The inside of the building was as expected also really big and as soon as I entered the station there was a huge reception desk in front of me. Five police officers were working simultaneously on different requests. I approached the first free officer. You can't really get in without authorisation. There are police officers stationed right and left of the desk the only entry points of the station so if there is a problem they are here.
"Hello Sir, how may I help you today."
The female police officer greeted me with a smile. She looked qiete friendly. Witch is a surprise. Most of police officers hated desk duty.
"Yes, hello. My name is Theophanes Adams. I'm transferred here from the 22th. Here is my ID and the transfer papers."
"Oh a colleague! Let me verify that. Give me a moment please."
First she checked the pappers then typed something ot the computer and finaly called someone.
"Yes hello, Sir here is a Mr.Theopan-aas.....Theofanas...Theopaa.... Im sorry how do you read your name... Ugh ..... Adams surrname Adams the new detective!"
She blushed a bit. I can't really get mad at her she was cute and my name really is strange.
"Yes, Sir right away.
Everything is OK. The Captain said that he will see you at the staff meeting room. Here are your papers."
"Thank you."
"You go to the 3rd floor that is where the detectives have their desks and right on the left you will see the meeting room. The Captain will take over from there. The meeting will start in ten minutes."
Thanking her I made my way to the 3rd floor. The big stairs are made of marble and the handrails from wood. It showed how old the station was. On the pillar on each side of the stairs there was a warning sign with a stick figure with wings: "DO NOT FLY"
"For every funny danger or warning sign there is a story behind it ha ha."
After climbing to the 3rd floor I can see why someone would fly up. It was exhausting! The stairs were amazingly made, but the height of each stair is 5cm higher and I needed to make a step before getting to the next stair. I understand why. It is better for beastmen. When the police station was made 100 years ago most police officers were much..... bigger. They were called The Peacekeepers. The Beastmen, Lycan's, Giant's and some very capable humans are the first recruits for peacekeeping. Shortly the strongest, because in the past the City was much more savage and chaotic.
It was a miracle that we found peace. Each species looks different but inside we are so similar.
The 3rd floor was very spacious. There is allot of desks with busy detectives in the middle of the big room, on the left were some holding cells with the perpetrator's in them, on the right was the meeting room, fully enclosed with darkened glass and at the back was the office for the Captain of the station. Everyone was busy doing something their desks were packed with stacks of papers. I didn't want to bother anyone so I went straight into the meeting room and found myself a chair to sit in it. The meeting room was already half full but still there were some empty desks with two chairs free. It's easy to distinguish detectives from regular police officers. Most of them wore civilian clothing and not uniforms. All of them were a different species. Humans, beastmen, elves, gnomes, really, a mishmash of everything. Everyone laughed a chatted among themselves there were still 3 minutes left before the meeting started.
"Hey! Are you new?"
Someone asked. I turned around and a Avian was walking towards the seat next to me. Avian are a subspecies from the beastmen. They shared many similarities with birds. This one looked like a owl he was my height around 180 cm. Avian beastmen are not that different from humans, the physique is similar but like a bird he had gray feathers all over the body. Slender build white shirt black blazer and blue jeans. I had to admit he had good taste. Combined with his head witch was the great horned owl he looked really handsome.
"Sarwan Deep! Pleased to meet you!"
Only when he extended his hand to greet me I came back to my senses. He had some feathers on the back of his hand and his fingers were really long with small black trimmed talons.
"Ah! Sorry I kind dozed off a little bit"
He frowned and looked at me from top to bottom still holding my hand.
"What? Never seen a Birdman before? Am i scarry? Do i look scary to you? Do my eyes and beak intimidate you? Do you not like Beastmen? Do you hate other species? Are you a racist???"
The words came at me like a machine gun. Everyone stoped talking and were looking at me like im trash. The grip was geting tighter.
"..."
What to say? The words just stopped in my throat What the hell is going on? Even the humans are looking at me with disdain. How did I get into this situation???
Suddenly a voice boomed.
"Sarwan stop picking on the new guy!"
Everyone at the same time burst into laughter.
"HAHAHAHA!"
What the hell?
