Through the Looking Glass - SuperCorp

Chapter 15: A Day in the Shoes of Maggie Sawyer

"Detective Sawyer, this is Brian. I have some...information for you on that thing you requested."

"That thing?" Maggie asked, sitting up straighter in her chair.

"Yes, that...thing," the voice over the phone replied.

"It's not the Chihuahua theft ring, is it?"

"The...no. I don't know anything about that unless they're being eaten. Do you want me to track those down?"

Maggie chuckled slightly. "No, I'm good. So what about this thing?"

"Not over the phone. Meet me at the bar in twenty minutes."

"Which bar?" Maggie asked.

"You know, the bar."

"There are a lot of bars."

"The one we frequent," the person on the other side of the phone clarified.

"Well I don't know about you, but I drink like a fish. I had a beer for breakfast. This job is very stressful."

"You know the bar that...you know what? Just meet me at the corner of McGovern and Twelfth. We can walk from there. Okay?"

"Sounds like a plan. Who's buying?"

"You. You're always buying."

Pulling out her wallet with her share of the cash from Kara, she grimaced at the quickly depleting funds. "Fine, but you better not be too thirsty. I don't get paid until Thursday."

"Well drinks today and you can pay me on Thursday. I know you're good for it. I'll see you in twenty."

Hanging up the phone, Maggie leaned back in her chair. "I'll gladly pay you Thursday for a hamburger today. I hope I'm not here on Thursday. I hope someone else is footing that bill."

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Maggie pulled up at to an empty space on McGovern, about half a block from Twelfth Street. On the corner she could see someone in a hoodie, the hood pulled far over his head and partially obscuring his face. He looked average weight, average height, standing like he wasn't a threat to a fly let alone anyone who knew their way around. Though Maggie was concerned, because her constant state of at least minimal concern kept her breathing and toes above the ground, she wasn't overly concerned. This guy wasn't a threat. He just was.

Car locked with a double beep as she strode down the street, Maggie cleared her throat and paused behind the guy in the hoodie. "Brian?"

"Oh, hi, Detective Sawyer," he said turning with a smile.

As blue skin and iridescent blue eyes turned to face her, Maggie's her heart rate doubled. His nose was huge, almost a fin that was part of his brow and his skin was mottled. She had her pistol out, the alien's legs out from under him and her heel on his throat before he could even squeak out a noise. She held her arms steady as she aimed down the site of her weapon and stared into the face of the enemy.

"What the fuck!? Who sent you?!"

"Glurg...," it responded.

"Who's Glurg?"

The alien patted repeatedly on her leg, his face turning purple as red added to his blue hue.

Seeing he was choking, Maggie pulled her foot back from his throat, stomping down heavily on his chest as she repeated, "Who sent you!?"

The alien coughed and sputtered before he was able to say, "Maggie, it's me...Brian."

"...Brian?" Maggie replied, her brain recognizing the voice from the call.