Isaiah

Chapter 1: Welcome home

Ryan walks through the empty corridors of his HDB flat at 11 into the night. With some of his neighbor’s TV sets flickering glaring blue light against white walls of their living rooms. It’s as if life to an average Singaporean was a constant spontaneous living room, with a TV set, just glimmering far off reflections of a world of excitement and wonder, while the light reflects off empty walls of boredom and safety.

Ryan was reminded of how he wished to live his life. Not on the edge, but not off the sharp ends either. A life with danger, but not to purposefully seek it out and smile at death right in front of his face, Ryan did not consider death to be his cup of tea when it came to smiling at it while death, who would be armed to the teeth anyway, was ready to rip him to shreds.

He had just graduated from his academy of S.W.A.T operations and was just became certified S.W.A.T officer. Ryan’s last name is Kendricks, he is an “ABC” and otherwise known as an “American Born Chinese” not much was known about his parents when came to Singapore and stayed with his aunt, on his father’s side. Why? They’re questions which remain untouched by everyone he talks to.

Although his face poses as one Singaporean, some of his features are distinctly American, like his height, he has black hair with some blonde here and there, has the body mass of a skinny person but has muscles which aren’t obvious, and his height was slightly over the average Singaporean, about 1.9m high.

He walks to his flat, the one in the corner of the block; he pushes in the key with a bit of hesitation and opens the door to be welcomed home by a neat, tidy, artistic room with a Zen style; roughly a trace of wealth out lined the furniture, walls and decorative items. The flat was around 30m in length, and 25m in breath, with 5 rooms each with its own function; the bed room, the kitchen, the activity room, the laundry room and the toilet; all of them connected to one main hall way which leads to the door. Greeted by a wonderful smelling dinner with a fly net above the food, protecting his dinner and a note at the base of the net, it read:

“Hey Ryan! Thought I might drop by your house at around 11 before you got back to deliver your dinner! Heh, you should really learn how to take care of yourself and learn to cook! Take some courses from me! I’m ALWAYS free on weekends and I’m charging a Kiss a day!
Lots of Love, Tiffany”

“She is just the perfect girl!” went through Ryan’s mind as he read the note. Ryan and Tiffany had been together since their schooling days, later secondary school, then on to the same Junior Collage.

Tiffany managed to get into a University and is now an undergraduate; Ryan would help her during the week ends to finish up her projects; giving ideas, explaining some things to her when she developed a headache from just thinking about them. In return Tiffany comes down to his place on weekdays to deliver her home cooked food to him, usually just before he gets back; Its become a routine after about 4 years, after they graduated. So frankly speaking, Ryan and Tiffany are now 22 years old, still quite young.

Weird some might call them, or maybe an odd couple, they hardly go on dates, they hardly have any physical contact with each other, they practically never see each other more than 2 times a week, weekends, they practically don’t even call each other to talk about things, yet they stick to each other like super glue. Really a wonder of what goes on between them.

Ryan throws his backpack down onto his sleek black couch and goes into the kitchen to get a cup of water for his dinner; then eats it. “Scrumptious meal... And her mom taught her to cook? I should really meet her! Wonder why I haven’t met her before…” Boiled chicken soup, rice, long beans and a secret ingredient Tiffany calls Love.



Chapter 2: Welcome to your first day at S.S.W.A.T

Ryan’s alarm blasted the living daylights out of himself; he designed it perfectly for that aim in mind… To give him a ‘running’ start to his day. Its 6am and it’s almost time for breakfast, he keeps his hygiene in check, and gets dressed, grabs a slice of bread and starts his day quickly. Today is going to be his first day of school for him.

He arrives at work early, at S.S.W.A.T, which means, Singapore Special Weapons and Tactics. For the benefit of those who don’t know who these people are, they are the people who play the role of cavalry if things should go bad and the Army’s commandos are not suitable for the situation given; like hostage rescues, terrorist bombings, assassination attempts, the list goes on.

“There we are! New guy! Over here!”

Exclaimed a man waving to Ryan. Distinctly Chinese, as most other Singaporeans are.

“Starting your first day early eh? Oh, take it easy, we don’t get many calls anyway, this is Singapore! Only action we get is deadly paper work and filing in fines."

The man continued, having his voice die down to a whisper at the end, bending over to Ryan's ear

”Let’s save the Friday nights shall we?”

