Guardian Angels
Episode 38: "Security Force"
Fall was approaching and the air was cool and crisp and full of dew as the sun rose over the cemetery where Saipia Scott presently stood in front of her sister's grave. Her high-tech eyes could see the rotting corpse below her feet, but her mind swam with visions of her sister in flesh and blood. The Genoid officer extended a blue hand outward in front of her and opened and closed her fist a couple times, listening to the mechanical drone from the artificial joints and muscles. "I know you like my white fur, Heather. I'm sure you'd love the blue. But...I'm still undecided about this body. Not that I can go back to being a human or anything. And I don't mind being a Genoid...it's just...this artificial body...it doesn't feel right. Maybe it's just me growing old." There was a moment of silence as if Saipia fully expected the bones beneath her to give a response. "God, I wish you were still a live, Heather. I miss you."
Saipia wanted to cry at that point but her body wouldn't allow it, which frustrated the officer who collapsed to her knees before the headstone that read simple: "Here lies Heather Summers: beloved sister." "Goddammit! I promise you, Heather, our mother is as good as dead. I swear I'll kill her myself. I have NEVER forgiven her for having you killed."
Behind her two human security officers approached her, ignoring the uniform she wore. "Excuse me, ma'am, you're going to have to leave. There aren't any..." one of the men started and Saipia quickly drew her pistol and leveled it at his head, cutting him off.
"One, I out rank you two bastards by enough to end your careers. Two, my sister is buried here and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let the two of you keep me from visiting her. And I have special permission from the chief of police to be here. And if you two don't turn around and go pester someone else, I swear on my sister's grave that I will put a bullet in your head."
"Put the gun away, ma'am. We know full well who you are and we really don't want any trouble, but this is a human only cemetery," said the second officer.
With a calming sigh, Saipia returned her firearm to it's holster. "Give me another minute." Returning her attention to the headstone, she took a couple deep breaths and said, "Alright, Sis. I've got to get back to work. But, before I leave, I do have to ask why you decided to have your body buried here. I mean, your Rozzie and I can't visit you without breaking laws...but perhaps it is not us who you want visiting you. But, I always thought you hated our parents. Anyway, I'll give Eric and Layta your regards." Opening up a compartment on her arm, Saipia removed a single red rose placed it gently at the foot of her sister's grave.
Finally turning towards the two officers, she smiled at them and headed calmly towards the exit of the cemetery. One of the men made a move towards the rose to remove and without turning she shouted, "Are you really going to take away the solace of the dead over something as stupid as race? I maybe a Genoid but she died a human and if you want to keep your job, I would just tell your superiors, one of which is me, that I was never here. The proper people know otherwise and that's all that matters."
Not wanting to lose their jobs, the men left the rose and simply watched the Deputy Chief walk out of the cemetery. As she stepped from the grounds she was greeted by her third in command, James Connell, a maned wolf who currently wore a business suit and a smirk on her face. "I'm glad to see you can handle yourself without resorting to violence, Deputy Chief. I'd hate to have to fire you as my first act as mayor."
"You're not mayor yet, James," Saipia responded with a shrug as the two began to walk towards the police staton that was just a few blocks away.
"Actually, I was just awarded the position of Acting-Mayor. As, apparently, my running mates aren't as trusted by the city counsel," James said with a smirk.
"Ah. That would explain the the suit. But, if you're Acting-Mayor, what are you doing on this side of town?" asked the Genoid.
"Well, my official security team isn't due to arrive until next week. In the meantime, I was told that I could pick whomever I wanted to protect me," said James with the world's largest smirk on her face.
Saipia shrugged in response to the unspoken question. "I guess that would fall the Angel's jurisdiction. But only because you're a Genoid."
