July 25th, 1996.
2:10 AM.
Lusty and the rest of Squad Company 141 were sound asleep on the second floor of the firehouse when the lights flicked on and the alarm came on. They were called to the scrapyard fire the first responding company which is firehouse 52 found out the hard way that it's a metallic fire and metallic fires are what Lusty specializes in. But every other firehouse in the city of Empire had dry powder fire extinguishers. Not every firehouse but every Special Operations Firehouses in the city have every type of fire extinguisher and other equipment they need for specialized emergencies.
While they were responding they had to make a sharp turn but Lusty wasn't hanging on and the turn was sharp and it threw her off the fire engine which is a semi-closed cab not a entirely closed cab but she wasn't wearing her helmet and she hit her head on the side of a 1960s Americana styled sedan. But the members of Squad 141 didn't know she was gone as they continued to race down the street.
When Squad 141 got to the junkyard that's when they noticed Lusty was missing and not even trying to radio her got her attention but they couldn't speculate where she was. It wasn't until half an hour later at 2:40 AM where they heard over the radio that another fire company found her. She's alive, her pupils were uneven and she had a concussion and that they need an ambulance to their location ASAP.
***
Hours later.
Lusty woke up in a hospital where she was lying in her hospital bed with her girlfriend by her side reading a magazine. Her Caucasian girlfriend who's eighteen was happy to see Lusty wake up and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Oh Lusty I'm happy that you're up now!" said Zofia.
Lusty replied, "Where am I? How did I get here?"
"You're at the hospital, you were brought here around three in the morning last night," said Zofia.
Lusty replied, "Last thing I remember was that Squad 141 took a sharp turn at the intersection of Lavender Lane and Ocean View Drive and I was thrown off because I wasn't holding on to the steel roof. I remember hitting something hard, my guess it was steel."
"It was. You hit your head on a 1965 Hornet Hawk and you got a concussion," said Zofia. "Well I gotta run, I don't want to be late for work. Love you Lusty and I'll see you later."
Zofia got up to go to work. She works at an office supply store which helps her pay for her apartment and something to do when she's not in university or not doing homework/studying or when school's out for spring, summer, and winter breaks.
After half an hour of reading magazines that Lusty thought were dated back in the 1910s but soon a Caucasian male wearing a brown pinstripe coat and matching vest and pants, a gray fedora and a red tie he also has a police badge necklace. He introduced himself as a police detective and arrives and non-too-subtly threatens Claire to stay away from Zofia. It's not because he's Zofia's father which isn't the case but because the detective's son had a stalker crush on Zofia and that Claire is in the way.
Lusty told the detective that she isn't afraid of him and where she's from that there are two types of people who are either Predators or Prey and Lusty is the Predator and not cowering in fear but she'll fight back when threatened not cower down. Not adding where she's from the police response was either piss poor or not at all so her neighborhood had to take care of each other.
When the detective gave her another warning to stay away from Zofia.
"I used to have a pastor as a neighbor," said Lusty. "He always said to me 'The Lord keeps all who love Him. But the wicked He will destroy.' I don't care how threatening you are and I don't care who your friends are in high places. I have friends who don't give a damn about whether you have a badge or not. Go to the Eastside or Westside, I got friends there and they'll gladly fight anyone who starts trouble. I'm. Not. Joking."
***
Two weeks later.
Lusty was walking down the street with Zofia and the two were holding hands and no one bats an eye. But soon a Caucasian male, who's muscular and athletic came wearing track pants, sneakers, white socks, and a sports jersey.
"Come on Zofia!" said the man.
Zofia replied, "For the last time! I'm not your girlfriend! Get your head out of your ass. I'm not your girlfriend! I'm a lesbian not bisexual or straight! Listen to me! Leave me alone! I'm not dating you! I will never marry you! We were never dating and I'm not the type of woman who's going to be at home, having babies, cooking and cleaning and acting like a maid waiting on their husbands or boyfriends hand and foot! Some women want that, good for them but I'm in the population of women who want to have a voice not to have a man to be a voice for her!"
