Johnny Law

They were five months into their relationship when Tyr got his first taste of the police.

"Please remain calm," someone said loudly over the sounds of rummaging and chaos in the building. He and his team had just returned from an all-morning-long exclusive with the mayor. They'd grabbed lunch at a local restaurant. The interview had gone well, Carnie gushing the whole time they were eating about ways to incorporate the new tax information into a lively report. She paled as she noticed the police presence surrounding the building.

"Oh no," she said under her breath. Armed men were swarming around the place of business. A few people were in the patty wagon already, hiding their faces from the press, who were having a field day with this latest development.

"What's going on?" Tyr asked his boss in utter confusion as they were processed back into the building.

"Seems that your girlfriend is feeling a little frisky today. The cops are here to search for corruption among the people."

"Move along back to your workspaces," one of the officers ordered them once they proved that they had no weapons on them. David caught Carnie as she started crying.

"Don't worry, Carnie," the man comforted his teammate. "This happens once every six months or so. The police come in, they swarm the place and root out the corruption. There's nothing to be afraid of." The woman just continued crying.

"I knew that this whole 'reformed' thing was all an act," a loud, brash voice came out from all the others. Detective Lance was currently brandishing two bags full of drugs and glaring at Tyr. "I knew that you would slip up and reveal your true nature if we just gave it a little time." The man was the picture of self-satisfaction as he approached the Prince of Queensdale. "Did you really think that you could escape my wrath forever, boy?"

"What's going on here? Tyr, do you know this guy?" Minda blinked.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. Meet Detective Quentin Lance. I used to date his daughter, Laurel. Which means I also-"

"You had no right to play with my daughters' hearts like you did," Quentin spat. "They trusted you! The two of them-"

"Sara knew what she was doing when she got involved with me," Tyr said in a calm tone. "We were dating behind Laurel's back for weeks before that cruise. Don't act like she was an innocent in all this. And as for Laurel… She slept with a married man. We were all guilty. I don't deny my guilt in the situation, but I didn't bring the storm that killed her. "

Quentin suddenly growled and made as if to attack the man. "Why you arrogant son of a-"

"That's enough, Detective," the Chief barked before his subordinate could hit the man and spark an incident. He too was disappointed in the man, but he wanted Tyr's downfall to be quick and clean. "Tyr Anasazi, you're under arrest for the sale and distribution of-"

"Those aren't my drugs," came Anasazi's calm voice. He went and stood at his desk. "Is this where you found them?"

"...no," the detective finally admitted, headed to the desk two rows over, where someone was already dusting for prints. Everyone turned to the still sobbing Carnie. David released her, turning to her with an accusing glare. He'd just buried his son two years ago from a drug overdose. This specific drug.

"How could you-"

"I-I… I needed the money," the distraught woman answered, not resisting when the officer handcuffed her and started reading her the Miranda Rights. "They were going to foreclose on my house. My family would have been out on the street!" She looked around and saw no sympathy in the eyes of her coworkers. An ugly sob erupted from her as she was led away.

"Alright, nothing to see here," Captain Hobbs said once the drug dealer was gone. He turned to leave with his detective when Tyr spoke up.

"Don't I get an apology?" the man asked with an arrogant smirk on his face. "You people just assumed that I was the culprit, no doubt spreading your suspicions to all your friends and tainting my good name. An apology is the least I deserve for you all jumping to conclusions." Detective Lance hurried across the room, eager to smash that cocky grin off his face when his Captain yelled for him to stop.

"We, of course, apologize for the slander, Mr. Anasazi. Now that this unfortunate mishap has been cleared up, we will continue gathering evidence against your coworker," The Captain said in an aggressive, non-apologetic manner, still holding his detective back. "Good day, sir."

"You'd better watch your back, Anasazi!" Quentin yelled as he was led away. "I'm onto you! You killed my little girl! I won't rest until you're behind bars!"

An awkward silence ensued once the cops left the room, leaving the CSI unit to gather evidence under their collective glares.

"Um… Awkward," David whistled into the heavy silence. He looked Anasazi over asking the one question that was on everyone's mind almost against his will. "Hate to ask, but I have to know. Did you know about Carnie?"

"I never would have thought Carnela capable of that," Tyr reassured his coworkers. "She's always been so cheerful and hard-working."

"Yeah, but you used to be a-"

"That was years ago," he huffed in annoyance. "I haven't been a part of that world since my supposed death. No, I didn't know that Carnie was a drug dealer. She's the last person I would've suspected of illegal activity. Can we get off this topic now? Shouldn't we be transcribing that mayoral interview?"

"I don't think-"

"No, Tyr's right. We should get back to work. We all know what these raids are like," their boss interrupted the interrogation. Tyr nodded gratefully as he and the others got back to work.

… …

After the stressful workday ended, Tyr rushed up to see the CEO of the company.

