4 days later

September 20th, 2024, Police Headquarters District 3.

Joe Hillman looked around the table at his subordinates. "So in summary. The National Weather Service expects Helene to make landfall early on the 26th." Briefly closing his eyes, Joe could already see the devastation in his mind's eye. "Potentially as strong as Category 5, so that means we have a lot of work to do and only a few days to do it in."

With that, the meeting broke up. Watching his captains and lieutenants leave the room, Joe tried not to dwell on the fact that in four days a hungry monster was going to try and eat his city. Getting up, he ran his weary fingers through his thinning hair. Grabbing his mug, saying, 'This is worth jail time,' which his wife had gotten him. The 25-year police veteran walked back to his office.

Passing by his officers busy at their desks, Joe entered his outer office. Jenny, his 60-year-old secretary, was smoking, in defiance of department policy, as was her want. Sitting across from her were two patrolmen from District 2.

The older officer was a distinguished 15-year member of the force, Chet Washington. Sitting next to him was the reason they were here, his 20-year-old rookie, Maria Reyes.

Looking over at Jenny, he frowned at the woman even as his eyes twinkled with mirth. "Give me a few minutes, then send them in."

Jenny nodded, replying, "Yes, Major."

Nodding, Joe walked to his office door before adding, "And then get rid of those cigarettes."

"Yes sir," his longtime secretary shot back. "The day before I retire, sir."

Shaking his head, Joe disappeared into his office. Walking around his desk, he sat down and picked up the folder Jenny had left.

"Reyez, M," it read.

After his sister had called him, Joe had spent a day thinking about how to tackle this. His first inclination was to send in someone undercover as a teacher or maybe the janitorial staff. But if Barbara were right, and the superintendent were involved...

Opening the folder, Joe scanned through the biographical data. Maria Reyez, born May 5th, 2004...

2004

Looking away, Joe's mind was briefly drawn into the past back to when his National Guard unit had been activated.

"Not productive, Joe," he thought out loud as he turned back to the Manila folder. Daughter of Cuban dissidents who graduated with a 3.9 GPA from Miami Senior High School. Promptly enrolled at Florida State University before dropping out 3 months later, moving here and going to the police academy.

Putting down the folder, Joe reached over to the intercom on his desk. Pushing the button, he called out, "Send them in."

A few moments later there was a knock at his door.

Without looking up, he called out, "Enter."

Opening the door, the two officers entered Joe's office, coming to attention. Joe let them stand there for about 30 seconds before nodding to the two chairs, saying, "Sit."

As the two patrolmen sat down, a notion leaped from Joe's imagination. With a hurricane about to hit the city when classes resume would be the perfect time...

"So, Sergeant, tell me about your rookie."