Episode 30 The Shuffle Alliance (part 3/3) (Patreon)

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

She was breathing hard.

She was only playing for a few minutes, but her hands ached, and it felt like she ran for a half a mile non-stop. But damn, it felt good to see the reactions of her guests.

She didn’t write or compose the song, and only gave a bass line to Jack’s electric guitar, but damn did it feel good. It was like she was on a high, and that song… Sugar once again crushed it. Her impromptu thank you party turned wilder.

Nickolaj’s wife Nukaka had the foresight to bring their daughters back home after Jack’s song ended. She could hear the two girls’ protests, but it was better this way. Her SWAT guests were soaked in beer and removed their shirts while the ladies had their thin blouses drenched, causing them to be nearly transparent and giving the others quite a show.

Then there was Jack. Oh Boy.

There was a rumor going around that muscled gym rats who religiously lifted weights caused their dicks to shrink. She could confirm that to be a myth in Jack’s case, thanks to his wife, who gave them a glimpse of the monster that she took inside her body almost every night. That bitch…

She laughed and slipped off her bass guitar and fondly ran her fingers along its shiny surface. She then remembered she had one more audience and looked at the music stand where she placed her phone. Her smile widened when she saw Taylor was still there, waving her hand and trying to attract her attention.

“Did you like it?” She asked.

“I love it!” Like damn!” Taylor was buzzing with energy, judging by how she shifted on her bed. “We could start a band with Jack!”

A band, huh? That was not a bad idea at all. But she wondered about her schedule, with projects now pouring in from all directions.

“It doesn’t have to be a formal thing.” Taylor seemed to have read her mind. “We practice Jack’s songs in our own time, and then whenever he pulls stunts like this, we’re always prepared!”

Taylor did have a point. She felt that Jack’s songs would be elevated to a new level with a proper band accompanying him in his performance.

“So are you in?” Taylor asked.

Her smile answered her friend’s question.

Jack Routh

He was still getting used to waking up with Zoe already gone for work, and that was why he was surprised to see his wife waiting for him when he left their bedroom.

Zoe looked troubled as she focused on her phone.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“Two cops were murdered the other day. Rookie cops.” His wife replied. “Jack, I think we saw them at the bar on our date. Erin Cole and Chris Rios.”

He suddenly remembered his conversation with Erin. He could see how desperate she was and decided to help.

“I met up with her the other day.” He revealed. Damn, he saw how much she wanted to get free from those loan sharks and felt pity for her. In their batch, she was the most determined to follow in her father’s footsteps to become a cop beside Jackson West. 

“She told me that she borrowed some money from loan sharks to pass the credit check.” He continued speaking. “I agreed to lend her money, and Camille was supposed to wire some money to her to pay off her debts.”

Zoe pursed her lips, and she stared at him with a concerned look. “Jack, you know you have to come in. They just discovered the bodies.”

“Of course.” He replied. “I’ll get ready.”

Killing cops in cold blood was like stirring up the hornet’s nest in his opinion. This case hit hard, with two off-duty cops being shot in the head each while they were having dinner after their shift ended.

The scene resonated with many of the officers, and he knew each and every one of them was thinking the same thing. That could have been me.

He moved past the yellow tape after Zoe. Cole’s apartment was located in Mid-Wilshire, so technically it was their jurisdiction, but his wife allowed Cole’s colleagues in the other station to help in the investigation. He could see they were out for blood, with how cold and sharp their gazes were.

“She’s a sweet girl.” Erin’s T.O. looked devastated. The large man was sitting on the steps leading to the apartment door. “She and Chris didn’t deserve this.”

A group of detectives was discussing their theories right outside the door, and he spotted Angela, with her newly minted detective badge clipped on her waist, standing within their circle.

 “Caradine.” His wife called out to the senior detective, and what looked like Angela’s mentor, with the way she stuck close to his side. “I have some information.”

Immediately, the cluster of detectives, both from their division and from Cole’s station, converged on his wife. “Officer Routh informed me that he met with Officer Cole a few days ago.”

