BATTLE SCARS: (Indigo Symbols Book II)

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Lieutenant Soleil

DETECTIVE AMELIA:
Walking into our Cop House was similar to walking into a mall, huge windows, long wide hall, escalators, elevators, and people, people and noise, and law everywhere. Typically when I drive my six year-old Acura TL in the garage and park it on my first level space, then take the elevator to the main floor. When taking the elevator, you walk through a small hallway then you're in the main entrance of the Cop House. There were already people coming in and going out. Cops, suspects, witnesses, and the usual salesman who knocked on the wrong door. Turning to the left you face the huge hall that is our house. Two Officers muscled someone through the entrance and she said haughtily, "You could walk a friggen mile in this place, couldn't we have come in a different entrance?" They ignored her and walked towards Homicide. I walked into the hall and took the first escalator I saw. I had a few minutes before making it into SVU on time. A few minutes to think on everything Becky and Huntor said last night. I didn't want to believe them, didn't want to believe Becky, but for what end would she lie, why lie to me, her best friend, someone who would and has thrown herself in front of every threat to protect her. Huntor, who sure, I just met, but already knew he spoke true. Knew, because he, he had that trust, he trusted us to take care of him. To give him somewhere to stay, somewhere to regroup. And I knew that Lieutenant Soleil would have a fit if she knew, if she knew that her precious team was sent out, not on a SVU matter, but on a matter with the Rogues. She would, and I'd be there to catch whatever slap she gave. I got off the escalator and moved to a second, then a third. Finally, I walked through my devision doors and arrowed for my desk. I had a few minutes before the clock hit eight and checked my emails on my laptop. Five came in since I checked it last night. One from the courts, one from hospital, one from Sullivan and Jacobs, and one from Lieutenant Soleil. I checked her's first, and was grateful I did, "Detective, my office, eight-fifteen." I swore softly to myself. Becky, who popped in right when the clock hit eight paused on her way to her desk. I jerked my chin and she kept moving.
    I checked the time, and took stock of the devision. Twelve members were apart of the Orlando, Florida police force. Six detectives, and six Officers, making Lieutenant Soleil the thirteenth. Of the twelve under Soleil, I only knew Detective Rebecca, Officer Jacobs and Sullivan, and, and that was it. I didn't know the others, at least personally. They never spoke to me, never gave me more than a glance whenever I walked in. My shoulder-length light brown hair tickled my face as I shifted to one side,, seeing the clock on the wall. Good, still had a few minutes to spare. I opened the email from the hospital next, "Detective Amelia. the victim in question has just awoken and is conscious, in my personal opinion she is still unready for questioning, however, I realize how prudent it is, so I will allow you to question her. Alert me when you are in rout." I shot to my feet and was about to turn to Becky when I remembered Soleil. "Fuck, God damn it all to hell." I swore to myself, then turned to her door and swiftly marched to it. The door opened and Soleil stood there.
    Lieutenant Soleil was my height, five foot ten, her red hair went down to her waist and those gray eyes were cold and unforgiving as she stared at me. She was dressed in black, black pants, black shirt, black jacket. Her lips were painted blood red, her face holding a feminine blush dusted with bits of gold. Her ears held a gold hoop each. She, in essence, was a face and body made for the bedroom, not a Cop House, much less an SVU squad. She stared down at me, even though we were the same height. Her expression showed just a tad bit of distaste and she said, "Don't you think it's time for you to start caring about your appearance Detective?" I raised my chin. Unlike her, I didn't dust my face with make up, unlike her I didn't put on lip gloss, or put together an outfit for men to stare at. Instead, I wore jeans with a ripped knee, my usual dark blue sweater I lived in, and a long sleeve white shirt. Oh, and my knee high boots, black. "I wear clothes most useful for the streets rather than the desk." Carefully chosen words, careful jabs at my boss. She merely sniffed and gestured me in. I stepped into the office and glanced around. Her desk was positioned to stand by the windows that let in the Orlando light. File cabinets stood to the right of the desk and against a wall. The remainder of her breakfast sat on her desk. There were two computers sitting on it, a phone between them, her file-bag leaning against her desk, and portraits, portraits of all the cases we won or lost. All the cases that we quested over day and night. Every case framed and hung up on her walls. She pointed to a chair and I sat. She rounded her desk and sat. "Report." She said. "Ma'am. We targeted the finantuals of our suspect, we believe he is hiding in one of the nicer hotels, he likes the fine life, the exorbitance life has to offer. We believe that—"I meant on your little detor to safe-house twenty-seven." A chill slid down my spine, but I didn't let it show. 'Ma'sm?" I asked. "Don't play coy with me. What was your business in safe-house twenty-seven and why wasn't I alerted?" She paused, then asked, "Also, why was my SVU team called to a Rogue attack?" I kept my face blank as I said, "We were in the area, Dispatch called for available units and I instructed the closest units to pursue them." Again, careful words, words that would give me the slap, put me in the grave, no one else. She waited Soleil said, "And the little detor to the house?" "We have witnesses there who are afraid for their safety, I offered our protection." I I I, a lot of Is and she knew it.
    She waited, her face stone, her face watching my own. I copied her, waited, watched with a face of stone. "You must think you're clever don't you?" She asked coldly. I kept the staring contest. She said, "Be careful Detective, one would think you're going against your own. One would think you're going against the oath you took." "One would have to know me first." I commented. Her face twitched, just slightly, mouth flattening, eyes showing rage, then relaxed. "If I find that my unit is strolling around the city." She let her sentence hang. "When have you?" Dangerous, that was a very dangerous statement. She turned away and began typing on her computer. "You are dismissed." I rose and walked to the door, gently closing it. "Becky." I called as I walked to my desk. "Alert DR. Ciara, tell her we are on our way." Becky rose and began dialing on her phone. Sullivan raised his eyebrows, but I shook my head. Becky jogged to catch up as I left the devision doors and into the mall like building of the Cop House. Becky, who was a few inches shorter than me, her long blonde hair bouncing in it's high tail, her skinny thin body in a jacket and blue shirt with dark blue jeans. Her blue eyes filled with questions. I shook my head ever so slightly. I hit the elevator instead of the escalators. Cops, Detectives and Officers got on and off. We road down and entered the garage. We made our way to my car and I opened it. Becky stayed quiet till the house was in the rearview, then said, "Soleil."