CHAPTER 5: Police District Headquarters (2)

I had been looking down at the floor while Lieutenant Maxwell had been talking, now that she stopped I slowly looked up.

"Like I said before, I don't know what you're talking about. First of all I run a perfectly legitimate business and pay all my taxes. Secondly I've never seen that package before."

I shrugged off Lieutenant Maxwell's hands.

"Thirdly I've never heard of diom before so even if I wanted to tell you 'my suppliers' I can't because they don't exist."

"Still denying it are you." Lieutenant Maxwell shook her head as she left my back.

"Of course I'll deny what isn't true. I hate being wrongfully accused." I shot back.

"Fine," Lieutenant Maxwell raised her hands in surrender. "Then what were you doing out in the slums so late at night?"

I looked away and replied in a small voice.

"Ummm, I was coming back from an orgy."

The room became quiet.

"If that is true then you won't mind showing me the location history on your XOC, you know to prove you were where you said you were?"

"Sadly I can't do that, only Freestone has access to that information, so if you want it you have to go to them." I then smirked. "Although I doubt they'll give it to you."

I then stretched out my legs.

"If that's all then can I leave?"

Lieutenant Maxwell observed me for a few seconds before speaking.

"I'll get a search warrant for your business."

I shrugged my shoulders.

"And the day you get it I'll personally show you around, but with the evidence you have it might be a long time. You know…" I smirked. "My immunity at work."

Lieutenant Maxwell walked to the end of the room and opened the door there. 

I squinted my eyes as light entered the room.

"You can go now."

I stood up and calmly walked out of the room and into a hallway.

I looked left then right before turning back to Lieutenant Maxwell.

"Mmmhhh, which way do I go?" 

Lieutenant Maxwell sighed before pointing to the right.

I nodded then began walking down the hall.

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After a few minutes of passing checkpoints I was eventually led to the lobby of the building.

The first thing I saw once I entered was Alistair talking to a HUGE man.

"Shit."

At the sound of my voice both Alistair and the huge man turned around.

"You're finally here." Said Alistair casually. "A few more minutes and I would have had to go looking for you, and I was not looking forward to that since no one would be here to control him."

"BOSS!" Shouted the huge man as he rushed toward me.

"Calm down Agustin." I rubbed my ears. "I wouldn't want my eardrums to shatter."

I then took in the huge frame of one of my most trusted subordinates. 

"Did you dye your hair again?" I said in exasperation as I looked him up and down. 

Agustin nodded his head sheepishly.

"I felt it was time for a change."

"But you just changed it to green two weeks ago, was there really a need to dye it again, and to pink of all colors." I smiled and gave a slight nod. "Well, I will give it to you that it goes well with your orange eyes."

"You two can talk about hair later, right now it's time to leave."

"You're right." I then walked across the lobby and swung open the doors.

Alex squinted his eyes as he stepped out the doors.

'Is it already daytime? Just how long was I here?'

I had arrived at this district headquarters at around three thirty in the morning and before I was able to see Lieutenant Maxwell I had to go through check after check.

And when I finally arrived in that room I had to wait maybe an hour for her to make the time to interrogate me.

"Hurry up Alex," Said Alistair as he came out the doors with Agustin. "We have to clear some things up with our transporters before we head back to the academy."

Alistair then glanced at his XOC then swore.

"Shit, it's even later than I thought."

Alistair then turned his XOC to me.

"Nine already, where has the time gone?"

I then took in Alistair's XOC.

"Hey, is that a new one?"

"You noticed? Yeah I got it yesterday, this one holds my wrist tighter and is much more comfortable on my hand than the last one." Alistair turned it upside down. "I think they added extra padding or something."

We then headed down a long flight of stairs.

'They sure made this building stand tall above everything in this district.' I looked at the gates at the bottom of the steps. 

"How are we getting back?" I asked.

"I brought the automobile." Said Agustin. "I was in a hurry and I thought it would be faster than taking a carriage."

I reached the bottom of the stairs and looked back up at the district headquarters.

'I wonder how much they spent on building it on this steep hill, and out of quartz at that.'

"Come on Alex." Said Alistair as he reached the bottom of the steps. "No time to waste admiring the architecture."

'It's like Alistair forgets who's in charge sometimes. Maybe I should have him killed after all.'

While I was considering a murder we went past the guard station and walked through the open gates.

"Where did you park it?" Asked Alistair.

"Down the street." Replied Agustin as he turned to the left. "I just hope it hasn't been stolen by now."

We then walked away from the gate and followed the fence to the left.

"I hope so too, that thing was damn expensive." I then shivered as I remembered the price.

Soon we reached the automobile and while Alistair and I sat at the back, Agustin entered the driver's seat and started the engine after which we drove away.

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"WELCOME BOSS."

I nodded my head at the workers at the loading dock.

"Here's the log book of our last delivery." Alistair touched the frame of his glasses and handed me the book.

I scowled after I finished reading it.

"Our deliveries are being attacked more often, and this one was in broad daylight."

"He's sending us a message. Telling us to stay in our place." Said Alistair with a sigh.

"I'm not afraid of him, if he's displeased with us then he should tell us right to our faces." Said Agustin as he cracked his knuckles. "I'll even fight him if I have to."

"And you'd lose badly." Replied Alistair, he then shook his head. "And when we meet him next week he'll probably let us know how 'displeased' he is."

"We'll deal with it when the time comes." I said as I stopped in front of an unassuming metal door.

I then raised my XOC and used it to touch a panel that was next to the door.

*BEEP*

The door then swung open.

"Let's go." 

I was about to enter when I felt a tap on my shoulder, turning around I saw Agustin standing there looking conflicted.

"You guy's can head in without me, I'll stand out here and guard the door."

I looked at Agustin for a few seconds before I nodded and followed Alistair through the door and down a flight of steps.

I turned around briefly and saw Agustin looking at the floor as the door swung shut.

*BANG*

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"Has the next shipment arrived?" I asked as I headed down a dark hallway.

"No," Alistair shook his head. "The last one was a week ago."

I sighed.

"Do you think he wants to permanently cut ties with us? I mean, I know that's what we want but, not this way."

"No, he's just sending us a warning and telling us that he's watching us." Replied Alistair. 

We reached the end of the hall and I once again put my XOC against a panel. 

After a few moments the door opened and I walked in.

"WELCOME BOSS."

Behind the door was a room which was mostly empty except for a door to the right, a few crates, and four muscle bound men who were seated at a table and playing cards.

I looked around at the men who were in the room.

"Where is Randy?" 

"He went to the whorehouse." Replied one of the men, he then frowned and tossed down his cards. "He was on a hot streak today, now I'm almost broke."

Alistair sighed and pinched his brows.

"No problem." Alistair then sat on a crate. "Anyway, from now on there will be no stopping when on a delivery. I repeat no stopping, not for any reason, and if any of you are attacked while making a delivery I expect you to protect the goods without regard for your lives."

He then looked each of them in the eye.

"Is that understood?"

The men all nodded their heads, although obviously very grudging.

"Good," Alistair nodded his head as he stood up. "Now that that's out of the way it's time to head to the academy."

"You head out first." I said, I then turned and headed for a door to the right. "I'll check on the goods."

"I'll be waiting outside." Replied Alistair as he walked out of the room.

I then reached the door, and grabbing the handle I opened it.