Chapter One
Officers Bobby and Bruce Nelson walked into the briefing room for that morning's briefing laughing about that morning. Bruce had been making pancakes that morning in the apartment they shared when he had gone to flip a pancake and a big spider crawled onto his arm. He had thrown the pancake in the air while dancing around trying to flick the spider off. The spider ended up in the batter while the pancake had flown across the room and onto the TV in the living room area. Bobby had ended up on the floor laughing.
They both settled down as they slid into a bench at one of the rooms tables just as Sergeant Getraer was about to start.
"Okay men, we have a man on the loose that has been hitting up gas stations and small shops in the downtown area. We have a description of a man that is 5'11" and about 140 lb. He has brown hair and a skinny built. Looks to be about 25. " Getraer said, " LAPD want us-."
The sergeant was cut off by Frank Poncherello slipping through the door just a tad late.
" Well Frank, nice to see you could make it." Getraer said sarcastically.
"Hey Sergeant just had to stop for breakfast at the vending machine." Ponch said sheepishly, holding up a ding-dong, one of his characteristic foods. Ponch had a slight addiction to ding-dongs and had them every morning.
"Well if you're done interrupting my briefing with your ding-dong addiction, let's get on with it." Getraer said.
"Yes Sir." Ponch grinned as he slid into the bench seat next to his partner.
"Where was I? Oh yeah," Getraer shuffled his papers, " The LAPD want us to be on the lookout when we're patrolling. Alright that's it. Everyone hit their beats. Bruce, you have front desk this week."
Bruce sighed as he walked out the room. Honestly Front desk duty was one of the worst jobs and since he was low on the totem pole, he got stuck with the job.
"Hey little brother have fun today." Bobby said with a grin as he tousled his brother's hair.
"I finally graduate from the academy and I get stuck doing the front desk dealing with hypochondriacs." Bruce mumbled as he walked to the front desk.
Ponch and Bobby headed out on their beat and by the time midday rolled around nothing eventful had happened. Ponch and Bobby decided to go eat some lunch at a diner in the downtown area.
"Hey Bobby there's the diner," Ponch pointed. " Why don't you call us out for lunch?"
" Sure thing," Bobby replied keying his mic. "LA15, Mary 6 and 7 code 7 at Rosemary and Cummers."
"Mary 6 and 7, LA15, 10-4 code 7 at Rosemary and Cummers."
"10-4"
Ponch and Bobby pulled into Pop's Diner and went in to order their food. They took their food outside in hearing distance of their radios.
"Man could you believe that lady on the freeway today? She had to be going at least 15 under the speed limit." Bobby remarked as he took a bit out of his hotdog.
"I know. She couldn't hear a thing either and that yippy dog of her's didn't help either."
"Haha she sure like you though. Looked to me like she was hitting on you."
"Nah man she had to be at least 70 years old!" Ponch said taking a big bit out of his hamburger.
"Hey partner I think you got a little something on your face," Bobby laughed pointing at the huge gallop of a ketchup and mayo mixture on Ponch's mouth.
"Don't judge. I'm enjoying my fine meal the way I should." Ponch said
" Is this how you eat when you're on a date? If so I can see why you don't have a girlfriend."
Ponch stood up and threw his napkin at Bobby on his way to throw out his tray. Bobby caught the napkin and throw it away along with his trash, a big grin still on his face.
"Hey man I would watch it if I were you. I don't see you walking around with a girlfriend either." Ponch said as he sauntered over to his motor.
Bobby just laughed and followed him to where they were parked.
They had just started to strap on their helmets when a store owner came running out of his shop chasing a young man that was booking it do the road on foot.
The shop owner saw the CHP officers and yelled at them.
"Hey he just robbed me. He's getting away."
Ponch and Bobby looked at each other and threw on their sunglasses and started off after him on their bikes.
"LA15, Mary 6 and 7 are in pursuit of a 484 cross street Mercury and Rosemary."
"Mary 6 and 7, LA15. 10-4. All officers in the vicinity of Mercury and Rosemary Mary 6 and 7 are in pursuit of a 484. Please assist.
"Hey Bobby he's heading down Mercury Blvd. Go cut him off."
