The Vice Squad

Posted on Thu May 2nd, 2013 @ 6:26pm by Lieutenant Anandra Delair & Ensign David Brody

5,943 words; about a 30 minute read

Mission: Mission 82 - The Aggressor
Location: Starbase 400 - Holo-Suite 12
Timeline: After "Brawlin' Brody and Crooning Crumm"

ON:

Ensign Brody stood outside the doors to Holo-Suite 12 dressed in the most ridiculous outfit imaginable by the current era's standards. His tight black undershirt tucked into baggy gray suit pants with an equally baggy suit jacket and loafers without socks were enough to warrant snickers from passing crewmembers. He paced back and forth in anticipation of Lieutenant Delair's arrival. It was nothing short of a miracle that he was able to finally book a Holo-Suite in conjunction with both of them being off duty.

"Computer. Time?" Delair was not late for their appointment. Brody was just eager to get started and was anxious about her reaction to the program.

"The time is currently 1828 hours."

Lieutenant Delair had done a bit of research in preparation for this holodeck event and was able to replicate what she deemed to be appropriate women's attire for the period. What she wound up with was nothing short of absurd, and that much was apparent judging from the looks she was getting on her way to meet Brody. She wore a denim vest over a bright yellow top with low cut shoulders and bright pink lightning bolt shapes printed all over it. Her pants were acid washed denim, snugly fit and full of wear & tear; and she wore sneakers in a shade of pink that could only have come from a bygone era. On her wrist were several ('several more than necessary,' she thought) bracelets of varying, ridiculously bright colors - bangles, as they were allegedly called. She wasn't certain how to emulate the hairstyles of the time so instead her long, unruly hair was simply let down, hanging well below her shoulders.

She was running early when she left her quarters, but was stopped in conversation with a friend who was eager to know 'what's with the outfit' before she went on her way. When Holo-Suite 12 finally came into view, she was pleased to see a familiar tall figure pacing outside the door. She approached him with a huge smirk. "Hey, nice outfit, guy." she teased.

"Wow! You definitely fit the time period. High marks for authenticity." He put his hand on her shoulder and gave her a playful shake. A small crowd of onlookers was forming in the hall. Brody had never run this program at the Starbase, but this would be a sight the crew would eventually get used to. For now, it would have to remain a novelty and something for the crew to kibitz about. Brody leaned in and said to Delair under his breath, "Let's get inside and I'll fill you in on where we're at in the program."

"Why thank you sir." She said with a manner of pride that wasn't entirely in jest. She nodded at his suggestion, glancing at the onlookers as she followed him through the door. She felt a palpable sense of anticipation, looking forward to what excitement awaited them.

The doors closed behind them with with a whir and a thud. They stood in the large room surrounded by hologrids and projectors. Brody manipulated the console on the arch to verify their position in the story. Once he confirmed , he did his best to bring Lieutenant Delair up to speed.

"Ok, so we're currently in Series Two of 'The Vice Squad'. My character is Detective Jack Steele and you will be playing Detective Katie Kincaid and we are members of the Vice Squad. Your character is designed to be very by-the-book. She was manufactured to keep my character in check, however, she's broken away from that archetype some since the events of Series One." He pulled up some additional information at the console. "The story takes place in Vice City. It is a fictional city and is an amalgamation of several cities' criminal elements of the time. Our job is to covertly infiltrate the criminal infrastructure and disable various enterprises from within." He attempted to gauge Delair's reaction thus far. "Previously, our characters defeated the main villain, Tony San Diego. He was a very public figure who trafficked in weapons and illegal narcotics, seemingly without impunity. Our characters were able to build a case which led to a shoot out with San Diego and his minions. His character was eliminated and his dealings exposed to the public. In this series, a shadowy figure has infiltrated our fair city and seized San Diego's business ventures. This unknown element is a sadistic a violent individual, leaving death and destruction in his wake. It is up to us to save Vice City." Brody knew it was a lot of history to absorb and wanted to make sure Delair was still interested in proceeding. "Any questions? Does is still seem like a program you'd be interested in? We can always alter the parameters."

