Message: VII

Aria parked her black RAM on her spot and leaned her head back, exhaling loudly. That was supposed to be another day of work, but, at the same time, it was supposed to be the first. And for what she knew, the partner she got wasn't really the one she would have dreamt of.

Not that Bonzo, her previous one, was, though.

She rubbed her temple, feeling a dull pain pulsating inside her skull. She should have remembered that drinking so much while she was stressed would not only knock her out, but also cause hangover. Very first in her life, even though it wasn't murdering. She took some painkillers and in a moment she would be as good as new. And as mean as always, not more.

She slammed car's door, locking it and shook her head. Did she really want to go there? Was that something she really needed?

"Yes, I need money." She sighed, shrugging and heading into the building.

She barged through the main door, passed by the part she was working in for past few years, and then she got on the floor where the investigations were supposed to be. Without further ado, thinking that she would prefer to finally get it over with, she barged inside the office, not even knocking.

She saw Toussaint by her desk, at the moment occupied by applying a mascara.

"I'd say that I'm reporting for duty, but in this moment I kind of think I should say 'reporting for beauty'." She made her voice pitched so high that it hurt even herself. Toussaint raised her eyebrow, looking at the intruder and she scoffed.

"Good then, since I don't see any of those in you." She shrugged, finishing what she was doing. Aria didn't react, as if she didn't care. "You think you're ready?"

"What did you want me to, bring you croissants?" Callaghan scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Sorry, I ain't no baker, nor a secretary. You want to work with me, you don't get anything but donuts. And only if I have a good day."

"So never, I get it." Chyler moved some folders from her desk, and then raised her eyes at Aria. "What are you waiting for?"

"I don't know, an order?" she waved her hand. "Unless you're degrading me to be your cleaning staff. In that case tell me now, so I can make the termination paper ready by the end of the shift." She stated skeptically, but her interlocutor shook her head and her mahogany hair waved, flickering with the sunlight.

"That would be going easy on you. Scrubbing the toilets is not as close to what I have for you." She smirked, but Aria rolled her eyes, sighing ostentatiously.

"Yeah, either way it's dealing with shit." She shrugged. "Don't flatter yourself, scrubbing literal one would probably teach me more. Because that's what I am here for, yeah?"

"You're here to work. And your attitude... well, that we can work on as well." Toussaint admitted, but Aria stopped her right there.

"Whoa, hold your horses." She raised her hands, looking at the woman angrily. "Look, the fact that I have to work with you doesn't mean that we are friends or shit, neither it means you can mess with my character."

"Ah, because you're so broody and edgy you can't be messed with? I will tell you something, Callaghan." She almost spat her last name, looking at her working partner. "You're not. And after I'm done with you..."

"Nothing will change, Toussaint." Aria scoffed, pronouncing Chyler's surname in a manner that made her almost shiver. "Because you can try all you want."

"And what would you do?" she squinted her eyes.

Callaghan approached the desk and slowly leaned forward, resting her palms on its edge. If she did it faster, it wouldn't be that menacing.

"I would rather resign than change." She stated, also squinting her eyes but not that much. The power of her look laid in their openness, and filling with sparks of madness.

"Challenge accepted."

"Just a fair warning. Rogers tried. You can see how did it work for him."