Deviation Actions
Literature Text
Chapter 2
1
John drove them from his apartment and to the other side of the metroplex city to where the Wall stood separating the high tech society from those the shunned the day's technology. Even the Wall looked ominous and when he looked over to Mira, he noticed her looking out the window chewing at her lip. She was thinking about the events that led her to fleeing for her life and go into hiding. The woman was not for running or giving up. That was why she made a good police officer. Between him, Cooper, and Mira, they were the top and best of their Academy class. They had set the bar for future cops. They were also the trio that were extremely headstrong and played loose with some rules in order to achieve their goals.
He thought back on those days as the ride to doctor he used to remember the day he was ambushed, wore on.
- - -
“Come on, Kennex! Get your ass moving!” Cooper yelled with a big grin and jogging in place.
“Coop, you know he is going to hold us back from setting the Academy's record.” Mira leaned over, placing hands on her knees to keep her muscles stretched.
“You can be heartless bitch, Shepard.” Cooper threw a laugh toward the young woman.
“Hey, if it meant getting my way, and beating this record would be a nice little coup, then yeah, I will be a bitch.”
John came up to the pair, a little winded. “Hey, Coop, we are in a tough business. She needs to be a bitch in order to be taken seriously.”
“Oh, ouch, Kennex!” Mira gave John a mocking wince. “You sure know how to flatter a girl.”
“There is a girl here?” John looked around them as they stood on the exercise course that was littered with natural obstacles along with simulated urban settings.
“Hey, Kennex, be nice.” Cooper chided his friend.
“She knows I'm kidding.” He gave Mira a wink.
“Ha, now that you are rested,” Mira slapped John's shoulder and then sprinted off down the trail. “Time to get your ass moving again!”
“Punk!” John yelled after Mira. The only reply he got was laughter.
* * * *
Toweling his hair, John walked to his locker and noticed Mira leaning on her locker talking on the cell phone quietly. He tried to not eavesdrop but his curiosity got the better of him. Quietly, he opened his locker and rummaged through it for his clothes.
“I'm doing fine, Nana. Yeah, it's tough but I'm scoring in the top ranks.” There was a slight pause as she listened to the caller. “Dad would be proud...I know. Is mother still angry with me?...I don't know, maybe...I have to do this, Nana, you know why.” Mira sighed heavily, resting her head against the locker. “I will. I love you too. Please...tell mother...no, forget it.”
John grabbed his underwear and put it on, laying the damp towel on the bench, then reached in for his shirt. The call was over shortly and Mira was still a moment, staring at the phone in her hand. She turned around and stumbled into John. Grabbing her shoulders, John steadied them from losing balance.
“Is everything okay?” John asked softly.
“Yeah, just fine.” Mira frowned and turned her face to look at John.
He was always good at reading body language and watching the subtle emotions in people's eyes. John could tell Mira was lying as the set of her mouth was hard and the eyes blinked rapidly, keeping tears at bay. She quickly looked away but John grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him.
“Hey, want to talk about it over a beer?”
“Not really.”
“I don't believe you.”
"Believe what you want, Kennex.” Mira gave a soft growl.
He rolled his eyes up and muttered. “Stubborn, frakking woman!” Not that he didn't enjoy a challenge and Mira Shepard was a challenge. “Come on, we are going for a beer.”
“Don't butter me up, Kennex! You think by buying me a beer or two will get me to spill all my personal details, think again.”
“Hey, I want a drink and I would like your company. Unless you have somewhere else to go?” He gave her an innocent look.
“I...” Mira blinked, taken aback by the switch of tactics in John. “No, not really.”
“Great. Let me finish getting dressed and we will go to McQuaid's”
“Already making headway at the local cop bar, huh?”
“Why not? My father would go there when he got off duty, so I'm keeping up family tradition.”
“Yeah, my dad would go there too.”
John hid the smile on his face as the first honest and real piece of personal information came out from Mira. Since the time they joined the force and started the Academy, Mira kept a lot of her past tight behind a steel barrier. She intrigued John as he liked her enthusiasm and strong morals. Mira also pushed at him to keep doing better. When they met Trevor Cooper, then Cooper would join with Mira and team up against him, making John prove he could be better. They became a tight group of friends and formed a formidable squad in the Academy. Of course, the long legs, athletic curves, and dark hair struck his fancy, Mira's eyes was what captured John. Those blue orbs of hers would change from being extremely blue when she was excited or happy to steel gray when she was angry. That was how John could tell when Mira was lying about her emotional status. Right now, they stood between blue and gray.
“Your dad was a cop?” He asked.
“Career officer.” Mira replied as she leaned back on the lockers and crossed her arms, side glancing at John as he finished dressing and pocketed his personal effects. “He put in over thirty years, saw the police force evolve from the old radio calls and laptops to all the advances that cops have today. He didn't agree with a lot of the advanced tech changes but at the core, he did what he believed in.”
