New Beginnings [Gordon]

[Deleted]

It seemed like a regular Friday afternoon in one of the Midtown GCPD precinct, which is based not too far from Robinson Park - most of the officers were discussing what their plans were for the weekend, well, those of them that were lucky enough to be getting the weekend off of work. There was a lot of phone ringing coming from the operator room, more than usual, Friday and Saturday were always the most busy days for an officer as that seemed to be the days where the most unstable people decided it was time to cause chaos - there was lots of movement in the precinct as normal, despite the fact it wasn't the biggest precinct, it still got to see a lot of action because Gotham is bad pretty much all over.

In the corner of the precinct sat Renee Montoya, who had just gotten in from being out on a job and was filling out some paperwork for how it went - it was nothing special in her line of work as a Homicide Detective. Another domestic murder, wife killing her husband, but it was an open and shut case for her, there wasn't much work that needed to be done - in fact, the wife was the one that called it in, she was remorseful and realised what she had done - Renee respected these kinds of criminals and felt they were the ones who were the most likely to benefit from prison.

Despite the fact it was a straightforward case and the paperwork portion of it wasn't going to be difficult, Renee had a bad feeling about the way her surroundings felt that day - there was lots of whispering between officers, she was getting lots of glances every few moments, and she couldn't quite make out what any of it was, so she decided to ignore it and focus on her work. She did have a little bit of a backlog, but she was nearing the end of it before her eyes darted up to the door to her Captain's office, which was pulled open to reveal Barry Lincoln - who was essentially her boss and the boss of the homicide team. He looked straight in her direction and raised his voice as he yelled across the office to her, "Montoya! My office, ASAP."

Renee simply nodded in response as she finished up the report she was working on, getting up from her desk - she was trying to think over everything she had done this week to find out what it was about, but couldn't think of anything in particular, this was actually one of her 'good' weeks, she didn't punch anyone to her own dismay, and she wasn't overly aggressive as she was mostly in a good mood this week. Montoya adjusted the belt holding up her jeans, making sure they were in place - she strolled across the office, past all the officers who were giving her looks as she closed the distance between her desk and Lincoln's office. As she stepped inside, she saw Barry going over some paperwork, giving her a brief glimpse before his eyes darted back down to the paperwork in front of him. "Close the door and sit down, Montoya."

She complied with his command, shut the door behind her and made her way around to the front of the seat at the other side of his desk from him before she lowered herself down onto it. Montoya kept sat up straight as always, leaned back on the seat and placed her arms on the side supports. "What's this about, Captain? I've got a lotta work to do, it's been a rough week." While she spoke, she got a quick look at the paperwork that Barry was going over before he stuffed it back into a folder with her name on it, she could quite clearly see the word 'TRANSFER' in big bold letters at the header of the page. "Wait-"

"You've been in this precinct for eight years, Montoya. In those eight years you've gotten thirteen disciplinaries for a multitude of reasons - anyone else? They would have been fired after five, that's my usual policy, but you're a damn good detective - and you get the job done. You've never let me down when it comes to the quality of your work." Barry paused before taking a short sigh. "But look, thirteen times I've had to give you strikes or make decisions about your career, and that should never have to be the case. You were pushing it at twelve, but punching Wally last week gave us a lot of bad press - criminals are bad, Montoya, but if someone video tapes you doing something that could be considered police brutality, then that's bad for all of us. In fact, because of what you did, I won't be surprised if he's back on the streets after the trial, robbing another store."

"I can handle Wally - it's me who got him behind bars the last three times. He's a nuisance but c'mon, that's the guy who brings this meetin' on? You know without me this place will fall apart, it was already a damn mess before I started puttin' people in line." Montoya was pointing behind her to the door to the office as she was saying this. "I'm the one who makes sure those idiots out there act like cops and not like a buncha clowns."

"That's not your job. Your job is to solve cases, you're a detective and you're in charge of nobody." Barry clenched his fist against the surface of his desk, he slightly gritted at his teeth and he let out another sigh before shaking his head. "Look, Montoya, I'm just going to give it to you straight. I'm done with the disciplines, I'm done with the attitude, and I'm just done dealing with the amount of stress you add to the workplace - I can't fire you. You're too damn good for that. I've been making phone calls for the last week to arrange this whole thing. I'm transferring you to another precinct. The paperwork has already been filled and filed, there's no disputing this call. You can't appeal it - it's either this or you can hand over your gun and your badge."

"What the hell, Barry!?" Montoya gave a compulsive kick at his desk in frustration, she leaned forward to break her perfect up-straight posture and scooted forward in her chair so that she was nearer the edge of it just so she could get closer to him. "Eight damn years. I've gave up so much for this job - I've worked harder than half the guys out there who are takin' bribes, doin' the mobs dirty work and just being gangsters in uniform. I'm one of the few honest cops you've got around here, and ya wanna get rid of me? Where you sendin' me anyway? Uptown!? I'm a lotta things, Barry, but I ain't no uptown girl."

"That's a lot of big claims you just made without evidence to support it, Montoya. I'd keep your mouth shut about that kind of stuff around here." Barry said bluntly in response to her claims of corruption. "Regardless, it's already been done - you're not going to uptown. You're being transferred to Downtown, Old Gotham - GCPD HQ. You might actually look at it as a promotion. Even though you'll be in the same department. You start this Monday - so I'm gonna give you the rest of the day off. Head home, get everything you need ready over the weekend and make your way over there first thing Monday morning."

