It was two days before Christmas and everybody was supposed to be in their homes celebrating or eating sumptuous feasts, but the members of the Homicide Division of the New York Police Department had been called out to investigate, well, a homicide in south Bronx.
Known for its dense low income population, crime is not uncommon in that part of the city. Housing projects filled the vicinity, and the stench of the its overcrowded mess filled the air.
The inside of the apartment buildings were no better. The demographics were diverse, and neighbors hid from the police as the yellow tape which said "police line do not cross" were plastered on the apartment door.
The first person on the scene was rookie detective, Rey Kenobi. Formerly a b-cop, Rey spent most of her time writing parking tickets and patrolling around the city. She had her break, finally, after she solved a string of diamond robberies in jewelry shops in Manhattan. Still, her colleagues in the NYPD didn't take her seriously, saying she was all cute and adorable, like a child playing cop. So, when she made detective, Rey persuaded her captain to assign her in Homicide Division, a decision which she's now beginning to regret.
She stared at the lifeless body before her, her big brown eyes widening more than usual. It was not her first time seeing a dead body. Most of her experiences were visits in morgues where specialists have already opened and cleaned the bodies up. And truth be told, most of the corpses she saw were covered with white sheets, so in all honesty, this was really her first time to see a fresh one.
He, or what was left of him was sitting on a sofa. He was wearing a three piece suit, one that looked too expensive compared to the rest of the things inside the apartment unit. The body was sitting upright, his hands on his lap. His shoes had been newly shined, its red soles peeking through the uneven flooring.
"Christian Louboutins." Rey whispered under her breath. It didn't take an expert to know what shoes had red soles.
The man's nose was too sharp and long for his face. He had his eyes wide open, his pupils rolling back to its socket. It exposed the whites in his eyes, which are now discolored with yellowish liquid. He had black wavy hair that extended to his shoulders. Somehow, the strands on his head were separated by something. With her gloved hand, Rey touched the exposed skin on the side of the man's scalp. Suddenly, she felt her stomach turn upside down, wanting to vomit the brunch she just had. Cold sweat filled her forehead. She wanted to take her hand away, but didn't. Instead, she pressed further onto the corpses' scalp and traced the pattern that ran throughout his head.
The man's head was sewn like a piece of clothing. The thread marks were neatly stitched onto his scalp like a professional.
"Michael Monroe, 32 years old, the owner of this apartment unit." Another detective, Finn Windu stated. He had been reading a small black notepad, his pen on his right ear. Rey did not see him arrive, probably too preoccupied at the body before her.
She removed her hand from the man's scalp and began to observe her surroundings. From her initial investigation, it's not a classic B&E. The doors weren't forcibly opened and nothing was taken from the apartment.
"Whew." Someone said, followed by a slight whistle. "The stitches are post mortem, that's for sure." She shook her head. Rose Tico, head of Forensics, grinned as she observed the dead body.
Rey grimaced at how close Rose was to the corpse, intently looking at the gruesome scene like it was something majestic.
"Cause of death?" Detective Windu waltz through the small apartment. His eyes were searching his surroundings, finding clues for what happened.
"I really can't say without the autopsy." Rose sighed in disappointment. "But judging from the body alone, this guy had been dead for approximately 24-30 hours already."
"And the neighbors?" Finn said.
"I.. I'm on it." Rey stuttered as she raised her hand like a student in class.
Rose and Finn stared at each other for a while weirded out with the rookie's reactions.
"You know you don't need to raise your hand, right?" Finn raised his eyebrows.
Rey immediately lowered her hand, her face red with embarrassment. "Of course." She forced a smile.
Rey proceeded to walk towards the door to do her job. "Hey, cinnamon roll." Finn grinned at her.
"Yes?" She cussed internally for reacting. Cinnamon roll was a term of endearment the department used to her. It was as if she was this soft little girl that needed to be protected. There are times where she appreciated it, but most of the time, she hated it when they call her that. She's more than a capable detective and she didn't need them treating her like a fragile thing.
"You have court this afternoon, yeah?" Finn smiled at his notebook, but he could see Rey jolt in shock as the rookie detective remembered her appointment.
"Shit." She cussed under her breath which made her fellow detectives chuckle.
—
Rey Kenobi prepped for court duty, straightening her blazer. She couldn't remember the last time she wore corporate clothing as evidenced by the slightly discolored white long sleeves underneath her black coat. Her hair had been braided and was wrapped around her head like a cinnamon roll. She sighed as she figured where the origin of her nickname came from. So, she unbraided her hair and ended up with a high ponytail, the curls of her then braids evident at the tips of her long dark brown hair. She snuck onto her high heels, which created a slight discomfort on her feet. She had been so used to wearing boots all her life that made her wonder why women put up with these kinds of shoes. But the contemplation didn't last long as she was about to be late for her appointment.
