Sergeant Wyatt: SWAT Team Adventure

Hello FFFs,
I wonder if any of you got on here earlier and didn't find a new story. Well, if you did, I'm sorry. I was going to get this ready to post yesterday, but things got busy. I spent most of the afternoon helping my aunt decorate for Christmas. I think this is the best year yet. :)
This morning Grandma, Mom, S and I went to JoAnns a little before 7:00. I got yarn for the new knitting things I learned to do. I am knitting socks! It is such fun! I can't wait to try some fun yarn. I've used wool so far.
We had our Thanksgiving on Wednesday so Jimmy & Megan could come up, too. The kids were such fun. Here is a James funny:
James had finished eating everything on his plate during the "big dinner."
(Great)-Grandma says, "You cleaned your plate!"
James looks down at his plate, that holds it up to show Grandma, "No, it's dirty.":)
But that is enough for now. Here is the story.

Sergeant Wyatt: SWAT Team Adventure

The gray light of early dawn was stealing across the eastern sky as Sergeant Jerry Wyatt of the Burgess City Police Department strode out of the office towards his vehicle. He tried unsuccessfully to smother a yawn as he unlocked the door of his blue pickup, nodded to a fellow officer coming on duty and slid in behind the wheel. It had been another long, busy night of patrol work, and he was glad to be going home. He could use a good sleep.
The rosy pink clouds in the east gave promise of a beautiful day. In the trees, the birds had already struck up a full chorus: robins, cardinals, blue jays, sparrows, chickadees, finches, wrens and many others, all rejoicing in one of the last few days of warmth before the cold weather descended on everything for real. Pulling into his driveway, Jerry slowly got out of his truck with another yawn. Sleep. That was all he wanted at the moment, and stepping up on the front stoop he glanced down at his watch. It was nearly 7:00. Slowly his tired hands unlocked the door and stepping in, he turned to close it. However, something caught his eye.
“Hmm,” he muttered, looking north, “I wonder what that’s from.” Dark gray smoke was billowing to the sky from some place miles away. After gazing for a moment Jerry shrugged and turned, shutting the door. “Glad I’m not on duty any more.”
Collapsing on his bed, he was asleep almost before his head hit the pillow.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. . . . Jerry rolled over in bed and opened one eye. The glowing red lights on his alarm clock read 7:32. Beep. Beep. Beep. . . . The noise continued, each beep driving deeper than the last into the fog of sleep, penetrating his brain, forcing his mind to think, to understand, to act. Suddenly Jerry sprang up, all thoughts of sleep vanished. His pager! That’s what it was!
Snatching it up, he hit a button and listened to the message.
“SWAT team call,” he muttered to himself. “Arsonist burns his own building?” He shook his head, scrambling to get ready.

“Okay, that sounds like everything. He’s barricaded himself in a storage place. That’s where we’re going; let’s head out.” The briefing at the police station was over, and the SWAT team headed out to the van.
“Hey Sarge,” one of the men called to Jerry, “what kind of a crazy guy would go and burn his own building down?”
Jerry shook his head. It didn’t make sense to him either, so he turned to the SWAT team’s paramedic who was striding beside him. “Got an answer for that one, Ryan?”
“I think he needs some help.”
“Yeah,” Corporal Joe put in, “he needs help all right, and we’ll give it to him.”
There was little talk in the SWAT van as they headed out towards the storage unit on the edge of town.
The sun was bright as the Burgess City SWAT team settled into position around the storage unit.
“I have a feeling it’s going to be a long day,” Corporal Joe remarked to Sergeant Wyatt.
Jerry glanced over. “You just had to say that, didn’t you, Joe.”

“Sergeant Wyatt.”
Jerry moved over to the police negotiator. “What’s up, Tom?”
“Nothing. I can’t get anywhere with him.” The officer sighed. “And he’s armed.”
“Well, I guess we just keep waiting and hope he comes out.”
Nodding, Tom started to turn away, but Sergeant Wyatt had a question.
“Any clues as to why he burned his own business down?”
Tom shook his head. “Nope. Detectives Brad and Steve are checking some things, but I doubt we’ll know until the guy,” he jerked his head towards the storage building, “comes out and confesses.”
Jerry nodded and headed back to his men stationed around the building.
“Guys,” Sergeant Wyatt informed the men, “it looks like we’ll be here a while.”
The men looked at each other in silence. This was all a part of their job.

