Rose
NYSA Headquarters
Winchester couldn't train with me the next day for obvious reasons, so I trained by myself in the training gym while Karma worked on things for her field in the corner as we talked.
I was fighting a punching bag when she asked, "How'd it go?"
"How'd what go?"
"You know. The breakup." I pretended to focus on the punching bag while I thought of a response. I knew I would have to do it someday. Hopefully I could change NYC's mind and I wouldn't have to do it ever.
"There were a few tears," I lied, and Karma gasped.
"What'd you say? Like, what was your reason and all that?" I thought of another response as I steadied the punching bag to fight it even more. As I kicked the bag to make it go swinging, my ponytail swayed as well.
"I told him the classic. 'It's not you, it's me.' He totally understood and we're gonna figure out who's moving where." Karma's jaw dropped.
"You two lived together? My lord, if it means you have no where to stay, I would have told you to not break up with him." I gave her a side eye before going back to fighting. "Seriously, though, you can always crash at my place if—"
"Oh, no, no, no. Sorry, but your family is insane. I'll live on the streets, thanks." Karma stood up and grabbed my ear before we both burst into laughter. She then checked her wristband.
"Oh, crap. Your brother's leaving soon." I looked at her wristband and then grabbed my own off the floor by the wall before hurrying out of the gym and running to find Austin.
I flung my arms into him when I saw him, ready to go on his mission without any contact other than with CA's. "Come back as soon as you can," I reminded him, my eyes watering. He smiled at me, tightening his grip on my shoulders. He nodded.
"I'll try."
"Be safe."
"I will." He smiled at me again and I swung my arms around him again, hugging him as tight as I could before backing away. He stepped back and looked down the hall at the elevator leading to the mission trains, or secret underground bullet trains. He nodded. "I should go now." He looked at me. "You be safe on missions. Don't get yourself killed."
I nodded. "I won't." He stepped towards the hallway and looked back at me again, smiled, then rushed out of sight. That'd be my last contact with Winchester and Austin for weeks, maybe even months if he couldn't track down the mafia fast enough.
With the CA's so busy with the mission, all other missions were put on hold until we could clear up more CA's to help with the jobs. Given that there was no reason to come in to the headquarters, I stayed home for the next few days until I got an alert on my wristband.
In other words, I had a free day. I kept my wristband on, and every time I moved my arm too quickly, I thought there was a beep or an alert. I was wrong every time. I guess I just wanted to help Winchester with his mission. At the grocery store, I got ingredients for a chocolate cake—if I had a free day, I figured I could make a cake because that'd take up time in my day.
2118 Brooklyn Waye
It was sunset. I guess Jake had to come home later again, but tonight, I wasn't tired. In fact, I was ready for anything that happened on my wristband. Whether it were to join a mission or just come in for backup, I was ready. By the time I got the cake in the oven, the countertop was a disaster. I figured the cake should be done baking by the time Jake got back from work.
I was bored, so I turned on the TV and binged a random show that I found; even though I started on episode 6, it was actually very intriguing and I ended up watching to season four or five before I stood up. The cake had been done, sitting on the counter for hours as I had binged the show that I still don't even know the name of. It had to be nearly midnight and Jake still wasn't home.
I began to get worried for Jake—and I knew that my wristband wasn't going to alert me anytime soon, so I threw on my shoes and hurried out my front door. I checked my phone—I had been checking my wristband all day, but maybe there was a text from him that I'd missed. Even though it was nearly midnight, the streets were filled with the lights coming from inside shops and music from inside also clashed in my ears. Jake worked at the bank—I wasn't completely sure what job, but I knew that if he were anywhere, it would be there.
When I got to the bank doors, though, I got more doubtful. The lights were off, and, even before I tugged on the handle, I knew the doors were locked, too. I sighed and began to get nervous. Had he gotten home while I was out? I thought about walking back, but I saw something in the dark alleyway. I glanced down at my wristband, thinking it wasn't a good idea to observe, but I shook off the feeling. I was a field agent—there was nothing that I couldn't get past.
I got to the middle and the darkest part of the alleyway, but I couldn't make out what was on the ground—so I kicked it. I sighed of relief and frustration when I realized they were just a pile a trash bags laying beside the dumpster—so I turned around to go home when I turn someone land behind me.
I swung around with my fist out and tripped someone. Someone wearing black with blonde hair, but through the dark, I didn't recognize them. I jabbed him in the side with my shoe, kicking him hard in the ribs. They were on the floor and I had enough time to run. I ran out of the alleyway, down the street, and as far as I could to get back to the apartment.
When I got to the complex, I saw Jake's car in the parking lot. My heart filled with relief. I flew up the stairs and fumbled with my key when I swung the door open and saw him eating my chocolate cake at the table. He smiled at me, and I took in his face, relieved that he was okay. Then I noticed something, in the corner of his right brow, there was a bruise. A fresh bruise. I walked over.
"Hey, what happened here?" I asked. He touched his eyebrow.
"Oh, nothing. I tripped at the bank."
"I was worried. I went to check on you but the bank was closed, and—" I stopped myself. I decided it would be best not to mention getting jumped because everything was worrying me now, even a pile of trash bags that I shouldn't have even kicked.
"And?" He asked, but when I didn't answer, he continued. "This chocolate cake is very good, by the way. Is that why you went to the store today?" I nodded.
"Yeah, I actually didn't have to go in to Detroit's today, so—wait, how did you know I went to the grocery store?" I was confused now. He gulped down the cake and wiped the chocolate off his face.
"Well, I mean—we didn't have the ingredients before, so..." His voice trailed off and he let out a breath, looking down at his plate. "What else did you do today? Did Austin come over at all?" I shook my head.
"No, Austin's actually out of town to see a friend...so what makes you come home so late if the bank was closed?"
"I went to run errands," he said quickly. I nodded slowly.
"Uh-huh. And, Jake," I said, taking a step towards the other side of the kitchen island, "quick question, I totally forgot. Did I stop at the bakery today when I was at the grocery store?"
"No, Babe, you went right—" His voice trailed off, and then he cursed. He stood up quickly.
I slipped off the engagement ring he'd given me I don't know how long ago. "How long before you have to change the battery?" I looked at him and smiled smugly before dropping the ring on the floor. "Oops," I said, and crushed it with the heel of my shoe. I bent down and picked up the small, broken tracking device. Then I threw it at him, along with a glass plate that was on the island. He jerked his head back and cried out in pain.
He tried to grab me as I ran to the front door, but I grabbed a cheap-canvas painting and hit him hard on the head with it, causing it to break and him to fall. I ran out and closed the door behind me, holding on tight to the keys and sprinting down the steps of the apartment complex. I ran as fast as I could to the abandoned bar in the alleyway and used my fingerprint to unlock the door. The darkness of the alleyway was filled with the white lights of the headquarters.
