Chapter 18
Captain Mark Calaway was at the wheel of his squad car. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. He was very upset and never said a word. He looked over at Officer John Shaw sitting in the passenger's seat just staring out the window. Neither one said a word. The tension in the vehicle was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Neither one said a word. The men were both silent.
Mark turned on the turn signal and turned right. Into an alleyway. John became curious. "What are we doing?"
"Shut up."'
"We're not going to the station?"
"I said shut up."
John shook his head his head annoyed. "Whatever."
Mark pulled the car a few feet into the alleyway. He put the car in park, then shut off the ignition..
"Okay. Now are you gonna tell me what we're doing?" John asked irritably.
"Get out of the car. Now."
John threw his arms up in the air. "Fine. Fine."
John rapidly undid his seatbelt as Mark unfastened his. John opened the door and slammed it shut. Mark exited the car and slammed his door in the process.
"What's your problem?" John demanded standing in front of the squad car.
"My problem," Mark asked in anger, walking to meet John. "Currently, my problem is you."
"OH-HO! ME! I'm the problem. I'M THE PROBLEM!"
"Yes. You."
"And why, exactly, am I the problem?"
"You've been working for me for only a year and a half and you're breaking rules."
"One rule," John stated holding up and index finger. "In the year and a half I've been working with you, I've broken one rule. One time."
"You were told to wait."
"I couldn't wait."
"The guy had a gun..."
John interrupted. "And 3 hostages. 2 of the hostages were kids, need I remind you."
"You were told to wait like everybody else at that house, Shaw. You were given specific instructions to wait while more backup arrived need I remind you!"
John turned to walk down the alleyway. "I ain't got time for this."
Mark began to follow after him. He snatched John roughly by the left arm forcing him to turn around. "Don't walk away from me."
John smacked Mark's hand away. "Don't touch me, Calaway!"
Now Mark was enraged. "That's Captain Calaway to you!"
"I did what I had to do. Whether I was told to wait or not, I was going to do whatever I had to do to serve and protect those in need. That's my job and my duty as long as I wear this badge."
"YOU WERE TOLD TO WAIT!"
"WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME! I was not gonna let Elaina and her two kids Melissa and Tommy fall victim to that man. I wasn't gonna have him pull the trigger and take 3 innocent lives. I couldn't live with myself if we had to bury the mother. It would have been much worse to bury the kids who still have long lives ahead of them. What if it was Michelle in there? Would you have waited?"
Mark took a step closer. "You keep my wife out of this," he seethed.
John coninued. "Or much worse. Would you have waited then if it was your 6 month old daughter's life at stake at the hands of that mad man?"
Mark had heard enough. He gave John a shove. John shoved Mark back. Mark rushed at John and knocked his back against a dumpster. John brought and elbow down on Mark's back causing him to stand up. John charged and tackled Mark to the hood of the squad car. Mark and John rolled off the hood to the ground. They rolled a few feet before John pushed himself away from Mark.
Both men made it to their feet. Mark balled up his fist and socked John in the face snapping his head back. John followed with a right hook of his own to Mark's face knocking him against the brick wall.
"STOP!" John bellowed. "This is ridiculous!"
Mark stopped. He locking eyes with John.
"What... are we doing here," John asked in between pants. "The mom and the kids are safe. That man is going away for a long time never to bother them again. Shouldn't that matter now?"
Mark straightened up. The tips of his fingers touched his nose. Blood. "You're right about that. That should be the only thing that matters."
John used the back of his hand to wipe the blood away from his lower lip.
"You think you were the only one that wanted to see that family safe?"
"No, Captain. Everbody was worried about them."
Both men composed themselves before speaking again.
"So, now, I guess you want my badge?" John asked.
"And your gun. I'll get those from you at the station."
"Why wait till back at the station?"
John removed the badge and sat it on the hood of Mark's vehicle. He then removed the gun from his belt. He dislodged the clip of rounds from the weapon and placed them next to the badge.
"Just so you know. It was worth being suspended. Well worth it...Captain."
John, wiping the blood away from his lip, turned his back to Mark and began walking out of the alleyway and began the 4-block trip back to the station on foot.