I spent the rest of that day in the repair room with her plane, staring at the images of their new cop friend, picking up details on him. He carried a large shield on his back that was titled 'Police'. Was he on the swat side?
He just looked... different, than other cops. Instead of a blue outfit he wore all black. A vest with hundreds of pockets and grenade and knives sticking out of it. It was absurd.
Roco cocked her gun, investigating the parts which startled her. She hasn't said a word about the cop, frankly, it didn't seem like she cared about him or liked him.
I feel so... I stared at the photos of his face, a blank expression staring into the camera. Vulnerable. I keep thinking about the comments he left, especially about being part of a game. What are we... 5?
"Why do you keep looking at him?" Roco broke my thoughts into pieces. "Why aren't you? Shouldn't we know what we're up against?" I asked back, setting down the remote.
"We've never done this with any cop."
"But he's different."
She actually laughed, setting down her gun. "Really? How. Because he doesn't follow the police outfit code of conduct?" I shut my eyes, sighing. "No. There's more."
"No, there's not. He's a waste of time and not someone you should spend time caring about or looking into. He's just another police officer."
"Just another police officer she said!" I objected, setting down one of the crates in front of Kya. "He's not just another cop, they don't do that." Kya chuckled quietly. "She has a point."
"Really? You bitch." I deadpanned. "Hey hey hey. Don't get tight with me," Kyarra pointed a finger at me. "The best thing we can do at the moment is stay away from him, and keep him as far away from here as possible."
"Did you guys get hit in the head? I can't believe you two..." My hand rested on my forehead after setting another crate down.
"Timber have you even considered what you're going to do if you see him again?" She set the computer containing images of Striker down next to her and stood up, eye to eye with me.
"Punch him in the fucking throat and take him." I raised my brow cockily. Kya sucked on her gum and shook her head. "Do you feel like a tough guy? Do you feel like a tough guy, Timber?"
"You're being childish, Kya." I snorted, this time making it my turn to shake my head. "Oh I'm being childish? Are you kidding me?"
Tension was rising in the air like the temperatures outside for the early summer; fast. I still didn't like Kya. It didn't matter that it'd almost been a year, we were tired of each other's bullshit to a point we'd snap sooner than later.
"I'm done with this." I turned around, heading for the door but Kya grabbed her my first. Instantly, I swung my arm around, holding a gun and aiming it at her, taking it off safety. "Get your hand off me."
There was a large amount of hesitation, but she did it anyway, holding both hands in the air. Clearly puzzled.
I lifted my brows once more and put the safety back on and the gun away. No need for dramatic semantics.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?" Roco shouted across the room to me. I didn't really have a set location on where I was going. I just wanted out of here for a bit. Think. Clear my head.
"Gas prices just dropped beautifully," I gestured my hand out. "I wanna top up while it's still cheap." This was partially true. Prices did drop amazingly for the first time in a while.
"You're a millionaire. Buy an electric car."
"Where's the fun in that? I'll be back later." I laughed, spinning the keys in my fingertips and skipping to the garage. I fired up the engine, taking in its sweet roar that echoed wonderfully and sped out of the base, heading for the bigger city.
Throughout the ride to the nearest drive-thru after getting gas, I couldn't stop thinking about Striker. I thought I had connected the dots about him, but in reality I was just making more questions pop in me.
Rolling up in the Dunkin's drive-thru, I listened to the Agera's hum calmly, waiting for the person inside to take my order.
"Hello what can I get for you today?" She asked through the speaker. "Hi, just a strawberry banana iced blend." I said, leaning out of the car door and bumping the side view mirror.
"Okay! One moment." The girl said. I glanced at the mirror, taking the time to adjust it, and when I did, I focused right on the car behind me.
All time seemed to slow, as the man in the car behind me smirked, wearing the exact same outfit that fit someone's description; Officer Striker. Now now, I know what you're thinking. I'm in a Regera, and he's in a Urus.
'This bitch doesn't stand a chance,'
You never know. And I have to keep my identity cool in the public so situations like these, I can get gas and dunkin's freely.
