Kiera filled up gas and was on her way to the local cops to see if there was anything they might know about this gang. She was not sure where to go. What to do exactly? She drove south of west of the subway she was in minutes before. She met the father of one of the kids from the gang. And she was half correct. The poor man didn't know about his son's whereabouts. He was honest and seemed genuinely kind. She liked him. A good man.
She stopped her car in front of a small deli and got out of the car and locked it. She walked to the front door and was about to open the door when a person from the inside opened it before her. He looked like he was about nineteen or twenty years old and looked like he had a foul mouth. He dressed like a person that would be in the gang, pictured by Kiera. She got in after he went out. The guy completely ignored her and walked away not even looked at her. She looked back just as she entered.
She looked around the deli and smiled. She liked how it looked. It was small. And she learned that the smaller they are the better. The taste and smells of food made at small places makes you hungry even if you are not. You would want to eat it even after eating a full meal. She was feeling like this. She went up to the counter and smiled the old man, who looked Mexican or Spanish. She knew some Spanish. Her mother was from Spain and she lived there for about four years of her teenage life. Her mother died of lung cancer two years ago.
"What would you like young lady?" The man at the counter said smiling.
She smiled back and said, "Do you have those corned beef sandwiches?"
"We sure do, hot or cold? The man asked.
"Hot." She said this in Spanish. Hoping that he might be from Spain or Mexico.
"Good choice." The man smiled replied in Spanish.
The man went back and shouted in spanish. He then went on to the other people waiting to buy sandwiches and other things. Kiera heard the little bell ring when the door opened. It was the same person who went out when she entered in. She stared at him but the young man didn't bother looking back or even the slightest of a glance.
"Rafael, the bread was soggy as hell. I need another one." The young man shouted harshly.
"Where is the sandwich?" The man at the counter asked back.
"I ate it, but it was soggy, so I need you to give me another one." The eighteen year old said.
Kiera listened on to what they were both saying and shout at each other. She also heard some swearing. The man who works at the deli was much older than she or the young man who came in barging. It was no way to talk to him like that. After the man left with aother sandwich in his hands. Kiera looked at the man behind the counter who was swearing in Spanish of some which she understood.
"Here it is." The man said giving her the sanwich covered in aluminium foil which was hot and smelled of heaven.
Kiera smiled and took the sandwich in her hand and said, "Who was he?"
"Just another teenage boy with a heart of black emptiness." The man replied.
"Do you know about any group or gang here."
"Yeah, there is only one in this area. The young man whom you just asked about is in it. Usually, they all come in here together and they do the same thing he did just minutes before. If it goes on like this, I will lose buisiness before my dauhgter gets married."
"Do you happen to know where he lives?"
"Yeah, I do." He seemed confused for a moment. "Why does a pretty young lady like you want with them."
"Oh!" She just smiled and thought of a good lie wwhich she can say to Rafael which doesn't sound stupid. "It's nothing." She said after coming up with nothing in three seconds. If she prolonged It more than three seconds, he would've known she was lying.
"He and his friends hang behind the alleyway, three blocks from here. They will go in one of the storage compartments of the building. I strongly suggest you not go there."
"I wont." She lied.
She opened the Aluminim foil covering the food she had bought. She knew where she had to go now. An alleyway, three blocks from here. She walked through the door, hoping the young man would still be there. Outside of the deli, perhaps she had hoped that he himself could have taken her to the place. She got in her car and started the engine. She rolled back out of the parking lot and drove slowly along the sidewalk where the deli was. She wanted to see if there was anything else she needed. There was nothing. The place had nothing else for her.
She stopped the car a bit away from her designated location. She got out and strode on the sidewalk looking ahead. She had a gun in her back pocket. She wasn't going to use it. It was just in case. Just in in case for what? She didn't even know. she had not taken the gun in to the deli or in to the subway (the fast food restaurant). She felt like she needed it now, or she was just being paranoid. This was her first. She would not have been chosen for this if the FBI was not determined to bring him in. she didn't know what exactly he did for being tracked by the FBI. And what was the deal with not hiding. The previous agent assigned this task, Alaric knew what was the reason. She knew that because Rick had told her. He knew because, he worked with Berk. On the other hand she didn't. She doesn't even have experience out in the field. She had no idea how Berk was, what can he do, what he cannot do, other than what Rick had told her.
