Baine
“You ready for your first day on the job?” Daegan asked as he approached Baine who was standing outside the small station.
“Nope. I don’t think I’m ready for this. I think you’re insane for wanting me and I think I’m insane for giving in and taking the position.”
Daegan laughed, “Maybe that’s your problem. You’re thinking too much. Come inside and let me introduce you around. I promise today will be an easy day for you. Just getting your feet wet and seeing how things run around here. I asked Deputy Tobias to be your shadow for the day. Figured it would be a good way for you to see what they do and where they need some guidance. That’s one of your jobs by the way. Help me train them so when they move on they won’t be an embarrassment to our town or department.”
“Great, torture me on my first day. What an awesome friend you are. At least tell me, they aren’t completely inept”
Daegan grinned mischievously, “If it helps, Tobias is the more seasoned of the two, and yesterday I had to make him fill out his report again because he did it in a colored pencil. He claims it was the only writing instrument he could find.”
Baine stared open-mouthed at Daegan praying his friend was making that up, but he could see from the expression on his face he was serious, “Fuck this. I quit. No way can you fix stupid that bad.”
“He’s a good kid and a quick learner. It’s just common sense isn’t that common. He’s got potential to be a good cop one day with a bit of work and patience.”
Baine didn’t reply just followed him into the building and hoped he was making the right choice. A few hours later his patience has been tested beyond reasonable expectations. He stormed into Daegan’s office and slammed the door shut. “I quit. I refuse to work with someone who can’t even figure out the simplest of things. Why in the hell did you hire that asshat in the first place?”
“Which one?” Daegan asked with a chuckle. “What did he do this time?”
“Jeffries. I’ve never met anyone like him and I swear to all that is good in the world, I hope I never do again. Do you know what he just said to me?”
“No,” Daegan replied slowly, “What did he say.”
Baine glared as he saw his friend fighting not to laugh at him. “He asked me, and I can’t believe the stupidity of this one, but he asked me if I believed shifters really existed.” Baine waited and smiled in satisfaction as he watched his words hit their mark. “Yes, he really asked me that. Who in the hell hired the idiot and how does he work in this town again? It’s not like you can’t throw a rock and hit a dozen shifters.”
“Are you sure he wasn’t just pulling your leg?”
Baine growled low in his throat before throwing himself into one of the desk chairs facing his best friend. “I wish to the gods I was, but no he actually believes this town is covering up some big secret. That talk about shifters is just their way of hiding things.”
“That makes no damn sense. The whole world knows shifters exist, it’s not like we’re isolated to just this mountain. Are you sure you didn’t just misunderstand him?”
“Hold on.” Daegan stood and moved back to the door, opened it and hollered out for Tobias. “He was there he can tell you what the moron said.”
Within a few seconds, the young deputy was standing in the office glancing between the two men, apprehension clearly written across his face. “You wanted to see me, sir?”
“Tell him what Jeffries just said. Boss man here doesn’t believe me.” Baine demanded before Daegan could say anything.
The deputy gulped nervously, licked his lips, “Well, he said he’d just run into a group of teenagers out in the woods getting dressed. He threatened them with indecent exposure charges and tried to get them to admit if they were out there for some kind of orgy or something. They explained they were just finishing up a run and were heading back to their pack. He asked them if they knew the dangers of running naked in the woods, with the different plants and trees, bugs and even the odd stranger that might be out.”
“See,” Baine exclaimed. “He thought they were running naked through the woods. He’s an effing moron.”
“What did the teens say to that?” Daegan asked with an irritated glance to his friend. “Have we heard anything from their Alpha yet about this? What pack were they with anyway?”
“They tried to explain they weren’t technically naked since they were in their animal forms. Jeffries, of course, didn’t believe this and gave the kids a hard time, eventually, he let them go with a warning that if he caught them again he was going to arrest them and make their parents come pick them up from jail.”
“And no, their Alpha hasn’t contacted us yet, and Jeffries never said what Pack they belonged with. Didn’t even ask or find out what animals they were.” Baine finished, “But, that’s not the worst of it yet. In one of our cells back there is one of the kids. He was their ringleader and a bit mouthy when Jeffries started accusing them of shit.”
Daegan jumped to his feet with a curse, “Why didn’t you start off with that?”
Baine shrugged and followed him out of the office. He’d been an idiot taking this job if this was the type of bullshit he was going to have to deal with. This was Seaside, Washington. It had the more packs in one area then anyplace he’d ever heard of. This was supposed to be a refuge for shifters, a place they weren’t hunted, hated or ostracized. Yet, here on their police force was someone that was sworn to protect them and he didn’t believe they existed. How could someone be so naive in this day and age, was astounding? He just hoped the boy could learn to open his mind and learn that there's more to the world than what he knew.
“Jeffries,” Daegan hollered as he stormed out of his office. “What in the hell are you doing?” Daegan glanced over his shoulder to Baine, “Go get the boy out of the cell and bring him to my office so I can talk to him and get this settled before we start a damn pack war.”
Baine nodded and headed down the hall, listening to the deputy try to explain his actions. As he turned the corner and saw the cells for the first time he froze. Flashbacks of being locked in his cage flashed in front of his face. He tried to breathe, but his lungs weren’t cooperating. He could feel his heart racing as he stumbled back into the wall and slid down. His whole body shook as he stared wide-eyed at the rows of bars in front of him. Voices of those who hadn’t made it out echoed in the nearly empty room. He quickly covered his ears trying to block the sound, but it did no good. They were in his head and couldn’t be avoided.
He could feel the tears pouring down his face as he fought to get himself under control, to erase the images of the other prisoners being dragged from their cages. Of their screams, cries, and pleas for mercy.
“Baine, brother. Come back to me.”
He could hear Daegan’s voice as if it was coming from a distance but he couldn’t figure out how to respond. The demons in his head were keeping him tethered in the nightmare that was his past.
“Move over, I’ve got him.”
Slowly Baine began to relax as he felt himself be pulled into someone’s arms. A soft voice whispered that he was safe as he was cradled against a rock-hard chest. He felt like he was floating, too far gone to be aware but at the same time, a feeling of comfort had enveloped him drowning out the voices and images. Finally, his eyes closed and let the balm of blackness take him under.