Sheriff Dana Brooke Story
Chapter 1 By Jurassicfatt
No One's POV, North Rose, Mid-Day
BANG! BANG BANG! BOOM!
Gunfire and explosions rang out in the town of North Rose, citizens running for cover and barricading doors. Just past 11, a large posse of men and women had entered the town, armed to the T with guns and energy pistols. The party of 27 had easily overpowered the guards of the banks, hacking into the ATMs and getting the tellers to open safety deposit boxes. Led by notorious cyborg outlaw Incognito, Storm and Steel owned businesses in almost every town for 30 km in every direction. With ties to the gun-runners Violent by Design, and an ongoing war with the Cult of the Eater, shootouts perpetrated by Storm and Steel were becoming more frequent in North Rose. No one thought, however, that it would escalate so quickly.
The sheriff, Jeff Jarrett, or 'Double J' as he was locally known, had heard the commotion and took his deputies with him to confront the group. Of course, the minute he spoke, they began firing. He was now pinned down behind rusting vehicles, getting pelted by bullets and energy blasts. His crisp tan uniform and gold star sheriff badge covered in dirt, Jeff holds a 32 in hand, his blond hair hidden beneath his black cowboy hat. He was a good shot, and took out at least 3 of the gang members. But his forces were overrun, and since it would take another hour before Marshalls arrived, they were on their own. Jeff blind-fired, hoping he'd hit that bastard cyborg so the rest would flee. Fucker.
Some police wore riot gear, and while it protected against the gunfire, no amount of armor they had could prevent an energy blast from tearing a hole through them. Jeff grit his teeth, trying to think of a way out of this. He was a rather strange fellow. Having been a sheriff for a while, he had seen his own. Drugs. Weapons. Corruption. Hell, he had partaken in it. He'd let shipments of 'products' in, to ensure the security of his town. He'd let VBD handle those mutated monsters in the valley. But he never imagined that Incognito would break their agreement. There were signs that he wanted North Rose for himself, but with the Marshalls doing more inspections, he must have decided to act before they tried something funny.
Looking past his newest recruits, the Martin brothers, Darius and Dante, Jeff saw it was coming to a standstill. One officer was on the ground, silently screaming as another pulled him away from cover and into a nearby building. He needed to protect both civilians and his men, but how?
"Lieutenant!" he yelled over the gunfire and laser blasts.
"Yeah, Sheriff?" asked a black man next to him. He had a rather round face, with short curly hair and a stubble beard. This was one of Jeff's long-term friends, Jay Lethal. The man was dual wielding two Glocks, trying to peak through a broken rear window.
"Get them to cover me. I'm going for the bank." he argued, looking at the brown brick building 10 feet away.
Lethal turned to look at him, his eyes scrunched in confusion and teeth bared. "What?"
"You heard me. You're going to give me cover!" Jeff restated, giving the order to the others. They all responded with a 'sir', before reloading their rifles and pistols. The Martin brothers exchanged magazines, fist-bumping one another. Others nodded, while some had neutral or even hesitant looks painted across their faces. Jarrett began getting up. The deputies were about to start firing, but froze when Lethal grabbed Jarrett and slammed him against the car door.
"Are you fucking nuts?! Are you out of your mind, Jeff?! They'll kill you before you even get to the doors, let alone inside." he argued, trying to let the old man see reason. He'd known Jeff for a long time. He'd been his partner for 7 years. There was no way he was going to let him give his life away like this. "The Marshalls are-"
Jeff shook his head, cutting off his thought. "We don't have time. Look." he showed his phone screen, with a mention that the Marshalls convoy were caught up and running late. Lethal sighed. This was the 4th time this had happened. Last time, they never even showed up. Jeff began gesturing with his hands, speaking again. "If I can get inside, I can take Incognito. I know where to fire. Hey, hey, you know me better than anyone!" he explained, grabbing Lethal's shoulder. "I'm the best shot to come out of Virginia in years. Am I right?"
"That you are. And if you're going in, so am I." Jeff began to argue, but Lethal wouldn't let him. "Ah, no! If you're going in, I'm going in."
"No, you're not!"
"Yes, I am. I'm your partner and your friend. I'm betting he's not alone in there, that cyborg fuck. He always has his little lapdogs around him. You're going to need back-up."
Jeff tried to convince Jay he could do it alone, but knew the act was futile. Lethal was an incredibly skilled fighter, and had saved his skin several times over the past years. He also knew how stubborn he could be. "Fine. We go together. Deputies?" he screamed into the radios.
"Sir!" they responded.