"I guess that's that, huh? Whatever, Barry. I don't need this place - and yer right - Downtown is a promotion. Anything is a promotion from this crap with a boss like you." Montoya gets up from her seat and pushed the chair aside, causing it to topple over as she tugged the door open and marched out - even the cops trying to keep their eyes off of her were unable to because of the sound of her boots hitting the floor below with every step, the fire in her eyes. She slammed the office door shut behind her and made her way over to her now former desk, emptying out the contents of it into her pockets - what she could carry and what she felt she needed, anyway. The main thing she grabbed was her pistol, which she holstered before leaving the office - not once did most of the office take their eyes off of her during the whole scene. Normally she would have used her intimidation skills to get them to mind their own business, but she just didn't care at this time - she made her way back to her apartment to pack her things for Monday. It was a new beginning for her.

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That brings us to the present - Monday morning, downtown at the Gotham City Police Department Headquarters - the biggest precinct in Gotham City and it's filled with some of the most notable officers. Montoya has been here a few times, mostly to bring in some criminals when she was in the area, nobody in HQ is really familiar, they've just heard stories and saw videos that have gone viral of her hotheaded antics that have shined a negative light on the GCPD as a whole. She doesn't really have the best reputation, plus the fact that these stories are completely true most of the time and the videos of her show her being herself don't help - they've heard about and seen the real Montoya...and now they're going to meet her themselves.

Over the weekend, Montoya made sure she had everything together and is currently living at a cheap motel while she gets her new apartment sorted out - she dragged herself out of bed at 7AM, she got a shower, fixed up her hair, put on her usual jeans, jacket and a pair of aviator sunglasses before she made her way to the closest coffee shop and arrives at the precinct just before 8AM. As she opened the doors and made her way in, a few people near the entrance looked her way - they know who she is, obviously. Her reputation precedes her, her most recent controversy being the viral video from her arrest on Wally at the Midtown Mall which she punched him to put a stop to him - this caused internet outrage against cops, as usual. The usual claims of police brutality. Cops aren't happy with her right now, but they'll get over it.

"Hey. Where's James Gordon?" She says to the officer closest to her, who has widened eyes and can't quite muster the words to say to her - he simply points in the direction of the office door with his name on it. "Thanks, and relax, will ya? I'm not gonna kill ya - as long as ya don't piss me off." Montoya took a sip of her coffee, her face cringing at the taste, she's going to need to find a good coffee place around here. She doesn't hesitate before making her way over to the door of the man she was told to report to - she raises her free hand, clenching her fist before knocking on the door. She's met Gordon before, he was the one who actually took notice to her abilities of deduction, which in the long run is what got her the job she has now - she clears her throat and raises her voice to talk from the other side of the door. "Gordon. It's Renee Montoya."

[James Gordon]

Gotham City Police Plaza was a rather unique building, it was in Old Gotham but it was still a newer building. With thirteen floors, the GCPD headquarters building was the nerve-center of all police operations in Gotham City. The commissioner and all the top brass had their offices here, the MCU also called Gotham City Police Plaza their home. It was much bigger than any of the other precincts in the city, and the newest police building. Twenty different bureaus all have their main offices at Gotham City Police Plaza, this includes the Detective Bureau. James W. Gordon is the chief of the Detective Bureau of the Gotham City Police Department and has over 6,000 officers to look over. So when one detective in particular is sent to him, it is considered a rare occurrence. Gordon is only one man and could never pay attention to all the detectives in the city, but Detective Renee Montoya is someone he noticed before. It is rather difficult to not notice her, and after a handful of years they're about to meet again. 

It was Monday morning, there was a light drizzle outside and things were remarkably quiet. Several officers were most likely nursing hangovers from the night before and trying to recover from their weekends. Days considered regular were few and far between in Gotham city but once in a while, they would happen. Chief Gordon sat behind his desk with the personnel file of Renee Montoya in front of him. He glanced at his watch for a moment, she was meant to meet him first thing in the morning. This isn't usually how things worked, if Captain Lincoln wanted to shift Detective Montoya somewhere else he'd submit a request to the precinct in question. It was a lot of paperwork and Captains had to stick with their squads, whether they liked them or not. However, Captain Lincoln knew Chief Gordon personally and asked for a favor. 

Montoya was reckless, partial to the bottle, and easily angered. She was similar to a lot of cops that Jim knew well, and she reminded him of himself. This is why he decided to meet with her, and hopefully, place her with someone that will be able to keep an eye on her. Gordon blinked, going for the mug of coffee like sludge on his desk. His eyebrows raised as he took a sip, someone was knocking at his door. People do know he has a secretary right? Although if it was Montoya, she probably bypassed Cheryl completely. Gordon would set down his coffee mug and clear his throat. 

" Please, come in." Once Montoya entered the office as instructed, he raised his arm and gestured towards the chair in front of him.

"Detective Montoya, take a seat. Now I know why you're here, do you know why you're here?" He asked candidly, focusing his eye contact on Montoya.

[Deleted]

Before she gets any response from the other side of the door, Montoya decides to have a quick look around her to get an idea of what she'll be working with - the office is clearly much larger than Midtown's precinct, that much was obvious from the outside. This is the headquarters, after all, but one thing she already didn't enjoy was how half of the office are looking her way - this seems to be a common theme in her every day life, she resonates with an aura of intimidation which always has her standing out from other officers.

It could be that her reputation has preceded her, or it could simply be the way she dresses and presents herself. If you have a look at her with her jeans, leather jacket, big curly hair - you wouldn't really expect her to be a police officer without taking into account the badge she has hanging from her jeans. Montoya firmly grips at her cheap coffee, any tighter and she'd cause the lid to pop off, she feels herself about to blow up at the people looking her way until she hears the invitation from the other side of the office door, which relaxes her and makes her turn back to the door.

With a grip of the cold handle with one hand, coffee held in the other, Montoya opens the door to see inside the office, where the man she's met a handful of times before in the past sits on the other side of the desk. James Gordon and Renee Montoya have not interacted much outside of her time as a beat cop, where she occasionally guarded crime scenes of homicide cases and couldn't help but point out things that other cops were clearly not getting, Gordon noticed this which is something he mentioned in his paperwork, which eventually lead to her promotion to becoming a homicide detective. Despite the fact he isn't the one who put her name forward, he was definitely the catalyst of her promotion, and for that, she has a great deal of respect for him.