"It's been a long, trying day," Mrs. Grady warned the anxious PR rep. "It might be best if-" He ignored her completely, busting into his girlfriend's office unannounced. She was sitting with complete poise, reviewing paperwork as the Captain and Detective Lance spoke to her about the results of the raid.

"As always, we appreciate your cooperation…" Hobbs trailed off as the door swung open. All three occupants of the room turned around in shock at the interruption.

Wanda was the first to recover. "Is there something pressing that you needed, Mr. Anasazi?" she asked in a curt tone. Tyr saw right through her. His girl was exhausted and just barely keeping it together.

"No," he said after an awkward beat of silence. "I'll speak to you privately after your meeting." He closed the door without a backward glance.

"I can't believe you hired that pissant to work here," Quentin growled. "How can you stand letting that man touch you after the way he treated you? He shouldn't be allowed-"

"Mr. Anasazi has proven a dedicated and diligent worker since my PR department decided to hire him. He would not be employed with my organization if he wasn't. As for your comments on my personal life, I don't believe it's any of your business who I associate with during my free time. We're done here. Correct, Captain?" It wasn't a question.

"Yes, Ms. Jenkins," the man told her. She escorted the two out of her office and to her receiving room where Tyr was busy pacing the floor.

"Bet you wish I wasn't here to remind your woman what a scumbag you truly are," the distraught father couldn't resist a snide remark as he caught sight of the man. Tyr looked ready to start something after an afternoon of accusations and uncomfortable questions, and Quentin looked ready to oblige him, but Wanda stepped between the two.

"Captain, I ask you to rein in your Detective. I will not have him inciting a fight in my place of business."

"Lance, get it together!" The Captain shouted at his subordinate. "Now is not the time for this."

"Then when is the right time, sir?" he asked in an angry tone. "This is the first time I've seen this arrogant jackass since he came back from the dead. He's responsible for my little girl's death! And here he is, back from the dead, cozying up to his old wife, duping her and the whole town with his charm. Everyone talks about how much he's changed, but I see the same old selfish Tyr standing before me. Business hours are over. It's time to give this pampered fuck exactly what he deserves."

"You will leave my place of business immediately or I will have security escort you out," Wanda told him in an even tone. "You are clearly only here to pick a fight and whatever the reason, I will not have it in the middle of my office. Captain, surely you are aware that the presence of this clearly antagonistic individual is entirely inappropriate?"

"My man here required closure," Hobbs defended his detective.

"What he wants is a fight," Wanda ground out. "Closure would indicate that he was willing to let things go. This gentleman came here looking for fist-to-cuffs action and that I will not tolerate. As your man is clearly out of control, I must insist that he be removed from the situation altogether. Especially since Mr. Anasazi was cleared of any wrongdoing earlier today. Or are you saying that your detective is planning to misuse his authority to harass my employee?" Heavy silence met this question. Clearly, this was not the way any of the men anticipated this confrontation going. Even Tyr was staring at her in disbelief.

The Captain finally responded carefully. "Detective Lance is a man of honor. In fifteen years of service, he has never misused his authority to attack an upstanding citizen. But-"

"But nothing," Wanda interjected. "He either has or he hasn't. I'm asking you both to leave." The woman glared at the men, her diamond-hard gaze on the police officers until they reached the elevators. Once she was sure they were taken care of, she rounded on her boyfriend. "What were you thinking, barging into my office like a maniac? I-" The rest of her complaint was lost to time as he claimed her lips in a savage kiss. The two policemen noticed this just as the elevator doors were closing.

Quentin was incensed. "Sir, we should-"

"No."

"But, sir! She is being manipulated. That girl is the-"

"No, detective! Don't you see that she's after your badge? She just laid the foundation for a harassment lawsuit while you were snarling at your adversary. Everything in that office is recorded, remember?" Lance looked shocked.

"She can't-"

"Do you remember the drug lord that came to her office and threatened her with violence if she didn't reinstate that heroin ring after we uncovered it?" Hobbs gave him a minute to recall the case. "I assure you that she can. I would suggest that you leave her boyfriend alone."

"But she's making a huge mistake," Quentin said, almost whining. The Captain shook his head and glared at the man.

"You need to make a choice, Quentin. Which do you want more: justice for your dead daughter or your career? I won't be able to protect your badge if you go after Tyr again after your reactions today. He's under her protection now, whether he deserves it or not. I'll support you either way, but really think about this, man. What would your future be without the badge?" Hobbs stepped out of the elevator, headed for his car. Detective Lance followed his boss, his mind in disarray. He'd been so sure that Anasazi would screw up by now and he'd be able to put his nemesis behind bars after today, burying his past in the process. Sara deserved justice. But Tyr was clean - at least for now. The only thing to do was wait for him to screw up and send another officer after him now that the Christian CEO was onto him.

With a new plan in place, Quentin Lance left the area, resolved to watch the killer along with the rest of Queensdale. He'd slip up eventually, and the detective was determined to be there when it happened.