Ghost - Elmax

Chapter 31 : Back to work

It was the day. Jane was standing in front of her mirror, looking at her wearing her uniform and taking deep breathes. She wasn't sure if she wanted to go back to work, it could be risky, and she wasn't missing her colleagues. She was glad to have Moussa with her, it was her only reason to go. She left her bathroom, feeling a bit uncomfortable, and went to the kitchen.

- "Wow! You look amazing!" smiled Max.

- "You're sure I'm ready?" asked Jane.

- "Me, personally, I think you are. Spend your day normally, you'll see tonight if you're ready or not, okay?"

- "Okay..."

- "Moussa will stay with you, you'll be okay. And if you don't feel good, you can just go back home."

- "Yeah..."

Moussa arrived. Max kissed Jane's cheek and tried to cheer her up a bit, but she knew she was wasting her breath. She watched her girlfriend leaving, like a proud mother watching her child leave for living their own life.

When the two friends arrived at the police station, they took a coffee before going through the stairs to join their office. On their way, they met some of their colleagues.

- "Welcome back Jane, it's good to see you," smiled one of them.

- "I'm happy you're feeling better, 'can't wait to work with you again," told another one.

Jane nodded and frowned to them before looking at Moussa, not really understanding.

- "The Lieutenant had a report of your situation while you were in therapy, and, you know how it is here, when someone knows something, everyone knows so, they know," explained the black man.

- "Well, that's amazing," said Jane with irony.

- "You're not mad?"

Jane shrugged. If it could allow her to not be worried by their jokes, she wouldn't complain. But she didn't like them knowing about this, it was still fragile for her, and she didn't want them to feel free to make remarks about this or to think she would want to talk about it.

When they arrived at their office, all their colleagues stood and began to applaud her.

- "It's a bit too much, you don't think?" murmured Jane to Moussa.

- "They're happy to see you," smiled Moussa, amused by the situation.

- "They're feeling guilty for mocking me all this time!"

- "Maybe, but, at least, they're warm."

- "Yeah, whatever."

Jane rolled her eyes and was in direction of her desk when their boss appeared in the room with a big smile.

- "I think I talk in the name of everyone by saying that we're relieved and happy to give you back your badge and gun," told the man.

Jane frowned but took it anyway. It was so embarrassing! She just wanted to sit at her desk and read some files, that was all! Why did they have to do all of this!? When the applauses finished, she was finally able to sit.

She spent the morning filling files, again and again. It was a bit boring, but, at least, she was working. For lunch, Moussa and Jane went to the staff room, where a microwave was available. Max prepared a blanquette of veal with rice the day before; a French plate that the two girls really loved, especially the redhead; so, Jane took some in a lunch box for today. She always preferred Max's recipe, she wasn't putting alcohol in the sauce because she knew that Jane wasn't liking the taste of it. The two friends sat at a table, facing each other.

- "I've a dessert for you," told Moussa, chewing his sandwich.

The man put a small brown pot.

- "Oh! A choc'late mousse! Coming from the one and only Choc'late Moussa!" smiled widely Jane.

Moussa had the biggest smile he never had. He missed so much this stupid nickname and thought he would never hear it again. He held back his happy tears and kept eating with his best friend, happy to see her like that.

When they came back to their desks, they didn't have the time to sit that their boss told them to follow him for an investigation. Someone found a finger and called the Police; the first arrivals found the body some meters farther away.

Moussa and Jane were both excited. They were always the last ones to be called in such investigation, it was an awesome opportunity for them. They arrived in a wood used by many runners and cyclists and reached the yellow strip before seeing the cadaver. The man had no legs anymore and was wearing a gray sportswear. The Lieutenant asked them to look for evidence around. The two friends separated. Jane was a bit farther, looking around from where she was. She noticed a dead squirrel, shredded. She didn't put too much attention on it before seeing a bird in the same shape. And another squirrel.

- "STOP!" screamed the girl.

- "What the fuck officer Brown!" grumbled the Lieutenant.

- "Stop fucking moving! We're on a field of mines!"

Everyone stopped moving and realized she was right. The Lieutenant looked closely at the ground and saw one not really far from them.

The mine-clearing team arrived thirty minutes after. They installed a security perimeter, evacuating as much people as possible. Jane, Moussa, the Lieutenant, and the medical examiner were the last ones on the crime scene. Three men were slowly approaching them with their detectors, putting a small red flag every time they were sure there wasn't a mine.

- "You're okay, Jane?" asked Moussa.

- "Why I wouldn't be?"

- "I don't know, mines, it sucks!"

- "Yeah, it sucks. But what sucks the most in the sun on our fucking heads!" stated Jane.

- "Yeah, I agree! You can't walk faster!?"

- "We're doing our best, sir, don't panic," answered one of the men.

- "I'm not panicking! My ass hurts as fuck!"

- "Well, let's hope it's your only problem of the day!" joked the man.

- "I hope too! Or I'll be your problem of the day!"

- "Let them do their work, Officer Lewis," intervened their Lieutenant.

- "I am."

Moussa was trying to relax Jane by making stupid remarks, but it was annoying his boss which made smile his friend.

Almost an hour later, the Lieutenant, the doctor, and Moussa were finally able to move away. Moussa stayed in the zone, even if the men of the mine-clearing team asked him to go away.

- "I'm not letting my friend alone!" replied the black man.

- "I'm fine Moussa, don't worry," answered the brunette. "Why don't you order a pizza for my return?"

- "You're on a field of mines and all you think about is a pizza!?"

- "...I'm hungry!"

- "We just ate!"

- "It was apparently not enough! Go, go drink some water and enjoy some fresh air, don't worry for me, I'm not alone."

- "Fine. But I'll come back!"

- "I know!"

Moussa sighed with his mouth before walking away. Jane waited to be sure he was far enough from them before saying:

- "Don't come closer. I don't know what kind of mine it is or what could happen, but I've my foot on one of them."