Officer Ronald Travis cruises the streets, fighting crime the way he always has, one crook at a time. Lately, there's been less criminal activity than usual and Ron thinks that's a good thing. The lack of crime gives him a sense of accomplishment. In reality though, it isn't necessarily good for the police force. Unfortunately, if there's no crime, there's no job. The truth is, the police need criminals in order to thrive; it's job security.
Ron's always been a good cop, playing by the rules most of the time. Whether he goes by the book or not, he always gets the bad guy. He's been in law enforcement for fourteen years. At 6' 2" and nearly 300 pounds, the big man can move when he needs to; it isn't often you get to see him run.
The engine revs as Ron pulls into the parking lot at a convenient store. He looks to his partner, "You want a coffee? My treat!"
Brandy Page sits shotgun polishing her weapon. She shifts her head toward Ron, "Your treat?"
Ron flashes some cash, "Hell yeah! I got this!"
"Make it a large." she smiles.
"Large? Damn, Page, you know my hours just got cut!" Ron jokes.
Brandy plays along, "In that case, get me some tissues...so I can dry your tears."
Ron laughs as he heads into the store. They joke around with each other a lot. That's what Ron likes about Brandy, her dry sense of humor. She's fun but serious. They can goof off all day, but the second something goes down Brandy is all business. Ron knows she can handle any given situation.
Brandy was hired by the police department almost immediately after learning that she used to be an armed security guard. She aced the entrance exam, but she was still required by the state to attend the academy. She finished the police academy training at the top of her class.
Almost immediately after she was hired, the investigation into Brandy's stalker had gone cold; the disgusting letters and gifts stopped. Brandy figured whoever was behind the whole thing must have decided it wouldn't be the brightest idea to stalk a police officer.
As the rookie of the department, she was given a partner. Officer Travis requested she be placed with him. They have been working together for eight months.
As Ron returns to the car, the police scanner suddenly comes on, 'All available units report to the 6700 block of Kurtz and West 9th, we have shots fired'.
Brandy perks up, "Kurtz and 9th? That's the A.C.T.S. Building!"
Ron jumps in the car and peels out from the spot. Brandy flips the switch for the lights and siren.
As Ron is driving, he can see from the corner of his eye, Brandy is practically bouncing in her seat.
He looks to her, "Damn, Page, that's the last time I give you coffee."
She smiles, "You know I live for this shit, Travis."
As he zooms through traffic, Ron smiles back, "Yeah, me too!"
Arriving at the scene, another unit has already responded. Officer Dale Marston stands by his vehicle looking up at the building.
Ron and Brandy approach, "What's the situation in there?"
Officer Marston informs, "There's a lone gunman on the 5th floor. So far, we have ten confirmed dead, S.W.A.T.'s on the way."
Ron wonders, "Confirmed?"
Officer Marston points up to some people in a window, waving for help. "Those people, they're trapped in that office, and the gunman doesn't know they're in there. One of them called it in."
Two more shots are heard, 'pop – pop'.
Ron asks, "Any idea what kind of weapon the gunman has?"
Officer Marston doesn't know. "It's hard to say but, judging by the shots, it's probably just a ha-"
Brandy interrupts, "It's a 9 millimeter, semi-automatic Smith and Wesson." They both just stare at her. "What?"
Officer Marston looks confused, "You can tell all that just from hearing it from 5 floors up?"
"Yeah. You want the serial number too?" Brandy sarcastically teases.
Ron smiles while Dale continues to look confused.
Brandy, as always, is ready for some action. "So, are we going to get them out or what?" She starts to walk toward the entrance.
"Whoa, Page! You know we can't just go in there! We need to wait for the S.W.A.T. team." Ron attempts to stop her.
"Travis...I know this building better than anybody! Those people are going to die up there, we are their best chance at survival, now, you either got my back...or I go in alone."
Ron knows she isn't joking. "Damn it Page!" Ron reluctantly follows her toward the entrance.
***
The 5th floor is quiet. No gunshots have been heard for a few minutes now. Brandy peers through the window of the stairwell door, nobody is visible.
Brandy whispers, "I don't see anything."
Ron's curiosity has him wondering, "Hey Page? How'd you know what kind of gun it was?"
Brandy reveals her secret. "That's the standard issue for the security guards that work in the building."
Ron's quietly laughs. "Shit. You had that poor kid's head spinnin' down there."
"Yours too!" She winks at him, "I'm goin' in."
Ron tightens his jaw and lets out a low growl of apprehension and then nods for her to start moving.
Crouched low, they enter the main hall of the 5th floor. As Brandy approaches an intersection, she stops and peaks around. The body of a woman is lying on the floor. Brandy recognizes her as Lynn Holbrook, the director of Human Resources. She isn't moving but Brandy doesn't see any blood.
Brandy signals to Ron to cover her. She rounds the corner and goes to check on Lynn.
She checks for a pulse. Brandy is surprised to find that Lynn does have a pulse and it's racing. Brandy gently shakes her and whispers softly, "Lynn?"
