Jia glanced down at her PNIU as it chimed with a message.
Erik frowned. “You too?”
She tapped her device to send the message to her smart lenses. “It’s from the captain. He wants us in his office first thing tomorrow. Should we call him?”
Erik shook his head. “If he doesn’t want us there right now, it can wait. It’s probably just reports about the idiot stadium drunks.”
She nodded and turned to head toward the exit. “That would be nice. I might as well enjoy the last few hours of my day off.”
Chapter Three
April 28, 2229, Neo Southern California Metroplex, Police Enforcement Zone 122 Station, Office of Captain Alexander Ragnar
Erik and Jia stood in front of Captain Ragnar’s desk.
Unlike most days, the captain wore his black and blue dress uniform. That outfit usually smelled like political trouble, the one type of problem Erik couldn’t solve with extra firepower. At least not yet.
There was always hope for the future.
“We’re here, Captain,” he opened, Jia was standing quiet this time. “I haven’t even had my beignet yet. What’s the big deal?”
“Public relations.” Captain Ragnar’s smile was too broad, even for a man who normally rode the line between relaxed and grinning fool.
“Public relations?” Jia interjected, already wanting clarification. “What’s that mean, exactly? If it’s about the stadium thing, we’ll get the reports to the other EZ by the end of the day.”
Captain Ragnar shook his head. “I’m not concerned about that. This is something different. The department’s PR reps are buried by requests for interviews with you two. Most of the media organizations understand that if they want something official, they’ll need to go through the proper channels, and you’ve both been rather direct in telling me to back off you being involved in talking with them.” He tugged his collar. “I just got done talking to a reporter, Kayla Moon, who works for Silver Eyes News. I trust you’re familiar with them?”
Jia folded her arms. “They’re a big deal.”
“Yes, they are.”
Erik frowned. “So what? We’re supposed to bend over because some big news corporation is breathing down our necks?”
Jia snorted. “It gets worse.”
He looked at her. “How?”
She frowned. “They’re a subdivision of Ceres Galactic.”
Erik shook his head. His partner researched the oddest things at times, but he had to admit, knowing what media outlets might be biased against them was useful. He didn’t pay attention to that kind of thing outside of his trail to the conspiracy behind Molino.
Captain Ragnar nodded slowly. “That they are.” He pointed at Jia, then Erik. “The reporter wants to do a profile on the two of you as part of a series of Heroes of NSC, and the higher-ups think it’s a good move and have made it very, very clear they want your involvement. With the NSCPD anticorruption efforts very intense, it’s good publicity to splash the faces of the two cops most directly associated with those efforts in the public eye.” He smiled, “I happen to agree with them.”
Jia sighed. “But what if it’s a hatchet job? Maybe this is Ceres’ way of getting back at us. They have us do an interview and edit it to make us look like bloodthirsty psychopaths.”
Erik nodded. “Yeah, the reporter might just be looking for some dirt. If we look bad, it calls all the anticorruption efforts into question.”
Captain Ragnar chuckled. “Maybe, and if we duck the easy offers, we risk looking even more suspicious. I trust your discretion, and you should trust me that I wouldn’t be asking this if I thought it was a trap.”
Erik continued, “And what if we say something that offends someone higher up? If they want a real interview, we’ll give them a real interview, not some glossed-over PR crap.”
“I’ll handle any fallout.” Captain Ragnar gestured to his uniform. “And don’t worry so much. I’ve already talked to the woman. Unless she’s the greatest actress in the UTC, I don’t think this is going to be that hard. As far as I know you don’t have any pressing cases, so I’d like you to meet her for an interview in your office after lunch.”
Jia lowered her arms, resignation creeping onto her face. “Don’t we need dress uniforms, too?”
“No. You’re detectives on the front line, dealing with trouble. Your suits will be fine. It’ll be more authentic.”