A Beastman came through the door. A Leo (Lion). I shivered just from his gaze. With his amber-colored eyes it seemed he could see right through me. I could feel it in my bones. A pureblood. 250 cm of pure muscle! They were the biggest and strongest Beastmen today. His mane was golden in color with small strands of gray neatly combed to the back. He was in full uniform and on his chest golden badge with four stars that indicated that he is the captain of this station. Capt. Gozzax Thunderwound.
Sarwan was still trying to control his laughter.
"I'm sorry captain. But did you see the look on his face."
Everyone was smiling. It was a prank. And I have fallen for it beautifully.
"Sigh* What am I going to do with you lot. Ok. Enough! We need to get this meeting started. We have some important stuff to cover. Im sorry Theophanes but you will have to introduce your self to the team later. Ugh... I have a bad habit to call my team members by their names."
I didn't mind I was more shocked that he pronounced it right on the first try. Someone snickered after the mention of my name.
"Did I say something funny?"
His eyes became sharp and everyone shut up immediately. You could hear a pin dropping.
"It's ok, Sir. You can all call me Theo."
Everyone nodded. The captain was still looking at us with a stern gaze then he just sighed.
"We are all on first name basis here I hope you don't mind. While no one from the big shots is here you can call me Thunder. Now lets start."
He took out his papers and started the official meeting. At the start of the week there was always a staff meeting for police officers and detectives where the captain would update us on news and review our cases. The captain was really detailed in the review and offered some pointers to the detectives that were stuck on some cases. The most important news was that there is a new dangerous drug on the streets called Rainbow Dust and it was spreading through the streets really fast. The detectives on the case Legolas (Elf) and Gimli (Dwarf). They did not seem to get along with each other but accepted any advice form the Captain.
"That is it. Legolas, Gimli I want you to start getting some results or I will assign more people whether you like it or not. The lab results are not promsing. We didnt get anything from the test. I trust you guys can handle it."
They were stuck at it for weeks. No production site or smuggling ring were found not even a dealer was arrested. But still people and creatures were found getting hurt or overdosed by this new drug which was cheap and easy to get. Luckily it still has not spread that far over the city. After the captains words their faces turned immediately into stern and resolute ones.
"Yes,Sir"
"Meeting adjourned!"
Everyone started to get up and leave the meeting room.
"Ah yes. Theo! Meet me in my office right away."
"Yes, Sir!"
I just nodded and we followed the captain into his office. The captain just took off his police jacket and sat behind the desk. There were no chairs so I just stood in front of the desk. Even sitting behind the desk, Captain Gozzax looked huge.
"First of all Theo I would like to welcome you to the 1st precinct Solomon."
"Thank you, Sir."
"First things first. Your transfer peppers."
He took my papers and read them briefly. Signing them he handed them back.
"There that makes it official. Now I already have your biography and did a double check on your background. I hope you don't mind, but I like to know who is working with me."
His eyes flashed with serious light for a brief moment. I knew he already read through my files.
"Graduated top of your class with honors when you were only seventeen. Worked at the 22nd precinct "Dike" as a police officer for 2 years and after that you already advanced to Detective. That is impressive. And after two more years you actually advanced to first class detective. How did you manage that?"
He looked at me with great interest. It was uncommon. For a first class detective you need to be a second class detective for minimum 5 years and pass the exam. I already understood why he asked that. It was corruption in the police force it was not uncommon for someone unqualified to get a high ranking job with some shady means. So I explained
"In the 22nd we had a shortage of detectives so the captain sent me to take the exam right away. To fill the missing spot. I was young but the captain always said that I had potential. And also because I graduated the academy with honors. The only additional thing for me to advance and get promoted to a detective was to pass the exam but for a 2nd class detective."
He smiled and again looked through my file.
"Wasn't that disadvantageous for you? I mean skipping right to the higher class?"
"No,Sir."
The whole time he was smiling he was satisfied. I had great case clearance rate. Never had any problems and I was on great terms with my squad. But soon he came to the beginning of my file and and his look changed to a bit sorrow and worry. I kind off knew what was coming. I had the same talk when I got accepted to the academy. When I started to work in the 22nd and before when I became detective. It was my "history".