Straightening out his posture again as he continued

“Name is Daryl, Daryl Yew; I’m your second in command, nice to meet you!”

Daryl held out his hand for a hand shake.
Ryan remained speechless for a moment, and stared at Daryl’s hand. Then shook his hand and said,

“Ryan Kendricks, Nice to meet you, I’ll be your sharp shooter.”

Daryl made a slight laugh of acknowledgement and said

“I can tell!”

And gave Ryan a slap on the back and pushed him into the HQ.

“Let me introduce you to the team, they're all early birds too!”

Pointing to each individual at their desks Daryl went,

“First off, let me introduce to you my personal favorite!"

Approaching his desk

"Isaiah Coulden, he is also a foreigner from America, like you, but he the more talkative type. Talking about a thousand words of pure crap, he boosts the spirits of the rest of the team, well, just before they enter a high risk situation! One good fellow with Buns of steel, whoa, you should see the number of girls after his number on our Friday night out!”

Isaiah just looks up for a moment, smiles and goes back to the task at hand.

“Second, Fidarham, our squad joker… You’ll see what I mean soon enough.”

Fidarham waves and gives half a smile.

“Third, is Benjamin “old-timer” Goh. He has been here since the racial riots back in 67! Well, he signed up when he was 17 so you can guess how old he is.”

Benjamin gives a smirk and goes back to his paperwork.

“Forth is Kenneth Fong, he is the engineer on our squad, in charge of electronics and other crap that we can’t bother to figure out ourselves…”

Kenneth just does his paperwork and does not even bother to look up.

“Fifth is Ethan Sim, he is the demolitions expert. If you lost your key and decided that your local locksmith isn't exactly the most 'approachable' thing to do... Remember to borrow a few pieces of C4 from the store room...”

Sim gave a smile coupled with a nod of approval

“Sixth is our Squad Chio Bu, Denise Deborah “Debby” Sieow. Don’t ask why she has so many names, and *don't* ask her age, she'll kill you... Well, Friday nights, Friday nights…”

Deborah gives him a typical smile.

“Next is Neil “Mario” Loh, he is our weapons specialist. Was a really dumb idiot back in school but he kicks ass with a rifle. Right Neil?”

"Oh shut up!" Neil replies with a buzz of extreme irritation

“And the last person is our team leader, Michael Soon; he is the one in the office, our boss.”

Ryan walks to the door with Daryl and knocks on it. And a shout greets him.

"Come on in! And bring the team with you while your at it!"

Everyone hurries over to the office knowing they'll get an intro from Ryan. Ryan opens the door and everyone enters... Daryl exclaims

“Okay, your turn! Who are you?”

Ryan clears his throat and straightens his back in confidence

“My name is Ryan Kendriks, I come from America, and I just graduated from the Academy. I’ve been approved as a sharp shooter and I’ll be the ninth member of your squad.”

Everyone gives a warm welcome to the squad, and Daryl asks everyone

“Okay right, any questions?"

Isaiah raises his hand like a school boy answering a question

"I've got one, who was the first President of Singapore!? Answer me that one and you get yourself a fifty and a kiss!"

Everyone stares at him... Speechless. Then Michael breaks the awkward silence and the deadly joke

“Alright, enough fun, get back to work… Its Friday... Let us learn about our new friend tonight shall we? Ryan, care to join us on our Friday night out?”



Chapter 3: Tonight, Friday night, Hell of a night.

  Everyone works diligently till about 7pm, filling in paper work, verifying traffic fines, police reports of some neighbor’s dog of barking too loud... All paper work of that nature, like any other day. Till 7, where work ends and everyone begins packing their bags with their articles and talks all about what they're going to do when they meet everyone at 8.

Being the 8 o'clock issue at hand, Isaiah then strikes conversation with Ryan.
“Feels weird don’t it? Everyone has something to talk about while you have no idea what to say, or when exactly to join in… Yeah, we’ve all been there, excluding “old-timer”, besides that old fossil who has been in the Defense before we were born... We were all once new guys, or gals for that matter. Come on, go on home and get changed! I’ll buy you a drink!”

“Sure thing Isaiah, anyway, I don’t really talk much, so would you mind helping me along?”

“Hey, that’s what friends do don’t they? Oh and call me Isah, shorter, easier, better.”

Ryan went home, got changed, and gave Tiffany a call.

