<span style="font-style: italic">Beep, beep, beep...</span><br/><br/>"Ugh. It's not morning yet, alarm clock, you're mistaken."<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Beep, beep, beep...</span><br/><br/>"Could I possibly have picked more shrill alarm? Okay, alright--"<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Beep, beep, beep..."</span><br/><br/>"I said alright!" Niki sat up quickly, bringing her hand down hard on the offending device. She yawned, rubbing her eyes, then swung her feet out of bed.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">New job today,</span>She thought, pulling out a change of clothes and heading into the bathroom for a shower,<span style="font-style: italic">better get moving.</span><br/><br/>"Ah! Really?!" She shivered under the cold water; apparently the hot water heater of her apartment wasn't working. Again.<br/>"I thought I was done with the cold showers when I graduated from the academy," she grumbled, toweling off and dressing. It was important to look professional and efficient at the same time, which is why Niki's wardrobe consisted of flexible slacks and nice, but not too nice, blouses. She liked blue, as it brought out the shade of her eyes and complimented the warm brown of her hair, which cascaded loosely over her shoulders. She clipped the holster of her new Colt Mustang onto her belt; her uncle had bought it for her as a gift upon graduation from the police academy. When she had got this job, she'd been asked to come in "ready to work," and in police business, you had to be ready for anything.<br/><br/>On her way to the station, she stopped and grabbed a bagel and a coffee-- You just couldn't catch bad guys on an empty stomach.<br/><br/>Once at her destination, her sharp blue eyes found the door labeled for the man she'd be working under until she knew the ropes a bit better.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Ken Clayborn... Hope he's not a total stiff.</span><br/><br/>Politely, she knocked on the door and poked her head in, "Excuse me. Hi, I'm Niki. I'm supposed to start work under your supervision today."