I returned to the office silently. Bud asked me what was wrong, before we got in our cars to go back to the station, and I growled in response. I couldn't confide in anyone. Not even about my brother, no one had realised it was him, yet.
My thoughts were contradictory as I stared at the file in front of me, That bastard.
You brought it on yourself.
Stupid bitch. Get the evidence.
No, I'll get fired.
You need to get back your brother.
Not like this.
"Penny?" A small voice asked, stopping my thought process. I looked up to see Kathy stood at my door timidly, she was shaking slightly.
"Oh, hey, Kathy. Come in." I told her, motioning to the chair opposite me.
She sat down and I rubbed my temples. "You alright?" She asked and winced as she did.
"It's been a very long day." I replied, feeling tears in the back of my throat.
"I have some news and I thought you should hear it first. About the hostage." She smiled, sadly. Here it comes. "We ran the dna of both pools of blood and found that… Oh God, I'm so sorry Penny, it's your brother, your brother is the hostage." I stood up and moved away from the desk, to look out of the window.
"How- how did you…" I started feeling myself choke up, finally.
"I had a hunch. The guy looked a lot like Toddie and I know that he's not in the system but you are. You have some common alleles, from your dad." She told me.
My back was still turned as I suddenly realised what she said, "How do you know what Todd looks like? And why did you call him 'Toddie?'" I turned to her angrily and even through my blurred vision I could see her blush.
"Well, um, this is not how I wanted to tell you but me and your brother have been seeing each other for a while now. Generally, since we met at your birthday."
"Why didn't he tell me?" I asked, quietly but furiously.
"He didn't want you to feel like I was being friends with you because of him." She choked. Through my own tears I saw hers, streaming down her face. I never noticed how pretty the girl was. Her green eyes were bright against her dark skin as she sobbed. Unfortunatly, she was probably telling the truth, Todd always put my feelings first and he was probably nervous about telling me about her, he didn't get girlfriends very often.
I would have felt sympathy, if I hadn't felt so cold. "I have no friends." I said, picking up the file she had brought in with her and walking out of the office, leaving the morose woman unconsoled and terrified.
I knew what I was going to do in that second. I rounded off towards a large office, "Sir?" I went to see the Chief of Department, Richard Matthews. He was sat at his desk, Bud was stood in front of him.
"Yes, what it is it, Conway?" He asked me, exasperated. He then looked up at me and asked, "What's wrong?" Changing to a friendlier tone.
"My brother is the hostage." I told him simply, giving him the file.
"I'm so sorry, Penelope." He told me and Bud wouldn't look at me. He paused looking over the file and sighed, "This does mean you are taken off of the case though. You understand that, don't you?"
"Excuse me?" I asked, utterly surprised.
"I'm sorry, but as Lieutenant Budberry here explained to me, you seem to have some kind of connection to Christopher D'Amico, which is corrupting your judgement." Bud looked guilty and turned from me, "And now this, you are too involved with this case." Little does he know. "I'm sorry, I know this is hard. I'll have our best guys on the case but I'm passing it on to Lieutenant Budberry. You can have a few days off, if you need it." I wasn't sure whether to scream at him or to just fall apart on the floor.
I stood up and stonily told him, "I understand completely, sir. I will take those few days off that you offered. I feel like I may get in the way, if I stay."
"Penny, don't. You-" Said Bud, sadly.
"No. I'll want to be involved if I'm here." I replied, coldly.
Mr. Matthews nodded, "Very wise, Penelope. Your desk will be waiting, ready for your return. Take as many days as you need." I knew he was only saying that and he actually meant 'come back in a day or two or don't come back at all.'
I turned to leave but as I did I turned to Bud, "Good luck, Lieutenant." I saluted and left the room.
I stayed calm, even though I was furious. I walked into my office and took some of my belongings out of my desk. I turned and left the building. I then sobbed as I entered the safety of my car. I knew what I had to do, no matter what it cost me. I had to become my alter ego. Permanently.
I wiped the tears from my eyes, forcefully, and drove out towards Mindy's house.
When I arrived, at the small house, she sleepily opened the door and stared at me in disbelief. She was in a grey shirt, almost long enough to be a nighty, and she had purple hot pants on underneath. Her hair was in an organised mess and she had two tiny scabs in the middle of her forehead.
"Why aren't you at work?" She asked dazed, not inviting me in.