He felt all their gazes shift to him, some with suspicion on their faces.

“Officer Cole and Rios were my batch mates in the academy.” He shared, meeting each impassive face head-on with confidence. “Erin Cole met up with me in a coffee shop called The Brewery, about a five-minute drive from here. We were there for fifteen minutes, just after she finished her second shift.”

“We’ll check that out.” One of the detectives replied. “What did you two talk about?”

“She wanted to borrow money.” He answered. “She told me she borrowed from loan sharks to pass the credit inspection for rookies.”

He could see the atmosphere change in the group of detectives. Their stances changed, and a few shifted in place, eager to check up on their contacts with the lead he provided.

“Was that all?” Detective Caradine asked.

“I told her I would wire her the money, and she looked happy when she left.” He replied.

“Why did you agree to help her?” A detective he was not familiar with asked him. “Are you seeing her?”

“I’m married.” He jerked his thumb to the pretty yet intimidating captain standing right beside him. “Erin’s father was a sheriff in Ohio, and she grew up wanting to be like her old man and make a difference. I thought she could use some help, so I agreed to lend her the money she owed to the loan sharks. She didn’t elaborate on any names or organizations during the time we spoke.”

He was on administrative leave, but he knew enough officers guarding the area that he was able to see the crime scene. He looked around, and took note of every detail as crime scene investigators documented the bodies of his batch mates.

“No one reported any gun shots?” He asked one of the investigators. “The neighbors didn’t notice a thing?”

“No one noticed.” The man pulled out a notepad and checked his notes. “They were discovered by a delivery driver who peered through the curtains and saw the blood.”

“No exit wound suggests a .22 caliber round, with a suppressor if the neighbors didn’t report any gunshot wounds. That's subsonic." He noted, looking around. “They were not expecting visitors. The food on the table is just for the two of them.”

“Chris brought the food.” He added. “The man always enjoyed spicy Mexican back in the academy, while Erin prefers traditional mid-western cuisine.”

“Got any prints?” He asked the man who was furiously writing on his notepad.

“None so far.” The man replied.

“The shooter probably wore gloves.” He observed. “This is not your typical loan shark. This is done by a cold-blooded killer that knew to pick up his brass. This is an execution.”

"Why do you think that?" The investigator asked.

"Their bodies." He indicated the cadavers. "They were made to kneel in front of the shooter. If they were shot while standing, they wouldn't have fallen so close to each other and face-first on the carpet."

“Are you trying to steal my job, Routh?”

He heard Angela’s voice from the door and turned around. He saw that the detectives were back in the crime scene, and they were giving him weird looks that he ignored.

“Just trying to help.” He replied and headed out to look around the property complex.

“We’re already asking the nearby buildings for copies of their CCTVs”. Angela shared.

“Ask for the footage for the car owners too.” He suggested.

“It’s a long shot, but we might find something if they have those dash cam models that record if they detect movement if they’re parked for the night.” He had just installed one on Zoe’s car. The memory on those was good for a week before they were automatically erased.

“Huh. There was a reported break-in of a car in one of the apartments.” Angela looked eager.

“Wanna bet that it’s related?” He asked.

Angela smirked and headed to the address, and motioned for him to follow along. He nodded and hid a smile. He missed working with Angela.

Zoe Andersen Routh

“And the Chief put him on administrative leave for killing a bunch of wild boars on an island?” Caradine looked on with disbelief as her husband showed the reason why the FBI and the DHS were so eager to recruit him.

They were discussing details and procedures about the crime scene when they heard Jack speaking with an investigator. One by one, the detectives around her grew silent as they listened in on Jack’s conversation.

He presented his analysis in a methodical fashion, and pointed out details that the senior detectives around her had missed, judging by the way they scribbled hasty notes on their notepads.

Caradine hung back with her, allowing the others to get closer to her husband and eavesdrop. She noted he was watching his new charge, Angela Lopez interact with Jack like they were back in patrol.

