Enforcer: Book Four (Princes of Prophecy)

by Marie, L. Ann

  Chevy: “HS Team Three, you're on with VP and Chevy on control. Halo is less than one out.” We hear the chopper, but don't see it.

  Me: “Roger HS Ops. I have a road leading behind the house, and a box trailer that is painted to look old. We have five dead and are getting set to go in. S21 and S48 through the front.”

  Darren: “Roger She Dog. You good?” He's asking if I'm comfortable with no other HS.

  Me: “Roger VP.” I'm off my bike and sliding to the back porch. Aaron is beside me staying close.

  S21: “She Dog, I hear activity in the house, but don't see a threat.”

  Me: “Roger S21 on my one. VP I need Halo to cover the front.”

  Darren: “Halo is in place.”

  Me: “Team Three, stay alert. Three, two, one.” I kick the door and move to the right. Aaron is in gun first and fires to the left. I follow going right. I can hear footsteps running above us. Shots are fired in the front rooms.

  Aaron: “First floor east clear.”

  S48: “First floor clear.”

  Me: “Moving up. Shooter, clear down.” I get a roger and meet S21 as I walk through the doorway to the front. I see the barrel of a rifle coming up from behind a couch set away from the front wall and aim. S48 stops and turns just as I shoot the pussy taking aim at him. S21 turns from the stairs.

  S21: “Clear means you look everywhere.” 48 goes pale. He won't work.

  VP: “She Dog.”

  Me: “I'm good VP. Shooter?”

  Aaron: “A fuck ton of rooms She Dog. They're moving something out the bulkhead. I wedged wood so it can't be opened. I'm clear.”

  I hear him coming up the stairs.

  Me: “Clear the first, I'm on two.” I nod to S21 and we go up staying on the sides. Two bedrooms forward and two to the rear. The bathroom is open. As we come up, I keep my gun trained on it. S21 goes right to it and clears it. I go forward he goes back. As I clear the first room Aaron tells me the first is clear. “Move up Shooter. S48, keep us clear. VP is Halo picking up anything?”

  Darren: “Negative She Dog.” Coming out of the second bedroom I see Aaron is on the stairs. I didn't hear a thing and make a note of it. Shots are fired making our feet move faster.

  S21: “Fuck. She Dog going up. Kids in the house.”

  I make the door and walk in. His gun moves my way then lowers. He didn't train it on me and I make a note of that too, he's good with assessing a threat. I see a kid on the floor with a Glock in his hand.

  Me: “VP, teenager with a gun.”

  Darren: “Disarm Team Three.” Our shoot to kill order is rescinded.

  Me: “Roger VP. Team Three shoot to disarm only.” I get roger’d and watch S21 climb to the attic. When he's up, I hear feet above me. I look at Aaron. “Clear two.” He walks through the door and I climb.

  Darren: “No visual S21 and She Dog.” I blink making out S21's shape in front of me. Pulling my phone, I hold it away from me and hit it on then shut it off quick. There's a light three feet in front of me. I click my tongue letting S21 know to be ready. Grabbing the pull, I close my eyes, yank and spin putting my back to S21's.

  Aaron: “Two clear.”

  I don't reply, but move to clear one side of the attic. Shit is piled high. Moving around a big hutch I see movement and swing my gun around. A girl about eight years old is holding a gun out to me. She's scared shit. Sonofabitch! I lower my gun and walk toward her watching for any other movement. I take the gun and run my hands down her back. She doesn't have anything else on her. I put her hand in my belt loop and my finger on my mouth. She nods and points to another pile of shit. These fuckin’ people could be on the hoarder show. At the pile I pull her hand and point to the floor. She sits Indian style and smiles up at me. I walk around the pile with my gun out and hear a shuffling. “You've got nowhere to go. Come out with your hands up.”

  I point my gun at the place I heard the shuffling. A pile of clothes moves and I aim. Jesus! A kid stands up. He looks about seventeen. “Drop the gun or I drop you.” The gun falls, but I don't see his other hand. “Hands up.” He raises his hand and clothes fall. I shoot his hand and the second gun falls. He screams like a girl. “Move.” He stumbles out crying. “On the floor hands spread.” When he's down I check the pile he was in and look for any other pussies. I get nothing and wire tie his hands. “She Dog clear. Shooter move up.” I have three guns not counting mine.

