Debauchery Falls Ch. 02

Halley returned to her office HQ-- a converted brown stone bank-- and she found Captain Graver in the armory. He was selecting weapons from the bench with a pensive look about him.

He's worried too, she realized. It showed in his eyes. Although everything always showed in Graver's eyes. They were huge and blue. Expressive and innocent. You'd think a military guy, who worked as a mercenary, a casino officer (and had a vicious scar beside his eye to show for it all) would have a better poker face. But he didn't. And if anything, the scar beside his left one helped reflect it-- a natural wrinkle of worry that marred his boyish features.

He hefted a rifle, inspected the chamber, and added it to the pile beside the others. "Riddle me this? How does a town just up and disappear?" He asked without glancing up.

Halley chewed the inside of her lip. The same concerns had been nagging at her all morning. But she and Graver were fire and ice. It had to be that way. They were a couple when they started this private police firm. Graver-- a drifter with a military background, and Halley-- a private investigator at the time when they met and fell in love. The complimented each other because of their differences. Graver was painfully expressive and earnest. The man could tell a story without speaking a single word. It was all in his eyes. Halley was the opposite. She toned herself down, spoke with dryness in her voice, and painfully practiced calmness.

"There's only four roads-- most of them residential streets. I'd hardly call it a town," she replied.

"That's still enough people that someone can get word out."

Halley shrugged humorlessly. "There's a bridge on the only road in. If it got washed out, they're screwed."

"This isn't the first time this state has gotten rain," Graver responded.

Halley was about to say more, but a girl staggered into the room, lugging a pair of black duffle bags that looked much too heavy for her, even in their empty state.

"I found the biggest ones I could for you, Captain Graver," she said, her eyes sparkling with hopeful excitement. As soon as she saw Halley, she startled. "Oh, hi Halley." Her freckled cheeks reddened when she spotted Graver's fiancée.

Halley could hardly resist the subtle smirk that pulled at the corners of her lips. She supposed it was cruel, but she found amusement in Lucy's girlish crush on Captain Graver.

Lucy had been a college student when she joined the firm. A resident in Galloway's apartment building, they'd met under... bizarre circumstances, to say the least. That was another story, all together, but Lucy and Graver had "hooked up" under certain influences that were beyond either of their control. The irony was that Halley didn't hold it against either of them-- as she'd been similarly influenced into straying from her fiancé with a few others as well. It had actually been kind of fun, although that was her own little secret.

In fact, when Lucy had expressed an interest in the world of data analysis, Halley had offered Lucy a job with her firm, reviewing reports and video footage of investigations and cold cases. There were no hard feelings, but regardless, Lucy tiptoed around Halley at every turn, with yet another apology on the tip of her tongue that threatened to come spilling out. Guilty minds...

Although Halley supposed it wasn't just guilt. Lucy had some major self esteem issues-- most of which probably stemmed from her body. The girl was short, barely an inch over five feet, with large dark framed librarian glasses, pale skin and flaming red curly hair. While Lucy seemed to not enjoy being a redhead, Halley found the hair alluring... wanting to run her fingers through it (though she never would). But more than that... Lucy had a *very* curvaceous frame. She'd never describe Lucy as out of shape or overweight. But the girl was on the thicker side, with wide hips, thick thighs, and enormous boobs. They were larger than Halley's head. Halley couldn't begin to guess what cup size that was, but knew that it must extend far into the alphabet, beyond the common B's and C's and D's. Halley never had a problem with her own B cups (Galloway had one up on her with a nice plump pair of C's), but next to Lucy, she felt flat-chested. Lucy tried her best to hide her body in frumpy clothes, loose blouses, or thick sweatshirts, but it didn't help much. Halley could imagine that developing so large so early in life could do some damage to a young woman's self esteem. Not to mention that Lucy's frame did come with a small roll to her tummy and her hips. Halley didn't think it was unpleasant, and neither had Captain Graver (who had seen things much more close up)-- more of a 'put your hands here and hold on for your life' spot, but self esteem couldn't be fixed overnight with a few compliments.

It was a shame really, because Lucy was cute. A good candidate for one of those extreme makeover shows. A little makeup and a simple wardrobe change could easily transform her into an easy nine out of ten.

"Hey Lucy," Halley offered a slightly teasing smile. "Behaving yourself?"

