Chapter 14-"Remember Me?"
Here's a long chapter for all of you since the last one was short, enjoy.
Rating: PG
A/N: this chapter's not as intense as the last one, hence the "lighter" rating. It features more of Jade, and a bit more M/L action (whoo! yeah! sorry)
A/N #2: Don't forget to sign petitions to the DA Nation war, please. If we can't get a third season out of FOX, we can maybe get a TV movie or something like that that for closure.
*****
LOS ANGELOS, CALIFORNIA
34 RED IBIS LANE
Jade used the back door that lead into the kitchen. She found no one inside the recently remolded space. The clock on the wall ticked incessantly /Like a woodpecker on steroids/ Cree often used this analogy when talking about the clock. Both girls had more then once threatened to throw the loud timepiece into the wood chipper. It had been a gift from grandmother, the first thing she had bought in America after immigrating from Beijing, and their mother gushed over it's sentimental value having more of a say over the fact that it was annoying.
There was a pack of opened rice cakes on the island in the middle of the tiled kitchen. A large pot steamed on the first stove eye, and the smell coming from inside was that of boiling ox meat and seasoning.
"I didn't hear you come in" Ming Amston, Jade's mother entered the kitchen, an apron covering her black slacks and purple turtleneck. She finished coiling her long jet-black hair into a bun on her head and secured it with a metal pin. "Making your favorite" she lifted the lid off the pot and skimmed the fat off the surface of the soup with a long wooden spoon.
"What's the occasion?" Jade asked, slightly confused. Her mother's job as police officer with the LA 45th precinct had her busy most of the time. Usually dinner was pizza or "American Chinese" takeout.
"Just thought it would be nice." Ming confessed, dipping a ladle inside the pot and pulling out the tailbones that had been inside "We haven't eaten as a family in a while, with dad having to finish up that new housing development" she paused, like she wanted to say something, but was at a loss for words. "I'd thought we could light a candle for Cree-" her words chocked on her daughter's name. When she had been taken Ming talked her supervising officer to let her be in on her case. The lieutenant reluctantly let her and her then partner Officer Cliff Rodgers pursue some leads. One to the residence of a one Jack Warren, the boyfriend of Cree, one of the biggest ties they had. But Jack wasn't at the apartment he shared with his parents, who confessed that their son would pick up and leave for weeks at a time. Ming's anger with this lead to her attacking the father of Jack, giving him a black eye and her a week's suspension and removal off Cree's case. But Ming was like a shadow to the officers
handling the case, checking every new lead and bit of information they got.
But Jack was good at covering his tracks, weeks and months and years rolled by and Cree was never found. Ming blamed herself for not seeing the situation her daughter had gotten involved in. She had seen tons of girls being tricked into prostitution or being date raped in her ten years with the 45. But she couldn't make that connection with Jack, not completely. Both her and her husband Peter thought that Jack was not the right guy for Cree, but they only thought of him as too hormonal and wild for a fourteen-year-old girl, not a threat to her life. Cree thought she was in love, and Ming and Peter's talks did nothing to change that.
"Mom" Jade's voice snapped her out of her thoughts "You okay?"
"Fine" Ming reassured "Better get this on the table before dad comes home" her eyes lifted to the calendar that was tacked to the kitchen wall. Another birthday had rolled bye, another year she had "survived" life without her oldest daughter. But all the sympathies and prayers and cards did nothing at the end of the day when Ming had to pass by Cree's empty room, remaining just as she had left it for before she ran out to meet Jack before going to the Karaoke bar.
/"I don't know Cree" Ming crossed her arms over her chest.
"C'mon mom" Cree argued in all her fourteen-year-old glory "I'll just be a minute"
"What about your little sister?" Ming informed, "She's been all excited to hear you sing for weeks"
"I'll still be there," Cree told her, pulling on the leather jacket that had been a Christmas present last year "Jack only wants to see me for a second and then I'll go do my act" she smiled for dramatic flair.
"Alright" Ming finally gave in, stepping closer to her daughter "Just don't let me find out that you were late or I'll book you" she pulled Cree's arms behind her back in a light representation to what she did to the criminals she arrested, dropping her onto the bed, face down.
Cree matched her mother's moves, flipping onto her back and reclaiming her arms.
Ming laughed "Guess Jit-Su's paying off"/
/I should've told her not to go. I should've given her a ride. God alone at night with Jack, what the hell was I thinking?/
She finished up with the soup, dishing it out and placing the bowls on the oak dining table. Jade grabbed a candle from the assortment lined up on the black marble recessed counter top that divided the kitchen from the living room. She presented it to her mom who lit it with match.
"God keep her safe and me from loosing my mind" she whispered this. "Happy birthday baby" Ming rested the candle in the center of the table.
*****
SEATTLE
SECTOR TEN
THE NEXT MORNING
Cree wiped the remaining moisture from her eyes that had come as a result of her sharing her hell last night. She had even cried in her sleep.