She turned in to the alleyway and saw that no one was there. It was dark. Not dark because of the sky. Dark because there was a shade above connecting the building blocking the rays of the sun. She could still see clearly. She slowly entered the narrow passage. She saw two dumpsters filled with trash and there was a couch. A used one, there was lint and scratches from dogs and cats. She observed the couch and then diverted her gaze on the door that the guy at the deli had told her about. She had a feeliing she bumbed in to a dead end. Both literally and theoretically.
She went near the door and looked at the empty space where the knob of the door should be. In place of a complete knob there was an iron nail which was bulging the flat end out. She pulled the door backward holding the iron nail. She stepped up and got in and looked around. She was looking around. It was a big place. it seemed there was no one there.
Kiera heard a sound. Someone is here, she thought out loud, even though there was no one there near her. She walked forward. She didn't take her gun out. She heard footsteps, but saw nothing. The air there was not a pleasant smell. It was better than outside. she crunched he nose and heard the footprints coming to her direction. Not from the front. From the back. She turned back. There were three boys, they all looked around the age of eighteen to twenty. She lifted her hands up.
There was a gun pointed at her. The man with the gun was limping. She could reach for her gun; she chose not to. She wanted to say something, but at this moment, right this second, nothing would be reasonable. She had come in to their place without permission and now she has a illegal unlicensed weapon pointed to her face. There was only a six-step difference between them. As soon as the boy pulls the trigger the odds won't be in her favor. But still, the odds were good for her. She knew they wouldn't shoot. She knew they knew better. Getting caught up in murder would be the last thing in their agenda. That too an FBI agent.
"Who are you?" The one holding the gun asked. Still pointed at her face.
"Drop the gun down, then I will talk." She said.
"That will not happen lady." The one towards the right said. He had a bandage in his hand, supporting his wrist.
"Tell us who you are? Then we might drop the gun." He too had a bandage across his head. It had red spots as well. From this, she knew who the reasonable one was.
"I don't want to do anything to you, I just—" Kiera reached in her back pocket. The guy holding the gun pulled the slide back and stiffened up, almost looking worried. She looked up. "It's nothing." She pulled out a photo up. She showed them and they squished their eyes to see better.
"Who is this?" The guy holding the gun said.
"I just want to know have you seen this man, drop the gun down and no one will know that you have an illegal weapon with you." They all stiffened, almost worried. The guy holding the gun had not lowered the gun. It was still pointed to her face. "Drop it, take a look at this photo, tell me what you know and I'll leave, you haven't met me, I haven't met you."
"Drop the gun." The reasonable one said. She looked at the one with gun pointed now a bit lower, but still at her. He didn't lower it.
Kiera tilted her head as if to show to drop it. She still hadn't told them what she was, probably never will.
"Drop it." The same one said, but with a harsher voice, almost commanding.
The guy dropped the gun and let loose of his grip but still had it in his hand. He was mad and angry at being told what to do at this moment. All three of them came towards her and took the picture from her.
"Do you know him?" She said. As she said this, all three of them were looking at the photo more closely.
"No. not really." Two of them said. The one with the bandage on his wrist kept quiet. He was still staring at the photo.
"Could this happen to be an old photo." The third one said.
"Yes, it is." Kiera said. The third one took the photo in his own hands. Kiera didn't want to, but she did.
The third one looked at the rest of them and said something through their eyes.
"Shit!" The one holding the gun said. "He put two of us in the hospital and left us these." He lifted his pants and showed a bandage covering his knee.
"Yep, that's him." The one that Kiera thought was reasonable said looking at her.
"When did you see him?" Kiera asked smiling being proud that her little gamble was worth it and she was right.
"Last night, I guess or the one before that." The one holding the gun said. "I swear I will kill him next time I see him."
Kiera was a bit distraught. These boys wouldn't seemed to do the evil known as killing and murdering but this was just what she wanted to believe. She saw the good in people and liked to give second chances.
"Have you seen him then?" Kiera asked.
"No." Two of them said together then looked at each other.
"No, we haven't, we know where he was staying." The third one said.
"Who are you? Under cover cop." The one holding the gun said.
"Something like that. I need to find him, possibly very dangerous—" She was interrupted.
"We know he is dangerous." The reasonable one said.
"Then you will tell me where he stayed." Kiera said. "I need to know how he looks like, now this isn't going to help." She pointed at the picture which was still in their hands. She then took it from them.
"Jace, write the address and give it to her." The reasonable one said.
The third one looked at him. his name was Jace. He gave her a nasty look and then said, "Alec, when did you become so...perfect." He looked almost disgusted. "And who are you to command us."