Discreetly, I checked the rear view mirror, acting like I was adjusting it until I saw the mysterious Officer whisper something to the man in the other seat, who nodded briefly and pulled out his gun, aiming for my tires.
"You can pull—" I ignored Lady Dunkin and immediately floored it around the corner through the rest of the drive thru, drifting the car a bit and making a break for it.
Fuck.. there was no way he found us—me that fast. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours since their last interaction. This was just pure coincidence right?
Automatically changing gears, I made my way through the rest of the city, heading in the opposite direction of the dunes and the city base. This was more in the middle of nowhere but there was still houses and stores out here.
The car's hazards went off abruptly, a short series of beeps filled my ears and I looked out the window, watching another fast car coming full speed at the side of mine, aiming to spin me out.
I cranked the wheel back towards the road when it started to slide roughly from the impact, I was praying that if I turned hard enough right I'd find myself go left eventually.
Kya, Roco, and I have all had plenty of experience with PIT maneuvers and how to try and prevent them from happening.
Right now, my luck was not benefitting me largely.
Barely making it back onto the road, I immediately slammed on the gas, feeling the engine roar in despair under me whilst it tried to get me away. Constantly changing gears and dodging the odd police car that came at me, I didn't take note of my surroundings and the other issues.
The main one being a large black helicopter soaring over the car. My heart leapt out of my chest in fear, vaguely watching it through the sunroof and keeping my eyes on the road in front of me. The moment I make it to the highway they're done for.
My ears rang and I think I yelled or screamed. I felt disoriented, like my whole world was turned upside down. Through the windshield I saw everything on a slanted glance at a moment, and good lord the air time I had felt like forever. But it was over in an instant; the ground was right under the lopsided tires now and the car was rolling like a dog on a warm day.
Something tweaked in my leg and by the time I could scream in pain, I was clocked in the face by the airbag, blurring my vision briefly as I coughed. I wasn't even sure if the rolling came to a stop yet in the car; I was trying to unbuckle and get out of my upside down, crunched car.
Pairs of hands grabbed onto me and I forgot what was happening — did Roco or Kya get to me quick enough?
"Take her out, nice and easy." A male said.
That was not anyone I knew, and certainly not good news.
I tried to swing my arms in punches but I was too weak. I'd been in rollovers before, but never this bad.
"Don't mind her. She's not going anywhere anytime soon." My vision slowly came back to me and I saw at least 6 people — before my vision blurred again — all doing different things.
I was laid on my side and hand flat in front of me. A man decked out in all black walked over to me, leather boots reaching the middle of his shins. He chuckled, squatting down to be at my level, taking the time to tilt his head at me.
I felt a poke in my arm and drowsiness started to take over me about 15 seconds later. Anesthetic.
"I told you," He said, brushing the hair out of my face. I fought to stay awake. "She's a runner."
—
"Roco," I shouted, storming down the stairs to meet her — she stumbled into the room with a fresh bag of cash with the newest recruit; Jacob. "Code red."
"Code red? What?" She asked, tossing the bag to the side and running next to mine, taking her gun off of her back and making sure it was loaded.
"Timber's coming back," I grabbed my gun. "With a cop right next to her radius."
"Shit, Kya." Roco cussed, sighing defeatedly. "Jacob stay in here, please have a gun or weapon of some sort ready for backup." I said to him, dismissing him with a wave of my hand and heading outside.
To my demise, a large black helicopter came down, the Blackhawk model to be specific. Timber just took hers to the shop — I know it's not hers because the tech inside is different, and the exterior color isn't the same.
I was worried, yes, but considering it's Timber that's in that plane; she probably did some stupid shit like usual and refuses to learn the consequences of her actions.
A tall, muscular and somewhat lanky man hopped out of the plane when it landed, somewhat short brunette hair, and European eyes.
I mentally wrote down every 'special' feature on him and stowed it away deep in my head.
His gear clanked when he walked and he was armed to the teeth by the looks of it.
I kept my pistol loaded and hidden in the back of my pants, acting like I was dusting off my hands. "Can I help you, sir?"
