IceyHot (Season 1)

Chapter 3

Arias

   'Arias Giovanni Gonzales. That is your name correct?' asked Chief Grant, reading through my file, peering at me from under his reading glasses.
   'That is correct, sir,' I said, while trying my best to keep my eyes off this weird painting in his office. It was very...distracting.
   'You passed the preliminary exams quite very flawlessly. It also says here that you passed the firearm competency course and yet refused to have one registered?' He looked at me.
   I raised the holt of my sword. 'That's because I don't like guns, sir.'
   'You know, every year approximately 8-20 people get killed by guns. Our job as police officers is to prevent any of that from happening. Now I know compared to the gun death rate in America, that isn't much, but at the end of the day all lives matter and one thousand getting killed by a gun is no different than one getting killed by one.
As police officers we have to ensure no life gets taken, whatever means necessary. If we were to walk in on a bank heist and the hostiles have guns, how do plan on pursuing them with a sword?'
   'You have a point, sir. Going with a sword to a gunfight is borderline stupid, and again how many of those deaths are caused by police officers?' I sighed and slid my hilt back in. 'I would rather risk going to a fight with a sword than risk having to accidentally shoot someone or having to shoot a hostile because they refused to comply. Their are over three hundred ways I could incapacitate a hostile without having to kill them and doing that with just a sword. Plus, sword wounds are more painful than gunshot wounds in anyway.'
   He nodded and then laughed shaking his head.
   'Is there anything funny, sir?' I asked.
   'I like you. I was only asking you these questions to test you. Several superior officers use swords and other weapons that aren't guns and they all share the same understanding as you do. I am the only one among the seniors that even uses a gun, I must add.' He closed the file and then got up before extending out his hand, holding my new badge. 'You value life and that is all I need in a partner. Welcome to APD, Arias Gonzales.'
   'Just call me Gonzales, sir,' I said taking my badge. 'Thank you, sir.'
   He smiled and then shook my hand in a firm handshake. I valued life, huh? Was that all it took for him to believe that I wasn't a ruthless and cold blooded murderer?
   I killed more woman and young girls than Jack The Ripper did when I was fourteen. They were disobedient, father used to say. Anyone that disobeyed him, had to be dealt with. And when I asked him about Steven Grant, he said the same. He was the most obedient one among them all and that was why I was here.
   Anyone that did not listen to my father, had to be punished.
   'Once again,' he shook my hand again. 'I'm glad to have you on the team.'
   I was half-annoyed at this stage, but I kept my cool.
   'Now then, let us begin with our first mission as partners!'

   I was sitting in a room with the rest of the officers that the chief had summoned. Everyone was already geared up and armed and judging by how quickly the chief got this whole strategy board set up, I could tell that it was an emergency.
   'Okay, so to get everyone up-to-date with the current situation. One of the patients at Ravenswood asylum escaped their confines. The situation escalated pretty quickly and now even the other patients got turned into hostages. This is an inhumane threat and omega level threat.' He looked towards me, clearly to make sure I was catching on. 'So far things are stable. Squad 2 has the area surrounded and so has squad 4 incase of any medical assistance needed. Our hostile is a literal walking bomb. The wrong move and he could blow up an entire city block.' He brought up the board. On it was a map attached to it and at the centre of the map was Ravenswood. He drew a circle around what appeared to be a hidden exit. 'For centuries Ravenswood was used to hold inhumane threats captive. Those that have plunged into madness and threaten society. Because our prisons cannot contain them, they had to be sent here. While designing this place, engineers made sure safety measures were put into motion as-well. There is a secret exit, leading to a bunker right below the storage room. If we can enter through there, the hostile won't see us coming.'
   'And, what's to stop this hostile from "blowing up"?' asked one of the officers in the room. It was a tall and muscular built guy standing at the corner of the room with his arms crossed. He had a mace right next to him. 'If this hostile is who I think it is, then I doubt that brute force will cut it.'
   'The science department got that part covered,' Grant said before he pulled out what looked like a briefcase. He opened it and then pulled out an odd looking device. 'This here is only a prototype. It hasn't gotten a chance to be tested yet, simply because of how urgent our situation here is. It's an inhumane nullifier. By attaching it to their chests, it seals them inside iron bindings and then also prevents them from using their bloodworks. All we need to do is attach this to our hostile and then it will be over.'
   'Sounds easy!' said another, a guy with a red mohawk. 'My captain here and I got this covered. You extras should take a backseat!'
   'There is one problem with your plan,' I said and then they all looked at me. It was as if I just said something I was not supposed to say.
   Even the guy with the mohawk glared at me. The other one, his captain, was staring at me.
   'I'm listening,' said Grant, urging me on and looking quite happy to hear me share my thoughts with him. This guy was way too happy to have me as a partner.
   I didn't waver though. I walked to him, looking at the device. Why hasn't father told me about this? Could it be that he did not know of it too? It didn't make sense, he always knew what the science department was up to. If they used these nullifiers on our men, this would become a problem.
   'It's Hein Stark, isn't it?' I asked and then used their silence as confirmation. 'Hein Stark is a pyro type inhumane. By storing heat in his body he causes an endothermic reaction that allows him to build up more heat, the more shock his body absorbs. He can then convert this endothermic energy into exothermic energy, which is what causes his massive explosion. Your device might nullify his bloodworks, but it won't stop him from blowing up because all that heat in his body will have to go somewhere eventually.'
   'Wow, I didn't really think of that...' Grant scratched his neck and looked at his board, already rethinking his plan.
   'It's still a good plan, I just think we should attach this device to him before he gets a chance to use any of his powers.'
   'I can see that this one is an amateur!' said the mohawk guy and then he broke out. 'Oh, we can take this Hein guy! Let's not waste anymore time!'
   'You're right, Lance,' said the chief before patting my shoulder. 'Let's go Gonzales. Time we see what you are made of! Everyone, let's go!'
   The men and women then left the room. I went to wear my vest and utility belt before I was going to join the others. I was then on my way outside when my phone started to ring.
   I pulled it from my pocket and then looked at the screen. It was Baba calling me.
   'Now is not the time,' I answered. 'I told you not to disturb me when I'm busy working.'
   'I just called to warn you, Arias!' said Baba. Oh no, he sounded pissed. 'We has a problem.'
   I looked around, just making sure nobody was listening. 'What is it?'
   'We have a mole.'
   'A mole?' I frowned.
   'Someone has been giving information to Steven Grant. I want you to find out who and don't lower your guard for even a second.'
   'Nobody else knows I'm here right?' I asked.
   'Only Richard and Isabelle.'
   'Then you have nothing to worry about. I gotta go. Looks like I just became the chief's new favourite.'
   After I said that, my father's mood suddenly got lifted. 'Haha! That's my boy!'
   'Save the praises for later,' I said smiling to myself. I saw the mohawk guy, Lance, standing at the main entrance, waiting. 'I'm hanging up now.'
   I put my phone away and then walked out. He suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me back.
   'Hey, I don't know who the fuck you are, but I'm telling you that I'm watching you!' He said. 'I won't let an amateur like you come here and take the spotlight all for yourself!'
   'We are on a mission to rescue hostages and that's the first thing you can think of saying to me?' I asked, keeping a stoic expression before roughly jerking my hand away. 'Buzz off,' I said and walked.
   'Hey!' He stormed after me.
   I ignored him as I reached grant's car and then got in. Lance slid in on the backseat.
   'Lance?' Grant asked.
   'Captain Quillian already left, sir,' he said.
   'Ah,' said Grant before starting the car engine.