Anan listened intently, mentally taking notes and punctuating them with a nod here & there as he spoke. The story was indeed intriguing and provocative, unlike any holo-novels she had participated in to date, though that only increased her desire to try it out. "I'm sure I will have questions after we get under way," she admitted with a sheepish smile. "But none right now, and you don't need to alter a thing, I want to try it just as it should be. It sounds very interesting, to say the least."

"Excellent. Let's get started then. Computer, run program 'The Vice Squad'. Series Two, Chapter Three." The computer beeped and chimed as the room immediately changed around the pair. Brody and Delair found themselves on a busy street. Steam was escaping from the drainage system, litter swirled about in the wind and cars were inching along the main thoroughfare. It was overcast and the air was damp. The surrounding buildings towered towards the heavens and there was a hint of a sickly sweet smell floating about. Brody studied his surroundings in order to get his bearings. Immediately on their right was a cold building of steel and glass. Etched into the metal facade above the main entrance was an indicator which read 'Sunrise District Precinct'. Brody snapped his fingers as he recognized his place. "That's right, we have a meeting with our Captain. In the previous chapter, our characters were involved in a pursuit of reckless speed. We indirectly caused a great deal of damage to city property and were subsequently suspended from duty. I suspect we are to be reinstated, but I cannot confirm that. Ready when you are."

As the program started, Anan turned in a circle where she stood, taking in her surroundings as well, before looking back at Brody. She grinned mischievously at the words 'reckless speed' and then gave him a nod. "Ready as I'll ever be." she said, then hesitated. "What do I say to the captain when he - or she - expects us to explain ourselves?"

Brody laughed out loud. "I think you'll find the law enforcement leadership of this time is nothing like our current chain of command. Don't expect to find yourself talking to the likes of Admiral Bremer. If I've learned anything about Captain Hardy, the prefers volume over content." Brody opened the door to the precinct and led Delair through the lobby. There were a number of uniformed police officers going about their business.

One of the officers, a Sergeant O'Grady approached the duo and gave them pause. "If I were you two, I'd get the hell out of here. The Captain is on the warpath. He's hellbent on tearing you guys a new one."

Brody patted O'Grady on the back and offered a coy smile. "Thanks for the advice Sarge, but I have a feeling we'll be just fine." And with that, Delair and Brody took the elevator to the sixth floor. When the doors opened, there was a directional sign indicating that Homicide was to the left and Narcotics/Vice was to the right. After a short walk down the hall, they entered Vice. The room was a hive of activity. A number of officers were at their desks rifling through files. From across the room, the door to Captain Hardy's flew open. A short, stout mustachioed man filled the doorway. He was balding slightly and his shirt had distinct stains under his armpits. He was smoking a cigar and the smoke quickly enveloped him. "You two! Get yer asses in my office! Now!"

Brody shot Delair an excited look, raising his eyebrows and smiling. "Uh oh."

"Good to know," Anan responded with a bemused look. She followed his lead, looking with curious fascination about their surroundings and at the characters bustling within. In the elevator, Anan took a moment to ponder the phrase 'hellbent on tearing you guys a new one', hoping she'd remember to get that clarified later. She arched a brow as the Captain entered, then let out at laugh at Brody's reaction. "You're enjoying this way too much." she teased, shoving him playfully in the direction of the Captain's office. "You do the talking, I'll back you up."

"Thanks. Just remember, the primary focus of this program is the apprehension of various antagonists. In the last chapter, that's just what we did. So the Captain will likely be upset by our ancillary actions, but ultimately will have no choice to recognize our achievements...even if it won't seem that way. C'mon." Brody led Delair into the Captain's office where they had a seat in the pair of chairs at the front of his desk. The room was nearly opaque with cigar smoke, a ceiling fan doing little to make the air breathable. The walls were smartened with photos of Hardy shaking hands with varying other police personalities. Hardy slammed the door to his office and made a lazy attempt at closing the blinds.

"Captain," Brody started, "if I could explain."