She grabbed her phone and typed the address of the district court on her Uber app, mumbling rehearsed answers to possible questions that can be asked in court.
Her testimony seemed vital to the prosecution's case. Needless to say, she was the arresting officer of a high profile personality - a club owner somewhere in New York. Turns out the club was a front for large scale distribution of cocaine in the city.
Rey busted inside the courtroom, the doors banging behind her. She winced as she apologized at the disturbance she had caused which made lawyers and non-lawyers alike stare at her in contempt.
The District Attorney greeted her with a slightly happier tone. He shook her hand and offered her a seat behind him. Rey remained silent as the DA and his colleagues whispered things she couldn't really hear. For a while, she had the urge to check her phone, but did not. Instead, she tried to remember as vividly as she could the events that transpired that led to the arrest of the club owner.
Minutes later, the courtroom doors busted wide open again. And unlike their initial reaction with Rey, the room was filled with gasps as the opposing counsel and his client entered it.
Rey could hear the DA cuss under his breath. She could see the defense attorney march towards the lawyer's table, his eyes black and condescending. He didn't greet anyone, not even the prosecutors on the table beside him. Instead, he focused his gaze towards his client who was grinning at Rey like a complete douche that he was.
The club owner's lawyer scolded him, which made the guy frown. He averted his eyes from Rey, but his lawyer proceeded to glance at whoever his client was smirking at.
Rey tried to avoid eye contact to say the least, but the defense counsel was staring at her longer than he should. So, Rey willingly returned the stare, her eyebrows furrowing to the challenge.
He was a tall man, Caucasian, around 6'3", eyes black and deep, and moles, lots of them, strategically placed all over his face. His nose was too pointy and sharp, but contemplated the shape of his long face. His hair was black and wavy, almost reaching his shoulders. It was neatly combed or probably curled by someone making it seemed that he came out of a shampoo commercial. He looked good in the black suit he was wearing, and underneath it, his red long sleeves matching the paleness of his skin. While he looked like he was a member of the goddamn Adam's family, Rey observed that he was hauntingly attractive.
Rey gasped as she did not notice that she was already profiling the lawyer who had been looking at her. She removed her gaze from him, finally taking out her cellphone for distraction.
"That's fucking Kylo Ren." Rey heard one of the DA's colleagues hiss.
Kylo Ren? Rey repeated on her head. She glanced at the lawyer who was now staring at the judge's bench, his eyes impatient. She heard that name before. A household name inside her precinct, and every precinct in the NYPD. He was a famous defense lawyer, she had been told. One that caused lots of problems for police officers around the city.
Rey remembered Finn mentioned him once. "Arrogant bastard", specifically remembering the moniker her colleague had given him. While the police spend their days catching criminals to put them in jail, defense lawyers like Kylo made sure that they don't stay in jail. In short, he was a pain in every cop's ass.
The judge waltz inside the room making everyone rise from their seats. He gestured everybody to sit down and called upon the prosecution to present their case.
Rey's heart pumped crazily inside her chest. She tried to remain calm, remembering the rehearsals she had gone through for answering the questions. Soon, she was called by the DA to the stand, and swore an oath in which she promised to tell the truth and nothing but the truth.
Her direct examination went well. She answered the questions like a breeze. The judge now called for the defense counsel for his cross-examination. Rey exhaled as Kylo Ren slowly stood up and buttoned his coat. On his hand was a folder, which he carried as he walked towards the stand.
His aura began to feel different when he stood up. His presence became more intimidating and he made sure that people were aware of it. Rey felt her body cringe a little. It felt like she was going to be interrogated, and he haven't even asked a single question. She stared at his shoes, trying to avoid eye contact. She noticed how his heels clicked as he went forward, and the bottom of his shoes showed a hint of blood red color.
'Louboutins?' She whispered to herself. Her face crumpled in displeasure as she remembered the homicide they were investigating this morning.
"Officer Kenobi!" Kylo Ren snapped at her.
Rey jolted in shock, awakening her from the trance she was in. "Y..yes?"
Ren looked at her intently, unamazed at how she managed to day dream inside a courtroom. "I have here a signed confession of the accused," He said, slamming the piece of paper he took out of the folder on the witness stand. The thudding sound reverberated to the room, which made Rey glare at the lawyer.
"...one which you have stated earlier was signed by him, in your presence and his counsel." He continued.
Rey took the paper which was now slightly crumpled. "Yes, this is it." She answered as she silently read its contents.
