Breach of Peace (The Lawful Times #0.5)(20)

“Yes.”

Williams stood and opened his office door. “Rollins! Get in here now.” He closed the door and sat back at his desk. “What we’re about to do might establish a new precedent for police investigations of the government. We could also be the first precinct to catch rebels. That, or I am about to order my officers into a massacre. Maybe both. Khlid, give me a cigarette.”

Khlid blinked at the request but obliged.

The captain took it, dragged on the thing for longer than Khlid thought humanly possible, and said, “We took an oath.” Smoke curled around his lips.

Rollins came in and shut the door. “Yes, Captain?”

“Rollins, head to the Ministry of Defense and ask to speak with Captain Viro. Tell him the Seventh Precinct has received information of imminent rebel activity in our jurisdiction at Warehouse Two. We need backup immediately.”

Rollins' eyes seemed to nearly bulge out of his head. “Yes, Captain.” He turned for the door.

“Rollins, I am not done.”

The sergeant snapped back to attention. “Sorry, sir.”

“Before that, go to the Ministry of Truth and tell them we need two truth seekers sent to Warehouse Two immediately. That means roughly one hour from now, I expect a full regiment of soldiers at the warehouse gate. Roughly twenty minutes prior to that, two truth seekers should be on the scene. Am I clear?”

“Crystal, sir.”

“Fantastic. Now you can go.”

Rollins nearly flew out of the room.

“I have never seen him move so fast,” Samuel said.

Khlid shot him a look, but he only added, “It’s true.”

She turned back to the captain. “Sir, what are you planning?”

Williams took one deep breath before answering. “To gamble with your lives. The Seventh are going to raid the warehouse before the Ministry has time to send their soldiers. By the time they get there, assuming this is not a trap, we’ll have had time to collect evidence of wrongdoing—even if it turns out to be the government’s own wrongdoing—without Ministry interference.”

“And if it is a trap?” Khlid asked.

“Then we only need to hold out long enough for backup to arrive.”

Samuel let out a whistle. “We’d better get moving. The Ministries won’t waste time once they hear.”

Thunder crashed outside.

The captain stood. “Yes. We had better.”



* * *



The captain’s voice boomed from the second-floor railing over the bustle of officers arming themselves. “Move, move, move! This is a raid. Rifles and ammo. Dowl, where’s your jacket? Kallin, get another ammunition belt. Sipmun, if I see you sitting again, I will put a boot in your ass.” Williams looked down on the preparing officers. He had told them only that rebel activity had been found by Chapman, and that he needed help. Adding the first lie Khlid had ever knowingly heard from Williams to his officers, he told them the rebels might be in possession of Ministry uniforms. If the Ministry did turn out to be in league with the perpetrators, this lie would potentially prevent confusion; but it could backfire just as easily. Tonight would have lasting effects on the future of the Empire—regardless of the outcome.

Khlid and Samuel stood near the back of the desk pool, rifles at the ready. Khlid now wore her freshly cleaned and pressed inspector’s coat. A replacement badge had even been brought by an officer moments ago.

She watched the officers with pride. “At this rate, we’ll be on our way before the top of the hour.”

“Those drills are paying off,” Samuel said.

“Mm-hm.” Khlid placed a round into her rifle's breech and snapped it shut. “Let’s hope Rollins doesn’t get to the Ministries too quickly.”

A tense silence settled between them.

Sam broke it with, “Are you sure you’re up to this? You’ve been through it today.”

“I am barely standing.” Khlid laced her fingers through her husband’s. “But if you try and get me taken off of this, I’ll kill you.”

“Ha!” Sam pulled her a little closer. “I will just be sure to watch your back extra close.”

Khlid grinned. “Plus, whatever the fucking drug is that Chapman gave me is a work from the Almighty itself. I don’t feel a damn thing aside from tired.”

“Knowing Chapman, you might not want to know exactly what it was.”

The silence returned, but Khlid felt no tension.

This time she broke it, saying, “I love you.”

Sam squeezed her hand in response. “We really need to get better at staying mad at each other.”

“I am still mad.” She met his eyes. “But we could be about to die, so, priorities.”

He smiled down at her. “Priorities.”

Khlid and Samuel shared their last kiss.



* * *



The thunderstorm was one of the worst of the season. Inches of water flowed over the streets. Khlid could not see more than a block in front of her through the downpour. Every minute or so, a crack of lightning lit the entire city.

What a wonderful day for a raid. Khlid was exhausted. She felt certain whatever Chapman had given her was meant to make her tired—possibly to keep her from coming to the raid herself. Fat chance. The rifle in her hands was heavier than she ever remembered, but Khlid knew once it all began, adrenaline would be her savior. Already, still a block away from Warehouse Two, a tingling thrill pricked at her.