"Here suga" Cindy came out of the kitchen, presenting her with a cup of coffee.
"Thanks" Cree picked up the steamy mug, taking a sip "Wow, who stole stuff?"
Cindy smiled at that "Present from Logan. Beats the hell out of the stuff Max and I scrounge up on the street"
"Thought java this good was illegal since that blockade with Cuba" Cree inhaled the aroma of the Columbian coffee.
"Boy gets it off the Black Market" Cindy told her "Wouldn't believe how much it costs, but not like he's lacking in
bling bling"
"A nice rich white guy who's fine as hell" Cree began, taking another sip of her illegal coffee "Who'd a thought?" she sipped again "Max better recognize the good thing she's has"
"Straight up" Cindy agreed, "My girl's a fine suga with brains and moves, but she needs to wake up and smell the java on her and Logan"
"Her and Logan what?" Max came out of the bathroom in her white terry towel robe, heading straight for the coffee pot.
"Usual boo" Cindy told her friend as she poured some coffee "How you need to just drop the bad ass stuff and admit you have something for the boy"
"Logan and I aren't like that" Max informed, taking a seat at the table
Cindy didn't believe any word of that remark "And Original Cindy's gonna go put a smile on Sketchy's face tonight." she paused "What bout last night Ms. We Ain't Like that?" Cindy had stayed up till almost three in the morning with Cree. Logan had still been there, but soon announced that he needed to get back home. But before he left he had slipped into Max's room, who had left the group earlier to get the one-hour of sleep she usually got on a few nights. He covered her with a blanket, and she said something that made him laugh. Then the two had shared a hug, but the part that Cindy knew she could use against Max and her platonic campaign was when Logan gave her girl more then just a casual kiss on her mouth. The kiss itself lasted for only about five seconds, but Cindy had seen the way she looked at him after it was over, like she wanted more.
Max knew she had been caught, and she thought back to that moment. /Who knew five seconds of lip locking could be such a turn on for me?/ She could still smell his clean and slightly musky cologne, and feel the heat that had come off his skin when he touched her face. The kiss was nothing like what they had shared in the car with Sibelius playing; it was far less intense and had nowhere near the level of want and desperation. But it still felt passionate to her.
Thankfully the phone rang before Max had to explain her silence to her friends. She picked up the unit
"Yeah?"
"Hey" Logan's voice was soft on the other end
"Hey yourself" she replied
"How's Cree?" was his first question
"She's good." Max covered her hand over the receiver "Logan wants 411"
"I'm mostly good" Cree talked loud enough for the man on the other line to pick up.
"See?" Max pointed out to him "Told you"
"Never doubted that Max" Logan argued, "Things good with you?"
"I'm me," Max told him "I'm always good"
"That's why I asked," Logan continued
"I'm touched" she joked "Was there something specific you wanted, or is this just a house call?"
"Just wanted to tell you that I got Cree's car towed to my house after I got back"
"Must've called in some favors" Max analyzed "Garages are wary bout sending anyone on late night runs now a days"
"I deal good business Max" Logan informed, "Offered the guy a good amount of cash to get out of bed and haul it over"
"Money talks" Max grabbed her coffee from the table and sat on the couch.
"Defiantly" Logan agreed. "I was thinking that you could drop Cree off here before work so she can pick up her wheels"
"Sounds like a plan" Max responded. "I'll get back, and if it's down with her, just listen for the knock"
"Since when do you knock?" Logan asked. There was a few seconds of silence on his end. Logan wanted to bring up the kiss he had given her, but didn't really know how to go about it. The last time she had excused it as being "real emotional"
"Earth to Logan Cale" Max's voice snapped him out of his trance
"Sorry" he apologized "Guess I'll see you two over here soon"
"Count on it" Max agreed hanging up before anything else was exchanged.
*****
45TH PRECINCT
THRID AND RODGERS
LOS ANGELOS, CALIFORNIA
DESK OF LT. RICHARD COLLINS
8:01 AM
Lt. Collins drank his coffee and flipped through the case file on his desk. Another car jacking had occurred. This one on a 2005 Pontiac Sunfire. Collins did his best to reassure the owner that the vehicle would be returned, but most often these jacked wheels were sold off to chop shops for parts before any law enforcement could track them down. The man would be better off getting another car.
He looked up from the file when a door opened and two of his officers entered. "Amston" Lt. Collins stood up addressing the female officer of the man and woman pair. "A moment please"
"What is it Sir?" Ming questioned her superior officer, a little wary for any more confrontation about the assault incident.
"Just wanted to check how you're doing" Collins answered, speaking in a non-threatening tone to reassure her that he wasn't about to haul her out onto the carpet.