She was rewarded when Lucy reddened and averted her eyes behind those thick glasses. "Umm... I hope these are okay for your trip." There was a tremble to her hand as she passed the gear bags off to Graver.

"Knock it off," Graver said to Halley, then turned back to Lucy. "That'll do, thanks kid." He offered her a wink, and that small blush turned to one that was as pronounced as her hair.

It was no secret, at least not to Halley, that Lucy had a thing for Halley's future husband. She was a smitten school girl around him. Not that she blamed Lucy. If you could get past that scar, Captain Graver was a good looking man. With his short blonde hair, big blue eyes, even five-oh-clock shadow, strong jaw, big muscles, and sweet personality, it was hard not to see him as the all American hero. A girl could do worse. Halley humored the crush, but sooner or later, Lucy would have to find her own man.

Lucy hesitated at the door.

"Was there something else?" Halley asked, reading the girl's body language.

Lucy paused, fiddling with her fingernails. "Umm... well... I was just wondering," She addressed Captain Graver-- of course. The easier of the two parents. "You might need some help on your trip pulling up maps and researching video. Especially if you're busy with the field team. So..."

"Spit it out," Halley said.

"Is there any way that I could come along and help?" She reddened again as she said it, and added as an immediate after thought-- like a selling point, "I promise I won't get in the way."

"Absolutely not," Captain Graver said without missing a beat.

Lucy blinked, stunned by the immediate rejection. "But I just thought--"

"We don't know what the situation is," Graver said. "Might be nothing, might be a natural disaster. Regardless, I'm not going to risk getting a kid trapped in a flood."

Lucy frowned, her eyes flicking down to her shoes like she'd just been scolded. "I'm not a kid..."

Graver flinched. She was right-- she was over 18, but she still wasn't old enough to drink. It was tough to see her any other way. "Regardless, I've got enough people to worry about without adding your name to the roster."

Lucy glanced up, and for a second looked as though she would protest more. But then she seemed to think the better of it and closed her mouth. She nodded quickly. The defeat and disappointment shown in her eyes. Rejection. That was the only word that came to Halley's mind.

"Clear?" Graver asked.

She nodded sadly. "Okay, but I'm going to take one of the satellite phones out of storage. You call me if you need *any* help." She was adamant about that.

Graver flashed a thumbs up and went back to his weapon inspections.

Halley walked with Lucy out of the armory. Lucy's eyes were carefully averted, looking to the floor, or anywhere but Halley's scrutiny.

When they were out of earshot, Halley couldn't resist remarking. "A little old for you, don't you think?"

"It-it's not like that," Lucy said nervously. "I'm just worried, that's all."

"It's exactly like that," Halley said. Lucy glanced over, and when she saw that Halley's smile was sincere and hardly judging or jealous, relief sparkled in her youthful eyes. "You're not the first girl to have a crush on a someone who's taken."

Lucy let out a laugh that came out high and nervous. "What are the chances he has a twin brother?"

Now it was Halley's turn to laugh. "Less likely than me and him breaking up first." She patted the girl on the back.

Lucy hesitated to smile, afraid of offending Halley by being too open with her humor. "So... you're saying there's a chance?" She asked.

Halley laughed even harder. "I like you. But if me and Graver don't work out, there's already a waiting list. I think even Galloway is on it, so you better toughen up and grow some balls, because girls who take risks are the ones who land the guys they want."

"I'll keep that in mind," Lucy said.

***

The HQ building sat on the outskirts of a newly constructed industrial park. The park was full of wide open lots, grassy spaces with picnic benches for employees to enjoy in the summer time, and large flat buildings-- mostly warehouses and truck depots.

Halley and Captain Graver exited out the back to the parking lot that the building shared with an office furniture supplier.

The men stood in a tight group waiting. Galloway's hand-picked team. Halley spotted Galloway and Quinn. Seven others were gathered around. Halley checked off their names in her head: Brubaker, Chaney, Delacruz, Foster, Jessup, Lincoln, and Poe.

Halley and Graver lugged their bags across the lot and joined them. The men stood a little straighter. Galloway and Quinn couldn't keep the good humor from showing on their faces.

"That is quite the urban assault vehicle," Quinn marveled, quoting from an old Bill Murray movie.

"Is that what we're calling it?" Galloway said with a grin. "It looks like a fuckin' RV to me."