Erik rolled his shoulders. “I’m wondering if Silver Eyes didn’t play you all. If you’re going to cover our asses, fine, but I want to be one hundred percent clear that I’m not going to hold back.”
Jia thought for a moment, considering what she knew. While she would follow Erik blindly onto a battlefield, she needed to make sure he wasn’t leaping without her full tactical review. She couldn’t find anything to warn him about before nodding. “Neither will I.”
Captain Ragnar’s smile didn’t waver. “You do what you need to do, and I’ll do what I need to do to cover for you.”
“You just want me here?” Erik asked from his desk chair.
The reporter, Kayla Moon, nodded quickly, a bright, infectious smile on her face. He’d been expecting a hard-faced grizzled veteran, but the dark-haired woman looked like she’d barely graduated college. The tight thigh-high skirt and plunging neckline of her white top only chipped away at the careful professional image, but she might have been trying to take them off-guard.
Three small camera drones whirred around the room, stopping at different positions before continuing on.
Kayla tilted her head. “Understood. Yup.” Her support staff was halfway across the metroplex, leaving Erik and Jia to watch a one-sided conversation for most of the last ten minutes. “Do we need them to turn up the lights? Oh, it’s more authentic? Gotcha. Thanks!”
She dropped into a chair they’d brought in a few minutes ago and crossed her long, slender legs. Her chair sat positioned against the wall between the two desks.
Jia cleared her throat. “Is it going to take much longer to get set up? No offense, but we don’t want this to take all day.”
“No, no, no.” Kayla waved her hands in front of her face. “Just try to ignore the cameras. They just needed to get a feel for the space. I want to thank you for agreeing to this.” She leaned forward. “I’m going to be honest with you; this is my first big interview. I hope you’ll be kind.”
Erik offered his best relaxed grin. “You’re the reporter. I think we have more to fear from you. I’m sure a lot of reporters are out there looking for some big scoop concerning the Obsidian Detective and Lady Justice.”
Jia shot him a quick look but didn’t say anything.
Kayla giggled. Erik raised an eyebrow. There was taking people off-guard, and then there was giggling in an interview.
“That’s a good question to start with,” she noted. “How do you two feel about those nicknames?” She turned to Erik. “You first, Detective Blackwell.”
He began to suspect this wasn’t a brilliant blindside attack by Ceres Galactic but probing the potential enemy wouldn’t hurt.
Time to provide a target.
“I’ve been called a lot worse,” Erik replied. He leaned back in his chair and relaxed his shoulders. “Especially during my time in the military.”
Kayla nodded slowly, a drone camera hovering in front of her. “I’m sure you have. You don’t think it’s cool? I mean, you are the first detective to enter the police force using that law in a long time. Even without everything else you’ve accomplished, that would be impressive in and of itself.”
“I don’t worry about things like that. I wanted to be a cop, and I took advantage of my background. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Kayla’s head snapped toward Jia, undisguised glee on her face. “And what about you, Detective Lin? It’s not like you came in under the Lady Justice Act.”
Jia put a fist to her mouth and fake-coughed, her cheeks slightly red. “All I’m concerned about is doing my job. I can’t h
elp what other people call me, and as long as it represents something positive, I can’t say I have much to complain about. I hope most citizens view the police as dedicated to justice.”
Kayla bobbed her head with excitement. “Exactly. You’re a big role model now, and most people wouldn’t become a police officer with a family background like yours. You might be making it look glamorous, but being a cop normally isn’t.”
Jia smiled, although Erik could see the slight tension at the corners of her eyes.
“We have officers from a variety of backgrounds in the NSCPD,” she explained. “I don’t think mine’s the most unusual, and there have been a lot of outreach efforts to recruit from diverse backgrounds.”
“Of course, of course,” Kayla murmured before turning back to Erik. The drones reoriented themselves. “Detective Blackwell, you’re a handsome man.”
Jia’s eyes widened.
Erik maintained his smile. “Some people claim that. Like Jia, I’m not going to complain about it.”
