Truly Quiet
By: Montez
Disclaimer: though I wish really hard, they still ain't mine.
There are not to many places or times in L.A. when someplace is truly quiet, but as I looked around the square that we had just cleared I actually heard birds.
It was so surreal as at the time I noticed hearing them I was also watching several dozen LAPD and FBI personnel walking about. They were scanning nearby windows for any sign of our sniper. I had just handed out assignments for officers to start clearing the surrounding buildings. I had also been informed by SWAT that their teams were do in any minute and had seen Edgerton go to the rear of his vehicle pulling out his own sniper rifle, then he seemed to disappear himself as I was sure he was putting himself inside our suspects head looking for the best position.
I was again glancing around at the quiet activity when I heard the sound of a car coming into the square. I noticed it was David's sedan as he pulled up next to one of the many black and whites parked around the square. I didn't notice the passenger in the car with him, assuming it was just another agent.
I was talking with Terry, who was at my side, as we climbed the couple stairs into the main area of the plaza. I happened to glance in David's direction, I noticed he was on his cell phone, then I noticed the person walking about 20 feet from him. It actually took me a minute to register that I was looking at the curly head of my little brother with his head down scribbling on a clipboard, next to one of the LAPD cruisers.
As the realization of what I was looking at registered, my world went into slow motion as the echo of the first shot bounced between the buildings.
"Charlie!…..Get Down!!!!", I remembered yelling as I automatically pulled my gun from my hip, running across the open square.
I saw Charlie, who obviously hadn't heard the shot, look up bewildered, then I saw David launch himself at Charlie as the next shot rang out. My heart nearly stopped as I saw them both fall, praying David had gotten to him in time. I saw David pop back up, crouched behind the cruiser with his gun drawn, but Charlie remained still behind the car. In the seconds, that seemed like eternity, that it took me to cross the open plaza Dads words came back to me. My worst fears were coming true before me.
Though we'd had our rough times, we had seemed to become closer and I discovered just how much I loved my brother and how much I wanted to protect him. Now my fear of total, absolute failure was entering my normally clear mind. I was still several feet away when a third echo sounded and I heard radio relays that our suspect had been taken out.
Charlie didn't seem to move until I grabbed him and pulled him toward me, then leaned him up against the car. I wanted to hold him tight and beat him senseless at the same time. I quickly looked him over, asking him if he was alright. I barely noticed Edgerton as he approached, wanting to know if Charlie was alright. I didn't understand any of the radio relays being thrown back and forth, may main concern was Charlie.
I can't remember what I said, I just remember getting him to his feet, halfway wrapping my arm around him and walking toward my truck. In a glance I knew Terry would take over the scene and I would take Charlie home.
Our drive was quiet. I glanced at Charlie, who was staring out the front window. I noticed he was shaking slightly, I want to shout out "How's that adrenal response for ya!", thinking back to a few days ago when I let him talk me into taking him to the shooting range, so he could 'get a feel' to the bodies response to shooting a weapon. I could see in his face he was terrified.
He probably thought I was mad at him. Hell yes I was mad at him, walking blindly through the middle of a possible sniper attack target, then nearly getting shot. But truth be told I was more terrified then he would ever realize. My mind kept playing out the possibility of my failure in protecting my brother. It kept wanting to show me what could have happened, the possibility of me rounding that car and seeing blood pooling around my lifeless brother, with that goofy 'what' expression on his face. I had to shake my head to clear it. I had to glance to my right to reassure myself that he was indeed next to me, all be it scared out of his mind, but he was beside me, safe.
As I pulled into the driveway of our childhood home, that he now owned, I looked over at him, still trying to calm himself, and I thanked whatever God was listening. I thanked him that, yes, I would tear into him for doing something as stupid as he had done, but not tonight, it would wait until tomorrow. Tonight I would be thankful that I would still have the chance to yell at him tomorrow. Tonight I would be the big brother, trying to help his little brother overcome the fears of what could have been.