You canread ahead at my Patreon @geoffdads. The music playlist for all songs in this story is at my ko-fi.
Episode 25
Pamela Hastings nee Hall
Taking a honeymoon within the country was indeed a great idea. There wasn't any stress for missing international flights, lost passports or getting stranded in a foreign country. It was cheaper and more convenient.
For her, this removed a good amount of worrying and stress throughout the trip. This made her two week honeymoon with James far more pleasurable. With a rental, where they arranged to return it to a branch in New York, they used the two weeks driving along roads with no real strict itinerary.
Driving from the start point of Daytona they headed to Jacksonville, Savannah and then finally Charleston after four days. They definitely picked the scenic route, and she and James enjoyed taking turns driving, sometimes camping. They were in no real hurry as they headed further north to Greenville and then Norfolk as they capped off their first week.
Their second week was as good as their first, despite their rental suffering two flat tires. Getting service was easy and they were on the road once more within the hour. They passed through Delaware and New Jersey, spending a few days in Philadelphia because they enjoyed the food. Now on their last few days, they had just surrendered their car to the designated branch office of the rental company and were now taking the sights of New York before they flew back to L.A.
Walking along the upper east side while waiting for James to return from meeting some friends for coffee, she noticed that her phone was ringing. She saw that it was Jack, one of her best friend's husband that was calling.
"Hi Pam, I was just calling to ask how was your honeymoon road trip."
She smiled and stopped for a moment. That walk took longer than expected and she was slightly out of breath. "It was great, thanks for asking. Tell Zoe that road trip honeymoons are the best."
"I'm glad to hear that, I'll tell her." Jack replied.
"So… what are you up to?" Silence.
She looked at her phone screen and realized the call was still active.
"Jack?" She asked again.
"Get some rest Pam, you look tired."
The call cut off and she immediately turned around, shocked. Jack was nearby? What the hell?
She spent a minute panicking, looking around frantically until she felt her phone vibrate once more and she saw she received a text message.
[Sorry, I saw you from a window right above you. On a special assignment here in the city and had to drop the call when VIP walked in. I'll tell Zoe I saw you. Take Care.- Jack]
She breathed a sigh of relief. That scared the shit out of her. She looked at the building she was standing right in front of. Carlyle Hotel. Interesting.
She headed inside and decided she too needed something to drink, and this place looked as good as any. Jack was right, she did look tired since she spent an hour walking to central park and back.
After messaging James where she was, she decided to tell Zoe what her husband did.
Jack Routh
New York was a strange place. They arrived ahead of schedule, and feeling restless after being confined to a small space for hours no matter how luxurious, he headed out to explore the city. With Taylor safe and secure and with no plans for the first day outside of the hotel, Angela agreed when he asked if he could explore the city.
It was colder here, and he bought a cheap scarf to wrap around his neck. Los Angeles was not the cleanest of cities, but New York was a different beast. There was grime, and smells but it all felt strangely familiar, but he was pretty sure he had never been to this city at all.
Around ten minutes into his walk he realized he was being followed. Three men, by the looks of it. They tried to be discreet and pretended they were ordinary pedestrians, but they matched his walking pace. They followed him when he crossed a street, and they waited as he had a cup of coffee from a nearby restaurant.
Having grown tired of being followed, he increased his pace and turned to an alley. He immediately crouched down behind a dumpster and waited for his pursuers. As he expected, the three men ran past him, only to stop when they realized he was missing.
"I assume you're here for me." He stated out loud, causing the three to tense up and immediately spun around to face him.
"Mr. Routh, you need to come with us." One of the men stepped forward.
"I'm not obligated to go anywhere." He replied, calmly observing their movements. He had a suspicion where these men were from, and after a few more moments analyzing the way they stood and their clothing, he had a pretty good idea.
"And since I haven't committed any crime, and you know my name, my guess is this is some sort of training exercise." He continued speaking.
"What the…" One of the younger men muttered.
"Quiet!" The lead pursuer hissed back to his colleague. "How did you know?"
"You haven't pulled out your weapons yet." He explained. "That means you're unwilling to escalate the situation, since you know I'm armed as well and we don't want any misunderstandings."
"Let me guess, FBI… no DHS?" He smiled as one of the men tensed. He wondered what Jessica Russo's bosses were up to, sending these men to tail him. "Tell your superiors I'm not in any mood to play secret agent. I'm on assignment here and I don't like being followed. That's your only warning."
"And then what?" One of the men asked.
"And then I get violent."
He gave them a look and resumed his walk.
Paul Franklin
"Should we bag him and take him to the safe house?"
He turned to the junior agent and shook his head. "You think you can take on that guy? Go ahead, Carl. Be my guest."
Carl, as expected remained silent.
"Call it off." He ordered.
It was supposed to be a simple surveillance operation. Their target was a prospective recruit, highly recommended by one of their senior agents on the west coast. Unfortunately, the station chief decided to bring him in for an informal interview when his name popped up on their registry, and decided to use the opportunity to train their field team.
Suffice it say it didn't go well. Their target was somehow aware that he was under surveillance, and walked around like he knew the city like it was the back of his hand. Jack Routh led them through a merry chase in east side and even took a coffee break, as if mocking their abilities. He picked a perfect spot, one crowded with people, with two exit points.
Their target seemed to get tired of the cat and mouse game and decided to increase his pace and finally they lost sight of him in an alley.
How a man of that size could just vanish surprised him. He still remembered how his pulse spiked up when they realized their target was behind them, ready to act at a moment's notice. They could have forced the issue, but their target was also a decorated cop, one with an impressive list of accomplishments. He didn't miss the sharp eyes watching their every move and he knew the man could turn violent at a moment's notice.
"Agent Franklin, you called off the operation?"
His earpiece came to life with the station's chief's voice, sounding annoyed.
"Yes chief. The target became aware of our surveillance team moments after he walked out of the hotel." He reported.
"That's not acceptable."
"Sir, the target is an armed, law enforcement officer." He replied, fighting to keep the frustration from leaking into his voice. "He got the jump on us when we lost him in an alley."
"That's a pity. It seems I was right to increase your team's training then."
Damn stupid glory hounding station chief. He knew his boss' curiosity was peaked when they received word of a prospective recruit arriving in their area of operations and ordered the surveillance team to get some practice. Judging by the disappointed tone in the chief's voice, he knew the man wanted to score points with the director by trying to impress and scare the recruit. They always did. Cops usually became uncomfortable and submissive when faced with the powerful federal badge.
Well, that plan backfired spectacularly.
"Sir, he immediately deduced that we're from DHS just from a casual glance. He also warned us that he didn't like being followed." He added. "He might be reporting the incident to Agent Russo as we speak."
"Fine. Call off the operation, pull back the scout team from the roof."
The call ended quickly, and he breathed a sigh of relief. There was one thing he knew now. He didn't want to meet Jack Routh in an alley at night despite his training and being armed. There was just something about the larger man that screamed predator to his senses.
Jack Routh
Once the game with those DHS ended he had a pleasant walk exploring the city. He wished LA had a large inner city park like New York's central park, but he knew that idea was not feasible due to the city's geography.
Manhattan was easy to navigate with its grid orientation. They were staying at the Carlyle Hotel on 76th street, and a few hours of casual walking later he ended up in 71st. He looked up and saw a building that was strangely familiar, but he knew he had never stepped foot inside that one before. Strange.
He was crying, locked in a cell. His hands were swollen, his fingers broken. There were bruises on his wrist and slashes?
Needles, strange blue pills. Green pills. He had a fever and saw he was chained to a gurney inside a worn down hospital.
He had a sudden headache and touched a nearby wall to regain his balance. A few moments later and the dizziness he was feeling vanished. He remembered strange memories he knew weren't his. It wasn't from Jack Reacher, Charlie Puth or Lucy Worsley's. It wasn't this body's memories as far as he could tell.