“She was his training officer?” Caradine looked impressed as the two walked out of the apartment and started discussing possible sources of camera footage. Between the two of them, it looked like they had just found another lead.

“They had the best record in the field training program before Jack got promoted.” She revealed. “Even Bradford stopped competing against them, and you know how competitive he can get. Those two are nearly unstoppable when they work together.”

“It’s a pity he got taken by Metro.” Cardine sighed. “It’s always the fancy gear and action that draws in the younger generation. At least I got Lopez.”

“Jack was trying to recruit her into joining him in Metro.” She smiled, as the memory of her talks with Jack about Angela surfaced. “But Lopez is set to become a detective, although I could tell she was tempted by the offer. Those two have a strong bond.”

“Good for her.” Caradine smiled and watched as the two theorized a possible connection between the murders and the reported break-in of a car in the same neighborhood. “Look, my charge is already showing initiative.”

They didn’t even need to request a warrant. The owner of the vehicle was happy to see that his report was being taken seriously and allowed the investigators to gather evidence and check for prints in his Prius. The cherry on top? They had a face of the possible killer, and all it took was her husband taking a look at the crime scene for less than five minutes.

The detectives assigned to the case were trying to wrap their heads at the sudden speed of the investigation.

“They smashed the window and took the dash cam and the memory device.” Lopez looked eager to catch the suspect. “Whoever did it forgot that this model saves a backup on the car owner’s phone.”

“There’s no need to run a face scan.” Detective Caradine added when he watched the footage copied into Lopez’s phone. “We got our suspect, and that man is Serj Derian.”

Her eyes sharpened when she heard the name. The Derian crime family was notorious, but for different reasons. They weren’t as violent as the other gangs, but they were slippery and had powerful connections.

“This is troubling.” She looked at the officers who surrounded her. “If they’re willing to loan money to a rookie cop to gain influence on her, what more can be said about other officers? This isn’t just a simple case of murder. They’re trying to silence Erin Cole.”

“We need a thorough audit.” Caradine suggested. “Check on all of our officer’s financial assets and their families accounts.”

“They signed a waver when they joined the force.” She nodded in agreement. “Do it, and request a warrant from the judge for Serj Derian on suspicion of murder.”

Nick Armstrong

“You fucking idiot!” He watched with satisfaction as Ruben yelled at his younger brother. He had it coming, and he didn’t bother to hide his smirk as Serj received another slap to the face.

“I covered my tracks!” Serj argued back. “They got nothing on me!”

“Then how do you explain this?” Ruben snarled and showed the printed sheet to the younger man. It was a stupid move on Serj’s part, and killing cops was supposed to be the last resort.

“You have an arrest warrant out, and all known business fronts are under surveillance!” The gang leader walked back to his desk and poured himself a drink. “Any gains we had for the past two weeks, gone! All because you didn’t like how she rejected you.”

He remembered the time when Serj offered to clear half her debt in exchange for dating him. Erin Cole rejected the idea, causing the younger brother to be in a foul mood that lasted a whole week. It seemed like both brothers were attracted to female cops. Who knew the two brothers were secretly badge bunnies?

“What about you and your obsession with that bitch!” Serj spat. “We couldn’t get anything from the husband at all! I had to kill my contact when our activity was instantly traced!”

He sat up at that news. Serj never told him anything about a trace.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“It’s like what I said.” Serj gave him an annoyed glance. “My contact, with proper security credentials, couldn’t get anything when I was looking for any intel on Jack Routh. My man told me this was some black project shit and wanted to bug out immediately. He even tried to burn his computer rig.”

He wiped the sweat from his brow when he heard that. This was different. He knew of Serj’s hacker contact for years. He had been a reliable asset, able to dig deep on anyone, no matter their rank, because of his job at the government. If he was traced… that meant Jack Routh had a really interesting past. He knew the man was dangerous, judging from how Rosalind fixated on him.

