"Bull's eye" Valentina rejoiced behind me, I lowered the gun turned to her, and smiled.
"You're so good at this thing"
"I'm no cop for nothing, it's your turn come try it out". I winked at her after the first statement before dragging her forward as she tried to resist and handing her the gun. She held it and turned to me.
"I just can't shoot, it's so impossible for me to hit the target". I moved closer to her and helped her lift the gun from behind her.
"Firm grip, look at the direction of the bull's eye, now point your gun in that direction, steady stance, and take a deep breath. Do not be shaky, and don't let your heartbeat distract you". I instructed her position before stepping aside so she could shoot.
She eventually pulled the trigger but she missed Bull's eye, she was so close to it.
"I missed it again" She lamented
"But you were so close to it, you've never been that close". I entreated her to try again which she did.
"Bull's-eye, yes!" I yelled victoriously behind her as she hit the target. We hugged and jumped simultaneously like two years old before a call interrupted us.
"Hello Inspector Perez"
"Officer Maria, report to the office now, there's urgent work"
"Okay sir, I'd be there in 15 minutes". Valentina looked at me with pouting eyes.
"I'm so sorry, it's urgent, we'll continue this some other day. Come let me drop you off in your art gallery".We walked outside, I pounced on my bike and she sat behind me as I drove off.
Valentina is my cousin, I'm just 2 years older than her, she clocked 23 years ago. She has been my only friend and sister for the past 13 years. I stayed in Lorenzo's den for two years, it felt like hell. I dropped Valentina at her shop and zoomed off the station. I was such a badass rider only Valentina and Aunty Carmen made me drive slowly yet they'd plug into my jacket so tightly like their lives depended on it. I pulled up in front of the station, removed my helmet, and bounced inside.
"Good day boss"
"Good day Sanchez, where's your partner?"
"Eerm, I didn't reach out to him, I just drove here as soon as possible"
"I called him as well, we have a case of a kidnapped lady and I suspect it's the drug mafia"
"The drug mafia?" Martinez echoed from behind as he entered the office. We both turned in his direction.
"Thank God you are here Martinez, you guys are my best detectives and you've been on this drug mafia's case for a while now, this new case may just be our lead"
"Yes boss, we'd take on this case. Let's have the details" Martinez confirmed before turning to me.
"What do you say, Sanchez, you've been quiet". I was staring into space, the closer I got to apprehending Lorenzo the more anxious and angry I got when I lost him.
"Sanchez!" Martinez's yell jerked me back to the present.
"Yes, I'm sorry, did I hear you say drug mafia? You mean Lorenzo?"
"Yes, I think we might be able to nib him". Inspector Perez added.
"Great, let's do this" I replied with excitement.
"You guys are my best guys and I trust you to handle this and bring the girl safely" Inspector Perez admonished.
"Trust us boss" Martinez replied before parting my back as we turned to leave.
Martinez walked me to my desk, he moved closer to me and tucked my hair behind my ear.
"Are you fine?" He asked in a hushed tone.
"Of course I am, do I look pale?"
"You were lost earlier in the boss's office"
"It's nothing, I was just processing the case in my head"
"Alright, I'm glad you're". He said as he pulled out my chair for me to sit and pulled out another for himself.
"Shall we?" He said as he pointed to the document he just dropped on the table. I nodded in affirmation and he smiled.
After the death of my father, Living as Maria Sanchez is the only thing that helps me remember my dad's face and the blood on my lips when Lorenzo shot him. I've rehearsed how I'd so torture Lorenzo when I apprehend him, "I'm Maria Sanchez, I bet you can't remember the face, not the name, you've wasted too many lives to remember that but not anymore. Your worst mistake was killing my father right in my face, my father risked his life to cleanse the country of maggots like you and I took over from where he stopped". That was my rehearsed line, the sole aim of becoming a police officer is to get justice for my father and find my mother.
After spending 2 years in Lorenzo's den, Lorenzo was so hard on me, he had me train every day with a few other kids he kidnapped as well. Oh! poor, I doubt they ever got out like me. Now that I'm a cop, I appreciate the toughness Lorenzo took me through, I'm a lot tougher now and ready to repay his gesture.
"My mama is sick, please help her, please, somebody please help" I pleaded on top of my voice. Mama was shivering badly, it's been just 2 months since we got to Lorenzo's den and she was reacting terribly. Lorenzo's men finally came to our rescue. I only saw Mum once after that day, they took her away, it was hard living without Dad even harder not knowing Mum's whereabouts. I cried for days, rejecting meals—just asking to see Mama but they didn't care as much about my tantrums. I eventually gave in when I almost died of hunger, Since Mum wasn't forthcoming it was only wise for me to resume meals.
"Sanchez, what do you think about this information?" Martinez asked.
"It looks fishy, the evidence is obvious—they are similar to Lorenzo's raid but something just seems off. I think we should visit the crime scene and question the mum a bit."
"I love you, Maria, I love you" Martinez assured with a big smile.