"That, ladies, gentlemen... and Quinn... is our mobile lab," Halley said, addressing the group of camo-clad soldiers who were gathered around. They were each decked out in the dark patterns of their black multi-cam uniforms, their boots polished and shining, and their caps pulled low, making them all look nearly identical. They'd caught a temporary break in the weather that was certain not to last. Somewhere, far to the west, they could see the clouds on the horizon and hear the very faint rumble of thunder, like an oncoming train.

Each man had a duffle bag packed with gear, their combat vests draped over it and their rifles cleared and resting against their bags. They were in t-shirts which bore the logo of Halley's company, the navy blue material strained against their defined muscles. Halley looked them over. In a dark corner of her brain, she thought this trip would be way more fun if Graver wasn't coming... or she was single... or she wasn't their boss. Oh well. In another life perhaps... Even the two women on the team-- Galloway and Lincoln-- were solid and in good physical shape.

The group was gazing at the cluster of four navy blue Jeep Wranglers-- their preferred vehicles, and at the center of it all was a black and gold 40 foot monster of an RV. It was the size of a bus-- the type that musicians take on tour.

"This will be home away from home for the eleven of us," Halley paused. "Unless you'd prefer to sleep outside in the rain?" She smiled.

The men didn't react to her humor. Tough crowd.

"This is a rental, so try not to fuck it up," she said. A few of them seemed to deflate at this revelation. Halley wasn't sure what they'd been expecting. This was a trial run for a mobile command unit. If she had actually bought one, it would be tricked out with gun lockers, computer banks, and all sorts of forensic labs.

To burst their bubble, there was none of that.

This was merely for comfort. Halley didn't mind camping, but the thought of sleeping on the ground for a week, without running water or a stocked kitchen would put a needless strain on her and the team.

This particular giant bus housed rows of bunk beds (the team would still need to share them by sleeping in shifts), a kitchen and sitting area, bathroom, power supplies and a good solid desk for her to set up her computer equipment to do some electronic monitoring. Most of her gear was very portable and would be easy to set up and take down in a matter of minutes.

Halley wanted to spend her company funds wisely, but even she had to admit that the thought of camping in a tricked out surveillance bus filled her with a sense of adventure. She wasn't used to working out of anything larger than a cramped mid-sized SUV. And now she'd be working like they did in the movies. A team of soldiers by her side, a convoy of cars, and a trip to the middle of nowhere. Even if most of that time would be spent sitting in the woods eating hot dogs, it would be way more interesting than desk work.

"Alright boys, let's get this gear stored," Halley beamed, letting a little more excitement cross her face than she usually did. "I want to be on the road in less than an hour."

None of them moved for a beat. Unsure silence among them.

Finally Galloway barked at the team. "This is your boss! Let her know you love her!"

"YES MA'AM!" Nine soldiers shouted in unison so perfect that it gave Halley a thrill.

***

Five vehicles drove north up the turnpike in a small convoy. Four Jeep Wranglers, and an overly large cross country RV.

The men blasted music, joked with one another, or bantered quietly. In the lead Jeep, Lieutenant Kate Galloway and Sergeant Scott Quinn teased each other over dirty jokes and fond memories. Behind them, in the second Jeep, Officers Britt Lincoln and Chick Brubaker were singing animatedly along with the latest teeny-bopper turned pop-star, and promising each other that they wouldn't tell a soul that they knew the words. In the third Jeep, Officers Eddie Foster and Jay Delacruz debated defensive strategies of different football teams. In the fourth Jeep, Officer Vincent Poe stared straight forward in total silence, and Officer Dillon Chaney was uncomfortably fumbling through the radio dials for the least objectionable music.

In the RV, Captain Graver drove the lumbering behemoth. Rookie Officer Mike Jessup turned in the passenger seat, throwing a glance to Halley Hargrove. She was seated at the kitchen booth right behind them, looking over regional maps and checking in with local police municipalities to get an idea of the storm damage.

She was in the process of trying to raise the local Sheriff's station at Jasper Falls when she caught the rookie eyeing her up. She glanced at him, and he turned back to the road quickly. A blush creeping over his already tan complexion. He'd been checking her out. And he was busted. His expression told of a man who was embarrassed... but not *that* embarrassed.

