On third street on Saturday night there was loud music and hooting and hollering coming from the Lancaster house. Sharon Lancaster was away and it seemed one of both of her sons was having a summer rager. A few of the neighbours groaned but so far it sounded harmless, just annoying if it went too late with noise.
Nolan Lancaster sets out a bowl full of what amounts to single serve bags of chips and fun sized candy bars. His brother can be an irresponsible fucktard, but he would, at least, keep the party as safe as he possibly could. When Brett asked him to cook chicken wings, Nolan turned him down flat. Chips would have to do. The guests have been arriving, the music was loud enough that Nolan could feel it and he was properly miserable. He was hardly dressed to impress in dead simple jeans and black tshirt. He set down a tower of red Solo cups beside the coolers that Alex and Deke had brought from the mainland with the help of Chris and Trent. One was filled with soda and the other with cheap beer.
Maddox Brown and Justin Stevens were as close to the beer as possible. As Maddox chugged, Justin cheered him on “Mad Dog! Mad Dog! Mad Dog!” They were Alexandra’s quintessential meathead jock pals.
In the corner opposite them, Fernanda and Laia Negron were sort of huddled together watching the jocks with complete disdain. Someone walked by and handed Laia a beer and Fernanda snatched it from her little sister’s hand and started to drink it herself. Laia looked momentarily annoyed and then just shrugged. Both girls were striking young women with long dark hair and dark eyes. Fernanda was a little curvier and shorter than her taller younger sister. They had been out for an evening walk together when Brett and his friends had invited them in.
Brooke Martin sauntered up to Brett’s front door in a red cropped tank top and daisy duke jean shorts that were ripped in the ass and barely left anything to the imagination. He dyed blonde hair was cascading around her well made up face emphasized by her red lipstick to match the tank. She was unabashedly carrying a bottle of Jack Daniels whisky which she would have moved as needed on her walk from the bottoms as she passed places like the cop shop so it wasn’t flashing them. She had a pair of old black flip flops on her feet but her tanned toes sported fresh red nailpolish. She was quite evenly tanned all over. She assumed a cutely pouty stance and rang the doorbell.
At the Perkatory Elise had just gotten her evening coffee and was beaming at Gen “Every good girls night begins with caffeine! But I bought all the stuff to make sushi tonight and we are so watching The Cabin in the Woods!” She gives a little squeal “Thank Buni, you rock as always.” She was wearing a black Calgary Flames t shirt a little oversized over capri style leggings and a little comfy black skirt. She had her usual grey black toque over her long dark flowing hair and on her feet she had slip on sneakers that were black and sort of meshy fabric,
Meanwhile in the backyards across the street Sasha kicked a ball back to Stone and Dante and then ended up walking over to their yard to talk to Dante by the trampoline as Lydia called in the younger kids for bedtime. Dante had heard and seen the beginnings of the party at Brett’s and been intentionally avoiding the front yard and any visual contact.
Nolan was watching the guests and had even introduced himself to the Negron sisters. They seemed happy enough so, when the doorbell rang, he went to get it and found Brooke Martin and a bottle of Jack. Behind her pulled up a dark blue van from which emerged three more teens, all of who he remembered from Brett’s life in Vancouver. Trisha, Alvera and Zola were all friends of Brett’s and were roughly as pure of heart. Seeing them made Nolan’s heart sink a little bit. He invited them all in, because he knew they’d enter invitation or no and sighed when the girls opened the van and took out a large box with even more alcohol in it. He found himself looking up and down the street before he closed the door. With luck these were the last of the guests … and what a bunch of guests they had.
Gen was wearing a Breaking Benjamin tshirt with casual jeans and slip on sneakers on her feet. She took her coffee and grinned. “Movie night here we come!” she has her coffee in hand and nods her own approval at Buni. “I’m sorry for neglecting you, Elise. I haven’t meant it.” she held up a hand. “I know you didn’t say that. Dante suggested it and now that he is working we’re spending less time together. Still strong, so I’m really happy about that. I just wanted you to know you’re still my bestie.” she hugs her arm if allowed.
Elise gives Gen and understanding look “Oh I’ll forgive you…” She chimes and snuggles into the arm hug “You’re in love and I have to say as far as boyfriends go, Dante’s a good one. So I’m happy for you. And if he’s suggesting girls nights I like him even more now. Let’s do this.” And she will steer and lead the way out. She’s hamming it up with a little dance as they hit the street and almost smacks she and Gen into two people walking and holding hands, a black man Elise recognizes as one of the cops from around town and a white woman with short dark hair who appears to be his lady. “Oh my god I’m so sorry!” Elise gasps. They wave it off and smile and keep walking. Elise bursts into giggles about half a block away “Do NOT leave me unsupervised Gen….holy shit….”
Brooke held out her bottle at Nolan “Shots?” She gave his cheek a little playful smack if she could “You’re cute Nolan, have a drink with me.” She didn’t wait for an answer as three more girls came in behind her and she had to move. But she made a beeline for the jocks in the corner still chugging beer “Calling Doctor Jack...calling Doctor Jack Daniels. Maddog, Justin….” She unscrews her bottle and takes a swig “I don’t see any shot glasses so we’ll just make do.” She passes the bottle and Maddog takes a big swig and lets out a “Woooooooooooooooooo!”
The Negron sisters take a step back from the trio in unison. Fernanda still sips her beer but she’s going slow. At this point Laia has found the pop and is drinking a can of coke and opening a little chocolate bar. They’re speaking in Spanish in hushed tones and looking around as more people show up. This was clearly not really their scene.
Nolan was used to multitasking. He shakes his head at Brooke. “I don’t drink.” he told her and not for the first time. He rolls his eyes at the cheek pat and blows out a breath as Brooke and the rest of the mainland girls head straight for the jocks and start passing the bottle of Jack around. “Guys!” he shouted over the music. “Corona?” he warned them and handed them red Solo cups. They weren’t shot glasses, but this is what they had.
