Shadows in the Night

Chapter 22

Okay my people!! Wassup? Anyway I'm back with another chapter so...here ya go.

-TMNTNinjagoLover

Finally I had my possessions back and the squad car had pulled into the parking lot in front of the courthouse. Karly, Ria, and Sophia were all waiting for me on the hot asphalt of the parking lot. When the car had stopped I opened the door and stepped out of the front passenger seat. As soon as they saw me they broke into a wild run and I swear that they were so happy that, when they hugged and accidentally tackled me, it felt like I had been hit by a bus.

"Anyone catch the license plate of the bus that just hit me?" I said speaking my mind, jokingly.

"Sorry..." They all said in unison.

"...we were just so excited to see you again...not in prison orange." (Aw and here I thought orange was the new black...hm...oh well. *shrugs and skips away humming*) Commented Sophia. At that we all burst out laughing.

"Miss Veridas...please come this way. Said the cop interrupting our laughter as he motioned for me to follow him into the courthouse. I left the girls to wait for me outside and followed him to a spacious office. In a high-backed chair sat the judge.

"I'm guessing we are going to talk about my current orphan status?" I comment, my voice absent of emotion as the cop left.

"Yes, Nikole." The judge then paused before continuing, "You and I must discuss what will happen to you now. You are not 18 yet and must be housed. Plus there are some things the Police Commissioner would like to speak with you about that makes placing you in foster care foolish. To be honest I wasn't quite sure what to do with you since your parents hadn't made their wills..." He paused again, "that is until a few minutes ago."

"Why only a few minutes ago?" I prodded.

The judge smiled at me and said, "Luckily for you, the Kimberly family has decided to adopt you right away as a thank you for saving their daughter."

"Wait the Kimberly family? Karly's family?!" I was astonished to be honest.

"Yes Karly's family is going to adopt you. We have been working double time to get the papers filled out today so that when we are done here you can go home with themas soon as possible."  

"Thank you." I said trying to hold back tears of joy and trying to look emotionless.  (Yeah...uh...hey Nicky...let me know how that whole no-emotion-in-front-of-the-judge-because-I'm-supposed-to-be-stoic thing works out...k? :P)

"Now the Police Commissioner will speak with you now." he said as he rose from his chair and left his office.

I waited for about ten minutes until the Police Commissioner, a Mr. Gordon, walked into the room in order to speak with me. He sat down in the high-backed chair gingerly, but with authority.

He looked me right in the eye before saying, "May I call you Nicky, Miss Veridas?" I nodded, giving him the okay to continue. "Note, Nicky, that I have never ever done this before, but right now I am going to ask you a question that will change your life...depending on your answer. Nicky I am asking you, on account of your self defense skills told to us by your friends and exhibited to us in jail when you fought with those women, to become the youngest ever cop. You have the cunning and skill needed in a fight or bad situation, in other words you know how to get yourself out of trouble, and you have a head on your shoulders. To be honest I think you have more of a head about you than most of the deputies I know. You would be made Assistant Chief and you seem to do better in the shadows so you would be working as an undercover cop and on night patrols. Will you accept?" Mr. Gordon looked at me with pleading eyes...he knew my potential and that I had a brain in my head, not just empty space. (Nah I'm still pretty sure that there is still a whole ton of empty space up there...or at least 75% of said empty space is filled with song lyrics...heh heh...yup...story of my life.)

After pondering his words I answered slowly and deliberately, "I accept...on one condition."

"And that is...?"

"I will NOT be weighed down with a belt like yours. I do not wish to carry guns but rather I wish to carry a pair of customized banrai (banrai are basically like miniature scythes that are used in a pair and are chained together...if ya want a picture of what I'm envisioning go on google and search TMNT 2003 Raphael banrai...or something to that effect)...if I had them custom made I would have the blades be retractable and request that the chain that binds them together be detachable. I would also like to have a few other simpler requests carried out."

"I think we can make a few exceptions for you. So you want banrai in exchange for guns...and I'm guessing you want to be able to be free to defend yourself and do your job using martial arts."

"Yes, I want to be able to use my martial arts skills freely...and I won't misuse them."

"I will talk to the judge about this to see if it is possible to carry out your requests." Mr. Gordon then rose and left.

A short while later Mr. Gordon entered the room again. He told me that my requests were plausible if the judge can get the city board and mayor to agree to amending the city rules unanimously (just for me...as in the amendment to the rules only works for my person).

It took all day, but after a while we were able to convince the board and mayor to amend the city rules for me...that is once we got them all together to be able to convince them. The board tested me to see if I was worthy of being a cop. Since the rules I had to follow as a cop were different and because of my age there were no tests available for me to take in order to be a cop, so the board made one for me quickly. I passed the test with flying colors and later that evening was certified and given my badge. Everything went so quickly...I thought these things took weeks...apparently if the board wants something done, they get it done. I literally finished all my paperwork, my test, and the amending of the rules for me all in one day.

I stayed overnight in the courthouse before leaving with the Kimberly family to start my life with them. Of course they were informed of my new status as an undercover cop and they were informed that I may be out really late at night since I had night patrol.

The school was also notified that I was a cop...that I may be called away in the middle of the school day and if I was late to school or didn't come one day without a heads up that they shouldn't be worried since I'm probably on duty. I was allowed to have a special cell phone turned on in class in case I had to be called in. I was also allowed to carry weapons in school, but only if the weapons were locked in the superintendent's office until school was over. The school was to keep this information away from the other students other than Karly, Ria, and Sophia of course.

I was given the right to drive the cop cars if I needed them, (of course I had my license) but I requested to work on foot since I can't use martial arts in a car.

Many things about my life were going to change, just as Mr. Gordon had said.