  I walk to my little friend. “Any more up here?”

  She nods. “One more. Did you kill him?”

  I look at her. She's hoping I did. “I just shot his hand.” Her body freezes and tears pool in her eyes.

  VP: “I caught it She Dog.” He's watching from my body cam.

  “Let's get you away from this crazy place.” I hear a shot.

  Aaron: “Shooter clear.”

  S21: “Third clear.”

  Me: “Cleanup for eight, two holding and a kid.”

  VP: “They're waiting outside She Dog. Good job Team Three.”

  My hand is squeezed and I look at the girl. “Can we get my mom now?”

  “Where's your mom?” She pulls me to the window and points to the truck. “VP.”

  Darren: “Got it. Team One is pulling in. They'll open it before you get down there.”

  Me: “Roger VP.” I take the girl downstairs. Aaron follows. S21 stays with the pussies in the attic until Cleanup shows up there. I walk slow giving them time to open the truck.

  VP: “She Dog they don't look good, but they’re alive.”

  Me: “Roger.” I move a little faster.

  Taylor jumps down and pulls a woman out. The girl runs. Thank God. He doesn't look happy. “I called for an ambulance. They're strung out.” I nod and look for Aaron. He's behind me watching the girl.

  “You said they were moving something in the basement.”

  His eyes move to me. “Yeah.”

  VP: “She Dog, PD is on the way. They'll finish clearing it.”

  Me: “Roger VP. Team Three we're moving out.” I get roger’d and walk toward my bike calling into Ops. “Get me on with VP.” I'm switched over. “S48 isn't HS. We all know and can run covering us.”

  “I'm switching him out with one from Taylor's Team. You'll keep going and Taylor will wait for PD. I'll have a replacement for him before he's clear there.”

  “Roger VP.” I hang up and look at S48 as he walks to his bike. I tell Aaron to wait for me and walk over to him. He watches a bike pull over to Aaron and his shoulders drop. He already knows. “It means you work harder. That gun was aimed at you. You work harder so it doesn't happen again. Yeah?”

  He nods. “Roger She Dog. I'm gonna fuckin’ make it to your team.”

  I smile. “I'm at pop-ups again tomorrow at ten. You show and we'll go through.”

  He smiles throwing chin. I give it back and walk to my team.

  Chevy tells me he's switching us back to Eliza. She makes me laugh. “Fuckin’ show off.” She gets down to business and we run our next Op. The time moves fast and we have no problem with two homeless guys in the next house. They're moved to the church and we head to Security.

  I shower and change grabbing a banana on the way to the meeting room. Prez gives us stats and calls Brothers out. He asks for anything he missed, I want to say something about Aaron and S21 but don't want to alienate S48 so I hold it. Prez gives me a look. I hold Aaron back and see VP hold S21. Taylor stays too.

  When the door closes Prez looks at Aaron. “You understood you were picking up the slack for a weak member and did good. You ride with Sheila's Team until she signs off on you.” Aaron smiles then wipes it off his face and throws chin. Prez looks at S21. “Still sticking with Security?”

  He smiles. “I'm ready to move Prez.”

  Darren laughs. “Knew she'd get you.”

  Prez smiles watching them. “Get him his patches and his bike numbered and HS ready.” He looks at S21. “Keith I know you're a long way from your road name. I need something. I'm sick of all the fuckin�
�� numbers.”

  “Tag,” I say and Keith smiles. It’s better than back door but means the same.

  “I'll take it.”

  We slap his back going out and Prez holds me back. “You were willing to take a weak link knowing they would cover?”

  I look at him thinking it wasn't a major Op we were running. “Yeah Prez. We were good for what we were doing.”

  Darren and Taylor laugh. Prez smiles at me. “You're the reason it worked Sheila. To you it was just another day. You cleared a house with ten shooters. Calmed a kid and did it with two trainees and one regular Security. We've got Brothers trying to get on your team and you've got no fuckin’ clue do you?”

  I look at him then Darren and Taylor. “Trying to get on my team? Why wouldn't they want Jessie or Taylor?”

