It should be a simple thing really. I wait for the car in front of me to pull over and instead it stays in the center of the lane I am trying to use to get to the call. I don’t have time to waste. I have somewhere I need to be or I wouldn’t be sitting in a car with a set of flashing lights and the sirens blasting for all to move the **** out of the way. I have next to nothing for tolerance when it comes to this. People just don’t get it. If it was their life on the line, their kid’s or hell even their dog needing emergency response then they would be blazing trails through the nearest lawn to get out of the way. In this case though it isn’t about them so they make it be.
“Do you read?” The radio is coming to life even while the car in front of me is slowing down but making no effort to get out of the way. “Copy.” I finally take the opposite lane and hit the gas. The plates on the car obstructing my path have been recorded and will be dealt with later. “ETA forty seconds.” I can’t get there before they do. I know it. That doesn’t stop me from taking the shortcuts and barreling down alleyways to cut my travel time. I race through an intersection and narrowly miss two cars both trying to give me the right of way and fail miserably. One kisses a fire hydrant and sets off water works while the other saddles up against the subterranean beer cave on the corner. “19 to dispatch.” Of course 19 is calling dispatch. They are riding my *** watching everything. My hands tighten down leaving my knuckles white as bed sheets. “Go ahead 19.” **** 19. The front of my car is bouncing through the emergency drive up. “On site. Vehicle appears to have cleared the curb and taken out the fire hydrant. Going to need it taken care of.” I execute a quick stop that jerks me forward then back. “Copy that 19. Ambulance on its way.” It is in just enough time to avoid hitting the couple exiting the automatic doors with a puke bag held by both of them as if they were out caroling and were sidetracked. “Send a tow truck.” The radio response and my car are left behind.
“Where is the last incoming?” I really feel like I could use one of those infused drinks about now. The one that gives me a boost when I am running on empty. It has been another long ******* night and I really am feeling it as I move through the triage rooms. “Last arrival. Where you send them?” I ask the paramedic who just happens to be pulling the empty gurney behind him. “The aren’t going to talk. You aren’t getting any answers.” I turn on my heels and keep a close pace nearly velcroing my body to their side. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Jim has a chip on his shoulder and a majority of it I put there. I stood him up. I admitted it. I ******* hate bowling. So I said it was one of those nights and went to the movies instead. Who knew the guy I went with and him not only were best friends but roommates? Not me. Or I would have played it a little more discreet and suggested I get laid at my apartment instead of his. Talk about awkward. That is only part of the chip. The rest of it had to do with busting his kid brother for selling meth out of the local ice cream truck last summer. It wasn’t like it was me playing the music that had all the tweaks and crack heads following it around like their asses were on fire and it was the only thing that could save them.
“It means exactly what I just said, Detective.” His feet came to a stop and the gurney behind both of us did as well. You will just have to be creative because last I checked dead men tell no tales.”
“Oh that is ******* great.” I really don’t know why Jim has to be such a ******* dick. It was three damn years ago. The movie sucked and so did his roomies sex game. “Was there any chance at all anything was said beforehand?”
“Yeah.” The hallways was filling up and his feet began moving towards the exit. “They loved bowling.”
“Nah…” I am so done with this ****. “**** you, Jim.”
“Too late now, Romeo.”I am ready to follow him out when my boss comes through the doors like a raging bull set loose in the streets.
“R-O-M-E-O!” I am disappointed it is a punishable crime to pull out my weapon and shoot him right there. Hell, both of them. A bullet to knock that stale chip off Jim’s shoulder and aimed just right takes out the boss too.
“I need to move my car.” I growl marching past him.
“God damned right you do. You got a few things you need to do, Detective.”
The sounds of his steps tracking right behind mine isn’t anything new. Neither is the fact they are so close I can tell half of his attitude is due to the tacos still on his breath that are tormenting his gut. I hit the doors just as they are sliding open for another stretcher heading in. I put up my right hand to stop the walking type A personality behind me long enough that the kid with a stick wedged in his nose can be pulled through.
“I need you to head over to that chemical plant and meet up with someone who has some information on those guns that are being found in the streets.” I pull out my keys as I finally reach my car. “Bullestics has matched them up with five homicides in the last week. I want you to have something for me by morning.”