"Provide covering fire. The lieutenant and I are going for the bank." Turning to Lethal, he asked. "You ready?"
"Hell yeah!"
Jarrett smiled, before grabbing his radio. "On my mark. Ready?" Jarrett waited for the posse to reduce their barrage, before screaming, "Now!"
The deputies rose and fired at the posse, shocking some of the gang as their bullets hit flesh and armor. The Martin brothers and rest of the squad continued firing as Jarrett and Lethal ran for the bank, kicking in the door and shooting at anyone holding a gun.
Dana's POV, Police Station, North Rose, 1 hour earlier
Watching my partner Apollo fixing up the coffee, I open up the stack of paperwork in front of me. I look through the reports of petty theft and missing transvreek engines, trying to find an edge. A minute later, he hands me a cup, his large footsteps echoing off the gray walls. Taking it, I smile and thank him. Apollo bows, his bald head on display and white dress shirt crinkling in the process. Swirling the coffee with a wooden stick and placing a hand underneath my chin, I keep reading through the reports. Bored as fuck, right now.
Apollo and I were told to 'man the office' with the other 'back-ups', in case there's another call. Meanwhile, the rest of the force is confronting a group of armed soldiers in the center of town. Could be anyone, but I'm betting it's Incognito. He's been trying to absorb North Rose into his front towns for so long. His gang war with the Cult of the Eater has killed 15 people, including their leader, and landed 40 others in hospital. I tried to explain to the sheriff that we could help them. That the whole police force should be focusing on this mission. But I only got the same response from Jeff, with that famous drawl of his:
"Not now, Dana! Next time, ah promise."
Next time. That's all I hear. Next time. Next time. I've been trying to get into the SWAT, but I need a referral from either the sheriff or one of the higher officers. They always tell me to 'come back later'. I know I can do more for North Rose! Hell, we all could. Apollo is one of the best investigators I've ever met, and we've looked out for each other since training under Detective Titus O'Neill. He told us to hold on, that our time would come, but I'm starting to wonder whether that's the right call. Apollo actually went to take the tests to become Sergeant. He had to twist Lieutenant Jay Lethal's arm, but Apollo got his permission. He's been waiting for the results. I know his wife Alexa is as thrilled as I was when she heard the news. I just wonder what's next for me, once he gets called up.
Suddenly, the comm turns on, signaling a call. Apollo grabs it, answering.
"North Rose PD." he states.
"Yes, I just saw s-some strange people go into the electronic storehouse across the street. There's been loads of banging and windows breaking ever since. I think they might be robbing the place!" the woman over the phone says frantically, her voice shaking.
"Can I get your name and address? Where are you? Are you Downtown?" Apollo asks, grabbing a pen and paper to write down.
"No, I'm at my house. 2234 Brinkridge. The shop's address is 2239. My name's Carmella. I'm pregnant and home alone with my 2 stepdaughters. I've locked my door as a precaution. I have no idea where they went."
"Can you describe them?"
"I think there were 3 or 4. They had bandanas covering their mouths and gloves. One of them had a prybar. When I heard the banging, I called right away." she explains.
"Okay, my partner and I are on our way. We're going to check it out. Stay indoors and don't answer the door for anyone. Okay?" he asserts.
"Okay. Okay, thank you." she murmurs in relief.
Apollo hangs up, handing me the paper. We call Kayden and Kacy over so they can cover the phones. Dusting off my sand-colored bulletproof vest, I place it over my shirt. I'm already strapped and ready.
"Damn, they must have taken all the cars!" Apollo remarks.
"What did they leave us?" I ask. Apollo grabs the red keys on the door, showing them to me. Fuck!
10 minutes later
PAFT! The rusting blue and white motorbike lurches forward. Apollo drives at a steady 20 mph, a pair of shades and helmet on. I sit… in the sidecar, barely able to fit in the separate compartment. I'm forced to place my legs on one side, keeping one hand gripping the handrail while the other grabs my gun. Just in case. Every pothole causes the whole car to bounce up and down. Of course, they'd leave this damn thing.
In the distance, we can hear gunfire, no doubt from the shootout Downtown, the sound going softer every few meters. Finally, we reach the destination. The street looks pretty deserted, a row of houses and apartments to the left. On the right sits the electronics storehouse, the door partially opened. Taking off our helmets, we disembark, unclasping our guns as Apollo takes point. Putting his hand up to stay quiet, he listens, before speaking.
