"Charlie, the report on the rest of the bodies has just been faxed through", Constable Watson informed her.
Charlie got up from the desk in her office and walked over to the door to where Watson was standing. She took the pages of the report off her and looked at them. She analysed the as much of the report as she could and then walked over to her desk and picked up an empty folder. She placed the report inside and walked back over to Constable Watson.
"Leave these on Angelos desk. He'll want to look at them when he comes back from the dive sight. Make copies as well, we need to make sure we have as much information about this case as possible", she says.
Watson nods at Charlie and makes her way back to the reception desk. Charlie returns to the incident reports she had been reviewing over. She picks up the near empty cup of coffee, finishes it off and pushes it to one side. She picks up her pen and continues where she left off in the reports. Just then...ring ring...ring ring...she looks down at her phone. The screen flashes as it continues to ring. She checks the caller ID and it says Ruby Calling. She inhales a large breath of air and then exhales. Part of her is worried that something is wrong and that Ruby is in distress. Another part of her thinks she's overreacting and it's just a friendly call. When she finally settles her nerves she presses the answer button and puts the phone to her ear.
"Hey Rubes, what's up?" she asks, trying not to sound worried. "Rubes, hello. Ruby are you there?" she says confused.
She pulls the phone away from here ear to look at the screen so she can make sure she that the call is actually coming through. She put's the phone back to ear and calls Ruby's name again, hoping for an answer.
"Ruby, answer me?" she says, but still no reply.
Just then she hears voices in the background..."please, just put the gun down ok, we don't want any trouble"...another more menacing voice begins to speak..."yeah well darling it's not about what you want, now sit down and shut up or I'll blow you all to hell". Just then Charlie hear's sobbing and an all too familar voice begins to speak..."please, just let us go we haven't done anything". Charlie's heart begins to race uncontrollably. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Panic, fear, dread and anxiety all begin to take control. She leaped out of her chair and bounded out into the main office area, keeping her phone in her hand with the call still open.
"We've got a hostage situation in Summer Bay caravan park. There's man with a loaded weapon holding three, maybe more people against there will. We need all available units and whatever back up we can get" Charlie barks out orders at all police officers in the station.
The minute she had finished the station became a buzz of excitement. Police officers loaded their weapons. Officers working the desks called for back up and everyone that was ready headed for their patrol cars. Just as Charlie was about to leave Angelo brushed pass all the exiting police officers and up to Charlie who was loading the gun she had never been forced to use in her career. Angelo looked at her with concern.
"Charlie what's going on?" he asked, trying to keep up with her as she walked out into the car park and headed towards a waiting squad car.
"Someone's holding Ruby, Geoff and Nicole hostage at the caravan park and he has a gun", she says. Her voice quivering as she spoke.
Angelo looked at her in complete shock.
"WHAT? Are you serious?", he asked.
"Yes Angelo of course I'm sure. I have to go I can't afford to waste anymore time".
With that Charlie hopped into the passenger side of the squad car and it sped of in the direction of the caravan park. Angelo looked on as the car rounded the corner. He called on his marine officer companion and they got into their squad car and took off after the rest of the officers.
As Charlie sat in the car she could feel herself clenching her fists so hard it almost cut off blood flow. She could still feel her heart racing. It felt like she was having a heart attack. In the few minuted since she received the call she couldn't believe all the different thoughts and scenarios that raced through her mind. Fear had turned into sheer terror. Sruby was her life. She couldn't comprehend anything happening to her. The thought of it was unbearable. Charlie had never fired a single bullet against anyone in her entire career in the police force. But when it was her daughters life at risk, choosing not to may be a price to high to pay.
The car reached it's destination and pulled up alongside the flurry of police officers and squad cars that were surrounding the place. Passers by and van occupants in the park looked in in horror at the sight before them. Charlie got out of the car and began to run towards the officers who were standing the closest to the house, one of which was the Chief of Police who had arrived in town before the fiasco broke loose. From the corner of her eye Charlie could see Miles and Jai talking to a police officer, a look of shock across their faces. But she was too concerned with saving Ruby to really pay any notice to them.
She stopped running and instead began to speed walk up to them. She climbed under the police tape that was put up to keep people out of the area surrounding the house and bareged her way past the other officers and made her way straight up to the Chief.
"What's going on, why aren't you doing anything? There's people in their", she argued as the Chief of police looked at her.
The Chief lowered his head and began to rub his face with his hand that would suggest something was not right. He looked at Charlie.
"A couple of seconds after we arrived we heard gun fire. As far as we know two shots were sounded" he says in a tone that would suggest his fears that would suggest his fears for the hostages.
Charlie's heart sank. Who was shot? Was anybody shot? Is Ruby alright?. She felt Angelo's presence behind her but did not acknowledge him. Instead she looked at the house, tears welling up in her eyes. She began to run towards the house. Angelo and and two othe rofficers chased after her. Before she could any closer Angelo caught up with her and grabbed her from behind. Wrapping his arms tightly around her and holding lifting her slightly so her feet no longer touched the ground. But Charlie fought his grip, Trying desperatly to free her arms from him. But she couldn't all she could do was sob.
"My daughters in there", screamed as everybody looked on. At that moment her legs collapsed from under her and she fell to the ground, Angelo clutching her close to him, trying to comfort her. Gently kissing the top of her head. He then picked her up and held her against him for support and they retreated back behind the police tape. The Chief of Police then began to gather officers around and from where she was standing, Charlie could hear him.
"Ok, this is a very sensitive situation. We need to get those hostages out of there now. The priority is them. The gunman can come out in a body bag for all I care. Alright let's clean this mess up, move!" he ordered. With that the the city officers began to prep themselves in SWOT gear. Preparing themselves for whatever outcome.
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I know there's been a lot of Charlie so far, but bear with me, I'm just trying to develope the story. More chapters will come as soon as possible. Look forward to reading reviews.