"Just take a hike she'll never be interested in you!" said Lusty, "So leave her be. We don't care if your father is a police detective who breaks the rules to keep you out of legal trouble. I don't give a damn if your dad is a councilman, a politician, an Alderman, the mayor, the Governor or the damn President... If you think the President and the LBMCC aka the Little Bird Military Civilian Congress are clowns, well you're more of a clown than the President, Generals, Lieutenant Generals, Major Generals, and Brigadier Generals. At least they make the right decisions to keep the population happy. You strike me as the type that pulls the 'It's all about me' card. To be clear, I'm not scared of you or your father."
The guy then pulled out a pistol and pointed it at Lusty only for Lusty to knock the gun out of the guy's hand and went to town on him and Zofia was excited to see her girlfriend beat up the guy who's been causing her trouble since the eleventh grade.
***
At Firehouse 141.
"Lusty, don't you think you should be home just resting up for a little bit longer?" asked a firefighter.
Lusty replied, "You can stare at the same four walls but I was going... I don't think stir crazy is the correct word. But my mother always told me that when I used to get sick and what not she always told me to get out to get some fresh air. You be in the same room for almost three weeks and you'll be the same."
"Who are they?" asked Zofia.
Lusty replied, "Zofia meet, Lieutenant Marcus 'High-rise' Patel, Engineer John Rodriguez, Firefighter James 'Roper' Smith, Firefighter David 'Scuba' Nguyen, Firefighter Michael 'Extrication' Sullivan, and Firefighter Mike 'Confined' Rogers. They got their nicknames due to what they specialize in. The Lieutenant specializes in High-rise emergencies. Smith got his nickname due to he specializes in rope rescues, Nguyen specializes in scuba and underwater rescues, Sullivan got his nickname for specializing in vehicle extrication with the hydraulic rescue tools, and Rogers got his nickname due to he specializes in confined space rescues."
"And you got your nickname..." said Zofia.
Lusty replied quickly, "Because I love music and my friends and parents said that I would lust for music."
"What happened last night I wouldn't say that's where you got your nickname from," Zofia mumbled under her breath.
Firefighter Nguyen asked, "Hey Lusty, how did you cut your right hand index finger?"
Lusty replied, "Some guy was harassing Zofia earlier, he pulled a gun on me and I punched him straight in the face. Guess I hit a tooth. No, I'm not going to report him to the police because his father visited me in the hospital and threatened me so I told him and his father that I'm not scared of them."
"You should report it to the police because if someone is willing to pull a gun on you I highly doubt they're not afraid to use it," said Lieutenant Marcus.
Lusty replied, "Yeah and my old neighbor across the hall in the old tenement building had every shotgun imaginable from a blunderbuss to a semi-auto. Also if I do report it to the police... My gut is saying that 9 out of 10 cops would just look the other way and my mother always told me to never not to trust your gut. Heck, when my parents first started to go out she at first didn't want to but her gut was saying that the two were meant to be and they dated in high school and got married when my dad came back from 'Nam. Also where I'm from... The police aren't popular. We have to look out for each other. The police response in my old neighborhood is very slow or no response at all so more or less everyone in my old neighborhood just policed themselves. Also if the police did or does respond in my old neighborhood they're usually bigots, racists, sexists or just became a cop to terrorize the group of people they swore to serve and protect."
"This jacket feels heavy," said Zofia.
Lusty replied, "Our turnout gear the jacket is around seven pounds. Give or take. Our gear is around forty-five pounds. That's the helmet, gloves, hood, boots, coat, and trousers."
"I don't mean to sound racist but it's not but why is the color black for the gear and not another color? I'm not a fashionista. No offense Lieutenant," said Zofia.
Lieutenant Marcus replied, "None taken. Also why it's black is because my friend over at HQ said that they were planning on having yellow but yellow is a bright color and it was a fifty-fifty choice of yellow or black and the vote was 82% black 18% yellow."
"Hey Lieutenant, is it okay..." said Zofia.
