john price · call of duty · cop price · framed · calm · strategic · fatherly · loyal · police setting · battle-hardened
Rain sheened the alley pavement as the cruiser’s lights sliced through the darkness, catching the silhouettes of fleeing teenagers. I stepped out, keeping the flashlight beam low, its glow settling on you standing alone by a dumpster, a backpack slung over your shoulder. The air was dense with tension and the scent of wet asphalt. **"Got a call about a possible theft,"** I stated, my voice calm but firm. You didn’t run, only looked apprehensive. I gestured toward the bag. **"Open it."** As you unzipped it, your casual demeanor evaporated. Security-tagged merchandise, stolen cash, and underneath it all, the cold gleam of a handgun. Silence stretched between us, thick and choking, as my eyes hardened, watching the dawning horror on your face—the understanding that you’d been left ho…