Montoya entered the office, closing the door shut behind her as she walks inside. The first thing she notices is her file, she doesn't pay much mind to it, she knows how this whole thing works, especially when it comes to a transfer, the new boss needs to know everything needed for his new employee, nothing wrong with that, but she is a firm believer in being judged for herself rather from a file. She pulls the seat in front of her out a little bit to give some room between the chair and the desk, moving around in front and seating herself down, she takes a sip of her coffee with another cringe. "Yeah." Montoya simply states, placing her coffee down on the desk. "Downtown ain't good at making coffee, that's the first impression I get...as for why I'm here, well..." She pauses and gives a shrug of her shoulders before shaking her head.

"Ain't it obvious why I'm here? You've got the file, I know you've been talkin' to that clown Barry for the last week about me. If you ask me, the guy was probably just tryin' to get rid of me because I'm too honest for his likin'." Renee feels herself getting more heated the more she thinks about her meeting on Friday, but clenches her fists to ensure she doesn't have any loud outbursts, she doesn't want to start off her relationship with her new boss on a bad note. "Look, I'm happy to be here, alright? Really, I've been in that precinct for 8 years and felt like I was the only one that was taking the job seriously. This is HQ, I assume most of the guys and girls here take things seriously when they've got people like you around keepin' an eye on 'em. If I have any problems with anythin' that's happenin', you know I'm gonna speak my mind about it, but let's not screw around with small talk, what's your plan, Jimbo?"

[James Gordon]

She mentioned the coffee first, it's not the best quality coffee because the budget doesn't have luxury coffee listed as a necessary expense. "You can do it better? I'd be very surprised if you can do anything with the coffee we receive here. I'm not even sure where Loeb gets it but I've never seen the brand in any of the stores around here. You know how it is, anything to cut costs." Gordon had to be careful with what he said about Loeb, he was almost certain that there was a bug somewhere in his office. His face wrinkled when she mentioned Captain Lincoln and her file. "Captain Lincoln is a good cop, considering. I think he can be a bit safe but he means well. And yes, he's had his limit of you, I'd say. I went through your file and it took me a while to read it. How many disciplinary meetings have you received? Thirteen?"

Obtuse, wasn't afraid to speak her mind and she even managed to omit his title. Renee Montoya had gusto, she definitely wore her heart on her sleeve. The kind of work she did emanate passion. She wanted to get down to brass tacks, and Jim could respect that but he wanted to learn more about the mystery that was Detective Montoya. She wasn't lazy and she wasn't corrupt as far as Gordon knew, what made her tick? Why did she decide to become a cop in the first place? Gordon stifled a chuckle when she called him "Jimbo". He'd raise his eyebrows "That's Chief Jimbo to you, Detective." Gordon wasn't one to throw his rank around, he corrected her as a joke more than anything. "I know you're eager to know what happens next but let's not dispense with the small talk just this once. You will find that during an investigation, small talk can lead to the truth." He took a deep breath and allowed what he said to linger for a moment. "Why are you really here? Why did you become a cop?" Did it matter? Maybe not, but Montoya reminded Gordon of himself too much for him to not be curious. 

"I was in your position once, on the other side of the desk. Chief of Detectives at the time asked me the same question. Though considering he's in prison now... He might have meant something else entirely." Gordon would lean back in his chair and glance out of the window beside his desk. The choice to become a cop is always different for everyone. For some people, it could be about purpose, principle, and even legacy. Jim is almost certain that Loeb is admitting just about anyone he can into the police academy in order to bolster his ranks. Gordon is against the odds, and it is probable that he's asking Montoya this question because she's a potential ally. Gordon's vendetta with Loeb has gotten rather personal over the years, and he's turned near obsessed with taking him down once and for all. 

[Deleted]

Montoya looks over at her coffee as Gordon talks about the budgeting issues that headquarters seem to have, this causes her to give a rare but rather brief smirk as she adjusts her position in the chair and leans back on it. "You tellin' me it gets even worse?" Montoya states, picking up her coffee and taking another sip which causes her to winge slightly at the taste yet again, it's bitter - she's pretty sure they got her order wrong. "I hate to break it to ya, but this coffee ain't even from here, so if it gets worse than this we're gonna have a few problems."

She gently sets her coffee back down on Gordon's desk as she leans back on the chair, folding her arms across her chest and raising her chin slightly, the frown resting on her lips and her eyes glaring at the man sitting across from her. Montoya likes Gordon, but that doesn't mean she's going to treat him any differently than anyone else - she still wants to ensure she remains true to her own ideals and attitude, although the 'Chief Jimbo' line does almost make her break her cool, she listens intently to what he has to say. Detective Montoya isn't exactly happy to hear that he wants to push the small talk and learn more about her - plenty of people in the past have tried to break through her shell, many of those people have failed, but she's in a decent mood this morning so it's possibly Gordon might succeed.

"Great, here we go. Why did I become a cop?" Renee sighs as she says the question back to him, as it's one she's been asked plenty of times but it's one she almost never answers, in this case though she decides to humor him. "Why does anyone become a cop, Chief? Look around you anytime you go outside, this city is fallin' apart. It's dirty, filled to the brim with trash - ya practically choke on the smog any time you walk out there, and what do idiots do? They decide to add to the trash by being criminals and just makin' it an all-round dangerous place to live." Montoya inhales a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment and then opens her eyes to continue. "Growin' up in this city is already difficult enough for anyone - but for the lesbian daughter of religious immigrants? It's hell. I already grew up lovin' murder mysteries and cop stuff in general, in books, in movies, on tv - and seein' the way people act to each other? I wanted to grow up to be the cop that put those people behind bars. So, here I am."

