Dallas

I stepped out of my cruiser slipping on my suit jack in front of the authority officer in charge and several other officers outside the private condo residential building around her. What was her name? Damn it. I glanced at her name tag on her badge. Quinn. Officer Penny Quinn. I took in the scene and looked around at the others. “Officer Quinn. Sense your the acting officer in charge I would like to see my client please.”

Officer Quinn shook her head. “I was in charge until the judge arrived. You’ll have to speak to him about seeing her.” She said nodding to an officer on a huge black motorcycle cruiser.

I froze at the sight of Bran “The Judge” Rafe who was seated on his bike staring at me with his mirrored glasses on. “Your the rookie Authority taking over for Sam?”

I nodded. “I am Authority Dallas Page. Officer Rafe. I plan to insure my client’s rights are protected from a street judgement. She asked for an authority.”

The Judge shrugged and nodded to the apartment building. “She’s holed up in her place with a blaster to her chin when officer Quinn came.. She’s spooked won’t talk to us asked for an authority defense. If you can get her out we’ll take it from there?”

I stared at him. “Meaning you’ll take her to holding alive where she will stay until the case is investigated. I will find out if her plea for a defender is valid or she’s guilty.”

The Judge stared at me.

The hair on the back of my neck was standing up and my heart hammered against my chest. I gripped the B coin in my right pocket tightly. “Do you understand me Officer Rafe? It’s the standard rule I believe.”

The Judge nodded. “You being an authority should know as well with a witness and the murder weapon in the accused hand is a clear cut case. There’s no need to extend the hour on this Case or the amount of paper work we’ll have to do. That’s my judgement, Sir.”

Damn. That was pretty clear cut with a witness and the damn weapon. Still something was off. I stared at him. “Why didn’t you execute her then? What are you not telling me?”

The Judge frowned. “The witness was at the scene of the murder when it happened and we only have one witness. The lab boys are still going over the scene of the murder. It took place less then twenty-fours ago.”

Clear cut case my ass. This lazy mother fuckah didn’t want to be bothered doing the damn paper work.

“I over rule your judgement. Nothing is clear cut. I haven’t seen the interview with the witness or any other evidence.The final judgement is still up to King Fish and the high judges for the case. Officer Rafe. When I bring out the accused I need you and your officers to bring her to the station for holding. Are you capable of doing the job or do I need to hire out corporate security forces to handle the job?”

The Judge stared at me and then his face formed a slow wolfish grin. “Orders accepted. Final judgement is on you as is the paperwork.”

I nodded stiffly. I turned away from the jackass walking toward the apartment building door entrance.

“Hey, rookie your going to need a protective shielding. She’s also an elemental. I forgot to mention that. You still up for talking to her?” The Judge said. The others snorted in laughter at me.

I stiffened up my back and felt a change take hold of me. I turned and looked at him. The laughter around us stopped. No one moved. No one breathed. The stupid grin slipped off his face.

“I am Authority. You will address me as such mortal. Just….wait for me to come out with Miss Waters and do as I ordered.” I said. I kept the “or else” out of my words. What the fuck was wrong with me? I noticed that I could see my breathes in the summer night. Damn it. Ice element.

Officer Rafe nodded. “Copy that Authority. We’ll be waiting for you to bring the girl out.” He said respectfully.

I took several chilly breaths bringing my anger under control and turned back to the door and walked into the condo that smelled of earth and some other wild elemental inside.

Warm regards

Guardiandogg