The Heart Stoppers

SAIGE MANOR

"How are the living arrangements coming along?" Buchanan asks from across his desk.

The kid had been staying with me for a little over a week now. I had slowly but surely gotten used to another being constantly hovering over me, besides Tigger, of course. It was easy to see that Buchanan hadn't just slapped the kid on me purely because he knew I'd hate it. He had done this because the kid is a lot like me; he's lost his family too.

"He's more tolerable than expected," I speak first.

Buchanan looks to Zack, "I haven't attempted to kill her in her sleep so there's that."

I roll my eyes as Buchanan lets out a chortle. "That's good to hear. Have you started your training?"

I open my mouth before Zack can get a chance. "He's with Gibson this week. When Gibb deems him thoroughly trained, he'll be passed over to Freeman for the basics, then to Ambers."

The disappointment in his eyes is evident but he must know that I don't have the patience to train someone in all four fields and then cover Special Projects.

"I appointed you to him so that you would train him, Rain."

"And I will: in Spade and specifically in SP," I reply.

"Rain-"

"I went through all four, a very uncommon predicament, but I want him to be on my level. When I speak using Diamond terminology, I want him to know what I'm talking about. Hell, I want him to be able to correct me. And who best to teach him about those fields than the AFO's very best? I may not like the kid, but I don't wish him failure," I finish my speech.

"I always knew you belonged in Diamond. Would've been a damn good Partner in our Attorney Division," he chuckles to himself.

"I was very well trained," I raise my eyebrows to add my closing statement. "Just like I want him to be."

"Very well, Rain. I will allow you this leisure. But make no mistake," his voice warns, "there will be no downtime when it comes to Spade and SP."

"Agreed," I nod.

"And Zack," he turns to the boy, "don't let 457 gives you any of his 'good cush.'"

Zack just laughs while I roll my eyes. "Perrison has already gotten the lecture from me."

Buchanan cracks a smile again, and I believe he's about to dismiss us from his office but then he pulls a file out from under his desk.

"There's a stakeout happening at Saige Manor. I've assigned you two the first three watches," he slides the file over to me.

"It says it starts in a week," I furrow my eyebrows after opening the manila information and quickly skimming it.

"I figure you'll have him up to par by then..."

I glance at Zack and then back to Buchanan.

"We should be staking out now. Damn it, we should already be taking them down," I argue.

"Rain, they're stronger. They aren't your run-of-the-mill gang anymore. And we've reason to believe that they have nuclear weaponry."

"Hayden," Zack pipes in, "maybe it's best to wait until I'm ready. I could be of more help then-"

"Not now," I huff at him before shifting my eyes back to Jerry. "Am I not capable? Are you one to believe that I cannot do this?"