Chapter 1
You've been on the force for a while now. You've done your share of extremely mundane and horrendously boring days. One where you just ticket people and collecting reports from supposed "life-threatening" instances when only an insurance claim needed to be filed instead. Then you've had days the same as today. One where your heart beats so loud you think that it is absolutely deafening. It's the case that will either break or make your career, and the pressure is on. You, Officer Karkat Vantas have been tracking the activity of the local gang, The Midnight Crew and will arrest Jack Noir tonight.
Tonight, you know a huge drug deal is going down at this local Club, Hotshot, and you and your partner, Kanaya Maryam, are ready to lock this place down. The plan is simple. Once Jack takes the money from your co-worker, you raid the place. Jack has got agents crawling over the place, and the very thought of being shot down by someone from afar makes you shudder. Kanaya places a hand on your shoulder to try and calm you down, which it doesn't. You never really were one for these types of places. Too many people, too many flashing lights, and the music being ten decimeters way too loud. Your head pulses and you tighten your grip on your gun. The bass of the music thumps with you and get a glimpse of the DJ on the stand. He's…. well. He's something. You've only been to these kinds of places a couple of times, but you have never, ever, seen a DJ like this before. He dances along with the music, spinning the records, grinning stupidly the more the song plays. You're memorized, but you don't know why. Kanaya taps you again, and you snap back into focus. Your earpiece crackles, and you hear the dreaded the words that set you into action. "It's a Deal Mr. Noir." your Associate says, and you see them shaking Jack's hands. It takes only a matter of seconds. Kanaya stands on top of the bar and screams, "NYPD, nobody move!" grabbing her gun and firing it into the air. Of course, everybody does the fucking opposite because it's a fucking club, drugs are being sold everywhere. You hear the Lady next to you scream, and you quickly whip out your handcuffs. One down. You and Kanaya get into smooth work, busting the entire place. She is your partner and has dealt with more of your bullshit, on and off hours. Which is why she's the only person in the whole world you would trust with your life. "Karkat, the DJ!" she shouts over all the chaos and you see the DJ grab whatever he can of his turntable and bolt. You know exactly how to catch him and bust your scrawny ass doing so. Because you're so short, you can easily dodge whoever tries to trample you, and shove whoever gets in your way. You book it and throw yourself at the said DJ, who punches you in the face almost immediately. But sadly, no matter how much it hurt, you still have the upper hand. You land on top of him, punch him back, and turn him over to get the cuffs on. Success. You smile down at him as he mutters, "Dirk's gonna kill me." and sighs. You got the DJ, which makes you extremely happy for some reason, but then you focus on trying to locate Jack Noir. Ignoring the chaos around you, luckily, you see him dash out a door on the second floor. Your co-worker on the ground bleeding. As you reach out to go and chase him the DJ had managed to grab your leg somehow, which causes you to fall. "Aren't you supposed to read me my rights or something. Cause...I gotta go.." he says awkwardly. You glare angrily at him because you just have to catch Jack Noir, but by the time you stand up, he's gone.
"You idiot!" you hiss out at the DJ who wriggles his way towards you.
"Hey, dude. I'm just trying to get home in one piece. I have no clue what's going on, but I'm just here to play the music." he says. You try to do those calming breathing exercises they had taught you in one of your remedial classes, but the more you try to calm down the more pissed you get.
"Shut up! You have no clue what you've done you imbecile!"
"Imbecile? What are you like 50?" The DJ gives you a smirk, and you let a shaky breath go.
"Shut. Up. Now." your glare shuts him up immediately, to your glee. Which he quickly ruins with his fucking mouth.
"Or else what, you're gonna arrest me?" The DJ smirks at you again, and it hits you that he has sunglasses on. It's a fucking club, why the fuck does he have sunglasses on? The thought of Jack Noir escaping, and the conversation of this idiot and his idiotic sunglasses get you beyond pissed, and you can feel your blood rush into your ears. Instead of snatching the sunglasses and smashing them only to proceed to punch the DJ in the face, you focus your anger on the chaos around you. You march over to the DJ stand, grab the mic, and your gun. You shoot your gun into the air, causing the DJ to flinch, and continue to do so until you've run out. Glass begins to fall on top of you both and you barely flinch compared to the DJ who huddles on the ground to shield himself. Shit, fuck. The skylight. You forgot. Ignoring the glass everywhere, you look on to the still quiet crowd. Finally, you have their attention. You tighten your grip on your gun and shout, "IF I SEE ANYONE ELSE MOVE, YOU'RE TAKING A FUCKING BULLET! NOW EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP, AND LET THE OFFICERS DO THEIR FUCKING JOB!" you scream out. You see Jack through the skylight of the club, and the both of you make eye contact. You see his eye widen in shock, and some blood drips from his arm and leg onto your face. "Kanaya, the skylight! Go!" you shout, and Jack begins to limp himself away.
You both sprint up to the roof, only to find a trail of blood and a full moon. "God fucking dammit! We were so fucking close!" you cry, and Kanaya scans around again trying to ensure that he isn't hiding. The skylight is pretty fucked up from you little burst, and you both tread carefully. You reload your gun and follow Kanaya. She has a talent for finding things that others, specifically you, have overlooked. She follows the trail of blood, and you both have guns drawn. The thing about Jack Noir is that he's sneaky. If you find him, he will fight like the cornered animal he is. You make it to the very edge of the skylight, and find a rope hanging below it. The trail of blood goes down and Kanaya smiles.
"Karkat, where did you shoot him again?" she says, turning around.
"Uh, the leg and arm?"
"So, a man who got shot in both the leg and arm, manages to climb a rope back down to the ground?" she says, and you grin at her. Whirling around, you shoot your gun at the door, hitting Jack for the third time. You watch him go down, unable to move because you pumped him with three bullets. Kanaya smiles wider now, cheek to cheek, and you race towards the notorious gang leader. Kanaya, with her fucking long legs, gets there first and curtsies to give you the honor. She gives you the honor to arrest the guy you've been chasing for God knows how long. Few moments in your life you would describe as pure unadulterated joy, and this…. this is one of those moments. You say the words, that, when usually said were spat out in hatred, but tonight, you couldn't be any happier barking them out to him. "Jack Noire, NYPD Officer Vantas with you here, reading you your fucking rights. You have the right to remain silent. If you do say anything, it can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have a lawyer present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you if you so desire." You caught him. You fucking caught him. Tears well in your eyes, as you and Kanaya give each other rib crashing hugs which you both will later never admit would have happened. You both smile as you watch him get carted away.
At the end of the night, it's you who's taking care of the ensuring people end up in a car heading to a jail cell. Kanaya is excitedly retelling the details of the night to her girlfriend Rose, who you have yet still to meet. You know you'll bug her about that later. It gives you the best feeling when you see the DJ's head get shoved in the back of the police van, with his stupid sunglasses still on. You know that there's going to be a shit ton of paperwork to do when you get back, but for now, you take another sip of coffee, overseeing this chaos as it slowly destroys itself, and watch the sunrise.