Torn
The First Beat.
I walk in to the room and gasp; it’s been updated since I was ten, not just another average room. It looks like a lecture theater at Harvard, including rows of fold out chairs and benches, in an arc with walkways splitting the room in to right, left and center; the front is a large whiteboard with wheels for briefings behind that is a podium which has closed front table stretching from both sides ready for press releases. This room must be so well equipped that the rest of the buildings failings are erased.
I walk down towards the front, all around are officers comparing their weekends. I then see Kitty Causeway, on the front left row, the only other female rookie from the academy to choose the seven one.
She like me is fully dressed and wearing a yellow tie. She is turned away from the front talking about her daughter to the female officer behind. In a small group along the middle row there are three male rookies – once again wearing a yellow tie.
The first is wearing his light brown hair in a soft bed head style (finger brushed) he has a large nose and rectangular face, he smiles as I sit next to him and announces himself as “Sawyer Damson, Ma’am.” He dips his head in a courteous fashion, I reply, “Lilly… Carter” I smile relived after nearly saying Kingsley-Carter.
The guy next to him tapping his hands on the desk as if on a computer, he has a sculpted his blond wiry hair into a bed head style and is wearing the same uniform as the others, his facial features are more pointed, sharp and feminine as is his build, he looks at me and nods, unsmiling obviously nervous and says “Vernon Lloyd” short and simple, I say my name in return.
The last of us five rookies is a male, of a medium build, with a beard shaved to fashionable stubble and is left in its natural brushed style; he gives me a heads up nod raising his thick eyebrow in an over confident way.
He stands up and sits on my other side and says in an Irish accent, “Boyd Koragon and you must be the infamous Kitty Causeway, Causeway is an name in Irish origin, please tell me… it’s not through marriage as my mother would love me to bring back an Irish bonnie when I’ve finished my exchange…” he is using all his charm and ‘Irish-ness’. I laugh quietly his face lightens up and he believe he has me in the right place.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not Kitty. I’m Lillian Rose Ki… Carter.” I smile as he realises his flaw and looks at Kitty who is scowling at him throughout her conversation with the female officer. Boyd laughs.
“I knew you weren’t…” he smirks hoping I believe his blatant lie.
I’m about to say something when the room goes quiet and the Police Sargent walks in to the room the Officers stand and then sit in respect as if he is a judge. I see my Dad just behind him dressed in his ‘Detective Clothes’ as he called his shirt and brown jacket combo.
Behind him is a female officer wearing the skirt and dress uniform and next to her is Darren who is laughing as she suddenly catches my eyes and marches towards me, on her way down the aisle as Darren and Co take their seats she comes over to me.
“Miss Carter, why is your hair hanging loose in my Precinct.” She was making an example of me; I guess she knew who I was.
“I… forgot to put in in a bun.” I reply honestly.
“As the Assistant Police Commissioner it is my job to make sure all officers in my city area are prepared and presenting themselves appropriately. Please note you have one strike next to your name.” she then walked towards the end of the tables and doubled back to the podium when on the opposite side.
I then hear Darren mutter “A strike for hair?”
She turns to Darren and says “Officer Sanderson?” obviously asking if he would like to speak he shakes his head. “Yes, people ‘A Strike for Hair’ it’s not me being unfair. I will ask you all, most of you are second and third year officers, what would Miss Carter have done if she went to a scene with her hair down and the assailant was still in the vicinity? What if this assailant decided to use Rookie Officer Carter’s hair against her in an attack? What if she arrived at a crime scene and pulled her fingers through and contaminated the scene with stray hairs? I want everyone to be prepared! I am Assistant Commissioner Frances Borzoi” She nods at the Sargent who gets up and asks for us Rookies to line up.
As we line up he calls us one at a time, “Miss Causeway, Officer Logan Rossford will be your training officer welcome to the Seven One.” He hands her a badge and blue tie. He repeats this for Boyd and Sawyer, Boyd was given Officer Carlton Franks and Sawyer gets Officer Garry Morrison.
Then I’m up and he says “Miss Carter, Officer Darren Sanderson will be your training officer welcome to the Seven One.” I take my badge and tie and smile as I queue on the other side and rub the golden badge with my thumb.
Then it is Vernon’s turn and Assistant Commissioner Frances Borzoi takes the Sargent’s place, “Vernon Lloyd, I will be your computer and operative’s management supervisor, though as the position requires you to go into the field for a year, so we have placed you with Detective Kingsley.” Dad got up and shook Vernon’s hand.