"Can it Detective!" The Captain was clearly furious as spittle flew from his mouth each time he spoke, the cigar firmly entrenched between his vice like lips. "I got the Chief and the Mayor breathing down my neck wondering why two of my hotshot Detectives are tearing up their streets, costing the city millions in repairs, to catch a lowlife, dime-a-dozen scumbag." The Captain paused to catch his breath, which was ironically followed up by a puff of his cigar.

"Captain..."

"I'm not finished, Steele! On top of your showboating, I have to explain to the Chinese consulate how I could allow my Detectives to terminate a high speed chase by ramming the perp's car through the front doors of their embassy! AND, Detectives, while you two have been out on suspension, there's been an increase of drug related crimes in the Sunrise District." Hardy paused again, coughing up phlegm this time which he wiped on his shirt sleeve. He turned his attention to Delair, pointing a thick, hairy knuckled finder in her direction. "And you, Kincaid! I teamed you up with this clown to make sure he stays out of trouble. Instead, I find you behind the wheel in this latest of Jack Steele's calamities. What's your excuse?"

Brody leaned in towards Delair to give some out-of-character advice. "Feel free to ad lib here, but if you focus on the suspect we apprehended, I'm sure the Captain will back down. He hates Steele, but respects Kincaid."

Anan leaned toward Brody as he spoke, her eyes affixed upon the furious captain as she considered her 'explanation', as well as a few other details that lingered on her mind. She only wished she knew more details about the suspect, but she would do her best to ad lib.

"My explanation?" she sat forward in her seat, rigid, and spoke with an authoritative tone. "Sir, we were just doing our job - and we -did- apprehend the suspect, didn't we? We had one chance and we took it, and because of that the streets are a bit safer with one less scumbag around. You wanted him apprehended as badly as we did, sir. So we get you exactly what you wanted and you throw us on suspension? Our job is to get these criminals into custody, how are we supposed to do that if we're off the beat?" Anan remembered reading in her research somewhere that the term 'beat' was ancient Earth slang synonymous with a regular route for a sentry or policeman. "You're preventing us from doing our jobs - and for what, a few small mistakes?" she said, glancing at Brody with a smirk as she found it humorous to call these 'small mistakes'. "You can mourn over lost tax dollars and upset bureaucrats, or you can let us go and clean up the streets. And you have my word, Captain, that if we return to duty, nothing like this will happen again."

Brody turned towards Delair and spoke through the corner of his mouth. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've run this program before."

The Captain locked eyes with Delair as he processed her response. He rolled the cigar in his mouth, letting out an angry grumble, before plopping down in the chair behind his desk. "You two are fortunate you didn't get anyone killed out there. And even more fortunate that your suspect gave up some vital information."

"He talked?", Brody asked with muted excitement. "I knew he knew more than he was letting on."

Captain Hardy let out a liquid chortle, his belly shaking. "Oh yes, O'Grady and Sullivan went at him for less than an hour before he gave everything up. Turns out your perp is a wheel man for an associate of our city's new #1 most wanted. He's been running materials to make a new street drug. It goes by the 'Sunrise Slam'." The Captain could barely contain his ire. "Can you believe that? A new drug poisoning our fair citizens and they had the balls to name it after our district."

Brody spoke up, acting just as annoyed as Hardy. "We have to put a stop to this, Captain! I've heard rumors about Sunrise Slam. It's highly addictive, cheap, and produces a potent, yet temporary high. All the makings of a drug epidemic."

Hardy jumped up out of his chair. "You don't think I know that? You don't think I want to shut this whole thing down? I'd love to stop it, but unfortunately there's just one problem." He paused, creating designed dramatic effect. "My two best Detectives went and got themselves suspended!" Again, he became one with his chair, slumping over his desk. "Consider yourselves back on active duty. Whatever you do, don't make me regret this! Oh, and you'll need these." Captain Hardy opened his side drawer and removed two oval-shaped, two-tone metallic trinkets and a pair of handheld projectile weapons. "Your guns and badges, Detectives. Now get the hell out of my office and go meet with O'Grady for a debrief!"