"Since, when she said that she knew that this was an illegal weapon and I told you to keep it where it was, we don't use guns." Alec said.
Jace looked at Alec and then looked at Kiera, he then walked to a table sitting there at the center of the room. Kiera looked at the rest of the place. She had been speaking all this time that she hadn't noticed how dim the place was. There were no windows other than some holes on one of the walls that let air in and out and some sunlight. The rest of the light was from a table light and a light hanging from the ceiling which seemed to have been blinking for quite some time.
"This is the guy." Alec said, holding up a bright lit phone, showing a photo.
She took her own phone out of the pocket and clicked a picture and put it back in the pocket. She asked some more questions and after learning what they know, she starts heading for the door. On her way, she notices the gun which was pointed at her a few moments ago lying freely on a small table. She looks back to see the boys. They were talking without looking at her. She takes it in her hands and shoves it slowly under her jacket. She paced to the door and went outside. She starts walking to the car and she heard a faint sound of cursing. A small smirk formed on her face. She got in her car quickly and drove straight past the narrow passage. She saw the boys she met earlier, shouting something, but the voice was faint and then noticed one of the boys had pointed a finger at her. She ignored it but couldn't help look at them with the corner of her eye.
***
Berk and Kit drove until they reached a cabin near one of the beaches. It was hidden in plain sight. They got out along with the man they found back at Beverly Hills. Berk wanted to force the answer out of him. Force. Kit had disagreed with the equal amount of force that Berk wanted to do to force the answers out of the man. Berk opened the door and shoved the man lightly, but still he seemed to lose balance.
Drugs.
Berk thought with a hint of disgust.
The former FBI agent was no fan of using drugs. No matter what other illegal things he would do, Drugs was never one of them. He never got the point of what was the satisfaction people got with it. Not that he tried. And he never wants to.
The cabin was not a really a cabin. More to the shed side. But not really there. it was slightly bigger than an average prison cell. There was a bed a chair and a wooden table which had marks of animal entry. There was an electrical plug running along the creaking wooden floor which led them to a light switch. Berk flipped it up and the light turned, flickering at first. He got the chair and seated the man.
"How do you want to sober him up?" Kit asks. "And no torture, that's not something that will help us. And I don't want another case up my name."
"Drench him." Berk suggests.
"No. let him sleep over it, I guess. He may be able to help us If he is rather healthy than shivering with a cold." Kit said the last part with a skeptical look.
Berk shrugged.
Atticus Berk forced him up made him lie on thee bed on his stomach. He left the cabin and soon Kit followed.
The scenery wasn't Hollywood nor was it a trash site. The sky was clear enough to see the perfect streamed white clouds. In the distance, Berk could see dark grayish smoke coming of the ground. He didn't pay attention to it and diverted his longing gaze to the small pond which was no bigger than the circumference of three wells and he could also see the shallow ground where small fishes where swimming left and right. The dark brown sand mixing with the water to form mud in its edges. Berk shifted his eyes to Kit who was also looking around, not with amazement, but with a bored look in his eyes. But there was also fear. Which Berk liked in another person, but not with him. Not in this situation.
"Do you have family?" Kit asked suddenly. Which Berk could say surprised him because Kit had asked him about his family during their first meet and Berk could clearly remember him looking at his diamond ring when he didn't answer.
"I had Family." Berk decided to answer without looking at Kit, hoping he would understand what he was implying.
"Divorce?" Kit questioned unknowingly.
"Dead." T his time he looked at Kit.
"I'm sorry." Kit said. Berk could hear genuine sympathy in his voice. Which he appreciated.
Berk didn't reply.
"May I ask what happened?" Kit asked.
"Listen. I am helping you now. After this thing has been sorted, you have never seen me understand. We are not 'hanging out' Ok?" Berk replied, irritation clear in his voice.
Berk heard Kit mumble something under his breath. The only words he could hear was a 'jeez'.
So, any enemies?" Berk asked.
"None that would do this." Kit replied too quickly.
"So, you do." It was a statement.
Yeah, not big ones. I have people who hate me. Not clearly enemies though."
"Where are they?"
"Three lived here up until two years ago, they left for Chicago. I know this because it seems they both made huge money right before they left. There is one left. He lives not far from me."
"Name?" Berk asked.
"Jackson Viera." Kit replied monotone.
"Half Italian?"
"Yes. How did you know."
"Last name."
"Ok."
