Vicki's mood immediately soured at the word detective.
She had lost all faith in the police.
Having her statement taken sarcastically, rudely, and bitchily. Every word she said was contradicted.
She was treated like a little kid who said they wanted to be a superhero. But at least ten times more degrading and infuriating.
What was worse is that they didn't even do anything about it.
They just wrote random shit on paper, made a fake promise to follow up, and it repeated. But with different cops.
She used to never believe any of the older girls on her stroll. Telling her to never trust the police.
But that was before she had her teeth knocked out and it was called an accident.
Before she had her nose broken and it was said to be blown out of proportion.
Before she was r*ped and told that she was asking for it or that's what she was paid for.
Now she knew better. She was better off just forgetting it ever happened.
" I don't know why you're here. It just had an accident. I slipped down some stairs and fell."
Vicki's eyes went blank as she lied.
" Fell down the stairs?" Jerry confirmed.
She looked away and nodded.
" Just to confirm you received your injuries from falling down the stairs?"
" Yeah, are you fucking deaf?" She snapped.
" Eh. You know, old age is not a kind mistress."
Jerry's joke brought a flicker of laughter into Vicki's throat. But it quickly dissipated.
" So this is a joke to you? You think this is funny?" She clenched her teeth causing her words to be strained through.
" No. What I do think is funny, is that you think that I would believe that. Now, look I can't help you if don't cooperate-, "
Vicki saw red. That word, 'cooperate'.
She hated that word.
As if it was a magic spell that would make everything new. She hated how it was used around her.
Like it was the most delicate and easiest thing to do. Cooperate and we'll help you.
Cooperate and this will all go away.
Cooperate and we won't hurt you.
It disgusted her.
It infuriated her!
" Cooperate? Cooperate!?
I've been cooperating for years now, years!
And what did I get? No arrests except for my own, no follow-ups, no r*pe kits, hospital bills up my oh so loose ass, and ridiculed by you self righteous asshole cops!
Nobody cared! You didn't care! And apparently, I'm not supposed to care either!
You think I wanted my life to be like this? I wanted to be a fucking lawyer! So I went to school, I worked my ass off, and I was the top of my fucking class!
But despite that, no one would hire me. So the debts started, and at first, this was just a way to get back on my feet. One and done.
Then my ma got sick, then my old man, then my brother got arrested. And I was back again and again.
Finally, when I actually had a chance at a big firm. Someone leaked my secret life and the only where I could go, was back to here.
Just until I can find a real job I said. Just for a little bit. Then a little bit turned into years.
Then I got ' used' to being beaten, not eating, sleeping during the day.
I even got used to you assholes. And people telling me to 'cooperate' which is just code to say that I'm fine so you don't have to do any paperwork.
So I'll cooperate. Hell, I am 'cooperating' when I say.
I'm fine nothing happened."
Vicki had been pushed up by her weak limbs. Though she trembled, she still held her head high and a hard gaze.
" Lay down, " Jerry stated and gently pushed her back down onto the bed.
" Look, what happened to you is awful and messed up, " He started.
" But?" Vicki cut him off.
" Oh, there's no but. What happened to you should never happen and I'm gonna make sure it never happens again.
And seeing as you shared your life story with me I suppose I should share mine.
When I was young it was just me, my ma, and pa.
Pa worked for some big-name company. And he took real good care of us.
While Ma always made sure we both kept on the straight and narrow.
It was going good, until Pa was framed for embezzlement.
Apparently, his boss was doing something illegal and stumbled upon it.
To keep himself safe, his boss framed him. Then he died after getting stabbed in the joint.
We lost everything and has been broken into pieces.
My Ma, bless her soul, tried her best to support me and glue us back together. But she married young and didn't have any life skills.
So she did what she thought was the only thing she could do.
She turned to the streets.
I always asked her where she suddenly got the money. She just told me to worry about kid stuff.
But I could see the exhaustion and shame in her eyes.
Do I tried my best to contribute to the house too. I worked job after job. Morning or night.
Then one day, my friends and I, were walking in the seedy part of town.
Then one of my friends saw my ma with a 'client'.
I was shocked and angry. God was I angry.
Then later that night, I confronted her.
When she finally admitted it, I screamed and screamed. Until my throat was gone.
Then I told her I hated her.
It wasn't long before the word had spread and I was known as the 'whore's' son. Which just fueled my rage.
So I started to go out. Drinking and partying.
And when I turned into a teenager I got even worse.
All in my angsty bullshit. I cussed my mom out every time I saw her.
One day, I went over to my granny's house. I had just cussed out my mom again.
And my granny asked what was going on with me.
