Notes: the passage in italics is a dream sequence. Short first chapter to start with, next one will be longer, I promise :)
01. Whispers
The pale half light of pre-dawn cast strange shadows across the empty streets of Los Angeles. A figure moved in the shadows, walking slowly towards a large building a few hundred meters away. The man walked with a purposeful stride, his attention fixed on his target. Once every few seconds the man glanced over his shoulder, checking to make sure he wasn't being followed. His gaze fixed on the security cameras for a brief moment, a slight smile tugging at his lips as he inclined his head at one and walked on. His pace slowed further as he drew level with the building he had been heading for, taking in everything he needed to know about his target. Smiling, he walked on as the first golden rays of sun began flowing across the streets around him.
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"Wow, you sound a lot like Fuller," Gamble said, his voice holding a strange tone as he looked at his partner. "Is that what you two were talking about in there? Did you rat me out? You cut a deal to get back on the team Jimmy?"
"Did I cut a deal?
"Yeah, did you?" The disgust and mistrust in his voice angered his partner. The locker room faded away, leaving only the two men in the darkness, facing each other. Street glanced to his left at the sound of a train horn, momentarily confused as to his whereabouts.
"Did you rat me out Jimmy?" Gamble whispered. Street looked down and saw his former partner on the rail tracks, his face covered in blood. The left side of his head was mangled, bits of skull showing clearly through the blood. "You did, didn't you? You sold me out to Fuller that day. You bastard! You sold me out, took the pay check over me..."
"Damn it Brian," he muttered, running a hand through his damp hair. "We weren't just partners, we were friends!". Although they had been partners for five years, they had been friends a lot longer than that. They had been best friends, doing everything together. Down time was always spent together, usually playing pool or hanging out, checking out the ladies. They were as close as brothers, so when Brian screwed up and walked out, Jim had been left feeling confused and angry, trying to deal with rumours running wild that he'd sold out his partner.
"Why'd you do it Brian?" It was a question that would never be answered, but he asked it just the same, every morning when he woke up after the same nightmare. Shaking his head, he got out of bed and put on his running gear, slipping his keys in his pocket as he whistled for Liam. The Alsatian was at his side in an instant, knowing they were in for a long run on the beach when his master was in this frame of mind.
"Come on Liam, let's see if we can work this out." Scratching the dog behind the ears briefly, the young SWAT officer headed towards the beach for a long, exhausting run, hoping to take his mind off his past.
###After an hour of running on the deserted beach, Jim turned back towards his home, knowing he'd get no more peace as people began to descend on the golden sands. Although he had pushed himself hard, his mind felt clearer after the exercise and he felt he had regained some level of emotional balance which had been lost due to the nightmare. As soon as he got home, he grabbed a cold glass of orange juice and hit the shower, readying himself for another day of honing his skills with the rest of his team, while they waited for the next call to come in...
I promise the next chapter will be longer. While I write it tho, why don't you hit that little review button and tell me what you think... Go on, you know you want to ;-)
