Internal Affairs

6: Cat and Mouse

Thursday, October Third

The smell of warm biscuits greeted Aaliyah as she entered into her parent's one story home. Her father Andre, was a retired police chief for the town's police department. Aaliyah knew, when she was younger, that she wanted to become a member of the force but, her father didn't want her in that much danger.

But he grew to accept her decision, because he remembered how his late parents reacted when he told them he was joining the police academy. When Aaliyah stepped into the foyer of her parent's home, she was instantly greeted by the family dog, Poncho.

She was a Golden Retriever and German Shepherd mix. The young woman smiled at the sight of the dog, and reached down to shower the animal with rubs and pats.

"Baby girl that's you?" Her father called out to her, before rounding the corner. She smiled when he returned the look of excitement with his arms outstretched as he approached her. Liyah paused from showing Poncho some love and wrapped her arms around her father and he did the same to her.

Andre Smith, was a 56 year old man, with a small Afro of black and gray peppered hair. His mustache was decorated with the same peppered style. He had high cheek bones, and smooth mocha skin, although the wrinkles that came with aging had already set in. Andre had broad shoulders, and a slim physique -- except for the small beer gut he'd attained over the years during his retirement.

Dressed in a red and black flannel shirt, with Khaki pants and black slippers, Andre pulled away from his daughter, wearing the biggest smile he could muster. "How's work going baby girl?" Aaliyah smiled, and encouraged her father to sit down in the living room for a moment.

Surprisingly, her father did as instructed just when her mother, Mira came into the room with a basket of freshly baked biscuits. "Oh, there goes my baby girl!" Her mother cried, at which she pulled Aaliyah into a tight and suffocating hug. Mira's black hair had been pinned up, and decorating her waist was a white apron.

Mira sat on the beige couch next to her husband, while Liyah stood in front of them for a few moments. She inhaled and exhaled heavily before accepting her seat calmly. "Well, I came over here to share the news with you both..."

"...you're pregnant!" Her mother abruptly screamed with excitement, eliciting both Aaliyah and her father to gawk in awe.

"You been having sex?" Her father questioned with a bit of an angry undertone. He knew that Aaliyah was a grown woman now, but in his eyes she was still his little girl.

"Daddy, no." Aaliyah started, and then turned to her mother to add, "...and no I'm not pregnant. I was going to say, I was given a field mission that requires me to go undercover." Both parents calmed a bit, but not too much.

"What do you mean?" Her father asked while he toyed with his beard.

"Everyone knows that prostitutes have been missing lately, and we're trying to figure out who is causing these disappearances."

Mira sighed, "and they want you to go undercover as a prostitute." Aaliyah nodded, eliciting her father to narrow his eyes.

"We have a feeling that Adonis is the one behind it all." Her parents both gawked at her when she mentioned that man's name. Although her parents lived in purple territory, it was still scary to be caught up with Adonis and his crew.

"Hell no..." Her father began, "...Aaliyah it's too dangerous for you to be getting involved with that man. He'll kill you!"

"But dad, we can finally catch him!" Aaliyah challenged, "...and besides, he's just a suspect."

Her father shook his head at that. "He had your old partner killed, Liyah. Why would you even continue to pursue this guy?"

Mira looked at Aaliyah with hopefulness in her eyes. Aaliyah was their only child, and she wanted her daughter to be safe as much as possible. "Dad, this is something I have to do. I've already been face to fa--- well, mask with Adonis. I just have to make sure I play my cards well, and leave no trace of who I really am."