Chapter 1
Author's Note: This is an idea I have had rolling around for some time. It is not betaed. Thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have a few chapters written so far, but updates may be slow until I feel like I have the storyline well enough done to post the next chapter. Hope you enjoy!
Detective Danny Reagan sat at his desk with his head in his hands. Major Crimes, along with detectives and officers from several others precincts and divisions, had been working nonstop on a case that had quickly become very personal to each and every member of the New York City Police Department. Danny's concern growing each and everyday with the possibility that this case could put a member of his own family in harm's way.
Eight weeks ago, officer Melissa Tyler out of the 1st Precinct had been assaulted while off duty. She'd been on her way home, late on a chilly fall night after an extended tour, the victim of what was believed at the time to be another case of the knockout game. Dressed in street clothes and carrying a bag of take out, she appeared to be like any other normal, unsuspecting citizen, minding her own business and rushing home to escape the cold. A witness almost a full block from Officer Tyler's location witnessed the incident and screamed upon seeing the assault. By the time he ran to Tyler's unconscious form, her attacker was gone. It wasn't until police and EMTs arrived that they discovered that it had been one of their own that had fallen victim to the violent crime. First responders had found an empty holster on their victim's belt and quickly came across the police ID in her wallet, but her badge and off duty weapon were no where to be found.
Tyler was unable to provide investigators with any leads upon waking up in the emergency room at St. Victor's Hospital - no memory of anything after she left her precinct to head home to her boyfriend. Left with a concussion, black eye and busted lip, she did know that she left the precinct with her badge and off duty weapon, just like she did every other time she finished her tour.
The lone witness was only able to describe the assailant as a male with a medium build, approximately six feet tall in dark clothes - too far away to provide a more detailed description. The perp was long gone by the time he checked on the victim. He struck the officer in the head with a single punch so violent he swore he heard it down the block. The moment Tyler went down, her attacker appeared to hover low over the officer in a taunting fashion - when her weapon and badge would have been taken. Was it a planned robbery and the victim's wallet forgotten upon discovering the police items? Concerns grew as to what the perp could do with a stolen gun and police badge but without any leads to follow, in the days following the attack, investigators felt as if they could only sit and wait for a break in the case.
1PP had been notified of the incident as soon as Officer Tyler was identified. The Police Commissioner took any attack on one of his officers personally. However, at the time he was notified, he like everyone else, assumed it was an isolated incident. They could never have imagined that a series of planned attacks on police officers had just begun. Each escalating in violence.
Maria Baez walked into the squad with a bag of Chinese takeout. Placing the bag on her desk, she looked over to her partner. Three-quarters of the way through what was an extended tour - the norm these days - she hoped feeding her grumpy partner might do something to help his miserable disposition. "Hey, Reagan, you ready for some grub?"
Danny raised his head up from his hands and blinked several times to focus on his partner. "Not really hungry."
"Really, cause I think hear your stomach rumbling all the way over here. It's annoying. And kind of disgusting too."
Danny smirked and accepted the fork and container of lo mein he was handed, nodding his head in thanks. "This case is driving me crazy. I don't understand how we have five separate attacks on police officers and not one clue to help us find this douche bag."
Maria rubbed her chopsticks together, feeling as frustrated as her partner sounded. "I hear you, Reagan. But we'll get this guy. He'll mess up eventually and when he does, we'll get him."
"Yeah, but when's that gonna be, huh? How many more cops are gonna get hurt or killed? He already crossed the line from assault to murder," Danny said as he looked down and poked at his noodles. "The 12th is next, ya know?" he whispered.
"I know. We will get him." Baez held his gaze for a moment. "But it's not going to happen if you collapse on me." Pointing her finger at him, she said, "I'm not picking you up off the floor, just so you know."
Danny gave her a small smile and took a bite of his dinner to appease her.
"Yeah, eat up so we can go over this all again."