Sharpest Tool,     Chapter One
" The Tide Took California. " 
__________________________________________

               Vivianne Warren doesn't think she will ever get used to the energy of the LAPD building. When she would walk in almost every morning, it was somehow calm and hectic at the same time.

Even with all of the chaos around this insane city, the officers around her consistently kept their cool. They knew what they were doing, and she wished she could say the same for herself. Of course, being new at this meant she wouldn't be the best. Vivianne just wished it was that way. She pressured herself and had high expectations. And so did Athena Grant.

Being under the supervision of Officer Grant was not a comfortable position. She was the most lovely and genuine woman Viv had ever met. That wasn't a doubt. But she was damn good at her job. And she had to make sure her rookie was as well.

Vivianne wasn't having the best morning. It was only her third day as a rookie, and she had embarrassed herself in front of the 'higher-ups' more times than she would like to count.

There were only so many times the poor girl could be called 'Boot' or another name calling out the fact that she was a newbie. She wasn't one to lash out or stick up for herself at most times, but she was for sure lashing out in her head.

She sat at her small desk, next to Jane's. From what Viv could tell, the fellow rookie was having a better start compared to her. She was glad. Even from the short time she had known her, Vivianne could tell that JJ deserved it.

"Viv!" A loud, assertive voice, broke the girl out of her racing thoughts. She immediately sat up straight and turned to where the person was calling for her.

"We got a call, an important one," Athena announces. She looked as if she was ready to bolt out of the building, not waiting for Vivianne or anyone else to stop her. "No time to waste."

After hearing those words, Vivianne stood up with no hesitation. Already having everything on her, the rookie followed right behind her T.O.

Vivianne couldn't get buckled into the passenger seat of Athena's cop car before they were speeding off with the sirens blaring. Viv listened to their radios to get an indication of the situation at hand. She knew better than to ask Athena what was happening right away, knowing she had to communicate with the other responders if it was this important.

"105 in a 65-mile-an-hour zone. He passed me about three miles back," The officer responded to the radio. A high pursuit chase was not what Viv was expecting this morning... but what was she really supposed to expect on this job, in this city?

A male dispatcher responds, the grain of the radio's audio evident. "Is the suspect male?"

"Suspect was a blur," Athena retorts.

"Could you tell if anyone else was in the vehicle?" He asks. Athena turns to Viv, silently seeing if she has the answer instead.

She almost stutters the first words that come out of her mouth, but quickly recovers and gains her composure.

"Not from what I saw," She spoke, loud enough for the two to hear her over the sirens. "We're gonna need to get much closer to be sure though."

Athena nods, "If we can."

After what felt like ages of speeding on the freeway to catch the suspect, dispatchers alerted the police that the speeding driver lost control of his car. The brakes and the gear shift stopped working and the poor guy couldn't do anything.

"You think the kid's telling the truth?" Athena asks the dispatcher loudly.

"I think children, as a rule, are pathological liars. So... who knows? But this one seems pretty scared."

"He told you he was 15?" Vivianne questions. "I doubt he has his learner's permit yet."

Athena has the dispatchers send her every unit they can spare, trying to get all the help possible. Tires squeal and anything on the side of the road flashes past them in a blur.

"We're gonna need to shut down this freeway."

The chase, if you could even call it that, was long and tiring. Decisions were discussed back and forth, finding solutions to help the boy and stop the car before any harm was done.

"What about spike strips?" Vivianne suggests. "Is he too fast for that?"

"Way too fast," Athena shakes her head. "He would lose control, flip the car over."

The officer thinks for a moment. Vivianne had noticed Athena's patterns and expressions, even in the short time she had known her. It was the simple way her lips pursed and the way her eyes squinted, you could tell she was deep in thought. Plotting another way to save the day and make the best decision, every time.

"But he could probably hit something bigger."

What?

Everyone listened to Athena's idea. Vivianne especially.

This was an interesting plan, to say the least. Vivianne went through all the possible ways it would go wrong in her head. She hated to be a negative nelly but... crashing into a fire truck didn't sound the slightest bit positive in her defence.

"Is everyone in position?" Athena asks everyone over the radio.