"I believe you can, m'lady." The Officer said. As he got closer, Roco coughed sharply, implying something she knew. He noticed her cough and stopped walking. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, apologies. You know how it is," Roco laughed quietly. "Weather's getting colder, stuff's going around."
He smiled, lifting his head. "Yes. Always an issue." I bit back every snobby facial expression I had on my face and just smiled as well. "Ahem, what can I help you with?" I changed the topic, allowing him to slowly make his way towards us again,
He stopped, keeping a clear distance. One wrong move from him and Roco would flip this game upside down. "Do you two know Timber Alpharo?"
I exchanged fake glances with Roco, shrugging lightly. "I've heard her name on the news a couple times. Yeah?"
The Officer nodded his head, placing his hands on his hips. The way he stared at me made me feel like he had a whole plan for how the rest of my life looked. That chilled my spine.
"Have you seen her? Apparently she's been hanging out around here." He began to walk forward, trying to get past us. Roco was the first to react, sweeping in front of him and daring to place a hand on his vest, stopping him.
They both seem surprised they did that. "Warrant?" Roco deadpanned, laying it out flat for him. His jaw tightened and he stood up taller. "It's best you stepped aside, Rocori."
He hissed her name out like it was a curse, poison to his tongue and ripping his nerves apart. This was Officer Striker, right? "Why? What're you here for, Striker? You could've arrested me yesterday but you didn't." She got up in his face, making him move his head back, shutting his eyes bitterly while his body stayed planted like a tree.
"Hey," Timber's slurred voice shouted from the plane, starting to climb out of it but she winced in pain right off the bat. "Get the fuck away from her." Was she drunk? Did she go to the bar in the middle of the day?
Striker just stared at her, eyes on her like a hawk and that's what worried me. "Officer, what are you actually doing here?" I bit my lip, motioning towards the plane and not looking at him.
A bullet landed in front of me, bouncing off of his plane and ricocheting into the dirt. "Not another step," He warned. "Miss Alpharo totalled her Regera, so I wanted to personally escort her back to you guys. Safe and sound."
I spun on my heels to face him, seconds away from taking my gun out. "And where is this totalled Regera you speak of?"
"In the back of my plane. It's a very impressive crash." His grin made fury swell through me. "You're a fucking..." Timber started to walk towards him, limping in her step but she looked drowsy all of a sudden. She blinked at the three of us and her world seemed to fall sideways — leaving her weak on the grass seconds later.
This seemed to distract the officer, and he fully left his back facing us now. Absentmindedly, I didn't realize Jacob was coming full tilt behind him with a fire extinguisher.
Smacking him solidly in the head with it.
•
"I don't even have fucking words for you right now, Timber." I spat clean at her, both hands gestured flat out to my sides until I had to grip the edge of the table to stop myself from punching her clean in the face and knocking her out again.
"Do you think I wanted this to happen?" She argued, now sitting in a chair and stretching her ankle. I scoffed at her words, "Maybe you did. You became so obsessed with him in just twenty-four hours it's no surprise he's sitting out in the back with Roco right now!"
Timber groaned. "I'm not obsessed. Interest and obsession are two entirely different things."
I got the self-control to cross my arms. "Did you ever hear the phrase curiosity killed the cat?" I bit my lip. "I might actually shoot you right now."
Roco's shouting from outside interrupted our argument. "Don't you fucking test me, Striker." He mumbled something back at her and I think smoke came out of her ears. Punches were landing on somebody and Timber and I raced to get outside.
Her 'race' was more of a bunny hop but we still had the same idea. It was my idea to cuff Striker's hands above his head on one of the poles behind the warehouse, and of course he didn't get a say about it because he was still unconscious as of 10 minutes ago.
"Roco, lay off." I snapped, grabbing her shoulders and tugging her back. Timber seemed eager to get in front of Striker and block Roco from staring him down — a useless play considering his head was above hers.
"My knights in shining armor," He sighed blissfully. "Shut up." Timber muttered at him, brows flattening.
"Rocori, lay off. Sit." I can't stand her aggression sometimes, right now is not the time for her to be using it, but he's ticking her off so it doesn't help. "So I'm being punished now?" Roco scoffed.
