Relentless

Chapter 42

Ashton

5 years later

Getting up at 4:30 every morning sucks!

For High School I used to get up at like 6:50, but now I have an actual job and actual bills to pay. Joy.

Being the Lieutenant of the LAPD has it's ups and downs. A down being that I have to train the lower ranking officers. An up being I get to pull rank on them all of the time and it's hysterical to see them shrivel under my stare.

I was in the army for two years, however I received a Medical Discharge due to a bullet to the left shoulder. It hurt like hell, but healed quickly. I was lucky that it wasn't any lower than my shoulder or else I would've died.

I applied for a job as a Police Officer after my shoulder was fully healed. Since I was in the military, they made me an officer and in time, I became the Lieutenant. My captain, David, gives me jobs and then I assign certain tasks to the officers. We've dealt with a few robberies and car chases over the course of this year. Also, being the middle of October, teenagers are trying to play tricks on their neighbors and then the neighbors call the Police Department.

I've had my fair share of bitter old women who get angry when kids toilet paper their trees. I have to track down the kids, who are usually near by, and give them "a warning", but come on! I was their age a few years ago and I always did stupid things like that. I'm not too hard on them.

I get in my car on an early Thursday morning to go to Starbucks and get myself a coffee. I turn on the radio and start singing along with the country station. Suddenly, my signal gets scratchy and staticky, so I turn the stations and listen to the hosts talk about the news.

After purchasing my large black coffee and coming back into my car. I hear the radio start to play a song I've never heard before. Listening to it, the voice sounds familiar, but I ignore it. Driving to the station, traffic is heavier than usual. Which means more accidents.

When I park in my space at the station, I get out with my coffee in hand to see one of the newbies run up to me.

"Morning Lieutenant." He greets, standing straight in-front of me and saluting me.

"You don't have to salute me, Officer Marks." I say, sipping my coffee and walking past him.

"Yes, sir. Got it. No saluting." He states, writing it down in a notepad as he walks inside with me.

Nerd.

When we walk in, I am greeting by the other officers and walk to my office. I place my coffee down and my office phone rings.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Lieutenant, I need you in my quarters." The Captain says.

"Yes, sir." I end the call and walk to his office at the other end of the hall. I knock and open the door, sitting down in the chair by his desk.

"How's your morning been?" He asks.

"Fine. And yourself?"

"Tiring. I've been here all night. Too many cases on my mind."

"I would've stayed if you needed extra assistance."

"Thank you, Ashton, but I handled it." He hesitates and then states at me with a serious expression.

"What?" I ask.

"I need you to take six officers, along with yourself, to the Moondance Arena today at 16:00 hours."

"Moondance Arena, sir? If I may ask, why are you asking us to go to a Concert Stadium?"

"A performer needs some extra security, so,"

"So your making us be body guards?" I ask in a some what annoyed tone. I signed up to be a Police Officer not a body guard.

"Security guards."

"That's the same thing, Captain."

"It's only for three days. Today and tomorrow are dress rehearsals and then the concert is on Saturday." I sigh and run a hand through my hair.

"Do we need different uniforms for the task?" I ask, trying not to sound aggravated.

"No, wear your regular uniform along with your gear." There is a moment of silence before he speaks again. "Any further questions?"

"No, Captain."

"Then you're dismissed. Just inform me when you leave."

"Yes, sir." I say, rising and walking out of his quarters. As I walk down the hall, two other newbies, Eric and Chad follow me to their desks.

"Hey, Lieutenant!" Chad says.

"Good morning, officers. I need you to file the documents in your files today. If we get any cases I will let you know." I say, not wanting to tell them yet. They both disperse to their desks and do as I say as I enter my office and think about the officers I'm going to bring and how I'm going to execute this.

------

It's 3:15 and the Moondance Arena is only thirty minutes away. I put my files back into my drawer as I listen to Eric and Chad's conversation.

"Do you think I'll ever get a girl, Chad." Eric asks out of boredom and wonder. These two really are something. Eric Stevens is a scrawny young boy who started a few weeks ago. He needs to gain some muscle if he wants to handle severe cases. Chad Reid is much stronger than Eric, but lacks a lot of brain power.

"Maybe."

"Is that your response for everything? Literally every single question I ask you you say "maybe"! There are a lot of maybes in this world, Chad!"

Great, here we go.

"Maybe I'll win the lottery, maybe we'll make a big arrest today, maybe we'll only give out a traffic ticket, maybe I'll find a long lost ancestor, maybe I have an evil twin, maybe I'll finally get a chest hair! Maybe,"

"Enough maybes." I interrupt, grabbing my gun out of the desk and putting it in my holster. "You're coming with me. Get your stuff together."

"We get to go somewhere?" Eric asks in surprise, jumping up, trying to find his gun.

"We are guarding a celebrity."

"What? I thought I signed up to be a police officer, not a bodyguard."

"Would you like to take it up with the Captain, Officer Stevens?" I ask with a stern tone, turning to face the two men who are now standing up right, in-front of me.

"No, Lieutenant." Eric responds. As I turn to walk away, I hear Chad laugh.

"He pulled rank on your sorry ass." He chuckles. I hear the sound of someone shoving someone else and call out names of other officers.

"Marks, Foster, Grimmes and McTate, grab your gear and get in your vehicles." I turn to the two youngsters and give then a warning. "Don't mess this up, boys." They both nod as we walk out of the room.

Adult Ashton in a Police Uniform :)