"I'm getting in position on Woodley Avenue," Bobby, the fire captain, says. Bobby was Natasha's uncle. Natasha was Vivianne's roommate and closest friend. She had met Bobby numerous times, and he was truly a nice guy. Seeing him on and off duty sparked no difference in his personality. Viv admired that.

From behind the yellow convertible, they could see it was slightly slowing down. This dispatcher named Maddie, who Vivianne hadn't met 'till now, seemed to have her plan going out for her. It was going well, for now.

As the 118 fire truck came into view, Tony's car (really his father's) was crashing into the back of the large red vehicle and finally halting.

What a crazy start to the day. And Viv's long shift was just getting started.

__________________________________________

               Vivianne was quite thankful for today. A lot had happened. And even though she didn't get much action herself, it was good to see it done in front of her. To watch Athena and help as much as she could.

The experience was a lot more than she thought it would be. Even if it was chasing down and arresting a man who had stolen from a local burger place, stopping a fight from breaking out on Main Street over a tip, and a few more reckless things. And after getting some firsthand action, Athena's shift was over. Vivanne's was not.

At first, she thought it was a mistake. Why would she be assigned to work if it wasn't alongside Athena?  What were they expecting her to do for another seven hours?

Athena answered her questions quickly and reassured Vivianne that being alone was exactly what she was supposed to be doing. A simple task for another few hours that she could easily manage without her T.O.

So that was what Viv was doing now. That simple task. She was walking along the pier as excited children ran past her, pointing at rides they wanted to go on as their parents chased after them. Carnival music played all around as fun games surrounded her. Vivianne would be lying right now if she said there wasn't a part of her that was dying to join in on the fun right now.

But she was here for basic supervision duty. According to Athena, it could help her prepare for any situations that come her way at any time. She wasn't sure what was supposed to happen at a carnival for her to jump into immediate action, but Viv didn't question it.

As she walked in her uniform past the smells of a corn dog stand, Vivianne smiled past all the cute kids with messes all over their faces. Just ahead, the sounds of the ocean were heard faintly as she got closer to the edge of the pier. She looked over the wooden railing, people on benches or taking photos around her.

She wasn't necessarily distracted, but the waves were pulling her in as she appreciated the pretty water. Viv couldn't even tell that something was off. But future her would wish she did.

In a flash, it seemed that the water was getting fiercer. Angrier. But it wasn't anywhere near the pier.

People around her gathered around to see that the water had practically disappeared from under them as if soaked up by a sponge. Where did it go exactly?

That question was quickly answered in Viv's head as she looked further towards the horizon. A wave, too large to be considered anywhere near normal, was forming just ahead of them. Immediately, gasps of panic rang out and people already started making their way back from the railing.

Vivianne herself started to head back from where she came from as she held down on her walkie-talkie connected to her uniform. "All units, this is Warren, patrolling the pier fair. We have a possible code black. A tsunami, to be exact..."

"I'm sorry, did you just say tsunami?" Officer Katherine Lance, someone who did not get along with Vivianne, responded. 

Vivianne swallowed, still keeping her eyes on the slow-moving water. "Yes, that is exactly what I said. Shore levels are incredibly low and that is the biggest ocean wave I have ever seen."

"Are any other units present at the pier?" Someone else asked. Silence.

"Warren," Lance spoke up once again. "Begin evacuating immediately."

That escalated. "Copy."

Viv quickly started shouting, leading people back away from the water and out of the fair as fast as possible. Lots of people tripped, running into each other out of fear, or standing still out of it. The wave in the distance wasn't getting any smaller, but it was for sure getting closer. Shouts and screams ensued all around as families tried to escape what was once their perfect day.

Vivianne wanted to sprint out of there as fast as she could, but there were still so many people not understanding where to go. So many people who she had to lift from the ground after falling and shout at them to run. She could hear other panicked shouts of people leading others, but she didn't have the time to look and see who.

The shadow of the tsunami wave covered the entire pier, and as Viv ran for her life, it almost seemed as if the entire world had gone pitch black. Like the daylight had disappeared, or the sun was taken from its place.

Her feet were like lightning against the boardwalk, but her heavy boots and her delayed timing due to saving everyone else weren't enough. She knew that.

