I sat in the crowd of all the other parents. Sitting right beside me- my wife of two years, Julianna Perrasmith- just as happy as I am to be here.

"And now, to induct a new Toronto Police Rover Crew." The speaker said, "To explain the purpose of this Rover Crew, we call upon Sargent Greg Parker, of the Toronto Police Service, currently serving in the Strategic Response Unit, and a member of the Strategic Response Unit Administration Team."

The entire crowd cheered. Jules sent out a sarcastic whistling noise.

"I heard that." Greg said, "And I have a good idea who it was too. For starters, I'd like to thank the Toronto Police Service President Chris Walker for being here, along with all the Sargents of all the divisions of the force who are blessed with Rover Crews. This year will mark the first year of a Strategic Response Rover Crew, which will be compiled with some of the finest police recruits at Toronto's own Humber College. The Toronto Police Service and Humber College have collaborated for several years in giving the real world experience of policing and enforcement to some very lucky Humber College Police Foundations students. What does a Rover Crew mean for the Strategic Response Unit? What purpose will a Rover Crew provide the Strategic Response Unit? Not only will the students on this Rover Crew gain valuable experience in squad based tactical policing, but they will also be provided with psychological preparedness, suspect profiling, and team based tactical training, all of which are usually taught in the Strategic Response Unit Officer Induction Training Module. Along with this training, the members of the Rover Crew will be called upon to assist and learn from some of the best Strategic Response Unit team members. The students in this crew will be expected to attain a minimum of 50 volunteer hours a month, on top of their course demands. And now, my favorite part- I'd like to ask the following students to come up on stage to receive their SRU Rover Crew epaulettes and badges; Christina Walker, Justin Benedict, James Fortier, and Robert Mane."

These students appeared on stage and they accepted their gear.

"On top of these students," Greg continued, "I'd like to ask Megan Perrasmith to please come on up. Megan Perrasmith is currently one of the two Humber Police Foundations Class Sargents, and currently has an average of 93%- the highest in her class. Ms. Perrasmith will be the SRU Rover Crew's Sargent."

The crowd gave her a huge round of applause as she went up on stage and got her gear.

"I'd also like to note that Megan Perrasmith's parents are in this crowd somewhere, and they are Strategic Response Unit Officers Kristopher and Julianna Perrasmith."


After the induction, there were some light snacks put on the table behind the sitting area. Most of the other parents were taking pictures of their kids with their uniforms on, or with the Sargent that inducted them onto their respective SRU Rover Crew.

"Congratulations Megan." I said, as I wrapped my arms around her, as she stood near the back.

"I'm proud of you." Jules said, as she hugged her too.

"Aww, isn't that nice?" Greg said with a smile, as he chewed on a piece of brownie, "I suppose you want a picture?" he asked me.

"Don't worry, boss, I don't think so."

Me and Jules quietly laughed.

"Haha- very funny," Greg said, as he answered his vibrating cellphone, "Go for Parker. Yeah. Yeah- ok. Call Eddie and Spike in. No- they're here with me at the Rover Induction ceremony."

"What's going on?" Jules asked.

"Missing child," Greg said, as we all started to walk together towards the door, "Disappeared. Mom looked away for a few minutes and she's gone."

"We might as well go right to the station- we're not too far." I said to Jules.

She nodded, "What about you Megan?"

"How am I going to get home?" Megan asked, "You were my ride."

I smiled, as I tossed Megan the keys to my new truck, "Be careful- we'll ride with Mr. Brownie."


The three of us walked into the SRU building, and quickly changed from our formal attire to our dark grey uniforms.

As we walked out from the locker rooms, we saw Ed and Spike waiting for us at the dispatcher's desk, where Winnie sat.

"Sorry guys," she said, "Team Eight is at an armed domestic."

"What do we have?" Greg asked.

"4 year old Trisha Mines, taken from her front yard. Neighbors don't remember seeing anything suspicious. Mom doesn't have any enemies, or knows anyone who would want to hurt her daughter."

"Father?" Ed asked.

"Deceased." Winnie said, "Car accident."

"Alright, we'll go to the home, talk to Mrs. Mines," Greg said, "Spike, Ed and Perra will look for any clues. If nothing comes up, we'll start a radial search pattern."

"Copy that." Me and Spike replied in unison.


Once at the home, Ed and I started scanning the scene, while Spike worked on a laptop, tapping into nearby traffic cameras. Meanwhile, Jules and Greg spoke to the mother.

"Do you have a picture of your daughter?" Jules asked.

"Yes, right here." She said, as she handed Jules a picture of the small child wearing a pink jumpsuit jumping into a pile of leaves.

She immediately ran into the truck, and passed the picture to Spike. "Need to get an Amber Alert out ASAP, Spike."

"I'm on it." Spike said, "Jules?"

"Yeah?"

Spike looked into Jules' eyes.

"Nothing, it's nothing."

"You got something to say to me, pal?" Jules said, as she smacked Spike on the arm.

"Nothing, ok?"

Jules shook off Spike and as she went back outside.

As she approached Parker and Mrs. Mines, she saw Greg doing his best to try to comfort the crying mother.

"I went back into the house…" she said in between cries.

"Farah-" Jules said, as she called her by name, "We're going to get your daughter back ok?"

"She's gone…"

"No, she isn't. You just have to have hope, ok? You see those men over there?" Jules said, as she pointed to Perra and Ed, "They are both fathers, and they will not stop until we find your daughter, ok?"

