Borderline [On hold for major revision]

Chapter 8: The Rookie's Cover-Up

Chapter 8

I spent a brief moment enjoying the sunlight before climbing in my Jeep and starting the engine I was glad to be back to my regular routine, monotonous as it was.

I drove to Section 11 where I was usually assigned. This was the section with the most security, so hardly anyone ever risked crossing here. That causes Section 11 patrollers to be called somewhere else at a moment’s notice, which in turn causes me to have to drive a lot. And I’m not a fan of driving in the desert.

A few minutes later I arrived at my regular starting point and got out. I noticed another lone agent a couple hundred meters away and decided to go greet them. When I was closer I noticed it was a rookie, Garrett’s partner. We’d spoken a few times before, but weren’t really friends. I think his name was Jared or something. Other than the occasional run-in at the station I never saw him except when Garrett was berating me for something dumb I did. Of course, his definition of dumb and my definition of dumb were two completely different dumbs. Jared al-ways hung in the background, looking shy and embarrassed. Garrett was definitely the more dominant partner of the two.

That’s why I liked Terra so much as a partner—both of us were too dang stubborn to let the other pull ahead. It sounds kind of rude when I put it that way, but it was true. I liked it that way; it meant were on even footing all the time.

I waved a greeting to Jared, who gave me a little half-wave back. Since he clearly noticed me now, I jogged the last twenty or so meters to where he was standing alone.

“Where’s Garrett?” I asked by way of greeting.

A pause. “He had something to do.”

That sounded a little suspicious. “Oh, that’s cool,” I said. “What’s he doing?”

He hesitated. “Writing up something…a complaint.”

Now that was just plain evasive. “Really? Who of? I just might want to join him.”

This time he hesitated even longer, looking down at his feet. “You, I think. No offense or anything.”

I have to admit, I kind of saw that one coming.

“Well. You tell him thanks from me.” He blushed, and I immediately felt guilty for making the conversation awkward. Us senior agents have to look out for the young fellas, at least that’s what Rogers always says…er, used to say. “Hey,” I said, “while Garrett’s busy whining about me for the hundredth time, do you want to patrol with me? My partner’s busy slacking off too, so it works out great.” Sounded more like a babysitting job to me, but he immediately perked up and nodded.

I motioned toward the area where I was supposed to be, and he followed.

Overall it was a pretty boring day—my first in a while. Jared turned out to be a decent guy—though a little too young to be trusted with a gun, in my opinion—and we covered more ground than I could have by myself.

We were both sitting in my Jeep about to eat lunch when my radio beeped and a staticky voice called out of it.

“Agent Coleman, we’ve got a blip in Section 14.”

I shrugged and took a bite of my sandwich, but Jared suddenly opened the passenger side door and got out.

“Where’re you going?” I called after him.

He turned around and laughed at me. “We’ve been walking around together all day and you don’t even know my name.” He bowed and tipped his hat. “Jared Coleman at your service.”

I tipped my hat in return to be polite, even though I thought it was kind of a weird ges-ture. “Cal Tucker. You need a ride to S14?”

He nodded and got back in the Jeep. “Sure, thanks pard’ner.”