The Network

Chapter Fifteen

"Stay behind me," Charlie pushed Daisy behind her as they heard someone coming down the subway stairs. Daisy peered around her leg, taking off. "Daisy!"

Charlie grabbed her arm, staring at the woman who was running towards them with tears streaming down her face. Letting go of her hand, Charlie watched as Daisy reunited with her mother. Finally she saw Daisy cry, feeling a bit moved by the emotional scene in front of her.

"Thank you," Aubrey stood up. "For taking care of my daughter."

"You're welcome," Charlie smiled at her. "I think it would be safer if you two go to the Precinct-."

"No," Aubrey shook her head. "We are going to help you. So, what do we do?"

At the ball, the Vice President was about to step off stage when Aaron found himself standing on stage's stairs. Everyone studied him as he placed his hand on the man's shoulder, taking his hand. He shook it firmly before pushing the VP back onto the stage. 

"What a speech," Aaron smiled at the crowd, still shaking the man's hand. The uproar of applause still drowned out Aaron's comment until he asked, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," the Vice President tried to keep his cool despite the strange encounter. "What's in your mind?"

"After nearly twenty years of service," Aaron kept a smile on his face that deeply bothered Chris. Even though he seemed extremely friendly, there was nothing behind the eyes. "How do you turn to look at a man, give him no pension but hand him a watch? Tell me, how does that work?"

The Vice President kept a calm smile, glancing over at his security detail. 

"Now, how about? How about the fact that there's always been dirty cops in the system but no one seems to flush them? And they are there for years of service? Brutally attacking and taking advantage of people? Tell me, how does that work? I mean there are a handful of  good honest cops out there and I was one of them but none thank to you, was forced into a life I didn't want. All the extra hours cost me my first marriage... do it for the people, they say. And my family? Where do I get that back?"

"Sir, excuse me," the Vice President tried pulling his hand away but Aaron's anger grew. 

"Oh! See? There we go again," Aaron laughed as he held out a strange little contraption in his hand. "Nobody move! No one gets hurt!"

The strange eerie silence was now more stressed whispers, murmuring around all the people there. 

"If anyone so takes foot out of this pla- where are you going Henry," Aaron saw a cop at the end of the room trying to walk out of the glass doors. "Don't you understand we live in the 21st Century? I can just do this."

He clicked a button from his remote, slamming all the glass doors shut.

"Heading back here," Aubrey looked around the nearly empty Precinct. "This was your grand plan?"

"I needed a computer," Charlie rushed for Ike's office, scouting about until she found his laptop. Daisy turned, pulling on Aubrey's hand. 

"What is it?"

"Whose that," Daisy asked as she pointed to the woman making her way towards the office. Gasping, Aubrey pushed Daisy behind her as she slammed the door shut. At the noise, Charlie jumped. "Mommy?!"

"It's okay," Aubrey nodded as she pushed the desk in front of the door, seeing Denise and two of her father's henchmen with her. "Go with Charlie, sweetie."