Kazimir takes another look at the paper which currently laid on the table.
"Hello, Kazimir. Are you alright? You look a bit stressed."
Looking up, the young detective smiles at Nia.
"No, I'm fine."
Nia nods and looks down at her hands.
"Kazimir, if it's too tough on you to cover for your friends, it's best that you tell them."
Kazimir chuckles and turns back to the piece of paper.
"What're you talking about?"
"I'm talking about Pierre's drug business and Alexei's gun dealing." the young woman replies, sitting down. "I've known about it for over a week now."
The young man smiles down at his shoes.
"We can't hide anything from you, huh?"
Nia shakes her head.
"Considering I've found bits and pieces of Merderaé, I'd say not. I also, uh, happen to know you're the one who's been killing all of those law enforcement officials."
Kazimir sighs, running a hand through his hair.
"So why haven't you told Dayne and Caio yet?"
"I don't want to see my friends end up in prison." Nia replies. "But I do wish you guys could take some other route that isn't so detrimental."
"Well, you have to understand that what I'm doing is for a good reason, Nia."
"I'll hear you out."
"The department doesn't give a fuck about the citizens. They only take cases seriously that'll pay them heavily. They treat the people of this city like animals and talk as if everyone is inferior to them."
"I realize that." Nia says.
"This place is equivalent to all the other citizens we'd call criminals." Kazimir continues. "The only difference is that we have a fancy title, a position of power, and can easily sweep things under the rug. Anybody with money and power can."
"So that's why you're helping Pierre and Alexei?"
The young man smiles and nods.
"Yeah. Why not play both sides? See which one I like more."
Nia watches as Kazimir stands up, placing the paper into his pocket.
"Kazimir, you act like this is some kind of joke. Do you realize how serious this is? What if you get overworked and slip up? I think you should consider taking a break from all of this."
"I might get overworked, but slipping up can't be an option for me. Besides, if I stop now, what's going to happen to all of the innocent citizens of Claiza City? Who's really going to protect them? It won't be this department, that's for sure."
The young woman fiddles her thumbs and sighs.
"Alright, but you should be really careful. Caio is planning on watching you from now on and is wanting to plant a secret camera on any belongings you keep unattended. Just keep watch for a black Mercedes."
"Thanks for telling me, Nia." Kazimir says, shaking her hand.
"And please tell Pierre, too."
"If I can reach him."
"I'm being serious, Kazimir. I understand he isn't the most likeable person in the world, but he does have loved ones to provide for."
"I will, I will."
Watching as Kazimir closed the door, Nia turns back to her laptop, before feeling a hand cover her mouth.
"MMMMMMHMM!"
"Now, you just stay silent, bitch."
Looking up, the young woman's brows raise as she came face to face with the new chief.
"Mr. Tamb? What-
"Did that boy kill my son?"
"Your son?"
"Don't play dumb with me, girl! Arnold was becoming a very successful young man and that boy decided to end his life!"
"Sir, I really don't know what-
Feeling a piece of metal poke the back of her neck, Nia's breathing becomes hasty.
"I need a yes or no, girl. Did that bastard kill my son?"
"I swear on my life, Mr. Tamb! I really don't know!"
Pushing the young woman to the floor, Ernest Tamb kneels down next to her, beginning to unbuckle his belt.
"You like keeping secrets, huh? Well, since I can't have my son back, I guess I'll just have to make another one."
Eyes widening, the young woman's thoughts flash back to her previous marriage. The thought of her feeling trapped again was taken over by a rush of sudden adrenaline.
"Get away from me!"
Using the bottom of her shoe's heel, Nia jams it into the man's face. Stumbling back a bit, Ernest drops his gun and she quickly grabs it.
"I-I'll kill you if y-you come any further."
Ernest chuckles and begins to walk forward.
"I can tell when someone has never shot a gun before. Put the gun down, bitch."
"I promise, I will kill you! Just leave me alone!"
The man lunges forward and Nia quickly pulls the trigger, looking away.
*BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!*
Hearing nothing else, she stops and looks down, immediately dropping the gun.
Backing up against the wall, Nia slides down it and covers her mouth.
"Oh my goodness, I killed him. I really killed him."
Hearing the door to the room open, the young woman jumps and quickly turns, coming face to face with Alexei.
"Well then, who knew coming back for a forgotten paper would be this surprising. What do we have here?"
"You have to believe me, that man tried to rape me!"
Locking the door, the young law student walks over and touches the man's neck.
"He's gone. You certainly filled him with bullets, yes?"
"I didn't know what else to do." Nia replies, bringing her knees to her chest. "I didn't mean to kill him."