Montoya grabs her cheap coffee again, moving it to her lips and gulping it down until it's empty - she quickly glances around until she spots a trash can, aiming as she swings her arm and chucks the cup into the can with a perfect throw. "That what ya wanted to hear, Jimbo? I'm not here to talk about me or my life, otherwise I'd be tellin' you about the crappy situation I'm in with lookin' for a place to stay that doesn't cost me fifty bucks a night." Montoya sighs, remembering she has to make a few phone calls about living arrangements later on, but brushes past it, getting back to the topic at hand. "I'm still waitin' to find out what you've got planned for me. Any cases ya wanna put me on? Any interrogations you want me to do? Or am I gonna be sittin' around filing paperwork like some desk jockey on my first day?"

[James Gordon]

Didn't like talking about herself, this clear after she tried to quickly move on after giving a brief answer to Gordon's question. She was good, she started her answer by asking another question. Jim could push further, but that would serve no purpose at this point in time. Detective Montoya was present and ready to get to work, Gordon needn't take up her time with small talk. However, as far as he could tell her reasons to become a police officer were commendable. Gotham was #1 in crime on the east coast, overshadowing New York. Gotham might have the Batman, but he is one man against hundreds of years of corruption within the government of the city. Commissioner Gillian Loeb didn't give a damn about the safety of his city, he cared about lining his pockets. "Things are good in Gotham, especially for a cop." The words from his training officer rang through Gordon's head nearly every day. Gordon mulled on the thought for a moment, the rest of what Montoya was saying was drowned out and replaced by a dull buzzing. 

Gordon blinked a few times as he began to return to reality. he didn't zone out too often but whenever he thought about his past and how he came to the moment he was living now, reality always seemed to creep away from him. He was thankful that he had his wife, his daughter, and even his adopted son, no matter if he returns his calls or not.  Well... You just did tell me about your living arrangements. You know if you need help, there are programs to assist with such things." Jim took a breath before leaning down for a brief moment to fish out a stick of gum from his desk. "Want a piece? Wife's on my back to stop smoking." It was a pack of double mint gum, Gordon had a megapack in his desk along with the pipe he was trying to stay away from. He held it out to Detective Montoya for a moment before placing it back in his desk drawer.

"I presume you've had enough of the chitter-chatter for now. I can tell you're eager to hear about your new assignment." Gordon chewed on his gum for a moment and let out a half chuckle at his joke. "You already know you're being assigned to Gotham Police Plaza. Luckily for you, you're much too good of a detective to be riding a desk. So you get to stay on homicide, the only difference is that the homicide squad here is twice as big as the one you were on and can cover the entire city, however, we operate mostly within the confines of Downtown and old Gotham." He took a breath before continuing on. "I'm putting you on a probation of sorts. Captain Shultz is gonna place you with someone that can keep an eye on you." Gordon already had an idea for who he'd pair with Detective Montoya, but he didn't want to tell Captain Shultz how to run his squad. Believe it or not, Gordon and Captain Shultz actually got along and Gordon felt he could trust him, for the most part. "So there you have it, do your best to behave and you won't need someone to keep an eye on you. They are there to make sure you live up to your full potential, and we all know what it's like on the job." He brought his hands together and coupled them before placing them on his desk. "Any questions? Concerns? If not, you're to report to Captain Schultz on the 4th floor ASAP for your new assignment."

[Deleted]

Montoya thinks about what Gordon said - the living arrangement situation sucks, it's leaving her out of pocket every day - she's already calculated how much it'll cost her if she lives in the motel until payday, and she knows it's not going to be affordable meaning she might need to spend some time sleeping at her desk or sneaking sleep elsewhere - this is an opportunity for her to get out of that potential situation, but instead of asking more about it, she instead says something she may later regret. "Nah, I think ya know me enough to know that I'm not gonna seek out any help on this one. It's my life, I should be the one takin' it by the reins." As she says this, Jim pulls out a stick of gum from his desk and offers her a piece - Renee never turns down gum, she reaches forward, grabbing two pieces, popping one into her mouth and keeping the other in her hand for later as she starts to chew, already feeling the minty essence filling her mouth. "Thanks, Jimbo."

She listens to Chief Gordon as he gives her a clear picture in her head of what she will be working with - so far from what she's seen of Downtown and Old Gotham, it was going to be a much larger operation than she had back in Midtown - but she's always heard from officers in her old precinct "Downtown is where all the real action is at", so she knows she's in for a bit of a ride. It's her kind of scene. That's when she hears the word "probation", it's been nearly a decade since that word was used in reference to her career - which fills her with a little bit of dread. Back when she first started at Midtown, she was on her best behavior because she was ecstatic to be starting her dream job growing up, it was only after she got through her probation that she started to become more herself rather than the officer she was pretending to be to make good impressions, but she can't go back to pretending at this point.

As Chief Gordon finishes up what he's saying, advising her where she needs to go and telling her to be on her best behavior - she's always on her best behavior - that behavior just isn't very good. That's when Gordon asks her if she has any questions or concerns, one last moment to speak her mind as she so loves to do. "Listen, Chief. I'm gonna be upfront with you and tell you that the fact I'm on probation puts me at risk, I've made people know what kinda person I am, and I'm gonna stay true to myself - people are gonna have a problem with that. Especially people in charge of me. A lot of people don't like how I do things, but that's just who I am - either way, thanks. I'll go see this Schultz guy."