Maddox grabs his Solo cup from Nolan with a cheer. “You have Corona? I love that beer!” and he drinks first from the bottle of Jack and then into the Solo cup before passing it along.
Nolan rolls his eyes. “No you fucking idiot. Coronavirus … remember … pandemic?”
Alvera opens a bottle of whiskey and drinks from it, passing it in the same way Brooke passed the Jack. She cheers. “A Corona party! Hot fucking damn! Brett knows how to do it!”
Zola rolls her eyes. “I need a smoke.” she was the most sensible of the girls and trying to get away from the madness. Her presence here proved she was only partway successful. She grabs two sodas, heads out the front door and parks herself and a brand new pack of cigarettes on the stoop. This, she figured, was the safest place for the designated driver to be. With luck, she wouldn’t have to literally pile in her friends, including the boys in the back of the van because all six of them managed to pass out.
Gen winces and apologizes to Marcus who she knows because Dante does, basically. She laughs with her friend. “You’re like a pinball just bouncing off of people.” she teases as they walk. “So what kind of sushi are you making? Will you teach me how?”
Elise giggles and then pinballs some more just to emphasize Gen’s point before stopping and talking as they walk “California rolls of course….I scored some sushi grade salmon even so we can make what they call Alaska rolls….salmon, avocado, massago...it’s a type of roe...like fish eggs, mayo and a bit of sesame. And of course Avocado and cucumber…..did you really want to talk about sushi or were you just making chit chat?” She jokes “And yes I will teach you. We can even do those inside out rolls.” They finally turn onto 3rd and Eiise points across the street “So you don’t have to walk right by your front window….” She smiles and then sees a blue van in front of a house right by the gardens and hears music “Someone’s having a party.” She shrugs.
Brooke scoffed at all the Corona talk “We don’t even have that here. And we’re young, we’d be fine. My parents don’t even believe in vaccines…..just the government and the docs getting all up in your biz. God Nolan, relax.” She takes another swig of the JD as the bottle comes back to her and then puts an arm around Alvera “You, you are my people. And Maddog and Justin here. Super cute top by the way. I’m Brooke. I just got home yesterday. Went to Kellowna to see my cousin and we found this great party, like an impromptu festival.”
Fernanada nods along with Nolan and his comments about Corona and sharing the bottle. Then she overhears the others and shakes her head “Laia, you don’t touch anything in this house now. You need to pee, we go.” She darts a judgemental look at the anti vaxxer sharing her bottle “Portador de la muerte…(bringer of death)...” She mutters just to her sister. Laia looks nervous and doesn’t finish her little chocolate bar in case the bringer of death breathed near it. She sets it down on a nearby table and wipes her hand on her sundress.
Behind the Alvin house Dante notices the garden hose is still out. Clearly Stone was trying to put the sprinkler on the trampoline again. He sets his phone down on the edge of the back deck in case the hose drips on him and starts to wind it up as he chats with Sasha, both boys laughing and getting to know one another more. The box for the hose was at the side of the house near the front so he’d eventually have to move closer to that party but he wound slowly.
Nolan sighs deeply. He is not the relaxed brother and he knows it. “Jesus…” he rolls his eyes and heads up to his bedroom, where he got one of his masks. He’d hoped he wouldn't have to wear one in his own house, but nothing was happening the way he preferred tonight … starting with this party. Putting the mask on, he seriously considers just staging in his room. He’s served everyone. Brett could take over as the host now. He’d just come down after it was over and start cleaning. That idea made him nod to himself and he went to his door, locking it. Then he opened his laptop and started watching YouTube videos.
Gen listens to the ingredients of the two sushi rolls and shrugs. “A little of both. I’ve never had sushi, so … yea I know .. friendship over. I’ll go get my head examined.” she looks where Elise motions and sees a girl on the steps. “That would be Brett.” she rolls her eyes. “He’sOK, I guess. He and Dante are friends anyway. They haven’t been hanging out as much since he and I got together … maybe I should suggest a boys night for them.”
Elise pretends to faint at the confession of no sushi “What is wrong with rural Manitoba? I mean they don’t have an ocean but couldn’t they make it with...I dunno Goldeye...pickeral,,,that would be boney but god! OK we have to fix this now. Every second restaurant in Banff is sushi.” She calms herself with what looks like is a very put on zen breathing exercise and then nods casually at Brett’s house “Maybe Dante’s at the party? Is he a party guy? That knocks him down a few points honestly…..especially if it’s all about the drinking….bleh…”
Brooke conteines to share her bottle with Alvera and Maddog. Justin laughs along but sticks to beer after all the Corona talk. Then Maddog lights up a joint and the three share that as well.
Fernanda sets down her beer as the smell of pot fills the room and takes Laia by the arm “We need to go before we smell like that or Mama will smack us back to Toronto. This was a bad idea….a very bad idea. Don’t even touch the door handle Laia and we’re showering when we get home.” Fernanada kicks the front door open with her foot and unceremoniously shoves her sister through it to the fresh and safer air. They pass the girl smoking quickly and without a word. Then they walk down the street and cross just before Elise and Gen walking up. Fernanda gives them both a nod and a warning look. “Be safe.” is her only greeting and then they are across the street.
Nolan hears a from his room that sounded like a slamming door. He hoped it was a slamming door. They couldn’t be breaking the furniture. He’d never read of a god cruel enough to do that to him. But there was a lot of hard liquor in the house so … he tosses off a quick prayer, even though he isn’t religious and goes back to YouTube. But then his curiosity gets the better of him and he heads downstairs again and sees Brett with his guests.
Gen watches as the Negron sisters come out of the house. She only really knew them to say hello and goodbye to, but he knew they came from a strict household. “Dante used to be into all of that before we got together.” But she slows as they approach the house. A black girl is on the stoop smoking a cigarette and drinking a can of soda. Maybe it wasn’t so bad. She peers curiously inside of the door, thinking she may have seen Brett.
