31st Exploit: Sarah Leoni & The Crooked Cop Blues 3

Ardy stumbles upon a stunning conversation, one that would change Sarah's perspective on the world and its rotten underbelly

31st Exploit: Sarah Leoni & The Crooked Cop Blues Pt.3

Two months pass by without incident. Corporal Leoni is in the passenger seat of the Borard, looking over the streets as her official subordinate Patrol Officer Ardy drives down the roads of Rose Mali. Sarah sighs as Ardy turns left of the Rose Mali Library.  

"Rose Mali is looking relatively alright for once." A satisfied smile crosses over her face as she watches the cracked sidewalk pass her view fast. "Nothing worth raising arms about."  

"Yeah." Ardy clicks his tongue. "That's because you are so good at keeping the place clean. I imagine if you weren't moved here there would still be muggings every day."

 "Hmm... Speaking of which I'd like to find out where the party packers are hiding someday." Sarah sighs once again. "But more then those petty thugs I'd rather be taking out Coltez and his nasty cartel, know what I'm saying?" 

"Not really, I'd rather be on my a*s with a desk job." Sarah looks at her subordinate with conceit. Ardy laughs and clicks his tongue. "I can feel your glare sis, I'm only kidding!"

 "Yeah you better be, stupid!" The two share a laugh. "Anyways, I guess we can turn in for the day. Its about that time and I Officer Brunski ought to be starting his rounds around here now." Sarah smiles. "You'll give Chief Blubar the report today, Ive got a couple of things I'd like to take care of."

---

Ardy has his police uniform open, hes wearing a black tank top under it. Hes heading toward Chief Blubars office. As he starts to reach for the door knob he notices the door is already cracked open, and can see a stranger through the crack. Ardy lightly clicks his tongue as he leans his ear in toward the door.

"Mister Blubar-" The stranger speaks in a suave accent. His accent sounds the same as the two Serlan cartel thugs Sarah apprehended a couple months ago, but his dialect is hardly broken. "-There have been no incidents in Tonten since you moved that pest away, what was her name again?"

"Sarah Leoni, our best rookie officer." The stranger laughs.

"Yes, yes. Anyways this is a great thing for both of us Mr. Blubar, now I don't have to 'take care of business' and you don't have to replace her."

"Oh, she's still getting replaced Mr. Coltez-" Ardy's eyes widen at the name. "-just not as tragically. See, there was a member of the Tai Corporation that seems to like what he's seen of her on the television and he's asking if she can be transferred." Blubar laughs as Ardy pulls out his smartphone, which has an emblem of a sloth on the back, and starts recording. "Of course, how could I say no?! That pretty much takes care of both our issues!"

"Yes, yes." Mr' Coltez leans forward out of sight of the crack Ardy's looking through and laughs. "This also means I'm letting you back in on the loop. You keep the heat off of us as you've done now for six years, and we'll make sure you get a cut. However if something like this happens again you'll lose more then just a slice of the pie."

"Of course Mr. Coltez. I'll be more careful who I place around Tenton and Avalell, but its not always easy to know who will be like that Leoni. I plan on talking with Vince tomorrow night."

Le Suae?" Mr. Coltez says in his native language as he leans back. "Interesting, hes a hard one to please Ive heard."

"Yes, but he likes how her aura looks I suppose." Blubar laughs. "Surprised our little 'protester' tactic worked so well too, that was a good idea."

"Yeah well, I wanted her dead but I figured we would try a less messy way first, glad it worked." Coltez laughs. "If that girl ever even sets foot in Tonten again the protesters will try to kill her, we barely need to lift a finger now."

"And the best part is, she'll never know she was set up! She can leave for the Tai Corporation on a good note and we can move on!" Both of them laugh as Ardy slowly backs away. He presses stop on the recording app and briskly walks away from the office.

---

Ardy busts into the locker room, surprising a couple of the cops in the room including Sarah, who is sliding a casual shirt over her tank top. Ardy walks up to Sarah, seeming out of breath, and clicks his tongue. 

"What's wrong?" Ardy clicks his tongue again as he looks around. The two other officers in the room are looking in their direction. He looks back toward Sarah and speaks in whisper.

"I think we ought to talk somewhere more private, this is pretty big." 

Sarah looks confused, but she nods in agreement. The two walk out of the locker room. they check in personnel and see that its empty. They enter the room and close the door behind them. Ardy contemplates locking the door but decides not to, not wanting to make Sarah suspicious or anyone who might try to open the door. Ardy takes his phone out of his pocket and places it on one of the tables as he clicks his tongue.

"Okay, so you know how the chief moved us away from Tonten after that incident with the angry protester?" Sarah sighs and smirks through a frown.

"Yeah?" 

"Well-" Ardy sighs and clicks his tongue. "-turns out the chief and Tonten's biggest problem are in cahoots. Chief Blubar and Coltez are speaking in his office right now-"

"WHAT?!" Sarah is utterly shocked. She goes to leave and confront Blubar but Ardy stops her.