"You okay there buddy?"
He looked up to see a middle-aged couple looking at him with some concern.
"You're bleeding. Do you need an ambulance?"
He touched his nose and realized he was indeed bleeding. He wiped it off with his handkerchief.
"Yeah, just got dizzy." He replied and waved away the couple's concern. He took a deep breath and stood up straight and started moving again. Maybe he was more tired than he thought, and he decided to retrace his steps back to the hotel to get some rest. That night his dreams were not pleasant.
He was always a light sleeper, so it was an unusual feeling to wake up to the sound of knocking on his door.
"I swear to God, if I don't hear you from you in the next five seconds…"
He hurried to open the door, revealing his impatient looking partner.
"I've been knocking for over a minute." Angela complained. "You're usually up before me. Did you go out drinking?"
"No." He replied. "I guess I was more tired than I thought I would be. Got dizzy in the middle of my stroll and decided to head back."
"Dizzy?" Angela suddenly peered at his eyes and felt her fingers on his neck and checking his pulse. "You shouldn't have gone off to explore the city if you're not feeling a hundred percent. Do you know what the captain would do to me if something happened to you?"
"Hey, Zoe's not like that." He replied.
"Maybe not to you." He heard Angela mutter.
"When it comes to your well-being, the captain kicks into another gear." Angela explained. "Your first shooting incident, those incidents you went through, you should have seen the captain's face. She was really worried. People were literally diving out of the way whenever she passed by."
"Anyway, you seem to be fine." Angela stood up. "Just saw some faint bite marks on your neck… and scratches on your back. Did you have a nice farewell with the cap before you left?"
"Did you have one with Wes? Should I check under that collar for hickeys?" He asked. His smile grew wider when he saw the faint flush on his partner's cheeks.
They entered the presidential suite after a nice breakfast, where three security staff stepped aside to allow them to pass through. They found the pop star having breakfast with her team, while making final preparations for the day.
Still hungry, he grabbed a plate and filled it with bacon at the nearby breakfast buffet table along with a few pancakes and sat on the couch. Angela followed his lead, and soon they were drinking quality coffee after the hearty meal.
"So it's rehearsals in the afternoon, and then a press interview. The team's not leaving the hotel." Angela leaned over and filled her cup with coffee once more. "Want to shop for clothes now?"
"Sure." He replied. "I'm not sure where to buy additional clothes, but we could head over to a nearby mall. I'm sure we'll find something within our budget."
"You two are going shopping?"
They both turned to the table where Taylor was looking over at them.
"Yeah, we just realized we lack the amount of proper clothes to blend in." He replied.
"Let me join you, I know a good place." Taylor stood up and looked at him and Angela head to toe with a thoughtful look in her eyes. "A few suits, a coat, yeah that should be easy, I think they stock that."
"You really don't have to…" He tried, but Taylor seemed determined.
"No, and I've looking to get a new coat and outfit for myself as well." The pop star continued speaking. "I'm feeling like I need to get out, and it's a nice morning! Let's go!"
A few calls later and an hour before even the store was open, he found himself with a pair of attendants helping them try on various clothing. It was ironic though, considering the historic store he was in. He looked around, admiring the elegant décor that seemed like it was more suited for the 1800s than the ultra modern styles of modern Manhattan with its boutique clothing stores.
Tall mirrors, tasteful wood paneling with engraving and thick carpets were the theme of the place, with ornate chandeliers providing adequate lighting from above.
"Is something amusing?" Taylor Swift asked.
For some reason, she and Angela made him wait, as they completed their shopping first. When it was his turn, it seemed like he was forced to try on every style of clothing in various combinations, with the two and the pop star's staff commenting on every outfit he wore. He honestly felt like a doll at this point, and ignored the poorly concealed grins worn by some of the security staff.
"Nothing." He replied as another coat was presented to him to try. It was tan in color, and he shook his head as he was forced to try it on.
"C'mon Routh, you were thinking about something amusing. Spill." Angela demanded.
"It's just that this store was originally made to cater for men's clothing only." He revealed. "I find it ironic now that half its stock is for women's clothing."
"We have to adjust with the times." Giovanni, the apparent store manager responded. "Brooks Brothers have a rich history dating way back to the 1850s."
"It actually started at 1818, by Henry Sands Brooks." He replied. Noting the surprised look on the man's face, he continued speaking. "His motto was, to make a deal using the finest merchandise, and to sell at a fair profit for people who appreciate quality."
"I see." Giovanni replied and gave him an odd look. "Are you a scholar, Mr. Routh?"
"He's a professor." Taylor replied. She stood up from her seat and walked around him and gave a satisfied nod. "We'll take this too."
"I already have two coats." He replied. "Don't you think this is too much?"
"Nope." Taylor grinned. "You wear that today, okay? And put this on."
He stared at the pair of glasses and hesitantly took them from the pop star's hands. "What am I supposed to do with this? I don't need glasses."
"Just put them on." Angela stated. "It has no grade anyway."
He sighed and put on the glasses, making a mental note never to shop with these two ever again. As he put on the glasses, he looked at the two women who were now wearing wide grins. "Happy?"
"Very." Taylor pulled him down from the small wooden platform he was standing on and headed to the entrance. "Let's go, Mr. Kent. To the Daily Planet!"
He had to admit though, these clothes he currently wore were of nice quality, and he could barely feel the cold as they walked on the sidewalk despite the morning chill. He stared at his partner, and with her new outfit and coat, she already looked the part of a detective.
Rehearsal that day was productive, as he spent the time with Taylor's musicians practicing their two performances and working with the sound engineer to polish the effects for the two songs. Vocal rehearsals with Taylor proved more challenging, since her friends and entourage kept distracting her from their practice.
"It's going to be a hit, I'm sure of it." Taylor declared with a satisfied smile once they finished rehearsals.
It was going well, until they went to the venue itself for stage rehearsals the next morning. With the charity concert starting at the afternoon, they only had morning to practice, but even getting into the venue was proving difficult.
Then there were the other artists, all eager to rub elbows with Taylor Swift. It was a security nightmare, and it took him an hour of stalling artists, managers and well wishers who wanted to visit her while she was singing a few of her songs. It seemed that the organizers didn't bother to ask the other artists and their teams to leave while Taylor's rehearsal time block started.
"I'm sorry." He responded politely to a musician who was asking for a few minutes of Taylor's time. "Her management team gave clear instructions that she's not to be disturbed. She takes rehearsals seriously."
"Does Taylor know how strict you are?" The singer gave him an unimpressed look. "I'm going to message her and tell her how her security team are being rude. Let's see if you have still have your job tomorrow."
"Let's see. Now please move along." The artists seemed like he wanted to make a run for it, but seemed to think the better of it in the end and walked away. That was the fifth time in a hour. Like a professional athlete, his charge was able to complete their rehearsals and he and Angela accompanied her to a press lunch with other artists. Working with Taylor's beefed up security team and the organizers, they were able to easily secure the locations.
"Jack! Over here!"
One of the security staff gave him a nod and he headed to Taylor's table, where she sat with what looked like fellow artists and musicians.
"Yes Taylor?" He asked once he reached her chair.
"Have a seat." Taylor patted the empty seat beside her. "We were just talking about our craft, and as a fellow musician, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject."
"He's a musician?"
"You don't recognize him?" Taylor grinned. "You will after tomorrow. This is Jack Routh, the police officer that saved me. He's also known as…"
"Sugar!" One of the women gasped.
"Holy shit!"
"You're that guy!"
"You're performing at the concert too?"
"I'm performing a few songs with him." Taylor mock whispered. "So keep it a secret for now, okay? It's meant to be a surprise."
Questions poured in, and he calmly answered each and every one of them.
"We have to collaborate." One of the women who Taylor introduced as Arianna insisted. "I love all your songs! Are you sure you don't want a career in music?"
