A/N: OK- so if you don't know, or you've forgotten, I'm ending this fiction for good at 70 chapters. But that doesn't mean I'm washing myself clean of Flashpoint and moving on. No, no, no, no- I will keep on writing. In fact- after A New Beginning, I have three Flashpoint plots lined up, but one of them won't be feasible until after I see each and every Flashpoint episode. The other two? Well, let's put it this way- the first project I'm going to tackle isn't going to be too far from A New Beginning, as it's going to be a spin off.

Spin off or not, I have two solid plot ideas and I want my readers to tell me what they want to see- so leave a review with your vote. The two options are:

A character based plot surrounding Megan and Sara as they continue through life as long time partners.

A character based plot surrounding Kristina, as she matures through life.

Sounds interesting!

"Clark-"I said into the cellphone, "You haven't done anything yet that can't be undone. So why don't you talk to your friends about pulling over and surrendering peacefully."

"I can't do that." Clark Lane answered.

"Yes, you can."

"No- my dad will kill me. There's no other way."

I sighed heavily, hoping I wouldn't have to resort to this method to get through to Clark, but I guess I'll have to.

Ed walked into the locker room. Once we was at his locker, he vented his frustration by hitting his locker door several times with his fist.

Spike looked over at Ed.

"I think you unlock it using a key." Spike suggested, "Unless you were going for the nostalgic, dented look of high school lockers."

"You finished Spike?"

"For the day? Probably not."

"Spike," Ed said, as he turned around to look at him, "This is one day where I'd prefer if you don't make any smartass remarks."

"What's going on Ed?"

"It's Clark- he's driving me up the wall."

"He's getting older- want's his independence."

"Independence? More like immaturity."

"Team One- hot call!" came Winnie's voice over the intercom, "Several suspects robbed a store on Dartmouth and carjacked a vehicle parked outside."

"Better get going." Spike stated, as they sped up getting dressed.

Once on scene, I entered the store with Ed to question the store clerk, while Spike and Greg checked traffic cameras and walked to other witnesses.

"Where's Brad?" I whispered to Ed.

"Haven't seen or heard from him since the reporters came to SRU, why?"

"Just wondering."

Ed approached the store owner, "Sir, I'm Officer Lane, this is Officer Perrasmith, with the Strategic Response Unit. Can you tell me what happened here today?"

I started to look around, but I was paying full attention to Ed's conversation.

"There was three…or four of them- I couldn't tell. One of them had a gun."

"What were they looking for, sir?"

"They wanted money. I gave them all that was in the cash. It was only a couple hundred. They weren't satisfied, so they took some adult magazines and some cigarettes."

"Adult magazines in a convenience store?" I asked, "Setting a new standard for convenience."

"I check IDs first." The man defended.

"Did you recognize any of them?"

"No."

"How old would you say they were?" Ed asked.

"I don't know- early twenties?"

"Around my age then?" I asked to confirm.

"Yes."

We walked out of the convenience store, as Ed went to talk to Greg, as I stepped into the command truck with Spike.

"Catch that Spike?" I asked.

"Yeah, got it."

"We got plates to run for the car?"

Greg radioed in, "Nope, because one of them ripped off the plates and threw them in the back seat with them. None of the witnesses can remember the license plate number."

"What about an APB?" I asked.

"Still no help," Spike chimed in, "Some people say it was a Blue Ford, one guy said it was a purple Mitsubishi, and two women were adamant it was a black Chevy."

"Wow." I said, "Working on traffic cameras?"

"Yeah," Spike replied, "But with no plates, and no confirmed vehicle description, it could take a while."

"I got an idea. Ed- you want to help me with that?" I asked as I got out of the truck and back into the store.

"Now what do you want?" the owner asked.

"Sir, I understand this is a difficult time for you, but we only have a few more questions. How many times does your store get busted a month?"

"This is the first time." He said, "This a good neighborhood."

"You bet it is- I live just around the corner." Ed confirmed.

"Sir, can you tell me anything about this group?" I asked, "Now obviously, the guy with the gun was the leader, or something, but I'm going to guess that there was a guy who tried to reason with the leader."

"Yeah…" the owner thought out loud, "He said, 'Never mind this- lets go to DP's place.'."

"Thank you sir."