The two Genoid women paused at a crosswalk and waited for the walk symbol. When the white lights lit up, and they proceeded across, a driver decided to try and run the two over. Seeing the law breaker, Saipia brought her arm across James' chest to move her back a couple steps. As the truck passed them, Saipia pulled out her 9mm pistol and shot the trucks left rear tire. The driver instantly lost control and the vehicle began to fishtail wildly before the large 4x4 rolled twice, ejecting both driver and passenger. The passenger landed headfirst on the pavement, killing him instantly, while the driver tumbled through the air, and shattered his leg upon impact with the road.
Instantly, several officers poured out of the police station that was on the other side of the street Saipia and James were crossing. Saipia, making sure things were safe, quickly escorted the acting mayor to the door of the police department before giving her statement to the officer in charge of the clean up. The driver of the truck was taken to the hospital and charged with a lengthy list of felonies including the death of this passenger.
Inside the police station, while Saipia was dealing with the mess outside, James proceeded towards Saipia's office, only to discover Saipia's second in command, Commander Eric Martin sitting in Saipia's seat, writing something on a piece of paper. "That desk looks awfully good on you, Eric. I wouldn't let Sai see you there. She might think you're trying to steal her job."
Eric just chuckled at that, glancing up from his writing. "No. Mom knows better than that."
"Mom? You and Layta aren't even married yet and you're already calling her that?" James questioned.
The leopard shrugged. "So what's with the costume?"
"Very funny," James retorted, causing Eric to laugh a little. "I am currently the Acting Mayor of the city, if you must know."
"Ah. Well, you're on the wrong side of the city for that," said the feline who held up her hand made invitation card to inspect it.
"Yes. But I need my bodyguards before that. And you guys better hurry up 'cause I'm supposed to be sworn in by eight and it's nearly half an hour till," explained James, glancing at her watch.
Saipia finally entered her office and just shook her head at Eric. "I love it how you guys so easily take over my seat while I'm gone."
"You're a little late today, boss," Eric remarked, ignoring the blue wolf's comments.
"I'm not, really. I got here really early and walked over to the cemetery to visit my sister's grave. On the way back, some idiot tried to run James and I over right outside the department and ended up getting his passenger killed. And I had to give a quick statement. Now, however, I'm free and I noticed everyone else is here and ready, so, let's get the Acting Mayor to her appointment," Saipia ordered.
"What do you want me to do with your invitation?" Eric questioned.
"Leave it on my desk. We need to go, now," Saipia commanded.
* * *
Outside the courthouse a fully armed Guardian Angels team stood outside while Saipia, also fully armed with a submachine gun escorted James inside. When they entered, Eric was talking on his cellphone with his fiancee while guiding the others with hand gestures. As soon as they entered the building, James, instantly spoke up. "So, your sister's buried in that cemetery?"
"Yup." Saipia answered.
"But...didn't you handle the burial?" asked the red, black and white canine.
Saipia nodded. "I did. But, in her will, Heather said she wanted to be buried in that particular cemetery."
"Was it a no Genoid cemetery when she was buried there?" James questioned.
"Yup. I had to hold the funeral service at my place," said the blue wolf.
"Well...maybe she wanted her parents to visit or something."
"Except Mom can't visit her, either. I'm thinking Heather knew that, and so she had her body buried there to prevent Mom from being able to visit her grave," Saipia suggested.
As they began to pass the halfway mark of their journey down the long corridor, a younger man in a politician's suit ran towards the duo with a 9mm pistol. Saipia answered this attack by quickly leveling her FN SCAR 16S assault rifle at the man, stopping him in his tracks. "I just got this rifle today. It'd be a shame to have to use it and ruin the new gun smell."
"I'll never follow a Genoid mayor," the man growled.
"I'm Acting Mayor," James corrected, not at all phased by the man's threats. "And does this situation really call for such a rifle?"
"You'd better get used to us being in full battle gear like this, James. We're guarding you for a week and plan on us wearing this get up the entire time. I'm hoping that the site of heavily armed and armored guards will deter most idiots like this guy," Saipia replied.
"I'm not scared of you!" the man said, brandishing his pistol.