"How did you meet him?"
"Class A douche bag. Met him while standing in line at a fair. I was on a date. The man cut me. I got angry. It was a pretty long line. So of course, I get angry. I shoved him away and he punched me. Long story short. I got kicked out, lost the date as well."
"How is he like?"
"I don't meet with him, so I only get the asshole side of him. so I don't really know how he is."
Berk nodded, absent minded.
"But he won't even have anything to do with it. I don't think he even has that kind of vendetta against me."
"I know." Berk said. "But we are going back to your place or rather I am. You need to stay here with this guy." He motioned back at the cabin. Then continued, "ask him things when he wakes up all sober. I will be digging into the place and the murdered victim. Something might come up. I have a guy who helps in tech things like this. Probably illegal, I think. But I don't give a shit. Ill meet up with him and buy more ammunition for myself."
Kit said nothing except lightly nod.
"You know what, you need to lay low. No one comes here ever. Stay here. Only come when I need you." Berk said right before he took a step forward.
"But..." Kit didn't even complete his sentence as Berk stormed off to his car.
Berk knew one thing right now. An Important thing. How to imply them to his investigation, that he had no idea. But he certainly needed to find out.
The murder was not to a victim of opportunity. It was chosen carefully. This was a careful hunch from Berk's side. Based on the victim's popularity and social status, killing them by opportunity was not an option or a possibility. Also, it was from his own house. He hadn't noticed the door was forced opened. But he had noticed that there was a small dent, almost invisible to the naked eye, right where the knob of the door would have made contact, he had seen this small detail. It doesn't mean much but it does mean something. He hadn't seen photos of the body. But he knew it was from a knife because of what he had noticed by the splattering of blood at the crime scene. He processed these thoughts in his head. A question came by on the choice of the murder weapon.
The Murder weapon was a knife?
Why not a gun? It would have been much faster.
He had no answer.
Berk was currently in his car driving back to where he had picked up Kit from. He was not completely there. But nearly. He needed the photos of the crime scene. But right now, he needed his FBI credentials. He has it stored in a place he only knows. He uses it, even though it's completely illegal. He had done this multiple times before. It got the job done. Most of the time. Sometimes people had asked him to get a warrant. He can't get that. Sometimes he would just barge in. Not giving a shit about the others.
He turned back from where he was headed and made the U turn entering 4th street and driving straight. The car ride was short and he stopped at a small library. That rarely anyone enters. He got out of the car and quickly glanced at his surroundings. He could see a kid crying while his mother holds on to his arm, rather tightly from the skin of the boy's arm wrinkled in the edges from where his mother held on.
Atticus Berk entered the library and greeted the librarian with a tight nod. She was a petite Asian woman with long brunette hair with streaks of gray here and there. She looked like she was in her early 50's. She returned the nod with a smile. She beamed rather than smiled. It might be because of the few people come in here. Berk thought. She was not the woman who was here the last time. He never sticks to one library. This one was purely coincidental with the thing he was doing now.
"Hello." She said cheerily. She was not quiet, even though it was a library. But there was not a single person other than Berk and the librarian there. So why not.
"Hi." Berk replied as he continued walking. From the corner of his eye he could see the woman's smile fading of her face and stretching in to a frown. He felt bad. But not enough to go back and talk to her more. He needed to get what he came for.
He walked through two isles which consisted of science fiction and thriller novels. He walked to a colorful section where there were books picture of animals and monkeys wearing hats and riding tricycles. With a single look he saw that the cover of the books where thick with corny titles and pages were as thick. They were not made of paper but of cardboard. He was at the kid's books isle.
He put his index finger on of the edges of a book and ran his fingers as he continued walking to get what he wanted. He suddenly halted to a stop. His finger was pointed to a book where the cover of the book was as red as a ribbon. His large fingers were covering the title of the book. He slowly removed them and the title of the children's book started to Reveal itself.
I spy with my little eye
He plucked the book out from the top with the tip of his middle finger. He turned the book to its back and just simply eyed it. He opened the from its back and scanned the page with his eyes. The pages were as thick as the cover of the book and could easily hold something when torn. That is what he did with an important thing of his. He found what he was looking for. The tiny fold at the center of the edge of the page. He looked around the place for cameras. There was none. He knew this already. He took a mini knife from the back of his denim jeans. He looked around with just his eyes one last time. He slid the tip of the knife on the gap in the center of the thick cardboard edge of the page of the book. He moved his hand along with the tip of the knife up and down smoothly, slowly separating the single page in to two.