"I'm fine Sir" Ming assured "Getting through things one day at a time"
"Maybe you should take some time for yourself Ming" Collins suggested "Get away with Peter and your daughter-"
"With all due respect Sir" Ming interrupted "My job is one of the only things that has kept me sane these last three years. I don't want to be out in Maui when they finally bring Warren in, I want to be here and find out what happened to Cree."
"It may not be what you want to hear" Collins brought up the point that many officers had suggested. That after three years of no luck Warren probably killed the young girl and dumped her somewhere.
"I know the statistics Lieutenant" Ming told him "But what ever happened to her, she is still my daughter, and I want Warren brought to justice one way or the other" her radio came one, advising her of a car chase in progress. "Someone needs to take this Sir-"
"Go" Collins waved her away from his desk "You and Dalton follow up." he referenced her new partner since Officer Rodgers had gotten a promotion to the Violent Crimes Unit. "Just keep your head on straight."
"Yes Sir" Ming responded
"C'mon Amston" Eric Dalton, Ming's partner waved at her from across the room "Put the pedal to the metal girl"
Collins watched the pair leave the station, reaching for another file under the car jack one, it was a pretty hopeless case that they'd still find the Sunfire in one piece. He lifted the next file out from under the first, which happened to be Jack Warren's file. The boy was like Houdini, he left no trace. Every possible lead they had on him had been checked out.
/Gotta be something/ Collins read the file over again for about the millionth time
WARREN, JACK RUSSEL
AGE OF DEFENDANT: 16 YEARS
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: CAUCASIAN MALE, 5'8, GREEN EYES, CHESNUT BLONDE HAIR, MUSCULAR UPPER BODY
IDENTIFYING MARKS: BLACK COBRA TATOO ON LEFT CALF
RESIDENCY: 3532 MANCHESTER ROAD
LOS ANGELOS, CA 98686
DRIVERS LICENSE # D54334326443
VEHICAL: MAROON '98 GREMLIN
DMV TAGS# J43769 REGISTERED AT LA DMV
ARRESTED FOR: POSSESSION OF 1 KILO OF MARAJUANA AND 250 CASH MONEY FOR DISTRUBUTION SALES
DATE OF ARREST: MAY 2, 2017 21:23
OFFICER(S) INVOLVED: SGT. RICO MARTINEZ, OFFICER JESSICA CLEVLAND, OFFICER JADAN MICHAELS
CHARGED WITH: POSSESSION, AND POSSESION WITH INTENT
SERVED: 18 DAYS SUMNER CNTY JUVINELLE HALL. BAIL POSTED: 150 DOLLARS ON MAY 19, 2017 12:36.
RELEASED INTO RECONOCINCE OF: MARY AND EARL WARREN (PARENTS)
PREVIOUS ARRESTS: DUI, UNDER AGE PURCHASE OF ALCOHOL (APRIL 3, 28, 2018) EXPLOTING PROSTUTION SOLICITATION (APRIL 28, 2018)
-SUSPICION OF INVOLVMENT IN KIDNAPPING AND DISSAPEARANCE OF CREE ILANDA AMSTON AGE 14 ON MARCH 13, 2017*
*NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN MADE AS OF MAY 28, 2020. WARREN FLED HIS HOME JUNE 6, 2017. NO CONTACT MADE WITH PARENTS.
Collins didn't find anything different about Warren's file then the last times he had read it over. /Damn kid is messing up my record. Need to find this slime before he messes up another girl/
The car jack file fell on the floor. Collins retrieved it, but before he put it away something caught his eye
VEHICAL STOLEN: 99 RED PONTIAC SUNFIRE LICENSE # J43769
Collins immediately searched the file for the address of the man who reported the car stolen. He soon found it.
"Michaels" he handed the male officer the piece of paper "Want you to check this out. Think I just found a lead on Amston's daughter."
*****
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
JAM PONY
3:45 PM
"Bip Ladies" Normal pounded on his desk, talking to Cindy and Max "Work is a place where you get stuff done"
"Really?" Max joked with him "Thanks for clearing that up"
"Not funny smart mouth" Normal informed her, sliding a stack of boxes across the counter to her "These need homes and you all are the find-a-home agency."
"Boy you need to join the find a life agency," Cindy told him straight out.
"And you'll be finding another job if you keep this up." he snapped back "Go bip. bip" he waved at the boxes. "Goes for the rest of you." he advised his employees.
"Our girl get her wheels back okay?" Cindy asked grabbing one of the boxes Normal set out and shoving it in her pack.
"Yep" Max answered, "Things went smooth"
"Talk to your squeeze bout last night?" Cindy went in another direction
"Nothing to talk about" Max argued
"Boo you laid one on the man, and you're keepin' it DL?" Cindy didn't believe this "And don't tell me it just happened, cause after a year, things are beyond 'just happein' for you two, it's now about want"
"Not like I've never kissed him before" Max reminded, remembering the car ride to Logan's uncle's cabin. "Just don't know where's it's goin'"
"Can be on the up-and-up if you let it" Cindy informed, "You got an itch suga, go scratch, ain't no shame in it."