"You do know that I currently can use deadly force on you, right, sir? You are brandishing a firearm and threatening the Acting Mayor. A worse cop would've already shot you by now," Sai reported.
At that, the man's eyes went wide like a deer caught in headlights. Without another word he turned towards the main doors of the building and bolted towards them, gun still in hand. "I wouldn't go that way if I were you," James suggested, but the politician didn't hear her as he swung open the doors and was immediately arrested by the rest of the angels.
"So, couldn't you have done that with..." James started, but Saipia held up a hand to cut her off, her wolf senses alerting me to danger close by. A danger which she was fully expecting.
With her back to the red canine, Saipia slowly began moving backwards towards the doors that marked our destination. James took her cue and began to do the same. At the far end of the hall, the front doors to the courthouse swung open and Eric stepped through, still on the phone. He was about to ask Saipia what she wanted done with the man, but her instincts halted her, as well. "Honey, I'm going to have to call you back," he told Sai's daughter and hung up the phone before slipping it into his pocket and taking a firm hold of his P90 SMG. Waving to the rest of the team everyone began to quietly make their way in.
Timothy followed Eric with a FN SLP Tactical Shotgun. Candy and Bryan both had their FN Five-seveN standard issue pistols drawn. Tossa and Jimmy had their FN PS90s ready and Synder followed everyone with a M249 SAW. Everyone scanned the silent halls in anticipation. Saipia's cybernetics worked overtime, snapping between visual modes. Her advanced inferred showed her several bodies behind closed doors read for a fight. James opened the door to the conference room and quickly shut it behind her, not wanting to be disturbed by the battle that was about to take place. The Deputy Chief pulled one of her EMP grenades from it's pouch and instantly, the rest of her team took cover. As soon as they were all safe, Saipia threw the Blue-Betty towards one of the doors just as it opened. The device sprang to live and zapped five humans with several volts of electricity.
Without warning, five doors in the large hallway flew open and several men with various guns rushed out. They all tried to make their way towards Saipia and the conference room. The first man to approach the doors got a single bullet from Saipia's SCAR. As the spent 5.56mm NATO casing was spit from the chamber, the crowd of human men halted their advancement. "Alright, Guardian Angels. Deadly force is authorized. If these bastards try to get past me, stop them by any means necessary," Saipia ordered.
"How dare you threaten us..." shouted a man who aimed his gun at Saipia and Candy quickly put one of her 5.7mm rounds through the man's head.
As that man fell to the floor, dead, the crowd grew silent for a moment, and Saipia took that time to address the gathered. "Listen up. My name is Deputy Chief Saipia Scott and this is my team. We are protecting the Acting Mayor for a while and it would appear you guys are too thrilled at having a Genoid mayor. But, I'm here to tell you that you're not getting past me alive. So, you have three options: leave peacefully, we make you leave or we fill you bastards and bitches full of led. It's your choice, but the door is right over there, I would suggest you use it."
Instantly a handful of men and women headed for the door, but there were a couple dozen or so that were eager to die. And as soon as the door closed on the last retreater, one of the stayers pulled the trigger of his pistol, hitting Saipia between the eyes. He was a little surprised to see the bullet simply bounce off the officer who quickly returned fire. But, no one else seemed to notice as they took the initial gunshot as a cue to start firing.
The Angels by the door took turns returning fire, making sure to have at least two people firing at any given time. Saipia and Synder, however were on their own as Saipia was out in the open and Synder had the heavy-machine gun. It didn't take long for Saipia to run out of ammo for her SCAR. Dropping that weapon she reached behind her as her back opened wide to reveal a FN FS2000 tactical semi-auto carbine. It had a fresh, 30 round magazine in it and she made sure to empty it before dropping it and replacing it with a new one. By the time she had emptied her second magazine, the opposition was dead. But, to be on the safe side, she reloaded before cracking open the door to check on the proceedings in the conference room. "Everything alright in here?"
"Yes. Thank you, Deputy Chief. Do you want to oversee things in here?" James remarked.