  They laugh. It's Taylor that answers. “Jessie might shoot them.” I roll my eyes. He hasn't shot anyone in two fuckin’ months.

  “Taylor doesn't seem to find the same shit your team does. He's fuckin’ boring and hogs all the action,” Darren says making me smile.

  I shake my head. “Thanks Brothers,” I say walking out.

  I hear them laughing as I close the door. Whatever.

  I look for Eliza in Ops. She's already home. I call Jax on my way out to my bike. “I can get the kids. I'll switch my bike for the Jeep.”

  “I got out early, Twinkle. I was going to take them out to dinner. I want to see how Dexter works in a public place. Daycare said he did good today.”

  I laugh. “I'm on my way and Twinkle sounds like a cat.”

  “See you soon.” I can hear the smile in his voice.

  Chapter Fifteen

  One week

  Jax

  It's my PD day and we have another body. If that wasn't bad enough Grant is fuckin’ with me. He's not sharing all his information with the task force so I do. He's pissed and walks out not saying a word to anyone. I catch him in the hall. “My office now.”

  He turns without a word and walks to my office. Once I close the door I look at him. “I could tell you the importance of sharing information with your team, but you won't hear that. What I am going to tell you is you can start playing for the team or I'll take you off the task force.”

  He smiles and I want to hit him. “Let me guess, you'll find the killer all alone?”

  I look at him wondering if this is jealousy. “I've had the same training as you then more with the MC. I share everything I find. I do that so fresh eyes and ideas get heard. It also helps not to be doing the same shit as another team. We have a better chance of finding the killer with more people looking. Why is this a problem for you?”

  “The MC doesn't have detectives; they go around shooting people. You took our information and found the rapist, then the perp that was killing the kids. Now we have a new one and you want my leads. Find your own leads and stay the fuck away from me.”

  I smile. “You had the tunnels checked out? The leads on the homeless kid in Connecticut? I didn't see you at all during that time. You blew off Princes and went your own way. For the rapist I was partnered on the task force. If you would have shown up, you would have gotten the same information I did. Right now I find this a waste of fuckin’ time. You're off the task force and on leave.”

  He's shaking and his face is red, he's pissed. “You can't cut me out!”

  I pick up my phone. “Driscoll, Grant is in my office. He may be your best, but not sharing information makes him useless to the task force. I took him off. You can put him wherever the fuck you want, but it’s not with the team. I gave him leave.” He tells me to put him on speaker. “You're on speaker.”

  “I warned you after the last temper tantrum you threw, one more and you're out. You're done. Hand your badge and gun in. No leave, you're fired.”

  “Thanks Driscoll.” I hit the button and look at Grant. “Badge and gun.”

  “Fuckin’ Princes is a joke. Let's see how fast you find the perp. You're nothing without everyone else's leads.” Something about the way he says it throws a chill down my back, but I keep my face blank. He walks around me and puts his gun and badge on my desk then walks out.

  I call HS Ops and get him tracked then Driscoll to let him know he's out. Back in the task force room I look at the time tables then pull up Grant’s hours. It would fit. The only problem with that is it would fit a lot of officers here. There's something that's got me looking this way, so I ask Jason to look at feeds for Grant’s personal vehicle around the time tables we have for the three bodies. He's on it, so I look at the rest of the leads we have. There aren't many. We have three teams out canvassing. I asked Bull to watch around the homeless neighborhoods for odd activity. Jason is running backward from the drop scenes. I go back to my office and pull Grant's tracking for the last three weeks. They don't know it, but we track everything. Every badge, every vehicle and every bike is tracked. I get comfortable and start watching at four times normal speed.

  ***

  Sheila

  I get the kids to daycare and meet Eliza at the gate. She's been walking up and I drive us in the Jeep. I miss the morning ride, but she mentioned driving an SUV so I figure it's a baby thing. At Security, I drop her and switch out for my bike meeting up with Aaron, then we get to the Center. HS drops Lily as we're parking.

  “My favorite detail,” she says smiling. She says it every day no matter who shows with me. I just smile. Aaron throws her chin.