"Too much going on for that" Max argued, looking to Cree who was talking to Sketchy and Herbal.
"Always too much going on boo" Cindy let hr know "Can't use that excuse, face it, world's never gonna be ideal."
"So you're from LA?" Sketchy leaned against the support beam talking to Cree.
"I moved a year ago Sketch" Cree lied "City's dirtier then here"
"About de same wid de badness I believe" Herbal moralized
"Pretty much" Cree agreed, "Didn't want to stay after my shit boyfriend messed with me" /and sold me into slavery. If I get my hands on him I'm gonna castrate the ass/
"De Most High be with you my sistah" Herbal stated "Protect you from dah asses of de world"
"Brother speaks the truth" Sketchy agreed "Shouldn't stand for any crap"
Cree was surprised to here Sketchy speaking like that "Not going to anymore" she looked outside, and saw a red Camero pulling into a building across the street. Cree sucked in her breath seeing Jack exit the car, and he wasn't alone, there was a young girl with him, who actually looked like she was enjoying his company.
"Son-of-a-bitch" Cree whispered, running out of the building.
"Hey!" Normal shouted after her, but she ignored him.
"She rides smooth huh?" Jack turned to the blonde fifteen-year-old he had met at a local diner.
"Nice" she responded. "Hot color too"
Jack smiled "Hot color for a hot girl"
The girl blushed. "So where did you say your place was?"
"Up a little ways" Jack pointed down the road "We can walk from here"
Cree hurried down the sidewalk, her stride breaking into a run. /Get outta there girl, he's frontin'/ "Hey!" she got Jack's attention before he and the girl were too far down the sidewalk.
"Hey momma" Jack still didn't recognize her, which was to Cree's advantage.
"Hey daddy" Cree played into his words "Where ya headed?"
"My place" Jack informed, "Want to come?"
"Could have room for one more" Cree went for seductive /Play it cool, not getting sucked into that this time ass. I'm not fourteen anymore/
Jack's smile grew larger "What'd you have in mind?" he looked her up and down.
Cree dropped the charade then and there "not the same thing you do" she kicked him in a Jit-Su move, not being the thin, but slightly lankly young teen he remembered. Before Jack could get back up up, she put her knee on his chest "Son-of-a-bitch" she kicked him with her free foot "Don't think you're gonna get away with dropping this girl with some pals of yours"
"Who the hell are you bitch?" Jack spat
"Your worse nightmare shit" Cree growled, three years of anger in her voice.
"Go" Cree barked to the girl "You don't want what he has to offer"
"You bitch!" Jack spat at Cree again, reaching for his gun, but before he could Cree pulled out a switchblade from her boot, one that she had taken to carrying around since the escape, just in case. She placed it at his neck. "You want to find out how many veins the human neck contains keep talkin'"
"Get up slime" Max had joined Cree after she saw what was going down, pulling out the gun "We're not even for that bitch incident." she emptied the clip, turning to the girl Jack was with "You okay girl?"
The woman nodded
"Good" Max stated "Word of advise, don't waste your time with him" she held up the gun "Guarantee you don't think the same way"
Cree released Jack, who climbed back up and tried to leave
"Think you're going?" Max spat "We're not done"
"Like I'd listen to your skanky ass" Jack informed, walking away, but before he could get very far Cree threw her switch blade in a maneuver that pinned a part of his jacket to the aged brick wall of the building.
"It's not an option" Max informed
Cree stepped hatefully over to Jack, wanting to look the loser in the eye who caused her so much pain. "You obviously don't remember me, but there's something I've been wanting to say" she grabbed his head and yanked it to her when he turned away from her, pressing her face as close as she would allow "Payback's a bitch" she kicked him in the nuts, and watched him drop. "See?" she hovered over his downed form "I made sure you didn't miss your birthday present"
*****
Heh, finally got to the good stuff. Wanted to do the 'Cree kicks Jack's ass' thing for a while. But I don't want him to know it was her yet b/c that would take away the effect. Wanted her to be tougher then she was but still damaged from what he did, after all the loser sold her into a brothel.
Hope the M/L was to everyone's liking. I'll go more into it in later chapters, but it's more interesting and rewarding to me if it builds instead of just going all out in one chapter.
I originally wanted to have Ming be a doctor (hence the naming of her husband and herself. Ming Na the actress off of ER, and Peter as in Benton on ER) but I went for a cop b/c she could be involved in finding Cree. Her and Jade will find out where she is in later chapters, going for a tear jerker, rip your heart out reunion.
The food Ming was making is dedicated to one of my favorite foods, ox tail soup. Being half Korean I eat it a lot, and don't let the name fool you, it's good, ox is beef so it's not wired tasting. My mom and aunts make a damn good soup, and I got hungry just writing this part.
R/R please, and I'm going to keep going whether or not DA makes it out of re-runs.
