The Trials of Being Loved

Part 36 - Rescue is on the way, Orca!

Tam watched the first police car arrive, almost THREE HOURS after he was at the station. He had already set up a perimeter, evacuated the building by going to each one of the neighbours, very quietly knocking on the doors, and escorting them out. 

By assigning one set of bodyguards, residents evacuated had been taken to a hotel nearby to removed from the situation. Condominiums where there had been no response had the doors flagged with large oranges 'X's' drawn in tape. 

His team were currently working on an extraction plan when the police showed up. He snarled, looking at the head of his team, a former special marine, the same as he. "Joko, you go talk with them. I'm so angry, I think I will punch the first one I see." Tam was actually grinding his molars, as he spoke. 

Joko nodded, not speaking much. He'd learned, while serving in the marines, you saved your words for when they counted. This boy must be important to his boss, because he'd never seen him so emotional and they'd been together for over 30 years. In fact, they'd grown up together, in the back hills. Joko had no future, no plans either, only size. It had been Tam who said, "Let's be soldiers." 

Walking over, on his light feet, he startled the officers in the car, when he tapped on the hood, and peered in the windshield, indicating for them to roll down the window. The officer on the left, a woman, was scared. Joko could see it in her eyes. They shouldn't have sent her. He wouldn't have, but she stared at him and nodded. Interesting... 

He walked around and bent his head. "Ma'am. We are the boy's bodyguards. He had dismissed us and then triggered the oh shit button." Small lie but they didn't need to know. "We are currently working on an extraction plan. Come see what we have?" 

The officer glanced at her partner and nodded. "Mr. Tam's company?" Joko nodded. "SWAT is on their way." 

Joko refrained from rolling his eyes. They only needed these two, and that was to arrest the prick in the room. Suddenly, a motion in a side alley caught his eye. "Duck!" He whispered loudly. He heard the soft pop, pop of two gunshots in succession. 

He pulled out his cell and pressed 1. "Boss, we have a problem. I don't think that 'napper is supposed to live." He paused, trying to find the man who shot at him and the police car, but only found the two holes. both close to the open window. "Luckily, he's a bad shot." A short pause, "Yeah, I'll get them there safe."

He opened up the door on the passenger side, still low. "Out this side and we can get there safely. The shooter is gone. You leave on that side and I won't guarantee you'll live." He crept towards the next parked car, and turned to look at the alley, his own gun drawn. 

Both officers stared at his weapon. "How do you have a gun?" The woman whispered in awe. "I can't carry, despite how much I practice." 

Joko didn't even spare her a glance. "Concealed permit, and constant testing. Former marine, licensed bodyguard. First time I've drawn it in the line of duty in 15 years. Pray you never need your weapon, girl."

~~~~~~~~~~

Tam didn't even spare the two young officers a glance when Joko arrived back at the command center. "Those were gunshots, hmm? So the mafia are after him. Complicates extraction. Does this change our plan?" The two heads bent over the schematics of the condominium complex once more.

The female officer glanced at her partner. "Excuse me, Mr. Tam, SWAT is on the way. We need to know the full situation." 

"No, Miss. You lost your right to participate when you let the perp go." Tam's eyes flared with anger. "Now, it's our party and you're not invited." He bent his graying head back to the schematic, tapping his fingers on the air ducts. "I still think..."