She eyed him. “Are you familiar with the site Studs in Uniform?”
“I can’t say I am.” Erik scratched his cheek, grinning.
“You were recently voted among the top ten studs in uniform in North America.” Kayla tapped her PNIU. An article with pictures of Erik both gray-haired before his de-aging in an Army uniform and a more youthful recent image with him in an NSCPD dress uniform popped up.
Erik eyed them, mirth in his eyes as he laughed. “Those are pretty good pictures. They used my good side and everything.”
Jia put a hand over her mouth and fake-coughed again.
Kayla winked. “According to the polls, people are divided on whether you looked better more seasoned or the way you do now.”
Jia lowered her hand. “’More seasoned?’” Her mouth twitched.
“Yes. What do you have to say about that, Detective Blackwell? You’re not just a symbol of justice. You’re a sex symbol too.”
Erik couldn’t hold in anymore. He burst out laughing.
Kayla giggled. “The polls don’t lie. How does it feel to be a sex symbol? To be considered in the same bracket as some of the top actors, singers, and athletes out there?”
He brought his laughter down to a mere snicker. “I’m not going to complain if people like what they see, but I’m just a man doing his job, same as when I was in the Army.” He shot a glance at Jia. Her face might as well have been stone at that point.
“Sure, sure. A lot of humility there. Many people would say that makes you sexier.” Kayla licked her lips. “I’m sure your fans appreciate you taking your new fame in stride. It’s hard not to notice you’re not married. I did a little digging, and as far as I can tell, you’re not even seeing anyone right now.”
Erik shrugged. “I spent most of my Army career going from one colony to another on the far frontier. It’s hard to maintain a good relationship when you’re twenty light-years away from your significant other and even messages can take weeks or months to arrive.”
“But now you’re on Earth now. That kind of thing shouldn’t be a problem.” A smidge of desperation flavored Kayla’s voice.
“I’ve been busy adapting to life back on Earth and doing my job. Trust me, I’m waiting for the right opportunity and woman.”
“Ah.” Hunger shone in Kayla’s eyes. “So you’re saying there’s a chance for hopeful people out there?”
“Maybe. It’s a hard thing to date a cop. It’s one thing to look good in a uniform, but there are downsides.”
“Such as?” Kayla stared at him.
“It’s a dangerous line of work,” Jia offered.
Kayla blinked and turned her way. “You think so?”
Annoyance flashed in Jia’s eyes. “There’s a lot of instability under the civilized surface—hardened criminals, antisocials, and terrorists. Although Earth’s a very safe place to live, that’s only because the police and military are doing what they can against those who would threaten what we’ve built here. Most citizens are shielded from that reality, but that doesn’t make it any less true.”
“I see.” Kayla nodded slowly. Her gaze flicked between Erik and Jia before stopping on the latter. “What about you, Detective Lin?”
She raised an eyebrow. “What about me?”
“Is there a special someone in your life?”
Jia’s jaw tightened. “Not currently. I’ve dated, but I’m like any other woman. Not every relationship works out, and that’s before the added pressures of dating a police officer.”
“Are you aware that you’re also popular on the net?” Kayla asked, almost puppy-like enthusiasm in her eyes and voice. “There are more than a few people calling you ‘Detective Diaochan.’”
Erik let out a quiet chuckle. He’d merely been placed in the top ten of recent North American studs, but Jia had managed to be compared to one of the ancient Four Beauties of China.
Jia sighed and shook her head. “I think I prefer ‘Lady Justice,’ but just for the record, unlike Diaochan, I’m pretty sure the Moon’s not going to turn away in embarrassment.”
Unless Ceres Galactic had some hidden plan to undermine them by attacking their dating history, Kayla’s line of questioning wasn’t dangerous. It was a good reminder for Erik that despite the tentacles of corporations like Ceres, the average employee of the company or any of their subsidiaries only cared about doing their jobs.
