The digital clock continued incrementing minute by minute on a rather slow and boring day. Devon stretched at her desk at the CCC (Communications Command Center) when Captain Jacobs yawned looking over toward her.
“Hey D, would ya mind running across the street and grab some Starbucks?”
A soft smile cast across her lips while the wheels on her chair rolled squeekly away from the desk she sat at
“You still do carmel, right TJ?”
Captain Jacobs simply nodded “And a cinnamon raisin bagel too if ya would.” as he focuses back on the main flat panel on the wall.
Devon grabs her cap nodding and quickly leaves the room making her way down the hall to the elevator. She really didn’t need Thad to tell her about the bagel, that would be like having to be told that the sun would rise in the morning. As the down arrow illuminates as she presses it, she hums softly a little song she heard on the radio this morning. A moment later the elevator door opens and she steps within. A young man haphazardly leaning against the back of the elevator snaps to squeaking out “Good evening lieutenant.”
Biting her bottom lip refraining from giggling simply offers in return “Yes it is Corporal.” before turning as the doors slide closed and the descent to the lobby continues thinking to herself ‘Sheesh kid, I don’t bite.’ As the doors open once again, she steps into the lobby and proceeds toward the desk guard, her tone sweet and upbeat “Sergeant, I’m popping cross the street for Starbucks, can I bring you back anything?”
Sergeant Swift simply replies in an official sounding tone “No mam, the offer is appreciated none the less.” while standing at attention. Devon adjusts her cap as she heads out the building. The sky is backlit with a beautiful array of crimson and orange tones with the sun slowly fading behind the city skyline.
The air is crisp as she slowly makes her way the three blocks to Starbucks. She is going to enjoy the brisk breeze knowing the next four to five hours will be spent watching satellite images in the flat screen looking for heat signatures while trying to intercept chatter from a possible hostile insurgent group half way around the world. As she arrives outside, she reluctantly pushes the door open while having a little voice nagging that something is off. Entering she hears a shrill “Dev! Been like forever girl!”
Devon giggles “What can I say Carla, they have been keeping me busy these past weeks. You didn’t think I would forget mah best barista, did you?”
“What will you have hun?”
“Double chocolate coffee for me, TJ wants his usual too.”
“Be two shakes hun.”
As Carla puts her order together, looks outside as the darkness of another night falls upon the City. A streetlight flickers offering a soft light over the street as few headlights pass the store. As the order is rang up and Devon swipes her card, slips a 10 into the tip jar knowing that Carla more than likely included some extras for her and Carla’s boyfriend. With a soft smile, Carla offers
“Hun, when I pick TJ up, can we drop you home too, it’s not really out of our way.”
Offering her own smile “Naww, that’s all good, thanks though C, but it is way too a lovely night not to walk home.”
Almost immune now to Carla’s protests of pretty women walking alone at night and her boy friend out ranks her anyway, she takes the sack which, yep, feels heavier than the order she placed, offers “Tell you what C, I’ll consider the sweet offer.”
With a sigh Carla simply “You always say that but never do.”
Dev giggles “You know, one day I might actually take you up on that offer just to see you guys facial expressions.”
With that, she spins and proceeds out the door grasping the order in one hand, her clutch purse tucked under her arm. She walks less than a half block when she picks up the sound of footsteps behind her. A rather gruff sounding “Hey General, hold up a sec…” drifts through the night air. Further up the sidewalk, two rather large biker types step from an ally to her front, glancing over her shoulder, three are coming from the rear. She stops and offers a gentle smile “Sorry guys, I’m only a lieutenant, in fact, we don’t have any Generals at my command, the best we have is a Colonel, I am sure he could get you guys in touch with a General if you want to visit in the morning.”
By now the five have circled her, the one apparent leader grumbles “Smart ass ain’t ya? Well, if ya ain’t a General, I suppose we needs ta be collectin a walk our streets fee from ya. Set da handbag on da ground and keep walkin, we will even let ya keep the sack.”
Another voice chimes in “I ain’t ever had me a General, she looks cute, what ya say, shall we have some Chinese ta go?”
The closest apparent leader quirks a brow “General, ya should ave given da purse when ya had da chance…” nodding toward a narrow alley “...down dat way General, dun worry, we will take good care of ya.”
Devon rolls her eyes and simply grumbles “As if, I am Korean thank you very much!”
As he reaches to grasp her arm, she drops the sack and thrusts her clutch into his throat at the same time kneeing him in the groin, in a smooth flow, stomps on his elbow as he crumples to the ground, the distinct snap of his elbow bone not quite as loud as his agonizing scream as he squirmed on the ground. In almost no time flat, three of the other four were sprawled out with varying forms of injury while the fifth and turned to run up the street not wanting anything to do with Dev. She raised her clutch yelling at him “Hey, you forgot the clutch…” before turning her attention to one of the bikers who was trying to rise to all fours. She calmly thrusts the heel of her boot into the small of his back dropping him back against the sidewalk. Blue lights fill the night as police respond to Carla’s call for help having seen several bikers following Dev. The fifth biker ran right into a patrol car that was responding and taken into custody. Military Police also arrived as Carla also had called TJ.
As the street filled with police, one officer approached Devon and asked if she was okay. Her facial expression had a pouty expression muttering “No, they screwed up my coffee order.”
That night effectively ended Carla and TJ constantly nagging Dev to let them take her home for her safety, they continued to nag her but more changed to “For the bad guys safety, can we take you home?”
Storm's Character Hang Out
5’6”, slender athletic build, jet black hair, chocolate brown eyes. Devon has a moderate tan complexion which stands out with her clothing color choices.
Bookmarks