Elise looks hopeful that Dante’s not a lush now and smiles “We can go say hi….but then sushi ok? I dunno maybe text him?” She casually smiles at the girl smoking on the steps “Hey.”
Brooke both drinks from the bottle and shares the joint like she doesn’t have a care in the world. Maddog is checking her out and she’s noticed. He’s a little younger but well built and cute. She hangs off Alvera now, having adopted her as a fellow party gal and shamelessly flirts with Maddog. Alvera seems amused by it and keeps taking the bottle and the joint. Maddog eats it up and is really eyeing both ladies. Justin slinks off to grab some chips, feeling a little odd manned out.
Gen nods. “Yea. I will. Hold on.” she pulls out her phone and sends him a quick text.
Out front of Brett’s. You in there?
Brett is downstairs as the Negron sisters leaves. Uppity Mexican bitches. But as they vanish he sees exactly who he had hoped to see. And he also sees that stupid hat wearing bitch. Then he spots Nolan and goes to him. “Hey. Elise is here .. she’s that girl from back of the house, right? Go talk to her a minute. I need to talk to Gen for a few minutes.” he drags his brother to the door. “Hey Gen! You showed up! Dante’s upstairs. Come on, I’ll take you to him.” he motions into the house and will lead her right in if she allows. In the house … and up the stairs.
Nolan blinks as Brett tells him Elise was there. She was a partier? How disappointing. But then he realises she is out front of the house and not inside of it. He grabs a soda and a bag of chips and heads out with Brett. “Um … hey Elise.” He offers her the soda and chips. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” he’s a little nervous. She’s really pretty.
Gen looks at Brett, a little surprised. “Oh, cool.” she turns to Elise. “I’ll just say hi and be right back out.” she promises and heads upstairs with Brett. She has no reason not to trust him. The upstairs is no quieter than the down. Music is pumping so hard she can feel it. “Where is he?” she sees four closed doors.
Brett leads her to a far corner door and opens it. Heavy blinds make the room dark. “In here…” he lets her in first, then closes the door carefully, turning the lock.
Gen walks in and stops letting her eyes adjust. She can’t see Dante in the small room. Only he usual bedroom furniture, desk and a mattress on the floor.
Elise notices Brett doesn’t even greet her but starts ferrying Gen away to Dante. How rude. But then she’s greeted by his brother Nolan and he’s offering her chips and a drink. He’s cute btu she’s already regretting suggesting they pop in. “No I’m good thanks. We’re heading to make sushi and I need the whole belly space tonight.” She heads in after Gen and Brett calling up the stairs “Ok just a hello!” She calls hopefully. She knew how mushy those two could be. She ends up in a room filled with pot smoke and drunk people sharing a bottle and her eyes go wide. She looks back for Nolan and points to the mouth sharing trio with their various vices “OK THAT’s a terrible idea!” She fishes in her skirt pocket and pulls on a mask, like Nolan had on. Hers is a Calgary Flames mask to match her team shirt. Then in a pause between songs she hears a door lock upstairs and groans “You have got to be fucking kidding me…” She mutters.
Dante’s phone buzzes on the back deck of the Alvin house with Gen’s text as he and Sasha walk to the side of the house with the wound up hose, still chatting. As is seems like Brett is nowhere to be seen Dante allows himself to step more to the front as Sasha does. There’s a young woman smoking on Brett’s front steps but it seems the party is inside. At one point he sees the back of Nolan.
Sasha is full on midstream in a story about hockey reffing nightmares “And then he gets right in my face yelling at me about the call. I can feel the spittle….pre Covid…” He laughs. “So I just lean forward and blow my whistle…..”
“Right in the guy’s face?” Dante laughs. “Nice…”
Nolan goes in with her and sets the soda and chips down. “Sushi? Really? I used to make Dragon Roll for my mother all the time before we moved here. Is there a place to get all the ingredients here? Where?” He sounds not only like a man who loves sushi but knows how to make it. He motions to the kitchen. “The smoke is probably less hee.” he hears her motter but doesn’t hear every word. “Oh … um … I’m sure they’ll only be aminute.” He hadn’t seen Dante arrive but that didn’t prove anything since he had been busy lecturing idiots on the pandemic.
*****WARNING*****Graphic violent content below. Reader discretion is advised.
The second the door is logned, Brett moves behind Gen. “You know you’re wasting your time with that little spic.” he murmurs in her ear, wasting no time turning her to face him. “You need a real man.” he pushes her in the direction of his bed.
Gen is caught completely off guard by the attack. “What the?” she demands. “Get the fuck off me!” she screams. He is on her and she lashes out to scratch his face if she can.
Brett pins her to the bed and is actually pleased that she is fighting him. Just the way he likes it. He rips at her tshirt and it rips. Then she scratches him and he rears back with a cry of pain.
Gen sees an opportunity to try and escape, crab walking backwards, but Brett is still between she and the door.
Brett growls. “You worthless cunt!” he grabs her leg and pulls her back down. Raising his hand, he backhands her and is on her again, ripping at her bra.
Gen’s head hits the wal and she can feel Brett on her, ripping her bra almost off. Then she feels his hands at her jeans trying to get them off. She screams again, but the music's so loud…
Brett begins to tork on her jeans, even though she is struggling. He grabs her throat with one hand. “Stop the fucking struggling or so melp me I will knock you the fuck out!” He never stops wiking on her jeans and gets ehrm unbuttoned and half down her hips. Then he works to get his own jeans down. Not off .. he probably doesn't have time for that. Unless she likes it … then they can really play.
