The Second Encounter

"Erimez"

"Hey, Eri, busy with something?" A voice called out, disrupting me with my work. I look up and saw my sorta best friend and roommate Spencer drinking coffee. He's been very social and excited lately due to the fact that we're new in this building. He's very innocent and carefree of a person, he even dyed his hair green, proving my point that consequences don't bother him. That could both a very good and deadly perk in life, especially as an officer in this city full of thugs.

"What do you want Spence? Can't you see I'm quite busy at the moment?" I replied, leaning back for him to see the paperwork lying on my desk and the three cups of empty coffee.

"Really? It's just our first day and you're already this busy?" He teased. Looking back and forth at the papers and me.

"Yes, that's our job, Spencer. We don't always have those Hollywood police action moments, we also have a boring, ass pain paperwork to go through." I suddenly snapped at him. Even I was surprised by myself, caffeinated beverage has done its work.

"Woah calm down there workzilla. I know you're doing your best but a little relaxation won't hurt you." Spencer advised. Seeing that he was genuinely concerned about me, I relaxed a bit. He may be carefree and sometimes dumb as a brick but he is a good friend with good intentions.

"I'm sorry Spence, it's just that I saw this open unsolved case and I just want it to solve somehow. I've been up since yesterday and had no sleep trying to figure out a lead in this case." I sighed in frustration. Out in the corner of my vision, I saw Spencer leaning in on my desk, hoping to see what specific case I was talking about.

He probably couldn't figure out what it was due to the mess, so he hesitantly asked me. Leaning in and said, "What's the name of this unsolved case? Is it that family who ran away from their farm so suddenly without any reason to?"

"No, that case was too bizarre and complicated for me. I'm looking up on my brother's case. You know, why he suddenly vanished into thin air without ever contacting me?" I said to Spencer.

"Oh, uh, sorry about that Eri. It's always weird to me that your brother suddenly vanished. He was so beloved by everyone." Spencer stumbled, the way he's bubbly personality quickly vanished when things get gloomy always makes me laugh internally. If only he knew what really happened to Langdon and what really is my real mission, maybe he'll act differently.

"It's fine Spencer. What happened already happened and we don't have any power or ability to change it." I commented gloomily. I quickly changed the topic when I saw the time on my computer desktop.

"Oh, would you look at the time! It's already past 12:30, and we haven't even had our lunch yet. You should probably go buy food and while you're at it, buy me lunch too." I hurriedly pushed Spencer towards the door, but he stopped a couple of seconds later.

"But, I don't know where's the nearest restaurants or fast food chains here. I think you should go Eri since you know this place better than I am." He said innocently, I couldn't believe I forgot that Spencer always gets lost whenever he's alone. Sometimes I wonder how and why the police academy even let him graduate if he's this incompetent, but I guess he excelled enough and proved enough in the police academy that the school officials saw potential in him and let him graduate despite his flaws.

"How about we do this plan, you two knuckleheads." A startling contralto voice suddenly spoke behind us, making us jump by surprise.

Spencer and I simultaneously turned around and saw the head chief of The North Side Wolas City Police Department (NSWCPD), Ava Janice Zalara. One of the badass people I know and one of my inspirations to become a police officer with enough skills and knowledge to be part of the special Wolas City undercover task force in hopes of finding my brother, or what's left of him.

"Chief Zalara, we didn't know you're behind us," Spencer spoke first. He jabbed his right elbow at the side of my stomach, signaling me to reply or speak up.

I quickly realized what Spencer was trying to do and spoke up saying, "Uh, yeah, um, we were just arguing who's going to buy our lunch, that's all."

"Relax Erimez, I'm not going to bite you, haha." Chief Zalara suddenly quipped and laughed in front of us. I could physically hear both of my and Spencer's soul internally panicking and thinking about what to do next without disrespecting the Chief

"Ah ha ha ha ha. That's so funny Mrs. Z." Spencer stupidly commented. He didn't even know that the Chief was single and is in her mid-20s. At that point, I just really want to die out of embarrassment, just shoot me and I'll pass on the afterlife happily.

"That's Ms. to you Spencer, I'm not married yet nor am I interested in having any sexual relationships. This part of the city is problematic enough for me that I have my hands tied and having a man as a legal spouse is way too stressful for me." The Chief explained at Spencer rather roughly, if this continues on I might actually die of embarrassment.

"Moving on. So anyway, I was actually here to ask both of you a favor. If that's okay with you." She commented, I quickly stepped in before Spencer opens his mouth and say something embarrassing.

"Oh, that's okay Chief. Just tell us what you need and we'll do it a-s-a-p." I replied. The chief looked at me and smiled at my answer.

"Good to hear that, Erimez. Now both of you lean forward so that I can whisper to you my favor." Chief Zalara requested. Spencer and I obediently did so without any questions.

"What's this request Chief? Is it a case you want us to solve? Or a crime scene you want us to check out?" Spencer whispered, excited to know what the Chief wants us to do. He really is itching for some action.

"No this is much more important than that Spencer." The Chief whispered sternly. She looked around goofly and at that point I knew this is not going where Spencer thinks its going but I didn't speak up, instead I stood back going with the flow.

"Then what is it Chief?" Spencer asked like an obedient lamb.

"I need you to go to the McDonald's a couple of blocks from here and order out take outs for the hungry police officers and me in this building."