A/N: Wow- I haven't updated this in a while- sorry 'bout that! And even with a week off, it still took me forever to get this written, but I hope the girth of this Chapter makes up for my long absence.
Me, Spike and Jules nervously leaned against the wall in the gym waiting for the debriefing room door to open.
So this is what it feels like- to be on the opposite side of the door.
From the opposite direction- Sam approached. "Good call guys. Couldn't have done it without you. Lets go to the Goose- I'm buying."
Suddenly, as if on cue, the debriefing room door opened, and the commander, followed by Parker came out.
"Not so fast Braddock-" the commander started, "We're not done here."
"We're not done?" Jules asked, "No offense commander, but what part of that debriefing didn't you like?"
"It was by the book," Greg explained, "We went in, profiled our suspect, contained, and de-escalated the situation."
"So what's the problem?" Spike asked, as he sent a quick text on his phone.
"Special Investigations is stepping in."
Bewildered, we all looked at one another.
"They will be here in ten minutes, but lets get something straight here," Greg started, "None of you are in the wrong. SIU is stepping in because red flags popped up on the names on the paperwork."
"What?" Sam asked, "Because I was TL? I've done it before, why now?"
"Some of it is that Sam- but most of it is because of our new friend here-" the Commander said, nodding in my direction, "Because his name is on the paperwork saying he was Sierra One, who took the shot."
I felt like lashing out, but I had to contain myself.
"You ok?" Greg asked me.
I nodded 'yes'.
"Still sequestered?"
Again, nodded 'yes'.
"We'll have to talk to your lawyer about that."
Slowly and steady, I raised the heavy dumbbell into the air, stopping at neck level. As I brought the weight back down to rest, I alternated with the other arm.
It was workout time at work, and I was completely zoned out.
Good weekend-excellent weekend. Ed's party on Saturday and went to Megan's soccer game on Sunday at the Bubble. Could have been better though, if that one ass-
"Whoa, slow down there tiger." Jules said to be, as she picked up some 5 pound weights and started stretching.
In comparison to the weights I was using, the 5 pounders looked like insects. "You ok?"
"I'm fine." I replied, as I put the weights down, stretched the biceps and changed my grip from overhand to underhand.
"Yea?" Jules asked, with a wry smile, "Wanna practise some hand to hand?"
"Your on, short stuff." I replied, putting the weights on the rack, and grabbing the foam mitts for practising hand to hand. "Attack or defend?"
"Attack." she stated as I handed her the punching gloves, as I donned the foam shield gloves.
"Alright!" came a jeer from Spike, who had finished his cardio, coming to watch. "New guy versus Jules. Who will win Sam?"
Sam just looked over at Spike with a look of feinted confusion.
"Five bucks on Jules?" Spike asked Greg.
"As much as I have confidence in our girl, I think Perra's going to give her a run for her money."
"Bet?" Spike asked, as I stretched my muscles in preparation.
"Your on!" came a short, blonde haired woman, who appeared in the entrance-way.
"Money on who?" Spike asked with earnest.
"Perra." she replied.
"Dispatcher Keira Ford, putting her money where her mouth is- betting against our Julianna, who has a previous hand to hand record of five wins in her last five hand to hand matches."
"Spike!" I exclaimed, "If you want to commentate, do it during the match!"
Me and Jules finally stood across from each other on the foam mat.
"Go!" yelled Greg.
From the sides, I could already hear Spike and Keira egging us on. I filtered it out of my mind...
Jules didn't waste time. She started with a standard, quick one-two forward punch, easily met with the blockers. Using the backward momentum from the second punch, she sent a wild one up high. An experienced jester would go for the downward tuck and forward tick- has she ever seen the side escape?
I slid to the right, and her high punch flung through air. I brought the left blocker up to prevent a follow-up swing through punch, and quickly slapped her chest with the right blocker.
But it never connected- as she parried the move by squirming her chest backwards.
She let fly a faster three hit punch up high, all of which met the my foam gloved hands. I saw her dominate arm come low, for an attempted lower uppercut, and the other arm come to my right side. With milliseconds to spare, I deflected the right cut, and fell into a right side roll, and came back up, failing to allow the uppercut to connect.
Being on an exposed side, I double slapped her upper and forearm- nothing hard of course, just enough to know I had bested what seemed like a well-rehearsed move.
