Capitaine Andre Morel stood aside as he observed Dr. Lauren Lewis, known to the French as Karen Beattie being processed out of genuine concern. He did not have simply a hot potato on his hands. He had a nuclear one. Never had he witnessed so many guards, lawyers, and associates posted in and outside the police station as he had tonight. Morel and the other police officers and staff felt like the station was under siege.
"What do we do, Capitaine?" A lieutenant had asked. Morel's responded by trying to shoo them away, but the guards didn't budge. He then tried intimidation by lining up police officers outside with threats to jail them all, and still they did not budge. The situation was about to escalate when more lawyers showed up, waving papers signed by the Commissaire Général de Police authorizing the guards posted outside to remain as personal security. That's when they heard a collective, audible gasp, turned and saw a police officer pointing at a giant ascending the stairs. It was Bas Cibor. And as he moved along police and staff stared in awe.
"Oh, and he is the head of the guards." One lawyer pointed out. Morel and several officers followed Bas Cibor inside where he pushed past the front desk and had officers standing at the ready, when Morel came in behind him.
"It's okay. He's the head of the guard contingent outside." Morel announced. Bas Cibor then turned around and looked straight at Morel.
"Where is Milady?" Bas Cibor demanded.
"Karen Beattie or Dr. Lewis or whatever you call her, she's still in processing." Morel replied.
"Take me to her." Bas Cibor demanded.
"I'm afraid not." Morel replied with some trepidation. "No one can see her until she is done processing."
"Take me to her." Bas Cibor demanded again.
"I'm sorry but that's not possible. Not until she's done processing." Morel repeated. Bas Cibor started to advance on Morel which caused the police officers in the room to take up a defensive stance when Morel held up his hands to assure his police officers all the while Bas Cibor nearly had him bent backwards looking up at him. "Once she is done processing, I will allow you to see her."
"Capitaine! That would be highly irregular!" One officer complained.
"I know, but the Commissaire Général de Police signed off on the guard presence himself." Morrel answered then focused on Bas Cibor. "Look, post your guards as you see fit outside, but remember, this is my station. I'm in charge. If they get in the way, I will insist that they leave. I'm sure you understand." Bas Cibor said nothing for a long moment then took a step back and pointed in the direction of the cells. Morel looked over. "I can post you at that door and that is about it until she's done."
Bas Cibor then turned, went and posted himself near the security door to cells in back and did not move. Morel turned to address the station police and staff.
"I realize this is highly irregular, but we have the misfortune of being at the very front of a sensitive, newsworthy situation. I need each of you at your professional best to continue to do your jobs within these extraordinary circumstances for as long as we have Karen Beattie in our custody. Is that understood?" Morel directed. There were a combination of head nods and murmurs of agreement. Then Morel turned to the lawyers present. "I trust you will help keep this monkey business separated from our daily duties to the people of this city?" The gaggle of lawyers nodded in response.
Just then there was a clamor at the front double doors. Two officers dragged a woman in and roughly placed her in a nearby chair.
"What's this?" Morel asked.
"A rabble rouser. Wouldn't settle down when we asked her to." The first officer replied.
"And she's feisty! Damn near bit me!" the second officer complained.
"You shouldn't have jostled her so hard." The first officer said.
"Easy for you to say. You weren't the one about to be bitten." The second officer replied.
"You couldn't just let her go?" Morel asked.
"We tried Capitaine, but after she tried to bite him, she actually took a swipe at him." The first officer said.
"Who hails nails like that? Look at my pants!" The second officer complained as he presented the evidence of his slashed pants. Morel walked up to the woman who was leaned over in the chair. She wore clean, casual clothes but with a sweatshirt hoodie over her head. He quickly surmised she wasn't some vagabond, just someone who had one too many or a hit too many and was being unruly.
"Look Ma'am. This is your lucky night. Why don't take you allow us to take you home so you can shake off whatever this is that's going on with you." Morel offered but received no response. He leaned in closer and gently lifted up the hoodie. "Looks like she's conked out."
"Good! She's more dangerous than a pissed off cat!" The second officer said.
"Yeah, she looks real dangerous now." Morel replied sarcastically.
"Capitaine! You weren't there…" The second officer started to protest but Morel held up his hand.
"Did she have any ID on her?" Morel asked.
"None, Capitaine." The first officer replied. Morel exhaled.
"Let's throw her in one of drunk tanks, and we'll see how she is in the morning." Morel said.
"Yes, Capitaine." Bot officers took by the arm and lifted her up out of her chair. As she went, she bobbled her head and eyes up which caused Bas Cibor to react and bound forward as if he were about to charge.
Thinking Bas Cibor's reaction was more about they way the officers were handling the woman Morel held up his hands and said, "She's fine. Just sleeping it off whatever she's sleeping off." What Morel didn't see was the wink Bas Cibor received in return from the supposedly unconscious woman that made him stop in his tracks. When the two officers went past Bas Cibor and through a set of security doors Bas Cibor watched the doors for a moment then stepped back into his position. Morel whispered to himself, "This is going to be a long night."
Lauren sat in her cell, alone, one of eight on the block, but the rest were empty. Must be a slow night, Lauren thought to herself. They had made quick work processing her through the system, and now she had to await until morning to hear the list of charges. They had allowed her to meet with the lawyers her parents sent. It would be a spectacle for sure, but now, at last, Lauren could stop hiding. Karen Beattie and Dr. Lauren Lewis became one in the same in the eyes of the world.
Amazingly, the first person she thought of after Bo and their children was Evony. She knew Evony would be beyond upset, but that could be managed. At least, Lauren hoped. The next concern Lauren had was for the JFM. She was both the founder and face of JFM, and now she would be publicly vilified as a terrorist, and the JFM would suffer for it. In the Fae world, they knew her only as Dr. Lauren Lewis, presumptive Companion in Rule to the next Queen of the Fae Realm. In the Human world, most knew her only as Dr. Lauren Lewis, a break-through pioneer in fields of science and medicine. Neither world largely knew about her past identity and that she was a wanted terrorist. Come the morning, however, all of that would come to a head. Both sides, would at long last learn what Lauren has been running from for so many years. But for all of this, Lauren felt like the universe itself had finally lifted off her chest. She could breathe at last. But Lauren knew she risked everything she loved coming forward, but it had to be done.
Suddenly, Lauren saw light break through the bleak cell block as the double security doors opened to admit two officers carrying a woman. One of the officers let go of the woman well enough to open the cell across from Lauren and then the helped bring the woman inside the cell and plopped her rather firmly onto the cell bench.
"Here's some company for you." One of the officers said as they left and secured the doors behind then.
Lauren looked back at the person across from her who then suddenly sat up, came up to the cell bars, pulled back their hoodie, and smiled. Lauren's eyes widened and her mouth dropped.
It was Aoife.