Sighing, Alexei looks up at the clock.
"I'll call Kazimir and tell him to delete all the camera footage from 15 minutes ago. Meanwhile, you and I have a body to take care of. Congratulations on your first kill, my dear."
Nia raises a brow and her jaw slightly drops.
"M-My first kill? Why would you say something like that?"
"Could you get some paper towels from the bathroom?" Alexei asks, looking inside a storage closet. "Cleaning solution, but no paper towels. I wonder whose dumbass is in charge of supplying this closet."
Nia walks over to the young man, peeking over his shoulder.
"Are you even listening to me? You make it sound like I acted like some kind of ruthless animal."
"Or someone playing a first person shooter game." the law student replies, turning around. "My dear, it really isn't that serious; the man tried to hurt you and you acted in self-defense. It's alright."
"If it was alright, then why're we hiding the body?! Why can't we just expose him for who he truly was? What if I'm not the only person on the department he's tried that with?"
Alexei chuckles and looks Nia in her eyes.
"These people will never believe your side of the story for multiple reasons. You know that, now accept the fact."
"Well, we have to start somewhere." Nia says, following Alexei over to the dead body. "If one doesn't make her voice heard, then nothing happens."
"The citizens have made their voices heard plenty of times, Nia. The only way we can get justice is if we seek it out ourselves. I had to kill the bastard who killed my closest friend and knock a lesson into the clown who tried to rape my Khristina; the coward winded up killing himself! And now, you yourself had to kill this motherfucker because he tried to force himself onto you as well! SO DON'T TELL ME OUR VOICE IS GETTING HEARD BY JUST TALKING!"
Jumping back a little, Nia's eyes slightly form a sense of melancholy and she leaves the room to collect some paper towels.
*CLICK!*
Hearing the door unlock, Alexei watches as Kenneth enters the room.
"I forgot my-
The older man pauses as he stares down at the body, before turning to the law student.
"He tried to rape Nia, she shot him. It was self-defense."
Closing the door, Kenneth walks over to the dead man.
"We should notify the rest of the-
"Mr. Mondalle, notifying the rest of the department isn't going to solve anything. There's barely any women in it, anyway. In the end, whose side are they going to take? A lady who claims she was almost raped by a man or a man who was in a position of power that the department heavily respected?"
"And who would you defend in court?" Kenneth asks, crossing his arms.
Alexei turns to the man.
"You'd pick the one who seems to have the most evidence, wouldn't you?"
"I'd analyze both and pick the one whose story seems to match up correctly."
"Okay." Kenneth says. "Then analyze the situation here."
"I don't understand what-
"Son, just do it."
"Well, I know Ms. Ellison is telling the truth about what happened. She's shaken up and scared, plus her body language is off. I mean, a psychopath could show these traits; but her body language speaks for everything." Alexei replies.
"So then if you know she's innocent, why're you trying to stop her from speaking out? You're just as bad as this dead man right here."
The law student laughs and shakes his head.
"That's quite far-fetched, Mr. Mondalle."
"Is it, kid?"
"Yes, it is." Alexei says, crossing his arms. "We both know who the system is going to let off. This department is heavily corrupted and the only thing Ms. Ellison would recieve is a prison sentence."
"You have a point." Kenneth says, nodding. "But let's say we requested the case to be taken to the state court."
"And what difference would that make?! My own mother, pregnant with Khristina, was sexually assaulted by one of her business partners after a meeting. Took it to the state court and lost. You know how many times I had to hear the woman cry herself to sleep at night?! She gave up her makeup brand because she felt she could no longer focus on it."
"So then why don't you try the man who did that to your mother?" Kenneth asks. "Reopen the case once you receive your law degree."
"I can't. He's been dead for over 7 years."
"Well, the courts won't be able to side with their personal favorites all the time. At some point, people will start to notice the pattern and call for change."
Alexei sighs and looks up at the ceiling, rubbing his hands down his face.
"Mr. Mondalle, I've already gone over this with Ms. Ellison; no one's voices are being heard by talking. It's physical action that puts people in their place."
"You make some great points, kid. However, this is not your case, it's Ms. Ellison's. You can't find her voice for her, she has to do that herself." Kenneth states. "You wouldn't like it if your company's work performance went down because people were being silenced."
"You're correct, I wouldn't." Alexei says, standing up. "But sometimes, I believe life would be easier if women and men both played traditional roles. Anyway, I have an empty suitcase in the back of my trunk. I'll be back."
Kenneth watches as the young man leaves and shrugs.
"That kid."