"Enough," I lifted my voice enough and grabbed Timber's wrist. "We're not done talking yet."
She stumbled inside after me and sat back down in her chair, clearly a bit upset either way about it. I stared at her, things running through my mind on what I could say to her. The only thing that blurted out of my mouth was, "Timber are you fucking stupid?"
Timber's eyes glared emptily at me, a small frown creasing her cheeks. "I've reminded you countless times about cops and shit. Countless times," I had to pause and genuinely laugh. "So I really have to ask, are you that stupid?"
"She's not." Striker poked his head through the doorway briefly, swinging away when Roco's hand pressed on his face to push him back.
Timber had a certain look in her eye when she saw him, a weird smirk in his direction too. I blinked at her, absolutely baffled. She didn't get some sort of soft-spot for the brunette, right?
"Why the hell did you just smile like that?" Thoughts coming to life, I shocked her with my question.
"What do you mean." Timber squinted at me sternly, her voice tingling with lies. I crossed my arms slowly. "Roco," I called. "Get in here." Roco obeyed a few moments afterwards, pushing the door open and coming to lean against the wall.
Only one way to find out! I thought, heading outside to meet Striker, giving him a snobby smile before grabbing his arms that were chained above his head and yanking them down, earning a hiss and a groan of pain from him.
His posture was awfully slouched and that was clearly uncomfortable for him. Good. It should stay that way. Timber gave me a weird look, and I gave her a flat one back.
No hesitation in my body language as I ripped the gun out from my back pocket, pressing it to the side of his head.
"Hey," She rushed her words. "What are you doing?" Oscar awarding performance right there. I flicked the safety of the gun off, really seeing the gears in her head steam. "Hey don't fucking hurt him."
Striker let out a quiet 'Hm', knowing I was testing her and not actually going to kill him. If this guy is as serious as his file says, I'd rather not kill him. Timber exhaled defeatedly and brought out her gun as well, aiming it at me.
No fucking way.
Roco took out her gun and aimed it at Timber, making this almost a three-way-duel. Evening the odds, Roco grabbed her other pistol out and aimed it at me too — unless it was Striker — just to be safe.
If I shot Timber, Roco would shoot me. If Timber shot me, she wouldn't hesitate to shoot her.
"Wow. Worried about me, princess?" Striker mused, smiled at her, laughing afterwards, even after I smacked him on the head with the barrel of my gun. Timber finally flipped her gun back in her pocket, raising both hands to show her mercy.
I couldn't believe what the fuck I just saw. But I put the gun away too, turning the safety back on. Roco only lowered hers, which wasn't a surprise.
"Clean yourself up in the medical room, Timber." I shook my head, sighing. She tossed the ice pack to Jacob who barely reacted in time to catch it, and limped her way to the smaller office we reserved as the medical room.
Roco looked at me, no expression on her face but clearly waiting for an order. "Take him back outside with you. Organize our new shipment crates for me if you can." I shoved him in her direction, and he had no intent on running.
"And what are you going to do?" Her black hair messed over her eyes when she tilted her head. "Technical problems. You know." I dismissed. Jacob didn't need any orders, because he's annoying and prone to request random things very often, a bit obsessed with Roco and Timber.
Roco seemed hesitant to nod, but she did anyway, taking Striker out of the backdoor and closer to the water where the old cargo-docking-port was.
—
"Rocori." Striker said for maybe the fortieth time. I was fed up. These boxes are heavy as shit for no reason, and have the tendency to wanna take a whiff of wind with them and go soar like a bird.
"What." I finally responded, slamming the crate down in front of the other ones. When he didn't respond I was going to lose my mind. My parents did that when I was younger. They'd call my name and when I responded to them they didn't say anything.
Maybe they were just confirming if I was still alive or not — maybe Striker thinks I'm a crazy robot for my lack of communication with him.
"Hallelujah, she can speak." Striker imitated jazz-hands in the cuffs, the metal clanking was mildly annoying but it was short lived.
"Yes I can speak — what do you want."