We left the store again.

"I'm running the nickname 'DP' through the gang name database." Spike radioed to us.

"Spike, I don't think you'll have to do that." I said, as me and Ed walked up to Greg, "Boss- where's Dean Parker?"

"Dean Parker?" Greg asked, "DP- is that what you think his nickname is?"

"Boss," I replied, "No offense, but I know. I've heard Clark call Dean DP before."

"Are you saying you think Clark is a part of this?" Ed growled at me.

"I'm not saying anything until we confirm it." I said, backing up from Ed's menacing stare, "Why don't you call Clark- see where he is. Spike, can we get a tap?"

"Copy that, standing by."

Ed sighed as he grabbed his phone and dialed Clark's number. Spike channeled the conversation through the headsets.

"Dad?"

"Clark, buddy. Where are you?"

"It's not a good time dad…"

"Clark, where are you?"

"Why?"

"Well, Clark, I'm on a call right now and a group of people held up GeeGee's Convenience Store, and I want to make sure you, mom and Isabel are ok."

"Yeah, yeah, they're fine."

"Put your mom on for me buddy." Ed asked.

"Dad, I'm not at home."

"Clark where are you?"

Then the line went dead.

"He's avoiding the question." Ed summarized.

"And he didn't seem too surprised to hear that GeeGee's was held up." I pointed out.

"That kid is trouble…" Ed muttered, "Spike- get a GPS on my son's cellphone."

"Ed!" Greg yelled at him, "I think we need a more unbiased Team Leader."

"No, Greg, I'll be fine."

"You're damn straight you will be, because Megan is going to be Team Leader."

"What?" Ed asked.

"Megan's going to be Team Leader for this call Eddie." Greg announced, "Because I am not giving you the chance to take out your anger and frustration on your son, in the course of your duties as a police officer. Understand?"

Ed looked mad. I seemed to be stuck. I didn't want to tell Greg that I wouldn't take the Team Leader re-assignment, but I didn't want Ed mad at me.

"So be it." Ed finally gave up.

"Spike-" Greg started.

"Changing the records now- Team Leader and Tactics to be run by the textbook herself- Megan Perrasmith."

"Stop fooling around Spike." Greg said, as I followed him into the truck while Ed in tow, "Get a GPS on Clark's phone and trace a call to Dean Parker to the sat phone, I want to talk to him and see if he knows what's going on here."

"Ok," Spike said, getting serious and routing a call to Dean Parker, "Dean Parker, line 2."

Greg picked up the satellite phone and pressed the button for line 2. Meanwhile, Spike routed the call to our headsets.

"Dean," Greg said, when the phone was finally answered, "What's going on buddy?"

"Is everything ok, dad? You usually don't call me from work."

"I'm just calling you to ask you a few questions- do you and Clark have any plans for the day?"

"We did, but he blew me off. Said he was going to hang out with some friends."

"Do you know who those friends might be?"

"No. Is Clark ok?"

"Dean," Greg said, as he prepared to level with him, "We have reason to believe that Clark, along with some friends may have held up a corner store and carjacked a vehicle."

"Dad, all I can tell you is that that's not like Clark. If he's doing it, though, he's doing it because he doesn't have another choice. If I had to guess, I'd guess that they're forcing him."

"Copy that Dean, thank you. If Clark contacts you…"

"I'll let you know, got it." Dean said, before he hung up.

"Why can't my kid be like that?" Ed commented.

"I got a hit on Clark's GPS position," Spike said, "Eastbound on York, heading towards to the Don Valley."

"Alright, let's go." I said, taking on my role of Team Leader- "Me and the boss as alpha, Spike and Ed as bravo."

Greg drove the truck.

"Spike- hook Megan's headset to Clark's phone, let's see if we can make contact."

"You want me to negotiate boss?" I asked, remembering the last time I negotiated which resulted in a girl killing herself.

"You're his age, you've hung out with him a bit- you'll be able to connect better than if it was me or Spike."

"Copy that," I replied, "Spike, ready when you are."

"Dialing now." Spike radioed to me, "Press to communicate."

"Hello?" came Clark's voice.

"Clark- this Megan Perrasmith with the Strategic Response Unit. What's going on?"

"Nothing is going on Megan, just leave me alone."