"I'm happy where I am." He replied. "And I'm doing this as a favor for Taylor, since she's a close friend."
Taylor preened at that, and he noticed the looks being thrown at the blonde pop star.
After a tiring day he was finally able to relax in his hotel room. Feeling restless and missing his wife, he checked the time and decided to call Zoe. His wife was still in her office and he saw how her face lit up when their video chat connected. He was pretty sure he was wearing the same expression.
"Miss me that much?" Zoe asked.
"Yeah. Our schedule's hectic, but manageable." He replied.
"Lopez has been keeping me updated." His wife looked amused. "She sent me a couple of your new outfits, I really like the look."
"We have to blend in, but I didn't expect Taylor to bring us to a luxury store for clothes." He replied. "People here wear… mostly monochrome clothing. It's honestly very drab and lifeless for someone used to living in Los Angeles."
Zoe laughed at that. "It's a New York thing. Only tourists wear colorful outfits, and no New Yorker in his or her right mind would want to be mistaken for one."
"I haven't explored much, but the city feels familiar in some strange way." He admitted.
"Familiar?" Zoe asked. "If I recall, this is your first time in that city."
"I know, but it feels that way." He replied. "Weird right?"
Their call continued well into the night, and it got a bit heated as they both teased each other, with him admitting he missed waking up with his wife beside her. Zoe then locked her office and closed off the blinds, and he then experienced his first ever sex video call. Seeing his wife half naked in her office massaging her breasts and pussy while she sat on her chair made him cum within minutes. Zoe demanded a close up view of his cock as he started ejaculating.
"I can't wait to have you back, husband." Zoe gave him a kiss as their call finally ended.
He was still not satisfied, and decided to take matters into his own hand and opened the photo gallery and continued pleasuring himself, looking at the various poses of his naked wife as she displayed her sexy body for his viewing pleasure.
Zoe was such a considerate wife.
Nyla Harper
She hid a smile as Armstrong practically jumped to a nearby office as the captain walked by. The other officers hastily made detours once they caught sight of Captain Andersen, and she had completely understood their reaction.
It was a periodic assessment on each officer, and the Captain was hell bent on making sure that everyone was up to code. And if it was just that, it would be fine, but it seemed like for the past two days, their captain was in a bit of a mood. It wasn't unprofessional conduct, but there was something in her demeanor that screamed she wasn't playing around, as she lectured an officer for not leaving the 1 dollar required every time she used the coffee machine.
Armstrong found out the hard way when he playfully teased her about her having her period and taking a personal day. The veteran detective soon found himself in a meeting dealing with concerned citizens who always had something to say about the LAPD.
She knew the answer though. Poor Captain Andersen was missing the company of her husband.
Back in patrol, after first encountering a college student filming his thesis without any permit to use a prop gun, she continued her route with Nolan. She noticed he was unusually somber, and she strangely missed her talkative boot. Then Nolan smiled and it creeped her out.
"Okay." She stopped the car and turned to her rookie. "What's the matter with you?"
"Oh." Nolan turned to her, the smile still fixed on his face. "Sorry, seeing the costumed priest in that illegal film set made me remember something. Sorry, I'll be more focused."
"Remember what?"
"I asked Grace to marry me." Nolan shared. "She said yes."
Oh. That answered a lot of things. She released the handbrake and resumed driving. "Congratulations."
"Thanks." Nolan replied cheerfully. "I even asked her to go to Hawaii with us. We're getting married there."
"Good call." She admitted. She hadn't thought much about the upcoming vacation, and in truth she wasn't that interested in it. She'd rather spend the week with her daughter. She wondered if there was a way so that Lila could come with her, it should be a nice mother daughter bonding time.
"So what's your plan with the surprise?" She asked.
"Surprise?"
"The secret event Lopez is planning for Routh and the captain." She reminded her rookie.
"Oh that!" Nolan looked proud and took out a slip of folded paper. "I already have that covered."
"What's that?"
"It's a free installation service and upgrade of a solar powered system." He replied. "Jack told me that they bought solar panels, batteries and an inverter. It had been installed by contractors and my gift is to help them install other upgrades, along with some modifications."
"It seems everyone I know is preparing for the drought." She observed.
"They should." Nolan nodded seriously. "I even installed a generator in my own house. I can't imagine waking up at night sweating because of a blackout."
"At least I know where I will knock if that happens." She teased. "So how big of a generator should I get to run my fridge and AC?"
Shane Devon
His brother was part of the staff, and he luckily got hired as an extra hand for the charity concert. With it came a security pass, and he spent the last three days manning the booths. In truth, he despised the event, and it was as if they were mocking his own condition. He watched and listened at every performance, the crowd cheerful, the musicians belting out their greatest hits, and then in the end gave a token message about Mental Health Awareness.
It was all bullshit.
He wanted to do something, anything that would leave a lasting statement, more than the mockery of what they were supposed to support.
Being called a freak, a loser, being left by his girlfriend, it was all too much. On the last day, he decided to act. He brought his gun easily through security, and he had access to the barely guarded employee entrance. He didn't even have to pass through the metal detectors.
"Shane! Hey Shane!"
He turned to the voice and saw one of his coworkers in the past few days. Debra. He rather liked her, she was fun to be around with and friendly. It made the hours manning their stations bearable.
"Hi Debra. Do you need me for something?" He asked politely.
"Nah, but we're going out after." Debra replied. "To celebrate, you know? So are you coming?"
He gave a bitter smile. "I don't know if I'll be able to go. Let's see."
He felt sad for a moment when he saw how Debra's expression fell.
"Oh, I see. After this I hope we get to see each other from time to time. See you around."
"Yeah, see you."
He turned and headed back to the employee rest area to prepare and plan for his own finale. He hated that this world didn't understand him and his suffering. He would make them listen, and that he mattered too. That he existed and lived.
Monstermash had finished his own set when the excitement of the crowd increased. He knew the reason, one of the main draws of the entire three day event was coming up, and he decided to act on his grand plan.
Taylor Swift started out strong, and the energy of the crowd surged to new heights. He could understand, sort of, but it wasn't for him. He couldn't relate to it. Nothing was ever for him. That was why he wanted out.
Song after song, he saw how Taylor Swift and her dancers and musicians worked hard to give a great show to the tens of thousands that filled the arena. His weapon was on hand, ready to act when a new song started playing, and this time it wasn't Taylor's voice. It was someone else on stage with her, and he saw how the crowd was initially confused. It looked like a new song too, something he had never heard before.
Now and then I think of when we were together
Like you said you felt so happy you could die
Told myself you were right for me
But felt so lonely in your company
But that was love and it's an ache I still remember…
He stopped, suddenly remembering his past relationship. The chorus gave him chills, and he rubbed his arms, gun momentarily forgotten in the pocket of his jacket as goose bumps appeared all over his skin.
Then Taylor sang, and in her voice he heard his own ex. Their fights, the misunderstanding, the sorrow until she finally left. Yes, it was his fault, he realized. He too was hung up on a crush from high school.
He thought it was a fitting song to end his existence as the crowd cheered at the duet between the unknown male singer and Taylor, when a new series of notes reached his ears. Taylor spoke something about mental health awareness and how important it was. Then the mysterious singer started singing once more.
All… day, staring at ceiling making,
friends with the shadows on my wall…
All night, hearing voices telling me
That I should get some sleep
Because tomorrow might be good for something…
He stopped and dropped the gun once more to his pocket. He listened closely. The song, the lyrics… they were for him.
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell,
I know right now, you can't tell.
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see
A different side of me
I'm not crazy I'm just a little impaired
I know right now you don't care
But soon enough you're gonna think of me…
And how I used to be… me…
That was right. Fucking right. He listened in, and noticed the crowd around him grew silent as well, their faces wearing contemplative expressions. He wasn't crazy, just unwell…
"Good song right?"