"On it."
Bobby took off while Ponch jumped off his motor to go after him on foot. The man cut across a parking lot and scaled a wall into the back alley. Ponch was right behind him up and over the wall. The man glanced back behind him to see Ponch catching up.
Uphead Bobby was moving into position without the man seeing him. The man glanced back again, but just as he did Bobby blocked his route of escape with his leg sticking out to trip him. The man looked forward just in time to see the ground rushing up towards his face as he fell to the ground. Ponch came to a halt as Bobby pulled out his handcuffs and put them on the guy's wrists.
"Hey Partner," Bobby said, " Glad you could join the party."
"You.. wouldn't.. have… caught.. him.. without me." Ponch leaned over, trying to catch his breath.
"Think this is the guy that the LAPD are looking for?" Bobby asked.
"What guy?" Ponch looked confused.
"If you had shown up on time to the briefing this morning you would know."
"I had more important things to attend to." Ponch said as he walked over to his motor to call for a cruiser to pick this guy up.
"LA15, Mary 6 and 7 have apprehended the suspect. Requesting a cruiser to take him in."
"Mary 6 and 7, LA15. 10-4."
Ponch and Bobby sat there waiting for the cruiser that soon arrived. Sergeant Getraer was that ended up having to come pick up the prisoner. Bobby and Ponch decided to head back out on patrol instead of following the prisoner in and to do the report at the end of their shift.
Sergeant Getraer arrived at the station and took the prisoner to a holding cell to be detained until LAPD showed up to get their man. On the way down he passed Bruce as he was getting a snack.
"Hey is that the guy that Ponch and Bobby caught?" Bruce asked.
"Yeah it is. Looks like your brother and Ponch got the guy that the LAPD were on the hunt for." Getraer replied.
The man glanced up at looked at Bruce sharply at the mention of brothers. He looked closely at the blonde young man who closely resembled the one who had tripped he and banged up his face.
"Where are Bobby and Ponch?" Bruce inquired.
"They decided to head back out on patrol. It was a lucky thing that they stopped for lunch though or we might not have ever caught this guy." Getraer said as he led the man past Bruce.
Getraer didn't want to say how proud he was of his men at loud for fear of sounding soft but his chest puffed as he thought about how his men had been the ones to catch the criminal that had eluded the police.
The man glared at Bruce as the blonde walked away to his post. He then turned to look at Getraer and said. "I'm getting out of here. Don't think you've caught me for good."
"Sure buddy." Getraer replied, closing the cell door. That's what they all said. He thought. Can't someone, just one, be a little more original.
A little while later Bruce was at the front desk arguing with a elderly woman who was insisting that they could find her lost cat. He was in the middle of explaining to the woman that they were highway patrol and that they didn't do that kind of thing when the phone rang. He gestured at the woman that he needed to answer. He turned around and rolled his eyes as he answered the phone. He picked up the phone and sounded nice and crisp as he answered the phone.
"California Highway Patrol. This is Cadet Nelson."
"You and your little chippy friend will regret arresting my little brother."
" Excuse me sir? Who is this? Who is your brother?"
They mysterious caller hung up abruptly. Bruce stared at the phone trying to figure out what he had just heard. The old lady was walking out the door fussing about how young people were these days. Bruce paid no attention to her and hurried to the sergeant's office. He told Getraer what the man had said and asked what they could do.
"Well, for right now there nothing that we can do. We don't have any idea who this man is or who his brother is. For all we know, this could just be some kids who thought it would be funny to prank call the station." Getraer said, "Look, while don't you head back to work and put it out of your mind. I'm sure we have nothing to worry about."
Jack Knox was sitting outside the station in his car. Don't worry Nate. I'll get you out of there and those cops will regret arresting you. The man watched as the blonde man who had answered his phone call walked back into the office. He smiled as he thought about the revenge he was about to take.
Bruce didn't look all that reassured but he headed back out to the front to continue working. The sergeants probably right.
Someone just decided that it would be fun to prank call us. Bruce thought. With that he went back to his job. Little did he or the
sergeant know that the phone call was real and that the man was sitting just outside waiting to strike.