You meet Greg there

This and the following chapter are the prize for the winner of the quiz, Arcanummm. I hope you like it.

The bar down the street is a common meeting point for your neighbors and colleagues. It’s a large area with some tables and music from a sound system on the walls. The bartender, his brother and a girl called Irene serve the guests their drinks while he guests talk, enjoy the noise or sometimes try to hook up the girls on the table next to them. The Bartender only intervenes if someone causes serious trouble.

When you enter you immediately see three faces you know. One is the face of your neighbor Eric, who is standing at a wall with two friends. The second one is the face of an old friend from school. She actually tries to convince her boyfriend to go to the cinema on his birthday. The third person you know is your colleague Greg, who is at the bar. He drinks something you assume to be scotch with a few ice cubes. He smiles at you and greets you quite. Since it would be rude to leave immediately you go over to him and join him for a drink.

„You look nice, newbie,“ Greg says more friendly then usual, „are you here to drink too?“

„I had a rough time this weekend,“ you say and order a beer, „and there is only Sunday left to relax.“

„What happened?“ Greg asks a little worried, „the last time I saw you was after work. There you seemed fine.“

„Have you ever heard of a man called King Rock?“ you ask unsure if it‘s smart to tell him.

„A friend from the department for organized crime mentioned him a few days ago,“ Greg answers alarmed, „little underworld rat. Grew big in the last weeks by destroying a few smaller gangs and increasing the power of it‘s own. Did he threatened one of your friends?“

„He broke into my apartment, Friday night,“ you answer a little exhausted, „with an armed killer commando. Then he told me I would work for him from now on or he would **** sense in me. I don’t know how he got my address or what I can do now.“

„Let me get this straight,“ Greg says strict, „you maybe passed the police academy but you are still a woman. And that‘s what people see first in you. So you either show you are tough and dominant, or they believe they can toy with you. And they will. When I was your age we were only men in the police. And we teached respectless criminals to behave. Now, through new service regulations, we can’t use our power effective anymore. I will never completely trust a woman in uniform because I know you are not ready for the whole brutality on the streets I grew up with. But if you show your strength to criminals I’m sure little fuckers like this King Rock will soon learn to respect you or even fear you. You don’t want to be their plaything? Then don’t act like it.“

„That’s easy to say,“ you mumble, „he broke in my home with a fucking killer squad!“

„Well, you still can use your brain too,“ Greg says and smiles a little, „and your body. If someone wants to give you shit, you can try to trick him in a position you can take the upper hand. Maybe you can control other instead of fighting them.“

„Are you sure?“ „I never thought about controlling criminals. Maybe scaring them to respect the law. But controlling? I’m not sure I can do this.“

„You are far from ugly and sou are smart,“ Greg says and suddenly puts his arm around your shoulders, „I’m sure, you from all female cops can get through this. And if you really can’t keep going anymore, just ask me. I can help you.“

You are not sure how to react. Greg was always rough and never showed any affection towards you. He is a bit old for your taste too. His son is around your age. Maybe he secretly really cares about you as a colleague or he has a hidden crush on you. It’s also possible that he is just drunk.