  Inside we get our schedule for the day. First stop is court. I read through this one. Fuckin’ men treating women like shit is one thing, but this guy is a fuckin’ child molester. I want to shoot him just from the paperwork.

  We get to court and Chester the molester doesn't show. The restraining order gets put in place and we’re out within minutes. We shuttle women to classes and finish our Center time just after noon.

  Aaron asks a million questions, but they're good questions so I answer. I'm due at PD in an hour so we get lunch at the Italian place by the central PD building. When Aaron asks about Jax I'm wary. We all grew up together so he knows me. Personal questions are not up for discussion. “What about Jax?”

  He looks around then back at me. I'm struck by how young he looks. “He jumped right to PD. How can he jump from Nomad on Transport to PD?”

  “Are you looking for PD?”

  He shrugs. “It's an option that I wouldn't mind exploring, but I'm too young right now. I want to know how he did it so I can jump when I'm ready. All I really know is he was on Family at the MC.”

  “The MC sent him to school. He has a degree behind him. He was going to take PD when he jumped to Nomad in the MC. He waited it out and jumped here. They used him for some shit before so he had a proven track record.”

  He nods. “Yeah he got his name at MC. I didn't know he went to school for it. Holmes makes more sense now.”

  I don't answer, but think about Jax waiting. He did that for me. I'm hit by how long the wait was. He isn't a Brother to let shit go that's for sure. The thought makes me happy.

  At PD I have to see Driscoll for Aaron's time. This is the first time he's with me here. PD is busy every day, but today looks like something is up. Everyone is moving fast, talking quietly or intent on the monitors. I find Eliza in the Surveillance room. “What's up?”

  She spins around. “Jax found the homeless killer. Everyone's either not believing it or hunting him down.”

  I look at the boards. “Fuckin’ sweet! How did he get him?”

  “He's nuts. He watched three weeks of tracking and had Jason running the dump sites backwards looking for a personal vehicle.” She's back to watching her monitor.

  “Personal vehicle? It was PD?” Aaron asks. He doesn't miss much.

  “Yep. The rogue detective. My guess is he was pissed Jax found the rapist and teen killer.”

  “Fuck.” Jealousy? He was partnered with PD for the rapist. Since PD doesn't know they're tracked, I can see why some believe he's wrong. “Who's in the know?”

  She
smiles at me. “You're fuckin’ good. Prez sent techs so only a handful of PD's detectives.”

  “Can you pull up where I'm scheduled?”

  She types then smiles up at me. “Patrol.”

  “Thanks Eliza. Let's go Aaron.” We walk out of Surveillance and climb the stairs to Driscoll's office.

  People are busy up here too. I knock and hear him growl a 'yeah.'

  “Hey Brother, I know you're busy, but I have Aaron with me today. He's shadowing.”

  His eyes move from his computer to us. “Brothers. You're on patrol. I had a partner for you but I'll reassign him.”

  I'm surprised. “You have a shit ton of people here and you know my schedule?”

  He smiles. “I always know the Brothers schedules. I'm the one that schedules you. If Aaron is shadowing he's HS so I'll move your partner. He isn't going to be happy. He was excited to be working with you.”

  Whatever. I don't roll my eyes at him, but throw him chin and turn to leave. “She Dog. Jax figured out...” He stops when I nod.

  “Eliza just told us. He did good. I hope you catch him fast.” I want to ask why they're not tracking him but don't. It's not my job and they'd have him if he was tracked. I smile walking out.

  “Driscoll is the shit,” Aaron says as we're going down the stairs.

  “Yeah.” I'm watching the activity in the room. It's more intentional now. “Jax caught him.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Look at the people. They aren't scrambling like rats; they're moving with purpose.”

  He looks around. I get to the Patrol counter and sign in then walk out the door. “Let's roll Shooter.”

  We spend an uneventful hour riding then stop at the kids' house. “SUV following us stopped at the corner. Don't look but be aware.” I walk up to the porch.

  “You fuckin’ kidding? We're stopping to chat when someone's following us.”

  I throw a smile at him over my shoulder. “Yeah. He isn't coming in here.”

  We walk in and I talk to some of the kids. They're excited another one has a job and will be moving out this weekend. I wish them all luck and walk out the back. “You just used coming here to find out who it is?”