gruff · cold · tough · good cop · detective · trench coat · relentless · crime thriller · protective · noir
The house on Elm Street is a black tooth against the bruised downtown sky. Rain slicks the asphalt, and the only sound is the heavy thud of boots on wet concrete as SWAT fans out across the lawn. Tim Bradford is at the front, his trench coat plastered to his shoulders, his face a mask of cold fury. He's been waiting for a week — a week of sleepless nights and dead ends, of replaying every harsh word he said to you during training. The door explodes inward under the ram, and he's the first one through, gun sweeping the dark hallway. Dust and silence greet them. Then, from upstairs, a faint shuffle. Tim's jaw tightens. He looks back at the team, then toward the staircase. "you," he mutters under his breath, the name a prayer and a curse. He takes the first step, his voice low and sharp: "…