"Shawn, have you thought this through?" Greg asked.
"Yeah, I have Greg Parker!"
"Because what you're asking for- it's not unreasonable, it's just the way you're doing it my man."
"Shut, up… just shut up Greg Parker!"
Ed walked into SRU. Once inside, he looked out to the parking lot, looking at the parking spot that Megan was parking her new car in, and noted that it wasn't there. It wasn't going to be there for another week, or so, depending on how well the doctor says her physiotherapy is going.
Then his cellphone rang.
"Clark, what's going on buddy- what, yeah I'm at work, where else would I be? Yeah, yeah, I stopped by the hospital this morning and she's doing good. Doctors say she's at peace and should be able to come home soon. Alright- studying hard? Ok, I'll grill you when I get home."
After Ed hung up he entered the locker room with Greg.
"So Megan's doing alright?" Greg, "I didn't realize she was still in the hospital."
"Oh, right," Ed said, "Well, not really. Sara took her in because the dressing needed to be changed. Apparently it was stinking up the house."
" 'Studying hard' ?" Greg asked, as he pulled on his uniform shirt, "What's Clark studying for?"
"Were you listening to my entire conversation?" Ed asked Greg.
"Just from the part where you said that Megan would be home soon."
"Right." Ed said, as Spike and Brad entered, "What's the good word, gentlemen?"
"The word is good." Spike said with a smile.
"Actually," Brad, "The Merriam-Webster word of the day is 'encyclopedia'."
"Aren't we a wealth of knowledge today." Greg jested.
"Yeah, Brad," Spike replied, "Just because Textbook isn't here, doesn't mean you have to try to be one."
"Whatever." Brad grunted, as he finished getting dressed. Since Greg and Ed were taking their time getting dressed and ready, Spike and Brad decided to head to the robotics garage.
"So what's Clark studying for?" Greg asked again.
"He wants to become a registered nurse, so he's working on home study first, then he starts his on-campus work at Centennial College."
"Sounds like they are very accommodating." Greg pointed out, "How's he taking the house arrest?"
"It's better than him going to jail."
After a few hours of working out, Team One got a strange call.
"Man barricaded himself into a church." Winnie told them over the radio, as they were on route.
"Weapons?" Ed asked.
"Bombs?" Spike questioned.
"Negative on both boys. All we know, is that his name is Shawn Barra."
"Starting a name search," Spike said, as they rolled up to the church, "I'll keep you updated."
"Copy that." Ed said, "Brad will cover the boss, as the boss does his thing. I'll grab myself a perch in the bell tower."
"Classic sniper." Greg muttered to himself with a laugh, as Brad walked forward and entered the church, with Greg in tow.
Once inside they entered the congregation.
"Spike, we got approximately 70 people sitting down." Greg radioed in, "Looks like a man, most likely Shawn Barra is standing at the front. The priest and the altar boys have been instructed to lay down. I do not see any weapons, or bombs,"
"Copy that." Spike replied, "No blue prints, so I'll draw this one out."
"Shawn Barra-" Greg yelled, "My name is Sargent Greg Parker, with the police Strategic Response Unit- why don't you tell me why I'm here?"
Ed got up to his perch up in the bell tower and readied his rifle. Just as he was about to lay down and look down the scope, his cellphone vibrated.
"Hello?" he answered with a whisper.
"Ed- you at work?" Sophie answered.
"Yeah, Soph- this isn't a good time. What's going on?"
"I just wanted to talk to you. I want to know what you think we should do."
"Do about what Sophie?" Ed asked, "We are dealing with this the best way we can. I'm going to talk to the boss and the team when Megan gets back and talk about a solution, ok?"
"Ok." Sophie said, as she hung up.
Ed put the phone back in its cradle, as he laid down and peered through the scope.
"Boss, I have the solution."
"Hold, Eddie, hold." Came Greg's order.
"Anything on the name search Spike?" Greg asked.
"Shawn Barra's record is squeaky clean. Can't get any cleaner than this. He is affiliated with some known Atheist gang types- think they're putting him up to this?"
"Hard to say Spike, contact Gun & Gangs, and see what they have."
"Copy."
"Shawn Barra, why don't you tell me why I'm here?" Greg asked.
"You're here because the holy Lord sent you!"
"You don't believe that, do you Shawn? Mind if I call you Shawn?"
"No, call me whatever you want- you will anyway."
"Spike, anything else on this guy?" Greg asked, "Can't make a connection when he's giving me no demands. He has no weapons, so I want to end this peacefully."
"Boss," Ed radioed, "I could hit him with a shock round- you and Brad could be on him in seconds."
"Let's hold off for now, Ed, but let's keep that option open in case he gives me nothing."
"Copy that."
"Yeah boss," Spike radioed, "I got nothing to give you. Record is clean, employment record is clean. No family to talk to- lives by himself."
"So you're saying that a socially isolated atheist just snapped and is at a church holding up over 70 people with no threat of a weapon? Something doesn't sound right."
"Boss," Ed proposed, "I take the shot with the shock round, you and Brad detain, and then the investigation is some detective's problem."
"Yeah, I hear you Ed, but I'd like to know why I'm here- why he's here."
"You're not a saint Greg- you can't know everything."
"Yeah, copy that Ed," Greg responded, "Chamber the shock round, I'm going to try once more."
"Shawn, can you just tell me what's going on?" Greg yelled.
"Get your guy back!"
"Ok, ok," Greg said, as both him and Brad took a few steps, "See Shawn, we're taking a step back here- why don't you tell me what's going on here?"
"They need to understand there is no God! They need to understand that if there is something greater than us, than it's greater and more powerful than something our human mind can't even imagine."
"So why don't you tell them that then? What are you waiting for?"
"Sounds like that might provoke him." Brad commented.
"Shawn, have you thought this through?" Greg asked.
"Yeah, I have Greg Parker!"
"Because what you're asking for- it's not unreasonable, it's just the way you're doing it my man."
"Shut, up… just shut up Greg Parker!"
"Ed, you got that shot with the shocker?" Greg whispered.
"I have the solution." Ed stated.
"Take it."
A/N: A short tactical one for ya'll, because we all know a true balls-to-the-wall tactical chapter involves a Perrasmith, right? Right! Like always, read and review!