Lieutenant Marcus replied, "I don't care. Just stay with Lusty and don't break anything. Also no you can't ride along with us. If you want to do that then you need to go to HQ and file some paperwork requesting a ride along and put on what company you want to ride along with. That would take two to three weeks to be approved or denied."
"What's the training like?" asked Zofia.
Lusty replied, "Lieutenant, is it okay if she tries the CPAT test?"
"CPAT?" asked Zofia.
Lusty replied, "Candidate Physical Ability Test. It's the standard assessment for measuring an individual's ability to handle the physical demands of being a firefighter. The CPAT is a timed test that measures how candidates handle eight separate physical tasks or functions, designed to mirror tasks that firefighters would have to do on the job. The time limit is ten minutes and twenty seconds. The eight tests in the test is the Stair climb which is climbing stairs while carrying an additional twenty-five pounds simulated hose pack which we don't have so you have to use a real hose. The second test is a hose drag which is stretching an uncharged hose line within a designated area. The third test is equipment carry which is removing and carrying equipment from the fire apparatus to a fire ground. The fourth test is ladder raise and extension which is pretty straight forward. The fifth test is forcible entry which is also self expansionary, the sixth test which I hated but it's search, the seventh is Rescue Drag which you have to drag a hundred and twenty five pound dummy or mannequin, and the final one is Ceiling Breach and Pull."
Zofia wanted to try it because to her it sounded interesting but Lusty and the other six pointed out that the Search and Rescue one is a pain in the ass and crawling around in a pitch black trailer with no light and only way to find a exit was to use the sense of touch to find where they were going. Before Zofia could ask they told her that she couldn't use a flashlight.
Zofia put on Lusty's turnout gear but to make sure Zofia didn't break it, Lusty hooked up the jacket and the trousers/w suspenders. They also gave her a fire hose that's folded up.
When Zofia was going up the steps of the tower she fell and landed on her knee. But she got up and kept going and when she got back down she put the firehose on the ground. It was like in the academy, running was prohibited from in-between test areas but running is allowed during each test.
When Zofia got done with the tests her time was nine minutes and fifty eight seconds but she immediately took off Lusty's turnout gear and gave it back to her and Lusty then put her turnout gear on the 1982 semi-closed cab fire engine.
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Lusty and Zofia then sat on the bench in front of the firehouse.
"Why does this firehouse have a wooden ladder?" asked Zofia, "I thought wooden ladders were taken out of service like almost a decade ago?"
Lusty replied, "Because they don't conduct electricity like how aluminum and steel ladders do. Not adding wooden ladders last longer than metallic ones and it's lighter than metallic and fiberglass ladders. The wooden ladder we have? It's Hickory wood ladder made all the way back in 1878 for Engine Company Eighty Two but given to us due to the fact that they were moved to another firehouse and where they were stationed they were given a new wooden ladder that could be extended."
Zofia was intrigued and fascinated with the information which she was grateful to learn. Soon a 1969 black Hornet Universe came and did a quick u-turn but stopped in front of the firehouse. It was the same detective from last time.
"Claire Johnson, come on you're wanted down at the precinct." said the detective, "Get in the car!"
Lusty replied, "Unless if I'm under arrest for a crime. Then no I'm not going with you."
"You can do this the easy way or the hard way," said the detective.
Lusty replied, "I'm going to make it crystal Goddamn clear. I'm not going to go with you. Unless if I'm under arrest then I'm not going. I don't care if this is a police state or not. Unless if I did a crime then I'm not going. You may be a cop but I respect the badge not the person behind it."
"Fine you want to play the hard way then," said the detective, "I'll be back later."
The detective left but Zofia told Lusty she could get into lots of trouble for doing that. Lusty told her girlfriend that she isn't the type to back down from people who have a head up their ass. Lusty also told her girlfriend that she heard what she mumbled under her breath earlier, that was the first time she ever had sex and the first time she ever had an orgasm was last night.
Later that day both Lusty and Zofia were still sitting on the bench where Lusty asked why Zofia was working in an office supply store when the detective returned but with a pair of uniformed officers and she was arrested even though they did slam her onto the concrete sidewalk though.