"I didn't ask a question." He glowered at her for not paying attention.
Rey bit her lip, nose flaring in anger. He didn't need to embarrass her in front of everybody. So she stayed silent and waited for a question. She froze like a stone, keeping calm.
"According to the said document, what time was the confession signed?" He placed his hands behind his back and slowly walked to and fro the stand.
"1 pm." Rey said glancing at the white thin sheet in her hands.
"That's right, 1 pm." Kylo repeated.
"And who was the counsel for the accused at the time it was signed?"
"Atty. Gordon." Rey read on the paper.
"Objection, your honor!" the District Attorney stood. "These facts have been established during the pre-trial. Whatever it is that Atty. Ren is pointing out is irrelevant."
"Counsel?" The judge remarked, his eyebrows twitching waiting for an explanation.
"It's relevant, your honor. I promise" He assured the man clad in black robe.
"Objection overruled. Proceed." The judge answered.
Rey observed as Kylo Ren turned to her, his back facing his opponents. While he looked calm and composed, there was a hint of victory in his eyes, like he was expecting everything to happen.
"Your honor, I have here the visitation logbook of the 89th precinct. It says here that Atty. Gordon left my client at 12:50 pm."
The revelation earned gasps from the audience and the jury.
"No. He did not leave!" Rey clasped her hands, trying to stay calm.
Ren turned to her, handing a copy of the precinct logbook. "So are you telling me that the logbook is made up?" He said.
"That's not what I said. All I'm saying was he was there!" Rey protested, her voice, louder and defensive.
"So his lawyer was there?"
"Yes, he was."
"From start of the custodial investigation until the signing of the confession?"
"Yes! Yes he was! It's just that he had to take a..." Rey stopped, her voice lowering down to a whisper.
"He had to take a what officer Kenobi?" Ren looked at her. His eyes pretending to be intrigued for an answer he already knew.
Rey cussed under her breath. She glanced at the judge who was waiting for her to answer, then to the prosecution's table who were hopelessly looking at her. Lastly, her eyes moved towards Kylo Ren, who looked all smug despite his straight face. She closed her eyes and sighed.
"He was doing what, officer Kenobi?" He repeated his question. "Or do I need to remind you the consequences of lying on the stand?"
"I'm not trying to lie, you jerk face!" She snarled at him, anger welling up her cheeks.
Rey held her breath as she realized she made a very disrespectful comment. In court. In front of a judge. Her heart began to beat faster, she didn't want to be cited in contempt, but this lawyer was pushing her buttons, calling her a liar when she isn't. She gulped and waited for the authority in the black robes decide on her actions. But he didn't. If there was any reaction from the judge it was a slight snort, followed by the sound of him clearing his throat.
"You may answer the question, Ms. Kenobi." The judge smiled at her. The judge was old and fat, like a cuddly grandfather.
Rey forced a smile, relieved at leeway given to her for her insolence. She cleared her throat and began to answer. "Atty. Gordon said he needed to take a piss." She frowned.
"And around what time did he excuse himself to use the bathroom?" Ren snarled back. His voice was louder now, almost angry, to say the least. Of course he couldn't voice out his embarrassment. He was a man of great stature, revered by both his peers and opponents in the legal profession, yet this insolent tiny cop in front of him called him a jerk face in court. In open court! Ren tried to hide his feelings but his rage was evident on his face and his actions. He clenched his hands tightly and his jaws clicked after his statement.
"Around 12:30." Rey answered quietly.
He sighed, finally calming down, when he heard what he wanted to hear.
"And he didn't return, did he?"
"No. He didn't." Rey bit her lip.
"So you're telling me that from 12:30 up to the time where this confession was signed, my client wasn't assisted by counsel?"
Rey did not answer.
"Officer?"
"He wasn't."
"No further questions your honor." He said, and took a seat.
Rey was excused from the stand. She kept her head down in embarrassment. It was her mistake, a mistake that caused the dismissal of the case. This drug dealing bastard whom Kylo Ren calls his client would be out in the streets again and it was all her fault.
The rookie detective massaged her temples as she was forced to listen to Kylo Ren's closing arguments. He said something about extrajudicial confessions in custodial investigations obtained without counsel is inadmissible as evidence. Followed by a witch hunt by the District Attorney's Office to make someone liable for the cocaine distribution that frolicked right under their noses. Lastly, he said something about the incompetence of the NYPD, specifically giving emphasis to the negligence of its arresting officers. A point which Rey knew was directed at her.
Rey sighed in disbelief and wanted to melt on her seat. She could not leave yet, not until the judge orders them too. So she had to wait for the jury to say their verdict. It didn't take long for them to convene and decide, Rey felt like it was forever.