She came off-balanced from the double-slap, and I moved in closer. Again- she flung a wild punch up high, but I crouched low to duck- with success. Being occupied on bringing through a follow-up high to low cross jab, I slipped my right foam pad behind her leg, and knocked it out from under her.
I thought I had the match, as she started to fall, but she regained her footing, and launched a surprisingly fast quad-punch array.
I brought the blockers up and managed to block the first three, but the fourth wrapped around the blockers, and hit me square in the shoulder, which knocked me down to the floor mat.
Still having the forward momentum, Jules however, managed to land right on my chest.
"Sorry." she said, as she got up quickly, and removed one glove and offered a hand.
I took the hand, as she helped her team-mate up.
"Impressive." Jules whispered, as she gave me a genuine smile with a wink.
I looked around at the team- minus Ed, who I was hoping was here and would've witnessed the impressive array.
Suddenly, the call-horn rang out through the station. Over the intercom came Winnie's voice.
"Team One- hot call! Shots fired at Centennial College, Progress Campus in Scarborough. No response from the on-site security."
Ed was off for the day, so I drove one SUV with Greg as my second. Behind us in the second vehicle was Jules and Sam, with Spike driving the command truck behind.
After arriving on scene, we all piled into the command centre of the command truck, looking for intel before we made any move.
"Sam, you'll be running tactics for today," Greg instructed, "Jules, second negotiator, Spike-"
"Boss, we'll need Spike inside, " Sam pointed out, "Its a big place."
"No- we need intel more than man power-" Greg stated, but giving the manner some thought, called out on the headset, "Winnie- Team Four on standby?"
"Yes sir."
"Good- keep them there, if we need them, I'll let you know."
"Ok-" Spike said, having already worked his magic, "Found the camera that recorded the first shot."
We all turned our heads to the big screen, as Spike transferred it over.
On the screen, a man wearing blue stepped out of an office, with a handgun in his hand, and wearing a tactical vest, with several more rounds and magazines not only for the handgun but for the sub machine gun that was slung behind his back.
"Jesus" Jules said aloud, as they witnessed the first shot, as the man shot a young woman, point blank, in the head.
"Wait," I said, edging closer to the screen, "Spike- zoom in and render on his left shoulder."
Within seconds, and with a key key strokes Spike was able to do so.
"Its a crest," I explained, looking at the adorned shoulder patch, "Gold crown on a field of blue, overlooked by the white tower- Watchdog Security."
"Watchdog Security is the contracted security team on site." Spike lead on.
"Ok," Greg said with a thought, absorbing all the information- "Sam?"
"No clues on whether its a spree or select killings yet, so hard evac from main entrance on white wall only, uniforms at every entrance and exit. Jules, Perra, full building sweep with uni's securing areas cleared. Full gear- shields, flashbangs, and precision rifles if you need to go Sierra. Spike- we got a mechanical room somewhere?"
"Basement- north west corner." Spike interjected, after scrutinizing the blueprints.
"I'll get to the mechanical room and shut down the main power, so the place is running on auxiliary only. That should give us some advantage, although he does know the place inside and out most likely."
"Sounds like a plan." Greg stated, with a nod of approval.
Together, me and Jules left the truck and went to the second SUV. Inside, we both grabbed shields, bolt action rifles, and then quickly did an equipment check before heading into the building.
At the main entrance, Jules and I stacked up and pressed forward.
The first hall went on for as long as we could see. We stopped and evaluated the situation.
"Spike- any clue as to where this guy is?" I asked.
"No," came Spike's voice, "I think he put all the cameras on a delayed loop."
"Terrific." came Sam's voice, "Perra, Jules, be careful."
We continued down the hall, stopping every 20 paces to observe and listen in our surroundings for clues.
Finally, after about five minutes of silence, the power cut out.
"Sam-tell me that was you?" Jules asked.
"No- I haven't even been inside yet- I'm still questioning civies."
"He's two steps ahead of us. We need more to go on. Spike?" I inquired.
"Nothing yet, but our profile seems to be holding up- its definitely a security guard. Which you'd think would be a big help, but it isn't seeing as this campus alone has a security force of ten uniformed guards, and five undercover guys, when you include the residence guards."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something, down a flight of stairs.
