Chapter 3

"And this here is the department's lab! Since I am a forensic scientist, I get evidence from crime scenes and then analyze them to see how and when the person was killed. I can also detect any chemical in any corpse, deadly or safe! Some people say it's a dull job, and that only complete nerds do it as a profession, but I think it's really neat! I mean, I can use technology like magic and help people! Well, dead people, but still people!"

Tavros zones out of Jade's ramblings and seeks around the wide technological space. Metal bar shelves are cluttered with chemical containers, plastic boxes of all square sizes, and a few hand sanitizer bottles placed together. White is shown throughout most of the room, on the walls and heavy machinery. Multiple work benches are placed in rows, waiting for their scientists to preform chemical discovery on their smooth surface. Electrical wires weave in and out of every floor tile and wall plug in. Everything is so clean, as if the building's janitors burst in and clean everything in the room every five minutes. Even the air is clean! Not a cloud of smoky tobacco to choke anyone. This is nothing compared to Tavros's childhood.

"Tavros, are you ignoring me?" Jade asks, hurt.

"What? No! I was just looking around! This lab is huge." Tavros points to a cube-like device with assorted buttons and one small screen on the front. "What does this thing do?"

"That's a printer!"

"…Oh."

"It prints things from my laptop onto blank sheets of paper."

"I, uh, know what a printer does."

"Then why did you ask about it?"

Tavros blushes in frustration. He was never one to have excellent communication skills. The only person he would ever talk to was Ruffioh.

Jade laughs. "It's ok, Tavros. I know you're nervous. How about we go to the break room and have a coffee?"

With a nod of agreement, the two travel to the break room, a small rest area for employees to relax and bitch out. Jade goes to the snack area and grabs two cups of caffeine free goodness. Tavros picks out a small wooden table at the farthest corner in the room, away from groups of tall men who look like they can break his neck with the flick of a finger.

"So tell me about yourself Tavros," Jade says as she sets down the cups and sits down. "What do you like?"

"U-Um…"

"Do you like animals?"

Tavros nods and sips. "I feel like I can communicate with them in a way. I guess I understand animals more than humans. Uh… that was a stupid thought, I guess."

"Not at all! Sometimes I bring my dog Bec to work and he helps with the officers out in the field. It's like he knows what they are looking for and he sets out to find it. With that nose of his, he usually finds it."

"You have a dog? I love dogs!"

"Me too!"

The two animal lovers then began to chat. Their conversation goes from Bec's cute moments at Jade's house to Tavros's allergy to cats. As much as he thinks they are cute, he does not like how they make him sneeze a lot. Talking with Jade is making Tavros more comfortable.

"Do you have any siblings?"

Tavros fell silent. He hasn't talked about his family in years. Jade senses the mood and lets her co-worker know he doesn't have to talk about it.

Deep breaths, Tavros. "…When I was twelve, my parents got divorced. They gave up my older brother and me to the streets, because they didn't have enough money to keep either of us. My brother did whatever he could to support me and him. He even worked two jobs. When I got old enough to work, I did too. We eventually got a house and I started to go to community college. My brother always told me I would be the one to get an education." Tavros lets out a small laugh as Jade listens carefully.

"One day I came home from class, and I saw my brother. He was lying on the ground." His voice shakes a little. "I tried to wake him up, but when I turned him over… there were small holes everywhere, and so much blood... He was shot to death."

Jade gasps, her green eyes watering up.

Tavros calms down. "The police and doctors did nothing to help me. Why would they? I was so poor back then. After college I decided to become a police officer, so no one else would have to lose their older brother like I did."

Jade wipes the tears away from her eyes. "I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be. It was nice to get it off my chest."

"What was his name?"

"Ruffioh… Ruffioh Nitram."

"He must have been a great man."

Tavros drinks his coffee like an alcoholic on a bar stool. "Yeah… yeah he was."

Jade receives a text. She reads it.

Hey Jade!
I heard the new guy came into work today. You should introduce him to us soon! Dave says we should all go out tonight. Go celebrate like its "fucking Christmas up in here". Does Matesprit's sound good to you? Bring along the new guy if ya can!

~John

"Oh, neat! My friends are going out tonight, and they invited us!" Jade gets excited. She loves it when she can hang out with all of her friends.

"Us?" Tavros has been invited to an outing?

Jade sips her coffee. "Don't worry! They're all nice people."

"But-"

"Come on, Tavros! We'll get drinks, dance, mingle! It'll be fun!"

Tavros is not convinced. "I don't know…"

Jade leans in closer so no one else can hear. "It would be a good opportunity to get information. You could find a Faygo dealer there and bust him! That will give you extra points with the boss, and maybe even a cash bonus. Ms. Pyrope always pays extra to busting."

If you bust a dealer your recognition with the boss will increase, just as your paycheck will, and the justice in Alternia will stand! But what if things get violent? Tavros does not like violence, even though he knew that going into the police force would require violence. Maybe there was a peaceful way to go about this? Just ask the guy to stop selling an illegal drink that will eventually ruin people's lives and sanity? Chances of that working are really slim, but it's worth a shot! If worse comes to worse, you will use violence and get him in jail. Wait, do not think of it as violence. Dub it "self-defense", so you won't feel so conscience-stricken.

Tavros puts on his relaxed face. "Ok, I'll go."

Jade stands and claps her pale hands together. "Great! Come with me after work." she grabs Tavros's cold hand. "We'll go to the mall and get you a new outfit for tonight!"

"A new outfit?"