When I told her. I didn't expect her to beat the shit out of me with a wooden spoon.
She went on a rampage on how my ma gave up everything she believed in. Swallowed her pride and God knows what else. For me.
She told me to get my head out of my ass and think about how she felt. Having to dirty herself, being ostracized by her own son. Even to have him curse your name.
That she must be the one feeling terrible here. And now that I've had my years to act out like any angsty little shit.
It's time to grow up.
I was shocked. The woman who believed that you should only sleep with your husband. Had no terrible opinion against her daughter who does exactly the opposite.
If she was willing to show her so much love.
Then what did that say about me?
I felt waves of guilt pour over me. The images of my mom all alone, sobbing, feeling so worthless.
And it was all my fault. I didn't support her.
So I ran home.
I wanted to tell her I was sorry. That I was dumb. That I loved her.
Then I got home and-."
He paused his face filling with grief.
" What, what happened?" Vicki asked feeling absorbed into the story.
Jerry cleared his throat, and licked his lips.
" I got home, and... she was just.... there. Bleeding. Not breathing."
Vicki was shocked and she felt tears creep into her eyes.
" Apparently, someone thought it would be funny to throw a brick spray-painted with whore on it through the window.
It hit my mom in the head and she was dead before she hit the floor.
The police *ha* didn't do anything. It was 'just a damn hooker'. Even though she wasn't even with anyone when she-."
He choked back tears.
" And that just makes me feel more guilty. Because I should have been there. Maybe I could have prevented it.
Then what just drove the dagger through was that she left me so much in my name.
It just-. It just didn't feel right. I didn't want my mom's money, I wanted my mom. I wanted her forgiveness. I wanted to hold her.
But I couldn't.
So, I at least wanted justice for her.
So, I pushed the police. Day after day, I went there and insisted that they investigate.
It finally took the threat of suing for them to finally do something.
Greedy bunch of bitches.
But at least they caught who did it.
And it turned out to be my best friend.
Or I thought he was. He held me as I cried, he comforted me, he was my shoulder, my rock.
And a murderer apparently and a liar.
And at his trial, you know what he said?
' She was just a whore why does it matter?'
I wanted to climb from my seat and snap his neck. But I held myself back, I was sure he was going to go to prison for life. Or at least for years.
And guess how long he got for killing my ma?
One year.
One damn year.
And he was out in six months because of good behavior.
And the bastard didn't even apologize for what he did. He just lives his life.
I wanted to kill him. I almost did. But when I realized that there were more people out there, suffering even worse than me. I knew I had to do something.
So I worked my ass off and got into the police academy. And once I became a cop. I made a vow that I would believe anyone who came my way unless the evidence said otherwise.
I would never let anyone or myself cloud my judgment or give me any sort of bias. And I wouldn't associate with any less than reputable characters.
Which is why it took me so long to make detective. I never 'played ball'. I never agreed with some of the higher-ups. I never acted like my companions.
So I was probably the oldest person to be moved to detective. But I never broke my promise. I don't care what you've done before, or what you do, or what you believe in, or anything like that.
Someone wronged you. And I intend to seek justice no matter what."
Vicki looked right into his eyes. They never wavered the whole time he was talking.
" So, please, let me help you."
' Eh, what have I got to lose?' Vicki grunted in her mind.
" Damn. Well if you look at me like that, I can't say no. Okay, but if I'm going to be honest, I don't remember much."
" That's okay, just tell me what you do remember." His tone relaxed her.
" Uhh, I remember he wasn't bad looking. I gave him a full service. It was in an abandoned factory I think by a burger place. I remember thinking that I was starving.
I was finishing him up with a b.j. But he was taking too long. I tried to tell him to hurry up but he said he doesn't take orders from whores. Then he started punching and kicking.
I think he kissed me before he was about to finish me. But then there was a noise and he went to check I guess.
Then I was picked up by this other guy."
" Other guy? What other guy? Where did come from? What did he look like?"
" Yo one question at a time man.
I don't know where he came from and I couldn't see his face. He just carried me like a princess and told me to wait while he dealed with the asshole.
I don't know how long he was gone, but when he came back he scooped me up like a knight in shining armor. I blacked out and when I woke up the doc was shining light in my eyes."
Jerry felt a spark in his memory. Then he looked Vicki in the eyes.
" Vicki this is very important. Did you ever get a glimpse of his eyes or hair? Any distinguishing features?"
" Um, I'm pretty sure he was real tall. Six feet at least."
" Ok, anything else?"
' Do I really have to lie to him? I didn't see the guys face at all, but the weirdo told me to lie and say I did.