After they left, Zofia went into the fire station to tell them that Lusty had just been arrested.
***
Empire Police Department, Fourteenth precinct.
In an interrogation room.
"Alright Claire, you know why you're here?" asked the detective.
Lusty replied, "Yeah, a detective who abuses his authority and bends the rule to defend his son from the law rather than having him face the law."
"You're here for assault and attempted assault of a police officer," said the detective.
Lusty replied, "Oh yeah. I did kick your son's ass for pointing a gun at me. Also I never assaulted or attempted to assault a police officer."
"Anything else you want to say?" asked the detective.
Lusty replied, "When I was a little girl my neighbor who's friends with my dad had a tape from January /2/68 and the tape has my dad saying 'We were sent to fight a hopeless conflict in Vietnam and if Vietnam falls to the communists, no one will care while the soldiers return home only to suffer from PTSD and watch their life change for the worse.' of course that was before the Tet Offensive which happened on January 31st, 1968- March 28, 1968, May 5 – June 15, 1968, August 9 – September 23, 1968. Of course it was three different phases."
"And your father knew that how?" Asked the detective.
Lusty replied, "He was in the Little Bird Marine Corps as a guy who receives fire missions and tells the guy in charge where local forces needed artillery support."
Before the detective could ask Lusty another question soon the door opened and a Caucasian male with blue eyes, black hair, a buzz cut hair style, and wearing a fire department uniform as well. He got Lusty and took her out of the police precinct.
He took her back to Squad company 141.
"Who are you?" Asked Lusty.
The man replied in an Appalachian accent, "Probationary Firefighter David Mitchell Waterson. Fire Department City of Empire Engine Company Sixteen. Your girlfriend called me due to Lt. Marcus told her to call me. You can go back to work now, Lusty."
"How do you know my nickname?" Asked Lusty.
Dave replied, "My family. The Waterson family has a robust network of informants and we'll know if you're working against our interests or whatnot."
"What do you want?" Asked Lusty, "Do you want to sleep with me as a way of saying thank you or to have sex with you as a way of thank you?"
Dave replied, "For starters I have a girlfriend and second of all. I'm a Firefighter Union member as well. I studied law and you defending yourself and your girlfriend from someone with a gun pointed at you falls under self defense because you stood your ground and fleeing wasn't an option without getting killed... Listen I didn't tell you this but 80% of the Empire Police Department is on the mafia's payroll, 19% are assholes who do the opposite of 'We serve to protect' and the final 1% are decent officers who actually do their job."
"What is a firefighter union?" Asked Lusty.
Dave replied, "A labor union such as attaining better wages and benefits, improving working conditions, improving safety standards, establishing complaint procedures, developing rules governing status of employees and protecting and increasing the bargaining power of workers. I'm a union rep who represents and defends the interests of their fellow employees as a labor union member and official. And I represent firefighters in the Eighteenth, Nineteenth and Twenty-fifth battalion districts even though the city has three battalion chiefs. I'll talk to you tomorrow or later."
Lusty got out of his car and went inside of the firehouse while Dave went back to his own respected firehouse.
"Who was he?" asked Lusty when she re-entered her firehouse.
Lt. Marcus replied, "Probationary Firefighter David Mitchell Waterson. He was all over the papers earlier this year when an Alderman who was playing hardball with him told him to back off and when the Alderman didn't, Dave went to the papers and news and told them about the Alderman who was cheating on his wife. Well the rest you have to ask him."
Still later that day at sunset.
"Creepy how a muscle car has been sitting near the firehouse and someone is in the driver seat," said Lusty. "But I'm not going to do anything about it."
It was one of those days that they didn't get a call which was usually rare but when it happened they usually just maintained their equipment and gear. They also trained Lusty on how to use the hydraulic rescue tools even though she learned how to use it during her time at the fire academy. But to Lusty that one day they'll be lighter and not need a generator to power it but that day was not today.
