Protect and Serve

But while Bobby was out with the Special Forces, his old friend Joseph Gribble was having his own fun.

He was on a rampage. He had stolen himself a car, robbed a local supermarket close to 500 hundred dollars, had killed or injured a few pedestrians with his car and was now in a life or death shoot-out with a SWAT team. But that's the kind of excitement you get from video games.

He was so involved with his game that he didn't hear the phone ringing, even thought it was only a few feet behind him. So his father was forced to walk in from the kitchen and pick up the phone.

"For quality purposes some portions of this telephone conversation may be recorded." He said as fast as a recording as he picked up the phone." Gribble Residence." He said normally.

"Um Hello?" said a man's voice on the other end." I'm looking for a Mr. Gribble."

"Speaking."

"Mr. Gribble we have the results of your police examination and we'd like you to come in."

"What?!" Come in? Oh God their onto me!" Dale yelled as he dropped the phone and ran as fast as he could into the basement." The Government's coming to get me!" He yelled as he slammed the door behind him.

"Hello? Hello, Mr. Gribble?" the phone continued as if lay on the floor. A second later Nancy picked the phone up.

"Hello." She said into it.

"Yes, hello? Who is this?"

"Nancy Hicks Gribble."

"Right." He said confused. "Well Ms. Gribble I'm looking for a Mr. Joseph Gribble. About his police exam." Nancy turned her head over to Joseph who was glued to the tv.

"Joseph honey." She said getting his attention." Phone's for you." Joseph put the controller down and went to the phone, taking it from his mother.

"Hello." He said into it.

"Mr. Joseph Gribble."

"Yea."

"Well son, I'm just calling to tell you that you've been accepted to the Arlen Police department"

"Haha, Cool." Snickered Joseph. Now it was finally his time. No more cleaning floors and garbage cans at Tom Landry Middle School. He was moving onto the big leagues filled with high speed chases, guns and action.

The man on the phone explained to Joseph when he'd have to report in. And after an indoctrination period Joseph was a full-fledged member of the Arlen Police Department.

But being a rookie cop wasn't all it was cracked up to be. The most intense thing he did in his first few weeks was transport a drunken man to holding. Other than that Joseph spent most of his time at the office getting coffee for his senior officers.

And each rookie was looked over by a senior cop. Joseph was watched over by a man named Kabal a kind man from a small town like Arlen and moved here several years ago, Joseph had no problems with him but he wasn't the one Joseph took issue with. Joseph had problems with Kabal's partner Kurtis Stryker.

Stryker was very shoot first and ask questions later, normally Joseph would be okay with that but every time an opportunity arose Kabal was up for taking Joseph along but Styker somehow always had the last word which ended with Joseph sitting on his butt in the office the whole day. Kabal would apologize to Joseph and promise next time to bring him along, the duo would return sometime later looking tired out or on the verge of exploding with one or sometimes several felons handcuffed. Then they'd sit down and talk the entire situation over while Joseph could only and listen and hope someday he'd get that chance.

But with another day coming to an end Joseph put his badge and uniform away and then returned home for the night. He drove his car home and pulled into the driveway next to his Dad's exterminator truck.

It was nearly nine in the evening, nobody else was around. Nobody was in the alley nobody was in the streets just the lights of the lampposts and houses lit up Rainy Street.

But then Joseph's attention was brought to the sound of something dragging. He turned to his right trying to find the source of the noise. Stepping out from the Souphanousinphone house was a familiar looking, little Asian girl.

"Connie." He said out loud. She turned and looked at him.

"Joseph!" she replied. The two walked out and met each other in the middle of the street.

"What are you doing here? When did you get back?"

"Just earlier this morning, I've been home all day. What have you been up to, still working at Tom Landry?"

"No actually." Said Joseph puffing his chest out and crossing his arms." I'm a policeman now." Connie looked at him with a raised brow, it was hard to imagine a guy like Joseph in a position of authority.

"Right." She said pushing her hair behind her ear." What about Bobby, what has he been up to?"

"Haven't seen him." Joseph replied with a shake of his head.

"Is he still in the Army?"

"Yep." Joseph nodded.

"Right." Said Connie looking at the ground." Well I'll see you later alright Joseph?" She turned and starting walking away.

"Later Connie." Joseph said as he turned and went into his home.

The next day at the Police Station. Joseph walked into the office with two cups of coffee one for Kabal and the other for Stryker. However upon walking into the room he saw only Stryker present, leaning back in his chair with his boots resting on the desk.

