Harlyn

Lana was out of our hair sooner than I thought. She didn’t let me stay for the interview. I had to distract myself with something, and that something eventually turned out to be fixing the fence. I had fixed it pretty well. Or so I thought. The thing collapsed back onto the ground in record time.

So I returned back inside, grumbling, to find the team heading out with Lana nodding to my girlfriend. They shook hands, saying their goodbyes. And then everyone was gone and we were left to my poor bullet ridden home.

Sighing I stared at the glass on the floor and then back to Sierra. She was giving herself a self hug, leaning her hip against the counterside. She bounced her gun on the opposite hip, face towards the window, looking out. Or atleast, what was left of the window. The poor thing was shattered.

Dodging the glass on the floor, I neared her, but she stopped me in my tracks.

“Don’t.” She didn’t move her head away from the window, squeezing her arms tighter around her.

“Sierra,” I tried to speak but she finally looked at me, eyes hardened in sharp gems.

“Drake, I said don’t. Leave me alone.”

I ignored her, moving a step forward, but her hand twitched and she raised her gun slightly at me in warning. It made me stop again, but I swallowed hard and neared her once more. Her eyes glinted, eyebrows furrowing.

“Are you an idiot? I’m pointing a gun at you.”

“You won’t shoot me,” I closed the gap between us, placing my hand over the one holding the gun, calming her shaking, “You wouldn’t hurt me.”

“I could.”

I shook my head, standing on my toes to kiss her. It was brief, but it calmed Sierra’s nerves to an extent. She carefully set the gun on the counter, hands shaking to hold me.

When I nodded to her they grabbed my waist, holding us chest to chest. She rested her forehead on my shoulder, her own shoulders shaking, rocking her whole body in convulsions.

We were silent while she tried in vain to keep her emotions in check. Her nails dug into my sides more than enough times and I could swear she dug them in deep enough to draw blood but I could deal with it. We were just shot at, this was nothing. I was more concerned on the red head.

“So. You’re a cop.” I drawled, trying to break whatever funk she was in.

“Was. I was a cop. I’m not anymore.”

Oh good. We’re getting somewhere.

“Why not?”

“Because it’s not hero bullshit like you believe, Drake,” She pulled away, hands shaking again until she grabbed the counter, looking away from me, “It’s real. Completely. You’re always out there with your neck on the line, risking everything. You don’t know if one mission will just be another mission or your last.”

Ouch. Okay, I understood that, but did she have to be so blunt about it? Guess Sierra only knew blunt.

“You lost someone on a mission didn’t you?”

She visibly flinched at that, “I did.”

“And that’s the reason why you quit being a cop?”

She shook her head, moving away from the counter, “You wouldn’t understand.”

I moved closer to her, but she recoiled, staring down at me. I swallowed hard, keeping my gaze with her, “Then explain it to me so I can understand.”

“Drake, you will never understand.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re not a real cop, Drake.” Her eyes narrowed, “You’ve never been out in the field. You’ve never chased down mentally unstable individuals. You’ve never been in a hostage situation. You’ve never been a real cop.”

Ouch. I understood she was angry, but did she have to take it out on me? I was here trying to help.

“Going for my throat I see,” I whispered, backing off.

She kicked aside a piece of glass with her heel, then met my gaze. “I can’t do this.”

“Do what?”

“Us. I can’t. I won’t put you at risk again.”

My heart thumped once, then stopped.

No. No, don’t you dare. We’re not breaking up the same day we hooked up.

“But I didn’t get hurt, Sierra. Look at me. You protected me just fine. And Lana says with the information you gave her she can get me the missions I need to move foward and become a real cop. I will finally get to use my training. Be a real cop like you said.”

Her jaw tightened, eyes squeezing shut, then flung open. “The money.”

She sped passed me, shoving her shoulder into mine to move me. I took several steps to the side to catch myself and move out of her way. Then I found myself tailing her, beelining for my room as she knelt by the bed and dug her suitcase from under the mattress. She threw it onto the bed without any hesitation, opening it and sighing in relief.

I nearly s**t bricks staring at the amount of hundred dollar bills lining the case. Sierra ran her fingers through it, hands tightening in a fist around them, fingers rubbing the bills. She turned her head to look at me.

“I have an idea.”

