Thomas Prest: A Simple Magician

Detective Higgs disgruntledly exited the elevator, arriving on the floor where the office of his boss was located.

On the way up, he ordered one guy to go and freaking swap the quivering new office lady watching the suspect... but Higgs could only sigh because it was almost evening and half of the department had already left home, while the other half was just arriving to work or were enjoying their dinner in the cafeteria, the lazy slobs.

That's why he asked her to watch over the guy. Higgs knew how it went at times like these. Around this hour, it was practically impossible to do things quickly in his department so unfortunately, she was his only readily available choice.

The guy he ordered to swap her wasn't even in his uniform yet so the poor girl will have to endure with Richard in the room for another ten more minutes at the very least.

When he finally reached his boss's office, Higgs was surprised to see Officer Lara Smith sitting on the chairs near the door, waiting.

His eyebrows furrowed as he walked towards her and sat on a nearby chair.

"You were also called to meet Lincoln?" Higgs asked, and Lara involuntarily straightened up.

In the entire department, only Higgs had the balls to call Department Chief Thomas by his given name. The man hated being called Lincoln almost as much as insubordination.

Yet, Higgs had no fucks given for him.

Maybe that's why the two were such close friends... But Lara decided it wasn't her business.

"Yes, sir. I was given a notice during an interrogation." She politely answered, but her expression showed a frown.

Higgs totally understood her feelings and gave her a sympathetic look, "Huh? You too? How unusual. It must be something important then." He tried to make her feel better. Seeing that she at least stopped being so irritable, he decided to lead the conversation a bit away from that topic. "Who were you interrogating?"

"Mr. Brian Jasin, sir." Lara almost snarled in frustration while her foot was clapping against the floor. "You know, the lucky bastard that survived car bombing but unluckily lost his wife in the process. He was bawling his eyes to me for two hours already, telling me nothing important."

Higgs barked out a laugh. Frankly, he knew they should have more empathy but after dealing with things like these every day, their well of compassion was as dry as they come.

"His brother Richard is a tough cookie though. Refusing to cooperate even with something as simple as providing us with some alibi." Higgs tiredly sighed. "My guess is the bastard was doing something illegal, but I don't think he killed his brothers. It appears we both drew the short end of the stick today." And shrugged. "Anyway, why are you not inside?"

Lara chuckled at Higgs's joke, relaxing even further. Really, this man totally deserved his nickname of 'Department's strict grandpa' with how he acted. Always caring for his colleagues, no matter the rank, and trying to help them. They were lucky to have him.

"The chief is apparently having a meeting." Lara helplessly elaborated, showing a sour look. "Mr. Jasin Senior is inside."

While there was never any proof, the oldest Jasin brother was a regular 'customer' in their care so the Jasins were well known around these circles. So known that Chief Thomas was on friendly terms with Jason Jasin after the many donations the man gave to the department.

When he heard that, Higgs suddenly got a bad premonition, feeling quite uncomfortable as the gears in his brain started spinning.

"..." He glanced at Lara, asking her in a dubious tone, "When exactly were you called by Lincoln?"

"Thirty minutes ago? Somewhere around that. Why?" Lara furrowed her eyebrows. The old-timer was acting weird...

"Ah, no wonder you are irritated. It was only ten minutes for me." Higgs distractedly said and stood up, starting to walk back and forth while visibly thinking hard.

'Something doesn't add up.' He inwardly mused, 'But what?'

Yet, he had no idea what made him feel so wrong.

In the end, Higgs whipped out a walkie-talkie and pressed the frequency that directly called to the guy he needed.

"Hello, Junior. You swapped our sweet intern yet?" Higgs bluntly asked.

From the walkie-talkie, the sound of a chair scraping against the floor could be heard... "Nah, boss. I am almost there."

'I will kill this lazy fatass one of these days.' Higgs idly mused, his left eye twitching enough that Lara decided to sit one more chair away from him. Just in case.

"Then make it snappy or there will be no bonuses at the end of the year." Higgs growled out, trying to control his rising temper.

He knew Junior's attitude well so this was not anything unexpected but right now, there was no time for his laziness. The bad feeling in his gut was only increasing!

"Sure, sure." Junior lazily sighed and Higgs could hear him hurrying to... somewhere.

He really hoped it was the interrogation room and not the toilets.

"I have a bad feeling." Higgs said as he noticed the weird look Lara was shooting him. There was nothing to do but wait now so he sat down, trying to keep himself calm but the unease in him only grew.

It took three more minutes for his walkie-talkie to beep and Higgs instantly connected to the channel, waiting for Junior's report, only to hear an awkward clearing of a throat.

"Err... boss?" Junior uneasily started as if he was a kid that did something wrong, "I don't think this suspect will tell us anything anymore." He sheepishly finished.

Higgs frowned, "Why?"

Junior gulped and half-asked, "Er, he kinda bled out all over our table?"

Silence spread between Higgs and Junior, the younger police officer slowly pulling the walkie-talkie away from his ear as he expected an explosion from his superior, all the while he was looking at the mess in the interrogation room with a scrunched expression and inwardly wondered which poor schmuck was going to be cleaning all this.

Ah, the youthful naivety...

"Junior..." Higgs started speaking after a few seconds, his tone low... before he instantly started screaming. "FUCKING START AN ALARM, YOU NAFFIN' IMBECILE!"

His outburst utterly surprised Lara, enough to make her fall down from her chair. Higgs didn't care though and burst into Lincoln's office, uncaring about manners and whatnot.

Jason Jasin nor Lincoln Thomas didn't even manage to give him a reproachful look at barging in before he shouted, "Close off the department! We have an intruder inside! The youngest Jasin is dead!"

Not bothering to get a reply from the dumbstruck duo, Higgs left the room, running towards the elevators as the alarm started blaring through the entire department.

Alas, Natasha was already long gone.