𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 82: 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐀 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬°°°

Breanna pushed through the glass doors of precinct headquarter

like she owned the place.

Sophia tagged cautiously beside her.

“Where is Internal Crimes?” she snapped at a passing officer.

“Third floor.”

They didn’t wait for the elevator, they took the stairs two at a time, and within minutes they made it to the third floor.

“INTERNAL CRIMES DIVISION” Sophia read the hanging placard aloud.

“Get off my path” Breanna shouldered her aside without breaking stride.

The corridor here was narrower, hushed than other hallways.

Every office door bore a name on brass nameplates.

Men and women who’d lasted decades in the department by knowing exactly whose cages not to rattle.

She stopped at the first lobby desk.

“Detective Breanna Stewart” She flicked her badge open and let it snap shut. “I need an arrest warrant drafted.”

The desk officer glanced up, read the name on the folder Sophia slid forward, “…Antonio Hunt?”

“Yes. That's the one.” she purred impatiently. “We have concrete evidence”

The officer took the paperwork with trembling hands and flipped pages.

“Give me two minutes,” he whispered, exiting into the back office.

“I think we made a mistake of trusting Antonio's arrest to follow legal bureaucracy ” Breanna screeched, checking her watch every ten seconds.

“Patience Ma'am” Sophia murmured.

The officer returned and gestured to them to go in.

“Captain Reyes will see you.”

The women gave him a curt nod and padded into the inner sanctum.

Inside smelled like burnt coffee and decades of discipline.

Awards and commendations lined the shelves like silent sentinels or maybe collections.

Reyes didn’t come out immediately. He kept them waiting— ten minutes first, then Twenty. Finally, the private bathroom door opened.

He looked exhausted. Face drawn, eyes bloodshot, but the posture still ramrod straight.

One of the last honest captains in a crooked department.

The women rose upon his emergence. “Good—”

“Sit” he interjected, taking his too. “Thanks for waiting for me”

“It's nothing, Sir” Breanna sniggered a humble smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

He studied them for a while and cleared his throat, requesting for the report.

He skimmed through it, eyes slowing at every mention of Blade knuckles.

“This is circumstantial,” he said at last, closing the folder gently.. “You know who you’re accusing of being Blade Knuckles.”

“We do,” Breanna rubbed her palms. “We also have eyewitness testimony.”

“From who?” One of his eyebrows arched.

“Liza Minnelli. Mother of the victim. She was present at the scene, and identified Antonio Hunt as the suspect.”

“Okay” Reyes blinked. “Show me.”

Sophia set a small recorder on the desk and Breanna hit play.

Liza’s voice filled the room — broken and unfiltered.

“…he dragged him back… my Willow begged…but he slit his throat and burned him…”

At the end of the record, the silence that followed afterward was thick.

Reyes rubbed his temple. “She’s… local. Not exactly neutral.”

Breanna slid another file across the desk. Liza’s statement. “You can also read her written testimony.”

Reyes took his time and studied the handwritten testimony, signed with a blood red thumbprint.

“Morgan always whispered doubts about Antonio's authenticity.” he murmured, reaching the end of the report. “Arms. Narcotics and multiple indicators of crime involvement.”

Breanna leaned in just enough. “I read something similar in Captain's private journal while I was still on his case.”

Reyes’ head snapped toward her. “Any new movement on Morgan’s murder— it's been months?”

“Unfortunately none.” Breanna’s tone turned bitter and resentful. “They pulled me off his case after my suspension.”

Reyes stared at her for a long moment, weighing her soul on a dirty scale. “What's your relationship with Morgan like?”

“My mentor. Everything I know about wearing this badge right, I learned from him.”

Reyes nodded and leaned back, chair creaking. “Judging by the pace. Do you think he will ever see justice?”

“Yes, sir.” Breanna didn’t hesitate, eyes burning. “I’ll drag it to him in chains if I have to. I owe him that much.”

Sophia leaned over Reyes polished desk and folded her hands together. “Please Sir, help us do our jobs. This warrant keeps Blade Knuckle's case breathing. And it will crack open Captain Morgan’s own too.”

Reyes stared at the warrant request another full minute and then flipped to the final page.

“You understand what you're up against,” he lifted his gaze. “Antonio Hunt owns the City. He funds three campaigns and has friends in court.”

“We know Sir.” The two women chorused in unison.

“You know what happens if this manhunt fails.”

“Yes, and I vow to take full responsibility.” Breanna swore.

Reyes picked up his pen and scraped it out loud on the paper.

Next, he pushed the signed document across the desk and stood abruptly.

“Detective Stewart” he croaked. “I officially reinstate Morgan’s case back to you.”

Breanna met his eyes. “Thank you, Sir.”

“Don't hesitate to reach out to me directly if you encounter any interference.”

She nodded and took the document, folded it once, and tucked it into her jacket. “I won't disappoint you”

-----

Back at HQ, the warrant printed with a shrill mechanical whine.

Sophia tore it free and stared at the header like it might disappear.

ARREST WARRANT — ANTONIO HUNT.

Breanna emerged and took it from her fingers. “Round everybody up.”

Officers gathered in a loose circle, curiosity sharpening.

“Sophia collect their phones” Breanna ordered, not wanting to repeat her mistake.

Sophia moved through the group with a plastic basket.

One by one, devices dropped in, no questions, no hesitation.

Breanna scanned faces, nodded at Lowell and a lot others. “Gear up, you're with me.”

They piled into police cars and vans, convoy rolling out into the dusk without a word of explanation.

------

𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐚’𝐬 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

Morning bled into evening,Yet Nevena didn't step out of her house.

Still in silk nightwear, she drifted from bed to kitchen and back, phone clutched like a lifeline.

She tried Antonio's line countless times and texted but it was still the same ugly reply. Voicemail.

She forced down a few bites of cold toast and chased her pills with water in order to survive.

Weekend was still two days away, else she would have brought Junior to spend some time, and fill the sterile silence.

“God” She exhaled, fighting back a wreaking sob, assuring herself that all was well.

She rinsed her plate, set it in the rack, and crawled back into bed.

Less than five minutes later, her phone vibrated once on the nightstand. A message.

She lunged for it, heart stuttering.

“Mr. Hunt!” she pushed herself upright.

A faint, fragile smile graced her lips as she read the content of the message.

Without thinking twice, she thumbed her reply.

>Choose a location and inform me.

------

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠☆☆.

After seeing her reply, Antonio checked his watch countlessly. A man who’d been wrestling emotion and losing.

He punched a speed-dial key.

“Come to my office.”

Grinch appeared in the doorway seconds later, silent as smoke. “Any problem?” he asked.

“The courtesans.” Antonio growled. “Did they arrive yet?”

“I’ll confirm.”

Grinch stepped out, made the call and came back nodding.

“Let's go home then” Antonio initiated, shutting his laptop and shrugging into his cashmere coat.

Grinch collected the briefcases and they left the glass tower together.