As Jules and Parker started to walk away, Greg commented, "Good job Jules."


"We got a hit from the Amber Alert." Spike said, "Woman walking down Pinecrest Road saw a blonde woman with a girl she identified as Trisha."

"Copy that Spike," Ed said, "Me and Perra are on the way. Jules, come with us, we may need to talk this woman down if she's violent."

Me and Jules piled into one SUV with Ed, as we rushed to the scene.

Once at Pinecrest Road, we slowed down and looked out the windows, trying to find the suspect.

"Any identifiers?" I asked Spike, "What she was wearing? Scars, tattoos- anything?"

"Nope." Came Spike's reply, "Dispatch couldn't keep her on the line."

"Right there, Ed." Jules said, as she pointed to a taller blonde woman, holding Trisha in her arms.

"Attaching chest camera," I said over the radio, as I deployed a small camera onto my vest, and pressed the on button, "Let's see if we can identify her."

"Police- SRU!" Ed said, as he got out, with the two of us behind him as we formed up on the suspect, "Got it?"

"Got it," Jules said to Ed, as they switched spots, putting Jules in the front, as me and Ed went shoulder to shoulder behind her.

"Grabbed a snapshot, and running it through the databases." Spike replied, "Might take a few minutes."

"Ma'am," Jules started, "These guys are with me. What's the name of the little girl that you're holding?"

"It's Trish." She replied, "I'm taking her some place safer. Some place where people will love her."

"Got it!" Spike exclaimed, "Flagged- doesn't say why, but I can tell you that she used to be a foster mom, until all of her kids got adopted."

"Name?" I asked.

"Margaret Bain." Spike answered.

"Jules-" came Greg, "Trisha was adopted. Spike, look back to see if Margaret ever took care of Trisha as a foster mom."

"Could be restricted," Spike replied, "That's under the Family Services Act, very limited FOI on that."

"Pull whatever strings you have to."


"Ok, Margaret," Jules started, "Trisha is not your daughter, ok?"

"I never said she was."

"Then why did you take her?"

"Because she needs people who will love her, she needs a father and a mother."

"Margaret, do you know Trisha's mother?" Jules asked, "Because I was talking to her, and I know that she loves her."

"How do you know that?" Margaret asked, "Are you the one who trained the dogs?"

I looked over to Ed with a quizzical look.

"Spike-" Ed started, "Look to see if Mrs. Bain has been diagnosed with anything- emphasis on mental, I'm thinking severe or acute paranoia disorder, or bipolar."

"Copy that- looking into the medical records."


"Jules, we getting anywhere?" Greg asked.

"Negative." I responded.

"Ed-" Greg said, "You have a read on the subject? Do you think she might try to hurt Trisha?"

"It's hard to say boss." Ed replied, "I can place a rubber bullet into her chest. Jules can move forward and get Trisha out from her arms."

"Does she have any weapons?" Parker asked again.

"None that we can see." I answered, "I can second Jules on the approach after Ed lands the rubber, make sure we get Trisha and detain Margaret."

I could visualize Greg nodding, "Ok- do it."

In one fluid movement, Ed dropped his live ammunition magazine from the handgun and dropped in a rubber bullet magazine. As soon as I heard the shot fire, which made Margaret fall to her knees, I ran forward with Jules.

Once I knew that Jules had Trisha, I moved in closer and placed cuffs on Margaret.

"Margaret Bain, you are under arrest for the kidnapping of a child under five years of age and for trespassing on the property belonging to Farah Mines. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be used against you in Court. You have the right to have an attorney. Upon transfer into Toronto Police Services Lock-up, you will be given the chance to make one phone call. Your fingerprints, DNA and other biological specimens may be collected for the purposes of a trial at court. Do you understand?"

She didn't respond. It is a lot to take in. I do usually repeat it once or twice…

"Do you understand?" I asked again. "You are…"

"Yes, I understand." She responded.


Back at the station, Jules got changed. After getting into some casual clothes that she kept in her locker, she knocked on the men's change room door as she yelled in "Decent?"

"Yeah." Came a reply.

Jules went in and saw only Spike changing. "Where's Perra? What about Ed?"

"Ed just left. I guess Sophie wasn't too happy with him leaving in the middle of their meal. Boss wanted to talk to Perra." Spike explained.

"What was today about?" Jules asked.

"What do you mean?" Spike asked back.

"You wanted to ask me something, but you didn't."

"It's nothing, Jules- let it go."

"I can't Spike- what do you want?"

"Is Megan ok?" Spike asked in frustration.

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Because we usually text, email or something like that and she hasn't replied to me since I picked her up from the OPP station- I just want to know if she's ok."

"Why do you care so much, Spike?" Jules wondered aloud.

"She's like a friend to me Jules. I lost Lewis, I lost Sam, and she's all I have."

"Really?" Jules asked, "She's that kind of friend? Not another type?"

"What are you getting at?" Spike retorted.

"You've never thought of…"

"Why would I think about her like that?" Spike yelled at Jules, "My dad's dead, my mother moved back to Italy, I watched my best friend be blown to bits by a landmine I couldn't neutralize, and my other friend left me to go to Afghanistan where he has a good chance of being killed!"

"Ok, Ok," Jules said, "Why don't we talk about it?"

"Don't try to handle me." Spike said angrily, as he left the room.