“Where is he today?” John grabbed his jacket and closed the door of his locker, looking at Mira.
“Anderson Memorial Park.” Mira's mouth twitched down for a moment.
“I'm sorry.” John said sympathetically.
“Thanks.” She pushed off the locker and walked next to John as they headed out.
* * * *
“And so, when the promotion came, his partner threw this huge scavenger hunt for his bars! He never guessed that I had them and I certainly wasn't telling.”
“Oh, that is cruel, using his own daughter to hide the rank tabs!” John laughed.
“That was Martin for you, ever the prankster.” Mira giggled and took another swing of beer. “I was so proud of my dad for finally making Captain! Mother took it in stride and was supportive. She looked at it that dad was finally at a desk and would be home for dinner at a regular time.”
“Mothers are like that.” John grinned. “Mine would fuss over father until he just gave in and let her do the checklist of all the things he needed to do.”
“Mine would just give the silent look of insufferable patience, not say a word until dad would just bow his head and go 'Yes, dear' before heading to duty. The day he was killed, it was just another routine day...” Mira paused, her eyes taking on a far away look. Her fingers idly twisted the beer bottle on the table.”He had cleared his afternoon to make it to my school to be at my graduation. I was doing the commencement speech and was wanting him to hear it. However, before I got to the stage, his old partner Martin came to me, taking me aside to tell me he was killed in an explosion. Oh, god....” Mira choked for a moment, lost in the memory. “He wasn't even a captain for a month.”
John sobered immediately. “What happened?”
“The first strike of Insyndicate, that's what happened. My dad put away a lot of the earlier cells but then they got this influx of money and firepower, and became almost untouchable.”
“Damn.”
“Yeah, but as a good daughter of a recognized and well liked police officer, also first of her class, I had to carry on. The speech I gave was not the one I had labored over for weeks.”
“Is this why you signed up?” John asked quietly, catching Mira's gaze.
“Part of the reason. I knew I was going to join the force before that happened but now, it added additional incentive.”
“Gotcha.” John finished his beer and pushed the empty bottle aside. “Come on.”
“Where we goin'?” Mira said as John came around the table and grabbed her hand to pull her up.
“Trust me, you will like it. It's a place I go to when I need perspective and to clear my head.”
When they left the bar, John whistled for a cab and as they got in, told the driver an address. The cab pulled into traffic and headed off to their destination toward the wharf district. Mira watched the lights flicker past, John watching her with interest. He was pulled to Mira and was sure it was mutual, though Mira never said anything or gave any obvious signs. Again, it was in body language and what the eyes expressed. After a short while, the cab stopped and John exited first, holding a hand out to Mira. She looked at him in surprise but took it as she stepped out. John continued to hold it as he led Mira around the walk to the glass framed front of the building that was being renovated. He smiled at her as he went to one door and slid open the glass door and waited for her to step inside. The lights of the city reflected off the water and provided enough light to walk in the dark interior. Mira walked slowly around, looking at what used to be a conservatory in the midst of renovation. Her eyes looked up to see the glow of the city and a few stars peek through the panes.
“Hey, over here.” John called out to Mira. Turning her head, she smiled and walked back to John as he leaned against the open glass doors of the studio. Grabbing her hand, John pulled her to his side and pointed with his head to the scene outside. Mira took in the whole wharf and the water with its dancing lights. Across the way was the open countryside outside the city.
“It's breathtaking!”
“Yeah, I know. I was exploring this section of the city during one of our free days a few weeks back and found this place. It's still being renovated and this conservatory is going to be turned into an apartment. I liked it upon seeing it and put a bid on the place.”
“Seriously?” Mira looked at John.
“Yup. I told the contractors to keep the framing as I want the light coming in. I know there will be points in our career where it will be dark, Mir, and this place will be a bright place to help chase away the shadows.”
“You always go for the unconventional.” Mira smiled lightly. “I can imagine you here. It suits you.” She turned back to the view.
“Thanks, coming from you that means a lot.” John moved to stand behind her, resting a light hand on her hip.
"You're welcome.” Mira's voice said warmly and leaned back into the man.
They stood there in silence, watching the lights of the city flicker on the water and have the cool night breeze waft over them. Mira gave a little shudder to which John opened his jacket and wrapped Mira in it, sharing his body heat with her. He laid his head against hers, content with the quiet moment with the woman. Right now, they were two close friends enjoying a simple moment in his future home. For now, it was satisfying and John didn't need to ask anything more.
2
The neon lights of the China district shone through the car as John turned into the street and went to park at a spot close to a noodle stand he frequented when he came to see the Recollectionist. Mira looked at him and their surroundings, never betraying what she was really thinking or feeling on her face. She made a move to get out but John grabbed her hand and halted her progress.