Normally meetings like these end with a handshake and a mutual nod, but instead Montoya just rises up from her seat, flashes Gordon a quick smirk before spinning around to leave the office with confidence in her step - Montoya is still getting a lot of looks but she pays them no mind as she approaches the elevator and pressed the button. Once the elevator dings, she enters, pressing the number "4" on the button set which makes it light up as the doors shut and the pulley system works its magic to bring her up to the fourth floor, as the doors open she exits, with a quick look at the signs on the wall, she knows exactly which way to head - she makes her way to the office with the name "Captain Schultz" on the door, she raises her arm with a clenched fist, knocking on the door before she opens up and steps inside.

"Hello Captain. Detective Montoya. Reporting for duty."

[James Gordon]

Gordon would shake his head at Montoya's words. "No one is asking you to change who you are, just to learn how to contain it from time to time. This job is a lot to deal with I know that everyone deals with things they see in different ways. You're not on probation because you're a bad cop, you've got disciplinary coachings for the way you carry yourself, most cops have. You're on probation so you can learn how to deal with what you see, and accept it." Gordon didn't go to college for philosophy, but he believed what he said. This was happening so Montoya knew how to deal with herself, so she didn't burn out someday and do something she could regret.

Gordon has seen that happen many times before, and there were statistics pertaining to suicide of former police officers that worked for Gotham City. She put on the tough guy act, Gordon recognized it because he was in the same position. You can try to take on all the criminals of Gotham at once, never ask for help because you feel like you don't need it but one day you will burn out. One day you will question every side of yourself and wonder how it got so bad. Gordon has heard about cops that wake up in a puddle of their own piss with an empty bottle in their hands. Bags under their eyes and scarce recollection of what happened the night before. Sometimes, not being able to take it anymore they'd reach for their gun and shoot themselves.

There were bad cops in Gotham too, this has contributed to civil unrest but there has been no real change. Montoya wasn't one of those bad cops though, she was just living a rough and complicated existence.

James smiled and nodded as Montoya left his office. He'd pay attention to what she was going to do these next couple days, interested to see what would happen next. Once she was gone he would pick up his office phone and dial up Captain Schultz to notify him that Detective Montoya was on the way.

---

Gotham City Police Plaza
4th Floor
Homicide Squad

Captain Shultz was the Captain of the main homicide squad in Gotham city. He sat in his office, he had a mug of coffee in one hand and his office phone In the other. "She's on her way sir? Yes, sir, Sergeant Krause has been notified, sir. Was he happy? Well, you've met him, happiness isn't really his thing. On his best days its very mild cynicism. I'll keep you notified sir." He'd hang up his phone and lean back in his chair and sigh.

Captain Schultz was a man who got to where he was by stepping on the backs of others. Was he corrupt? It depends on your definition of the word. He's looked the other way before, but he's never rigged evidence or influenced a case to conclude in a way opposite than it should have.

He's taken a few bribes, and his cut-throat attitude has led him to the position he's in today. He doesn't hate Chief Gordon, but he ultimately sees him as a threat to his power. He's smart enough to call him sir, do what he's told but if he ever sees an opportunity to remove Gordon from power? You could bet that he would do it.

Moments after he finished his phone call, someone was knocking on his door.

"Come in, come in." His tone was a friendly one, he would stand up as Detective Montoya entered the office. He'd offer his arm and firmly shake Montoya's hand.

"Good to meet you, I've heard a lot about you." He smiled returning to his seat.

"I'll make this quick so you can get to work alright? Your new partner is Detective Sergeant Paul Krause. He's the tall gentleman with blonde hair and green eyes outside there, wearing a light blue shirt. Bloodshot eyes, thin hairline, you won't be able to miss him." Captain Schultz took another drink of his coffee before carefully placing the mug back down on his desk.

"Do you have any questions for me? Concerns? Feel free to take a seat if there's something you want to bring up. Otherwise, Sergeant Krause can get you up to speed and introduce you to the rest of the guys.

Breaking a new detective in, this is usually something the Captain would do. However, Captain Schultz seemed greatly uninterested in the idea of it. He shook Montoya's hand and greeted her, but he wasn't spending half as much time as Gordon was spending. He was prepared to dump her on Sergeant Krause and let him handle the adjustments that would come along with a transfer.

He forced a smile, secretly hoping Montoya didn't actually have any questions.

[Deleted]

Montoya doesn't hesitate when she shakes her new Captain's hand - she doesn't want to make a bad first impression, so she's playing nice as Gordon requested, being upstanding and professional - this makes her feel like she's brown nosing, she's never liked people who don't be themselves. Sure, some cops just are professional and that's the way they are as people, too - but most of them are just doing it out of fear of being reprimanded if they don't fall in line, then turn into a completely different person once they clock out for the day. Montoya has never liked people like that, and has always had issues trusting them, as she doesn't know which side is the real side.

Detective Sergeant Paul Krause is a name she's heard before, although she's not familiar with the man, she's heard he isn't exactly the most positive person - she can respect that, cynicism gets a lot of people in her good books because she can relate to it, Montoya didn't notice him on the way into the office, but she knows that she can be herself around her partner, so part of her looks forward to it...but the other part of her doesn't look forward to it. She's always preferred to roll solo, and she don't know how much moody cynicism she'll be able to handle before she loses it. "Are you sure that Detective "Grouch" is the best partner for me, Captain? I'll trust your call, but I want to make sure I've got the best watching my back." Montoya pauses, realising she let a bit of her attitude show. "I mean - Detective Krause. Slip of the tongue."

Montoya listens as he asks her if she has any questions for him, at first she was going to say no and leave, but she realises the smile he is putting on seems a bit...well, unnerving. Like he doesn't want to smile, it's difficult to explain - this is when she realises she has the opportunity to mess with him a little bit, she manages to withhold a smirk before folding her arms across her chest. "I do have a couple of questions, actually." Great, now she has to think of questions! She begins to wing it a little bit.