I swallowed hard once more, “Does it involve both of us?”

“Yes. Knowing you, no matter what I do you’ll somehow figure out a way to stay around me, might as well have you with me in my range of view.”

My eyes lit up and I nodded. She was right. I would do anything to make sure I was by her side.

“We’re going to use this money to pay for a place somewhere else in the city. You can only give this information to your boss at work. It will give us somewhere else to be. Buy us time to hide out away from Vyper.”

I blinked. “Wouldn’t it just be easier to invest it into a bank account?”

“And have the gang attack innocents in a bank? Are you an idiot?”

Rude. “I didn’t think they would be desperate to go that far.”

She closed the case, sliding it back to where it was. Then turned towards me, still staring down at me like she was superior.

“They attacked the both of us in your own home, Drake. They’re desperate for the money.”

She was right. Sighing I rubbed at my face and picked at the bedding. What were we going to do? Move everything overnight? Wouldn’t it draw attention if we suddenly hired a moving van and loaded it up? Vyper was already watching my place like a hawk.

As if reading my mind, Sierra nodded, pinching the bridge of her nose. She knew as well as I did that we would have to leave everything behind if we wanted to do this right.

Looking around the room, I gave a deep sigh. This was my home here in the city for years. I knew every little bump, nook and cranny. Like how the floorboards creeked near the bathroom and the floor was a little warped next to the shower because the water collected there from the previous owners. Or how there were scuff marks under the legs of my dinner table because I couldn’t decide where I wanted it the first day I moved in.

All the memories I had here would have to remain here without me. But then again, I could make new ones with Sierra. In a new place. Even if it meant us hiding out in a new home, being secretly hunted by a money hungry gang.

I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at my hands until Sierra took my chin to look up at her. I did, meeting her gaze. This time it wasn’t authorative or demanding, it was softer, full of wonder. She probably wanted to know what I was thinking.

“You’re going to tire out the little hamster on it’s wheel in there. Give your brain a moment to calm down. Let me think for awhile,” She let go of my chin, wandering into the livingroom.

 

 

We decided on the move. It didn’t take much to convince me to leave my stuff behind, especially since I would be with Sierra. She was on the couch, asleep, arms around herself with one of the throw blankets on. The night sky was dotted with helicopters and the frequent planes coming and going from the airport.

She wouldn’t let me cuddle her while she slept. She distanced herself from me, staying in a neutral state of emotion when she turned her back to me to sleep. So I was in the recliner, legs tucked underneath me, my own blanket from bed wrapped around me. It wasn’t as warm without Sierra’s body cuddled into my own.

We had cleaned up what we could until she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. So we retired to the living room to watch tv, but nothing good was on. Only reruns of old shows we had seen a million times. She had put in one of my movies into the DVD player, but she didn’t make it passed the opening credits until her eyes closed.

I stood, wrapping the blanket more around me, seeing her shiver with the lack of anything to keep her warm with the draft from the broken windows coming in. Kneeling, I stroked her face with the back of my hand, seeing her eyes open slightly, watching her snort and rub at her face.

“What time is it, Drake?” She mumbled.

“I dont know. It’s late though. You’re going to get sick sleeping on the couch like that. Come to bed with me.”

“No. I’m fine. The couch is comfy.”

I gave her a slight glare, “Sierra that wasn’t a request, it was a demand. I don’t want you sick.”

She groaned. Grumbled, tired, full of anger at the world, she threw her blanket off, throwing it on my face. Then she grabbed my blanket, where it was around my neck and dragged both the blanket and I onto the couch with her. She tucked it so it was around us both, wrapping me in one of her arms. She held me close, wearing only her shirt and panties.

At this position, we were at the same height. No heels to make her taller and out of reach. Our faces were inches apart, her breath on my cheek. Her eyes half ladened, looking sexy and seductive. Though I knew it was out of exhaustion.

“Sierra. Can I kiss you?”

She didn’t respond, licking her own lips while staring at mine. She gave a curt nod, crushing her lips with mine. Every inch of me lit on fire, my hands finding her hair and pulling on it slightly. She nibbled my top lip, tongue begging entrance into my mouth. I hesitated, unsure. How would I react? But the red head managed to force her way in, tongue wrestling with my own.

