When the time came, she did end up getting shotgun. Caine had wanted them all to wear their uniforms, but Drake denied it, saying the police should dress differently. Caine had vetoed that. Rhian sat, grumpy and relentlessly flipping through her CD. She was not happy to be back in the black skirt. Underneath she wore grey spandex. She wore a black tanktop beneath her ugly maroon sweater. Sneakers on her feet considering she would go right into patrolling. A black bandana on her head her hair tied up in a sloppy bun. One gun was held in place by a piece of fabric tied to her thigh. It was hidden by her skirt.
Drake grabbed her hand as she went to change to the next song on the CD. "You've not listened to a full song yet. Just because your thongs got you bothered, doesn't mean you have to bother me."
Rhian growled at him, baring her teeth. Caine leaned forward. "How do you know that she's wearing… you know." His voice cracked.
Drake laughed loudly. "I'm much better in the ladies department than you Caine."
Diana scoffed. "Yeah right. He walked in this morning to tell something to Rhi about their little workshop. He didn't knock and walked right in to see us changing."
"Did he see you?" Caine shouted, glaring at Drake.
"Oh please. He didn't see anything important on me. But Rhian had on only underwear. Luckily, he only saw her bare back because she was turned away from the door. And since it's Drake, he doesn't care enough that we were changing. He only gets off on the sight of blood."
Caine nodded.
"Here." Drake said, turning off the music. Caine clambered out the back, and Diana slid out of the car to go talk to people. Rhian fiddled with a pen, clicking it. "Stop it." Drake whispered. They weren't paying attention to Caine at all.
"Can't help it. I'm fidgety. I have to do something." Rhian said.
"Dear god, I'd rather you, like, play with my fingers or something rather than that noise." To his shock, she grabbed his hand and began tracing patterns.
"Tell me what you think I drew." She said. They continued with this until they heard Caine mention going into the church. Rhian and Drake slid easily from the car and followed the procession into the church. Drake walked up to stand on Caine's left side. Rhian, feeling the uncomfortable stares of the people of the town following her movements to the stage. She was one of the last and the bruises on her right forearm had caught the attention of the people. She practically hid behind Drake when she got onstage, not even reaching his shoulder as she watched Caine's speech.
No one could even see her, that was what she wanted. Her family had been from this small town, and her first boyfriend was in the crowd. She used to play lacrosse, the only sport that small school had, before getting kicked out of school for her behavior on and off the field. That had been in seventh grade, just two years ago. She grabbed the back of Drake's shirt, crinkling the starched white shirt, tucked neatly into his khakis.
She didn't hear Caine's speech as she locked eyes with her old boyfriend, she had dated him until the start of the new school year, when he had violently reacted to her snarking about the school nurse. Connie Temple had bothered her from day one, for reasons unknown. The boy she used to date was hanging by another kid that looked very familiar.
Caine began. "We need to work together. I think we should organize so that things aren't destroyed, and problems can be handled. I think our goal should be to maintain. So that once the barrier comes down, and once the disappeared people come back, they will find that we've done a pretty darn good job of keeping things together."
A small kid spoke up. "The captain is already maintaining." Drake snorted quietly. He muttered quietly to Rhian about the nerve of some kids.
Caine walked down the steps as he responded. "He's obviously done an excellent job. But it's a burden. Why should Captain Orc have to do all the work? I think we need a system, and I think we need a plan. Captain Orc, I'm sure you don't want to have to allocate food and care for the sick and keep the day care functioning, and read all the things you'd have to read, and write all the things you'd have to write, in order to establish a system here in Perdido Beach."
Rhian's eyes snapped towards two of the kids as they spoke in hushed tones. Drake noticed as well and shook his head at the two. "Dumb asses." He muttered. Rhian could only nod. No one spoke in Caine's speeches or else they may lose their life. These idiots needed to learn.
She came back to attention as the small boy from before protested once more. "Sayw hat now? I let it go by before, but are you saying Orc works for this guy, and some wimpy chick hiding behind his back?" He pointed at Drake and Rhian. Drake smirked, raising both eyebrows and Rhian glared harshly at the boy, her hand gripping Drake's forearm tightly. Drake flexed his arm as she clenched her fingers, attempting to control the anger threatening to spill out of her. "We don't work for anyone. Captain Orc doesn't work for anyone, or under anyone, or follow anyone's orders."
Rhian watched Caine crack his fingers. Orc stood up, as well as another idiot. They both held bats with nails crudely stuck in them. They could be ripped free by hand. Caine raised both hands to smooth his hair. Rhian released Drake's arm and tilted her head sideways. She stepped up next to him. She watched the crucifix fly through the air, as if brought forward by an invisible hand. It slammed into the boy next to Captain Orc. Rhian wanted to laugh at the stupid name. Caine dealt with someone nursing. Diana walked forward to whisper in Caine's ear. He nodded. "This meeting is adjourned till we can help our wounded friend… what is his name? Cookie?"