"Hello. North Rose PD. Open up, please." he states. We get no response. "Be ready. We're going in blind." Apollo whispers. Giving a silent nod, Apollo pushes the door open, aiming the gun forward. I'm right behind him, surveying the surroundings. Our boots step through the pieces of broken glass, cracking sounds around us as we search for any movement. I can see the place has been raided. Boxes of equipment are knocked over, screws, implants, and circuit boards littering the floor. We check the counter, then the closets and rooms.
"Clear." I say, checking through the safe. The door is opened and, peeking inside, empty. "They stole whatever was in this safe. Along with what looks like every implant of value in the store."
Apollo checks through the manifest in the drawer. "Some of these orders are scratched off. Could be military grade."
"Or whoever ordered them wants to stay anonymous." I assert. Apollo hums, rubbing a hand over his chin. "You see that mark?" I say, pointing to the symbol in the corner. Grabbing it, I notice it's a gray and blue logo, a red bug in the middle. A firefly. "The Cult of the Eater."
"Damn. We need to call it in." he argues, grabbing his radio. "Dispatch, this is officer Apollo. We have a robbery at 2239 Brickridge. Suspected Cult of the Eater activity. Requesting FOR-TECH unit."
"Understood. Sending in forensics team now." Officer Kayden responds.
I notice a red light shining in the corner of my eye, coming from one of the windows. I then hear a chain rev up faintly.
"Down!" I scream, pushing Apollo and I to the ground. VRSSSH! An energy blast bursts through the open window, the red ball tearing a hole in the wall near us. Putting my head up, I fire a few shots. "Drop it!"
The assailant fires again, the blast burning another hole in the wall, before swearing and hightailing it away. Sounds like a woman.
"You good?" I ask him. Apollo nods, both of us standing.
"Yeah. Come on, let's go!" he asserts. We get up and run outside, then notice a red Volvo speeding down the road. We jump into the motorbike and give chase. Well, as fast as this bucket of crap can go. Luckily the streets are narrow as we go forward, so that helps us gain ground. I grab my radio.
"Dispatch, this is officer Dana Brooke. Shots fired at Suiyin's Electronics Warehouse, 2239 Brickridge. Suspect armed with energy-based weapon. Driving a red Volvo, licence plate SEDW 610. In pursuit." I tell them. "Can't this thing go any faster?!"
"Any faster and the whole thing might blow!" Apollo argues. Reloading, I curse under my breath. We follow them, the car making a hard right turn. The Volvo honks, before shots ring out. "Shit! What's going on?"
The assailants back up, skidding as bullets ricochet off the walls and hit their car. Getting out and taking cover behind our vehicle, Apollo and I call in the attack, before watching a large man with a chain gun arm smash their windows. He uses his other hand to grab the driver, pulling them out of the broken windshield. Looks like a woman, with brown hair and a black handkerchief covering the bottom half of her face. She wears a tactical vest and pants, alongside some brown steel-toed bots. She clutches her throat and kicks in the air, the taller man squeezing down before aiming his gun at her face. I put my weapon up and call out.
"Police! Put the woman down and keep your hands where we can see them!" I hear a chain revving again, before an energy blast tears through his leg. The man drops the woman, yelling in pain, as she falls onto the hood of the car.
"Let Sarah go, you bastard!" a female voice screams. 2 more assailants slowly get out of the car, 1 with green hair holding the energy weapon while the other one clutches her bleeding arm and checks over 'Sarah'. "Sare? Sare, can you hear me?" They grab her, trying to move her.
"Drop the weapon! Now!" Apollo orders. The two face-covered robbers notice us, putting their hands up, the first letting the energy blaster fall to the ground. Just as they step forward, the other man lifts his weapon and starts firing. We duck behind the car, bullets whizzing by us. "Shit!"
"Grab Sare! We're getting the fuck outta here!"
"What about-" another voice starts, before getting cut off.
"You whores!" the man screams, turning and firing at them.
"RUBY!" another voice yells. I watch one of the robbers fall to the ground. Seeing my opportunity, Apollo and I fire at the attacker, hitting him a few times. Blood covers his face as he turns and shoots at us, his clip emptying before he slumps to the ground. Apollo and I run, checking on him. We see the bullet wounds in his neck, the man's eyes dark.
"Down." Apollo states. Aiming my weapon towards the Volvo, I hop over him to see the driver still lying on the hood. Apollo and I go to the other side, noticing the green-haired robber on the ground while the other woman has a hand covering her stomach, blood all over her hands. They have both removed their face coverings.
"Help! Please!" the blonde-haired robber pleads. I get down to check over the wound. Bullet went straight through the abdomen. I pull out my medkit.