"Normally, I would decline such an offer, however, recent events have changed my mind. I just hope the board doesn't mind my weapon or my form," The blue wolf said as she motioned to her team to clean up the mess and slipped through the door.
"We have no problem with your form, but I, at least, wish you wouldn't bring that gun in here," said the oldest member of the board.
Saipia was about to say something when James cut it. "However, since you just saved our asses, I think we can make an exception. Let's not forget we're swearing in a Genoid as Acting Mayor."
"Who said anything about acting?" another member of the board asked.
"Ashley was killed and we don't need an Acting Mayor, we need a mayor. Granted the elections will still proceed as planned, but you'll be campaigning as the Mayor of Hollywood," said another.
"I would suggest, then you use this time to show this city that a Genoid can be a great mayor. That's your assignment, now," Saipia replied.
James smirked as she turned her head slightly in Saipia's direction. “If I'm mayor, I'm not gonna be taking orders from you anymore, Old Woman. I'm your boss.”
"But, I am old enough to be your mother, James. You should respect your elders," said the officer with a friendly smile.
"Right. Anyway, are we almost done here? My husband should be informed of my more...permanent position," wondered James as she turned towards the other city officials and other members of the city counsel.
"Actually, we have a full day planned for you. And tomorrow, we would like you to address the people after it's made public that you're mayor," said her personal secretary.
Saipia chuckled at that and shook her head. "Is there something funny, Deputy Chief?" asked one of the humans.
To James' surprise and relief, Saipia gave her a questioning look. The maned wolf just smiled and scoffed at the look. With a wave of her hand, she said, "Like I care what you tell them. I'm going to fire half of them, anyway."
A healthy laugh escaped Saipia's lungs at that. "The first Genoid mayor of Hollywood where Genoids aren't exactly liked that well, and you want her to go to some park, step up to a podium and announce that she's mayor? You've got to be smokin' something if you think she's gonna fall for that one. She was a cop before she got this job, and she was a member of my team. If you want to kill her, you best do it now, because I'm picking her new security team personally. I don't want you bastards picking someone who's gonna put a bullet in her head."
James nodded in agreement and stood to her feet. "And you bastards have to be high to think I'm going to rule over a city counsel made up entirely of humans. I've been a Genoid since birth, and I know what hell humans can bring upon my kind. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to call my husband and maybe have a smoke, when I return, we can start the tour and all that jazz."
"Ma'am?" started the secretary. "Are you really going to fire half of us in here?"
"Yes. And I'll be deciding who gets nicked as we do the tour," James answered honestly and she stepped from pulled her cell phone from her pocket and dialed her husband.
After James slipped out of the door, Saipia took a moment to survey the individuals at the table. Her sensors revealed at least one of them was currently armed and that they were all very nervous. A couple of them were irritated that they're little trap didn't work. With a smile and a sigh, she turned towards the doors. Pausing a moment, she turned her head towards the lot of humans and said, "If power corrupts, then we are all corrupted, for we all have great power. But, corruption is like a cut. But, left untreated, that cut will become infected and begin to destroy not only our lives but the lives of those around us. So, you have to ask yourself, 'am I going to treat this wound called corruption, or let it fester until it kills me?' Are you going to be the cure or the disease?"
The blue canine left the counsel to chew on those words as she joined her team in the hall. James was just lighting a cigarette as everyone else busied themselves with mopping up blood and collecting spit rounds and casings. "And you thought the heavy weapons and body armor wouldn't be needed."
"Yeah. I forgot just how bad things are in this city. Running for mayor might as well be considered suicide if you're a Genoid," James replied.
"How'd Joseph take the news?" Saipia asked.
"About as well as I thought he would," James said and closed her eyes after taking a drag from her cigarette.
Saipia giggled. "That bad, huh?" James opened a single eye and gave her an acknowledging look. The high ranking officer just laughed and looked out over her team.
