Chapter 5: Clash of Codes

Detective Leah Moore sat in the back of an unmarked cruiser, adjusting her bulletproof vest. Her expression was focused, even stoic, but her eyes scanned the street with precision. They were here for Terry Brooks, a slippery arms dealer who had managed to dodge the law more times than she could count.

“He’s late,” Leah murmured, more to herself than her partner.

Detective Torres, steady and quiet, didn’t look up from his surveillance notes. “We’ve got time. He never comes in early. He knows the routine.”

Leah gave a curt nod. “Still, we do this by the book. No surprises. No improvisation.”

And then, as if summoned by irony itself, a growling engine cut through the quiet.

A black Bugatti Chiron pulled up at the corner like a punchline to a bad joke. It gleamed under the Miami sun, completely out of place in the neighborhood’s patchwork of mom-and-pop bodegas and crumbling stucco.

Jason Walker stepped out in slow motion, aviator shades on, tactical vest slung over a crisp white tee, his expression pure mischief. He looked like he belonged in a Michael Bay movie.

“You’re late,” Leah snapped, stepping out.

Jason stretched like he’d just woken from a spa nap. “I brought style. You're welcome. Besides, you didn’t say we were chasing gunrunners in pastel paradise.”

“This is a surveillance op,” Leah said, voice clipped. “Low profile. You couldn’t have come in, I don’t know maybe in a Ford?”

Jason grinned and tossed a granola bar into his mouth. “I only work in luxury.”

Before Leah could retort, Torres whispered into his mic, “Target spotted. Second-floor apartment. Backpack on. He’s moving.”

Leah instantly clicked her radio. “Hold position. We move quiet and tight. Let’s not screw this….Jason, what the hell?!”

But Jason was already striding across the street like he was late for a date.

“Jason! WAIT….!”

He didn’t wait. He kicked open the door of the apartment building.

What followed happened too fast to stop. A woman screamed. A door slammed. A single shot cracked through the walls like lightning.

“Move!” Leah shouted, drawing her weapon and sprinting up the stairs with Torres behind her.

By the time they reached the hallway, Jason had Terry Brooks pinned to the wall, bleeding from a busted lip and screaming expletives. Jason’s smile was maddening.

“Got him!” he said, as if he’d just bagged a prize turkey.

“You idiot!” Leah growled, grabbing Jason by the vest and yanking him back. “You could’ve gotten yourself killed or gotten us all shot!”

“But I didn’t,” Jason said, brushing himself off like it was a game. “That’s the part you’re missing.”

Leah was fuming. “You're reckless. You're cocky. And you're lucky he didn’t have backup!”

The suspect groaned, clearly concussed.

Torres handcuffed him while Leah stepped aside to breathe. The hallway smelled of dust, sweat, and adrenaline.

They’d gotten their guy.

But Leah didn’t feel like celebrating.

Later That Afternoon , Leah slammed a thick stack of folders on Jason’s desk. He looked up, mid-bite of a powdered donut.

 “You shouldn’t sneak up on a man eating.”

“Good,” she said. “You’ll need the sugar rush.”

Jason squinted at the files. “What’s this?”

“Paperwork. All the case files from today. And some cold ones from last month.”

Jason laughed. “You’re joking.”

Leah folded her arms. “I warned you.”

“I caught the guy!”

“You nearly botched protocol. You risked lives. You're sitting your overconfident ass down and finishing every single one of these before the end of the day.”

Jason let out a theatrical groan. “You’re cruel.”

“And you’re lucky I don’t file a report.”

As Leah walked away, Torres gave her a subtle high-five. Even Ben, the tech expert chuckled as they all walked into the break room.

“You really stuck him with the cold cases?” Ben asked.

Leah sipped her iced coffee smugly. “Oh yeah. And I picked the ones with handwritten notes and redacted witness statements. The fun kind.”

Inside the break room of the Miami Police Department, the air was thick with excitement and barely contained smiles. It was quiet aside from the clinking of mugs and the hum of the air conditioner. Leah, Ben, and Torres were gathered around the small table, chatting and enjoying a rare moment of lightheartedness.

Leah leaned back in her chair, a satisfied grin spreading across her face as she took a sip of her coffee. "I can’t believe how well it worked," she said, her voice laced with triumph. "I knew Jason wouldn’t be able to handle it. He probably thought it was some kind of game."

Ben leaned in, his eyes wide with amusement. “The look on his face when he saw the stack of cases. Priceless! I thought he was going to choke on his own arrogance.”

Torres, who rarely smiled, was clearly amused as well. He shook his head, tapping his fingers on the table in a rhythm. “I didn’t think he’d be that clueless. But when he realized you weren’t playing around, well, he just seemed... lost.”

