Part 5 (2/2)
”How in h.e.l.l do you know what I'm thinking about,” Tyler threw at him. ”You're a real b.a.s.t.a.r.d. I didn't get any sleep at all last night.”
”That's funny,” he grinned. ”I slept like a baby.” He picked up the keys to the handcuffs and threw them on the bed. ”There you go.”
”Very funny,” Tyler scowled, eyeing the key. ”You're a real laugh riot, aren't you?”
Bryce chuckled. ”Well I considered a life as a comedian at one time but unfortunately, my life was mapped out for me.”
Tyler eyed him. ”Please, Commander, Sir,” he sneered, ”undo these cuffs. I have to p.i.s.s.”
Bryce came over and picked up the key. He slipped the key into the lock and undid the cuffs.
Tyler let out a sigh of contentment as he lowered his arms and rubbed his wrists.
Bryce moved away from the bed. ”Go do what you have to do in the bathroom. I'm going to get dressed.”
”Then what?” Tyler eyed him.
”Then you're coming with me to the Sky Station.”
Tyler got out of bed. He yawned. ”I'm not exactly dressed for duty,” he told him mawkishly, indicating his skin-tight pants.
”Don't worry,” the Commander told him. ”I'll find you something appropriate to wear.” He smirked.
Tyler disappeared into the bathroom.
Bryce put on his clothes, then sat in the chair and waited for him to come out.
When he emerged from the bathroom, he threw his s.h.i.+rt at him. ”Come on, let's go,” he barked.
A few minutes later, they were in the police vehicle heading for the sky patrol station.
”I get one phone call,” Tyler pointed out as they landed on the roof of the police facility.
Bryce pulled him out of the vehicle and clamped a hand on his shoulder. ”Right, whatever, come on,” he propelled him through the door and onto the elevator.
This was the first time he had ever been here. He hoped it would be the last. The open gla.s.s elevator glided down eighteen floors where various divisions of Sky Patrol operated. Tyler gazed absently out at the uniformed men and women who were slumped over desks or answering phones, or scurrying around the open carpeted s.p.a.ces.
”So people actually work in these places,” he muttered as the elevator announced, ”Command Floor,” and came to a stop.
Bryce stepped out, pulling Tyler with him.
”You can stop manhandling me now,” Tyler told him. ”It's not turning me on anymore.”
”Come on,” Bryce growled, hauling him down the hallway to his office.
Several officers walked past them, nodding at the Commander but no one said anything. They knew that he was Jack Rose's grandson, and that he wouldn't be here long.
In the office, Bryce closed the door and Tyler fell into a chair. ”My phone call now,” he said.
”Be my guest,” Bryce told him, pa.s.sing him the phone.
”May I have some privacy please?” He raised his gaze to him.
”Certainly,” Bryce replied, standing up and opening a cupboard to the left of his desk. ”And when you're finished, put these on,” he instructed, throwing him a pair of standard issue incarceration pants and s.h.i.+rt in basic tan.
Tyler held up the pants and s.h.i.+rt and studied them. ”You got to kidding. I wouldn't be caught dead in these. What if someone saw me?”
”I don't give a flying f.u.c.k,” Commander Donavan replied flippantly. ”You have five minutes.” He indicated the phone with his head and left the office.
Tyler called home. Ethan answered, his grandfather's personal a.s.sistant, which was great because Ethan would do anything to get his attention.
”Ethan, just the person I wanted to speak to,” he said, giving him his most charming smile.
”Tyler, Tyler, how are you?”
”Right now, not too good. I am in need of someone as intelligent and resourceful as you at this moment.”
Ethan flushed.
”You need to let my mother and my grandfather know that I'm being treated like a common criminal. I'm in the sky patrol station, being brutally manhandled by a Commander Donavan.”
”Oh my, are you alright?”
”I'm extremely distressed, Ethan.”
”Don't worry, Tyler. I will take care of it right away. Hold on,” he said.
A few seconds later, his mother appeared on the phone. ”Tyler,” she looked worried, ”my G.o.d. Your grandfather is contacting the Commander as we speak. This is outrageous. We're sending the driver to bring you home.”
”Thank you, Mother.” He lowered his head, pretending to sniff.
”Don't worry, son. Just hold on. I'm coming with the driver. I want to see this Commander face to face.”
Tyler wanted to laugh. He couldn't wait to see that. He said goodbye and placed the phone back on the desk.
When his personal phone rang, Bryce wasn't too surprised. It was Jack Rose himself who appeared in front of him. ”Mr. Rose,” he said. ”What can I do for you?”
”You can tell me why my grandson is in the Sky Patrol Station with a bunch of criminals?
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