She had called him a killer like her, and not prey. He was starting to have doubts about Ruben’s plan. He knew men like Routh. They didn’t compromise, and when pushed to the edge, showed no mercy. He even had to kill a few of them, since their principles simply wouldn’t allow themselves to be bought, remain silent, or look the other way.

But they do have an ace… and love was the usual weakness these men have.

“Then let’s send the package.” He suggested. “Let’s see how Jack Routh reacts when his wife is on her knees and at our mercy.”

“And sucking my cock.” Ruben nodded with a grin. “Do it.”

He pulled out his phone and started scrolling for those anonymous courier services. It was time for Zoe Andersen to learn the meaning of true power. She would regret ever suspending him.

Zoe Andersen Routh

She woke up later than usual, due to staying up late with the double murder of rookie cops. It was even in the news, and she watched as the chief in a press conference at central denounced the situation and blamed video games and movies for their violence, and influencing fragile young minds.

This was her first crisis, and in her opinion, it did not bode well for Chief Coleman that she did not even visit Cole and Rios’ station or the crime scene to show her support.

All these changes and personnel shuffling made her more annoyed since she was determined to investigate a topic before she even returned to LA from her vacation in Hawaii.

Jack’s mysterious past.

She didn’t want to call her father or have any contact with him, she made that clear multiple times already. But this was her husband, and for him she would do anything, even swallow her pride.

After battling with herself for most of the morning, she finally decided to call him and fished out the card he gave her before she left their house for the final time.

She was about to video call him when she realized the state she was in and blushed, and hurried to put on some presentable clothes. Her husband had used their bet from earlier to strip her naked, not that she was wearing that many clothes to begin with when they slept.

Then he had her for breakfast, literally, and ate her out on the dining table until her mind blanked out from the orgasms he gave her. She remembered her mind was in a haze the entire time, only feeling pleasure and pain. She even heard him pronounce Shining Finger as he pleasured her sex with his hand. But the unexpected clarity she had gained after those explosive orgasms reminded her of her original purpose.

“Baby Zoe, this is a surprise, but I’m glad you called.”

There he was, still stiff as ever, though she noted he had more white and gray hair in his hair compared to the last time she saw him, and he still used her little girl name.

“Dad, I need a favor.” She replied with a tight smile.

“Of course, anything.” Her old man leaned forward, looking eager.

She eyed the decorations on the shelves behind him, decorations, awards, and plaques. It looked like his collection even grew a bit, and there was a new star on his shoulder. That makes it four.

“My husband, Jack Routh.” She replied. “I need information about his past. He’s been having problems with his memory.”

She watched sharply for any change in his expression. She could immediately tell he was not happy by the thinning of his lips.

“Yes, Jack Routh. You certainly made things difficult for me, Zoe.” Her father shared. “Of all the people in the world, why him?”

“You know something?” She asked.

“Of course.” General Melver Anderson snorted. “What kind of a father would I be if I didn’t do a thorough background check on your new husband?” 

She saw how he pronounced the term with distaste, but she didn’t care for that. What was more important was what he knew.

“Then tell me.” She pleaded.

“Not here.” Her father shook his head. “It’s not secure. When will you visit?”

“On Christmas. I’m planning to visit Wes and the kids.” She replied. She didn't need to mention Melissa. They both knew she wouldn't visit if her stepmother was present. “Couldn’t you just tell me in a more secure way?”

“No.” He replied immediately. “This is information that’s very sensitive and dangerous. It has to be in person.”

She wasn’t sure if her father was just using that as an excuse to see her or he was just that paranoid.

“Is… he treating you right?”

If only her father had asked that question so many years ago, but he was too busy, too career-focused, and barely visited their home. But he was too late, and she had moved on, stronger, wiser, and more jaded about life in general. She gave him a bitter smile in response.

“Jack’s the best thing that ever happened to me, Dad.” She replied.

“Good. That’s… good.” The phone or her father’s desk rang. “I’m expecting an important call. I’ll talk to you later?”