Elise has a tiny peak of interest at Nolan talking about dragon rolls. Cute boy who spoke sushi. But sushi was what she’d likely be making alone. As he invites her into the kitchen she holds up a hand “I’m sure you’re lovely….but I think I just got ditched and I don’t really do the drinking party scene.” She looks completely miffed and turns and walks back out the front door and then stops suddenly beside the smoking girl and stares across the street. “Dante?!” She yells in confusion. Then she gasps in alarm. Gen went upstairs with that Brett guy...promising her Dante. In fact he couldn't wait to take her up there. Her gut instinct screams at her that her friend might not be ok at all right now. She dashes across the street “Dante! Gen just got duped into going upstairs with that Brett guy…..he told her you were waiting...help me ...help her…”
Dante turns his head and only needs to hear half of it before he’s bolting at top speed across the street with Sasha and Elise on his heels. Dante literally shoves a few people out of his way and it at Brett’s door. He tries it and it’s locked “Gen!!” He screams at the top of his lungs. Then he starts ramming the door with his body weight shoulder first. It takes him a few full body crashes into it and the doorframe actually breaks just as Dante feels something give way between his collarbone and his shoulder. A dizzying amount of pain clouds him as the door opens and he sees Gen struggling and almost naked with Brett coming at her with his pants down. He can’t even think as his rage consumes him. But before he takes one step toward them Sasha flies by.
Sasha runs through the door as it opens and sees what Brett is trying to do to Gen and something snaps in his head. He tries to grab Brett if he can, to shove him back from his sister with one hand as he starts trying to punch him in the face with the other “You fucking asshole….get the hell away from her..” If he gets a few punches in it’s nothing compared to Dante’s reaction once he’s inside the room.
Dante looks at Gen with agony for a moment “I’m sorry..” And then lunches for Brett, knocking Sasha right over as he get to him with the goal to tackle him to the ground and just start wailing on him with his right fist down nonstop anywhere he can punch “I’m gonna fucking kill you!” He yells.
Elise tries to get past Dante, Brett and Sasha to Gen “Oh my god oh my god….Gen…” She sees her friend undressed and grabs a sheet right off the bed to try and wrap around her and console her in any way possible, if that’s even possible.
Nolan realizes in a second what is happening. “You fuck!” he rages and pulls out his phone. By the time he sees Elise, Sasha and Dante running up the stairs, he’s already dialed. Before they vanish up the stairs, he had given his address. “It’s my brother. He’s trying to rape a girl!” he knew his brother far better than he wanted to.
Gen can hear the pounding at the door. “Dante!” she screams, hearing his voice. Then the door is open and she is being covered by Elise and her brother. And then she sees Dante. His left shoulder looks funny and he is sitting on Brett … and hitting him. The sound is very strange.
Brett only redoubled his efforts but he couldn't quite get to the sex when he is tackled and knocked off of Gen. The initial punches hurt but then that guy is thrown off of him and he looks to see Dante straddling him. And then the pain begins.
Rich Newcastle arrived at the scene with Darcy Lynch. He moved through the building and the first thing he saw was Dante Mendoza on some guy and literally punching him over and over with his right fist. He tackles Dante and tries to handcuff him, but Dante doesn’t make it easy.
Dante’s right knuckles are covered in blood, Brett’s blood. He’s not sure how long he’s been pounding Brett but his instinct was to hit him until he felt him stop moving. Brett was trying to rape the woman he loved, for all he knew he had even begun to. Dante couldn’t even think straight. He eventually felt arms pulling at him and tried to get free “Fuck you I’m not done here!” Then his left shoulder got wrenched and he let out a cry of pain and got pulled off of Brett.
Sasha saw and heard what Dante was doing and at first he stood back, letting him. But Dante wanted more than a payback. He wasn’t stopping. Even with his left arm mostly incapacitated from breaking the door down he was a scary hard core fighting machine with his right. As the blood poured out of Brett Sasha got nervous “Dante....Dante he’s down. Stop...” But it was like Dante was in a trance. Then two cops ran in, a woman and a man. The man went to try to restrain Dante. Sasha’s knuckles were bloody too but not like Dante’s. He vaguely heard the woman cop ask him to turn around. She cuffed him while a struggle ensued between Dante and the man. She called for an ambulance and back up.
Darcy was trying to do a risk assessment, her eyes darting around over her standard issue APD face mask. They had a violent altercation between 3 males but had been called on a sexual assault. She could see the young woman victim being comforted by another young woman. The boy she had just cuffed didn’t resist and was quiet. She moved him to one side “ I’ll come back to you.” The young woman wrapped in a sheet was her priority. She had to trust Newcastle with Dante until backup arrived and she was already regretting it. She kneels by the sheet wrapped girl “ Hi I’m Dectective Lynch. I’m here to help. Are you injured?
Sasha turned his head at looked tearfully at his sister now. Was she? It looked like Brett had gotten pretty far.
Despite being in agony, Dante kicked Brett in the ribcage if he could as he was pulled up. Then he too looks at Gen with a broken look on his face.
Elise just holds onto Gen around the sheet and watches it all unfold with a look of horror. She still has her own mask on. She’s forgotten she’s even wearing it in the commotion.
Gen had been looking between Sasha who had pulled Brett off of her to Dante who was beating on Brett like he wanted to kill him. She was shaking and crying and suddenly there was a woman cop asking her if she was alright. “He … he .. he tried…” and she begins to sob. “I didn’t let him. I scratched him.” she looks at Elise. “I thought ….” she she begins to shake her head and looks from Sasha to Dante. “I didn’t let him .. I didn’t .. I didn’t let him.” and she dissolves into sobbing.
Brett is senseless. He felt the pain of the punches. A sharper pain around his jaw. Then nothing. He lay with his eyes closed. Unmoving.
Rich has handcuffed Dante and is pulling the struggling teenager away, but the kid is now trying to kick the limp body on the mattress. It is a chore to get hm downstairs, where he shoves Dante into the car and sees another car arrive.
Sam Wright pulls up in time to see Newcastle shove someone into the patrol car. He hears the car door slam and walks in with Rich. He sweeps his arm around the first floor. “I want every name, address and phone number as well as where everyone was for the last thirty minutes.” he orders, his voice muffled the slightest bit through his mask.
Rich looks ready to go back upstairs. But stops and nods at Sam, who is with Ryan Yamada and stops. “Yes sir.” he replies.
