By the time they both reach into the police station, Jayla could hardly feel her nose. She keeps on shivering as she tries to keep up with Miles's fast pace.
''H-Hold up! Wait!''
Miles stops at the Captain's door and slightly pushes the door open so he can see his face. The Captain looks up at him from his paperwork and checks his watch then nods at him. Miles slowly close back the door and heads off onto the hallway that was unfamiliar to Jayla earlier. She walks stiffly behind him.
''Why are you so silent? You found out something, didn't you? Aren't we partners? we share stuff, you know,'' she rambles endlessly behind him, but Miles isn't paying attention. He is busy counting the doors on each side. He walks until he finds the door he was looking for; he pauses and turns to Jayla. She glares at him.
''You look awful, Ms. Glasgow; you may go home now.'' He says coolly, then tucks his hands into his pockets.
She looks at him in disbelief, ''You bought me here. Just to tell me that!? Well, I'm not leaving until you tell me what's behind this door.''
She looks at the door. It's no different from the rest in the hallway, tall, wooden, and old. She turns back to look at Myles, only to turn away when she notices his intense gaze on her.
''Well!?'' She says, folding her arms and focusing on the very uninteresting door.
''Suit yourself,'' he says lowly as he reaches for the handle and opens the door, and motion for her to enter. She enters the room. Her jaw went slack as she looks around the large room. The light is flashing in red and blue. The inside is full of unorganized computers, lots of wires, a few tins were on the floor, there is even a small broken robot with its eyes glowing red in the corner. Her eyes go to the boy sitting in a spinning chair with his headphone over his ears.
He has his head resting on one armrest and his long legs across the other armrest. A black hat is covering his face. She knocks on the door, but he makes no move to turn around or any sign that he heard her. He starts to bop his head to the music as he stretches his arms out and yawns. The blinking light turns off, flooding the place in brightness.
The boy groans and covers his eyes from the light. He turns his face towards the door, just like the room, his face instantly lights up.
''Adonis!... Miles!'' The boy springs from his chair, revealing his tall and lanky frame as he walks up towards them. He is sporting black tech wear and a huge grin that shows off his dimples.
''I thought I would never get to meet you again, Miles.''
He approaches Miles but makes no move to hug him or greet him physically. Miles acts as if he didn't see him. He then steps inside and walks towards a nearby chair. The boy didn't even seem offended. His smile even widens when he spots Jayla. He holds out his hands towards her.
''Where are my manners? I'm Zayn Hodder, a tech whiz. It's a pleasure to meet you,'' he adds a wink.
''Jayla Glasgow, Detective.''
''So are you Hodder's-?''
''Yep, the one and only child of that old man, and his cousin,'' he proudly points to Miles, who seems to be talking to someone behind a computer.
''That wasn't what I was going to ask, but okay,'' she looks him up and down discreetly. The hat is casting a shadow over his face so she couldn't see his facial features, but his height says it all, Captain Hodder's son.
He throws his arms over Jayla's shoulders, '' so lemme introduce you to my lair, my lady.''
Jayla is too tired to protest, so she goes along as he tells her the names of his endless number of computers and half-finished robots.
''This fellow here,'' he points to a long-haired boy in a rainbow-colored tie and dye shirt and short brown khaki pants. The boy is fast asleep in his chair with his earphones on and an empty tin in his hands. ''Is my chap Lyons, he oversees hacking locations and codes.''
''Hacking?''
''Hacking Criminals, we work with the police miss.''
''if you say so.''
Miles is on his phone with a focused face. After a glance up at them, he looks back at his phone. Zayn tugs lightly at Jayla's jacket to steers her attention to him. He points to an Asian girl.
''Rin, this here is Jayla.''
Rin stands and shakes Jayla's hand with a polite smile on her face.
''Hi, nice to meet you.''
''Hello there, likewise.'' As Rin sits back down, Zayn lowers his face as close as he can get to Rin, which isn't close because of the computer in between them.
''Sup sweetheart, want to eat ramen and go?'' He says in a deep voice and bites his lip.
Rin smiles at his effort and places her earbuds in her ears. She turns her attention back to the computer screen. Leaning back Zayn, groans then look at Jayla with a pained expression.
''She is a tough one, I'm pretty sure I said that line right.'' She chuckles at his desperate move.
''So, Miles. Why are you here? I know you don't miss me-''
''You don't know why I'm here?''