I nod my head as I slide in the seat and close the drivers door. I have a lot of things I can offer up by morning. Garanteed he wouldn’t like to hear what I already know. People have a hard time with the truth. The boss wants to hear some thug in Newborough is running the weapons. It is my job to head down there and find someone who fits the bill. Five minutes is wasted driving the speed limit to get there. Once I enter the door I take a look around. I decide the first five I come across will be the pool I pick from. One of them will be a thug running those guns.
“Do you read?” The radio is coming to life even while the car in front of me is slowing down but making no effort to get out of the way. “Copy.” I finally take the opposite lane and hit the gas. The plates on the car obstructing my path have been recorded and will be dealt with later. “ETA forty seconds.” I can’t get there before they do. I know it. That doesn’t stop me from taking the shortcuts and barreling down alleyways to cut my travel time. I race through an intersection and narrowly miss two cars both trying to give me the right of way and fail miserably. One kisses a fire hydrant and sets off water works while the other saddles up against the subterranean beer cave on the corner. “19 to dispatch.” Of course 19 is calling dispatch. They are riding my *** watching everything. My hands tighten down leaving my knuckles white as bed sheets. “Go ahead 19.” **** 19. The front of my car is bouncing through the emergency drive up. “On site. Vehicle appears to have cleared the curb and taken out the fire hydrant. Going to need it taken care of.” I execute a quick stop that jerks me forward then back. “Copy that 19. Ambulance on its way.” It is in just enough time to avoid hitting the couple exiting the automatic doors with a puke bag held by both of them as if they were out caroling and were sidetracked. “Send a tow truck.” The radio response and my car are left behind.
“Where is the last incoming?” I really feel like I could use one of those infused drinks about now. The one that gives me a boost when I am running on empty. It has been another long ******* night and I really am feeling it as I move through the triage rooms. “Last arrival. Where you send them?” I ask the paramedic who just happens to be pulling the empty gurney behind him. “The aren’t going to talk. You aren’t getting any answers.” I turn on my heels and keep a close pace nearly velcroing my body to their side. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Jim has a chip on his shoulder and a majority of it I put there. I stood him up. I admitted it. I ******* hate bowling. So I said it was one of those nights and went to the movies instead. Who knew the guy I went with and him not only were best friends but roommates? Not me. Or I would have played it a little more discreet and suggested I get laid at my apartment instead of his. Talk about awkward. That is only part of the chip. The rest of it had to do with busting his kid brother for selling meth out of the local ice cream truck last summer. It wasn’t like it was me playing the music that had all the tweaks and crack heads following it around like their asses were on fire and it was the only thing that could save them.
“It means exactly what I just said, Detective.” His feet came to a stop and the gurney behind both of us did as well. You will just have to be creative because last I checked dead men tell no tales.”
“Oh that is ******* great.” I really don’t know why Jim has to be such a ******* dick. It was three damn years ago. The movie sucked and so did his roomies sex game. “Was there any chance at all anything was said beforehand?”
“Yeah.” The hallways was filling up and his feet began moving towards the exit. “They loved bowling.”
“Nah…” I am so done with this ****. “**** you, Jim.”
“Too late now, Romeo.”I am ready to follow him out when my boss comes through the doors like a raging bull set loose in the streets.
“R-O-M-E-O!” I am disappointed it is a punishable crime to pull out my weapon and shoot him right there. Hell, both of them. A bullet to knock that stale chip off Jim’s shoulder and aimed just right takes out the boss too.
“I need to move my car.” I growl marching past him.
“God damned right you do. You got a few things you need to do, Detective.”
The sounds of his steps tracking right behind mine isn’t anything new. Neither is the fact they are so close I can tell half of his attitude is due to the tacos still on his breath that are tormenting his gut. I hit the doors just as they are sliding open for another stretcher heading in. I put up my right hand to stop the walking type A personality behind me long enough that the kid with a stick wedged in his nose can be pulled through.
“I need you to head over to that chemical plant and meet up with someone who has some information on those guns that are being found in the streets.” I pull out my keys as I finally reach my car. “Bullestics has matched them up with five homicides in the last week. I want you to have something for me by morning.”
I nod my head as I slide in the seat and close the drivers door. I have a lot of things I can offer up by morning. Garanteed he wouldn’t like to hear what I already know. People have a hard time with the truth. The boss wants to hear some thug in Newborough is running the weapons. It is my job to head down there and find someone who fits the bill. Five minutes is wasted driving the speed limit to get there. Once I enter the door I take a look around. I decide the first five I come across will be the pool I pick from. One of them will be a thug running those guns.