Valentine Roberts jumps out of the ambulance and follows Sam and Ryan into the house, going upstairs. He enters the room and makes assessments immediately. He nods to his partner Tara and points to the female victim. If this was a rape, better she be treated by Tara than he. He moves to the boy on the floor and starts examining him. Already with his mask on, he now puts his gloves on as well. He gets on his radio to the clinic and begins describing the injuries.
Nolan has crept upstairs once Dante was brought down kicking and screaming for his brother's blood. He stood in the doorway until the paramedic and cop came up.
Sam looked at the one young male with no blood on him. “Do you know them?” he demanded.
Nolan closed his eyes and nodded. “I’m the one who called.” he says, his voice shaking. “Brett… my brother ... I didn’t figure out what he was planning until it was too late …”
Felix was sitting in the living room with the television volume up high, trying to drown out the music from across the street. If it went on too long, he would make a call, but it was far too early for that. It was the flashing lights that got his attention and he finally looked out of the window, just in time to see a police officer bringing out a kicking and yelling Dante. He was bloody, which made his heart freeze. “Amelie!” he yelled, even though he wanted to know more, he had made a promise and he was going to keep it. “Amelie, come here.” and he moves to and out of the front door, still in a Frog Follies tshirt and his blue jeans.
Elise starts to cry a bit with Gen, still holding onto her and rocking her friend a bit “It’s ok Gen. He can’t hurt you now.”
Darcy’s voice is soft and compassionate “You’re doing really well. Your name is Jen? Is that short for Jennifer? You still might have some injuries so we’re going to have the paramedics check you over when they get here. But I’ll stay with you and your friend can stay too. Is there anyone else you want us to get a hold of….your parents maybe?” It was a risk question with some kids but the guardians or parents did have to be involved at this age.
Dante was able to hear that Brett didn’t complete the rape but for what he put Gen through he still wanted to finish the guy. He sees Gen crying and stifled a sob watching her. “I’m so sorry Gen. I love you.” He managed to get out before he was hauled off. He had screamed both in anger and agony as the officer got him down the stairs “Brett Lancaster, you’re fucking dead…..you stupid piece of fucking shit….” He groaned as he was twisted and shoved into the cop car “Motherfucker…..you’re breaking my arm off….” And then he was stuck in the back cuffed and in pain just yelling at the cops out the windows “Hey! Hey!” After a while he gave up and just slumped to the side against the seat.
Ryan walks in with his standard APD mask on but his eyes narrow a bit at Newcastle. Wright had given him a directive but Ryan hovers a bit to make sure it’s followed. He also takes note of the party guests who appear to be under age consuming both booze and pot together. It was a lesser concern than the violence in the nature of the call but it would be addressed at some point. “Newcastle, check dates of birth for everyone in the room too.” He looks around steely eyed at the teens. “Get comfy but maybe a bit more social distancing. We’ll be calling some parents.”
Tara sweeps in behind Valentine, gloved and masked and goes right to the young woman who’s being attended to by Darcy. “Hi I’m Tara. What’s your name? I’m here to help you just like the police. Everyone is here for you ok?” She kneels right in front of the young woman, beside Darcy. Tara’s eyes are big and kind. She looks briefly at Darcy and nods and then at the girl’s friend, glad she has support.
As Tara moves in, Darcy backs up a bit to give her more space.
Amelie had just gone to the kitchen to get her and Felix some cold drinks when Felix called her back. There was an annoyingly loud party across the street and they were trying to drown it out with TV. Cath had already gotten fed up and gone to her room with Taffy, a book and her noise cancelling headphones. Now Amelie saw the flashing lights and after a few strides to the window she saw Dante as well “Oh no! What happened to him?” She cared for Dante now. Her only consolation was that Gen was over at Elise’s. “Should we call Gen? Mon dieu…”
Sasha was still off to one side and cuffed. He cried tears of relief when Gen said she fought off Brett, but from the state of her he could only imagine that even if he didn’t complete it, she would still be terrified and traumatized. He had heard Dante yelling down the stairs. As he saw more police arriving he called out to them “I think Dante is hurt and your officer is hurting him more.” It was the least he could do for Dante from where he was. He didn’t know what to do for Gen but she had women around her who were trying to help. Darcy mentioned their parents and he almost answered for Gen but then chose not to. He didn’t know what she needed and assuming might make it all worse.
Gen blows out a breath and then another. :Gen , Genevieve ... Genevieve Beaulieu." she tries to answer the lady cops question. "My ... my parents ..." and she dissolves into tears again. But it's a small town. "My .... My brother..." she looks at Sasha, terrified for him. "They saved me. Sasha and Dante" and she is crying again,leaning into Elise.
Brett remains unconscious. He has a dislocated jaw, a skull fracture, possible bruised or broken rib, broken nose and what is going to be a nasty black eye. All on the left side of his body, as Dante only had his right hand available to him.
Rich nods to Ryan and begins to gather information as the kids begin to spread out. All but two are under the age of 19 and so not old enough to drink without parental consent. Three live on the island, and Rich knows them, but checks them out as if he didn’t. He realizes he may have been a little over enthusiastic with the Mendoza boy and he’s watching himself a bit now. Four other males and three females are all from Vancouver.
Zola moves away from the others. “I’m the designated driver.” she announces. So once we’re released I will be driving us all home.” she slowly produces her identification, which gives her age at 19.
Sam looks at Sasha. “We’ll get both of you to the clinic.” he tells him, noting Sasha’s hands. He looks at Darcy. “I’m going to put him in the car with Dante and take them to the clinic. I’ll tell the docs to send the other ambulance and call Lydia and Dr Beaulieu ... If I even have to.” he sighs, knowing who lives where. “I don’t want these two in the same vehicle.” he nods vaguely at Brett. Nodding at the other young man in the room. “You’re his brother? You come with me too.” He reaches out for Sasha’s elbow to escort him downstairs, putting him in the patrol car’s back seat with Dante. As he does, and as he opens the passenger side door for Nolan, he notes several people watching from across the street. On the porch of the brown house he clearly sees Dr Beaulieu heading in his direction. Hes in jeans and a tshirt with sneakers worn like slippers. He closes the door on all three boys and moves to the front of the car, holding up his hands. “Dr Beaulieu. I am taking your son into the clinic for an exam. Then he will be taken into custody. You or you and your wife can possibly bail him out tonight at the station.” he doesn’t mention either of the other boys clearly in the car with Sasha.