Lusty asked what kind of hydraulic rescue tool it was and she was told that the one they have is combination spreader while the ones found on the truck companies across the city are either cutters or spreaders not a combination and not both.
***
The next morning.
Lusty went home after a peaceful night even though the alarm didn't go off all night. She went home and got it tidy because she and Zofia had a date later. When Lusty went shopping, she came back to see a few police cars outside of her house. The detective and a few officers were executing a search warrant on her house even though they didn't have a search warrant. So it was more or less a no-knock warrant.
When Lusty saw a uniformed officer with a guitar that she had since she was a little girl she immediately took it back because it had sentimental value to her... Her parents gave her said guitar when she was six but a card that was attached to it wasn't on it but she found it on the ground all stepped on. Lusty was about to lose her cool. It was a card which her parents wrote on how much she brings joy to them.
See a card that her parents spent a whole day making to show their love for their only daughter... Lusty's heart sank and broke in half where that the officers and detective there they didn't care that it has sentimental value to her and that they just see it as "evidence" for a crime she never did and the card they see that as an piece of trash whom they gladly crumbled up the card and walked all over it.
That's it no more Mr. Nice gal, Lusty thought, That Detective wants a fight I'll give him a fight but if it throws a riot in my old neighborhood then that's on them not me if some of my old neighbors are gonna drag a corrupt, racist, sexist, and bigoted cop out of a patrol car and beat the asshole cop to death.
Lusty then went and confronted the detective which got her arrested again for no reason.
***
Later that day when Dave tried to bail Lusty out and tried to talk to her but the desk sergeant told him that the detective in charge said that she won't be able to see any visitors. The detective overheard and tried to have Dave removed from the precinct forcefully until Dave "unintentionally" punched a uniformed officer.
"So what are you in for?" asked Lusty.
Dave replied, "Tried to bail you out, dumbass detective tried to have me removed so I punched a cop. But we'll be out soon."
Lusty was about to say something until the jail cell door for Dave's cell opened. He then went over to Lusty's cell and was able to pick the lock and he told her to stay behind him even though it could not be pretty but she did tell him that she grew up in an impoverished neighborhood and was no stranger to violence.
"We could sneak out the back or walk out the front," said Dave, "You choose."
Lusty told Dave that she would rather sneak out than have to face about a dozen cops. So they were able to sneak out and Dave took her home but before she got out she revealed she didn't feel safe at home now due to the detective. Dave told Lusty that he can call someone even if it's a member of his family to watch her back.
At first Lusty wasn't down with the idea but decided to go with it due to the fact that she didn't have any other choices. Not adding Dave took a police radio and overheard that the two are considered to be "shot on sight now."
Dave saw a patrol car heading right towards them from his driver side mirror so he and Lusty pretended to be a couple arguing. The police car with two officers inside just rode by not even noticing them not adding they were looking towards Lusty's house which helped prevent them from finding out the their identity.
Lusty went and got ready for her date even though it won't be until seven at night but while Lusty went to take a shower she heard Dave use her 1960s rotary dial phone and was talking to someone or on a party line which she didn't know which.
Lusty got out of the shower but she dried off and put on a blue dress.
Ah yes the city of Empire, Lusty thought, publicly a lovely and thriving city, the racial tensions are boiling to explosive levels. Police corruption and brutality is rampant as well. But people love the city and every year millions of tourists come to the city. Yeah 'We serve to protect' my backside. I've seen the Police harassing mixed-race couples instead of arresting criminals yet since Kindergarten we're indoctrinated with 'The policeman/police officer is our friend he/she/they never lie'. Wonder who Dave called?
Lusty didn't ask Dave who he called because she would rather be left out of the loop than know something she would regret knowing. But she did ask Dave if he had a firearm which he told her he had a Phoenix pistol out in his car which he did get and gave it to her.
Lusty pressed the magazine release and took the magazine and placed it next to her and she slid the rack back and took the .45 round and put it in the magazine.
