Chris
Human
LAPD Sergeant: Narcotics
And I won't let you drown when the water's pulling you in; I'll keep fighting, I'll keep fighting.
Posts: 407
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Post by Chris on Jan 24, 2007 18:24:08 GMT
Continued from: Sarah’s Apartment.
He slipped the chain across his door, and flicked the deadbolt, essentially locking himself in. It was automatic, and something he’d learned to do after living in big cities like New York and Los Angeles. Safety was key, as well as common sense.
Dumping his jacket and kicking off his shoes without falling over, he headed for the bedroom. It didn’t take him long to change for bed, and sprawl on the covers, and it certainly wasn’t long before he had, essentially, become dead to the world. Thankfully, he had remembered to set his alarm before collapsing.
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Chris
Human
LAPD Sergeant: Narcotics
And I won't let you drown when the water's pulling you in; I'll keep fighting, I'll keep fighting.
Posts: 407
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Post by Chris on Feb 25, 2007 0:00:28 GMT
“Gah!”
Nearly falling out of his bed in the process, Chris swiped fiercely at the alarm clock as it shrieked at him again, and he growled from under the rebellious, smothering pillow. Now he had to get up. Giving a ‘hmph’ of a noise, hating every druggie and addict in the world intensely, he heaved his body out of bed, wobbling for a moment before dragging his hands through his shaggy black hair.
Mornings… they were evil. He was sure of it.
Before he went any further, he gathered his cell phone from the nightstand, and flicked it open, refusing to allow himself to sit back down on the edge of the bed; if he sat down, he would flop back into bed, and then he’d be late. Not only that, but he’d promised to send his partner a ‘wake up call’.
So, the simple but effective text was sent: ‘Rise and shine. Drug barons to catch — no time like the present!’
And with that, he dropped it back on his nightstand, and plodded off to shower, in the hopes of waking himself up.
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Chris
Human
LAPD Sergeant: Narcotics
And I won't let you drown when the water's pulling you in; I'll keep fighting, I'll keep fighting.
Posts: 407
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Post by Chris on Feb 25, 2007 23:33:04 GMT
After running his hands briskly through his rebellious black hair one last time, he took a look around the apartment, patting his pants pockets to ensure he, respectively, had his keys and his wallet. His badge was hanging over his shirt, his regulation sidearm was at his hip and his secondary weapon was at his ankle as was the norm. He had dressed appropriately in comfortable but sensible clothing, complete with his leather jacket in case it turned cold, unlikely at best, and his slightly scuffed boots.
Clipping his cell phone to his belt as well, he grabbed his jacket, and headed out the door, ready to face the long day ahead.
Well… almost ready…
Continued at: Central Community Police Station; Upstairs Offices — Narcotics Division.
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Chris
Human
LAPD Sergeant: Narcotics
And I won't let you drown when the water's pulling you in; I'll keep fighting, I'll keep fighting.
Posts: 407
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Post by Chris on Dec 17, 2007 23:20:58 GMT
POST TIMESKIP
“You’ve got six cards again.”
Ray blinked, lowering his beer, and looked at the cards in his hand, before glancing at Mark. The taller man raised his brows, a ‘well?’ if ever there was one, prompting Ray to set down his bottle and discard the excess card. Chris smiled, shaking his head as Kevin reclaimed his seat, having just refilled the chip bowl with a fresh bag from the kitchen, setting it down where everybody could reach it, inching it just a fraction more in the sole woman’s direction, keeping it to her left. She was putting down her cell phone after leaving messages for two of their fellow narcotics officers with invites to their casual game.
“How do you always do this wrong?” Mark was asking Ray as the older sergeant sorted the cards in his hand, pairing them and organising which ones he could cast out, if any, glancing with poorly-veiled amusement at the two men who were engaged in a typical, almost rehearsed conversation. “Every time, you end up with six cards.”
“Maybe he’s dealing me six cards.”
“I know how to deal,” Chris interjected, briefly raising a finger and semi-pointing it in Ray’s direction, cutting short that excuse.
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Sarah
Human
Departed
If it takes my whole life, I won't break, I won't bend
Posts: 290
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Post by Sarah on Dec 18, 2007 2:24:14 GMT
Sarah rolled her eyes and shook her head, reaching for a chip. Seated beside the dealer, she took another drink of her Mountain Dew -- she couldn't have alcohol with her pain meds -- and shook her head. "Did we come to play, gentlemen, or did we come to bicker? Personally, I came to play. I've got hospital bills to pay, you know, so the sooner I start cleaning you all out, the sooner I can relax." Her green eyes twinkled; her entire hospital bill was footed by the city and its insurance plan, so this was all just a joke.
Once again, she attempted to scoop her five cards into a neat little pile and arrange them in her left hand, and once again, Chris calmly picked them up and arranged them between her fingers. He was surprisingly good at this, considering he was not looking at her cards at all. She'd checked, the first time, to make sure this wasn't some new and intricate method of cheating (as if her shepherd would ever cheat), but he genuinely kept his eyes averted.
