Message: III

Toussaint went outside the place, leaving that Callaghan alone with her belongings, and she headed to Roger's office, not even thinking about if he was occupied or not. She opened the door with loud slam and then she angrily approached the desk, slapping her hands to its top in display of anger that made the commander shiver.

"Detective Toussaint, to what do I owe the pleasure?" he swallowed hard, seeing her eyes throwing daggers made of ice.

"I had met the one you made my partner, Jared." She stated with disgust. "And I really await the information you were joking."

"You met Aria so soon? She was supposed to start tomorrow as your..."

"I saw how she behaves. And I do not want her in my team. Sacre bleu, who the hell is she and where did you find her?" the detective crossed her arms on her chest and looked at the superior with such gaze he felt a cold sweat running down his spine.

"She's one of the best officers I have, Chy." He sighed, rubbing his temple not to be forced to look at her. Women weren't his strong suit, even less dealing successfully with an angry one. "I promise, she's just rough on the surface."

"Jared, you know that I'm not a nanny." She spat, frowning. "And she's barely out of her teens. What did she do, she managed to catch a drunk driver? Well, all of us did at some point."

"She was the one who stopped the drug cartel by getting into their ranks. The huge arrest a week ago? That was her doing." He admitted reluctantly, seeing Toussaint stiffening, as if she couldn't really believe it.

"You can't be serious." She blinked several times, but seeing his face she replied to herself: "Mon dieu, you're not joking. But how did she do that? She doesn't seem..."

"She doesn't seem capable of a lot of things." Rogers admitted with a loud, heavy sigh. "She's older than she looks, but not much. Though..."

"Well, her ability to behave accordingly to situation and to person she's talking to is close to none." Toussaint scoffed, raising her eyebrow.

"That's one of the reasons she's getting under your wings, Chy." The commander grunted, scratching something off the paper he had in front of him.

"What are the other?"

"She needs guidance on how not to commit crimes while fighting them." He admitted. "She's effective, but sometimes her means can be... unpredictable, to say the least."

Chyler frowned and then her eyes widened when she seemed to understand what was he talking about. It was still kind of hard to think about.

"Are you trying to tell me that the fire in the warehouse...?"

"That was her doing, yes. Then again, effective, but unnecessarily violent. Also, her ways of interrogation can be... peculiar."

Toussaint sighed, shaking her head.

"Jared, you can't be serious. What do you want me to do, raise her?"

"No, teach her proper ways. And I know that with her character... only you're able to make a good citizen and model cop out of her. Also, she would be the asset to the team, so... that's an added value, Chy. You know, some sort of promise that she is not a lost cause."

"What is making you think I will do that? Willingly?" she raised her eyebrow, but he just snorted, shaking his head.

"You don't have to do it willingly. She's your partner now, and that's not even to be discussed. I'm your superior and, so far, the last word is mine. I just hope you can mold her. You know, for old friendship's sake?" he looked at her with big, hopeful eyes and she rolled hers, not believing that someone like him made a plea like that.

"You're pathetic, Rogers." She sighed. "Fine. But I won't promise anything. And even less that I would be nice to her."

"That you don't have to be. Aria wouldn't be nice to you even if someone paid her for it. She never is. To anyone." He shrugged.

"You already pay her for that. She's working here." Toussaint didn't sound that convinced, but at the same time she was aware she didn't really know that person they were talking about. Rogers shrugged.

"If I fired her, the top would behead me after the success with the cartel. My head would roll next, and I'm sorry, but I really like it here, you know? So. No firing. She's going to be tamed by the best fencer alive." He smirked, but Chyler didn't catch the bait. She shook her head with not so happy face.

"She's going to beg to go back here even before I'll be done with her."

"That's the idea." Rogers nodded, smiling widely and finally looking his interlocutor into the eye. Although he didn't really like what he saw there.

But it was already too late for the change of heart.