"Phoenix pistol," said Lusty, "Caliber: .45, weight: seven pounds, licensed version of the United States Pistol, Caliber .45, Automatic, M1911A1... I grew up in a neighborhood where the men and some women fought in World War Two, Korean War, and the Vietnam war and the old tenement building where people had Garand rifles aka licenced version of the U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1, .30 Carbine rifle aka a licensed version United States Carbine, Caliber .30, M1 and the Autorifle aka the licensed version of the Rifle, Caliber .30, Automatic, Browning, M1918A1... I'm a gun nut as well. The tenement building I was raised in has soldiers and marines who left the military service. Oh they're great people though and they see me as a sister, daughter, niece, and cousin they never had and their kids see me as a sister. They always had my back and they still do."
Dave replied, "Sounds like lovely people and sounds like my family. The Watersons we're nice but you're either our friend which is great, neutrals which is 50/50 and if you're our enemy... Not even God himself can help you. If my family wants to kill someone they can run but they can't hide... One time one of my cousins married a guy who seemed like Prince Charming but he started to hit her and beat her when they were married but she called her brother who's a Special Forces soldier who served in Vietnam from '63 to '75... The police found the guy's body in the trunk of his car and his car was in a river and after ten years missing when the police found his car and body his body was beaten so badly there was no longer any solid bone left."
"You gonna stay over for the date?" asked Lusty, "If you think that afterwards that me and Zofia are going to sleep with you afterwards then not in a million years."
Dave replied, "Yeah I'm staying also I'm a gentleman and never will also I'm happily dating Linda."
When the date did happen it was nice and peaceful and their date nobody bothered them.
Zofia was going to stay with Lusty now because throughout the day she noticed that either an unmarked or a marked police car was following her throughout the day, not adding that there was a marked police car outside of her apartment building and a marked police car outside of her place of work.
***
In Lusty's bedroom.
Lusty and Zofia started to make out and the two sat on Lusty's bed and wrapped their arms around each other.
***
"I've heard you two last night." said Dave, "While I was on the couch sleeping... Lusty you are what my family calls a 'Loud' one."
Lusty blushed with embarrassment where she didn't even know she moaned so loudly.
"So David, why did you join the fire department?" asked Zofia.
Dave replied, "My father and uncle are both Lieutenants in the Clearlake Fire Department and my grandfather or their father was a firefighter with the FDNY from 1921-1941, 1945-1950, and from 1953 to his retirement in 1966. He fought in both World wars and the Korean war of course and his then girlfriend emigrated from the U.K to NYC in 1919. Oh he's a real nice guy and even before the Civil rights era of the late 50's and early half of the 60's he always treated and still treats people of other races how he wants to be treated and that is with kindness."
Dave was kind enough to escort Lusty to her firehouse before he went to his assigned firehouse.
Lusty's and Squad 141 first call was to a person in distress and when they got there they saw someone hanging upside down. But the person was high enough that they had to call in a truck company for assistance because they didn't have a long enough ladder. When truck company eighty two got there they climbed the one hundred foot stainless steel ladder. Of course by the time they got there it was too late so they called a medical examiner out and the time of death was between 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM.
Lusty got a look of the deceased person and it's Tyler who is the detective who has been harassing them. It's his son and from what it looks like he was strangled to death before being hung upside down.
Oh boy this is going to be interesting now, Lusty thought, Now that detective is going to be out for blood now.
"Hey Lieutenant?" asked Lusty, "Can we swing by to Firehouse Sixteen real quick?"
Lieutenant Marcus told her sure that they could real quick.
***
At firehouse Sixteen.
Lusty walked in but before she walked by Engine Sixteen she saw Dave sitting on the tailgate of Engine Sixteen polishing the nozzles of the 1 3/4 attack line and 2 1/2 attack line.
"Did you or one of your family members kill the detective's son?" asked Lusty.
Dave replied, "How did he die?"
"My guess is strangulation and the marks on his neck look like triple braided rope." said Lusty.
Dave replied, "Nope me nor my family didn't kill him. If they were going to kill someone stealthily then it would be with Piano wire, garrote wire, a combat knife, or just snap their neck. If they wanted to capture someone then they would just knock them out."