Felix has nearly stormed across the street, not answering Amelie because he has no answers and because he saw Sasha and just reacted. The shorter cop knew who he was, even if Felix didn’t know who he was. “Custody? What’s the charge?” he demands.
Sam remains steadfast, but moves around the car. “Right now he is looking at a charge of assault until we find out exactly what happened.” he pauses as he opens the drivers side door. “I’m sorry, sir. That’s all Ic an tell you right now.” and he gets in the car, starts the engine and slowly drives off giving Lydia a nod as he passes. She knows the drill by now and would have clearly seen Dante in the back of the car.
Nolan gets in the front seat of the car and, the second the door is closed he turns to these boys. He knows Dante, but not Sasha. “I’m so fucking sorry. I can’t .. I don’t.” and he can’t say anything else. Just stare. He didn’t commit a crime, but he feels like he is guilty.
Valentine is on the radio with the clinic. Susan can be heard softly telling him to start an IV, put on a neck brace and transport him as soon as possible. He is also told to transport the other patient in another ambulance, just as Sam had planned to do.
Amelie runs behind Felix with no shoes on. She’s half in pajamas since they were having a night in. Her obvious flowered PJ bottoms, an old faded purple University of Manitoba tshirt with a hole beside the neck and no bra. But she didn’t care. She saw Sasha now in the back of a cop car and heard an officer say horrible words like bail and assault. “No Sasha would never…….what the hell?” She pressed her hand to the window beside her son before the car pulled away and looked stricken “Sasha…” She breathed out. They had to be wrong.
Sasha saw his parents coming and hung his head before looking up at them both, he saw his mother’s hand on the window and both their expressions. He felt like he was breaking their hearts but he knew worse was coming when they found out about Gen. “Maman….Papa…” He murmured at them as his eyes filled with tears. He looked away as the car drove off. He had heard Nolan’s apology and didn’t know what to say to the guy at first. Finally he looks at him “You didn’t do it, he did…” Dante is beside him wincing in pain with each bump in the road and Sasha says “Rest your hand on something….it’s the jolting. I’ve dislocated a shoulder in hockey...here back to back...rest your hand on my hands Dante.”
Dante saw Lydia and Gen’s parents and let out a rattling sigh trying not to completely break down and sob. As Nolan apologized for Brett Dante closed his eyes “Your brother is a fucking asshole Nolan. You don’t have to……” Then the car starts moving and every bump is a new agony. His shoulder is fucked up. But his concern is still for Gen because he can handle pain, he can’t handle her being destroyed by this, even if Brett didn’t “succeed”. Sasha offers him a resting spot for his hand and it actually does reduce the constant searing a bit.
Lydia Alvin was about 4 feet away from the Beaulieus watching Dante in the back of a cop car again. She felt a pain in her chest. He had been doing so well. But this was different. Sasha Beaulieu? The more polite boy from across the street? She frowned at the Lancaster house as she pulled out her phone ready to call one of her adult children to watch her fosters while she faced whatever fresh hell this was. The Beaulieus were clearly distraught and she felt for them.
Tara nods gently at Genevieve “Genevieve. It’s going to be ok. We’re going to take you to the clinic to get checked over ok? If at any point in the process you need to take a break you just tell us.” She looks at the sheet wrapped around her in her obvious state of undress. “Let me give you a covering…..it’s paper but we’ll get you a proper gown after.” She pulls a disposable gown top out of her kit “This is just for the ride ok?” She offers the paper gown and will either assist or give privacy as needed.
Darcy’s radio goes off and she steps away briefly “The Beaulieus are outside. I’ll go speak to them.” She heads down the stairs and gives Ryan and Rich a nod as they work. The teenagers look all suddenly sober and terrified of the two cops. She walks out to the street and sighs at Lydia “Hi Lydia.” Then she picks out Gen’s parents easily from the resemblance “Dr. and Mrs Beaulieu? I’m Detective Lynch. Your daughter Genevieve is inside that house and about to come out and be taken to the clinic.” There’s no nice way to explain it so she just says it. “There was an attempted sexual assault. I can’t tell you all the facts but it seems like your son Sasha and Dante….stopped it in progress. Genevieve has a really good EMT with her and a friend, but of course you can go in the ambulance with her and we can get her friend to the clinic or take her home as needed.”
Amelie’s knees buckle at the detective’s words and she feels all the breath in her body leave at once. “No…..god no…” Her hand goes over her mouth and she reaches for Felix.
Lydia deflates too and slumps forward and then her head snaps up and she rubs her face trying to process it. “Was it one of the Lancaster boys? I saw one in the car…..”
Darcy nods “Yes but his brother. Who’s also been taken away in another ambulance.” She looks towards the house for Gen and Tara.
Elise keeps helping Gen in any way she can. She’ll move the sheet off her, even put the paper shirt on her friend if she needs. Or let her have space. Regardless, as they move from the room she will try to hold Gen’s hand, not leaving her side.
Tara will escort Gen out to the ambulance and pause as Darcy signals to her and gestures to the parents.
Felix reaches immediately for Amelie and pulls her close, even though he is stunned himself. But for Amelie this has to be an even bigger nightmare. “Attempted, Amelie.” he murmurs to reassure her. “The boys stopped it.” he feels a flash of envy that they did what he never could. When Gen is brought out, he releases Amelie and pats his pockets, sighing in relief that he has his wallet and phone still on him.