Here's a long chapter for all of you since the last one was short, enjoy.
Rating: PG
A/N: this chapter's not as intense as the last one, hence the "lighter" rating. It features more of Jade, and a bit more M/L action (whoo! yeah! sorry)
A/N #2: Don't forget to sign petitions to the DA Nation war, please. If we can't get a third season out of FOX, we can maybe get a TV movie or something like that that for closure.
*****
LOS ANGELOS, CALIFORNIA
34 RED IBIS LANE
Jade used the back door that lead into the kitchen. She found no one inside the recently remolded space. The clock on the wall ticked incessantly /Like a woodpecker on steroids/ Cree often used this analogy when talking about the clock. Both girls had more then once threatened to throw the loud timepiece into the wood chipper. It had been a gift from grandmother, the first thing she had bought in America after immigrating from Beijing, and their mother gushed over it's sentimental value having more of a say over the fact that it was annoying.
There was a pack of opened rice cakes on the island in the middle of the tiled kitchen. A large pot steamed on the first stove eye, and the smell coming from inside was that of boiling ox meat and seasoning.
"I didn't hear you come in" Ming Amston, Jade's mother entered the kitchen, an apron covering her black slacks and purple turtleneck. She finished coiling her long jet-black hair into a bun on her head and secured it with a metal pin. "Making your favorite" she lifted the lid off the pot and skimmed the fat off the surface of the soup with a long wooden spoon.
"What's the occasion?" Jade asked, slightly confused. Her mother's job as police officer with the LA 45th precinct had her busy most of the time. Usually dinner was pizza or "American Chinese" takeout.
"Just thought it would be nice." Ming confessed, dipping a ladle inside the pot and pulling out the tailbones that had been inside "We haven't eaten as a family in a while, with dad having to finish up that new housing development" she paused, like she wanted to say something, but was at a loss for words. "I'd thought we could light a candle for Cree-" her words chocked on her daughter's name. When she had been taken Ming talked her supervising officer to let her be in on her case. The lieutenant reluctantly let her and her then partner Officer Cliff Rodgers pursue some leads. One to the residence of a one Jack Warren, the boyfriend of Cree, one of the biggest ties they had. But Jack wasn't at the apartment he shared with his parents, who confessed that their son would pick up and leave for weeks at a time. Ming's anger with this lead to her attacking the father of Jack, giving him a black eye and her a week's suspension and removal off Cree's case. But Ming was like a shadow to the officers
handling the case, checking every new lead and bit of information they got.
But Jack was good at covering his tracks, weeks and months and years rolled by and Cree was never found. Ming blamed herself for not seeing the situation her daughter had gotten involved in. She had seen tons of girls being tricked into prostitution or being date raped in her ten years with the 45. But she couldn't make that connection with Jack, not completely. Both her and her husband Peter thought that Jack was not the right guy for Cree, but they only thought of him as too hormonal and wild for a fourteen-year-old girl, not a threat to her life. Cree thought she was in love, and Ming and Peter's talks did nothing to change that.
"Mom" Jade's voice snapped her out of her thoughts "You okay?"
"Fine" Ming reassured "Better get this on the table before dad comes home" her eyes lifted to the calendar that was tacked to the kitchen wall. Another birthday had rolled bye, another year she had "survived" life without her oldest daughter. But all the sympathies and prayers and cards did nothing at the end of the day when Ming had to pass by Cree's empty room, remaining just as she had left it for before she ran out to meet Jack before going to the Karaoke bar.
/"I don't know Cree" Ming crossed her arms over her chest.
"C'mon mom" Cree argued in all her fourteen-year-old glory "I'll just be a minute"
"What about your little sister?" Ming informed, "She's been all excited to hear you sing for weeks"
"I'll still be there," Cree told her, pulling on the leather jacket that had been a Christmas present last year "Jack only wants to see me for a second and then I'll go do my act" she smiled for dramatic flair.
"Alright" Ming finally gave in, stepping closer to her daughter "Just don't let me find out that you were late or I'll book you" she pulled Cree's arms behind her back in a light representation to what she did to the criminals she arrested, dropping her onto the bed, face down.
Cree matched her mother's moves, flipping onto her back and reclaiming her arms.
Ming laughed "Guess Jit-Su's paying off"/
/I should've told her not to go. I should've given her a ride. God alone at night with Jack, what the hell was I thinking?/
She finished up with the soup, dishing it out and placing the bowls on the oak dining table. Jade grabbed a candle from the assortment lined up on the black marble recessed counter top that divided the kitchen from the living room. She presented it to her mom who lit it with match.
"God keep her safe and me from loosing my mind" she whispered this. "Happy birthday baby" Ming rested the candle in the center of the table.
*****
SEATTLE
SECTOR TEN
THE NEXT MORNING
Cree wiped the remaining moisture from her eyes that had come as a result of her sharing her hell last night. She had even cried in her sleep.
