The Lawman's Struggle

Author's Note

Hello FanFiction Community! I am Rookieblue14, and this will be my first attempt at writing one of these. I welcome all constructive criticism, so please read and review my work.

Chapter One

Peacekeeper Jacob Maizer stepped out of the shower, reaching for a towel. Looking into the mirror, he briefly checked to make sure his short, brown hair was still in order, and looked into his eyes. Big and brown, many were surprised when Jacob had entered the Peacekeeper Academy. No one with big brown eyes like him would be capable of being able to live through the horrors that are so often reported on the nightly news, especially now. They were further surprised when Jacob revealed he had always wanted to be a Peacekeeper after the death of his father at the hands of the Los Muertos gang, in a robbery gone wrong. Those that knew him could not equate the quiet, studious boy they knew to the rough and tough Peacekeepers they saw on the streets trying to contain the growing violence.

Truthfully, Jacob was worried himself, until he actually got to the academy. There, he excelled in every training program, from marksmanship to vehicle maneuvers and interrogation to hand to hand combat. Each success gave Jacob more and more confidence, which reassured him that he was in the right place, doing the right thing. Jacob helped his fellow cadets, working with them in the areas that they struggled in, quickly establishing himself as a competent tutor, and an excellent friend. The majority of the cadet class had visited him for help, and all considered him a friend.

On graduation day, Jacob was named the distinguished honor graduate, earning himself choice of whatever beginning assignment he wanted. Thinking only momentarily, he chose the Rapid Response Task Force. The RRTF was a new initiative put forth by the Agency to combat the rising crime levels. Structured to be small, fast and devastating, the RRTF would be the defining force against the gang menace, especially since the Agent project had failed to produce results. Now that the superhero crime fighting thoughts were reigned in, there was room for actual law enforcement work to be done.

Shaking himself from his memories, he grabbed him brand new uniform, perfectly tailored to his body. The RRTF unit patch, which shown brightly against the dark uniform, stood out, marking him. Dressing quickly, he slowly walked out of the bathroom, and into the main room of his apartment. While being a Peacekeeper was a honor, it didn't exactly pay well, especially being on the bottom rung, RRTF or not. Making his way to the coffee machine, he pressed a button on the TV remote in passing, turning on the news. As always, breaking news of explosions and more deaths were the only stories available. Sighing, he switched off the TV, instead hoping to take a couple of moments to relax with his coffee before he headed off to his first day.

Unfortunately, his communicator's alarm began its shrill ring, warning him it was time to go. Looking over longingly at the rest of the coffee he was missing out on, Jacob set the mug in the sink and attached his duty belt. Drawing his Colby semiautomatic pistol, he loading a magazine, checked to ensure the safety was on, and holstered it. Taking a deep breath he turned off the lights, exited his apartment, locked the door and began his trek to work. Stepping outside, he was surprised to see a squad car waiting out front, and a young, red headed female Peacekeeper waiting for him. "Ah, Officer Maizer, good to finally meet you." She called, motioning him over. "Welcome to the RRTF, I'm your partner, Sergeant Elizabeth Crooks."

Jacob sized up his apparent partner, and superior. While she looked small, standing at a scant 5'3", she definitely looked like she could handle herself. She exerted a natural confidence and charisma that probably had served her well. The Agency doesn't promote people that don't get results, so Crooks obviously had proven herself in some way. Giving a friendly smile, Jacob approached the squad car and held out his hand. Crooks connected with a surprisingly firm grip and they got into the vehicle. "Good morning Sergeant, and thank you for the ride. This definitely saves me the bus money." Jacob said.

"No problem at all, you're on my way to the Tower anyway. Plus, I wanted a chance to get to know you a little before we started our shift, especially with what's being planned today."

"Do we already have an operation in the works?" Jacob asked, a little surprised. The RRTF was brand new, and not even fully operational yet to Jacob's knowledge.

"Yes, and in answer to your next question, we finally received enough evidence and support to raid the Easy Riders Garage complex. Do you know it?" Crooks glanced over at her partner. This was obviously a test to see if Jacob knew the basics about the gang he would be first going after.

"Of course. The Easy Riders Garage is home to the vast majority of the vehicle theft and modification ring that Los Muertos runs here. I'm surprised we're just now getting authorization to raid it though, especially since the Agency has had it as a target for so long according to its file."

"While the vehicle theft ring is a nuisance to the general population, it hasn't topped the Agency's to do list in quite a while, especially with all else that's going around in the other districts, never mind this one. We got authorization for today's operation because it has been confirmed that Rafael Diaz is going to be there today."

Jacob could barely hold back his surprise. "Chuco is going to be there? Holy shit, I can see why we got the go ahead so quickly. How long till the operation?"

"We're on the way to it now, and we won't have time to make a stop at the tower first. The RRTF Mobile Command Vehicle will meet us there, and you'll be able to change into the gear and load up there."

Jacob shook his head in amazement. He had assumed his first day would be filling out forms, learning the Tower's layout and meeting his teammates. Now, it seemed he would have a trial by fire.