Gen moves slowly. She hurts from the slap and from being thrown as she was. When she sees her mother, she begins to sob again and will try and move to her for an embrace. “Maman …..” she begins to cry again. Her father is also there she knows but right now she needs her mother.
Nolan feels only a little bit better that he isn’t being blamed. He scoffs at Dante’s opinion. “On a good day he’s an ass hole.” he suddenly groans. “Fuck, I have to call my mom. Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck.”
Sam drives and listens to the boys talk, catching less than half of it. At least they weren’t fighting. But part of his job is to listen without appearing to do so, so he says nothing ont he short drive to the clinic. As he pulls up he sees two people in scrubs. He opens his door. Dante has a dislocated shoulder at least. I’m not sure how badly injured Sasha is.”
Susan McKinney comes out in full protective gear and face shield and opens the door, helping Dante out of the car. “Alright, let’s get them both in Exam One. Get that shoulder taken care of.” she looks at Nolan. “What’s his story.” the kid looks rattled but otherwise fine.
Sam glances at Nolan. “He’s with me.” he announces helping Sasha out of the car.
Susan nodded. “Fine. He’s with you. Now get Dante in Room one. If you insist on having him handcuffed, handcuff him to the exam bed. I want his left arm unhindered.” she heads inside “It’ll be a minute before they bring in the other boy and the girl.
Valentine is still working on his patient. He can hear the other ambulance arriving and the attendants bringing up the gurney.
Rich has gotten all of the names and numbers. Alexandra is a small town and they really don’t have the space to hold all of these kids until their parents can be contacted, but he isn’t sure exactly what to do with them and he looks to Ryan for guidance.
Amelie had been holding onto Felix but they both let go and moved to Gen. When her daughter calls out to her she swoops to her and folds her into her arms “Oh mon cherie…” She just holds her gently but firmly and cries with her. Attempted was still within her worst nightmares for any of her children, especially her daughters.
Tara hangs back with Darcy and the friend and lets the parents connect with Gen. She’s going to need everyone. She turns to the friend “Sorry, what’s your name? You’re being a great support.” She lets her gaze drift to Lydia Alvin for a moment. Tara was fully on the job and a consummate professional but she couldn’t not notice Theo's mother in this mix. She hadn’t met her officially but that didn’t change how intense her feelings were that she now felt with her son.
Elise watches Gen with her parents now and sniffs. “Elise Girard. Can I stay with her? I can walk to the clinic if the ambulance is too crowded…”
Darcy pats Elsie on the arm “We can take you but you should also let your parents know where you are.”
Ryan listens to all the panicked chatter and drunken confessions and the words Covid party among the teens. Brooke Martin admitted she’d been recently in Kelowna and partying with a crowd there. He instructed her to sit herself on the back steps and stay put until her parents came for her. He looks at Rich “All first responders at this scene will need to self isolate for 14 days...as well as all of you.” He sternly paces in front of the teens “We will be calling your parents, yes all of them. I hope you realize the stupidity of what you’ve all done. Guess what hotshots….you’re not invincible because of your age. And I have a little girl I won’t be allowed to go near for 14 days...thank you very much you selfish clueless morons. We’ll release you because you don’t live here and it’s not worth the overcrowding and increased risk to hold you all for bail. Use your brains next time and no stops on the way home to isolate.” He looked pointedly at Zola who had announced herself as the designated driver. From the list Rich had of all the guests he knew they also needed to call the Negron parents as two of their girls had attended. He radioed the crew and gave everyone a heads up about the Covid risk. This needed to be contained now. The hospital and EMTs would know what to do but all these families, he could only hope.
Darcy’s radio goes off with Ryan’s Covid risk update related to the party and she rolls her head back and curses “Fuck. Sorry.” She normally doesn’t swear but this added to the rest of the night for these poor people was unbelievable. “I’m assuming you all heard that…” She looks towards the Beaulieus and Lydia.
Lydia sighs and nods.
Sasha ends up in exam room one with Dante, Nolan and the officer. He and Dante are given face masks. Nolan was already wearing one still. He was barely injured but glad to be with Dante because Dante was in a bad way now after the car ride. He didn’t envy Nolan having to call his mother. He can’t even wrap his head around how blown apart his family would be if some evil force suddenly caused he or Rene to try to rape anyone. How Brett had gone there was unfathomable to him. Now he ended up sort of sitting awkwardly as he was cuffed behind and Dante was cuffed to the bedrail. “Hey man...how you doin there?”
Dante squirmed and grunted at the discomfort he was in and rolled his head towards Sasha “Fuuuuuck…...I wanna know if Gen’s ok….”
Sasha nodded gravely “Me too man, me too.”
Susan walks into the room and moves straight to Dante. “OK lets look at this…” she takes a pair of scissors. “Sorry I’m going to have to cut this off. I don’t want you mofing it more than needed.” she looks at Sam. “Meanwhile how about you guys tell Sam what happened .. it’ll help distract Dante while I pop this back in.” as she speaks, she cuts the shirt off of Dante. “This is not going to be fun…” she positions her hands and pops the shoulder back in and works to make a sling for him. “Arm in the sling for 72 hours at least.” she orders. “I’ll prescribe a nice strong painkiller.” she changes her gloves and moves on to Sasha, looking at his hands and moving his fingers as she wipes his hands clean with alcohol wipes. “Nothing broken? Sprained? You might have cut a knuckle on his teeth?”
Sam had gotten the boys in the room and stood by as Susan examined them. “Alright guys … tell me what happened.”
Nolan sighed. “All I know is that when my mother announced she’d be away this weekend, I knew he wanted to have that stupid fucking party.” he grumbled. “But he went straight to Gen when he saw her and claimed Dante was upstairs. I’d been trying to get the guests to act like there was a pandemic so I thought maybe he had come in while I wasn't looking. I know they haven’t been close the last few weeks. Shit, Brett doesn’t confide in me about jack.”
Gen sighed deeply and just pressed into her mother. Covid, too? “Is Dante OK?” she asks blinking and looking around the ambulance as if he might be there.