There it was. His FBI credentials.
He reached his hand to an edge wanting to take it out. Just as his fingers grazed the creds, he pulled back immediately and turned the page hastily as he heard footsteps coming his way.
Damn! The librarian.
It was not her. Even though, it was a 'her', he had no idea who she was. Not that he knew everyone who lives in the United States of America. She was younger than most of the people he had seen. She had blonde hair tied in a ponytail and bright blue eyes. She had an athletic body with muscles that looks perfect on a woman.
She could be an agent.
Agent or not. He was not risking to be seen. At least not right now. He turned back casually picking a cap out of the back of his pants and gracefully put it on covering his eyes. The book in his hands. He could hear the sounds of walking behind him, speeding up as he increased his own pace.
Shit!
He opened the book and turned to the torn page as he kept walking and took his creds out and threw the book to the side as he exited the shop. The woman was jogging to keep with his speed walk.
"Hey! FBI." The woman shouted from the back.
He turned his head and saw that she had a gun out. With her posture and energy, she is a rookie. A new recruit. Berk thought as he turned his head back forwards and continued walking with the same pace. He was now walking to be alone so he can get rid of her one way or another. He put the creds in his front pocket and suddenly took a sharp right in to a dark alley between two old building.
He stood in the dark corner and waited for her to come. He saw a figure coming in slowly. He couldn't see her face clearly in this shadowy darkness. He assumed she couldn't see him either. Suddenly a light fell on his face. The agent was holding up a flashlight along with her gun. blinded by this he bought the cap to his face.
"FBI! Put your hands where I can see them." The agent shouted.
He did nothing.
"I said put your hands where I can see them and slowly remove the cap from your face." The agent shouted more clearly.
This time he did do something. He slowly removed the cap from his face and fixed it completely on his head. The agent bought the flash light back up to his face as the light had naturally went down to his chest. His face as crystal clear in the bright light.
Berk saw that the woman's eyes had gone wide stretching in every way possible. Her mouth slightly open. She had seen what she wanted to see. She stood there not moving the slightest bit, too stunned to do so.
"Holy Shit!" Words finally came out if her mouth.
Berk suddenly took his chance and lunged forward and stole her gun from her hands and then her flash light. He had gotten the gun with ease. The flash light took some extra seconds but he still had gotten at with the same ease. He turned the gun with the muzzle facing towards the agent now. He had quickly put the gun against the side of her head and threw the flash light on the ground after quickly turning it off.
"Don't k... kill me." The agent stammered. This proved she was a new recruit.
"Your name." Berk said it like statement and not a question.
"Kiera Hartley." She said it bolder than before but there was still a slight quaver.
"I'm assuming you know who I am." Berk asked.
"Yes." She replied, her breathing calm now.
"You are the new agent? For me?" Berk questioned.
"Yes, I am also a new recruit." She answered.
"I didn't ask you that." Berk said.
She just nodded
"I'm assuming I should come with you." Berk asked.
"N...no. I mean Yes." She asked.
"Ok. I will." He asked.
He could feel her eyes widen.
"On my conditions." Berk pressed the gun harder against her head.
She nodded once more.
"No cuffs. I will sit in the front with you and when we get there, I will do the talking. Understand?" Berk said.
She hesitated a reply but then nodded her head.
"Good, now, let's go quick I have things to care of." Berk said. "I will lower the gun and you lead me to the car and we will head on from there. No mischief rookie."
"Yes." Kiera replied.
Berk slowly moved the gun from the side of her head and moved down until it reached her elbow. He removed it and then put the gun in his pocket and picked the flash light from the ground and handed it back to her. She took it with a slightly shaky hand.
"Let's go." Berk said.
She slowly began to walk and seeing this Berk followed her without creating any suspicion to the public eyes. Soon, they reached Kiera's car. she went to the driver's seat and left Berk standing there near the passenger seat. He wasted no time getting in, he had to duck his head as to prevent his head from hitting the top of the car. Kiera started the engine and moved out of the parking space and drove to the FBI office where she was supposed to report.
Kiera so far said nothing and kept staring ahead of the road trying to focus. Still Berk could feel her eyes switching glances between the side of his head and the road through the corner of her eyes. Berk said nothing not wanting to giveaway much about his plan or about him that only he knows.
