"I actually had an ulterior motive for visiting, aside from checking up on you," Cornelius admitted.

Dan was now in the kitchen, next to Abby, putting together sandwiches for the small cadre of police in his living room. The older officer had shamelessly stolen Dan's seat on the recliner as soon as he'd left it.

"Was it to be fed?" Dan quipped, slipping the plates onto a tray. He walked back into his living room, and began to pass out the food.

"No," Cornelius replied, taking a plate, "but it's certainly a nice side effect."

"Agreed," Connor called around a mouthful of ham. Freya nodded alongside him, taking a more demure bite than her fiancé.

Dan sat down on the couch with his own plate, and Abby tucked herself beside him.

"So, what's up?" he asked.

Cornelius, for the first time that Dan could remember, actually looked guilty. More importantly, he looked guiltily towards Abby.

"I'm afraid I'm here to ask for a favor from you, Miss Summers," he said.

Abby raised an eyebrow and took a bite out of her sandwich. Cornelius took that as permission to proceed.

"I was hoping you could speak to your brother about Coldwater."

Coldwater? Dan searched his memory, but couldn't ever recall Abby mentioning the name. Nor had her brother Jason, for all the five minutes that Dan had spoken to him. Abby, though, seemed to understand. Her eyes widened and she drew a sharp breath.

"That's why you brought up private security firms?" she asked. "You want the city to hire Coldwater?"

Cornelius nodded. "It makes sense, no? If we're going to have to work alongside outsiders, I'd rather they be the best."

"So you thought of Coldwater," Abby finished. Seeing Dan's lost look, she elaborated, "Coldwater is a private security firm that Summerset contracts to run protection on our assets. They are quite versatile, and generally well regarded."

Cornelius shot finger guns in her direction. "Exactly! See, Command is thinking that the mayor wants to use this situation to line his pockets, and that he's got some kind of deal lined up with one of these trigger-happy, under-trained, zero-discipline security outfits. That's not acceptable to us. We want a counter offer ready to go immediately."

"If he's really made some kind of behind the scenes deal," Dan said slowly, "then does it matter what you bring to the table?"

"He's not gonna risk himself looking blatantly corrupt," Cornelius explained. "The mayor's no fool. Coldwater is pretty much the best in the business. If the APD can arrange a deal, the mayor will have no choice but to accept."

Abby seemed hesitant. "How many people know who I am in your department?"

"Not many." Cornelius tilted his head, mentally counting. He gestured to Connor and Freya, then himself. "Us three, obviously. Gregoir too. I think Sergeant Ito knows, and so does Captain Gable. That's it, at our precinct. I can't speak for the others, but I also can't imagine how they would have learned about you."

Abby nodded, more to herself than Cornelius. "And if I help make this connection, you'll keep my identity out of it?"

"If you'd like," Cornelius shrugged. "Who am I to disturb your anonymity. If someone asks, I'll just quote chain of command at them until they fuck off."

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Abby smiled in relief. "That works for me. Coldwater usually contracts with private businesses, but I can ask my grandma to put a good word in for you. They listen to her, more than Jason. Just make sure you pick up your phone when they call."

"I can do that," Cornelius acknowledged. "The city thanks you, as do I."

"I'll call her tonight," Abby said with a smile.

"Excellent!" Cornelius clapped his hands together, clearly pleased. "Now that that's over with, perhaps we should talk about something less grim?"

There was a long silence as they searched for a topic.

Cornelius coughed awkwardly. "Well, we are technically still on duty so I best get going!"

"You still babysitting these two?" Dan asked, gesturing to Connor and Freya. With recent events, it seemed unlikely, but the question reminded Dan of something else important. "Speaking of which, how's Gregoir? We haven't heard from him since he dropped off Abby yesterday.

"No, I've been pulled from my humble bodyguard duties for obvious reasons. The department cannot afford to have someone with my skill set just standing around for days at a time." He scratched his chin. "Gregoir is well, but he's found a... project."

