First day is done

20,008 words

Yes, it is a lot. No, that will not be a normal daily count. I was able to pretty much put aside everything else in the world for one day and just write.

And now, a rather long snippet!

"Yeah, that could be," Nic said. He leaned over the desk and the computer, started to type -- and stopped again. He looked back at the door. "No. That's not it. Franks isn't late. He's not coming in at all."

"What the hell is going on --" Eli began, but stopped. The outer door to the room had opened.

Franks didn't come in. Chief Noble stood there, looking stern and bothered -- more so than Nic had ever seen him. Noble stepped inside, leaving the door slightly ajar. Someone else stood outside, listening, but not quite in sight. Nic couldn't tell if Noble realized it or not, but since he left the door open, he likely didn't care.

"Can I have quiet?" He asked.

Everyone stopped talking and moving. Nic didn't think there had ever been such quiet in the room before. He could hear the wind up against the window, and the splatter of more rain. It sounded cold and he shivered a little, remembering that he was still wet. But he looked at Noble, trying to guess things from the looks in the man's face. Noble stood ramrod straight and glanced around the room, his eyes lingering on Weasel for just a moment longer than the others.

"I have an announcement," Noble said, his voice steady. "This morning I put Captain Theodore Franks on suspension from duties pending an investigation into his activities and that of his department."

That ruined the quiet. "What the fuck was he into?" Del Vario said, angered because they had all been dragged into it. Ranger looked at Weasel. Hughes shook his head, glanced at him and Eli, and looked worried.

"Well, that explains what he was doing with a lawyer last night," Eli said softly. "And why he was just a bit testier than usual."

"True," Nic said. He looked at Noble. "There's something more. Noble looks like he just gave us the good news."

"Shit," Eli whispered.

Noble lifted his hand and they went silent again. He nodded his thanks. "For the moment, no one here is under any direct suspicion of involvement with Franks," he said. Nic glanced at Weasel, who had gone so pale he looked like he would pass out. Not a surprise. "Work here will continue as it has. As you all know, we're going through a dark time in the Locals. There have been a lot of arrests in the last month. We are going to get the Locals cleaned up and back to what they should be. But... we are low on funds. I can't hire anyone to replace Franks, especially this early I the investigation. I've brought in a twenty-year veteran from Valley's Vice Department to be your temporary Commander. I expect you to give Captain O'Donnell your full cooperation."

He said it as though he didn't expect them to cooperate.

And then the person outside in the hall stepped in.

She stood about five foot eight, had dark red hair in a tight bun on her head. Maybe in her early forties. She glanced around the room, her eyes lingering on Singer and St. Jude this time in that moment of silence before the others figured it out.

"Well hell," Eli said in the sudden noise. "This is going to be quite a show."

Nic sat back and waited. It didn't take long for Weasel to get very loud and drown out anything else the others were saying. "I will not work for a woman! This is entirely improper for a police department, and even if we do have anti CCP people among us, that doesn't give you the right to foist this woman --"

"I want quiet. Now!" O'Donnell ordered.

She had the voice to command it, too. The others quieted down right away. Weasel, who had started to stand, sat down, obviously unwilling to face O'Donnell all on his own.

"I am qualified for this post," she said, her voice steady. Anger did not show in her face. Nic thought she must be very good at this kind of show, given the work she did in a career that had not been very open to women, especially in command, for years. "I have worked my way up through the ranks, just as every other Captain in this department, and I did it doing the same type of work. I don't want to hear anything bout the CCP and women's places. The CCP does not run the locals. I don't care what you do with your private lives, or how you feel about me. Here you will be professional. We're stuck with each other for the duration. I don't particularly like the idea of working with a group of bigoted men, either. But we're going to make this work."

"No," Weasel said, surprising even Nic. He hadn't expected the man to continue his tirade -- but then again, this probably wasn't about CCP and Captain O'Donnell. He'd lost the protection of Franks, and the buddy who let him get away with any amount of crap. He probably realized that he'd have to work now, if he stayed with O'Donnell in charge. "No. It's not proper to work for a woman, and I won't do it --"

"Well then, I suggest you go downstairs and see where the Uniforms can use you," Noble said.

"I am not a uniform --"

"You are whatever I say you are," Noble said. "Either that, or you don't work here at all. You're perfectly free to go downstairs and draw your last pay voucher on your way out. Any of you who feel the same way are free to do the same. Those are the choices you have, gentlemen. Either work with O'Donnell, take a position with the Uniforms, or leave."

Weasel shut up.

Noble nodded. He didn't look happy. "Do you need me for anything else, Captain O'Donnell?"

"No, thank you. I'll take over from here," she said.

Noble nodded and quickly left. Nic had the very strong impression that she made even Noble nervous. And now the rest of them set there at their desks, watching her like kids in a classroom watching their teacher. She had the baring of one of the nuns who taught school, and Nic sure wasn't going to cross her.