"I've been taken off the case, need to get my costume."
"Why?" She asked, as I pushed past her.
"Why do I need my costume?"
"No, why were you taken off the case?" She asked, rolling her eyes and shutting the door.
"I'm too involved. Me and Lieutenant Budberry went to visit the D'Amico's and he told my boss that I was too involved with Chris and obviously Todd's my brother so…" I explained, quickly.
"What happened, between you and Chris?" She asked, unsympathetically.
"I don't want to talk about it. Can I please have my costume?" I replied and she nodded, starting up the stairs.
"Why do you need it?" We entered her, surprisingly girly room, and she walked over to her wardrobe.
"If I can't be part of the case as a cop, I will help the case along as a superhero." I told her. She smiled at me proudly. "Come to think of it, why aren't you at school?" I asked, accusingly.
"I was tasered last night and my head is buzzing, still." She said in a you-know-why way, then smiled and passed me the items I desired.
She sighed and sat on her bed as I turned away to leave. "I have a feeling I did something really stupid last night, Penny."
I stopped in my tracks, "It happens to the best of us." I mumbled then added, "What did you do?"
"I'm not sure, I think it has something to do with Dave though." She muttered, audibly.
My mind started racing and I turned to look at the young woman. Mindy was sat biting her thumb nail, staring at the floor. "I'm sure it will be fine, Mindy." She still looked unsure. "You want to come fight some day time crime?" I asked, kindly, it was strangly difficult.
Mindy nodded and stood up, "I'll meet you in the usual place, in an hour."
I left quickly and returned to my house. I entered to find Dave sat on my sofa glued to my TV set. "How the hell did you get in here?" I asked tiredly.
"Considering you're a cop, you have terrible security." He told me turning off the Tele. "Can I talk to you?"
"Well it looks like I have no choice in the matter. Make it quick, I have to be somewhere soon. Wait a minute, why aren't you at work and how did you know I wasn't at work?" I demanded.
"I took the day off, too many things to think about and do. And I didn't." I joined him on the sofa. He then carried on, "Mindy, er, said some things to me last night and well something happened and I don't quite know what to do." For the first time in a very long time, I actually thought Dave was adorable. Not in the way I used to think, but in a loving sisterly way.
"Alright, tell me about it. What exactly happened?" I sighed, feeling the need to pour myself a glass of wine.
"Well, I took her home, like you told me, and I led her on her bed but… You see I put her down then tried to pull away from her, which is when it happened."
"What did?"
"She kissed me. Not like a peck or anything but a full frontal turn-you-on snog." He started to ramble and I started to feel like I was intruding on something. He stood up and started pacing, "She pulled away after I-don't-know-how-long and started kissing my neck and telling me…"
"What?"
"That she loves me." He said throwing his hands into the air in a kind of 'jazz hands' style.
"What did you do?"
"Well I got out of there, didn't I? I wasn't gonna take advantage of her. I don't know what to do. Help me, Penny." He sat back down and locked eyes with me.
"Now, hold on cowboy. She doesn't even remember it happening, first of all. And secondly, what do you mean 'you don't know what to do?'" I asked, unsympathetically.
"It could break up the group." He whispered.
"Who gives a fuck?" I shouted, making Dave jump. "In this world if you've found someone that you love that won't screw you over, go for it. Do you like her?"
"Yeah." He replied, quietly.
"Do you love her?"
"Well, um I-I don't know. I guess."
"Then what's the problem, bucko?" I said to him and he shrugged.
"I guess there isn't one." He replied, quietly.
"Alright, good. Glad that's sorted, now get out of my house and don't let me catch you breaking in, again." The man stood up and I added, "You didn't pull away from Mindy until she said 'I love you?'" I asked slightly discusted.
"Well, um…"
"Get out. I can't be arsed with men any longer. Out!" I said, shooing him out of the door.
I ran upstairs to change into my costume. Dave was the last straw.
I was going to show the world that no man could mess with me. Chris D'Amico would pay if it was the last thing I ever did.
Hope you enjoyed. We'll be delving into the action next chapter and how on earth did I manage to make every guy in this fic a dick? It's beyond me. Well don't worry there's still time for men to redeem themselves. I'm open to suggestions and if there is anything I haven't done yet or you want to see more of just say and I'll fit it into the next few chapters. The end is in sight, it makes me feel sad.
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As always tell me what you think. :D