"Wait, be quiet, we're in a dangerous situation right now." Ardy clicks his tongue. "We need to take this carefully, besides I think you ought to hear this first, so that you know I'm being legit." 

Ardy presses play on the recording. As the recording goes on Sarah's expression shifts several times. From shock, to horror, sadness and to disgust and finally rage. And from that rage comes a purpose in her mind. She grabs Ardy by the hand and tugs at him.

"We're going. Grab your phone, we've got this prick busted."

"Huh?!"

---

Chief Blubar is reading the North Norot daily. He ruffles the pages and grumbles. Coltez seems to have already left. Indeed the door is closed completely now. He looks up and smiles expectingly as a stern knock rings through the door and into the room.

"Corporal Leoni and Patrol Officer Dortanni entering!"  Blubar calmly sets the newspaper down on his desk and casually rests his hand near his ride crop. Sarah walks in, dragging Ardy behind her. 

"Report."

"Sir." Sarah has to do all in her power not to lash out at her superior officer. She bites her lip in frustration." Ive stumbled upon some seriously troubling information." Sarah glares harshly at Blubar, who raises his brow confused. "In all honestly it has to do with you, sir." Blubar kneels back and calmly brings his hands together. "Ardy, if you will." 

Ardy clicks his tongue as he nervously pulls his phone out. The three look at the phone as Ardy plays the recording. Sarah's composure bends as she once again grows angry hearing Blubar speak to one of the more notorious criminals in North Norot. A couple tears of betrayal and hatred stream down her face. Blubar however manages to keep his closure, remaining calm and bringing his arms to a cross across his chest. Ardy sighs as his anxiety grows. The recording ends. Sarah clutches her fists tightly as aura begins to surround her. Blubar smirks arrogantly. Sarah begins to speak.

"So-"

"Mind if I see that Mr. Dortanni?" The air around the room goes cold as a very thin fighting spirit surrounds Blubar like plastic wrap. Sarah is surprised by Blubar's sudden and brash question, but even more shocked that Ardy actually starts to comply.

"Don't give him your phone, dummy!" Ardy shakes his head and comes to his senses. Blubar smirks as his thin aura slowly washes forward toward the arm Ardy holds his phone in. Sarah doesn't notice.

"Ahh, sorry I-" Ardy is suddenly compelled to give Blubar his phone again, but much more intensely.* -"I'm sure he just wants it to-" Sarah goes to grab the phone but finds she has no desire to move her arm toward it. The thin aura has got her arm grasped as well. Its calming, but more importantly threatening. She finally notices Blubar's aura and stares daggers into his eyes as Ardy uncontrollably hands him his phone. Chief Blubar deletes the recording and sets the phone back on the desk as he alleviates his fighting spirit from the two. Sarah is practically in hysterics.

"B*****D! YOU-"

"Corporal Leoni." Blubars commanding voice stops her attempt at a rant. His smile fades as Ardy looks in horror at his phone, having no clue why he handed the crooked Chief his phone. "-let this be a good lesson in emotion. You have always, always, always let it dictate your actions and so you make blunders. The Protester you broke, the constant arguments with other officers, and now this. You shouldn't have came to me first with that 'evidence'."

"B-but, how did-"

"Save such silly questions, Corporal Leoni." Blubar smiles as he brings his hands together. "You still have a world's worth of experience to learn when it comes to how things operate, including the Fighting Spirit, and I'm no teacher. Simply put, not all things require physical actions." Blubar grins evilly. "Simply put, I'm very good at getting the things I want and need from people, and even better at getting them to listen. I was a detective for five years before becoming a chief, you know."

"This won't stop me from putting a spotlight on your crimes!"

"Crimes? Spotlight? Will anyone listen to 'Sarah the Brute', the officer that's known to go too far with people protesting against her stance-"

"That's a lie!"

"That's what the people will believe Miss Leoni! You want to speak of spotlights, it would be all too easy to fix one on that little martial arts school you came from! Oh, you think Inizioville is out of the NNPD's range?  It would be all too easy to pepper bad media toward him. By the time I'm done Mr, what was his name? Oh yes, Luke Dragone, he will have nothing but controversy in that 'Rio' arts name. His is the school 'Brutal Leoni' came from, and his is the family that perhaps, just maybe, distributes illegal arms between Ferland and Norot! It is an easy task to plant evidence, Miss Leoni, as long as the perp in question is within the boundaries of North Norot!"

"You scumbag-"

"Shush." Once again a thin aura forms around Blubar, and protrudes to wrap around Sarah. She's compelled to take a step back and her own aura dies down. "Now, this is what's going to happen. You are getting transferred to Tai Corp. Vince has had his eyes on you since the protester incident and he's agree'd to take you up in his defense division after the mandatory year with them passes. You'll forget about my partnership with Coltez, and you'll leave his territories alone."