“Hey Tiff, it turned out great! I'm as welcomed there as a lost son to his family!”

A smile was on his face the minute Tiffany picked up his call.

“That’s great Hun! Listen, I’ve been wondering about dinner, you want anything special?”

“No... Sorry Tiff but the guys have invited me out and apparently I’m off to a place called District 7, somewhere in the Clare Quay area... Not free to join us are you?”
“Nahh I’m fine, got a project I’d like to finish by tonight”

Tiffany’s voice remained happy through out, nothing able to affect her mood; reminding him of her constant smile which always brightened Ryan’s day. As she continued.

“Awww it’s ok, I was just thinking of making you something special tonight, next week then? Oh and by the way! You coming over tonight? After your party that is…”

“Yup, I’d love to, and I’d hate to break my routine!”

“See you later dear.”

That conversation went well… Now I guess I’d better head over there and not be late, have to make a good impression on myself. Oh knock it off Ryan, just do what you normally do and you’ll be fine.
Be early.

After catching a cab to his destination, District 7, Ryan met each of them as they arrived in cabs. Ryan chose to wear a stylish combination of a white flamed black shirt and a thin white shirt with tribal patterns on them.

“Hello there handsome, looking good!”

Said Isaiah in the most girly seductive voice one could make!

“EEEEeeewwwww”

Deborah said in complete disgust, turning to Ryan and smiling coyly.

When everyone arrived, they went into the place, filled with artificial smoke, booming with life and with loud music just jamming itself between every nook and cranny in the club.

“Welcome to district 7!”
Shouted Michael at the top of his lungs, having his voice drowned by the music and lights.
He continued as he turned to Ryan.
“I’ve got friends here, so we can come in here without the need of the bouncer stops and money! We've got our own room here you see? Exclusively for us; the Off-duty Police officers!”

Daryl pulls open a door to a private room of the club. Almost sound proof and it had the makings of a sound proof Private Karaoke Room, like a KTV lounge.

  With that, Ryan and his new squad of family members soak into the atmosphere of the club. Relaxing, ordering a few drinks, and talking about the latest idiot who reported about something completely out of relevance to police officers or Law Enforcement for that matter; BUT managed to earn some sympathy of a desk-job officer. Also about the Unlucky guy who has got to go clean up whatever the mess in the society of Singapore had in store him... Time flew like an unwanted roach out the window, and as the squad members would always say on Saturday Mornings "2AM ALREADY!!??”

The rest of Ryan's new family went out and waited at a pickup point for taxis. Each before departing from outside of District 7, bidding each other farewell and such, mostly stressing the point:

"We'll see you on Monday, won't we Ryan?" with a smile and a hearty laugh, they'd leave one by one; pointing out the fact that they indeed had enjoyed Ryan's company.

"Hey Ryan, had fun tonight? Good one about that Chinese guy who totally whooped the ass of that American guy down at Pungol park... Guy must have really suffered a bruised ego..."

Isaiah questioned in the tone of an answer as he opened the door to his cab.

"See you at work on Monday, eh?"

He extended his hand out from the cab for a handshake

"Yeah, see ya buddy"

Ryan shook his hand and Isaiah shut the door to the cab

Deborah and Ryan were the last of the squad to depart. Deborah then turned to Ryan and asked beaming a smile

"Hey, not in a rush anywhere are you?"
"Guess not, why? Want to take a walk for awhile?"
Ryan returning the smile, and gestured for a 'move-along'

Deborah then took lead, standing at Ryan's right, guiding him down to the river side.

"This will take about an hour if you don't mind, I'll take you down to Marina Bay, there’s something I'd like to show you."

Beaming at Ryan, and Ryan beaming back and nodding in glee, and begins a conversation about life.

  After about a half-hour of walking and chatting about life and its experiences, they had walked down from Clarke Quay along the Singapore River and down into Marina Bay. Deborah then turns to the beautiful view out into the bay and verbally prompts Ryan to do so too.

  The scenery was fantastic, Ryan didn't go down to the city much, let alone to Marina Bay or the Esplanade at night, but it was a sight to remember and to savor while the moment lasted. The water like black velvet reflecting the city lights off the High-rise blocks of marble and the Esplanade; All neatly painted by lights of gold and orange... Like an inviting warm fire on a cool early spring's morning.