"I don't know," He shrugged. "Actually that's a lie, don't listen to me. I'd like to get out of here? I have a meeting I would not like to miss."
"I don't care." I turned around, already going back to tuning him out and grabbing another crate from the pile. Jesus Kya, how much shit can you order?
I briefly examined the dates on the boxes. Some of these are just way older and their shipping got delayed. This could be a while if I don't get moving.
My hands are tired and clammy though. So maybe a two minute break wouldn't be too bad. I hopped up to sit on the crate, spinning my gun in my hand as a fidget toy.
"Wouldn't it be funny if the safety was off, and you spun it wrong — just boom." Striker taunted from the other side of the crate pile, trying to use his hands in a gestured way but nothing appeared to work.
I really don't know what Timber is seeing in him. He's an ass.
He's a self absorbed douchebag.
He's a cunt, nonetheless.
He's a cop.
That's the worst part.
He's a cop.
"What's on your mind, guard-dog?" He blinked at me, resting his head against his elevated arm. "Nothing," I hissed. Why would I make small talk with a cop.
A lightbulb dinged in my head. Why wouldn't I make small talk with a cop? "Timber." I corrected myself. "And what about her are you thinking about?" Striker continued, his short brown hair was starting to flatten on his head.
"Just some... bet her and I made as kids." Almost a lie. It was a promise, not a bet. "Oou, a bet, okay. Now I'm intrigued — did you win the bet?" Striker clicked his tongue.
I opened my mouth to speak but had to think hard about how to even respond to it.
Technically, I did 'win' the bet. Timber promised me as a kid that she wouldn't fall for a cop the minute we got into the criminal life. After our first robbery at the jewelry store, she promised me that.
Now, I don't know if she's in love with him but... I lifted my eyes to stare in to his — he was already looking at me; cold, harsh, uneasy — and couldn't find anything behind them. I'm not willing to have her take that risk.
"Sure. I won the bet." I sighed, standing up with a shrug and getting the last bit of strength I had in my biceps and back to lift it up, placing it on the final crate. Great.
"You seem very... frustrated about winning that bet, Roco." He chuckled. He needs to shut the fuck up right now or god help me.
"I think I'm just fine," I folded my arm over my chest and held it with my other, stretching. "And I'm going to go grab the key for the shed. Don't you fucking think about moving."
"Oh, sure, I'm going to go take a walk — have a chat with the fish at the port." Striker rolled his eyes, looking away. Timber scooted up to my side, brushing her shoulder against mine. "Hey."
"How are you feeling?" I kept my eyes on the 'prisoner', watching how he stared at her. "A bit dizzy, still," She grunted in annoyance at him, shaking her head afterwards. "Otherwise great."
"Hallelujah." I scoffed. Timber popped her other hip out, trying to shift the weight on her feet. "I got a message from the Shop, Heli status is just fine and there was nothing about it being hacked or anything. So I dunno."
I instantly had to look at Striker, watching how his body language shifted and something in his eyes wasn't the same as before. What did he know? Anyone can get into the intercom of another vehicle, but that's not why we took it in for service.
I frowned, turning back to Timber and gesturing my head in his direction, hoping to get the memo across that she should question him briefly. "Right. I'll be back in two." I placed my hand on her shoulder and jogged inside.
"How much do you know about Blackhawks?" Timber's voice indistinctly asked. "Enough." Striker chuckled deeply. "How much is enough?" A grin was behind her voice.
"I know enough that you can crash a couple of Black Hawks flying near radio broadcast towers because their electromagnetic emissions disrupt the helicopters' flight control systems."
There was a long wave of silence after that. A long wave. I rushed into the warehouse further, trying to find the key. Fuck. Where did Kya move it?
It's 100% been about 7 minutes. I'm quietly counting in the back of my head. Either they're whispering or she shut Striker up.
I murmured continuous curses under my breath, sprinting outside with my pistol locked and loaded in my hand.
Slowing to a stop, I wanted to gouge my eyes out with a stake. Striker was gone, he left with the cuffs and his plane was gone too.
Worst part was, Timber was gone as well. Where was Kya where was Kya?
"SHIT!"