"Here suga" Cindy came out of the kitchen, presenting her with a cup of coffee.
"Thanks" Cree picked up the steamy mug, taking a sip "Wow, who stole stuff?"
Cindy smiled at that "Present from Logan. Beats the hell out of the stuff Max and I scrounge up on the street"
"Thought java this good was illegal since that blockade with Cuba" Cree inhaled the aroma of the Columbian coffee.
"Boy gets it off the Black Market" Cindy told her "Wouldn't believe how much it costs, but not like he's lacking in
bling bling"
"A nice rich white guy who's fine as hell" Cree began, taking another sip of her illegal coffee "Who'd a thought?" she sipped again "Max better recognize the good thing she's has"
"Straight up" Cindy agreed, "My girl's a fine suga with brains and moves, but she needs to wake up and smell the java on her and Logan"
"Her and Logan what?" Max came out of the bathroom in her white terry towel robe, heading straight for the coffee pot.
"Usual boo" Cindy told her friend as she poured some coffee "How you need to just drop the bad ass stuff and admit you have something for the boy"
"Logan and I aren't like that" Max informed, taking a seat at the table
Cindy didn't believe any word of that remark "And Original Cindy's gonna go put a smile on Sketchy's face tonight." she paused "What bout last night Ms. We Ain't Like that?" Cindy had stayed up till almost three in the morning with Cree. Logan had still been there, but soon announced that he needed to get back home. But before he left he had slipped into Max's room, who had left the group earlier to get the one-hour of sleep she usually got on a few nights. He covered her with a blanket, and she said something that made him laugh. Then the two had shared a hug, but the part that Cindy knew she could use against Max and her platonic campaign was when Logan gave her girl more then just a casual kiss on her mouth. The kiss itself lasted for only about five seconds, but Cindy had seen the way she looked at him after it was over, like she wanted more.
Max knew she had been caught, and she thought back to that moment. /Who knew five seconds of lip locking could be such a turn on for me?/ She could still smell his clean and slightly musky cologne, and feel the heat that had come off his skin when he touched her face. The kiss was nothing like what they had shared in the car with Sibelius playing; it was far less intense and had nowhere near the level of want and desperation. But it still felt passionate to her.
Thankfully the phone rang before Max had to explain her silence to her friends. She picked up the unit
"Yeah?"
"Hey" Logan's voice was soft on the other end
"Hey yourself" she replied
"How's Cree?" was his first question
"She's good." Max covered her hand over the receiver "Logan wants 411"
"I'm mostly good" Cree talked loud enough for the man on the other line to pick up.
"See?" Max pointed out to him "Told you"
"Never doubted that Max" Logan argued, "Things good with you?"
"I'm me," Max told him "I'm always good"
"That's why I asked," Logan continued
"I'm touched" she joked "Was there something specific you wanted, or is this just a house call?"
"Just wanted to tell you that I got Cree's car towed to my house after I got back"
"Must've called in some favors" Max analyzed "Garages are wary bout sending anyone on late night runs now a days"
"I deal good business Max" Logan informed, "Offered the guy a good amount of cash to get out of bed and haul it over"
"Money talks" Max grabbed her coffee from the table and sat on the couch.
"Defiantly" Logan agreed. "I was thinking that you could drop Cree off here before work so she can pick up her wheels"
"Sounds like a plan" Max responded. "I'll get back, and if it's down with her, just listen for the knock"
"Since when do you knock?" Logan asked. There was a few seconds of silence on his end. Logan wanted to bring up the kiss he had given her, but didn't really know how to go about it. The last time she had excused it as being "real emotional"
"Earth to Logan Cale" Max's voice snapped him out of his trance
"Sorry" he apologized "Guess I'll see you two over here soon"
"Count on it" Max agreed hanging up before anything else was exchanged.
*****
45TH PRECINCT
THRID AND RODGERS
LOS ANGELOS, CALIFORNIA
DESK OF LT. RICHARD COLLINS
8:01 AM
Lt. Collins drank his coffee and flipped through the case file on his desk. Another car jacking had occurred. This one on a 2005 Pontiac Sunfire. Collins did his best to reassure the owner that the vehicle would be returned, but most often these jacked wheels were sold off to chop shops for parts before any law enforcement could track them down. The man would be better off getting another car.
He looked up from the file when a door opened and two of his officers entered. "Amston" Lt. Collins stood up addressing the female officer of the man and woman pair. "A moment please"
"What is it Sir?" Ming questioned her superior officer, a little wary for any more confrontation about the assault incident.
"Just wanted to check how you're doing" Collins answered, speaking in a non-threatening tone to reassure her that he wasn't about to haul her out onto the carpet.