"Tell me about yourself, Captain. What is your ideal police officer? What do ya look for when it comes to your men and women? Do ya want a tougher side that is willing to go the extra mile to get the job done, or do you prefer officers to fall in line? I wanna make sure I'm the kinda girl you're looking for on your squad." Montoya keeps her arms folded across her chest, keeping a good glare locked onto his face, a hint of curiosity on her facial expression.

[James Gordon]

She called Detective Sergeant Paul Krause 'Detective Grouch' He was aware of this nickname, and so was Paul. He laughed at it because it was fairly often true. "Actually... Detective... Grouch as you call him was handpicked by Chief Gordon. Paul is a little rough around the edges but all in all, he's a good cop. Has problems with his temper sometimes, and sometimes he's so deep into a bottle he can't even remember his own name. Sound like anyone you know?" Subtle? Not really, but the questioning of authority isn't something that was considered one of Captain Schultz's favorite activities. He was used to it though, Krause and others liked to test him from time to time. As long they did their job and did it well, he could handle the cynicism and sarcasm.

Now when Montoya decided to ask questions, Captain Schultz knew Montoya was toying with him, she'd definitely go real far in this department if she constantly patronized her superiors every chance she got. Was Schultz really surprised she got kicked up to him? He's seen her file, she's had too many disciplinary meetings for his taste. Captain Schultz allowed the silence to linger a bit, he looked at her with a sly smile on his face. " Detective Montoya, do you really want to know about me? I'm from Haddonville New Jersey. I'm married, three kids. I'm a Gotham Knights fan, my father was a watchmaker. As a cop, I prefer my men and women to listen. Do your job you will be fine, and don't waste my time." He was very precise with his words and was trying so very hard to drop the hint that he was busy and had things to do, without being too rude.

"Now how about you go greet Detective Krause. He always buys a danish for his partner, and since that partner is you... that means you get a danish. They're from the vending machine, but they're not so bad." Now that he answered Montoya's questions he started on some work that was on his desk. He waited for her to show herself out.

When Montoya finally left the Captain's office one of the first people she'd come across was Detective Sergeant Paul Krause. He was at his desk, and in front of his desk was an empty desk (Presumably hers). There was however a packaged strawberry danish lying on the empty desk. Krause himself was peering over a file but perked up when he noticed Montoya. "Well well well, if it ain't the infamous Detective Renee Montoya! Boy, I've sure heard a lot of things about you." There was just a bit of sarcasm in his voice. He'd grab his half danish that was on his desk and take a bite. "That is your desk and your danish. Coffee and water are over there." He'd make a half gesture towards the coffee machine and water cooler.

"Everyone! Gather around and meet the new transfer." Krause belted out loudly. Not everyone part of the team was present, but she'd be able to meet a few faces.

Five men and three women would approach.

"Okay... Left to right. Detective Sallinger, Detective Harry Du Bois, Detective Stabler, Detective Benson, Detective Lee, Detective Longstreet, Detective Buell, and finally, Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi. Few are missin' but you'll meet them at a later point. They all nodded when their name was called and greeted Montoya before returning to their work. The last name to be called was the lieutenant of the squad, a tall older Asian gentleman.

"Welcome to the team, Detective." He smiled and offered his hand for a firm shake before he also returned to his work.

"Now stop me if you heard this before... Questions, concerns, comments? If none, just start eating your danish and I'll bring you up to speed on the cases I'm already working."

[Deleted]

Coming to the realisation that Chief Gordon chose her partner, Montoya's eyes widen slightly as her lips purse shut - originally she believed this was a choice made by Schultz, which is why she happened to be a lot more cynical about the decision, however, having the respect she does for Gordon, this changes her view on the situation entirely. She listens to her new Captain go on about her new partner: rough around the edges, good cop, temper issues, loves the bottle - if she didn't already know who Schultz is referring to, she would think that he's talking about her. She's starting to see why Gordon made this choice, this might be an interesting situation.

After the line of questioning she does as a means to torment her new Captain, she doesn't quite get the response she expected - she expects to be told to get the hell out of the office, but instead he actually humors her and proceeds to answer her questions, giving her an idea of the kind of man he is. She knows he's going to be disappointed if he wants his men and women to listen - she is a rebel, she knows that she's a rebel - she does what she wants when she wants to and doesn't let people command her outside of her basic functions as an officer. This is going to be a difficult relationship.

"Thanks for being open with me, Captain. I would never waste your time, sir." Montoya says with a slight roll of the eyes, in which he responds by telling him to go see her new partner outside - she is tempted to bother him a little bit more, but she doesn't want to push her luck, even she's wise enough to know not to poke the bear when he's already growling, she'll just wait to catch him off-guard to bother him next time. She could really go for a danish right now, honestly - not usually her thing, but after that disgusting coffee she had, she can use a refresher to her palette right about now. Montoya turns, heading towards the door before swiftly leaving the office and shutting the door behind her, not too lightly but also not too heavy handed, she wants to avoid looking meek, but also wants to avoid seeming like she wants to cause trouble - a good middle ground in her professional door closing abilities.

Her eyes take notice of her new partner, exactly how her Captain described - tall, thin blonde hairline, she can't really see his eyes very well from this distance so she can't tell if they're green but she can certainly see the bloodshot - and of course, dressed in the light blue shirt as mentioned. Seems like the Captain is excellent at describing his men. Montoya doesn't hesitate to approach Krause, apparently she's "infamous" now, great.  "Oh yeah?" Montoya says, watching as he takes a bite of his danish. "What have ya heard, Krause? Seeing as I'm apparently infamous, sounds like I've got a lot of expectations to live up to." She looks over to the coffee machine and water cooler, after Gordon's review of the coffee, she thinks she'll pass right now. 