Felix also sighs. “We’ll isolate. No worries.” it's not his most pressing concern. “How about I try and find out while you’re being looked at, alright?”
Gen nods. “Thank you, Papa.” she is calmer with her famly and friend around.
Rich grumbles but motions for the other kids to go. The locals started walking and the others all piled into the van. The designated driver got behind the wheel and drove off. Seconds later the other EMT and the clinic ambulance attendants come down with the last victim. He looks like hell and is still unconscious.
Valentine gets in the ambulance with Brett and monitors his vitals until they get to the hospital and the other doctor, as Susan will be busy with Gen.
Tara gets Gen and her family settled in the ambulance and nods “It’s our new normal. I just had to isolate for an allergy...now again.” She laughs lightly and sighs and then gives Gen an encouraging looke “You’re doing amazing. Darcy has Elise. She’ll meet you there.”
Ryan watches the kids go and then shoots a superfast text to India on the Covid risk tonight. He was prepared to camp out in the yard as this wasn’t the first time. He sees Brett go by and nods at Valentine. It looked bad but from what he gathered, he understood why it happened.
As Brett arrives at the hospital by ambulance Dr. Jasper Rogers is ready to receive him into care. The boy is in a bad way but Jasper tends to him and stabilizes him before calling in the anesthesiologist. Brett needs sedation, even though he’s out, because he can’t wake during the procedure of having his jaw wired shut. It’s been badly broken. Dr. Rogers examines the ribs and has him x-rayed and concludes that those will just heal on their own. No internal damage to vital organs occurred from the fractures and blows. Dr. Rogers did his residency at the Matsqui Institution, a federal medium security prison in Abbotsford BC. He’s treated a lot of fight related injuries but this one, he acknowledges is rather brutal. He’s a tall athletically built 30 something man with a tidy brown brush cut and wired framed glasses. Today of course he has on a protective apron and a mask with a face shield over top. He was new to Alexandra and he had casually commented to the EMT who brought Brett in “He’ll need a dentist later.”
Amelie hadn’t even commented on Covid but just rolled her eyes briefly while she kept hugging and hover over Gen. She held her hand for the ambulance ride “My beautiful brave girl, we’ll get you through this, and Sasha and Dante…” She sighs about Dante wishing she could scoop him up with Sasha and hug them both too.
Dante nodded at Susan “Just get it over with…” He knew what was coming. He’d dislocated the right a few years back in a fight but this was worse because of Newcastle. He was trying to listen to Nolan and did but when Dr. MCKinney popped his shoulder back in he gave a brief scream and then relaxed into the bed and whimpered “Thank you...Doc….ah fuck…”
Sasha had listened to Nolan and grumbled and then paused as Dante reacted to his treatment and winced. Then he filled in the rest of the story from where Nolan left off. “Elise ran to us and told us Brett had tricked Gen into going to his room. She knew, Dante knew….that Brett wanted to hurt her like that. We ran back and into the house and upstairs. The door was locked. Dante broke it down, busted the doorframe, hence the shoulder.” Sasha shudders at the next part “Then when we got in Brett had most of Gen’s clothes off and his pants were down. It was clear he was raping her or trying to. She told the lady cop she scratched him and he didn’t get to do it...I pulled him back and punched him and then Dante knocked me out of the way and punched him more, a lot more…….but he fuckin deserved it.” He looked up at Dr. McKinney “My knuckles are sore but fine. Bruising maybe. He opened and closed his fingers “Yeah this is nothing.” There’s one tiny cut on one knuckle “Maybe…”
Tara arrives with Gen and her parents at the same time as Darcy and Elise catch up to them. The group is expected and ushered quickly to a room. All parties are issued face masks upon arrival and sequestered together waiting for the doctor.
A maintenance team is dispatched to disinfect the entranceway as well as all doorways and hallways that anyone coming from this related event has been near.
Valentine stands by to assist Dr Jasper Rogers if he needs it. When he mentions that Brett will need a dentist, Valentine very casually replies with. "I think he will want to seek treatment on the mainland ... since the girl he supposedly attacked is the town dentist's daughter."
Felix moves in with the women, but stays in the narrow hallway a moment, until he can determine where Sasha is. Then he grabs one of the hospital’s disposable maske, as he left the house in a bit of a hurry with Amelie and moves to that room and comes in after a knock. He moves to Sasha and touches his shoulder, then looks over at Dante. “Thank you, boys.” are the first words out of his mouth. “How are you doing?”
Nolan shrinks back a little bit as the dentist walks in the room, still feeling a little guilty by relation.
Susan takes her gloves off. “Another hockey player.” she grins a bit and looks at Sam. “Painkillers as needed for both of them. Make sure this one.” he looks directly at Dante. “Doesn’t move that shoulder too much. And tell Josh if I hear Newcastle was anywhere near this boy he’ll answer to me.” she heads for the door, nodding to Dr Beaulieu on her way out. She moves down to the room with Gen in it and immediately sanitizes her hands and then puts on fresh gloves. “Hey, Genevieve. I’m Dr McKinney.” she already has the rape kit out. “I’m going to take some of the evidence now. You scratched him, I understand?” she looks at Amelie. “If you’d please go out of the room, my nurse will have paperwork for you to fill out. Your son is fine by the way … and Dante just has a dislocated shoulder.” she doesn’t get into any details but the boys physical health. “Dr Beaulieu in in thee with them and once Sam is done getting the statements he’ll be taken to the cop shop and processed.” she stands beside Gen until the mother is gone. There was a friend in the room as well as Darcy and that was good enough for her. It was a hard thing for a parent to witness. Then she ran what she needed to from the rape kit on Gen. She still had her panties so she decided to forgo, as there had not been penetration.
Rich returned to the cop shop with Ryan and was immediately called into the Chief’s office. This was not good news as the Chief usually had weekends off, which means he came in specifically for this one crime. He closed the office door behind him and had no doubt that his dressing down could be heard perfectly well in the bullpen.
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