The Jake Peralta Series

Tactical Village Day

Tactical Village Day is by far the squad's favourite work day of the year. Even Peralta gets involved.

The squad sat in the briefing room, waiting for Jake to show up. When he did, he had his usual large grin in place and he began high-fiving people left and right.

"Happy Tactical Village Day!" He repeated after each high five before he sat down beside Boyle, as usual.

"I am surprised to see you so excited for a mandatory evaluation, Peralta," Captain Holt said from the front of the room. The group laughed, ready to go check out what new "toys" there were to try out this year. It really was a shame that there was only one Tactical Village Day a year.

"It's the best day of the year. How could I not be excited?" Jake looked over at Holt incredulously, as though the man had just told him that he had two heads.

"We get to test out new equipment," he added, nodding at the Captain.

"Peralta's gotten coolest kill two years in a row," Boyle says before anyone could say anything else.

"And thats with all of the cops sending in their videos and voting. You win one of those plastic karate trophies. It's not much but..." Peralta shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal.

"You want it, don't you?" I asked, smirking at him knowingly.

"So bad," he confirmed, face screwing up from his desire for the stupid thing. "I'll do anything to get it. I'll shoot all of you if you get in my way!" He yelled, looking around at his co-workers sitting around him. I chuckled. 

The Captain and Terry droned on for a little while about different cases, issues and problems that needed to be worked out. Eventually the Sarge took the stage and began to tell us about what would await us at the Village later. 

"Our Precinct is paired with the Eight-Two. As usual, there will be one to one and a half hours to look at and sort through the new equipment. After that, the Eight-Two will go in and do their run and then we will. Also, like every year, there will be a new situation to work with. Only the Superior Officers know what that is. You are not to ask anyone for these details. Is that clear?" 

"Yes Sarge!" Excited yells went up around the room.

"Alright. We leave in twenty," Terry added, picking up his folder and walking out of the room, hot on the heels of Holt. 

"This is so exciting!" I exclaimed, turning to grin at Peralta and Boyle, who were busy talking about Boyle and his fiancés next outing. 

"I know! It's one of the only days I can get away with a backstory that goes with the situation."

The Precinct was abuzz with the excitement that was to come. Everyone was eager to go and shoot things. I myself was just glad to get away from the stress and danger of the job. It was starting to take a toll on me.

I wondered to myself what the situation would be this year. Last year it was a prison break, the year before that a robbery. They changed every year, which made the prospect of the day all that more exciting. Last year, it got super violent. I think someone had to be taken to hospital.

The next twenty minutes rolled over quickly, much to the pleasure of the squad. We all had our bags packed with our gear and whatever else we might need. 

The police van around the side was waiting for us and we all cheered when we saw it. One by one we all piled inside and took our seats. I sat at a window seat near the middle and placed my bag in my lap. 

Jake sat down next to me and Boyle sat in the seat in front of us. Like the popular kids in schools, Rosa sat at the back. Amy sat down behind us.

The van screeched to life and the group let out another happy cheer.