uniformed officers escorting her away from the crowd. Together, they ducked back into the police precinct behind them.
Once they were through the large glass double doors and into the building, her escorts gave her a courteous tip of the hat before they parted ways. Every officer she passed in the crowded halls gave her a smile or an approving nod. Already she could hear her comments coming from the TVs in the offices as she passed.
She entered the elevator and made her way to the top floor in silence. Typically, she couldn't wade through these halls without being stopped every few feet, but days like this were different. Everyone knew she needed to unwind after a press conference. This was her routine, and it was one she was very serious about.
Rose closed the door to her office and sat at her desk, exhaling a sigh of relief as the cushion sank beneath her weight. She wasn't there more than ten seconds when a knock came at her door.
"Come on in, Mac," she said.
The knob turned and the door slowly creaked open enough for him to poke his head through the crack.
"You did well out there," he said.
"I told you to come in," she said, spinning her chair around to the short metal filing cabinet behind her. Pulling the drawer open, she rummaged through the manila envelopes inside as Mac slid into the room and sat down.
"Why are you the only one who chooses to disturb me after these things?" she asked, spinning back around with a file in her hand. "Everyone else gets it, you know?"
"I guess because you let me," he said, flashing an arrogant smile that annoyed her.
"Yeah, I don't know why," she said, flipping the file open.
"Look, reporters are assholes," he said, leaning forward. "And they have great connections, to help them stir up all this shit. Anticipating this stuff is a part of the job, and you did a great."
"Answer me honestly,” she said, staring him straight in the eyes. "Can we do this without him?"
“Alpha Male?” He paused for a moment, pondering her question. "If you'd asked me last week, yeah, but now, I don't know."
*****
Hundreds of cameras flashed as Alpha stepped out of the stretch limo wearing a black tailor made costume and mask that mimicked a tuxedo. He smiled and waved while presenting his hand to his date, Candice. She took his hand and held her dress while stepping out onto the red carpet. Her smile was large and undeniably real. With one look, he could tell she was overwhelmed by the attention.
"Is it always like this?" she asked out of the side of her mouth, still smiling.
"Only when there's a beautiful woman on my arm," he replied.
She blushed, but the moment was lost when a rabid reporter swung his torso over the velvet rope and pressed his microphone into Alpha's face.
"Don't you think you should be out hunting for this "supervillain", rather than gallivanting around?"
Alpha didn't bother to reply. Instead, he walked forward, still smiling like it had never happened. Candice walked beside him, her arm locked around his, until they came upon a reporter on their side of the rope. He was an attractive young man, with short spikey blond hair and a silk suit. He smiled as they approached and spoke into his tiny microphone.
"And look who it is," he said to the camera. "The savior of this city, Alpha Male! And, it looks like the stud has a hot date this evening. Who is this fabulous—"
The phone in Alpha's front breast pocket started to vibrate, drawing his attention away from the handsome reporter. Pulling it out, he pressed the button to turn on the screen.
"One new text message from Rose” it read. "McFarlane’s Eastern loading docks, now!"
Without looking back, he flew off into the night sky. The spot lights swung back and forth, lighting up the darkness with their massive beams. He went up and over the tallest buildings and came down across town.
"McFarlane’s" was cut into a steel plate and hung up as a sign. Behind the wall, the place was empty except for a few
Once they were through the large glass double doors and into the building, her escorts gave her a courteous tip of the hat before they parted ways. Every officer she passed in the crowded halls gave her a smile or an approving nod. Already she could hear her comments coming from the TVs in the offices as she passed.
She entered the elevator and made her way to the top floor in silence. Typically, she couldn't wade through these halls without being stopped every few feet, but days like this were different. Everyone knew she needed to unwind after a press conference. This was her routine, and it was one she was very serious about.
Rose closed the door to her office and sat at her desk, exhaling a sigh of relief as the cushion sank beneath her weight. She wasn't there more than ten seconds when a knock came at her door.
"Come on in, Mac," she said.
The knob turned and the door slowly creaked open enough for him to poke his head through the crack.
"You did well out there," he said.
"I told you to come in," she said, spinning her chair around to the short metal filing cabinet behind her. Pulling the drawer open, she rummaged through the manila envelopes inside as Mac slid into the room and sat down.
"Why are you the only one who chooses to disturb me after these things?" she asked, spinning back around with a file in her hand. "Everyone else gets it, you know?"
"I guess because you let me," he said, flashing an arrogant smile that annoyed her.
"Yeah, I don't know why," she said, flipping the file open.
"Look, reporters are assholes," he said, leaning forward. "And they have great connections, to help them stir up all this shit. Anticipating this stuff is a part of the job, and you did a great."
"Answer me honestly,” she said, staring him straight in the eyes. "Can we do this without him?"
“Alpha Male?” He paused for a moment, pondering her question. "If you'd asked me last week, yeah, but now, I don't know."
*****
Hundreds of cameras flashed as Alpha stepped out of the stretch limo wearing a black tailor made costume and mask that mimicked a tuxedo. He smiled and waved while presenting his hand to his date, Candice. She took his hand and held her dress while stepping out onto the red carpet. Her smile was large and undeniably real. With one look, he could tell she was overwhelmed by the attention.
"Is it always like this?" she asked out of the side of her mouth, still smiling.
"Only when there's a beautiful woman on my arm," he replied.
She blushed, but the moment was lost when a rabid reporter swung his torso over the velvet rope and pressed his microphone into Alpha's face.
"Don't you think you should be out hunting for this "supervillain", rather than gallivanting around?"
Alpha didn't bother to reply. Instead, he walked forward, still smiling like it had never happened. Candice walked beside him, her arm locked around his, until they came upon a reporter on their side of the rope. He was an attractive young man, with short spikey blond hair and a silk suit. He smiled as they approached and spoke into his tiny microphone.
"And look who it is," he said to the camera. "The savior of this city, Alpha Male! And, it looks like the stud has a hot date this evening. Who is this fabulous—"
The phone in Alpha's front breast pocket started to vibrate, drawing his attention away from the handsome reporter. Pulling it out, he pressed the button to turn on the screen.
"One new text message from Rose” it read. "McFarlane’s Eastern loading docks, now!"
Without looking back, he flew off into the night sky. The spot lights swung back and forth, lighting up the darkness with their massive beams. He went up and over the tallest buildings and came down across town.
"McFarlane’s" was cut into a steel plate and hung up as a sign. Behind the wall, the place was empty except for a few
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