He turned to his side to see Debra grinning beside him.
"Yeah, it is." He replied with a slight smile.
"It speaks to us you know?" Debra turned back to the stage. "We all have demons hidden, and it's okay to speak about it and not get ashamed."
"Yeah…" He replied. He turned back to the stage as well and listened to the amazing song. Maybe…. Maybe he mattered too.
His brother reached him after the concert, and practically bullied him into joining their party after the event. He really didn't have a choice, though he did notice how happy Debra looked when she realized he was coming with them.
"By the way bro, you forgot your prescription." His reliable brother quickly handed him his medication, and he realized he must have missed taking them for the past few days.
"Thank you." He swallowed and tried not to cry. His brother seemed to have noticed his state as he gave him a hug.
Angela Lopez
"My close friend Jack Routh, also known as Sugar!"
She watched from the side as Taylor introduced her fellow performer. Cheers assaulted her ears in waves as the crowd reacted to Taylor's introduction.
This was it. Jack was now a bonafide star. His first song was really amazing, and she knew the tune would get stuck in her head for days. It was really catchy too, and the way Taylor sang the other part, her voice showing the anger and sorrow really matched up nicely to Jack's vocals.
"I bet he would have felt that." She turned to see Selena suddenly standing just beside her. "That song is really catchy. Both of them."
"So that song was for her ex?" She asked. Selena nodded with a smile. "Ouch. Dating Taylor comes with risks."
"They better behave, or she would immortalize their actions with a viral song, like this one." Selena laughed. "Look, they uploaded the video too."
She looked over the star's shoulder and watched a video of Jack and Taylor singing in what must have been a recording booth.
"I remembered that night. Jack had a song ready that was perfect for Taylor's request." Selena shared. "It looks like they dubbed over the original video, but wow, this is still amazing."
She memorized the title and used her own phone to search the song in Youtube. As expected there were already tens of thousands of views just within minutes of its release.
[Somebody I used to know – Taylor Swift & Sugar]
This was Jack's formal public debut. She couldn't wait for the results, though she was pretty sure her famous partner could not perform ordinary patrol duties anymore. He was too high profile for that. It was a good thing Metro units wore masks when responding to emergencies.
The after party was more stressful than the concert itself, but she kept an eye on her charge. Taylor was tipsy and was trying, but ultimately failed to have her and Jack join in on the festivities.
Jack was being approached left and right and she could tell how he was slowly getting uncomfortable with the situation. His usual tactic failed, since Taylor kept a sharp eye on him constantly, forcing him to participate in the conversations around him.
They all moved to a more… exclusive club to party, where she first encountered a potential danger ever since she accepted the assignment. At the VIP section where the pop star, her friends and a few more guests were hanging out, they were interrupted by another group. She spotted the one leading them, her briefing before telling her these were people Taylor were actively avoiding and didn't want to interact with.
She could see the discomfort on the tall blonde's body language as she courteously greeted the new arrivals. An hour later, and more and more drinks arrived when she saw her partner stop Taylor from drinking. She quickly headed to the table to see what was happening.
"I think there's something not right with the drink." Jack told Taylor who wore a confused look.
"Why is that?" She heard Taylor ask.
"All the cocktails were made by the bartender here in the VIP lounge." Jack shared. "And I've been keeping an eye on him. This drink came from downstairs. I might be wrong, but it's better to be safe. Never drink anything you haven't seen personally made."
"I agree." She added. She looked around and spotted the people from the other table taking an unusual amount of interest on what was happening.
That seemed to sober up Taylor and she nodded with agreement.
"I think it's time to call it a night." She told her group. With that they all started packing up.
"Leaving so soon?" One of the newly arrived guests asked from the other booth. "We're just getting started."
"Thanks, but I need to rest." Taylor replied with a tight smile. Even tipsy, she had to admire the pop star's presence of mind. She spoke on the radio to the security teams, and with their arrival no one else commented as they all left the area.
"Thanks Jack, Angela." Taylor mumbled as they got inside one of the SUVs.
"That's our job, to keep you safe." She simply replied.
"I wish I could have taken a sample." Jack stated. "I'm pretty sure someone was targeting you."
"What could that have done?" Taylor asked.
"If they put some psychedelic or hallucinogenic compounds in your drink, that can cause you to act out and cause a scandal." She answered. "I can imagine the fallout from that, just after your performance in the concert."
"Fuck. You're right." Taylor replied. The pop star immediately started typing on her phone, and with the way she was clenching her jaw, she knew the blonde was pissed.
"Look." Jack pointed at a group of paparazzi that were conveniently waiting outside the club as their convoy of SUVs moved out. "This has got to be a set up."
"They won't get anything from me tonight." Taylor declared.
With the mood at an all time low, they all trooped back to the hotel to rest. When she woke up early the next morning, she was not surprised to learn that Taylor was cutting their New York trip short, cancelling a round of public appearances as she decided to head back to L.A.
"I'm not blaming her." She shared with Jack as she packed up her belongings in her room. Annoyingly, Jack had packed that night, anticipating Taylor's decision.
"We have no clear evidence that's what happened." Jack replied. "But the appearance of the other group that's in our briefing, the drink that came from downstairs and the large group of paparazzi outside the club…"
"Yeah, it can't be all a coincidence." She nodded in agreement. "But now we have a pissed off global pop star in our hands."
"She'll calm down once we arrive in L.A." Jack replied. "She was just reminded how cut throat the music industry is, and her image nearly got ruined."
Yeah, she could see that. Tabloids and the media would have a feast if ever the plan to drug Taylor Swift succeeded.
"I guess it's a new protocol for her security teams." She replied. At this rate, Taylor Swift might have better security than the POTUS.
Zoe Andersen Routh
Pam was in her honeymoon, and Reese was busy. She knew Jessica Chastain was busy with her work and that Liz was looking for a new place and had a meeting booked with a property agent. She was bored, alone in her house and she wanted to be productive, but lacked the necessary skills, knowledge and equipment to install the remaining upgrades to their home.
Missing Jack, she decided to see what her husband usually does when he was out of the house. She remembered that Jack usually headed to the comic book shop in Pasadena and decided to go there to see what her husband found fascinating in that area.
The comic book store was larger than she expected. There were rows and rows of shelves containing comic books and on the walls were various displays of action figures and even swords. A large life sized statue of a white armored figure was in the corner, greeting every visitor with its blaster.
Then there were the people, all men, all staring at her. She looked down at her blouse, she didn't have any stains on her clothes. She wondered why they were staring at her so intently.
"Hi. I'm Stuart." A curly man greeted her from behind the counter.
"I'm Zoe." She replied. "I'm just looking around for a nice gift to surprise my husband when he comes back. He loves coming here, and I can see why."
"Husband?" Stuart asked. She was slightly amused to see the curly haired man turn to the others in the store and gave some sort of signal.
"Yeah, you might know him." She replied. "He recently bought some replica sword from here…"
"You're… Jack's wife?" Stuart's eyes widened.
"Yeah, is something wrong?" She wondered if this man in front of her was under some sort of medication. He was too jittery, and she could tell he was already sweating.
"No, nothing's wrong!" Stuart replied. "Feel free to look around, and if it's for Jack, I'm sure he'd love anything you'll get him."
"Okay, I'll look around now." It was the first time she felt like she had a disease. Whenever she moved to a spot, the other men in the store would move away, as if afraid that they would catch her cooties.
Jack liked Star Wars, but she only found a few comics and those were in poor condition. She found an old batman comic, wearing some sort of strange armor she had never seen before. She pulled it out and realized there was something inside its worn plastic packaging and saw it was an old batman themed USB stick. Jack might find this funny.
"Interesting choice." Stuart stated as he wrapped the comic book.
"What's with the batman USB stick?" She asked.