"Thank you," she said composedly, studying the hand. She glanced across the table in time to see Ray rolling his eyes, and she shot him a mock glare. "Don't make me get out my gun, Ray."
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Chris
Human
LAPD Sergeant: Narcotics
And I won't let you drown when the water's pulling you in; I'll keep fighting, I'll keep fighting.
Posts: 407
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Post by Chris on Dec 18, 2007 5:57:38 GMT
“Doesn’t the force pay your bills?”
Mark sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as Ray looked quickly from Sarah to the other man. “Oh,” he mumbled. “Oh right, I get it.” He laughed weakly, sinking into his chair a little and clearing his throat awkwardly, moving the cards he held in his hand around, this way and that, rearranging or just trying to fade into the background. Either way, Chris smiled and shook his head. At least with Ray around, there was no end of entertainment.
After sorting his partner’s cards for her and watching Ray once again shrink into his chair, it came time to fold or lay down their hands, and once again, their resident court jester took himself out of the running with a feeble shrug. “Every time,” Mark chuckled before laying down his hand, followed by Kevin and then Chris. All eyes turned to the female redhead, as Chris picked his beer bottle from nearby to take a swig while she revealed her hand.
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Sarah
Human
Departed
If it takes my whole life, I won't break, I won't bend
Posts: 290
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Post by Sarah on Dec 18, 2007 17:13:35 GMT
"Lest any of you were afraid that the big dork was helping me cheat," said Sarah, with only the mildest trace of irritation, "allow me to put your fears to rest." She put down her cards, revealing nothing more dangerous than a pair of threes, and reached for her Mountain Dew. "I was sort of hoping to bluff you all, but Mark here is entirely un-bluff-able."
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Chris
Human
LAPD Sergeant: Narcotics
And I won't let you drown when the water's pulling you in; I'll keep fighting, I'll keep fighting.
Posts: 407
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Post by Chris on Dec 19, 2007 5:37:02 GMT
“Of course I am,” Mark announced with a triumphant smirk, as it became apparent that he was, yet again, the winner. It had been pointless, even, for Chris and Kevin to show their hands, but the male sergeant always liked to at least give it a shot, even though the tallest Lone Gunman was something of a whiz at poker. He always had been; he had given Chris tips in the beginning, even, but could still best him with ease.
As Chris went about collecting and shuffling the cards again for a new hand, he glanced at his partner, saying rather than asking, “You left messages for Forbes and Berkshire?” It wasn’t unusual for them to invite the other pair, but it depended on the week as to whether or not either, or even both of them showed up.
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Sarah
Human
Departed
If it takes my whole life, I won't break, I won't bend
Posts: 290
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Post by Sarah on Dec 22, 2007 1:04:53 GMT
"Yeah, both phones went straight to voice mail. Really no idea if they'll come; although I can't think why they wouldn't, because what on earth could be more fun than spending the evening with me?" Sarah smirked. "Or, you know, you guys," she added after a deliberate pause.
"Oh, there are so many possibilities...." Kevin said, reaching for the chips.
"What? Kevin, I'm crushed. Are you saying that I'm not fun to spend the evening with?"
"I was thinking more of the rest of us. Particularly Mark, because I can think of a few things I'd rather be doing than losing to him. I'm starting to wonder why we don't all just hand him the money as soon as he arrives -- save us a lot of trouble."
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Chris
Human
LAPD Sergeant: Narcotics
And I won't let you drown when the water's pulling you in; I'll keep fighting, I'll keep fighting.
Posts: 407
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Post by Chris on Dec 28, 2007 21:54:06 GMT
Had it been a Friday, Chris would have assumed Berkshire and Forbes were perhaps both out on dates, or simply at clubs or bars with the intention of meeting women, but given it was Thursday, he didn’t know anything for sure, so he nodded at Sarah’s words. If they returned the call, then okay, but if not, it wasn’t the end of the world. It was just a casual poker game between friends, and they were, of course, allowed to have social lives.
“And yet you all keep coming back for more,” Mark said, mostly to Kevin but his words were directed to the group as a whole, his smile light but still triumphant. He was stacking his winnings carefully at his side of the table.
“You’d just find new ways to take our money if we didn’t play poker,” Chris interjected, earning a laugh from Ray.
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Sarah
Human
Departed
If it takes my whole life, I won't break, I won't bend
Posts: 290
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Post by Sarah on Dec 29, 2007 15:18:33 GMT
"Maybe we should try something other than poker sometime," Sarah quipped. "Like...air hockey, or -- wait, no, not basketball. Some of us have an unfair height advantage." She looked pointedly at her tall partner. "Actually," she continued, "once I have the use of both arms again, I'd like to start shooting pool regularly. I was a bit of a shark in college; I might actually stand a chance of holding onto my paycheck."
