Christmas Rush
Chapter 1
It was warm and breezy, this summery Melbourne night. A night where magic could happen right before your eyes and you'd take it with a pinch of salt and be on your way, simply because you felt it normal on a night like this.
Christmas Eve always felt this way to Grace.
She couldn't feel it at the moment though, as she walked slowly along the moonlit alleyway. She was alert to every movement, every sound that echoed along the lonely street. Her footfalls were soft, short and slow, her elbows braced; holding a gun.
She strained her ears, listening intently for any sound that might give her, or her target, away. If he knew where she was, half the game was lost. She had a fair inkling that she still held that upper hand; she was good at being silent.
Just as she slinked past a big dark-looking skip, something moved, something rustled gently enough to make you wonder if anything had moved at all.
Bingo, she thought as she fought instinct not to turn around suddenly, giving away her position. If she spooked her target before she was ready to chase him… She stayed still, crouching beside the skip, ready-
Somewhere about her left shoulder her radio suddenly sparked loudly, and she heard a distinct plastic thump above her head.
Grace swore, swinging out of her cramped position and aiming at the silhouette racing up the alley. She took off, using the skip as leverage onto the next. He was fast, but not fast enough to outrun Grace (even if she was a good head shorter). She leapt down onto a bin and jumped onto the pavement, quickly gathering momentum in her pace.
"Stop! Police!" She yelled, and she saw the man falter in his stride. She ran harder, eyes on the pavement and sprinting, almost in the vicinity to jump…
He turned sharply to the left, and Grace followed, pivoting off the curb.
She almost ran into something as she cleared the corner; something she definitely hadn't expected. Literally skidding to a stop, Grace caught sight of a blue uniform before she skidded straight into the back of the man she had been chasing.
Dazed she stepped back and saw he was being held up by none other than Sergeant Josh himself.
Cursing in exhilaration, she bent over, using her arms for support on her knees and threw him a smirk.
"Glad you got here on time." She grinned.
He smiled as he marched the man past.
"Yeah, figured you might need some help." Grace shook her head, smiling at his amused expression.
She followed on, still breathing hard as she cast a look back down the street.
They walked a way up the street before the familiar sight of their police car rolled up on the curb.
Michael poked his head out the driver's window.
"You guys got him then Grace?"
Grace nodded, pulling open the passenger door to get in.
"Grace? Grace Barry?" An unfamiliar voice sounded behind her, and she paused. She looked around at Josh, puzzled. Her face fell when she saw the facial features of the man they had caught, now lit by the street lamps, and recognized him.
*
"Guys? How far away from South Melbourne square are you?"
"Six minutes, why?" asked Lawson, looking round to indicate turning left.
"I've just got a call from somewhere near South Avenue detailing some sort of domestic." Leon typed audibly into the radio.
"What sort of domestic?"
Leon sat back in his chair, grinning.
"Just the usual man vs. wife in the earshot of some nosy neighbors"
Lawson rolled his eyes, but Stella grinned to herself in the backseat. She never failed to be amused by the frequent antics of her teammates.
"Where does he get that crap anyway?"
Leon started typing away again.
"Just make it up. Its simple quick wit Lawson, I'm just sorry you can't see it for the brilliance it is."
Lawson shook his head.
"My ass it is."
"C'mon Lawson, these awesome late night rounds wouldn't be half as much fun if Leon wasn't always charming us with his humor" Chuckled Stella.
"Why thank you Stella. And guys, I've been looking into this call, it seems it was made from a public box not two minutes away from the address given, 7 South Avenue, and only lasted long enough to tell us where it was."
Stella frowned.
"You don't think they're being serious." She realized.
"Or they're setting us up for something." Said Dom
Lawson nodded as they sped up.
"Keep us posted on anything you find Leon"
"Will do; in the mean time be careful guys"
Dom smirked
"We're always careful"
*