Lynn's eyes fly open and she starts to scream, "No--"
Brandy quickly covers her mouth. "Shhh! Where's the shooter?"
Lynn stares wide eyed at Brandy, she looks scared to death. Brandy keeps Lynn's mouth covered tightly. Lynn uses her eyes, looking up and to the left.
"Stay down and keep still." Brandy signals for Ron to get Lynn to safety. Brandy heads in the direction Lynn's eyes had instructed. At another intersection, she pauses and listens. She peers around the corner and sees three of her former co-workers dead in the hallway. She can't tell from her position who the victims are. There is no sign of the gunman.
From behind, "Drop it pig!" A deep male voice orders Brandy to release her weapon.
She feels the hard steel barrel of a gun pressed firmly to the back of her auburn hair. Brandy drops her weapon and stands, putting her hands up before turning to face the gunman.
"Brandy?" The gunman's voice softens and has a familiar tone to it. "What are you doing in here?" He lowers his gun.
"Who are you?"
"I thought I'd never see you again." The gunman pulls his ski mask off. "Brandy, it's me, Noah."
"Noah?" Brandy is in disbelief.
Noah Conrad is the security officer that was in charge of Brandy when she first started the job at A.C.T.S. She had never considered Noah to be a threat, though she knew he had a crush on her. Occasionally, he would make subtle hints or comments to the fact that she was attractive and how lucky the man would be that had her love. When she was offered the position of security officer and a team of her own, she immediately took it. She moved up in the ranks quickly, leaving Noah behind. He became jealous of her, and a bitter anger began eating away at him. Noah was the first person she had thought of when she started receiving the notes. She expressed her suspicions about him to the investigators handling the case, but Noah was almost immediately ruled out as a suspect.
Brandy can't understand why he was doing this. "What the hell is going on here?"
"I'm sorry, Brandy, this doesn't involve you...you shouldn't be here."
"Noah, I'm a cop now...it involves me okay? Just put the gun down."
His voice sharpens. "No! I've given my life to this place and what do I get...another smack in the face...first it was you! You stroll in here like some hot shot know-it-all, and what, three weeks later you get a promotion. I busted my ass for 3 years before you ever stepped foot in this building..."
"Noah, please, you can't do thi-"
"Brandy, Brandy, Brandy! Oh Brandy, I have waited for a moment like this for a long, long time. I finally have you all alone...tell me...did you like the panties? Are you wearing them now?"
"I knew it was you all along! But, why?"
"Because I love you Brandy. Can't you see that?"
"You love me? Then why the death threat?"
"Threaten you? I would never..."
Suddenly a gunshot rings out from elsewhere. Brandy is startled, having been told the gunman was working alone, and the unexpected shot had her curiosity brewing. "What the hell? Who's with you?"
Lynn Holbrook walks from behind Noah, aiming a gun at Brandy. "Hello Brandy. That threat...came from me...oh and by the way, there's an officer down."
"Oh shit!" Brandy yells for her partner, "Travis?"
"I don't think yelling at him will help."
Brandy can't believe Lynn is involved. "Lynn? What the hell are you doing?" All the while, in the back of her mind, she's thinking, I knew I couldn't trust her. Brandy almost always trusts her instincts. They have never been wrong...until now.
Lynn stands only a few feet away, pointing the gun at Brandy. "Something that should have been done a long time ago... something that should have been done while you still worked here. The management is corrupt...has been for a long time. They're all money hungry, thieving bastards, only doing for themselves, while all the work is done for them. People like me...like Noah here. We're the real backbone of the company, not them."
Brandy doesn't buy it. "So this is the answer? Kill them all?"
"It was the only way...however you've interfered, so now you die too. I'll consider it my bonus."
"You gonna shoot me Lynn? I thought you were gonna cut me up...seven pieces, right?"
Lynn snickers. "Oh, I would love to cut you up, bitch. But, you dead either way is fine with me." She steadies her hand, ready to fire the gun.
Noah pleads for Brandy's life. "Lynn, ple-please don't. Please, don't hurt her."
"Oh, Noah, you're pathetic! Can't you see? Brandy doesn't love you...shit, she doesn't even like you."
"That's not true. Tell her Brandy, tell her it's not true."
"Noah, I..."
Lynn continues to manipulate Noah's confusion. "Face it, Noah, she hates you."
Brandy pleads. "No, Noah, wait...I do...I do like you."
"She's lying!" Lynn raises the gun at Brandy.
"No!" Noah bats the gun down and it fires to the floor. They begin to struggle for the weapon.
Brandy quickly drops to the floor and grabs her weapon, aiming it at Lynn. She fires the gun, but Lynn pulls Noah in the bullet's path. It rips through his lower back and he drops to the floor hard.
Lynn runs back down the hallway toward the exit. Brandy jumps to her feet and starts off after her. As Lynn runs past Ron's body, he instinctively reaches out and grabs her leg and trips her. She falls, but sits up quickly and points the gun at Ron's head.
Luckily, Brandy gets to her in time, kicking the gun from her hand, "Don't move, bitch!" Brandy has a bulls-eye on Lynn's head.
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