Do Better

Marina O'Hara/28/Detective

[marinaxohara]

Cover Story | Mariana & Roxy

@roxy--torres / @ivanabaqero Mariana strolled inside the diner behind Roxy, glancing around at the customers in the diner. She eyed a few of them as walks past a few of them toward a booth  in the back. “Is this okay?” She ask Roxy but before getting her answer, she sits down at the booth. As of right now, the pair are in a small town in Maine. A place that the mob would have no business looking at. Her duty was to protect the young women and keep her alive. To keep her alive enough to testify in court.  Usually it would take a few months to a year until they were able to go to trial. Mostly because often, the witness has to keep moving places to stay safe.

She picks up the menu across from her, looking over it for a few seconds. “Okay, while we have a few moments, we need to go over our cover story.” She looks across the booth at Roxy before continuing. “It’s easier if we have a family connection, like foster sisters or adopted siblings because most people won’t ask questions. But they will be wondering why two sisters are living together.” She chewed on her bottom lip shaking her head. “Also, for us to seem like good citizens in this town, we are going to have to get a jobs or our neighbors will be suspicious.” She told the young women glancing back down at the menu.

[marinaxohara]

roxy--torres:

marinaxohara:

Roxy was aware that she had overreacted. But the girl had a temper that was hard to control. After everything what happened, honestly, she just wanted it to be over. She didn’t know what was happening at the police and how they were proceeding, but she could just hope it would be over soon. Her arms crossed in front of her chest, angry eyes listening to the other woman speak. She frowned, her arms releasing once she realized that she was behaving like a child. She was no child. She was an adult. That’s what she had been telling her family for all these years, just to end up sitting here and spitting words like a twelve-year-old.

A sigh left her parted mouth, eyes closing for a moment as she was re-thinking her options. Of course she knew it would be dangerous to return. She had seen stuff she was not supposed to be seeing. Yeah, the neighbourhood she lived in wasn’t the best, but was it really THAT bad? If her mom knew she would immediately order her back home. 

“Okay.” She finally agreed, after a while. “But I have a few conditions.” A hint of a smile spreading across her features, as she waited for the woman to approve first, before she would continue. “I don’t have to tell anyone the truth. That’s my condition. I’m not eager to have my head chewed off instead of being killed. And you need to help me convince them with a lie. Also — if my family or friends insist on coming to visit, you have to help me convince them not to come. Because if I’m doing this, then I want to know they are safe.” Even if someone was following her around and found her even in this safety program, as long as her loved one’s weren’t harmed, she could take it.

If anybody could describe Mariana, they would never use the word sensitive. And she wouldn't be surprise if nobody ever did. She understand how people will react to the news of being put into a witness protection program. Hell, she even remembers how her mother reacted to the news. But she was never the type to be sensitive unless it was about certain topics. She was more of the type of person that needed to tell people the hard truth no matter what. In this case with Roxy, she wanted to explain in the best way possible. And the only way was fast and yet hard to hear. But it didn’t stop Mariana because she needed to let her witness know the full risk of being apart of the witness protection club.

It took everything that Mariana had to not roll her eyes during Roxy’s speech, it wasn’t anything she never heard before. A witness first thought is about their family and friends before thinking about themselves. She always thought it was funny how people think about others before themselves. But she wouldn't be the one to talk since it's her job to look after and protect others. But still, it was hard having to hear the same speech every time. It was even harder to tell these witness about how their lives will change.

Mariana crosses her arms over her chest as she looks down at Roxy. She was hoping it wouldn't take her years to figure out what she wanted to do. Even though, she wouldn't mind giving her a day to think things over but still, it’s easier when they figure it out in the beginning. She gives her a small smile as she sits back down across from her. She opens her mouth to speak before hearing about her conditions. “Okay, I’m listening.” She told her after a moment. She leans back in the chair as she listens to her conditions. She thinks it's over before speaking. “I will agree with those conditions. The only condition I have is, listen to everything I tell you do. Well, I guess not everything but I think you get what I mean right? If so, it's a deal.” She tells her as she puts her hand out to shake.

[roxy--torres]

She couldn’t believe a single word of what she was being told. And especially how they told it to her. The man across of her acted it off as an easy thing; give up all her life, give up her family, friends, everything she ever knew and go down in some witness program. There were plenty of people who would kill to be at her place right now. But not Roxy. Her life wasn’t too bad. Sure, it wasn’t the easiest but she loved it too much to give up.

His speech that she could barely interfere considering she was speechless was interrupted by another female voice, and with eyes full of disbelief she turned over to the other woman, still wondering if all of that was some very sick stupid joke and if there would be finally someone dragging her out of this trap, that slowly but surely evolved in a nightmare.