She smirked to herself. Wasn't the first time she'd ever noticed the wishful glances of men. They all looked the same when caught-- embarrassed with a hint of intimidated reverence. Jessup was no different, and Halley knew why. He was practically a kid. She'd read his file. He wasn't even old enough to drink. Just twenty years old, fresh out of the gate with a smooth baby face, dark features, and black hair styled in a way that reminded Halley of a pretty boy pop star. 'Pretty boy' apparently had a thing for women ten years older than him, it seemed. Not that Halley minded the compliment. The boy was probably packing a smooth hairless six-pack body beneath that tough-guy uniform-- that she and her fiancée had paid for. Not that Captain Graver was the jealous type.

Still... she decided to toy with Jessup.

"What?" She asked Jessup in that abrupt way that he had. She saw him flinch to himself, ever so slightly.

He glanced back, his brows pinched together. When he spoke, his teeth were straight and white. "Sorry ma'am. I was just wondering..."

"Wondering what?" She pressed him, sensing that Graver was already trying not to laugh from the driver's seat.

"Well... how are you not car-sick, reading while the bus is moving?"

"I spent a lot of time in the back seat of a car," she said, rather bluntly. It wasn't meant to be dirty. The fact was that Halley had been a private investigator for years prior to founding her current firm-- and that entailed working surveillance cases from a parked car. But she wanted to see Jessup's reaction to such a remark.

He didn't disappoint. His eyes widened, his mouth dropped open, and that same blush crept across his cheeks. He turned back to the road, when Halley didn't break eye contact. She would never break it first.

Although he did risk a glance back just to see if she was still looking. She was. He turned away abruptly, but not before drinking in that hungry in-control expression, as well as the swell of her chest beneath her t-shirt. Her nipples were hard, standing out, from the refrigerator-like AC.

"Don't let her mess with you, rookie," Captain Graver said with an easy grin. "Just give it right back to her, and Halley will fold up like a lawn chair."

"She scares me," Jessup admitted.

"Good," Halley said, and returned to her maps.

"We used to go camping up here," Jessup remarked, looking out the window and turning back to Halley.

"That's nice."

"I'm sorry. Am I distracting you?" He was apologetic.

"No, you're fine," Halley said. She was just thinking.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"You'll find out, kid," she promised him. She supposed it weird, at the age of thirty to be calling another adult 'kid', but when talking to Jessup, it seemed fitting.

"'You can tell by the smell that we're headed for hell, and the devil was dirty Lyle,'" Jessup drawled out.

Halley looked up from her notes and blinked at him.

Jessup was suddenly self-conscious and turned his eyes back to the road. "That was CW McCall. The movie Convoy. N-never mind."

She smiled to herself. "That's a big ten-four Pig Pen," she replied.

A moment later, the skies opened up and the rain returned with a vengeance. The five cars were inundated with the roar of the heavy rains and the rumble of thunder. They slowed, to give the windshield wipers a chance to keep up with the nearly blinding torrent. Drivers clutched at the wheels and strained to follow the lane lines.

When they hit the interstate that ran east to west across the state, they cut west. Towns fell to the wayside, replaced by rolling mountains and deep woods. It was an endless carpet of wilderness.

In the lead vehicle, Scott Quinn glanced out the windows. He wasn't aware that his hands were flexing again and again on the wheel, until he caught Galloway watching him.

"Is this where it happened?" She asked.

"Not here... but close," Quinn glanced again to the dense forest that loomed over them as the lonely highway snaked around the mountains. "Probably just a few miles north of here."

He swallowed and his throat clicked so loudly that Galloway could hear it over the rain on their roof. Just a few miles into the wilderness was where Quinn's helicopter had crashed, broken his back, and ended his career as a State Trooper. The only other survivor-- the pilot, an ex-military badass bitch named Angela Morgan-- had lashed Quinn to a stretcher and practically carried him out of the woods and away from a fugitive lunatic that had been stalking them. Quinn was safe, but the nightmares and fused spine would follow him for a lifetime.

Galloway sympathetically ran her hand over Quinn's hand, warming it with her palm.

"Don't," he insisted. "Don't coddle me. You know I hate that shit. I hated when Angela tried it too, back when we were out there."

Galloway pulled her hand back and glanced defiantly at her sergeant and boyfriend. "Maybe I'm not trying to coddle you," Galloway let her lips slide into a teasing smirk. "Maybe I'm just trying to get you all hot and bothered thinking about Angela."