Brody led Delair out as the Captain slammed his door behind them. "See? Not so bad, right?"

When Brody spoke out of character to her, Anan simply shrugged, a look of slight pride about her as she took his words as praise. She couldn't help but shift in her seat as the captain locked eyes with her, and with total disregard to the courtesy she might normally show, she had a quite obvious look disgust as she waved the cigar smoke away with her hand. She jumped to her feet when the captain said they were back on duty, and after scooping up her things she followed Brody out the door with a huge grin plastered on her face.

"That was surprisingly easy." she said, lifting the gun in her hand to examine it, surprised by the weight. "Now where do we find O'Grady?" she asked, looking about the room as she stuck the handgun under the waistband of her jeans.

"You certainly are a natural, Lieutenant." Brody gestured towards her appropriately placed weapon. "O'Grady should still be on the lobby. He performed the interrogation, so he'll likely be the one moving the plot along."

The duo returned to the building's main elevator, where a short trip to the lobby was accompanied by an odd musical arrangement. When the doors opened, O'Grady was already waiting for them. "That didn't take long. I see you're back in action," said the Sergeant, tapping Brody's badge with his fingers. "We better move quickly. The information we got from that piece of garbage you brought in is time sensitive. There's a shipment of Sunrise coming in to the warehouse on 45th in three hours. My boys and I will hit the site, making as much noise as possible. We need to let this Sunrise Gang know we're not giving up our city." O'Grady pulled a notepad from his breast pocket and rifles through the pages before finding what he was looking for. "Here we go. I need you two to infiltrate the Player's Lounge downtown. Our intel has one of the Sunrise Gang's top lieutenants running deals out of a back room. They're expecting two buyers from Miami later tonight. We picked up he real buyers at the airport, so we'll need you to do your best Miami impression and bring in anyone of interest."

Brody looked at Delair with a raised eyebrow. "Seems easy enough," he said sarcastically.

O'Grady handed Kincaid a metallic briefcase with a black handle. "You'll need this to substantiate your story. One hundred large courtesy of the evidence locker. And Steele, I need you to take a back seat on this one. Our buyer is a Miami businesswoman accompanied by her security consultant. Kincaid, this bust is yours."

"You should see the programs I've been running." she joked in a coy tone when he told her she was a natural. She followed Brody back to the main lobby, remembering to put on her badge when the Sergeant gestured to Brody's. She listened to the holo-character, taking notes, then mouthed the word 'Miami?' at Brody in response to his 'seems easy enough'. Anan had no idea what a Miami impression was supposed to mean - but she felt confident that the two of them would find a way to fool these sellers regardless.

She took the case, arching a brow when the Sergeant put her in the lead. "Oh, lucky me." she said with a wry smirk, then patted Brody on the arm with the back of her hand. "C'mon, security consultant, let's go buy some drugs." She turned to leave, then hesitated, turning back to O'Grady. "You can tell the Captain he can count on us - we won't let him down again." she said, giving the Sergeant a flippant salute before leading the way out of the precinct.

When they got to the street she stopped, realizing she didn't know her way around, and turned to Brody. "Did we happen to get another car after driving ours into the Chinese Consulate?" she asked in a bemused tone.

Brody took a deep breath, seemingly enjoying what was hanging on the Vice City breeze. "We should head to the Player's lounge. Don't worry about acting 'Miami'. The computer will adjust, so just proceed as you have been. Great job so far by the way." He scanned all the cars parked along the street, none seeming to meet his expectations. "And you're right, we'll need a new vehicle. What's your favorite color?"

"Thanks." she said with a smile, squinting against the sunlight as she too looked at the cars along the street. "Orange..and purple," she said with a bit of a laugh. "But somehow I don't think we'll be seeing vehicles in such colors. What about yours?"