Not like Deborah would've experienced such, being in the Hot Sunny weather of Singapore for her entire life

  Ryan leaned of the edge of the railing and supported his head with the safety railing, in awe of the view... He'd never seen such a view since... Since... Ryan didn't remember the last time he saw the city and the sea meeting in such a display of light. He lived no where near the sea back in the Colorado Rockies. Then after about a minute of silence and awe, Ryan broke the sound of waves crashing against the wave breakers in the Bay.

"It’s beautiful..."

And he lifted his head back onto his neck and stretched it rather much.
"Geez, I'm not even half as feminine as 'Fid' but that’s all I can say about the sight, heh, it took my breath away"

He then turned to Deborah and smiled.

"Don't mean to jump to conclusions, but why exactly did you bring me here for?"
Deborah turns to him with her eyes staring into his, making Ryan feel slightly uneasy... The only one who'd done the same to him, whom he allowed, was Tiffany. Ryan shunned his eyes looking straight foreword into the glimmering water, defensively.

"Whats wrong?"

Deborah questioned, a bit puzzled with the way Ryan was behaving...

Did I read a few signals wrong? Or am I mistaken?

"Uhmm, Debbie? I never told you I'm with someone did I?"
Ryan's tone was concerned somewhat, as if he wanted to protect her from what he was saying.

Deborah froze, in shock or terror; in knowledge of what she had just done.

"No... I'm sorry.... I didn't mean to intrude..."

Ryan broke her off with a smile and a small laugh

"You’re reacting to this much better than I thought! It’s alright, my bad, my bad!"
Looking down and scrunching his face into a small mash of facial expressions.
Deborah's tension suddenly, almost magically disappeared into the cool night air.

"Let’s get a cab shall we? Or 2 cabs, since I'm living in the North"

She closed with a smile.

They both got to the cab stand nearby the Esplanade, across the road from it actually at Marine Parade. There Ryan offered the first cab off to Deborah, who was rather tired at almost 3AM in the morning.

"Be seeing you at work on Monday; No?"

Deborah asked, as if it were tradition

"Definitely"

Ryan replied with a cheerful smile, and sent her on her way.

  Ryan then headed over to Tiffany's place, where he'd go almost every weekend to spend the night. Her father didn't quite mind, because he knew the type of person Ryan was, he'd seemed to had met with someone like him before it'd seem. Ryan had the keys to her door and a key to her guest room; she gave them to him after their 4rth year Together Anniversary. (One of the menacing things was about Tiffany's guest room, Ryan had no idea why she had one in her Flat, and neither did he know why she had bought a 3 room flat when she only needed 1... "Don't matter" as he'd usually say)



Chapter 3: Breakfast at Tiffany’s

  Ryan crept into the neat, 3 roomed flat in the dead of night... Slipping quietly around the furniture and into Tiffany’s guest room, which he unlocked with his key; He didn't plan on waking Tiffany. Ryan found the guest bed, next to which was a hi-fi system displaying the time in glowing luminous teal: 4.17 and with each passing second it seemed to grow dimmer and dimmer until darkness took Ryan out from the world of the waking.

  He later awoke a few minutes to the sound of someone breathing softly next to his ear. He rubbed his eyes and opened them and found Tiffany lying next to him, asleep.  If he was right, she was prettier than the last time she saw her, straight black hair about shoulder length, quite a small bust but that didn’t matter to Ryan, average waist… But her face was a face with such dreamy eyes that could catch the heart of any unsuspecting guy in a 2 feet radius.
Sweetly he whispered her name into his girlfriend’s ear.

“Tiffany… Tiffany…”

She moaned and stretched a little, saying in a sleepy voice.
“You’re late…”

Brushing her black hair, Ryan went
“Sorry Tiff, I didn't mean to make you worried...”

Tiffany’s eyes softened and became a bit dreamy and she whispered.
“I wasn't, I was just a bit alone... Anyway, that doesn't matter now… Ryan?”

And she waited for his response before she continued. Ryan did a vocal
“Yeah?”

“I love you. Always have, since the moment we met…”

Ryan looked into her eyes, in all sincerity he was trying to show her; he kissed her ever so gently on her lips and whispered in return.
“I love you too. Always have. Always will.”

