Chapter 10

The weeks that followed were a struggle and Blaze found it difficult to settle into their new life in Wood Oak city. She loved the big city life it had just like London but something was missing. Meanwhile Jake was thriving in his job at Wood Oak City Police Department. He had earned enough for them both to survive on and save for the wedding which had to be postponed a few more months as they were just about coping with finances. Blaze tried every day to find a job- interview after interview. Anything ranging from office jobs to teaching, but each time they told her that she was either over qualified or had no experience. This was something she couldn't get her head around.

In the meantime, no job meant staying at home cooped up for hours. She longed for a hobby at least or friends so Blaze decided to get back into dancing one evening a week. She found a local advanced class and took to it like a duck to water. A few weeks later and she added more dance and Judo training to her daily routine. She joined the local gym and would go each day to train before dance class. The sensei's at the gym could see how skilled Blaze was and how much Judo experience she had so they offered her a job teaching there two nights a week. Although it wasn't the full time job she needed to have, it was something she enjoyed doing and helped to pay the bills.

Jake was happy for her when she told him but he didn't seem to care as much as he was very caught up in his own work. He would spend hours telling Blaze stories about the criminals of the day he would catch. She found it intriguing but kept the fact that she was dancing again a secret from him.

The months that followed were pretty much the same except Jake was out for much longer each day when he fully qualified.

One night at the gym a police officer came to Blaze's Judo class. His name was Carl Ramos and he thought he could benefit from learning an extra martial art form taught by a professional.

Carl: "Hey thanks for the class. You're quite young to be a teacher aren't you?"

Blaze: "Yeah I started Judo when I was a kid but I always picked it up quickly. You did good for your first class!"

Carl: "Thanks, I work for Wood Oak City Police Department as a lieutenant. I am already trained in martial arts but I thought it would be good to try a new style. Anyway we are looking for new recruits to join us at Red District, if you don't have a job already would you be interested?"

Blaze: "I guess I could apply for a statistics role there or risk assessment, I'm really good with numbers".

Carl laughs: "No I mean as one of our cadets".

Blaze: "Oh! My fiancé works as an officer at Central District".

Carl: "Even better, he could help you get past the trials. Anyway think about it, here is my card".

Unsure, Blaze decided to take up his offer to try out as a cadet. She needed a job and had nothing to lose in giving it a shot.

Her first day as a cadet was the most memorable. After being briefed about laws and health and safety, six cadets would be paired up with a senior officer for combat training, patrolling, shooting and learning how to arrest citizens. At the end of the three days training, they would take an exam where two of the cadets would make it through to become full time cadets that required a year of intense training.

Blaze looked at the others in her group who were waiting for the first part, the written exam to begin. One guy next to her looked very nervous.

Blaze: "Hey you look like you could do with a hot chocolate to calm your nerves. Take mine".

She hands over her Starbucks cup to him as he takes a sip.

"Thanks but this is too sweet, I prefer coffee" he complains "I'm Adam by the way" he extends his hand to shake hers.

"Blaze", she replies.

Adam: "Well looks like we each got a one in three chance of making it through, good luck" he says pessimistically.

Blaze: "Well actually that's if you assume the process to be random, which it isn't. Good luck". She smirks.

After three days of gruelling physical, mental and written examinations, the results came out with Blaze and Adam coming out with top marks. That day he approached her in main hall.

Adam: "Hey".

Blaze: "Hey, well done!"

Adam: "Thanks. Sorry I complained about the hot chocolate the other day, that was a little arrogant of me".

Blaze: "No problem. I'm British we're accustomed to it" they laugh.

Adam: "Fancy a drink afterwards? Ramos is taking out all of the new cadets to celebrate at 7".

Blaze responds excitedly: "Sure! See you then!"

7pm and Saturday night is booming. This is the first decent night out Blaze has had since she came to Wood Oak City. She quickly spots her crew sitting by the bar with their new boss Carl.

Blaze: "Hey guys!"

