Broken
AUTHOR: Trace

*Disclaimer,yadda,yadda,yadda in the Prologue.

Chapter Five:

    The lobby of the building was crawling with cops.
    Jordan got that look in his eyes like he was going to bolt.
    "Don't even think it," I said.
    Jordan looked at me and went three shades paler before turning to the
assembled policemen. "I...I give up. Don't shoot," he said, his voice
cracking with fear.
    Dolph walked over to me. "Are you okay,Anita?"
    I nodded. "Just need a little first aid and I'll be as good as new."
    Dolph looked at my left leg,still bleeding. "What happened?"
    "He shot my snow-globe. Glass caught me," I answered.
    Dolph nodded. "There's an ambulance outside. Is anyone up there alive?"
    "I don't know. I doubt it," I said, anger coming back in a hot rush.
    Three officers led Jordan D'Ubervilles past me in handcuffs.
    "You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an
attorney,if you cannot afford one..." the voice faded as they exited the
building.
    "Murder One, Attempted murder..."Dolph's face was bland.
    I grinned. "Assault on a Federal Marshall,can't forget that one," I said.
    Three months ago, vampire executioners had been given Federal
status,complete with badges. It cut down on the red tape when we had to chase
a vamp cross-country.
    Used to be, we had to get a warrant of execution from every state wen
entered, and by the time we got the go ahead, the vamp had crossed into
another state and we had to start all over again.
    Now,I could flash a badge and yell 'Charge!'. Amazing what Federal status
will get done.
    People who would normally fight each other for the right to kick me off
their turf were required by law to pave the way for me when I was chasing a
vamp. Same went for other preternatural cases. I got to be the monster expert
and boss the local, and occasionally even state cops, around. It was great.
You'd be surprised how much faster things got done.
    Dolph smiled at me. "Yeah. Just because you're a Fed now, don't forget
where you came from,Anita."
    It took me a second to realize that Dolph was making a joke.
    "Ooh,Blake. You're not your usual pristine self," a voice called out.
    I almost groaned. I knew that voice anywhere. "Your wife let you out of
the house like that,Zerbrowski?" I said, getting a good look at his brown
suit and bright yellow shirt and red tie.
    Zerbrowski grinned. "Naw,she wasn't home. Her sister took her shopping."
    I grinned. "Lucky her. She escaped blindness."
    "Ooh,cruel,Blake, very cruel," Zerbrowski said, putting a hand to his
chest.
    "Okay, I have to admit, it's an improvement over little choo choos."
    "Will you two cut it out? You're worse than a bunch of kids," Dolph
barked at us.
    Zerbrowski and I grinned at him. "Spoil sport," I said.
    Dolph tried to glare, but ended up laughing and walking off.
    "Hey,Blake. You just gonna stand there and bleed, or are you gonna get
that leg looked at?"
    I shrugged. "Doesn't hurt anymore. I can take care of it at home."
    Zerbrowski shook his head. "Uh-uh,Blake. Get your cute ass over to the
ambulance and get that taken care of."
    "Giving me orders now,Zerbrowski?"I teased.
    "You can be tough when we're working a case,Anita. Get your ass to that
ambulance before I throw you over my shoulder and take you," he said.
    I glared at him.He grinned. "Now,Blake."
    Fine. I went outside and to the ambulance,grumbling the whole way.
    I heard soft,silky laughter and realized Jean-Claude was still with me.
Oops.
    I turned to glare at him."What's so damn funny?"
    "I have seen you face Master vampires, charging shape-shifters, gunmen
and the Council themselves, and you have just been outmaneuvered by a common
police officer," Jean-Claude said,still chuckling.
    I *really* wanted to smack him. I think he knew it too, because he moved
out of reach.
    I might've chased him down, but the EMT's started fussing over me.
    One of them used needle nose pliers to try to pull the glass out. Mostly
he was just digging around and pissing me off.
    "Oh,for Christ's sake! Let *me* do it!" I snapped.
    The EMT looked like he might cry when I took the pliers from him.
    I looked at the pliers then at the EMT. "You're kidding,right?" The end
of the pliers was bigger than the hole in my thigh. Jeez.
    I looked at the other EMT and smiled sweetly. "Could you please get me
some hemostats?"
    She nodded and reached into her kit and handed me a pair, still in their
wrapping.
    "Thanks." It took less than ten seconds for me to get that shard of glass
out, and I didn't have to poke at it either.
    The EMTs wrapped the wound with gauze and that was that.
    I stood up,testing my leg,and Jean-Claude had to keep me from falling. It
wasn't the injury.
    A gurney was rolled past with John Burke on it.
    An EMT was straddling his waist and pumping on his chest.
    "Come on, breathe!" he snapped.
    I didn't want to see this. I didn't want to watch someone I worked with
die.
    They wheeled Mary out next and I sagged against Jean-Claude.
    "Get me out of here," I choked out.
    Jean-Claude tightened his arm around my waist and pulled me away from the
slaughterhouse that had been my workplace.

Broken: Part VI

Trace's Diary