As I entered the elevator, I saw a police officer standing at the computer. I'm in street clothes, not a uniform.
He'll stop me if he sees me. Thankfully, I'm a computer myself. I found the aisle of the case folder: 34. I looked at the officer, who hadn't even heard me walk in, and snuck behind him. I heard him begin to walk back, and ducked behind the main desk.
"Hello? Is someone there?" He called.
I stayed as quiet as possible, as I heard his footsteps approaching me. Even if I would've been able to convince him I wasn't doing anything wrong earlier, being ducked behind a desk doesn't help my case.
I shuddered as I heard him keep walking by.
"Oh, christ. You scared me," Another voice said.
"Yeah I heard your steps. Terrified the shit out of me," The computer cop said.
"Well, I've got the evidence."
"Alright, we better get this to the feds. Too many of those guys in town, I swear. With the whole Kam thing."
"God. Yeah. Still can't believe that cop left an android on the case."
"Right? Anyway, who's the prosecutor on the Kaela case anyway?"
"Some guy named Shay. He needs this before he leaves for DC tonight anyway."
Fuck. Really? They need the one case file I need. Right now? Really? This is just starting to get ridiculously inconvenient. I found my electronic ID, and hacked into it quickly, changing the appearance on it, and the name. I even changed the seal a little.
I listened carefully to their conversation.
"We need to go then. It's going to take a while to get downtown with everything going on."
I changed my hair color to blonde, and eye color to blue. Man...that felt weird. Never done that before. Is my voice recognizable too? Might as well change that too.
"Alright, hopefully there's no trouble on the way."
I jumped up from behind the desk and looked at the two men in the eyes.
"I found it!" I announced miraculously, in a high pitched, southern accent. What I had found...I hadn't thought of that yet.
"Who...are you?" They asked obviously concerned. One had his hand on his pistol.
"Federal officer, Felicity Southern," I said whipping out my electronic ID. Sun kissed blonde hair, last name southern, and a southern accent? God, aren't I the creative one?
"And...what are you doing here," The cop who I had spoken earlier asked.
"I came here to retrieve a file, and couldn't find my wedding ring! It dropped behind the desk," I said, moving my ring off and onto my finger. They stared suspiciously.
"Sorry. Dang thing must've slipped off. I can be such a klutz," I joked. The one officer carrying the Kaela evidence box smiled and laughed.
"You two don't happen to work those silly computers. I don't ever know what I'm doing with that machine. It's so different from the ones we have at the federal building."
"Well, of course I can help, Miss Southern," He said taking off his hat. He sat the box down on the desk. "I'm Officer Douglas Fritz. You can call me Doug though."
His partner rolled his eyes. "And this fella here," Doug said, practically elbowing his partner. "Is my partner, Craig. Craig would be more than willing to help a lovely lady wouldn't he?"
"Absolutely," Craig said through tightly closed teeth.
Doug practically grabbed onto my shoulder as he lead me towards the computer.
"And you said you were married, Miss Southern?"
"Oh, call me Felicity. And that's what the papers say at least!" I laughed. How do I always manage to get myself involved with rather...dirty cops?
"What's your husband do?" He asked, as he began to head to the data base for me on the computer.
"He's..." I began. Definitely not a Detroit cop. "A rancher in Texas."
"You hesitated there, Miss Southern!" Doug chuckled.
"Well, he's more between jobs right now."
"Well, androids have certainly put more than a few of us out of work," Doug smiled leaning next to the computer. I looked at the computer.
"I'm not entirely sure...how to..."I chuckled, not even beginning to type. I couldn't. These holographic computers don't require androids to type. Even if I started to, it would just type without me touching the buttons.
"Oh, allow me, Felicity," he smiled approaching the computer. I could hear Craig cough from the background.
"You were saying though. About your husband? What did he used to do?" Craig said, less as if he were interested, and more as though he was trying to remind Doug about the fact I was taken.
"Well, his family has always had a ranch that he's worked on time to time, but he recently got laid off from his desk job," I answered, smiling.
"Sounds like a hard worker," Craig answered, smiling.
"Oh, he is," I answered, thinking not of my fake husband created for this purpose, but of my real one instead.
"Do you know the case ID you're looking for, Felicity?" Doug asked, sounding mildly irritated at Craig. I nearly forgot to respond, hearing a name not at all my own.
"Oh, golly. No. Sorry, I'm a bit rookie. I know the names though, suspect and victim."
"Well, suspect is easy to look for. What's the name?"
"Kaela. K-a-e-l-a," I spelled it out. Doug looked up at Craig nervously.
"And you said you work for the Feds, Miss Southern?" Doug asked.
"Yes. I'm serving as sort of a rookie intern for Mr. Shay," I said. I quickly searched through the internet for his name. Any one named Shay associated with the case. "Mr. Donald Shay, actually."
Wikipedia can be far too good to us.
"He's a wonderful young prosecutor," I answered smiling.
"And he sent you to come get the case evidence?" Craig questioned, looking over at the box.
"Well, yes. The second I got in from DC actually. He gave me a call and said 'Don't even stop at the field office, whatever your name is. Just go get the evidence!'" I said, doing a poor imitation of someone vaguely male.
I could see Doug wink at Craig out the corner of my eye.
"Oh, that's so funny. We got an assignment to get this file over with top security to Mr. Shay. You know, Detroit Police Department is one of the best departments in the United States."
"I can believe it, with two fine men like you on the force," I smiled.
"Well, I'm sure you understand then. You just seem like such a gentle woman, Miss Southern, and well...this evidence requires the top security. We can't have this case getting into the wrong hands, you see?"
"Oh, I can more than handle myself, officer," I said. Stay gentle, Charlotte. That's clearly what he's liking about you.
"I'm sure you can. I just...have a duty. To serve and protect? I don't want you getting into trouble with...evidence as wanted at this."
"I understand completely. I took a very similar oath," I said, quiet enough where he could hear, but not the far away Craig. I smiled. "And for that matter, I just...well. You were a rookie once too, right?"
"Well, of course-"
"Then you have to understand. First impressions are so important to move up in the ranks. And, I've never met Mr. Shay. I got his assignment from my supervisor, and then he called, and gave me instructions! If I don't show up with this evidence file, and have to walk in empty handed...well...I don't know how I'm going to make it through this assignment at all. I don't want him thinking I'm not trying, officer!" I practically cried.
"Oh, Miss Southern. Well...I'm sure Craig and I can make some sort of exception. You're certainly trustworthy, I think."
I smiled, wiping away a crocodile tear. "Really? You would let me?" I smiled.
"Of course, Felicity. So long as you make me a promise," he said, sticking up his pinky.
"Anything," I said, smiling.
"You'll give me a call at the first sign of trouble. Whether it's a dangerous man trying to take the evidence, or you're just lonely in your hotel room tonight and need a friend to catch up with...you don't hesitate to dial that phone and call me," He smiled.
He handed me his card, and I smiled through a pinky promise with him.
"Of course. I might just need a nightcap depending on how Mr. Shay treats me," I giggled, grabbing the box off the desk.
"Thank you, nice officers," I chuckled while going into the elevator.
"Anytime, Miss Southern," Doug said tipping his hat. The elevator doors closed, and I began to head down with the evidence in my arms.
"Sleaze bag," I mumbled.