The morning wore slowly on and the temperature climbed into the eighties. With their full equipment on of over a hundred pounds, the SWAT team began to grow uncomfortable. Taking breaks by turn helped a little. But they couldn’t take off their equipment, for they had to be constantly ready, for no one knew what this man would do. Again and again the police negotiator tried to reason with him to come out and give himself up, but to no avail.
Arriving in their vans and cars, the news reporters mingled around trying to get the latest developments for their station or paper. But along with the reporters came the Red Cross. Jerry saw them with thankfulness. He knew they could always count on them to show up, for any long seige, with food and drinks.
As the long day wore slowly on, with bright sun and warm weather, Jerry could feel the sweat running in tiny streams down his back, neck and face. How he wished he could take off his heavy bullet proof vest, even for a little while. He and the SWAT team’s medic kept an eye on the rest of the men. Several times someone from the SWAT team had needed medical help when suffering from heat. As it now appeared, however, since the sun was dropping lower, heat exhaustion wouldn’t be a problem.

“Sarge, how long you think that guy will stay in there?”
Jerry shrugged. “No telling. Hopefully he’ll give up soon.”
“If we could just have a little action,” Corporal Joe grinned, “it would at least be a little more interesting.”
“I know what you mean, Joe.”

As evening descended, so did the cold. Before long several of the men were beginning to shiver.
“This is the kind of day that’s rough on a person,” Sergeant Wyatt muttered to Ryan as they both took a break with some hot coffee from the Red Cross. “I mean, first you get drenched with sweat, and then you freeze in wet clothes.”
Ryan nodded. “Yeah. And yet, you wouldn’t trade this job for any other eight hour day in an office, would you?”
Jerry grinned and shook his head before draining the last of his coffee. “Not a chance. Who wants to be stuck inside a boring old office when you could be chasing bad guys with guns.”
“Or wishing they’d come out, huh?”
“That too,” Jerry laughed, glancing at his watch. “I’ve got to get back.”

In the early morning hours, Jerry was called over.
“We’re tired of waiting for him to come out, so we’re going to blow the door. Make sure your men are ready.”
“Yes, sir,” Sergeant Wyatt replied. “I think they’ll be glad for a little action.”
Moving back to his men he told them in low tones to get ready. Instantly all tiredness dropped away and senses snapped to full alert.
Glancing around to make sure everyone was in place and ready, Sergeant Wyatt noticed a news reporter standing off to the side. It looked like she was about to do a broadcast, for she was facing away from the building towards the camera.
A quick wondering if she knew what was about to take place flashed through Jerry’s mind as he fingered the trigger of his gun.
BOOM!
The explosion was startling even to those waiting for it. Now the door into the storage unit was open.
“Do we go in, Sergeant?”
“No. He’s armed. We’ll wait and see what he does.”
All eyes were fixed on the now open door. A few shouts were heard from inside and then silence. Enough light came from the street lights and a few on the building itself to enable the watching SWAT team members to see a little ways into the dark entrance of the storage unit.
“Come on out now,” the negotiator called. “With your hands up.”
A figure appeared at the extreme edge of the light. “I still have a gun,” he called out.
What is this guy, nuts? Sergeant Wyatt thought. You don’t go anouncing to the police that you still have a gun.
“Drop your gun,” Tom ordered.
For a moment, the man stood there, then dropping his gun, he came forward with his hands up.
Not a SWAT man moved, but keeping the man covered with their guns, they waited until he was handcuffed.
“All right guys,” Sergeant Wyatt called. “Let’s load up.”
At last the long vigil was over. As the men were gathering up their things and talking, one of the Red Cross workers made his way over to Jerry.
“You should make sure you watch the news later, especially Channel 8.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know if you noticed her or not, but the reporter was giving a live broadcast right when the door blew. You should have seen her! I’ll bet she jumped at least a foot.”
Jerry grinned. “I’ll be sure to watch it.”

Once back at the police station for a quick debriefing, Jerry found he could hardly stay awake. Stifling a yawn, he struggled to keep focused. Thankfully the meeting wasn’t long, and he once more headed home. This time he wanted a shower before bed.
Pulling into his driveway, he noticed the sky was beginning to grow a rosy pink and the birds were singing. “Didn’t I just do this?” he muttered.
Stepping out of his truck, he pulled out his key to let himself into the house. Stumbling inside, he noticed the time.
“No wonder I’m beat,” Sergeant Wyatt moaned. “I’ve been awake and on duty for thirty hours with only a thirty minute nap!” With a tremendous yawn, Jerry headed for his room. “At least if there is another call, the other SWAT team can get it,” he mumbled as he pulled off his boots.

Should I write more stories from the Burgess Police Department?