"Right there!" I yelled, tossing down the shield to the floor, and bringing up my handgun, and with one swift move, turning on the under-mount flashlight. "Police! SRU! Stop right there!"
The man immediately fled, with me in tow. Over the headset, I could hear Jules barking something at Spike-
"Spike- North Wing, 1st floor, any read on whether this is our guy?"
"I don't know, I still can't find a way to disable the delayed loop."
I continued running.
"Hold on!" Spike exclaimed, "No way..."
I suddenly noticed green flashing lights on the wall, and a steel barricade wall coming down from the ceiling.
"Spike!" I yelled out, as I sprawled out into a slide on my back, to make it through to the other side.
But I never did. My booted feet slammed hard against the blast door.
"Blast doors, Spike?" I radioed to him.
"Yeah!" Spike said, enthusiastically, "He's in the lower level North Wing, and he's contained there. No way in or out."
"You sure? Don't forget this guy is security- he probably has all the codes and knows where the override stations are." I replied.
"No override stations in lower North Wing. It's a huge mock hospital wing, you know, to teach nurses."
"I'm aware." I came back with, as Jules caught up with me.
"So now what?" Jules asked, thinking the obvious, "Spike- we need to get in there."
"I can open the blast door you're at remotely." Spike replied.
"Will he know its being opened?" I asked.
"Maybe. Maybe not. Depending on where he is.
Behind me and Jules we could hear running footsteps. Together, we drew our handguns and turned on our heels.
"Police! Stop right there!" Jules yelled.
"I...I, go to, school here.." rambled on a young woman, "I saw green lights and I was thinking, like, 'what the fu-"
"Doesn't matter." I said, holstering my weapon, "Are you ok? Have you seen an armed security guard?"
"They're all armed- what do you mean? Why are you here?" she asked.
"Wow." I muttered to myself.
In the distance, I could see Sam running up to us, with a regular police officer in tow.
"Finally caught up, eh?" Jules asked playfully
"This officer will escort you out." Sam said to the woman, as they left.
After the woman and the officer were out of earshot, Sam continued, "Ok- new plan. Perra, your Sierra One. Spike will help you find a high perch overlooking the Lower North Wing. Me and Jules, will push through this blast door after Spike opens it, and push our guy into a corner, and talk him down."
"We got more of a profile?" Jules asked, tapping into her negotiator skills.
"Yeah, " Sam continued, "The boss is working on it. He'll feed you on the fly, and will be in your ear the entire time."
"Ok, Perra-" came Spike's voice, as I packed away my MP5 and readied my precision rifle in my hands, "From where you are, fall back about thirty feet, and you'll find a locked door leading into a staircase- that'll bring you up to the administration floor. From there, head north, and at the end of that hallway, there will be another staircase leading into lower north wing- I'd recommend you disable the door somehow so our guy can't get up there and fall in behind you. From there, back step back up to the administration floor, and continue down, from there, there's three rooms with nice big windows, perfect for a perch."
"Copy that." I replied, taking in the info.
I left Sam and Jules to their own devices, and retreated back to the locked door. At the door I slung the rifle to my back, and crouched down and inspected the lock.
Easy-peasy. I thought.
Silently, I lined up all the tumblers and swung the lock into the unlock position and opened the door.
I unholstered my handgun, and eased up the stairs.
To my left was the end of the hallway, and I was able to clear that, just by looking up. Using the pie method, I eased around the corner, clearing the area within my line of sight.
I slowly walked down the hallway, handgun in hand, scanning the area, and listening in to the action on the headset.
"Ok- blast door opening." Spike said.
"Thanks Spike." Sam replied.
"Ok team, listen up," came Greg's voice, "This has gone on way too long. We've been here for twenty minutes and we got nothing. No pressure though, just keep on what you're doing, and we're going to be having a drink at the Goose in an hour's time."
"That including the time it would take to debrief?" Jules asked.
"Stop being a buzzkill Julianna." Greg said, followed by laughter, "In all seriousness guys- be safe."
I was at the next flight of stairs. Before I went down, I looked through the clear paned glass, which looked down into the lower North Wing.
Then I saw him.
"Jules, Sam," I said over the headset, "I see him. At the bottom of the stairs opposite office A1116, and beside a nursing classroom. He's reloading. He's got a Glock, and a copy of a full auto Skorpion."
