Her birthday's come and go, uncelebrated. No cake, presents, or friends to share the time with. Not even as much as a 'Happy Birthday' is uttered from her father's lips. Those days are spent, doing the same thing as all the previous days before...training, studying, and learning.
She'll never know the difference.
It's true. She will never know what life is really supposed to be like. She will grow up to believe that everything she has experienced and learned is the way life is. It's all she knows. She doesn't watch cartoons or play with toys. She knows what cartoons are, but Harrison won't allow them. He says they are stupid and a waste of time. They would interfere with his daughters training.
Harrison is at the kitchen table, tapping his finger on a large medical book.
"It's time to learn!" Harrison yells for his daughter.
She comes from her room, a blank expression on her face. At two years old, most children her age are always happy; they don't know any different. This little girl has yet to experience happiness.
"Sit down!" Harrison snaps at her.
The little girl does as she is told; she knows better than to disobey this man. She has learned the ways of her father quickly, the hard way.
Harrison opens the medical book to the section labeled: Human Anatomy. A diagram of the human body shows where all the major organs and main arteries are located. He begins to quiz her,
"Where is the liver?"
This isn't her first time seeing this book. Harrison has repeatedly gone over this with her. She quickly points to the liver.
"Where is the pancreas?"
She points, just below and slightly right of the liver.
"Where is the spleen?"
She points to the spleen, partially hidden behind the stomach.
Harrison decides to try and trip her up.
"Show me the largest artery in the human body."
He can't fool her. She points to the aorta.
"And if you want to kill someone quickly, where would you cut them?" A question he has asked a few times before.
The little girl points to the neck area, and attempts to say, "Jug-lar"
Harrison cracks a smile, "That's right, the jugular."
Harrison notices he has been smiling at her more often. With each new sign of progress, he becomes more and more proud. Each day, she surprises him with something new. He is growing quite fond of her, though he limits the amount in which he shows it.
In addition to the human anatomy lesson, Harrison introduces the child to the world of forensics. She learns about crime scenes and how police examine and search the area for clues left by the perpetrator. She also learns how the authorities take evidence that is left behind and use it to catch people. He teaches her about fingerprints and DNA.
"Can you say deoxyribonucleic acid?"
"Deox, ren-clic..."
Harrison laughs, "Try, DNA."
"D-N-A."
These lessons are important to her training. She must understand how to carefully clean up after herself; to leave no evidence.
He looks at her. "I think I'm going to get you a cat."
The little girl just looks at him, she doesn't seem to understand.
"How would you like a little kitty?"
Again, no response or emotions are shared by the little girl. She just stares at him. It isn't often he just asks her a question for the sake of conversation.
Harrison demands "Go into your room and shut the door. I'll be back later."
She quietly removes herself from the table and without a word, disappears behind the door of her room just as she was ordered. Obedience is one of her strongest qualities. She doesn't like it when 'the man' yells and throws things. She has learned that when she listens to him, things are better, things are quieter, and 'the man' is nicer to her.
Harrison leaves her alone a few times a week whenever they need food, or supplies for her training. She just stays in her room and waits for him to return. Sometimes it would be hours.
Although Harrison dislikes cats, he has chosen to get one for a couple of reasons. First, cats are fairly low maintenance, they don't need to be walked, and they keep mostly to themselves. Secondly, his daughter needs to have something living, other than Harrison, to interact with. Harrison worries that his plan may be hindered by her lack of socialization. Growing up without interacting with other people or animals may have serious effects on her ability to fulfill her destiny...Harrison's destiny. The last and most deranged reason for getting a cat is for the little girls training. Not right now, but soon, once the cat reaches maturity, Harrison will teach his daughter how to hunt. A kitten would be an easy target; they are slow, clumsy, and fragile.
Aftermath
Ron and Brandy are back on the beat, together once again. In the aftermath of the shootings at the A.C.T.S. Building, Officer Ronald Travis was rushed to North Point Hospital. His bulletproof vest was lucky enough to escape the ordeal unscathed. One of Ron's kidneys wasn't so fortunate. Lynn Holbrook knew exactly where the Kevlar ended, and Ron's body began. The bullet pierced his side just below his ribcage, his right kidney was damaged beyond repair and had to be removed.
After the emergency surgery, Ron spent a week in recovery. Brandy visited Ron everyday while he was in the hospital. Her motivation helped with his healing process. When he was discharged from the hospital, he was instructed by the police department to take a mandatory eight weeks off from duty.
As they patrol the streets, Ron notices Brandy seems happier than he can ever remember seeing her. A smirk on her face makes her barely recognizable to him.
"You get laid last night or somethin?"
Brandy raises an eyebrow, then smiles, "Nope. Better!"
"Better? What the hell's better than sex...Son of a bitch...you got a raise didn't you?"
She chuckles, "No."
"Then what's up with the smile, Page?"
Brandy won't tell, "Nothin...Just havin a good day!"
"Uh-huh!" Ron knows she's holding something back.
Truth is, Brandy is just happy to have Ron back by her side. After the week in the hospital and the mandatory two months off, Ron returned to work only to find out he had to work in the office...a desk job. He argued and nearly fought with his superiors over this...he was ready to return to the streets. The Chief, Harvey Dunn, insisted he work in the office for at least a month. He wanted to personally watch Ron to make sure he was ready for his return to work. For over 3 months, 98 days to be exact, Brandy had to 'babysit', as she called it, her new rookie partner.