"It's red for me, but you're my guest this time, so..." Brody approached the nearest vehicle to the precint. It resembled a Galileo-style shuttlecraft with wheels. It's boxy design was primitive, even for the simulated time period in which the program took place. "This won't do at all. Computer. One Chevrolet Corvette, circa 1985. Orange with purple trimmed interior". The ancient automobile disappeared, immediately replaced with a curvaceous and sleek automobile. It's design indicated it was built for high velocity travel. Brody kicked the tires proudly. He turned to Delair, with an ear-to-ear grin. "Satisfactory?"

Anan arched a brow, impressed with his apparent knowledge of automobiles. She found his smile infectious and returned the expression, approaching the car with a slight eagerness about her. "It's beautiful! Beyond satisfactory...let's see how it drives." she gestured with a nod, then opened the door and took her place behind the wheel, finding herself immediately lost. She'd only driven a vehicle of this sort a handful of times over the years in her various holodeck adventures, and while she had always managed to do so without smashing into anything, she still wasn't the best of drivers by any means. "You may have to copilot for me, it's been a while." she said, turning the key in the ignition. "Do you know which way we're going?"

Brody seemed a little surprised that she was so eager to get behind the wheel. She seemed quite comfortable in the driver's seat, so he hopped in the passenger seat without reluctance. He was sure to fasten his safety harness however. He pointed towards the horizon. "You see that cluster of tall buildings? That's downtown." The neon and fluorescence began to give a distinctive glow in e distance as the sun began to set behind them. "Start heading in that general direction. Once we're in the area, there should be several advertisements pointing us towards the exact location." He pulled his weapon from its holster under his jacket. He pushed a tab which caused the magazine to drop from the handle. Brody inspected his armament before slamming the cartridge back into its housing with him palm. Though the sun was setting, he retrieved a pair of oversized, tinted spectacles from inside one of his jacket pockets. He slid them on his his head and stared at Delair for what seemed like minutes. "Let's roll!"

Anan couldn't help but laugh a bit when Brody put on the glasses. "Aye sir, let's roll." she said with a playfully authoritative nod. In her attempt to put the car into gear she put it in reverse, immediately smashing into the car behind them. "Sorry!" she said, shooting Brody a look to read his reaction. "Hold on, I think I've got it now," she said, changing gears and hitting the gas, nicking the rear corner of the car in front of them as she pulled out of their parking spot and into the street, blocking the way. Just as she did, another vehicle came up the road behind them, their driver impatiently blowing the horn. Anan let out a sigh. Brody's suggestion to 'start heading in that direction' was clearly easier said than done, and Anan had clearly overestimated her retention when it came to learning to drive 20th century Earth vehicles. After nudging the car back & forth a few times in her effort to straighten it out on the road (something that might normally be accomplished through a properly executed three point turn), the driver in the car behind them stuck his head out the window.

"C'mon, MOVE asshole!!" he shouted, honking his horn. Anan put her foot on the brake, taking her hands off the wheel in surrender. "Maybe you should drive." she said, smiling coyly over at Brody. She turned off the ignition and stepped out of the car, at which point the character in the car behind them began to step out of his vehicle as well. "Computer, delete character." she said, and found herself not satisfied even after he vanished. "Computer, delete the character's vehicle, and restore the Chevrolet Corvette to it's original condition and position." The vehicle vanished then reappeared, undamaged, where it had originally been parked. She looked over at Brody, a bemused smirk on her face. "I guess I need a little more practice." she said with a chuckle, heading around to the passenger's side door. "Shall we then?" she smiled over the roof of the car at him and got in.

Brody laughed at Delair's attempt at maneuvering the vehicle. He took his seat in the driver's section and adjusted the chair and mirrors accordingly. "Computer. Install a Hula Girl figurine on the dashboard." A small Polynesian doll with a grass skirt and a small wooden musical instrument appeared on the dash. Brody flicked it with a finger and she began to sway back and forth at the hips. He turned to Delair, "You better buckle up." With that, he started the vehicle and it roared emphatically. Brody put the vehicle into gear and slammed his foot on the accelerator. The back end of the vehicle began to shudder slightly from side to side, while the spinning of the tires created and immense cloud behind them. As soon as the wheels gained traction, the car shot into the roadway, leaving all stationary objects in their path little more than blurs.

