why didn't you tell me?" asked Melinda.
"Well Mark give me a signal not to tell you when you guys entered," Giselle said, "And I know Mark because we use to date before he got married but didn't go much far because we turned out to be better as friends and I was older."
"Wait you're married?" asked Melinda.
"No, I was," I said, "Wait! Marriage! Excuse me ladies I have a meeting with Dr. Potter right
"No, you don't!" Melinda said, "I would know about it then."
I ran as fast as I could, trying to get away from the eyes of Melinda who was running after me.
Oh yeah she failed. I knew Melinda looses interest in people she doesn't care about.
"Ah yes I made it!" I exclaimed.
"You mean early for the meeting we were going to have right?" she said.
"How did you know about that?" I asked.
"Melinda just called me on my cell phone?" she replied.
"She is smart" I mused, "Well it is your fault I'm having this meeting!"
"What happen Mark?" she asked.
"You're always going on about how I shouldn't talk about my personal life to others and yet you were trying to make Melinda ask me all those personal questions. Why?" I asked.
"I just wanted you to get to know each other," explained Jane.
"Know each other! Why…." Yelled I, "Wait…know each other… so you were trying to set me up with her aren't you?
"Now why would I try setting Melinda up with you? I value her mental health you know." she asked.
"Cause she acts similar to Katrina!" I exclaimed, "Dr. Potter tell me why were you trying to get me a girlfriend?"
"Oh alright I'll spill the beans!" she answered, "Yes, I tried getting you to like each other and it was for many good reasons."
"I knew it! But…why?" I asked.
"First it was you not getting over Katrina!" she explained.
"Potter, I am over here!" I answered.
"Oh yeah sure!" she said, "You spent five years in our house. I had to call the rehab doctors to come live at ours to fix you up. Do you know how much they eat?"
"Not more then William…" I mumbled.
"What?" she asked in a loud tone.
"But in the end I got out didn't I" said I.
"Yeah and begged me to work at the same place she was working in," she replied.
"What was the next reason Potter?" I asked.
"Your daughter." She answered, "How long will she be living in a house without a mother?"
"Potter I have been taking care of Summer even when I had a wife," I explained, "And the best she did was change her diaper once because I was taking a shower and all the servants were on a holiday so I don't think another would do much!"
"Oh you're so useless to talk to Mark!" Potter sighed.
As Jane was still trying to convince me to start dating again, Melinda shows up, Looking worried she whispered something to Dr. Potter.
"What are you two whispering about?" I asked.
"Melinda was just telling me about a certain case," Jane replied.
"Why is she whispering? She can tell me!" I said, "I am detective too you know."
"Well you certainly act like a six year old child Tennyson!" Melinda yelled, "You know what I really was whispering about leaving you and getting paired up with someone normal this time. You know how I embarrassed I was running after you in front of the whole office like that."
"Well don't you hesitate Dr. Potter!" I said, "I'm leaving anyway."
As I walked out of the door, I was thinking how I happy I was before I even knew about being paired with Melinda, how excited I was in having my old life back but even when I was happy I knew that today wasn't going to be perfect like all my other days. The only thing I could look forward to while driving home was seeing my daughter, sleeping in my bed alone and praying that my next day will not be remotely like this one. These were the same feelings I had when I was getting divorced.
I drove home with mixed feelings; I didn't really know how I felt about today
Later that night, I had just tucked my beautiful daughter to sleep. Jane didn't bother to show her face that night. I was planning to go to bed when I heard the door bell ring. Thinking it's the neighbors wanting sugar in the middle of the night again I went downstairs to open the door. I was shocked when I saw Melinda and behind her Dr. Potter.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"Tell him Melinda," Jane said.
"I'm sorry!" she said.
Her sorry didn't make me feel much better but confused me. Why would a person like her so uninterested in me come all the way to say sorry to me? However, what Dr. Jane said next gave me my answer.
"Are you happy now Mark?" asked Jane.
"No!" I answered.
"Who's that daddy?" Summer asked. She was a light sleeper and I had forgotten to close her door.
"Oh wow! You have a daughter Tennyson?" Melinda asked taken aback.
"Is she one of those ladies who sometimes help you take a shower and tucks you in at night?" asked Summer.
"What is she talking about Tennyson?" Melinda asked suspiciously.
"Nothing you'd be interested in Melinda." I snapped.
Summer yawned beside me "I'm going to bed daddy."
I bent down and kissed her little head. "Ok baby, sleep tight."
"Well, Melinda what do you think?" Jane asked, "Do you want to be with him or not?"
"Wait I told you I'm not coming back anymore," I said.
"Well he lives a pretty weird lifestyle Dr. Potter," said Melinda, "And what his daughter just told me also proves he does other things as well."
"Soo?" asked Jane curiously.
"I had a fun time," said Melinda, "I'm staying with this one."
"But I told you I don't want to be a detective anymore!" I said getting irritated.
"Should we tell him Dr. Potter?" asked Melinda ignoring me as usual.
"Let's Ms. Bennet." Jane said, "The reason why you had such an awful day is because it was purposely made for you."
"I don't understand!" I almost yelled, clearly annoyed.
"The reason why I was being mean to you is because I was asked a favor by Dr. Potter!" Melinda explained, "And I'm very good with favors."
"And I told Melinda to be very hostile to you so I can get back to you for troubling me so much. I knew you'd be late today so I made a plan to teach you a lesson," said Jane.
"We thought you had figured it out, when you were running to Dr. Potter's office." Melinda said.
"How could I figure it out?" I asked.
"We left many clues!" Jane explained, "First one was the pairing up thing. Do you think it was a coincidence that that rule was made the day you joined the detective agency?"
"Second were my facial expressions. I wasn't tensed as all the detectives were because I knew I was going to be with you," said Melinda, "Oh and the third was Giselle. If you remember in your dates Giselle never actually liked your jokes. Why would she be amused about your dumb jokes? Because she wasn't! She was laughing at the prank being played on you."
"The last one was Melinda running after you when you were running to my office," Jane said, "And then calling to check up on you. Why would a detective who doesn't even care why you were depressed, call and check up on you?"
"You're forgetting the clue where I suddenly entered and started to whisper in your ear," said Melinda.
"But we managed to cover that up," answered Jane.
"Oh yeah!" said Melinda.
"You guys set me up!" I said, half irritated, half surprised.
"Yeah we did!" they answered together.
"I guess I'll be seeing you a lot then," said Melinda.
"So if it was all a joke," I said, "Potter you're not retiring."
"No Mark I'm not," said Jane. I just turned fifty. Why would I give up on the world's best job if I have fifty more years to live."
"Looks like we're partners again Mr. Tennyson," said Melinda.
"Looks like we are Melinda," I said.
"Please call me…never mind," said Melinda, "Goodnight Tennyson,"
"Goodnight Ms. Bennet," I said.
There was a new sense of comradeship between us now. Keep your friends close and enemies closer a wise guy once said. Well he certainly didn't know my friends. As my first step to returning to my old life, I've learned something that I don't want my old life back. Everything I have is just fine…for now…