"They used to have that included as additional promotional material." Stuart explained. "You're lucky, since most of these get stolen out of the packaging before they even arrived at the store."
"It's a good addition if you're collecting memorabilia." Stuart added.
After paying 5 bucks, she headed back to her car and remembered that one of Jack's students, Penny, worked at a nearby restaurant. She decided to head there and see if their cheesecake was really that good as the perky blonde claimed.
Ruben Derian
"I'm not happy." He spoke over the phone.
"I understand, but listen, it's too risky. They will notice immediately."
"That's the main reason that you applied there, to give us intelligence. This, this is barely worth the paper it's printed on. How can I move my goods without guarantees?" He crumpled the printed sheet of paper showing patrol route schedules.
"We just need time. The captain here runs a very tight ship. Procedure, by the book and no lapses. "
"That is something I cannot afford." He replied, a scowl forming in his face. "Perhaps we should replace the captain?"
"Nearly impossible. She's too high profile, and she's got powerful friends, I mean powerful. I'm talking about multiple federal agencies, FBI, DHS, NSA, all the god damn letters in the alphabet. You know what happened to Southern Front."
"Then what's your plan?"
"Next month, the whole division will be on leave for a week. Their routes will be covered by the surrounding stations, and that's the time to move. I already volunteered to stay behind."
"How selfless of you." Finally, some good news. "Perhaps Mid-Wilshire isn't as safe as you proposed."
"No shit… I didn't realize how fucked up my situation is here. Perhaps it's time to slowly relocate, and leave this place with the associates, people you can afford to lose."
"I'm still not happy." He reminded his inside man. "I used a considerable amount of resources to build up the infrastructure here. I hate to lose money on my investment."
"Maybe I can find a solution, but for now… lie low. That's my advice to you."
"Very well. The new drop off will on your usual spot." He didn't need to remind his contact to dispose of his current burner. He did the same. If the alphabet agencies were operating in his area, then he knew he had to be paranoid.
Mid-Wilshire was supposed to be the ideal location. It was considered a safe enough part of the city that his operation was not scrutinized, and there were no large rival gangs operating in the area to compromise his business.
But problems arose. Some of his shipments got delayed. Some of his delivery men arrested, and the cops on his payroll were unable to do anything. It was the same excuse, their division was too strict, and that the senior officers were breathing hard down their necks about performance. Mid-Wilshire was especially tough to deal with, since they had increased operational security in their division.
He barely had enough warning to get his men out of raids, and the cops here were too efficient and competent at their jobs.
"Get me a file on the captain." He ordered one of his men. It was always his policy to know his enemy before he made a move. Everyone had skeletons in their closets.
He was sure he would find one in hers, and maybe persuade her to be more cooperative.
Jack Routh
As soon as they landed back in L.A., he immediately noticed the difference once he stepped off the plane. The people around him, the crew in the private hangar, the security teams, and even a few of Taylor's staff that stayed in L.A. were giving him strange looks.
The internet was spotty at best inside Taylor's private jet as they flew across the country and the pop star stopped checking her phone and opted on taking a few hours of sleep in her private room at the back. He wasn't able to sleep at all, and he now realized about himself that he wasn't a big fan of flying. Being stuck inside a small space without any control was stressful, and he was not able to catch a wink of sleep, unlike Angela who looked refreshed as he followed him down the stairs.
"We have to talk about our future. You were incredible, Jack." Taylor told him and he felt her tight hug as she embraced him. "Thank you."
He returned the hug and patted the tall blonde on the back. "So were you. I had a great time in New York."
"We'll talk soon." Taylor gave him one last smile and stepped inside her waiting SUV. Her convoy soon left, and he was left alone with Angela, the flight crew and the mechanics.
"Mr. Routh?" The flight stewardess approached him, wearing a shy smile.
"Please call me Jack." He replied. "What can I do for you?"
"Can I please have your autograph?" The stewardess held up a stationary pad and a pen. "I really love your songs!"
"What's your name?" He asked as he took the pen from the woman's fingers.
"Jeenie." The stewardess replied shyly.
He ignored Angela's teasing grin and proceeded to sign his name, and that must have given the others the signal as they too started to ask for his autograph. He spent more than a few minutes accepting the compliments, and thanked the small crowd around him for their support.
Taylor had generously arranged one of her vehicles to take them home, and he was very thankful that he didn't have to walk back to the public terminal to get a ride.
"It's really trending." Angela observed as she checked her phone. "Like globally. It's a massive hit. Here, take a look."
He looked at the YouTube video, and it looked like Taylor's channel had uploaded their performance.
[Somebody that I used to know – Performed by Sugar feat. Taylor Swift]
[Written and composed by Sugar.]
It already had tens of millions of views, and by the looks of it as he refreshed it once, it would breach the hundred million mark by tomorrow.
"This is really big, Jack." Angela added. "I don't think we'll be able to do regular patrols anymore."
"I think you're right." He handed back her phone. "Or maybe it will die down after a couple of weeks."
"I don't think you understand." Angela explained. "The song you and Taylor sang is really catchy, and it's stuck in my head even now. It's a good thing I'm leaving patrol for detective training after Hawaii. I don't know what you will do outside of your Metro duties."
"You've got a point." He replied. Agent Gaarza did mention before that he was welcome anytime to help in their field office to act as an official consultant, and that their head office personally approved of his new designation if he decided to help the field agents in cases.
Was it possible though? His primary job at Mid-Wilshire since he finished the program at Metro was to provide immediate tactical back-up to patrol in extreme scenarios. Ideally, he needed three more members to be assigned in Mid-Wilshire that will graduate from the new program at Metro to sufficiently fulfill his duties as SWAT back-up.
While he waited for the first batch to graduate from the accelerated program, he was stuck doing patrol and the occasional general meeting at Rampart whenever Hondo called for the whole platoon for more exercises and training.
"See you in a few days." Angela waved to him as he got out of the vehicle first. He waved back and took out his now heavier luggage thanks to all the clothes he received from Taylor and entered the gate to his house.
It looked like no one was home, though he did notice that the house was a bit messier than usual. He spotted a piece of brown paper peeking out from under the island and wondered what his wife was doing with their secret bunker.
Once he deposited his luggage to their room, he moved the portion of the island hiding the entrance and opened the thick steel hatch. With a flick of a nearby switch he immediately noticed that his wife was busy while he was in New York.
There was now a sofa bed inside the bunker, but what surprised him more was the few firearms hanging on the wall. An AR-15 with what looked like a Trijicon accupoint attachment immediately caught his attention. Beside it was what looked like a Remington 700, but it looked to be heavily modified. A closer look and a moment later he realized it was modified to look like the M40A5 that the marine corps used.
Beneath the sniper rifle was a handgun, similar to his service weapon, a Staccato P. This one though had a trijicon rmr attached, different to his Leupold Pro attachment. He knew Zoe was quite envious of his issued side arm and often borrowed it whenever they had time in the range. It looked like his wife finally decided to get one for herself and she even had a better attachment for her own weapon.
He needed to reward his wife for all her hard work and decided to give her a surprise she would like. He knew taking down those heavy beams of wood down the bunker was difficult, and she somehow managed to fit a mattress as well. There were no pillows and no bed sheet covering the mattress, but it was quite the achievement.
Thinking of the sexy costume of Red Sonja she wore before, he decided to make an improvise costume to surprise his wife. He missed the intimacy and waking up beside Zoe every morning. A ruined old leather suede jacket later, and he was ready.
Zoe Andersen Routh
She knew her husband was incredible, but this was on another level.
She must have watched the video if his first real performance with Taylor Swift half a dozen times already. Her new friends contacted her about her husband, and she quickly agreed to meet them after her shift. With her car currently at the garage for routine maintenance, Reese offered to pick her up at the station.
Thirty minutes later, they all met up at the beach side district.