"If you push this without the one scrap of evidence you had you'll be shamed, your teacher disgraced, and Mr. Dortanni over there-" Blubar turns his eyes toward Ardy, who flinches and clicks his tongue. "-will disappear. As for you, Mr. Dortanni, you too will keep your lips sealed. I know about your sick dad and I also know lines can 'accidentally' be cut, so I suggest we do our best to let 'little lies' slide, and you just keep on meeting your quota, right?"

"A-ahh.." Sarah's fighting spirit spikes, but isn't able to to conquer Blubar's seemingly flimsy aura.

"D-damn you! You'll get caught one day, Maudli! I just wish I could be there when it happens!" Blubar smiles.

"Perhaps." Blubar lets his aura fade. "But it won't be today, sweetie. Eventually, you'll understand. The Tai Corporation might just be the place to knock the sense of the world into you, more so then your time in the NNPD. If you want to rise in this world, you either have to be extraordinary or a monster, very few can be extraordinary, and so they do stuff like this to make a living or to rise in power. No matter where you go, that little evil will always be ready to rear its ugly head Miss Leoni." Chief Blubar grins. 

"I just hope you learn from today's mistakes." Sarah turns away in disgust. Her fighting spirit is vanquished from sight and she's left feeling defeat. "There is nothing as simple as just 'abide by the law', Brutal Leoni, one day you'll get this through your head, or perhaps you'll succumb to the evils even worse then you have now." Sarah storms out, her face drenched in tears of defeat and rage. Ardy reaches out but doesn't move to chase her. He lowers his head and clicks his tongue before slinking out of Chief Blubars office.

~~~

Present Day

Antonio looks at Ardy with a cockeyed expression.  Ardy clicks his tongue and hides from Tony's contempt with the bill of his hat. 

"So-" Antonio speaks. "-you're working under a piece of s**t whose threatened you AND your father, and that's alright by you? And if you care about Sarah as much as Jace and I then why would you just sit on your hands and let it happen? Did you even try to fight this a*****e back?"

"...No. Don't have much of a choice if I want a lively-hood." Ardy slumps his shoulders and clicks his tongue.

"Hmph. Sounds like a cowards excuse to me." Antonio crosses his arms. "Bet Sarah really had her hands full with a klutz idiot like you, eh?" Ardy laughs nervously as he stays slumped over. Jason pats Antonio on the shoulder.

"Hey now. No need to dig at the guy like that."  Clarice steps forward. 

"Its almost time." Clarice looks at Jace. "If you want to take him back, its now or after we're done, if we even make it back ourselves."

"Actually-" Antonio turns to Jace. Jace pokes his two index fingers together. "-Could I just stay here for a while? I wouldn't mind watching over Sarah until this guy leaves." Antonio raises a brow. "I'll just have him drive me to Inizioville. I'd like to talk more about Sarah with Mr. Ardy." Ardy clicks his tongue nervously.

"Just Ardy is fine." Antonio crosses his arms as Clarice disappears toward the little changing room at the back end of Sarah's room. 

"You really willing to trust this guy?" Jace nods.

"He seems a lot like me actually. Maybe not as poorly conditioned but I can tell hes alright."

"Hmm..." Antonio fixes his eyes on Ardy. Ardy clicks his tongue. "Listen. If you hurt a hair on my best friend here you'll be rolling around in a wheelchair for the rest of your life. Got it?"

"O-of course!" Antonio smirks. Clarice pops her head out of the changing room and stares coldly toward the group.

"I'll be out soon, Jason, Tony, go ahead and wait in the hallway leading to the ICU. I'd like you other two to leave this room while I finish dressing too, if you don't mind." Jason holds a thumb up.

"Gotcha!" Antonio smirks. 

"Finally, we're on our way Clark!"

---

A few minutes pass by. Antonio and Jason are horsing around out of boredom as they wait for Clarice. Tony has Jason in a headlock and is giving him a noogie on the head. Jason's hair sparks as he tries to wriggle out.

"H-hey!"

"Come on, get out if you ca-" Jason flash steps behind Antonio and now has him in a headlock. "Grk!"

"You mean like this?" 

Jason clonks Tony on the head and lets him go. The two laugh as Clarice steps through the doors. The duffel bag is over her shoulder. Antonio and Jason look at Clarice and nearly drop their jaws, though in Jason's case its harder to tell with the scarf. Her face has blush powder on it and a bit of makeup to cover the scar on the bridge of her nose. Her eyelashes protrude outward and her lips have purple lipstick on them. She's also wearing a dark purple knee high skirt. Finally the black low heels shine, as if only worn maybe once since they were made. Her blade is resting above the duffel bag. Clarice looks toward Antonio and Jason with stern resolution.

"Ok. Lets go."

Author's Note

* Compelling Presence - Chief Blubar's fighting spirit is capable of 'compelling' someone to do something they might not otherwise, such as giving him incriminating evidence, or gaining a confession that they would not be willing to part with otherwise.