"Good morning, sir." Joseph addressed him. Stryker gave him a sideways glance and a nod in reply. Joseph turned and looked over the vacant seat that was his instructors." Where's Kabal?"

"Late. Is that coffee?" Joseph nodded." Give it here." Joseph handed one of the cups off to Stryker. He leaned back in his chair sipping at his coffee. Joseph stood there quietly for a few seconds but then put the other cup of coffee on Kabals' desk and them himself walked around to sit behind it." Don't sit there." Kurtis spoke up before another sip. His tone was enough to make Joseph walk around the desk and sit in the folded chair in the corner.

They sat there in silence for several moments, the only sound was Stryker sipping out of his coffee. As he sat there Joseph looked him over and noticed the pistol on his belt.

"So what you ever shot anyone with that?" He pointed to it. Stryker just turned his head to Joseph with a raised brow. The silence made Joseph go to another question." Have you ever been in a high speed chase?"

"Oh boy." Stryker sighed leaning over and wiping his eyes.

"Have you ever been in a chase while shooting your gun?" Just then there was a vibrating sound that got Stryker's attention.

"Thank God." He said. He dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone which was getting a call from Kabal." Where the hell are you?" asked Stryker putting the phone to his ear." What? What do you mean you're sick? Uh-huh okay alright, feel better." Stryker hung up his phone.

"Have you tazzed someone?" asked Joseph. Stryker just breathed in a deep sigh.

"Alright." Said Stryker standing up." Kabal is sick which means I get to babysit you today. So here's my orders. Don't move from that spot." Stryker pointed to the seat Joseph was in.

Just then there was a sound on the radio that got both their attentions.

"All Officers be advised we have a 10-33, public drunkenness. Suspect is large white male heading south on maple street, backup requested."

"And that's my call for the morning." Sai Stryker as he turned and prepared to head out the door. But before he could run out Joseph jumped up and stopped him.

"Wait! Let me go with you."

"No, I told you to stay here."

"But it said backup requested, It might be dangerous."

"I can handle danger." Said Stryker.

"But you can't handle it alone." Stryker paused and could hear Kabal's voice nagging at him in his head.

"Alright, alright fine!" Stryker said." You can come along but do exactly as I say."

"Alright!" yelled Joseph and he followed Stryker out and into the cop car." This is gonna be awesome, huh dude?!" He said getting in the passenger's seat.

"Don't call me dude." Stryker said getting into the driver's seat. Then he pulled out into the street and blazed down the street letting off his police siren as he did so. As they drove along Joseph pawed at the gun on his belt which made Stryker very uncomfortable.

"You ever use one of those before?" he asked finally.

"Yea." Joseph responded with a snort." My Dad and I go hunting all the time. One time I got this buck with-"

"Well keep the trigger finger stable." He interrupted." This is just a simple situation, doesn't have to get ugly."

"Okay." Joseph nodded but then he awkwardly continued to look on Stryker who tried to keep his eyes elsewhere.

But they kept driving around until they came across their suspect. It wasn't hard to find with a man with a beer bottle in one hand relieving himself on the side of a building.

"Okay." Said Stryker as they pulled up right behind him." Stay quiet and follow my lead kid." Then Stryker got out on his side of the car and Joseph got out on his.

"How you doing today sir?" Stryker called out. The man slowly turn around and it was none other than Mad Dog, former President of the Gun Club. He stood there and made eye contact with Stryker.

"How are you today sir?" Joseph spoke out. Stryker just turned and looked at Joseph confused.

"Don't repeat what I say." He said.

"Well Howdy Officer." Said Mad Dog with one hand on his beer and the other in his pants." How can I help you today?"

"We got a disturbance call about public drunkenness." Told Stryker." And it looks like you were urinating on that wall there."

"I think he was peeing dude."

"Quiet!" Stryker snapped at him in a harsh whisper.

"You'd be right officer, hold on a minute let me finish." Mad Dog removed his hand from his pants.

"No don't do that." Stryker pointed at him. But Mad Dog didn't do as instructed and began relieving himself on Stryker's boots. Now Stryker had been through many things in his life from the Gulf War to the mean streets of New York but he'd never been pissed on before. So with an explosive rage of anger Stryker jumped forward and talked Mad Dog. "You son of a Bitch!" he yelled.

But Mad Dog did not fall over but only dropped his bottle. Then he and Stryker began grappling against each other. Joseph watched on for several long seconds before he decided to do anything.

In an extremely dangerous and dumb move Joseph jumped up on the front of the police car jumped up in the air and came down on top of both men. The trio all fell rolling onto the ground.

