returning {to the past} -crystal

[~echo~]

Anita glared at Arlo, stepping forward. "You would do well to learn some repect for these two. You don't need to get hurt here."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Arlo gave Anita a disgusted look. "Respect them? Do you even know who I am, chica? They should show more respect for me."

"Perhaps that would be true, if we were part of your gang," Alex said coldly. "As it is, I am an officer of the law now, and you are a criminal. I suggest you start talking. Or would you like me to arrest you?"

[~echo~]

Anita gave him an almost imperious look, and then raised her chin up.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Arlo leaned forward a bit, his eyes locked on Alex's. "Arrest me, then, boy. See what it accomplishes."

Alex scoffed and, as requested, pulling his handcuffs from his belt. He grabbed Arlo's wrist and yanked him around so he could handcuff his hands behind his back. "Arlo Perez, you are under arrest for assaulting an officer and blackmailing a citizen."

[~echo~]

Anita frowned at Arlo, wondering how the rest of the gang would react without a leader, and if they would retaliate.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex gave her a brief glance before leading Arlo from the building. He shoved the guy into his old green truck. "Carlos, sit in the back." There was no way he was letting Anita sit beside the gangster. He opened the passenger door for Anita as Carlos climbed into the backseat.

[~echo~]

Anita thanked him and sat in the seat, buckling her seatbelt.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex jogged around and got into the driver's seat. He started the truck and peeled away from the building, driving toward the nearest police precinct. He really hoped they could make more charges stick to Arlo than just the assault.

[~echo~]

In the back of Anita's mind, she knew she should be angry or at least annoyed with Alex for concealing his real occupation from her, but she couldn't help being anything but proud of him. She gave a sort of half smile to herself at this thought.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex's gaze wandered briefly from the road over to Anita. Was she mad at him for lying? he wondered. He still wasn't sure why he hadn't just told her the truth. He'd been waiting for her to confront him about it, but he was glad she hadn't. He was still trying to prepare an answer. He didn't think there was a good one. The silence in the car crawled under Alex's skin and made him want to squirm, but he didn't know what to say.

[~echo~]

Anita sat in the awkward silence, fidgeting slightly as she sat. She glanced over at Anita, then back down at her lap.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex pulled into the precinct parking lot and turned off the engine. He shoved open the door and then pulled Arlo out of the backseat. "Come on, scumbag," he growled. "I'm going to love this."

[~echo~]

Anita followed after as they went into the police station, wondering why she had never been in one.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Carlos gave his brother a dubious look. He, unlike Anita, had been in a police precinct before, and had no desire to return. "Can I just wait out here?"

Alex shrugged and said, "Suit yourself," before walking inside. As they entered, Alex flashed his badge and said, "Detective Fuentes. Tenth Precinct."

[~echo~]

Anita hovered, wondering if she should follow, then decided to and jogged to catch up with Alex.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex explained his story--or at least part of it--and passed Arlo off for them to take to holding. Then he turned to Anita. "I guess I have some explaining to do," he said in a low voice.

[~echo~]

Anita regarded him carefully, not wanting to push him away from her. "As it turns out, so do I. Do you wanna go someplace? This isn't really a great place to speak."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex hesitated before nodding. "Yeah. I'll send Carlos back to mi mama." He led the way out of the building and found Carlos standing on the corner, as far from the door as he could get.

[~echo~]

Anita gave a tight smile, more like a grimace, and then followed him outside, glancing over her shoulder where Arlo had disappeared.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex jogged over to Carlos and said something that got carried away on the wind. The younger man scowl but gave Anita a little wave and started down the street. He'd be okay to walk back to the hotel. Alex turned to Anita and gestured her toward his truck. "Let's take a drive, shall we?"