A Walk In The Sand
Part 2
I do not own these characters or the city of Boston. I do claim the added imagined people who help or harm our duo that is original to this story.
Jane Rizzoli loved the streets of Boston. It reminded her of her rookie days when she had a walking beat for a while. Now, however, after the department wide layoffs; she could privately admit the she did not miss the wear and tear on her body. Oh for sure she was still gung ho to get the bad guys, but just living life with Maura and exploring their love was fulfilling in and of itself. Jane was for once, happy.
With a sense of nostalgia, she pushed through the diner door and immediately spotted Korsak and Frost sitting at a window table, coffee in hand and one extra in front of an unoccupied seat.
Jane brushed back her hair as she slid into the seat and grabbed the coffee cup and sipped the potent brew, already laced with the proper amount of cream and sugar.
"Rizzoli in the flesh!" Frost exclaimed as a smile of true happiness at the sight of his old partner bloomed. Korsak tilted his cup in salutations with a smile that was equally bright and welcoming.
Jane felt at ease with these two men, as she always had. Her job of being a detective may be lost, but the job was still in her blood.
"Hi guys!" Jane felt a piece of herself long dormant wiggle to life in her chest at the feeling of true camaraderie.
"How's married life Jane, has Maura made an honest woman out of you yet?" Korsak razzed her a bit.
Jane sighed with a mock droll face and answered with an over the top British accent thoroughly muddied by her Bostonian tongue replied, "My lord, there are no dishonest people to be had in the land of Rizzles, only fair maidens to ravish!" Both men looked at each other and couldn't help the deep belly laughter.
After calming down and a few sips of coffee, Korsak seriously asked, "For real, Rizzoli, how are ya?"
Jane looked at these two men who had been her partners and close friends for years, with a gentle smile filled with warmth that reached into her brown eyes and warmed to a depth never seen before, she replied; "I'm happy."
Both men responded to the keenly felt contentment with matching warm smiles of their own.
Jane cleared her throat to rid herself of the mushiness or at least to try and temper it.
"How about you guys? Did everything shake out okay at the department?" Jane could tell by the smiles falling from both of the faces across from her that the news wasn't good.
"Well you know how things go, Jane. You're only as good as the brass thinks you are." Frost commiserated with a slow nod, agreeing with Korsak.
" With a shake up like we had, there was bound to be some sort of fallout, unfortunately, Korsak, you and me got the short end of the stick," Frost glumly chimed in.
Jane looked curiously at the two, "Why, what happened?"
"They put me in evidence, said they could benefit from my experience to help find holes in cases otherwise missed by rookies." Korsak worked hard at keeping the bitterness out of his voice, but it leaked through loud and clear.
Jane was stunned. Not in a million years would she have thought the department would shelve such a veteran investigator. Taking in Frost's demeanor, his was no better.
"What about you Frost?"
"Burglary. Seems they think my hacking skills can solve dime store stick ups faster than working the streets on a clearing homicide." The younger man didn't bother to try and cover his anger and disappointment.
Jane sat appalled at the waste of assets in the form of her two friends.
Korsak broke the silence as he absent mindedly turned his coffee cup on a brown stained white paper napkin. "I've been thinking, it might be time for me to declare Ocean-Frank."
Just the mention of Ocean-Frank, startled his two companions. As they digested the statement however, they saw the upside of going out on his terms instead of being booted like Jane was.
Frost sat back and took a deep breath, determined not to let their reunion slip into a morose gathering. Summoning up his brightest smile, he proclaimed; "How about those Soxs!?"
Grateful for the subject change, Jane and Vince latched on to the common thread of sports and the debate of it, with relish.
Over the course of a few hours the topic of conversation ranged from sports, funniest take downs, to the best steak and everything in between. However, no more was spoken of the job reassignments specifically, but each knew another change was on the near horizon.
On the sidewalk outside Jane bid both friends goodbye with a promise of getting together again soon, including Maura.
As the two men turned and walked away, Jane vowed not to let life separate her from her brothers in blue. As a warm breeze blew against her, she enjoyed the sensation, this was her life now. Her life and she couldn't be happier.
Mean while…
In the land of the shifting sands a group of nomadic men pushed and shoved a bound prisoner at rifle point. Casey grimaced as the barrel of the AKA47 violently dug into his lower spine, radiating harsh pain through his lower body. The sun burned down, sucking every bit of moisture from the soldier's already dehydrated mouth. His head was covered in a gauzy black hood that stunk of sour body odor and vomit. Blood oozed down one leg, the injury causing the soldier to stumble in more limping gait, than walk. The pace was faster than he could comfortably negotiate due to his already sustained injuries from his last tour, but that was the least of his worries. What worried him the most, was why they let him live.
Finally they stopped. He could see a very tall man come before him, but due to the hood, he could see little else. As an unseen hand ripped off the hood, Casey tried to work through the pinpoints of pain as his eyes adjusted to the harsh desert sun, if he could just make out the lay of the tents, it might help him later if he chanced an escape. It wasn't to be however, just as he finished the thought a pain blossomed in the back of his brain as a rifle butt slammed into his head. The last thing he heard was laughter.