I was working on something for a case Fletcher was working on when I checked the time, 4:38am. “Shit,” I said quietly, stretching and pushing away from my desk. I quickly changed into my running clothes and headed out into the streets of Rockstrand. I was on the beach for a while before someone called out behind me, “Effie. Hey, Effie.”
I stopped and turned to see a shirtless Sutherland jogging behind me. I took a second to admire his muscular chest. “Detective. Are you following me?”
“I always run on the beach,” he said defensively. We started walking down the beach, “Look I’m not going to apologize for being an ass, because you could’ve left Slade alive.”
“I could’ve, and he could’ve kept shooting. His guys could have shot everyone in the place just because they have their own brand of fucked up loyalty. Coulda, shoulda, woulda; it never helps anything.” I said, pulling him to a stop. “What happened, happened. There’s nothing we can do about it. Theorizing doesn’t help anyone.”
He gave me a hard look, “You could have disarmed him and neutralized the threat. You didn’t have to kill him.”
I bit my tongue, stopping the response I wanted to give him from coming out and instead started jogging again. I turned off at a drive to the beach, hoping he wouldn’t follow. He easily caught up with me and we jogged in silence until we reached my building. “I’ll be back today with a warrant to question you.”
“Good luck with that detective.”
I made it inside just as Charon was walking up in his second glamor, Manny. “Good morning, my lady,” he greeted me in Ancient Greek.
“Good morning, Manny. How was your evening?” I asked in English.
“It was slow. Sarah dropped this off for you in the early hours,” he said, handing me an envelope with my real name, Persephone, written in Ancient Greek.
“Thanks Manny. Is there anything I can get you?”
“No, my lady.”
I quickly scanned the note Sarah, the building oracle, left for me. “Medi will be here today. Sarah’s called her. Please send her to the gym when she arrives.” He nodded, “And when Coop and Sutherland arrive with their warrant, can you please have them wait here and call me? I’m not going to answer, but just keep calling.”
He gave me a wiry smile, “As you wish.”
“Thanks Charon,” I said in Ancient Greek. “Let me know if you need anything.”
“I will, my queen,” he responded in Ancient Greek. I headed upstairs to continue working on the file for Fletcher.
Alex’s voice sounded in my head, “Sephie, are you coming down?”
I checked the time on my watch, “Shit. Yeah I’ll be there in a second. I just need to finish something in my report to Fletcher.” I quickly finished making notes on the file before heading downstairs to the gym.
“It’s about time you made it down, Sephie,” Goldwin said as he playfully bumped me with his shoulder as I walked past.
“Yeah yeah. I was finishing some things for Fletcher,” I replied with a small smile.
“Princess isn’t used to working out now that she’s retired,” Nik, the newest member of Tsitak, said.
“I don’t know, man,” Vander said. “I think she’s been working out. She did just fine last night against that guy she killed.”
He scoffed, “Anyone with her background could take down a guy like that.”
“You shouldn’t have an issue starting your day sparring with me then,” I said from where I had started stretching on the mat.
“Teach him a lesson. Don’t hurt him too badly. Achilles doesn’t heal like we do,” Alex’s voice sounded in my head.
I looked across the gym at him and rolled my eyes, but nodded. “Sure princess. I could use an easy start to the morning.”
I smirked as I watched him bounce from foot to foot, rolling his shoulders. “He always has been unbearably arrogant,” Goldwin said in my head, causing me to look over at him with a smile.
“Alex’ll be cross if you kill him again,” I sent back.
His laugh sounded in my head, “It might be worth it.”
“Let’s go princess.”
I stood and stretched my arms out over my head before taking a lazy fighting stance, “Ready when you are.”
Nik swung his fist, hoping to hit my face, but I caught his hand, twisting it behind his back before releasing him and kicking him in the ass. He barely managed to keep from falling face first on the mats. He turned and rushed me, going for a tackle. I pushed my feet back and landed on top of him as I forced us both to the mat. I pushed myself to my feet and backed away from him, taking up my lazy fighting stance again.
He popped to his feet and threw several punches at me, all of which I easily avoided. He let out a growl of frustration, “Fight back.”
He attempted a clever combination of kicks and punches, but I managed to block them. “Okay, okay, okay.”
(will be added to in the future)
Author: Kailan Counahan 