Four Elements (on hold)

Chapter 8 - Lt Russell

Chapter 8

“It’s a power-struggle out here guys, if we are going to pull this off it needs to be without casualties.”  Ryan answered over the earpiece.

Calista looked over at Blake, the question clear in her eyes.  After a moment he nodded once, pushed the safety on and holstered his gun.  Calista nodded at Keira and led the way down the stairs; Blake followed close behind her.  She quietly turned the lock and opened the door, surveying both sides before motioning for Blake to follow her.

“One aisle over to your right.”  Keira advised into their ears.

They moved low and quickly down the aisle when Blake tapped Calista on the shoulder bringing her to a stop.  He grinned and pointed to a row of canned goods.  Calista nodded, tucked her gun into her belt and helped him load up as many cans as they could successfully carry.

“Canned Corn?  Good choice.”  Keira whispered.

They could hear the gunmen in the front of the store as they approached, a woman was sobbing quietly.  Approaching the end of the aisle, Calista and Blake slowed down and Calista peeked around the corner, pulling back quickly.

Keira’s voice filled Blake in on what Calista had seen.  “Two men at six o’ clock with their backs to you.  One standing at the door at your three o’ clock and one more at the front of the shop, standing just to the right of the door facing you.  The last two will be the most difficult.  I don’t need to say this but you guys have one shot at this.  Good luck.”

Calista pointed to herself and then held up four fingers.  Blake nodded and inched forward to catch a glimpse of his targets before the attack.  He stacked the cans in a tower next to him with one can in each hand before looking back at Calista.  She had her gun back in her hand, pointed down to the ground.

Three, Two, One, Go!  She mouthed silently before they shot apart.  As Blake launched the cans with his deadly accuracy and all the strength of his muscled shoulders, Calista barely heard an impact before the bodies fell to the ground.  She was focused on number four and ran quickly, weapon at the ready.

“Police!  Put your weapons down NOW!”  Her voice rang out over the sounds of surprised gasps.

Number four was so shocked he barely had time to react, pull his weapon up, aim or fire before Calista was on top of him.  She jerked the semi up towards the ceiling and out of his hands before a single shot could be fired.  In a quick movement the butt of her gun connected with his temple and he crumpled to the floor.

“Cal look out behind you!”  Keira shouted in her ear.

Calista spun around just as gunman number three fired off a shot in her direction, a split-second later Blake tackled him to the floor.

“Ryan, Clear!”  She said and the next moment police burst through every entrance and descended onto the fallen gunmen.  The masks were pulled off their heads and their hands cuffed behind their backs.  The petrified hostages were led outside to the waiting ambulances.  Paramedics rushed to the wounded security guards in the corner. 

A dented can rolled towards Calista but before she could bend to pick it up a tanned hand snatched it up.  She came face to face with a tall, olive-skinned man dressed in black boots, combat trousers, T-shirt and bullet-proof vest with SWAT embroidered on it.  On his side a shiny .45 and an equally shiny police badge clipped to his belt.  Lt Russell looked just like the photo Calista saw mere minutes ago, only bigger and angrier.

“Miss Brook I presume.”  Russell in turn noticed the ballet-flats, white trousers and purple top underneath Calista’s Kevlar vest.

“Lt Russell.”  Calista nodded once.

“What...  How?  …Who are you?”  He finally demanded. 

Calista cocked her head to the side; her loose curls fell over one shoulder.  “Just a shopper in the right place at the right time.   I believe you’ve met Ryan, and the man with the cans is Blake.”  She motioned to where Blake was standing with his hands on his hips then nodded towards the back where Keira was approaching laptop tucked underneath her arm.  “And that’s Keira.  Keira grab my bag will you?”  She pointed towards her earlier abandoned cart.

“Who gave you permission to interfere with police business, you could’ve compromised this whole operation!?”  Russell wanted to know and dropped the can to the floor.

“Excuse me?”  Now Calista was angry.  “We just saved your ass.  A ‘thank you’ should be in order!  Thanks to us the situation was defused in record time with no casualties.  Instead of an hour-long stand-off, hostages getting hurt, SWAT bursting through the doors, and all hell breaking loose?”

Ryan walked in the door just as Calista’s rant came to an end.  “You guys okay?”

“Yeah, no thanks to ‘Captain Ungrateful’.”  Calista spat.  “Come on, let’s go guys.”  She turned to leave.

Lt Russell shot out and grabbed Calista by the arm.  “Oh no, I’m not done with you!  What’s your name?” 

Blake equally fast twisted his arm away from Calista and whispered through clenched teeth.  “Do. Not. Touch. My. Sister.”  Russell was too surprised to react in time, and watched them leave.  He angrily kicked the can at his feet across the room much to the shock of the police officers around him.

***

“This ‘girl’ interfered in official business, who gave them the right to just step in before the situation could be properly assessed?  I want everything you can find on them right now!”  Russell paced up and down his office shouting into the phone.

“Lieutenant!  A word.  NOW!”  His Captain stood in the door, one hand on the handle. 

Russell put the phone down and turned around to face Captain Summers who was closing the door behind him.  “Cap, I was just coming to see you.”

“Sit down Russell, this won’t take long.”  Captain Summers motioned to the two chairs before he sat down in the first.  “Call off your dogs, there is nothing to find.  I just got a call from the guys upstairs; the people you met are from Division Russell.  The Division.  They got involved by accident, and will be omitted from all reports.  The press release will say that you received a tip that the robbery was going down and handled it quickly.  As far as anyone knows, this is a win for this Department.”

Russell’s expression turned darker.  He wanted to argue but he knew better than to argue with his Captain.  This was the way it was going to be and there was nothing he could do about it.  Or was there?

“Fine.”  He growled.  It rubbed him the wrong way that they were taking credit for something that they didn’t do, but it wouldn’t be the first time they had to erase names from reports.

With a nod the Captain left and Russell sat down behind his computer.  He called up the surveillance that they took from the supermarket and found the time-stamp that he wanted.  He watched Miss Brook enter the supermarket with a cart, picking up items as she went along.  The next moment the gunmen enter but Russell doesn’t pay much attention to them, instead he focused on her reaction.  She backed away and through the staff door very quickly.  He forwarded through the next few minutes until Calista and Blake reappeared on the floor.  She now wore a vest and held a gun.

He watched from where they pick up the cans, take out the gunmen till the officers arrive several times; then he froze the picture on her face.  Russell sat back in his chair and looked at the woman whose name he still didn’t know stare back at him from the screen.  No fear in her eyes.

Next he opened up the police database and typed in:  The Division.  The only result; the screen locked up and demanded a name and password. 

He entered his details, but the screen flashed:  ‘Not Authorised’.