Drifting the car onto the highway, Kazimir watches from the rearview as the person behind him follows, barely in sight.
Speeding up, he pulls into a rest stop area, hiding the car under an overshadow of trees and puts the car in park.
"Kazimir, what is going on now?" Nia asks.
"Sorry, Nia. Looks like someone's after me. Again."
Stepping out of the car, he lifts the seat up for Khristina to get out.
"Okay, Khristina. I want you to stay here with Nia. There's something I have to do first."
"Are you gonna be back?"
"Now why would I leave my little mushroom here?" Kazimir rhetorically asks, opening the door for Nia. "I'll be back. And with the food, too."
Nia and Khristina stand back and watch as Kazimir speeds off into the distance.
Walking over to a bench, Khristina slowly sits down and stares in the direction Kazimir went.
"Well, why don't we watch some of your favorite shows while we wait?" Nia asks, sitting beside her. "You know boys; always have things to do at the last minute."
————
BEEEEEP!!!
Honking at the slow driver in the fast lane, Kazimir quickly changes into another lane, before getting back in front of the car.
From his rearview, he could see the person still on his tail and groans.
"Okay, maybe I should slow down and wait for whoever this is to catch up. Clearly they don't know a thing about driving."
He brakes and watches as his follower surely but slowly catches up.
Turning to the steering wheel, Kazimir gives it a smile.
"Alright, sweetie. You're gonna help me strike this person. No, I'm not gonna damage you at all and he won't either."
Opening the passenger window, Kazimir grabs the gun from his door pocket and waits for the person to line up with his car.
BANG!
He pulls the trigger, causing the other car's window to shatter and revealing a distraught Haruki.
"Of course! Should've known, Kazimir." the young detective says to himself.
Pulling the trigger more, he watches as a bullet manages to hit Haruki in the side, causing him to lose complete control of his car.
Watching as the car goes into a ditch, Kazimir groans wishing there was more he could do. But he couldn't; as he was on a public highway with people and someone would be nosy enough to report him to the authorities.
Getting off at an exit, Kazimir looks back one last time. All he could hope for now was that Haruki's new wound, fatal or not, would keep him from striking for awhile.
— 9:23 P.M. —
"Okay, Nia; the guest bedroom is upstairs to the right. The third door on the right. It's a little plain but we can go shopping tomorrow for some more things for it."
Placing the food on the table with one hand, Kazimir wakes up the sleeping Khristina with the other.
"Khrissy, wake up."
The small girl mumbles something in her sleep before slowly opening her eyes to a gently smiling Kazimir.
"It's bath time."
"What time is it?"
"It's almost 9:30. I'll start your bath and while it fills, you can eat dinner. Or wait until after you've had your bath."
"But I'm not hungry."
"Okay, well you can watch your cartoons."
Nodding, Khristina lays down on the couch as she turns to her favorite kids' show.
"Mr. Kazimir?"
"Yes?"
"Can I have a Princess Sparkle lamp?"
"Yeah, we can get one tomorrow after I get off work." Kazimir says, putting the food in the refrigerator.
"What time will that be?"
"The same time as always, mushroom."
"Mr. Kazimir, I don't feel good."
"I'm sure you will after you've taken your bath. I even added bubble bath."
The small girl sighs and turns over to look up at the ceiling.
"Why can't you spend the day with me tomorrow?"
"I will after work, Khrissy. Besides, Nia will watch over you while I'm gone."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course, Khristina."
"Are we in danger?"
Kazimir laughs as he looks at the children's show playing on the television screen.
"I can understand why you might think that way, but I'm the last person to put you or anyone else around me in danger. I promise, Khristina; you'll be safer with me than anyone else."
"But if I am, then why'd that person start shooting at us?"
"Mushroom, anyone can be shot at at any given time. That's why it's important to assess the situation and figure out what's best for everyone around."
Khristina looks back over at the television before abruptly getting up and running over to hug Kazimir.
"I'm scared! Why is this place so scary?! Why do I always have to be shot at?!"
Caressing the little girl in his arms, Kazimir looks down at her.
"Some people are just flat out mean. People who want to harm others don't have anything to live for. They don't have anyone in their corner cheering them on. No goals or ambitions. They want to ruin our lives because they see us as happy and some people just like living in chaos and misery. And then there're some people who you just can't change."
Holding her head up to look up at him, Kazimir wipes Khristina's tears with his thumb.
"You shouldn't worry about those people. Chances are there was already someone trying to help them but they refused the help. Unfortunately, we can't be a hero in everyone's lives but we can in our own."