"I'm fine Sir" Ming assured "Getting through things one day at a time"
"Maybe you should take some time for yourself Ming" Collins suggested "Get away with Peter and your daughter-"
"With all due respect Sir" Ming interrupted "My job is one of the only things that has kept me sane these last three years. I don't want to be out in Maui when they finally bring Warren in, I want to be here and find out what happened to Cree."
"It may not be what you want to hear" Collins brought up the point that many officers had suggested. That after three years of no luck Warren probably killed the young girl and dumped her somewhere.
"I know the statistics Lieutenant" Ming told him "But what ever happened to her, she is still my daughter, and I want Warren brought to justice one way or the other" her radio came one, advising her of a car chase in progress. "Someone needs to take this Sir-"
"Go" Collins waved her away from his desk "You and Dalton follow up." he referenced her new partner since Officer Rodgers had gotten a promotion to the Violent Crimes Unit. "Just keep your head on straight."
"Yes Sir" Ming responded
"C'mon Amston" Eric Dalton, Ming's partner waved at her from across the room "Put the pedal to the metal girl"
Collins watched the pair leave the station, reaching for another file under the car jack one, it was a pretty hopeless case that they'd still find the Sunfire in one piece. He lifted the next file out from under the first, which happened to be Jack Warren's file. The boy was like Houdini, he left no trace. Every possible lead they had on him had been checked out.
/Gotta be something/ Collins read the file over again for about the millionth time
WARREN, JACK RUSSEL
AGE OF DEFENDANT: 16 YEARS
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: CAUCASIAN MALE, 5'8, GREEN EYES, CHESNUT BLONDE HAIR, MUSCULAR UPPER BODY
IDENTIFYING MARKS: BLACK COBRA TATOO ON LEFT CALF
RESIDENCY: 3532 MANCHESTER ROAD
LOS ANGELOS, CA 98686
DRIVERS LICENSE # D54334326443
VEHICAL: MAROON '98 GREMLIN
DMV TAGS# J43769 REGISTERED AT LA DMV
ARRESTED FOR: POSSESSION OF 1 KILO OF MARAJUANA AND 250 CASH MONEY FOR DISTRUBUTION SALES
DATE OF ARREST: MAY 2, 2017 21:23
OFFICER(S) INVOLVED: SGT. RICO MARTINEZ, OFFICER JESSICA CLEVLAND, OFFICER JADAN MICHAELS
CHARGED WITH: POSSESSION, AND POSSESION WITH INTENT
SERVED: 18 DAYS SUMNER CNTY JUVINELLE HALL. BAIL POSTED: 150 DOLLARS ON MAY 19, 2017 12:36.
RELEASED INTO RECONOCINCE OF: MARY AND EARL WARREN (PARENTS)
PREVIOUS ARRESTS: DUI, UNDER AGE PURCHASE OF ALCOHOL (APRIL 3, 28, 2018) EXPLOTING PROSTUTION SOLICITATION (APRIL 28, 2018)
-SUSPICION OF INVOLVMENT IN KIDNAPPING AND DISSAPEARANCE OF CREE ILANDA AMSTON AGE 14 ON MARCH 13, 2017*
*NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN MADE AS OF MAY 28, 2020. WARREN FLED HIS HOME JUNE 6, 2017. NO CONTACT MADE WITH PARENTS.
Collins didn't find anything different about Warren's file then the last times he had read it over. /Damn kid is messing up my record. Need to find this slime before he messes up another girl/
The car jack file fell on the floor. Collins retrieved it, but before he put it away something caught his eye
VEHICAL STOLEN: 99 RED PONTIAC SUNFIRE LICENSE # J43769
Collins immediately searched the file for the address of the man who reported the car stolen. He soon found it.
"Michaels" he handed the male officer the piece of paper "Want you to check this out. Think I just found a lead on Amston's daughter."
*****
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
JAM PONY
3:45 PM
"Bip Ladies" Normal pounded on his desk, talking to Cindy and Max "Work is a place where you get stuff done"
"Really?" Max joked with him "Thanks for clearing that up"
"Not funny smart mouth" Normal informed her, sliding a stack of boxes across the counter to her "These need homes and you all are the find-a-home agency."
"Boy you need to join the find a life agency," Cindy told him straight out.
"And you'll be finding another job if you keep this up." he snapped back "Go bip. bip" he waved at the boxes. "Goes for the rest of you." he advised his employees.
"Our girl get her wheels back okay?" Cindy asked grabbing one of the boxes Normal set out and shoving it in her pack.
"Yep" Max answered, "Things went smooth"
"Talk to your squeeze bout last night?" Cindy went in another direction
"Nothing to talk about" Max argued
"Boo you laid one on the man, and you're keepin' it DL?" Cindy didn't believe this "And don't tell me it just happened, cause after a year, things are beyond 'just happein' for you two, it's now about want"
"Not like I've never kissed him before" Max reminded, remembering the car ride to Logan's uncle's cabin. "Just don't know where's it's goin'"
"Can be on the up-and-up if you let it" Cindy informed, "You got an itch suga, go scratch, ain't no shame in it."