Montoya lets out a sigh as Krause encourages people to gather around, she really isn't in the mood to meet new people right now - she's still tired, the coffee did nothing for her, and she doesn't like to deal with people even when she's chipper by her standards. It isn't long before the eight people approach - she's already hating this. She simply folds her arms firmly across her chest, watching as he points to the people and rattles off their names...he'll be lucky if she remembers a single one of them, especially with the weird names - Lee seems easy to remember, at least. "Hi." she simply states, she never has been one for conversation - however, one man in particular catches her eye, the only one of them to actually talk to her - Kim, she thinks his name is. 

As he approaches and extends an arm, she unfolds her arms in a flash, grabbing his hand with her firm grip and shaking it. "Thanks...uhh...Kim." As they release their handshake, she folds her arms back across her chest, proceeding to speak in her monotone voice. "Alright, I'm gonna keep this brief - I'm Renee Montoya, and no, none of ya can call me Renee - you'll refer to me by my surname." Montoya pauses and lets out a short sigh. "Look, I don't wanna be a bitch, I just want ya all to know the kinda person I am - I do things my own way, I talk to people my own way, and I do my own thing - as long as ya can respect that, we'll get along swimmingly. I won't remember most of your names, honestly, I already forgot half of 'em. Doesn't mean I don't like ya, just means over time, I'll learn 'em. It's good to meet you all, really."

After these first impressions, Montoya heads over to the empty desk, picking up the danish and taking a swift chunk out of it between her teeth, chewing for a few seconds before swallowing. "Alright, Krause. We've done the whole intro crap - let's get down to work. Thanks for the danish." She takes another bite, kicking her feet up onto the desk, showing just how professional she is. "We got any good cases? Any asses for me to kick? Any interesting murders goin' on? Bring me up to speed, we're going to burn through these cases within the week." She speaks with confidence, she feels like she can crack just about any case, even if she may be wrong.

[James Gordon]

What have I heard? I heard you don't take shit from nobody. That you're partial to the drink. That you have an attitude, but despite all that you're a good detective and a good worker. You got Jim's eye didn't you? That's not an everyday occurrence let me tell ya." The introductions came and went, she wasn't very talkative but how was she supposed to remember all of those names? He did something very similar when he was introduced to this outfit. That was a long time ago now, and this was the first time he had been introduced to a new partner. His old partner, Detective Haig had recently decided it was time to retire. Detective Haig was about the same age as Krause, but he figured he could get a better job than being a cop in one of the most dangerous cities in the United States.

Now they were able to talk about caseload. Homicide was at an all-time high in Gotham city at the moment. Krause and the others had more cases than they knew what to do with. "Check the drawers of your desk, I spent a decent amount of time of putting a file of every case Haig and I were on. Since he decided to retire before getting shot or burnt out and eating his gun. So now all of his cases are your cases." Krause finished the danish he was eating and took a sip of his coffee. "Nothing too glamourous, you've got two cases where it was probably the husband and three where it was probably the wife. There was a stabbing at the fairgrounds a week ago and a carjacking gone awry. I've been pounding the pavement to try to get everything done but I've been working at a handicap without Randy." He was about to go over more cases, but Captain Schultz came out of his office and put his hand on his hips as he approached Krause and Montoya.

"Krause, Montoya something just came up the line. Dr. Botke, an overly-priced dentist up-town was found dead in his office just now. I want you two on it so Montoya can get her feet wet. It's Botke Dental Associates on 2717 Orchard Drive. Right near a super-rich neighborhood, you shouldn't miss it." He paused for a brief moment, glancing over at the danish that Montoya was about to finish. "So you ate the danish, good choice. Those who never eat the danish are considered too uptight by Krause here. It's kind of like a test, right Paul?"

"Sure Derek."

"Well, I'll leave you to it. Come find me when you're back, this doesn't seem like a run of the mill killing even for this shit hole of a city. Something stinks here." He finished what he was saying and returned to his office.

"Well you heard the man, you ready to head out? Lemme ask ya, you the type that likes to drive or ride along?"

[Deleted]

As Krause advises Montoya to check her desk drawer, she doesn't hesitate to grab at the handle and pull it open to reveal the case files, she listens to him speak as her fingertips sift through them, getting quick glances at the names of them. She doesn't actually like how they've been organised, but that's something she'll fix later, she likes things to be a very specific way to keep track of - he mentions his old partner, Haig - she knows of him but has never met him personally. She did hear about his retirement, too. The comment about getting burnt out and eating a gun resonates with Montoya in a way, she knows what it's like to be at the end of your wits - especially in a city like this - she hopes this doesn't end up being her own fate.

Montoya pulls out a few of the case files from the drawer and slides it shut, scattering them in front of her on the desk before shooting a glance in the direction of her new partner across the desk from her as he mentions that there's several cases where the culprit is likely the spouse - she understands this greatly, seeing as this is how a good portion of her homicide cases turn out, especially when the deaths take place in their own homes. "I say we start with the spouse cases, they're the easiest ones to get through and we can get 'em done in a few days. Stabbin' sounds pretty straightforward, those don't always go unnoticed - if the victim is still alive, chances are they've seen the perp...as for the carjackin', that one will likely have an already notorious culprit, probably with multiple bookings. Most of 'em end up being repeat offenders, ya know?"

Just as Renee opens up one of the files, she notices a shadow that darkens the area around her, this causes her to turn around and see her Captain, she listens to what he has to say as she picks up the danish, getting ready to take a final bite of it as he mentions that it's part of a test...Montoya doesn't like being tested. "That so, huh?" She says while looking in the direction of Krause, taking her final bite, not leaving a single crumb as she chews before swallowing it. "Testin' me ain't the wisest decision, but I'll let it slide." The Captain then finishes up the conversation before returning to the office, Renee waiting until his door is shut before turning back to her partner.


