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Riding Solo. By Jaye Reid Written: 14.07.2000 Disclaimer: Owned and operated by the good people at Southern Star and borrowed by me for some fun every now and again. Well perhaps a bit more often than now and again! <g> Authors notes: I forgot about this one I wrote nearly a month ago! The police service is a dangerous job for every single person who carries a badge in their pocket. They can’t walk out the front door at the end of the day and forget about work until they walk back in the next time. It’s 24 hours a day 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. So here is my challenge to you. Next time you see a cop out and about, go up to them, say hello, and tell them they are doing a great job! Dedication: To Deb. – now having fun in the sun. I hope this sparks some of your own muse. ~*~*~*~ A bead of sweat trickled down Alex’s back. She cursed the shirt she was wearing. The heat was virtually unbearable. A T-shirt would have been more comfortable, a singlet top even more appropriate. But this wasn’t how she had envisaged spending an afternoon. She wasn’t prepared for any action. With her gun drawn, her finger danced on the trigger. There were so many people. Too many. This operation was not going to be easy. She told herself to stay calm; all the years of training were for this very reason. Her hair hung limp around her face. She pushed her fringe away from her eyes. Perspiration had stuck it to her forehead. She edged her way along, quietly cursing Michael Reilly under her breath. He was supposed to be there. But he was still tied up over at the courts. It was her afternoon off. But now, instead of leisurely wandering through the air conditioned fashion houses on the third level at the Queen Victoria building, she was on edge and sweltering. Not sure how many offenders there were, she had to be ready for anything. Despite the fact that she could no longer see him, she knew Jack Christey was there. Unfortunately, she doubted that he would be any assistance now. This was yet another point in her life when she had to look after herself. Alex heard a noise, her whole body tensed. Was she still breathing? For a second she wondered. He heart began to pound in her chest telling her that she was. All of a sudden a woman was in the way. Alex lowered her weapon and sighed deeply. The woman, now faced by a gun, quickly disappeared. Then another noise. Her gun poised, ready for action. Then there he was. Balaclava clad, his gun drawn, ready to kill. Alex acted quickly, she fired and he was down. All around her people descended like mosquitoes attracted to the heat of a light in the darkness. She knew for certain he wasn’t the only offender. There had to be more. Skillfully she continued to work her way along. Avoiding the civilians who seemed to pop out from everywhere. This was getting ridiculous she told herself. Then someone else, a woman this time. Alex had almost ignored her as, like most other people, she appeared to be someone out doing the daily shopping. But then she noticed the pistol pointed at her. Again Alex knew she had to think and act quickly. Situations like this defined the line between living or ending up on a mortuary slab. And there were quite a few more things in life she wanted to accomplish before she was put into the ground. She squeezed the trigger, and the second offender went down. Okay, she asked herself, only two? She hated not knowing as she scanned the faces that appeared around her. Her heart pounded harder. She jumped nervously as she heard a voice, strong and loud behind her. "Thank you Detective St. Clare, task completed." Alex breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. She put her gun back in the holster and headed back out past the timber cut-outs that had acted as targets or decoys to where the other officers were waiting. "Not bad," offered Jack with a grin and a lopsided nod as she wandered into the room. "Not bad? Not bad? Perfect score," she scoffed back. "Ah well… reaction times were a bit slow don’t you think?" he replied. "Bullshit! Like to see you do better," "I bet you would," laughed Jack. "Actually," interrupted the officer in charge, "the next appointment has been caught up with a fatal on the M4. So since you’re here…" "Nah, she’ll be right," replied Jack. "Ha! ‘fraid I’ll show you up?" laughed Alex. "No. Not at all," he replied defensively. "Well… come on then, your turn!" And for the second time that day, Mick Reilly’s ears were burning and he wondered why.
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