Tiffany then closed her eyes and snuggled close to Ryan's chest, and whispered
"Hold me"

They cuddled on that bed, just cuddling, holding each other. Both of them falling asleep after awhile, Ryan had quite a long night and Tiffany didn't really want to get out of bed either. As daylight broke through the curtains to illuminate her guest room she got up and took a look at the time: 9.20

She then cheerfully made an announcement to arouse Ryan out of bed
“Breakfast at Tiffany's is starting in 15 minutes! Don't want to miss your waffles and home brewed coffee do you?”

---------------------------Unedited area... Do not cross Dotted line--------------------------

Chapter 4: A break in the routine
  
  Same routine, Target practice on Tuesday nights, Night out of Friday nights, wonderful weekends at Tiffany’s, still helping with her homework. So nothing much changed in terms of routine.

  2 months later, not much has changed, only the way Denise and Ryan looked at each other, friends of course. Ryan’s social life with his new squad mates have gotten much better, and now he and Tiffany had been considering marriage in their relationship. Mostly likely after she had graduated and got a steady job of her own. Not much has changed. But today, there will be a break in routine. Everything will change.

It is Monday, Ryan got up at 5am, just so he has lots of spare time to think about life as he’d been doing for a few weeks already. Today, he won’t regret he woke up early. He did his morning routine, brushed his teeth, washed his face, ECT.
  9am, the sun was shining through the window and Ryan was bathing. With his ever present dog tags on. He thought,

“Life, little wonder why we all ended up where we are now. Dad was a drunk, mom was a slut. Why me? Why am I the only one with a disturbed childhood? I’ve never seen anyone else with a similar past. Tiffany? She understands. She is the only who has ever understood anything I told her about a disturbed childhood; maybe she had a same childhood? Maybe that is why she doesn’t talk about her mom? Maybe…”

As he was thinking, the phone rang. Thinking it was Tiffany Ryan got out of the shower and picked up the phone.

“Hey Ex-Rookie, we got ourselves a situation! We need you down at the station ASAP!”

“Damn it! Things were going so well!” he decided to give Tiffany a call and inform her what was going on, he rang but she didn’t pick up. So he left a message.

“Sweetie? I got to roll, something is up for me, Fid just told me that we got ourselves a situation, I love you baby. Always did, always will.”

  He got dressed and moved down to the station, with worry on his mind, which was the only problem he had, worry. He was worrying about almost anything which was about to happen, “Was he going to come back? Was he going to be in one piece when he gets back?” The works.
  He got off the public bus after it had come to his stop; these were the longest and hardest steps he ever took. There was like time paused for those split seconds as he stepped off. Like he was passing the point of no return, that imaginary point that reflects every decision that the person has made in his life. Every choice that man has made reflects on this moment. This is what those choices have made him today. He walked into the briefing room.

  “Glad you could join us Ryan, okay let’s begin.”

  There stood Michael with his uniform and tapping on a projector screen.

  “Now, lets begin, at 0850 terrorists stormed the UOB tower, killing several guards and taking hundreds of people hostage in the building, in their offices, they have the whole building locked down and also have explosives planted on the 30th floor, right in the center. Which would bring the whole damn thing down. We got a celebrity on the top floor, where the Chinese restaurant is located, she had been working on a new TV program and had her film crew with her, and they decided to film the locations of what was going on, before they were captured as hostages as well. The terrorists used it as a negotiation tool, but forgot to erase what had been taken 5 minutes earlier, so we got ourselves a stroke of luck.”

  As he went through the situation a map and pictures of the place were being shown on the projector screen.

  “We’ll be deployed right across the Singapore River, near an old bridge. There we will assault the ground floor and check if the elevators are working. From there we will make our way up to the Viewing Gallery, where the bombs are planted, then further up to the restaurant where the hostages are being held, while doing that, we will liberate those already trapped in their offices. Singapore commandos and S.S.W.A.T teams Padang, Sembawang, us Orchard, and Bugis will be taking part in the whole operation. However, we will be going first, sorry guys; we are in the front line.”

  We all left that room, with stricken faces of dead men and women. Those last words were like a death sentence. Isaiah was the only one who could keep a straight face; all other faces were long, including mine. We packed onto the vans and went on a bumpy ride down to the deployment zone. Their heads jump bobbing up and down with the van, although I did not see Fid’s face, whom was driving at the time, I guessed his face was as dead as everyone else’s but Isaiah. We didn’t talk, we were pitiful. Young lives thrown down the meat grinder. At that moment, in the van on the way down to the DZ, Ryan thought about his life, and laughed about it too.