Oh dear.

"He's trying to turn one of the younger gang members we captured," Cornelius revealed. "The lad's upgrade mutated in a rather extreme manner. I wish him luck, but I think little will come of it."

"If anyone can do it, it's him," Connor noted. "He's persistent enough, there's no doubt about that."

"He won't have that long," Cornelius replied, shaking his head. "The boy transfers to a juvenile detention center in the next few days. For him to repeatedly visit an inmate in such a place would be... unwise, for them both."

"Juvenile?" Abby repeated curiously. "How old was he?"

"Twelve," Cornelius replied with a shrug.

"Twelve!?" Abby shrieked, her voice filled with outrage.

"The Crew were empowering anyone they could get their hands on," Cornelius replied helplessly. "Kids, even unaffiliated ones, whose upgrade options were limited, were taken in by the promises of power. most of the officers we lost were because of a hesitance to hurt a young adult, and the kids' lack of control over their own abilities."

"That's pretty horrible," Dan noted somberly.

"Quite." Cornelius stood up, setting his plate to the side and wiping the crumbs off his uniform. He sighed heavily. "I dearly hope that this does not become a trend. Even in the criminal underworld, children are frequently seen as off limits by all but the most depraved."

He thought for a moment, then shrugged. "On the bright side, once we've finally cleaned up the trash, they'll have a thoroughly miserable time in prison!"

Abby's phone rang. The shrill announcement cut through the conversation like a hot knife, startling everyone present. She glanced down at the screen, brow furrowed.

"Mama Ana is calling," she remarked, puzzled.

"That's her grandma," Dan told the rest of the room. He hoped the old hag had kept her promise to Abby, and had stopped bugging his damn house. The timing was suspicious, but so was just about everything that Anastasia did.

"Ah, speak of the Devil and she shall appear," Cornelius remarked with some amusement. He gestured to his nephew and niece. "Let's get going, you two. Newman, glad to see you're doing okay."

Dan shook his hand, followed by Connor, then Freya. "I'm not sure about okay, but I'll get there. You guys stay safe."

"Will do." Cornelius doffed his hat, and saw himself out the door. His two cadets followed him out like ducklings, and they piled into the two cruisers parked on the curb of Dan's yard. Dan glanced down both sides of the street out of pure reflex, making sure there were no cars lying in wait.

Nothing. Good.

He waved to his friends as they left, then returned to his living room. Inside, he could hear Abby's exasperated conversation with her overprotective grandmother.

"It hasn't been 'forever' grandma! I was down there less than a year ago!"

"No, I don't... Of course it won't be forever! But why so urgent—?"

"Don't call him an idiot! And I don't think Dan has any desire to visit you."

"Jason neither."

"That's not funny, grandma."

"Okay, now you're just lying to me. What's going on?"

"...And that was another lie. You're starting to worry me Mama Ana."

There was a long, long pause. Then, "I'll talk to him."

She hung the phone up as Dan rounded the corner. Abby's face was lined with concern, and she was biting at her lip. She met Dan's eyes, and he saw nothing but worry.

"Grandma wants me to visit her at the manor in Florida," Abby explained nervously. "She's calling in my brother as well. Says its a family get-together."

Dan blinked. "Okay? Why are you so worried?"

"Because I don't believe her, Danny!" Abby exclaimed, her eyes wide. "There's something wrong, and she wouldn't tell me what!"

"Alright, alright," Dan soothed, gently drawing her into a hug. "Whatever it is, we can handle it. Do you want to go see her?"

"I think I have to," Abby mumbled into his chest. "I need to find out what's going on, at least."

"Okay," Dan said quietly. "I'll help you pack a bag. When does she want you there?"

"As soon as possible," Abby replied, drawing herself out of his arms. She took a deep breath. "Something bad is going on, Danny, and I'm going to find out what."