Vivianne prayed that nobody could see her right now, because before she could make it into the random toy booth so the water wouldn't come boltering over her, the force of nature was quicker. She knew it wasn't a pretty sight to see her get engulfed by the edge of a tsunami wave. Mainly because it didn't feel pretty.

The rookie felt her body give out and a pounding in her head before salt water filled her lungs and her vision went black. She had time to regret enjoying her eventful day before she blacked out under the water.

__________________________________________

               The next thing Vivianne opened her eyes to was a blur. Figures moved above her, but that was all she could make out. She heard moving water and felt the chill of her soaked uniform as she lay flat on her back.

Soon enough, she realized her head was pounding and immediately groaned in response. She reached up to where the pain was centered and felt a thick liquid just below her hairline.

When she brought her hand back to her blurry vision, splotches of red were all she could make out on her fingers.

Suddenly, a hand was set upon her shoulder, causing her to flinch. She repeatedly blinked, gaining composure of her sight just before slowly sitting up.

She set herself on her elbows and groaned in exhaustion. The hand that was on her shoulder was now on her lower back, helping her sit up straight.

"You okay? Can you hear me?"

It took Vivianne a moment to register what the random voice had said. She felt as if she had died and was now entering a different world.

"Uhm..." She croaked out. She took in her surroundings from what she could see in front of her.

She reached across her torso and chest, trying to grab her radio. It was gone.

Viv was currently on the top of a firetruck, which was more than halfway submerged in ocean water that was streaming down the market streets of LA.

Just from what she could see so far, everything was destroyed.

"Hey, can you hear me?" She's pulled from her thoughts as the voice asks her that same question.

She turns to her left and is met with...

"Evan?!"

Evan fucking Buckley.

He chuckled lightly at her expression, "Hey." He said softly with a grin.

"What the hell..." She mumbled under her breath.

"Are you—"

"I'm fine."

She eyed him. He looked older, of course. There were cuts and smears of blood on his face, and some of the red liquid was visible on his soaked white t-shirt as well.

And just behind him, leaning against the roof borders of the fire truck was a little kid. He looked about 8 or 9 to Viv. Was he Evan's?

"It seems like we're gonna be stuck here awhile," Evan says, taking in the environment around them.

"We have a fire truck," The boy said with a smile with no panic on his face whatsoever.

Evan laughs at him, "Yeah bud, we do."

Vivianne was about to speak, but a loud cry for help stopped her. Just ahead of them, there was a woman, fighting against the thrashing water with her arm up, signaling for help.

He stood up immediately, calling out to her and ensuring he was coming to help her. Viv got up on her knees, peering over at the woman.

"Chris," Evan knelt back down beside him. "I need you to sit right here for me. Can you do that for me?"

"Yeah."

"Right here." He turned to Vivianne, "Can you stay here with him?"

She nodded almost immediately and sat right next to the boy. Chris. "Yeah, don't worry."

Vivianne watched as Evan grabbed the fire truck ladder and hoisted it over so he could use it to get onto a nearby car. He grabbed the fire hose and dragged it with him as he jumped from car to car and trees; anything nearby to get him to where he planned to go.

As she watched, she thought of the Evan she knew in College. This was not the same guy. The old Evan that she knew would probably have broken a bone by now and been too distraught to even help a soul.

Time had flown by and this was obviously a whole new person. For starters; what the hell could he be doing here in LA?

She turned to the boy next to her, "I'm Vivianne."

Chris smiles up at her, adjusting his glasses and giggling. "My name is Christopher."

"Nice to meet you, Christopher."

He squints up at her, "Can I call you Viv?"

"Of course," She laughs. "Lots of people do."

He points to her badge, "You're a police officer!"

"Something like that," She mumbles.

She continues small talk with him as best as she can. Distracting him from the horrible disaster at hand seemed like the best thing she could do at the moment.

Chris seemed to have kept calm on his own pretty well though. Even with what was happening, he had a smile on his face. Even as they sat on top of a fire truck, stranded, he was cracking jokes.

"How do you know Evan?"

"I call him Buck," Chris replies. She nods. "He's my best friend."

Vivianne smiles.

She couldn't help but wonder where Athena was right now. What she was doing. If she was okay. She thought about JJ too. Hell, even Katherine Lance.

Suddenly, the woman who was practically drowning earlier was now climbing into the fire truck in front of them. Evan helped her up from the water.

