WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ↠ Mazikeen [2]

11 | SCARED AWAY

                      RUNNING ON CAFFEINE AND SPITE ALONE, Izzy was staying strong back at the precinct, choosing to keep herself awake for as long as she could. At least while up, she could do something about what ailed her – when she was stuck in a nightmare, she was helpless and vulnerable to whatever her mind conjured up. Now, there was some sense of who was behind the wheel, and she was unwilling to give it up.

                     "So, there was a guy at the crime scene. Pete, I think", Ella spoke up, a record-time of silence having passed in her lab, and pulled out of her train of thought, Izzy dropped the pen in her hands and looked over to the Lopez and her massive spectacles. "He gave me his number. Said he was a reporter... but I think he was hinting at something more", she hummed thoughtfully, and with a lifted eyebrow, Izzy swiveled on the chair beneath her.

                     "Sounds like he was coming on a bit strong, huh?" she suspected, very aware that Ella was capable of defending herself if need be, but she wouldn't have hesitated to pick a fight on the woman's behalf. She was sure Mariah would have felt the exact same way, but now that she was off working with Izzy's mom, the younger Holt took it upon herself to make sure no one was messing with their Ella.

                     "I told him I'm in a relationship, of course, gosh!" Ella blushed at the implications before giving Izzy a concerned look. "Do you think he might try again?"

                     Huffing, Izzy closed the folder in front of her and pointed a serious finger at Ella. "You just say the word, and I'll tell him to beat it", she promised, and breaking into a grin, the dark-haired woman nodded.

                     Before they could exchange any more words, Kai was bursting through the door, a weary look on his face. "Are we talking trash about Jed? Please, tell me we're talking trash about Jed", he lamented with a shake of his head, his elbows landing on Ella's table as he dropped his face into his hands.

                     Glancing at each other, Izzy and Ella were both stunned into silence. "Who's Jed?" Izzy dared to ask, eventually, tilting her head at Kai who groaned at the mention of his name.

                     "Chloe's perfect ex-boyfriend. She thinks he may have been the intended target at the festival so now he has to be under police surveillance, which means I have to look at his flawlessly sculpted face all week", he complained, looking up from his hands just enough to point a finger into the bullpen, and after following where he was gesturing, Izzy spotted the tall, floppy-haired man laughing with Chloe by the woman's desk. A grimace landed on Isadora's face, and it certainly didn't help Kai's case.

                     "He doesn't... look that perfect", Izzy tried to comfort him, but Kai immediately gave her an unimpressed look.

                     "Said the lesbian!" he cried out, and snorting, Ella broke her silence on the matter.