She had pushed me into the back cushions, attacking my lips with a fire that she couldn’t control. My mind was a circle of fireworks, all crackling and sizzling to the point I almost couldn’t think. The nerves in my body shut down, letting everything be instinct.

But it was all too soon. Sierra slowed the kiss to a numbing point, frying the last of my brain cells with the pop of our lips. She left mine swollen and tingling, giving my forehead a kiss before she rolled over and wrapped her arms around my waist to have me spoon her.

I was out of breath, panting and trying to get back my thoughts. Though my grip on reality was waning as sleep finally came to me. Sierra was so warm. I tightened my hold on her, breathing her in. My nose was in her neck, and she smelled of her usual perfume, mixed with some sweat.

And that’s how we fell asleep together.

 

The next day started uneventful. We had to trash any food in the fridge, since it spoiled overnight. The gang members shot the cord out, and we were left with bad food.

On another note, it was a great way to make abs with how much laughing I was doing at Sierra struggling not to gag at everything. She had taken a clothes pin to her nose, and looked absolutely rediculous, but I never mentioned it to her. She’d have my head.

We had given Lana a call to meet us here and discuss our ideas, and the woman agreed to see us here before her usual stops around the city. Though she came straight through our broken door without a single knock, and caught us cleaning out the fridge.

She gave a snicker at Sierra’s temporary fix of her nose, but other than that, she gave an extra pair of hands to help until we were finished. The trashcan sat on the edge of the street, awaiting to be taken far away to the dump.

She didn’t hesitate to make herself at home when she grabbed a cup, the only one that didn’t shatter, from the sink and rinse it out to get a drink of water. Then she parked her butt onto a barstool, giving us both a look that spoke she wanted the ideas.

“Sierra thinks it would be best, to stay in a temporary studio apartment somewhere in the city so we can get Vyper off our trail.”

Lana nodded to this, sipping her water. Then she set it down to put her hands to her face in thought, nodding to herself this time. Her eyes were even lost in thought.

“This is a smart idea. I expect nothing less from officer Harlyn.”

Sierra’s eyes narrowed slightly at the use of her old name.

“but, how are you able to afford a place of your own?” the woman continued before Sierra could argue.

“I still have money in my account to pay for atleast a month.” I lied, rubbing at my arm. We had plenty to cover for a month, and more.

She thought this oven, weighing the options, “Here’s a better idea.”

“Are you saying my p-” Sierra started but I stopped her. She gave me a glare but otherwise, didn’t budge.

“Your first mission, Drake. This will be your first mission.”

My ears perked up at that, “What do you want me to do?”

“I want you and Pandora to tag team an undercover mission.”

Again Sierra recoiled at the name, but she was listening just as intently. Her eyes met mine only once until they returned to Lana. The older of the two crossed her legs, finishing off her water.

“I need you to track Vyper’s movements inside their own walls.”

“It’s not that easy,” Sierra spoke up, “It took me years to even get them to trust me enough to let me inside. It’s god awful inside, Lana. You don’t understand how much at risk you’re putting Drake for her first mission.”

Lana stood immediately, looking like she had just been insulted. “Only you two know what the gang has been up to and only you two have experienced it first hand. I can’t send a team of other officers without special training and weeks of planning. It would set us back when we already have such a strong hit on them. So for now, I am sending you two in until I can get the right officers inside.”

Sierra scoffed, “I don’t have to take orders from you. I’m not a cop anymore. Especially one under your jurisdiction.”

“Fine. Then I can send Drake alone, while you’re behind bars.”

My heart skipped a beat at the sound of that.

Sierra knew she was in a corner. She ground her teeth, tightening her jaw. She wanted so much to pounce on the woman, claw at anything she could. But the red head was a tiger in mid pounce. She retracted her claws, backing away. She knew when she was beat.

Doesn’t mean she didn’t like it.

“Fine. When do we start?”

“Right now. I will go to arrange payments on the studio apartment. It will be under police surveilance with cameras installed anywhere they can be. While I do this, I suggest you two decide on some undercover changes to your appearance. They won’t just let you walk in looking how you do right now.”

We exchanged glances. She was right. They knew our faces. Or at least Sierra’s. She moved so she could hold my hand, and gave it a tight squeeze.