"You became an orphan when you were two. Parents were killed...."
He stopped there and looked at me directly into my eyes and there it was. The look of pity.
"By a non-human....The perp was never found."
I hated it. Every time I have this conversation or an interview this comes up. Yes,
my parents were killed when I was a kid. I was two years old. I could not even remember what happened that night. The nightmares that I occasional have are probably from that time but that is it. I barely remember my parents faces much less anything else.
"After that you have lived at the orphanage until you applied for the academy..."
"Sir! My life tragedy is not something that helped my career. All that I have accomplished is something I worked hard for and I don...."
"Let me stop you there Theo. I never did assume such thing. I am only impressed that you managed to become such a outstanding detective even under such tragic circumstances."
I was stunned for a moment. He was looking at me with a sincere look. Taking the files back into his hand he started to list my cases.
"90% case closure rate with a high arrest rate. One medal of bravery for saving a colleague in line of fire and numerous recommendations of various Bureau Chief's. I am impressed."
He was definitely different, he did not pity me like most of them. He really reminded me of my old captain. Capt. Rodrick. He never looked at me as a victim, he looked at me as a good detective and that is why I loved to work at the 22nd.
"You are a good detective and a great team member. Probably the reason you became a detective in the first place is to find the murderer of your parents... Is it not?"
"I would be lying if I say otherwise..."
My eyes were burning with desire. I did not lie. I would love to find the killers of my parents. It has plagued me for a long time and that was the main reason to become a detective. But there is another reason why I requested a transfer to the Solomon precinct. After I became a detective I started to investigate my parents murder only to be blocked by bureaucracy. The case of my parents murder was assigned to the detective squad in the Solomon precinct. After not finding any suspects or new clues the case was sealed as a cold case and only detectives of 1st rank could access it.
"I know what your motive is and I will not stand in its way."
Captain Gozzax stood up and opened the cabinet behind him where he took out a medium box and placed it in the desk. "Case:#0023X, Family Adams". My eyes lit up immediately. That was the thing I have been working towards to for a long time.
"I will give you the permission to work on this case. But I will need you to be focused on the cases assigned to you. I want you to be at 100% at all times! If I see that you are not at your best I will take this case off your hands. Did I make myself clear?"
"Yes,Sir!"
"Second thing! I know that the murderer in you parents case was a non-human. In the Dike precinct there is a 90% of human employees but here in Solomon its the opposite. There are 90% of different non-human species working. Will that be a problem?"
He was dead serious. And I can understand. Racial discrimination even in the force was not a uncommon thing. I smiled because that was really not a problem for me. I learned to live among diversity in the orphanage.
"Sir. I lived 15 years in a orphanage where 300 different species of kids lived together. Its not race that killed my parents."
Captain Gozzax nodded with satisfaction and handed me the box. And stretched out his hand
"Good. You can have the case it will be officially handed to you. Now to make it official. Welcome to Solomon!"
His hand was really big and covered my whole fist. He did not squeeze it to hard. If he had I was sure that my hand would be crushed easily.
"SARWAN GET IN HERE!"
He roared so loud that I almost jumped to the ceiling. Turning around captain sat on his chair again and leaned back.
"You roared for me captain!"
And again I was startled and almost had a heart attack. Sarwan was already beside me. Its like he appeared out of thin air. It seems that it was true what they said. Owls are flying without a sound. Seems that it is also true for their walking. Captain just took some papers out of his desk and placed them in front of us.
"There was a robbery in one of the Dryad Dixie Apothecary this morning you and Theo will take the case. It is the big apothecary on Latiner street. The damage is substantial and allot of goods are missing. I want you two handle it. As of today you two are a team. Do you have anything against it?"
We looked at each other and just nodded. I did not know anything about Sarwan but he seemed like a good guy.
"No, Sir!"
We answered in unison
"Good! Theo here are the papers get to the basement and get your gear. New badge and gun. Sarwan will take you. Also Sarwan, show him his new desk and explain him how things work around here. Let him take the one next to you it is empty. For now that is it. Dismissed!"
We saluted and got out of his office. I took the papers and the box with my parents case and was holding it like it was a treasure. It was time. My work officially begun.