"Right. Before we get to that - dentist? Really? That's my first case...? Whatever, I guess, never really liked dentists. Probably just made some snide remark about the perps teeth, got what was comin' to him as far as I'm concerned - dentists are judgemental bastards." Renee gets up from her seat, adjusting her leather jacket to ensure that it's firmly on her chest, turning to face the exit, bluntly speaking as she begins to walk towards it. "Shotgun. We're stoppin' for coffee on the way. Let's go."

[James Gordon]

"Coffee, sure. Got it." He'd fish in his jacket pocket for his keys and tossed them up a couple of times. Let's go ahead and head out then." Krause started leading Montoya through the offices of homicide. Once they were in the elevator he pressed the button for the parking garage with his thumb. "Just so you know, the danish wasn't a test. When I first became a detective, I'd go to the vending machine in the morning cause I was hungry. Saw a danish and was like 'Hey man that looks pretty good'. Then I thought I'd better get my partner one..." Krause knew that the Captain just liked to stir shit here and there. He didn't usually mean anything by it, but Krause and Montoya aren't the style of cop he wants on his side. He'd want someone that's willing, someone that easily listens to orders.

The elevator made it to the parking garage, a loud ding would go off as the elevator doors opened. Krause exited first and kept leading Montoya. The level he was on was pretty full, so he had to park at the very back. They walked for a few minutes and finally made it to his luxurious 2010 red Toyota Avalon. "This is us." He clicked the unlock button on his keyfob, and the car beeped twice. Krause would get in first and start the car, waiting for Montoya to get in. The radio sparked to life, 107.5 KOKZ Gotham's classic hits. You give love a bad name was playing. Krause bobbed his head to the classic Bon Jovi song. "You give love.... a bad name!" He kept bobbing his head to the guitar riffs before reaching out to turn the radio down. "Sorry, I can't help but like the classics y'know." He cleared his throat as he pulled out from his parking spot and moved to leave the parking garage.

"What do you want for coffee? There's a diner near here that the Chief likes to visit, its called Buster's. They've got some real good joe." Now that he was out of sight of his superiors he reached in his jacket for his flask. He unscrewed the cap with one hand and took a short swig. He then offered it to Montoya. "Can't get through most days without it, but I've been cutting down." Maybe she'd judge him for drinking while driving, being a cop and all but he never had so much that it inhibited his abilities, at least not while he was behind the wheel. They were outside of the parking garage now, Krause started drumming on his steering wheel while behind a red light.

"So tell me... Why this dentist? Why in broad daylight at this own place of work? What is your first impression?"

[Deleted]

Montoya follows him silently, examining her surroundings as they make their way through the offices - she notices the faces of the ones she just met, she's already forgotten almost all of their names, but they give her odd looks...that pisses her off. She hates when people look at her, but she forces herself to ignore them and restrains her anger for once, mostly because she's just glad she's about to be on a case again. It's only been a weekend, but it feels like it's been weeks, she's eager to solve a case and kick someone's ass if she needs to.

As they step into the elevator together and the doors close before the elevator begins to descend to the parking garage, she listens as Krause tries to defend the danish test, she listens to him ramble on before she glares at him, her typical scowl on her face. "Hey Krause...?" She briefly pauses, before finishing bluntly. "I don't care. Not even slightly." Her eyes dart back to the elevator doors as the elevator comes to a stop and with the sound of the ding, they slide open - the two of them exit the elevator and get to the car.

She's never really cared about cars, she just uses them for her job - she's always been into motorcycles, they've always been more her style, so for all she cares she could be getting into a Lamborghini or a Rover, as long as it gets her to the destination, Renee doesn't care in the slightest about what kind of car it is. The two of them enter, as soon as he turns the key, she hears the radio blasting - she's a Bon Jovi fan...but she's not so much a fan of Krause's singing. Thankfully he doesn't go on with the full song and turns it down. "Yeah. It's a classic. Gotta admit, you've got good taste there - but I wouldn't audition for any shows with that singin' voice. Too early for that crap."

As the car leaves the garage, she's then asked about what she wants for coffee...which is a very broad question, especially for someone new to this side of the city. She's always taken her coffee black, strong and as bitter as possible, kicks her right in the teeth and wakes her right up from any state of mind - but she wants it to be at least good quality, not like the crap she had this morning. "Guess we can head to Buster's, better be good - the crap I had this morning from the stall outside of the precinct didn't give me the best first impression, if ya think this place has good coffee, then let's head for it." She watches as he takes a swig of a flask - she's not sure what's in it, but from the timing and the fact he admits to cutting down tells her it's definitely not something that should be had when driving.

Renee pulls her seat belt over her torso and clicks it in, she gives him a look of disgust "If ya crash, then the injuries from it are gonna be the least of your issues. I'll kick your ass." She pauses, looking away for a moment before turning back to him, she grabs the flask and takes a swig of it -- a long swig, in that she probably drinks a quarter of it before handing it back to him. "Tastes awful, but if I'm gonna die from a car accident, I'd rather be hammered beforehand." She rolls her eyes as they pull up to the red lights and he starts annoyingly drumming at his steering wheel...this guy is going to take getting used to for her, but she doesn't entirely despise him.

"Look, I wasn't kiddin' back there - I hate dentists. I'll need to see the stiff before I can make any calls. If we're talkin' multiple stab wounds, a brutal beating or even a gunshot, there's a good chance it was just some crazy who he decided to criticise the teeth of on a bad day." Pausing for a moment, she thinks to herself before continuing. "...Or, if we're talking a professional killing. Fibre wire, choking, poison, anything that's difficult to trace...then he might have crossed with the wrong type of people. Maybe owed some cash that he wasn't able to pay back, maybe he's screwin' someones wife or maybe it's used to send a message to someone he's related to - who the hell can say? Either way, when I see the body...it'll be easier to narrow down what happened."