"He was… wow… just wow." Liz Winstead told her as they enjoyed a cold drink at the café she used to frequent while watching Jack's performance on the tablet. Pam was still busy at the east coast so Reese was the only one who was able to show up.
It was heartwarming to see a new friendship group form before her eyes, two Hollywood actresses and her best friend forming a new circle. Jessica Chastain was the most outgoing, among them, while she realized that she and Liz share similar temperaments, meaning they were both a bit more reserved and observant.
"And Taylor Swift stole the show, no question." Jessica added as she sipped her own drink. "What was that last song again? It was very touching."
"I think it's called Unwell." Reese shared. "When is Jack coming back?"
"Tomorrow afternoon should be the earliest. It really depends on Taylor's schedule." She replied. She honestly didn't know how to react to her husband's sudden surge in popularity. That song really catapulted him into nationwide fame.
"Can't wait to get a copy of his own album." Reese added. "You said it was in the works, right?"
"He did a few recordings some months back with Taylor's help." She replied. "Maybe with the addition of the last two songs, perhaps Taylor's company will finally release it."
"It's the right time for it." Jessica stated. "Remind Jack to give me a signed, personalized copy of his album."
"Hey, I want one too!" Liz chimed in.
An hour more of gossiping and they decided to cool off at her Jacuzzi pool. Spending the past few nights alone without her husband was hard, and she welcomed the company of her friends. The sun was still visible despite the early evening and she opened the gate with her key. Behind her, the three other women were more subdued, the drinks put them in a relaxed mood that was amplified by the calming environment of her property.
They were all eager for a nice refreshing soak, but she was stunned to see the door open revealing Jack…
"Surprise!… Oh."
No spoke at that moment. She gazed at her husband, only wearing what looked like a tiny leather loin cloth that would not look out of place in a Tarzan movie. The cut on the loincloth was jagged at the edges and it was very, very revealing.
She was torn between laughing and crying at the moment, but damn she was aroused. She felt her nipples harden as they rubbed against her thin bra as she gazed at exposed, muscled body of her husband. Her eyes trailed the faint hair trail that started below his navel, travelling down until they vanished under the loin cloth that did nothing to hide how gifted Jack was in the size department. She licked her lips as she noticed her mouth had gone dry.
"I'll just… go back and change." Jack quickly backed away from the door and practically ran back inside the house. The moment his figure vanished, laughter and giggles erupted behind her.
"Now I really need to cool off." Jessica started to fan herself with her hand. She noticed her other friends were wearing faint blushes on their cheeks like the redhead.
"Me too. That was… damn!" Liz giggled. Reese seemed to be standing in place in a daze while wearing a strange, goofy smile on her face.
"Alright, show's over." She led them inside the house, barely keeping her excitement and happiness in check. "Make yourself comfortable… I just have to talk to Jack."
"Of course, of course." Jessica settled in the couch. "Go have that… talk with your husband then."
"How long do you think will that talk last?" Liz asked.
"Maybe around twenty minutes, tops." Jessica answered with a grin.
"Reese, stop drooling over my husband." She told her best friend and rushed to the main bedroom.
She was just in time. Jack had just removed the loincloth costume and was practically naked. Perfect. She leapt into his arms and kissed him, hard. He tried to speak, but she covered his mouth with hers and bit his lip. She missed him.
The sight of her husband practically naked in front of her friends awakened the jealous monster deep within her. She ended the kiss and pushed him hard enough to fall into the bed.
She tore of her blouse so that Jack could play with her breasts and hiked up her skirt. She did not have enough time to get naked, she needed to claim him once more. She needed him inside her.
"Mine!" She hissed as she impaled herself on Jack's cock. She ignored the slight pain with a wince and pushed further and leaned forward once more to kiss her husband. "Fuck yes!"
"Fuck you're so tight! And hot!" Jack growled beneath her. She felt his hands on her waist.
She matched his hungry gaze and a smile grew from her lips as she started bouncing on his cock. "I missed… you. I love… your surprise, husband. Now fuck… me!"
The first round was quick. They literally raced to their orgasms. Jack got there first, but he was still hard enough to let her reach her own climax. Then he got his second wind, and she felt her clothes getting ripped off as her husband turned them around. She spread her legs wider, allowing him to push deeper inside her.
Her hands travelled down his back as she felt his hands on her breasts, massaging them while his finger squeezed her nipples. She saw the hunger in his gaze and she knew to just surrender at this point and enjoy the ride.
She raised her hands above her head and she felt Jack's hand capture both of her wrists, locking her into place, adding to the thrill of complete submission. She felt complete as Jack plowed her body again and again.
Ten minutes later she was resting beside Jack, his hands around her with one hand covering her breast. His other hand was making a trail from her hip to her waist and back.
"Taylor decided to cut her trip short." Jack explained how he got home so early. "She didn't like the scene in the New York."
"I would have thought you would still be there for a couple of days." She enjoyed this part of their relationship. Cuddling after sex was the ultimate relaxing moment for her. There was just something about feeling Jack's arms around her, his breath tickling her nape that made everything feel alright. With her man beside her she felt the ultimate form of security.
"But I did enjoy your surprise." She added. "Too bad I brought some friends over… what made you do that anyway?"
"I saw the bunker." Jack replied. "I knew how much work you put in while I was gone and decided to surprise you."
"Where did you even get that loin cloth?" She laughed. Jack really fit into that thing well. If it weren't for their guests they might have fucked right there in the patio.
"I used an old suede Jacket." Her husband replied. "I figured since you wore that amazing metal bikini costume, that I'd repay you with some of your barbarian fantasies."
She looked down and saw the mentioned clothing on the floor. She started rubbing her ass against Jack's crotch at the thought of her barbarian husband, wearing that loin cloth ravishing her and using her body for his pleasure.
"One more round?" She asked. She didn't need to hear her answer as she felt his teeth playfully bighting her neck.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
"They're certainly taking their time aren't they?" Jessica observed. The redhead kept looking at the windows where she knew the master bedroom was located with its own entrance to the yard. They were all in the pool, cooling off, both from the heat and the accidental feast for the eyes that they just saw. Zoe was a lucky woman.
"I think they're having an intense discussion." Reese giggled. "I don't blame her for rushing though. I'd do the same if I have a man like that waiting for me back home."
She would too, judging from the bulge she saw.
"Any luck on the house hunting?" She turned to Jessica who had asked the question.
"No luck. At least, not one within my budget." She admitted. L.A. prices were ridiculously expensive. She had been looking for a property in the area of West Hollywood diligently and so far, none suited her purpose. They were either too overpriced or lack the necessary privacy that this house or Jessica's provided. She wanted a retreat, a home where she could relax and not worry about the outside world.
Projects were drying up, and she was having a hard time landing roles. Her early exit from Fargo due to the… incident really slowed down her momentum and damaged her image. At this rate she'd fall into campy roles for B-movies by the end of the year.
"I'll ask my contacts if they know something." Jessica offered. "Any new projects?"
"I was supposed to play a leading role with Will Smith." She sunk back into the Jacuzzi until her chin touched the surface of the water. She wanted to drown herself. "Lost that as well."
"What did your agent say?" Reese asked.
"We just have to wait it out, until another scandal distracts the public's attention from me." She shared. "There's this one show, you know that survival expert, Bear Grylls?"
"He's that ex British special forces guy that has a survival show, right?" Reese asked.
"That's him." She nodded. "My manager believes that joining the latest season will help the public get to know the real me, not the one being portrayed in the news as a home wrecker."
"They did the man versus woman before in the previous season." Reese was apparently a fan of the show. "What's their plan with this new one? What's the theme?"
"It's about representing the most common workforce, and we get to see who will thrive in there for a week." She replied.
"A whole week!" Jessica looked shocked. "Living in the wilderness? That's crazy!"