Stryker got a mouth of dirt so needless to say he was really mad now. When he picked his head up out of the ground he saw to his great surprise that Joseph had gotten Mad Dog on his stomach and was now attempting to restrain him, thought the suspect was making that hard.

So Stryker quickly picked himself up and joined in the struggle. Joseph was sitting on Mad Dog's back and then Stryker came up and grabbed him from the front pressing his knee down on the man's head, calming him down in a few seconds.

"Here." Stryker pulled out his cuffs and handed them to Joseph." Cuff him." Joseph took them and snapped the cuffs onto Mad Dog's wrists. Then Joseph sat there calmly with Stryker just looking at him." You have something to say?" He asked.

"We tore that stuff up!" cheered Joseph.

"Rights, you have to read him his rights."

"Oh um you, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you do-"

"Say."

"Anything you say will be used for you"

"used against you in a court of law."

"In a court of law. You have no authority-"

"I'll take over from here." Said Stryker. He started and completed the whole saying without any mess ups, then he and Joseph pulled the felon to his feet. But one more surprise was in store for them as Mad Dog's pants feel down to his ankles. The two policemen escorted Mad Dog to the back of the car and then brought him back to the station for holding.

"We sure did good on that dude!" said Joseph throwing his hand up for a high five. Stryker just looked at him with a blank expression.

"If your gonna stay in this profession, I'd recommend you learn the Miranda rights." He said, Joseph slowly bringing his hand down but keeping the blank expression on his face." But yea we did well." He smiled and gave Joseph a slap on the back." C'mon let's go get some lunch."

So the two pulled into Whataburger ordered two meals and sat at one of the tables in the back corner by the window.

"That was good work you did back there." Commented Stryker with a sip of his soda." You wrestle back in high school." Joseph shook his head, ketchup and mustard flying from his mouth and all over the place.

"No Football." Stryker casually wiped some of the condiments off his face with his finger.

"I used to play a little ball back in the day." Stryker said." How'd you get into this profession?"

"Took the test."

"I know that." Stryker said with a cringe as he stated the obvious truth." But why did you want to get into it?"

"Guns and stuff." Joseph munched.

"Guns and stuff?"

"Yea." Joseph wiped his mouth. Stryker leaned back in his chair with his drink in hand.

"Well I wouldn't worry so much about that around here." He said." It's a lot quieter here." Now Joseph maybe wasn't the brightest person around but he did notice what Stryker had just said.

"Then where?" he asked.

"New York City. I used to be an officer there before I moved out here."

"No!" Joseph said astonished. "Really?!"

"Really." Stryker smirked and took a sip of his drink.

"So you must have been in like tons of shootouts and stuff."

"I've had my fair share of tense moments." Stryker responded.

"Like what?!" Joseph asked still amazed. Stryker sat back with a tense look on his face, as if he was considering answering the question.

"C'mon." said Stryker getting to his feet." Let's get back to work." With drink I hand Stryker led the way out of the restaurant with Joseph munching what was left of his burger.

The rest of the day wasn't as exciting but Joseph and Stryker spent their time at the shooting range, which both seemed greatly enjoyed. Despite their stress on personal space and Stryker's high regard for the law the two were a good team. Stryker had the experience and admired Joseph for his youth and strength. And Joseph just like hearing stories of gun fights and robberies.

Rainy Street was very quiet that evening and as usual Hank, Dale, Bill and Boomhauer were standing in the alley drinking their beer. But then the attention of all four men was brought to the police car coming their way.

Dale in a fit of hysteria jumped behind Hank's fence while his three friends stood there as the police car came up next to them.

"Can we help you officer?" spoke up Hank. None of them noticed him at first but then Joseph stepped out of the car.

"Hey dudes." He said.

"Joseph?" the three men questions.

"Joseph!" Dale exclaimed as he shot his head above the fence. Joseph turned from the men and to Stryker sitting in the driver's seat.

"Later man." He said.

"See you tomorrow kid." Stryker responded and then drove down the street.

"Joseph." Said Dale stepping out from behind the fence." What were you doing with that police man, did he arrest you? Was he coming for me?"

"Dad I'm a police officer you know that." But Dale still found it hard to believe his own son would choose a government position and instead blamed it on some mind washing conspiracy. " I'm gonna go shower." And then Joseph left the alley and walked into his home.

"Heh. Well how do you like that." Hank commented.

"What?" asked Dale rejoining his place in line.

"Joseph's in the police force, my Bobby's doing well in the Army. Yep, I tell you what everything looks good all around."

"Yep." Agreed Bill.

"Hmh." Added Boomhauer.