Page 5 of Knockout

Someone in the back said, “Told you,” in a low voice. “He always knows when something is about to go down. Before it even happens.”

Liam ignored the comment and kept his focus on the gray SUV. The driver swerved to the curb, sideswiped a parked car, and came to a stop at an angle with one tire on the curb. The car’s position completely nixed Liam’s ability to see the driver’s door. To approach he’d have to get out and expose himself to weapons fire.

“Get me eyes on the car.”

Jasper grabbed his handle. “On it.”

The guy operated their drone, which would give Liam eyes inside, even thermal imaging. They needed to know if there was more than the driver inside.

He cracked his door. The others climbed out and got into position behind him.

Liam approached the back corner of the car and called out, “Morgan Alakov, get out of the car with your hands up. You are under arrest.”

A slew of accented expletives came as the suspect’s answer.

Liam had his rifle ready and the paperwork in his pocket. “We have a warrant for your arrest. Exit the vehicle slowly with your hands where I can see them.”

Cars driving past slowed to watch. Someone from the cafe and the laundromat next to it came to their windows. Liam tuned it all out. The patrol officers on the team had been trained to push back on civilians getting too close. He needed to know the Russian wasn’t going to fire on anyone.

He used a lower tone to say, “Hollingsworth, where’s my drone?”

“Deploying now.” The whiz of the drone followed Jasper’s comment.

The drone flew over their vehicle, then over the SUV where it hovered above the hood.

Jasper said, “I’ve got someone in the back seat.”

“Copy that.” Liam took a step, exposing himself on the left side of the car, in an effort to draw the suspect’s attention. “Morgan Alakov, get out of the car with your hands in view. We have a warrant for your arrest.” To his teammates, he said, “Get them out on the right side.”

Blake would be first on that, guiding the other officers to the rear door on the right in order to extract the second person—whether they were an accomplice or an innocent. Either way, they would get a shot at getting out of this.

“Morgan Alakov, open the door and step out.” Liam watched the door and the surroundings. “Comply or we will use force.” It was better if the suspect opened the door himself. Ideally, Alakov would come to Liam peacefully and surrender himself to be arrested.

“What are you doing?” the suspect yelled. “What’s that drone doing? I don’t wanna get scanned. That thing is scanning me! It’s infringing on my rights!”

“We have a warrant for your arrest. Get out of the car slowly with your hands up.” In a lower voice, for the benefit of the officers they were training, he said, “I could do this all day.”

Someone’s chuckle came back to him across the radio channel.

Morale was good. But not for much longer. He needed to tell Officer Blake Reed and Officer Jasper Hollingsworth that their SWAT team was being disbanded thanks to budget cuts. Their team was being moved from full-time to a collateral team—officers who worked within other departments and were on call for SWAT.

He’d need to get Jasper and Blake settled with other squads and find a position for himself as a sergeant.

What department would be a good fit? There were no open spots in intelligence. Jasper and Blake could take the detective exam and build their futures. He could go back to patrol or work in training. He had options.

Things would be different in the future, no matter how he felt about change. It wasn’t his strong suit—and he knew he should pray through it. Life didn’t come with a guarantee, or a manual. But like the PD, it came with best practices, standards to adhere to, and ways they could ensure things turned out the best they could—at least as far as it was in his power to accomplish.

The engine of the Russian’s vehicle revved. He couldn’t let this guy run again.

“Drone on the tires, Jas.” He had an official way of saying it, but they’d been working together long enough they had their own shorthand. A few seconds later, he heard one tire hiss out air, and then the drone flew around the back of the SUV.

“What is that alien thing doing? Get it out of here!” Alakov yelled.

The drone poked out all the tires, so the suspect couldn’t drive away. Liam could also shoot out the wing mirrors, but if he could distract the driver, then Blake could get the second person out.

Liam said, “Move in.”

Lord, guide my steps here. My words.

---