"What's our approach?" Sam asked.
"None, while your in blue. You'd have to go out exposed, and he looks ready."
"Perra-" Greg asked, "You got the solution?"
I laid down on my chest, and looked through the powerful scope, and lined up the crosshairs to my target. After acquiring my target, I racked back the bolt, and returned it to its home position.
"I got the solution."
"Hold fire-" came Jules, "We're still blue behind the adjacent corner. What else do I need to know boss before I start talking him down?"
"I don't have much to go on Jules. He may believe that he's protecting the school or something within the school. Call to his duty."
"My name is Julianna Callihan, and I'm with the Strategic Response Unit- you mind telling me why I'm here?"
I could hear everything clearly. He ducked his head down when he heard Jules' voice. My crosshairs followed him.
"You can't help me!" he yelled, "No one can!"
"You want to tell me what you're here to do?"
"She's sick..." he muttered.
"Perra" came Jules' voice, "What did he say?"
"He said 'she's sick'" came my response.
"Who is sick?" Jules answered, "We can help you."
"Jules-" Greg interjected, "It seems like this was his last resort. Whatever- whoever is sick, he doesn't think anybody can help him- ask him what he's looking for, and tell him we can help him find it."
"Right," Jules agreed, "I should've thought of that."
"Sir- what is it that your looking for?" Jules yelled out.
"Its an experimental medicine that could help her breathe, she's on oxygen all the time."
Suddenly- my arm muscle twitched and I lost my target in my scope.
"Hey!" came the subject's voice, "Get your sniper away!"
I saw him bring up the automatic weapon, as he squeezed the trigger.
Luckily, I was quicker, and managed to roll over to one side, taking cover behind the wall.
"Perra- status!" Greg yelled over the headset.
"No harm." I replied.
"He took off!" came Sam's reply, "In pursuit!"
"Perra- get to those windows I was telling you about!" came Spike.
I scrambled down the hallway, and found an office door open. I peered in, and found the window inside to be over five feet wide.
"Found it." I replied, as I took out the binoculars and scanned the lower north wing windows.
"I found him!" I exclaimed over the headset, "Jules, Sam, approach with caution, he's cornered with no where to run."
Through the binoculars I saw Sam and Jules approach him again, with ballistic shields in hand."
Again, I brought up the rifle and found my target again.
"I got the solution." I informed over the headset, " I'll need to double tap for glass."
"Copy that Sierra One," came Greg's voice, "Wait for your Scorpio."
"Roger that."
This time I could see Jules engaging the subject again in negotiations, but I couldn't hear the subject or Jules, as she had to put her headset into ambient mode, meaning her headset would record the ambient sounds, including what the subject says. The downside of that mode is that no one else, but the people in the command truck can hear the conversation.
I watched my target. He dropped the handgun to the ground. Had Jules talked him down?
Obviously not. Neither Sam nor Jules was approaching the subject.
Suddenly, I saw the full auto gun go up, pointed directly at Sam's ballistic shield.
Ballistic it may be, but it would definitely not stop an eight hundred round a minute firearm.
"Scorpio." came my instruction.
And without a glimpse of hesitation, I took the shots required.
I ended the subject's life.
I lowered the rifle, and saw Jules look up at me through the windows. Sam approached the fallen subject, and tried to get a reading on a pulse.
"Subject down. Threat neutralized." Sam concluded, summing up the information that I already knew.
Then Sam looked up at me. Over the headset radio, came Greg's voice.
"Perra. Stay where you are. The Inspector will be up shortly. You're going to be sequestered until a hearing with the Police Disciplinary Board Inspector and Sargent. Your lawyer will be present. I'll be calling her soon."
I nodded, even though I knew Greg couldn't see me, as I sat down on the stone floor, with my back against the fall, facing the door, awaiting my judgement.
Back at the station...
I felt like lashing out, but I had to contain myself.
"You ok?" Greg asked me.
I nodded 'yes'.
"Still sequestered?"
Again, nodded 'yes'.
"We'll have to talk to your lawyer about that."
I heard soft footsteps from behind me.
"And there she is." Greg said, "Perra, this is your lawyer, Miss Emily Makinson. Graduated Harvard last year, specializing in the Police Services Act and the Criminal Code of Canada. Just started with the force a month ago, you are her first client."
