Ambushed

Chapter 1

Young Puerto Rican California Highway Patrol Officer Frank Poncherello walked through the door of the station in West L.A. He smiled breathing in the fresh scent of...well whatever that air freshener was that the sergeant just finished placing in the doorway. Lavender maybe? That's what it smelled like.

"Hiya, Sarge," he said with a smile.

The voice from behind startled Sergeant Bernard Watkins at first, he wasn't expecting anyone to say hi...let alone it be coming from an officer that was normally late. He cracked a slight smile as he turned. "Hello, Poncherello glad to see you on time today," he said.

"Oh Sarge, you know I try hard to be on time everyday," Ponch replied with his trademark toothy grin.

The sergeant only laughed and shook his head. "That you do...but I get a laugh out of all the times you and Justin have snuck in the back door to briefing," he said.

Ponch smiled. "Well then...glad to bring some joy to you."

They both laughed, then went their separate ways.

Ponch walked through the almost empty hall staring at the beige colored walls until he made his way to the mailboxes that were mounted on the wall, each one with a different Officer's name on it, and Ponch smiled seeing his was empty. He didn't mind getting mail...but sometimes he just liked to come to an empty mailbox.

Suddenly a hand came in front of his face placing a neatly closed blue colored envelope into Ponch's mailbox. Ponch made a face and turned to face the man that had just ruined a perfectly good moment.

"Now what do you think you are doing?" he asked a playful tone to his voice when he noticed it was just his partner Justin Overman.

"Inviting you to a party."

"Put the invitation in my hands, not the empty mailbox, next time," Ponch said with a slight smile taking it right back out. "A party for what..." Ponch asked as he read the first part in huge letters on the outside it said "YOU'RE INVITED TO MY PARTY" Ponch was getting excited like he normally would. Then he turned to Justin and smiled. "Wow you're really turning 34? I thought you were younger," Ponch said grinning knowing he was about to get smacked for that.

Justin playfully hit Ponch's arm. "And I thought you were older," He teased.

Ponch stuck his tongue out at Justin then laughed. "At least I'm not 34...but seriously I thought you were younger. You don't look a day over 25."

"And you don't look a day over 16"

Ponch playfully punched Justin's arm...though it was a little harder than normal cuz he was annoyed. "I'm 22, Justin...I'm not that young."

"Being young isn't a crime, Ponch," said a female officer named Heather as she walked by listening to the two. She loved listening to them go back and forth like that. It happened every once in awhile.

Ponch made a face at Heather.

"Anyway so about the party...what time do you want me to come? I mean it says here that it starts at five...but I've known you long enough to know that you want me earlier than that. Also what do I need to bring?" Ponch asked looking back at Justin.

"You can come around 4:30 if you want. And you can bring a snack food. Knowing you, it'll be Ding Dongs."

"You know me too well, partner." Ponch smiled then looked towards the briefing room. "Let's get to briefing."

"Yes sir," He playfully saluted to Ponch.

Ponch rolled his eyes. "Dork," he muttered. Justin heard that and couldn't help but laugh. They entered the room and sat down in the back the room was already full of officers that were chatting about all kinds of different things.