Leah chuckled softly. “It was honestly too easy. He walked in all cocky, expecting to be the center of attention. I mean, the guy thought he could waltz in and charm his way through. But the mountain of paperwork I gave him? Not even his charm could save him this time.”

Ben leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “I love how you made it just bad enough for him to feel it but not too bad that it would totally break him. A perfect balance of payback.”

Leah smirked, glancing at Torres. “I had to make sure he understood this isn’t about flashy entrances or big talk. This is real work. The kind you can’t talk your way out of.”

Torres let out a quiet laugh. “He definitely got a dose of reality today. I think his ego took a pretty hard hit.”

Leah nodded in agreement. “He’s used to being the guy who gets away with whatever he wants. He’s not going to get away with it here. Not while I’m around.”

They shared a collective laugh at Jason’s expense. It felt good to finally have the upper hand, even if just for a little while. As they enjoyed the moment, the tension that had been building for days seemed to dissolve.

Ben then leaned forward, grinning widely. “But you know what’s the best part?”

Leah raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What’s that?”

“The fact that, despite all the work you gave him, he’s still not going to back down. You know he’ll probably come back tomorrow with some new excuse or make it look like he’s doing the work, but deep down, you’ve already proven your point.”

Leah’s smile widened. “Exactly. He’ll either learn how to be part of this team, or he’ll crash and burn. And honestly? I’m fine with either outcome.”

Torres nodded approvingly, his lips curling slightly. “He won’t see it coming. He’s still got a lot to learn about respect.”

Just as Leah was about to respond, her phone buzzed on the table, interrupting their conversation. The three of them fell silent as she glanced down at the screen. Her expression immediately shifted from playful to serious when she saw the name flashing across the display: Chief Morales.

Leah’s stomach tightened for a second. She quickly grabbed the phone and answered, her voice steady but attentive. "Leah Moore."

The voice on the other end was calm, but there was an urgency beneath it. "Leah, I need you in my office. Now."

Leah’s heart skipped a beat. There was something in the Chief’s tone that suggested this wasn’t just a routine matter. "Got it, Chief. I’m on my way."

She hung up the phone and stood up quickly, her eyes briefly flicking to Ben and Torres. They exchanged curious looks, sensing the shift in the air.

"Everything okay?" Ben asked, his voice laced with concern.

Leah nodded, but she didn’t have time for a full explanation. "I don’t know. But I’ll find out. I'll catch you guys later."

Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed her jacket and headed toward the door. Her mind was racing. She had no idea what the Chief wanted, but she had a feeling it involved more than just Jason’s paperwork mess. And with everything that had been going on lately, it couldn’t just be another casual meeting.

As she stepped out of the break room and made her way down the hallway, her thoughts were clouded with uncertainty. But one thing was clear: whatever was about to happen next, Jason’s name was bound to come up again. And she couldn’t shake the feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated.

As soon as she entered the office, Jason was already inside. Feet up on the chair. Sipping coffee from his personalized mug.

Chief Morales was chuckling at something Jason had just said.

“Moore,” the chief said. “Glad you’re here. Jason told me you were following up on new leads. Good initiative.”

Leah blinked. “Sir, I….”

“Relax. Why didn’t you explain to our Jason how paper works are to be done. I don’t think I will still be doing some paper works at this age as the Chief” he said while struggling to type on his desktop

“I’m sorry sir, I will explain much better to him now sir” she said as she hurriedly packed the stack of documents into a trolley pushing it out of the office

She looked at Jason. He smirked over the rim of her mug. “Hazelnut creamer, huh? Bold choice.”

Her eyes burned holes in him. But she said nothing.

She just walked out with him giggling at her back.

Later that night, Leah lay in bed staring at the ceiling fan. It spun like her thoughts.

Why did he always come out on top? Why did his arrogance somehow endear him to everyone else?

She punched her pillow, let out a muffled scream into the cotton, and then rolled over.

But her mind wasn’t done torturing her. In the middle of all her various thoughts

That moment flashed again.

Earlier that week. The loose tile in the station hallway. Her heel catching. Her body tilting forward.

And Jason’s hand, reaching without thinking steadying her.

It wasn’t the hand that lingered. It was the look in his eyes. That second where she saw concern. Not ego. Not performance.

Just him.

She groaned, covering her face with her blanket.

“Nope. Not happening,” she muttered.

But her heart thudded louder than her voice.

Because deep down, she knew something was shifting.

She was starting to fall.

And that terrified her more than any armed suspect ever could.