“This doctor is not exactly legal and I'm not sure he can help but call it my gut, we need to do something about that phero implant.”
“I know.” Mira replied neutrally. She looked into John's eyes, seeing his concern around some controlled anger. It was new to see the anger as the man she knew before the incident was active and one to laugh and joke easily. “I wish there was someone we could trust to help but...”
“I know. If there is a mole on the inside, we have to rely only on Sandra.”
"What about your DRN?”
“Dorian? Can I tell you something and have you not get mad?” John gave her an inquiring look that made him look less grumpy.
“What?”
“I'm having him work from the inside to see if he can't trace down the leak. Sandra knows this already and approves. The MX's look at him as an outdated fossil so Dorian has the run of some places and free will to think on his own that no one will suspect he is after something in particular.”
Mira frowned and turned away, looking out into the bustling night life of Chinatown. John grabbed at her collar and forced her to look at him. “Hey, you trust me, right?” He asked her.
“Yeah, I do but...”
“Then trust Dorian. You have been in deep for far too long, Mir, it's time to start letting some of us help you. After all, you called Sandra, and in turn, she brought me in to help, knowing how close our ties are. So, quit being the stubborn bitch and trust me.”
Mira gave a little chuckle. “You still have a way to make a girl feel good, Kennex.”
“It's the only way you will ever listen to me.” John gave her a small lopsided smile. “Now, come on, we don't have much time and the longer we sit here....”
“Could mean that whoever is after me is getting closer.” Mira nodded.
“I love it when you finish my thoughts.” John gave a little chuckle and proceeded to get out of the vehicle.
3
"I'm not sure I can help, John.” The doctor told John quietly.
“You have to try.” He gave the Recollectionist an intense look.
“Helping you get your memories back is one thing but you are asking me to take out a police issue implant!”
“Yeah, and it might be tagged. That is why it needs to come out of her! The longer we stall here, the more likely the people after her will find your place and gun it down.” John said heatedly.
“Why does this matter so much? I remember when you were heartbroken over one woman that you were ready to kill yourself to remember what happened that day of the raid to find her!”
John looked over to Mira and watched her pace the small office. “She matters, doc.”
The Recollectionist flicked his eyes between John and then Mira. Pursing his lips a moment, he gave John a short nod. “Alright. You got a way to dispose of this implant when it is taken out?”
“I'll think of something.” John told the doctor.
“Why is it every time I hear that, I'm not reassured.” The doctor turned away and gathered some instruments. “Mira, take a seat in the chair.”
Mira stopped her pacing and went to the laid back chair that John had been in many times. When she settled into it, John looked down at her, holding her hand in his. The doctor came over with a scanner and scalpel. He gave John an imperious look, telling John to move. Taking a step back, he got out of the way but kept within Mira's sight.
“It is a standard subdermal implant?” The Recollectionist asked Mira.
“Yes, located behind the ear.”
Taking the scanner, the doctor ran a reading, confirming the location and the activity of the implant. With a steady hand, he asked Mira to turn her head, which she did and held her golden streaked brown hair to the side, and proceeded to make a small, clean incision. Grabbing a set of tweezers, the doctor reaching under the skin, being as gentle as possible before grabbing a hold of the implant. What was pulled out was a small flat disc with micro incisions in it. Whoever led the Special Operations force that dealt with deep undercover agents, spared no expense to equipment.
“Beautiful craftsmanship. Custom made for Mira.” The doctor eyed the chip.
“What?” Both John and Mira exclaimed in unison.
“I don't know much about bioimplants but I know enough to tell the difference from tailored compared to street goods.” Taking his scanner again, the doctor inserted the implant into a slot and pressed a couple of commands. There was a little chirp and he frowned. “It seems you were correct, John. Where every officer has a geo locator chip, this one is one step above and is an actual bio tag. Not only it has GPS but reads body signs.” The Recollectionist eyed Mira with a curious expression. “This isn't standard police issue.”
“Damn!” John exploded. “Damn, damn damn! How do they keep infiltrating the ranks?”
“What is this about, John?” The doctor asked.
“We don't have time to waste anymore and the safe house is a no go.”
“Okay, then what is the best course of action, John?” Mira huffed.
“When was the last time you talked to your mother?” John eyed Mira seriously.
“You got to be joking!”
“No, I'm not.”
Mira got up in a rush from the chair and grabbed at her jacket. “No, absolutely not!”
“She's off grid and your record is redacted in the network. Your father made sure his home was not on the network.”
“No!” Mira yelled at John. “I will not go groveling to her to take me in! Not after last time!”
“We don't have a choice!” John's mouth hardened into a hard line.
“John...” The doctor started to interrupt.
“No!” Mira shook her head vehemently.