Carl: "Yes finally the last cadet is here!" They cheer and salute their drinks.

Adam smiles: "Hey Blaze! Looks like we are going to be partners over this year".

Blaze: "Cool, just don't go buying me coffee" she jokes.

Adam: "There's someone I'd like you to meet. This is my girlfriend Keri, Keri this is my new cadet partner Blaze".

Keri gives her a smile: "great to meet you! Please do me a favour and keep him out of trouble!"

Blaze laughs: "I'm sure he will be fine, at least we got through those written exams!"

Adam: "Say no more" as he orders the three of them another drink.

It's a great night and Blaze catches a cab home at the end of it. She smiles to herself and thinks 'finally, I have a job and friends here'.

Jake glances at her as she walks into the apartment.

Jake: "It's past midnight, where you been?"

Blaze: "Guess what! I made it through to the cadet programme. We've been out celebrating!"

Jake: "What at Red District? You don't wanna work there it's no place for someone like you".

Blaze: "What do you mean? I finally found a career here, I think I'd be great at what you do". She jokes with him.

Jake replies with a stern tone: "I want you to call them and quit in the morning".

Blaze: "Why?"

Jake: "Blaze I've seen the streets out there, what the syndicate are like. You won't last 5 minutes".

Blaze: "Don't you believe in me?"

Jake: "Do anything else, but please not this". He kisses her on the cheek and grabs his keys.

Blaze: "Where you going?"

Jake: "Out".

Blaze: "Who with?"

Jake: "Just the boys at work. See you in the morning".

Blaze sighs as he closes the front door and leaves. Rather than staying at home, she reaches for her phone and gives Adam a call. "Hey, are you guys still at the bar?"

Adam: "No we've left that place. Gone to the real police hangout Hatchet's bar. Get your ass over here now seniorita you need some of these Mojitos in your life!"

Blaze laughs: "Ok give me half an hour".

Hatchet's bar is blaring with music, cocktails and people having a good time dancing. It's as safe as a club gets when there are at least 80 cops hanging out here off duty. Blaze spots Adam and Keri and the rest of the team by the bar and they enjoy the next hour hearing stories from other senior officers about what they are about to get themselves into. It all sounds exciting.

Suddenly from the bar Blaze spots Jake on the dancefloor amongst the crowd.

Blaze: "Hey Keri that's him, six months time and it's official!"

Keri: "Aww he's cute, go and call him over for a drink with us".

As Blaze gets closer to the dance floor she notices Jake drunk and sees him with his arms around another girl kissing her. The two of them then exit the club and Blaze walks back to the bar in shock.

Keri: "Hey what's wrong? Where did loverboy go?"

Blaze: "Sorry somethings come up I gotta go home now".

Before she can explain, she quickly leaves and finds a cab home.

6am and Blaze has been up all night thinking about what just happened. The cheek of it- he brought her all the way to America, away from her home. She was even about to give up her new career for him and this is what she gets in return.

6:35 and Jake walks through the door after a long night. He barely acknowledges her except-

Jake: "Honey can you get my shirt ready I gotta go to work now!"

Blaze: "Long night huh?" She reaches for the iron.

Jake: "Something like that" he does up his uniform in front of the mirror when she has finished. Their talk is limited and there is an awkward silence in the air until Blaze breaks it.

Blaze: "I saw you at Hatchets last night".

Jake's face instantly turns to shock: "What?! What the hell were you doing there?"

Blaze: "Does it even matter? I know what's going on and I want you to pack your things and leave."

Jake turns silent for a moment in front of the mirror: "I ain't going anywhere sweetheart and neither are you, I paid for this apartment. You are nothing without me, you have no place to go, no family here, nothing but a shitty job that pays peanuts right now".

Blaze: "Ok, take this apartment I'd rather sleep on the streets then". She says with anger as she walks towards the door.

Blaze: "I'd rather be alone than living with a cheating bastard like you".

Jake: "And you think I don't know you keep secrets from me? I know you've been going dancing every night wasting your money and yourself!"

