ANGEL BLUE [1]

LEAD 21: nypd red

      It’s tradition with all Chiefs of the NYPD to have their coronation into the ‘Big Chair’ at Belvedere Castle in mid-park. Whoever invented this tradition needs to be shot. Belvedere is an extremely public place, and even though the NYPD have hired it for the night to compensate for the esteemed guests and such, it’s put us on show.

      Central Park is home to the Nymphs and Baines, since Hayden’s been killed, Nikita would’ve reached out to the Baines and told them that the NYPD had killed their Alpha. But as always, nobody listens to the blue haired Detective when she has to say something.

      I’m presumptuous of tonight’s events, despite how many of us there are to survey the premises. Out of the ranked Officers that’ve been assigned on tonight, we’re split up into teams of four since there are twenty of us. The first two teams will be posted at the entrances, posted at the surrounding trees towards Seventy-Ninth Street, two other teams will be posted around the exterior of the building, one team will be on the roof and around the back of Belvedere and my team will be mingling with the guests in case there’s infiltration. 

      I keep in mind that none of these twenty Officers know what they’re getting into, the risks that are posed tonight for Dad’s Big Chair reveal. We’re all huddled around the large map of Central Park and coloured markers are set on the points in which we’re guarding. Around each of our wrists are coloured bands and a pin on our lapels of our black suits.

      My team (S5), consisting of me, Banks and one other Officer (we’re down one person since Sam’s name wasn’t put on the list) wear dark blue wrist bands. I argued that I didn’t need to wear it since my hair was enough indication to which squad I belonged to, but the ringleader of the project, Chief Inspector Halverson, said that there will be no exceptions. Prat.

      There’s a list of invites which have been given to the yellow S4 and to get into the ‘party’ one must show valid ID and their badge number to see whether it corresponds to the name given. However, these Officers aren’t trained to see deception. Any means of creatures could infiltrate the party if they wanted to and the security wouldn’t even notice.

      If Dad was smart, he would invite the leaders of all twenty creatures on that list and suggest a parlay agreement and make them aware that it isn’t the NYPD causing their communities harm, but someone else who intends to impair the very stability of New York.  

      What also concerns me is that I’m the only one that has silver ammunition to take said creatures down if we are ambushed tonight. As far as the security is concerned, we’re protecting Dad and his comrades from (a) local gangs (b) serial killer or (c) general public. I can see the outcome of the night already.

      Banks is trying to make conversation with our third-party-person, Officer Adams. Adams is in his early thirties with a mop of curly almond hair and a slight beard on his chin. He’s surprisingly short compared to the other Officers chosen, but he laughs when Banks cracks a joke and he seems comfortable in younger people’s presence.

      We walk across the grass from the pond where our meeting was held. The guests flow in dribs and drabs like a leaking faucet, all men are dressed in suits whereas the women are in exquisite ball gowns that make me squint when the fabric catches the light from Belvedere.

      I see S1 and S2 poking through the pines with their small click-flashlights. The small dots of light shift through the branches as if they’re trying to spook bats or something, I don’t pay much attention to anything, the whole grand setup of tonight is putting me off the job.

      I adjust the inductive earpiece in my left ear that loops around my neck towards the mic hidden beneath my suit jacket. It travels down to my waist towards a walkie-talkie on my hip. All of the Squads are on the same frequency and have to announce our colour and number when reporting. S1 and S2 give constant updates every ten minutes while my squad, S5, saunter around the green grass for a few more minutes before heading up the stairs into the party.