I might be setting up someone else. But damn it he saved my life so I owe him this! Sorry detective.'
Vicki's internal battle had ended and she forced the lies through her lips.
" Yeah, I didn't see his whole face. But he had some black hair poking out from his hat and red eyes. Like rubies and this weird mask, I think it had um, uh, teeth. Bloody teeth!
I remembered because they reminded me of Dracula."
Jerry was taken aback. It was him!
" Why are you asking? He's not gonna get in trouble, is he? He saved my life!"
" I gotta go, " Jerry suddenly stood up and turned away.
" What-. H- hey! Wait a minute!" Vicki exclaimed pushing herself up again.
Suddenly, Jerry was back next to her and he handed her his card. " If anything like this happens again, YOU CALL ME."
He asserted and finally walked out of the room.
Leaving Vicki confused but with her bloody cheeks turning even redder.
" That guy really is different huh." She whispered as she stared at the card gripped in her hand.
(At Daniel Fang's Room)
" I'm sorry miss but that's really all that's too it." Daniel said.
Mya felt a vein starting to bulge and throb in her forehead.
Though he was high as a kite. Daniel still seemed to constantly give Mya the runaround.
And frankly, Mya wasn't interested in joining a track team.
Every question hit a dead end. He barely said complete sentences. He wouldn't cooperate at all and out of all his bullshit answers, the only thing that was consistent. Was that someone broke in, beat him up, and left. He didn't see their face, they were of average height and build, and they didn't say anything.
But he still managed to find time to be a dick.
" Look, be a good girl and let this go.
And I promise that you'll get a nice big pay raise."
He would patronize her and she'd just imagine knocking out his teeth.
But after a while, she was ready to break her own jaw if it meant she wouldn't have to be here anymore.
' Please someone get me the hell out of here. This obviously isn't going anywhere.' She begged, hoping that her pleas wouldn't just bounce around her skull before shriveling up and dying.
But she was told to press until she got a lead. Direct orders from way up above.
So unless she is forced to leave in full view of staff. Who were just outside the door, she couldn't leave.
Plus, who knows who's watching. She didn't want to be called lazy and incompetent. Then it gets her fired.
It might have been paranoid and outright ridiculous but anything can happen when it comes to corruption and people with power and money. She knew and it raised her blood pressure through the roof.
" Daniel! "
The door suddenly burst open and there was Sunny Long. The tough and badass biker girl.
Whose mascara was running and tears creating ugly black marks running down her face.
Everyone in the room cringed back with gritted teeth.
She. Looked. Wrecked.
" Daniel!" She cried out and rushed to him. She wrapped her leather-clad arms around him and collapsed on top of him.
Daniel groaned in pain but it fell on deaf ears.
" Daniel!"
She cried out his name again and pressed her face into his chest. Again despite his protests.
When she lifted her head up she started to ramble.
How she was so worried. How she was so scared. How she was so glad he was okay.
She only talked about herself. Never once in her constant rambling did she acknowledge anybody else, ask about Daniel's condition, or get off the man currently in distress.
Although, Mya's face twitched maliciously seeing the cocky grin whipped off his face.
" *Ahem* Excuse me, miss, but who might you be?"
Mya cleared her throat.
Sunny finally recognized Mya's presence with and pissed off glare.
She stood up and walked towards Mya. With one hand on her hip and the other laying stationary by her side.
" You know, you really should give someone your name before asking for theirs."
Mya was a bit shocked at this but replied nonetheless.
" My name is Mya Hong. I am one of the detectives assigned to Mr. Fang's case."
" Oh. Then I thank you for investigating but my darling is obviously in no mood for such things. So I ask that you pursue this matter at a later date."
She proudly announced.
" Uhm, I-"
" Please leave."
She got closer to Mya's face and snarled. "Now."
' Yes, thank you! Oh my, thank you, you thirsty try hard bitch!'
Mya threw a party in her head as she simply nodded and walked away.
She went out the door, giving a quick nod to the hospital staff outside the door, and flew down the hall.
This case was going to be an easy one. Daniel would find the culprit himself, torture them, then Mya would arrest him and eventually Daniel for assault.
It's happened more than once....
Long story(s).
" Mya!" She was grabbed by her shoulders and spun around.
Luckily she recognized the voice or else she would have shot him.
" Damn it-."
" Cuss me out later. This is important!"
" What-?"
" It's about the guy from the nightclub."
Jerry whispered into her ear and Mya immediately shut her mouth.
" Let's talk elsewhere. Who knows who's listening." Mya murmured while glancing at all the passerbys.
Jerry nodded and the two stalked back off to their car.
With their investigations just beginning.