She popped another chip in her mouth and held the bowl around for the guys to take some while Chris shuffled cards. "Of course," she added mischievously, swallowing, "the down side to shooting pool is that it takes place in a public venue...you never know who could come walking in. I mean, it would be wrong of me to lie to, for instance, Holly about where I was going or who I'd be with." She grinned openly at Chris, plainly teasing him, though the others were all acquainted with the blonde and would understand the joke.
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Chris
Human
LAPD Sergeant: Narcotics
And I won't let you drown when the water's pulling you in; I'll keep fighting, I'll keep fighting.
Posts: 407
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Post by Chris on Jan 12, 2008 23:11:34 GMT
Chris laughed as was the usual response when Sarah made a jab at him for his height. He normally reminded her that there were plenty of people in the city, and even the force, taller than him, physically more imposing too, but he wasn’t about to start that old ‘fight’ in front of the Gunmen, as they were known collectively to the partners. Mark, Kevin and Ray were what constituted as old friends for Chris; he had known them before being partnered with Sarah, and his relationships with each of them were still going strong after years now, something he was grateful for, needless to say.
Inevitably, it was Mark who laughed outright at the tease about Holly, even as Chris offered his redheaded partner a glare. “So long as she’s got other targets, maybe she’d leave Christopher here alone.” A chip sailed his way, and he barked a fresh laugh, ducked and then came back up again with a cocky smirk. Chris had paused in his shuffling to hurl the small piece of plastic, which he then endeavoured to reclaim, taking the pack of cards with him so Ray couldn’t attempt to tamper with them. “And shockingly, Ray doesn’t suck at pool. When your arm’s better, you two should definitely play a game.” Mark tossed another chip in his mouth as Ray looked towards him, rabbit-in-headlights expression in full swing.
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Sarah
Human
Departed
If it takes my whole life, I won't break, I won't bend
Posts: 290
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Post by Sarah on Jan 14, 2008 14:55:59 GMT
"Really?" Sarah looked half impressed. "In that case I may have to challenge you, Ray. I'd be interested to see this."
Regarding Mark's first comment, she paused and looked thoughtul. "She might. I don't know. Chris presents more of a challenge to Holly than most men do because he's completely immune to her charms, and Holly loves a challenge. Though to give her some credit, they were both at my place a couple of weeks ago and she didn't put the moves on him."
Her lips twitched, fighting a smile. "I only grumble about her because I'm jealous, you know," she said, clearly being facetious. "When Chris is around I become invisible. He's prettier than me, he gets all the attention." She stopped fighting the smile and let it happen, knowing it would be hard for the others not to follow suit. Nobody doted more on Chris than Sarah herself, and one reason she was usually so amused by Holly's pursuit of him was that she could fully well understand what the blonde saw in him.
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Chris
Human
LAPD Sergeant: Narcotics
And I won't let you drown when the water's pulling you in; I'll keep fighting, I'll keep fighting.
Posts: 407
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Post by Chris on Jan 22, 2008 19:51:23 GMT
Ray did his best to look confident, but only ended up slouching further into his chair with a smile, as if he were embarrassed about being good at something for a change. And it was true, as well. As Chris reclaimed his seat and got to shuffling the cards one last time for good measure, he remembered the times he had lost to Ray at pool, and there were quite a few games to recall.
“Maybe she’s just jealous of red hair,” Kevin put in with a genuine, amiable smile, earning a chuckle from Chris and Mark while Ray fidgeted, busying himself by tidying what remained of his poker chips. “If she randomly dyes her hair, you’ll know that’s the reason.” Chris couldn’t really see Kevin’s logic, but it was amusing anyway, so he smiled with a shake of his head and started dealing out cards for a new hand.
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Sarah
Human
Departed
If it takes my whole life, I won't break, I won't bend
Posts: 290
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Post by Sarah on Jan 29, 2008 2:58:17 GMT
Sarah grinned at Kevin, and gave one of her springy curls a sort of fluff with her free hand. "I'll keep that in mind. Though I very much doubt that's the case; blondes have more fun, gentlemen prefer blondes, et cetera, et cetera. I've never yet heard it said that you catch more flies with red hair." She laughed at her own joke. "Okay, maybe I've had enough caffeine for one night."
"You think?" Kevin retorted, returning the grin.
Sarah was amused. Kevin was easily the shyest of the Lone Gunmen, so to see him engaged in something which could almost pass for flirting was charmingly novel. Having it directed at herself was just gravy...although in the present company, she had to acknowledge that she somewhat lacked competition. Still, it was never bad for a girl's ego.
"Do me a favor," she added languidly, addressing herself to her partner, "and quit dealing me all the crappy cards." She couldn't begin to complain about how he'd looked after her since the shooting -- visiting her in the hospital, bringing her home, gently hassling her to rest and, more than once, sacrificing his lap for her to use as a pillow when she needed to lie down on the sofa. That didn't mean she couldn't pretend to sulk about the cards, however.
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