Erica had, had a blast Havoc in San Diego…immersed in a high population of Latinos she found pockets of the city where she was welcome amongst the many she was shunned. She bar hopped for a solid day after and her ankle was feeling better after Hans’ brutal assault and attempted dismemberment. It was good to be back home regardless. With the recent time change the sun had set two hours ago and outside the home of Hans and Vanessa von Richtoven is a hunter green 1971 Dodge Dart Demon. The hood of the car is still warm and on the outside leaning against the car door is Erica Martinez. Her phone was on top of the car already live on the HWA app. The street is dark, and full of shadows from the few streetlights lining the upper-class neighborhood of large homes spread out from one another.
You can’t see her too well except by the small blares of orange lights as she takes a puff on her cigarette. She stands there staring at Hans and Vanessa’s house as if she could set on fire with her mind. It’s a fair distance from the street and surrounded by shrubbery but the large front windows are illuminated from the light inside the house. The front door suddenly opens and she sees Vanessa step outside with their housekeep Maria. They begin grabbing some items she can’t quite see, but the last of which she does…it’s a Fall wreath from the door with mini pumpkins and pine cones on it. Vanessa is pointing to Maria making wide gestures with her hands around the windows and the entire front of the house. Another orange blare lights up Erica’s face as she tosses the butt to the ground blowing out her last puff of smoke.
(Erica): Fuking Suzie Homemaker bitch. Look at her with her fuking holiday decorations. Bet she’s getting ready for Christmas, lights, and all that shit. Backbreaking that estupida latina dumb enough to work for them like a slave.
Erica lights another cigarette, the quick flicker of flame in the distance perhaps catching her eye in the dark Vanessa looks out across the street making out the shadowed silhouette of someone standing there, watching. A little orange light blares and it triggers in her head that it’s Erica. She pulls Maria inside and hurriedly slams the door shut. In the next few seconds, the curtains to the windows are drawn and Erica scoffs as she folds her arms continuing to look at the house. Inside, Vanessa has her phone and is already calling Hans, almost out of breath as he picks up.
(Vanessa): ….babe it’s me……………no, it’s not…she’s here…she’s here outside the house…..I, I don’t know, I think it’s her, its dark but I’m pretty sure……..okay……..no, I think she’s just standing there looking………okay, I won’t………okay, I will……okay hurry.
Vanessa hangs up with Hans who is already on his way home from the academy and dials the number of a local police station for the sergeant who handled their arson investigation. It wasn’t a 911 emergency, but he had told her not to hesitate to call if anything arose in the future. She called and was assured that a police unit would be out quickly. Roughly ten minutes and another cigarette later the blue and red lights of a police vehicle rolled onto the streets stopping in front of the house.
(Erica): Fuking bitch!
Erica stood upright as the officers exited the vehicle with all their bravado and walked towards her. She looked at her phone behind her making sure she remained in view and didn’t block the camera.
(Officer #1): Ma’am…we’d like to ask you a few questions?
Defiantly, Erica sticks her chin up looking at them, her arms still folded.
(Erica): What?
(Officer #1): Do you live in this neighborhood ma’am?
(Erica): No!
(Officer #1): Are you visiting someone, a friend, relative?
(Erica): No!
(Officer #1): Well, we received a public disturbance call. Do you have a reason for being here outside this house?
(Erica): I’m not outside that house, I’m outside on a public street. That house just happens to be in front of where I’m standing.
(Officer #2): Alright, ma’am…we’re going to have to ask you to leave.
(Erica): You can ask me, but I know my rights. I’m not doing anything. This is a public street, I have a right to be here. I’m not disturbing any public. What about him…
Erica points to a man down the street walking his dog.
(Erica): What don’t you go ask him to leave with his dog before it shits on someone’s lawn. I’d call that a public disturbance. Me? I’m just standing here, and I have every right to do so.
(Officer #2): Alright ma’am can we cut the nonsense here? Is your name Erica Martinez?
(Erica): Yeah, what about it?
(Officer #2): You’re on record for an arson arrest at this residence, so you can understand the line of questioning and the owners concern.
(Erica): I didn’t arson anything, they lied.
(Officer #2): I can’t speak to that, but you are on record for the arrest.
(Erica): Yeah, and my lawyer is looking into those heinous allegations. In fact, I’ll call them now because it sounds like you’re racial profiling me. What? You don’t think a Mexican woman belongs in this fancy neighborhood?
(Officer #1): Ma’am no one here is profiling you, our inquiry was for you to state your purpose here.
(Erica): I’m meditating!
(Officer #1): You’re meditating?
(Erica): Yeah. that’s right…I’m outside on a public street and I’m meditating. Is that a crime?
(Officer #1): No ma’am, that is not a crime but….
(Erica): So leave me alone then, I’m just here minding my own business, and I’m “Not” disturbing anything.
One officer turns to the other….
(Officer #1): You wanna go check in with the resident, address the situation.
He nods and goes over the front gate, pushing the intercom. That was new, and so were the cameras Erica sees outside the newly reinforced gate. The gate opens and the officer walks in and heads up the walkway towards the house, Erica looking on past the officer in front of her and see’s Vanessa step out front again. She can’t hear what they’re saying but in just a few seconds it becomes pretty obvious as Vanessa raises her voice screaming.
(Vanessa): ….but she’s not supposed to be here! She set our house on fire, she attacked me! She’s harassing us! What are you talking about?
(Officer #2): Ma’am, she is on public property, she’s not actively engaged in any illegal activity…there’s not much we can do here.
(Vanessa): So what, you’re going to wait for her to set something else on fire before you do anything?
(Officer #2): Ma’am, I know you’re upset and personally I don’t blame you, but our hands are tied here.
Tears form in Vanessa’s eyes. She looks out at the street at Erica and can’t quite tell but swears she sees her smiling. She looks back at the officer in frustration.
(Vanessa): Well thanks….thanks for nothing!
Vanessa goes back inside slamming the door as the officer shakes his head and makes his way back out to the street. The officer with Erica continues with her.
(Officer #1): My advice to you ma’am would be to find somewhere else to “meditate.” There are better places for you to be than here.
Erica smiles at the officer as he turns and heads back to their vehicle.
(Erica): Thank you officer. Hey didn’t you say you received a report of domestic disturbance? Sounds like someone made a false report. Isn’t that a crime? Maybe you should go do something about that huh?
(Officer #1): Good night ma’am!
The officer nearly rolls his eyes at her as he gets back in the car, and they drive off. Erica smiles looking at Hans and Vanessa’s house. It made her feel good to not have to lift a finger and bring distress to that red headed bitch. There was plenty of time to go before Havoc, and if Vanessa wanted a public disturbance…she would give her one. Erica got in her car and it roared to a start, the loud, deep gurgle of the powerful, classic engine revved a few times before she pulled off. As she reached the corner she saw a vehicle in the rearview mirror coming from the opposite end of the street, and turning towards the house. The outline of Han’s McLaren was unmistakable.
(Erica): Cariño estoy en casa!
Erica smiles as she turns the corner and the scene fades to black.
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