They passed by a shooting range. Shooting ranges brought back a lot of memories for Atticus Berk. He was a sharpshooter. Rarely missed his shot and could have his way with a sniper. The Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifle or the AIAW rifle was his favorite. The Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifle was a designed and manufactured by the British company . It was popular among as a civilian, , and military rifle since its introduction in the 1980s. The rifles have some features that improve performance in very cold conditions without impairing operation in less extreme conditions. Cartridges are fed through the bottom of the receiver using a detachable, double-column, steel . Rifles chambered for .300 Winchester Magnum or larger use a single row magazine. Alternatively, cartridges can be loaded singly directly into the chamber. This was his style.
Berk had gone through military training once but didn't want to sacrifice his life for the country by through wars and battles. He was a man who sticks to what he believed. Though there was a time, he didn't stick to what he believed. It was after the death of his wife and child.
"I read your file." Kiera spoke first between the two after the library incident. This shifted Berk from his current thoughts.
"I know." Berk said as it was obvious, she would have read his files since she was the new agent who was assigned to 'catch' him.
"Damn." She muttered softly, but Berk was still able to hear.
Berk didn't say anything.
"You know... I... heard about your family." Kiera spoke, her voice gentle.
"So have the rest of the FBI." Berk said.
"I know..." she paused. "I'm sorry."
"So is the rest of the bureau." Berk said.
He could see her getting irritated. "Goddammit!" she finally cracked. "I'm trying to be nice to person who had a gun pointed right at my fucking head."
"I know." Berk said, his voice calm.
She cursed under her breath.
Neither of the spoke after this. The car slowed down as they approached a traffic light. After the light turned green, they drove for a few more miles. There was a gas pump towards the right.
"Stop here." Berk said just before they reached the turn to the gas pump.
"What? Why?" Kiera questioned.
"Just do it." Berk said, his voice having the same amount of calmness.
She did just as he asked and parked at an empty slot few meters away from the seven eleven shop and Berk could feel her exhale a large amount of air which he had no idea she was keeping in. Berk unbuckled his seatbelt. He, with his right hand opened the door and put a leg out. Just as he was putting his head out, Kiera's arm shot out and grabbed the wrist of his left hand. Berk looked back questioningly with eyebrows raised.
"Where the hell are you going? You said you would come." Kiera spoke.
"First of all, rookie. I made a promise I will come and I will. I just need the bathroom and a bottle of water. So, mind your own business until I come back. If you want to leave you can and I certainly know that you won't do that because you need me and finally you certainly need to learn things like focusing on the task at hand." Berk raised his voice slightly but still wasn't shouting.
"What?" Kiera questioned to the last part.
"Put the hand brake on." Berk said and turned his back and walked away.
He entered the seven eleven store and asked for the bathroom to the cashier. The guy pointed to a door near the freezers. Berk entered the bathroom and came out two minutes later. He opened the freezer and picked out two small bottles of water. He opened another freezer and took out a can of beer. He walked over to the counter and paid for the things in the cash. He put the two bottles of water in a plastic cover and held the can of beer in his hand, then opened it and drank a whole lot with a single chug. He finished the beer and threw it in the garbage can. Just as he turned his head. He was met with a fist right to the face. His face swung right due the impact with a grunt. He shook his head trying to remove the tingling feeling on his face. There in front of him were two guys whom he must of met otherwise he wouldn't have gotten the punch. They were cracking their knuckles and tilting their hear heads left and right with a smug smirk on their faces. This made them look stupid, not intimidating. He quickly took a glance to Agent Kiera and her car which stood a few meters away from him. She was not seeing what happened a few seconds before.
Good.
He wanted to settle this without her involvement.
Without asking what their issue was, he lunged forward and grabbed them by their collars and swung them to the wall of the seven eleven store which caused the garbage can to fall down.
He without speaking another word, walked away. As he reached the car, he fixed his clothes and opened the door and entered. As he entered, her eyes widened as it made eye contact with his bruised cheek.
"Holy... What the hell happened?" She exclaimed.
"Just drive then you would be getting it to." Berk said.
She scrambled but managed to drive. She was looking only at the road. To Berk, her atmosphere felt tense. He could feel that she wanted to aske something. She was holding back.
"What do you want to ask?" Berk made it easier for her.
"What did you mean by focusing on the task at hand. It was certainly not for not putting the hand brake."
"Figure it out. You're a rookie, a new recruit. Still have lots to learn."
She opened her mouth but said nothing.
She kept driving for another fifteen minutes. Both of them not speaking a word. The car ride filled with sounds of the engine and their breathing.