The Sunrise District was relatively flat in comparison to the Sunset District which was filled with hills and rises. As they entered the uneven terrain, Brody seemed to force the vehicle into a higher rate of speed. This caused the vehicle to leave the ground at the apex of each hill, sending the Corvette into periods of brief flight. He looked over at Delair who seemed to be enjoying the reckless mode of transportation. "We should be there soon enough."

She looked curiously at the figurine, as amused by it as she was confused by the purpose..or perhaps rather, the desire to have a miniature hula girl on the dash, but she knew that similar things were not uncommon for the time period. She 'buckled up' as suggested, sinking back against the seat to enjoy the ride, a huge smile on her face as they made air over the hills. "I'd say so," she said, looking sideways at him with a bit of a smirk - she couldn't help but be impressed by his driving, particularly the ability to have such control at such 'reckless' speeds. "Any thoughts or suggestions before I take the lead on this one?" she asked, reaching for the case of money at her feet. She set it in her lap and opened it up, revealing neatly stacked packets of bills, one of which she picked up, flipping idly through the notes with her thumb.

The car jostled violently from time to time as the Corvette carved its way through Vice City. Brody pondered Delair's question and realized he was as in the dark about their rendezvous as she. "I can only assume in this case. All my previous dealings have been with established characters. This meet involves and unknown element. However, in these types of situations, I can only recommend that you remain brash and exude confidence. These dealer types tend to be overzealous in their attempts to seem in control. You have the money they want, they have the contraband we desire. Once a transactions is arranged and completed, we will affect an arrest. It should be fairly simple." Brody lowered his sunglasses to the tip of his nose, looking over the rim at Delair. "After all, we're Vice City's best. What could go wrong?"

"Brash. Confidence." she nodded, putting the money back into the case and locking it up. "I think I can handle that." She laughed when Brody looked at her that way. "I am sorry, it's very hard to take you seriously with those on." she teased. "And as long as we stay away from consulates, I can't see how we could possibly let the good old Captain down."

The sun had completely set as Brody and Delair entered downtown proper. Brody had returned the vehicle to safe speeds and was 'cruising the strip'. The amount of ambient illumination provided by the buildings and billboards seemed to simulate daylight. Brody continued up the main roadway until a large, blinking red and yellow sign indicated that the Player's Lounge was just up ahead on the right. He pulled the car into the parking lot and shut of the engine. He removed his badge, reached across Delair's lap, opened the glove compartment, and tossed his badge inside. "For all intents and purposes, we're no longer enforcers of the law. From here on out, we get to dispense our own brand of justice without impunity. How are you feeling?"

"Ready to take this on, for the most part." she responded, removing her own badge and placing it in the glove box. "Only mildly nervous." she admitted with a slight smile. She couldn't explain why she'd even be nervous, other than facing the threat of turning the events of the storyline away from their favor. She smiled, looking at him hiding behind those dark shades on his face. "You ready, mister security consultant?" she asked, her hand already opening the door. She hopped out of the car when he indicated his readiness, the case of cash in hand and she shut the door and scoped the place out. She took another moment to secure the pistol from the front of her waistband to the back, where it would be hidden by her vest. "I imagine they're not going to let us simply walk into the back room. I am thinking we can approach the area, and let someone try to stop us from going in..at which point I will assert myself and we'll undoubtedly be shown the way back to the seller." It wasn't exactly a brilliant plan, but Delair was confident that the two would pull it off. "But..obviously if you get any great ideas, feel free to take charge and implement them."

"That's actually a pretty good idea, actually. I doubt there's much illicit activity transpiring in front of all of the clientele in the front of the establishment." Brody escorted his 'employer' to the rear entrance where he pounded his fist on the steel door. After a short period of silence, a number of interior locking mechanisms could be heard disengaging. The door slowly opened and a tall, muscular man presented himself with arms crossed and flexing.

