A Note Goodbye

Posted on Sat Aug 13th, 2016 @ 2:43am by Warrant Officer Marcus Lazlo

Mission: Brave New World
Location: Security Offices

Laz had been running ragged trying to keep up with all of the crime reports since the Sojourner attack - both real and fraudulent - and trying to track down a serial killer. He'd barely had time to stop, much less check in with his favorite desk jockey, Jules. "Hey," He called to the nearest person behind the counter, "You seen Jules?"

"Bryce?" The man replied.

"Yeah," Laz said, nodding.

"She transferred out, sir. Filed for an early medical retirement and cut loose. Apparently, she was going blind or something," He explained.

"Oh... yeah... I know," Laz said, filling his heart sink. She hadn't even said goodbye.

"OH! You're Lazlo, right?" The man said, like a light came on behind his eyes.

"Huh? Uh... yeah, that's me," He said, confused.

"She left something for you, hang on," He said, running over to a desk and pulling out an old style envelope with pretty writing on the front that said "To Lazlo".

He looked at the envelope, then nodded his thanks to the desk officer.

Laz slipped into his office and sat down, tearing open the letter and smiling as a tiny picture of Jules fell out into his lap. He placed it on his desk and read the letter:

====
Laz,

I'm really sorry I missed you. I came by three or four times to try and say goodbye in person, but you've been going non-stop lately. So... I guess this is my goodbye.

I'm going blind, Laz. I'm slowing it down the best I can, but I've only got a few years left to see... everything. I can already feel it. I can already sense it slipping away. I try not to dwell on it, but I know it's there. I need to go and explore while I can. Experience. I need to see... everything. So I won't have to worry when I can't see anything.

I wish I could have stayed... I wish you could have come with me. I don't know. I like you. You're a good man, Laz. I'm leaving you a picture. Keep it with you so you can always have a partner, okay? Maybe one day when it's all said and done a crazy blind girl will show up on your porch.

You never know.

Jules
====

So that was the big secret, Lazlo realized. That piece of the puzzle that she hadn't let him figure out yet. She was losing her eyesight... no wonder she was convinced she'd be retiring early. She would be.

Laz sighed and picked up the picture. It was a candid shot someone had taken when she wasn't looking. She was smiling at something, laughing, and she looked for that single moment like she didn't have a care in the world. Laz sighed and ran his thumb over the picture, the weight in his heart getting heavier by the moment. He put the photo in his pocket and gave one last look at the letter.

"Safe travels, little one. I hope you get to see everything," He said, annoyed with himself that his voice caught while he said it.

He slid the letter into his lock box of personal effects and important items, and sighed deeply, squeezing his eyes shut and brushing away the collection of water that had suddenly accumulated there (no doubt because of a bad atmospheric processor) and made his way back out into the bullpen and beyond.

He patted the pocket of his shirt, feeling the slightly stiff shape of the holopic within, and nodded. He had his partner. It was time to go on patrol. He'd spent the last several days running around alone, but it wasn't until right now that he really felt alone.

Funny how the heart works.