(18+) Florilegium: A DeVanté Swing Collection

Resurrection | 3

May 21, 1999

A knock at the door got the attention of Jade. She sat up in her bed. This time Jade was alone in her hospital room.

"Jade Lewis," a nurse entered the room with two female officers, one being Officer Terry James.

"Yes?" Jade answered, taking notice of the three women.

"Hello, Jade. I'm Nurse Bauer. Do you remember me?"

"Of course, I remember you," Jade smiled, but her smile began to fade when she saw the look on the nurse's face.

"So, we've run tests on you. As you know, we've done a rape kit. You have several vaginal tears. The DNA that came back isn't the DNA of someone known. However, his DNA matches the DNA of several other rape victims, who also happened to be physically assaulted. Those victims remained quiet about their experience, but you, Jade, could be the one to speak up. Not just for them, but for you."

Jade closed her eyes, feeling shocked and slightly triggered.

"So what do you say?" Nurse James asked her patient.

Jade let out a shaky sigh, "his name is Asaad and he's my ex-boyfriend. Full name: Asaad Rasheed."

The nurses' breath hitched, which Jade took notice of. Jade squinted her eyes and raised her eyebrows at the nurse in suspicion. Office Terry James gave her a look as well.

"Excuse me," Nurse Bauer left the hospital room, closing the door behind her.

"Are you sure?" The other officer asked Jade.

"And you are?" Jade questioned while fluttering her eyelashes.

"Officer Lauderdale."

"Officer Lauderdale works at the department with your brother and I. She was in the scene when you-" Officer James folded her lips. "Appeared."

"Asaad Rasheed is a repeated criminal in California. How isn't his DNA sample not in the system? Are you sure?" Officer Lauderdale asked Jade.

Jade gave her an irritated look, then squinted her eyes. "How could I not be sure?"

"I'm just double checking," Officer Lauderdale politely smiled. "I wasn't trying to be insensitive. We just want this man locked up. We've been trying to get him locked up for years. He's committed so many crimes around California as a whole. One woman did, in fact, press charges against him for rape, but he just claimed they were together and it was rough sex. He got off in the charge. This is why his DNA should be in the system.  Do you want to press charges against THIS- this person?"

Brandon knocked on the door before reopening it. "Are you decent?"

"Yes, Brandon," Jade slightly chuckled.

Brandon turned the corner and looked lost when he saw his best friend and another officer who works in his department.

"What the hell is going on here?" Brandon looked at Terry.

"I'm pressing charges against Asaad," Jade looked at Officer Lauderdale, then averted her eyes towards her brother.

"What? Jade, I thought we-" Brandon tilted his head, looking at his partner. "Let me holler at you right quick," he motioned Terry over. "Can you give us a second?" He asked Officer Lauderdale.