Chapter 10
As Peter picked up the now burning hot megaphone a few moments later his hands shook slightly, a tremor and weakness of his joints which forced him to stop and compose himself for a moment. The device had been sitting, discarded, on the front drivers seat of one of the patrol cars for well over the hour now, it's black foam soaking up the suns scorching rays, so much so that even the cool air, drifting through the open door of the front drivers side made little difference to the rising humidity of the vehicle. The fiery rubber however barely registered with the young Detective as the sudden weight of the megaphone pulled against his muscles and joints painfully, and he flinched instinctively, almost dropping its heavy frame to the floor as he released his grip of the handle, only slightly. Although he barely registered his reaction consciously, so preoccupied had he been with the current situation, and the wellbeing of his brother, Dan, and Leah.
"Ready Peter?" Jack suddenly approached him from behind, as the observed the young Detective's response.
Peter's head was by now pounding with the stress of the day. He felt as though he was wading his way through a dream… a particularly bad one, although the Captain had been reluctant to allow him in on the case in the first place, unless he could prove himself up to this, and so he simply turned and nodded to Jack.
"Ready as I'll ever be." He sighed. "Thanks Jack."
"Don't mention it." Jack smiled, as he turned to join the rest of the unit who had already assembled themselves strategically behind patrol cars, providing sufficient cover to hide and shelter them from view, but each and every one of them ready if in the event that they may be at all needed.
Peter wiped the perspiration from his brow with the back of his hand, rubbing his clammy palms together as best he could, so as to take a tighter hold upon the handle of the megaphone, not wanting to risk dropping it during his pending encounter with the young intruder for the second time that day.
Just as he was about to take up position however he heard the sound of Fitzgerald's softer more effeminate tone reach him.
"It'll be alright Peter." She assured him as their eyes met for a moment in mutual understanding, and it quickly became evident to Peter that she had approached him from the opposite side as Jack had departed his company. "I know it doesn't seem that way at the moment, but it'll all work out alright."
"It's not your job to make promises I know you can't keep." Peter uttered to her impatiently.
"I know." The constable nodded, a solemn expression set upon her face, communicating to Peter that this probably wasn't a promise at all.
"Then why are you doing this?" Peter asked, a combination of confusion and growing anxiety plaguing his already exhausted features, as he frowned, partially a result of his miscomprehension, although largely a result of his growing headache and lethargy.
"Because it's also my job to be there for my colleagues." She responded simply after a moment. "And you would do the same for me… just go easy on yourself Peter."
And with that she turned, walking away from him in the direction of where Peter knew his unit had finally based themselves, under the obvious direction of the Captain to not delay the proceedings for any longer than was necessary, and she was gone.
Peter himself now shifted, megaphone in hand, as he turned to face the situation he now expected to soon encounter. He wasn't much looking forward to having to explain to the young assailant that they hadn't managed to get the car that he had requested… rather fearing his reaction to this news, judging by their previous conversation.
He sighed, before turning his attentions back to what he was going to say however… there was very little he could under the circumstances, besides the truth, but this didn't stop him wondering how he was going to phrase his current predicament in as diplomatic a way as possible.
"Well the hours up." He spoke, voice shaking, raising the heavy piece of equipment to his lips finally. "I'm ready to talk."
The front door of Dan and Leah's house opened ajar, making Peter suspect that the young man may have been standing there for quite some time, watching, waiting for some kind of a report, and a harsh voice responded, "Just you?"
"Yes, I'm alone." Peter answered, as assuredly as he could muster, "So… are you going to come out so that we can speak face to face?"
The door creaked open a little further, and Peter could just make out the figure of Leah standing close beside the young man. Obviously there was little chance of an escape attempt on her part, and the Detective had no idea what kind of a condition Dan would be in, when, indeed if, they finally managed to successfully get them both out, and he could see him once again.
"Right…" The young man faltered. "I'm coming out… I've got the woman, so no funny business though… no sudden moves!"
Peter raised his hands above his head resignedly. "I have no intention of it!" He explained. "I just want to talk!"
The assailant stepped out onto the front patio, revealing himself to them for the second time in that moment. This time however, there appeared something very different about him, much less assured and more nervous, making Peter feel edgy. It was going to be difficult enough to reason with the guy under the best of circumstances, he realised that, but even more so to keep him calm, and make him listen to what Peter now had to say. Even so however, he persevered.
"Well, did you get it?" The young man asked.
"I'm afraid I need to talk to you about that." Peter responded.
"What do you mean?" The young man frowned almost warningly, "Need to talk to me about it?"
"Well…"
"Either you've got me the car or you haven't!" He suddenly interrupted sharply with this however, making Peter reconsider his approach, although it wasn't as though there was very much he could do to soften this blow under the circumstances.
"I can't get you the car I'm afraid…" Peter explained cautiously. "Under the circumstances of your request…"
"What do you mean?"
"We have instruction never to bargain with…"
The young man suddenly laughed maliciously with this however. "Oh I get it!" He spoke. "You police officers, you're all the same aren't you?" Before adding mockingly, "Well, no car for me, no freedom for them!" He smiled, glancing with Leah at this, as she tried to tear herself away from his grasp. "Oh no you don't!" He snapped as he caught her by the collar of her shirt, pulling her back.
"Just calm down so we can talk!" Peter stepped forward urgently at this.
"Oh I don't think so!" The young man cried as he began to drag Leah backwards towards the house. "You've had your chance Detective! I warned you all…"
As he retreated back into the main building, shoving Leah firmly in before him, he slammed the door abruptly, the main skeleton of the door ricocheting off the frame as the two made harsh impact and swung back on its hinges, ajar.
From within Peter immediately heard a scuffle ensue, before his heart leapt as he heard a terrifying scream. He was just about to put one foot forward however, prepared to follow the small group back into the house, when a loud bang suddenly erupted and resounded in the atmosphere, as the gun went off!