Ron asks, "So, how was your temp?" He refers to Brandy's temporary partner while he was out.
Daniel Healy: a rookie, fresh out of the academy, early twenties, clean cut, and a smooth face. Daniel is a good cop and a loyal partner. Brandy likes him, but only as a fellow officer and temporary partner. She didn't get attached to him and she couldn't wait until Ron was back by her side. Brandy looks to Ron as a student would a mentor. He is only a few years her elder, but has many more years behind the badge.
"Healy? He was okay. He thinks he knows it all!"
Ron sarcastically fills her in. "Well shit, Page, didn't you know they teach you everything you'll ever need to know at the academy."
She looks to him and he looks to her. After a brief silence, they simultaneously burst into laughter.
Most law enforcement staff thinks the academy is an excellent program. With simulations and routine exercises, the cadets are taught the bare basics on how to deal with any given situation. It isn't until the rookie cops are waist deep in an actual criminal assault that they realize they don't know what the fuck they're doing. Ron and Brandy think the program is a joke. It's impractical and unrealistic.
Brandy wonders. "Did you hear Lynn Holbrook only got 15 years?"
Ron's voice seethes with anger. "Yeah, I heard...bitch knew how to work the system, didn't she?"
Brandy gives Ron some bad news. "The worst part is, she probably won't even do half that."
"Now that's some bullshit! The justice system in America is all jacked up...we need to revert back to the olden days...eye for an eye,...shit...kidney for a kidney."
Brandy jokes, "Well, when she gets out we'll tie her up and you can cut her kidney out."
Ron jokes back, but in a serious voice. "Can I shoot her first?"
Lynn Holbrook pled guilty and was sentenced to 15 years for attempted murder of a police officer. Lynn's lawyer convinced the jury she was the victim and the whole thing was Noah Conrad's idea and that he had forced her to be involved. Noah Conrad couldn't defend himself. He wasn't present for the trial as he was too busy getting embalmed. He died from his injuries. Lynn's other charges of aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit mass murder were dropped. The judge was lenient toward Lynn. She hadn't actually killed anyone. It was later discovered that Lynn and Noah had a 'thing' for quite a while. It was a secret relationship, as the security company frowned upon coworkers dating one another.
In actuality, Lynn couldn't stand the thought, much less the act, of dating Noah. She only endured the misery for one reason: to manipulate him. With Noah dead, no one except Lynn would know the truth of why he killed fourteen people on the 5th floor that day. She will never tell. The whole thing was all her idea. She seduced him and she lied to him. Noah was gullible; he was insecure and didn't have many friends and Lynn knew it. She had access to his personal files, and when he started seeing a psychiatrist, Lynn knew he was the one who would do her dirty work. She convinced Noah that the executives would never promote him to be anything more than an Officer, which was sadly true. Lynn had overheard a conversation between the CEO, David Chase, and the Director of Security, Dale Holland. The conversation was mostly about budget cuts and possible layoffs, but Noah Conrad's name came up a number of times. Lynn told Noah they were going to fire him, which was a lie, and that he shouldn't let them get away with it.
The more Ron thinks about it, the more he can't stand the thought. He vents his frustrations. "I swear to God, if she gets out early, I'm gonna k--" Ron stops himself, biting his lip, before saying too much.
"Relax Travis; even if she does...she's got five years before she's even up for parole."
Ron nods. "Yeah, but you know what pisses me off more than anything?"
"Besides the fact that you're ugly?"
Ron looks to Brandy. "Don't mess with me Page!"
"You're pissed because you're black, aren't you?"
Ron chuckles, then tries to resume the seriousness. "Damn it, Page, stop it!"
"Okay, fine! I'm all out of guesses anyways."
"It's not that I was shot or even because I lost a kidney. What I am most pissed about was the month I had to spend in that office behind a damn desk for eight hours a day."
Brandy reels him in with a disbelieving tone. "Really?"
"Hell yeah. The Chief watching over me half the time, I felt like some damn temporary intern."
Brandy remains quiet for a moment, before taking her jab at Ron. "Hey, Travis, could you stop over here at this store?"
"Yeah sure, whatchu need?"
"Oh, I was just gonna grab you some tissues."
Ron glares at her. "Fuck you, Page!"
They both laugh.
Life is good. Knowing her enemies are dead, or behind bars, Brandy can finally relax...well, as much as a police officer can. Her life has returned to normal. The usual, boring, every day's the same; get up, go to work, come home, and sleep. Brandy wouldn't have it any other way...And Ron, he is just glad to be back on the job with his partner and he's thankful he isn't trapped in that office anymore. 'Doin' time', as he calls it.
Over time, case after case, Brandy Page and Ronald Travis become the best team on the force. The other officers jokingly call them, 'The White and Black Attack'. Chief Dunn takes notice and opts to promote the 'dream team' to detectives. Brandy couldn't care less, she is just happy to be doing what she loves. For Ron, it is his dream come true. For as long as he can remember, being detective has been his main goal.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vote, Fan and Comment!!!
If you are enjoying, please support me by purchasing the complete book on Amazon. Search my name: Mike Turpen