"That's what got me worried. I'm supposed to represent a typical Hollywood actress." She explained. "There would be a firefighter, a doctor, a lawyer, an accountant, a cop, a nurse, carpenters… you know, the most common jobs. 24 individuals, twelve men and women."
"That could prove entertaining." Reese mused. "Even I'm intrigued with the concept."
"What concept?"
They all turned to see Zoe, wearing a smile and her bikini as she joined them in the backyard. It looked like their host took a quick shower, judging from how wet her hair was. She ignored the hickey on Zoe's neck and upper thigh as she shared an amused look with Jessica. The redhead had noticed that too but was too polite to say anything. If Jack kissed her there, did that mean he went down on her? Damn.
"This new project I'm being offered." She replied with a smile. "Sorry for not waiting for you, things got too heated."
"Sorry, I missed Jack and had to take care of some things." Zoe looked adorable while trying to skirt around the fact that she just had a passionate round of sex mere minutes ago. And judging by the muted sounds they all heard from time to time, multiple orgasms. Once again, damn. She'd burn out the batteries of her vibrator at this rate when she got back to her condo. That image of a caveman Jack was a feast to the eyes. Ooga Booga. Still, she vowed not to engage in a relationship until she was completely sure her future partner had no baggage attached.
"No worries, we understand." Jessica replied. "Where's Jack?"
"Sleeping." Zoe replied with a smirk. "He wasn't able to rest in the flight back and started sleeping after…"
"He finished?" Reese grinned.
"Yeah." Zoe now had a definite full on blush on her cheeks, their host refusing to meet their teasing looks. "Taylor decided to cut their stay in New York short and flew back in just a few hours after the concert."
"No wonder he's so tired." She noted.
"Yeah, normally he can last longer than that." Zoe admitted. "I guess the performance in the concert, guarding Taylor and the flight back took a toll on him. He must not have been getting a good sleep in New York."
"Let your husband sleep then." Jessica replied. "I took the liberty of ordering our food. Hope you gals like pad Thai."
"Perfect." She had been craving something tasty but light. She continued explaining to Zoe about her current predicament. Her new friend seemed interested in her possible 1 week deserted island survival adventure.
"So where will this project be filmed?" Zoe asked.
"It's a small island called Ni'ihau." She replied. "Hawaii."
"Oh." Zoe simply replied and she noticed that the other woman's gaze turned to the entrance to the master bedroom.
She wondered why her friend suddenly looked worried.
Edward Michael "Bear" Grylls
"Hi! I'm Abigail, and graphic design is my passion!" The perky brunette grinned, showing off a pretty smile as she twirled her hair.
He shared an amused look with his producers and clicked the checkmark. They needed pretty and attractive people for season 4 to gain more viewers. It was crucial to get good ratings now, since they would use a new format for filming. With an army of editors, each potential cast member would bring with them two heavy duty portable cameras, one with a tripod and the other worn around the head like a headband.
It will be all get live streamed in real time for special paying viewers, and they all have the option to follow their favorite cast member. Then his editors will pick the best footage and establish a narrative and edit from there to create the eight episodes, two hours each of season 4 that will be released after the event had ended.
It was genius.
Of course he needed it to have as much drama as possible, so he and along with his producers selected people from different end of the political spectrums.
Jerry, a red neck carpenter from Alabama and now Abigail, a feminist graphic artist from Chicago.
Lucy, a female fire fighter from Tacoma and Toby, a corporate lawyer from a male dominated law firm in Manhattan.
Then the big draw, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, an actress linked with a scandal by cheating with a married British actor. They were able to get her to participate since he knew she was desperate for proper, media exposure. He knew what her angle was. Too bad for her, she wouldn't get exactly what she was hoping for.
There were many more others, and he even picked a vegetarian that worked for PETA for shits and giggles. He wondered how that woman, aptly named Karen, a passionate animal rights activist would get along with the truck driver they picked that also hunted wild animals as a hobby.
"They're going to be at each other's throats by the end of the week." His producer snickered.
"I know, but that's good for our ratings, but we need one more, the cop." They already had a doctor and a nurse, and their secondary roles were to watch out for the health of the group during their seven day challenge. They needed to announce the line up quickly, and there was already a growing interest from the media.
"What about him?" He looked over his producer's tablet and his grin widened. "That guy? He looks like he should be on the catwalk than patrolling the streets."
"Yeah. Imagine him suffering through seven days in a remote island. It will also attract viewers, he has massive and growing fan base thanks to performing beside Taylor Swift." His producer pointed out.
"That's a good idea." He wrote the name down. Jack Routh, also known as Sugar. That sweet, handsome face would surely attract female viewers. "Get in line with their department, and let's call in some favors. Let's lock this lad down before he grows a brain up and decides he doesn't want to be a cop anymore. I'm sure the LAPD could be easily convinced that need much needed positive publicity with what's happening in their city."
Wesley Evers
Jack Routh was strangest client he ever had.
At first it was just helping his girlfriend's rookie copyright some songs. It was a simple matter, and he was happy to do it for free. Spending more time with Angela made him realize that not all cops were power crazy maniacs. They also wanted change. Some just wanted to help other people and do the right thing. But that didn't mean there weren't rotten apples inside the basket, and he was still determined as ever to protect the public from their abuse of power.
Then he helped Jack and Zoe deal with the paperwork regarding a property purchase, from one Taylor Swift and everything he knew about Jack changed.
The process went smoother than he expected, and a short while later came the offer. By now he was Jack's lawyer, not really full time but he allocated a few days out of his week dealing with the global pop star's own team of lawyers. Contracts, agreements, partnerships, he read each line in every page carefully that the big label sent over before he forwarded them to Jack to sign.
Jack's insistence that he donate a good portion of his share of the revenues to L.A. charities made sure the man wouldn't have to pay taxes for the next five years. His own attorney's fees meanwhile were staggering, enough to compete with the yearly salaries plus bonus of senior associates of big law firms.
Jack insisted, and told him it was his form of support for him due to his work as a pro bono lawyer for those that desperately needed one. With that, he was able to buy the second unit beside his own office above the Ethiopian restaurant and hire an accountant as well.
He thought that was it until the matter of Jack's salary for his work with Taylor's label came to the spotlight.
"This can't be right." He stared at the many, many zeroes and looked back at the amused faces of the lawyers seating across from his desk.
"Wesley, I don't think you understand how much money Ms. Swift made with Jack's songs, and with his help in arranging the music for the past album and then of course, the performance."
He had been on first name basis with Taylor's team of lawyers. The relationship was so amicable since there was hardly any argument in their negotiations.
"Not just a viral sensation, but a global phenomenon." Trevor, Ms. Swift's lawyer added with a proud smile. "Ms. Swift is thinking of creating an album titled, Sugary Swift where all of their past collaborations and these new songs will be recorded. That amount is the least we could do for one of Ms. Swift's closest friend and collaborator."
"Think of it as a rebranding." Anna, one of the other lawyers added. "Ms. Swift's label is thinking of branching out, and we believe in Mr. Routh's talent and potential."
"It's not a pivot, but another marketing strategy, with Jack Routh as the bridge for Taylor's rebranding." Trevor finished.
Fifteen minutes later his guests left. He was relieved that Taylor's label was handling Jack's P.R. issue, otherwise his phone would be ringing nonstop. Request for interviews, collaborations, appearances, his fellow lawyers revealed what they were handling in Jack's name. Taylor's team seemed to be protective of Jack and respected his decisions.
Still, he was getting swamped and decided to call Angela's cousin. Camille Vasquez arrived an hour later, and he watched as his fellow lawyer quickly reviewed his proposal. He was hiding a smile, he knew she would accept the moment she saw the amount.
"You're serious?" Camille asked once she finished reading.
"Of course." He replied. "I wanted to concentrate more on my pro bono cases, and I need help."
"But to get paid this much?" Camille asked.
"You're representing Jack and dealing mostly with Taylor's label. So you in?"
