the game Changer

Chapter 1

The week had been a nightmare.

It was the week after Gus' death. It still felt weird to say that. He was dead. Seven short days ago we had been joking about as we hopped into our blue and white car, switched on our flashing lights, and driven off into the night. Now he was gone.

So the week had been spent filling out sheet after sheet of paperwork; repeating the same old questions. It was a formality really. No one else would read what I had written unless a complication arose to do with evidence. Yet still I had to complete the arduous task. After the paperwork had come the questioning. I had spent hours on end answering the same questions about what happened that night but asked in a slightly different way or by a different person.

To top it all off, the chief inspector also informed me that the case we had been working so hard on for months, the case that had led to my partner's death would be taken away from our division. Yep, that's right it was taken away from us, well me, just like that. I wouldn't be the once to get to lock the bastard who killed Gus up for the rest of his sorry life.

So to say I was pissed off when Friday evening eventually came around was an understatement. All I wanted to do was go back to my one bedroom apartment and sleep off this hellish week. The muscles in my back ached from constantly being hunched over my small office desk and a dull ache had started to form in base of my skull, signalling a mega headache would soon follow. However, unfortunately for me the paperwork was yet to be completed, so that is what I would be doing this weekend. I had oh so much to look forward to!

Running my hand down my face, I sighed as I slotted the regulatory biro I had been using into a metal cup which sat on my desk. Slipping on my navy jacket which had the word police running along the bag, I slung my bag into my back before trudging from the office.

The following Monday morning I walked in to work sleepily. I hadn't slept well over the weekend, my mind constantly alive. Half asleep, I began to wander towards my desk. Before I could reach the small wooden contraption, one of my best friends, Angus, from the police academy stopped me. Angus, Gus and I had all joined the force at the same time, and trained up together. It was luck that we ended up working at the same station.

"You alright?" He asked as a yawned stretched across my lips.

"Fine, just tired," I responded as I slung my bag down next to my desk and stretched out my back.

"Big night?" Angus smirked.

"Yeah," I lied. "Your girlfriend kept me up all night," I added with a cheeky grin.

"Which one?" Angus countered easily.

"You are disgusting," I chuckled knowing Angus was only joking.

With a wave of his hand, Angus quickly moved on. "Anyway, I needed to talk to you." As he spoke the smirk from earlier reappeared on his lips.

My eyebrows pulled together into a frown. "What's going on?" An uneasy feeling came over me as Angus' smirk grew more pronounced.

"Oh nothing, just that Sergeant James wants to see you, he has got a surprise." My frown only deepened at his words. What was he on about?

"Surprise?" I questioned, my voice laced with confusion.

"I'm not going to ruin it," Angus literally beamed. "All I'm saying is that you are one lucky son of a bitch." With that, Angus slapped me on the shoulder before walking past me and to his desk on the other side of the room. More confused than ever I made my way to Sergeant James' office where I knocked on the hard wood door. What did Angus mean 'surprise'? He made it sound like a good thing, but I doubted anything good could come of what had happened just a week ago.

Nerves starting to fill my stomach, I waited for James to let me in. His voice signalled it was time for me to go in. Grabbing the door handle, I flicked my wrist and opened the door. Walking in, I tried to analyse James' face to see if Angus was right and this was a positive 'surprise'.

James was in his late twenties, only a couple of years older than us. Although he was young, and could take a joke, all of us had the up most respect for him. He was good at his job and treated us fairly, knowing when to be serious yet also knowing when to take a joke. He was one of the reasons, the rest of the guys and I loved our jobs so much. He created a relaxed working environment that allowed us to work to the best of our abilities.

He didn't look up as I entered. Instead he focused on the papers cluttering the desk in front of him. Patiently, I waited for him to complete his task. Finally he looked up, a slight smile on his face. "Did Angus tell you?" Confusion clouded my mind again. What did both Angus and James look so happy about?

"About what?" I frowned, just wanting to know what had got both these men almost giddy with excitement.

"I'm surprised Angus kept his mouth shut," James said as he leaned back in his chair and stretched his hands above his head.

"About what?" I dug for information.

"Really surprised," James continued sensing my frustration at being kept out of the loop.

Sitting back in my chair, I mirrored James' actions. "I've got all day to find out." As I spoke I pretended to get comfortable in the hard wooden chair.

Sighing, James sat forward again letting me know it was time to talk business now. I knew mentioning the time would persuade him. It was the only thing James was always short of. "Ok, look I know it's still fresh," he started and I instantly knew where this was going. Gus.

"James," I started, really not wanting to talk about this right now. The look he shot me told me to shut up though.

"But you need to get back to work and to do that you need a new..." I interrupted him before he could finish.

"Partner," I murmured so quietly I wasn't sure he even heard me.

"Exactly," James spoke, either not picking up on my reservations or deciding to ignore them. "So your new partner is already here. It's only their second job out of the academy. Their last job," he took a pause, anger flittering across his face, but it was gone before I could dwell on it, "didn't quite work out. So I want you to be nice," he finished.

"When am I not nice?" I asked, feigning hurt.

Rolling his eyes, James chuckled. "I think when you meet them you will see why I said that." My eyebrows pulled together at his words but I choose to ignore him.

"So what's his name?" I asked.

"How about you just meet them?" He suggested. Shrugging, I nodded my head in agreement. I couldn't help but notice the flutter of a smirk that crossed James' lips as he excused himself from his office to get my new partner.

As I sat on my own, I tried to push thoughts of Gus to the back of my mind. I knew I would be partnered with someone new, I had been expecting this. It was just strange. Sighing, I scratted the back of my head as I waited for my new partner. I tried to imagine what he would be like. I hoped he wasn't the stereotypical overweight, doughnut loving cop who would stink out the car with his endless snacks and waste my time with copious coffee breaks.

The click of the door caused me to turn around, my mouth popped open, my eyes glazed over and all I could think was I might be stuck in a bit of a jam with this one.