"Too much going on for that" Max argued, looking to Cree who was talking to Sketchy and Herbal.
"Always too much going on boo" Cindy let hr know "Can't use that excuse, face it, world's never gonna be ideal."
"So you're from LA?" Sketchy leaned against the support beam talking to Cree.
"I moved a year ago Sketch" Cree lied "City's dirtier then here"
"About de same wid de badness I believe" Herbal moralized
"Pretty much" Cree agreed, "Didn't want to stay after my shit boyfriend messed with me" /and sold me into slavery. If I get my hands on him I'm gonna castrate the ass/
"De Most High be with you my sistah" Herbal stated "Protect you from dah asses of de world"
"Brother speaks the truth" Sketchy agreed "Shouldn't stand for any crap"
Cree was surprised to here Sketchy speaking like that "Not going to anymore" she looked outside, and saw a red Camero pulling into a building across the street. Cree sucked in her breath seeing Jack exit the car, and he wasn't alone, there was a young girl with him, who actually looked like she was enjoying his company.
"Son-of-a-bitch" Cree whispered, running out of the building.
"Hey!" Normal shouted after her, but she ignored him.
"She rides smooth huh?" Jack turned to the blonde fifteen-year-old he had met at a local diner.
"Nice" she responded. "Hot color too"
Jack smiled "Hot color for a hot girl"
The girl blushed. "So where did you say your place was?"
"Up a little ways" Jack pointed down the road "We can walk from here"
Cree hurried down the sidewalk, her stride breaking into a run. /Get outta there girl, he's frontin'/ "Hey!" she got Jack's attention before he and the girl were too far down the sidewalk.
"Hey momma" Jack still didn't recognize her, which was to Cree's advantage.
"Hey daddy" Cree played into his words "Where ya headed?"
"My place" Jack informed, "Want to come?"
"Could have room for one more" Cree went for seductive /Play it cool, not getting sucked into that this time ass. I'm not fourteen anymore/
Jack's smile grew larger "What'd you have in mind?" he looked her up and down.
Cree dropped the charade then and there "not the same thing you do" she kicked him in a Jit-Su move, not being the thin, but slightly lankly young teen he remembered. Before Jack could get back up up, she put her knee on his chest "Son-of-a-bitch" she kicked him with her free foot "Don't think you're gonna get away with dropping this girl with some pals of yours"
"Who the hell are you bitch?" Jack spat
"Your worse nightmare shit" Cree growled, three years of anger in her voice.
"Go" Cree barked to the girl "You don't want what he has to offer"
"You bitch!" Jack spat at Cree again, reaching for his gun, but before he could Cree pulled out a switchblade from her boot, one that she had taken to carrying around since the escape, just in case. She placed it at his neck. "You want to find out how many veins the human neck contains keep talkin'"
"Get up slime" Max had joined Cree after she saw what was going down, pulling out the gun "We're not even for that bitch incident." she emptied the clip, turning to the girl Jack was with "You okay girl?"
The woman nodded
"Good" Max stated "Word of advise, don't waste your time with him" she held up the gun "Guarantee you don't think the same way"
Cree released Jack, who climbed back up and tried to leave
"Think you're going?" Max spat "We're not done"
"Like I'd listen to your skanky ass" Jack informed, walking away, but before he could get very far Cree threw her switch blade in a maneuver that pinned a part of his jacket to the aged brick wall of the building.
"It's not an option" Max informed
Cree stepped hatefully over to Jack, wanting to look the loser in the eye who caused her so much pain. "You obviously don't remember me, but there's something I've been wanting to say" she grabbed his head and yanked it to her when he turned away from her, pressing her face as close as she would allow "Payback's a bitch" she kicked him in the nuts, and watched him drop. "See?" she hovered over his downed form "I made sure you didn't miss your birthday present"
*****
Heh, finally got to the good stuff. Wanted to do the 'Cree kicks Jack's ass' thing for a while. But I don't want him to know it was her yet b/c that would take away the effect. Wanted her to be tougher then she was but still damaged from what he did, after all the loser sold her into a brothel.
Hope the M/L was to everyone's liking. I'll go more into it in later chapters, but it's more interesting and rewarding to me if it builds instead of just going all out in one chapter.
I originally wanted to have Ming be a doctor (hence the naming of her husband and herself. Ming Na the actress off of ER, and Peter as in Benton on ER) but I went for a cop b/c she could be involved in finding Cree. Her and Jade will find out where she is in later chapters, going for a tear jerker, rip your heart out reunion.
The food Ming was making is dedicated to one of my favorite foods, ox tail soup. Being half Korean I eat it a lot, and don't let the name fool you, it's good, ox is beef so it's not wired tasting. My mom and aunts make a damn good soup, and I got hungry just writing this part.
R/R please, and I'm going to keep going whether or not DA makes it out of re-runs.