"Keep pressure on it! Dispatch, requesting ambulance on 321 Rockland Avenue near Pillie's general. 2 victims. First has a gunshot to lower abdomen and is losing blood. Second has lacerations to the arms and unable to respond to commands. Can you tell me where the bleeding is?" I ask the girl.
"Yes, it's in the lower belly area but above the hips."
"Any other wounds?"
"No."
Rifling through the kit, I grab the quick heal spray. Tearing the package open, I grab the can and shake it. "Move your hands, please." I demand. Once she does, I see the wound. Dark coppery blood leaking down her belly from a thumb sized hole, the flesh torn by the gunshot. I spray the quick heal solution directly over the wound, an antiseptic foam covering it. The robber yells and clutches her blonde friend's hand, her body shaking. Soon, the entire wound is blocked, the blood no longer coming out. The green haired woman continues panting, her brown eyes filled with pain. "That'll stop the blood from flowing, but she needs medical attention immediately. What's her name?"
"Ruby. Ruby Soho." the other robber says through tears, sniffling. Apollo steps forward, holding out his handcuffs.
"Stand up and put your hands where I can see them." he tells her. The woman looks up, then stands and turns around. Apollo applies the cuffs while the girl looks between both friends, her blue eyes filled with worry. "Sarah?" The girl on the hood looks at her, but is barely moving.
"What's your name?" I ask.
"Liv. Liv Morgan. That's Sarah Logan. This was never supposed to happen." she states, pointing her chin towards the woman on the hood.
"Apollo, I need your help." I tell him. Just as he turns towards me, his phone goes off. "You expecting a call?" He shakes his head. Just then, the ambulance arrives, its shrill siren cutting through, followed by a coroner vehicle. The paramedics, clad in blue uniforms, grab Ruby and Sarah, placing them on stretchers and wheeling them into the back. The coroners begin setting up a crime scene, checking over the armed cyborg's body. "I'm heading with them. You got the suspect?"
"I'll take her back to the station and inform the coroner on what happened."
"Please take care of them." Liv says to the paramedics and I.
"Next time, don't run with gangs. But don't worry, your friends are going to get some medical assistance before they join you in jail." I assert. Liv nods, taking one last look at her friends before Apollo turns her around.
"I'll see you back at the station. Call me when you get to the E.R."
"I will. Drive safe!" I tease as he shakes his head, bringing Liv to the motorbike while I get inside the ambulance, handcuffing Sarah to the stretcher while keeping an eye on her and Ruby. The paramedics get to work right away, applying I.V.s and checking over their injuries. "Officer Brooke to dispatch. 1 assailant down, 3 assailants captured. 2 en route to hospital with me. Officer Crews bringing the 3rd to the station." I relay into my radio.
"Confirmed, Officer Brooke." I hear Kacy respond. "Be safe." she adds. I smile at her gesture.
Slumping down, I keep an eye on both robbers, before taking a few breaths. We were lucky this time. That cyborg punk could have killed all of us with that gun of his. I'm glad we stopped him, arrested the others, and that no civilians were hurt… But I still feel like we're not doing enough. How in the world is Incognito beating us so badly? We lose more police officers per month to desertion or death than the last 5 years.
I don't even agree with all of Sheriff Jarrett and Lieutenant Lethal's decisions, but I can tell Incognito's attacks have been taking their toll. The once strong, unfazed grin the sheriff had for years slowly became more and more tired. More frustrated. Until eventually, he simply no longer smiled, a permanent scowl of annoyance plastered with every mention of the criminal's name. A sentiment shared by Lethal and the rest of the force, especially given we can't find the son of a bitch. He appears out of nowhere, rips apart districts as he pleases, then disappears without a trace. Incognito already took out 3 different gang leaders this year alone. He has to have contacts in the cities or government, or both. Helping him cover his tracks. Or maybe he stole some sort of cloaking tech? We have a few basic camouflage suits, but nothing like the tech Storm and Steel has available. We found a shipment of stolen rocket launchers at 1 of their hideouts. Yeah, it's that bad.
My mind circles back to Apollo and I's encounter. Why the hell was there a lone cyborg patrolling around? Was he following the robbers for Incognito? Hoping to steal their haul? That weapon he had was no joke. 1000s of rounds of ammunition locked in and ready to use. He has to be part of Incognito's crew. But why send him in alone? If Incognito's already attacking the city, why would he bother sending someone to take down these low-level thieves? Killing 2 birds with 1 stone?
