In Or Out

S1E9.

❝In: This Case❞
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❝Resilience is all about being able to overcome the unexpected. Sustainability is about survival. The goal of resilience is to thrive.❞

Baton Rouge, Louisiana
St. Louis Street, East Baton Rouge District Attorney's Office

The sun dipped low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the East Baton Rouge District Attorney's Office as Britain settled her Toyota Camry into an empty parking space. The day had been a relentless torrent of events: custody papers thrown her way from Malachiah, getting fired from her job, and then the exasperating mix-up of law firms. Now, as she sat in her car, exhaustion settled like a lead weight on her shoulders.

Britain glanced up, catching sight of the large building through her windshield. Her gaze drifted involuntarily to the makeshift memorial at the entrance—a poignant collection of flowers, candles, and stuffed animals paying tribute to Marek Runyon, the late Assistant District Attorney who was killed right outside their walls. Britain quickly looked away, pushing aside the memories of Kye's abrupt departure earlier that week. He had been at her apartment when the call came. He was laying beside her in bed before he bolted out the moment he heard the news. Supposedly, he and Marek had been close colleagues.

Movement at the edge of her vision drew her attention—a figure emerging from the law firm, engrossed in a conversation on their cell-phone. Malachiah. Her heart skipped a beat despite her best efforts to remain calm. Seeing her daughter's father stirred up a tumult of emotions—anger, hurt, and an unsettling flicker of affection she desperately wanted to disappear.

Without hesitating, Britain flung open her car door and called out to him, her voice carrying over the buzz on the city streets. "Malachiah!"

If he did hear her, he made no effort to show it as he kept his gaze forward and slid into his car—a sleek, dark gray Maserati Ghibli S RWD. The engine purred to life as he settled in behind the wheel, and Britain's frustration boiled over as she watched him pull away, effortlessly merging onto the main road.

With an exasperated huff, she sank back down into her car and tightened her grip on the steering wheel. Fumbling with her thoughts for a few seconds, she decided to follow Malachiah and confront him. Britain pulled out into the street, her gaze fixed on the taillights of his Maserati ahead. Keeping a discreet distance, she navigated through the evening traffic, seething with irritation. She tried calling him three times, and each time, his voicemail intercepted the calls.

Wherever he was headed was just a little ways past the law firm, and when Malachiah's car finally slowed down into a restricted area twenty-minutes later, Britain frowned at the destination in confusion. She followed suit though, maneuvering her car into the abandoned gas station lot where Malachiah was parking.

She found a spot near a tangle of overgrown bushes, casting cautious glances around. Her breath caught as she spotted Malachiah's distinctive dark gray Maserati among three other vehicles clustered by derelict gas pumps. Making sure her headlights were off, she kept a safe distance from their line of sight.

A group of men stood in front of the cars in intense conversation, their gestures animated. Britain hesitated, her hand hovering over the ignition key. She didn't know if it was smart to confront Malachiah here. She already knew he would be pissed about her following him but this whole setup was weird. Her curiosity was mingled with apprehension, rooting her to the spot. Why was Malachiah here, in this desolate place, surrounded by these shady men?

With a tense swallow, she decided to wait, her eyes fixed on the unfolding scene. Malachiah emerged from his car, his movements purposeful yet guarded. He approached the group, shoulders tense as he exchanged words with one of the men.