Chapter 5: A past dream, of cold reality

An unknown number of years ago.

  “Shut up Elissa!” His drunken father thundered with hints of alcohol in his voice, slapping his wife, “If you think you can get yourself a better husband somewhere else then you’re welcome to!” His words forming sluggishly from his mouth, before spewing vulgarities like a coke bottle with mentos.

  Elissa, his mother sat sobbing on the couch as his father did a balancing act to his room, swearing as he went. Ryan watched on through a slightly opened door, as his mother began sobbing uncontrollably; tears falling to the floor of his house in the suburbs.

  “Damon, lets meet later tonight, I’ve decided I’m moving out.” She said, just loud enough for Ryan to overhear. She said no more as she walked around the carpeted floor, gathering a few bags. It was the last he was ever to see of her.

9 years ago

  “Stupid boy, why don’t you ever learn?!” His father, drunk as usual lashed out at Ryan, a 13 year old boy. “Why do you always get Fs?!” He hit Ryan in the face, throwing Ryan to the floor.

He stayed silent, staring at his father with grimace as he would whenever he hit him, as his father did his usual sprouting of vulgarities and a balancing act to his room.

8 years ago

  “Sir, we caught your son shop lifting.” A police officer said, standing at the door as Ryan walked in, going to the fridge for a glass of water, the biting cold of winter stinging his fingers as he picked a glass up

  “What!? I’ll have a word with him…” His father, wandering the house with a beer bottle in his hands, drinking as he went, heading towards the kitchen as the police officers left abruptly.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing Ryan?” He said, turning the bottle loose pouring its contents into his mouth, drinking it down.

  “It’s not like you give me an allowance.” He said, gulping down a glass of water and as quickly refilled it.

  “So it’s my fault?” Raising his voice, almost as if Ryan challenged him to an argument, this wasn’t far from his intentions. Through the years of living alone with his father who somehow managed a job to pay for the house, he was getting used to him, and was on the verge of challenging him.

  “Its not? You’re the reason why mom left, and you’re the reason why I can’t be freaking bothered to study.” Ryan turned, almost eyeing him offensively

  “You have some nerve!” His father threw a clumsy punch; Ryan dodged it easily and smashed his own father in the face.

  His father’s eyes reeled with shock, he had always done the hitting and being hit himself was a shocking revelation that his once iron grip of Ryan had loosened.

  Weeks later, neither of them talked and slowly his father stopped coming home altogether. Not that it mattered to Ryan.

7.75 years ago

    “I’m taking you to Singapore with me since you’re father disappeared, no point having you stay at home by yourself.” His aunt said, sitting down in the living room.

  Ryan had continued to go to school, often getting into fights, and winning. Once the school had realized his father had gone missing, they immediately called for the next of kin to take custody of him, his aunt.

  “I’m fine staying right here.” Ryan said the house in a mess.

  “I’m not, I’m leaving the states and it’s a law that you’re coming with me… I’ll tell you what, I mortgage the house, sell you’re parents stuff and convert it all to Singapore Dollars and put it in your account if you come with me.” His aunt negotiated, knowing how little money Ryan had, and knew the supplies in the house were running short.

  “Free for me to spend?” Ryan took interest, it would be the first money he had full control of for the first time in his life.

  “Once you’re 18, till then it’ll multiply a in a bank.” His aunt stated, hitting home.

  “Deal.”

3 years ago

  “Blessed father we pray to you to guide the soul of our dear sister Wendy Kendricks. A caring and well educated wife and aunt.” The funeral was held in a solemn chapel, the white walls stained with gloom towered over the priest making the funeral prayer.

  “Aunt Wendy, you’ve gave me a chance to start a new. Bringing me here.” Tears ran down Ryan’s face, as Tiffany put her hand on his shoulder giving it a comforting squeeze.

  “You brought me to the love of my life.” Tiffany said solemnly, half in prayer. As they stood, looking at her lifeless body asleep in a case of glass and wood.

  “I swear, I will be the best in what I do.” Ryan swore, walking back to his seat, that oath would lead him to scoring relatively high for his weapon’s proficiency and urban combat tests in the police academy.

  Tiffany taking a last look to the closest person to be a mother to Ryan and swore something herself.

  “I swear I’ll take care of Ryan.”