He turns around and grabs her arm to stop her from leaving but Blaze pulls out a knife on him.

Blaze: "Let me go".

Jake laughs at her "you must get it from your old man huh? It's that cartel gene inside you".

Blaze twists her body round, forcing him to let go of her arm as he blocks the knife with his other hand and twists her wrist so that it falls to the floor.

Blaze uses her other elbow to hit him in the face behind her and then runs for the door. Jake retaliates by throwing a bottle at her which catches her off guard when it hits her on the back she falls to the ground amongst the broken glass and red wine now puddled on the floor.

She lays there for a moment and catches her breath as Jake walks towards her holding the used iron in his left hand.

Jake: "You always thought you were a better fighter than me, you're not cut out for the police force. I'm afraid you still have so much to learn". He puts his weight on top of her to restrain her as she lies on her stomach in front of the door. He then holds the still hot iron a couple of centimetres from her left ear.

Blaze: "Please don't do this, let me go".

He looks at her with hate for a moment while the heat from the iron steams in Blaze's face.

Blaze: "I'm sorry ok? I'm sorry I upset you Jake" she whispers.

He pauses for a moment then he throws the iron across the room to the other side and helps her up.

They sit on the floor facing each other for a moment as Blaze catches her breath.

Jake: "You gotta understand baby, there's this rage inside me that only comes out because of you. It's because I care and love you so much".

Blaze: "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I lied to you about dancing" tears roll down her face.

Jake: "I'm sorry I've been a jerk" he notices the bruise on her arm where he grabbed her.

Jake puts his arms around her "look at you, your shaking. This will never happen again I promise, we'll get through this just give me another chance and stay".

Blaze closes her eyes and gives in again.

Every time, as much as she cares for him and pities him, she regrets that decision she made as the next few months turn into one vicious cycle- arguing and fighting to the point where they hurt one another when she has to defend herself against Jake's violent outbursts followed by breaking up, followed by making up and false promises to the point where Blaze is sick of the flowers Jake gives to her every time he realises he has been a jerk.

At this point Blaze has given up dancing and Judo for now but at least there are two other things keeping her going- her job at Wood Oak Police Department where she is really flourishing as a cadet and that small jar of pills at the back of the cupboard that help her sleep at night, especially when her fiancé stays out late.

Time and time again she couldn't hide the bruises and ran out of excuses. Adam tried to persuade her to leave Jake but she was too stubborn and optimistic until one day she ended up in hospital and had no choice but to report him to the authorities. As a result, Jake permanently lost his career on the police force and was sentenced to four years behind bars for domestic violence as well as substance abuse and corruption whilst on duty as an officer. The Murphy family resented Blaze for testifying against him when she could have just walked away according to them.

She eventually sold her engagement ring and any valuables he gave to her but somehow she still blamed herself for the outcome. The pill popping became worse and worse over the next two years by the time Blaze became a fully qualified police officer. Her green card had run out but her career on the force could override that plus her family were originally granted permanent residence at Wood Oak. This opened a can of worms when Blaze discovered the truth about how they were massacred.

The last straw of it all was when she overdosed one morning. Fortunately her partner Adam turned up at her apartment when she wasn't answering his calls and was late to work. He took her straight to the hospital and saved her life. After two and a half years of living in Wood Oak City, Blaze decided it was time to go back home. She couldn't find any more answers regarding her family and who was behind the hit so she gave up and moved back to London to work for the secret services as a detective.

Adam and his family and the rest of the force were sad to see her go but understood why she was leaving. When she returned to London, Blaze found Dr Zan again and continued with her training, growing stronger and stronger with each passing day. After six months they swapped places and he left to return to Wood Oak City as two of his closest friends, Mr and Mrs Stone who lived there were facing some difficulties and needed his help. He didn't see Blaze again for years until she returned to Wood Oak City transferring back to Red District as a lieutenant under the new Deputy Chief Carl Ramos who moved up in his career. The rest is history.