"Fuck yes I'm in!" Camille replied with a smile. "I can't wait to tell Angela!"
"Just a word of advice. Don't call Jack constantly, he's still a cop and does patrol work. He values his privacy and independence too, so if you have questions, ask me first, or your cousin."
"Fine." Camille sat back down on her chair. "But do you think I can get an autographed album when his comes out?"
"Maybe." He was planning to get one anyway, Angela made him promise. What was two, well three personalized signature albums from Jack?
Jack Routh
He needed more male friends. His wife's new circle seemed to be at their house almost every day and was using it as their clubhouse. And though he tried to play off his… accidental show the other day, the shared looks and concealed smiles told him they were still thinking of that event. He never thought it, but he was starting to like the night shift.
There were no requests for autographs. People were too grumpy and sleepy to care if he was a rising musical artist that sang beside Taylor Swift. It was all monotonous, boring police work that mostly involved noisy neighbors, red light runners and older teens that had nothing else better to do than trespassing.
There was also the flat tire he experienced in the middle of the shift, and someone back at motor pool forgot to refill the air of his spare tire. Luckily he found a foot pump in the trunk and he experienced the most amusing time in his experience for night shift.
A group of young men started playing a track in high volume, in time with foot as he pumped the spare tire with air.
Don't you know? Pump it up!
You got to pump it up!
Don't you know? Pump it up!
You got to pump it up!
It looked like he was dancing to the music's beat. He had a short laugh at the situation, feeling embarrassed and just waved at the slowly passing car filled with teens who now had their hands outside their car window as if they were egging him on to dance.
Amused at their antics, he raised both his hands to the beat of the other car's music, causing the teens to laugh and cheer before they drove off. As his shift ended and since he was still feeling hungry, he passed by the grocery store near his area to buy ingredients for a good sandwich. It seemed like he was not the only one with a sandwich craving, as the man ahead of him nearly collected the same ingredients as him.
The blonde man noticed it too and made a comment as they both line up at the cashier.
"When you're craving, you just have to go out, you know?" The man gave a friendly smile.
Oh he knew. He sometimes had cravings that had him making a meal in the middle of the night or going out to get that taste.
"Looks like you're making a chicken sandwich." He observed as he returned the greeting with a nod.
"Grilled chicken sandwich with the works. I just woke up with this dream, and I just had to have one." The man extended a hand. "Nickolaj."
"Jack." He returned the handshake. "If you're craving for a good sandwich, there's a new food truck that's serving the best cubanos I've ever had."
"Cubanos?"
"It's a variation of a ham and cheese sandwich." He explained. He discovered recently discovered the food truck during his night shift and was disappointed it only opened at night. The food was good, and was operated by what looked like a husband and wife team. He even spotted their kid working as a line cook. "The food truck is called El Jefe, and it's open at night by La Brea and West Olympic."
"La Brea and West Olympic." Nickolaj had written the instructions on his phone. "Thanks, Jack."
Walking back to the parking lot, he noticed that he and Nickolaj were walking in the same direction.
"You following me?" Nickolaj joked.
"That's my ride." He pointed at his bike.
"Now I feel like getting one of my own." Nickolaj sighed and pointed to his blue Prius parked nearby. "But with kids, not possible."
As he made his way back to West Hollywood and to Zoe who he was sure was just waking up for the morning, he noticed the blue Prius was following him. The blue car stopped beside him at a red stoplight and Nickolaj lowered his window.
"Now you're providing escort?" The other man grinned.
"If you want me to." He bantered back.
As soon as he reached Rosewood, he turned to his home and pressed the button in his pocket for the control. As he waited for the metal gate to swing open, he heard a quick beep of a car horn and saw Nickolaj had stopped behind him.
"We're neighbors!" Nickolaj grinned and pointed to a modern looking with minimalist accents a few houses over, just beside Jessica's. "Small world."
"Small world indeed." He replied. He wanted to make his sandwich, but before he could save goodbye, a familiar read head, wearing a cap and a jogging outfit passed by.
"Nickolaj! Jack!" Jessica Chastain greeted them.
"You two know each other?" Nickolaj asked.
"We're friends." Jessica beamed. "How did you two meet?"
He shared a look with the other man and shrugged. "We started talking about chicken sandwiches."
"Grilled chicken sandwiches." Nickolaj added.
"I'm not grilling mine." He replied.
"Men." The redhead rolled her eyes.
Tamara Collins
She had been living in the streets for a while, she knew she shouldn't have runaway, but when her drug addict mother's boyfriend started eyeing her and saying inappropriate things when it was just the two of them, she knew she had to leave. The last straw was when she found him in her room, waiting for her just after she finished a bath.
She took off right after that, thanking her luck that she started dressing up inside the bathroom ever since the boyfriend started living with them. She only returned a few hours later when she knew he was asleep and quietly packed her things and then left a note at the fridge for her mom.
Her friends were generous, but there was a limit to their charity, and she didn't want to impose when she started noticing the looks her friend's parents gave them whenever they announced she was sleeping over. Breakfast conversations were awkward, as they asked pointed questions that made her feel uncomfortable.
Her boyfriend Oliver was a big help. With his mom being a doctor, she had plenty of time to stay at his house, shower and even take naps and study before the older woman arrived. She thought they were being discreet, until Oliver's mom surprised her one day and entered the door while she was eating lunch.
Grace, Oliver's mom was more observant than she suspected. After hearing about her predicament, the pretty older blonde generously allowed her to stay. Oliver was ecstatic, but that also caused friction in their relationship.
The inevitable break-up came and she left. He was too controlling and nosy and she didn't like that he always brought up the 'you're living in my house' card in every argument. She had her pride after all.
Nights were getting colder, and homeless shelters were always full. She didn't know how the female officer tracked her down, but apparently Grace had shared her predicament with a cop she knew.
Lucy Chen poking her head through her camping tent was the best thing that happened to her. She gave her an alternative path by signing her up for a scholarship program, entirely funded by the charity organizations that supported the LAPD's families.
The program did not only include full tuition, but an allowance as well for food, school materials, dormitory space and clothing. The best part was, the higher her grades were, the higher the allowance, and she always had top marks in school. The brand new laptop was part of the program, and she was thrilled that she didn't have to use her allowance to purchase one.
How Lucy enrolled her in the scholarship program meant for families of police officers, she never knew. The perky but sweet officer just smiled and gave her an over the top wink and claimed she knew the organization that funded the program.
"You sure you don't want to eat out?" Lucy asked once everything was settled in her dormitory. It was small and a bit cramped, and she was sure her knee would hit that table leg many times for the foreseeable future but she didn't care. It was clean, it was warm and it was secure.
"I still have our leftovers from lunch." She pointed to the plastic bag on the table. Living on the streets meant she couldn't be too picky about stale bread and pasta. As long as it didn't stink too bad she could happily eat stale bread and cold noodles.
"Okay, but if you need anything, just call my number, okay?" Lucy stated. "Anything at all."
She felt touched. She had never experienced such compassion and warmth from an adult before. Lucy was awesome. Feeling a bit awkward, she decided to use humor to get out of the situation. She didn't want to cry.
"If you could get him to appear in my dormitory, then my life will be perfect." She pointed to the fan made wallpaper of Sugar singing on stage in New York in her laptop.
Lucy looked amused. "I'll see what I can do."
"And if he appears here and sings me a song I promise to always have weekend lunch at your place." She rolled her eyes as she upped her sarcasm. "I'll even wash your dishes after."
"That's a deal then." Lucy took her hand and shook it once.
"Wait. Huh?" Lucy had to know she was joking, right?
"Nope! We already shook on it!" Lucy gave her a quick hug and left her room, closing the door behind her.
She sat down on her new mattress, and wondered why Lucy played along with her obvious joke. Couldn't millennials understand sarcasm?