"How's Emily doing?" questioned the mayor.
"She's great. She has two great parents who love her," Saipia said.
"And her grandmother loves her, as well," remarked James, catching Sai's contented smile.
The blue canine just nodded, her mind briefly on thoughts of her new granddaughter. The thought of retiring to be with Emily more often was tempting, but Saipia had made a promise to her daughter and to herself. Not that anyone would blame her for wanting to spend more time with her granddaughter. "I think, after this week of protecting you, I'm going to take some time off. Maybe I'll have Eric take off some time, as well."
"That sounds like an excellent idea and more like the Saipia I used to hear about; the one who got quit because her boss would let her spend time with her daughter," James remarked.
"Yeah. Back then I was always running out of vacation time because of Layta. I have a feeling it's going to be more of the same with Emily," Saipia commented.
James nodded again. "You ready for a long day?"
"Only if you are. I could always come up with some reason why you need to take the rest of the day off," Saipia replied.
"You were always good at that," James said with a laugh. "But, I can't take you up on that offer, this time. But, I do want to know your plan of attack for tomorrow's press conference."
Saipia shrugged as the two turned towards the doors to the conference room. "I think it'd be nice to have it in a park. I figure I'll and someone else will guard you, since I have the armor body. The rest will patrolling and looking out for idiots."
James scoffed at that and rolled her eyes at the officer. "Is that it?"
"Do you want something more?" Saipia asked.
"No. I trust your judgement completely," James said as she opened the doors to the conference room. "It's the judgement of everyone else that I have concerns with."
* * *
James stood nervously a few feet from the main stage where she would give her inaugural speech. She was closely guarded by Saipia, Ronald Styp and Brianna Cruze. Saipia had taken the opportunity to put a few of the potential new recruits to the test. The blue wolf scanned the buildings around the little park more than the gathering crowd.
The mayor's tail twitched despite her desperately not wanting it to. It was at times like this that James wished her stubborn husband would join her. She trusted Saipia with her life, but she would have felt less nervous with her husband at her side.
Chief Anderton was giving the lead-in speech, which James wasn't really paying attention to. "And you're positive having this speech in the open's the better idea?" James asked the Deputy Chief.
"Yes. If you were giving this speech inside, I'd have to wade through a crowd to stop anyone who would potentially be a threat and there wouldn't be enough room for all my eyes. Out here, I've got about 100 sets of eyes watching everything and I can carry my trusty FS2000 with me. Granted we still have to deal with the crowd and there are a few more variables, but, trust me, out here is much better," Saipia replied.
Before James could argue, the chief called her name. There was no applause to congratulate her on her promotion. There were no smiles in the small crowd, either. This made the maned wolf just shake her head, but it removed the nervousness from her body. "Look at this. A Genoid finally becomes mayor of Hollywood and this is the turnout. That doesn't bode well for me in this coming election, does it. It wouldn't be so bad, I guess, if some Genoids came out, but the Angels are the only Genoids here."
"What are you doing, James?" Chief Anderton asked.
"There's not enough people here to give a lengthy speech to. I might as well call it a day and return to my husband. This is pathetic. This city is pathetic. It has more criminals than any other simply because we all can't get along? This isn't the 1960s, you know. This is the 2060s. 100 years after the Civil Rights Movement and we're still fighting racism? Are you kidding me?" James defended.
Saipia rushed up on stage and took aim at the roof of a building across the street and fired. James wasn't even phased by this, unlike her crowd. "You know, I was going to come up here and make some speech about how I'm going to improve the city and how having a Genoid mayor is a step in the right direction. But, this city doesn't need simple improvements or steps. It needs renovated; it needs leaps and bounds. At the rate we're going, this nation is going to be torn apart by another Civil War.
