July 17th. Just another day on the job… and the end of an assignment.

We had been working this case for so long that both of us were beginning question which side of the law we were really on. Sometimes that line between right and wrong just becomes a blur. Still, it was time to call this one in.

A no good street rat by the name of Edwardo Cullison had become our informant over a very unfortunate turn of events. . . For him that is. Edwardo had a date with a real player by the name of Frank Brickmire. Frank just so happened to deal in guns. That was where our interests were tied. Our new friend Edwardo was to escort us to a deal that was being struck. Edwardo playing the part of an inner city gang representative, and we would be playing the part of his entourage.

Right from the start when we walked through the doors to the topmost apartment, down in a dirty corner of the city known as Smalltown, I knew we had walked into a raw situation.

“What up my man!” Edwardo exclaimed, shaking hands with the two guards at the door. He led us into the office and we stood before Frank Brickmire himself.

Frank was already standing. He wore a grey suit, a fedora hat, and black shades. His hands were in his pockets, and he had a rather disdain expression on his face. He seemed to look right past us at the guards who now stood with their M16 rifles pointed at our backs.

“Aye man! No need for the formalities!” Edwardo tried to break the ice, but cautiously putting up his hands in surrender. “This is a quick one. In and out, cash up front no names please!”

Frank stared us all down for a moment. Then he said without changing his expression: “Who did you bring?”

I could see the sudden fear in Edwardo’s eyes. He figured he was close to being made by Frank. He had every reason to be afraid as far as I was concerned, but Frank had to go down.

Edwardo gulped, but picked himself back up suddenly and replied “Why these are just a couple soldiers from us 29th Cats. You know the buyers. They are gonna help me unload the goods you dig?”

Something was not right. Again Frank said nothing. Instead he slowly took one hand out of his pocket and grabbed his shades, removing them to very disapproving blue eyes. He took a few paces up close to Edwardo. My partner and I stood a foot behind, with Machine guns butted up against our backs. We needed the confession on tape. . . But at what cost? There were no easy exit routes this time. We had backup around the corner but they wouldn’t arrive quick. I got a sudden chill of fear down my own spine.

Frank leaned in close to Edwardo’s face. “This is how you deal? You think I am a fool?”

“Say what!?” Edwardo tried to act shocked.

Suddenly I was kicked to the ground from behind. The guard watching me struck me again to the floor this time with the butt of his rifle. Then I felt him rifling through my pockets. A second later my police badge was tossed onto the floor before us.

Our ruse was up. The second of decision was before us. I shot my partner a nervous glance, sweat pouring down our faces, hearts pumping out of control.

“Edwardo… Edwardo… tisk tisk… shame on you.” Frank said to our informant, now producing a pistol himself. “You bring two cops to my office. I cannot have this.”

“NOW!” I yelled and with a dash, shoved the guard behind me before he could gain control of his rifle. My partner was paralleling my moves. I grabbed the guard’s side arm and shot him in the chest, eliminating him from the situation.

There came another shot. I wasn’t sure from where.

I spun around and saw two pairs of men struggling on the ground. My partner had lost control of his guard… he was choking him out. I aimed my gun, trying to steady my hand. I had the guard in my sights. I pulled the trigger and he fell over, mortally wounded, allowing my partner to escape.

We turned to face Edwardo and Frank. Edwardo laid on the ground in a pool of his own blood, lifeless. He had been shot in the head. Frank had a pistol pointed at us, his hands shaking madly. “Don’t… Don’t come any closer!”

Police sirens came from outside. At least five squad cars came screeching to a halt outside the doors to the building. The sound of helicopter blades came next. . .

“Put the gun down Frank!” I yelled. “Its over! Theres nowhere to run, your finished!”

“Am I?” Frank asked, taking a look backwards at the window behind him.

I shook my head, realizing where his decisions have led him. A caged animal backed into a corner. I started to lower my gun as a show of good faith. “Don’t even think about it Frank. Just toss the gun and come downtown with us.”

“Im sorry friend.” Frank said, with a genuine look of deep remorse. “But Now I am a dead man either way. You do not understand the game you are playing. I was just a distributer. They have others… the men I get my guns from. If Go in, they will kill my family one by one. So I cannot.”

“Frank! NO!” I reached out.

Suddenly he shot at us, but purposely missed up into the back corner of the room. Both of us ducked in reaction. Then Frank bolted and crashed through the window. Next came the thud, terrified screams, and awes of the law enforcement below.

Just another day on the job and the end of an assignment.

Three dead bodies in a top floor apartment, and one scrambled to a pancake on the sidewalk below. I felt bad for Edwardo. He was a good kid in the end, even if he had started out a street rat. . . When you play in this line of work, lives get lost. But how many more did we save by keeping 26 crates of automatics out of the hands of a bloodthirsty gang?

Still as these days go on and we uncover more, there is always a new layer. Someone deeper to chase, another class of management in their plan to run guns into our town. Maybe our chase has no end. . . Maybe we are really the bad guys after all. Protecting the people is a bloody business.

I reckon that The Chief will reassign me soon. Back out on the streets working a new angle to this ongoing problem. This is just the beginning, and there are plenty more associates of Frank Brickmire running around out there.

I never did sleep at night all that much anyway.

July 17th.

Officer Calvin Barnes.

Oceanside PD: Undercover unit