Viv reached out to her and helped her get comfortable, making sure she was okay and immediately letting her have room to rest.

Another hour or maybe two, she couldn't tell, goes by.
By now, lots more people that the water had brought into this area were on the fire truck after Evan had saved them. He would get to them and help bring them over, and then Viv would help them onto the truck, checking for major injuries and making sure they were breathing okay. She was no paramedic, but she did her best with her knowledge.

"I spy with my little eye, something that... moves people around."

Vivianne watches as Chris thinks over Evan's words and looks around. The boys had been playing random games for a while now.

"Uhm," He spots the new pile of random things and belongings floating past them. "Oh! A scooter."

Evan chuckles, "Yeah, bud. Nice one."

"Okay genius, your turn."

Chris thinks. "I spy... a shopping cart."

Evan scoffs playfully, "Wha– No, that's not how the game works. You can't just yell stuff out!"

"But yelling stuff out is the fun part!" Vivianne laughs as Chris shouts and so does Evan.

"You amaze me, buddy," He tells the boy, looking down at him in admiration.

"Why?"

He sighs before speaking up again. "I got some bad news at work the other day and... I didn't wanna get out of bed for a whole week. But you? After the day you've had? And here you are... with a big smile and busting a gut."

Vivianne watches as his words unfold. She had a lot of questions, but it was not her place to intervene.

"You never gave up. When that water was rushing back there, you just kept on swimming."

"Like Dory?" Chris asks.

Evan grins, "Like Dory. And not just today, but every day. You never say no, you never complain. How do you do that?"

Viv had just met this kid and she already felt like she wanted to shield him from the world. Hearing him from Evan's perspective was enough to make her wanna tear up.

"Well, I complained once but it didn't work."

"So what did you do?"

"Just kept on swimming."

"Like Dory," Evan murmurs.

"Yeah."

The fellow people on the fire truck around them all started gasping, looking over at the things that floated past them. Vivianne peered over to immediately see dead bodies.

Viv moves to sit directly in front of Chris and adverts his attention towards her.

"Chris, have you ever played hot hands before?"

He giggles, "No."

She instructs him on how to play the hand game, putting her palms below his and waiting for the perfect time to slap the tops of his hands before he can pull back.

"Do you understand?" He nods. "Are you ready?"

He puts his hand under hers and immediately lifts them to hit her. He laughs loudly and she playfully groans in defeat.

"No!"

"Got you!" Chris teases her. She laughs and shakes her head while they continue to play.

Viv didn't notice it, but Evan was watching her the whole time. Smiling at her, remembering when he once knew her. He thought to himself how crazy it was that after all these years, they met again under these circumstances. And she was wearing a police uniform? Deep down, he was hoping they could talk and catch up once all this was over. Clearly, a lot has happened since they last saw each other, and seeing her now made Evan not give a damn about her ghosting him.

"Where did you learn this game?"

"A friend," She replies to Chris. "She made me play it with her every single night before bed at the police training academy."

"Wow," He says. "Do you know Athena?"

"I do! Do you?"

Chris nods, "She is also my dad's friend. Like Buck." He looks at Evan who smiles back at him.

Vivianne nods in understanding. "I'm her rookie. She is showing me the ropes of being a police officer and supervises me." She explains.

Evan listens intently. He hadn't heard of Athena getting a rookie. And what a coincidence.

"And how exactly did your dad become friends with her and Buck?" Viv asks, looking over at Evan. Chris looks at him too.

"They are firefighters!" Chris exclaims happily. Viv raises her eyebrows and looks to Evan for confirmation. He nods and smiles at her.

"118," Evan says.

Vivianne nods. She hadn't heard his name or seen him at all yet. She didn't see him with the 118 this morning after the freeway mishap, but she just quickly assumed he had the day off. It would make sense since he is here right now.

"Well..." Vivianne begins. "Looks like we've got a lot of catching up to do."

note             A pretty long first chapter! How are we feeling?3600 words for a pretty simple introduction to get the season/book going, and push start some dynamics. I love Vivianne so much and Chris is just a cutie pie.
                    Stay tuned for chapter two!!!

Thank you for reading! :) Remember
to vote and comment your thoughts! <3