He’d all but handed her a neon sign daring her to ask him about his service and the incident on Molino, and she’d pivoted away from that with not a hint of interest. This interview defined soft-news fluff. He found that relaxing. His partner’s slight frown suggested she didn’t.
“What kind of traits are you looking for in a man?” Kayla asked.
Jia pursed her lips. “I would really rather not discuss my personal life.”
Kayla looked disappointed and nodded. “Fair enough. The message that you’re still available will make a lot of people out there super-happy, but if we’re not talking about your significant others, maybe we can talk about what you two do when the suits are off and the guns are packed up. What do the Obsidian Detective and Lady Justice do to relax on their days off?”
“We’re both Dragons fans,” Erik offered. “Although given what’s been happening, I don’t know if that’s relaxing.”
Erik and Kayla shared a laugh.
Jia’s rolled her shoulders, a smile finally breaking through. “Let me tell you about the tiny trees he plays with.”
Kayla nodded. “Oh, before we go into that. I have another question for Detective Blackwell.”
“What?” Erik asked.
“We had a little contest on our site. Readers and viewers got to vote on a question.” Kayla’s grin reminded Erik of a shark’s. “What color underwear do you wear?”
Erik blinked. “Uh…” He stopped, mouth pursed, brows almost touching.
Jia smirked as she watched him, waiting for him to answer.
Soft news could strike deeply.
Chapter Four
May 2, 2229, Neo Southern California Metroplex, Dance Club Third Wind
The loud music shook Jia’s bones.
She danced near the edge of the crowd, colorful holographic displays of different colony worlds swirling overhead. Their link to the current song remained elusive, but it was a nice high-tempo tour of the UTC. It’d been too long since she last went dancing. Life couldn’t always be tubular assaults and terrorists.
This is nice, she thought.
Jia wiped the sweat off her brow. The best air conditioning on the planet didn’t matter when hundreds of bodies were packed into one tight location, dancing and writhing against each other. She took a deep breath and headed toward a table where her friends Imogen and Chinara sat, sipping drinks.
Imogen waved, her blonde curls bouncing with the movement. She nodded toward a dark glass. “We went ahead and ordered you a drink since you wanted to stay on the floor for a few more minutes. Look at you, Jia! Lady officer on th
e move.”
“It was one of my favorite songs,” Jia explained. She sat and tugged the hem of her dress down. “And it’s been too long since we’ve had a girl’s night out. I don’t want to regret anything come morning. I’m not sure about the next time I’ll be able to get together with you two like this.”
Chinara took a sip of her drink, amusement dancing in her dark eyes. “It’s only been a while because you’ve been busy saving the metroplex, and we’ve been busy with our men.” She winced. “Sorry. Maybe I should haven’t said that, considering…” She sighed.
Jia smiled. “It’s okay. I enjoyed my time with Corbin, but it wasn’t meant to be. It wasn’t a messy break-up or anything. We both were fine going our own way, and I’m glad everything is going okay still for you two. I’m happy with my life right now, and I want my friends to be happy with theirs.”
Imogen gulped some of her drink, her cheeks red both from dancing and alcohol. “It doesn’t matter. You’ve got that interview out now. It’s all but screaming for you to get a man.”
Jia scrubbed a hand over her face. “You saw it?”
“Heroes of Justice!” shouted Chinara and Imogen together. They laughed as Jia sat there eyeing them.
“My captain made me do it.” Jia sighed. “I thought it was going to be about the job, not my love life, and…ugh.” She rolled her eyes.
“Your partner’s a pretty open guy.” Imogen laughed. “Now it’s hard not to imagine him in his underwear. I swear that reporter wanted to jump him right there. She was doing everything but drooling on him and offering to lick up the mess.”
“She was unprofessional.” Jia made a face of disgust. “I can’t believe she asked that question.”
“You should have volunteered your own answer.” Imogen tapped the table with her fist. “Stake your claim for the future.”
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