"Clark, you know what, you're smart, I'm smart, so why don't I cut to the chase- we know you were involved at the robbery at GeeGees and the car theft. Mind telling us where you are?"

"This isn't a good time."

"Clark, is it safe for you to be talking to me?"

"…I don't know."

"Are you a hostage?"

"No."

"But you don't know where you are or where you're going?"

"No."

"Ok, Clark, I need you to put the phone down but leave it on. Then what I want you to do is ask the guy with the gun where you're going and what his plans are, ok?"

"Sorry, I can't do that."

Then Clark hung up.

"He hung up on me." I said.

"Bravo unit is at a cross street ahead of the suspect vehicle." Ed informed us, "We can setup a road block."

"Negative Eddie," I decided, "Clark is not a bad kid, and he just seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm going to call him back- bravo, setup a spike strip and Sierra."

Greg nodded over to me. "But let's stay less lethal, team." Greg added, "We don't want any one of those kids in our crosshairs."

"Spike, dial me back in."

Again, the phone rang.

"What?"

"Clark- this is Megan Perrasmith again. I'm going to ask you some more questions, all you have to answer is yes or no. Was the robbery your idea?"

"No."

"Good- Clark, I can tell you didn't want anybody to get in trouble or hurt, so I'm going to guess it was you who ripped off the plates, right?"

"Yes."

"Ok, Clark, now I need to you listen to me…"

"I don't want to listen!"

"Clark- you haven't done anything yet that can't be undone. So why don't you talk to your friends about pulling over and surrendering peacefully.

"I can't do that." Clark answered.

"Yes, you can."

"No- my dad will kill me. There's no other way."

I sighed heavily, hoping I wouldn't have to resort to this method to get through to Clark, but I guess I'll have to.

"Clark- here's what's going to happen. Spike and your dad have a spike strip setup on the road ahead of you. The car is going to hit it, then the driver is going to lose control. After that, driver is going to be shot with a rubber bullet, and maybe even a few passengers- including you. Whenever Spike and Ed come to arrest you guys, you'll be arrested for petty theft, robbery under $5,000, grand theft auto, and evading police custody. All your charges together, you're looking at about 5 years in a provincial prison. Show your dad you're a good guy and do the right thing."

"Ok." Clark said, "Hey dude- stop!"

"What- why?" a voice asked.

"Yeah man, why?" asked another voice.

"We need to ditch these wheels man, the cops are probably looking for us."

"Alright, good thinking Lane."

I radioed into bravo unit, "Alpha unit 5 seconds out from their stopped location. Bravo- do you cover?"

"Copy that." Spike radioed in.

"Sierra One copy." Ed added.

We came up behind the vehicle. Both me and boss opened our doors and pointed our guns at the four men, including Clark- starting to leave the vehicle.

"Police- put your hands in the air, and get on your knees- do it now!" I yelled at them.

All of them complied, except one.

Clark yelled over to me, "He's the one with the gun."

"Shut up Clark!" he yelled at him, "This all you? Yeah, probably- isn't your dad a cop?"

His hand moved towards his pocket.

"Do not move!" I yelled again, "Show me your hands!"

"Ed, you got the solution?" I asked.

"I have the solution, TL." Ed commented, calling me team leader.

"Hold Sierra, hold."

"Clark- you're a dead man!" the armed man said.

"Josh- it wasn't me, I swear!" Clark pleaded.

"I'll kill you." He said, as his hand dove into his pocket.

"Scorpio." I ordered, as Ed took the shot.

After the debriefing, and the SIU inspection, I went to the locker room to change.

Halfway through, I heard a knock on the door, and Ed's voice ask "Decent?"

"Yeah." I called out.

Ed came in and sat on the bench in front of me.

"Sorry about that Meg." Ed apologized.

"It's ok Eddie, you were emotional about Clark and I get that." I answered, "What about Clark, he going to be ok?"

"I think so."

"You still mad at him?" I asked.

"I just want him to talk more to me, that's all. Tell me something: did you and your dad ever fight?"

"Sometimes." I answered, "But in the end we always forgave each other."

"You were a good Team Leader today."

"Thanks Ed."

"Think you'd want to be a full time Team Leader?"

"You offering?" I asked.

"I asked first."

"Probably."