The Balancer of Scales

The next morning when Sam awoke, the first thing she did was try to flex her hand. Despite her effort, the fingers and thumb barely moved.

She went on through her day as if sleepwalking, barely cognizant of her actions between awakening and sitting before Captain Hoskins's desk.

"I'm sorry about Brewin," Hoskins began. "I considered him a friend."

In a flat, even voice Sam asked "Did you know he was CIA?"

"I suspected," Hoskins answered. "He never talked about his past. I never pressed."

When Hoskins declined to say more, Sam simply stared at him, waiting. "I also talked to Barnes, the captain said. "This whole thing, you and that Elias guy, a suspect… it's a mess. You have to understand that. It's been all I could do to keep Internal Affairs out of it."

Sam knew what was coming. She wondered vaguely how many punches life was going to throw at her; how many more times she would get knocked down and have to fight her way back up again.

"You're suspended, Sam."