After this we were seated next to our training Officer at the front. Darren’s hands where above the table as where mine, are knees kept knocking I thanked god that the front of the desks were enclosed.
The Officers where then given brief sheets and asked to get on to their way.
We then left with our T.Os and went on our ways.
I walk down towards the front, all around are officers comparing their weekends. I then see Kitty Causeway, on the front left row, the only other female rookie from the academy to choose the seven one.
She like me is fully dressed and wearing a yellow tie. She is turned away from the front talking about her daughter to the female officer behind. In a small group along the middle row there are three male rookies – once again wearing a yellow tie.
The first is wearing his light brown hair in a soft bed head style (finger brushed) he has a large nose and rectangular face, he smiles as I sit next to him and announces himself as “Sawyer Damson, Ma’am.” He dips his head in a courteous fashion, I reply, “Lilly… Carter” I smile relived after nearly saying Kingsley-Carter.
The guy next to him tapping his hands on the desk as if on a computer, he has a sculpted his blond wiry hair into a bed head style and is wearing the same uniform as the others, his facial features are more pointed, sharp and feminine as is his build, he looks at me and nods, unsmiling obviously nervous and says “Vernon Lloyd” short and simple, I say my name in return.
The last of us five rookies is a male, of a medium build, with a beard shaved to fashionable stubble and is left in its natural brushed style; he gives me a heads up nod raising his thick eyebrow in an over confident way.
He stands up and sits on my other side and says in an Irish accent, “Boyd Koragon and you must be the infamous Kitty Causeway, Causeway is an name in Irish origin, please tell me… it’s not through marriage as my mother would love me to bring back an Irish bonnie when I’ve finished my exchange…” he is using all his charm and ‘Irish-ness’. I laugh quietly his face lightens up and he believe he has me in the right place.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not Kitty. I’m Lillian Rose Ki… Carter.” I smile as he realises his flaw and looks at Kitty who is scowling at him throughout her conversation with the female officer. Boyd laughs.
“I knew you weren’t…” he smirks hoping I believe his blatant lie.
I’m about to say something when the room goes quiet and the Police Sargent walks in to the room the Officers stand and then sit in respect as if he is a judge. I see my Dad just behind him dressed in his ‘Detective Clothes’ as he called his shirt and brown jacket combo.
Behind him is a female officer wearing the skirt and dress uniform and next to her is Darren who is laughing as she suddenly catches my eyes and marches towards me, on her way down the aisle as Darren and Co take their seats she comes over to me.
“Miss Carter, why is your hair hanging loose in my Precinct.” She was making an example of me; I guess she knew who I was.
“I… forgot to put in in a bun.” I reply honestly.
“As the Assistant Police Commissioner it is my job to make sure all officers in my city area are prepared and presenting themselves appropriately. Please note you have one strike next to your name.” she then walked towards the end of the tables and doubled back to the podium when on the opposite side.
I then hear Darren mutter “A strike for hair?”
She turns to Darren and says “Officer Sanderson?” obviously asking if he would like to speak he shakes his head. “Yes, people ‘A Strike for Hair’ it’s not me being unfair. I will ask you all, most of you are second and third year officers, what would Miss Carter have done if she went to a scene with her hair down and the assailant was still in the vicinity? What if this assailant decided to use Rookie Officer Carter’s hair against her in an attack? What if she arrived at a crime scene and pulled her fingers through and contaminated the scene with stray hairs? I want everyone to be prepared! I am Assistant Commissioner Frances Borzoi” She nods at the Sargent who gets up and asks for us Rookies to line up.
As we line up he calls us one at a time, “Miss Causeway, Officer Logan Rossford will be your training officer welcome to the Seven One.” He hands her a badge and blue tie. He repeats this for Boyd and Sawyer, Boyd was given Officer Carlton Franks and Sawyer gets Officer Garry Morrison.
Then I’m up and he says “Miss Carter, Officer Darren Sanderson will be your training officer welcome to the Seven One.” I take my badge and tie and smile as I queue on the other side and rub the golden badge with my thumb.
Then it is Vernon’s turn and Assistant Commissioner Frances Borzoi takes the Sargent’s place, “Vernon Lloyd, I will be your computer and operative’s management supervisor, though as the position requires you to go into the field for a year, so we have placed you with Detective Kingsley.” Dad got up and shook Vernon’s hand.
After this we were seated next to our training Officer at the front. Darren’s hands where above the table as where mine, are knees kept knocking I thanked god that the front of the desks were enclosed.
The Officers where then given brief sheets and asked to get on to their way.
We then left with our T.Os and went on our ways.
♠ ♠ ♠
Not fin