“Sure.” She knew better than for her father to follow through with that.

The call ended soon after, and she collapsed on the couch, releasing the tension that had been building up before she called him. She needed a drink, and looked at her group chat to see if anyone was planning anything on her rest day.

Liz was asking for help with decorations for her newly purchased property and needed help. She jumped at the chance and quickly planned for a day out. She needed a distraction, as the short chat with her father was bringing up her old memories of living with her stepmother.

She wondered what Jack was up to. He did say he would be back by dinner.

Jack Routh

This was the second time he was wearing the Mjolnir armor, and it felt tighter in some areas. Thankfully, Howard easily adjusted some pieces, having accounted for that exact scenario.

His eccentric friend asked if he wanted to join him in a sci-fi convention in Lancaster, about an hour’s drive from LA. There had been rumors that there would be a good amount of attendees due to notable sci-fi actors making an appearance, including Patrick Stewart and Kevin Sorbo.

With Sheldon and Leonard being too busy with their schedules, it had only been him, Howard, and Raj inside the car.

It was strange to drive with two Mandalorian warriors with him. It looked like Howard and Raj had not wasted any time using the money from bitcoin to upgrade their equipment and fabricate beautiful armor pieces that rivaled those he saw at the movies.

“It’s similar to the ceramic dust in your armor.” Howard explained how they could get that metallic effect and sheen. “There’s some stainless steel powder mixed in with the filament.”

“It was a bitch to calibrate though.” Raj reported.

They stopped by a local gas station for a quick snack and drinks. It seemed like the event they were going to go to had drawn some interest since they spotted several others wearing various costumes and armor. There was even a TV crew in another table, the news reporter wearing some eye catching full body suit with printed graphics.

“Stop staring.” Raj elbowed Howard, whose gaze was locked on the pretty reporter.

“I’m not the only one.” Howard muttered.

To be fair, Howard was right. The reporter’s outfit was very revealing in the skin-tight bodysuit. He wondered how Zoe would look in one. He knew his wife would look stunning in Star Craft Ghost costume. Ghost Agent Zoe had a ring to it.

“Still, it’s a low effort costume.” Raj noted. “She could have worn more accessories.”

He had just finished his pie when the sky started to darken. Their phones all buzzed at the same time, and he swiped to see what the reason was for the emergency alert.

“Dust storm.” Howard read aloud the warning. “Stay indoors, and if inside a car, pull to the shoulder.”

“And stay alive.” Raj finished the warning.

The sky grew darker and their surrounding suddenly had an orange tint as the sun was blocked by the massive cloud.

They heard a commotion, as a woman rushed inside the diner, attracting their attention.

“Help! I need help!” The woman cried out. “My kids are out there, taking photos! I tried looking for them, but the wind suddenly picked up and the dust…”

“Howard, this armor can filter sand, right?” He asked. Several people were talking to the woman, and even a few men bravely rushed out to look for the missing kids.

“Of course.” Howard replied. “It’s HEPA rated, so you’re safe there even if you have allergies.”

“I’m going to help.” He grabbed a couple of shirts for sale at the nearby display shelf and headed to the crying woman with his helmet tucked under his other arm.

“I’m a police officer.” He called out, attracting the attention of everyone in the diner. “Please describe your children and their last known location.”

“Rachel is eight, and her sister Angie is twelve. Both are brunette, wearing C3PO and R2D2 shirts. They were taking photos on that ridge when the dust picked up! Please find them!” The woman begged.

He nodded and put on his helmet, and turned on the air fans. He paired his helmet with his phone and called Howard.

“You’re going to have to guide me if I get lost.”  He told Howard as he stepped out of the diner.

“I’m tracking your phone via GPS.” Howard replied.

Immediately, he could hear the tiny impacts of the sand on his armor, but he could still breathe, and he could somewhat see. The wind was strong, but not enough to topple him.

