MANDY

Part 1

The January sales were in full swing on the bustling high street. Two young police officers who looked like they were just out of school, patrolled slowly through the crowds.

The female police officer stood six feet two in her unflattering, police shoes. Mandy Mann, 23 years old, with her long dark hair in a ponytail and no make-up on, still looked like a supermodel. She wondered whether she'd have time to buy some new football boots, when her shift finished at four o' clock.

Her partner, Jamie Galton, a year older and a couple of inches shorter, was scanning the crowd for trouble and looking for a fight. He might have been a cocky black kid back on the council estate, but now he was a copper, and he wanted to prove it to everyone.

Jamie took a call on his radio and excitedly passed on the message to Mandy, "We've got shoplifters running out of the precinct, two IC3 males heading right for us!"

The crowds of shoppers parted suddenly as two black men raced up the street carrying sports bags. When they saw the police they split up and kept going.

Mandy chased one man up the street and cornered him in a back alley.

She got on the radio and called for back-up, then took out her baton and faced the man. "Get against the wall and put your hands behind your head!"

The addict snarled at her. "You ain't gonna use that, bitch!"

"Get against the wall! I won't tell you again!"

The addict moved quickly towards her and Mandy raised her baton in her right hand. He breathed in her face and she could smell cider and weed. "Come on girlie. You want to play?" He reached out to grab her breast and only managed to hold on to her stab vest.

Mandy was breathing heavily and fight or flight adrenaline flooded through her system. She decided to fight. Struggling to remove his hand, with her left hand; Mandy spoke loudly and clearly, like a Brit talking to a Spanish waiter. "Take your hand off of me, or I will use my baton!"

The man tried to pull her closer and Mandy smashed the baton across his face. Blood pumped from his smashed nose and he fell back; staggering like an old woman on a city bus.

Jamie ran into the alley and saw Mandy hit the addict. He punched him to the floor and kept kicking him, whilst shouting obscenities. "You fucking junkie! You dare touch a copper! I'll fucking kill you!"

Mandy pulled Jamie away as people started appearing in the alley. Jamie was still pumped up and full of fight. "That was great, Mandy! Aw shit, I should have used my taser on the bastard. Quick, stand in front of me and I'll do him now."

Mandy replied dryly, "It's too late now, maybe next time." She began moving the crowds back. "Ok folks, all over now. Nothing to see here, move along."