I close my eyes and rub my temples, continuing to take slow breaths. I need to stop or I'm going to be jumping off the hospital's walls. Speaking of, we're within minutes of North Rose General, or NRG. Dozens of cars cycle in and out of the parking lot, paramedics running to the entrance with stretchers. With the shootout Downtown, I just know they're already swarmed with patients. Once we're within walking distance of the doors, the driver parks and the paramedics start moving the patients. I help them wheel Ruby's stretcher in, while the driver helps with Sarah. We move them to another hall, away from the other trauma victims. A lone doctor and nurse go check on their wounds, flashing lights in their eyes and monitoring heart rates, before bringing them to a room. I uncuff Sarah so she can be moved onto the bed, placing the restraints on my belt. Asking me to wait outside, the doctor tells the nurse to prepare Ruby for a local anaesthesia, while getting Sarah ready for the X-Ray room. I stand guard, not letting anyone leave the rooms until I know where they are going. A few minutes later, I hear paramedics yelling, pushing a stretcher through the main hall and straight into the operating room. Doctors and nurses run, hearing the commotion. Walking towards them, a crowd forms, their wide eyes scanning for any sign of who the victim is. I watch as an older greying doctor demands for clean scalpels, pushing himself through to the emergency room. What the hell?
Turning towards the door, I see 2 familiar faces. Officers Cedric Alexander and Dante Martin, their uniforms covered in dirt and gun powder. Gashes on their heads and tired, sad eyes, they stare in front of them. Something must have happened. I walk up to them, worried.
"Cedric. Dante." I call out, causing them to turn.
"Dana? I thought you were at the station?" Dante asks. I shake my head.
"We got a call for a disturbance. Turned into a firefight with 1 of Incognito's men and some robbers. I can't imagine what you guys went through. Where's Darius?" I ask him, fearing the worst.
"He's fine. He went to check on Hager after he took a bullet for him."
"Holy crap! Is that who just got wheeled in?"
The 2 look at each other, before Cedric shakes his head. "No Dana. It wasn't Hager. That was the lieutenant."
"Lethal?" They nod gravely. "What happened?"
Cedric puts his hands up, motioning in front of himself. His hands shake as he recounts what happened. "He and Sheriff Jarrett went inside the bank, trying to take down Incognito and his posse. We were providing covering fire. And before we knew it, Lethal came flying through the window."
The shock goes through my body, seeing the distraught look in Cedric's eyes. "What? The fucking window?" They nod, still looking at the door. "And the sheriff?" Jarrett and Lethal were partners for years. Always had each other's backs. Dante steps forward to answer.
"The sheriff's dead. Incognito killed him."
My eyes widen, the confession rocking me to my core. "What do you mean? Jeff Jarrett's dead?"
Dante nods. "Worst part is he did it on camera. Beat the Sheriff until he was dazed, then stabbed him right in front of us in plain daylight. He shot Lethal in the back, too. Didn't give a shit about our gunfire or helicopters around him. Before we knew it, they took off. We tried to give chase, but they vanished again."
Holy crap… I grab Cedric and Dante, not even hesitating to hug them. They each put an arm around me. Cedric may be older, and Dante's just a kid, but they're both in shock. And who can blame them after witnessing that? Fucking cruel barbarians. To beat and stab somebody so respected on live camera? I can't even imagine how Jeff's wife will react. Karen, Christ… No one should have to hear those words.
Just as I'm about to give them words of encouragement, the doctors walk out of the operating room. Their faces dark and sullen, 1 of them makes his way towards us. Seeing Dante's and Cedric's looks, I step forward. "Doc? What happened to Lieutenant Jay Lethal?"
He shakes his head. "I'm sorry. There was nothing we could do." Oh fuck.
"You mean…?"
"Yes. He's gone. Lieutenant Lethal was shot 4 times, in the heart and lungs. He was already dead before our attempt to operate." Someone calls him, and the elder doctor turns his head. "I'll be there in a second." he states, before turning back. "I'm sorry for your loss. I wish there was something else we could have done."
Swallowing hard, I nod. "No, I understand. Thank you." I say, my voice low. He then walks off to another room, likely to check on other trauma victims, as the weight of the news finally catches up to me. I call Apollo on my phone, asking Dante and Cedric to follow me. Hearing the phone ring, I catch a glimpse of the white sheet covering Lethal as nurses move him somewhere out of sight.
Author's Note: Hey everyone. Hope you're all doing well. As promised, another story just for you. Decided to write this story after Dana, or now Ash by Elegance, got bumped from the E. Hope you enjoy my first shot at a modern western. If you did, feel free to leave a review. It's always appreciated. More updates on the way, so stay tuned. Until next time, stay safe and remember to enjoy your day!