"But you're a hero to everyone, Mr. Kazimir!" Khristina says, giving him a big smile. "You help protect the city by helping catch bad guys and you even protected me and helped saved Naydine's life! And you care about everyone around and always try to help even if you don't have a lotta money! Thank you, Mr. Kazimir!"
The detective laughs as Khristina lunges forward to give him another hug.
"You're welcome, Khristina. You're welcome."
-— the next day —-
"BOY!"
Looking up, Kazimir watches as Pierre walks over to him and sighs.
"Bro, it's too early for the yelling."
"It's only 9 A.M., not that early. Did you hear about our new offices?"
"No."
"Yeah, the department finally decided to knock some sense into themselves and gave every detective an office space of their own."
"Good. Where's mine?"
"I don't know, go find it." Pierre says, hitting Kazimir on the back. "Have you heard from that glasses twin recently?"
"Who?"
"Caio, dummy."
"You think I keep in contact with any of the twins outside of work?"
The older man shrugs and looks over at a box of doughnuts.
"Hey, you never know. Apparently, he hasn't been answering his calls and no one has seen him in like 3 days."
"Then ask Dayne. Maybe he knows something."
"I might end up killing him if I see him. Can't stand that bastard. Anyway, how are things with you?"
"Good."
"That's it?"
"Yeup." Kazimir replies, as he stirs a bit of creamer in his coffee.
"Some new detectives are joining today." Pierre says, throwing a sugar packet in the air. "Actually, one is a transfer from the States."
"Wow, more people. Yay."
"Oh no, Kazimir will have to take more precaution into killing people."
The young detective chuckles and takes a sip of his coffee.
"Nah, more people, more of a challenge. More of a challenge, more fun."
"Whatever." Pierre says, rolling his eyes. "I'll talk to you later."
"See ya."
Looking at the doors of the offices, Kazimir sighs and shakes his head.
"Dumbasses couldn't even print a list of names with the room numbers by them?"
Walking further down the hall, the young detective watches as another young woman looks up and down at the office doors.
"Excuse me, miss? Do you need help?"
The woman looks over at Kazimir and gives him a smile.
"That'd be greatly appreciated. Sorry, I'm new here."
"No apologies needed. Where are you from?" Kazimir asks, opening a door for the woman.
"I'm from the States, Texas to be exact."
"Is it as hot as people say it is?"
"Oh, if not even hotter. My brother once fried a literal egg on the sidewalk."
"I know the food is good, though. I have some friends who have family back in Texas and got inspired by them and their food goes crazy."
The young woman laughs as she goes into the elevator.
"The food is to die for. Especially the barbecue!"
"Well, one day I'd like to visit for myself and I'd like for you to take me to the best restaurants you've been to. As a matter of fact, what's your favorite dish?"
"I like chicken-fried steak with gravy and side of pecan pie on the side. And top that off with some sweet tea."
"Oh, I've heard of that. I saw it on one of those cooking shows once. At first, I thought you just combined chicken and steak and fried it together or something."
The two burst out in laughter and the young woman shakes her head.
"But, I've never tried pecan pie." Kazimir continues.
"That's my favorite thing to bake. Actually, the captain said the department is going to be hosting a bake off just to ease the minds of the law officials. I'll make some and save the first slice just for you."
Kazimir widely smiles and nods.
"I think I like that. I'm Kazimir, by the way."
"I'm Xolani. It's nice to meet you, Kazimir. If you don't mind me asking, why'd you decide to become a detective?"
"My late sister was murdered by her late ex-boyfriend and this same department treated her as if she was a piece of trash on the side of the road."
Xolani looks up at Kazimir, seeing something slightly different in his eyes than the spark he had before.
"I'm very sorry to hear that. At least with you on the team, you can help change things."
"Yeah, I never want to experience something like that again. Now, what about you?"
The young woman sighs and looks over at a painting on the wall.
"My older brother was killed in a car accident 2 years ago and law enforcement claimed they couldn't find his body. A year later, my town's police chief fled the state when the local newspaper came out with an article saying he and some other people were wanted by the F.B.I for being involved in a human trafficking ring. I know it may sound dumb, but I don't care for any of that, I just want a solid answer to where my brother is. He's been there for me my entire life and just to have him suddenly taken away…it isn't fair."
Kazimir looks down at her and places a hand on her back.
"Well, you've joined the right department, Xolani. I promise, I'll make sure we get answers for both of our siblings."