What Goes Up

Chapter 1

This kid would not shut up. 

Nori Hendricks squeezed the bridge of his nose as the acne-covered teenager in the back squabbled away about knowing his rights and yada yada yada. His head throbbed against the fragile skin at his temples as he tried to focus on the road, ignoring the drunken mess in his back seat. 

They'd been called in on a party scene at 3 a.m., not the usual choice of night time raids for Nori, but when one of the neighbors reported a gun shot and a possible dead body, Liam, Nori's newest headache -- well, besides the backseat terror -- insisted they check it out. A false alarm, and now they were playing taxi to one of the partygoers too stupid or drunk to run when the cops were called. 

"You can't keep me back hereeee... I.. I will sue!" The kid garbled before falling back against the seat. 

He let out a sigh, squeezing the leather of the steering wheel as Hotel California drifted quietly through the speakers up front. At least Liam had the decency to look contrite for dragging Nori's ass out of his comfy desk chair at 3 in the fucking morning. He sent him a glowering look for good measure, just to make sure Liam understood his displeasure with this turn of events. Not that it did much good. His new partner was as shiny as they came, and thought they had to answer to every freaking call that floated into the office. But they weren't cops, they were detectives, and this was really not in his job description. 

"If you ever drag me out of the office to nanny the overgrown babies again I'm gonna lock you in the back with them," he growled.

"Police brutality!" The kid growled, then whimpered and clutched his stomach. Dear God if the little shit threw up in his backseat...

Liam glanced at him, raising an unimpressed dark brown eyebrow that accented the myriads of green and gold in his eyes. Guy had the face of an Armani model, and he chose to go into the law force. Go figure. Not that Nori cared. About his face or his choice of career. Alright, maybe a little about the career, but only because that meant he got stuck with Mr. Shiny. 

"I heard the words 'dead body'. Pretty sure that's supposed to be our area of expertise," Liam replied coolly, crossing his arms over his torso. 

"Brighter than a newly pressed penny," Nori grumbled as they pulled into the police station. "You get to grab frat boy. Just toss him to the nearest officer." 

He pulled the key out of the ignition and slammed the door behind them as he headed for the front doors of the police department. Stalked down the hallways till he reached his office before slamming the door behind him. The blinds cracked as they bounced against the window from the force of the door and Nori slipped into his chair, his fingers finding the bridge of his nose again. He needed a cigarette. 

He had just turned to slam his fist into the side wall of his office when his door clicked open, and Amelia Martinez strolled into his office, slipping into the seat opposite of his. She always managed to do that somehow, appearing quietly and calmly, like an afternoon drizzle that was one strong wind away from turning into a hurricane. 

"I supremely hope that you're prepared to pay for the hole you're undoubtedly about to bust through that sheet rock," she said. She crossed her legs and laid her hands on top of her lap, studying the mess across from her. That was Mel, always poised and elegant, even at 4 a.m. "Go home. Shower. Shave. You reek and look like you've been sleeping in the gutter. We aren't going to find anything new tonight."

Nori huffed out a laugh and ran a hand over the stubble growing over his chin as he watched her. "I was going for that new hipster look. You don't like it?"

Mel rolled her eyes, a pretty common reaction that the Chief had in his presence. Or just about anyone, for that matter. "I need you to take Keirk out on a stakeout tomorrow now. We had a tip come in that there will be a shipment that might interest us arriving in the docks tomorrow. I'll debrief you in the morning. Get out of here."

She pushed out of the chair and left as quietly as she had entered, a ghost on the breeze. Nori huffed out another breath, pushing a hand through his hair as he stared at the ceiling. Mel's arrival had knocked the fury out of him, leaving him only with the consistent simmer of anger that never lay far below the surface. His sister had suggested anger management classes at one point. He'd almost bitten her head off about it. 

Shaking his head, he grabbed his keys and his bag and made his way out of the building. 

Liam leaned against his car outside, profile illuminated by the street lights lining the otherwise empty parking lot. He cocked his head at the sound of Nori's foot steps, dragging his gaze down Nori and back up again. Nori felt his skin heat at the inspection. His face morphed further into a scowl as he approached the car. 

"Late night tomorrow. Sleep and caffeine. Go," he grunted, tossing his bag in the passenger seat. 

Liam nodded, eyes still on the building across from them. "Sorry about tonight."

"Shut up," Nori said, and drove off into the night just as the purple of the morning broke above the skyline.