Face off: a Dragnet story. All rights to the characters and background of Dragnet is the property of it creators. Our story, the year is 1967. Friday and Gannon have responded to a robbery in progress. Friday corners the robber. Problem is they both have their guns pointing at each other and someone's gun is empty.
The robber was crouched in the corner by the door. He had his 38 special pointed at Friday.
Friday was in the middle of the room. He had his gun pointed at the suspect's head. Both men stared at each other for a few moments.
Friday finally spoke. "What's it going to be, boy?" Nodding toward the window where the sounds of sirens and cars pulling up to the building. "You know that you are not getting away."
The gunman was likely not more then 18 years old of he was even that tried to sound brave. "I'll get out don't you worry!" He shouts. "Remember, I have you for a hostage!"
"A hostage?" Friday says "Boy, I have a gun on you. Your not gonna go anywhere, except jail or the morgue."
Friday tried to size up this boy. Scared? Certainly but not suicidal. "What's your name, Son?" he said in a quiet voice.
"Brad Perry." He finally said.
"Well listen to me Brad." Friday said "You are in a lot of trouble here. But not so much that you need to die for. We got you for armed robbery. That's 3 to 5 years." Friday took a step forward. "NO!" Perry said cocking the .38.
Friday stopped moving. "But if you squeeze that trigger you go to the big time." A voice from the bottom of the stairwell.
"Joe, are you all right?" Bill Gannon called up.
"Yeah, Bill." Friday said. "Stay put, Brad and I are having a talk here."
Perry was shaking now. He turned the gun from Friday and pointed it to himself.
"You don't want to do that either, Son!" Friday said.
Perry looked to Friday and asked "I ruined my life, why should I go on?"
"You made a mistake, and a hell of a big one. But you have the chance to turn it around. I deal with men who have had more chances to change their lives and never do." Friday says "But you can." Holding his hand out. Perry's hand was shaking as he handed the gun to Friday.
Sticking the gun in his pocket, Friday holds out his hand to Perry. "Let's go boy." He says as he handcuffs Perry's hand behind his back and leads him down the stairs. A patrolman takes Perry away and reads his rights. Gannon walks over to Friday.
"You're shaking Joe, you all right?" he asks
Friday nods "Sure Bill." As they both walked out of the store.
"We saved that boy's life." Friday finally said
"How do you mean, Joe?"
"He was trying to kill himself." Showing Gannon the gun. "It was empty."
As it turned out. Brad Perry had lost his life savings to a swindler. And because of that he thought that there was nothing left for him. After doing three years in Lompoc for attempted robbery. He found that there was life after all. He enlisted in The Coast guard and made a career of saving lives at sea. Friday and Gannon of course went on patrolling the streets of Los Angeles. But every year on the day of Brad Perry's only criminal act of his life. He calls Joe Friday to thank him for saving his life.