And just that, the case against the club owner was dismissed. Never mind the hours they spent surveilling the club nor the sleepless nights in stake-outs or even the overall effort in catching a criminal. Just one mistake and the case was down the drain.
Rey slowly walked down the court's stairs. She let her hair down and allowed the wind to mess them a bit. She felt disheartened at the mess she created. She could still build another case against the club owner, but it would take a very long time to come up with something concrete. She sighed as she walked passed a coffee stand near the court. She ordered her own cup of Americano and sat on an empty bench.
Rey stared at her coffee, its black color reflecting her frowning face. She blew the drink and caused a slight rippling effect on its contents. She smiled to herself as her reflection was distorted, masking her facial expression.
The closing remarks of Atty. Ren repeated on her head. Was she really an incompetent cop? Rey scowled before brushing the negatives thoughts away. This will be her first and last mistake, she told herself.
She clutched her coffee cup tightly, promising herself that she'd do better. She would prove everyone wrong: her colleagues, especially that lawyer Kylo Ren.
Speaking of jerk faced lawyers, Rey noticed Kylo order a coffee cup and sit beside her on the bench. Silently, he rummaged his leather briefcase which he placed beside him. He took out a cigarette and lit it, blowing the smoke onto his coffee cup.
Rey rolled her eyes as the smell of cigarette smoke and coffee filled the air. Here they are, sitting together quietly on a bench; one sworn to keep peace and order, and the other duty bound to defend law offenders. It wouldn't be an exaggeration if they consider themselves sworn enemies. Their job description practically says it all.
"Why do you defend them?" She said as she sipped her coffee, finally saying something after the minute long silence.
Kylo Ren did not respond immediately. Instead, he drank his coffee.
"Ever heard of innocent until proven guilty?" He answered after puffing his cigarette.
Rey sighed. There was no way of arguing with a lawyer. He can tell her anything and it will probably sound convincing and argumentative. He has a point though. Presumption of innocence is ingrained in the damn constitution.
"Yeah but, what if you knew they're guilty?" She asked.
"Part of the job." He huffed again before dropping the cigarette butt on the floor.
Kylo's answer made Rey look at him with dismayed eyes. His standards on morality was definitely below the bar.
"You don't get the moral high ground here." He called her out, noticing the judging look on her face. "You're the one who called me jerk face." He hissed.
Apparently, he was still annoyed with her for calling him jerk face in open court. "You called me a liar." She hissed back.
"I didn't." He argued calmly. "I asked if the logbook was made up."
Rey's face crumpled in frustration. "Uhm, yes you did." She growled. "I was sure as hell you were implying it."
The lawyer sighed as he stroked his hair with his long fingers. "There is a difference between expressly saying it and implying it." He said as he glanced at the young cop beside him, making sure that she felt that her arguments were stupid.
"Oh, my mistake." Rey sarcastically forced a chuckle. "But come to think of it, at the end of it all, it is the intent that matters, right?" She said standing from her seat, readying herself to leave.
Kylo Ren placed his cup on his lips, covering the small smile that appeared on his face. She was right. In every litigation, no matter how you say the words, it is the intent that matters. You have to make the jury see your point without being too obvious, unless you want the opposing counsel to object on your questions.
He was surprised by the wit of the female police officer who was now towering over him. Seldom does he meet anyone (outside the legal profession) who would engage in an argument against him (and make a good god damn point). Most of them were too dumb for his precious time, but this woman, not only was she smart, but she had too much spunk in her that it made Ren curious.
Rey was about to walk away when she stopped as she noticed the lawyer's brief case disappear from his side. Rey looked to her right and saw a man carrying Kylo Ren's bag while running towards the road.
For a second, Rey looked at the victim of theft who was still silently sipping his coffee. He was so full of himself he didn't even notice the crime that had been done to him.
"Your bag has been stolen!" She cried as she shoved him her coffee cup, slightly spilling its contents on his hand.
Rey ran to follow the culprit, cussing under her breath. "Oblivious piece of shit!" She cried in frustration.
If there was anything she was good at it was running and chasing criminals. She had learned it throughout her years in the police force. You are never wrong with a good set of cardiovascular skills. So she ran, telling people to move, and shoving them to the side when they didn't.
Rey cussed again. It was difficult to move on a goddamn pencil skirt, and it was even more difficult to run in high heels. She started to lift her skirt up to make room for the movement of her thighs and removed her heels. She dropped them on the pavement and ran barefoot to stop the thief.
Soon, Rey was able to catch up to him. She grabbed his collar and ram him to the ground. The thief didn't fall but it slowed his movement down. Suddenly, they were both at tug-of-war with Kylo Ren's brief case. The man would not let go, so Rey, using the base of her palm smacked the man on his jaw.