She shook my hand. "Glad to meet you, Mr...Perra? No- Perrasmith, is it?"
I nodded.
"He's sequestered." Greg told Emily, "Can he still go through an SIU inspection?"
"I'm afraid not," she explained, "See, the debriefing system used by the SBS, or the Squad Briefing System..."
"I'm aware." Greg said, as he brought up a hand to stop her, "Just get the internal inspection done soon, so we can get on with the SIU inspection."
"Sure." she said, "Follow me."
I followed the lawyer down into the basement, and into a dimly lit room where two men where sitting opposite two empty chairs.
I took one spot, while she took the other.
"Your sequester is null while in this meeting, and depending on their ruling, the sequester will either be terminated or extended following- ok?" she whispered to me.
Without skipping a beat, the two men stood up.
"Ok, lets get this started with," one of them said, as he glanced at his clipboard, as the other removed a series of black bags, "My wife currently has dinner on the table, and I am hungry, although my in-laws are in town, so they're probably there too."
"Ok." I replied, answering my lawyer's question and accepting the man's rambling rant.
"Vest."
I removed my vest.
"You can keep your phone." he said, as he poked the my cell in its cradle on my vest.
So I removed the phone.
"Shirt, pants, belt, boots, and badge."
I surrendered my equipment to the other man, who bagged it all, as if it was evidence.
Is it evidence?
"Sit." he instructed.
So I sat.
"According to the transcript, your Sargent called Scorpio, correct?"
"Yes."
"Why did he call Scorpio?"
"He called Scorpio because the safety of his officers in which he is in command of was in direct peril, therefore calling into question the Priority of Life in this application."
The men seemed impressed.
"This isn't your first time, is it?"
"Excuse me," came Emily's soft voice, "Lets stick to the case and the file at hand. If I may question the Police Disciplinary Board's agents- may you define the terms of the Priority of Life?"
"Quite simple actually: Hostage before subject, subject before officer."
"And has the board completed the questioning of my client so I may question in turn?"
"Yes."
"Mr. Perrasmith, " Emily asked, as she turned to face me, "In this situation, in the definition of the Priority of Life, were there hostages at risk?"
"No" I replied.
"Officers?"
"Yes."
"Who, exactly?"
"Constable Sam Braddock."
"Did you witness this yourself?"
"From a distance, yes."
"And it was at the point that your superior..." she started, as she sifted through her file, " Gregory Parker gave the order, Scorpio, is it?"
"Yes."
She turned to face the men. "And does the Police Disciplinary Board understand the term Scorpio in respects to the Strategic Response Unit and the role in plays within the squadron?"
"Yes." came the reply of the Board's Sargent.
"Then we're done here, no?" she asked.
"Yes."
"And the ruling, regarding the sequestering of my client?"
"Sequester dismissed."
Thank god. Now only the SUI inspection.
The SUI inspection wasn't as bad as I had thought it was going to be. In actuality, it was just to confirm the roles in which everyone played in the case, and a quick review over the transcript.
After the inspection, I followed the still suited Spike and Sam to the locker room. Sam apologized to the both of us, because he wasn't going to the Goose tonight, as he had to go deal with his younger sister. Something about 'it was time for her to leave his apartment' or something like that.
"Decent?" came a woman's voice into the locker room.
I was dressed already, having had found a shirt and jeans outside the room where the Police Disciplinary Board had questioned me.
"Yeah." Spike called out, as he pulled over a knitted sweater.
"Please tell me your not wearing that in public?" I asked.
"My mom made it."
"Your mom made it?" I echoed, flabbergasted.
"Yeah, don't ask." Jules said, as she came forward, and sat on the bench, "He has an unhealthy attachment to his mother."
The three of us laughed, as Keira came into the light.
"Oh, guys," Jules said, as Greg came in and started changing, "Do you mind if Keira tags along?"
"No." came Spike's reply.
"Not at all." came mine.
"The more the merrier." Greg said, with his signature smile.
A/N: Long winded much? Yes it is! But I figure you guys deserve it, as I've been neglecting this fanfic sort of. And to answer a few questions: No- I'm not trying to shoehorn in Keira, I just wanted to introduce everyone from the station. As well, even though I did attend Centennial College during my college days, I don't remember much about the layout at Progress Campus much, so I just sort of envisioned a new layout in my mind.