Back Then
When I was in my second year as an officer, my job was to drive the Sergeant around. It was light duty. I was still healing from the injuries I received on September 11th. Sergeant Walter Decker was only months from retirement and he didn't want any trouble. So he avoided everything.
"That guy looks like he's selling pills." I said.
"Let's see what's happening in the diner." He would answer.
"I hear an alarm going off."
"I don't hear anything. Let's get a donut and coffee."
He was a man who was so out of shape that he had trouble getting out of the car. It's a good thing he had a driver. He couldn't fit behind the steering wheel.
"I tell you Everdeen, this joint makes the best jelly donuts in the city." He's was talking about a place with so much grease on the floor it was hard not to slide across the floor. "And the coffee is great also." I wondered why he put five sugars in it if it was so good. "You sure you don't want any?"
"No thanks Sarge. I had a big breakfast." In reality I was starving but we had different tastes in food. I would just nibble on my granola bar until our shift was over. Four PM on the dot, not a minute more.
"LENNY GET THE CAR! I'LL GO AFTER HIM!" I turned around to see who was screaming. I saw a man running towards us and BAM! Right into the Sarge. Sarge tried to save the coffee and donut but it was a lost cause. "NOOOOOOO!" was all the Sergeant could get out as his donut went right into the sewer. Perfect shot. Nothing but net. While my coffee stained Sergeant went rolling along I saw a man chasing the guy that flipped the Sarge followed by a car with its lights and sirens blaring. They were cops and they were chasing this guy. I didn't know why they were chasing him but I joined in.
Unlike the grid of streets in Midtown Manhattan, the streets of West Village are little with lots of alleys. They all ran at odd angles to each other. This was my territory. I spent four years here in college and I knew every nook and cranny.
I was also fast. Very fast. This was the best shape I had ever been in. I had recovered and all those months of physical therapy had finally paid off. I was a well oiled machine. I had muscles in places I never had before. I was going to get this guy.
We ran along Barrow Street towards Hudson and he crossed Hudson. He ran straight towards an alley. Asshole, there is a ten foot chain link fence at the end. The guy ran right to the fence and climbed. I was catching up but he made it to the top before I could get to him. This prick was fast himself. I leapt on top of a dumpster and climbed the fence like a squirrel. Gale would be proud.
I flipped over the fence. I was getting closer to him. We exited the alley on Morton and he went east towards Seventh. Seventh is a busy avenue, he had to slow down trying to cross the street. I was closing in on him.
I was within ten feet of him and then I did it, I put on the afterburner. That bit of energy that gave me just a little more speed. I caught up with him and I pulled out my baton. WHAM! Right on his kneecap. Down he went.