He fell down to the ground, finally letting go of the bag. Subconsciously, Rey reached for her waist to get a hold of her handcuffs. She was in court duty so she didn't bring one. When she looked back to the ground, the man had already ran off again. She sighed as she clutched Ren's briefcase on her chest. At least she was able to retrieve his bag.
Rey walked silently towards where she left Kylo Ren, the heat of the pavement making her bare feet ache. Thankfully, she found her high heels scattered on the pavement and wore them. She sighed as the pain on her feet got worse. She didn't know if it was caused by her stupid shoes or her running without shoes. Either way, she tolerated the agony until she reached the benches only to find that Kylo Ren wasn't sitting on it anymore.
—
Rey cussed and sighed repeatedly inside the elevator clutching Atty. Ren's briefcase on her hand. She contemplated why he didn't even wait for her to return his stolen item. It greatly bothered her that he didn't care about his possessions.
Coming from almost nothing, Rey had little in life. And when she acquires something, even the littlest things, she cherishes it with her whole heart.
As the elevator door opened, Rey could not miss the large sign attached on the white washed wall right in front of her:
The First Order: Attorneys-at-Law
Snoke. Ren. Hux. Phasma
The First Order was the largest law firm in New York and the sight of Kylo's last name on the wall made Rey gulp. She knew he was famous, but the magnitude of him being a partner in the First Order was beyond what she expected.
Rey walked quietly, avoiding as much as possible any eye contact from people passing by. She took one step and they were already judging her. Unlike in the streets, the people on this building were oozing in finesse and confidence. It was easy to see that everyone was wearing something expensive, which made Rey look like a homeless person compared to everybody inside the floor. It was as if she was an unwanted vermin on a beautiful house.
But if there was someone who grabbed all the attention, it was the lawyer who grilled Rey on the stand. Kylo Ren appeared from one of the corners of the law firm, head high up, and walking mightily towards his office. The people who saw him either stared in awe or froze in fear. He had command of everyone around him which amazed Rey. He was like a military commander, too uptight and intimidating.
Rey saw him enter his transparent office, take off his coat and latch them behind his chair. Even in those menial tasks, he was exuding grace. He then sat down and took out his glasses, which was Rey's cue to approach his office. But she was stopped by his secretary, a tall blond woman wearing a dress too revealing for a law office. Rey could practically see her D-cup sized breasts sprawl on her face. It was difficult to unsee, and Rey stared at them in both awe and disgust.
"Miss." She said smiling as she liked the uneasiness Rey felt seeing her body.
"Oh, I need to return this to Mr. Ren." Rey pointed at the briefcase she was holding and smiled.
"Oh, you can't. He doesn't allow visitors in his office." She forced a smile. "I can return it for you if you like."
"Oh. Sure. Please and thank you." Rey replied.
And just like that, Rey left the brief case to Kylo's voluptuous secretary. She then proceeded to walk towards the elevator while occasionally glancing at the secretary who apparently was now adjusting the cleavage of her dress to make her breasts pop out more before entering to return his boss' bag.
Soon, she reached the elevator doors and pressed the button with a downward shaped arrow. She hummed to herself as she waited for the lift to reach her floor. Her thoughts ran from the homicide victim to the club owner who just evaded incarceration.
She sighed as she entered the elevator. She took one last look at the names plastered on the wall. She will do a better, she promised herself. But before the doors latched together, a hand slipped in, making the metals make a weird sound before retracting itself on the walls. Rey pushed the "door open" sign to let the person through the elevator. To her surprise, Kylo Ren stood in between the elevator doors, his hand still extended.
"Officer Kenobi." He said, exhaling hard; chest expanded greatly underneath his red long sleeves, nose flaring for oxygen.
"Yes?" Rey jolted, surprised at what she's seeing.
Silence.
Ren did not talk, his eyes wide with confusion. He bit his lip, contemplating on why he ran from his office all the way towards the elevator. He got what he needed. She already returned his stolen bag. So why was he here again?
Rey looked up and stared at him with curious eyes. She already returned his briefcase, so why was he here?
"I.. uh.." He stuttered.
The sight Rey was seeing was magical. The eloquent and articulate officer of the court couldn't figure out the what to say.
Maybe it was a "thank you", Rey thought. She knew that the man in front of her was too proud to voice out his gratitude, so she waited patiently for him to say what he had in mind.
"Do you want to have lunch?" He finally said, his eyes avoiding any eye contact with the police officer.
"Sure." Rey grinned as his words were better than any form of gratitude.