"Most Genoids didn't even choose to be Genoids. Several of us were born this way. There are even at least three on the Angels that were forced to become what they are. Saipia will even tell you she wishes she didn't survive her creation, because if she hadn't, Genoids wouldn't exist. But, I, personally am glad we Genoids live. Because this city; this nation; they needed a kick in the teeth and we are the ones that will provide it. This nation defeated segregation once, it will do it again and I am here to promise you, even if I don't get elected, this city will be a different place. When I'm through, when a Genoid becomes mayor, this entire park will be fill with onlookers and supporters; there will be no segregation in our schools; this city will no longer be divided. Hollywood was once a glorious city, now, it's just an eyesore with that border. It's time to change," Finished James who immediately turned and headed towards the armored van with Saipia, Ronnie and Cruze right behind her.
* * *
"I am NOT staying in a house on the Genoid side of city. I'm the goddamned mayor and I will stay in the mayor's house on the human side of the city!" James shouted into the phone as Saipia quietly entered her new office. "I just told everyone that I'm going to dramatically change this hell hole of a city and I can't do that if I'm abiding my discriminatory laws." There was some mumbling from the other end which seemed to make James more angry as she slammed her fist on her desk. "I don't give a flea's ass about what they think I should do. I've already picked out a nice house on the human side." More silence. "It's right next door to Saipia." The person on the other side wasn't happy about that and threatened the maned wolf. Out of pure rage, she slammed the receiver down as hard as she could before disconnecting the phone and tossing it across the room. The machine shattered upon contact with the wall. "Goddamn it! Why is everyone I work with such a goddamn idiot. I'm trying to start a revolution not stick my thumbs up my ass."
Saipia giggle a little bit at her friend's words. "So, you needed me for something?" she asked dressed in her normal police uniform.
"I do. I'm opening your sister's cemetery so that Genoids and humans can visit it and I want to cut the ribbon and preferably give a little speech. Mainly because I'm done talking to these bastards," James replied.
Saipia nodded her apperciation and agreement as the door to her office opened and her secretary poked her head in to see what the crash was. When she noticed the phone in pieces, the human scolded the mayor, "Losing your temper is no way to..." she started.
"Didn't James fire you?" Saipia asked.
"I did, actually. Why are you still here, Paula?" James demanded.
"I don't take orders from Genoids," Paula defended and both women stood to their feet.
Saipia quickly pulled out her pistol and put it to the woman's head. "I would suggest you leave now. I know who James hired as her new secretary, and if you don't want to be tossed through a window for saying racist stuff like that, then you should leave before he gets here."
"He's been here for twenty minutes," said a voice behind the woman. Saipia peaked behind the woman to see a very irritated Canadian lynx with his arms folded over his bare chest. "And I have been looking for you Paula."
The look of shock and fear hadn't left Paula's face when Drayden grabbed her shoulder and began to drag her out of the building. Once they were gone, Saipia turned to her old partner with a quizzical look on her face. "While Drayden is a great choice for a bodyguard, I'm still confused as to how you talked him into being your secretary."
"It's all in the paycheck, really," James said as she leaned forward in her seat and placed a cheek on her fist. "That and I mentioned I was a friend of yours."
"Ah. Just be careful using my name on a whim like that. There are some who would put a bullet in your brain for being associated with me," Saipia commented.
* * *
A day later Saipia stood at the entrance to the cemetery where her sister was buried and stared past the ribbon. Behind her was a news crew and James. Next to her were her sister and niece. "My sister is buried here," she started in on her speech, turning towards the crowd. "We used to be called the Three Senoritas, as we were always together. Even when Rozzie and I became Genoids, Heather was very supportive. I don't know how many times I've snuck into this cemetery to visit her grave. All I know is that I miss her a lot," And with that, Saipia cut the ribbon and handed the scissors to James before making her way to her sister's grave.
"Hey, sis, I don't have to sneak in here anymore. I'll be visiting you more often now," greeted the officer who gave the headstone a warm hug.
Next time:
For nearly forty years, Isan has had her own cooking show
Now, with her bad heart and dwindling life
It's finally time for her to hang up her apron.
Episode 39: "The Final Episode"
