Sangre Americano

Chapter Fifteen: Not so Black and White

I stepped out of my Dodge Challenger with a coldness that I hoped I could keep in play all day as I locked my car behind me and brushed a stray hair from the shoulder of my deep navy blue blazer and walked towards the building that nearly broke me yesterday. I pulled away from my black tinted aviators and pushed them into my top blazer pocket and pushed my hands into my suit pant pockets as I strode calmly into my uninspired hell.

It bustled with life in the early morning, as every person I passed held a coffee cup. I looked over my shoulder as before narrowly avoided one another in the DEA and FBI agent crowded hallways. I took in a deep breath and walked into the canteen. The three-piece suit I wore screamed that I was trying too hard but the last thing on my mind was trying. I was going to do what I had done for the past eight years and that was lead my SWAT team to the highest standard and sit there and pretend that the men around me knew better.

The queue for coffee quickly filtered down to me as I stood there with a lemon and poppy seed muffin and a craving for something sugary. The young woman behind the counter gave me her well-practised morning smile, which made me give her one back as I looked over the specials board.

"And a large peach iced tea." She nodded and rang threw my breakfast as I stood waiting, I looked down at my watch and saw that it would nearly be time to face my so-called team. I thanked the girl behind the counter as I left her the remainder of ten dollars to add to her tips for the morning. I was surprised not to see a single one of the Agents I thought I had become well acquainted with in the canteen that morning. I ignored the dread that was knotting in my stomach, as I slowly walked out of the canteen and towards the elevator. My eyes picking at the tiny details around me as if it was purposefully trying to distract me from what I would possibly face upstairs.

My knuckle pressed in the twelfth-floor button that had worn away months ago from its constant use. I dragged my eyes away from the dimly lit button to the red LED sign above the door counting up to my destination. I felt my mouth grow dry as I stood there with my hand desperately clutching my iced tea. I slowly lifted the straw to my lips and heartily drank the overly sugary drink. My muffin stayed gently cupped in my hand as I stood one floor away from my destination.

I didn't dare look around me I kept my eyes on my only target. I placed my muffin in my mouth gently as I rapidly pulled my keys from my jacket and thrust the key into the lock and turned. As soon as my office door swung open I slid inside soundlessly, turning the lock before I took in the room around me. My hands glided over my blind pull opening up my office to the warm morning light that filled up the office. I watched as specks of dust floated in the sunlight as I walked through the sunlight to my desk.

I wanted people to know I was here, and that I didn't get beaten down that easily. I pulled the case file from my desk and placed it on the dark wood of my desk. The file was steadily growing millimetre by millimetre as more plans and interviews were added to it, it was starting to look like a formidable case but I knew there was so much more to add.

I looked out of my office window and watched as four suit-clad men walked towards Doug's office, each wearing different shades of grey. Then one of them looked at my office window, I didn't flex my lips into a smile or any greeting at the eyes of Emmanuel Cruz caught mine. I broke eye contact first and went about my business; as I flipped open the case file to be welcomed by those unforgettable eyes of Alejandro.

There was a gentle knock on my door, I strode across the thinly carpeted floor and opened my office door widely to welcome the frame of Emmanuel Cruz, he held himself like he was about to bear a coffin, his shoulder's squared off, ready to carry a burden. I looked him up and down as he opened his lips to speak.