Family - Prologue
"Available units, Code 3. High speed pursuit in progress. Highway 18, EB, Linden County units request local assistance. Officers Radford, Lambert and Basset already in pursuit. Suspects reported as two, male, Caucasian, GTA, ADW, 217, 243, advise extreme caution…"
Beautiful blue skies lined the area. Grasslands and farms bordered the country roads, and the air was quiet save for the sound of the dispatcher and the steady thrum of her heartbeat in her ears. Officer Charlotte Radford of King County's Sheriff Department shook her head, combing back loose strands of dark chocolate curls. The black sunglasses perched atop her head pushed back most of the wayward strands, and she nodded her head at Officers Lambert and Basset, listening as the dispatcher announced the play-by-play of events. She turned as the sound of a familiar cruiser pierced her ears, and she smiled, waving her arm in the air in greeting.
The light-bars of the cruiser glared in the sunlight, flashing red and blue in tandem. The vehicle stopped at the top of the hill, the familiar faces climbing out of the car to wrestle the tire strip to the blacktop. Having secured the strip to the asphalt, the officers clambered back inside the cruiser and screamed to a stop beside the first car.
"Dispatch. Unit 1. Unit 3. We are 10-97 and code 100, Highway 18, EB of interstate. Please advise." Lambert's voice was hard, unyielding.
"Stand by, Unit 1."
The dispatcher's voice crackled down the line of the handset, and the five officers prepared themselves - cars turned to form a roadblock with their weapons position over the hood. "Morning, guys," muttered Radford, flashing them a short grin.
Walsh ignored her, too busy eyeing the road whilst Grimes nodded his head in response.
"Sounds like they're chasing those idiots up and down every back road we got," commented Lambert, nodding his head in greeting and thanks to the newcomers.
Beside him, Basset nodded his head, nervous. "Think they'll even get here?"
Grimes shot him a look. "They will. Those Linden County boys are good. Carter and those guys? They'll steer 'em right to us."
"Maybe we'll get on one of those video shows? World's Craziest Police Chases?" Basset's voice sounded hopeful. "You think?"
"Idiot," breathed Radford, holding her revolver in her hands. Her grip was tight and the stare she showered Basset with had him rethinking his words.
Before he could apologise, Grimes cut in. "What I think, Leon, is you need to stay focused and make sure you got a round in the chamber and your safety off."
A small smile played on Radford's face at her friend's words, and she couldn't help but agree with him.
"Would be kind of cool getting on one of those shows," muttered Walsh.
And over their guns, Radford and Grimes shared a look of matched exasperation with their team. The group of law officials remained silent, listening to the distant sounds of roaring engines and the wailing sirens of the cruiser in pursuit, the screeching of the tires, the noise of the helicopter invading their senses. They watched as the cars got closer and closer, tumbling down the hill, the Dodge Charger zipping in and out of the lanes, and it hit the tire strip and swerved out of control.
The car flipped and rolled and landed upside down in the wheat fields.
The officers crept forward, weapons raised and aimed, and they watched and ducked as gunfire emitted from the side of the totalled car. Shot after shot after shot. Radford aimed her gun and sent warning shots at the shooter, her bullets just grazing the side of the man's head. Her actions made the shooter dance, jumping left to right to avoid the shots. Beside her, Walsh went for the kill as Grimes fell to the floor.
"He's hit!"
"Rick!" shouted Walsh, and the group ran forward.
"I'm alright!" yelled Grimes, pushing himself to his feet. The bullet had hit his vest, saving his life.
"Saw you get tagged," muttered Walsh, still staring down at the wrecked car. "Scared the hell out of me."
"Me too," murmured Radford, helping her friend to his feet.
"Me three," breathed Grimes. "Son of a bitch shot me. You believe that?" A moment passed as Grimes began to stagger. "Shane, you do not tell Lori that happened. Ever. You understand? You too, Charlotte. She can't know-" but words failed him as he pushed the female officer to the ground, a hidden shooter escaped the car and fired a shot at the deputy's side. And he fell to the floor in a pool of his own blood, sputtering and gasping for breath.
"No!" shouted Radford. And she scrambled to her feet beside her friend, ripping open his shirt to help staunch the blood flow just as Walsh bellowed for someone to call an ambulance.