My first mission! I could hardly breathe. I was excited, but mostly terrified. I had Sierra there with me, some I had idolized the day I saw her interview on tv. Pandora Harlyn. Top class policewoman. I wanted to be everything she was.

But she was hiding something from me. What happened to have scared off such a woman away from her career? She admitted to losing a fellow officer, but in what way? Was she really to blame or did she just take the blame for her team? It must have been hard to swollow.

I just wished she’d open up to me.

I didn’t notice Sierra and Lana had been talking until my mind reeled back to reality. They were discussing options, different tactics, talking over certain places in the city that hosted the best studio apartments. They were in smaller gang territories but none that were threatening, not by Inferno and Vyper standards.

As they spoke I also seemed to realize Sierra had moved her hand so her arm was around my waist and her hand was tucked in my pocket. Her right hip was against my left.

She was being possessive. Had Lana looked at me like she had in my office? Would only explain why Sierra’s mood had changed. It made me feel safe being in Sierra’s presence, and also cared for when she was this way. She didn’t show her affection much. It’s not exactly like she wore it on her sleeve either.

“Now then. I will take my leave, and Drake. I will give you a call when everything is settled. I will have an officer take you two safely to your new studio by this afternoon.”

With a curt nod Lana said her goodbye, quickly dialing whoever she could on her way out to her vehicle.

Once she was gone, Sierra’s arm loosened, but she kept it there, moving the other one to hold me. She was biting her lip, which was new, and her eyes were lost in the past.

“Sierra,” I called.

They darted down to look at me with such speed I flinched. They were staring intensely.

“Yes?”

“Will you be okay?”

“Yes.”

“You’re lying to me.”

She scoffed, knowing I was right and she just hated to be caught. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Know me so well. It’s like you’ve known me all my life.”

I snorted, “That sounds a little cheesy. But I did worship you growing up.”

She made a face, “Worshipped me? Did it include vigin sacrifices?”

“No, only goat.”

She gave me a look like she couldn’t decide if i was being serious or not. I smiled innocently, just to throw her off and gave her lips a look. She caught on, bending down slightly to cup my cheeks, giving me chipmunk cheeks, and kissed me gently. It wasn’t like our usual heated kisses. This one was softer. More feeling behind it than just heat.

“That was nice,” She purred, leaving our foreheads touching for a fraction, then returning it back so she could look around the kitchen.

Thankfully our now clean kitchen.

“We should say goodbye to this place. Pack what you can. Make sure it’s essentials only. We have to travel light.”

I nodded, squeezing her hand when she tried to sepperate from me. She gave her trademark side smile, bringing my hand to her lips to give it a kiss.

“Go on. I’ll carry the money. You just pack anything you need.”

I glanced to the living room, thinking of my COPS DVDs but she knew what I was thinking and shook her head. Essentials. Alright. Like tooth brush, tooth paste, underwear, socks, clothes? Probably.

Letting go of her hand I left to the bedroom to pack.

 

Afternoon rolled around. Lana had alerted us to know our driver was on his way to take us to the eastern side of the city. Sierra had mentioned that was in Hyland territory, but much better than Vyper. She stood by me on the porch, watching the traffic flow by the house, some slowing down to point at the bullet holes on the side of it and take pictures. I didn’t know my home became an art gallery.

My hands balled into fists, and my shoulders tightened at the thought, but Sierra cupped her hand around my fist, unwinding it and linking her fingers with mine. It relaxed me, feeling her kiss the top of my head.

“Don’t be so tense, Alisa. You still have me. I’m right here.”

It was new to hear my name again. It made me think about Vikki and my heart started to ache. I wonder how she was doing right now. Probably at work, wondering why I never showed up for morning coffee.

Checking my phone there were no messages. No missed calls. If she was worried, she didn’t show it. Not to me.

“Alisa.”

I looked at Sierra. She nodded her head in the direction of someone on the street, and the person stopped walking when she spoke. Following her eyes, I was met with Vikki’s. She was in a torn up black tank top, her purple hair in pigtails. She wore a black, silk choker with a cross and matching earrings. On her legs were her typical black jeans and boots on her feet. She looked beautiful, she always did in anything she wore.

Her eyes met with our joined hands and she moved her feet to turn tail, but I called her name and she stopped in her tracks. Her feet moved slowly back our way, moving up the stairs while her eyes looked over the bullet holes.

