Taken Over: Sapphire of Hope

A Not So Safe House

The room was quiet. Olivia was still staring at the blue writing on the back of her photo. Her mother had taken some aspirin and went to her bedroom to take a nap. Officer Taftner was pouring himself another coffee, and Lauren had gone into the living room to watch T.V. When Officer Taftner finished pouring his cup, he walked over and sat back down at the table.

"I know this is a lot to take in, and I'm sorry the state patrol had to take you away from everyone, but you have to understand it was to protect you and your mother."

Olivia looked up from the photo and right into Taftners eyes.

"And what about the other students? You said some of them were injured by Adam Jackson and yet he's going to walk away with a full pardon. Next time maybe you should release the worlds most dangerous serial killer and tell the people to stick there morals and safety up there ass, because it's ok to let criminals out on the streets if they help the police."

Officer Taftner was surprised at the response he got from Olivia. He wasn't expecting her to say anything, let alone blurt out like that and bash the State Patrol.

"Look Olivia, I know you're upset and you're concerned for the other students, but the only way Adam Jackson was going to give his information is if we agreed to his terms, and his terms were a full pardon. There was nothing else we could have done. Captain Lance did what he had to do to keep more people safe and letting one man walk away free to catch about fifty other mad men is the safest path to choose. So Captain Lance struck a deal with Adam for the best interest of the people."

Olivia was still staring at Officer Taftner. She was still mad about the whole situation. Finally she responded to what he said.

"You realize Adam was apart of that group, and with that known, it wouldn't be hard for him to start another one just like it only more brutal and worse than the last. So by letting him go, you have put more lives in danger and risked the safety of us all."

Officer Taftner didn't know what to say. He knew it was possible for Adam to do what she had just said, but it wasn't his choice, it was his captains choice. While Taftner struggled to find words, Olivia spoke again.

"You just remember that one good deed doesn't pay for a lifetime of bad choices and it sure as hell doesn't pay for the life of a loved one."

After she said this, she got up and walked away to go to her room. Officer Taftner knew exactly what Olivia had been referring to. Her father had been shot and killed by a man who was released for helping with another crime. The criminal had given information that had helped the State Patrol take down a major kingpin in the city, so the cops released the man and gave him a full pardon. Later that week, the man had gone to the store where Olivia's father worked and tried to rob him. When Olivia's father refused to give the man the money in the register, he was shot and killed.

Taftner now felt worse then he had felt before. He didn't realize that Olivia and Victoria Strongheart would be reminded of their tragic past through this situation. As he sat there drinking his coffee, Lauren called to him from the living room.

"Dad. You may want to come see this. There's something on the news about the senators and the senate building over in the east."

Taftner got up and walked into the living room just in time to hear the main parts of the national report.

"Officials say that there are no clues as to what has recently happened at the senate building. The best we got was some of the footage our crew recorded just ten minutes after the actual incident occurred."

The screen changed and showed the senate building almost entirely engulfed in flames as firemen and ambulances rushed to put out the fire and save lives.