UNDERCOVER

Chapter 1 - JaQ

"That's enough." A fair hand snatched the bottle from him, slamming its bottom on the counter.

"Let's go," the cold voice of the hand owner formed a distinct contrast with her skin.

Ansel looked up at the girl, her tattoos instantly attracting his gaze, but he peeled his eyes away from them to stare straight into hers.

"Go where?" he asked trying to hide the fear in his voice. Seven years of military service could not have prepared him for this.

"Your lab," she replied, tilting her head to look up at him. Despite standing half a head over her, Ansel knew who was the stronger one here. Fortunately, he didn't need to be strong.

"I don't have a lab, and even if I did, I'm not taking you there," he replied firmly, his facial expression emphasizing his seriousness.

"Mano, you misunderstand, I'm not asking." She smiled for the first time, but all Ansel could see was mockery.

She was enjoying this more than she should be, he could tell. Perhaps what amused her was his misconception of the situation. For some reason, he still believed there was a way out for him.

"If any harm should befall me, I have contingencies set in place to tell the Skull Master of our deal and spread to the street how much stash you just pulled out of Picasso's Parlor." Ansel swallowed and decided to reveal his cards.

A smile crept up his face as he watched her expression falter.

There was silence for a while before she nodded, "Alright then, but I don't have money on me, Mano. Come by my place to collect it later. Maybe I'll surprise you." Her eyes roved over him.

Taking a step back Ansel stared at her silently.

Her expression turned serious once more and she commanded.

"Let's go" this time to her men who had been standing around.

They started to move, and soon, Ansel was standing alone. But just as Jaq reached the door, she turned back to Ansel with a teasing smile.

"I'll see you around"

"No, you won't," Ansel replied in his heart as he watched her reach for the curtain. Suddenly her hand stopped and with it his heart.

"Something's wrong," she muttered, and before Ansel could react, she pulled out a gun and hurried back. Grabbing his arm, she pulled him in front of her. Walking backwards she hurried towards the staff door behind the counter.

Meanwhile, outside the bar, all of JaQ's men stood in cuffs in front of an SUV with flickering siren lights.

A few more SUVs were parked strategically in front of the bar, and behind each door stood police with their guns aimed at the bar entrance.

Further back, a dark-skinned woman in a buzz cut stood looking over the building schematics with a Sergeant.

"I don't like this" she shook her head.

"Me either, but I trust Ansel," the sergeant replied, turning to look over the SUVs with a squint.

"Yeah, you do, but I don't. I'm gonna give the order." she handed the plan to him and walked toward the SWAT Commander on the scene.

"Your men familiar with our UC?"

"Yes, ma'am, passed around a photo," the SWAT Commander, a tall man in full gear, nodded.

"Alright, give them the go."

By the bar entrance, where SWAT crouched with their guns facing the ground, the order came through like a bullet through silence.

"Breach!"

Followed by the bang! Of a flashbang.

The first SWAT moved in after getting the shoulder tap, his weapon raised and behind him, the others rushed in

"Police"

Moments later, the Sergeant walked towards the dark-skinned woman with a grim expression.

"Captain, you've got to see this," he called out, and she turned away from the SWAT Commander, rolling her eyes as she pursed her lips.

"I'm not going to like this, am I?" she asked the Sergeant who could only shrug helplessly.

Following him, they entered the bar. The dim lights caused her to slow down as her eyes adjusted. Within the bar were a few customers in the wrong place at the wrong time now held by the police.

"Okay run them through the system and let them go. They can't give us anything." The Captain took one look and ordered.

"Yes, ma'am," an officer from the side replied, and they started lining everyone up into a single file as the Captain and Sergeant headed for the area labeled "staff", where Ansel had just been dragged through.

"Oh come on. Someone forgot to mention this was here?" the Captain exclaimed at the sight of the manhole in the ground leading into the sewers.

"It wasn't in the plans, ma'am, and I don't think Ansel knew about it either," the Sergeant started.

"Don't give me that crap. Maybe he knew but didn't want to get arrested," she replied, glaring at the Sergeant.

"Okay, I need the plans for this thing, form a perimeter. They have to come out at some point." She raised her voice so the others around could hear.

Looking thoughtful, the Sergeant glanced around cautiously before asking in a low voice, "Why are we hunting Ansel again?"

"Don't ask me. Ansel asked for it himself, boost his cred or something, I dunno, but that girl JaQ and her crew is what I get out of all this. Leave it to Ansel to make things more difficult than they need to be." the Captain rolled her eyes.

"Did you get a result from that photo yet?" she asked looking back at the Sergeant.

"Uh- yeah, I put Detective Dalton on it" he replied confidently.

"You did what?!" the Captain turned sharply.

"Don't worry, I didn't give any details, just called in a personal favor." he quickly explained.

"This is extremely personal. Don't make me regret trusting you with it" she side-eyed him as she walked away.

The Sergeant sighed helplessly as he stared at the hole in the ground. The Captain had been stable until Ansel arrived at the station as a Rookie. At first, she took pleasure in bullying him but eventually slowed down, making them think the thrill had passed, but then Ansel hit the streets solo one day and got shot, and she almost ate his head off.

He had worried she had a questionable relationship with Ansel that was affecting her judgment, but then she signed off on throwing him deep undercover where danger was everywhere. And that was when the chaos started, Ansel versus the Captain.

"He could have just gone in with narcotics," the Sergeant muttered, but it was too late. It had been seven months and Ansel was in too deep, giving them big names since he started. No one would reassign him now.

****

While the police were searching everywhere for them, the situation underground had completely changed. At some point, Ansel held the gun while JaQ had a photo in hand.

"Why do you have Alisa's photos?" she asked, her eyes spewing fury and pain.

"I'm sorry, it's nothing personal. Now hand it back." Ansel replied, his voice unfeeling. He could see how his actions were affecting her, but the part of his heart that would allow him to care died a long time ago. At least he believed that.

JaQ took another look at the photo. On it was the picture of a woman in her late teens or early twenties with a rifle in hand, standing under a sycamore tree. The happy grin on her face contrasted greatly with the person she knew.

"You served with her?" she asked without raising her head, her voice a note lower.

"Come on JaQ. Just give me the photo, and we go our separate ways," Ansel sighed.

"Separate ways? I just lost my crew! You know how many people will be coming after me after today?"

"And I lost my stash, and you sure as hell ain't paying me now" Ansel growled.

Suddenly JaQ paused, her gaze turned strange as she stared at Ansel.

"How did the cops know I was here?" she asked tentatively, her eyes full of suspicion.

Ansel recognized that gaze, it was one he had only seen in females, women he dared never underestimate. His finger on the trigger vibrated as he adjusted his stance.

Bang!

It was just a single shot, but it changed everything.