Chapter 3 An interview
At the police station Dan Rodriguez sits kicking his foot in interrogation room A. Mark walked in he needed information and this guy knew the guy he was after.
"I'm gonna get straight to the point. Caption Josh L Strut You know him?"
"Yeah I mean he's do to replace our caption he the caption of detectives right now down in Metro. Is he in some kind of trouble or something?"
"Why would you ask that?" Mark asked answering a question with a question.
"You guys aren't exactly the run of the mill IA. I mean you live in Texas I heard they don't play nice there." Dan says with a half smile.
"Well I know you guys don't play by the rules up here. Now back to Strut. He's never available for an interview. Why do you think that is? Has he something to hide?"
Dan shifts in his chair "As far as Josh never being available for an interview. He's a very busy man. I don't think I'm the right person to ask if he has something to hide. I only partnered with him for a few weeks. Jamal is his past right hand man. You might want to ask him."
There is a knocking on the two way mirror. Though Mark can not see through the glass he knows who has come to check on the interview. "That'll be my super." Mark gets to his feet and Dan stands also.
A tall woman of about 32 years of age with blonde hair twisted into a tight bun that almost looks painful walks into the room. "Callaway this interview is over" her tone icy as she looks at Dan "You are dismissed officer."
Mark sighs and leans against the mirror knowing this woman had something against him. As for why he had no clue. "Problem" he says crossing his arm over his chest.
"Detective I brought you out here to do your job and I am not satisfied. Last night in that house your witnesses were dropping like flies. Some have quit one is dead. These do not help us at all." She says handing him some papers. It's a police press release.
"What the hell?" Mark says as he reads and rereads the release.
"Detective your name has surfaced and not in a good light. Strut is suing you for harassment."
Mark hated the way she said Detective when talking with him or at him for the most part. She said it with venom in her tone. "I can read ma'am." He was also irritated that every time she crossed his path she treated him not as her employee but as a nitwit. She did things like read his written reports to him and it was getting tired fast.
"I'm sure you can" she says with patronizing tone and false smile locked on her face. "I just didn't want you to get bogged down in reading it.
"Bogged down eh?" Mark counts the lines of text going down. "One, two, three, wow three lines of text are really a lot. Can I ask you a question off the record of course?"
"You certainly can with in reason of course." She stiffly shifts her weight standing up board straight and stares just above his head.
Mark ticks things off on his fingers. "One, you are the most stressed woman I have ever seen and I have seen some stressed women. Second, you act like I just jumped out the yahoo's nest. Third I want to set the record straight you didn't bring me nowhere the state of Texas and the NIA shifted me here through your boss Andrew Hudson working with my schedule. Last but surely not least, what's your dilemma with me? You say my name or my title like it's bringing a tear to you eye and lump to your throat.
Her eyes widen then narrow even further "Well, since we are off the record. I don't believe a word of you fucking resume and that period you spent in the Texas Rangers before you started "wrestling" is what got you here. Why you were even considered is beyond me. You are in the public eye way too much for this job everybody knows you're coming. I have nothing more to say on that matter." She waves a dismissive hand towards the door. As Mark walks past her she opens the door for him to leave. Mark shakes his head as he crosses the threshold. He turns around she raises her gaze to his and slowly says. "If you don't approve of how things are run in my branch then by all means GO HOME!" She slams the door in his face.
A short young man with straight blonde shoulder length hair and blue eyes walks over to Mark. "You have waked up the ice queen." He smirks at his own joke. "Well to add to your day of pleasure here." The man hands Mark a white envelope.
Mark open said envelope and it reads. From the head commander and chief of the region 4 IL and IN branch.
Dear Detective Callaway.
You are to meet with your main chief at headquarters once you enter relinquish all weaponry and check in. Your meeting will consist of a change in your rotation. Note the meeting is locked for 2:30pm do not be late. This meeting is mandatory failure to attend can affect your future employment with NIA.
The young man has not left Mark's side "So did the ice Queen fire you?" Mark just looks at him. "Hey I was just asking."
"Its Tim right?" the shorter man shakes his head his long blonde hair bobbing around like a little kid.
"I'm Timothy Price, I work regional NIA and as an insider with the Chicago PD. I'm going for head of the homicide department Midnights are starting to catch up with me. You need a ride?"
"No" was all that Mark said as he left. He'd seen this guy before. Mark half closes his eyes trying to see in is his mind's eye why the name Timothy Price stuck out in his head as someone to remember. Then it hit him he'd heard that one of the NIA was dirty. Mark slowly turned around to see Timothy smiling up at him. "You're either bold or stupid."
Timothy looks away from Mark and backs up a step. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Mark grabs for Timothy's shirt but Tim moves away and sprints off behind a warehouse. Mark is torn he can go to his meeting or he can bring down the enemy. With his mind made up Mark runs in the direction that Tim ran. As Mark rounds the corner he comes upon a thin dark-haired Asian woman that is blocking his path. She quickly pulls a gun and shoots him. Mark looks down as he reaches for the dart launched in his upper arm his body lurches forward and he crumples to the ground.
The woman walks to the door of the first row of old untagged warehouses and knocks on the door. The door quickly opens and three men run out one being Timothy Price his partner in crime being Strut and a third named Bobby. They make quick work of getting an unconscious Mark into their waiting car and pull off.
Standing in the shadows of the Warehouse is Dan Rodriguez something on the ground catches his eye he bends down to inspect the wallet. He opens it and snaps it closed. "It's Mr. NIA's Shit" he walks back in to the prescient.
"Hey Dan, Captain wants to see ya in her office." A young red headed woman says. Dan walks to his desk collects some papers and moves toward the captain's office. Knocking he receives the only words she says.
"Come"
Dan entered he hated meeting with this particular woman she knew him too well. "You wanted to see me Captain?"
"Yes Daniel you will keep that man out of my way pass on this bit of news. I don't need someone mucking up the rules I have worked so hard to maintain."
Dan pulled Mark's wallet out of his back pocket. "I don't think he being here is a problem anymore." Shock covered her face as she stood.
"What did you do? I wanted you guys to keep the damn Press away from my office and keep Mr. Callaway busy until he felt the need to leave. Now what will you have this lovely branch of NIA up my ass for?"
"You may need me to explain what I saw." Dan begins to tell his captain of how he happens to be walking down the front stairs saw the big man run off so he followed. He explains what happened to Mark and the reason he did not interfere.
