Unwelcome banter

Stone arrived early at the station after his shift. Sitting opposite the sergeant's smoked- glass office door, he knew that Sergeant Baily was in there. He could see his distorted image moving around. With luck, he hoped the sergeant would forget him until it was too late. Granger walked down the corridor, smirking, and glanced sideways at Stone.

"Be careful what you say in there."

"Oh, yeah. Why's that?"

"Run off at the mouth with the sergeant about earlier, and you'll find out. Everyone new gets a hazing. Besides, we had you covered."

Granger carried on walking along the corridor and into the briefing room. Anger welled inside until Stone could contain himself no longer and he rose from his seat, determined to call Granger out. The sergeant's door opened.

"I'll see you now. Take a seat."

His intervention had been welcome. There'd be time to have words with Granger later when he'd calmed down, and without witnesses. The sergeant opened a filing drawer, removed a folder, and then took a seat at his desk. Stone studied him as he opened the file and started reading. He looked to be old school. The sort who had been through the wringer out on the streets before landing a desk job.

"I don't get why you wanted to go back on traffic duties?"

For someone usually quick thinking on his feet, the question threw Stone for a moment. He paused for a beat before replying.

"Boredom. Too much time in the office."

"Tell me about it. I wish I were still out there behind a wheel. Whatever, you were foolish earlier. I don't ever want to hear of you going on a code four against armed suspects, understood? Two up as a code L-two every time.

"Understood."

"Don't worry; I won't break your balls. Well done for apprehending them. Ballistics has tied the gun to three gang hits. So at least the guy won't be seeing the light of day for some time. Anyways, I have a partner for you."

"Who is it?"

"Jake Carter. Plenty of experience. I'll introduce you after the briefing at your next shift. That'll be all," he said, and snapped Stone's file closed.

"I need a body cam."

"I'll have one ready at the start of your next shift  with luck. The tech guys are installing a new charging system after the old one failed."

Stone didn't hang around. He rose quickly and stepped out into the corridor. The mild rebuke hadn't been worth the worry ever since he'd got the call from Sergeant Baily over the radio. It bugged him that the sergeant had questioned his motives for resigning to go back on traffic. He knew that if he was questioning why, then he'd need to put around a better excuse in the locker room than boredom.

On his way through the briefing room, Granger was hooked up with his buddies. He threw Stone a sneer. Stone returned him a one-fingered salute as he walked on through to the locker room. The hairs on his neck bristled to the sound of laughter behind him, and the mocking voice of someone calling out.

"Ooh, Tire Monkey's not happy. Maybe we should throw the nigga lover a banana?"

Stone clenched his fists, then slammed the door behind him. He sensed his cheeks on fire and then threw a punch at his locker door.

He knew what was expected of him working undercover, and he had a job todo, but it was a whole different experience to be the butt of prejudice, and to be made fun of. He wondered how in hell's name he would be able to keep his cool, when all he wanted to do was to smash his fist into Granger's face. Sucking it up wasn't his style, but he hoped he could withstand the banter and to create some empathy with Granger and his crew. He had his doubts, sensing a day of reckoning.