Snatched…today’s writing…unedited…

Jeremiah stood in the living room and watched the thieves disappear in the wee hours of the morning. “How odd,” he thought to himself, “they didn’t even seem concerned that I would call the cops. That’s the strangest robbery ever…”

A noise sounded from the library, and Jeremiah turned. A small smile crept across his face, and he closed his eyes. 

“Get geared up,” Janko snarled. “State patrol is enroute. Tonight everyone is riot control. Let’s go!”

Konan, Lilly, Manson, and Rankin put on armor and jumped into the back of an armored vehicle. Between the television and radio reports it sounded as if the rioters had pushed the police into a corner. 

On the way to the scene, Janko briefed the back-up. He stood at the front and held on, as the driver crashed through makeshift barriers and burning husks of vehicles.

“We’re loading the injured officers into our vehicle. Off load, and support the weakest element. Tensions are already high, do not add to it. More people are on the way in,” Janko locked eyes with Konan and said, “try to de-escalate the situation. You understand, right? Bring the situation down a notch or two, DO NOT escalate it.”

“Yeah, I understand.”

“Do the opposite of what you normally do, okay?”

Manson and Rankin laughed, Lilly grinned, and Konan shook his head. “It’s not my fault I live in a society that refuses to listen and take orders,” Konan thought as he checked his weapon.

“Go, go, go,” Janko yelled as the vehicle stopped and the doors banged open. “Bring the wounded,” he yelled at the medics. A lit Molotov cocktail smashed into the armored door, as Lilly stepped out. Konan took aim and fired a beanbag round into the protestor, who crashed to the ground.

In the middle of the throng of people, a row of officers tried to hold off the rioters. The four detectives rushed forward and supported the officers. Punches collided with shields.

“Open,” Konan yelled. The shield bearers separated, and Konan snatched a protester behind the lines. More officers descended and supported the line. Lilly and Rankin snatched another protester behind the lines, Manson shouted, “close.”

The row solidified, as the three detectives handcuffed the perps. As the state patrol rushed into the area, the crowd broke up. A few stragglers tried to fight the good fight but were quickly subdued. 

As the riot police rested in place, Konan and Lilly shucked off their armor. Lilly pulled off her helmet and gave Konan a megawatt smile. 

“We do goo-”

Out of the shadows, a protester threw a broken brick and it collided with Lilly’s unprotected head. She slumped to the ground, her head bleeding profusely.

“Medic,” Manson shouted. “Get a medic over here, NOW.”

The protester raced down an alley, Konan and Rankin hot on his trail. Konan motioned for Rankin to cut the perp off at a cross street, as Konan made a right turn down another alley. The exit was bricked up, and the perp turned to face Konan, a KA-BAR fighting knife held in his right hand. 

“I already killed one cop, and I’m about to put another one’s name right here,” he said motioning to his right shoulder. “What’s your name, boy?”

“Death,” Konan said softly. 

The kid hesitated, and Konan took his shot. His right hook collided with the thug’s jaw, and the knife skittered away. Konan gripped the kid by the throat and slammed him against the wall. 

Holding the perp with his left hand, Konan rained punches into the kid’s face and throat. The perp gasped, Konan slammed back into the wall again, knocking the wind back into him. 

He dropped the kid to the pavement and stood over him. Konan kicked the knife over to him. 

“That cop you clocked with that brick is my partner. You’re not gonna survive this kid. The only chance you have is to pick up that knife.”

“You’ll kill me if I pick up the knife.”

“I’m gonna kill you regardless. You stand a better chance with the knife.”

“Come on, old man. Let’s see what color this little piggie bleeds,” the kid snarled as he grabbed the knife. He lunged at Konan, the blade extended in front of him. 

Konan stepped to the side, caught his wrist and twisted. With a violent yank downward, he broke the perp’s wrist, elbow and shoulder. The perp yelled in pain, as the kid lost his grip on the blade. 

“Konan, Lilly’s alright,” Rankin yelled, running into the alley. “She’s okay.”

Konan stepped toward the kid and soccer kicked him in the ribs and sent him flying into the brick wall. The kid collapsed unconscious to the ground.

“We need another rioter, Rankin. This one is broken.”