He looked the two up and down, staring a little too long at Delair. "Hmmm", he grunted and he slowly cleared the doorway. "You're late. The Boss has been expecting you." Brody entered first, clearing the room as a security associate would before nodding to Delair that it was safe to enter. The large man closed the door behind them. "I'll need you to submit to a weapons search."

Anandra definitely noticed the extra long stare but she stood defiant in the face of it, determined not to show even a hint of unease or weakness from this point forward. "I had some business to see to on my way." she responded as she followed on Brody's signal. She shot Brody a glance at the mention of a weapons search. 'Now is the time for that brash confidence', she thought. "I'm not submitting to a thing until I see the boss. I didn't come all the way from Miami to submit to a freaking weapons search..where is he?"

The bodyguard was clearly irked by Delair and her strong female presence. It was clear this was something he was not accustomed to. He thought for a moment before dishing out threats. "The Boss made sure I knew it was a priority you were seen. Just know, you are outnumbered and outgunned. So don't try anything." He led Delair and Brody down a narrow corridor to a doorless arch. Where a door should have been was a curtain of ornate beads. They made an interesting sound as they walked through. The room they entered was full of half naked, half comatose girls likely under the influence of the Boss' Sunrise Slam. There were at least six men with brandished weapons keeping a fixed gaze on Delair and Brody.

In the corner of the room was a table seating a lone figure. A small, delicate looking man, he was clearly the one they were looking for. He wore a loose shirt adorned with palm trees and had corrective lenses which magnified his eyes until they looked too large for his head. A thick mustache attempted to conceal the fact that his teeth had rotted away. Like the bodyguard, his gaze was fixed on Delair. "Madame, I hope Rufus was kind to you? He can be a bit...overprotective of me. You understand, of course. In our business, nothing can be taken for granted." He flashed a nod to one of his henchmen who, in turn, retreated to the back of the room and out of sight. "I trust you come bearing the appropriate gifts?", he asked, staring at Delair's briefcase.

"Rufus did exactly as he should have." she responded in a dry tone, completely overlooking the pleasantries. She set the briefcase down on the table with a thud, unlatching and opening it. "One hundred large, as promised." she said, turning the case around so he could see it's contents, but not quite reach. She stood rigid, gripping the open case, ready for anything as she shot a look at Brody. "Now where's the stuff?"

The Boss sat silently, staring at the stack of bills placed before him. He let out a small giggle, which quickly became a roaring laugh. He attempted to catch his breath, forcing words out through the pauses in the laughter. "The stuff?" He slowly returned to his normal state, taking a more serious tone. "The stuff? I'm sorry, madame. You must have me confused for some sort of drug dealer." He chuckled again. "This money is payment for my elimination of two troublesome Vice City Detectives. Steele and Kincaid to be exact." His laughter was now maniacal and uncontrollable as he gestured to his cronies with a flick of his wrist.

Brody's eyes exploded open with surprise. "It's a trap! We've been set up!" He reached for his gun and dove behind a nearby couch hoping Delair had done the same.

Anan had to think fast. She had the case in her hands, which made it difficult to get to her gun, but she also wanted to silence the psycho who'd just motioned for his cronies to kill them. So, in the span of just a few seconds, Anandra made the quick decision the hurl the case at the face of 'the boss', causing an explosion of cash that drifted to the floor like leaves on the wind. As soon as the case left her hands she reached for her pistol, turning to scan the room for targets. Bullets buzzed past her ears as she ducked to the side, looking for cover as she took big strides toward a wall where at least her back would be covered. She was just a few feet away when suddenly a terrible stabbing pain in her lower abdomen dropped her to the ground. She'd been hit, but how? The safety protocols were on..

Brody was too enthralled with the action of the program to notice Delair collapse. He was busy emerging from cover long enough to fire a few rounds in the direction of his adversaries. He had managed to dispatch two of them. It was when he turned to Delair to boast about his accomplishments that he noticed her lifeless body on the ground. He ran to her position, bullets zinging past his head. "Lieutenant! Delair!" He attempted to rouse her, but she was unresponsive. Something had gone terribly wrong. "Computer! End program!"

TBC

OFF.

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