Resistance

Untitled Part 9

Matt pulled his hand through his hair looking at the bloody mess inside the holding cell. The body had been taken down to the morgue for examination and Matt had received a couple of stern words from the chief for his actions.

Travis had told him not to worry about it.

"If he'd been in your shoes, he'd do the exact same thing. Heck, we all would." He'd said putting a hand on Matt's shoulder.

Matt sighed and headed out of the holding area.

"Hey, Matt. We just got a call on a mugging at a gas station by Route 6. Grab your gear." Travis called, pulling on his jacket on his way out of the office they shared.

Matt went to grab his jacket before following his partner out the door, along with a couple of other officers.

While walking to the cars, Travis tossed Matt the keys while talking rapidly into his radio. Matt caught them eyeing his partner stunned.

"Uhm, partner?" he said, looking uncertainly at the keys.

"What?" Travis said, putting away the radio. "I thought maybe you'd like to drive for a change. Feel the thrill of the chase."

He went over to the passenger door.

"Now get'er open."

Matt went over to the driver's side and slid the key into the lock. He popped the door open and sat down before the wheel feeling a thrill of excitement rush through him. This was the first time he'd been allowed to drive on an actual case.

He'd driven copcars during his training, of course, but once he'd graduated and gotten work he'd always sat in the passenger seat while whatever cop he'd been assigned to drove them to wherever they needed to go

He put the car in gear and rolled out onto the road.

"Put the lights on, Matt." Travis instructed him. "No sirens."

Matt obliged and a moment later the red and blue lights flickered on top of their vehicle as they sped off on their way towards route 6.

While he drove, Travis operated the radio, keeping in touch with the other car and the precinct.

About twenty minutes later they arrived at a ramshackle little gas station. There was one car parked at a gas pump and three somewhat ruffled looking men. The tallest one was leaning at the trunk of the car and pressing a paper tissue to his head.

Matt stopped the car and he and Travis left the vehicle.

"You sure took your sweet-ass time." One of them said as Matt and Travis along with the other two approached the scene. Travis – easily being the oldest and most experienced of them – addressed this man immediately.

"Could you tell us what happened here, sir?" he asked, his voice calm but firm. As Travis took this man's statement, Matt went over to the tall guy clutching the tissue.

"You alright there?" he asked. The man looked up. Matt could tell he'd been beaten pretty badly. There was a dark mark on his cheek and he could see traces of dried blood running down his forehead.

"What happened?" Matt asked, carefully removing the tissue to examine the damage.

"Ugh... Attempted robbery, I think..." The man said wearily. "We tried to keep the situation under control until police arrived, but they outpowered us." He sounded almost apologetic.

"What's your name, sir?" Matt asked. The man took a moment to reply, frowning slightly.

"Uh... McGinnis. Scott." He eventually said.

"Scott. My name is Matt Jenkins." Matt announced. "Can you tell me what happened here? Who did this to you?"

"I stopped for gas..." Scott muttered. "Gary... The attendee. He offered to fix my breaklight and I went over to the groceries across the street to do some shopping."

Alright, Matt thought. So far, so normal.

"Then what? We were told it was a mugging?"

"It was." Scott confirmed. "I think. I'm paying for my shopping when I look across the street and see Gary over there be harassed by these four guys. They said they wanted money. One of them had a gun.

It wasn't until the shopkeeper came out with his shotgun we got the situation under control."

"So four men attacked you." Matt said, scribbling it all down on a small notepad he kept on him.

"Can you describe what they looked like?" he asked. Scott gave a brief summary of what the four individuals looked like.

"Where are they now?" Matt asked.

"Uh, they took off maybe five minutes before you got here."

"What way?" Matt asked. Scott pointed down the road.

"They had a car." He muttered. "Dark. Big. It sped off towards the highway."

"Alright, thank you Scott. You've been of great help." Matt said, putting away his notepad.

"Uh, I think Scott here's contracted a concussion." What appeared to be the gas station attendee – a young man, pale and shaken – said.

"You think we should call for an ambulance? I don't think he should drive in the condition he's in."

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Gary." Scott said sending the young man a faint smile. "I'll just head home and rest. I'm sure I'll be better by tomorrow."

"No, I think the young man's right." Matt said. "We should take you to a hospital. Get that checked out." He nodded towards the wound on Scott's forehead.

"Don't worry, I'll drive you." Matt continued when it seemed like Scott wanted to protest.

"Just give me a minute to wrap things up here and inform my partner."

He turned and went back to Travis who was still questioning what Matt assumed to be the shopkeeper.

The other officers had gone back to their car, and were speeding off in the direction the culprits had presumably disappeared.

Upon spotting Matt Travis thanked the shopkeeper and went over to him.

"What a mess, huh?" he said. Matt gave a faint nod of acknowledgement.

"And to think, if we'd just been a couple of minutes faster on the scene we could have prevented the getaway."

Matt felt a slight pang of guilt, feeling it was his fault they'd been too late since he'd driven the car.

"Ah, well... Ready to head back, pal?" Travis said, looking at Matt.

"Actually I've offered to drive this gentleman to the hospital." Matt said, pointing towards Scott. "He had his head injured, and I don't think it'd be safe to let him head out on his own."

Travis shrugged.

"Alright." He said, giving a faint smile, as he patted Matt's shoulder. "See you back at the station, then."

truevx