Chapter 7: 10-84 (Part 1)

[Author's Note: Sorry that this one took a little longer to post. I've been really busy over the last week or so! Also, if any of you reading this are natives of New York City, I apologize if my directions during the pursuit scenes are a little off base, but I did the best I could.]

New York Presbyterian Hospital
9:25 AM

Sergeant Ming and Detective Tamin arrived at New York Presbyterian Hospital to find a pair of marked NYPD patrol cars sitting in the front parking area just outside the main entrance. They exited their unmarked black 2011 Ford Crown Victoria and headed inside, at which point Tamin produced a portable radio from the pocket of her gray blazer and keyed the mic.

"Fifteenth Squad-Oh-One-Five to Central," she said into the radio, "Be advised, Sergeant Ming and I are both Ten-Eighty-Four at New York Presbyterian Hospital." "10-84" was the radio code indicating an arrival at a particular location.

"Ten-Four, Oh-One-Five" a female dispatcher responded from the radio a few seconds later.

The sergeant and detective met up with 2 pairs of uniformed officers in front of the main desk just inside the main entrance. The first pair consisted of a younger white brunette female officer who appeared to be in her early 20's and a taller Hispanic male officer appearing to be in his early to mid 30's who sported a telltale Marine Corps haircut.

Meanwhile, the other pair of officers were a pair of middle-aged white women. The first was a short, dark-haired officer whose hair was tied back into a tight bun, while her partner was a short-haired blonde who wore glasses.

"Sergeant Ming from the One-Five," Ming said while holding up his shield for them before nodding to Tamin, "This is Detective Tamin. What's the story, guys?"

"We got here about four minutes after we got the radio call from our sergeant," the dark-haired officer began explaining, "The charge nurse upstairs told us that a male visitor in what looked to her like black coveralls and a black baseball cap try to make their way on to the unit where Mister Ricci is."

Tamin nodded as she noted down the details in her memo book. "Did she get a good look at his face?" she asked, "Could she tell what his race or eye color was?"

"She said that he looked to be a white male with brown eyes," the blonde policewoman replied.

"We got here just behind these two," the Hispanic officer added, "I checked with security down here, and the guard told me that he saw an individual matching that description arrive in a blue Nineteen-Eighties panel van just a few minutes before he was notified about the unauthorized visitor."

Ming nodded. "Check with them again," he instructed, "If the vehicle's still in the front lot, position your cruiser so that it's blocked in. If this guy's still on the premises, I want us to find him before he gets the chance to burn rubber out of here."

"Got it," the officer's young female partner said, "What's your call sign, Sarge?"

"'Fifteenth Squad Oh-One-One Sergeant'", Ming replied, "Let's split up into pairs and check this whole place if possible. If you see our suspect, you detain him and radio us immediately!"

About 10 minutes later, Ming and Tamin were busy checking the public restrooms on the hospital's second floor when their radios came to life.

"Three-Three Sector Bravo to Fifteenth Squad detectives," the voice of the Hispanic male officer said from the radio.

Tamin quickly met up with Ming in the hallway before she responded back on the radio. "Sector Bravo," she said into the radio, "This is Detective Tamin, we copy you."

"Be advised," the officer replied from the radio a few seconds later, "We just saw a subject matching the suspect description exit the building through the Emergency Room entrance. He appears to be heading back towards the main lot where the van is parked."

Tamin and Ming traded looks before Tamin responded. "Ten-Four," she replied into the radio as she and Ming began practically sprinting toward the elevator, "We're coming down now."

Meanwhile, the 2 female officers hurried out through the ER doors just in time to see a blue 1988 Ford Econoline C150 panel van impetuously back out of the parking spot, damaging the front end of the other officers' cruiser in the process.

The short-haired blonde policewoman impulsively took off, sprinting toward the van despite hollered protestations from her partner. The dark-haired officer keyed the radio mic that was clipped to her uniform jacket for dear life.

"Three-Three Sector Charlie to Sergeant Ming," she said into the radio, "Be advised, my partner and I have eyes on a blue Nineteen-Eighty-Something panel van making its way out of the front lot. The vehicle has New Jersey plates, Yankee-X-Ray-X-Ray-Nine-Zero-Five. It's heading northbound towards West One-Six-Eight." The momentarily flustered officer was referring to West 168th Street.

Ming and Tamin burst through the ER doors soon after and met up with the 2 officers, all of whom at this point were hurrying towards their respective vehicles.

"You two stay behind us and handle the radio!" Ming ordered, "We'll be the primary pursuing unit!"

The officers hustled into their respective vehicles and began pursuing the van. The pursuit soon turned westbound as the van slid onto 170th Street with Ming and Tamin's black Crown Victoria hot on its heels. All the while, the 2 equally determined policewomen in the marked NYPD cruiser right behind them honored Ming's request to handle the radio.

"Central," the blonde female officer's voice was heard from the police radio, "Be advised, our pursuit has turned westbound on to West One-Seven-Zero Street. Moderate traffic, our speeds are now up to seventy miles per hour."

The chase soon went back to a northernly direction as the officers tailed the wayward van all the way to West 179th Street, at which point the van unexpectedly screech to a halt in front of a neighborhood bus stop that crossed with Amsterdam Avenue.

Tamin grabbed the radio mic off its cradle. "Fifteenth Squad Oh-One-Five to Central," she said into the radio, "Be advised, suspect's vehicle has come to a stop in front of the bus stop at Amsterdam and One-Seven-Nine! Uniformed officers and plainclothes detectives initiating a stop."

"Central to Oh-One-Five," a female dispatcher replied from the radio, "Ten-Four. Vehicle stopped at One-Seven-Nine and Amsterdam. I have three more units on the way to your location."

Ming and Tamin quickly got out of their vehicle and saw their suspect, a short-statured male wearing black coveralls, a neutral-looking baseball cap, and black boots, sprinting towards the small alleyway beside the bus stop.

"Stop!" Ming yelled, "NYPD!"

The sergeant and detective followed their suspect into the alley, only to find that not only was an NYC Sanitation Department garbage truck directly in their way, but also that the mysterious suspect has somehow squeezed their way past the large truck and slipped out of view.

Tamin growled with frustration, looked to Ming, and shrugged. Ming countered her frustration with a shake of the head before removing his portable radio from his pocket and keyed the mic.

"Fifteenth Squad Oh-One Sergeant to Central and any units responding to Amsterdam and One-Seventy-Nine," he said into the radio, "Be advised, our suspect has slipped through an alley, but our path is blocked by a sanitation truck. My partner and I are unable to pursue on foot at this time."

"Copy that, Oh-One Sergeant" the same female dispatcher replied from the radio, "I'll direct a unit to the other side to keep eyes on that area."

"Ten-Four," Ming said into the radio, "Thank you, ma'am."

Meanwhile, Tamin noticed something directly beside the truck, at which point she bent down and scooped up the suspect's hastily dropped baseball cap.

"Hey Sarge!" she called out as she held up the cap, "How much do you want to bet that this belongs to our guy?"

Ming nodded in retort. "Nice find, Kat" he said, "I'll go grab an evidence bag from the car.

Four additional NYPD patrol cars then arrived on scene to continue the search for the elusive suspect.