''Actually, I do that's why I asked,'' he adds sarcastically.
''The phone. Zayn.''
For a moment, Zayn seems to zone out. He looks at Miles and laughs nervously.
''What phone?''
Miles leans back in the chair he is sitting on and closes his eyes; his relaxed posture makes Jayla and Zayn feel anxious.
''I had a new case today. For some unknown reason, the forensic team sent you a pink phone to your lab for clues on the murderer. I am here to collect it,'' he says in a calm tone.
''Oh! That phone, I haven't done shit yet, I had this robot, Max, to finis-''
''That's enough.'' Zayn quickly shuts his mouth.
''I want the results tomorrow.''
''Yes, sir!'' Zayn mocks a salute.
At that moment, a tall blonde man walks into the room. He looks up at the ceiling.
''Zayn, I see you start to listen to my advice on getting rid of those awful colored lights. They are not doing any good for your eyes.''
Jayla observes the stranger as he starts to walk closer to them. He is wearing a long-unbuttoned lab coat with a blue suit underneath. In his hands is a steaming purple cup.
Jayla raises her eyes to his face. His blonde hair is slicked back with a few strands on his forehead. A pair of glasses sit comfortably on his striking face.
She is the first person that he greets. Her face heats up as he greets her with a bright smile.
''Hello there, you must be Miles' new partner. I'm Nathan, the coroner.'' He shakes her hands.
''Jayla Glasgow,'' she returns his smile
''It's nice to meet you. Ms. Glasgow.''
He then turns to Miles and hands him the cup. Miles takes it and looks in the cup, then takes a sip.
''You left the pool lights on this morning. I heard it was a tough one today, you okay?'' Nathan looks at Miles in concern.
''I'm fine,'' he replies softly, avoiding eye contact with Nathan. A sign that he is embarrassed or nervous. Nathan doesn't look convinced.
Zayn continues his chat with Rin as Jayla watch in awe how soft Miles seems to be while Nathan scolds him.
''You didn't eat today, didn't you?'' Nathan puts his hands in his pockets while he stares down Miles as he quietly sips the tea. Miles hisses his teeth.
''Why are you even here, Nathan? How many labs would you work at before you finally settle? Don't you want a life, huh?''
He tries to divert the topic.
''This lab is temporary, answer my question, don't get me angry, you need to ea-''
''Yeah, yeah, I know,'' Miles hands him the empty cup while avoiding eye contact.
''There is a cheeseburger on my desk, my office is the second left through that door, and stay there, I want to have a word with you.''
''Whatever,'' Miles stands with his jacket in his hands and brush passes Nathan and disappears through the door Nathan has just come through. He watches him go until he is no longer in vision.
Jayla walks up to Nathan and whispers, ''so are you two uhm-''
''Best friends, yes,'' he watches her with an amused smile, ''I have known him since kindergarten.''
Jayla's eyes widen, ''he could actually have a friend for that long?'' Nathan raises an eyebrow.
''I meant he is really,'' she looks for the right word, ''not friendly, you are the...opposite.''
Nathan smiles. He looks on the wall with a faraway expression.
''Miles... had a rough patch in his life. One many wouldn't have survived. It had changed him and the way he looks at this world,''
The corner of his mouth turns down as he furrows his brow at the memory, ''He is strong outside but just emotionally detached from everything... just be a little patient with him, please, the fact that you are still by his side right now is a good start.''
Curiously gets the best of her, she asks, ''what happened?''
''I'm sorry, but that is not my story to tell.''
''Sorry, I was just curious. So how did you two meet?''
Nathan's sad expression morphs into a grin at the memory. ''Miles made me angry every day.''
''No surprise there,'' she mutters to herself.
''I was a kid with parental issues. Miles was walking around like a ray of sunshine, always sharing his gummy bears with others but never once shared any with me. One day I went up to him and asked why he didn't share his gummy bears with me. He said I looked scary, so I punched him in the nose.''
Jayla gasps. It was quite the opposite she was expecting.
''He was so scared of me and ensured that I get a pack of gummies every morning. We became friends at some point in High school when he did all my homework, after many fights and video games, we eventually became friends.''
He ends the story and looks down with a pained expression and covers it with a smile.
''He's a great guy Jayla, he can be a pain sometimes. Just take care of him for me, yeah?''