“What happened?” She gave me a concerned glance.

“Some gang tried to shoot us up,” I gave a once over on the house too.

“Really?” Her eyes widened slightly, “Are you guys okay?”

Sierra gave her a look that spoke volumes. It was the look of “if we weren’t would we be standing here?”. Vikki didn’t like the way Sierra stared, and there were sparks between their shared glares. Enough to catch the house on fire.

“What were you headed this way for?” Sierra held me possessively again, like she had when Lana was here.

“My phone is off, and I didn’t see Alisa at the store this morning for her usual coffee so I was worried. Decided to use my lunch brake to come check on her.”

“She’s not your girlfriend anymore. You don’t have to worry about her all the time. And sheesh, you’re not her mother either.”

My jaw dropped at Sierra’s bluntness and I gave her shoulder a slap. She recoiled her arm, letting me go and shot a glare at me.

Vikki gave a sad smile, looking like she was fighting back tears, “You’re right. We’re not a couple. Not anymore. But as a friend I worry. She’s had the same routine for years. Coffee at the gas station, saying hi to me, buying her occational muffin. It’s like a route she has, and when she’s not in it, I know something is up.”

 “Well you don’t need to worry. She has me now.”

Ouch. Was she trying to hurt Vikki even more? She already won me over, she didn’t need to burry Vikki’s face into the dirt with her heels.

“That’s enough, Sierra.” I look at her and she curled her lip to argue, but thought it better to stay quiet. She pouted quietly beside me, huffing to herself.

The honking of a black car took our attention, and Vikki’s and when she returned her gaze back to me it was curious. I blushed slightly, squeezing Sierra’s hand that she mysteriously still let me hold.

“My boss has someone to pick us up for a meeting. It’s too far to walk there.”

Vikki nodded slowly. She didn’t believe me. Not fully, but she let it slide.

When she moved towards me to give me a hug, Sierra tensed, but let her. Vikki’s hug was warm and I greeted it with my own, smiling slightly, till another honk sent us apart.

The red head tapped her heel impatiently, grabbing my wrist and her suitcase, and dragged us down the stairs with my suitcase dragging behind us. Vikki watched us go, looking lost, but she didn’t say anything on the matter. She only waved good bye, and walked down the stairs to leave in the opposite direction of us as we climbed inside the vehicle.

Sierra shut the door behind us, holding me to her to keep her hands from shaking. She dug her nails into my hips again, probably as punishment for intruding on her argument with the goth. I only stayed quiet, wincing slightly whenever she dug her nails in.

The drive wasn’t too long. Though it felt that way with the dead silence in the car. Our driver didn’t even play the radio and Sierra wouldn’t talk to me. So I gave up, trying not to doze off in her lap.

As we left Vyper territory and into Hyland a car beside us took the wrong turn, angled at a certain degree that struck us, causing the car to tumble and flip. I tried not to scream. Tried to grip onto Sierra who was holding me close to her chest and the handle above us.

But her grip failed and my back struck the door, opening it, sending us flying apart as I rolled around on the street, feeling like every bone in my body was broken. I could feel myself bleeding. Internally or externally, I couldn’t tell. The pain was too immense. I could barely think straight.

Which function made my arm work? There was a twitch. No. I think that was my leg. Did I still have legs? My nose was bleeding. I could taste it in my mouth. Taste. At least I had that. Was useless at the moment, but it was something.

The car was crashed just a few feet away, along with the one that had hit us. Though nobody had left the other car. Nobody standing anyway.

Sierra stumbled out of the car, wobbling on shaking legs my way. Every time I blinked it felt like a struggle to open them again. And when I did manage to, Sierra was there, a hand on my face. Her lip was busted, body bruised and she had a cut on her head, but her seatbelt did well to protect her. Better than me.

“Alisa. You have to keep your eyes open for me.”

I tried to form the words. I’m trying.

She took me in her arms, wincing, and moved to carry me back to the car. Traffic had stopped to sepperate when our car was thrown astray. I could hear the sirens for back up to investigate.

But we were stopped when there was a gun to our head, and the crazy grin of our most recent visitor. The same male that threatened Sierra in the back yard, and standing behind him was his crew.

“Where’s my money, Palmer?”