He spotted the two men that left earlier, with shirts over their heads to cover their mouths and noses. He guided the two to a nearby parked van and headed to the ridge. Once he reached the crest, he couldn’t see anything. The dust storm was getting stronger, and he activated the lights built into his helmet.

A flash of gold caught his attention, and he saw two tiny figures curled on the base of the mound, huddling together with the older girl covering her younger sister. He ran towards their direction and placed the bundled shirts on their faces. They were coughing, but it looked like they were finally able to breathe with the makeshift filters on their faces.

He scooped up the two girls under each arm and climbed the ridge once more, but now the visibility was near zero.

“Howard, I lost visuals. Can you give me a heading? I have the two girls.” He called out. He tightened the grip on the two girls, and he could feel were clutching at him, burying their heads on his chest armor while they used the shirts to cover their faces.

“Move to your two.” Howard instructed. He could hear the engineer’s voice breathing hard.

“Good, keep walking in that direction, you’re a hundred feet away from the gas station.”

Jenny Hale

She was not expecting much from her latest assignment. Unfortunately, the station manager and the producer were absolute dorks and sent her to cover the event when they heard notable actors of the past generation were making an appearance in some nowhere town out in the middle of the Mojave Desert.

The skin-tight transformers suit didn’t help, but she knew her role. She was eye candy, or a HOPA as her cameraman Greg declared when he saw her in her outfit. She punched him in the shoulder when she learned what the acronym stood for.

They were getting into a strange world. The diner they stopped over was filled with cosplayers, and she wondered why they were so happy. Weren’t they ashamed to show up with these uncomfortable and elaborate outfits? She even spotted one man who could barely sit properly in a booth, his armor too stiff for him to sit properly, but he still looked happy.

Then the dust storm alert came in. Greg was adjusting the settings to the camera when the woman barged into the diner, sobbing and looking like hell. She didn’t have to tell Greg to start recording. Now this was a story.

“I’m a police officer.”

An absolute hunk came over in elaborate futuristic armor and his calm demeanor stood in contrast to those around him. The mother focused on him, and after getting the information he needed, headed out the door after he put on his helmet.

The mother continued to cry and even attempted to leave the diner, but was stopped by two waitresses.

“My girls! They’re out there!” The woman begged.

“The police officer is already on the scene looking for your children.” The waitress told her. “Dust storms are deadly if you’re not prepared.”

“I already called 911.” The other waitress added.

The minutes felt like hours as they waited for the results.

Suddenly, through the glass door, they could see a figure emerging from the orange cloud of dust that obstructed everything in sight. There he was, the police officer, with two figures in each arm.

The other customers immediately opened the door and closed it once the officer stepped in and gently lowered the two missing girls to the floor. Their faces were covered by white shirts, acting like makeshift masks to prevent them from suffocating.

“Angie! Rachel!” The mother surged forward. The two girls cried and hugged their mother back, and she could see the enormous sigh of relief from those watching.

The mysterious police officer removed his helmet, and started talking to the girls.

“Can you breathe properly?” The officer asked in a gentle tone.

The older sister, Angie nodded her head. She was still coughing, and she could see tear tracks down her cheeks.

“Rachel fell down the dune.” Angie shared. “We were laughing, hiding from mom when the wind picked up.”

“You did well.” The officer replied and started checking on the younger girl. "I could see the two of you huddled together. Good job on protecting your sister.”

“Thank you for saving my girls” The mother whispered.

“It’s my job, ma’am.” The officer replied. “Even when I’m off-duty. You should wait for EMS to arrive and give the girls and you a check-up.”

“You’re him.” Angie stared at the officer. “You’re Sugar, Taylor Swift’s friend.”

Her eyes widened in shock. No wonder the police officer’s face looked familiar!

“I am.” Sugar replied. He stood up and looked around. She didn’t realize how tall he was. “It looks like the dust storm is weakening. I’m going to check on the two men who left earlier.”

“Wait!” She was too late. Sugar had left the building.

She turned to her cameraman immediately. “You got that right?”

“Hell yeah.” Greg replied.