“We can't go back to the studio, they know where I live! Forget the station or anything related to the precinct. It is the best choice we have available.”
“It is no choice! That woman made it clear I wasn't welcome anymore!” Mira started to stalk past John but he reached out and grabbed her arm forcefully. She made to swing at him but he stopped her arm.
“It is our only choice.” He told her with a hard tone.
“John, if you are going to leave, you better do it now. The chip is broadcasting.”
His eyes snapped to the Recollectionist and held out his free hand after Mira lowered her fist. “Give me the implant.”
The doctor complied and John closed his hand over the chip. Without a further word, John led Mira out of the office and quickly down the hall, making one turn and then another before bursting out into the alley. His eyes scanned the wandering peddlers and civilians walking by. Letting go of Mira's arm, he wrapped it around her waist instead and winked at her, then stumbled drunkenly, pulling Mira with him. She stumbled with him so as to not have them fall on the ground. Her eyes scanned the night crowd and saw a flicker of a couple of men searching the area, one of them wearing a set of tech glasses. John had them stumble into a more crowded area of the market at the end of the alley, singing purposely off key to some old song.
They bumped into a couple of people, John loudly excusing them from their drunken excess. Mira noticed his hand slip into the other man's jacket and pushed them away from the bustle of the people. Hurrying them down a side street, John looked around them to see if the search duo was following. When the searching men burst through the crowd, John grabbed Mira and pressed her against the wall, looking into her surprised face. He gave a flicker of a smile before lowering his mouth over hers.
Mira struggled for a moment in shock but as John worked at her lips, he felt the fight response leave and welcome him. His hand came up to cradle alongside her face and deepened the kiss. Distantly, there were a couple of whistles from passerby's as they noticed two lovers in a passionate kiss. To John, he never thought how good it felt to kiss Mira again, tasting the sweet plumpness of her full lips. He forgot just how good Mira felt in his arms and gave into the brief moment of reawakened passion between them.
His hand brushed across her forehead, brushing back the stubborn lock of hair that refused to be kept behind Mira's ear. He leaned in to kiss her forehead, trying to comfort the upset woman after they left her mother's house. All for graduating at the top three percent of their class, Mira's mother still would not accept her daughter's choice to follow Captain Shepard's footsteps. There were never any voices raised, only a sudden coldness and then the words to struck a fatal blow to Mira.
'I don't want you in this house again as long as you wear the uniform and badge.'
“She didn't mean it, Mir.” John said softly.
“Yes she did. She doesn't say anything unless it was intended.” Mira said in a distant tone of voice.
They were back at the newly furnished studio apartment on the wharf, the light of the city shining in through the windows. John thought it was best to bring her here, as Mira had no where else to go for the night. He watched the storm in her eyes, his heart going out to the woman who wanted nothing more than the love and sense of pride from her mother. Lightly cupping his hand to Mira's face, John kissed at the slowly running tears on one cheek. As he moved to do the other cheek, he slowly licked at the saltiness on his lips. Mira turned her head and caught his lips with hers, sealing them at first with desperation to feel anything other than shock and anger. As John responded, not giving into Mira's desperation but delving into a far deeper emotion, he patiently and slowly kissed Mira, letting her know how he felt about her that he couldn't say in words.
She relented and then stopped fighting that pull that was between them. Their mouths parted a moment as they caught their breath and John looked into Mira's eyes, seeing such an open wonder mixed with a mix of other emotions he couldn't name them all. “You know you have always known, Mir.” He croaked.
“I know. The Academy came first though.”
“I know. Now that it is done, where do we go from here?”
She gave him such a sweet and trembling smile that John was completely smitten with Mira then. Grabbing his hands, Mira pulled him over to the sleeping area. With shaking hands, she undid the buttons of the shirt he had lent her over nine months prior. John stopped her and finished the job, wanting the pleasure to undress and touch Mira's skin. The chambray shirt soon slipped to the floor, along with other articles of clothing.
Their mouths parted barely an inch from the other, knowing that pulses were racing. John rested his forehead against Mira and caressed at her cheek with trembling fingers. “We need to get out of here.”
“I know but is she really the only option?” Mira pouted.
“Yes. I'm sorry but maybe this once, if your mother knew you were in danger and needed her more than never, that whatever she has against you being a police officer will be put aside.”
“That is wishful thinking.” Mira laughed sardonically.
“It's worth a try, isn't it?”
Mira inhaled and let her breath out slowly before replying. “I guess. Just don't hold out any hope. After father's death...”
“Shhh,” John laid a quieting finger on her lips. “Now, it is more than your father's death, and even your life. She will have to understand. You are still her child.”
“We'll see.”
“I'll be satisfied with that.” John pushed off Mira and looked for Mira's hit squad, noticing that they were gone and probably off chasing a false trail. “It's safe, let's go.”
