Detective Badass

Muhammad Carters (1)

I was dancing around my apartment jamming out to some 80's hits and making breakfast when the music stopped suddenly and my ringtone went off.
"Ugh! Can never have a moment! Garcia."
"Hey, Maia," it was Sonny. "We got another case, I'll text you the address."
"On my way." I hung up just as Man In Motion from John Parr started. I danced while I changed and ate what I could of my breakfast.

"We got a 911 call from a young man saying that he was attacked and that they stole his phone," Rollins told me at the scene. "His name is Muhammad Carters."
"Wait, Muhammad Carters? Really?," I was awestruck.
"You know him?"
"Know him. I'm a fan of his. He's an amazing artist, I follow him on Instagram."
She looked at me in a way. "Ok. They roughed him up pretty badly. He's on his way to the hospital we've contacted the parents and they're on their way."
"You think it was because of his artwork?," I asked Amanda.
"What about his work?," Lieutenant Benson came over to me.
"He paints interracial couples, same-sex couples, and a variety of people. It's amazing, I have a few examples on my phone." I pulled my phone out and showed them a few of my favorites of a tall girl and a short girl kissing, of an androgynous male wearing a dress, and a woman wearing a Hijab showing off her arms with Henna designs along them.
"Well now we have a probable motive," Benson sighed.

"They kept telling me off about my work. They said that I was a fag, a freak, and a terrorist," the young man recalled shifting uncomfortably in the hospital bed.
"Can you describe your attackers," I asked calmly.
"Don't need to. I know who they were."
"Ok, can you tell us, dear?"
"Mike Kresnic and Aaron Danson. They're in my class."

"Is Muhammad ok?," his art teacher was concerned.
"Yeah, he's ok," Sonny pulled her aside from onlookers.
"He's very talented, his work is outstanding!"
"He really is. But I'm afraid this is about a couple of students here who are against his work," I started.
"Ask me anything," she took a seat at her desk.
"Well, has Muhammad ever been bullied or picked on by other kids?," Sonny stepped in.
"Kids can be really rude towards his work but there are two that really get out of hand. Mike Kresnic and Aaron Danson. Those two are in trouble constantly."

I was sent back to check on Muhammad, he was staying one more night in the hospital so I decided to bring him a few supplies his mother had me get from his room.
"Hello?"
"Detective? Have you questioned the guys who jumped me?," he asked when I entered.
"Two detectives are on their way to go talk to them now. I came by to check on you, is that ok?"
He nodded. "Thanks."
"Your mom told me to get these for you. Said 'if I know my son, he's probably itching to draw something'," I gave him the bag she packed for him. His parents were at the cafeteria getting their son lunch.
"Oh man. This is great!"
He immediately flipped it open to a blank page and got to work.
"I'll leave you to your work," I was about to leave when he spoke up.
"Is that your helmet?"
"Yeah it is. Why?"
"What's your motorcycle look like?"
"A beauty. Wanna see some pictures?"
He nodded.

We talked a bit but he was so involved with his work so I did most of the talking. It ended after I got a call from Benson saying to come back to the precinct.
When I got there they had put the two young men into separate interrogation rooms.
"I want you and Sonny to take a run at Aaron. He's the only one not talking."
"On it, Lieu," Sonny went in first then I followed.
"How ya doin, Aaron," I prompted.
"Fine," he muttered under his breath.
"My son has done nothing wrong! Why are you keeping him here!," his mother ordered.
Dear god this lady.
"Ma'am, your son attacked another young man his age," Sonny reasoned with the woman.
"My boy is innocent!"
"Miss Danson, could you step outside please? We would like to ask your son some questions. Young adults are more open when the parents are out of the room," I stressed this out but I could tell she wasn't buying it.
"I can't leave my boy! He needs me!"
"The sooner we talk to him the sooner you two can go home."
She stopped then. "Fine. Aaron, sweety, if they say anything you don't like, call for me. Ok?"
"Yeah, mom," the young man looked agitated enough.
She nodded and left.
"Your mom really cares about you," Sonny sat down next to me.
"Yeah. Can we hurry this along, I got homework."
I looked at Sonny. "Ok. Where were you yesterday at 9 pm?
"I was at Mike's house. We were having a sleepover?"
"You guys do anything fun?"
"We watched movies."
"That's it? Cuz there's a traffic cam that shows you two out and about at that time," I added that last part to get him to really talk.
"We went out to a party, so what?"
"Where at?" Sonny pressed.
"At, uh, friends house."
"Which friend?"
"Why does this matter?"
"Because, Aaron, we have video of you attacking one of your fellow classmates," I ranted.
"Ok. Yeah me and Mike pushed him around but he had it coming! Painting those pictures! That's wrong!"
Bingo. Just then we heard a knock on the glass so we got up and left him.
"Good work guys. Mike confessed to us that they did indeed attack the young man," Liv informed us.
"Nice. Now what?," I asked as I eyed Aaron through the glass.
"Now we see what Barba says."