***
12:30 PM.
While eating lunch Zofia showed up to the firehouse and went to talk to Lusty... She told her that she got rid of Tyler but he was driving her crazy. Lusty told Zofia that they never had this conversation but she still loves her the same but her nerves were about to break on how the detective was treating them as if they broke a law.
1:35 PM.
The fire bell went off for Squad 141 to go to a car fire which when they got there they were able to quickly knock down the fire with an 1 3/4 inch attack line and put the fire out. They noticed a body in the car and Lusty noticed the car's license plate; it's the same as the detective's unmarked car.
If that is the detective then damn what a painful way to go out, Lusty thought, Just looks like it was a painful way to go out.
In the end the Empire Police Department left Lusty and Zofia alone now of course the Empire Police didn't investigate the death of Tyler nor the detective who was harassing Lusty and Zofia just labeling their cases as "Unresolved" and shelved the cases. Of course the detective was a sexist prick and racist as well and no one at the Fourteenth precinct would miss him.
"Hey Dave?" asked Lusty, "Do you know who killed the asshole detective who was harassing us?"
Dave replied, "My cousin Mackenzie... Nice gal, just don't piss her off."
"Why burn someone alive?" asked Lusty.
Dave replied, "Her mom... dad... sister and brother she lost. The guy responsible who killed her mother slit his throat while he was at a brothel getting a blowjob. The guy who killed her dad she set him on fire outside of his daughter's birthday party, the guy who killed her brother she buried alive on a beach and when high tide came he drowned and suffocated to death and the one who raped and murdered her sister... She just mixed some gasoline and a gelatin agent together and set the guy's house on fire and fire was everywhere so the guy couldn't escape. Just a pair of jeans, a white muscle shirt, an olive drag army vest, dog tags, and size ten women combat boots. She kicked ass and gave them cruel deaths. Of course when she helped me earlier this year with the Alderman who I won't name he had her captured, beaten and that crime that starts with R and ends with E. I hate saying that crime too. But she was a member of the LB 4th SFG."
"So Dave, what can you tell me about where you're from?" asked Lusty.
Dave replied, "Clearlake is a picture perfect town on the surface at least. But it's a nice town that citizens from the Empire and some other cities founded in 1852. It suffered a fire and the town didn't have a fire dept so half of the town burnt down. In 1858 the Clearlake Volunteer Fire Department was formed with five members three males and two females until it was absorbed into the Fire Department Nation of Little Bird in 1914 but kept the original number. The Clearlake Police? You think the Empire Police is bad then you haven't seen the Clearlake police shoot a guy when he tripped and spilled his coffee on an officer. But they do leave pregnant women and children alone though but one time during a demonstration when it was time to leave the people refused and the CLPD used enough tear gas to cause medical issues to the demonstrators."
"So Dave, what's the perks of being friends or allies with your family?" asked Lusty.
Dave replied, "If you need a ride anyone will be glad to give you a ride or to drop off a car for you. If you have some cash on you that you think you'll lose they'll gladly take it off your hands and take it to your house. In a jam? Call up one and three to four will come to back you up in a fight. Also got one who runs a military surplus store in Riverview. Tell him I sent you and he can get you any weapon you want. Also as a friend/ally we'll always have your back so you're never alone. If some jackass burns down your house you can stay with a family member who'll give you clothes and treat you as a friend and they won't ever turn you down even if it's 3:00 AM and want to talk."
Before Lusty went back to her firehouse she told Dave that she'll see him later but didn't call him David or Dave but she called him 'friend.' She considers him a friend for helping her even though he was doing his job.
Before Lusty could go Dave gave Lusty a card that said "Lusty your mom and dad love you very much. You bring us joy every day and every night. You're a beautiful girl and we're so happy you're our daughter and you'll bring joy to everyone you meet- Love mom and dad."
Dave made her the card that the detective crumpled up and stepped on and she thanked him for it. It looked like the same as the card her parents made for her as a child. She put it on her guitar after her shift.