“No.” It was the first thing she told the woman opposite her. Not even caring about what she had to tell her about the program. “I don’t care. I’m not… Are you fucking serious? You can’t just do this to people, you know?” Roxy still couldn’t believe the way she was treated. Had she just ran away like she initially planned to and stayed home. Well, but then again she could have been killed that way. Either way, her situation was a fucking disaster. “Right. I get all of that protection thing but why doesn’t it work then I continue to live my poor shabby life and don’t go with you away to some place I will never see anyone of my friends again. Or my family — do you even have any idea what my family will do? Do you really just fucking do this shit here without thinking about any consequences?” Oh yes, there was anger boiling in her veins.

[marinaxohara]

Marina always thought this was the hardest part of the job. Having to speak to someone who is alive and could technically become a victim. For a moment, her mind drifted off to her previous case and the one victim she couldn't save. Her boss was right about one thing, the most difficult cases are the ones that keep someone up all night. She never figured she would be the one having nightmares almost every night because of one case. But it wasn't because of a victim but also because she became close with them and the fact that her partner was killed as well. If Marina didn't want to prove that she has what it takes to protect someone again, she would have never rushed all the way over here. But she figured this would be her only chance to get ahead again.

She always figured it would be hard to tell someone that a loved one died or was killed. But the second hardest thing to tell someone is how they have to pack up everything and move on. Away from their family, friends and loved ones. Yet she knew the feeling of having to move away from everything she loved since her and her mother had to do so when she was a child. The only difference is that she knew the person that her and her mother was running away from. She shook those thoughts from her head as she turned her attention to the young women. Marina sighed as she crosses her arms over her chest listening to the young women speak.

To be honest, she was hoping that she wouldn't put up a fight with the whole witness protection program. But Marina was never a lucky girl and it was a good thing she did not place bets either. After she was finish, she raises a eyebrow at her. “Alright are you done?” After a moment, she continues. “Good because first of all, we are not forcing you to do anything that you don’t want to. If you don’t want to be apart of the program, go home. But if you do, that’s great.” She stands up from the chair across from her before turning to face her. “But let me ask you a question first. Which is better? Calling your family and friends from a safe place with a secure line or you coming home in a body bag?” She tilts her head to the side as she waits for her to speak. “I know neither option sounds good but I would pick the one were I’m alive and safe.”

[roxy--torres]

[ @marinaxohara ]

Tick tock. Tick tock. The noise of the clock in the waiting room was beyond annoying. What made it even worse was, that it was the only noise to be heard. Dark eyes glanced up at the clock on the wall. How long had she been here now? One, two hours? Keeping track of time was really not something Roxy had ever been good at, especially not now, when her mind was completely occupied by different things. Her phone had been taken from her — as if she was the criminal, not the witness. It’s only for your best. — Of course.

What she was supposed to do now, she didn’t know. Roxy knew that what she had seen could get her in trouble, only for the fact that she had been there. The police already shot questions through her like bullets, and she explained every detail she could. The rest of her mind being just a blur.

Now she had been told to wait. As a witness she was now in danger and they couldn’t let her walk home just like that apparently. She was okay with it, thinking that they would only tell her that she needed to be escorted home by police and what not. But the moment the policeman returned back to her, explaining that she was part of a program, was when her confusion grew. 

“—-What?”

[marinaxohara]

Marina should have known better then to answer her phone when she was trying to relax. Then the case would have been handed off to someone else. But her bos told her that she would want to take care of this case. Yeah right. She thought to herself as she was driving to the station. She had not been wanting take on any new cases but she knew she had to take on this one. If her and her boss was right, this case would be connected to a old case of hers. And that left a gut wrenching feeling take over her.

As soon as she arrived to the station, she went to go see her boss. “Are you sure the two cases are connected?” She asked as soon as she walked into his office. His silences was enough of a answer for her. This means that it was the same gang that went after her partner and her last witness she had to take care of. She sighed as she turned around before going to find the witness. She sees her sitting in a chair and talking to a police officer. “Barnes, you can go now. I got her.”

She sat down on the desk in front of the girl once the police officer left.. “I’m guessing they just told you about the witness protection program huh?” She ask her before adding, “Look, I know it sounds scary and all confusing but this is the best thing for you right now. Because if you go home, that gang will find a way to kill you and I don’t think you want that at all.” Marina never been good at being gentle with the witnesses, she rather they know the truth instead of sugarcoating it for them. “I’m Marina, and I’m the detective assigned to protect you.”